Illegal Downloading

At the moment there is legislation in the UK that it going to go into effect somewhere around 2009 if it passes that would requite ISPs to cooperate and report illegal transfers of files. This would hold the ISPs accountable and force them to provide information leading that possibly leads to convictions, even the possibility of losing rights to internet use all together. The ISPs disagree and argue that they are just the "conduits and not responsible for content". They also stress their concern over who is going to have to pay to have all this monitored, the music and film companies surely won't want to nor would I want them to. I think just like all of things today this is fueled by money more than anything on all ends as well. In the article I was reading they went on to say that no matter what you did illegal downloaders would find a way to continue to do so no matter what you did. The articles end's with this quote,

"I'm afraid the horse has bolted and the only way the record industry is going to be able to contain piracy is to offer better services at a price that is right."

This is exactly what is why most people download illegally. Most people would be happy to pay a reasonable price for music and movies if someone offered them. We are at the time where people grew up with free downloads for these type of things and were used to it and now they are being asked to pay a high amount for the stuff that was once free. It may not have always been ethical or immoral and that doesn't make it right. I know that the music and film industry are trying to make a living. What type of living is the question, there are the select few that make it seem like life is joke for them. However, music and film aren't vital to life and so if push comes to shove I think people would and could do without it if they had to or things went that way that they were forced to. Look at the video game industry, sure there are illegal downloads and sharing going on but not to the extent of the music and film industry. Why aren't the game developers complaining and griping? Maybe it is because they make a product worth buying, making a product people want to purchase and see successful, you decide.

Here we go again...

Well it has been quite some time since I last posted anything on this blog, just over a year in fact. I would have to say the post before that were even quite scattered out as well. Here we go again. I have been having a great time in Wales and it has been good to start finally meeting people and getting into the swing of things, if you want more info about that you can check out my other blog. Meeting people here is quite interesting obviously there is a difference between America and here but not so much as say China. There is somewhat of a language barrier with the hard welsh accents and british accents all mixed together, it seems like a different language sometimes. As you would expect I have gotten into discussions about current issues of the times already. Obviously it isn't what we have talked about from the git go but of course they are very interested to here what my opinion is and what I think about things and what actually is going on. I won't bore you with piddly little details maybe later. My flat mates and I have discussed mainly politics and environmental issues. There is really only one that pay any attention to the politics in America it wasn't anything deep though yet. However it is nice to know that people are from other countries are interested about it I think. This is the most informed and most media coverage they have had with an American election for awhile. It is nice though even though you hear about it over here it isn't as constant as in the US because we don't have a TV so it just internet and papers (which we don't read many), and you can just cut if off.
Well to start off they aren't Bush haters for the most part at least not outspoken about it at least, they might not favor him but at the same time I think that they are in the same boat with Gordon Brown and the labour party. Moving along I would have to say their biggest concern for current issues would be the environment and the war in Iraq. I understand the war in Iraq maybe a little more than the environment. I am confused about the environment issue here. They are supposed to be environmental critical but I haven't seen it. There is a girl on my floor that is super eco friendly and the rest will recycle if they have to. However the buildings here are from eco friendly it seems. The heat is not regulated at all, the toilet uses so much water per flush it is ridiculous, and again i don't think that they recycle any more than America. Also the Central people in London say it is full of smog and haze, I have also had my flat mates say that as well. I guess I haven't looked at statistics but at the same time, I think first off look at the population difference and the land size difference, not an excuse I know but it does account for some of it. Now to politics for a brief moment. I know Bush may not be a well liked person at the moment but look at what he has had to accomplish and deal with in his time as president. Dealing with all that no one knows what the "right" decisions are. He has made mistakes, none of them I think huge. You may say the Iraq war but I disagree, look at the good the has come from the war. Barely evident right now but it takes time. I think that you may be forgetting the fact that we discovered the Oil for Food scandal, which we wouldn't have known about unless we went to war, at least wouldn't have known about it for awhile longer. Also would still like living to this day not knowing what Saddam was hiding in his country, I think that it is great that we found nothing. If we did find something I would have been pissed we didn't do something sooner and then who knows where he got it from or where he sent it or what he could have done had we not done it. I think it does give some closure to that idea. However things may be more violent and volatile over there right now but it is a war and they aren't pretty and they aren't clean. Sometimes thats what it takes to get the job done. If you think about it we had done all we could with embargos and sanctions against Iraq after ten years that those things weren't going to change anything. Your foreign policy can only get so big and then you need to act. It is somewhat of a balance that needs to be maintained. Likewise if your military gets too big or active a little more foreign policy would be good. Just some thoughts for you all to chew on.