I called AP to ask about donations to Brianna LaHara (RIAA lawsuit)

[qb]

Holy cow, does the AP have an efficient switchboard - I got routed to New York and then to the journalist (Ted Bridis) without even getting put on hold!

Anyway, I told Ted I knew some people who wanted to donate money to Brianna, and he said "Yeah, I do too."

He doesn't have any contact info yet, but has me on list to notify when he knows more.

I'll keep you posted.

[MoonAndSun]

1. great idea, let us know as soon as you get any info.

thanks:hi:

[Catholic Sensation]

2. where are the compassionate conservatives now?

A twelve year old girl is sued by the RIAA and I have yet to hear the "Ronald Reagan Compassionate Conservatives" bitch and moan about this. If this were a twelve year old girl kicked out for wearing the ten commandments on her neck or something there'd be massive amounts of outrage from idiots like Hannity, Limbaugh, and Limbaugh's skinnier brother.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

3. Yeah sure... but was it wrong of her?

I feel bad for her but let's cut to the ethics: I know some musicians who say: "Ouch" whenever I mention file sharing. :-(

[Caution]

6. yeh and none of them understand the issues either

I've spoken to a few of them as well and after showing them the figures, explaining the issues, and talking to them about how much money they actually make in royalties most of them will then say, sheesh you are right that is f'd up

[NewYorkerfromMass]

8. yeah, it's a principle thing with some people

I understand the feeling that you are losing money, vs. the marketing opportunity file sharing represents. But the ones I know are on small independent labels who don't screw them like RIAA.

[fsbooks]

10. file sharing legalities

Congress makes copyright law, so far they have only made it to protect the big guys. The whole conflict with sharing of music files is a result of our laws and our music distribution system being out-of-sync with current modes of living. Note that when player pianos were invented, the Music industry (then based on sheet music) sued. Note that when radio was invented, the Music industry sued. The problem is that the "entertainment" industry is monopolized -- file sharing is the new player piano so to speak. The only way to hear (and even find) music not highly controlled by centralized forces is to download it off the Internet. It provides the variety and choice we have come to expect, say from the video stores (we can watch what we want, when we want) or TV (100 or more cable channels). The downloading of songs is as likely to lead to buying a CD as not buying a CD. Note also that the decline in the sale of CD's is not surprising and probably unlikely due to availablity of songs "for free" on the internet. After all, we are in a period or economic downturn (despite what the economists say). The sale of multimedia equipment and computer hardware is down far more than the sale of CD's. Last I knew, one could not download a stereo system from the Internet.

[qb]

7. Technically, yes. I believe she thought it was legal since they paid

for the download service. Anyway, it's a David & Goliath kind of thing - big bad RIAA scaring the bejesus out of a girl in the projects so she'll fork over $2,000.

[prolesunited]

4. Umm...

She's not white and she lives in a housing project with her single mother. :shrug:

[Disandra]

5. Here ya go....

http://libra.lunarpages.com/~realto3/Brianna/index.php

The owner of the site has contact information, left a message on their phone. So far about $980 has been pledged.

[bluestateguy]

9. Hopefully she won't have to pay a cent

[Pastiche423]

11. The pledge is now up to $1,275! (libra.lunarpages.com)

Thank you, ftbc, for having the compassion to call AP. You have a good heart!

[NewYorkerfromMass]

12. Well, she settled for $2000 so

it's basically a non issue.