Note: Boycott-Riaa and Dmusic participants - please use this article for posting links to music news items of interest found while you are surfing the web!

There is no need to post the entire article's text. Simply provide us with the title/url and give a brief description of what it is about.

You can use the following template to make your links clickable:

[url= http://dmusic.com ] DMusic [ /url]

01. Remove the spaces in the sample above (it needs to be an unbroken text string)
02. Replace "http://dmusic" with the actual url link
03. Replace "DMusic" with the title or headline that needs to be clickable.

-----------

All posts will be reviewed by admin daily. We will delete anything we consider to be spam.

Try to avoid excessive comments here in The Digital Music Scene. (We will delete or move elsewhere anything that "clutters" things up.)

If you have general "off topic" comments regarding Boycott Riaa, please use the Odds & Ends thread or something/someplace else already provided for such things. The current "Odds & Ends" is at: http://www.boycott-riaa.com/article/21359

If you wish to have any of the links here in The Digital Music Scene "done-up" and given front-page treatment (so you can post a lengthy comment about it) TELL ONE OF THE ADMIN at either Boycott Riaa or DMusic. OR, use the submit button.

For all things :noriaa: Boycott Riaa related, I'm the guy to see. Drop me a Dnote, use the contact button, e-mail me at Yahoo or whatever. (I'm not that hard to find.)

I can often even help you with some things that are DMusic specific (I have SOME admin abilities there too!) At the very least, I can tell you who to contact.

--Mike (Shmoo) Steely, aka "independentmusician"

-----------------
brenthannah found this strip:

Google's YouTube video site will soon be showing content from the BBC.

The deal is likely to be controversial, particularly since the BBC is paid for by a compulsory tax system (the license fee) rather than through advertising or subscription. The article goes on to say that they won't be 'hunting down' people that upload their content to YouTube. Just the same, they reserve the right to take down or remove programmes that have run on their channels which might damage relationships; examples might be football offerings or 'edited' shows."

EMI rejects Warner Music's $4.1 billion bid

Britain's EMI Group has rejected a 2.1-billion-pound ($4.1 billion) cash takeover proposal from Warner Music Group, saying on Friday that accepting such a deal would not be good for its shareholders.

Elektra v. Barker "Making Available" Oral Argument Now Available Online

(Recording Industry vs the People)

New "watermark" system scours the net for infringement, notifies owners

According to Bruce Davis, Digimarc chairman and CEO, the system could help build "viable business models" in an arena rife with "disruptive changes in entertainment distribution and consumption."

Study Sees Digital Divide

"In the fast-evolving digital world, there is an increasing likelihood of conflicts between traditional content owners and distributors as they explore new business models, according to a new IBM study released Monday."

--duh, y'think?

Version 3 Creative Commons Version 3.0 Licenses — A Brief Explanation

Rae J Schwartz Replies to RIAA Opposition to her Guardian Ad Litem Motion in Elektra v. Schwartz

New Contested Case in Brooklyn, Capitol v. Sitaras

Patti Santangelo Opposes RIAA Motion to Dismiss "Without Prejudice"; Asks for Day in Court

Best regards.
Ray

Geico's cavemen may get own TV series

Cool. I hope the writers/producers get it right because I have to admit I have enjoyed watching those ads. It could make for a great sit-com.

Trio of indie labels launch in Christian market

"Soundies" from 40s coming to PBS

PBS is helping produce a two-hour special about "Soundies," three-minute music video clips that were popular in the 1940s -- four decades before the so-called birth of music videos on MTV.

FCC to ask Congress for violence parameters

The FCC is preparing to ask Congress for a broad expansion of its authority to regulate the content of television programming, but it hopes to leave the thorny issue of defining the parameters of how much violence is too much to Congress.

Best Buy's secret website?

The Courant site confirms an oft-rumoured possibility: Best Buy does indeed maintain a second website for what one could assume is for the purpose of defrauding its customers. State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal ordered the investigation into Best Buy's practices on Feb. 9 after columnist George Gombossy disclosed the website and showed how employees at two Connecticut stores used it to deny customers a $150 discount on a computer advertised on BestBuy.com.

CNet is running an article on the DHS's requirements for the Real ID system.

Millions of Americans will have until 2013 to register for the system, which will (some would argue) constitute a national ID. RFID trackers for the cards are under consideration...

A disturbing threat to privacy from the Justice Department

the officials continued overtures to increase data retention by ISPs on American citizens. This week, they were specifically looking to have records kept of photo uploads. In this way, and 'in case police determine the content is illegal and choose to investigate,' an easy trail from A to Z will be available.

AHHHHHHH...so next "snowy time" we all want to do "Fun Family Things" near "The Big city on the mouth of the Fraser River..which runs into the Pacific" which is near the "Island of the same name" now you see why, AHHHHHHHH!!!

Just a suggestion i wish to repete for ya Shmoo. I know you said your going to concider this for your "under construction for the forseeable future" site that you own and what you are allowed to do or not with BRIAA is not entirely up to you -- but -- just for the bennefit of public opinion:

The e107 CMS is in my opinion, a hell of alot better than Joomla. I've been messing with it for my own purposes and I really like it so far. Theres alot more options. Alot more (as well as better and more stable) plugins for it. The Admin CP is not not limited nor confusing like with Joomla. It seems a bitn intimidating at first because theres just so many friggen options -- but -- it's easy to become used to in fairly short order. So, thats my suggestion. Whether it's right for your site Shmoo, or BRIAA -- I really don't know. All I can say is -- *I* like it so far!

ah screw it you all get the idea. lol

Folks, please place any further comments that are not specifically links to news items (or BRIEF comments about those items) in the "Odds & Ends" thread.

But I will respond to say that the e107 thingy you are talking about looks very similar to Joomla. I'm not sure which CMS leflaw wants us to use for the other Boycott url. I myself wouldn't mind if it were nothing more than a simple html page with css & etc.

The other url is to be used as a place to store (and keep updated) with all the old out of date menu links we have here.
(An annex or appendage of this site)

It was perhaps a mistake to try and make it into anything more.

But leflaw's the boss-man. We'll see what he decides.

Now folks, get back to using THIS thread for newslinks only please!

(If you wish to reply to anything above, put it in "Odds & Ends" ...grr. Don't make me delete any posts here!)

Oh, BTW treat that [url= http://whatever ] whatever [ /url] stuff as you would with regular html lingo. You gotta remove the spaces and make it all one unbroken text string.

Random House & HarperCollins have agreed to allow book browsing and searching on all their books.

According to the article, 'Book publishers are to trying to update their businesses as more young readers consume media via the Web, a trend that already has affected the music, movie and newspaper industries.'

Cool RIAA related Foxtrot comic

[url=http://images.ucomics.com/comics/ft/2007/ft070304.gif] http://images.ucomics.com/comics/ft/2007/ft070304.gif[ /url]

ok just paste the URL

http://images.ucomics.com/comics/ft/2007/ft070304.gif

Myspace not allowing Revver vids

"You've probably heard by now that MySpace is no longer allowing Revver embeds. We know a lot of you rely on MySpace as a place to share and promote your videos and we are working with them to try to sort this out. It might take a while before we have any definitive news for you. In the meantime, we encourage you to send a message to Tom and tell him that you value MySpace as an open platform and that you hope they'll reinstate Revver embeds. Remind him that Revver is one of the very few video sharing sites that looks out for creator rights and that that's important to you. You can get in touch with Tom here: http://myspace.com/tomanderson.

Learn more about sharing Revver videos on the Revver blog and in the forums!"

Stations agree on anti-payola settlement

it's about freaking time! indie musicians, storm the airwaves!

Let's hope it does some good templesooner.

The Microsoft Corporation has prepared a blistering attack on rival Google, arguing that the Web search leader takes a cavalier approach to copyright protection.

Herding the Mob

On the Web, we let strangers tell us who to trust, what to read, and where to go. Which means your good name can be worth real money. And reputation hacking can be big business.

In some cases, crowdhackers are looking to boost sales or increase traffic to their Web sites. In other instances, they’re simply ripping off unsuspecting consumers. Either way, the more we base decisions on the wisdom of crowds, the greater the incentive to cheat.

Izimi Advances File Sharing

Company claims its ‘peer-to-browser’ software allows users to share files right from their PCs.

Hey, Mike, that amount the guy was fined in British Pounds for illegally sharing software was 3,400 (not 34k). Previously, he had been warned several times, but didn't respond to settle.

Thanks for correcting my math mistake.
========

Hendrix family sues over vodka marketing

Jimi Hendrix's family filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday over the use of the guitar legend's name to market a brand of vodka.

Yahoo! China sued for alleged copyright breach

Music industry giants including Warner Music Group Corp. are suing Yahoo! China for alleged copyright infringement by providing links to unlicensed music, trade organization IFPI said on Wednesday.

Yoko blocks premiere of film on Lennon

The world premiere of "Three Days in the Life," a documentary about John Lennon, was canceled after lawyers for the slain Beatle's widow, Yoko Ono, warned that she had not authorized any public viewing of the film.

Senators Smack Down WIPO Broadcast Treaty

Sen. Patrick Leahy, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the ranking Republican member, Arlen Specter, expressed their concerns that the Broadcast Treaty 'would needlessly create a new layer of rights that would disrupt United States copyright law.' They instructed the US delegates to work towards a treaty that is 'significantly narrower in scope, one that would provide no more protection than that necessary to protect the signals of broadcasters.' The next meeting of the WIPO Standing Committee will be in June."

OU meets with students targeted by RIAA to offer advice

Richard Carpinelli, associate VP for budget and operations, said OU will not provide information linking internet protocol (IP) addresses, which RIAA has, to student names, "unless we are ordered by a court to do so." He said "we have no idea" how RIAA came up with the 50 IP addresses it is targeting

Open Letter to Universities Whose Students Have Been Targeted by the RIAA

Helpful letter written & posted from Ray Beckerman that all university students and staff should have a look at.

Boston lead singer Brad Delp dies at 55

Brad Delp, the lead singer for the band Boston, was found dead Friday in his home in southern New Hampshire. He was 55. Atkinson police responded to a call for help at 1:20 p.m. and found Delp dead. Police Lt. William Baldwin said in a statement the death was "untimely" and that there was no indication of foul play.

Another Wilco album leaked online

"Sky Blue Sky," has leaked online, more than two months prior to its May 15 release date.

Buzz bands to watch at South By Southwest

Among the legions of acts booked for this year's South by Southwest Music and Media Conference and Festival March 14-18 in Austin, here are 10 that people will be talking about.

----------
Hopefully they will avoid signing with RIAA labels (if they have not already made the mistake of having done so.)

Game Theory Computer Model Backs Net Neutrality

"'A world without net neutrality is one devoid of intellectual development' said Sir Tim Berners Lee in a presentation to congress last week. Well, now there's a computer model that uses game theory to back that forecast up. Developed at the University of Florida, the model shows that everyone loses if the IPs get their way — even, eventually, the IPs."

Audit Finds FBI Abused Patriot Act

Anyone suprised?

...and more news about Big Brother:

Homeland Security Tests Snoop Computer System

"The Washington Times reports that Homeland Security has developed and is testing a new computer system called ADVISE (Analysis, Dissemination, Visualization, Insight and Semantic Enhancement) that collects and analyzes personal information on US citizens. Relevant data 'can include credit-card purchases, telephone or Internet details, medical records, travel and banking information.' The program apparently uses the same process as the Pentagon's Total Information Awareness project, which was aborted in 2003 due to privacy concerns."

Turkish YouTube ban lifted.

Some stuff from Ray at Recording Industry vs. the People:

Notice: Calling all College Students Who Want to Talk to Rolling Stone magazine about the RIAA letter they received

RIAA Lawyer Needs More Time in Santangelo case because he's too busy writing briefs in Capitol v. Foster and UMG v. Lindor

RIAA Moves to Dismiss Counterclaims in Lava v. Amurao

RIAA Student Extortion Letters Online at p2pnet

Jacobson Deposition Exhibits Now Online

Seeking Ohio RIAA Lawsuit Defense Attorneys

As you may know, the RIAA has ramped up to sue 50 students
at Ohio University, in Athens, Ohio. The university is located
in southeast Ohio, and the Center for Student
Legal Services, which is affiliated with, but not a part of,
the university, has made an urgent appeal for lawyers located in
Ohio who can advise, and possibly represent, students.

If you, or someone you know, can help, please contact:

Melissa Luna
Staff Attorney
csls_luna@frognet.net
Center for Student Legal Services
50 South Court Street, Suite D
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740-594-8093
Fax: 740-592-1495
www.studentlegalrights.org

Soul Singer James Brown finally laid to rest

At long last!

Heck, and here I would have thought he's been at rest since the moment of his death. Silly me.

Starbucks forms record label

~~STARBUCKS Corp has formed its own record label, Hear Music, to develop records for sale both in its coffee shops and through traditional music retailers.~~

Interesting concept....bypassing the riaa. Go Starbucks!

RIAA Motion for Default Judgment Denied in Corpus Christi, Texas, case, Atlantic v. Boggs

Comic Strip on RIAA Lawsuits Against People

(Hey brenthannah, Ray says Bill Amend gave them specific permission to run that strip. Did we remember to ask for similar permission? lol. Appologies to Mr. Amend if we forgot to do so last week.)

2004 Decision Ordering Severance of John Does in Fonovisa v. Does 1-41, Austin Texas

Defendant Opposes RIAA Reconsideration Motion in Capitol v. Foster

Marie Lindor Points Out Tom Mizzone Declaration to Court in UMG v. Lindor

In Elektra v. Santangelo, RIAA Submits Reply Papers Arguing Dismissal Should be "Without Prejudice"

Judge Denies RIAA Motion to Dismiss Counterclaim for Declaratory Judgment of Non-Infringement in Warner v. Stubbs in Oklahoma

RIAA Sues Stroke Victim in Michigan

Best regards.
Ray
http://recordingindustryvspeople.blogspot.com
http://info.riaalawsuits.us

EFF reports that TV and movie industry representatives have been pushing for DRM in Digital Video Broadcasting technologies.

(In other words, they want to control your TV!)

It seems that Microsoft prefers the market to use their software even if it's pirated, rather than the alternative: the use of free software."

Sounds similar to why the RIAA floods the p2p networks. They'd rather the kids who "share" to be promoting their wares than to find indie music.

(Yup, there has been evidence that some factions of the RIAA, most likely those in the artists' camp and/or marketing division of the labels, have been serrupticiously doing just that very thing with all the "leaked" material!)

AT&T seems to have argued that the case against the telecom for allegedly helping the government spy on Americans is too secret for any court

lol

The Pirate Bay gives diploma to the King of Sweden:

http://static.thepiratebay.org/kungen.jpg

"We hope the King will appreciate our efforts and we have asked for an audience with the King or preferably the princess Madeleine."

Stuff from the EFF:

Reform the PATRIOT Act and Stop the Abuse
of Surveillance Powers!

Yochai Benkler, Cory Doctorow, and Bruce Schneier Win EFF
Pioneer Awards

The award ceremony will
feature a debate between Mark Cuban -- HDNet Chairman and
NBA Dallas Mavericks owner -- and EFF's Fred von Lohmann on
copyright, YouTube and the future of Web 2.0.

Do the Record Labels Even Have a Digital Strategy?

"Pirates" Will Buy Tracks at 20-40 Cents And price analog hole versions of digital tracks as 24
cents cheaper.

Al Gore tries to get a hand from Congress for a rock concert promoting environmental issues

He wants to use the front lawn of the Captiol.

Merle, Willie and Ray get together

Merle Haggard sometimes misses the old way of making records, when fixing an off-key note wasn't so simple and all the little mistakes were captured on vinyl.

Kid's label "Sony Wonder" is going under.

Sony closing the doors to "concentrate on core music business"

Let's move our "chit chat" over to the "Odds and Ends" currently at: http://www.boycott-riaa.com/article/21359

Comments have been moved.

(Please don't be offended folks.) We are trying to keep "The Digital Music Scene" as a "pure" list of topical news-links since it serves both Boycott Riaa and Dmusic.

We can always start up an entire front page item on ANY of the links here in "The Digital Music Scene" if any of you want to post comments about 'em.

Just let me or one of Dmusic's admin know!

Otherwise, (if you don't think it worth the bother to do an entire "frontpage" article,) simply use the current version of "Odds and Ends" at Boycott Riaa, or one of the forums to post a "quickie" comment.

how i can find music?

[url=http://www.techspot.com/news/24656-university-of-michigan-not-giving-student-information-to-riaa.html[
University of Michigan not giving student information to RIAA[/url]

Kudos to this university! They all need to take this stand.

Check out this artcile I found while clicking on "Stumble" with my web browser:

http://archive.salon.com/tech/feature/2000/06/14/love/index.html

I dont know how old it is.. but:

"Today I want to talk about piracy and music. What is piracy? Piracy is the act of stealing an artist's work without any intention of paying for it. I'm not talking about Napster-type software.

I'm talking about major label recording contracts. " - By Courtney Love

It's about 7 years old Bakuran, but thanks for reposting a link to it. It's a classic!

Study finds BMI does not accurately gauge excess fat


lol, a different "BMI" ...but the headline could apply...

Boston lead singer calls himself 'lonely soul' in suicide note

RIAA Two (2) Days Late in Capitol v. Foster; Fails to Submit Opposition to Motion to Compel Them to Turn Over Billing Records On Time

April 13th Set as Date for Pre-Trial Conference in Elektra v. Santangelo

Knoxville News Sentinel Reports on RIAA Attack on Tennesseeans

RIAA Ordered To Turn Over Its Attorneys Billing Records in Capitol v. Foster

RIAA Asks Permission to Serve Reply Papers to Bolster its "Reconsideration" Motion in Capitol v. Foster

RIAA Continues to Argue that MediaSentry is "fact witness" and not "expert" witness; admits "process" is "proprietary"

Best Regards,
Ray

Defective by Design.org are sending an open letter to Steve Jobs asking
him to back his pledge on DRM.

Please visit
http://www.defectivebydesign.org/actions/open_letter/steve_jobs and
sign
the letter.

DRM - be gone!

Best regards

Patrick Arkley

Last week we launched an open letter to Steve Jobs asking him to take action and demonstrate that his February 7th pledge to drop DRM was not just a way of deflecting criticism of Apple and disavowing his company's role in the spread of DRM. We offered 3 concrete steps he could take and we asked you and others to join with us and send a message to him. In the first few hours over 1000 of you signed, and week later we have nearly 5000 signers.

We'll be delivering the open letter to Steve Jobs at the end of the month and the more names signed to it, the better. Help us hit 7500.

Sign the letter if you have not already

Email your friends and family and ask them to sign

Blog about the letter (on your blog, your MySpace, Friendster, Tribe, FaceBook or Zaadz profile, or submit it to your favorite social news or bookmarking site (Reddit, Del.icio.us, BlueDot.us, Magnolia).

Together we will send a strong message to Steve Jobs and Apple that music lovers and technologists don't want DRM and expect that he take a leading role in abolishing it!

In Solidarity,

Gregory, Peter, Henri and the DRM Elimination Crew

Amid digital boom, indie labels eye retail sales.

When Montreal-based rock group Arcade Fire's "Neon Bible" debuted this week at No. 2 on the U.S. album charts with sales of 92,000 units, 27,000 of those were sold digitally, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

G. Love flourishes on smaller label

For many musicians, getting a major label contract is the dream of a lifetime. But G. Love, best known for his diverse mix of hip-hop, rock, blues and everything in between, has realized more of his dreams since downsizing from the big-time corporate music machine to a smaller label.

Byrne at SXSW

Former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne wants record labels to focus more on marketing than on manufacturing and distribution in the face of increasing digital album sales.

Russia Pledges Piracy Clampdown

Sheesh, is the whole world gonna roll over on its' back for Hollywood and the RIAA? Are nations really soverign anymore, or are the corporations in charge?

Victims Fight Back Against DMCA Abuse

, a Viacom executive admitted last month that less than 60 of his company's 100,000 takedown requests to YouTube were invalid. John Palfrey of Harvard's Berkman Center wonders what rights those 60 people have? We may find out. The EFF called for people who had videos pulled inappropriately to contact the group

RIAA sues Stroke Victem
in Michigan in Warner v. Paladuk. The defendant John Paladuk was living in Florida at the time of the alleged copyright infringement, and had notified the RIAA that he had not engaged in any copyright infringement.

Copyright board rules on royalities for online music downloads

Stats from Canada

Carol Burnett Sues Fox Over 'Family Guy' Episode

Geez Carol, you can't win. It was a PARODY!

I just lost a lot of respect for her.

"If Shell prevails on that count, sites like Google will have to get online publishers to 'opt in' before they can be crawled, radically changing the nature of Web search."

Best practices for a lossless music archive?

Ask Slashdot

Victims of "collateral damage" takedown notices start suing Viacom

"It's important to note, however, that when you file a DMCA takedown notice, part of that claim is that you insist you own the rights to that content. It appears that at least some of those who were the victims of this collateral damage are now turning around and suing Viacom for taking their content offline with bogus DMCA claims."

European Union. Parliament reacts to the Commission's Recommendation for online music services

[url=http://news.softpedia.com/news/Unlimited-Music-Distribution-Death-Of-RIAA-49787.shtml[Unlimited Music Distribution – Death of RIAA?[/url]

Yet another pay scheme

http://news.softpedia.com/news/Unlimited-Music-Distribution-Death-Of-RIAA-49787.shtml
too many spaces...

Both Sides' Motions for Summary Judgment Denied in pro se case, Motown v. DePietro in Pennsylvania

New Contested Case in Brooklyn, Arista v. Finkelstein; Defendant Counterclaims, RIAA Moves to Dismiss Counterclaims

RIAA Gets Permission to File Reply Brief in Support of "Reconsideration" Motion in Capitol v. Foster

University of Wisconsin Refuses to Go along with RIAA; Will Not Send RIAA Letters to Students

New Contested Case in Houston, Texas, Atlantic v. DeMassi

RIAA Adds New Colleges and Students to its Hit List

Judge Denies RIAA Motion to Dismiss Without Prejudice in Elektra v. Santangelo

RIAA Asks for More Time in Warner v. Stubbs to file reply to counterclaims

Debbie Foster Moves to Compel Enforcement with Order Directing Turnover of Records

--Best regards,
Ray

Deutsche Telecom Ditches DRM

Musicload, its European music download site says it is in
negotiations to develop alternatives to copy restrictions
because a whopping 75% of user complaints come from DRM!

Is the Internet Killing the Piracy Business?

Physical pirates suffer challenges to their business model from non-commercial infringers.

(See, we TOLD you that p2p actually helps the RIAA!)

Europe's Broadcast Flag: Will it Get Government Support?

Asus Puts the "Analog Hole" to Good Use

Its new sound-card will play PC sound internally, and re-
record it instantaneously.

Group asks RIAA to halt lawsuits, educate students

Problem is, is that the riaa doesn't want to "educate the students" they'd rather have the new income.

Congratulations, RIAA! (I knew you could do it.)
Go, RIAA! ...straight to (*cough*)

From the "This may or may not be happening department"

RIAA: Students settling piracy claims

Sad if it is true....

In Capitol v. Foster, Court Directs RIAA to Turn Over Attorney Billing Records to Ms. Foster's Lawyer, Rules that Documents Are Confidential

RIAA Asks Court to Put Its Attorneys Billing Records Under Seal in Capitol v. Foster

RIAA Files Reply Papers Telling Judge his Decision Awarding Attorneys Fees Was "Erroneous" in Capitol v. Foster

RIAA Insists on Deposing Tanya Andersen's 10-year-old daughter

Music fans keep bootlegging network alive

"Some bands, including the Barenaked Ladies, now sell memory sticks containing the audio file immediately after their live shows."

~~Maybe the memory stick is the new "album"~~

Teens Rally Against an 'Un-Christian' Culture

Evangelical Movement Urges American Youth to Reject Pop Culture

Model Letter for Lawyers Representing Defendants in RIAA Cases

Parody of RIAA from BBSpot: "RIAA Updates Mission Statement"

"Universities Get Miffed with RIAA" -- The Inquirer

University of Maine Refuses To Forward RIAA Letters to Its Students

Judge Protects 10-year-old child: Rules that Kylee Andersen's Deposition Must be By Telephone or Videoconference Only

In Warner v. Stubbs, RIAA Now Promises Not to Sue Ms. Stubbs Again, Asks Judge to Change Mind About Declaratory Judgment

Defendant Moves in Capitol v. Foster to Preclude Expert Testimony or to Compel Expert Discovery on Attorneys Fees

Letters Exchanged in UMG v. Lindor Between RIAA Lawyer and Lawyer for Ms. Lindor's Son

Best Regards
Ray

This isn't necessarily music related but it does have an impact on it, seeing as Microshaft supports all this RIAA garbage & Linux is all about fair use.

Dell to Sell Linux PCs
Customers convince Dell to plan a new line of Linux-loaded desktop and notebook computers.
Todd R. Weiss, Computerworld
Monday, February 26, 2007 10:00 AM GMT-08:00

I'm not really much of a fan of any corporation like Dell, but -- if they advertise this just right and bring more people to Linux -- it will be a blow to the corporations that are trying to control everything and a victory to open source, creative commons and fair use! I hope to have one less bad thing to say about Dell. I really don't like them but I'm not so bias that I can't see at least someone over there in that corporation is trying to do the right thing.

http://www.techspot.com/news/24812-riaa-hits-snag-in-another-filesharing-lawsuit.html

The RIAA again finds themselves overstepping their bounds and getting a slap on the wrist. This time, a Judge denied the RIAA's request to force the son of someone defending themselves from an RIAA lawsuit to turn over his desktop computer. Citing poor justification for such an action, the Judge mentioned that the RIAA was doing little more than “speculating”:

Plaintiffs have offered little more than speculation to support their request for an inspection of Mr. Raymond's desktop computer, based on than his family relationship to the defendant, the proximity of his house to the defendant's house, and his determined defense of his mother in this case. That is not enough. On the record before me, plaintiffs have provided scant basis to authorize an inspection of Mr. Raymond's desktop computer.
It is a good thing a decision like that was reached. It's one thing to find yourself at the wrong end of an RIAA lawsuit. It's another thing altogether to have your equipment seized and inspected simply because someone you know or someone in your family is being sued by them. Ridiculous.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=69841

RIAA Goes After NINE INCH NAILS Fans Over Deliberate Leak Campaign - Apr. 3, 2007

Launch Radio Networks reports: The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), which has become notorious for suing anyone from high school students to retirees for downloading music from the web, has gone after web sites such as Idolator that have posted leaked songs from the upcoming NINE INCH NAILS album, "Year Zero". The problem, however, is that the tracks were leaked intentionally. Several songs from the album were left on computer hard drives at venues on the band's current European tour, with fans finding and posting them on the web for others to download and swap. According to Billboard.com, the RIAA sent cease-and-desist emails to web sites that posted the tracks, leading one industry source to say, "These f***ing idiots are going after a campaign that the label signed off on."

While a number of songs have been intentionally released, the entire NINE INCH NAILS album has not leaked online yet. The CD arrives on April 17.

In addition to the leaked tracks, the marketing campaign for "Year Zero" has featured cryptic messages on T-shirts and a maze of linked web sites that expand upon the album's storyline of a future U.S. on the brink of apocalypse.

The same source told Billboard that NINE INCH NAILS frontman Trent Reznor views the campaign as a "new entertainment form." The source added that the campaign will continue for the next 18 months.

"Year Zero" is reportedly the first of two concept albums, the second of which Reznor hopes to finish next year.

NINE INCH NAILS finishes its European tour on April 10 in Finland and has just announced another round of shows on that continent beginning in August. A trip to Australia and Japan is planned for May. North American dates have not been announced yet.

Couple of interesting articles

http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/04/07/1917255&from=rss

"The RIAA and MPAA are lobbying California legislators for an exemption to proposed legislation that would outlaw pretexting. Pretexting is the practice of pretending to be someone else in order to obtain personal information on a person, such as telephone or banking records.

http://techdirt.com/articles/20070405/184745.shtml

Record Store Owners Blame RIAA For Destroying The Music Industry

It's not like it hasn't been said many times before, but it's nice to see the NY Times running an opinion piece about the RIAA from a pair of record store owners which basically points out how at every opportunity, the RIAA has made the wrong move and made things worse:

Regarding that pretexting measure:
I wish that law was passed in every state.
I also wish laws against identity theft provided even stiffer penalties, and that "phishing" carried the penalty of identity theft, AND that all those involved in "phishing" (no matter where on earth they reside) could be hauled into U.S courts for the maximum sentence allowed by law if a U.S. citizen is adversely affected by their foul deeds. Also, let's have an international bounty on the heads of those evil people.

I believe we'd see some improvement over the current lamentable circumstances if these tough measures were enacted.
You might guess I'm in a very bad mood regarding crooks using computers, and you'd be guessing right.

All righty then

From Ed Henry
CNN Washington Bureau
09 April 2007

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The White House is planning a major announcement this week involving two complaints to the World Trade Organization accusing China of unfair trade practices, two senior administration officials said Sunday.

The United States is taking formal legal action after months of urging China to crack down on pirated copies of U.S. films, music and software brought little consequence, the officials said.

"This is a fairly big deal," one senior administration official told CNN. [Refer to CNN's Eunice Yoon explaining the significance of this move]

But senior administration officials acknowledged their goal is not solely to get China's attention but also to show Congress they are getting tough on the trade front, where U.S. jobs are shaping up as a major issue.

The move is an effort to drum up support among Democrats for several trade deals stalled on Capitol Hill, amid allegations the White House has not done enough to prod China.

"There are two audiences here -- China and Congress," one official said.

Avril Lavigne buys $9.5M L.A. mansion: report

If these artists, being downloaded "free" off the net are hurting financially, they have a funny way of showing it.