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In a new Tampa, Florida, case, UMG v. Del Cid, the defendant has filed the following five (5) counterclaims against the RIAA, under Florida, federal, and California law:

1. Trespass

2. Computer Fraud and Abuse (18 USC 1030)

3. Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices (Fla. Stat. 501.201)

4. Civil Extortion (CA Penal Code 519 & 523)

5. Civil Conspiracy involving (a) use of private investigators without license in violation of Fla. Stat. Chapter 493; (b) unauthorized access to a protected computer system, in interstate commerce, for the purpose of obtaining information in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1030 (a)(2)(C); (c) extortion in violation of Ca. Penal Code §§ 519 and 523; and (d) knowingly collecting an unlawful consumer debt, and using abus[ive] means to do so, in violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1692a et seq. and Fla. Stat. § 559.72 et seq.

About time.

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After examining hundreds of potential antitrust situations this year, the Justice Department has decided to go after only a handful of potential cases, but one of those is a media merger.  Is it Rupert Murdoch snapping up papers, radio, and television all over the country?  No, not that.  How about massive cable deals, satellite mergers, or ownership of multiple stations in the same area?  No, no, and no.

The 2004 sales of the Charleston Daily Mail violated antitrust laws, according to a federal lawsuit filed May 22 by the Department of Justice.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Charleston, seeks to reverse the sale of the afternoon newspaper to the Daily Gazette Co. and restore the competition that existed between the Daily Mail and Charleston Gazette.

On the surface, this sale seems like just another of many in these days when even much larger cities than Charleston, WV have a hard time supporting two daily papers.  And going after a newspaper merger is not exactly what this Justice Department is known for.

Stephen Barnett, a law professor emeritus at the University of California at Berkeley, said the lawsuit is a rare case.

“It’s very unusual for the Justice Department to bring any antitrust action against newspapers and especially to challenge a newspaper merger is quite unusual, though not unheard of,” Barnett said.

Why would the Justice Department take up this very unusual case, and why would they ask for the very unusual penalty of reversing the three-year old sale and restoring the two separate papers?

Here’s the key.  

“The Charleston Gazette is known for its investigative journalism…it’s one of the few papers in the country that still believes in watchdog journalism.”  Three years ago, the Gazette paid $55 million to purchase its competitor, the conservative-leaning Charleston Daily Mail.

Of all the media mergers that have happened over the last six years, the Justice Department decides to punish a paper known for its investigative journalism, and restore one known for parroting conservative talking points.  How’s that for a coincidence?

Ten-year-old Zainab Ali, a victim of a mini bus bomb explosion, look on in the Shiite-dominated neighborhood of Amil, Baghdad, Iraq, on Sunday, June 3, 2007. A parked minibus packed with explosives blew up in a busy section of central Baghdad,on Tuesday, May 29, 2007, killing 17 people and injuring 53 others. Zainab, was in her home the time of the blast and is one of many residents made homeless by the bomb attack. (AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed)

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In his first interview as the chairman of the Arkansas Republican Party, Dennis Milligan told a reporter that America needs to be attacked by terrorists so that people will appreciate the work that President Bush has done to protect the country.

“At the end of the day, I believe fully the president is doing the right thing, and I think all we need is some attacks on American soil like we had on [Sept. 11, 2001],” Milligan said to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, “and the naysayers will come around very quickly to appreciate not only the commitment for President Bush, but the sacrifice that has been made by men and women to protect this country.”

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Iraqveteran and honorably discharged Marine Sgt. Adam Kokesh has been the Pentagon’s biggest public relations nightmare this year, because he’s some kind of magical Cindy Sheehan — people actually like him!

And while right-wingers had no problem mocking the mother of a soldier killed in Iraq, they have a tougher time mocking an actual living Marine male veteran who actually fought in the war they just write about on their blogs. Plus, you get the feeling he wouldn’t mind beating the shit out of, say, the entire staff of National Review Online … and that they’d probably enjoy it, too.

[..]

Kokesh and his anti-war veteran buddies have pulled several picture-perfect stunts in Washington, including a mock military funeral at the Hart Senate building and keeping score of how many times Alberto Gonzales said “I don’t recall” during his Senate grilling last month.

The funeral stunt earned the protesters a coveted “political protest” arrest — apparently it’s now illegal to protest anything for political reasons — and your favorite Marine was also charged with “Unlawful Assembly — Loud and Boisterous,” despite the fact that he was silent during the performance.

For this, the Marine Corps is now “investigating” Kokesh, even though he’s officially out of the Corps and banished from reenlistment due to bringing home an Iraqi pistol for his war souvenir — that’s against the rules if you get caught!

On Monday, Kokesh has to show up at a hearing so the Corps can re-discharge him, this time dishonorably. Why? Because even when you get out of the military these days, Rumsfeld’s “back door draft” makes you eligible for another call-up because there aren’t enough people volunteering to jump in the Baghdad Meatgrinder. But they don’t want him back, even for the Individual Ready Reserve. So what’s the point?

All the chickenhawks will have permission to call him a traitor or whatever on the blogs and talk radio if he suddenly becomes dishonorably discharged, that’s the point!

According to the three ads Apple uploaded here, here and here.