March 5, 2003

I wonder how happy Anne Gwynne is today. In her own words: "I really, really understand the martyrs [suicide bombers]. I am very good friends with the family of the two who went on the mission to Tel Aviv. One saw the other explode, and then he walked away and blew himself up. They are such lovely families and very proud of their sons." Twenty-three people died in those bombings in Tel Aviv in January, including many poor foreign workers. Was it wrong? "I agree that it is a strategic mistake but I understand why they do it," she said. "Let's not blame the victims. It's clear who the real terrorists are here. 9:49:04 PM

Stephen Cole writes in the Globe and Mail about movie piracy and the attempts by the industry to stop the copying of DVDs. The article does have a problem, even in Canadian dollars the prices in the articles for CD and DVD burners and their media is much too high.  Computer CD burners now run about $200, and blank discs less than a dollar. By contrast, DVD burners (ostensibly sold for consumers' "personal use") go for $1,000, with rerecordable discs about $30. Take forty percent of these numbers to get the right costs. 9:39:12 PM

It’s not yet dead – Corel has annouced an April release for WordPerfect 11. 9:35:01 PM

Business 2.0 looks that the prospects of American movie theatre chain Pacific Theatres’ luxury cinema ArcLight complex in Los Angeles. With larger seats and claiming better sound and concessions, the complex has $14 US a ticket price for reserved seating. Due to its high costs, Business 2.0 rates the planed expansion of this concept as being even money in Los Angeles, anywhere else, 3 to 1 against. 9:29:41 PM