Google Spaces and Sharing Blackholes (social media)
written by owen, published: 2016-May-20, read 2794 times.
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Jamaipanese commented: The internet is always evolving and responds to the needs of its users. In many ways I beleive it is a reflection of our wider society. Owen you cannot be one demential in your way of thinking. Thinking as a computer does with "input output storage etc" that's one of the problems with IT people like us and out inability to see beyond the 1's and the 0's. Beleive it or not some people do use social media as throwaway black holes that they care little about where sharing IS the endgame. Can you blame a Google or Facebag for living off of their perceived garbage? A service has NO responsibility to ensure you are productive. That like saying a bag juice must provide proper nutrients to be sold. Some of us are creators, artists, teachers, researchers, students, trolls, casuals etc. Again some will care about the value, others the experience, others might just be sheep. Some are a combination of these things or where different hats in different days or stages in life. Try to wrap your mind around the notion of people being different from you who might use/perceive a tool/site very different from your developer/archiver-centric view where EVERYTHING must fit a slot. As a blogger I try to go where the users/ viewers will potentially be or attempt to use tools that will attract more eyes to my content. Failure, trial and error etc is all apart of the process. Not every social media product will live and become successful. For every Facebag there is a gazillion Google+s. Are some sites totally useless and stained to fail? Maybe. But don't be butthurt because you fell in love with flavour of candy that was discontinued so you cry each time a new flavour is released. ... read 5 more
Food and Eats » Continental Breakfast, Cuba
written by owen, published 2016-May-19, comment
You can't really go wrong with a continental/buffet breakfast, especially since it was included in the hotel room package. It is like a choose your own food adventure. At the Hotel Vedado. Lunch and dinner are best eaten on the road. There are many eateries in Havana; except salty food, no take out containers and no condiments. As with food in any foreign country; expect the unexpected.
The wheels project » Classic Car, Cuba
written by owen, published 2016-May-16, comment
In a country where importing cars is not easy, not cheap, and the world does not want you to - you just kinda have to take care of the cars that you have. And when you inherit your mom's or dad's car you better make sure you take good care of it or you will find yourself taking the bus.
It is not as tough as it sounds though because Cubans are very calm and courteous drivers. They drive these cars everyday as taxis and everyday commuting. They are not in a rush to go anywhere and wait patiently at intersections to allow people to cross and cars to pull out into the road. While visiting the Plaza de La revolution I was surprised that there is no cross walk to go to the other side. Nor is there any cross walk on the Malecon. Pedestrians including families and children just walk across with minimum stress. This certainly doesn't mean you should act a fool crossing the 6 lanes.
So its easy to keep your car in pristine conditions when everybody aint suffering from road rage and trying to run you off the road like they have pot pon fire as we would say in Jamaica. If you got a car in the sixties its you family car for life. There are new cars in Cuba though but mostly European cars; Peugeot, Lada, MG, VW etc.
Not all the classic cars are like the one in the picture - you do have about a 30% or so total rust buckets wobbling down, the road filling the air with exhaust smoke. And alot of them new korean engines but are still going strong with OG parts.
Pictured is a 1949-ish Ford something. I do not remember exactly what he said it was. They are all American cars. Since Cuba doesn't build cars. If you choose to go on a classic car tour make sure that the guide has a good handle of the english language before you set off.
The people project » On the street, Havana
written by owen, published 2016-May-13, comment
When walking around Havana it is very hard to tell a tourist from local - at least from my perspective. And the Cubans do not seem to mind your presence at all which is a welcoming experience. There are is a mishmash of Europeans and locals in Havana making it a nice city to walk around. Very few Hustlers and vagrants. People just go about their business and hang out by the water front.
Everybody smokes - you can buy cigarettes at the ice cream parlor. Beer is as cheap as water. Cubans are either going about their business or waiting in a line. There are lines everywhere but Cubans seem unbothered by the waiting - you can easily tell by the lack of cars honking at intersections.
The women are very fashionable in bright colours and fishnet stockings from a very young age, especially on weekend nights. All the airport female staff and school girls wear hot khaki mini skirts. The police however wear pants and I saw (on multiple occasions) 2 female police officers giving traffic tickets - you would never see that in Jamaica. Overall the people are kind and welcoming and will try to meet to half way if you do not know any Spanish.
Pollo = chicken but there was none there I checked
Taking pictures for tips.
Police
School girls
Phone Bank
Traveling without moving » Aerogaviota
written by owen, published 2016-May-12, comment
The funny thing about mid-size airplanes is that just before landing you can hear a loud "thud" when the landing gear pops out of the under carriage. Freaks all the first time flyers out. lol. But this is normal and happens with the bigger airplanes as well except its just harder to hear it in the cabin. :)
Everyone gets a sweet before take off and they really don't care about seat numbers as long as everybody is seated. Do not be upset if a Cuban refuses to let you sit in your assigned seat number - just find another one - she probably has a relative coming on the flight with her.
niky commented: they need to assign seats at checking, when you are boarding is not nice, sometimes you are travelling with your family and everyone is seated separated, really bad thing , and also they need female cabin attendant, at least one, always are the same old men. ... read 2 more