Official Article Suggestion Topic

[zourtney]

From time to time, I come up with a stupid idea of stuff to write on Randomland. I have text documents full of abhorrent little quips or stupid thoughts that spring through my head.

Well, it's your turn! Make a suggestion; this will be the official place to put it into the infinitude of persistent database storage. I'll sift through my ideas and put the less-than-embarrassing ones up soon.

[zourtney]

First suggestion:

The Aging of the Internet:
The Decline of Relevant Information
or
Breakdown on the Information Superhighway

There is an unfathomable amount of information floating on the interwebs these days. Often, a Google search will pull up data which is so out-of-date that it becomes irrelevant. This is especially true when searching for software/hardware issues.

Perhaps more notably, when looking up things such as music artists on the ubiquitous Wikipedia, you will see references to "May 26th" or "Spring of this year." This is poor authorship. The text is noted dated and can be several years old. Come on guys!

So: Make a case about how the internet is aging somewhat poorly.

[zourtney]

Regurgitative Journalism

Forget Investigative Journalism! Regurgitative Jounalism is now in full swing -- and the internet is ally numero uno! You like an article you see on a "news" site? Well, link it up on your blog, smather it with your personal commentary and you're good to go!

But, lest we think that this trend in laziness is confined to the personal "blah-go-sphere," list a few "professional" examples (Register, etc) which do this all of the time.

[zourtney]

Satire: Are We Litigating Out Self-Defense?

List some recent examples of how good Samaritans and people defending themselves are getting sued, rather than commended.

[zourtney]

GoogleMock

What if Google was as condescending as your friends? I mean, how many things do you intentionally ask your favorite search engine rather than a human being?

For example:
"lolcatz history"
"second mortgage definition"
"I hate Perl Jam"

You know, the kind of things which are likely to get a potentially embarrassing response, if you ask your friend.

[Nick]

I think you will get better/funnier answers from google sometimes. Like your "I hate Perl Jam"... I tried that one....:

          Q.  Does everybody really hate Pearl Jam?



           A. Best Answer - Chosen by Asker
                       Because pearl jam died after ten was released.

Mostly it was "Whats perl jam?" Is that really why yahoo answers was created?

But really? Whats so wrong with Perl Jam?

[zourtney]

But really? Whats so wrong with Perl Jam?

Well, once upon an internets, I quipped that "Eddie Vedder's voice is like bathing in gravel." While that doesn't really make any sense, it seemed fitting to a situation which was highly uncomfortable.

After being subjected to it after an extended length of time, however, I can tolerate it. Or I just tune it out. Or I make imitative an crow-cawing in Vedder's trademark sirenesque wailure.

(Extra points if you can translate all of those words I made up into any sort of logical formation in your head)

[Nick]

I can see that. Some singers are a bit of an acquired  taste, I never seemed to have too much a problem... other then some of his songs just aren't that good.

Anyway....  back on topic.  Other then the "It will burn" periodical we should do reviews of rest stops. Not really a new Idea.. I thought it would be a good idea for a coffee table book awhile back... but still. Quality of facilities, looks of the grounds, historic significances, how the view is ... and anything else that needs said.  Or something

anyway



SPOOON!

[zourtney]

Dirt to Work Ratio Calculator
(quiz maybe?)

[Nick]

Nice

[zourtney]

Not a topic, but bring back the old polls. Those were "good"

[zourtney]

Poli-Ticks:

Link to this slanted article about on poll-slanting.

Say, "well kinda" and link to the poll results. In fact, if their sampling was anywhere near correct, it shows that more people are turning away from the tired parties. See pages 21-22

Independent Party gained a few (23 up to 26), but the "I don't know what party to identify with" number shot from 12 up to 18. I see this as the more important trend -- less people are identifying themselves with the major political parties.

[zourtney]

Pacific Power and their marketing awesomeness.

Did you know that I can "Go Paperless" for FREE?! No way! I can let them:

• not print a bill
• not pay for postage
• avoid paying people to physically handle my payment

Cool! All for FREE??
Also, I can feel cheery-good about myself because (direct from an email):

• save 6.6 pounds of paper.
• avoid 63 gallons of wastewater from being released into the environment.
• save 4.5 gallons of gasoline used to mail bills, statements and payments.
• avoid 171 pounds of greenhouse emissions, the equivalent of not driving 169 miles.

It seems like I've had similar offers not to get paper bills from companies in the past. Except, they offered some sort of incentive, like "$1 off your bill, per month." I'm doing them a favor by streamlining their process. But Pacific Power spins it in a way that makes me think they're doing me a favor for offering. Maybe, I should even feel guilty if I do not take them up on this offer.

Mention other notables, such I can pay them only a few more dollars per month, and they'll tell me I'm using "renewable energy." Once again, I can feel good about myself and my contribution to this earth which man is single-handedly destroying. Besides, I bet the truth is something closer to, "We'll use your money to buy power from people with windmills."

In sort, Pacific Power offers many services which sound like they should be paying YOU for. Instead, you can get them at little to no charge!

[zourtney]

Randomland's Official Camping Guide
What You Need and Why You'll Need It

Create a camping guide including:

• Camping list
• Vehicles which feel at home in the woods
• Camping locations
• How to get your vehicle unstuck
• Hiking/geocaching ideas (such as finding a random hill and plant a Sasquatch)

[Nick]

Reviews of camping equipment would be cool too. Though there are other places for that information having another won't hurt.