Comments on: Information obesity http://www.starchamber.com/2009/08/information-obesity.html Ned Gulley's Blog. Resident buzzwords: wise crowds, accelerated design, swarm robotics, synthetic biology. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:08:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Ben Tremblay http://www.starchamber.com/2009/08/information-obesity.html/comment-page-1#comment-151592 Ben Tremblay Thu, 17 Dec 2009 06:46:56 +0000 http://www.starchamber.com/?p=3246#comment-151592 "Data, data everywhere ... and not a thought to think." Or, as Eric Haseltine (National Security Agency, Director of Research, 2002-2005) put it (in PBS/Nova "Spy factory"), "Computers, today, tell people what things are: "Here's some data that you asked for." They don't tell you what it means." So our PDAs and other such tools are really only helping us to get ever more mired. "Which campsite?" today, "which health care doctrine?" tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after. The link I posted is my stab at organizing discourse without de-humanizing it ... re-dignifying the subjective narrative, if you will. p.s. I just set up NetVibes as background on my second monitor, running in Safari as my second browser. As usual when I play with NetVibes I clicked on my Jon Udell tab, and here I am! Thanks, Jon. “Data, data everywhere … and not a thought to think.” Or, as Eric Haseltine (National Security Agency, Director of Research, 2002-2005) put it (in PBS/Nova “Spy factory”), “Computers, today, tell people what things are: “Here’s some data that you asked for.” They don’t tell you what it means.” So our PDAs and other such tools are really only helping us to get ever more mired. “Which campsite?” today, “which health care doctrine?” tomorrow, and the day after, and the day after.

The link I posted is my stab at organizing discourse without de-humanizing it … re-dignifying the subjective narrative, if you will.

p.s. I just set up NetVibes as background on my second monitor, running in Safari as my second browser. As usual when I play with NetVibes I clicked on my Jon Udell tab, and here I am! Thanks, Jon.

]]> By: Ben http://www.starchamber.com/2009/08/information-obesity.html/comment-page-1#comment-149738 Ben Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:08:48 +0000 http://www.starchamber.com/?p=3246#comment-149738 I actually experienced a similar situation when I was visiting Sarah in New York. We were going out with her friends, and the location kept switching, because someone had heard of something better. Because we were in New York, we were reluctant to settle for something merely ordinary, because we just knew we could find something special somewhere in the city. Finally, we decided on an average little pizzeria. It was adequate, but not great, but it was still food, and we had been hungry. I actually experienced a similar situation when I was visiting Sarah in New York. We were going out with her friends, and the location kept switching, because someone had heard of something better. Because we were in New York, we were reluctant to settle for something merely ordinary, because we just knew we could find something special somewhere in the city.

Finally, we decided on an average little pizzeria. It was adequate, but not great, but it was still food, and we had been hungry.

]]> By: Lezlee http://www.starchamber.com/2009/08/information-obesity.html/comment-page-1#comment-149654 Lezlee Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:33:26 +0000 http://www.starchamber.com/?p=3246#comment-149654 I am already plotting how to insert "information obesity" into my emails to family and friends. I am a devotee of Best Tentsites in Southern and Northern California. Useful book if you hate bears as they warn you which campgrounds are heavy on the large brown rodents they call bears. Not so great if you can't get your significant other to go to a campground. We have a 4 wheel drive truck that hauls a high clearance Chalet (sort of a tent camper with hard sides) and we go to the most remote places in the west. Black rock desert? Jarbridge Nevada? I read the amenities that these campgrounds have and cry my eyes out. Bathrooms, showers, stores, water, ice. Who cares about campsite 46. I would welcome even the worst campsite, just to get a shower. Have you gone 3 days with no shower in Death Valley? We still have not forgotten my screaming meltdown in the parking lot of the Furnace Creek Inn. After that he bought me a sunshower and never forgets to get enough water for that shower on the 3rd day. But I dream of camping at Jedediah Smith Redwood Forest in Northern California...the campsites along the river are best per the book. Someday. Thanks for letting me rant. (still trying to figure out how to get out of trip to the Kofa Wilderness near Yuma Arizona). I am already plotting how to insert “information obesity” into my emails to family and friends. I am a devotee of Best Tentsites in Southern and Northern California. Useful book if you hate bears as they warn you which campgrounds are heavy on the large brown rodents they call bears. Not so great if you can’t get your significant other to go to a campground. We have a 4 wheel drive truck that hauls a high clearance Chalet (sort of a tent camper with hard sides) and we go to the most remote places in the west. Black rock desert? Jarbridge Nevada? I read the amenities that these campgrounds have and cry my eyes out. Bathrooms, showers, stores, water, ice. Who cares about campsite 46. I would welcome even the worst campsite, just to get a shower. Have you gone 3 days with no shower in Death Valley? We still have not forgotten my screaming meltdown in the parking lot of the Furnace Creek Inn. After that he bought me a sunshower and never forgets to get enough water for that shower on the 3rd day. But I dream of camping at Jedediah Smith Redwood Forest in Northern California…the campsites along the river are best per the book. Someday. Thanks for letting me rant. (still trying to figure out how to get out of trip to the Kofa Wilderness near Yuma Arizona).

]]> By: Jim http://www.starchamber.com/2009/08/information-obesity.html/comment-page-1#comment-149641 Jim Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:17:29 +0000 http://www.starchamber.com/?p=3246#comment-149641 Barry Schwartz said very much the same thing in "The Paradox of Choice" google talk. Enjoy: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6127548813950043200# Barry Schwartz said very much the same thing in “The Paradox of Choice” google talk. Enjoy:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6127548813950043200#

]]> By: Jay Cz http://www.starchamber.com/2009/08/information-obesity.html/comment-page-1#comment-142862 Jay Cz Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:58:41 +0000 http://www.starchamber.com/?p=3246#comment-142862 On a mor serious note, there was an article in this week's New Yorker on a different topic (the availability of high fidelity digital music on-line) but it had two sentences that echoed your theme: "The medium too easily generates anxiety in place of fulfillment, an addictive cycle of craving and malaise. No sooner has one experience begun than the thought of what else is out there intrudes." On a mor serious note, there was an article in this week’s New Yorker on a different topic (the availability of high fidelity digital music on-line) but it had two sentences that echoed your theme: “The medium too easily generates anxiety in place of fulfillment, an addictive cycle of craving and malaise. No sooner has one experience begun than the thought of what else is out there intrudes.”

]]> By: Jean Beasley http://www.starchamber.com/2009/08/information-obesity.html/comment-page-1#comment-142714 Jean Beasley Sat, 15 Aug 2009 20:48:59 +0000 http://www.starchamber.com/?p=3246#comment-142714 Hi. I have a blog at www.picturecamping.com where I feature people's posts about camping, and I would like to send my readers your way. Of course I would give you credit for quotes and would link back to your site. Thanks for considering this, Jean B. in SC Hi. I have a blog at http://www.picturecamping.com where I feature people’s posts about camping, and I would like to send my readers your way. Of course I would give you credit for quotes and would link back to your site.

Thanks for considering this,

Jean B. in SC

]]> By: Ned http://www.starchamber.com/2009/08/information-obesity.html/comment-page-1#comment-142634 Ned Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:36:09 +0000 http://www.starchamber.com/?p=3246#comment-142634 Aaaghhh! I knew it! I had nearly reached complacent self-actualized equilibrium, but now you have confirmed my worst fears. Happiness can no longer be mine in a world bereft of Site 46. Oh the humanity! Aaaghhh! I knew it! I had nearly reached complacent self-actualized equilibrium, but now you have confirmed my worst fears. Happiness can no longer be mine in a world bereft of Site 46. Oh the humanity!

]]> By: Jay Cz http://www.starchamber.com/2009/08/information-obesity.html/comment-page-1#comment-142627 Jay Cz Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:21:32 +0000 http://www.starchamber.com/?p=3246#comment-142627 Good thoughts, but there's one problem. I've camped at Site 46 at Mohawk Trail and it is a rapturous place that provides those lucky enough to stay there with an almost mystical connection to Mother Earth's indescribable splendor. After wiping away tears of transcendent joy, I experienced a small pang of pity for those unfortunates who failed to stay at this life-affirming place. Good thoughts, but there’s one problem. I’ve camped at Site 46 at Mohawk Trail and it is a rapturous place that provides those lucky enough to stay there with an almost mystical connection to Mother Earth’s indescribable splendor. After wiping away tears of transcendent joy, I experienced a small pang of pity for those unfortunates who failed to stay at this life-affirming place.

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