Black and White and Read All Over

As a child, I was fascinated by magic tricks and practical jokes. So, whenever I picked-up a new book of jokes, I experienced nirvana in its pages. I had new material that actually made sense and had the source document to use and prove it!

One of the jokes I remember fondly from childhood:

Q. What's black and white and read all over?
A. A newspaper.

Today, our news sources are varied and certainly (most are) no longer material in the physical sense. The web became a breeding ground of news sources - both verified, unverified, fabricated, and researched - and spread like a massive infection in a compromised immune system.

In other words, like wildfire.

What continues to surprise me is how people read things online (whether on a website or in an email) and continue to believe something is true even if it's been refuted publicly. Is this a result of ignorance? Laziness? Lack of curiosity? All of the above?

When the war in Iraq began, our relations with France became strained due to their lack of support with our administration in the "fight for freedom." French fries were blacklisted (although French fries were actually invented in Belgium and the "French" comes from the technique you use to actually make them, but I digress). Target became blacklisted by some individuals, too - I happen to know some - boycotting the store because it was a French company. I wonder what HQ in Minnesota thought about that?

How did this happen? For several years, Target was known as being an upscale version of Wal-Mart. To add to this allure, some people adopted the saying, "Tar-jay," to make Target sound cosmopolitan, international. They made it sound French with the same authenticity and verve that Pepe Le Pew possessed in his come-ons to that sweet, attractive female skunk. With the war, Tar-Jay was no longer cosmopolitan or international, it was foreign. Heck, they probably should've painted those red bulleyes red, white, and blue - colors of the French flag, if you don't know.

I hate to have to hammer this home, but I still see it happen so many times...

The web is a breeding ground for lies and untruths, so if something seems odd when you read it, research it - on the web of course - to see if it is actually true.

Then again, I think back to what the famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright said, "Truth is more important than facts," meaning one can always provide facts but it's not necessarily the entire truth. Another example is when you testify in court, you swear to tell the truth (that which is true), the whole truth (not just part of the truth; for example, an adulterer can say his mistress is his friend but not say he's sleeping with his friend so to some degree, he's telling the truth, just not the whole truth); and nothing but the truth.

Then again, Frank Lloyd Wright had a notorious reputation for being an adulterer and according to all those emails, Al Gore did invent the Internet. (He actually said he "took the initiative in creating the Internet," but who is checking?)

So, search for the truth and not just facts. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And remember, you don't need to rip-off your clothes in a phone booth (not that you'd find one) to reveal your red cape and blue suit to help you in the cause to preach truth, justice, and the American way.

All it takes is the tip of a finger to delete the aforementioned emails.

The Importance of Being Earnest

I have tried to live my life (to paraphrase Einstein) as if each moment were a miracle. However, the reality is most humans are average, including myself. Don't get me wrong, I believe we have moments of greatness, but I would never put my golf game on par with Tiger Woods; my walk down the avenue of outdoor adventure with Picabo Street; or my generous (not quite saintly) nature to Mother Theresa. Individuals who truly define and become synonymous with their area of expertise and/or brilliance allow us to strive for and achieve more than we could ever expect of ourselves and, perhaps, each other.

In fact, it is our bursts of greatness and our procilivity to pitfalls that make us human. (You can see the little guy in Pitfall losing his grasp on the rope across the row of crocodiles right now.)

What strikes me, however, is how the proliferation of technology has created applications that encourage us to throw modesty (in the altruistic sense) to the wind and unveil a naked body comprised of silicone parts.

Sound funny? Does it not make sense. Well, let me back up...

MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter. All have opened the lines of communication for many, but is it for the collective good? I was at the salon the other day, and this woman in her late 50s insisted Facebook allowed her to keep up with her family because she could just log in, type an update, chat, or respond to an email. I said I could agree with her on that; however, is it really necessary to know what someone is doing at that very moment in time? Is it that important, let alone interesting?

It seems we are building ourselves up to be more important than we actually are - we are becoming silicone parts - sure, the parts look good and everything we say sounds good, but is it original? If it is original, how interesting is it, and do people really want to know you are cleaning your toilet at 3 a.m. with a toothbrush?

In a world where trophies are awarded to children who finish fourth, and self-esteem is a multi-tiered approach to making sure someone's feelings aren't hurt, I question how great apps like MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter are because they encourage us to embrace narcissim with open arms. They encourage us to reveal everything about ourselves and more - just click here.

I won't lie and tell you I've never used any of these apps before, but I prefer to connect with people in the flesh and on the phone (when geography makes it impossible). It's just I am beginning to wonder where real life ends and the electronic tether begins.

I'll have to think about that some more. If I were religious about updating my status, I'd tell you I'm heading to the bathroom but maybe I won't. But, wait I just did, so I guess that makes it interesting. Wonder what happens when Heidi Klum or Brad Pitt takes a s@#$ and they Twitter about it.