That's How the Cookie Crumbles

I finally figured out what the 'cookie crisis' was with accessing my blogs and took care of it. Apparently either Internet Explorer 7.0 or my internet security suite had google on a 'block cookies' list. Anyway... problem solved- for now anyway...

This whole thing was kind of interesting- I didn't think I would miss blogging all that much because I have never been one who blogs so frequently their laptop or PC is like an additional appendage- I blog here when inspiration, or ennui strike...

It also got me thinking more about this whole reality that is the world wide web and how it has evolved from a few geeks working at huge mainframes in a couple of isolated college computer labs with way too much time on their hands to the global information tsunami that has occurred over the last ten or so years.

Sites like blogs (including this one), as well as those networking sites including facebook and myspace have forever changed the world communicates. Who would've thunk it?, as I believe the great philosopher Yogi Berra once said.

One the one hand, having a wealth of information, resources, media, communication, shopping and entertainment at one's fingertips without even leaving home is amazing!

On the other hand, some of the terrible stories we hear about in the news from time to time of pedophiles and stalkers trolling for vulnerable youth is, at the very least, unsettling, and more than a bit creepy.

These phenomena have been satirized by late night comedians ad nauseum- most memorably, perhaps, in Saturday Night Live (SNL) skits- including ones like the "I googled your name" skit, or the "internet safety tips" class held at a school that was attended by a room full of creeps and pedophiles... Funny on the surface, but with a elementary school age child in my home, it has made me very observant about setting and maintaining boundaries and monitoring internet usage.

Also- isn't it interesting how the term 'cookie' was adapted to also refer to a sort of tracking file that tells certain websites where your browser has been and when?

Finally, I just read an excellent book on e-mail ettiquette called simply "SEND"- it is by one of the op-ed editors for the New Yorker, and another journalist. Very insightful book that I highly recommend.

Lately my boss has been on a bit of a kick about people in the office (myself included) giving her 'too much information' about projects too frequently. I was in the habit of sending off a quick e-mail update as new developments occurred- which I thought was appreciated. Lo and behold, though, these updates apparently were not always deemed as helpful and timely by my boss as I thought she would find them. I still got a spectacular annual review, but that also got me thinking about how e-mail has changed how we communicate- both at home and work.

I think the internet and e-mail lends the impression to many that there is somehow a convenience factor- i.e. just send quick messages to people as the ideas cross one's mind then they can choose when and if to read them. Is the flip side of this equation, though, both with e-mail and internet a blurring of healthy boundaries?

Just a thought...

Peace,

John