. . .tellin' me more and more
about some useless information
suppose to fire my imagination. . . *
Can useless information fire your imagination? I think so. Okay, I confess. I'm a Clavinist. As in Cliff Clavin of the TV show 'Cheers'.
WIKI:
A rambler by nature, Cliff was well known as a storehouse of useless trivia, often of dubious veracity and bearing little relation to the conversation being had around the bar.
Now the internet can be a very dangerous place for a closet Clavinist like me. I went computer-less for several years - intentionally - as I could hear the siren call of all those bits and bites of UI (Useless Information) calling to me. I tried so very hard to keep myself restricted to information gleaned from dead tree stock, but my husband bought me my own computer for Christmas one year and.... well, you can guess what happened.
At first I really tried not to google. I visited all sort of sites through links, but I resisted the lure of that little box in the corner of my browser screen until one day when a friend called and asked me a question that I didn't have a ready source to answer. As she was somewhat frantic and I was sitting in front of my computer at the time, I typed a question in that powerful little box, hit enter and was lost. It was like sex for the first time. Not quite what you expected, but you knew you would be back for more.
So what happens when I google? Much like looking up a word in the dictionary, which is one of my favorite things to do, googling takes me off in all sorts of directions and then.... hours have gone by and along the way I have collected vast quantities of information, useful and useless.
I often wonder how the effect of instant information will change the future. On the one hand I can see endless potential for children with curious minds to sate that curiosity and expand beyond the limits of information from books. But if learning is easier will young minds become dependent on that instant information and say, "I don't really have to learn this, I can always look it up if I need it," in the future? If learning becomes 'looking up things' then what will happen to critical thinking skills?
Will freeing the mind from holding so many 'facts' increase the ability of the mind for reasoning and contemplation? Could be and I truly hope it will be so, but I am concerned that it could go the other way and lead to lazy learning.
Learning for the most part is a left-brain skill that plays havoc with right-brain creative thinkers. I can see that not having to carry around suitcases of facts for a right-brain person could let them fly with their visionary skills and unleash the potential of their more creative side. For dominant left-brain learners the internet is a playground of information waiting to be soaked up and cross-referenced. I have a tendency to fall into that category.
I love that the internet will allow independent learners to seek out and consume to their hearts content. I see the potential for a new Renaissance that will greatly help to solve future problems and enrich our lives with art and learning. With information so readily available to all with access to computers, who knows when useless information might inspire the imagination.
::
I was going to put some 'useless information' into the body of this diary, but decided to save it for comment boxes throughout the threads. Besides, useless information is only useless until its used.
*Lyrics by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards song: I Can't Get No Satisfaction
On with the show . . . to inspire your imagination
My selections.......
Diary: The breath of MetaJesus
By: Jerome a Paris
Malacandra snarky comment says it very well!
New Deal Democrat and Jerome a Paris exchange quips.
Diary: AP: Edwards Healthcare Plan Raises Taxes
By: trifecta
josephk has an outstanding comment regarding Social Contract.
tobendaro's comment speaks to the battlelines.
TomP on doers vs. promisers.
Diary: Meta Secrets of Daily Kos
By: Hunter
dmsilev tells a tale that starts this hilarious thread. Beware of power tools in the kitchen!
javelina's cites more misadventures of whacky power tool use.
Disgusted in St Louis brings a fantastic new graphic AND shares.
Turkana - A-men!!!
scratchingmybutthas an excellent analogy!
tryptamine's wise observation.
Diary: Whither Chronic Meta S**tstirring?
By: Big Tent Democrat
stitchmd makes some interesting points.
Moody Loner strikes a chord; BTD vibrates.
sobermom has a very keen and sober assessment.
Front Page: Senate Meta on Iraq
By: mcjoan
Dallasdoc can't wait to see these things!
LeftHandedMan speaks of favors rejected.
I want to highlight this comment made by kath25 because it shows how fine kossacks can be in helping a newcomer, Adam the Soldier, navigate the site. Kath took the time to fill her comment in informative links and give warm encouragement. A splendid example of true helpfulness. We are so happy to have you aboard as a TC diarist, kath, and looking forward to your debut this Wednesday night.
From AllisonInSeattle
Diary: We said goodbye to Molly Ivins today
By: aeralist
Mary2002 speaks of Molly's purpose.
From monkeybiz
Diary: Criticism
By: kos
Got a Grip offers this apt and vivid description of how flame wars get ugly, especially when commenters start taking sides behind someone.
From brownsox
Diary: Meta Masturbation
By: johnnygunn
Kestral9000 finds classic instructions to curb this 'habit'!
From MissLaura
emptypockets contributes to the round of meta with this thoughtful observation of how and why commenting at Daily Kos has changed and how jokes and feuds are related
From carolita
mosesfreeman makes the comment of the year (according to BenGoshi) in Cenk Uygur's Pre-War Poll diary.
The Movac knows the only sane option in Iraq and explains it in Darksyde's The Good Option.
SweetPotato explains exactly why "we broke it, we have to fix it" is a neocon set-up in Devilstower's excellent Those Who Blame America.
From Dreaming of Better Days
Diary: MetaSatan thanks you!
By MetaSatan
PhillyGal to the rescue!
Rob Cole has a sense of humor regarding a near-death experience - follow the thread!
From Boadicaea
Diary: Ehren Watada's "Trial" Begins Monday
By: Danial K
mskitty short, sweet retort.
From sardonyx
Canadian Reader comments on the Framers of the Constitution in adigal's diary, I Was a Republican Jackass Who Supported the Iraq War.
josephk comments on the Greater Good in the diary AP: Edwards Health Care Plan Raises Taxes! by trifecta.
~~~~~~~~~~
Tonight's Top Mojo is brought to you by BeninSC Thank You Ben!
Top Mojo - excluding search-identifiable tip jars, first diary comments and C&J comments:
1 Diarist is trying to dictate terms -- dunsel - 275
2 How I've been waiting for his return to the news! -- Fatherflot - 95
3 I've said it before -- clonecone - 83
4 It's just a matter of time... -- mobiusein - 78
5 And a personal attack -- pico - 78
6 Courage of his convictions. -- Mike S - 71
7 You can make more enemies . . . -- LondonYank - 68
8 Thank you for point 7. I have been really -- blue jersey mom - 67
9 Meta makes me cry. -- Hunter - 65
10 Wait a minute... -- dmsilev - 61
11 but -- Sargent Pepper - 58
12 "prostitute turned reporter"? -- MajorFlaw - 58
13 Yep. -- Ghost of Frank Zappa - 54
14 I think that some people... -- a dumb dreamer - 53
15 Oregon -- davidsirota - 53
16 Hmmm. -- Mehitabel9 - 51
17 Yeah, he was totally wrong -- clonecone - 51
18 if you're talking about meta and wind -- Turkana - 50
19 But how would Cheney profit? -- MD patriot - 49
20 In keeping with the spirit of the last thread, -- righteousbabe - 48
21 I know nothing of 9/11 conspiracies, -- Got a Grip - 48
22 I was expecting a warning we ae past Peak Meta -- LondonYank - 46
23 The Mars heirs are one of the 18 -- trashablanca - 46
24 Molly died of IBC-- -- maconblue - 45
25 Thank you and well stated! -- Disgusted in St Louis - 45
26 Bless You. -- Adam B - 44
27 then why -- zedaker - 42
28 So what you're saying is that if I -- Geekesque - 41
29 I have been in four OPOL diaries, total. -- Hunter - 40
30 This stinks! -- LAMaestra - 40
Top Mojo - everything included:
1 Sorry -- If I don't answer many comments, -- Hunter - 310
2 Diarist is trying to dictate terms -- dunsel - 275
3 Tip jar -- plf515 - 253
4 Mojo -- LieparDestin - 228
5 Tips -- beachmom - 170
6 Tip Jar -- trifecta - 139
7 Tip Jar - January 5 -- Jerome a Paris - 126
8 Tip Jar -- techno - 117
9 How I've been waiting for his return to the news! -- Fatherflot - 95
10 "There are more things -- chuckvw - 93
11 I've said it before -- clonecone - 83
12 It's just a matter of time... -- mobiusein - 78
13 And a personal attack -- pico - 78
14 Nice -- MikeBaseball - 77
15 If you like this and want to know more... -- Raybin - 75
16 Final vote: yea's 49, no's 47 -- adigal - 75
17 Courage of his convictions. -- Mike S - 71
18 You can make more enemies . . . -- LondonYank - 68
19 Tip jar -- AAbshier - 67
20 Thank you for point 7. I have been really -- blue jersey mom - 67
21 tips -- thereisnospoon - 67
22 Meta makes me cry. -- Hunter - 65
23 Wait a minute... -- dmsilev - 61
24 I smell change in the air . . . -- nyceve - 59
25 but -- Sargent Pepper - 58
26 "prostitute turned reporter"? -- MajorFlaw - 58
27 Tip Jar -- Jeff Huber - 55
28 Yep. -- Ghost of Frank Zappa - 54
29 Oregon -- davidsirota - 53
30 I think that some people... -- a dumb dreamer - 53
Be sure to send YOUR top comment selections to:
topcomments (AT) gmail (DOT) com by no later than 9:30PM EST.
Please be sure to include your screen name so we can give you full credit for your nomination.