One of the most consistently funny memes in Internet humor are the adaptations of the final dramatic scene in the classic movie Downfall, where Hitler learns that his situation is hopeless. Because the dialog is German with English sub-titles, it has been easily adapted by comic writers to current events with hilarious results.

Now, of course Hitler was a monster -- and who knows if it's good or bad that he is turning into a joke. I'll leave that for greater beings to decide. But it's all very funny and it seems to me as if it's not only completely fair use, but a fantastic promotion for the movie. Regardless, the copyright holders have filed a takedown notice, apparently, and all the Hitler humor is now gone from YouTube. Oy!

Open Video Alliance: Hitler "Downfall Meme" gets taken down.

No doubt there will be a great Hitler video reacting to this event. Can't wait. ">

In the meantime, enjoy this video of Hitler learning that Gizmodo has the new secret iPhone.

 4/20/2010; 4:26:27 PM.   .

This kept happening on my road trip. I would ask about nearby Starbucks so I could get online and my Droid would tell me about locations that were either off my path or where I had come from.

So it's not just a matter of where I am, it's where I'm going.

Location-awareness leads to vector-awareness.

I know where you are and I know where you're going.

Don't tell me about Starbucks that are west of here if I'm headed east.

 4/20/2010; 6:44:24 AM.   .

On my cross-country drive I listened to several audio books. The best was also the shortest -- Kurt Vonnegut's Man Without a Country.

He writes with such economy and so much about himself and it's such simple stuff. Made me think Vonnegut would have been an excellent blogger.

He was 82 when he wrote it. When a young person blames him for the horrible shape of the world he says "But I just got here!" He has a way of expressing complex ideas so simply and he touches exactly the spot that needs touching. What a nice way of saying life is too short.

At birth, he'd offer: "Hello, babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. At the outside, babies, you've got about a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies -- God damn it, you've got to be kind."

His book was short enough to be listened to in a couple of hours driving from Buffalo to Binghamton.

 4/20/2010; 2:03:20 AM.   .