music and video piracy

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I have a confession - I am one of the millions who buy pirated cd's and dvd's. that makes me a criminal. But I would like to offer a rationale for my crime. 1. The prices of original cd's and dvd's are prohibitive for citizens of 3rd world countries. We enjoy the same music and movies our counterparts in developed countries do, but we earn so much less. Must we pay beyond our means, or do without the entertainment value and enjoyment we derive from music and movies? 2. The music and movie companies earn so much from their products such that wealth is so inequitably distributed. I'm always reminded of the old Dire Straits song that goes, "Money for nothing; and the chicks for free." I'm willing to have them earn a "decent" profit, but the way I see it, they earn indecently bloated profits. Why are pirated cd's/DVD's so affordable? Because it's not that difficult to make copies. If music and movie companies can bring their prices close to pirated copies, I'd probably buy them. 3. Musicians in the olden times were troubadours, who earned money from their performances. Present-day musicians should to the same; earn from concerts and performances, not from copies of discs. At least that way, they would be working for their money. Movie actors, same thing. Let them earn they're keep on the stage. If they're only good looking but can't act, they shouldn't be actors. Repeal unjust intellectual property laws! Play fair, and we will too.