Bad day - 'nuff said

Superwoman

I'm needing some gal pep talk after this week. Count on Alicia Keys to bring out the real "S" factor in you!

Everywhere I'm turning
Nothing seems complete
I stand up and I'm searching
For the better part of me
I hang my head from sorrow
Slave to humanity
I wear it on my shoulders
Gotta find the strength in me

Cause I am a Superwoman
Yes I am
Yes she is
Still when I'm a mess
I still put on a vest
With an S on my chest
Oh yes
I'm a Superwoman

For all the mothers fighting
For better days to come
And all my women, all my women sitting here trying
To come home before the sun
And all my sisters
Coming together
Say yes I will
Yes I can

Cause I am a Superwoman
Yes I am
Yes she is
Still when I'm a mess
I still put on a vest
With an S on my chest
Oh yes
I'm a Superwoman

When I'm breaking down
And I can't be found
And I start to get weak
Cause no one knows
Me underneath these clothes
But I can fly
We can fly, Oooohh

Cause I am a Superwoman
Yes I am
Yes she is
Still when I'm a mess
I still put on a vest
With an S on my chest
Oh yes
I'm a Superwoman

Some days, I feel like doing this too ...

... but for very different reasons!

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.