Category: Notes

Facebook Notes, No. 6124025

«It is a bit of a joke in our family that I use FB to ‘stalk’ my young adult children (19 -22). And my youngest and I had a great exchange the other month. He posted something (as a joke) that I found a bit offensive … so I left a little short comment along the lines of … “I do not think this appropriate …” (yes that is the ‘mother tone’ you hear). It is what happened next that really impressed me and gave me a real AHA moment.
He ‘inboxed’ me (so it was private) .. and said this was his space and I should really respect that. He said he found my comment on his comment ‘inappropriate’ not only for the tone but also for the fact that I had posted it on his site (ie all his friends could see it). He then went on to say (along the lines of ..) that while he likes me being his friend on FB and enjoys our on-line interactions .. if I can not respect / accept his space, opinions and jokes (and if I DO have a problem – then deal with it privately) .. – then he suggested either A) I ‘unfriend him’ (so you don’t have t see it Mum!) .. or B) if I do it again he will block me (LOL).
What impressed me the most .. was his choice of reply (ie private .. not ‘ridiculing me in public) and the incredibly respectful but honest and assertive way he (1) put his case forward … (2) said what he wanted from me … (3) and then gave me an alterative option .. and (4) finished off with a final possible consequence.
I sat back, had a laugh, went to his FB page and removed my comment. I then sent him a reply email thanking him for the way he handled this & acknowledged all of his points .. and thought.. I am so proud of my son. 
I am sharing this story here because it is an example of the way on line interactions with our (adult) children can actually enhance our relationship .. (I think) .. But I also do acknowledge it is different with younger children and I guess parents do have more of stronger role in that situation.»

— Kathleenz, Comment on: «Facebook & helicopter parenting»

Facebook Notes, No. 5687897

«[…] Mikalah uses Facebook but when she goes to log out, she deactivates her Facebook account. She knows that this doesn’t delete the account – that’s the point. She knows that when she logs back in, she’ll be able to reactivate the account and have all of her friend connections back. But when she’s not logged in, no one can post messages on her wall or send her messages privately or browse her content. But when she’s logged in, they can do all of that. And she can delete anything that she doesn’t like. Michael Ducker calls this practice “super-logoff” when he noticed a group of gay male adults doing the exact same thing. […]»

— Danah Boyd, «Risk Reduction Strategies on Facebook»

Contemporary Eye


Sherlock Holmes re-invented — or better: transposed — into the here and now, today. Great setting, great camera, great actors and: SMS as a supporting act. Works. Works very well. Only three episodes so far, but hey, it’s only a question of «when» not «if» there’ll be a continuation. Btw.: Steve Moffatt and Mark Gatiss are the creators and the executive producers of this BBC tv show.

[hat tip to nichts]

Kill The Spill

Two weeks ago a single blog post from an it and design company (Unify Interactive) made me angry and I decided to kick them off from my news reader. You want to know why? Here you go …

«[…] a company that spends $ billions every year and risks much more in an effort to help meet the world’s demand for petroleum […] has to endure criticism from uninformed ingrates […]

[…] The childish and oblivious people behind things like these re-imagined BP logos and countless other public commentaries and observations will never in their lives have to commit to the sorts of risks that BP employees and others in the petroleum industry make every day. These folks do these things and risk all because the world demands that someone do this dangerous and thankless job. […]

[…] when as a result of terrible mistakes (which will always occur) bad things happen, the industry receives venom and criticism from the very ones who directly caused the magnitude of the result. It’s a shame that too many are too uninformed or just too stupid to grasp these facts and the excruciating ironies that accompany them. […] the world needs the product that BP and their industrial brethren collect. […]»

— Unit Interactive, Irony

That’s it — no big thing. I had no plan to write about it.

But today I read from another companies blog (Woo Themes) that they — and three other companies: MetaLab, Squarespace and CampaignMonitor — are going «active» showing some initiative to do good things and to assist w/ restoration of wildlife in the area …

«British Petroleum’s well has been pouring thousands of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico for over a month, killing thousands of animals and obliterating any sea life in its path. To make matters worse, there’s no end in sight. […] These animals need out help, donate now!»

— Kill The Spill

A new initiative from 4 companies and it hopes to generate funds that will be donated to the National Wildlife Foundation.

And if I take that in account — ⅕ is bad, ⅘ is good — than it’s not to late and we can do good things.

what the heck i’m doing here?

well, it seems i watch sometimes to much tube stuff. but i like it. if you don’t like it: get off my tiny tiny white space and get a cookie — or two. besides that: music makes my world go round. hiphop-dub-grime-reggae-punk-country-garage-electronic-rock’n’roll-swing-jazz-soul-surf-funk-psychobilly-klezmer. dig it.