Slavery: when it's the right thing to do

This is yet another technology rambling and not a political one. But here's the problem: Many - certainly not all - people who are either afraid of or turned off by technological developments don't understand the relationship. You are unequivocally it's master, and it is your slave. Just because it beeps, flashes, or posts a notification, doesn't mean you have to answer it. If you find yourself chained to the Blackberry, can't get away from the Facebook or Twitter, you won't hurt its feelings by putting your foot down: ON ITS NECK! When its serving your purposes, great. However, if you are starting to be burned out by your notifications, the latest updates from whatever, it's really up to you; put it in its place.
Fear Not the Mute Button:
One of any technology's greatest features is its off switch. Yeah I said that, and I'm a programmer and enjoy working on it. If you don't know where the Unfollow button is in your Twitter, the Hide button on Facebook's live feed, the Standby feature on your Blackberry or Mobile Device, the Hide Notifications button on your Iphone, these are great starting places for you to learn. Nobody likes a dog that constantly tries to jump up on you, or a cat that constantly jumps on the counter and gets into the food. Well this isn't an animal and you can't yet train it as such; but you can to varying degrees bop it on the head. So next time you or someone you know is complaining about how technology is taking over, make sure you know how to rule over it; you are its master, and it has no feeling.

Many blackbirds appear to be congregating around here right now

It's strange; you generally don't associate mid November with blackbirds or, for that matter, the robbins we've seen a lot of out here.
According to Birdnotes.net in Washington County, they've been out here. But it's been quite a sight, quite a sound. A bit like Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds.
We'll have to see how long they stick around.

Now online with Facebook - so yeah I dun it

I did it for the geekiest reason ever: so I could explain to friends and family with questions how it works, and more than just an API perspective ...
Right here
And one thing I've found, as a developer anyway, whereas Twitter's API lets you write Twitter clients in the language / format of your choice and with the UI your users want, Facebook does no such thing. That is unfortunate because to write a third-party app that does more than put a badge on a web site might be most convenient, whether it's a widget for a mobile phone or even a scriptlet in a span element - or better an app you can run in the system tray or dock of your computer that gives wall updates like a lot of Twitter apps do. Not that I need one but inquiring minds want to know ...