fisharepeopletoo

Obama's Cairo Speech by SMS

Highlights of Obama's Cairo speech tomorrow (June 4th) are being "broadcast" by SMS, and comments can be sent back by SMS.

The only snag I can see with this is that you still need web access to sign up, which might cut down the number of people who can and do sign up from the developing world - I wonder if they have also used regional radio stations to broadcast a way of signing up by SMS?

That would be easily done, so if not, maybe their SMS gateway (Clickatell) are worried about it being so popular it actually costs them a bit of money - which it bloody well should do considering they have got their logo right underneath Obama's picture in connection with what might be a historic moment.

Here is where you go to submit your phone number, but no registration process.

Voice of America

"And to all those watching tonight
from beyond our shores,
from parliaments and palaces
to those who are huddled around radios
in the forgotten corners of our world
– our stories are singular,
but our destiny is shared"

from Obama's acceptance speech in The Guardian.

more and more amazing!

"to those who are huddled around radios"

that and the "forgotten corners" are almost a cliche, but because of what the whole world now knows about his background, he said, "I'm one of you as well."

We'll see whether he means it or not, but it's quite a flourish.

And where have we heard the word "huddled" before, in the context of America and the world?

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free"