iPod Fee Proposed For Canada 414
innocent_white_lamb writes "The Canadian Private Copying Collective is pushing for the implementation of an iPod fee in Canada to compensate them for 'losses' when people copy music to their digital music players. They have collected a fee from every CDR sold in Canada since 1997 and now want to extend that to digital music players. From the article: 'Some have argued that once they buy a CD they shouldn't have to pay again and again to listen to those songs — which they already purchased — on a personal compilation CD or on their MP3 player. But for people like Milman and Basskin, it's about recognizing the value of those works. "There has to be some sort of way to compensate the artist for the hours and the sweat and the blood and the tears and the extreme, extreme expense that goes into making music," Milman said.'"
There has to be.. (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Sounds like the leeches are out again (Score:3, Funny)
The last I looked, the song download networks are not teaming with symphony recordings. I'm betting they are safe.
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Many expenses associated with movies and songs are really the entertainment corporation taking money from their left pocket and putting it in their right pocket to deny the artists royalties.
Re:Sounds like the leeches are out again (Score:2, Funny)
Re:And the best thing is... (Score:4, Funny)
In Canada, if you're running a business, there is a specific field for "accounts receivable that you do not expect to receive." You are not taxed on that income.
Never having filed any taxes more complicated than a 1040 in the US, I don't know if a similar field exists on US tax forms, but I laughed out loud at the thought of certain companies filling that in.
Company name: Microsoft
Accounts receivable you do not expect to receive: $500,000,000,000,000
Reason(s) you do not expect to receive these funds: China, India, Software piracy (based on BSA estimates, +/- 1 US GDP)
and
Company name: Warner Bros. Pictures
Accounts receivable you do not expect to receive: $+INFINITY
Reason(s) you do not expect to receive these funds: THE INTERNET PIRATES ARE TURNING ALL OUR GREAT RELEASES INTO BOX OFFICE BOMBS!!
Seriously however, the Canadian tax on blank CD media has always completely confounded me. I just can't understand how such an asinine and baseless law not only managed to get passed, but has been on the books for more than 12 years!. The US certainly isn't always a shining example of sane laws, but I tend to hope we wouldn't stand for such a tax down here. I mean, if we had wanted to put the MAFIAA's board of directors in Congress, we would have just voted them in directly.
Re:Aren't you paying for the song on iTunes alread (Score:3, Funny)
>"There has to be some sort of way to compensate the artist for the hours and the sweat and the blood and the tears and the extreme, extreme expense that goes into making music," Milman said.
Ya know, I know a lot of coders, me included, that got paid salary or hourly for the code they wrote, but didn't see any more money from the individual software sales. How's about we charge a fee for every computer sold and then give it to all the coders out there- "There has to be some sort of way to compensate the coders for the hours and the sweat and the blood and the tears and the extreme, extreme expense that goes into making software," says I.
Re:There has to be... (Score:3, Funny)
And we certainly need to recognize all those DEAD artists like John Lennon so we can encourage them to make more songs.
Actually, when you think about it, any songwriting money that would go to John Lennon presumably goes to Yoko Ono via Lennon's estate. So, by buying Beatles music we're encouraging - or at least enabling - her to make more songs.
Man, the more I think about copyright, the worse it gets....
Where do I sign up? (Score:3, Funny)
Can I please have money from everyone purchasing a crowbar, as they may some day use it to break into my house?
Re:There should be (Score:3, Funny)
I hope Obama doesn't hear about this taxing system in Spain! He'll rehire the communist conspiracy theorist Van Jones as the new music czar. We'll all be paying into the government run "See Us Collect and Keep Everyone's Riches" program or S.U.C.K.E.R. program for short.
Through the newly minted SUCKER program, you will be able to download any and all music for free. Sure, the wealthiest among us... i.e. those who are fortunate enough to be able to pay for blank media or media players will have to pay a paltry 150% tax, but it's a small price to pay for freedom. The beauty of the SUCKER program is that 90% of downloaders won't have to pay the tax.
Grandmas, grandpas, moms, and dads buying blanks to back up the family photos or iPods for junior will foot the bill. They are the wealthiest Americans and by God they SHOULD pay! The SUCKER program will be a small pittance for all those years they have been living off the backs of the music pirates. The administration will point to similar successful programs in Canada and Spain to garner support for the SUCKER program.
I can just see it now.
Re:Bring it on (Score:3, Funny)