Future Participle


I remember having my mind entirely blown by William Gibson’s Neuromancer. Today I’ve been reading his latest book, and it’s set in the present. They scan much the same. Living in the Third World time warp one can forget, but the modern world is batshit crazy. I was looking around Wikipedia and I saw this random article on the main page, talking about the world I live in, just so so strange. According to the Wiks – “The Storm Botnet is a group of “zombie” computers, or botnet, controlled remotely. In September 2007 it was estimated to be running on anywhere from 1 million to 50 million computer systems linked by the Storm Worm, a Trojan horse that has spread through e-mail spam. The botnet reportedly is powerful enough as of September 2007 to force entire countries off the Internet.” Neuromancer was about these weird artificial intelligences that generated hallucinations and were becoming as powerful as nations. We’ve got zombies hopped up on V1agra spam. No hallucinations. No flying cars. Sometimes I feel like I live not in the future, but a prelude to a much greater age. Like living in 1900s. It’s kinda awkward and people will laugh at our facial hair.

And that’s just a flip through Wikipedia. I remember a time before instant encyclopedia, I remember those old Encyclopedia Brittanica in the basement of the Upper Arlington Public Library, near the microfiche. Mmmmm, microfiche. I remember getting my first cell phone in university, and never using a landline again. I remember being able to hear whatever song I wanted on Napster. Then I see all the young dudes and realize that this is now de rigeur.

The first line in Neuromancer is the best – “The sky was the color of a television tuned to a dead channel.”

Beijing shot by Ben Wendy

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The English Speaking Elite:
  • Mahinda: This is sort of a forum, isn't it? What I mean is that Indi posts something, everyone has a quick read, then starts using this space to air their own views and spread their own message or start their own little (quite often completely unrelated) arguments or whatever... Its got an organic quality, which I think is quite nice......
  • The way of the Dodo: I think we should take some of this stuff and create a forum. That allows for better discussion and more mature dialog. What do you guys think...
  • Mahinda: Just curious... Didn't mean to offend....
Much More Mahinda:
  • Mahinda: Lousy, uninteresting comeback with only mild entertainment value. Where's the wit? Where's the logic/justification to the comment? I'm disappointed in you......
  • David Blacker: Mahinda, I doubt you'd make a good bench press, never mind a press sec....
  • Mahinda: Machang Blacker! Where have you been??! Were you busy washing your hair or something? Oh sorry - you don't have hair, no? So why the offensive attitude? Don't you think I'd make a good press sec? ;)...
The Final Cross:
  • Mahinda: Flyovers, if effectively used, are an excellent method of improving the flow of traffic and congestion. Since you guys don't think the ones that have been built work terribly well towards that objective, lets just blame Mahinda and the Government for this and move on :) Ok. That was just a little joke, but on a serious note, I think development should be well thought out and also implemented in the most cost effective manner. Which...
  • Anon: To add to what Dodo say, before the fly-over there was stop-go traffic at the Dehiwala junction. After the flyover there is a continuous, but slow flow of traffic. Although I use that road only rarely in my limited experience the length of the queue and the time taken to travel is no better after the flyover, and may be slightly worse. Moving the bus stand would be an improvement at Dehiwala, think Nugegoda is somewhat more...
  • Anon: Thanks Shammi, there was a very good interview in the Nation a few years back that opened my eyes to him. Think he did a fair job at the port and according to reports did not take a large "grant" that was in the offing. Agree with Dodo that Mangala's chances of getting elected at the moment look pretty slip....

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