Robochan: if you need another use for your brand new iPhone 3GS

If you’ve been wondering what to do with you brand new iPhone 3GS, this is a good start:

(worth checking out just for the soundtrack 🙂 )

The song is generated using a software called Vocaloid.

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Drag Me to Hell

I managed to catch one of the last showings of Drag Me to Hell (Sam Raimi horror flick) over the weekend (despite some protests from my wife!).

For a while, we were literally the only people in the theator. A guy actually looked down from the projector room, saw us and switched the trailers on.

If you are a fan of Raimi’s Evil Dead, this is a must see. I actually preferred this to Evil Dead. Although it’s a horror movie this has some pretty funny sections too. “Here kitty kitty” those who’ve seen the movie will get that one.

In general if you like horror, you should run to the movies to catch this before it goes off the big screen. It’s a beautifully directed, scary, funny, gross movie with a great cast as well. If you are a Transformers 2 fan however, skip this!

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The Guilty Pleasures of Yelp

I took my car in for a quick service and oil change at my local auto dealer yesterday. I ended up paying something like $40 for an oil change. When I asked for a tire rotation, I was proposed the next level “15,000 mile service” which would cost $240. After declining the offer, I promptly wrote a review of my experience on Yelp.

5 minutes after posting my review, the owner of the dealership messaged me, apologizing for my experience, explaining how my car uses an expensive type of oil and offering me a free tire rotation.

I’m not a frequent Yelper by any means, but I was amazed by how powerful a single review can be. I almost felt guilty reading the email from the apologetic owner. This is truly unprecedented power to consumers. Is it too much power? I’m not sure yet, I think in some cases like a small shop with only a few customers it could be.

If you have thoughts about this, please post a comment below.

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Obama Drastically Scales Back Goals for America After Visiting Denny’s

Hilarious, courtesy of the onion.

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/obama_drastically_scales_back

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Ranidu Lankage – Sebelaneni (A Tribute to Sri Lankan Soldiers and Their Families)

Ranidu Lankage

Popular Sri Lankan artist Ranidu Lankage, who is also my friend is raising money for a noble cause: building homes for soldiers and their families in Sri Lanka  through the “Api Wenuwen Api” fund. All proceeds from the song below sung by Ranidu are being contributed to the fund. Those in Sri Lanka can sign up to contribute through Mobitel’s mtunes service (caller ring back tone). Mobitel customers can select this song by sending “21212” via SMS to 777.

The music video of ‘Sebalaneni’ will be available in DVD format at all Mobitel outlets and all proceeds from the sale of each DVD will be contributed to the ‘Api Wenuwen Api’ fund. Mobitel customers would also be able to further contribute to the ‘Api Wenuwen Api’ fund by downloading ‘Sebalaneni’ Ring – tones from wap.mobitel.lk and also by downloading ‘Sebalaneni’ Wallpapers from wap.mobitel.lk in the near future.

Check out the song below.

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Ellen DeGeneres Commencement Speech at Tulane

Ellen DeGeneres Commencement Speech at Tulane University, May 16th 2009.

Hilarious.

“..I didn’t go to college at all. Any college.

I’m not saying you wasted your time and money, but look at me I’m a huge celebrity.”

“..By the time I was your age, I really thought I knew who I was, but I had really no idea..

Like for example when I was your age, I was dating men..  so what I’m saying is when you’re older, most of you would be gay..   is anybody writing this stuff down? parents?”

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Ron Paul: Swine Flu To Scare The People?

Interesting conversation with congressman Ron Paul starts at 2:45.

Update: Well looks like Ron Paul was definitely right on this one as the CDC has just instructed schools that closing down for infections is no longer required.

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I understand, I have no money.

This is a little dated but I wanted to put this up here and see what people think.

From ABC News:

Muse appeared in a federal magistrate court in a navy blue prison uniform, standing barely 5’4″ with his left hand wrapped in a white bandage where he was injured in the attack on the Maersk. At one point, Muse sobbed audibly, covered his face with his hand and was soothed by his court-appointed attorney. When the judge informed Muse of his right to a court appointed lawyer he said “I understand, I have no money.”

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Confessions of an Economic Hitman

As I was writing about hunger among the Sri Lankans who are in the warzone, I wanted to also add a quote from a book that I’ve just started reading: Confessions of an Economic Hitman, which promises to be one of the most insightful books I’ve read of late.

A couple of quotes that really struck me:

The United States spends over $87 billion conducting a war in Iraq while the United Nations estimates that for less than half that amount we could provide clean water, adequate diets, sanitation services and basic education for every person on the planet.

and also..

Ecuador is typical of countries around the world that EHMs (economic hit men) have brought into the economic-political fold. For every $100 of crude taken out of the Ecuadorian rain forests, the oil companies receive $75. Of the remaining $25, three-quarters must go to paying off the foreign debt. Most of the remainder covers military and other government expenses – which leaves about $2.50 for health, education, and programs aimed at helping the poor.

Thus out of every $100 torn out of the Amazon, less than $3 goes to the people who need the money the most, those whose lives have been so adversely impacted by the dams, the drilling, and the pipelines, and who are dying from lack of edible food and potable water.

All of those people-millions in Ecuador, billions around the planet- are potential terrorists. Not because they believe in communism or anarchism or are intrinsically evil, but simply because they are desperate.

The book is a compelling read.

Talking of desperation, the face of the Somali pirate who adorned the cover of the Wall Street Journal today and who will likely receive a life in prison from the US justice system comes to mind.

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