Today, Apple launched their new music store. Given the pitiful state of the legal downloadable music market, it can hardly be worse than what's out there. Can Apple make a successful business where others have failed?
Today, 50 years ago, the structure of DNA was discovered in Cambridge, England. Happy Birthday, DNA!
It seems the looting has spread beyond Baghdad - Sony has already trademarked 'Shock and Awe' in the US for a PS2 Game.
I am not making this up.
Sony is set to launch a computer game called "Shock and Awe", having registered the defining phrase of the coalition's military campaign as a trademark in the US.It registered the term as a trademark with the US Patent and Trademark Office on March 2 1 - just one day after war started. It wants to use it for computer and video games, as well as a broadband game played both locally and globally via the internet among PlayStation users.
Sony leads charge to cash in on Iraq [via DrudgeReport]
Strangely absent from San Francisco so far, Apple is now opening a branch in town in the old Sephora store near Union Square:
The intersection of Ellis, Stockton and Market streets in downtown San Francisco will apparently become a Mac mecca within the next 16 months. According to the Blade's local Fuller Brush representative, a local architectural firm has signed a contract with Apple to gut and refurbish the current Sephora outlet at that location and create a monster, monster Apple store that dwarfs even the mighty model in New York's SoHo neighborhood.The Blade's buddy waxes lyrical about the new official Mac Party organ, which will feature its very own entrance to the Powell St. Muni Metro and BART station. (In apparent homage to one of Steve Jobs' notorious alleged job-interview questions, that location faces the Market St. Virgin Megastore.) He reports that the huge building—perhaps twice the size of the SoHo Apple Store—will be dramatically overhauled to take full advantage of its prime location and airy architecture. Among the notable features, the store will be covered with titanium-colored, porous metal plates that allow light to pass through and a single gigantic, white Apple logo.
Time To Market [Via MacEdition - Thanks, Susan]
No, not mine; this one:
April 8 Thinking about making some food
I was doing some things and noticed that it was nearly time for something to eat. I may well go to the kitchen and make some food shortly. This will probably happen five or ten minutes, although it could be as long as fifteen.
April 1 Walking past the ironing board
I left the room and walked past the ironing board which I had left up in order to do some ironing. When I came back into the room I walked past the ironing board once again.
The Dullest Blog in the World [via IncisionCandy]
Interesting analysis of previous 'liberations' and why foreign armies are not universally welcomed - surprise surprise, even if you live under an evil dictator.
Outsiders are suspect. As one captured Soviet official told German interrogators during World War II: "We have badly mistreated our people; in fact so bad that it was almost impossible to treat them worse. You Germans have managed to do that. In the long term, the people will choose between the two tyrants the one who speaks their language. Therefore, we will win the war."To me, the Iraqis living under dictatorship and now caught in its violent overthrow appear less puzzling than Americans who talk of building democracies in the Arab world while disparaging government institutions, taxes and public programs at home.
Liberators and Enemies Can Look a Lot Alike [New York Times] (Reg. Req'd)
Despite Madonna blocking the release of her controversial new video in the USA, it was shown in Germany and Salon picked up a bootleg. The images of war and consumerism are nothing new. If anything, this shows how divided public opinion is: when someone like Madonna who ordinarily would revel in controversy feels compelled to withdraw from the debate. Since neither the video nor the song are remarkable, perhaps pulling it at the last minute is the best way to ensure people want to see it.
The Madonna Video You Can't See [Via Gawker]
Madonna: American Life [RealVideo] (mirror)
Madonna Defends Her Violent 'American Life' Video [MTV.com]