gambitch - now available in blue

Thursday, June 26, 2003

Taiwan's attempt to get itself off the SARS list hits a snag, thanks to a one-VCD "porn star" getting a fever while on holiday in Japan.

This is hilarious.

gambitch [ 10:27 PM]

Sony USA CEO on Reviving the Music Sector

Interesting. I don't know how most consumers would feel, though. I don't buy a lot of mainstream CDs anyway, but that's another issue.

And yes, music pirates have a hard time making money from me too, because I'm not a mainstream pop person. So, no Britney Spears compilations, thank you. I prefer my Sounds of Nature collection.

gambitch [ 10:18 PM]

Copied without permission from Reuters. This just in today.

China has obviously been very clever on this issue. By saying that it is Myanmar's domestic affair and not interfering, it is not really washing its hands clean off the issue, but stating indirectly that Taiwan, Tibet and Sinchiang are also China's domestic business, and just as it is not intending to interfere in Myanmar, so it does not want the rest of the world, specifically the US, to interfere. If China wanted to interfere in Myanmar, I would bet my last dollar it would do it without the slightest hesitation.

China says Suu Kyi detention is Myanmar's business

BEIJING, June 26 — China said on Thursday Myanmar's detention of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was its own business and Beijing opposed pressure from other countries against the ruling military junta.

''We feel that at a basic level this issue is a problem between the Myanmar government and opposition and it is an internal political issue,'' Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan told a news conference.

''We believe the people of Myanmar can thoroughly deal with this issue.''

Suu Kyi's detention since May 30 has drawn strong criticism around the world. Most recently, Japan has threatened to withhold new economic said to Myanmar.

Kong, however, said pressure and sanctions ''not only cannot solve problems, they can sometimes complicate problems.''

''In international relations, on the whole, in terms of principles, China is against the use of pressure,'' he said.

Nobel peace laureate Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won the country's last elections in 1990 by a landslide but has never been allowed to govern, treated instead to imprisonment, harassment and intimidation.

gambitch [ 10:06 PM]

Somebody mixed ginger in my apple!

gambitch [ 9:39 PM]

The moment I hand over to somebody else temporarily, he runs the show so differently I become uncomfortable. I must be a born-and-bred control freak.

If you happen to know me enough, you'll know what I'm referring to.

gambitch [ 9:36 PM]

Carlos Quieroz will be leaving Manchester United to take over the coaching job at Real Madrid. That makes him the third assistant to Alex who left to take over at the number one seat at some other club.

I wish him luck. Real is a horrid, horrid place to manage. If you can win La Liga and still be dismissed the day after, it can't be a good place.

gambitch [ 9:33 PM]

Tuesday, June 24, 2003

Copied without permission from the Jakarta Post. I just found this too funny.

Govt to screen all civil servants

National News - June 23, 2003

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government will administer a nationalism test to all civil servants throughout the country from July 1 through July 31 to ensure that all state employees are completely loyal to the unitary republic of Indonesia, the home affairs minister disclosed on Sunday.

The screening is initially planned for civil servants working in Aceh, where government troops are battling Free Aceh Movement (GAM) rebels.

"All civil servants are bound to their oath to remain loyal to the state and the law. Although they are not in Aceh, civil servants must have the integrity and commitment to the state and the nation," minister Hari Sabarno said after attending a plenary session of the Jakarta Council, marking the 476th anniversary of Jakarta, on Sunday.

The testing process will affect all 4.1 million civil servants throughout the country.

Hari emphasized that the screening would be different from similar practices conducted by the New Order regime, because the process would be renamed to "re-registration".

When asked how the government would be able to absolutely determine a civil servant's loyalty to the state, Hari retorted: "From their answers."

Hari, however, refused to go into detail about the "re-registration" process or exactly what sorts of things the civil servants would be made to do.

He only said that the State Personnel Agency (BKN) would soon distribute check lists to all regions, from which the commitment of the civil servants could be identified.

The minister, however, also refused to disclose what punishment the government would mete out if it found anybody with "questionable commitment" to the nation.

Meanwhile, BKN head Hardiyanto, who accompanied the minister, said that the registration process would be carried out to update data on civil servants in light of the implementation of regional autonomy in 2000, and the transfer of civil servants from the central government to regional administrations.

The plan comes on the heels of several arrests of politicians and government officials in Aceh.

The Aceh martial law administration has thus far arrested and detained more than ten officials and politicians as well as a businessman, for what was claimed to be support for GAM separatists.

Legislator Ahmad Farhan Hamid and rights activist Munir have questioned the necessity and rationale of the planned screening in Aceh and said that the policy only showed the government's inability to solve problems in Aceh.

Both Farhan and Munir feared the screening would only result in discrimination.

gambitch [ 2:39 PM]

Latest news - English football club Oldham Athletic may be forced to close soon due to lack of money to pay its players.

The club faces the threat of liquidation by Friday if it cannot find a buyer to take over the club. Current negotiations with an unnamed consortium have broken down as club owner Chris Moore cannot settle terms with the group.

Oldham Athletic, currently playing in Division Two in the Nationwide, was part of the Premiership as recently as 10 years ago. The club was at one time famous for its fully synthetic pitch (probably made of Astroturf), and was home to a number of successful players who subsequently became famous with other clubs.

Only a few days ago, I had mentioned the issue of English football needing salvation. Oldham Athletic may be the latest casualty that would highlight the need for urgent action for reform in England. Do we have to wait for another Fiorentina?

gambitch [ 1:12 AM]

Why I refuse to drink coffee

There are better things (and non-things) to be addicted to, thank you very much.

gambitch [ 1:04 AM]

Monday, June 23, 2003

I'm in a songwriting mood, except I don't have a manuscript book to compose on.

Speaking of music, I have a friend who sang at a sort of tea place downtown. Having somewhat lost contact with him, I'm not sure if he still sings there, or whether he has moved on to the big stage. Maybe I should look him up soon.

In other news, there will be a new cabaret-type show coming soon. Interested people can contact me. I would love to go, but going alone is a little boring. A group outing of some sort would be very pleasant.

Ironically, I used to dislike the idea of group outings. Too troublesome to organize, and there isn't always much to talk about.

gambitch [ 9:51 PM]

How do you deal with the feeling when there is so much you want to say to someone, but you:
(a) don't know how to say it;
(b) don't know how that other person would respond, or;
(c) don't think it may actually be the right thing to say?

gambitch [ 9:35 PM]

All I want is a nice, cheap long-sleeved checked shirt to drape on loosely when I want to walk into the wind. Is that too much to ask?

gambitch [ 5:53 PM]

Sunday, June 22, 2003

I didn't exactly have an idea what I want to write today, but really, who cares? A place-holder like this would do nicely.

gambitch [ 12:08 AM]