aubreyturner.org

I’ve been halfway following the kerfuffle over RealNetworks having cracked the DRM scheme used by Apple’s iTunes Music Store. 

Hostilities started in late July, when RealNetworks cracked Apple’s FairPlay code, meaning songs bought from the RealPlayer Music Store could be played on the iPod—a move that went down very badly over at Apple. RealNetworks then decided to ratchet up the pressure by slashing the cost of its downloads to below the 99-cent price barrier favored by Apple.

The next step—a campaign and petition to get music fans to support the company’s open stance—hasn’t worked out quite as it might have hoped, after some people besieged the petition with obscenities and anti-RealNetworks postings.

The petition, on RealNetworks’ www.freedomofmusicchoice.org site, is titled: “Hey Apple! Don’t break my iPod.”

…

Readers were encouraged to sign up and leave comments on the petition, now running at more than 900 signatures. However, many comments left by petition signers were less than complimentary and featured a selection of tartly worded phrases and four-letter epithets, with the target being RealNetworks itself. CEO Rob Glaser came under particular attack from the Web site’s visitors.

Visitors—some of whom identified themselves as “Michael Jackson,” “The Pope” and “Bill Clinton”—expressed the view that they already have freedom of choice and would be exercising it by using Apple’s iTunes music service.

I’ve got an iPod mini, and while it plays my regular MP3 files, I have bought some music from the iTunes music store.  But of late I’ve soured on iTunes, primarily because of their closed format.  At present, I can only listen to the music I’ve purchased in one of the following ways: a) copy it to the iPod, b) listen on one of the computers, or c) burn a CD.

While the iPod and its headphones are OK when you’re out and about, it’s not so great when I’m at home.  In my living room I’ve got a Squeezebox digitally attached to my 500-watt Sony receiver which is driving a Cambridge Soundworks Newton MC300 speaker system (complete with 1000-watt sub).  In the bedroom I’ve got an Audiotron attached to another stereo.  All of this provides me with high-quality sound from my MP3 collection in either of my main living areas.  Unfortunately, the iTunes files can’t be played by either of these units.  The Squeezebox will play AAC files through its server software, but it can only play ones that don’t have DRM restrictions. 

When I first started getting music from the iTunes music store, I didn’t think the restrictions would annoy me as much as they do, but it’s gotten to be an irritant as time has gone by.  I suppose I could burn a CD and then rip it to MP3, but that seems like a lot of trouble, not to mention the lower sound quality.  Even though Apple touts their 128Kbps AAC files as being of high quality, I can definitely detect the difference between it and a 320Kbps MP3.  Another alternative would be to go ahead and strip the DRM from the files using something like Hymn, but it bugs me that I’d have to do that.  DRM is one of those things that bother me because it says they think you’re a potential criminal.  It’s no way to treat your customers.

So, given all the factors, I think I’m going to return to CDs and ripping MP3s.  While I like the idea of being able to buy individual tracks, the DRM doesn’t fit my usage model and the files from Apple don’t meet my quality expectations. 

Link via Slashdot.

I’m sure some funeral directors won’t like this development, but more competition is better for the customer (or at least the people making the arrangements in this case).

On Monday, Costco Wholesale Corp., better known for bulk chicken and cases of soda, started test marketing caskets alongside mattresses at a North Side Chicago store. They’re also being sold at a suburban Oak Brook store.

…

Each of the six models from the Universal Casket Co., in colors including lilac and Neapolitan blue, is priced at $799.99, made of 18-gauge steel, considered medium weight for caskets, and can be delivered within 48 hours.

 

It just seems like there isn’t anything that the perpetually offended classes won’t find an excuse to gripe about.

Miller Brewing is celebrating the “50th Anniversary of Rock ‘n’ Roll” with eight commemorative beer cans that feature Rolling Stone cover shots of Elvis Presley, Blondie and others.

What’s missing, some say, is a black artist.

Robert Thompson, a pop-culture professor at Syracuse University, called the absence “beyond conspicuous,” since black artists are often credited with inventing rock ‘n’ roll.

“It would be like doing a set of cans of six great Impressionist painters and not including any French people on it,” he said. “It leaves out an enormous amount.”

While it’s easy for people like this to look for the racist boogeyman under every rock, the truth in this situation is far less sinister.

“We didn’t even consciously think pro or con, the same way that the only woman on there is Blondie. We just went with the people that we thought were appropriate,” he said. “We went through [the covers] and said, ‘These people we don’t think are appropriate or wouldn’t appeal to Miller drinkers.’ “

Miller spokesman Scott Bussen said that the company started with a broad wish list but that its choices were limited to Rolling Stone covers.

…

Miller spokeswoman Molly Reilly said, “These are the artists that gave us approval to use their images on the beer cans.”

Something about this story just seems fishy to me.

A 5-year-old girl was shot and killed Sunday after her stepfather mistook her for a burglar, police said.

Alejandra Hernandez, who was shot in the chest with a single bullet, was taken to a Houston hospital, where she died.

Police said Agun Ortega Pina, 25, told them he heard suspicious noises and reached for his gun about 1 a.m. He shot when someone tried to open the door of the bedroom where he and his wife were sleeping.

First of all, with a small child in the house he had a responsibility to ascertain where the child was before shooting.  But what bugs me most is the shot placement.  If the news report is correct, he shot the girl in the chest.  Given that a five-year-old girl wouldn’t be very tall, he’d have to have either missed really low or at least registered in his mind that his target was very short when aiming for center mass.  If the latter, then he should have recognized that it was the little girl and held his fire. 

Perhaps this really was a terrible accident, caused by the step-father’s failure to identify his target.  But I really wonder if there isn’t something more to all of it.

This morning’s coverage of this wreck reminded me of something I once heard a cop say.  He thought that the flashing emergency lights on police cars and fire trucks were like magnets to drunks.  Something about the flashing lights just seems to draw them in.

That got me to thinking.  Someone could set up dummy lights on water barrels beside the road and activate them around 2:00am.  I wonder if that would lure drunks into crashing into the barrels?  Perhaps it would prevent them from hitting innocent drivers (or cops who seem to get hit by a drunk about once a month around the DFW area).

Not content with their current level of power, the apparatchiks of the various transit authorities want to solidify their power over the entire area by creating a regional transit authority.

On Friday, dozens of area leaders are expected to endorse creating a regional rail authority that would fill the gaps in cities that don’t already have bus and train service. If it works, dozens of cities would be connected by trains in the next decade or two—from Fort Worth to Cleburne, Arlington to Grapevine.

Of course, there are various factions that are fighting each other over power, among other things:

Denton County was eliminated from the regional rail authority after officials from the 2-year-old Denton County Transportation Authority insisted that they already have a long-term plan in place. The agency has jurisdiction over all of the county even though only three cities are paying a half-cent sales tax for transportation services.

Denton County officials say it would be unfair to take away their countywide authority, which was approved by voters in 2002.

Of course, none of these “good works” can be done without money, right?

Officials in the other counties—Tarrant, Johnson, Dallas, Ellis and Collin—want to be able to adopt a half-cent sales tax increase in areas currently not served by a transportation authority. Even if the Legislature agreed, voter approval would be required in each county.

But finally, one of them slips and reveals their true agenda:

“It’s unfair, but we’ve got to look at it regionally,” Miller said. “We need to put aside our personal feelings. The whole point is improving our air quality and getting people off the road.”

I think this speaks volumes to the arrogance of these people.  They seem genetically incapable of understanding that getting people off the road is not ever going to work.  And as long as they pursue that goal, they’re going to be barking up the wrong tree.  It flies against everything Texans stand for and are used to.  Personal freedom is not going to be tossed aside easily in favor of some centrally controlled and managed “people mover” crap.  Besides, if public transportation was such a damn good idea, we’d see private companies trying to provide it.  Instead, it’s a boondoggle that has to be tax supported to stay afloat. 

The biggest contributors to pollution are a) old, ill-maintained vehicles, and b) gridlock.  It seems like we’re constantly rebuilding roads around here, but the planning didn’t take into account the growth patterns and the new roads are full as soon as they open.  What’s worse is that the planners seem to know this, but won’t actually do anything about it.  Instead of throwing away money at these public transportation schemes, we should be doing everything possible to keep traffic moving.

And it’s not me just making this crap up.  The volume of vehicles on North Texas roads is a graphic indicator that the market has spoken.  Texans want their independence and that means cars and trucks.  Yes, it takes time to build new roads, but it takes just as long to build rail lines.

Rail makes sense in some highly congested areas with extremely high population densities.  If I had to go into downtown Dallas on a daily basis, I might consider it.  But it’s just not the solution that these poor deluded fools think it is.

If I thought it would do any good (and I didn’t have to work), I’d go give them a piece of my mind.  Their meeting is open to the public:

Transit meeting

What: Regional Transit Initiative. Metroplex leaders are expected to approve a set of principles to present to the state Legislature in 2005, including a request for a sales tax increase to expand commuter rail service.

When: 2 to 4 p.m. Friday

Where: Omni Mandalay hotel, 221 E. Las Colinas Blvd., Irving

Admission: Free and open to the public

This article finally cemented something in my mind that had been percolating back there for a while.  One of the common themes I see among anti-gun people is the idea that putting weapons in a person’s hands will stifle their self-control and turn them into homicidal maniacs.  I’ve often thought that this was a projection of their own innermost thoughts onto gun owners.  Taking what I’ve been hearing from Kerry and combining it with what people who served with him have been saying, Kerry strikes me as the just the type who would turn into a maniac when given the opportunity.

As I mentioned previously, Kerry never had a chance with me, given that he stands against just about everything I believe.  But the more I learn about him, the slimier he seems.  All things considered, the idea of John “Boston Strangler” Kerry in the White House makes me extremely nervous.

Link via Vodkapundit.

The Keller Fire Department is going to be offering a Citizen Fire Academy and Community Emergency Response Team course.  It includes information on fire safety, search and rescue, disaster operations, and basic emergency medical services (including CPR).  The only requirements for entering the course are that you are a resident of Keller (or work here) and are at least 21.

I’m tempted to put in an application.  It’d be interesting to learn about these things, and I’d been contemplating taking a CPR course, so that would be a bonus.  The classes are one night a week from 6:30 to 9:30 for twelve weeks with three Saturday classes.

I got my TXU electric bill today and was shocked to see that it was $504.65, which was composed of $272.55 for the current bill, $221.22 for last month, and a bonus penalty of $10.88 for not paying last month’s bill.  Since I knew I’d paid that bill, I was all set to ream someone (either TXU electric or BankOne’s online bill pay) a new one.  I even dug out the last statement where I had written down the confirmation number. 

Then I looked it up online.  Unfortunately, it would appear that I accidentally selected TXU Gas instead of TXU Electric.  Damn.  And I was all to go off on TXU.  Heck, they probably deserve it just on general principles for being two separate companies for gas and electric.

Oh well, at least my gas is paid for the next six months or so.

These guys must have been very desperate to get their truck back.

Police say two men driving a rental car were arrested Monday in connection with a bank robbery that occurred a few hours after the men dropped off a truck for body work.

“I told him he had a $996 deductible and that it would be due when he picked up the truck,” said Doug Germany, customer service manager. “His eyes got a little wide.”

The men, in their 50s, brought the 1997 GMC truck with right-side damage into the shop in the 4900 block of North Beach Street about 10 a.m., Germany said.

They rented a car from a Hertz rental branch at the collision center, he said. After lunch, authorities showed up wanting to know who had rented the car.

A man with a handgun had robbed the Frost Bank at 6301 N. Beach St. Witnesses saw him getting into the car, which another man was driving, robbery Detective D.E. Owings said.

I’m guessing that these two aren’t the sharpest knives in the drawer.