Don't Back Down

Recently some researchers from the University of California (Berkeley) decided that we are drowning in data. According to their estimates, 800 megabytes of information is produced each year for every person on the planet.

What I'd like to know is how they figure this out. Is this an average? For instance, I'd imagine that your Bill Gates is responsible for a different amount of data than your average Iraqi. Doesn't mean anything is wrong with that Iraqi (or with Gates), but it just seems out of whack. Surely your average Quaker would have a lot less data than Mark Cuban, right? Those people producing the high end must really be overloading it to pick up the slack for those at the bottom of the scale.

Last week, I mentioned the new Google Deskbar. The Deskbar is cool. But astute reader baz mentioned Dave's Quick Search Deskbar as his choice. I have to say I agree. As cool as Google is, and as nice an interface as their Deskbar provides, DQSD has it beat by a mile. I can't even begin to list the features of this product. Make sure you stop by their page to check out everything that it can do.

A couple of throwback quizzes this week. First, an 80s rock quiz. I scored a pretty pathetic 49 in a quick run-through. Don't know that I would have done any better had I taken my time. Some pretty obscure references. Strangely enough, I nailed the one that "nobody gets" and picked up four points. Sweet.

What the heck, let's keep it corny with this quiz. That's right. Now you can find out which member of the Vilage People you most resemble. Amazingly, I am the Indian: You are the Indian. You feel a strong connection to the earth and nature. You are expressive, spiritual, and sensual. To you, life is about enjoying and giving thanks for the pleasures that the world has to offer. All in all, not too bad.

See you next week.