iTunes pricing is just nuts for Video
O.K. why on earth would I pay $40 for a DRM'd softcopy of a DVD when I can pay $45 for an actual DVD with extras, outtakes, etc. which I could:
- rip or image via Handbrake, DVDShrink, etc. (leaving in copy-proctection *of course* due to DMCA etc.)
- lend to friends
- sell at a yard sale
- give away to local charity etc.
Don't get me wrong, I love iTunes, but I'm not going to pay a nearly equivalent price for an inferior media experience—especially for media which I will not regularly re-experience unlike, for instance, a song. I'm currently the proud owner of said Babylon 5 DVD sets from 4 of the 5 seasons and I've watched them, at most, twice. The big ZIMA logo behind the bar is always good for a chuckle.
Btw, for hard-core Bab5 'ers, you can now get all 5 seasons for only $225.
YouTube'n down t.v. memory lane
Lynda Carter was such the babe (embedded video) though I was too young to fully appreciate all of her charms.
She performed many of her own stunts on the show such as the diving and helecopter-hanging bits in this clip, but not the jumping or, strangely, the swimming scene. This would be unthinkable given today's t.v. budgets, union agreements, and insurance rates. In my book, even given the cheesy '70s plots and production standards, no actor has ever come closer to embodying a super-hero.
Transparency and Accountability
Clearly a wrong-headed escalation of force. If this is, in fact, the by-the-book policy of Palm Beach police, they need to rewrite it.
The first aggresive act was by the officer attempting to grab the perp and/or her cell phone.
I have no issues with the arrest reasons. This is clearly not a case of DWB (driving while black). Until the use of the taser, the officer is quite patient and professional whilst putting up with the attitude of the perp. Nevertheless, there was no impending threat to the officer's or his partner's physical safety. Most police departments view the taser as a "complliance device used in threatening situations". Where was the "threat" here?
Please view the other accompanying videos for the complete story. I pointed to the actual arrest only.
Karmic Justice
Aside from dumb law enforcement, I rarely get political here, nevertheless I can't think of a more fitting and timely example of karma than President Bush's recently broadcast private conversation with Tony Blair at the G8 summit.
I don't wish that unfortunate state of affairs upon anyone. Privacy is a fundamental attribute of human society and essential to the negotiations and dealings in any political process. Ironically, without the knowledge and social barriers brought about by PRIVACY, relationships lose the attribute of TRUST and are debased into mere economic exchanges.
For someone who's done so much to erode the values of PRIVACY on which this nation was founded, it's a very gratifying happenstance.
On Creativity and Execution
I had a chat with another local entrepreneur yesterday on, amongst other things, the value of creativity versus execution.
This seems to be a fairly (Jim Collins) prevalent (local GM ap Robin Hanson) theme these days (ZeFrank).
My own take is you need to establish a culture supporting risk and committment. The best sustained large corporate example which immediately comes to mind is W.L. Gore.
Scoble exit interview
Via Channel 9 Old news, but nice detail.
As Kenny Bania from Seinfeld would say, "Gold Jerry, Gold!" (wmv video).
RocketBoom a study in PR damage control
What a wonderful set of contrasting statements and styles from the 2 principles of Rocketboom. Amanda is polished, prepped and composed, but offers little detailed content. Andrew seems to be speaking largely off-the-cuff, and it's done in a fairly detailed, often rambling, retrospective.
FWIW, I believe the truth lies somewhere in the middle, but favoring Andrew's account of events.
Nice essay on Introversion and Large Companies
From one INTJ to another, amen brother.
Ugly, you're soaking in it
Bask in the sheer undesign of Ze Frank's MySpace ugly show down.
Embedded music and Javascript animations aside, I'm having flashbacks to the early-Web of '94 although it's more of an early-Web-on-acid kind'of vibe.
Rethinking nuclear as solar
In response to a question from GBN's Peter Schwartz on why some green thinkers neglect to mention nuclear energy as a viable renewable energy source:
"Don't get me wrong: I love nuclear energy! It's just that I prefer fusion to fission. And it just so happens that there's an enormous fusion reactor safely banked a few million miles from us. It delivers more than we could ever use in just about 8 minutes. And it's wireless!"— William McDonough