The Wheel of Time Part II

***SPOILERS***

(more…)

The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan

This posting may contain SPOILERS you don’t like.  If that’s the case, don’t read it.

I’ve been a fan of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series for several years now.  Even through the last three books, which in my opinion were complete failures, I’ve remained a fan.  That doesn’t mean I don’t have several problems with the books.   I just finished re-reading the first 10 books in the series and I am sitting down to read Book 11, Knife of Dreams.  Occasionally, I’ll try to make a few posts along the way.  First, I want to air some disappointments.  By the way, if you not a fan of these books you might as well skip this posting.

(more…)

‘Chicken’ Saves Disney

Disney may actually have their first non-Pixar animated hit on their hands.  Chicken Little has already grossed more than $80 million dollars, will surely gross $100 million before all is said and done, and may even reach $150 million.  Even with a production budget of $60 million (not including marketing costs), the movie will make a profit easily.  Just what Walt ordered.

Another Reason to Use iTunes

Link:  Sony halts production of music CDs with copy-protection scheme

Now I have yet another reason to stop purchasing CDs and use iTunes. 

Dr. Dean Shines

I don’t know if I’ve said this before, but I was no fan of Dr. Howard Dean during the 2004 election.  It’s not that I disliked him personally, it’s just that I felt he wasn’t prepared to be the Democrats’ nominee for president.  For me that would have been Wesley Clark or John Edwards, but that’s in the past.  I also wasn’t that thrilled with him becoming the new chairman of the Democratic Party.  I felt he would not be able to control his temper and emotions well enough to be the kind of spokesperson Democrats needed.  On that count I was wrong.  Since becoming chairman, Dr. Dean has shown a remarkable ability to adapt, to honestly say what needs to be said, and to create an open tent for the different kinds of Democrats.  His appearance on today’s Meet the Press was another shining example of how the doctor has become the right person for the job.

Whither Old Media

If you ever take the time to visit Jeff Jarvis’ BuzzMachine then you know he’s always preaching the "small is the new big" theory about the media.  He’s got one of those on there today, which I won’t get into.  Just read the comments, especially the first three, they pretty much sum up my opinion about that theory.

Listen, I get that old-media is under attack from the citizen-media, but to think this will destroy them, please!  They didn’t get to be big-media by not learning to read the future.  As much as we may wish it, big-media isn’t going anywhere.  If anything I believe they will only combine and get bigger until we have just two or three major companies controlling what we see, hear, and read.  Granted, bloggers and other citizen-media will also be there, but I think you over estimate their power if you think they will replace big-media.