Illinoir

An interesting tidbit of info — all the major record labels are bitching that their sales are down due to free music downloads and theft. That’s only partly true: their sales -are- down, but guess whose sales are up?

If you said independent labels, you win a Microsoft Office sticker.

Independent record label company sales are up 30%; the largest independent online record seller reports double sales every year, or some such.

So what the big companies are complaining about is like Target reporting that retail sales are down because people are going to the Mom & Pop store around the corner.

They’re telling half-truths, part-stories and crap to justify stricter copy protection and restrictions on Internet technologies.

Maybe if they stopped putting out such crap music, people would buy their records again.

An interesting tidbit of info — all the major record labels are bitching that their sales are down due to free music downloads and theft. That’s only partly true: their sales -are- down, but guess whose sales are up?

If you said independent labels, you win a Microsoft Office sticker.

Independent record label company sales are up 30%; the largest independent online record seller reports double sales every year, or some such.

So what the big companies are complaining about is like Target reporting that retail sales are down because people are going to the Mom & Pop store around the corner.

They’re telling half-truths, part-stories and crap to justify stricter copy protection and restrictions on Internet technologies.

Maybe if they stopped putting out such crap music, people would buy their records again.

So often, my response to everything is, “Blow me!”

So, blow me, world!
Blow me, moon!

ObitMessenger allows you to receive custom-filtered death notices from around the country, direct to your in-box.

Good stuff.

I Am

Which tarot card are you?

Manifestation through will. Imagination, concentration, action. Spirit and Matter united.
A young man raises a doubly terminated wand in his right hand. The wand is held vertically, a tool for the unification of heaven and earth. His left index finger grounds this duality into creation drawing from the original chaos to bring into being the flowers of creation. His aura is shown as the horizontal figure eight, symbol of eternity, while about his waist is wrapped the serpen-cinture, the serpent devouring its own tail, another symbol of eternity. In front of him are the creator/magicians tools, wands, cups, swords and pentacles, symbolizing fire, water, air and earth.

Back in the day, Halsted and I would go to iHop (hah!) and drink coffee and smoke cigarettes and read from the Kinsey Institute Report on Sex. Why? Who knows? I’ve no idea how this tradition got started or what we were thinking. All I know is it was hilarious.

So, she visits, and for Christmas, brings me a copy of said report. Yippie! My own copy of the definitive report on sex and sexuality. It’s written like a FAQ (before FAQ’s were cool) and my current favorite question:

“Why is it called public hair when it’s in such a private place?”

The Institute’s answer, of course, is very thoughtful and understanding, explaining that it is “pubic hair” and named such because it’s in the pubic area, being named after the pubic bone, etc. etc. etc.

Got me thinking about what my response would have been.

“Oh lord, you idiot! Oh man, that is just hysterical. No, you fool, it’s -pubic- hair, not public hair. Oh man. Hey, John, did you hear what this guy asked? He thinks it’s -public- hair. Hoooo boy.”

Conclusion: damn good thing I don’t write an advice column.

Which Kevin Smith Movie Are You? by jennablue!

Homophobia rears its ugly head again, this time on Xbox Live. Of course, anywhere you go, people are going to be using “faggot” and “homo” as insults and it just blows my mind. The urge to start calling people “straight” and “hetero bastards” is overwhelming.

Let’s just get it out of the way though: I’m not gay. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.)

It just really angers me when people say “That’s the gayest game ever” or “You’re gay” or whatever and intend it as a an insulting remark. To me, it’s the same as racism, the same kind of bullshit that just doesn’t….make sense.

First of all: what people do on their own time is their own business.

Secondly: Sexual preference is the most ridiculous thing to use as an insult. Call someone a dumbass who couldn’t tell his ass from a hole in the ground. Seriously, that should be more effective. Calling someone who’s not gay a faggot…. Well, it doesn’t bother me (except conceptually and in the bigger picture that I’m describing here) because what difference does it make if I’m gay or not? But if you call a moron a moron then you’re starting to cut closer to home.

It’s hard to reconcile too, the fact that I’m playing with some of these people on my own team that are using this tactic of the lowest level of name calling. I mute them immediately so I don’t have to hear it, but then how does it reflect on me and blah blah blah. I have become the morality police of this little group and I just wish it wasn’t necessary.

Someone saying, “I’m wearing a t-shirt that says ‘I hate gay people’.” What the fuck? Why…? I’m not….. I just don’t follow. Why not say, “I’m wearing a shirt that says, ‘I hate Cubans'”? What’s the difference? How is his gayness hurting you any more than your Cuban-ness is hurting me (which is none at all, unless that’s what turned you into a intolerant so-and-so.)

If you argue that the fact that you’re Cuban is something you were born into and the gay person made a choice, not only are you wrong, you’re also missing the point. A lot.

And so, another day dealing with the cross-section of America that makes me realize I’m lucky for the following reasons:

– I have sensitive, tolerant, thoughtful, and intelligent parents
– I grew up in a relatively tolerant, mixed, integrated area
– I have been able to turn into a relatively sensitive, tolerant, thoughtful and intelligent adult.

So Michael Collins, the man who sent me down the path of IT careers and computer generated mish-mash when he recommended me to Pat Canevello when I was desperate for a job following my Junior year in college, has made his American debut.

I’m sure it’s fantastic…