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RIAA Uses Local Cops In Oregon Raid
newtley writes "Fake cops employed by the RIAA started acting like real police officers quite a while ago — one of the earliest examples unfolded in Los Angeles in 2004. From a distance, the bust, 'looked like classic LAPD, DEA or FBI work, right down to the black "raid" vests the unit members wore,' said the LA Weekly. That their yellow stenciled lettering read 'RIAA' instead of something from an official law-enforcement agency, 'was lost on 55-year-old parking-lot attendant Ceasar Borrayo.' But it's also SOP for the RIAA to wield genuine officers paid for entirely from citizen taxes as copyright cops. Police were used in an RIAA-inspired raid at two flea markets in Beaverton, Oregon. 'Sgt. Paul Wandell, Beaverton police spokesman, said officers seized more than 50,000 items worth about $758,000,' says The Oregonian. But this is merely the tiny tip of an iceberg of absolutely staggering dimensions, an example of the extent coming in a GrayZone report slugged RIAA Anti-Piracy Seizure Information."
I mean, piracy is a crime isn't it? What's wrong with using real cops to bust people pirating stuff?
Unless people here actually condone piracy, which would be unthinkable for such a law and order crowd.
It's kind of like in Montana you can be strapped with a sword or machete as long as it's in plain view and that's cool. Likewise; you don't need a permit for a handgun; you just can't conceal one without a permit. There is nothing illegal about walking around with a handgun stuffed in the back of your pants or with shoulder holsters over your shirt as long as it's visible. A similar law is in place for knives; as long as it's 6 inches or more it must be in plain sight. However, a switchblade or butterfly knife is illegal.
So I suppose you should be able to have a big ass replication machine in your clandestine warehouse with this equipment if you have a big ass sign on the front of the joint viewable from space that says "Yo, we're copying DVD's and shit in here!". BUT, you can't be copying just a few CD's in your basement on your PC, because that shit is ILLEGAL.
So they're allowed to enforce copyright law, but not immigration law?
How does painfully wrong information get modded up like this?
Won't somebody think of the clueless??
My 0.02 cents
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Toro
poorly printed labels, loose shrink-wrap or a different kind of covering
Jeebus, you give us pirates a bad name. For the love of all that's holy, get new ink cartridges every once in a while! And labels that are suited for your printer! And don't get me started on shrinkwrap! If you can't put on a condom right, stay the f*** away from shrinkwrap of any kind!
retracted.
I'm glad the RIAA is making efforts to stop the "pirates".
Personally, those jackasses at the swapmeet make it dangerous to download music the way it was intended.
They're using their grammar skills there.
He does get points, though, for using the word 'trumple'.