Category Archives: social issues

Update on Canadian Copyright Law – Proposed Changes

Posted on 2008-06-25 by alan

Michael Geist – Taking Stock of My Fair Copyright for Canada Principles

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Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Posted on 2008-06-05 by alan

I was led to this Sunday Times profile of Taleb via Arts&Letters Daily. Taleb’s view that market collapses are more sudden and extreme (though less frequent) than rises seems believable to me but is presumably easily checked from the record, … Continue reading →

Posted in economics, religion, statistics | Leave a comment

Resource: Mathematics Illuminated

Posted on 2008-04-11 by alan

Resource: Mathematics Illuminated This looks interesting – must check what costs are and how much is open access

Posted in education, mathematics | Leave a comment

Friday Math Movie – Uncounted – squareCircleZ

Posted on 2008-04-10 by alan

Given that the theme for Math Awareness Month this April is Math and Voting, this week’s choice by Murray Bourne seems particularly appropriate: Friday Math Movie – Uncounted – squareCircleZ

Posted in mathematics, politics | Leave a comment

Illegal Class Notes or Stolen Course Materials?

Posted on 2008-04-08 by alan

Illegal Class Notes ~ Stephens Web ~ by Stephen Downes This refers to a lawsuit in Florida against a company that is selling copies of course notes gathered by previous students. Apparently the professor involved has a package of materials … Continue reading →

Posted in copyright, education | Leave a comment

Green Globs & Graphing Equations Home Page

Posted on 2008-04-04 by alan

Green Globs & Graphing Equations Home Page

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More on Free Copying and Levies

Posted on 2008-03-19 by alan

Michael Geist has reported briefly on the defense by SAC of its proposal for an internet levy to compensate copyright holders for legalization of file sharing. But what I really want to link to is the first comment following Michael’s … Continue reading →

Posted in copyright, web | Leave a comment

Public Domain Under Attack

Posted on 2007-10-29 by alan

Why a Great Music Site Died :: Mediacheck :: thetyee.ca

Posted in arts and culture, copyright | Leave a comment

Times Less

Posted on 2007-10-21 by alan

In Do the math – The Boston Globe columnist Jan Freeman dismisses objections to the common usage of “three times less than” to mean equal to one third of. But the Merriam-Webster editors (per JF) are completely off base if … Continue reading →

Posted in education, language, mathematics | Leave a comment

Cave Man DidnT Have Classrooms

Posted on 2007-10-03 by alan

I got this post by Roger Schank via Stephen Downes and share Stephen’s concern with some of its polemical conclusions. The following counterpoint to Schank’s article may be a bit silly, but no more so than the original.

Posted in education, mathematics | Leave a comment

CRIA cries the blues on the problem they created

Posted on 2007-09-18 by alan

This is Downes’ take on Geist’s comments on CRIA’s break with the CPCC. When I finally reveal my solution to the conundrum of how to fairly and efficiently assign costs to users and compensation to producers, all who should be … Continue reading →

Posted in canada, copyright | Leave a comment

The Reality Club: MORAL PSYCHOLOGY AND THE MISUNDERSTANDING OF RELIGION

Posted on 2007-09-18 by alan

In The Reality Club: MORAL PSYCHOLOGY AND THE MISUNDERSTANDING OF RELIGION Jonathan Haidt seems close to getting the point. He hasn’t quite nailed it, but then neither have I, so I can’t quite say what needs to be added or … Continue reading →

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Basskin Misrepresents Media Levy

Posted on 2007-08-10 by alan

David Basskin, Director of the CanadianPrivate Copying Collective, has written a letter to the Star in response to Michael Geist’s earlier comments about the media levy and its prospects of its being extended to mp3 players and perhaps even computer … Continue reading →

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Media Company Thieves Coming Back For More

Posted on 2007-08-02 by alan

In TheStar.com – entertainment – Tax on MP3 players may return, David Basskin, director of the Canadian Private Copying Collective, is quoted as saying: “When you have bought a CD, you don’t own the music – you own the copy … Continue reading →

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Revisiting the Potential of Free Content ~ Stephen’s Web ~ by Stephen Downes

Posted on 2007-07-26 by alan

Revisiting the Potential of Free Content ~ Stephen’s Web ~ by Stephen Downes

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Privileged Peer Review – Whose Opinion Counts? ~ Stephens Web ~ by Stephen Downes

Posted on 2007-07-26 by alan

Privileged Peer Review – Whose Opinion Counts? ~ Stephens Web ~ by Stephen Downes

Posted in validation | Leave a comment