The Day The Saucers Came

One of my favourite modern poems - inspired by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Jouni Koponen. Imaginative allegory about keeping perspective on "the bigger picture;" how our own short-sighted fixations cause us to miss the amazing world beyond ourselves.

The only constant in life is change

It's been an eventful month to say the least. In the midst of all the global and personal changes, I find myself thinking back on Mahatma Gandhi's mantra for our idealistic grad school days: "Be the change you want to see in the world" and on the witty and suprisingly fun Avenue Q, which closed with "Everything in life is only for now."

This week, news of Obama's successful presidential bid in the US coincided with continued reorgs and layoffs, some closer to home than we'd like. Hopefully we can choose to embrace these opportunities for change, and make the most out of what could be rather than dwell on what was or is. Let's remember, "Nothing lasts, life goes on, full of surprises ... and we'll accept the things we cannot avoid -- for now!"


... And *not* be like this (ok, I couldn't resist a *tiny* political dig)

VP debate drinking game

Lo and behold, there IS a VP debate drinking game. Check it out! (Warnings: Not work safe. Heh.)

If Biden:
• refers to John McCain as "a friend" or someone he respects just before trashing him.
• tries in any way to justify the complete failure that is Amtrak.
• has to explain what his son did for a living after law school.
• says any of the following: "climate change," "biofuels," "green," "ethanol," "drilling," "Big Oil," or "Bridge to Nowhere."
• refers to Palin's recent interview with Katie Couric.
• exceeds his time limit.
• mentions the number of years of experience he has.
• makes any allusions to the pregnancy of Palin's daughter Bristol.
• displays righteous anger.
• suggests a title for Larry Flynt's Sarah Palin-themed adult film.

If Palin:
• invokes McCain's POW history
• mentions her husband or any of her children by name (make it a double if she says "Track in Iraq").
• says any of the following: "pitbull," "lipstick," "hockey mom," "Joe Six-Pack," "maverick," "barracuda," "glass ceiling," or "plagiarism."
• says "gosh," "gee," "golly," "darn," "heck" or any other homespun curse euphemism.
• evades answering a question.
• cries poverty.
• is actually carrying a firearm.
• cites Russia's proximity to Alaska or talks about her great love for the state of Israel in response to a question about foreign policy (been there, done that!).
• mentions by name any animal species native to her home state.
• is wearing a suit that costs more than her plane.

If either candidate:
• says any of the following: "change," "God," "hope," "Beltway," "insider," "lobbyist," "energy," or "Bush."
• says "Delaware" or "Alaska" in a funny accent to sound folksy.
• invokes the specter of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.
• actually curses.
• says "Wall Street" and "Main Street" in the same sentence.
• uses hyperbole to talk about the current financial crisis.
• says, "Let me finish."
• mispronounces the name of a world leader.
• milks the crowd for applause.
• mentions Tina Fey.

If Gwen Ifill, the moderator:
• betrays her mainstream-media bias (warning: may cause blindness).

Also: Vote! (if you can that is)

It's Friday. Give me a break.

Is China trying too hard?

After Malaysia's (continued) disappointing badminton losses tonight, I needed a diversion and came across this surprising reveal about the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony.

Evidently, the cute little girl Lin Miaoke was only miming the singing by the gifted but not-cute-enough little girl Yang Peiyi. The organisers felt that although "the seven-year-old Yang had the better voice," they opted to go with a mime by the prettier Lin because "the girl appearing on the picture must be flawless in terms of her facial expression and the great feeling she can give to people.... We must put our country's interest first." On a related note, tonight's win by the Chinese gymnasts also reminded me of the age controversy, where historical records indicated that some of the girls were actually underage, below the official minimum of 16 years, contrary to what was indicated in their passports.

After all the effort to host a spectacular Olympics and to cultivate a positive view of China, it's a shame that there's no distinction between city-wide clean ups, crash courses on foreign languages and manners, and employing superficial or even illegal tactics to project outward perfection and ensure success. But what message does this send to the Chinese public and especially its younger generation?! Yes, issues of pride, honor, image and legacy will always confront us - the greater the public scrutiny, the greater the pressure. Yet it's how we choose to face them that truly sets us apart and makes us great.

BTW, China isn't the only guilty party, and these are hardly the first cases of Olympic lip synching or truth-faking (drug scandals, anyone?), nor will it be the last. Even at the opening ceremony of the Turin 2006 Winter Games, Pavarotti mimed his own pre-recorded aria due to his poor health and cold weather. At least it was his own face and voice!

Any delusional bloggers out there? ;)

Do mobile phones cause cancer?

There are as many studies for as there are against the issue of whether mobile phones cause cancer (dare I say, like global warming?)

Mobile phones emit radio signals and electromagnetic fields that can penetrate the human brain, and some campaigners fear that this could seriously damage human health.

Eeek!
- Ronald Herberman, of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, said children should use mobiles in emergencies only and adults should try to keep the phone away from the head.
- UK Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme said there was a "hint" of a higher cancer risk in the long term and that its research would look into the effects over a 10-year period. Chairman Prof Lawrie Challis said "We can't rule out the possibility at this stage that cancer could appear in a few years' time."
- A study of 500 Israelis found this year that heavy mobile phone use might be linked to an increased risk of cancer of the salivary gland.

But....
- A US analysis by the University of Utah this year of thousands of brain tumour patients found no increased risk as a result of mobile use, but added that the effects from long-term use "awaits confirmation by future studies."
- Research reported in 2006 by the British arm of an international project called Interphone concluded that mobile phone use did not lead to a greater risk of brain tumour.
- Recent Danish and French studies found no increased risk of cancer.

Excerpts from here

Regardless which way you ring, here's two solutions I can think of - which don't involve discarding your mobile device. After all, we can't live without it, right?
1) Demand occupational hazard compensation for us industry peeps
2) Use that bluetooth headset!

Scifi fans in Singapore, rejoice!

NBC Universal's SCIFI channel is officially in Singapore! As of July 1, SCIFI is available on Starhub Channel 98 for a ~$5 monthly subscription. The premiere season features Heroes Unmasked (plus behind the scenes), Stargate: Atlantis and SG-1, Battlestar Galactica, Firefly, Star Trek: TNG, Quantum Leap, The Outer Limits, Xena, Medium, Sliders, Mutant X, Andromeda and Jericho, among others. Note: Starhub's "upsize" offer includes various other channels, e.g. AXN Beyond (which between the SCIFI network, covers most of the best cult scifi/fantasy/horror TV programs), BBC Entertainment, NBC's Universal, FOX CRIME, etc.

Source: This article and NBCU comments. More details here.

Dr Horrible's Sing-Along-Blog

Good things can come out of strikes!

If you're looking for a good laugh, don't miss this quirky 3-part online musical series about "a low-rent super-villain, the hero who keeps beating him up, and the cute girl from the laundromat he’s too shy to talk to." The talented brothers Joss, Zack and Jed Whedon and Jed's fiancee created and independently produced this during the WGA strike last year.

Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog stars Neil Patrick Harris (Doogie Howser, M.D.), Nathan Fillion (Firefly/Serenity) and Felicia Day. The series is streaming LIVE and FREE right now on Drhorrible.com till midnight Sunday July 20th (I assume that's US PST). Of course, money will be made through sales of downloads via iTunes, CDs, DVDs (with extras), comics and other tie-ins.

Read more here and here ... and here's the trailer:

What's missing from the iPhone 3G?

I admit I'm impressed by the direction Apple is taking with the iPhone and the mobile (internet) industry overall. One million units sold in the first three days of the July 11 launch also proves that hype works. For you aspiring iPhoners and smartphone enthusiasts (myself included), just make sure you know what you're getting - or not! - when the iPhone 3G comes your way. There's no question it looks and feels great, appeals to the "style conscious" among us, and wisely incorporates some earlier feedback with the 3G, AppStore, ActiveSync and MobileMe functions. However, here's what I feel is missing vs my "ideal wish list":

1. No (real) keyboard - touch or no touch, there's no tactile feeling and no horizontal (widescreen) view. Also, "touch" typing is not as easy as it looks!
2. Still the same old 2 megapixel, no flash camera, no autofocus - don't be fooled by the large (and non-VGA) screen!
3. No video calling or vidconferencing
4. No voice or video recognition and recording
5. No MMS and no SMS forwarding
6. No text editing between emails, messages, notes, websites, etc.
7. No removable battery (though you can replace with a fee)
8. Limited bluetooth - only works for calls via an Apple headset. No file transfers with other devices or stereo headsets possible
9. No instant messaging or chat via a built-in VoIP client
10. No Java or Flash support when browsing

So caveat emptor! Besides, you could always get a Nokia instead. ;)

iPhone 3G. I haven't eaten in days.

What's a little friendly rivalry, eh?



At least the iPhone activation and MobileMe problems appear to be addressed...

Does faith have space in science fiction?

As a person of faith who's also an unabashed science fiction and fantasy fan, my interest was piqued by this recent article on God Is My Co-Pilot which looks at how scifi addresses religious issues.

Despite a recent trend toward secularism, God is still front and center in the ages old debate between science and religion. There is a popular misconception that a great divide exists between science and religion. In fact, science-fiction has always tackled religious themes — many times, quite overtly. While the trend recently has seemed to tip slightly in favor of the secular persuasion, God is making a strong comeback... [Battlestar] Galactica’s trip down the path certainly isn’t new in either the realm of science-fiction or television, but given the current climate and trends toward secularism, I find it refreshing. It does represent somewhat of a radical departure from recent, overt attempts of the popular media to avoid religious issues, let alone religious controversy.

While the article's main pro-religious example is the reimagined BSG series, it makes two major omissions. In the scifi genre, Star Trek is a classic example of an intentionally secular series, where most - if any - religious references and beliefs were "alien" in nature, and humanity or science usually prevailed over any higher power. This was largely due to Gene Roddenberry's own atheism, and remained consistent, with few variations on the theme, throughout the various spin-offs. Conversely, Babylon 5 which was created and for the most part written by JM Straczynski (coincidentally another atheist, but raised Catholic), was remarkably open and pluralistic about religion, and far more "ambiguous" in addressing the science vs faith debate.

My own preference for faith in scifi is somewhat in between. I'm drawn to allegories - sans any heavy handed preaching - where spiritual elements are woven throughout the hero's (or heroes') journey of self discovery, often fraught with sacrifice, betrayal, love, war, doubt and eventually, belief. In a similar vein, writers such as Arthur C. Clarke, George Lucas and Eric Kripke have also cited Joseph Campbell's universal journey of the hero across multiple mythologies as key influences on their respective works. This is what attracts me to shows like Star Wars, Supernatural, BSG and to some extent, Stargate and Heroes; ancient mythology and more modern classics by CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien, Madeleine L'Engle, and Neil Gaiman's The Sandman, Piers Anthony's Adept and Stephen King's Gunslinger series.

If you're a Supernatural fan, read more here!.

When everything goes wrong, like if your whole life falls apart - then you've gone KABLUEY!

"Everyone has a black sheep in the family. This one is blue."

Kabluey is out! A fun, well received indie comedy by Scott Prendergast about a hapless brother helping his sister care for her two boys in Austin, TX (there's an inside joke here for those who know). Check it out if you live in New York City, Austin, San Francisco or Los Angeles ... or wait patiently ;). Happy 4th of July!

Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds

Amidst all the weddings, births and our recent 3rd anniversary, I am once again reminded of this Shakespeare sonnet which conveys so much (and so beautifully!) on the unconditional, long-suffering and forgiving nature of true love.

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

William Shakespeare, Sonnet 116

So long, Bill

Tongue in cheek tribute to Bill Gates.

Wired:


David Letterman's blue screen spoof:


Engadget's Day In The Life:

2008 SyFy Genre Awards

Here they are, the 2008 SyFy Genre Awards nominees! You'll be able to vote for your favorites once a day between June 25, 2008 and July 25, 2008 at www.SyFyPortal.com. All clips are owned by the companies and people who created them, and we only claim ownership on what we made.

The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination

JK Rowling gave the Harvard Commencement address this year on failure, imagination and life long friendships. Wish we had her at our commencement years ago! My favourite parts below.

On this wonderful day when we are gathered together to celebrate your academic success, I have decided to talk to you about the benefits of failure.... Simply because failure meant a stripping away of the inessential.... personal happiness lies in knowing that life is not a check-list of acquisition or achievement.

And as you stand on the threshold of what is sometimes called ‘real life’, I want to extol the crucial importance of imagination.... Imagination is not only the uniquely human capacity to envision that which is not, and therefore the fount of all invention and innovation. In its arguably most transformative and revelatory capacity, it is the power that enables us to empathise with humans whose experiences we have never shared.... Of course, this is a power, like my brand of fictional magic, that is morally neutral. One might use such an ability to manipulate, or control, just as much as to understand or sympathise. And many prefer not to exercise their imaginations at all. They choose to remain comfortably within the bounds of their own experience, never troubling to wonder how it would feel to have been born other than they are. They can refuse to hear screams or to peer inside cages; they can close their minds and hearts to any suffering that does not touch them personally; they can refuse to know.

If you choose to use your status and influence to raise your voice on behalf of those who have no voice; if you choose to identify not only with the powerful, but with the powerless; if you retain the ability to imagine yourself into the lives of those who do not have your advantages, then it will not only be your proud families who celebrate your existence, but thousands and millions of people whose reality you have helped transform for the better. We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better.

And tomorrow, I hope that even if you remember not a single word of mine, you remember those of Seneca, another of those old Romans I met when I fled down the Classics corridor, in retreat from career ladders, in search of ancient wisdom: As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters.

Recovering from Idol-atry

Goodness! What am I going to do on weeknights now that American Idol is over? The funny thing is, this was the first ever season of AI that I'd watched from start to end, as I thoroughly enjoyed the auditions, most of the final 12 and definitely both Davids.

I'm glad David Cook won as I felt he had the more mature presence and better overall package of musicianship, personality and intelligence (gotta love a guy who loves words!). His rock style was refreshingly innovative and contemporary, even if Archuleta had purer vocals. That said, no doubt both will go on to do very well.

Cook's unique arrangement of Lionel Richie's "Hello" got me hooked:


Here's a few moments I enjoyed in the finale (and that extended Love Guru promo was definitely NOT one of them).

The hillarious spoof of Gladys Knight and Her (New) Pips:


One Republic and Archuleta "Apologize":


Carly Smithson and Michael Johns, who both left way too early, duet on "The Letter" (Wayne Carson Thompson):


Cook reflects on "The World I Know" (Collective Soul):


Archuleta reminds us to "Imagine" (Beatles):


The final results and David Cook's first single as American Idol 2007 - "Time Of my Life" (Regie Hamm):

We are a city on a hill

This excerpt from John Winthrop's 1630 sermon "A Model of Christian Charity" was recently used during the inauguration of Harvard's 28th president, Drew Gilpin Faust. Based off a passage in the bible (Matthew 5:13-16), Winthrop suggests that God holds us accountable for our deeds, esp. when placed in positions of leadership.

For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken ... we shall be made a story and a by-word throughout the world. We shall open the mouths of enemies to speak evil of the ways of God.... We shall shame the faces of many of God's worthy servants, and cause their prayers to be turned into curses upon us till we be consumed out of the good land whither we are a-going.

I find this view still valid today, no matter our "status" - government leader, corporate CEO, relief worker, labourer, doctor, teacher, military man, homemaker, parent, student.... Each of us is called to be a faithful steward of what we have (or have been given), and this includes being an informed and compassionate global citizen. Consider "to whom much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more." (Luke 12:48).

Five reasons to watch P. Ramlee the Musical

5. Back by popular demand, it's only in Singapore till May 19 (tickets here) before moving to Kuala Lumpur from May 28 till June 15. The show sold out in both cities in its first season.

4. Experience a musical almost entirely in Malay, peppered with classic favourites like Getaran Jiwa and Jangan Tinggal Daku. No fear, for those language challenged, there are subtitles!

3. Support a local production to celebrate a local legend. I thought the female leads (especially Liza Hanim as Saloma, Atilia as Junaidah and Melissa Saila as Norizan) outshone Musly Ramlee who was debuting in place of Sean Ghazi from the original cast.

2. Go down memory lane from Penang to Singapore to KL in the 1940-70s, a time of independence, transformation and eventual separation for Singapore and Malaysia. Witness how this impacted the "people" through the eyes of P. Ramlee and his circle of loved ones, the Shaw brothers and Malay Film Production troupe.

1. Learn about a man who loved deeply and lived fully, as well as the context behind his art: He had three wives, was divorced twice, acted in 60 films (directing 37 of those), composed and performed over 250 original songs, and won multiple Asian Film Festival awards (best musical score, male actor, comedy film, most versatile talent) -- before his premature death at 45.

P. Ramlee's last song, Air Mata Di Kuala Lumpur (Tears in KL) is a poignant reflection of his life, sung here by his last wife, Saloma:

Celebrate Pangea Day

Pangea Day is a global event bringing the world together through film.

Why? In a world where people are often divided by borders, difference, and conflict, it's easy to lose sight of what we all have in common. Pangea Day seeks to overcome that – to help people see themselves in others – through the power of film.

Starting at 18:00 GMT on May 10, 2008, locations in Cairo, Kigali, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, and Rio de Janeiro will be linked for a live program of powerful films, live music, and visionary speakers. The entire program will be broadcast – in seven languages – to millions of people worldwide through the internet, television, and mobile phones.

The 24 short films to be featured have been selected from an international competition that generated more than 2,500 submissions from over one hundred countries. The films were chosen based on their ability to inspire, transform, and allow us see the world through another person's eyes.

The program will also include a number of exceptional speakers and musical performers. Queen Noor of Jordan, CNN's Christiane Amanpour, musician/activist Bob Geldof, and Iranian rock phenom Hypernova are among those taking part.

In 2006, filmmaker Jehane Noujaim won the TED Prize, an annual award granted at the Technology, Entertainment, Design Conference. She was granted $100,000, and more important, a wish to change the world. Her wish was to create a day in which the world came together through film. Pangea Day grew out of that wish.

Learn more about Pangea Day here.

A little conscience goes a long way

It's great to be proud of the company we keep:

Nokia today has donated 350,000 euros (~USD $510K)to the Finnish Red Cross to help victims of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar. There is an urgent need in the South East Asian country for housing, and the donation will allow for the provision of thousands of temporary shelters as well as a significant amount of tools and materials to help in the rebuilding of homes. The Red Cross says that in rural parts of the country up to 95 percent of all homes were destroyed.

“The devastation wrought by Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar has been truly shocking. We wanted to move as quickly as possible to help provide relief for those affected, so the Red Cross was a natural choice,” said Martin Sandelin, Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Involvement, Nokia.

Nokia press release, May 8, 2008

You and I can make a difference. With our support, local NGOs expect to contribute almost 4x the USD $200K committed by the Singapore government. A list of Singapore donation centers is available here.

Live rock lives forever

Saw "We Will Rock You" aka the Ben Elton and Queen musical today. Totally rocked! The cast vocals weren't perfect but the solid band, witty pop music and local references, and the overall nostalgia more than made up for it.

The musical just opened and runs through April at the Esplanade. Highly recommended for Queen and Freddie Mercury fans, lovers of rock'n'roll, and heck - even those merely familiar with We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions as sports chants or Who Wants to Live Forever as the Highlander theme song.

Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen's iconic song whose real meaning I'm *still* not too sure of (!):


I Want To Break Free - don't we all?!


Queen at Live Aid 1985 - Greatest Live Gig Ever. The ~20 min footage is available here, with Is This The World We Created? below:


Love Of My Life at Wembley '86


These Are The Days of Our Lives - Freddie's last video in 1991:


No One But You (Only The Good Die Young) - a fitting tribute:

Jom ubah!

Maybe it's the economy, ongoing discrimination, crime, corruption and inefficiency for the sake of 'equality.' Maybe Obama's charismatic drive for change in the US and the use of Web 2.0 to reach the next generation of voters has hit home in Malaysia as well. Maybe many 'new' voters (incl. graduates and oversees returnees like me) have realized that their votes do count. May the Malaysian government heed the voice of the people - and any winning opposition prove worthy of the people's trust!

I look forward to the winds of change in Penang... Let's also hope for the best and keep a close eye on events in Perak, Selangor, KL and Kedah (where opposition coalition parties have won and will be growing through their teething pains).

Interesting websites and links:
- Malaysiakini - news and views that matter
- Raja Petra's Malaysia Today
- Jeff Ooi's Screenshots and Jeff 4 Parliament
- Tony Pua's Philosophy Politics Economics
- Sudhir and Sumana aka Cenkudu Chumps
- Education in Malaysia
- Latest online news on Malaysia's 12th General Election in 2008
- Democractic Action Party main website

Well done, Singapore

So, Singapore will host the 1st Summer Youth Olympic Games!

With the upcoming Beijing Olympics and this inaugural win, I feel like I've regained some Asian "world sports" pride, especially after Malaysia's string of half-hearted and eventually, failed bids - 2006 Asian Games, 2008 Olympics and then not even making the shortlist for this. Whatever happened to Malaysia Boleh? Our "little red dot" neighbour down south is making waves, man.

Check back here as 2010 approaches - Singapore2010 Official Site

Clinton or Obama?

My personal support for women's college alumni and minorities in politics aside, I'd always perceived Obama as too young and inexperienced no matter how charismatic and likeable he is. Reading Roger Cohen's IHT Op Ed made me reconsider.

The fight between Obama and Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination is increasingly portrayed as one between romantics and realists.

But a realistic view of Obama would be that he is best placed to seize and shape a new world of such possibilities. He has the youth, the global background, the ability to move people, and the demonstrated talent for reaching across lines of division, even those colored black and white. He would, as Andrew Sullivan has written, "rebrand" America. Wieseltier dismisses such rebranding. But even the papacy was rebranded in our times, by a Pole, and Poles then precipitated the fall of the Soviet empire.

A romantic view of Clinton might be that she has the guts and savvy to free herself of her husband's coterie of the world's rich and famous, with its dubious deal-making from Kazakhstan to Colombia, and ensure that a White House with a president and ex-president in it projects U.S. renewal rather than the tawdrier sides of Clintonism.

Epiphanies

Ever had a moment where a "light bulb" goes on in your head? Or you sense that God's got a message, a divine appointment, just for you? Well, I've recently had some light shed on a few issues I'd been wrestling with. It's come through at the oddest times - through a book I read en route to Barcelona, an email from my alumni graduate fellowship that I'd been planning to respond to, conversations with family and old friends, and today's church service - as part of an ongoing series on 2 Corinthians - which ended with this video.

I'll spare the details here, but will share "Jesus, Take The Wheel" - a song made popular by Carrie Underwood (American Idol 2005) that has uplifted me and prompted some soul searching in turn:

We wantsss you, Yahoo

It's been a newsworthy past few weeks, with dramas in the stock market, Super Bowl and Super Tuesday face-offs, Motorola spin-off rumours to Microsoft's acquisition spree, among others.

For curious techies out there, check out Steve Ballmer's letter to Roy Bostock and Jerry Yang in which Microsoft makes the US ~$45 B unsolicited offer for Yahoo.

Microsoft doesn't kid around in its search for the precious.

In late 2006 and early 2007, we jointly explored a broad range of ways in which our two companies might work together. These discussions were based on a vision that the online businesses of Microsoft and Yahoo! should be aligned in some way to create a more effective competitor in the online marketplace. We discussed a number of alternatives ranging from commercial partnerships to a merger proposal, which you rejected. While a commercial partnership may have made sense at one time, Microsoft believes that the only alternative now is the combination of Microsoft and Yahoo! that we are proposing.

In February 2007, I received a letter from your Chairman indicating the view of the Yahoo! Board that "now is not the right time from the perspective of our shareholders to enter into discussions regarding an acquisition transaction." According to that letter, the principal reason for this view was the Yahoo! Board's confidence in the "potential upside" if management successfully executed on a reformulated strategy based on certain operational initiatives, such as Project Panama, and a significant organizational realignment. A year has gone by, and the competitive situation has not improved.

While online advertising growth continues, there are significant benefits of scale in advertising platform economics, in capital costs for search index build-out, and in research and development, making this a time of industry consolidation and convergence. Today, the market is increasingly dominated by one player who is consolidating its dominance through acquisition. Together, Microsoft and Yahoo! can offer a credible alternative for consumers, advertisers, and publishers.

Here's to the best rat I know

Lion dances, fireworks, last minute Chinatown shopping frenzies, spring cleaning and reunion dinners, can only mean one thing ... Happy Chinese New Year! The lunar 2008 ushers in the Year of the Rat - born leaders who have practicality and charisma on their side.

So 新年快乐 , 恭喜发财 and 年年有馀 to all, and especially to the best "rat" I know - my sis in New York. Miss you much!


Credit to the talented tardis80

Web 2.0 in 5 minutes

Looking for a cool illustration / timeline of the key changes in the mobile and internet sphere over the past decade. Any suggestions?

Meanwhile, here are some related "tech" ethnography vids:

The Machine is you/us (aka Web 2.0 in 5 minutes)


The information (r)evolution:

Bamboozled for 25 points (and $25K!)

Most Facebook users have enjoyed playing (or gotten addicted to!) Scrabulous -- the hit online word game. Launched in 2005 by two 20-something Indian brothers, Scrabulous shot to fame as a Facebook application in 2007. Sadly, all of this may come to an end as Hasbro and Mattel (who own the collective IP rights for Scrabble globally) have issued a cease-and-desist order.

Is Scrabulous in hot water because of its name and functional similarity to Scrabble? Has the game's popularity (~600,000 daily active users, generating $25,000 a month via advertising space revenues) detracted from rather than complemented Scrabble's potential sales? Would this have happened if Facebook adopted a different advertising strategy or if the brothers had stuck to their original name -- Bingobinge? Better put your bingos down now!

Read more at this Financial Times article