Stan Liebowitz's evidence supports what I believe, which is that music sales are not materially affected by file sharing. The music and movie industries, like any other industries, are quick to point fingers when sales are down, and quick to claim credit when the money's rolling in. I do buy more CDs now that I can sample music more easily through file sharing. If I like something I have no problem paying for it. But CDs aren't priced fairly.
Frankly, file sharing isn't going away for a long long time. Perhaps never. Eventually you'd think the music industry would stop wringing their hands and try to meet their customer's needs. These first revs of downloadable music services are pathetic, but they're healthier than a constant stream of lawsuits. Suspecting that everyone is out there to rob you blind, that the world is pitted against you, it's classic attribution error. All bad things are results of your environment. All good things come from oneself.
I know people like that, who have excuses for everything, and I wonder if they'll finally find the courage to take responsibility for themselves on their deathbed.
Maybe one of these days, I'll become an old, conservative schmo who yearns for the good old days. For now, the idea of a universe that changes (discovering intelligent life in this universe, or new laws of physics, these are good things) is an exciting prospect. I believe that law should evolve over time if reality changes, both those of the public judiciary and even those of private institutions like the church (revoke the ban on mandatory celibacy for priests, anyone?).

Bite an ear! Do something!

A whole crew of us gathered to watch Lewis jab Tyson's head into a soggy apple on Saturday night. Frankly, the only reason to watch was the hope that somehow, Tyson still had that dangerous, frenetic punching power from his youth, when he'd savagely annihalate his opponents in a few short rounds.
I'm not one of those folks who finds boxing to be inhumane. If two grown adults consent to beat each other up in a ring with gloves on, I'm not going to stand in their way. Pugilism has a technique and an art to it, and some of those Ali fights were amazing displays of courage.
By the time the fight passed the fourth round, we had gone from hoping to see a display of power and speed from Tyson to hoping he didn't get pounded into oblivion. His face was ground beef. After the fight, when he admitted he didn't think he could beat Lewis, when he admitted he was thankful for the payday, and when he practically begged for another fight, the mystique was gone. At one point during the post-fight interview, when they met at the center of the ring, Tyson hugged Lewis and then noticed that some of his blood had rubbed off on Lewis' face. So Tyson reached over and wiped it from Lewis face with his right hand. Tyson?!? At least in previous fights, when he got disqualified for biting ears and hitting after the bell, he still seemed like a dangerous loose cannon. After the Lewis fight, he was just another meek, unemployed has-been living on reputation, hoping to earn a steady paycheck to pay the bills.
In this economy, there are plenty of those, and I don't need to pay $59.95 to see them on TV.