The internet is such a special creation. Its borderless nature, accessible to anyone in any
part of the globe at the push of a button, provides information to anyone as and when they
need it.

Similarly, the same flat structure of the internet also provides opportunities to any
individual to have their own space and exposure to the world via a tool of mass media. It
presents the average Asian will an opportunity to stamp his mark online.

Asia has seen a number of businesses make a presence for themselves starting from just
having a website in the virtual world. As more and more of Asia obtains broadband, 3G and
even WiMax access, the online market increases and more and more people recognise the
internet’s potential as a cheap and wide reaching entry point for business.

Here are just a few notable online movers and shakers in Malaysia:
a. Realestate.net.my: a simple, typical mode of a successful website, the site ranks 118,909
on Alexa at the time of writing and provides free use of a forum and property listings. In
exchange, it shows a multitude of Google ads at strategically placed locations, no doubt
taking a small sum out of Google Adsense for little effort at all.

b. Malaysiakini.com.my: Founded by a former mainstream journalist wishing for more latitude
in his reporting than possible in pro-government mainstream newspapers, this online
newspaper was started online and hence enjoys the benefit of not requiring a press and
printing licence that its mainstream contemporaries do. Accordingly, the prospect of having
its licence cancelled does not constrain its every move. The public enjoys the comparatively
frank reporting coming out of its website and indeed, it has probably done its bit to give
more wholesome reports on socio-political issues in Malaysia. All this, whilst raking in a
bit of cash for itself.

c. Kennysia.com: Malaysia’s No. 1 blog comes from Kuching, East Malaysia, by former IT
professional who studied in Perth. With his amusing wit and positive slant on issues, he
tells all about the transition of returning from Perth to Kuching, trumpets his love for
Kuching now and whips up a joke or two about current issues and happenings around the
region.

The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2007 began on February 22, 2007 and will run through March 4 in Sapporo, Japan. Being held in this city makes three marks in the books; the first one is that this is the third time that these championships are held outside of Europe, being the previous two Placid, New York, USA and Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. The second one, this city has hosted this kind of championships only one time before, in the 1972 Winter Olympics. And the third one is that this is the first year that it will happen in Asia.

There are more than 480 athletes representing 49 nations competing in Sapporo, accompanied by at least the same number of officials. Currently, 125 ladies from 33 nations and 197 men from 47 nations are registered to compete in cross-country events, and approximately 68 athletes from 17 nations will participate in the Nordic combined events, and 93 athletes from 21 nations in ski jumping. At least 1150 international media representatives are on-site to report as a total of 54 medals will be awarded in 18 events.

The hope of staging the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Sapporo, Japan were to promote the development of the FIS Nordic disciplines throughout Asia, especially in China and Korea. The Japanese already have long traditions in ski jumping but it would be nice to make them equally excited about cross-country.

Another mark that I did not mention before is that this will be the first time that cross-country championship competitions are held indoors, as well as the first time cross-country title events are held at night.