What The Tweet - Choose your words wisely

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  • 8/10/2019 What The Tweet - Choose your words wisely

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    By NIKI CHEONG

    F YOU have ever gotten any advice about

    using the Internet and social media, chancesre youve heard this line: Be careful whatou put on the Net.

    Its good advice, and one which, when youhink about it, is pretty obvious. We all knowy now that anything that goes on the Netemains on the Net.

    But while you may have enough commonense not to post inappropriate pictures ofourself on your blog, for example, that

    doesnt mean that you realise the things youay might hurt you or be used against you.

    This situation has become more serious inhe past couple of years as social mediaecame a part of almost everyones lives.

    Often, while using social networks Facebook,Plurk and Twitter, our updates tend to bempulsive and we sometimes do not realisehat we are ranting.

    It gets worse there are also people whore not able to see the context in which youre making your statements (as has been thease with other digital ways of messaginguch as via e-mail and SMS) so what you sayan also get misunderstood.Just a couple of days ago in Britain, Paul

    Chambers, who posted a bomb threat onTwitter, lost his appeal against his conviction.

    In January, Paul had sent a tweet whichead: Robin Hood Airport is closed. Youveot a week ... otherwise Im blowing the

    airport sky high!For many people (including

    British actor/writer Stephen

    Fry, an active Twitter user whohas offered to pay Pauls fine), itwas obviously a tweet written in

    jest, and out of frustration.For the authorities, however, it was a seri-

    ous bomb threat.There have been many incidents where

    someones social network updates havegotten them into trouble. Cases of employeeslosing their jobs after bad-mouthing employ-ers on the Net or even politicians beingsuspended from their party (in Birmingham,England, politician Gareth Compton tweetedabout stoning a columnist to death) arebecoming a common issue.

    Then again, there are those out there (likeFry) who are speaking out for all the misun-derstood people on social media.

    Last week, the National Labor Relations

    Board a federal agency in the United States filed a complaint against a company forfiring an employee regarding comments shemade about them on Facebook, which includ-ed some vulgarities.

    According to the NLRB, this is in violation oflabour laws in the US which gives rights to anemployee to talk about wages and workingconditions, among others.

    Meanwhile, the Kentucky Bar Associationin the US is now looking to regulate lawyersfrom soliciting for clients via social media

    networks. Media organisa-tionThe Washington Post, isreported to have sent a memoto its staff requesting them not torespond to critics via the company Twitteraccounts or speaking on behalf of the

    company via their personal accounts.At the other end of the spectrum, a Danishmedia tribunal recently ruled in favour ofprotecting the updates of individuals in a casewhere a journalist had published materialfrom a closed Facebook profile account of theDanish prime ministers brother.

    Information on closed profiles arereserved to people the Facebook friends who have been authorised to access theprofile, the Danish Press Council said in astatement.

    In the coming days, we can only expectmore actions from both sides (those who

    want to control what is being said on socialmedia, and those who want more freedom).Whether there will be an eventual winner

    or if this conflict will be resolved remain tobe seen.

    Does this mean that we should all just stopupdating our social networks? Not really;although, I would personally caution you tobe a bit more careful and to think before youclick the Submit or Send button.

    Yes, its the same advice you have probablyheard before.

    By NASA MARIA ENTABAN

    THE mere mention ofHong Kong is oftenmet with a squeal

    f delight from shoppingnthusiasts, and forood reason.

    Shopping in HongKong is a joy, and

    part from themyriad of optionswhen it comeso internationalashion brands,here are heapsf notable localrands that have comeut of this bustling

    metropolis.Among them is Bossini, a brand that

    has been in Malaysia for quite anumber of years and which justecently launched its latest winterollection.

    At the press event in Hong Kongwo weeks ago, Bossini revealedheir Be Happy Me collection toegional media, with the help of whathey call their happy icons. These areinger-songwriter and actor Aarif Lee;

    ctress and model Janice Man; travelhost Helen To; and football star Chan

    iu-Ki.Known for comfortable, colourful and

    asy to match casual clothes, Bossini embod-es the quirky (but practical) Hong Kong fash-on sense 100%.

    Walk into any of their stores and youllmmediately be hit by a flash of colours, neat-y organised on racks and shelves, witheatured pieces adorning the walls and

    mannequins.Be Happy Me offers shoppers warm cloth-

    ng at reasonable prices, and while the collec-ion sticks to the quirky spirit of Hong Kongashion, you cant help but adore how practi-al and comfortable the clothes are, winter ortherwise.

    Hoodies and long-sleeved tunics for

    women come in various colours and arentoo thick so you can probably wear them in

    Malaysia (especially for those of us whore constantly confined in air-conditioned

    places).For guys, there is an equal amount of

    wonderfully comfortable and fun pieces bothor the urban dresser and the mans man.

    You can get stuff like skinny denim jeans and

    basic, plain-coloured polo tees on theracks at reasonable prices.

    To match the various tunicsand jackets is a collec-tion of scarves,leggings, beltsand headgear little additionsthat make eachoutfit so much more interesting.

    Hoodies, sweaters, jackets andwarm clothing may be the main focus ofthe season at the moment, but amongthese warm options there are some

    cute casual pieces to be found in thestores.

    What always amazes me when Iwalk down the streets of HongKong is the number of people wear-ing T-shirts with witty and funcatchphrases on them, and you canfind a lot of these in Bossini.

    If you cant get enough of those

    cute words andphrases, many oftheir jackets and

    cardigans alsocome with cute

    words andinteresting art,

    whether printed,embroidered, or

    lettered in sequins.Casual denim shorts

    sprinkled with glitter, plainslim fit jeans in various colours

    and comfortable undergarmentsand sleepwear are also highlights of the

    brand.

    The Be Happy Me collection, along withBossinis regular products, are currently avail-able in Malaysia, so go on and check themout.

    q For more Bossini items and pictures fromthe event in Hong Kong, head toblog.rage.com.my.

    Choose your words wisely

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    y

    Happyfashion

    [email protected]

    Travel host Helen Towearing a printedreversible cardiganand skinny jeans.

    Aarif Li with a printed hoodie,T-shirt and skinny-fit jeans.

    ActressJanice Manwith a blackand pinksweaterdress.

    T4 R.AGE STARTWO, WEDNESDAY 17 NOVEMBER 2010