First Monday: Giving Away Music to Make Money. Sounds like something we've been advocating for a year.

Seeing as it's a long article that I doubt you'll read, here's the bit on voluntary payments:

Streaming audio and video allows you to charge on a pay-per-view basis, a constant revenue stream provided the content meets consumer demand. Software could also be used to allow fans to donate funds to musicians based on the number of downloads completed. If fans are pleased with the music they hear, they can provide feedback to works in progress, and form an emotional bond with the artist. They can also support a musician financially with a credit card donation to a third party donating company, who in turn will pay the artist cumulative donations at some fixed period. Eliminating the album concept means that fans can contribute directly to the artist, not the music label, and thus provide the artist with a greater percentage of revenue than is possible under existing traditional contracts. The fact that artists are willing to provide the music for free adds an incentive for fans to treat them fairly.

But, so, great. We all agree that there's a problem, and that voluntary payments could be a solution. But is it a profitable solution for the third party who implements it??

That is *the* question upon which my future depends.
[11:08:23 PM] []

We're sadly addicted to Fear Factor, a reality television show where they have the contestants do 3 crazy ass stunts. Tonight we happened upon a best-of-episode. I'm pretty confident I'd attempt any of the jumping off tall buildings, walking across the high beam, or jumping from a jet ski to a helicopter stunts but you would never get me to eat bulls testicles, sheep's eyes, worms or lay in a pit of rats/snakes/worms. Ugh!
[8:57:38 PM] []

'It's fucking hot out here. I need a fan.'
- Natalie on the weather. She could of course sit inside where it's A/C'd, but whatever.

On Saturday Maeve served Ken Thomson, the world's 14th richest person worth about $16.4 billion (and that's USD). He didn't tip and she had some choice words about that, I'd print them but I'd hate for her/me to be liable :).
[4:11:56 PM] []