Today, hundreds of millions of people around the world especially in the United States celebrate Thanksgiving Day with feasts of turkeys and gatherings of family members. How I miss those gatherings with friends during college years in the States.... ;)
By the same evening, about 1.5 billion Muslims will celebrate a three-day Eid-ul Adha starting from the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah - the 12th or final lunar month of Islamic Heejrah Calendar marking a three nights and three days of feasts, mainly from the halaal sacrifices of livestock animals, eg. goat, sheep, cow or camel, aka, 'qurban' - "The meat from the qurbani is to be equally distributed among the poor, relatives and ones self." (Wikipedia, 2009)
Hence, four days of celebrations for many, for the entire weekend from Thursday until Sunday!
The Hajj or annual pillgrimage to Mecca are also being performed by millions at this time of the year, from Nov 25th until 29th, 2009.
Happy Thanksgiving & Eid Mubarak!
In Malaysia, we say: Selamat Hari Raya Haji & Korban al-Adha... Maaf Zahir & Batin... (forgiveness seeked)
Jangan lupa pi Masjid esok pagi untuk solat Raya!!
Read on what pantipicon team wrote on the evolution of jobs from one to many, from big to tiny...
On the personal side, I am very excited this week:-
1. I'm going to Tokyo for the first time along with a couple of gentlemen from the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) of Malaysia and another Penang-based colleague. I have previously stopped over at Narita airport twice during en-route to USA, but this time, I'm going see more of Japan first-hand, not just through the portrayals in movies or the influx of everything Japan - cars, Sony, electronics, techno etc. and that chic tune from Gwen - Harajuku... Hmm, I didn't know a stay in a modest hotel there is going to cost us RM1,000+ per night! (that's about 1-2 months of car loan payment and the three nights stay can already buy me a new smashing notebook computer!)
2. It's the first time, the O'Reilly's Web 2.0 going to arrive big time in Asia having created the explosive buzzes in the States and just recently last week in Berlin. This Asia version will be shorter and cost less than the US or Germany counterparts, but I'm particularly even more enthusiastic to learn Web 2.0, Asian-style. After all, we've been too bombarded with Western version of Web 2.0 all these while with Friendster (US-originated that somehow find more than 80% of its audience from Southeast Asian countries of Malaysia, the Philipines, Indonesia and Singapore), Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google etc., I don't think I'd be learning much if I had gone to San Francisco instead. -- I can always look the American versions up in Wikipedia, YouTube and Slideshare, while the Asian ones, they remain secrets like the Ninja codes! (I'm not sure I know what I'm talking about this time ;-))
Well, if iPhone didn't do much wonders in Asia (yet), let's see if Web 2.0 is and will...
Look forward to be blogging from Japan -- I hope the Wi-Fi there won't cost me arms and legs! And if web2expo buzz more hypes than real biz, I'll try to come up with my own Lost in (Shibuya-ku) Translation stories off the three nights there.
THE LIGHTS GO OUT ON LIVE EARTH LONDON BUT THE BEAT GOES ON IN RIO DE JANEIRO AND NEW YORK
Live Earth Global Concerts Have Reached More Than 10 Million Visitors Online at MSN – Most Simultaneous Viewers of Any Online Concert Ever
London (July 7, 2007) – The London leg of 24-hour, 7-continent Live Earth concert series closed in emphatic fashion tonight with a rousing speech from actor, Terence Stamp and a stirring closing set from pop icon, Madonna that included “Hey You” – the song she created for Live Earth – “Ray of Light,” “La Isla Bonita” and “Hung Up”.
The crowd of 65,000 people at Wembley Stadium – and the millions watching worldwide – were treated to an all-star line-up that also included Razorlight, Snow Patrol, Black Eyed Peas, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica, Beastie Boys, Pussycat Dolls, James Blunt, Genesis, Damien Rice, David Gray, Kasabian, Paolo Nutini, John Legend, Duran Duran, Bloc Party, Corinne Bailey Rae, Terra Naomi, Keane, Foo Fighters and Spinal Tap.
At the last count, the Live Earth global concerts had reached more than 10 million visitors online – the most simultaneous viewers of any online concert — and inspired change in viewers worldwide.
“The climate crisis requires a global solution. Live Earth is using an unprecedented media architecture to reach a global audience,” said Kevin Wall, Founder and Executive Producer of Live Earth.
Live Earth London was presented by numerous special guests, including Chris Moyles, Eddie Izzard, Alan Carr, Ricky Gervais, Miranda Richardson, Thandie Newton, Chris Rock, Russell Brand, Rob Reiner, Neve Campbell, June Sarpong, David Tennant and Geri Halliwell.
Special broadcasts were beamed in from former U.S. Vice President Al Gore at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC, and also from the British Antarctic Research Station in Antarctica where Nunatak, the band of the British Scientific Team, performed their self-written song “Would You Do It All Again”.
And for those late night revelers, the party is still going on across the pond. A huge beach party is seeing the sun set on Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, while The Police, Kanye West and John Mayer are closing Live Earth with “Message in a Bottle” at Giants Stadium in the New York area. The 24-hour, 7-continent series of concert events on 7.7.07 have brought together more than 100 artists and 2 billion people to inspire a global movement to ‘Answer the Call’ and help solve the climate crisis.
In addition to providing over 100 simple actions people can take in their daily lives, which will have a tremendous positive impact when carried out on a mass scale, Live Earth is asking people to support a 90% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050 and a comprehensive international treaty on global warming by 2009.
“Nations all over the world are making progress in tackling the climate crisis. But too many proposals fall short of the strong, decisive action that’s needed. Individual nations alone cannot solve this crisis. The nations of the world must join together as one if we are to succeed,” said Al Gore, Live Earth Partner and the chair of the Alliance for Climate Protection.
The Live Earth Pledge
I Pledge:
To demand that my country join an international treaty within the next 2 years that cuts global warming pollution by 90% in developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthy earth;
To take personal action to help solve the climate crisis by reducing my own CO2 pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to become “carbon neutral;”
To fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store the CO2;
To work for a dramatic increase in the energy efficiency of my home, workplace, school, place of worship, and means of transportation;
To fight for laws and policies that expand the use of renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on oil and coal;
To plant new trees and to join with others in preserving and protecting forests; and,
To buy from businesses and support leaders who share my commitment to solving the climate crisis and building a sustainable, just, and prosperous world for the 21st century.
Additionally, Live Earth is asking people to commit to making changes at home, at work, while getting around, while shopping, in their communities and to urge changes by their governments. People can make their commitments and find solutions against the climate crisis at www.liveearth.org, www.LiveEarth.MSN.com, or by sending a text message of “SOS” to 82004.
The names of people making commitments and signing the pledge through their computers or mobile phones on July 7th were shown on the Live Earth web site, on the screens at the concerts around the world, and on the global TV broadcasts.
In the UK, people will be able to find out how they can make personal and political changes to combat climate change by visiting one of Live Earth’s two legacy partners, ‘We’re in this Together’ www.together.com or ‘I Count’ www.icount.org.uk.
ABOUT LIVE EARTH
Live Earth is a monumental music event that will bring together more than 2 billion people on July 7, 2007 to combat the climate crisis. Live Earth will stage concerts in New York , London , Sydney , Tokyo , Shanghai , Rio de Janeiro , Johannesburg and Hamburg , and will feature more than 150 of the world’s best music acts – a mix of both legendary music acts like The Police, Genesis, Bon Jovi and Madonna with the latest headliners like Kanye West, Kelly Clarkson, Black Eyed Peas and Jack Johnson.
Live Earth’s 24 hours of music across 7 continents will deliver a worldwide call to action and the solutions necessary to answer that call. Live Earth marks the beginning of a multi-year campaign to drive individuals, corporations and governments to take action to solve the climate crisis. Live Earth is partnering with the Alliance for Climate Protection, The Climate Group, Stop Climate Chaos and other international organizations in this ongoing effort. Live Earth was founded by Kevin Wall, CEO of Control Room, the company producing the concerts globally. Former Vice President of the United States Al Gore is the Chair of the Alliance for Climate Protection and a Partner of Live Earth.
Exclusive online media partner MSN is helping Live Earth reach people in every corner of the globe. Live Earth London will be streamed live at http://liveearth.uk.msn.com. MSN’s 39 localized web portals worldwide attract 465 million monthly users.
smart is the world’s only automaker serving as an Official Partner. Unlike any other vehicle, the new smart fortwo combines a modern, individual lifestyle with environmental protection by setting the standard in urban mobility and offering the lowest CO2 emission of any vehicle on the market. smart responds to environmental demands with innovative, technologically sound solutions and as a result produces positive and credible answers to the question of ecological driving.
Philips, as the world’s leading lighting supplier, joins Live Earth as an Official Partner. Philips was the first to introduce the energy saving light bulb in 1980 and has put environmental product improvement at the heart of its business with its EcoDesign program since 1994, increasing its green product range year by year.
Live Earth is partnering with companies on a local level who share the commitment to helping people live a more energy efficient lifestyle. PepsiCo, an Official Partner of Live Earth, is committed to making a difference with eco-friendlier packaging, energy and water conservation and waste reduction. It’s all part of PepsiCo’s commitment to Performance with Purpose — to do better by doing better. Esurance, the direct-to-consumer personal auto insurance company, joins Live Earth as an Official Sponsor and is the latest extension of Esurance’s efforts to conserve energy and preserve the planet’s precious resources. For more than seven years, Esurance policyholders have helped save thousands of trees by buying their auto insurance online and using electronic documents. An official partner of Live Earth, The Absolut Spirits Company, Inc., a subsidiary of V&S Group, produces and markets ABSOLUT® VODKA, Level ™ Vodka, FRÏS® Vodka , Plymouth™ Gin and Cruzan® Rum. The Absolut Spirits Company focuses on reducing the impact on climate change, sustainable agriculture and optimizing use of natural resources as mandated by V&S Group. To view details on the company’s efforts to combat global warming, visit www.vsgroup.com and click on “Corporate Responsibility/Environment.” Intelsat, the leading provider of fixed satellite services worldwide, is the official satellite capacity sponsor to Live Earth, providing the global high definition infrastructure for an unforgettable viewer experience. Intelsat connects the planet to Live Earth through its network of 52 satellites and global terrestrial facilities.
Sharon Lee wrote in a New Yorker-like article on web design: "What is new is the realization that just having any old website isn’t enough. The quality of your site and the nature of its content are paramount and your ability to communicate with your audience is the key."
Humans, according to Lee, want:-
R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
A good STORY (read: creative)
Engagement
Inspiration
Enchantment
Let's just sum up all of these up into one word, Sharon: L.O.V.E., as Ashley and friends have been shouting endlessly ;) [I'm infected with subliminal messages from Korean Full House]
Sharon's piece is actually a continuation of a topic long discussed by many, for more than ten years as far as I can remember, when Schools of Information were popping up at universities following the emergence of the Web to be one of the most influential communications medium which it already has become today. Even governments talk about USABILITY:, e.g. at www.usability.gov. Until we humans get assimilated into borgs or more cybernetic organisms walk on earth, people should focus on usability for humans...
Though, such 'humanly' communications on the Web seems to me like a dreamy task to achieve when you have 100+ millions of websites out there, and the 100s of millions of people who flock to the pages of Myspace/Friendster, MSN/Yahoo, Google YouTube/Blogger, Twitter, and forums at Topix, etc. LOVE to SHOUT, flame, curse, and write rushingly. This everyone-is-busy-but-want-to-talk-a-lot culture happens to be how humans actually communicate in the real world including through the billions of mobile text-messages/SMS exchanged everyday among people worldwide disregarding gender, age, career or education level.
And for business matters too -- Just examine the millions of active posts for trading of products at eBay and trading of services at work crowdsourcing sites like Elance, Guru, Scriptlance, GetAFreelancer, Pajamanation etc.
Anyway, bravo to Sharon for demonstrating respect, telling a good story, and engaging + inspiring + enchanting her RichAppleFool's audience in their attempt to "connects clients to their audiences through captivating brands, illustrations and online experiences." Say, which one are you in your virtual neighborhood, Sharon, a chicken, a cow or a sheep? (RESPECT!!??)
PETALING JAYA: Those wishing to pay homage to Loganathan Arumugam of the Alleycats who passed away on Monday can do so by sending an SMS message during a special tribute programme, Loga Dalam Kenangan (Loga in Memory).
TV1 will be airing the three-part special programme in memory of Loganathan, better known as Loga, at 8.45pm Wednesday night. [Loga (with the band members of Alleycats including his elder brother, David) is 2nd from left in this undated picture]
The 54-year-old singer-flautist died Monday morning from lung cancer.
Information Minister Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin said the tribute was not only to recognise Loga's contribution to the nation and the music industry but also to give people an opportunity air their feelings of sadness over his death.
"He has touched millions of people throughout his life and we want to give an opportunity for people to pay their tribute," he said, adding that they had already received permission from Loga's family to air the show.
The 45-minute programme would be conducted in Bahasa Malaysia and would aired on the same slot over three weeks, said RTM TV production director Rokiah Norma Mohd Ramli.
UPDATE (9 JUL 2007): The is contest called 'Alleycats Music Video Competition’, jointly organised by NGT Solutions (M) Sdn Bhd and Universal Music Malaysia, with the support from Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC). Submissions are accepted until 25 AUG 2007. Read more about this competition at NGT's Website.
