In my continuing effort to remake this blog into the “all Canadian copyright, all the time” blogNo, not really–it’s just that between pushing our release to GM (FINALLY), being a single parent while Trish is doing research in Ontario, and Mario Kart, it just feels that way., here are some links to the latest info: Since the legislation was introduced,… Read more →
Author: Mr. McLaren
The tabs, they must be closed.
You know the drill–some things that I found worthy of some comment: I quite liked Julie Rehmeyer’s short piece on the math scholars who accidentally solved an astrophysics problem. It’s got all the good stuff: pure math, astrophysics (come on, “gravity lensing” just sounds cool, even without any context), serendipity, and above all a good science journalist doing the writeup,… Read more →
For the record
I received this response to my “Canadian DMCA” letter from my local MP today: Dear Mr. McLaren: Thank you for taking the time to share your concerns about the new copyright legislation introduced by the Conservative government yesterday in the House of Commons. I certainly share many of your concerns and assure you they will be raised during discussions in… Read more →
Father’s Day
Warning: this will be a Sappy Dad™ post. I woke up this morning to a smiling three year old face. I was wished a Happy Father’s Day, and handed this: I was unsurprised by the signature, as I have seen Sarah working on writing her name quite a few times now. I was pretty shocked by the rest of it.… Read more →
Fun and Games
Something has been interfering with my blogging time the last few days. I’m not going to name this distraction, but its initials are MKW–and it has nothing to do with audio compression. Oh, and here’s another hint: Read more →
It’s here
A quick update on the Canadian DMCA. You can read the text of the bill now. Reuters has an early write-up that you can read. Geist also has one, but good luck getting to his site right now. I’ll include one of his five “high level points”: The digital lock provisions are worse than the DMCA. Yes – worse. The… Read more →
Tomorrow is “Conservatives sell us to US companies” day
I know you’re tired of it, but I’m going to mention the Canadian DMCA again, since it’s been announced various places that Prentice will be tabling it tomorrow. There’s some coverage at the National Post, which while using neutral language manages to present the legislation as something harmful to consumers: The new Copyright Act has been updated to reflect the… Read more →
Special Effects courtesy of “physics”.
..and here, ladies and gentlemen, you see the sky over Sayre‘s “lightning farm” as Orannis the Destroyer is freed from his bindings. OK, maybe not, although that’s pretty much exactly how I pictured that in my head. What you’re actually looking at there is the sky over the Chaiten Volcano in Chile. No photoshoppery, the image is directly from the… Read more →
Disappointed
Sigh. I finally got around to reading the Edge of Reason last night. Despite the fact that lots of people on the Internets seem to think this was the wonderful book I was expecting, it just didn’t work for me. The plot was kind of interesting, but the rest of the craft just wasn’t there. The only review I could… Read more →
I don’t know about ‘blessed’, but it sure makes you happier
I knew it all along, but it’s nice to have some science to back it up Spending on Happiness — HBS Working Knowledge Can money buy you happiness? Yes—so long as you spend the money on someone else. According to new research, giving other people even as little as $5 can lead to increased well-being for the giver. That’s the… Read more →
Sunday night quick book links
As I write this I am watching the Australian movies made from Shane Maloney’s books about Murray Whelan. You may remember that those books were some of the big successes from my first Australian trip, and that I even mentioned the movies when I wrote that stuff up. Well, my usual online sources didn’t make the movies available, but just… Read more →
Infernal Nuclear Sphere: 1, Chris : 0
Seven days into June, and I have my first sunburn of the year. Since there is a problem with the A/C in my car at the moment, I spent part of the day driving around with the windows down, and one arm hanging out. This arm has now developed the startling boiled lobster colour so familiar to people of my… Read more →
Friday Night Book Links
I love “give us an obscure favourite” pieces. From this recent one at the Village Voice I can see myself looking for Harold Q. Masur, Dorothy Dunbar, and Don Carpenter. The only guys there I was already familiar with are Harry Stephen Keeler (much touted by a certain popular genre author), Amis (who I am generally less impressed with than… Read more →
I am shocked! Shocked I tell you.
And in is-anyone-surprised-by-this news, the Senate intel committee’s Phase II report on pre-war intelligence on Iraq is just out. You can read the details and the reports themselves over at TPM. I’ll just list some of the choice points from Sen. Rockafeller’s press release, and if any of them surprise you, raise your hand and give yourself a firm smack… Read more →
Oh CBC, no.
I have often said that I hate hockey. That’s a product of being a kid in a family where my dad played in two leagues, and my brother played, and did hockey school all summer. That meant that I was pretty much always at the rink. At least three nights a week one of them had a game, and most… Read more →
