Bloggers make debut at Democratic convention BOSTON: Bloggers writing personal and political Internet journals made their debut at the Democratic National Convention on Monday, attracting feverish attention from the mainstream media but providing little in the way of news. The Democratic Party invited a select list of Internet bloggers to cover the convention for the first time, treating them like any other credentialed reporter. The Republicans will do the same at their convention in New York which begins on Aug 30. Hopes were high the bloggers would present a dynamic, irreverent, cutting new voice, reaching a vast online audience that the regular media cannot communicate with. As stated by blogger Patrick Belton at www.wnyc.org/blog/vote2004/: “The 2004 conventions will be remembered as the conventions of the blog; just like the 1952 Republican convention was the convention of the television, and the 1924 conventions were the conventions of the radio.” What is the difference between blogging and journalism? Blogger Dave Johnson gives his view at seetheforest.blogspot.com: “Blogging is regular people voicing what regular people are feeling, and doing it because they feel they have to say this because no one else is.” Some of the mainstream media and even the John Kerry campaign have jumped on the bandwagon and are also running blog pages. – Reuters

Another evidence that blogging is here to stay. There is more to blogging than just a passing fad for a young generation. You could call it a revolution if you wish. It is an invaluable tool for many to put their thoughts into words and doing it in a stylish and presentable format. It is a digital art form and something that will only continue to grow. The only challenge I see is collating all these blogs into more systematic and searchable directories. Watch out. It is the next New Kid On The Block!

I read the recent article in The Star regarding the blogging phenomenon enveloping our youths today. Several of our dear bloggers were mentioned in that article. I was quite disturbed by the fact that blogging was being described as an addiction, a psychological addiction, that is.

Although it is good for youths to relate to each other, it is when they indulge too much in a certain behaviour – like blogging – that the negative effects begin to outweigh the positive

There are many uses of blogging. Check out MMR. From sharing one's experience to the dissemination of information. There are many useful sites using the blogging format. It should not be generalised as a negative experience. However, I agree that if misused, it could have detrimental effects, like the "addiction" that was mentioned. The internet remains new to many individuals. It is the ignorance of this new technology that drives suspicion towards it.

Blogging could be just a passing fad and Paul advises young people to let it pass and grow from it.

Blogging, unfortunately for some, will not be a passing fad. It is definitely here to stay. As mentioned, it is a new way of communication and education. It also symbolises our right to free speech and a alley to demonstrate creative and artistic prowess. Look at all the wonderfully designed pages and the literary talent that surrounds us. It provides an avenue to express a feeling that would otherwise be suppressed one way or another. To me, it is just another way of communication and living, NOT an addiction.

Mind you, bloggers are not emotionally deprived individuals. Check out Loopy Meals. It certainly does not represent someone in "a need for attention, a need to be listened to, or even just a need for someone to be there for you". It is just a mean of documenting electronically his experiences as a first time to-be-father and inadvertently sharing his joy and happiness with friends and visitors alike. There is nothing conventional about it but it is something that only blogs could achieve.

“Human beings are social animals – we need to socialise, meet people, share feelings and spend time together. If we spend more and more time alone, facing the screen, we’ll be cutting cut down on our social time,” Paul says, adding that when that happens, bloggers – who may be good at putting words together on the screen – may be unable to express themselves when they meet with others in person.

Well, Mr Paul Jambunathan, you have obviously not met many bloggers. We do socialise not only with our regular friends but fellow bloggers as well. It is just a different concept of socialising, not one that entails long, useless and pathetic hours in the pubs or discotheques. We rather face the screen rather than the bottom of a glass! Perhaps Mr Paul Jambunathan should study closely the subject matter at hand before stereotyping an activity that is definitely here to stay. :)

At last, I managed to get a ticket for this hugely popular movie. And I must say, it has been some time since I last saw a good movie. It encompasses all aspects, action, drama, comedy to romance. It showed the fragile human side of spiderman. And it could certainly make one cry especially the closing sequence between spiderman and Mary Jane. I would rate this movie highly and give it a 9.5 out of 10.

In Malaysiakini,

Federal Court rejects appeal in apostasy case Jul 21, 04 10:12am The Federal Court this morning dismissed an appeal by four individuals who had renounced Islam for a declaration that they have absolute right and freedom to practise the religion of their choice.

Apostacy,meaning total desertion or departure from one's faith, principles, or party. In the United States, the 1st Amendment of the Bill of Rights, the exercise of freedom of religion is preserved. In Malaysia, the freedom of religion has been promised but it appears only to the minority few. The vast majority of the population, the Malays, are bound since birth to a religion for which they are forbidden to leave. Any attempt at such will be met with scorn and ridicule. The situation will be no different in other Islamic countries for example Iran or Saudi Arabia. So the question is, are the arguments by the four individuals that they had absolute right and freedom to practise the religion of their choice valid? How are they different from Malaysians of other races? Can Malays in Malaysia ever practice other religions? Why are they bound by a law that stifles a basic human right?

This blog seeks not to chastise these actions but rather to improve my understanding of the intertwined complexities of both the religion and the civil law.

In the NST letter section,

Doctor’s behaviour inhumane July 19: MY son, aged one year and four months, lost consciousness about 9.20pm on July 3. We rushed him to the nearest clinic. What happened next was truly unbelievable. Upon entering the treatment room, the doctor on duty was clearly displeased, looking at my motionless son. She did not even ask what happened or touch the little boy. All she did was shout, "No, no, no ...brain damage," repeatedly and pushed us out of the room. My mother was begging the doctor to do something for my son and the doctor slammed the door in our face! Without wasting any more time dealing with such an inhumane doctor, we rushed to the Ipoh Hospital. My son was treated immediately upon arrival at the emergency room. I am surprised and angry that a doctor, whose main responsibility is saving lives, behaved in this manner. Aren't private medical practitioners supposed to deal with emergency cases instead of pushing us to hospitals? My son is fine now. He lost consciousness due to high fever and suffered no brain damage. S.K. Kajang

The behaviour of the doctor is truly unacceptable and inexcusable. She should have seen the child first before referring to another hospital. The child was lucky that it was nothing serious and life threatening. It contravenes all medical ethics and absolutely defies logical thinking. It is sad that such individuals exist as doctors and certainly does little justice to the profession.

It has indeed been some time since I last blogged about a movie. Not that I have not seen any but I guess I thought I had something better to blog about. It was my intention to watch Spiderman 2 but the tickets are still fully booked for this movie. So i settled for a "lesser" movie "Laws of Attraction". The storyline for this movie is rather predictable and it certainly does not help that you have read the synopsis that practically sums the whole movie up. However, this show displays lots of English humour. I thought the script was well written, displaying the type of humour that is a rarity in American movies. Forget about the storyline, just enjoy the humour. Overall I would give this movie a passing grade of 5.5 out of 10. Have to wait another week for the Spiderman fever to subside. Sigh!

Recently in The Star,

PM: I want to make Malaysia more competitive KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's anti-corruption campaign coupled with widespread reforms of public and state-owned companies is to make the country more competitive, said Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. The Prime Minister said he was determined to cut the cost of doing business, fight corruption and trim bureaucracy as well as boost efficiency in state-controlled companies.

Finally the PM has ackowledged the need to fight corruption. It is widespread and threatens to cripple our fragile economy. Declaring war on corruption is like declaring war on terrorism. The enemy is not evident as it assimilates well into society. This war requires sacrifice, commitment and bravery. The process will uncover more enemies than friends. However, it is a necessary battle.

We need to empower our Anti Corruption Agency. It is currently limited in its powers and pretty much still under the control of the federal government. To function effectively and fairly, we need to make the ACA an independant entity. Until that is achieved, the ACA will not have the credibility that is due to them and will be continually viewed as an extension of the Government's propaganda machinery. Gaining independence will ensure that it can investigate even top Government officials and politicians without fear or favour. They should be placed under the authority of the King.

It is sickening that we still see blatant evidences of corruption still in our midst. Ask any top businessman and they will tell you that it is part and parcel of doing business in Malaysia be it with the Government or otherwise. Many misuse the authority and responsibility entrusted to them to satisfy their lust for money. When will they be held accountable?

I hope that the PM will turn words into actions. It is time to fight for Malaysia if it is to be a developed and competitive nation. The best place to start is the very force that has been entrusted to ensure security, our police!

In The Star today,

PM: Public interest comes first PUTRAJAYA: The proposed abolition of the certificate of fitness (CF) requirement for new buildings will in no way compromise the people’s interest and the safety of buildings, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said. He said the Government would not rush through the proposal and would only implement it once everything was ready. This included putting in place stricter laws to ensure that the professionals who would vouch for the safety and specification of buildings would be held accountable for their actions. .....cont...

I was quite amused by the above story. It is ironic that the PM would like to abolish the issuance of CFs to newer buildings when our contractors have not yet proven their worth. Instead, we have heard many stories of shoddy workmanship and the usage of cheap materials.

The perfect example is the new Emergency wing of the UMMC. Things are just falling apart. Supporting beams for the lights are failing. Even the presence of seepage from the floor suggests some leaks in the underground piping. All this when the offical opening has yet to be made! This speaks volumes of the below par quality of our contractors. So removing the need to obtain a CF for new buildings, in my opinion, will only compound this problem. I doubt we can trust our contractors at this point in time.

If it is indeed public interest that comes first, then i suggest that the PM should strike out this proposal to abolish CFs. Instead tougher laws and regulations should be in place to monitor and prevent shoddy workmanships. There is little need to replace one law with another when the current system, if appropriately managed and implemented, should suffice.

Reported in The Star,

Study: More teenage girls smoking KUALA LUMPUR: A Health Ministry study has found that more teenage girls are smoking and their numbers will be on par with their male counterparts by 2030. Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad said smoking among teenage girls had reached 8% and was expected to surge to 29% by 2030. “The current scenario is that adolescents have taken over the lead from adults as smokers,” he said at the opening of the Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya World Tobacco Free Week here yesterday. His speech was read out by the ministry’s vector control deputy director Dr Marzuki Md Isa. Dr Abdul Latiff said between 50 and 60 teenagers become new smokers daily. Meanwhile, Deputy Health Director Dr Sallehudin Abu Bakar told reporters that smoking among male teenagers was expected to remain at 30% but was likely to gradually increase among teenage girls. “The ministry is focusing its anti-smoking efforts on teenage smokers and is trying to reduce the rate by at least 10% a year,” he said. He also said smoking prevalence among male adults in Malaysia had reached 50%, more than the figure in other developing nations (49%) and developed nations (39%). – Bernama

We are losing the battle against tobacco. Despite the knowledge of the dangers of tobacco smoking, many are ignoring such facts. It is the younger generation that is attempting to challenge the boundaries of their human bodies not knowing the frailty of this wonderful creation to carcinogens in tobacco smoke.

The question is why are they not listening? Are we playing our cards right? Are the millions spent on "Tak Nak" campaign worth the taxpayer's money?

More questions than answers. Personally, I feel the Government should take a tougher stance against the habit of tobacco smoking. We need to enforce existing laws on tobacco smoking. The reasons for not doing so only serves to encourage more souls to partake of this unhealthy element. We need more action not just talk. Politicians need to lead by example.

Sadly, I believe that our failure to be aggressive stems from the fact that many politicians and those in high power, themselves are smokers. Therefore, many are reluctant to pursue this issue and instead attempt to defend the habit as something acceptable and harmless.

There is nothing harmless about tobacco smoking. It kills and debilitates millions. It costs the healthcare millions of dollars as well to treat these patients. Sadly, many are oblivious to this fact.

I was in a cafe the other day when i noticed a man smoking in front of his pregnant wife. Doesn't he care for his wife and his unborn child? Or is he so selfish so as to fulfil his addictions rather than protecting his family?

It boggles the mind at times. We need new strategies. We should not support sports that advertise tobacco. Among them Formula One. We should not be tempted by the attraction of dollar signs. It is indeed time we do something before unfavourable statistics threatens our very existence.

We are losing the battle but certainly the war is far from over. Let us fight by starting in our very own homes. Make them smoke free zones even to your closest of friends. The message has to be clear. Smoking is dangerous and should not be tolerated. Period.