Archive for the ‘media’ Category
one million strong for Facebook sucking! »
Friday, September 30th, 2011
Three times already, I’ve been encouraged to enable the new “Timeline” feature on Facebook. I won’t, but I know enough about it that I’m sure it’ll totally set some people off.
With each redesign (can we call them that?) of Facebook, there’s outrage, but why? We use their product, it’s not our Facebook. It’s our speck of collected statuses in a vast, vast, vast wasteland of other collected statuses.
We’ve changed the definition of “ownership” in the digital space, haven’t we? We use Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr to share our thoughts, sure, but then those thoughts aren’t really ours anymore, right? (more…)
why Qwikster may change my mind »
Monday, September 19th, 2011
Long ago, in the age of walking into a building in search of Digital Versatile Discs for use in proprietary media readers, I was a member of Blockbuster. I like movies; Blockbuster had them so I liked that awhile.
Then their online service started, and I’m incredibly lazy so I liked that awhile. Then Netflix, a competing company with far better branding, got streaming. I’m very impatient, so I liked that awhile.
Fast forward an epoch or two, and you have the present day and the Netflix price increase. (more…)
did you hear there was a quake? »
Friday, August 26th, 2011
I heard it first from a close friend (and friend of Chasm) out in DC that there was an earthquake. This isn’t common, so that was noteworthy. (Most of our conversation is fantastic, but not necessarily noteworthy.)
Then Lovely Wife sent a message that a friend of hers (ours, really) in town felt it.
I assume it was all over the news. I know that New York stole it. I know this happened. This literally happened. That’s enough for me. I’m as excited about The End Times as anyone, but does shifting of the Earth’s plates in rapid fashion really need this much coverage? (more…)
our brief affair with representative democracy »
Monday, May 9th, 2011
Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of spending time with my parents. They were on the way back homeward after a long road trip, part of which was spent in colonial Williamsburg.
This is noteworthy for two reasons. First, did you know we were once colonies? That whole thing with Will and Kate (or, you know, Wite) makes a lot more sense.
Second, it was mentioned that, before our Revolution, only nobility could vote. I vaguely remembered this but, having been reminded, it’s fun to see how we’ve come full circle. (more…)
paywall FAIL, part two »
Friday, March 18th, 2011
Remember when the New York Times had a paywall? (It was 2007, why would you?) A lovely time, full of broken links and the ubiquitous sign-in screen. The Grey Lady was sort of a bitch, no?
Now that wall’s coming back. Just because it didn’t worked before doesn’t mean it won’t now, right? They’ve learned their lessons, I’m sure. (Spoiler: nope.)
Do read the full list of details, but essentially there are three subscription options based on your device. You can view twenty articles each month, or five from Google or other sources, before that mocking sign-in screen appears. (more…)