In an attempt to at least partially un-clutter my desktop, a collection of semi-random outrages, videos, and linkage.

The MPAA wants to decide how and when you watch content, again. They not only want to kill your Slingbox, but now they’re talking about prohibiting HD DVR recording of some programs.

Not sure I agree with everything here, but an interesting talk by Douglas Rushkoff at the Personal Democracy Forum.

Verizon is testing the delivery of YouTube, Blip, Veoh and others to the living room on it’s FIOS service.

WFMU notes the films of Richard Massingham.

Deerhoof leaks the sheet music for their upcoming record. Awesome.

In a sly nod to the ubiquity of pre-release music leaks, the group has issued the sheet music for its upcoming single “Fresh Born” under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA license in advance of the October release of Offend Maggie, the band’s new album on Kill Rock Stars.

It’s a neat experiment in encouraging interactivity: Deerhoof’s recorded version of “Fresh Born” isn’t even available yet, but there are already several great recordings of the song - all made by other people - floating around online.

The Harry Smith Archives. SBMP3B is a cool avant-ish music/mp3 blog.

• Netflix Closes Unit That Invested in Niche Films
  (tags: Netflix distribution)
• Netflix Folds Red Envelope; Exits Theatrical Acquisition and Production Biz
  (tags: film distribution Netflix)

Hopefully there’s a business model here.

Snag Films is the just-launched site for (free) web-distribution of documentaries via web widgets. Founded by Ted Leonsis, Ex-AOL exec and Chairman of web-widget technology company Clearspring, it’s been dubbed “Hulu for documentaries.”

More from Variety:

IndieWire will supply SnagFilms with archival content, news, analysis, blogs and film reviews. IndieWire will also feature SnagFilms’ virtual movie theater widgets, including IndieWire editorial picks from the SnagFilms library

Initial plans call for 90 seconds of ads to unspool before the feature; those ads will follow the film around the Web to wherever it gets posted. Ad revenue will be shared with filmmakers.

Distribs supplying films to Snag include PBS, National Geographic, IndiePix, Arts Alliance America and Koch Lorber.

The startup also purchased indie film news site indieWIRE, to provide content.

Some examples:

The Brian Jonestown Massacre Doc Dig

Henry Miller Asleep and Awake

Filmed when the author was 81, HENRY MILLER ASLEEP AND AWAKE is a voyage of ideas about life, writing, sex, spirituality, nightmares, and New York that captures the warmth, vigor and high animal spirits of a singular American artist. The man is Henry Miller and the room is his bathroom. It’s a miraculous shrine covered with photos and drawings collected by the author over the course of his long and fruitful life. Graciously, in his raspy, sonorous voice, he points out the highlights of his improvised gallery, speaking of philosophers, writers, painters,mad kings, women, and friends.

Testing out the new Wordpress iPhone app. Very nice, maybe a little more barebones than I expected.

• Qik Opens Up Its Mobile Broadcasting Service To The Public
  (tags: QIK mobile.tv streaming)
• The Day the Music Dies: Why your tunes won’t PlayForSure
  (tags: DRM Microsoft music Copyright)
• A Primer On the US Mobile Television Market
  PDF warning
  (tags: mobile.tv)
• Court Rejects FCC’s Janet Jackson Fine
  (tags: FCC censorship ridiculous.crap)

• Intel Wants FCC To Require Cable HD Set-Tops To Speak IP - 7/18/2008 10:32:00 AM - Multichannel News
  “Intel suggested that the Federal Communications Commission amend its rules to require cable operators to provide an Internet protocol networking interface, such as Ethernet, on their high-definition set-top boxes.”
  (tags: FCC HD iptv networkPolitics)

• Amazon Plans an Online Store for Movies and TV Shows
  (tags: Amazon distribution streaming Netflix video)
• TiVo broadband users can watch YouTube on TV
  (tags: Tivo youtube settops)

• National Public Radio to Launch NPR API
  (tags: NPR mashups api)

• NBCU joins Microsoft’s Xbox plans
  (tags: NBCU Xbox Microsoft distribution)
• Pandora Usage Stats Prove It’s iPhone’s Killer App
  (tags: iPhone mobile music pandora)
• BuzzMachine » Pandora’s lessons
  (tags: iPhone mobile music pandora)
• Sony pimps video, stable of titles in safe E3 presentation
  (tags: ps3 distribution video)

XBox news roundup from E3:

A price cut and more storage and interface and functionality upgrades.

Netflix-on-360—finally.

Details:

_For now, Netflix will only stream in about-SD resolution.
_As Netflix transitions to HD, Microsoft said it stands to reason that streaming HD to the Xbox should be feasible.
_Netflix will be for Xbox Live Gold members only, so you’ll be paying that $50 per year if you want it.
_Netflix video sharing ONLY works with other Netflix / Xbox Live Gold subscribers. You can’t share video with a Silver member, or who doesn’t subscribe to Netflix.

Another interesting feature:

The two services will also now offer a Live Party feature which will allow users to watch movies together over Xbox Live virtually. This is an interesting move, one similar to what Lycos is trying to do with its Cinema service.

NAPTE (National Association of Television Program Executives)

LATV Festival
July30-Aug1 2008
The Highlands Entertainment Complex
Hollywood, CA 90028

Digital Day
A lot of good stuff.

Nice reference chart at Tubemogul with specs/limits/codec support for all the major video sites.

(HT: NewTeeVee)

Russ Kick’s site has been re-launched, to fill all your FOIA and secret Government document needs.

Announcement.

The Memory Hole.

For newbs:

The Memory Hole exists to preserve and spread material that is in danger of being lost, is hard to find, or is not widely known. This includes:

• Government files
• Corporate memos
• Court documents (incl. lawsuits and transcripts)
• Police reports and eyewitness statements
• Congressional testimony
• Reports (governmental and non-governmental)
• Maps, patents, Web pages
• Photographs, video, and sound recordings
• News articles
• Books (and portions of books)

The emphasis is on material that exposes things that we’re not supposed to know (or that we’re supposed to forget).

I’m mad I didn’t see this sooner. Brought to you by the peeps at From Here to Awesome, with support from Current TV.

DIY Days
Saturday, July 26th
1745 North Spring #4
Los Angeles, CA 90012

How do we sustain ourselves as filmmakers and storytellers in this day of shifting film distribution systems? How do we monetize our film and get the word out? Presented by From Here to Awesome the Workbook Project and Current TV - DIY DAYS aims to answer these questions with a day of panels, roundtable discussions and workshops: A look at how to fund, create, distribute and sustain.

• Silverlight vs Flash: Video Codec Comparison
  (tags: Flash H.264 Silverlight WMV video Formats+Codecs)