A 'Viral Fever' that Rocks the Entertainment World

Say what you want. This video alone (there are many others posted with similar hits) was posted a day ago and has reached 25,000,000 hits and counting. This is by far one of the gratest viral videos that I have seen. 

if you have the buzz, Internet marketing can do wonder for you. Image applying that principle to your business. Imaging your business going viral. What are the consequnces and rewards that you will reap as a result.

Sharon Boyle was featured on Birtain's Got Talent. She said "I always wanted to perform in front of a large audience. I am going to make that audience rock."

She is down to earth and at first-- the impression everyone gave was laughter and thinking that this lady must be a nutter. 

However everything backfired when she really made them "rock"... watch the video for yourself and see.

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Cover it Live!

(Image: SpeedBump.com)

Here is an interesting story. I met up with a friend, Anil Netto, who is a writer and a web 2.0 political blogger. He travels a lot and has been covering political events all over the country.

What interests me about him is that he has been providing live feeds and information to his readers and those concerned about the latest development of the political landscape in the country. He believes in political justice and provides readers with uncensored news direct and straight from the source or events.

This is where the power of the internet and social media comes to the rescue. One of the 'tools' that Anil uses is Cover It Live! an online blogging tool that allows you to post comments and information directly to your readers. This tools provides readers live information as the events unfold from your perspective. It is not a chatting device, but caution must be taken as you do not want to lose focus as you might get caught up replying directly to the comments, which will then make it look as if you are having a 'chat' with your readers rather than providing a live feed and information as the events unfold.

(Anil working from his laptop covering the events live as they unfold via Cover It Live!)

As we know that the internet promotes the freedom of speech, but some countries including China and Malaysia tend to censor news in the mainstream and traditional media. They do this to prevent the citizens from knowing the truth and what is going on around them (in the political sense based on the corrupt practices of the government). It is indeed a sad case especially when the government of the day does so to their own citizens.

This is when people like Anil Netto among others come into the picture. They play an important role to help spread the message of justice through their blogs and findings. Their news are uncensored and is focused to the benefit of the community.

However, it isn't easy as it sounds. These political bloggers such as Anil Netto, and many others including Raja Petra Kamaruddin (an independent online news provider for the community) are constantly watched by the goverment.

To prove my point, I decided to follow Anil for 2 days to cover the 'Perak Controversy'-- respectively on the 7th and on the 8th of Feb. The 8th Feb, was also a day of for the Hindu Community who celebrate Thaipusam.

We did a live coverage on the 'Perak Controversy' a political crisis that the Silver State is facing and followed a few 'key people' who were able to provide us information on the political landscape as issues unfold.

On the 7th I was at the Perak Chief Ministers Home , where he gave a speech and it was filled with supporters and unidentified and plain clothers police offifers. I went up to Anil and had a conversation with him about the event, and Anil immediately pointed out to me that there was an officer hoovering around us with a watchful eye and ear over us. We then had to move on to a different location to prevent them from following us and listening to our conversations and findings.

The second incident, was during the Thaipusam event (8th Feb). We had a lead that there was going to a a candle light vigil by the Hindu devotess to promote fundamental human rights, freedom of speech and expression, which the government has denied over the many years since they have been in power. Under normal circumstances, such events are illegal without a police permit (and they could have been arrested by the police) and these individuals took the opportunity to use this event to do so. Within moments, I was informed that the Special Branch plan clothes police officers are around and were watching our moves.

(Behind me were many other photographers and journalist covering this event)

The goverment keeps a watchful eye to make sure that these people do not come in their way to provide information about their corrupt practices. As a results some of them (including Anwar Ibrahim, Lim Kit Siang, Karpal Singh, Raja Petra Kamaruddin, Jeffrey Kitingan) have been detained under the Internal Security Act (some call this the mirror of Guantanamo Bay), which allows the arrest of a person or a preventive detention without trial for a period not exceeding 2 years.

One thing is for sure-- Change is a must and we must all learn to adapt to change. Such government controls of the media and free speech will only lead to their down fall. We have seen tremendous change in the politics of the United States and how social media has played its part. What about you? Are you ready to change and ready to adapt to what social media has to offer?

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Google's 'G Spot'?!

It was recently uncovered that Google has a 'G Spot' drive that is somewhere hidden in the source code of Google pack. It is speculated that the system is due to be launched-- The GDrive!

The 'GDrive' seems to be an online file and backup storage' system, which was noticed by Brian Ussery in a file used by Google Pack. The information that is described is as follows:

“Online file backup and storage… GDrive provides reliable storage for all of your files, including photos, music and documents… GDrive allows you to access your files from anywhere, anytime, and from any device - be it from your desktop, web browser or cellular phone”.

2009 seems to be a very promising year and it sure does prove that there are lots of developments that are due to come in the months ahead.

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Web 2.0 and the death of privacy

Has Privacy become an issue of the past? These days you are more prone to hear news about Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Police officers and even Government Ministers and Officials being caught on tape. Not only on tape, but today they are all being posted over the Internet. A few cases might illustrate this issue of privacy and how it may lead to other chain of actions that could harm you.

The Dark Side

One was the case of a British man, Edward Richardson, who murdered his wife. His wife changed her Facebook profile status to "single" a few days after they had an argument and moved out. He became so enraged from seeing the change in profile status and subjected her to a brutal attack with a knife leaving her dead in the bedroom. It was also reported that Edward was sentenced to 18 years of jail for the murder of his wife.

The other case is of a Malaysian Health Minster of Malaysia, Dr. Chua Soi Lek, who was caught with his political pants down, where he was "featured" having sex with a young Chinese woman. He was caught by hidden cameras in a 'sex romp', which was widely circulated and became an instant hit in Malaysia. This eventually caused his downfall on his political career and was forced to resign.

The One with The Force

As with online privacy, sometimes it can also work for you. It can provide you with some kind of publicity, create a fellowship and make people like you for what you do.

The case of Alexey Wayner, is one clear example. He posted a video resume in 2006 of 'Impossible is Nothing', which became an 'internet hit'. Within days calls started to flood in and his privacy was invaded. Many spoof's started to duplicate his video and has since spread widely over the net.

Could this be turned around? Would you want to use it for building an online business? It is possible, depending on how you were to look at it. Whether the glass half empty or half full.

If you were to look at it in the marketing sense, it could bring about a great deal of traffic to your site, since the video is viral. It could provide you with some kind of 'credibility' if you are building a business. But if you are not then it could cause damage to your reputation and the experience can be a painful one. The online community is a shared one, and there are people out there who would like to know what you do and don't. But the test a subjective one.

Cameras have played a major role in our lives, both in media, security and also for personal use. But, these days camera's can invade our privacy and thanks to many social media sites and video sites such as YouTube and many other social media sites have allowed images, videos and data to spread like wild fire. It is far easier to invade your privacy and cause damage to your reputation.

Technology has shows how easy it can be and how a persons privacy can be invaded and affect a persons life after the videos, images and data are posted online. Let it be for good or evil. Your privacy is literally blown! It is like 'Big Brother', watching over you or image your life being featured in "The Chronicles of The Truman Show", where everyone is watching you.

The internet is based on the first amendment, which promotes freedom of speech and everyone is given the opportunity to post information voluntarily, but sometimes involuntarily especially when someone obtains your data, video or images without your consent. So what kind of privacy is this? Who is to be blamed? Should you be humiliated or exhilarated?

We all have to deal with this increase of information that is being posted on the net, but the question seem to be how much information is enough? Where do you draw the thin fine line to post such information and data online? Who determines this? Should we shut down the internet and block or ban sites that invade your privacy?

Of course not! You do not ban any sites or even try to shut down the internet. The role and responsibility is to be shared online both by web service providers and the end user. We have to collectively raise the awareness of individuals to protect the privacy of individuals online and at the same time making sure that you do your part as the end user.

Some related links:

Data Privacy Day
Raising Data Privacy Awareness
The Privacy Dilemma

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Creativity at It's Best

These days more and more companies are looking for creative ways to promote their ideas, brands and services.

Ikea is one of them and they featured Robert Muraine in one of their creative ads.

Just amazing. Have a look...



Robert Muraine is a 'popper' or also known for his 'popping' dance movements and he was featured in 'So You Think You Can Dance' and eventually won :)

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Your Future, Your Fortune

I would like to get some things straight. There have been people that I have come across with and by listening to their confessions and experiences, I just feel sorry for them. They just have a poor will power and they lack the power to make decisions for themselves.

The people who I am referring to are those who rely on fortune tellers, psychics and mystics. Please don't be fooled by them and get hurt emotionally in the process of doing so. If these guys are real they will be the first ones making a million bucks and living a life of their dreams, but rather they are making a million bucks out of you and from the people who are really susceptible to their suggestions.

These kinds of beliefs are personal and at the end of its up to you to what you practise or preach, but rememeber that at the end of the day your life, your destiny is based on the decisions that you make and not what others suggest to you or 'tell' you what to do. 

Can you image if Bill Gates had gone to see a 'fortune teller' way back before he started Microsoft? Can you imagine the fortune teller saying this to him: "Don't worry my child you will be a successful person and you will have a high flying job in the near future." Don't you think it is every persons dream to be sucessful in life and live their dreams? But the test always comes down to those who take action and execute their dreams and ambition, and this is something that many successful individuals have done including Bill Gates. He didn't rely on all the mystics and fortune tellers to sell him that he will start Microsoft. Common sense is not so common and it is they who lack this "common sense" end up becoming preys of such people.

I have come across individuals who relied on these alternatives rather then to be a master of their own destinity. As a result of these alternatives, they have ruined their relationships, their jobs and careers and some even commited suicide. This is true. Don't be a victim to all the 'spoofs and pranks'. 

If these individuals can proof their claims then maybe they should take up the James Randi Paranormal Challenge, where $1,000,000 shall be awarded to those who can prove their "powers" by experiment. Till today, I have yet to see anyone proof of these claims as well. I myself have come across such pranksters and when questioned, they tend to shun away and say this is the gift of god. Yeah right!

Why should he or she have such powers and not me? Shouldn't I be having such "powers" and "gift" as well as I am also the son of god just like you? At the end of the day it all comes down to one simple question: If you do not know what you want in life, then you will be heading no where. Success is a science, Period! You can control most of the events that are within your capability and what you think about, you can create provided you take action and work towards them. 

The problem is this that most individual do not know where they are heading and as a result they end up going with the 'flow' just like a dead fish that flows down the river stream into the ocean where everyone is. However, those who know where they are heading and know what they want in life are like Salmons. They swim against the flow and current; heading to their destiny and final outcome. And when Salmons reach their destiny, they die.  

However, we human beings are the same in perspective of a Salmon, where we can create the same results. The only difference is that we do not die when we reach our goals, but rather we can create and achieve more in life and help others around us.

Perhaps in the future if you feel like taking an "alternative" route to seek some "advice" from the mystics or psychics, perhaps you might want to ask the psychic in the video below first if it is worth it or maybe ask me and pay reward me with the money that you are going to pay the psychic ;) and all I need is to ask you is this: Do you know what you want out of life? If you don't then decide now and don't let others make that decision for you.

Don't say I didn't warn you... Because common sense is not so COMMON ;)

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Google Me, Google You, Google Everyone

It's been 10 years now since they "officially" started and Google is clebrating their 10 year anniversary. The co-founders of Google: Larry Pare and Sergey Brin have build one of the most powerful search engines and business concepts of all time. It has been a great decade of achievement for the two co-founders as they have kept pushing all the boundaries and constantly innovating, improving and creating new roads ahead for many to follow. They are the true leaders in the modern day online search, advertising and business.

The avenues are unlimited, everyday new ideas are being created and many are beginning to follow. In the modern age of the world wide web and web 2.0, you can either be a leader in your field by creating something new or you can follow others and modify their  ideas (making sure that you do not infringe any copyright laws).

Google is a company that just does that. They started off with a search engine, where they hosted their first data centre in a 7' x 8' garage and transforming into a giant media corporation that hires an approximate figure of 20,000 employees. They have capitalise a huge success from all their ventures beginning from the search engine, ad words, ad sense, youtube, blogger, gmail and now the google chrome browser. 

All of these achievements were done in the past 10 years from their modest beginning and location of their garage of 7' 8' garage and jumping to their 1.5 million-square-foot headquarters called the "Googleplex" that is based in Mountain View, California. Not bad for such an effort! 

In fact, I was hesitant at first during the launch of Google Chrome, as the layout looked preety simple without any fancy design. But later after reading and receiving a few reviews from some friends in the industry, I decided to download and try the new Google Chrome browser. I am quite a loyal person and I was quite comfortable with my current use of Firefox after switching from IE and Safari, as I found Firefox to be a better browser personally. 

However, after I downloaded and installed the Google Chome browser, I must admit that it realy did surpass all my expectations that I had about it. Google stated on their website that the "Google Chrome is a browser that combines a minimal design with sophisticated technology to make the web faster, safer, and easier". And, so it is!

I am very impressed and it is definitely faster in its loading time compared to many other browsers. It doesnt have much of the 'fancy smancy' design, but the technology is great and easy to use. If you haven't downloaded the new Google Chrome browser, I would suggest that you do so by going to this link, get the browser and try if for yourself. I would definitely like to hear from you and what you have to say about it.

Download Google Chrome today!

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