PhoneBoy Says

Six Apart and VideoEgg create SAY Media: a modern media company

Dear TypePad bloggers,

It's been almost a decade since we started Six Apart. With you, the bloggers and creators, we changed the way people expressed themselves online, empowering anyone to publish and build large and loyal audiences. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your continued support and trust as you've shared your worlds and your passions on TypePad.

Today we announced our intention to join forces with VideoEgg to form a new, modern media company called SAY Media. This new company will continue Six Apart's mission to make creators like you more successful. It will continue to help you create powerful and engaging content, and grow and monetize your audience. And it will continue to leave you in control.

via everything.typepad.com

At one time, I ran my personal blog on Movable Type (what TypePad is based on). I also ran my personal blog on Vox (another Six Apart property that is closing at the end of the month). Their platforms really seem to have stagnated without any real innovation. I'm not sure that "joining forces" with VideoEgg (a company I never heard of before now) will do anything to change that.

via bspcn.com

Comment: Why the future of the media has No Agenda

Thursday, 23 September 2010 | By Big Dan

No Agenda hosts Adam Curry and John C. Dvorak (Source: NoAgendaStickers.com)

Over the past few months, I've become an avid listener to the No Agenda podcast, not just for the scintillating repartee between the hosts, but as a bit of look into the future of the new media industry, and in particular, how content will be funded and promoted.

For those who do not know what No Agenda is all about, it is a bi-weekly two hour podcast presented by ex-MTV personality and tech entrepreneur Adam Curry and veteran tech journalist John C. Dvorak, focusing on issues generally not covered by the "mainstream" media from a largely independent/libertarian perspective.

via mediaspy.org

This show is a must listen. In the morning.

A real treat I had in Dallas last week.

2) Sugary beverages are a key factor in rising obesity rates. They happen to be sweetened, usually, with high-fructose corn syrup. But, again, that's because it's the cheapest sweetener. It's probably not the specific sweetener that's the problem here, but the fact that Americans drink a lot of sugary beverages. We'd be seeing a problem from over-consumption even if the sweetener was sugar.

via boingboing.net

It's like I posted earlier: cane sugar affects the body differently than corn sugar. It takes less of a drink sweetened with cane sugar to satisfy than it does a drink sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. The end result: with the prevalence of HFCS in soft drinks, more are consumed, and we're all fatter for it.

I was watching a movie on an Arab-based Satellite TV channel, a few weeks ago, when I noticed something occur for the nth time: they cut a scene right before the two protagonists were about to kiss. No kiss for us, viewers. It's taboo. I've been dwelling over this for weeks, going over and over trying to rationalize the reasons behind such a policy. As I said, this wasn't the first time: I merely ever see a true kiss/hug/love scene on any Arab-based TV channel, yet they have no problem whatsoever posting scenes of murder, violence, crimes, bodies torn to pieces, and other obscenities. In what logic is that even understandable?

And it's not only limited to Arab-based TV channels. Look around you, look at the American rating system for movies and shows, look at the cartoons and PSP games our children watch/play.How is it that, legally, our kids are allowed to view scenes of violent murder with PG-13 and R rated movies, or play games where they make points by blowing people up, long before they grow all their teeth, but are prohibited to view X rated movies until they turn 18? What kind of society are you raising when you instill in your youth's mind, time after time after time, that killing someone is not taboo but kissing, groping, hugging, making love… are?

via dotsisxblog.com

No, I don't like this double-standard either. They show people killing each other on prime-time television, yet people get their panties in a twist when Janet Jackson accidentally shows her nipple during the Super Bowl. It's a breast. Everyone has them. We've all sucked on one at one point or another in our lives.

Heaven forbid if we show one on TV, though. What will the children think? Oh wait, they're too busy playing the latest edition of Grand Theft Auto or Modern Warfare to notice.

Look at this propaganda by the Corn Refiners Association:

My body can certainly tell the difference between the two. Let's take sodas. Last week in Dallas, I had Dr. Pepper. With real sugar. And you know what? I felt pretty full after just one. Meanwhile, I can drink three times the amount of the high fructose corn syrup corn sugar-sweetened variety and still be hungry.

There is no accident that soft drink consumption has generally increased in the United States. I bet it skyrocketed shortly after they phased out sugar and went with high fructose corn syrup.

As they'd say on No Agenda: Coincidence? I think NOT!

Just before 5am this morning, I awoke to the sound of my UPS going off. That can only mean one thing--a power outage! For once, it wasn't caused by wind, but rather a failed insulator on a transmission line. Whatever the cause, power outages suck for many reasons. Not the least of which is the possibility of one or more electronic devices not surviving the experience. Thus why I have a few things on a UPS, namely the cable modem, router, and my backup hard drives. Laptops have their own built-in battery, so they don't require a UPS. While we used to keep flashlights near our beds in case this happens, the mobile phone has become the universal flashlight. At night, at least, it's next to my bed on the charger, thus it's ready to go when I need it. It's also almost always on my person, thus always handy.

Meanwhile, the early wake-up did give me a chance to get a jump-start on the day. Given the time difference between here and Israel, an extra hour can be real handy.