As the Rolling Stones began their tour while welching on the more than quarter of a million dollar deal they made with my Friend, I started this e-Blogazine journal to document some of my experience of the fallout, and to create a forum for discussion and resources to reform the Music Industry. May Artists, Musicians, and Free People everywhere find it useful.
Got Something to say? Are You a Musician, Artist, or Person with an opinion about the Music industry, music downloads, contracts or royalties? Are You concerned about the RIAA and other industries' assault on our cyber-Freedoms? Copyright and Intellectual Property law? Well?
This site is our Music, played on a virtual sidewalk. This button is our hat in front of us. If You dig the Vibe, toss in a few coins so we might live. Thanks.
This week's Article of Note is a piece Mercury News reporter Dan Gillmor did last Sunday about the growing movement of ordinary Americans who oppose the restrictions Congress is considering placing on our digital Freedom. In it, Gillmor discusses Tara Grubb's run for Congress in North Carolina (my Home state), and the power of Web logs.
Here's a bit of what Dan wrote:
"A movement is beginning to stir in America, an overdue reaction to the predations of a cartel that is bidding to control how digital information may be created and used. Grubb, almost by accident, is becoming one of the movement's new icons.
"She's is running for Congress in North Carolina this fall. The incumbent is U.S. Rep. Howard Coble, a Republican in his ninth two-year term...a portion of her platform is starting to attract interest from outside Coble's ... district. She does not believe that Hollywood, the record companies and their allies should be able to have absolute control over copyrighted material, or that the entertainment cartel should be able to dictate what technological innovations may or may not hit the marketplace.
"...she strongly opposes a bill, co-sponsored by Coble, that would give the entertainment companies unprecedented permission to tamper remotely with file-sharing networks and computers.
"Coble is chairman of a key House committee dealing with issues of ``intellectual property'' -- and the cartel has been one of his chief financial supporters. According to the invaluable Center for Responsive Politics (www.opensecrets.org), the entertainment industry was second only to lawyers in sending him money."
Once again, Dan Gillmor's reporting is right on target. A good read - check it out. The title link up to will take You there, or just click here to open it in a new window.
More on Tara Sue Grubb's Candidacy in a moment...
Here's Why Tara Grubb is running for Coble's seat in Congress
In her own words...
Once I was out on my own, without the shelter of family and classrooms, the world seemed so dark. Honesty? I've been told I am too honest to be a real estate agent, much less a politician. Fair? Life isn't fair, so they say, and I guess that gives all a free license to be as crooked as they like. Forgiving? I have heard people quote Christ and in the same breath scream for revenge. Strength? It has been re-defined as something material--money. Do unto others? Well, misery loves company. The less fortunate? They are blamed for their misfortune and for our own. As for putting your mind to something, we seem to put our minds to money, sex, food and money and war,which is money.
But to Believe in yourself: Well friends, That's all we've got. And I am hanging on to my beliefs. And this is why I am running for public office. I want to change our course. I want to fight for what I believe. Hear it again and read it out loud . . .
"And this I believe: that the free exploring mind of the individual human is the most valuable thing in the world. And this I would fight for: the freedom of the mind to take any direction it wishes, undirected. And this I must fight against: any idea, religion, or government which limits or destroys the individual. This is what I am and what I am about."
This is my mecca. Congress is my venue. It is time to take the high road.
NC Congressional Candidate Tara Grubb opposes Entertainment Cartel