• Geek News Central, a podcast whose torrent feed I've been using to iron out the wrinkles in my book's BitTorrent integration, just dropped a word about the book toward the end of today's edition. That was nifty to hear, for sure! Thanks for the mention, the link, and the compliment.

• It's not the first, but I just got an unsolicited email trying to entice me to promote a new TV-on-DVD release for a show I actually like. I've gotten these for games and movies before, too--and, I can't have been the only blogger to see something like this.

  It doesn't come right out and say that I'll get any freebies, but there're promises of helping me with reviews or giveaways on my site. They've even included a link to a zipped up media kit and permission to use it.

  Anyway, for whatever it's worth, I have to admit I'm almost tempted to pitch in with a post here. Almost. If this pitch had been just a bit closer on target with my enthusiasms, I might have given in.

  I wonder how bad that would be? Call me a sellout, but if it was for something I really liked, accompanied by the right freebie, I might go along with it. I'd be entirely explicit that I was being bought off--but I might bet that people reading my blog just happen to like some of what I like, too, and not be entirely annoyed.

  But, it'd have to be something really good. Like, good enough that I'd've written about it on my own, had I known about it already and felt a whim toward it. It would be the bribe that made me think and write about it, rather than something else.

  Update: Saw this post by Dave Winer, after I'd written all the above.

I don't care for ads in RSS, because, with the right info, I am willing to subscribe to ads that are RSS. ... No need to intrude on my space and time, if you provide me with information I want, I'll welcome you in. Advertisers get a clue. Try seduction, don't break into my life, romance your way in.