InstaPundit and ConservativeEconomist Articles
Glenn Reynolds has a Tech Central Station column today on the future of weblogs. ("[E]ven top-of-the-line mainstream news institutions like The New York Times are becoming more like webloggers all the time, cutting the size and number of foreign bureaus, and relying more and more on wire services for original reporting to which they add commentary and 'news analysis.' That opens an opportunity for a widely-dispersed network of individuals to make a contribution.") Glenn also points to another TCS column by James Miller. Miller speculates about bloggers "selling out" if the economy picks up:

"Soon, I suspect, the Internet will become a more profitable place to operate. When it is again profitable to attract a wide audience, bloggers will be hired by media companies. While not all bloggers will 'sell out' / 'sign up' those that do will get the advantage of working under a media brand name and will consequently grow in popularity and influence."

Miller predicts "signing up" will occur because independent bloggers will be drowned out by the multi-media roar of corporate sites: "When high-speed Internet access proliferates...professional sites will go multi-media and the solo bloggers won't be able to compete." He presumes that "selling out" will follow. Maybe. But I'm reminded of the SXSW audience member who observed that fake corporate blogs are "like your dad trying to buy pot." They won't get read. So "selling out" has a built-in disincentive. See generally Gonzo Marketing.

Listening To Frank, And The Radio
Frank Paynter writes that the University of Wisconsin's student radio station is going off Web air in light of the pending CARP recommendations, and he's right, this sux indeed. The red-letter day for WSUM and others will be Tuesday, May 21. The Copyright Office has until then to decide whether or not to accept the recommended rate structure. Hopefully the uproar and input will make a difference, and these stations will be able to breathe a sigh of relief (let's hope they can stick it out). Making a ruckus is the most useful thing to do in meantime (and - usefully - doesn't cost a dime). Save Internet Radio is a great place to start.

▪ (later) More ruckus: "The American Open Technology Consortium" and "GeekPAC". [Doc]

More re Kelly
Google also has weighed in with a short (nine page) amicus brief in support of rehearing.
(Was able to edit annoying typo in last post by coming home and Mac-ing. Go figure.)

Linking And Thinking
The EFF and, more recently, journalist Patti Waldmeir, believe the Ninth Circuit went too far in its Kelly v. Arriba decision in February. I read the case when it first came out, and thought the Court had done a good job of balancing the interests of the copyright holder Kelly against those of the Ditto search engine in aggregating and linking to information on the Web.

The EFF argues "the activity that the Panel has condemned is technically indistinguishable from linking generally." Waldmeir picks up on this and says the decision threatens the legality of all linking. As I read the decision though, there was something that set Ditto's conduct apart from others linking to online material. Ditto was not just linking. Instead, Kelly's copyrighted image was displayed on Ditto's page in its original, full-sized format, exactly as it would appear on Kelly's site. The Court reasoned that the search engine could function perfectly using thumbnail images instead of full-sized ones, and that linking through a full-sized image harmed Kelly by doing away with the need to visit the originating site in order to view the image in all its full-sized glory.

Blawging Along
Rick Klau's article in the American Bar Association's Law Practice Management Magazine this month will help introduce more of the legal field to blogging.

Along those lines, I am pleased to add Rory L. Perry II to the blawg roster today, in two manifestations (thanks to Will and Jenny). Rory is the Clerk of the Supreme Court of Appeals in West Virgina (the state's high court). He has his own blog, and also maintains one for the Court where new opinions and other information are available. Rory really gets how technology can help the courts conduct business and interact; some of his other efforts may be found here and here.