the RIAA and their need to take over everything

I took a break from this, because life got in the way. (Not that anyone reads it anyway)

the RIAA wants DRM on all radio

now for those who don’t know (and have been in a hut for months), DRM is digital rights management. It’s on many of the itunes songs you may or may not download, and is what prevents you from freely distributing those tasty little mp3s or m4as to your friends without a little handy work. In some cases, DRM limits how many times you can listen to a song. It’s a big umbrella term for access control and copyright.

Basically, the RIAA wants to make it mandatory for internet radio to prohibit stream-ripping. (recording internet radio for your own… say if you hear a sweet song you want to listen to later or put on a mix cd for your very own)… While this doesn’t seem like a terrible idea, but it comes along at the same time as those nasty royalty fees are being worked out for internet radio. These fees would put many independent stations out of business. It is also one more thing big corporations are doing to stop some our freedoms.

While I agree that there are thousands of cheep skates out there who don’t pay for music at all anymore, I am one of those who still does. Do I download the occasional song or listen to internet radio? hell yes. But if I really like something, I still buy the albums either on itunes or in stores. (gotta love the tangible.)

I think DRM is ridiculous, and pretty soon we’ll have to keep buying albums or songs online to listen to them more than 5 times. Ridiculous.

 

the Imus controversy

“I’ve apologized enough.”

I think this kind of controversy puts the lip service society gives to race and discrimination issues out there. It’s always when some kind of celebrity however big or small makes a racial slur or comment that the media gets all in a frenzy. I’m not condoning this behavior in any way, but I am pointing out that any discrimination that happens with celebrities just gets some press, they’re made to apologize (whether they mean it or not) and then it keeps going like a vicious cycle.
This lip service I speak of happens in the media most often in times like this. We as a society say we don’t discriminate or that we don’t tolerate hate speech or racial slurs, but there are so many Americans who don’t have a problem with this kind of thing… and who are discriminatory and who use hate speech on a regular basis.

He’ll get a slap on the wrist. He’s been cut from MSNBC and a good amount of corporate ads were pulled from his show. He’ll sit down and apologize to the Rutgers women’s basketball team (which he probably doesn’t even sincerely mean) and life will go on. And some other radio host or “shock jock” will come around, say something inappropriate or discriminatory and it’ll happen all over again.

But nothing will truly be done about it.

 

a break from the news articles

I thought for today, I would highlight some of the up and coming technology goodies internet has to offer instead of the traditional commentary on news. These two little budding movements are something I take part in, and have seen a spike in participants on both sides.

First, is virb.com which prides itself on being a “community website that combines social interaction with music and entertainment exploration.” basically, it’s myspace lite. I find it refreshing with its center on the arts and entertainment rather than social networking. While I know it’ll only be time until the spam and fake ‘people’ invade virb, I will thoroughly enjoy it while it lasts free of those things.
One of the things I really like about virb is the flickr and itunes capabilities. Flickr is built into the virb profile, so that anytime you upload new photos to flickr, they will automatically appear on your profile. As for itunes, a simple add-on download will allow your friends and others to see your recent ‘virbtunes’ or music you’ve been listening to.
Last but not least, it’s aesthetically pleasing. With it’s simplistic layout, easy real-time customization, and the ever so friendly ‘remove customization’ option, it blows myspace out of the water. I’ve never liked myspace for it’s aesthetics, and have thought it was too cluttered and unappealing. Virb is again, refreshing in this way. Don’t like someone’s layout or customizations? Click ‘remove customization’ and view their page in the default settings for virb.
In short, try it out. Get a feel for it’s simplicity and clean design, and maybe scope out some new bands or some you already know and love.

Second, is twitter, which is basically micro-blogging. The basics of twitter is you put a little blurb about what you’re doing. You can do this from your cell phone, IM, website, or the various add-ons you can download. When I was first pointed at twitter, it was slow to take off. I had one friend who used it, and therefore wasn’t as much fun as it is now. In the past week alone, four friends have added themselves and their daily happenings to twitter. Could I do without it? sure. Does it take away from actual interaction? maybe occasionally. But it’s technology at its best. There’s also this nifty little thing called twittervision, which uses a google map to show the most recent ‘tweets’ from people around the world. That, in and of itself, is reason enough to check it out.

Technology is taking off in different directions, but it’s clear that micro-blogging, and the desire for a more aesthetically pleasing and useful social networking are some of those directions. I have no doubt that more developers will come out with similar and possibly even better executed programs and technologies, but until that happens, you can find me on virb and twitter, continuing my addiction to technology.

 

Disney and ‘the gays’

Disney to allow gays and lesbians to have their fairy tale wedding

you too can have your fairy tale wedding! this isn’t big news, but I had to write about how cnn.com and the article handled the wording. I realize there may not be a perfect way of addressing any group of people correctly but come on… “disney to let gays have their fairy tale weddings” has got to come out a little better, right? Why not just say ’same-sex couples’? I don’t mind the blunt nature of what cnn said, but it gives the rest of its readers that same green light to use that bluntness. I’d really like to not be referred to as ‘you gays’ or ‘you trannys’. It’s one of those things that’s really only acceptable (if acceptable) if you’re in that same culture.

It reminds me of Bitch and how she’s started saying ‘gays’ instead of ‘guys’. Imagine the six foot tall, gorgeous dreaded woman coming on stage in royal blue hot pants and screaming, “hey you gays!” the crowd cheered and laughed.

 

Miss America

I can’t help but write about this one.  Whilst reading my cnn.com page I came across an article about the new Miss America being announced tonight. [read here]

I’m a feminist at heart, and while I’m guilty of thinking some of the women in the spotlight are rather beautiful, I do try to be an activist for real women and real beauty. This article strikes that chord in me. After watching some documentaries on child beauty pageants and such, I’m appalled at how much of society molds women into these toothpick thin, eating disorder ridden women. I’m all for women to be raised as women, so love their bodies, to feel comfortable in their own skin whatever shape it may be.

In regards to the article, how are women who are in rehab, ‘embroiled in controversy’ become role models for young women?!

 

NPR v. RIAA

NPR takes on the RIAA

now, it’s not new that the RIAA has been going after everyone it can get its grubby hands on, but now National Public Radio is taking a stand.

Why?

A ruling by the Copyright Royalty Board was made public on two weeks ago that will threaten the life of internet radio. Radio like Pandora and SomaFM, which strives on introducing new artists to listeners and keeping those musicians in business, will have to pay royalties that are almost ten times what they are now.
Thus, NPR is fighting back. I personally listen to Pandora and NPR on a daily basis. NPR podcasts keep me informed through podcasts and WJCT’s streaming internet radio. [WJCT is Jacksonville's is the public broadcasting]

In short, read the article, feel the activism in your blood boil and take action.
Write a letter to your congress person about the importance of internet radio.
Do your part.

 

Massachusetts Church stands in solidarity

Amherst, MA church stops all marriages

This is the kind of refreshing solidarity I like to see. Honestly, I dream of a day when people will stop discriminating against sexual orientation and gender and accept differences in society.

How many churches does it take to get to the center of diversity?