What started with a copyright violation issue over a video on Youtube about Tom Cruise being a Scientologist has, in the past three weeks, turned into exchanges of website cracking, DOS attacks, and worldwide street demonstrations about free speech and censorship.
It's all-out war between the Church of Scientology and Project Chanology, and it's retardedly awesome. Every time I see another headline about it on Wikinews, my giggling gets louder. I thought I'd share. :) The latest is here, but check out the progression in the Related Stories sidebar and Related News near the bottom.
Showing posts with label entertainment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label entertainment. Show all posts
04 February 2008
26 January 2008
Television
Most people tend to think of TV watching as a passive activity - you sit there and watch and that's about it. Sometimes you can discuss it with other people after it's over, but it's not quite as fun and interactive as having an intelligent discussion while the story is unfolding.
Unfortunately, there's a downside to watching with other people. Talking about the show during the show tends to mean missing parts of the show. It's possible to rewind and rewatch, but that breaks up story momentum - plus it can be an art form to get it to start again at the right spot.
Fortunately, we now have text messaging. It makes no sound, and therefore drowns nothing out, and the receiver can choose when to read the incoming messages. Additionally it has scrollup - a written log of everything everyone said. This allows fuller, more complex discussions, especially after the show is over.
I prefer to watch TV with people over IMs or IRC. As someone who likes to pay full attention to a show and not miss a thing, watching with people in the same room tends to annoy me. Invariably they want to talk while it's on, if not to me then to each other, and they never wait for commercials. By having them over the computer instead, we can have all the fun of intelligent play-by-play discussions with none of the annoyance. Win-win for everyone!
Unfortunately, there's a downside to watching with other people. Talking about the show during the show tends to mean missing parts of the show. It's possible to rewind and rewatch, but that breaks up story momentum - plus it can be an art form to get it to start again at the right spot.
Fortunately, we now have text messaging. It makes no sound, and therefore drowns nothing out, and the receiver can choose when to read the incoming messages. Additionally it has scrollup - a written log of everything everyone said. This allows fuller, more complex discussions, especially after the show is over.
I prefer to watch TV with people over IMs or IRC. As someone who likes to pay full attention to a show and not miss a thing, watching with people in the same room tends to annoy me. Invariably they want to talk while it's on, if not to me then to each other, and they never wait for commercials. By having them over the computer instead, we can have all the fun of intelligent play-by-play discussions with none of the annoyance. Win-win for everyone!
30 July 2007
How to sell me music
The first time I hear a future favorite song, it generally makes no impression on me whatsoever. Then, as I hear it repeatedly on the radio, something about it will catch my attention - could be a particular musical phrase, could be something in the lyrics, or just something about the singer's voice or one of the instruments.
After about ten times, I start paying attention. Ten times after that, I become obsessed, track it down over the Internet, and start playing it on repeat. I also start looking up info about the band. Then, when I'm done playing it on repeat, I consider buying it.
I also start browsing other songs by the same band, either by playing whatever else is available in full for free, or by putting the song on one of my Pandora stations and seeing what else turns up to catch my attention. Lather, rinse, repeat. If enough songs by the same band turn out to catch my attention, I start thinking about buying full albums.
If the song isn't freely available somewhere for me to hear in full on repeat, I will never reach the stage of wanting to buy it.
After about ten times, I start paying attention. Ten times after that, I become obsessed, track it down over the Internet, and start playing it on repeat. I also start looking up info about the band. Then, when I'm done playing it on repeat, I consider buying it.
I also start browsing other songs by the same band, either by playing whatever else is available in full for free, or by putting the song on one of my Pandora stations and seeing what else turns up to catch my attention. Lather, rinse, repeat. If enough songs by the same band turn out to catch my attention, I start thinking about buying full albums.
If the song isn't freely available somewhere for me to hear in full on repeat, I will never reach the stage of wanting to buy it.
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