The other side of the Tsunami slur story

After reading a couple of articles from US media about a New York radio station (WQHT) being condemned for a show that made fun of the tsunami victims with lyrics like "You can hear God laughing, 'Swim you bitches swim," I was thinking that was mean and poor taste but wasn't supposed to be such a big deal, was it?

Well, I've changed my mind completely after reading more from "alternative media" like Hong Kong newspaper. Here is the full text (mind you it's full of racial slur)

What puzzled me the most now is why the mainstream media didn't mention the rest of the lyric. That would fully justify the outrage against that show. The only reason I could think of is this is an act of mainstream media covering each other up. After all they are in the same business. Who cares about what Chinese wants to know in US?

(More ironically, "We're the World" is the song Hong Kong showbiz group chosen to cover as its theme song for the tsunami fund raising concert. I criticized them for not writing their own song way back. )

Update: here is a comment about mainstream media's initial refusal to even air the story at all.

Now they have sided with the devil

Looks like the conservatives are getting a bit lost. Christian groups have called for the Supreme Court to crack down on file sharing, basically taking the same side as their archenemy -- Hollywood.

Well, let me be generous by helping them here: Christian groups should have supported the file sharers instead. Simply let file sharers bring down Hollywood, the ultimate source of evil content! When you fight organized crimes, you always need to shut down the source. Then you won't have any porn, any violent video available.

Wait a minute, shutting down Hollywood is probably not enough. They need to ask their beloved president to bring back US troops so there won't be violent footages from the news on war anymore. And finally, ban Ms. Hilton from filming herself.

The conservatives lost, again?

They wanna outlaw all interesting TV programs like those episodes from Friends and Simpsons but failed! Can you believe conservative groups lost another fight (see this for details of the previous round) in the States?

CP/M: Nostalgia strikes!

Writing about the early days of Apple computer in the previous article certainly brought back a lot of good old memory: playing with Z80 card, 80 Col card, and CP/M!

So I did a search on CP/M and found this really interesting article: Windows-NT vs. CP/M

Back to 1976: Bring your own display and keyboard

That's a familiar slogan, right?

Yes, that's the "punch line" for the new 2005 Mac Mini.

Oh wait a minute! Doesn't that also applicable to the Apple's very first computer: Apple I?

I always believe the brightest people keep reinventing themselves. Well, maybe sometimes they simply need to copy themselves.

Round 1: Evil (a.k.a. Liberals) 1 - Jesusland 0

Bad news for the religious folks in Atlanta: they can't re-emphasize that evolution is a theory, not a fact.

I thought we all knew that already, don't we?

BTW, I don't recall we evil liberals ever requesting a "Christian is a religion, not a fact" sticker on all Bibles.

They could tell so much from a name

Please check out this notice sent by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) alleging a company of copyright infringement because of having a file called X-Files1.21b, which is open-source TCL code! (Not X-Files Season 1-7 as those morons were thinking!)

This is so ridiculous to a point that it's actually kinda funny. Beware of how you name your files otherwise MPAA will come knocking on your doors.

(Basically this is similar to what RIAA did to Professor Usher's now famous mp3 file)

Too sensitive?

Just watched "The Da Vinci Code Deception" on PBS. This program is backed by Christian organization aiming at separating facts from fiction in this vastly popular book. They claimed this book is no challenge to the religion since it's a fiction and people are not suppose to learn religious fact out of a fiction.

My question is: if that's the case, why bother making a program to dispute it?

iDiot or simply having too much money?

This article is not about what I don't like about the new iPod shuffle, namely, it's nothing innovative but a "re-colored" design of screen-less MP3 players from a couple of years ago. (I bought one such player for $60 in 2002. And yes, I did wish it had a display when I want to know the name of the song I was listening to. Anyway, I'll leave criticism to their competitors.)

This article is about the comments I read about this player: several people mentioned US$99 (or $149 for the 1Gb version) as "impulse buy." I used to think only $2 candy bar or bag of chips near supermarket cashiers qualify as impulse buy. Man, people in the States are rich! Or too brainwashed by consumerism?

(Can't believe I am writing 2 Apple related articles in a row!
Disclosure statement: I'm neither an Apple lover or basher. I own an iBook and an iPod, bought at heavily discounted price. It does pretty much what I expected for the price I paid, but that's pretty much the only good thing I'd say about them.)

From ass kicking to ass kissing

U2 claimed Apple has "single-handedly saved the music industry."

Considered they have partnered with Apple for the U2 edition of iPod, I don't see how I could view the above endorsement as unbiased.

I'd give some credits to Apple's effort in coming up with a simple method/interface to sell music online. (Well, they were not the first company that sell music online. And the way they restrict how the music sold could be played, i.e., DRM-ed and support iPod only, do deserve some blame) In any case, if they have indeed "saved" the music industry, the major record companies won't be crying and whining everyday about sales going downhill.

(Disclosure statement: I'm neither a U2 lover or hater. I do agree "New Years Day" and "With or Without You" are great songs but that's pretty much all I care about them.)

For those who think a name is just a name

The baseball team formerly known as Anaheim Angels have offically been renamed to Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Doesn't it sound too desperate for them to lure fans from LA?

Well, I have been wondering why the football teams who play in New Jersey name themselves New York Giants and New York Jets for a long time.

However, the most ridiculous name of all gotta be Golden State Warriors. Where the heck is Golden State anyway?

X'mas in Vegas

Madeline got her caricature "potrait" drawn there. Please check out my article in Chinese.

Don't forget to click the link at the end of the article for more pictures! (No need to signup Ofoto. Just click the purple "View Photos" button on the linked page)

Spreading the disease

Poisonous formula (milk powder)
fake egg,
dyed orange...

What's next biggest export from China?

It's SPAM!

I feel bad reading all these being a Chinese myself.

A costly miss by the censorship "sensors"?

Music fans know that Wal-Mart censors music it sells. It's not supposed to sell any music with explicit lyric. This is a practice heavily criticized by more open-minded music fans, including myself.

Well, apparently their "effort" is not enough: a couple bought Evanescence's latest CD from Wal-Mart for their daughter and was not happy to hear 'fuck' in the lyrics so they sue Wal-Mart 'coz Wal-Mart is supposed to censor such thing. See Wal-Mart Sued Over Evanescence CD Lyrics for more details.

So, what an irony! Wal-Mart's censorship practice backfired. If they don't do it in the first place, I guess they can't get sued.

(BTW, I never claim that my blog is free of foul language. So don't even think about suing me for that!)

A day to remember: no more IBM PC

(from eweek.com)

BTW, there has been numerous analysis on this deal, with most saying IBM is getting out of PC business because it's not profitable, but this is the most interesting one: The China Syndrome: If You Want to Understand IBM Selling Its PC Division, Just Look East

Who censors?

I gotta brag about writing about Google's biased (pro-Beijing) Chinese news website before major news agency reports that media watchdog Reporters Without Borders accused the U.S.-based company of being complicit by filtering its Chinese-language site.

Ironically, the Chinese government backed search engine Accoona doesn't seem to do much censoring. See Try this search

Good bye Wong Jim

The legendary Hong Kong lyricist James Wong (Wong Jim in Chinese) died from lung cancer today at 64.

Wong is arguably the most prolific and best known lyric writer for "modern" HK music. His collaboration with composer Koo Kar-Fai has produced many many classics in the 70's and 80's.

There's really no equivalent of Wong Jim in Western music. Lyricist is pretty much a HK music specific job as Western music has been dominated by singer-songwriters or bands.
I believe his best works will be remembered for many many years.

DualDisc DOA?

DualDisc gotta be considered as one of the most disastrous product launch. For those not familiar with this latest audio/video technology, DualDisc is a new media format that combines CD and DVD, i.e., including one of each on two sides of a disc.

It is being pushed by the four major record companies and was first released to retailers earlier this month. However, one of the first DualDiscs, the latest album from the all-girl band Donnas, was pulled due to production issues.

That would have been bad enough but it got worse! Major audio/video manufacturers, including Toshiba, Pioneer and Sony, have issued customer advisory that recommends against using DualDisc on their products! (See the one from Pioneer) Well, I guess the only players that are OK to play DualDisc are those $40 no-name-brand players from China.

I think the major record companies are too busy suing file downloaders. Making products that actually work is the least of their concerns.

Microsoft's patent application

Check this out: Microsoft is applying for patent for its invention of the ISNOT operator in BASIC

I think it is time for me to patent my invention of using more than 1 piece of kleenex to wipe my face.

Money talks

This is a follow-up to the KSJO article. I did more search on the topic and once again people are pointing to Clear Channel for ruining the good old KSJO.

For those not familiar with the background, the government deregulated the radio business several years ago, allowing big corporations like Clear Channel owning multiple stations in a market and across the country. That started a wave of consolidation in the radio business. Now only 2 conglomerates left: Clear Channel and Infinity. (BTW, Clear Channel is also in the business of selling concert tickets. They have been accused of using its influence in radio on pressuring acts)

Since then, a familiar pattern appears:
- Clear Channel bought a popular station.
- Fire some DJs, cancel some shows and replaced them with non-local syndicated shows (which are broadcasted to multiple channels over the country) to cut cost.
- Also, the station will be playing songs from a common playlist shared by other Clear Channel stations in the country.
- Local listeners lose interest due to lack of local focus. Rating plummets.
- Clear Channel changes the format to chase the current fastest growing market, which is Spanish.

Read more details: Inside Clear Channel [Rolling Stones] It also mentions the tie between Clear Channel and George W. Bush. Now you see why there are rumors about Clear Channel stations censoring liberal musicians.

So, the radio is one more thing that goes to the list of things ruined by too much emphasis on $ and bottom line by conglomerates.