Insane, if true (damn RIAA picks on the military)

[ThePresence]

Link
Dont know about the source, but this is nuts if it's true.

 

[Czar]

what fark has to say about it

 

[Czar]

(Navy guys)
In the navy... yes you can copy your cds!
In the navy... yes you can download mp3s!
In the navy... come on now people take a stand!
In the navy!
In the navy!

(Riaa)
We want you! We want you! We want you for a big law-suit!
We want you! We want you! We want you for a big law-suit!

rofl

 

[Kaervak]

"For the RIAA, there are no half measures: you're either with them, or against them."

I'm against them, come get me you jackasses.

 

[ThePresence]

nm

 

[JW]

what's the insane part? what if the DEA came in and had 100 footlockers confiscated that had vials of crack in them? is this nuts just because of the ridiculous nature of the copyright laws, or because they're navy cadets?

just curious.

-jw

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: JW
what's the insane part? what if the DEA came in and had 100 footlockers confiscated that had vials of crack in them? is this nuts just because of the ridiculous nature of the copyright laws, or because they're navy cadets?

just curious.

-jw

Your comparing crack to mp3s?

Thats a slight stretch.

 

[JW]

i'm just curious as to where the line is. exactly which laws should they be allowed to break, and which ones should they be held accountable for?

as ridiculous as these copyright laws are, they're still the law.

-jw

 

[GoodRevrnd]

This could be for the greater good if you think about it. Maybe the navy guys will be court marshalled and dishonorably discharged, go nuts, and make their life passion hunting down RIAA lawyers and execs. Everybody wins!

 

[vi edit]

Would YOU go after somebody who commands a fleet of air craft carriers and nuclear subs?

 

[db]

When you play bluff with a lot of people (or companies/groups), some of them fall for it.
What amazes me is that most people unquestioningly believe it when the RIAA says that every download and copy
represents a lost CD sale at the store, which is absolute nonsense.

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: JW
what's the insane part? what if the DEA came in and had 100 footlockers confiscated that had vials of crack in them? is this nuts just because of the ridiculous nature of the copyright laws, or because they're navy cadets?

just curious.

-jw

I agree, that the law is the law no matter how rediculous it may be. But what I meant by this being nuts is the fact that they're going after the Navy guys. These are the guys who defend our country, and the RIAA decides to go get them over this. Nuts. They should be the last people who they go after.

 

[BatmanNate]

A little bit OT, but this post was in the Fark thread and I thought it was insightful:

I make my living in the music industry and I give my music away for free. I have a roof over my head and as anyone who has seen my expanding gut can tell you food is definetly not a problem.

As for the RIAA. Guess what, if you sign a recording contract with a company that is an RIAA member then you are forced to pay them and you are forced to play by their rules. Guess what else, if you do not sign a recording contract with an RIAA member then you are still forced to pay them. The "Celine Dion Tax" as musicians call it, is a levy put on all blank recording media. Currently 23 cents of every blank CD goes directly to the RIAA (or as they are known here in Canada, the CRIA). In february 2003 that levy will be increased to 59 cents. What is more in february 2003 there will be a levy of $21/gigabyte on all removable hard drives (because people can put MP3s on them and some MP3 players use removable hard drives) with the money going right to the RIAA/CRIA. So for every album that I produce and manufacture myself 59 cents of the price of that album ends up going to the coffers of a collection of record companies that have not signed me and have no legal rights to my music.

Why artists still compromise everything to chase a recording contract is beyond me. The vast majority of signed artists, even those that have a hit, will never see more money come out of their music careers than they would have made working at McDonalds for that year or two they were in the public's eye. Your chances, even once signed, of becoming the next big superstar are about the same as your chances of winning the state lottery or being hit by lightning. More likely you'll end up having to declair bankruptcy in order to get out of a contract to a label which has made millions of your work yet claims you owe them millions because your work was unprofitable.

Technology has given the average musician the power to produce, promote, and distribute their music globally. This power did not exist only 10 years ago. Artists do not need recording contracts to let their music reach the ears of the public. Artists do not need to play the "superstar lottery" anymore. Artists do not need to let themselves be raped by the RIAA. Why some artists still choose to follow that path is beyond me.

As an independent artist it is in my best interests to keep "file sharing" free and legal. It is in my best interests to keep internet radio independent and accessable. It is in my best interest to keep blank recording media affordable.

The RIAA does not protect musicians. They have bought laws that specifically screw musicians out of the rights to their own works and hand them over to the record companies.

If the entire recording industry collapsed musicians would not starve to death. The vast majority of musicians, even those who do get signed, are never able to give up their day jobs. Music will still be available to the public. Instead of being spoon fed what type of music you're going to consume the public will instead discover for themselves what artists they like. It's more work but the rewards are so much greater. The middleman between artist and audience will be removed and the public will get their music directly from the artist.

It may mean the end of the "superstar" but really who cares? This whole cult of celebrity culture we're living in is starting to get sick. It should be about the art, the music, not the person behind the music especially when the person behind the music is nothing more than a corporate construct built from marketing data on what makes 13 year old girls wet in the crotch and what makes 13 year old boys weeners get stiff.

Over 94% of all published music is controlled by 5 big corporations. Five record companies determine who gets on the radio. Five record companies determine whose albums you can buy and whose shows you can see. Five record companies tell you what kind of music you're supposed to like. They've maintained that monopoly for almost 100 years because technology was on their side. Not anymore.

A few thousands bucks will get you a studio in your basement or garage capable of professional sounding results (based, of course, on your talent). A webpage, filesharing, and internet radio will take your music to the world. CD-Rs will let you manufacture hardcopy of your music to sell online or at gigs.

Technological advancement has given the independent musician power that once only belonged to the record companies. This is what scares the shiat out of the RIAA. When musicians wise up and realise they don't need to let themselves be exploited in order to get their music heard the RIAA as it exists is doomed. When the public wises up and realises they don't have to be satisfied with a bland corporate pop their radios spew at them the RIAA as it exists is doomed. The RIAA has existed a long time and grown fat by exploiting artists and controlling the public's ears. Change is coming and it scares them.

If the RIAA is to survive they are going to have to change their business model. They're going to have to switch from a model that exploits artists to a service based model that supports artists. The RIAA if it is to survive is going to have to work for artists, not the other way around.

Personally everytime I hear about the RIAA crushing freedoms and trying to impliment more restrictions on music it makes me smile. Every draconian measure they takes is one more straw laid upon the backs of the music listening public. Every restriction brings the public one step closer to the breaking point where they will finally scream in a voice loud enough to be heard, "no more!"

The RIAA doesn't realise they can hold more sand in an open hand than a closed fist. The tighter they squeeze the more they will lose. That will be their ultimate undoing. The death of the RIAA will not mean the death of music. The death of the RIAA will mean the liberation of music. The death of the RIAA will mean the liberation of artists.

 

[NesuD]

Silly! simply defies logic. The RIAA needs to get a good PR agency to advise them so they son't look like complete cold hearted idiots.

 

[FenrisUlf]

These guys they're going after are Naval Academy Midshipmen (Cadets). 18-22 year old college kids. Why? It sets a precedent to go after students at every other university in the US. All service Academy cadets swear an oath "We will not lie, cheat, or steal, nor tolerate among us anyone who does." With this in mind, it is far easier for officials at the academies to regulate behavior and discipline. The middies should have known that it was technically stealing and shouldn't have had that on their computers. The RIAA basically told Navy officials that middies were violating the honor code, something which the Navy officials couldn't ignore (they should have put out a warning to give the mids a chance to comply before they confiscated computers, but hey, the Navy officials are just looking out for thier careers in a "one mistake and you're out" military). The RIAA took advantage of the higher standard set for cadets/middshipmen in order to set a prescedent at a university for search and seizure along with harsh sentencing. Now watch as it expands.

 

[Lucky]

A little bit OT, but this post was in the Fark thread and I thought it was insightful


blah blah blah

I might give a little more credence to the guy if his numbers were not so ridiculous. I dont even pay .23 per CD retail, much less just in tax. That may be true in canada, but not in the US. And come on, $21 a gigabyte tax?

 

[bmacd]

Originally posted by: Lucky

A little bit OT, but this post was in the Fark thread and I thought it was insightful


blah blah blah

I might give a little more credence to the guy if his numbers were not so ridiculous. I dont even pay .23 per CD retail, much less just in tax. That may be true in canada, but not in the US. And come on, $21 a gigabyte tax?

crimony...hard drives are a little over $1/per gigabyte as it is...PLUS a $21/per gigabytye tax? THAT'S NUTS!!!

-=bmacd=-

 

[UltraQuiet]

I don't know if RIAA is actually picking on the military but it is obvious that they made a wise choice in picking an institution that would be forced to take action. The Mids knew that what they were doing was illegal (I assume). What the punishment will be I have no idea but my guess is that it will not be pleasant.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Obviously, they broke the law and should be shot.

 

[bmd]

haha, from fark:

I guess they just don't want any pirates in the navy.

Arrgh, ye.

Sorry, I thought it was funny .