Saturday, December 29, 2012
Thursday, December 27, 2012
The Documentary - Somewhere Between
By Matthew Hilburn
Since China enacted the one-child policy in the late 1970s, tens of thousands of Chinese children, mostly girls, have been adopted around the world. Since 1989, over 80,000 have been adopted in the United States alone.
Four of these adoptees are the subject of the new documentary, “Somewhere Between,” in which filmmaker Linda Goldstein Knowlton chronicles the lives of Chinese-American teenagers as they struggle to find themselves. Haley, one of the subjects, jokes at one point in the movie, “I’m a banana. I’m yellow on the outside and white on the inside.”
Knowlton says her interest in the topic stems from her own experience adopting a child from China, particularly after she and her husband joined a one-year reunion of families who had also adopted children from China at the same time as they did. “I really wanted to explore identity and how my daughter would develop her identity, growing up in a transracial family,” she said.
Adolescence was particularly intriguing to Knowlton because “there is a part of it where all you want to do is stand out. Then all you want to do is fit in.” “I thought it would be a very intriguing place to start, to talk, to see what it would be like to be adolescent in a transracial family,” she said. “Instead of going to talk to experts, parents and all that, I realized there were thousands and thousands of girls experiencing adolescence that were adopted from China.
So I thought I wanted to go talk to the experts, and have the film be from their point of view.” The film follows Haley, Jenna, Ann and Fang, all typical American teens except for having been born in China. Over three years of filming, the four meet with other adoptees, some go back to China to reconnect, deal with stereotypes, all in a universal quest to find their identity and a sense of belonging.
The four come from different backgrounds, representing urban and rural, diverse areas and homogenous ones. Jenna, for example, attends the prestigious Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire, while Haley is deeply Christian and home-schooled in Nashville, Tennessee. “I wanted each of these girls to represent in a way for this whole big group,” Knowlton said. “But there is no one way to feel about being adopted. No one way to feel about being born in China. There’s no one way about being a teenager.”
She added that there is a range of how much the subjects think about being adopted, how much they think about birth families, how much they struggle or don’t struggle with their identities and racial stereotypes. Both Haley and Fang, for example, nurture their connections with Chinese culture, each going back to China regularly. Fang, who has been back every year since she was adopted, has a more unusual experience, as she was adopted at the age of five, not as an infant. Knowlton accompanied her on one trip during the filming.
“To see things through her eyes and see how in her lifetime, China has changed and what she’s observed about it was fascinating,” Knowlton said. “Going back to Kunming, where she was from, and for her to say ‘oh wow, it is so built up.
This wasn’t old China. It isn’t the China that I remember.’” Haley helps keep connected to China through a charitable organization her family set up, which helps children who are still in orphanages by providing medicines and other supplies, Knowlton said. Yet Haley also has a uniquely American dream.
Hers is to be the first Chinese-American to perform in the Grand Ole Opry, a weekly country music stage event in Nashville. The filmmaker said exact numbers of orphans in China today are hard to come by, but she did say there are orphanages, better known as social welfare institutes, all across the country.
“They are not always talked about,” she said. "Some of them have got much more public attention because they are now where elderly people are living. They are like old age homes a little bit. They have also turned some of them into schools for some of the older kids that aren’t being adopted.” Despite the numbers, Knowlton said adoption is harder than it was just a few years ago.
“There is now a much longer wait,” she said. “For my husband and I, from the day we filled out our paperwork until the day we held our daughter in our arms, it was fourteen months. Now people waiting about four or five years for a healthy child.” Knowlton said there are two main factors driving this trend. First is the rise of the middle class, which means more people can afford the fines for having a second child. Second is that China is trying to promote in-country adoption.
“All countries would prefer to have their children to stay in their country,” she said. “I guess they’ve been working toward making that work.” “Somewhere Between” has garnered many positive reviews. “I’ve had Caucasian men come up to me after a screening and say ‘I’m not adopted, and my children aren’t, and I’m clearly not Asian or a girl, this film is my story,’” she said. “I’ve had a range of people say to me either the first or second generation immigrants say this is my story.”
At a recent screening in Kunming, China, Knowlton said one young man said afterward that he, too, felt “in between” because he comes from a rural area but had to go to the city for an education and to make money. “I wanted to make this film for a universal broad audience because we are all somewhere between at different points in our lives,” Knowlton said.
“The themes of family and belonging and identity, to me, are the most universal themes possible.” Jenna adds at one point in the film, “I don’t think I could consider myself fully Chinese or fully American. No matter where I am in my life, I’m always going to be sort of somewhere in between.”
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Thai Seafood Workers Cheated on their Wages
Daniel Schearf
December 24, 2012
SAMUTSAKHON, THAILAND — Thailand this month threatened to deport more than a million migrant workers, most from Burma, if they failed to become documented by December 14th. The deadline came and went without mass deportations, but the pressure underscored flaws in the documentation program, known as nationality verification, and the abuse of migrant labor.
Hnin Hnin Win has worked in Thailand since she was 15 and has been cheated three times by past employers.
They charged her altogether $1,000 for work permits she never received and then terminated her employment.
Since November she works for Talay Thai, Thailand's largest seafood distributor and, though conditions are much better, she is still waiting on her paperwork.
"Without legal documentation, I feel afraid and worried, because I have to run or hide when police come here, otherwise I will be arrested," she said.
In Samutsakhon province, about 200,000 Burma migrants form the workforce for Thailand's seafood processing industry.
Talay Thai manager Suwatanachai Visetcharoen says only 10 percent of his workers are undocumented.
But, he argues illegal workers should not be held to strict deadlines for becoming documented because the industry depends on migrant labor. "Burmese labor or foreign labor is very important to the Thai seafood industry because most Thai laborers will not do this kind of work," he said.
There are two-and-a-half million migrant workers in Thailand, most from Burma, undocumented, and easy to exploit as they are at risk of being deported.
Forewoman Myint Myint Win says seven of her workers lack permits and have to bribe police about $10 a month to avoid arrest.
"We still need to worry about the police. However, my boss has good connections with them. Usually, the police inform my boss about possible police checks in advance by phone. Then, he asks the illegal workers to move or hide to another place," she said.
To prevent abuse, Thailand started a nationality verification program to get foreign workers documented.
But labor activists complain of excessive charges by brokers and requirements for employer backing and workers first returning home.
Migrant Worker Rights Network President Aung Kyaw says they offer legal support but the system itself needs to change. “Migrant workers accept that Nationality Verification is good for them. However, both governments cannot control the exploitation happening in the system," he said.
Labor activists say Thailand needs to simplify its migrant worker policy and enact laws that better protect the workers the country depends on.
December 24, 2012
SAMUTSAKHON, THAILAND — Thailand this month threatened to deport more than a million migrant workers, most from Burma, if they failed to become documented by December 14th. The deadline came and went without mass deportations, but the pressure underscored flaws in the documentation program, known as nationality verification, and the abuse of migrant labor.
Hnin Hnin Win has worked in Thailand since she was 15 and has been cheated three times by past employers.
They charged her altogether $1,000 for work permits she never received and then terminated her employment.
Since November she works for Talay Thai, Thailand's largest seafood distributor and, though conditions are much better, she is still waiting on her paperwork.
"Without legal documentation, I feel afraid and worried, because I have to run or hide when police come here, otherwise I will be arrested," she said.
In Samutsakhon province, about 200,000 Burma migrants form the workforce for Thailand's seafood processing industry.
Talay Thai manager Suwatanachai Visetcharoen says only 10 percent of his workers are undocumented.
But, he argues illegal workers should not be held to strict deadlines for becoming documented because the industry depends on migrant labor. "Burmese labor or foreign labor is very important to the Thai seafood industry because most Thai laborers will not do this kind of work," he said.
There are two-and-a-half million migrant workers in Thailand, most from Burma, undocumented, and easy to exploit as they are at risk of being deported.
Forewoman Myint Myint Win says seven of her workers lack permits and have to bribe police about $10 a month to avoid arrest.
"We still need to worry about the police. However, my boss has good connections with them. Usually, the police inform my boss about possible police checks in advance by phone. Then, he asks the illegal workers to move or hide to another place," she said.
To prevent abuse, Thailand started a nationality verification program to get foreign workers documented.
But labor activists complain of excessive charges by brokers and requirements for employer backing and workers first returning home.
Migrant Worker Rights Network President Aung Kyaw says they offer legal support but the system itself needs to change. “Migrant workers accept that Nationality Verification is good for them. However, both governments cannot control the exploitation happening in the system," he said.
Labor activists say Thailand needs to simplify its migrant worker policy and enact laws that better protect the workers the country depends on.
Friday, December 21, 2012
Not So Fair: Internet Radio Fairness Act
December 21, 2012
Volume 1 Issue 3
> Not So Fair: Internet Radio Fairness Act
> Backstage with Melanie Fiona
> The SX Playlist
> It's Never Too Late!
> Service Providers: Tips & Reminders
> SoundExchange Around the World
> Satellite Radio Royalty Rates Increase
> News & Reviews
> Junior's Must Have Gear: Americana Strikes Back
> GRAMMY Magazine Launches
> SX Events Calendar
A Call to Action
In our last edition of Soundbyte, we reported on the "Internet Radio Fairness Act" (IRFA), introduced by Reps. Jason Chaffetz, R-UT, and Jared Polis, D-CO, and in the Senate by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-OR. The bill would be anything but fair to musicians, and could drastically cut internet radio royalties paid to recording artists and record labels.
Artists Sign Open Letter to Congress
In the November 24 edition of Billboard, SoundExchange sponsored a two page ad that served as an open letter from 125 artists in direct opposition to the Internet Radio Fairness Act. The artists include Common, Dead Kennedys, Missy Elliot, Vince Gill, Don Henley, Billy Joel, Maroon 5, Martha Reeves, David Sanborn, Michael W. Smith and Roger Waters amongst many others. A second ad featuring more than 130 artists also ran in Politico on November 28. View the ad and join these artists in the fight to support the long term value of music.
If you are an artist and would like to join the fight to preserve artists' rights and sign on to future ads, please email press@soundexchange.com.
Ask Congress to Oppose IRFA
The creators of music should not be deprived of the income they deserve.
You're encouraged to let your representatives in Washington know, and tell them not to support the "Internet Radio Fairness Act." Let them know that recording artists and copyright owners deserve more for their creative contributions to the digital music space, not less.
SoundExchange is also asking that you join the organization on Twitter. Tweet #opposeIRFA to help support the long-term value of music.
GRAMMY® award-winning R&B recording artist Melanie Fiona, was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. Her first album, "The Bridge," was released in 2009. That album featured her first breakout song, "It Kills Me," and earned her a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 where it entered the top 50 and peaked at number 43. The song also earned Fiona a GRAMMY award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Though Fiona did not come away with a trophy in 2009, she earned two GRAMMY Awards for Best Traditional R&B Performance and Best R&B Song (as the songwriter) for "Fool for You" performed with CeeLo Green in 2012.
There is a common saying that "music is the soundtrack of our lives." Since music is such a big part of the lives of those who work at SoundExchange, the organization is offering an opportunity to take a glimpse into the musical world of the SoundExchange staff. Check out the Finance Department's favorite artists' channels to stream on Internet radio.
SoundExchange is committed to moving the music industry forward. Part of that mission is ensuring that artists and labels receive the royalties they are due when their music is played in the digital space. In fact, it's never too late to register to receive royalties for your sound recordings. Even though SoundExchange is authorized by law to release royalties older than three years, artists and labels may continue to earn royalties into the future. If your creative work is being performed on a non-interactive digital source that reports to SoundExchange, the organization is collecting royalties for you. The bottom line is that SoundExchange is dedicated to its mission to support, protect and propel the music industry forward. The organization strives to collect your royalties as efficiently as possible and, ultimately, get individuals the money they have rightfully earned.
Digital music services often have questions about how to meet the requirements of the statutory license, and SoundExchange is happy to answer those questions anytime. If you're a service provider and you're not sure how to comply with the statutory license, please contact our Licensing & Enforcement department at 202.559.0555. Below are some common tips to help digital music services fulfill their responsibilities quickly and accurately.
Artists in today's market have a far broader reach to fans around the globe than ever before due to the explosive culture of digital streaming. If you are an artist or label, there is a chance your music is being streamed worldwide. And SoundExchange wants to ensure that as an artist or label, you are receiving your royalties even when your music is played around the world.
One of SoundExchange's member benefits is that the organization will collect your royalties when your music is played in other countries. SoundExchange has agreements with 27 organizations across the globe. Simply by signing up as a member of SoundExchange for free, the organization will take care of the behind the scenes work to get your royalties to you in a single check. Plain and simple.
For a full list of the agreements check here. And be sure the image below here to check out this infographic for a visual of the agreements we have around the world.
The Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) has increased the rates to be paid by SiriusXM for the contributions of recording artists and record labels to the success of its service. Specifically, the initial determination set the rates at 9 percent in the first year, rising to 11 percent in 2017. To learn more visit, the CRB website.
While SoundExchange supports the upward trend that this case demonstrates, the rates for the next term represent a below-market outcome. This is due in no small part to the CRB's application of a special rate standard that permits below market rates for SiriusXM. It is SoundExchange's belief that all radio services should pay a fair market rate for their use of sound recordings.
The organization will continue to fight for the value of music and protect the rights of creators.
John Fullbright: From the Ground Up
John Fullbright just might be the best thing to come out of central Oklahoma since Woodie Guthrie. Just shy of 25 years old, this singer songwriter recently debuted his first studio album, From The Ground Up this past May. The disc exemplifies an innate wisdom that is usually the result of trials and tribulations of love, loss, politics, and religion gathered over a lifetime.
Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap
Rapper Ice-T is considered one of the pioneers of the gangster rap scene. His directorial debut, the 2012 documentary "Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap," co-directed by Andy Baybutt, unveils the creative processes behind the innovators of the hip-hop industry. The documentary does not follow a strict timeline of the history of hip-hop. Instead, it encapsulates the stories and styles of legendary rappers, MCs, and producers, such as Chuck D, Grandmaster Caz, KRS-One, Mos Def, Common, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, MC Lyte, Nas, and Kanye West, in order to illustrate what goes on in the mind of a rapper.
Electric Banjo
Gold Tone EBM electric Banjo
With Mumford & Sons recent release, Babel (now GRAMMY® nominated for Best Album at the 55th Annual Awards in February), it seemed a good time to look into the unique composition that has been hitting our digital airwaves since the group's formation in London in 2007. After the English roots rockers dropped their hit single "Little Lion Man" in 2009, and became ubiquitous on American rock radio in 2010, audiences are now treated to an assortment of familiar, yet unusual sounds from instruments commonly associated with country, bluegrass, and folk music from Europe to the States.
Banjo
Eagle II 5-string
Speaking of banjos, Winston Marshall recently joined the Deering Banjos family of artists, picking up one of the notable manufacturer's newest offerings, the Eagle II 5-string.
Accordion
Roland FR-7x V accordion
Mumford & Sons's keyboardist Ben Lovett has made the accordion mainstream. He's been using the Roland FR-7x V accordion - "V" meaning virtual, as in digital.
Recently, the GRAMMY organization launched their brand new magazine. For more information on the launch, check out the write-up from the folks at the GRAMMY organization:
"Welcome to GRAMMY magazine, a regular publication aimed to entertain as well as inform Recording Academy® members and other music professionals about the activities of The Academy. The Recording Academy doesn't just produce the GRAMMY Awards, it is a year-round advocate on behalf of music people with charitable affiliates that promote music education and provide for the health and well-being of the music community. What we do probably impacts you. We hope you enjoy the current issue, now in a new reader-friendly format."
Volume 1 Issue 3
> Not So Fair: Internet Radio Fairness Act
> Backstage with Melanie Fiona
> The SX Playlist
> It's Never Too Late!
> Service Providers: Tips & Reminders
> SoundExchange Around the World
> Satellite Radio Royalty Rates Increase
> News & Reviews
> Junior's Must Have Gear: Americana Strikes Back
> GRAMMY Magazine Launches
> SX Events Calendar
A Call to Action
In our last edition of Soundbyte, we reported on the "Internet Radio Fairness Act" (IRFA), introduced by Reps. Jason Chaffetz, R-UT, and Jared Polis, D-CO, and in the Senate by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-OR. The bill would be anything but fair to musicians, and could drastically cut internet radio royalties paid to recording artists and record labels.
Artists Sign Open Letter to Congress
In the November 24 edition of Billboard, SoundExchange sponsored a two page ad that served as an open letter from 125 artists in direct opposition to the Internet Radio Fairness Act. The artists include Common, Dead Kennedys, Missy Elliot, Vince Gill, Don Henley, Billy Joel, Maroon 5, Martha Reeves, David Sanborn, Michael W. Smith and Roger Waters amongst many others. A second ad featuring more than 130 artists also ran in Politico on November 28. View the ad and join these artists in the fight to support the long term value of music.
If you are an artist and would like to join the fight to preserve artists' rights and sign on to future ads, please email press@soundexchange.com.
Ask Congress to Oppose IRFA
The creators of music should not be deprived of the income they deserve.
You're encouraged to let your representatives in Washington know, and tell them not to support the "Internet Radio Fairness Act." Let them know that recording artists and copyright owners deserve more for their creative contributions to the digital music space, not less.
SoundExchange is also asking that you join the organization on Twitter. Tweet #opposeIRFA to help support the long-term value of music.
GRAMMY® award-winning R&B recording artist Melanie Fiona, was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. Her first album, "The Bridge," was released in 2009. That album featured her first breakout song, "It Kills Me," and earned her a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 where it entered the top 50 and peaked at number 43. The song also earned Fiona a GRAMMY award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Though Fiona did not come away with a trophy in 2009, she earned two GRAMMY Awards for Best Traditional R&B Performance and Best R&B Song (as the songwriter) for "Fool for You" performed with CeeLo Green in 2012.
There is a common saying that "music is the soundtrack of our lives." Since music is such a big part of the lives of those who work at SoundExchange, the organization is offering an opportunity to take a glimpse into the musical world of the SoundExchange staff. Check out the Finance Department's favorite artists' channels to stream on Internet radio.
SoundExchange is committed to moving the music industry forward. Part of that mission is ensuring that artists and labels receive the royalties they are due when their music is played in the digital space. In fact, it's never too late to register to receive royalties for your sound recordings. Even though SoundExchange is authorized by law to release royalties older than three years, artists and labels may continue to earn royalties into the future. If your creative work is being performed on a non-interactive digital source that reports to SoundExchange, the organization is collecting royalties for you. The bottom line is that SoundExchange is dedicated to its mission to support, protect and propel the music industry forward. The organization strives to collect your royalties as efficiently as possible and, ultimately, get individuals the money they have rightfully earned.
Digital music services often have questions about how to meet the requirements of the statutory license, and SoundExchange is happy to answer those questions anytime. If you're a service provider and you're not sure how to comply with the statutory license, please contact our Licensing & Enforcement department at 202.559.0555. Below are some common tips to help digital music services fulfill their responsibilities quickly and accurately.
Artists in today's market have a far broader reach to fans around the globe than ever before due to the explosive culture of digital streaming. If you are an artist or label, there is a chance your music is being streamed worldwide. And SoundExchange wants to ensure that as an artist or label, you are receiving your royalties even when your music is played around the world.
One of SoundExchange's member benefits is that the organization will collect your royalties when your music is played in other countries. SoundExchange has agreements with 27 organizations across the globe. Simply by signing up as a member of SoundExchange for free, the organization will take care of the behind the scenes work to get your royalties to you in a single check. Plain and simple.
For a full list of the agreements check here. And be sure the image below here to check out this infographic for a visual of the agreements we have around the world.
The Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) has increased the rates to be paid by SiriusXM for the contributions of recording artists and record labels to the success of its service. Specifically, the initial determination set the rates at 9 percent in the first year, rising to 11 percent in 2017. To learn more visit, the CRB website.
While SoundExchange supports the upward trend that this case demonstrates, the rates for the next term represent a below-market outcome. This is due in no small part to the CRB's application of a special rate standard that permits below market rates for SiriusXM. It is SoundExchange's belief that all radio services should pay a fair market rate for their use of sound recordings.
The organization will continue to fight for the value of music and protect the rights of creators.
John Fullbright: From the Ground Up
John Fullbright just might be the best thing to come out of central Oklahoma since Woodie Guthrie. Just shy of 25 years old, this singer songwriter recently debuted his first studio album, From The Ground Up this past May. The disc exemplifies an innate wisdom that is usually the result of trials and tribulations of love, loss, politics, and religion gathered over a lifetime.
Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap
Rapper Ice-T is considered one of the pioneers of the gangster rap scene. His directorial debut, the 2012 documentary "Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap," co-directed by Andy Baybutt, unveils the creative processes behind the innovators of the hip-hop industry. The documentary does not follow a strict timeline of the history of hip-hop. Instead, it encapsulates the stories and styles of legendary rappers, MCs, and producers, such as Chuck D, Grandmaster Caz, KRS-One, Mos Def, Common, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, MC Lyte, Nas, and Kanye West, in order to illustrate what goes on in the mind of a rapper.
Electric Banjo
Gold Tone EBM electric Banjo
With Mumford & Sons recent release, Babel (now GRAMMY® nominated for Best Album at the 55th Annual Awards in February), it seemed a good time to look into the unique composition that has been hitting our digital airwaves since the group's formation in London in 2007. After the English roots rockers dropped their hit single "Little Lion Man" in 2009, and became ubiquitous on American rock radio in 2010, audiences are now treated to an assortment of familiar, yet unusual sounds from instruments commonly associated with country, bluegrass, and folk music from Europe to the States.
Banjo
Eagle II 5-string
Speaking of banjos, Winston Marshall recently joined the Deering Banjos family of artists, picking up one of the notable manufacturer's newest offerings, the Eagle II 5-string.
Accordion
Roland FR-7x V accordion
Mumford & Sons's keyboardist Ben Lovett has made the accordion mainstream. He's been using the Roland FR-7x V accordion - "V" meaning virtual, as in digital.
Recently, the GRAMMY organization launched their brand new magazine. For more information on the launch, check out the write-up from the folks at the GRAMMY organization:
"Welcome to GRAMMY magazine, a regular publication aimed to entertain as well as inform Recording Academy® members and other music professionals about the activities of The Academy. The Recording Academy doesn't just produce the GRAMMY Awards, it is a year-round advocate on behalf of music people with charitable affiliates that promote music education and provide for the health and well-being of the music community. What we do probably impacts you. We hope you enjoy the current issue, now in a new reader-friendly format."
Netflix Revives Old TV Shows by Direct Streaming
By Jeanine Poggi
Stock quotes in this article: NFLX
NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Netflix (NFLX_) could get into a new business: reviving cancelled television shows.
The movie rental giant officially announced it will bring back Arrested Development, bringing new hope to dozens of cancelled cult classics. Netflix struck an exclusive deal to stream new episodes of the comedy in 2013.
"For the first time in their histories, Twentieth Century Fox Television and Imagine Television will produce original first-run entertainment content for the world's leading internet subscription service, bringing back the acclaimed series to production on all new episodes five years after its cancellation," according to Netflix's press release.
These new episodes are expected to serve as a segue way into an Arrested Development feature film.
Netflix did not reveal which cast members -- Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, Portia de Rossi, Michael Cera and Jeffrey Tambor -- will return to the series. But Bateman Tweeted: "Netflix is gassing up the staircar! I don't think I've ever been happier to wear a pair of khakis."
Arrested Development originally aired on Fox, and while it didn't live up to ratings expectations, the series garnered a cult following during its three seasons.
Netflix is also rumored to resuscitate Comedy Central favorite Reno 911!, but there's been no update on plans moving forward.
>You Said It: TV Shows You Want Netflix To Bring Back
Netflix has been aggressively focused on acquiring television content, recently striking deals for new episodes of The Office and 30 Rock from NBC, and securing exclusive rights to the AMC series Walking Dead. The company is also developing an original series, House of Cards, staring Kevin Spacey.
Of course, it's not easy for Netflix to revive a cancelled show. There are more than several hurdles in securing the rights and talent necessary to recreate a cult classic. But if Netflix is successful with Arrested Development, reviving cancelled shows could be an excellent way for the company to woo back the subscribers it lost following its price hike and Qwikster flip-flop.
Given this, here's a look at cancelled, but beloved, shows that Netflix should consider giving a second chance.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Friday, November 30, 2012
Sasha Gradiva from Russia with music
Before the Grammy Awards, we had no idea who Sasha Gradiva was. But even though she made a weapons-grade PR effort with her Robocop-mated-with-Barbie couture, the Russian dance-pop singer failed to launch herself out of obscurity.
The "Gun Girl" as she was dubbed by the media after appearing at the Grammys with fire arm replicas is releasing her first US single WANTED, available now on iTunes.
Sasha Gradiva struck a worldwide chord when her artistic statement stole the show at the Grammys- and got her kicked out of the ceremony. On the heels of her shocking Grammy appearance, which recklessly disturbed the public peace Sasha Gradiva's message against violence made her the most "Wanted" celeb on the map.
The gun replicas on her arm were meant to show that art is more powerful than weapons and made such a worldwide shock that she was immediately featured on the front page of Yahoo. Media powerhouses were whipped into a frenzy: Among dozens of outlets around the world saying that the gun girl stole attention were US Weekly, the Hollywood Reporter, and RollingStone.com -- all of which named her one of the most show-stopping artist's appearances of the night.
Buzzing on both coasts with her edgy sound and electrifying performances Sasha Gradiva has already conquered the dance club scene and the hearts of the gay community. With hitmaker Tricky Stewart (the man behind Rhianna's "Umbrella") the gun girl Sasha Gradiva is aiming to take the mainstream by storm, releasing her debut U.S. album this year.
The most WANTED debut single in the US is on iTunes today! And to find out what all the buzz is about, be sure to check out her website, www.sashagradiva.com. For updates on all things Sasha, follow her on Twitter (@SashaGradiva) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/SashaGradiva).
PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1s3FA)
Pussy Riot Video Declared 'Extremist' in Russia
MEMPHIS TN (IFS)-- Old movies, world music videos from up and coming recording artists that you will never hear of, but who are giants in their countries. With so many old classic movies going into the public domain, I have managed to retrieve several for the SDC Television Channel. You can go here and take a few hours to enjoy a great black & white film: http://ustream.tv/channel/sdctelevision .
I managed to survive until my 64th birthday this pass November 13th. It's really satisfying to know that I'm not getting old by myself and there are many of you getting old with me. I'm grateful for that, even for the fans of Stephen Colbert for being a follower of mine at twitter, wow!
A Russian judge has banned the video of Pussy Riot's from the internet. I don't know how to take that. Should I obey that judge's order? NOT. This judge has no jurdication anywhere here in the United States of America. When I find the groups video, I'm going to blast it everywhere on my little portal of the broadcasting planet. The below video should be labeled "Removed by the Russian Government by force." Why do we like Pussy Riot? First they are great press and second, their music is not that good, but for the love of freedom of music, they are an icon of the music business. When they get into the recording studio, and make a "real" recording that is commercial enough for the rest of us, they will be big. Really big. Not to say that they are not really big right now and growing everyday in worldwide popularity. They have caused a small ripple in the Russian translations software by the western nations with greater interest in the langauge of the Russian people, and have caused a minor influx of travel interest into the country. The Russian government should be thankful, that three very lovely ladies of music has created such an economic rift in the Russian music industry. - KHS
Book Burning Goes Digital: Pussy Riot Video Declared 'Extremist' in Russia
By
Why a Moscow court is ordering web access to the footage be limited
Members Pussy Riot stage a performance to support detained opposition activists on a roof near the detention centre in Moscow. (Denis Sinyakov/Reuters)
MOSCOW -- A court in Moscow has designated four videos made by the feminist punk protest group Pussy Riot as extremist. The Zamoskvorechye District Court in the Russian capital ruled that access to all websites hosting the videos must be limited. According to the court's decision, websites that do not remove the Pussy Riot videos will face administrative penalties, including fines up to 100,000 rubles ($3,000).
At least one video shows a performance in February at Moscow's main Russian Orthodox cathedral that protested President Vladimir Putin's rule. It led to the arrest of three members of the group. Two of them -- Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova -- are now serving two-year prison sentences for "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred." A third member, Yekaterina Samutsevich, was freed last month after a court suspended her sentence on appeal. "Just as in old times, we burned books. Now we are deleting video clips which have undoubted historic significance."
Samutsevich told journalists that she will appeal the court's action. "Of course, I have negative emotions because for me this is a clear sign of censorship of art and the culture of protest, which is very important for any country, especially Russia," she said. "And it is appalling that they are now going to block, as I understand, almost all of Pussy Riot's video clips and photographs."
A spokeswoman for Moscow's Zamoskvorechye District Court, Yevgenia Pazukhina, told journalists that Samutsevich has no right to appeal the court's decision because she did not take part in the hearing. Pazukhina added that the court's decision will come into force in one month unless it is appealed.
Earlier this week, the court rejected Samutsevich's request to legally take part in the hearing.
Oleg Kozyrev, a Moscow-based opposition blogger and media analyst, said that the Pussy Riot videos will likely become harder to find online in Russia. "The power structures will try to ensure that these video clips do not appear on at least the main blog platforms and social networks," Kozyrev said. "In all probability, if they find the clips displayed they will appeal to the owners of the social network. And to be honest, I think that in all probability these social networks will not refuse. The majority of them will meet them in the middle and will close the pages displaying these clips."
Kozyrev says the court's action does not negate the importance of the Pussy Riot videos. "Whatever you think about these videos, they have become a part of the history of this country," Kozyrev said. "Just as in old times, we burned books. Now we are deleting video clips which have undoubted historic significance." Vsevolod Chaplin, a spokesman for the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow, welcomed the court's decision, saying the Pussy Riot's videos offended the feelings of all Orthodox Christians.
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/11/book-burning-goes-digital-pussy-riot-video-declared-extremist-in-russia/265730/
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Copyright © 2012 by The Atlantic Monthly Group. All Rights Reserved.
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Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Russian punk rocker freed on appeal; two others remain in prison
Russian punk rocker freed on appeal; two others remain in prison
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Pussy Riot member Yekaterina Samutsevich leaves the Moscow City Court on Oct 10, 2012. The court replaced Yekaterina Samutsevich’s jail term for a suspended sentence.
By Will Englund, Wednesday, October 10, 9:07 AM
MOSCOW — One of the members of a feminist punk group convicted of hooliganism, for storming into a cathedral and singing a protest song, unexpectedly won her freedom on appeal Wednesday.
Two other members of the band, called Pussy Riot, had their sentences upheld, and must serve two years in a prison camp.
Their case has won worldwide notoriety, with calls for their release from rock stars and political figures. Their target was President Vladimir Putin, who said last week that he thought their sentences were just. They continued to criticize him in court at Wednesday’s hearing.
Their case has won worldwide notoriety, with calls for their release from rock stars and political figures. Their target was President Vladimir Putin, who said last week that he thought their sentences were just. They continued to criticize him in court at Wednesday’s hearing.
The members of the band went to the altar of Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral on Feb. 21, wearing balaclava ski masks, and sang a song against Putin. At their trial last summer, they were accused of inciting religious hatred.
The case has been portrayed as evidence of a crackdown by Putin on the more spirited members of the opposition that began taking to the streets in open protest in December 2011. Other activists also face a variety of criminal charges that could carry severe penalties.
At the same time, parliament has passed bills that significantly increase the prison terms for organizing illegal protests and that have made it much more difficult for civil society organizations to operate here. New bills would greatly expand the definition of treason and make it easier to imprison people on charges of inciting religious hatred.
The released woman, Yekaterina Samutsevich, had replaced her lawyers before a previously scheduled hearing. Her supporters were quick to point out Wednesday that the attorneys who originally represented her — Violetta Volkova, Nikolai Polozov and Mark Feigin — are particularly disliked by Putin. Samutsevich’s father suggested that she was being rewarded for making the change; other allies saw an effort by the Kremlin to drive a wedge among members of the group and among other activists as well.
Band members Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina, both of whom have small children, kept the original defense team and now must serve their sentences.
The court decision releasing Samutsevich pointed out that she had not had time to join the others at the altar before security guards hustled them all out of the cathedral, and she therefore deserved less blame.
At Wednesday’s hearing, all three women argued that their protest was strictly political and not motivated by religious hatred.
“It is as clear as noon that our performance at the Christ the Savior Cathedral was political rather than anti-religious. I have no religious hatred, and none of us had it in our performance,” Tolokonnikova said. She said she felt repentance but not remorse.
“Repentance as a personal act is acceptable to us, but remorse is not, because this would mean that we acknowledge our guilt. It is impossible to feel remorse for something you did not do,” she said.
She apologized for hurting believers’ feelings.
“If we unintentionally offended any believers with our actions, we express our apologies,” said Samutsevich.
The women were careful to mention the hierarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church as one of their political targets, as opposed to those who worship within the church.
The church is closely aligned with the Kremlin, and it pushed hard for the prosecution of the punk rockers. More broadly, it has been arguing that it is a victim of strident secular hostility. In the wake of the Pussy Riot convictions, some activists have been sawing down wooden crosses in cities throughout Russia.
Amnesty International said Wednesday that all three members should be released. “The persecution of Pussy Riot has become a global symbol of President Putin’s shameless intolerance for criticism and determined crackdown on freedom of expression and association,” Suzanne Nossel, executive director of Amnesty International USA, said in a statement released by her office.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
"Magic" Marker Unlocks Electronic Card Hotel Doors
'Magic' Marker Unlocks Hotel Doors
by Ben Weitzenkorn, Staff Writer, Security, TechNewsDaily
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| CREDIT: Sixninepixels/Shutterstock.com |
In a turn of innovation fit for a spy novel, a hack that unlocks some 4 million hotel-room doors has gone undercover, hiding inside a dry-erase marker.
Ethical hackers at security firm Trustwave's penetration testing arm, SpiderLabs, said they'd improved
on the proof-of-concept that Cody Brocious demonstrated this summer, whereby a cheap homemade device can trip certain Onity keycard lockssimply by being inserted into a data port on the bottom of the casing and turned on.
on the proof-of-concept that Cody Brocious demonstrated this summer, whereby a cheap homemade device can trip certain Onity keycard lockssimply by being inserted into a data port on the bottom of the casing and turned on.
On the SpiderLabs blog, Matthew Jakubowski laid out a parts list, diagram and photos to show readers how he was able to fit Brocious' design into the inconspicuous, everyday marker. He had originally hoped to get it into a smaller chassis, like a ballpoint pen, but limited resources meant he would have to upsize.
"We wanted to show that this sort of attack can happen with a very small, concealable device," Jakubowski told Forbes, who hopes the pen trick will be a wake-up call to hotels and their guests alike.
The 24-year old Brocious originally demonstrated the trick at the Black Hat hacker's conference in Las Vegasthat the lock manufacturer originally rolled its eyes at, calling the hack "unreliable and complex to implement."
Since then, though, Onity, whose locks are the last defense for millions of hotel guests around the world, has acknowledged the seriousness of the problem and made an updated chip that Onity customers can purchase and install in the affected locks. This approach, however, has come under fire from those who think Onity should eat the cost of its mistake instead of shifting any burden onto the hotels that use their locks.
"If such a case were to happen to a car," Brocious wrote on his blog, "customers would likely expect a complete recall at the expense of the manufacturer."
of the manufacturer."
Brocious' original proof, which inspired many copycats, was a clunky, conspicuous device that would have drawn the suspicions of anyone wandering down a hotel hall. But now that it can be fit into something as benign as a marker, the quick hack could be performed with discreet ease.
SpiderLabs' researchers demonstrated how their magic door-unlocking marker works in the video below.
Stacey Dash Takes Heat on Romney endorsement
Oct 9, 2012 3:11am
‘Clueless’ Star Stacey Dash Takes Heat on Twitter for Endorsing Mitt Romney
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Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
“Clueless” star Stacey Dash has come under attack on Twitter after publicly endorsing Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
“Vote for Romney. The only choice for your future,” Dash tweeted on Sunday accompanied by a picture of her in a patriotic bathing suit.
“You’re an unemployed black woman endorsing @MittRomney. You’re voting against yourself thrice. You poor beautiful idiot,” one user tweeted.
After the negative backlash, Dash stood by her comment, tweeting, “My humble opinion… EVERYONE is entitled to one.”
Women’s rights activists Sandra Fluke, who spoke at the Democratic National Convention, tweeted her support for Dash on Monday.
“So disappointed to see people attacking @REALStaceyDash for voicing her opinion. Disagree politically, but #racist attacks are unacceptable.”
Earlier this week, “Good Morning America” caught up with Dash and the rest of the “Clueless” cast while they were reuniting for a photo shoot forEntertainment Weekly magazine’s Reunions Issue.
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