For the last few years I had been testing and using alternatives to Photoshop such as paint.net and the Gimp as well as a number of others.  For basic stuff, these alternatives are actually fairly good but to directly compare them to Photoshop is very much like comparing rocks to lizards.  I had also been using a Ulead video editing suite that, although it was subject to a long list of bugs that never seemed to get fixed, was actually very nice to work with.   When I upgraded to Windows 7 the Ulead product would not function, so I decided to take advantage of an offer from Adobe to get Photoshop and Premiere Elements with a great mail-in rebate.

I should have known I was in for a lot of pain and frustration right from the start.  My first clue was trying to figure out how to order these products on the Adobe website.  Here it is, 2010, and I couldn’t believe that a company of this size could have such a terribly designed shopping cart.  To make it worse, their website is so slow that I was tempted to give up and drive to an office supply store to get the boxed versions.  We were off to a bad start, but after about an hour or so I go through the ordering process and received an email confirming my order, my payment, and assigned validation keys.

I started downloading the software  printed off the order confirmation and rebate form pepe8_ESD_rebate_ue.pdf.  As the gigs were streaming down to my computer, I read through the rebate form, assembled the required information, filled out the forms.  Here’s where I mention that I’m no newbie to online ordering and rebates.  Not only have I been hosting and developing websites for over 12 years, I’ve ordered innumerable things online and submitted all sorts of rebate forms for everything from software to videocards.  Before I was done with the forms Photoshop had downloaded and I then installed the software.

Over the next few days I found time to install Premiere Elements and was excited to give it a try; It didn’t take long for the disappointment to kick in.  As soon as I installed the software and started to try and work with some video from my live performances I had recorded on my camcorder the problems began.  Attempts to slice up bits of video were met with incredibly slow performance and the ocassional software crash.  When I got far enough to start trying to put things together, the video quality would get strange and sometimes the audio would disappear.  This seemed very strange as my laptop is a Core 2 Duo 2.13Ghz with 2GB RAM and a brand new Intel x25-m SSD drive with windows 7.  The system boots in less than 30 seconds and even before I had upgraded it was the same system that I used to edit my music videos using Ulead Media Studio.

Next I finished off the rebate form, put the information together and mailed it off to the address on the rebate form and then I filed a support request with Adobe.  That didn’t get me very far.  They sent a long list of things to try, most of which I attempted, some of which was clearly pointless.   Still having no success I uninstalled Premiere Elements from my laptop and tried it on my new i7 system with 6GB RAM and an SSD drive.  On a system that ranks a 7.5 out of a possible 7.9 on the Windows Experience Index - there was no noticeable difference in performance or reliability.

Having only so many hours in a day, I elected to download a trial version of Corel VideoStudio.  After installing the Corel software, I was able start over and get the same video work done without ANY problems or performance issues!  Clearly the problem is not my machine, it’s Adobe.

Now the fun!  Adobe claims that they never received a valid copy of my invoice.  I got this stupid little “resubmit” card asking me to send an “original Adobe Proof of Purchast Tab 1″ but no explanation of what this is.  I printed and included what they emailed me when I ordered the software.  What else could I possibly have?

I see a phone number on the resubmit card and try calling the  866-599-3906 number to talk to someone about the problem.  Well… I tried from my home phone, my cell phone and my skype phone and none of these lines could seem to connect to this phone number.    Finally I decide to call the phone number on the Adobe website and talk to a “Michael” who listened to the problems and asks me to fill out an online support request.  So I did.

In an attempt to be thorough I included as much information as I could.  I explained the problem.  I outlined what I had tried.  I mentioned the conversation with Michael.   I mention that the phone number isn’t working and that I did send the order details that Adobe sent me.  Their response?

“For questions regarding the status of your rebate claim, visit
www.web-rebates.com/adobe or call 866-599-3906.”

Nice.  I already explained that the phone number isn’t reachable.  So I reply:

“"I tried calling the 866-599-3906 number from different phones and the number does not function or is not available from my area. I can’t even call the number on the card to discuss the problem!”

No response until today:

“Upon checking your order #ADxxxxxxxxx it was last Dec. 10, 2009 and I
regret to inform you that the it is no longer valid for a rebate because
the promo date started last September 23, 2009 and ended October 31,
2009.”

Um… the form I sent in says “This rebate form is valid until October 31, 2010″

Last I checked, October comes way after March???

So that’s where it’s at right now.  Premiere Elements is useless, my rebate is stuck in nowhere land, and their support system is useless.  What a huge disappointment.  I can certainly print off the order details again, but without clarification I have little faith that they’ll come through.  And even with that, I have a piece of software that’s useless to me.

Consider this fair warning to anyone out there considering buying Adobe software.  You may find it’s a lot more expensive than the price they charge your credit card.

——— March 19th UPDATE ———-

So today I get another reply asking me to cut the tab off the box and send that in.

Um…   The rebate form I used states clearly on the top:
“Official Rebate Claim Form for Adobe.com
Electronic Software Delivery purchases only.”

Where am I supposed to cut this tab off of?  I’m not liking the idea of taking a utility knife to my LED screen….

According to the notice I received from MySpace, Toyota Music and MySpace Records are working together to connect MySpace artists and musicians with an opportunity to win a recording contract and a selection of Fender gear. These types of online contests to select a garage or emerging rock band are interesting in that they have the appearance of bringing the internet community together with grass-roots artists. These contests also give the appearance of being democratic in that they allow the internet community to collaborate and vote on their favorite songs to try and push them to the top.

This whole concept is a great idea, however there are some major flaws that come into play here. First, most of these contests allow voters to vote many times, play the tracks many times, vote down other artists by ranking them as 0’s, or creating automated tools to trick systems into counting illegitimate votes. Then other systems that require voters to log in and allow a single vote and watch for voters that are attempting to create false entries have the effect of minimizing the number of people that actually sign up to participate in the voting. Who wants to sign up at sites all the time just to vote? We all have enough logins all over the net right?

The best part of this whole thing, is that, even with all the flaws and potential for thwarting the system through various means, that the music business is evolving and changing right before our eyes. Over time these issues will get sorted out, and major record labels (should they survive) will adapt new ways of finding and promoting their artists to the world. The flood of music hitting the net every day is overwhelming at best, but in the end it means more people are able to take active roles in art and that is generally a good thing.

Anyway… be sure to have a listen to the cassette and use the “Grab this” tab to post the cassette on your website!

Mickael Maddison

0:1 Badaboom and all that superfluous greeting stuff to y’all!

1:1 Alright… I haven’t posted much here in awhile so I’m going to post something NOW. 1:2 It’s not that there hasn’t been anything happening. 1:3 As a matter of fact it’s quite the opposite. 1:4 We played what was supposed to be a 2 piece show at On the Rocks. 1:5 Unexpectedly, Dusty arrived in time and the virginal trio went to town on some tunes. 1:6 We ROCKED! 1:7 Stated by an inordinate number of audience members. 1:8 We’ve also been practicing up. 1:9 It’s not like we have only 6 songs these days. 1:10 We’ve got 20+ tracks to lock down and hold under water until they come up gasping for air. 1:11 Work has also been a factor. 1:12 Yes, even rockers like us need to eat and pay for things like socks and duct tape. 1:13 This Friday I will be performing live (not dead) downtown on 300 Block of Victoria Street. 1:14 Chris and Dusty will be joining me at unknown intervals during the set as they arrive on the scene. 1:15 More airplay information to report. 1:16 More Internet radio stations have begun broadcasting the new songs. 1:17 Retrospectus?

2:1 Further to the situation with the band, Dusty Kamps is now the official and fully tolerable drummer. 2:2 And as you’ve been expressely notified, Chris Brock is not slacking in any way as he hammers out amazing bass lines and vocal harmonies. 2:3 These guys scare me, but most of all they’ll scare you. 2:4 People like to be scared so be sure to come out and see us live. 2:5 Don’t worry, we have a chain link fence around us to protect the audience from us carnivores. 2:6 Did someone say virginal?

3:1 Out of order but not out of context, again On the Rocks was a great time. 3:2 Ye shall not wither and wimper because ye missed yonder show. 3:3 Ye shall arriveth forthwith on May 23rd for our cometh performance. 3:4 Come forth and be forgiven

4:1 This Friday is not tomorrow but the next day. 4:2 Time is 4PM to 6PM. 4:3 Location is 300 Block of Victoria Street. 4:4 That’s in Kamloops, not Victoria 4:5 I’m guessing I’ll be across from Boston Pizza and in front of the Blue Grotto area. 4:6 It’s free to walk the streets downtown so you are welcome to attend. 4:7 Although tithing is optional, we suggest 10% of your annual gross income be deposited into our clothing during the performance. 4:8 As Chris and Dusty will arrive at various times, you will get a very interesting mix of solo-acoustic through to 2 piece and 3 piece performances.

5:1 98.3 CIFM continues to provide airplay for “Sweet Misery". 5:2 I hear the truth of the matter from the lips of those who love and request the song. 5:3 I have also heard the evidence directly by mine own ears. 5:4 Continue to send your requests to heydj@98.3cifm.com 5:5 CIFM will love you for it. 5:6 And I shall love you unto the end of the earth or the end of my days. 5:7 Which will come first is debatable these days.

6:1 The Maximum Threshold has been achieved. 6:2 If you don’t follow me you should. 6:3 What I mean is, www.maximumthreshold.net is now playing my songs. 6:4 They played them today! 6:5 These guys love indie rock and metal… have a listen… request Sweet Misery or Red Glaring Eyes. 6:6 Dom will thank you. 6:7 As will I

7:1 I am in the United Kingdom. 7:2 My divine nature allows me to be in many places at one time. 7:3 You can verify this by visiting http://www.celticaradio.com/playlist.html 7:4 You will find my name in the alphabetized list, most likely under M as both my first and last name begin there. 7:5 I’m not sure if my parents realized that they could have named me aaarnold aaardvarkiann and that I would have been first in line for pretty much everything. 7:6 No matter. 7:7 Thanks to Celtica Radio you can listen to me on their great UK station. 7:8 We pay homage to their great support.

8:1 At this time, my friends, I must leave you. 8:2 Not for want or desire, but for the sake of opportunity. 8:3 My humanity insists that I profess today as Earth Day. 8:4 On this of all days I sacrificed billions of billions of billions of electrons sourced from nearby rivers in order to bring you these words. 8:5 Do not wait in anguish for the coming of our next show. 8:6 Instead, prepare yourselves for my arrival. 8:7 Ye shall all know the time and place of our arrival.

9:0 Mickael Maddison 9-1) a.k.a. Clinically Insane.

It’s been awhile since I’ve been back stomping around Vancouver Island… Check this out… this Sunday evening at 6pm the Nanaimo station, CHWF 1069 The Wolf is featuring Sweet Misery during Fresh Tracks. Fresh Tracks is their Sunday night feature show, showcasing six new singles every week. On Sunday the 11th you can hear Sweet Misery smack dab between Kings of Leon and Theory of a Deadman!

I’d like to shout out to Music Director Jaimie Hilts for taking the time to listen to the new CD and spin this track on her great station. Who knows, maybe if you email her at jhilts@islandradio.bc.ca and let her know how much you’ve enjoyed the new CD - perhaps The Wolf will continue to play the track?

Thanks everyone for all your great support… Stay tuned… I’ve got some news about the live band coming out soon!

Mickael Maddison

Building on the successes of his debut EP “Free“, Mickael Maddison is releasing his emotionally charged 10 song album “In Loving Misery“; both a wide-angle lense into his life and relationships, and a tribute to the memory of his father. “…having previewed a few tracks myself I can already attest to the evolution of Mickael Maddison. The concepts and musicality of songs like Forward Today and Sweet Misery evoke sweet emotion…” Ara Andonian - Off Centre Magazine

Mickael’s fusion of hard rock, Seattle grunge and coffee shop singer/songwriting gives “In Loving Misery” a strong flavor that makes him stand out from the crowd. Mickael explores his diverse talents, laying down his own drums, bass and lead guitar for various songs throughout the album. His release features contributions from performing bandmates, Jonathan Anthony (Bass) and Doug McCallum (Drums), as well as artists Phil Maloney, Dan Hum and James Lipoth.

The release is expected to gain radio and media support and will be available through HMV music stores, at online stores including CDBaby.com (USA/Int.) and indiepool.com (Canada), and also for download on iTunes and most major online music providers.

Remember how sweet it was when GnR came out with Appetite for Destruction?
Now take a deep breath full of Molecules of Oxygen.
This track sounds nothing like GnR.

Remember how crazy the world was when Megadeth launched Symphony of Destruction?
Now take a deep breath full of Molecules of Oxygen.
This track sounds nothing like Megadeth.

Remember how stunned the world was when Motley Crue was spewing out their Dr. Feelgood cassette?
Now click on my profile pic and take a deep breath full of Molecules of Oxygen.
This track sounds nothing like the Crue.

Remember how Pantera left the world cold as steel with their metal chops?
Now take a deep breath full of Molecules of Oxygen.
This track sounds nothing like Pantera.

Remember how Cory Hart darkened our vision when we all started wearing sunglasses at night?
Now take a deep breath full of Molecules of Oxygen.
This track sounds nothing like The boy in the box.

Remember how Alice Cooper bit the heads of chickens and drank their blood?
Now take a deep breath full of Molecules of Oxygen.
This track sounds nothing like Alice Cooper.

Remember the time when Twisted Sister was running around causing dissent?
Now take a deep breath full of Molecules of Oxygen.
This track sounds nothing like “We’re not gonna take it". Seriously.

Remember the times when Def Leppard was pouring their sugar on everybody?
Now take a deep breath full of Molecules of Oxygen.
This track sounds nothing like Pyromania or Photograph.

Hey guys… what’s happening?
Remember how Fear Factory thrashed the world with Demanufacture?
Now take a deep breath full of Molecules of Oxygen.

This track sounds nothing like Edgecrusher. It’s also not Obsolete.
Remember when GnR had an Appetite for Destruction?
Now take a deep breath full of Molecules of Oxygen.
This track sounds nothing like Paradise City.

I’m just bleeding out of the gills today. I’ve posted “Molecules of Oxygen” (click to listen) up at MySpace so all the fanatics out there can check out another of the tracks coming up as we near the completion of my second CD - my first 10 song Album!

The guitars are twitchy, the bass is growly , they lyrics are a little odd and hey, some sushi would be nice right now.

Click above and breath “Molecules of Oxygen” deep into your lungs. For dessert, try a little “Sweet Misery” pie.

Mickael Maddison

UCE Protect provides ISP’s, Hosting Providers, businesses and individuals around the world with a simple tool that helps significantly reduce the amount of spam that a mailserver ends up processing on a daily basis. For one server I manage, I see over 185,000 blocked messages thanks to their service.

Other DNS blacklists such as “Spamcop” and “Spamhaus” contribute additional results bringing the total blocked messages into the 200,000+ range, or one day! Imagine, over 6 million message blocked per month by these services.

Normally, if an ISP gets listed on a significant blacklist they would take quick action to track and resolve the issue, then contact the blacklist they’ve been listed with for removal information. It appears that Bell/Sympatico have not taken up this cause at this time, as the complaints continue to trickle in, and their IP address(es) continue to be blocked (see
http://www.uceprotect.net/en/rblcheck.php to check your mailservers IP - or better yet, get your ISP to review)

UCE Protect’s policy on listing IP addresses can be reviewed on their website.

It seems I’m not the only one hearing the complaints:
http://www.littlereport.com/node/78

Anyway, here’s hoping they’ll take action soon. I’m sure they have a lot of clients that would prefer to have their mail sending work more often…

So I’m officially up to 7 songs finished up for the next CD. Hoping to get a few tracks laid out before I call it an LP. Anyway, have a visit to my MySpace page HERE and listen to one of the new tracks “Sweet Misery"… we had a lot of fun putting that one together.

Mickael Maddison
www.myspace.com/mickaelmaddison

It all started with CBC’s “New Music Canada” program. I posted my first CD to the new music website and after a few months I received an email from Clay Phillips. Clay captains Toronto Experimental Artists - Clay Phillips, which explodes to become the “Toronto Experimental Artists". Clay had invited me to place “In Her Eyes” on their Volume 10 compilation CD.

This turned out to be a good move. This lead to some online interviews, and some local recognition. Back in January Candi McNeil of Indie Talent put together an hour-long interview and song showcase with one half hour covering myself, and the other half featuring Katelyn Dawn. Katelyn Dawn is another artist showcased on the TEA Volume 10 Compilation CD - Katelyn Dawn.

Well for those of us who spend a little time on the tube, particularly watching “Canadian Idol", you’ll recognize Winnipeg’s Katelyn Dawn as one of our top 24 contestants this year. Katelyn is a mild 18 years old and according to the CTV website, has already put out 2 albums.

I can’t say I’ve ever met Katelyn or spoken to her. We’ve never shared a stage or gone rock climbing together. But for a moment in our musical history our paths crossed thanks to the Clay from TEA.

So there you go. Mystery Solved. All ye professors of philosophical nature may new relax and be spellbound by the sheer simplicity of it all.
As for me, I’m continuing recording my next CD, playing live shows, and as time permits, I’ll be watching Idol and watching Katelyn progress through the competition.

Mickael Maddison
www.myspace.com/mickaelmaddison
http://radio3.cbc.ca/bands/MICKAEL-MADDISON