Polarization in US politics: doesn’t that go against their idea of “rugged individualism”?

There have been a few articles lately on the polarization of politics in the US, where the middle ground—people with views from both Democrat and Republican sides—has been eroded. William Shepherd linked this one on Twitter, from the Pew Research Center.    My theory, sent on Twitter, was this: You are correct, and it is […]

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This government’s comedy of errors lately—and few to capitalize on them

Polity has gone through the MFAT OIA documents relating to Judith Collins’s visit to China, where she met with Oravida thrice.    I’ve been reading them but out of order (the second bunch only) and their summary of what I have read gels with my take on things.    These matters have been covered better […]

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Worse reality shows

2Tapu on Twitter hashtagged #worserealityshows tonight, with Who Wants to Marry a Mutineer? as her suggestion. The hashtag, which went viral tonight, inspired everything from The XXX Factor and America’s Next Top Bottom to The Amazing Racist to the very disturbing Are You Sexier than a Fifth Grader?.    2Tapu contributed So You Think You […]

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This is not your Granddad’s Myspace

The new Myspace from Myspace on Vimeo Justin Timberlake may have played Sean Parker in The Social Network, but he’s had a real-life social networking role to play as an investor as Myspace (sans intercapitalized S) showed off its new look yesterday.    And I like it.    After being frustrated with another attempt at […]

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The social web is not divided by race

Above: A snapshot of my Tweetdeck: people of different walks of life, avatars where race is barely determinable, and logos which are not racial at all. Does the BBC expect us to take it seriously when it says we cluster by race on social networks? I came across this piece via Twitter, which instantly struck […]

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Thoughts from a thoroughly modern machine

After I got back from India, my desktop computer went into meltdown. This was Nigel Dunn’s old machine, which I took over after he went to Australia, and it gave me excellent service for over two years.    I wasn’t prepared to go and buy a brand-new machine, but having made the plunge, I’m glad […]

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How I’m consuming social media: the October 2011 edition

I realize I’ve blogged less in general this year. Once upon a time, when I blogged less here, I was over at Vox (when it worked), writing personal, cathartic posts, sometimes directed at a limited audience. But now, and I never thought I would say this: Facebook seems to be where I’m directing some of […]

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Facebook hates The Scotsman, and other xenophobic bugs

Some very interesting errors on the internet today.    Facebook blocked an innocent link about the price of electricity in Scotland, from The Scotsman, because it was deemed ‘abusive or spammy’. Maybe Scottish accents don’t go down well in California. Hang on, didn’t they import Craig Ferguson?    I am told by Colvin Inglis on […]

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On networking, all the experts were right

I wonder if peripherals are getting better.    Although I spent 26 hours getting a wireless network up here, it was thanks to Jethro Carr on Twitter, one Facebook friend, two real-world friends, two of their friends, and one forum that got it up and running.    There are a few things that don’t work […]

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Where do the Mac evangelists hide when Apples go, ‘Boom’?

Once again, I posted a Tweet (which went on to my Facebook) about Apple messing up (this time, about Mail with disappearing attachments). There were no replies.    Interestingly, whenever I post about a Windows bug, the Mac evangelists all swarm on to it, usually with the sentiment, ‘Get a Mac.’    They all disappear […]

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