In answer to the issue of uncomputerized forensicians (see the comments), I’m not insensitive to financial issues, but I’m afraid I don’t see funding as unique to debate. First of all, life itself requires computers nowadays. Schools that are in districts so impoverished that PCs aren’t a given need to address this on a global scale. It’s a part of education (which was my basic point, actually); if students graduate high school without a mastery of basic PC tasks, they might as well not be able to read a product label or do basic arithmetic. To acquire basic PC skills, you need basic PCs. Second, computers to do the minimal job I’m talking in rounds about cost $299. Computers to do the job next season will cost $99 to $199 (if the Times is to be believed). This is no different than the amount of money already spent sending one team to, say, 3 invitationals. Way cheaper than sending anyone to CatNats, NatNats, NYS Finals, Northeast Championships, TOC, etc., etc., etc. University of Virginia is abandoning its computer labs because all but 6 (I’m pretty sure it was 6) of its incoming freshmen had their own computers. If money really is absolutely unavailable, then schools can find forensic activities (like LD, for instance) where computers are unessential. My post was suggesting that the FLs of life admit this is the reality and stop acting as if it’s 1957. As for schools not acting like it’s 1957, I doubt if many prefer the dark ages (as compared to some FLs, which seem to revel in them). Time will cure that end of it pretty soon. And maybe a fundraiser or two. At worst, a judicious reevaluation of which activities to concentrate on would get people through the transition.
Meanwhile, I’ve been meditating long and hard on communications issues. Mostly I’ve been playing with Twitter. This is an application that requires an amazing amount of juggling. You need to establish the right balance of who you want to follow, and how. For instance, I thought I’d follow the NY Times, and quickly had pages upon pages of NY Times tweets. Too much information. I mean, I do read the Times already. So I could go in and out, I guess, if I were following breaking news, but mostly I think I prefer out, that being the least demanding and thus default position. I’ve picked some famous people to follow, with mixed results. I find Stephen Fry’s tweets to be literate and entertaining absent any interest in what he’s talking about (although so far he has also been interesting). Tech people I like (the usual suspects like Kevin Rose or Leo Laporte) provide nice links to tech stuff I’m interested in. People I know personally have been uniformly disappointing, as I’m already following them all on Facebook. It’s gotta be different to be worth the bandwidth (no offense, people). The heart of the matter is the potential use of the cell phone in all this. Who do I want to follow so badly I will do it 24/7? It’s one thing to run up endless pages in the browser and another altogether to run up endless (and probably unimportant) text messages. This, obviously, remains to be sorted out.
On the broadcast front, however, I’m pretty set. Follow @tabroom on Twitter or Tab Room on Facebook (that’s like Tab Hunter’s younger brother) for real-time tournament updates. They’re already linked and hence repeat one another, so don’t do both. Turn on mobile notifications for either one and keep them on; I won’t be using this for anything other than tournament notifications (although some may be lead-up messages rather than on-site messages, although to be honest, how many messages will there actually be?). This is for everyone at an event I’m working, and is probably most important for the colleges. As for team messages, follow @jimmenick on Twitter or Jim Menick on Facebook. I’ll link the two only during tournaments, so that families can follow our progress and I can communicate to the pack on hand as necessary. Again, mobile connections are required. I would suggest turning those connections off when we’re not on the road, as I intend to keep playing with @jimmenick for non-team material. I may change my mind on all of this, but after playing with multiple accounts and the like, this seems to make the most sense.
No Sailors this week, as they’re scattered to the winds of Spring holiday. Modest Novice will settle very, very soon. Final messages to MHL very, very soon. Canvassing for the site of next year’s TNC very, very soon. Curriculum of MHLW very, very soon. I mean it. Really. Trust me on this.
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