Steinbring Inc.

This is just a quick note that I am still alive.  I’m having fun in Paris.  I have very limited net access.  I’ll be back in the states on the 8th.

This is cool.  AOL is offering free local phone numbers that you can link to your AIM account.  If someone calls the number while your online, you can answer the call via AIM.  If your offline, they can leave a voicemail and then the recording is emailed to you.  If you want to make an outgoing call via AIM, they charge you $10 per month for unlimited calling to 30 countries.  I really wanna try this.

The Boy Scouts of America are auctioning off a 101-year-old wooden tall ship, once used to teach sailing techniques and maritime history, because it needs $1.5 million in repairs.  The ship will be listed on eBay this week with a starting bid of $75,000, unless a benefactor appears before then.

[ Via Reuters ]

Well, it looks like the fine folks at the RIAA, who became famous for suing 13 year old girls for tens of thousands of dollars, have now decided to go after the greedy folks at XM Satellite Radio for selling a device that records music off of the radio.  They are apparently seeking $150,000 per individual song recorded.  Do they really think a bad Coldplay song recorded off of the radio (even if it is digital) is worth $150,000 per copy?  This is why I don’t buy music from RIAA labels anymore.

Well, it looks like Blue Security is shutting down under pressure from spammers. I hope someone new comes in to fill the void. It was a cool idea.