The Man with a Samsung Mobile

A man in his sixties had approached me as I was about to visit the Fairprice supermarket today. He had wanted to know how he could pick up a call on his small Samsung mobile. I pointed out that the mobile was not ringing and he insisted that it was. After insisting a few more times, he decided to try a different tack. He pointed at his mobile and asked how he could check for missed calls. I observed that there was no indication that there was a missed call, there wasn't a missed call screen. I was suspicious. I had no desire to want to touch his mobile. I retreated with a smile and left him.

Dancehall

I dreamt that Sweetie and I were in this vast deserted hall with wood parquet flooring. The white-washed facade of the exterior had reminded me of the National Museum. I talked to a watchman in my dream, giving him a box of old cassettes.

I had thought in my dream that the hall would have made a great dancehall, an esoteric locale away from the city where people would visit to dance at midnight.

I was then awakened by the loud construction across the road from my home.

Birthday cake

I was ordering a birthday cake at the cake shop earlier today at Bishan when the woman behind the counter remembered that I used to buy CDs from her at Chua Joo Huat at Far East Plaza. She gave me a 10% discount.

Coincidentally, I walked by that unit, now occupied by a clothes store, on Saturday evening.

Apple iTunes fiasco

I wonder if U2 will give Songs of Experience free after that Apple iTunes fiasco with Songs of Innocence.

I suspect it will not be the case and it was probably never the intention anyway.

These geriatric corporate rockers had wanted to promote the album format and yet, they had collaborated with Apple and its iTunes which was instrumental in dooming the album format through the sales of individual tracks on iTunes. How very ironic.

Bombing the Islamic State (IS)

I am not sure if bombing sheds, buildings and technicals with machine guns would be enough. This would likely require a political solution of some kind. Sadly, it seems that the societies in that region are often held together by strongmen and their thugs.

Perhaps, bombing is just a form of containment, allowing the sectarian conflict to play itself out. Meanwhile, the world would receive cultural imports in the form of refugees. I am not sure if that would be a good thing.

For some reason, my mind was far too active last night and I did not sleep till 4 am. I am now sleepy.

This is going to be a trying day.

More CDs have arrived! Yay! Encoding them and then copying them onto my mobile!

A long drive to Tanjong Katong and back. Now, I am in the office.

I must focus. Focus.

Front Line Assembly - Echoes [2014] - Contagion

New song from my favourite Canadian band.

Taxes for U?

I wonder how much of the 100 million paid to U2 for their brand of corporate rock made it as taxes to the Irish state.

U-turn over U2's album

I saw a lot of backlash on Facebook when Apple forced dinosaur rockers U2's new album on their users onto their hated iTunes programmes. Now, Apple has created a one-click removal tool for the removal of this album, an embarrassing U-turn. Well, U2 was popular to youths in the early to mid-80s, by the nineties, they were staples of adult-oriented radio (AOR), essentially safe and easy listening for the middle-aged. Presuming mass popularity is simply the height of Apple's hubris.

And U2's response?
"And for the people out there who have no interest in checking us out, look at it this way… the blood, sweat and tears of some Irish guys are in your junk mail."

Well, this, coming from the richest band in the world, erm, well...

At least, Apple was fast in providing that tool.

Clan Of Xymox- Imagination

The weekend is too short! I wish it were longer.

Ane Brun & Vince Clarke 'Fly on the Windscreen' Depeche Mode Cover

Interesting interpretation of an old Depeche Mode song. It has a Vince Clarke arrangement. I like it.

Alison Moyet - When I Was Your Girl

The Alison Moyet single that was released last year. I have heard of the release but I didn't go listen. Now that I have, it is a pleasant surprise, not bad at all, it harks back to some of her earlier songs.



Interestingly, the girl who appeared in the music video with her is her daughter.

iProduct

The march of the iDiots has begun! Shiny products for the masses! Buy! Buy!

Kun Rong showed me a few pieces that he is submitting just now, it was inspiring how he conjured these images of dread and gloom.

Sweetie brought me on an adventure on Saturday. It brought me out of my comfort zone as well!

We had Turkish food for dinner after.

It is a struggle to remain awake.

I am so sleepy. I should have slept earlier. Oh well.

The garden festival and night festival were great! Sweetie and I had fun at both these festivals.

Gary Numan - I Am Dust