Time Zero?

Friday, September 21, 2001 by Dave Winer.

Time Zero? 

Since the bombing last Tuesday, we've been struggling to find a name for it. Every time I write about it I have to think of a phrase to describe it.

I heard a discussion on NPR where a drama critic from the NY Times who also had covered the first bombing of the WTC said something profound. He said don't bother keeping a a copy of the 9/12 NY Times, keep the copy from 9/11. He said "That world is gone now, forever."

So in a sense the bombings marked the beginning of something new. The site of the tragedy is referred to as "Ground Zero" -- so then, is the moment Time Zero?

A new Web app? 

Here's a Web app that could help build a lasting world peace.

It's quite simple. Enter your email address, and say whether you come from Central Asia or somewhere else. Click on Submit.

A page comes up with the email address of someone on the other side. They get an email with your email address.

No mail list, no speeches, just people communicating with other people. A global electronic buddy system.

Thanks to Mark Kot for this idea.

President Bush 

President Bush gave a kickass speech last night. Yeah, he's not as good a speaker as most of the Cabinet officers. But that means that when gives a kickass speech, I find myself saying "Go get em George."

I love speeches that bring us together. His speech really did that. I'm glad he said that you're either for us or against us. Might as well state it clearly. It's western civilization, our infrastructure, that was attacked.

I'm glad he reached out to Muslims. I'm glad he told racists in the US where to shove it.

Imho, this is more courage than we had any right to expect from a spoiled son of rich parents. His transformation is a symbol of our transformation.

As I watched his speech I wished I was his speech writer. I would have had him say he's going to keep the fireman's badge in his pocket as long as he is president. Then in every speech in the future, he could take out the badge and tell us what it says to him now. I would have had him pause, near the end, and say: "You know, I love America."

Seybold is on 

It seems weird, but next week in SF, Seybold will happen at Moscone. However, we have scrapped the Next Technology Revolution keynote. The way I saw it, the new "situation" would dominate discussion anyway, so we might as well embrace it. The new title of the discussion will be:

How Publishers & Their Production Teams Fared in Covering the Tragedies in New York and Washington.

We're assembling a new panel and the discussion, while focused on the tragedies, will take it somewhere relevant for Seybold whose charter is at the intersection of publishing and technology.

If you're going to be in San Francisco on the 26th (next Wednesday) you can come to this session at no charge. We're still working out the logistics and making invitations to speakers. I'll post notes on Scripting News as the confirmations come in.

Dave Winer