The Producer reports that all the DVD shops on Fountain Square -- except ABC -- are no longer selling fake DVDs. Even Hong Kong has stopped carrying them, having increased its stock of knock-off purses and low-end karaoke machines to make up for the loss.
This could mean one of two things: The GovAZ has, at last, recognized intellectual property rights and cracked down on institutionalized piracy, or, ABC just figured out a way to muscle its competitors out of the market. I wonder which it is?
Bottom line: Baku's one redeeming quality has been erased. Seriously, what's the point now? Why would anyone live there?
Don't despair, though. It's not the first time this has happened and probably won't be the last. One of the advantages of a lawless society is that crackdowns on activities that in normal countries are completely illegal but totally fun are usually temporary and designed to demonstrate, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, rule of law matters.
When I was there the police were restricting mini-buses from turning into clown cars. No sitting on laps, no cramming 25 people in a three meter between the aisle row. No more Lionel Ritchie songs (jk). The crack down was way serious. We are talking about getting your unibrow shaved off for a violation. I think it lasted a good five weeks. You gotta start somewhere, no?
Posted by: Kate | December 20, 2007 at 12:07 AM