March 31st, 2006 Rachel
So, if I drive a car and my reckless maneuvers get me into an accident…I can sue the car manufacturer?
And if I eat potato chips. Every day, all day. And end up with high cholesterol and a heart attack…it would be in my best interest to go after the chip makers, right?
Well then logically, it would make sense that Apple should be sued if I start to loose my hearing from listening to my iPod tunes with the volume almost maxed out…
A lot of things can kill us, hurt us and cause us problems. But who’s fault is that in the above circumstances? I think pretty much everyone has been in a bus, on a subway car or what have you and had that person (usually someone under 18 but not always) who stands next to you with the music blaring out of the headphones wedged into their ears. It isn’t as if Apple sets the volume to always start up at around ‘freakin’ loud’.
While we’re blaming anyone but ourselves for when things go wrong with our eardrums, why don’t we take down everyone involved in the concerts that many of these kids have probably attended…
If as a parent you can’t have a discussion with your kids about why even though they may feel cool or like a thug when 50 Cent is booming in their headphones, they’re going to regret it in the end…then you’ve got far bigger problems to deal with. Help ‘em learn why it’s not a good idea, rather than using the band aid solution of parental controls on the device. "Protect" the kids? Nah, e-d-u-c-a-t-e them.
I won’t even go there with the "say" they’ve got a problem wording.
Posted in Issues, Music | 1 Comment »
March 29th, 2006 Rachel
Watching an old rerun of Sex and The City the other night (my other way of relaxing inbetween packing), Adam had a really pretty profound thought. Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker for those who are not loyal fanatics fans) was typing away on her Mac.
"It’s funny…today, she would have been blogging there."
Yeah, he’s right. Seemingly everyone’s jumped on the bandwagon and the term blog has certainly become an accepted and even welcomed form of mediation. Especially in that editorially journalistic tone. I even heard on the radio that The Edge has launched their own "WTF Blog".
How quickly things change. What seemed so current is now passe. Mind boggling, but fascinating to watch and contemplate.
Posted in Blogging, Random | 9 Comments »
March 29th, 2006 Rachel
So, I’ve been trying to figure out how to work Debanter into the next few crazy weeks. Many people we’ve told, not everyone knows however…so this could be news to you. At the end of April, we’re packing up and heading south (and west) to Los Angeles. Things are moving quickly, and in between finishing school, packing, finding a place to live, and getting a little work done, I’d like to blog about something.
So, I guess it will be about the move.
I suppose this could go many ways, but what I’m hoping is that the things I learn along the way will help others who maybe are thinking about making the same sort of big change in their life. Moving is a big deal (well, that statement actually lies on a continuum, depending on yoru experience with the whole concept/process). An even bigger deal is moving internationally. And with pets. In a uHaul.
Yeah, I thikn there might be some blog entries somewhere in there…
Although I consider Toronto to be my home, I am originally from the U.S., so moving down there is less of a hassle for me. Adam, on the other hand has a few trials/hoops he has to complete before he wil be able to legally enter and work. Thus, his job in the next four weeks is to make himself border-ready. Me, well, I’ll be completing my degree (one class done today!) and getting the actual moving of stuff and pets prepared.
As we learn this stuff along the way, I’m hoping that this little segment in my blog’s history becomes something that Adam and I can look back on fondly. Either that or we’ll delete this section entirely (metephorically, of course) from our minds. We’ll see.
In any case, this will be a nice spot to relax and reflect as we work our way toward the biggest adventure our lives, relationship and careers have taken. Should be interesting, to say the least.
Posted in Blogging, L.A., Moving, Personal | No Comments »
March 22nd, 2006 Rachel
I talked about Michael Geist’s comments on the CRIA report yesterday - today brought new layers to the story, which included an 11 page response and a Boing Boing mention. Yowza…they are pouting.
In fairness, I think a read of the CRIA response is worthwhile. In fact, reading the whole report could potentially make for a nice little Saturday curled up on my couch. Or not…it is in many ways their own fault for not taking the proactive steps to try to keep these findings and statistics filtered through the media in the way that makes them look best. By trying to just put it to rest quietly (i.e. releasing the indepth report without the press release version that might get a little coverage), they opened the door for another authoritative mind to come in and shape public opinion for them. Bravo.
Here’s another quite amusing look at how the survey could have been conducted differently, or rather in an alternatively biased way. Point made, point made very successfully. Here’s some favorites:
Do you agree that Canadian law should be amended so as to allow record
companies to sue your teenage children for $150,000 in damages for each
song they download onto your home computer?
Do you agree or disagree with this statement: Recording companies or
other media firms should be allowed to place potentially damaging
software in my computer, without my consent, using their CDs, DVDs, or
other digital entertainment products.
Still laughing. I think I’ll be laughing all the way to Hart House for Geist’s talk next Thursday.
Posted in Canada, Issues, Music | No Comments »
March 22nd, 2006 Rachel
On Magnet’s website, he has linked to one of my SXSW facebook albums. Amazing musician and he’s also watching the internet to see where he comes up (or at least someone from his camp is). Does it get any better??
I seriously suggest checking out his music, but you won’t get the full experience until you’ve seen him perform live. The words "enchanting" and "spellbinding" seems a little over-the-top-movie-critic but really it’s just an unforgettable/fantastic thing to witness.
Gee…this is now my third post in a row of doing things differently with the internet…is there a theme going on here?
Here’s some more photos that didn’t make the Facebook cut (I only have 60 photos that I can post per album, and a total of 3 and 1/2 albums dedicated to sxsw…so compromises had to be made before looking like a TOTAL obsess-o).
Fan for life? Without question. Will I be telling many many many people about this (thus driving a bit of traffic to his site and music)? You betcha.
Thanks Magnet!
Posted in Daily Photo, Music, SXSW | 2 Comments »
