FEBRUARY/MAY 2006 / VOLUME FOURTEEN - NUMBER ONE / published: 14 jan 2006 - revised: 22 feb 2006
ONLY GOOD NEWS!?!
FEBRUARY/MAY 2006 / VOLUME FOURTEEN - NUMBER ONE / published: 14 jan 2006 - revised: 22 feb 2006
IN THIS ISSUE OF ONLY GOOD NEWS:
BACKYARD WILDLIFE HABITAT / SAN FRANCISCO BAY BIRD OBSERVATORY – SFBBO / HTTP://WWW.MOTHEREARTHNEWS.COM/ / SAFER BRAND / AMERICA’S SECOND HARVEST / GROUPS – PARTIES AND PICNICS @ THE SANTA CRUZ BEACHBOARDWALK! / CORPORATE EVENTS @ THE AVALON NIGHTCLUB! / HTTP://HAARP.NET / LOVE EARTH NETWORK @ HTTP://NETWORK.LOVEARTH.NET/ / GAIA TRUST / WHAT IS AN ECOVILLAGE? / WILDAID.ORG / SIGN A PETITION THAT URGES THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO PASS NATIONAL ANIMAL WELFARE LAWS / SEND A MESSAGE THAT URGES THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO ENFORCE CURRENT HUMAN RIGHTS AND/OR ANIMAL RIGHTS LAWS / CHECK OUT SPACE.COM / LEY LINES / RAPID ROTATION DISTORTS BRIGHT STAR VEGA / REVEALED: THE PILL THAT PREVENTS CANCER / THE JACK ABRAMOFF SCANDAL / READ THE WASHINGTON POST / HOT LINKS / OTHER HOT LINKS / BIG BOX BACKLASH: / SAFETY GROUPS, SURVIVOR ADVOCATES CALL FOR BETTER AUTO SAFETY / CONTACT CONGRESS / RANDOM THOUGHTS / GOOD IDEA! / IMPEACH BUSH NOW! / 107.7 FM THE BONE ROCKS! @ HTTP://WWW.1077THEBONE.COM/ / ALSO! CHECK OUT 104.3 FM THE HIPPO @ HTTP://WWW.THEHIPPO.COM/
ROPER WISDOM:
“sagacity is the art of being cosmic and microcosmic at the same time”
1) what it is - 5:24
2) who gives a funk? - 4:48
3) what time is it? - 0:46
4) where is jim? - 28:53
5) the new vast ineptitude
(southern northeast western BBQ dinner dance
@ the hyper dimensional space-time boundary north of heaven -
magnetic signature of a higher level state space) - 15:34
6) what is it? - 2:15
7) space-time continuum (continued) - 5:33
8) in and of itself - 3:05
9) going to santa cruz - 3:41
10) alma street - 4:42
11) amy 1 (remix) - 1:10
LIK ROPER – percussion and vocals
JAMES PATRICK FINLEY - guitar
MICHAEL WAITE FINLEY - bass guitar
all songs written, performed and produced by lik roper - *except for what it is - written by lik roper, james patrick finley and michael waite finley - and who gives a funk? - written by lik roper and michael waite finley / and where is jim? written and performed by james patrick finley / all tracks engineered by lik roper - *except for what it is & who gives a funk? - engineered by tom giatron, mark yamamoto and lik roper / all tracks copyright 2004 lik roper *except for what it is copyright 2004 lik roper, james patrick finley and michael waite finley / and who gives a funk? copyright 2004 lik roper and michael waite finley / where is jim? copyright 2004 james patrick finley / amy 1 copyright 2003 lik roper / all songs published 2004 lik roper/bmi *except for what it is published 2004 lik roper, james patrick finley and michael waite finley/bmi - who gives a funk? published 2004 lik roper and michael waite finley/bmi - where is jim? published 2005 james patrick finley/bmi & amy 1 published 2003 lik roper/bmi
all roads lead to lik roper...
BACKYARD WILDLIFE HABITAT
@ http://www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/
> are you ready to join thousands of property owners around the country who have welcomed wildlife into their backyards, schools, workplaces and communities? let nwf be your guide as your transform your ordinary backyard into a certified backyard wildlife habitat site…a backyard wildlife habitat site provides for wildlife the four basic elements needed for survival; food, water, cover and places to raise young…propery owners also employ sustainable gardening practices that conserve natural resources - create a wildlife friendly yard @ http://www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/
SAN FRANCISCO BAY BIRD OBSERVATORY - SFBBO
SFBBO has taken great strides in past years to fulfill its mission; volunteers and biologists continue looking at the health of bay area birds by monitoring heron and egret colonies, watching the western snowy plover, a threatened species, and even banding resident as well as migratory birds along coyote creek - read more @ http://sfbbo.org/
HTTP://WWW.MOTHEREARTHNEWS.COM/
> ENERGY-EFFICIENT, RENEWABLE & ALTERNATIVE
HOME HEATING OPTIONS @ http://www.motherearthnews.com/energy-efficient-heating-cooling > ALSO! check this out! - MOTHER'S "HEAT GRABBER" - Build a simple solar heater that hangs outside of a window and sends free heat from the sun into a room @ http://www.motherearthnews.com/library/1977_September_October/Mother_s__Heat_Grabber_
SAFER BRAND
SAFERBRAND recognizes the growing demand by consumers for alternative lawn & garden products - they offer a wide variety of natural and organic solutions for lawn, garden, landscape, flowers, houseplants, insects and more! > VICTOR POISON-FREE® aerosols from SAFERBRAND are made of a non-poisonous formula that can be used around children and pets - instead of having a toxic pesticide smell, victor aerosols have a fresh mint scent! - check out: http://www.saferbrand.com/index.htm
AMERICA’S SECOND HARVEST
America's Second Harvest - The Nation's Food Bank Network is the nation's largest charitable hunger-relief organization: A Network of more than 200 Member food banks and food-rescue organizations - Serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico...The America's Second Harvest Network secures and distributes nearly 2 billion pounds of donated food and grocery products annually - The America's Second Harvest Network supports approximately 50,000 local charitable agencies operating more than 94,000 programs including food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after-school programs, and Kids Cafes…Last year, the America's Second Harvest Network provided food assistance to more than 23 million low-income hungry people in the United States, including more than 9 million children and nearly 3 million seniors - Learn more about your local America's Second Harvest Network Member food bank or food rescue organization @ http://secondharvest.org/!!!
GROUPS – PARTIES AND PICNICS @ THE SANTA CRUZ BEACHBOARDWALK!
> Unlimited Rides > Unlimited Beverages > BBQ Meal with Choice of Entrée > Beach Volleyball > Personalized Flyers > Discount Parking
Call (831) 460-3340 or go to: http://www.beachboardwalk.com/01_groups.html - PLAN YOUR EVENT TODAY - To inquire about availability for your next event or to begin the reservation process, please complete and submit the form below. An event coordinator will tell you all the ways your group can enjoy a day at the beach! - go to: http://www.beachboardwalk.com/03_corporate_groups_res.html!!!
CORPORATE EVENTS @ THE AVALON NIGHTCLUB!
THE AVALON NIGHTCLUB at the intersection of lawrence expressway and homestead road in santa clara (408-241-0777) is available for corporate events, theme parties, wedding receptions, bachelorette parties, cocktail receptions, and off site meetings their events coordinator will work with you on all details necessary, including decor, menus, and state-of-the-art audio visual equipment - they can accomodate groups of 20 to 700 people, and can also provide private cabanas and booths for your smaller parties! - for more information on company events and private parties, or go to: http://www.nightclubavalon.com/parties/parties.html for their convenient online request form…
> the united states congressional record deals with the use of HAARP for penetrating the earth with signals bounced off of the ionosphere. these signals are used to look inside the planet to a depth of many kilometers in order to locate underground munitions, minerals and tunnels. the u.s. senate set aside $15 million dollars in 1996 to develop this ability alone -- earth-penetrating-tomography. the problem is that the frequency needed for earth-penetrating radiation is within the frequency range most cited for disruption of human mental functions. it may also have profound effects on migration patterns of fish and wild animals which rely on an undisturbed energy field to find their routes…as if electromagnetic pulses in the sky and mental disruption were not enough, t. eastlund bragged that the super-powerful ionospheric heater could control weather! - angels don’t play this haarp! - read more @ http://haarp.net
LOVE EARTH NETWORK @ http://network.lovearth.net/
> their mission:to a pass on an equitable, peaceful and sustainable earth to future generations > 486 EcoHumanePolitical Websites! >148 Spiritual And Educational Websites! > 463 Celebrity Websites! > 486 EcoHumanePolitical Websites! - go to: http://network.lovearth.net/
GAIA TRUST - Gaia Trust, Denmark is a charitable entity supporting the healing process of our mother earth – read more @ http://www.gaia.org/
WHAT IS AN ECOVILLAGE? - go to: http://www.gaia.org/ecovillage/whats.asp
WILDAID.ORG
WildAid's mission is to decimate the illegal wildlife trade within our lifetimes - Unique among the world's challenges, we believe we can end the illegal wildlife trade within an immediate timeframe and realistic economic parameters. In describing WildAid as the new face of environmentalism, the New York Times Magazine called our approach 'aggressive, but economically comprehensive.' Our programs disrupt the trade at every level by reducing poaching, targeting illegal traders and smugglers, and drastically lowering consumer demand for endangered species parts and products.
We are also revolutionary in our funding - sending 100% of donations from the public directly to the field. WildAid is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization headquartered in San Francisco with offices in China, India, Vladivostok, Cambodia, Thailand, Galapagos, Quito, London, Washington, D.C., and New York City. Combined Federal Campaign #1855 - go to: http://www.wildaid.org/index.asp?CID=3
SIGN A PETITION THAT URGES THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO PASS NATIONAL ANIMAL WELFARE LAWS @ http://ga0.org/campaign/ChineseAnimalLaws
SEND A MESSAGE THAT URGES THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO ENFORCE CURRENT HUMAN RIGHTS AND/OR ANIMAL RIGHTS LAWS @ president@whitehouse.gov
CHECK OUT SPACE.COM @ http://ww.space.com/
LEY LINES
The term ley lines was coined by Alfred Watkins when explaining his theory that ancient sites around Britain had actually been constructed or formed giving alignments between and across the inhabited landscape of Britain > read more about ley lines @ http://www.mysteries-megasite.com/frames/ley-frame.html
RAPID ROTATION DISTORTS BRIGHT STAR VEGA
the bright star vega is whirling so fast that its equator is several thousand degrees cooler than its poles - the finding, owing to a strange phenomena called "gravity darkening," confirms predictions about the star - it could also force scientists to rethink their ideas about the amount of light vega is shining on a dusty debris ring, called the circumstellar disk, which surrounds the star's equator and is thought to be a potential birthplace for planets...
vega is located 25 light-years away from earth in the constellation lyra - it is the 5th brightest star in the night sky and, because earth's pole wobbles over time, it will take polaris's place as the north star in 14,000 A.D. - vega makes a full rotation about its axis once every 12.5 hours - the sun, in comparison, takes 27 days to make one rotation, even though it is much smaller than vega -
READ MORE @ http://ww.space.com/scienceastronomy/060110_vega_cool.html
REVEALED: THE PILL THAT PREVENTS CANCER @ http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_technology/article335359.ece
THE JACK ABRAMOFF SCANDAL
former lobbyist jack abramoff, facing trial on fraud charges jan. 9 in florida, is negotiating a possible deal with the justice department, in which he would agree to plead guilty and cooperate in the wide-ranging political corruption investigation focused on his dealings with members of congress and executive branch officials, people familiar with the talks said last night...abramoff should provide testimony about numerous members of congress and their staffs if he and the justice department reach an agreement, the sources said - negotiations have been ongoing for several months, people knowledgeable about the discussions said, but pressure is mounting because of the pending trial - (source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/)
> read all about the jack abramoff scandal @ http://www.uspoliticstoday.com/news/JackAbramoff
READ THE WASHINGTON POST @ http://www.washingtonpost.com/
HOT LINKS
EARTH POLICY INSTITUTE
> dedicated to providing a vision of an environmentally sustainable economy - an eco-economy - as well as a roadmap of how to get from here to there - http://earthpolicy.org/
SIERRA CLUB
> the sierra club's members are more than 750,000 of your friends and neighbors - inspired by nature, we work together to protect our communities and the planet - the club is america's oldest, largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization - http://sierraclub.org/
WATERKEEPER ALLIANCE
> waterkeeper alliance connects and supports local waterkeeper programs to provide a voice for waterways and their communities worldwide. to champion clean water and strong communities, waterkeeper alliance: 1) supports and empowers member waterkeeper organizations to protect communities, ecosystems and water quality; 2) promotes the waterkeeper model for watershed protection worldwide; and – 3) advocates for issues common to waterkeeper programs - http://waterkeeper.org/
OXFAM INTERNATIONAL
> oxfam international is a confederation of 12 organizations working together with over 3,000 partners in more than 100 countries to find lasting solutions to poverty, suffering and injustice - with many of the causes of poverty global in nature, the 12 affiliate members of oxfam international believe they can achieve greater impact through their collective efforts - oxfam international seeks increased worldwide public understanding that economic and social justice are crucial to sustainable development - we strive to be a global campaigning force promoting the awareness and motivation that comes with global citizenship whilst seeking to shift public opinion in order to make equity the same priority as economic growth - http://www.oxfam.org/en/
SOUTHWEST INDIAN FOUNDATION
> SWIF is a non-profit, charitable organization that relies solely on private donations and they receive no federal dollars - their primary sources of funding are not huge corporate gifts or impersonal grants - instead, they are individuals like you - americans helping americans - swif assistance is strictly limited to native americans - with priority given to the elderly, handicapped, and families with dependent children - along with the navajo people, we also serve the zuni, hopi, and other pueblo tribes of the area - http://southwestindian.com/swindian/sitelite.nsf
WILD ANIMAL ORPHANAGE
> founded in 1983 and nestled peacefully over 112 acres in northwest bexar county, wao currently houses hundreds of once unwanted wild and exotic animals - bears, wolves, several species of big cats (i.e. lions and tigers), monkeys, and a variety of small mammals and birds are housed in large natural enclosures and are cared for by qualified staff for the remainder of their live - these animals come to us from throughout the united states after being displaced from the exotic pet trade and the entertainment industry - the sanctuary has also rescued animals from england, greece and mexico - http://wildanimalorphanage.org/
IN DEFENSE OF ANIMALS
> “IDA has set the standard for integrity and results in animal advocacy - in a world in which too many look away, IDA has been on the cutting edge of front-line activism to end abuse and exploitation - no organization has done more to uphold the principles of justice for our animal friends” - (jeffrey masson author, ‘when elephants weep’) - http://www.idausa.org/
THE FUND FOR ANIMALS
> the fund for animals was founded in 1967 by prominent author and animal advocate cleveland amory, and has spearheaded some of the most historic and significant events in the history of the animal protection movement - with regional offices working around the country on hard-hitting animal advocacy campaigns, and animal care facilities such as the world-famous black beauty ranch, the fund is one of the largest and most active organizations working for the cause of animals throughout the world - http://www.fundforanimals.org/Home/
ANIMAL PLACE
> founded in 1989, animal place is a nonprofit sanctuary for abused and discarded farmed animals - rescued individuals and indigenous wildlife share 60 acres of forest, meadow, pasture, hills and small lake - http://animalplace.org/
THE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY
> the elephant sanctuary in tennessee, founded in 1995, is the nation's largest natural habitat refuge developed specifically for endangered african and asian elephants - it operates on 2,700 acres in hohenwald, tennessee - 85 miles southwest of nashville - the elephant sanctuary exists for two reasons: 1) to provide a haven for old, sick or needy elephants in a setting of green pastures, old-growth forests, spring-fed ponds and a heated barn for cold winter nights – and 2) to provide education about the crisis facing these social, sensitive, passionately intense, playful, complex, exceedingly intelligent and endangered creatures - http://elephants.com/
ANIMAL PROTECTION INSTITUTE
> since our inception in 1968, our aim has remained constant; we work for the day when animals are no longer exploited or abused - that day may yet be far off, but each year through our targeted advocacy and education campaigns, and with the dedication of our talented staff team, we move closer to that goal - http://api4animals.org/
MY DOG IS COOL.COM
> the "dog days" of summer can be dangerous for dogs and especially those dogs left inside hot cars - every year, countless dogs die after being locked in cars while their guardians work, visit, shop, or run other errands - these tragic deaths are entirely preventable, and through this website you'll learn about what you can do to protect dogs from the dangers of hot cars - you can find out how quickly cars heat up in warm weather, whether it's too hot to take your dog along today, and how to get the word out that it's just not cool to leave a dog in a hot car, even for "just a minute" - http://mydogiscool.com/
SAVE THE REDWOODS LEAGUE
> the save-the-redwoods league was founded in 1918 - as a leader of the movement to preserve the coast redwood and giant sequoia, the league has assisted in permanently protecting hundreds of thousands of acres of redwood forestland - http://savetheredwoods.org/
MORE BEAUTIFUL WILD
> the more beautiful wild campaign will reduce animal suffering by raising public awareness of the cruel and destructive exotic animal trade, by increasing legal protections for captive exotic animals, and by supporting efforts aimed at preserving wildlife’s rightful place in the wild - http://morebeautifulwild.com/
E-MAGAZINE.COM
> now in its 16th year, e/the environmental magazine is a bimonthly “clearinghouse” of information, news and resources for people concerned about the environment who want to know “what can i do?” to make a difference - a 13-time independent press awards winner and nominee, e is chock full of everything environmental -- from recycling to rainforests, and from the global village to our own backyards - http://www.emagazine.com/
BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY
> best friends is working with you -- and with humane groups all across the country -- to bring about a time when there are no more homeless pets - the sanctuary, at the heart of southern utah's golden circle of national parks, is home, on any given day, to about 1,500 dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, and other animals - http://bestfriends.org/
NEW ENGLAND ANTI-VIVISECTION SOCIETY
> the new england anti-vivisection society, founded in 1895, works to expose and replace animal experiments in laboratories and classrooms with ethically and scientifically responsible modern research methods and to protect human beings who may be subjected to such experiments - neavs advocates for the protection of animals through public outreach efforts and publications, through education programs designed to promote greater compassion and respect for life, and through the support of legislative initiatives and litigation intended for the protection of animals - http://neavs.org/
BAN CRUEL TRAPS
> this site helps you to understand the cruel effect traps and trapping have on huge numbers of wild and domestic animals - it also contains many of the tools useful in starting, leading, or working within a successful campaign to reduce or end the trapping of animals - http://bancrueltraps.com/
OTHER HOT LINKS
GUITAR SHOWCASE
http://guitarshowcase.com/
ELECTRIC SIERRA CYCLES
http://www.electricrecbikes.com/
FREE ENERGY
http://www.free-energy.cc/
SEA VEGG
http://www.tryseavegg.com/
ROUND TABLE PIZZA
http://roundtablepizza.com/RTP/HI/
HIGH TIMES.COM
http://hightimes.com/ht/home/
THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE
http://www.gao.gov/
BRITE SIDE PANELS
http://britesidepanels.com/
WEEKLY BIKINI
http://www.weeklybikini.com/
MALIBU STRINGS
http://malibustrings.com/
ENERGY ART
http://energyart.com/
MARVEL UNIVERSE
http://www.marvel.com/universe/index.htm
BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/home/d/
PAUL MCCARTNEY
http://www.paulmccartney.com/main.php
RINGO STARR
http://www.ringostarr.com/
ANSLEY DUNBAR
http://aynsleydunbar.com/
AEROSMITH
http://www.aerosmith.com/home.html
DEF LEPPARD
http://www.defleppard.com/
TOWERS OF LONDON
http://www.thetowersoflondon.com/
GOOD TIMES - SANTA CRUZ
http://gtweekly.com/
MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY
http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/
INDEPENDENT MEDIA CENTER
http://www.indymedia.org/en/index.shtml
DR. RICHARD SCHULTZ
http://www.herbdoc.com/home_1024x768.asp
CLEARLY NATURAL SOAPS
http://www.clearlynaturalsoaps.com/index.html
BIG BOX BACKLASH:
LOCAL CONTROL OVER LAND USE THREATENED BY WTO - Public Citizen Briefing Paper Reveals Push by Big Box Retailers to Use Trade Rules to Undermine Local Zoning and Other LandUse Laws > read the entire press release @ http://www.citizen.org/pressroom/release.cfm?ID=2099 > read the press briefing @ http://www.citizen.org/documents/Zoning_Memo_Final.pdf
SAFETY GROUPS, SURVIVOR ADVOCATES CALL FOR BETTER AUTO SAFETY
On Thursday, July 21, Public Citizen, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, Kids and Cars and Consumers Union held a press conference on Capitol Hill to emphasize the critical need for auto safety improvements - including stronger roofs and electronic stability control - in the federal highway bill, H.R. 3...Families of children who were killed in auto tragedies volunteered their time and energy to share their stories with senators and representatives. We thank Rachel Clemens of Garland, Texas; Julie and Smith Peck of Marietta, Ga.; and Jim Portell of Kissimmee, Fla., for making the trip to Washington on such short notice and doing such fantastic work in talking to congressional staffs - Their efforts will make a huge difference...
The press conference did result in some good stories about the need for auto safety in H.R. 3. Attached is an Associated Press article about the press conference…We also have provided press conference materials on Public Citizen's web site. You can access the materials @ http://www.citizen.org/autosafety/legislation/tea3/articles.cfm?ID=13762 -
And please continue to contact your member of Congress and tell them to support the auto safety issues in the Senate-passed version of H.R. 3. Please also tell them to contact Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), who is a key decisionmaker on auto safety right now. You can contact your representative @ http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/publiccitizen/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=996 -
visit public citizen @ http://www.citizen.org/index.cfm
CONTACT CONGRESS
CONTACT THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES @
http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.shtml
CONTACT THE UNITED STATES SENATE @ http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
RANDOM THOUGHTS…
IT’S COSMIC AND MICROCOSMIC - i told my neighbor the other day all things that apply on a neighborhood level, should (in theory) apply on an international level as well, and this is why i email the UN and the local city government all at once...i said “it's cosmic and microcosmic - all at the same time”...he laughed and drove off...
TREE CANOPY - i was watching a band play while standing under a huge evergreen tree at a benefit musical show in palo alto, when a downpour of rain started...on the outside of the tree, rain was coming down hard, so hard if you stood in it for even a minute you would get totally drenched...but where i was standing directly under the tree, it was barely a mist of rain...that tree was literally absorbing and filtering gallons of rainwater per second, with no water running down the trunk of the tree whatsoever!...
so, it is now obvious to me why we must protect our forest canopies from clearcutting and/or fragmentation; 1) not only to prevent forest fragmentation and habitat loss; 2) but also to protect jack and jill's home by preventing landslides, 3) and to protect riparian environments from excess sedimentary buildup, which disrupts fish reproduction, 4) and to filter rainwater by removing pollutants - etcetcetc...evergreen trees are an amazing and majestic form of life that need to be respected and protected...
RECORD COMPANY PAYOLA SCANDAL - i read an article about record company payola in the latest rolling stone magazine, and i have alot to write about this; apparently new york attorney general elliot spitzer is cracking down on record company payola - thank god (or i suppose i should say, thank elliot)...this was a long time coming and it is high time they rooted out the organized crime in the music business so we will no longer have to watch the utter crap they are 'throwing up' on mtv and vh1 these days...
(i'm getting sick and tired of mtv & vh1's condescending, hollywood-zombie sobriety obsessed tribal fat council gauntlet bullshit...it's like the channels have little or nothing to do with music anymore and it makes me SICK!)...
i wrote an email to mister spitzer a few months back saying that even giving free cds to radio stations is a form of payola in a sense, but how else are they going to know what to play?...there are literally thousands if not millions of recorded products available out there, and the most zealous promoters get through to the people in charge of radio programming...
and if radio stations had to pay for all the music they played, they would probably not be as profitable...they are already on thin ice relying on ads to stay alive and all, so making them pay for the music they play might just break that ice...
all the major corporations give out free promotional items to introduce consumers to their goods (see: freestuff.com), so how are the makers of music any different?...or what about free software downloads?...should they be made illegal as well?...it occurred to me; as long as politics is pay to play, then perhaps the music business will be as well...
led zeppelin's manager peter grant was the first to send out promos ahead of time to prime audiences on the music the band was coming to play...this helped boost record sales and later became an integral part of promoting new music, so ending this promotional practice would in a sense effectively shut down the music business as we know it and send us back to 1968...
one other interesting point is this; back when i had little or no money whatsoever, i sent out my first cd (which i thought totally sucked), but college radio played the shit out of it...now that i technically have more money than i used to, i am not receiving as much airplay...
the point is this; you cannot buy demand...after this happened, major record labels started spending less on bands they pushed - like with nirvana, which only had about $5,000 spent on them initially (as opposed to the $1,000,000 + dollars initially spent to break guns n roses)...
when my first record got played alot, i only spent about $3,000 dollars to make it, and it was getting more airplay than records that had hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on them...this must have been maddening to the major record labels at the time...
there was a band being pushed years back called 'dream theatre' and they were really good, but the record was only going to sell so much...regardless, the record company kept pushing and pushing the record anyway for months with no luck...they got a cult following, but no gold record or anything...> i will say it again; you cannot buy demand as popular music is (almost) entirely a democratic process...
the old way of promotion was playing live night after night waiting for a record company to sign you up and dump money into you, but advances in technogy have allowed artists to create high quality music on their own at a relatively low cost...this allows artists to press up their own product and distribute it - and they should be allowed to promote their music freely as an expression of free speech...
(the record companies used to own their pressing plants as well, pressing cds for literally about 10 to 15 cents a piece, then selling them for $15.00!!! - they also employed hundreds of people and had to pay these employees $$$)...
you cannot control what kind of art an artist makes any more than you can control what an artist does with his music, or who he or she gives that music to - as this is just another extension of the first amendment and his or her free expression - and NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW...
and what about an artist like me who has no band?...all i have is free promos to send out to college radio stations and a small record label, so what am i supposed to do, just shut down the operation altogether?...or should i just pray that someone stumbles upon my music haphazardly or by accident?...how about banning advertisement altogether?...that would be a genius idea...anyway...
the MP3 argument was this; if an artist wants to give out his music for free, that should be his or her choice; but if someone wants to steal that same music without the artists' consent, and does not have any intention of compensating the artist, that should be deemed illegal...
i believe there should be laws protecting artists to insure fair compensation, like a minimum wage of sorts...napster should sell music for no less than - let's say; $1.00 per 3 minutes of recorded music, (then pro-rated thereafter or something) - much like the example that apple has already set...
better yet; we should encourage fans to buy music direct from the artist to avoid the greedy middlepeople altogether...who cares which web site you download your music from?...for the good of the artists involved; it might as well be the artists' personal web site...
another interesting point is this; on one hand at the moment XM radio is a window of free speech - but on the other hand it has a demagogue that you must get past first in order to gain airplay on the station...are we going to have XM radio be the new big record label in space in a sense, stopping artists at the gates and controlling what people listen to?...or will it be tipper gore and the PMRC?...if not buying into the corporate culture of greed by giving away free cds is a sin, then i am a sinner!...i will continue sending out free promos to radio stations in an attempt to grow my business...
and while his efforts do seems quite valiant, it appears to me as if elliot spitzer is trying to solve one problem by creating another...
FLAT TAX EVASION? - how can one be accused of tax evasion when every time one goes to the market to shop, one pays taxes?...i pay taxes every time i purchase products; the US government just insists on keeping dossiers on all of us through complicated tax forms, that's all...it's all about a FLAT TAX, folks...get over your funky selves…i recently purchased about $500-$1000 worth of musicial equipment, and paid at least $50-$100 in taxes, so don't ever say i don't pay my taxes...if the federal government doesn't want at least some of that that money, that is their problem - not mine...
for instance; what if someone dutifully counted up all his or her taxable income expenses for the last 4-5 years; gave the numbers to his or her accountant; and that same accountant filed extensions at least 3 of those 4 years to the best of his or her knowledge, but he or she found out later that the same accountant really did not file those extensions, apparently, as expected; and a different employer didn't come through with a 1099 on 2-3 separate years; but his or her accountant suddenly up and moved across the continent with no notice with all of his or her past tax records (that he or she can burn up or throw into a recycling bin for all he or she is concerned); but his or her dad used to be a loan officer and for some stupid reason tracked her down anyway and found her address for correspondence, giving him or her no excuses; because he or she has been putting it off until the last minute like he or she does all the time with everything else; but he or she didn't really owe any taxes anyway because he or she did not make enough money to be taxed; and besides; taxing someone who makes that little money is sort of unethical, don't you think?; and if you are going to provide tax shelters for large corporations, why would you tax him or her?; ???; so he or she has to go through some tedious process of contacting and paying the accountant somewhere around $500 or something ridiculous like that just to produce a piece of paper that says he or she owes you all NOTHING; ZERO; NADA; ZILCH!; and in the meantime he or she has been paying taxes constantly every time he or she purchased a product for those same 3 or 4 years?...what about that?...
KACZYNSKI 'LOGIC' - for a moment; let's look at the twisted ted kaczynski angle; there have been so many instances in the past history of the earth and/or humankind where pandemics hit; nazis struck; great earthquakes killed; waves engulfed; volcanoes spewed; and asteroids hit (etc), that if these things DID NOT occur, there would be no space left on earth to live...for instance; there would be no open space left anywhere; in fact there would be no nothing...and seeing how many humans continue to resist good will efforts to reign in all of their environmental madness, i don't see much hope for humankind becoming a truly sustainable species WITHOUT an occasional pandemic, or other 'natural' disaster...
depopulation can occur in a graceful, optional and non-violent way (condoms, birth control patches, getting your tubes tied, etc) - or it can be done in a clumsy, forced and violent way (war, pollution, radioactive waste, synthetic biological agents like AIDS, femicide or the forced killing of female babies, etc), it really is 'our' choice, but for whatever reason governments on the whole always seem to choose the violent, ugly, unpopular solutions...
and as with hurricane katrina; it seems if we do not make the right choices they will inevitably be made for us by some higher power whether we like it or not; and just as how government often makes heavy-handed, unpopular decisions when we as citizens run amok - the choices that could eventually and/or inevitably be forced upon us may not be all that pleasant...
I SENT THIS TO THEANTIDRUG.COM - you say depression + anxiety + paranoia = ecstasy, huh?...in a way, yes - because ecstasy sucks, but...how about this? terrorism + TV news coverage + the bush administration milking the situation for political gain = paranoia + anxiety + depression?...how about that?...
DEPRESSION - wintertime SDD ‘depression’ in humans is often nothing more than an aberration of the semi-hibernational state in which many humans fall into during the winter months (as humans are mammals), and what you really need is sunlight…some people smoke weed to fight the winter blahs…whatever you do; don’t drink too much alcohol and stay away from the hard pharmaceuticals…
M.F.A.A.M.M.M.L.J.W.K.T.J. = MOST FEDERAL AGENTS AGAINST MEDICAL MARIJUANA MOST LIKELY JUST WANNA KEEP THEIR JOBS - in other words; if you are waiting for a government employee to honestly speak their mind about marijuana and advocate it, forget it; government employees enjoy no freedom of speech without reprisal...
JO JO LEFT HIS HOME IN TUCSON ARIZONA - it's probably good those minutemen are stopping the mexican weed at the border, cause california grass kicks ass!...just ask jo-jo, he left his home in tucson arizona for it!...
BUSH ADMINISTRATION/NSA WIRETAPPING - you know; i really do want my government to listen to me, but that's not exactly what i was thinking...
FEMINISM VS MASOCHISM - i saw a program on tv about feminism and it occurred to me that until there is an equal and opposite men's perspective for every claim made by women, feminism will remain the sort of unbalanced, selfish, and whining thing that it is...
FAT CITY? - i heard san jose has been named one of the fattest cities around, and if that is true then it must have something to do with the relative affluence in the area, as one can only get fat if one has enough money to over eat...apparently people in the san jose area need to start exercising more and watching what they eat as well...
BURRITO SUPREMACIST - i've heard about white supremacists, but since i eat buritto supremes at taco bell every now and again, i would have to consider myself to be a burrito supremacist instead...
SEX W/CHICKENS? - it occurred to me today that many bush voters are just friendly rural folks who live on farms and have sex with their farm animals on occasion, and maybe this explains why many people in the blue states voted for bush in the first place...
VIRTUOSO SKIN FLUTE PLAYER - you know, i was thinking...condoleeza rice could drastically improve foreign relations with one magic word while overseas; > FELLATIO...
MARGE SIMPSON? - sometimes i sound sort of like marge simpson when I talk to my cats...what is up with that?...
ACNE - remember; no one cares about your acne more than you...
GOOD IDEA:
> BE CAREFUL DRIVING THROUGH INTERSECTIONS – when i was 16 or 17 years old i was in band named ‘renegade’ with a bunch of twenty somethings who seemed ancient to me at the time - anyway, one of the guitar players was an ambulance driver and he told me that most accidents he was called out to happened at intersections where roads crossed > so, please be careful passing through intersections - please drive carefully!
IMPEACH BUSH NOW!
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ALSO! CHECK OUT 104.3 FM THE HIPPO @ http://www.thehippo.com/ - THEHIPPO.COM is the online companion to THE HIPPO - classic rock @ 104.3 FM in monterey/santa cruz/salinas, california!…
the universe gave time to think – the sea is where no fishes think - the time to impeach is now - now is the time to impeach …
updated 22 feb 2006