Slashdot Mirror
Mitch Bainwol To Succeed Hilary Rosen As RIAA Head
bmarklein writes "The RIAA has announced that it has named Mitch Bainwol, former chief of staff to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, as chairman & CEO. He replaces Hilary Rosen, who left earlier this month. This confirms the speculation that the RIAA would appoint a well-connected Republican (Rosen was a Democrat)." Several readers have submitted links to CNET's coverage as well.
Update: 07/29 12:30 GMT by J : Lobbyists wield incredible power nowadays, and Slate's report on why was enlightening. Here's
part 1
and
part 2.
Includes lyrics to the rap recorded for Rosen's going-away party by some of the most powerful people in the world: "Who wants the job of Hilary Rosen? / How 'bout the dream team of Bono and Tauzin?"
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist
Is this a Frist Psot?
My journal has hot
That's lame. Next time try it without subscription.
Well, being a republican at least means that you folks in the US are less likely to have to foot the bill for his jackboots.
"People who do stupid things with hazardous materials often die." -- Jim Davidson on alt.folklore.urban
Maybe he can get their website situation straightened out. ;-p /me sits back and waits for people to start making fun of his name.....
This confirms the speculation that the RIAA would appoint a well-connected Republican (Rosen was a Democrat)."
:-)
Well, I suppose from this wording there will not be any political flame wars generated from this....
Visit Jonesblog and say hello.
... the gloves come off.
None of this "soft touch" that people getting sued had
enjoyed under the Demo.
Former Chief of Staff? Why did Bainwol get fired from / leave his previous position?
I had but a simple dream, to destroy all humans.
This RIAA appt. is blatant politicking. I bet if ;) the democrats regain control, they will replace Bainwol with a Rosen clone. Sigh... I am a Republican but on this issue they are pissing me off...
----
In Soviet Russia, the overlords welcome you!
Damn, now I need to get that "Death to Hillary" tattoo removed.
Bugs are just features that have been fixed.
I thought she wasn't expected to leave until the end of the year. In any case, Woo-Hoo!
I think I'll have a good cry.
You know this is a bad thing. He's a right-wing Republican; the GOP is pro-rich, pro-big corporations, and pro-personal interest.
Expect even more tyranny from the RIAA.
I shudder at this prospect... not that the old person was good, though...
Good choice. Keep those red Open Sauce botles in order.
"What could be more rewarding than helping to promote two great American traditions: music and property rights?" Bainwol said in a statement.
Who said property rights was a great American tradition? And rewarding for whom? Certainly not for us.
Yeah... Sucks that they would want to stop people from stealing... Oh btw, RTFA (article), Bainwol isn't bush administration, he was the senate majority leader aide. Minor distinction ;) but it's an important distinction just the same.
----
In Soviet Russia, the overlords welcome you!
He hasn't even DONE anything yet.
Hit me.
I had a sucky sig.
Bainwol said in a statement. "What could be more rewarding than helping to promote two great American traditions: music and property rights?"
Damnit... And all along I thought it was baseball and barbeques.
As opposed to the previous administration who signed into law the DMCA and had the most pro-censorship bored housewives club (Tipper Gore) - not to mention Censorship Joe Lieberman himself. Also note who the media companies are cozying up to. Hint: it ain't the Republicans.
I'm not a member or supporter of either major political party, but now I guess I should vote democrat, during this upcoming presidential election. That way maybe partisan politics will work to a benefit, and a democrat president will shoot down whatever laws the RIAA lobbyists try to create.
(Now that I mentioned politics, I'm readying for flame)
SuPz.orG
Are you suggesting that GW is going to do something more drastic...maybe something along the lines of burglary?
So, is everyone going to email him and congratulate him on his new job? I'm sure he'd love to hear what slashdotters think he should do first..
Twenties Retirement
Well, in the time honoured tradition, repressed citizens of the freedom loving USA, can still flee to Canada. Maybe, just maybe, claiming persecution by the evil RIAA, will get you refugee status.
If anything, it will probably get the Vietnam vets and slave traders to spin in their graves at 45rpm...
Oh well, what the hell...
What would be more rewarding that promoting music and property rights? Hmmmm tough one there.
How about the immense joy, convenience and satisfaction associated with obtaining music online? Heck, how about masturbation for that matter.
It may be useful in 2008. ;)
No matter which flag they show. This has been painfully obvious for quite some time. Just more and more blatant as the American sheeple acquiesce.
You will find these kind of appointments rife in any country that adopts the NAZI facist policy of merging corporations with government. Great for "competition." Just ask MCI. They got the wireless deal for New Iraq Project after bilking the Americans out of BILLIONS. Good job!
"Although Bainwol has little experience inside the music industry, he brings deep connections to the Republican Party, something the RIAA has largely lacked under Rosen's leadership."
Hmm. Pre-paid senators...
Already I see there's gonna be some problems with this. Mainly the RIAA getting laws that people know aren't kosher passed. And possibly a little too much influence on some issues...
And before I forget:
"What could be more rewarding than helping to promote two great American traditions: music and property rights?"
When the F**K did property rights become a "great american tradition"?!?
Why yes I am paranoid! Thanks for asking!
The Worm That Eternally Devours Its Own Flesh has shed its skin and now has a new one. Big fucking deal. It's still the same worm. It's still evil, and it still wants to consume all that lives.
The only difference I can see this concievably making is that now the constant anti-RIAA snipes on slashdot will no longer be occationally seen to contain unhelpful sexist comments, now that the RIAA has a spokesman and not a spokeswoman. Other than that I do not imagine the quantity or nature of slashdot RIAA posts, nor the actions of the RIAA, will change one bit.
Irritable, left-wing and possibly humorous bumper stickers and t-shirts
Yeah, No more lawsuits, now file traders will be tortured with vice grips on top of a float, in the town Christmas Parade.
I am the unwilling control for my Origin.
Democrats have a major incentive to support radical copyright law, viz., Hollywood and trial lawyers, which, together with labor unions, comprise the greatest source of their campaign cash.
And what's good for Democrats is bad for Republicans, and vice versa. So maybe instead of seeing Mr. Bainwol pressuring Frist, you will see Frist pressuring Mr. Bainwol.
Or maybe everyone's a sellout.... We can always hope, right? At least he can't possibly be worse than Hillary Rosen.
aren't the democrats traditionally the ones who get big bucks from the entertainment industry? they had an almightily funded effort to ease off the MPAA ratings debate a while ago, and it was democrats getting their pockets padded. i'm pretty angry to see the republicans getting in with the recording industry, firstly because i vote republican, and secondly because i don't agree with the RIAA. all politicians are starting to suck. (i thought frist was a nice guy in person. hopefully this is not indicative of his true nature.)
It really is amazing how a few extra letters on your resume can gain you international scorn and hatred from people who don't even know if you wear a toupee or engage in kinky sex. It's sort of like changing your name to Lucifer B. Mephisto in 15th century Spain and then going to the arch-bishop's wine and cheese soirée.
Obligatory Python quote: "NOOOOBODY EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISITION!!!"
More like sicking homeland on p2p traders.
I can't help getting the feeling that as the inevitable ganging together of the forces of evil accelerates, armageddon can't be far off.
Ooooh, sounds like fun!
Thank God I'm not sharing Midnight Oil or I could end up being 'liberated' in the head.
*knock, knock*
Hold on a sec....
Hey! What the..?! *PFhhT*
*thunk*
I FULLY SUPPORRT OUR NEW REPUBLIC KAN OVERLOARDS!!
Home address, phone number, SSN, personal e-mail addresses. What can we do to make sure he has a welcome time trying to invade our p2p networks?
This was an all out flame aimed towards the RIAA not anyone here you fucking idiot mods. Score this lower please:D
You aren't free to do anything, until you've lost everything.
hack those losers :-)
How about Public Enemy #1
. . . rumors from unnamed sources on the Hill are that the only MP3 file that will be able to be shared within the U.S. and its possesions without fear of prosecution by the Department of Homeland Security will be Horst Wessel Lied.
Call (206) 338-5780 COLLECT for information about a genuine BA, BS, MA, MS, MBA, or Ph.D.
but forgets about people like Senator Disney Hollings who is a Democrat.
Both parties deserve the bashing, but you're talking out of your ass if you think the Democrats are a safe haven from RIAA/Disney/et. al.
Pitchforks ready!
I am sure they will contribute most of their ill gotten gains to Dubya's next campain.
Don't forget Frist is from TN, the center of the country music industry - probably the closest you can get to Hollywood without actually going to Hollywood. And he has plenty of pull of his own.
I'm rather sick of these radical modern day liberals (as opposed to old school liberals, who actually believed in liberty) being called "conservatives." These modern day robber barrons are not conservators of anything except greed. I have in mind a much appropriate word to describe them...
Follow me here...
Any good California law firm (as you know, we tend to have the most experience in such a field) will have hired one attorney into partnership for every State Supreme Court Justice, each attorney having previously been a different justice's clerk. After a while of typing all the J's decisions, they know what the Justice wants to read when going over correspondances and court pleadings.
This new head is entirely about the personal experience of working with the head of the senate majority leader, and less about being qualified to lead the RIAA into a rational future that isn't based on getting money through suing people, who by their definition aren't likely to be able to afford a good lawyer.
After I have received the wisdom of good teaching, I will untiringly teach all people. - The Teachings of Buddha
Come on, I'm a Republican and even _I_ know what the response is going to be....
"Arm the cruise missiles, copilot. MP3 trader at 12 o'clock!"
A whole new way of looking at your computer being nuked though, huh...
AC comments get piped to
Study NRA tactics. Organize a boycott. Pick one record label and concentrate on driving them into bankruptcy. Enforce a new reality on the music market. Then it wouldn't matter who is running RIAA, would it?
Notice how Congress fears the NRA, and not just because they have guns. There are more file sharers than NRA members. Consider the possibilities.
No we won't pay,for now,our children and their children will pay for this insane national debt.
Much Brainwool
~~~
The record industry has seen CD sales slump for three years, a decline it blames on online file-sharing sites where music can be traded freely and sometimes before it is even released.
The New York times just says, "A decline caused by online file-sharing sites...." The LA Times does the same. CNN is owned by AOL/Time-Warner, and obviously just states it as though it's a credible fact. NBC/ABC/CBS ignore the issue, and follow CNN's lead when they don't. Fox... well, Fox will be Fox.
And here Reuters is at least insinuating that a doubt may exist. What's that Eric Blair/George Orwell (real name/pen name) quote about times of lies and revolutionary truths?
Whatever it is I'm complaining about, I'm sure the Republicans did it. This is
Oh wait, bwaaaahaaaha, he just knows the right people, to create wacky copyright legislation that makes shoplifting a felony on the order of murder and rape.
are a thousand pencils on the back of envelopes as a thousand filesharing advocates try to come up with a clever play on the name Mitch Brainwol. All I've got is Titch Brainless...anyone doing any better? Bitch Bainofmylife? I need more coffee!
Plays violent online games as: Nerfherder76
"Gone are the days when Auto-Tune carried a song! I will bring back talent to the Industry!", Mitch crowed at a Republican fund raiser, to the applause of many rich, white fat men.
"It's high time the kids of today learned what music should sound like! I remember when talent drove the market, not the other way around! When I ascend to the throne, I will bring talent! I will bring value! I will bring CDs unencumbered with copy protection, and chock full of value!" Mitch puctuated these remarks with a pounding fist and spittle.
Mitch finished his speech to the attendees with a rousing cry, "The RIAA will no longer be the 'bad guy'! We will sponsor new artists and stick with them, developing careers and encouraging creativity! We will offer all signed artists with new contracts, spelling out exactly what they will make - no hidden accounting!"
"We will no longer chase file-sharers, who only do us a favor by expanding both our horizons with music, and purchase more CDs than ever before! We will never allow another American Idol or Making of the Band or manufactured marketing-friendly boy band again! All copyrights will revert to the original artist!"
"I will personally include a puppy with every single sold! *HAHAHAAHAHA.cough cough..oh shit, I thought I could keep a straight face! Pass the bong guys, *wheeeezee* this is going to be great! I can't wait to absolutely wreck music forever! These shits are gonna be scared to look at a guitar, much less pick one up when we get done with them..I am gonna be SHITTTIIING moooonnnneeey, muthafuc...*hack* Oh, Bushies here!!! WHoooHOOO! Let's DO SOME LINES!!! Where's the White Lady??HAHAHAhaha..."
This re-enactment is for entertainment only. It is not intended to portray Republicans as evil, rich, fat white, self-serving drug monkeys. Nor did Mitch ever say any of these things in front of me. Thank you, and please drink republicanly. ;)
Well, time to update my hit list then.
Heh, interesting that you would mention that, kind troll. Since coincidentally, Frist is actively supporting a constitutional amendment to officially ban gay marriage. This would effectively be the first constitutional amendment since the 18th(prohibition), ratified in 1919, that is specifically intended to revoke the rights of citizens instead of granting new ones. If this is any indication of the behavior his cronies are prone to, well we're in for a real treat then!
- "Hear that?! The percolations are imminent! Cease your ingress!"
It's going to suck for them when Howard Dean throws Gee Duhbya out on his ass along with the republican majorites in the house and senate next year.
But no one ever said that the RIAA was very forward thinking.
(Seriously though, aren't republicans basically the antithesis of everything the American music industry stands for? Does this mean we're going to see less sex, drugs, and black people on mtv?)
autopr0n is like, down and stuff.
Who is going to pick the record label and get the message out? Democracy isn't a spectator sport, but so many Americans are so damn lazy.
perhaps.
or you could vote for the largest 3rd party at the time. if a party receives 5+% of the vote they are eligible for federal funding.
maybe this way we can diversify the political interests for a while (as opposed to two large wolves all going after personal gain).
-brady
Actions speak louder than words. By appointing Mr Mitch Bainwol as its new chairman and ceo, the Recording Industry Association of America proves once again that its members and board of directors will seek to continue to desperately shore up their antiquated business model through legislation instead of innovation. Rather than seeking someone who's respected by both sides to actively work for solutions, they've hired another Washington insider to push their myopic agenda in Congress. The RIAA often calls for a "Free Market Solution," but nonetheless continually balks at solutions, usually rejecting them out of hand. Its members are all for a "Free Market" - as long as they control it. So instead of celebrating a wind of change by calling off our protests on August 1 and 2, we'll re-double our efforts to make them dates the music industry in general, and the RIAA in particular, will remember. Bill Evans founder boycott-riaa.com
Are they going after shoplifters now? If I may make my own 'Minor Distinction' - 'file sharing' is not 'stealing', it's copyright infringment.
Minor distinction ;) but it's an important distinction just the same. I'm sure some DoJ attorneys would disagree with me, however...
Nope, she's too busy heading over to California to worry about their governor. And here I thought she'd be busy playing Senator for New York, or attending Yankees games.
You must be from FL's panhandle!
I am the unwilling control for my Origin.
We're just sharpening our pitchforks. We haven't poked anyone with them yet.
Key word being yet. Somebody help me heat up this tar while we're at it...
MP3's are easier to find than WMD's
I am the unwilling control for my Origin.
I love the idea of concentrating on one company. It would be fun to watch them squirm. A total boycott--
1. films
2. music
3. etc.
if planned and focused properly this could scare the shit not only out of that company, but the other ones (and their shareholders) who can only wonder, who's next?
Who wants to pick a company at random? Who'd be willing to agree to boycott it and help the campaign to focus on this one company spread?
Nobody copies our country music and gets away with it (even if they don't get caught, they suffer)!!!
Are you sure that the CRIA can do anything about this, they may only have authorization over matters of Canadian artists.
If those "file traders" would just leave behind the music of the corporations that sue them we wouldn't need a lobby - the problem would take care of itself because the publishers wouldn't find enough profit in the music industry to justify sustaining an RIAA. The problem is "file traders" - like the MP3.COM of yore - don't necessarily believe in that stuff about empowering the artist or in helping build a new model of distribution that would help the creators while bypassing the suits. They generally don't care about anything but free music. And if you're paying a lobbyist to defend your (narrow and shortsighted) interest, it ain't free any more.
Now the PAC's are no longer the enemies that the Republican Revolution of '94 denounced them as, they've been co-opted.
I'm seeing less and less of a deliniation between the GOP and good old fashioned fascism. And why is nobody looking at this? There have been numerous authors who have attempted to predict what the "American" brand of fascism would look like going back to the 30's. While most of these were American communists (fascism's 'natural enemy'), many were pragmatic moderates concerned for democracy. Look at media critic George Seldes who published 'In Fact' during the 40's. He invented the entire industry of media criticism and fact checking news sources to bring to light biased reporting.
Many people were worried about corporate America's designs on democracy, such as their plot against Roosevelt. From "The Nazi Hydra In Fascist America":
The Republican Party was infiltrated by Nazi's during the 30's, on October 22, 1936, the New York Post reported:
This was backed up by a report on the 30th in the New York World-Telegram stating:
The pre-WWII fascist designs of the Republican Party have transformed into a message that claims anyone who doesn't conform to their model of what American life is supposed to be is an enemy of America. Rather than the old heirarchy of race and nationality, it's a new one of wealth and productivity above all else. The Nazi's didn't sell an unpalatable message to the German people, the Republicans aren't about to try and sell their unappetizing designs to Americans.
Dig through history, look at the patterns and relationships, the small tweaks don't hide the same old plan. The idea is to create a new heirarchy to lawfully subjugate those who don't belong. To insure that the morality and beliefs of the ruling class of this new heirarchy live forever. It's based on faith and the support of Right Wing Christian organizations like the Southern Bapti
Arrogance is Confidence which lacks integrity. -- me
The whole 'liberal/conservative' thing isn't really that important. The real issue is how totalitarian/libertarian you are. Rosen was on the left, but massively totalitarian. This guy's got to be pretty totalitarian if he's going to be running the RIAA too. That's all that really matters.
I'm pretty centrist on the right/left scale, maybe more to the left, but I hate totalitarians. Honestly the totalitarian/libertarian scale is a lot more important to me, which is why I hate bush so much
autopr0n is like, down and stuff.
*now talking in #WMD_Galaxy
@find wmd
Everyone together now!
"Hi Mitch! You suck!"
The copyright holder, in the case of musical compositions, is not usually making decisions about "his work", but someone else's. The artist almost never has the rights to their own work.
This can be important. Various artists, some big name (I believe the Smashing Pumpkins were one) were far more ready to embrace music on the Internet than the copyright holders, but of course, the artists couldn't really do anything about it as they were under contract to the label.
Is it their fault for signing to a major? Technically yes, but it's hard to blame them, even for me. It's nice to see someone like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs get mainstream radio play, but it doesn't happen very often. If you want the big audiences, you sign to the big labels, and lose your rights.
I think that the limits on copyright should be much shorter than they currently are, but I think that within those limits, people should be free to do what they want with their work. It's a shame it's often not up to the artists, but I don't think we can rightly change that with legislation.
WMBC freeform/independent online radio.
I was listening to an artist interview tonight and one of the things they mentioned is how expensive it is to produce a CD. Agreed. Under the current scheme, producing a CD is expensive. I think the problem is that many artists just don't even consider that there are alternatives.
... so there will continue to be a desire for printed CDs. Furthermore, the people that artists pay to tell them what to do (agents, etc.) aren't going to deep-six their own jobs by telling their artists that they don't need to go the CD route anymore.
... on CD sales. What artist would want to remove themself from the rating scheme even before their "album" comes out? The RIAA ... this entity that's convinced everyone under them that they're a necessary component of producing an album surely isn't going to do a 180 and admit that they're less relevant than every before.
... but:
... same as the old boss."
The problem is that the paradigm shift from pressing CDs to electronic distribution cannot happen overnight. Not only that, not everyone has access to the internet
So where's the leave artists? Aside from a few, they're still holding onto the notion that pressing a CD of their music is the only way to be successful. Let's face it, that's how they currently get ranked and rated
So where's that leave everyone? Pretty much right where they were. Artists will continue thinking that the RIAA helps more than hurts. The RIAA will continue their assault on consumers with the help of politicians that have been nicely rewarded with campaign contributions paid for with the very money the RIAA wins from their lawsuits against consumers. And the new guy will most-likely maintain the status quo at the RIAA. Hate to say it
"Meet the new boss
What else do you expect? Which isn't to say i am against all republicans, not by a long shot (I do beleive Arnold, the maybe-next-governer-of-california, is a republican, and I'd vote for him!). But, there is a certain type of conservative who is radically against any from of real progress and is afraid of change, just as there is a certain type of liberal who insists on seeking change for the sake of change and assumes anyone with some sort of power is corrupt. Now, here's what I am getting at: It doesn't what party the next person the RIAA hires is, because they choose a person based on who is mostly likely to keep them all filthy rich. The RIAA is basically corrupt, and needs to be taken down. They are a chameleon, changin their political colors of the moment to what ever shall serve them best. Like all the worst industries, they are truly apolitical in regards to parties, because they willl unbiasedly leech off of whom ever they can. And yes, that was virulent. The RIAA does not support true innovation in music, and is due for replacement because it can not adapt. If the enviroment changes, life forms must change to match, they can not revert the enviroment back to what they like, and the RIAA is an evolutionary dead end.
"It takes a very long time to count to 2 in binary." ~'Fourlegged'
Republicans own the government right now. You'd have to be a damn *idiot* to side with the underdog when you're about to try pushing through a seriously dicey move that could piss off a lot of Americans.
May we never see th
Interesting... I've always assumed that the RIAA wasn't lead by a head, so much as a collection of asses...
Just familiarize yourself. With morons like these behind the laws, you have to go with what's real. And a bullet is alot more real than a law.
-Libertarian secular transhumanist
It's a 2d field. You've got your Liberal Totalitarians like Mao and Stalin, and you got your conservative ones like Hitler.
On the other side you've got libertarian/anti-totalitarian. The libertarian party is pretty much on the right side, I guess you could say some of the radical free love, free drug type hippies would be on the libertarian left.
those are the extremes of course, Bush is pretty much in the totalitarian/right corner, and Rosen was in the totalitarian/left side.
autopr0n is like, down and stuff.
Here's some.
Bills become a lot cheaper when you wear the face of Uncle Sam.
The tactics used by the RIAA are objectionable-- but again that's a question of means not ends.
yeah, and it's those means which are so incredibly offensive and objectionable even those who are sympathetic to the RIAA's goals. We are furious at the barbaric, harmful way RIAA is trying to achieve them. Hence, the RIAA are the bad guys.
Fair use provisions in copyright law, shorter lifetimes for copyrights, etc. are all very noble, and well-advocated.
Unless you haven't been paying attention, these issues are among the major grievances. It's not merely whether pirating is bad or good. Many people here are sympathetic to copyright law. The GPL itself is rooted in it.
It's the underhanded politicing and lobbying, the ludicris propaganda campaigns, the new laws such as the DMCA, the criminalizing of the consumer, the legal threats, the war against new business models and new technologies, the bullshit excuses about global harmonization only when it's self-serving, the greed, the self-serving rhetoric about helping the artists, etc. that is so offensive.
Whether or not piracy is "justified" is only part of the question. The RIAA's choices in response to copyright infringement have been nothing less than disgusting. I think that's what has fueled much of the fire.
Instead of modding me down, post a reply telling me why forcing a copyright holder to allow free sharing of his work is good public policy. I want to believe, I just haven't heard a satisfactory argument yet.
The most fundimental example of this is called a library, where a copyrighted work is shared amongst community members for free for the betterment of society.
This, you may recall, is the Constitution's original justification for all temporary monopolies on what the RIAA lawyers call "intellectual property".
With such an overt political appointment, the RIAA may have just committed a tactical error: now they are seen as sitting on one side of the bench, whereas before they were seen as a 'legitimate' lobbying group for a powerful industry.
This may affect several points:
1. Yes, the GOP is in power, but Hollywood and the Music industry are standard DEM strongholds. They may not like their new boy, or at least won't invite him to the parties at Rob Reiner's house.
2. They have now unzipped their fly, and are acting pretty brazenly partisan with such a move. This will turn many democrats in congress into automatic defense mode, who may slow legislation down 'just because'.
3. In the end, Bush & Co. may end up having to choose between supporting a major US export (entertainment) vs. giving money to those 'liberal jack-offs in hollywood'-- depending on what Karl Rove says about electoral trends, that could break either way.
davejenkins.com |
Copyright is not a constitutional right, like free speech. While Congress is empowered to legalize copyright, it is not required to do so. Filesharing could be legalized tomorrow if Congress just passed a bill to repeal copyright.
Change the Law explains this in more detail, and suggests some steps to take to legalize filesharing. You can take these steps in almost any country, not just the US:
- Speak Out
- Vote
- Write to Your Elected Representatives
- Donate Money to Political Campaigns
- Support Campaign Finance Reform
- Join the Electronic Frontier Foundation
- Practice Civil Disobedience
If you feel as I do that what I have to say in my article is important for others to read, please link to it from your own website, your weblog, or other message boards.Thank you for your attention.
Request your free CD of my piano music.
Krugman writes: "Lobbying jobs are a major source of patronage -- a reward for the loyal. More important, however, many lobbyists now owe their primary loyalty to the party, rather than to the industries they represent. So corporate cash, once split more or less evenly between the parties, increasingly flows in only one direction."
No, I just use mine to kick the shit out of asinine people who believe one party is actually better than the other, wake the fuck up and open your eyes people.
Politicians are bought by the highest bidder, yep until geeks get on the political side of the game you'll always be Hollywood's bitch meat..
The only difference is that the "Democrats" are to gutless to admit it.
Although I disagree with Michael Moore on a lot of issues - he has some good points to make on supposed Democrats and their Republican-esque actions (that's right "last-minute-pardon" Clinton, I am looking at you).
I would taunt you and your country for allowing such a situation to evolve - except that the situation here in Australia is amazingly similar... :)
I would become a politician, but I hate myself enough already.
Q.
Insert Signature Here
The kind of time it takes for teenage file traders to come of age.
They can still do everything in my list above except vote. I make that point in my article.
Request your free CD of my piano music.
About the same time you allowed patents on bullsh*t like "hyperlinks" and "one-click-shopping".
Oh and when you extended copyrights in perpetua so cartoon mice can continue to fleece^H^H^H^H^H^H entertain another generation.
Q.
Insert Signature Here
They used to be pro-oligopoly, but that was when the more liberal opposition was the media giants target. A few short years of sustained fire later and the Republicans are desperate for some diversity. At least then it won't all be directed at them.
Ah, syncronised flip-flopping - it should be an olympic sport...
Q.
Insert Signature Here
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. You can quote me on that.
How long until file traders are considered "terrorists" trying to destroy the "American"(corporate) way of life.
Has anyone realized that the navy commercials now end with "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of those who threaten it"? What the hell is that?
As the government and corporations fuse, they are solidifying of new aristocracy. This means that our individual voices get drowned out. Where in the constitution does it say they get representation? Last time I checked, the government was of the people, by the people, and for the people.
I know it will never happen, but I think the only way to save our government, is to ban lobbying (legalized bribery). How can we compete w/ business giving out hundreds of thousands of dollars in 'incentive'?
I think I need to start my own country (think of the exodus from Battletech). No RIAA, no DMCA, no waste of our lives to get better profits on oil.
Im glad
Parking in a 'No Parking' zone:
- $40-$200 fine
Petty Theft:
- $200 fine to 90 days' jail
Aggravated Assault:
- 90 days to 5 years' jail
3rd Degree Murder:
- 3 to 10 years' jail
2nd Degree Murder:
- 8 to 20 years' jail
Associating With A Person Who Is Known To Have Had KaZaa Installed On Their Hard Disk:
- 25 to life!
-- In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was UNSIGNED, and the main(){} was without form and void...
come the revolution.
limit bach now
omni law bitch
wino itch balm
blow manic hit
him can blow it
i bowl in match
nail mob witch
mail bitch now
howl at ibm inc
i watch no limb
climb a hit now
octal whim bin
hint i blow mca
The problem here is that you're furthering a common misconception. Copyright is not actually a right, as most 'rights' are understood. The right to free speech, the right to not be discriminated against based on race, etc, are all fundamental or basic--they are almost universally agreed upon in free society.
Copyright on the other hand is a privilege. It is a grant of monopoly on a particular creative work for a "limited" time. I feel like my last few posts have almost all been to this point, but I may as well hammer it home again: The Founders of this country were wary of ANY monopoly. As such, copyright was created in a very limited fashion, for the explicit purpose of encouraging creativity. But your conception of copyright as a right is by no means uncommon, and as you pointed out, logically the term 'copyright' taken in pieces seems to indicate a right of copy. But whereas the term copyright should theoretically apply to that very narrow definition that the Founders meant for it, it has been conflated with the idea of a basic right, a fundamental like free speech.
I say as emphatically as I can that copyright, taken as a personal fundamental right, is absolutely incommensurable with the idea of free expression. In England such a thing as you are suggesting is called Moral Right, and it is indeed perpetual. Do you want to write a Sherlock Holmes derivative that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's descendants disagree with? Well, you better be prepared to defend yourselves.
Again, I hate sounding like a broken record, but our culture is inextricably linked to mass-, privately owned media. The Founders didn't grant a basic right to copyright so that the nation wouldn't be deprived of a more valuable right which is dependant on the free access of ideas and expressions--the right to culture.
But why isn't this viewed as corruption ?
dude! no way!
that's crazy!!!
Ooga-booga!
When they don't even lie on why the hired him. Its already been stated that he has NO EXPERIENCE with the music indistry and the only reason he got the job is because of his political influence in Congress. Doesn't this fall under OBVIOUS political bribery? He gets his buddies to pass RIAA laws and he gets a nice paying job. I thought there was laws against that?
... what a Democrat and a Republican actually are. If I told you that the two main parties in the UK were Labour and Conservative, you might well guess that Labour were left-wing and Conservative were right-wing, and you'd be right. You might not guess that, though.
It's like something out of Animal Farm here.
LIBERALS GOOD! CONSERVATIVES BAD!
I'd think Slashdot would be more intelligent.. oh wait, never mind, no I wouldn't.
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum sonatur.
Does the RIAA now want your house? or to be boring all your Property belong.... can't be botherd to finish
Saying Apple is better than MS is like saying Botulism is better than rabies.
"I'm delighted to take on this role," Bainwol said in a statement. "What could be more rewarding than helping to promote two great American traditions: music and property rights?"
now RIAA will want to copyright music itself!
Nah it's more like "Ask not what your country can for you but what you can do for your country." I used to think those where good words until i thought about them, the whole job of a government is to work for the people. If he had tried that in the UK he would have lost. Actually forget that last point Tony Blair won but belives the people should work for him.
Saying Apple is better than MS is like saying Botulism is better than rabies.
How many fucking times do I have to read "Oh he's a Republican! He's evil!" in one story???
Bitch. Well now I guess we know what to call him.
The gay lobby makes it out to be something more than that, but they just want the tax breaks.
There are other issues like hospital visitation rights, etc.
We as a society can't seem to figure out what being gay is about since many men had sex with other men and boys 2000 years ago without the baggage that comes with being 'gay' today.
We already hand out no-fault divorces like candy and thus do not respect the sanctity of what marriage was. Gay marriage is next.
It's only a matter of time until the world gangs up on us and flattens us for being so liberal with our values. The rest of the world is NOT the US and, aside from a few liberal European countries, they do not tolerate this stuff. We do it in the name of the pipedream: 'diversity'.
I hadn't thought about it in quite these terms, but this ties in rather nicely with what I was saying in that parallel reply thread to the parent post. By conflating the idea of an innate 'right' within copyright, we're forgetting that copyright is indeed a very limited privilege, and at odds with the real fundamental right to free speech.
I can't think of a better way to put it than in terms of 'onus of justification.' Its exactly how it works in the court system, where limitations on free speech must pass the rather intensive test to show sufficient public good. Because copyright has been making this conceptual transition to a 'basic right,' and because we no longer see it as a negative limitation on speech, but rather as a positive defense of rights, the intensive test on speech limitations is suddenly framed out of the debate.
i quite like the spoonerism on his name - especially given the outgoing head...
Dork. Read the post.
I hate the RIAA, I really do
You may vote republican, but that doesn't mean The Party cares a damn about you, or anyone else without power.
Doh... that'll teach me to read Slashdot before I finished waking up.
Much of the ballyhoo about music and filesharing is among a group of people under 30. Much of the NRA's strength is with people over 40. Once the people who are now wrapped up in the whole filesharing/RIAA/music issues get to be married, kids, house, dog, etc, it just won't be a germane issue to them. They probably will buy fewer than 10 albums a year.
I'm not saying that the intellectual property issues aren't important, but they're subtle and hard to grasp in terms of everyday importance for people with a lot of other responsibilities.
Gun rights are (whether you agree or not), constitutionally protected, impactful on a large number of people, and seen as far more core to traditional freedoms than whether or not you can copy a track from a CD to an MP3 player.
To make an NRA-style boycott work, you need to be able to engage older people (aka "mature adults") and possibly connect the RIAA to issues that effect day-day life. Otherwise the issue plays out much like it plays out now: spoiled kids stealing music. Then you will be able to raise money, and once you can raise money, you can 'target' unfriendly legislators and make your presence felt.
Bastards
Allied
In
NULLIFYING
Word
Of
Law
There's nothing like compromising the integrity of the U.S. is there, Mitch. Oh, wait the U.S. doesn't have any integrity left due to people like you.
Damn Republicans....
(Sponsored by cheeseSource for President 2012)
"The music industry (and especially artists) would greatly benefit from circulating free but low-bitrate versions of their music "
They already do. They already have 128kb versions of their music available, but people are so stupid they actually *buy* them and then brag about what a fantastic deal they got.
Idiots.
Just type " Hillary rosen lesbian "
into google - first is interview wth her about her sexuality !
INCREDIBLE !
Interesting? Try off topic
Communism is the "natural enemy" of freedom.
Ihis post has NOTHING to do with the original and is a bunch of marxist trash.Remember its never about the "issue" its always about the marxist revolution.
There was a funny article in the inquirer today about how long it would take the RIAA to sue all filesharers in America.
RIAA will take 2191.78 years to sue everyone
I'm saddened to see that this brief one-line opinion got modded up to "5 insightful."
Do you really think this man wont foot us with bills precisely because of his Republican ideology?
How about the Iraqi occupation, which has been revaled to cost twice as much as initiually proposed by the Republican Bush Administration? Or maybe it's the Republican tax cuts like the repeal of the estate tax, which disproportionately gives brakes by the millions to the wealthy, so that when (not if) taxes go back up, who do you think will be in the best position to afford it?
Then there's the impact on state budgets by the fact that NONE of the states has gotten ANY money promised by the (GOP) Bush administartion for mandated homeland security measures. Guess who foots that bill in the end? You guessed it, people like you and me.
Who do you think pays in the end for all of the full page spreads in big city newspapers about how big brother is watching your P2P activities (or the monitoring itself)?. It all trickles down to you and I. Or perhaps you think Mitch will have a kinder, gentler prosecutorial stand?
Or maybe you need further proof, like the fact that the hundreds of average citizens being sued by the RIAA will cost money with the lawyers coming after them, and the taxpayer financed court time. Who will pay for that in the end (aside from the mostly young defendants, most of whom will capitulate/settle their life savings away)?
Unfortunately, IMO, days of Republicans *truly* saving us from bills in the long are a bygone relic of the 80's. Even there it's debatable.
.
uR iGn0ranc3, Their Power
This would effectively be the first constitutional amendment since the 18th(prohibition), ratified in 1919, that is specifically intended to revoke the rights of citizens instead of granting new ones.
Nope.
The current interpretation of the US Constitution doesn't give citizens the right to marry someone of their own gender--or more than one other person. Baning gay marriage is roughly equivalent to banning civilian ownership of tanks--there just isn't a lot of instances of either in the nation today.
Plus, Frist didn't say that he's promoting the amendment--he said that he would support it.
Fine I'll start my own Country. With Gambling... and Hookers. In fact forget the Gambling... and the Country.
Why do you think politicians give so much lip service to prescription drugs? Because older people (who usually need more prescription drugs than young people) vote more often! According to the director of the FDA (can't find link, it was on The McLaughlin 1 on 1 show), prescription drugs amount for $1 out of every $10 spent on medical care.
Not the "crisis" as some would want you to think. Sure, they're expensive, but so what.
Now, if we all voted consistently, wrote our officials, etc, we would be a force to rekon (sp?) with.
-- bearclaw
I think I need to start my own country (think of the exodus from Battletech). No RIAA, no DMCA, no waste of our lives to get better profits on oil.
Get one!
Sounds like a great idea. Especially privatizing the utilities, after all, it worked so well in California!
You fucked that up majorly. You should have said: ... I'll start my own Country. With blackjack, and hookers. In fact, forget the country!
Everyone knows how the US government (at least the people in the US know) has a seperation of powers between its branches, but as corps. and orgs. keep gaining more and more power in the financial world (not so much orgs.), what is to keep them from doing such things as greatly influencing or even controlling branches of the government? Hell... even the president of the US might one day be a former Microsoft Exec. That, along with the RIAA with it's foot in the door of the senate, could mean some serious problems in the way our government runs.
They have seperation between the judicial, legislative, and execuative branches of our government, but don't you think it's about time that we concider industry and commerce to be part of that as well?
Everybody has their price... now who has the biggest pocket book?
What kind of puns can you make with Rosen? Rosin? Resin? What fills her brain? See, not funny.
Now Bainwol is a name you can really sink your teeth into. I mean, it even sounds evil. And think of the jokes! Swap 'bain' for 'bane' and you're off and running.
High-speed Road Trip (18.000KPH)
Hah hah hah hah hah ...
Heh.
No, seriously, what?
That's why the solution to the copyright problem, IMHO, isn't going to be in congress or even the courts, but only in defiance. I think there's the real possibility that using technologies like Freenet will make it forever impossible for the government to impose copyright controlls, and that should be out tool.
Yeah I know that some people don't want to be that radical, but why don't we just face it - the vine will not stop growing to choke off our freedoms until we cut it off at the root. Besides, freedom of speech is radical, democracy is radical, instead of worrying about being radical - we would be much better off to worry about being right.
The 13th Amendment banned lobbying. It got lost.
The message on the other side of this sig is false.
Property rights ARE a major tradition in America. One of the first drafts of the Declaration of Independence proclaimed the rights of all to "life, liberty, and property" instead of "the pursuit of happiness". The Bill of Rights still insists that no one should be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process. Look at the enormous estates of the founding fathers and tell me they didn't value property. It may sound strange in the context presented, but it's absolutely true.
"You want a toe? I can get you a toe by three o'clock... with nail polish."
It was not in the Constitution, but perhaps only because the corporation as a organization was not yet on the scene. In more modern times, the Judicary ruled that corporations are, in fact, people. Immortal people, perhaps, with immense stores of resources.
Lobbying in and of itself is not bad. The rules that make individuals equal to corporations are the problem here.
--------------
Together, we will drive the rats from the tundra.
Here's the link to the Complete Transcript, Walter Issacson's quote is definately the best: "The intellectual property to this video is totally owned by Hilary Rosen. And it may not be distributed in any way shape or form in digital fashion."
Jonah Hex
Horror & SciFi Erotic Nudes
You mean there are issues on which they don't piss you off? Personally I can't think of any.
Of course the democrats piss me off on most issues.
As do most of the other parties.
The American political system has been shredded by influence peddling and cronyism. The lack of coherent opposition just makes it more pathetic.
Most dumb issues like the RIAA are an issue globally, but they only really screw things (and people) up in the US.
You got me into this! You were the ideologue! I'm only a poor assassin! - Twenty evocations, Bruce Sterling
Amazing isn't it, a republican getting the top spot at the RIAA just as Microsoft is poised to launch its monopoly building closed source WMA based music download service.
Is this the end of the brave new music download world as we know it?
I licensed my house from the government.
I mean, I've got the title and stuff that says it belongs to me, but it turns out there's an implicit hidden clause: I have to pay periodic fees or else they kick me out and revoke my license.
Look at the Enron situation. So many politicians had their hands in that cookie jar. When it collapsed, no one was interested in prosecuting the guilty - everyone was more interested in saving their own derriere.
The time to push for such a thing is now, before the corporations become even more fused with our government. We are quickly reaching a point of no return, and if the people lose their power in the government to the corporation, we will never get it back.
Patents, copyrights, and IP laws have gotten very anti-American lately. An article in the New Yorker described the situation as "registry capture" where the people in the patent office have contact only with people who want to register patents, and not with anyone who is harmed when they allow ludicrously vague patents without considering prior use.
Extending commercial IP for people like Disney and the RIAA to extend for generations is VERY unamerican, and likely to cause orbital distortions about the resting places of the founding fathers.
You got me into this! You were the ideologue! I'm only a poor assassin! - Twenty evocations, Bruce Sterling
Deregulation of power is working fine in New York and Pennsylvania. California just has a governor who has no idea what the hell he is doing.
Head of RIAA, job requirements:
1. Be prepared to be the most hated guy in the world (after Osama and Bill).
2. Have no clue what consumers want and believe anything Hollywood tells you about the evil technology.
3. Like Madonna, Limp Biskit and Tommy Lee.
4. Have no scruples, morals or problems with putting grandads and poor students in jail.
5. Be prepared to spend the next couple of mellennia sueing filesharers.
C'mon, mod me up for humour!
#include <sig.h>
Well, I can see why the RIAA wants to protect their interests, but their method is essentially like a hunter killing a sitting duck with a tank. ;)
Bringing in a team of lawyers to fight against people who specifically can't afford lawyers of their own is just wrong in my opinion. Lately they've been sued for just a few files and been asking for an insane amount of cash in return.
They shouldn't go after these people, but people who actually *sell* the pirated songs they download. I see that as a much bigger crime.
Maybe. Bush is trying to appeal to left-wing voters by increasing spending on government programs. The Senate seems to be bending over for him, but at least the House Republicans are putting up a fight, and actually fighting/stopping some of the ridiculous spending.
Um, the governor only had part of it. Im not sure where i read it, probably nyt, but someone recorded a convo from congress where they planned how to strech it(power issue) out.
NYC has not had good power since then. Everyone ive heard from about it that lives there said since then, brownouts, and full blackouts are far more frequent. I do not live there, so i cant say for sure.
Im glad
The US has problems, and the brits who have been making the US talk show tour make good points about debate and accountability - but I don't see any evidence at all it works any better over there than here. Tony Blair actually has to deal with people getting in his face where shrub can avoid any public questions about accountability, but in the end it's Britain - not the US - that has street corner cameras and laws requiring ISPs to record every move their customers make online. Is that really any better than being ruled by corporate sponsored politicians? The only difference I see between the two systems is who gets to control your dossier...
OK, as the original poster, I'm really terribly amused to see it get modded up (to 5, no less!) as insightful, then down as overrated, and down as as a troll, and back up as insightful again.
I'm even more amused to find people interpreting it as a defense of republican fiscal policy (ack! Not something I'd ever do!), or a damnation of one party vs. the other, not to mention the implication that I'm an American citizen (despite the "you folks in the US" phrase).
In all honesty, it was just a flippant off-the-cuff remark, suggesting (I hoped) that given the state of the current republican administration, jack-boots were a prerequisite to joining the party, so this guy would already have a pair.
Honestly, it was just a bit of fun!
"People who do stupid things with hazardous materials often die." -- Jim Davidson on alt.folklore.urban
The current interpretation of the US Constitution doesn't give citizens the right to marry someone of their own gender
But it also doesn't deny the right of citizens to marry someone of their own gender.
And (according to the law) if something isn't expressly forbidden, then it's allowed.
Baning gay marriage is roughly equivalent to banning civilian ownership of tanks
Because gay marriages have the same destrutive capability as howitzer wrapped 10 tons of armor-plated steel?
Jebus, that's gotta be the most stupid comparisons I've ever heard.
oh, we cna get it back if we really want to. Declaration of independance lays out all the reasons for the 4th ammendment to exist. Just remember that. I doubt it will be nessecary, but if it does...
"It takes a very long time to count to 2 in binary." ~'Fourlegged'
The American government has constitutional provisions stipulating the separation of church and state. I wonder how long it will take for stipulations regarding the separation of business and state.
But it also doesn't deny the right of citizens to marry someone of their own gender.
Which, of course, leaves us back in common understanding--and at no time in the history of our civilization, present time excepted, have citizens been able to marry their own gender. (Depending on how you cut "our civilization", you wind up with either no abberate marriages or a tolerance for unmarried homosexuality.)
And (according to the law) if something isn't expressly forbidden, then it's allowed.
Not quite. There are, after all, legal statutes that prohibit gay marriages now--if there weren't, VT wouldn't need to have their "Civil Unions."
(This is a good place for me to point out that I think that homosexuals, polygamists, and polyamorists should be able to -- and encouraged to -- solidfy their romantic relationships with the same legal mechanisms that bind traditional heterosexuals, like myself. We're just not at this point, and thinking that we are someplace we're not is never productive.)
Baning gay marriage is roughly equivalent to banning civilian ownership of tanks
Because gay marriages have the same destrutive capability as howitzer wrapped 10 tons of armor-plated steel?
Jebus, that's gotta be the most stupid comparisons I've ever heard.
It's a legal distinction (and my name's not Jebus!)
A law baning tanks or howitzers (they're different things!) is, constitutionally speaking, roughly equivalent to baning gay marriages. Or banning drugs. Or setting a national speed limit on the interstate. Or the laws supporting state secrets or the UCMJ.
To spell it out--the bans are valid, be they spelled out or not, regardless of a minority reading of the constitution. If we want the bans lifted, we need to address them as a thing that the various legislatures can address--not something that we already have a right to.
The real reason though, in my mind, is that the RIAA already has the Democrats in their pockets. The Democrats have long historical and monetary connections to Hollywood and the content industry in general. It is Senator Hollings ( D ) who is known as "Senator Disney," after all.
So this is bad because the Republicans on the whole were less in bed with the RIAA/MPAA types than the Democrats were. With the RIAA catering more towards them, that won't really leave any opposition, unless this move spurs the Democrats to stop kissing Hollywood's ass.
10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
"Marriages" should be certified by religious institutions according to whatever rules they want, and "civil unions" should be certified by the government (regardless of race, gender, hairdo, etc.), and never the twain should meet. One should have absolutely nothing to do with the other. The concept of government-sponsored marriage is a big stinking pile of bullshit.
It's 10 PM. Do you know if you're un-American?
You mean the same Canada that charges a tax on blank CD-R's as "reparations for piracy"?
10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
The answer to your question is simple - The first amendment. The first amendment and most of the writings of the time made it clear that copyright was not meant to benefit artists and authors. It is designed to make more goods available for the public good. Copyright is a social contract in which I give up my free speech rights for a limited time, in hopes of gaining something in return. Authors have a natural right to the works they release to the public right up until the time they release them. After that they have no more natural rights to them. Copyright is designed as a means to make sure that more works are available to the public, and when that goal is not served, copyright is useless as best, and unconstutional at worst. The idea of ruining people financially, or throwing them in jail because thier kids downloaded a few songs is assinine. The problem is that corporations have warped the collective consiousness to believe that they somehow deserve to own thier own little piece of knowledge forever. This is a perversion. The real question is,
Instead of modding me down, post a reply telling me why forcing a citized to abridge his free speech right is good public policy. I want to believe, I just haven't heard a satisfactory argument yet.
Since the handgun ban, crime has steadily gotten :) So much for the myth of the safer britain.
much much much much worse.
For every annoying gentoo user, are three even more annoying anti-gentoo crybabies. Take Yosh from #Gimp for example.
more like the borg queen/king.
Resistance seems to be futile.
" Sixty million Americans use peer-to-peer networks to share music. That's more Americans than voted for George Bush."
;D
But the question remains, is that more Americans than voted for Al Gore??
"Mind, as manifested by the capacity to make choices, is to some extent present in every electron." -Freeman Dyson
Yes, but how many people really know about that? o_O
on writing the IP laws for Iraq (which she allegedly was hired to do).
Too bad we can't send her there. I'm sure there's a bullet with her name on it, too.
In fact, the more the RIAA goes after their own customers, maybe she should start wearing kevlar in this country.
Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!
O.K. I guess I got carried away.
:-)
I'm off my soap-box now.
sorry, bud
uR iGn0ranc3, Their Power
I think you're exactly right. This isn't a matter of which party supports what viewpoints. It's a matter of the RIAA indicating to Congress that the RIAA supports both major parties. The RIAA thereby ensures that neither party will support legislation that would erode the RIAA's power.
~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
Quite funny, bit of perspective....