Blu & Exile

If you don't own this album, there's a problem.
Blu & Exile "Dancing in the Rain" live (click to check it out)

THE BRIEFING: Time Warner Moves to Limit Internet Use

I obviously spend a lot of time on the Internet. I’m online watching videos, checking various websites, chatting and downloading. I love the high-speed Internet service that’s become the norm. Remember the days of dial up? Ha! I even remember when having the Internet at all was a luxury.

We hop on-line now with a carefree attitude enjoying the world-wide-web. Our usage may soon be curbed with talk of Internet-use pricing that will cap your use under the proposed plan.

Apparently several companies are running tests in various markets and I found the following about Time Warner’s attempt in the Rochester, New York area (see below). They aren’t alone, with Comcast and AT&T thinking of similar plans. Apparently for them it’s not economic to continue the unlimited Internet plans because of the high costs behind developing and maintaining the infrastructure required to meet the needs of customers. Hey, I hear the argument but it’s been unlimited for as long as I can remember.

Changing the rules after so many years of unlimited service sounds like an unfair rule change. It’s like playing three quarters of basketball and in the forth quarter you suddenly learn that the other team will now get five points per basket, while you’ll only receive one point per basket. Really?! Can you just claim that the costs are too high and then start to impose new fees? (SIDE BAR: In tough economic times it seems like various companies are changing their terms of service. Kodak recently announced that their online photo gallery will now come with a minimum order per year in order to protect photos from being deleted from their site.)
It doesn’t seem fair. The new fees will definitely start causing folks to be more conscious about how much bandwidth they are using or seek alternative service providers. This may end up hurting companies like Time Warner more.

Apparently the Time Warner test will look at customer reaction as one of the determining factors on whether they will expand the program in their other service areas. Other Internet service providers are also paying close attention to those results. I can tell you right now that the plan sucks without doing any research.

This piece appeared in Rochester New York’s Democrat and Chronicle.

Time Warner not alone in Internet-use pricing
By Kate Perry

Time Warner Cable Inc.'s decision to ditch a flat monthly fee for Rochester-area Internet subscribers and replace it with usage-based pricing may be a forerunner of a historic change in the way Internet service providers do business.

AT&T Inc. also is testing usage-based pricing in two markets, and Comcast Corp., another big provider, is considering alternatives to the flat-rate/unlimited-usage model that has been the industry norm.

Despite the moves, industry experts don't foresee all Internet providers adopting a consumption-based model, even though it could be more profitable. They say competition and customer reaction will be factors in determining which companies change the way they charge.

Time Warner Cable's new system, which is to take effect in September, will force big gigabyte consumers to pay more, and all customers who exceed the gigabyte limit for the plan in which they're enrolled will pay a $1-per-gig overage charge.

With the advent and growing popularity of video-heavy sites such as Netflix.com, YouTube.com, Hulu.com, online gaming systems and file sharing networks, Internet service providers have seen a spike in usage, and they're all struggling with the best way to manage the increase in traffic and data consumption, said Dave McClure, president and chief executive of the U.S. Internet Industry Association.

His organization primarily advocates for better, faster and cheaper Internet service, but McClure said the flat-rate fee isn't working as well for the industry as it did in the days of dial-up service. Back then, so-called all-you-can-eat plans worked, and no one dreamed of consuming bandwidth the way we do in 2009.

Now, service providers are required to invest more in system upgrades to keep up with customers' demands.

"Everyone is watching the (Time Warner Cable) model very carefully to see what the level of consumer acceptance will be," McClure said. "We won't know whether this model will work or not, or whether the company will adopt it (nationwide).

"We just know we need to find a more acceptable model."

Role of competition
If customers stick with Time Warner Cable in the markets where the company either has changed its billing method or plans to - Rochester, three Texas cities and one in North Carolina - other providers could be emboldened to try it. If subscribers flee, the switch to usage-based pricing might be short-circuited. Mark Cooper, director of research for the Consumer Federation of America, said competition also will play a role. Time Warner Cable, he asserted, is introducing usage-based pricing in communities such as Rochester where it is the dominant high-speed Internet provider. Knowing the policy will irritate customers, companies won't try it in cities where there is an easy alternative, he said.

Time Warner Cable spokesman Alex Dudley said the trial cities were chosen because they represent a diverse collection of customers.

Like McClure, Cooper said consumer reaction will be a key in determining whether the new pricing model becomes the new norm. If this does mark a sea change for the industry, it will be a slow one.

"Time Warner has been dribbling it out, and there is a good reason for that," Cooper said.

In Rochester, the reaction last week when Time Warner Cable's plan was disclosed was marked by anger and suspicion among many consumers.

Some resented the idea of having to monitor their Internet use the way they do their cell phone minutes, while others worried that online pastimes such as watching movies and playing video games - or even their business and academic pursuits - could put a serious dent in their budgets.
Some accused the New York City-based company of greed, but Time Warner Cable said it simply is looking for a way to fairly bill customers who are gobbling up huge portions of bandwidth. The company's new plan calls for five tiers of usage, ranging from $29.99 a month for a 5-gigabyte cap to $54.90 for a 40-GB cap and an as-yet-undetermined fee for 100 gigabytes.

Similar move
AT&T, which offers only wireless Internet access in Rochester, is testing consumer reaction to a similarly tiered plan in Reno, Nev., and Beaumont, Texas, the latter also a Time Warner Cable test site. AT&T is looking for a more equitable way to bill customers whose usages vary widely, said Kate MacKinnon, a spokeswoman for the Dallas-based company.

Philadelphia-based Comcast said it continuously explores pricing options, including a consumption-based plan. But another industry giant, Verizon Communications Inc., said it has no plans to move to such pricing. Neither offers Internet service in Rochester.

Frontier Communications Corp., which does provide Internet service to the Rochester market, also said it has no plans to institute a new pricing model.

Frontier monitors customer usage and, like Time Warner Cable and AT&T, has a small portion of users consuming large portions of bandwidth. Last year Frontier clarified language in its usage policy to state that 5 gigabytes is "acceptable use" for a standard residential Internet package. However, the company doesn't charge any overages if a customer exceeds 5 gigabytes.

Ann Burr, chairman and general manager of Frontier in Rochester, said that customers are looking for value, especially in the current economic climate, so Frontier won't be considering any usage-based plans. However, she said she understands why other companies are trying it.

"We invest more than $30 million a year in our infrastructure in Rochester to keep pace with user demands and this growth in broadband consumption," Burr said.

Cooper, the consumer watchdog, isn't convinced that it's about infrastructure. He said the pricing switch is about Time Warner Cable flexing its market muscle to reap higher profits. But McClure, from the industry organization, said that's a low blow. "It's very easy for some policy wonk at a consumer organization to say they should just give (Internet away) for free," McClure said. "They don't have to keep the lights on. Our members do."

OMG, LMAO...

Taking microblogging to the next level, Slate V presents a mockumentary about fictitious Flutter

Basic Rap...

Royce Da 5'9" - Basic Rap

You, you, you
nothin' about your....flow, flow, flow
Can't make my mouth go....down, down, down
Or my eyebrow go....up, up
You suck, suck!

Basic rapper, I hate you
Go back to the dates you came from (You, you, you)
N**** rhymes done changed (You, you, you)
Styles done advanced
RUN DMC is a classic (You, you, you)
N**** get back in your time machine
(You, you, you).....

(Click to Check it Out)

I agree.

Rising Up

"Yesterday I saw a big girl cry and I walked up and asked what's wrong and she said the radio's been playin' the same song all day long... So, I told her I got something you've been waiting for..." This track is almost a year old but still a high quality offering from the Legendary Roots Crew! A year after its release, how many times have you heard this track on the radio? I haven't listened to every station every day but I can guess that this track isn't "playlist worthy". (Click to Check it Out)

MF Doom Fan Club President: Mos Def

You know how sometimes you wonder who an artist listens to in their car or at home? I guess we know who Mos is listening to - it's Doom. Mos is obviously blasting Doom while chilling in the studio or on the set of a film or television show in between shooting scenes. Mos, definitely not paralyzed like he was on a recent episode of "House", spends seven minutes of this video spitting verses from Doom tracks like he wrote 'em and then analyzing them like a professor in a college classroom for his students to digest. Guess he's a true fan of another real emcee, showing that he's definitely a humble dude.

Best line, "I bet a million dollars on Doom against Lil Wayne." Wow!

DOOM's album, Born Like This, is in stores now.

Simple. Yet so hilarious.

Best I Ever Had

So Far Gone Review
Category: Hip Hop

I laughed when I read the line "'So Far Gone' suggests what '808s & Heartbreak' would have sound like if Kanye West could sing." Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge Kanye fan and appreciated the efforts of "808s & Heartbreak" but "So Far Gone", a mix tape from relatively unknown Aubrey "Drake" Graham, is fire from beginning to end.

Graham, a Canadian actor by day, has three self-published mix tapes to his credit under the name Drake but through some work with Lil Wayne, his latest "So Far Gone" has created quite the buzz and allowed him to reintroduce himself. "So Far Gone" features Lil Wayne, Trey Songz, Omarion, Bun B, Lykke Li and Peter Bjorn and seventeen quality tracks.

It's a mix tape you don't want to miss out on. Had O not sent me a text telling me about "A Night Off" featuring Lloyd (which I immediately listened to on YouTube) and requested more info (which was followed by a link to the download) I would have missed one of the best hip hop releases of this year. Yes, I said it - one of the best releases of the year! "So Far Gone" reminded me of the days of being able to listen to albums from beginning to end and with seventeen tracks, you get more than you get when you pay for an album (which is maybe 10 songs).

"So Far Gone" has what many albums are missing - originality and talent. Every track will quickly become a favorite. The album is smooth, rich and well produced. Drake mellows things out with tracks like "Bria's Interlude" and "A Night Off". Then he keeps it real with tracks like "Little Bit", "Best I Ever Had", "Lust for Life" and "Say What's Real". There's also club friendly tracks (however, trust me you'll never hear them in a club) "Unstoppable" and "Uptown".

Because of the robots that run the radio stations, you'll never hear these tracks on air but word is Drake, also known on his records as Drizzy, is in the beginning stages of working on his major label debut (due out at some point this year or early 2010) so perhaps that will lend some headway to providing a mainstream outlet.

For more info on Drake:
http://www.octobersveryown.blogspot.com/
http://www.myspace.com/thisisdrake

To download:
http://www.octobersveryown.net/mixtapes/drake_sofargone.zip

"So Far Gone" tracklisting...


















# 1. Lust For Life
# 2. Houstatlantavegas
# 3. Successful (feat. Trey Songz & Lil' Wayne)
# 4. Let's Call It Off (feat. Peter Bjorn & John)
# 5. November 18th
# 6. Ignant Shit (feat. Lil' Wayne)
# 7. A Night Off (feat. Lloyd)
# 8. Say What's Real
# 9. Little Bit (feat. Lykke Li)
# 10. Best I Ever Had
# 11. Unstoppable (feat. Santo Gold & Lil' Wayne)
# 12. Uptown (feat. Bun B & Lil' Wayne)
# 13. Sooner Than Later
# 14. Bria's Interlude (feat. Omarion)
# 15. The Calm
# 16. Outro
# 17. Brand New

What I'm Watching ... Ryan Leslie - "Gibberish"

He's more talented than most song writers and "Gibberish" doesn't even have real words. Listen closely.



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Before the Music Dies

Music headed for self-destruction ...

The Mad Bloggers are back.

So now you're an R&B artist?

Roger Troutman. Teddy Riley. T-Pain. And now whoever else. Weezy, Yung Berg, Yeezy....? So many amazing r&b artists in this field still, extremely great vocal talents, yet these guys and others rather do it all on their record. Never mind maintaining the quality of the music. It's like throwing a party for yourself and you are the host, DJ, caterer, MC, rapper, singer, etc. It get annoying. Irritating. Narcissistic. And sometimes unproductive. It's bad enough there are so called R&B artists coming out with albums with borderline vocal ability. Now I have to deal with this? Great. I'm sticking to my old faithfuls. My reliables. My legendary singers. Some of them might not have released an album in some time, in some years, but still. I blame fans and record labels. Rarely the artists. Never settling for B.S. Not with my music. Ever.

Jingle Jam '07 Biggest Ever? Guess not...

So I hear earlier today that CT's radio station's Jingle Jam still had tickets. Still wasn't sold out. Even had some discounted. Really? Not sold out hours before showtime?

Expert from the radio station's website:(Year after year HOT 93.7 Hartford’s #1 for Hip Hop & R&B has brought you the biggest names in the game like Jay-Z, Nas, 50 Cent, Chris Brown, Akon, Ciara, Ludacris & more and THIS YEAR THE GIFTS ARE COMING A LITTLE EARLY WITH THE RETURN OF THE HOTTEST CONCERT OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON...HOT 93.7’S "JINGLE JAM 07" AND IT WILL BE even BIGGER THAN EVER - LIVE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30TH AT THE HARTFORD CIVIC CENTER!!!)

Bigger than ever? You kidding me?

B5, T-Pain, Hurricane Chris, Bow Wow, Trey Songz, The Dream, Cassidy, Mr. Vegas and last but not least Souljah Boy....

Now I don't dislike every single person in that line up. But........I can see why that show didn't sell out. Amazing considering how much of their music I'm force fed by "alledged" radio and tv requests. Makes me wonder if the artists' labels are just involved in the payola routine. Jay-Z can sell out a show in minutes just him alone. 9 artists plus surprise guests according to the radio station, over a month of promoting and still.......tickets available.

Some on that list can actually sing. Some...can't. Some can actually rap. Most on that list.....can't. Don't see many classics from those artists. But I can admit, I see some one hit wonder puppets on there. Goes to show you that not even hollering at A Bay Bay, falling in love with Bartenders, or Super Soaking that Hoe is enough to sell tickets. You got fans who aren't even that committed to spend $3 an artist, according to the radio station. Seriously? These are fans. Not even good ones. LOL!

Come on people. Get with the program. Cut the bullshit. Ban the wack cats. Stop supporting stupid music that just puts your brain cells to sleep. I can't, at 29, honestly like some shit that sounds like it was written by Dr. Suess nor can I listen to songs sung by what sounds like some kareoke 3rd place winner. Stop settling. I need quality music. I want quality music. I demand that shit. Cause yes...I still buy cds. I'm not making wack "rhymers" (cause most of them can't rap) and greedy money grubbing labels rich like I'm some ignorant, can't think for self, uneducated, middle school drop out who takes what they give me. Too smart for that. Music means too much to me to let that happen. Real music is out there. Just gotta wake your hinbernated brain up to look for it. I mean, it ain't like you don't spend 19 outta 24 hours online anyway. Be useful. Be proactive. Be in love with real music again!

I'm out..........