It's apparently a hoax, but several McDonald's restaurants have received phone calls warning of impending armed robberies using machine guns. The stores phoned earlier today include those located in Ames, Boone, Des Moines and Marshalltown, all in Iowa. Des Moines police are the latest to respond to calls.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Sunday, March 16, 2008
CC weighs in on satellite radio merger
Sirius and XM Satellite Radio have been working on a merger, which has the attention of terrestrial broadcasters like Clear Channel Radio, who is aggressively marketing digital radio (HD Radio), which places hybrid digital layers over regular AM & FM frequencies.
In an FCC filing, Clear Channel suggests a few concessions should the merger be permitted, so that competition between local broadcasters and satcasters can be preserved:
The satcaster should set aside portions of its channels over-the-air and public interest programming; subscribe to decency rules; not broadcast local content; not receive monies from local advertising; and that it build-in HD Radio receivers to each of its units so subscribers are provided a choice between subscription-based and free, over-the-air programming.
Without these concessions, the merged companies would have an unfair, dominant market position and could conceivably strike exclusive deals with car makers and effectively shut out free, over-the-air radio.
In an FCC filing, Clear Channel suggests a few concessions should the merger be permitted, so that competition between local broadcasters and satcasters can be preserved:
The satcaster should set aside portions of its channels over-the-air and public interest programming; subscribe to decency rules; not broadcast local content; not receive monies from local advertising; and that it build-in HD Radio receivers to each of its units so subscribers are provided a choice between subscription-based and free, over-the-air programming.
Without these concessions, the merged companies would have an unfair, dominant market position and could conceivably strike exclusive deals with car makers and effectively shut out free, over-the-air radio.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Spam King Pleads
The prosecution called Robert Alan Soloway the Spam King, alleging he's responsible for sending millions of spam messages and generating hundreds of thosands of dollars in profit since 2003. Soloway pleaded guilty Friday to three of the 40 counts that he was indicted on, with the remaining charges dropped.
Indy bands embrace giveaways
The two latest bands to offer their new albums online for free are advancing divergent versions of the business model Radiohead introduced in fall 2007.
Where Nine Inch Nails' approach, like Radiohead's before it, draws fans in with free music and then offers additional music for purchase in more extravagant configurations, the Charlatans UK release doesn't seem connected to any such game plan.
Where Nine Inch Nails' approach, like Radiohead's before it, draws fans in with free music and then offers additional music for purchase in more extravagant configurations, the Charlatans UK release doesn't seem connected to any such game plan.
RIAA May Face Racketeering Charges
A racketeering lawsuit against the Recording Industry Association of America was revived Friday, a month after a federal judge dismissed the case seeking to represent those falsely sued for copyright infringement by the record labels.
The lawsuit, filed in Oregon U.S. District Court on behalf of an Oregon woman who was wrongly accused of pilfering music via the Kazaa file-sharing network, seeks to represent thousands of people the woman's attorneys claim have been wrongly targeted by the record labels' lobbying organization.
The suit (.pdf) claims that the RIAA and MediaSentry -- the RIAA's private investigative arm that discovers file sharing by looking into peer-to-peer users' public files -- "conspired to develop a massive threat and sham litigation enterprise targeting private citizens across the United States."
The lawsuit, filed in Oregon U.S. District Court on behalf of an Oregon woman who was wrongly accused of pilfering music via the Kazaa file-sharing network, seeks to represent thousands of people the woman's attorneys claim have been wrongly targeted by the record labels' lobbying organization.
The suit (.pdf) claims that the RIAA and MediaSentry -- the RIAA's private investigative arm that discovers file sharing by looking into peer-to-peer users' public files -- "conspired to develop a massive threat and sham litigation enterprise targeting private citizens across the United States."
Obama in 30 Seconds
Celebrity judges will decide the winner of a video contest sponsored by MoveOn.org and aimed at boosting Obama's chances at gaining the White House. The resulting featurette will be aired nationally.
Actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are among the deciders, as well as musicians John Legend and Eddie Vedder.
Actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are among the deciders, as well as musicians John Legend and Eddie Vedder.
Change is in the air
Change beats experience and the two Democratc contenders beat the sole Republican Presidential candidate. This, according to an ABC News/Washington Post poll. It says Obama's lead over McCain is bigger than Clinton's, thus far. Even among independents, change wins over strength by a 9-point margin (47-to-38).
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