‘Wake up America !’
p2pnet.net News View:- Not Hollywood film maker Rick Fulkerson unveiled his latest mini-epic, yesterday.
Called the True Pirates of Music, it’s a stirring portrayal of deceit set in the Hollywood of the 21sxt century.
And it inspired an interesting Reader’s Write from the dynamic_duo_ohio >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
For once I wish someone in DC actually did something about the entertainment industry. Just to, you know, give the IMPRESSION that they were on our (the public’s) side, not on their side (big music). I too, researched copy write and the entertainment cartel’s activities to date. Frankly, I’m offended by their very existence. I think the worst thing they did was to subvert our copyright system into a blueprint for monopolization of our culture.
Copyright was originally devised for striking a BALANCE between the creation of new works of art and the public domain. Copyright is in essence a monopoly and was intended to give the artist time to make money FOR A LIMITED TIME.
That’s right; let me repeat that, for a limited time.
The question then becomes (obviously) what is considered a “Limited time”?
When I see an advertisement for a new sandwich at McDonalds or a new candy bar, I always see “for a limited time” as well. This lets me know that while I can expect the item to be available now; waiting for a year to get it might not be the best idea.
Webster’s dictionary says that “limited” means: small in range or scope; not excessive, not unlimited. The way CW stands now, 75 years after the artist’s death does a song or movie becomes public domain. Is this excessive? You bet it is, let me explain why.
When a work of art has been created and released to the public, it has a specific price attached to it. That price is what it took to make that piece of art. Let’s say for the sake of saying so that a song has been created and released to the public via radio, cads, and all other types of media that are floating around.
The song is a hit, everyone loves it, and it stays at the top of the charts (which doesn’t really say anything since RIAA controls those charts-another rant) for a full year.
That original price tag has been paid thousands of times over. The song is heard everywhere for 2 or 3 years, then slowly, like a dream, vanishes from the public eye.
That song has been paid for. Society has paid in full for that song yet it will not fall into public domain for at least 7 more DECADES. Excessive? It was big music that bribed some greedy politicians bought extensions and vole! A chokehold on America and a blueprint for a monopolistic empire built on the endeavors of others
The word “pirate” brings forth images of lawlessness, greed, domination, and thievery. I find this description to be an accurate portrait of the entertainment industry.
The entertainment industry has:
#1 engaged in price fixing their “product” (conspiring to keep prices at a rate beyond what the market would normally support).
#2 used their money to extort funds through intimidation and fear of lawsuits.
#3 bribed positions to get more power to sue more people with unfair laws and harsh penalties.
#4 subverted the youth of America with the garbage they are allowed to broadcast into our homes and subject our children to.
#5 controlled the so called “news” for decades, doctoring it up to further their own agenda.
#6 wasted taxpayer’s dollars and our nation’s resources to further secure their stronghold.
#7 attempted to stifle innovation and technology that does not conform to their outdated business model.
#8 undermined our free enterprise system by unfair business practices.
#9 taking from everyone and giving NOTHING back. (The money you spend at the theater is earmarked for Hollywood, NOT back into the community)
#10 cheated the very people on whose backs they have built their fortunes
I will not, and have not, gone to the theater in more then 10 years; I will never again buy another CD or DVD from them or support them in any way. In the end, that is about all I can really do.
The solution to this is simple. It’s all about breaking up the monopoly. It is already happening; we are seeing the birth of the “open source” entertainment industry. This is a good thing! It should be nurtured and cared for, allowed to develop and grow. As it does so, we will see something amazing.
People who want to play music and make movies not to get rich but because they are driven by the need to create. I contend that this breed of artist is the type we want! They are just pumped to be known (which will LEAD to endorsements etc)
I’m telling you, the arrogance of Hollywood is sickening. Go to smokinggun.com and read the riders of what the current day music or movie star expects for a performance.
Imagine an “open source” entertainment industry where a CD has ONLY good songs, at most you might not like 3 of them (instead of the other way around like it is with the current industry) or where instead of getting sued by the industry for how much stuff you are sharing, you are rewarded for acting as a distributor.
Wake up America, every CD and DVD you buy, you are supporting organized crime and giving them more power.
LamerX
dynamic_duo_ohio@nospamyahoo.com (remove “nospam”)
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June 1st, 2005 at 3:51 pm
I’m glad to hear someone of the same opinion, the public needs to stop bitching, and get actively involved in some kind of organized protests against these bastards.
June 1st, 2005 at 4:18 pm
Open Letter to the Copyright Warriors! (draft)
Posted by Mike (Shmoo) on June 1, 2005 at 10:14 AM
The web these days abounds with blogs and other sites like ours who see a need to limit and/or destroy the powerful influence of the “content cartel.” We each do our part in our own unique ways to bring this message and warning to the people, but I feel it is time to shout an old axiom at the rest of you:
“United we stand, divided we fall!”
Although we each have differences of opinion, we need to realize that ultimately we are really on the same side against the goliath. There is some cross-fertilization and “community”
between our various sites and organizations, but I fear there may not be enough (and that for the most part, we really just all ignore one another.) Let’s remedy the situation and strive to be more cohesive. We should link to each other and refer visitors to one another more often than we currently do. We should co-ordinate on the various projects, drives, and efforts that we come up with from time to time.
It takes team-work to make a “movement” effective. The chinese
rail-workers of the previous centrury had the saying “gung-ho!”
that they used to motivate one another, and in Korea they have the phrase “su go ha ja!” of similar meaning. Let’s adopt the sentiment and go kick some rear-end to make the world a better place for one and all!
<b>this is a rough-draft and “open-source” open letter. Please add to it and edit as you see fit …and circulate to any and every site/blog that is concerned with our issues!</b>
Shmoo, aka “independentmusician”
Admin for Boycott-Riaa
June 1st, 2005 at 5:05 pm
“I too, researched copy write and the entertainment cartel’s activities to date.”
Bravo, you did a hell of a job. You are totally right. As a direct victim I know.
Regarding the LIMITED TIME, listen to this:
My father, a composer, assigned a song to publisher, Peermusic, in 1947. Presumably my father gave Peermusic the score of the song or a recording, a requirement if Peermusic was to exploit the song for my father’s benefit and his 50 percent of the royalties.
Peermusic never copyrighted or published the song. Today Peermusic has no score or recording of the song, therefore they cannot exploit the song for the benefit of my father’s heirs.
Since the song was never copyrighted, it can now be copyrighted (if Peermusic finds the score they apparently threw away). That copyright will last until 2063, to 70 years after my father’s death. That is what the laws says.
A judge recently decided that the song stills belong to Peermusic because our pertition to rescind or anul the assignment contract was denied. This measn that Peermusic will have owned the song from 1947 to 2063, a total of 116 years while totally failing to meet their contractual obligation to exploit the song for the benefit of the songwriter and that is fine with the court.
The law in effect at the USA in 1947 gave protection for a period of 28 years, with a possible addition of a copyright renewal period of 28 years if the copyright holder filed for a renewal period registration. So the most possible copyright duration in effect then was 56 years.
There is something fishy here.
a. The 56 years of maximimum copyright protection has been transformed into an assigmnet to a publisher that lasts 116 years.
b. The non performance of a publisher has meant nothing in the courts.
c. Our (as heirs and beneficial owners) loss of the song (I doubt we will ever find a score or a recording of the song) has not resulted in punishment for the publisher. Just one (a minor one) of the over 200 errors made by the case judge, in a lawsuit against Peermusic.
The details can be found at our web site: http://www.gvenegas.com
“THE BIGGEST COPYRIGHT THEFT AND MYSTERY IN HISTORY”.
Rafael Venegas
http://www.gvenegas.com
June 1st, 2005 at 8:23 pm
A 50 year monopoly on ANY discovery or work should be the ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM regardless of any situation. This is the spirit of the Law of Jubilee. On the Jubilee, all debts are forgiven, and the people are allowed to redeem the land they sold.
The WORK or DISCOVERY that was given to the author was already known by the Creator before the beginning of time. It should be given back for the benefit of mankind. You can find the actual teaching in the Torah Lev. 25:24 .
The creator of a work or discoverer deserves some compensation for their efforts. Allow a limited monopoly of 7 years. This seven years is enough to compensate the artist or discoverer. This way customers who use the work will be endebted for only a limited time. The Sabbath (7 th) Year is a time for the releasing of debts. The Teaching for this is found in Deut. 15:1-6
The Second Highest law of the land in these united states is the U.S. Constitution. Provisions are made for a limited time for copyright. The actual time limit is not specified in the Constitution, but it it looks like that the Founding Fathers intent was on providing a reasonable period of time in order for someone to recoup costs and make a profit on any work (benefitial to mankind) he or she creates.
Any cartel music or video that I download is 7 years old or older. The rest of the stuff that I watch or listen to is indpendently produce (with free use permitted) or has been already broadcast (given away by the copyright holder) on publically owned airwaves. I will not obey or honor any law that is contrary to what does not comply with the above.
The cartels do not know and/or care about what is lawful. They only care about their profits. As I stated many times previously, I no longer pay money for any entertainment cartel product because they do not meet the requirements for compensation under the higher laws.
June 1st, 2005 at 10:54 pm
Literati Di Graffito X in immortal contralto; disturbance of the phantom poetica spraying the spoken spectacular on Massacre Street between two avenues of Butcher & Beheaded: O’Banion,Yale,Torrio and Capone don’t syndicate like the cyberspace digital music throne!
June 2nd, 2005 at 9:29 am
I quite agree with the tenor of this posting, and I heartily encourage everyone to join in by NOT buying DVDs and by not going to movies. Hell, if enough people boycott theaters, we will see those movies for free on TV much sooner than is currently the norm. In that regard, though, it would be helpful to their own cause if performers (musicians, especially) would simply create web sites and offer the fruit of their efforts to the public either for free or at one-tenth what the rip-offs are charging.
Boycotts do work — but they require the commitment of every individual who believes in the cause. So, yes: Wake up, America! Power still belongs to the people; even when the billionaires buy and sell politicians like so much lawn fertilizer, the results are meaningless if we unite. For example: what good is a 70-year copyright if the copyrighted item is a failure?
And equally important: continue to express yourselves and stand by your principles — in time some yet-to-be-defined combination of judges on the Supreme Court will strike down the obviously unjust laws when some dauntless Don Quixote points out that they fly in the face of common law and historical legal precedence.
PluQueRic
bobinvegas@hotmail.com
June 2nd, 2005 at 5:29 pm
strangly enough it would play into the riaa/mpaa hands as they would use it to ‘prove’ file sharing is killing their business.
June 2nd, 2005 at 9:33 pm
So what if riaa/mpaa ‘proves’ file sharing is killing their business? The automibile killed the horse carriage and horse industries, the pc killed the typewriter business, the digital camera is killing the film business, the cd killed the turntable business, and so on. This time around it is no different except that the obsolete cartel is fighting back, hopelessly.
Rafael Venegas
http://www.gvenegas.com