September 2003

“WHAM radio talk-show host Bob Lonsberry was suspended for two days Monday for alluding to Rochester’s black mayor as a monkey.” Link In somewhat related news, New Zealand broadcaster Paul Holmes is under fire for his labelling of United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan as a “cheeky darkie” Link

More problems with the RIAA legal strategy. It seems they sued a woman for using Kazaa. The only problem is, she’s a Macintosh user. Kazaa isn’t available for Mac’s. Amusing. Link. In somewhat related news, Universal Music Group is backtracking on their promise to lower CD prices to under thirteen dollars. Link. In other music industry lawsuit news: “Makers of the most popular online file-sharing network are suing entertainment companies for copyright infringement, alleging the companies used unauthorized versions of its software to snoop on users in their efforts to battle piracy.” Ha! Link

“It is time to lay to rest the nagging doubt held by many Americans that our government was somehow responsible for fostering bin Laden. It’s not true and it leaves the false impression that we brought the Sept. 11 attacks down on ourselves. While it is impossible to prove a negative, all available evidence suggests that bin Laden was never funded, trained or armed by the CIA .” Link

“A drug created by the former KGB to keep its agents sober so that they could drink opponents under the table before stealing their secrets is being sold on the internet to Hollywood stars as a defence against hangovers.” Link Here’s a link to a site where you can actually buy the product.

“In the past few months, she has just begun to emerge from a professional and personal wilderness. Her new record label, Mighty Sound, is reissuing her first four albums, including ‘Short Sharp Shocked,’ which is coming out Tuesday.” Link

According to this article on the New York Post, the FCC Chairman Michael Powell may be preparing to step down from his post at the Commission. This is only one day after Bush gave Powell a ringing endorsement on Fox news. Bush said, “I support what Michael Powell did. He took a long deliberative look and a lengthy process about what was fair and not fair, and we supported his actions.” Reuters has more here.

Link

This is cool. QT-3D virtual tour of Beale Street in Memphis.