We are looking for links that are of interest to independent musicians, fans, and those who give a damn about copyright/music biz issues.

Please provide us with a link and brief summary of the articles and items you share, but try to keep lengthy comments to a minimum when using the "In The News" thread.

To make your link "clickable" simply use this format: [url= (complete url goes here) ] (plain-text goes here) [ /url]

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before posting! (The plain text CAN have spaces, but nothing else in the string can or it will not work right!)

Try it out! (Don't worry, I will come back and delete/fix any broken links when I have the time.) --Shmoo

Last month's edition of "In The News"

http://www.boycott-riaa.com/article/28571

Girl gets revolutionary note in package instead of iPod

"Reclaim your mind from the media's shackles. Read a book and resurect [sic] yourself. To claim your capitalistic garbage go to your nearest Apple store."

----------

Wasn't me. I swear!

A DMCA Carol:

http://www.galacticast.com/2007/12/27/a-copyright-carol/

A map of the world depicts nations that respect/invade your privacy.

...it don't look good! (Greece wins?)

IF link not work try:
http://www.boingboing.net/2007/12/30/privacy-stateofthepl.html

Record industry practices revisionism about music recording

Sony BMG's chief of litigation, Jennifer Pariser, testified that "when an individual makes a copy of a song for himself, I suppose we can say he stole a song." Copying a song you bought is "a nice way of saying 'steals just one copy,'" she said.

On Dave Farber's IP mailing list, Dan Gillmor points out that the recording industry used to have a different opinion on personal use. It removed the following statement from its website (but you can still read it on archive.org):

"If you choose to take your own CDs and make copies for yourself on your computer or portable music player, that's great. It's your music and we want you to enjoy it at home, at work, in the car and on the jogging trail."

RIP : Blues Vocalist 'Weepin' Willie Robinson Dies in Boston Fire at Age 81

Billboard presents a peek at the music you'll be hearing about in the first quarter.

SOME of it is indie.

The RIAA has decided to go after people who copy their own CDs and put them on their own iPod.

I understand about file sharing, but making the case against copy CDs is going overboard.

It's all overboard.

Folks...

STEAL THIS FILM (Part II)

Seriously, DO "STEAL" IT!!!

(Much better than Part I. MORE in line with the "official" Boycott-RIAA agenda!!!)[/url]

I think they were listening to us more-so this time around.

Mroop.

Can you help me make a DVD for my mom and dad? It HAS to be able to play in their plain old standard DVD player.

I just want them to see a 45 min or so concert by some people they knew and loved back in hte '60's that is available now on YouTube and etc.

...but, the PROBLEM is that my folks are either too STUPID or too SMART to bother with all the "crazy internet things" we young pups are doing...

I just wanna make my mom and dad a DVD of a short music concet by a band/duo that I know they both enjoy.

Since I know the "Internet" and all that jazz... I can watch it anytime I want, over and over...

But, my mom and dad will only get to see it if I put it on a damn DVD.

(And, it is something they NEED to see.)

I don't ask for help much folks.

Is it OK if I ask for help this time?

===========================



Y'know what pisses me off?

There USED to be a version of "Can't Find My Way Home" on YouTube by Blind Faith at Hyde Park. (Anyone old as me and remember?)

But now, THAT song is gone. Can't find it anywhere.

grr.

I liked "Can't Find My Way Home", "Sea of Joy", and their version of "Well, Alright". Too bad they didn't make a second album.

"Mroop.

Can you help me make a DVD for my mom and dad? It HAS to be able to play in their plain old standard DVD player."

Me? I am a technological neanderthal. I can probably find out how to save a YouTube video to your computer, but I don't own a dvd burner. Do you want me to find out how to save the video so you can burn it? Let me know.

5 yr copyright limit if transferred to a corp.

http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/01/02/1430228

Maybe a little short.

Naw. I probably could figure it out, but likewise, I don't have a DVD burner on my PC either. But thanks mroop for considering.

EFF Busts Bogus Online Testing Patent

"It's taken some time, but the EFF's Patent Busting Project is making progress. In the latest news, the USPTO has now officially rejected one of the 10 awful patents targeted, making the world safe again for administering tests over the Internet. This joins the reexamination of a patent on automated remote access of a computer over a network and the revocation of a patent on recording live performances to CD as notable successes for the EFF."

Re: "Upgrade your monitor; lose your DRM-infected file privileges"

That's another reason to avoid: Microsoft, Netflix, Amazon, . . . and, yeah, let's throw Blu-ray into the compost pile, too.

P.S. I use Mac OS 9.2.2 and open-source software, and I avoid DRM like the plague it is. Thus, I'm in pretty good shape all the way around. And, somehow, inexplicably, my life has not incurred a major deprivation impact just because I'm not dabbling in high definition format.

Big Head Todd promotes its shows with free album

The strategy involves customizing CD artwork with a participating station's call letters along with the imprint of a corporate sponsor and distributing it via direct mail, using each station's listener database. Thousands of copies will be provided to the stations. Sponsors help defray the cost of producing the customized CDs, and the stations pick up the mailing costs.

hmm...

New York Philharmonic tunes up for North Korea visit

...well, I myself played a rock show with the 2nd ID Army Soldier's Show Band (We were called "Up In Smoke") back in '91 right on the DMZ (Pan Mun Jom) at a New Year's Party. I'm sure some of the North Korean border guards got to hear us not 100 yards away. (We were kinda loud.)

China limits providers of Internet video

China has moved to restrict videos online, allowing only state-controlled sites to post any — including those shared by users — and requiring Internet providers to delete and report a variety of content.

Outlook 2008: Digital

The hottest digital media segments going into 2008 continue to be online video, social networking, search and--remnant inventory? That appears to be the case, based on recent developments in the space. While Hulu, Joost and Facebook continue to dominate headlines and imaginations, it's the less sexy elements of the business--ad networks, ad exchanges, behavioral targeting firms--that experts say will spur the most significant activity in the coming year.

US-CERT Warns Of Flaws In Flash Files And RealPlayer 11

The European Commission will make proposals by mid-2008 aimed at creating a single European market in the burgeoning sector of online music, films and games, it said on Thursday.

----

Fine, but EU Commission, avoid thinking DRM is the key.

The number of albums sold as CDs, LPs or other traditional formats in the U.S. fell 15% in '07 but the number of digital music tracks purchased grew 45%. The shift to buying tunes online might accelerate as the music industry and digital music services try to improve digital-album packaging. People who still buy CDs partly for the album artwork and song lyrics might be lured away by new features that are likely to be unveiled this year, such as a lyrics tab within MP3 players or digital magazines for some albums.

Digital album packaging to improve in '08

2008 predictions by Michael Geist
Law professor, author, blogger: michaelgeist.com

"New business models in the music industry will be driven by artists, not record labels."

"As more and more people use the Web for their own creativity - posting pictures, video, blogging - there will be an ever-louder cry against laws that restrict these forms of speech."

"The continuing challenge [will be] striking the right privacy balance. Analysts are wrong to assume that social media users don't care about their privacy. They do. However, their concerns are premised on the use of their information in unexpected and unwanted ways."

The">http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/01/01/the-5-most-annoying-programs-on-your-pc/">The 5 most annoying programs on your pc.

This is software that causes your screen to freeze while it works, consumes enough system resources to display a reminder box letting you know there is a new, even bigger, version available for download. Software we've been forced to install so we can read some special document format, enjoy some DRM infected piece of media, or communicate with others who also live with the same brand of behemoth riding on their backs.

1. Acrobat Reader
2. iTunes
3. Real Player
4. Internet Explorer
5. Microsoft Outlook

I'll blame #4 for farking up this link:

http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/01/01/the-5-most-annoying-programs-on-your-pc/

More doom and gloom for physical media?:

http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6224597.html

They refer to the noticeable drop in physical sales of albums whilst digital sales continue climbing (albeit at a reduced rate). Their central argument is that 'the music industry was pillaged by piracy and competition from other forms of entertainment such as video games ...

-------------

Tough titty said the kitty when the milk went dry.

Jammie Thomas was sued by the RIAA. The courts ruled she pay $220,000. She is appealing this decision. HOWEVER, her lawyer is dropping her for the appeal! She needs a new lawyer. If you can help please email Jammie: jammie [at] freejammie [dot] com

donate here: [url=http://www.freejammie.com/ ] http://www.freejammie.com/ [ /url]

http://news.wired.com/dynamic/stories/F/FUTURE_OF_MUSIC?SITE=WIRE&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-01-06-13-36-35

"Bronfman alluded that the industry this year would pursue a way to "monetize the unauthorized flow of our artists' audio content on the Internet."

Well isn't that precious, Bronfman thinks we need his 'authorization'.

It was called Napster and you turned them down, dumbass.

Jeez Louise could these people have their collective heads any further up their asses?

Re: "pursue a way to monetize the unauthorized flow of our artists' content on the internet"

I wonder if the RIAA has its own elite version of a B.S. Generator.



Re: what gfmlcka wrote

You're right, and for them it's too little, too late.

Ian has a lot more sense than the idiots in the industry he is talking to.

"I wonder if the RIAA has its own elite version of a B.S. Generator."

Nope, none needed. The RIAA is a bullsh*t Generator.

...but what Bronfman seems to be talking about is what I have feared for many years. Sounds like the RIAA is finally considering a version of compulsary licensing.

Damn.

"Another approach involves Internet service providers offering a pricing tier that comes with unlimited music downloads or faster download speeds that might be attractive to computer users who download a lot of music files."

Damn Damn Damn

Say goodbye to Net Neutrality too if they get their way.

HOLD THE PHONE AND STOP THE PRESSES!!!!

Did Bronfman say: "unauthorized flow of our artists' content on the internet" ...and NOT "piracy"

Oh oh.

The RIAA might really be thinking about VCL.

German Justice Minister: ISPs must store data for terrorist-hunting, but not for music industry lawsuits

Freddie Freelance sez, "German Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries has drawn a line in the sand on the Internet connection data that Germany's requiring be collected since January 1st & hold for 6 months. From Heise Online:"
"Connection information can assist in the prosecution of terrorists and organized criminals but cannot be used to help the music industry pursue its rights under civil law," said the SPD party politician in an interview with Focus, the German news magazine. "Any government that tries to broaden its scope will lose all credibility."

RIAA Liner Notes:

http://www.somethingawful.com/d/news/riaa-liner-notes.php

How the hell is it only Jan 7 and ALREADY we have more than 50 posts "In The News"

You've posted all but 8 of 'em; and that's a testimony to your diligence and time (time well-spent on behalf of the boycott).
Keep up the good work . . . we appreciate your finding all those news items.

Naw, it just shows that there is a lot going on. But thanks pessimist.

New Study on Copyright and Creativity from the Center for
Social Media

A new report from the Center for Social Media, called
"Recut, Reframe, Recycle," takes a close look at
user-generated video sites and finds that there is much
more at stake than the SNL and Daily Show clips often
referenced in the typical accusations of copyright
infringement.

Far from simply uploading others' content, more users are
remixing prior works to create new and surprising works of
transformative creativity. With illustrations of some of
the best examples of user-generated content from the past
few years, the study attempts to clarify "the difference
between quoting for new cultural creation and simple
piracy."

The study recommends the establishment of a "blue ribbon
panel" to establish a set of "best practices" principles --
not unlike the "Documentary Filmmakers' Statement of Best
Practices in Fair Use," which the Center for Social Media
also spearheaded last year.

For the Center for Social Media report, "Recut, Reframe, Recycle":

For EFF's report "Fair Use Principles for User-Generated Video Content":

For the complete post

Key Open Government Reform Legislation Becomes Law

In one of his last official acts of 2007, President Bush
signed into law the first major overhaul of the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) in more than a decade. The OPEN
Government Act of 2007 makes much-needed changes to the
FOIA process that will give Americans better access to
information about their government at work, such as:

* Ensuring that freelance and alternative journalists
are considered representatives of the media, making it less
expensive for them to get information from the government;
* Creating a tracking system to help make sure that
FOIA requests don't become hopelessly tangled in red tape;
and
* Making it clear that requesters can get government
records maintained by private contractors, not just the
agencies themselves.

For EFF's FOIA Litigation for Accountable Government (FLAG)
Project page:
http://www.eff.org/issues/foia

For the complete post by EFF Staff Attorney Marcia Hofmann:
click here

Limewire on 1 in 3 desktops worldwide

EFF's post

EFF Seeks Webmaster Who Wants to Make a Difference

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), an Internet civil
liberties nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, is
seeking a full-time webmaster to start immediately. This
person will be responsible for managing content and
building web features on eff.org, and helping to build and
maintain EFF's web initiatives and campaigns.

The environment is fast-paced; the work is cutting-edge. A
love of technology and familiarity with related civil
liberties issues is a must.

The ideal candidate will have a broad range of experience
in web production, including:
* XHTML/CSS web design and implementation
* Open-source web technology: PHP, Javascript, Unix,
Apache, etc.
* Graphics production, editing and optimization
* An eye for clean user-centric web design and layout
* Organizing and keeping track of large amounts of complex
web content

Additional familiarity with any of these is a plus:
* Drupal CMS
* Subversion (or similar concurrent versioning system)
* MySQL
* Smarty
* Flash/ActionScript
* Writing blog posts, press releases, web content, etc.

Salary in the low $50s with benefits. To apply, send a
cover letter and your resume with links to some samples of
your work to webjob@eff.org. Please send these materials in
a non-proprietary format. No phone calls please!

. . . . . . .
"The report closely follows a legal defeat for LimeWire owner Lime Group LLC, which alleged anticompetitive, collusive behavior amongst major labels. But that challenge was thrown out by a federal court . . ."

Thrown out!
Not enough evidence?
[sneer]

No way!

http://opinion.latimes.com/bitplayer/2008/01/gadget-of-the-d.html

" You know what a bother it is to carry both your MP3 music player and your Taser gun?

Worry no more.

Today at CES, Taser International introduced the Taser MPH -- the first combination hand-held music player and Taser. "

From Monday's Globe and Mail

January 7, 2008 at 3:59 AM EST

A proposal to add a $5 monthly fee to every wireless and Internet account that would allow music consumers access to all recorded music available online has been called a "pipe dream" by the president of the Canadian Record Industry Association, Reuters and Billboard has reported.

The Songwriters Association of Canada claims the plan, which has been presented to CRIA and the Canadian Independent Record Production Association, as well as publishers' groups, would raise $1-billion a year that would be distributed to artists, labels and publishers. The proposal does not detail how revenue would be collected.

CRIA president Graham Henderson said he has discussed the plan with acting SAC president Eddie Schwartz, Reuters reported, but his organization is reluctant to become involved. "We don't want to pursue what amounts to a pipe dream that is presented as a quick fix," he said. "We'll lose focus on the real issues that will help us resolve the industry's problems."

Napster to Sell Music As MP3 Files

Napster Inc. said Sunday it will begin selling music downloads as unprotected MP3 files in the spring, joining other online retailers.

The file format change will apply only to single tracks and album purchases, according to a company press release. Tracks downloaded as part of the company's music subscription service will continue to have copyright restrictions.

--------

Continue boycotting them folks!

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/08/att-and-other-isps-may-be-getting-ready-to-filter/

AT&T and Other ISPs May Be Getting Ready to Filter

Thanks TrueAudio. I'll front page it!
----------------------

The Dutch RIAA was defeated in their attempts to raise taxes on MP3 players.

The Netherlands already has a levy on blank CDs and DVDs but the government says the artists’ rights bodies were not distributing the cash efficiently and wanted the problems solved before new levies were created.

"You cannot give such a system the responsibility for a new levy if you know that it is not working properly," Reuters has a justice ministry spokesman saying.

Retrial declared in Sweden’s largest file-sharing case

...after investigative methods were called into question.

http://overdubtampering.blogspot.com/

"Your Copy Of Your Favorite
Album Has Us All Over It" -- The Overdub Tampering Committee

ha!

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/08/att-and-other-isps-may-be-getting-ready-to-filter/

Re: AT&T and Other ISPs May Be Getting Ready to Filter

And just who is going to see that things which shouldn't be filtered won't be?
If an indie artist wants his music to be heard and downloaded, he/she should continue to have that right (unimpeded)!

Yoko Ono unveils "John Lennon" Musical Bus

The traveling high-tech tour bus, decked out with instruments and top-of-the-line recording equipment, has a lofty aim: To teach children, who might attend schools with reduced arts education, about the joys of music.

New hope for tinnitus sufferers

New approaches to the treatment of tinnitus - a buzzing or ringing in the ears - are being pioneered and may hold the promise of a future cure.

eh, what?

Material Turns All Surfaces into Stereo

"Cambridge-based NXT christened it "SurfaceSound" and arranged for it to be crafted into Toyota cars, Gateway computers, Hallmark greeting cards and more. NXT is working on ways to put the technology to use in touch screens that promise to be part of a new rage in 'natural interfaces' for computers, mobile telephones, televisions and other electronic devices."

Music acts hyped online release debuts

"When it comes to music, the Web can be like a giant megaphone that ratchets up the decibel level of buzz to deafening proportions."

"The Web has proven to be the most fertile ground to sow the seeds of hype. And that rings true particularly for music, which is easily streamed and downloaded — not to mention inspires great passion in fans eager to share a new discovery.

But when the cacophony reaches great heights, it begins to sap the joy out of music — thus leading to the inevitable backlash that one can only hope doesn't befall Vampire Weekend or Nash."

"Bands trying to break in, though, don't have such a luxury. Their best friend — and enemy — is the Web."

'Coldplay quitting label' claims denied

--says a source at the label

"In reality Coldplay are signed to a long-term record deal with EMI and are committed to produce a number of studio albums," they explained.

My condolences to the enslaved Coldplay.

Viacom makes videos available online

"Viacom's MTV Networks Group has signed deals to make videos available on five online video services and Comcast Corp's broadband site, as the company aims to increase its presence on the Web."

Videos of what? Their stupid reality shows?
I wasn't aware that eMTv had the rights to do this sort of thing with those MUSIC videos from days gone by.

Don't those music vids belong to the artists (well, sadly, the labels?)

Beginning of the end?

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/01/11/riaa_ifpi_merger_touted/

Fox forces removal of Ron Paul clip from YouTube! Get this to #1 on Digg:
http://digg.com/politics/Fox_forces_removal_of_Ron_Paul_clip_from_YouTube

This is the video they forced YT to remove, watch it and you'll see why(re-uploaded).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ_Z_XG0L2c

The Content/Technology Agenda for 2008
http://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6517325.html?industryid=47211

UCSC Network Woes

The University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) has become another of the American schools to openly enlist as a Warner Music, EMI, Vivendi Universal and Sony BMG corporate copyright cop, acting for the Big 4 against its own students.

"The Electronic Frontier Foundation’s brief is a landmark document. It should be read from cover to cover by everyone who is interested in the scope of copyright law in the United States. This brief is the definitive statement on the RIAA’s spurious invention of a “making available” theory of copyright infringement, and should put an end to it once and for all.” -- Ray Beckerman

...in the Howell case, RIAA lawyer Ira Schwartz says MP3 files Howell copied to his computer from his own legally bought CDs were ‘unauthorized’.

Robbie Williams issues call to arms in protest at EMI ‘bean counters’

Another act ready to leave EMI?

Hey, can we use the Cone Of Silence on the RIAA?[/url]

CES attacked by remote control.

lol

Professor Richard McGregor, of the University of Cumbria, yesterday insisted there was plenty of evidence that the right sort of music, played at the right sort of volume, could help bring about a happy workforce and increase productivity.

(I hope he's suggesting that it be INDEPENDENT music!)

link

Paul Johnston, the co-founder of the Jock 'n' Roll website, said taking music into the workplace was becoming increasingly common. "I know we always have the radio on in our office," he said. "But if you are listening to one of the commercial stations they often play the same songs over and over again, which can drive you to distraction."

Music insiders discuss industry fixes.

meh

Top selling album in 2007
Noel / Josh Groban 3,699,000 copies

(The second-best album sold almost a million copies less.)

OBIT: Jon Stoll

Jon Stoll, who turned a teenage love of rock 'n' roll into one of the largest independent promotion and performance companies in the nation, died Saturday at Good Samaritan Medical Center after an extended illness. He was 54.

Not again???

Bjork attacks reporter.

Amazon Convinces Sony To Go DRM-Free

Porn filmmakers join fight against Internet piracy

pfftht...

commercial porn sucks anyways.

Caveman blues

As a culture, why we want more and more stuff. (And can't get enuff!)

"As a culture, why do we want more and more stuff? (And can't get enuff!)"

Vain attempts to substitute materialism for what should matter most in life.

Ford Motor Company now claims that they hold the rights to any image of a Ford vehicle, even if it's a picture you took of your own car.

Copyright gone mad.

Movie mogul's answer to downloading: PSAs by Shia LaBeouf

"Online piracy has got to be stopped. The biggest spear in the neck of the pirates will be (a) being vigilant, (b) prosecuting, and (c) in a way, making fun of them, finding a way to say, 'That's not cool -- that's anything but cool.' If you had people who the young people respect in this industry -- Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Shia LaBeouf -- these guys did public service announcements that said, 'Don't steal, stealing's not cool,' I think you can go a long way toward stopping this." Harvey Weinstein says that if Democrats maintain control of Congress and gain the White House, he'll flex whatever political muscle he has acquired by being a major donor to achieve one thing: "Tougher, more stringent piracy laws."

Why JK Rowling will lose her suit against The Harry Potter Lexicon

"As long as a guide does not copy the original work verbatim, it falls outside the category of "adaptation." And that's why it is largely unnecessary to discuss the more complex copyright doctrine of "fair use." Rowling's rights over the guide don't exist to begin with, so we don't need to go there.
"

Cory Doctorow's complete podcasted reading of Bruce Sterling's book, Hacker Crackdown

...which chronicles the events that led to the founding of the Electronic Frontier Foundation

Radio troll "Filipino Monkey" may have transmitted in Strait of Hormuz

Harry Fox Agency updates Songfile (.pdf)

They have lowered the minimum quantity of licenses required to 25 copies. (No longer do you have to pay for 500, but you still must have separate licenses for physical and digital.)

FOLKS, THIS IS IMPORTANT TO READ IF YOU COMMERCIALLY DO COVER TUNES "LEGALLY" VIA SONGFILE LICENSES!!!

Hasbro sends C&D to Facebook over "Scrabulous"

Scrable is old as dirt. You'd think it would be public domain by now.

sheesh

Nothing surprises me anymore, just exasperates me.
Next thing we'll hear is that the words "public domain" are copyrighted.

Our nation, and much of the planet, are mired in intellectual copyright poop. It's almost if there's a concerted effort (preplanned orchestrated arrangement ... I'm trying to avoid saying conspiracy, LOL!) that can serve the interests of a coming new world order.
But even if not, I'm still quite pissed off about all the hoopla and unreasonableness that's involved with the far-reaching and over-extended concepts of the copyright mania we see too much of.

Ha!

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/01/15/riaa_competition_results/

Union might keep writers from Grammys

In solidarity with the writers, the actors stayed away from the Golden Globes...

Who's willing to bet that the music artists will do the same?

I bet $100 they WON'T.

Besides, the artists who tend to be nominated and/or win at the Grammys are also frequently the tightest held of the RIAA enslaved. (Y'know them, they are the mostly talent-less ones who stand in our way by getting ALL the airtime on radio and Tv, and all the major media music headlines.)

OBIT: Pete Candoli

...longtime mainstay in the trumpet sections of American big bands and the recording and soundstage world of Los Angeles, Chicago and New York, has died January 11 in the Los Angeles suburb of Studio City. He was 85.

Another folk musician murdered in Mexico

What's up with all the Mexican musician's being murdered?

Pirate Bay Gets a 4,000-Page Complaint

For comparison, the second-biggest murder case in Sweden required only 1,500 pages."

Lawrence Lessig's books are now all free CC licensed downloads.

READ THEM FOLKS!

Troubling "Digital Theft Prevention" Requirements Remain
in Higher Education Bill

the bill also
includes a section with a title that sounds as if it were
dreamt up by an entertainment industry lobbyist:
"Campus-based Digital Theft Prevention." It says that
universities shall "develop a plan for offering
alternatives to illegal downloading or peer-to-peer
distribution of intellectual property as well as a plan to
explore technology-based deterrents to prevent such illegal
activity.

Allright, it's class action time!

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080117-exonerated-riaa-defendant-scores-double-victory-in-court.html

the bill also includes a section with a title that sounds as if it were dreamt up by an entertainment industry lobbyist:
"Campus-based Digital Theft Prevention."

Question for the Congresscritters: So, so-called representatives just how much cash would it take us, the people you supposedly represent, to include a section with a title:
"Content Cartel Rape of the Public Domain Prevention"

It's real, it's happening and we are pissed.
We (misguidedly) voted you in and We can also vote you out no matter how many campaign advertising dollars the cartel shovels your way. Enough is enough and we're not your bitch anymore. Music and culture and the sharing thereof are important to us and we will not stand idly by while you sell us out to your corporate sponsors. You have been warned.

Microsoft "planning spy software for offices"

"Linked to their computers by wireless sensors, office workers could have their blood pressure, body temperature, heart rate and facial expression monitored by bosses throughout the day."

http://www.info4security.com/story.asp?sectioncode=10&storycode=4116788&c=1

Yeah, that's just what we need.
[sneer]

Hey, Microsoft: May rain fall on you.
Or worse.

NEWS BRIEF: "Create an e-annoyance, go to jail",
by Declan McCullagh, C/Net News.com, January 9, 2008

"Annoying someone via the Internet is now a federal crime. It's no joke! Last Thursday, President Bush signed into law a prohibition on posting annoying Web messages or sending annoying e-mail messages without disclosing your true identity ... This ridiculous prohibition, which would likely imperil much of Usenet, is buried in the so-called Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act. Criminal penalties include stiff fines and two years in prison."

Of course, the problem with any law designed to assist a draconian future lies in vague wording. As the next quote demonstrates, this is a major peril posed by the new annoyance law.

"The use of the word 'annoy' is particularly problematic", says Marv Johnson, legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union. 'What's annoying to one person may not be annoying to someone else."

So, does that mean we can still annoy someone (like Chris Mathews aggravated a bunch of women) by saying something negative about . . . oh, Hillary Clinton, for example, as long as I sign my real name under it?
Of course, Chris backed down (likely to save his job) because we all know the pressure that certain groups exert on us here in the good old USA!


Let's see: What if I were to write that Hillary is an occultic witch with Marxist leanings? Hmm.

signed,
my real name

What's really got my goat is that a person could be writing something that's a fact and STILL end up annoying somebody who can then report the incident to federal authorities . . . and then, look out, here come the goons with an arrest warrant!

It just goes to show how deteriorated the conditions have become in our nation.
To see how deplorable our country actually is, compared to other places, take a moment to access the following website:

http://www.privacyinternational.org/article.shtml?cmd%5B347%5D=x-347-559597

Our liberties are evaporating. They've taken a heavy hit during the "GW" regime.

"Cyberlawyer" claims he owns the term "cyberlaw".

...he’s applied for a trademark on the use of the term “cyberlaw” in connection with the practice of, um, cyberlaw. That's like a soda company claiming a trademark in the use of the word soda in connection with the sale of soda.

The Pirate's Dilemma

Watch this vid advertising the book available at Amazon.

From YouTube:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XYV4DDLeVgQ

Super Cool! An online Roland TR-909 drum machine simulator. Play with it in your browser!

Source code available!

Bobby Fischer has died

AT&T's plan to examine all the traffic it carries for potential violations of US intellectual property laws is not just bad but corporate seppuku bad ...AT&T would immediately become the world's largest target for copyright infringement lawsuits.

The video game industry set to form its' own PAC

...probably gonna be modeled on the RIAA/MPAA.

RIAA site hacked.

http://torrentfreak.com/riaa-website-hacked-080120/


All the 'content' has been wiped.
Cue Nelson ........

A blogger's union?

I'm not so sure it would be a good idea. --Shmoo

OBIT:">http://www.contracostatimes.com/bayandstate/ci_8026327">OBIT:
John Stewart who wrote "Daydream Believer," dies at age 68

Unsold copies of Robbie's dreadful Rudebox album are being shipped to China - to be used for resurfacing roads.

No joke!

An independent Miami label plans to release never-before-heard Beatles live recordings made in 1962. Apple Lawyers: Not if we have anything to say about it!

Canadian Privacy Commissioner rejects DRM: don't give spyware legal protection!

Jennifer Stoddart, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, has published an open letter to Industry Minister Jim Prentice, who has been working behind the scenes to resurrect his disaster of a copyright bill, which will import the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act to Canada. The DMCA has been a total failure, resulting in nearly 30,000 lawsuits against music fans, massive anti-competitive effects, and despite all that, no discernable decrease in unauthorised copying.
At issue in Stoddart's letter is the idea of protecting "Digital Rights Management" anti-copying and use-control systems in law. These systems frequently spy on users and then "phone home" with detailed information about your activities. The Privacy Commissioner is understandably alarmed at the prospect of changing Canadian law to make it illegal to tamper with this spyware.

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/

Seth says:

"No, I don't think Free is always the answer, but I do think the studios are about to make a mistake of RIAA proportions. I'd charge fifty cents for an online rental."

Music Industry frustrated by writer's strike

As the Hollywood writers' strike threatens to disrupt the 50th annual Grammy telecast, some in the music industry are befuddled, frustrated and even resentful.

And as far as all the consternation and hand-wringing from others in the music industry about the fate of the awards show, Tom Petty said, "I've never met a musician who gave a damn about the Grammys, actually."

Bravo Tom!

TV rock shows score with hipster parents, progeny.

NBC's Zucker Hints At Return to iTunes

A study conducted by the University College London found that young people lack analytical skills necessary to assess the information they find on the Internet


ouch.

'Rock Band' pumps up music sales

Stop that! You "guitar heros" out there are feeding the RIAA. Learn to play a REAL instrument and start a band instead for goodness sake!

China claims it is struggling to contain online "piracy"

Since the dawn of YouTube, fans have been melding their own amateur video with the music of their favorite bands.

Folks, don't use RIAA enslaved music for this sort of thing. (ESPECIALLY when it is the artist's label who gets paid by YouTube for your hard work.) Find a local indie act or even a band doing cover tunes who would enjoy and benefit from your vid production talents instead.

Slashdot:
Your Rights Online: Groklaw Explains the Cyberlaw "Trademark"


I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property writes "PJ of Groklaw has written in more detail about the lawyer trying to get a servicemark on the term 'cyberlaw'. (We discussed this here a few days back.) First, she notes that it's only a trademark application at this point. Furthermore, 'cyberlaw' is a generic term with 300,000+ hits on Google and an entry in some dictionaries and reference sites. In other words, while it's silly for a law firm that should know better to file a trademark application, it shouldn't and probably won't be granted if the law is followed. The article is interesting because it spells out the difference between trademarks and servicemarks, as well as explaining the law surrounding them — a law that differs significantly from copyright law."

There's actually not much new news in here, other than Graham Henderson is pulling out his hair, and I thought the headline was pretty funny....

Canadian labels: We get "absolutely zero credit" for not suing fans

And the fact that he actually, really did say that...

Quicktime DRM + After Effects = misery for filmmakers

Adobe After Effects (the loving companion to any motion graphics pro) has been crippled by the new Quicktime DRM. When After Effects renders out an animation Quicktime throws up an error telling you that you do not have permission to view the Quicktime movie that you just created.

First-ever electronica album released under Creative Commons with collecting society support

They claim this is the first CC licensed electronica album where the songwriter also holds a license deal with a collection agency. (KODA, Denmark's version of ASCAP/BMI in this case.)

Aussies: Here's your chance to expand your rights under copyright!

Kate sez,
The Australian Attorney-General's department is inviting submissions from the public on copying of movies and images in different formats for private use.
These were sections of the Copyright Amendment Act introduced in December 2006 that made it legal for Aussies to do things they'd been doing for decades, such as recording a tv broadcast to tape or disc, but illegal to watch such recordings more than once!

The Minister is required by the Act to review these exceptions after two years and is now inviting comment.

This is a good opportunity to argue for the exceptions to be expanded (not contracted!) to come into line with general consumer behaviour.

Dan 'Sammy' Glickman's gang admitted to the mishap, blaming 'human error,'

...'human error' wouldn't be code for 'telling a lie' would it?

An Ars Technica article argues that after many years of stagnation, Companies like Time Warner that decide to cap bandwidth risk being relegated to a 'broadband ghetto.

Ringo walks off of Regis because the show wanted him to cut his song short.

Stewart had plenty of criticism for the show, calling it "disrespectful treatment of us as artists."

"Four minutes (3 minutes and 40 seconds, actually) seemed like an appropriate amount of time for a former Beatle. Mr. Gelman apparently felt Ringo's musical legacy should take a back seat to additional banter about the size of Ms. (Kelly) Ripa's derriere," he said in a statement.

Approximately three in four U.S. Internet users surveyed by analyst firm ComScore viewed online video in November, mostly from Google sites like YouTube.

Re: "...'human error' wouldn't be code for 'telling a lie' would it?"

Sort of like a company rep blaming "the computer" for a mistake caused by human input.

Companies (even politicians) want it both ways, so they create this spin on things:
If the computer spits out something incorrect, it's the computer's fault.
If there's a lie that needs covering up, then the whole thing was caused by inadvertent human error.
But discerning people can smell a rat.

It's all about damage control and/or the reluctance to come clean about a situation.

"Just gimme some truth!"
—John Lennon

It's a rare commodity.

Anonymous P2P May Not Deliver -- But It Doesn't Need To

Rick Falkvinge, the head of Sweden's Piratpartiet has just given a new interview, and it's worth a read. As you might expect from the leader of a pro-piracy political party, he's rather bullish on the future of filesharing

Music Industry Piracy Investigations has released a guide entitled “Internet Café Guide – Are You and Your Customers Doing the Right Thing?” which outlines how to get music legally online and the possible consequences for internet cafés that allow copyright theft to take place on their premises. The move comes soon after a recent Australian Federal Police raid on an internet café in the Sydney CBD which allegedly offered its customers unlimited access to terabytes of pirated music and movies for an hourly fee. The MIPI stated that thanks to the Australian Federal Police’s raid of the internet café late last year, many internet cafes have removed illegal music files from their servers. It appears that the guide has been released to further help direct their decisions when it comes to allowing file transfers.

--------

Music Industry Piracy Investigations (MIPI) is an organisation that provides investigative and intellectual property rights enforcement related services to the Australian music industry.

http://www.mipi.com.au/index.htm

Is Microsoft trying to thwart DVD-ripping on PCs using Windows Vista with the new beta of Vista Service Pack 1?

Probably.

It's the economics. The steep decline of the RIAA is just beginning just like the last peak of a roller coaster ride. Time to step off "Sammy".
Don't let the turnstile hit you in the ass (it'll give you a headache)

http://arstechnica.com/articles/culture/state-of-digital-music-2007.ars

also over at ars:

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080123-p2p-defendant-riaa-identified-an-ip-address-not-a-person.html

Even though it wasn't the RIAA that got ernie Ball he is a guitar string manufacturer and so happens the BSA got him.

Tom Petty said, "I've never met a musician who gave a damn about the Grammys, actually."

Once again, Tom Petty offers the blunt truth.

Re: Ernie Ball -- I'm waiting for the BSA to visit the RIAA offices.

But I actually came here for a shameless plug today, just because this one came out so well.

Imagine

Degree of difficulty: Bass, drums and guitar from one night (Jan. 4), vocal track from the next night, keyboards from this Monday or Tuesday.

More privacy concerns:

"There's absolutely no expectation of privacy with phones, e-mails, text messages or computers," an industry insider confided recently.

While people may feel comfort knowing their text messages aren't permanently stored, that doesn't mean they should let their guards down when it comes to electronic communications, said a spokeswoman for an online privacy advocacy organization.

"The whole concept of data retention by third parties ... is going to be the big privacy question over the next couple of decades," Rebecca Jeschke of the San Francisco-based Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).

"We trust so much of our communications and thoughts, even, to these third parties who are capturing this information and storing it in various ways. It's time for us to think about it."

Copyright 2008 Associated Press.

Freedom of Expression® screening at NYU, 9PM

Freedom of Expression Screening and Q&A with Creators
Sponsored by Free Culture @ NYU, NYU ACM, and WiNC
Free and Open to the Public (bring ID if non-NYU)
Thursday, January 31, 2008
9:00pm
NYU's Courant Institute
Room #109
251 Mercer Street b/w Bleecker and W. 4th

Go!

Dodd's 30-minute anti-wiretapping barn-stormer -- video

SF Weekly and EFF conclude that Comcast really is blocking p2p and bit-torrents.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation alleges that Comcast blocks BitTorrent with a classic hacker technique called "spoofing," where the hacker poses as someone he isn't, in this case another user. Eckersley describes it as if he and I were having a phone conversation, and then halfway through Comcast interrupts us and in my voice tells him to hang up, and in his voice tells me the same thing.

Judge says that Cease and Desist letters are under copyright.

So, if you try to post the C&D to show what the allegedly infringed party is trying to do to you, you can expect yet ANOTHER C&D from them for squealing about it.

sheesh, should we laugh or cry?

Warner is suing search engine SeeqPod for contribuory copyright infringement.

"SeeqPod 'deliberately refrains' from adding simple yet ineffective content filters to screen out copyright infringing materials, presumably by not buying those filters from label-affiliated companies. Of course, this lawsuit is merely part of a recent trend seeking to move the responsibility for policing copyrights away from the copyright holders and on to third parties." -- from /.

YouTube video

An internet group calling itself Anonymous has declared war on the Church of Scientology, in the form of an ominous posting to the YouTube site. 'In the statement, the group explained their goal as safeguarding the right to freedom of speech. "A spokesperson said that the group's goals include bringing an end to the financial exploitation of Church members and protecting the right to free speech, a right which they claim was consistently violated by the Church of Scientology in pursuit of its opponents." The press release also claimed that the Church of Scientology misused copyright and trademark law in order to remove criticism from websites including Digg and YouTube. The statement goes on to assert that the attacks from the group "will continue until the Church of Scientology reacts, at which point they will change strategy". -- also from /.

In an act of media heroism, Joel Johnson of Boing
Boing Gadgets went on the AT&T-sponsored The Hugh Thompson
Show and did the unspeakable: instead of discussing gadgets
he talked about AT&T's plan to filter the Internet and
asked the audience whether they wanted AT&T to be reading
their emails and instant messages. Not surprisingly, even
the AT&T-picked studio audience thought turning the phone
company into Big Brother was a bad idea. The producers
stopped the interview after a few minutes, then sanitized
it with another take, but Joel had a friend tape the
original and posted it.


The video of Joel Johnson discussing filtering on an
AT&T sponsored show

Supreme Court Declines To Hear Orphan Works Case

An appeal brought by Open Content Alliance founders was
turned down.

Former movie 'sanitizer' accused of sex with underage girls

Thompson formerly operated a business called Flix Club, which edited feature films to remove or alter conduct deemed inappropriate for children or discriminating movie-goers. The store closed in December after threats of legal action from Hollywood studios.

-------

Normally, I wouldn't post something like this, but Oh, the irony! --Shmoo

Police">http://www.ksat.com/news/15133427/detail.html">Police seize 6,000 bootleg cd's...estimate street value at $1.2 million

"$1.2 million" was a satyrical fark headline. (It fell way short of the RIAA's actual estimate.)

Slyck reports that the Pirate Bay now has over 10 million users.

Warner Music CEO compensation $3.4M

Edgar Bronfman Jr., chief executive of Warner Music Group Corp., received a compensation package in fiscal 2007 valued at $3.4 million, according to an analysis of documents filed Friday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Digital sales up, but overall sales down.

Several versions of this story out there. Take your pick!

Yahoo discussing online music deals: report

Yahoo Inc., is in early discussions with major record labels over offering unprotected MP3s either for sale or for free as part of an ad-supported service, two record company executives familiar with the talks said Wednesday.

Even if Yahoo pulls it off and manages to get the labels to allow ad supported "unprotected mp3's" for free, YOU MUST STILL BOYCOTT!!!

Last FM launches

Ditto!

According to TechWeb:

Top 60 Little-Known Technology Web Sites

My my my. The chilling effects are going wild these days!

10k bounty offered for blogger's identity.

BusinessWeek bitches about linking to their site.

Fine. If they don't want the ad revenue...

*sheesh*

Music industry tries carrot after years of stick

Some yada yada from the 42nd MIDEM in Cannes

EU Court: Downloaders Can Stay Private

http://story.news.ask.com//article/20080129/D8UFM2PO0.html

Jan 29, 12:22 PM (ET)
By AOIFE WHITE

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - Record labels and film studios cannot demand that telecommunications companies hand over the names and addresses of people who are suspected of sharing copyright-protected music and movies online, the EU's top court ruled Tuesday.

But European Union nations could - if they want - introduce rules to oblige companies to hand over personal data in civil cases, the European Court of Justice said.

The court upheld the Spanish telecom company Telefonica SA' (TEF)s right to refuse to hand over information that would identify who had used the file-sharing program Kazaa to distribute copyright material owned by members of Promusicae, a Spanish trade group for film and music producers.

EU law does not require governments to protect copyright by forcing companies to disclose personal data in civil legal actions, the Luxembourg-based court ruled.
. . . . . . . [cut] . . . . . . .

TY pessimist!!! (Great News!)

Ok, offtopic, but interesting to the git off my lawn crowd, of which I'm a proud member.

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/funny-martin-200802.html?c=y&page=1

gfmlcka — that was a very intereting read

Shmoo — you're welcome; and I see CodeWarrior was interested in the article, too (he posted it separately a little while ago)

Hey Lamy, I got a pre-class action lawsuit settlement right here.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080129-less-than-1-of-u-of-tennessee-students-hold-out-against-riaa.html

Now swallow and get on the unemployment line.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080129-statutory-damages-not-high-enough.html

IP on your grave, count on it. Jerks. Sheesh.

Here's a guy who clearly has no fsking idea what he's talking about:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/01/29/midem_john_kennedy/

The mind boggles at his ignorance.

Madona richest woman in music

...meh

Egypt asks to stop film, MP3 downloads during Internet outage

Egypt's telecommunications ministry appealed Thursday for Internet users to stop downloading movies and MP3s so as to give priority to businesses after damage to an undersea cable forced all traffic onto backup systems.