RIAA Changes What Passes for Minds, Decides We Cannot Rip our CDs to iPods or Make Backups

I was catching up on the good stuff on Tablet PC MVP Warner Crocker's Blog, when I came across some news that made me see red. The title of this article says it all.

The avarice of these monsters never ceases to amaze me. While I can understand the problem they have with people selling preloaded players, this goes so far above and beyond being a potential remedy that it shows the industry's unreasoning hatred for the listeners that are fattening their pockets (and not the pockets of the performers, who are grossly underpaid, if they come out ahead at all).

I reject any ridiculous notion that the many pre-recorded cassettes and the CDs I've purchased and have been receiving as gifts from my relatives and friends do not legally cover me for the MP3s (and they have to be MP3, because none of my players do DRM) I want to play. There will be precious few occasions I will ever consider paying twice for the same song, and the RIAA scenario does not fall under any of those occasions. Tell you what, I'm still happy with the music I enjoyed in the 80's and 90's, so it's just as well that I generally have the radio off (unless I'm using it with my FM transmitter).

I'll tell you what I think the RIAA is doing. Each year, they are deliberately coming up with some statement more outlandish than the previous year, with the result that we listeners collectively conclude that the RIAA was proposing something acceptable previously. As the years go by, what will we have conceded to them? Do we even notice, anymore, when they sue preteens and the elderly? File-sharing options disappear, and I no longer hear the screams. We may have already given up on making that special mix tape or CD for a loved one. Perhaps next year, the RIAA will suggest we must pay for each x amount of times we hear a particular song, or that our purchases have expiration dates, and then we will accept what they are saying this year. In time, will they have us paying for each opportunity to hear the newest thing? There's no doubt in my mind they'd like us to do just that.

RIAA Fat Cats! The catnip you're rolling in is smelling like poop!

ONE SONG, ONE PAYMENT!

ONE SONG HEARD 200 TIMES BY 10 PEOPLE IN A VAN, ONE PAYMENT!