Bloggish Silence

As the length of the day in the northern hemisphere wanes, so, it seems, does the prolificacy of blogging. I haven't posted anything in about a week, after an already reduced rate. Some of my SciBlings, other bloggers here at ScienceBlogs, have reported taking a similar rest. What's going on? Is there nothing to write about? Hardly. If anything, there is a surplus of information out there, waiting to be pulled into the blogosphere-new discoveries, upcoming elections, reviews on books and films, stories, ethical debates, and so on. I have a series to finish, and a few other items on my "must blog about" list, which are mostly ready to go. So, why the silence?

If we pooled together a list of our superficial reasons for slowing down, it would probably overwhelm the server. Whether we're bogged down by academic pressures, deadlines, work or family troubles, or simply facing the old fashioned writer's block, we end up with an empty page. It might be the changing of the seasons. The cool air, falling leaves, and shorter days can leave us with a sense of urgency. (Gather your nuts before winter comes!) Under that subtle pressure, we hear a call to battle: Minutiae vs. The Blog.

If we chose to battle, we'd likely find bloody angst spilled all over the place. But this isn't LiveJournal. This is ScienceBlogs-we take pride in quality, not quantity. Behind the scenes, however, some of us, overwhelmed by the pressure, have questioned why we blog. Since blogging is typically a reflection of our life, this evolved into a discussion over the meaning of life.

Everything seems to link back, and come full circle. I started writing as a method to understand the meaning and methods of life. I started blogging to enhance and organize my writing. Here, all the questions seem to merge. Does our technology or a surplus of information make our lives easier, or more complex? What did the poem (Embryonic Cognition) posted here the other day mean? Do we have the freedom to choose our path in life, or are we determined by some greater consciousness, or simply by fate? These are but a few of the questions... and perhaps none of them are new. Writers, scientists, and philosophers have discussed such quandaries since the birth of language.

So, here in the 21st century, as we find ourselves overwhelmed with questions, of free will, string theories, or genetic codes, we use the tool of language at hand. We blog. This blog won't remain silent for long. As I face the pressures of life, I won't try to battle the minutiae. I ride the waves, which sooner or later, will lead me to write.

In my absence, I'd like to recommend a tale of battle. Not a battle in the Lord-of-the-Rings sense, this story looks at an internal struggle. Is it possible to ignore the pressures of life and the turn of the seasons? The character in this short story takes a dive into the depths of this question. Until I can return, and continue my series, please enjoy: The Swimmer by John Cheever.

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Raivo Pommer

raimo1@hot.ee

Bank LBBW Krise

Dies erfuhr die Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa am Freitag aus Finanzkreisen. Im Vergleich zu 2007 hat sich die Summe damit mehr als vervierfacht - damals lag der Betrag bei 186 Millionen Euro. Vor einigen Wochen hatte es in Finanzkreisen geheiÃen, 2008 habe sich die Risikovorsorge auf mehr als 500 Millionen Euro erhöht.

Baden-Württembergs Sparkassen-Präsident Peter Schneider sagte den «Stuttgarter Nachrichten» (Samstag), diese Entwicklung sei kein Widerspruch zu den derzeit gut laufenden Geschäften: «Wir kommen an Kunden, die wir vorher nicht hatten und das zu Konditionen, die das Risiko abbilden», sagte Schneider, der auch Vorsitzender des Verwaltungsrates der LBBW ist, dem Blatt.

Grund für den rapiden Anstieg sind Informationen aus Finanzkreisen zufolge vor allem sinkende Bonitätsnoten für Unternehmen. Da die Finanzkrise zunehmend auf die Realwirtschaft übergreift, steigt die Gefahr, dass Kreditnehmer ihren Verpflichtungen nicht mehr nachkommen können.

By raivo pommer-eesti (not verified) on 20 Mar 2009 #permalink

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