Record sales have been on a steady decline for more than a decade: file sharing and streaming services have been the main culprits. The former has been the focus of lawsuits and headlines, but it?s the latter that has quietly crept into the consciousness of artists making their music available to services like Pandora, Spotify, Last.fm and the like. Artists like the Black Keys have declined to let their most recent record?the critically acclaimed and Grammy Award winning El Camino?from being available on Spotify and other streaming services, saying it?s not a viable, profitable option.
The most recent gripe between artist and online radio has proved to be the lone galvanizing motive for Pink Floyd, a band whose surviving members haven?t put differences aside for more than 30 years?aside from their all-too-brief reunion at Live 8 in 2005.
Pink Floyd collectively submitted an op-ed piece to USA Today, accusing Pandora of using tricks to fool artists to agree to an 85% slash in the royalties they receive. Roger Waters, David Gilmour and Nick Mason have singled out the service for their support of the Internet Radio Fairness Act of 2012,?the IRFA died in committee?which called for the drastic cut.
?For almost all working musicians, it?s also a question of economic survival. Nearly 90% of the artists who get a check for digital play receive less than $5,000 a year,? the members said in the piece. ?They cannot afford the 85% pay cut Pandora asked Congress to impose on the music community.?
WCBS-FM afternoon drive jock ?Broadway? Bill Lee agrees with Pink Floyd?s assessment of Pandora?s action. ?Waters (along with Gilmour and Mason) is well within his rights to make that claim,? says Lee. ?Even though Pandora isn?t turning a profit yet, based on their stock performance, they certainly will be in the future.?
Pink Floyd also pointed out that Pandora?notably founder Tim Westergren?was emailing artists ?asking them to ?be part of a conversation? about the music business and sign a simple ?letter of support? for Internet radio.? A copy of such a letter between Westergren and New York-based musician Blake Morgan was published on the Huffington post: it includes Morgan?s disapproving response and the continued exchange between the two.
Pandora released their own statement, respectfully denying Pink Floyd?s claims. ?Unfortunately, they have been given badly misleading information ? the result of a well-orchestrated campaign by the RIAA and their lobbying arm to mislead and agitate artists,? the statement reads. It continues, saying the accusation that Pandora supports an 85% cut are ?? simply not true? and that ?Pandora is by far the highest paying form of radio in the world and proudly pays both songwriters and performers.?
Pandora?s statement proceeds to call into question Pink Floyd?s source for this 85% cut in royalties, saying the Internet Radio Fairness Act doesn?t mention specific rates?which it does not.
But musicFIRST, a coalition whose aim ?is to ensure music creators get fair pay for their work everywhere it is played,? pointed out that Westergren and Pandora currently pay a 50% royalty rate but wishes to make the cut to 8%: the same as satellite radio. After crunching the numbers, the drop from 50% to 8% is roughly the same as an 85% cut, which is pointed out by this infographic.
Pink Floyd?s battle with Pandora is just the beginning of what looks to be a lengthy conflict, especially with continuing advances in the digital age that sees businesses looking to continually pad their pockets while artists pursue their fair shake of revenue.
Research in fruit flies provides new insight into Barrett's esophagusPublic release date: 27-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Kris Rebillot krebillot@buckinstitute.org 415-209-2080 Buck Institute for Age Research
Buck Institute research focuses on regulation of adult stem cells
Research focused on the regulation of the adult stem cells that line the gastrointestinal tract of Drosophila suggests new models for the study of Barrett's esophagus. Barrett's esophagus, a risk factor for esophageal cancer, is a condition in which the cells of the lower esophagus transform into stomach-like cells. In most cases this transformation has been thought to occur directly from chronic acid indigestion when stomach contents flow back up into the esophagus. A new study, published June 27, 2013 online in Cell Reports, suggests a different cause, namely a change in stem cell function, for this transformation.
Researchers at the Buck Institute manipulated a signaling pathway (BMP-like Dpp) implicated in the development of Barrett's esophagus. After manipulation, the adult stem cells that normally generate the lining of the esophagus of fruit flies morphed into the type of stem cells that generate stomach cells. "Up until this point, it's not been clear what this signaling pathway does in stem cells of the gastrointestinal tract, or how it influences the regeneration of various types of epithelial cells in the gut of the fly," said Heinrich Jasper, PhD, a professor at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and senior author of the study.
"Barrett's esophagus may not be simply a mechanical response to the overabundance of gastric acid," said Jasper. "Antacids may not be the best means of treating a condition whose development appears to be more complex. This gives us avenues to look for targets for new therapies."
Between five and ten percent of people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) develop Barrett's esophagus, usually after the age of 55. Among that population the risk of developing an esophageal adenocarcinoma is about 0.5 percent per year. Typically before the cancer develops, precancerous cells appear in the Barrett's tissue. Barrett's esophagus may be present for many years before cancer develops. Periodic upper GI endoscopy is often used to monitor those with the condition to watch for signs of cancer development.
The Jasper lab is developing the fruit fly, which shares many genetic pathways with humans, as a model to study gastrointestinal disease. Jasper says his lab is now looking at the impact BMP-like Dpp signaling has on the muscles and sphincters of the gastrointestinal system.
###
Contributors to the work:
Other Buck Institute researchers involved in the study include Hongjie Li and Yanyan Qi. This work was supported by the National Institute on General Medical Sciences (NIH RO1 GM100196), and the Ellison Medical Foundation (AG-SS-2224-08) to H.J.
About the Buck Institute for Research on Aging
The Buck Institute is the U.S.'s first independent research organization devoted to Geroscience focused on the connection between normal aging and chronic disease. Based in Novato, CA, The Buck is dedicated to extending "Healthspan", the healthy years of human life and does so utilizing a unique interdisciplinary approach involving laboratories studying the mechanisms of aging and those focused on specific diseases. Buck scientists strive to discover new ways of detecting, preventing and treating age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, cancer, cardiovascular disease, macular degeneration, osteoporosis, diabetes and stroke. In their collaborative research, they are supported by the most recent developments in genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics and stem cell technologies. For more information: http://www.thebuck.org
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Research in fruit flies provides new insight into Barrett's esophagusPublic release date: 27-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Kris Rebillot krebillot@buckinstitute.org 415-209-2080 Buck Institute for Age Research
Buck Institute research focuses on regulation of adult stem cells
Research focused on the regulation of the adult stem cells that line the gastrointestinal tract of Drosophila suggests new models for the study of Barrett's esophagus. Barrett's esophagus, a risk factor for esophageal cancer, is a condition in which the cells of the lower esophagus transform into stomach-like cells. In most cases this transformation has been thought to occur directly from chronic acid indigestion when stomach contents flow back up into the esophagus. A new study, published June 27, 2013 online in Cell Reports, suggests a different cause, namely a change in stem cell function, for this transformation.
Researchers at the Buck Institute manipulated a signaling pathway (BMP-like Dpp) implicated in the development of Barrett's esophagus. After manipulation, the adult stem cells that normally generate the lining of the esophagus of fruit flies morphed into the type of stem cells that generate stomach cells. "Up until this point, it's not been clear what this signaling pathway does in stem cells of the gastrointestinal tract, or how it influences the regeneration of various types of epithelial cells in the gut of the fly," said Heinrich Jasper, PhD, a professor at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and senior author of the study.
"Barrett's esophagus may not be simply a mechanical response to the overabundance of gastric acid," said Jasper. "Antacids may not be the best means of treating a condition whose development appears to be more complex. This gives us avenues to look for targets for new therapies."
Between five and ten percent of people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) develop Barrett's esophagus, usually after the age of 55. Among that population the risk of developing an esophageal adenocarcinoma is about 0.5 percent per year. Typically before the cancer develops, precancerous cells appear in the Barrett's tissue. Barrett's esophagus may be present for many years before cancer develops. Periodic upper GI endoscopy is often used to monitor those with the condition to watch for signs of cancer development.
The Jasper lab is developing the fruit fly, which shares many genetic pathways with humans, as a model to study gastrointestinal disease. Jasper says his lab is now looking at the impact BMP-like Dpp signaling has on the muscles and sphincters of the gastrointestinal system.
###
Contributors to the work:
Other Buck Institute researchers involved in the study include Hongjie Li and Yanyan Qi. This work was supported by the National Institute on General Medical Sciences (NIH RO1 GM100196), and the Ellison Medical Foundation (AG-SS-2224-08) to H.J.
About the Buck Institute for Research on Aging
The Buck Institute is the U.S.'s first independent research organization devoted to Geroscience focused on the connection between normal aging and chronic disease. Based in Novato, CA, The Buck is dedicated to extending "Healthspan", the healthy years of human life and does so utilizing a unique interdisciplinary approach involving laboratories studying the mechanisms of aging and those focused on specific diseases. Buck scientists strive to discover new ways of detecting, preventing and treating age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, cancer, cardiovascular disease, macular degeneration, osteoporosis, diabetes and stroke. In their collaborative research, they are supported by the most recent developments in genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics and stem cell technologies. For more information: http://www.thebuck.org
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
SAN DIEGO (AP) ? The military's highest court overturned a murder conviction Wednesday against a Camp Pendleton Marine in one of the most significant cases against American troops from the Iraq war.
The Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces threw out the conviction of Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins III of Plymouth, Mass., who has served about half of his 11-year sentence.
According to the ruling posted on the court's website, the judges agreed with Hutchins, who claimed his constitutional rights were violated when he was held in solitary confinement without access to a lawyer for seven days during his 2006 interrogation in Iraq.
The decision is seen as a major blow to the military's prosecution of Iraqi war crimes.
Hutchins led an eight-man squad accused of kidnapping an Iraqi man from his home in April 2006, marching him to a ditch and shooting him to death in the village of Hamdania.
Hutchins has said he thought the man ? who turned out to be a retired policeman ? was an insurgent leader. Prosecutors accused the squad of planting a shovel and AK-47 to make it appear he was an insurgent.
None of the other seven squad members served more than 18 months.
The move is the latest in a series of twists and turns for Hutchins, whose case already was overturned once by a lower court three years ago.
The lower court ruled Hutchins' 2007 trial was unfair because his lead defense lawyer quit shortly before it began. The military's highest court disagreed on that point and reinstated Hutchins' conviction in 2011, sending him back to the brig after eight months working at a desk job at California's Camp Pendleton. The high court said at the time that the problem wasn't grave enough to warrant throwing out the conviction.
On Wednesday, it agreed with Hutchins' latest petition.
Hutchins' lawyer, Babu Kaza, said he expects him to now be released in days.
"Sgt. Hutchins and his family have suffered enough with this case, and it's time for this to be over," Kaza said. "Enough is enough."
The Navy can appeal to the Supreme Court or send the case to the convening authority, who can either order a retrial or let the ruling stand.
Navy officials could not be immediately reached for comment.
In their ruling Wednesday, the court's judges said the Naval Criminal Investigative Services violated Hutchins' Fifth Amendment rights when it interrogated him in May 2006 about the incident and then put him in a trailer in Fallujah with no access to a lawyer or phones.
After seven days, the same Navy investigator returned and asked Hutchins for permission to search his belongings. Hutchins said he asked to tell his side of the story and was told he could do so the next day, when he waived his right to counsel and provided a sworn statement about the crimes.
The judges ruled much of the case rested on that confession, which they determined was illegally obtained after Hutchins was held under guard for seven days.
"Accordingly, under the circumstances of this case, it was error for the military judge to admit the statement made by Hutchins on May 19, 2006," the judges concluded in their ruling.
The case was among the most serious Iraqi war crimes prosecuted by the government. In another major case that took six years, the lone Marine convicted in the killings of 24 unarmed Iraqi civilians in a raid in Haditha seven years ago reached a deal to escape jail time.
Another case involved the November 2004 death of an unarmed Iraqi detainee in Fallujah. One Marine was spared prison time after pleading guilty to dereliction of duty, and another was acquitted. Their former squad leader was acquitted in federal court.
Former Navy officer David Glazier, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, said Wednesday's ruling demonstrates the military's poor prosecution record.
"For these very serious allegations of conduct that one would think of as war crimes, the military justice system has not performed very well in the past couple decades," Glazier said.
"Here this guy's conviction is overturned on the basis that he was mistreated by the government during his initial apprehension, and yet he's already served five years in prison," he added. "If the conviction was unjust in the first place, it's kind of appalling it's taken the military justice system five years to resolve it."
Hutchins' lawyer said his client told him after the ruling that he can't wait to return to his wife and two children.
A plan is afoot to turn Canada?s largest city into the next yuan trading centre.
According to Chinese media reports, authorities from the Department of Finance, the Bank of Canada and several big Canadian banks recently met with representatives of? major Chinese banks to discuss ways to promote Toronto as the first North American hub for offshore yuan trading.
A story in Shanghai Daily says the gathering, held on Friday, included Canada?s big five banks, HSBC, Industrial Commercial Bank of China and Bank of China.
As it stands, the major centres outside Mainland China where the currency is traded include Hong Kong, Singapore, London and Taiwan, with Hong Kong holding the biggest market share.
With its large and growing Chinese community, Toronto has long had close business ties to the world?s most populous country, so such a move would likely strengthen that relationship.
Zimmerman trial joke: A defense attorney for George Zimmerman started the trial with a 'knock, knock' joke. It didn't go so well.
By Kyle Hightower and Mich Schneider,?Associated Press / June 26, 2013
George Zimmerman (2nd from r.) stands with his defense team, Mark O'Mara (l.), Don West, and Lorna Truett, during his trial in Seminole circuit court in Sanford, Fla., on Tuesday. Mr. Zimmerman has been charged with second-degree murder for the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin.
Gary W. Green/Orlando Sentinel/AP
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George Zimmerman was fed up with "punks" getting away with crime and shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin "because he wanted to," not because he had to, prosecutors argued Monday, while the neighborhood watch volunteer's attorney said the killing was self-defense against a young man who was slamming Zimmerman's head against the pavement.
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The prosecution began opening statements in the long-awaited murder trial with shocking language, repeating obscenities Zimmerman uttered while talking to a police dispatcher moments before the deadly confrontation.
The defense opened with a knock-knock joke about the difficulty of picking a jury for a case that stirred nationwide debate over racial profiling, vigilantism and Florida's expansive laws on the use of deadly force.
"Knock. Knock," said defense attorney Don West.
"Who is there?"
"George Zimmerman."
"George Zimmerman who?"
"All right, good. You're on the jury."
The courtroom was silent. He later apologized for the poor delivery.
Zimmerman, 29, could get life in prison if convicted of second-degree murder for gunning down Martin on Feb. 26, 2012, as the unarmed black teenager, wearing a hoodie on a dark, rainy night, walked from a convenience store through the gated townhouse community where he was staying.
The case took on racial dimensions after Martin's family claimed that Zimmerman had racially profiled Martin and that police were dragging their feet in bringing charges. Zimmerman, whose mother is Hispanic and whose father is white, has denied the confrontation had anything to do with race.
Prosecutor John Guy's first words to the jury recounted what Zimmerman told a dispatcher in a call shortly after spotting Martin: "F------ punks. These a-------. They always get away."
Zimmerman was profiling Martin as he followed him, Guy said. He said Zimmerman viewed the teen "as someone about to a commit a crime in his neighborhood."
"And he acted on it. That's why we're here," the prosecutor said.
Zimmerman didn't have to shoot Martin, Guy said. "He shot him for the worst of all reasons: because he wanted to," he said.
The prosecutor portrayed the watch captain as a vigilante, saying, "Zimmerman thought it was his right to rid his neighborhood of anyone who did not belong."
West told jurors a different story: Martin sucker-punched Zimmerman and then pounded the neighborhood watch volunteer's head against the concrete sidewalk, and that's when Zimmerman opened fire.
Showing the jury photos of a bloodied and bruised Zimmerman, the defense attorney said, "He had just taken tremendous blows to his face, tremendous blows to his head."
West said the story that Martin was unarmed is untrue: "Trayvon Martin armed himself with a concrete sidewalk and used it to smash George Zimmerman's head."
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Public release date: 27-Jun-2013
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