From the Editor

The Perils of the Written Word

Are we going to witness the death of the written words? For years, this editor has been faithfully producing his editorials, amusing some, distracting others. So far, formal responses have been rare. Some would make a remark in passing that they've read our newsletter, and that's probably all our feedback. Then last time John mentioned some members complained that the editorials were mostly not about Rotalry or club business. But at least they were aware of it, and we should be truly grateful to the district webmasters that Kingsparknews is still the most featured club newsletter on the official district site..

I mentioned in the past that this honour is not only dearly earned, but also easily lost. But just when I thought nobody cares to read anymore came an unsolicited email from Down Under. The writer referred to a past edition and made a request which our CP is in the best position to respond. I thought about the whole thing for a while, and momentarily I thought very hard about the existence of our bulletin in the wider context of the Rotary world...

I still remember I once mentioned the possibility of a Kingspark Blog. Now that seems something we should seriously consider if we've faith in the words. Or what about an e-Kingsparknews where leaders and comments and club news can be made on the spot, and later we might expect kingsparknews on your iPod or mobile, and you have the liberty to respond whenever, and wherever you want.

The onslaught of modern technology is breaking new boundaries in our concept of connectivity. A few years ago the Queen made news when she decided to broadcast her Christmas message on Youtube. Now you and I can upload any message, and it doesn't involve rocket science. Obama's doing it, Brown's doing it, and possibly millions of others are sending electronic signals across the globe at any time.

The idea of broadcasting yourself is but one of the many new breeds of modern communication, and it simply helps restore our confidence in words, if not the fun. The e-book's been in the market for some time, but it doesn't seem to be catching up. Then came the nano, but again they require you to subscribe to something else first. But our information highway clearly knows no bounds, and even your humble Windows will give you the luxury of instant messenging, and in the language of your choice. The Skype should let you explore more, and imagine how cool it is if you tell others that Kingsparknews is now on Twitter...

Pie in the sky? Not necessarily. Back home, our Government has also been using new technologies to its advantage. The Policy Address, for example, is now only available on internet, and you can go to our ministers' blogs to "share your views" with the powers that be.

Well, the policy address is now past news and has indeed been defeated in the traditional vote of thanks motion. The Chief Executive had since talked to the business sector, and reiterated his pledge for support of his new political reform package. He confessed he was "occasionally bothered" by the stream of criticisms, but anyway he emerged unscathed and managed to sleep well...

It was simply beyond anyone's imagination that our Chief Executive should have become an easy target for complaints, and indeed most of them are groundless and silly ones. I remember how the media made a fuss of his remarks on Radio 3 when a doctor called and told him she couldn't afford to buy property at today's price. Well nobody expected him to give an answer, and his fatal mistake was just that. And when Francis Moriarty mentioned some were "seriously rich" while others were permanently poor, he started talking about the importance of our knowledge based economy, of sustainability, of strengthening our economic foundation, etc.

Yeah, he babbled about "the big picture" when we wanted him to focus on individual hardship. Some believe there's a crisis in his governance. I was reading an excerpt of our Legislative Council proceedings dated 29 March, 1917 at the time of the war when the President (Sir Henry Francis May) quoted a speech of (British Prime Minister) Lloyd George in that morning's Daily Press : We can overcome it (cheers); but only if the nation is prepared to back the Government with the whole of its resources... The peril is great, but it can be surmounted by the grit, the energy, the courage, the determination of a great people like the people of these lands...

There's a lesson for everyone. Who says all politicians are the same?