The Trials and Tribulations of the not-so-New Bear Icon

You know, the future hasn't been all it was cracked up to be.

I was hearing someone talk about the space race earlier today and they said, "You know, our generation was promised this, they were promised to be the first generation out in space." We'll it didn't happen.

I know, it's one of those "where are the flying cars?" kind of things, but it's true. When I was born, in the sixties, the view of the future was bright and bold and the world's problems would be solved. Wasn't there some Age of Aquarius that was supposed to happen?

We still have war, and famine, and disease. somewhere along the way the things like "The Great Society" turned into failed government policies and used by those who look more for handouts than hand up and all that claptrap. Somewhere between then and now, our society changed from thinking about the whole of mankind to just thinking about ourselves.

That space race ended when we, the Americans, won. Did we really have the vision to actually do something further than just going to the moon? After we got there, we sent a couple of other LEMs there to collect a few rocks and drive around the golf cart, then we left it for good. Space became just another place to haul cargo to, not the bold new frontier. I remember watching television wondering if I could go out and live in a space colony, turning above the earth.

Heck, we haven't even gotten to the Jetsons. Think about it, the sixties showed the future would be clean and bright. The earth would be greener (Though in the Jetsons they did have to jack up the apartments to get out of the smog below). Other visions of the future showed wondrous gadgets and TV's everywhere. We're close to that last one, but it seems soon the number of cameras is going to out number the number of monitors available.

The one thing we didn't see coming was computers and the internet. Wow what a difference. It' changed our lives more than the dawn of television changed our parents. We didn't get picture phones, but we got ICQ.

It seems that cars have changed the least. Sure, there's a larger range of sizes and shapes, but when it comes down to it, it's the same engine, just refined slightly. when you think that computers go billions of times faster than they did 40 years ago, how come a car only averages 2 or 3 times the gas milage they did back then? Now that the heat is on, it will be fascinating to see if we get some real change in the next 10-15 years as oil levels start getting scarcer.

Where's that kitchen of tomorrow? The one that delivers a fully prepared meal at the touch of a button? I've got plenty of gadgets, but I still have to pop something in the microwave for the closest to that experience. they tried to convince us we'd be eating pills for all our dietary needs, and for that we've come somewhat close, just ask Barry Bonds. Still, nothing satisfies like tearing into a good steak. Remember when Italian was and ethnic food or Chun King in a can was considered Chinese? now it's passe with more Americans eating Thai, Brazilian, and Middle easter cuisine, we've come a long way towards globalization.

We have seen revolutions in communications technology. Certainly not the things they seemed to expect, with suddenly media is in the hands of everyone. anyone can be published, or produce audio and video and have easy distribution. It's a revolution that may not do in big media, but it's definitely making them re-think how to work in this new world. where a tragedy like we saw yesterday in Minneapolis might have only been covered by journalists rushing to find eyewitnesses, now eyewitnesses can upload their own stories, pictures and video right after the event. It's become necessary to have the people become the fourth estate when they paid journalist are increasingly hampered by ratings, sponsors and corporate ownership.

The personal communications revolution has changed how we communicate to others, over long distances. Who would have thought that typing would still be a useful skill now, and that more kids type away at tiny keyboards on a cell phone than actually make calls on it. Cell Phones are the Star Trek communicators, and now they are getting closer to tricorders with the internet and news and games on them. we used to think portable TV just had a small cathode-ray tube and an antenna, but now it's a wireless connection and a color flat screen and isn't reliant on what the broadcast networks have put on the air.

Still, we haven't completely gotten rid of books, but we're getting closer to ditching music CDs. We use more oil and electricity than we did 40 years ago as there are more electronics and cars out there, but there's also more plastics and more junk.

We've had some of the dumbest, least innovative people running the country. Again, when you think that we've gotten through the civil rights mess, and tried to provide for all so many years back, why do we still have problems with inequality and poverty. why can't we at least agree to provide healthcare for every child? Why can't we work towards a better environment and better schools and better society? We've gone backwards in government as we've seen to many politicians cut corners, and reduce taxes and spending on the wrong things. Once the grand design of the interstate highway system was completed, suddenly, except for pork projects for legislators, we stopped providing proper funding to keep it up. All over the country our infrastructure is getting ready to fall apart, and no one wants to find the funding to do anything about it.

We pay politicians too much money for them to do a half-asses job where they won't make the tough calls to get things right because their campaigning for their next election more than they are actually being the people's representative. the system is broken, but the people who can fix it are the ones who would never do it.

Then it all comes back to the space program. Underfunded. Without leadership. Falling apart. The goal for people wasn't just to beat the Soviets to the moon, it was to find the future. The fifties and sixties seemed to embody the hope that it would all be there for us. All in beautiful gleaming whiteness. We never seemed closer to utopia.

Something changed. Even our views of the future got darker, dimmer. We haven't reached Blade runner or Mad Max, but we still seem tethered to this planet, and it seems to be darker and grittier each time we turn around. How do we get back there? Will a new generation stand up and try to fight for all of us, or will we keep sinking down to watching Lindsey Loahn's latest mistake and laughing?

It's been a wild ride so far, and who knows what's in store for us, but we certainly need something new. we need to give up the impediments that have sent us hurtling backwards for the last 20 or 30 years. It's time to solve things, and beat AIDS and cancer. It's time to make manufacturing more eco friendly, including the car. It's time to finally fund research into new fuels and more energy efficient gadgets. It's time to fund healthcare and social security for the next generations. It can be done, but not with this group of idiots. that goes for both government and the large corporate weasels, more concerned with bottom line and CEO pay than actually doing something for mankind.

A couple of years ago, President Bush said he wanted to send a manned mission to Mars by 2020. People laughed. It's not that the thing can't be done. Sure, there's kinks to be worked out, but we really could do it. It was the fact that it was just empty promises. It was never going to be funded. It was never going to happen. It was to try to build a new space race between the US and China. Once again, it's not about the future. The future has been sold off for a giant pissing contest.

I want the future back. The one we were promised watching Jason of Space Command and re-runs of Star Trek. It's only right.

There’s nothing worse than trying to launch the next cool device than having Bill Gates in a brown coat made to match the color of your music player (the coat actually has the Zune logo embroidered on it) Well, you could also add an unknown Seattle DJ.

Microsoft launched the Zune this morning. It’s their iPod rival, or at least they hope it is. They are spending a great deal of money to get this initial product off the ground.

Bill Gates is not a hipster, no one sees the man, who’s looking a little more like the Simpson’s Mr. Burns here, as a guy who hangs with Bono – except when Bono needs some more cash to fund a charity. Kids are not down with Bill Gates.

Really, Steve Jobs is much more rock-star like, and the events show it. Apple events tend to feature John Mayer or Alicia Keys. This morning’s Microsoft event featured the Secret Machines. Really, not a bad pickup, but then not big news, either.

Sure, a potential Zune or iPod buyer probably doesn’t care about Steve Jobs either, but who would you rather have at your product announcement? Gates should have given the spotlight over to Ryan Seacrest, who has more clout with the youngsters, or perhaps Mark McGrath, former Sugar Ray singer and Xtra host on TV. If they weren’t available, how about John Hodgeman, the PC guy in those Mac ads?

Chris and I were out at Target last night and they were setting up the display for the device that included two tied-down non-working mockups of the device. They looked like bricks with a screen, and the brown one looks…well, as ABC is calling their new gameshow, shat-tastic.

I could go on and on about how it’s a Toshiba Gigabeat player in Microsoft clothing, or how the file-sharing feature is hopelessly crippled, at least at launch, but here’s one of my problems with the device. It doesn’t have the address book. I don’t know how often I use the address book in my iPod. Of course it syncs up to my Mac’s address book pretty easily. The Zune also won’t play games, and at this time there’s no TV shows or podcasts available for it.

I also think the name is dumb…it’s supposed to sound like tune, but with a crazy z, which apparently is the next “X” thing. Now I thought the iPod was a dumb name as well, but Apple at least had the foresight to think that the device might be used for more than just music.

Still, Microsoft has a record of throwing enough money at a problem to eventually make something of it. The old joke is that it takes MS the third release to get it right. Eventually, Zune could hit the right group of features and start selling. Still they will probably never catch up with the engineering style that Apple has.

My big question is why start out with a 30gb model? . Truly it’s the 4 and 8gb iPod nanos that sell the best, moving many more units than the full-featured video iPods. I guess that you couldn’t get the Zune’s big “feature”, the crippled wireless music sharing, into that small of a package.

Don't get me started on the scam that is Microsoft Points. Remember the scheme to make money in Office Space?

For now, the Zune looks like a pretty boring device, but Microsoft has been chafing watching Apple steal away the lead in converging media and hardware. Microsoft knows that they must work harder to make sure they sell more copies of Windows Media Edition, and re-establish Windows Media Player as the dominate player. Having iTunes take that away is bad for Microsoft’s business. Now with Apple prepared to offer it’s own video solution next year, it’s even more important for Bill to get back some market share.

I’ve always found it interesting that Microsoft keeps trying to be a media company, but never seems to know how to implement it, whether it’s with MSN, MSNBC, or with the opinion site, Slate (now owned by the Washington Post). Microsoft wants to be a part of it, but never can establish the cool factor that would bring partners along. Microsoft, and Gates are always seen as the nerdy coders in the backroom, while Apple hangs out with Beck.

Still, Microsoft will buy or control what it can to have its place at the party, much like Anna Nicole’s former husband. He may not have the looks, but he’ll eventually get the girl.

Welcome to the Social, Bill. Now we’ll all be waiting to see what the rockstar has up his sleeve.

I thought about doing something silly like saying that I'd be giving up my iMac and getting some Dell or Gateway computer, and then saying April Fools, but everyone would know it's a lie and it wouldn't be much of an April Fool's joke if there wasn't someway you might believe it.

Of course, today is the 30th anniversary of apple Computers, a little company that's a really big company in some ways, run by a guy who's been called visionary, demanding, crazy, stubborn, and many other names. Still, apple wouldn't be Apple without him. Heck, look at Apple in the mid 90's, they almost ended up on the scrap heap of computing, much like Commodore and Atari. Still, there's a loyal group of fans who've stuck with them, and now are in possession of some of the best hardware and software around.

Our family didn't start with Apples, in fact my Dad came home with a Commodore PET back in 1978 after fooling around with some very basic Heathkit calculators and circuit-boards. I then moved up to the Atari computers, and finally in college, despite being able to use my Atari 800XL with it's 300 baud modem on the university VAX, and having a good knowledge of BASIC, I bought my first Mac.

The Macintosh LCII had a separate monitor, and was shaped like a pizza box, but it was still an entry level computer. I used that to help me with my desktop publishing and the yearbook assignments. It was also compatible with the fraternity's computer (and they even had a LISA, the Mac's predecessor, in the attic). I think it used System 7. This was sometime around 1991 and I had a 1400 baud modem then.

From there I bought a grey iMac, and iBook, and finally the hemisphere-shaped iMac G4 that I'm typing this on. All have been good, reliable machines, and great for what I do, type, read the internet, listen to music. I bought one of the first iPods that came out, and am now on my second. I even have a Newton, but never found a good use for it. It's not that any of these machines dies, but just ended up needing an upgrade. I think I've only had a Mac crash and require a hard drive cleaning once.

Yes, I'm a Mac evangelist, and I want everyone to at least look at the Mac as a computer for them, but I know that not everyone would do well by having one. People who do heavy processes, computer programmers, gamers, these people need a PC, but anyone who just needs a good, well designed, easy to use machine, and is willing to pay a premium for design and ease.

I use a PC at work, but I don't want to come home to one. I love my Mac, and my iPod, and hope they'll be around for several years to come.


Now, back to the questions. JOhn (jkusters) asks:

What kinds of features in a guy catch your attention? What combination of physical, mental, and social aspects do you find interest-worthy?

I'll tell you, I have a really hard time answering this question, because I always have a hard time pinning down what I like in a few phrases because every day brings new possibilities and the chance to discover something you didn't consider before.

We can start with a few physical attributes. Facially I can't tell you what the secret combo is, but I like little noses, squinty eyes, and a great beard or goatee. Facial hair can really make a difference, and I prefer it. I like guys to have mustaches with the beards and goatees. It's just one of those things. Hair color doesn't mean too much, but for an extra look, red heads will get my attention.

Body types can be anywhere from athletic, to muscular to husky. There is a level of chubbiness that gets to be too much, but it hasn't always been a killer. I'll admit that porn-wise, I like the musclebears, but they are a fantasy, and they don't normally look my way. I do find the really skinny aren't very attractive to me at all.

Mental/Social - have somewhat of a brain. that's why I like a lot of people on LJ, because they can write a decent sentence. I like someone with a quick and probably quirky wit, and someone who has a little pop culture knowledge. It helps to have something to connect with in conversation. please be able to have a conversation. This is what annoys me with Bear 411 - people can't write. Then again, I always have a tough time with messaging services because I can't talk in short spurts like that. I also can't spell.

Also, I'd rather have people in my life who are good in small social groups, since big parties tend to put me into a funk. I just don't function well in a crowd. I guess I need a little more personal interaction.

If you want me to describe someone perfect (besides Chris of course) I don't think I could. I'm very case-by-case, and hopefully I'm not one to pre judge when there's an interesting person in there, but the packaging just didn't click the first time. it's hard not to be hypocritical about that though.

Thanks for the question. More answers to come.