Sweet Papa Crimbo

Thanks for the history lesson. It might be helpful to not think you're always smarter than everyone else.

 

Your last paragraph is alarming.

Alarming...but fairly commonplace.

Super, I guess it is beat up on old KevinG day in VC.

 

Clearly, this thread has devolved into a petty name calling and pointless arguments, which is is unfortunate, but not unexpected (as most internet threads tend to do).

 

So instead of exacerbating the problem, can we move the subject to something else? Doesn't anyone want to talk about the elephant in the room of this election? I speak of the amount of money that is being poured into our electoral process. Due to the Supreme Court's Citizen's United more money will be spent in this election cycle than ever before.

 

So what say you all, does money equal speech?

Sorry bud,,,if it's your time in the bucket,grin and bear it.

Do tell.

What can I say...one day, you'll be an old man too.

'Stealing' music is all about the hunt.

I remembe getting caught up in the thrill of hunting down stuff (I really dug Audio Galaxy). I don't really know how or when my attitudes changed, but now the only music i download is stuff I pay for or live recordings officially or unofficially sanctioned by the artist. If I want a song,I will spend the $.99 on iTunes for a download. It doesn't make me a righteous guy, but I find I feel better about my relationship with music that way.

I remember having a rather spirted conversation with a dear, departed friend of mine. He was roundly castigating me for 'stealing music' and I lamely made the arguements that all downloades partake of.

The irony was we were having the debate while he was at the copy machine making copies of sheet musci.

R.A. Dickey should probably be the NL's starting pitcher in the ASG:

 

"...Dickey, who is 11-1 with a 2.00 ERA in 14 outings. Since May 15, 2011, Dickey's 2.42 ERA ranks third in baseball, trailing that of reigning Cy Young Award winners Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw by four-hundredths of a run.

 

Over his last six starts, Dickey is 6-0 with a 0.18 ERA in 48 2/3 innings. He has given up 21 hits, struck out 63 batters and allowed five walks. His 42 2/3 consecutive innings without an earned run are the most by a Mets pitcher since Gooden in 1985."

all that and he's a freaking KNUCKLE BALL PITCHER!

He is a lawyer. He is well known in the entertainment business. I read his blog all the time. I don't always agree with him, but he often puts out some interesting stuff to read.

 

What's funny though is that even though he comes from the time of albums, he always goes on about:

 

And he often rants about older artists bitching about the way things are these days.

 

I sometimes think the way things are now are most likely better for those who are not in the get rich quick disposable top ten. With the internet, you can of course reach many more people that a record company who does not really care about you would probably do.

 

I think one of the guys in Rush said a while back that it use to be you toured to promote an album, and made money from record sales. And now, you tour to make money and put an album to let people know you are still active and touring.

I'm fully aware of who he is A-man. I just think he's an embittered malcontent

Here's Bob Lefsetz's take on it. You can probably tell what his thoughts are from the title of the blog post.

 

The David Lowery Screed

 

 

 

 

Letter to Emily White at NPR All Songs Considered

 

If only he’d make music as riveting as his writing, with as many people caring about what he has to sing. Then again, Lowery is preaching to the converted, wannabe artists who are pissed the gravy train broke down before they could get their fair share.

While we’re at it, why don’t we save the printers’ jobs too. And bring back Smith-Corona. That company had employees…

I believe artists should be paid. But that does not mean they should be paid the same way they used to be. As for inequality, the fact that they make so much less than the corporate fat cats…why not do a little protesting instead of fighting a little girl who’s on your side?

We live in a land of misinformation. Distributed by powerful people to keep you in your place. They like that David Lowery is beating up on this little girl, because that takes the attention off of them and the heinous activities they’re engaged in.

I’m beginning to believe George Carlin was right. You can vote, but it doesn’t make any difference. The owners of this country have a strong grasp upon the machinery and they’re never going to let you be in control, never gonna let you drive. As long as you believe the Republican mantra…"the party of the rich and soon to be rich"…you’re in trouble.

Why don’t you face it. Most people don’t want to hear your music.

And, if some do, that does not mean you’re gonna be rich.

And if you think being rich is everything, you never read Gregg Allman’s book, wherein he states:

 

 

 

"Money doesn’t impress me worth a f**k, and it doesn’t make me feel good. I’ve had it both ways – I’ve been rich and I’ve been broke."

 

Gregg’s all about playing music.

To be fighting file-sharing is akin to protesting dot matrix printers. File-trading is on its way out. Because it takes too much time to do it. And you don’t fight piracy with laws, but economic solutions. It doesn’t pay to steal if you can listen instantly on Spotify and its ilk.

And please stop bitching about the low payouts… That’s like saying Apple should liquidate and give the proceeds back to its stockholders, which is what Michael Dell so famously said in the nineties. Spotify is a trojan horse. You get hooked, and then you pay for higher quality on your mobile. Facebook stock gets hammered because of its inadequate mobile strategy and you’re not smart enough to see the connection to music??? You can’t get Spotify and its brethren on your handset without paying. And you will. Because you like the convenience of having all your music at your fingertips all the time.

Yes, most people still think you’ve got to stream your music to Spotify on your handset. But no, your playlists synch, it’s just like owning them.

The public will figure this out a few years down the line.

As for the value of Spotify… That’s an investment game. Hell, it’s worth a little less since the Facebook debacle. If you want money, switch sides, go into tech. But your odds of getting laid and getting high are so much lower.

We’re in the midst of a wrenching transition. Anybody who says they know where it’s gonna end up is just plain wrong. But one thing’s for sure, we’re not gonna be where we started.

The major labels, if they exist, will look different. They might not be in control. A future label might get the short end of the stick instead of the long.

The people in power are not listening to you. Not Universal, not Spotify, not Verizon, not Time Warner. Because they’ve got the power and you refuse to understand their game. They’re fighting for survival and you want them to pay attention to musical artists. That’s like Al Qaeda being distracted by U.S. high school protests.

You want to make a difference?

MAKE GREAT MUSIC!

Then the doors open.

Lady Gaga famously told Steve Jobs Ping sucked. Was he so powerful that he could make it successful? No, she was right. She spoke truth to power. Are you speaking truth to power?

That intern David Lowery is beating up on has no power. He’s wasting his time. And you’re high-fiving him as if it all makes a difference. You’re involved in a circle jerk anybody with the chance of making a difference is ignoring.

Why is it everybody in America can’t see the big picture? Why do union members vote for Scott Walker? Why do poor people want fewer taxes on the rich? Why do musicians think they can shame people into doing the right thing?

If that was possible, nobody would talk on their handset on the freeway. But this behavior is plentiful, to the point where deaths have not declined since the hands-free laws have been in place, because everybody ignores them.

If we want to talk about law and shame, why don’t we get all the musicians to stop doing dope?

But they’re gonna say those are stupid laws.

And the public is gonna say that fourteen dollars for a CD with one good track is stupid.

You start first with a killer product. And then you leverage this for change. Knowing that economics are more powerful than emotions.

David Lowery is not gonna make a difference. He’s speaking in an echo chamber. He’s got the right to do this, but that does not mean we should applaud it.

He’s right. The artists have suffered financially with the collapse of the CD model/Napster. But with destruction comes opportunity… Don’t forget, the record companies sued to kill the Diamond Rio, the predecessor of the iPod.

Do you want to give up your iPod to satiate David Lowery?

Just hang in there. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Spotify pays most of its revenues to rights holders. The fact that labels come before acts and they don’t distribute all their income… Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

And the fact that revenues are low now…

Live Nation is worried about Sillerman and Burkle, not your misunderstanding of ticket fees, which you think its company Ticketmaster swallows whole.

The problem is the artists.

And it still is.

Want to be powerful Mr. Lowery? Then make good music and sell it yourself. Be the new Curt Flood instead of one of the faceless minions agitating for the way it always was.

What does Bob Lefsetz have that I can steal that might be worth something? A blogger's opinion has no worth or importance.

I remember getting into a rather heated discussion with a late friend of mine of the generation before mine. He was indignant at my downloading of music for free (and rightly so.) However; the majority of our discussion occurred while he was standing at the copier making copies of sheet music.

He never saw the irony of our discussion.

It's definitely a touchy issue.

I must admit that I got really caught up in the allure of getting free stuff from these sites (remeber Audio Galaxy?). But I find as I consider my actions, I have fully ceased downloading things other than live music either officially or unofficially sanctioned by the artist. If I want something, I either buy a hard copy or pay for a digital copy. I can afford a high speed internet connection; I can afford a really nice laptop...therefore I can afford $.99 for a song I like.

This doesn't make me a more righteous person, it just makes me feel a bit better about my world in general. And G_d knows we all need a reason to feel good about the world.

I gotta say Jules always makes me smile. Dude will not be condescended to.

1. I'm not sure why you think your post is crass.

2. Just because he doesn't get suspended doesn't mean alcohol isn't a relapse.

Possibly because I only care if he gets suspended from the game.

I will take his virus at face value. By all appearances, it appears to be an accurate report. I want you to re-read these 2 sentences you typed and explain them. He is a recovering alcoholic/drug addict. How would his issues with alcohol last off season not be a relapse? Alcohol isn't a relapse, but drugs are?

I'll be incredibly crass here, but also state the facts: Alcohol, while very detrimental to his recovery, WILL NOT LEAD TO A SUSPENSION FROM THE GAME.

Cocaine, Crack, Meth...whatever his addiction truly was...one slip with those will end his livlihood.

I sure hope Josh Hamilton's dehydration is truly due to a virus. My gut tells me it's another relapse. I hope I'm wrong.

Yes, you are wrong.

He has never had a relapse. To relapse he would have to have hit the crack pipe. He had issues with alcohol.

A stomach virus for someone already dehydrated from the Texas heat is nothing to take lightly.

It's funny to look up a few posts and see how completely wrong the "insider's info" was from 2010.

More disappointing than funny

Where do you think these horrible corporate profits go?

Just remember...it's really hard to breathe at over 5000 feet.

How much money does the federal government actually give for hiring teachers, police and firefighters? Are those not usually paid for by local governments? Am I missing something?

And when the federal dollars are spent...then what happens to those teachers, police and fire fighters?

Federal money isn't 'free'. Beyond the fact that the Government actually produces no wealth and is spending our money, you take their coin, they have control.

It's a sticky wicket, but I can't help but believe that local governments have a better feel for the needs of their clientele (i.e. their citizent) than a government functionay in Washington.

Government isn't inherently bad...to the contrary.

We agree. It was a dumb thing to say, and Barack realized it pretty quickly. So far Romney has not felt badly about saying that we have too many teachers, police and firefighters.

 

I just find it pretty humorous that folks dis the government and government workers (which is a fairly large number of folks) along with government programs, because the private sector relies on public money ALL THE TIME. There are few businesses that can continue without some sort of subsidy or contracts provided by the government. Nearly every sector and individual that disses government workers and government programs benefits from both. As someone who works for the government I see it all the time. In fact the private sector is sometimes the worst offender when it comes to fraud and incorrect use of public dollars.

 

LouieB

Fixed it for you

OP's first mistake was not reading the board and understanding that the yuck monkeys were getting restless.

it's better than Fork In The Road...

 

lol

Folks, this is what is referred to as 'damning with faint praise'.

If they're recording in 2013...new record in Spring of 2014

Passed this morning

Tell me who's that writin',

John the Revelator.

Tell me who's that writin',

John the Revelator.

Who's that writin',

John the Revelator wrote the book of the seven seals.

Now God walked down in the cool of the day,

And called Adam by his name.

But he refused to answer, 'cause he was naked and ashamed.

So, tell me who's that writin',

John the Revelator.

Tell me who's that writin',

John the Revelator.

Who's that writin',

John the Revelator wrote the book of the seven seals.

Now Christ had 12 apostles,

And three he layed away

He said "Watch for me one hour,

while I go yonder and pray."

And tell me who's that writin',

John the Revelator.

Tell me who's that writin',

John the Revelator.

Who's that writin',

John the Revelator wrote the book of the seven seals.

Mary Margaret they were there,

And they heard every word he said.

Said "Go tell my desciples, I said meet me in Galilee"

And tell me who's that writin',

John the Revelator.

Tell me who's that writin',

John the Revelator.

Who's that writin',

John the Revelator wrote the book of the seven seals.

Who's that writin',

John the Revelator.

Tell me who's that writin',

John the Revelator.

Who's that writin',

John the Revelator wrote the book of the seven seals.

In 2007, by now this thread would have had about five pages of passionate outrages and defenses. Ah, the good ol' days...

And good old neon would have challenged a couple of people to step outside...

What happened to him?

Hard to believe that with Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver and Doc Gooden having pitched for this team during the long and storied past, Johann Santana throws the first no-hitter in Mets history.

Bravo!