Author: Serkadis

There’s a fascinating, and well sourced, editorial over at Hypebot by Kyle Bylin, suggesting why the major record labels have had so much trouble adapting to these changing times. Bylin argues, convincingly, that a big part of the problem was that as the record labels got bigger and bigger, they focused solely on the “music as commerce” side of things, ignoring the role of “music as culture.” Obviously, music as commerce is an important part of the music business, but if you ignore the cultural importance of music (except, of course, when lobbying the government for more protections) you miss what’s actually happening in the marketplace: how people are connecting with the music, and what they’re doing (and want to do) with the music. Here’s a snippet:

As the record industry moved through this stage there was a decline in learning orientation — in learning what fans actually wanted — both in terms of how they consumed music and what they were willing to pay for. So to, they began to discount the role that luck played in their success, to assume that the mass-marketing successes that occurred near the end the CD boom, which sold 3-4 million copies, applied to the natural laws of the universe, rather than that of a relatively short-lived phenomenon. This addiction to blockbuster artists is what characterizes the second stage of decline, which Collin’s deemed The Undisciplined Pursuit of More. Here, the record industry started out on an unsustainable quest, and, because of their huge successes, they were pressured to grow.

Having reached the peak of the CD boom in 1999, the record industry had become a nearly $15-billion-a-year juggernaut, but under the pressure for more growth they collapsed, and, in the process, a vicious cycle of expectations had been set that strained the artists, the fans, the culture, and their systems to the point of breaking. Since record industry was unable to deliver new music with “consistent tactical excellence,” they began to fray at the edges. Disruptive technologies were released, an epidemic of file-sharing proceeded, and, at this critical juncture, vested interests of music executives struggled and competed to achieve repetitive consumption through obsolescence. But these executives were too late, as the record industry, by externalizing the blame for their decline in sales, had already started to show symptoms of stage three, Denial of Risk and Peril.

Music executives began discounting negative data, amplifying positive data, and putting a positive spin on ambiguous data. In stage three, Collin’s argues that those in power start to blame external factors for setbacks — “or otherwise explain away the data” — rather than accepting responsibility and confronting “the frightening reality that their enterprise may be in serious trouble.” Right away, the Internet and file-sharing became easy scapegoats for the decline in sales that the record industry faced.

There’s nothing all that surprising in the essay, but it’s nicely written and explained. Well worth reading the whole thing.

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5 years ago to this day, the very first post [web.archive.org] appeared on infosthetics.com. It was a short description of how the name of this blog came to be. This was then followed by an entry detailing some sort of funky Bluetooth Christmas tree, but quickly turned into more relevant posts highlighting still timeless visualization pieces like Ecotonoha, Ten by Ten and the still impressive Degree Confluence Project. Much has happened since then. Or to be more precise, about 1950 published entries, almost each linking to a unique project, which in turn generated about 4309 (hopefully non-spam) comments.

What started out as a simple, small, personal project motivated out of pure frustration (“Why can I not find a webpage with beautifully designed visualizations?“) seemed to have sparked the interest of more than 37,000 daily feed subscribers today. It would actually be nice to track down the first subscribers, if I would only know how. While back then infosthetics was the ‘only’ weblog focusing on the topic of data visualization, there now exist a wide range of specialized viz- and infographic blogs, and any self-respecting popular design blog now features some sort ‘infographic best-of’ list. The fact at least 4 beautiful books have been published around the theme of aesthetic data visualization makes it all the better. Hopefully, some day, this all might culminate into a sparkling, creative and self-directed community, as I feel many of the interesting visualization works are still shown, discussed and appreciated in disparate fields without much cross-disciplinary discourse.

The reason why this site is still up and running is truly because of your continuing interest, for which I wish to thank you deeply, my faithful reader. Although I often need to juggle the blog between my professional and family life, it does actually help this blog is exactly what I “want” it to be (well, in terms of content that is, as I try to ignore the many website bugs and missing features…). Therefore, I feel quite amazed each single day that other people find the things I personally feel very passioned about worthwhile to read. I also want to thank the site’s sponsors (i.e. FusionCharts, Loop11, Morae and InstantAtlas), most of which have featured here for many, many months, and those readers who have ordered stuff through clicking the commercial links or the information aesthetics shop, for making this endeavor somehow financially viable.

As a typical “link”-blog, I have no way to experience the true “effect” of my own posts. I can only imagine how a visualization I did post suddenly gets thousands of hits, sometimes manages to appear on Digg, Reddit or StumbleUpon, or gets a press request, simply through the mentioning on this blog. If I occasionally hear about this, it makes me very glad.

Sometimes, blogs like Engadget make me jealous, in how they are provided with important scoops, products to review, or relevant press releases well ahead of time. While I do get many reader suggestions, of which most are very useful, I still need to conduct an almost daily personal hunt for that “perfect” post that will eclipse all others. For instance, the fact I had to discover the somehow quite relevant book “Data Flow” through pure coincidence well after it was released, still makes me wonder, sometimes. I also do often question how I could increase the engagement and commenting on this blog.

For those who are still reading this self-indulgent post, there might be a reward. To celebrate this occasion, I will be giving three books away: The Visual Miscellaneum, We Feel Fine and Data Flow. To participate, simply add a comment below, describing why your read information aesthetics, or how it has changed some aspect of your life, or how it could become a better blog. On Monday 14th December, I will choose the 3 most original comments and let the winners choose what book they want.

Good luck!

A couple of times in the past we’ve looked at the question of copyright on jokes, noting that there generally isn’t “copyright” on jokes, but that copying jokes can potentially hurt someone’s reputation if called on it. In other words, even without making use of protectionist laws, creative types figure out social norms for punishing those who just “copy.” Yes, some of the copying still occurs, but it can seriously hurt someone’s reputation. At the same time, for those who do copy, it pushes them to actually do much more with a joke to actually stand out.

The more you think about this, however, the more interesting it gets. Michael Scott points us to discussion by Mike Madison concerning copyright and jokes, where he points to a short snippet from a NY Times article on the very famous “2,000 year old man” sketch done by Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner. The snippet that interested Madison was this one:

REINER We did [the 2000 Year Old Man routine] out here in Los Angeles at what you would call a Class A party. One by one people came over to us. George Burns came by with a cigar and said, “Is there an album?” I said no. He said, “Well, you better put it on an album, or I’m going to steal it.”

BROOKS That’s true, he said he was going to steal it.

REINER Edward G. Robinson, who was there, said: “Write a play. I want to do it on Broadway.” And the one who came up to us and really made sense was Steve Allen. He said you have to make an album.

As Madison notes:

The standard rap says that you make an object and people might copy it (“steal” it), so you have to have rights to go after the thief. Here, the rap is turned inside out: You make an object in order to keep people from copying it. Social norms are still important, because they have something to do with why and how making an album would keep George Burns from becoming the 2000 Year Old Man. But they aren’t everything.

Madison’s argument is that social norms alone aren’t enough to keep people from copying in the absence of copyright — but that setting the work in some sort of fixed form helped do the trick. Still, I’d argue this is a part of the “social norm,” because it was a way of planting the flag by Brooks and Reiner that this was something they had created — such that if anyone else copied it, people could easily point to the album and say “George Burns copied that,” such that Burns would have less credibility. Burns, then wishing to avoid the loss of credibility, has less reason to copy.

Now what I find most interesting about all of this is that it runs entirely counter to the arguments made by many copyright maximalists, who say that without the incentive of copyright, creators would have little incentive to create such a recording, for risk that it would then be “pirated.” But, what this shows (in an admittedly anecdotal fashion) is that there are additional incentives for putting the work into a fixed form: such as planting a flag for the sake of reputation and to ward off copying.

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One of my all-time favorite scenes in a play and movie, is the scene in Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead where every coin toss comes up heads, leading to a bit of a philosophical discussion on probability. Of course, the randomness of the coin toss is the quintessential example of a random event and is used regularly for a variety of situations in which randomness is required, let alone expected. Except… it turns out the common wisdom may be wrong. Paul Kedrosky has the news of a test that showed that if you ask people to try flip a coin and get more heads than tails, they will, and not by a small margin either. In the test, 13 people were asked to flip a coin 300 times, trying to get as many heads as possible. All 13 participants got more heads than tails. Seven out of the thirteen had statistically significant margins of heads over tails (meaning almost certainly not a matter of chance). The highest was one individual had 68% of the coin flips land heads. In other words, a coin toss isn’t particularly random.

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Martin sent over an article from a Swedish publication about how some Russian book publishers are dealing with “piracy” (translated via Google from the original). While some do seem upset about the issue, others are actually figuring out ways to deal with it, including offering their own vastly cheaper ebook versions quickly (and with no DRM), or even working out deals with “pirate” sites to share some of the ad revenue. The one publisher that the article focuses on, Sergei Parchomenko, says that they’re not losing money from pirate sites, but the responsibility is on him to come up with a workable business model. It’s nice to see someone realizing that they need to react to the market, rather than freak out about things.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Performance, Crossover, Mercedes-Benz

It ain’t pretty, but it’s fast. Actually, with a claimed 211 mph top speed, the Brabus Bi-Turbo V12 GLK is the fastest SUV in the world. Which is kinda like being the winner in a Twinkie-eating competition: It’s an epic feat of embarrassing proportions.

To pull it off, the Brabus crew stuck with its tried and true formula of shoving entirely too much engine into a small package. Underneath the vented hood lies a Mercedes-sourced V12 that’s been stroked from 5.5- to 6.3-liters. From there, the Bottrop boys fit a duo of turbos, two intercoolers, a couple high-flow cats and a stainless steel exhaust. The effect is typical Brabus: A staggering 740 horsepower and 995 pound-feet of torque, which is actually limited to 811 lb-ft (at 2,100 rpm) to avoid the gearbox, diff and rear tires from vaporizing in an oily, metallic haze. And naturally, the absurdity doesn’t stop with the engine.

Twelve-piston front calipers clamp onto 15-inch discs, with six-piston calipers and 14.2-inch rotors in the rear, while a height adjustable coilover suspension with ten settings for bound and rebound join 22-inch wheels wrapped in a choice of Pirelli or Yokohama rubber. The exterior and interior have been restyled to match, and while Merc’s diminutive ‘ute isn’t exactly a beauty queen to begin with, Brabus’ blocky aftermarket brutalization lends itself well to the GLK’s squat proportions.

But aesthetics aside, there’s a bigger problem. Actually, there are 397,000 of ’em. That’s how many euros you’ll need for the GLK V12. For that kind of scratch ($580,000 using a straight conversion), there’s a host of high-power exotica available. And when you consider the GLK’s sprinting stats — 0-60 in 4.2 seconds and 124 mph in 12.8 ticks — the far less expensive BMW X5 M is easily on par and was actually designed from the onset to be an offensively quick grocery-getter. Then again, the M can’t break the double-century mark at Nardo… something to consider during your trip to Costco. Press release below the fold.

Continue reading At 211 mph, the Brabus GLK V12 can’t outrun ugly

At 211 mph, the Brabus GLK V12 can’t outrun ugly originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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heres some helpful hints.

always click on categories  – products under 15 dollars, this changes alot and sometimes you find deals on products you use

look at the clearance section on the front page as well. Always click on view more specials for the weekly specials.

 if you are unsure of a product click on the search bar and type in free sample it will offer products that have free samples and add them into your cart. fyi just recent controlled labs charges 25 cents for a sample which isnt bad at all.

click on the search bar and type in promo , bb.com offers promos that may not show on the front page.

 on the cart page scroll down and type comeback10percent for 10 percent off your whole order.

wheycheap.com is like woot.com is a one supplement one day deal.. powered by bb.com check it out.

hope this helps with holiday shopping..

I just wanted to say thank you to the few that chose me as an inspiration. It really means alot. In this sport there is so much ability out there it amazes me. People really can transform themselves and push themselves to the limit whether it be by themselves or with some help from someone. Im all about spreading the knowledge around, being truth ful and just motivating as much as i can. I like being treated with respect and taking in new opinion/information from people and im happy to offer as well. Bodybuilding.com is a great source to meet people in the sport , get ideas, offer assistance and use as research and motivation. Keep up the great work everyone your doing well, dont let anyone bring you down. thank you.

Filed under: Safety, Videos, Australia

Years ago when we were in drivers ed watching either Blood on the Highway or Red Asphalt — the two gore-filled negative education films from the early 1970s that tried to scare us stright — the cheerleader seated in front of us cold passed out. Just flopped right on the floor. It had to have been the scene where the camera arrives on the scene of a motorcycle wreck and, well, let’s just say the poor rider needed an new knee. But as blood and guts infused as those films were, they can’t even hold an emergency room candle to the carnage taking place on Australian television.

This film is a “best of” from 20 years of Transport Accident Commission films. And man… Notice how we didn’t pass out during drivers ed? We have an iron stomach. That said, this video gets to be a little much. There’s just so much non-stop carnage… The video almost makes us care less about drinking and driving than it does the perils of watching blood-infused video clips. Almost.

Here’s what our Aussie tipster Casey had to say about the video, “Celebrating’ 20 years of TAC TV advertisements, this once-only three-minute clip was shown on all free-to-air TV networks once on December 10 2009. It’s a collage of their work over the 20 years and the graphic scenes put to air. It’s an excellent (and chilling) viewing.” Agreed, you’re going see high production values and even higher casualty rates. Watch the video – if you have the stomach for it – after the jump.

[Source: Colorbus]

Continue reading VIDEO: Australian Transport Accident Commission celebrates 20 years of disturbing commercials

VIDEO: Australian Transport Accident Commission celebrates 20 years of disturbing commercials originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2010 Hyundai Tucson a green machine with few compromises

The CUV has evolved from a high-riding, dynamically compromised wagon to a serious alternative to fuel-hungry SUVs and bland sedans. If any crossover typifies this recent trend, it’s Hyundai’s all-new 2010 Tucson.

REPORT: Detroit Three call Japan’s cash-for-clunkers program unfair

Japan’s cash-for-clunkers program doesn’t allow car buyers in the Land of the Rising Sun to receive incentives if they purchase a GM, Ford or Chrysler vehicle. That makes the Big Three angry, so they’ve written a letter.

Ferrari P540 Superfast Aperta revealed, second from Special Projects program

After writing a massive check and waiting well over a year, the son of the man that invented cable television has received his bespoke dream machine from Maranello: the P540 Superfast Aperta.

Also of interest:

• Kia considering production Kee to compete with Toyobaru coupe
• Mini to debut off-road Moke concept in Detroit
• Nissan rumored to be reviving 240SX, bringing it to the U.S.
• Aston Martin updates the V8 Vantage for 2010
• 2011 Mazda MX-5 Miata to get SKY-G power, 50+ mpg?

Browse our archive of Daily U-Turn posts or subscribe to the RSS feed

Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 12.11.09 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It really was just a couple months ago that a ton of press coverage came from the ridiculous attempt by British oil company Trafigura to gag the UK press. All that did was turn what had been a minor story not many people were paying attention to into a huge story that everyone knew about. But what if the story is already huge? Tiger Woods (and we’d gotten this far without having to talk about him…) has apparently taken the same path as Trafigura and has gagged the UK press from writing about certain details of his personal life. Woods apparently had lawyers in London take action to get a court injunction against the press reporting certain things about his personal life — though, they’re still free to write about this ridiculous injunction, and they’re certainly wasting little time in doing that.

So what, exactly, is the UK press barred from discussing? Well, none of the UK articles say — obviously. But, since we live in the US, it’s not hard to find reports that say the specific injunction bars the the publication of any nude photos or images of Woods having sex. And, even though the court order states “this Order is not to be taken as an admission that any such photographs exist,” it certainly sounds like a very loud clanging bell announcing exactly that. And, of course, this means the race must now be on for various tabloids/celebrity gossip sites and the like to find exactly those photos and videos.

Given the Trafigura situation, though, would you think that someone in Tiger’s camp — or among his UK lawyers — would recognize how incredibly badly this would backfire? Not only does it continue to make the UK look like a laughingstock when it comes to freedom of the press and free speech, it only calls that much more attention to what, apparently, Woods would like to remain hidden.

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Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Japan, Acura, Honda, Specialty

We knew it was coming and now we’ve got details. According to the latest reports out of Japan, the Honda NSX will live on, but mere mortals will never get a shot behind the wheel.

As previously reported, Honda has been actively petitioning the Japanese Automobile Federation (JAF) — the organizing entity behind Japan’s Super GT series — to run a new front-engine racer in the touring car championship. A cursory reading of the rule book states that vehicles campaigning in SuperGT must be production vehicles (think GT-R, MR2, SC430). However, Honda’s found a loop-hole.

Just as Toyota has done in recent years with the Supra (it’s out of production), the Super GT rules specify that a vehicle’s specs and design must be submitted to JAF to be approved. That means that a vehicle can be “production ready,” if not actually in production. So for the 2010 SuperGT season, Honda will bring out an all-new race car based on the NSX prototype (seen above), reportedly packing a 3.4-liter V8.

So… Lawyers: 1. NSX’s lovers: 0. But at least we get to see it race…

[Source: Insideline]

REPORT: Honda finds loophole, new NSX to run in SuperGT originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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That Darn Menopause Does What?

Menopause could be at the heart of your recent rise in cholesterol. A new study has shown that it’s menopause and not aging that causes a sharp rise in cholesterol levels of menopausal women of any ethnicity. The cholesterol rise is a problem since it may contribute to heart disease later in life.

Almost all of the women in the study experienced a rise in cholesterol levels around the two years surrounding the final menstrual period. The study is important because the findings can help women be more aware of risk factors for heart disease which may occur around menopause. The study results will be published this month in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Dads May Get Postpartum Depression Too

The New York Times recently explored the idea of postpartum depression in fathers. While many doctors haven’t really heard of the disorder, studies have shown that around 4% of fathers experience depression within eight weeks of a child’s birth. Read the whole story, Postpartum Depression Strikes Fathers, Too.

MRI Could Diagnose Dangerous Maternal Condition

Researchers have found that MRI is 90.1% successful in detecting placenta accreta, which may occur when a woman’s placenta attaches too deeply to the uterus during pregnancy. The condition is dangerous when not detected until delivery, and it could result in severe hemorrhaging in the mother or complications for the baby.

While ultrasound can detect placenta accreta, it doesn’t always help with diagnosing subtle cases. Risk factors for the condition include: placenta covers all or part of the cervix, uterine scarring, prior cesarean births and, possibly, maternal age of more than 35 years. The researchers note that not knowing about placenta accreta can be life threatening, but with proper diagnosis, the pregnancy can be monitored more carefully. The study was presented earlier this month at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

(Image via stock.xchng)

Post from: Blisstree

Health Bits: Cholesterol, Dad’s Baby Blues

Mercedes-Benz bring electric cars to the roads

By Mercedes-Benz,
Friday, December 11, 2009