Got any MP3s? You terrorist.

[jaguar]

America's crown jewels -- its intellectual property -- are being looted. Organized, violent, international criminal groups are getting rich from the high gain/low risk business of stealing America's copyrighted works. We don't know to what end the profits from these criminal enterprises are put. US industry alone will never have the tools to penetrate these groups or to trace the nefarious paths to which those profits are put. For these reasons it is entirely suitable and necessary that the Subcommittee ... hold this hearing and illuminate the nature of the problems and the effect on the copyright industries ...

You've gotta love Jack Valenti.
this article is worth a look, summary of recent congress hearings into links between filesharing and terrorism...

[Griff]

Remarkable. I guess they won't just consider selling cds for five bucks a pop so nobody bothers burning them?

I have an incomplete thought rolling around in my head about how terrorists exploit the least free parts of our economy. Upstate NY had a "War on Terrorism" bust recently. The method of fund raising? Tobacco smuggling. Then we've got the ongoing disaster in Colombia financed by our drug laws. Memo to John Ashcroft: Maybe we're not free enough.

[SteveDallas]

I wonder when they'll figure this out? I mean, look what's happening in the movie industry. I don't doubt that there are problems with piracy and bootlegs, and I'm also sure that we're going to be able to make more and better copies of DVDs as technology catches up. However, the movie industry has proven that people are very happy to pay $10 to $15 for a DVD or even $20 if it's a hot release, and of course more for multi-disc sets. In fact some people have argued that it's these DVD purchases, and not Napster and its ilk, that have driven consumer spending away from CDs.

[richlevy]

Originally posted by jaguar

You've gotta love Jack Valenti.
this article is worth a look, summary of recent congress hearings into links between filesharing and terrorism...

Wow. So this is how Bin Laden and Hussein became rich.

[jaguar]

they secretly have joint ownership of the fasttrack network

[headsplice]

The guy might have a point. In Asia, the people that pirate movies have a higher probability of being involved in some sort of serious (beyond the pirating, I mean) criminal activity. But, these articles never mention that, just that pirating == terror. horseshit. If my downloading a copy of Morphine's 'Sharks' makes me a terrorist, then so be it. Then at least I'll have an excuse for being an asshole, unlike these guys.

[Bitman]

Say it with me now:

Unauthorized copying is not theft.

[Uryoces]

My collection follows the 80/20 rule. I own 80% of the MP3's I have. I'm seriously considering converting them to Ogg to completely wean myself. I've recorded streams and traded music with my friends, which has lead to a lot of music purchases by me.

What the RIAA-hee-haw is experiencing is diminishing returns. They push out the same crap, and fewer and fewer people are willing to listen. Stars are jumping ship and heading directly to the internet.

Shit with a cherry and sprinkles on top is still shit. Promising that these new fangled, shiny disks will reduce the price of music, then reneging, and raising the prices is still shit. the fact that no one has smacked Jack Valenti yet is still shit.

Originally posted by Uryoces
Shit with a cherry and sprinkles on top is still shit.

This is incorrect. The proper phrase is "A polished turd is still a turd."

[Whit]

     I don't know Dave, you've got to admit his way is a better visual.

[Uryoces]

What is "Shit with a cherry and sprinkles on top is still shit.", dave.

I'm sorry the answer we were looking for is 'What is "A polished turd is still a turd"'

[Griff]

Continue with "Dessert Scatology" Alex.

[xoxoxoBruce]

They push out the same crap, and fewer and fewer people are willing to listen.

BINGO!!!

Give that man a blank CD-R.