How did I end up here?
Good question! If you told me 2 years ago I would be here blogging on the Planet about Ubuntu and open source software I would have laughed at you.
I came across Ubuntu’s community rather serendipitously (woo – what a mouthful of a word).
Yes it sounds like a strange, socially, unacceptable drug habit. What! You are an Ubuntu User – better keep that a secret! And if you do meet another ‘User’ better keep it hush hush.
You are probably thinking that would never happen!
Well…
This is our 2nd year hitting up the Vancouver’s Farmer’s Market. We had some wonderful responses, questions, and discussions with those at the market.
In addition to asking, what they thought the new Ubuntu slogan should be we also jotted down a list of the things people wish their computer would stop doing. The number one thing (based on the use of proprietary software) was that there were just too many pop ups, too frequently. Followed closely by the cost of software packages is expensive. When we told them an entire office suite is included with Ubuntu most really couldn’t believe it. They just kept asking really? Not a trail version or a partial version? How can you do that? (Give me that for free?)
Even though we are giving away free software and membership to the community can see that people are very weary. Asking questions to try and find out the ‘catch’.
Now on to the meat of the post. What you have all been dying to know. Which slogan came out ahead?
I don’t have kids yet but all I can say is my kid won’t be ‘programmed’ by Apple/Microsoft etc but it appears the onslaught has begun for the ‘next’ generation . I was introduced to Douglas Rushkoff’s idea of Program or Be Programmed at a past Ubuntu Vancouver LoCo meeting. At the time, I needed to watch the video a few times and learn more about his concepts and ideas to really get an understanding. It took me quite some time to wrap my head around his idea. I think this video explains the idea he is trying to convey in the simplest of terms.
If this is the future…I’m definitely afraid. I truly feel the need for change, awareness and education about being ‘programmed’ is at a critical junction.
If you have kid – please take him or her outside to the park to play today. Don’t let them sit in front of a screen, they’ll be doing that for the majority of their lives – they don’t need that now.
Just for fun: A picture of me at the age of 2ish playing outside without the knowledge of Ipads or computers! Oh My! Shocking! I think I turned out alright though 
Being a heavy computer user – I think most of us are these days – a common problem vexing many of us is repetitive strain injury (RSI) from mousing, typing, texting, video gaming – yes those last 2 are real!!
I too suffer from RSI and unfortunately have experience the ‘bad’ side – extreme pain and loss of hand mobility. After going through ‘traditional’ methods to help alleviate the pain, I learned that common methods, like stretching would only deliver temporary relief and in the long run didn’t bring about improvements. So I set out to find the solution that would deliver positive results and actually improve your RSI.
Before we get ahead of our selves, I’ll include some explanation about RSI – Or you can skip this section and scroll down to the first of three tips!
Last week, I was chatting with some friends and the conversation turned towards the debate that we may be coming into a new astrological age – the Age of Aquarius or New Age.
Astrological Age? Age of Aquarius? New Age? What?
I thought that happened in the ’60′s.
My friends gave me a quick simplified explanation which I won’t even attempt to re-explain. So here’s wiki to do it in a much better manner than I ever could.
An astrological age is a time period which astrology postulates parallels major changes in the development of Earth’s inhabitants, particularly relating to culture, society and politics. There are twelve astrological ages corresponding to the twelve zodiacal signs in western astrology. At the completion of one cycle of twelve astrological ages, the cycle repeats itself. Astrological ages occur because of a phenomenon known as the precession of the equinoxes. One complete period of this precession is called a Great Year or Platonic Year of about 25,920 years.
Each astrological age is approximately 2,150 years long, on average, but there are various methods of calculating this length that may yield longer or shorter time spans depending upon the technique used.
There are two broad approaches about the effects upon the world due to the astrological ages. Some astrologers believe the changes upon Earth are caused and marked by the influences of the given astrological sign, associated with the Age, while other astrologers do not follow the causative model and believe it is a matter of synchronicity.
Ok… so what does the Age of Aquarius hold for us? Predictions of peace, enlightenment, doom or end of the world?
Now, I’m a ‘glass half full’ kind of a girl and lean towards the positive ideals that represent the Age of Aquarius:
The Age of Freedom, Technology, and the Water Bearer.
There is an expectation that the Aquarian age will usher in a period of group consciousness.
Traits of Aquarius such as being ‘humanitarian’ but at the same time ‘unemotional’ may indicate to the emergence of active intergovernmental organisations and global solidarity movements. Alternatively, it may indicate individual New Age spiritual awakening en masse, which although is not organized, spontaneously forms a worldwide ‘humanitarian’ yet ‘unemotional’ era of spiritual clarity and spontaneous friendship.
Tessier Travels
