Pangloss Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 Interesting story in today's New York Times about how the failure of Russian authorities to shut down a popular and long-running MP3 site may stop Russian entry into the World Trade Organization. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/01/world/europe/01cnd-mp3.html?ex=1306814400&en=4c9bcba30952e86b&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss It's surprising that we're talking about an MP3 download site in the same context as the fight between airplane manufacturing giants Boeing and Airbus. But while I'm no fan of the American recording industry and it's army of lawyers, it does make sense because this is exactly what the WTO is about -- a venue for leveling the playing field. It certainly qualifies as an unfair trade practice! I imagine the libertarians and anti-corporation crowd are going to have a huge dilemma over this. It puts them at direct odds with other left-leaning groups that wanted the WTO to do exactly this sort of thing because it gives countries non-confrontational recourse (i.e. peace instead of war). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bascule Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 this is exactly what the WTO is about -- a venue for leveling the playing field. And I always thought its goal was to help its members continue to profit off the backbreaking labor of 3rd world nations. Re: the topic, allofmp3 went down a few weeks ago, but was back up. I despise the WTO and think they represent capitalism at its worst. I also despise the RIAA and wonder how long before they realize they're championing an outmoded distribution model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pangloss Posted June 4, 2006 Author Share Posted June 4, 2006 Okay, I'll take the counterpoint on that. So what's the alternative? Surely you realize that it was worse for developing nations when there was no WTO. It's leveling the playing field FOR them, giving them a chance to compete and stop the multinationals from running off to big governments and demanding handouts. It helps them a lot more than it hurts them. I agree it's problematic and far from a success at this stage, but how would you propose to replace the benefits of the WTO approach with a better system? What would you do? By the way, do you really think the AllofMP3.com owners, and similar pirates, discriminate between artists with a thousand lawyers at their beck and call, and artists who are just barely making next month's rent? I hope you're not one of these dupes that still actually believes that the global marketplace hasn't arrived yet, and can be stopped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Severian Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 And I always thought its goal was to help its members continue to profit off the backbreaking labor of 3rd world nations. Lol. Nicely said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abskebabs Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 The WTO when first established did have some rather noble aims in my opinion. The problem is that the real organisation that exists today is not one that will or can carry out those aims. It is an organisation whose decision making very much biased towards developed countries and multinational organisations. In my opinion the poorer countries need to start forming coalitions, stamping their feet and start screaming(metaphorically of course), in order to make thier voice heard. To be fair they are doing this to a certain extent already. Decisions in the organisation needs to be more democratic, and there needs to be many changes put in place to make the running of the organisation more transparent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pangloss Posted June 4, 2006 Author Share Posted June 4, 2006 Sure sounds like the definition of "a step in the right direction" to me.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bascule Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 Okay' date=' I'll take the counterpoint on that. So what's the alternative?[/quote'] An organization dedicated towards creating competative advantages for 3rd world countries with a strong emphasis on human rights I hope you're not one of these dupes that still actually believes that the global marketplace hasn't arrived yet, and can be stopped. On the contrary, the global economy is a necessary part of human progress. However, I wish a more ecumenical view were given towards ensuring competative advantage, so that 3rd world countries need not resort to things like sweatshop labor to fight out a niche in the global economy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pangloss Posted June 4, 2006 Author Share Posted June 4, 2006 An organization dedicated towards creating competative advantages for 3rd world countries with a strong emphasis on human rights Wow, that's almost as informative as Al Gore's new movie. Seriously, how would you go about actually DOING something like that? You seem to have ignored many of my keys points. Concession? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bascule Posted June 4, 2006 Share Posted June 4, 2006 Wow, that's almost as informative as Al Gore's new movie. While an Inconvenient Truth is a lot of alarmist claptrap rhetoric, his key points are dead on. Seriously, how would you go about actually DOING something like that? Step one would be to integrate with an international governing body, i.e. the UN You seem to have ignored many of my keys points. Concession? Well, you didn't support them. Can you give an example of how the WTO has "helped" 3rd world nations? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pangloss Posted June 4, 2006 Author Share Posted June 4, 2006 While an Inconvenient Truth is a lot of alarmist claptrap rhetoric, his key points are dead on. No, they aren't. And don't twist a simple joke into an opportunity to slide in a highly subjective comment that you know full well can't be debated without a subject change. You know how to start a new thread. Can you give an example of how the WTO has "helped" 3rd world nations? Well that was only one of my points that you ignored, and not even a central one. But this is moot, we're clearly not even in the same ballpark here -- you're looking for rice-and-bean handouts (well okay, discounts on AIDS medication -- same thing) and I'm talking about opportunities for competition and development. I understand the criticism of the WTO and I've not claimed that they're a perfect organization. What I don't see is a reason to decry that effort an overall failure, or an example of "capitalism at its worst". But I think we have some common ground here. I agree that the WTO has been favoring "rich" nations and multinationals, perhaps to the detriment of third world nations. The intellectual property issue is certainly a challenging one. What I would just ask you to consider is that there ought to be a way to provide development opportunities to these countries under discounted LICENSE instead of outright THEFT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bascule Posted June 5, 2006 Share Posted June 5, 2006 The intellectual property issue is certainly a challenging one. What I would just ask you to consider is that there ought to be a way to provide development opportunities to these countries under discounted LICENSE instead of outright THEFT. You know, I could try to explain it to you, but MC Lars has already done such an awesome job: Download This Song Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pangloss Posted June 5, 2006 Author Share Posted June 5, 2006 That's an ironic post for someone who just accused Al Gore of using "alarmist, claptrap rhetoric". (And that'd better be freely distributable, or you and I are going to have a very different kind of conversation.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pangloss Posted June 5, 2006 Author Share Posted June 5, 2006 By the way, Russia is a developing nation, and it would benefit tremendously by gaining access to the WTO. That is, of course, why they want it so badly. Imagine that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bascule Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 (And that'd better be freely distributable, or you and I are going to have a very different kind of conversation.) Well, the link is from his official MySpace artist profile... and it'd be really damn hypocrticial of him to release a song called "Download This Song" and not offer it as a free download, don't you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bascule Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 By the way, Russia is a developing nation, and it would benefit tremendously by gaining access to the WTO. That is, of course, why they want it so badly. Imagine that. The proles would rather be members of the oligarchy than proles? Imagine that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pangloss Posted June 6, 2006 Author Share Posted June 6, 2006 That would be an answer to a different question from the one you asked me, bascule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bascule Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 allofmp3.com issued a statement today: http://allofmp3.com/statement.shtml The US government officials and politicians have been demanding lately that the Russian authorities shut down allofmp3.com, alleging the site is pirate. Otherwise, they threaten Russia with sanctions, including blocking its entry to WTO. In this regard we would like to make a statement: 1. The site AllOfMP3.com belongs to a Russian company and for 6 years it has operated within the country, in full compliance with all Russian laws. Throughout this period the various government offices have scrutinized site's legality and have not found any breach of the law. So far there has been no decision by any Russian court contesting the site's legality. 2. The Russian site AllOfMP3.com is not operating or advertising its business on the territory of other countries. 3. The site AllOfMP3.com does regularly transfer substantial amounts of royalties to the Russian organizations for collective management of rights such as ROMS and FAIR, which have granted the site licenses to legally deliver music through the Internet. 4. The site AllofMP3.com reserves the right to take all steps necessary to protect its business reputation. We call upon everyone to take a thorough and unbiased view of the site's legality. 5. On September 1, 2006 the changes to the Russian copyright legislation will come into force. Since January 2006 the site has been making direct agreements with rightholders and authors at the same time increasing the price of the music compositions and transferring the royalties directly to the artists and record companies. The aim of AllofMP3.com is to agree with all rightholders on the prices and royalties amounts by September 1, 2006. 6. We believe in the long term and civilized business based on respecting the law, considering the customers' demands as well as the interests of both national and international rightholders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pangloss Posted June 7, 2006 Author Share Posted June 7, 2006 Heh, that's a good one, thanks for passing it along. They're spinning faster than their pirated music CDs. I like how when other countries convince US courts to recognize their patents, it's a-okay, but when the US tries to get courts in other countries to recognize our patents, it's an example of the US government trying to influence foreign countries in their domestic laws. Everything's okay, so long as the downtrodden, underprivileged Russian people get access to cheap American music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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