What the RIAA really said.

[Joshua Zeidner]

On Jan 1, 2008 9:44 PM, Craig White <craigwhite at azapple.com> wrote:
>
> On Tue, 2008-01-01 at 21:30 -0700, Joshua Zeidner wrote:
> > On 1/1/08, Craig White <craigwhite at azapple.com> wrote:
> > > On Tue, 2008-01-01 at 21:00 -0700, Joshua Zeidner wrote:
> > > > Just wondering Craig, do you have some kind of personal stake in
> > > > these matters?  Are you a lawyer?  do you represent some group?  Or
> > > > are you just really into this issue?
> > > >
> > > >    seems like you're putting a lot of effort into this.
> > > ----
> > > I own 600+ CD's (I lost count).
> > >
> > > It sucks that I can buy many/most DVD's for the same or less money than
> > > I can buy a CD.
> > >
> > > I have several iPods and I listen to them.
> > >
> > > I adamantly refuse to purchase from iTunes store (DRM or no) - it's just
> > > another middleman in the chain...but hey, I go to Borders instead of
> > > buying from Amazon (most of the time anyway, computer books excepted
> > > because Borders doesn't discount the computer books).
> > >
> > > I have a serious distaste for corporations who use attorneys to
> > > financially harass/destroy citizens.
> > >
> > > I represent no one but myself, I am into the issue. No personal stake,
> > > except that perhaps I used to live just 3 or 4 blocks from the
> > > defendants (don't know them).
> >
> >   ah, I see.
> >
> >   well I tend to divide 'activism' into distinct stages:
> >
> >    1.  Spleen Venting
> >
> >    2.  Interest Group Forming
> >
> >    3.  Lobbying, calling Congressmen, etc.
> >
> >    4.  Legal Action
> >
> >   I think at this point, that you've established that the corporations
> > are bastards.  Time to progress to stage II.  Honestly, I think a lot
> > more of our complaints would be heard and acted upon if we stopped
> > being so obsessed with looking intelligent in email and perhaps
> > organize a bit?  I am not really referring to you, but to the 'tech'
> > community in general.  I believe it was Kim Berry from the Programmers
> > Guild who said, "Organizing programmers is like herding cats" (Kim
> > sorry if that wasn't you!).
> ----
> food is a great collection agent

 for some maybe, but good people value their time more than a pizza.

>
> Lobbying/calling congressmen at this stage is futile because citizen
> activism doesn't much count in an environment where corporate interests
> are king.

 come on, I'm not talking about waving signs and faxing your congress
critter.  How about putting up a web site on these topics?  There are
no good ones.  How about a voting record matrix?  All simple tasks for
a tech person.

>
> Witness...our president says that he needs a new FISA law to ensure the
> safety of the American public. He also states that he will veto any FISA
> legislation that doesn't provide immunity for the telecoms and their
> past/future activities. Clearly he puts the interests of the telecoms
> ahead of the interests of the American public.

  Im right behind you on this one.  The president's support of illegal
domestic surveillance is absolutely appalling.  America has one of the
worst ratings for civilian privacy in the world.  Wait until the truth
about the *company you all love* comes out.

>
> Blogs and interactions such as these here are the new 'grass-roots'
> movement and the only one that the public can participate in as even the
> MSM (main stream media) cannot be trusted to find the story.

  I can tell you that this list is one of the more active linux lists.
 I notice there is a clear correspondance between issues discussed
here and the articles that come up on Slashdot a day later.  And btw-
the MSM is going to get worse due to these new regulations.

  Craig, someone here mentioned running for office... why not?  you
seem like a sincere and concerned person.

  -jmz