Comment Re:Obviously (Score 1) 104
I'm a young person who would like to wave some (small amount) of money around.
Does anyone know who is taking action on this issue in Canada (aside from Michael Geist)?
I'd like to give them money.
Submission + - Terry Pratchett diagnosed with Alzheimers. (timesonline.co.uk)
LoFi writes: The Times is reporting on a statement by Terry Pratchett on Paul Kidby's (his illustrator) website, in which he reveals that he is suffering from a rare form of Alzheimer's Disease.
In his typically laconic style, he says this news should be interpreted as "Not Dead Yet", and states "I know it's a very human thing to say "Is there anything I can do", but in this case I would only entertain offers from very high-end experts in brain chemistry.".
Buggrit.
Submission + - Terry Pratchett diagnosed with Alzheimer's
ElrondHubbard writes: Bad news for Discworld fans (and everyone else): Associated Press reports that Terry Pratchett, author of the Discworld novels and others, has been diagnosed with a rare form of early onset Alzheimer's disease. "I would have liked to keep this one quiet for a little while, but ... it seems to me unfair to withhold the news," according to an online post by Pratchett, but "Frankly, I would prefer it if people kept things cheerful, because I think there's time for at least a few more books yet :o)".
Submission + - Terry Pratchett has Alzheimers (smh.com.au) 1
Hecatonchires writes: A blow to discworld fans everywhere. Terry Pratchett has announced he has a rare form of early onset alzheimers.
Submission + - Canada set to unveil DMCA-style legislation (theglobeandmail.com)
plen246 writes: Following the American example — the underwhelming success that it has been — the current Canadian government is set to unveil sweeping new copyright legislation aimed at pleasing the media conglomerates and appeasing the outspoken US Ambassador to Canada, David Wilkins. The government has seemingly developed the legislation out of sight of the public, and will likely try to pass it with little or no discussion in the next two to three weeks. Given the short timeline, the only hope for clear-minded, education- and culture-loving Canadians may be that opposition parties stand up to the minority government and force them to rework the more contentious parts of it. The upcoming legislation is reported to rely heavily on Digital Rights Management (DRM) — a standard which is rapidly being abandoned by the music industry itself. This all comes despite a government-commissioned study that found that file-sharing helps the music industry and another suggesting DRM violates Canadian privacy laws.
Submission + - Canada's new DMCA considered worst copyright law (theglobeandmail.com)
loconet writes: "The government of Canada is preparing to attempt to bring a new DMCA-modeled copyright law in Canada in order to comply with the WIPO treaties the country signed in 1997. These treaties were also the base of the American DMCA. The new Canadian law will be even more restrictive in nature than the American version and worse than the last Canadian copyright proposal, the defeated Bill C-60. Amongst the many restrictive clauses, in this new law — as Michael Geist explains — is the total abolishment of the concept of fair use, "No parody exception. No time shifting exception. No device shifting exception. No expanded backup provision. Nothing.". Michael Geist provides a list of 30 things that can be done to address the issue."
