Television reporter Arthur Chi'en with New York City's WCBS Channel 2 was terminated following his colourful on-air outburst in response to a few men holding up a sign during his report.

Turns out the men were interns of radio personalities "Opie and Anthony" who were were present during Chi'en's live report on MTA MetroCard fraud. As they approached, the pranksters filled the back of the shot with a sign promoting their own radio show and even gave "the finger" to the camera and WCBS viewers. After keeping his cool through the prepared remarks, Chi'en gave in and as he finished his report, turned away from the camera and angrily asked, "What the fuck is your problem, man?"

Apparently Chi'en assumed that since his remark was made at the conclusion of his live broadcast, the master control room would have already cut back to the studio. He was incorrect and in this post-Janet Jackson Super Bowl "fear the FCC" climate, WCBS fired the reporter of two years according to Audrey Pass, station spokesperson. The reporter's biography page at the CBS affiliate's website was removed almost immediately thereafter.

Chi'en was quick to issue apologies to those who he may offended.

"I regret the entire thing and I apologize to those who were offended," he told the New York Daily News.

Meanwhile, "Opie and Anthony" went to their website to boast about this incident, one designed and executed in their effort to publicly annoy television reporters. The show, originally broadcast on WNEW-FM but moved to XM Satellite Radio (Channel 202) after complaints, typically features crude humour and practical jokes.

Source: New York Daily News [ via ]

Media: Watch (Windows Media Video, 1.10 Mb, original source)
Media: Watch (Windows Media Video, 1.10 Mb, local mirror)

Link: Chi'en Revolution at CafePress
Link: Arthur Chi'en Fired: Why He Had No Choice

UPDATE

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Thank you to DoctorSteve for linking to this story and referring to it as "the best and most idiotic." Seems the words "interns of" got cut from the draft, making it sounds like "Opie and Anthony" were present themselves. This can been corrected, but thank you for referring to Mount Sutro as "the media."

Text messaging with the Short Message Service (SMS) protocol has clearly taken its place in modern society. When sending a text message to a mobile telephone via traditional means is not available or desired, there are several alternative options depending on the cellular service provider. The SMS Web Directory is designed to help you send text messages from your computer.

When available, a link to a Web to SMS portal is provided as well as an example of the e-mail to SMS address format. Below those are some general web-based SMS tools and senders. Your feedback, additions and updates are welcome.

The directory was updated 12 July 2010 and is presented alphabetically.

Web to SMS	E-Mail to SMS
Alltel	number@message.alltel.com
AT&T	number@txt.att.net
Boost Mobile	number@myboostmobile.com
CellCom	number@cellcom.quiktxt.com
Cricket	number@sms.mycricket.com
Fido	number@fido.ca
Nextel	number@messaging.nextel.com
Iridium Satellite	8816number@msg.iridium.com
O2	number@o2.co.uk
Sprint PCS	number@messaging.sprintpcs.com
T-Mobile	number@tmomail.net
TracFone	—
U.S. Cellular	number@email.uscc.net
Verizon Wireless	number@vtext.com
Virgin Mobile	number@vmobl.com
Other Services
Google SMS Google Voice oh, don’t forget… Yellowpipe Web Hosting

A more comprehensive list is now maintained at Wikipedia.

In addition to the existing Refer Blacklist available for download, I have decided to also maintain a copy of my server e-mail filter for public consumption. Please note some of the entries' characters may look like normal letters but are actually special (or wrong) characters used to convince a human reader but trick a server filter.

This list will be updated every so often, as there is presently no automated way to query the server for this data. The E-Mail Blacklist was last updated on 24 April 2008, 2244.

This feature is no longer updated. Thank you.

Despite my recent push to find new destinations to check out regularly, it seems the world of the web has entered one of its stagnet points as it has been known to do from time to time. Not that I am complaining really, because I have not done too much myself to add content to the fray.

Unlike at the White House, a slow news day here does not mean that news agencies have to go out of their way to make mountains from molehills. Instead, may you be entertained by the following.

Wendy's Free Frosty Weekend
"From Friday, May 13, through Sunday, May 15, consumers can pick up a free Junior Frosty at their local Wendy's restaurant. No purchase is required for customers to receive the free dessert. The company estimates it will give away more than 14 million Junior Frostys during the special three-day event."

Owner of Wendy's chili finger found
"A finger allegedly found in a bowl of chili at a Wendy's restaurant has been identified, US police have said. It belonged to a family friend of Anna Ayala, the woman who said she discovered the finger as she ate in a restaurant in San Jose, California."

Henderson Legs Raise Eyebrows
"People in Henderson are talking about the massive sculpture of a woman's legs, spread open on Welcome Avenue. At first glance, it looks more like something you'd find at a strip club, instead of a quiet neighborhood." [ via ]

Zippo-looking camera on TSA no-fly list
The Department of Homeland Security at work for you. [ via ]

UN looks to Brooklyn for temporary home
"The possibility emerged on Tuesday in a new progress report from Mr. Annan on plans to move the organization into temporary housing during the renovation of the United Nations headquarters on the East River in Manhattan, once stylish but now dangerously antiquated." [ via ]

NYC Uptown Wall Collapse
New information and great photographs on yesterday's accident.

Judge: Nebraska Ban on Same-Sex Marriage Unconstitutional

Birding in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California
"This is the largest state park outside of Alaska with over 600,000 acres ranging from flat desert sinks to high, boulder-strewn mountains."

"Cock" banned from West Hollywood Signs
Every sign that contains the word cocktail is now illegal. Your government at work.

Pope Creature Comforts
The new Pope is moving in and the BBC takes a look at his loot.

NASA Shuttle to retire in 2010
The year we make contact. heh heh

Two NASA Astronauts on Star Trek: Enterprise finale tonight
"While on vacation, the real-life space explorers traded in their spacesuits for make-believe future space garb as the two made a guest appearance on the upcoming season finale of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Enterprise."

Star Trek franchise ends 18 year run
"After 18 years and 624 hours of Star Trek, the audience began to have a little bit of overkill."

BBC Opens Newsroom to RSS
"The BBC has opened up its content more so that people can use news stories and headlines on their own sites via RSS."

Mobile GUI: Design Standards Needed
"But the mobile phone industry is in danger of confusing people in its quest to pack everything into handsets, thinks Scott Jenson, a leading mobile industry design consultant."