March 30, 2004

Net music piracy 'does not harm record sales' New Scientist - Internet music piracy is not responsible for declining CD sales, claim the researchers behind a major new statistical study. But you already knew that... 12:23:36 PM

The Arab divide Globe and Mail - The fractious relations among Arab nations have long made the phrase "Arab unity" an oxymoron. But even by Arab standards, the spectacle now being staged by the Arab League is remarkable. The 22-nation group was about to begin an important summit meeting in Tunis when, just two days before the opening gavel, the whole thing was called off. Preparatory meetings revealed unbridgeable differences over a U.S. plan to promote democracy in the Middle East. The more moderate states such as Jordan wanted at least to discuss the idea, while radicals such as Syria wanted to forget democracy and use the meeting to denounce Israel for killing Palestinian terrorist leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin 12:15:49 PM

Richard Cohen wants the U.N. to condemn Palestinian terrorism, specifically suicide bombers and most specifically, the use of confused and sad kids for that purpose.  Me too.... why is the UN so busy condemming the death of Yassin, and completly silent on the use of children for suicide bombers?  OK, I admit I know the answer. 12:13:22 PM

Music trade to sue European, Canadian file-sharers Forbes - The music industry, fighting an intense battle to stop a worldwide slide in sales, unleashed its first wave of international lawsuits against Internet song-swappers on Tuesday. Writs are being issued against 247 swappers in Italy, Germany, Denmark and Canada. Music trade group, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) said the individuals targeted put hundreds, even thousands of tracks on Internet file-sharing services such as Kazaa and WinMX for others to download. 12:03:58 PM