Blinkx.com

I am very impressed by this new website which searches for video content.

I first heard about it in yesterday's New York Times story by Richard Siklos.

Why, you might wonder, am I so impressed?

It's really very easy to impress me when it comes to online stuff: just offer something that works.

99% of the stuff I try I can't use because I'm clearly too stupid to understand it.

So anytime I try some new new thing I'm sitting here with "Oh, well," as my default setting.

But guess what just happened a few moments ago?

When I went to the Blinkx website, put a name into the search box (and wouldn't you like to know whose? Only those on my subscription–only site will learn that. But I digress.) and then waited for the inevitable reason why it wouldn't work, such as —

• Need so–and–so plug–in

• Cannot detect your browser

• Cookies not enabled

• Not compatible with Mac

I didn't get any of the above.

Not only that, it searched for video content and then produced a list of results.

But wait: it gets better.

When I clicked on the first search result a video player popped up with a decent–sized (for–the–internet) screen (4" x 3") that actually played the video content in real time/ non–choppy fashion with booming good sound.

I am amazed.

Apparently Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. is trying to acquire closely held Blinkx, a private company, for a sum less than the princely $580 million he paid recently for Intermix Media, which operates MySpace.com.

Hey, Rupert — it's not my money but if I had yours I'd buy Blinkx real quickly before one of your competitors grabs it.

Full disclosure; I have never met nor spoken with Rupert Murdoch nor have I ever had any communication with him.

But if he attempts to buy bookofjoe he better bring plenty of cash — because I don't take American Express.

Try Blinkx here.

No, of course there's no subscription–only bookofjoe.

Not unless someone's out there selling it and not telling me.

Which wouldn't in the least surprise me.

But here's the difference between me and everyone else: I don't care.

Never did and never will.