Trend Mag Articles, I write for www.imvutrend.info

I'm writing for a netzine called "Trend Magazine" and this is the first shizzle I managed to dizzle down and bada-boom-bing-bing out. Enjoy(?).

Apple Sauce

"This apple sauce may have the lowest amount of sugar compared to the other brands in the store, but it's not at all tasty", Kaffe says to his flatmate, Stecci, while lingering in his new sofa eating oatmeal with apple sauce. "Well, all other brands on the shelves, had immense amount of sugar in it, and I find sugar pretty nasty, especially refined sugar which is in everything", Stecci replies, and after a short pause she continues "I don't know what's so difficult about making good apple sauce without sugar? The marmalade I buy have no added sugar in it, it contains only berries and it tastes great!". That declaration made Kaffe react like one of those toy rides outside Walmart when feeding them with waaay too many quarters. "Well, the sugar is added to compensate for all the lack of real fruit content and to cover up for the strange extracts they choose to put in there instead. Without the sugar the product wouldn't taste very good. In fact, it would probably taste awful. The producers choose to do this because it's cheaper than doing the 'real thing', and making it cheaper earns more money to the shareholders. The fewer genuine products they can use, the more they can gain monetary, which is done with most everything you buy today.

The voice of Kaffe now hits a slightly lighter pitch and the flow of words increase in speed as if turning a record from 33 to 45 rpm as he continues "Just look at my sofa!". Kaffe points at his newly acquired sofa, which used to belong to his aunts husbands father. "It's from the early 60's. Do you see anything wrong with it?" he asks. Stecci looks up at Kaffe (he is now standing up and she is still seated), she looks at the sofa and then back at Kaffe. "No…" she says, which is the queue for Kaffe to continue. "It is a genuine piece of furniture made to endure being used over and over again, also known as quality. Today, on the other hand, things are made to be replaced. If you buy a dishwasher and the warranty on that particular product is five years, it will last for five years and then most likely break apart in one way or another. If you buy a car and the warranty is three years, you will drive it for three years and then it will suddenly die, and it is most probably an electric problem, which means you'll have to go to a certified mechanic, owned by the company that manufactured your car. If you buy a phone and the warranty is one year, it'll most likely fall to pieces or just not function correctly after a year and you will have to buy a new one, or just extend your contract and get a phone for "free", which you will pay for in your subscription, of course. The companies make us believe that we need to upgrade and 'slash' or get the latest product and this affects everything we do, not only what we buy. It's all about making the consumer buy, use, throw away and then loop that process: the cheaper the product, the lesser the quality, the more things need to get replaced, the more money the owners make - and that is what it is all about".

Kaffe has now worked up his temperature real high. “Even LOVE IS DISPOSABLE these days! If there's anything wrong in a relationship we choose to end it and find a new love instead of working through the hardships! Get the latest, use it, throw it away and loop the process!" - End of breath.

"Kaffe…", Stecci calmly says. "Sit down and finish your oatmeal".

-Kaffe

20070821

<giggles madly> I can so picture this one...

Community Spotlight - Off Topic Forum on IMVU

In the bushes next to the trail leading to the infamous lair, which is recognized by many names unfit and/or irrelevant to mention at this time but is officially called ‘Off Topic’ (which will be abbreviated to ‘OT’ from this point on), a rustle can be heard.

“Stop it right there!” someone yells; a yell which seemingly originates from the same source as the rustle. Out of the bushes a dreadheaded, shirtless man, decorated with odd tattoos and piercings, appears. “Is it possible that you are headed towards the OT? And you have never been there before?” he asks. You nod silently, then, “As I suspected... Well, then I suggest you let me guide you through it. I promise you, you will thank me afterwards.” He motions, “Now, follow me – and don’t forget to listen closely to what I have to say if you wish your experience to be pleasant.” He starts walking towards the entrance and continues, “By the way…I’m Kaffe”.

An arm's length from the entrance, he stops. “Now, there are a few things you should know before we enter. Newcomers are most often not very well received by OT’s regular inhabitants and it is important to keep your tongue sharp until they’ve gotten used to your voice and presence. Small things can trigger them to bicker with you. Don't panic, this is only a test! You have to abide by the rules, not do as they do, in order to gain their respect. So I suggest that you read through these…”, he takes out two pamphlets from his back pocket; one reads ‘Forum Rules’ and the other ‘Terms of service’. “I bet you’ve already been given the second one, so sorry if I assume you’ve already thrown it away. You did? Don’t worry, ‘everyone’ does that”, he says as he smiles and winks. “Now, let’s move forward”.

Kaffe opens the door and as soon as the air from the inside and the outside connects, a massive and almost chaotic flow of voices is heard. “Don’t be scared, take a step forward”, Kaffe encourages. “This is were the fun begins!”

A few hesitant steps, and then, "Ok, don't take too many steps in. Start observing to begin with and skim through the pamphlets as I keep showing you around". Kaffe turns around "Hey, I said don't fret, my presentation is just so you enter with your mind calibrated correctly to be able to enjoy this place. There are a lot of wonderful people in here and there are many reasons why you should come here. Here you can discuss things you can't discuss anywhere else, everything from thoughts about something that has happened to you during the day to serious political discussions to funny videos you've seen. If you are seeking honesty, then know that in the OT people are not afraid to state their opinions. Here you'll meet people that you'd never meet anywhere else. It's a great place to kill time, chill out and have fun. Don't be surprised if you find yourself laughing your lungs out to some of the things that are said. Sarcasm and seriousness tweaked and twirled together in a way seldom experienced anywhere else! When you feel ready, take a step forward and make contact, experience, share and enjoy this place! Just remember that you are in control of what discussions you choose to enter and I can almost promise you that you will enjoy the wide variety of people that are here".

Kaffe takes up a creased and seemingly well-used hat with the word 'Moderator' printed on it, and places it on his head. "After all, it's about enjoying yourself in the end. Now, if you excuse me, I have to tend to some other duties. If you ever have any questions, just holler my name and I'll be there. Take care!"

He takes a deep breath, waves and then runs off into the crowd…

- Kaffe Myers
22 September 2007

Respect
n.

1. A feeling of appreciative, often deferential regard; esteem.
2. The state of being regarded with honor or esteem.
3. Willingness to show consideration or appreciation.
4. respects Polite expressions of consideration or deference: pay one's respects.

(Above definition is an extract from thefreedictionary.com)

Respect. A word often used, a word often misused and something many partially, and in some rare cases fully, lack. A word that is often confused with fear and something which positive effect many don’t often consider or even see. One word that I can use many words to describe, protect and share my opinion about. But it’s not only about my opinion. It’s also about what it really is. I’m going to try to be concise and terse in this very wide, variable-rich subject, so excuse my use of generalization.

Fear and Respect
Let’s face it; it’s not the same thing, not even close. On the other hand, it’s fairly easy to see why people seem to mix these two words up. Respect/Fear makes you seen, makes people hear you out, makes people do things for you, makes people stay by your side. So what’s the difference? Everything is the difference. Fear makes people see you because they dare not look away, Respect because they want to acknowledge your greatness. Fear makes people listen because they don’t dare to ignore you, Respect because they value your words. Fear makes people do what they are told as they don’t dare to meet the consequences, Respect because they wish to show their appreciation. Fear makes people wait for a moment to throw a coup, while Respect creates loyalty and those who respect you will defend you ‘til the end. Fear is created by someone that takes the power and fight to keep it; power is given to someone that has gained Respect already. Fear is offensive and achieved by force; Respect is humble and obtained by acquiescence. Fear is not synonymous with Respect, it’s antonymous.

It all comes back to you…
"What you give is what you get." An old cliché everyone is familiar with in words, but forgets or in disbelief chooses not to practice. As we grow up, we go through different mental stages. A very minimized, blunt and brief, subject relevant explanation -- First we don’t know that we think, thus not realize our existence. Secondly we think that we think, therefore knowing that we are; the creation of our ego. We then work to satisfy that ego, the only one we at that point know of. Thirdly we come to term that our ego is not the only ego and start to interact by those premises accordingly (“If I conform to mom’s will, she’ll hopefully conform to mine”). We develop that stage as we grow up, and the groups of people we interact with grow bigger. Some manage to take this one step further; to break the “we-and-them” bubble and realize we are all part of a larger system, a global network, a web that intersects all these different groups of people and that an action towards a person you first thought was in no way connected with you means something in the long run; either directly or, most likely, indirectly. When you pluck the string of a spider web, the whole web will vibrate, and the vibration you first sat in motion will come back to where it originated. You are part of this web that covers the earth, so set it in good vibration! What you give is what you get; give respect and respect you’ll be granted.

- Kaffe Myers
Yeah, it's copyright allright

Yeah, the OT on IMVU is definitely completely different from any other OT I've ever been in. I'm not sure I'd have ever ventured in it without a guide.

I think I made my first ever non-mod post in there today... <blinks>

Ok, now I will post the article for December. I always post the articles after it have been taken off the original site to keep it on the safe side. We had a break in January, so this one is the one I wrote for the December issue. The newest one can always be found on imvutrend.info, if you by any chance would be interested. ^____^

Words, words, words… There so much to say about words as there’s so many different aspects of it to discuss. Or should I say communication? I think that would be a word more fitting the situation. Communication is essential for us humans to have a certain level of skill in to make it through life. The majority of the people out there in the world use several forms of communication in their everyday life. Oral communication (not only by using words, but also how these words are expressed, and sometimes even only by the power of onomatopoetic uttering in various forms), the written word, body language and more, even silence (an area I most likely will try to, at least partly, cover in the future). Each of these different communicational tools has their different strengths, but of course, they carry weakness with them as well.

The written language is no different. It is glorified by many, and for good reasons, but it is in no way the perfect way to communicate. Let’s list a few of the major negative points to it.

• Emphasis – It is hard to write how you wish your words to be read. Every word can have a different meaning depending on how it is read and a sentence written one way can most often be misinterpreted if the receiver reads it with a different melody than was originally meant.
• “Too simple” – The written language is only but a simplification and a structuralization of its original form, oral communication. Not only does the spoken language not go by the same strict rules, but we’re also able to express what we say with our body at the same time. Someone that can skillfully use paralanguage (all forms of non-verbal communication) can even communicate with people that don’t speak the same language, which pretty much proves how big of a role it plays in face-to-face communication. This is completely stripped from the written language.

There are ways to “imitate” the things that the written language doesn’t have by writing the word you wish to intonate in a special way in italic or bold or something similar, or by using non-alphabetical characters around that word (e.g. “-“, “*” or “><”). Paralinguistic additions are usually written with non-alphabetical characters around the description that symbolizes the use of paralanguage (e.g. “*points at you with my whole hand*” or “<makes a circular motion with the arms>”). Even by using these methods, it can never reach the effectiveness of what it is trying to replicate. However, there’s other benefits with the written language you can use to your advantage in a discussion on, let’s say, a forum.

• Take your time – This goes both for reading and writing. When discussing things on a forum, you have a lot more time to understand what is really meant. You have the access to dictionaries if you don’t understand a certain word. Also, if you get a strong negative feeling about something that is written, you have the benefit of cooling down before you make your reply so your reply doesn’t come out in rage, in an irrational and rude manner. Also, when you do write your reply, there’s always a chance to read your own reply to see if what you’ve written really is reflecting what you wish to say, and in a constructive way at that. There’s no reason to stress a reply; it most often only results in more energy being used to argue or further explain what you wish to say in the end.
  
• Research – If you have a point you wish to make, but don’t fully have the arguments to back it up, you can research. That way, you’ll not only have a better chance of being understood, you will also gain more security.

The written language is beautiful. Just don’t forget to use its strengths. That way, you’ll get so much more out of it.

- Kaffe Myers
Nov 23 2007

Very nicely done Kaffe. I'd have to agree with the points made in your article.

Thanks for sharing that.

:: It’s a cold November evening. The rain is gently tapping me on the tip of my nose as to remind me every so often of its existence, deliberately trying to make my thoughts loose focus from the main concern of the moment. This day is the day where I’m going to interview Naughty, the creator of Trend Magazine. ::

:: “There’s the spot!” I hear myself utter frantically, and eager as I am, I lose all my professionalism and run to the café were we decided to meet. By the entrance, I take a deep breath, open the door and walk in… ::

K: Hi!
N: Hello.

:: I take my seat, and, as her presence leaves me unable to come up with anything better, I try to do the professional thing and start the interview without further presentation, not aware at the moment that this move could be considered rude. ::

K: So, I'll start off with the question: What made you start Trend Magazine?
N: *small laughter* In all honesty?
K: In all honesty. That is what this is all about.
N: An e-zine I used to work for really rubbed me the wrong way. The boss took advantage of my willingness to give and help her out. In return, I quit, and I found that she was still using some of the items I had made -- even after I asked her not to. My friends told me I was good at it and should make my own regardless, so I tried. It took a while to get there, but I got it up eventually.

:: As the fool I am, I smile childishly and lean forward as I continue... ::

K: Interesting. How long did it take to get from idea to the first released issue?
N: Wow… *thinks for a second and emits a humming noise* …an eternity? *laughs* No, let’s see here: We released our first issue in July, so February to July makes it 3 months.
K: It must have been one hell of a process getting from idea to actually releasing your first issue; the searching for people to help you make your vision become reality and all that. How did you feel during that period and how much time did you have to dedicate to make it happen in the first place?

:: Seriousness fills the air as she delicately awaits the dramatic pause to finish, decorating the last half of a second of said silence to put a curl in its place by gently escorting it away from the face with the index finger of her right hand ::

N: Frustrated. A mixture of frustration and excitement, kind of like when you have a craving for the cake you made yesterday, but go home to find out someone else already ate it. The process was repetitive, and it was a daily thing. Luckily, it was going into summer and I only had to work.
K: "Only had to work"... what do you do besides this? I'm pretty sure everyone is wondering about what you do when you DON'T take care of the magazine and hang around IMVU...
N: Work and school – that’s pretty much life right now, considering where I live.
K: Tell me more about ALL of that. Work? What do you do? School? What do you study?
N: Work? Right now I'm working at a book store as a sales rep/ipt (stock team member) and currently training to work in the coffee shop we have there. Usually I work from 5am to mid day. From there I head over to school, where I’m double majoring in medicine and psychology. I may decide to change the majors but I’ve been doing that so far.
K: That's quite an impressive combination! Why those specific subjects? Also, what makes you hesitate?
N: My father picked my majors. I actually prefer to write, though many don’t know it. I am not entirely sure what I want to do quite yet though.
K: So you write... What do you usually write? What have you done so far? Got anything officially published? Tell me ALL about it!
N: I write what I feel like writing, to be honest. I've been working on a novel, but I mainly do it for my enjoyment. I don’t share very often, though I had a poem published in high school… *laughs* …if that counts.
K: Well, you do like to write, it seems to be a passion for you... yet, you do not show what you do to the public... What makes you keep your written creations away from other people?
N: The way I think is completely different from other people, much like the way I feel or interpret or even react to some things. I remember putting a poem on my page once and my friends got mad at me. They said I was morbid and depressing. I haven’t thought to share anything else since.
K: I understand! I guess the people will have to keep on wondering what you have yet to uncover.

:: The waiter that has been standing next to me the last couple of minutes, waiting for my order, gently coughs to grab my attention. I get slightly thrown off balance, order a regular coffee and turn my attention back to Naughty. ::

K: Hmmm, did I ask you anything about how you choose the people that are working for the magazine?

:: Naughty tilts her head and smiles. ::

N: Noo…
K: Then that is the question I wish to get an answer to right now!
N: Well, I tried to make the application for Trend as open ended as possible, giving the applicant the freedom to express as much of themselves as they feel necessary, because before you get to me or my staff, that’s all we will see. I also check if they followed instructions on getting hired, because if you can’t follow the basic instructions of sending in an application, nine times out of ten you won’t be able to follow anything I assign to you. If you get to the stage where you meet me… Well then, it’s all personality: you can be extremely talented but a snob, and that doesn’t work with me. My staff is…

:: She makes a quick pause and laughs a little and I can see that she’s going through the behavior of every Trend Magazine staff member in her head. She then continues… ::

N: …extremely just out there. But all of their talents compliment each other and they mesh well together. That’s what I’m looking for -- if you fit. It doesn’t hurt to have references and a good standing with the (IMVU) community either.
K: So, how is it to work with them all, both as a group and as individual persons? As you are the head chief, I guess that you know everyone to a certain degree.
N: It can be frustrating at times, to the point where I want to yank my hair out and scream. We've had our ups and downs but they never cease to surprise me. When they want to accomplish something it gets done and done well!
K: Any example of when they've surprised you that you could share?
N: The issue we are currently working on, many of them have stepped up far from what normally has been done and as you can now see if your reading this… *laughs* …it turned out beautifully!

:: I couldn’t help myself and find myself laughing out in the open for the whole café to hear. ::

K: Hahahaha, awesome answer! *cough* Well, do you have any unrevealed secrets about you that is ready to face the readers?
N: Well, if I told you, they wouldn’t be secrets, now would they?
K: ...do you have anyone special in your life?
N: I have people pursuing but my past prevents me from ever really feeling safe with anyone in that way. I did have someone who is now my best friend whom I adore.
K: So, what you are saying is that you are quite popular, but unreachable?
N: *laugh* I guess you could put it that way.

:: An awkward, though not unpleasant, silence stretches from wall to wall. I can feel how my professionalism leaves my body. ::

K: So, last question before the info box, so to speak...

:: What now comes out of me is a surprise to myself, as if I was unaware of what I was doing and didn’t have the power to change what I said myself ::

K: How about dinner for two?
N: Ahhh, which would be lovely, Kaffe! But I’m not sure how that would work. You fly here or I go there?

:: POOF! The magic is broken. I suddenly find myself sitting in my armchair, in front of the computer, with a MSN chat window open. I sigh at myself and my day dreaming. It was a beautiful dream, getting to meet Naughty face2face over a cup of coffee in a cozy café somewhere in the world… I at least had the benefit of dreaming about it, but as the spell now was broken, I better try to make something out of this interview that took place in each of the involved individuals’ respective homes, thousands of miles apart from each other… ::

- Kaffe Myers, also written for the December issue of Trend

Thanks for posting these, hon. It's nice to be able to revisit them after that issue of the e-zine is gone. And your Naughty interview was one of my favorites too.

You’ll attract more bees with honey than with vinegar.

-or-

If you’re not a part of the solution, you’re a part of the problem.


"Addressing the verbal excrement cannoneers in the obscure fleet of equivocation:
Cavilled quibble is futile. Please adjust anticipated trajectory elsewhere."


There have always been and there will always be people out there that participate in cataclysmic disembowlment, through petty means, pointing out the flawed conceptual ground they wish to change. Some do it just for the sole reason of doing it (read: entertainment) while some don’t know how to adjust the source they wish to see improvements in to a more constructive way. It often ends up with greater annoyance from both parties; equal annoyance from the discontent initiator of change and the perceived nequient changee. Perpetual conversational disagreement will, in fact, not improve one’s karma, regardless to the topic at hand and the level of unjustness it may or may not contain. The proper way to address a problem is not by pointing fingers and looking for things to complain about. It’s not “the more flaws pointed at, the greater the chance of a change there’ll be”. In actuality, doing so most often detours the receiving end from the actual problem and one will not be accounted with any credibility. Nitpicking seldom earns the respect needed to be taken as a serious attempt to constructively change anything; only a way to start much unneeded rivalry that in practice only enlarges the rift between the factions. Isn’t that the opposite of the original intent?

So, how does one safeguard that the dialogue doesn’t turn into an abysmal monologue? What one must consider when seeking a change is if the problems one experiences is a primary or a secondary flaw, meaning if the issue you see is the root or just a by-product of something else. With accurate aim and a constructive approach, one will have a greater chance of seeing something being done rather than merely abrasively grinding the patience down with the help of a hard, grainy surface.
With this short introduction, let’s get to the point. If you wish for a change, appeal the source with proper manners and presentation to encourage it to work in a direction of change you’d appreciate. Don’t aggravate it by poking it with a mile long stick while screaming accusingly in a megaphone. That only exacerbates the problem.


- Kaffe Myers for the Feb issue of Trend, 2008

The Internet in general seems to be a HUGE battle zone for this kind of behavior. Basically, using the anonymity of the Internet to blast at things you disagree with, don't like, are incorrect, etc. Most of this seems to come from the general principle that you can't get punched in the face over a DSL line.


Yet...

I've stopped doing the articles for Trend Mag, at least for now. However, I did not post all of them, so I will complete the series of articles here. :]



Get in the game

Feels like nothing good ever happens to you? Why is it that “everyone else” gets a part of the good side of life but you? They’re just living their lives like everyone else and still good opportunities or cheerful events just seem to pop out of nowhere and gently blow fair wind in their sails. Things like that never seem to happen to you and thus you sulk over being the one that constantly happens to pick the shorter straw.

Stop it right there!

Take a look at these people that end up in these seemingly beneficial situations more often than others. What type of person are we talking about here? It has little to do with luck. Of course, there is such a thing as the right person at the right place on the right moment, but even then it is about catching that moment and making it one’s own.

Life is a gamble. There’s always a risk included in gambling. You can proceed in many different ways. You can read up, study the game, take recommendations from others and search for the safest way to win. You might not end up winning every time or end up as the most successful player out there, but at least you have a good chance of winning. Or you can be cautious, you don’t bet much, which of course means you won't win much when you do, but on the other hand, you won’t lose much. You’ll never get rich: you’ll never leave broke. Finally, we have the mad-mans way – no strategy, no fear of losing, betting high; being unpredictable and fearless opens up for extreme turns, for both good and bad. Going down that road will most likely make you either very rich, very quickly or make you lose everything in the blink of an eye.

There is of course an endless way of doing things, but you’ll never get away from the fact that there’s a certain risk involved in everything you do. You must know when to bet high and when to withdraw to gain the most out of your life. It’s a combination of being there when it happens, skill and the ability of calculating the risk involved to see if it is worth the potential back-fire a negative outcome brings. In addition to the latter comes another aspect of it all -- accepting the times you end up with nothing and the will to get back in the race. Being a terrible loser will hinder you from winning in the future. Nobody likes a bad loser and you’ll lessen your chances being invited to play again. We learn as we go and every time you lose, you win something else: Experience and knowledge which will help you in the future. Of course, that presupposes you don’t waste it on being grumpy. Quite often you need to expend merely half the energy that you use railing against your bad luck to achieve your actual goal.

If Michael Jordan couldn’t take missing a shot, he’d never even play basket ball to begin with.

I guess all I’m trying to say is this: Give the chance a chance!

Ps. I will not be held responsible if you go out and gamble all your money away in some casino after reading this. If you do, you missed the point. ;]

-Kaffe Myers for the 2008 March issue of Trend Magazine

<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Words of ------

Flaming Fury!

</span>

I usually preach good behavior and respect in various ways and forms, though this time my article will have a slightly different approach.

BEEP!!! BEEP!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!! BEEP!!! BEEP!!!!
<Sirens go off and diodes start flashing in various different colors
in order to even let the blind see that something is going on>
[INSERT SPACE CACOPHONICAL LAZ0R BEAMS HERE]

Now that I have gotten your attention, you would probably expect to read some words of importance here, like on global warming or the imminent end of the world. Unfortunately, you usually aren't so lucky. As a matter of fact, this article will just be a rant about a certain thing that annoys the life out of me, that makes me want to kick and scream, that makes me want to get a sledge hammer and crush the source of this annoyance to bits so tiny you’d need a microscope to see them. From bottom and up, here we go…
Larry drives his car to work. It’s a beautiful day and he is feeling ok. The car runs smoothly and the radio plays good music. Of course, as everything is ok, he flashes with the headlights on his car every 3 seconds. Also, every time he makes a successful turn, makes a full stop, starts from a full stop, goes through a roundabout or spots a pair of legs he honks his horn. When things are going well, why not let the world know about it?
Larry, you’re an idiot.

At the West Bestern Hotel California, the service bell automatically rings a few times every ten seconds at a steady pace. In order to get the hotel personnel’s attention you will have to make the service bell stop going off and attention will be drawn to you. Someone thought this was a very bright idea.
Sorry, it’s stoopid and the thought of it makes me want to smash skulls.
Of course, both Larry and the West Bestern Hotel California don’t exist outside my imagination (or so I sincerely hope) but there was a point in writing what I just did. It would most definitely be a bad idea to act like Mr. Example-Larry or install a service clock in a hotel or a similar environment as the one mentioned in the section above and I’m pretty sure all who read this feel the same.
Do me a favor and answer a few questions:

• Why do most cell phones blink when everything is perfectly normal?
• Why do most anti-virus programs beep and alert just to tell that the database got updated without any technical issues along the way?
• Why do laptop diodes blink when you are not using it so you will have to hide it or cover it with something in order to not lose your mind over the fact that something is blinking when you just want to rest but can’t because of the preferably blue diode for some reason not apparent to a mind burdened with a somewhat logical way of thinking, wish to announce that the laptop currently is not in use? AAAAAAAAAARGH!

Every machine and program seem to crave your attention for nothing. Trying to make people aware of everything (including nothing) just ends with people not really noticing anything. Bombing for peace… Good job, tech world.

- Kaffe Myers for the May issue of Trend Mag, 2008