For those who don’t know, contextual ads are targeted advertisements that are displayed on a webpage based on what the content is. For instance, you may be looking at a page about the latest cameras and all of a sudden, Google serves you an ad for guess what… the new Canon 5D MKII camera!

Well, it doesn’t always work… I was watching a video on YouTube today that was made by this ultra-cool-yet-crazy-lady called Justine Ezarik, or probably better known as iJustine.com. Anyhow, what happened was, YouTube as always was serving ads, and I suddenly noticed that it had taken the literal word Turkey, and was serving ads to go visit the COUNTRY OF TURKEY!

Check this screenshot out…

Anyhow, I guess it’s not so easy for the ad engines to determine what type of turkey Justine was parading about. It’s just a little unfortunate for advertisers who choose keywords that might have different connotations. As such, when you advertise on Google, do beware of how you position your ad.

Today is a sad day for Malaysia. We are currently witnessing a deterioration of our government on many fronts, and this has now extended to the freedom that we Malaysians enjoy on the Internet.

The problem - the government now selectively limits what site we are allowed to access and directs the Internet service providers (ISPs) to abide accordingly. As of the 27th of August 2008, access to a prominent and controversial blogger’s website - Raja Petra’s Malaysia-Today.net was blocked.

An initial investigation showed that the DNS servers for our national ISP ceased to point to the right location, which was puzzling as it has never happened before.

Soon after, MalaysiaKini reported the following snippet.

What does the MCMC really stand for anyway? I decided to take a peek at their manifesto, which is extracted from their website.

So… which part of “promoting access to communications and multimedia services” do I enjoy? Perhaps I should reword it to “promoting access to SELECTED communications and multimedia services”. And also, “Ensuring consumers enjoy THE GOVERNMENT’S choice and a satisfactory level of services”.

Or even better, read the MSC Malaysia Bill of Guarantees (which my company Integricity has obtained) which the government is promoting. Point number SEVEN specifically says, “Ensure no Internet censorship”. What then does this mean for us? We can endorse one thing and yet do another? Malaysia tentu boleh (Malaysia surely can).

What will be next? Blocking of freedom to Michael Backman’s website because he condemned Malaysia in his article “While Malaysia fiddles, its opportunities are running dry“? Are we afraid that Malaysians will wake up and realise, “crikey, this country is horrible!”? Too late - those who do, already DO!

Rather, should we not focus our time and energy on improving the nation, rather than wasting precious time and energy on fictitious story-telling in the press, as we have witnessed lately (which are a lot better than some fairy tales I heard as a kid)?

“Selamat pagi, Malaysia” and “sila bangun dari lena” (good morning, and please awaken) - let’s realise that blocking Internet access is not going to work.

After all, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out how to circumvent this amateur block by using the following methods as listed on Integricity’s blog.

I was sharing the idea and concept behind TheBackpackr.com with Cheng Leng, a good serial blogger friend of mine who hails from Malacca but who has now gone across the border to kiasuland. She’s one girl who is very much in the blogging scene and perhaps even spends more time online than I do!

One video blogger she told me about who has been really successful is Luria Petrucci (or better known by her screen name - Cali Lewis) from GeekBrief.tv - she’s a real inspiration, as she releases 3-5 minute video programmes online 4 times a week. She started 2 days before Christmas in 2005 and in 3 weeks, amassed 3,000 viewers. After 5 months, she started podcasting full-time!

GeekBrief.tv

Interesting information about GeekBrief for production geeks…

• They produce the show using a Mac Pro and Macbook Pro
• Their video camera is a Canon XH-A1
• Yup, they use lights - Kino Flos and Lightpanels
• Man, they use a countryman mic! I want one!
• Wireless sound transmission happens via the Sennheiser EW100 G2
• Aside from that, they’ve got a bunch of other mics, headphones and a mixer
• Finally, beat this - they even use a teleprompter!!!

Wow, impressive set up, Cali! At present, I’ve got a Macbook Pro, a hackintosh, a bunch of mics, a Panasonic DVX video camera, a compact JVC for covert filming, Sony HDV Walkman (no it’s not for music! It plays and records DV tapes), Canon 40D & 30D DSLR and friends with lotsa gear - thank you Lord for good friends!