My friend Will and I discuss computers a lot. This is mostly because Will is only really interested in computers (and for the last couple of months beer brewing). And one thing we discuss a lot is privacy and the fact that after the lives that we have led, we don’t worry about it all. We worry about it for our clients, of course. Some of their lives might be private. And that is why I really liked this new commercial from Microsoft:
My first wife[1] was a privacy freak. And as with most people who are really hung up on privacy, she had very little of interest to hide. Compare this to me—I have a public enough background that I can’t get a regular job. Oh well. You either embrace it or embrace it. I choose to embrace it.
Anyway, I think this ad works because it is true. Google does do that. In fact, they are constantly offering me opportunities to get my MBA—probably because I write a lot about economics. And the truth is, I used to be bothered by it. And I think more people probably should be bothered by it. Of course, there a much better (And free!) alternatives to Microsoft.
Think different. Not Apple, silly! Non-corporate!
[1] This is from The Girl’s On Fire:
She says that I’m not
She must be looking for someone
Who gets married a lot.
New converts to homebrewing tend to preach as much as new converts to anything else — I know, I’m a recovering New Brew Believer. It’s fun, and yeast really does seem kind of magical (monks who didn’t know how yeast worked called it "god is good.") It even has a secret language only initiates can understand, which leads one to believe everybody else is interested in hearing about your hop utilization rates.
Eventually the homwbrewer learns how to balance his/her deviant lifestyle without feeling the need to convert others. Except the young people — we convert them whenever we can, at least to drinking less shitty beer. It’s part of our code.
@JMF – Yes, I know. I used to brew beer. And I am hoping that Will learns to appreciate better beer. Someday I would like to share an Arrogant Bastard with him.
[i]Give a man a beer, and he wastes an hour, but teach a man how to brew, and he wastes a lifetime.[/i]
That italicized quote is too funny. Still, we all need hobbies, and there are far worse ones out there (like becoming a hedge-fund manager.)
In my experience not everyone who tinkers with homebrewing keeps enjoying the hobby forever — but all of them learn to appreciate better beer. Give the man time, give him time . . .
@JMF – There are better forms of that quote that don’t sound so negative. I don’t mean it in a bad way. If there is a purpose of life, it is to waste it in the most enjoyable way possible.
Well, here is an odd thing. Not the article, but the fact I have no idea how my looking around resulted in my seeing this article and the others that came up below it…..not by date or topic. No prob. I had not read this post, but I believe you read it to me.
I like the way the title leads one to the implied link. Will check the link to assure it still goes where it should.
thanks for the mention
…later…
OK, link is still valid. Had forgotten about http://www.NONAGS.com as I have mostly been downloading from FileHippo since I often am seeking older versions that the current and, in general, they have many older releases of executables.
I don’t seem to download anything anymore. Give me vi and a star to guide by.