Please don't be ugly at one another. (If you need to do THAT, you can go elsewhere. Flame-wars do not belong here!)

Please post any links to new items that you wish to share over at the new site in the appropriate category.

The "In The News" section is now up and running at the new place. Most topical/current stuff belongs there.

--Shmoo

I couldn't help but notice fewer Dubya supporters speaking or writing lately.
Come to think of it, not very many flags flying from cars anymore . . . and most of the supermarkets that used to hand out free "support our troops" stickers must have run out of them. Hmm.

My, how times change.

Actually, I really haven't figured out if it's times that change so much, or if it's people that directly cause more of the changing. OR, if it's certain key people who get more revealed to a large segment of the population that they're even worse than previously known (and thus THAT becomes a "change" of sorts).
Oh, well, life has to have changes and mysteries, I guess; or we might become bored.
)

Change occurs.

(I guess it is better than things getting stagnant.)

Let's make sure that change is always for the better.

I'd like to start the discussion by noting that the RIAA lawsuits have stopped. I suspect that this will mean all the college kids who just want free tunes won't have anything to complain about, unless the RIAA's pause is just because they have something incredibly stupid planned.

If the lawsuits have truly stopped, that means the public has won the digital music war. For most people, the job is done.

The job isn't even fully staffed yet, much less finished.

Eliot Spitzer gave us a bonus and is kicking ass on payola, even though the real culprits - the radio conglomerates - have yet to cough up any money. They have also yet to play any independent music, at least in Phoenix.

There's one comment from the winter rhetorical flaming sessions that sticks in my mind. I'm paraphrasing, but it was something like, "We've been hearing about artists getting ripped off for decades. I'm tired of hearing about it."

Me too but nothing has happened to change it in the least.

When Warner Music finally gets bought up by EMI, there won't be a "major" record label on the entire continent of North America, but they'll still own 80% of the market and 95% of the distribution of physical product. This will also place the official accounting records far, far away from those annoying pests such as artists, the SEC, Dept. of Justice and anyone else who might be interested.

With the crackdown on lobbying, there is a possibility that the RIAA may have to reorganize its stated purpose. One version of the new lobbying rules call for only allowing "think tanks" to lobby Congress. If that happens, the RIAA would be forced to close because there's no way in hell they can qualify as a "think tank" by any stretch of the imagination, especially if there's a math test.

If they go away, then the job gets even tougher because you have to take the three monoliths that are left one at a time.

Woah. When I started writing that, there were no other posts.

"We've been hearing about artists getting ripped off for decades. I'm tired of hearing about it."

I am too, but I REFUSE to shut my ears until the problem is fixed!!!

(That's why we are HERE folks!!!)

Great thoughts George Z.

I will add my "ditto".

"I'd like to start the discussion by noting that the RIAA lawsuits have stopped. "

Have they ???
Have I missed something ??
Link me dude .

I suspect it is only temporary, as I have mentioned before. I really think all eggs are going into the BIG baskets, the "Making Available" cases. They are putting everything towards the precedent these cases will set for them.
If they lose these, future suits will inevitably fail.

One thing that may have brought a slowdown in law suits is the quanity of the law suits them selves, if the collection from settlements are slow and a few a fighting this reduces cash flow. The lawyers that are working for the Riaa have bills to pay and want their pay no matter what. Riaa may have overloade their budget.

Dreddsnik -- There is no announcement that they have stopped. There is also no notice of any new lawsuits since February.

But (to borrow Dept. of Defense doublespeak), I am unable to confirm the absence of lawsuits, so maybe it's better to assume they haven't stopped.

AllofMP3, and also lala (both dot coms) are poised to impact the RIAA's bottom line. I almost wish them success.

It's no surprise that AllofMP3 and lala have positioned themselves for success at the expense of the RIAA. The RIAA has only themselves to blame.
[snicker]

BTW, the RIAA just recently was awarded a $30,000,000 settlement from Bearshare.
So, together with that and what Dreddsnik said about the BIG baskets of the precedent-setting Making Available cases yet to be decided, their priority is presently focused on large cash cows.

I've used AllofMP3 several times. It's a pretty solid site and they have a huge selection. I will pay their prices (10 cent or so dl's) anyday for music but there is no way I will ever pay $1 a track.

I find it hard to believe they gave up. Perhaps they are finished with Fastrack, and are going after something else, like BitTorrent.

I have to agree. Perhaps they temporarily would relent (for reasons given above), or maybe there's a lack of reporting about individual lawsuits now; but I, too, don't see them giving up their "sue-the-music-consumers" policy -- misguided though it is.

Maybe we should just take it as an indication that WE have been doing a good job pat ourselves on the back.

I'd sure like to think so.

...oops, forgot to put in the word "and"

oh well, too much trouble to log into dmusic then into the admin section and etc. etc. just to edit my comment

Yet another reason I love having the new site! (Can do that sorta thing on the spot! And, I think the comment feature we will soon be adding there allows not just admin, but also users to edit their own comments!)

shmoo... just llistened to stepping stones..... really liked it man...

Hey, thanks a bunch!

Whoa folks. Flamewar occuring in the DMusic thread!

http://news.dmusic.com/article/20134

From Ray Beckerman:

http://recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com/2006/05/feds-intervene-in-fonovisa-v-alvarez.html

I see the DOJ is in cahoots with the RIAA. Why am I not surprised?

This ain't no joke but it's funny...He's an a**hole..

http://www.hatchmusic.com/

I'm on a XP box and can't get any of the tunes to open. Like I give a shit...

Hey OldCodger:

Catch the post by code?

It's not about the money, It's about ALL of the money....

http://www.ksdk.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=96963

And we KNOW what the common denominator is in all the unreasonable issues of copyright: It's "intellectual property"!

(SNARL!)
[gnash teeth together]

"Hey, OldCodger:
Catch the post by Code?"

Yes. You and I think he did a pretty good job.

Indy,
I read over the flamewar thread pretty carefully. It's Gadfly under another name ... again. God he's so easy to spot.

Very likely was.

Hate to disappoint you Dreddsnik but this 4free guy is not typing for me....Neither are Raid or mroop or anyone else you have accused me of being in the past. Anyone who is well aware of my trackrecord should know that I’m fully capable of defending myself against worms the likes of yourself. Great to see you Dreddsuck keeping The Gadfly legend alive though.....

So seeing that your seemingly obsessive Clouseau detective work is simply laughable, allow me to set the record straight so even a numbskull such as yourself can comprehend. Shall we?

First off my ip address is not banned. For the simple fact that ...well I’m posting from it. Secondly leflaw in his oh so cunning fashion has given my membership name to somebody else so I can not sign on under. That or I’ve simply forgotten the password....How cares! Though I do get a chuckle at the “supposed” computer savvy attempts to have be removed.

You’re a peculiar fellow Dreddsnik! Leflaw for his part is trying to save his fledgeling website
“of course the new site has YET to be up in running, the same computer skills that once again have me “banned” it seems or “understand” the simple concepts of disabling DRM.” We can understand where Larry’s coming from regardless of his shoddy leadership skills and of course his underlings Mike, George, and Codewarrior who do his bidding or for all I know have nothing better to do on a Friday night!

Them I get, but YOU Dreddsnik who for the most part are a suckup of the worst kind, a backstabbing, brownnosing, imbecile. A obsequious dolt. Sycophantic for lack of a better word.

My only advice to you Dreddsnik is to scrub your tongue while the others allow the bootlicking to commence.

Allow me to elaborate Dreddsnik since you’re content in linking all opposition to the mismangement of this website to The Gadfly.

Verywell.

What do I care if leflaw starts to charge for the music he allows to be downloaded.
After all the motto of “Free The Music” has been stealthfully phased out for sometime now. You may as well think of what Dmusic is to free tunes is what MTV is to music videos. Or what KFC is to Chicken. None of the cable subscribers seem to be complaining about Viacom now are they?

Larry’s turning out to be a true capitalist if I ever say one.

“Ching Ching”

Yes, it was, wasn't it.

*yawn*

*yawn*

yawn?

Bored Mike? Better get cracking on the new site buddy. Things been out there twisting in the wind for some time.

Also the article are nothing short of a snorefest lately....I'd catch up with leflaw because that posting RIAA e-mail addresses blew anything you're throwing out there away....The boss is getting down and dirty and The Gadfly likes it...........Stick it to em!