Turkmenistan President bans lip-sync

[Bartix]

http://turkmenistan.ru/index.php?pag...sort=date_desc

Saparmurat Niyazov bans use of “phonograms” at concerts and TV programs
Turkmen president Saparmurat Niyazov has signed a decree banning the use of “phonograms at all cultural events, song-musical performances organized in honor of state holidays, in the programs of TV channels of the General directorate of the Turkmen television, as well as at all cultural events organized in the state and public organizations, in places of mass gatherings of people, during wedding parties and festivities.”

As the Ashgabat correspondent of Turkmenistan.ru reports, the decree by the head of state names “negative effect of the use of phonograms on the development of the song-musical art in the period of independence” one of the main reasons of the ban on the use of phonograms.

The Ministry of Culture and TV and Radio broadcast of Turkmenistan, administrations of the country’s regions and Ashgabat city were placed in charge of the implementation of this decree.

This is good, no?

[Aenlic]

Not a bad idea, really.

But compared to renaming the months of the year for his relatives, only allowing one textbook in his schools - his rambling autobiographical personal philosophy diatribe, and insisting on being called "the Great Turkmen", banning lip-syncing is relatively minor.

[Al Khalifah]

A bizarre ban, almost as bizarre as the King of Swaziland banning sex.

[_Martyr_]

Didnt "the Great Turkmen" aslo change the word for bread to the name of his dead mother?

[Sjakihata]

What is a phonogram?

[Crazed Rabbit]

I'm guessing some sort of audio projection device, a la 'speakers'.

Didnt "the Great Turkmen" aslo change the word for bread to the name of his dead mother?

LOL!

Crazed Rabbit

[cegorach]

It is worse... he banned long hair, golden teeth, ballet and opera, renamed days and months (one is after his mother, one after him... at least one), major places in Turkmenistan are named after him as well.

Honestly I have no idea if there is a single place not named after him/his mother/his relative or pet

Imagine living in the country with secret police searching for people telling jokes about him

Regards Cegorach

[Aenlic]

But, he's still lucid enough to sign multi-billion dollar deals with Halliburton and Chevron-Texaco to develop his natural gas and oil reserves in the Caspian Sea. That alone will guarantee him a long, trouble-free reign secure in the knowledge that no matter how bad he treats his own people, the Bush administration will kneel before him and kiss his oil-rich feet.

[Dâriûsh]

But, he's still lucid enough to sign multi-billion dollar deals with Halliburton and Chevron-Texaco to develop his natural gas and oil reserves in the Caspian Sea. That alone will guarantee him a long, trouble-free reign secure in the knowledge that no matter how bad he treats his own people, the Bush administration will kneel before him and kiss his oil-rich feet.

Indeed. He’s an insane dictator with a personality cult of Sadammish proportions… but apparently he is one of the good totalitarians, good enough at least to make fine deals with western companies.

[English assassin]

Indeed. He’s an insane dictator with a personality cult of Sadammish proportions… but apparently he is one of the good totalitarians, good enough at least to make fine deals with western companies.

EXACTLY like Saddam then...

[Spetulhu]

EXACTLY like Saddam then...

Except he hasn't attacked any allies of the West yet. No war, no sanctions, no secret trading with the wrong people. No reason to get rid of the Grand Turkey.

[Reverend Joe]

The Grand Turkmen is my favorite dictator of all time. Unless we're talking about two different people- is this the guy who went to a hospital in the capital of Turkmenistan, and decided that it was such a good hospital, everyone in the country should go there, so he closed all the other hospitals in the country?

If so, he is a delightfully evil madman.

[Papewaio]

Well at least it will stop Kylie and a whole horde of pop singers from touring to Turkmenistan...

[Steppe Merc]

I'm against anyone that bans long hair! Down with the bastard!

[bmolsson]

He has far to much spare time.....

[Krusader]

He's also banned recorded music before.

He sure is among the strangest dictators. Right up there with Emperor Bokassa of the Central African Empire

Wikipedia article
Funny read!!

[sharrukin]

He's also banned recorded music before.

He sure is among the strangest dictators. Right up there with Emperor Bokassa of the Central African Empire

Wikipedia article
Funny read!!

Well at least he's not a cannibal! I think.

http://www.unc.edu/depts/diplomat/ar...cannibals.html

http://www.vor.ru/English/Footprints...xt882_eng.html

[Zalmoxis]

You might not like it, but this is a man who knows what he wants from life, and by that I mean he hates Britney Spears.

[Navaros]

each and every country on Earth should ban all lip-syncing at any paid events. period.

it's a real shame that it took an obscure country to lead the way in this regard.

[Productivity]

each and every country on Earth should ban all lip-syncing at any paid events. period.

it's a real shame that it took an obscure country to lead the way in this regard.

Why? If people want to pay to see lip syncing then that's their choice. I don't see how it harms you.

[Navaros]

Why? If people want to pay to see lip syncing then that's their choice. I don't see how it harms you.

because most people are not even made aware that the hacks whom they have paid to see sing are in fact lip-syncing

[Productivity]

because most people are not even made aware that the hacks whom they have paid to see sing are in fact lip-syncing

So? Caveat emptor.

Even if you are truly outraged over that (really aren't there more important causes in life?) then banning lip syncing is not the correct policy response. The correct policy response is to make disclosure of lip syncing compulsary.