Yep.  Blu-Ray players need network connectivity, see, so they can be updated with the latest decryption of the latest in copy protection.  So what happens with the latest update to your Samsung Blu-Ray?  Well, you don’t get to see Clash of the Titans, The Book of Eli, Inglorious Basterds, Coraline… well, there’s a bunch of them.

Of course, the update to fix these problems will be out in a couple of weeks.  Meantime, so sorry.  Yes, you can downgrade.  If you know what you’re doing.  Which Joe consumer doesn’t.

I wonder how we survived back in the stone ages when our DVD players and VCRs didn’t get connected to the internet.  I know I sound like a luddite; I love new technology, but it’s getting ridiculous out there.

“Will you stop singing?” I hate it when Jon’s in a funk. He drinks, I drive him, and this song, over and over… He needs better standards in women. This isn’t working.

“STOP THE CAR!” The commanding voice made my military instincts kick in, and I stopped before I could think. It didn’t matter, he was already stumbling out of the car and onto the sidewalk.

With all the courage his liquor could muster, he went up to the beauty walking past him. “Hi. I’m Jon.”

Suppressing a smile, she held her hand out. “Lisa.”

A grin slowly spread on the face across from him. He couldn’t quite tell what it meant, however… Interested, or amused? I can’t tell. Dammit, I hate hard-to-read people…

Suddenly the smile dropped, and their eyes became as big as saucers. “Shit!”

“What?”

“My ex-wife just walked in.”

He shrugged his shoulders, shoving a bite of pecan waffle into his mouth. “How was yours?” he said, mid-mastication.

“Interesting. I met a guy recently. Online, in a chatroom. Local guy. I’m not ready to meet him in person, but I’m excited by the prospect. I haven’t dated since your dad left me, though he doesn’t know yet. But last night got… interesting. Hot. Steamy. Erotic, even. Cybermom41 felt SEXY.”

Horrified, he blurted “That was YOU?”

This is the first of 4 entries, I’ll post one each day through Monday.
——————

“Hold still, Juan.”
“It’s Jean now, dear. Remember?”
“Oh, I remember. You still need to hold still. If I don’t get this right, you’ll never pull this charade off.” She continued to futz with the buttons on the shirt, making sure they were just so.
“For the last time…”
“Look, this is important to me, OK?”
“I know that. And since you’re important to me, that makes this doubly important. If we get this right, we won’t have anything to worry about. I love you, more than anything.”
“No, not ‘I love you.’ Je t’aime.”
“Je t’aime. Kiss me, love.”

George R. R. Martin, one of my favorite fantasy authors, last night at Mysterious Galaxy Books.

Thanks to (and copyright to) ksgkphoto.com for the image!

I am excited by this news. I am. I’m a long-time fan of Prince and have acquired most of his discography — even that “Symbol” stuff he put out, where I thought he was kinda off-center but understood the protest against Warner Brothers.

Along came this interview with a UK newspaper, though… yeah, Prince is kinda batshit insane, guys.

He explains that he decided the album will be released in CD format only in the Mirror. There’ll be no downloads anywhere in the world because of his ongoing battles against internet abuses.

Hey, bless the man for attempting to control the medium his music is released on, but if he thinks there won’t be any downloads anywhere in the world… um, yeah. A dollar says by the time I wake up Saturday morning there’s gonna be a download available, somewhere. In fact, I’ll be so bold as to bet you 1 pounds sterling, brah.

Unlike most other rock stars, he has banned YouTube and iTunes from using any of his music and has even closed down his own official website.

Now keep in mind, he closed down his official website. This site was, for the longest time, the only way you could legally obtain digital copies of his music. Yes, they were DRM-encrypted. Yes, if you bought the tracks (many of which were exclusive to the club) and lost them over the last 4 years, you are screwed. No, there is no LEGAL way to get them back.

OK, we can go on and on and on through the article, and Arstechnica’s commentary is something to behold, but the fact is, Prince, you’ve lost it. I mean, you still have it MUSICALLY, but as a rational being? No.

Parting comment, Prince: You’re abandoning the internet. Trent Reznor can make a living there, and introduce us to new artists at the same time (if you can find Saul Williams, give him a listen). Freaking RADIOHEAD can make a killing there. Radiohead, who no one ever really liked except for that one song. Them. You, Prince? Arguably the most talented artist of the last 30 years? Free CDs through a newspaper. Two dying mediums wrapped in one. You just might be over.

And people will find your music on Saturday, despite your best efforts otherwise.