This is probably a good time to disclose that I was recently asked to serve on Internet & Media Advisory Committee (INMAC*) under MDA. INMAC is the new committee formed in April 2007 to advise MDA on ongoing media literacy initatives, industry co-regulation policies and other regulatory operational issues.

Chaired by Stephen Yeo, the other members comes from various media and academic background. I am probably the youngest member.

We had our first meeting today. It is very nice to finally meet Cherian George. I dont think I should talk about what goes on in the meeting so no details right now.

* Yep, no longer the corny IMAC :-)

Happy is when I receive a call from a reporter who wanted to do a story on Citizen Journalism a few weeks ago.

Excited is when I see a Special Edition on today Straits Times titled. “For the People, By the People“. I even bought a copy for the first time this month!

Shock is when all I see is pages and pages of self-promotion of Straits Times own online forum STOMP. How much self-promotion do you need when you have STOMP icon on almost every page of Straits Times everyday?

Sad is when I realized the opportunity for the mass to understand Citizen Journalism became a shameless self-plug. That all significant online activities that references to STOMP “competitors” was conveniently left out in the reports.

Irony is when I see the paper declared “STOMP – Singapore’s one and only Citizen Journalism”.

Realization is when I SMS mrbrown “This Special Edition just prove why we need real Citizen Journalism in Singapore.”

Would the real Citizen Journalism in Singapore please stand up?

ps: Jennifer, no disrespect to you. You have done great work for STOMP but this report is just so sad …

Lately, I have been meeting with a lot of young entrepreneurs. As for why so, it is a story for another day. Anyway, I met one gentlemen for lunch yesterday and I said:

“I know people who are more successful than me at my age. They are not necessary smarter than me but they are definitely nicer than I am.”

Speaking of which, I really enjoy my dinner with the founder of happytxt.com last night. He might not be the smartest or the most knowledgeable, he is definitely the most passionate I have met so far.

He really love his work. To him, happytxt is not just a project, or a business or something that will make him rich (it didn’t even cross his mind).

To him, it is his work of love. And he enjoys every minute doing it.

Yesterday, I was talking to a Chinese reporter. At the end of the phone call, she suddenly complimented my Chinese, as she is surprised. This also happens a few months ago, while I was doing a Chinese radio show.

Now, I am not trying to boost here. I being to China and Taiwan enough to know kids there speaks better than I do.

What concerns me is that if the reporters complimented my Chinese, I wonder what Chinese standard do they get from average Singaporeans?

As I was telling my wife (who was an ex-Chinese teacher) last night, if my Chinese is considered good in Singapore, there is no hope for an average Singaporeans to ever do business in China.

For the Singaporean out there, lets do a simple test to see if you can translate the following sentence without to resorting to mixing it in English. Common phrases, you would likely to use in everyday life.

1. Can I have the bill?

2. I will send you an Email later today.

3. Please call for a cab for me.

4. My name is David and I represent Microsoft.

5. I will upload the document to the share folder later.

In case you haven’t notice, I got a legal letter from lawyers representing Grand Seasons International today. We are now seeking legal advises on the next step.

Our Ref: JSG/1311/07
Date: 23 May 2007

Editor
Tomorrow.sg
Registrar: Vooju Pte Ltd
Registrant: James Seng
[Address]

Dear Sir

GRAND SEASONS INTERNATIONAL – TIMESHARE SCAM COMPANY

We act for M/s Grand Seasons International Pte Ltd.

Our clients instruct that a blog has been published in your Bulletin of Singapore Bloggers at the following url address: http://tomorrow.sg/archives/2006/10/23/grand_seasons_international_ti.html with the heading in bold “Grand Season International-TimeShare Scam Company”.

We are instructed that the above words are defamatory of our clients and our client’s reputation and goodwill has been disparaged and seriously damage. It is common knowledge that the Internet has millions of users who have free and open access to the words complained of.

In the premises our clients instruct that unless the above offending words are removed from the above url address and from the bulletin board within the next 5 days from the date hereof our clients shall have no alternative but to proceed as they deem fit in the matter.

Our clients also seek your co-operation to disclose the name and address of “GECKO” who has posted comment on 23/10/06 regarding our clients in the captioned matter as our clients intend to pursue their legal rights against the writer.

Yours faithfully,

Jagjit Singh Gill

cc clients

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Okay, I am down with Conjunctivitis for the last two days. It started with my daughter complaining about her eye pain last week. Sunday morning, she developed a full-blown red-eye and we bought her to see the doctor. By lunch time, my eye started to sore and by evening time, I had my red-eye. I canceled all my appointments and see the doctor the first thing in the morning on Monday. This is followed by my baby son and wife in the evening.

Yea I know the picture is gross but thats how my eye look like :-(

On a lighter note of things, I had a drinking session last week at a place where the price of the beer varies depending on the time you were there: $2 at 11am to $9 at 10pm.

Looks like Prenium SMS Slamming is a serious issue in Malaysia right now. See Jeff Ooi’s report:

MCMC stated that, based on the numerous complaints it received, the issue involved mobile users who claimed they are being charged for services/content which they have NEVER subscribed ot purchased.

For the problem to escalate to this massive scale, it must have being going-on for a long time now.

A research for a next generation Internet (I blog about GENI earlier last year) made it in the mainstream media (TIME) with a sensationalized title as above.

The idea may seem unthinkable, even absurd, but many believe a “clean slate” approach is the only way to truly address security, mobility and other challenges that have cropped up since UCLA professor Leonard Kleinrock helped supervise the first exchange of meaningless test data between two machines on Sept. 2, 1969.

No, there are some problems with Internet and we need to work on those. And we are working on those from a clean slate. But no one in the right mind is actually proposing to scrapped the current Internet.

But hey, what do I know? The TIME title is probably more exciting then “Global Environment for Network Investigators Project”.

Someone send me this article; it is too good not to share this. Pearl Before breakfast, an investigative story about putting the one of the world best violinist (Joshua Bell) in the Metro and watch what happened.

It is so sad. Only a few stop to give money. Even less stay on to appreciate the music and only one recognizes Joshua.

There was no ethnic or demographic pattern to distinguish the people who stayed to watch Bell, or the ones who gave money, from that vast majority who hurried on past, unheeding. Whites, blacks and Asians, young and old, men and women, were represented in all three groups. But the behavior of one demographic remained absolutely consistent. Every single time a child walked past, he or she tried to stop and watch. And every single time, a parent scooted the kid away.

Perhaps sometimes we should slow down, listen to the music and smell the flowers.

An email reminded me about the interview I had with SG Entrepreneurs. Check it out if you are interested.