INTERESTING: Why They Won’t Impeach

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

http://www.lewrockwell.com/shaffer/shaffer160.html

Why They Won’t Impeach
by Butler Shaffer

***Begin Quote***

The interests of Democratic and Republican officials alike are best served by the maximization of political power. If “government” is defined as an agency enjoying a monopoly on the lawful use of force within a given territory, what politically ambitious person would not want to enjoy as much of that power as he or she can muster? And since such a purpose not only suits the interests of the ruling establishment, but defines its existence, a symbiotic relationship between these two groups is easily fashioned.

***End Quote***

It just exposes the sham of the “two party system”. It’s a system all right. A scam. A racket. Tweedle dum and Tweedle dee.

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Posted by reinkefj

TECHNOLOGY: “Microsoft Copy Protection Cracked Again” and who’s surprised?

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=2007-07-17_D8QEFI3O1&show_article=1&cat=breaking

Microsoft Copy Protection Cracked Again
Jul 17 01:13 PM US/Eastern
By JESSICA MINTZ
AP Business Writer

*** begin quote ***

SEATTLE (AP) – Microsoft Corp. is once again on the defensive against hackers after the launch of a new program that gives average PC users tools to unlock copy-protected digital music and movies.

The latest version of the FairUse4M program, which can crack Microsoft’s digital rights management system for Windows Media audio and video files, was published online late Friday. In the past year, Microsoft plugged holes exploited by two earlier versions of the program and filed a federal lawsuit against its anonymous authors. Microsoft dropped the lawsuit after failing to identify them.

The third version of FairUse4M has a simple drag-and-drop interface. PC users can turn the protected music files they bought online—either a la carte or as part of a subscription service like Napster—and turn them into DRM-free tunes that can be copied and shared at will, or turned into MP3 files that can play on any type of digital music player.

*** end quote ***

Like an arms race, the DRM folks are spending a lot of cycles on a failing paradigm.

Like putting lipstick on the proverbial pig, it annoys their paying customers and is pretty ugly! Some of my biggest irritations, in my computing career, have been at the hands of “copy protection”. Couple that with bad, or non-existent, support and you have the seeds of a revolt.

I now don’t buy content online — music or other kinds — if it has copy protection. I have a lot of expensive 8 tracks, cassettes, and cds of “content” that are unusable. Add to that “software”, which has stopped working, stopped being supported, or otherwise orphaned.

My most recent experience was with MusicMatch JukeBox being acquired by Yahoo and forced to “upgrade”. This was one of my last purchases, excuse me “licensing” — what “barbara streisand”!! — before my new policy of “no more”.

“No more” locked content. “No more” buying software, excuse me licensing it, from vendors who are one step below used car salesmen. “No more” operating systems that require “activation” and have “self-help” provisions.

I look to the open source software makers and happily “donate” to their projects.

I’m calling out the content makers, “software” licensors, and the entire Microsoft empire as the hucksters they are. At least the snake oil sales men of yesteryear didn’t try and make you “license” the bottle! A plague on all their houses.

Imagine how I’ll be when I get old and crotchety!
fjohn

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Posted by reinkefj

TECH SERVICE: Yahoo! Music about Musicmatch Migration

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Promptly a week after I had the problem and they changed the webpage causing the problem. They may be “happy” but it’s not timely.

***Begin Quote***

—–Original Message—–
From: Yahoo! Music Jukebox [mailto:yahoomusicengine-feedback@cc.yahoo-inc.com]
Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2007 4:35 PM
To: Reinke’s Catch All Email
Subject: Re: Yahoo! Music Jukebox non-tech issue (KMM100278139V4440L0KM)

Hello Reinke’s,

Thank you for writing Yahoo! Music about Musicmatch Migration. We’re happy to help you with this question.

A tool to automatically convert your Musicmatch subscription to Yahoo!
is now available. The Migration Assistant is built into the latest release of the Yahoo! Music Jukebox. Please follow the directions below to download the Jukebox, and the Migration Assistant will walk you through this process step-by-step.

Download and install the new Yahoo! Music Jukebox here:

http://music.yahoo.com/jukebox/mm/ymj/?OEM=29

Important: Even if you already have Yahoo! Music Jukebox, you must install this special version in order to see the Migration Assistant.

When you start the Jukebox, the Migration Assistant should appear.
Follow the instructions on each page (a link to the FAQ is available from most pages).

If you have a Musicmatch On Demand subscription, you will be able to migrate it to a Yahoo! Music Unlimited subscription

If you have unspent Musicmatch Music Store Gift Certificates or Allowances, you’ll be able to convert them to Yahoo! Music Unlimited Gift Certificates

If you wish to transfer your music library, you will be offered this option.

Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions for more information:

http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/music/jukebox/update/update02.html

*if your problem persists please follow the steps below.

We are having difficulty pinpointing the cause of your problem based on the information you’ve provided. If you could provide answers to the questions below in your response, that will help us provide you with more assistance:

1. Can you describe the problem in more detail?
2. What error message(s) are you receiving, if any? Please send us the exact wording of the error message if you see one.
3. Please describe what happened leading up to this problem, and provide as much detail as possible.

For complete Yahoo! Music Jukebox online help, visit:

http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/music/jukebox/index.html

Once again, we regret the problem you’re having with Yahoo! Music services. If the solution provided here does not resolve your concern, please reply to this email so we may further assist you. Thank you again for writing Yahoo! Music.

Regards,

Bob
Yahoo! Music Customer Care

For assistance with all Yahoo! services, please visit:

http://help.yahoo.com/

***End Quote***

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Posted by reinkefj

INTERESTING: they’ll bemoan they were just a few votes

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

http://cernigsnewshog.blogspot.com/2007/07/governance-as-theatre.html

Monday, July 16, 2007
Governance as Theatre

***Begin Quote***

I have to congratulate Senator Harry Reid for having the common sense and the uncommon gumption of forcing an actual filibuster on the Reed-Levin amendment on a phased withdrawal of most combat formations from Iraq by April of 2008. The procedure that Sen. Reid will use will require sixty votes to end debate and if the debate is not ended, then at least thirty more hours of debate before another cloture attempt can be made.

***End Quote***

Interesting for the D’s to not realize that they can use this lever. Then, when the elections come, short. Silly, the Constitution vest considerable power in the minority.

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Posted by reinkefj

RANT: Hey Governor Corzine … … still wanna hear about state cars? … (continued) …

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

You don’t? TOO BAD!

This morning 17 July at about 645 am edst on Route 295 milepost 51 … …

… … a big white state pickup truck (monster size) TD 10342 … …

… … tailgating the poor peon (me!) in his way (who got the hell out of the way before being pushed out)

… … who never left the left lane (Do you teach them to do that, or is that a qualification for working for the state of nujerzee!?)

Any way I am sure that he was hurrying to get away I assume trenton to protect and serve me.

Or, perhaps to escape the scene of the crime!

Arghhh!

Arghhhhhhh!

P.S.: Dear reader, I don’t write these every day. Just when I ARRIVE early for work, particularly agitated aggravated and have to wait for my employer workstation to get online.

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Posted by reinkefj