There is also the part that says you are not allowed to profit from crime.

That would probably be more applicable in this situation as the pirate bay is not technically copying anything.

The US is using various international trade agreements to push its views out in the world around them. So it may not be you personally, but it is the government that you as a country have elected.

The money is spread based on popularity (as far as I know) so you could simply think that all your money goes to the artists that you like, and that the vast majority of people who pirate the top-40 artists are paying into the pool for the top-40 artists.

As it is just one big pool, you aren't necessarily putting money in their pockets.

If you want to support more indie artists then simply buy the music directly from them.

Here in Alberta, Canada we pay 5% tax only

My Motherboard's sound drivers don't install on SP3, they claim that it is not a supported OS. As they will probably never be updated, I am unable to use sound as well as surf the web?

If you can distort it I can un-distort it, so at best a short term solution once again thwarted by the analogue hole.