Political Stimulus, Economic Albatross

The stimulus, if it is going to actually do anything productive, needs to be temporary, targeted, and timely. This bill is none of those things. Instead, it’s a disappointing, unfortunate product of fiercely partisan politics and the epitome of business-as-usual. And I’m sorry – honestly, because I wish it wasn’t true – but you can’t even make the argument that this is “change.”  It’s a massive permanent increase in government discretionary spending (pork) mascarading as economic stimulus. Ninety percent of the alleged stimulus is for special-interests and social programs that, however well intended, will not and cannot create economic growth. This thing is an albatross.

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Wingsuit Base Jumping

These guys are insane! My palms were sweating about 30 seconds into this thing. And how the hell did they manage to get some of this footage??

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Are video games recession proof?

You wouldn’t think so, but despite the fact that we’re in the midst of a big economic fart, people are still spending money on lots of things including games. Forbes.com recently compiled a list of the ten things we’re still buying despite our skinny wallets.

It is no surprise to me that video games are on the list. Video games actually saw a 14% increase in sales in 2008 (according to the Electronic Entertainment Design and Research Group). Games are a way for people to escape and have fun, so when you’ve just lost your job or your house, what better way to forget about those things for an hour than playing a game.

So, how else are we spending our meager moolah? Personal care (shaving cream, hairspray, etc.), other technology (smart phones and netbooks), gym memberships, movie tickets, restaurants, car maintenance, toy building sets (huh?) and dress casual shoes (shoes that can be worn at work and on the weekends).

P.S. – I’ve been involved with the New England Games and Interactive Entertainment Special Interest Group (MIT Enterprise Forum) since the fall and our next event is on March 3rd. The panel will actually discuss how the video game industry is being impacted by the economy. I’m looking forward to it.

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Ranting and Raving At Its Best

Howard Beale (Network, 1976) shows us that sometimes anger – not laughter – is the best medicine. This is a great rant – articulate, cogent, and crazed all at once. It’s also remarkably applicable to now.

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Butterflies in the Sky

Reading Rainbow is a fond childhood memory of mine and…LOTS of other people:

Lovin’ me some LeVar Burton

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Plane Crashes in Hudson River – Photo of the Day!

You’ve probably already heardabout the US Airways plane that took off from Laguardia airport in New York City earlier today and crashed into the Hudson River after colliding with a flock of geese (yes, a flock of geese).

Reuters has a good photo slideshow of the rescue efforts. Less professional looking than the Reuters pix, the above photo was taken by Janis Krums, some guy from Sarasota, FL, who now has close to 2,000 followers on Twitter.com. I guess he was standing on a commuter ferry when he took the photo. Daniel Terdiman of CNET.com blogged about the Twitter application that Janis used to get the photo out on the web, TwitPic, which actually crashed (pun intended) after thousands of people tried to view the photo overloading the site’s servers.

In addition to the photo, check out this video from CNN – an interview with one of the passengers (passenger 22A, to be exact). These reporters are all over him! Also, I think I hear him say “it was cool” at the :49 mark. Seriously?

Thank goodness no people were hurt, but I wonder how many geese casualties there were? Poor guys – probably didn’t even see it coming (although…planes are rather large and loud). Survival of the fittest, I guess.

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Choose Your Own Adventure: Economic Stimulus Edition

I used to love reading those Choose Your Own Adventure books, and was inspired by two very different stimulus ideas I saw today…here it goes:

Economic drought has stifled the flow of goods and services all across the land. Something must be done to revive it. You – the wise journeyman – have set out find the way to Prosperity, the great land of economic goodness. You’ve journeyed for many moons and many miles, and now, you’ve reached a treacherous, tantalizing fork in the road.

A sign at the fork seems to offer a clue: “Both roads add $800 billion to the deficit, but only one leads to Prosperity. If you want to find the way, remember that for every promise, there is a price to pay.”

Choose your adventure…if you dare…

The Imperial Road

No Promises

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New iTunes Pricing and DRM Policy

Apple just announced some significant changes for iTunes’ pricing and DRM protection policy. Here are the highlights:

• The majority of songs will drop to 69 cents beginning in April, while the biggest hits and newest songs will go for $1.29. Others that are moderately popular will remain at 99 cents.
• Beginning this week, Sony, Universal and Warner will join EMI in selling music through iTunes without digital rights management software, or D.R.M., which controls the copying and use of digital files.
• With the copying restrictions removed, people will be able to freely shift the songs they buy on iTunes among computers, phones and other digital devices.
• And, customers will be able to pay a one-time fee to strip copying restrictions from music they have already bought on iTunes, at 30 cents a song or 30 percent of the album price.

Finally – in the music industry’s latest attempt prevent further slowing of digital music sales - we will get to own the music we buy free and clear.

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Shrinkage

A skier at Colorado’s ritzy Vail resort was left dangling upside down and pantsless from a chairlift last Thursday.

The poor guy was stuck for 15 minutes before they backed up the lift so they could dislodge him. It appears that the chairlift’s fold-down seat was somehow not in the lowered position, which caused the man to partially fall through the resulting gap. His right ski got jammed in the ascending chairlift, and that kept him upended since his boot never dislodged from its binding.

Continuing the Seinfeld reference…It’s salacious, outrageous, hilarious, litigious.

More photos taken by fellow skiers (it’s a miracle they could hold their cameras steady while laughing their asses off) and the full report are at The Smoking Gun. Definitely an early favorite for picture of the year.

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Buzz Worthy Links

Here are a few links that I’ve come across over the past day or so that I’ve found amusing, informative or interesting and wanted to share

• Middle-school student gets his head stuck in a chair (check out the photo on BuzzFeed.com) - Boys will be boys, I guess. This moment will most likely rank as one of the most embarrassing for this kid, but will also be a story that he’ll laugh about with friends for years to come.
• 10 ways social media improved lives in 2008 (check out the post at TheSocialPath.com)- Social media such as blogs, micromedia sites like Twitter, and social networks like Facebook, are often used to benefit charities and other great causes. David Griner compiled 10 ways social media has been used to improve lives in 2008  including the example of The Domestic Diva , a blogger who through the help of other bloggers spread the word about her daughter’s need for a kidney transplant. Just this week her daughter underwent the life-saving transplant. Unbelievable.
• The joy of video games on Christmas morning - Kids go crazy for Wii (check out the videos at Kotaku.com) - These videos of kids opening their Nintendo Wiis on Christmas morning are great. Slightly annoying, but great. The first kid is INSANE!
• Video games meet conquering, dominating, and annihilating needs of men (check out the news post on CNET) - A study from Stanford has proved that video games “stimulate the parts of men that so many other activities just cannot reach: the need to conquer, stomp on, dominate, crush, destroy, maim, annihilate, and turn to ashes and dust.” Makes sense.
• Photos worth a peek (check out the most viewed photos of 2008 on NationalGeographic.com) - Not necessarily the most beautiful photos I’ve seen, but this slideshow features some eye-catching and interesting images, for sure.

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