Posts by James Shields

Exam board to hear appeal over format cockup

Silly

If the goal is to have documents that cannot be edited, then the docs should be printed and submitted. Hardcopy. Otherwise, anything can be edited.

If the goal is to make it reasonably hard to make changes so that the vast majority won't try ... just require everything to be submitted as PDF. Or, if it's a presentation, as some kind of movie file.

Otherwise, you end up with this kind of confusion. And, honestly, not being able to open the most common document format on the planet seems rather lame.

Republicans adopt 'Gore's internet' for grassroots salvation

Reagan Landslide

If 7% isn't a landslide, is 9.7% a landslide? That's the difference between Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter in 1980.

Stop: because we need to stop Republican thugs.

Senator slams DHS boss over border laptop searches

Oblivious Americans .. @Dan

It IS obvious to many of us that the same laws should apply to all. It's just not obvious to our current leadership.

Showdown over encryption password in child porn case

24 Show Lovers

I love how there's always some ignorant git who cites the ticking bomb problem as a reason to throw out any and all of the Rules of Law that separate us from barbarism.

Gene Simmons blames college kids for ruining music biz

Let's Be Real Here

First of all, I'm not a huge KISS fan. Their music was OK but not great. Yes, I'm 41 so I grew up with it. Do I listen to KISS music now? No.

Gene Simmons is (was?) a great marketeer. KISS is marketed very well.

All that said, Gene needs to calm down. The other bands trying different sales models are doing what they want to do. It's their music, let them. It's better than letting the RIAA and its member companies steal all the money and pay the musician nothing.

And, to the person who said "it's just sharing". Sorry, no, it IS piracy when you "share" it with thousands of your closest friends. At least have the stones to call it what it is.

Does the record industry need a wake-up call? Sure. And many bands are beginning to get it. Don't produce entire albums of utter crap. Produce a few really good songs and sell those individually.

And, if they can, sell them directly so that the record companies don't get to rob them of 95% (or more) of the income.