• by George Simpson , Featured Contributor, April 3, 2009

Over the Line, using a cable system provided DRV, a remote handheld control device and allowing the single subject in its study to remain comfortably attired in his SpongeBob Square Pants boxers and UNC tee-shirt, concluded that, once a pod appears, if you hit the fast forward up to its maximum 4x, that it doesn't matter what happens in the first few seconds of any commercial since you ain't watching them nohow.

Full-length television shows are about to become available to certain BlackBerry smartphones through deals with NBC, CBS and MTV.

State Patrol Accident Report: "Subject SUV apparently crossed over double yellow line causing head on collision, killing driver and three passengers of hybrid. SUV driver was still watching 'The Office' when pulled from vehicle by EMS workers."

The Ad Age Weekly Online Poll asked if is it logical for the ad industry to volunteer campaigns in service to our country with an effort to get Americans spending again?

Sure. Spend on mortgage, tuition, groceries, clothes, gas, heat and medical. Everything else is gonna have to wait. Sorry you poor, poor auto workers and luxury retailers.

U.S. Internet providers have typically charged a flat fee for unlimited broadband access, but Time Warner is trying to change that to a consumption-based model. The company will test consumption-based billing in four more markets this year, including Austin and San Antonio, Texas and Rochester, N.Y. It's been testing the service in Beaumont, Texas since last year. Consumers could be wary of unexpectedly huge cable Internet bills -- easily more than $100 per month if you watch a lot of Web video -- but Time Warner tells SAR that only about 14% of its Beaumont trial subscribers went over their monthly caps.

Beaumont, a burg of 114,000 in the shadow of Houston whose town council recently considered approving a contract for replacing the City's Lotus Notes iSeries systems and approving a request for an amended specific use permit to allow a drinking place in the Central Business District at 493 Pearl Street, seems like a pretty typical internet market. Wait until folks who don't drive pick-ups get a taste of consumption-based billing.

Some 20% of top brand marketers keep sending additional emails to users, even after confirming requests from them to "unsubscribe" from an email marketing list according to a research study from Return Path. Meanwhile, a report from Postini says that spam is growing faster than ever, with spammers diversifying distribution strategies to avoid being blocked.

Coincidence? $5 to the first person who can get Modell's to stop sending Over the Line email.

In a cost cutting move Conde Nast will can its lowest-paid employees -- receptionists -- who sit on each floor to greet and announce visitors, receive packages, answer phones and the only ones in the company with a professional obligation to smile at everyone and act civil and useful.

Better that than Anna Wintour or Chuck Townsend on the cross town bus!