It’s true. Following up to the message from Tim Westergren of Pandora Internet Radio, the Washington Post reports that ginormous royalty rates and additional fees for Internet radio broadcast will go into effect Sunday.
Read the whole story here. Then get in contact with your representatives and ask them to support legistlation that would void the Copyright Royalty Board’s decision to place the exhorbitant fees.
Categories: Congress · Internet Radio · Music · NPR · Pandora · Responsibility · Washingtonpost.com · act now · government · laws · legislation · talk about it
A message from Tim Westergren, PANDORA Internet radio:
Hi, it’s Tim one more time…
Disaster looms! Yesterday a federal court denied a plea to delay the massive increase in rates webcasters must pay the record labels. This means that, absent immediate Congressional action, the new ruinous royalty rates will be going into effect on Monday threatening the future of all internet radio.
This is a very dire situation and I’m writing to ask one more time for your support. The effort you’ve made over the past four months has been extraordinary and has forced the rapid introduction of the bill, but the committee process has been sluggish and we need to once again remind the representatives of the urgency of this issue. This is perhaps the most important phone call you can make for us.
Please call your Congressional representatives in the House and the Senate and ask them to force immediate action on the Internet Radio Equality Act and bring the bill to a vote. It is critical that their phones begin ringing off the hook starting early in the morning. If it’s busy, please try again later.
IN MISSOURI:
Congressperson Emanuel Cleaver: (202)225-4535
Senator Christopher S. Bond: (202) 224-5721
Senator Claire McCaskill: (202) 224-6154
(If you live in other states, please contact your representatives)
I’m sorry that we have to keep asking you for this – but it’s our only recourse. We are no match for the legal and legislative strength of the RIAA and we need your help.
Thank you again.
Gratefully,
-Tim Westergren
(Pandora founder)
Categories: Congress · Emergency · Internet Radio · Media · Music · National Day of Silence · Pandora · laws · legislation · missouri
I went to see the KC Wizards beat…ok, get beaten by (details!) DC United. Hung out with friends and watched the Frisbee-catching canine show at halftime.
Categories: Canine · DC United · Frisbee · KC Wizards · dogs · soccer
A display of flags commemorates the fallen military personnel in the Iraq invasion since 2003. The memorial was set up in front of a private home on State Line Road in Kansas City, Mo.
Categories: Iraq · Iraq invasion · July 4 · Justice for all · Milestones · Think about it · kansas city · military
The following is an Egads! message from a guest contributor:
When President Bush said the pledge of allegiance this Fourth of July, I hope he thought about the last three words of his pledge: “justice for all.”
Justice is not just about rights, it’s also about responsibilities. And the country recently was given two important lessons about justice and responsibility.
In the case of Paris Hilton, we learned that when the child of incredible wealth and privilege repeatedly acts irresponsibly, sometimes she must take responsibility for her actions. If we take her word for it, she’s a better person for the experience.
In the case of Scooter Libby, we learned that where a man repeatedly lies in a blatant attempt to thwart a national investigation into the disclosure of an undercover CIA agent’s identity, if he’s a close friend of the President, he will have to take no responsibility for his actions.
The Scooter Libby pardon was justice for no one. It was also a serious step backward in the President’s solemn pledge of allegiance to our fine country.
Categories: Justice for all · Paris Hilton · Politics · Responsibility · Scooter Libby · U.S. Constitution · United States · legislation
Heard on Morning Edition today:
-the poem “Cat” by a U.S. Iraq veteran, part of NPR’s report on writing and war (check it out here)
-this is the biggest beer-drinking day of the year in America
Heard at the HyVee liquor store yesterday:
Miller’s new “Chill” beer, made “chellada style” with a dash of lime and salt included (as advertised), was underwhelming to a liquor pro who said, “I didn’t like it. It could have used some lime and salt.”
I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday. I’m starting off in the ICU, hopefully ascending to a 3rd floor room, perhaps making my next chess move (thinking, thinking) and maybe, just maybe, stopping by some friend’s house (yet undetermined) for a little July 4th merriment…
Categories: Hy-Vee · Morning Edition · writing
National Health Care
July 12, 2007 · 1 Comment
THE POWER OF DRUGS
When your body is delicate, just taking two Vicadin instead of one can mean the difference between going home and being admitted to the hospital. Eight weeks after my mother was given two Vicadin, on top of an anesthetic during a pacemaker implant, she is still in the hospital.
That initial event was followed by other drug administrations that her system couldn’t handle. Some doctors realized that she was so sensitive and took that into account. Other doctors were arrogant and held to the belief that the drugs work the same for all people. When we pointed out how Mom’s symptoms matched the possible side effects of a particular drug, AND when we took her off the drug and the symptoms disappeared, those doctors still held that there was no relationship.
My brother and I have to be advocates for Mom. We know her best, we love her and we have to be vigilant that she is treated individually and with respect.
I want to know – what drug is America on? And with all the people in this country, why is there no effective advocate to protect her from the high level of abuse she’s received from the current administration?
There are some good doctors; there are some good administrations. But even in the best of situations, getting the healthiest result in either case comes from paying attention and remaining vigilantly active.
In America’s case, the patient is us. We’ve been prescribed a “war” that was never a good idea and never in our best interest – although it made the practitioners a lot of money. Their arrogance has continued them down their own egotistically driven path – a path that is proving highly toxic for America and the world.
The other curious factor is that even when we’ve done our homework and we know that the administration’s actions are bad for us, we don’t do enough to stop them from hurting us. The nation’s got a lethal case of the Bobbleheads.
We need to take our heads in our own hands and shake them the other way. We need to stand up and say “no” to this administration. “No” to keeping our troops in Iraq; “no” to an anti-diplomacy policy of international imperialism, and “no” to the perpetuation of national partisanship leading to a pear-shaped anatomy of wealth on the tiniest end and expanding need and poverty on the increasingly bulbous bottom.
In the best case – if we are relatively healthy and being treated by a knowledgeable, caring adminstration, we still need to take on a partner role with the government to avoid human error and to keep the government up-to-date and informed of our needs.
In the situation we are in, being guided by people who are out of touch with and disinterested in our needs, they continually prescribe actions that are diametrically opposed to a healthy America.
Without being attentive and vocal, America is as vulnerable to neglect and abuse from administrators who act from a point of self-interest and pompishness, as my mother is from medical practitioners who diagnose rashly and prescribe arrogantly.
This country’s vital signs were stable seven years ago, but they are totally out-of-whack today. That’s what happens to any system when you don’t ensure proper nutritive management. Where we had a balanced system before, now, we need a cure.
I can see that. And I can advocate as much as I can, but our voice needs to be as loud and peopled as possible to be heard. We need to work together to get rid of dangerous, ineffective managers.
My mother has a pretty good team of doctors. We listen closer to those who give us individualized care advice. We fire the doctors who are not working in our best interest. Most importantly, we take notes, constantly ask questions and remain vigilantly present.
Not enough Americans are taking notes. We don’t question enough and a detrimental many of us have chosen to be absent.
PROSCRIPTION PRESCRIBED
First and foremost, America needs to get rid of its bad care providers. After all, the nation was founded as a government of the people, run by the people, for the benefit of the people. It was not intended to be a corporation, run by a hierarchy, cutting benefits, depleting opportunity and slashing wages of “the people.”
In the long-run, to get the best care and to maintain the healthiest society as prescribed in our Constitution, America needs to resist sedation and pay attention to how our country is being run. We need to be stronger, constant advocates for our needs and for the survival of the nation we love.
Categories: America · Bush administration · Civil rights · Commentary · Constitution · Drugs · Emergency · Health care · Justice for all · Medicine · Responsibility · Think about it · advocacy · doctors · drug · government · talk about it · what kind of drug are you?