The Blog According to Buzz

I hate Canadian Idol.

Our singers aren’t as good. Our judges aren’t as good. Our set isn’t as good. Our host isn’t as good.

CI runs in the summer, after 5 months of AI, and, frankly, I am spent on the karaoke kids by that time and need a break. A yodelling lobster fisher’s daughter, or beat boxing hay bailer just doesnt have any impact on me, I can’t watch a second of the show.

That said…

The gang over at Canadian Idol are doing something they deserve a pat on the back for. In 2008, why do we need to stand in line and trudge to major centers to audition? There’s the internets, and streaming audio and video - why can’t we use that??

Well, Teresa Sokyrka wannabes, you can.

No One Left Behind: Canadian Idol Announces Innovative Last Chance Audition Stop on the 2008 Tour

The day after Canadian Idol’s 2008 cross-country audition tour wrapped up in Toronto, CTV announced that the search for Canada’s next Idol is heading into cyberspace, allowing singers in any part of the country with access to a computer to audition for this year’s competition. It’s only the second time in the history of the Idol franchise that competitors have had the opportunity to audition online, marking yet another North American first for Canadian Idol.

By extending the breadth of the national search, producers are now offering every eligible Canadian the opportunity for exposure and a chance to start a professional music career, no matter where they live. Beginning today and lasting until Friday, April 25 at 5 p.m. ET, online Idol competitors simply need to upload video tryouts to the Canadian Idol website

Oooooh .. did they say cyberspace?? I take all that back, they’re still a bunch of losers.

The Blog According to Buzz. Spread the word, ya heard?

Jericho Beach, yesterday:

This photo is just another one of the reasons why dog owners are down at the bottom, with smokers, on my evolutionary scale. Here’s the other reason.

The Blog According to Buzz. Spread the word, ya heard?

I’m going unplugged.

I wish it was a reference to some acoustic version of Guitar Hero, but alas I’m referring to my connection to the internets.

For the better part of a month, our internet connection with Shaw has been spotty. Not the fastest, and dropping off frequently. The drop off means getting under the table, resetting the modem, resetting the router, waiting. Climbing back up, seeing it’s not working and doing it again. Even once it starts working, 15 mins later I’m crouched down doing the reset dance again.

We’ve called Customer Service a couple of times, once getting a credit for 5 days service because of our troubles (nice!).

BUT… (there’s always one of those)

The last call was resolved with Shaw suggesting we exchange our modem for a newer model, free of charge (nice!). Jen went and did that today, brought them home and plugged everything in.

Dead.

Nothing.

Zip.

She calls tech support and they have her under the desk doing all sorts of cable origami and nothing works. So they’re going to send a tech out to us (nice!).

On Sunday (ouch!). Today is Wednesday. 5 days with no series of tubes connecting us to the world.

At first I thought this would be great. A chance to format the hard drive that is my life. Get off the grid, take a breath of fresh air and re-evaluate how I have let technology monopolize my life.

The problem is, I’m not the only one it monopolizes. Work doesnt phone me when it needs something, it emails me. Friends don’t call, they Facebook. I don’t phone my parents and chat, they get updates on Zacharie through this blog and his photo blog.

With no internets, that all disappears. Gone.

Thankfully we have 2 neighbourly neighbours who leave some ports open so the whole ‘hood can get online. It’s not the most reliable of connections, so it’s nothing I can depend on to get serious blog / audio / video / research work done. Instead I’ll be able to just hop on the open port and get in a couple of email checks to stay in touch with work, but that’s about it.

For 5 long, hard days, I will be off the grid (sorta).

I’m looking forward to it (sorta).

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Memo to Crazy Dog Lovers from Crazy Baby Lovers:

I know it’s an off-leash park. I know you and your canine love the ability to galloping through the wilderness without tethers.

But you’re not the only one in the park. There are those of us who like to run with our babies, or hike with our toddlers or stroll with our grandparents through these parks.

Vancouver’s well-behaved canine population can take part in special off-leash privileges … not exclusively for dogs but are to be shared with all park users. Owners are responsible for the actions of their dogs. [source]

Yes, there are big signs that say “Off Leash Dog Park” when you enter the area, but they do not also say “Dogs Will Jump On You and Eat Your Baby Park.”

I run along Lynn Creek a couple times a week. Jen doesnt like it because it’s an off leash park, I don’t mind it, I’ve never had a problem with a dog or owner. They usually run right past me, chasing after a stick, of the owners call them back and they listen.

Now dogs are particularly freaky when you have a baby in a stroller. The head height of the dog is pretty much even with the head height of your baby. So to think that a nasty flea bitten varmint could lunge and rip your child’s skull to bits is not totally unreasonable.

Today, on my run with Zizou, a pit bull looking pup ran towards us. I turned the stroller around and looked at the owner as if to say “come on, call your dog off.” She yelled, the dog didnt listen, it kept right up at us, jumped on me at which time I started yelling and cursing at the owner to get her mutt down.

She took issue with me bringing my baby in an off leash dog park.

Like I said, I know it’s an off leash area. I expect dogs to run around, I just don’t expect them to jump on me or get in my child’s face.

If you can’t heel your animal, I suggest you stick to the leashed parks for a while. Yes, the sign says Off Leash Dog Park, but if your dog attacks me and my child, you’ll have to look for my number, call me up and ask “Why Did You Kick My Dog?”

The Blog According to Buzz. Spread the word, ya heard?

It’s a question tossed by d-list celebrities trying to get into a club, and by media types trying to get preferential treatment.

In the case of the d-listers, if you have to ask the question they probably don’t know who you are, and most likely don’t care.

In the case of media, we’re usually somewhat anonymous, being in print or on radio, so we try to flip the phrase. Sometimes, just like having Olsen On Your Side, being a guy from the radio can get you what you need.

I’ve been having a problem with Future Shop since Christmas. I bought something online and it hasn’t arrived yet. The problem is most likely Canada Post’s fault, but I gave my money to FS, so they’re the ones I’ve picked a fight with.

For 7 weeks I have been calling the 1800 number, each time re-explaining my situation to a different phone operator, each time being told it will take a couple days. The couple days pass, I get no update, then a couple more days pass before I remember to follow up, and the frustration levels have built.

Then this week I got a note from the FS Media Relations person inviting me to an event they were having. I took the opportunity to fill her in on my little drama. Without a word of a lie, I received an email from the head of Customer Service within 90 minutes promising my items would be shipped immediately, at his expense, and I would be receiving a gift card for my troubles.

Why? Well, he obviously knows who I think I am. A blogger, a radio host, and a technology columnist. But should it really matter?

I told a friend, who said, “The fact they solved it so quickly proves they could have solved it all along.”

It’s true, but I was dealing with 1800 operators, not the head of Customer Service. The phone ops have a mandate, a list of procedures, which work in most cases to get things solved as customers get tossed around in the wheel. It’s the managers who have the ability to really solve things quickly. They have the authority to hand out promo cards and put missed orders on their corporate account to get things solved – the phone ops don’t.

You can squeak all you want on that phone to that operator, but they’re going to read you a response straight out of their operations manual.

Next time you have a problem, ask for a manager and drop a “Do you know who I am?”

It just might work.

Want to know why more Americans don’t vote? It’s too damn complicated.

Prior to a general election, there is a selection process to determine which candidate will appear on the ballot for a given political party in the nationwide general election. Political parties generally hold national conventions at which a group of delegates collectively decide upon which candidate they will run for the presidency. The process of choosing delegates to the national convention is undertaken at the state level, which means that there are significant differences from state to state and sometimes year to year. The two methods for choosing delegates to the national convention are the caucus and the primary. [source]

Not only different by state, but different by year?

In Canada, we do it the same way, every time. We elect a local representative, an MP. The party with the most elected MP’s forms government, the leader of that party becomes Prime Minister.

When political parties in Canada choose their leaders, they do so at a convention, just like in the US. But in the States, any registered voter can vote in the lead up to these elections, in Canada only registered party members vote.

Caucuses were the original method for selecting candidates but have decreased in number since the primary was introduced in the early 1900’s. In states that hold caucuses a political party announces the date, time, and location of the meeting. Generally any voter registered with the party may attend. At the caucus, delegates are chosen to represent the state’s interests at the national party convention. Prospective delegates are identified as favorable to a specific candidate or uncommitted. After discussion and debate an informal vote is taken to determine which delegates should be chosen.

There are two main types of primaries, closed or open, that determine who is eligible to vote in the primary. In a closed primary a registered voter may vote only in the election for the party with which that voter is affiliated. For example a voter registered as Democratic can vote only in the Democratic primary and a Republican can vote only in the Republican primary. In an open primary, on the other hand, a registered voter can vote in either primary regardless of party membership. The voter cannot, however, participate in more than one primary. A third less common type of primary, the blanket primary, allows registered voters to participate in all primaries. [source]

Confused yet?

The Canadian system works better because, frankly, it’s simpler. We have one election for our national assembly that also picks our PM.

In the States you have to vote in primaries, not all held concurrently, then you’re called back months later to vote again. When it comes to voting for local representatives in the national assembly, you do that at different times too. Not to mention the times you’re voting for judges, sherriffs, dog catchers, referenda and propositions.

The power may be in the hands of the American electorate, but it’s a little bit of overkill, don’t you think?

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Grant De Patie died chasing down a couple of thugs who tried to pull off a gas and dash. They filled up and peeled out with Grant trapped under their car. He was dragged to his death for more than 7 kilometres because the drunk teens in the car didnt have $12.30 to pay for the fuel.

It’s horrible it’s disgusting it’s tragic.

His parents fought to have laws changed so that we would have to prepay for gas so that gas and dashes would be a thing of the past.

As of today, February 1, 2008, it is now mandatory for all people in the province in BC to pay before you pump - it’s called Grant’s Law.

Sidebar #1:

In August 2006, a group of radicals in the UK schemed to have some clear fluids brought on to planes and then used to create explosives.

We are no longer allowed to bring fluids in excess of 100ml on to a plane. (yet on my most recent flight, the woman in front of me was brandishing 12 inch knitting needles)

Sidebar #2:

In December 2001, Richard Reed threatened to blow up a plane using a makeshift explosive he stashed in his shoe.

We are now required to remove our footwear for scanning when passing through security at airports.

How are all related? A few bad people have caused a lifetime of hassle for the rest of the population.

I had to fill up today. It’s a full serve gas station. Now, I’m fully capable of pumping my own gas, but this station was the one on my commute route. When I pulled in, I couldn’t find my debit card and elected to pay cash for my gas. Well, at this full serve station, the jockeys can’t handle cash - because of Grant’s Law. So I have to get out of my car and head inside and wait in line to prepay.

Now prepaying has been the way things go in the US for years, and each time it drives.me.nuts. I don’t know how much my gas is before I buy it. I don’t know how full my tank will be before I fill it up. So I have to go inside, overpay, go back outside, fill up, and then go inside and get my change - each time waiting in line.

I’m not a bad man, I’m not going to blow up a plane with my 500ml bottle of Dasani, but someone somewhere thought of maybe doing it, so I can’t take water on board.

I’m not a bad man, I don’t have lighter fluid and matches in my Nikes, but a crazed man one time thought about doing it, so I have to take my shoes off.

I’m not a bad man, I’m not going to gas and dash, but because a few jackasses do, millions of people are inconvenienced.

I am truly saddened for the loss of the De Patie family, and while I understood their original campaign to have prepaying be law in the overnight hours, the government went one step further and made it 24/7.

When will it end? Are we going to have to prepay for our booze at the club? $50 when you walk in, refund when you leave? Are we going to have to prepay for each course of our dinner at Chambar?

We’re not bad people, but just like in high school, when one delinquent gets out of order, the entire class gets detention.

One more aside - While you’re struggling with this new system today and forking over your nearly $1.10 a litre, ponder the profits these companies are raking in. Exxon Mobil released their profits for 2007 today. $40.6 Billion. Not bad, huh?

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I have long lamented the gong show that is my Boxing Day Sale purchases from Future Shop.

Here’s the short version: I bought an SD memory card and an iPod shuffle on December 24, and I still haven’t gotten them.

I have phoned THREE times to the Future Shop customer service line and each time been told it will be a couple of days to investigate the situation.

When you buy something online, and it gets shipped, you get a tracking number from Canada Post. I’ve tracked my package and Canada Post says they delivered it on January 7. But here’s the kicker - I didnt receive it.

So who do you bitch to?

Future Shop cause that’s who you paid your money to, or Canada Post because they’re the ones “lying” about the delivery?

Apparently I will now know on Friday what will happen with my case. How it will end, is still confusing. I just know I spent $165 in a 3hr online marathon over a month ago and I still don’t have anything to show for it.

As I have said here and here, online shopping sucks.

The Blog According to Buzz. Spread the word, ya heard?

We got a huge dump of snow the past couple of days. In Metro Vancouver, that means school closures. Or does it?

Usually the private schools are the first the shut at the slightest sneeze of snow. It’s an easy one to understand, they draw pupils from across the city, and with varying degrees of danger on the roads, it’s an easy call to close them. For example, when I was in high school at St Pat’s, I lived in Richmond. The school is at Main and Broadway. There were students bussing in from all over East Van, Richmond, Ladner, Kitsilano etc.

However public schools are a local service. Yes, parents insist on driving their children to school in fear they’ll get snatched if they walk, but most public schools are within a few blocks of the people who attend them.

So, it’s a tougher call to close a school that you could walk to, as opposed to one that relies on driving and transit to transport it’s students.

This week’s snowfall was no different. 27cm in Lynn Valley caused all North Van schools to close, while 6cm at the airport caused little effect to the Vancouver school district.

Our newsroom, (which is one person - we’re a top 40 music station, come on!) did the best to keep track of which schools were closed where. When info was received we briefly mentioned it on air, but put details on our website.

To be honest, we got some information wrong.

It changed on a minute to minute basis and some people thought their district was closed, when it was in fact open. One teacher was scolded for not showing up to her class after she’d heard her district was closed on the radio. (I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t take a dj’s word that I shouldnt show up for work, I’d double check with colleagues and supervisors.) Regardless, it’s a shame, we’ve apologized as much as we can.

I’m hearing from our newsroom that some districts are struggling with how to handle the situation in the future. Really? The method of sharing school closures is not complicated there is a simple and obvious solution.

OPEN LETTER TO ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN CANADA

From time to time, when there are exceptional circumstances, it may be necessary to close the school. Getting this information spread via radio is aniquated and inconsistent.

Not everyone listens to the same radio station, not every station is fully staffed to verify news information from multiple sources.

Here’s a simple layout to share the relevant information to the relevant recipients.

1. USE YOUR DISTRICT’S WEBSITE
Each district has a website, each school has a website. Many of these sites say “listen to xx radio station for school closure information.” Just as it was easy for you to put that information online, it is easy for you to post your individual closure information online. Instead of giving students multiple sources, you keep it to one - your website.

Principals wake up at 530a, 6a, 630a, determine the necessary policy and have it posted immediately. As parents and students wake up, they are given one reliable destination for information.

Having information collected for each school, on their respective district’s website also provides a solitary and reliable source for radio. Instead of having a newsroom field calls from schools all morning stating the closures (some of which could be student hoaxes) there would be a simple list of websites to check for accurate information. It could also be subscribed to via RSS feed should any changes be made that the newsrooms should be aware of.

2. USE YOUR AUTOMATED PHONE MESSAGES
The school has an answering machine for off duty hours. Update the message and give that number for parents to call. Yes, it can be busy, but it is also a reliable source of information for those without internet.

3. USE YOUR AUTOMATED DIALER
Many schools use an automated dialing service to call parents when students are late or absent. This is done in case something untoward has happened to the student in transit to school. Parents can also better keep track on the behaviour and attendance of their children. Use this dialer to send an automated message to each parent’s contact number that the school is clsed for the day.

4. USE EMAIL NEWSLETTERS
Just as you have contact numbers for parents, you have contact email addresses. Just as notices are now bulk emailed to parents instead of pinned to a child’s coat, you can bulk email the information to all the parents when it’s necessary for a closure.

5. DON’T CLOSE THE SCHOOL AT ALL
It’s been near -50 across the prairies all week. The schools have remained open. Why do we feel the need to close them at the slightest sneeze?

It’s all a matter of changing behaviour. It’s 2008, and while radio is a great way to spread information to a large number of people in a timely manner, when that information is niche and personalized, like a single school closure, radio becomes an ancient and cluttered method of sharing the information.

Schools have trained and told parents to “listen to xx radio station” for information, they could just as easily say “check your email in the morning,” or “check the website in the morning.”

Provided administration gets up early enough and makes the call on a closure with enough lead time, there should be no further mixups.

The Blog According to Buzz. Spread the word, ya heard?

So it snowed this morning. Lots of it too.

The schools are closed and people aren’t showing up to work and meetings are getting cancelled.

I arrived at the station 20 mins ahead of a scheduled meeting to find it cancelled. The out of town visitor was petrified to drive from downtown to Richmond and nixed it.

My ride in wasn’t that bad. The conditions really aren’t that nasty today, as confirmed by an email from Grouse Mountain encouraging people to spend the day off school up on the mountain skiing.

Wait a second. Your children can’t get the 5 blocks to the local elementary school safely, but you can haul the whole family up to the North Shore to carve up a few turns? Sounds a little suspicious to me.

The truth be told, on days like today the roads suck for a couple of hours and then it’s no big deal. The plows get the work done, the traffic finishes off the job, driving the salt into the snow. By the time I got on my way at noon, I had one of the shortest commutes ever. No worries whatsoever.

Last year there was a spooky ass ride home because it was iced up like nobody’s business. Took me 2+ hrs to get home. I even picked up a woman who was so scared she pulled over on Hwy 91 and just opened my passenger door and got in. She didnt speak much english, she was just so scared about the conditions she had more confidence placing her safety in the charge of a total stranger than weathering it alone.

Those days are few and far between in Vancouver. Today was not one of those days.

I would venture to say the mountains were a little busier than normal too. It wasnt that bad, yes the sidewalks weren’t shoveled and we got a little wet when we went for our walk today, but we still troddled around, the kids could have made it to campus too. Besides, the best part about being at school when it snows, is recess!

The Blog According to Buzz. Spread the word, ya heard?