Category: I Think …

Canadian Copyright Reform – This Will Be Big … Or Not

Maybe I’m just too close to the topic, but I think the upcoming copyright legislation changes are going to result in a massive political and legal ***storm. Maybe not – maybe the entire field of copyright experts are all blowing smoke. Just in case they’re not all wrong though, I wrote the following letter to Mr. Russ Hiebert to let him know that I’m concerned. Anyone else concerned should write their representative – seriously.

Dear Mr. Hiebert,

I hope the approaching holidays find you and your family well.

I wanted to let you know that I am deeply concerned about the manner in which the upcoming copyright reform bill has been and continues to be handled. Here are a few of the major concerns I have

1 – the legislation seems to have been written without any consultation beyond industry representatives. Copyright law is an important matter and public consultation surrounding changes should have occurred prior to a proposed bill. Thus far it seems as though the information flowing into the changes has been one-sided, and the public will be the ones to suffer because of this

2 – the DMCA in the U.S.A. has not been as successful as people had thought it might be. It seems like a mistake to try to emulate it within Canada. Technological barriers will always be torn down – trying to find a technological solution to social issues simply does not work

3 – copyright law has the ability to seriously inhibit creative expression from Canadian artists. I believe the artist’s rights should be respected to the extent that they wish them to be, not the extent to which industry wants to control them.

These issues are the ones on the tip of my tongue. The media coverage surrounding this bill paints a very poor picture of how your government is presenting these changes. Questions have been asked by the CBC, interested consumer advocate groups, and the public – yet your government has thus far refused to even initiate a discussion surrounding this issue. This makes the Canadian government look like industry shills and is an embarrassment.

I am apprehensive about the actual contents of the bill, how it is being handled by your government, and the resulting limitations on my current rights that it will introduce.

I urge you to please take the time to collect input from your constituents and champion our cause, not the cause of industry.

Thank you for your time,

Kirk Bridger
15827 Goggs Avenue
White Rock, BC
V4B 2P1

Since we all know email is so meaningless nowadays, I think I’ll print this up and send it to his office if I don’t hear back in a few days. So far though, his office has been fairly good about responding to emails. Remember – no postage required to send letters to members of parliament!

Wow – Visa Sent Me A Cheque

Over the summer I wrote a few posts about my experience using the purchase protection of my Visa card – or the lack thereof.  I just wanted to update the vignette with a denouement – a cheque arrived today from Visa for the amount of money I specified in my claim submission!  Here I was gearing up for a battle, having to argue semantics of language with a lawyer.  Well thankfully I (and by proxy all of you) have been spared from such a horror.

Peter Murphy – Calling Me Home

Sometimes there’s just something that speaks to the core of a person, and today I want to expose my inner goth by saying that Peter Murphy and his songs, voice, and face are a part of the inner me.

This song started it all, leading me to the Bauhaus, Tones on Tail, Love and Rockets, Daniel Ash, David J – a whole new genre of music which continues to influence my tastes today.

Even today Peter has an astounding voice – mesmerizing. Just listen.

I Wish I Was Wild At Heart

I cannot say enough praise about the Knowledge Network’s show called “Wild At Heart“. It is exposing all sorts of trips in BC that, frankly, I want to do. Not only do they present a TV show, they also provide recipes, trip planners, and entire episodes for free on their website.

If you’re curious about wilderness exploration within BC, check out this great showcase.

Now – next summer we can start easy with the Kettle Valley bike trip, but that Garibaldi trip looks fantastic. Maybe a Howe Sound Crest Trail trip first? Who’s in?

Today’s Music Just Sounds Louder – Doesn’t It?

I know, I know. Call me an old codger – but don’t you agree? Whatever happened to those albums that you needed world-cancelling earphones on to properly enjoy? The ones that had suble nuances and sounds that only in total silence could you properly enjoy the album? Today’s music all just seems too … maxxed out.

I’m not making this up, really. The digital production of albums today allows producers to really tweak how an album sounds before being pressed on to CDs. They’re able to adjust any and all aspects of the songs – and they do. Some claim they are mastering the CDs louder so that the songs stick out on the radio when played. Trouble is – everyone is doing it. Think I’m making this up? Check out this example analysis of the most recent Depeche Mode album. And I agree with the author – that album does sound overwhelming loud, losing any ability to convey suble sounds and to use volume to help support song structure or tempo.

Makes me want to go buy a record player and switch to vinyl.

A Great Example of How To Do It Right

I just came home to a wonderfully delivered package in the mail. I recently splurged and bought a digital boxed set. What’s that? Well, Zunior.com – a music store that I think “Gets It” – offered up the entire Great lake Swimmer’s catalogue (at the time) on a USB memory stick – the GLS Digital Box Set. They included a video, band road photos, covers, 2 albums and an E.P.

This is how it should be – $40.00 delivered to my door, carried upon a 512 MB USB drive. Value, convenience, and great music.  Go support Zunior.com.

No, I am not an employee (yet – do you know if they’re hiring because I think they’re that great).

Visa’s Purchase Security – Tangible Benefits?

A little background on this issue can be found in my first post on it, here.

I followed up with Visa and finally had someone point out to me the part of the card insurance certificate that states that “installing” my bike tires onto my bike makes them ineligible for theft protection. Here’s the link to the entire insurance certificate, wherein I have been pointed to these two passages:

Personal property means tangible, moveable property for personal use.

and

Personal property purchased using your RBC Royal Bank Visa Platinum Avion card or acquired with your RBC Rewards® points, is insured against all risks of direct accidental physical loss or damage for 90 days from the date of purchase. The insurance applies to your personal property and gifts you give to family members.

The Visa representative said quite plainly that the key word here is tangible. When I bought my tires they were tangible items. When I had them installed onto my bike they were no longer tangible. So I asked if that meant they were intangible. “Not exactly,” she said “they’re not intangible – but they’re not tangible.” Oh, I see now.

The Visa representative stated that these two clauses are what Visa uses to support their claims that once you actually “install” something it is no longer covered by the insurance.  I disagree – in evaluating their service I would not understand that from reading this insurance certificate.  Their position actually seems to be a rather obtuse and, in my opinion, incorrect interpretation of this certificate.

The Visa rep invited me to write in with my opinions, at which point I opened a claim with the intention to do just that.  So for those Avion users reading this, I still suggest you do not rely on Visa’s purchase security for anything other than a steady stream of empty promises.

Visa’s Purchase Security – Great If You Don’t Use Your Purchase

2.5 months ago I spent over $120.00 on my bike, getting new tires, trueing a rim and getting a tune up. 2 weeks ago my bike was stolen. After storming about and beating myself up for making it so easy to steal my bike, someone pointed out to me that the Visa Avion card includes purchase security. Visa claims they’ll insure your purchases for you in case they are stolen or lost within 90 days after the purchase date. They also provide an extended warranty of sorts whenever you use it.

Sounds great, doesn’t it?

I called the bike store and figured out with them which charges were for parts and which were for services – Visa would only cover the parts according to the first Visa agent I spoke to. After figuring it out (only around $50.00 but certainly helpful towards a replacement bike) I again called Visa to figure out how to get the ball rolling.

One problem, said the Visa agent – you “installed” the parts. According to the policy if the parts are “installed” onto the bike then they are no longer covered. Oh I see, I said, so if I took my new bike tires and hung them around the handlebars, you would cover them if they were stolen. Yes, they would, Visa said.

How utterly stupid. Visa’s pitch, their claim, their incentive for me to use their card (and potentially pay them interest) is that by using the card I can have a greater sense of security in my purchases. Well take note everyone with an Avion Visa – your purchases seem to be covered only until you use them as designed. What good are bike tires to me unless I “install” them?

Time to look for a competing card, this “service” is pure lip service.

Update: I’ve looked over the online version of the credit card agreement and I can’t find mention of this policy.  I’ve called Visa again and they’ll have an insurance expert call me after checking into the facts.  So there may be a happy ending after all – but I’m not holding my breathe after talking to the Visa fellow earlier today.