The RIAA – short for Ridiculous, Ignorrant, Arrogant, Absurd

The RIAA – short for Ridiculous, Ignorrant, Arrogant, Absurd

So the RIAA is at it again. I’m sure everyone has seen, heard, or read the latest on the Minnesota woman ordered to pay $220,000 after being found guilty of illegally downloading copyrighted music – 24 songs to be exact…but I have to say something on it. Sorry, it’s just a rant. Humor me, and read on…

The Minnesota woman said she earns $36,000 a year. She is also a single mother. Not that I feel for her personally, but how the crud is she going to pay that fine. That’s is comparable to suing a crack-head for air pollution. I mean really, what judge let this one slide by? Does anyone remember “cruel and unusual punishment”?

I think $220,000 is an obscene award for this crime. Let’s look at the typical punishment for a first-time shoplifter.

The scene – Adult shoplifter – stolen merchandise worth $100.00 – punishment will be something like this (Based off my experience in Texas Law Enforcement)

a) A Court hearing – (With an attorney they may get a plea bargain)
b) A fine of about $300.00,
c) Probation of one or two years,
d) 40 hours of community service,
e) A Civil Fine being imposed by the store stolen from ($300 +)

So let’s break it down a little more. The same RIAA will allow a song to be downloaded for 99 cents from iTunes or where ever. So for 24 songs her fine
should have been closer to $24.00 plus a “Don’t do this again fee”…and I’ll be steep on this …of say $300.00.

Sounds fair to me. Paying $324.00 for illegally downloading 24 songs….man that would make me think twice before doing it again. How about you?

Also bands like Chemical Romance have made it big in part buy giving away their music on the internet. I know plenty of artist that offer at least one or two songs free on the net. Great marketing strategy!

Anyway, now I am going to turn my rant towards the record companies. I mean really guys! – you screw artists all the time, take money from their hard work and talent, then screw the fans who buy the CD’s, …are you really hurting that bad….or is it greed ‘Colonel’? (referring to Elvis’ manager what ever he was)

I mean 24 songs downloaded by a single mother making $36k/year…is that a significant amount of loss for you????

Ok I’ll shut up know and wait for the day when music goes back to the way it should be. The day when bands start selling their music from their own sites, or sites like iTunes, and going around the “Big Machine”. The technology is here, it is starting, how long will it be? One day musicians will realize they don’t need all the other crap. Then we can visit places like Nashville and take a tour of “Music City” while the tour bus driver tells us stories about “…back in the days when the music man was tied down by corporate bureaucracy”…LMAO