MVOTD: Month End Review (Day 139)

This has been a short month of music videos. Only 15 in all were posted by myself, and they are;

2NE1	Can't Nobody (English)
2NE2	Can't Nobody (Korean)
4Minute	Heart to Heart
B2ST/Beast	Lights Go on Again
David Bustamante	Abrazame Muy Fuerte
DBSK/TVXQ	Purple Line (Japanese version)
Donghae & Eunhyuk	Oppa Oppa, Shindong version
Heart2Heart	Facebook Official
Martin	Show The World
Midnight Red	One Club at a Time
NSYNC	I Want You Back
SHINee	Hello
Super Junior	Haengbok (Happiness)
U-KISS	Tick Tack
ZE:A	Love Coach

Well, I can tell you who didn't win. That would be Heart2Heart with Facebook Official. They managed to do the right things the wrong way. Also not in the running is Midnight Red...because they didn't dance. There are others not in the running, but that doesn't matter so much as who is in the running.

So who is in the running to win best music video of the month? TVXQ and NSYNC are. NSYNC's classy use of a CG moonstation and non-materializing girlfriend were hilarious. Also, TVXQ's ability to make tall buildings transform into speakers was great. Both dance in ways to make the heart happy. They are definitely contenders. And that's why it's a tie. NSYNC's dancing makes you ask "why?" and "what are they doing?", while TVXQ's dancing looks cool and sometimes funny. The music videos are both ridiculous, complete with embarrassing outfits and random extra bits. Plus, in Purple Line, the biggest guy turns on his falseto in order to do a rap. How fun is that? Therefore, both NSYNC's I Want You Back and TVXQ's Purple Line win.

MVOTD: Can't Nobody (Day 139)

Today's music video is Can't Nobody by 2NE1 of YG Entertainment. 2NE1 is probably my favourite female pop group because their costumers are amazing. In the Korean version of Can't Nobody there was only one outfit I didn't like (seriously, who makes the 16 year old wear S&M gear?). The rest were interesting and fun, especially the red bolero with the giant collar. I really really really really like that bolero. It's amazing and gravity defying. Then there's the spiked hoodie, the suave "ninja" outfit, the fabric swimming, and the lightning bolts. 2NE1 knows how to make a music video a fun time.

Not only were the costumes and scenes interesting, but to add Super Junior interestingness, at one point Dara (the twiggy one) looks just like Ryeowook of Super Junior. And, as a twist, they did an English version music video too. It's not as well done as the Korean version, but it passes muster, and gives a better view of that wonderful red bolero. So here it is.

The good Korean version.

The English version.

Can't nobody look so cool in that red bolero.

Topic of the Day: Bill C-11 (Day 139)

I did two epic things today: drive my car around with the window down, and e-mail my local MP about Bill C-11.

First, I have to brag about driving around with my window open in January. Normally, the temperature is 30-40 degrees lower so...today was fantastic weather. I put in some TVXQ and cranked up the volume while I cruised around the city with my window open...in JANUARY. It was nice, especially since being obnoxious like that is one of my favourite things about driving in summer,

Second, and more importantly, I e-mailed my local Member of Parliament (MP) about Bill C-11 and its recent additions. Thanks to all the tech savvy people on Facebook, I learned a lot about it. Originally an okayish bill, US supported lobbyists pushed for SOPA-like laws to be added to Bill C-11...and more. For example, not allowing you to upload your CD music onto your iTunes. If you purchased that CD it's your music and putting it onto your iTunes is only expanding ability of use for you. Yes some people misuse this, but a lot of people don't.

Essentially, the issues with Bill C-11 are the same/similar to SOPA's - increased risk to legitimate companies, increased costs to legitimate companies, more censorship of free speech, increased exposure to hackers/viruses/identity theft, and the danger of being cut off from internet use for minor infractions. I can't say that I know everything about Bill C-11. What I do know is that people who are pretty generous towards Bill C-11 still don't like it. So, if you want to learn more, here are some websites with more information.

Michael Geists answers to 10 questions on Bill C-11, SOPA, and other things.

A blog explaining Bill C-11 and its issues.

A form letter that eliquently outlines some issues with Bill C-11.

The MP index where you can find your MP's contact information.

MVOTD: Midnight Red (Day 138)

Remember Heart2Heart? Remember their lame dancing, bad haircuts, and lack of personality? Well, here comes their predecessor to blow them out of the water...by just standing there and singing. Here's Midnight Red with their track One Club At A Time.

And here's Heart2Heart for comparison.

Review: Secret Garden (Day 138)

Before we start, an admission. The book I was complaining about last week got better. Not 100% of course, but there are less promiscuous things happening and more plot, so things are working out okay. You would think this would teach me not to review things until I've finished them but no. Today's review is on the first five and half episodes of Secret Garden, a K-drama.

See this picture? It is totally unrelated to the storyline...other than those two being the main characters of course.

In Secret Garden, a wealthy department store owner accidentally meets the woman of his dreams - stunt woman Gil Ra Im. She takes a disliking to him since he has bad taste in track suits. However, through a series events caused by him obsessing over her, they eventually end up at Jeju Island together only to both drink "medicinal alcohol". Spoiler alert. The "medicinal alcohol" they drink causes them to body swap. Now she's in his body and he's in her body and they don't know how to get back. Otoke? (What to do?) Have awkward funny scenes of course. He teaches her how to put on a bra. She lears at other women. Etc. Etc. Laughs are had by most.

How do I feel about this drama? I really like it. The lead female character and her friend are both really likeable, atleast until the bodyswap. The leading man is ridiculous and therefore entertaining. There is even the worthy love adversary, Gil Ra Im's boss Director Im. I call him "Boss is Boss", because as the children say, he is so boss. What could make this better? Enter Oska, the washed up popstar with a sad love story who has to work with his former-ex and only true love. Other than being a popstar that is my age or older,  he adds depth to the storyline. Including the tension between the leads, the body swapping, and the cool stunts they invariably pull due to all the stuntpeople characters, the story is interesting and enjoyable. I give Secret Garden a 4 out of 5.  

MVOTD: B2ST (Day 137)

Today's Music Video of the Day is B2ST/Beast's Lights Go on Again. Unfortunately, it's just a teaser and they just stand around singing. Fortunately, they are all wearing nice formal wear. The only real questions left are, "why didn't they make a full music video?", and "WHY IS MY FAVOURITE MEMBER WEARING A DWARF HAT?". That is all.

A Concerned Ramble on Consumerism...ish(Day 137)

Today an acquaintance posted an article about Apple factory abuses in China. It said that often the factory owners don't care if their employees get hurt or killed. It also said that many factories have critically dangerous area which they know about yet don't fixed. The saddest thing it said was that if Apple and its computer producing peers put pressure on the factories, the factories would improve/fix the situation, but Apple and its peers are not going to. They are not going to stop endangering people because that would inconvienience the consumer. The consumer who wants the latest coolest thing now and who doesn't think about the people producing it.  We are that consumer.

A statement that shocked me (from Apple) was that ,"We've only known about these problems for four years...". No. We've known about it longer. Remember Nike's sweatshop scandal? Reebok? And a host of other retail brands. We all know that they produce the stuff we wear and use in other countries where work safety requirement are lower and the ability to abuse workers is greater than in the "developed world". And we don't care. We show that we don't care by purchasing. Purchasing whatever we want without thinking about the people making it. I know I do it. When my conscience gets to me, I think how I would like to buy all Made in Canada/USA/fairtrade products. However, I can't. There are so many products that we rely on that we can't find made locally/fairtradey, and if we could it would take a stroke of genious budgetting. Thus far, shopping so that our consciences are clear is near impossible. So what can we do? There must be a solution.