New Matter Discovered In The Universe?

Scientists have stumbled upon a type of matter considered previously undiscovered in the universe.

See: Quark stars point to new matter.

RIAA Suckers Company Into Settlement

An Arizona-based company has settled with the RIAA over files that were arguably being traded in a perfectly legal manner over a private network.

Corporate scaredy-cats! Phoo-ey!

Here's the arstechnica coverage of it and a Reuters article:
Recording industry collects $1 million fine.

Smile! You're On Wireless Home Video Candid Camera

You're not the only one that can see what's going on over that home wireless security cam.

Check out the NY Times article by John Schwartz:
Nanny-Cam May Leave a Home Exposed.

My Letter To Gateway

Here's the letter I sent to Gateway:

Dear Mr. Waitt, CEO
Gateway Computers, Inc.,

Thanks for your company's recent digital music website launch.

I am a teacher and computer consultant that will be recommending Gateway products to my students and clientele in the future because you guys were the first company to take a stand on these issues -- and that really means a lot to me.

Thanks,

Lisa Rein
lisarein@finetuning.com

http://www.finetuning.com

Thank Gateway For Taking A Stand

If you agree with Gateway's position on Digital Music, perhaps you'll take five minutes to write write at letter to Gateway's CEO to say "thank you":

Ted Waitt, CEO
Gateway, Inc.
14303 Gateway Pl.
Poway, CA
92064


or send an e-mail:
c/o corporate.communications@gateway.com

Gateway Takes A Stand On Consumer Rights In The Digital Marketplace

Finally! A technology company that is willing to stand up for its future!

Gateway has launched a great new campaign to help educate consumers about their rights in the digital marketplace and help educate lawmakers about the dangers of attempting to regulate innovation.

Thanks Gateway -- for standing up for all of us!
(And for putting an advertising budget behind it!)

Here's a quote from the Your Personal Rights & Responsibilities as an MP3 User section of the new Gateway Digital Music Website:

Gateway believes:

• You have the right to make copies for your own use of any CD you've purchased legally -- so you can listen to it in different locations and have a backup if something happens to your original copy.

• You have the right to enjoy legally acquired music in any format you want -- like converting CD tracks to MP3 files to take with you on a portable or car MP3 player.

• You have the right to download music from the Internet that you've paid for or that's been made available for download by the artist or record label.

Some content distributors want the government to regulate your ability to do these things. There's even a bill before the U.S. Senate that would force the technology industry to implement anti-piracy technology that could prevent all digital copying - even copying that's legal today under U.S. copyright laws.

If this concerns you, it's time to protect these rights. Take action. Write your senator and congressman.

Get more information at www.digitalconsumer.org, www.digmedia.org, or www.hrrc.org. Let's protect our right to legally use technology to improve the quality of life.

Gorilla Cataract Removal Operation A Success

See the story by Alex Kirby for the BBC:
Blind gorilla sees again.

Fusing Music and Metadata

Cool. I just generated a Bitzi Ticket for my song "Wander" using Bitzi's XML/RDF Ticket service.

Even more people than previously suspected think the CBDTPA sucks

Extra! Extra! Even more people than previously suspected think the CBDTPA sucks!
(and for a wide variety of reasons!)

See: Digital-Copyright Bill Inspires Flurry of Criticism.

McKinney Asks: Did Bush know about 911 before it happened?

Did Bush know about 911 before it happened?

Only time will tell. But some people, such as Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga) are starting to ask questions and suggest that such issues be investigated further.

Here's a Washington Post article by Juliet Eilperin on the subject:
Democrat Implies Sept. 11 Administration Plot .

It's not a patent on the wheel, but it's close

Someone's patented a Method of swinging on a swing (United States Patent: 6,368,227).

EFF Makes "Open" BPDG Activities Truly Open

The EFF has started a weblog, Consensus At Lawyerpoint, that covers the ongoing "open" activities of the Copy Protection "Technical" Working Group.

What is the BPDG?

The BPDG is a coalition of Hollywood studios and technology companies that are ready to control our technological future, in the name of digital television, if you let them.

How might they control our technological future? By insisting upon airy fairy "standards" that can only be complied with via business deals when the entertainment monopolies decide that the price is right.

Celine Dion Hates Your Computer

Celine Dion must really hate her fans to let her latest CD be released containing such harmful copy prevention technologies on it.

Sorry for the false start...

Okay. I'm back for real this time.

Wowza. What a week!