Downloading of music on the Internet seems to have affected retail sales of all genres except jazz and blues, according to a new report from Statistics Canada.

he 3.4% decline in overall sales raises questions about the impact of Internet technology on the industry. A major factor in the decline could be that consumers are downloading music from the Internet. Other factors could include competition for the entertainment market, the prices of compact discs and the volatility of the recording sector in general.

I'm surpised 'economy' isn't one of the other factors.
1:23:45 PM   []

I'm sort of planning on writing a letter to the editor so I emailed the Canada Yachting Association asking how many sailors there are in Canada and they have no idea.

Update: Most Popular Sports in Canada (source: Stats Can). Sailing isn't on the list (surprise).

Update: If I counted correctly, Canada has won six medals at the Olympics in sailing. Source: CYA History
12:02:34 PM   []

So while I *nearly* missed my flight, my luggage did in fact miss the flight. I had checked in two bags but only one made it. The one with all my clothes of course did not. I'm a little worried since I haven't heard from Westjet yet. Hopefully they find it because I didn't buy my ticket on my credit card so I don't have any travel insurance.
11:12:44 AM   []

I get back to Waterloo and my Internet is off. Supposedly its been off for a while. So, I give Rogers a call.

First there is some confusion because they have the incorrect phone number on my account and the Rogers Internet people can't change it. Only the 'business' people can.

Next, I tell them my Internet has been off. They tell me there has been a security concern with my account and they have suspended my access. He then transfers me to another department.

The guy at the new department, let's call him Curt, tells me that there have been two instances of spam traced back to my account and that once I resolve the problem they will reconnect my service.

Great. I ask what resolving the problem entails and Curt tells me I have to call them back and tell them what virus or program I removed to solve the problem. I'm fairly certain I have no viruses or rogue programs and I tell him so. He maintains that till I resolve the problem they cannot reconnect me. I ask him how I'll install a virus scanner if I have no Internet and he tells me that I should not be downloading virus scanners and that I need to go out and buy one. As if. I then ask him about these emails. Where they sent close together? Who where they sent from? What was the content? He doesn't have access to any of that information. How about the headers? No. So, Curt, how am I supposed to determine what the offending program is if I have no idea what the problem is? No answer. He suggests that I might have a web server/ftp server/KaZaa installed. Perhaps thats the problem. Of course, I have all those installed. They're not the problem. But I don't tell him that. He goes on to say that 90% of the computers with these problems have KaZaA installed. Did I have it installed? I counter with, 90% of computers in general have KaZaA installed and there are no none remote exploits. But I'll play. I say, so all I have to do is call you back and tell you I uninstalled KaZaA and you'll reinstat my service? No. RESOLVE THE PROBLEM is the answer. Ah. The problem which you won't tell me about.

We then talk about my network configuration and on and on. I tell him I'll block all incoming connections at the router and that seemed to make him reasonably happy. So, we then argued about Rogers disconnection practices. Their policy is that if they receive a complaint they'll disconnect you WITHOUT NOTIFYING YOU. I asked if the problem persists what would happen. He said they'd disconnect and NOT NOTIFY. He then said if it happened again after that they would permenantly disconnect me. So, if someone you don't like uses Rogers accuse them of spamming you.

I explained my relationship with Rogers, i.e. I spend hundreds of dollars a month on cell phone/cable/Internet and that I'd appreciate a call before they disconnected my Internet. He washed his hands of responsibility for their practices. I told him to talk to his manager about this and to make a note in my file that if they disconnect me without calling me first I'll take my business elsewhere.

He ended the call by 'reading me the script' about how Rogers didn't allow bulk emailing and that I should find another provider who catered to those needs if those were in fact my needs.

I agreed. Rogers isn't the place for me.
11:06:55 AM   []