As a control pad for music software it's incredibly useful. I can change settings, record enable etc on my main rig directly from the recording room, or anywhere in the studio/concert hall. That's also the only one I can think of that's unique to the iPad. Use in hospitals, maybe? On construction sites? I dunno.

Maybe we'll get Zach Galifianakis as Shepherd.

I applaud you on various levels.

I mean, I know I'm not supposed to, but come on...
/. you're not even trying anymore.

From Pogue's review (emphasis mine):

I think he hit the nail on the head there.

But that's the same technique Cereal Killer used to hack the Gibson!

I know it's not his case, but if you use Logic Studio, made by Apple, then you are actually locked into Apple from all sides.
OTOH the Apple HW/SW combo is so complete and solid for music production that you just don't mind.
I work live and in studio on a MacBook unibody with Logic Studio and, apart from audio cards and interfaces, never need anything else to produce music. Which is a very good thing.

The big labels are almost exclusively distribution industries. What they create is almost exclusively a "product", ie an abominy that has nothing to do with music and everything to do with selling the product to the largest demographic.
The music as we know it (or knew it) is still being born and created as it always has been: from talented musicians that bust their balls and sweat their way to getting heard by as much people as possible. What happens then is they get signed to a label. But it's almost always a small indie spring-board label, that will get a bit more people to hear their music. Then, if they are really good (but mostly if they sell enough) they'll get picked up by the big guys since they have proven to be a product.
So, in all, I'm happy to see the big guys die since they don't really create anything of value, except a distribution infrastructure. But we already have the web.

I don't know much about garbage, but 1.400 tons doesn't sound like an enormous number, considering the USA produces 220 milion tons a year.
Plus, it seems like a simple problem of foul play between companies, why does the government get involved?
I know waste disposal is a huge problem, but this sounds like attention-whoring.

And broken TVs. Remember the wiimotes? Now it's gonna be your foot.

I remember reading about a test done in Ireland a couple of years ago on the presence of cocaine on banknotes, in percentage of the total number of notes.
It was 100%.

Gee, ya think?

Make a graphic novel. Please. Even a webcomic.

So, for example, Amazon could pay x thousand dollars to, let's say, Stephen King for a new novel, give it away for free on their website and make money off of ads and other purchases, like hard copies of the book, merchandising et al.

It actually seems like a good plan.