Who's zoomin' who?

(link found through darkmane)

Back a few years ago, Apple "acquired" NeXT. Of course, all Apple had to give up was its CEO, its Chairman, its operating system, its relationship with cloners, and a few knick knacks besides.

Now it seems Disney is "acquiring" Pixar. I use the scare quotes because my eyebrows hit the ceiling on this:

"The all-share deal will make Steve Jobs, the chief executive of Apple, around $3.5bn and the single largest shareholder in Disney." (emphasis added)

Umm... If Steve is going to be the single largest shareholder, just who is acquiring whom?

Last time this happened, Steve dumped the shares of Apple he receieved for NeXT as quickly as he legally could -- a fine vote of confidence in his abilities as Interim-CEO-For-Life. I'm sure he felt compensated by the fact he was able to kick his decades-long nemesis, Mike Markkula, off the board. (The Macintosh exists largely because Jobs was trying to spite Markkula, back when.)

It'll be interesting to see what Steve does with his stock -- issue the final kiss-off to Mike Eisner, pull a Warren Buffett and sell his shares again, or both.

Administrations come and go...

...but LA City Councilmen are forever.

No, wait, wrong lead.

Anyway... Dave Winer points to this AP report at the WaPo site that NBC is cancelling The West Wing.

Key paragraphs:

""The West Wing" announcement wasn't much of a surprise. Although this season's story line with a presidential campaign involving a Democrat played by Jimmy Smits and Republican portrayed by Alan Alda has been strong critically, ratings have sunk with its move to Sunday nights.

The decision to cancel it was made before actor John Spencer, who played former presidential chief of staff Leo McGarry, died of a heart attack Dec. 16, said Kevin Reilly, NBC entertainment president.

...

The series finale will be May 14, preceded by a one-hour retrospective. The campaign to replace the fictional Josiah Bartlet as president will be settled, NBC said.

Producers Aaron Sorkin and Thomas Schlamme, who created the show and guided it through its early years, will not be involved in the finale, Reilly said."

So... Anyone here in Seattle who has a working cable/TV feed willing to host a wrap party that night? :)