Edited vs. Raw NPR "On-Media" interview

The edited and the complete versions of Jason Calacanis's interview. Jason is his usual self and doing some damage-control PR vis-à-vis the Wired fiasco, but he brings up some great points.

Personally, why take A or B when you can have both? Publishing is virtually cost-free and what interview subject, in this day and age, would willingly give up publication rights to their own content performed with their own voice?

Inbox strategies

An excellent Google tech-talk by Merlin Mann on his personal Inbox strategies.

Mark Hurst used to have a wonderful report [pdf] along similar lines, but the link is now just a PDF placeholder/marketing document for his new book (lame). Empty links (esp. to content-less binary blobs) are worse than dead links. Mark knows better.

Red Hat's "real tech" videos

I wish more vendors would use this straightforward approach to marketing with online video. The lack of "shiny, happy, perfectly demographed, people" is much appreciated. They're even licensed under Creative Commons.

My favorite is this homage to Katamari Damacy.

CNet's MSN "Infomercial" post

Since when did CNet start offering what is essentially "ad space" for an MSN infomercial in the news/editorial section?

Observe this post on the MSN netcast streaming of the Live Earth event.

This is written by someone with a direct vested interest in MSN Live--namely an MS MVP who owns and runs a website dedicated to MSN Live development. Among other things, the article completely fails to mention that the site was inaccessible to non MS-browsers.

At least print magazines have "special advertising sections" which are clearly demarcated. CNet's own description page on their "blog network" does include a final tack-on sentence covering posts by "hand-selected industry leaders, pundits, and experts".

Given recent postings by Charles Cooper on the whole people ready scandal at TechCrunch, is it too much to say "kettle, pot, black" here?

For the record, my MSN streaming was very jerky and lag-tastic. So was another well-known CNet personality's. Sorry Charles, but you guys need to make a clearer division between news/editorial content and vested 3rd party content.

Frame of Mind Mechima

Wow (in more ways than one). The best music video I've seen in quite some time (years?) is this entry into a WOW mechima contest.

Those familiar with WOW will appreciate the 'journey' of the main character. He's the same class and race as my main was too. A night-elf Druid.

Follow-Up: Um, yeah the featured character is actually a Priest, not a Druid. I was thrown off by the Wild Helm, but I should've seen the text as well as the fact that Druids don't have the "Flash Heal" spell.

Follow-Up: A higher quality version as well as a free download of the song.

Linus on patch(1)

A very humorous and accurate post regarding patch from the GIT mailing list.