Friday, July 01, 2005

The Times cuts Time some slack. After lashing into the magazine for agreeing to hand over its reporters notes in the Valerie Plame case, the Times offers up a more sympathetic view today. [Salon.com] 9:28:50 AM    comment []

Americans have more devices than broadband. MIT's Technology Review notes that while more than half of Americans now own advanced digital media devices, only about one quarter have broadband access. Is the digital divide more pronounced in terms of network access than hardware ownership? [M]ore than half of U.S. households now have a DVD player, a wireless phone, and Internet access. Still, only about one-quarter of homes have broadband; this limitation is impeding the proliferation of digital media. [Smart Mobs] 9:28:44 AM    comment []

A Stunning Survey Result. Hard to know what to make of this: the latest Zogby poll says: (I)n a sign of continuing polarization, more than two-in-five voters (42%) say they would favor impeachment proceedings if it is found the President misled the nation about his reasons for going to war with Iraq. I find this number difficult to accept. But if other surveys bear it out, I'll look forward to some hard-hitting journalism from major news organizations. This certainly sounds like a story to me. You, too? [Dan Gillmor's blog] 7:51:56 AM    comment []

Hostage-takers: Iran's leader had no role. Iran's president-elect belonged to the group that seized the U.S. Embassy in 1979, but he played no role in either capturing or holding Americans hostage, according to friends, associates and a former hostage-taker interviewed Thursday. [Salon.com] 7:51:42 AM    comment []

Study Examines Sales to Soldiers. An extensive study by the Government Accountability Office, delivered to members of Congress yesterday, confirmed that Pentagon rules intended to protect service members from high-pressure or deceptive life insurance sales have been repeatedly violated in recent years. By DIANA B. HENRIQUES. [NYT > Business] 7:47:45 AM    comment []

Grokster Pop Quiz: How Liable Are You? (Donna Wentworth). I missed it Wednesday, but Marty Schwimmer has one of his great, deceptively simple posts that rewards the ponder: Test Your Skills Post-Grokster: Client is computer and software vendor. It wishes to introduce its new computer featuring a CD-RW drive and MP3 management software with the advertising slogan: "Rip, Mix, Burn Your Own Custom Music CDs." Client is a consumer electronics manufacturer. It invents a video recording device. It wishes to say in its advertising that its product allows the user to 'build a library' of his or her favorite shows. Clients ask you if the advertising actively induces infringement. [Copyfight] 7:47:26 AM    comment []

Conventional Wisdom Not Always Right. The world's financial markets appear to be well on the way to demonstrating a great investment truth: When virtually everyone expects something to happen, it won't. By FLOYD NORRIS. [NYT > Business] 7:47:25 AM    comment []

David Lynch now does daily weather reports on the internet The master auteur behind such works as Blue Velvet, Eraserhead, and Twin Peaks now reads you the weather, right here. It's strangely addictive! Well -- mostly just strange. (Thanks, Susannah Breslin!) [bOing bOing] 7:46:50 AM    comment []

U.S. Pursuing Reports That Link Iranian to Embassy Seizure in '79. Two Iranian leaders of the hostage crisis dismissed allegations that Iran's president-elect was one of the captors. By NAZILA FATHI and JOEL BRINKLEY. [NYT > Washington] 7:46:45 AM    comment []

Bank of America to Buy MBNA, a Prime Issuer of Credit Cards. Seeking to grab a bigger share of consumers' business by becoming a powerhouse in credit cards, the Bank of America Corporation announced plans yesterday to acquire the card giant MBNA for $35 billion in cash and stock. By JULIE CRESWELL and ERIC DASH. [NYT > Business] 7:45:06 AM    comment []

2600 MEETINGS TODAY. It's the first Friday of the month which means once again it's time for the monthly 2600 meetings to take place all around the world. To find the meeting nearest you, consult our handy list. [2600: The Hacker Quarterly] 7:40:31 AM    comment []

Sub-$20 Wonder Weapons [bOing bOing] 7:40:14 AM    comment []

Time Will Surrender Reporter's Notes [Washington Post: Top News] 7:39:50 AM    comment []

Credit Card Consolidation: Bank of America To Buy MBNA [Washington Post: Top News] 7:39:45 AM    comment []

Words of wisdom from the father of DNS 7:37:45 AM    comment []

Carrie on the Peoples Jeans campaign: A few months ago, I was on a panel with a guy who presented an awesome idea for marketing a nonexistent product, Peoples Jeans. The basic pitch is summarized on a fake corporate website created by an Artmark-like collective that calls itself Conglomco: Put simply, Peoples Jeans markets clothing that has previously been worn by actual people, whose greatest asset is their lived experience. Migrant agricultural workers, factory workers, prisoners, and populations in economically stressed urban communities have more to offer than cheap labor. They offer us authentic human experience, which is in short supply in today's fashion industry. We have found a way to capitalize on this underutilized asset in order to give consumers the authentic experience that they can't find elsewhere. The last I heard, Conglomco was pitching this to retail giants like Diesel to try to get them to bite. I'm guessing they haven't had much luck, because the site hasn't been updated in months. But it probably won't be the last we hear from Conglomco. [Stay Free! Daily] 7:36:27 AM    comment []