GPL?

Most of the people who read my blogs are probably aware that I am a bit anti-GPL, preferring MIT, BSD or Apache license (even for my own code).  At every company I work with (except Intel who flat out told us to not even read webpages about GPL code) we argue about what it takes to make a derivative work.  Does this count? Does that count?  It's no wonder, since two of the biggest GPL advocates don't even agree.

Streaming content law

It should come as no surprise that after Obama has hired the RIAA to run the Justice dept, they want to put a new law in place ensuring that streaming copyrighted material is a felony.  So to clarify, if you make a video commentary and then put it on YouTube, members of the Justice department (wearing their corporate profit hats) can then claim that you are streaming illegal media, issue a takedown notice which will be honored without question, and then throw you in prison.  Who knows, maybe I'll go to prison for even suggesting this might happen.

Companies asking to be Boycotted

The sad thing is that I used to work for one of these companies...  oh well - if you want censorship, you should be the first volunteer.

• Nike - Beaverton, OR
• Achushnet - Fairhaven, MA
• Curb Music Publishing - Nashville, TN
• NBC Universal - New York, NY
• Viacom - New York, NY
• Callaway - Carlsbad, CA
• Cleveland Golf - Huntington Beach, CA
• Rosetta Stone - Arlington, VA
• Activision - Santa Monica, CA
• Adidas Group - Portland, OR
• Xerox - Norwalk, CT
• Hastings Entertainment, Inc. - Amarillo, TX
• Fortune Brands - Deerfield, IL
• Coty Inc. - New York, NY
• EDGE Entertainment Distribution - Streetsboro, OH
• Oakley, Inc. - Foothill Ranch, CA
• PING - Phoenix, AZ
• Louis Vuitton - New York, NY
• D'Addario and Company - Farmingdale, NY
• Monster Cable Products, Inc. - Brisbane, CA
• Tiffany and Co. - New York, NY
• Farouk Systems, Inc. - Houston, TX
• Beam Global - Deerfield, IL
• Chanel USA - New York, NY
• True Religion Apparel, Inc. - Vernon, CA
• Concord Music Group - Beverly Hills, CA
• Village Roadshow Pictures - Beverly Hills, CA
• National Basketball Association - New York, NY
• National Football League - New York, NY
• The Collegiate Licensing Company/IMG College - Atlanta, GA
• Anderson Merchandisers - Amarillo, TX
• Trans World Entertainment Corporation - Albany, NY
• Timberland - Stratham, NH
• Major League Baseball - New York, NY
• Lightening Entertainment/Mainline Releasing - Santa Monica, CA
• Sierra Pictures - Beverly Hills, CA
• Voltage Pictures LLC - Los Angeles, CA
• Worldwide Film Entertainment LLC - Westchester, CA
• Nu Image, Inc. - Los Angeles, CA
• Burberry Limited - New York, NY
• Big Machine Records - Nashville, TN
• The Little Film Company - Studio City, CA
• Columbia Sportswear Company - Portland, OR

RIAA busted?

It appears that some of the big name members of the RIAA were busted for illegally copying music.  Gee, what a shock.  But really, shouldn't the fact that they knew they were doing it completely invalidate the RIAA's attempts to bust other people for doing it?

eBay seller: Pamela Vasquez

7:43:13 PM Customermalachid69
Initial Question/Comment: Completing a Transaction
7:43:18 PM SystemSystem
Thank you for contacting eBay Live Help!
7:43:18 PM SystemSystem
You are successfully connected to eBay Live Help. Please hold for the next available Live Help Agent.
7:44:13 PM SystemSystem
We appreciate your patience. You will be able to type in your question as soon as you are connected with a Live Help Agent. Please continue to hold for the next available representative.
7:45:13 PM SystemSystem
We apologize for the wait and thank you for your continued patience. Please continue to hold to keep your place in line. You should be connected to the next available agent shortly.
7:46:13 PM SystemSystem
We are sorry for the delayed connection. Your question is important to us and one of our representatives will be with you soon.
7:59:14 PM SystemSystem
Jeaneth R. has joined this session!
7:59:14 PM SystemSystem
Connected with Jeaneth R.
7:59:19 PM AgentJeaneth R.
Hello, thanks for waiting and welcome to eBay Live Help! My name is Jeaneth. If you're a registered member, may I please start by having you confirm your User ID and name?
7:59:34 PM Customermalachid69
malachid69
7:59:37 PM Customermalachid69
Malachi de AElfweald
7:59:55 PM AgentJeaneth R.
Thanks, Malachi! How may I help you today?
7:59:58 PM Customermalachid69
Hi. On Dec 19th, I purchased some books. On Jan 9th, I received 1/2 the books. I contacted the seller (email, phone and via ebay) and the seller said they would resolve it. There has been 10 messages (via ebay) over the last 4 months trying to get this resolved. I was hoping you could look at the messages between us and give me some advice on how to get this resolved. Seller name: pamelas_timeless_treasures. Item #380187763342.

Lot of 20 Choose Your Own Adventure Books CYOA PB
Sale price:	$29.00
Estimated delivery:	4-11 business days
Shipping & Handling:	US Postal Service Media Mail $5.50 US Postal Service Priority Mail $12.50
Seller:	pamelas_timeless_treasures [contact seller]
Seller Information:	Pamela Vasquez Lorain, OH 44055 United States

8:06:27 PM AgentJeaneth R.
I understand your concern, Malachi. I'd be happy to help you with that.
8:06:36 PM Customermalachid69
Thank you
8:06:37 PM AgentJeaneth R.
Can you please confirm if this is the item, Lot of 20 Choose Your Own Adventure Books CYOA PB?
8:06:51 PM Customermalachid69
yes that is correct
8:07:16 PM Customermalachid69
I received a saran wrapped set of 1/2 the books -- not even a box
8:08:25 PM Customermalachid69
Received: 1 13 14 24 29 43 88 124 130 146
Missing: 10 16 18 27 44 83 132 137 148 and ? [only 19 were listed on the auction?]
8:09:18 PM AgentJeaneth R.
I see. Thanks for confirming that.
8:09:58 PM AgentJeaneth R.
So you have not resolved the problem with this listing right?
8:10:15 PM Customermalachid69
no and she has not responded to my last communication
8:10:29 PM Customermalachid69
last response from her was her saying she was going to refund me the money, but didn't do it
8:10:43 PM Customermalachid69
At this point, I no longer trust her to get this resolved
8:10:50 PM Customermalachid69
and I can no longer even leave negative feedback for her
8:13:13 PM AgentJeaneth R.
Yes, since the transaction has been over 60 days.
8:13:23 PM AgentJeaneth R.
I understand this is a difficult situation for you but because it has been over 60 days from the end of the transaction date, coverage for the protection program is not available anymore. You can only file a case for dispute within the 45 days of the transaction. If you fail to do so, we grant a one-time exception but only if the transaction hasn't been beyond 60 days. The 60-day period has gone by in your case and protection policy has lapsed, I'm sorry to say. We can't do anything more at this point but there are other channels where you can report this situation (file an IC3 compliant, report to local law enfrocement, etc.)
8:13:30 PM Customermalachid69
I am wondering if she was planning that from the beginning
8:14:29 PM Customermalachid69
well, it seems kinda stupid to report to local law enforcement for such a small amount
8:14:36 PM AgentJeaneth R.
I understand where you are coming from, Malachi. I can discuss further these other channels with you.
8:14:37 PM Customermalachid69
but I think she is probably doing this to other buyers as well
8:15:19 PM Customermalachid69
she said that she wrapped it in two groups and put them both in the same box so that they could get to me even if they became separated in the mail
8:15:28 PM Customermalachid69
and also said that it has never happened before
8:15:51 PM Customermalachid69
why would someone package for the eventuality that the box is opened and things separated if it has never happened?
8:16:29 PM Customermalachid69
on top of that -- the title of the auction didn't match the description of the auction
8:16:52 PM Customermalachid69
I am assuming there is nothing I can really do at this point ; but I think she is most likely doing the same thing to other customers
8:19:35 PM AgentJeaneth R.
I understand you can also report your seller to our Trust and Safety department for further investigation, so I also encourage you to file an IC3 compliant.
8:19:47 PM Customermalachid69
How do I do that?
8:21:16 PM AgentJeaneth R.
I'd be glad to give you the steps to that.
8:22:18 PM AgentJeaneth R.
One moment pleas.e
8:25:20 PM AgentJeaneth R.
Thanks for waiting.
8:25:45 PM AgentJeaneth R.
Please consider these 2 options:
Contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
Recommended for items over $100.00
File a claim from the IC3 website: http://www.ic3.gov/
8:27:05 PM AgentJeaneth R.
The IC3 is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and National White Collar Crime Center. They will review complaints and refer you to the appropriate local, state, or federal agency.
Contact law enforcement

To find a law enforcement officer, go to www.usacops.com
If a detective is assigned to the case, they can also contact us directly and we'll help with the investigation. The detective needs to go to the following page:
http://pages.ebay.com/securitycenter/law_enforcement.html
Recommended if your item is more than $200
8:27:33 PM Customermalachid69
What about your Trust and Safety Department? Can you forward the information to them?
8:28:44 PM AgentJeaneth R.
I wish to however, I'm afraid that I do not have the tool to do that on my end.
8:29:17 PM Customermalachid69
How do I report it?
8:29:24 PM AgentJeaneth R.
The best thing I can give you is the link where you can send your report to our Trust & Safety team.
8:29:37 PM AgentJeaneth R.
Please hold while I get it for you.
8:29:37 PM Customermalachid69
k
8:32:00 PM AgentJeaneth R.
Thanks for waiting.
8:32:05 PM AgentJeaneth R.
Here's the link for you to contact our Trust and Safety Department; http://pages.ebay.com/help/contact_us/_base/result_2_5_13.html
8:32:10 PM AgentJeaneth R.
Once you're on that page, you just have to click on the "Email us" link under Contact Customer Support.
8:32:17 PM Customermalachid69
thank you for your help

Oregon votes against Mom & Pop shops

With the passage of measure 66 and 67, Oregon voters have effectively helped Oregon loose more business to Delaware. Now, if your hole-in-the-wall store makes no money (say, not one single customer) or you in fact loose money, you get to pay an additional $150 in taxes! Yay!  Since Oregon's minimum tax is now equal to Delaware's maximum tax, make sure to consider registering your business outside of Oregon, especially if you are doing an internet-based business.

Car Theft

Some of you may remember last year when Edward Vasquez broke into and tried to steal my car from outside of Embers. Lindsey had courageously fought him off, and the two of us have been dealing with court ( mostly cases being rescheduled ) ever since. The defense had even offered to bribe me $2500 to not show up to court. Well, a decision was finally made. He was sentenced to 24 months of probation. Not quite what I expected for a 3rd strike felony, but...

Cloves

So yesterday, I went to buy a pack of cloves.  7-11 was out and said that they didn't get any in their shipment.  I went to Pauls' Cigars, and he said that they can't get them anymore; all they can get is the new clove cigars (see pic).  I bought a pack and halfway through the first one went over to Timber Valley Tobacco.  She said people have been calling for a couple days asking if they had any cloves left.  She's a clove smoker too, so asked me to step outside and try the two she still had in stock and let her know which one to buy.  She ended up giving me a pack of Splash (free) since they tasted a little better than the others.  She said that the are required (federal) to get rid of all their stock by the 22nd.  No more vanilla, cherry, clove, etc.  Well, except Menthol is allowed -- I mean come on, Phillip Morris isn't stupid enough to hurt their own revenue stream.

I have come to two conclusions from this... 1) The US Govt just created a brand new black market. Yay us.  2) As of the 22nd, marijuana is more legal than cloves.

Now, for those of you thinking "well good riddance smokers" let me show you why we like cloves so much.  This is from Djarum's website:

Djarum Kretek recipe

Casing Flavour compound:
(per 100 parts tobacco)
maple sweet: 0.2
chocolate: 0.2
licorice: 0.4
plum casing: 0.3
coffee: 0.35
dried nangka: 0.35
dried fruit: 0.15
total casing flavours: 1.95

the casing flavours are water-soluble and suspended in:
humectants: 0.7
invert sugar: 0.5
water: 5

Top Flavour Compound (Top Dressing):
Havana: 0.8
Manila: 0.4
Strawberry: 0.3
Pineapple: 0.35
Pisang ambon: 0.25
Clove enhancer: 0.25
Pruimen: 0.05
Aniseed oil: 0.3
Cassia extract: 0.3
Salak cider: 0.1
Vanilla: 0.2
Orange: 0.25
Total top flavours: 3.55

A top-secret sauce containing, among other things: 
cinnamon
jackfruit
banana
vanilla

Jury of Peers?

So let's start with a quote from Wikipedia:

The definition of obscenity differs from culture to culture, between communities within a single culture, and also between individuals within those communities. Many cultures have produced laws to define what is considered to be obscene, and censorship is often used to try to suppress or control materials that are obscene under these definitions: usually including, but not limited to, pornographic material. As such censorship restricts freedom of expression, crafting a legal definition of obscenity presents a civil liberties issue.

So tell me how a California couple can get prison time for "a felony charge of conspiracy to distribute obscene material through the mail and over the Internet" to Pennsylvania.

First of all, why are Californians being subjected to Pennsylvania law? By that logic, every single person on the internet is committing some crime since some places that read their emails/blogs/posts/etc do not allow free thought (say, China for instance).

Secondly, how can there be a such thing as "federal obscenity statutes" when even according to Wikipedia, the definition of obscene differs between communities or even individuals in a community. I think this is just the type of thing Wikipedia warned of with "civil liberties issue". By this token, I think Oregon should send to prison everyone on the internet that posts a non-liberal comment... anything religious or right-wing should do. Maybe we should start with U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan, of the Western District of Pennsylvania for violating Oregonian perceptions of decency.

How much is that song worth to you?

As per previous posts, it appears that the RIAA-inized DOJ is shaping up to be as expected...  In this latest case, the RIAA was awarded $80000 PER SONG presumably downloaded.

Since it is obvious that there will never be any form of real justice in these matters (how could there be when the plaintiff runs the DOJ), it appears that we only have one solution left to us.  We have to boycott any and all music labels associated with the RIAA.

"What?" you say. "How will I listen to music if I boycott them?"

Well Jimmy, it's like this.  The RIAA is going to bust down your door, destroy your computer, steal everything you own and then sue you -- even if you have never downloaded any music or even own a computer... The only way to stop that would be for them to go out of business.  As long as they are getting money from us, they will use that money to totally screw the public.  So instead of listening to music owned and controlled by Obama's Evil Overlords of the DOJ, you need to start listening to indie music... or maybe even start your own indie band.  Have you heard of Indaba Music?  Maybe you could try that.

According to Wikipedia, you need to boycott these labels:

• 112
• 1500
• 19. Records
• 2.O.G.
• 241
• 333 Music
• 5 Minute Walk
• 5.1 Entertainment
  • Electromatrix
  • Immergent
  • Myutopia
  • Silverline
• 510
• 57
• A&E Latin Music
• A440
• Abkco
• Acony
• AD
• Aleho
• Alice
• Alligator
• Amaru
• Ambar
• American Empire
• American Gramaphone
• Amiata
• Angels
• Antra
• Archive
• Ardent
• Aries Music Entertainment, Inc.
• Ark 21
• Arsenal
• Artanis
• Astoria Entertainment
• Atrium
• Audium Entertainment
• AV8
• Avatar
• Avenue Records
• AWOL
• Axiom
• Bad Dog
• Ballers Entertainment
• Barak Entertainment
• Barb Wire Productions
• Barco
• Bass Productions
• Beat Club
• Beauty
• Beginner's Bible
• Beiler Bros
• Bellmark
• Berman Brothers
• Best Side
• Bibleman
• Big Baller
• Big Beat
• Big Cat
• Big Deal
• Big Dog
• Big Ear Music
• Big Idea Productions
• Big Machine Records
• Big Screen Music
• Big Tree
• Big Wadd
• Big World
• Bigtyme
• Black Market
• Black Out
• Black Pumpkin
• Black Top
• Blackheart
• Blackstone
• Blind Pig
• Bliss
• Blix Street
  • Gifthorse
• Bloodline
• Blue Gorilla
• Blue Jackel
• Blue Plate
• Blues Bureau
• BMG Entertainment
  • BMG Classics
  • Cheeky Records
• Bob Marley Music
• Bocelli-Sogno
• Bohemia
• Box Tunes
• Breakaway
• Brody
• Broken
• Broken Bow
• Brutal
• Buena Vista
• Bullseye
• Bungalow
• Burnside
• C-Loc
• Cadena
• Cadence Christian
• Caliente
• Candle In The Wind
• Cannan
• Cargo
  • Grilled Cheese
  • Headhunter Records
  • Re-Constriction
• Catalyst
• Caviant
• Cell Block
• Celtic Corner
• Chameleon
• Cheeba Sounds
• Chignon
• Children
• Christian Music Group
• Chronicles
• Chuck Life
• Cintas Acuario
• Circular Moves
• City of Hope
• Classic Tracks
• Clatown
• Clean Slate
• Climate
• Clockwork
• CMC International
• CMG
• Cold Chillin
• Colli Park Music
• Comedy Central
• Command
• Concord Records
  • Concord Jazz
  • Concord Picante
  • Fantasy
    • Contemporary
    • Galaxy Records
    • Good Time Jazz
    • Milestone
    • Original Blues
    • Original Jazz Classics
    • Pablo
    • Prestige
    • Riverside
    • Specialty
    • Stax
    • Takoma
  • Feinery
  • Heads Up
  • Hear Music
  • Jazz Alliance
  • Peak Records
  • Playboy Jazz
  • Stretch Records
  • Telarc
• Cool Hunter
• Copacabana
• Costarola
• Cotillion
• Covenant
• Crazy Cat
• Crime Partners
• Critique
• Crowne Music Group
• Crystal Rose
• CTW
• Cyan
• Cypress
• D&D
• Da Border Music, Inc.
• Dagger
• Dali
• Damian
• Dancing Cat
• Dare 2BU, Inc.
• DAS
• Day Spring
• Daywind Music Group
• DCC
• Death Row
• Debris
• Delicious Vinyl
• Delos
• Delta Entertainment Corporation
  • Laserlight
• Denon
• Desert Storm
• DHM
• Digital Theater System, Inc.
• Disa
• Disney
• Disques Vogue
• DJ Honda Records
• DKC
• DM
• DMY
• Domo
• Dope House
• Down in the Delta JV
• Dr. Dream
• Dualtone
• Eagle Rock
• Earthdance
• East Side Digital
• Easydisc
• Eclipse Music Group
• Edel
• Edito Classica
• Edmonds Record Group
• Elementree
• Ellipsis Arts
• Elvis Tribute Project
• Emergent Music Marketing
• EMI
  • A Time to Remember
  • Angel Records
  • Astralwerks
  • Back Porch
  • Blue Note Records
  • Capitol
    • CEMA Special Markets
  • Capitol Nashville
  • Caroline
    • Caroline Records
    • Gyroscope
    • Rocks the World
    • Scamp
  • Chordant
  • Credential Recordings
  • Cyber Octave
  • Discipline
  • Disky
  • Duck Down Music
  • Earthbeat
  • Electrola
  • Flex
  • Forefront
  • Headstrong Music
  • Heavenly
  • Hut
  • Imperial Records
  • Indent Series
  • Innocent
  • Intercord
  • Labels
  • Medley
  • Mute
    • Future Groove
  • Narada
  • Now Hits Collections
  • Originals
  • Playland Records
  • Positiva
  • Priority
  • Relentless
  • S-Curve
  • Shak Tire
  • Sparrow
    • Sixsteps Records
  • Virgin Classics
  • Virgin France
  • Virgin Records America
    • Higher Octave
  • Virgin Records UK
    • Real World
  • Woodford
  • Yes Music
• Eminent
• Empire
• Enjoy
• Epidrome
• Equinox Music
• ESC
• Esparanza Atlantic
• Essence
• Essex
• Eureka
• Eurodisc
• Everland
• Evolver
• Extasy
• Facility
• Farmclub
• Fast Horse
• Fat Boy Music
• Favored Nations
• FDM
• Festival Five
• First Generation
• First Priority Music
• Flashpoint International
• Flava Unit Entertainment
• Flavor Unit Records
• Flawless
• Flicker
• Flora
• Flying Fish
• Flyte Tyme
• Fome
• Fonovisa
• Freeze
• Friday
• Fubu
• Full Moon
• Furious
• Garden City
• Garland
• Garmex
• Gasoline Alley
• Gazillion
• Genie Entertainment
• Gfunk
• Ghetto Youth International
• Glassnote
• Gold Circle
• Gold Seal
• Good News
• Grammy Nominee Project
• Grape Tree
• Great Performances
• Green Linnet
• GTS
• Guardian
• Guts & Grace
• GWK
• H-Town
• H2E
• Hall of Fame
• Hammer & Lace
• Harmony
• HBO
• Heart
• Heartbeat
• Heartery
• Herb Harris Music Co.
• Hieroglyphics
• High Performance
• High Street
• Highnote
• Highstreet
• Hightone
• Hittel LLC
• HKD Productions
• Hollywood
• Home Sweet Home
• Home Video
• Homegrown Music Network
• Homeland
• Hood Rat
• House of Music
• Hybrid Recordings
• Hyperdisk
• I Am
• I Funk LLC
• Ice
• Ichiban
• IG, Inc.
• Indiginous
• Infinity Digital
• InPop
• Inside Sessions
• Interhit
• International Special Markets
• Invisible Sound
• J&N Records & Tapes
• Jade
• Jaggo
• Jazz-Non US
• Jcor
• Jireh
• JMC
• JMM
• Joey
  • Joey International
• Karen
• KDFC
• Kelly Family Distribution
• Kicking Mule
• Kid Rhino
• King Communication
• Kings Way
• Kismet
• Kiss Video
• KKSF
• Kneeling Elephant
• Korta
• Krasnow
• Krystal
• KukDo
• KWJZ
• Label M
• Labor
• Largo
• Latin Pop
• Latin Regional Mexican
• Latino Music
• Left Eye
• Leni Stern Records
• Liars Inc.
• Lideres
• Lighthouse Point
• Lightstorm
• Lightyear
• Lil Man
• Lil' Joe
• Liquid 8
  • Calvin Records
• Little David
• Little Dog
• Living Music
• Living Stereo
• Lobster
• Locomotive
• Logic
• Longevity (NYC) Inc.
• Loose Cannon
• Loosegroove
• Luna Negra
• Lyric Street
• Lyricist Lounge
• M2.0 Inc.
• Mach Entertainment
• Mad Yacht
• Major Label
• Major League Baseball
• Mammoth
• Many Roads
• Margaritaville
• Marinda Grace
• MAS Entertainment
• Max Jazz Records
• Max Music
• Maya
• Media Safari
• Medicine
• Megaforce
• Metrix Music
• Metro One
• MGM
• Mic Media
• Mifflin Hills Music Company
• Mighty Horn
• Milan
• Militia Group
• Ministry of Sound
• Ministry of Sounds
• Miramax
• MJJ
• Mo Thugs
• Mock & Roll
• Modern
• Mondo Melodia
• Mono Vs Stereo
• Moonshine Conspiracy
• Mosh
• Mouth Almighty
• Moviso
• Mozote
• Mr. Incognito
• MSC Music Entertainment
• MTV
  • Nick @ Nite
  • Nick Records
  • Nickelodeon
  • VH1 Classics
  • Yo! MTV Raps
• Music for Little People
• Music One
• Music Up, Inc.
• Musimex
• Musiteca
• Mutant Sound System
• Myspace Records
• N'Focus Entertainment
• N2K
• Native
• Nelle Hooper
• New West
• Next Century
• Next Next Entertainment
• Next Plateau
• NFE Records
• Nimbus
• Ninth Avenue Music, Inc.
• No Limit
• Noo Trybe
• Noontime
• Northsounds
• Novus
• NOW
• NPG
• Nu American Music
• Nu Opp
• Nu Tone
• NVC Arts
• NY:LA Music Inc.
• Octone Records
• Odyssey
• Odyssey in Minds Eye
• Oh Boy
• Okeh
• Omni
• On Point
• One Life One Love
• Orfeon
• Organized Noise
• Oro Musical
• Orpheus
• Outburst
• Overbrook Music
• P & A
• Padma
• Pagan
• Pakaderm
• Palm Records
• Palma MusicInc.
• Pangaea
• Paradigm
• Paras Recording Co.
• Patriot
• Payaso
• PBS
• PCLC Capricorn
• Pendulum
• Philadelphia
• Philo
• Phoenix Music
• Piadrum Records
• Pid
• Pidm
• Pioneer
• Planet Earth (Empire
• Platino
• Players Club
• PlexiMusic
• Plump
• PPL Entertainment
  • Bouvier Records
  • Bouvier Records USA
  • Credence Records
  • JBK Records
  • PPL Records
  • PPL Records Latino
  • PPL Records USA
• PRA
• Praise Gathering
• Prawn Song
• Premium
• Premonition
• Proclaim
• Project
• Promotions of the World
• Protel
• PSM
• Push
• Q. Records
• Quango
• Quiet Boys
• R.A.L.
• Radio Universal
• Radioactive
• RAM
• Random House
• Rasheeda
• Ray Boltz Music
• Razor & Tie
• Razor Sharp
• RCC
• Real Music
• Rebound
• Red Ant
• Red Feather
• RED Ink
• Red Pajamas
• Red Star
• Redline Entertainment
• Refuge
• Regina
• Reincarnate Music
• Rejoice
• Relaxation Music
• Rendezvous
• Renegade
• Resound
• RFC
• Rhyme
• Rhythm Safari
• Rick Rubin Entertainment
• Right Cross
• Ripchord
• Rising Tide
• Risky Business
• Riverboat
• RJO
• RMM
• Roadrunner
• Robbins Entertainment
• Rockstar Games
• Rocky Mountain Recorders
• Roswell
• Rounder Records
  • Zoe Records
• Ruffhouse
• Ruffnation
• Rural Rhythm
• S&P
• Sai
• Saja
• Sambora
• Samson
• Sanctuary Music Group
  • Attack
  • Sanctuary Urban
  • Trojan Records
• Saregama
• Savant
• Savoy
• Scarface
• Scratchie
• Sea Creatures
• Sega
• Seiko Matsuda
• Seismic
• Selah
• SEON
• Seraphim
• Sesame Street
• Shadow
• Shang
• Sheppard Lane Music
• Shrapnel
• Sick Wid It
• Sideburn
• Silas
• Silver Seal
• Silverware
• Sindrome
• Sing 2 School, Inc.
• Sir George
• Skaggs Family
• Slamm Dunk
• Slash
• Slipdisc
• Slow River
• Smash
• SMI
• SMV
• Sojourn Hills
• Sonique
• Sonolux
• Sony BMG
  • 105 Music
  • Antinos
  • CBS
  • Columbia
    • Aware
    • Burgundy Records
    • C2
    • Chaos Recordings
    • DMZ
    • Hypnotize Minds
    • LBW Entertainment
    • Loud
  • DefSTAR Records
  • Dragnet
  • Epic
    • 550 Music
    • Caribou Records
    • Daylight
    • Ruthless
    • The Work Group
  • Federation Records
  • GUN Records
  • Kinetic Records
  • Kioon
  • Kitchenware
  • Legacy Recordings
    • Private Music
    • Windham Hill
  • Ode Records
  • Provident Music
    • B-Rite
    • Benson
    • Brentwood
    • Brentwood Kids Company
    • Cedarmont Kids
    • Creative Trust
    • Cross Movement
    • Diadem Music Group
    • Essential
    • Fervent Records
    • Gospocentric
    • Here To Him Music
      • Cross Driven
    • I.E. Music
    • Maranatha
    • New Haven
    • Praise Hymn
    • Reunion
    • Rocketown Records
    • Spirit-Led Records
  • Ravenous Records
  • RCA Music Group
    • Arista Records
      • Bistro Records
      • D:Disco
      • Dedicated
      • Filth
      • First Avenue
      • LaFace
      • Melisma
      • Music Man
      • Northwestside
      • Profile
      • Rowdy Records
      • Time Bomb
      • Tresor
      • Tripoli Trax
      • Urgent
    • Bluebird
    • J Records
      • Full Surface Records
      • Polo Grounds Music
      • US Records
    • Phonogenic
    • RCA
      • ATO
      • RLG
  • So-ffio
  • Soho Square
  • Sony BMG Masterworks
    • Masterworks Broadway
      • RCA Victor Broadway
    • Sony Classical
  • Sony BMG Nashville
    • Arista Nashville
    • BNA Records
    • Lucky Dog
    • RCA Nashville
  • Sony Pictures
  • Sony Wonder
  • Tofu Records
  • TriStar Music
  • Vik Recordings
  • Zomba Music Group
    • Battery Records
    • Jive Records
    • Music for Nations
    • Pinnacle Records
    • Scotti Brothers
    • Silvertone
    • Verity
    • Volcano
    • X-Cell Records
    • Zoo
• Sony Music
  • Black Seal
  • Buddha
  • Recovered
• Soulwerkz
• Sound Gizmo
• Sound Mex
• Sound of Atlanta
• Spirit Soundtrack
• Spit
• Spring Hill
• Spring House
• Squint Entertainment
• Star Song
• Stinky
• Stonecreek
• Straight Outta Labb
• Straight Profit
• Straightway
• Streetbeat
• Suave
• Sugar Beats
• Sunnyside
• Surrender
• Susquehanna Hat Company
• Svengali
• Swansong
• Sybersound Music
• T.J. Martell
• Tag
• Taj Mahal
• Telethon
• Terminus
• The Enclave
• The Firm
• The Guys Who Sell
• The Label
• The Road to Eldorado
• The Source
• The Start
• The Voice of Music, Inc.
• The Wall
• Third Stone
• Thirsty Ear
• Three Keys
• Thrive
• Thump
• Tim Kerr
• Timbaland
• Time/Life
• Tinder
• Tips Exports Inc.
• Tone Cool
• Tooth & Nail
  • BEC Recordings
  • Fugitive Recordings
  • Solid State Records
  • Takehold Records
  • UpRok
• Top Dawg Productions
• Top Sail Productions
• Tornado
• Toros
• Track Factory
• Traditions
• Trans Continental
• Transparent
• Trauma Entertainment
• Treat & Release
• Treydan
• Tribal
• Tropical
• Tropical Storm
• Tropix
• Troubadour
• TRS Buddah Inactive
• Trudy Greene
• Turn Music
• TV First
• TVG
• Twin Sisters Productions, Inc.
• TwISm
• U.S. Latin
• Ultimate
• Underground Recordz
• Unison
• Unitone
• Universal Music Group
  • All Around the World
  • Barclay
  • Brushfire Records
  • Disturbing tha Peace
  • DreamWorks
  • DreamWorks Nashville
  • Emarcy
  • Experience Hendrix
  • Island Def Jam
    • Def Jam
    • Def Soul
  • Machete Music
  • Motor Music
  • Nightingale Records
  • Platano (Universal)
  • Polystar
  • Sanctuary
    • Sanctuary Classics
      • ASV Living Era
      • ASV Platinum
      • Black Box
      • COE Records
      • Gaudeamus
      • Halle
      • Transacord
      • White Line
  • Spinefarm
    • Odor
    • Ranch Records
    • Ranka Recordings
    • Spikefarm
  • Starbugs
  • Universal Classics
  • Universal Latino
  • Universal Music Enterprises
    • Hip-O Records
      • AVI
      • Excello Records
    • New Door Records
    • Universal Music Special Markets
    • UTV Records
  • Universal Records
    • Bad Boy Records
    • Blackground Records
    • Casablanca Records
    • Cash Money Records
    • Republic Records
    • SRC
    • Strummer Recordings
  • Universal South
  • V2 International
    • Co-Operative Music
      • Arts & Crafts
      • Bella Union
      • Brownswood Recordings
      • City Slang
      • Dance to the Radio
      • Memphis Industries
      • Moshi Moshi
      • Rabid Records
      • Setanta
      • Wichita Recordings
• University
• Univision
• Unsigned Hype
• Untertainment
• Up Above
• Upstairs Records
• Upstart
• Uptown
• V.O.R.A.C.
• Vapor
• Varese Records
• Varrick
• Velas
• Velocette
• Velour Recordings
• VFR Records
• VI Music
• Victory Music
• Victrola
• Vineyard
• Vital
• Viva Discos
• Vivarte
• Vogue (Bmg)
• Volt
• VP Music Group, Inc.
• Waltzing Bear
• Warlock
• Warmth
• Warner Music Group
  • Alternative Distribution Alliance
  • Asylum
  • Bluemoon
  • Cordless Recordings
  • Del-Fi Records
  • Doghouse Records
  • Eleven Music Company
  • Festival Mushroom
  • Lava
  • Mesa
  • New Line Records
  • Nonesuch
  • Reprise Nashville
  • Rykodisc
    • Emperor Norton
    • Gramavision
    • Hannibal
    • Penalty Records
    • Restless
    • Rykovision
    • Tradition Records
  • Warner Brothers Nashville
  • Warner Music France
  • Word Entertainment
    • Dayspring Records
    • Integrity
    • Myrrh Records
• Weird Sleeper Man
• West Side Latino
• Whitfield
• WHV
• Wild Pitch
• Wind-Up
  • Grass Records
• WJJZ
• WNUA
• Wonderland
• Woodstock
• World Hits
• World Music Network
• Worship Together
• WOV
• WOW Joint Venture
• Wreckshop Records
• WSJZ
• Wu-Tang
• Wynonna
• Xenophile
• ZAPPA
• Zebra
• Zero Hour

H.R. 1256

So it used to be that most places prevented me from smoking cloves.  Then legislation went through so that no one could smoke indoors.  And now Obama is trying to prevent me from smoking cloves at all.  Since it is obvious that our government has given up all pretense of freedom, I guess it is time we give up pretense of caring what they think...

So if anyone knows of any speakeasy opening up, let me know.

Fraudulent Company: American General Finance

Last year, I bought some furniture from America: The Beautiful Dreamer. I signed up for the payment plan through American General Finance. I told them to send all my bills to my billing address, and scheduled weekly payments until it was paid off. They never did send any bills to my billing address.

Feb 6th, the billpay service sent the last payment as it was paid in full.

April 2nd, I got a bill stating that I still owed $95. That didn't seem correct, since I doubt Intuit is incapable of calculating when the bill was paid off, but didn't want to deal with it so I sent it. They received it on April 3rd.

Mid May, their telemarketing department contacted me, told me I was such a great customer and that they wanted my business back. They offered me a $10k loan. I turned it down.

I had been getting a lot of calls from 812-475-4018 that kept hanging up as I answered. On May 22nd, I finally got tired of it and tried calling the number back. I got ahold of American General Finance's collections department who told me I owed another $106 because I had not paid the loan in full by mid March. I argued quite awhile with the rep, then asked to speak to a manager.

The manager kept saying things like "We won't work with 3rd party billpay services" and "Well, of course we will cash their checks". She said it was my fault I didn't get and open every bill from them, even though they refused to send them to the billing address.

In the end I told them I would send them their money and if anyone from their company ever contacted me again, I would file a complaint with the FBI and sue them for fraud and harassment. She tried to tell me that their telemarketing department might still call me and try to sell me service, and I repeated that if *anyone* from their company contacted me again.

NEVER trust this company because of their unethical business practices, spamming and scam-like behaviors:

American General Finance
Payment Processing Center P.O. Box 54770 Los Angeles , CA 900540770
Phone number:	1-800-453-2017

http://www.agfinance.com/

Damn smoking laws

Obama proves he is still on the take

As I complained about in January, and predicted in June 2007, Obama has once again proven that he is in the pocket of the RIAA.

Goth crowd conforming to fascism

At the Munch yesterday, quite a few people showed interest in how the [name redacted to protect the club] first smoke-free Goth/Industrial night would go.

So a little background. Normally I am dancing within the first 3 songs. Usually there are not many people dancing during the first hour, but a few. Many people (very conservatively 70%) of the community smokes, and quite often on the dance floor. Personally, I find that I smoke (cloves) during Depeche Mode and not during MSI (aggressiveness of my dancing).

Last night, not one person danced for the first 1-1/2 hours. During the next 1/2 hour, one friend of mine danced to 1 song. During this time, there were more people outside smoking than there were in the club. That trend continued through the night to the point where there was a constant 20-30 people filling the entire sidewalk in front of [name redacted to protect the club] the entire evening.

About 1/2 the regulars I expected to see didn't show up. About 1/2 the crowd were people I have not seen before.

Quite a few people were complaining about the atmosphere. Some of the regulars left early because of it. The DJ was complaining about it and was discussing maybe putting in a smoke machine. I also heard discussion about them accepting the fine ($500/night, $2000/mo max) in order to keep their customer base. There is precedent for it since the last time Portland banned smoking inside, some of the clubs turned into the equivalent of speakeasys [and they had the largest customer base]. Quite a few people were talking about passing info along if that does happen, that they would drop this (and the other) clubs for one that allowed smoking.

I also was privy to conversations about whether DXFN was going to survive this change, and people making the same comment (give it 1 chance) about it.

There were multiple conversations about how the Goth crowd was conforming to fascism and how they would have loved the opportunity to vote on the issue.

Personally, at about 11:00 I told the DJ I wasn't planning on coming back again - I wasn't enjoying myself at all. He told me to give it one more chance because next week they were going to permanently open the courtyard so people could smoke. I did start dancing (pretty heavily at that) but if the courtyard doesn't work out, I probably won't go back.

Identity Theft

Some of you have been wondering why my google status mentioned identity theft the other day...

A couple weeks ago, I got a new RCI Platinum Plus MasterCard. Now, the interest rate was at 14.99%, which for me is really high, so there was no intention to just use the card all over the place. I didn't use it at all in fact.

Then when I went to buy my car from Beaverton Mitsubishi, I couldn't get out of a down payment, so I put it on the card. First and only purchase. I handed my card to one guy, then got it back from another half an hour later in another building.

A couple days later, I went onto the BofA website (bank hosting the card) to determine the address to send payments to. I saw the down payment on the transaction history, then a $1 paypal temporary authorization, then a $625 ($675? can't remember) temporary authorization for Paypal Dealsonline. Since I had never used it anywhere but the dealership, I was very surprised by this.

I contacted BofA. They said that until the transaction was posted, there was nothing to do. I kept explaining to them that either someone fraudulently used my card or they got my data directly from BofA. The bank suggested I call PayPal directly.

I called PayPal. They had already flagged it as suspicious because the person had not signed into their paypal account to do the transaction. Also, the person had not mistakenly typed the wrong number because they had used MY name. At this point, PayPal identified it as identity theft. They started blocked payment and started an investigation. They told me to call BofA back and what to say.

BofA cancelled my card, issued me a new one with a different number, and started an investigation.

Since I had only used the card once, and never online, chances are very high that someone at Beaverton Mitsubishi will be getting 5 years / $500,000 fine for under $700 worth of merchandise that they never received.

I also called the Merchant and told them they might want to hold on to that shipping address.

I also called my sales rep at the dealership and told him.