For those of you interested in technology news the options are many but most are seriously deficient. One hand, you have sites whose news consists mostly of cut and pasted press releases and those who kiss the feet of Microsoft. On the other hand, you have the whining anti-everything hacker-wannabe sites.

For those in the middle, try The Register. This British tech news site seems to be written by actual human beings capable of sarcasm. One recent headline about the earthquake in Seattle read:

Gates: the earth moved for me
Billy Boy’s speech interrupted by God

Earlier this week I asked for some feedback on the phenomenon of using TV to relax and the moral repercussions (seeing as your TV watching time is being resold). The good levelheaded readers of aov have responded and each response is very much appreciated.

The consensus (how many people to do you need to have a consensus?) seems to be that, like most things, there is nothing inherently wrong with watching TV. It all depends on what you watch and why you watch it. While this is certainly the case, I still think Neil Postman is right when he points out that TV is incapable of serving as the medium of coherent public discourse. But I guess that’s not the point of TV, is it? Don’t think I’m a pretentious preaching critic. I’m not sure I have any constructive criticism. I’m just thinking out loud and interested in the thoughts of others.

The feedback I received was encouraging on a few fronts. Firstly, the half-hour of TV I was complaining about was quickly put to shame by the amount of TV most people watch. Also, several alternative methods of relaxing were also suggested, some more interesting than others (use your imagination).

Bottom line according to the readers seems to be: Don’t watch it if you don’t want to. I don’t think I can argue with that.

TV is a drug. I realize that this is not a groundbreaking statement, but let me elaborate.

I have criticized my friends in the past for relying on television to help them relax at the end of the day. Some can’t even sleep until they’ve watched their half-hour of TV (it usually doesn’t matter what show in particular). I now find myself in the same sorry position. I have just gotten home from a long day at work. It’s late, and I should go to bed, but I won’t be relaxed enough to sleep until I’ve sat down for some TV.

My question is: Is there anything wrong with this?

I’m not sure myself. On one hand, it’s just like anything else people use to relax: reading, writing, tea, etc. It’s a way of giving your mind some down time. However, the key difference here is that I’m not living in a bubble. Someone (the TV networks) is selling my relaxation time to advertisers. A part of my daily routine that I sometimes rely on (as do many North Americans) to fall asleep at night is being sold to the highest bidder.

I can’t make a clear argument for why, or if, this is wrong. Maybe it’s not. I’d like to your what you think. Email me at steven@actsofvolition.com.

Anyhow, I’m off to bed. Right after I watch an episode of Newsradio (reruns on A&E!).

Apparently Bill Gates’ house isn’t big enough. According to News.com:

“…some changes are needed to make it more livable. Gates representatives said the home was designed for a bachelor and the family has found that it ‘isn’t fitting as they expected it to’…”

It’s a classic example of why user testing is always necessary. Imagine, he’s been living in a Beta version all this time.

For those that missed the link last week, I encourage you, a confused Canadian (or a disenfranchised American looking north), to read Matt’s article for ForgetMagazine.com: How I Inadvertently Came to Understand the Appeal of Stompin’ Tom Connors, Canadian Icon.

It helped me to come grips with my inability to appropriately balance living in Canada with not liking hockey (the solution being to shut up about it).

First, a confession: I am a web stats junkie. I get some kind of power rush from knowing that people are visiting our website.

The stats I love so much include keywords from popular search engines that have led people to aov. Some make sense, others do not. Some are interesting, others disturbing.
I have posted keywords on aov before. However, here is a a more in-depth sampling of such keywords with my thoughts on each:

• “Mike Lecky”
  I guess search engines work. We did an interview with Mike.
   
• “Acts of Volition”
  Again, search engines appear to work.
   
• “music video women Hiphop rock”
  We have written each of these words independently. However, I don’t think they have ever been used in conjunction.
   
• “futureshop sucks”
  Yes, I agree.
   
• “holy shit”
  aov has never included either word (although we do like to use profanity here and there).
   
• “matt slocum pictures, leigh nash cute, leigh nash MP3 download”
  Matt and Leigh are from Sixpence None the Richer. Read why they don’t suck.
   
• “napster judgement 2001”
  Napster. It will erase your mind.
   
• “cute kitten photos”
  This is matt’s fault.
   
• “something about the moffats”
  Yes, there is something about those boys, isn?t there?
   
• “Porland”
  It’s sad when search stats point out spelling errors (on a semi-related note, Portland with a ‘t’ is a cool place).
   
• “what is volition?”
  Don’t ask us. Look it up.
   
• “I want hug card”
  Don’t we all? Here you go.
   
• “matthew dorrell”
  He claims not to search the web for himself. I’m sceptical. Prove me wrong. Show yourself!
   
• “microsoft office monopoly”
  I was never good at monopoly. Microsoft Office is a monopoly. It’s also smarter than I am.
   
• “I do not know nuthin about the money launderin”
  I’m afraid I do know about money launderin’.
   
• “lemony snicket”
  Like matt said, “Lemony Snicket – suddenly and inexplicably everywhere”.
   
• “Sex story grandmother”
  A classic case of looking for love in all the wrong places. However, matt did once use these three words in relatively close proximity.
   
• “morphine preperation”
  I have never had morphine. Apparently I am the only one in this situation here at aov. See the following posts for more info:
  • Monkeys and morphine
  • I rock hard (A Christmas Greeting).
  • I rock harder (A Valentine’s Day Greeting).

   

• “the most disturbing movie”
  You asked for it. It’s Babe: Pig in the City.
   
• “who killed biggie smalls?”
  Record companies have whole departments dedicated to faking celebrity deaths. I though I had already explained this.
   
• “Bluntside the Awning”
  How do you bluntside the awning?
  Simple: press Down + Down + Grind (8 on the Keypad). Confused? You should be.
  Let me explain.
   
• “The truth about advertising”
  Searching the web for truth can be very frustrating. However, there is a video called Truth in Advertising that is quite amusing.