It is great to live in America and have the freedom to say what you want without thugs comming down on your back. At least they dont come down on you right away. I have been keeping up with my blog friends Allen and Doug. As soon as I read that Doug had called Allen an athiest I knew that things might get a little hairy. Glad to see that Allen is not a man that is easily offended. I am not easily offended either. Not bragging, just how I am. And I am not trying to be a hard core christian either, just tring to be myself. And the truth is that everything that I have comes from God. He is teaching me continually by the Holy Spirit, the still small voice. And God uses others to refine me. God uses Allen and He also uses Doug. Funny how that is.

Ok, on to the topic of Copywrites. Of the limited powers that are assigned to the fedgov, copywrites are one of them. Here is a great article on its history here in America from a great man, Peter Kershaw.

In my opinion it is theft to get mp3 music files for free that were not intended to be distributed for free. Same as if a friend burns a copy of a new CD. You can do it, but you are stealing. Even if it is only a $1 from a band. From what I hear Apple has a good thing going with itunes. A buck a song. If you want it, pay the buck.

Or for the Allen Hacker example, he could sell the book for $7 a copy in the printed version, or $1.38 for the online version. And if only 1/4 of the people downloaded it because they had to pay for it, that would have been $13,800 in Allen's pocket. And people appreciate what they pay for.

The founders belived that the only way we could maintain this republic was by self government. Free downloads just because we can, and steal from the artist, is just one way that our lack of self government shows up. It is helping the cause of Big Government to steal. Be a patriot, pay for what you use.

So how would Tim and Nick feel if we stole their music that they just spent six months pouring their lives into? They are selling their CD for just $8. Check out a sample, not my kind of music but I like it. You can tell it wasnt just something that they threw together. Will I buy it? Maybe, if i can get it into the budget. $8.00 will buy 160 diapers.