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Wednesday January 19, 2005
| Oracle Tech Day & NY Cabbies | Computers |
I presented at an Oracle Technology Day. Over 500 people registered for the event to hear about technology and solutions from Sun and Oracle. I discussed, among other things, our ERP Grid Reference Architecture that combines Oracle's 10g RAC with our Opteron-based Servers and Infiniband. Sun is sponsoring five cities. Over 700 are registered for the Atlanta session, to whom I'll be presenting next week.
On the way back home from the NY session, I was dropped off at LaGuardia. I had to cross a two lane street to get across to the main gate/check-in curb. It was a clear (but cold) day, 100% visibility. In front of me was a wide brightly painted cross-walk. Several people were standing there waiting to cross (which should have been my first clue that things are different in New York). Finally a natural break in traffic... the next group of vehicles is about 70 feet away, lead by a black limo approaching at about 20mph. Great! It's our turn... I step out and start to cross. Suddenly someone yells out to warn me... "Hey Buddy, Watch Out"! I look to my right and the limo driver apparently has no intention to respect the inalienable rights of pedestrians in crosswalks! He slows down just enough to allow me to back up onto the curb and get out of his way!
The term "inalienable" is apropos to this experience :-) The root, alien, has this definition:
Adj. Belonging to, characteristic of, or constituting another and very different place, society, or person; strange
I think I saw the cabbie mutter: "you're not from around here, are you". Or, something like that :-) I'm reminded of Morpheus' line in The Matrix when he explains to Neo that: "Some rules can be bent, others can be broken". Seems to be the creed of the NY cabbie.
Anyway, New York is a lot of fun. Just look both ways before you cross. And then, run like hell.
January 19, 2005 06:41 PM EST Permalink
1 Comment
Comments:
I just hope that all techie's will be joining the demonstration in New York.
People from all communities will be protesting against Hot 97 radio station in New York - they insulted the deaths of Sri Lankans among others who perished in the tsunami by airing a racist tsunami song. It has angered people around the world.
Join CAHM in protesting Hot 97 on Monday, Feb. 14 at 12 Noon in NYC
Black, Hispanic/Latino, White, Asian, Hip Hop, Students ... Everyone!
Hold Hot 97 accountable for promoting hatred in our communities.
The Coalition Against Hate Media (CAHM) is organizing a protest rally of Hot 97 and *EVERYONE IS INVITED* -- Come as an individual or part of a larger group. If you are coming as a group, please e-mail them at alerts@asianmediawatch.net This will help us anticipate the size of the protest crowd.
Bring posterboard signs denouncing hatred, racism, and the Hot 97 Tsunami Song. Signs must not be attached to wooden sticks. Use cardboard tubing or hold the signs.
The location of the protest is nearly final, and it will tentatively take place in front of Hot 97 Studios.
Who: Everyone
What: CAHM Protest Rally Against Hot 97/Emmis Communications
When: Monday, February 14 from 12 Noon to 1 p.m.
Where:
Hot 97 Studios
395 Hudson St.
(between Clarkson St. & W. Houston St.)
New York, New York
The announcement will be posted on the web at http://www.asianmediawatch.net
To receive the announcement via e-mail, subscribe to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/asianmediaalerts
In case of severe weather, call 914-882-1279 for the latest information
Newsday has just withdrawn all advertising from Hot 97 as a result of the wicked tsunami song.
Many companies have already pulled advertising from Hot 97 including McDonalds, Reebok, Sprint, and Toyota. We urge Newsday to also withdraw their ads.
Hot 97 radio, owned by Emmis Communications, demeaned and dehumanized millions of victims of the South Asian tsunami to the horror of appalled listeners. To the tunes of "We Are the World," Hot 97 radio hosts sang lyrics containing racial epithets and profanity, and denigrated tsunami victims in the name of God.
Lyrics include "You can hear the screaming ch**ks ... little Chinamen swept away. You can hear 'God laughing swim you b****es swim.'" To read more about this incident, listen to the song, or read the full lyrics, visit the website http://www.asianmediawatch.net/missjones/
The Coalition Against Hate Media (CAHM) was formed over two weeks ago to combat the hatred and intolerance promoted by Hot 97's Tsunami Song, and to hold Hot 97 and parent company Emmis Communications accountable for their actions.
CAHM is a diverse coalition with representatives from different communities: Black, Hispanic/Latino, White, Asian, Hip Hop, student groups, etc. CAHM member organizations attended the January 28 protest rally at Hot 97 Studios, in support of the protest efforts led by City Council Member John C. Liu.
In response to public outcry, Hot 97 fired two staff members, suspended others, and pledged a donation to tsunami relief. However, Hot 97's actions were done unilaterally and not in a spirit of mutual cooperation with the communities they so deeply scarred.
Senior executives from parent company Emmis Communications, not Hot 97, need to meet with community leaders including City Council Member John C. Liu and representatives of CAHM. Firings and suspensions are not enough. Hot 97 management can simply hire new hate producers and DJs. Hot 97 must change its culture of hate: one that condoned, produced, and repeatedly broadcast the Tsunami Song.
About CAHM
The national Coalition Against Hate Media (CAHM) is a diverse coalition of over 40 national and community-based organizations that promotes diverse, fair, and balanced media representation. CAHM denounce messages of hate that discriminate against people based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or religious background.
Posted by Dan on February 12, 2005 at 03:44 AM EST #
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