So far yet so near

We have been used to the telephone, and lately, the invaluable mobile phone, which enable us to contact someone almost anywhere in the world.

The internet, via the telecommunication system, has shown the power of web publishers and writers in influencing public opinions, much to the annoyance of dictatorial regimes.

Anyway, this blog is not into serious stuff, so I will stay away from heavy material.

Phew! What an introduction for what I actually want to write about!

Though there is so-called freedom of expression, especially in one’s own blog, is there real freedom to write? I would say, “NO!”

I have to exercise some caution and try to think ahead as to who else will be reading my blog. At the moment, it is still in its infancy. It is read by my children and a few friends.

But being a small world, and the ease of forwarding emails, one can never tell who could be reading it. My children have already shown my blog to their friends. Joe forwarded one of my earlier postings to Yap and now we are in contact and will most probably meet in KL or Ipoh.

I go for breakfast with two retirees on a daily basis, except Sunday or when one of us could not make it. One of them has a son who is an executive and shareholder of Google. Can I write anything about him without running the danger of his son reading about it? It is a very, very remote chance, but still possible.

It depends on what they have in place, if any, monitoring new postings in their blogsites. The mere mention of Google may actually activate someone somewhere in charge of it. Then the person might casually remark to his colleagues who are Malaysians, “Hey, look what I’ve got here!”

Of course, they are not small in number nor in a small office. They are so huge now that they are in the league of Microsoft in terms of market capitalization.

So my imaginary conversation, if triggered, could well take place between San Francisco and Seattle, via video conferencing!

Will let you know if anything happens at all. It also need someone who would make an effort to comment. A friend just sms-ed me, "Visited ur blog. Read ur stories, any more?" My reaction: "Samy, yanah?"