On Apple blocking google voice applications from the App-Store, the FCC got involved demanding to know:

• Did Apple reject the Google Voice application for iPhone and remove related third-party applications from its App Store?
• Did Apple act alone, or in consultation with AT&T, in deciding to reject the Google Voice application and related applications?
• Does AT&T have any role in the approval of iPhone applications?
• What are the differences between the Google Voice iPhone app and any VoIP apps that Apple has approved?
• What other applications have been rejected for use on the iPhone and for what reasons?
• What are the standards for considering and approving iPhone applications?

I really look forward to read what Apple answers.

I understand the fall of the idealisms. I even think the loss of that very suffix from every noun, religion and philosophy is a great progress for human kind. And so I understand that certain socially engaged pop music of the ’70, at the time at the top of the charts, today won’t be well received by the masses, which are seeking entertainment, and therefore want, at least during a musical recreation, to light up a bit. Today, driving at work listening to Virgin Radio, I couldn’t help to notice that an incredibly amount of pop artists are just talking about their sex, desire of sex, actual sex intercourses and sex harassments. There is a blunt obsession to put in rhythm the description of their most primordial instincts. Naturally, there has always been a mix of styles, and also in the 70 the popular music at the top of their charts was treating a variety of subjects, some more social (peace, equity,etc) and some much more light (the ’70 disco and the beginning of the dance-pop). But how much it is a mix of styles today? To satisfy my curiosity, this morning I took 30 minutes to go and check whether I am getting older and “bacchettone” (over-moralist) or there is some substance to my observation. I check the top10 songs in the pop charts as published by billboards web site and here we go: 10: Katy Perry: Waking Up In Vegas About gambling, maybe with the intention of shaking the glamour off it. Fine. 9: Linkin Park: New Divide About love and mutual incomprehension: fine. 8: Jeremih: Birthday Sex Quite obscene lyrics about sex and metaphors very much in style with the title of porn movies. Lyrics include: “switching positions”, “Tell me where you want your gift”. I’d say a song with a deep message for sure. 7: Sean Kingston: Fire Burning About erotism and some allegoric sex 6: Pitbull: I know you want me (Calle Ocho) About sex, and some porn lyric (those by courtesy in Spanish) 5: Lady Gag: LoveGame Just about sex. 4: Keri Hilson: Knock You Down About infatuation, crashes, “feeling good”, affairs (it seems that she had a boyfriend… I am not sure I understand the intricacy of the lyrics) 3: Drake: Best I ever Had About sex. The “artist” also attempt some romanticism with compliments of the kind: “you are the fucking best” 2: The Black Eyed Peas: Boom Boom Pow This is not really about sex. It’s about the search of the feeling of the good boom of a kick-drum. No comment. …and finally the NUMBER ONE!!! ONE: The Black Eyed Peas: I Gotta Feeling This is so childish it’s even amusing! It’s about the good feeling of this guy that preview he is going to have a wild sex night with some girl (not sure he really know who yet), and they will do it over and over, in every place of the house. Funny: while I was writing this, the internet radio played another song of the charts, this one of the past: Dire Straits: Sultains of Swing…. nice work!! Well, the conclusion is that, except the first two songs (the last ones in the chart), every single hit is singing about primordial body instincts. Now: this is not to criticize today’s music, as if I was an old granpa bringing always back the goo’ol times. In fact, for few of those songs I even turn up the volume of my radio when they play them. I like them. It’s just an plain observation on the sang subjects on the chart. From observation could come consideration. My considerations about what we feel like singing about are many, but I will pick this later.

Active Address Book successful Beta opening!

Early morning, walking in flip-flop towards the market to buy at the Illy kiosk the first coffee of the day. Only few other people are around yet, and to each other we are almost fellow of this hour.

I always enter from the bakery, because the aroma of the baked bread and pastry inevitably brings my mind back to when my mother was leading us through the alleys of Roccapriora, in the hills around Rome, to buy bread and ciambelle. My blue toy car in my hand.

A chat with the coffee place owner, a slow walk through the flowers of the market to head back home when the sound of a bell fills the neighborhood,
and I am simply happy.