Blackmoor Vituperative

Jeffrey Brett Goodin, 45, of Azusa, was convicted Friday on multiple counts by a jury in the U.S. District Court for Central District of California in Los Angeles, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement.

[…]

The Goodin conviction is the first by a jury under the Can-Spam Act of 2003, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Goodin was convicted on multiple counts in addition to the Can-Spam conviction, including wire fraud, unauthorized use of credit cards, misuse of the AOL trademark and attempted witness harassment, prosecutors said.

(from ZDNet, AOL phisher faces up to 101 years in prison)

One down, nine hundred ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred ninety-nine to go.

As regular readers know, I’ve been working through a series of posts on how economics works when scarcity is removed from some areas. I took a bit of a break over the holidays to catch up on some reading, and to do some further thinking on the subject (along with some interesting discussions with people about the topic). One of the books I picked up was one that I haven’t read in well over a decade, but often recommend to others to read if they’re interested in learning more about economics, but have no training at all in the subject. It’s Robert L. Heilbroner’s The Worldly Philosophers. Beyond giving readers a general overview of a variety of different economic theories, the book actually makes them all sound really interesting. It’s a good book not necessarily because of the nitty gritty of economics (which it doesn’t cover), but because it makes economics interesting, and gives people a good basis to then dig into actual economic theory and not find it boring and meaningless, but see it as a way to better understand what these “philosophers” were discussing.

Reading through an early chapter, though, it struck me how eerily a specific story Heilbroner told about France in 1666 matches up with what’s happening today with the way the recording industry has reacted to innovations that have challenged their business models. Just two paragraphs highlight a couple of situations with striking similarities to the world today:

“The question has come up whether a guild master of the weaving industry should be allowed to try an innovation in his product. The verdict: ‘If a cloth weaver intends to process a piece according to his own invention, he must not set it on the loom, but should obtain permission from the judges of the town to employ the number and length of threads that he desires, after the question has been considered by four of the oldest merchants and four of the oldest weavers of the guild.’ One can imagine how many suggestions for change were tolerated.

Shortly after the matter of cloth weaving has been disposed of, the button makers guild raises a cry of outrage; the tailors are beginning to make buttons out of cloth, an unheard-of thing. The government, indignant that an innovation should threaten a settled industry, imposes a fine on the cloth-button makers. But the wardens of the button guild are not yet satisfied. They demand the right to search people’s homes and wardrobes and fine and even arrest them on the streets if they are seen wearing these subversive goods.”

Requiring permission to innovate? Feeling entitled to search others’ property? Getting the power to act like law enforcement in order to fine or arrest those who are taking part in activities that challenge your business model? Don’t these all sound quite familiar? Centuries from now (hopefully much, much sooner), the actions of the RIAA, MPAA and others that match those of the weavers and button-makers of 17th century France will seem just as ridiculous.

(from Techdirt, History Repeats Itself: How The RIAA Is Like 17th Century French Button-Makers)

This is brilliant. I look forward to the day when the Digital Rights Mafia are in the history books right next to Tammany Hall, the Southern Pacific Railroad… and 17th century French button makers. 🙂

We have a Mutants & Masterminds game this Saturday. I am so excited!

I am running it. Mwah-ha-ha.

Scientists have created a tiny cable — much thinner than a human hair — through which they can transmit visible light, potentially paving the way for improvements in solar energy, computing and medicine.

The achievement, described in research published on Monday in the journal Applied Physics Letters, involves a re-imagining of the coaxial cable — that commonplace conduit of cable television, telephone and Internet service — on a minuscule scale.

(from eWeek, Tiny New Cable May Spur Big Technological Advances)

A major hurricane could swamp New Orleans under 20 feet of water, killing thousands. Human activities along the Mississippi River have dramatically increased the risk, and now only massive reengineering of southeastern Louisiana can save the city…

(from the October 2001 issue of Scientific American, Drowning New Orleans)

I loved tonight’s Fantasmo. It was simply awesome to see The Abominable Dr. Phibes on the big screen.

I was looking for information on the music used in Dr. Phibes when I stumbled across this excellent article about it; check it out.

Interesting note: Somewhere Over The Rainbow was not the only anachronistic song in the movie (The Abominable Dr. Phibes is set in 1929). The song One For My Baby (And One More For The Road) was not released until 1947. I did not know that.

Ah, and here is another Dr. Phibes article worth reading.

President Bush has quietly claimed sweeping new powers to open Americans’ mail without a judge’s warrant, the Daily News has learned.

The President asserted his new authority when he signed a postal reform bill into law on Dec. 20. Bush then issued a “signing statement” that declared his right to open people’s mail under emergency conditions.

That claim is contrary to existing law and contradicted the bill he had just signed, say experts who have reviewed it.

(from CommonDreams.org, W Pushes Envelope on US Spying)

Jesus Fucking Christ. Are you kidding me? Has this man even READ the U.S. Constitution?

Fantasmo Cult Cinema Explosion
Episode 22: Don’t Mess With Phibes!
Friday, January 5, 2007 – 20:00

In the early 70’s, the horror cinema scene was at the beginning of yet another dramatic change. Films like Night of the Living Dead, which featured graphic violence and social commentary, had paved the way for a departure from the more conventional brand of monster movie. Indeed 70’s horror films would be less focused on traditional terrors (e.g. Dracula, Frankenstein, etc.), and concerned more with threats arising from toxic waste, fuel shortages, environmental disasters, etc. As interesting as these subjects proved to be, there were still occasional forays into the fun-filled monster matinees of yesteryear. Some of the most fondly remembered of these outings were the Dr. Phibes films starring the legendary Vincent Price. A precursor to the likes of Jason Vorhees and Freddy Krueger, Phibes is a disfigured fiend seeking revenge for the death of his beloved wife. And when Phibes dispenses justice, it’s done in a creatively gruesome fashion! For this very special episode, your Team Fantasmo will be screening both Phibes films uncut . . . join us if you dare!

8:00 P.M. – The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) – Vincent Price stars in the title role of Anton Phibes, a disfigured doctor who seeks revenge on the surgeons who were unable to save his beloved wife. Thought dead following a car accident, Phibes has set up a secret lair from which to hatch his diabolical plan – unleashing the ten deadly plagues upon the guilty parties. Bees, bats, locusts, frogs, and many other nasty surprises await his unsuspecting prey! The only hope of stopping Phibes’ rampage lies in the hands of veteran character actors Joseph Cotten (Citizen Kane) and Terry- Thomas (Danger: Diabolik)! Featuring a number of truly outrageous set pieces, amazing costumes and make-up, as well as terrific performances across the board, the first Phibes outing has it all! If you think Freddy and Jason wrote the book on creative mayhem, you ain’t seen nothing yet! Rated PG-13

9:45 PM – Dr. Phibes Rises Again! (1972) – Following the success of the first film, the producers were eager to cash in and followed quickly with a sequel. Given the short turnaround time, one might think that the second outing would be a lesser picture. Happily such was not the case. This time around Phibes is on the hunt for a fabled Egyptian elixir, believed to have the power to resurrect the dead. Through the potion he hopes to be able to return life to his late wife. While the murderous mayhem is even wilder in the sequel (as one would expect), what makes this one truly special is the cast. Price and Terry-Thomas return, but also joining the fray is 70’s horror icon Robert Quarry (aka Count Yorga)! Quarry plays Phibes’ arch rival Biederbeck, an arrogant archeologist who hopes to beat the good doctor to the elixir. Quarry and Price make an excellent onscreen duo – a true horror movie fan’s dream come true! Rated PG

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An easy-to-exploit security vulnerability in Apple Computer’s QuickTime media player could put millions of Macintosh and Windows users at risk of code execution attacks.

The QuickTime flaw kicked off the Month of Apple Bugs project, which promises to expose unpatched Mac OS X and Apple application vulnerabilities on a daily basis throughout the month of January.

(from eWeek, Apple Vulnerability Project Launches with QuickTime Exploit)

I think this is great. Anything which helps educate Apple users and knocks their undeserved arrogance down a notch or three is a good thing.

I have never read the comic Painkiller Jane, but knowing that Kristanna Loken is going to be playing her in the TV series makes me want to check it out. I really liked her in Dark Kingdom: The Dragon King (one of the dumbest re-titlings ever — it should have been called The Ring of the Nibelungs, and I wish I could see the original version before SciFi Channel chopped an hour out of it), and of course she was outstanding in Terminator 3. And for all of the bad reviews it got, she was pretty good in Bloodrayne, too (although the movie itself is really not very good — the story in the computer game is much better — in all fairness it is leaps and bounds better than drek like Dracula 3000).

SCI FI Channel has cast Kristanna Loken (Terminator 3) in the title role of its new superhero actioner Painkiller Jane. Production on 22 one-hour episodes of the series, produced by Insight Film Studios, in association with Starz Media and Kickstart Comic Arts Studio, will begin in Vancouver next month.

Based on the comic book created by Jimmy Palmiotti and Joe Quesada, Painkiller Jane is the story of Jane Vasko (Loken), a DEA agent who is recruited by a covert government organization tasked with capturing “Neuros” — genetically enhanced individuals who possess superhuman powers of the mind. During the course of her first investigation with the team, Jane inexplicably discovers that she, too, possesses extraordinary abilities, which render her impervious to injury … but not pain. She develops miraculous regenerative powers, heals from every injury and finds herself stronger than she had been before. As she continues to work with the government to hunt Neuros, Jane tries to uncover the cause of her own transformation and what, if any, connection she shares with the very people she is pursuing.

Painkiller Jane is executive produced by showrunner Gil Grant (24, NCIS). Loken will serve as co-executive producer. The series is slated to premiere on SCI FI in Spring 2007, followed by a domestic broadcast weekly syndication window in Fall 2007. Starz Media will handle U.S. DVD and syndication sales, as well as distribution to key worldwide markets. Additional casting is currently underway.

Best known for starring opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger as the dangerously beautiful TX (Terminatrix) in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines for Warner Bros., Loken last appeared in theaters as Rayne in the feature-film adaptation of the highly popular video game BloodRayne. She also starred in SCI FI’s successful miniseries Dark Kingdom: The Dragon King in March 2006 and recently completed filming Dungeon Siege: In the Name of the King, starring with Burt Reynolds, Claire Forlani and Matthew Lillard, among others. Loken also produced the independent film Lime Salted Love, in which she also stars.

(from SciFi.com, Painkiller Jane)