Quick follow-up on an article I posted in some newsbits last evening.

NDP MP Charlie Angus has asked that that WIPO treaty be brought to parliament for debate before any ratifying and especially before any copyright legislation is put through.

WIPO is an agency within the United Nations, of which Canada is a member, whose purpose is to purpose “to encourage creative activity, [and] to promote the protection of intellectual property throughout the world.” Angus’ logic is that Canada should ratify the upcoming Internet treaties (which deal with online intellectual property worldwide) before passing any copyright bills before parliament.

The Conservative government recently followed through on a 2006 election promise pledging to table treaties in the House before ratification. As Michael Geist specifies: “The treaties will be accompanied by an explanatory memorandum and given at least 21 sitting days for debate.” So, I guess you could say it’s time to “put up.”

What needs to be done is determine the pertinence of the WIPO treaties. After all, Angus does mention the archaic nature of the organisation in his press release, whose policies he claims are stuck in the 21st century. Not to mention that most intellectual property standard-setting has been shifted from WIPO to the World Trade Organisation.

So if Industry Minister Jim Prentice wants to put the Conservative’s pledge to the test, now would be the perfect time to do it.

I used to get surprised when strangers would call me “sir.” You know, sales clerks, bus drivers, people asking you for directions; I would chalk it up to being older. These days, I kind of expect being called “sir,” and not due to some petty respect thing. It’s just been happening for so long now, there’s no more shock to it.

Which is why I count on bands like The Botticellis to surprise me. I need bands like these to come straight out of nowhere and take me while my guard is down. Especially with a punchy, wonderful pop song like Old Home Movies, whose glimmering surf-music throb is coated with an unseasy sheen, giving it a complete, mature texture.

So mature, actually, that if I were to meet The Botticellis, I would most likely call them “sir.”

MP3: The Boticellis - Old Home Movies

www.thebotticellis.com
www.myspace.com/thebotticellis

Alleged movie pirate Geremi Adam misses Montreal court date, warrant issued

• What’s really sad is that he got busted for taping How To Eat Fried Worms and Invincible. At least go down for some good flicks.

U2 manager takes Internet providers to task

• I guess it’s classier to have your manager fire the shots.

Canadian MP - Debate WIPO Before Copyright Ratification

• Leave it to the NDP to keep the government in line.

Court delivers a blow to record companies on internet piracy

• A blow to record companies is a win for online privacy

Verizon: We don’t want to play copyright cop on our network

• It’s nice to know there’s still possibilities for filter-free surfing.

Copy a CD, owe $1.5 million under “gluttonous” PRO-IP Act

• $1.5 million for a ten-song CD, copied once? As the article wonders: “Sound fair? Proportional? Necessary? Not really, but that doesn’t mean it won’t become law.”

It’s an interesting feeling when you start Medium level on Guitar Hero III. Interesting because it’s the level where you really have the impression you’re playing the guitar. Easy mode is really just strumming along to the rhythm without any real investment in the music, making you a video game version of Bill Wyman.

But Medium mode… yeah, you start to feel it. Feel it real.

Imagine my thrill when I got to Heart’s Barracuda and hit it with five stars. I love Barracuda, it’s without a doubt one of my favourite songs of the era. It was quite a prideful moment for me. So I’m listening to Panther’s Diamonds, Violence, and I’m figuring I could tear that one up in GHIII (that’s the acronym for Guitar Hero III - real gamers use acronyms) because its rhythm reminds me of the trampling riff of Barracuda, only funkier. Like the if Wilson sisters fused with the guys from The Rapture. Extraordinary music ensues. This is such an incredibly powerful yet subtle track.

And clocking in at 2 minutes 15 seconds, the song doesn’t overstay its welcome and leaves you wanting more. Thus, were it a part of GHIII, I’d be playing this song over and over again. Which is kind of the case at current press time with Lacuna Coil’s Closer.

Perhaps I have just found out I play video games too much.

MP3: Panther - Violence, Diamonds

www.panthertouch.com
www.myspace.com/panthertouch

In the ongoing battle to keep Canadian copyright reform from turning into American-inspired, lobbyist-driven DMCA-style legislation, Michael Geist has made a series of principles, a “wishlist” if you may, which he feels need to be addressed by the government to ensure that copyright law does not undermine education, free speech, and our rights as Canadian citizens. Can’t say I disagree with him.

If you are new to this issue, are uncertain about certain aspects of it, or simply have a hard time understanding how it affects you and your rights, this is a perfect primer to get on board. Even for someone who has been following the situation, it’s a great way to keep things in perspective.

For instance, I didn’t know an infringing party can be fined up to $20,000 in statutory damages without any real proof of actual loss. Doesn’t that come across as a little more than excessive?

You can also join the Fair Copyright for Canada group on Facebook which have a bunch of useful links (some of which I have linked to from here) and some discussion as well.

Michael Geist - My Fair Copyright for Canada Principles
Facebook | Fair Copyright for Canada

Around a pint of beer, cup of tea, or glass of soda, our conversation could veer in the direction of something which I feel is really, really fascinating. Something which just blows my mind. Something which is so great it sort of defies what I believe. If that be the case, it’s quite likely you’ll hear me say:

“That puts the lime in the coconut.”

I mention this totally uninteresting and potentially reputation-cracking tidbit because Dub Trio definitely puts the lime in the coconut. It’s the most appropriate way for me to hail their work. Their combination of rock and dub genus makes for a surprisingly heavy yet entirely groovy sound where both thrashing and two-stepping seem completely appropriate. I mean, if you’re of the persuation that there is such a time where two-stepping is appropriate.

Not to mention that vicious drooling kittens as cover art limes the coconut even more. See how I did that? Made a verb out of a noun? I’m so clever.

MP3: Dub Trio - Bay vs. Leonard

www.dubtrio.com
myspace.com/dubtrio

In an era where the consensus about art in general is “it’s all been done,” the logical thing to do is mash different ideas and styles together in an attempt to create something interesting; lest people say what you’re doing is “old.”

If The Shondes are relevant, it’s for that reason precisely. Extracted from classical music and traditional Jewish folk, and rooted in good old punk aggro, they create powerful, heartwrenching, sometimes haunting music; atmospheres accessible by their judicious use of violins and the intertwining vocals of various band members. The result is a fascinating twist on folk-rock which is nothing if not passionate.

Hm. Passion. Now there’s something that never gets old.

MP3: The Shondes - Let's Go

www.shondes.com
www.myspace.com/theshondes

“Free and Legal Music Downloads” is what flashes before you as you visit Qtrax, amidst a few front page photographs which include the likes of Daft Punk and Lily Allen. Hitting the “What’s On Qtrax” button features the Foo Fighters, the Wu-Tang Clan, Feist, and Alicia Keys. All this free music from big name artists is possible thanks to deals with all four major US labels, which allow Qtrax to claim they have over 25 million files (which is more than the iTunes Music Store); oh, and all this is funded on an ad sales model.

But there’s a snag, and a mighty one at that: although the Qtrax people have been stating that they have deals with all four major labels, they only have one settled with EMI (I didn’t know EMI had a 25 million strong music catalog!). Warner has flat out denied having a deal, Universal said their agreement has expired, and Sony/BMG has stated that they want a play limit on all downloaded files before getting friendly with the startup.

Oh, because, yeah, the files are all crippled with that damning Windows Media DRM, which means, no, they won’t work on your iPod. You know, the best-selling portable MP3 device which people everywhere, young and old own? Yeah, it’s best you suppoort a format that doesn’t play on those devices from the get-go. But they say a deal with Apple is on the way, though… just like those deals with Warner, Sony and Universal…

This one has “fail” plastered all over it. I love the idea of making music accessible to all, but not through a misleading corporation who controls how I use my music. I much rather pay for it and listen to it where, how and how many times I want.

So for the second book of my year-long challenge, I opted for a title which had such a magnificently simple yet salient premise, I couldn’t wait to sink into it.

So here’s the basis of The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time: A young boy afflicted with Asperger syndrome investigates the killing of a neighbour’s dog, and the tale is recounted in first-person narrative, as the events are related through the boy’s own words.

Seriously. I can’t imagine anyone not being at least remotely intrigued by that.

What starts off as a delightfully disjointed and quirky whodunit turns into a compelling autobiography, albeit fictional, of someone trying to find stability in an unstable world. Due to his condition, Christopher, the protagonist, finds little safety in the intuitive aspects of human interaction (such as emotions or metaphors). So I often found myself in the ironic position of understanding certain scenes better than Christopher did, crippled by his need for the structured, the quantifiable and the observable. But as the novel evolves into a double-mystery, whatever pity could be felt transforms into genuine compassion and understanding for the boy, as Haddon does a more-than-successful job getting us into Christopher’s head.

My only regret was that I finished the book in three days. I could barely leave it out of my sight, let alone keep it out of my hands. Definitely a candidate for a re-read down the road.

Book: The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time

Author: Mark Hammond

Publisher: Seal Books

Next: The Catcher In The Rye

As the story goes, friends Jeff Excell, Jeff Knight and Ryan Fly launched plastic chairs into Italy’s Arno river, an event which later served as the muse for their band’s name: Chairs In The Arno.

On the other hand, I, along with four other friends on a Halloween night years ago, purchased a huge pumpkin from a 24-hour gas station which we transported onto the Quebec Bridge and propelled over and onto Champlain Boulevard below. This is the first time I ever use that event as a creative device.

Lesson? Wanton jettisoning of awkward objects into public spaces is grounds for future inspiration. Whether it be from a band who chunk out delightfully fun, unabashedly geeky Moog-hugging IDM music, or a writer desperately hoping he’ll come across as clever.

MP3: Chairs In The Arno - Winter Song

www.chairsinthearno.com/
myspace.com/chairsinthearno