Obama family: Behind the scenes
Nov 9, 2008 Sounds Like Pop
Ever since I jumped for joy celebrating Barack Obama’s win at the US Presidential Elections last week, I meant to jot down my thoughts on here. Work, and other commitments, as always, stood in the way. I also wanted to share some pictures of the Obama campaign’s promo material that my good friend, Kee Thai, so painstakingly stole got.
Today, as I started thinking about what else I wanted to write here, I realised that there is little that hasn’t been said. And besides, Mr. President-elect has already moved on and started working and I thought - it’s it time I moved on too?
Still, I can’t help but want to share this article with you, taken from the CNN 360 blog kinda of summing up what the week’s been like. In a way (different of course, considering I am not American, and neither do I live there), it pretty much speaks my thoughts. The headline, What a long, strange week it’s been, says everything.
This morning I found myself thinking back to the events that transpired on Tuesday, and nostalgically waxing about that historic day three years…wait a second…that was three DAYS ago. Tuesday itself could have been a lifetime. My mind is still stuck in overdrive frantically trying to sort and compute retrograded incoming data like those coin machines in which you can dump a mass amount of change and after a period of clanking a dollar amount mysteriously appears.
Having shared that link, I don’t think I have much left to say. I did want to share some pictures - none belonging to me, mind you - from Barack Obama’s official Flickr page. The pictures were taken by Obama’s official campaign photographer David Katz (including the one right at the top of this blog post). Amazing how relaxed Obama and the family look while waiting for the results to be announced. Confidence?
These are a few of my favourites (more here).
12.25pm Malaysian time (+8 GMT)
Tags: Barack Obama, Elections, Joe Biden, photographs, politics, President-elect
Obama vs McCain = Mac vs PC
Oct 25, 2008 Sounds Like Pop
I came across this website the other day called Vote Smarter, and it basically features a series of ads which is kind of a spoof on the popular Mac vs PC ads. Except these ones feature “John McCain” and “Barack Obama” talking on various issues.
Here is one I liked.
There are many more at the website, and I thought that it was timely to share this since the US Presidential Elections is just over a week away.
The ads were created by an independent filmmaker named Lena Khan. Click here to find out more about the people behind the ads.
10.51am Malaysian time (+8 GMT)
Tags: Barack Obama, John McCain, Lena Khan, mac, pc, Vote Smarter 2008
Michael Jackson has the X-Factor
Oct 22, 2008 Sounds Like Pop
I woke up this morning to this tweet from BBC Entertainment. Apparently, the sales to Michael Jackson’s latest album - the compilation album released in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of thriller (and his 50th birthday I suppose) - have jumped back into the Top 10 in the UK charts. It was at #47.
This was because X-Factor - the reality competition - featured all of the competitors singing Michael Jackson songs.
I’m not a huge fan but I do love his music. And it was nice of the HMV spokesperson to say (with regards to the boost of the sales, and his songs being featured on the show):
“It just shows you the enduring appeal of Michael Jackson, reminding you of how brilliant his songs are…”
Then I remember that some time ago, I even blogged on Mr. Jackson. This was at the culmination of his child molestation trial. I always said that I wanted to share my old writings, so these are two of them - here and here.
It’s strange rereading your past works. For one, you sometimes don’t recognise your own style or writing, and secondly, you start questioning your values. And times when you stand by it, like I still do for those two articles, you feel good.
9.08am Malaysian time (+8 GMT)
Tags: King of Pop, Michael Jackson, X-Factor
Mamma Mia! I am thankful for the music
Oct 16, 2008 Sounds Like Pop
Guess which movie I finally watched last night.
And I did love it. Weak plot (but interesting concept), but oh, how camp and how, warped? Meryl Streep, in all her elegance as an actor, looked perpetually stoned. But what a high at the end of the show!
I have never been a huge fan of ABBA but I know some of their songs. So, I was quite surprised to find that I knew more of their songs than I thought! I had to turn to my friend and ask, is this really their song (he is an ABBA fan, see).
I didn’t even know that the start of Madonna’s Hung Up was sampled from their song Gimme, Gimme, Gimme (A Man After Midnight).
What I did realise too is that the popular songs that I knew - well, I didn’t know so well. I probably knew the first couple of lines of the chorus but that was it.
Take the chorus of Mamma Mia (the song), for example, which jumped out at me yesterday.
Mamma mia, here I go again
My my, how can I resist you?
Mamma mia, does it show again?
My my, just how much I’ve missed you
Yes, I’ve been brokenhearted
Blue since the day we parted
Why, why did I ever let you go?
Mamma mia, now I really know,
My my, I could never let you go.
I want to go watch it again! :D
Tags: mamma mia, meryl streep, movie, Musical
Pasta Hut, special delivery
Oct 13, 2008 Sounds Like Pop
The caller dials 755 2525 1300 88 25 25.
Operator: Hello, Pasta Hut. Can I help you?
Caller: Pasta what?
Operator: Pasta Hut.
Caller: Oh, sorry wrong number. *click*
Umm, in case you guys didn’t get it, the caller was actually looking to call Pizza Hut. But that conversation might not be so strange in the future. Already, in Britain, the pizza franchise is about to change their name to Pasta Hut.
Their reasoning? In Britain, more people eat pasta than pizza.
Wow.
Anyway, the article states that they will “temporarily” change their name, so I don’t know if it’s long-term or if it’s a worldwide rebranding. I personally think it’s a stupid idea, but I suppose we’ll have to wait for the numbers to find out if it’s a successful campaign or not, huh?
5.23 Malaysian time (+8 GMT)
