Mark Pilgrim points to Bruce Schneier's latest article on the entertainment industry. It contains this pithy bit: "They're trying to invent a new crime: interference with a business model."

I recently borrowed The Years Best Science Fiction (16th Annual Collection – 1998) from a friend, and it had an eerily precient story in it (isn't that what sci-fi is about?). The story "Halfway House At The Heart Of Darkness" involves a young woman who is a virtual reality addict, being trucked across coun try in a mobile detox van by a counselor trying to help her get "clean". Why are they traveling across country?

"We are on the run, Keel Benning. You have not been following the news, being otherwise occupied, but companies like your beloved Virtvana have won a major legislative battle. they are now empowered to maintain their customer base agggresively. I believe the wording is 'protecting their customer assets against invasive alienation by third-party services.' Virtvana can come and get you."

William Browning Spencer, "The Halfway House At The Heart Of Darkness", 1998.