"If you love something you want a permanent copy, and music from iTunes is fundamentally ephemeral: Nearly everything you purchase from the store will never work on any device not made by Apple."

1) DRM can be stripped off of any iTunes Music Store track at will. Stop spreading the FUD

2) DRM exists on iTunes Store because the LABELS, not Apple, demanded it.

3) Prices are better right now on Amazon because the labels are subsidizing it in the war against Apple. Amazon will be the first to require 'bundled' sets of songs to get you back to the good old CD days of 1 hit and 11 garbage songs.

4) Played a song purchase with Microsoft's DRM on another device lately? Didn't think so. But that's different I guess. Can't even play them on devices by MS's 'business partners (aka victims.)

Please compare apples to apples (pun intended, I guess.)

"It took until at least Windows 3.0 for Microsoft to come up with a product that rational people would want to buy."

The difference is that MS used its DOS monopoly to force its Windows on people until it came up with something that was vaguely usable.

It doesn't have that advantage in this arena.

It can keep throwing its endless $$$ into this product until the cows come home, but unless they do something other than continue to copy, Zune will never take off. (And what has MS ever done except copy?)

Also, MS has never really 'come up with a product that rational people would want to buy.". By and large, people use Windows because they're essentially forced to by MS's exclusive (one might say predatory) contracts with PC manufacturers. Very few people outright buy MS products. They accept them.

Well, seems to me that one fairly significant difference between LGB and T is that the first 3 describe issues around the way you relate to other humans, while the 4th is about issues one deals with in relationship to their own identity.

Important issue, but not exactly the same.

My guess is that, at the end of the day, T will be included in the legislation and

1) T's will be scapegoated

2) There will be no progress for anyone.

An John's analysis of why incremental battles win wars is brilliant.

...but as far as I can tell, the human population and cancer are pretty indistinguishable from each other.

When I see the "I'll stay home rather than vote for Hillary" raves, all I can think of is that its these same clowns who said the EXACT same thing about Gore in 2K (how'd that work out, btw?), and now talk about him as the second coming.

Even tho' my beliefs line up more with the fringe, as long as we have a 2 party system (and that is exactly what we have, like it or not), I will vote against ANY republican when the chips are down, and will NEVER throw my vote away on Nader-like sabotage.

Should have learned your lessons by now folks.

The reason people using bluetooth phones are look at like crazy, ranting lunatics who talk to invisible voices, is that they really ARE crazy, ranging lunatics talking to invisible voices.

Even more than people with cell phones in public in general, bluetooth users can't seem to get a grasp on the concept of a 'private voice'. I don't CARE about your girlfriend's STD or the big deal you're cooking up.

Shut the fuck up or talk in private, asshole.

Finally, someone linked to that hideous column in which Friedman gave the 'our crazy guy is crazier than your crazy guy' line.

Well, he got what he wanted, and is now trying to distance himself.

Great stuff.

>According to a recent Gallup Poll, the Republican Party still >has a 48 percent to 38 percent advantage when the public is >asked which party is better able to deal with terrorism.

Who in gods name are these people who think the Republicans are better at dealing with terrorism?

The reason there haven't been any attacks on American soil is simply that Bush and the Republicans have done a better job than OBL and his buddies could ever DREAM of doing of hating and destroying our freedom.

"...to sing songs whose melodies are like meandering, worm-shaped exoskeletons, deliberately fashioned with lots of twists and turns so more words can be crammed in."

So that more words can be crammed in?

Boy does this ever let me know up front that you haven't the slightest business 'reviewing' either music or lyrics.

I won't waste time defending a composer/writer who needs no defense, particularly to such an inane criticism.

But in the land of musical theater, there's an equivalent to the 'Ginger or MaryAnn' quick profile question: Sondheim or Webber.

you're obviously in the latter crowd.

"If I had to choose between almost any republican and hillary, I wouldn't choose her.

-- Tyler_Mason"

Then you're a fucking idiot.

Just like your (no doubt) hero Nader who claimed that there was no difference between Gore and Bush.

"regressive? no. rich and poor would contribute to society just in proportion as they enjoy the material benefits of society.

-- al loomis "

30% of my 69K income is a much greater pinch on me than is 30% on a million dollar income. I'm left with ~46K to live on while the other is left with $666 K. That is proportionate on paper only.

And in proportion to their benefits FROM society? Hardly.

The rich benefit FAR more by social programs such as health, education and infrastructure than do the small fish.

Sorry, but the 'self made man' myth is just that.

Any honest billionaire will admit that that wealth was made possible by the society that provided the educated, safe, and healthy workers.