Why Don't We Do It in the Road?

Everybody was watching Apple this morning, awaiting the big announcement: would the iBeast finally launch their web-streaming subscription service? 'Fraid not, but almost as good--at least for fans of John, Paul, George, and that other one (Just kidding! We love you, Ringo!)--Apple and Apple Corps Ltd., the label that owns rights to much of The Beatles' repertoire, have come together after years of helter-skelter copyright disputes. As of today, the band's catalog is finally available on iTunes. That means a lot.

Closer to home, this week the Seattle Public Library switched its online catalog to software from BiblioCommons, a Canadian company. The new system has all the features of the old, with none of the bugs. It also looks great and comes with social media features that will appeal to younger readers. BiblioCommons allows users to share favorites on Facebook and Twitter, as well as interact within the BiblioCommons community. The new interface is fairly simple, but there is a how-to video available on YouTube for noobs. Patrons will need to create a username the first time they log on.

In a story just begging for a tasteless joke, Newsweek and The Daily Beast have merged. Tina Brown will become editor-in-chief of both, making her the first female editor of Newsweek. Separately, the two companies have been hemorrhaging cash, almost $40 million dollars in 2010. The new Newsweek Daily Beast Co. hopes to stanch the flow, but insider consensus seems to agree that this will not end well.

And yet another: Hugh Hefner has taken a page from Willy Wonka and is offering 10 "golden tickets" to the Midsummer Night's Dream Party at Playboy mansion. Tickets are hidden in ten random newsstand copies of the venerable titty mag. This is the first time Playboy has offered access to a party to readers. I, for one, think it's hysterically funny and hope that at least one winner sends their ticket to Gloria Steinem. Or Sarah Palin.

In case that left a bad taste in your mouth, or a scary picture in your brain, here is a little video to brighten up your day: Marcel the Shell (with shoes on.) Like a puppet, only smaller.