I’ve been fussing and fuming for the past few hours because I couldn’t get at the part of the Blogger software that lets me create this page. The pages already published were still there, but only visible through a browser. And now, with neither rhyme nor reason, I'm back. This strikes me as one more example of technology becoming more and more embedded in our lives, while growing less secure and/or reliable. But then many of the non-digital services in our lives are becoming less secure and/or reliable. Health systems, especially those for rural and/or females are one example. Police systems are another. Education and media, particularly ads and headlines/leads, appear to be doing a good job of dumbing down the general population. I mean, who needs fact checkers or copy editors these days? We no longer seem focused on whether something is right, only if it’s legal. [The Blogger software disappeared again for hours before I could get this posted.]
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| where is the bluebird of happiness these days?
Photo by J. Harrington |
Have you seen the report(s) that hackers, purportedly from or in China, have infiltrated the software that runs our basic infrastructure systems? Unless you’re a practicing Luddite, you no doubt have been exposed to mis- and disinformation via the internet and/or email etc. Have you received advisories, particularly from a health care provider’s system, that your personal information may have been captured by hackers and your identity may be at risk? Before we get around to more screwing up with artificial intelligence, let’s apply some human intelligence to securing our information and communication systems.
In fact, it seems to me it’s way past time to forego the basic premise of perpetual growth on a finite planet and creating ever richer trillionaires while regular folks starve and live on or in the streets. It’s clear that many more folks need to be reminded of guidance provided by one of our founding fathers:
“The government you elect is the government you deserve.” ― Thomas Jefferson
Now, in anticipation of Monday’s celebration of Earth Day, here’s today’s poem. If there’s no posting tomorrow, it’s likely due to another Blogger software technical failure. But it is worth every penny I pay for it.
An Earth Song
It's an earth song,—
And I've been waiting long for an earth song.
It's a spring song,—
And I've been waiting long for a spring song.
Strong as the shoots of a new plant
Strong as the bursting of new buds
Strong as the coming of the first child from its mother's womb.
It's an earth song,
A body song,
A spring song,
I have been waiting long for this spring song.
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Thanks for visiting. Come again when you can.
Please be kind to each other while you can.
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