My family became Shaw customers when I was only ten. That was twelve years ago. Barring a brief period of time when my fiancée and I lived in a place that already provided with SaskTel high-speed internet, Shaw has been my ISP for all of that time. To say I’ve been a loyal customer for over a decade is a bit of a stretch, since I’ve only been paying myself for the last year and a half, but nonetheless, my decision to choose Shaw came from my parents’ trust in your company, and in your service, who have been paying you for more than a decade. And yet, both my parents and I, and the rest of your customers, were not made aware of the sudden shift to usage-based billing starting two days ago.
I must say, I’m a bit insulted. You’re more than willing to phone my wife at all hours to let us know about your cable and phone bundles, but are quite reluctant to inform us about a major change to the way that we will billed. It feels a bit underhanded. But that’s not the biggest problem I have.
My problem, is that I live on the internet. I don’t need cable; I pay for Netflix. My phone is divided between my cell, social networking, and sometimes a bit of Google Voice. I do my banking online. I can even do a lot of my shopping online. I’ve even considered getting Google’s new netbook when it’s finally out for the world to consume. But now you’re changing all of that.
Look, I understand that you have a business to run. Services like Netflix take away from your business. You need to recoup the cost. Charging for usage ensures you are getting your money for the service you provide, and if I need more, you get more. Okay, sure. I won’t get into all of my issues with that. Other than the fact that, rather than charging me fairly, you are gouging me, but charging me dollars for what costs you cents. And only a few cents, I might add.
No, the problem I have, is that this “UBB,” this choice of billing, in essence, cripples competitors., it cripples small businesses, and it cripples new technologies. In an age where more and more people are “living” on the internet, this choice of metering the internet is undeniably destructive. There is no more value to services like Netflix. Tired of customers switching from cable to internet-based television? Then just crush the competition. Small businesses also get hurt. Let’s consider a personal example for a moment. I am part of an improv comedy group. In an effort to get ourselves more well-known, we post our shows online for people to see. Well, putting up those videos takes up a lot of data, and who will want to watch them when they’re paying extra to do so? Suddenly, a powerful advertising source is lost. And then the new technologies. Look back at Google’s netbook. Cloud computing becomes expensive beyond belief when our data usage gets capped, and we get gouged for every bit and byte beyond the cap.
And so here we are. I’m angry. Your cash grab has left me appalled, But, you don’t really care very much, I imagine. Well, except that the CRTC ruling is likely going to be flipped. And, luckily, I can easily switch over to SaskTel. They don’t have any plans to switch to usage-based billing. And when your customers leave you for them, I think they’ll be sure to avoid the same mistake you made.
Goodbye.
F. David Schultz
Saskatoon, SK
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
#FLoYD2011
The submission deadline for new plays for FLoYD Youth Theatre Festival rapidly approaches. I have been reading plays for the last couple days, since it’s my job to chose the line-up for the festival. I’d like to think that the choice is solely my own, but that’s not true. I always make sure to check with the rest of the executive, especially Andy, for his thoughts on what we put on each year. This may be the first time since I’ve been charged with setting up the festival’s program that we have to reject something. We’ve received submissions from 6 people already, and who knows what the week could bring in? It’s exciting.
I love working on the festival. I’m excited about the potential of the shows I’ve read so far. In less than twenty pages, a lot of these touch on deeply emotional, and controversial ideas, and I think they can explore in a deep and meaningful way. Some of the work is rough, very rough, but there’s a light that shines in them all the same. My first reaction to something I read was, “No. We can’t possibly do this.” But then I thought about it, and I can see the potential. A lot of this work is a first attempt at playwriting. Often people try new styles with which they’re not familiar. But it’s all raw imagination, and creativity; they delve into the feelings and strife of the young people in our community.
So, hold onto your seats and get ready for a spectacular summer in 2011. FLoYD Fest will rock harder than ever!
I love working on the festival. I’m excited about the potential of the shows I’ve read so far. In less than twenty pages, a lot of these touch on deeply emotional, and controversial ideas, and I think they can explore in a deep and meaningful way. Some of the work is rough, very rough, but there’s a light that shines in them all the same. My first reaction to something I read was, “No. We can’t possibly do this.” But then I thought about it, and I can see the potential. A lot of this work is a first attempt at playwriting. Often people try new styles with which they’re not familiar. But it’s all raw imagination, and creativity; they delve into the feelings and strife of the young people in our community.
So, hold onto your seats and get ready for a spectacular summer in 2011. FLoYD Fest will rock harder than ever!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Lacerta Lives
“Fire and stone; leaf and water. They have shown you the path to the land of the dead. Are you prepared to walk it?”
I finished writing Lacerta some time ago now. Once I really got into it, it came out rather easily. My crisis of faith is no longer a source of terror for me (though still discomfort) and the first few steps into the show have been taken. I have paid for my spot at the Saskatoon Fringe Festival, I have my actress cast, I have my lovely wife planning out sets and costumes, and I’m going through and fine-tuning the script. I’m quite excited.
I think that this is a pretty strong piece, which is surprising since this is my first attempt at a one-person show. I suppose it does have elements of dialogue which helped me work through it, and being able to draw from native storytelling was also a benefit. My favourite part is how everyone who has read it thus far has been unable to tell which stories are actual myths and which are stories of my own invention. I’m glad I was able to capture that style of storytelling and carry it through to my work.
I think that Lacerta will be a great show. I’m still hoping to get more feedback, to ensure that it’s as strong as it can be. I also need to find reliable rehearsal space, but I think we can figure it out. Still plenty of time before August. But it’ll come sooner than expected.
So that’s what’s going on now. It’ll be exciting! I’ll keep everyone up to date. If anyone has any questions about Lacerta, let me know!
Love.
~FDS
I finished writing Lacerta some time ago now. Once I really got into it, it came out rather easily. My crisis of faith is no longer a source of terror for me (though still discomfort) and the first few steps into the show have been taken. I have paid for my spot at the Saskatoon Fringe Festival, I have my actress cast, I have my lovely wife planning out sets and costumes, and I’m going through and fine-tuning the script. I’m quite excited.
I think that this is a pretty strong piece, which is surprising since this is my first attempt at a one-person show. I suppose it does have elements of dialogue which helped me work through it, and being able to draw from native storytelling was also a benefit. My favourite part is how everyone who has read it thus far has been unable to tell which stories are actual myths and which are stories of my own invention. I’m glad I was able to capture that style of storytelling and carry it through to my work.
I think that Lacerta will be a great show. I’m still hoping to get more feedback, to ensure that it’s as strong as it can be. I also need to find reliable rehearsal space, but I think we can figure it out. Still plenty of time before August. But it’ll come sooner than expected.
So that’s what’s going on now. It’ll be exciting! I’ll keep everyone up to date. If anyone has any questions about Lacerta, let me know!
Love.
~FDS
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Spirit Day -- An Open Letter to Whiners
Today was Spirit Day, a day to wear purple in support of LGBTQ youth, in condemnation of bullying, and in remembrance of recent suicides. Some people weren’t content to let that be.
This event was created out of the deaths of a group of children who were gay or believed to be gay. If someone holds a candlelit memorial for a dead son, do we say “What of the millions of children who die each year? Why do we hold a memorial for this one? He should get no special treatment!” and make a mess of it? If people protest together and bring awareness for violence against women, should the men of the world stand up and say, “What about violence against us?” Or when people hold a fund-raiser for breast cancer, are we to refuse to give them a cent unless they are raising money for all forms of cancer?
The attitudes of many people I saw and read today are nothing short of rude, selfish, and insensitive. They seemed to be incapable of looking past an event that was meant to bring awareness to a specific issue, and instead thought only of themselves. I suppose it’s because bullying is a subject that can be close to the heart of anyone. I can understand the impulse to say, “What about me?” when one watches a sudden outpouring of support and attention for someone’s plight, and know that the same thing happened not long ago to the one.
But I say this: if you truly feel so strongly about bullying, then seek out the organizations and groups that fight it. Volunteer, donate, and find out what events they are hosting to bring awareness to the problems of so many youth. Don’t spend your time flailing about on Facebook, scoffing at the people who wear purple, and decrying those who ignore the plights of all youth to focus on a small group. Put your money where your mouth is, literally.
For many kids out there, who saw their classmates and their teachers dressed in purple, they saw, perhaps for the first time, that they weren’t alone. How many LGBTQ kids are out there, afraid to come out and tell people what they are, for fear of hatred and intolerance? How many of them received just a glimmer of hope at seeing that not everyone hates them for how they feel? Doesn’t that mean something? Isn’t that something good?
But the whiners will say that wearing purple does nothing. They’ll ask, “What about the straight kids?” Well, if even one youth, who was thinking of ending it all, saw that there are people out there who care, and goes on living, then I’d say wearing purple did something. And perhaps this day may have meant a little less for the gay and lesbian youth if it were a general day for anti-bullying. The message we’d send is, “Yeah, you got it tough, fag, but so do we.”
Nine out of ten LGBTQ youth are victims of bullying. Think about that. Nine out of ten. What do you think the percentage is for straight kids? And those same youth are four times as likely to take their own lives as straight youth. Those are some scary numbers. I’ve experienced bullying, too. I was pinned up against the wall and threatened. I was crank called and mocked. But, y’know, I think that I can set my own interests aside for the kids in the LGBTQ community. And hey, let me know when you plan to stop whining and hold an event for all the victims of bullying. I’ll wear my colours, fly the banner, and encourage donations to the right sources; or if I choose not to, I’ll be sure to keep from whining about it over Facebook.
Please donate to Kids Help Phone, an organization dedicated to helping children and teens who are struggling and need someone to talk to.
This event was created out of the deaths of a group of children who were gay or believed to be gay. If someone holds a candlelit memorial for a dead son, do we say “What of the millions of children who die each year? Why do we hold a memorial for this one? He should get no special treatment!” and make a mess of it? If people protest together and bring awareness for violence against women, should the men of the world stand up and say, “What about violence against us?” Or when people hold a fund-raiser for breast cancer, are we to refuse to give them a cent unless they are raising money for all forms of cancer?
The attitudes of many people I saw and read today are nothing short of rude, selfish, and insensitive. They seemed to be incapable of looking past an event that was meant to bring awareness to a specific issue, and instead thought only of themselves. I suppose it’s because bullying is a subject that can be close to the heart of anyone. I can understand the impulse to say, “What about me?” when one watches a sudden outpouring of support and attention for someone’s plight, and know that the same thing happened not long ago to the one.
But I say this: if you truly feel so strongly about bullying, then seek out the organizations and groups that fight it. Volunteer, donate, and find out what events they are hosting to bring awareness to the problems of so many youth. Don’t spend your time flailing about on Facebook, scoffing at the people who wear purple, and decrying those who ignore the plights of all youth to focus on a small group. Put your money where your mouth is, literally.
For many kids out there, who saw their classmates and their teachers dressed in purple, they saw, perhaps for the first time, that they weren’t alone. How many LGBTQ kids are out there, afraid to come out and tell people what they are, for fear of hatred and intolerance? How many of them received just a glimmer of hope at seeing that not everyone hates them for how they feel? Doesn’t that mean something? Isn’t that something good?
But the whiners will say that wearing purple does nothing. They’ll ask, “What about the straight kids?” Well, if even one youth, who was thinking of ending it all, saw that there are people out there who care, and goes on living, then I’d say wearing purple did something. And perhaps this day may have meant a little less for the gay and lesbian youth if it were a general day for anti-bullying. The message we’d send is, “Yeah, you got it tough, fag, but so do we.”
Nine out of ten LGBTQ youth are victims of bullying. Think about that. Nine out of ten. What do you think the percentage is for straight kids? And those same youth are four times as likely to take their own lives as straight youth. Those are some scary numbers. I’ve experienced bullying, too. I was pinned up against the wall and threatened. I was crank called and mocked. But, y’know, I think that I can set my own interests aside for the kids in the LGBTQ community. And hey, let me know when you plan to stop whining and hold an event for all the victims of bullying. I’ll wear my colours, fly the banner, and encourage donations to the right sources; or if I choose not to, I’ll be sure to keep from whining about it over Facebook.
Please donate to Kids Help Phone, an organization dedicated to helping children and teens who are struggling and need someone to talk to.
Friday, October 15, 2010
OMG! I'm losing!
Oh my! I’m losing the blog-off, bloggowar bloggulations against Chelsea! Meeeeps! Clearly, I need to come up with the best blog post ever!
. . .
. . .
Um.
There once was a man from Nantucket!
. . .
So, I have a cache of unfinished blog posts. Things I was going to write about Nightfall Ablaze, but then never finished, and they quickly became irrelevant.
Thoughts on life and death and such things.
Poetry.
It just sits here, now, staring at me. Waiting to have purpose.
I’m having trouble working on Lacerta. It’s difficult writing a one-person show, especially since I haven’t seen very many, and have never written one really. Should I make it more like someone telling a story? That might work out, especially since I’m drawing a lot of my influence from native culture, and they had quite the oral tradition.
I find myself often losing focus, drifting into thoughts that have terrified me of late. Things I should not torment myself with. Occasionally it colours the work, which could work out. I don’t know. I’ve just been having trouble writing it.
Anyways, I have an essay I should be editing. Damn you, Kevin!
Have a good night, all.
~FDS
. . .
. . .
Um.
There once was a man from Nantucket!
. . .
So, I have a cache of unfinished blog posts. Things I was going to write about Nightfall Ablaze, but then never finished, and they quickly became irrelevant.
Thoughts on life and death and such things.
Poetry.
It just sits here, now, staring at me. Waiting to have purpose.
I’m having trouble working on Lacerta. It’s difficult writing a one-person show, especially since I haven’t seen very many, and have never written one really. Should I make it more like someone telling a story? That might work out, especially since I’m drawing a lot of my influence from native culture, and they had quite the oral tradition.
I find myself often losing focus, drifting into thoughts that have terrified me of late. Things I should not torment myself with. Occasionally it colours the work, which could work out. I don’t know. I’ve just been having trouble writing it.
Anyways, I have an essay I should be editing. Damn you, Kevin!
Have a good night, all.
~FDS
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
The Blogging of the Bloggonaughts-Laughing Gall
Good day, dear Squirrels and Squiggle-fish!
I have decided to bloggulate! Because bloggulation is fun. As fun as it is squishy.
*cough*
At any rate, I am getting more involved in a project called Laughing Gall Productions. It’s headed by my sister-in-spirit Mary, and it’s really quite delightful! It works off a lot of things that I like, and would find in an ideal art world; everything it strives to do is collaborative and supportive.
I’ll work off an example that Mary gave on how Laughing Gall Productions works. Let’s say that you want to want to make a pen and paper RPG. You have some ideas for a campaign setting and a story, and even some ideas for rules, but you need help. So, you turn to the group and then someone who’s big on rules and numbers helps you work out the details on how to make the system function. Great! Now wouldn’t it be great to see it action? Well, some people in the group like pen and paper games, so they run their buddies on some adventures, trouble shoot, see how it goes. Now there’s a basis for an idea. Maybe you could make a rule book out of it! Needs art. Through Laughing Gall, you find someone who’d love to do some drawings for you. You go on and on, work together to figure out a good self-publishing option, maybe even just making little booklets to sell at your local comic book store (and maybe some of the others will try to get their local stores to sell it, too). Suddenly your little idea gets somewhere, and with the help of a community of artists. Maybe it doesn’t get much farther than that, maybe it turns into something, who knows? But the point is, that you turn your ideas into something tangible and bring your art to life.
That’s also what I’m loving about Laughing Gall.: the sweeping definition of art. We’re all artists in our own way, whether we paint, write, or code; it’s all about creation. Right now, a few of us have been looking around the net for different self-publishing services and seeing what might be best for people. We can share what we’ve learned, work together to help someone publish, or just send someone looking in a new direction. Overall, I think the concept is really cool, and it definitely has potential to help emerging artists. If nothing else, it could just be a great community for people to share their works, receive feedback, and support.
So yeah, I’m really excited about that. Laughing Gall Productions. Stops time. Tell your friends. ^_~
The reason I’m going on about this, is because I’ll be dedicating blog time to talking about different projects I’m working on in conjunction with Laughing Gall. It was suggested that we all keep a blog and update it on a monthly basis to talk about what we’re doing. It gives all of the people involved in Laughing Gall a chance to keep up with everyone’s goings-on, and it’s also to help us keep focused. If we go to write a blog post and we haven’t done anything new for a month, well then that’s a sign to get productive and make some dreams come true, damnit! ^^
What am I working on? Well, I just finished Nightfall Ablaze, my first self-produced show and first show under the name of my own company Within Theatre. I have begun contemplating over a new play that I have tentatively titled Lacerta. I won’t give much away (since it’s still in its infancy), but it is a one-person show that combines spirituality, self discovery, astronomy, Native American and Native Canadian mythos and storytelling, and an acid trip gone horribly horribly wrong. Actually, that’s quite a comprehensive description for what I have in mind. So yeah! Exciting!
I am also working on a new project that I’m hoping Laughing Gall can help me get out of my imagination and into something more real. I’m calling it Empyrean Theatrics. It’s an open database of plays for schools and non-profit or emerging theatres. These folks get completely free plays for performance, and emerging playwrights get their work “out there” and performed (hopefully) all over the world! So yeah, hopefully that works out.
So there you are. Big post for my first time back with the Bloggonaughts. Wish me luck, peoples! And feel free to get involved with Laughing Gall Productions. They’re awesome. ^_^
I have decided to bloggulate! Because bloggulation is fun. As fun as it is squishy.
*cough*
At any rate, I am getting more involved in a project called Laughing Gall Productions. It’s headed by my sister-in-spirit Mary, and it’s really quite delightful! It works off a lot of things that I like, and would find in an ideal art world; everything it strives to do is collaborative and supportive.
I’ll work off an example that Mary gave on how Laughing Gall Productions works. Let’s say that you want to want to make a pen and paper RPG. You have some ideas for a campaign setting and a story, and even some ideas for rules, but you need help. So, you turn to the group and then someone who’s big on rules and numbers helps you work out the details on how to make the system function. Great! Now wouldn’t it be great to see it action? Well, some people in the group like pen and paper games, so they run their buddies on some adventures, trouble shoot, see how it goes. Now there’s a basis for an idea. Maybe you could make a rule book out of it! Needs art. Through Laughing Gall, you find someone who’d love to do some drawings for you. You go on and on, work together to figure out a good self-publishing option, maybe even just making little booklets to sell at your local comic book store (and maybe some of the others will try to get their local stores to sell it, too). Suddenly your little idea gets somewhere, and with the help of a community of artists. Maybe it doesn’t get much farther than that, maybe it turns into something, who knows? But the point is, that you turn your ideas into something tangible and bring your art to life.
That’s also what I’m loving about Laughing Gall.: the sweeping definition of art. We’re all artists in our own way, whether we paint, write, or code; it’s all about creation. Right now, a few of us have been looking around the net for different self-publishing services and seeing what might be best for people. We can share what we’ve learned, work together to help someone publish, or just send someone looking in a new direction. Overall, I think the concept is really cool, and it definitely has potential to help emerging artists. If nothing else, it could just be a great community for people to share their works, receive feedback, and support.
So yeah, I’m really excited about that. Laughing Gall Productions. Stops time. Tell your friends. ^_~
The reason I’m going on about this, is because I’ll be dedicating blog time to talking about different projects I’m working on in conjunction with Laughing Gall. It was suggested that we all keep a blog and update it on a monthly basis to talk about what we’re doing. It gives all of the people involved in Laughing Gall a chance to keep up with everyone’s goings-on, and it’s also to help us keep focused. If we go to write a blog post and we haven’t done anything new for a month, well then that’s a sign to get productive and make some dreams come true, damnit! ^^
What am I working on? Well, I just finished Nightfall Ablaze, my first self-produced show and first show under the name of my own company Within Theatre. I have begun contemplating over a new play that I have tentatively titled Lacerta. I won’t give much away (since it’s still in its infancy), but it is a one-person show that combines spirituality, self discovery, astronomy, Native American and Native Canadian mythos and storytelling, and an acid trip gone horribly horribly wrong. Actually, that’s quite a comprehensive description for what I have in mind. So yeah! Exciting!
I am also working on a new project that I’m hoping Laughing Gall can help me get out of my imagination and into something more real. I’m calling it Empyrean Theatrics. It’s an open database of plays for schools and non-profit or emerging theatres. These folks get completely free plays for performance, and emerging playwrights get their work “out there” and performed (hopefully) all over the world! So yeah, hopefully that works out.
So there you are. Big post for my first time back with the Bloggonaughts. Wish me luck, peoples! And feel free to get involved with Laughing Gall Productions. They’re awesome. ^_^
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
News Blog! Blogging the News!
So, all of the blogs these days seem to be about something. You can be a humour blog. You can be a science blog. You can be a technology blog. I suppose this is kind of a diary blog, or a “reflections” blog or something like that . . . “personal” blog might fit it best. And that’s all fine, well and good . . . except no one reads it.
So, now I figure . . . why not go for the gusto? Why not have a really big, impressive blog like the blogonauts on the rest of the interwebs! Maybe I can make a place for myself! So, I present to you Within’s new format as . . . NEWS BLOG!!
Top breaking exciting news story full of news! Right now! Top of the day! Whooosh! News graphic!
BP, or Bathing Pretty as they like to be called, is planning to begin to plan to start a plan that will stop the oil leak that’s happening in a gulf somewhere! They’re gonna slap some mud on that leaky crag of leakitude and call it a day . . . TODAY! That’s right, it could very well be happening as we speak. They call this mud-slapping plan the “top kill” procedure, named for its ability to murder oil spills! That’s right! When this is done, there will be no more problems. Zero! None! . . . Insert the Russian word for nothing in here! Engineers are somehow involved.You go, you crazy learnèd bastards! You go! So, there you have it. Top breaking news broken into! Glad I could be of service.
Here’s a link to a similar story that I just so happened to find on a similar subject from the front page of the CBC website that I think I should post here, lest I incur legal penalties! SOURCE! Rar!
And now, VIDEO BLOGGING THE NEWS . . . IN CAPS LOCK!
Video blogs are more popular than ever. With blogs constantly competing to see who can be more awesome, it’s important to stay cutting edge. That’s why Within will always feature a special video blog on the news as well, as if it were a real newscast on the television! Here’s our breaking story on Apple, which was totally researched and not just taken from the CBC website again. For no reason other than I feel like it, I will post a link that says source in capital letters. SOURCE!
Now we turn to you . . . the reader!
One of the great things about blogging is the feedback! Sweet, juicy feedback! So, let me know what your thoughts are on the BP thing and whatever Apple’s up to. We can have a dialogue! Dialogue means talking with people. We can do that! And remember, trust Within to bring you the best news, the most news, the freshest news a mere 12 to 36 hours after CBC posts it!
So, now I figure . . . why not go for the gusto? Why not have a really big, impressive blog like the blogonauts on the rest of the interwebs! Maybe I can make a place for myself! So, I present to you Within’s new format as . . . NEWS BLOG!!
Top breaking exciting news story full of news! Right now! Top of the day! Whooosh! News graphic!
BP, or Bathing Pretty as they like to be called, is planning to begin to plan to start a plan that will stop the oil leak that’s happening in a gulf somewhere! They’re gonna slap some mud on that leaky crag of leakitude and call it a day . . . TODAY! That’s right, it could very well be happening as we speak. They call this mud-slapping plan the “top kill” procedure, named for its ability to murder oil spills! That’s right! When this is done, there will be no more problems. Zero! None! . . . Insert the Russian word for nothing in here! Engineers are somehow involved.You go, you crazy learnèd bastards! You go! So, there you have it. Top breaking news broken into! Glad I could be of service.
Here’s a link to a similar story that I just so happened to find on a similar subject from the front page of the CBC website that I think I should post here, lest I incur legal penalties! SOURCE! Rar!
And now, VIDEO BLOGGING THE NEWS . . . IN CAPS LOCK!
Video blogs are more popular than ever. With blogs constantly competing to see who can be more awesome, it’s important to stay cutting edge. That’s why Within will always feature a special video blog on the news as well, as if it were a real newscast on the television! Here’s our breaking story on Apple, which was totally researched and not just taken from the CBC website again. For no reason other than I feel like it, I will post a link that says source in capital letters. SOURCE!
Now we turn to you . . . the reader!
One of the great things about blogging is the feedback! Sweet, juicy feedback! So, let me know what your thoughts are on the BP thing and whatever Apple’s up to. We can have a dialogue! Dialogue means talking with people. We can do that! And remember, trust Within to bring you the best news, the most news, the freshest news a mere 12 to 36 hours after CBC posts it!
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