April 25, 2007

我們不聯盟、只聯誼。

老梁和楊白楊老師在《大馬中文部落格祭》的布條上簽下大名。

五天了。

當我們在圓桌上遇上梁文道時,此君已在馬來西亞兜了五天。

相信在這五天裡,他的所見所聞 ,在都可以是錯亂的同時也可能是真實的現象;當他像受保護的動物似地從一家報館帶到另一個講堂時,我可以想像他在短時間內從「官方媒體」看到「非官方媒體」的一個大馬媒體的切面圖時,是需要多少的智慧來看透這一切的事實。

從本地著名博客到網絡媒體到被列入黑名單的寫手口中吐出大馬媒體的哀歌中,我們又同時看到一群博客的歌舞昇平,我想能消化這種差異真的需要一點能量。

與梁文道的圓桌交鋒,胡某曾如此寫過。

但熟知我這個「流氓」的人都知道,胡某到場的目的並不止於此。

但是我們真的有如在場的黃衣地中海說的對這文化媒體人「頂禮膜拜」而忘了挑戰他了嗎?

梁老師又幾時成了我們的敵人呢?我們要挑戰的人是他嗎?

胡某當時想跟梁老師請教的是他在牛棚書院的經驗。

當我們都在大聲嚷嚷著改革的同時,建設與啟發的聲音都去了哪裡?梁老師在那裡的經驗很能幫助我們。

可是在場的好多文化人卻比較想唱自己的哀歌。

黃進發老師甚至還置疑哪些「風花雪月、無病呻吟」的博客們的思考能力,難道胡某的風花雪月也暴露了自己的無知?

難道整個巨大無垠的網際網絡就只盛裝得下哪些社會政治博客們嗎?

難道寫詩就不愛國、不關心社會了嗎?

那詩人屈原豈不死得很冤?

我跟他說我在汕頭看到了希望,在香港卻看到了滯悶。

因為中國新生代有著發言的動力,是我們的借鏡。

還好,梁老師講了幾句深得吾心的話:「重要的、有意願去表達、去理解。」

是的,我們要挑戰的、是我們自己。

不管你是憤世青年的挑釁囂張、或現代爛詩人的頹廢靡爛、還是無病呻吟的風花雪月,只要你還在用心去寫,我們就有希望了。

我們只聯誼、不聯盟;我們打鍵盤的不打鎗靶子。

Make Love, Not War。

與眾生共勉之。

非常感謝應胡某的邀約到場的亂世才子,恩妮和她的朋友,幽子,阿愷,靖嵐和她的朋友,零燕,Twilight 和船夫沒讓我們的客人覺得大馬的博客只有那小貓三兩隻。還有:Rachel,你和你的紅蘋果被一個不是博客的傢伙搬上神臺了。

沒來的、兼放飛機的人:請等待錄影上線罷。


側記:
其實上個星期在馬接時我就聽到了某報業集團會「全面封殺」《大馬中文部落格祭》的傳聞。

身為一個媒體人,這種道聽途說的東西胡某也只會聽一半,畢竟我們的消息都出現在兩家報刊和一家中文網絡媒體。所以除非張老闆的屬下白紙黑字地跟我們說他們會「全面封殺」我們這項活動,胡某都會繼續邀請他們的記者來訪。

但讓胡某更覺得不齒的是哪位答應了會幫忙宣傳卻又毫無行動的博客,他哪種言行不一的舉動實在是比報社更爛 -- 流氓專用字眼,不是嗎?

請期待六月二十三的驚喜。

April 23, 2007

依約到依約。


依約補選。整個鎮都在忙。

胡某驅車前往拍照卻遇上了好多警崗。

他們檢查著用摩托車載孫子上學的印裔老翁,卻忘了鎮上上百個 Mat Rempit 等待著咱們的副首相的光臨。

冒雨回到吉隆坡後這雙重標準依然困擾著我。

April 21, 2007

難題。

A 小姐:為甚麼你沒買花給我?
B 君:因為已經九點了,買不到。
A 小姐:我不管!你已經沒有以前那麼 sweet 了。
B 君:...

April 20, 2007

四二四與梁文道圓桌交鋒。

大家!
胡某剛收到一封電郵,說是香港博客梁文道會來馬以文會友。

座位有限,但胡某跟主辦人說我們中文博客很多,要他做好心理準備,所以能來的就來罷!

聽說有些本地的時事評論博客也會出席。

到時候,大家有問題的可以題問,有相機的,可以拍照。

請大家支持嚕~

诚邀出席梁文道与评论人、部落客交流会

香港“文化教父”梁文道将于4月秒来马,动力青年(Youth For Change)与隆雪华堂民权委员会精心安排了一场梁文道与评论人、部落客的交流会,希望透过分享其推动公共议政、文化工作之道,以及写作经验,鼓励更多人参与公共事务以及写作,以丰富大马公共领域之交流互动。

交流会详情如下:
➢ 主题:“键盘底下的政治与文化书写”
➢ 日期:2007年4月24日 (星期二)
➢ 时间:晚上8时正-10时正
➢ 地点:隆雪华堂楼上会议室

梁文道是香港公共知识分子代表人物,牛棚书院院长,电台电视节目主持,报章专栏作家,政治评论员,搞出版,食家及足球评论员于一身的多面手。在众多角色当中,不乏共同之处,就是走出象牙塔,以平民语言拉近知识与群众,做个街坊学者。

在香港的文化界,梁文道这个名字并不陌生,每天都可以在不同的报章上读到他的专栏,其中担任牛棚书院院长更为人津津乐道。(”牛棚书院”是香港一个开办次文化、艺术课程的”学校”,前身是屠房、牛只检疫站)。

有人如此说过文人论政的力量:一支笔胜抵十万军。然而,随着社会结构的多元化,有人说过在技术化的时代,知识分子已经被边缘化的。另外,随着新科技的出现,写作不再是少数精神贵族的专利,而部落格的出现,是自印刷技术普及化以来,对写作的最大冲击,究竟在这过程中,政治与文化的书写历经怎样的变化?政治是什么?文化是什么?写作又意味什么?



他们恳切希望您能出席交流会,共赴一场全新的文化体验。

要去的請留言。Thank you! Thank you!

[梁文道簡介]

暫定:幽子 | 阿愷 | 靖嵐 | 恩妮 | Yan | RawangBoy | 文員 會到

暫時回老家。

大家!

胡天胡地最近被一天近19,000閱覽次拖跨了。

胡某正掏錢換個更大的伺服器。

暫時就回到這裡晃。

:-)

November 13, 2005

JEREMIAHFOO.com

Dear All,

All Future Posts of Jerry's Alter Ego will be found HERE, thanks for your support!

JerryWho

November 03, 2005

JerryWho's Blog Version 2.0


It's been a while since I first made my Web presense in 1999 with Geocities. Those days, we had to learn HTML and do our own coding with Notepad. Now, entering the Blog Era, life is much simpler.

Since April this year, I became slightly more active online and took on JerryWho as my handle, during my In.Tech days, I have been lurking around the Web with the nick Ammut, the name I used when we played networked games in the office (I initially called myself "Jesus", and as I get killed, the noticeboard screamed "Love* Fragged Jesus", which prompted an outcry to change that biblical nick of mine).


Anyway, as I spent more time blogging, my Blogger accounts grew, and I thought now would be the best time to move on to my own server.

So, Here You GO!

I Present To You, Jerry's Alter Ego V2.0

*Love is Wee Chun Chuan's nick

November 01, 2005

My Cluttered Desktop

Today, is the Festival of Lights for some, but for me, it's a day of pure boredom, I have no where to go, nothing to do, except sitting in front of my computer monitors.

Of course, in oder to make things more interesting, I moved my PowerBook from the bedroom to the living room, then back to the bedroom and then into the video editing room... all the while doing the same thing: writing my script and checking emails.

This series of uneventful events prompted me to get out of the house. And I went to Ikano Power Centre's Popular Bookstore.

Last week, while in Singapore, I managed to resist the temptation to buy the book iCon. This time, a book with a MacHead* on its cover caught my eyes.

It was expansive, but I had a discount card.

People used to say a person's work desk determines what kind of a person he is. I have 3 work desks, the one pictured above is one that I used most at night.

*The Cult Of Mac, by Leander Kahney -- It will share the same shelf space of my collection of Mac Design books.

October 30, 2005

A Cousin's Wedding > Freedom!

Her's is a story of a classic over-achiever.

She gets straight A's in school, gets her ABRSM Grade 8 in Piano, goes through the University with not much of an effort, found herself jobs and flew all over the world.

She braved the colds on a god-forsaken island in Russia (off the coast of Hokkaido, Japan). She spent time in Europe, and the UK. And in general stay out of the country most part of her life.

It puzzles me all the time, as she does not look the adventurous type, and my guess is, she was running away so she can enjoy more freedom.

Smart minds loved to have the space to roam, to soar without the confines of rules and regulations, or fear the consequences of breaking unwritten rules of the house. We come from a big family with a lot of traditional baggage; her family house is always quiet, except, of course, when I visited them and introduced noise.

So, she has gotten married yesterday, I was the self-appointed photo-documentor for the family, so I brought my camera along and took some pictures (300 in total) of her and my extended family from my mother's side.

She was blissful, he wasn't (and I am not referring to her husband) as they walked down the aisle.

This post is to commemorate her blissful attainment of such freedom. Double-clicking the picture on the right will download a copy of my photo essay of this happy event.

Congrats! May God Bless You with 5 Children, and enjoy life to the fullest!

October 29, 2005

Yes, I Was There.

I spent a day in Esplanade, Singapore's version of Sydney Opera House, admiring the public installations put together by a group of young Singaporean artists.
What really surprises me was the fact that they allowed Breakdancing and Rollerblading at the Basement of Esplanade.

Try doing this in KLCC's Symphonic hall, and you'll end up in the lockup, awaiting bail. Such is the difference between the people living on either ends of the causeway.

But it was indeed a pleasant afternoon. And I took the above picture (with me in it) as a proof of my existence.

October 27, 2005

Rosa Parks: Think Different


Let us all observe a moment of silence for the passing of a Hero.

Here's something about her [taken from Apple Computer website]:

Born Rosa Louise McCauley on February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, Alabama, Parks was the first child of James and Leona Edwards McCauley; her brother Sylvester was born in 1915. The family later moved to Pine Level, Alabama, where Rosa grew up attending rural schools.

When Rosa completed her education at Pine Level at age 11, her mother enrolled her in Montgomery Industrial School for Girls. From there Rosa went on the Alabama State Teacher's College High School, although her grandmother's illness and subsequent death prevented her from graduating with the rest of her class.

Rosa married Raymond Parks in 1932. Raymond supported Rosa's desire to complete her formal education, and she went on to receive her high school diploma in 1934. The couple worked together in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) programs. Rosa became a secretary and later a youth leader of the local branch of the NAACP; she was preparing for a major youth conference at the time of her arrest.

The incident in Montgomery transformed Rosa Parks into a national figure and a major role model as well. She went on to work for U.S. Rep. John Conyers of Michigan. After Raymond's death, she co-founded the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development. She also co-authored four books "X'Rosa Parks: My Story" (with Jim Haskins), "Quiet Strength" (with Gregory J. Reed), "Dear Mrs. Parks: A Dialogue with Today"s Youth" (with Gregory J. Reed), and "I Am Rosa Parks" (with Jim Haskins).

Hundreds of American institutions paid tribute to this remarkable woman during her lifetime: Mrs. Parks received a number of honorary doctoral degrees, countless plaques, awards and citations, and keys to several cities. Among her honors were the NAACP's Springarn Medal, the UAW's Social Justice Award, the Martin Luther King Jr. Non-Violent Peace Prize, the Roger Joseph Prize from Hebrew Union College, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

October 24, 2005

My Mobile Phones > Past and Present

Yes, my mobile communication past began with a Motorola StarTac (this is the 10th anniversary of the phone's existence). That was back in the mid Nineties, it was a black coloured clamshell blocky phone that has a horrendously huge battery charger cum docking station where you can charge 2 batteries at the same time.

Yes, those were the days when you HAVE TO take extra batteries with you if you plan on spending the day out.

Later, I was given a StarTac 8400 International mobile phone, that was a pretty good flip phone with very nice and "big" display. Those days, that was state-of-the-arts.

Then I bought an Audiovox mobile phone, which I upgraded to a Kenwood branded Nortel mobile (they are so rare I can's find photographs of them on the Web).

Anyway, I quickly upgraded to the Panasonic GD90, which was stolen when I was waiting to board a 170 SBS Bus at the bus stop outside the train station in Johore Bahru. On the same day I lost the phone, I replaced it with a Motorola StarTac V (in my humble opinion those days, Motorola is a phone maker, as Omega is a watch maker).

That phone stayed with me for approximately 6 months, and was stolen in my office in Tampines.

Then, I jumped onto the Nokia bandwagon and bought the most expansive of the lot, the Nokia 8850.

That phone became my main mobile communicator and remained by my side for almost 3 years, till Bluetooth became essential. I bought a Tungsten, and paired it with a Ericsson T39m. It worked like a charm until I caught the PDA phone bug, and bought an O2 phone.

That was the worst phone I ever owned. I ditched it and bought the black Sony Ericsson T630.

And then, that was stolen again.

Jumping back to the Nokia 8850 for help, the screen died on me, and I bought a really cheap Nokia 8250 as a temp mobile.

So, last week, I bought the phone I am using now: a Sony Ericsson Walkman phone, the W550i.

It does everything I need it to do except 3G. Since real 3G applications and contents are not out there in the wild yet, I guess I can wait for the W900 to surface.

To date, I have lost 3 mobile phones that cost in total RM7,000.

GOSH! Have I spent so much on mobile phones alone?

October 20, 2005

My 15 Minutes of Fame

We launched the Asia Pacific YoYo Championship 2005 in Sunway Pyramid last week. With a turn out of about 15 members of the press, we made the announcement that the event will be the largest of its kind in the world, in terms of number of participants.Since I am going to produce a documentary about the YoYo Community of the Asia Pacific, the event gives me great insights into the minds of these people who lives by the thread that clings on to a tiny piece of spinning discs.

I followed the entourage onto the Hills (Genting Highlands) where they performed to a small crowd, and was impressed by the routine they did.

If you can find the time, drop by Genting Highlands on December 9, entry is free.

20% More... PIXELS!

I was busy trying out some broadcast software when my alarm clock reminded me that the special event at Apple was over. As if possessed, my fingers instinctively type the URL and the new PowerBooks were staring squarely at me, on my "old" PowerBook's screen.

20% More Pixels.
Optical Digital Audio Output
Faster System Bus
Dual Layer DVD 8x Writer
2x more Video RAM
Dual Link DVI

Same CPU Clock Speed.
Same Price.

Hmmm... I will wait for the next upgrade.

But if you need a PowerBook, now is the time. The end of the PowerPC Era is near.

October 17, 2005

Yamaha Presents: teroni-on


Yes, it is now official: the Tamagochi Generation has grown up.

This oversize Tamagochi is not your RM45 plastic toy that yearns for your tender loving care.

It's a musical instrument!

Question is, will you give up 10 years of your piano or violin training to play this monophonic instrument?

October 14, 2005

I am feeling the 5G iPod Gravitational Pull...

i woke up to the alarm clock reminding me to find out what on Earth is Steve's "One More Thing..."

and as expected. it was the video iPod. and the moment i read the news, my first reaction was: "Thank Goodness I did not buy the Nano!"

I have 9,000 songs on my 3G iPod (now playing happily) and I need space to put the rest of my library into the player. 60GB is great news, and video!!!?? that's fantastic news!

Now I won't need to lug a folder of DVDs when I travel. Yippie!

October 06, 2005

submission: the housemate

Me, over 15 years ago.

After previewing to friends and foes around me, I have made all necessary edits to make the final cut of my short film more logical till the wee hours of the night last night.

So, this morning, I had to go get my passport size pictures and photocopies of my NRIC... but it started raining cats and dogs later in the afternoon and I was feeling lazy, to go to the photo service centres to have my pictures taken... that was when an idea struck: why don't I make my own pictures?

Digging through my pile of things, I found a stack of 4x6 HP photo paper and printed a picture of mine on it.

After cutting the pictures to size, the pictures looked convincing.

By 4:30pm, I was already on my way to Astro with the package in my bag.

1 day before deadline: I have submitted my entry.

Wish Me Luck.

October 04, 2005

Happy 20th Anniversary!

Life was a lot simpler back then. I woke up early, skipped breakfast and drove 2 hours to work.

Yeah, 2 hours is on a normal day, back then, Samy hasn't gotten the highway done up yet, but even now, the place is still jammed packed -- Samy still hasn't gotten it right yet.

I drove along Old Klang Road, hitting the old town junction, and drove along Jalan Gasing to work.

Life as a technology journalist wasn't that bad. We attended seminars and learned new things everyday, bitched about people and competition, and played a game or two if you were hustled to be a victim, and had coffee at the coffee place near our office.

It was a simple life.

Good to see that all are happy and well.

Happy 20th Anniversary, in�Etech!

October 03, 2005

Completion! for now...

After three whole days of moving, rearranging and carrying super heavy stuffs without breaking my back, my place finally took shape.

The new Final Cut Pro studio is finally tied-in to my MIDI system along with all the audio gadgets. And I have finally gotten the video camera in the vocal booth working so I can monitor the voice talent from my studio upstairs.

The next few days will be spent tuning the acoustics of the room and generally finding ways to keep sound from straying out of my place. I am probably the noisiest house in the whole area, so keeping the dBm low is key to peaceful living in my neighbourhood.

Anyhow, the above picture shows a small part of the room, here you'll see my PowerBook, the PowerMac G4 Cube, a Juno 60 keyboard controller, the Akai sampler, loads of sound modules and the classic Roland R8 drum machine, along with my Joemeek tube microphone pre-amp.

Call me hardcore, but this set up is modest among professional musicians.

....................................................................

Today I finally put GarageBand to a test in a real world scenario: while working on 7's audio project, I decided to give the software instruments a try. With the latest drivers installed, GarageBand detected my Tascam 224 as a 2 in/2 out MIDI interface, so, I gave it a go with the music arrangement.

Though I prefer my Akai Grand Piano samples over GrageBand's built-in offerings, the voicing was respectable. Tones and timbres are rich and I could get away with simpler arrangements without using pads to cover up sample flaws.

On the project, I recorded multiple tracks of vocals and I attempted to comp them into one nice track, this, I find an extremely difficult task to complete in GarageBand: compared to other software such as MOTU Figital Performer or Digidesign ProTools, both of whith I've used extensively.

For an entry level software, it's a pleasant surprise when I noticed the inclusion of pitch corrections. To have this feature in ProTools, you'll need to buy a plug-in, but the feature is a built-in function, so, it'll be super easy for you to create the Cher trademarked "Believe" effect in GarageBand.

Just make sure you sing as well as she does.


But then again, God is fair, isn't it?

October 02, 2005

Major, Major Makeover


I have that 3-month itch again: to re-decorate my house.

I have been doing this since my secondary school days -- I will move things around, and basically change the position of everything in the room every now and then.

Two days ago, while looking for my missing passport, I felt that itch again, so...

I am still at it, the house is in a mess... but I managed to put some of my Macintosh collections on display...

In one of the cubicles, is Apple's Newton 2000 PDA.

Also, you'll see the ColorClassic, the Macintosh SE, and the PowerMacintosh G4 Cube.

Scattered around are some old Sony Walkman and MD Walkman...

This is still work in progress, and I am dead tired.

Sigh... I am getting old...