11/12/2005
is annabel chong a national hero?
i happen to spot a little picture of annabel chong in a little corner of today's straits time with the heading, 'is annable chong a national hero,' a topic or discussion in the sunday times tomorrow. now, is that the kind of mindset of a liberal and mature society or one that has gone down the drain to obscenity and bad taste?
third world mentality will go for the world's biggest ketupat or the longest popiah to be entered in the book of guinness world records. afterall they have nothing else to prove. but i think that kind of mentality is at least a few level higher than those who think it is deserving to even consider annabel chong a worthy candidate to be a national hero of this little republic. if that be so, we shall rename our country as the repuprick of singapore. that would be more appropriate and very well deserving.
and kudos to the sunday times and the editor or columnist for setting aside precious space in the paper for something that we can be so proud of.
i rather called myself a malaysian and cheer for the world's biggest ketupat.
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23 comments:
the article on annabel came out this morning. the columnist tried to soften his version of the national hero and explained that he was trying to encourage singaporeans to do the exceptional, beat the unbeaten track.
but it still fails to change the fact that it was a poor choice, a wrong role model. there are things that are decent and respectable. there are things that we called filth.
i am not condemning annabel for what she did. it's her life and she made a choice and has to live with it. the fact that she has not returned to singapore is a testimony to what she did at a time when she was young and brash.
it is unfortunate that a national paper thinks it worthy to use annabel's infamous act as a good story to motivate our young, who are young and can be as brash as annabel.
choktong said the media must report responsibly and not sensationalise. luckily it does not include the cheers, 'go annabel go. go singapore go.'
If his wife and/or daughter/s may do a record of what Annabel Chong did, it's his choice to make any hoo-haa calls...
Nowadays... any craps is a gem.
May be a blessing in disguise I ain't able to join local journalism...
Elfred.
hi elfred,
the journalist did try to explain that he was using annabel as an example to dare singaporeans to do the unthinkable. but annabel's act is a bad choice, a bad example and may mislead some of the naive and impressionable minds.
i bet you he would not let his family members do something like that.
If he's trying to protray Singaporeans doing the 'unthinkable', there are many 'unthinkable' channels he can locate if Ms Annabel can be used.
We got a lot of real/fake cases in IMH if we're to be defining Abnormal...
Problem... ... It's a kinda problem I've been watching it growing for years... in despair.
Journalist's thinking protray a nation's strenght of society and culture as a whole. Can you imagine I were to write something as such???
I don't represent YPAP, by the way, and am due to be retiring (myself) coming Jan. By I seriously hope the other members at least see the issue of it.
Now any foreigners who think would realize how things are going in Singapore.
Anyone wanna start a press, pls gimme a call. :D
using a case of hard banging is sure bad taste and a misplaced judgement on decency. agree there are plenty of good examples around to make a point.
or is this press freedom or being opportunistic?
I am doing the unthinkable: Being a thinking Singaporean. :D
The fun part is, I'm exposed to the reality of craps...
The problem part is, I'm exposed to the reality of craps... and more craps.
I fully understand why many great real thinkers wanna hide away from the buzz... Being craps themselves is basically unthinkable...
It's got nothing to do with press freedom or opportunist...
It's the mentally and attitude, be it either of freedom or opportunist.
Why would the same explosive be used to build tunnels and be used to blow up people...? It's the same thing.
Maybe when China opens up its media further, I might (still dreaming) be able to write articles over there for a living... and start a small school and teach those youths over there. :)
elfred,
you not in very good mood this morning. have you heard of crap thinkers?
on chinese media, what i heard is that their local media is totally craps and the people just look outside, internet especially, for news. that is why our zaobao is very popular. you may be interested to provide a serious website to provide internet news to china. i think you can do it now without waiting for china to open up.
set up your website and publicise it to the chinese, from here. i can contribute on the english news.
I don't have much time for my own blog (not mentioning amending/correcting)... to consider setting a site.
I have practically no mood for bad mood.
I think some netizens thought I am what mesmerized by 'things Chinese', but that's not true. I'm just be straight.
Chinese media is... still having a long long long way to go in terms of 'professionism for public well-being', but they are still considered 'professional' if otherwise (to handle their positions with the government).
But look here... Our very own Singaporean condition is not very agreeable. Theirs is a volcano waiting for beautiful eruption, ours is molehill hoping to overwhelm, somehow, that sort of eruption potential.
Let's see which chap is interested enough and set up a serious, ambitious and standard publication online (or offline)... then you contribute English, I do both languages... :D
Too long... we really need a breeze in this journalism industry. I can't bother about to read those 'analysis' nowadays...
Keep up the effort. There'd always be the ghosts that haunt, there'd always be the angels that'd support you. It's all up to the choice of the people. But it's up to you of how you want your blog to be.
elfred,
the future is for you to make. no need to go to china to set up a website or to do business in china.
take a look at littlespeck and let me know if you are confident to translate all the articles into chinese. maybe we can try out something. no need to start reinventing the wheel. there is always shortcuts to go.
on this issue, you can pm me in ypap and we can discuss from there.
Well... PM me if you find the right chap who'd wanna partner.
I ain't mind throwing myself into China, base there and put pieces of my mind on the publication.
But... get the right guy/gal. I have enough of craps and weirdos.
Translateing into Chinese and/or vice versa is easy. But that's not what I have in mind.
A publication must appeal to the better elements in the society... If it must be commercialised, it must have high quality ... not some stup!d paparrazi thingy. :D
Drop me a note when you are ready to embark.
let's say something like littlespeck. are the qualities there serious enough, up to spec?
Serious... perhaps. But no disrespect to the author... To be frank, those are the type of things I don't really read.
We can't simply cut the sphere into two where one is obviously crap and the other which isn't is label serious.
Anthonio R. who's one of the guys dealing with global issues... you would never read local reports again once you got a chance to expose to such quality.
Say, before people even gotta know Russia-China military tie-up, we already got winds... that's how. ;)
You'd know quality when you actually see it and learn to appreciate.
elfred,
you must see yourself as a news provider not what you like to read. put yourself in the shoes of the chinese. what is news to them? what fascinates them? what do they want to know? what are the things that are happening in the world that affects them? what are they deprived of and what new things can you show or tell them?
it is a different perspective from a news reader and a news provider.
It so depends on what 'market' you are intending to reach out for.
I still kinda harbor the objective to draw thinking individuals from such activities, no matter how tiny that percentage of population they are.
Still, what you provide will eventually what your viewers will end up demanding. It's as if we provide and nurture snob, eventually we'd get a snobbish viewership. :D
Wait till you ready, then talk again on this.
All the best.
hi elfred, you are right to say want to target the right audience. actually my intention for all these blogs and website is always commercial, ie for the public and then hope to generate advertising income. i am not doing just for fun.
my blog is only a start. not the best medium compare to a forum or a newspaper. but given time and exposure, i may turn it into something else.
My blog on the other hand mainly serve as a (kinda personal) records, notwithstanding the fact I do invite good people to render their good version of freedom in relation to my little blog.
So whether got ads or any feedback or donations or articles or none has never bothered me now or in the future for the blog. I actually thought of doing such outdoor promoting of the blog but decide that a good serene blog may be better than flooding it with the wrong type of elements especially when I'm quite a handsful.
If you seriously wanna start something serious and commercial... it's possible. But must absorb the issues that kinda kills the credibility of FS.net which started out with the promise of a serious and quality forum but cannot resist trying to go populalist by taking aboard some problematic elements and put them in charge.
That's over-ambition on totally the wrong footing. The bigger the organisation, the better must be the right people be in charge, and the more solid the basis must be. Sway abit, and good elements will leave one by one as FS.net is experiencing. (Eg) You won't probably see such debates between me and Robert in FS.net nowadays.
When you are really ready to go commercial, you must be ready on your part, I'd be happy to partner any noble commercial partner. Too crappy, I'd leave. Nothing arrogant, just being honest with you.
You have to aim at what you want. I aim for getting thinking people, I take nothing else. If aim for a market/niche, aim to craft out that niche and nothing else.
Everything else that is not what you want is not wanted. Just remember not to be another Lai CF.
After all, you want a respected site, you gotta be respecting your direction first. :) Till now, you're doing well.
Em... BTW, if you are heading to a commercial forum/site, it might do well you prepare a list of 'online all-stars'; It's record of elements prominent across forums which, by now, you should already kinda know (say) who stands for crappy, who stands for otherwise, so that you know who to rope in who to look out for and of course, your readers will know what you know.
Never take chances with craps if you wanna move beyond.
elfred,
thanks for your comments. they made sense. i have my list of the reasonable and good forumers. it is all very apparent after a few posts in the forum.
going commercial takes time and financial resources. with finance, can move faster and in a bigger way.
we will have to take one step at a time. and when opportunities crop up, must be ready to seize it.
cheers.
Well, have your list, but do exclude me from it, for good or bad.
No money...? Toto is there. :D
sure elfred. always know that you are made of better stuff.
Emm... Something particular about me...
I don't like praises nor hate praises...
It usually puts me on high alert when I got praises. Call it street wisdom.
Goh MS once mentioned using tricks on me via 'praises' (He did so in Chinese), not really knowing I always consider praises as if empty titles: a waste of time.
Which is why I am and can be rather neutral all this way, even in YP.
May you got the right audience, Reddie.
ok elfred,
better not to get swell headed : )
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