As if proof were needed that the CRTC has no teeth, the news today is that they are finally launching a nation-wide DNC list. Great news, huh? Well, wait a sec... according to The CBC, the same exclusions will apply as the US' version: quasi-charities, or the telespammers-for-hire who call on their behalf; political parties; public opinion surveys; newspapers of general circulation; businesses you have done business with in the last 18 months (thereby establishing an EBR). The CRTC also excludes B2B calls as well.

What this essentially means (at least for me) is that the same telescumbags that I've been blocking on my VoIP line will be able to keep trying to call me. The only telemorons that this will affect, will be your common-or-garden telescum who telespam for themselves (it seems that duct cleaning and windows installation companies seem to be predisposed to this type of abusive advertising).

Some relevant links:
Fact Sheet - National Do Not Call List
Fact Sheet - Information for telejunkers

Back on 2006-01-02, I outlined my disgust at Sony's rootkit fiasco. Today, I happened to be Googling around for the term astroturfing and chanced upon another (albeit old) story involving Sony's marketing around the PSP during Christmas 2006. Turns out that Sony hired an outfit called Zipatoni to create a fake blog (mirrored here) shilling the PSP amongst your stereotypical, leet-speaking gamers. Ironically, Zipatoni sounds like a character out of a Nintendo DS game... he could be Mario's long-lost brother!

Along with their patronising behaviour towards gamers, it seems that Sony's greed makes them believe that they are above the law when it comes to graffitti. This is the same sort of stupid viral marketing that big corporations with no scruples indulge in these days. This is why I tell everyone I know that I boycott Sony and now I have 2 more reasons to add to that list.

Hope the PSP and PS3 sales sink without a trace.