So today I had full intention of walking into the airport and flying back to Seattle, and if US Customs gave me a hard time returning to my own country, I would record the conversation, much lolz would ensue. So I was shocked when my trip took a turn for the scary before I had even checked in for my flight.

When I was flying into Vancouver (YVR) to visit Jake Daynes leader of the Pirate Party of Canada, but I was checking my bags (all my stuff for when I move) to Seattle. I got a phone call yesterday from my mom telling me that my bags were not in Seattle, I called around and found out that they accidentally sent my bags all the way through to Vancouver (whoops, sent your bag to the wrong country :P ). This was no problem, I didn’t pay for my checked bags and I appreciate what Alaska Air does for me, so meh not a huge problem.

I go up to the counter and ask for my bags so I can ship them back and they tell me where to go, and when I get there I am greeted by this huge Canadian official (did not know what department he was at the time), and I was thinking to myself “they sent the most intimidating guy in Canada to get me… uh oh” and he tells me in a stern voice “We have some questions for you before we give you your bags” — Ack the thought of ‘some questions’ was enough to make my butt pucker up. I was confused by assured myself this was all normal, considering I didn’t do anything wrong, the airline just shipped my bag to the wrong country — obviously they told them that and all would be fine.

After passing through 3 different security clearance doors, we got to this back room area (thats actually a lie to make it sound more scary, I did pass through 3 security doors but in the end I wound up right next to the exit of customs), however, there was like 5 customs agents standing around my stupidly coloured bags (Quick Note: Everytime I move, I decorate my two tubs in different ways… so there are faces drawn on it, the names of the places I have moved to, etc). After I got to them, another (slightly smaller but still intimidating) officer (who identified himself as Customs and Immigration) asked me to show “BOTH” of my passports.

“Sorry officer, I only have one passport.” I admit to him.

“You are a dual citizen, no? United States and Canada?” Clearly not accepting that I only have one.

I laughed (whoops?) and said, “I am a citizen of Canada by birth, but I don’t have documentation of it — Just wondering, how do you know that I claim dual citizenship, I have never declared it officially?”

“I looked up your Wikipedia page, you claim to be a citizen of both the United States AND Canada” he admits to me. (later on I tell him that I was flattered that he looked up my wikipedia page, and that I was happy someone reads it). To which he responded that was his job. lol.

I was finally released to go, yet they had taken my passport from me! So I asked for it back and they were telling me to check my pockets. Finally an officer who seemed genuinely interested in the pirate party when I started taking about that (hell they were already questioning my digital rights activist stuff… might as well bring a legitimate political party into the mix), had exclaimed that he saw one of the guys take it to the back room.

He told me I can go, butg next time have more documentation. Seriously? I had none because I fly standby I told him that. Do I need to carry a memiour of my life that is certified daily?? I showed him everything I had.

I had to wait another 10 minutes while they checked out my passport (which is sadly beat up looking). I felt very out f place not knowing my rights… I was going to film it for my protection… but I decided against it. I now have an even greater appreciation for those in the United States who are detained… and do not understand the situation they are in.

So the incredibly rich, dumb, and technologically inferrior RIAA had mad this (very long thought out) post on their website a couple weeks ago:

June 28, 2010

Add our voice to those who disagree with a recent summary judgment ruling in the court case between Viacom and YouTube.

We believe that the district court’s dangerously expansive reading of the liability immunity provisions of the DMCA upsets the careful balance struck within the law and is bad public policy.  It will actually discourage service providers from taking steps to minimize the illegal exchange of copyrighted works on their sites.  As the White House recently noted in its strategic plan to combat intellectual property theft (http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/06/22/releasing-joint-strategic-plan-combat-intellectual-property-theft) it is essential for service providers and intermediaries generally to work collaboratively with content owners to seek practical and efficient solutions to address infringement.  We need businesses to be more proactive in addressing infringement, not less.  We expect the Court of Appeals will better understand the balance Congress struck when it enacted the DMCA.

Cary Sherman

Yes, they are upset that Content Providers do not have to pre-filter content. Apparently, it is WAAAY too much work for them to send a sound / video sample to YouTube and have them automatically go through their entire video archive and remove content (even though the work constitutes fair use in many cases). Whats more is that YouTubes approach is not even a viable option for most start-up web sites, which kills growth of our industry.

What type of free internet is it, when you have to have a million dollars to start up a website? The RIAA does not care about the people, the future, or even the artists they represent, they just care about the money. This is their right, I fight for things that benefit me too (a free and open culture would be best for my life, and my children’s when I have them)… But people need to be aware that their motivations are financial.

If you care about the future, you will support a free internet without unreasonable limitations.