Lack of on-demand (1) Jan 13, 2009
Whenever I watch TV or listen to the radio, I'm disappointed by the lack of control.  Sure, I can change the channel or turn it off altogether.  But other than that, I have to make do with what's being broadcast at any given time.  And when I want to watch or listen to a specific thing, I have to wait for the appointed time, which often doesn't fit into my schedule.  It strikes me as odd that two of the major sources of media in the universe still don't offer much (if anything) in terms of on-demand content.  I get my news and weather from the internet, my music and movies are chosen at will (give or take), but to watch the new episode of Numb3rs, I have to watch it at 10pm on Friday, or hope my TV recorder doesn't forget to record it (like it did last week -- thanks, technology).  Yes, there are a few websites out there that offer streaming versions of TV shows for free, but the organization generally sucks, the quality is lacking, and you usually can't watch new stuff until a preset time after initial broadcast.  Why can't I sit on my couch, click a few buttons on my remote, and watch any episode of any season of any show?  I'll sit through your stupid commercials.  Just give me some control. #entertainment
Media appetite (2) Jan 13, 2009
I have a voracious appetite for media consumption.  During the commercial breaks of the NFL playoffs, I finished reading a book, and during halftime I switched over to a video game (which I beat during the second game on Sunday).  Even during the football game, I was looking up the name of that funny black ref who makes very animated gyrations when signaling penalties (Mike Carey) while simultaneously annotating self-professed witticisms on this very topic.  I think I should start a support group. #entertainment
Video games like movies (1) Jan 13, 2009
I've been playing some video games lately which, because of the rich graphics and detailed storyline, make it seem like I'm watching a movie where I occasionally push some buttons on the controller to open doors or shoot aliens, but the action will continue and the storyline will come to completion whether I participate or not.  This seems like a bad thing because it takes the interactivity out of a game, which is essentially the purpose of a video game in the first place, but it makes for some amazingly awesome video games. #entertainment