Back from the French Polynesians

For anyone who has been crushed -- CRUSHED -- to find this blog sadly lacking in the last few weeks, be assured that I am back from a relaxing vacation in the French Polynesians and eager to continue highlighting examples of engagism. OK, I'm as eager as anyone can be who just spent two weeks in a beautiful tropical setting and came back to freezing temperatures and 2 inches of snow...

A couple odds and ends to kick off the "new year" (see, it's still the new year to me)

First of all, after spending two weeks on a cruise ship in the middle of nowhere, I have a newfound respect for the importance of the Internet to the general public. This is not because we didn't have access. In fact, we had a "highspeed" satellite hook-up. However, the speed was frankly less than stellar and I was blown away by the number of people that complained non-stop about what someone called a "deplorable situation." Huh? You're in the middle of the ocean visiting islands with populations in the hundreds, one road and very few businesses -- and you're complaining that your e-mail isn't loading as quickly as it does at home? Cleary, people are starting to feel a bit entitled -- not just to Internet access but to highspeed, I-want-it-when-I want-it access, and they aren't shy about voicing those opinions. Frankly, I was pleased just to be able to check my e-mail every once in a while... But I didn't respond :)

Second, if you're interested in what the "kids these days" are thinking about the Internet, digital devices and all those things they've grown up with (and expect to find in every aspect of their life), check out the new Notes from the Digital Frontier blog. You may think this doesn't apply to you, but it really does -- these are the people that will be making buying decisions, working right next to you or even running businesses. What they think matters and you can get a handle on it at this blog.

Finally, if you want to get a feel for the French Polynesians, check out these Tropical Fish pictures (not mine). I had the opportunity to see many of these up close and personal -- I would send you my own pictures, but the Internet connection on the ship was way to slow :)