Things Smackie Thinks You Need to Know...

Some people accuse me of being obsessed with Pakistan (it's not true, I'm obsessed with Turkey, actually), but this is an insult to Pakistan in the worst way. I wouldn't call my worst enemy Alabama….

February 25, 2008, 1:03 pm
Media Blackout Update: Pakistan and Alabama?
By Mike Nizza

Governments that try to keep a firm grip on information flow in their countries, like the Kremlin, have used â??technical problemsâ? as an excuse to shut out unwelcome content on the Web and television. But could it have happened in the United States?

A controversy has been brewing on the Web since a â??60 Minutesâ? segment failed to appear on a CBS affiliated TV station in Alabama last night. The report covered a bitter flashpoint between Democrats and the Bush administration: the case of Don Siegelman, a former Democratic governor of Alabama who was jailed for corruption last June.

As always, there's more, but this time, it's little more juicy...

in case smacks needed a reason to break out the champagne:

Daydream Nation, Soon to Be a Teen Comedy Movie Starring That Girl From "Heroes"
<img src="http://assets3.pitchforkmedia.com/images/image/44767.haydreamnationsm.jpg" alt=" - " />

i'm fairly positive that smackie wants everyone to know about this. generally safe fer work, unless you can't look at the front page of a dating site… not sure about what's behind the front page, tho. best line on that page: "All models were 18 or older at the time the photos or videos were taken". i should hope so, and by a safe margin.

Originally posted by vansmack:
A quick Russia update before I go back to wokring on my last tech prediction…

By now you've likely heard that Vladmir Putin has chosen the next President of Russia, Dmitri Nedvedev. And just today Dmitri returned the favor by announcing that Putin would be named Nedvedev's Premiere.

Nedvedev is a weak leader and it can be assumed that Putin will still be calling the shots. One thing that's underscored in his credentials is his Chairmanship of Gazprom (appointed there by Putin) - Gazprom calls the shots for Russian energy policy, the main source of Russia's recent resurgence. Putin has been calling the shots for Nedvedev in Gazprom for some time now. I expect little will be different in Russia between the Premiere and the President.

Expect one of two things to happen in the first half of 2008:

(1) That Putin, as Premiere will begin to assume the roles of President by changes in the Constitution, most notably the Defense and Intelligence units. Or…

(2) Nevedev gets drafted by the Red Wings, leaves his post as President, and a non-elected Putin assumes the role, circumventing the Constitution. While the Red Wings thing is obviously a joke, I'm not ruling this scenario out.

Smackie thinks that both Democratic candidates need to start paying more attention to this thread.

Embarrassing.

Originally posted by sweetcell:
i'm fairly positive that smackie wants everyone to know about this.

100% Smackie Approved. I've been really busy this week but I appreciate sweetcell looking out for my constant readers.

Originally posted by vansmack:

Originally posted by vansmack:
A quick Russia update before I go back to wokring on my last tech prediction…

By now you've likely heard that Vladmir Putin has chosen the next President of Russia, Dmitri Nedvedev. And just today Dmitri returned the favor by announcing that Putin would be named Nedvedev's Premiere.

Nedvedev is a weak leader and it can be assumed that Putin will still be calling the shots. One thing that's underscored in his credentials is his Chairmanship of Gazprom (appointed there by Putin) - Gazprom calls the shots for Russian energy policy, the main source of Russia's recent resurgence. Putin has been calling the shots for Nedvedev in Gazprom for some time now. I expect little will be different in Russia between the Premiere and the President.

Expect one of two things to happen in the first half of 2008:

(1) That Putin, as Premiere will begin to assume the roles of President by changes in the Constitution, most notably the Defense and Intelligence units. Or…

(2) Nevedev gets drafted by the Red Wings, leaves his post as President, and a non-elected Putin assumes the role, circumventing the Constitution. While the Red Wings thing is obviously a joke, I'm not ruling this scenario out.

Smackie thinks that both Democratic candidates need to start paying more attention to this thread.

Embarrassing.

What was embarassing was Hillary's George W. Bush-like mangling of his name; followed by an oh-so-presidential exclamation of "whatever…"

This is one of the best discussions about Hollywood's reluctance and excitement about the internet.

The internet could be a boon for Hollywoodâ??but only if it can conquer its fears
Feb 21st 2008
From The Economist print edition

It was my first exposure to the Movie Key flash based kiosk model (although I remember seeing them in an airport and thought it could be interesting), but I still think the online distribution model is the way to go.

I had nothing to do with this (but I wish I had):

San Francisco Law School Comes to Aid of Students Accused of Copyright Infringement

Another law school clinic is assisting college students who have been accused of swapping music files online in violation of copyright law. Students taking part in an intellectual-property project of the University of San Francisco School of Law are counseling some students at the university and at San Francisco State University on how to respond to letters they have received from the Recording Industry Association of America, accusing them of copyright infringement.

The law students, under the tutelage of Robert E. Talbot, a law professor, are explaining to the accused college students their rights, and whether they can bring an effective defense against the recording-industry group, according to an article published last week by the law school. The law students also are helping Ray Beckerman, a New York lawyer and blogger, defend people sued by the industry group throughout the country.

â??The RIAA is using heavy-handed tactics that some of the law students feel border on extortion,â? Mr. Talbot says in the article.

Law students with the University of Maineâ??s Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic have gone a step further, actually representing students who are singled out by the Recording Industry Association of America.â??-Andrea L. Foster

Artists to music labels: Where's our Napster money?

So what happened to all the settlement money ($370 Million) that Napster and Kazaa were forced to pay the record labels?

The reality is that this is likely a huge test for Sarkozy (I don't think Bush can help him here, and I don't see a strong South American leader who can step in), but this is not good news for the region. It could put democracy so far back in the region…

Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia seek support in crisis

By Jorge Silva
Reuters
Monday, March 3, 2008; 11:36 AM

SAN ANTONIO, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuela, Ecuador and Colombia all sought international backing on Monday in a crisis that raised the specter of war after Venezuela and Ecuador deployed troops to the Colombian border.

The crisis erupted after Colombia bombed and sent troops inside Ecuador in a weekend raid that killed a Colombian rebel leader in his jungle camp in a major blow to Latin America's oldest guerrilla insurgency.

smakie - HELP! i'm told that, for music lovers like us, the following picture has a very pertinent message:

<img src="http://b3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/00963/30/23/963413203_l.jpg" alt=" - " />

but i have NO idea what it is.

Originally posted by sweetcell:
smakie - HELP! i'm told that, for music lovers like us, the following picture has a very pertinent message:

but i have NO idea what it is.

I don't know, it's just so hard to focus on the hidden message….

i think the secret is to stare long enough. so far, nothing. but i'll keep at it.

AT&Ts 3G network won't be enough, but if this part comes to fruition with the 3G network, I think it's game over in the wireless world.

Apple takes iPhone corporate in a big way

Seriously? Exchange support? Now all I need is a slingbox player for the 3G network iPhone and they've met all of my concerns about the iPhone.

Originally posted by vansmack:
Artists to music labels: Where's our Napster money?

So what happened to all the settlement money ($370 Million) that Napster and Kazaa were forced to pay the record labels?

A continuation…

Artists to music lables: Where's our YouTube money?

Some top music managers have told CNET News.com that their clients haven't seen any money from the licensing deals the four largest music labels have signed with YouTube over the past 18 months. According to a statement from Google-owned YouTube, the Web site is banking ad dollars generated by the artist's music and is sharing that money with the record labels. What the managers want to know is why little or nothing has trickled down to the artists.

if pakistan can do it… so can india. USA need not apply.

India Gets WiMax

(…)

Access will cost about $25 a month, which Prasad says is on par with wireline service.

(…)

Being first to market with a robust WiMax network could put an Indian stamp on the technology, says Sharma. He compares it to the support Europe and the U.S. have given to the cellular technologies GSM and CDMA. "India will take the lead in establishing WiMax as an Indian standard and a disruptive technology," he says.

Problems besetting Sprint Nextel, WiMax's main champion in the U.S., mean Americans will have to wait to see a similar network. Says Ayvazian, "I'm not sure the U.S. will get anything significant out of [the Tata project] other than seeing how to rapidly deploy it in multiple cities."

March Madness on Demand is 75% full

I'd sign up now.

The Democrats: "Wine-track vs. "Beer-Track"

The contenders are battling over the soul of the Democratic Party

A famous political distinction exists between â??wine-trackâ? and â??beer-trackâ? Democrats. Wine-track Democrats have traditionally supported reform-minded liberals such as Gary Hart and Paul Tsongas. Beer-track Democrats have preferred more practical-minded pols.

Part of Bill Clinton's genius was to bring the wine-drinkers and beer-drinkers together. This was, after all, a man who went to Yale and Oxford but who grew up the child of a widow in the backwoods of Arkansas. Yet this year's Democratic primaries have burst the party asunder once again.

heh, i like both beer and wine, but no hard alcohol

Originally posted by god's shoeshine:
heh, i like both beer and wine, but no hard alcohol

Lately, I've begun to drink equal amounts beer and wine, but the hard alcohol ban still exists for past sins.