The Eight Biggest Media Moments of 2012 – #2: Fiberhoods

In early September Google set its “fiberhoods,” the neighborhoods in KCK and KCMO that will get hooked up to the new fiber optic network. The run-up to the official announcement was exciting stuff, as neighborhoods competed first to get enough pre-commitments to meet the company’s minimums and then to get enough pre-commitments for a prime spot on the installation timetable.

The run-up was also disturbing stuff. The map on the Missouri side revealed a sharp division between the gonna-get-its and not-going-to-get-its, a literal “digital divide” running right down Troost. Faced with criticism about who would get connected and who wouldn’t, Google extended its upcoming reach to neighborhoods that likely would not have qualified on their own. That partially resolved the backbone issue, but it should keep us all mindful of the social, cultural and economic differences between those who can consume the most up-to-date digital media and those who can’t.

On the plus side, at least I now have a general idea of when I’m finally at long last going to be able to fire AT&T.

Review – His Name Was Jason

He lived on the second floor. He chopped up Luca. Then they made this stupid documentary about him. Honestly, why do I watch these things? They suck even as background noise while I’m trying to practice soldering. This is the usual endless set of clips interspersed with talking heads with little to say. Even if I’d been interested in the Friday the 13th series – which as a general principle I’m not – I wouldn’t have walked away from this experience much the wiser. Most of the interviews are either with former participants seeking to justify their existences or fanboys who just want to share how awesome they think Jason is. Snore. The highlight of the production – to the extent that it can be said to have one at all – is the appearance of Tom Savini as sort of a half-baked excuse for a Crypt Keeper. See if desperate