ACCC vs DVD Regioning
The majority of consumers think DVD Region encoding is a stupid waste of everyone's time. Well, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission does to. Region encoding effectively prevents importing, and so manufacturs in Australia can charge whatever they want for DVDs. "The ACCC is currently investigating whether Australian consumers are paying higher prices for DVDs because of the ability of copyright owners, such as film companies, to prevent competition by restricting imports from countries where the same (authorised) video titles are sold more cheaply". From an article from the ACCC Media webpage.

Napster Censorship
Slashdot reports Napster/BMG may have to start censoring certain types of music because of Germany's anti-nazi laws. The usual complaints are up about 'what next'.

We need a leader to tell us what to do
In the old days The Pope would just say 'this is so' and it was. Like our current calender. This guy says we need to do it again. Have a good new years day. He sounds like a manager. 'He hasn't worked out how to deal with leap years yet but that's only a minor hurdle'.

They Might Be Giants Answer Questions
Slashdot asked TMBG questions. They answered.

Dancer In The Dark
I really enjoyed this dark and emotional film. It has much to say about the various goods and evils of the world and when they're appropriate. This article from The Age newspaper website explains the problems between Bjork (the icelandic singer who played Selma, the lead role in the film and also wrote the music) and Lars von Trier. WARNING, this article gives away the entire film plot, including the fantastic ending. Although I don't think the emotional impact would be any different knowing what was going to happen, it may spoil some of the start of the film.

Pre_Shrunk
Pre_Shrunk are again set to play at Swanston Street skate park in Melbourne on new years eve. That coupled with a rumoured Evelyn show earlier that night, and a gig at the Falls Festival on the 30th Dec, Shrunk are going to be tired boys.

Pre_Shrunk's first single from the new album "Digital Sunrise" is expected in Janurary 2001 and will include "You Should Be Dancin'", the Bee Gee's cover heard on Triple J this year.

Powderfinger
Powderfinger plan to release "Like A Dog" as the second single from their overrated album "Odyssey Number 5". Some of the album has grown on me and I like about half of it now, but it's still pretty darn average. I think I understand old Metallica fans saying "Black" was crap now...