you thought the RIAA was tough

[BJ_M]

Turkman president bans recorded music


Turkmenistan President Saparmurat Niyazov has deemed recorded music a negative influence on society and banned it from public events, TV and weddings.
Niyazov has already banned opera and ballet from the former Soviet state, saying they were unnecessary, the BBC reported.
"Unfortunately, one can see on television old voiceless singers lip-synching their old songs, Niyazov told his cabinet regarding music on TV. "Don't kill talents by using lip-synching ... create our new culture."
In 2001, Niyazov, the country's president for life, banned gold tooth caps, long hair and beards on young men.
He has also banned car radios, closed all hospitals except those in the capital and renamed calendar months after his relatives, the BBC said.




many people there blame Ashlee Simpson for this and avow to stop buying bootlegs of 'dukes of hazard' or any russia Simpson music (thats an oxymoron) which currently sells for about 35 cents a CD..

[BJ_M]

by the way -- this not really a joke

[adam]

Reminds me of that movie Equilibrium.

[pchan]

Ganghiz Khan created one of biggest empire on a horse back. Ones never need tv, music etc... Maybe he is just following his footstep of his forefather and create something great !

[BJ_M]

they are far away from Mongolia (so not sure how Ganghiz Khan would fit into his family tree) and have no money with a 60% unemployment rate -- i doubt they are going anywhere fast ....


only a 4.5million population also ...

[pchan]

Ganghiz Khan's empire strecth from China, Hungary and India and of course Mongolia.

[reboot]

Ganghiz Khan's empire strecth from China, Hungary and India and of course Mongolia.

...because he conquered and stole it all, not because he was elected for anything.

Niyazov is just another petty megalomaniac, with a piece of land, containing overtaxed people he can't feed, to enhance his personal lifestyle, and force his warped sadistic set of values on everyone else.
Like most other dictators of this sort, he will be deposed, shot, and reviled. It's just a matter of time.

[AlecWest]

Like most other dictators of this sort, he will be deposed, shot, and reviled. It's just a matter of time.

Even before that, the first thing that will happen is that his people will begin to ignore him ... discreetly, of course. The best way to start an underground economy is to deny a product/service to the masses. Or, the best way to get people to do something is to tell them not to do it.

[BJ_M]

there is no news or communications there per say - other than government run ..

any opposition is executed or kicked out of the country


they have no economy to speak of private or otherwise


only 8000 people in the whole country even have access to Internet - which is censored ..


in other words - no chance in hell ..


last guy who tried 10 years ago is no longer around ...

[AlecWest]

Maybe. Closed governments such as this one rarely report on "subversive" activity within their countries ... and news people who try to get such info are stiffed by those they ask. Even in North Korea, there is a dissident movement that helps people flee to China (of all places). And, there are refugee camps along the border where many of them live. Problem is, it's kind of an embarassment to China since they're supposed to be North Korea's buddy. News people are not allowed access to the camps nor does their news entity mention their existence.

[MeDiCo_BrUjO]

It's unbeliavable that these things are still happening...

[BJ_M]

think a few years back south of you in Chile - or a few other places not far from you

[lordsmurf]

think a few years back south of you in Chile - or a few other places not far from you

Pinoche. The "disappeared".

[MeDiCo_BrUjO]

Yep, Raul Pinochet. Everybody that tried to have a voice was executed on sight.

[lordsmurf]

I thought his first name was "Augusto"

[MeDiCo_BrUjO]

You are right, I mixed names and ended up renaming him

General Augusto Pinochet.

He is still on trial for those "dissapearances", and as usual, he will die of natural causes (and at a very old age) before going to jail for his crimes.

[Doramius]

Great! I bet the music festival they were going to hold there is cancelled. And I booked reservations way back on the 20th of Reschetskov.

[BJ_M]

going to take the bus again this year ?

I hear they figured out a way to get an extra 15 people and 6 goats loaded on it ...

[Doramius]

Can't take the bus, one of the hamsters died and the pet store is sold out until the proud-to-be-gay convention is over. :P

If the sound of a fart has been copyrighted, would it be illegal to do a loud fart in public without a whoopie cushion?