So just what the he** is the allure of Twitter?  I keep thinking about it, about how it brings us one step closer to the “hive mind” that has been the starstuff of science fiction in years gone fast.  Big names like Larry King and Ashton Kutcher have a million followers, a MILLION people who at least give a passing glance to everything they put out online.  Thats a lot of eyes.  But think of it, how does it work the other way?  Lets say I follow only half a million people.  Right now, following a mere 50, I get over 200 twitters a day.  The overload potential is MIND BOGGLING at best, downright noise at worst.  I liken it to those stories where someone (usually a hawt actor like Mel Gibson used to be) gets the ability to hear *everyones* thoughts.  Eventually it drives them mad.

I think it’s the *potential* that attracts people.  The idea that you could send a tweet to, say, the Gov. of California, and he might take notice of you, or Larry King might deign to include you in the hundred or so people he follows on a daily basis.  It’s like taking the tour bus of the stars homes of LA, it’s that possibility that Sharon Stone might come down the driveway to pick up her newspaper, or Brad Pitt might be sitting in line with you at In-N-out Burger

 

I am staring down the last day of surf camp for my little ones, and today is “fiesta Friday”, which, in essence, is an excuse to bring treats and snacks for the whole group. In my experience, such as it is, these things either go swimmingly, or everyone brings leftover chips and salsa from their parents pantry and the whole event us kindof milquetoast.

It occurred to me this time that I hadn’t received any “allergy warnings”, notes from the teacher letting us know, for example, if anyone in the class had peanut allergies, or an allergy to soy or eggs, or whatever. In fact, it’s occurred to me that *none* of the sports camps my kids have participated in this year have delivered any such warning.

I’m a little at a loss here, I’m just coming out of the “preschool”

phase, and the coop i take my kids to is excruciatingly concious of these kinds of things, to the point where certain substances are not even available to adults, for fear of accidental exposure.

So are these kids not being permitted to attend these kinds of camps at all? Or is the ratio of kids with potentially lethal allergies lower here in So Cal than up in No Cal? I can’t help but wonder why and how this difference on demographic is occurring, and I can’t help but be annoyed with parents who might be crippling their kids further by *not* letting them participate in camps and other activities out of fear.