ptalk > April 2003

More money than time

Rx for Music Industry: Seek Out the Old Geezers

By HARRY SHEARER
The New York Times

Here's a business model with a future: sue your customers. That's what, as of this month, the recorded-music industry has been doing. It filed suit against four college students involved in Internet file-sharing (in which compressed "files" of music are swapped, Napster-style), asking for billions of dollars in damages. Yes, billions. Interestingly enough, the Bush administration, known to be opposed to frivolous lawsuits and in favor of tort reform, has weighed in on the side of the industry. Let's go after those students. That's where the money is.

[...]

[Full story at The New York Times (free subscription required)]

Music industry swamps swap networks with phony files

Major record labels have launched an aggressive new guerrilla assault on the underground music networks, flooding online swapping services with bogus copies of popular songs.

[...]

[full article at
SiliconValley.com]

Malice aforethought

"Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity."

Hanlon's Razor

Cog

[This is the new Honda commercial (extended version), inspired by Mouse Trap!, and pretty cool. It apparently took them 605 takes to make! Will take a loooong time to download if you are on a modem. —ptw]

A single cog sets off a chain reaction that sets component parts of a Honda Accord in elaborate and orchestrated motion. Quite unlike any car commercial you’ve likely seen.

http://www.boardsmag.com/screeningroom/commercials/581/

Credits:

Director: Antoine Bardou-Jacquet
Production Company: Partizan Midi Minuit
Agency: Wieden & Kennedy
Agency Producer: Rob Steiner
Agency Creatives: Matt Gooden & Ben Walker
Post Production: The Mill
Producer: Fi Kilroe
Flame: Barnsley
Flame Assistant: Dave Birkill

Uh oh! :-{

DESPAIR, INC. SECURES OFFICIAL TRADEMARK REGISTRATION FOR :-(

http://www.despair.com/demotivators/frownonthis.html