harloholmes - Slashdot User

EU Officials Cautious on AntiTrust Issues 156

Posted by Zonk on Friday June 16, 2006 @02:58PM from the watch-what-you-do-with-that-drm dept.

An anonymous reader writes "News.com has a piece up looking at reactions from EU officials to the iTMS antitrust case. The individuals involved are wary of cracking open the DRM that protects the music sold at the iTunes Music Store." From the article: "One of the most outspoken government advocates on the issue is Norwegian consumer ombudsman Bjorn Erik Thon, who said he would act soon depending on how Apple responds to a letter the government had sent the company. If Apple can require an iPod for songs via iTunes, then music, book and film companies might restrict their products to specific players too, he said."

Canadian Record Industry's Secret Lobby Campaign 144

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on Monday June 12, 2006 @07:26PM from the backroom-deals-just-everyday-life dept.

CRIAWatch writes "Michael Geist has an editorial published in the Hill Times, a Canadian political newsweekly, about a secret lobbying campaign by the Canadian Recording Industry Association. The report details how days after the last Canadian election CRIA lobbyists worked with officials to plan an event featuring speakers on the CRIA payroll who are promoting a DMCA for Canada, dozens of government officials from seven departments, an expensive lunch with senior government executives paid for by taxpayers, as well as a private meeting with the Canadian Heritage Minister who is responsible for copyright law."

Oklahoma 'Games As Porn' Bill Now Law 200

Posted by Zonk on Monday June 12, 2006 @11:23AM from the oooooklahoma dept.

simoniker writes "Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry has signed into law the State-specific Bill HB30004. The bill redefines a list of items, such as hardcore pornography, deemed harmful to minors to include videogames which use 'inappropriate violence'. The new Oklahoma law is due to come into effect from November 1st. The story notes: 'Despite being one of the more draconian anti-games bills put before a State senate, HB30004 has faced limited opposition, with apparently little concern being given to the consistent problems other similar bills have faced from legal challenges.'"

Comment It's just a creditor's tactic (Score 1) 869

by harloholmes on Wednesday April 05, 2006 @11:58AM (#15067203) Attached to: RIAA Recommends Students Drop out of College

Although the RIAA has no reason to phone me, I got the same tactic when I was avoiding the debt collectors for about the same amount in credit card debt. I believe the bank was Capitol One, actually, whose creditor scolded me like a soot-nosed child for letting my debts accumulate like that. When I told him that I was (at the time) unemployed because I was a dedicated, full-time student at a top college, he snarkily responded: "well that tells us a lot about your priorities!" and continued to berate me for borrowing money that I refused to pay back because of my selfish, wanton thirst for higher education!

I think it's in a training manual they have to memorize...

Slashdot Top Deals