Is there any reason to post here...i.e., does it do any good?

I think this deserves a serious answer. Number one, we are in a war of words and a war of ideas. The other side knows this very well, and to some extent, I must admit that, with regard to the rhetoric, they (RIAA and MPAA) have been successful. Indeed, they have succeeded at getting the words "piracy" and "pirates" , and to some extent, "stealing" and "theft". In fact, from time to time, I review what is being written out there, and the weight of the media is using these incorrect and inflammatory terms, so sites like boycott-riaa.com , dmusic.com, gnutella.com, diariaa.com, and others, are seemingly the only places one actually finds the proper words being used, and corrections to the nonsense about saying that people are guilty of the crime of piracy, when at most, they may be copyright infringers at most.

So, the first thing is that we actually provide an alternative to the lies and misrepresentations being promoted across the Net , on the television, and on the radio.
And, I believe that, erecting a news portal that puts out the facts, is very important.
We continue to be there, much to the chagrin of the RIAA and MPAA, pointing out their lies and propaganda, and offering arguments that they have a hard time putting down.

In fact, Leflaw once said that one reason he wanted boycott-riaa to be right there , number two on Google searches under the RIAA, to offer surfers the altenative to the RIAA propaganda.

I just did a Google search, and sure enough, boycott-riaa still accomplishes that mission...sitting there right under the RIAA's site.

Another reason to post is that it builds community. When a group is attacked and villified, the need for community and support, becomes all that more important.
If you are a P2P user, sitting at home, you may feel that you are becoming more and more marginalized, as you see more and more lawsuits, more and more rhetoric, and hear yourself being called a thief, a pirate, a criminal, etc., when all you are doing is using a particular piece of software, enabling you to connect to other computers around the world.

There is yet another reason. For several years, giant corporations were made to stop some very draconian actions by two things. One was lawsuits and laws, and the other was change of public opinion against their actions. Thus, one thing we do by maintaining this site, is to shape arguments against the "party line" of the RIAA and MPAA. As more people find this site, we can, and do, help to provide cohesion to disparate groups and individuals, and to unify folks. We are not at the point of critical mass yet, which would result in mass opposition to the Copyright Cartels, but we are certainly farther down the line toward that goal than we were years ago.

Lately, I've been posting more articles that use the inflammatory rhetoric of the RIAA and MPAA to further highlight the unreasonableness of the opinions and "journalism" that is out there on a regular basis.

The next point goes along with the last. We can help to mobilize people to turn away from their apathy, and see that, if we do NOT become more politically active, and mount a political action type group, supporting politicians that support our views and opposing those who do not, we will find that more things like FECAL (Family Entertainment and Copyright Act Legislation), and the DMCA, will get passed.

Thus, each of us needs to become "Digital Ambassadors of Truth" to the public at large. We need to educate and motivate others. Send more people to the sites like DMusic and Boycott-riaa (and soon, boycott-MPAA.com ) and share the gift of truth.

So, yes, I believe we are doing great things, albeit slowly. We are lighting candles in the darkness of ignorance and obfuscation. We are offering a giant, worldwide public square so that students, old folks, anyone interested in freedom and digital consumer protection, can come, listen, and speak their minds.

I might be wrong, but I think that lighting one candle is better than just cursing the darkness.

~CodeWarriorz Thoughts

"I might be wrong, but I think that lighting one candle is better than just cursing the darkness."

Unless it's really freaking windy, in which case, you'd better be carrying a MagLite™, preferred by roadies and police officers worldwide.

You creep! (*beats over head with baseball bat*) Why didn’t you tell me about Diariaa? WHY WHY WHY?! XD

I carry a Mini Maglite on my keychain, and one of those big policeman that holds a load of D cell batteries (one long enough to be used as a weapon if you need to) in my truck.

Still, try to light a campfire with a MagLite...takes forever!

My father has a giant MagLite, too, as well as a blackjack. In fact, since you’re one of the good guys, I should have used the blackjack on you instead. Sorry!

Also, if a friend smokes cigs and ask you for a light and you pull out a MagLite...lemme know what they say .

I will tell you another reason we should post.

Every time that the new batch of lawsuits comes out, people go hunting for help on the net. In the process this site aways comes up. Admittely we are to late to help those already in trouble. We are not to late to help their friends. Remember everytime an act of financial terrorism occurs, they have lost not only one prospective customer but that customers circle of friends. Over time this adds up, continually reducing the potential customer ranks. They are doing this worldwide, so the backlash will be worldwide. Since it started here in the states first you may expect to see the reflection of world attitudes towards this in the decrease in purchasing as it builds customer resentment. As you say, it hasn't reached critial mass yet, so this trend will continue. Expect the usual from the RIAA and MPAA, that everything is rosy. They will in one hand say that figures are going up in sales to smooth the feathers of investors while at the same time saying that projected sales are decreasing in the attempt to continue to bribe the lawmakers into what they will believe is a worthwhile effort.

I think posting here is good. But I do not think it is all that great that many people ONLY post here and do little else. Posting is good for a few reasons, including what wet1 said though.

This site gets a lot of hits. There are probably many visitors that don't post here, but do get valuable information.

At our shipyard we have regular safety meetings. More often than not the same rules are stated over and over.

The repetition is not because there isn't a lot to say about safety. It's because that's how the message sinks in.

Same thing here. Stop buying RIAA crap and stop downloading RIAA crap. Even the good old stuff (that's the tough one for me as there is a whole wealth of tunes out there). Keep pushing it until it becomes a philosophy of life. As long as people continue to purchase or even acknowledge RIAA material, they will continue to be around to blame and sue their customers for not buying enough of their product. Choke off their sustenance and they will die.

One candle in Texas, one in Arizona, one in Virginia, one in Tennessee, one in Pennsylvania--spread out across the country these single flames become a raging forest fire that consumes the entertainment industry!! Surrounded by all the smaller flames, they spread across the continent, each one lighting another, and another, and another. Okay, that's enough. End of rant. (Purple enough?)

We've beaten Clear Channel, read the newspapers. I'll post at length tomorrow. The financial wizards stir the tea leaves, mutter and scratch their heads and consult the chicken bones---and can draw no other conclusion than the people have voted on a shunning.

Now tell me of any other occcasion of which you can recall that the wee folk have brought down the Moloch.

The Free Market has spoke. Break up the monster.

You forgot Colorado!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think we need an anti-riaa convention.

Code, I thought you were looking to dispel darkness. You can't start a fire with a candle, either, at least not until you find some other fire to light it with. If you want to start a fire, you need a pop can and a chocolate bar.

As for Clear Channel, they're just breaking the company into two parts. Why would they do that?

"Clear Channel also said the spinoff of the entertainment unit will let it operate as a largely unregulated public company, as opposed to its heavily regulated radio business."

The Moloch (whatever that is) isn't quite dead yet and it's a mistake to count it as such until it ceases to exist.

I didn't forget Colorado, stilltrying, but the big flames are George, Code, Tom, Shmoo and, of course, lelfaw. All of us other smaller flames are spread far and wide--from Florida to Colorado, and wherever else you all are from. Care to add to the list? How many states do we have represented here?

Clear Channel's concerts didn't do so well this year. Seems among other things, ticket prices were way too high (reputed to have everything from parking fees to you name it buried in the price). I would suspect that by breaking it off from the major office they free it of some of the regulations that apply to large but not smaller companies. There is always something behind such a move that isn't apparent on the surface. Clear Channel has also decided that ticket prices are too high (duh!). Their little scheme to record the concerts and become music recording companies aren't doing quite that well either. Seems the artists want compensation, now why would they be holding out for premium fees?

One of the Clear Channel stations in our area has decided to go back to broadcasting the older rock. Doesn't seem to be much interest in the newer stuff for some reason. Either there isn't enough of it for broadcast material or no one really wants to hear it and are leaving the stations' listening audience.

With the latest directions of music today it seems the majors are falling back on the catalogue to wait it out and not invest in new stuff so much. I would believe that is one of the reasons that the releasing of new music is slowing down so much. That and lack of talent through developing artists as they did in the past. There is no type of movement to capture the listeners imagination anymore. No theme that seems to drive folks to listen and go buy.

I was thinking about the RIAA and their "lawsuits" this morning while cleaning out the cat's litter box. Just when you think you've got all the shyte out..you sift around and there is a giant turd ball. Occasionally, the RIAA dredges up more turdballs to release on us.

"So it goes"-Vonnegut

Please keep posting. I expect to spend time here to help understand the issues. I think even though alot of obnoxious ranting goes on here, this is probably one of the best resources to find the most knowledgeable viewpoints.

"One of the Clear Channel stations in our area has decided to go back to broadcasting the older rock. Doesn't seem to be much interest in the newer stuff for some reason."

The new stuff is mostly regurgitated old stuff, anyway.

Code, great thread topic! (The sorta thing we should continue to bring up from time to time. Self examination is always good for the soul.)

Determination and a plain old stuborn streak are MY prime reasons for still being here after all these years. In any other arena I am virtually powerless and without a voice in regard to these issues.
Boycott-Riaa provides THE prime forum for those who are generally without financial/corporate resources to speak out in favor of the independent musician and the music fan/consumer who have been increasingly shat upon by the likes of those fat-cats who make up the RIAA and similar monopolistic organizations.

My goal is to rant and fuss and bitch and scream at the world until it listens. I want to alert the sheep to the dangers of accepting the RIAA's culture of exclusion.
The wolf's monopolistic grip has become so strong on every aspect of music and entertainment that it makes me sick.

There is so much talent deserving a chance to be seen/heard, but that has NO CHANCE of realistically doing so when the RIAA and MPAA unfairly and illegally hold the reigns of distribution.

Our enemy is not only greedy, it has severly fouled up our artistic culture in persuit of the $$$.

Ok for you Maglite people, completely off topic from BSA wilderness survival training, a Maglight can be used to light a fire if the bulb is broken without doing too much damage to the wire filament inside. You find a good dry peice of tinder, touch the the filaments to it and turn on the light. Of course this is a desparate strategy and better if you have a replacement bulb. A 9volt battery and steel wool also works.

Ok back on topic. I'm always suprised just how frequently this site comes up when I search on my username. Also it is interesting to see just how many divergent opinions there are on the site, and frequently I do learn something by reading the posts.

Everybody, do a google on your username!

"One of the Clear Channel stations in our area has decided to go back to broadcasting the older rock. Doesn't seem to be much interest in the newer stuff for some reason."

Because it sucks! Here in New York, Krock (I'm pretty sure they are Viacom - not CC) was the only new rock music station and they just switched formats. Now they are "The Best Rock. Period." and they are playing some new stuff together with lots of hair metal like Warrant and Ratt! Ha ha! I'm loving watching these idiots tank. Whoo!

I googled my user name, Shmoo. It scared me--there are a couple of others using the same name on truthout (I love that page), and other political web pages--but they aren't me. I don't think. I have no memory of having posted on those, nor do I remember starting a blog. Maybe there's something I should know. Maybe not.

if ya google my most used moniker...Codewarriorz...ya get a bunch of hits