Chris Pirillo » brain

How Does Google Affect Your Brain?

Chris Pirillo — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 02:57:51 +0000

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TechCrunch had a great title for a recent article: “Just Because Google Exists Doesn’t Mean You Should Stop Asking People Things.” We get annoyed when co-workers or bosses ask us silly questions that they themselves could have Googled. However, the bigger issue is whether or not we are so reliant on Google that we are dumbing ourselves down? The Pope thinks that the Internet is increasing the risk of a “sense of solitude and disorientation” and basically numbing us, calling it an “educational emergency.”

Lamarr has to agree with TechCrunch AND the Pope. Google has become a verb, and it’s making us all a little “dumber.” We are supposed to actually learn things. Instead, we are relying on Google to tell us the answer without ever knowing how to arrive at that answer ourselves. How is this expanding our minds?

What are your thoughts?

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How Does Google Affect Your Brain?

Stretch Yourself

Chris Pirillo — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:16:01 +0000

Stretch Yourself

It’s time to stand up and stretch. Get out of those chairs. Come on – you can do it. Stand up, and reach your arms above your head as high as they will go. Now bend over, and attempt to touch the ground (don’t worry, I can’t quite do that, either). Hold your arms out to your sides and stretch them wide. Heck, why not even twist a little to each side, much like a tree swaying in the breeze.

You have now successfully stretched out your body… but have you stretched your mind? I just stumped some of you, didn’t I? You thought for a second “what the heck, there are no exercises for that!”.

Ah, but that is where you would be wrong, my friends. Every time you read something, you stretch your mind. Every time you think a decision through, you stretch your mind. Every time you look at something through someone else’s eyes, you stretch your mind. Every tiny spec of information you absorb… you get the picture.

Many times, we don’t even realize that we have stretched our minds. We are so rushed through our day that much of what we have seen and done hasn’t even sunk in or made an impression by the time we pass out at night. It’s often much later, when a situation arises that forces us to recall certain pieces of information, when we realize “oh. wow. I knew that/learned that/remember that”. We forget to take the time to stop and marvel at everything that is out there, waiting for us to feast our brain on.

Spread your wings, little birds. Fly beyond your own nests and find those juicy little morsels that will feed and stretch your mind and soul.

Stretch Yourself

What Happens When Your Laptop’s Motherboard Goes Bad?

Chris Pirillo — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 04:02:14 +0000

What Happens When Your Laptop’s Motherboard Goes Bad?

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There is this thing sitting inside your computer that is the one thing every other thing is connected to! It’s called a motherboard. I have no idea why there’s no fatherboard… but yeah. The motherboard is crucial. If it’s not working – good luck using your computer at all. Ian from the PCPitStop community is sad because his Sony Vaio died. His motherboard is now dead, and wonders where he can find an affordable replacement.

Virut won’t corrupt your motherboard – but it will usually lead to having to reformat your system. With that said, if your motherboard is hosed for any reason, you might want to run a few diagnostics if you can. It’s possible it could be a bad power supply, you know? Check everything you possibly can, to determine for sure that it’s a motherboard.

I feel your pain. I’ve heard some not-so-happy things about Sony support in the past. Unfortunately, if it is a motherboard problem – it’s going to cost you. My recommendation is to find a local Geek. Pay them in pizza and cola. They’ll take a look at the computer to assess the problem. Sometimes it’s something small that trips us up, and I certainly hope that’s what is going on with you!

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What Happens When Your Laptop’s Motherboard Goes Bad?

What Port is This?!

Chris Pirillo — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:51:08 +0000

What Port is This?!

It’s a bit creepy, but if you think about it – some kind of network port to download / upload information would be quite practical. The brain is a computer of sorts, driven by electricity – stacked with organic memory modules. Imagine being able to do some kind of "offbody" data dump at the push of a node; we could essentially backup the information in our brain… even if we couldn’t reassemble the output intelligently yet. We backup our personal computers, so why not our persons?

I might not put a network jack in the middle of my forehead, but my belly button has been doing nothing since birth (to my knowledge). Of course, a more direct pathway would be through the ear. Some people might beg for wireless, but I wouldn’t want to risk any dropped packets. Is this a Category "4 head" as Mark Ramsey suggests, or is it a "You Don’t Know" jack as first suggested by skidvis? bimmerbuff might call it a "Neuraethernet," and iHedron would name it… the Egonet.

I’d likely also get a port installed in my wife’s body, purchase a crossover cable, and solve our communication issues once and for all.

What would you call this port?

What Port is This?!

Wallpaper Spaz

Chris Pirillo — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:44:43 +0000

Wallpaper Spaz

I have dendrites.
They’re not firing anymore.
They found themselves bored,
and so they quit
without giving two weeks notice.

I thought it was rude,
to have body parts
which would cut off my nose
to spite my face
without permission.

We convened on some social network
built for brains,
and decided to be friends.

Wallpaper Spaz