America's Worst Humans

Jeff Jarvis.

Try Before You Buy... Then Buy

I make a point of buying any music I intend to listen to more than a couple of times. Sure I use Spotify or similar to sample things, but if there's something I plan on returning to I buy it. If I'm going to a show I buy the CD at the show (if I don't already own it) because presumably that puts the most money in the pockets of the band. The discovery aspect of the streaming internet is great, but it really isn't a revenue generator for artists. Buy their music if you listen to it. $10-$15 bucks for an album isn't much.

Ya, ya, the kids on our lawns today don't make music that's as awesome as whatever music you happened to listen to when you were 16. That's the way the world works. But if you do listen to new stuff, especially, pay for it. The non-Bieber kids today aren't making any money, either.

Boo

I don't think it's wrong to open up public parks for some commercial activities (and this park normally has a hamburger stand), or occasionally requiring admission for some special event, but walling it off and making it admission fee only every night for 6-7 weeks is a bit much.

To Sleep, Perchance..

Been plagued by insomnia recently. More specifically, waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to get back to sleep for a couple of hours. Fortunately I am blessed and can usually just sleep in, but it's still annoying.

Morning Thread

Today is Friday. Glad I could clear that up.

Thursday Night

Tomorrow is...

BREAKING

One of my longstanding internet pet peeves is the desire by so many people to label news as BREAKING. It used to be on blogs but now it's twitter too. I probably saw your BREAKING news two hours ago. If you are the one actually breaking the news you can use the label, otherwise just stop it. I used to only half jokingly plea with Markos to have his site automatically delete the account of any diarist who put BREAKING in the title. News is almost by definition new, but most of it isn't BREAKING.

Afternoon Thread

enjoy

Casinos and Megamalls

Chris Christie has been the best 1980s New Jersey governor.

Entering the fifth year since Triple Five took over the Mills Mall, it has rebranded it as a retail, entertainment and Dreamworks amusement park, but the scarcity of hardhats on-site has local officials questioning whether the $3.1 billion project is on hold.

In 2011, as Bruce Springsteen's "The Rising" blared at the sports complex, Gov. Chris Christie posed with tradesmen in union tees, promising the 2.9-million-square-foot project would break ground and put thousands of construction workers back to work within a year. In the past three years, the only part of the "million dollars a day," which Triple Five stated they would spend in work on-site, seems to be for architects, planners and engineers. Additionally, Triple Five recently announced that the $675 million in bonds, which East Rutherford has yet to issue to subsidize part of the $2 billion needed to complete the project, would not be for sale until early summer.

The Rot At The Top

Too often in academia, horrible people keep getting promoted because it's the easiest way to get "rid" of them (away from you, anyway). People are happy to write glowing recommendation letters for people they hate as long as it sends them to another institution. Still this is pretty brazen.

University of California President Janet Napolitano placed UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi on administrative leave Wednesday night and ordered a probe into “serious questions” raised about her involvement in campus jobs for family members, possible misuse of student service fee revenue and misstatements about her role in social media contracts.

As Long As You Apologized

Also, gonna take all these people hostage. Your fault if they lose their livelihoods.

WOLFSBURG, Germany — The chief executive of Volkswagen said on Thursday that he personally apologized to President Obama this week for cheating on vehicle emissions tests, while making what amounted to a plea for mercy as the German carmaker negotiates penalties with United States officials.

...

“I used the opportunity to personally apologize to him for our behavior,” Mr. M羹ller said during a news conference in Wolfsburg on Thursday. “I thanked him for the constructive cooperation with his officials. Of course I also expressed the hope that I will be able to continue to fulfill my responsibility to 600,000 employees and their families as well as suppliers and dealers.”

Morning Thread

It's a new day.

Wednesday Night

While walking around South Philly yesterday, I saw an old dude wearing one of those "FREEDOM ISN'T FREE" t-shirts with the big flag and pissed off eagle that were all the rage when the Warbloggers ruled the country. Gave me PTSD.

Evening Thread

Along with your regular reminder of what a horrible human Larry Summers is.

Cruz-Fiorina!

Somewhat similar to their treatment of Marco Rubio, to a lesser degree, we were told over and over how much appeal Fiorina had. Why I remember when she debated at the kiddie table* and her polls surged all the way to SEVEN PERCENT or something similar. She was the next big thing. I'm not sure who she's supposed to appeal to, but...

Anyway, Trump's likely to take this thing. If he doesn't take it outright, he's going to be so close that trying to yank it from him on the second ballot would be rather hilarious. Sad! even.


*If ever there are 17 Dem candidates for president, I guarantee the networks won't tolerate a kiddie table. They'll just weed out the undesirables.

Afternoon Thread

enjoy

One Bright Light

Chris Matthews' wife ran in the primary to be a congressional candidate last night. She lost. I know nothing about her and she might be a wonderful person. It's not right to put the flaws of her husband on her. But the thought of Matthews keeping his MSNBC perch while being a part of a DC "power couple" like that was a bit hard to stomach.

America's Worst Humans

Steve Loomis.