May 7, 2009
David Jaffe Calls the Past
Today a bunch of my friends and former coworkers launched (okay, prelaunched) a new social-focused games site called Bitmob. One of the first bits of content is this interview with David Jaffe (creator of the God of War series) that pisses me off for two reasons:
One: The “random facts” interview theme is something I’d been wanting to pitch to some outlet for awhile but hadn’t gotten around to yet, and now it’d look like I’m ganking their idea. Jerks.
And two: Jaffe relates this little vignette that would make such an awesome premise for a story that it makes me angry I didn’t think of it:
I once called my childhood phone number — about five years ago — just to see what would happen. The phone picked up — no one said hello — and on the other end I heard two little kids playing and calling each other Philip (my brother’s name) and David (me, duh). Did I call the past? I still wonder. And no, you can’t take the idea and use it for a movie or book. It’s mine! Mine I tell you!
Isn’t that great? Check out the whole article, it’s a fun read.
posted on May 7, 2009 at 4:03pm
filed under Games, Media //
2 comments
//
Share
April 27, 2009
We’re All Gonna Die!!
…but probably not from swine flu.
[Photo by Jane Coleman. Used with permission only retroactively, because I'm a dumbass.]
And so it begins, this year’s health scare, and already it’s looking to beat out SARS for the quickest spread of misinformation. It’s on every news site and front page: SWINE FLU! SWINE FLU DISCOVERED IN THE U.S.! SWINE FLU DISCOVERD IN OHIO!
Hmm, I wonder why. Perhaps it’s because, like during any other fad, the people who create “report” the news are making decisions based on what will generate the most readership, thereby converting into ad sales, which converts into money in the pockets of the people who make descisions about what news to report.
No, I see no problem with that process, why do you ask?
By way of perspective, some numbers:
Continue reading “We’re All Gonna Die!!” »
posted on April 27, 2009 at 10:54am
filed under Media //
6 comments
//
Share
April 6, 2009
Stealing Music
The other day, awkwardly named technology site TechCrunch ran an editorial by founder Michael Arrington asking, “Stealing Music: Is It Wrong Or Isn’t It?”
First, a definition: In the article, Arrington says, “Let’s put the law aside for a moment – this post is about doing the right thing.” OK, so the question Arrington is actually asking is, “Is stealing music ethically wrong?” That’s helpful, because it makes the answer particularly easy:
Of course it’s wrong, you fucking idiot.
Continue reading “Stealing Music” »
posted on April 6, 2009 at 3:59pm
filed under Media, Music //
7 comments
//
Share
April 5, 2009
And Now, a Two-Word Review
…of Nicolas Cage disaster flick Knowing:
“Rapture porn.”
I’m glad I’m not alone in thinking this way; Ty Burr at the Boston Globe positively nails it. Though his score of 1.5 stars is, I believe, too generous.
I am often disappointed by movies, but I am rarely disgusted, and almost never actually offended. Knowing pulled off a hat trick with its impressively bad writing, acting, and heavy-handed allegory. After that it’s hard to care how technologically impressive a film may be.
Avoid at all costs.
posted on April 5, 2009 at 4:06pm
filed under Gripes, Media //
2 comments
//
Share
February 27, 2007
Taking Back the News
Let me ask you a question: When was the last time you saw something positive on the news? And I mean something genuinely positive — not “Muffy the Wonder Pony Turns 100″ or some other treacly crap. When was the last time you saw a true story of courage, or nobility, or kindness…or at least one that wasn’t blatantly sensationalist and opportunistic?
Yeah, me either.
That wouldn’t bother me so much if I weren’t confronted by ordinary goodness every single day. I look at CNN or Yahoo News or the local paper and I think, “The real world isn’t like that. Things are not this bad. They just aren’t.”
Do bad things happen in the world? Yes, of course. Sure they do. They happen all the time. But they aren’t the only thing happening, and they aren’t even the most common thing. Humans are, by and large, good people. The problem is, our brain is wired in such a way that only the exceptions stand out. Which means that only the exceptions are “newsworthy.”
Continue reading “Taking Back the News” »
posted on February 27, 2007 at 6:54pm
filed under Media, Sociology //
add a comment
//
Share
