new news!

Headline: One Paper Hopes Fans of Politics Will Pay Up
Date: Monday January 29, 2007
Source: NY Times

Another business model that is very interesting. The Sacramento Bee was introducing a new Web site focused on California government and state politics. The subscription fee for Capitol Alert is $499 a year which will be attracted to niche audience who mostly are lobbyists or politiccal insiders. Subscribers will have an access to exclusive blogs, expanded columns, e-mail updates as well as an early access to some articles scheduled to appear in the next day's paper. According to Joyce Terhaar, The Bee's managing editor, this news judgment model will have three diffrent publishing platforms: 1) content that would not be "of broad interet" will be provided to the main Web site's readers. 2) the content that would not necessarily make it into the paper. 3) content that is niche and content that should go into the paper.

In conclusion, I see this is the (creative) way to generate more online revenue as opposed to the decline in print subscribers. Surely, many traditional newpaper will follow this path and even come up with more attracking features. Undoubtedly, consumers will benefit from this offer; more access to very-up-to-date and invaluable content. One thing behind paid-regstration walls is that how much money readers would like to pay up. And when they do willing to pay that amount, how the company make it's worth their dollars and keep them to visit the site regularly.

Happy Birthday !

Here is the birthday poem I got;

For your birthday, I wrote you this rhyme,
As a way to celebrate this joyous time!
You've reached Thirty, although you look more like Twenty-Two.
That should make anyone happy--even YOU!

So, on your birthday, remember to laugh,
And act really goofy--like a monkey or giraffe!
And NEVER let the bad times get you blue,
For, one day, all your dreams will come true!

So, Have a Happy, Happy Birthday, my dear Ploy!
This day is surely One Of Great Joy!

And Buddhist saying;

The quest for Buddhist enlightenment has been likened to searching everywhere for your nose. Once you find it you can't believe that it was in front of your face the whole time. Look under your feet and you will not only find a great place to stand, but heaven itself.

Also, Happy Birthday to Kerry's mother, Bobby's mother, and Ben's brother.

Kristi Yamaguchi

Oh, I love checking galley. The following excerpt comes from the book about Kristi Yamaguchi, an Asian-American ice figure skater.

Two-time United States Olympic gold medalist and figure skating commentator Dick button once said, "Falling down is not the sign of a poor skater, but the sign of a skater who never stops trying to improve."

Her story is greatly touching, especially the story of her young life. She's very determined, working hard and really putting her mind into what she loves which is skating. She hdd to wake up very early in the morning, like 4 am, to use the rink, practiced and then went to school. She first skated when she was 4 and received her national award when she was 20. I am amazed by her passion for skating.

Asian-Americans rock !!!

Doug Aitken: sleepwalkers

Nighttime installations "Sleepwalkers" comprises 8 large-scale moving images projected on the facades around The Museum of Modern Art. It's about the journeys of 5 city inhabitants who are a bicycle messenger (Ryan Donowho), an electrician (Seu Jorge), a postal worker (Chan Marshall), a businessman (Donal Sutherland), and an office worker (Tilda Swinton). The reason they all are "sleepwalkers" is because of their late-hour jobs. Across multiple screens, these 13-mintue films show the moment of movement continuously, juxtaposing the charecters differently in every performance.

Click here for the article in Yahoo! news

This show was magnificent. We were watching it while there was a slighly snow. It was so freaking cold. However, it was worth standing in the horrible weather and enjoying the spectacular show. One good thing of this installation is that passersby can stop to watch this performance for FREE because it's open to public at no charge. I'd like to see this kind of art more often. I'd be very regretful if I have to pay $20 for an admission fee and get to see three basketballs in the fish tank. Right? Excaliburssoul

Modern World Nations: Thailand

I can't help finding the following paragraph written in a book annoying:

Sawadee! Welcome to Thailand! Sawadee is an all-purpose greeting that can mean good morning, good afternoon, good evening, or good night. By putting your palms gently together under your chin with your head tilted slightly forward, you have greeted your hosts with the wai (form of greeting) that is used in Thailand. If you want to be even more appropriate, use the wai and say "Sawadee krup" to greet a man or "Sawadee ka" to greet a woman.

Does anybody know what's wrong?

First of all, we pronounce 'all-purpose greeting' Sawasdee or Sawaddee, not Sawadee.
Secondly, you use the wai and say "Sawaddee krup" if you ARE a man, not to greet a man. Same scenario, you say "Sawadde ka" if you are a woman.

motto: you can't believe what's written in a book. (I could be very pessimistic when it comes to something I have a deep knowledge.)

Isamu Noguchi

I have no knowledge that the common art I have seen which are the large bronze panel, called NEWS, placed over the main entrance of Rockefeller Center and Red Cube located in the financial district of Manhattan are both the works of Isamu Noguchi.

Visiting to his museum long time ago, I was introduced to his invaluable sculpture. New to the world of art, Ploy was impressed and admired his popularity. How one Asian artist could possibly have his own exhibition--yet own museum--in the United States? After that day, Ploy have experienced more and more of Isamu's industrial designs.

Reading the book about him today, Ploy has learned more about his interesting life. Abandoned by his own father after he was born, Isamu had to travel across the continent to live with his father in Japan and later found out that his father also had another family in Japan. He, again, was sent back to America to study in college, being alone without his mother, studying abroad in Europe, traveling to Asia. He's been to almost all over the world, exploring the world of art.

He was scheduled to give a public lecture to young Japanese artists and architects. His main advice was to resist being too influenced by Western culture. "To be authentic," he told them, "is to be modern."

proverbs

While checking a proverb book, I came across some interesting proverbs that I think it's worth taking your time thinking about it:

There's reason in all things.
The course of true love never did run smooth.
It's best to be off with the old love before you are on with the new.

And the last one, Loose lips sink ships.

Euphemisms

I've got the permission to post these euphemisms from one of my funny co-workers. Here it is:

Perhaps baseball is my favorite sport because of all the euphemisms. Being gay is "batting lefty" or "pitching underhand" and being bisexual is "switch-hitting." Being on top is "pitching" and being on bottom is "catching." It makes it really easy to concoct ideas about the players.

This girl is brilliant, isn't she?

new news!

Headline:'Time' Marches On to New Web Strategy
Date: January 08, 2007
Source: Advertising Age

New year has come, new design has arrived. Time.com launch a redesigned website aimed at being a better place in the digital-news media. With this new design, the reader will have the feeling of reading a daily news magazine by clcking through the top-left rotation box with the big images. The latest headlines on the right column are constantly updated. Even though there is lots of white space on the right column, I still think that the site, compared to top news websie, is well-designed easy-to-navigate. Don't forget to check out blogs and podcast. Of course, these functions are neccessary for recent websites.

Red color really does the trick.

Happy New Year 2007

For more pictures, please go to www.tommypost.com/2007/index.htm

Thanks to TK for all memorable pictures.