Internet Killed the Radio

Internet radio is about to become extinct and we can thank the industry itself for the demise. The battle for royalties started several years ago with shareware conduits like Napster, but over the last few years the headlines have faded thanks to the introduction of pay services like iTunes (2001). Although it may seem as though the industry has slowed down on suing little 13 yr old girls for copyright infringement it has now set its focus on broadcasters. This time instead of using lawsuits to drain the consumer for more money, the music industry is weeding out the smaller broadcasters by hiking their royalty fees.

On March 2, 2007 a royalty hike was approved that is sure to force most internet broadcasters out of business. Currently iTunes has over 250 live streams from stations all over the world, but with the new fee structure that may be quickly reduced by 80% or more. Other venues for online radio and music download sites (ie Yahoo, Pandora, etc) could face similar reductions in content and services if the consumer doesn’t step up.

Write your representative today and help save internet radio.
http://www.savenetradio.org/

Coffee Shop Chatter

One of the pleasures (and trust me there aren't many) of being unemployed is that you get to hang out at the coffee shop and surf the internet, read the paper, or just watch people. Typically you would think of the café as the common meeting ground among friends or a library barista, but as I’ve recently discovered more business takes place over a cup of “Jo” then you might think.

Whether it’s a casual meeting to discuss a fundraiser, interviewing a new hire, writing a book (JK Rowlings), or blogging about the latest celebrity gossip (PerezHilton.com), the coffee shop has evolved into a capitalist breeding ground.

On an average visit you’ll typically find the token student, retiree, unemployed searching for jobs (moi), or the transit commuter zipping in and out. Sometimes you can even find love, or at least get a date, from hanging out at coffee shop.

My favorite destination for sitting back and relaxing with a nice cup of coffee is Caribou Coffee on Cornelia and Halsted in Chicago. I also like the rich style of Austrian based Julius Meinl located at Addison/South Port.

Do you have a favorite café?