Canadian magazine Dogs in Canada is involved in a rights-grabbing scam disguised as a “photo contest”. Sadly, Nikon is the contest sponsor. Contest Rule #4 states:
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Mind-boggling Google
Two weeks ago, after being questioned by German authorities, Google admitted to invading people’s privacy in at least 30 countries for the past three years.
While Google was busy photographing everyone’s homes for its “Street View” project, it was also recording fragments of people’s online activities that were being broadcast over accessible WiFi networks. Six hundred gigabytes of data were collected.
Initially, Google admitted only to scooping up WiFi network names and MAC addresses, but later said it also grabbed a lot more information.
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Just Saying
Nothing to do with photography or business practices, and way off-topic but:
1) For the upcoming G8 and G20 Summits in Canada this June, the federal government states that security screening will be performed by “competent authorities”. What? As opposed to the usual incompetent authorities?
2) Canadian phone company Bell has increased its interest rate to 42.58%. This not only proves that Bell is in the business of gouging consumers but also that it leads the Canadian corporate race to becoming a loan shark. (The Canadian legal definition of loan sharking is 60% interest.) Credit card companies and banks are probably wondering how Bell gets away with this.
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How to mess up a simple photo op
It never ceases to amaze me how some companies, even very large corporations, can bungle a simple photo op and totally sabotage its media coverage. This always ends with a “what were they thinking?”
Yesterday, Husky Energy barred the media from its annual general meeting in Calgary (updated story here). This story was picked up around the world in both news and business publications. What should’ve been a routine business story with a routine photo of its CEO, turned into the loud negative headline: “Husky Energy bars reporters from annual meeting”.
Of course, there were photos of Husky personnel blocking the doorway to the meeting and security escorting photographers off the property. The security guard picture was also picked up around the world.
Great PR move, folks!
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Canada’s war on photography
Canada has started its war on photography (and also on sketching and taking notes).
The Gatineau/Ottawa transit system, along with the federal government, is asking people to call police if they see: “[a]n individual taking photos or pictures in a location that has no particular interest, drawing maps or sketches, taking notes or wandering in the same location for an unusually long time”.
What’s the difference between taking photos and taking pictures? How would you like to be arrested for being armed with a sketch pad and a charcoal pencil? Watch out, I’ve got pen and paper and I’m not afraid to take notes!
Haven’t they learned anything from the ongoing problems in the USA and UK with their silly anti-photography laws and bans? Far too many links to list but here are a few: Link 1. Link 2. Link 3. Link 4. Link 5. Link 6. Link 7. Link 8.
Haven’t they learned that taking pictures has nothing to with terrorism? Haven’t they learned that photography increases security?
Are they stupid?
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Wrong Number
The good thing about Bell, the Canadian phone company, is that it serves as the perfect example of what not to do in business.
It appears that Bell has quietly dropped two of its fake fees, (sadly, it hasn’t dropped all of them). Through one of its sister companies, Bell actually referred to its fake fees as a “made-up fee”.
Bell is currently in the midst of class action lawsuits regarding its System Access fee (aka “government licensing fee”) and its 9-1-1 fee. Both of these cell phone fees were just recently cancelled, although in some areas, the fees may still linger for some unknown reason. Just to be fair, the two other cell carriers are also involved in the same lawsuits.
Why wouldn’t a business tell its customers that it has eliminated some fees and has thereby lowered prices? Read on.
Don’t be the Ass in Assignment
Here are a few examples of self-proclaimed “professional” photographers in action. All of these happened over the past two weeks at various photo assignments.
• Them: My hard drive crashed! What should I do?
Me: Do you have a backup?
Them: No.
Over a week later, after this person lost the previous job’s photos and had to carry their iMac back to the store to get a new drive installed and then had to re-install all their software:
Me: Do have a back up of your new hard drive?
Them: No.
• Them: My camera battery died!
Me: Don’t you carry a spare?
Them: No, because I’ve never needed one before.
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