LukeWalker.org

So yeah, I’m a *tiny* bit obsessed Sarah Palin. And, as Gawker says, Tina Fey is probably the only good thing about her. Every time I need to bring a bit of joy to my day, I tune in to NBC.com and watch one of the (now three) amazing Tina-Fey-as-Sarah-Palin clips. Of course, if she’s actually elected, I don’t think there’s a thing in the world that could bring joy to my days. If we even have days left… Oh dear…

Some great lines:
Tina Fey (as Sarah Palin): “Also, too, you see, I think a little differently from an insider. I don’t think it’s patriotic to pay more taxes. I don’t think it’s patriotic to criticize these wars we got goin’ on. I do it’s patriotic to tell the government ‘Hey, get outta my way. Stop trying to impose on my right to shoot wolves from a helicopter.’ But a Washington insider like Joe Biden probably disagrees.”

Another great line: “Gwen, we don’t know if this climate change whozywhatsit is man-made or if it’s just a natural part of the end of days…[flipping to taxes] We are not afraid to get maverickey and ruffle feathers and not got to allow that and also too… the great Ronald Reagan.”

[Update: Embedded video is completely b0rked in IE, but can be found here. NBC's embed code was futzing it up totally, so I cut the IE code... just don't use IE. Ever.]

[Update 2: Thank you NBC for giving us Canadians snippets and bits of video. Not as good as, say, Hulu or watching full episodes online, legally, but better than nothing.]

Canada’s got a big choice ahead of it. Ideally, it would be a race for the Prime Minister’s office. Realistically, it’s a battle against a Conservative majority and [impending doom music] the end of Canada as we know. Jokes, jokes. But a majority would be bad, and it’s a tough fight for those trying to stop it.

The campaign, in typical Canadian style, isn’t overly negative–even the attack ads. Take bushharper.com. A simple site with a simple premise. Stephen Harper’s politics are the same as GW Bush’s. A couple of videos that make a couple off good points. Nothing too intense. Googling it, I saw of lot of the obvious ‘wow, that’s desperate’ from conservative/Conservative bloggers, and perhaps it is. I tend to think it’s more right on the money than it is desperate, but whatever. That’s not what this is about.

What this is about is how much these videos/this site say about the Liberal party’s really bad job at messaging. The Liberals, you say? How did they come up? (more…)

Seriously folks, I worked from home today, and I:

• Got more done (way more) that I would in the office
• Was more relaxed
• Had time to go for a run
• Managed to run the same presentations and meetings
• Ate way healthier food than I normally do

I also worked longer and took fewer breaks. I know it’s not exactly rocket science, and everyone is telecommuting these days, but seriously, this is the first time i really hit me that I actually not only concentrate better at home, but actually get more done.

And I have time to read more internet-ey things: Gawker, Youtube (great Obama clip), and BlogTO (a little bit of sxsw-style action in Toronto?), just to name a few.

As you may or may not know, I’m moving on from my position at TakingITGlobal at the end of August, and we’re currently looking for someone to fill my shoes. I can say pretty confidently that it’s an excellent opportunity for the right kind of person - the kind of person who is passionate about both global education and social media, a self-starter who is not afraid to innovate. Details of the position and qualifications can be found here:

http://www.tigurl.org/edpm

Please share this posting with your network and any qualified candidates you may know! And feel free to leave a comment here if you have any question

So we just got this lovely abuse e-mail from Rogers, based on an e-mail from the Entertainment Software Association. The funny thing is that he was only maybe 10-20% of the way through the three potentially offensive game downloads (I checked his computer right after the e-mail came in). Funny in part because the accusation is that he’s distributing or selling the software, when… sure, he probably is dishing out little bits here and there, but he doesn’t actually have the whole thing to give away. Also they seem to associate the tracker URL with us, which is just completely wrong.

Notice E-mail:

Dear Luke Walker

Rogers Cable (Rogers) has received a notice stating that activities associated with your IP address are infringing copyright in material(s) owned or exclusively licensed by others.

The full notice is appended to this e-mail below.

Under section 4(d) of the Rogers Yahoo! Hi-Speed Internet End User Agreement (EUA) and Acceptable Use Policy (AUP), you are prohibited from using the Rogers Yahoo! Hi-Speed Internet service to engage in illegal activities, including activities that infringe copyright.  Copies of our EUA and AUP are available at:

http://na.edit.client.yahoo.com/rogers/show_static?.form=terms&.intl=ca

Where there has been a violation of our EUA and/or AUP, including the unauthorized distribution of copyright-protected material, Rogers has the right to take appropriate action against you.

If you have any questions about the attached copyright notice, please contact the sender of the notice using the contact information provided in the notice.  Please do not reply to this e-mail.

We trust you will comply with our policies and all applicable laws in using the Rogers Yahoo! Hi-Speed Internet service.

Rogers EUA Management Team
Sincerely,

EUA Management Team
Rogers Yahoo Hi-Speed Internet

http://na.edit.client.yahoo.com/rogers/show_static?.form=terms
00798035

—–BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE—–
Hash: SHA1

Entertainment Software Association
575 7th Street, NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20004 USA

Attention:  Intellectual Property Enforcement
Telephone:  202-223-2400
E-mail:  mailto:esa@copyright-compliance.com?subject=RE%3A%20Notice%20ID%3A%20182%2D48817084%20ESA%20Canada%20Notice

28 Jul 2008 04:01:48 GMT

ISP: Rogers Cable Communications Inc.
ESA Reference Number: 182-48817084

Dear Rogers Cable Communications Inc.:

The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) is a trade association that represents the intellectual property interests of numerous companies that publish interactive games for video game consoles, personal computers, handheld devices and the Internet in the United States of America, in Canada, and in other countries (collectively referred to as ESA members).  ESA is authorized to act on behalf of ESA members whose copyright and other intellectual property rights it believes to be infringed as described herein.

ESA is providing this letter of notification to make Rogers Cable Communications Inc. aware of material on its network or system that infringes the exclusive copyright rights of and is unlawful towards one or more ESA members.

ESA members are entitled to the full protection of Canadian intellectual property laws, including the Copyright Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-42, as amended, in such entertainment software products.

Based on the information at its disposal on 28 Jul 2008 03:13:23 GMT, ESA has a good faith belief that 99.233.14.223 infringes the rights of one or more ESA members by offering for sale or download unauthorized copies of game products protected by copyright, or offering for sale or download material that is the subject of infringing activities.  The copyrighted works that have been infringed include but are not limited to:

Title: SimCity Societies
Infringement Source: BitTorrent
Infringement Timestamp: 28 Jul 2008 03:13:23 GMT
Infringement Last Documented: 28 Jul 2008 03:13:23 GMT
Infringer Username:
Infringing Filename: Simcity.Societies.Deluxe-RELOADED
Infringing Filesize: 2823979146
Infringer IP Address: xx.xxx.xx.xxx
Infringer DNS Name: cpe000fb5785e0f-cm001692f4f318.cpe.net.cable.rogers.com
Infringing URL: http://tracker.mightynova.com/announce

The unauthorized copies of such game product(s) or the material that is the subject of infringing activities appears on or is made available through xx.xxx.xx.xxx.  Those items are listed and/or identified thereon by their titles or variations thereof, game-related listings/references/descriptions, or depictions of game-related artwork.  Such copies, titles, game-related listings/references/descriptions, depictions, and material that is the subject of infringing activities, are hereinafter referred to as “Infringing Material.”

Accordingly, ESA hereby requests Rogers Cable Communications Inc. to immediately do the following:

1.    Notify the account holder of the Infringing Material.
2.     Remove, or disable access to, the Infringing Material detailed above.
3.     Take appropriate action against the account holder under your Abuse Policy/Terms
of Service Agreement, including termination of a repeat offender.

Please inform us whether you will remove or disable access to the Infringing Material as requested.  Rogers Cable Communications Inc. or the account holder may contact ESA at the above-listed contact details, with email preferred.  Please include the above-noted Reference Number in the subject line of all email correspondence.

Thank you for your cooperation and prompt response in this matter.

Sincerely,

Intellectual Property Enforcement
Entertainment Software Association