Google Sightseeing – Why bother seeing the world for real?

This blog is a fairly ingenious (in the ‘why didn’t I think of that?’ way) way of using the new satellite feature at Google Maps. Sure, it’s not real life, but it is fairly close and it is a unique perspective of the many landmarks featured. Of course, this is limited to North America (also known as the US and Canada) since Google Maps only has their non-satellite maps extend that far. Once Google gets the whole world on here, it’ll be even more interesting than it already is.

November 2001 was a historic month. Two major consoles were being released within three days of each other. I remember the hubbub when it was announced that Nintendo moved the release date days before the Xbox. Microsoft then responded by moving the Xbox’s release up as well.

Now we all know that history tends to repeat itself. Huge announcements like new consoles or new games are usually made at trade shows, like Nintendo’s Spaceworld in Tokyo or E3. This time around, Microsoft decided to buck this tradition and announce the existence of the new Xbox (rumored to be dubbed the Xbox 360) on MTV on May 16 at 6PM PST.

Not wanting to be outdone by this unexpected move, Sony has announced that it will be unveiling the Playstation 3 a mere three hours earlier. Surely, Microsoft is quaking in awe and fear.

Speaking of Sony, it seems that they finally released an MP3 player that actually plays MP3s! Of course, they just couldn’t get their grubby little hands off of it and had to slap on some form of DRM. Hilariously, BoingBoing has a post about how within weeks, some guy has managed to break it. Sony, get on it and make a driver for my Net MD that doesn’t need 1098572 hours to encode to ATRAC. Will you never learn?

Piercing the Peer-to-Peer Myths
An examination of the Canadian experience.

This is an excellent analysis of the Canadian Recording Industry Association’s (CRIA) claims that P2P music downloads have resulted in lost profits and that it has harmed Canadian artists. The CRIA is lobbying for stronger copyright protection in Canada, since it is legal to share music here at the moment. Using the CRIA‘s sales figures, the author, Micheal Geist, demonstrates that each of the CRIA‘s claims are nothing more than myths.

And here is an (unrelated) interesting little tidbit from Google.

Or not.

First, it was the muppet with AIDS. And now this. Cookie Monster not eating as many cookies. WTF? Isn’t there a reason why he’s called the bloody Cookie Monster? Does it have something to do with voraciously devouring cookies, in the fashion of a monster? Maybe it’s because he can’t fight that insatiable hunger for cookie flesh? Aren’t parents supposed to be able to control their children’s insatiable hunger for cookie flesh? Yes, so stop ruining the Cookie Monster and feed your kids some real food.

Why Nerds are Unpopular: an essay by Paul Graham

As we’re all aware, smart kids are usually near the bottom of the popularity ladder. We also know that it’s during the teen years when everything gets classified as ‘cool’ and that everything cool makes you a better person than if you didn’t have all of that. I think that the essay gives us a good idea about how the social hierarchy of high schools is determined.

For example, being gangster is obviously the thing today. So we have all of these people getting their gangster clothes and cell phones and start trying to speak in the same way rappers rap. By the way, speaking like rappers doesn’t work, since rappers rap like that for a reason: to keep whatever they’re rapping about in rhythm so it doesn’t sound like crap. Talking like that is just retarded. We also have computers, so while trying to type and exude their gangster-ness, they type with their elite technologically advanced lexicon of shortened words, some standard, some invented on their own.

Now then, we have smart people. I think I’ll use myself as an example, since people consider me smart. Please don’t think I’m being an arrogant bastard by saying this. People ask me what I get on tests and assignments and no matter what I say, it’s all considered inherently arrogant bastardness by many. So then. A few years back, I was being smart and worrying about tests and projects and stuff. Basically, when the whole gangster thing caught on, I didn’t even notice. Why? Because I didn’t give a damn. I had my own interests and stuff that I had to worry about. Why would I waste my time and money trying to fit in? To me, it had no payoff whatsoever.

Today, I still don’t give a damn (obviously). I have this friend who wants me to join him in the cafeteria where all the gangsters hang out. Why would I though? Being gangster just isn’t me. I have my own personality and interests. Those are way more important to me than conforming to the culture. I also think the culture is retarded. They idolize people who get shot in the mouth, and these are the same kids thinking they’re true gangsters and at the same time they throw pennies at cars and laugh obnoxiously, congratulating themselves on another successful gangster act.

Sure, there are people that can be popular and smart, but like anything in this world, it’s the exception. Being popular requires incredible work and most smart people aren’t willing to give up what they think is important for what the rest of the world thinks is important.

While the nerds were being trained to get the right answers, the popular kids were being trained to please.