tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49676964056980547022024-03-13T20:29:31.180-07:00Food For Your Thoughts...Journalism. News. Sports. Fashion. Art. Film. Photography. Opinion.Oumar Mussahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137713924673374122noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967696405698054702.post-53146569142898819832010-11-21T11:42:00.000-08:002010-11-22T02:23:24.802-08:00Should I Wear Contact Lenses?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yHt1YvptWRY/TOl2lvQlmvI/AAAAAAAAADE/KL6gWs03ZR0/s1600/Contact-Lenses.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yHt1YvptWRY/TOl2lvQlmvI/AAAAAAAAADE/KL6gWs03ZR0/s320/Contact-Lenses.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542091207169383154" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >To wear contacts or to not wear contacts? </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >It is an age-old question that glasses wearers, who have grown tired of their eyewear, have asked themselves for various reasons: the frames lack the comfort, a notable lack of improvement with their vision, or they take a look at the mirror and thought they were less attractive with the pair of glasses that they recently acquired. On the other hand, many would prefer the traditional option of wearing glasses just to avoid the discomforting feeling of putting a small object on a delicate eye, but the irritation and daunting feeling when you put on your first lens is only a fleeting sensation.</span></span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >The decision to take up contact lenses straight away or as an alternative to wearing glasses is entirely dependant on personal preference and daily lifestyle. Convenient for a morning jog in the park or a night out partying with friends, wearing contact lenses would not just prove more advantageous for the active person, but for corrective purposes as well.</span></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Contact Lenses: What and Why?</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >A contact lens is either a cosmetic, therapeutic, or corrective lens designed to be placed on the eye's cornea, and are versatile in their various uses. Some lenses are used to reduce UV damage to the eye's natural lens, others are used to sharpen and improve vision, and there are even tinted lenses set to alter one's natural eye appearance for the creative to compliment hair colour and stylish outfits. Available in different varieties suitable for daily, weekly, or extended wear, contact lenses are classified in many ways to fit one's prescription based on the eye specialist's advice and guidance.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); font-size: 16px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yHt1YvptWRY/TOnaQeHkjJI/AAAAAAAAADU/In-fVB0jBhs/s320/1-Day-Acuvue-TruEye.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542200792953687186" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 124px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Currently, there are an estimated 3 million people in the United Kingdom who have taken the option of wearing contact lenses or have decided to discard their glasses to opt for the more lightweight option due to its versatility and numerous advantages. Aside from being cosmetically superior to traditional spectacles, contact lenses provide the wearer with a natural and more wider field of vision, worn on the surface of the eye's cornea so there is nothing to obstruct one's peripheral viewing as glasses or frames may do. Resistant to damp weather from moisture and perspiration, contacts are the preferred choice of eyewear for the active sportsman or woman as the lenses allow oxygen to penetrate, allowing comfort throughout an exhausting gym workout or a distance marathon in hot weather, and are easy to handle and care.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" >Therapeutically, contact lenses provide a better solution for eye disorders and corrects conditions such as keratoconus, presbyopia, and irregular optical astigmatism; a major factor in the increasing number of lens wearers in the UK.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" >Picking the Right Contacts</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Despite the ranges available, one has to take their eyes' needs into consideration when choosing according to brand, colour, and design. Consulting an ophthalmologist (an eye specialist) before purchasing a set of lenses is vital, as they will advise you on which contacts best suit your condition, comfort and budget.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >There are a wealth of options available for selection. Popular brands such as <a href="http://www.onespecs.co.uk/johnson-and-johnson-contact-lenses">Johnson & Johnson</a>, <a href="http://www.onespecs.co.uk/coopervision-contact-lenses">CooperVision</a> and <a href="http://www.onespecs.co.uk/cibavision-contact-lenses">CibaVision</a> are the leading distributors of prescription contact lenses in the UK, with each manufacturer offering a range of daily to extended wear solutions to soothe and correct the vision of the eyes.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Purchasing lenses can also be as easy as online shopping as contacts are also available through the Internet. Much like that new dress you purchased on that fantastic clothing website, you can select each product that specifically tailors to your needs by outlining your eye size and prescription type that best meets your standards. Much less difficult than putting on a contact lens for the first time, but beneficial all the same.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; "><span class="Apple-style-span" >For more information on contact lenses and availability, visit <a href="http://www.onespecs.co.uk/contact-lenses">OneSpecs' contact lens page</a> and take your pick.</span></span></div>Oumar Mussahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137713924673374122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967696405698054702.post-44908223125338875712010-01-29T13:55:00.000-08:002010-01-29T16:08:45.181-08:00Terry Exposed As Ruling Overturned By High Court<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1056/1485037160_d67e5c5ff0.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 345px; height: 500px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1056/1485037160_d67e5c5ff0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: lucida grande;">picture courtesy of: </span><a style="font-family: lucida grande;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13833985@N02/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/13833985@N02/</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: lucida grande;"></span>John Terry was today named as the sportsman who was behind a gagging injunction involving an alleged "affair" with another footballer's girlfriend.<br /><br /></div></div>Chelsea star Terry's legal representatives had originally applied and won a High Court injunction in a private hearing last Friday after learning that a Sunday tabloid, thought to have been the News of the World, had planned to publish a story regarding his private life.<br /><br />The controversial gagging order, also known in legal circles as a 'superinjunction', stops newspaper groups from revealing who had applied to prevent the story leaking, publication of details of the story, and any photographs related to the story.<br /><br />However, Mr Justice Tugendhat lifted the injunction, commenting that <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8488232.stm">"the information was in "wide circulation amongst those involved in the sport in question, including agents and others, and not just amongst those directly engaged in the sport"</a>.<br /><br />Unsurprisingly, the majority of Britain's media outlets and experts see this landmark case as a victory for free press, who feel that the issuing of court injunctions takes away the British public's right to know.<br /><br />In contrast, golfer <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/12/02/tiger.woods/index.html">Tiger Woods</a>' affairs have been extensively covered by American news and media outlets across the pond, with stories such as <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/tiger-woods-women-linked-alleged-affairs/story?id=9270076">these</a> given the freedom of publication by United States law. However, two weeks after the allegations were first made public, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/dec/11/tiger-woods-law-injunction-media">Woods won an injunction in the UK much like Terry's</a>, preventing the British media from publishing new details on his personal life, prompting fears that foreign litigants can soon take advantage of repressive British laws.<br /><br />In light of these recent revelations, Terry is now expected to suffer an enormous amount of backlash from supporters fearing that this latest scandal will wreck England's preparations for the World Cup, and national team manager Fabio Capello, who will face pressure to replace Terry as England's captain. And like Woods, Terry must also face the prospect of several sponsorship contracts being terminated in this latest blow to his <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1226103/Father-England-football-captain-John-Terry-filmed-dealing-cocaine.html">scandal</a>-<a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=631619&cc=5739">ridden</a> career.<br /><br />Justice Tugendhat's overturned decision is bound to cause a profound effect for the future of journalism and Britain's much-criticised privacy laws. John Terry's alleged infidelity is national headline news, such is his status in England, and this can only be good news for media circles across the country, as the principles of free press gained a vital victory.Oumar Mussahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137713924673374122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967696405698054702.post-89309467046083976582009-12-06T04:53:00.000-08:002009-12-06T05:34:12.178-08:00WINOL 30/11 - 04/12 Critical Reflection<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yHt1YvptWRY/Sxuqs1loH9I/AAAAAAAAAC0/h0sgzz0HYiw/s1600-h/Untitled.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 144px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yHt1YvptWRY/Sxuqs1loH9I/AAAAAAAAAC0/h0sgzz0HYiw/s320/Untitled.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412107064491646930" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.winol.co.uk/">www.winol.co.uk</a></div><br />Technical difficulties and complacency were the two key factors as after several weeks of ever-improving news bulletins, we took a step back with our latest live broadcast.<br /><br />Over the last five weeks, we as a news desk have seen ourselves grow accustomed to our various roles and despite several technical issues in the past, we had learned to work through the faulty equipment.<br /><br />However, our fortunes clearly took a turn for the worst this past Wednesday. Problems with sound, VTs, and the eternally-malfunctioning autocue were hindering our efforts, and although these problems were clearly out of our hands, it was still a pretty big step down for us and it is something we will look to improve on come our next bulletin.<br /><br />As the designated Production Assistant for this week (a role which I have grown used to for the past four weeks), my job was to time the VTs so that the bulletin runs smoothly, letting <a href="http://lmtownsend.blogspot.com/">Leanne</a> (who was directing this week) know how many seconds were left with each VT so that she can prompt everyone in the studio floor, and harass <a href="http://mattcliff.blogspot.com/">Matt</a> with printouts of the script and running order from time to time. As this was our first week implementing <a href="http://www.enps.com/">ENPS</a> (The Essential News Production System), it took a few minutes getting used to the new-look script and running order as Matt had used Microsoft Office applications Word and Excel to compile everything. Nonetheless, we are looking to get used to the new system and improve on Wednesday's mistakes.Oumar Mussahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137713924673374122noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967696405698054702.post-10945389933790444882009-11-16T02:07:00.000-08:002009-11-16T04:02:18.594-08:00Obama Criticises Censorship in China<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01523/Barack-Obama_1523538c.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 460px; height: 288px;" src="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01523/Barack-Obama_1523538c.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>US President Barack Obama has called for 'universal rights and freedom' in his latest visit to China.<br /><br />Speaking in front of an audience of 400 students at the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum and streamed live on the White House website, President Obama declared that freedom of expression, and worship, of access to information and political participation are "universal rights", saying that they "<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/6579611/Barack-Obama-criticises-censorship-in-meeting-with-Chinese-students.html">should be available to all people, including ethnic and religious minorities, whether they are in the United States, China or any nation</a>".<br /><br />Despite praising <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China">China's economic growth due to rapid industrialisation</a>, calling it "unparalleled" in today's society, and insisting that the US is not looking to constrict China's rise as a world power, Obama's latest comments are sure to rile his hosts as he is set to meet Chinese President Hu Jintao in Beijing tomorrow to discuss matters such as climate change and nuclear programmes in Iran and North Korea.<br /><br />In a country where media outlets and content on the internet are heavily censored, Obama's first visit to the People's Republic as President was a choreographed affair. The 400-strong student audience were carefully hand-picked by government officials, and two of the four students he called up on the platform were discovered to be members of the Communist Youth League, the university representatives of the party.<br /><br />When asked for his opinion on the internet censorship program that is currently blocking websites such as Twitter known as the 'Great Firewall of China', Obama was also careful not to directly attack the Chinese government, declaring that he was a "firm believer in openness" and that criticism created through freedom of expression has helped him with certain decisions and also made him a better president.<br /><br />Obama should know how much of a powerful tool the internet can be; after all, his 2008 Presidential campaign took advantage of YouTube and Twitter to gain support across the country. However, as he prepares to meet President Jintao for dinner in Beijing, his efforts to completely unify the United States and China have gained attention worldwide not because of the Presidential summit tomorrow, but for his indirect criticism of China's communist, authoritarian rule, something which has been under global scope for the best part of 20 years.Oumar Mussahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137713924673374122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967696405698054702.post-33607195890098243372009-10-24T05:17:00.000-07:002009-10-24T06:53:01.309-07:00An Early Christmas Gift for the BNP?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yHt1YvptWRY/SuL76GC7stI/AAAAAAAAABg/ah4g_egDNPg/s1600-h/_46595614_griffin_grab226.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 282px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yHt1YvptWRY/SuL76GC7stI/AAAAAAAAABg/ah4g_egDNPg/s320/_46595614_griffin_grab226.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396152279017173714" border="0" /></a>On Thursday, BBC's <span style="font-style: italic;">Question Time</span> went ahead with the controversial decision to appoint the leader of the British National Party, Nick Griffin, as one of their guests. A decision which was sure to divide national opinion, a record eight million viewers watched the panel and the audience mercilessly attack Griffin and his policies with hostile questions and answers.<span style="font-style: italic;"></span><br /><br />However, as <span style="font-style: italic;">Question Time</span> is traditionally known for their discussions on a variety of subjects and debates, the show was a platform for the audience to jeer and shout verbal abuse at the BNP supremo, who handled the constant hostility and questions about his actions with an evasive nature. For about 85% of the programme's broadcast, the focus (inevitably) was on attacking Griffin and his party, a factor which he doubtless had expected and in some respects, probably hoped for.<br /><br />Controversial and highly ignorant his beliefs may be, Griffin and the BNP are still a political party who should be given the airtime to express and state his policies just as much as the likes of the Labour and Conservative parties. <span style="font-style: italic;">Question Time</span> has made a name for offering their guests the chance to express their views on television and as a medium for objective debates on a variety of topics. Thursday's edition was essentially a vitriolic hotbed for constant antagonism (albeit understandably) at the man who controversially stated that "<a href="http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/55096,news-comment,news-politics,nick-griffin-churchill-would-have-been-a-bnp-member">if Winston Churchill was still alive, he would've been a member of the BNP</a>", and because of this, Griffin has the chance to play the victim and attack the BBC, saying that he faced <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8322322.stm">"a lynch mob" at the Beeb's headquarters and will lodge a complaint against the network about his treatment</a>.<br /><br />The aftermath of Griffin's appearance has sparked a rise in support for his far-right party, with a recent YouGov poll in the Daily Telegraph showing that 22% of the people questioned would consider voting for the BNP, and the party's claims that 3,000 people registered to join during and after the broadcast, <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8323638.stm">supporting critics' fears that the BBC have given the BNP the massive publicity it wants</a>.<br /><br />I had supported the Beeb's decision to give Nick Griffin the chance to appear on television because I, like most of the nation, had wanted to see how he would handle himself amidst a cauldron of disdain and contempt at his beliefs and policies. However, I fear that Griffin and his supporters' cause has been greatly aided, and David Dimbleby aside, the BBC could and <span style="font-weight: bold;">should</span> have handled the whole situation better.Oumar Mussahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137713924673374122noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967696405698054702.post-19750249587461293432009-10-19T09:09:00.000-07:002009-10-20T08:39:49.770-07:00Spike Jonze & Kanye West - 'We Were Once A Fairytale'<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yHt1YvptWRY/StyRRo1UBRI/AAAAAAAAABY/8WV_WrgXxEM/s1600-h/candids12_kanye.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 222px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_yHt1YvptWRY/StyRRo1UBRI/AAAAAAAAABY/8WV_WrgXxEM/s320/candids12_kanye.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394346185887843602" border="0" /></a>The highly anticipated project between Hollywood director Spike Jonze and rapper/diva Kanye West was released over the weekend.<br /><br />The ambitious 11-minute short film, entitled <span style="font-style: italic;">We Were Once A Fairytale</span>, is a beautifully-shot video with a plethora of dark themes, symbolism, and, in an eerie fashion, is <a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1621389/20090913/west_kanye.jhtml">a case of life imitating art for the Louis Vuitton Don</a>.<br /><br />Shot in January and premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival during the summer, this is the second collaboration between Jonze, whose big-budget adaptation of Maurice Sendak's children's book <span style="font-style: italic;">Where the Wild Things Are </span>premiered in American cinemas this weekend, and superstar rapper West. (Jonze directed the video for Kanye West's single 'Flashing Lights' in 2007)<br /><br />Watch the short film in its entirety <a href="http://vimeo.com/7130656"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">here</span></span></a>.Oumar Mussahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137713924673374122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967696405698054702.post-77536911582527882202009-10-19T08:20:00.000-07:002009-10-19T09:08:28.850-07:00Berlusconi Judge 'Secretly Filmed'<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yHt1YvptWRY/StyEKOwFoII/AAAAAAAAABQ/qO_aT9Bj8QY/s1600-h/silvio-berlusconi-picture-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 246px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yHt1YvptWRY/StyEKOwFoII/AAAAAAAAABQ/qO_aT9Bj8QY/s320/silvio-berlusconi-picture-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394331764976361602" border="0" /></a>In the latest in a long line of headline scandals, Silvio Berlusconi has come under heavy criticism from all sides after a television channel he owns secretly filmed a judge who has ruled against him in a bribery case.<br /><br />Canale 5, part of the Italian PM's television company Mediaset, unveiled footage of judge Raimondo Mesiano <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzk3UnsS1Zk">taking a walk, smoking a cigarette, and visiting a barber shop</a>.<br /><br />The footage, which aired on Italian television on Thursday, includes a voiceover ridiculing the judge, calling his behaviour "eccentric" and poking fun at his turquoise socks. The voiceover also points out to him smoking his "umpteenth" cigarette and that he "can only relax at the barber's", calling him "impatient".<br /><br />This comes after judge Mesiano's October 5 ruling to order Berlusconi's holding company, Fininvest, to pay €750m (£685m) to a rival company after finding Berlusconi "co-responsible" for bribing a judge who was in favour of a takeover deal.<br /><br />Naturally, lawyers and civil rights groups were incensed at judge Mesiano's invasion of privacy, calling the secret footage "<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8314110.stm">an unprecendented violation of privacy of a member of the judiciary</a>", akin to George Orwell's <span style="font-style: italic;">Nineteen Eighty-Four</span>, where the inhabitants were constantly under the watch of a Big Brother-like totalitarian government.<br /><br />The self-proclaimed "<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8300184.stm">world's most persecuted person</a>" has suffered a string of bad publicity in the last few months, after reports of him <a href="http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/53392,people,news,callgirls-were-paid-to-sleep-with-silvio-berlusconi-gianpaolo-tarantini">enjoying the services of call girls</a> and <a href="http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/48961,people,news,more-pictures-to-come-photographer-warns-berlusconi-italy-antonello-zappadu">paparazzi pictures of nude women at his villa in Sardinia</a>.Oumar Mussahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137713924673374122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967696405698054702.post-11987777303999563972009-10-13T03:55:00.000-07:002009-10-15T02:34:11.599-07:00'New' Michael Jackson Song Written in 1983<div>Released four months after his death, Michael Jackson's comeback single premiered worldwide yesterday at midnight on his <a href="http://www.michaeljackson.com/uk/node/326415">official website</a>.<br /></div><object id="flashObj" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0" width="486" height="412"><br />'This Is It', a mid-tempo ballad featuring The King of Pop's signature sounds and background vocals from his brothers, has receieved its fair share of praise (Chris Moyles described it as "old-school Jacko" on his show yesterday) and criticism, with one website calling it "<a href="http://blog.limewire.com/posts/28118-track-review-michael-jackson-this-is-it/">second-rate MJ pastiche</a>".<br /><br />Now, details have emerged that 'This Is It' was penned way back in 1983 by Canadian crooner Paul Anka, who co-wrote the song with Jackson originally titled 'I Never Heard', after <a href="http://www.tmz.com/2009/10/12/michael-jackson-paul-anka-this-is-it-john-branca-settlement?icid=sphere_tmzcom_inline">Anka had threatened legal action against the Jackson estate</a>, claiming that <a href="http://www.tmz.com/2009/10/12/paul-anka-i-get-half?icid=sphere_tmzcom_inline">MJ "stole" the original tapes from his studio back in the '80s</a>.<br /><br />After complaining about not having been credited, Jackson's estate moved quickly to acknowledge Anka's contribution and promised him 50% of the song's profits, <a href="http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=21b0ef70-1553-4391-86c7-f536f932db19">making for one of Hollywood's quickest-ever resolutions.</a><br /><br />Smooth lawyering me thinks. Or Paul Anka did the right thing and decided to make a quick buck or two.<br /><br />That was the cynic in me talking. As usual.<br /><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9/10172910001?isVid=1&publisherID=59121"><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF"><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=44134648001&playerID=10172910001&domain=embed&"><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com"><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9/10172910001?isVid=1&publisherID=59121" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashvars="videoId=44134648001&playerID=10172910001&domain=embed&" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" swliveconnect="true" allowscriptaccess="always" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash" width="486" height="412"></embed></object>Oumar Mussahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137713924673374122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967696405698054702.post-65773039709655695482009-10-13T03:07:00.000-07:002009-10-13T03:54:41.970-07:00The World's Youngest Headmaster - A Shining Example of Defeating PovertyThis made me smile yesterday.<br /><br />At just 16 years of age, Babar Ali is in charge of teaching hundreds of students in his family's backyard, helping to run classes for poor children from his village in India.<br /><br />Babar Ali, as you will gather by now, isn't your average teenager. Coming from Murshidabad, a small town in West Bengal, he starts his day early, helping his family with the household chores and, with the help of an auto rickshaw, then embarking on a six-mile journey to the Raj Govinda school as a student, eager to learn.<br /><br />When his day at the Raj Govinda school is over, Babar Ali then heads off back to his home and, at four o'clock every afternoon, summons the children from his village to his house, beginning classes and sharing what he had learnt earlier in his school to his poverty-stricken 'students', giving them something to look forward to even in the harshest of conditions.<br /><br />The school now has 800 students, all from poor families. And including Babar Ali, there are now 10 teachers at the school, who are also students at school or college, who give their time voluntarily, and funding from donations means that even books and food are free.<br /><br />Babar Ali's work has not been ignored in the community, having been recognised already in the authorities. His unofficial school has helped increase literacy rates in the area, and he has won multiple awards for his work.<br /><br />In an area where families cannot even afford to send their children to school, even when it is free (Babar Ali still has to pay for his uniform and transportation even though the Raj Govinda school is free), this is a remarkable tale of defeating poverty with the help of education. Many of the children who attend his school help their poor families with their chores and work throughout the day, not having the chance to recieve the proper education that we all can take for granted sometimes. Babar Ali's story is a brilliant example of change, and can help better the lives of hundreds of children who are hoping to achieve for the future.<br /><br />BBC News has a link with a video showing students from Plymouth quizzing Babar Ali about coping with being a teenage headmaster and his future prospects here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/8302225.stmOumar Mussahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137713924673374122noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4967696405698054702.post-36969405901917603552009-10-13T02:52:00.001-07:002009-10-13T03:06:14.920-07:00The 'Internet Match' - A Failed Experiment. For Now.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yHt1YvptWRY/StRN-5tU33I/AAAAAAAAABA/IFuAavZHKhU/s1600-h/article-1219705-06C6B3F0000005DC-428_468x304.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 208px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_yHt1YvptWRY/StRN-5tU33I/AAAAAAAAABA/IFuAavZHKhU/s320/article-1219705-06C6B3F0000005DC-428_468x304.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392020396907487090" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">In a world-first, Saturday's World Cup 2010 qualifier between Ukraine and England was the first football match to become available for viewing exclusively on the Internet. In an attempt to 'revolutionise' the way fans experience the beautiful game, the match was not shown live on any</span> UK television networks, giving the audience a chance to pay between £4.99 and £11.99 to watch Wayne Rooney and co. attempt to win in Dnipropetrovsk, and high hopes were placed on the latest advancement in live sports broadcasting to deliver.<br /><br />However, the live stream only served more problems than delivered to the fans. According to reports, the World Cup qualifier attracted only 250,000 subscribers nationwide, making for an estimated total viewing audience of 500,000. Complaints were made about the authenticity of the websites that were broadcasting the game (I typed 'Ukraine vs England October' on Google and several other sites claimed to have the real stream), slow streaming speeds and glitches, and visual quality was at a minimum. A lack of atmosphere was also a key factor; it is common knowledge that watching a stream on your 14'' screen laptop pales in comparison to a 40'' High-Definition TV screening an England match in your living room/local pub.<br /><br />Another incident which left fans across the country upset was the BBC's announcement after the match that they will be screening the highlights at the later time of 22:15, something that ITV exposed as a "<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-1219705/Charles-Sale-ITV-highlight-flaw-late-Beeb-deal.html#ixzz0ToBeE4TS">major ethical issue</a>", accusing the Beeb of misleading viewers who paid up to £12 for the internet coverage unaware a terrestrial highlights deal was already in place.<br /><br />In my view, online football streams will steadily improve as we make more advancements into technology. However, despite David Pleat's optimism for the future of sports broadcasting, enthusiastically claiming that in five years "<a href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2677632/David-Pleat-on-the-dawn-of-a-new-era.html">people will be able to sit on the beach and watch football on their mobiles</a>", nothing beats the traditional method of sitting back on your armchair, drink in one hand and a remote in the other, with a 40" television of the highest quality staring back at you.<br /><br />Tradition. You can't beat it. Especially with the beautiful game.<br /><div id="TixyyLink" style="border: medium none ; overflow: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><br /></div>Oumar Mussahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12137713924673374122noreply@blogger.com0