<nettime> [sondheim@panix.com: WHAT'S HAPPENING TO US? / The Sound of Irene]

[nettime's_digestive_system <nettime@kein.org>]

----- Forwarded message from Alan Sondheim <sondheim@panix.com> -----

From: Alan Sondheim <sondheim@panix.com>
Subject: WHAT'S HAPPENING TO US? 
Date: Sat, 27 Aug 2011 01:56:07 -0400 (EDT)
To: nettime-l@kein.org



WHAT'S HAPPENING TO US?

Please look at http://www.alansondheim.org/skypejunk.jpg THIS IS THE "NEW"
SKYPE INTERFACE ON MY MACHINE! Note: First of all, the statement at the
bottom: "Your contacts have not been very active recently..." Really? What
business is it of Skype? Maybe they haven't been active just with me?
Maybe they're calling me on the phone, we're meeting for lunch? This isn't
funny - it's a hideous invasion of privacy. It's also telling me: MY CON-
TACTS SHOULD BE ACTIVE AND SHOULD BE ACTIVE WITH ME. It's social engineer-
ing at it's worst. Look at the chummy slot above: "Tell your friends what
you've been up to" - again, what business is it of theirs? And so many of
us use these applications as if they're neutral or helpful, whatever.
Skype started off like a lot of these things as bare-bones (think of Fb,
MySpace, etc.), and slowly began to take over our lives. And all of us
good little theorists (included) just use these things as if we're REALLY
saying something. (Don't worry, I'm not theorizing here, I'm fucking
RANTING!) On a personal level, I can't stand this presumed chumminess; I'm
using the phone or IM outside of Skype when I can. But this stuff goes on
and on. We can't communicate without consulting our goddamn Iphones, we
can't listen to music without ITunes maximum-prophet interface, we buy
into Fb's "friends" or +'s "circles" - and since when in the psat million
years have we quantified or classified our friends (well maybe in grade
school). Go back and read Sartre on seriality and authenticity - my
complaint is nothing new here, but what surprises me is how we accept all
of this along with Wired mag's hyperbole, etc. etc. PEOPLE ARE STARVING IN
THE HORN OF AFRICA: MAYBE WE SHOULD FRIEND THEM!!!

----- End forwarded message -----
----- Forwarded message from Alan Sondheim <sondheim@panix.com> -----

From: Alan Sondheim <sondheim@panix.com>
Subject: The Sound of Irene 
Date: Sun, 28 Aug 2011 01:08:05 -0400 (EDT)
To: nettime-l@kein.org



The Sound of Irene

http://www.alansondheim.org/irene3.mp3
http://www.alansondheim.org/irene4.mp3
http://www.alansondheim.org/irene5.mp3

Technique: Westinghouse vibration meter used to record from window-glass,
air-conditioner surface (unit off), and wall. The meter records very low
frequency audio, from around .4 hz to 200. The audio was raised two
octaves; the result is what you hear - the sound of things shaking, out of
control. Our roof is already leaking badly and the storm's not really here
yet.

----- End forwarded message -----







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