I have a book called "Next: The Future Just Happened". It's a decent read; documents some happenings within the cyber/internet/web culture during it's finer days and promotes them as paradigm shifts upon which denizens of the future might look back and say "that was a turning point". Even the jacket design screams "new", having some sort of translucent glitter coating.

This book has been on my shelf for perhaps over a year. I recently took it down and the coating had deteriorated significantly. It's flaking off of the book in crispy pieces and in some places what looks like air bubbles has gone under the material. Like skin peeling off of a sunburn. I don't know why it's happening. It might be some chemical reaction to the air. Maybe the material was defective to begin with. But the fact remains this book is no longer new.

I bought a Palm Pilot back i* 1998. I thought it would be cool to carry arou*d. I thi*k the *ovelty wore off after about six mo*ths. Reaso* bei*g, I just am *ot busy e*ough to have to orga*ize all my appoi*tme*ts i* a ti*y cale*dar the size of a playi*g card. I also do*'t k*ow e*ough people to warra*t backi*g up the data o* a *ightly basis. Writi*g their *umbers out o* a piece of paper a*d putti*g it i* my walle*t works fi*e, a*d I do*'t chew through a set of batteries i* the process.

It **d*d up b*i*g just o** mor* toy to worry about. Was it charg*d. Wh*r* did I put it. Did I forg*t to sy*c it up. Th** o** day you forg*t it at hom* a*d r*aliz* you do*'t ***d it. You **v*r ***d*d it. You just thought you did.

It's lik* cl*a*i*g out your *mail fold*r. Look at all thos* *mails goi*g back y*ars. Just g*t rid of th*m. You do*'t ***d th*m lyi*g arou*d. Just tak* *v*rythi*g dat*d b*for* 2001 a*d just d*l*t* th*m. Th*r* is a first f**li*g of pa*ic ... *hat if th*r* *as som*thi*g I ***d*d to sav*? **ll if you hav**'t look*d at th*m i* th* last 6 mo*ths I doubt it.

Lif* go*s o* a*d *o*hi*g happ**s. *o alarm sou*ds, your compu**r do*s *o* *xplod*, you ar* *o* fir*d for d*l**i*g a k*y pi*c* of cod*. You **v*r ***d*d *hos* bi*s a*d by**s.

** do*'* r*aliz* *o* addic**d ** ar* *o **c**ology u**il ***y ar* r*mov*d agai*s* our *ill. **** a *ard driv* fails. **** broadba*d is do**. I*'s a scary f**li*g, o** of **lpl*ss**ss, f**li*g cu* off from *** *orld. I *ould imagi** **is is **a* *i**dra*l from a par*icularly *as*y drug is lik*.

*** probl*m *s, **c**ology *s a soc***ally acc*p*abl* add*c**o*. B*caus* ** *s cr*a**d by *** ****ls of cap**al*sm a*d mak*s p*opl* mo**y. For *v*ry Ludd*** ***r* ar* a *u*dr*d p*opl* p*rf*c*ly **ll**g *o po*y up *o *** f*x **a* *s *** *** *oy. **'s a DVD, a d*g**al cam*ra, a fla* pa**l mo***or, a 4G*Z P****um. Our *a**o* *s bu*l* upo* our lus* for *** *** ****g, a*d b*ll*o*a*r*s bu*l* o* our add*c**o* *o ***m.

Bu* ov*r **m* **c**ology b*com*s ub*qu**ous. *v*ryo** *as a **l*v*s*o*, *v*ryo** *as a p*o**. ** ca**o* *mag*** a l*f* ****ou* suc* bas*c **c**olog**s. ***r* **ll com* a **m* **** ** ca**o* *mag*** a *orld ****ou* broadba*d. **** *** **b follo*s you arou*d l*k* a p** mo*k*y. Mayb* a jack-plug *o *** bra** so ** ca* *a*c* mov**s ** our **ads.

* s** *** pa***r* b*for* m*. * **s* * could r*s*s* *** pa** la*d ou*. Bu* **'s fu**l* *o r*s*s*. * am a pos*-mod*r* add*c*. "*oday" marc**s o*, a*d you *****r *** o* *** ba*d*a*o* or you'r* *** o** s****** ***r* **o ca*'* f**ur* ou* **y ***r*'s spy*ar* o* your mac****. So you *ry *o s*ay o* *op of *****s. Do**load *** *****ly bu*ld, comb for *** up*rad*s, s*ay o** foo* b*for* *** cr*s* of *** *av*.

Or you op* ou*. You s*y you do*'* c*r*, you purpos*fully *** l*f* b****d, you *oof ** ***l* *v*ryo** *ls* sp**ds o* by, l*u***** ** you, **d m*k* *xcus*s **y you l*k* *****s *** old, s*mpl* **y. *o* ** bu*lds c**r*c**r. *o* **m*s **r* b****r **** ** s***d our o** clo***s, **** ** c*opp*d do** su**r c*** by ***d.

*** f*rm*r *s *** fu*ur*. *** l****r *s d****. *** c***c* *s*'* **rd ** m*k*. D*sp*** *** f*c* *** *** ***s *ld **d lus* *s ** ***slf r****r p****l*ss **d fu**l*, **'s *ll ** **v*. ** l**s* y*u r*d* *** **v*. S* **** *f y*u dr***, b** d**l *f y*u *r* crus**d **d sm*s* **** * m*ll*** p**pl* ** *** **y d***. Y*u **r* p****s f*r m*k*** ** ****mp*.

* **v* * b**k ***'s c*v*r *s *****r*d **d **r*. B** ** l**s* * r**d **.