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Thursday, December 23, 2010

Dial-up

          Dial-up is the slow motion of internet access. The telephone line is bombarded with data. Like a small funnel jammed with a viscous liquid that will not separate. You can take a nap while you wait for the page to turn or fry an egg in another room.

           It is the scene of the old farmer standing by the roadside watching the traffic whiz by and all the farmer does is blink. Without the investment to purchase a dish, us rural younger folks feel like the old farmer watching life pass us by.

            When there are pages with multiple photos or artwork transmitting moments pass and then it is time to shut down the computer which has frozen in cyberspace.

            The odd feeling, watching life pass you by because the technology is not affordable makes one feel poor even though owning a computer and subscribing to a dial-up connection service is a luxury and within reach. The new third world community in America's back yard.

            The Internet, the most powerful tool for the common man has done for education what Guttenberg's printing press did during the middle ages. The press moved knowledge from the hands of a select few, namely religious sects, into the hands of the masses.

           Once the masses learned to read and write they on their own, began to acquire knowledge by first purchasing books and then by borrowing them from libraries.

            The encyclopedia was a treasure trove of variety, snippets of everything to introduce you to the world. Speaking of the world, here we should mention The World Book Encyclopedia, affordable for some parent to acquire for their children to have at home to venture into the world.

           The ever expanding sources of information has informed and educated the common man beyond the poverty level climbing up from the isolation and fear of  ignorance.

            Many persons have been involved in educating freely and generously, us. These people have recognized the value of all the people growing in knowledge instead of just a few holding the treasures of the world.

            We don't often say thank you. We don't often think where we, I, you, me, would be without their generosity. A silent thank you will have to suffice, to the unknown soldiers who have shared the written work of generations, allowing us to travel to cultures foreign and new.
And as we learn and grow we may be able to return their kindness by allowing another unfunded genius to expand their knowledge and perhaps solve one of life's little mysteries or problems. Maybe something we would do would enable that individual to reach the limits and surpass them.

             happy NEW year, happy NEW age
happy technology.

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