nan | 楠木

Blogbus太不稳定了，而水木社区已经可以正常使用。

因此这里暂停营业。

我的主力blog：dani19.mysmth.net

电影blog：dani.allmov.com

Msn spaces: http://spaces.msn.com/members/nickindeed

Keep in touch.

There was an article yesterday on the New York Times, adequately titled Relax, Bill Gates; It’s Google’s Turn as the Villain, which covers the Google phenomenon.

Indeed, Google has already risen from its humble beginnings and transformed into another industry giant. Its reaches are everywhere. From its home base in the search engine, now Google covers vastly different areas of the internet industry. Mail. Desktop. Satellite imaging. And now Instant Messaging.

I’ve come to realize, when something as big as Google comes out, nobody can be left unimpressed. But impressions are mixed―you either loved it, or you gradually learnt to hate it.

People are starting to compare Google with the Microsoft that all of us just love to hate. Indeed, Google has similar aims. Its dream would be a world where nothing can function without it. Just like nearly all computers run on Windows.

Already, I’m beginning to feel the immense influence Google has on me, an average net user. My most preferred mail is Gmail, because it is simple, fast and reliable. Plus it has a cool sounding name. If I want to find anything on my computer, and I do mean anything―from a application to a phrase in a word document, I just type it in Desktop Search, and I don’t have to wait several minutes―not at all like using the search provided with My Computer―I get the results instantly, just as if I’m googling online.

And now with Google Talk (which is all about instant messaging and VOIP) and the new version of Desktop Search, which is really a cover-it-all smartass sidebar―with advanced customized news, blogging, pictures, weather, stocks info―it is starting to feel like Google is rooted down into my PC.

All those features are great, and I love it, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I want everything to be made by Google. People are paranoid, and I’m especially, and I just don’t like the feeling that one company is having so much control on information. Worse, how I access information. If we say that Microsoft controls the way most people use the computer, then suffice to say Google is starting to control the way most people use the internet. And if it hasn’t done so already, no doubt that’s what it’s planning to do.

With all that said, I guess I’m still on the Google lovers’ side. It’s a kickass company, and I love the way they feel they can do anything―and they are indeed doing everything. That bold spirit is something I really admire. Still, I am getting a little uneasy with how far their spirit has carried them…

And here’s New York Times coverage of Google’s two new software releases:

Google gets better. What’s up with that?

Google Talk is yet another instant messaging software. As if we didn’t have enough already.

It’s main emphasis appears to be on simplicity. Like MSN, the accounts are based on email addresses, in this case, Google’s own Gmail. Kinda like a privileged right for Gmail users. If you aren’t one already…

As the name suggests, Google Talk focuses on talking. You can “call” up your friends. And if they pick up, you immediately engage in voice chat. Of course, you can still do it the classic way, sending instant messaging.

Additionally, Google Talk includes the features of the Gmail Notifier, so when you install it, it will prompt you whether you want to uninstall Notifier. Which I promptly did.

Chatting via Google Talk is simple. You won’t get the sophisticated features of QQ. I don’t know if chat messages are stored.

All in all, I didn’t find anything especially fancy about Google Talk. But I guess it will slowly gather its own following, since it is especially made for Gmail users. And most Gmail users consider themselves to be cool guys, huh？We want our own IM software.

Hope this helps you dear. 587 words, written in half an hour, very rough.

Issue 6. The most effective way to understand contemporary culture is to analyze the trends of its youth.

In my view, contemporary culture is most distinctively shown in the trends of its youth. Therefore, it would be an effective and necessary way to understand contemporary culture through the study of the youth. However, to fully comprehend all aspects of contemporary culture, one must dig further and investigate more into other areas of related interest.

Contemporary culture, by definition, could be interpreted as the culture of the modern society. And in any society, it is always the young generation that is at the forefront of the culture, leading the fashion and setting the trends. They not only represent the most advanced sections of the culture, but also play a crucial role in defining contemporary culture, shaping it to their tastes and advancing it. For example, in the 60s and 70s of the US, in the great social change that was brought about by the anti-war movements, the sex revolution and the rock and roll phenomenon, it was the young people who were leading these changes and drastically changing the values of society. What they did may seem radical and extreme at the time, but in hindsight, we can find that their efforts were perhaps one of the most important elements in bringing about what we now consider contemporary culture. Therefore, to understand contemporary culture, it would be mandatory to investigate the behaviors and actions of the young generation. Their tastes and trends constantly shape contemporary culture as we know it.

Yet I believe it is not enough to only emphasize focus on the trends of the youth. Indeed, society is formed by all age groups, and it would be prudent to say contemporary culture is formed by all parties of society. Politicians, the media, and certain other groups with influential power, sometimes play especially important roles in the trends of culture. One example that immediately jumps to mind would be the Cultural Revolution of China in the 60s and 70s. This is a movement that was brought about by the leaders of the state, and it brought about huge social change, redefining China’s contemporary culture with vast differences. To understand this change in culture, it is crucial to analyze the actions of the government during this period. Likewise, the media often has huge influence on the mass public, leading us in the direction it chooses. Thus they also contribute to defining culture, and therefore were one to study culture, an analysis of the media would also be greatly helpful.

In addition, perhaps it would be imprudent to simply categorize the different parties of society and analyze each party’s contribution to contemporary culture. Society is a mass web of interaction among all its constituents, and the results and effects of these interactions―the effect the youth has on the politicians, the effect the media has on the youth and vice versa―should never be underestimated. Perhaps it would be an effort in vain to try to seek who is ultimately responsible for the change in culture―instead contemporary culture should be viewed as the combined result of the dynamic interactions that take place in society, and therefore, to understand it, we must always study all elements of society.

In conclusion, while I do believe that an analysis of the trends of the youth is crucial towards understanding contemporary culture, it is nonetheless far from enough. All aspects of society must be investigated to form the true understanding of culture.

http://spaces.msn.com/members/floraflorayu/Blog/cns!1pXYjD0eImeice8g-YkU_PvA!354.entry

Flora just talked about her opinion on the gay issue. I find it interesting that she is so fascinated by this issue, apparently.

Seems like I’m from Mars.

This Supergirl thing. Suddenly it has invaded the privacy of my dorm.

WTF, my roomie is getting every mobile he can lay his hands on and voting…

And they actually collect money to buy gifts…

What’s so good about it anyway?

And so damn long…

I’ve watched half an episode of this thing, and I am not really impressed. Too cheesy, IMO. And far too commercialized.

This joke has gone on for far too long.

What’s all the fuss about.

Still, it’s an interesting phenomenon.

People are really willing to spend time and money on useless things. People are so irrational. It seems we have this innate need to satisfy our irrationalism.

I could possibly think of 1 million better things to do with 20 RMB, as opposed to donating it to a girl who sings on TV every week.

Still, it’s a free country. Do what you want. I am gonna stay out of it, though.

Con to myself.

Took me a long time, though.

随手翻了翻自己blog。发觉自己很自恋。

发觉自己一个月都没有中文的东西了。

发觉自己已经很懒了，OVAL都已经结束两周了，日记还没有整理完。

也发觉，根本没有什么写给你的东西。

你抱怨我说我写给你看的东西少。

其实我是想把你藏起来，你的好，只有我知道。

若不是之前连着写了两篇，而此时的夜正静的出奇――或许我又会偷懒了。

你这时正睡熟了吧。

心底里似乎又有了很多话。你似乎总想猜透我的心思，呵，我倒要告诉你，其实我直白的很。

你说你每天都很想我，我又何尝不是如此？只不过，我心里隐约更期待着这种情感平静下来。

你是我心灵的港湾。当我的心累了，总可以藏入你的怀抱。

自然地，你已经成为了我生活的一部分。从来没有想过，也觉得不必去设想，没有你的生活。

这种感觉很美妙。确定无疑地，你总在那里，我需要你的时候。

而且，我们可以平等的交流。我发觉我总是辨不过你，你的逻辑总比我清晰，看问题总比我深入。唉让我汗颜。

你其实不用太在意和别的女生比较。我就喜欢你这样子。不用模仿你觉得比你更出色的女生。呵，我可不觉得她们有什么特别的。

而且你的性格实在是讨我喜欢。恰到好处。

如何描述我对你的着迷程度呢？嗯，我最喜欢做的事情，就是和你在一起，呆着，什么都不做，浪费时间。

不过这样太颓废啦。

希望没吵醒你。你应该感觉到我想你了吧。