More Proof that the Chinese Government is Crazy

This article is in the Houston Chronicle today.

By JOE MCDONALD Associated Press
Aug. 22, 2008, 6:34AM

BEIJING — Customers in China of Apple Inc.'s iTunes online music store were unable to download songs this week, and an activist group said Beijing was trying to block access to a new Tibet-themed album.

In Internet forums, iTunes users complained they had been unable to download music since Monday. That was a day after the Art of Peace Foundation announced the release of Songs for Tibet, with music by Sting, Alanis Morissette, Garbage and others, and a 15-minute talk by the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan leader.

Michael Wohl, executive director of the New York City-based group, said he believed the album was the reason for the iTunes interruption, though he had no proof.
"We issued a release saying that over 40 (Olympic) athletes downloaded the album in an act of solidarity, and that's what triggered it. Then everything got blocked," Wohl said by phone.

Beijing encourages Internet use for education and business use but tries to block access to foreign sites run by dissidents and human rights and Tibet activists.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, which regulates Internet use, did not respond to a request for comment. A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Public Security, who would give only her surname, Wang, said she had no information.

Apple, based in Cupertino, Calif., acknowledged that customers were having trouble.
"We are aware of the logon problems but we have no comment at the moment," said Huang Yuna, an Apple spokeswoman in Beijing. She declined to say how many customers were believed to be affected.

Blocked iTunes users poured out their frustration on Internet bulletin boards.
"It seems like suspending iTunes is punishment for iTunes, but really it doesn't hurt iTunes, it hurts us," said a note on macfans.com.cn, a Chinese site for Apple users.

The Dalai Lama has been vilified by Chinese authorities, who claim he is trying to split Tibet from China. He says he only wants greater autonomy for the Himalayan region to protect its Buddhist culture.

Violent protests broke out in March in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa. Many Tibetans insist they were an independent nation before Communist troops invaded in 1950, while Beijing says the Himalayan region has been its territory for centuries.

Wohl said his group contacted Olympians ahead of the games and offered free copies of the 20-song album. He said those who downloaded it included competitors from the United States, Canada, Britain, Spain, France and Australia.

Most got the album before entering China, but "some in Beijing did download, and I think that's what spooked the Chinese government," Wohl said.

Wohl declined to identify the athletes by name, saying he wanted to avoid making trouble for them with the Chinese government or the International Olympic Committee.

China has the world's largest population of Internet users, with 253 million people online as of June, according to the government. The United States is in second place with 223.1 million people online, according to research firm Nielsen Online.

Apple has no China-based iTunes service. Users must log onto sites for the United States or other markets. Despite that, the company's iPod digital music player is hugely popular in China.
Wohl said he had heard no complaints from Apple about the possible impact of the album on iTunes access.

"They're incredibly supportive people. They wouldn't do anything like that," he said. "They support freedom of speech and freedom of expression."

Nigel the Flippin' 8 Year Old

My fellow yoga ninja in training, Nikole, our yoga ninja master, Mandy, and myself have started a weekly ritual of enjoying a tasty froyo from Swirll. It's big fun...we sweat our butts off for a couple of hours and indulge in yogurty goodness for anywhere between $6-9...well worth it.

The first time we went, we were sitting outside partaking in some excellent girl talk....when out of the corner of my eye I saw a little boy doing flips back and forth along the sidewalk. He was a cute and petit little guy and for about 5 minutes entertained us with roundoffs, flipflops, walking on his hands, and even a little bit of breakdancing. We were speechless. Then, just as quickly, he got in his mom's corolla (she had been parked while he was putting on the show), rolled down the window and waved, and then they drove off. The three of us let out a collective, "WTF?" and a "Did that just happen?" Yeah it did...it was weird..but I thought for sure it was a one-time act of randomness.

Low and behold, same time, same place last week...the kid is back. We had more witnesses with us this time, so we knew we weren't crazy. We cheered him on. Then we asked his name...it was Nigel...of course. He is in gymnastics and apparently just wanted to do some flips. When a friend's husband said he could show him some new tricks, Nigel said "I don't NEEEEED any new tricks" So said husband sat back down....only to be assaulted by little 8-year old Nigel moments later.

Nigel walked up to the hubby, grabbed his shoulder and said "Don't make me have to tell you to move!!!" He had the most serious look on his face and clearly he was not joking...I was honestly a bit scared of the kid.

Nigel may be performing randomly at a Swirll near you...but watch out, he's feisty! Just let him do his thang and get back in the car. He accepts applause, but that's about it. Best of luck kiddo.

You know you work in the ghetto when...

Engineers are known for being frugal, well not all of us, but most...and engineering companies aren't much different.  My office building is in the most GHETTO part of Houston and that's not an exaggeration folks.  When you turn on the TV in the morning and see murders and other acts of crime....they're in the general vicinity of my office.  Here are some things that I've seen and I really can't make this stuff up:

• Helicopters flying around looking for criminals
• Apartment complex across the street blocked off because a body was found in a car
• People throwing bricks at our cars
• A carjacking of a fellow employee in the parking lot...at 2pm
• There's a gym around the corner called "Phat Body Gym" (niiiiice)
• Prostitutes walking on the street and pimps buying them the Subway special of the day
• Last week there was a car pulled over in front of the building, at lunch, and four cops had their guns drawn
• We found bullet holes in the conference room (always a good 'Safety Moment' for meetings)
• The stairwells in the parking garage are locked to keep you from getting mugged...hopefully the elevators don't break.
• The gas on the street is some of the cheapest in Houston, but for fear of my life I won't dare take advantage of the discount.

Unbelievable, right?  And I thought that working in the chemical plants was dangerous...

GEAUX GREEN

Well it looks like even the local New Orleans Original Daiquiri drive-thru is going green.  I saw this last weekend at near my parents' house and had to stop to take a picture.  It all starts here folks...go to the drive through, order your alcoholic beverage and sip it out of a refill mug while you're cruisin around the Crescent City!  

Music Report

Here's some music that's been rockin' my world lately:

• Elbow's new album, The Seldom Seen Kid, is on constant repeat in my car. The song "One Day Like This" is mesmerizing...it starts off with Guy Garvey's soft vocals and as soon as he breaks into his first "Cause holy cow, I love your eyes!", it instantaneously brings a huge smile to my face. Then he and the orchestral band build up into an invigorating chorus of "Throw those curtains wide!..." and wow. The lyrics are just unbelievable. Obviously this is my favorite song on the album, but the additional 10 tracks are just as enjoyable. "Grounds for Divorce" is another fav.
• The D'Urbervilles' (not to be confused with the novel Tess of the D'Ubervilles) track, "The Receiver" is Linkin Park-ish but much more artsy. I am always a sucker for the singing/rapping combo...
• Plants & Animals are yet another Canadian indie rock band. I don't know what they are putting in the water up there, but keep bringin' it, eh? Their album Park Avenue rocks...the whole thing, beginning to end. The songs are long and jammy and the beginning of every track never sounds like the end. You need it!
• Fun dance music that I've been digging includes: Cut Copy, Hercules and the Love Affair, Crystal Castles, Walter Meego, Girl Talk.

I've got tons more....

Jack J and crew are reducing your Concert Carbon Footprint!

I thought this was a very interesting article, especially since my week has included calculating Carbon Footprints. Also, check out Rogue Wave and Mason Jennings, two of Brushfire Records' artists mentioned in the article. If Jack approves, they must be good!

By Quinn Brown
CNN
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Don't let Jack Johnson fool you.

Tabbed as a "mellow rocker" by perhaps one too many publications, the chart-topping singer-songwriter has a fire within that belies his laid-back manner -- a fire that extends to his company, Brushfire Records, and his environmental activism.

Johnson started the record label in 2002 "as a way to put out soundtracks for surf movies we were making," he says. "Then our friends G. Love and Special Sauce were coming to the end of their record deal with another label, and the idea came up to put out their stuff."

The Hawaii-based artist -- whose latest album "Sleep Through the Static" hit No. 1 in the U.S. and sold over 2 million albums worldwide -- has continued to assemble talent. The label's roster now includes indie-rockers Rogue Wave, folk-pop musician Mason Jennings and keyboardist Money Mark.

Johnson says the record label is not driven by dollar signs.

"We never try to talk anybody into joining the label, but we just offer a lot of creative control over all their music and a fairer deal than with most other labels," he explains.

Rogue Wave frontman Zach Schwartz is one of the converts. "The music business is traditionally pretty cutthroat, nasty and evil, but [with Brushfire], it is not that way," he tells CNN. "You can make the music you want to make."

Still, even in these major-label-dominated times, artist-friendly labels aren't unusual; Dave Matthews has also attracted talent with his ATO Records. It's in making Brushfire a model of green business that Johnson and his colleagues have stood out.

As keen environmentalists, Johnson and his team have required Brushfire and its distributors to engage in earth-friendly implementations that have influenced others in the record business.

"The music is one thing, but there is this business side," says Zach Gill, a Brushfire solo artist and member of Johnson's touring band. "I think more and more businesses are saying, 'Yeah, we want to be responsible. Responsible to our employees. Responsible for the waste our company generates.' We're starting to see that a lot in all kinds of businesses, not just in music," he says.

Entertainment industry giant Universal Music Group -- the largest family of record labels in the recording industry -- has taken notice. Under Brushfire's direction, UMG uses recycled stock on all of the packaging for its releases, including movies, ensuring that the paper is as environmentally friendly as possible. Some is even made using wind power.

Moreover, Brushfire's artists have exerted their eco-influence on venues and promoters for concert tours worldwide. The tour rider, a checklist of artists' requirements at each venue, usually consists of specific brands of beer or (in one case involving Jennifer Lopez) the way the coffee is stirred. Brushfire uses an EnviroRider, a handbook of eco-friendly options and actions for various components of concert tour production.

"It gets augmented every year. What started out as suggestions are now becoming requirements [for us to play at a venue]," says Johnson.

Johnson and his management also created All At Once, a social action network that provides tools and information to people who want to become more involved in their community and worldwide. Visitors to the All At Once area at tour venues will be rewarded with exclusive music downloads by their favorite Brushfire artists. Johnson's charity, Ohana Charitable Foundation, will match any donation (up to $2,500) to nonprofits made by fans at the shows or online.

"We shrink our carbon footprint always, but we have all these nonprofit groups that we all work with," says Johnson. "Money from the shows goes to these groups and helps bolster their memberships so that after we leave the town, these groups can continue to do good things. So more than just lessening our negative [environmental] impact, it's actually leaving a positive impact [wherever we tour]," says Johnson.

Additional actions taken by Brushfire tours will include fueling tour vehicles with sustainable biodiesel, offering eco-friendly merchandise, working with venues to create waste management programs, onsite recycling and encouraging fans to use alternative transportation.

Back at home, Brushfire has adopted a similar strategy. All the power for the recording studios and the offices is generated by solar panels. Insulation is supplied by cotton from scraps of blue jeans. Energy-efficient lighting runs throughout the building. Second-hand furniture is all you will find in its offices.

The mission resonates with the other artists on the label's roster.

"For me, it's so great to be a part of the label because so many people provide information about what we can do to make it better -- touring more efficiently, biodiesel -- stuff like that," says Jennings. "I'm learning a ton being around those guys."

At bottom, the atmosphere of collaboration and common purpose is rooted in the shared love of music, says Gill.

"Music is the great synchronizer. They've become quite a wonderful community to be a part of. I feel grateful to Jack for having the idea to bring together all these like-minded people to make music together," he says.

Johnson agrees. "It's everything. It is the whole reason to play music. I learn so much from playing with these other musicians," he says.

HOUSE OF BLUES - HOUSTON

Finally!  Houston's House of Blues is set to open in October!  Concerts are starting to get booked...stay tuned!

Check out the website for more info.

Rants and Raves for the Week

Hola amigos!  Here are some random rants and raves for your reading enjoyment.

RAVES

• 30 days of Coldplay on XM Channel 51 -  So maybe it started out a little too emotional the first morning (Fix You, Warning Sign...then Scientist....I mean really?) and it was way intense for my Monday morning commute to work, BUT it is pretty terrific.  There are live performances and unreleased covers, along with interviews with the band...it really compliments the Houston traffic well.
• Swirll - There are 3 locations in Houston, one of which is on West Gray and very convenient for me.  Fourteen different self-serve healthy froyo's (frozen yogurt, that is) and you can add your own toppings buffet style.  The cookies & cream with crushed oreos...omigoodness...awesome.
• Pearl Bar - This may be my new favorite bar in Houston.  Pool table, shuffleboard, golden tee, outdoor patio with PING PONG, hulahoops (what?), and a DJ...exactly!  The best thing is that its non-Houstonian in that there's a mingling atmosphere withOUT clubbiness.  People in shorts, slacks, dresses...whatever...it's all good at The Pearl.  Best part, its walking distance from my new loft....yeah!
• Spiked watermelons, Ratatat's new album, my new wii, Lil Wayne, the movie Wanted, BATMAN, Into The Woods, Adele, happy hour at Zushi on Memorial...

RANTS

• Kirby Drive & Bissonnett Street....all of it
• Men who feel the need to hang male genitalia from their truck hitches.  Seriously, I don't need to see that at 6am and what are parents supposed to say to their innocent little girls?

Wanna know why Houston's Indie Music Scene has been lacking?

http://www.houstonpress.com/2008-07-10/news/houston-has-a-bad-reputation-with-touring-indie-bands/1

Houston Press finally wrote an extensive article on the reasons why indie bands usually skip over the Bayou City.  It's pretty long, but worth the read.  How disappointing...  I'll definitely keep doing my part by showing up at the shows, and you should do the same!

And I have officially reached nirvana...

Not at I advocate this sort of activity (and I've never participated in it to date) but I'm just sharing a bit of information for you to use at your discretion. I have located a "Music Blog Aggregator", not to be confused with a Flux Capacitor. (Wow...I even just surprised myself with that bout of nerdiness...) Apparently it collects all new leak posts from every music blog that is registered on this site.

Three easy steps and you might find yourself with some new tunes...
1. Go to Xchannel.blogspot.com
2. Type in the album in the top right hand corner
3. Do what it do.

That's all I got...shhhhhhh