Worst [6:40 PM] C-Net: Illinois mayor runs anti-Net commerce TV ad
What is it about idiots and second handers that makes them gravitate towards positions of power they should not have? Thatis a rhetorical question kids, so donit bother answering. This report by C-Net made our "Worst" list today not because it is a bad report, but because of the bad man that they are reporting on. The mayor of Nile, Illinois, Nicholas Blase, has decided that the perceived threat of Internet sales on his townis retail tax base is reason enough for him to use FUD tactics to scare his residents into not shopping online. Internet sales are largely untaxed, and bureaucratic pinheads around the country are all clamoring that their slice of the tax payer pie is going dry up. First of all, this isnit true. Retail establishments arenit going anywhere, and bureaucratic pinheads are not entitled to this money in the first place! If the services that their government organizations provide are so vital, then local voters should be asked to vote for new local taxes. Lastly, even if Internet sales were a threat, THAT WOULD NOT BE A REASON TO PLACE DELIBERATELY MISLEADING ADS THAT YOU KNOW ARE MISLEADING! Grumble grumble grumble. Our favorite quote from this piece:Niles Mayor Nicholas Blase knows he is taking on a formidable force. But he says he has to do something to protect the $15 million in sales tax--80 percent of all city revenues—the areais stores bring in each year.
"Anything that endangers that base is a real danger to us," Blase said from his office in a town known for its Italian groceries and replica statue of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
The most frustrating thing this reviewer has read in the last few weeks. Reviewer - Bryan Chaffin
Best [6:40 PM] Applelinks: How We Hurt Apple
Joe Ryan talks about the perception that many of us have that Apple owes something to Mac Web sites. Mr. Ryan, the founder of Applelinks, is referring to the way some people attack Apple for attacking rumor sites that print what Apple considers to be trade secrets. Mr. Ryan makes some good points. Our favorite quote from this piece:Publishing rumors is all about ego and money. Websites stay in business through revenue generated by advertisers. The more traffic on your site the better. A website that generates 20,000 hits a day might jump to 200,000 when a rumor is posted. Publishing the rumor is not only a traffic boost, but an ego boost as well.
A good read. Reviewer - Bryan Chaffin
Best [1:00 PM] Right On Mac: PC Confessions - Mac sites should be required to have "Mac" in their titles
We pick up after MACWORLD with Lexi showing everybody whois boss, Nick wondering how he is going to explain thing to Janet, and Mike waiting for some lunch time action. Our favorite quote from this piece:She did a Google search for software updaters on her swanky NT box. Her Pentium at home was stuttering, and she was afraid a low level format was in her future. Perhaps she could spend a little down time at work troubleshooting. But if worse came to worse, it would make a nice evening with Mike.
"Versiontracker," Google suggested. She left-clicked on the bugger.
"UGH!" she moaned. "These damned Mac sites should be required to have iMaci in the title so normal people donit get suckered in!"
We know this makes it to our B&W nearly every week, but it really is pretty good. Enjoy. Reviewer - Kyle DiAddario
Best [1:00 PM] Low End Mac: The Rumor Mill - Borg Sue Apple Over Cube
Admittedly, your editor has not seen an episode of the original Star Trek in over 10 years, and we have never seen one of the new episodes. However, that does not preclude us from thinking that this is really, really funny. A spin on the Cobalt lawsuit farce that Apple is currently dealing with, we would give the Borg rumor more "reality credit" than the Cobalt one. Our favorite quote from the article:"Apple has shown their ability to assimilate both Microsoft Windows and Linux for use on their computers. Their ability to assimilate other operating systems overshadows that of Bill Gates to assimilate businesses and individual computer users. We believe that Steve Jobs intends to assimilate all competition, then begin a cybernetic collective on your planet that may grow to rival our own."
Now this is comedy. Reviewer - Kyle DiAddario
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