They say they implemented it to save people time, but for me, it’s just become another way for me to get lost in the Web.

I’ve been randomly typing in letters and words just to see what Google thinks I want to know about. What is the most popular search term connected to that word?

Apparently, a is for Amazon.

And Google brings up Google Maps. They don’t even rate their own root first.

It’s fascinating,like a great big round of Match…

(wait for it…)

GAME!

I have other blogs out there for specific purposes, but this one is my personal, general blog. In two statistical categories, this is the one that is doing the best.

1. Technorati authority. Because I can write about almost anything, I can participate in a variety of blog carnivals. That gets me backlinks. Which gets me authority.
2. Google page rank. I think I’m at a PR of 2 now. For probably the same reason.

I’m not really interested in doing anything differently here. These are just almost unintentional by-products of my general blog. But since I like stats and improvements, I’m going to keep trying to make the numbers grow.

My world froze before it tilted on its axis.

What?

It turns out that my dad uses YouTube to watch programs, especially news stories, from his homeland. It’s a way to stay connected. He even knows work arounds and alternative sites for when YouTube is blocked.

After my brain finally managed to process the thought successfully, I realized that I was just reminded of the fact that the internet is a tool. We tend to think of it as entertainment or as a way to prove how cool we are, but there is a functionality and a usefulness to its features.

YouTube is not just a place for awesome skateboarding dogs. It’s also a place for ideas, creativity, communication, and news. Thanks, dad, for reminding me of something I never should have forgotten.

But still, the Battle at Kruger remains my favorite.

Yeah, I know that. What’s my recourse?

Of course we all know that their authority figures are murky and unreliable, but I like numbers and measurable improvements. I still want to play. They just don’t seem to want me.

Since Technorati is free, this may be a case of you get what you pay for. While I can sympathize with the hardships of organizing the blogging world, in this day and age, technology that doesn’t meet user expectations quickly fall by the wayside.

Should I still pursue this issue or is Technorati no longer relevant? Any suggestions and opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Recommended post: What’s wrong with Technorati

I used to be better at taking advantage of the Watch Instantly feature. Now, it’s not even in the picture.

I love the service too much to give it up, but it is such a funny, artificial stress to put on myself.

I finally got on a computer with Firefox and fixed my formatting. Now I’m kicking myself because I should have known that it was a browser issue. I provide tech support for plenty of Mac-using freelancers, and they just can’t do the same things that their PC counterparts can do because the compatibility is just not there.

Macs may be the wave of the future, but for right now, it can be so hard sometime to get anything done.

Plus, the Mac messages in those commercials present a tone much like the AOL promos of old—“Oh, computers/the internet is so scary and difficult. You better allow us to idiot-proof it for you.” I don’t like the sales tactic of telling people that they shouldn’t even hope to think that they can fix their own problems or customize their own machines. “It’s not worth understanding this computer when we already have it set up exactly as you need it.”

How many Mac users who do not actually understand their Dock do you know?

I also thought that Apple’s claim of a better computer was nonsensical given how much of the company’s attention has been diverted to consumer electronics over recent years. But now, I may have come to realize Apple’s greater company strategy.

The most recent Mac vs. PC commercial (Pep Rally) has PC surrounded by college cheerleaders. The set up is that since Mac is such a popular computer on campuses, PC needed this appeal to compete.

And here, I finally got the point of pushing the iPod. People buy what they know. Apple jumped ahead in the mp3 player market by selling style and ease of use. The teenagers bought in. Then the kids got them too (along with many adults).

Now these teenagers are in college. Both the students and their parents are used to Apple and the Apple Store. So they buy Apple computers. The kids will follow in suit when their time comes, sustaining the trend.

Soon, these college students will go into the workplace. They’ll still prefer the familiarity of Macs. Then the employees will become the managers and the business decision makers. I bet Apple is planning on their loyalty.

Twenty years from now, could our computing landscape be vastly different? If this is really Apple’s scheme, it’s intriguing and whip smart. I used to think that Apple stock is overpriced. But now, if they can maintain the popularity of the iPods and cut into the dominance of PCs in the computer market, they still have a lot of room in which to grow.

If they could change the consumers, they will change the program developers. Then, Macs may actually, truly improve in their functionalities.

See! Wasn’t that amazing! You gasped. You groaned. You laughed. You cheered. You talked back to the screen. I bet your heart is still pounding.

Unfortunately, the folks responsible for the video have made a really annoying official site. But on the positive side for them, there’s going to be a National Geographic documentary centered around the video. It airs May 11 at 8:00 pm CST on the National Geographic Channel.