Did you know that Apple Threatens to Shut Down iTunes

Musicians and their labels want Apple to increase the amount they make per digital music download. Apple says they would rather shut down iTunes music store. They are turning down a request for an increase of six more cents per song for music publishers and songwriters.
Apple has insisted on keeping the price at 99 cents per download arguing that any price increase above that will make them unprofitable. The Copyright Royalty Board is scheduled to decide on the proposal by a three-person board appointed by the Librarian of Congress by Thursday. Music publishers want their cut to go from 9 cents to 15 cents per song - a 66 percent increase.
Digital downloads have been at the same rate for 12 years and at the the same rate as the sale of physical albums. The board will also raise royalties on physical albums and ringtones, “for the next five years.” I don’t know if that means in five years they will raise the rates higher.
Wired quotes Apple’s iTunes vice president Eddy Cue as saying:
“Apple has repeatedly made it clear that it is in this business to make money, and most likely would not continue to operate [the iTunes music store] if it were no longer possible to do so profitably.” more

Court denies GOP appeal on Ohio early voting

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio GOP suffered another legal defeat Tuesday, as a federal appeals court ruled against the party's appeal involving a disputed early voting window that allows Ohio voters to register and cast a ballot on the same day.

A three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati denied the Ohio GOP's request that, at the very least, ballots cast during the weeklong period be segregated from other ballots cast for the Nov. 4 presidential election.

A federal district judge in Columbus declined to rule on the matter Monday. The Ohio Supreme Court upheld the early voting window in a 4-3 decision the same day, while a federal judge in Cleveland also sided with Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.

The appeals court noted that the lower district court did not rule on the matter of the voting window, and said the argument involves facts about how election officials handle absentee ballots that must first be presented to a lower court.

Bill Todd, a lead attorney for the Ohio GOP, said the party was discussing its options Tuesday night. It wasn't known whether they planned to further appeal.

The appeals court also gave Brunner a second victory, rejecting a GOP challenge to her advisory that county boards of elections weren't required to allow poll observers during early voting.

A federal judge in Columbus issued a temporary restraining order against Brunner's instructions Monday. But the appeals court overturned that ruling, saying the district court had abused its discretion in granting the order.

Thousands of Ohioans went to the polls Tuesday for the first day of early voting. Ohio's largest counties had several hundred voters each, and a small portion of them also registered Tuesday.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALe...U0W- JwD93HBGS80

Police officer accused of kidnapping and rape while on duty

LAWRENCE, Massachusetts - A Lawrence police officer has been arrested for allegedly kidnapping and raping a woman while on duty and in uniform.Kevin Sledge, of Salem, N.H., was arrested after being stopped in Pelham, N.H., on Tuesday, shortly after authorities issued a warrant. Police had asked Sledge to turn himself in, but he went missing and family members told police he might be suicidal. more

School bus driver passed out behind the wheel of a loaded bus

DUI - School bus driver passed out behind the wheel of a loaded bus that was stopped in the middle of a road


LOUDON, Tennessee - Police in eastern Tennessee say they found a school bus driver passed out behind the wheel of a loaded bus that was stopped in the middle of a road.
None of the 30 children aboard were hurt Tuesday morning and the driver was charged with driving under the influence. Kwasny was taken to a hospital and then to jail, where she remained in custody. more

Wall Street bailout

Here's a thought.

This is not a "Wall Street bailout".The banking giants FannieMae, LehmanBros, Wachovia, MorganStanley, etc,etc,etc, have all either withered and died, or have been gobbled up by other banking giants for pennies on the dollar by now.This is no longer an effort to keep a large number of super rich investment banks and insurance companies like AIG afloat. It's too late for that now.What this is, at this point, is a plan to spread around 700 billion in capital to all the still functioning lenders, so that they will have money to hand out credit ie loans to everyone under the sun, and in doing so keeping the economy afloat.No credit means no car loans, no new mortgages, no new business ventures, no home improvements, and etc,etc.The economy is based on lending and loans. Without it, the economy dies.Question is, now that were not investing this 700 billion into direct, palpable companies like we did with BearStearns, where EXACTLY is this 700 billion going to?No financial analysts have answered this important question.This money is going to be pumped into literally thousands of different banks across the nation.

'Sarah Palin, affair'

Sarah Palin Affair is this real?

No less than three members of the man’s (Brad Hanson) family including one by sworn affidavit have claimed that Sarah Palin engaged in an extramarital affair with hus­band Todd’s former business partner, Brad Hanson. These sources have named Hanson as Palin’s secret love, and say their affair nearly wrecked both their marriages. Hanson owned a snowmobile dealership with Palin’s husband Todd, who immediately dissolved the partnership after he heard stories about the affair...Hanson family insider, Jim Burdett, has gone on the record and passed a rigorous polygraph test, revealing de­tails of the affair ..Another source, who preferred to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions, provided the National Enquirer with a sworn affidavit attesting to the Palin-Hanson story.more:

http://www.nationalenquirer.com/...celebrity/%2065481

Anchorage Daily News: Palin's Preferred Inquiry Requires Utmost Secrecyhttp://www.adn.com/sarah-palin/s...ory/%20535188.html

What do you have to hide, Sarah?

'Sarah Palin, affair', you get:http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=sarah+palin%2C+affair&btnG=SearchI

f you type in: 'Sarah Palin cheated on her husband', you get:http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=sarah+palin+cheated+on+her+husbandor:

'Sarah Palin, adultery':http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=sarah+palin%2C+adultery'

Sarah Palin, Brad Hanson':http://www.google.com/search?hl=...%

Most of the results include a link to the original story.http://www.nationalenquirer.com/national_enquirer_world_exclusive_sarah_palins_secret_lover_revealed/celebrity/65481

Dynasty star Heather Locklear arrested after 'erratic driving while on prescription drugs'

Struggling even to stand up, this picture shows Dynasty actress Heather Locklear being helped from a police car after being stopped for driving under the influence of prescription drugs.
Officers were called after Locklear was seen revving her engine loudly and repeatedly reversing over a pair of sunglasses in a car park in Santa Barbara, California.
She then stumbled about in moving traffic, it is claimed.
Officers help Heather Locklear from her vehicle












Police made the 47-year-old balance on one foot to see if she was sober - but she had to steady herself on a road sign.
Police said a witness, who didn't recognise the star, reported that she had stopped on a nearby highway and left her car, apparently stumbling into traffic.
Alcohol was ruled out after tests but Locklear was charged with driving under the influence of prescription medication and released on £2,700 bail.
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