2002.12.16
Gore isn't going to run in 2004. It's too bad, I really like him. I don't know if he was the candidate with the best chance of beating War "Hero" Bush. 'Course without the absolute retardedness of the electoral college...(And while we're ranting and taking cheap snipes: Yeah, Nader, Gore obviously would've been just as bad as Bush. Pheh.)
Publishing Thoughts of the Moment
Topic points from an essay by publisher Tim O'Reilly. (For non-geeks, O'Reilly is known for a series of terrific techie books, with various, somewhat randomly selected animals selected for each topic and used on the cover.)
- Obscurity is a far greater threat to authors and creative artists than piracy.
- Piracy is progressive taxation
- Customers want to do the right thing, if they can.
- Shoplifting is a bigger threat than piracy.
- File sharing networks don't threaten book, music, or film publishing. They threaten existing publishers.
- "Free" is eventually replaced by a higher-quality paid service
- There's more than one way to do it.
Funny of the Moment
"Come with us."Since my mom's in town, my family had early Christmas yesterday, and one of things I asked for (and got) was the complete set of this very funny show.
"Where?"
"El Perro Fumando."
"'The Smoking Dog'?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"If you wear something blue, you get $2 off a giant blue margarita."
"You know, I make a pretty good living. I can actually afford to wear what I want and pay full price."
"I'm not promoting the economic upside as much as I am the opportunity to drink something giant and blue."