- Lessig writes an open letter to Dems and Republicans asking to keep debate videos “open.” This is timely as we were just discussing “open source” in my public opinion class. The items discussed in this article are great examples of how open models can contribute to public deliberation.
- Ohio University (my ala mater) has decided to ban peer to peer software on campus. This is an issue we dealt with while I was working in IT on the campus. I always admired the position of our staff–noting that we only asked students to stop if we received a cease and desist letter. The RIAA’s recent attack on campuses must have gotten to OU–and that makes me really disappointed.
- A new bill proposed in the house would eliminate the new royalty fees on webcasting. I’m honestly not too optimistic this has a shot at passing–but I sure do hope it does! I’m a non-profit podcaster and I’ve worked at non-profit radio stations that use the web to survive. If the Internet can’t help equalize the playing field for broadcasting, I’m not sure what will….
- Speaking of webcasting…Coachella is webcasting live this weekend. I’m watching Sonic Youth right now and Bjork comes on next! This is the first multi-day Coachella I’ve missed, so it’s nice to have virtual access… UPDATE: Bjork’s new set is nice! I really do miss the strings, but the horns are a good touch. The new stuff is sitting better with me compared to the SNL songs [1] [2]. The new Hyperballad-Pluto combo/versions rip!
- Finally, in local Columbus news, I was saddened to read Little Brothers may close in the coming months. This bar puts on a lot of good independent shows, including Akron/Family last month and Tortoise in June. It’d be sad to lose a venue that supports more experimental music.
