A friend of mine had posted on Twitter about tge general incompetence if tge contestants. This called to mind the excellent Mitchell and Webb Apprentice sketch so I thought I would send her the link from Youtube. The recommendations are usually Charlie Brooker and music related. Top of the pile today was a Mitchell and Webb cricket sketch.
It's just coincidence but it would give Derek Acorah a series!!
The weather is beautiful , but the mood is ruined by the thugs of a certain organisation organising a protest in the cetre of Newcastle. It's amazing how many people seem to think they have a point. Then they start complaining about the Germans taking over London tonight !! Bayern Munich and Boruusia Dortmund are there because they're the best footballing sides in Rurope this season.
Anyway after that I was looking into phone companies terms and condition for internet data usage and check this snippet out:
"Inclusive Mobile Internet: Mobile internet browsing (whether as part of an inclusive
allowance or not) is not to be used for other activities (such as
non-company internet based streaming services, voice or video over the
internet, instant messaging)."
From that I assume you can't watch Youtube , message friends on Facebook, Twitter or any non approved method, or maybe I just read it wrong.
I just find it annoying when organisations attempt to impose themselves on you in an attempt to control you.
The title of the post comes from a Captain Beefheart and Frank Zappa collaboration , so I think I'll dig out a Beef heart video to cheer me up.
A short post this , but a number of people have mentioned that they enjoyed seeing my Instagram posts. I ditched both Instagram and Twitter because of the disposability of the posts on there , but have slowly come round to the thought that as long as you dont OD on the stuff then its OK to use , so I've decided to resurrect my Instagram feed.
My Twitter one is here. My instgram name will be mikeydred96 so it may be here
So I'm just hoping I don't swamp peaople with pictures , but will try and post interesting things. Also the Samsung Note 2 has a decent camera and processor so should be interesting to see what I can do , maybe I'll limit myself to black and white , but we shall see.
I chose the Blondie video , because it's a great song and I nicked the title for this post . Oh and on May 4th Blondied are on the bill at the "Fake Festival" at Percy Park Rugby Club . Details here
There's video and music samples of them on the link above so you can try before you buy so to speak
It's been about a month since I ditched Twitter and Instagram. One of the reasons for doing so is no matter how good your picture or text is , it generally goes into a black hole. But twitter can be used for keeping an eye on events , and since taking the time ro watch a few TED talks , I have a reason to follow someone on twitter . I need to find a few people worth following because of what they do , so am slowly building things up. I posted one tweet , which I nicked from a place in York, so will see how things go.
I promise not to post pictures ogf my food or any video at all , but will share things worth sharing. My new id is @mikeydred96 if you want to follow me , and if you don't that's fine.
The video is another brilliant TED talk from Brewster Kahle on a building a digital library, sort of like Project Gutenberg . The Book-Mobiles are an amazing idea , great fun .Watch the video
I was wondering whether I would get withdrawal symptoms from ditching Istagram and Twitter , and I definitely have. Although the problem is it's like any addiction. Sometimes I want something extra to do on my phone.
Then I think 99% of the posts and pictures will go unnoticed and unread no matter how good the picture is or how witty the riposte on Twitter is. And then the desire goes away.
If I want to post something I can do a blog post like this one or just post a status on Facebook, it just takes a little more effort.
The problem with Instagram and Twitter is that often it's more about getting followers and the way to get followers is to follow people and hope they reciprocate. If you have a big following base then people will hopefully take notice of what you say or take a picture of , although often it's just about what they've had do eat.
I've been very guilty of that, and people aren't interested in what I've had to eat , although people may be interested if I recommend a good restaurant or pub. Anyway I am happy with what I'm doing and when I see things I want to photograph I can take them for my own pleasure , share them on Facebook or Picassa for people to check out.
Not quite "Letter From America" by The Proclaimers , but it sounds sort of snappy. Today I deleted my Twitter and Instagram accounts. The real reason was that really I didnt get anything from them , and you do that many tweets or Instagram Pictures that they just get lost in the billions of posts on both planforms . Twitter is supposed to be 140 character limit yet allows pictures , and now 6 second video clips!! Instagram , while it has some interesting filters , results in a lot of dross between the good pictures , though I suppose you could say that of all digital photographs.
The other thing I think both these platforms stop you from posting anything interesting anywhere , you post almost without thinking. I know there's a lot of famous people on there , but if Stephen Fry says something really worth hearing it will find it's way out of Twitter.
I'll probably keep my Facebook account , as it has got me in touch with people who I'd lost touch with , and can enable me to do what I did on Twitter and Instagram.. So you won't see anymore hashtags from me , I don't know if my old tweets stay or will be removed , I'm not bothered either way. And if I hadn't deleted the accounts I wouldn't be writing this post.
Lot's of people like Twitter and find it useful , though some people just seem intent on following as many people as they can. Just decided they are not for me any more
Instagram Post of My Train Arriving in Darlington Station
I may have posted something like this before , so it's a bit like a discussion last night when my friend Bob said his favourite comedy series ever was "Yes, Prime Misister" but it's only problem was that sometimes the same joke was repeated word for word. I pointed out that it was in the days before video recording and the only reason he noticed was because he was watching a series back to back. Today we're just as likely to wastch a series from a digital recording as live on TV when originally airs. I have the full series 5 of True Blood on my hard disc and currently working my way through Arrested Development and The Wire.
Anyway back to the point of this post , my third in eight hours! I've not slept dur to major discomfort in my right arm , currently being eased by a hot water bottle . Not looking forward to having to go to casualty , though I think I have a local walk in centre , so I may track that down. So that's the reason I am awake at this god foresaken hour , although on a work day I would just be getting up. But ..
The reason I was really writing here was the thought that came into my head about how society , me included is maybe becoming de socialized by Twitter and Instagram . Both of these are short format blanket communication devices that can communicate with each other and other social media such as twitter. They are both about what's happening i the moment so not neccessarily meant to be kept , but can also be viewd as a sort of diary. I have seen one friends drams of home life and house moving unfold on there . And sometimes the limitations of Instagram can produce amazing pictures but mostly it's throwaway stuff. And like the sfformention "Yes Minister" there is a lot of repetition , I often think "Have I already posted this?" and then decided it doesnt matter. The almost out Facebook Facebook with the disposability of their feeds,
The worry for me is that it means that I don't blog as much , and some people actually use them as main modes of communication. I follow about 25 people , many more and I feel I will disappear in an avalanche of trivia. Also some people will expect me to know something because it appeared on Twitter. I still tend to watch the BBC News for important stuff. With that I will post this and go and have a lie down . The hot water bottle is having an efficacious effect , much like Lily The Pink's Medicinal Compound!! Did you know Mike McGear of The Scaffold was Paul McCartney's brother?
This week Ryan Babel of Liverpool football club has been censured for twittering about Howard Webb's handling of their cup tie with Manchester United. To be honest I agree with Mr Babel , though the FA takes a different view.
Also we have Stephen Fry , Dara O' Briain and lots of other high profile tweeters or twitterers , posting their 140 character thoughts via their mobile devices. Babel's sin was compounded by the addition of an image of Howard Webb wearing a Manchester United shirt. What's that about? Twitter with pictures?? It's meant to be a limited text service.
It's like when there was talk of DAB services transmittting enhanced content such as images and video!! Isn't that television?
Anyway still think that Twitter is just for people who cant be bothered to properly socialise , as I say lazy verbal exhibitionists!! If you must tweet or twitter , here's a few devices that may feed your addiction !!!
