The Media Slut: August 2005

HalfLife 2 completed

themediaslut has finally send Gordon Freeman back to sleep again...

One of the biggest nightmare happened immediately after the game was installed. It took themediaslut one hour for the game to download the encryption software from valve's content server. themediaslut is also on cable.

When themediaslut called iGamesAsia, the Singapore's distributor, they said it is expected and nothing can be done about it.

Actually there is something iGamesAsia should have done. They should have plastered a warning label on HalfLife2 boxes that it will take that long to download the encrytion software.

There isn't a mentioned of it in GameAxis.

Game distributors should be upfront with the problems rather than try to hide it. Its not a smart way to convince buyers to go for original games.

Back to HalfLife2.

During gameplay, it feels as if you were walking among the Land of the Dead (somewhere in the middle) and the Matrix (at the end).

As expected the graphic great and the AI is smart. The game could have been better if the developers could have added a Max Payne romance story between Gordon and Aryl.. but that's another game altogather..

How about a World of HalfLife? too many reports on World of Worldcraft already.. here WOW there WOW... What about a WOH....

Great balls of fire

Wrong photo in The New Paper, originally uploaded by The Media Slut.

But where is the fire? But most importantly, where is the Merc?

On page 27 of the Aug 27 issue of The New Paper, the headline stated that that a Merc was buring in the middle of an expressway in Singapore.

The picture however showed an exhibition of buildings made of waste material.

themediaslut believes the wrong photo was sent and photographer Choo Chwee Hua might be on fire now.

Google is keeping it simple to win the IM battle

Its very simple.

Google is outflanking Microsoft and Yahoo by keeping their product simple.

Compare the search engines from Google, Microsoft and Yahoo.. which site looks like a search engine.. Google

Microsoft and Yahoo have cluttered their main page and it looks like a portal now, not a search engine.

Its the same with Google Talk. There are a majority who want a simple IM, not an IM that is cluterred with the bells and whistle that is available today.

Google is also luring Microsoft and Yahoo into telling netizens that Google doesn't having these bells and whistles and that they have.

This is classic marketing warfare of outflanking the competitors.

The more Microsoft and Yahoo say, "We got this, we got that but Google Talk doesn't have", the more Google Talk will be attractive to the simple user.

Google isn't looking at increasing its market share, its looking at it can decrease their competitors market share.

Microsoft should take the defensive stance of attacking itself rather taking pot shots at Google.

For example, it knows that its IM doesn't have have offline messaging like ICQ or even skype, should it have added it by now. The new MSN v8 is much better than MSN v7 because of upgrades like this, and that, and this...

As for Yahoo, themediaslut has not thought of a solution, but it seems it lies between its partnership with Flickr...

GoogleTalk Idea

themediaslut had a flash that a Google engineer out there might be interested..

it involves integrating GoogleEarth with GoogleTalk...

(the following four photos will explain it all)

GoogleTalk Idea

From Bedok, originally uploaded by The Media Slut.

From Bedok, Singapore... GoogleEarth opens a balloon chat...

GoogleTalk Idea

Scroll out showing Singapore, originally uploaded by The Media Slut.

... GoogleEarth starts to zoom out of Singapore and move to China....

GoogleTalk Idea

Move to China, originally uploaded by The Media Slut.

...GoogleEarth scrolls to Beijing...

GoogleTalk Idea

to Forbidden City, originally uploaded by The Media Slut.

and finally, Google Earth moves into the friend from China who is standing somewhere in the Forbidden City...

Isn't this cool? The possibilities of integrating GoogleEarth and GoogleTalk...

Is there an engineer at Google who can make this work?

Migrating to Google Talk

The mediaslut is moving over to Google Talk which just launched today....

How fast is the mediaslut?

Ask me for my nick...

Singapore from Google Earth

Singapore from Google Earth, originally uploaded by The Media Slut.

Orchard Road part 2

Singapore from Google Earth

Orchard 1, originally uploaded by The Media Slut.

Orchard Road Part 1

Singapore from Google Earth

The Merlion, originally uploaded by The Media Slut.

The Merlion

Singapore from Google Earth

The Esplanade, originally uploaded by The Media Slut.

The Esplanade

Follow-up on hair for hope

This is the followup of the two IT Journos who volunteered to have their hair shaved in aid of the Children's Cancer Foundation's Hair for Hope program.

Event Wrap: Charitable Bald-de-locks
By Staff writers
22/08/2005 02:01:38 PM

Don’t be surprised if you spot PC Magazine Sinapore’s Darren Ellis and Idran Junadi, plus ITJourno Asia’s Aaron Koh, at a press event with their heads shaved.

Both Ellis and Koh lost their locks on Saturday in aid of the Children’s Cancer Foundation at Wisma Atria, a shopping complex right in the heart of Orchard Road. Junadi had his head shaved earlier in the week for the same foundation at a different location.

“Loving the hairdo, mate!” exclaimed Ellis on his new hairstyle.

“It's also rather refreshing in the heat here, and at least I seem to have a fairly round head.”

Koh has already been questioned if he had entered a monastery over the weekend.

“I feel rather light-headed after the shave,” said Koh.

Blair Earl, account manager at Text 100, was also seen at the charity event supporting the dynamic bald duo.

“It was very brave and noble of the two IT journalists to have shaved their hair for charity,” said Earl.

“I only went as far as having my hair cut very short once for charity. The two have set a very charitable example for the community of IT journalists here.

“Hopefully, more of them will put their head on the ‘chopping' board next year.”

Former ChannelNews Asia’s producer, David Cheng, was also spotted shaving his head with Junadi. Cheng was unable to be reached for comment due to his busy teaching schedule at Republic Polytechnic.

Before the heads rolled...

before n after, originally uploaded by The Media Slut.

Darren's after shot

Darren's after shot, originally uploaded by The Media Slut.

Aaron's after shaved

a1, originally uploaded by The Media Slut.

Aaron's getting a buff... see the shine???

Melissa Theuriau - Most beautiful presenter in the world?

Melissa Theuriau, originally uploaded by The Media Slut.

One of me aussie mate, in the media, has voted her as one of the most beautiful news presenter in the world...

She's Melissa Theuria and she's french.

Guess if he ever work with her, he will be as happy as a dog with two dicks..

Media in Asia being watched

Did the media know they are being watched?

An email from an associated resulted in the awareness of this particular website http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/southeastasia.asp.

Currently, the spotlight is on Thailand and Indonesia.

INDONESIA: Medan media accused of political bias
THAILAND: Bangkok Post hit by govt lawsuit ( BKK post being sued for 1 billion baht
THAILAND: No shutdown but Suranand keeps ad ban
THAILAND: Witness agrees report on firm's profits could be misleading
MALAYSIA: Rafidah accuses media of targeting her
THAILAND: 'Post' faces criminal libel suit for airport runway crack report
THAILAND: Activists sign up to Supinya libel petition
THAILAND: Suranand says strict controls needed

You thought Singapore media was being controlled with law suits… if u search on Singapore, the number one thing you see is nudity..

AsiaMedia :: SINGAPORE: Nude blog photos draw foreign attention

Writers to "sacrifice vanity for charity"

Saw this on ITJourno Asia where they write about the IT media and PR industry in the region..

Writers to sacrifice "vanity for charity"
By Tan Lili
12/08/2005 02:58:19 PM

Let your hair down (and snipped) and join three Singapore-based IT journos in a head-shaving frenzy as they sacrifice their locks in a bid to raise funds for cancer-stricken children.

PC Magazine journalist Idran Junadi will be doing his deed on August 14, Sunday, 12.30PM, at Tampines Mall. His editor, Darren Ellis, and MediaConnect Asia’s very own deputy editor, Aaron Koh, will have their locks snipped at Plaza Singapura’s center stage on August 20, Saturday, also at 12.30PM.

The fundraising event, “Hair for Hope”, organised by Children’s Cancer Foundation, is aimed at helping cancer-suffering children cope through their treatment – chemotherapy and radiology. The children might lose their hair in the process of their treatment, and “Hair for Hope” seeks to prove that being bald is fine.

For Koh, doing his bit for charity has always been one a priority.

“A lot of people say that it’s great for me to sacrifice my vanity for charity,” said Koh.

“But I think the bravery comes from the children who are suffering from cancer. They are fighting against it everyday.

“By shaving my head, it tells the children it’s okay to go bald, because I will also be bald!”

Ellis agreed with Koh, and added that children should change their preconceived notion that humiliation comes with the loss of hair.

“Well, it's only hair. Why not?

“The problem with a lot of sick children undergoing chemotherapy is the perceived ignominy of losing your hair. Hair's nothing; it grows back.

“So in this way it's a show of solidarity with the kids, telling them it's okay to go bald,” said Ellis.

But for Ellis, this programme proved to be of a deeper, more sentimental value to him.

“Three weeks before I joined PC Magazine, my sister passed away from cancer. So shaving my head isn't such a big thing on that scale.

“And if by doing it you can raise some money that helps out, then that's great,” he said, adding that the person or the company who donates the highest sum has the honour of shaving his head.

To donate, contact Darren Ellis at dellis@comres.com.sg or Aaron Koh at aaron@mediaconnectasia.com. You can also go down to the event to make donations, and catch them being shaved in action!

According to the CCF press kit, the charity organisation’s mission is “to improve the quality of life of children with cancer and their families through enhancing their emotional, social and medical well-being”.

To find out more about the event, go to www.ccf.org.sg

The other side of Singapore

PICT0022, originally uploaded by The Media Slut.

Night view from the top

PICT0010, originally uploaded by The Media Slut.

Singapore sky line can't get any better than this..

When did the Americans turn English?

Came across this Asia premier gaming site and was surprised that they term the American flag as English...

The mediaslut thinks the site is from Singapore and doesn't think that putting the Singapore flag would be apporpriate either. Otherwise it will be known as Singlish..

Blame the Brits not for their English but for the lack of PC games... Soon American will also colonise the English language..

The things I do to frighten my Aussie bosses...

Here fishy fishy fish, originally uploaded by The Media Slut.

Have you wondered why chinese asians are seldom seen on Fear Factor?

Because we, Chinese, eat almost everything. This also includes Indian curry fish head, and every single part of the fish's head. No eyeball is spared...

Imagine an episode on Fear Factor asking us to eat durians? I think the only fear would be to eat a D24less durian...