How music became ‘un-bundled’ from CDs as consumers downloaded the one or two songs they actually wanted, and how direct-to-fan sales have re-bundled that music into not just CDs but digital releases, vinyl, and every manner of special package imaginable.

“As artists get their arms around all their rights and build direct relationships with their fans we’re seeing artists’ output RE-BUNDLED into higher value packages and average revenue per transaction greater than those delivered by the Compact Disc.”

Copying a successful business plan is safe, and tons of companies are copying Groupon. The differentiating strategies of the more successful copycats are interesting, as is the arms-race and recursion of deal aggregators. I find it fascinating that people sign up for this stuff, because I find it wasteful.

This is insane: “In just over two years, Groupon has accumulated 60 million subscribers, more than $1 billion in venture capital and $760 million in annual revenue to become the fastest-growing Web company ever. In December, it declined a $6 billion buyout offer from Google.”

Makes nice little wooden voice recorders.

“I am an artist. I like sound. I build things. I grew up in the country. I now live in the city. I believe everyone’s voice should be heard. I like wooden toys. I like electronics and technology. I hold hope for the future. I believe in experimenting. My interest in expanding how we experience and control sound has led to my developing prototypes intended to reinforce musical instruments as collaborative, sociable objects to be experienced in community.”

Is Forever 21’s Chang family capitalist geniuses or just exploitative and plagiaristic?

No one should ever spend $180 on a clock, but goddamn I want this thing.

What to stop buying and what to replace those things with. A nice list.

Up to 2GB storage, pretty good battery life, stylish and very useful design. Gift idea: buy one, put a personalized mix on it before giving.

The coop local organic grocer right down the street from our apartment in Honolulu. Beautiful.

Watercolored badge pins and stickers. Excellent!!

If you haven't opted-out yet, do so in your Facebook preferences under "Privacy" > "External Websites."

DO WANT.

This is my longboard, recently acquired and from which I've twice fallen.

Customer service done right.

It takes time and a lot of guts, but you'll save money. "It really works... but it works only if you truly are willing to walk away... and then refuse to bend when they try to put you off or change the terms. Stay civil, do not let any emotion in."

"Ponoko is the world's first personal manufacturing platform. It's the online space for a community of creators and consumers to use a global network of digital manufacturing hardware to co-create, make and trade individualized product ideas on demand."

"The point is not so much that you can equip a real kitchen without much money, but that the fear of buying the wrong kind of equipment is unfounded. It needs only to be functional, not prestigious, lavish or expensive."

"Put all of your club cards onto just one card." CVS, Stop & Shop, Big Y, etc. etc.