Well, briefly a few issues.
First, Do we really care about Britney Spears? Many other people have drama in their lives. I don't see why making hot chocolate while waiting on the Paramedics is such a big deal. Or is she maybe jealous of the attention of her younger sister who seems to be following in her footsteps? Or perhaps, she is trying to take some heat away from her 16 year old pregnant sister.
Second: Microshaft er.. Microsoft, not my favorite software maker in the world. There is rumor of a new Windows Version (code named "Windows 7" coming out within a year. Since Vista was not the big hit it was supposed to be. The proof: 220 million computers sold last year and only 100 million copies of Vista. A little difference there? Vista spent 5 years in the making, orginally code named "Longhorn". In both Alpha and Beta testing is seemed to be great. However, when shipping dates became a priority, the software functionality ceased to be as important. All I can say is Microsft, please take your time. Make it work well before yo determine shipping and marketing. Don't rush, we can wait.
Lastly, tracking is in abundance. We can track our packages online, our mail, our automobiles, our children with cellphones, hell, we can even track our pets. Do we really need GPS type service for our Pizza? I think not, howver, Domino's Pizza is now offering an online tracking of your dinner accurate within 40 seconds. You will be able to monitor your delivery from the the time it leaves the store until it arrives at your door.
Are we such a gluttonous, and impatient society that we need to use satellites to find our pizza? Will this make it taste better? NO!
I wonder what comes next..GPS on our elected officials? Hmm, that may actually be a good move.
January 31, 2008
January 22, 2008
Sue 'em. That'll fix it.
Well, the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) is at it again. LAWSUITS! Only this time they have targeted 407 college students across 18 universities. The RIAA has sent out letters to these students stating they have proof of theft of music and they can go to a P2P lawsuit web page to settle with the organization before going to court. I most certainly don;t encourage anyone to steal music, in fact, I believe they should pay for it. Personally, I have a subscription service so that I can download all I want to my MP3 player, but I have to pay if I want to burn it or transfer it of my PC. This works perfectly for my needs, as I only want mine portable. If only iTunes would adopt this business model.
Now according to Cara Duckworth, spokesperson for the RIAA, "college students have reached a stage in life when their music habits are crystallized, and their appreciation for intellectual property has not yet reached its full development." She went even further to say that college students used to be music's biggest fans, But not any more because they don't honor intellectual property rights. They pirate music, therefore they are not fans? I don't get it.
These are people who are of age to vote, got to war, etc., but they cannot make certain distinctions because they are "underdeveloped?" Give me a break.
Additionally, the RIAA has been able to insert specific wording in the College Affordability and Opportunity Act Bill, which will punish universities from obtaining federal funds of the student financial aid if they don't force students to sign up with subscription services and/or buy songs. I smell Racketeering. Since when is it our government's responsibility to assist companies in ensuring their revenue streams? This is wrong!
Speaking of wrong, AT&T announced that it is considering filtering technology to "catch" copyrighted material from being pirated on their network. There is not a law that states they are responsible for monitoring the world wide web. They are a network provider not Big Brother. What about legitimate sharing? Will this be filtered "in error"?
This type of behavior is dangerous ground. It goes completely against having a free, uncensored, internet or the concept known as "net neutrality". AT&T had last summer bleeped out portions of the Pearl Jam performance at Lollapalooza Webcast , (Eddie Vedder changee some lyrics which were unflattering to George Bush) which they stated it was a mistake by an overzealous contractor hired to monitor things.
Should AT&T decide to become a pioneer in a network based solution to piracy, I believe this will lead to even more censorship in the future.
Now according to Cara Duckworth, spokesperson for the RIAA, "college students have reached a stage in life when their music habits are crystallized, and their appreciation for intellectual property has not yet reached its full development." She went even further to say that college students used to be music's biggest fans, But not any more because they don't honor intellectual property rights. They pirate music, therefore they are not fans? I don't get it.
These are people who are of age to vote, got to war, etc., but they cannot make certain distinctions because they are "underdeveloped?" Give me a break.
Additionally, the RIAA has been able to insert specific wording in the College Affordability and Opportunity Act Bill, which will punish universities from obtaining federal funds of the student financial aid if they don't force students to sign up with subscription services and/or buy songs. I smell Racketeering. Since when is it our government's responsibility to assist companies in ensuring their revenue streams? This is wrong!
Speaking of wrong, AT&T announced that it is considering filtering technology to "catch" copyrighted material from being pirated on their network. There is not a law that states they are responsible for monitoring the world wide web. They are a network provider not Big Brother. What about legitimate sharing? Will this be filtered "in error"?
This type of behavior is dangerous ground. It goes completely against having a free, uncensored, internet or the concept known as "net neutrality". AT&T had last summer bleeped out portions of the Pearl Jam performance at Lollapalooza Webcast , (Eddie Vedder changee some lyrics which were unflattering to George Bush) which they stated it was a mistake by an overzealous contractor hired to monitor things.
Should AT&T decide to become a pioneer in a network based solution to piracy, I believe this will lead to even more censorship in the future.
January 16, 2008
A world gone mad
Well, our local Metro Government in its infinite wisdom, taped a password on one of the stolen laptops. But, it's OK, it was the wrong one, so it cannot be accessed. Yeah right.
Is it me, or does anyone else wonder why Social Security numbers are on a very portable device such as a LAPTOP?
The laptops were stolen December 23 and I received a letter TWO WEEKS later that my identity may have been compromised. And now I learn that I wont have access to the "free" identity theft protection from Metro until later this week. So, the thieves will have had from 12/23/07 until say 01/18/07 to crack into the laptop and get lots of identities.
Now, we hear that a school has lost a flash drive with over 1000 Social Security numbers on it.
Again, why is someone allowed to carry around that much delicate information on their keychain? What the hell is going on!
Let me preface this by stating I am NOT a conspiracy theorist. Only I find it suspect that these stolen laptops and flash drives, etc. happen back to back with frequency lately. Could this be a bigger issue, such as collusion of the software security industry and a government? Or is it coincedence that so many identity theft companies advertise so aggressively that they would do something to proliferate their industry? Just wondering.
While our security is being compromised at every turn, our Congress is investigating Steroid use?! Give me a break.
Professional baseball players are wussies nowadays. Back in the day, Babe Ruth was a real man, a real ball player. He would go out and hit homeruns after being up all night drinking and banging hookers!
Have we lost our focus, has our government lost its focus? It is not only our right to question our leaders and legislators, but our responsibility. So vote wisely.
Is it me, or does anyone else wonder why Social Security numbers are on a very portable device such as a LAPTOP?
The laptops were stolen December 23 and I received a letter TWO WEEKS later that my identity may have been compromised. And now I learn that I wont have access to the "free" identity theft protection from Metro until later this week. So, the thieves will have had from 12/23/07 until say 01/18/07 to crack into the laptop and get lots of identities.
Now, we hear that a school has lost a flash drive with over 1000 Social Security numbers on it.
Again, why is someone allowed to carry around that much delicate information on their keychain? What the hell is going on!
Let me preface this by stating I am NOT a conspiracy theorist. Only I find it suspect that these stolen laptops and flash drives, etc. happen back to back with frequency lately. Could this be a bigger issue, such as collusion of the software security industry and a government? Or is it coincedence that so many identity theft companies advertise so aggressively that they would do something to proliferate their industry? Just wondering.
While our security is being compromised at every turn, our Congress is investigating Steroid use?! Give me a break.
Professional baseball players are wussies nowadays. Back in the day, Babe Ruth was a real man, a real ball player. He would go out and hit homeruns after being up all night drinking and banging hookers!
Have we lost our focus, has our government lost its focus? It is not only our right to question our leaders and legislators, but our responsibility. So vote wisely.
January 10, 2008
Alvin for President!
Alvin and the Chipmunks Motion Picture Soundtrack: Click on Soundtrack to hear the Chipmunks comeback!
January 9, 2008
Use common sens
It appears that showing an emotional side will get you what you want. It sure did for Hillary Clinton. A friend told me that she has the same rhetoric as any other white man in office. I agree, however, a sniffle on television and bam!, you win ia Primary. Based on that premise, I should go to the bank and tear up, saying "you charge me too many fees and you prey on the small business owner with exhorbitant rates" maybe they, too will feel sorry for me and give me some cash.
What gets me is Clinton has been saying lately is she has finally found her voice. Should she not have found it before she decided to run for the most powerful office in country? So, if things get hard in the White House, will she cry about that too? Nor should she have referred to her husband's record as it were hers, as she did in the last debate. Briefly, on Republicans,McCain, well let's face it. He has stated so many times to give the surge in troops a chance to work. (As the music plays) " all he is say-ing is give war- a chance"
What gets me is Clinton has been saying lately is she has finally found her voice. Should she not have found it before she decided to run for the most powerful office in country? So, if things get hard in the White House, will she cry about that too? Nor should she have referred to her husband's record as it were hers, as she did in the last debate. Briefly, on Republicans,McCain, well let's face it. He has stated so many times to give the surge in troops a chance to work. (As the music plays) " all he is say-ing is give war- a chance"
January 8, 2008
CES is on! The 2008 Consumer Electronics Show is every January. This is the place for manufactures to show off their latest wares coming to the consumer market this year.
Among those announcements at CES is that the HD DVD vs. Blu Ray war may be over. It appears that Warner Pictures has agreed to go with Blu Ray. This now provides Blu Ray with most of the major studios endorsements. Making Blu Ray the format standard. Sorry to all those who purchased a HD DVD player. Sony lost the Betamax /VHS battle years ago. Sony now emerges as champion. This information is tenative, so dont quote me on it. But I forsee a lot more movies coming to DVD and BluRay.
On a more somber note. The New Hampshire Primary is here. Will it be charismatic Obama again, or will "it is personal to me,*sniff,sniff*" Hillary prevail. Since I am not a paid ethical journalist, I dont give a damn abut the republican candidates.
Among those announcements at CES is that the HD DVD vs. Blu Ray war may be over. It appears that Warner Pictures has agreed to go with Blu Ray. This now provides Blu Ray with most of the major studios endorsements. Making Blu Ray the format standard. Sorry to all those who purchased a HD DVD player. Sony lost the Betamax /VHS battle years ago. Sony now emerges as champion. This information is tenative, so dont quote me on it. But I forsee a lot more movies coming to DVD and BluRay.
On a more somber note. The New Hampshire Primary is here. Will it be charismatic Obama again, or will "it is personal to me,*sniff,sniff*" Hillary prevail. Since I am not a paid ethical journalist, I dont give a damn abut the republican candidates.
January 6, 2008
Death of DRM?
Well, only 1 year and 14 days to go. 01/20/09 is Bush's last day. "The end of an Error" or as the Pres might say "a mistook"
Hello all, I'm Brian. This is my first blog, but most certainly not my last. Just want to share some thoughts.
Is DRM dying? Warner Music has now teamed up with Amazon for distributing DRM free (Digital Rights Management) music. Amazon had previously negotiated and setup an agreement with Sony BMG for the same. Universal Music was the last hold out for DRM free music. They are going to make some of their catalog available without DRM. Since they were such antipiracy fanatics, what changed their minds? I think they were afraid of the world being overtaken by ipods, hence, iTunes. See, Apple has only about 7% of the computer market, but they have almost 70% of the music market with their iTunes Store. I was beginning to think the last vestage of DRM Free music was purchasing a CD! I predict great changes in the music industry for 2008.
Hello all, I'm Brian. This is my first blog, but most certainly not my last. Just want to share some thoughts.
Is DRM dying? Warner Music has now teamed up with Amazon for distributing DRM free (Digital Rights Management) music. Amazon had previously negotiated and setup an agreement with Sony BMG for the same. Universal Music was the last hold out for DRM free music. They are going to make some of their catalog available without DRM. Since they were such antipiracy fanatics, what changed their minds? I think they were afraid of the world being overtaken by ipods, hence, iTunes. See, Apple has only about 7% of the computer market, but they have almost 70% of the music market with their iTunes Store. I was beginning to think the last vestage of DRM Free music was purchasing a CD! I predict great changes in the music industry for 2008.
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