I. Oh no, not a BlackBerry!
As some of you may recall, I started a new job on Monday. The job has been wonderful so far, and even though it is pretty painful to learn a new routine, I'm very excited. But there is one the thing about my new place that I dread: all of the attorneys have a goddamn BlackBerry, and apparently I "need" one too.
For those who may be a little less technically inclined, here is a fairly amusing description of BlackBerry use from Sarah Foote and Michelle Choate of the MIT Sloan School of Management, who are writing about a study by MIT doctoral student Melissa Mazmanian:
Mazmanian's study of how people use the BlackBerry in their everyday lives has already drawn attention in the Wall Street Journal and The Independent and on National Public Radio.
. . .
"I'm lucky because people want to talk about their BlackBerry use. It's an easy project to describe and it hits enough of a nerve with people that they're eager to share. They light up when talking about how it affects their lives," she said, adding, "I've heard of people who wake up in the middle of the night to check their e-mail, others who set their alarms on the BlackBerry and check their messages first thing in the morning."
. . .
What she has found to date is that BlackBerry use has a large impact on the workplace landscape, affecting expectations of work turnaround, employee availability, personal interactions and the increasingly rare notion of free time. Of course, like society in general, many of the people in the research study claim they have become "addicted" to using their BlackBerrys--thus the moniker "CrackBerry."
One group of professionals who had taken time during their annual partners' retreat to discuss their ever-increasing use of BlackBerrys found that even after the partners established shared guidelines they could not stop using their BlackBerrys during firm meetings, she said.
"It was fascinating; they just couldn't even keep to their own rules. What we tend to see is a gradual blurring of the lines between 'work time' and 'personal time' by device owners. Some people feel more productive when they use a BlackBerry. Others feel compelled to stay in the loop. Many also feel trapped by the social expectation to be constantly available," Mazmanian said.
It is exactly the above-described behavior that makes me dread getting a BlackBerry. I can't tell you how many of my friends have, in the middle of a conversation, pulled out those devices and started scrolling through their emails. One person I know is notorious, not only for checking email, but also for writing emails on his BlackBerry, while driving. Yikes.
It's kind of funny, because I actually really like all varieties of techno gadgets, and would generally love to have a new "toy" like a BlackBerry with which to play. In fact, I've spend quite a bit of time browsing the BlackBerry site looking at all the pretty (and expensive) new models. Here is my favorite, it's called the BlackBerry Curve:
Not that I'll be purchasing that one. (A little on the pricey side). But more importantly, I really don't want to be availble to my bosses at midnight or on weekends, and I'm afraid that is what will happen. My old firm was a little too low brow for massive BlackBerry use, and I was very thankful that I wasn't among those associates who were being instructed to draft motions or prepare mediation materials on Saturday night.
Anyway, it looks like I am going to have to bite the bullet on this one. I have a feeling there might be a CrackBerry user or two here at Daily Kos, and any tips on preventing the device from intruding too deeply would be much appreciated!
II. One Year Ago In Top Comments
So, you wanna know what we were talking about one year ago today in Top Comments? Well, let's find out:
jlove1982 wrote the diary for June 28, 2006. It was titled, "Top Comments of the Day: NBA Draft Day/Bender Edition." jlove1982 and the makeshift band of "comment rescue crew" folks selected some great comments to highlight. In the spirit of the NBA draft, jlove1982 had NBA teams "select" the comments:
- The Toronto Raptors pick media war's comment pointing out that net neutrality has not been as much about the Googles and Amazons as it has been the smaller types like SaveTheInternet.
- The Chicago Bulls (from the aforementioned Knicks) select ortcutt's reminder to the New York Times as to why taking advice from Geraldo Rivera is not something to do.
- The Charlotte Bobcats select Norville Rogers look-a-like Adam Morrison... oh, and LeftHandedMan's advice to Democrats on how to deal with the GOP's condemnation of the NYT.
- The Portland Trailblazers select Elwood Dowd's comment giving some historical perspective on how early primaries work... Dowd's comments in the NH thread also give some perspective on the wider field, while not throwing so many candidates out.
- The Atlanta Hawks select Deano963's reminder that The Hammer won't be able to nail the judge in the TX-22 case with a "lib'rull" moniker.
- The Minnesota Timberwolves, inspired by the Hawks, select one of the responses to Deano's comment above, selecting RequestedUsername's comment.
- The Portland Trailblazers (from the Boston Celtics) pick jimraff's comment advocating the teaching of intelligent design (before you get all up ons, read the comment)
- The Houston Rockets select BlabberMan's comment on safe districts. Because the Rockets should care about gerrymandering has already done in their state, and what it could do to them.
- The Golden State Warriors select ilyakogan's comment on the changes in attitudes in Central Asia (good diary in this one as well)
- The Seattle Sonics select GreyHawk's comment combining snark with an Armando "sighting".
- The Orlando Magic select phild1976's comment attacking the MSM for not looking at the actual story in the bank records stuff, instead focusing on the NYT.
- The New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets select a Gulf Coast Shrimp-related comment from lgmcp
- The Philadelphia 76ers select (from the emails!) House's comments on Christian theme parks... honestly, I want to see what a Book of Job ride would look like... crying much?
- The Utah Jazz surprisingly select DH from MD's comment, for reminding us of the REAL problem with political parties.
I think my favorite part about reading these early Top Comments diaries is seeing how the process evolved. Here is jlove1982 realizing the importance of the DKos community at large in comment selection:
Before I begin, thank you to the emailers. Thanks to you, I have even more comments I may have missed! :) I only used one of the three, I got, but I think that emails should be central to the process. So, keep those emails up. I'm not sure who they were from though, so leave comments, and I'll update this thank you.
And jlove1982 is exactly right. Please keep sending in those top comment nominations to:
topcomments[at]gmail[dot]com
Also from that diary, I enjoyed this little subthread involving Carnaki and Nightprowlkitty. Isn't reading old comments fun?
III. Tonight's Top Comments
Via noweasels:
A comment was posted re: Paris Hilton finding God in jail, to which kudos had this to say.
From bumblebums' Live Thread on the debate of Rahm Emanuel's amendment to defund the Vice President's office, as a result of said official having claimed, in effect, that he's not the Vice President, BarbinMD brings the quote of the day.
FishOutofWater on the shameful decision today from the United States Supreme Court.
Via kath25:
opinionated cuts to the heart of the matter about the fallacy of parental notification laws with this comment in ohwilleke's diary Abortion Bypass Denied in Colorado.
Via chumley:
My nomination for Comment 'o the Day is cskendrick's passionate, eloquent commentary on the choice before Congress now that the Bushies have decided to play chicken with their subpeonas. Beautifully said. As CSK says, "tomorrow" is now TODAY.
Via bronte17:
Lisa Lockwood also comments on Paris Hilton finding God: "I'm so relieved! I didn't realize he was missing. Maybe he was just hiding so Dubya couldn't talk to him anymore."
Via taylormattd (hey that's me!):
geomoo's comment about Edwards' response to the Coulter biz really resonated with me. The title says it all: "I'm exhausted from untwisting the distortions"
From Irfo's unbelievable diary about the sadistic Mitt Romney strapping his dog to the top of his station wagon, notimportant has an amusing suggestion for Mitt.
Kagro X provides a wonderfully detailed description about why the Congressional subpoena issue is, when all is said and done, a political question rather than a criminal one.
Via hekebolos:
Brand new user RunnerAAA tells stories from the coffee shop trenches in OrangeClouds115's diary on recycling. [BTW, hekebelos has great things to say about RunnerAAA ;) - taylormattd]
Top Mojo
Without jars:
With everything
We have so many insightful and powerful diaries written here at Daily Kos. Our diaries inform, inflame, impassion, and even entertain. We Kossacks have strong voices and an even stronger will to be the change we wish to see in this country.
