Friday Jukebox Rings That Bell

We love Akiko Wada here at this corner of the internet. So let's take one of her big hits, Ano kane wo narasu no wa anata (or as this site puts it "you're the one that rings that bell") and see the various versions of it through the years.

First up, Miss Wada winning the Japan Record Award in 1972 for the song, performing--I think--it through tears.



Now the Seikima II version. Lordi didn't invent camp rock.



A shaky (in my view) acapella version by BAM B CREW



Next, a unique version by some group called Dynamite Pops. Whether they meant it to be camp or not is up for debate.



And finally--bringing it full circle--Miss Wada sings it in 1994 complete with swaying and clapping choir (note what they sing before Akiko makes her entrance)*.



I like Miss Wada, but yet, I suspect this is the most OTT of the lot, even more than Seikima II.

As for my own personal favourite Akiko Wada song, sadly, I haven't been able to find a clip it yet.

Ooooh, you're in trouble

Well, that is if these 144 defendants get convicted, which is debatable.

The Hikaruland June Video Log

Slightly out of sync, but that is oddly appropriate as I have been relatively out of sync as well.

Nonetheless, here's the June Video Log with a personal update and my thoughts on "change."

Wednesday Jukebox Feels Old

Because I can remember when looking like this didn't look odd...



I have a soft spot for Toshi[nobu] Kubota. It's hard to say why, save for the fact that he's talented and just a little bit comically OTT, particularly during the 1990s.

Further evidence: The videos for AHHHHHH! and Dance If You Want It (of course this may also be the march of time that makes them OTT).






The Japanese Al B. Sure? Keith Sweat? Well, his latest suggests that he's aiming to be Teddy Riley.

Election 2008: So this is the Democrat

Well, thank god that is over. Since I was out of commission when it actually was news, I'm a bit late to the game, but it's worth discussing for a bit.

Obama is the nominee. Full stop.

Shockingly enough--barring some huge scandal--he's likely the one to win in November.

I don't know exactly how I feel about this. It is extremely surprising to me to realise that before I turn 30, I stand a good chance of actually witnessing the first African-American president--I would've preferred Carol Moseley Braun, Shirley Chisholm, or even Jesse Jackson, but that's for parallel universes to hash out.

Then I start thinking about several things:

• This is going to be a thankless job. Obama is going to have to clean up 8 years of Bush II missteps and only 2-4 years to do it, meanwhile a significant and vocal group is expecting manna from the heavens and peace to reign from shore to shore upon his election.
• The Obama supporters have been some of the most childish and arrogant people I have come across ever since I voted in my first stateside election (2000). I don't think the campaign thought that by engaging the youth vote, they would also have to hold their hand when the campaign suffered a setback.
• It's funny how the subject of race goes in and out of the Obama campaign. Some white and black Obama supporters have been thoroughly surprised that I was not behind Obama during the primary, as if my vote was a given because of his racial background. I'm a moderate Socialist, Obama is to the right of me. Hillary was a little less to the right, and Edwards & Gravel even less. I'm going to vote for the candidate that matches my views not my skin colour. (I supported Governor Doyle of Wisconsin because his policies match my views, not because his sons are black.)
• The identity politics also give me pause for thought. If some people assume that because of his race, I support Obama, then by extension, the same small-mindedness may automatically make all blacks a scapegoat when Obama fails. I certainly hope that is not the case, but if you look at how "change" occurs in this country, then it does make one worry: Only last year did we have the Jena 6, the race-triggered murder of James Byrd was only 10 years ago, the heavily biased media coverage and government response to Hurricane Katrina was only 3 years ago, and only 44 years ago did the government agree to help prevent me being discriminated against due to the colour of my skin, but I have yet to have the same protection extended to me in regards to sexual orientation. Quite honestly, I have to wonder whether American society is prepared to have these conversations, and I can only hope that having them will not leave any further casualties.
• Remember that we, as Americans, do not ever vote directly for president under the current system in place. It may seem like a minor detail, but psychologically, I reckon, the fact that our vote is merely a suggestion for our representatives in the electoral college as to who to vote for, provides us with little impetus to choose someone to solve our nation's problems, and a major reason to enshrine our apathy and "right" to complain.

Good luck, Mr. Obama. I'll vote for you without reserve, but I certainly don't envy your position.

Fat Man Dies

A man died of a heart attack brought on (essentially) by obesity.

This man served in both the Korean & Vietnam Wars as a Army Ranger.

He fought in several key Korean War battles when he was 17.

He was also a POW who had his teeth knocked out by Vietcong captures.

He was declared dead by the US government, but managed to escape.

Finding his marriage annulled, he started rebuilding his life, got remarried, and had a son.

This man wasn't Tim Russert. He was my father, and his death was not marked by 5 days of public mourning, followed by a LIVE memorial service.

So let's put this in perspective. Peter Jennings was not given this amount of accolade, and quite arguably he was more influential.

We're all going to die. Get over it.

Wisdom from Overseas

For most of us who were born before pharmaceutical adverts were allowed on television, it is rather interesting and disturbing to realise how much we have come to accept them as a way of life.

Take a gander at this report from the BBC's Kevin Connolly, which points out the rather cynical (and quite likely dangerous) motives at work.

Now where's my Ambien?

This Is Why Wisconsin Elections Are So Crazy

These are our delegates.

A Clinton delegate from Wisconsin is now behind McCain, according to the Journal-Sentinel.

Btw: Normal service will be resumed on Monday.

Broken News

If you are a regular watcher of New York news, then you know that a crane collapsed (again) on the Upper East Side.

Sadly with one dead and two injured.

That's the whole story.

So how come the local news channels have gone wall-to-wall with coverage since the accident occurred?

I would understand if it was a story that is continuously developing, but there really can be no further developments. Bloomie has registered his Napoleonic rage, Patterson registered his own measured thoughts, and that should've been all until 5 PM.

What has been filling in the time since then?

• Assorted Upper East Siders saying variations of "I knew this was going to happen" and "It was like an earthquake."
• Street closures and bus re-routing information.
• Reporters repeating the above.

Without a doubt, there is a story here, but it will take days, weeks, and months to really find out what exactly could've prevented it.

So why are the newsrooms treading the same water? I have no clue.

That Lawsuit

I understand the appeal of wanting to right the wrongs after "a dream vacation" got off to a bad start.

I understand the desire to supposedly make a statement against poor airline service.

Yet, I do not understand the point behind suing for much more than you are out-of-pocket for.

That is greed, full stop.

You are not making a statement, you are purely being greedy.

It also begs the question of how much value do you place on the vacation rather than the people you travel with.

There's Something Kind of Patronising Going On Here

As Suzanne Sugarbaker said on Designing Women: "Anytime someone says they want to see the real something, they mean hanging out with a bunch of poor people."

Apparently, that is the case in Rio. 

If it was held by the community, then I'd think it was good, but the idea of having drug-run and militia-protected parties in the middle of the slums where any supposed protest aspect of the music is lost by perpetuating the same cycle of exploitation. 

Granted there seem to be exceptions, but as with many things in life, it's all about the money trail.

Eurovision 2008: The 3rd Hikaruland Post-Show

Well...he won, and I won't get into a geopolitical analysis, because that is just opening up Pandora's box.

Norway had a good song, but did running order help it to 5th?

Onto the post-show fun!



Surprising news: Sweden was saved by the jury vote on Thursday! Macedonia was 10th. Poland got the jury save on Tuesday. Russia came in 3rd on Tuesday, while Portugal came in 2nd on Thursday. There's some grist for the mill.

Eurovision 2008 The Final: I Have No Idea

The recap is playing right now, and I seriously have no idea who could win.

Some observations:

• Thank god, there was little of Boris & Natasha, unfortunately we were burdened with this blonde woman in "the" Belgrade's city centre who quite honestly added nothing to it, except to my lingering suspicion that Serbian schools are failing in teaching English grammar.
• I kind of like Sebastien's "up yours" presentation; that said, those camera shots were woeful. What exactly was he drinking, or was he inhaling helium?
• I'm tempted to think Kristina & Bane had a kilo before they appeared in the green room. They were that manic. If you were watching Wogan, I would love to hear what he thought.
• No Angels were not as horrible as the previews suggested, but they looked like drag queens.
• For someone whose native language is English, Isis Gee had atrocious pronunciation, ergo, Kalomira gets the honour of being the "unofficial" US entry.
• Kalomira was actually more polished than in the semi.
• Georgia was good but cloying as hell. (WE GET THE POINT, hippies!)
• Andy did well.
• If I really had to put it down to battle for top 3: Ukraine, Greece, and Iceland, with Russia, Portugal, Bosnia, and Turkey as dark horses. (In other words, any of those 7 could win this.)
• As I type, Jovana just hyped the website by saying "I hope people are writing nice things about us." Oh, if she only knew.
• marija lang has morphed from shy into Lea DeLaria.
• Goran Bregovic is about the only decent interval this week.
• Everytime they cut to Ani Lorak in the green room, she seems to want to say "GIVE ME THE DAMN TROPHY ALREADY!"
• I bet we have a winner on countback this year.
• I miss Beatriz, Uribarri isn't bitchy.
• I don't think RTS's presentation of Eurovision has done Serbian tourism any favours, but they haven't been hurt badly either.

And now onto the voting.

Is this Carravision?

I'm watching the TVE pre-show, which is always a bit of an interesting animal, as it is fascinating how TVE can easily fill up 2+ hours of television with what is part-pep rally and part-Spanish Eurovision retrospective. (And they manage to do another version of this for an hour after the contest wraps up!)

Given the way that Raffaela Carra' is swanning about the show, you'd think they've asked her to perform next year.

Seriously, this show is 50% Raffaela, 50% Rodolfo, and it's only 50% Rodolfo because Raffaela keeps on mentioning him. (Everyone else just keeps on heaping praise on Raffaela--I don't know why, she's not doing anything that spectacular beyond acting like the camp diva that she is.)

Don't get me wrong, this is rather funny and enjoyable television, but it is rather interesting how TVE has turned the pre-show into all about Carra. That said, I still miss "Don't-Fuck-Me-With-Fellas" Paula, batshit crazy Patty, and Carlos "I'll sleep with anything with two legs" Lozano. La Carra doesn't quite reach those heights in my book.

For those who are watching this:

• Even though that Pitingo twink butchered "Killing Me Softly," I reckon TVE is hunting him down to represent them as well.
• If I have to see that damn dance one more time...! They are just repeating it constantly and I'm surprised La Carra hasn't gone postal yet.
• Who's this Alaska woman? Is she even a woman?

Eurovision 2008: The 2nd Hikaruland Post-Show

Honestly, could we please do a switch between the hosts? I don't think I can hack Z&J (who are unintentionally coming across as Boris & Natasha) for one more show.

That said, congrats Portugal, Turkey, and Ukraine, now will one of you (or France, Spain, or the UK) please ensure that Dimaland doesn't win this.

All that and more in the medicated craziness that is the 2nd ESC 2008 Post-Show.



PS> Bulgaria & Malta got screwed. Switzerland...not so much. (Did they think it was 1980?)

Kalomira is Lindsay Lohan

TVE is not airing the 2nd semi-final, and--to be very honest--I'm on too many pills to focus in on a streaming broadcast.  Plus, it's still season finale week. 

Speaking of which, Lindsay Lohan is on tonight's Ugly Betty season finale.

Question of the day: have Kalomira & Lindsay Lohan been seen in the same place at the same time? I doubt it. That raspy voice isn't that ubiquitous!

(By the way, get some rest, girl. You sound like you've been up--chemically--for 2 days straight.)

Video courtesy of esctoday.com

When in doubt, blame television

Dear Lisa,

Of course, Sex & The City turned you into a cigarette-smoking slut at 14. 

Not the fact that you were an easily impressionable woman incapable of independent thought.

I mean, why else would you join that bastion of individualism, the Mormon church?

Signed,

Delusion

Wednesday Jukebox Wonders Where That Itch Came From

Kalomira's performance at last night's Semi final in Belgrade. She's all Disney-esque until the dance break...

eurovision GREECE 2008 - Kalomira - Secret Combination
Uploaded by jief75

That's straight up LI hoochie those moves.

I wonder what the logic was behind this...

Eurovision.tv had the first semi-final artists say their thoughts immediately after performing.

Uh-oh.






My thoughts on the artists: Dima Bilan is still a twat (albeit with improved English skills), Rebeka is Slovenia's answer to Bette Midler or Sandra Bernhardt (get her a show on tv now), Andy Kaufman isn't really dead--in fact he's hiding right out in the open as this year's Bosnian entry, The Belgians were delusional --and it's funny, The San Marinese were delusional--and it's kind of sad, and Isis Gee can go all pious as she'd like, but she still looks like she's dressed for the Playboy Mansion.

Eurovision 2008: The 1st Hikaruland Post-show

First and foremost, I'm recovering from surgery (was intubated--or whatever the term is for having tubes down the throat, ergo the hoarse voice).

Secondly, Kalomira skanked up that song!! If there's one thing we Americans do well, it's knowing how to shake it in order to sell it.

Thirdly, Dima Bilan shirtless...oddly unimpressive.

All this and more in the first Eurovision 2008 post-show. (Conveniently in two parts because I forgot about Andorra--apparently so did the voting public--and Azerbaijan).