Be good to each other.

Sharman Networks Sues p2pnet.net

Holy cow! P2pnet is being sued for something a READER posted in reply to an article? If so, that's just insane.

Nikki just got her panties in a bunch.

I love the way Shmoo puts this off topic area in, and then we all tend to ignore it...what's with us anyway?.. Just not spontaneous enough?...

Here's something of interest to us all..

Iowa Co. Hopes to Make Gasoline Obsolete

Digester gas from landfills sounds cheap enough. As a matter of fact, I would imagine one could get digester gas from being near anyone's family..

Friday and Saturday are slow posting days. I think it's because half of the audience is out doing gigs. Plus, the college crowd is graduating, so they've got a lot of things to do, many of which involve beer and beaches.

True enough...

Or maybe it's just my offensive B.O.

(lol)

...but seriously, I'm happy to say the stats at the new site look very impressive to me. I have never seen exact numbers here at the old site but there's been a couple of thousand "hits" at the new since we started it up just 2 or 3 weeks ago. Maybe when we get the ability to comment on articles directly over there we will have quite a few new friends.

Keep in mind that here at the old site the user account is a different account than there. Folks at who "click to post in the forum" from the new site (which currently leads them back here) are unable to use the same username and password without signing up all over again.

Probably puts them off.

Probably does for some.

"Maybe when we get the ability to comment on articles directly over there we will have quite a few new friends. "

If you look at the specifics of the suit, you'll see that this ability is what sharman is attacking. Not the article, the user comments. It's very similar o Apple suing to find the anonymous source of that "leak" a while back. It's a calculated measure to frighten away commentors and sources for the INZ ( Internet News Zone ). There has even been some speculation that the RIAA are pulling the strings ( a way for Sharman to lessen the severity of their OWN legal troubles ). Imagine how the online news landscape will change if Sharman comes out on top. We would never hear about another rootkit, or ANYTHING potentially damaging to the status quo. Online resources rendered useless.

Heaven for the old guard.

Before we learned that it was Sharman, I honestly thought it was the RIAA (or a label or honcho associated with them.)

But now that we know it is Nicky Hemming behind it, I kinda sorta understand.

The Australian RIAA has some "dirt" on Kazaa and Jon (or perhaps more accurately, one of the readers/posters at his site) commented on a "key" feature of the dirt.

Now Hemming wants to drag Mr. Newton through the wringer (perhaps as a 'measure of good faith' to the court in an attempt to save her own ass.)

...but this is all just my own conjecture from very scanty details.

However,

I WILL BE DAMNED (along with "freedom of speech") if bigger $$$ is allowed to intimidate what any of us choose to say simply because it is bigger $$$.

Jon Newton and his p2pnet website might be our rivals for readership and such, but I never saw it as anything more than a friendly rivalry.

Leflaw, Code, Tom Barger, etc., if any of you guys have some OTHER beef against Jon Newton you NEVER DID let me in on what it is all about, (and I never asked.)

In THIS instance I think we should be behind him and p2pnet with our support. If there is a reason NOT to do so, please clue me in (...behind the scenes if need be.)

But from what I do know of the situation from what I have read, Kazaa is pulling the same legal "bully tactic" against Mr. Newton as the RIAA does when suing alleged non-commercial p2p copyright infringers.

(Tell me if there is something about things that I don't know.)

Sent ya an e-mail schmoo.

Thanks Dreddsnik.

All this would be none of my business EXCEPT for the fact that big $$$ sues (unfairly IMHO) to squash the freedom of speech of little-to-none $$$...

(...and THAT makes it ALL our business!)

I would be lying if this whole situation doesn't spook the hell out of me.

(Good gracious gravy, who knows what could be dragged out of our archive that was posted by an anonymous coward to haunt us in exactly the same sorta way since we generally allow folks to speak as they wish.)

...but I promise that so long as I am the admin/mod/webmaster (orwhateverthefugIam) I will NOT allow our 1st Amendment rights to be abridged

(...except maybe by leflaw who legally owns the place and RIGHTFULLY is allowed to control what is wrote on HIS chalkboard if he so chooses.)

url

Click on the one titled CDs.

So funny, yet so true.

Funny Animation

thats better

Musical-Expression... That was cool...

Can I raise an issue which is not that much off topic, but I can't see where else to raise it?

In view of the enormous box-office success of Da Vinci Code this weekend, do boycotts ever really work?

The decline of the big music conglomerates -- is it due to boycotting, or is it just due to the fact that they offer less of what people want these days -- either the music itself or the form in which it is offered? Or, are they are finding better uses for their entertainment dollars elsewhere?

"In view of the enormous box-office success of Da Vinci Code this weekend, do boycotts ever really work?"

It would depend on the reasoning behind the boycott. In the case of this film, it was denounced by the Catholic church which, having never viewed the movie, announced that it should not be watched because they feared ordinary Catholics are unable to discern between fiction and the Bible.

Our boycott, on the other hand, is about where the money goes or, to be more precise, where the money DOESN'T go.

~~because they feared ordinary Catholics are unable to discern between fiction and the Bible.~~

I believe the "fear" here would be related to people who really haven't read the Scriptures or studied theology enough to make a decision one way or another. Strong Christians (Catholics) are not going to be thwarted by a piece of Hollywood fiction.

It is my hope that people without faith might take a look at this movie and start looking into what Christianity is really all about.

In other news, ASCAP voted 50 Cent as Songwriter of the Year. Because when you consider melody, harmony and musicality, that cha-ching of the cash register trumps everything.

pepe -- The Vatican said that they were afraid of the flock accepting the details of the film/book as being true. That wasn't just something I made up.

Well, I'm not a Catholic, and I do find that kind of strange...sounds like the Vatican doesn't have much faith in their own people..and that's a pretty sad thing methinks...

Re: . . ."they feared ordinary Catholics are unable to discern between fiction and the Bible.

That concern may have merit.
You know, traditionally, the Catholic Church has not exactly fostered the kind of in-depth study of the Scriptures for their parishioners so as to equip them for discernment.
In fact, centuries ago, ordinary Catholics were not encouraged to own their own Bible (unless perhaps one written in Latin which most couldn't read except the priests). And I'm talking post-Gutenberg here.
BTW, Catholicism holds other sources besides the Bible (church cannon, various ecclesiastical traditions, certain papal pronouncements, etc.) in just about equal sacred regard. . . somewhat akin to "teaching as doctrine the commands of men".

I'm almost positive everybody needed to know all that.
)

"The Vatican said that they were afraid of the flock accepting the details of the film/book as being true."

Additional thought: You know, that's still a little condescending in my view — the idea that enough Catholics wouldn't know what a "novel" is (from which the film was made) as opposed to "non-fiction" material).
Wow, the pope doesn't give his people much credit, does he?
(I'd better not write any further, to avoid offending somebody now.)

Besides, my punctuation is starting to suck.

"Wow, the pope doesn't give his people much credit, does he?"

With everything "dumb down" why shouldn't religion join the long list.

Great to see “Opie” setting the world straight for the “Jesus People”

Facts are in and the verdict is that Christianity makes money…..Mel Gibson proved that.

But as always Hollywood and it’s evident wisdoms puts out movies that will what???
Make the Jesus People happy??? Who make up what?? 85% of the faith in this country? That could what???? Make Hollywood money???

No no…..These media bosses put out crap that pisses off a majority of the public….resulting in low ticket sales….Brilliant.

What can be said about a bunch of crazies who put their personal agendas over the chance to cash in.

You deserve to join the likes of the dinosaurs!!!

"In view of the enormous box-office success of Da Vinci Code this weekend, do boycotts ever really work?"

Examples would be Britny Spears and her kind have the #1 cd in the nation….and yet you can’t find anyone and their mother who owns one.

Hollywood sexing up the static’s????? Perish the thought!!!!!

" they feared ordinary Catholics are unable to discern between fiction and the Bible."

" they feared ordinary Catholics are unable to discern between fiction and the Bible."

Nevermind Hollywood offending the "Jesus People" we're doing a wonderful job alienating half the potential viewers right here. Along with Reagan Republicans, Conservatives, youthful enthusiasts, creative thinkers, visionary’s, pragmatists, ect.

"Our boycott, on the other hand, is about where the money goes or, to be more precise, where the money DOESN'T go."

That's funny I thought the motto was
"Freeing The Music" ?????

I must have missed the change in the memo..

By the way check out my post under the Michael Jackson nitwit American thingy to find out where the money is "going" to Howard Berman (D) and that D doesn't only stand for Democrat....

"These media bosses put out crap that pisses off a majority of the public….resulting in low ticket sales….Brilliant."

Uh, maybe you missed it, but the film had the highest box office gross for an opening weekend ever.

Speaking of conservatives, I'm gonna go watch the end of the comedy masterpiece "10.5: Apocalypse" and see all the red states wiped off the face of the earth.

"Friday and Saturday are slow posting days. I think it's because half of the audience is out doing gigs."

Or banned from the website for voicing their opinions……

"Uh, maybe you missed it, but the film had the highest box office gross for an opening weekend ever."

And you're happy about that??? Are these not the same people we're boycotting????? Typing their phrase are not something I'd like to see from the leadership of this website.

Or whatever it is you account for here George.

praise that is....

"see all the red states wiped off the face of the earth."

If only here like in real life could one have those nifty administrative tools to wipe those pesky people off the map.

Live the Dream!

"These media bosses put out crap that pisses off a majority of the public....brilliant.
What can be said about a bunch of crazies who [are determined to push] personal agendas . . ."

I agree about them having a kind of agenda.
Evidently, they made a decision to take a chance on pissing off the fundamentalists.
Then again, the novel sold so well, perhaps they figured they'd sell plenty of tickets even without the Jesus people. . . So, maybe they thought, "Oh, well, what the hell; we'll go ahead and let it rip, anti-Bible or not; after all, we've got Tom Hanks, plus Mr. Brown's book sales went through the roof.

OldCodger,

The agenda is that they lose money for the shear joy of getting their kicks in on the Christians. Must have been something they learned coming out of Russia and Eastern Europe when the power, as well as the shoe was on the other foot.

Hey stats are in....Da Vinci Code is ranking up there with that Tom Cruise blockbuster...Mission Impossible 3....way to go Fonzie!!!!

Have to hand it to the Jesus People who base their religion entirely on faith…..Which is more then I have for the prosperity of this movie.

In the news... alleged gay Democratic Representative William Jefferson gets caught with his hand in the cookie jar....FBI agents videotaped Jefferson taking $100,000 in cash from an informant and later found $90,000 in his home freezer.

Wait haven't you heard???? It was all over the Main Stream Media.....oh wait that was Tom Delay...

My Ebert & Roeper predictions??? William Jefferson is a two day MSM story at best.

Have to love those enforcers of diversity, keepers of equality, 89% newsroom voting Democrats.

Now somebody pass the popcorn...

"And you're happy about that???"

Did I say that? I don't think so. I merely stated a fact.

"Are these not the same people we're boycotting?????"

The Catholic Church?

"Typing their phrase are not something I'd like to see from the leadership of this website."

Leadership? Not me. I thought you assigned yourself as captain of the great ground war. How's that working for ya? Haven't heard about anything.

Other than to repeat the question pepe asked, I didn't even type the name of the film, much less its "phrase." I have not read the book nor seen the movie. I have no real opinion of it.

But I'm sure you'll have a problem with that, too.

"Leadership? Not me. I thought you assigned yourself as captain of the great ground war. How's that working for ya? Haven't heard about anything."

About as well as the echo chamber yourself, pepe, oldcodger, and Mike have created here in boycott-riaa land.

"Plus, the college crowd is graduating, so they've got a lot of things to do, many of which involve beer and beaches."

Sure they are......We're just raking members in anymore...I can tell by the number of posts...Or lack there of...
Unless I count your usual 10 per thread chatting with....well codger.

And don't you worry about those typos of mine George.....Mike is working feverishly on that new website which includes spellcheck for it's members and will be up and running anyday now....

Right???? Right????

And as for

"Confusing the Hopelessly Stupid"

Shouldn't the movie be called....
The Leonardo Code????

Because after all "da Vinci" is where the poor bastard was from.

And that really wasn't a knock on you this time George.

"The Catholic Church?"

Well I'm Jewish so that boycott wouldn't bother me much....Though the Jesus People may beg the differ...

I was thinking more along the lines of the Hollywood, media, music, blahh blahh.

Or have we "phrase" I mean phase out that part of the boycott too???

Along with "Freeing the music"
Promoting Indie Bands
Banning RIAA linked ads
Exposing Howard Berman
Abusing Edgar Bronfman
Revealing Eric Nicoli
ect.

Back to the alleged gay American-American Democratic Representative William Jefferson thing.

I bet it's safe to say that Dems won't be running on that moral tickect for 06.

Safe to say, there goes the "House" OPPS I mean the neighborhood.

Thats "alleged gay African-American Democratic Representative William Jefferson.

Wrong phrase!

Regarding: "the echo chamber that yourself, pepe, oldcodger, and Mike have created here in boycott-riaa land"

Hmm. The posting output of Gadfly since recent reincarnation isn't insignificant either.

Regarding: "Shouldn't the movie be called....
The Leonardo Code???"

They may just as well have called it The Leonardo Fantasy, or mayble The Leonardo Blasphemy would be more like it.
Pepe, I can't help but wonder if this whole thing isn't some kind of concoction or trial balloon to get certain people thinking about lineage and authenticity for some future "Messiah" that's going to come along and pretend to be a type of "Christ" who's gonna be poised to rescue the world from imminent destruction.
There actually are a number of people in the world who are anticipating an earthly messiah yet who do not accept the New Testament which this book and movie attacks, so perhaps this whole phenomenon, other than being mere novelty, is meant for their benefit.

Railing about Hollywood pissing off the rest of the country with Da Vinci Code is a Republican, social conservative, hebrewcentric version of events.

Isn't it a Protestant-Catholic war this time? Jesus and "the majority of American's" have nothing to do with it.

The Leonardo Code (DeCaprio?) is of course an anti-Catholic and anti-Jesuit story. Brown inserted Opus Dei in place of the Jesuits since the Jesuits can be nasty when attacked (they started The Russian Revolution and World War One you know, just to retake Constantinople).

I believe that I am in Jesus' bloodline, too. That's how I know all this stuff.

Okay, time to come down with a hammer of clarification in regard to what I had posted earlier:

To a significant segment of people, "messiah" means "annointed", chosen by God to put an end to evil in the world, rebuild the Jewish temple, bring the exiles back to Israel, and usher in a period of global peace and prosperity (sometimes known as the "messianic age").
It involves the restoration of the King David monarchy along with a just and peaceful society throughout the world, as foretold by certain Old Testament prophets.

Dealing with an incarnated Jesus who died to absolve people of their sins does not sit well with Jews, because the idea of sin and its punishment (or concern about salvation, for that matter) aren't really at the heart of Judaism.

To most Jews, the New Testament Christ is merely a supposed messiah who was crucified by the Romans.
As far as traditional Jews are concerned, Jesus misled most of the world to serve something other than God.

That's what I meant by writing how, in the minds of many, this book and movie could be considered a kind of conditioning for lineage authenticity to prepare the way for an antichrist (false messiah).

It almost goes without saying, that the contrasting concept of "Messiah" is an obvious source of (irreconcilable?) disparity between Jews and Christians.

I think I heard reported on the cable news networks that Jefferson is being defended by a lot of Republicans on the hill.

I didn't know that the DaVinci Code was an "attack" on anything. I thought it was just a fictionalization of the intriguing idea that Jesus and Mary Magdeline had a baby and that the resulting bloodline was what the "Holy Grail" of the Middle Ages really was all about.

But I guess it's impossible to say anything (good, bad, or neutral) about a religious icon without stepping on some zealot's toes. People need to lighten up IMHO.

Gad, I don't know why you hate us so much, but I don't really care anymore.

" Gad, I don't know why you hate us so much, but I don't really care anymore. "

He was here ??

"I didn't know that the DaVinci Code was an "attack" on anything."

It would have been better if I had put quotation marks around my use of the attack word.
Contradicting the Holy Bible through introducing obvious errors is considered by Christians as an "attack" on what it teaches.
In this case, Jesus' sacrifice on the cross is done away with; that's about as serious as it gets. Thus, what the rest of the New Testament taaches about salvation from sin through His redemption would thereby be negated.

Re: "the intriguing idea that Jesus and Mary Magdeline had a baby and that the resulting bloodline was the "Holy Grail" of the Middle Ages ..."
That's probably the general public's conception, too.
Likely, my assertion that this novel and film could be, as I wrote, a kind of initial conditioning for lineage authenticity, from King David's line, to prepare the way for a future antichrist (false messiah), is enough to merit concern.

"People need to lighten up" — Relax their doctrinal defenses and not stand up for Biblical truth?
I guess they really need to; that way, they could hope to avoid being thought of as uncompromising zealots.
After all, what the people of the world might think ought to carry more weight than God's Word.

Maybe the Bible is too confining.
Christians should be more mellow and open-minded!

" not stand up for Biblical truth? "

Stand up for .. good.
ENFORCE ... Zealotry.

Uh, maybe they, like some other religions (*cough*), should consider the freedom to pick and choose what they WANT to believe, or not believe, about the Bible.

"Stand up for .. good.
ENFORCE ... Zealotry."

Good distinction!
That alone could have averted the Inquisition, the Crusades, and other misguided ventures in the name of Christianity. Persecution by, or against, Christians is equally horrific and despicable.

Personally,
I see it as a work of fiction, created to control the masses. What makes one "bible" more true or real than any other ?

Faith and belief.
Something which everyone should have the right to choose for themselves, not have forced upon them by those in "charge".

"What makes one "bible" more true or real than any other?"

Validity takes a long time to establish.

"Faith and belief.
Something which everyone should have the right to choose for themselves, not have forced upon them by those in "charge".

Fair enough!

"Validity takes a long time to establish."

Sometimes even longer to debunk.

How long did we believe the earth was flat ?
How long did we believe that all the universe revolved around us ?
Just because a "belief" has been around for a very long time, does not make it more true or reasonable.
Blind acceptance is just as dangerous as blanket skepticism.

How's this:
Christians should be allowed to hold to the Bible, even if it is considered too confining by others, as long as Christians themselves are tolerant of the right of others to non-Christian beliefs.

I have a better one ...

EVERYONE should be allowed to hold to the WHATEVER THEY BELIEVE, even if it is considered too confining by others, as long as EVERYONE IS tolerant of the right of others to BELIEVE AS THEY WISH.

The human animal, as it is now, is not equipped for the above pipe dream.

Personally, on the issue of convincing others, I'll wait for the prophecies of the book of Revelation to be fufilled. That would be some compelling, though tragic, evidence for the truth of Scriptures.

P.S.
Dredd, I'd be happy to have either your dream OR mine to be a reality.

I wonder if " The Rapture " will occur before we all kill each other over what we all insist on believing ?
Will it happen before self-serving hate spewers are the rule, rather than the exception ?
So much talking the talk, without walking the walk. Hypocrisy is just the accepted norm.
Blah, I'm rambling now. It's gonna be one of those days

" P.S.
Dredd, I'd be happy to have either your dream OR mine to be a reality. "

I'll be happy When the earth is clear and there are no more earth beings on it.

LOL don't mind me .. moody day.

OldCodger

"I'll wait for the prophecies of the book of Revelation to be fufille"

There's a lot of that happening right now...good morning all..

As to what you wrote here "prepare the way for a future antichrist (false messiah), is enough to merit concern."

As far as I can tell, everything that is happening in the world today, Religious erosion, and I see that happening in ALL religions..moreso in the Christian sector of course, as this is His plan...as well as our governments falling apart, leaders who don't have a wit about them to lead...look whats happening all around us...whichever way the cards fall, the other half of the population hates it! automatically..happening up here in Canada as well. I'd be willing to bet just about every country out there.

Not only faith based values, but common sense moral values are being eroded as well.

There will have to come a time when a man will come forth with ALL the answers to our ills..he'll be able to fix all the problems, for all of us..everywhere..His name will be Anti-Christ.

" but common sense moral values are being eroded as well. "

What are "Common sense moral values " ?
Who decides what is " common sense" ?

"Do what you will and harm none " seems the only REAL common sense moral value, to ME anyway.

Is homosexuality immoral ?
To some, that is just " Common Sense " obvious.
Me, ... I find it reprehensible, but it doesn't harm or affect me. Let them do as they will, it harms no one, and is none of my damn business.

I don't see " Moral Values " being eroded so much as I see personal freedoms and personal RIGHTS being removed ... in the name of someone elses definition of .. "morality".

What are "Common sense moral values " ?
Who decides what is " common sense" ?

God decided that for Moses, way back, and layed out a plan to follow....it's all very simple then.

~~personal freedoms and personal RIGHTS being removed~~~

Falls right into step in a one world government take over.

"God decided that for Moses, way back, and layed out a plan to follow....it's all very simple then. "

You believe that.
That's your faith.
I applaud you, and encourage you,
live by it and teach your children as you see fit. It gives you strength to get through life, and comfort to keep you happy. Good for you, sincerely.
Others believe differently.
Are their "morals" somehow .. less ..than yours ?
Less important.
Less significant.

Because those that believe in the particular bible that you believe in happen to run the country, it is there fore ok to make "Law" out of those "Moral" beliefs ?

Is a one world government take over really any different than a one world religious takeover ?

That said, I DO respect your right to believe as you do Pepe, whether or not I agree. I would never try to take that from you or anyone else through violence OR law.

" ~~personal freedoms and personal RIGHTS being removed~~~

Falls right into step in a one world government take over. "

It also appears, at least to me, that religion based morality is being used very effectively to achieve this very goal.

It would be my hope that most of society would live by the Commandments (whether being aware of that or not)..or in other words, "Ten common sense rules to set your life by", and I believe this is why most of our world leaders have been of "Christian" persuasion, or at least somewhat faith based.

People always ask what are moral values? But disagree when they hear them..

Well, I guess to the murderer, it's not thou shalt not kill..

To the man in bed with his neighbors wife...it's not thou shalt not commit adultry, let alone coveting thy neighbors wife...

Etc. etc...but there are definite repercussions to these abuses....so you may say nothing hurts, nor affects you, but I tend to disagree....if it's hurting the society we all have to live with.

We have to pay for the murderer behind bars..comes out of all of our pockets...we have to pay for the children of broken homes..not to mention how these children grow up and what they turn into...It all comes down to reaping what we sow...

Correction....not "most of our "World leaders" I should say, most of North America's leaders, through the ages....

"Gad, I don't know why you hate us so much, but I don't really care anymore."

Not so Mike....Dreddsnik, pepe512000, OldCodger, and myself are going to bone up on events that may lead us to Armageddon. After all "I am" the "captain of the great ground war" who will advance this fine flock in it's battle against the anti-Jesus!

With luck he'll be tattooed with the letters RIAA on his chest in place of MOTHER in our campaign against the Satanic One World Government run by little neo-Nazi aliens.

“”The green ones, Not the little brown folks crossing our borders who may be potential Democratic Party voters one day, for those who I may be confusing and hopelessly stupid”””

Now can I be fitted for my Tinfoil hat as well?

Well, I did not mean for the discussion to be *this* off-topic. Lemme try to steer it back, probably to no avail. LOL

I'm not sure if the boycott did or did not work on the Da Vinci Code. It is possible the opening would have been even bigger without the boycott. It is also possible that all the boycott and controversy simply added to the publicity and caused more people to go see it, if only out of curiosity.

I think the boycott RIAA movement is different. I don't think it causes anybody to buy more RIAA music out of curiosity. I believe it is effective, at least at the margins. But the most effective part of it, in my experience, is exposing people to alternatives to RIAA bands. This leads to sales, and since most people only buy so many CDs, that represents lost sales for RIAA groups, because people chose the new alternative. I've tried to expose friends to non-RIAA artists, and I don't believe I've convinced one of them to stop buying RIAA bands, as a determined boycott choice. But by turning them on to something different, it at least enhanced the RIAA's competition.

And when is somebody going to start boycott American Idol? Seems long overdue.

"I've tried to expose friends to non-RIAA artists, and I don't believe I've convinced one of them to stop buying RIAA bands."

All kidding aside.....That's a wonderful thing you're trying to do there autodidact.
Get the word out about those fine Indie bands.....

I think in spite of our flamewars...That's something we all can agree on!!!!!

Cheers.

Ah yes, the infamous anti-christ, coming to the big screen next month. For extra punch, this tired retread will appear on 6/6/06. It, too, will be fiction, full of demons, magic, and other implausible hoo-haa. As you'll see, there will be no attempt on the part of ANY church to boycott it when it comes out.

Fear is the glue which binds all religions. There's something terrible waiting in the dark for us. We haven't seen it, but we know it's there, like Social Security, so we pray to another invisible entity to protect us.

That's why we have Homeland Security and the terror alert color code.

"And when is somebody going to start boycott American Idol? Seems long overdue."

No need because Sony has the winner, whomever they maybe signed to a contract a year before American Idol even starts.....Opps did I let out their dirty secret....???

autodidact just think of the winner as another Corporate manufactured artists who can’t write or sing their own music hitting the scene......Again!

"Fear is the glue which binds all religions. There's something terrible waiting in the dark for us. We haven't seen it, but we know it's there, like Social Security, so we pray to another invisible entity to protect us. "

I really wish I had your gift for words George. So well put.

"Fear is the glue which binds all religions."

Forgive me George but did they finally pass gay marriage in that fine "pink" state of yours? Arizona I believe...We’re the temps are hot...and the Sodomy is even hotter?

Can’t speak for the religious zealots on that one but the concept seems to put somewhat of a fear in my bones.

But again it’s not my party that’s looking for votes in those bathhouses where Arizonians? may wish to cool off...Where you may find the likes of William Jefferson and Governor McGreevey in a sizzling embrace.

Forgot 666

That image certainly frightens me to the core!!

"Not so Mike....Dreddsnik, pepe512000, OldCodger, and myself are going to bone up on events that may lead us to Armageddon. "

Can't do that, really, since I don't believe in the " religious " version of
Armageddon.
I DO believe, that we will destroy ourselves, and soon.
Religion is the fuse.
Fear is the "mass"

American Idol -- I thought the dirtier secret was that you can't sing your own songs.

"It is also possible that all the boycott and controversy simply added to the publicity and caused more people to go see it, if only out of curiosity."

The boycott was the only real publicity this film had. Personally, whenever someone tells me NOT to do something for no plausible reason (especially considering that no one calling for the boycott had actually seen the film), my gut instinct is to do it just for the hell of it.

It is also one of the few films released in at least the past few months that hadn't already been done before.

Indie guitar rock -- The Balls

Hate to tell you Dreddsnik, but it's in man's nature to destroy ourselves.

Maybe we should take lessons from Dr. Spock.....The vulcan I mean, not the pediatrician.

Who should be sending me messages from space right about now.

They tinfoil hat thingy you know.

"did they finally pass gay marriage in that fine "pink" state of yours?"

I don't know. Did we vote on it? I thought the pinkness of Arizona was skin cancer.

We did catch a fire chief screwing sheep, though. That should make you happy. And there are the polygamists, don't forget them.

Besides, the Arizona bigots are too busy hunting Mexicans to worry about gays right now. When the gays start cutting our grass and trimming the palm trees, we'll wait till they're all grouped together in one of those bathouses you're talking about and put a wall around them, too.

If you live in Arizona, hell is a season. We scoff at global warming because we can handle 125 degrees and still feel the need to go outside and start a fire to barbeque.

If you're going to stick a label on things, at least use the right ones.

"who will advance this fine flock in it's battle against the anti-Jesus! "


That's Jeeeesus...not Heeesus.....Not The little brown people “””As opposed to the green ones from outer space who wish to infiltrate the minds of the Jesus people in the hopes of allowing marriage to illegal aliens….No wait gay marriage….hell now I’m even confused.””””

George feels I want to put a wall around Vulcan’s…not wait that’s the gays? No the illegals…well whatever they are I’m sure the DNC will be clamoring for their votes….

denying their right to live illegally in our fine land....Living here unless they're next door to George or Teddy Kennedy that is.

"And there are the polygamists, don't forget them."

So that means you have more than one college educated wife typing for your behalf George?....Well hell sign them up Chuckles!!!!.....Boycott-Riaa could use their membership numbers.. Posts are down…..not counting the ones where I hit the threads……Well…..mmmm…there’s OldCodger …but whatever..

Unless that already pretty much accounts for the 6 of you already yacking.

Hey George!

Lloyd Bentsen died!

For those who may not know him, Bentsen made the famous rebuttal to Dan Quayle,

"Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy."

In honor of the late former Democratic senator....gdZiemann and I are going to sing...Give Peace A Chance...

Do you know John Lennon...George?

"Do you know John Lennon...George?"

No, but if you hum a few bars, I can figure it out.

Okay, here you go, Gad. I was at the tire shop getting a couple of tires repaired and was leafing through a Newsweek when I found this story.

"The name—Arctic Monkeys—is a dead giveaway. Yes, it's an "indie" band—none of that image-molding, superstar-making machinery of a major music corporation for these four chaps. The U.K. alternative-rock act first got a buzz going through Internet downloads and chat rooms. Hometown gigs in and around Sheffield brought more notice. As its grass-roots credibility grew, so did its indie attitude. Arctic Monkeys all but banned record-label scouts from its shows. Last year, when the group finally warmed to the idea of a label, it signed with tiny Domino Records, which was based in a London apartment. The debut album, "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not," surged to No. 1 on the British charts. But could Arctic Monkeys and Domino cross the Atlantic and establish their indie cred in the United States? There was one sure way. Domino signed on with Alternative Distribution Alliance (ADA), the darling of U.S. indie labels, to get Arctic Monkeys' CD into stores. Since February the CD has sold 300,000 copies, an extraordinary total for an indie."

"Yet when Warner's market share is calculated, ADA's overall sales are counted as if the acts belonged to Warner."

"After a tumultuous start under Bronfman, Warner Music increased its market share a full percentage point last year, to 17.3. With hot- selling acts like Interpol (from Matador Records) and the Shins (from Sub Pop Records), ADA's revenues have increased about 30 percent annually since 2003, and it accounted for almost all of Warner's 2005 market-share gain."

"Yet when Warner's market share is calculated, ADA's overall sales are counted as if the acts belonged to Warner."

Man that's disturbing and I really loved that name for an Indie band too....

Whole thing really wants to make you go ape....Pardon The Pun

My pick???? Head over to CDBABY and check out:

DENNIS KYNE: Support The Truth
IN MEDIAS RES: Of What Was
MYTWILIGHTPILOT: 555
SCORE ONE FOR THE FAT KID: Plan B Is For Suckers
SOUP OF THE DAY: Dissonant Dialects

More music with less the guilt.

Unless of course Edgar is getting kickbacks from CD Baby too.....

Regarding: what George wrote about people praying "to an invisible entity" for protection

I'm one of those who chooses to pray . . . for spiritual protection and for others in need.
I do believe in a special, invisible, powerful entity in that regard.
in addition, I don't mind admitting or acknowledging the existence of various less powerful forces that also can't be seen per se; but still, as in the case with God, there's some significant circumstantial evidence for them: wind, electricity, magnetism, gravity, and other invisible forces that I choose to accept.
It's good to have freedom for what to believe in!

Re: "implausible hoo-haa"

Two hundred years ago, I wonder if it would have been considered 'implausible' to suggest that people might someday fly in the air at 500 mph or talk live to someone on the other side of the earth or see live pictures of a volcano eruping thousands of miles away.

BTW, for literally two thousand years, many folks had scoffed at some of the predictions in the book of Revelation as being ludicrous and beyond reasonableness.

Calling the Arctic Monkeys "indie" is bullshit. They ONCE were independent, but now it is just a marketing ploy.

This is true of virtually ANY so-called "indie" band/act you ever hear of on eMTv or on a commercial radio station. You GOT to be careful folks. The RIAA and Industry are trying to turn the word "indie" into just another genere with the same lack of meaning as "alternative".

Regarding what Mike had written: "Be good to each other."

Pepe could say because it's the right thing to do (following the Golden Rule).
And even if those who have the gold make different rules,
what she said about "Ten common sense rules to set your life by" should still apply — in the lives of those who know what's right.

The Da Vinci Code Boycott versus's riaa boycott....the only difference I can see is that the first is of really, really short duration..so how could it possibly be of any effect...the riaa's boycott of course is..forever...or so it seems as such...

Here's the one thing that is really intriguing to me..in this day and age of movie wizards, talking lions, hobbits, magic and mystery..that more people got so hyped on a movie where "that poor sod Jesus, got married, moved away, had a passal of kids...oh sigh!" How exciting is that? compared to the mysery of the Man dying on a cross, and rising from the dead three days later!!!?

I sure can't figure people out....

I agree with what you wrote, Pepe.
Additionally, here are some possible mitigating factors to consider as probably valid:
1) It's a novelty (something new) to attract attention;
2) It contradicts N.T. Scripture, thus inititating controversy and intrigue;
3) It introduces a tongue-in-cheek rationale (through heresy, natch) that the lineage of King David can thereby be traced to another subsequent "messiah" (perhaps other than the true Christ) who can usher in a near-future "messianic age" of world peace;
4) It would tend to confer a satisfying of tradional Jewish expectation through:
a) a type of (for them) cherished lineage authentication process for their coming messiah, while simultaneously presenting
b) a repudiation of the mission of the Christian Jesus that's revealed in the New Testament;
5) One more concept, but I'll wait until another time.

"Calling the Arctic Monkeys "indie" is bullshit. They ONCE were independent, but now it is just a marketing ploy."

Don't feel bad Mike....They're a lot of Indie artists out there who have told the majors to take a hike....Certainly may have not made the millions but will no doubt earn the respect of their fans...For whatever it's worth to them...

"ANY so-called "indie" band/act you ever hear of on eMTv or on a commercial radio station. You GOT to be careful folks."

I don't have much faith in hearing Cat Power, Stephen Malkmus,of Montreal, and Superchunk being played over the radio or on MTV....And if they are I figure right away something has gone wrong...One can argue that Modest Mouse, Guided By Voices, and Built To Spill have lost some of their edge as well as their sound from back in the days when they were Indie darlings...Still even with a major label contract...these bands are not going to be pushed over the crop of Rap stars of today....In today’s media P.C. is much more important then talent. And JayZ up there doing his things makes the media bosses all warm and fuzzy inside. Makes them fell like their giving back to African-American's for all the years when they raped black musicians of their talents and style.

"The RIAA and Industry are trying to turn the word "indie" into just another genere with the same lack of meaning as "alternative"."

What they fail to realize is...Indie Rock gave birth to "alternative" Not the other way around.

"Indie" means "independent"

(...of whom?

Why, the major labels of course.)

"Independent Music" is NOT a "style" nor a "genere"

...please DON'T operate under that assumption folks.

OldCodger

Hey thanks...I'm in "discussion" with a friend of mine, and I needed a good comeback...I'll just copy and paste yours... sounded good to me...

Wait a minute, OldCodger. The only thing I dismissed as containing "implausible hoo-haa" was "The Omen."

Pepe: Given the plausibility of condition A (got married, moved away, had a passal of kids) compared to condition B (dying in misery on a cross, and rising from the dead three days later), condition B requires the suspension of logic and a willingness to accept a supernatural explanation.

Please notice that I am not stating an opinion either way, just breaking it down to the basics. We know the Code movie is fiction.

"Independent Music" is NOT a "style" nor a "genere"

Not sure if you're right Mike...

Wiki gives examples here on Indie Rock..
Though they "do" state that It's a "genre of alternative rock" Which I don't agree with. Just think that Nirvana, as well as R.E.M. and Hüsker Dü came from the Indie scene before signing with the majors and from that point forward were grouped under alternative rock.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indie_rock

AMG All Music Guide gives a better account right here.

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=77:2687

I always find that funny that I'm the only one who makes mention of great Indie Bands of the past like Hüsker Dü, The Meat Puppets, Dinosaur Jr, and The Pixies paying homage to Indie Rocks great past.

But why bother giving "history" lessons to our younger viewers, when we can push our obvious agenda of pushing Orrin Hatch(R) from office..(With no mention of Howard Berman(D) by the way who's a greater threat and closer ties to Hollywood) and replacing him with a Democrat.

Me? I just love music...And want mine just to be heard.

B requires the suspension of logic and a willingness to accept a supernatural explanation.

Yes, that's true and great faith. But faith grows within us as it comes from so many different avenues, such as ones own experiences (supernatural) with said faith.

Regarding: what you wrote about "suspending logic and a willingness to accept a supernatural explanation"

That's what everybody has to do anyway in order to avoid having to face the inexplicable quandary of HOW the original matter came to be that spawned the known universe.
Scientists say that matter can't be created, and that notion right there puts themselves in a confining box they can't crawl out of. No wonder science textbooks typically skirt the issue by 'beginning' with matter ALREADY in existence that does its presumed "big bang" expansion that is said to have formed the universe eons ago. How's that for "logic", my friend?
And this is just one issue; I could bring up others.

The point is that science alone is inadequate if used to try to explain everything. Evolution leaves gaps for which a leap of faith is required. I choose to put my faith in something else . . . actually Someone else.
But people have the right to believe or not believe what they wish. It's a matter of what you want, or don't want, to have faith in.
If you don't have faith in God, you're left with little recourse but to have faith that everything happened by accident with no intelligent design. Some will somewhat cynically say it's "a stretch" either way, and that's probably true . . . which goes back to my premise that faith is likely needed no matter which side of the fence you're on.
Thus, no one can truly disparage accepting the mysteries of the unknown when there is no incontrovertible proof either way.
Indeed, in our dimension, no one can prove God exists; but, by the same token, obviously no one can prove He doesn't.
So, let faith be given her due

One more thing about the "DaVinci Code" novel and flick:
Indeed, as George implied, it's less implausible to human rationale for a neutral person to accept Jesus not dying on a sacrificial cross for sins to be forgiven than it would be to attach reality to what The Omen dishes out.
I certainly had no intention to indicate that this novel and movie lacks a compelling feature to its plot.
Merely, I was applying theological criticism to its premise which contradicts the revealed Word of God that Christians have had in their hands for thousands of years.

Similarly, the so-called recently-translated "Gospel of Judas" is a type of gnostic distortion of Christ's character.
Also, recall "The Last Temptation of Christ" some years back? THAT was an affront, to say the least.
Bottom line:
Christians can, and should, use discernment.
That's why I'm opposed to the Pope's advice, because either the flock would have better discernment than he expects, OR they SHOULD have (and if the latter is in doubt, then that ought to be tantamount to a wake-up call for the Catholic Church to get busy teaching the Bible better to the masses).

BTW, Pepe, my post of 12:14 a.m. was not directed to you (as I suppose you surmised).
But, after re-reading what I wrote, I didn't want there to be any doubt.

""Jesus"""

Are we still on this DaVinci Code thing?

This gets any worse they'll be nailing
Fonzie to the cross....Me myself?

I thought the Africans did it best with their impaling
their poor victims on a spike....

Made them......well.....Sit On It

ahhhhhh

OldCodger Yup, I knew that...we're still pretty much on the same wave length...pretty cool eh?

Mel Gibson worked hard for The Passion.

But then came Dan Brown and Sony and Tom Hanks.

"Indeed, as George implied, it's less implausible to human rationale for a neutral person to accept Jesus not dying on a sacrificial cross for sins to be forgiven than it would be to attach reality to what The Omen dishes out."

That is not what I said at all.

Didn't say; implied.
Go back to what you wrote.

Your post of 2:06 p.m., May 25.

Your post of 12:27 p.m., May 24.

Or do I join a list of others who you say have misread your statements (on some other threads) lately?

Example: Contributing to a conversation, even with reporting facts — can't that be considered falling under the category of "weighing in"? (One of the dictionary's meanings for "weigh in" is "to declare".)

Notwithstanding that you, as well as anyone else, has the right to choose to be testy.