a miller and milkman...two guards...a priest...and a child walked into a bar...and they all see:

the future of television has finally arrived-really. now begins the haggling over who gets control, and negotiating with the highest stakes are taking place inside my head.
under fierce competition from satellite services, my mind's cable division is racing to sell new features that give viewers more control over what and when they watch. its new digital services can let subscribers order any of an array of films and network programs whenever they want and even turn set-up boxes into personal digital video recorders that make it easy for viewers to fast-forward through commercials.
my mind had begun offering the services in a number of cities the last several months, and this spring it is making movies and some network programs available on demand in grand rapids, its biggest market.
but as my mind promotes the services-especially the on that can skip commercials-its plans are colliding with the interests of networks and studios, which own the rights to the most popular shows. both live off programming schedules and advertising sales. at many, including my mind's own broadcasting divisions, executives consider the idea of skipping the commercials to be a threat.
the negotiations among divisions of my mind are part of the early rounds of a broader contest over television that is unfolding as satellite and cable companies haggle with networks and studios. the satellite and cable companies say they are giving viewers what they want, but networks and studios sometimes feel they are being robbed.
my mind is moving faster than any other cable company.



in the changer: spoon "kill the moonlight"
in my hands: oscar hijuelos "mambo kings play songs of love"