Peter Kieser

Apathy has replaced guns.

New Democrats call Moore offside for attacking fair copyright advocates

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 23, 2010

NEW DEMOCRATS CALL MOORE OFFSIDE FOR ATTACKING FAIR COPYRIGHT ADVOCATES
Minister’s description of ‘radical extremists’ shows he’s in need of a time-out

TIMMINS – Speaking at a G20 Chamber of Commerce event, Heritage Minister James Moore inexplicably lashed out at those who have raised concerns with his new copyright bill, C-32. Moore characterised fair copyright advocates as “babyish” and enemies of any copyright reform whatsoever. He called them “radical extremists” who must be “confronted every step of the way until they are defeated.” New Democrat Digital Affairs Critic Charlie Angus (Timmins-James Bay) said Moore’s comments are reminiscent of a war-time call-to-arms and are way out of line.

“Attacking teachers, students, artists and consumers who have legitimate questions about this legislation is ridiculous,” said Angus. “Instead of understanding and appreciating the nuances of balanced copyright, the Minister appearing hyper-defensive and bombastic. I think he needs a time out.”

In his speech to the conference, Moore claimed the government’s attack on consumer rights are necessitated by Canada’s international obligations under the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) treaties. Angus says Moore simply has his facts wrong.

“James Moore shouldn’t hide behind international treaties to excuse the significant stumbling blocks he has put into the bill. All the experts, including those civil servants who drafted the bill, agree that it could be WIPO-compliant without his push for American-style protection for digital locks,” said Angus. “The Tories are pushing this failed agenda that will criminalize perfectly reasonable behaviour and deny educators legal access to works which they should logically have.”

Angus says Moore needs to tone down the rhetoric and get down to the serious business of working with all stakeholders on amendments that will improve the legislation.

“A Minister shouldn’t resort to name calling or start a war with fair-copyright advocates just because he doesn’t like the feedback he’s getting on Twitter,” said Angus. “If Moore spent more time listening to the educators, experts, academics and artists who have serious issues with this bill, maybe his public statements wouldn’t be so out of line with everyday Canadians who simply want balanced legislation.”

-30-

For more information please contact:

George Soule, Caucus Press Secretary: 613-850-3448 or souleg@parl.gc.ca

Written by Peter

June 23rd, 2010 at 1:59 pm

Posted in Politics

Who are the "radical extremists" James Moore is referring to?

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Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore delivered a keynote address at a conference sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce's IP Council today and according to a media report warned against "radical extremists" seeking to oppose Bill C-32.

When Moore claims that critics of C-32 are radical extremists, who is he speaking of?  Who has criticized parts of the bill or called for reforms? A short list of those critical of the digital lock provisions in C-32 would include:

  • Federal Liberals, opposition
  • New Democratic Party, opposition
  • Bloc, opposition
  • Green Party of Canada
  • Canadian Consumer Initiative
  • Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
  • Canadian Association of University Teachers
  • Canadian Federation of Students
  • Canadian Library Association
  • Business Coalition for Balanced Copyright
  • Retail Council of Canada
  • Canadian Bookseller Association
  • Documentary Organization of Canada

All opposition parties, consumers, universities, teachers, students, business, and many creator groups are all seeking changes to C-32.  Does James Moore really believe that they are all radical extremists?

Has James Moore blocked you on Twitter? James Moore has blocked Russell McOrmond and numerous other people.

Written by Peter

June 22nd, 2010 at 2:22 pm

Posted in Politics

Travers: Changing Canada, one backward step at a time

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Imagine a country …

  • where Parliament is padlocked twice in 13 months to frustrate the democratic will of the elected majority.
  • that slyly relaxes environmental regulations even as its neighbour reels from a catastrophic oil leak blamed on slack controls.
  • that boasts about prudent financial management while blowing through a $13-billion surplus on the way to a $47-billion deficit.
  • where a political operative puts fork-tongued words in a top general’s mouth.
  • that refuses to fund the same safe abortions to poor women abroad as it provides at home.
  • where the national police commissioner skews a federal election and is never forced to explain.
  • that writes a covert manual on sabotaging Commons committees.
  • dragging its climate change feet as the true north melts.
  • that silences political debate on the sale of a publicly owned, crown jewel corporation.
  • that puts higher priority on building super-prisons than keeping people out of them.
  • where parties that win the most federal seats are dismissed as “losers”.
  • that twists its foreign policy around the interests of another nation.
  • that argues that barricading its largest city promotes tourism.
  • that promises Senate reform only to continue stuffing it with political hacks.
  • that avoids answers about a controversial war by accusing questioners of supporting the enemy.
  • where party apparatchiks decide who in a nominally free press is allowed to ask the Prime Minister questions.
  • where donut shop wisdom is more prized than expert analysis.
  • that builds a fake lake for a tough-times summit.
  • that preaches law and order while killing a long-gun registry police chiefs insist makes citizens safer.
  • where serving the Prime Minister as chief propagandist is job preparation for running a national news network.
  • where charities mute constructive criticism of public policy for fear of losing federal funding.
  • that can spend $1.2 billion for summit security but can’t find the petty cash needed to invest in the status of women.
  • that promises accountability only to impose secrecy.

That country is now this country.

Every example is familiar, all are documented. Only the cumulative effect is surprising.

Conservatives came to power knowing reluctant Canadians could only be shifted to the political right incrementally. That movement is now advancing according to the plan Conservative thinker, strategist and Stephen Harper mentor Tom Flanagan infuriated the Prime Minister by making public.

Imagine that.

Published in The Star as Travers: Changing Canada, one backward step at a time on Saturday June 19, 2010.

Written by Peter

June 19th, 2010 at 7:58 pm

Posted in Politics

I think we've already lost the "war"

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Written by Peter

March 16th, 2010 at 10:46 am

Posted in Politics

TransLink fare increases for April 1, 2010

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Bus/SkyTrain Monthly Passes
1 Zone $81 (was $73, $8 increase) – $96 a year
2 Zone $110 (was $99, $11 increase) – $132 a year
3 Zone $151 (was $136, $15 increase) – $180 a year

WCE 28-day Passes (13 passes a year)
Port Moody, Coquitlam Central, Port Coquitlam $178.75 (was $161, $17.75 increase) – $230.75 a year
Pitt Meadows, Maple Meadows, Port Haney $217 (was $195, $22 increase) – $286 a year
Mission $298 (was $269, $29 increase) – $377 a year

Effective April 1, 2010.

Written by Peter

March 15th, 2010 at 12:05 pm

Posted in Politics

Fight against HST ramps up

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Fight against HST ramps up, via CKNW.

A citizen's initiative application to kill the incoming H-S-T has been approved by Elections BC.

The initiative petition is a legally binding petition that, if successful, will require the BC government to hold a referendum on the H-S-T, or repeal it in the legislature.

I, really hope that this initiative passes. I will most likely be part of the petitioners. I do not believe that we need a "harmonized" tax that will raise the prices of a large majority of my day to day activities.

If we had exemptions like the maritime provinces do, it would be okay. But as the HST is, it's a big giant lie in British Columbia.

Written by Peter

February 4th, 2010 at 4:01 pm

Posted in Politics

Linux RAID mdraid "stripe_cache_size" vs. transfer rate

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Part of the Linux RAID mdraid RAID6 & RAID5 benchmarks, and Linux RAID mdraid RAID10, RAID0 benchmarks (continued) series.

"stripe_cache_size" vs. transfer rate

Generated with the following shell script:

#!/bin/bash
for cache_size in 256 512 768 1024 2048 4096 8192 16834 32768; do
 for i in {1..3}; do
 echo ${cache_size} > /sys/block/md0/md/stripe_cache_size
 sync
 echo 3 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches
 echo "stripe_cache_size: ${cache_size} (${i}/3)"
 # for write
 dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/md0 bs=3145728 count=5460
 # for read
 dd if=/dev/md0 of=/dev/null bs=3145728 count=5460
 done
done

Written by Peter

November 29th, 2009 at 12:26 am

Posted in Technical

Linux RAID mdraid RAID10, RAID0 benchmarks (continued)

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Written by Peter

November 27th, 2009 at 1:42 pm

Posted in Technical

Linux RAID mdraid RAID6 & RAID5 benchmarks

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Building a new file server, and thought I should post some benchmarks with mdraid RAID6 and RAID5 on Ubuntu 9.10 AMD64 with XFS, specifications for the machine are as follows:

Specifications

Intel Pentium D E6300 2.80Ghz
Gigabyte P45-UD3P
2 2GB DDR2-800 CL5 (4GB total)
6 1.5TB WDC Green 7200RPM (WD15EADS) on ICH10R (mdraid)
1 250GB Seagate 7200RPM (ST3250410AS) on JMicron JMB363

The mdraid will be run on the ICH10R, and the boot device (and operating sytsem) on the JMicron controller. Here are the benchmark results. All are using default XFS settings, benchmarks taken with bonnie++.

RAID6 mdraid Benchmarks

RAID6 mdraid Benchmarks

RAID6 64k

Version 1.03c       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
devil2           8G 88390  99 175541  25 88470  17 51515  80 289555  27 389.0   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16  2419  15 +++++ +++  1219   5  1502   9 +++++ +++   920   4
devil2,8G,88390,99,175541,25,88470,17,51515,80,289555,27,389.0,0,16,2419,15,+++++,+++,1219,5,1502,9,+++++,+++,920,4

RAID6 128k

Version 1.03c       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
devil2           8G 88849  99 174076  24 84382  15 58716  80 291795  27 406.7   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16  1254   4 +++++ +++   619   2   802   2 +++++ +++   668   2
devil2,8G,88849,99,174076,24,84382,15,58716,80,291795,27,406.7,0,16,1254,4,+++++,+++,619,2,802,2,+++++,+++,668,2

RAID6 256k

Version 1.03c       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
devil2           8G 82659  92 89437  12 64420  11 85758  95 214792  19 368.5   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16  1237   6 +++++ +++   697   4   812   3 +++++ +++   673   3
devil2,8G,82659,92,89437,12,64420,11,85758,95,214792,19,368.5,0,16,1237,6,+++++,+++,697,4,812,3,+++++,+++,673,3

RAID6 512k

Version 1.03c       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
devil2           8G 88844  99 125203  17 70935  12 76991  91 288147  26 402.1   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16  2231  11 +++++ +++   820   3  1669   7 +++++ +++   808   3
devil2,8G,88844,99,125203,17,70935,12,76991,91,288147,26,402.1,0,16,2231,11,+++++,+++,820,3,1669,7,+++++,+++,808,3

RAID5 mdraid Benchmarks

RAID5 mdraid Benchmarks

RAID5 64k

Version 1.03c       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
devil2           8G 88705  99 211212  30 103889  20 49043  75 360385  29 406.8   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16  1081   2 +++++ +++   646   1   889   2 +++++ +++   634   1
devil2,8G,88705,99,211212,30,103889,20,49043,75,360385,29,406.8,0,16,1081,2,+++++,+++,646,1,889,2,+++++,+++,634,1

RAID5 128k

Version 1.03c       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
devil2           8G 88323  99 193034  28 101348  19 58707  79 337775  30 380.5   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16  1086  14 +++++ +++   683   3   917   3 +++++ +++   586   1
devil2,8G,88323,99,193034,28,101348,19,58707,79,337775,30,380.5,0,16,1086,14,+++++,+++,683,3,917,3,+++++,+++,586,1

RAID5 256k

Version 1.03c       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
devil2           8G 88898  99 188605  26 92387  16 68355  86 357395  32 395.7   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16   888   1 +++++ +++   660   2   820   1 +++++ +++   570   1
devil2,8G,88898,99,188605,26,92387,16,68355,86,357395,32,395.7,0,16,888,1,+++++,+++,660,2,820,1,+++++,+++,570,1

RAID5 512k

Version 1.03c       ------Sequential Output------ --Sequential Input- --Random-
                    -Per Chr- --Block-- -Rewrite- -Per Chr- --Block-- --Seeks--
Machine        Size K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP K/sec %CP  /sec %CP
devil2           8G 88868  99 147612  21 80418  13 80604  93 411211  36 387.4   0
                    ------Sequential Create------ --------Random Create--------
                    -Create-- --Read--- -Delete-- -Create-- --Read--- -Delete--
              files  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP  /sec %CP
                 16   888   1 +++++ +++   613   1   855   1 +++++ +++   610   1
devil2,8G,88868,99,147612,21,80418,13,80604,93,411211,36,387.4,0,16,888,1,+++++,+++,613,1,855,1,+++++,+++,610,1

Overall RAID mdraid Benchmarks

Overall RAID mdraid Benchmarks

Written by Peter

November 27th, 2009 at 12:11 pm

Posted in Technical

IOC Tries to Take Down Olympic Photos on Flickr

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IOC Tries to Take Down Olympic Photos on Flickr.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is now sending takedown notices to Flickr users who post photos taken at Olympic venues. The takedown letter described below was sent to Richard Giles, who's on the Australian Wrb Industry Association, over a photo he took of the Beijing Water Cube.

Written by Peter

October 7th, 2009 at 11:06 am

Posted in Olympics