As I get older, for some reason I find news reporting more fascinating

It's not the news I like, however, as the news bores me as much as ever. It's the reporting that fascinates me. For example, take this recent story: Chile quake may have tipped Earth's axis.

Below the header is that this change in the Earth's Axis may have shortened the length of the day. Interest, to say the least, this seems. This is how the story starts:

(CNN) -- The massive earthquake that struck Chile on Saturday may have shifted Earth's axis and created shorter days, scientists at NASA say.

and this is the second sentence (which I've abruptly ended, for your sake):

The change is negligible, but permanent

Roughly 275 words follow, but why? If this change is truly negligible, which is to say so small or unimportant as to be not worth considering or insignificant then can't we just stop at that sentence? Or not write the story at all?

Are some losses gains?

Probably so, but probably not when Mississippi votes to take a bath and sell the State-owned executive jet used to transport Governor Haley Barbour. I'm not necessarily in favor of state executives having executive jet transport, but does it seem a little short-sighted to take a $800,000 loss selling a jet when you only owe $400,000 on it?

With the current jet market, I'm not convinced this would sell for even $2.5m. Consider this: if Mississippi can sell now to gain $2m or keep it five more years and sell for $4m, which is a better choice? (Obviously this is a conjecture and neither alternative is guaranteed; also, I'm not necessarily against private transport for state executives either, and it seems to make sense for Mississippi recently.)

On the eBook industry, Kindle and iPad

An interesting review by Steven Pearlstein of the Washington Post, with much of the focus appropriately on the Kindle's initiation and adaptation in this industry, but at least one comment makes me scratch my head:

Although Bezos & Co. were not pleased by the weekend's developments, they were hardly surprised. Amazon had already anticipated Apple's entry into the market by inviting software companies to begin developing applications for the Kindle that would allow it to compete directly with the more multifunctional iPad, particularly in the area of video games.

I'm no Kindle expert, but I've used one or two and wonder how, exactly, does Jeff Bezos expect Kindle users to play video games on the Kindle and which games exactly are we talking about?

On the iPad and mothers

Not that all mothers are "inferior" users, but users like the writer's mother put a face on the many, many users who may find the iPad an enlightening interface.

Thoughts on the iPad "no flash" dilemma.

I agree, it's not such a dilemma after all

The reality is this: users determine the market in all markets except those in which there is only one producer. Adobe is not a sole producer. If users choose the iPad, Adobe will adapt or be replaced by another producer.

Tony Kornheiser on grandchildren: "I don't think I'm going to be the great grandfather that other people have become."

My feeling is: just give 'em (the grandchildren) some money and let them do what they want to do. 'Cause if I'm still active enough to do what I want to do, why would I want to do it with them?

A New York Times review of the iPad

Until I saw the demo, I wondered why you'd want an iPad instead of a laptop. After all, the price is about the same...
Now, though, it looks like Apple really has created something new. Criticisms of "Like a laptop" and "a big iPod Touch" don't really do justice to the possibilities.

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