Times are changing; It is now easier to make a few mouse clicks and have music faster than going to a store and buying a CD. Times are changing; Technology now enables us to have a perfect copy of something, with no generation loss.
Copy and paste, copy and paste, copy and paste, copy and paste.
Unlike the days of analogue equipment. You used to have to buy a record to get a good copy, you used to have to buy a tape. You wanted to share that tape? Pop the tape in, play it for a tape recorder, copy w/ generation loss.
Things are changing. Record companies and artists can't make a ton of money now. That isn't really the problem...The problem is much bigger. Money is the problem, this is just a symptom.
Record Companies want money, artists want money, everyone wants money involved with music.
P2P Technology cuts in on these profits, and the old model of business is failing.
Something new is needed. Either radical or minor, something needs to change and something WILL change. Adaptation.
Some artists have been extremely inventive in how to adapt to these new times. The user has to adapt too. If you want the bands you like to continue to put out albums, but their albums, buy their merch, go to their concerts. Support them!
Record Labels...they basically have a monopoly...four record companies controled approximately 82% of the music industry, in 2005. As of recent they have been cracking down on Youtube Accounts that feature audio from their signed artists. One of my favorite videos, that had basically fell into line with "fair use" had the audio removed. Yet, videos, that have the entire song, and just one image, or "lyrics" to it put up by some half wit user, are still up and running. I see a problem here...copyright law is being violated, but not just by users, but by companies.
But who cares, right?
No one. Well, almost no one. Most people don't care and just want to be left alone and not do anything.
God forbid if you are an artist who is starving and speaking up against illegal downloading. People are TOUCHY about it. As I said, things are changing and things need to change and things will change. Most likely for the better. But things might get worse before they get better.
On a side note, I have to ask, would you pay $23 dollars for a Miley Cyrus CD? Most of you wouldn't. Hell, anyone reading this probably wouldn't. Here we get a classic view of manipulation
http://www.amazon.com/Hannah-Montana-Meet-Miley-Cyrus/dp/B000OYC3L6
"List Price: $22.98 "
"Price: $12.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25 "
Good deal? Isn't it? You would think so.
However, I don't feel it is...I Pre-ordered an album, "The Art of Breaking Apart" by Velvet Acid Christ for 12.97. factoring in shipping, $15.47
Let us look back at Miley Cyrus CD. You have to spend twice as much money to get "Free Shipping"
Good Ol' America - Buy more and save money!
If you are buying other things, JUST to get that price break, you aren't saving money. You are spending more money. Buy something you don't want to cut back the price of something you do want. You are getting fucked over. Sometimes it IS worth it...but not usually.
Example:
Sobe buy 5 for $5 and get one free. Good deal for ME because I happen to like Sobe and would actually save money from this deal. But this is food/drink. I like food/drink so it probably isn't the best example.
Anyway, just ranting. Hope you had some interesting new thoughts.
-Ian
Friday, October 23, 2009
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Politricks
Recently, I've become extremely annoyed by politics and propaganda.
One the one extreme, we have the right-wing, "republicans" who hate Obama and who are screaming about how he is a communist, and the next Hitler and what not. [Because our last president who invaded countries for a fake reason, and attacked his own country for an excuse to go to war, definitely was NOT like Hitler, who staged an attack on his own country and invaded other countires. (sarcasm for those of you who can't see it).]
And well...they seem to be the only extremists. At least, the only ones we hear about from at this point.
They get a lot of people behind them; generally all stupid, submissive, unintelligent people, and a few obscenely rich who stand to lose something.
"Socialism" is used as a buzzword; it has basically become synonymous with "communist" - why? because it interferes with the "Free Market" and "capitalism."
Reality: they are upset that it's going to be harder to get your money. Healthcare is an excellent example; Healthcare is ridiculously expensive. But that's why you have insurance, right?
That is the theory...but really, insurance coverage is slipping and prices are rising. So much so, it's almost better to NOT have insurance at all and save your money so you can pay those medical bills yourself.
The National Healthcare plan, was basically an insurance company that offered reasonable rates, and fair coverage plan. Why are the corperations and the rich afraid of this? because it will FORCE them to cover more things and to charge less. Good for the common man, bad for the obscenely rich.
We were NOT talking international health care like in most other countries. everyone gets treated and it takes forever to get treatment, for free.
So, lets see. This isn't quite socialism.
But thats what they scream about anyway. They paint a false picture to get people upset.
Now I want to paint a picture. One I feel is rather accurate.
Products are mass produced for almost nothing and sold for a "cheap" price many times higher than the production costs, to a society dedicated to consuming. In this society there are class distinctions, most of the problems are blamed on the underclass, while the middle class slave away for the upper class to make them richer. The upperclass and their corporations oversee the manufacture of "cheap" products which they can sell to their middle class workers, making them poorer and poorer, and they get richer and richer.
Sound Familiar? This is what we call "capitalism" and "freemarket"
But really...I'd rather call it Global Market Slavery.
Captalism, is a theory.
Theory: The competative nature of the market will guarantee that the consumer will get the best price.
Good theory, but it doesn't work with our money system. If you want to REALLY understand why, I'd watch Zeitgeist (Both of them) http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/
So on one side, We have one extreme basically creating the other.
We have the Slave Owners telling tall tales of the Communist Boogy man.
Do I have a solution? Not at the moment. I'm working on it thought.
One the one extreme, we have the right-wing, "republicans" who hate Obama and who are screaming about how he is a communist, and the next Hitler and what not. [Because our last president who invaded countries for a fake reason, and attacked his own country for an excuse to go to war, definitely was NOT like Hitler, who staged an attack on his own country and invaded other countires. (sarcasm for those of you who can't see it).]
And well...they seem to be the only extremists. At least, the only ones we hear about from at this point.
They get a lot of people behind them; generally all stupid, submissive, unintelligent people, and a few obscenely rich who stand to lose something.
"Socialism" is used as a buzzword; it has basically become synonymous with "communist" - why? because it interferes with the "Free Market" and "capitalism."
Reality: they are upset that it's going to be harder to get your money. Healthcare is an excellent example; Healthcare is ridiculously expensive. But that's why you have insurance, right?
That is the theory...but really, insurance coverage is slipping and prices are rising. So much so, it's almost better to NOT have insurance at all and save your money so you can pay those medical bills yourself.
The National Healthcare plan, was basically an insurance company that offered reasonable rates, and fair coverage plan. Why are the corperations and the rich afraid of this? because it will FORCE them to cover more things and to charge less. Good for the common man, bad for the obscenely rich.
We were NOT talking international health care like in most other countries. everyone gets treated and it takes forever to get treatment, for free.
So, lets see. This isn't quite socialism.
But thats what they scream about anyway. They paint a false picture to get people upset.
Now I want to paint a picture. One I feel is rather accurate.
Products are mass produced for almost nothing and sold for a "cheap" price many times higher than the production costs, to a society dedicated to consuming. In this society there are class distinctions, most of the problems are blamed on the underclass, while the middle class slave away for the upper class to make them richer. The upperclass and their corporations oversee the manufacture of "cheap" products which they can sell to their middle class workers, making them poorer and poorer, and they get richer and richer.
Sound Familiar? This is what we call "capitalism" and "freemarket"
But really...I'd rather call it Global Market Slavery.
Captalism, is a theory.
Theory: The competative nature of the market will guarantee that the consumer will get the best price.
Good theory, but it doesn't work with our money system. If you want to REALLY understand why, I'd watch Zeitgeist (Both of them) http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/
So on one side, We have one extreme basically creating the other.
We have the Slave Owners telling tall tales of the Communist Boogy man.
Do I have a solution? Not at the moment. I'm working on it thought.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
(Anti) Social Networking sites
Today social networking sites are at the peak, and they still seem to be going strong. but, most are lame and not fun at all.
I, am going to review them...kind of.
So let us dive right in.
1- Myspace.com - Who the hell doesn't have a myspace? It's kind of annoying and slow, but that is mostly the massive amounts of advertising. Nothing you can't fix with a good AdBlocker.
My major critizism is how must like windows vista is; big, slow, annoys you with "are you sure you want to do this?" and has really turned into a joke. But, it works...usually. finding new friends is possible, but not always easy. Lot of people in it for the popularity on myspace. pc4pc w4w.
rating out of 10: 6
2- Myyearbook.com - personally, I used to love this site. I really did. I actually talked to people and made new friends. But that was a while ago. They did a major change to the website. They changed the layout, and instated a site currency, and a few other features. And so began the fall of myyearbook in my opinion. Soon you would be flooded with profitable messages asking you to rtf or to vote in a battle, or to comment and view their profile. This has gotten worse. much, much, much worse, since they introduced
*drum roll* VIP membership :D thats right, now you can pay to be shallow and meaningless! you can now send mass messages to everyone at the same time! become impersonal and as interesting as a spambot! and now that you have no real friends, you can earn greater rewards for playing games on the site! for doing other things that had intrinsic value before site currency was instated!
Rating out of 10: 4
3- Vampirefreaks.com - My personal favorite. they are much smaller, but it is really easy to make new friends. They have a premium membership available but it can't really be used to get you more friends, and what not. you can just tell a lot of people about stuff really fast and if they don't like it, they can delete you and not be bothered by you ever again. there are 2 friends list. who you consider your friend and people who consider you a friend. you don't have to approve or deny anything. again, personally, this is my favorite site xD
Rating out of 10: 9
4- Facebook.com - this is an antisocial networking site. it has its little fun things, buuut they can get pretty annoying. it does enable you to find people from your school you might know, but outside of that, you cant really make NEW friends. everyone's profile is private until you add them as a friend.
rating out of 10: 6
5- Stickam.com - kind of confusing, kind of weird, and also enables people to be shallow...often. also seems to be a place for teen girls to show their breasts and for creepy old men to show their dicks...I don't frequent this one very often xD
rating out of 10: ?
these are networking sites i still currently a member of, at the moment.
these are past networking site i was a member of
note: these all FAIL
1- Netlog/bingbox/whatever else they called it - Seriously. They changed the name, then started up a parallel site, then closed the original. The UI was terrible, the site currency cost you real $$$ and in order to upload a photo, you had to use your site currency. Taking to people was hard, and no one ever seemed to respond.
2- Tagged.com - A stalkers dream...I swear. Plus the fact no one ever talked and there was nothing to DO on the site because no one ever talked.
3- Hoverspot.com - Dull, lame, boring. 'nuf said.
Aaaaaand there are more, but they sucked so bad I don't even remember their names... but they all had the same problems listed above. nothing to do, no one talked, ever, and you felt alone on the website.
side note: you can spot anti-social people on most websites really easy just by viewing their profile
a- profile is on private, and when you try to add them, they require you to know their email.
b- profile layout is designed in such away you have to scroll half way across your house, to the right, to find their "add to friends list button" if it has not been removed, or disguised as something else.
c- their profile is a shrine of worship to "the love of their life"
I, am going to review them...kind of.
So let us dive right in.
1- Myspace.com - Who the hell doesn't have a myspace? It's kind of annoying and slow, but that is mostly the massive amounts of advertising. Nothing you can't fix with a good AdBlocker.
My major critizism is how must like windows vista is; big, slow, annoys you with "are you sure you want to do this?" and has really turned into a joke. But, it works...usually. finding new friends is possible, but not always easy. Lot of people in it for the popularity on myspace. pc4pc w4w.
rating out of 10: 6
2- Myyearbook.com - personally, I used to love this site. I really did. I actually talked to people and made new friends. But that was a while ago. They did a major change to the website. They changed the layout, and instated a site currency, and a few other features. And so began the fall of myyearbook in my opinion. Soon you would be flooded with profitable messages asking you to rtf or to vote in a battle, or to comment and view their profile. This has gotten worse. much, much, much worse, since they introduced
*drum roll* VIP membership :D thats right, now you can pay to be shallow and meaningless! you can now send mass messages to everyone at the same time! become impersonal and as interesting as a spambot! and now that you have no real friends, you can earn greater rewards for playing games on the site! for doing other things that had intrinsic value before site currency was instated!
Rating out of 10: 4
3- Vampirefreaks.com - My personal favorite. they are much smaller, but it is really easy to make new friends. They have a premium membership available but it can't really be used to get you more friends, and what not. you can just tell a lot of people about stuff really fast and if they don't like it, they can delete you and not be bothered by you ever again. there are 2 friends list. who you consider your friend and people who consider you a friend. you don't have to approve or deny anything. again, personally, this is my favorite site xD
Rating out of 10: 9
4- Facebook.com - this is an antisocial networking site. it has its little fun things, buuut they can get pretty annoying. it does enable you to find people from your school you might know, but outside of that, you cant really make NEW friends. everyone's profile is private until you add them as a friend.
rating out of 10: 6
5- Stickam.com - kind of confusing, kind of weird, and also enables people to be shallow...often. also seems to be a place for teen girls to show their breasts and for creepy old men to show their dicks...I don't frequent this one very often xD
rating out of 10: ?
these are networking sites i still currently a member of, at the moment.
these are past networking site i was a member of
note: these all FAIL
1- Netlog/bingbox/whatever else they called it - Seriously. They changed the name, then started up a parallel site, then closed the original. The UI was terrible, the site currency cost you real $$$ and in order to upload a photo, you had to use your site currency. Taking to people was hard, and no one ever seemed to respond.
2- Tagged.com - A stalkers dream...I swear. Plus the fact no one ever talked and there was nothing to DO on the site because no one ever talked.
3- Hoverspot.com - Dull, lame, boring. 'nuf said.
Aaaaaand there are more, but they sucked so bad I don't even remember their names... but they all had the same problems listed above. nothing to do, no one talked, ever, and you felt alone on the website.
side note: you can spot anti-social people on most websites really easy just by viewing their profile
a- profile is on private, and when you try to add them, they require you to know their email.
b- profile layout is designed in such away you have to scroll half way across your house, to the right, to find their "add to friends list button" if it has not been removed, or disguised as something else.
c- their profile is a shrine of worship to "the love of their life"
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