Hello world! Jarno's back and this time..

Intriguing... it's been over 3 years and this !@$%* blog is still here! In fact, not only has this blog not been erased, I could now log in with my Google account..

I've spent over 2 years building up a digital music database, like 300 to 400 gigabytes of music. It then got erased. Every computer I've ever had, stopped breathing after , let's say 4 years. I've taken I don't know how many pictures with cell-phones, they're all gone now..

Digital information is supposed to go, at least in the end, I always thought. Yet my blog is still here.
I mean, you know, I'm willing to write. Seriously. The fact that I can, online you know, is amazing in itself. The fact that I am sitting here, in Apeldoorn, Holland, and that when after I press the return botton, the whole world can see and respond to this text, I mean, that's just amazing, actually, when you come to think of it..

..the fact that, at the same time, I have access to the whole world, I can talk to anyone, find any information, do anything basically, just by means of a keyboard and a screen..

Wow! But still, what if I wake up tomorrow, try to log in, and this blog is gone? Nah, that won't happen. Ok. What if Google goes bankrupt one day? Doesn't sound plausible to me, but hey, then again, the whole worldwide financial system just went down, so, let's think again, what will ultimately happen with all the information I am generating as I type?

Well I guess there's only one answer: calm down Jarno, Focus not on the Negative, my young apprentice...

The aim of this weblog therefore, is to do 2 things:

1. Entertain! laughter and happiness are the basis of positive energy. And that's definitely what this planet needs right now. Get up with a smile @ enjoy being crazy when you can!

2. Inform about technological developments. They are ever accelerating. And so grows the impact on our daily lives. Coupled with the severe challenges we face: the basics of our economic system (you know, the financial crisis and all that) , questions of global governance, climate change, looming food & energy shortages leading to 'resource wars', the impact of technology on issues such as governments invading citizens' privacy, robots in our lives, virtual reality, the fact that you can have your DNA mapped for less then 500 dollars within the next 5 to 10 years, and, well, once again, calm down Jarno..

The point being: the next few decades will come with breathtakingly fast pace of change and seriously challenging issues. This blog aims to both entertain and challenge you to respond, think about and laugh(!?) about these issues. By communicating in positive spirits, about these issues, I would like to humbly hope to foster an environment, intriguingly being entirely digital and global, in which we will challenge eachother to come up with solutions, both practical and effective to meet the environmental, socio-political, economic and technological, without pretending to be complete..., challenges of the next few decades.

OK, I admit, when a man drinks wine, at talking he seems fine.. I really think I'm almost there.. please, give me the benifit of the doubt? Ah?

Let me put the previous in more practical terms:

- How can we use computers to finally bring our educational system up to a 'humanly acceptable' level?

- How can we make sure local communities can 'survive' by producing there own energy and food. Can we produce food in cities, in community gardens, public places, whatever?

- In the eighties there where large arcade systems on which you could play a simple game, in the nineties there where desktop computers onto which you could store 100 megabytes, now there are cellphones that know where they are, are rather touch-sensitive and can store up to 32 gigs, so imagine ten years from now.., something the size of a button, that can do a $%#! of a lot more then the last thing described, wow!, once again a long story, but, anywhays, what impact will that device have on our daily lives? Anyone? Anyone?

And so it is that I would like to keep asking questions, and foster the process of humanity of preparing for the near future to come. Ok, I've had enough wine now.

Thank you planet Earth for listening and Oh! There's just one more thing! >>

Check out this website >> SuperStruct - play the game - invent the future



Take care now, bye bye then,



Straight from Apeldoorn, Holland.
Jarno de Vries