The Machine Never Learns...

I've certainly ranted against the Machine in these pages quite a bit already (for those not in the know, the Machine is my name for the big recording companies), but it seems like there's always something else to talk about; they bring it on themselves, they really do.

Here's the latest: Evidently, some of the record companies are trying to pressure Apple CEO Steve Jobs to raise prices on some songs at the wildly popular iTunes Music Store (at the moment, everything costs 99 cents in the U.S.). Jobs, however, accuses the labels of being greedy, noting that they already make more profit by selling a song through iTunes than they do on a CD. Also, The Joy of Tech has a great send-up of the whole situation; the guy being portrayed in the cartoon is the CEO of a huge music conglomerate which is owned by a distillery--the kind of person we really want making artistic choices for you and me. (Hat tip: Jeremiah Cohick.)

This appeals to our bass-er instincts: Imagine if you worked in an office where everyone had a really nasty, distracting habit, and eventually you got them to move it outside or in special rooms in the building. Sounds like the nasty habit would be smoking, right? Except...suppose it wasn't smoking, but playing the tuba, in a hilarious short film from Canada.

Blowing out the candles: Happy birthday to fellow jazzblogger Shawn, who shares his special day with the interesting triumvirate of Mahatma Gandhi, Groucho Marx and Sting.