WorldSpace worrying me

Satellite radio going global - Breaking News - World - Breaking News: "WorldSpace would like to add Chinese-language channels and make radios that exclude foreign news channels.


'We're not interested in whether China is setting its media rules this way or that, we're interested in what those rules are and how to follow them,' Samara said."

Ew. I hope they change their attitude. (Or make those radios very easy to hack to receive the foreign news channels. ;) )

iTunes in NOV = WMA DRM solution ?

CMCentral.com Forum -> Tim Foreman speaks on protected CD: "... itunes is coming out with a new version for PC users in early November that will be compatible with all of these new CD's ..."

I wonder if this means that the supposed "new" iTunes in november will be either:

• Compatible with WMA-DRM, and converting such tracks to Fairplay DRM (or adding WMA to iPod (unlikely)).

OR



• Able to rip CDs with no regard to DRM, as before (hopeful, but realistic?)

My other question is whether the Mac iTunes will be affected by any of the above, or whether it will remain blissfully unaware of Windows Media DRM.

ActNow.org: Campaign for America's Priorities

Check out the interactive map I created

It's unbelievable that politicians are cutting vital social services like food stamps, Medicaid, and bridge and road construction while still giving away huge tax breaks to the wealthy and corporations.

Join me in this online march and get yourself on the map with thousands of people who think this just isn't right for America.

Thanks!

cool pi video

nerd alert! - you may need to be a geek to get this:
Keith Schofield / Pi

loose nukes @ purdue :(

ABC News: Purdue University: "No guards. No metal detectors."

stop the "break my VCR" flag!

Public Knowledge - Night of the Living Broadcast Flag!
What I added to their form letter:
"This is very important to me, as I spend the majority of my time helping out family at home. But to do so, and continue to attend college part time, it is essential that I'm able to record TV and radio if I'm going to be able to watch or listen at all, since I don't have the luxury of sitting down to watch programs live. I realize TV and radio aren't essentials for life, but they are an important way for me to stay informed and get entertained when I can't leave the house for a significant amount of time more than one night a week.

I am also majoring in Computer Information Systems in college, and I am very afraid of the chilling effect that these proposed onerous restrictions could have on computer programmers and hobbyists. We could be prevented from building or fixing our own computers, or even writing our own programs. I think we need to encourage more people to experiment with technology at home, if we ever want our country to catch up with the highly competitive job markets around the globe. Let's invent the next great thing right here in the US of A.

I'm also worried about the so-called "digital transition" from analog to digital TV. I think we should accelerate the transition, but the broadcast flag is the surest way to slow it down, and prevent public safety and other future bandwidth users from receiving their desired allotments on time. I don't think anyone will want to buy (or even take for free) a bunch of new digital equipment, which, thanks to a broadcast flag or similar restriction, will automatically delete shows before they've even been watched, prevent copying of shows for archival or sharing with other family members, or even prevent recording of certain shows entirely. That's just awful and greedy on the part of the entertainment industry. Everyone I've asked has said that they would not want a new VCR that didn't work at least as well as their old one."

Gullible?

I took the The Gullibility Factor test at NewsTarget.com - my score was 88 out of 100. This classified me as a "Free Thinker". Interesting test.