So [apparently](http://listics.com/) a whole [load of yank bloggers](http://technorati.com/search/http%3A%2F%2Fallied.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F03%2Ffor-record.html?sub=jscosmos) who know each other have just had some sort of public row, and some [trolls]() got involved, and now they’re all [taking their ball and going home](http://www.vecosys.com/2007/03/27/robert-scoble-and-kathy-sierra-stop-blogging/). Or something. Apparently some of them are [scared]( http://headrush.typepad.com/creating_passionate_users/2007/03/as_i_type_this_.html) that the evil trolls from the internet are going to come and hang them. Or something.
Mostly what they seem to be doing is blogging about it, which I guess isn’t surprising. They seem to be feeling most self-righteous about it though, which I guess makes it more fun.
Just don’t feed the trolls.
So, [Julian](http://limeandpink.blogspot.com/index.html) has been disputing my [Monopoly Rules post](http://adju.st/2007/03/monopoly_rules_not_what_you_th.html). I happily admit I never checked the [rules]( http://www.monopoly.co.uk/pdf/instructions.pdf) when I wrote it, and it transpires that some of the previous post was incorrect.
So, current status of rules:
- Collecting rent in Jail
- You DO collect rent in jail
- Auctioning properties that are not bought
- You DO auction properties that are not bought
More news as it comes from this exciting story!
I haven’t bought any albums in a while, and I feel the need for new CDs. I don’t know what to get though. So, dear readers, please suggest some. Albums on CD preferably, although downloads could be ok too. What’s your favorite stuff right now? Answers on a blog comment please!
I promise to blog about anything I get that you recommend 
So it appears Monopoly does not last forever because [the rules are completely different from what you thought they were](http://wmwms.blogspot.com/2007/03/you-have-won-second-prize-in-beauty.html). Amongst the rules that are in fact not rules:
- Collect fines, and hand them to people who land on Free Parking.
- Now I knew this one wasn’t real, but collecting the fines and handing them over when you land on Free Parking is an almost universal practice.
- If a player lands on an unowned property and does not buy it, it is to be auctioned.
- Apparently this is made up
- The bank never runs out of money, but the bank does run out of houses and hotels.
- So if all the houses are in play, you can’t even build from 3 houses to a hotel, since you can’t build the intervening houses!!!
- you do collect rent while in jail
- !!!
- no you don’t have to go around the board once before buying property
- !!!!!
So what the hell game have we been playing all these years?
It looks like [Cricinfo](http://www.cricinfo.com/)’s Cricinfo 3D product probably [stays on the right side of the law](http://www.out-law.com/page-7883). Which is nice. Cricinfo 3D is basically a [machinma](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machinma) rendition of a live, in-progress, cricket match, based on their own textual commentary. Sky claim that, because the person writing the commentary is watching the TV, therefore the 3D rendition (and presumably the commentary) is in fact a derivative work of their TV broadcast.
What constitutes a derivative work in copyright law is often a pretty hairy question. The concept was designed back when works of creation were pretty simple, but has been constantly tested by the weird and wonderful things people want to make. Certainly the framers of the original concept of “Intellectual Property” would not have considered a machina film application taking an XML internet feed based on text commentary keyed by someone watching satellite television of a cricket match on the other side of the world.
Cricinfo 3D is reminiscent in many ways of [Fanfic](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fanfic), with the notable exception of the ownership of Cricket itself — which seems to be why Sky are unlikely to win their case against Wisden (publishers of Cricinfo).
[Allen Ginsberg on smoking](http://www.allenginsberg.org/library/Video/7019.mov?PHPSESSID=56637d6ce294acd97267e4b09a50f5a6).
No, not a Native American porn name, but some [weird footware](http://vibramfivefingers.com/). I can’t decide whether they are great or hilarious. Or even both.
I work in an office full of people who think they have a lot of monitors. Pah! None of them come anywhere near [this](http://digitaltigers.com/zenview-arena-ultrahd.shtml). More achievable, perhaps, is [this offering from Dell](http://www.hanselman.com/blog/HowToAdjustYourSiderearviewMirrorsAndWhyYouNeed3Monitors.aspx).
[Marvellous Wikipedia entry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schmidt_Sting_Pain_Index), courtesy of BoingBoing and Kottke.
The pain descriptions are fantastic. Pain is weird, in that you can’t really remember it (go on, try). I suspect it’s important not to be able to remember it, or you’d never even risk anything that might cause pain. However, his descriptions are weirdly inspiring.
[This one](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granfalloon) is for Andy 
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