David J. Widmann

Wireless number portability (WNP), the ability to keep your cellular phone number when you change service providers, came to Canada in March of this year. The masses of consumers looking to free themselves from their frustrating cell companies cheered. Those cheers turned to grumbles with the realization that the spiffy new phones received for “free” came attached to lengthy service contracts. Breaking a contract can make switching to (or from) the company with the cute dogs in the ads prohibitively expensive.

Cue the smart university student using the social networking capabilities of the Internet to solve a problem. Bijan Shahrokhi, an Electrical Engineering student at the University of Toronto, has created CellClients.com, a trading post for unwanted cell phone contracts. If you’re looking to dump your phone plan for something with better coverage or lower long distance rates, sign up and let people know what company you’re with, what your rate plan is, and how much time is left on the contract. If you want to take over a cell phone plan in order to save on activation fees, SIM card fees and all the other sundries that inflate the first phone bill on a new plan, you can browse what’s available and contact a contract holder directly to make the switch.

CellClients.com is a new service, so the user base is rather small. Still, if you want to take advantage of WNP and don’t want to wait out your contract, it’s at least worth a look.

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“Use more — waste less!” That’s the motto of the new barter-community web site known as SwitchPlanet.

SwitchPlanet is now open to the public as a beta version (which might explain why the interface is a little less than intuitive). The site facilitates trading DVDs, CDs and video games with an online community of people who create lists of the items they want and the items they wish they had. The currency of SwitchPlanet is known as SwitchBucs, which are equivalent to one US dollar each. When you post an available item, you decide how many SwitchBucs it’s worth. If someone “switches” (the site’s euphemism for purchasing) your item, you can use the SwitchBucs you’ve earned to “switch” things with other users on the site.

While the site is a little clunky and confusing, the philosophy behind SwitchPlanet makes it worth a look at the very least. Espousing the ideas of reducing, reusing and recycling, the site also aims to become a philanthropic hub. The site encourages people who receive an item from a fellow SwitchPlanet user instead of buying a new item to donate a portion of their cash savings to charity.

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Have you found a great place to buy vintage jackets? Have you just eaten the best vegetarian pad Thai this side of the Mekong River? Do you want to use the Internet to tell more than just the six people on your LiveJournal friends list about your amazing discoveries?

Look no further, consumers of indie culture. Torontoist reader Peter has told us that 9tomorrows has launched its Tupalo service in Toronto.

Plugging into the ubiquitous Google Maps application, Tupalo allows you to tell the world about your favourite indie record shops, hip cafes, vegetarian haunts and volunteer services (among many others), plotting them on a map for the world to see.

Tupalo also incorporates user-submitted reviews and a rating system to help you decide whether you really want to trek all the way to Kensington Market for that pair of classic Converse sneakers, or if a place on Queen East might offer a better deal.

The service is just getting off the ground, but shows promise. Anything that’ll help people easily find the alternatives to fast-food restaurants and big-box stores deserves some support. And if you’re planning an out-of-town vacation any time soon, keep your eyes on Tupalo. Vienna, Austria is already active on the site, and they’ll be launching the service in 20 to 30 other cities around the world in the near future.

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‘Anything sexual is potentially very seductive … when there’s a perception of no boundaries and no consequences, it can be very seductive indeed’

Recent events, including accusations against rock star Pete Townshend, have once again brought the issue of child pornography to the forefront of the media.

The public is not only questioning what authorities are doing to stem the trade in “evil” images of children being sexually abused, but wondering what draws people into this seedy, underground world in the first place.

Brian Bigelow, professor of psychology at Laurentian University, said human nature and the nature of the Internet combine to lure people “who normally wouldn’t get into trouble” into viewing “serious material that is very illegal …

“There’s some good literature now to show that excessive use of the Internet, like spending all night at it, spending more time with it than you are with your family, can lead to some mood alterations in the viewer, and therefore impair the viewer’s judgment,” he said.

Bigelow said that the erotic interest in child pornography is very similar to the interest a heterosexual individual has in “regular” pornography.

“Anything sexual is potentially very seductive to any gender, to any person,” he said. “When there’s a perception of no boundaries and no consequences, it can be very seductive indeed.

“You may find your judgment impaired because it’s so free and easy to look at things. Heterosexual interests can turn into interests of a child-porn variety very quickly without even knowing you’re crossing the line.”

The habit-forming nature of Internet porn can dull the viewer’s normal resistance to such imagery, Bigelow said.

“Habituation and desensitization is par for the course for material that is erotic in nature. Ever-increasing stimulation to produce the same sense of curiosity or arousal (leads to) crossing boundaries and getting into deep trouble.”

This is not a blanket warning for those who look at X-rated images online, he said.

“That doesn’t mean that everyone who cruises the ‘Net and visits questionable sites is a bad person. It means they’re being seduced by the lack of boundaries and the perception of freedom.”

Trouble for the individual begins the moment that line is crossed because, Bigelow said, the perception of “no boundaries and no consequences” is merely an illusion.

“The seduction of the Internet when it first came out was fantastic. Now we’re used to having it around and the cops know how to police it better. The RCMP and the FBI do look at these sites. You may be watched.

“If you do something dumb like putting a Visa card in there or something, if the site is being investigated you may find yourself in receipt of a summons. You may be, in fact, clinching the evidence against you.”

Once that evidence is gathered, it is the viewers of the material that often face stiffer consequences than those who make it available on the Internet.

It’s akin to a system that punishes drug users more severely than the dealers. “Under American law, it’s called ‘turning state’s evidence,’” said Bigelow.

“If the cops are going to raid a questionable site, one way for those running the site to receive a lighter sentence is to strike a deal with prosecuting attorneys by handing over their database.”

“Remember that sex is the great seducer. I don’t know if there’s any moral to the public on this, except when you use your computer to surf the ‘Net, if you don’t have boundaries to your cruising or your surfing, you’re exposing yourself not only to computer viruses, but you’re exposing yourself to sites that may be monitored to the cops.”

“Everybody knows that a world-class sounding record can be produced in a multimillion-dollar room, but how far can you reduce the equipment level and still maintain that world-class sound?”

This is the question Gary Tanin has asked himself for years. His answer comes in the form of his latest release from MultiMusica USA, Sublime Nation.

Enlisting the talents of Jerry Harrison (former member of Talking Heads, with production credits on projects by Violent Femmes, Fine Young Cannibals, and The BoDeans), T Lavitz (Dixie Dregs charter member and renowned jazz session pianist), Junior Brantley (alumnus of The Fabulous Thunderbirds and The Jimmy Vaughan Band), Victor De Lorenzo (original drummer for Violent Femmes), and Connie Grauer (who has worked with Indigo Girls and k.d. Lang), Tanin recorded much of the album in his Milwaukee living room, using his own DAT and MIDI equipment. Brantley and Lavitz uploaded their piano performances via modem, and Harrison took the music into the studio on disk for final mixing.

Tanin views the accessibility of technology as a useful new tool for up-and-coming, as well as established artists. “I think the greatest advantage to the individual musician nowadays has been the fact that technology has provided affordable means that get very close to what major-label projects are doing.”

Marketing and distribution for Sublime Nation is taking place directly over the Internet, through World Wide Web sites such as the International Underground Music Archives (http://www.iuma.com) and MultiMusica USA’s email address (MultiMusi@aol.com).

“I think this is what it all should be about,” Tanin continues. “The dissemination of the distribution channel to the artist, artist to consumer. That’s what I love to see, because then we get a lot of variety.”

Sublime Nation, along with other albums that are being created using computer home studios, punches holes in the idea that anything made with a computer has to sound like Kraftwerk or Technotronic. Tanin agrees. “You have to take the time to learn the particular software you’re going to use, but it’s not limited to techno and dance anymore.”

Sublime Nation itself is a collection of slow- to mid-tempo pop tunes. Although musically it may not be a major groundbreaking effort, the way in which this album came to be embodies the true spirit of independent music. Using Gary Tanin’s model, other musicians may find the confidence and innovative spirit to produce and distribute their own home studio projects. Imagine the possibilities…

America Online (AOL) — a service notorious fro giving anyone marginally famous and/or functionally literate a free account in order to attract new users — has made a landmark decision: they actually pulled the plug on one of their celebrities.

Courtney Love had threatened to leave cyberspace before, saying she was “too fucking reactionary” to some of the posts in the alt.music.nin newsgroup, amongst others.  Several of the posts in alt.music.nin, comparing Trent Reznor with Kurt Cobain and accusing Courtney Love of an illicit affair with Reznor, attacked Love personally on the ‘net.  Love, known for being outspoken to say the least, didn’t let comments pass.  Flame wars ensued (it can only be assumed the same battles took place on AOL’s own conference as well as on Usenet), and Courtney said that was it for her.  Not only had she seen enough of what irked netters can do, but apparently someone on AOL hacked her account, sending messages in her name and fanning the flames further.

Love, however, stayed online after changing her AOL user ID.  Alas, it was not meant to be.  News hit the wire that the administration of America Online had yanked Love’s forum and taken away her email access.  Rumours of death threats to and from Courtney and swearing in the public-access forums circulated as reasons for dismissal.

Whatever the real reasons for the decision might have been, the online world is in agreement that something pretty drastic must have happened to prompt AOL into axing one of their in-house celebrities.  Of course, when something like this happens, cries of censorship are bound to arise.  “Just a clear indication of what will happen if corporations, governments, and aging fuddy-duddies take over the Net,” writes Keith Lemacke (UYEN64A@prodigy.com) in an alt.fan.courtney-love post.  “Keep the net in the hands of the young, and rally against censorship.”

Others in the alt.fan.courtney-love newsgroup have a slightly less reactionary response.  In response to Keith, Andrea (ahatnner@vela.acs.oakland.edu) had this to say: “The problem is AOL IS NOT THE NET!  IT IS AOL!!!!!  No matter what anyone says, it’s their company and if they want to ‘keep it clean’ or whatever for underage users, then they can.  If AOL users don’t like it, they can use another system.”

Proyocon (proyocon@icon.net) takes another view on the side of AOL, posted in the alt.music.alternative newsgroup: “See, even AOL has some standards.”

Although Courtney Love may be ancient history on the ‘net (it takes about 10 seconds for anything to become ancient history on the ‘net), her presence is still felt in many Usenet groups.  Someone has been posting messages entitled “***COURTNEY LOVE NET POST #X***” which encompasses about 40 messages, apparently written by Courtney to a net buddy of hers to be publicly posted in alt.music.nin, alt.music.alternative, alt.music.alternative.female, and alt.fan.courtney-love.  Of course, these posts have met with some skepticism.

“Well, on the miniscule chance that this was actually written by Courtney Love,” comments Buck Satan (thx1138@sam.neosoft.com) in response to Courtney Love Net Post #23 in alt.music.alternative, “I’ll just take the time to say this: You’re basically the Yoko Ono  of the 90s.  You were married to a really talented, deep person, and no matter how hard you try, you’ll never match one fucking iota of what he achieved in his short time.”

Courtney-bashing seems to be en vogue in most of these newsgroups, especially now that she’s no longer defending herself online (although many feel her hard-to-decipher writing style is some form of digital encryption).  Through all the hostility, colourful metaphors and slander, there are a few voices that come to the aid of Love.

“I respect Courtney Love-Cobain because she is a very strong woman,” says Laura (lorestes@MBnet.MB.CA).  “I mean, how many of you cold survive suicide(?) of your husband and the OD of your bass player in the same year and keep up with your career?”  In regards to Courtney and her daughter Frances Bean Cobain, Laura adds: “Raising a daughter is hard enough, but by yourself… come on, give her a break.  What has she ever done to you?”

Another user (dannyk@minerva.CIS.YALE.EDU) has these words of support for Love: “…save your energy for those who will love you back… smirk at all those losers who have nothing better to do than make fun of someone who isn’t afraid of TRYING and who actually possesses REAL feelings… You have amazing instincts… don’t be afraid to follow them.”

Usenet can be an informative, creative, dynamic place.  Unfortunately, it can also be a lion’s den.  Celebrities are especially susceptible because they live under a microscope for a good part of their lives.  When a star falls from the sky of mainstream media and lands into the Usenet, they gain firsthand awareness of how un-private their private lives really are.  It takes unique strength of character to survive that kind of pressure.  Courtney Love is neither the first nor the last person who will bend under that kind of strain.

New music first?  If that’s what you’re looking for, turn off your radio and tune your URL to Virtual Radio (http://www.microserve.net/vradio/) for “the only nonstop user-definable broadcast that brings you the latest in new music.”  Virtual Radio is a treasure trove for those looking for great music that doesn’t make the mainstream media.  At the time that this article was written, the Virtual Radio play list included such bands as Cafe Berkley Music, Praxis, The Guttersluts, and Canadian artists Tom O’Keefe, Realworld and Sunfish.  Each band has its own page that can be selected from the Virtual Radio home page, and each page includes an image of the band, a description of the music, and a collection of songs that you can listen to through your sound card.

The music on Virtual Radio isn’t like the muddy sound files you’re used to downloading from your local BBS.  These are broadcast-quality recordings, usually taken from the artists master DAT.  Available in Macintosh, Windows and X-Windows formats, you can choose from a short sample or a full-length version of the songs.  Be warned, however: these files aren’t small.  If you’re going to download a full song, be sure you either have ample RAM, or a World Wide Web browser that allows you to load files directly to disk.  Otherwise you’ll spend a lot of time waiting for a file that won’t play.

Also on Virtual Radio is a directory listing of the featured bands, including ordering and booking information.  And what would any radio station be without public service announcements?  The Public Service icon takes you to a page that includes links to charity organizations that may be of interest to listeners, tech tips, and well-deserved thanks to those whose efforts went into putting the Virtual Radio service together.  No matter what your musical taste, chances are Virtual Radio will contain something to spark your interest.  If you take the time (and you’ll need lots of it) to explore Virtual Radio, take the time to fill in the Listener Survey.  Not only will your information help in tailoring Virtual Radio to its diverse audience, but those who run it will be glad to know that their good work is appreciated.  Virtual Radio’s email address is vradio@Ugly.microserve.net

Welcome to net.buzz, a new regular feature in The Spill Magazine. This column will take a look at the music happenings on the Internet: Usenet news and rumours, cool World Wide Web sites, celebrity “appearances,” and updates on what we at The Spill are doing to make our presence felt on the ‘net.

For those of you who don’t know, the magazine you are reading now had its humble beginnings as an ASCII text file on a local bulletin board system, Computer Link. Although there was a slight ripple of reaction to it in our local message forum, things really didn’t take off until we posted our ten pages of text (which had to be chopped up into 4 separate files due to the fact that Computer Link’s text editor at the time only allowed for rather short mail messages) to the alt.zines, alt.music.alternative, and alt.music.canada Usenet newsgroups. Our brilliant idea was to send it out in that way to see what kind of reaction we would get. As a courtesy to our readers, we figured we would email copies personally, the moment they were available, to anyone who was interested in getting The Spill before anyone else. We didn’t have a proper mailing list server, but we figured it wouldn’t be a problem keeping up with the demand of our “little e-zine.”

We were wrong.  In one week, we had over 30 requests for the personal email service.  Music-loving computer geeks from as far afield as UCLA and Sidney, Australia were reading our collection of reviews and wanting more.  As the text for our second issue was being put together and the requests for personally-emailed copies kept coming in (the issue went out in the summer of ‘94, and there is still a trickle of requests to this day), editor Arvin Kashyap decided there was only one thing to do: take it to print.  Although not an entirely popular decision among the “staff” at the time, it turned out to be the right thing to do.

And the rest, as they say, is history.  The Spill Magazine is going to have a future on the Internet.  At this point, we can’t be sure what that future is.  Due to severe limitations in service (not the least of which being customer service) from Computer Link, we are currently looking for a new Internet service provider.  The Spill Magazine’s electronic mailbox has been temporarily moved to (are you ready for this?) LRNQ92B@prodigy.com so if you’d like to drop us a line, you’re more than welcome to do so.  If anyone knows of a company that would like to give The Spill Magazine its own little onramp to the Infobahn, please let us know.  It’s clear from our first Internet encounter that the world is ready for us… we want to be ready for the world.

In the meantime, I’ll be roving cyberspace to bring you the latest buzz from the ‘net.  Hey… that has a nice ring to it.  I think I’ll use it.