Media Today

[Rick Plant]

Elizabeth Holmes is rebranding herself as a sweet, devoted mother. Will anyone buy it?
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/may/09/elizabeth-holmes-is-rebranding-herself-as-a-sweet-devoted-mother-will-anyone-buy-it

[Rick Plant]

'Bad news': Unexpected melting of Greenland glacier could double sea-level rise projections
https://www.rawstory.com/bad-news-unexpected-melting-of-greenland-glacier-could-double-sea-level-rise-projections-2659985985/

[Rick Plant]

Knicks vs. Heat score, takeaways: Jalen Brunson leads New York to victory over Miami to avoid elimination
The Knicks live to fight another day
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/knicks-vs-heat-score-takeaways-jalen-brunson-leads-new-york-to-victory-over-miami-to-avoid-elimination/live/

[Rick Plant]

New study finds an alarming link between ambient air pollution and mental health
https://www.rawstory.com/new-study-finds-an-alarming-link-between-ambient-air-pollution-and-mental-health/

[Rick Plant]

Amazon resumes operations at Fort Wayne warehouse after worker death from head injury
https://www.wfyi.org/news/articles/fort-wayne-amazon-warehouse-closes-state-inspection-triggered-after-worker-dies-of-head-injury

[Rick Plant]

I've said all along that the best way to own an "all analog" vinyl pressing is to seek out an original pressing in near mint condition.

Many of these record labels today make their claim that their records are "all analog from the original master tapes". Others try to fudge their claims by stating they are "sourced from the original master tape". Well, the word "sourced" means they are using a digital copy of the original master tape which was their "source". So, it's not analog at all, it's a digital.   

So, vinyl enthusiasts are spending $35-$45 a piece (sometimes more) on a single vinyl record they believe is "all analog" when in fact it's still a digital source being used. So, the consumer is being lied to plus they are spending more money than they should on a digital reproduction they believe is analog meant to sound better than an original pressing.

Mike Esposito is a great guy and runs a fabulous record store in Phoenix, Arizona. He gets heavily criticized from some of these "know it all audiophiles" but he was right on the money when he asserted that Mobile Fidelity was using digital instead of analog.

It's really a shame that a now former highly respected long time record company like Mobile Fidelity was lying to consumers and taking advantage of them. It gives them a black eye and does great harm to the vinyl community. Record collectors trust that these companies are faithfully reproducing these records to be "all analog" to sound even better than original pressings. Now due to the Mobile Fidelity digital scandal, it will make collectors think twice and wonder if the copy they are purchasing is really an "all analog" recording.

That's why it's better to seek out an original which you know will be a true analog pressing. Yes, you will pay more for it, but at least you won't have companies lying to you and have to deal with anomalies that come with some of the current pressings.                   


MoFi Approved For $25 Million Settlement For Using Digital In “All Analog” Vinyl Reissues
https://www.stereogum.com/2223500/mofi-all-analog-vinyl-reissues-settlement/news/

MoFi to Pay $25 Million Over Fraudulent ‘All-Analog’ Records

Vinyl producer Mobile Fidelity, known as MoFi, has agreed to a $25 million settlement over claims that their “all analog” records were created using digital methods.

The controversy came to light last year when Mike Esposito, a record store owner in Phoenix, published a YouTube video claiming MoFi had been using digital files since 2011. Esposito’s accusations were soon confirmed, with The Washington Post issuing a damning report on MoFi. The company soon issued a formal apology. “We apologize for using vague language, allowing false narratives to propagate and for taking for granted the goodwill and trust our customers place in the Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab brand,” MoFi president Jim Davis said at the time. “Moving forward, we are adopting a policy of 100% transparency regarding the provenance of our audio products.”

The admission did little to pacify outraged vinyl collectors, who for years had spent high sums collecting records they believed to be sourced exclusively from the original master tapes.

In their class action lawsuit, plaintiffs argued that MoFi’s hidden actions significantly lowered the value of their records.

“Original recording tapes age, so only a limited number of analog recordings can be produced,” the complaint explained. “When defendant began using a digital mastering process in its records as opposed to purely analog, it inherently produced less valuable records – because the records were no longer of limited quantity and were not as close to the studio recording – yet still charged the higher price.”

Even though the $25 million settlement certainly seems like a large number, some consumers argued that the deal was unfair when compared to the amount they could have gotten had the suit gone to trial.

As it stands, MoFi has agreed to let all customers either receive a full refund and return their purchases, or keep their albums and instead take a 5% cash refund or a 10% refund in credit.

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/mofi-records-settlement/

[Rick Plant]

YouTuber who crashed plane admits he did it for money and views

The maximum sentence for YouTuber's admitted crimes is 20 years.

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/05/youtuber-who-crashed-plane-admits-he-did-it-for-money-and-views/