A German designer has debuted a digitally-enabled burqa that can broadcast a photo of the wearer to nearby mobile phones. Markus Kison calls it the "CharmingBurka," and says it isn't forbidden by Islamic law.Ha ha, ha! Oh, what did I laugh. And immediately I intended to share my laughter with you.
Kison's broadcast technology started as a marketing tool; the so-called "Bluebot" system is meant to send digital advertisements to passing phones.Ah yes. So what can we learn from this both clever and cynic advertising stunt?
“As a result of new corporate policy, di-ve.com will not, for the foreseeable future, cover political activities and statements as part of its day-to-day operations.”Nothing wrong with it, so far. They could also have announced that in order to increase their readership from now on to change from English to a rarely spoken Hindu dialect. That's freedom of enterprise.
"a craven act of self-censorship at a critical time when the public needs reliable political coverage to be able to make informed decisions on the elections. Cutting political news is a shocking violation of responsibility."Are these indeed the words of the EFJ General Secretary? Or have these lines been written by someone who recently jubilated, 'In November I'd not know how to write shornalist, and only three month later I happen to be one!'?
A democratic Malta must realise the media scenario is changing and evolving, even with the general aspirations of the rest of the country which are increasing. Readers and our audiences are ever more demanding for more news and better quality, and they are giving every indication of a society that is maturing and expecting more. Our society is becoming ever more discerning when it comes to the media, and yet the exigencies such a role brings for the media is not being properly recognised by the parties and institutions.There are quite a few questions one could ask.
“We hope you realise your company’s decision is a disservice to your own customers, to the Maltese public in general and to political parties that need journalists to disseminate and analyse their programmes before our country is called to vote.”Oh dear. Does the public need journalists 'to disseminate and analyse the programmes of political parties' who'd write such sentences on their own behalf? Do political parties need them? Journalist's who seem not even able to investigate on their own behalf?
“As a result of new corporate policy, we will cancel our ads for the foreseeable future, in which di-ve.com does not cover political activities and statements as part of its day-to-day operations.”
Nachtgedanken / Night Thoughts
Denk ich an Deutschland in der Nacht,Dann bin ich um den Schlaf gebracht.
Ich kann nicht mehr die Augen schließen,
Und meine heißen Tränen fließen.
Thinking of Germany at night
Just puts all thought of sleep to flight;
No longer I can close an eye,
Tears gather and I start to cry.
Object Type:
SA(s)bc
(HII: Sy2.5)
Constellation
Canes Venatici
RA/Dec:
13h 29m 52.7s
+47° 11' 42.62''
Distance:
23 kly
Apparent Dimension:
11.2' x 6.9'
Visual Brightness (V):
8.1 mag
Date:
16.02.2008
01:50 bis 03:15
Equipment:
Cass. 50cm f/10
SBIG STL-6303E
Detail screens:
L: 4 x 300sec
R: 4 x 300sec
G: 4 x 300sec
B: 4 x 300sec
(Binning: 1x1)
Temperature:
CCD-Chip: -25°C
Draußen: -3°C
Software:
CCD-Soft
ESO-MIDAS
IRAF
MaxIM DL
Observers voiced disappointment with the conduct of the trial of 19 persons for the January 2007 murder of Armenian-Turkish newspaper editor Hrant Dink after a third hearing was held yesterday [February 11th] in the Istanbul suburb of Besikta. The press is not being allowed to attend the trial. Full article at Reporters without Borders.I am not even surprised that while millions would demonstrate either for or against a headscarve ban, 500 people demonstrated in a square to demand justice.
He will warn that the rise of China means that the world can no longer take "the forward march of democracy for granted", and that Britain must unambiguously be on the side of what he describes as "civilian surges" for democracy. Continued here.
Interesting that the Milliband would mention China, but not Zimbabwe, isn't it?
Well, having received my Valentine's Day present by reading the world's most intelligent and peace-loving leader saying '"Prosperity and peace are in the balance", I shall neither write this man suffers from stupidity and megalomania nor comment his words, but leave this to Archbishop Cranmer, in whose piece you will find following nice anecdote, which I shall soon - in a other context - find the opportunity to recall:
'When Sir Charles James Napier [in the India of the early 19th century] was confronted with Hindu demands for a lifting of the ban on suttee. And the general famously replied: ‘You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: when men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows. You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours.’And now's your turn, His Grace.
