A Day in the Life #1 – Fame, Shame, and the Name of the Game

I’m a reader. A scourer. An infomonger, if you will. And the interwebs are so filled with such astronomical goodness that I think my motherboard is going to explode from the sheer magnitude of it all. Or my brain, take your pick. I’m always unearthing something inspiring, infuriating, or thought-provoking to consume and digest (or perhaps spit out). Literary and tidbit gathering contentment abound as a result.

For the most part, what I tend to dredge up is wholly unrelated, although, in all honesty, these gems may have a wee bit of a techie bias. Okay, okay, so sue me; I am a geekity geek at heart (well, one that can sue you back)! Either way, finding and studying these wordy lil’ trinkets in the treasure trove of knowledge make me infinitely happy. In all caps. With multiple exclamation points. And bolded font. Maybe even italics, too. And Comic Sans typeface (okay, you get it, I know). But telling you about them? Parceling them out to my loyal fans? Oh, it reddens the rosy hue in my cheeks even deeper.

Because I’m a sharing, caring sort of lady, and because sometimes I’m busier listening rather than talking (imagine that!), I decided to launch a little series dedicated to some of the more read-worthy treats I’m devouring. It won’t be daily, but it’ll be, um, semi-regularly. As far as you know.

So, without further ado, enjoy the inaugural “A Day in the Life” post!

• How far will you go to be “Internet famous”? Gwen Bell, spurred by a Wired article on point, checks and re-checks her own fame compass and examines that question in depth. The ensuing discussion in the comments that follow is just as intensely stimulating as the post itself.
• I suppose it wouldn’t be the first time the Dodgers exercised poor judgment. Well, for those of us that happen to be Cardinals and Dodgers fans, that is. And hate the Red Sox. Because with the latest addition of Manny Ramirez to the line-up, it’s not possible to keep everyone happy. Okay, maybe just not me. I might have to procure a bandage for the Dodger blue I tend to bleed. Hmph.
• No, no, and no, he’s not David Cassidy. My beloved friend, David Kadavy, hit the mean streets of downtown urban America to find out whether or not anyone knew, um, David Kadavy. And videotaped it. I particularly love his facial expressions throughout the reel.
• Did anyone think this Olympics-in-China thing through beforehand? As if unbreathable air wasn’t enough, the International Olympic Committee bent over and yielded to China’s refusal to provide “uncensored Internet access” during the Olympic games. Not even for international journalists. In continued observance of China’s right to regulate, um, everything. Who’s surprised, really?
• Leading your life like an open (source) book makes breaking up and moving forward even harder to do. Dubbed “Breakup 2.0″ by techies in the know, a lengthy (but engaging) article in San Francisco Magazine chronicles the rise and fall of Web 2.0′s First Couple of Co-Working, Tara Hunt and Chris Messina. Thoughtfully written and thoroughly researched, the piece is a startlingly heart-wrenching account of what happens when living life for all to see doesn’t always turn up roses.
• Before the massive spill, the Twitterati tanked under the excitement of Big Oil. Wham, bam, thank you…Jan?  Earlier this week, Janet from Exxon Mobil saddled up to Twitter, making a Texas-sized splash among the Twitterati at all ends of the earth.  Three days later, “Janet” was exposed as the unaffiliated evangelist that she really is.  Is it shame on the Twitterati for believing so blindly, or shame on Exxon for failing to monitor its brand?  That is the question.
• Hey, Verizon! Think you can get away with charging early termination fees? California says, “Think again, yo.” In one of the most awesome consumer protection decisions known to modern man, a California Superior Court judge ruled that charging customers to end their cell phone contracts is illegal. Yes, seriously. Like whoa. It’s most certainly going to be appealed, but still, um, yeah, so, I might move back to California for a quick second. ‘Cause if I can stick it to the man in stereo, well, that’s pretty neato. God love class action suits. As does this jilted attorney.