Someone who is unwilling to fight for liberty or freedom..... deserves neither.
The RIAA CEO is pillaging citizens for thousands of dollars through sending them extortionate letters (pay up or else), and if they do not comply then he sues them for millions in court. How you can sit there and pretend this is "a-okay" and the CEO is "just a nice guy" is beyond my comprehension.
Perhaps you would have just rolled-over and done nothing while millions were killed, but not me. Life is not so precious that I'm willing to just stand by & watch others die. I probably would have done what Oscar Schindler did & try to SAVE lives rather than exterminate them.
He's suing citizens in order to suck millions of dollars out of their wallets (OR sending extortionate letters demanding $5000 to make the lawsuit go away).
The RIAA CEO is not as bad as Saddam but he's still pretty bad. He's a tyrant consumed with the two worst sins: ambition and avarice... he's ruining people's lives.
When you watch cable television, your entertainment is being paid for by the corporations. Yes there's a monthly 50 cent "subscriber fee" collected by TNT, USA, et cetera, but most of the cost comes from the ads, which cost thousands of dollars per minute.
50 cents from you, thousands from the corporations. The corporations are bearing the burden. BUT with DVD there's no corporations backing the cost of the show, so you have to bear most of the burden yourself, paying about $3 per hour of TV episode (instead of 50 cents per month).
>>>Just don't kid yourself about what you're doing, and don't act like you're entitled to it.
STRAWMAN ARGUMENT. I never said I was "entitled" to pirated downloads. I said I'm entitled to a refund when I buy a piece of trash, same as I've thrice received refunds for lousy hotel stays, or refunds for broken PSPs, or whatever.
Case in point:
I bought a DVD called Left Behind Part 3. It refused to work. So I took it back to Walmart and politely asked for a refund, but they insisted I had to do an exchange. No prob for me, except they were sold out! I ended-up going home with a DVD that refused to work. ---- No other industry refuses refunds for broken or crappy items. Why should the media industry be able to do it?
>>>Try not paying at a hotel sometime because you didn't like the service. That'll be fun.
I have.
Thrice.
The first two times I was given "store credit" which allowed me to stay for free at any Motel 6 in the nation. The third time I had to file a credit card chargeback, and I won a full refund. My argument is that is a motel gives refunds/store credits, why can't record and movie companies do the same for their customers? The thousands of other industries give refunds; why should the entertainment industry be any different.
>>>More Americans enjoy far more liberty today than at any period in American history,
How can you be free when your neighbors can gain access to your wallet for whatever they desire (new car, new home, food stamps, cover their retirement expenses,...)? That basically makes you a slave where you work for others' enrichment, not yourself.
>>>The whole point of this little conversation is that it's irrational to suggest (as you did) killing someone for doing a legal action, when the real problem lies with the laws that make his actions legal. >>>
So the execution of Japanese officers post-WW2 were wrong in your view. They were just "following the law". They did nothing wrong. Got it.
I'm glad I don't live in your world where people can commit heinous acts, and justify those acts with "I was just following the law" as they rape or pillage citizens.
>>>advocating the murder of these law-abiding citizens
I forgot soldiers of the German SS. Sure they're just "following the law" but that does not make their actions acceptable. They KNOW that both the law and their actions are immoral. Had I lived during that time, I would happily aim and fire.
>>>surely advocating the murder of these law-abiding citizens must surely make you much more evil?
It depends upon who I am killing. I would have no hesitation killing Saddan Hussein. Or Osama Bin Laden. Or a British soldier circa 1780 (as did the American founders). Or Robespierre circa 1790. Citizens have a right to kill tyrants when said tyrants are destroying citizens' private lives.
>>>The problem is the law that allows it to happen.
Yes but just because the law SAYS the CEO can sue people for millions of dollars, does not mean he should. The law might tell me I can sue a dealership who destroys my car for 1 million dollars, but that does not mean I have to press charges. I can choose to just let the dealer go, or sue for a less amount (say $30,000).
The RIAA CEO doesn't have to sue grandmas and teenage boys for millions-and-millions of dollars - as evidenced by the fact he's decided to stop.
>>>The question is, what do you do when they actually give you the money you ask for? Do you go to the post office the following morning?
Of course, but that's never happened because even though my customers are often in a hurry to meet the Christmas date, they don't actually want to spend $50 just so they can their Batman DVD shipped immediately. It's one of those deals where you can be 99.9% certain the customer will say no.
Same deal with the ISP Owner in the article. He knows full well that RIAA's not going to cough up the thousands of dollars needed to cover his expenses to block pirates. RIAA's too cheap.
>>>As noted, the entertainment industry doesn't owe you anything, and you don't have to have it.
Yes that's true, but as noted OTHER industries provide a guarantee of satisfaction. If the TV has a lousy picture, you can get a refund. If a Playstation does not work, same deal. If the service at the hotel was shit, you don't pay. TV shows should have the same guarantee.
>>>If you go to a concert and the entertainment is lousy, they don't have to give you back the cover charge.
But they should. See my first paragraph for reasons why.
If the corporations want more than that, then they need to produce QUALITY shows like Star Trek TOS, TNG, DS9. Or 24 or the New Galactica. Or HBO's Rome/Sopranos. Those shows I'm willing to pay full price in order to add to my collection.
It must be nice to having a rich mommny-and-daddy who can buy whatever you want. I don't have that luxury, therefore I can't afford to waste $50 on the lousy Season 2 of Heroes.
>>>Wait, you seriously thought that those shows weren't going to suck?
I have no way of knowing if a show is going to be good or bad prior to watching it. For example I bought Season 2 of Heroes, and it was lousy. How was I supposed to know it was lousy until AFTER I had watched it? I wasted $50.
How you can sit here and defend policies that allow consumers to waste $50 and not be able to get a refund makes no logical sense to me (unless you own stock in RIAA).
>>>The CEO of the RIAA is doing what he/she is legally obligated to do: maximize profits.
He's legally obligated to destroy, attack, and ruin citizens' lives? I'm sorry but that only makes the person evil in my book. "I'm just following orders" is not a valid defense.
Well it doesn't look like the law is going to change to stop the RIAA CEO, but instead change to make his suing of citizens even more destructive. According to the Maryland Declaration of Rights, "All Government of right originates from the People, is founded in compact only, and instituted solely for the good of the whole; and they have, at all times, the inalienable right to alter, reform or abolish their Form of Government in such manner as they may deem expedient."
Most states have similar clauses. The RIAA CEO either stops his campaign of destruction upon the citizens, or he faces the ultimate punishment reserved for all tyrants that do not heed the People's wishes.
* * I use the label of tyrant because the CEO's actions have consequences as severe as that of a government leader: Destruction of lives & imprisonment of citizens. Perhaps you'll better understand when the RIAA CEO comes after you and slaps a million-dollar lawsuit on your person.
Maybe then you'll be less inclined to defend the CEO.
The Premier/Fuhrer of the German Reich is doing what he/she is legally obligated to do: keep the German folk happy by imprisoning the malcontents in deathcamps. Substitute with "Caesar" or "Napoleon" or any other tyrant from history. They ALWAYS justify their acts as just doing their job, or trying to improve things, but it doesn't make their actions moral.
The RIAA CEO's actions to "eat out the substance of the citizens" thorugh million-dollar lawsuits are immoral and tyrannical.
He should refuse to do it & resign. Or face the consequences.
Almost every option you list costs me $8-10 for rental - more than I want to spend for crap like Suckita 1980.
Free options like hulu don't include some series I wanted to see like Earth Final Conflict or the Avengers. I purchased both of these on DVD, and they both sucked. That's almost $200 wasted, and I can't return either of them.
>>>While it is not an unequivocal "no," it does indicate a reluctance to simply comply
Correct. I respond the same way to MY customers on amazon or ebay. "You want me to send your item immediately? Tomorrow morning? Sure I have no problem with that, however it means I will have to take about one hour off from work, and that's going to cost me $50 in wages. If you are willing to pay that extra 50 dollars, then yes, I will mail your package first thing tomorrow morning. Thanks:-)"
This shuts the customer up, because they don't want to pay me an extra 50, and I really don't want to visit the post office first thing tomorrow.
I suspect the ISP owner chose his answer carefully, because he is hoping RIAA will be similarly "shut up" rather than pay the cost for extra time/effort policing his users.
"The best facet of the Second Amendment is that it's not needed..... until the government tries to take liberty away." - Founder of the Democratic Party, Thomas Jefferson
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Someone who is unwilling to fight for liberty or freedom..... deserves neither.
The RIAA CEO is pillaging citizens for thousands of dollars through sending them extortionate letters (pay up or else), and if they do not comply then he sues them for millions in court. How you can sit there and pretend this is "a-okay" and the CEO is "just a nice guy" is beyond my comprehension.
Collaborator.
I certainly would not have joined the SS.
Perhaps you would have just rolled-over and done nothing while millions were killed, but not me. Life is not so precious that I'm willing to just stand by & watch others die. I probably would have done what Oscar Schindler did & try to SAVE lives rather than exterminate them.
He's suing citizens in order to suck millions of dollars out of their wallets (OR sending extortionate letters demanding $5000 to make the lawsuit go away).
The RIAA CEO is not as bad as Saddam but he's still pretty bad. He's a tyrant consumed with the two worst sins: ambition and avarice... he's ruining people's lives.
When you watch cable television, your entertainment is being paid for by the corporations. Yes there's a monthly 50 cent "subscriber fee" collected by TNT, USA, et cetera, but most of the cost comes from the ads, which cost thousands of dollars per minute.
50 cents from you, thousands from the corporations. The corporations are bearing the burden. BUT with DVD there's no corporations backing the cost of the show, so you have to bear most of the burden yourself, paying about $3 per hour of TV episode (instead of 50 cents per month).
>>>Just don't kid yourself about what you're doing, and don't act like you're entitled to it.
STRAWMAN ARGUMENT. I never said I was "entitled" to pirated downloads. I said I'm entitled to a refund when I buy a piece of trash, same as I've thrice received refunds for lousy hotel stays, or refunds for broken PSPs, or whatever.
Case in point:
I bought a DVD called Left Behind Part 3. It refused to work. So I took it back to Walmart and politely asked for a refund, but they insisted I had to do an exchange. No prob for me, except they were sold out! I ended-up going home with a DVD that refused to work. ---- No other industry refuses refunds for broken or crappy items. Why should the media industry be able to do it?
>>>Try not paying at a hotel sometime because you didn't like the service. That'll be fun.
I have.
Thrice.
The first two times I was given "store credit" which allowed me to stay for free at any Motel 6 in the nation. The third time I had to file a credit card chargeback, and I won a full refund. My argument is that is a motel gives refunds/store credits, why can't record and movie companies do the same for their customers? The thousands of other industries give refunds; why should the entertainment industry be any different.
>>>More Americans enjoy far more liberty today than at any period in American history,
How can you be free when your neighbors can gain access to your wallet for whatever they desire (new car, new home, food stamps, cover their retirement expenses, ...)? That basically makes you a slave where you work for others' enrichment, not yourself.
>>>The whole point of this little conversation is that it's irrational to suggest (as you did) killing someone for doing a legal action, when the real problem lies with the laws that make his actions legal.
>>>
So the execution of Japanese officers post-WW2 were wrong in your view.
They were just "following the law". They did nothing wrong.
Got it.
I'm glad I don't live in your world where people can commit heinous acts, and justify those acts with "I was just following the law" as they rape or pillage citizens.
>>>advocating the murder of these law-abiding citizens
I forgot soldiers of the German SS. Sure they're just "following the law" but that does not make their actions acceptable. They KNOW that both the law and their actions are immoral. Had I lived during that time, I would happily aim and fire.
>>>surely advocating the murder of these law-abiding citizens must surely make you much more evil?
It depends upon who I am killing. I would have no hesitation killing Saddan Hussein. Or Osama Bin Laden. Or a British soldier circa 1780 (as did the American founders). Or Robespierre circa 1790. Citizens have a right to kill tyrants when said tyrants are destroying citizens' private lives.
>>>The problem is the law that allows it to happen.
Yes but just because the law SAYS the CEO can sue people for millions of dollars, does not mean he should. The law might tell me I can sue a dealership who destroys my car for 1 million dollars, but that does not mean I have to press charges. I can choose to just let the dealer go, or sue for a less amount (say $30,000).
The RIAA CEO doesn't have to sue grandmas and teenage boys for millions-and-millions of dollars - as evidenced by the fact he's decided to stop.
>>>The question is, what do you do when they actually give you the money you ask for? Do you go to the post office the following morning?
Of course, but that's never happened because even though my customers are often in a hurry to meet the Christmas date, they don't actually want to spend $50 just so they can their Batman DVD shipped immediately. It's one of those deals where you can be 99.9% certain the customer will say no.
Same deal with the ISP Owner in the article. He knows full well that RIAA's not going to cough up the thousands of dollars needed to cover his expenses to block pirates. RIAA's too cheap.
>>>As noted, the entertainment industry doesn't owe you anything, and you don't have to have it.
Yes that's true, but as noted OTHER industries provide a guarantee of satisfaction. If the TV has a lousy picture, you can get a refund. If a Playstation does not work, same deal. If the service at the hotel was shit, you don't pay. TV shows should have the same guarantee.
>>>If you go to a concert and the entertainment is lousy, they don't have to give you back the cover charge.
But they should. See my first paragraph for reasons why.
$0 does wasted sounds better.
If the corporations want more than that, then they need to produce QUALITY shows like Star Trek TOS, TNG, DS9. Or 24 or the New Galactica. Or HBO's Rome/Sopranos. Those shows I'm willing to pay full price in order to add to my collection.
Else they get $0.
>>>Suck it up and buy the stuff
It must be nice to having a rich mommny-and-daddy who can buy whatever you want. I don't have that luxury, therefore I can't afford to waste $50 on the lousy Season 2 of Heroes.
>>>Wait, you seriously thought that those shows weren't going to suck?
I have no way of knowing if a show is going to be good or bad prior to watching it. For example I bought Season 2 of Heroes, and it was lousy. How was I supposed to know it was lousy until AFTER I had watched it? I wasted $50.
How you can sit here and defend policies that allow consumers to waste $50 and not be able to get a refund makes no logical sense to me (unless you own stock in RIAA).
>>>The CEO of the RIAA is doing what he/she is legally obligated to do: maximize profits.
He's legally obligated to destroy, attack, and ruin citizens' lives? I'm sorry but that only makes the person evil in my book. "I'm just following orders" is not a valid defense.
Well it doesn't look like the law is going to change to stop the RIAA CEO, but instead change to make his suing of citizens even more destructive. According to the Maryland Declaration of Rights, "All Government of right originates from the People, is founded in compact only, and instituted solely for the good of the whole; and they have, at all times, the inalienable right to alter, reform or abolish their Form of Government in such manner as they may deem expedient."
Most states have similar clauses. The RIAA CEO either stops his campaign of destruction upon the citizens, or he faces the ultimate punishment reserved for all tyrants that do not heed the People's wishes.
*
* I use the label of tyrant because the CEO's actions have consequences as severe as that of a government leader: Destruction of lives & imprisonment of citizens. Perhaps you'll better understand when the RIAA CEO comes after you and slaps a million-dollar lawsuit on your person.
Maybe then you'll be less inclined to defend the CEO.
Simmer down.
The Premier/Fuhrer of the German Reich is doing what he/she is legally obligated to do: keep the German folk happy by imprisoning the malcontents in deathcamps. Substitute with "Caesar" or "Napoleon" or any other tyrant from history. They ALWAYS justify their acts as just doing their job, or trying to improve things, but it doesn't make their actions moral.
The RIAA CEO's actions to "eat out the substance of the citizens" thorugh million-dollar lawsuits are immoral and tyrannical.
He should refuse to do it & resign. Or face the consequences.
Almost every option you list costs me $8-10 for rental - more than I want to spend for crap like Suckita 1980.
Free options like hulu don't include some series I wanted to see like Earth Final Conflict or the Avengers. I purchased both of these on DVD, and they both sucked. That's almost $200 wasted, and I can't return either of them.
Still more money than I want to spend. If the TV show is trash, I will have wasted ~$4 on the rental and ~$4 on gasoline.
The proper solution is to give refunds when a customer returns a DVD he/she considers junk.
>>>It's a terror campaign
And what do we do with terrorists? Shoot 'em.
>>>While it is not an unequivocal "no," it does indicate a reluctance to simply comply
Correct. I respond the same way to MY customers on amazon or ebay. "You want me to send your item immediately? Tomorrow morning? Sure I have no problem with that, however it means I will have to take about one hour off from work, and that's going to cost me $50 in wages. If you are willing to pay that extra 50 dollars, then yes, I will mail your package first thing tomorrow morning. Thanks :-)"
This shuts the customer up, because they don't want to pay me an extra 50, and I really don't want to visit the post office first thing tomorrow.
I suspect the ISP owner chose his answer carefully, because he is hoping RIAA will be similarly "shut up" rather than pay the cost for extra time/effort policing his users.
>>>150k$/song you're being sued for your life earnings
If I was fined 150,000 dollars the only kind of "payment" the CEO of RIAA would receive is a bullet. Tyrants must fall.
"The best facet of the Second Amendment is that it's not needed..... until the government tries to take liberty away." - Founder of the Democratic Party, Thomas Jefferson