Using a new book by Chris Anderson called Free: The Future of a Radical Price (Hyperion; $26.99), Gladwell makes the case that while we hear time and again that “information wants to be free,” it is, and has always been, the purveyors of that information that decide what it wants and how much to charge for it.
Using the examples of Amazon.com,Apple, and YouTube, Anderson (by way of Gladwell) illustrates that charging for content is still the only way to be profitable online. (He compares YouTube's half a billion dollar yearly losses giving content away for free to Apple's booming business selling both hardware and content.)
You should really read the story for yourself, but essentially this is what it boils down to: While the cost of ideas and delivering them to inquiring minds has decreased radically, and continues to do so, it will never be absolutely free. And the difference between free and not free is a very big difference indeed.
It should also be noted that The New Yorker story is available online, free of charge, as is Anderson's book.
Triple negative breast cancer recently claimed the life of longtime executive producer of The Tavis Smiley Show on Public Radio International—Sheryl Flowers. Flowers was 42.
But you've probably never heard of triple negative breast cancer. It is an aggressive form of breast cancer that is so named because the three receptors that successful breast cancer treatment targets—estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)—are not found in women with this breast cancer subtype.
If you want to learn more about triple negative and other types of breast cancer, check out these resources.
1) Watch tonight's show (see clip below). Tavis devotes the entire show to a discussion of breast cancer. He talks to one of the leading authorities on cancer risk assessment, Dr. Olufunmilayo Olopade and breast cancer survivors Diahann Carroll and television writer Jessica Queller.
Even with the unfortunate gaffs and Tina Fey impressions, she can still raise millions of dollars and has star power in parts of the electorate that will support her no matter what.
She has the moxie, confidence and enthusiasm that's sure to electrify crowds once again.
Fans stand behind barricades outside during the Michael Jackson public memorial service at Staples Center.
From LAX to Encino to the Staples Center, L.A. is abuzz with the frenzy surrounding today's Jackson Memorial. Early projections expect 1 million people to be downtown, and a billion more to be watching the live broadcast. Jackson's body, it is reported, will be there. It is rumored that Jermaine Jackson will perform.
According to the L.A. Times' Twitter feed, the Jacksons arrived at the Forest Lawn cemetary via motorcade from their Encino home at 8:20 this morning. LAobserved says there are 20 helictopers hovering over the site.
Meanwhile, outside the Staples Center, one bystander reports $40 parking, a line stretching 10 blocks and a mint being made on T-shirt sales.
For a lighter take on the goings-on, Jezebel will be liveblogging. They predict the services and all surrounding mayhem will cost taxpayers between $2.5 and $4 million dollars.
If you want to watch the events, turn on your TV, it doesn't matter what channel. Or go here. Or here. Or here.
Still without tickets? You can take your chances on Craigslist (via LAist). But seriously, you might want to just watch it on TV instead.
I saw Brian Williams a couple of nights ago talking about this, and I was confused as ever. After, he stated that the FDA would keep the drug on the market; their reasoning behind it was that it was more important to help people quit smoking than anything else.
But what if you're dead?
Chantix and Zyban users: will you continue to use the product, or will you look for something else?
Reason 1: Ongoing ethics complaints"Political operatives descended on Alaska last August, digging for dirt. The ethics law I championed became their weapon of choice. Over the past nine months I've been accused of all sorts of frivolous ethics violations - such as holding a fish in a photograph, wearing a jacket with a logo on it, and answering reporters' questions.
Every one - all 15 of the ethics complaints have been dismissed. We've won! But it hasn't been cheap - the State has wasted THOUSANDS of hours of YOUR time and shelled out some two million of YOUR dollars to respond to "opposition research" - that's money NOT going to fund teachers or troopers - or safer roads."
Reason 2: Lame duck status"I thought about how much fun some governors have as lame ducks... travel around the state, to the Lower 48 (maybe), overseas on international trade - as so many politicians do. And then I thought - that's what's wrong - many just accept that lame duck status, hit the road, draw the paycheck, and "milk it". I'm not putting Alaska through that - I promised efficiencies and effectiveness! That's not how I am wired. I am not wired to operate under the same old "politics as usual." I promised that four years ago - and I meant it."
What do you think? Are these good enough reasons for a governor to resign her post? Was this a wise political move? Did Gov. Palin just kill her chances for a possible presidential bid? Share your thoughts with us below.
Well, don't forget to also have an eco-friendly holiday weekend. Check out the video below and these tips for adding some "green" to your red, white and blue. And share your "green" 4th of July tips with us.
Probably the biggest movie opening this weekend is the Johnny Depp-Christian Bale gangster flick, Public Enemies.
Directed by Michael Mann (Heat, Miami Vice) the film takes place during John Dillinger's brief yearlong reign of bankrobbing in the early 1930s, when he attained the spot of Public Enemy Number One.
In the film, Depp plays Dillinger, a sort of Robin Hood of his time who robs from the rich, and while not giving the spoils to the poor, is still seen as something of a folk hero. A regular guy getting by in tough times.
Bale plays Melvin Purvis, the lead Federal Bureau investigator tasked with bringing Dillinger in, dead or alive. Marion Cotillard, who won an Oscar for her portrayal of Edith Piaf in La Vie en Rose, plays Dillinger's love interest. Along the way we are also treated to supporting performances by Giovanni Ribisi and Billy Crudup (as the cold and calculating J. Edgar Hoover)
While the film has plenty of satisfying action scenes (what's a 30s gangster movie without people shooting the crap out of stuff with tommyguns?) and both Bale and Depp are in top form, the film moves along without much pace or purpose.
We realize from the beginning that Depp's character is doomed, and yet even the inevitability of his capture is not enough to tighten the narrative of this film. Rather than playing like a Bonnie and Clyde-style gangsters-on-the-run story, this film is more of a sequence of loosely related scenes. Characters come and go with little warning or introduction, locations appear and disappear without explanation.
The effect of this is to make us feel somewhat like we're on the run ourselves, amid much confusion and muttered dialogue, enjoying a moment here and there, but never lingering on anything long enough for us to get comfortable.
While infinitely better than most of the other summer schlock cinema that's appearing these days, Public Enemies is no Untouchables, and I was kind of hoping it would be.
June 30th was declared "National Sovereignty Day" as Iraqi security forces took over control of Iraqi cities from U.S. troops six years after the U.S.-led invasion.
Seemingly emphasizing just how significant it is that Iraq would now be securing its own urban areas, a car bomb attack in Northern Iraq cut short the festivities, killed at least 20 people and injured 40.
"Those who think that Iraqis are not able to protect their country and that the withdrawal of foreign forces will create a security vacuum are committing a big mistake," Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki said Tuesday in a televised address.
“live the days we do have on this earth boldly and without fear”
After a week of high profile celebrity deaths, ranging from the likes of comedy straight men to international icons and superstars, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by all of the tragedy.
Sources indicate that his wife found him in his bed and unresponsive when she tried to awaken him in their Tampa, FL home.
When I heard about these recent deaths, it really hit me hard. A great deal of reflection took place on my part as I began to evaluate how short life can be.
We could all leave this earth, without a moment's notice. So my suggestion is to live the days we do have on this earth boldly and without fear. It's one of the few real choices over which we actually have control.
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