P2P Users Not Evil?

Can it be true? Those who use P2P services are also spend four and a half times more money on legal downloads than those who do not use P2P services. Granted, a lot of that is probably because those using the legal downloads are tech savy, but still. It looks like people are trying before they are buying.

From the article:

"There's a myth that all illegal downloaders are mercenaries hell-bent on breaking the law in pursuit of free music."

In reality hardcore fans "are extremely enthusiastic" about paid-for services, as long as they are suitably compelling."

Ads in Games

I'm fine with them putting ads in my video games, as long as they give me the games for free... I'm not about to pay $50 for comercials.

No More Sun Bathing For Me

I just found my house on MSN's answer to Google Maps.

This is as close as I can get to my house on Google Maps.

Clearly Microsoft has a better picture of my back yard, but is that a good thing?

London

My mom (mum) and dad (dad) are visiting London this week and next... So this story wasn't exactly welcome news. But apparently there are no casualties, so that is good.

Google Maps

If you haven't used Google Maps yet, you really should give it a try. It's a great tool, and it's open source so you can do all sorts of fun things with it.

If you have used google maps, and think you've been everywhere, then head on over here and check out the latest space Google has gone.

And make sure to zoom all the way in. :)

Creative Commons

So I just read an article by John Dvorak. The title is "Creative Commons Humbug", but it might just as well be, "I'm clueless and snarky".

I had a nice post all thought out in which I make fun of little John, but the Slashdotters are doing a much better job of it that I could. My personal favorite:

"Looks like I need to add another quote to my long standing list of jack-assery from Dvorak:

1998 Folks, the Mac platform is through - totally.
1990 I think Windows 3.0 will get a lot of attention; people will check it out, and before long they'll all drift back to... DOS.
1986 UNIX is dead, but no one bothered to claim the body.
1984 The Macintosh uses an experimental pointing device called a mouse. There is no evidence that people want to use these things.
- John Dvorak"

The Belly Laugh

So I was driving down to SLC to do another book signing (didn't sell any books, but I saw my cousin Kristy, so the trip was worth it). Saturday radio is almost as exciting as collecting early French tin foil. There are the travel shows which are bad. There are the garden shows which are worse. But perhaps the more pitiful of all are the car shows. I don't think I could find any subject less interesting that people talking about fixing cars...

So why, after listening to the news, did I turn my dial to NPR hoping beyond hope that Tom and Ray Magliozzi were on? And why did I break out in a smile when I found out that for my entire drive I could sit and listen to them talk about fixing cars?

Because they are the masters of the belly laugh.

Car Talk is a funny program, and Tom and Ray are funny guys, but they aren't especially funny. I can think of many different programs, books, or people who are much funnier. But I rarely laugh as long or as hard as when I'm listening to these guys. I break out in laughter at least 5 times during the show because they have broken out in laughter.

One lady called in, and one of the brothers made a funny comment. The other brother broke out into a great big belly laugh. I could hear him pounding on a table. After a few seconds, I could hear him pounding on a table, he was laughing so hard. He couldn't stop. I couldn't even remember what had been said, but suddenly I couldn't stop laughing. The caller started laughing. Both brothers are still laughing. And in my mind, I can picture them doing the belly laugh.

A belly laugh is one where your whole front side just starts a twitching, jerking, and (if you've got the extra spare tire), jiggling. When you see somebody engaged in a good belly laugh, unable to stop, you can't help but join in. Tears usually follow a belly laugh that goes on for more than 10 seconds. You usually have so much energy you have to slap a knee, or a table, or the back of somebody near you. It is just a happy, happy time in life, and you almost never belly laugh alone. It is something that has to be shared and is highly contagious.

So, treat yourself to a good belly laugh today. It's fun, it's good for you, and if you are lucky enough to belly laugh until you acheive the coveted snort, then by golly, count yourself lucky.