I’m giving the latest iPod photo a try. This mp3 player also includes the ability to store and display photos (including the optional storage of the large, original image files – which makes it a handy backup device). It also will playback slideshows through your TV, along with music.
I also have the first iPod (5GB). It’s rather amazing to think that the latest ipod is a bit smaller, yet holds 12X the music and/or photos. So far, I’ve been quite impressed with it (I’ve dropped it a few times, including on a tradmill). It just works 🙂
Monthly Archives: December 2004
More on Oscar Meyer for Sale?
Michael Arndt wrote about Kraft’s possible sale of Oscar Meyer several weeks ago. Avrum Lank keeps the thread going this morning.
iPods and personal mixes cut into radio time
iPods, personal mixes and to a lesser degree satellite radio are evidently cutting into traditional radio listeners time tuned in. I actually think that most radio stations have become ad vehicles rather than creative outlets. For example, I used to listen to 105.5 (triple m in Madison) rather frequently. However, the past two years, I listen to our fine student station 91.7, WSUM and my iPod. 105.5 has no shortage of commercials and a reasonably predictable playlist (they do offer up new music periodically).
The best station, hands down is Fordhams WFUV, available via mp3 stream.
Michael Booth says that Denver stations are trying to change…..
Fine Photography Holiday (Christmas, Hanukkah) Cards
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Palm Press publishes a very attractive set of Holiday Greeting Cards.
Carolyn Said takes a look at the greeting card business.
Advertising: Things are changing
Lots of data around to show that all organizations must consider where and how they spend their marketing and advertising dollars:
- Online Shoppers say size does not matter as most are just as willing to buy from a small online retailer as a large firm according to Carole Matthews.
Circulation dropping is a blog dedicated to the recent newspaper circulation scandals. Newsday (one of the papers involved) summarizes the story here.
- Rick Edmonds: Ignoring the Elephant in Newspaperland; Effective circulation losses are 50 percent worse than we have been told.
Interesting Aerial Photos
Take a look at these gorgeous aerial photos – shot by remote controlled airplanes.
Property Tax Bills: Reading the Tea Leaves?
Perhaps my mind fails me, but in years past, I recall receiving a pleasant marketing letter from the Mayor extolling the hard work that went into limiting the annual increases in our property tax bills. This year, I found only the bill. I’ve emailed the Mayor’s office asking for comments on this.
Perhaps, given the size of this year’s increases, they did not want to be that closely identified with the tax bills? (OTOH, eliminating the letter does save a few dollars).
Badger Women’s Volleyball advances to NCAA Regionals
Great fun watching the University of Wisconsin Women’s Volleyball stage an impressive first period rally to beat Notre Dame 36-34, 30-16 and 30-16 Saturday night at the Field House.
The Badgers advance to the NCAA Regional semifinals played at the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wis., Friday evening. Wisconsin will take on third-seeded Hawaii Women’s Volleyball (30-0) with the winner moving on to play either Texas Women’s Volleyball (26-4) or Stanford Women’s Volleyball (26-6) in the regional final. For ticket information, call 1-800-895-0071.
I smile at the thought of Hawaii, Texas and Stanford joining the UW in Green Bay (Resch Center) next weekend 🙂
You can follow the NCAA finals here.
Schools, Quality of Life, Jobs, Economic Growth and Globalization
Yesterday’s property tax bill (including not small increases in local and school taxes) along with recent articles on the China Price and Milwaukee’s loss of unskilled labor jobs serve to remind Wisconsin residents of the real issues facing our state:
- Encouraging the formation of more new businesses. I don’t believe the formation of yet another quasi-government organization is the answer. Rather, let’s simplify (and reduce) the paperwork that any organization must support to operate in Wisconsin.
- Broadband: Wisconsin is stuck with SBC, a telco that has done nothing to offer true, 2 way broadband (100X the speed of today’s rather slow DSL/cable services) to Wisconsin residents. I have not seen any indication that our state’s political leadership has boarded the cluetrain on this one.
- Biotech certainly has great promise for Wisconsin, however, historically the benefits have generally gone to out of state firms. Perhaps this will change somewhat over time.
Without a strong, growing tax base, we’ll continue to see substantial increases in local property taxes. I don’t believe this is a sustainable strategy.
Baseball’s Steriod Problem: Comments around the Internet
Unsurprisingly, there’s no shortage of comments on this week’s steriod use disclosures by Jason Giambi and a sort of disclosure by Barry Bonds (from grand jury testimony). I’ve compiled quite a few links: Alltheweb | Clusty | Google News | Teoma | Yahoo Search
Michael Hunt pens a refreshing column taking baseball, Bud Selig and the MLB player’s union to task for not addressing the problem. Nice to see a more realistic approach from the journal-sentinel after their strange Miller Park cheerleading.