Changing Lifestyles

Nope, I'm not talking about the upcoming Budget and how life has been hard on our pockets (probably I should though), but more on the physical needs of it. They say Health is Wealth (don't ask me who "they" are, just read lah), and a few month back I decided to return to a more active lifestyle for my own sake. (It was also because I agreed to do the ntv7 Feel Good Run, and I didn't want to create a scene by passing out during the event, but let's keep that on a downlow).

I mean, once upon a time, I was fit as a fiddle. If I wasn't out there hitting the gym or shooting some hoops, I would be restless as hell.

But for the past few years, I've been hit by the lazy bug, to be honest. And of course, doing 2, 3 different jobs on a daily basis doesn't really give me time to spare for other activities. Especially those that require the changing of clothes and actually getting off my butt to do. The magazine and iPad are better alternatives, thank you.

But since I started running on a regular basis, I'm relishing that feeling of being fit and lean again. And seriously, I never thought that even competing in a 5km run would even be possible just a few months back. So, woo-freakin'-hoo.

And the great thing is, I feel like I'm not done yet. I need to get out more and do more stuff, especially when the big 4-0 is just around the corner.

So, what's next? Wifey did ask me a few days back if I was gonna take up golf. My response? "Pfffttt" with a big fat "P". I told her that I'm looking to do more "lasak" stuff, and not something my fat-ass colleagues at the office can do (I'm kidding only, don't lah too sensitive. Haha). So I'm thinking of one of two things, or maybe both.

1. Trail running. It's running (and walking), but in jungles and stuff. Looks robust and challenging, and I'm up for it. I'm not a jungle-y person to be honest, but I think it will be great fun.

2. Cycling. It's a toss-up between the road and mountain bike, but I'm currently learning towards the latter. Been checking out the web on cycling groups and communities in the country and the scene is definitely thriving. I would need to invest some moolah though as a good bike would cost at least RM1.5k. Then I would need the other accessories including helmets, tights and jockstraps (kan?). But I'm game for it.

 So like I always say: Do watch this space...

Social Media And The Need For Speed On Info (Updated)

Firstly, condolences to the family of Noramfaizul Mohd Nor, the Bernama cameraman who died of a gunshot while on duty in Somalia. I have read so many tweets on arwah from his friends and collegues, and he was known to be a good, cheerful and honest person. Al Fatihah.

However, there's another unfortunate issue that has cropped up, I.e.: that arwah did not have the proper insurance coverage provided by his employer. This bit of info has spread really fast on social media, and has caused distress and outrage among the general public.

If this is in fact true, it's a tragic situation, no doubt. Life has to go on, but what about arwah's family?

BUT, there has been no official statement on the matter. As I'm writing this, hours has passed since it was mentioned on social media, and because of the replies and retweets on twitter especially, it has been taken as a "fact" by most people.

But then again, this is the problem faced by the majority of organizations (and the government) in this age of social media; the underestimation of its impact and the lack of response to hot-button issues.

"News" these days is not just what's reported in the papers or on TV, but the conversations created on social media, especially when such conversations are participated by credible users and commentators.

And we've seen how this has impacted issues. By the time a statement is issued and published by the papers, perception has been formed and the delayed-response will be labeled as "spin" and/or a coverup.

So, I'm hoping those responsible would clear the air on this particular issue. And again, condolences to the family of arwah Noramfaizul Mohd Nor.

* It was a great relief to everyone when reports came out that arwah was in fact insured. At the very least, we know his family would be taken care of. Read it HERE

Rebecca Black Friday (There's A Pun Somewhere In There, But I Won't Even Bother)

So, after days of resisting the temptation, I finally checked out what the fuss was all about, re: Rebecca Black. What I knew was that she had a song on Youtube and people were saying it was ("super f***ing") bad. To tell you the truth, I actually gave her the benefit of a doubt. I really thought it was people taking the piss of another tenny bopper pop star just because... Until I played the video... Then I got confused. Then sad. Then mad. Then amused. Then confused again. Then sad again...

OK, you get the picture. I wasn't sure if this was a spoof of anything, or that it was a legitimate song and music video. Turns out, it's actually the latter. Which made me confused. Then sad. Then mad... OK, OK, you get the picture. I mean, there's a big difference between being cheesy and just being bad. And Becca's BAD. With a Capital B. I refuse to waste more time searching for literature on the origins of the song, but whatever it is, I can't imagine there's a real explanation for the atrocious lyrics....

Here are some excerpts: Kickin’ in the front seat Sittin’ in the back seat Gotta make my mind up Which seat can I take? Duduk jelah mana2! Tak payah buat lagu, hokaaayyy??? More excerpts (and please be prepared to be dumbfounded): Yesterday was Thursday, ThursdayToday i-is Friday, Friday (Partyin’) We-we-we so excited We so excited We gonna have a ball today Tomorrow is Saturday And Sunday comes after...wards I don’t want this weekend to end I know, she makes ALL of us sound like Shakespeare.

And the lyrics are not even the worst thing about Becca. The worst thing about Becca is Becca herself. Can't sing for nuts, her voice has been autotuned to sound like Twiki from Buck Rogers. Only Twiki had more personality and style. I hate to do this, but I must now subject all of you to this mess. Go on, do it!!!  

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Hot Topic 8/3 : International Women's Day

It was pretty cool how we were one of the first to talk about International Women's Day this morning on MHI. In fact, judging by some of the comments on facebook, a lot were unaware of the occasion until we mentioned it and made it a topic to discuss.
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Of course one of the questions posed was: "Siapakah tokoh wanita yang paling anda kagumi?".

Close to 300 people posted their reply on our fanpage and some of the names that kept popping up included Oprah Winfrey, Tan Sri Zety, Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz and the Prophet's wives.

Me? Well, the women I most admire have always been those who've impacted my life directly. My late mom was one of them. She gave me her everything, taught me to be a good and thoughtful person, and only wanted the best for me.

I also mentioned my teachers. The majority who made an impact on me were women. They were strict, yet sincere in their duties to impart knowledge and wisdom on us. One particular teacher I will always remember was my primary one teacher, Mrs Singam. You could say I was the teacher's pet, but she didn't hestitate to threaten to wallop me if I was in the wrong.

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And of course, no one is as important in my life today than my wife. She's been caring, understanding, loving and forgiving, more than I could ever hope for. I couldn't ask for more, really...

Oh, Oscars! (aka Oh, Franco!)

Before you proceed, if you haven't watched the show, please leave this page and come back tomorrow. Don't wanna get cursed for giving away spoilers...

OK, you're still here. Which means you HAVE seen the show and are looking for some post-show commentary. Well, you have come to the right place!

The whole thing started of course with the Red Carpet, and overall, there were more hits than misses but I'll leave the fashion commentary to the aweks...

Meawnhile, the Star Movies broadcast started with their own glamorous pre-show held in Hong Kong. Nice location, but didn't quite fancy the hosts and the guests looked only half-interested. Probably because it's 8.30 in the morning and they had to be decked out in evening gowns.

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And when the show finally started, I was mesmerised. Simply because it was in HD, and everything looked gorgeous and clearly defined. The opening montage was rather funny as hosts Anne Hathway and James Franco were dropped into the world of "Inception" and bumped into the likes of Alec Baldwin and Morgan Freeman.

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And I continued to be awestruck by the set design. WOW, WOW, WOW...

Then the actual show started, and Hathaway and Franco started to talk. And it started going downhill from there. I love Franco as an actor (refer to my Oscar's predictions), but I didn't get what he was going for as the co-host. He looked uncomfortable and jittery from the start, and his whole "selamba" shtick (or was it "sembelit" shtick?) didn't quite work.

Hathaway tried to be the cheery one but with Franco refusing to play ball, the chemistry simply couldn't be established. And seriously, why did he have to go drag? That is sooo Malaysian humour lah...

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I continued to be awed by the production, but even the presenters missed their mark. E.g.: Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis. What were they on about, really?

And isn't it ironic that the best bits of tonight's "supposed-to-be-younger" Oscars were delivered by 214-year-old Kirk Douglas? (Although I was genuinely worried for his health the longer his segment went).

There were a few good speeches (that's what the Brits are for), but none could even crack the Top 10 Best Oscar Speeches Of All Time, I reckon.

As for the results; you should know by now that I've been sore about Christopher Nolan not nominated for Best Director since the nominees were announced, and I continued my rant on twitter this morning on the same thing.

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Everything else went according to the script I guess as "The King's Speech" won the top 2 awards and the Best Actor gong for Collin Firth. I can't say they didn't deserve to win, but the predictability added to the whole dullness of the show.

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And oh, they also had Gwyneth Paltrow SINGING. Whoo-freakin-pee...

I would most probably watch it again tonight, but only cos the show looks good in HD. And I think I will need to watch "127 Hours" another time to regain my respect for Franco...

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P.S.: Some people think Franco was stoned while hosting the show. I won't go down that road, but if YOU wish to do so, click HERE

Hot Topic 25/5 : Fake MCs Galore!

So, this morning on MHI we read out this rather shocking report about government servants and fake MCs. Have a look...
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...Yes, some 45,000 government servants have submitted dodgy MCs according to this report in Berita Harian that quoted a reliable source.

But what's even more shocking was the fact that another leading newspaper published a simillar report with a VERY different number.
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45k and 3k are nowhere close. Still scratching my head trying to figure this one out. How lah?

Hot Topic 21/4 : Planes, Trains & Volcanic Ash

So, I'm sure you've heard about the chaos in Europe over the grounding of airplanes due to volcanic ash coming from Iceland. It became a major issue a few days back when most airports in the region had to be shutdown, espcially in the UK.

I was in Gold Coast when it happened and the news dominated the local media; not a big surprise, what with hundreds or thousands of their people stranded abroad with no way to get home.

But it was a different story when I got home on Monday. Local TV didn't have any real updates, the social media space wasn't really buzzing about it, and the papers; well, they're more interested in politics, politics and more politics.

And the thing is, we have Malaysians stranded abroad as well... And some of them happen to be my own colleagues. And from what I've heard, some of them have actually run out of funds and don't really know what to do.

So what have our relevant authorities done to lend these people a helping hand lah? Sure, they're not on government duties, but they're Malaysians, aren't they? So far, I haven't heard about them being offered accommodation or even food. Why lah? Come on, be more proactive; look for these people in need of help and do whatever you can.

Those who've experienced the pain of a cancelled flight would know how it feels to be living in an airport, even for a day. So, to whom it may concern, have a heart and do the right thing. Now.

Hot Topic 11/3 : Moronic Malaysian Motorists

So okay, not quite a hot topic, but more like a never-ending sore point for many of us. It’s getting tiresome complaining about moronic Malaysian motorists, but it’s becoming a sin NOT to do so.

Just the other day, the topic of traffic jams was opened yet again to the viewers of Malaysia Hari Ini, and the 2 main factors blamed for the problem were the construction of the roads and the attitude of motorists themselves.

And in all seriousness, I would love it if someone were to do a full-on research on the subject. I mean, have people standing by and stop those queue jumpers, road hoggers, etc and straight up ask them what the hell was wrong with them. Seriously.

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I’d love to know the reasons for being such morons; especially those who always end up on the wrong lane when paying for tolls. It can’t be that the signboards aren’t big enough, but there are people everyday who do this, backing up traffic and generally getting a lot of people pissed off.

Why people, why? Is it so hard to queue? Or stay in the right lane? Or, you know, NOT be such a moron?

Just writing about it makes my blood go upstairs lah…

Hot Topic 7/3 : When The New Sultan of Johor Speaks…

So I was pleasantly surprised to read an exclusive interview with the new Sultan of Johor in The Sunday Star today.
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The Sultan basically spoke his mind and I sincerely hope everyone takes note of his, well, wishlist. Allow me to recap the major points:

1.The Sultan wants a “trouble-free Johor”
2. A new bridge should be built to replace the causeway
3. MRT line from Singapore in JB would be good for everyone
4. Politicians and government servants should shape up or get out
5. More should be done for the state’s tourism industry

As a proud Johorean, all I can say is, bravo!

A great state like Johor has the potential to achieve so much more and the Sultan has basically outlined the roadmap for it.

Let’s take tourism for example. When someone mentions Malaysian Tourism, Johor doesn’t exactly come to mind, does it? The question is, why not?

A great empire once upon a time, Johor’s got a lot to offer those into history – if things are organized much better. And talk about eco-tourism, Johor has enough waterfalls, islands and forest reserves to rival an other state in the country.

Till when do we have to depend on the “accidental tourists” from Singapore alone? More should be done to also lure the millions from all over the world who drop by the Lion City each year.

And yes, why is Johor food is not as world famous as it should be?

Loads of points to ponder really, and it’s great to see the new Sultan speaking his mind on these issues. Daulat Tuanku!

Hot Topic 1/3 : Wajib Siar

So, the local entertainment industry is currently buzzing about this new government policy, “Wajib Siar” where radio stations are obligated to play new songs by local artists, starting today.

I’ve read opinions by people in the business and it’s apparent that the opinions are split as to whether this is a positive thing or otherwise.

I personally know people from both sides of the divide, and this is my own stand: I support it.
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The thing is, I just feel that things are really slipping away for the industry, as we know it. People say numbers don’t lie, and the numbers are that the industry have lost some 60% of its worth compared to just a couple of years before. That is huge, people.

And we’ve heard more than once about local artists getting the door slammed in their faces when asking some radio stations to play theuir latest song. These are real situations and numbers.

No, I don’t see this policy as “closing off (international) competition”. I mean, there are tons of stations that play nothing but International music in other languages, so why should the malay-language stations go the same way?

Oh, I forgot, cos “the listeners want it”. But really, if you play something a dozen times a day, sure, you’ll get people “wanting” to hear it even more. But what you CHOOSE to play a dozen times a day is the problem here. Why not apply the same test for all the songs?

The way I see it, the policy doesn’t give a free ride to local artists as well. It just basically evens up the playing field for everyone, and yes, the listeners would be smart enough to differentiate between crap and class.

So, in the end, these local artists would find that ultimately quality is key. But the need for the right environment and support must first be addressed, no?

So okay, in this day and age, there are other potential revenue streams for the average artist, like digital sales, RBT and synchronization, but what’s the reality in those as well? For RBTs, for example, the telcos are the ones truly benefiting, taking 50% or more for every piece of content sold. Yup, it’s not really as rosy as you might expect.

And I personally know that Malaysians don’t really download full songs legally, so that route is virtually a dead-end at this point in time.

One of the biggest criticisms raised against the policy is that it lacks specifics. And on this point, yes I agree. So hopefully the specifics will be revealed pretty soon.

After which, I hope to see those benefiting from this will work their asses off to get what they think they deserve.

Hot Topic 20/2

So just moments ago, Tiger Woods made his much-awaited apology on TV. It wasn't really a news conference as there no questions allowed, and reactions have been mixed so far.

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Personally, I think a sit down interview with say, Larry King, would have been more appropriate and sincere. The apology did look and feel extremely rehearsed. So points have to be taken off there.

But the real question is, does the world forgive him now?

Well, does it even really matter?

As pointed out by some in twitterverse, he owes the biggest apology to his family. The rest of us don't really matter.

I mean, I've been a fan since forever, and what I've always admired about Tiger is his athletic abilities. That's all really. And because of that, I've bought his shirts and caps, and magazines with his mug on the cover. Didn't really know or care about his personal life.

But of course there would be those who would argue that he's cheated all of us by putting on this wholesome image of a superfamilyman all this while. And that it wouldn't have mattered if he had played his cards the way, say, Mike Tyson did. Which was basically, "I'll do whatever I want cos I'm a thug and I'll always be one".

So in case you're wondering, as a fan, yeah I forgive him. He screwed up and I truly hope things will work out between him and his wife Elin.

After which, I sure as hell would want to see him back on the course wowing us with his athletic abilities again. After all, this IS the Year of the Tiger...

Hot Topic 19/2

So a hot topic today is the condemnation of my fellow MHI host, Wardina, by an anonymous blogger for her visit of Kelantan MB Nik Aziz earlier this week in Kosmo.

If you haven’t heard, Wardina attended an event in Kelantan called “Hari Hiburan Islam”, and later on admitted that she had met up with the enigmatic Tok Guru.

She had also expressed her admiration for him, but, as she related to me personally this morning, she had also expressed the same for former PM, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad.

In an earlier Kosmo article, she was quoted as saying: “Memang betul saya ke Kelantan dan ada berjumpa dengan Nik Aziz tetapi bukan tentang hal politik. Saya ke sana atas undangan kerajaan negeri dan itu bukanlah kali pertama saya terlibat dalam majlis ilmu di Kelantan.”

But in another Kosmo article today, the tabloid quoted an anonymous blogger who basically blasted her for being “Anasir PAS di TV3”.

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The problem really lies in what I’ve always believed; that there’s simply too much politics in our lives here in Malaysia. And that nothing can be done or said by anyone without someone else putting a political spin on it.

Seriously, issues can’t be discussed without not knowing where you’re coming from politically. I mean, talk about an immature society, apolitical citizens are usually quick to be shot down as not knowing what they’re talking about or “misled” by so-and-so simply for being honest with their opinions.

I bet if I were to say that the No-Plastic-Bag campaign that’s been going on in the Klang Valley is good, I’m sure there would be those who will come up with 1001 reasons why it’s not (because the idea didn't come from them) while calling me an opposition supporter.

Can’t people just be supporters of good ideas and efforts instead? I mean, as a tax-paying citizen (and I do pay LOADS of taxes), can’t I think of society’s interests instead of what everything means to politicians (whomever they may be)? Sheesh...