Review of “We,the Media” Chap 4 by Dan Gillmor

Here’s another task I was assigned to, review a chapter of Dan Gillmor’s book “We,the media”.As I  was required to review only one chapter,I chose Chapter 4 titled “Newsmakers Turn the Tables”.

Basically,the chapter talks about blogs and the impact they have on the news environment today.It also explains at length how blogs are now very much a part of the mainstream and that the  journalism fraternity have to embrace it or get left behind.

It also points out that now even CEOs are on the blogging trend,illustrating  the point that blogging is a way to communicate to the ordinary man on the street.Other than that,there is also a part in the chapter where it mentions that RSS is now more acceptable at gaining information than say,Googling.Just subscribing to a particular information on RSS and it’ll deliver in real time,with your specific information all watered down according to your liking.

All in all,blogging is about getting close to the common man,maintain a normal touch,so to speak.The chapter ends with some tips for PR and marketing practitioners.Overall,a useful chapter for those curious about blogging and the likes.

The Rise of H1N1

As everybody is aware by now, there seems to be an increase in the number of H1N1 cases recently.

In today’s (26th August 2009) New Straits Times  paper, the latest fatalities toll show that it has risen to 71 deaths after a 3 day lull.There are also 324 people curently in hospital because of H1N1.This goes to show you would never know when the disease would strike.Just beacuse it’s been silent does’t mean that it’s still not lurking somewhere.

Not trying to be a preacher or anything,but we should all defininitely keep our heads up and watch out for this disease.There’s definitely no need to keep on harping about how the number of cases rising are being reported and people dying of it.It is obvious that it’s infectious and spreading rapidly (Hello??!!).

Why,I have now experirenced first-hand the seriousness of this disease seeing my own college closed for a week  due to three H1N1 infections.Though I’m sure there are some people who are probably overjoyed at this ‘holiday’,the fact that there even is a holiday probably a mere three weeks after college reopened just goes to show you that we are being robbed of a chance to learn.

I’ve noticed a lot lately that more people seem to be wearing masks to protect themselves against the disaese.Not making fun or anything,people are just trying to be safe.I myself am thinking of getting a mask.

Said schoolboy Zain Z. ,”The Government should provide medical kits to school children”.

As every minute passes,a new case and a new death is occuring everywhere around us.So don’t be too passive,protect yourself.

Just a little reminder though, don’t take this disease too lightly.You can never be too safe to be sure.Better be safe than sorry.

Comparisons of (Certain) Government Sites

This is  an assigned task,but I was asked to look up my country’s (Malaysia) Government sites and compare them to others like America’s and Australia’s.

This is a comparison of the Whitehouse and Malaysia’s PM Dept.Another pair, both Statistics Departments of Malaysia and Australia.To see who will triumph…Anyhow, here goes:

First off,the White House vs Malaysia’s PM Dept

The White House                                           Malaysia’s PM Dept

* More clearer (i.e more space)             * Cluttered space

* User-friendly                                              * A little too formal in tone

* Simple and easy layout                          * Too complicated layout

And now for the second comparison, the Australian Bureau of Statistics vs Department of Statistics Malaysia:

The Australian Bureau of Statistics           Department of Statistics Malaysia   

* Layout is simple                                            * Layout is more formal

* Relatable to the layman                             * More academic in nature

* Quite dull                                                         * Has more interactive features