COMMENT SATURDAY METRO, 8 SEPTEMBER 2007 M20 Getting the news on time Latest technology helps to assure that we're updated constantly By NIKI CHEONG [email protected] L AST week, Malaysia celebrated 50th years of independence. Major television news networks from around the globe aired clips from the celebration, and dis- cussed our country’s progress and future. Later that evening (due to time difference), the country that gave us the independence had a dif- ferent kind of celebration too albeit a sad one. For Britain, our Merdeka day marked the tragic passing of Diana, the Princess of Wales, ten years ago. The people's princess died in a car accident in Paris. I still remember the day vividly when I found out about the accident via CNN. I recall spending the whole day on the sofa glued to th e idiot box and watched the news strip at the bottom of the screen go from “Princess Diana hurt in accident” to “Diana in critical condition” to “Diana dies in accident.” The rest of the day, it just read, “Diana, Princess of Wales – 1961 to 1997”. As sad as the occasion was, I was grateful to have been able to fol- low it, thanks to technology. My father recalled another major incident that occurred when he was younger –- the Apollo 13 saga in 1970. According to him, he rushed from his class at the university and stayed all night with his friends, listening to the radio for updates. Barely 20 years later, not only did we have coloured TVs, we had access to satellite channels and live feeds at that. This was also during the early days of the Internet in Malaysia, and as someone who had embraced the World Wide Web early, it didn’t take me long before I created a tribute web site for the Princess of Wales. My dad called me a royalist, but I maintained that my interest in her was purely in the name of popular culture. I had, over the years since, created a few more web sites. You can call me a geek, but in a way, that was my way of dealing with the loss. Sure, I didn’t know these people very well, but thanks to the Internet and watching the 24-hour news net- work, it’s like watching the movie of someone’s life. In fact, some of my web sites got so popular (okay, maybe the speed in which I created the sites attrib- uted to its popularity) that the web sites of BBC and Guardian News Limited in Britain had links to my site. The link to my web site created as an online vigil for John F Kennedy Jr (whi le the sea rch for his body was still in progress) still remains in the archives of Guardian online. Many other major global events had occurred since – the US Presidential elections, the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq – and thanks to technology, I’ve been able to fol- low the progress closely – as with most people, I’m sure. The September 11 incident in 2001 at the United States was another good example. I was living at Australia at this time, and I had received an SMS telling me to turn on the television. This was just after the first tower had collapsed and the news networks were showing the clip repeatedly. I thought I had tuned into the middle of a movie ... that was, until I saw another aeroplane crash into the next tower. I’m sure that I am not alone in hoping, and wishing, for less tragic incidents such as these in the future. But at the same time, I am grateful to be able to have access to technology and the information at such speed. Today is International Literacy Day, declared by the United Nations in 2003, and was created as an occasion to give hope to the millions of women, men and children who can- not read or write even their own names. In Malaysia, our literacy rate is 92.5%, which is relatively high. Yet, the percentage could improve, of course and it is sad to think that out there, unlike us who have the whole world at our fingertips, are those who are unable to read and write. There is no better day than today to reflect on that.

The Bangsar Boy - Getting the news on time

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Page 1: The Bangsar Boy - Getting the news on time

COMMENT SATURDAY METRO, 8 SEPTEMBER 2007M20

Getting the news on timeLatest technology helps to assure that we're updated constantly

By NIKI CHEONG

[email protected]

LAST week, Malaysia celebrated50th years of independence.Major television news net-

works from around the globe airedclips from the celebration, and dis-cussed our country’s progress andfuture. Later that evening (due totime difference), the country thatgave us the independence had a dif-ferent kind of celebration too albeit asad one. For Britain, our Merdekaday marked the tragic passing of Diana, the Princess of Wales, tenyears ago. The people's princess diedin a car accident in Paris.

I still remember the day vividlywhen I found out about the accidentvia CNN. I recall spending the wholeday on the sofa glued to the idiot boxand watched the news strip at thebottom of the screen go from“Princess Diana hurt in accident” to“Diana in critical condition” to“Diana dies in accident.”

The rest of the day, it just read,“Diana, Princess of Wales – 1961 to1997”. As sad as the occasion was, Iwas grateful to have been able to fol-low it, thanks to technology.

My father recalled another majorincident that occurred when hewas younger –- the Apollo 13 saga in1970. According to him, he rushedfrom his class at the university

and stayed all night with hisfriends, listening to the radio forupdates.

Barely 20 years later, not only didwe have coloured TVs, we hadaccess to satellite channels and livefeeds at that. This was also duringthe early days of the Internet inMalaysia, and as someone who hadembraced the World Wide Webearly, it didn’t take me long before Icreated a tribute web site for thePrincess of Wales.

My dad called me a royalist, but I

maintained that my interest in herwas purely in the name of popularculture.

I had, over the years since, createda few more web sites. You can callme a geek, but in a way, that was myway of dealing with the loss. Sure, Ididn’t know these people very well,but thanks to the Internet andwatching the 24-hour news net-work, it’s like watching the movie of someone’s life.

In fact, some of my web sites gotso popular (okay, maybe the speed

in which I created the sites attrib-uted to its popularity) that the websites of BBC and Guardian NewsLimited in Britain had links to mysite. The link to my web site createdas an online vigil for John F Kennedy

Jr (while the search for his body wasstill in progress) still remains in thearchives of Guardian online.

Many other major global eventshad occurred since – the USPresidential elections, the invasionof Afghanistan and Iraq – and thanksto technology, I’ve been able to fol-

low the progress closely – as withmost people, I’m sure.

The September 11 incident in2001 at the United States was anoth-er good example. I was living atAustralia at this time, and I hadreceived an SMS telling me to turnon the television. This was just afterthe first tower had collapsed and thenews networks were showing theclip repeatedly. I thought I had tunedinto the middle of a movie ... thatwas, until I saw another aeroplanecrash into the next tower.

I’m sure that I am not alone inhoping, and wishing, for less tragicincidents such as these in the future.But at the same time, I am gratefulto be able to have access to technol-ogy and the information at suchspeed.

Today is International LiteracyDay, declared by the United Nationsin 2003, and was created as an occa-sion to give hope to the millions of women, men and children who can-not read or write even their ownnames.

In Malaysia, our literacy rate is92.5%, which is relatively high. Yet,the percentage could improve, of course and it is sad to think that outthere, unlike us who have the wholeworld at our fingertips, are thosewho are unable to read and write.There is no better day than today toreflect on that.