The week.

It was a heady week in Hyperspace. New Pope, millions cheer. Negroponte confirmed, millions yawn. Mitch Albom pre-writes a Sunday column, complete with detailed description of how two former Michigan b-ballers got to the big game, then neither dude shows up for it; thousands of journalists continue to gnash their Bud-stained choppers. At NAB’s Convention in Vegas, radio people push the digital manufacturers onstage to tout new hi-tech “HD” radios. Meanwhile, their new big-idea format (“Jack,” “Mike”) only involves tripling playlists and decimating deejays—the usual knee-jerk radio makeover, and too late: satellite pay radio’s got the big Mo. NBC sacks its Today producer because GMA’s hot breath is fogging their lenses. ABC’s on a Fox-hunt, too: buffing up an American Idol exposé for an upcoming Primetime Live. And House Republicans stomp over to a gas station to video-op the energy bill they’ve just stuffed into the pipe—oil company tax breaks, Alaska drilling, two more months of daylight savings time—no help for gas prices, alt-energy, or SUV mileage. To Repubs, the answer to everything is pump the profits. It’s not too late; email your Senators. Whew. [Update: I hadn't seen a summary of the new energy bill when I wrote this. The bill actually contains money and a mandate for ethanol production and usage, among many other things. I didn't dig enough. Sorry. 04/24/05]