I’m somewhat hesitant to write this post, for fear of the RIAA goon squad. But sometimes you’ve got to say “fuck it” and just go for what you think is right, even in the face of legal intimidation. I’m hypothetically testing the waters at being an internet broadcaster.
I am renting a streaming server for my Second Life DJ and MC gigs and so whenever I’m not broadcasting an event into SL, I thought I’d go ahead and look into streaming the music I love for anyone to listen to. And that got me toying with the idea of really running an internet radio station. It is not a good time to have these thoughts because the RIAA and their puppet enforcement arm, SoundExchange are out to kill small webcasters.
SoundExchange sets the prices on performance royalty payments for cable, satellite, and internet music broadcasters. Currently they are charging internet broadcasters 500% what traditional radio is paying and 200% of what cable and Satellite are paying. Currently that rate is a $500 dollar a year fee plus $.18 per 100 listeners per song. And at 15 songs per hour that comes to about $23,652.00 a year per 100 listeners. And remember this is not covering the publishing rights which are enforced by ASCAP/BMI. Thats another whole fee and payment structure. ASCAP and BMI rates start at $288 flat annual fee plus $.0006 per listener hour. So if I had 100 listeners on average 24/7 that would be another $525.60. So basically to be legal for a mere 100 listener web stream I’d have to pay over $30,000 just for musical rights licenses. Thats not including server rentals, or the computer hardware to broad cast or the actual purchasing of music to broadcast.

Think about this for asecond and you’ll see that it would cost me over $300 per listener per year. Who’s gioing to pay $300 a year to listen to net radio. Adverisers aren’t because they are only reaching 100 listeners, and Listeners aren’t going to contribute that much. the average donation to public radio is only about $60 per person that donates and only about 10% of public radio listeners donate
So you can see why I’m not going to mention the address of my hypothetical radio station.

I have a good friend and colleague by the name of George Sanger, AKA The Fatman. That’s him over on the left. Besides being talented and charismatic, George is one of the wisest people I’ve ever met. He has this theory that he calls Good/Bad, this isn’t a really new theory, in fact it’s basically Taoism , or at least the Yin/Yang part of Taoism.
Simply stated, no event or thing is wholly bad or good. In fact most things are an almost equal mixture of both. I’m not a verbose writer, so I’m not going to bore you with lots of examples, suffice it to say that from any “bad” event , like getting laid-off, may grow a “good” event like a better job, or personal growth.
Don’t confuse this with fatalism, fatalism would say that every bad thing happens for a reason, and I can’t accept that premise. Good/Bad is more about causality. The reign of a tyrant fosters the revolution.
This blog post came about because as I looked back over the last few post in this blog, I realized that they may seem dark and sad to some. But in fact that’s not the case at all. Life flows past us in it’s own Good/Bad way and I go through making my Good/Bad choices that lead to my own Good/Bad results. It’s all Good/Bad.
If you want to find out more about George Sanger, go to http://fatman.com/ be sure to check out the FAQ page for some of his great stories.

If you Google Jay Shaffer,there are three other Jay Shaffers that have some internet notoriety. There’s the chef that owns the Shaffer City Oyster Bar and Grill in New York City, then there is the business consultant, who runs the “Jay Shaffer Speaks Out ” website, and then there is the gay porn author and “actor.” This Jay has wrote such classics as  “Wet Dreams” and “Full service” and is apparently bearish on short films.
Unfortunately, since I also authored a book (on Mac music software,) if you click on my author profile  on Amazon,  it appears that I also authored the afore mentioned fiction novels.
Just to set the record strait (pun intended,)  Jay M. Shaffer (that’s me) has only written one book so far and it has nothing to do with men’s smoldering desires, unless those desires are to make music using Apple’s GarageBand software.
As for the other two Jays, I would love to exchange recipes with the chef and learn how to avoid the poor house from the business consultant.

I wonder why anyone would would be interested in my blog, because I’m too oriented to thinking what I’m doing is interesting. I communicate  what I’m doing rather than what I’m thinking about. I hope that I can make it more  intellectually engaging soon.

People often ask the question but don’t want to hear the answer. you don’t want to hear that I’ve got this irksome skin rash that is driving me fucking nuts and  in between trying to scratch that spot on my back that I cant reach I’m typing this blog  entry in my boxer shorts. You don’t want to hear that I went to the dentist yesterday for a routine cleaning and that they decided to get Guantanomo on my ass. Why do they say “you may feel some discomfort” why don’t they just have some dude just come in and punch you in the jaw, the result is the same.

So how am I? Just fine, and you?

Secondly, Am I sooo wrong not to be in the mood to go to a St. Patty’s party tonight. Friday is the last night of the week I want to go out. First of all It’s an amateur night, both cops and drunks are on the roads. I don’t drink and drive so that means I going to a party and watch people drink and have fun until it’s way past my bedtime and then I’ve got to try to drag my wife home before she’s ready.

Sorry, but I’d much rather sit here and scratch, drink a glass of Cab, and type at the machine. Woot!