Ok, I know the whole iPad thing is getting tired, but here’s one final one (for now) that’s making me reconsider it a bit - just look at this quote: I went back for a second helping of Avatar this Sunday. There’s a scene early on in the movie where one of the scientists walks across the lab carrying the “mobile computer slab of the future.” We’ve seen one of these in almost every sci-fi movie of the last 50 years. It comes free with a jetpack, I suppose. Except this time, one month later, my 12 year old son turns to me and whispers “Look Dad, it’s an iPad.” ...

On Wednesday, Apple finally unveiled their long-awaited, oft-rumoured Moses Tablet iPad. And Lo, the Fanboys Rejoiced. If You’re Going to Do Something, Do It Well. At least, that’s what I think Apple’s motto is these days, even if it failed a couple of times in the past. Recently though they’ve had a string of hits, and one can’t help but be drawn into that myth. The iPad has to live up to this. ...

Found this fascinating and yet frustrating bit of insight into market psychology: “The price you pay is always wrong. If you sell then by definition you are lowest price in the market. If you buy, then your bid is the highest… [P]rice is what you pay while value is what you hope and pray for.” That… is just depressing to think of. And why you have to take emotion out of major purchase decisions. ...

Following the recent massacre at a US Army base in Texas by a psychologist gone crazy, (emphasis mine) The Pentagon has responded… by deciding to screen all United States defence services for staff who are unstable and potentially violent. Pause for effect. You’re looking for people who are potentially violent… in the Army. (sauce)

Ok, ok, no mucking around with an introduction for real this time. (and in case you’re coming here out of order, here’s part 1, and part 2, and part 3) But before I do that… I have finished reading the book. And it is good. Later parts - indeed, parts that start to get discussed here - of the book are a… little more gripping, shall we say, and the idea of stopping after 6 chapters was blown out of the water. So here’s a few extra chapters of action from Randland… ...