A Record Deal You Can't Refuse

MAFIAA - Music And Film Industy Association of America

It's official! Well not really, this is an April Fools gag, but the sentiment is very real. According to the press release the Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. (MPAA) and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) announced the historic merger of the two organizations. The newly-created entity is being called the Music And Film Industry Association of America, Inc. or the aptly abbreviated MAFIAA. This will allow them to create a stronger focus on pursuing their precious copyrights and streamline their government lobbying efforts.

I find it amazing that when the technology arrived for the streamlined distribution of their material (songs and movies) and the possiblity of a greatly improved economy of scale, they go ahead and think they can charge the same price for their work despite it not being on a CD and shipped to a shop somewhere. Instead, the charge 1.99 per song and they want to retain control over the product after you have purchased it using digital rights management (DRM). Slowly, I feel we are being watched more and more.

It's the signs of a dying industry when the powers that be can't adapt properly. Bring on the time when the kid's stop buying the corporate bubblegum crap, all artists can produce their own music and we'll buy straight from them! Karaoke Idols can sing at the local pub!

Are You Ready?

It's nice to know these things are out there. Somebody has created and maintains a website called Rapture Ready which contains The Rapture Index, it's something really quite wonderful (or should that read scary?)

If you're not familiar (and I wasn't to begin with), the Rapture is a term used by certain elements of christian eschatology (those that study the end of the world) to describe the time when all believers will be whisked away to heaven and the sinners will remain to suffer the rest of the bad stuff end of the world.

It's not meant to predict the end of the world, just index the likelihood.

You decide for yourself, but I think it's a little convenient that it doesn't matter if you contributed to the problems, as long as you are ready, you will be taken away before the shit hits the fan.

There is also a website that allows you to create a maillist of family members and loved ones who aren't ready. It will send them a letter by email to tell them where you have gone.

It might be better for us left behind to rebuild our ravaged world without those kind of people hanging around.

Don't Panic

In my travels around the net I have been fortunate enough to stumble across The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

As a fan of the books and the seventies BBC TV series I am looking forward to going to see the movie. In the meantime, the internet based actual guide contains everything one could want to know about Life, the Universe and Everything. As opposed to other online encyclopedias, the article contributors have tried to include a Douglas Adams style humorous tone to each of the entries. Check it out.

I will post a review of the movie when I see it.