“What Role Will America Play in A Globalized World?”
Garrett Graff asks.
The answer: She’ll probably do what she usually does- try to reign over it. (Maybe not Malcolm X style, but you catch my drift?) *Note: I’m not unpatriotic. I love my country ’tis of thee. It’s a sweet land of liberty.
Seriously though, I can’t imagine America not being the most popular girl in school…on the web…in the world. Oh, let me stop. I’m biased!
This question is crucial, however. Let’s think in terms of technology. It’s hard to determine if America does indeed “lead the pack” in the global web conversation because how does one determine the metrics for success in this digital world. Sure, Americans occupy the blogospher in the millions, but I’m pretty sure this has a lot to do with readily available internet access and our right to free speech (and the “instant celebrity” phenomenon). Yet, because I’m American, I might be missing something here. Maybe, America is NOT as ahead in the global web conversation as we/I think. ((sighing and pondering))
The First Campaign, by my awesome professor Garrett Graff has my head buzzing with information right now. Are the 2008 presidential candidates really talking about this issue? Can they even talk candidly about this issue when we really don’t know what the global future holds for our dear friend America? I mean, one can get so obsessed with keeping up with technology that we lose sight of where we are on the global totem pole. Graff quotes, “Ready or not, technology is here.” Not to mention, it’s moving fast as hell. How does America keep up to the pace? The 2008 democratic presidents did a pretty good of keeping up to the technological pace, at least I think they did.
Excerpt from The First Campaign:
“Year by year, presidential politics becomes more packaged, easier to understand, parceled into digestible bites of data that are prescreened, tested, and handed to us, the voters, with sexy graphics and bold face text.” – Karabell
Hm. I like sexy. Sexy wins. Doh! Brainwashed.
America and her leaders are just going to have to let this globalization thing play out on its own, unfortunately. I mean, if she’s not paying enough attention, China is. But like technology, America will change – and get the friggin hint. I mean, who do YOU want picking up the phone at all hours of the night? Who cares, as long as they can answer the tough questions on globalization and let the other leaders of the world know what’s up, as well!
My old friends: “Hil” and “O”
Let’s save TV space and keep politics online. They’re more fun that way.
I used to feel out-of-touch with politics, especially with presidential campaigns. Yet, this 2008 presidential campaign is different. I know what you are thinking, “It’s because there’s a black man and a woman running for president, duh.” No, boo boo, its because Obama and Hillary are my good friends. I mean, you would support your friends if they were running for office, wouldn’t you?
Obama, Hillary, and I have been friends since last year. We were introduced by some of my buddies on Facebook. I mean in college years, that’s a lifetime! They tell me all about the things they are doing, and frankly it’s getting a little overwhelming. I mean, don’t you hate it when you have those two friends who are at odds with each other. Going to movies with them sucks! Any way, Obama called a few nights ago. As usual, he did all the talking – but, I was listening and my family was really excited to hear from him. I love this digital world thing because Obama, Hillary, and I can really stay connected via the web. Did I mention that I was a donor? I know my friends are not using me, even with my donor status, but Hil and O, you can write on a sista’s facebook wall every now and then, I mean damn! I still love you, though, especially because you encourage me to stay involved in my community and you ALWAYS know where the polling places are.
I know my friends are going to be really busy once they win office, nevertheless I know they’ll keep in touch. They’re digital.
A Soldier’s IN YOUR FACE B#@*! Moment
Note: I do not condone violence of any sort.
I loved OdetoBernays’ story about the soldier and the complaining women. It is a prime example of how we don’t always appreciate what we have – cliché, but so true. That woman sat there complaining about her weight. The nerve. I often wonder why people (i.e. women) talk about weight publicly, anyway. And, did you notice? Skinny women will talk about how they need to lose weight in front of their thick or fat friends. Kick ‘em when they’re down why don’t you. The nerve. Don’t trust skinny cooks and people should be careful of what they say in public – cliché, but so true. I mean hell, what are the chances of us sitting next to a soldier who just got back from Iraq? You catch my drift, however.
Human beings can be a strange species. 
.
Okay, but even stranger than this one.
That lady was probably thinking “Hell, I should join the military. At least I’ll lose wieght!” But in any case, here you go soldier. You can use this coupon any time you want.
Twitter is my friend- my special invisible friend that sits on my shoulder.
People may not like Twitter, but there IS a point to it.
There is also a nerdy component.
There is a psychological dysfunction component.
There is a boredom component.
Global voices show that it has a survival component, as well.
Then, there is the nerdy component.
There is a boredom component, too.
Oh, and there is a pointless component.
Which do you best associate with? Don’t be ashamed. Pick one.
Let me help. No. Matter-of-fact. Follow my tweets. You have to sign up first. Did you do it? Don’t you want to know what I’m doing? It’s reeeally interesting. Twitter is a cool. It’s even cool saying it. Try it. Go ahead. Twitter. Tweet. LOL. LOL again. LOL. I’m a bit kwazy.
Hey, are you not convinced that Twitter is cool? No one will ever ask you what you are doing, where you’re going, or what you did this weekend ever again. Let’s think about this. Don’t you hate when people incessantly ask you what you are thinking or what you’re up to? It’s annoying as crap, sometimes. With Twitter, one can eliminate such nonsense. Oh, and it’s available on Facebook, too. Did you check my Facebook status? What did it say?
VaGal123 wants you to see her Twitter status.
Predators love social networks.
I agree with Our Common Ground that social media can be dangerous for children, especially in regards to social networking websites. Luckily, there are some for kids. But, as for the more popular ones, child predators are salivating at the very existence of these public profiles. These youngsters are posing in pictures with pouty lips and exposed bodies. And, who can blame them? Young starlets and hunks glamorize it. It’s that sense of celebrity. Our shitty society. It’s a damn shame. We’ve got babies on the WORLD wide web on the computer screens of sick-o’s. Where are the parents? Don’t worry, some of them are too worried about keeping their own profiles up-to-par rather than paying attention to their kids. And who really pays attention to their kids these days? Kids, schmidz. That’s what the T.V.’s are for. Duh!
Stop right now. Breeze through some Facebook and Myspace profiles.
You see. Everyone wants to be America’s Top Model, and with social networking sites you can have a taste of instant semi- micro- celebrity. Even if you’re underage.
You wanna be on Top?! Na na na na na. Na na na na. ß insert theme music here.
Are you over 18? Has a 13 year-old ever tried to “friend” you on Myspace.com? Has a high schooler on Facebook.com sent you note that read: Nice pic. Did you not shudder a bit? Well, if you didn’t you should be member of the S.i.c Fux group, and you definitely need to seek help immediately. Hell, see if there are some Meetups in your area on this subject. Please do not hesitate. Get Help. Act now!
If you haven’t seen To Catch a Predator. You just might not get it.
We Love War…
…We do. We really effing do. (And yes, “effing” is the new euphemism for…well you know…stop trying to make me use the real word. Geez! Save it for the sailors!)
Any way, please scream the following in your best British accent:
“Are you not entertained?! Are you not entertained?!” screamed the Gladiator, also known as Russel Crowe, in the most phenomenal movie ever. The crowd sat wide-eyed, salivating devilishly from the gory triumph of the gladiator. They loved the blood. They loved the gore. They loved the death for death’s sake. They loved their pointless obsession…
The media glamorizes war, and we watch tentatively. A defeated terrorist lies bloody in a casket, and we continue to stare, consciously forgetting we have the capabilities to turn the channel. A controversial war video surfaces on youtube.com, and we give it a record number of views. Did you Google the beheading ? (Sorry, I’m not gonna link that sick shit.) You’re guilty, too. We are all guilty of being obsessed with war. We are guilty for wanting-to-see-the-front lines-but-not-really-experience-it. I don’t know the psychology of it all, but I assume this obsession is pretty damn natural. I mean, war, and all of its components, has always been apart of our histories. It’s just that now, we have the digital platforms to really have exposure to it.
I’m really impressed with soldiers’ blogs. I think it’s something that can be very therapeutic for them. It allows us to see their world. But, can they get in trouble for their words? Some of the soldiers are revealing some pretty personal information, as they express their distaste for war. I mean, to state your rank, name, and picture on a blog seems like it would be a crime in the military. Kudos to the brave ones, though.
We will continue to watch, and read. Innocent victims killed. Pointlessness. A soldier’s candid confessions. Blood. A reality show about military wives. It’s all entertainment to us. We live the in the pointless, helplessly.
*Disclaimer: Please read this with a grain of salt. War is so not cool, dude. I mean who loves war?
Y que de las voces mundiales?
Every time I learn about a particular subject from a global perspective, I feel like a dumb American. I experience that “out-of-the-loop” feeling to the nth power. Hello, World. It’s lil ole me just kickin’ rocks, suckin’ on a lollipop, and watchin’ the tube, as one being amongst billions…
I recently perused the site Global Voices Online, and it’s pretty amazing. (Though, I wouldn’t have expected any less from Harvard.) Global Voices highlights global conversations. Their resonating tag line proclaims “The world is talking. Are you listening?” The site consists of blogs amongst blogs, and features contributions from respectable (and common folk) bloggers from around the world. And what are they talking about? They talk about the world that mainstream media forgets or overlooks. Hey, you do know that that Hilary and Barack are not running for President of the World, right? That’s what I thought. American headlines have you fooled- and me too, unfortunately.
I clicked on Argentina to see what the bloggers were talking about in the South America. March 8th was International Women’s Day (Missed it. Damn 24-hr no-life style!) and Latin American women bloggers populated the blogosphere in droves to discuss la progresion de las mujeres and la cultura machismo que mata. Their words were so beautiful, and crafted with such passion. To Americans who are not bilingual, or who do not have an appreciation for the world’s languages, you are missing out on the world!
I had to reflect on Global Voices for some time.
This thing that has been created called the “global conversation” has so many platforms to be heard. Yet, who will determine which voices will be heard the loudest?
My Best Friend, My Yahoo!
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. I really do love my Yahoo! account. Don’t get me wrong. I like Google, too, but I really like Yahoo! – My Yahoo!
You see me and My Yahoo! have a relationship. We are like best friends. She supplies my informational diet – she feeds me and I feed her. My Yahoo! is a fashionista, indeed. Right now, she is dressed in pink and I’ve made sure that she is outfitted in the latest in RSS apparrel. Oh and she’s just so smart! She knows everything from world news to entertainment. She’s definitely in the “in crowd” because she’s a hella’ name dropper. I mean, I don’t know of anyone, or anything, she doesn’t know. Take that, geniuses! It doesn’t get any better than this. I mean, everyone longs for that friend who gets along with everyone, and I’ve found her. I’ve introduced to her to many people, and of course everyone wants or has a piece of my new best friend, but that’s okay because she feeds them different stuff anyway! (snap snap)
I really don’t mean to brag, but My Yahoo! is really classy. There’s nothing generic about her. We both know there is competition out there, yet her console is incomparable. Sure she’d be more of a beauty on a wide screen HD glossy monitor, but with today’s economy, who can afford it? She’s a big girl, but I even carry her in public – on my Palm Centro, that is. What did you think I was some sick freak?
