If you’ve been waiting for the hits of the ’60s to lapse into the public domain, prepare to be disappointed. The European Union has agreed to extend the term of protection for sound recordings — which previously lasted for 50 — to 70 years. That means the White Album won’t be free to own until 2038. The extension was granted to guarantee income for performers in their old age who would otherwise lose out, such as impoverished multi-millionaire Sir Paul McCartney . Opinions are divided, with record companies praising the move and open-rights groups being a lot less enthusiastic. An interesting point to note is that the move was done in spite of government-funded research to the contrary . Either way, ever increasing copyright legislation means it’s far more likely we’ll see even more extreme anti-piracy adverts, just like the one after the break. Continue reading European Union extends Beatles’ copyright, still gonna have to buy the White Album European Union extends Beatles’ copyright, still gonna have to buy the White Album originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Sep 2011 20:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Permalink
Continue reading …A couple from northwestern Oregon who are Internet newbies have found themselves the unwitting subjects of an instant viral video, thanks to a little help from a grandkid. Bruce Huffman, 86, and his wife, Esther, 79, of the Hillside Retirement Community in McMinnville, recently purchased their first laptop computer –- an aqua colored beauty with a built-in webcam. Late last month, the couple sat down together and tried to figure out how to make a video with the webcam, something a granddaughter had painstakingly attempted to teach Esther a few days beforehand. “I was trying to figure out how to do the videos and didn’t know the thing was actually running,” Esther told The Huffington Post. “All the while, Bruce was kind of amusing himself because he was bored. He was being quite an actor.” The nearly three minute video captures Bruce making funny faces, singing, burping and at one point, during a moment of levity, he got a little flirtatious with his wife. “See how pretty your hair is?” he said. “Just drop your dress a little bit and see your boobies.” Esther, focused on the task at hand, shot down the request. “Come on stop it. No, no, no,” she laughed. When the couple’s granddaughter later saw the video, she titled it “Web Cam 101 for Seniors” and uploaded it on YouTube. “I did not know anything about YouTube, but apparently, it is spreading like wildfire,” Esther said. While the accidental celebrities are surprised by the amount of attention the video is garnering, they said they are happy that people are enjoying it. “We certainly didn’t plan it, but there is so much bad news out there. We are glad we could put something fun out there. We like to have a good time and if it makes people laugh, that’s ok,” Esther said. There is, however, one thing she would change going back. “I wouldn’t have looked that way,” she said. “I guess I have to quit chewing gum. I look like a cow chewing gum so quickly.” While their candid video is endearing the modest couple to the World Wide Web, they have no immediate plans of making another video. “We’re still trying to figure out how to work it,” Bruce said. “But we’re having fun trying.” CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story erroneously located McMinnville in northeastern, rather than northwestern, Oregon.
Continue reading …For analysis of the special election in New York's 9th Congressional District, CNN hosted Hilary Rosen – a former Democrat strategist and interim head of the Human Rights Campaign, a leading LGBT civil rights organization. The network simply listed Rosen as a “CNN political contributor,” failing to disclose her past as a Democratic strategist. Not surprisingly, Rosen downplayed the shock of a Republican victory in the district which had been Democratic since the 1920s, saying “there's too much made of it.” [Video below the break.] Rosen claimed that “it wasn't a particularly liberal Democratic seat” and “this is a district that barely supported President Obama the last time around.” However, Obama won the district by 11 points in 2008 – not a landslide, but not a very close victory either. The 2010 Almanac of American Politics states that the district is “unquestionably a Democratic district, but conservative by New York City standards,” so Rosen's first point may well be valid. Rosen blamed the defeat mainly on the disgrace of former Congressman Anthony Weiner, not the policies of President Obama. As a good Democratic strategist she focused on the effect the loss would have on the morale of Democrats and noted that the White House would have to “pay attention” to the media's reaction and make sure the party was supporting its candidates. The analyst also gushed over rumored Democratic Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren, who could challenge incumbent Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) for the Massachusetts Senate seat. “Here you have somebody who's sort of the anti-politician in Elizabeth Warren, really just a phenomenal consumer advocate, a professor, perceived to be the kind of nice lady truth-teller who really is smart and accomplished and almost single-handedly brought some of the Wall Street reforms to Washington to encourage them to be enacted – and President Obama embraced them, of course,” gloated Rosen. A transcript of the segment, which aired on September 14 at 12:32 p.m. EDT, is as follows: T.J. HOLMES: Hilary, let's turn to New York and that election. Republican Bob Turner won that special election, a heavily Democratic district here. A Democrat hasn't held this seat – or excuse me – a Democrat has held this seat since the 1920s. So is it a lot going to be made of this? Too much made of this that this is a signal that Obama's in trouble? Or is this really a signal that Obama might be trouble next year? HILARY ROSEN, CNN political contributor: Well, my instinct is that there's too much made of it. First rule is, like, don't tweet pictures of yourself without your underpants because you'll turn all your constituents kerflooey. And they won't know what to do. (Crosstalk) HOLMES: Yeah, that's rule one. ROSEN: You know that was Anthony Weiner's seat. It was a Democratic seat before. And it wasn't a particularly liberal Democratic seat. So I think the Republicans, while they're going to try and make a lot out of this, this is a district that barely supported President Obama the last time around, and you know, not in the sort of maelstrom of kind of political liberal New York. Having said that, the fact that it's an isolated seat, and there will be a lot of media around the Republicans taking charge, you know, the White House is going to have to pay attention to this because members of Congress who are being asked to go out on a limb for the President – we want to get this economy moving, we want to pass the President's jobs bill – you know, they're going to want to make sure that the White House and the Democratic Party has their back. And so if the party can't support their candidates in these races, that's going to give members pause. So, the White House does have to pay attention. HOLMES: And last thing here, is Elizabeth Warren the right person, the person, the best chance for Democrats to unseat Senator Scott Brown in Massachusetts? ROSEN: I love this race. I'm going to be watching it so closely. Here you have somebody who's sort of the anti-politician in Elizabeth Warren, really just a phenomenal consumer advocate, a professor, perceived to be the kind of nice lady truth-teller who really is smart and accomplished and almost single-handedly brought some of the Wall Street reforms to Washington to encourage them to be enacted – and President Obama embraced them, of course – against another kind of anti-politician, Scott Brown, who sort of came out of nowhere, was in the state legislature but not particularly noteworthy. This is going to be sort of a matchup of the Senate, I think. This is the race of the year.
Continue reading …Is there a more fitting pair than Britney Spears and VH1′s Pop Up Video? We think not. The Pop Princess just barely missed out on VH1′s famed Pop Up Video during its heyday — her first single, “Baby One More Time” debuted in 2003, while the show ended in 2002 — but nearly 10 years
Continue reading …Cameron Crowe might have been MIA for a few years but he’s back in full force in 2011 with two documentaries and his latest narrative movie, We Bought A Zoo. The film stars Matt Damon as a father who decids to move his family to a downtrodden zoo so they can renovate it. Based on a true story, We Bought A Zoo also features Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church, Patrick Fugit, Elle Fanning, John Michael… Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : /Film Discovery Date : 14/09/2011 20:21 Number of articles : 3
Continue reading …What happens in the City of London affects everyone, but most of us know very little
Continue reading …Amateur video released on Wednesday purported to show anti-government protesters coming under fire from security forces in the Syrian city of Hama. (Sept. 14)
Continue reading …The campaign to repeal Ohio Governor John Kasich’s anti-collective bargaining SB5 law released a new video Tuesday, called “Loophole.” The video takes on Kasich and other Ohio Republicans for the hypocrisy they have shown by protecting themselves and their friends while attacking firefighters, police and other public servants: Politicians didn’t have to attack Ohio workers like firefighters, police officers, teachers and nurses, they could have chosen a different path. To make matters worse at the same time they were asking hardworking Ohioans to make ‘shared sacrifices’ they were literally giving out huge pay raises and bonuses to their staff members. Ohioans deserve to be treated fairly and won’t put up with double standards. Now is the time to volunteer to make sure Ohioans know the truth. If you are in the Ohio area, you can volunteer to help the campaign or you can contribute to support it from anywhere.
Continue reading …We’ll call this ” The Full Gingrich .” Yes, love, honor, obey – and ditch when they get sick. Finally Pat Robertson has come out on the side of the suffering – just like Christ. Those suffering with having a wife who’s no longer up to snuff. Asked what a man should do whose wife has Alzheimer’s, an increasingly decrepit Pat Robertson says, “I know it sounds cruel but if he’s going to do something, he should divorce her and start all over.” In a week of Republicans cheering for record executions and wooing for the uninsured to drop dead – does this even get a blip on our disgust radar? In a word: YES. This dude is twisted. If a secular humanist went on national television telling people to divorce their sick spouses – it would be the Fourth Horseman of the Atheists Want to Drink White Babies’ Blood and Make You Gay-calypse! Every traffic jam would be blamed on the statement. “That seven-minute increase to your commute is a sign from GOD that marriage is near extinction and GOD is angry!” Haven’t these bible-babblers been out allegedly “defending” marriage?! Hasn’t the Religious Right for an entire seven or eight years now been on one long parade proclaiming the queers will destroy matrimony if they get to legally do it? And now there’s this Crypt Keeper (too obscure? Gollum?) guy – arguably with the highest media profile in the Religious Right – saying that divorce is a way better option than being with a sick broad? This is probably Obama’s fault… Hat tip Right Wing Watch
Continue reading …WaPo: Obama’s New Site, AttackWatch.com, Becomes Laughing Stock of the Internet. Attack Watch is being attacked by conservatives. One tweet from last night “Dear #AttackWatch, a village in Kenya is missing it’s idiot. Please investigate.” If you tweet go to #attackwatch and see for yourself. Broadcasting platform : YouTube Source : I Hate The Media Discovery Date : 14/09/2011 17:41 Number of articles : 4
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