zenmindbeginner

Perhaps my tone would have been more respectful if your first reply to my post hadn't been "fuck you." For the win.

Jeeze Louise... I said in therms of theft, tangible loss usually means financial loss. Really, you are not intellectually superior to me, so lose your tone. You are inferring and putting words in my mouth again. The theft of a binary file which wasn't stocked in a store, sitting in a warehouse or in someone's place of business or home is not the same as stealing someone's inventory or personal possessions out of their home. I know you want to have some sort of lunatic argument where I am advocating theft by poor people, but that's really all in your head. You'll have to take both sides on that one. Interesting point and and a better inference than jwhitcomb's but still sort of exaggerating and kind of distorting my point. When I say I don't have any money, I don't have much discretionary money left over after I pays my bills... I can pay my data plans and bought the computer with which I use... I don't feel entitled to shit when I work for it and pay for it with the money I earned. I don't feel that people who can afford it should steal music because they can... I was only illustrating an example where some illegal downloading doesn't actually hurt the artist and can actually expose more people to their music and ultimately increase their popularity.

No it is not. Unlicensed use of property... hmmm... good point, but you are presenting a straw man argument because we are talking about financial impact to the artist, not unauthorized use of a record label's property. I understand you are a man of law and I'm not trying to challenge your legal intelligence, but you have yet to prove how an artist is financially hurt when someone who is penniless illegally downloads their music. I mean, you're a lawyer... prove how they are financially hurt instead of presenting straw man arguments and sidetracking the issue.

Tangible means something that is clearly defined and not vague or elusive. Wouldn't financial impact be considered tangible? In legal terms when discussing theft, tangibility usually means financial impact. When there is no financial impact upon the institution that was stolen from... tell me what is the tangible effect you are speaking of?

Really, I don't need the legal lesson... I have been explaining the VERY fact that stealing music does NOT always have a tangible effect on the people that were stolen from. But that would take actually reading what I typed instead of assuming what I meant... you seem to be a little full of jwhitcomb to actually accomplish that task.

Are you saying it's okay to steal if you don't have the money to buy? It's still stealing. Where in the hell did I say that it is okay to steal? Quote what you want but don't put words in my mouth or infer what you think I was trying to say. You are a broken record about politics and the government... I could care less about your political views. Did you read YOUR OWN post?!?!? You are saying that it's okay for YOU to download music for free, because you don't have the money to buy it. I don't HAVE to put words in your mouth, IT'S RIGHT THERE. As far as my politcal views, you'd be surprised at my political views these days, but I really don't care either way. Cary, i said that my downloading doesn't impact them financially... not that file sharing is okay or somehow legal. Stealing music is stealing music. I know you seriously want to believe that I think that stealing is not illegal because that will enforce your view that liberals are all piles of shit. ALL i am saying is that the illegal file sharing that I participated in did not effect anyone in the pocketbook... and so the usual shrinkage cost does not apply. Nobody got robbed even though a theft occurred. Is that better?

Are you saying it's okay to steal if you don't have the money to buy? It's still stealing. Where in the hell did I say that it is okay to steal? Quote what you want but don't put words in my mouth or infer what you think I was trying to say. You are a broken record about politics and the government... I could care less about your political views. You said you stole the music and then rationalized it by saying it was okay to steal it because you didn't have money, so...are you saying it's not okay to steal? FWIW, Cary and I have exactly the same politics. Again, I am making a point that a lot of the downloading does not actually impact the artist's income. It was money that they weren't going to get in the first place. We are talking about downloading affecting artist's royalties, not debating whether or not file sharing is illegal. I see your not jumping down Brooks' throat because he is ripping off of youtube but choosing to single me out because I don't agree with you politically. Go ahead, give Brooks the same shit you gave me... oh wait, he's respected on this board and I guess you have no respect for me because wait... You don't agree with me politically because you have inferred from my posts that I am a lefty. Fuck you. Good for you, maybe you two can form a duo together.

Are you saying it's okay to steal if you don't have the money to buy? It's still stealing. Where in the hell did I say that it is okay to steal? Quote what you want but don't put words in my mouth or infer what you think I was trying to say. You are a broken record about politics and the government... I could care less about your political views.

Most of the people with broadband internet connections in the USA are middle class. The middle class has seen their incomes fall consistently since the 70's. Now, most middle class households are strapped for cash and can't afford to buy music like they did in the past. If people had more discretionary income, they could buy more music legitimately. I was buying box sets and CDs like you couldn't believe in the 90's... my collection is massive as a result. Now, I can barely afford to put gas in the car, so buying music stopped. Do I stop listening and getting more music? No. Hence the downloading rise being congruent with the decline in middle class incomes. I don't have any money and so when I download for free, I wasn't a candidate for a legitimate sale in the first place. It's not like they can count on my spending dollars anymore because there aren't any. The problem is when you already HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY THE CD AND CHOOSE NOT TO, not the working poor being able to listen to a new song once a month because they downloaded it illegally.

Intellectual property will always be a challenge to safeguard and protect. Just because something occurs for a period, does not mean it will always be. Change is the only permanence. The notion of a middle or working class is also temporary, even though it seemed like reality, it was fleeting in the context of time... much like disco. In the past, wealth was concentrated at the very top with very little of it extending down to the majority. This is THE model that mankind has lived under for centuries. Only in the last 4 or 5 centuries has the flow of wealth begun to trickle down to a segment of humans deemed the "middle class". Prior to that, almost ALL intellectual property was held by the Kings and Queens. Western Civilization is in decline, our current model is simply being replaced with a new one. The new model is similar to the old one before the wealth started to flow from the top. Most of mankind is being fitted for their new dystopia right now. Everything is in decline except for technology. Newspapers and magazines are dying too. Much of the motion picture industry is hurting too. Downloading is killing a lot more than just music artist's royalties.

You don't know with whom/what "most" of the attendees identify and you have no idea about Coop's devotions. It is a supposition on your part. Rob, I live in NC. Bonnaroo is within driving distance and I know plenty of people that go to Bonnaroo and that have been going for years. They are all hippies of some sort. Alice Cooper has let it slip that he is a Republican numerous times throughout the years. None of this is supposition thank you. Good for you about your love for the 1%... I just mentioned the 99% and 1% to shorten a long statement into fewer words. To say that there are political differences between Alice Cooper fans and Phish fans is almost an understatement. I'm actually surprised that you didn't know that.

I can think of at least 20 acts that I'd rather see than Alice Cooper on the Bonnaroo stage. Alice Cooper was (as is many things in life), a person in a place and time... his music had no real message and he was just concerned with putting on the best show possible (making as much money as possible). Irrelevant is one of those funny words that means very little because everyone's relevance is relative. lolz. Alice's big hits however, will always be around, he's a mega star... there's absolutely no denying that. I like music that is challenging and or deep, physically satisfying (makes you move yer body), colorful, witty, adventurous etc. I like that Alice Cooper song that sounds like the raspberries though. And I don't have anything against folks like Alice Cooper who worked really hard and smart to make a great big ol' success and be financially secure... having pride in your work and getting rewarded for it is fantastic, I mean, I like money as much as the next guy. lolz!

Are you saying that Alice is a Republican? I have no idea. But your mention of 1% implies that the backlash is because he's rich. Well, the Phish guys and Dave Matthews are just as rich if not richer, so that's not it. It's left versus right when it comes down to the 99% versus the 1%... there are a lot of fairly wealthy people that support the 99% movement. And on the other hand there are many poor folks who support the 1%. It's just politics I guess... not that we are discussing it. lolz.

Keeping things fresh by mixing in parts of a 30+-year-old song? Can't say I agree with that take, but Alice is indeed still bringing it. The hippies are cheesed that bands like Alice Cooper are playing at Bonnaroo because it represents how the fest has become bloated, corporate and a far, far cry from what it was originally. Not unlike how the Sunset Strip rockers are still bitter toward the grunge nerds for kicking their asses to the curb. Or how you like a band when they're obscure, but when they become mainstream, you like them less. It's also the plain and simple fact that Alice Cooper does not hold the same ideals as most of the Bonnaroo crowd. Most of the Bonnaroo attendees identify with the 99% and Alice is a 1% devotee. There is a HUUUUUGE political chasm between Alice Cooper and the Bonnaroo audience. That is the biggest reason for the backlash.

All of those bands and you guys waste your time on Alice Cooper? All of his songs are weak, his horror schtick is like... yawn. I can't believe he's part of the line-up. I thought this festival was about young people and their music. What twenty something even knows who Cooper is? Classic rock stations don't even play his music anymore, he's irrelevant.

The Zoo.

Man in the muthaf**kin' box. Oh and... "More Bounce To The Ounce"!!!! Maybe even "California Love too".

You nailed it on the afro caribbean art. I too agree that it needs to be appreciated in it's cultural context. I want it so I can refinish it.

That is what immediately came to my mind... sort of a pickguard for the headstock. Great work as always Jay!

I've been out of it lately, what's the story on the vector and it's UMMMAZING checkerboard finish?

Jay, I've had luck with 91% alcohol... it's stronger than shellac's natural solvent (denatured alcohol) You should be able to take the shellac down with alcohol fairly easy with a rag and some elbow grease. Nitro melts into shellac too... there could be a layer of nitro on there which is making the alcohol stripping difficult. Qualalac or cellusolve should take the nitro right off if there is any... hell it will strip the shellac too. I have been working with shellac for a good year now and have stripped several coats with alcohol. I use alcohol to blend shellac repairs too. Alcohol usually works... it's strange that it's not coming off... alcohol is the carrier for shellac and should be it's natural thinner and remover too. It's just beetle joint excretions anyways.

It's not just losing a son... it was losing the dearest of friends too. 3 years ago, must seem like it happened yesterday. You've basically stared right into the flames of hell. The good news is that you are experienced hell on earth in it's most lethal form and yet you are still here and doing well. You deserve a LOT of credit for keeping your sanity when most of us would have crumbled beyond repair. Now you have a quality that is extremely rare and highly valuable... grace. Rest In Peace Joel, I know for a fact that he will always be remembered because I myself, will never forget him because of your dedication to his memory. And don't forget that we are ALL pulling for you.

Holy SMOKES! If you told me that someone sneaked into a Police rehearsal with their portable Zoom and recorded this, I would have believed you. F**k you have a kick ass drummer and sang the vox really good. Like I said, as good as The Police. A+

The problem of covering The Police is that Copeland is one of the most bad ass cats to ever sit behind a drum kit... he thwacks that snare so friggin' hard with his traditional grip that the snare stand wavers a bit with each hit. His hi hat work is almost impossible to recreate... he is truly an elusive and slippery drummer like Alex Acuna. Stings bass playing = adequate and quite good Summers' playing - ranges from straight forward rock and reggae to the truly bizarre and esoteric... weird guitar player fo shizzle. I mean, he's no Larry Lalonde or Thorn, but he's out there.

Synchronicity Part II