Also, has anyone noticed that the quality of many mp3s often sucks? All too often, a professionally compiled CD is much better. The music companies aren't going broke anytime soon.
Richard
Skeptic
JoinedPosts by Skeptic
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118
Whats the best internet music file sharing thingy....?
by ScoobySnax inhave been using morpheus for a couple of years now, and hasn't been too bad at all, got about 400 tracks download.
since gettiing aol broadband, the diversity seems to have diminished a bit, either i'm on the wrong dsl provider or morpheus isn't as good as it used to be.
the one i was on previous (can't remember the name now) went totally pearshaped after it got served a writ for using copyrighted material.....anyway, know of any other good music file sharing sites?
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118
Whats the best internet music file sharing thingy....?
by ScoobySnax inhave been using morpheus for a couple of years now, and hasn't been too bad at all, got about 400 tracks download.
since gettiing aol broadband, the diversity seems to have diminished a bit, either i'm on the wrong dsl provider or morpheus isn't as good as it used to be.
the one i was on previous (can't remember the name now) went totally pearshaped after it got served a writ for using copyrighted material.....anyway, know of any other good music file sharing sites?
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Skeptic
Now, perhaps someone who defends the stealing of music via the Internet might answer the question that I have posed a number of times and that not one person has attempted to answer. Why do you not steal from the greedy Companies who make huge profits like the electricty suppliers , motor-vehicle manufacturers, drug companies etc. etc. etc. Not that I have any love for Record Companies, but why single them out for this treatment? Could it be that because it is easier to steal music the rationale then becomes to blame record companies ethics for our own lack of ethics?
Most people steal because they won't get caught. However, you haven't convinced anyone that downloading music is legally stealing. It depends on your country.
BTW, if you try to steal electricity and you screw up, it can kill you. Now there is a motive not to steal electricity. I know how to handle electricity, and you won't get me tapping into the wires that are before my electrical meter. Not while they are live and can pump hundreds or thousands of amps through my heart. Only a few thousandths of a amp will kill you. And I am one of the few who could do it and live.
I used to work for the phone company. Due to our equipment being after the billing equipment, we could make long distance phone calls anywhere in the world without a record of the call being left. The creative souls in the office could even patch in a buddy from his home phone.
Being a good Dub wannabe, I did not do this; instead I paid $250/month for my personal long distance. My coworkers would argue that there was no cost to the phone company, and no revenue lost. Their arguments were valid.
Why did they do it? It was free, and they would not get caught. Even if they did, they would only be asked by our boss to stop. Making personal long distance calls was against company policy. We could call anywhere in the world for business reasons.
Incidentally, just so you know, if you make a long distance phone call, your home address can be traced. Yes, both during and after the call. And yes, even if you use a calling card to hide your location. There is a trick to it, which we employees knew because our jobs involved tracing calls for the police. Even when a suicidal person hangs up the phone, we can still complete the trace and grab their address. This works with only long distance calls; the equipment used for local phone calls is different.
Also, to feed the very paranoid, your phone calls are listened to. At night, the employees will look for calls about sex to get their jollies. They are legally allowed to listen to a live conversation for 7 seconds; with computers, they can listen forever legally (the computer disconnects and immediately reconnects every 7 seconds).
In the daytime, we had a room where people monitored and took notes on phone calls. We were told this was highly illegal, and we were to deny it existed if asked. They claim that random calls were listened to to ensure that operators were polite to customers and to ensure no one was abusing the phone system. Both reasons seemed bogus to me, but both my employer and my union went along with it. I have no idea what they actually used it for; my employer gave us a work order to move the monitoring wires (held on by two big clamps) to a certain circuit, and we did. The thought just occurred to me that with computers following the 7 second rule, this may now be legal.
BTW, the phone company I worked for was owned by the government and that the union contract required that all work orders be followed.
So, what I am saying is that people and companies will break the law when they can get away with it.
Richard
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118
Whats the best internet music file sharing thingy....?
by ScoobySnax inhave been using morpheus for a couple of years now, and hasn't been too bad at all, got about 400 tracks download.
since gettiing aol broadband, the diversity seems to have diminished a bit, either i'm on the wrong dsl provider or morpheus isn't as good as it used to be.
the one i was on previous (can't remember the name now) went totally pearshaped after it got served a writ for using copyrighted material.....anyway, know of any other good music file sharing sites?
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Skeptic
ZOIKS!!!! Gee, scoob, I would think after all your talk about how great god, the jw's etc. are that you would'nt steal, or you atleast would follow Caesars law. I feel stumbled
First, the laws of each country varies. If memory serves me right, the Napster trial showed that U.S. law allows an individual to give two copies of music to others. Napster got nailed on this law because it was centralized. However, more modern file sharing programs are designed to take automatically advantage of the legal loophole. Hence, grabbing music off the Internet may not be illegal.
XenaWarrior has told me one of her hobbies is downloading music and burning music CDs as gifts. She can customize the CD according to the tastes of the receiptent. Mac is one who has expressed appreciation for a CD from her. Purchasing CDs from stores does not allow for this kind of thoughtfulness, not to mention the fun of listening to music and selecting exactly the right songs for the one you love. This makes for an inexpensive, but very thoughtful gift. Someday the record companies will allow pay-per-song downloading of any song, but we aren't there yet.
I understand the concerns from those who wish people paid for all music. I hope they also don't record shows or movies from the TV, because this is a breach of copyright law. The ethics are much the same in both cases.
Ethical or not, music downloading is here to stay. The business model has changed, and the record industry will adapt or die. Most likely adapt. The software industry had similar problems with file sharing, piracy, and open software. These issues have not killed the industry, nor has it lessened the number of software millionaires.
Richard
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12
Does God Overlook WT Doctrine and Examine Hearts?
by stevieb1 inanother thought provoking issue which begs for a few well thought out replies:.
we all know about the ever-changing doctrine of the wtbts and the occasional hypocrisy of some of its members, but does not god see beyond these matters and examine the heart of the vast majority of jw's who believe in christ and try to be christians albeit following the faulty leadership of the wt?
in other words does not the good outweigh the bad?.
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Skeptic
does not God see beyond these matters and examine the heart of the vast majority of JW's who believe in Christ and try to be Christians
A reasonable God would. I dislike the JW belief that evangelical Christians will not get everlasting life. And I dislike the evangelical Christian belief that JWs will not get everlasting life. They are both saying that their God doesn't take into account that the individual is sincere though fooled. Same stupidity, different religion. It is like their God can't see beyond a petty rule and into the heart. Such a God is not worthy of my worship.
[Note: I do know that all JWs and all evangelical Christians do not believe so unreasonably. However, the vast majority I have conversed with about it do.]
If that's the case, then disputing diferent teachings of any religion is mute because the heart condition is what is most important.
Very true, neyank. Also, a reasonable God would take into account a person's culture, background, heart and situation. Which makes disputing teachings even more of a mute point.
Richard
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32
Quote from the WT, i.e. Yoga. Opinions?
by unique1 in"so once again we ask: 'can yoga be practiced simply as a physical exercise to develop a healthy body and a relaxed mind, without any involvement with religion?
' in view of its background, the answer would have to be no.
ok, i know yoga comes from a religious background, but i have been taking a yoga class for several months, and if there was any thing religious i would have stopped the class, but there is nothing.
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Skeptic
I think it was Skeptic who made a comparision to a married man talking to a single woman. Could it lead to something? Perhaps, but just talking, the danger level is low. Now, let's put the two in an environment that is more dangerous, say taking a Shiatsu massage class together. Is something more likely to happen now that there is physical contact between and probably a lot less clothing? Yes.
gcc2k, that is an excellent illustration. Just as there are interactions between men and women that are completely safe and those that pose a greater risk, there are different levels of yoga instruction.
If a person's viewpoint and class are geared towards exercise and relaxation only, there is no religious influence. If more is mixed into the class, such as a religious element, then there is greater religious influence.
It is similar to marshal arts. Some are just exercise, some are just fighting techniques and others tie in with Eastern philosphies like being in harmony with the Universe. The level of religious influence depends on the class and the instructor.
But in the setting of a yoga class, it's possible and likely that the instructor is there to do more than help you stretch, to help you on your "journey".
This does not match the experiences that my friends have. Perhaps your experiences are different?
Please note that anything can be tied into a religious influence: a co-worker of mine was a statistician, and his view of God, etc. was directly impacted by the laws of probability. He used the laws of statistics to show why there is no conflict with both theism and evolution being true. He would have made a good cult leader; he was spooky to discuss religion with.
So be cautious about what can entrap you into false worship, because anything can. Life is to be lived and enjoyed; it is too precious and short to kill the quality of it worrying about what is and isn't false worship. Surely a loving God would understand that.
Richard
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Quote from the WT, i.e. Yoga. Opinions?
by unique1 in"so once again we ask: 'can yoga be practiced simply as a physical exercise to develop a healthy body and a relaxed mind, without any involvement with religion?
' in view of its background, the answer would have to be no.
ok, i know yoga comes from a religious background, but i have been taking a yoga class for several months, and if there was any thing religious i would have stopped the class, but there is nothing.
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Skeptic
How confusing!
Billygoat, I used to be confused about a lot of JW policies until I noticed a pattern:
All policies are not based on morality, but on whether the Society gains in some way. Hence, the many double-standards. The rules are predictable if one looks for a gain or loss to the Society.
Richard
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32
Quote from the WT, i.e. Yoga. Opinions?
by unique1 in"so once again we ask: 'can yoga be practiced simply as a physical exercise to develop a healthy body and a relaxed mind, without any involvement with religion?
' in view of its background, the answer would have to be no.
ok, i know yoga comes from a religious background, but i have been taking a yoga class for several months, and if there was any thing religious i would have stopped the class, but there is nothing.
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Skeptic
Wow. Did this really happen? I positively cannot imagine them doing this. We weren't even allowed to have swim memberships there when I was a kid. How confusing!
Yes, it did, Billygoat. It was a number of years ago. I either heard about it in the congregation or read an experience that mentioned it in the publications (a Yearbook??).
I was shocked too, because previously I had heard counsel from the platform about not using the YMCA. Maybe the counsel was given because I was living at the YMCA at the time, waiting for my apartment to become available. Living at the Y was a very interesting experience.
Richard
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Quote from the WT, i.e. Yoga. Opinions?
by unique1 in"so once again we ask: 'can yoga be practiced simply as a physical exercise to develop a healthy body and a relaxed mind, without any involvement with religion?
' in view of its background, the answer would have to be no.
ok, i know yoga comes from a religious background, but i have been taking a yoga class for several months, and if there was any thing religious i would have stopped the class, but there is nothing.
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Skeptic
But, even if I am setting out to perform yoga just for the physical benefits, it could lead to more than that, consciously or not.
That is a line of reasoning that can be applied to anything. One can claim that a married man talking to a single woman "could lead to more than that, consciously or not". And one can point to many examples where that has happened. However, it would be nothing short of paranoia to say that a married man should not talk to a single woman.
So the "slightly pregnant" analogy does not apply. If one wants to avoid all non-Christian influences, then one must stop the use of all man-made chemicals because chemistry has its roots in alchemy, or magic. Or that the use of our calendar could lead to worshipping false gods. Where does one stop?
One stops where one wants too. A married man may end up committing adultery after talking to a woman, but chances are he will just end up with a nice conversation or a new friend. How far he goes is up to him, and is largely independent of the convesation he had. The same with Yoga or the marshall arts. How far one goes depends on the individual and not the yoga.
Also, if someone takes yoga, and leaves Christianity, this is not a bad thing. It just means that Christianity did not mean that person's needs and they found something more suitable.
Richard
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Quote from the WT, i.e. Yoga. Opinions?
by unique1 in"so once again we ask: 'can yoga be practiced simply as a physical exercise to develop a healthy body and a relaxed mind, without any involvement with religion?
' in view of its background, the answer would have to be no.
ok, i know yoga comes from a religious background, but i have been taking a yoga class for several months, and if there was any thing religious i would have stopped the class, but there is nothing.
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Skeptic
In view of its background, the answer would have to be no."
Since almost everything comes from superstition and religion, that statement could be applied to anything, including the use of any man-made chemicals like household cleaners.
When I bring that fact up with a JW, they say that it is a good thing the Society is "balanced". Translation: the Society uses the false religion card when it wants to, and uses "balance" when it needs to break its own rule.
Funny, the Society will not allow Yoga even though Yoga is often just exercise or relaxation. Yet it will rent the YMCA to hold a District Assembly. Yeah, no hint of a religious connection with the Young Men's Christian Association.
Richard
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More conditional, emotional blackmail...business as usual for the Duds
by Maverick inmy daughter is graduating from high school next month.
she has lived with me all her life.
her mother, a good and faithful dud, ran off with a 'worldly' co-worker five years ago.
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Skeptic
Maverick,
Short of spoiling your daughter's special day, I believe that you should attend and be with your daughter as any parent normally would. The Dubs should get the consequences of their actions.
If her mom has decided that she will not attend because you are there, it is her choice, not yours. It is her beliefs and attitudes that are causing the problem.
She should not attend if that is her choice. You should attend irregardless of her choice.
My non-JW family has grown sick of the JWs ruining family events because of the shunning policy. We discussed it and I attend family events. I am not the type to make a scene, so we all know it has nothing to do with me offending anyone.
The JWs that choose to stay home thus get the consequences of their choices. If they don't like the consequences, then maybe they will start making more humane and reasonable choices.
Richard