I Just Hate Metallica

I follow a lot about politics and I despise, yet appreciate the strategy behind the rhetoric. However, I don't know if I've ever been more disgusted by a blatant attempt to mislead followers into a false sense of appreciation than what Metallica is now attempting to do on YouTube.

After having spent years suing any fan or distribution outlet they could find who mentioned their work online, they have now taken the obvious plunge into the realm of  "if can't beat 'em, join 'em" with the hopes that fans won't realize their record. Watch Lars choke back his resentment of his publicist in the video below.

Seems genuine enough, don't you think? Please, stop spending money supporting this band. They are the epitome of why the recording industry is missing the point and destroying itself by mistreating fans. They are now embracing tools they have fought against not because they believe in them or appreciate what they facilitate, but because they see the possibility of the revenue it will bring them. Makes my skin crawl a bit.

Carrotmob Organizes Local Consumer Spending to Save the World

Pretty sweet idea. The video is a bit long, but it's a good story that makes a good point. What happens when consumers organize their collective spending to negotiate with retailers or service providers? Well, it turns out, they can get more than a good deal, they can make a difference in the community.

Carrotmob is a group currently forming in San Francisco whose mission is to do just that. Their model is basically to create a bidding war between businesses who will ultimately benefit from a flashmob of purchasers. The great part is, they are bidding on how much of the impending proceeds the store owners are willing to commit to making ecological improvements to their own store.

It's a true win-win and its pretty scalable.

Check out their first event:


Carrotmob Makes It Rain from carrotmob on Vimeo.