Scammers, GOTO, Hell

Well I got wave invite scammed. I'm nerd enough to want a wave invite, just not nerd enough to see a obvious scam for what it is.

OK, if you're like me and this is today's breaking news: Google Wave is rumored to be better than Christmas morning. The Beta is invite only. Getting invited is so difficult the FREE invites have sold for as much as $30.00 on eBay. Shame on you capitalists. Also while I have your attention, Capitalists, don't forget to donate, thanks.

The real issue is that internet scammers are using this surge of panicked invite requesting to get people to jump through ludicrous hoops. Even a legitimate request gives up your email address. There is a Wave of Wave scams, WILD LAUGHTER.

Countermeasure Blog's description of the scam

Tech 65 Blog's warning

My experience was telling as to why this is so effective. "Wave invite Free" got me so excited, my common sense got drunk on eggnog (Ed. - Christmas theme?). I hurriedly clicked a link to a different site with a sort of Google name and proceed to sign up and submit my email in a HTML code format (Likely used for automating the process of gathering names).

After the adrenaline faded my vision returned. A one invite seeker edited his post shortly after my initial one, deleting his email and posting, "scam site, google no longer accepting invites" (paraphrased and unconfirmed). So after Googling that term a dozen or so blogs showed that I was indeed the turd of the week. The forum used doesn't allow for deletion of accounts, so the best I could do was edit out my email and post a warning (to late, and will go unnoticed). To prevent furthering their scheme I'm not posting the link, but the pic shows my outrage is at maximum caps level.

The email I submitted was my brand new Topdawn@gmail.com. Fresh and pure, it has no contacts in it to harm friends, but it does mean I'll probably have to switch to a new character, since Topdawn will at least be getting spam for all eternity, and at worse sending harmful emails to contacts (to avoid that, I'm deleting the account after a week or so of investigating).

Speaking directly to the con('s): The Flying Spaghetti Monster will send you to Hell!

Seems passion is what it takes to write. Also, I still love Google a big grand bunch, and hope they hire me. I'm composing a application. Google takes those right? Topdawn

Rappers, Starbucks, Adaptation

Staying away from controversy was a goal of mine. However, tonight's special on 60 minute's concerning torrenting shows greed, excess and hypocrisy that is possible in any population of people. 

All men are created equal. This much we can agree on. However, charging admission to a post premier-showing of a Hollywood film, while insiders view the premier for free, might be exploitative/elitist. More likely it's promotion, spectacle, and/or something non-sensationalist.

A rational argument would be a view on Mankind's right to information, but there's no need to be derisive. Wrong is wrong, the discussion should focus on how Filmaker's should have responded to "internet piracy" Just look to other industries behavior in crisis. Green jobs, rebranding and/or outsourcing to Bollywood may be promising/inevitable but they aren't what seemed sensible to me.

The best solution is exemplified by the show Pawn Stars. That's right, a single group of Las Vegas pawn dealers accomplished what a large part of Hollywood has failed to even conceptualize: the key to thrive, not just survive, is to adapt.

The cast of pawn stars likely faced new threats to their lively hood:

• encroachment by eBay, 
• having real value attached to their product, 
• World Recession Two 

They didn't call foul on the world. They accepted and adapted. They likely deal shop items on eBay, they pull available together human numbers to provide a better value for a better return. That is surviving. Getting your own TV show is thriving. Way to go fellahs.

All of the tools already exist. Original thought isn't even required.

I don't charge for my content, in line with blog norms. The way most blogger's earn is through Google's Adsense or some other form of in blog advertisement. Bloogers win, Google wins, advertisers win, and viewers begrudgingly accept ads. Although even the viewer could view ads as the only known method to pay the salaries of at least three seperate industries, while enjoying the media they love.

TV shows, music and even movies have already adopted this:

• American Dad has had in-show Burger King ads ( go check it out at Hulu ).
• Rappers feature references to their own products, chessmaster-style.
• Radiohead has given away free CDs in the past and opted for donations. I hear they are doing well.

The solution has already been applied by some. Transformers was so injected with ads as to contain ad-based transformers!  The ads were sickly de novio. The first viewers exposed to TV commercials may have had a similar experience. Don't read to far into that statement. The experience wasn't traumatizing.  Some ads in Transformers, I didn't notice until were pointed out afterward ( BUY GE ).

 

This is what really bothers me. This is what makes me want to remove the compromise-gloves and kindly ask the man who overcharged me for tap water to kindly step outside the bar. This usually ends with mace/tasers/not-so-kind-words. To the point:

Why when alternative solutions exstist, do some filmmakers continue to gripe about fairness?

That was the extent of my post, pre-writing. The process brought the answer.

Hollywood isn't a bitter child seeking to scorn others. They are the last ones to realize the times we find ourselves in. Feel for them. Honestly, there were certainly people who felt the hurt of the world economic crisis before you. So, we do what we can for them, smack them, care for them, soften the blow of the jarring reality. Relate to them tips you learned during your own adaptation period.

• making your own coffee, Starbucks is for holidays, 
• improving your car's MPG by relaxing on the accelerator, 
• specifically to them, consider selling $13M guest house.

 It's time to man up Hollywood. Accept our shared fate, then fight back with compromise and ingenuity, not witch hunts/crying foul. We will all be better for it.
Whoo, That was what i consider my first legit blog post. Please leave comments with your thoughts, my errors, and DIY shoe-repair sites. Topdawn

Suicide, Virus, Speciation

Link post:

Suicide (two parts) 1    2
Virus
Speciation

No time for coverage, this is virology study weekend 2. Still, these are interesting and well worth a click. TD

Darwin, Twain, Orwell

Here you are, instant art in 2 minutes. Enjoy:
First find a book at readprint.com or just copy the text of something you've written.Then go to wordle.net paste text into wordle's awesome web app and enjoy custom art based on the word-frequency of your selection.

Here's some examples. I chose chapter 4 each of in The Origin of Species, Huckleberry Finn, and 1984. Topdawn

Birthday, Donate, Guilt

It's my birthday. I'm working the night of my birthday, so I don't feel guilty posting my new PayPal donate button before I get any real content. It's only $5, and it goes to pay for my classes at UMKC.

Thanks Topdawn