raving lunacy - oxymorons for the 21st century

Data Data Data….
Folks want it, folks want to hide it, Folks get shocked other folks have it.

One of the inconvenient truths about internet life is to get data from point A to point B, both of them have to be defined. Your computer needs an address to receive it, their computer needs an address to send it. How it gets from A to B is another story, involving other computers, routers, and wires. Folks count this stuff.

In the beginning these things were counted strictly to be sure that you got what you were looking for, and the computers that were pitching and catching were working. Then folks discovered that you could add things to web pages(cookies, clear gifs, webbugs) to get more data that you could sell to other folks, who are waiting with checkbooks and engorged flesh.

Data Data Data….
Some folks were not content with merely using other folks data, but began to build whole sites under various guises(friends networks, social networks, ‘blah’ spaces and ‘brrt’ books, Sharecroppers and Social Gillnetters) to deliberately mine this information, under the meme of User Generated Content, to sell things. !!Connect with your Friends while we shove ads up your nose!!

Google is the latest data baron to have the villagers with their pitchforks and torches storming the gates, screaming about their data. It is not yours, get over it. Because if you are crying about it, your vision is too blurry to do anything about it.

A large part of the perception problem is that the majority of us are self funded, by spending our own money and time to put out our thoughts, and are happy when folks stop by, whereas there are lot of sites that are built strictly with other peoples money, who understand what whoredom is about, or are refugees from ad supported media companies and have been institutionalized by it, and willingly flash their wares.

There are whole categories of sites dedicated to becoming pixel bitches, usually revolving around buying the “Secrets” guidebooks from the pimps of these sites. (note:I am a whore too, not a very good one however, the sidebars contain ads and other things, neither of them producing enough revenue to buy that gold lame’ frock that you are desperately waiting for me to model:) Plus I try not to talk about stuff I know nothing about. It irritates my 5 readers)

Data Data Data….
The past few weeks has had folks crying for data from various government organizations. Some are beating the transparency drum, some have been bleating about the legislative process needing a sunlight bath, and some just want to wallow in the underbelly of the data sewers.
As if government information is anymore reliable despite the fact we are footing the bill.

But in the interest of promoting the availability of data for all those folks, I present;
The Federal Reserve Board News Feeds Page
You can watch the US Banking System crash and burn from the convenience of your computer.
hat tip to Paul Kedrosky for finding this jewel.