From our good pal, Bob Lefsetz...and don't hold the CAPS against him...he 
can't italisize without rich text...that's why he does it...to make his 
POINT!

bob




> The public IS NOT going legit!!
>
> The iTunes Music Store is not a REPLACEMENT for file-trading, it's an
> ADDITIONAL MARKET!
>
> Say something enough times, and the ignorant press repeats it, and it's
> accepted generally as fact, even if it's COMPLETELY UNTRUE!
>
> The labels' lawsuits have done NOTHING to curb illegal file-trading. 
> Illegal
> file-trading is bigger than it's ever been in HISTORY!
>
> I think raising the price of legal downloads is completely ignorant, but 
> it's
> also IRRELEVANT!  Arguing about the price of individually wrapped copy
> protected tracks is like Joe Torre abandoning spring training to focus all 
> his
> energy on HOT DOG prices at Yankee Stadium.  The iTunes Music Store is a 
> sideshow.
> It's all about the elephant in the room, P2P.
>
> Now don't expect much movement on P2P until the Grokster decision is 
> handed
> down.  The labels are not about to budge an inch.  They've got their 
> fingers
> crossed, they're praying for a WIN!
>
> But let's say they DO win.  Let's say they shut down Grokster, get the 
> right
> to shut down other file-trading services.  First and foremost, the 
> Internet is
> INTERNATIONAL!  And the long arm of the United States law...is not that 
> long.
> FURTHERMORE, it's about the SOFTWARE, not the COMPANY!  The software
> allowing file-trading is now on TENS OF MILLIONS of computers.  Shut down 
> the
> companies that propagated this software and you've accomplished 
> essentially NOTHING!
> Since everybody with the software on their machine can STILL TRADE!  And 
> can
> pass on this file-trading software to NEWBIES!
>
> Oh, but the content industries are SUING traders.
> (http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7044346/)
>
> This has got to stop.  This is even more heinous than the Warner bonuses.
> Let me tell you how this works.  The penalties for copyright infringement 
> are SO
> HIGH that individuals can't risk a trial.  But it's WORSE than that.  They
> can't AFFORD LEGAL REPRESENTATION!  The big bad RIAA comes down on you and
> you've GOT to pay up.  You're INCAPABLE of fighting back.  Unless, you're 
> a rich
> major label employee to BEGIN WITH!  This is UNAMERICAN!   And the 
> labels/RIAA
> should be ashamed of themselves.  Because they're ruining LIVES!  $10,000
> doesn't mean much to Edgar Bronfman, Jr., who just got paid a MULTIMILLION 
> DOLLAR
> BONUS, but to the lay person, it's the difference between a financial 
> cushion
> and BANKRUPTCY!  That's what you get for being a music fan.  You get
> financially RUINED!
>
> Yes, make no mistake, these people are FANS!  Sure, they're ripping off 
> the
> system.  But that's only because NOBODY WILL LET THEM PAY!
>
> For over FIVE YEARS the labels have refused to monetize file-trading, 
> refused
> to take the public's money.  It's like a bad comedy routine.  We want to 
> give
> you our money, we want to pay you.  NOPE, NOT GONNA TAKE IT!  I don't want 
> to
> sell my product this way!
>
> FURTHERMORE, it's not even STEALING, it's COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT!  It's 
> not
> like the labels are MISSING anything, the files were reproduced for FREE!
>
> I say no more charity dinners while the labels sue customers.  Or else
> there's got to be a charity dinner to pay the judgments the public is 
> incurring as a
> result of these heinous lawsuits.
>
> God, Lifebeat?  How about MUSICBEAT?  How about "Rolling Stone" printing 
> the
> photo of every person sued.  How about a rolling scroll on MTV.  Sure, 
> being a
> victim of an RIAA lawsuit might not be QUITE like dying of AIDS or being
> killed in Iraq, but those people are DEAD, the people sued are having 
> their lives
> impacted quite possibly FOREVER!  AND, the lawsuits are not having their
> intended effect.  As stated above, trading is more voluminous than ever 
> before.
>
> Then you've got Sony BMG, getting ready to roll out copy protected discs.
> Whoa, the only result of this will be to PISS OFF the people who BUY THEM!
> THEIR usability will be compromised, while these same tracks will be 
> available for
> free on P2P sites immediately.
>
> Oh, it's REALLY complicated.  Just record the CD in an analog fashion, the
> same way you record vinyl.  The copy protection can't stop THAT!
>
> And what's the GOAL HERE ANYWAY?  To stop CD burning?
>
> Anybody who thinks CD burning is the problem doesn't own an iPod.
>
> We've got faces in the Warner debacle now.  Edgar and Lyor have targets on
> their heads.  We cannot forget, nor forgive them.
>
> We need a target on the head of Andy Lack.  For this lame decision to 
> employ
> copy protection on CDs.  Something the JAPANESE have decided doesn't work.
>
> And while we're at it, we need a target on Mitch Bainwol's head too.
>
> Then again, the public doesn't care anymore.  They think the RIAA and the
> major labels are a joke.  They're just trading away, essentially with 
> IMPUNITY!
> I mean you have to be REALLY DUMB to get busted for downloading.  New 
> software
> makes most people IMMUNE!  Then again, the law of NUMBERS protects almost
> everybody ANYWAY!
>
> The train has left the station.
>
> Everything the major labels are doing is a sideshow, not impacting the 
> real
> marketplace.
>
> The public knows that CDs are overpriced and only have one good track. 
> They
> know they can get everything P2P.  They know that the old paradigm is 
> dead.
> They now want ALL the music.  As computer files.
>
> Something the labels won't give them.
>
> The labels want everything on THEIR TERMS!
>
> Copy protected tracks.  Evaporating subscriptions.
>
> And they don't realize, THEY'RE PUTTING THEMSELVES OUT OF BUSINESS!  Sale 
> by
> track is economic death.  Almost all players out there are not compatible 
> with
> Napster.  Any other industry would go where the CUSTOMERS ARE!  Find a way 
> to
> give people what they want.  A PLETHORA of unrestricted tracks for one low
> price.  Hell, didn't the HEAD of Sony say that tracks should cost less 
> than a
> QUARTER?
>
> But his charges know nothing about technology, nothing about commerce.
>
> Then again, Andy Lack came from TV!
>
> And Thomas H. Lee Partners could care less about music.
>
> As for EMI...you'd think they'd throw the long ball, do something 
> INNOVATIVE,
> blow the game WIDE OPEN before their stock falls through the floor. 
> Coldplay
> ain't gonna save them, but selling their ENTIRE CATALOG TO MILLIONS OF 
> PEOPLE
> WILL!
>
> As for Universal...  It's like a rogue nation.  Vivendi knows nothing 
> about
> music, they just don't want to sell the company at a rock bottom price.
> Therefore, they let these guys do WHATEVER they want.  Which is 
> single-handedly,
> with their giant market share, hold back the future of online music.
>
> I doubt Grokster will be overturned.
>
> But, as stated above, even if it is, it won't solve the labels' problems.
>
> When are the major labels going to stop their whining, stop employing 
> their
> big stick and make peace with the NOW!
>
> The public's bought in.  Apple can't keep iPods in STOCK!
>
> But the majors just want to keep their CD model.
>
> I know, I know.  Most of the foregoing is repeats.  It's just that I can't
> believe these guys are this fucking dumb.  To leave all this money on the 
> table.
> To deny reality.