Is Music The New Porn?

Actually, no. Turns out porn is the new porn. But let's leave that aside for a moment and look at how music might be the best thing to ever happen to ISPs. Over at dslreports.com, they have a short article on a report done by EntertainmentMediaResearch on digital music in the U.K.

There is the usual interesting stuff about Myspace, the USB format, and where people find new music. To me the real meat of the survey is the finding that music piracy is going up in each age group studied, and that people are far more worried about viruses than the threat of prosecution. To the porn analogy. It is often said that the VCR created a boom in the porn industry by allowing you filthy perverts to watch smut in the comfort of your own homes. Simply put, people wanted the content when they wanted it, and the technology was there to fill the need. This might also be the case with music downloads. Either an increase in broadband penetration is allowing more people to legally and illegally download music, or more demand for music downloading is pushing broadband into more homes. Either way the ISPs win. But don't feel bad for porn. I am sure it is doing fine on its own.

Of course, I am probably making a hash of the whole thing. If you want an educated opinion, read the study yourself, you're pretty smrt. Or ask an economist.

The Dr. Is In

He is the man they call The Professor, Dr. Robert Oxoby.

Loyal readers will recall our exclusive interview with Dr. Oxoby in July. Last night the good Dr. was on CBC's As It Happens (his interview is at 13:50 of part 2) discussing his seminal work on AC/DC and mating rituals. Or something. Anyway, somebody thought it was serious and tried to take Doc Ox (for sure nobody has ever called him that) to the woodshed fer a whippin'! Showing the class and humility for which he is known, Robox corrects the confounded commentator only to receive the rebuke that he still has "some 'splainin' to do!". And this from the man who admits that he has "written some ridiculous papers". For shame Dr. Levitt, for shame. You sir, are no Jim Heckman.

Oprah Hearts Hearts!

On today's Oprah, the big O said "Guess what I love about the heart?".

Sadly, "cardiac conduction system!" was not in her response. Ingrate.

What Is and What Is Not

Reincarnation had better be real. And it had better bring me back as Chris Sharma.

Things That Maybe I Shouldn't Have Read...

But wouldn't have missed for the world.

Back in 1971, at the tender age of 5, my father would toss me the occaisional quarter so that I could buy comic books. He knew it was a small price to pay to keep me quiet for hours and hours. My parents never checked out the books I was buying, because what possible trouble could a five-year-old and a spinner rack cause? Batman was my favourite then as I loved the tv show, and my Dad remembered the Caped Crusader from when he was a young fellow.

So off I go to the comic rack and there I get my greasy little paws on Detective Comics #410. The main story involves Batman, a mysterious killer, and some circus freaks, including a mute flipper-boy. That kid freaked me out. In retrospect, he was probably a victim of thalidomide, but back then, who knew? Anyway, Bats fights a circus giant, save Flippy (really) and consoles Really Fat Woman. On to the Bat Girl story.

Here we find librarian Barbara Gordon (she was a librarian?) trying to keep the criminal element for getting early info on which skirt length will prevail in the coming fashion season, Mini, Midi, or Maxi (Battle of the Three Ms!). By the way, Babs wears a gorgeous forest-green pants-suit in order to avoid having to make such a crucial decision herself. After some ace detective work (she looks at the bad guy's borrower's card...yes, the bad guy is in the library spying on a fashion designer, and they all wear turtlenecks!), Bat Girl finds the felonious fashinistas and tries to foul their flagitious plans with a kick to the face! Sadly she is waylaid by a roll of fabric. Sort of a brownish paisley, way out of season if you ask me. As our story comes to a close, we find Bat Girl strapped to a table, about to be cut into spring-wear by Serpy, the baddest of the bad guys. Here is the last panel.


I stared at this panel long and hard. I keept going back to it as something about it disturbed and excited my tiny brain. It felt wrong, like I shouldn't be able to view such a thing. But, it was in my comic book, provider of all things good in the world. You can understand my confusion. Was this something I should have seen as a five-year old? Probably not. Still, I managed to get to this point in life without committing any sadistic crimes or sewing a shirt. So maybe it all evened out.

As for Bat Girl, rest assured that she did escape, and set a new fashion trend at the same time. This is good, because in issue #413, she did battle with the mighty Death Wig!


As was the fashion of the day, my mom had quite the collection of wigs. So when I say that I have never indulged in cosplay, I am lying just a little.

Two New Dreamcast Games

Yes, it is 2007. You did not go back in time or find an out-of-date blog; there are two new games for my beloved Dreamcast. According to Arcade Renaissance, RedSpot games is publishing "Dalforce, a vertical shooter with 11 levels and a 4 player mode", and "Wind and Water Puzzle Battles developed by Yuan Works".

Now if somebody would just redo Sega Nights for any system, then I would be truly happy. I really should have kept my Saturn.