31 Dec 2004
People of the Year: Bloggers
Below I appear to infringe more copyright ...but you can all give yourself a big pat on the back.
Internet Phenomenon Provides Unique Insight Into People's Thoughts
Dec. 30, 2004 - A blog -- short for "web log" -- is an online personal journal that covers topics ranging from daily life to technology to culture to the arts. Blogs have made such an impact this year that Merriam-Webster named it the word of the year.
"There's a blog for every niche. There's a blog for every interest," said technology writer Xeni Jardin, who co-edits the blog boingboing.net.
Dylan Verdi, an 11-year-old known as the world's youngest videoblogger, says she covers "things that I've seen that I like or that I've heard of, or just anything that happened to me that day that I'm thinking."
There are millions of blogs on the Internet -- a new one is created every seven-and-a-half seconds. More than 10,000 new additions are added to the "blogosphere" each day.
Firsthand Reporting on Asian Tsunami Catastrophes
This week, their influence has become readily apparent. Dozens of bloggers have been filing firsthand reports from the areas devastated by southern Asia's deadly tsunamis.
"There is kind of an immediacy that people can relate to -- can't help but relate to that in a very intimate way," said Jardin.
"Day three," one blogger writes from the scene, "this may be an unexpected challenge and responsibility, and it hurts to see people in pain. But it's also a remarkable experience to be on hand to do something modest, but useful, in the aftermath of a disaster."
Bloggers around the world have made themselves useful, encouraging donations to relief groups, posting the names of the missing, and expressing sympathy for the victims.
Expanding Political Coverage
As a driving force in politics this year, bloggers covered the 2004 presidential campaigns and election. Political candidates also used them as valuable campaign tools.
"The Internet taught us, rather than the other way around," said former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean.
This year, for the first time, bloggers were permitted to cover the national political conventions firsthand.
Bloggers have taken the lead over traditional media on a number of stories, including racist remarks made by then-Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., at former Sen. Strom Thurmond's birthday party.
"Suddenly the mainstream media, the nightly news, on all three networks and on cable, picked up the story and the papers picked up the story and the next thing you know, Trent Lott's resigning and gone," said Democratic strategist Joe Trippi, who masterminded Dean's groundbreaking online campaign efforts.
Some of the most compelling images of 2004 found their way to blogs first, from the Florida hurricanes to the war in Iraq. It was a blogger who got the first photographs of coffins carrying U.S. soldiers arriving in the United States from Iraq.
But for Verdi, it is the simple pleasure of knowing that someone is listening that makes blogging worthwhile.
"On my blog it allows people to post comments, and I have gotten comment upon comment upon comment," she said. "It makes me feel really good that somebody else cares about what I have to say."
ABC News' Elizabeth Vargas filed this report for "World News Tonight."
Copyright © 2004 ABC News Internet Ventures
Internet Phenomenon Provides Unique Insight Into People's Thoughts
Dec. 30, 2004 - A blog -- short for "web log" -- is an online personal journal that covers topics ranging from daily life to technology to culture to the arts. Blogs have made such an impact this year that Merriam-Webster named it the word of the year.
"There's a blog for every niche. There's a blog for every interest," said technology writer Xeni Jardin, who co-edits the blog boingboing.net.
Dylan Verdi, an 11-year-old known as the world's youngest videoblogger, says she covers "things that I've seen that I like or that I've heard of, or just anything that happened to me that day that I'm thinking."
There are millions of blogs on the Internet -- a new one is created every seven-and-a-half seconds. More than 10,000 new additions are added to the "blogosphere" each day.
Firsthand Reporting on Asian Tsunami Catastrophes
This week, their influence has become readily apparent. Dozens of bloggers have been filing firsthand reports from the areas devastated by southern Asia's deadly tsunamis.
"There is kind of an immediacy that people can relate to -- can't help but relate to that in a very intimate way," said Jardin.
"Day three," one blogger writes from the scene, "this may be an unexpected challenge and responsibility, and it hurts to see people in pain. But it's also a remarkable experience to be on hand to do something modest, but useful, in the aftermath of a disaster."
Bloggers around the world have made themselves useful, encouraging donations to relief groups, posting the names of the missing, and expressing sympathy for the victims.
Expanding Political Coverage
As a driving force in politics this year, bloggers covered the 2004 presidential campaigns and election. Political candidates also used them as valuable campaign tools.
"The Internet taught us, rather than the other way around," said former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean.
This year, for the first time, bloggers were permitted to cover the national political conventions firsthand.
Bloggers have taken the lead over traditional media on a number of stories, including racist remarks made by then-Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., at former Sen. Strom Thurmond's birthday party.
"Suddenly the mainstream media, the nightly news, on all three networks and on cable, picked up the story and the papers picked up the story and the next thing you know, Trent Lott's resigning and gone," said Democratic strategist Joe Trippi, who masterminded Dean's groundbreaking online campaign efforts.
Some of the most compelling images of 2004 found their way to blogs first, from the Florida hurricanes to the war in Iraq. It was a blogger who got the first photographs of coffins carrying U.S. soldiers arriving in the United States from Iraq.
But for Verdi, it is the simple pleasure of knowing that someone is listening that makes blogging worthwhile.
"On my blog it allows people to post comments, and I have gotten comment upon comment upon comment," she said. "It makes me feel really good that somebody else cares about what I have to say."
ABC News' Elizabeth Vargas filed this report for "World News Tonight."
Copyright © 2004 ABC News Internet Ventures
Seen her in Phuket?
Caroline Chan Fong Chee from Singapore is missing in Phuket. Mr Trevor Chan posted her picture and her description on a new Missing Persons Bulletin launched by The Phuket Gazette Online. People concerned about the fate of someone known to have been in southern Thailand on the day of the tsunami catastrophe are welcome to post a message, and, if possible, a photograph of the person who is missing. The bulletin so far contains 209 missing people as of 1.11pm today. All missing-persons messages will be published widely and without charge said the newspaper. They will be indexed to the Gazette Online home page and be copied by email to as many local area (Phuket, Phang-nga and Krabi) hospitals as possible. TODAYonline reports that as many 300 Singaporeans are still uncontactable in Phuket. It added that some worried Singaporeans flew to Phuket looking for their loved ones.
From the non-infringer of copyright izreloaded.
From the non-infringer of copyright izreloaded.
Singapore Donation Centres
Tisarana Buddhist Association at 90 Duku Rd (off still road) Tel: 63456741
Items: Medicine, first aid items, sanitary pads, toothbrush, toothpaste, tin food, dry food and CLEAN (new if possible) blankets, towels and clothes.
Please pack them in bags or boxes and lable them separately, eg... Food, Blankets, Medicine, Clothes to be seperated and labeled MALE, FEMALE and CHILDREN. Boxes are preferred but please do NOT seal.
19 Dalhousie Lane ( jus behind Tekka Mall )
Collection of essentials ie .... foods, clothes, blankets, towels .... any day before next Wednesday for Sri Lankan victims.
Old Parliament Lane #01-02 , Parliament Lane,
Olivia - Tel: 81131770
Donations of canned food, blankets and clothings.
Donations of Cash: Brahm Education Centre
Cash donations are collected at Brahm Education Centre. Cheques are to be made payable to "Brahm Education Centre Ltd".
Cash or cheque are to be sent to Brahm Education Centre, 9 Lor 29 Geylang #04-02 Singapore 388065. Please indicate "suffering relief program" on the back of the cheque.
Receipts of items purchased for the victims with the cash donations will be collated and accounts on how the funds are dispensed will be available for inspection at the end of the projecct.
Items: Medicine, first aid items, sanitary pads, toothbrush, toothpaste, tin food, dry food and CLEAN (new if possible) blankets, towels and clothes.
Please pack them in bags or boxes and lable them separately, eg... Food, Blankets, Medicine, Clothes to be seperated and labeled MALE, FEMALE and CHILDREN. Boxes are preferred but please do NOT seal.
19 Dalhousie Lane ( jus behind Tekka Mall )
Collection of essentials ie .... foods, clothes, blankets, towels .... any day before next Wednesday for Sri Lankan victims.
Old Parliament Lane #01-02 , Parliament Lane,
Olivia - Tel: 81131770
Donations of canned food, blankets and clothings.
Donations of Cash: Brahm Education Centre
Cash donations are collected at Brahm Education Centre. Cheques are to be made payable to "Brahm Education Centre Ltd".
Cash or cheque are to be sent to Brahm Education Centre, 9 Lor 29 Geylang #04-02 Singapore 388065. Please indicate "suffering relief program" on the back of the cheque.
Receipts of items purchased for the victims with the cash donations will be collated and accounts on how the funds are dispensed will be available for inspection at the end of the projecct.
29 Dec 2004
The Tsunami Help Blog
The Tsunami Help Blog was started yesterday, offering information on where donations can be directed and information on the disaster.
Rajan, Jeff Ooi, Nitin Pai and 2Bangkok are offering the best regional coverage. IZ Reloaded has linked to a chilling tourist video of a wave hitting Phuket.
Information on donating to the Singapore Red Cross can be found here. The Canadian Red Cross accepts on-line donations here.
The American Red Cross is making an appeal here and the International Foundation of the Red Cross/Red Crescent is accepting donations here.
Rajan, Jeff Ooi, Nitin Pai and 2Bangkok are offering the best regional coverage. IZ Reloaded has linked to a chilling tourist video of a wave hitting Phuket.
Information on donating to the Singapore Red Cross can be found here. The Canadian Red Cross accepts on-line donations here.
The American Red Cross is making an appeal here and the International Foundation of the Red Cross/Red Crescent is accepting donations here.
help the victims
SINGAPORE : Many Singaporeans say they want to help the victims of the Sumatra earthquake and the resulting tsunamis in any way they can.
One couple is collecting clothes and money, and will bring these personally to Chennai, India, where some 50,000 people are thought to have been made homeless.
Mr Vadrevu will be making the trip to Chennai to deliver the donations on Sunday.
If you are interested in donating money, or clothes and blankets you can contact the Vadrevu family at 9638 3236, or by e-mail at shobha@pacific.net.sg. - CNA
full article...
One couple is collecting clothes and money, and will bring these personally to Chennai, India, where some 50,000 people are thought to have been made homeless.
Mr Vadrevu will be making the trip to Chennai to deliver the donations on Sunday.
If you are interested in donating money, or clothes and blankets you can contact the Vadrevu family at 9638 3236, or by e-mail at shobha@pacific.net.sg. - CNA
full article...
28 Dec 2004
Emotional scenes as Singaporeans return from tsunami-hit areas
Although I am in the UK for Christmas I hope that all those who know me in Singapore are alive and well. Of course my thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones or been injured. I am not a man of very strong religious belief but I have been saying prayers for the last few days and so far I have not become aware of any friends being involved in the disaster.
Emotional scenes as Singaporeans return from tsunami-hit areas
By Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia
SINGAPORE : Emotions ran high at Changi Airport on Tuesday as friends and families were reunited with their loved ones who had returned from tsunami strickened areas, while others waited anxiously for injured family members.
Goh Poh Eng, 21, arrived at around 12.30 pm with the help of fellow travellers and airline staff.
Her sister said she had gone to Phuket before Christmas and called home on Monday about the disaster.
She had cuts on her face and body.
Family members said Ms Goh, a third year marketing student from the Nanyang Technological University, was asleep in her hotel room when the tsunami struck.
Besides Ms Goh, another two boys in wheelchairs were also whisked away from the airport.
Many could hardly contain their joy after days of anxiety and worry.
Paul Andriesz, a Singapore permanent resident, said, "The staff came rushing through the hotel saying, Everybody get out, there's water coming. My wife and I, we got separated for about nine hours. She was with two of our children and I was with the nanny and a baby."
Twenty-six-year-old Loh Tse Lynn and her friend lost most of their belongings when their seaside resort was wiped out.
They had stopped by at the Khao Lak beach after a two-week diving expedition, and taken shelter at a restaurant that morning.
Ms Loh said, "The shop owners went out to take a look, then he said, Everyone upstairs, upstairs. So we went upstairs and we saw the water just came down the street and covered the whole street; it was very fast."
Singaporean tourist Mabel Lee said, "The road leading to the hotel was all covered. It was muddy, it was swirling; you had trucks and vans being pulled out from the land in the direction of the sea."
Many divers out at sea also escaped unhurt, thanks to observant dive leaders.
Singaporean Thomas Seah said, "The nearby islands were really flooded, very high; and the dive leaders were saying this is something very strange, something they have not seen for the past four years. The water went up by three to five metres in 20 minutes. So they immediately stopped all the diving activities."
While many Singaporeans are home safe, the fate of others remains unknown.
Another Singaporean, Sherwin Chua, said, "We were in contact with an official from the consulate and he said there were six Singaporeans who cannot be accounted for."
American tourist Eric Li added, "There are a lot of people injured at the Phuket Airport right now, trying to get out. You see them wheeling around in wheelchairs, and lots of bandages and injuries."
One Singaporean family of four back from Sri Lanka also had a narrow escape when they arrived at the hotel five minutes before the killer waves came.
They had witnessed the ordeal from the third floor.
Said Siti Adzmah Abdullah, "She was in a shock, she was crying. She said, Mama, I don't want to die, I don't want to die, mama. We were really very shaken." - CNA
Emotional scenes as Singaporeans return from tsunami-hit areas
By Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia
SINGAPORE : Emotions ran high at Changi Airport on Tuesday as friends and families were reunited with their loved ones who had returned from tsunami strickened areas, while others waited anxiously for injured family members.
Goh Poh Eng, 21, arrived at around 12.30 pm with the help of fellow travellers and airline staff.
Her sister said she had gone to Phuket before Christmas and called home on Monday about the disaster.
She had cuts on her face and body.
Family members said Ms Goh, a third year marketing student from the Nanyang Technological University, was asleep in her hotel room when the tsunami struck.
Besides Ms Goh, another two boys in wheelchairs were also whisked away from the airport.
Many could hardly contain their joy after days of anxiety and worry.
Paul Andriesz, a Singapore permanent resident, said, "The staff came rushing through the hotel saying, Everybody get out, there's water coming. My wife and I, we got separated for about nine hours. She was with two of our children and I was with the nanny and a baby."
Twenty-six-year-old Loh Tse Lynn and her friend lost most of their belongings when their seaside resort was wiped out.
They had stopped by at the Khao Lak beach after a two-week diving expedition, and taken shelter at a restaurant that morning.
Ms Loh said, "The shop owners went out to take a look, then he said, Everyone upstairs, upstairs. So we went upstairs and we saw the water just came down the street and covered the whole street; it was very fast."
Singaporean tourist Mabel Lee said, "The road leading to the hotel was all covered. It was muddy, it was swirling; you had trucks and vans being pulled out from the land in the direction of the sea."
Many divers out at sea also escaped unhurt, thanks to observant dive leaders.
Singaporean Thomas Seah said, "The nearby islands were really flooded, very high; and the dive leaders were saying this is something very strange, something they have not seen for the past four years. The water went up by three to five metres in 20 minutes. So they immediately stopped all the diving activities."
While many Singaporeans are home safe, the fate of others remains unknown.
Another Singaporean, Sherwin Chua, said, "We were in contact with an official from the consulate and he said there were six Singaporeans who cannot be accounted for."
American tourist Eric Li added, "There are a lot of people injured at the Phuket Airport right now, trying to get out. You see them wheeling around in wheelchairs, and lots of bandages and injuries."
One Singaporean family of four back from Sri Lanka also had a narrow escape when they arrived at the hotel five minutes before the killer waves came.
They had witnessed the ordeal from the third floor.
Said Siti Adzmah Abdullah, "She was in a shock, she was crying. She said, Mama, I don't want to die, I don't want to die, mama. We were really very shaken." - CNA
Downgraded to non-invitee for democracy summit
24 December 2004
In June 2000 a group comprising of over 100 governments from democratic countries were invited to Warsaw, Poland to pledge their commitment to democratic principles and to build a Community of Democracies (CD) so as to strengthen democratic values and institutions at home and abroad. The Singapore Government was not invited.
The CD decided to convene biennial ministerial meetings. Parallel to the CD meetings, a nongovernmental (NGO) meeting of leading democracy activists and thinkers from around the world was organized. The second ministerial meeting was organized in Seoul, Korea in November 2002 along with the forum of civil society leaders. Dr Chee Soon Juan was invited to attend the NGO meeting in Seoul but he could not be present because he was in jail for attempting to hold a workers’ rally on May Day of 2002.
For the Seoul meeting Singapore was invited as an Observer (there are three categories: invitee, observer, and non-invitee). The third meeting will take place in February 2005 in Santiago, Chile. The recommendation for this round for Singapore is that it should be downgraded into the non-invitee category again because of the PAP Government’s lack of progress in establishing democracy in the country. Below is the report on Singapore. (For the full report, go to http://www.demcoalition.org/html/home.html)
BACKGROUND
Singapore was upgraded from a Non-invitee at the Warsaw Ministerial Meeting to an Observer at the Seoul Ministerial Meeting.
In the intervening period, since the Seoul Ministerial Meeting, there have been no parliamentary or presidential elections in Singapore. Parliamentary elections were held 4 November 2001, in which the governing People’s Action Party (PAP) secured an overwhelming majority with 90% of the vote.(194) There is no independent elections commission and campaigning is restricted to nine days.
Parliamentary elections are not scheduled to be held again until next year; nonetheless, on 12 August 2004 a transfer of power took place when Lee Hsien Loong, the eldest son of former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who ruled the island nation from 1965 to 1990, was sworn in as Singapore’s new prime minister, replacing Goh Chok Tong.(195)
Presently the PAP holds 82 of the 84 elected single-seat constituencies. Much of the success of the PAP can be attributed to the fact that 55 of the 84 seats were uncontested,(196) thereby automatically giving the PAP the majority in parliament.
to continue reading click here.
In June 2000 a group comprising of over 100 governments from democratic countries were invited to Warsaw, Poland to pledge their commitment to democratic principles and to build a Community of Democracies (CD) so as to strengthen democratic values and institutions at home and abroad. The Singapore Government was not invited.
The CD decided to convene biennial ministerial meetings. Parallel to the CD meetings, a nongovernmental (NGO) meeting of leading democracy activists and thinkers from around the world was organized. The second ministerial meeting was organized in Seoul, Korea in November 2002 along with the forum of civil society leaders. Dr Chee Soon Juan was invited to attend the NGO meeting in Seoul but he could not be present because he was in jail for attempting to hold a workers’ rally on May Day of 2002.
For the Seoul meeting Singapore was invited as an Observer (there are three categories: invitee, observer, and non-invitee). The third meeting will take place in February 2005 in Santiago, Chile. The recommendation for this round for Singapore is that it should be downgraded into the non-invitee category again because of the PAP Government’s lack of progress in establishing democracy in the country. Below is the report on Singapore. (For the full report, go to http://www.demcoalition.org/html/home.html)
BACKGROUND
Singapore was upgraded from a Non-invitee at the Warsaw Ministerial Meeting to an Observer at the Seoul Ministerial Meeting.
In the intervening period, since the Seoul Ministerial Meeting, there have been no parliamentary or presidential elections in Singapore. Parliamentary elections were held 4 November 2001, in which the governing People’s Action Party (PAP) secured an overwhelming majority with 90% of the vote.(194) There is no independent elections commission and campaigning is restricted to nine days.
Parliamentary elections are not scheduled to be held again until next year; nonetheless, on 12 August 2004 a transfer of power took place when Lee Hsien Loong, the eldest son of former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, who ruled the island nation from 1965 to 1990, was sworn in as Singapore’s new prime minister, replacing Goh Chok Tong.(195)
Presently the PAP holds 82 of the 84 elected single-seat constituencies. Much of the success of the PAP can be attributed to the fact that 55 of the 84 seats were uncontested,(196) thereby automatically giving the PAP the majority in parliament.
to continue reading click here.
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