Marcus Carab's Favorite Techdirt Posts Of The Week

from the week-themes-are-for-the-weak dept

Sat, Jan 8th 2011 12:00pm — Marcus Carab

I came up with several concepts and themes for my Favorites column, but none of them came together quite as neatly as I hoped, so I�ve opted to play without rules. These five posts are selected for different reasons and presented in no particular order, alongside some of my thoughts on each. If it draws your attention to something interesting that you missed, then I�ve done my job!

(Note: I had to polish this post off on Thursday night, so I�m afraid there are no Techdirt posts from Friday included here. Hopefully it�s a slow news day.)

Time For Google To Leave Italy? Italy Announces That YouTube Responsible For All Content
Online companies are gaining so much cultural clout that we often hear calls for this �we�ll just leave and see how you like it� response to oppressive regulations�and yet you rarely see it happen. Posts like this one get me wondering why, because boy it sounds like fun, doesn�t it? But maybe it�s wise for these companies not to bet too heavily on their ubiquity; after all, online services can rise and fall in the blink of an eye, and regional competitors in huge markets like China and Russia already represent some of the biggest threats to the established western players. I wonder: what would really happen if YouTube pulled out of Italy?

UK Man Convicted Of A Crime For Letting Drivers Know They Should Slow Down To Avoid Speed Camera
Okay, I think the conviction in this case is pretty silly, but I got caught up in this post because in a purely abstract sense there is a lot of fun logic to play with. By flashing your lights in this manner, you encourage someone to obey the law while at the same time encouraging a broader culture of disobeying the law�as an ethical thought experiment, it�s nearly as fun as the Trolley Problem.

Have We Reached A Tipping Point Where Self-Publishing Is Better Than Getting A Book Deal?
I have a friend who is a novelist trying to get his first publishing deal, but is resistant to self-publishing for interesting reasons. In short, he agrees that the old ways are changing, but he�s wanted this for a long time and he�s damn well going to give it a shot before trying to be a pioneer. His response to this post was so good I had to share it, but I haven�t had a chance to ask him so I�m omitting his name for now (though the nature of the quote gives you an alphabetical clue):

�Once upon a time, vanity presses were for vain writers. Today, traditional publishing is for vain writers. I do want my books to sit on a bookstore shelf. Any bookstore I walk into, I go looking for James Michener, because that's where [X]�s work will one day sit. Isn't that vain? Isn't that my pride talking? But isn't that the stuff meaningful dreams are made of?�

I wish him well, and I'll be there to help him if he ever does decide to self-publish.

Dear Gary Larson: Your Kids Go Out At Night; Let Them Be
Ah, the Heartfelt Plea—one of the classic creator responses to the discovery that their work now belongs to their fans. It�s certainly better than the Angry Tantrum or the Silent Treatment, but it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. The Angry Tantrum is all about chastisement, the Silent Treatment is all about punishment, and the Heartfelt Plea is all about another weapon: guilt. It�s an attempt to make your fans feel guilty for enjoying and sharing your work. Though I�m a fan of The Far Side, I�m not a fan of that.

(Incidentally, The Complete Far Side is only available as a two-volume set with a list price of $150. And he wonders why fans want to digitize his work�)

IHOP Drops Trademark Lawsuit Against IHOP
As a Canadian, I know very little about IHOP, but everything I find out makes it sound all the more ridiculous. I was astonished to learn from this post that the Rooty Tooty Fresh �n� Fruity is a real thing. How does anyone order it without giggling?

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17 Comments

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Rose M. Welch (profile), 8 Jan 2011 @ 3:19pm

IHOP
How does anyone order it without giggling?

It's too delicious for giggling.
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- Marcus Carab (profile), 8 Jan 2011 @ 4:11pm
  
  Re: IHOP
  It seems like one of those menu items whose name you never use...
  
  "I'll have, you know, the fruit thing. No, I'm not saying it."
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  - pjhenry1216 (profile), 10 Jan 2011 @ 7:14am
    
    Re: Re: IHOP
    No, your original comment is correct. You can't order it without giggling. I ordered it and the entire table pretty much laughed, including the waitress. But hey, it's only proper to order it by its given name.
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Paul Stout (profile), 8 Jan 2011 @ 7:04pm

I was astonished to learn from this post that the Rooty Tooty Fresh �n� Fruity is a real thing. How does anyone order it without giggling?
For years I've been wondering that one myself.
But you gotta admit, as an advertising ploy it has a touch of genius as it sure does stick with you!!!
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- ChurchHatesTucker (profile), 8 Jan 2011 @ 8:49pm
  
  Re:
  I have to say, it's the one thing on the menu that I can remember years later. Even if I didn't order it.
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mike allen (profile), 9 Jan 2011 @ 1:16am

do I really want to eat fruit wgile having a old Hank Williams blasted at me. Well thats what it brings to me mind.
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Ian Channing (profile), 9 Jan 2011 @ 2:58am

An excellent addition to some fascinating articles
Both the link to the Trolley problem (assuming no hesitation I'd kill the one) and the quote from James Michener's next-in-line author were excellent additions to the articles. So thanks Marcus.
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- Rose M. Welch (profile), 9 Jan 2011 @ 8:26am
  
  Re: An excellent addition to some fascinating articles
  I agree, the Trolley Problem was interesting. I ♥ these weekend posts. :)
  
  Also, I agree that killing the one is better than the five, in general, but what if you recognize two of the five as ravening serial killers (the other three being innocent prison guards kidnapped along with them), and the one is Mahatma Ghandi or someone similar?
  
  Dave the serial killers or Ghandi?
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  - Marcus Carab (profile), 9 Jan 2011 @ 1:36pm
    
    Re: Re: An excellent addition to some fascinating articles
    That's the thing - the 1 v. 5 is fairly easy, but it's all the variations that make it more complex.
    
    A good basic one is: what if instead of switching tracks from five people to one, you could save the five people by shoving a passerby in front of the trolley - would you do it? Suddenly the level of your participation changes and the whole question is different even though the end result is the same...
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    - Rose M. Welch (profile), 9 Jan 2011 @ 11:05pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: An excellent addition to some fascinating articles
      I like the variation with the transplant surgeon. Kill the family-less drifter to save the five transplant patients, or let the patients die and the drifter live?
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Dr. Winsauce, 9 Jan 2011 @ 8:13am

How about the Moons over My Hammy?
We don't have an IHOP so by far the best thing on the menu is at Denny's and it's called "Moons over My Hammy"

If you haven't had one of these delectable dishes, here's what your missing out on.... Ham and scrambled egg sandwich with Swiss and American cheeses on grilled sourdough. Served with choice of hash browns or grits.

Mmmm! Sounds tasty huh?
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- Anonymous Coward, 9 Jan 2011 @ 9:01am
  
  Re: How about the Moons over My Hammy?
  Hey Dr. Winsauce,
  
  You eat at Denny's too? That's great! As a way to start every week, my husband and I go to Denny's and "moon" each other with a side of hammy. While we wait for the breakfast to finish, my husband reads the paper while I search everywhere online for lovenotes using my 3G iPad. LOL!
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Dr. Winsauce, 9 Jan 2011 @ 9:22am

Re: Re: How about the Moons over My Hammy?
That's awesome, and iPads are super awesome, and you should definitely check this free iPad/iPhone app out. It was updated last week.

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/advice-animals/id410596067?mt=8

Have a great week!

-Dr. Winsauce
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average_joe (profile), 9 Jan 2011 @ 11:18am

Just got back from taking the family to IHOP... Nope, I didn't get the Rooty Tooty Fresh 'n' Fruity, but my son did get the Rooty Jr. :)
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Cookie, 9 Jan 2011 @ 11:38am

Menu Items
Most of you are too young to remember this old restaurant menu standard, although in it's day it was well known (albeit informally, as when the waitress yelled it to the cook over the half-wall to the kitchen): Adam and Eve on a raft! (i.e., ham and eggs on toast).
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- Rose M. Welch (profile), 9 Jan 2011 @ 11:06pm
  
  Re: Menu Items
  Ham and eggs, huh? The gender implications there are hilarious.
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The Groove Tiger (profile), 9 Jan 2011 @ 10:59pm

Rooty Tooty sounds to me like something a dentist would to to you...
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