RADIO PIRATES OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA

ITEM: Pirate radio is legal in Hong Kong now. Sort of.

The broadcast laws that govern radio have been declared unconstitutional for free speech violations. Six activists from pirate station Citizens' Radio fought the HK govt after they were busted for illegal broadcasts. The govt lost.

Which interests me mainly because I did my Masters thesis on this very topic in the US. The pitch was that the FCC rules favored big corporations over independent community broadcasters. The NAB didn't want competition but used the tech argument that low-power community radio interferes with their signal. Pirate radio legend Stephen Dunifer fought the rules, arguing that the rules were based on outdated radio technology, and also violated free speech protection as well as the FCC’s mandate to serve the public interest in managing radio spectrum.

I concluded the FCC would eventually lose and would have to rethink their rules. Which they eventually did. (Undoubtedly after reading my thesis. Yr welcome.)

Evidently, the HK judge came to a similar conclusion in this case. The govt is appealing, and they’ll probably wait for the broadcast authority to rewrite its rules than let anyone set up a station, which is reasonable.

Ironically, of course, radio is dead as a medium.

Ha ha. Just kidding.

I seriously doubt that podcasts are the new radio. On the other hand, if the idea is self-expression and alternative discourse, who needs radio when you have the Internets? Even if you prefer live broadcasting as a vehicle (say for call-in shows), you can set that up on the Internet and reach a global audience if you want.

Pirate radio made sense in the days before the Internets went large, and  still makes sense in areas where people don’t have Internets or PCs (or countries where they charge an arm and a leg for broadband), but HK is one of the most well-connected cities on Earth. If Citizens' Radio is trying to reach the non-PC demo, then okay. Still, they’d probably reach more people on Internet radio than on the airwaves.

Or am I boring you now? In that case, here’s a link about how iPhones can be transformed into dildos. Wonderful things we can do with technology these days.

On the air,

This is dF

I KILL CONVERSATION WHEN I WALK INTO A ROOM

Cross-posted from popfiend , who wants us all to choose four (4) theme songs to announce you when you make yr Big Entrance. One from the 60s, the 70s, the 80s and the 90s.

O why do I do this? Because I must.

Luckily, I still had my notes from back when I was looking for a good theme song for my presidential campaign (because, as bedsitter23 has proven, if yr a presidential hopeful and you don’t have a theme song, you might as well stay home). So here’s four songs you should be hearing whenever the camera cuts to me. (YouTube links included where available)

60s: Link Wray, “Jack The Ripper”

For those moments that call for menacing coolness. Or when you want every woman in the room to throw her lingerie at you. In a good way.

Backup music: anything by Booker T and the MGs.

70s: The Jimmy Castor Bunch, “King Kong”

You have the gong, the intro spiel, and it is funky. Plus I’ve been waiting like six months to find an excuse to post this.

Backup music: Tony Camillo’s Bazuka, “Dynomite”.

80s: Rush, “Tom Sawyer”

My official campaign theme song. Not funky, but great opening sting, and it tells you everything you need to know about me. Always hopeful yet discontent, indeed.

Backup music: Queen, “Gimme The Prize” (from the Highlander soundtrack – because deep inside we all want to be The Kurgan in church)

90s: Barry Adamson, “The Snowball Effect”
For those moments when you want every motherf***er in the place to know that you are in effect and ready to do the business. No YouTube sample, sadly, but listen to “Who Killed Big Bird” on his MySpace page if you want a general idea – but imagine it more funky than jazzy.

Backup music: “Spybreak!” by Propellerheads has a similar amount of cool factor to it. But if it makes people think of that shootout scene in The Matrix, the obvious choice is White Zombie’s “Black Sunshine” for Iggy Pop’s guest intro monologue alone.

Now I’m here,

This is dF

THERE’S NO NEED TO FEAR

Cross-posted from thewhyfive. This week’s assignment: Top 5 Irrational Fears!

Actually, I only have two irrational fears – arachnophobia (which technically isn’t irrational – not to me – but I’m trying to get over it anyway) and the one where you hate calling strangers on the phone for any reason. So I thought instead I’d name five real phobias that I find amusing (and yes, I know, they wouldn’t be nearly as funny if I suffered from them, but that’s comedy for you).

DEF FROG’S TOP FIVE PHOBIAS

1. Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia: Fear of the number 666
2. Coulrophobia: Fear of clowns
3. Ephebiphobia: Fear of teenagers
4. Lutraphobia: Fear of otters
5. Arachibutyrophobia: Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth

HONORABLE MENTION

Phobophobia: Fear of phobias (FDR suffered from it, you know)

Okay. Back to work.

Fearless,

This is dF