I am thankful for public defenders like attorney Ray Beckerman who invest their time and effort, often on a pro bono basis, to protect consumers like you and me. Here in full is Ray's New Year Greeting.

The New Year has begun, and unfortunately the RIAA's war against ordinary citizens is still here. No amnesties, no pardons, no compromise, no compassion, no reason.

While I fully understand that there needs to be some litigation between the content community and the technology community, in order to define the perimeters of copyright law in the digital age, I really wish the RIAA would pick on defendants its own size, and stop making war on the defenseless.

And if that doesn't happen, I hope the federal judiciary will wake up to the massive fraud that is being perpetrated on the courts, and shut it down.

To all those who are fighting the RIAA I wish you good luck.

To all those helping them, my heartfelt thanks.

And to the RIAA and its lawyers, my wish is: I hope that you can find honest work in the New Year.