10/24/2007
A quick post while packing and running around like mad (updated)
Of course, as soon as the crew at Best Kept Secret book me on a weekend tour of Italy, the people at Gyro enlist me on a job that deadlines on the day I leave. I'm not complaining; I'm just saying.
So while attempting to tune up my gear for the tour, finish the job, pack, and take care of the zillion other chores that always appear like mushrooms on the day I leave for the airport, I figured I'd post a few things that have been backing up and need to be seen.
Anthony Falzone, ever a friend of the oppressed cultural artist, gave a very good overview of P. DiddyDaddy's recent folding under a court ruling rather than bring a legally viable, fair-use defense of sampling.
A story that didn't last on the front pages of any major news outlets as long as a day; the FCC is hoping to bumrush new rules allowing unprecedented media consolidation. This is the same scam Michael Powell couldn't quite pull off, but the Bushies and the media conglomerates are trying to sneak it through with very little fanfare by the end of the year. If you're so motivated, you can add your voice to the loyal opposition at StopBigMedia and hearusnow.
Update:
Nonpartisan opposition to this corporate scam continues to build; not that you'll hear about it from the media that are lobbying to screw us. FAIR has the details on a recent survey.
And in case you missed it, the South Bronx - incubator of hiphop, y'all - gets aid not from large corporations or the feds, but from Hugo Chavez.
See you when I get back. If you're in Florence or Rome and have a little time to kill, come on by.