A new “channel” from Tim & Eric, Sarah Silverman, Reggie Watts & Michael Cera.
•A Couple Decent TV Articles in the Globe
… if you haven’t run into their paywall (what a pain in the ass). There’s one about changing TV viewing habits that probably isn’t news to you if you read this site regularly, but is still interesting to see fleshed out. And there is this article about the fight for mandatory carriage. TV channel owners want the CRTC to make a bunch of channels mandatory for cable distributors to carry in their basic cable package.
Subscriber growth has slowed but hasn’t yet gone negative, so cord cutting isn’t as rampant as one might think. But I’d wager that TV subscription prices are also going up, and that’s the issue with mandatory carriage. The BDUs (broadcast distribution units – Bell, Rogers, Shaw etc.) will want to pass any mandatory carriage costs on to their subscribers.
Let’s just say it. What everyone wants is a cheap, all-platform, on-demand net-TV package with a-la-carte channel add-ons. Make it $20-30 for the base, or free if you have cable already. Like Netflix, except with new shows. Simple.
First-time buyers find Toronto real estate market hot as ever
Semi-detached houses in the city are up 12.2% – even condos are up 1.9%.
<blockquote> <p>“We’re seeing a major culture shift and a complete redefinition of what’s desirable and the (housing) market is reflecting that now,” says veteran urban planner Ken Greenberg.“There is a new North American dream, and it’s no longer to have the suburban house and the fleet of cars. It’s living where you can buy your groceries on foot and you have access to transit.”</p> </blockquote>
Richard Florida Concedes the Limits of the Creative Class
“On close inspection, talent clustering provides little in the way of trickle-down benefits.” Note: ignore the article’s later arguments about suburbs etc., a lot of the data seems questionable (i.e. measuring growth by mile for 50 cities with wildly variable circumferences).
Banksophilia: Friends of Iain Banks
Iain M. Banks, one of my favourite writers, is dying of cancer. “I’ve asked my partner Adele if she will do me the honour of becoming my widow (sorry – but we find ghoulish humour helps).”
Roger Ebert Stories
The Bitcoin Bubble and the Future of Currency
(via)
Shane Carruth on self-distributing Upstream Color and “life in the pig corral”
I had this feeling he did the trailer himself (because he seems to do everything himself, including the music in the trailer), and I was right, as he’s doing all the distribution and marketing. About the trailer:
It’s like this is the opening-credit sequence of the film. It sets the tone. There’s a way to approach this where you want to make as much money as possible. I get that. But I think if we’re willing to just have some integrity and some earnestness, we get to do something better and something we can be proud of. It’s a continuation of storytelling.
Maybe skim over the first part of the interview though as it seems kinda spoilery. I get the sense that this is the sort of film you don’t want to go into knowing too much about the story.
My Name is Roger, and I'm an alcoholic
Ebert
One of the best trailers I’ve seen recently. Film sounds good.
•Roger Ebert dies at 70 after battle with cancer
Scrapped Canadian study found early promise for safer truck design
Sad. We need these side skirts or guards made mandatory yesterday, and the Feds are cancelling safety studies.
The Tiny House Society of Craven Rd.
Craven is a fabulous street near me that feels half like a back alley.
Ground Control, Part 1
Long article (split into three parts) in The Magazine about drones, their impending explosion in popularity, and the societal chaos that will follow shortly thereafter. Imagine what will happen when a drug-sniffing drone makes its first appearance.
I desperately want a drone, even if I can’t figure out what the hell I would do with it. Shoot aerial shots, basically.
Apple aims to win over video editors
campaign for FCP X to coincide with NAB