The Star is, once again, doing its part as the paper that cares; this time to aid victims of Cyclone Nargis.
We're collecting funds, and it will be used to help Mercy Malaysia in its relief efforts in Myanmar, where items such as water purification sachets, medicine, tarpaulins and plastic sheets for temporary shelter are urgently needed.
Here's how you can help:
1) Donate: Cheques must be made payable to Mercy Malaysia. Write Myanmar Relief Fund on the back of the cheques as well as your name and address so that receipts can be issued.
Because of the urgency of the matter, the collection exercise will only run for two weeks - so you have until May 21. You could come personally to our office at Menara Star (address below) to drop off your cheques at the collection box situated at the lobby.
Or you could send your cheques to:
Myanmar Relief Fund Star Publications (M) Bhd Menara Star 15, Jalan 16/11 Petaling Jaya 46350 Selangor.
For inquiries, call: 03-79671388 ext 1121.
Alternatively, you can forward your donations to the Foreign Ministry as it has activated the Tabung Bencana Kementerian Luar Negeri. Send your cheques to:
Mohammed Zamberi Othman Ketua Akauntan Kementerian Luar Negeri No.1 Jalan Wisma Putra 62602 Putrajaya
2) Blog: As a blogger you could inform your readers on how they could help. Find out if there are other relief efforts and blog about it (Just make sure it's legitimate). Or copy & paste/link to this post.
I've never seen a white lion in my life and I would bet my White Lion CD and Kimba the White Lion Ultra DVD Boxset that the majority of you haven’t either.
So, what if I told you that I have tickets to a show that not only features a white lion doing its thing as the show-stopper, but a white tiger as well, and you can win these tickets by doing what you're doing right now as a blogger. Interested?
The show, called Dreamz, and brought to you by Genting - City of Entertainment, actually has a storyline (of sorts), and is all colourful and magical and loud and busy, featuring lots of people in body-hugging suits and tights, jumping around, doing magic, performing death-defying stunts and acrobatics, and er, getting their heads separated from their bodies, among other things.
If you don't believe me you could check out stills from the show here, and/or watch the 10sec clip below.
Stunning eh?
Of course, the big white cats are the real stars of this extravaganza and they, along with their human counterparts, will be in Genting until Aug 31, 2008, after which they'll be emancipated from body-hugging couture, leashes and the like and leave our shores.
Which gives you about four months (contest ends on Aug 1, 2008) to complete the ridiculously simple tasks we've set up for you so that you can be in contention to take home one of the 80 double passes (worth RM260 each) we have on offer.
And what are these tasks? Well, details can be found on our Contests page.
I watched the YTL-sponsored screening of The 11th Hour last Sunday at KLPac, and found it to be very informative, if a little unimaginative in its approach.
It shares the same objective with Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth, that is, to make you realise that we, ourselves have become the main threat to our continued survival as a species, and that we have to act - and act fast - if we want to ensure this planet remains habitable in the future.
The documentary, produced and narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, essentially features talking heads giving you the lowdown on what's happening to Mother Nature (she's got a temperature and is a little out of sorts - haven't you noticed?), and what we can expect to happen, if we go on the way we do now.
The fascinating commentary, provided by respectable figures such as Stephen Hawking and Mikhail Gorbachev, are intercut with a variety of images, both tender and alarming.
What I really liked about The 11th Hour is that while it paints a grim picture, it is also optimistic; it provides the viewer with possible solutions, on ways to move forward.
Also, it makes a clarion call for change, asking you - yes, you! - to make a few adjustments in your lifestyle for the green cause. Find out more at the movie's official site http://11thhouraction.com/.
One of the things you could do is join the BYOB (Bring your Own Bag) campaign by signing the pledge to rid plastic bags out of your life at http://www.leonardodicaprio.org/pledge/, and more importantly, keep to it.
I was the 2481st person to do exactly that, but I must confess, keeping to the pledge isn't such a stretch for me since I've been carrying my own bag(s) to buy groceries for quite some time now. Heh.
...brings interesting news, not least of which is the entry of our former PM Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad into the blogging ring. You can read more about it here, or you can go straight to his blog www.chedet.com. All I'm going to say is, expect jabs, hooks and uppercuts, now that the political heavyweight has put on his online gloves.
As for AMBP updates, well, we've got pictures now, and soon if everything moves smoothly, we'll have videos too. But I'm sure it'll take some time to set that up, 'cos, truth be told, we're a little shorthanded now. **ssshhh, don't tell anybody I told you, kay?**
So, while waiting for the young and restless (read: jobless) to respond to our "Wanted" ads, our techies have fixed the bug - the pesky one that didn't allow me to embed videos - that was here, prior to the first of May.
Or at least, I think they fixed the bug, so I'm testing it out now, by embedding a Youtube vid:
There you go. Now, let's all learn a lesson from these two kids.
Update: If you're wondering what Tan Hong Ming and Ummi Qazrina have been up to, check out filmmaker Yasmin Ahmad's blog.
You might have noticed that we've made some minor changes here. We have added a 'News' section, which would carry all the blog-related news from our newspaper, The Star, and soon we will be adding a 'Galleries' page too, so look out for that.
And I regurgitate some news
I'm sure you've already heard about this but I'll blog about, and direct your attention to it anyway. The second Bloggers Universe Malaysia 2008 (BUM2008), organised by socio-political blogger Y. L. Chong (desiderata2000.blogspot.com), will be held on May 1 and is themed 'Towards a Civil Society'.
It will feature talks by prominent bloggers such as Ahirudin Atan who blogs at Rocky's Bru (as if you didn't already know) and Haris Ibrahim who does his talking at The People's Parliament.
Today is the deadline for registration, so if you intend to attend the event, find out how at the BUM2008 site blog.
Oh, and if you want a a comprehensive directory of socio-political bloggers in Malaysia, (there's a dearth of such blogs here on AMBP), you can check out SoPo Sentral (that is, if you didn't already know).
Coming soon
For those of you who like winning stuff, we have two contests coming up soon; one will win you tix to a Genting showcase called Dreamz, which features big cats, while the other will send you to a movie about er, a big cat.
The presentation went well. My superiors were in an agreeable mood. I was given the go-ahead to implement most of what I proposed for AllMalaysia.info and AMBP, so expect to see some drastic and not-so drastic changes in the coming few months.
AMBP's parent website will be given a facelift, and one of the more exciting additions would be the Travel Tool which functions as a booking engine as well as a travel planner. With this new service, you'll soon be able to plan your travel itinery, share your plans with your family & friends, print them (the plans, not the family), make notes, and finally, make the necessary bookings (flight, accomodation etc).
As for AMBP itself, it'll get a new name. Nothing drastic. It's just to reflect the change in status, from a pilot project to something more concrete. We want you to be a part of this process, so I'll get the tech guys to put up a poll here soon (yes, it has to be generated in-house).
Moving on to what I promised in my earlier posts, to reveal what we have in the pipeline for AMBP members. Oh, do note that I can't exactly go into details simply because most of these projects/events are in the planning/talk stage, so they may or may not happen.
The inaugural AMBP Convention and Awards Night
The big one. The ground event (a venue sponsor has been secured) will take place early next year, but we'll kick it off with an online contest sometime in Oct, to pick the nominees for the awards, before going into the voting stages. Apart from the award winners, voters will have an opportunity to take home some pretty awesome prizes too, so keep your eyes peeled.
Gatherings
A couple of gatherings will be held in the Klang Valley, not unlike the one we had in January, only better. However, we're looking into the possibility of having similar get-togethers in Penang, Johor and Sabah or Sarawak.
Charity Drives
We're hoping the kind souls among you would volunteer to help out. It'll be similar to the one we had in Feb, only (we hope) with more AMBP volunteers. Say aye, if you think you're up for it.
Merdeka Programme
We're looking at two possibilities here, one's to do with schools, the other with photographers. Really can't elaborate 'cos it's still way too early in the game.
Conferences/Training Workshops
Half day conferences, not for bloggers per se. However, places will be reserved for AMBP members.
Contests
More contests, some very easy ones (like our previous movie ones), some not-so easy ones (that actually require some work on your part), and some crazy ones.
So there you go. And these, my friends, are just for starters. ;-)
Today is the day. If you don't know what I'm referring to, well, I mentioned in my earlier post (Call me Frank Pt. 1: Seventh Heaven) that I'll be presenting to the higher-ups in the Star Online what my plans are for AllMalaysia.info and AMBP, today.
If they approve the changes I'm suggesting, then you would probably see some, if not all of the new features I listed in my last post (Call me Frank Pt.2. The times they are a-changin'...and so must we), so keep your fingers crossed that they're in an agreeable mood.
Anyway, I'll reveal what events I have lined up for AMBP members in a separate post later today, after the presentation at 4pm. So tune in later.
If the last general elections proved anything, it's that the mainstream media ought to change. Or rather adapt.
A new media - which certainly includes blogs - has emerged, and people are responding to it. Why? Simply because bloggers tell it like it is. Most bloggers give their personal take on things and that is the appeal; a reader identifies.
Blogs provide an alternative to traditional media, and bloggers, whether they realise it or not, are part of a social movement, one that can no longer be ignored.
They are passionate souls who write reviews, analyse things, shape opinions.
They'll tell you if something's rubbish, and will gladly say so if it isn't. They're the end-user giving an opinion, the voice, so to say, of the common man.
It goes without saying that biases and personal interests will come into play, but really, that's the beauty of it: as a reader, you know that the writer is writing about what he or she personally believes in.
I may be generalising (for as you know, personal interests can sometimes equate to commercial interests), but I suppose you know what I mean.
The gist: Change can be affected by blogs. We at AMBP are hoping that these changes are for the good and we want to help in that regard. If you as a blogger or an individual representing an organisation, have any questions on how we hope to achieve that, feel free to contact us at ambp@allmalaysia.info.
Speaking of changes, you can expect to see some here on AMBP, and its parent site AllMalaysia.info, in the coming months. (At the moment we're at the planning stage).
Here are some of the changes/additions you might see:
Categorising of blogs
Statistical Info
A 'News' page
A 'Features' page
Galleries - Pictures and Videos
Designated page for each blog
Forum
Let me just take this opportunity to thank all of you who provided feedback, three posts back (Soar subject); it will go a long way, (no, it has gone a long way) in helping us shape and improve the AMBP.
Check back tomorrow: I'll list some of the projects that we have in the pipeline.
It's Wednesday, and I'm already thinking of Friday. Why? Well, aren't you? OK then, primarily because I'll be presenting to my bosses my plans for AllMalaysia.info and AMBP, and because, heck, it'll be a Friday. ;-)
In my last post, I promised I would reveal to you what takes place on the Seventh Floor of this building, at which I work. Well, the short answer would be: much. So where do I begin? Probably with a deep breath.
And so: On this hallowed floor, you'll find the ever-zany In.Techers, the polite mStar staffers, the hardworking folks of The Star Online and the I.Star geeks.
Generally, the In.Techers and m.Star staffers are responsible for the IT pullout In.Tech (distributed with The Star newspaper every Tuesday and Thursday), and our Bahasa Malaysia news portal mStar Online respectively, while the Star Online and I.Star teams maintain all The Star's English language portals.
Both the In.Tech and m.Star divisions function like how a newspaper should: they send out their journos; the (sub/assistant) editors ensure everything's in order; the final copy is sent to the printers or updated online; and voila, you get your pullout/online updates. That's oversimplifying the process but I think you get the idea.
The Star Online and I.Star teams serve a different purpose. I wrote a piece describing the functions of these two teams a couple of years back, and I'm rehashing a small part of it here 'cos well, it's a whole lot easier to cut-and-paste.
The Star Online The Star Online folks ensure that stories from The Star's print edition make it onto the respective sites by a certain time everyday. While this may sound simple, it is in reality, a tedious and time-consuming task because of the tight deadline and sheer volume of content involved.
Also, each story has to be "repurposed" for online usage which means additional work - placement of pictures, links and galleries, changes in headlines to suit the international audience, etc - is required to ensure it is applicable for online, as opposed to print, usage.
These hardworking folks work in two shifts. The first shift begins before 7am and ends at about 3pm; the second from 2-10pm.
I.Star The I.Star team comprises a VP, two managers, a personal secretary, an online support exec, four content writers, four graphic designers, 10 multimedia developers, and five brand developers. All in, 27 dedicated, creative, and diligent individuals, 19 of whom are four-eyed, which should in itself say something.
All service improvements, and promotion and branding exercise (contests, mini/microsites, events etc) for these portals also come under the purview of I.Star.
The AMBP
Now, you must be wondering, how does the AMBP fit into this puzzle? Who's in charge? Why isn't there more features on this site? Where do the freebies come from?
Rather well, yours truly, lots of reasons, and sponsors are the answers in my head.
OK, I'll elaborate.
My job entails overseeing the direction of the AllMalaysia.info portal, and that includes planning and executing marketing and branding ideas/projects, thinking up content ideas and features, as well as engaging prospective partners, clients, sponsors, and readers. This of course, includes you, the blogger.
So, about a year ago, I wrote a proposal for a pilot project which detailed how we could engage the very influential blogging community. It came to fruition when we managed to find a sponsor, y'know, just to kickstart this little project as a contest. To cut a long story short, the AMBP was born as a subset of the AllMalaysia.info portal, and that's how it fits into the big online Star family. As for who's overseeing it - that's me.
About the lack of features: well it's simply because we try to build and develop in-house first. So no Wordpress-type engine here. It's all done by our own multimedia developers (the poor overstretched worker bees) and you know that that could be a little tricky. Yes, we know, we're a stubborn lot.
Naturally, we understand that in order to compete, the AMBP has to be attractive in terms of how much we could offer both online and on-the-ground. At the moment, I can only ask for your patience; we're working on it!
Understand that like any big organisation we have to steer through the choppy waters of bureaucracy, as well as show reasons why we should stay the course in the first place. Thankfully, the future of AMBP looks bright; you'll just have to stay tuned to find out why.
Read my post tomorrow to find out what sort of changes you can expect here. Gotta run. Ta!
Evening all. Just want to say a big thank you to all of you who took part in the Kite Runner Contest, especially for the brickbats and bouquets, and excellent suggestions that came with your participation. Your feedback will go a long way in helping us shape and improve the AMBP.
I promise I'll answer all your queries in as frank a manner as possible, and push for the changes you've asked. Look out for my next few posts, where I'll let you in on how things are done here on the 7th Floor of The Star building - the so-called 'Tech Zone'; on what AMBP projects are in the pipeline; and on the changes you can expect to see here in the coming few months.
But that's for another day 'cos I really have to run now.
So again, a quick thank you and congrats to the winners! To collect your tickets come look for us on the 7th Floor of Menara Star, Phileo Damansara II before the screening date. Trust me on this, you wouldn't want to be queuing up on the day of the screening itself. Well you could, but like I said, you wouldn't want to.
Also, do let us know if you can't collect the tickets prior to the screening, or can't make the date at all. We hate to waste a seat to a good movie. :-)
