Thursday, May 27, 2004
Time to Disband the RIAA
The bastards are going way, way too far...
And the poor recording industry is struggling along on only $12 billion a year. Well, enough. It's been years since I've run across a CD that was worth the asking price, anyway -- and I refuse to fork over twenty bucks for a cheap piece of plastic that has one, maybe two good songs on it padded with a lot of crap. Time to boycott the recording industry completely, until the RIAA comes to their senses. If you must have music, seek out the independent artists who distribute their own stuff. But stop putting money into the pockets of these robber barons who have nothing better to do than harass single mothers because they could use a few more dollars on top of the ludicrous profits they already make.
And if you absolutely must have your fix of the crap they churn out, it's as close as your nearest radio which, last I heard, was free. But, who knows. The RIAA just might start going after people who own radios for illegally listening to "their" music. (The RIAA represents the record labels, not the artists; big business doing what they want and to hell with us yet again.)
Incidentally, the RIAA is proudly announcing on their website that they have filed another 493 cases against these evil, evil criminals like Ms. Lafky's daughter. Given that the average settlement (read: blackmail) amount is $3,000, that's another $1.4 million into their pockets.
Who are the real thieves here?
Lafky, a sugar mill worker and single mother in Bird Island, a farming community 90 miles west of St. Paul, became the first Minnesotan sued by name by the recording industry this week for allegedly downloading copyrighted music illegally.This, for some downloading her 14 year-old daughter did last year.
The lawsuit has stunned Lafky, who earns $12 an hour and faces penalties that top $500,000. She says she can't even afford an offer by the record companies to settle the case for $4,000.
And the poor recording industry is struggling along on only $12 billion a year. Well, enough. It's been years since I've run across a CD that was worth the asking price, anyway -- and I refuse to fork over twenty bucks for a cheap piece of plastic that has one, maybe two good songs on it padded with a lot of crap. Time to boycott the recording industry completely, until the RIAA comes to their senses. If you must have music, seek out the independent artists who distribute their own stuff. But stop putting money into the pockets of these robber barons who have nothing better to do than harass single mothers because they could use a few more dollars on top of the ludicrous profits they already make.
And if you absolutely must have your fix of the crap they churn out, it's as close as your nearest radio which, last I heard, was free. But, who knows. The RIAA just might start going after people who own radios for illegally listening to "their" music. (The RIAA represents the record labels, not the artists; big business doing what they want and to hell with us yet again.)
Incidentally, the RIAA is proudly announcing on their website that they have filed another 493 cases against these evil, evil criminals like Ms. Lafky's daughter. Given that the average settlement (read: blackmail) amount is $3,000, that's another $1.4 million into their pockets.
Who are the real thieves here?
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