It appears that AOL and MSN may merge. I don't know enough to start rambling about ramifications, but I do know one thing: if it happens, the world will get even flatter.
I'm referring to an excellent book called The World Is Flat by Thomas Friedman, in which he outlines the ways in the last few years that the world has been getting "flatter" as technology helps everything become so related and interconnected, leveling the playing field and empowering individuals as never before.
If this AOL-MSN merge happens, the playing field will be leveled on a new... level: Instant Messenging. Currently, Instant Messenging is very non-flat. Lots of people have AIM; lots of people have MSN Messenger. But unlike e-mail, where no matter who your provider is, you can e-mail anyone else and receive e-mails from anyone else, Instant Messenging is still localized. AIM users can't IM people using MSN Messenger.
If this merge happens, they'll all be brought together. Everyone will have to have a unique screen name, but they'll probably just add a suffix of sorts, similar to e-mail.
Let the flattening continue...
Edmond the Hun
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8 comments:
I don't like merging. it's bad. what if Pepsi merges with Coke? ahhhhh! what a tragedy that would be. we need variety. it makes things more interesting and not so communist. Sanguine, I am considering an escape of my own, but I'm not sure if I'll follow you to the Alps. If we became neighbors, then we'd argue about my goats and your penguins attacking each other. On the other hand, we could team up and organize better defenses against the local Yeti(s) and the weird mountain men dressing up as ones.
-The Swedish Eskimo
I agree with you Eskimo. I like variety ~ and Pepsi merging with Coke would be HORRENDOUS (because Coke is better). Putting stuff under one banner does put me in mind of communism too. You can have both IM types on your comp...so what's the big deal? If you IM all the time anyways, you probably need a new life. (watch someone yell at me now) The only events I can think of involving combining things for "the betterment of mankind" on a large scale seem to be negative. Like Social Security, Medicare...
Eskimo, if we became neighbors, we wouldn't be hermits, would we? My penguins are completely under control. Unless you have renegade goats, we wouldn't have a problem. A defense against the formidable Yeti (genuine and fake) is appealing. When you reach a decision, let me know. We might need to make a retreat somewhere for Edmond too ~ once he gets the whole world mad at him, he'll need someplace to continue his influence undercover. I can't help too much with that because part of my pact to retreat into the Alps is banning all stupideviltechnology. Since we have agreed to disagree on this matter, you can assist him.
-Sanguine
uh-oh. I sense another disagreement. um, the reason I like Pepsi better is because of what pepsi OWNS, Mountain Dew. As far as the colas themselves go, I'm really not partial. I hope you are ok with this.
anyway, living in the Alps seems to SCREAM the word hermit. maybe I'm wrong, but it's not the most social move one could make. if we lived next to each other, however, then I think we can try to shake the "hermit" title. we must make friendly visits and eat dinner at one another's places of residence. my goats will roam free, but they'll have tracking collars. you see, I would have an underground room full of (~antagonistic music here~)technology. from there, I would be able to track my goats via satellite as well as contact the rest of the world. it will be through me that you can receive any update on civilization. that underground control room can also be the potential place of refuge for Edmond. I'll be sure to put a cot and blanket down there for him. oh, and one more thing, how will you feed your penguins? you've got to have it all planned.
-The Swedish Eskimo
I figured as much. I don't drink alot of soda, but I do know that I prefer Coke over Pepsi. :) Mountain Dew, not so much. We can agree to disagree. Still best friends? ;)
I guess you're right. Friendly dinners, to discuss the behavioral patterns of animals out of their environment (my penguins) and Cardinals Clinchers. (whatever those may be) I am resigned to the fact that not everyone would destroy their technology ~ I'm fine with you having some. That way I don't have to deal with it when it malfunctions. I do find it humorous that you would sit there and watch your goats on satellite tv. Enjoy your computers and stuff. I would include a pillow for that cot ~ most people like them. I shall feed my penguins bread and cheese. I seem to remember they live mainly on fish, so I suppose I'll have to let them visit a hidden inland lake somewhere once in awhile. Unless you could use your wonderful technology to get fish to them. Don't worry, I won't move to the Alps until everything is planned.
You know, when Edmond has to retreat to the Alps with us, we should assign a squad of goats and penguins to escort/protect him to our hideouts in safety. Perhaps they should dress up as Yeti...
-Sanguine
Don't worry, still best friends. I'd rather not dress up our animals as yeti, because too many things could go wrong. I thought that maybe we could just domesticate a real yeti. knowing nothing of the topic, I just did a google search for how to train a yeti, but all I found was that it "eats anything that strays into its path, though it fears fire, and may be repulsed by skilled wizards." Great. I'm not a wizard (that I know of), so unless you are we may be out of luck there. the fire is good though. when we travel outside, we'll have to carry survivor packs that consist of gasoline and lighters.
Anyway, I found that the Alpish weather is crazy. a lot depends on how north or south you are (the mountains are in four countries). another major factor is your altitude. temps generally range like ours do here, but the weather changes are unpredictable. it can be blizzard-like, but it can also be warm and green. my point is, how would you like it? The snowy top of a mountain would make your penguins more at home, but probably not you. personally, I prefer majestic green mountains.
-The Swedish Eskimo
it seems this wonderful bit of technology deleted my last comment. *cough*
i said something like this:
sure Super Hero, you can come live with me! ;D you have to help me figure out how to feed my penguins tho lol so you wanna come even tho we're strange? or are you going to keep us in line? LOL ;D ooh, you can help me decorate!!!
well...i happen to have a few things up my sleeve that could help us domesticate a yeti. i know a few skilled wizards anyways. so we can try that out i guess. now we just have to capture a yeti to tame. hm. any ideas? the whole lure and net thing hardly ever works for Scooby Doo, so i think we should try something else...
hm. definitely hate the cold. i guess my penguins will have to make do. maybe i can find a special species of penguin that doesn't mind warmer temps. 60s or so, ya know? after all, penguins are at the St.L zoo. so they can live. :) any other things to research, or can we begin our excursion this weekend? that would give us time to wrap things up here, you know, so people don't worry too much.
anyways, i await your reply (even tho...this is a blog not email...)
maybe we could send some pics of the alps to Mrs. Grube.
-Sanguine
uhhh... don't you think this weekend is too soon? what about other things, like, finishing high school? I'm not done with this place yet. for example, what about my aspiring project that I have never come close to completing (my model train layout)? it's a simple 4x8 foot table, but the hobby is way more complicated than you probably realize. I'll certianly bring plenty of supplies with me, so my mountain home will have a set of tracks going all the way around every room. (that's always been my dream. one room that is the main hub, and then from there the tracks go along the side of the walls of other rooms and through the walls between rooms as tunnels. then it comes through the other side of the main room and connects to the city again.) the problem is, the stuff is WAY too expensive. a decent locomotive is $100, and good freight cars are around $15. and that's just the train. then there's scenery, which is a hobby all it's own. I don't have the money for my little layout now, so there's no way I can afford what I need for my dream home. It'll cost thousands, so I need to wait until I'm rich (whenever that may be). which brings up another point: what about money? will we have an income?
-The Swedish Eskimo
well...if you're stuck on finishing up things in a thorough manner. i suppose we can stick out our Senior year.
i didn't know your train hobby was that big. well. i wasn't expecting to have an income ~ my penguins are trained to bring me food and stuff. ;) well, maybe before the public turns against him, Edmond will become a millionaire and donate some money for your Alp dream home. i suppose we could visit a little Alpine village and get some basic supplies like bread and whatnot.
since we're not leaving for awhile we can work that out at our leisure. i think we should definintely begin scoping some sites in february, so we can see what the worst weather is like wherever we plan on hermit-ing.
any suggestions Super Hero?
-Sanguine
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