What's your take on the RIAA?

Have a look at what Andrew Balingit has to say about the RIAA, and join in the conversation. What's your opinion? Did you know that making copies of music for your friends, even if no money changes hands, is illegal? The position of the recording companies (who speak on behalf of the artists) is that every copy made is money not given to the artist. What's your take on that? How are artists to make money, if not through the sale of their work?