New2Maine.com

Portland again made it to CNN.com with an AP story about [s]elf-serve dog washes springing up throughout the nation – Jan. 1, 2008. She and I actually live just down the street from the Portland Dog Wash, but we’ve not been in. Our 6 year old boxer mix doesn’t get along so well with other dogs when she’s on leash, so we’ll continue to deal with the sore backs, the messy tub, and the rest of the hassles of washing at home. If you’re in Portland and looking for a way out of cleaning up after washing your pooch, give them a call at (207) 797-7082.

As mentioned in several places on the Internet, such as Recording Industry vs. The People, the U. Maine Law School’s Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic is representing two U. Maine students in a lawsuit filed by the RIAA for illegal music sharing. This is a watershed moment in the backlash against the RIAA’s litigation campaign against music consumers. This represents the first time that a university’s legal clinic is getting involved on its students’ behalf.

While I do believe the file sharing may harm the music industry as it currently exists to some extent, I am appalled by the RIAA’s tactics as it attempts to save its failing business model. I support the decision by students at the legal aid clinic to get involved in defending their fellow students. This is both a great learning opportunity for U. Maine Law students, and a good way to show the RIAA that the people, its consumers, will not lay down and accept the dictates of the recording industry. Go U. Maine Law! You make me proud to be a new Mainer.