OK this is great – for those that use Skype (IP phone communications) you can now dial a real phone number in the USA and Canada for free.

Some background: Skype is a software-based voice (and video!) chat system that works over the Net. With a headset and/or speakers and microphone you can chat system-to-system with anyone for free. With SkypeOut, this is extended to regular landline and mobile phones as well. So slap a headset onto your computer, get your high-speed line going (ADSL, Cable) and call someone, anyone, anywhere in Canada. Or the US. Toll free, no charge, nothing.

The caveat – the only one I see – is that this is a temporary offer and will likely only run until the end of 2006. The theory is that Skype is positioning itself even further into the VoIP (Voice over IP) vertical and getting ready to compete bigtime with other players such as Vonage. I’ve always liked Skype, and they offer more than just these services. Video conferencing and voice conferencing are easy to do and perform fairly well. Oh, and if you really want to go virtual, get SkypeIn and a phone number and say goodbye to your phone line completely.

OK… so, went to see a movie recently. One of those movies that’s good on the big screen, so why not. We all know there are a few coming down the pipe too.

Well, here’s a few why nots: the price was tolerable, but frankly only because we’ve all been conditioned to make it tolerable. The show started 15 minutes before the hour, but we were treated to no less than TEN commercials, each a full minute long. Then of course came the trailers… I believe there were 5 of those but honestly I tuned out by that point. All in all, 20 minutes passed before the movie started.

Lastly, I happened to notice one of the food “bundles” that were being sold. Large pop, Medium popcorn and a bag of Twizzlers. $12.49. When do we say enough is enough??

Now I can’t say I’ve done a ton of research on this, but I don’t think I’m out of line when I say the $12.49 probably cost the theatre about $1.00 to buy/make. Heck, let’s make it $2.00 and be really generous. $2.00 to $12.49 is a six-fold or 500% profit. When was the last time you were able to do anything other than maybe that one lucky lottery ticket for a 500% profit?

So on one hand, the MPAA is complaining and campaigning big time about movie piracy, downloads, etc. Yet on the other hand they turn a blind eye to movie theatres that rent their movies and gouge the living hell out of everyone actually trying to pay to see one. The movie industry needs to WAKE UP and realize that it’s not the cost of movies that is forcing people to stay home, rent/buy DVDs, download illegal copies of movies. It’s the out and out theft of the facilities that show the movies that make it basically too painful to pay to see them with any regularity.

Competition would help this, I’m sure. But as far as I know, there are 2 main chains of movie theatres in Canada. That’s it. There’s the odd Mom & Pop shop (way too few) but they either are bought or die off. In fact try to find a single movie theatre anymore. The Stanley is gone, so is the Park.

So what do you do about it? Here’s a few suggestions:

a) Don’t go to the movies – for those of you that “must”… keep it to a minimum ;).
b) Don’t buy the food – ever. Make a stand, say you’re not willing to pay $12.49 for something that you can buy in a 7-11 for 1/4 of that – and we all know how expensive 7-11 is.
c) Tell a movie theatre company – I did. Click here to fill out a feedback form for your “theatre experience”. The criminal experience.

I’m not one to go after causes, but come on. If a family of 4 wants to see a simple movie and have a bowl of popcorn with their kids, they have to plan on $50-$75.

THAT’s piracy.

Truly classic. Enjoy.