The RIAA’s Investigators Operating Illegally?
The Recording Industry of America Association (RIAA) is the agency trying to enforce copyrights by suing suspected file sharers. They employ MediaSentry for the forensic examination of the computers owned by suspected violators, which opens up for scrutiny not only shared music, but any personal information stored on the PCs. Recently, MediaSentry has come under fire for conducting such examinations for evidence to be used in court cases without having Private Investigator (PI) licenses. Massachusetts has ordered them to cease operations there until they obtain the proper licenses. Several other states have issued various statements and warnings, including Michigan. This gives defendants the possibility of getting evidence disallowed in their trials, and opens the doors for recriminations from past defendants who settled out of court based on evidence that may not have been legally obtained.
So far, MediaSentry has taken the stance that their role in the investigations does not require a PI license. This story bears watching closely. If anyone challenges the evidence gathered by MediaSentry, and it follows that they have to obtain PI licenses going forward, how many counter-suits from past cases will suddenly be filed by defendants who settled out of court on the strength of evidence that would not have been admitted in court?
Courts Can’t Force You To Reveal Your Passwords and Encryption Keys
Another case making headlines lately involves a Grand Jury’s attempt to order a defendant to reveal his encryption password so that prosecutors could assess the files on his hard drive. It turns out that passwords and encryption keys are protected under the 5th amendment, which basically prohibits the forcing of defendants to testify against themselves. A federal Magistrate ruled the Grand Jury’s subpoena unconstitutional. The government has appealed. If the suspect - a Canadian with U.S. residency by the name of Sebastien Boucher - is actually guilty of child pornography, I hope the government finds enough evidence to convict him without violating his 5th amendment rights.References:
Some time back I wrote an article about Charity Music, a great non-profit organization that provides musical instruments (and sometimes instruction) to students, soldiers, and senior citizens who desire to play but can’t afford to buy or rent them. The article was originally published on Associated Content, but as reported at the time, I planned to also post it on Helium. The great thing about the article appearing on Helium is the fact that I could donate all advertising revenue (my share at least) to the charity itself! So if you missed the article the first time around, read all about Charity Music on Helium, and remember - just by reading it you’ll be helping out a fantastic cause.
Pub Crawl!
I thought this would be a good opportunity to let you know about a recent development at Charity Music. They are organizing what they hope will be the biggest Pub Crawl in history, and they hope to get listed in the Guinness World Book of Records in the process. The goal is to have up to 100 clubs and bars from every state participating. If you own a bar and would like to get in on this, it might be a good way to get some great publicity, and in any case you would be helping out the cause. More information is available at the Pub Crawl Registration site.
A Helium Marketplace publisher recently asked for an article entitled ‘Quick Tips for Inner Peace’, with a 700 word maximum. I condense religion, psychology, and meditation and attempt to answer the call. Let me know how you think I did.
Inner peace is a state of mind in which one is free from conflict in mind and spirit. This is not to say that there is no conflict in one’s life, simply that there is harmony between one’s mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects. Without such harmony, the flow of creativity slows or stops, physical and emotional ailments do not heal as quickly and may worsen, and progress toward ones goals in life is impeded. To remove these blockages one must restore harmony and return to a state of inner peace. Understanding is the first key to unlocking the door.
Let Go of the Past
Often attaining inner peace is not so much acquiring something as it is letting things go. The past is immutable, so holding on to regrets is counter-productive. Understand that mistakes are part of our humanity, and that sometimes it is the lessons learned the hard way that enable us to mature and progress. Realizing that just as much of our wisdom comes from error as from trial, one begins to accept that our mistakes play an indispensable role in our development.
Guilt is a large source of internal conflict, and must be expunged. The quickest way to reduce guilt is to apologize to those whom you’ve wronged. It is not essential that they actually forgive you, but it is essential that your apology is sincere. You have to actually mean it when you express your remorse. In this way, guilt fades to regret, which can then be dealt with accordingly. Examine the bad decisions and lapses in judgment, figure out where you went wrong and how you could have handled the situations differently, then move on.
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