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WW2 Vet Sent 300,000 Pirated DVDs To Troops In Iraq, Afghanistan

nbauman writes "WW2 veteran 'Big Hy' Strachman, 92, pirated 300,000 DVD movies and sent them to soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq, where they were widely distributed and deeply appreciated. Soldiers would gather around personal computers for movie nights, with mortars blasting in the background. 'It's reconnecting to everything you miss,' said one. Strachman received American flags, appreciative letters, and snapshots of soldiers holding up their DVDs. He spent about $30,000 of his own money. Strachman retired from his family's window and shade business in Manhattan in the 1990s. After his wife Harriet died in 2003, he spent sleepless nights on the Internet, and saw that soldiers were consistently asking for movie DVDs. He bought bootlegged disks for $5 in Penn Station, and then found a dealer at his local barbershop. He bought a $400 duplicater that made 7 copies at once, and mailed them 84 at a time, to Army Chaplains. The MPAA said they weren't aware of his operation. The studios send reel-to-reel films to the troops."

7 of 650 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Well that's okay by Jeremiah+Cornelius · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Just keep 'em happy, maiming and killing brown babies, to further the cause of our humanitarian mission - and further the aims of truth, justice and liberty.

    --
    "Flyin' in just a sweet place,
    Never been known to fail..."
  2. Re:That by cpu6502 · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    What the troops REALLY want is to end the killing of innocents & come back home to defend THIS country. And there's only one candidate who is willing to do that. If we really cared about the troops, we would honor their wish.

    --
    My AC stalker: " I personally agree with your posts most of the time, but that won't keep me from modding you troll"
  3. Re:That by cpu6502 · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    >>> I see the supporters of the Tooth Fairy are out again.

    Oooh, save us Ron Paul, you're our only hope. One has only to listen to his supporters to know he hasn't got a hope in hell of winning, and that his policies are based on wishful thinking.

    I hope when either President Obama or Romney start rounding-up Americans (anyone who speaks-out against the Iran War will be labeled a "terrorist") that you care one of the first to land in jail w/o right to trial. You deserve to get what you have voted for.

    --
    My AC stalker: " I personally agree with your posts most of the time, but that won't keep me from modding you troll"
  4. Re:Well that's okay by Jeremiah+Cornelius · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    You don't answer the question.

    Is it OK? Is it justifiable?

    Is it a decent price to pay for your own comfort?

    --
    "Flyin' in just a sweet place,
    Never been known to fail..."
  5. Re:That by P-niiice · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    NO OFFENSE HERE but if troops were particularly bright they wouldn't be troops.

  6. Re:I just got back from a deployment to Afghanista by Hatta · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    they served in fucking afghanistan!

    And? What exaxtly does that detail, and why should it be lauded?

    The details that occured are probably something that i dont agree with, but the signing up to serve the country, and do what your told by superiors during this deployment are things that, even if you or I dont see it directly, have an effect on our daily lives.

    Yes, it has an effect on our daily lives. You assume that it's a positive one.

    The people that are out there doing this actually are doing a great thing for the rest of us that are sitting comfortably in our air conditioned cubes

    No, they are not. They are risking their lives in a pointless imperialistic endeavor that benefits no one except the masters of industry.

    please, with all the heart felt sincerity that you dont believe possible from my first thanks to the soldier, take all of your judgement and cynicism, and shove them deep up your ass while shutting the fuck up! and have a nice day

    Please, with all the heart felt sincerity you refer to above take your naive credulous militarism and shove them deep up your ass while shutting the fuck up. And don't have a nice day, military apologists like you have the blood of innocents on your hands.

    --
    Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
  7. Re:Well that's okay by reboot246 · · Score: -1, Flamebait

    Is it OK to kill children?

    We've killed millions of our own UNBORN babies in this country. Are you okay with that? If you are, then you have no right to complain about anyone killing babies anywhere at any time.