Author: Serkadis

This should be quick: PS3 owners that signed up for the Netflix streaming disc should get them by Friday. Have fun swapping out the disc everytime you wanna use Netflix.

Watching music videos on YouTube can be an annoying process insofar as, when you search for an artist’s name or album’s title, you’re sure to be shown all sorts of unorganized results and amateurs’ covers.  But today, Yahoo tried to make sure no one has the same problem when using one of its services.

A Yahoo representative explained in an email to WebProNews, "Yahoo! Video Search is unveiling an easier way for people to explore their favorite music artists.  The new video search music refiner taps into the ‘Web of Things’ to intelligently present the most popular albums and songs for artist or band queries so you can explore music artists in an intuitive way."

The below screenshot shows how this idea works out when it’s applied to Metallica.  You’ll see that popular albums and songs are indeed listed, along with a nifty "Official Videos" option.  You can even sort clips according to length if you’re either in a real rush or plan to spend a while watching James Hetfield and the rest of the gang.

The one odd thing is the new "Twitter Videos" box – unless there’s a very new music video out, few people are likely to care what clips are being shared.  Also, the "Buzz topics" probably won’t relate.  The section doesn’t do any harm, though.

So the next time you’re in the mood to watch music videos, consider giving Yahoo Video Search a chance.  For at least some bands, the upgrade is in effect and working quite well.

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Shortly after the official announcement for the BlackBerry Curve 8530 coming to Verizon, Sprint customers were asking, “When are we getting ours?” It looks like a Sprint version may be coming around about the same time as Verizon’s 8530. There is no date for sure, but a Sprint spokesperson said that it is definitely coming and will be packing Wi-Fi and EV-DO, too. The price point should be about the same as Verizon’s, we’d imagine, though we’re hoping they give some kind of incentive for grabbing one of these over a Tour, which can currently be had at Best Buy for $99. If nothing else, this could appease all the trackball haters. Let’s just change the hue on that puppy, alright?Read

Gran Turismo 5 is a big game. The car count alone attests to that. Of course, games cost money, and big ones even more so. So just how money much did …

Fresh from the Twitter feed of Grant Imahara we see Kari from Mythbusters going nuts with a sniper rifle taller than her. I hope it’s for an experiment and not a Discovery-channel sponsored “Deadliest Game” reality show where the prey will be hosts of various Food Network programs.

More developments in the absolutely gripping California Energy Commission vs The World drama. The CEC has delayed a meeting wherein it was to discuss the possible implementation of a ban of sorts on the sale of energy-hogging televisions. The Consumer Electronics Agency (it organizes CES every year) has been fighting against the measure, arguing that any such regulation would necessarily raise TV prices, stifle innovation, etc.

But yes, the meeting has been postponed till November 18.

The CEC said it postponed the meeting in order to “consider all the comments submitted” by the November 2 public comment deadline.

Bureaucratic nonsense, all of this.

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Me with the panel

Last week I participated in a panel discussion which was part of a premiere launch of the movie ‘The Burning Agenda’. This is a film, produced by Dr Owen Day from the Buccoo Reef Trust and supported by the UK government as part of their Equity campaign, to strengthen the voice of vulnerable countries like the Caribbean on the impacts of climate change they face. The film was also launched in Trinidad and Guyana last week and I am told it is now being picked up by the regional television networks, which is great. It makes an important contribution to raising public awareness here about the issue but will also do this internationally when it is shown at the upcoming Commonwealth heads meeting in Trinidad and at the Copenhagen side event that the Caribbean will host next month.

It was a great turnout and the auditorium was full. Having been part of the initial planning discussions it was a thrill now to see the final product. I sat next to Owen who was a little anxious as you can expect – hoping it was well received and that all the technical systems would run smoothly. He need not have worried. It had us all captivated from the beginning and represented the region’s perspective very well – from all levels – with views from President Jagdeo and Prime Minster Manning to those of a nutmeg farmer in Grenada and rice farmer in Guyana who have suffered tremendous losses due to recent disasters but could also share what current climate change issues they face. Comments from BP’s executive director, on the role of the private sector, was also encouraging.

Two featured speakers in the movie were on the panel – Dr Ulric Trotz, who is the Scientific adviser for Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre and Dr Leonard Nurse, local noble prize laureate and member of the scientific team of the IPCC. I felt very humbled to be in their company. They make such a valuable contribution and speak very well. Time for discussion was not long enough to deal with a complex subject like this – but a good range of questions were shared nevertheless.

One person told me that the most interesting quote for the evening for them was the comparison of the carbon footprint of a vegetarian in a small car to a meat eater walking to work. This was given by the member of the audience after reading the BBC interview with Lord Stern on the high methane contribution of cattle to greenhouse gas emissions.

Questions also covered the region’s hopes for Copenhagen and how critical the US was to a meaningful agreement – to the inspiring voice of a young 11 year old boy asking us what he can do to help – to changes that can be made at the policy level to encourage those who are keen to do their part like install energy efficient devices in a home but are finding it expensive to do so. This obviously only scratched the surface of the debate but I really hope it continues whenever it can and everywhere. I must congratulate the British High Commission staff in Bridgetown for an excellent event.

Life guard hut – complete with solar panel

In grabbing a much needed juice afterwards, I was chatting to the general manager of the National Conservation Commission, Keith Neblett who told me about the solar panel that had just been installed at Rockley beach on the lifeguard hut to run their PA system which proved to be an easy but very practical solution to power issues they have at the beach. I thought I must check it out and have inserted a picture for you here as there cannot be too many of them around the world.  I am really enjoying finding out more about the adaptation challenges but also the opportunities a climate smart and low carbon and energy efficient development pathway provides. As I investigate these oppportunities further it is like an invisible gate has opened and I am discovering things in the most unusual ways…but more about that next time.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., says she will have enough votes to pass Democratic health care legislation by Saturday. “The statement, however, is a tacit acknowledgement that she doesn’t have them yet,” The Hill reports. “‘We will,’ Pelosi said, when asked if she had the 218 votes needed to pass the $1.055 trillion bill. … Obama will make a final push before the vote by traveling to Capitol Hill on Friday for a meeting with House Democrats, according to a White House aide” (Soraghan, 11/5).

Minority Leader Steny Hoyer also predicts the bill will pass Saturday, The Associated Press reports. “The Maryland Democrat said in an interview with wire service reporters Thursday that House leaders will have the 218 votes needed to pass the sweeping bill, presuming a couple final issues are resolved. He acknowledged that the vote will be close. Hoyer said language on abortion and illegal immigrants was still being worked out but predicted those issues could be solved in time for Saturday’s debate and vote on the legislation that President Barack Obama has made his top domestic priority” (11/5).

Bloomberg: “‘It’s going to be close,’ Hoyer said in an interview with news service reporters today. ‘This is a huge undertaking; there are legitimate concerns.’ Hoyer said he expected the House to vote Nov. 7. With no Republican support expected, Democrats need 218 votes to pass the measure. ‘We are probably right at about 218 right now,’ Hoyer said. That total includes some who want assurance the legislation sufficiently restricts government financing of abortions or subsidies for undocumented workers, he said” (Rowley, 11/5).

In a second article, The Hill reports that “Pelosi said during her weekly press conference that she and other Democratic leaders have not decided whether or not to allow changes submitted by Rep. Brad Ellsworth (D-Ind.) to clarify language on federal funding for abortions … 40-some pro-life Democrats, led by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.), have threatened to oppose the bill over concerns about the strength of provisions in the bill barring federal funds for pregnancy termination. House leaders have maintained throughout the healthcare debate, though, that the bill does not and will not allow such funding” (O’Brien, 11/5).

Meanwhile, “AARP, the powerful lobbying group for older Americans, endorsed the U.S. House of Representatives healthcare reform bill on Thursday, bolstering support for the measure as it heads toward a close floor vote on Saturday,” Reuters reports. “The group said the bill would help older Americans pay for their prescription drug coverage and strengthen Medicare, the government-run health program for the elderly” (Smith, 11/5).

The Washington Post: “The AARP, the nation’s largest and most influential association of older Americans, endorsed the House health-care bill Thursday morning and vowed to lobby House members in advance of Saturday’s historic vote.” AARP Vice President Nancy A LeaMond said the House Democrat’s measure met the organization’s top goals for reform, including strengthening Medicare. “‘This gives the bill a very important boost,’ said Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the House leadership. ‘Some of our members are very nervous about how this bill has been received by seniors. For AARP to endorse it provides important validation’” (Montgomery, 11/5).  

The Cleveland Plain Dealer: The American Medical Association also today announced it will support the health reform bill, “providing an important boost to Democrats hoping for passage this Saturday.” But AMA President Dr. J. James Rohack also urged Congress “to simultaneously pass a companion bill to fix Medicare’s payment system” and added that both steps “‘are essential’ to achieving meaningful reform this year” (Koff, 11/5). 

CNN Political Ticker: In offering the AMA’s endorsement of the House Democratic bill, Rohack said the measure was “‘not a perfect representation of our views,’ but is close enough to warrant the support of the organization.”

Boston Globe’s Political Intelligence: “President Obama, in a surprise appearance during the regular press briefing, bragged this afternoon about the support for the Democratic health care bill by the AARP and the American Medical Association, saying the endorsements bring reform closer than ever.” He said the AARP’s backing was “no small endorsement” and that it should “rebut criticism that the proposals would hurt seniors.” Similarly, he said the AMA’s support was important because “the doctors of America know what needs to be fixed with our health care system” (Rhee, 11/5).

The powers and resources of the NPD, Enterbrain, and GfK Chart-Track have all come together and the results are in – Dragon Quest IX dominated the gl…

For a while now, the MPAA and the major movie studios have been asking the FCC for permission to break your TV and DVR by enabling “selectable output control,” which would block the recording of certain movies. The MPAA’s claim for why they needed this is to add another “window” for releasing movies as video on demand prior to them being released on DVD. But that makes no sense. As we pointed out, when they first made this claim, there is absolutely nothing stopping them from releasing these movies earlier for VOD. There’s nothing to stop them from doing so — and it’s not like SOC would actually block the movies from being online. Every movie ends up online around the same time (usually before) it gets into the theaters, so these movies would all be available for file sharing prior to the VOD release anyway. The MPAA keeps saying that it simply can’t release the movies earlier without this form of DRM, but it appears that the studios own actions prove that we were right, and the MPAA was lying. Public Knowledge is pointing out that Warner Bros. has released two recent movies for VOD prior to DVD, even as the MPAA is still insisting that it’s simply impossible. Oops.

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Cup holder, eh? I like cups. Who doesn’t? If you constantly find yourself in need of a 22 inch wide glass shelf with a built-in three-port USB hub and cup holder attachment, then today is your lucky day.

The $50 UBoard is pitched as a “USB Multiboard For Your Keyboard & Office Life.” I don’t know about you, but I like to keep my keyboard life and my office life separate. It’s hard to do, but it’s important to me.

The tempered glass shelf can hold up to 33 pounds, but the product page recommends that you should not sit or stand on it. I agree, in principle.

UBoard – USB Multiboard for your Keyboard & Office Life [Pyramid Distribution]

Movie-loving PS3 owners who took advantage of the recent PS3 support announcement from Netflix should go check their emails right now. Netflix has sen…

We’re sure that most of you are sick and tired of all of this Verizon news (how do you think we feel having to write about it?), but they’re on a tear. Today Verizon announced that it will be carrying the BlackBerry Curve 8530 starting November 20th. To go for $99.99 on contract after a $100 mail-in rebate, the new Curve offers the following: full-QWERTY keypad, optical trackpad, 2 megapixel camera, GPS, dedicated multimedia keys, 3.5mm headphone jack, 256MB of app memory, 528MHz processor, EV-DO connectivity and last but not least, Wi-Fi! Yes, indeedy, Verizon is definitely looking like the front runner in the smartphone arms race of the 2009 Holiday Season.Read

Definitely not confirmed, but rather interesting nonetheless. We’ve heard now from two sources that AT&T, and we guess Apple, are contemplating launching an 8GB iPhone 3GS at the $99 price point before Christmas. One source said this was AT&T’s way of combating the DROID madness.

There’s a silly study, conducted by Retrevo, making the rounds that purports to analyze how iPhone users fare in the dating world. I know, right? One stat to whet your beak: one in three iPhone owners have admitted to breaking up with their significant other via text message. Amazing.

Now this is how a game should be. I dunno if Modern Warfare 2 will indeed be the biggest entertainment release of all time, but damn, they sure know h…

In Monday’s Washington Post, under an Op-Ed headed ‘Could America Go Broke?’ columnist Robert Samuelson raises the prospect of the U.S. or another major economy defaulting on its national debt. Says Samuelson: “It’s still a very, very long shot, but it’s no longer entirely unimaginable. Governments of rich countries are borrowing so much that it’s conceivable that one day the twin assumptions underlying their burgeoning debt (that lenders will continue to lend and that governments will continue to pay) might collapse… The question is so unfamiliar that the past provides few clues to the future.”

Well, this raises the question of whether the past tells us anything about the future, and if so what? There’s a common wisdom attributed to Mark Twain (why is it that aphorisms are always attributed to Twain or Winston Churchill?) that goes: “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes,” and this is the position that most educated future-thinkers would hold.

So what would the ‘rhyme’ be? From cases such as Argentina, Russia, South Africa, and many developing world countries over the past 50 years: lenders loose confidence in a country’s ability to repay on its national bonds and stop lending; the country is faced with a choice of drastic spending cuts (great social and humanitarian cost) or major tax increases (pointless, because it stifles business, therefore lowers tax revenue) or default. Going broke, into national “Chapter 11,” suing for time and ‘debt restructuring’ becomes the best among the bad options event though it pretty much ensures a deep and dark recession.
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Thinking the unthinkable

Could this be the future of America? As I’ve written before here and other places, after the ‘unimaginable’ Credit Crunch was ignored due to its ‘low probability,’ it’s a relief to know that remote but plausible outcomes with serious consequences are getting attention, at least in the Washington Post.

Clearly major economies are in a more precarious situation than they were 5 years ago. Too much debt is always precarious, for the smallest household or the biggest country alike. On the other hand, an economy’s size and enduring wealth counts too. As Samuelson observes, it created the unexpected effect in Japan’s case where debt at 200% of GDP (America’s is currently about 40%) should have raised the cost of its debt (lower confidence of repayment) but this hasn’t happened because domestic Japanese households and businesses rather than foreigners have easily (and confidently) bought the debt — and this may well hold true for the U.S. too. In other words, the rhyme may go this way.

The ‘more likely’ future is incremental raising of taxes and lowering of public service provision as Western economies incrementally claw their way back to stability. But at least this default wild card on the margins of plausibility has the oxygen of some attention and this is no bad thing. As with all good foresight work, it predicts nothing, but it does allow us to think through the roadmap to the outcome, and press for the right decisions now, in plenty of time and in a measured way.

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Congratulation to Jen (comment #135), your kitties will get to enjoy a trio of delicious treats from Jake & Micah! Try not to eat them all at once!