Wikipedia-free Wednesday

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Today Wikipedia and a number of other websites are going 'dark' in order to rally people to protest legislation currently being brought to the US Congress.

It is the feeling of many people that SOPA and PIPA will affect the free expression and exchange of ideas.

To learn more:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia: ... Learn_more

(or just ask Wikipedia anything and you'll be sent to their first page on this subject.)

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

In Canada, years ago government decided that the only use for a blank CD was to copy music and so they put a large tax on blank CDs. The money collected goes to the music association to distribute to Canadian artists.

Of course, for my business we backed up our data onto blank CDs and we distributed our course environment on CD to our students so they could do the homework. For that practical use of technology, we ended up paying money to musicians because obviously, we were using CDs to copy music. (BTW: we have never done this.)

When DVDs came out, there wasn't a corresponding industry paying royalties so blank DVDs are free of a tax (despite the fact that they hold more than a CD.) As a result, they often cost less than blank CDs (no tax on them.)

BTW: we go to the US to buy CDs because they cost half as much as here (yes, the tax was about 100%.)

Now, we distribute our course material on USB keys. We are willing to pay more for that method and not send money to musicians (since they had nothing to do with the material we developed and are distributing so we don't think they should benefit financially from our work.)

We feel that the government has interfered too much (and their solution is now woefully out of date, since now, no-one uses a CD top copy music but the tax remains.)

Stopping Online Privacy (SOPA) and Protecting Intellectual Property (PIPA) are issues but the government will never be able to fight this fight effectively. Instead, like in Canada, they are likely to end up punishing those who wish to distribute their own work, plus punishing those who have legally bought, and paid the artists for using the purchased item and use it for their own purposes. This is not the solution.

Worst of all, enforcement falls to those who host websites.

How does this affect our SHE village?

According to what I've read, we'd be responsible for monitoring every link you guys post, making sure that those links do not contain any content that infringes on the Acts.

[Twins' Mom]

Kathryn, thanks for the nice SOPA summary. It does appear to be overkill!

Busy day yesterday - worked until 2:30 and reviewed a large set of p/r tax returns and W-2s, etc. Then off to the builder's designer, where dh got the bad news about all of the upgrades he wants. Then off to temple meeting at 5:30, after that directly to dinner with dh and dfriends in from out of town. Finally home.

Today I'll get to work by 8:30 and work until 10 - not normally a work day until we get busier, but the big batch of P/R tax returns from yesterday needs to go out by tomorrow. I have the dental appt at 10, and after that hope to shop for cocktail dress for Sat night. Can I say I hate shopping? Hate it! Especially at current weight.

Here hoping for a good day for all the village!

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I'm up and on the treadmill. Busy day of writing ahead of me. Plus choir, yesterday's weekly chores and today's chores.

[bittersweet]

Today is back to work for me after five very frustrating days off. It's also about keeping warm, as we're still under the wind chill warning (it's currently -41C with windchill outside!!) There's the usual critter care to deal with, then it'll be time to dress up like the Michelin Man and go out. I need to remember to take the extension cord with me so I can plug in the car at work!

[helia]

That is really cold, bittersweet! We were in the 50s yesterday with a lot of rain. We're a bit more back to normal today, 20s.

Slight rant: Our stove was finally picked up yesterday. We had gotten a new stove, but when dh unpacked it, he realized it was the wrong model. The company kept emailing me about keeping the stove with a small refund or getting a full refund for the stove. Yesterday, I finally told the company we don't want a refund, we want the correct model. They then told me they don't have any other model. Argh! It would have helped a lot, both us AND them, if they had been upfront with that info. when we originally made the order!!! Why did they then send us the wrong model?? They said it was an honest mistake, which I guess I'll believe. The model numbers are off by 1 letter - but that letter signifies whether the stove is dual fuel (D) or single fuel (S) - which was the whole point of our ordering a new stove to begin with. We want dual fuel. The whole thing was a little frustrating, though the delivery guy was really nice and helpful. Oh, well. Our current stove does work. We'll work on ordering the stove we like from a different company when dh returns from his trip.

I'm off to Hebrew in a few. I need to pack up a lunch and brush and floss my teeth and gather books, etc. I'll run a couple errands after class.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I'm wearing full long underwear today and am finding myself as cold or colder than I have been lately. It is sunny today so the house isn't as cold as usual so I'm obviously not moving enough.

On the cruise board, I'm in a debate over whether it is legitimate to worry about watching the Superbowl when you are on a cruise off Antarctica. To start with, technically the odds of being able to get reception are virtually nil (it is a North American event so the satellites will be aimed at North America) but to literally travel to the end of the earth and then expect American pop culture to come with you is unreasonable to my way of thinking. If it matters, don't book a cruise at that time or book a Caribbean cruise on a big ship that caters to American culture, not an adventure cruise with under 200 other people on an expedition ship with people from all over the world.

I need to rewrite the presentation from last night and an article for the church newsletter, so that's my first task today. After I run around the house for 15 minutes to warm up.

[Harmony]

Kathryn, I had wondered how you were feeling about all the cruise news lately.

Thank you for the information about new internet proposed laws. I wasn't very knowledgeable about about it and had entirely different take on it.

Wow, unbelievable some of the weather you guys are having. Lots of cocoa, hot coffee, soup, chilli for everybody today!

Yesterday was really busy, I never even turned on the computer. Was getting caught up, had started laundry, made trip out to bank and w-m and then DH called he needed stuff at jobsite. I made those trips, got the guys lunch, made more trips to suppliers, and when I was ready to come home, our customer came out to chat and that wasted another hour. So, I basically gave up any plans I had and have started over today.

LOL from yesterday is hung outside. Desk chores done. Dinner from freezer thawing. Not much, but I've also been sewing.

DH keeps going out but just stands with weight on other leg, and does what he can. I think he's trying to wait it out before going to dr. It makes him tired and his knee is weak. He told me he's acutely aware of how much he can't do without helpers, with all his problems, so retirement plans are changing again. He always thought when he "retired" his company he would be able to go out and do little jobs by himself for some extra money. Sigh...I guess not...but I am trying to believe we will have enough $ to get along and retirement will be just that, no more work.

[Elizabeth]

Good morning everyone! Girls' Night Out became Girls' Night In with DD9 opting for Chinese food out then playing at my house, then watching a movie. When XDH picked her up, he brought over more boxes of my stuff from the hobby room. My hobby room is already a disaster, I don't need more stuff! The boxes are in the garage for now. After DD left, I just did the minimum evening routine, put out the trash for pickup, then went to bed at 9. I need to do some work on Bug-A-Boo, but it won't be tonight. I am having a friend over for dinner. Won't be tomorrow either, I have to pick up DD after work instead of XDH, so he can go to a play. I wonder if he has a date, he was talking about wanting to date before we were even divorced, assessing our child care arrangements on the basis of what it would do to his dating life. And expecting me to arrange my life around his potential dates! He wanted an every other weekend arrangement, knowing that I have cat clinic on Sunday. The reason I have cat clinic on Sunday is that he wanted our Saturdays back, so I arranged it. He didn't appreciate it and made snarky comments when he found out about it. So for him to think I would duck my obligations for his convenience, when I had taken on the obligation for his convenience was outrageous. Especially since the convenience he sought was ease of dating other people! I suppose other DDs have survived a father's remarriage, but I really don't think it is a good idea. Not much I can do about it though.

[Emptynester]

We are at 48*F at 9:45am desert time. It should be near 70*F by this afternoon. We have lots of sun just pushing those little amps into the solar panels so I will have hook up all day. We haven't turned on the generator for 2 days. Of course, we haven't watched TV either as that is the electricity hog at our house.

This afternoon and tomorrow afternoon are the big events for us - about 300 people coming to our Happy Hour. It will be a great time so see old friends (and make new ones).

So I guess I'd better get going to make my Horses dovers. TTFN