Is Google Making Us Stoopid.....

Yes, I know I spelled it wrong (to all the grammar cops!).

After reading Nicholas Carr's 2008 article "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" in The Atlantic, I attempted to take a good look at myself and tried to determine if my reading styles and/or thinking styles had changed over the years, specifically in relation to my own increasing use and reliance on the net.

After analyzing the books I used to read prior to increased internet usage (PI) and after increased internet usage (AI....same as artificial intelligence...coincidence, I think not!), I found that the types of books I now read have undergone a massive change. I like to think of myself as a fairly erudite reader, glorying in the great "classics" of literature: Tolstoy, Dickens, Chaucer, well you get the drift, losing myself in the deep story and really taking the time to think about the underlying meanings the author has so cleverly hidden. However, upon closer examination of my habits, I have determined a direct correlation between the amount of time I spend on my computer and the internet and the shift in types of reading material. I've moved from Dickens to Dan Brown and from Tolstoy to Laurell Hamilton (vampire-hunter extraordinaire!). Not to disparage any of these authors because I certainly enjoy them immensely, however they are not what I would call great intellectual works nor promote deep, soul-searching thought that could impact my place in the world....nor will I ever give them up, I enjoy them too much!

What has changed is the fact that I don't have time or the inclination at this point to read those "deep" works. The way I think and search for news, information ,etc. has fundamentally changed, largely in part as a result of my increased use and reliance on the internet. It is impossible to say it is all good or all bad...however, it has fundamentally changed the way we think and the way we read. It's just going to take some time for me to get back to my old habits!!!

Can I Put a Price on My Geek-dom?

Well, the time has come to buy a new cell-phone....while I covet the new smartphones and want the newest and best, I have to reconcile that with the fact that I'm a cheapskate! I squeak when I walk, thrift stores are my GAP, JCrew, and Old Navy, and always, always, always, reuse my empty plastic margarine and sour cream tubs for leftovers (I draw the line at reusing ziploc baggies!). In the long time that I've had a cell-phone and renewed countless contracts (trust me there have been a few), I've never actually paid for a phone. I've waited for my new contract and like a good little cheapie, gotten the phone that won't cost me anything with my upgrade.

However, I'm currently experiencing a feeling that I've not had before....lust for a cell-phone. I've been wanting a smartphone (the cost of the data plan makes me cringe, but I've come to terms with it!), but the cost of the phone makes me a bit nauseous. So, I've been checking various websites, including Verizon.com, Amazon.com, etc. to shop around a bit and get an idea....then I saw it.....my baby! The R2D2 Droid from Verizon.

I.....Must.....Have.....This.....Phone....

Unfortunately, it comes with a cringe-worthy price tag (it is a LucasFilm product after all, and the upkeep on Skywalker Ranch must be hefty!). So the question remains, to sell my soul for the original droid, or wave my hand and mutter "these are not the droids you are looking for" as I whimper slightly and settle for a more affordable phone.... (sniff).

$$$ How much do "roadies" get paid $$$

Whilst helping my husband set up his drum set, PA, speakers, mics, stands, etc. etc., I wondered if I could make a living doing this. You see before/after concert footage with the time-lapse video of the stage, equipment, lights, etc. going up and taken down, however, one has to acknowledge how much physical work/effort really does go into a stage show. This begs the question, how much do these folks make.

The obvious place to start was a rough Google search for the question "how much do roadies make". I wasn't expecting for find exact salaries for specific bands/tours, etc. as this is personal wage information and does not have to be disclosed, but cripes, about 321,000 results were returned. A lot of these results were from other bloggers postulating, however there were a few "good" answers, but I focused on the one name that I recognized.....Shure, makers of fine mics and audio equipment! My husband has drummed (no pun intended) that name into my head, as the best mic out there.

Shure Notes/Roadie Rules - http://www.shurenotes.com/issue17/article.html
This online article broke down the various roadie positions, complete with job description. Never knew there were so many different names! As well, it provided a helpful list on "How to Get Started" and a list of resources for additional reading, as well as links to job postings....

Being the inquisitive person that I am (or just really, really nosy), I felt compelled to click the link to www.roadie.net JACKPOT. This site has it all: news, music headlines, roadie chat (want to create an account so bad, just to read what they discuss!), photos, links, polls, downloads, top 10 lists, and my personal favorite......Roadie Lingo!!! However, it was still lacking the $$ info that spurred my initial inquiry, so back to the drawing board.

I remembered the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics compiles a document called the Occupational Outlook Handbook, containing job descriptions as well as projections of the profession and wages, but does "roadie" fall anywhere in this?? I did Google the OOH online and went to the site, but retrieved zilch for "roadie" when searched, so I tried "musician" this is the link to the handbook entry for Musicians, Singers, and related workers...http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos095.htm This still does not answer my question. I think the BLS doesn't classify "roadie" as a job, but rather the work that the individual is doing, I manual labor, electrician, instrument tuner, etc, so you would have to search for each one of these based upon the task the roadie is doing. Onward again.

After much more additional searching, I will conclude with the answer that the wage is "flexible" and depends upon the individual (are they excellent at what they do, have they been with the group for a long time, do they have a very specific in-demand skill set) and the size of the group or organization they are touring with, anything from a local folk band, to the Ringling Bros. Circus, to U2....

I still think it would be worth it to be able to go on tour with a band. Anyone know if Crowded House needs a traveling librarian? Just sayin', they may need to have some questions researched...

Why do the good movies always start at 11:30pm?

The movie M. Butterfly was on late last night, delivering a fantastic performance by Jeremy Irons. I vaguely recalled that the movie is based upon a true story, but couldn't remember the exact details. To locate more information about the movie and the true story, I began my search for information at the obvious place, www.imdb.com searching for "M. Butterly". I was able to get a full plot and synopsis, however, not much about the real-life inspiration. Since this information was for my own edification, I chose to resort to the old stand-by for further background information....http://en.wikipedia.org. I initially searched for the film and then linked to information about the individual, Bernard Boursicot about who the story is loosely based. The bottom of the wikipedia entry about Boursicot provides outside references that would be very useful for additional research, ie. articles from the NYT, Time, and the book "The Chinese Secret Service" for further reading.

Where do I find....?

This blog is dedicated to the quest for answers in a world inundated with information.