You are totally right on this, Al. These self-satisfied fingerfucks just can't seem to help themselves from ratcheting up the level of outrage they generate, or else they are doing it on purpose. You don't do overtly confrontational shit like that unless you think you hold all the cards and that just DARES people to show them that they don't. I don't hate the labels per se, I don't hate 90% of the employees and I don't hate the artists at all (unless I do, but that's another matter), but I sure-as-the-pope-secretly-thinks-those-troublesome alter-boys-had-it-coming hate the RIAA.

Downloading music as we speak :)

That's it, Jonathan- I'm calling the cops!

When is the recording industry going to learn that crashing dorm rooms and hauling sophomores off to court is not a good strategy? (Although I must admit that it is a crime to download Britney Spears, but that's a crime of an entirely different kind....) I thought they were wising up by moving to a paid music download model. But apparently they enjoy being mocked as the laughing stocks of the world. LOL.

Ok everybody I've got the answer. Make a Canadian your friend. Yes in the Great White North you can download with impunity. Besides a haven for terrorists, Canukistan is beyond the reach of the RIAA et al.

So, have you hugged a Canadian today?

OK, that's a point for the Canucks. Now if you'd just take back your frickin' Celine Dion.

Only if you will take back Winey, er.. I mean Witney Huston!

There is much to recommend Canada including our new young friend Jonathan.

I'm no big fan of Whitney, but on her worst day she's no Celine Dion. Surely you could come up with something far more egregious.

However- as a gesture of goodwill, on behalf of all Americans, I would like to apologize for the American Idol recording of "God Bless the USA" specifically, and for the whole American Idol phenomenon in general.

SO sorry. Please forgive us.

"I'm no big fan of Whitney, but on her worst day she's no Celine Dion".

I'm in no position to edit you AL, but didn't you mean - "on her BEST day she's no Celine"?

I understand there is also a Canadian Idol show so there is nothing to forgive big guy ;-)

No, I meant "worst." This involves a comparison of BAD music. I don't care that much for Whitney, but she's not nearly as yucky and unlistenable as *$%^ Celine Dion.

The Canucks can have an Idol show amongst themselves with no complaint from me, so long as they keep it north of the border.

whitney's divorcing bobby brown...maybe she can hook up with michael bolton...and then get celine involved in a three-way....THEN they can all move to canada.

"OH CAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANADUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHH!!!!!...."

Oh Mark, you're SCARING me.

Disappointing, Barger. From your headline, I thought we (I still have LimeWire) were going to become burnt offerings.

Oh NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Mmm, burnt offerings- [insert Homer Simpson drooling sound]

Oh Mark, you're SCARING me.

and while i was typing that stuff in i was thinking about the jim carry/michael bolton sketch from In Living Color...where his head explodes!

dang, that was a great show.

I think the RIAA has made their point. It's well past time to spend the $$ promoting the numerous legal avenues to acquire music online, before some of those services start going out of business.

Their "point" being that they are a bunch of thugs willing to invoke the charred bodies of Waco to intimidate kids swapping harmless little music files on the net.

they do seem to be willing to attempt to bring the whole industry down in flames (at least the big boys).

i think it's interesting how they're absolutely convinced that more downloading equals less cd sales, despite evidence to the contrary.