Are friends’ friends your friends on social media? — Logan Raj |
- Are friends’ friends your friends on social media? — Logan Raj
- Canada ready to go to war with IS jihadists in Iraq
- FBI joins search for missing Saudi college student
- So, how should we go about giving out film awards?
- Houllier: Henry may not return to MLS squad next season
- Powerful NFL riding the storm
| Are friends’ friends your friends on social media? — Logan Raj Posted: 03 Oct 2014 05:54 PM PDT
I gorged the sandwich down like a famished wolf. I stuck my chin out in her direction, prodding for elaboration. "Well, she has a new car. It's a BMW. And she's bought a few bags that would probably cost her my annual salary. "She's also with this really cute guy who dotes over her like she's Miss All That," my friend said.
"Facebook la! How else?" came the reply. It's a wonder how people function without social media. I plead no innocence. And I have no concern for our growing over-reliance for applications like Facebook and Twitter as a means of connectivity and communication. I believe it gives me the required freedom to stay in touch yet retain privacy. But is that really the case? From the chair of an almost empty sandwich bar, my friend recounted another girl's entire life. Minutes into our meeting, the conversation digressed to that of another girl who apparently had a urinary tract infection and decided the world would find this information useful. I had one such instance where a complete stranger messaged me on my private account (the term is used loosely, no innuendo intended) and asked if I enjoyed my stint in Phuket. I had only just returned, and not many knew of my escapade. I was baffled, mystified, bewildered and at least fifty other synonyms to the word surprised. How did this bloke know? Only much later did I realise that a friend and fellow traveller had posted photos of our trip on his Facebook account. This shot my theory of privacy comprehensively out the window. Social media blurs geographical boundaries. I could chat with a friend from Egypt right now and receive a response in real time. I have no friends in Egypt, but if I did, I'd substantiate my claim with solid proof. It also challenges an individual's right to privacy. Not too long ago, a simple shutting of the door would provide sufficient cover from the prying eyes of the world. Now, we'd have to lock the door, turn off the webcam, adjust the privacy settings to our Facebook account and turn off notifications on our phone to have some me-time. I think the safest practice would be to maintain as much secrecy as possible online. Be vigilant with the information posted. Not everyone is a friend and not all are who they claim to be. Use these applications as a means to connect. Ranting about your unitary tract infection to the entire social media universe, however, is a sure fire way to disconnect. *This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.  |
| Canada ready to go to war with IS jihadists in Iraq Posted: 03 Oct 2014 05:52 PM PDT
If lawmakers greenlight the action on Monday ― as expected ― it will be Canada's first military expedition since Libya in 2011. Harper said members of the House of Commons, where his Conservative Party enjoys a solid majority, would be asked to vote on the six-month "counter-terrorism" mission. In his Commons address, Harper said fighter jets and air-to-air refueling aircraft would be sent to the region to strike targets within Iraq's borders. Six hundred aircrew and other personnel will be headed to the Middle East. Harper said Canadian warplanes could also target the militant group in Syria, but only "with the clear support of the government of that country." The prime minister also asked to extend the deployment of up to 69 special forces soldiers advising security forces fighting the Islamic State group in the northern part of Iraq. There will be "no ground combat mission," Harper insisted. In making a case for war, Harper said: "The threat ISIL (IS) represents is real, serious, and explicitly directed in part at our country." "Left unchecked this terrorist threat can only grow." Harper accused IS jihadists of having "conducted a campaign of unspeakable atrocities against the most innocent of people. "It tortured and beheaded children, raped and sold women into slavery, it slaughtered minorities, captured prisoners and innocent civilians whose only crime is being or thinking differently from ISIL," he said. The Islamic State group gained international attention in August, when its fighters and those from other militant groups swept through the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, then overran swaths of provinces north and west of Baghdad. Western governments fear IS could eventually strike overseas, but their biggest worry for now is its gains in Iraq and the likely eventual return home of foreign fighters. US President Barack Obama last month outlined plans for a broad international coalition to defeat the group in Iraq and Syria. The coalition, which includes Arab countries, intends to "significantly degrade the capabilities of ISIL, specifically its ability to engage in military movements of scale or to operate bases in the open," said Harper. Canadian opposition leaders vowed to oppose the military mission, accusing the government of hiding details and openly worrying about "mission creep." "The defeat of the insurgency in Iraq is a goal the United States has been trying without success to achieve since the wrongheaded invasion of 2003," said New Democratic Party leader Tom Mulcair. "The prime minister insists that this mission in Iraq will not be allowed to become a quagmire. But isn't that precisely what our American allies have been facing in Iraq for the last 10 years? "Will Canada be stuck a decade from now mired in a war we wisely avoided entering a decade ago?" ― AFP |
| FBI joins search for missing Saudi college student Posted: 03 Oct 2014 05:47 PM PDT
Abdullah Abdullatif Alkadi, 23, was last seen at his home in the Los Angeles suburb of Reseda at around noon on September 17, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Laura Eimiller, a spokeswoman for the FBI, said the agency had begun assisting in the probe at the request of the LAPD. "It's not uncommon for the bureau to provide resources on request in missing persons cases," Eimiller said. She declined to further discuss details of the FBI's involvement because Los Angeles police detectives were leading the investigation. The LAPD declined to say where they believe Alkadi, an international student at California State University, Northridge, may have gone or if they suspect he had been the victim of foul play. The missing man is described as 5 feet, 3 inches tall (1.60 metre) and weighs 110 pounds (50 kg). He was last seen wearing a blue shirt, jeans and beige shoes. The LAPD has urged the public to contact its Missing Persons Bureau with any information regarding his whereabouts. Alkadi's Twitter feed has not been updated since September 14, when he posted a message in Arabic. Local KCBS-TV reported that Alkadi sold one of his cars, an Audi worth approximately US$52,000 (RM169,312), on Craigslist around the time of his disappearance. The Los Angeles Times reported that his cell phone had been traced to the city of Beaumont, some 80 miles east of Los Angeles, but that it had been deactivated. "While there is little information at this time regarding what occurred, the university is concerned with the circumstances of his disappearance," Cal State Northridge President Dianne Harrison said in a message to the campus late last month. "We have been in touch with Mr. Alkadi's family to express our support during this difficult time," Harrison said. "I ask that everyone in the campus community join me in keeping Mr. Alkadi and his family in their thoughts and hoping for his safe homecoming. ― Reuters |
| So, how should we go about giving out film awards? Posted: 03 Oct 2014 05:42 PM PDT OCTOBER 4 — Earlier this week, an article in Mingguan Malaysia by veteran writer Mustafar A.R. became a hot topic in the Malaysian film-making scene as many people were simply outraged by the comments made in said article about the quality of nominees for the Festival Filem Malaysia 26 (FFM26). Even the article's headline, "FFM26 Semakin Mengarut", which roughly translates as "FFM26 getting more ridiculous" is as audience-baiting as they come, which turned out to be true as there were plenty of responses to the article, from tweets to Facebook statuses to even articles, but I still think that I can add a point or two to the chorus of replies that have been making the rounds among Malaysian netizens. To be perfectly honest, I'm also not in agreement with some of the nominations for FFM26. The fact that Penanggal, admittedly an almost sumptuous visual experience but also clearly a total mess when it comes to matters of tone and storytelling, came to dominate proceedings with a total of 15 nominations should already alarm any serious film fans as to whether to take FFM26 seriously or not. If Mustafar offered this as one of his main arguments against FFM26, then I don't think that many people would have been outraged. But when you base almost your entire article around the defence of a film as universally panned as Tanda Putera, then you are simply inviting ridicule from people in the industry. And you'll only make things worse when your other main line of reasoning involves complaining about how the Best Film nominees are simply horror, psychotic and violent films, to the point of suggesting that it's better to change the name of FFM26 to Malaysian Festival of Horror, Psychotic and Violent Films, then you are simply inviting even more ridicule. I'm not going to debate the merits of Tanda Putera here, as I was one of the few who didn't give the movie a complete thrashing in my review of it elsewhere. What really got to me in Mustafar's article was his belief that a below average historical and patriotic film like Tanda Putera deserves to be nominated (or even awarded) simply because it is a historical and patriotic film. That, to me, is the biggest mistake that anyone can make when it comes to evaluating film. The late film critic Roger Ebert has this one famous quote that says that, "It's not what a movie is about, it's how it is about it." That quote perfectly sums up what people should look out for when evaluating a film. What the movie is about — whether it's about ghosts, psychotic people, gangsters or important historical figures — does not a movie make. How the film goes about telling what it is about, now that is where the magic of the movies comes from, and what we should evaluate when writing about and even awarding films.
I would have given the award to Songlap, which I personally think was a better film, but I also understand why people would give it to Bunohan, but that's another story. What's important is that, no matter how much I may slightly disagree with the nominations and awards in the last few editions of Festival Filem Malaysia, it's becoming increasingly clear that whoever's making the decisions there seems to have understood Ebert's philosophy, especially in FFM25 and FFM26. Whatever differences of opinion we may have now is all just a matter of taste. So dear FFM26, please just ignore whatever chorus of dissent that may come your way regarding what a movie is about, because you should know better that how it is about it that truly matters. * This is the personal opinion of the columnist. |
| Houllier: Henry may not return to MLS squad next season Posted: 03 Oct 2014 05:37 PM PDT
Gerard Houllier, Red Bulls global football director, told France Football in a story published Thursday that the former French national team star likely would leave the MLS squad after five seasons but might continue his career with another team rather than retire. Henry's only comment on the matter after a workout yesterday was "If you see him, ask him. Ask him when you see him." That left Red Bulls coach Mike Petke to dance the delicate line between his boss and his star player, a former standout for Arsenal, Barcelona and Monaco who joined the Red Bulls in 2010. "I can't speak for what Gerard said," Petke said. "All I can speak for is what I'm saying and that is I have zero idea and I believe that nobody has an idea. "Only Thierry knows what he's going to do next year and he will announce that when he feels comfortable." Henry has scored 50 regular-season goals in MLS matches, including nine in 27 games this season. "Thierry is going to make that decision and announce or don't announce that whenever he feels comfortable," Petke said. ― AFP |
| Posted: 03 Oct 2014 05:33 PM PDT OCTOBER 4 — If you are a general sports fan with a passing but less than fervent interest in American football and the National Football League (NFL), it's likely any news you've heard from the sport in the last few weeks has been bad news. Rather than the on-field antics of competitors in America's favourite sport as the new season got underway a month ago, headlines have been dominated by a sorry string of violent off-field misdeeds committed by a number of star players. The highest profile case has been Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice, a recent Superbowl champion who is now serving an indefinite suspension after being filmed by security cameras knocking out his then fiancée (they are now married) with a punch during an argument in a hotel elevator. However, the biggest furore was caused not by the incident itself, but by the league's slow response. When the assault was first reported in the media, Rice was banned for just two games and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell claimed not to have seen the video. After the subsequent media storm both Goodell and the Ravens, Rice's direct employers, were forced to stiffen their stance with Rice being summarily sacked by his club and imposed with a blanket ban by the league. Another top running back, Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings, was the next to find himself in trouble after being filmed punishing his four year-old child by repeatedly beating him with a tree branch, causing bleeding and bruises — an act of parental discipline which is illegal in the United States. As a player, Peterson is a genuine superstar and regarded as one of the best runners in the history of the game, a cut above Rice in his pulling power. He had also previously been able to command great respect from many neutral fans after suffering serious injury and coming back better than ever — an unusual feat for a player in his position. But in the wake of the Rice affair, the league could not afford to prevaricate: He was immediately deactivated by the Vikings and now faces a waiting game until a trial which could result in him being sent to jail for two years. And this week, the issue of off-field indiscretions again dominated the news headlines with the revelation that Dallas Cowboys special teams performer CJ Spillman has been accused of sexual assault, with the matter currently under investigation. The spate of recent incidents has brought to the fore the question of how the league should deal with non-sporting misdemeanours, which are by no means a new phenomenon. As far back as 2007, for example, star quarterback Michael Vick — another genuine A-list celebrity — was jailed for nearly two years after being found guilty of organising dog fights, but he was allowed back into the game within months of being released from jail. In response to the criticism he received for his handling of the Rice case, Commissioner Goodell has promised to stiffen up his organisation's policies on player misconduct and appointed four women to lead the league's domestic violence policy. The NFL's reputation has been tarnished, and Goodell is now attempting to claw it back. Perhaps most interesting, however, is the fact that the recent storm appears to have done little to affect the sport's immense popularity in the US. Despite threats of fan boycotts, in-stadia attendances remain close to capacity and, most significantly, television audiences have even grown — one network, CBS, enjoyed a rise of nearly two million viewers on last year's average figures through the first three weeks of the current season.
Fans might not be talking about the NFL and its players in the way that league executives would want them to, but at least they are still talking about them. And for every superstar such as Rice and Peterson who falls by the wayside, somebody else will emerge to replace them as the nation's new sporting hero. Whatever the rights and wrongs of the NFL's domestic violence policy, and whatever the plethora of unsavoury incidents might tell us about the state of the league, its players and even its country of origin, the ultimate truth is that modern professional sport is first and foremost a television product and, as such, is privileged to enjoy serious corporate backing. Television networks that pay billions of dollars for exclusive broadcast rights need the league to succeed: They need to attract the advertisers and, for pay TV models, the subscribers who provide their profits. And similarly, advertisers need the league to succeed for the obvious reason that they want people to actually watch the ads they have paid a premium fee to place during games. Whatever they might have been doing during the week leading up to the game, whenever NFL players take to the field of play, an awful lot is at stake — and I'm not talking about points or league standings. In our contemporary world, high level sport is a money-making machine and it is therefore backed up by the serious weight of numerous major commercial organisations, who desperately need their chosen sporting products to maintain or, where possible, grow their popularity. In time, the apparently growing tendency of NFL players to indulge in off-field nastiness could well end up damaging the popularity of the league. But a lot of influential people in powerful places will be doing everything they can to make sure that doesn't happen. The NFL, we can safely assume, will ride out this storm. * This is the personal opinion of the columnist. |
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