insights from the digital future
And I never got a dime after all these years…. Amazon just sent this notice indicating that they’ll terminate my contract as a long-time associate/affiliate in light of the passage of the Internet sales tax clause of the state budget approved by the California legislature, requiring Internet-based businesses to pay sales tax on all items sold to state residents. The bill is on Gov. Jerry Brown’s awaiting his signature. C’mon, Jerry… don’t do it!
UPDATE: He signed it. We done been terminated.
Great news for WOOZradio, Pandora and all other net radio broadcasters. Though this bill doesn’t entirely spell things out re: the future of net radio (at least in terms of WOOZ and our streaming via Live365) it is a positive step toward a solution that will keep net radio alive after many contentious months following the CRB’s unfair ruling in March 2007.
The key — the National Association of Broadcasters has rolled over:
The real deciding factor came when Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.) met with members of the NAB. They told him that they feared their Web competitors would get a deal done first. Under the terms of the legislation, SoundExchange, the body that collects royalties and is part of the Recording Industry Association of America, has until Dec. 15 to negotiate a new rate. The NAB apparently was worried that the deadline didn’t give the organization enough time to strike its own royalty agreement.
“Berman said ‘Fine, we’ll extend the date until Feb. 15, which gives you two more months to talk,'” said one music-industry source with knowledge of the discussions. “There isn’t anything in the act that prevents traditional broadcasters from reaching their own royalty rate.”
That did the trick, according to the source. Dennis Wharton, an NAB spokesman confirmed Saturday night that the NAB met with Berman and that the deadline was extended. He said the trade organization has dropped its opposition in both houses of Congress.
You can listen to netZoo Internet Radio station — WOOZradio commercial free (for a small monthly fee that cuts into our royalty payments) by clicking here. Or listen w/ commercials for free.
I was appalled to find out that not only am I being charged monthly for a service — FreeCreditReport.com (billed as CIC*TRIPLE ADVANTAGE) — that I don’t use but that according to Experian, my SS# and credit history is apparently tied to one ANDREA LAVELLE, also known as Andrew C. Sternberg, and born in 1964 (my actual year of birth is 1975). Only one of three addresses listed are mine and among my supposed debts are a quarter-million dollars in real estate assets (I’ve only rented — never owned).
UPDATE JUNE 6: Finally got thru to Experian (the number for disputes that worked was 1 800 208 9232) and cleared 21 accounts from my credit report that weren’t mine as well as at least a dozen addresses where I never lived. The woman on the phone confirmed that “this happens all the time.” These computers are made by humans, she said. Sounds like you really need some new computers, or an overhaul of your IT staff, I rebutted.
UPDATE: I discovered that indeed one Andrea Lavelle does work at Antioch Tire in Antioch, IL — at the very address listed on MY Experian credit report. Thanks to some Google searching and a call to my purported identity thief’s workplace, I know when she’ll be in the office — but I don’t know who to send (or if there might be a third party involved whose hijacking both of our identities). Guess I’ll call the FTC in the morning.
Upon calling FreeCreditReport.com customer care I was instructed to file a dispute on the website, however, when disputing the first thing listed (the address) i was told that their online disputing system is currently unavailable. I then asked, no, demanded to know why two unknown addresses as well as several assets that aren’t mine are listed on this record which is supposedly based on my social security number. Fill out this form is all I was told. And they will e-mail you. Well the second form didn’t get me anywhere as you can see from the error message below.
So, HOW can I find out what’s up with this BS on my credit report? Is this a bug on Experian’s end (owner of FreeCreditReport.com and issuer of my inaccurate credit report) or has someone who goes by Andrea Lavelle been piggybacking on my credit for better and/or worse? For the record, my credit score according this report is fine, so I have yet to be adversely affected by this mystery (as far as I know).
Has anyone else had issues like this with Experian or other credit history farmers? I can’t find any info about the addresses or identities attached to my profile either (see images below)… To be continued…
Continue reading “My FreeCreditReport.com is in Someone Else’s Name”
An interesting request appeared on my desk this morning to put the 2007, Danish-produced video Good Copy, Bad Copy onto DVD. I was surprised I haden’t seen it yet — it’s quite good, and includes interviews with Girl Talk and Danger Mouse, music by RJD2, Santogold and more. Entertaining! Check it. Oddly, it doesn’t appear to explicitly be Creative Commons licensed or otherwise (which under U.S. law indicates that it is “all rights reserved” by default) however it is available for download in multiple formats via Blip.tv.
Also check out the most recent (I think) Creative Commons vid on CC and Commerce from November 2007: Continue reading “Recent Videos on Copyright Reform”