kjl Posted March 8, 2010 Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 Many, dare I say the vast majority of, millionaire sports stars are incredible philanthropists. Even if they lavish themselves with a life of opulence, they still have to pay people and give people jobs to support that lifestyle. I guess if they kept all their money in a safe in their home, then they'd be truly greedy. I don't think spending lots and lots of money to pay for your extravagant lifestyle counts as philanthropy. When I buy a new snowboard so I can have fun on the hill, that is not philanthropy. When Jonbass buys hockey equipment for kids that can't afford it or drives them to games, now that is philanthropy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted March 8, 2010 Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 I don't think spending lots and lots of money to pay for your extravagant lifestyle counts as philanthropy. Of course, that wasn't what I meant. I meant that most sports stars are philanthropists in that they contribute significantly to charities and/or they run their own charities. And then, next sentence, even if they aren't very philanthropic, they still spend money on goods and services, and pay taxes. So it's not like money spent on sports is thrown down a black hole. As for ticket prices, unfortunately that is econ 101. Maybe they need to be fixed, I'm not sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjl Posted March 8, 2010 Report Share Posted March 8, 2010 Of course, that wasn't what I meant. I meant that most sports stars are philanthropists in that they contribute significantly to charities and/or they run their own charities. Ha ha, I see - I know we disagree on various political things (like Star Wars and Extremecarving :D), but even so I read your post and was all "Wtf? Seriously?!" I have no problem with ticket prices, any moreso than with CD prices, DVD prices, movie ticket prices. It really is econ 101. If people don't think the goods (sports, music, movie) are worth the price they don't have to buy. If enough people don't buy, ticket prices will go down. If they haven't gone down yet, then it means enough people still think it's worth it (or the team will go bankrupt). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 Ha ha, I see - I know we disagree on various political things (like Star Wars and Extremecarving :D), but even so I read your post and was all "Wtf? Seriously?!" Stop the presses... don't tell me you're a goddamn trekkie. I have no problem with ticket prices, any moreso than with CD prices, DVD prices, movie ticket prices. It really is econ 101. Well, I have to disagree on CD prices. When the CD first became relatively widely available (mid 80s?), they were at least twice the price of the previous state of the art technology, cassettes. Fine, but then, unlike any other piece of new technology I can think of, the price never came down. CDs are cheaper to make than cassettes, so they should only cost like $5. Even if they did cost as much as cassettes did, they would only cost $8. But this never happened, and CDs have only recently come down in price to about $12-14. This is why we saw the uprising of mass piracy via Napster, Morpheus, LimeWire, etc. If CDs had ever come down to their rightful price, that might never have happened. woops, threadjack! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjl Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 Stop the presses... don't tell me you're a goddamn trekkie. No, no - I hate both of them equally. Well, I have to disagree on CD prices. I think I meant that I'm OK with companies charging whatever they want for them. If record companies want to charge $15 for an hour's worth of music on old technology with antiquated, obsolete distribution methods and drive themselves into obsolescence in the face of the onslaught of digital distribution, which they could have owned and had work with them if they had had any inkling of foresight, that is fine with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonbass Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 Well, I have to disagree on CD prices. When the CD first became relatively widely available (mid 80s?), they were at least twice the price of the previous state of the art technology, cassettes. Fine, but then, unlike any other piece of new technology I can think of, the price never came down. CDs are cheaper to make than cassettes, so they should only cost like $5. Even if they did cost as much as cassettes did, they would only cost $8. But this never happened, and CDs have only recently come down in price to about $12-14. This is why we saw the uprising of mass piracy via Napster, Morpheus, LimeWire, etc. If CDs had ever come down to their rightful price, that might never have happened. woops, threadjack! Actually, didn't CDs even go up in price for a bit due to some tax that was supposed to go to the recording industry or was that just recordable media. I have actually been expecting there to be more change in music and movie industries as piracy has become easier but they seem to be staying the course for the most part. I find I buy a lot of music on itunes. It is so easy and quick and CD stores tend to stock more popular music. You can find almost anything on itunes. It's all fine until you get your credit card bill. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjl Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 I think you're talking about that tax on cassette tapes that went to the recording labels to help offset the cost of piracy that was supposedly happening with those tapes. Bunch o' crap :) Yeah, iTunes is the "proof" that people will pay money for something they can get for free if there is some added value, in this case, ease of finding the music, convenience of maintaining/organizing the music library, etc. Same with netflix. Sure, I could go torrent some movie, but the elimination of the hassle by using netflix instant or something is certainly worth the price. What people really, really hate is when people who want to do the right thing and purchase something legally are subject to verification/rights hassles (so in effect, they are being punished for paying for the product). See: http://www.bradcolbow.com/archive.php/?p=205 In the past, I have been known to purchase software legally, never open the box, and run a cracked version instead. Purchased product stays in cellophane in a box somewhere. And, before iTunes came along, I would sometimes buy CDs and then napster them to my computer, since it was significantly faster and easier to do that than rip my own CD's. CD's went into a big box, also in cellophane. The movie industry has been changing because of piracy, a little. They are shortening the window between release in the theater and release on DVD/BluRay. And I'm sure it's one of the reasons they are pushing 3D, because nobody has 3D at home, so to see Avatar "as it was meant to be seen" you have to go to the theater. Wow, epic thread wander. I blame myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Prokopiw Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 To this day I will not allow their music to be played in my house or on my radios.They started the whole thing by lobbying congress since they were not making enough millions.I thought it was great when Radiohead put their last album on the web for free.Must have made record execs writhe in agony.The RIAA,who helped Metallica , is now trying to get a performance tax put on everything played on radio.They still seethe at the fact that congress would not let them have the tax in '92.Think the artists will see much of what the RIAA lawyers will get? They're also the organization who sued the grandmother of a 13 year old girl in Michigan who shared files and recently sued and won a case against a 24 year old mother of three living on a reservation for 3 million for receiving 24 songs through a nonlicensed site.Capitalism at it's finest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonbass Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 Yes. That's the tax. i think it was on CDRs and mini discs too. I don't like that you can only use a song that you buy on itunes on a certain number of computers or copy it a certain number of times but i guess they are just trying to protect themselves from legal action from the recording industry. I see both sides of the piracy thing. i teach a media literacy unit to my older music classes. The majority of my students honestly do not see anything wrong with any form of piracy even after being presented with the side of the artist and other people in the industry. i am a performing musician and I have done a little recording. I do want credit for what I feel is mine. I do not feel that the credit and the money is always going to the right people in many instances. There are a lot of people involved in the steps from conception of idea to a CD on the shelf or MP3 on itunes. Where does the money go? I think the industry is often more angry at the small labels and artists who are cutting them out and doing it themselves. I think this is becoming the new model. The only problem i see with it is what happens when people don't pay for what they get from the small artists? I think the thread jack is my fault with me always raving on about the money going to the wrong people! :p :rolleyes: you're innocent! The Bradcolbow thing is so true! Add Mac and linux incompatibility into that mix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShortcutToMoncton Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 The Bradcolbow thing is so true! Add Mac and linux incompatibility into that mix. What about Mac and Linux incompatibility? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piusthedrcarve Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 US 1 medal per 11 million people, KOREA 1 per 11 million GER 1 per 3.4 mill ,CAN 1 per 2.2 mill, AUS 1 per .82 mill ,FRANCE 1 per.62 mill, Norway 1 per.25 mill. Sort of changes ones perspective as to who the real winners are ! Dang... then China is never going to be a 'Real Winner'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 No, no - I hate both of them equally.I think I meant that I'm OK with companies charging whatever they want for them. If record companies want to charge $15 for an hour's worth of music on old technology with antiquated, obsolete distribution methods and drive themselves into obsolescence in the face of the onslaught of digital distribution, which they could have owned and had work with them if they had had any inkling of foresight, that is fine with me. Hehe, funny, but CD is still the only way to legally obtain audiophile quality recordings, afaik. (let's not get into CD vs. vinyl) So I still buy CDs from my favorite bands. ~70mb per song sounds better than ~5-10. Single songs or albums I'm not going to listen to critically I'll buy from iTunes. Yeah, iTunes is the "proof" that people will pay money for something they can get for free if there is some added value, in this case, ease of finding the music, convenience of maintaining/organizing the music library, etc. And don't forget the peace of mind that you can't go to jail for using iTunes!! What people really, really hate is when people who want to do the right thing and purchase something legally are subject to verification/rights hassles (so in effect, they are being punished for paying for the product). Disney FastPlay. In the past, I have been known to purchase software legally, never open the box, and run a cracked version instead. Purchased product stays in cellophane in a box somewhere. And, before iTunes came along, I would sometimes buy CDs and then napster them to my computer, since it was significantly faster and easier to do that than rip my own CD's. CD's went into a big box, also in cellophane. Ok, this paragraph plus your confession of hating Star Wars makes me think you just might be THE WEIRDEST 30-SOMETHING I HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjl Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 Disney FastPlay. It's not my fault, I swear! I'm pretty sure all the real people here agree that it's the worst thing of all time. I'm so, so, so sorry :) Not FastPlay specifically, but vaguely apropos... though I highly discourage you from taking that last line to heart and stealing. After all, I may need to buy some Sidewinders when the step-in version comes out :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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