Saturday, August 29, 2009

of cloud computing, sustainable development and conference junkies...

Fong, Dr Pat (IBM USA) and yours truly, at the luncheon talk by Dr Pat on 'Cloud Computing'


Prof Dr Sofian Azirun (Dean, Science Faculty Universiti Malaya), me, YBhg Datuk Prof Khaw (deputy Vice-Chancellor, Development, Universiti Malaya, Prof Horowitz (Law prof USA) and Prof Jomo Kwame Sundaram ( Assistant Secretary-General, Economic Bureau, United Nations, New York) at the VIP room after the conclusion of the International Conference on Sustainable Development organised by IMPUMA, Universiti Malaya
I guess Nobisha (or Saudara Norizan Sharif, CEO of Inminds, the current popular analyst and political commentator at ASTRO AWANI) was quite right in making a remark recently that people seem to be lazy updating their blogs. They spend too much time on facebook and twitter these days. I am guilty on all counts! (evil wink)...
The cloud computing luncheon talk (foto above) by Dr Pat from IBM was interesting to me (I am not sure about the rest cos I saw them busy eating away, poor Dr Pat..hehe). I asked him if this is not just another faddish phenomena because I have heard it being bandied around, discussed even as far as 15 years ago...and he said its coming...oh well already here in some not soo obvious mode. If you like to know more about cloud computing and its potential...see here.
Having said that, blogs do have their roles and relevance and people, I suspect, will continue to use blogs and there will be newer versions and with all kinds of add-ons what with the proliferation of new apps much like iphone. Even the makers, or inventors rather, of Blackberry (RIM or Research in Motion - the billion dollar Canadian company), having put corporate emails into most corporate executive's pockets, are now barging into killer-Apps and coming into a head-on collision course with Apple (Iphone) as reported in the latest issue of Fortune Magazine (31 August 2009 issue).
My friend Abbas Khaku of the London School of Economics (LSE), was also spot-on, when he honoured me by bestowing upon me (hehe), a title that qualifies me into the ranks of 'Conference Junkies' hahahaha. I have been telling people that I was a conference junkie because of the incessant attendances at conferences but these days, its the opposite actually (wink). I attend to speak, not to listen to some probably boring speakers anymore (wink)...while mindful of the fact that the same (boringness) could also hold true, of me. haha.
Its fasting month (Holy Ramadan) and so far I have succeeded in 'containing' the devilish temptation of uploading food photos or big huge sinful spreads of hotel breaking fast sessions... hahaha. By the way, the devils are supposed to be on a 30 day (forced) leave of absence. And oh, incidentally, my joint co-secretary, Noriswadi Ismail will also be on a 3 year leave of absence pursuing his PhD in Law (RFID) degree at Queen Mary's College, The University of London.
Yes, I have a bad habit of not knowing when to say yes and when to say no until I discovered that I have overcommitted with strings of conference chairmanships and other speaking engagements. Looks like october and november is going to be a bloody busy month what with my eldest daughter's wedding scheduled for October 31 as well...haiyyah. Come September 1 next week; I have been invited, yet again, to share my experiences with graduating BBA (Business) students at the International Islamic University (UIA) Malaysia at their Gombak campus.. thanks to our enterprising 'Sir Zul' hahaha.
'Selamat Berbuka Puasa' (a breaking fast wish) to my muslim comrades the world over wherever you are, and have a great long weekend to my fellow Malaysian friends who will be celebrating MERDEKA on August 31st. Stay safe and observe 'social distancing' unless you wanna feel what its like to contract H1N1...hehehe

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