Alinnea Darklord's Sis

Downloading Music

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 23:56:40 GMT

Downloading Music. It's an interesting thought/moral dilemma. On one hand I've been getting illegally downloaded music from my brother Fin for years. Our music tastes are a lot alike in that we both prefer alternative music and rarely like more than one or two songs from a particular group. Honestly, who wants to buy a whole album for one song. Nowadays there's always ITunes but at a dollar a song it's still not a very good deal.

Then you've got Kaizer's Orchestra, who has been our favorite group for a little over a year now. Kaizer's is based in Norway, it has also gained popularity in Europe, particularly Germany. Kaizer's CD's are not available in the U.S. and buying one online and having it shipped here is not only expensive but virtually impossible, as proved by our venture to legitimately buy an album for Fin this past Christmas. Not only are the albums priced at around $60 apiece (not including shipping) but the album didn't ever arrive, fortunately our money was refunded. We have a copy of almost every song made by Kaizer's now due to downloading them from various sites, primarily Limewire. Now, Kaizer's Orchestra sympathizes with people in similar plights to ours and prefers to let their fame spread in areas where it otherwise would remain undiscovered by allowing people to download the album versions of their songs and also by releasing several high quality recordings of their concerts.

You've also got FMV's; which are Fan Made Videos. Usually made by fans with no legal right to their material for a particular book, movie, video game, or TV show which they greatly admire. More often than not these videos are edited with clips, pictures, and audio tracks procured by torrents or through Limewire & other sites like it. With no money gained by the editors, these videos often recruit larger audiences for the music group or show that is the topic of the video. Many people, myself included, don't download songs. Rather, they watch them, along with clips from their favorite books/shows/movies in FMV format on YouTube or other sites like it. Often editors of these videos will place an interruption in the song or a water mark on the video along with an encouragement to viewers to buy the album to receive the unmarked song or picture.

On the other hand, there is the well discussed fact that we are taking without consent these artists' work and livelihood, in violation of copyright law. (This fact is debated but seeing as I don't know both sides of the argument I'm choosing to ignore it.) It is mostly "big-name" labels who have a problem with the file downloading industry. Smaller labels and lesser known artist often encourage people to spread their music in hopes of gaining greater fame or people liking it well enough to buy the album. Nonetheless, file sharing is still in violation of copyright laws.

I found an article on a similar topic, only instead of music sharing it's about scanning and distributing books.

Click the link and then click Home to read the article.

It brings up some interesting points as to the pros and cons of digitally distributed books that also apply to music. Is it honestly worth the money to sue some twelve year-old in Arkansas over an illegally downloaded MP3 when labels make millions of dollars for every album released?

Anyway, I'm mostly undecided on this matter and I don't foresee a solution any time in the near future. As said before most of the music I listen to is either provided by my brother or it stays safely online on my playlists on YouTube.

In case you were wondering what sparked this sudden interest in the ethics and practicality of copyright laws I found two videos on YouTube taking opposing viewpoints on this topic. The first is by a man named MC Lars, who I have never heard of before, it takes the view that record companies are overpricing their music and file-sharing is a way to balance the scale. The second is by Weird Al Yankovic, it takes the opposing view, that file-sharing is illegal and ethically wrong. To be honest though, given Weird Al's record for being sarcastic I don't know if he actually opposes file-sharing or not.

Embedding disabled by request. Click the link to watch on YouTube.

Life

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 03:35:05 GMT

If you want to be a Hero to millions of innocents... Click Here!

Random Stuff.

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 06:53:45 GMT

Yes, I know it sounds absurd but it's funny. =P Having a lot of younger siblings probably adds to the hilarity of the situation but it's still funny.

31

In other news:
Me & Fin are taking the CHSPE in exactly 1 week.
And it's looking like they've outlawed homeschooling in California.

The California Court of Appeals has practically outlawed homeschooling in California.
(You can read about it at HSLDA's website http://www.hslda.org/hs/state/ca/200803060.asp )

You can help stop this threat to homeschooling by signing an online petition to 'depublish' the Court of Appeal opinion at
http://hslda.org/elink.asp?ID=4831

Also I think I'm getting sick. =(

I've started College!

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 09:19:49 GMT

Wasn't that an interesting post subject? I'm taking three classes in addition to the school I'm doing at home. They are: ASL 1, ASL 1 Lab, & Intro. to Deaf Education (IDE). So far they're all fun. I like my teachers and homework hasn't been very difficult. I took ASL 1 & 2 when I was ten so a lot of the things we're learning now I learned then. It's good we're going over it though because a lot of the signs I use are either wrong or outdated. The IDE class is gonna be a lot harder though. On the first day the teacher said that it would be better to take Deaf Culture and ASL 1 first. To late for me though, I've already registered and paid for the class. I should be ok, I know a bit about Deaf Culture and I really like the subject. Probably not the best first college level subject though. =P
   The teacher of the ASL 1 class (here on called R) is good. He's somewhat strict but he's a good teacher, he won't let anyone fall to far behind everyone else. He finger-spells to quickly for most of us to understand but he repeats it for those of us who are struggling.
   The teacher for ASL 1 Lab & IDE (here on called H) is fun. He likes to joke and play with words. When people tell him they want to crash (add) the class he tells them to go up to the top of our 4 story building and jump off. He then responds to their looks of confusion with a look of innocence and: "I thought you said you wanted to crash?" =) He teases the students when they ask for an add slip or a pen by saying that he charges $20 for the pen and $30 for the add slip. He believes that guys should treat girls with respect; the get up and offer her your chair, type of respect. Did I mention he's Deaf? He's very good at inspiring empathy for the Deaf throughout history. Did you know that Alexander Graham Bell's mother and wife were deaf? Did you know that the same man tried to forbid deaf women from having children? Did you know that Saint Augustine thought that the verse: faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God, meant that deaf people were excluded from salvation? There went almost all respect I had for him!
   I'm really enjoying going to school though. I've never really done that before and I'm finding it quite draining. I get home at around 2:00 PM everyday and after eating fall asleep. That hasn't really helped all the other school I'm doing at home. Hopefully next week will be better. It's odd to get up, eat and then go to school and sit in class for several hours. I can get up and sit on my floor and do school fairly easily and without feeling exhausted afterward. Why is it so different now that I actually have to sit there and listen to a teacher?
   Also anyone out there have advice on eating schedules? I don't get hungry before lunch but most of my classes start at 11 and end at almost 2. If I don't eat before 2 I run the risk of passing out. It also doesn't help to eat lunch at 2 and dinner at 5:30. And I sit here and think: This is going to last for another 4 years? =P

Sat, 08 Dec 2007 22:20:22 GMT

Comment and I will:
1. Tell you why I friended you.
2. Associate you with something - fandom, a song, a colour, a photo, etc.
3. Tell you something I like about you.
4. Tell you a memory I have of you.
5. Ask something I've always wanted to know about you.
6. Tell you my favorite user pic of yours.
7. In return, you must post this in your LJ.

Marcello's Cellar

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 23:19:02 GMT

Hi. Fin's been making websites since we were in Kazakhstan and one of the ones he's been working on is marcello's cellar. It's still a work in progress but I like it so I'm going to link to it from here.

http://marcelloscellar.com/

Oh, yeah, it's a site about our favorite band: Kaizer's Orchestra.

Foul Language

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 05:47:11 GMT

I've recently joined a couple of RPGs on FF.Net and have made several statements to please cut back on the language, so here, in case anyone actually wants to know, I'll explain why.

I am a Christian. Yep, it's true. I believe that what the Bible says is true. I believe that it's the infallible word of God and that we should obey it's commands. In it we are commanded to be modest and pure, to put perverse lips far from us. To me this means avoiding foul language. Whether it be something everyone says or something that is considered by polite society to be disgusting. Even more important than that is the fact that as a Christian I am a representative of Christ and through him God. Jesus didn't live in modern America but if he did I don't think he'd be cussing everywhere he went. People see me, in real life and on the internet, and because I say that I am a Christian, most assume that the way I behave is the way all Christians behave. We are commanded to go and make disciples of all nations, we are called to be different from those who are not "Saved". If we: use the language that the world uses, dress like them, watch the same movies as them, in short act like them, how are they gonna know we're different? Are we really different? Christians are told to love their enemies, is calling them rude words loving them?

Now onto other reasons. I have 7 siblings. 6 of which are younger than me. I want to be a leader and a good example to them. I don't want my little brothers disrespecting people and then being confused 'cause I do it too. People see a four year old with a dirty mouth and are shocked yet they see a teenager with a dirty mouth and say: "It's normal". It shouldn't be normal. Why don't people talk to a judge the same way they talk to people on the internet? Because it's disrespectful. Everyone should respect others, even if in the smallest way like talking politely to them.

And finally my parents. They do have an influence in this, as do several other adults I talk to. Not using foul language on the internet is a parent suggested self enforced guideline. I made a=the choice to live, and talk, like I do. My parents know that and trust me to live like they raised me to. I'm not saying I'm perfect, I'm not. But I try to live in a manner that would make my family and my God proud of me.

That's all I can think of right now. If you're a Christian right now and are reading this: Praise God. If not, to bad for you, it's your decision. There's more to it than that but I'll post that with a warning saying: "RELIGIOUS CONTENT BEWARE!!!" 'Cause a lot of people don't like to hear 'bout that kinda stuff. If I linked you to this from FF.Net and now you hate me. Feel free to flame me. I'll pray for you. That's all.

Writing, Reading, and other Literary Achievements

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 20:06:26 GMT

I've been fairly active with reading and reviewing things on FanFiction.net so I thought here would be a good place to explain why you couldn't find anything I've written on the internet even if you wanted to.

I've had an interest in reading since before I can remember. I read my first book over 200 pages long when I was 8. I read: The Lord of the Rings when I was 10. Around the time I turned 11 I began writing a story on my computer, frankly it was horrible. My older brother found it and told me as much so I erased it and started over. I still work on it from time to time and it's still the worst thing I've ever read in my life but that's not the point. The point is that by telling me I couldn't write my brother motivated me to write down stories and to take the time to write them well. Between the ages of 11 and 14 I wrote so much I couldn't begin to describe it to you. But in what was supposed to be my freshman year I stopped. It wasn't so much that I didn't enjoy writing anymore as I couldn't formulate ideas in my mind and then communicate them with my words. For writing assignments for school I just took old stories and altered them slightly to fit the requirements and for almost a year I haven't written anything. As you know we went to Kazakstan earlier this year and what an emotional roller-coaster that was. Yet for all I tried I couldn't write about it. I started this LJ and while there's a lot more on than you can see I find it lacking in literary aspiration. I don't even know if that's the right word for it. So that pretty much details why I haven't written anything new in awhile. What about all those old stories, you say. That's simple enough. The computer I write on was made in 2000 it is incapable of connecting to today's internet. Until I figure out the whole inspiration thing though there's not likely to be many stories on the internet that I've written.

Hee, hee!

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 04:49:04 GMT

This was e-mailed to me it be cute.

Dear Lord,
Every single evening
As I'm lying here in bed,
This tiny little Prayer
Keeps running through my head:
God bless all my family
Wherever they may be,
Keep them warm and safe from harm
For they're so close to me.
And God, there is one more thing
I wish that you could do;
Hope you don't mind me asking,
Please bless my computer too.
Now I know that it's unusual
To Bless a motherboard
But listen just a second
While I explain it to you, Lord.
You see, that little metal box
Holds more than odds and ends;
Inside those small compartments
Rest so many of my friends.
I know so much about them
By the kindness that they give,
And this little scrap of metal
Takes me in to where they live.
By faith is how I know them
Much the same as you.
We share in what life brings us
And from that our friendships grew.
Please take an extra minute
From your duties up above,
To bless those in my address book
That's filled with so much love.
Wherever else this prayer may reach
To each and every friend,
Bless each e-mail inbox
And each person who hits "send".
When you update your Heavenly list
On your own Great CD-ROM,
Bless everyone who says this prayer
Sent up to GOD.com
Amen

See I told you it be cute.
In other news. My birthday was last Saturday and oh the things people come up with to give as gifts. :)
Also me, Fin, and #3, have joined City Players. In other words there will be theater madness every Wednsday for a long, long time. And then it'll be on weekends too.
I started reading Harry Potter on July 12th and finished the entire series on August 12th. Not bad if I do say so myself. Fin finished it in two weeks. We've now started watching the movies. We've now watched one every night for the past four nights. For the 5th movie we're waiting for it to go to the dollar movies.

Yay!!!

Sun, 12 Aug 2007 04:47:08 GMT

Y'all don care but I just got my hands on a copy of Harry Potter 7!!! I started reading HP the 2nd week of July and am ecstatic! Good bye I am gong to stay up till 'round 4 in the mornin (which I will severely regret when I have to get up at 8) readin my new book!!!

No More Theater Madness!!!

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 03:12:17 GMT

In case anyone is reading this and didn't already know (like anyone cares) but I spent a good deal of May, June, and the first couple of days of July in Kazakhstan. Immediately afterwards Me, Fin, and #3 started attending a theater camp. We spent a good four weeks working on a play, (we got to build the set and everything) then we put it on. We had three shows and overall several hundred people showed up to see us. Our show featured: a 13 year-old boy playing a stuffed up old grandma, who danced to a really hilarious song just before intermission, a 15 year-old girl; playing a grown-up, playing a little girl, who is the villain. We were awesome. Made some new friends nicknamed: Chuck Norris(A.K.A. Napoleon Dynamite) (A.K.A. Guy who has the best birthday ever), Johnny Cash, and Vito. All in all we had a great time. Hopefully now I'll have time to chat with my dear abandoned friends from LJ. Just thought you'd like to know that I hadn't abandoned y'all.

P.S. I learned how to do: The Dork Dance

P.P.S. Our play was called: Shakespeare Goes to Gravel Gulch.

P.P.P.S. I got to be on the radio AND on TV!

Why Not?

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 19:52:34 GMT

I love this picture. Makes me think of myself. I also didn't remember to pack the book or the movie so I'm feeling lost without it. OK not really but it'd still be nice.

I haven't posted anything yet

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 19:04:03 GMT

I'm really not much of a writer but I figured I might as well use this page for something. I'm currently living in Kazakstan, I want to go home and I don't want to go home at the same time. I love kids, Norweigen Alternative Rock music, ASL, and reading. I don't dance, though I'd love too. I don't have any favorite books because I tend to love most of them. There. I think that qualifies as doing something with my journal.

Random facts: I 'ave five brothers and often talk with various accents not my own.