Life On the Wicked Stage: Act 2

Sunday Morning Reading

Some Sunday morning reading to share.

A Kansas Supreme Court may have just thrown foreclosure out as a legal tool. This could get very interesting and I’m sure it won’t hold up.

A Census worker is found hanged with the word “fed” written on his chest in Kentucky. Scary stuff.

The Washington Post gives its employees new guidelines for social networking that essentially says don’t show that you have an opinion. The need to keep pretending that impartiality exists.

Time Warner is thinking of selling its magazine business.

Nancy Nally of Web Worker Daily challenges the assumption that extra batteries really come in handy. 

The Birthers are now running Infomercials. These guys know when a money is to be made out of nothing. 

Looks like there is going to be a resurgence of George S. Kaufman plays this season.

Ballmer admits Microsoft screwed up Windows Mobile, long after the horses are out of the barn.

The airlines are adding surcharges for the busiest holiday travel days. No surprise there. Here’s the question, does this mean they are going to improve their service on those days? Guess again.

It's Just Business

After Facebook acquired Friendfeed today, some Friendfeed users are bemoaning the fact, some are excited about what the acquisition means, and some are angry. Par for the course I guess when something like this happens. As far as I’m concerned, what Friendfeed turns into or if it just gets shut down isn’t really a concern. Anyone banking on any of these services to be around for a long period of time should be banking on something else. That said, I do enjoy Friendfeed as a service and will miss it if it disappears, which I think is more than likely. Who knows what will happen here and while emotions are flaring, it is too early to know what will come of this.

But that’s not what this post is about. Good friend, Newsganger, and ace blogger, Francine Hardaway made this comment in a Friendfeed post about those who were upset by the deal.

Sunday Morning Reading

It has been awhile, but here is some Sunday morning reading to share.

David Olive of the Star.com takes on the great journalism debate and says the problem with newspapers and newsrooms is that today’s journalism is boring. I couldn’t agree more. As everyone focuses on the Internet’s impact, I think it might have some value to focus a bit on all of the consultants that called in who basically succeeded in making everything the same. What was it Sarah Palin said? Only dead fish go with the flow? Worth a read.

A group of leading clerics in Iran question the ruler’s decisions and the election. This is probably big news in the middle of that still fomenting struggle. We’ll hear more about it after Michael Jackson is finally buried.

Twitter, Facebook, (and other social media) and organized religion. Good thing? Bad thing? Or is it just another facet of the complexity that already exists within the makeup of a religious community.

Sarah Palin decides to step down with a bizarre speech. Is there another shoe to drop? Is she positioning herself for the big run in 2012? Is it family issues out of control? There is a lot of focus on trying to analyze what I think defies analysis. Maybe someone should analyze the throngs that still worship at her feet. Just as hard to do, but in the end scarier than she could ever be.

Trouble on the iPhone 3GS front with battery life? What else is knew except that the article makes huge mistakes like the size is different between the 3G and the 3GS. And what were we saying about dead fish?

The First 100 Days from Obama’s Facebook Feed

This, from Slate,  is the best (and funniest) take on the 100 Days craziness that somehow has become a national holiday. (The picture is just an excerpt. Follow the link for the entire thing.)

And the Great Reviews Keep on Coming for Southern Crossroads

The Winchester Star weighed in this morning with another good review for the world premiere of Wayside Theatre’s Southern Crossroads. We’ll take all the good vibes we can get, and there are plenty of them in this review.

We’ve also opened up a Wayside Theatre/Southern Crossroads page on Facebook. Go ahead and become a fan and let us know what you think!

Written by Crocker and Przybylski, who also arranged the music, the production offers a great evening of entertainment with expert acting and outstanding musical talents.

 

Here’s a link to the latest review and here’s the link to the Facebook page.

Four Years of Life on the Wicked Stage

It has been and will continue to be a long Act 2 here on Life on The Wicked Stage, although there have been times when I’ve wished for a longer intermission this year. I still find it hard to believe that I’ve been doing this for four years, and yes, it is even harder still to envision not doing it. More to the point, I sit every day in wonder that people actually come here, or read what is written on RSS feeds after all this time. The thoughts, links, and musings here are things that I find of interest and chose to comment upon one way or the other. The fact that anyone else deems that of value is a bit scary and still inspires a bit of awe in my pea brain.

This has been a challenging year for me personally on a number of fronts, and consequently things fell off here in spurts. Even so, I still counted it as a blessing that I could return to share things that I found silly, fun, ridiculous, outrageous, sublime, beautiful, ugly, and above all worth sharing. Yes, it is still a refuge, and yes, it is still a place that I like very much.

Bye-Bye Scrabulous

You knew it would happen sooner or later and I’m just surprised it took this long.  Facebook has shut down Scrabulous, the popular time waster based on Hasbro’s Scrabble. Of course this comes in response to a lawsuit. I’m sure the sound you hear is the wailing that will build over the course of the day from Scrabulous users.

So, now Scrabulous users can either move on, play Scrabulous on Scrabulous on Scrabulous.com (that probably won’t last long) or play Hasbro’s version on Facebook.

Isn’t it nice that we can all get along.

Technorati Tags: scrabulous,Facebook

Your Data, Your Friends, and the Continental Congress

The debate about your data, privacy, social networks, turned into quite a spectator sport this week. On the Gillmor Gang, tempers and emotions flared between Robert Scoble, Mike Arrington, and Marc Canter, among others. Various folks, smarter than I about the topic, weighed in on their blogs, igniting and responding to various points raised by others.

Dan Farber summed some of this sturm and drang up with an interesting analogy saying that  "Taking a historical perspective, the social-networking community hasn't formed its Continental Congress to unite the colonies with a common vision and approach for openness. It's a political and economic, not a technical, issue."

As a spectator, whether or not the Continental Congress has been formed or not, the passions, the personalities, and the thought behind the ideas being espoused certainly seem worthy of a Joseph Ellis novel on the matter. As do the issues themselves.

Given that the vast majority of folks really don't care about how their data is used by banks, supermarkets, and other places that sell us products, (so they can capture our info so they can sell us more), it is on the one hand gratifying to hear this all being contested by those who care passionately about it. On the other, I'm wondering if those who will end up making the decisions are paying attention in any meaningful way, or will just count on the fact that most folks won't really care when all is said and done and play same old same old.

If history is any indication, I'm afraid it will be the latter, no matter how much noise the statesmen make along the way.

Sunday Morning Reading

Some Sunday morning reading to share.

Everybody is talking about the social networking thing this week on a number of levels. Loic Le Meur says he's looking for some centralization and back on his blog. I have to agree.

Michael Arrington weighs in on this on TechCrunch, with a focus on FriendFeed. I'm hot and cold on FriendFeed right now in and of itself.

Louis Gray on Internet Addictions. He thinks calling it an addiction is silly. I do too.

Meanwhile a judge says Facebook friends aren't real friends.

Ed Bott on What's Wrong with the Blogosphere.

Russia wants a tunnel between the Motherland and the US.

They are still caucusing in Texas?

Newsweek proclaims a "new" Super Tuesday ahead. Give me a break.

I'm not sure how I feel about all the talk about giving the US Treasury more power. On one hand we do need some system to keep the thieves and greedy buggers from crashing things down around us as they steal our money. On the other hand, there are times I just say "let her burn."

Dave Winer is talking to Pigs. They are talking back.

George Will waxes somewhat rhapsodic on baseball. He says one reason we like it is that there are 3 strikes and you're out and no lawyer can help you. Unless you dope up to play the game.

A Call To Action for Obama and Clinton

Ok, the score is one Obama surrogate dumped and one Clinton surrogate dumped. Both for remarks made that got their candidates in hot water. In one case a promising potential Obama administration official lost a chance at the big time. In the other, a Democratic heroine forever diminished her standing. At least neither was involved in a prostitution ring, as far as we know. The Democrats are beginning to eat their own in grand Republican style, and I think that's because they can't figure out any real issues to debate these days. Consequently, the Follies have devolved into a game of who can find the most surrogates to attack.

Now, admittedly, I think the Geraldine Ferraro comments were just wrong, wrong headed, and yes, racist. As it turns out there's actually a history of her making that kind of faux pas, so better to toss her overboard and try to sail on. But Ferraro's brief moment in the Follies spotlight points to something we all knew was coming for some time, following a script Big Bill pulled out in South Carolina. Playing to racial fears in politics works and the Clinton's are proving more than adept at it, and the media is lapping it up simply because there's no joy in reporting a stalemate. Which is what they will be doing until August. The folks are losing interest.

Keith Olbermann's Special Commentary on the subject hit the points hard. Perhaps just a bit too hard. I admire his passion, I detest his smug style, and I think they defeat his message by and large, which is a shame. Because the message needs to be heard. He lightened up on the smirk a bit, but I still think he's reading these things like they were sports stories occasionally.

The Twittersphere is a buzz with calls to action, mostly on Obama's behalf. I imagine the Newsgang talk is doing more of the same, as host Steve Gillmor searches for some way to convert Twitter, Facebook, and podcasts into some form of tangible action or pressure that might be brought on the super delegates. (I haven't had a chance to call in or listen much this week, which is a shame, although I caught a bit of the podcast that seemed to be attempting to organize some form of action. No, Steve, I haven't done my homework.) Frankly, I'd rather see a call to action to confront the larger demons that are the real issues as I think the benefit could be bigger. But perhaps I'm just tilting at windmills. But here goes.

Once again, I think Obama can score here by actually practicing some of what he's been preaching. Talk tough and honestly about some tough issues. Clinton could score here as well, if she had any real instincts beyond survival. But neither has the courage to go for it and we all lose because of it. Face it. The wound is open and festering and will continue to do so until the Republicans pour salt on it and try to spread the infection.

So, I'll issue my challenge that no one will hear or pay attention to. Obama and Clinton should grab this as an opportunity. Sit down on a couch with one camera and discuss the issue. No talking heads asking questions and stealing the spotlight. Just the two of them. Throw racism and sexism on the table and talk about it. Talk it to death. It is not like these issues will not be confronted in the general election. It is not like these issues will go away after the election is over. There is actually plenty substantive here to discuss that could mean more and have greater impact than who's surrogate screwed up today.

First one to issue the challenge knocks the other one on his/her heels and forces him/her to play defense, but he/she has to play. I don't think either has the guts to do it and the campaigns are already in a mode of playing not to lose. Grab the bull by the horns here, open up the discussion and quit hiding behind debates and surrogates. Show us what you got where it counts. Discuss something complex, painful, and real.  You know, like something you might face if you actually win the damn job. Take the food right out of the Republican's mouths before they even get a chance to chew on it and spit it out in their patented vile ways. And maybe, just maybe, show some real political courage, some real leadership, and a real reason for someone to vote for you. Obama and Clinton both and each have a chance to lance this boil on our nation's backside and, potentially make some headway on something of real value.

But then that's not how leaders are made or marketed these days. That would be bold. That would be powerful. That would be potentially beneficial to the common good. And that would be risky and cowards and politicians avoid risk.

Good night and good luck? Hardly. More like good night and good grief.

Technorati Tags: Barack Obama,Hillary Clinton,Newsgang,Twitter,Facebook,Politics,Keith Olbermann,Geraldine Ferraro