YouTube Blackout

This past Sunday, the popular website YouTube experienced a blackout. The higher forces in Pakistan redirected all access to the website when it was dicovered that a video clip attacking Islam was posted. Government officials in Pakistan became worried that the clip might create unrest among its Muslim population.

Two major mistakes were made however during the process of denying access to the website which caused a blackout worldwide. The first being Pakistan Telecommunications Authority, the country's Internet provider, created a dummy route to the YouTube website. This resulted in viewers being sent to a black hole instead. The next error happened when Pakistan Telecom announced the dummy route to PCCW, a telecommunications partner based in Hong Kong. From there, PCCW accepted the dummy route for YouTube and sent it to other Internet providers worldwide.

The incident escalated because there were now two routes that conflicted with one another that lead to YouTube. The online protocol, Border Gateway Protocal, favors longer routing addresses because they are said to be more specific. This time however, it resulted in leading 97 major Internet providers and thousands of smaller providers to the dummy route.

It took about two hours for the problem to be corrected. It was mentioned that the only way the time for correcting problems like the one on Suday would increase is for more incidents to occur.

Since then, the video has been removed from the website and access is allowed again.

This is not the first time that a country has blocked access to YouTube for some reason or another. It has happened in China, Morrocco, and Turkey.

Craig Aaron, communications director at Free Press, is worried that blocking access to websites in entire countries might hinder free speech online. What do you think?

On one hand, I do believe that necessary precautions should be taken to keep the peace in a country. On the other hand, I see where Aaron is coming from. It is a granted liberty-freedom of speech. Restricting access somewhat denies this right. While it still may be viewable in other parts of the world online, what difference does it make if the people that need to see it the most can't? Do you think there could be another method for preventing mayhem?

Lindsay Lohan in the Nude

Last week, Lindsay Lohan posed nude in order to recreate the famous photo shoot of Marilyn Monroe. The star of "Mean Girls" and "Freaky Friday" took the pictures which appear in this week's issue of New York magazine. The original photo shoot of Monroe was done in 1962 in California at Hotel Bel-Air by Bert Stern. Following in the footsteps of the legend, Lohan posed in see through scarves and jewelry. Stern stated that Lohan was "a natural, not at all squeemish." Lohan obviously couldn't pass up an opportunity to recreate such magic! Opportunities like that do not come around everyday. A follow up article about Lohan's mother, Dina says, "She's always loved Marilyn," Dina said. "For Christmas, my girlfriends even gave her a Marilyn cookie jar. I think there's a sadness that Lindsay feels for Marilyn. Lindsay really saw it as a gift back to someone."

Lindsay admitted to the industry ultimately destroying a celebrity after mention of her ins and outs of rehab for cocaine and alcohol last year.

While barbituates were the cause of death for Monroe just weeks after the famous shoot seems kind of ironic for Lohan to recreate. With both Lohan and Monroe being into alcohol, Stern said that Lohan didn't have any on the set.

I have not seen anything about this until now, nor have I heard anyone talking about it. I believe the media covered it very professionally. Her mother's acceptance of the shoot was very mature as well. Once the word really hits the streets, I think the issues will be selling out quickly. With this type of story, the more publicity the shoot gets, the more negative it appears. I am glad the story was handled this way.

While the first nude shoot was innocent enough and even an honor to do, do you believe that this will open the doors for Lohan to do more nude work?

After this, for some reason I can just picture Lohan doing sex tapes because she is still young. The first taste of the "adult business" might steer her in the wrong direction. She is already following the celebrity pattern of drugs, alcohol, and rehab. The next step is sex tapes, just like many others.

It was mentioned that the shoot was tasteful, do you believe that it will win any awards?

I believe that it is possible, especially with the history of the photo shoot.

Thriller, 25 years later

It was 25 years ago when Michael Jackson's Thriller arrived on the music scene and thrust Michael into solo pop stardom. Today marks the release of Thriller 25, an up-to-date version of the classic album with appearances from today's mega-stars Kanye West, Fergie, will.i.am, and Akon. A special dvd is also included in the release featuring the videos for Billie Jean, Thriller, Beat It and a special performance from the NBC special Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever. Michael Jackson continues to blow up radio airwaves and now the question is, can this album be as big of a success as the original?

I am very surprised that I didn't hear more about this release prior to today. With a legend as big as Michael Jackson, I would think that there would have been major advertisements on television announcing the upcoming release. Either way, I will go get a copy for myself!

The question that I ask is this, in what way(s) would you have liked to see the new release promoted? Are you surprised by the way this delux edition was released? Do you think he will have the same success with this album?

Autopsy Rules "Accidental Death"

Well known rapper Chad "Pimp C" Butler was found dead in his hotel on December 4, 2007 with body already decomposing when it was found. The autopsy was released on February 4, 2008 and it stated that the cause of death was accidental. Influences included cough syrup and sleep apnea, a disease which causes people to stop breathing for up to 30 seconds at a time while sleeping. It is strange because the cause of death is very ironic. He often rapped about codeine and promethazine in his song and was most recognizable for the 2000's hit "Sippin on Some Sizzurp." Sizzurp is syrup, often used as a narcotic in the south. He was one half of the pioneering group UGK from Texas.

Do you believe that Pimp C should have been under extensive medical care if he was battling sleep apnea or do you think he was aware of this condition? If he was aware, do you think he should have been taking a different prescription than what was given (since the cough syrup was perscription strength), or do you believe that he was using the medicine as a means of getting high?

I think that if he was medically diagnosed with sleep apnea, he should have been under closer watch, especially someone of a celebrity status that can afford to have a nurse around. It is a possibility that he could really have overdosed accidentally. I say this because the demands of touring and recording could have caused a mild sickness that he was trying to cure without seeking medical attention.