(Illegal) Music Downloads

It's time I weighed in on the P2P debate.

Recently, I purchased an album put out by EMI. The artist in question is not important, suffice to say that I like this artist very much. I'm talking about the kind of "liking" where you think that if you knew the person, you would be best friends. Anyway, I'm a really sucker for album sleeves, especially the bit at the end where the artist goes through a list of names of people that they would like to thank. Sometimes they throw in a little something extra - you know, like a poem. My most recent purchase had no poem. It had something else:

Thank you for buying this music. This recording and artwork are protected by copyright law. Using internet services to distribute copyrighted music, giving away illegal copies of discs or lending discs to others for them to copy is illegal and does not support those involved in making this piece of music - especially the artist. By carrying out any of these action it has the same effect as stealing music.

What!?

When I first read that, it was late and I was tired. It took me by surprise. I thought I knew this person. How could he think that? I pictured that puppet from N.E.R.D. Surely, he's nothing like that guy! After rereading that passage, I became suspicious. After a little research I was able to confirm that the words were not his own. Well, to be fair, six of them were. Can you guess which? I'll tell you: "Thank You for buying this music."

Slotted in neatly after the artists comments is this act of commerical ventriloquism: The EMI anti-piracy statement. A little background...

I discovered this artist listed on Pitchfork's Best New Music 2005. I'd heard one of his tracks and thought the album warranted a listen. So I went out and bought it. Actually, no, I didn't do that. I downloaded it, and fell in love with it. I added it to my "Must Buy" list and a couple of months later, when I was out CD shopping I asked if it was in stock. Unforunately, it wasn't. Can you order it in for me please? Sure, but it will take 3 months. I paused, and replied, "Sure."

What I'm trying to say is that the only reason I have the CD next to me today is because I "stole" it from the internet and later decided that it was worthy of a purchase. Perhaps you would like to draw an analogy? Something like, "Would you steal a car and later return to the store to buy it?" Well of course I wouldn't. I would be arrested for stealing a car. Music is nothing like a car, but lets work with it. "Would you buy a car without trying it out?"

I am in that category of people who download albums because they want to take them for a test drive. A month long test drive, at least. If I like an album, I'll buy it. I promise. If I don't like it, then I'm sorry, but you don't get your money, better luck next time. And no, I will not necessarily delete it if I decide that I don't like it. Obviously if I hate it isn't going to hang around. But when it comes to those so-so albums, who knows, maybe after another month I'll decide that I actually do like the album and the record company (and artist) will end up getting their money after all.

Sure, some people don't have the same policy of honesty. They download music without the intent to buy. Look at it this way, if they had to pay for it - they probably wouldn't.

The Lost Dialogue of Lost

As you may well know, I like to tackle the big issues. The important stuff. Tonight's topic is Lost.

I've been a big fan of Lost since a colleague provided me with commerical-free rips of the first season. It took me all of a weekend to burn through those. The first season was really terrific stuff. The way back-stories were made to tie into what was happening on the island was consistently novel and unexpected. The second season, on the otherhand, dragged on. It was a chore. The excitment of another episode coming out began to lessen as the expectation that "nothing was really going to happen" increased. And most often, "nothing" is exactly what happened.

Even more frustrating than witnessing nothing happen is witnessing nothing being said. Take for example the exchange between Jack and Desmond. When Jack asks Desmond if he has considered the possibly that the hatch button does nothing, Desmond replies, "every day." In the Season 2 finale, however, we learn that what Desmond should have said is, "well, I did for a while, until this one day when I was out killing Kelvin, (I'll get back to that one) and didn't manage to get back to the hatch in time to press it and the computer was saying SYSTEM FAILURE over and over and everything made of metal was flyin' all over the place and I thought I was doomed so I pressed the button and everything got better. Oh and don't forget about the failsafe. Brother."

As for my patience with the show, we'll have to wait and see what happens/gets revealed this season. The most recent episode evoked a lot of that Season 1 excitement for me, mostly due to the reappearance of an old character. Not all hope is lost just yet.

The Thing About Opinions Is...

There are many and they are varied,
but only mine is right.

So what's been happening lately

Right then, let me compose myself.

Recently, I broke up with Candice, explaining my recent exile. It's about time anyway, she was what common folk refer to as ugly and inner beauty only counts for so much.

I've been spending some time, finding myself. It seems that bits of me mostly enjoy hiding out in dark alleys and the like. I'd probably prefer that those parts stay lost to be honest. No, I'm not sure what I mean either.

I've started to learn to play the guitar again - a hobby that was put on hold for the Banshee. It wasn't that she minded the playing, it was the praciticing that got up her (big) nose. Cow. I guess if you're content to be mediocre at everything then practicing might be something of a foreign concept.

Attention World of Warcraft players!

Please tell me more about your stupid make believe characters and the inane mythical claptrap you force them to partake in!

Even though I have absolutely no knowledge of the game (and you are perfectly aware of this) I would like you to berate me endlessly with needlessly detailed and lengthy tales on how you obtained your latest magical item, or defeated some idiotically named monster with the assistance of other morons stupid enough to pay Blizzard for the privilege of using their life vacuum.

Fascinating stuff. I JUST CAN'T GET ENOUGH.

Group Projects

Throughout my many years at university, I was required to partake in a few 'group' projects. This variety of project is not dissimilar to a regular project though it does differ in two distinct ways:

1. You have to regularly meet with an assortment of losers,
2. These losers will get your mark for free.

Despite my highest hopes at the start of each project, "These guys seem dedicated... This time it will be different..." the project always seems to pan out terribly. Each time, the lecturer will express the amount of work required by the project as a justification for making it a group one. Mark my words, the size of the group is proportionate to the amount of work you will have to do... alone.

So often did I have to sit through explainations of how managing a university project team would somehow teach me about real world project teams. Utter nonsense. In the real world people are paid to work on a project. Get that? Paid! Payment acts as an incentive to work. No work = No Money. University project team members have no incentive to do work. In fact, quite the opposite. If they don't do the work, someone else will. That simple.

I'm angry now. Bye.

The 5 Steps to Success

1. Always maintain a professional demeanor

If you don't know what anyone is talking about, fake it. Furrowing your brow and shaking your head will communicate to others that you're on top of the situation.

2. Keep lots of crap in your cubicle

Successful people have lots of crap. Posters and circuit diagrams are a good start. Books on philosophy score bonus success points.

3. Never be available

In order to be successful, you have to be elusive. Wandering into meetings late is a must. As a general rule, never give an individual more than 5 minutes of your time. After such a time, it is important to excuse yourself politely, and rush off in a random direction. This rule applies irrespective of the authority of the individual.

4. Carry a laptop

What kind of person would need a computer that can be carried around? A sucessful person!

5. Disrespect your superiors

This, my soon-to-be-successful friend, is the golden rule. Showing respect to your superiors reinforces their opinion that you belong in an entry level position. Whenever possible, it is important that you interrupt sentences, leave meetings early to "attend to work" and make any attempt necessary to demonstrate that you are in no way intimidated by them.