Meanderings

If you believe, truly believe, in the RIAA’s extortion tactics, bald-faced lies, and petulant “we’re protecting the artists” statements … do nothing today.

If, however, you want to enjoy music the way you want to, not the way some overpaid, under-endowed media mogul wants to sell it to you, call your congressman today and get them to listen to the silence:

Act now, or don’t whine when the silence becomes permanent.

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tags: observations, media, stupidity

The governor of Virginia’s declared today a day of morning:

Virginia Tech — 04.16.2007

I think we all need to stop … reflect.  If you wish to lend assistance, check out the Virgina Tech Tribute Blog.

tags: observations

… and, I must say, I’m a bit ambivalent.  MSNBC dropped their simulcast, CBS fired him, the media’s “analysts” can’t stop talking about it, Al Sharpton claims a victory, Rutgers accepts his apology … and I can’t help but think:

“Are we going to consistently treat everyone who uses racially improper speech with an equal amount of vitriol and retribution?”

If so, then good.  If not, then how many of those loudly screaming now will be silent the next time?

I really hate jumping in on major public brawls like this.  Everybody who’s anybody (and plenty of people who aren’t) have already opened (and will continue to open) their mouths.  But there’s another issue here that’s being marginalized:  “What happens the next time?” 

Whether Imus went too far or not isn’t the issue moving forward, consistency of response is.

tags: tv, politics, observations, media

… and talks like the RIAA, it probably is extortion.  It’s about time that word got associated with the recording industry’s latest tactic.  Wikipedia’s entry is most interesting, including such tidbits as:

• “the simple four words “pay up or else” are sufficient …”
• “…may also be committed as a federal crime across a computer system …”
• “the message only has to be sent … to commit the crime …”

Sounds interestingly familiar, doesn’t it?  Even more interesting is it appears to be completely legal for the RIAA, which is a private entity (not a wing of the government).

tags: observations, media

Man, these mid-term, mid-stream, mid-section, mid-whatever elections are almost over, and it couldn’t come fast enough.  Hang on, everybody, we’ve got one more day of candidates berating each other before we can lapse back into the coma called “politics as usual”.

I don’t hear much about what a candidate stands for anymore, just about what their competition is either against (in case it’s a “good thing”) or for (if it’s a “bad thing”).  That may seem odd at first, but remember this:  if politicians never say exactly where they stand, they never have to be accused of lying when they change their minds:

“I never said I was (for/against) that … I just said that my opponent was (against/for) it.”

Makes perfect sense when you think about it.

tags: politics, observations, bureaucracy, stupidity