Drama’s Roundup - December 30, 2008

Posted on December 30, 2007
Filed Under Drama's Roundup |


Why It’s Interesting: “Elite” universities such at MIT are increasingly making their courses available for free online. While viewers who aren’t students obviously don’t earn degrees, the availability of the same knowledge and course materials that are provided to paying students, many of whom go into substantial debt, is a good thing for individuals who take advantage of it. I’d argue that degrees are of value primarily because of alumni networks and that knowledge and skill can take a hungry individual even further than a degree can. Of course, I’m biased - Drama 2.0 did not attend university. I’ve simply befriended people who went to the best so I can tap into their alumni networks.

Strike hiatus prompts Hollywood writers to go it alone
Why It’s Interesting: Striking Hollywood writers are increasingly looking to form their own online video ventures to bypass the studios. Obviously, writers think that online video now creates a viable business opportunity and they’re eager to exploit it. They might be right, but I personally think they’ve overestimating just how easy it will be.

Marrying for Love … of Money
Why It’s Interesting: According to a recent study, nearly two-thirds of women and 50% of men surveyed indicated that they’d be “very” or “extremely” willing to marry for money. This comes as a surprise to the naive only, but the Prince & Associates survey is worthwhile because it has quantified the amount of money it takes to pull in a mate. Women in their 20s want a man worth $2.5 million, while the 74% of women in their 30s who would marry for money only want a mate worth a mere $1.1 million (the price drop must be caused by the specter of a Sex & The City lifestyle). Of course, the New York investment banker who replied to a gold digger’s Craigslist post is spot on - a lease is really the only deal structure that makes sense most of the time, especially for a depreciating asset like a beautiful girl in her 20s. After all, of the women in their 20s who said they’d marry for money, 71% expected to get divorced. For the uninitiated, Drama 2.0 has developed a simple rule for determining when purchase makes more sense than a lease: “Marry up, date down.” For those who don’t follow this rule, caveat emptor.

Snorting a Brain Chemical Could Replace Sleep
Why It’s Interesting: Darpa-funded scientists may have found a drug that eliminates sleepiness. While it’s too early to tell if we’ll be seeing television commercials asking “Do you ever get sleepy? Ask your doctor about…,” this Wired article notes that, according to the National Sleep Foundation, 70% of Americans don’t get the recommended 8 hours of sleep that they need. I don’t know why, seeing that they’re not busy doing anything productive. In any case, if you’re always tired and can’t wait for this new drug to hit the shelves, ask your doctor if cocaine is right for you. I can’t promise you that it won’t be habit-forming, but it does improve weight loss and encourages fantastic sex. At least that’s what I’ve been told, of course.

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