The JackB

"When you're in jail, a good friend will be trying to bail you out. A best friend will be in the cell next to you saying, 'Damn, that was fun'." Groucho Marx

Archives for May 2009

How To Blog, Use Facebook & Twitter

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During the past two weeks quite a number of the people following me on Twitter have turned out to be experts in Social Media or SEO. For a moment I was puzzled by this and then I realized that they have done so because I am the leading expert on all matters. Jack sees all and knows all, just ask DovBear.

Anyhoo, the beauty of these various tools is that there really isn’t one proper way to use them. However, it should be noted that while there may not be one right way, there are also several wrong ways to use them.

The most obvious pitfall from using these tools is being careful about what sort of information you enter into them. If you consider the viral nature of the net it is easy to imagine that anything you post in cyberspace can be viewed by millions of people and for an unknown duration of time.

It is not far fetched to suggest that the YouTube video you made at 12 could still be around when you are 50, 76 or 176.

The point being is that you need anytime you put something out there you need to consider the present and future implications of that post. Not only that but you also need to remember that you don’t have complete control of what is posted.

For example friends of yours could post pictures of you in compromising positions. But for the purpose of this post let’s limit the discussion to what you post. You need to assume that anything you post can be seen by current and future employers, friends, colleagues and others.

So don’t post anything that you aren’t prepared to discuss and or if needed defend. More to come on this in a later post.

Reductio ad absurdum

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Reductio ad absurdum is a mode of argumentation that seeks to establish a contention by deriving an absurdity from its denial, thus arguing that a thesis must be accepted because its rejection would be untenable. It is a style of reasoning that has been employed throughout the history of mathematics and philosophy from classical antiquity onwards.

Or the standard dictionary definition

Main Entry:re·duc·tio ad ab·sur·dum
Pronunciation:\ri-ˈdək-tē-ˌō-ˌad-əb-ˈsər-dəm, -ˈdək-sē-ō-, -shē-, -ˈzər-\
Function:noun
Etymology:Late Latin, literally, reduction to the absurd
Date:1741
1 : disproof of a proposition by showing an absurdity to which it leads when carried to its logical conclusion
2 : the carrying of something to an absurd extreme

Links that Caught My Eye

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The Healing Power of Music– CNN reports on the work of a cardiologist and his study of the effects of music on the cardiovascular system. “Turns out music may be one of the best de-stressors. Makes sense to me.

Why Your Baby’s Name Will Sound Like Everyone Else’s -Wired gives you the rundown on why your baby’s name isn’t all that unique.

The Best & Worst Owners in Sports– SI comes up with another list.

Blue Whales Are On The Move– Live Science has some great stuff.

More Japanese Television

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I haven’t yet had the opportunity to visit Japan but it is on my list of places that I have to see. If you are one of the seventeen long time readers you know that I have run a number of posts on this topic.

I had intended on including links to those posts, but apparently the videos have been removed. When I have time I’ll do a quick search to see if I can find replacements.

In the interim here is a clip that left me, well, I don’t know. Take a look for yourself.

Good Intentions: What The Hell Were They Thinking

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I’ll give this company the benefit of the doubt and say that I am sure that they were trying to do the right thing, but as a parent I am greatly troubled by it. But sex toy and children should never be said in the same sentence.

Look at that picture and tell me that there isn’t something wrong with this campaign.
Here is a quick excerpt from the press release:

SinlessTouch.com shakes up the adult novelty industry with its Buy a Sex toy, save a child Charity Program.

“The Buy a Sex toy, save a child Charity Program is our commitment to society. We’ve always known that a sustainable business needs the support of healthy communities and a high quality environment. We aim to be the most trusted retailer wherever we trade by demonstrating a clear sense of social responsibility. ” said Jessica Blake, Sinless Touch Vice President of Corporate Communications.

Social responsibilty is great, but this is poorly executed. It needs to be revamped and fixed ASAP.

Reason, Season, Lifetime- Do You Believe

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REASON, SEASON, LIFETIME!!!

People always come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.

When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.

When someone is in your life for a REASON,

it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly.

They have come to assist you through a difficulty,

or to provide you with guidance and support,

to aid you physically, emotionally, or even spiritually.

They may seem like a godsend to you, and they are.

They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time,

this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.

Sometimes they die. Sometimes they just walk away.

Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand.

What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.

The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.

When people come into your life for a SEASON,

it is because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn.

They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.

They may teach you something you have never done.

They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.

Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.

And like Spring turns to Summer and Summer to Fall,

the season eventually ends.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;

those things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.

Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person anyway;

and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas in your life.

It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Thank you for being part of my life.

Everyone hears what you say.

Friends listen to what you say.

Best friends listen to what you don’t say.

I go back and forth about these sorts of statements. People want to believe that there is a purpose in everything, some sort of hidden meaning that they can sniff out.

I am no different. During hard times it is comforting to say that everything happens for a reason. When you are heartbroken you want to say that person xyz came into your life so that you would learn some profound lesson.

It is not easy for me to buy into all of that. I want to. I love the sentiment and I want to believe, but sometimes I don’t. Sometimes I latch on and have complete faith and other times I shrug my shoulders and just roll my eyes.

On the other hand there are people that I share too many coincidences with. They have come into my life and turned it upside down. So in the end I find myself waffling on whether I believe or disbelieve. I am not a fan of sitting on the fence, but in this case…

What do you think?