Blogjams and other stories
There's one born every minute. Blogs, that is. Well, actually, one every second. That's inflation for you. There may be a million blogs in the UK, 14 million worldwide. Almost certainly more. Perhaps less.
The Guardian quotes Technorati founder Dave Sifry as saying that while the blogosphere is growing like topsy squared, the number of active blogs has been steady for the past year. "I think that this shows that even as the blogosphere is growing at a geometric pace, the 'stickiness' of the tools and the willingness to write hasn't changed much at all." There has to also be willingness to read, of course. Content will always be king, queen, wizard and jester. Though the Blog of Anne Frank doesn't have quite the same ring, does it?
Still, any eventuality's possible in a world that gives in which a blogging London call girl can land a book deal and a Channel 4 drama, even though she really may just be a bloke taking the michael.
Speaking of films, Slate has a story on the possible death of movie theatres due to film studios giving them the financial equivalent of stomach-stapling by shortening the time window till movies go to video (straight to DVD doesn't have the same dismissive thump, does it?). It mentions the idea of the 'triage' of films via test screenings, polls and focus groups, to figure out which ones would draw punters into theatres and which would be best dumped straight into the (now hugely profitable) DVD market. This, of course, already happens in New Zealand. Some US movies never make it into cinemas, and you can just see poor buggers in the video shop wondering if they had read anything good about Death to Smoochy in their trawls around the critical web. Some films get a showing at the film festivals, and the public is never sure if ones like League of Gentlemen: Apocalypse (fan-pleasing effort, with a bulging plot resembling a student's last-minute science project) or Birth (a remarkably patient Nicole Kidman-led meditation on possible reincarnation from the maker of Sexy Beast) will get a wider release.
Of course, one way we know if a film is any good is if a critic we usually agree with gives it a plug or a swerve. Suckers of the fake critic David Manning of Connecticut's Ridgfield Press can at least get their money back, thanks to an LA court. The Hollow Man, A Knight's Tale, Vertical Limit, The Animal and The Patriot all boasted glowing review lines supposedly written by Manning, but really penned by employees of Sony. The first two films are schlocky fun, but the other three did need the help. But are there really not enough soft critics around?
No room for soft sorts when it comes to Auckland's transport. If Istanbul can, despite centuries of deeply impacted history underfoot, extend its meagre underground system, and Christchurch, with its allegedly awful traffic problems can consider a subway, why can't we? Curiously enough, the NZ Herald says a sort of maybe one is indeed on the drawing board. Why the hell, though, do we have to wait 20 years for it?
The Guardian quotes Technorati founder Dave Sifry as saying that while the blogosphere is growing like topsy squared, the number of active blogs has been steady for the past year. "I think that this shows that even as the blogosphere is growing at a geometric pace, the 'stickiness' of the tools and the willingness to write hasn't changed much at all." There has to also be willingness to read, of course. Content will always be king, queen, wizard and jester. Though the Blog of Anne Frank doesn't have quite the same ring, does it?
Still, any eventuality's possible in a world that gives in which a blogging London call girl can land a book deal and a Channel 4 drama, even though she really may just be a bloke taking the michael.
Speaking of films, Slate has a story on the possible death of movie theatres due to film studios giving them the financial equivalent of stomach-stapling by shortening the time window till movies go to video (straight to DVD doesn't have the same dismissive thump, does it?). It mentions the idea of the 'triage' of films via test screenings, polls and focus groups, to figure out which ones would draw punters into theatres and which would be best dumped straight into the (now hugely profitable) DVD market. This, of course, already happens in New Zealand. Some US movies never make it into cinemas, and you can just see poor buggers in the video shop wondering if they had read anything good about Death to Smoochy in their trawls around the critical web. Some films get a showing at the film festivals, and the public is never sure if ones like League of Gentlemen: Apocalypse (fan-pleasing effort, with a bulging plot resembling a student's last-minute science project) or Birth (a remarkably patient Nicole Kidman-led meditation on possible reincarnation from the maker of Sexy Beast) will get a wider release.
Of course, one way we know if a film is any good is if a critic we usually agree with gives it a plug or a swerve. Suckers of the fake critic David Manning of Connecticut's Ridgfield Press can at least get their money back, thanks to an LA court. The Hollow Man, A Knight's Tale, Vertical Limit, The Animal and The Patriot all boasted glowing review lines supposedly written by Manning, but really penned by employees of Sony. The first two films are schlocky fun, but the other three did need the help. But are there really not enough soft critics around?
No room for soft sorts when it comes to Auckland's transport. If Istanbul can, despite centuries of deeply impacted history underfoot, extend its meagre underground system, and Christchurch, with its allegedly awful traffic problems can consider a subway, why can't we? Curiously enough, the NZ Herald says a sort of maybe one is indeed on the drawing board. Why the hell, though, do we have to wait 20 years for it?
3 Comments:
Nice page!!! Greatings from Germany!!!
I love your blog! For creating this entertainment, In return, here is a link where you can make SIX FIGURES next month. I am walking proof. It's all from Google's pockets too!
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
Post a Comment
<< Home