Brentwood Mind and Copyright.

Usually, about know, I’d be watching Humans: something I’ve got on in the background.

It’s looking … pretty … damn … good: and has just given us a bit of a revelation about Leo Elster.

AND about DI Voss.

But that’s possibly for another time.

What I meant to tell you about … ?

Was the Brentwood branch of mental health charity, Mind.

And about copyright.

~≈®≈~

It seems that Brentwood Mind — the Brentwood arm of mental health charity, Mind — has had its NHS funding cut: as a result of government cuts, designed to get the economy back up and running.

Something I found out about, as a result of knowing one of the branch’s workers, Colin, through both Facebook, and offline.

He posted this status update to FB, today.

Now, this isn’t something that directly affects me.

But will and does, affect people I know.

I don’t know if I can donate.

But HAVE already offered Colin the use of the Friday Question Sets: if he, or Mind feel a pub quiz fundraiser is appropriate, they’re welcome to use them, subject too the provisions of the Creative Commons License*.

However?

I HAVE added a picture to the bottom of the blog: taken directly from Brentwood Mind, itself.

Clicking on that will take you directly to their home page: from there, you can donate to a worthy cause.

Personally … ?

I think Colin mades a good point in his update.

That, by donating, you’re doing the government’s job.

By donating, you’re investing in both peoples health.

AND getting them to be functional members of society.

THAT’S worth the money our government should be spending.

~≈®≈~

There was other news I clocked going past, whilst on a break at work.

Have you ever heard the phrase, format shifting?

In other words, it means using something like — for example — iTunes to turn the songs on a CD, into a file format that can then be played on an iPod.

Or using HandBrake to compress films or TV series on DVD/Blu-ray into something that can be played on a laptop: or streamed to a media player, like an Apple TV or Google Chromecast.

When the government came to power, one good thing they did was introduce a law that allowed those of us who do this sort of transferring — purely for personal use — aren’t committing any offence.

In  other words, I can buy a movie, rip it, and watch it on my Apple TV.

Or my computer, iPod, Android phone, what have you.

So long as I’m not actually selling or giving copies to others, I’m doing nothing wrong.

Until a couple of days ago …

When the UK’s High Court overturned the law in question.

Personally … ?

While I buy much of my media from iTunes — and one or two other online sources — I have a media library that has many songs that started life on CD: and are now in my Music library.

In a similar fashion?

I have many movies and TV series, as well: that started on optical disks and ended up on a hard drive.

I don’t intend to stop this.

I’ve already paid the creators for them.

I don’t intend on doing so twice: for something I already own.

*        Colin, all that means is that you’re free to copy, use, alter and build on each of my quizzes: including the Teasers, Gazette Teasers and the Friday Question Sets.   All I ask in return is that you give me an original authors credit on your event’s flyers or posters, or on the night: and, if you republish them, give me an original authors credit AND republish under the same license.   A link back to the site — and to the Gazette’s, if that’s where you’ve found these — would be appreciated.