Thought du jour - 8 October, 2011

"You're no longer surfing the Web; the Web is surfing you, scouring your mind for new and better footholds." - Mac Tonnies

Chum Per Hour

I'm always happy to highlight the work of my friends, so here are the first two webisodes for the new comedy web series Chum Per Hour, which features my pal Christina Cuffari.

The way that people create content has changed a great deal in the past decade with the advent of the Internet. While it hasn't yet altered the fundamental nature of the dynamic between content creators and content managers - the networks for TV and the major production companies for film still rule the roost - it has provided a valuable platform for people like Christina and her friends in Chum Per Hour to get their work seen on their own terms, and build an audience.

More choices, and more voices. A very good thing, indeed!

Paul Kimball

Thought du jour - 30 September, 2011

"The survival of democracy as we know it hinges increasingly on the inherently decentralized nature of the Internet. So I'm annoyed by Netizens who remain forever anonymous behind "clever" usernames and handles in a vainglorious attempt to keep their "real" lives and online lives discreet. If you have something important to contribute to the datasphere, speak out! Use your real name! The Net is not one big chatroom; it's one of the central forces keeping our world from dissolution at the hands of mega-corporations, chomping-at-the-bit neo-fascists and "protective" watchdog government agencies out to fulfill the usual list of Big Brother power fantasies." - Mac Tonnies

As anyone who has read or heard one of my rants against Internet anonymity is aware, I couldn't agree more. People need to take ownership of what they say, and write, or else it's worthless. How can I respect someone's opinion when they don't have the courage to put their name to it?

The answer is that I can't, and I don't.

After all, John Hancock didn't sign the Declaration of Independence "IHateGeorgie47".

Paul Kimball