Jimspeak

The gall of these people...

An industry group representing major Hollywood is cussing out China and threatening them unless they cut down on the number of pirated movies being sold in China. One of their claims:

The MPAA estimates about 95 percent of all DVDs sold in China are pirated, costing the industry $280 million last year.

Let me be the first to call bullshit on this claim of lost revenue. First of all, if the dvds are not pirated they are going to be sold for quite a bit more money. Even if the Chinese were a wealthy folk (they are not), fewer dvds are going to get sold regardless! Do they really think the same quantity are going to be sold for a much higher price? Not to mention the fact that most of the movies and music that are sold as pirated good, would not be allowed into the country legally! It's a huge blackmarket affair, and Hollywood should be thanking these pirate-mastgers for the publicity that would barely achieve legally.

Read on:

But any headway in closing down offenders marks a small gain in a country where pirated DVDs often appear on the streets just days after a movie's theatrical release, with disks costing around $1 each.

By comparison, the approval process for release of legitimate movies on DVD can take up to four weeks, Ellis said.

He added that Chinese officials showed a willingness to try to streamline that process in talks this week. But even so, such products, carried in stores like Carrefour, cost three times as much as pirated versions or more.

The MPAA is also frustrated with a Chinese quota system that limits to 20 the number of foreign films that can be imported each year on a revenue-sharing basis, Glickman said, adding that Chinese officials showed less enthusiasm for change in that area.

"The message was, in general, 'We used to take four, then it went to eight.' Trends are in the right direction but we got no promises. ... They ought to end the quota, period."

To get around the quota, some studios are starting to experiment with joint ventures with Chinese counterparts, both on an individual film and broader production basis.

Hypocrisy. I love it! You need to adhere to our justice system even though you are a different country, and you need to allow us to find these sneaky and underhanded ways to get around YOUR laws. Yes, China, you need to END your quota system so that these greedy f*cks can make more money. They could be damned with what you feel is right for your country. You are depriving them of their money!

I have a very deep-seated animosity towards these people. The hypocrisy slices me open, and their narrow-minded ignorance/greed/selfishness disgust me.

I have to move on. I don't feel like getting further riled tonight. I anm sure the rest of the news out there will soothe me...