YUP, it’s frickin’ Hulu all over again 
PluggedIn is an interesting site that offers thousands of high-def and broadcast-quality music videos on demand.
Will Smith, by the way, is one of the investors. Here’s an excerpt from the press statement:
IF you haven’t seen it yet, here’s a copy of “Don’t be too CNN,” the music video that’s criticizing Western media such as CNN for allegedly demonizing China and coming out with distorted reports on the unrest in Tibet.
And here’s a Reuters video report on the “Don’t be too CNN” video.
Now, I’m not the biggest fan of the Chinese government, though I find a lot to admire about China and its culture. Frankly, however, I can understand the frustration of some Chinese citizens over how Western media portrays their country. For all its claims of being objective, it’s hard not to think of media outlets such as CNN as being biased in presenting the Western viewpoint or version of events. Yup, I know there’s no such thing as complete objectivity, but Western media, intentionally or not, views everything through its own eyes and set of values, which it then tries to apply to the non-Western world.
This seeming bias has become even more pronounced in a post-9/11 world and the neverending “War on Terror,” almost as if it were unpatriotic for any mainstream media outlet in the US to criticize the American government or offer dissenting opinions on the war against terrorists. How many years did George W. Bush get a free ride from US media? Which prompted people to look for alternative news sources such as blogs and media outlets such as Al Jazeera. Whether you agree with what’s on Al Jazeera or not, it owes its success to the perception of people that they can find stories and viewpoints here that you probably weren’t going to see on CNN.
It’s almost taken for granted by Western media that the Chinese people are not free and are unhappy, and I suppose with the way the Internet is regulated in China, many foreigners just assume that the Chinese netizens who speak out against the Western media’s alleged distortions are brainwashed, coerced, or paid by the government. Because they just assume that’s the way it must be, yet who speaks for the Chinese, if not themselves? The reality is probably quite complicated — certainly more so than the West’s penchant for painting things in black and white and designating one Evil Empire after another.
“Quid est veritas?” Pilate once asked. “What is truth?” Now that question is being asked in cyberspace.
Then, as now, there are no easy answers.
I HAVE our editor in chief JV Rufino to thank for introducing me to the Zinio.com digital newsstand, and while I haven’t subscribed to a digital magazine yet, I really love this technology and hope to see more magazines making their digital editions available in this manner.
If you’re skeptical about digital magazines, try out the free samples. As of this writing, the free samples include an issue each of BusinessWeek, Men’s Health, Motor Trend, PC Magazine, Reader’s Digest, Shutterbug, Viv Magazine, and Women’s Health. You can read them online, or download the magazines and read them offline using the Zinio Reader.
Another great thing I discovered is that they’re currently offering free digital editions of over 100 classics, including Beowulf, Little Women, Don Quixote, Ulysses, The Trial, Les Miserables, Dracula, and War and Peace.
Check them out. Honestly, I would love to digitize all the books and magazines I currently have; imagine how much space we would save if digital editions become the norm. Of course, another great thing about going digital is that we have to sacrifice fewer trees
IS the YouTube clip for real? According to CNN, the military is investigating the video which shows a US Marine throwing a puppy off a cliff.
Here’s an excerpt from the CNN story.
It’s not clear where the video was shot, although the man who appears to throw the puppy and another Marine are in full combat gear with helmets.
YouTube.com had taken down the video by 12:30 p.m. ET Tuesday “due to terms of use violation,” according to a banner on the Web site.
“This is a shocking and deplorable video that is contrary to the high standards that we set for every Marine,” Marine Corps spokesman Maj. Chris Perrine said at a news conference Monday night.
“We will investigate this and take appropriate actions,” Perrine said.
He said the Marine is being kept safe in view of the anger over the alleged incident.
Here’s a copy of the clip I found.
And while we’re at it, other videos of alleged US soldiers torturing animals are on YouTube. Some of the people who have left comments claim these videos are fake and are part of the “cyber war” being waged by US enemies. I really don’t know. You be the judge.
MICROSOFT and Yahoo! have discussed a possible partnership before, but now Yahoo!’s woes and Microsoft’s unsolicited $44.6-billion bid to buy the Internet portal might mean this scenario is just that much closer to becoming a reality.
How do you feel about a Microsoft-Yahoo! (Microhoo?) merger? Do you think that would make Yahoo! cool again, and that it would finally make Microsoft cool?
Anyway, you can also check out INQUIRER.net reporter Erwin Oliva’s story, “Yahoo! board responds to Microsoft bid.”
