Free Republic

The New York Times is at it again, literally. We're struck by the similarities between two separate New York Times articles regarding Apple iPod. So struck are we, in fact, that we can't let it go without first analyzing the formula that NY Times writers seem to have concocted. The formula: 1. Find a disaffected anti-iPod voice from the appropriate age group. 2. Quote lone anti-iPodder liberally in order to make their sentiment appear important. 3. Highlight alternatives to Apple's iPod in-depth. Let's compare, shall we? From the New York Times: October 5, 2006 by Wilson Rothman:When Max Roosevelt wanted...

A company formed after the burst of the Internet bubble to control assets of defunct ZapMedia Inc. has received a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that could potentially send shock waves through industries that distribute digital audio and video content over the Internet. ZapMedia Services, which now owns Patent No. 7,020,704, has put it up for sale. Organizing negotiations, Atlanta-based Lava Group Inc., which manages patents and intellectual property, has been fielding calls from executives becoming aware of ZapMedia's portfolio. ZapMedia's patent describes a distribution model for audio and video digital content, a combination of streaming media...

<p>When thinking of fads most people think of an item that enjoyed a brief moment of fantastic success then faded just as quickly into obscurity. Examples of this phenomenon are numerous: pet rocks, mood rings, Yahoo Serious, and the Hamster dance to name but a few. The careful reader will note the glue binding these items together is their questionable utility. The aforementioned items are all things that actually serve no discernable purpose. Hence, their meteoric rise to popularity is more surprising than the following stomach churning freefall into oblivion.</p>