In which we take a break from our regularly-scheduled “catching up on things we missed during our dark period” (ok, ok, our most recent dark period) and talk about something timely. From this week! The budget! Zzzzzzzz….. Wait, what? No really hang with me here this may be important!
Tag All your internets belong to us
Can I interest you in listening to my voice for 9 minutes? What if I told you it was about weed?
So in the spirit of catching up on things from last year, here is an interview I did on CBC Homerun last, oh I dunno, October or something? I was reminded of it because today I am sitting on a panel discussing cannabis, hosted by McGill’s Centre for Intellectual Property Policy. There’s just no ending the pot discussions around here. Duuuude. With so many products like ice wreck on sale in Canada, there’s just so much to talk about. As expected, the use of cannabis for recreational purposes became legal across the country on 17 October 2018, under the Cannabis Act which “creates a legal and regulatory framework for controlling the production, distribution, sale and possession of cannabis in Canada”. This meant that Canada became the second nation (after Uruguay) to legalize the drug and it is now possible to purchase from sites like https://getkush.io/ and similar.
As expected, the use of cannabis for recreational purposes became legal across the country on 17 October 2018, under the Cannabis Act which “creates a legal and regulatory framework for controlling the production, distribution, sale and possession of cannabis in Canada”, according to a Government of Canada web site
So click below and have a listen! It’s actually a pretty interesting topic, about buying weed online and if your data is going to the U.S. and if you maybe should not do that as a result.
Only 4 days left until Google takes over your life
Almost a month ago, Google announced some changes to their Terms of Service, including something that caused quite the hubbub, shared endorsements. You’ve got just a few days left to take action to avoid seeing your face in Google Ads. Well, unless you want to, you narcissist. Let’s take a good look at the new Terms of Service. What other fun stuff did Google put in?
Dean Del Mastro is a f*cking moron – by HabsFan29
Greetings, interwebz! It is I, anonymous internet blogger and commentor HabsFan29. My good friend Allen Mendelsohn has turned over the blog to me for just this one time, so that I may opine gracefully and eloquently on the wisdom of forcing people to comment on the internet using their real names, as Conservative MP Dean Del Mastro wants. Thanks, Allen! Anyway, here’s what I think. Fuck Dean Del Mastro, that useless ignorant piece of crap election-frauding fat fucking dipshit.
…and we’re back. Protests work? Wow.
When this site along with tons of others went dark yesterday, we just assumed nothing would happen and today we would all get on with our lives. Well fuck me. This protest thing actually worked. Not that SOPA and PIPA have been withdrawn or anything, but a whole bunch of congressmen and senators withdrew their support for their respective bills. That group includes Senators Marco Rubio and Orrin Hatch, who were actually co-sponsors of PIPA, and Congressman Lee Terry who co-sponsored SOPA. Wow. And just as important, the day of protest rose awareness of the bills across the internet and mainstream media alike. I’m almost giddy today at the whole thing.
While the political fallout was great, from a fun point of view without a doubt the highlight of the day was #FactsWithoutWikipedia on Twitter. Absolute brilliant job, Twitterverse. Even yours truly got in on the act. Stupid hilarity like that is what the internet was made for.
Good job all around, internet!
PIPA / SOPA are evil, Part 1
I’m still working on sorting out my own thoughts on the U.S.’s (latest) attempts to destroy the internet as we know it – SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act, the House bill) and PIPA (Protect IP Act, the Senate’s bill). I am actually trying to read them instead of trusting other people’s interpretations, but fuck, they’re long-winded and boring. Like most laws! In the meantime, I found this excellent video that explains things (though with an obvious perspective) in easy to understand terms, and with some fun graphics. Shoot that pirate flag! Enjoy.
Allen
Mendelsohn
is me.
I am a lawyer specializing in internet law working out of Montreal, though sometimes I do it in front of the U.S. Capitol. That should tell you what you need to know about internet law in Canada. I also warp young legal minds at the Faculty of Law at McGill.
More about me