The Secret Thoughts of Chairman Don
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
The Death of BS? - Ecademy
During after dinner coversation at a [friends] house last night the discussion turned to television. It appears, unfortunately, that TV even when not being watched can still claim the focus of attention, at least from my point of view.
My friend, no names no pack drills, my friend insisted that 14 million people in the UK watched 'strictly', the common short form of the BBC TV show Strictly Come Dancing, 'the country's most popular dance programme', please let me know of the others it is competing against.
Without dragging you into the *minutiae of the conversation, actually now I think of it there was nothing but intellectual minutiae in this strand of l'après-déjeuner banter. As the discussion on the validity of this number was about to get over heated... the host for indeed my friend was the host and as with hosts from the dawn of time he felt that this position gave him the right to BS is guests as a matter of due course, foolishly as it turns out, turned to his 15 year old for back up and support, as he was clearly losing the argument with the adults at the table. Without hesitation, deviation or allowing time for interruption the young man whipped out his shining internet enabled PDA/Phone/MP3 player/BS annihilator and 'googled' the audience figures for 'strictly'!
Although nearly captured by the Google distraction effect and being lured into a tempting siding of 'few Strictly Come Dancing viewers would have guessed Felicity Kendal, 64, and Ann Widdecombe, 63, were born just a year apart, shortly after the Second World War.' we managed to stay focused and learn... [strictly] Audience figures peaked when Miss Widdecombe took to the dance floor on Saturday evening, with 10.1 million viewers and 45.9 per cent of the entire audience share.
So although mine hosts underlying argument that strictly was horrendously popular was in fact correct, his BS audience figure was shattered by the ready and speedy access to real time data that the majority of us can now have, if not in our pockets, surely within very easy reach.
Another and perhaps more important example is the case of the 'Bargain' Vauxhall Vectra. For reasons of my own which are no real concern of yours I was looking to upgrade my car to a 1.9 diesel Vauxhall vectra. Now now gentle reader this is an example of the death of BS and your opinions on my transport choices are not relevant at this moment thank you. As I was saying, in the process of negotiation the jolly car salesman assured me he was doing me a massive favour by offering me a 56 plate 112,000 mile very nice condition vehicle of the aforementioned genus for only £4000 great british pounds. Lulled and seduced by his not inconsiderable charm, which included taking the vehicle home overnight 'to get a feel for the quality' I did indeed drive home feeling like the cat who ate the cream etc.
However not only did the salesman's charm fade quickly as I considered where the £4000 was going to come from, I also felt a growing and easily fulfilled need to search on 'Parkers' car price web site for the current figures on cars of this particular make and model... and so within seconds the salesman BS disapeared like a bachelor ninja being chased by Ms Widdecome for a french kiss, as I discovered the market price for the 100's of Vectras for sale on line was around £3,300 and most of them of that age with lower mileage.
So, now that so many facts are so easily checked and double checked, are we living in the age that saw the end of BS as we know it?
What do you think?
and
Do you have any other examples of the Intenet killing BS in your experience?
PS
Minutiae (singular. minutia) are, in everyday English, minor or incidental details
PPS
If you tell me you don't know what BS stands for... that's most probably BS
We live in amazing times with the speed and variety and reach of communication continuing to gather speed and with no sign of slowing down. In this modern context is...
Speaking in Public...
Still the No1 fear or...
In the 21st Century is it the No1 THRILL???
Vote here to help measure what's going on...
Where do you think public speaking comes in the general populations list of Greatest Fears?
Where does public speaking come in the list of your Greatest Fears?
My friend, no names no pack drills, my friend insisted that 14 million people in the UK watched 'strictly', the common short form of the BBC TV show Strictly Come Dancing, 'the country's most popular dance programme', please let me know of the others it is competing against.
Without dragging you into the *minutiae of the conversation, actually now I think of it there was nothing but intellectual minutiae in this strand of l'après-déjeuner banter. As the discussion on the validity of this number was about to get over heated... the host for indeed my friend was the host and as with hosts from the dawn of time he felt that this position gave him the right to BS is guests as a matter of due course, foolishly as it turns out, turned to his 15 year old for back up and support, as he was clearly losing the argument with the adults at the table. Without hesitation, deviation or allowing time for interruption the young man whipped out his shining internet enabled PDA/Phone/MP3 player/BS annihilator and 'googled' the audience figures for 'strictly'!
Although nearly captured by the Google distraction effect and being lured into a tempting siding of 'few Strictly Come Dancing viewers would have guessed Felicity Kendal, 64, and Ann Widdecombe, 63, were born just a year apart, shortly after the Second World War.' we managed to stay focused and learn... [strictly] Audience figures peaked when Miss Widdecombe took to the dance floor on Saturday evening, with 10.1 million viewers and 45.9 per cent of the entire audience share.
So although mine hosts underlying argument that strictly was horrendously popular was in fact correct, his BS audience figure was shattered by the ready and speedy access to real time data that the majority of us can now have, if not in our pockets, surely within very easy reach.
Another and perhaps more important example is the case of the 'Bargain' Vauxhall Vectra. For reasons of my own which are no real concern of yours I was looking to upgrade my car to a 1.9 diesel Vauxhall vectra. Now now gentle reader this is an example of the death of BS and your opinions on my transport choices are not relevant at this moment thank you. As I was saying, in the process of negotiation the jolly car salesman assured me he was doing me a massive favour by offering me a 56 plate 112,000 mile very nice condition vehicle of the aforementioned genus for only £4000 great british pounds. Lulled and seduced by his not inconsiderable charm, which included taking the vehicle home overnight 'to get a feel for the quality' I did indeed drive home feeling like the cat who ate the cream etc.
However not only did the salesman's charm fade quickly as I considered where the £4000 was going to come from, I also felt a growing and easily fulfilled need to search on 'Parkers' car price web site for the current figures on cars of this particular make and model... and so within seconds the salesman BS disapeared like a bachelor ninja being chased by Ms Widdecome for a french kiss, as I discovered the market price for the 100's of Vectras for sale on line was around £3,300 and most of them of that age with lower mileage.
So, now that so many facts are so easily checked and double checked, are we living in the age that saw the end of BS as we know it?
What do you think?
and
Do you have any other examples of the Intenet killing BS in your experience?
PS
Minutiae (singular. minutia) are, in everyday English, minor or incidental details
PPS
If you tell me you don't know what BS stands for... that's most probably BS
We live in amazing times with the speed and variety and reach of communication continuing to gather speed and with no sign of slowing down. In this modern context is...
Speaking in Public...
Still the No1 fear or...
In the 21st Century is it the No1 THRILL???
Vote here to help measure what's going on...
Where do you think public speaking comes in the general populations list of Greatest Fears?
Where does public speaking come in the list of your Greatest Fears?
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
There is no PRIZE... Out there!
If you don't find your true passion, someone else's passion will find you!!!
Call of Duty is someone else's Passion and they've got you paying time and money to play their game and fulfil there dream. Time is your biggest asset, how are you investing it, in your dream in your studies or in someone else's dream, someone else's plan? you know you can't get any of it back, this time thing, you do know that don't you?
Call of Duty is someone else's Passion and they've got you paying time and money to play their game and fulfil there dream. Time is your biggest asset, how are you investing it, in your dream in your studies or in someone else's dream, someone else's plan? you know you can't get any of it back, this time thing, you do know that don't you?
There is no prize... out there. The prize is inside of you and if you haven't found your prize and your passion yet... inside is the only place you can find it. Kevin Spacey tells it beautifully... as always ;-).
https://youtu.be/2VIdg3sYRws
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