5.23.2003: The First Note
Merriam-Webster defines a 'Rant' as 'bombastic extravagant speech'. Not a flattering description, but it seems to be a popular choice anyway to describe this type of forum. The fact that I know what it means and still willingly refer to it as such should give you some measure as to how seriously this is to be taken.
Noah's descendants have no definition for the word blog as yet, which is another word people use to describe these things. It's a made-up word that serves to hide the nature of the writing by making it sound hip. Whether it's an official word yet or not, it does have an etymology: More properly written 'blog, it's short for "web log," which means it is a kind of online journal. Free-verse, stream of consciousness writing has for years been relegated to private journals and never read again, often not even by the author. But the web has changed all that, and now easy access to the web has opened the door to the telling of untold millions of opinions. Perhaps the internet was for the sharing of ideas, but there are always more opinions than there are ideas in any setting.
Is this a good thing? You must decide that for yourself. Seek out blogs where you may find them as harmless amusement, or avoid them like the plague you know them to be. It's your opinion that must rule this day.
And now the inevitable question: Given the danger of being lumped in with the steaming masses, why have I made the decision to become a ranter? Why does Dan Dare? I can claim no pretention here: it's because I simply wanted to. The rest of this site is full of things I hope are useful to someone in some way. But in this tiny corner of my cyber abode I can relax, kick my feet up and just blather. It doesn't have to be helpful. It doesn't have to be fun. It doesn't even have to make sense, luckily. My soapbox matchbox Beat Box is one Diversion for myself, and maybe yourself, too. A Daft Realization that I may as well provide my own Bright Noise, a Counterpoint to everyone with an internet connection and notepad. Nothing Was Going to Stop Them Then, Anyway. (Apologies to Ann & Trevor; and no explanations to anyone else)
Not much of a subject for the first entry here, although I certainly had a theme going for a few Moments. Better luck next time, eh?
We've heard that a million monkeys at a keyboard could produce the Complete Works of Shakespeare; now, thanks to the Internet, we know this is not true. --Robert Wilensky
