DIARY: What's happening as web goes green and over generous?

<p>With promotions like this, it's a fair bet to speculate that the </p><p>internet world is in more trouble than initially feared. AOL's </p><p>super-generous offer for up to 700 free hours in a month is just the </p><p>latest in a series of signs that the new economy is going through more </p><p>than a rough patch. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>On first inspection, it looks as though an incredible amount of time is </p><p>being given away free-of-charge - enough to make any dedicated web geek </p><p>cry copious tears in gratitude. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>But a closer look reveals that if the mean number of days per month is </p><p>30, then the average punter wanting to take full advantage of the offer </p><p>is going to have to surf 23 hours and 20 minutes a day. Which leaves </p><p>just 40 minutes for everything else like bathing, sleeping, eating and </p><p>going to work and working. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>If that were not enough, NetValue has invited a select group of </p><p>journalists to lead a hippie life at a farm in the New Territories in </p><p>Hong Kong. The hacks have been invited to plant trees and flowers, bake </p><p>bread and learn the process of paper recycling. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"You're invited to hang out with us as we figure out how life might have </p><p>been different had we chosen farming as our daily bread rather than </p><p>tracking online activities," the invitation says. Just how much more old </p><p>economy than this can the new economy get? </p><p><BR><BR> </p>