Re: [dvd-discuss] close to the proverbial bone

["John Zulauf" <johnzu(at)ia.nsc.com>]

Tom wrote:
> 
> On Tue, Nov 06, 2001 at 05:12:35PM +0100, Sham Gardner wrote:
> > > RIAA Wants Background Checks on CD-RW Buyers
> > >
> > > http://www.bbspot.com/News/2001/10/riaa.html
> >
> > Is this genuine? When I first read it a few days ago, I dismissed it as a
> > parody.
> 
> bbspot.com is a parody site. :)


As their visciously funny report on the "settlement" (Can you say
BOHICA?  It's a special word.)

http://www.bbspot.com/News/2001/11/deal.html

The deal places the software maker under supervision by
the US government for the next five to seven years, but
allows it to maintain its software products as is. In return,
the government has agreed to establish Redmond as a new
state, and has offered Microsoft a controlling interest in
both the Senate and the House of Representatives for the
next five to seven years. In addition, John Ashcroft will
receive $2 billion in cash and stock in exchange for
harassing Oracle, Sun and AOL-TW for the next 5 years. 

I have to have, until now I'd thought of AG Ashcroft as a man of
principle -- principle I often disagree with, but principle
nonetheless.  The "we didn't rollover" for MS faux settlement is the
biggest load of horse hockey since the lower courts judgement in
"Universal v. Coreley".