Information is, inherently, free.  FREE.  What does this mean to me?  That, yes, I believe that making hard copies of an artists work, and particularly selling it for a profit of which a portion of the proceeds are not received by the artist, should be illegal.  However, data, in bits and bytes and other expressive terms of quantity when refering to a piece of software, IS FREE.  It is information.  No different than the copy of the song that I have saved in my own memory banks.  The copy that comes out when I step up to the Karaoke microphone.  The copy that my friend belts out while driving to and from work every morning, or while sitting in heavy traffic, or while standing in line at the DMV.  By this point i'm getting rather flustered.  Thinking that people who violate their own client's rights and want to speak of freedom.  Those who take over 80% of the income gained on a product created by their clients, and want to speak of robbery.  Those who claim their client's best interests, but sue for personal gain, and those who will sue any and all who are caught in the act.  A dead woman sent notice of a lawsuit.  Lawsuits filed against 12-year-old filesharers who only wanted to hear their favorite artist's song.  Sue them... sue them all.  By the time you are finished, you will not need your clients.  You will have made billions in lawsuits, receiving just due for DAMAGES.. when NO damages have been done!  Sorry Mister Executive RIAA Vice President... Sorry that your $500.00 novelty tie was so very important.  Sorry that your $200.00 meal over which you discussed how much "piracy" was hurting business with your number one client!  Sorry to inconvienence you... but... we only wanted to hear some music.

We only wanted to hear some music.  Many of us paid for it.  747 new lawsuits in the past 5 months alone?  It only seems right, doesn't it.  Don't get me wrong.  I love your client's music.  I love all music.  It's you I hate. RIAA...Rich Investors Arrange Arraignments.  "Our CD sales are not doing so well.  What should we do?"  "I have an idea... let's start sueing the file-sharers... we've been wanting to get rid of them for a while anyway."  I will stand up and salute the judge who finally deems an RIAA lawsuit to be "Frivolous," and throws the case out.  Violation of privacy... violation of rights.... violation of freedom of expression, freedom of information, freedom of simply being free.  Violation of my space, and my time, and my patience.  Greedy, money-hungry, self-absorbed, greedy, powermongering, lawsuit-happy, rights-violating, and did I mention Greedy, RIAA.  So sorry that the 80% of the cut you take from money earned by your clients ISN'T ENOUGH.  HERE'S A FREAKIN' CLUE, GIVE THE ARTISTS A FAIR SHARE AND MAYBE THEY WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT NOT MAKING ENOUGH!!!

What happened to our beautiful country?  What happened to freedom???  WE JUST WANT TO LISTEN TO MUSIC!  Taking down entire legitimate networks to stop this "piracy."  PIRACY... that's what you're calling it.  Sorry if you like to picture us in feathered caps with anchor tatoos on our chests... you sickos.  Nice to see what gets you off though!  So why don't I just buy the CD?  Where should I begin?  The NEEDLESS $20.00 price tag?  As if taking 80% of the artist's income wasn't enough, you have to pad it even more by grossly overcharging?!?!?  And so, let's say that I did "damage" your income by downloading a cd, and making it available for upload.  If 5 people upload this 1 cd, that comes to a grand total of $100.00.  BUT WAIT!  That won't do it for you.  To prove even moreso that you care more about the money, and nothing about the intellectual property or the damages suffered, you demand HUNDREDS if not THOUSANDS!  WoW!  Way to make the punishment fit the crime.  How much of that lawsuit settlement/award goes to the Artist themselves??  ZIPO... once again.. good thing you're thinking about THEM.

Great... you have not only contradicted EVERYTHING you say you stand for... but you've also ruined a few thousand people's lives in the process.  Nothing like a black mark on your record for life... because you let someone download George Jone's Greatest Hits from you!

Get a clue RIAA...  We will always be here, sharing our files and fighting for what is right... you can't stop us.  But, it's good to know that you can ruin some of our lives, pad your pockets a bit more, buy that new Mercedes you've always wanted, golf on the weekends and pow-wow with the bigwigs through the week... and for what?  Only a few thousand innocent souls?  Next time you decide you want to make a quick buck by destroying lives, why not start with your own?