The Daily Loper – May 23, 2006

Today’s links of interest:

• Sony Lines Up Da Vinci Prequel
  If you didn’t see this one coming, raise your hand. In other news, Tom Hanks is getting younger.
• For Bill Maher on Amazon: Sell, Sell, Sell and No Politics? Maybe
  Why would you hire Bill Maher if you didn’t expect political commentary? Just asking.
• Download Your TV – The Current Options
  TechCrunch has a nice rundown on all of the major networks current Web-based TV offerings.
• The Dead Formats Society
  Forget holographic memory and nano technology machines. The ultimate utopian fantasy is a universal media player.
• Tales From Packaging Hell
  Consumer packaging is out of control. Retailers are apparently more concerned that they might lose a few sales than they are about the safety of their customers. Is there a Medialoper among us who hasn’t spilled blood over this very issue?
• The Weinstein’s new Web scheme: Pick me! Pick me!
  Finallly, a little exclusivity comes to the web. Now if only we had friends…
• Child Goes the Way of Elle Girl ? Away From the Newsstand
  What, exactly, does the phrase "new distribution reality" mean? Closest we can figure, it has something to do with moving the magazines outside the main shopping area (ie, to the place you go *after* you pay) in our local grocery store.
• Waiting For Hoffa
  Totally off topic, of course, but the Jimmy Hoffa game is all we have left now that Deep Throat has been revealed.
• Newspapers Increasingly Acknowledging the Need to Adapt
  They say that acknowledging the problem is the first step to curing the disease.
• Web Advertisers Find Offline Ads Can Pay Off Too
  The love goes both ways.
• Exclusive! NYT Launches Political Blog ‘Empire Zone’
  Sort of like a casual conversation with your hundred favorite reporters. Bet this lasts a month before this "blog thing" is declared a failure.
• Google Moves to Sell Space for Video Spots on Network of Web Sites
  Google: the world’s biggest advertising agency.
• iPod Killers for Summer 2006 Part 1
  A curiously long line of would be iPod killers (and this is only Part 1). Strangely, the Prism DuroSport is nowhere to be found. Maybe it’ll be in Part 2.
• Sen. Clinton Reveals Her iPod Playlist
  Strangely enough, it’s full of Finnish Death Metal.
• S.F. wants privacy on Google-EarthLink Wi-Fi network
  Privacy? What the hell is that? Stupid hippies.
• ‘ALVIN!’ Chipmunks, David Seville Are Back
  And we were all excited about the new media…here comes Alvin!