Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: The Mega Conspiracy

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  • Bart Janssen, in reply to nzlemming,

    If the person accused of committing crime is the one who owns the bank, quite possibly.

    Oh come on. Yes technically that might happen, in practice?

    The reality is MU is being treated differently from many other organisations. Banks with illegal property in deposit boxes, U-Tube, Amazon, Share traders, Lawyers ... and many others all have situations where some users of their services are using the service for illegal activity. In those cases the illegal activity is addressed directly by police and courts without shutting down the legal activity.

    That the owners of MU have engaged in illegal activity themselves is a different issue but again does not of necessity demand that MU get shut down including all the legal activity that it hosts. Again nobody expects a bank or law office to be closed because a clerk acted illegally, some funds may be frozen for a short period but the presumption is that most activity is legal, as it should be.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to linger,

    It's used a lot more in council/planning/construction circles than in newspapers, etc, as you'd imagine.

    Not a common word so is more subject to shifting cultural influence when translated from spoken to printed word. Good point about the Aussie subeditors too. Strewth.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz,

    MU are low hanging fruit. Sleazy name, sleazy people (yachts, mansions (lairs?), guns, previous convictions).

    It's like Switched On Gardener getting busted whilst "mainstream" agricultural suppliers can sell exactly the same things without consequences.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • nzlemming, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    Oh come on. Yes technically that might happen, in practice?

    As someone else mentioned, the BCCI did this.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report

  • Steve Withers,

    I put the NZ government's cheerful - almost gleeful - co-operation in the matter (and apparent prejudice, judging by how the raids were conducted and media releases since) down to the perennial desire to look good to the Americans....the whole free trade deal thing that infests the minds of those in government, whether Labour or National. If we only send our soldiers to die in some shonky invasion or treat some perp like he's guilty until proven innocent....then maybe we'll win El Dorado.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2008 • 312 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Graeme Edgeler,

    I think it goes something like this:

    Close but still no cigar.
    It is more like this HTML+CGI where the url triggers a script to find the desired content.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • merc,

    Client state, or more properly a Vassal state.

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Russell Brown,

    That’s an interesting point. Spotify is legit and earns artists fuck-all. Megaupload is dodgy and earns (some) artists decent money.

    Which in my eyes is the real point.
    The recording and film industries have for years exploited the artists, it was only after such smart arses as Mick Jagger, using his LSE credentials no doubt, took the bull by the horns and gained control of the Rolling Stones music thus paving the way for other artists to get a fair suck of the sav.
    There are plenty of examples out there in interweb land proving that "free"can make money. The RIAA and the MPAA are the head of a hideous monster that should have sunk in the peat bogs aeons back, their distribution methods are so yesterday.
    I, for one will be downloading all my entertainment from now on, apart from live stuff that is ;-).
    These bastards have had their way for far too long..

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Angus Robertson, in reply to merc,

    At least we're not paying for it.

    Auckland • Since May 2007 • 984 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Dylan Reeve,

    But it’s not, it is more like a self-storage service. If one person was storing drugs in their unit would we expect (and accept) that police shut down the entire facility?

    I think it's more like...
    If a person was storing recordings or videos of prescription drugs in their unit... etc.
    The state of global copyright law these days is bollocks. We should have a thread about it.
    /coat...

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Dylan Reeve,

    the US TV season is often interrupted with mid-season breaks of two to four weeks. Something that wouldn’t work for an NZ audience. So shows usually have to start at least far enough behind the US to absorb this break

    Wouldn't work for NZ audiences? Well I would prefer a 2-4 week break as opposed to just stopping a series in mid flight to show an Aussie dancing show or whatever and never see it return to our screens, with no explanation to boot.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Dylan Reeve, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    Wouldn’t work for NZ audiences? Well I would prefer a 2-4 week break as opposed to just stopping a series in mid flight to show an Aussie dancing show or whatever and never see it return to our screens, with no explanation to boot.

    Yeah, well that's a different issue entirely. Small potential audience to compete for, ratings are the key metric. Rather unfortunate. Something that Sky doesn't really have to worry about.

    Auckland • Since Aug 2008 • 311 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic,

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report

  • alobar,

    But it’s not, it is more like a self-storage service. If one person was storing drugs in their unit would we expect (and accept) that police shut down the entire facility?

    It was hardly just a self storage unit ... if the general public had easy access to drugs in multiple storage units then maybe the police would shut down the whole facility

    auckland • Since Apr 2010 • 63 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz, in reply to alobar,

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Hugh Lilly, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    This is brilliant.

    Auckland • Since Feb 2007 • 5 posts Report

  • alobar, in reply to Rich of Observationz,

    yeah , that’d really piss off the punters :)

    auckland • Since Apr 2010 • 63 posts Report

  • Simon Grigg, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    Mick Jagger, using his LSE credentials no doubt, took the bull by the horns and gained control of the Rolling Stones music thus paving the way for other artists to get a fair suck of the sav.

    That's an interesting re-reading. The Rolling Stones were one of the most screwed acts of all time after their manager, Allen Klein (yes - the Allen Klein) stripped them of both their masters and publishing on the Decca era materiel.

    They own their recordings post '70 when Decca contract expired and they set up Rolling Stones Records, via Atlantic, but it wasn't some grand inspired move - many acts were doing exactly what they were doing at the time, mostly inspired by Apple Records (even though The Beatles didn't ever acquire more than veto control over the use of their masters, instead of ownership).

    And the drive for the Rolling Stones to do that - aside from the Apple inspiration - came from Ahmet Ertegun and Prince Rupert Loewenstein, their financial advisor from 1970 to 1986.

    Just another klong... • Since Nov 2006 • 3284 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    After terrific year, music biz demands that world adopt “SOPA plus"

    In order to protect itself from piracy, the worldwide recording industry needs a few favors from governments and corporations around the globe, and a major new digital music report (PDF) from the industry’s worldwide lobby IFPI lays them out. When placed end-to-end, it’s a lengthy list—and its one that comes after a year of surprisingly strong growth for the industry.

    Ahh, the stench of greed, that is so 1985.

    With a healthy 8 per cent increase in our digital revenues in 2011 –
    the fi rst time the annual growth rate has risen since records began
    in 2004 – some might feel tempted to say that a troubled era for the
    music industry is coming to an end. Such complacency now, however,
    would be a great mistake.

    Frances Moore, chief executive, IFPI

    She goes on to say “The music industry has grasped the
    opportunities of the digital world in a
    way few, if any, other businesses can
    claim to have done.” and she is right, most other industries have done it without suing everybody in sight, corrupting politicians and blatantly crushing their opposition with the DCMA.

    The report has a nice picture of cuddly Placebo de Mango, its chairman, because opera is just so now, innit?.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Simon Grigg,

    That’s an interesting re-reading.

    I like a nice re-reading. ;-)
    But you saw my point I hope.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    Some smart bugger just suggested removing all references to popular music and film from the internet altogether, take that, entertainment industry.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    Drugs also fail as a comparison because if you use them, they're gone. Digital media, not so.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    recordings or videos of prescription drugs

    quite. the ulitmate placebo.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    She goes on to say “The music industry has grasped the
    opportunities of the digital world in a
    way few, if any, other businesses can
    claim to have done.” and she is right, most other industries have done it without suing everybody in sight, corrupting politicians and blatantly crushing their opposition with the DCMA.

    Actually, the smart people, the ones who looked for opportunities in a changing world, do deserve credit. We're seeing deals in Europe where ISPs offer unlimited access to music as a premium -- and creators get paid. And, in comparison with other content industries, the music business looks reasonably advanced.

    The disappointment is the constant willingness of parts of that business to demand the unacceptable.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • BenWilson, in reply to Sacha,

    Drugs also fail as a comparison because if you use them, they're gone. Digital media, not so

    Mind you, in the mega download age the chances of me actually consuming something in my collection are low. The enjoyment of each one would require fine instrumentation to measure. And I don't even download anything, just occasionally enjoy a hard drive copying seshon with mates.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

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