DISQUS

Did not know about the download limits. That's not documented anywhere.

I recommend people file a complaint with the FCC about these "undocumented restrictions" based on Amazon's DRM support.

On the other hand, stories like that one, and the associated comments can also serve to discourage people--by making it seem as if racism is much more rampant in Missouri than it perhaps is.

If one takes the comments at St. Louis Today at face value, then our community has an unusual number of racist, bigoted, intolerant, small minded, ignorant, selfish, libertarians. Do you believe this is so?

Excellent overview of the technology, and the issues associated with rev canonical.

This is an amazing look at Iceland. Both the Vanity article, and your own comments.

PS Spansion is an example of the worst of the corporate mentality -- which is why we need to become less dependent on a**h**** employers like it. Sorry for your friends.

Just starting Frugal Algorithm, and being unemployed and pretty much on the edge of losing everything, I don't agree with Levine -- or at least, I think she's conflating two different views of the same set of events.

No, unemployment, bankruptcy, foreclosure are not good. But becoming more self-sufficient, less dependent on the market, more environmentally aware, more _frugal_ isn't counter to the best interests of the global economy, either.

Oops, too many people using Twitter are _unaware_

"if I had to bet, I’d say it was just whoever picks the images for Live Search thinking the Snow Leopard was a beautiful animal .."

Is a beautiful animal. Is, not was. Not past tense yet.

I'm hoping that Microsoft uses Live Search to raise awareness of all endangered animals. Certainly more than Apple does.

Unfortunately, too many people using Twitter are aware that a world exists outside of their rooms.

The difficulty with these discussions, though, is that necessary criticism then is seen as bringing down the good vibes. What stays with me, more than anything else, is the quality of the discussion, not necessarily whether it's "happy", "angry", or sad.

I have read angry works that have uplifted me, and happy, mindless drivel that depressed the life out of me. It's the quality, not the tone, that brings me, or sends me down.

An addition thought...

Arrington has been one of the leading critics of mainstream media. That it doesn't do its job. That we do a better job. If this is so, then don't we have a moral obligation not to accept everything at face value? To dig deeper, to be skeptical, to question?

Death threats and face spitting are unacceptable. But some of Arrington's statements do not make sense, and so I just can't accept them at face value. That's not being mean, that's being objective.

Regardless, perhaps time off is a good thing for him.

Hany, you don't understand, it is against the law for a felon to have a gun. I'm assuming there was some evidence of this person having a gun, otherwise how would Arrington know the person has it? This evidence would be more than enough to get the person arrested.

And no, credible death threats are illegal in most states--all, I think, though the circumstances varies. And arresting a person is not dependent on a long court process. One can be arrested immediately. This isn't a civil lawsuit.

In addition, you do not have to tell wherever you're going when you get a restraining order.

Of course you can believe I'm wrong. What I'm trying to get people to do is step back and look at what Arrington is saying objectively. If you find what he's saying to be credible, great. More power to you. In my opinion, what he says doesn't make a lot of sense. Even the spitting, he says he doesn't know who the guy was, but it's all the tech community's fault, and the guy was some disgruntled entrepreneur...but he didn't see his face.

I mean, come on. Aren't your ears twitching yet?

As for your statement about the tech world, he has done little for the tech world. Perhaps the startup community in Silicon Valley is indebted to him, but the rest of the tech world isn't overly influenced by him. Seriously. But that's my opinion.

Ric, a death threat is not the same as someone not driving the speed limit. Good lord, if you're going to dig up analogies, can you at least find something that's credible?

Arrington said he had death threats in writing, but the police could do nothing. I would assume, then, that the police did not consider the threats to be credible. (discussion about death threats per state)

He also wrote the person was a felon, with a gun. What's wrong with this statement? You'll have to look that one up, I'm not providing a reference.

Both of these, to me, undermine the credibility of Arrington's post. If you don't believe so, your choice. As for me being an idiot, well, I guess you've just demonstrated you're a typical Arrington commenter, haven't you?

I find that Arrington has little credibility. If he received a death threat, then the police can respond. That is built into all laws, including those related to the cyber world. A death threat is illegal.

Arrington has also been abusive, deliberately works to generate attention in the worst possible way, is demeaning of others -- in other words, he reaps what he sows.

Did someone spit on him? Then that is wrong. But Arrington is no saint.

Change we need

Very kind to say, and thank you.

I have a Kindle, and I don't notice the design issues that much. I've learned not to accidentally click the next page button.

The biggest issue, though, between Kindle and other ebook readers such as Sony's is the use of electronic ink, as compared to back light with iPhones, iPods, and other like device. Electronic ink takes no power to maintain a page indefinitely, but the same cannot be said for the iPhone. In addition, there's more surface area with the ebooks--a difference that will impact the older reader, who are primarily going to buy these devices. Lastly, eletronic ink is less of a strain on your eye, and doesn't have the same problems in direct light that back lit devices do.

I think the Kindle has done better than most people think. I also think that people give too much credit to Apple's design ethos, which is based more on form than function. To each their own, though, as it would be nice to see increased reading options for all devices.

I wish people would stop using the word "hater" for those who are critical, or who disagree.

Hate is something that should be reserved for cold-blooded mass murderers of babies or broccoli, not for those being critical (necessary for balance) or in disagreement (necessary for balance).

Excellent, Mathew.

The political world has Sarah Palin and the tech world has...Jason Calacanis.

Oh, please, just shoot me now.

"When Gibson said "isn't that hybris"? her answer included the word "readiness" (and pointed her finger like she was referencing his question.)"

Actually, I'm not sure Palin knew what hubris meant, either. And no, I'm not being snarky about her. I genuinely don't think she knew what hubris meant.

Oh my god. Stepford Republican.

He completely blew off the questions, but it did it in such on obvious script like manner. He was wooden, and unprepared, and phony.

Agree: Charles Gibson needs to watch this guy, he's good.

But McCain...jaw dropped. Awful answers. Do not want this man as president.

According to other sites, the pamphlets these people were handing out had the following:

"Which is a worse crime: slavery or murder? The correct answer: murder. A slave can get free, but a murder victim cannot get ‘undead'."

These are the type of people who will control our court systems if McCain wins. Scary, eh?

Wow. We, uh, agree.

The danger with the weblogger isn't so much the accuracy and reliability as it is the emotional context and intent of the writing. Sure many professional journalists write opinionated pieces with the intent of influencing people, but most publications feature writing that is more objective, to inform, not necessarily influence. Or not aggressively influence.

Too many webloggers, especially the elite, use their position and influence to deliberately generate mobs and then turn them loose on one person or another. The consequences can be devastating and permanent, regardless of post-writing fact checking and error correcting.

Because of such self-interested actions, and the ramifications, we should always beware the writing of a weblogger more than a professional journalist, because it's too simple for the weblogger to grind whatever is the axe du jour. And there are too few to take the weblogger to account (because, after all, we're not "professionals").

"As for the TechCrunchIT vs. TechCrunch vs. CrunchGear argument, Gabe said on FriendFeed that this was not impacting Techmeme. "

That makes no sense, unless Gabe is specifically filtering out these partnered weblogs when they link to each other. In either case, yes, it impacts on Techmeme.