http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070402-mpaa-names-its-top-25-movie-piracy-schools.htmlAhoy Matey! Recently the MPAA released the top 25 movie piracy schools, and Purdue ranked fifth with 873 students identified as ‘making unauthorized use of copyrighted materials’. Purdue Pirates trailed Columbia University by about 500 downloaders, but remained tops in the Big 10. This is hardly ground breaking for Purdue students, who finished second on the RIAA’s list of top music dowloaders (Purdue trailed only Ohio University on that one) and in fact, we are the only school on both lists top 5, Argh!

These ranks are quite disappointing. Purdue students need to re-evaluate their morals and ethics. Fifteen bucks is hardly too much to ask for a legal copy of a movie, even if it has already grossed a billion dollars world wide. Also, why not pay twelve dollars for a CD that cost two to make? The record company executives have homes (and cars and vacations and mistresses) to pay for.

Purdue students should band together and make sure that next year we finish in the top of each of these lists. Sure a few students may have to take one for the team, but they can be a martyr for the cause! Why stop at the ‘Gold Medal for highest overall ranking’ when we can top both lists? Follow Jack Sparrow and loot, pillage and plunder the record and movie industry in a way they’ll have to listen. Hit them in their wallets.