Articles Of Note

Things here have been quite busy so for this post I thought I should share some articles of interest:

Time Warner Tells The FCC To Shut Up - (arstechnica) - Time Warner warns the FCC that now is not the time to discuss net neutrality.



Freedom On The Net: A Global Assessment...(freedomhouse) - an interesting report on how countries fair on privacy.



Indie Radio Station Launches Free Music Site - (paidcontent)



Is The Internet Ruining Everything From Music To Human Accountability? (huffpost) - you decide.

UMG vs. EFF

In May 2007 Universal Music Group sued a Los Angeles-based trader on eBay. Troy Augusto, who runs the business called "Roast Beast Music Collectibles", makes a living selling rare albums he bought at second-hand record stores.

UMG is suing Augusto for copyright infringement. They are saying that some of the items he offered for sale online were promotional copies and were not authorized for sale to the public.

Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), a digital rights lobby group, is taking on the case on Augusto's behalf and is counter-suing Universal.

In regards to promotional copies, for quite some time record companies have maintained that they own these items and may ask for them to be returned at any time.

Due to the promo items that were contained in the eBay auctions from Mr Augusto, this is the argument that is close to being tested in court.

UMG's lawyers allege "Augusto's unauthorized distribution of the UMG promo CDs violated UMG's exclusive right to distribute its copyrighted works" in legal documents filed in the US District Court for the Central District of California.

This is a battle that will possibly shake things up for a bit.

U.K. Music Backs Government Proposal

Billboard is reporting that U.K. Music, a recently formed umbrella organization combining the major British music industry groups, has announced its support for a co-regulatory system between ISPs, the music industry, and a government appointed body to ensure ISPs tackle illegal P2P file-sharing.

U.K. Music Backs Govt Proposal On ISPs

Who Will Be The Copyright Czar?

I read an article recently discussing possible picks for President-elect Obama for the position of Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator.

From the article: "Whoever Obama appoints can expect scrutiny from the content and technology industries. While ostensibly a coordinating position, the copyright czar job could easily expand to include advising the president." This will be a very important topic for the music industry and will effect many. This position was presented when President Bush signed the Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property (PRO-IP) Act in September.

For More Information please check out the following stories:
Will Obama's Copyright Czar Help Save The Music?
President Bush Approves 'Copyright Czar' Bill
Bush’s New Copyright Czar Is Going To Do About As Much Good As His Drug Czar

Recording Industry vs. The People

This is a really important read for all of those who need to know what's up with the RIAA lawsuits.

Link here:
Recording Industry vs. The People

Just Because I Felt Like It.....

The Plymouth Two

In a club setting...no matter what ways the owners,promoters,etc take to crack down....the drugs and the dealers will find a way to get through. Should these guys be in jail???

Please read the very imformative MixMag article and you decide.

From the site:
DJ, promoter and father Tom Costelloe has been sentenced to five years in jail. His crime? Operating a club where people were taking drugs. Even the judge admitted that Tom was not involved in drug dealing in any way....

How Did I Miss This?

The Parents Television Council, the Enough is Enough Campaign for Corporate Responsibility, the National Congress of Black Women, and Industry Ears jointly praised BET for the announcement that the music video show, "Rap City" has been canceled.

PTC and Enough is Enough Campaign's conducted a study of daytime music video programming from BET and MTV and concluded that as recently as March 2008, children who watched BET's "Rap City" and "106 & Park" and MTV's "Sucker Free" were bombarded with adult content - sexual, violent, profane or obscene - once every 38 seconds.

This follows closely on the heels of the announcement that BET President Reginald Hudlin had resigned.

PTC President Tim Winter; Enough is Enough Campaign Founder Dr. Delman Coates; National Congress of Black Women Chair Dr. E. Faye Williams; and Industry Ears Co-Founder Paul Porter release the following statement jointly:

"We are heartened by the recent changes at BET, and we are gratified that our collective efforts were a catalyst for this positive change. It is apparent that our voices were heard by the public, by the corporate sponsors who underwrite television programming and by BET network executives. Parents across this country want a cessation of marketing harmful, graphic and offensive images to children. But let us be clear about our goal: we are not trying to get a particular show canceled or a particular executive fired. Rather, our goal is a reduction in the harmful and offensive messages on BET and MTV programming - especially when the programs are targeted at children. We have called for the networks to take responsibility for their products, and this program's cancellation is evidence of a step in the right direction."

While we do need hip-hop shows....maybe certain ones should be on later in the evening...and were the parents checking what the kids were watching? Is 106 next?

California Governor Vetoes 'Donda West Bill.'

I don't live in California....but I must wonder....what bills did get passed? What bills were a great priority to Arnold?

As far as Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is concerned the "Donda West Bill" is not one of them. "This bill does not meet that standard, and I cannot sign it at this time," read the veto message, one of dozens Schwarzenegger sent.

The cosmetic-surgery bill, AB 2968,would have required people to undergo a physical examination, give a complete medical history and get a doctor's clearance before undergoing plastic surgery.
According to the LA Times the bill received nearly unanimous support in the legislature.

The bill was prompted by the November 2007 death of Kanye West's mother, Dr. Donda West, who died a day after undergoing a breast reduction and liposuction surgery.

RiP : A remix manifesto

In RiP: A remix manifesto, Web activist and filmmaker Brett Gaylor explores issues of copyright in the information age, mashing up the media landscape of the 20th century and shattering the wall between users and producers.

The movie focuses on Gregg Gillis, better known as Girl Talk, a mash-up musician topping the chart, as the film’s central protagonist. Also appearing in the film are Creative Commons founder, Lawrence Lessig, Brazil's Minister of Culture Gilberto Gil and pop culture critic
Cory Doctorow.

The movie premiers in Montreal this week.

The filmmaker has made some of his footage available for others to remix as they wish.

Brett Gaylor is a documentary filmmaker and new media director. He is the creator of opensourcecinema.org, a video remix community which supports the production of his feature documentary RiP: A remix manifesto.

U.K. Gov. Gives Detail Into Surveillance Plan

Out-Law.com is reporting that the Government has delayed legislation that would create a central database of every phone call, every email, and web session made in the United Kingdom until next year following consult.

This plan would create new legislation that would make the recording of the fact of communication (not the content) mandatory. Sources have told reporters that one option would be to create a single, Government-operated database of records. There would be consultation on these measures prior to passing the law.

Read the full article here.

President Signs PRO IP Act Into Law

Publishers and songwriters have applauded the President for signing into law S. 3325, the Prioritizing Resources and Organization for Intellectual Property Act (PRO-IP Act) of 2008.

This law will ensure America's intellectual property rights are better enforced on a global scale. Also,convicted counterfeiters will now be subject to increased fines and the forfeiture of their property.

The White House yesterday released a statement which reads in part, "In recent years, counterfeiting has grown rapidly. Counterfeiting costs America hundreds of billions of dollars a year and has harmful effects throughout the economy. Fake products can expose consumers to serious health and safety risks. Government loses out on tax revenues and is forced to divert law enforcement resources. Terrorist networks use counterfeit sales to finance their operations."

The size of government just got bigger, with the creation of one more office.The new law will create the office of the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator (IPEC). Despite its' name it is noted that the office "will be explicitly separated from responsibility for or direction of any law enforcement agency that carries out IP law", according to the law's final language.

The White House's statement did not give mention of the IPEC office, which may mean that it could remain vacant in the final months of the Bush Administration.

For further reading on the topic please go to:

President signs controversial IP enforcement act into law

Bush signs RIAA-backed intellectual-property law

Why Subway....Why?

I do not know who the person was who thought this one up but....this is just bad marketing.

Subway has this new campaign for their $5 subs that quite a few are finding to be racist.
As you see above we have a blingged-out Abe Lincoln....just look at him...do you see what is wrong with this picture?

Anyhow, as one would see and hear when going to the page ....Abe speaks out the words on the page.....and you can choose to "Text A Holla!" or "Email A Holla!".....are you kidding me?

This is how it worked for one of the messages I put together....(you have to choose from the lists)

Yo, SUBWAY’S got lots of Footlongs for just $5. That's some every day V baby. Get to SUBWAY and help me lay some smack down on hunger.

As you choose from the list of poor language...Abe speaks it out to you....I wouldn't send a message like that out to anyone....no way...no how....





I want to thank Jade on Black Web 2.0 for pointing this one out....