Cashing in on the $8 Million MP3 player.

Alright folks.  So I just learned something neet.  That music piracy might be even more lucrative than robbing Ft Knox.  Now, first off, this is just between you and me.  We cannot share this with others, because if someone found out we'd have a SWAT team at our doors.
First, we need to really see exactly how lucrative this new scheme really is, and for that we call in experts.  Check out this amazing TED talk (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 TED Conferences LLC / Rob Reid)

Now the reality...  If our government says it is so... it's got to be true right?  So now we need to figure out where in the black market we can find people offering $150,000 for a single copy of an mp3.  I know I get a penny or two when someone downloads through my blog from Amazon.  I'll have the first year domain registration paid in 10 years or so at that rate, so I'm betting it's not there.  Is this the source of our national deficit?  Is this how China is going to undermine our market?  Hack itunes and steal our nation's worth?  Are we going from precious metal backed currency to a federal reserve to an itunes store backing our currency?  We need to decode this shit now and tap into untold millions!  

Tomorrow's blog entry:  The bridge market, when to buy and when to sell, on the NEXT episode of Plus Five Gear!

Key of Opening and Biting - Swiss Tech Utili-Key

Let me start this out by saying i LOVE multi-tools.   Put the title on something and you have my interest.  Simply put, I detest having to carry more stuff than I have to, so anything that lightens the load is perfect.  Inventory management has plagued gamers for decades as a sort of necessary evil, and this is even MORE true in real life if you prefer to follow a lifestyle that includes some EDC gear.  In this case, this very reduction is why I will gladly take the risks involved with this annoyingly wonderful tool:  the Swiss Tech Utili-Key 6-in-1 KeyChain MultiTool.

Tshirt of Fear +1

An old friend of mine has once again taken to minimalist humor to bring woe and trouble to our lives.  He's got a new cafe-press item out that is very worth it for creeping out your significant other, getting double-takes from people, and most importantly keeping people out of your drinks and lunch thermos.

There's a reason this guy used to help us run our old WoW guild...   I can't remember for the life of me what that reason is, but the stuff is funny, go get it.

http://www.cafepress.com/wittybucks  

Used without his permission, I'm sure he'll sue me once this stuff makes enough money that he can afford a lawyer.  

Music of the Day - Suicidal Tendencies - Institutionalized

I've quickly forgotten how time passes, but was very recently reminded of this when another facebook "share this with all your friends" made it's rounds, 50% of the people out there were sharing it with no real idea of the original song!

Hump Day - The Box

photo credit timmyGUNZ (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) 

As everyone SHOULD know... Wednesday is HUMP DAY!  What does this mean?  Hump everything in sight?  (wear protection please.  I even have knee pads for this event.)

Since hump day is that dreaded mid week burnout day, I figured a little sit down philosophy would be in order, so for hump days to come, you can ignore my posts totally knowing I'm going to post something from the inane depths of what's left of my mind.

To start off, there's a particular phrase that really has struck a nerve with me, and I feel creates twice the suffering especially by the time it's been heard a few times daily leading up to the midweek blues.  That phrase is "Think Ouside The Box".  This to me is one of the most harmfully overused phrases I've heard in my life.

Free Money on Amazon - No Joke...

So today, Amazon.com is trying to drive traffic to their AmazonLocal offerings online to compete with Groupon and Google Offers.  So they are giving a $10 gift card for $5.  No strings except that you need to have a normal account with Amazon.com.  They do not even require you to subscribe to their local system.
Offer is today only, go get it!

Site:  AmazonLocal

Upgrade Your CRT Monitor

So I've been trying to keep to reviewing stuff and the like as opposed to directly saying "GO BUY THIS!"  Well, I'm going to deviate for a post and target the rare person who still has a CRT monitor out there.  Flat panel monitors for your computer are more affordable than ever, so there's no time like the present (especially with that tax check in hand...  you DID file your taxes early and not at the last minute right?) to upgrade or at least make a lateral move.  Good example, my morning email ad from Tiger Direct included this animal: Acer 19" Widescreen VGA LCD Monitor No idea how long the sale price will apply, but $79.99 to clear extra desk space, take the extra weight off, and to allow you to take that old CRT monitor and turn it into a fishtank.  Only down side, this monitor does not seem to sport DVI or HDMI interface, so you are looking at the old school VGA plug.  

New Solar Technology

This is one that needs no metaphor.  Solar power as it stands right now SUCKS.  It's costs without government subsidies simply don't compare to the cost of the normal fossil fuel generated electricity over the long run.  Until now.  A US company has blown the roof off of china's stranglehold on the cheapest solar panels with a sweet new technology.  Check out the article:   http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/122231-solar-panels-made-with-ion-cannon-are-cheap-enough-to-challenge-fossil-fuels (thanks to Jack Spirko for mentioning this in his podcast today as well as some intelligent commentary that is worth listening to, go check it out)

My questions:  how long until this new process is usable in mass production? How long till we actually see these at the prices promised?  And will the price actually be as low as they promise, vs lower due to possible subsidies by our government, or even higher due to market influences and middlemen.  Either way, great stuff to keep an eye on in the years to come, not just for home power, but for useful power on the go.  That's better than +5 in my book.  +6 Vorpal Sword vs Power Companies... taking the head clean off our electricity bills.
In the mean time...  I'll stick to my Brunton 6 Watt Foldable Solar Array and Scosche SolBAT II Backup Battery for simple on the go power.