what's going to eventually happen is dynamic channel switching, a return to the old days when youi "paid" for channel 6 while you watched it (in the 50s, by watching commercials and maybe trying the Swanson's dinner sponsoring the program.) in other words, customers either create their OWN bundles, or from the availiable channels, they pick what they want now, and are post-view billed for the usage. there will be no free rides in the 210-channel bundle for the Disney Outtakes Channel, or ESPN 17: pick-up soccer at Evanston South Elementary School.

at that point, you won't have 210 channels. but of the 100 you do have, they will be one ones that got watched historically, and are not vampires positioned in provider contracts because "I don't want to be the guy with only 6 slots on the satellite, I need 20 to get ads."

I envision Murdoch employees putting a leak an hour into that funnypot.

and blame Gracenote for the song and album cover screwups. that's who Apple uses.

and then hire a bunch of Tata Indians to do the work for half price, leaving all these students with new diplomas no way to pay their student loans?

damn stupid program he's pushing. jump one way or jump the other way, but get off the barbed wire fence. that's electrified, too.

so I just moved iTunes to the windows laptop and will have to re-rip the material not bought on the iStore. my iPod mini's third battery is about gone, so I'm picking up a Shuffle on the way home from work.

you know, it's funny, shit dies. my Atwater Kent 20C works, but the newer stuff dies.

when the automated sorting system v.2 was installed, maybe 15 or 20 years ago, the USPS at that time said that they captured pictures of all mail. doubtless it was seen as a marvel of engineering that they did all that at one fell swoop, and a big boast. the initial automation system of the 70s/80s didn't.

while the government agencies DHS and MPAA/RIAA work to close the torrents, DARPA is working to build the torrents. your tax dollars at work.

guess I better start figuring whether hydraulics or steam pistons would be the best way to build a HorseFly Swatter. I can dismantle an Audi for the radar, provided I find one in the open when it's dark....

forever.

to get rid of the slop, you have to net it and destroy it. the Japanese have proposed a craft to net the slop and burn it up on re-entry. that's a PLAN.

by providing free services and dealing with the baboons in cuss-at-tomer "service."

right now. I have the answer.

dogs come from puppies

I am unfortunately relegated to a matter of higher truthiness for the duration of the esteemed Congress, and therefore must submit my regrets.

Phineas T. Barnum, esq.
Head Clown

1) if you play music beyond personal enjoyment, which license is inherent in "buying a record," you need to license the play with ASCAP or BMI as appropriate for the song. scale varies depending on audience size; there are deals for radio stations and web usage.

2) if you wish to license the songs for playing in your own band for public performance, there is a set rate.

3) if you would like a custom album or CD for a special occasion, you need to license master usage from the Harry Fox Agency. I thought about it for my wedding music, but looked north of $60 a copy. nope.

4) if by chance you wanted any artwork used on the original album, you would have to negotiate that with the art owner, typically the record company.

this is why all the record outfits have "special services" departments. correlate it all, make the package, one stop, one check.

since the late 40s, ASCAP has required licenses for airplay, and the broadcasters created their own licensing agency, BMI in the 50s. when I was growing up a broadcast brat, the music director weeded out incoming discs that were not of those two organizations (CAPAC in Canada later reached a deal with ASCAP to collect their royalties), and counted up the needle drops. nickle a drop in those days, it was raised to 7 cents a play in the 70s. stations cut their check every month to the agencies.

in the past dozen-odd years, BMI in particular has been putting boots on the ground, checking restaurants, coffee shops, doctors offices, whatever to see if they had a reuse license for music. if you had Muzak or 3M service, they walked out. if not, and you didn't have a license, it was mafia time... sign a contract right there, or you're sued. it applies whether you have your own discs or tapes, or are playing the radio.

recently outfits have been putting up their own music streams across their chains... "Subway radio" "LA Fitness Network" and so on. if the HQs don't have their licenses, as Muzak and 3M arranged, they are up shit crick.

why this bozo congresscritter didn't do any research of his own... oh that's right, their instructions are in the envelope with the cash... well, he's an idiot.