The Oxford English Dictionary will be online-only

The OED (Oxford English Dictionary) has been THE standard for the English Language. The 3rd edition has been in progress for 21 years, and is almost ready to ship in its normal paper form. But its owner has now announced that this will be the last paper edition of the hallowed dictionary which from now on will be produced only in electronic formats.

He said: “Until six months ago I was clinging to the idea that printed books would likely last for ever. Since the arrival of the iPad I am now wholly convinced otherwise.
“The printed book is about to vanish at extraordinary speed. I have two complete OEDs, but never consult them – I use the online OED five or six times daily. The same with many of my reference books – and soon with most.
“Books are about to vanish; reading is about to expand as a pastime; these are inescapable realities.”

This perhaps the most stunning prediction made by someone who doesn't sell iPad, Kindles, Nooks, or other eReaders. What do Mod-Bloggers think? Will paper books always have a place, or are we on the verge of a time where they are regarded as antiques fit only for display?

Beware of Dog

Random find on the web, no way to track it back to the original. But it made me laugh after a long day.

Autumn Cometh

What if?

One of the differentiating marks of a Moderate over either a Liberal or a Conservative, these days, is the ability to see and the honesty to acknowledge the strengths of both sides. So in that vein, let me ask a question.

Barack Obama ran on a platform of "hope and change," where his core promise was to "change Washington". He noted that the political culture was broken, and pledged to fix it. The last year and a half seems like a bust on that score. Partisanship is worse than ever. Now that it looks like the Democrats may lose the House, Republicans are already talking about returning to the old practice of White House probes and hinting at special prosecutors. This is the new rhythm that has existed since Reagan, where the wrongs of the last majority are used to justify those same wrongs by the new majority over and over.

What if Barack Obama's real legacy of "change" is turning the other cheek? What if he manages to break the cycle by making such tit-for-tat politics unsavory, by letting his enemies destroy themselves as they overplay their hands? In theory, it could work and could lead to a new era free of the hardball politics that have characterized the USA since at least the Clinton era.

Honestly, I remain skeptical. The President has shown himself to be, if anything, an old-school Chicago politician. But if this were his only legacy, it might be one of great service to the American system.

The Future of Internet Video

If you're not a user of an iOS device - iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch - you may not be fully aware of the battle that is currently being waged over the future of Internet Video. A year ago, the "state of the art" was based on Adobe's Flash player. But with the rise of the iOS juggernaut and Steve Jobs's refusal to allow Flash on his mobile devices, HTML5 is on the rise. HTML5 includes a new "video" tag in the base specification, so Flash is no longer needed, but now the debate has shifted to which Codec (i.e. the way video is encoded into a file and transported across the internet) will be the future. The two top contenders for the moment are WebM/VP8 - a standard owned by Google and being pushed as royalty-free - and H.264 which is used today for YouTube, iTunes, and most hardware-based encoders.

Up until now, the primary argument against H.264 has been the number of patents involved, and the high licensing fees for people who want to include H.264 in their devices/software which would be prohibitive for Free Software/Open Source groups.

The newest move in this battle was an announcement yesterday from MPEGLA that H.264 would remain royalty-free "forever" for websites and customers to use. This was taken by some to cut the feet out from under WebM/VP8 proponents. But today, Mozilla reminded everyone that this does not mean it is free to software or hardware makers. And until it is, Free Software and Open Source browsers like Firefox may be unable to support it.

This is required reading for anyone interested in the future of TV and movies on the web.

Broken Window Theory

When Rudy Giuliani became mayor of New York City, he enacted a number of major reforms based on "Broken Window Theory." An ultra-simplified version of the theory might be summarized as "Small crimes lead to big crimes." A broken window (vandalism) leads to the presence of junkies (since clearly no one is there to fix the window) leads to the presence of drug dealers and mobsters leads to violence on the streets as gangs clash, leads to murder.

Giuliani's work in NYC speaks for itself. After riots in the streets under his predecessor, New York reached historic lows for crime and especially violent crime. And his successor has kept crime low, despite the economic pressures of the Great Recession.

Unfortunately, many communities have apparently not learned the lessons of NYC. In order to meet the budget, they are now openly announcing that reports of "minor" crimes will be ignored, as the police force focuses on "major" or "violent" crimes. If "Broken Window Theory" is right, we know what to expect afterward. A marked increase in all kinds of crime, which the cash-strapped, under-manned police force will be even less able to handle.

Cutting waste is one thing. But in our quest for austerity, we must remember the essential services that a society exists to provide. Safety and security is at the top of that list.

Philip K Dick is rolling over in his grave

In 1956, Philip K. Dick wrote a story called Minority Report about a future society where criminals were apprehended before they committed a crime. It was later made into a movie by Steven Spielberg, starring Tom Cruise. The core of both pieces is the same - is it just to arrest and try people for a crime they have not yet committed? And how far will society go to protect itself? At the time, it was speculative fun or biting satire, depending on how you looked at it.

In 2010, it is quickly becoming reality. In PKD's world, precognitive superhumans were the means. Today, Google and other data warehouse companies look to mine data to predict future behavior.

“When a person goes on probation or parole they are supervised by an officer. The question that officer has to answer is ‘what level of supervision do you provide?’” Berk told ABC News, intimating that the program could have a bearing on the length of sentences and/or bail amounts.
...
“People assume that if someone murdered then they will murder in the future,” Berk also states, “But what really matters is what that person did as a young individual. If they committed armed robbery at age 14 that’s a good predictor. If they committed the same crime at age 30, that doesn’t predict very much.”

This is a kind of technology that needs to be closely watched and regulated. It is easy to say today that it will never be misused, but would the public have approved this technology on 9/12/2001 if it was revealed it could have predicted 9/11? We need to consider these questions now, because the hard choices are not far away.

Housing Prices Lowest in 15 Years

Economics is a fascinating and frustrating "science". Why? Because it all comes down to human perception. Things are worth what we collectively think they are worth. "Intrinsic value" has very little meaning for most things in the modern economy. We're seeing this in the housing market where people are holding off buying not because prices are too high, or mortgages are impossible to get, but because of a collective sense that things are getting worse.

One reason the market is hurting is that buyers and sellers are in a standoff over prices. Many sellers are reluctant to lower their prices. And buyers are hesitating because they think home prices haven't bottomed out.

"It really is a self-fulfilling prophecy," said Aaron Zapata, a real estate agent in Brea, Calif. "If all buyers perceive that home prices are coming down, then they will stop making offers -- and home prices will come down."

Of course, in the middle of the Great Recession, people are also loathe to take on a new, massive 30 year pile of debt. Still, we all know when house prices will turn around. When we collectively decide they should!

Review of the Kindle 3

Prior to the release of the iPad, I was a big fan of the Amazon Kindle. And I am still a big fan of the Kindle service and use it all the time on the iPhone and iPad. The ability to have the same books everywhere is invaluable to me.

But I will admit that the new Kindle 3 due out in a few days is a compelling upgrade. Faster processor, better battery, lighter, and now with Wifi. So, I am looking forward to reviews like this one highlighting the new device. I do believe eBooks are the future - if only as ONE aspect of reading. And Amazon hopes to own the category, even in the age of the iApps.

Your blog may cost you real money

Mod-Blog has resisted the rush to Google Ads that many blogs have followed for one simple reason - we view this site as a hobby, not a business, and don't want to subject our readers to intrusive advertising. It turns out that may have been a better idea than we even though, as now some cities are charging bloggers for business licenses, even if they only make a few dollars per year! One blogger, who had made $11 in 5 years, is now being ordered to pay a $300 "business privilege tax" by the city of Philadelphia.

The city disagrees. Even though small-time bloggers aren't exactly raking in the dough, the city requires privilege licenses for any business engaged in any "activity for profit," says tax attorney Michael Mandale of Center City law firm Mandale Kaufmann. This applies "whether or not they earned a profit during the preceding year," he adds.

So even if your blog collects a handful of hits a day, as long as there's the potential for it to be lucrative — and, as Mandale points out, most hosting sites set aside space for bloggers to sell advertising — the city thinks you should cut it a check. According to Andrea Mannino of the Philadelphia Department of Revenue, in fact, simply choosing the option to make money from ads — regardless of how much or little money is actually generated — qualifies a blog as a business. The same rules apply to freelance writers. As former City Paper news editor Doron Taussig once lamented [Slant, "Taxed Out," April 28, 2005], the city considers freelancers — which both Bess and Barry are, in addition to their blog work — "businesses," and requires them to pay for a license and pay taxes on their profits, on top of their state and federal taxes.

This is what happens when the blanket moratorium on internet taxation is allowed to expire. Expect more shenanigans like this as cash-strapped municipalities look for any way to squeeze cash from its citizens.

Excellent summary of the Conservative position on the Ground Zero Mosque

I am not exactly sure what I'd do as the mayor of NYC with the current situation. But, I must admit I have a lot of sympathy for this kind of thinking. Freedom of Religion is a cornerstone of our society... but so is consideration for others.

"But if they moved it somewhere else, we would put up a prime building for these people," he said. "Hell, you could do it next to my house in Rockaway Beach, I would be fine with it. But I'm not fine with it where blood has been spilled."

Big Changes for Lucasarts?

There is a rumor, and hopefully it will get no further than that, that Lucasarts is about to abandon many external development projects. TFU3 is already the first major victim of Meegan's still young reign at Lucas. But apparently it might not be the only.

We've also been told that another sweeping change made by Meegan is that the majority of "external" development of Lucasarts properties is coming to an end, with BioWare's Old Republic MMO to be the last game not developed internally at Lucasarts. That would presumably mean, for example, no more LEGO Star Wars or LEGO Indiana Jones titles after the upcoming LEGO: Clone Wars, as those have all been handled by Traveller's Tales.

So big changes could be in the future for Star Wars games. Personally, I pray that this rumor is either false or overblown. Lucasarts has barely managed to maintain any standing among gamers in the past decade and it is really due to the work of third-party developers such as Bioware that the company has made positive gains. I would hate to see them return to the lower quality games and the marginalization of Lucasarts that were a part of their past.

On the Cordoba Mosque

It's certainly a tricky situation and one that really highlights the cultural and political struggles ahead of us in the coming century. Rod Dreher lays out a very thoughtful essay on the question without lowering himself to the bitterness that has defined much of the debate. It's a lengthy read, but well worth it.

ChomeOS may finally be a reality

It can be hard, sometimes, to figure out Google's software strategy. On the one hand, they are running Android, a classic Operating System with Apps. On the other hand, they have been crowing over ChromeOS, a new operating system built to be lean and mean, with no built-in applications but only easy access to Web-based applications like GMail and Picassa. They seem to have hitched their wagon to two teams pulling in opposite directions! But until now, ChromeOS has remained primarily theoretical - there's no shipping hardware for it, and it exists only where people have hacked their own systems to install the Beta.

But now, Download Squad is reporting that a ChromeOS tablet will be on store shelves by Black Friday 2010. And it will be designed specifically to compete with the iPad during the busy Christmas shopping season.

One can only wonder how all of the hopeful Android partners who were planning to release their own Android-based tablets in the fourth quarter are feeling about this news.

Funny, but True Twitter Guidelines

Here is a great set of Twitter "guidelines" for people to follow done by John Acuff of "Stuff Christians Like". It is geared toward Christians on Twitter, but will be helpful and amusing to anyone.

Here is a Taste:

6. When you write a rude tweet to tell someone they were rude, you create such a forcefield of irony it makes Alanis Morissette’s teeth hurt

17. Twitter has a 2 to 1 sarcasm ratio. For every 2 people who get your sarcasm, 1 person will take you seriously and think you’re a jerk.

30. Twitter time is different from real time. Responding to a tweet from last week is like referencing the 1840s. Stay current or stay quiet.

Star Wars Controversy

Star Wars is no stranger to debate and controversy. Fans love the films and are willing to argue about the tiniest details of the films, books, and mythology. And George Lucas's desire to constantly fiddle with the films to bring them closer to his own vision has only made the controversies more intense.

But, CELEBRATION V may have kicked over the hornet's nest in a new series of interviews with Gary Kurtz. Kurtz directed the most beloved of the Star Wars films - THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK - and left the films during the early stages of RETURN OF THE JEDI. He has remained silent over the details for decades. But he has finally broken his silence.

“We had an outline and George changed everything in it," Kurtz said. “Instead of bittersweet and poignant he wanted a euphoric ending with everybody happy. The original idea was that they would recover [the kidnapped] Han Solo in the early part of the story and that he would then die in the middle part of the film in a raid on an Imperial base. George then decided he didn’t want any of the principals killed. By that time there were really big toy sales and that was a reason.”

The discussed ending of the film that Kurtz favored presented the rebel forces in tatters, Leia grappling with her new duties as queen and Luke walking off alone “like Clint Eastwood in the spaghetti westerns,” as Kurtz put it.

Kurtz said that ending would have been a more emotionally nuanced finale to an epic adventure than the forest celebration of the Ewoks that essentially ended the trilogy with a teddy bear luau.

This new story vindicates conspiracy theorists who have speculated for years that Kurtz had a "better" story in mind for the film than the final version produced. And this ending sounds a lot more satisfying to the adults that most fans are today. Although, I can't help wondering if the children who first watched JEDI would have agreed.

Staying Safe on the Roads

It is about 3 weeks ago that I had my first car-vs-bike accident down in North Wildwood, NJ.  I was very lucky, as the only real damage was to the passenger-side mirror of the car.  And I was lucky to have been riding along streets of a vacation burg, where the cars are rarely going at any speed.  Riding at home can be much more dangerous.  So, it is good to always keep in mind the tips and tricks of safe cycling.  

Looking behind you without swerving is an essential skill. For new riders, simply glancing back with your hands on the brake hoods may work, but this method often causes the bar to turn in the direction you're looking. This way is better:

 To look left, move your right hand toward the center of the handlebar near the stem, then drop your left hand off the bar as you turn your head to look back. Track racers use this technique when doing a Madison relay change. Watch the Madison at the Olympics this year--magic bike handling. Keep your upper body relaxed the entire time and practice, ideally in an empty parking lot with lines you can follow.

I went two years of serious riding before my first accident.  Don't assume that your experience makes you invulnerable.  Remind yourself often of the rules of the road, and the practices that keep you safe!

Posted via email from The Bike Nomad

Deleted Scene from Return of the Jedi

Released during CELEBRATION V. Oh, what might have been!

The Employed Aren't Happy Either

There has been lots of talk about the perils of unemployment in the Great Recession, and they are certainly not to be underestimated. But it turns out staying employed in the Recession can be perilous, too.

The Labor Department reported Tuesday that worker productivity fell 0.9% in the second quarter. That's the first decline in eighteen months and may be a sign that employees have finally gotten to the point where they are simply stretched too thin.

The amount of hours worked rose at a faster pace in the month than actual economic output. That means that companies may no longer be able to rely on cutting costs, particularly through layoffs, to juice profits...

"What's happened is a lot of U.S. companies have reached the limit of how much they can slash their workforce and work existing employees to the bone," said Nariman Behravesh, chief economist with IHS Global Insight in Lexington, Mass. "At some point, even weak spending growth will require businesses to hire more people to meet the demand."

In other words, employees are doing the jobs that used to be done by many more people. We have all made heroic efforts to keep things moving, but now we're simply burning out.

MugShots on Facebook?

The rights of the accused are a special thing in American society, one of the few places on Earth where "presumed innocent until proven guilty" is a watchword of the justice systems. We go to extreme lengths to protect those arrested, including the Miranda warning, state-provided legal counsel, and the right to remain silent. We want to ensure both that the guilty are punished and that the innocent are spared.

So what happens when Facebook enters the picture? One New Jersey township is now publishing the mug shots of arrested individuals, and leaving them up even if the accused should be exonerated. This means their arrest is only a Google search away for any future prospective employer. Or a date.

Is the deterrent effect of such a posting worth the potential damage to the innocent? What do Mod-Bloggers think?

I can SO relate!

Competition is good

It's good to remember that a bicycle is not the only way to challenge oneself... and the world.  From The Big Caption.

Posted via email from The Bike Nomad

Hmmmm....

Collage of Memories

One more mix of memories from vacation before we return to our regularly scheduled programming.

More Wildwood Videos

Here are some more Wildwood videos to give you a taste of our trip down the Shore.

Wildwood Friday Night Fireworks

We're back from our vacation, and wanted to share some of the fun with the Mod-Blog audience. Here are a few moments from the Friday Night Fireworks from Wildwood, NJ.

Euphemisms can be fun

Captivate vs iPhone: Speed

I did not extensively test an iPhone 4, so I did not get a good feel for its multitasking. The iPhone 2G that I tested did not have multitasking. It was slow at times, but overall responsive.

Android's ability to multitask is great because you can have many apps open and running at once. Unfortunately, it doesn't work well on the Captivate due to memory issues. The good news is that turning off some of the widgets and using Advanced Task Killer to periodically kill lingering apps has helped. The downside of this is that it can cause the battery to drain more quickly. Reports are that the new firmware, available in Europe, solves the issue. This will hopefully be fixed with the Android 2.2 (Froyo) update due in September for the Captivate. The biggest place where this is a problem is that the onscreen buttons don't always respond. Once or twice I've caught myself trying to press a virtual button harder in an effort to get it to respond. The other solution is to periodically power down your phone and start it back up again.

If you don't mind managing your tasks either manually or with an automated schedule, Android's multitasking is a nice feature. Developers don't have to rewrite their apps to support it, like they do for the new iPhone OS. If you don't want to be thinking about phone performance, you're better off with an iPhone.

This is the fourth in a series of posts. You can find the first article here.