Senator Norm Coleman has now heard from the RIAA on his [Coleman's] demand for explanations from the music industry on its sue 'em all campaign, as seraphielx points out in a post.

The reply - 11 pages of it - came from Cary-Sue Sherman, RIAA president and general counsel. And it's interesting to note that Coleman, a self-confessed former Napster user, has apparently been hypnotized by Cary-Sue's silver tongue.

Coleman, chairman of the US senate's permanent subcommittee on investigations, was hard-line when he initially gave Cary-Sue and the RIAA two weeks to produce information on the subpoena attacks.

"Surely it was not Congress’ intent when it passed the Digital Millennium Copyright Act to short-circuit due process protections, relegate a U.S. District Court to providing 'rubber-stamp' subpoenas, enable the music industry to collect information about consumers with little or no restrictions, and place numerous average consumers at risk of bankruptcy," he said in his original, strongly worded letter to Sherman.

But now, he's "gratified" by assurances that the industry is initially focusing on "egregious offenders who are engaging in substantial amounts of illegal activity," says a dc.internet report here (http://dc.internet.com/news/article.php/30653 01), going on:

"[...] an analysis of the RIAA documents submitted to his subcommittee on Aug. 14 'clearly reaffirms' the industry's legitimate concerns over the 'devastating economic impact of illegal file-sharing and copyright infringement'."

Coleman is quoted as saying he remains concerned about the potential for abuse of the subpoena process established in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) and, "making sure the punishment for violators fits the crime".

He'll do that by broadening his inquiry, "into how peer-to-peer file sharing networks operate" and "the hearings to be held in the near future will examine the criminal penalties for file-sharing and the consumer protection issues involved in the usage of peer-to-peer networks".

(Thinks: was this all a put-up job? Nah. Couldn't be ....)

RIAA will never tell the truth, just like microsoft, They will always say they're the victims.

p2p is more than just RIAA music, this is a tool for free comunication

Was I wrong or did I hear they had 2054 subpoenas last week. Now they only have 1000?

Well , that's about what I expected .

Just as I suspected. Cary (Boy named Sue) Shermans's brown hand just came out of Sen. Colemans As*. More dummies in office paid for by the RIAA!

(Boy named Sue) courtesy of captdunsel.
LOL.

i want to get a hold of what they sent and shit,on both parts.

damn may as well be a terrorist....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10937-2003Aug18.html

Hot off the presws

Sorry go to washington post and then technology big artical on RIAA

I don't trust any of the reports enough to place any hope in one person to make a wave for us. The voices of many speak louder and represent more than the voice of one. Political position may not be a bennificial factor in this case. There is still the problem with copyright. We must seek to see changes or amendments made to these currently outdated laws to really provide full freedom.

So the article says no small time downloads........thats BS because if they sue 1000 even the small downloaders are eventually going down and if they RIAA pulls enough vaccum with the artist and consumers money.... congress will relent to conyers bill to put people behind bars for 5 years......its the same old saga!

Can we say payoff? Or contribution to political warchest?

I suspect our good senator will be suggesting the penalities aren't sever enough in the next public address of the issue.

Making changes to ammendments that big money people lobbied for is a long road!
But I'll tell ya if we truly can get a huge Boycott going........ It will bring them down faster than trying to push through those old blowhearts in washington Remember you got the Orrin Hatches to deal with

Orrin Hatch sucks ! And what kind of stupid name is that any way.

He was paid off ... Boy, do I really hate politics, but you bet, I'll be voting next year. Democrats are off my list completely. I hope someone comes up with a voting "report card" so we can oust anyone trying to take away more of our constitutional rights.

Orrin Hatch-- " These people are criminals. They should be put in jail."

RIAA--" Good boy! Now roll over...."

Us--" And play dead !"

One thing they will never take away is free speech. They can say and do what they want but that doesn't mean I have to like it. I will voice my opinion as long as their is breath in my lungs!

I need music and music needs me---What a crock of sh*t.

When I need music- I get out my acoustic and play. When music needs me- then it ain't worth saving.

I'm going to start educating as many people that I can about what's going on. With the medias help or with out it. People who download or share files are not the only ones involved here. If you pay taxes you are involved. Whose money do you think is going to pay for all of this NONSENSE ! We have more important things to be concerned with in America than issuing subpoenas to people downloading music. Do I want my tax dollars being spent tying up courts because someone wants to listen to free music? Hell NO ! Nor should anyone else. How can all of this nonsense go unseen to the public interst.

Enough venting . I'll just keep getting up on my soapbox where anyone will listen

Ha!

Who would have expected this crazy twist of events? I mean, holy shit! A moron politician!

Not to forget the noble Orrin Hatch! A criminal himself for letting his webmaster use a pirated version of a $900 Javascript program. I say we start a campaign to put Senator Orrin's ass in jail.

I wonder if he ran over to his webmaster's computer and started stomping on the parts? Or maybe he "remotely" destroyed it. "Everybody stand clear!" Bam! Parts of his computer and his webmaster go flying out of the roof.

If anyone wants to read my angstful non-tactful letter you can look at Congress.org. It's right under Hatch's name.

I wish I could have put a little picture at the end of my letter of me blowing him a kiss.

Do you ever have that feeling you're being watched? Ever sine someone mentioned that a few articles back, I've noticed odd activity. Maybe it's just me. I'll be adding a few security measures later tonight. Geez.. and for a second I felt free.

Otech: I wouldn't write off Democrats completely. Senator Hatch is a republican, as well as Norm Coleman.

Also: Can someone tell me where I can get Peer Guardian? I did some searching and all I learned is that I don't know German very well. Thanks.

Who do you think owns most of the news media ?

How sad! 3.5 million jobs gone over seas!!!!SUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKK
Hear it? Its that old sucking sound! Jobs leaving the country. Millions of Americans jobless.....And while your standing in the unemployment line they beat you with lawsuits and call you a criminal because they make thier own laws by lobbying from the very people that are our servants!!!!
How sad what a mess!

Codewarrior :

We need you to go on Larry King Live !

diggit, me and you bud! I fire up my old epiphone,and for my money, these walls just don't get better music than that...and it's free!

theSherminator;
go to
http://xs.tech.nu

diggit, me and you bud! I fire up my old epiphone,and for my money, these walls just don't get better music than that...and it's free!

I agree Rightoshare !
CodeWarrior for our spokesman (the motion got seconded, so I guess mine is third or fourth support for that motion)~!

TheSherminator:

Yea, maybe your right. But I would still like to see someone come up with that voting "report card".

If you want to change laws the one you need to change is a 4 year term limit on congressional seats. These morans are nothing more than fixtures that eat off everyones plates.

Ever go to a city controlled by Clearchannel? The Music is so bad it makes you want to eat the wallpaper.

Radio - Clearchannel

Movies - MPAA

Music - RIAA

Concerts - Ticketmaster

They all suck.

Pretty much what I expected. It was a setup. The key point was that Coleman asked for input from the RIAA. We all knew that was going to be a pile of propaganda. Coleman didn't ask for input for anyone else. That was the tipoff. He was probably just looking for some "campaign donations" ($$$). I'll bet the RIAA sent a nice large check along with their responses.

Politicians are usually slow to pick up on things. They haven't yet figured out what a hot button issue this is with a lot of voters. They'll come around eventually. If not, there's an election next year.

6 of the 8 radio stations in my town (that use to be worth listening to) are owned by clearchannel. The commercials are better than the music now. Same ol sh*t over and over . It's worse than Musac.

Somewhere some how either the artist or some organization like EFF has got to sick some lawyers on this thing. I know what the RIAA is going to do, they will select victims of their choice (so as not to offend Americans} And then they will begin thier smear campaign to make them look like hardened copy right infringing criminals by way of the media. and then they will start the procedings of the lawsuits (putting more fear in the people) after that they will convince Morans like Conyers to pass tougher legislation to prosecute. Then they will be one they way to control the music the way they want!

We still have a long way to go...

ok im so pissed off im gonna go beat the shit outta something

Start your own Internet Radio Station here, program your own material or just listen for FREE:

www.live365.com/index.live

And I'm not gonna say what this does, but ya'll are smart 'nuff to figure it out.

www.afterdawn.com/software/video_software/video_capture_tools/streambox_vcr_suite.cfm

I think it may have just been a scare tactic designed to get more campaign contributions flowing his way.

He was probably only playing hardball. He's probably laughing all the way to the bank.

OK IM DONE IT HELPED A LITTLE. I KNEW THAT GUY WAS TALKIN FOR NOTHIN I KNEW HE WASN'T GONNA STAND UP TO THE RIAA, THEY PROBABLY GAVE HIM A BIG ASS CHECK SO HE WOULD SHUT THE FUCK UP AND IT WORKED. GOD IM GONNA BECOME A LAWYER

here is a link that has to do with an earlier forum about contacting the FTC about the riaa to file a formal complaint.
the manner in the criteria to send
http://www.msnbc.com/news/300456.asp

Yeah, Coleman is "gratified", alright.

Wonder how much he got? Damn, this pisses me off.

From what i understand the congress gave them a gold card called the digital milliennium copy right act (DMCA).
They are not supposed to abuse it but we all know how that works.

This is exactly why I had posted earlier warning others *not* to jump to writing letters of *thanks* to Senator Coleman. I'm from Minnesota. I had to listen to all his crap during the election period. I knew better.

Is this still the United States??? Somehow, I feel like I'm in some country run by a fascist regime where money is more important than the rights of the citizens.

Oh, I forgot, the government doesn't run the country any more. Microsoft and the RIAA do. How did this happen? How has it been allowed to get this far?

Oh, thank you sooooo much It's called stalling to fix the list! Have we got a serious letter yet? I say we turn up the ole stove now and get into the colleges. Meanwhile buying stock in ink and Preparation H may not be a bad idea. :doughnut:

I guess we were all asleep, George. This sucks.

You know, those buttmunches can sue the living whee out of all of us, but it won't make any difference.

How in the world can they think they'll make any damn money if none of us is buying anything? And if we're all in jail, how the hell will that help anything?

This country is f*cked up, and the average sheep-ass citizen doesn't have clue one.

The whole friggin' world has gone mad.

OK, OK, I'll take my meds now.

What happened to the 4th Ammendment? It's the one about illegal search and seizure. There are also tons of laws on the books covering entrapment. I think some lawyers need to start USING that $40K diploma and check that out.
I recently posted ver batim from the Declaration of Independence, where is states that we (the people) have the RIGHT.. and yes.. I'll say it.. RESPONSIBILITY to change a government that no longer serves the needs of a substantive majority.
That's what this boycott is about. That's what all these letters, emails, phone calls faxes are about. Flexing the muscle we are guaranteed in a 220 year old document, one that obviously still has a lot of meaning and worth. If we (the people) got back to our roots and actually started LIVING the things it says, we (the people) would find I'm sure that life is a little better.
Remember folks, not all laws are good laws, and not all prosecution is just.
Just a perspective note.
ttmmm

Let's face it, guys, no one from the govt is gonna help us.

I still agree with letter writing, emails, and phone calls. We need to keep that up. At this point, I'm not opposed to telling them I'm not voting for them due to their stance, or lack of it, on DMCA.

But don't expect anybody from congress to help unless they fear for re-election. That's the only key here. Money talks louder than we do, but election day is coming.

If you aren't already registered, do it. On election day, get off yer ass and vote. My votes this time around are going to everyone who is NOT an encumbent. All the challengers are getting my vote.

Screw business as usual. No buy, no download, no using that shite the RIAA puts out.

@TheSherminator:

You are being watched.. don't think it's any different.

It took a long time for me to come to terms with this, and I'm not even a criminal or an illegal downloader. I'm just an artist with good ideas who believes that every man and woman should have a fair chance at the American dream (if it ever even existed) and not be subjected to satanic corporations' idea of "effective management" which includes threats, mind-rape, and ridicules.

They feed from negative energy, it is thier life blood cause they have none. IMHO we as a public need to look to Martin Luther King and such as a means to overcome this trial of American ideals. This is a test and the only way to overcome this trial is to engage a higher-level perspective. Remember we as a nation have the power to shut them off. You don't have to buy thier music or even download it. there are plenty of ways to access and raise up an independent and/or alternative market.

IMHO thier shiesty tactics and rampant arrogance will be thier own demise.**

**see Nazi Germany, early 1940's.

One of these jerks broke into my house once and assumed that because I had pictures of gypsie women on my wall that I must be a gypsie and it seemed everywhere I went these Nazis were calling me "gypsie" when in reality it was merely art and not family photos. In reality I am of a bloodline which they themselves (in their own narrow-minded and racist dogma should be respecting). But if you are not "down" with thier "program" they automatically think you must be retarded. When in reality they refuse to acknowledge the shortcomings of thier own creation and propulsion.

Personally, I think worth goes far beyond the world of DNA. But apparently Himmler and Goebels cant tell the difference between reproductions and the real thing, which explains why we business is in the state it is in, financially, artistically, morally, structurally.

The entertainment industry is a house of cards who have been able to exist on the fact communication via electronic means has been limited (up until the past 10 years) to the "priveleged" if overy inbred, few.

Go beyond the surface of this situation and start to look at what lies beneath. Let's not feed them negativity, in fact let's not feed them at all. Shine the light upon them and the world will see.

The choice is yours.

Well fellow activists, as I mentioned on a previous post, Coleman could and would be bought by corporate cry babies. The repukes are not going to be happy until it is illegal to communicate via the internet. Remember this when you vote...and vote.....vote to Free America!!!

Are there any resources available to study the officials up for elections past record on key issues and current stances?

I am getting seriously political now because the corporations have taken over control from us.

We need to get the message out that if you dont listen to us, then you are out!

I just need to know how to get informed enough to make the vote count.

Any ideas?

Well, it could be a bad, poorly thought out move on my part, but I'm using my vote as a protest vote.

I'm not voting for a single incumbent the next election. I will vote for no one but challengers, party makes no difference. And any campaign claims they make are null and void, as far as I'm concerned. They're all liars, looking for any hook to stay in office.

I say throw all the bums out on their asses. Let's give some new bums a chance.

Wethepeople, you can get informed on the net by doing your research everyday....keep on top of things and it will fall into place, the info you are looking for. The issues abound and AverageConsumer has the right idea...we need to clean house and throw out the trash. But, we the people have to do it in a concerted effort....we need change and the status quo, frankly, sucks.

No one in officaldom or the capitalist word is going to openly tell the RIAA/MPAA to lay off...they just want to make sure that when you get the book thrown at ya that the t's are crossed and the i's are dotted, that's about all the help we can expect.

Coleman, sure he is happy he got a couple of CDs and a ride in the limmo to cash his big fat check courtesy from the RIAA.

wethepeople:

You can get a fair amount of information on elected officials at www.congress.org

First off as someone asked about a voting report card. I honestly couldn't tell you where but there is such a thing just do a search for it. Alot of your local papers have this info in many cases. Usually in the Sunday edition I believe.

Secondly was anyone really surprised Coleman turned out to be a politician? I mean come on really all he wanted was for people in his state to REALLY think he cared and then they'd vote for him, he never had any intention to put pressure on one of his many cash cows.

Sadly as we already know our votes don't really count since we don't line his pockets, so what EVEN if you contribute to a campaign you give what 10 bucks 20??? 100 maybe??? It only matters when its $50,000 $60,000 $100,000 or more your pathetic little donation means shit to them.

Also they look at the stats. I'm not sure the ranges here but MOST (not all) of downloaders are in thier middle twenties or lower so they know these votes won't get them out of office since the stats also show 80% or so of this same ranges DON'T VOTE!!

And the older crowd that does vote either don't have a computer, don't use the internet or don't download from P2P so this issue won't mean crap to them and the politicians know this so you and I don't scare them.

Guess again, Slydder41. This senior citizen may be on a limited budget but he sure as heck knows what p2p is and definately owns a computer.

The messages from this site go out to a larger audience than you ever imagined. For every one here that makes a message to be seen, 40 read it and kept their thoughts to themselves. You didn't hear from the silent majority except in the traffic that the owners server shows. Just because you didn't hear from them don't mean they didn't get the message...

Hold on a sec - we can't rule Sen. Coleman out of this yet. Read through all of the spin and fluff for a minute: not much has changed.

Remember - the senator's initial response said that music piracy was a legitimite concern, and also alluded to him worrying about the punishment fitting the crime.

For better or worse, the RIAA's documents haven't really done anything by way of changing his direction. He is still not convinced the punishment is justified, nor is he all of a sudden approving the RIAA's "shotgun" approach.

IMHO, this is going to get very messy, very soon.

While the RIAA's submissions to the senate were not the 'smoking gun' any of us hoped for (like the RIAA would tell the truth? Ha!), they did not alleviate all of Sen. Coleman's concerns (read: he's not backing off yet)...

To the contrary - because the RIAA's submissions did not answer all of his questions, the RIAA may become the subject of future hearings...

(The biggest issue being - what constitutes a 'De Minimus' user?)

Just my two cents

I've heard some people say that if the multinational entertainment-media complex were the Middle East, then the RIAA would be Saudi Arabia. The only similarities I see in this analogy have to do with the disproportionate-bordering-on-cancerous influence the RIAA and other similar special interests have been wielding over politicians and judges these last few years, to the detriment of us all. Sen. Coleman's recent groveling and kowtowing to their smoke-and-mirrors excuses reminds me of those who, like the proverbial sheep, go along with Saudi stonewalling and obstructionism and continue to pretend that that kingdom is an "ally" in the "War on Terrorism."

Now, if only someone -- ANYONE -- in Congress had the guts to stand up to the RIAA in the way that some lawmakers like Sen. Schumer have been demanding that the Saudis be held accountable for whatever role they had in 9 / 11 . . .

Well if Sen Coleman WHERE TRUELY concenred that the punishment fit the crime then what about the collage guy caught and fined?

You REALLY think 12,000 for song sharing REALLY fits the crime? I mean the original suit was for 98 BILLION DOLLARS (using the max 150,000 per song crap) come on get real. You think a law allowing for a max fine of $150,000 PER SONG in punishment fitting the crime? Then why wouldn't he be screaming for them to reduce the fine.

Lawyers ALWAYS sue for more and settle for less that way they look like they really aren't the bad guys since they agreed to take less to settle it but still put out the message they mean business.

Just a slight note on political semantics. If any of you watch much of the proceedings and hearings in the House and Senate, you quickly find that schmooze and overpolite talk is the "coin of the realm". Even the worst of enemies thank each other for their leadership and call each other "my esteemed colleague" and talk about comity (An atmosphere of social harmony) and colliguy (A conversation, especially a formal one). So, you learn quickly that much of the political language is couched in rhetoric and double entendre. Just read the BS Sherman wrote in his 11 page response. It's all about saying the politically correct, the "right" thing that tries to make you look like the good guy, and the other side look like scum.

I think we need to give Mr. Coleman the benefit of the doubt. I really think he is going into the hearings with an open mind (call me naive).

It's a game in many ways and reminds me of the book "School for Scandal" by
R. B. SHERIDAN, ESQ., ironically enough, also a lawyer.

Sometimes you have to smile in your enemy's face, while manuvering your opponent closer to the cliff.
~code