Asian Tiger

If you think that the word Merlot is one of King Arthur’s aide, you need lots of help; about wines that it.  In fact, many of us need wine education simply because we were not exposed to wine until recently.

In Malaysia, as far as I can remember, wine drinking was not a norm about 8 to 10 years back. In those days, brandy and whiskey bottles filled dinner tables and adorned family closets.  These days, wine has found themselves a more popular choice as the occasional drink.  However, many of us including moi, need help in terms of wine appreciation.

If you have watched some documentary, you will see wine connoisseurs testing the wine through sight, smell and taste.  They inspect the wine in the light, swirl the glass, smell the wine and sip the wine.  After all that, they will be able to provide a rating.  Given the chance that I do all that, I will not know what I’m doing.

To really know wine, it is best to check into a wine class and start learning.  It will cost you some money but it’ll be worth it in the long run.  Besides wine classes, you can join wine tasting events where wine experts are there to advise you. After all the learning, you’ll definitely appreciate wines better and you will discover that Chardonnay is not a celebrity’s name.

If you are wondering what WWTBAM stands for, it is Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. WWTBAM is a television game show offering the smartest contestants a chance to be millionaire if anyone of them can answer 15 questions correctly in a row; failing which, they go home empty-handed. Each country plays it in their currency, so, contestants in the UK stand to win a million British Pounds while contestants in Malaysia stand to win a million Ringgit Malaysia; that’s equivalent to 143,000 British Pounds - puny.

If you have watched this game show before, you will notice that contestants are given a chance to ask the audience what the correct answer might be. Here you are, having a couple of hundred live audiences, all answering you at the same time. How do they collect and poll the answers? Well, I found out that there is actually a ready solution called the Audience Response System (ARS).

I never thought solutions such as ARS existed - all the while thinking that such technology is proprietary to WWTBAM. Friends, this technology is cool; too cool in fact. This is because with technology like ARS, you can now have interactive sessions with an audience. If you are one of those who frequently stand on stage, behind the podium and seeks live, real time feedback from your audience, this is the tool you will cherish.

Another instance where ARS is going to be useful is public voting. Remember how the last time you were asked to vote by raising your hands? Believe it or not, humans tend to follow majority. It’s simply psychology. Can you imagine if you were the odd one out? Everyone will be eyeballing you in no time. Can you see how ARS can help in obtaining the actual voters’ sentiments/preference? Cool tech, eh?

I am a member of a few online forums and have been active (as in visiting almost everyday) but hardly post messages unless I have something to say.  Over the years, I’ve noticed each and every forum have had their share of ugly conflicts which always took this path:

1. It starts out as subtle sarcasms
2. Sarcasms are replied with more provocative replies
3. Direct conflicts in threads with parties arguing
4. New threads are created to specifically debate on issues and disagreements
5. Angry members shun the forum and stay away or create a faction and start their own communities

Therefore, if you are member of online forums, as an administrator, act quick.  If you are normal member, alert the administrator so that she can take quick actions.

Looks like conflicts happen both in the online and offline world.  We humans simply must learn how to live together.