From Jason Rosenthal’s email to network creators this afternoon:

As long-time Network Creators, you no doubt already see the value of Ning. We intend to focus our efforts 100% on meeting your needs and building the features you’ve requested. The phasing out of free services won’t happen until July, and we’ll be providing those who can’t join us with a clear migration path at that time.

Well. It’s good to know that now, after years in service, they’re going to start meeting our needs.
All snark aside, I think this is probably a good move for the company as the reality of the Free Market Culture sets in and more and more organizations realize it’s time to, you know, make some money. Ning has been a terrific tool for many of my clients, but once you hit the ceiling on functionality, you’re locked up. API access is coming, apparently, which is good for developers, and more flexibility in custom designs, too.
Which is all great. But I just got off the phone with the owner of a terrific Ning network looking to move the site and all his members to a new platform in the wake of all the changes and the deteriorating service over the last year. And he is already a paying customer.
I hope they can pull it together and that the new premium model isn’t a day late, dollar short.
Cause migrating networks is a massive pain.

The Zombie Table!
Yes, I’m exactly the sort of person who reposts links to things like “The Zombie Table.” You shouldn’t even have to ask.

Behold, the Zombie tested and victim approved Safe Bedside Table. Getting rushed by flesheaters? No problem! The Safe Bedside Table has a removable leg that acts as a club and a top that doubles as a shield for self-defense.

Is H.264 a legal minefield for video pros? – CNET News
With all the hoopla around video codecs, both open and closed source, here’s a bit of reporting covering MPEG LA terms around what is poised to be the next great standard on the net, h.264. Why does this matter? Because of patents, someone has to pay when I produce a video for a client which is later sold. And there are always patents. This story certainly goes a long way to ease my own concerns over royalty payments to patent holders, particularly the last part, emphasis mine:

“Realistically, it’s unlikely that a consumer who unwittingly plays a video clip from an unlicensed source is going to be pursued by MPEG-LA or by patent owners. The legal framework for patent damages is different than it is in the copyright area, so you’re not likely to see lawsuits against ordinary consumers, like some of the highly publicized suits filed by the RIAA [Recording Industry of America] in the United States,” Homiller said.
Another way where professionals can get off the hook for payments is if the video is broadcast for free over the Internet. Earlier this year, MPEG LA extended through 2015 a provision that means streaming H.264 video over the Net requires no royalty payments as long as anyone can see the video without paying.