OUR VIEWS Consensus Opinion

Wreck needs help

Just in case you haven't heard, the Ramblin' Wreck was in an accident last Friday. The Wreck was being towed to a wedding when the trailer hitch snapped, pulling the trailer, Wreck, and the SUV towing them off the road and into thousands of dollars of repairs.

Fortunately, the Wreck's engine wasn't damaged, and what was damaged can be repaired. Even more fortunately, members of the Ramblin' Reck club and alumni believe that they will be able to do the repairs themselves, as neither the insurance on the SUV nor the Wreck will cover the damages done in the accident. It is instead up to the support of organizations that use the Wreck, such as the Alumni Association and Athletic Association, as well as individual students and alumni, to fund the repairs.

It is also up to the Reck Club and the Alumni Association, who purchase and pay for the insurance policies of the Wreck and its faithful towing rig, to rethink the policies they use. The Wreck rarely drives to off-campus events, and is instead towed. Logically, then, either the Wreck needs to be insured while it is on a trailer, or the SUV needs to have its insurance extended to vehicles that it tows. Should anything like this happen again, insurance would eliminate many of the worries being dealt with now.

Royalties rise

This Tuesday was the National "Day of Silence" for online radio broadcasters, who chose to protest an act that would increase the royalty rates paid by Internet broadcasters and potentially shut down this invaluable source of music.

The increase in royalties is a somewhat misguided attempt to limit piracy and help music artists that may instead end up ceasing the circulation of many obscure or older groups. Streaming radio is a great way to legally listen to music, and is often the only way to become exposed to lesser-known artists.

The fight to stop the increases is being led through the Internet Radio Equality Act. This bill would let smaller webcasters and public broadcasters use cheaper rates, keeping many broadcasters on air that wouldn't survive with the new fees.

The bill is not at the front of most Congressmen's agendas, however, and as consumers of the valuable product offered by internet radio, students should give it the attention it deserves. This is a perfect opportunity to get to know your representatives by writing in and showing support for what could be the only way to keep your favorite online broadcasters online.