Tuesday, February 17, 2004
Comes in 31 great flavors!
Because he's such a nice guy... Not that I really want to destroy everyone in the world (...yet.) but rather, I just liked starting an article like that. No, what I was really going to harp about was the coming doom. You see, because RIAA is so bloody insane, and apparantly their madness is contagious to the extent of cross-oceanic infection, if I stop posting quite suddenly, it's because I've been shipped to the Bering Straits (or is it straights?) to do slave duty in the ice mines. There isn't any way that this can be seen as a good thing, in my opinion, mainly because it's a lovely attack of biting the hand that feeds you.
See, I'm a music pirate. I admit this. I haven't bought a CD from a record label in years, and I don't plan on doing so. The only music I've bought lately (and this is in the last 8 months or so, so it's not quite recent) is a couple of discs from Freezepop and the Spaceship Zero soundtrack by the Darkest of the Hillside Thickets. The common theme behind those purchases? I know my money went to the artists, since I bought it from them. In this happy new digital age of the internet, there is no reason why one cannot do self-publication around the world from the comfort of their own home. Just look at webcomics. If the record companies did something for me other than just bring the music from the artists to my local store in shiny packaging, I might consider coughing up the dough, but as it stands now, they profit far more than a middleman should. It's like one of those kids in Mexico that you will give a buck or two to for fetching you a newspaper or something, except that unlike the little Mexicans, record labels aren't living at a relatively low living standard. I know that's not the best analogy, but it's what I came up with just now, and I don't like changing these things unless that little part of my mind called a "conscience" (yes, people have these, even if you may not) says otherwise really really loudly. Regardless, while wanting to have a representative willing to publish your art (music or otherwise) leaving you free to make more of the same is all fine and good, giving someone control of everything you make is not. Until the copyright situation changes 'round dese parts, and I can be reasonably sure that (what's the figure nowadays?) 2 bucks of my 15 to 20 that I drop on a disc will go to the artists, I will continue my happy musical theft. If it promotes change, great. If it really does kill the industry, well I guess that's a shame, but I firmly believe that a new one will arise that won't make the mistakes of this one. Besides, I'll still have all the cool mp3s I have now. (I'm a selfish bastard, ain't I?)
In a similarly themed adventure...
I think I might just be Windows Media Player free. For a while now, I figured that having the player drop down to be in the taskbar was enough, but on a whim last night, I downloaded Winamp 5. Yeah, 5.. they skipped 4 for various reasons, don't ask. Regardless, other than one particular feature that really pissed me off (you can't import your playlists! whose assinine idea was that? import every other goddamned kind of media you like, but not the playlists? WTF?!?) it's quite nice. I like the smaller player, and it's reasonably pretty, and even sounds better than WMP9. (Heh, now that I think about it, you can pronounced WMP as "whump". Yeah, I'm easily amused.) So I just might be a re-convert, since despite the playlist thing, I now open them directly and I can find my music easier. (I don't need to remember if a particular playlist is labelled by album, or starts with a "00" or something. Just go to the directory.)
Also in keeping with the music theme I've got here, I just got a copy of The Darkness' Permission to Land. Awesome album if I ever heard one, and I've decided I'm definitely a fan of "fun" rock. See, The Darkness take their inspiration from the crazy rock groups of the 70s and 80s like KISS and Judas Priest, back when rock and roll was about sex, drugs, partying and in general having fun. None of this "gloom, doom and angst" crap that the 90s were so full of. I mean, I like Nirvana as much as the next guy, but other than them and Alice in Chains, any band out of Seattle has not exactly been super great. (That's right, I don't think Pearl Jam is one of the greatest bands ever. Why this causes rage among some people I know is still a mystery.) Some might think that the lead singer of The Darkness could be a mite annoying, due to his singing at least an octave higher than most girls, but I don't really mind it, and I Believe In A Thing Called Love is a rocking song any way you cut it. Only beef I have is that some of the songs on the album are a bit too ballady. Perhaps some harder rocking was in order? Still, I hope these guys do more stuff along this line.
Self correction
I was reading some of my posts a while ago, and I've found that I don't exactly use the most varying word usage. I mean, I say "apparantly" way too much, and start just about every paragraph with "So...", not to mention all the "I guesses", "turns outs" and "first/(second)lastlys" that are scattered about. I'm trying to make a concious effort to not do this, but I'll probably forget after a while. My memory, while good (and I do mean good) still has its flaws. Not to really toot my own horn (meep!) but I like to say I have a near-photographic memory. I can still remember the house I lived in when I was like 4, almost to the point of being able to draw a floor plan of it, if that's any indication of my mental retentiveness. Only reason I don't say that I have a true photographic memory, is partly because I'm not sure, but also because I still forget things if I don't write them down or repeat them a few times. I'm much better at remembering concretes, as opposed to abstracts. Still, it's better than having to write things on my hand, I suppose. Feel free to send me hate mail if you disagree.
Because I care
Ever notice the Google art? You know, on holidays and stuff, the Google logo goes all Renaissance and fancies itself up. Well, the people at Fark can't get enough or something, since they've decided to make fake Google days. My personal favorites are the "Googol" day, the National Dyslexia Day and the French surrendering one.
What to Rent.com. This is easily one of the best websites ever. It takes in your tastes in movies, and then based on your current mood, will recommend you a movie to rent. I've only played with it a little so far, but on its first go, it recommended Rushmore to me, and I have been wanting to see that movie for months. After 24 hours, you can say what you thought about what you were recommended (you need a day to form a good opinion, rather than just fanboying everything up) and the program goes from there. I know for a fact that this would be a welcome addition to certain circles.
More weird art. Now some of these are just creepy. This guy does art all about a bunch of faceless people in crowds. Interesting to look at once, but I would never want this on my wall. I think I'd have nightmares or something...
Anyways, I'll finish up by saying that I just tried Gunbound, and it is quite superlative. Except for the worse-than-Counter-strike player base that is. I'll post more about it after I've played it more. Until then, read some Questionable Content! It rules, and after reading a couple of strips, you won't stop! (At least, I didn't...) ¶ 5:22 p.m.
"What a boring place this world is. Welp, I guess I'll just destroy everyone."
-Aram, from Men in Hats
Because he's such a nice guy... Not that I really want to destroy everyone in the world (...yet.) but rather, I just liked starting an article like that. No, what I was really going to harp about was the coming doom. You see, because RIAA is so bloody insane, and apparantly their madness is contagious to the extent of cross-oceanic infection, if I stop posting quite suddenly, it's because I've been shipped to the Bering Straits (or is it straights?) to do slave duty in the ice mines. There isn't any way that this can be seen as a good thing, in my opinion, mainly because it's a lovely attack of biting the hand that feeds you.
See, I'm a music pirate. I admit this. I haven't bought a CD from a record label in years, and I don't plan on doing so. The only music I've bought lately (and this is in the last 8 months or so, so it's not quite recent) is a couple of discs from Freezepop and the Spaceship Zero soundtrack by the Darkest of the Hillside Thickets. The common theme behind those purchases? I know my money went to the artists, since I bought it from them. In this happy new digital age of the internet, there is no reason why one cannot do self-publication around the world from the comfort of their own home. Just look at webcomics. If the record companies did something for me other than just bring the music from the artists to my local store in shiny packaging, I might consider coughing up the dough, but as it stands now, they profit far more than a middleman should. It's like one of those kids in Mexico that you will give a buck or two to for fetching you a newspaper or something, except that unlike the little Mexicans, record labels aren't living at a relatively low living standard. I know that's not the best analogy, but it's what I came up with just now, and I don't like changing these things unless that little part of my mind called a "conscience" (yes, people have these, even if you may not) says otherwise really really loudly. Regardless, while wanting to have a representative willing to publish your art (music or otherwise) leaving you free to make more of the same is all fine and good, giving someone control of everything you make is not. Until the copyright situation changes 'round dese parts, and I can be reasonably sure that (what's the figure nowadays?) 2 bucks of my 15 to 20 that I drop on a disc will go to the artists, I will continue my happy musical theft. If it promotes change, great. If it really does kill the industry, well I guess that's a shame, but I firmly believe that a new one will arise that won't make the mistakes of this one. Besides, I'll still have all the cool mp3s I have now. (I'm a selfish bastard, ain't I?)
In a similarly themed adventure...
I think I might just be Windows Media Player free. For a while now, I figured that having the player drop down to be in the taskbar was enough, but on a whim last night, I downloaded Winamp 5. Yeah, 5.. they skipped 4 for various reasons, don't ask. Regardless, other than one particular feature that really pissed me off (you can't import your playlists! whose assinine idea was that? import every other goddamned kind of media you like, but not the playlists? WTF?!?) it's quite nice. I like the smaller player, and it's reasonably pretty, and even sounds better than WMP9. (Heh, now that I think about it, you can pronounced WMP as "whump". Yeah, I'm easily amused.) So I just might be a re-convert, since despite the playlist thing, I now open them directly and I can find my music easier. (I don't need to remember if a particular playlist is labelled by album, or starts with a "00" or something. Just go to the directory.)
Also in keeping with the music theme I've got here, I just got a copy of The Darkness' Permission to Land. Awesome album if I ever heard one, and I've decided I'm definitely a fan of "fun" rock. See, The Darkness take their inspiration from the crazy rock groups of the 70s and 80s like KISS and Judas Priest, back when rock and roll was about sex, drugs, partying and in general having fun. None of this "gloom, doom and angst" crap that the 90s were so full of. I mean, I like Nirvana as much as the next guy, but other than them and Alice in Chains, any band out of Seattle has not exactly been super great. (That's right, I don't think Pearl Jam is one of the greatest bands ever. Why this causes rage among some people I know is still a mystery.) Some might think that the lead singer of The Darkness could be a mite annoying, due to his singing at least an octave higher than most girls, but I don't really mind it, and I Believe In A Thing Called Love is a rocking song any way you cut it. Only beef I have is that some of the songs on the album are a bit too ballady. Perhaps some harder rocking was in order? Still, I hope these guys do more stuff along this line.
Self correction
I was reading some of my posts a while ago, and I've found that I don't exactly use the most varying word usage. I mean, I say "apparantly" way too much, and start just about every paragraph with "So...", not to mention all the "I guesses", "turns outs" and "first/(second)lastlys" that are scattered about. I'm trying to make a concious effort to not do this, but I'll probably forget after a while. My memory, while good (and I do mean good) still has its flaws. Not to really toot my own horn (meep!) but I like to say I have a near-photographic memory. I can still remember the house I lived in when I was like 4, almost to the point of being able to draw a floor plan of it, if that's any indication of my mental retentiveness. Only reason I don't say that I have a true photographic memory, is partly because I'm not sure, but also because I still forget things if I don't write them down or repeat them a few times. I'm much better at remembering concretes, as opposed to abstracts. Still, it's better than having to write things on my hand, I suppose. Feel free to send me hate mail if you disagree.
Because I care
Ever notice the Google art? You know, on holidays and stuff, the Google logo goes all Renaissance and fancies itself up. Well, the people at Fark can't get enough or something, since they've decided to make fake Google days. My personal favorites are the "Googol" day, the National Dyslexia Day and the French surrendering one.
What to Rent.com. This is easily one of the best websites ever. It takes in your tastes in movies, and then based on your current mood, will recommend you a movie to rent. I've only played with it a little so far, but on its first go, it recommended Rushmore to me, and I have been wanting to see that movie for months. After 24 hours, you can say what you thought about what you were recommended (you need a day to form a good opinion, rather than just fanboying everything up) and the program goes from there. I know for a fact that this would be a welcome addition to certain circles.
More weird art. Now some of these are just creepy. This guy does art all about a bunch of faceless people in crowds. Interesting to look at once, but I would never want this on my wall. I think I'd have nightmares or something...
Anyways, I'll finish up by saying that I just tried Gunbound, and it is quite superlative. Except for the worse-than-Counter-strike player base that is. I'll post more about it after I've played it more. Until then, read some Questionable Content! It rules, and after reading a couple of strips, you won't stop! (At least, I didn't...) ¶ 5:22 p.m.
