John Adams

This topic predates this thread. Note I dedicated it to DrD, who is not even in this thread, but who's posted about music piracy in the past. So actually, I'm not ranting to the choir.

Relax man--I'm not accusing you of it. A few have admitted to stealing music and those people are in this thread so though you're enjoying showing off your new knowledge of the concept of "straw man," it's use here is inappropriate.

Great. Nothing proves my point more. Here's an idea. If a band doesn't want to work with the RIAA, why not put the music out themselves? When a band contracts with a label, they get the benefit (the millions before the album is even produced, the promotion, the expertise, etc.) and also the obligations (allowing the RIAA to act on their behalf against infringers). The bands make a choice. Now more than ever, there are other options to signing these contracts. The people who don't sign have a choice of what to do with their music, but if they choose to sign with a label, tough stojan.

And I was pointing out that stealing from the antichrist is still stealing. If you want to know if it's stealing, ask the bands if they would rather have the money or have you steal their music. I know there are some bands who say they don't give a sh-- but most would rather have the cash. And by the way, that cash pays more people than the band or the bigwig at Sony. It helps pay for the 50 bands who didn't make it but Sony took a chance on. (I have a buddy who's made over 1.5M with 3 records labels in 3 bands--who never had albums released!) Steal away. The impunity with which it's done justifies the punishment in my book. I love when these kids get whammied and the parents get !@#$ed!

Right. They are dicks so DrD gets to steal. Even my My 1st grader recognizes that as a flawed argument.

Oh, and d) a person steals the music. There are so many worse people than the music industry. The posters in this thread make them sound like the antichrist. It's a convenient justification for the theft. You're all bunch of modern Robin Hoods.

Theft of intellectual property is different than theft of personal property. Still stealing. IT took me a year to write a book. You stole the Word file and share it with your friends. Stealing.

That's a distinction without much of a difference. When you "steal" a secret formula from Coca-Cola, the law calls it "misappropriation." BFD. The word games don't change the issue. So far in this thread, most people rationalize the theft by saying record companies are scum. It's really an unbelievable bit of self-deception. You know who's really scum. China. Guess we should steal Chinese-made goods manufactured by evil DuPont sold by the dirtbags of Wal-Mart.

I love all the theft justifications in this thread. Great stuff from the slime.

Funny. I did a search but "kid" and "PSA" are 3 letters so the search bonked them. "Rock" had too many hits. My post is better. PS--what's worse...I replied in your original thread!

Most is in oil shale so it's not an easy answer.

I know, I know. Laugh it up. You don't care. Steal on kiddies.

This from the a guy who cries foul when the left compares someone to a Nazi. Way to jump to extremes. First, Tom's response is spot on. Second, that she's engaging in rational thought at age 6 is something I encourage. If she believes in fairies, Santa, and other magic when she's 40+, I'll have done a bad job parenting.

Really?

Do people just sit around thinking of questions to ask just for the sake of asking questions?

Ding. My daughter has been on a streak of telling us all the things she knows to be untrue (princess, superheroes, Santa, etc.). This was the pinnacle of that for me--and also for my wife who would probably call herself a Christian. We then told her loaves and fishes, Moses and plagues, and several other stories--she wasn't buying any of them. Later that night, my wife and I were imagining what some of our relatives would have said to her. "No dear, people made up the story of Cinderella, Star Wars, etc...Those are just stories. But in reality, once upon a time Noah built a big boat for every animal in the world...etc."

Did you read the part where I explained that particular creation story to her? That's some religious exposure, is it not? She'll get and does get plenty of religious exposure. You can no more shield children from religion than you can shield them from body odor. Further, in no way would I expect it wise for anyone to go through life without some knowledge about religion. That would be like going through life without an appreciation of history. She'll learn religion in school. She'll read about it in books. It's part of the world. My joy is was in her rational skepticism of the story, ie, recognizing it for fantasy. Between coming home and finding her smoking pot with some classmates vs. coming home and finding her in an evangelical Bible study group, I'll take the former 7 out of 7 days.

I just enjoyed your statistical ruse. Condoms suck.

Today in 1925, the Scopes Monkey trial concluded. If you don't know what that is, I don't care. The timing of this very important 83rd anniversary of the completion of the Scopes trial coincides with a conversation with my 6 year old daughter Nabby on Saturday. We were driving by a statue at 17th and Vine in Philadelphia. Nabby: "Dad, what is that?" Me: "That shows a story of how god made man. He sculpted the body from the earth and shaped it some. Then god breathed life into it. In the last part of the statue, man emerges from the earth. Some people say that's how god created humans." Nabby (indignant): "I don't believe that." Queue hysterical laughter from my wife and I as we revel in our good parenting.

I know it's NJSue's birthday and all, so your post is a fitting tribute. I wonder how many people visit the NYTimes website.

Are you auditioning for the snare in Bill's smoking, my homo-rights, and Wacka's stupidty drum kit?

Anyone who laughed should be shot. Not because the joke is offensive. But because it doesn't resemble humor.

You'll have to have bought a hell of a lot of silver to make any difference as a hedge against meltdown.

The WHERE of GB is not an issue for me. It's the bigger problem that we're holding people without the benefit of any trial or review (including some Americans), and we're holding them for years on end. That's not OK and we'd be hollering (rightly) to the heavens if North Korea or some other country just jailed some Americans under accusation that they're enemies.

Ted Kennedy did it a few months ago too. Do you really care?