Do you remember the days when we used to say that people watch too much TV? Well those days are practically gone! Now, kids and adults don’t spend they’re time watching television, they spend it on the Internet! Why look at movies on TV, when there are millions of them on YouTube? Why watch the news on that brand new flat screen TV or that super radio system, when you can Google it? For God’s sake, people don’t even read the newspaper anymore, because practically all of them (Gazette, Journal de Montréal, New York Times, Metro, etc.) have a website. Actually, all companies have a website.

There are over 1.7 billion Internet users in the world, 0.7 billion coming from Asia. 156 million websites have been created since 1995. Internet has been invented in the 1950s in USA for military reasons and was developed by many specialists. Actually, contrarily to what some believe, Internet was not created by someone in particular or a company. It has been imagined, conceived, developed and improved by many people between 1950 and 1990. But the real Internet, the one we know now, was officially made public in the 1990s. And that was the beginning of a whole new world.

Indeed, since Internet was created, the world, the culture, the lifestyles have changed, as well as the technology and our way of communicating. Ah yes: communication. Actually, that was the whole point of Internet, which was to be able to communicate easier. Just think about it. Where would we be without email, MSN and Facebook? Now, when we want to say something, we use the Web a lot. We have to work on a project? We’ll talk about it on MSN. We have to get in touch with old friends? We use Facebook. Now, we can even see the other person on Webcam! Let’s face it: we barely even need the phone anymore!

Another thing about the Internet: it created jobs. Whole companies have been created on the Web and most of them are dependent of it. If you want a concrete example: eBay. PayPal. We buy things on the Internet and we get them through mail. Or think about all those Internet providers. Videotron, Bell, TELUS, Rogers. A big part of these businesses live of Internet. They get money because you need it.

People spend about 13 hours per week on the Internet, though teenagers spend 30. 30: that means that teens spend more than a day online every week, thus 17% of the week. Anyhow, we’re starting to be more interested in the Web than we are in watching TV. We actually have to start being careful not to become too dependent.

The Internet has changed the world we know, it even created its own world, the one we all call the World Wide Web. We do everything on it. We can communicate, work, learn, have fun and create. We can work on our passions: we can write, publish photos, make videos and edit videos. The Internet has changed our lives and is still changing it.

 

 

Christmas is over, which is too bad because it’s a wonderful time of year. Though, let’s not forget that the holidays aren’t finished yet! There’s still the New Year coming soon! That means you get to party again and eat until you explode for a 2nd time. And there’s still the wonderful snow –or horrible, if you think it’s too cold. But then again, it’s snow.

Anyway, I would like to take this end of 2009 to wish you a happy New Year, as well as health and happiness in everything you do. I would also like to thank everyone who took the time to read my texts and/or comment them, because it really means a lot to me. Thanks to you, I had over 6 000 visitors since I started this blog a few months ago.

Tell me what you would like to see on this site for 2010, what kind of texts you would like me to write or if you have any other suggestions, you can comment or email me at lou@shadowqueen.org. Have a happy New Year and I hope you can realise all those New Year resolutions!

Ahhh! Christmas time. I love this time of year. But then again, who doesn’t? All the white, sparkling snow and the bright green and red  decorations! And of course: the Christmas tree. Weirdly, I used to decorate it the night before Christmas and then I heard that most people do that earlier. Hmm… Oh well. Anyway, the whole point of this post, article, text –call it whatever you want- is to make a list of everything wonderful about Christmas. Leave a comment telling me what you think is great about the holidays.

1- Snow. Yes, I mentioned it before, but I’m saying it again. I love snow. I love the way it shines in day time –and the way it shimmers under Christmas lights at night. Snowball fights…they’re the best. I don’t mind having to shovel the alleyways –as long as there’s enough snow to close schools.

2- Decorating. I don’t know what it is about putting a bunch of lights and globes in a tree and in the house, but it’s got some kind of Christmas spirit in it that makes you feel good. Besides, it’s pretty.

3- Holiday music. Have you ever noticed that in December, practically all the radio stations start going crazy over Christmas songs? It’s weird, it’s only holiday music. It kind of drives me nuts. But still, in some strange, freaky way… it’s nice.

4- Pastries! Lots and lots of cakes, chocolate, candy and good food in general. And my friends tend to develop a strange dependence to candy canes, which isn’t really good, because sugar makes them weird and it traumatises me.

5- The holidays. Do I really have to explain why I like the fact that I can sleep until noon, watch TV all freaking day and not have to work?

6- Parties. Okay, I don’t really go to that many parties. Actually, I tend to spend a lot of time home, but family parties are still parties and sometimes they’re the best!

7- Presents. Hehe, who doesn’t love presents? Christmas shopping is fun and getting the presents is just as great. Remember, it’s also about giving. By the way, if you don’t have any ideas, check out my article about it: “Christmas Presents”. I know, the title is way original.

8- Before the holidays, it’s a lot easier at school or work. You’re preparing for Christmas. So less exams. Well that’s nice.

9- Saying “Christmas is coming”. I don’t know why, but I love saying it. It kind of gives you a weird tingle in the stomach. And even if I don’t say it, I can feel the holiday calls ring through the air.

Don’t forget to comment (that’s number 10 on my list!). Happy holidays everybody!