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Archive for the ‘TechStuff’ category
WordPress in Tamil
July 13th, 2008
Poobalan on THR Raaga
July 10th, 2008 | Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email Yeah, it was me on THR this morning, though I had problem recognizing my own voice! Do I sound that bad? 😆 Even though I had talked on Minnal FM and also appeared on a song request program in Astro Vaanavil previously, the butterflies are still there!
The short phone interview was aired at about 7.45am, so I doubt many would have been tuned to THR. It was a pleasant surprise when friends SMSed me after hearing it. Hmmm..didn’t know you guys were THR listeners 🙂
Actually, the interview was recorded yesterday noon. DJ Uthaya called at about lunch time, and together with DJ Ananda, he posed some questions on blogging. They were going to talk about alternative media and wanted to highlight blogging to the Indian community (or something like that). I was busy with some work, so just shot off whatever came into my head. I mentioned about the reasons people blog, meaning of blog, gave my URL, example of bloggers who make money blogging, and before I knew it, the interview was over. Just about 3 minutes.
Before I had chance to ask how they got my number or when the interview will (if at all) be aired, the call ended. So, I had no clues at all.
My questions on how they managed to contact me was answered later at night. First I thought it was those Putera MIC fellas who are organising Manya Awards, but it was another blogger, Selian.
Well, I hope my tiny weeny contribution will motivate more people, especially from the Indian community to start blogging. You can blog about anything. If you need help, just drop me an email. [Updated: email address]
Blogs attacked by minister
July 9th, 2008 | Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal says blogs made the recent demonstrations worse. What do you say?
He also described the culture of “believing everything one read in blogs to be the truth” as unhealthy and what made it worse was that the inaccurate information was passed on to others. Now, why would one believe the blogs blindly? People can also choose to believe newspapers, TV, radio, politicians, neighbours, mamak stall owner, forwarded emails and voices in their head. I think one should evaluate the things they read, regardless of the source or form. Some may sound true, others more fictitious. Some are reliable, others are not. Some by experience, others by opinion. So, one should read from all variety of sources – to widen their knowledge and views. Trusting one source (like newspapers for example) can lead to misinformation and closed minds.
Says the minister:
One post may say a person stole RM10 and that amount might end up being RM100 when it got around. That is how inaccurate blogs can be.
I remember a game in which the participants are asked to stand in a line. The first person is told a statement, and is asked to whisper it into their ears of the next person. The seconds does the same to third person, and so on until the message reaches the last person. When the last person is asked to say out the message he/she heard, it most likely to be not same as the original statement whispered into the ears of the first person. This exercise is to highlight communication barriers and problems. This can happen in all sorts of media, not only in blogs.
Advice on Blogging for uni students
July 4th, 2008 | Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email I was surprised to read this piece in NST. Few contentious points which I feel needs to be clarified.
1. I think only a seasoned and well-respected (by online communities) blogger can give such an advice. I doubt the vice chancellor blog. If he does, then I apologise. If he doesn’t, then his advice is not worth much.
2. He also asked students to stay away from blogs that gave negative information about the government. And he goes on to say that he believes students have the ability to distinguish between right and wrong. Kind of contradicting. Negative not necessarily means wrong, positive doesn’t mean its true. If this is the case, one might as well stop reading newspapers!
3. People blog for various reasons – personal, hobby, organisation, business, political, entertainment etc. Writing against certain things is not wrong as long as it is personal opinion or comes with facts. For example, one can write in support of using drugs for pleasure, either based on facts or own opinion (BTW, I’m not advocating usage of drugs). The readers can make their own decision based on what the writer wrote.
4. “It is not a crime to blog or to comment in any blog. But it is the
blogger’s responsibility to give correct and positive information so
that it does not affect the government and university management” – said the VC. I don’t think its anyone’s responsibility to give positive information. One can only give facts or opinions. If it stinks, it stinks. You can’t write that its fragrant, can you?
He did mention that its good for students to blog or read them so that can be exposed to more
Nominated for Manya Bloggers Awards by MIC
June 6th, 2008 | Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email Well, this is indeed surprising! Got a call yesterday that yours truly (ehem…) is one of the nominees. In two categories pulak! Hmmm…so paisye…shy le. Me…popular??? 🙂
The organisers did inquire cautiously if I don’t mind being part of the contest (well, that what it looks like to me) organised by MIC. You know, being a blogger means you are either one or all of the following – jobless, stupid, a primate, housewives, or anti-everything. Well, I’m always supportive of any activities that is for the good of the community. I hope this even is not misused or misinterpreted in the future to say youths or bloggers support MIC. I’m sure the organisers know better than to cross swords with bloggers 🙂 So, with the noble intentions (“We want to encourage more Malaysian Indians to blog and share information on the Internet”) outlined by Putera MIC chief in mind, I graciously accept my nomination, even though I’m pretty sure popular is not the word to describe this blog 🙂
Anyway, I disagree with Kamalanathan that bloggers only focus on sensitive issues only because “news sells”. I actually think that the reason for talking about sensitive issues is because there’s not many avenues to discuss it openly and properly. The media does not do the job, public are threatened not to talk in the name of “national security”, and also because many of the “sensitive issues” have elements of crime, discrimination, infringement of human rights, perversion of natural justice or plain lies. » Read more: Nominated for Manya Bloggers Awards by MIC
