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MPAA Under Investigation for Illegal NYPD Payoffs
An anonymous reader writes "The New York Post is reporting that two NYPD officers are being investigated for taking illegal payoffs from the MPAA for busting sellers of pirated DVDs. According to the article, MPAA investigators would tell the cops where pirated movies were being sold, which is perfectly legal, but, after the bust, they'd give them several hundred dollars in gratuities, which is illegal. Naturally, the MPAA denies all of this."
I don't know who's worse: people paying cops to enforce the law, or cops that won't enforce it unless you pay them extra.
Telemarketer called you; you're on the do not call list?
click here
So where do you draw the line between tipping an officer for doing you a "favor" and bribing him to do you a "favor"?
Is it true that more people vote for the winner of American Idol, than vote for the president? -Ali G.
2 cops and the MPAA I would imagine. ;-)
Then you get a situation where whoever pays the cops the most gets the most justice.
We already have a problem with police going after more high profile crimes involving a lot of money, rather than going after less high profile crimes which involve less money but more harm to the individual.
For example, if a little old lady is scammed out of $10,000 by a guy who says he will fix her leaking roof, that causes her a lot of harm.
In contrast, if someone distributes music online and costs the music industry $100,000, which is highly unlikely, the police will go after those guys with more vigor, even though the music industry won't feel the sting of that guy's actions much if at all.
I agree completely... and I also can't understand why we tip the servers at restaurants... I mean, if they don't do a good job shouldn't they just be fired?
I Love Alberta Beef
Perhaps the reason the MPAA and RIAA is loosing 3.5 billion is because spending the money on bent officials?
I'm all for free movies, but when people sell them, they should get arrested.
Fine by me, but when police officers take bribes they should get arrested too. (Accepted that these are merely allegations under investigation; these police officers may not have done anything wrong).
So where do you draw the line between tipping an officer for doing you a "favor" and bribing him to do you a "favor"?
You don't.
If they don't think the job is worth the pay then they need to look for a job that does.
You have clearly never worked in the service sector. When I worked in the state of Virginia as a waiter I earned roughly half of minimum wage. The rest was expected to be made up with tips. The federal guvment assumes you will get 8-9% of each check in tips and the IRS taxes you for it. So if you don't tip your server still has to pay the IRS taxes on that tip they didn't receive.
Please tip. If you can't afford to tip then go eat at McDonalds.
The Information Revolution will be fought on the command line.
Nope. Read the parent.
"If the pay for enforcement of the law can be overcome by the acceptance of "tips", then the base salary is too low to prevent the officers from breaking their oaths."
You make no sense here. The corruption and "we only work if you give us extra money" situation would apply even if the pay was $200,000 a year. The MPAA has big money going here. How many hundreds of thousands do you want to pay each officer a year to remove any possibility of an MPAA bribe affacting their actions?
"In addition, if someone is willing to pay extra to have extra police protection,"
That reminds me of an obvious thing I overlooked. The poor already are ignored too much when they are victims. As they would not be able to pay the tips, this problem would get much much worse.
"then how is the police officer who assents to investigating "tipped" crimes at fault for spending more time looking into those crimes than into "untipped" crimes?"
Ever hear of "to protect and to serve"? There is NOT an asterisk there that says in fine print "only protecting those who pay us extra under the table".
I thought that enforcing the law only to protect those who bribe you was universally considered to be a problem. You seem to think it is a great reform.
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
Increase Sales
Reduce Cost
The MPAA considers piracy to be a "cost" that they wish to control, to assist their bottom line.
You better watch out, there may be dogs about . .
The tip is supposed to be paid for services above and beyond the most basic acceptable service. If a waiter doesn't provide acceptable service, it is the customer's responsibility to not only NOT TIP, but also to inform the manager of the bad service.
What is wrong in the above statement is that not tipping is only acceptable in the case of bad service. This is totally wrong, and contrary to the whole concept of tipping.
Tipping is intended as a means of a waiter/tress to earn income above and beyond what they normally earn (which is typically below minimum wage). However to earn that, it is expected, from the customer's perspective, that the waiter must perform services above and beyond what is acceptable as "normal", not what is accepted as "bad service".
I hate bad tippers. I think they are cheapskates and are ripping off good waiters. However, I have to reproach any waiter who thinks that it is my responsibility to pay him extra just for providing "adequate" service. If I wanted expected service, I would have gone to McDonalds.
The huge profits that are made on movies and music are way out of line. True, there are many execs, producers, direcetors, actors and musicians who don't get wildly rich, but there are loads who do. Rich beyond all comprehension. Why? These people are simply doing a job, one that has tremndous volume. If they cut prices in half or even lower, they'd still make a spectacular living, and they'd sell a lot more. It might even keep their total revenue the same. But I for one would be a lot happier buying a DVD for $5. I suspect many would, and wouldn't resort to buying cheesy bootlegs.
I do wish they'd lose that "penny-wise, pound-foolish" attitude.
See other post, about the problem of not enough penalty for giving into this temptation.
"If you believe that police are working in their jobs because of some "duty" or obligation to the common good, then I have to believe that you are the one who is misguided"
Do you actually know anyone in law enforcement? Personally? Have you ever talked to any? Most of the police/etc I talk to are working their jobs for this reason and take their "duty" seriously. Or perhaps all the police you know really are heartless mercenaries with no sense of civic duty, and don't care about their oaths? If this is the case, no wonder you hate the police.
"But hey. I'm the one getting modded down, so fire away with whatever "arguments" you've got from that fantasy world of yours."
It is like you have never read the messages. After I post several about the real problems of police corruption, you say I am in a fantasy world where "all police are true to their oaths and are not tempted by external monies." You have me confused with someone else.
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
Next thing you know they start paying politicians to change laws.
Oh shit, nevermind...
A few DVDs is different to being polite. If someone comes tot he house to repair something I'll always offer them a cup of tea and a biscuit. Same for the cops when they came here a few months ago (not relating to myself). These guys have a hard job and being polite to them isn't going to make you a favourite at all. Where as giving them free swag will.
Tea/coffe/snack/whatever = fine
Goods/services/favours = no
I suggest you check the difference between being polite and a bribe. Unless you're a little kid theres a big differencr.
I like muppets.
There's a reason there's a law called the Sherman Anti-Trust Act.
A true Republican president would be fighting against the trusts, unlike the corporate whore who occupies the White House.
Why is it that the proponents of "one nation under God" are so eager to get rid of "liberty and justice for all"?
Though when I'm in the US I do try to remember that the waiters really are serfs and if I don't tip they'll starve. What a lovely system you guys have...
--
USA: home of the world's largest terrorist training camp.
You do realize that the MPAA and the RIAA are different?
Maybe it is just me, but I think DVD prices are decently low right now (for the most part). I was just at a store yesterday and saw a huge selection of recent discs, new, for $7.50 each. Sure, the new ones are espensive when they first come out, but the prices often drift down.
I aay "for the most part" because I'd like to get those Babylon 5 sets sometime, and they are still very expensive.
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
Absolutely. But, while paying them more can get better officers, that is not the most of it. Corruption and bribery scandals happen at the top of the law enforcement pay scale (between $100,000 and $200,000 for big cities). Surely these are not poverty wages, yet these big chiefs/leaders/etc still take bribes.
"I intended to argue for a better "carrot" but you were intent on arguing for a better "stick"."
When you swear an oath, you swear an oath. No "carrot" should be necessary, or the oath is worthless.
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
No they're not. Candy costs about 55 cents a bar now, when it used to be about 33 cents when I was a kid. Does this mean if I were to shoplift a candy bar, it's the store's fault? Or the candy manufacturer?
While I'm certainly not defending the MPAA's actions or saying that things are hunky dory, their shitty actions are not a reasonable justification to steal.
You better watch out, there may be dogs about . .
For a rightious organisation out to protect the lawfull rights of artists they have a rather odd way of practice
Yeah, but for a greedy organization dedicated to stealing money from their users, that's no surprise to me.
Unfortunately (for the *AA enemies) I think this is an isolated case, rather than their modus operandi. After all, it's reasonable to expect that one or two cops (or even a P.D.) can be corrupt, isn't it?
Yeah! And when the cops let murderers, armed robbers and rapists run amok beacause busting simple copyright infringers pays a kickback, that's cool too. After all, you get free bandwidth! ;b
How ya like dat?
Notice what the man from the MPAA said:
-->
"We don't give cash to police officers," said Bill Shannon, an MPAA anti-piracy official.
--
Isn't that an odd way of putting a "denial"?
So Billy, what kind of gratuities do you actually use if not cash?
But most countries are socialist-leaning, so I'm not surprised you think so lowly of people who actually have to "sing for their supper".
How is it that so many people in the US see everything in an axis of Capitalism-Socialism?
The situation is as follows: Restaurant owners make money from the work of waiting staff. However, the waiting staff are paid on the whim of the customer (with less than minimum wage from owner contribution). The restaurant owner is essentially getting a free ride from the waiting staff. The waiter or waitress has no security and never mind the fact that many of the factors that contribute to "good service" are outside of the waiting staff's hands. If the restaurant owner understaffs, serves bad food or hassles the waitress so that maybe she doesn't feel like smiling or flirting with a customer, then it's not his problem because he's not the one that will be short-changed.
There's a lot to be said for a system in which everyone knows how much they're getting paid and how much they're expected to pay.
Aide-toi, le Ciel t'aidera - Jeanne D'Arc.
"The MPAA gave these guys a couple free DVDs, it is not like these gifts were large sums of money."
No, no, you are using the wrong equation. You need to use tyhe one where each work is worth $150,000.00:
http://www.bitlaw.com/source/17usc/504.html
all the best,
drew
FreeMusicPush If you want to see more Free Music made, listen to Free
" Now now we all want to think the MPAA are guilty but as TFA says its an allegation thats being investigated."
Isn't this similar to the record and movie companies who want to get info from ISP's about alleged copyright infringement without going to a court of law?
The media companies have *seen* people stealing, so they assume people guilty and want to just fine them directly without doing that long, involved courtroom stuff.
Am I the only one who sees the irony here?
You were mistaken. Which is odd, since memory shouldn't be a problem for you
That really drives me up the wall. The idea that the IRS needs to extract taxes from someone who isn't even paid minimum wage. Rather than people who actually earn more money than they need for survival. The working poor shouldn't even be taxed.
There is no America. There is no democracy. There is only IBM and AT&T and DuPont, Dow, General Electric, and Exxon
"I believe that waiting tables in the US is the closest you will come to pure capitalism anywhere. You tip based on their performance. If they suck, you pay them nothing, but if they provide excellent service, you pay them well. I've been known to give 200% tips for excellent service."
That is much closer to socialism. They do something for you then hope and pray you'll pay them out of the goodness of your heart.
I hate tipping because a customer's idea of a good tip isn't necessarily the same as the waiter/waitress's idea. I'll give what I think is a good tip, and by the expression on their face I can see they weren't pleased with it. I've even had a waitress actually call me cheap after getting a tip for more than 20%. I stormed out of the place in anger so I wouldn't do something that would get me arrested. But on further thought I should have called the manager to get the damn bitch fired.
With real capitalism, you either know the price up front or you negotiate it before making the purchase. Thus the transaction only takes place if the dollar amount is mutually acceptable. If the wait staff up-front declared a dollar amount or percentage that they'd be willing to serve me for, I can decline if it's too high, and if I accept their terms they can't complain about not receiving a high enough tip.
---------
There is inferior bacteria on the interior of your posterior.
Now, I've been on mass protests. Except I was fortunate to do so in a free country, Britain. I marched with several hundred thousand people about a topic I must admit I've changed my mind on since in the early nineties. And been with several thousand people protesting on another issue at roughly the same period.
Unlike America, I wasn't arrested or under threat of arrest and the authorities cooperated with the protest and its organizers. In Britain, the right to protest is not considered something to be stamped upon. Riots are rare because the tactics designed to provoke them are rarely if ever used by British law enforcement. You don't, for example, as is common in the US, herd protesters into a closed area, surround them, and then order them to disperse or be arrested.
In most free countries, the right to protest isn't dismissed as easily as you do:
We don't consider extreme limitations on the right to protest compatable with freedom. Indeed, the day law enforcement appears to be deliberately doing what it can to stir up trouble, the day it clearly starts making arbitrary arrests, et al, is probably the day the government doing this work finds itself likely to be thrown out. We don't do that kind of thing. We don't tolerate it. And we find it bizarre the country whose countrymen usually pride themselves on the degree of Freedom they have consider their right to start a business and then fire employees for what they do in their spare time as more important than the right to protest.Not that I'm saying all Americans are like you. I know plenty that aren't, right and left. But I'm surprised that, generally, you don't get the kind of backlash against Fidel Castro clones in local government in the US as you do in other western democracies. Maybe, because you, as citizens against a government, haven't had to fight for basic democratic freedoms for the last 250 years, many of you have forgotten how important they are.
You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
FTFA: "We don't give cash to police officers,"
We'll give out cars, credit cards, movie screener tickets, anything but cash!
Illegal? Samir, This is America.
Why is it that I am the only one who seems to understand that we need to go back to harsh punishments for powerful people (e.g., politicians, CEO's, etc) who are obviously crooked. We need to try, convict and sentence all this powerful and corrupt people. Sentence them to death by hanging.
That is the only way to swing the pendulum back, to correct the culture.
eat shiat and bark at the moon
I know this is flamebait and I should not respond but I still will...
No, you shouldn't perpetuate a system you believe is wrong. However, that also does not mean you penalize someone trying to make a living under that unjust system! If you see something wrong, do something that has a snowball's chance of CHANGING the situation. Don't be a cheapskate and then claim that you are "fighting against unjust laws;" your waiter, who often works very hard for your money (which you may not even see half of - it's a waiter's job to make it all seem effortless), won't be very impressed with your supposed moral fiber.
"Life is tough but we're tougher. You only get what you give, so give all that you've got." --Tony LaRussa
"Surely the can't expect that their raids of arrests will provide them with more sales."
If I understand your claim, I think you're wrong.
Yes, I think that they do in fact think that when people buy bootleg copies of DVD's that they don't buy legit copies of the DVD's, so shutting down illegal manufacturers (i.e. factories that manufacture DVD's that they don't pay royalties on, and street vendors who burn DVD-R's and don't pay royalties) they reduce the supply of bootlegs and thus increase sales of legit DVD's.
Is there something there that you disagree with?
Enable 3D printed prosthetics!
The MPAA and RIAA are different the way the Mafia and the Yakuza are different.
The correlation between ignorance of statistics and using "correlation is not causation" as an argument is close to 1.
What really needs to be done is lawsuits filed against the police for false arrest.
Saying 'You can always vote the fascists in charge out' is idiotic. Police shouldn't break the law even if ordered to. The fascists, meanwhile, control the media, and thus you can't vote them out.
If corporations are people, aren't stockholders guilty of slavery?
You are one stingy cocksucker.
"It's perfectly legal, even required, to bribe lawmakers by contributing to their re-election campaigns. But those same lawmakers will pretend indignation when they hear this story about police officers receiving kickbacks."
Lawmakers do not have the ability to use deadly force against citizens, but police officers do. Maybe you have a plan to eliminate corruption from politics, but corruption among police is a much more serious problem.
So by your own admission half would have been sales.
And in all cases the creative work was stolen.
Any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so.
It's the Court System that lets murderers, armed robbers, and rapists run amok.
Is there something there that you disagree with?
Reducing the supply of bootlegs doesn't translate into increased sales of legitimiate DVDs. Economics tells us that the higher the price vs the perceived value, the less people who'll buy the product. It could very well be that the price of the bootleg is acceptable to bootleg customers, but that the price of the legal DVD is not.
Which means that you might get *no* increase in legal DVDs by shutting down bootleg operations. You will, however, acquire power that you didn't have before (by definition).
Max
My god carries a hammer. Your god died nailed to a tree. Any questions?
The difference is, that while he robs and brutalizes and takes away rights and consolidates dictatorial powers, he says "he is doing it to help the poor". That is enough for some who only look at words not deeds.
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
Esteban Carpio and Abner Louima got to see police revenge in action. No trial, just beaten within an inch of their lives. With Abner Louima the NYC Police department repeatedly raped his by jambing a toilet plunger in his anus while yelling "Take this, nigger". And these are the ones that lived.
I'm sorry, but the police are a cancer on society. And before anyone says I don't understand I was once a LEO assigned to the US Marshall's Office for three years (among other duties). Most cops are nothing more than stupid animals that couldn't think for themselves if they're life depended on it. While there are many exceptions including some excellent police officers, it is clearly not the norm.
Remember this: next time you get pulled over remember who has their hand on a service issued firearm and who is unarmed. Does it make you feel a little scared? If there's a disagreement are they going to believe you or the cop?
Check out the moive "The Thin Blue Line" (1988). It's about how the police framed Randall Dale Adams for the murder of a police officer. He's was weeks from execution before the truth can out and freed.
Many cops carry "throwaway pieces", handguns and knifes that can't be traced back to them so if they kill someone they have an excuse. Back in the '80s I spent some time riding with the Washington DC PD and reported to an officer shooting a suspect. The officer claimed the suspect (now quite dead) had a knife. An Inspector came out, didn't see a knife and said he'd back in five minutes. When he returned there were now four knifes under the body. It seems a few "people" grabbed their throwaway knifes and kicked it under the body without checking to see if someone else had already done it. The Inspecter saw the knifes and closed the case as a justifed shooting. Maybe it would've been different if the kid (16 years old) wasn't black and didn't live in public housing.
Welcome to Amerika.
Abner Louima: NYC officer arrested in alleged sexual attack on suspect
Esteban Carpio: No bail for suspect in detective's shooting
"I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence or insanity but they've always worked for me" - HST