MP3s, Piracy, YKKO, Die Another Day
A bit busy today.. Have some projects that are due this week, so I'm trying to finish them on time.. Lately, I find myself being able to focus more at work.. I don't let my mind wander.. I hope I succeed to do so not just for today, but for everyday..

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As usual, I've been working while listening to my mp3 collection. Want to take a look of what I have? Here's the playlist.. I've been thinking about these mp3 issues.. I never download whole English albums from the net, only some songs that I like, and if I liked the whole album, I just buy the CD. Then another issue arise: pirated CDs.. I know that I should be supporting the artists and everything, but I just can't help buying them.. My salary is about $35-40 a month, and how can I afford to buy a $15 or more CD? There's only one shop in YGN that sell the original music CDs and casettes, and they're pretty expensive, and they don't have all albums.. Pirated CDs are a lot cheaper and easier to buy then the original ones.. A low-quality pirated CD cost 750 Ks ($0.75), and high-quality pirated CD cost about 1200 Ks ($1.20).. u can just compare the price..

Original Myanmar music CDs cost around 1500 Ks to 1800 Ks ($1.50 to $1.80), very cheap if u compare with English CDs. People don't sell pirated copies of music CDs (not that I know of..anyways).. they only sell VCD Karaoke.. :P which cost like 750 Ks. or something.. I don't know cos I never bought one b4.. I don't want to be caught in the crowd when the police come to arrest the seller or something.. :P They are doing everything they can to reduce VCD piracy, but they just couldn't be outsmarted.. For example, when May Sweet launched her Live Show Karaoke VCD, the producers said they've use anti-piracy softwares, but u can see the pirated versions already out on the street after a week or so.. The worst thing happened with Ta Bawa Lone Chit Mae Thu VCD.. when a person puts the VCD in the computer, the autorun program goes and delete your Windows system file, and the computer won't boot anymore.. It was illegal to use such programs like that, so there was a big controversy about it between the music producers and computer users.. but.. u can still buy the pirated version on the streets...(I think that case have settled down now.. I haven't read the latest news about it)

What I do is I buy a music CD, convert it to mp3, and listen them at office.. That way, everyone at office can also listen.. I don't want to scratch the CDs by just putting them in the ROM, and play them.. Considering the costs and everything, the type of CD they use are sometimes poor in quality..

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There's a gathering of Bagan Net forum members today at YKKO (Yankin Kyay Oh) at 5:00 pm.. At first, I didn't plan to go cos it was on a working day, and wasn't sure if my parents will let me go, but I'll just manage my way around.. ;-).. I haven't c some of them in a long time cos I've been sick and couldn't go to the earlier gatherings.. I wonder if ma Pretty Princess is coming.. :)

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Yes, I wrote this entry in the notepad first, and saved whenever I finished typing a sentence... *wink*

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"For every sin, I'll have to pay
A time to work, a time to play
I think I'll find another way
It's not my time to go"

Madonna - Die Another Day