Yes we can!
Showing posts with label Youth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Youth. Show all posts
Thursday, 5 April 2012
Saturday, 16 July 2011
Yellow. Unggun Bersih - A. Samad Said
The winds of change fanning the bonfires of dissent...
Unggun Bersih by A Samad Said
Yellow - Coldplay
Look at the stars
Look how they shine for you
And everything you do
Yeah, they were all yellow
I came along
I wrote a song for you
And all the things you do
And it was called 'Yellow'
So then I took my time
Oh what a thing to've done
And it was all yellow
Your skin, oh yeah, your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
D'you know? You know I love you so
You know I love you so
I swam across
I jumped across for you
Oh what a thing to do
'Cause you were all yellow
I drew a line
I drew a line for you
Oh what a thing to do
And it was all yellow
Your skin, oh yeah, your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
D'you know? For you I bleed myself dry
For you I bleed myself dry
It's true
Look how they shine for you
Look how they shine for you
Look how they shine for
Look how they shine for you
Look how they shine for you
Look how they shine
Look at the stars
Look how they shine for you
And all the things that you do
Unggun Bersih by A Samad Said
Unggun Bersih
Semakin lara kita didera bara—
kita laungkan juga pesan merdeka:
Demokrasi sebenderang mentari
sehasrat hajat semurni harga diri.
kita laungkan juga pesan merdeka:
Demokrasi sebenderang mentari
sehasrat hajat semurni harga diri.
Lama resah kita—demokrasi luka;
lama duka kita—demokrasi lara.
Demokrasi yang angkuh, kita cemuhi;
suara bebas yang utuh, kita idami!
lama duka kita—demokrasi lara.
Demokrasi yang angkuh, kita cemuhi;
suara bebas yang utuh, kita idami!
Dua abad lalu Sam Adams berseru:
(di Boston dijirus teh ke laut biru):
Tak diperlu gempita sorak yang gebu,
diperlu hanya unggun api yang syahdu.
(di Boston dijirus teh ke laut biru):
Tak diperlu gempita sorak yang gebu,
diperlu hanya unggun api yang syahdu.
Kini menyalalah unggun sakti itu;
kini merebaklah nyala unggun itu.
24—25, 6.11. A. SAMAD SAID
kini merebaklah nyala unggun itu.
24—25, 6.11. A. SAMAD SAID
Yellow - Coldplay
Look at the stars
Look how they shine for you
And everything you do
Yeah, they were all yellow
I came along
I wrote a song for you
And all the things you do
And it was called 'Yellow'
So then I took my time
Oh what a thing to've done
And it was all yellow
Your skin, oh yeah, your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
D'you know? You know I love you so
You know I love you so
I swam across
I jumped across for you
Oh what a thing to do
'Cause you were all yellow
I drew a line
I drew a line for you
Oh what a thing to do
And it was all yellow
Your skin, oh yeah, your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
D'you know? For you I bleed myself dry
For you I bleed myself dry
It's true
Look how they shine for you
Look how they shine for you
Look how they shine for
Look how they shine for you
Look how they shine for you
Look how they shine
Look at the stars
Look how they shine for you
And all the things that you do
Monday, 11 July 2011
Najib In Deep Shit! Site Gone Viral!
This Facebook Page "100,000 Request Najib Tun Razak Resignation" has gone viral and the "Likes" rate of increase has gone crazy!!! Look at the screenshots I captured over 15 minutes. My first screenshot was at 11.12 pm and the figure was 146,610. By 11.20 (8 minutes later) it was 147,078. Look at the 15 minute mark (11.27 pm) - it was 147,558!!! 948 "Likes" in 15 minutes!
Can't resist another screenshot coming up at 11.50 pm (38 minutes mark). Wow!!! 148,750! 2,140 in 38 minutes. Najib, it is obvious nobody is fooled by your two-faced character and bold-faced lies.
If this is not writing on the wall, then what is? Click on the images to enlarge.
Anyway, watch these two video clips. In the first Najib refers to Anwar and I must say I tend to agree with him. The second video shows Najib in typical UMNO fashion. I wonder why his colleagues behind him don't seem all that convinced this time.
Can't resist another screenshot coming up at 11.50 pm (38 minutes mark). Wow!!! 148,750! 2,140 in 38 minutes. Najib, it is obvious nobody is fooled by your two-faced character and bold-faced lies.
If this is not writing on the wall, then what is? Click on the images to enlarge.
Anyway, watch these two video clips. In the first Najib refers to Anwar and I must say I tend to agree with him. The second video shows Najib in typical UMNO fashion. I wonder why his colleagues behind him don't seem all that convinced this time.
Saturday, 12 March 2011
The Interlok Issue: Spare 13.5 Minutes To Find Out Why
Many Malaysians (especially Indians) are against this and yet, many more like me were not bothered to know more. But that was until I heard this short interview of Dr Farish Noor on BFM 89.9 yesterday.
So now I too know...and so must you. Please take the time (only 13.50 minutes) to listen and share it with friends.
Wednesday, 29 December 2010
The Taste Of Victory
Just before the game, our charismatic new coach Mr Yew Siew Seng showed up with a bottle of what looked like plain water. He said the water was air jampi from a bomoh in nearby Kampung Air Kuning and he was serious in that only the Muslim players be allowed to take a sip each. The rest of us pork-eating players were not supposed to. The team created history that day. We beat MCKK 26-12 to lift the Perak schools title officially for the first time, enroute to winning the national championship. It was our toughest game that season but needless to say, the boys played like they had raging fire in their bellies.
I found out later that the water actually came from a school tap and of course with nary any chlorine let alone incantations from a shaman!
Now you will understand Seth Godin's snippet below better.
Folk wisdom and proofiness
"Is it feed a cold, starve a fever, or the other way around, I can never remember?"
Does it matter if you get the rhyme wrong? A folk remedy that doesn't work doesn't work whether or not you say it right.
According to the story, the team snapped out of their streak and won a bunch of games. Some people wonder, "did the faith healer really touch the bats, or was the manager making it up?" Huh? Does it matter?
Mass marketers have traditionally abhorred measurement, preferring rules of thumb, casting calls and alchohol instead. Yet, there's no real correlation between how the ad was made and how well it works.
As the number of apparently significant digits in the data available to us goes up (traffic was up .1% yesterday!) we continually seek causation, even if we're looking in the wrong places. As the amount of data we get continues to increase, we need people who can help us turn that data into information.
It's important, I think, to understand when a placebo is helpful and when it's not. We shouldn't look to politicians to tell us whether or not the world is getting warmer (and what's causing it). They're not qualified or motivated to turn the data into information. We also shouldn't look to a fortune teller on the corner to read our x-rays or our blood tests.
Proofiness is a tricky thing. Data is not information, and confusing numbers with truth can help you make some bad decisions.
Friday, 19 November 2010
Affable Ezra Being Effing Self-Effacing With Something Effable On The Effing Show
Ezra's full name is Ezra Mohd Zaid...go figure lah.
These guys are great! Next would be to get Nurul Izzah on Fahmi Fadzil's Fairly Current Show.
As the saying goes, "Does the fruit fall far from the tree?" Whether we want this to be true depends in this case on how we view the fruit.
Saturday, 23 October 2010
Boundaries And Transitions; Differing Values
Haris Ibrahim's sister, Farida wrote a touching piece as re-produced below from the SABM E-Group and in Haris' blog, The People's Parliament. I would assume the boy Farida refers to is Haris' son.
BOUNDARIES AND TRANSITIONS
My late mother had a special relationship with each of her grandchildren. One grandson, the youngest among them, brought her much fun and joy in her latter years.
They were so in tune with each other despite the 73-year gap that it was such a pleasure to see them together. Grandson adored his Nenek and she cherished him with all her heart.
It pleased Mum when he came by and shared with her the things he had done at home and in school. In many ways he had inherited her business acumen and her artistic talent. While in primary school, he had sold pencils and his Star Wars-like drawings to classmates and it took almost a year before his parents found out about this clandestine activity.
My mother would laugh heartily at his tales and when he told how he stood up for what was right, she would beam with pride. This boy belonged to her. He was hers in the twilight of her years.
I was usually around when he came to stay or when the lovely phone conversations between them took place. Those calls always went something like this before the two said their goodbyes and hung up:
Mum: I love you.
Grandson: I love you too, Nenek.
Mum: I love you more than you love me. My love for you is taller than the tallest tree.
Grandson: Nenek, my love for you is higher than the clouds….
And this would go on and on and include dinosaurs, the seas, the stars and planets but invariably Grandson would top it all with “Nenek, I love you to infinity.”
And that was where Mum got stuck, without any answer to give back.
During the December holidays two years ago, he came again to stay for about a week. But this time he found a much frailer grandmother waiting for him.
Several diseases had plagued her body over long, long years and Mum had borne the pain and discomfort with remarkable fortitude. But time had taken its toll on her health and an aging body made it so much harder to battle the diseases.
On the first day of his visit, Grandson looked at Mum’s food and couldn’t believe what she was having - cooked vegetables, rice and chicken all blended finely into a flavoured porridge for her to take in easily.
In his great love for her, he asked, “Can I taste?” and he took a spoonful. The look on his face was telling.
“Poor Nenek,” he said, a sad finality in his voice that could only mean he wished he could do something about it but couldn’t.
The pattern of fun had to be scaled down, with outings no longer a regular feature as in former times. Mum needed help going up and down the stairs and he was always ready to offer a steadying hand. While Mum had her late morning and afternoon naps, he spent his time reading or on the computer or talking to me.
On his fourth day, I decided to take him out for breakfast at a kopitiam, and then for an art class. We had just finished eating when his dad called to ask if he wanted to stay on or follow him back. I passed the phone to him and saw a flash of discomfort on his face.
I caught on when I heard his “ er...er…” and “ I’ll talk to you later.”
“You need privacy,” I said. “I’ll go out and you talk to your father.”
He protested so we stepped out, went to the lift area at the back of the mall and I stood away from him so he could have his private moment. To my astonishment, he went into a remote corner, sat on the floor and spoke in hushed tones, and all I could see was a pair of feet sticking out.
He kept me waiting for about 20 minutes and when I thought I had had enough of this and was about to haul him up, he stepped out. And what I saw was a distraught face.
“What’s the matter?” I asked quickly.
“Nothing,” he said but his voice was choked with emotion.
“Tell me,” I practically begged as my arm went around his shoulder to console him.
Tears streamed down his face and he said brokenly, “I want to go back…but …but I don’t want to hurt you and Nenek.”
This was it? No, the unspoken words said more.
It was very hard for him to stay and see the one he loved so dearly reduced to a pale shadow of her former self – his Nenek, who had told him stories, painted with him, given him clay to work with, taught him songs and sums, and inspired him to better himself.
It was just too much for someone so young to bear. It dawned on me then that a tender heart was breaking under the strain.
Behind the tears was an unspoken longing for the open spaces around his home and its surroundings, where he could wade amidst frolicking fish, climb fruit-laden trees, catch an insect or two and run like the wind down a slippery slope with nothing to rein him in.
He needed to be free and happy, not stay behind the prison walls of our home with its grills and gate and locks. And deep in his heart he must surely yearn to free his Nenek from the prison of her bed and wheelchair and medicine.
He didn’t see the parallels. I did.
I wanted so much for him to understand what I was saying: “Sayang, you are not responsible for Nenek’s happiness and you are not responsible for mine. Whatever you choose to do, Nenek and I will accept happily because we love you. Can you understand that?”
He nodded dumbly. When he was ready, we went off arm in arm for his batik-painting class.
I watched him engrossed in dabbing bright and beautiful colours onto the plain fabric with its waxed lines that ensured colours kept their integrity and didn’t merge into one another.
To me he was himself those bright and beautiful colours and the plain piece of cloth, the situation at home. The waxed lines were boundaries, there to maintain integrity, define safe space, protect him and enable him to enjoy his role as a youngster.
But somewhere along the way, a breach had occurred amidst those boundaries.
The unthinkable had happened - the youngest among us had felt it his responsibility to keep two adults happy, though we had never expected it of him.
And this being responsible for someone else’s happiness has its echoes around the world but with expectations often enforced in the most heartless of ways: a child having to get straight A’s so his parents can be happy; an adolescent forced to pursue a particular field of study to make her parents happy; a man wanting to end a marriage because the wife does not keep him happy; a woman not allowed to follow the faith she believes in because to do so makes her community unhappy. And so it goes on.
In truth, no one can make us happy but we ourselves. Happiness is a choice and that choice rests with us and us alone, no matter what the circumstance.
He left that evening and I could only hope that the breach had been repaired and that he was convinced no child should be made to feel responsible for an adult’s happiness.
A few months later, Mum passed away. It was very hard for us. It always is when a loved one whose life has been such a wonderful testimony to courage, resilience and faith makes an exit.
Almost a year after, I received a stirring poem from my nephew about his Nenek. It had been birthed from the depths of a loving heart that remembered her well. It convinced me that he had found his peace.
On his birthday this year, I called to wish him. In the midst of our conversation, before I knew it, I found myself saying, “I love you more than …” and he responded in the same way he had done with his Nenek.
It was a moment of transition for both of us – the same stage but with one new player.
I took a chance.
“I love you to infinity,” I said, seizing his prized clincher.
Was there anything left to say? Yes, there was.
“I love you to infinity plus one!” he said and it was a voice of triumph.
He had hit upon a continuum of his own making, willing to defy the facts to do just that.
“No such thing,” I declared. “Infinity is infinity.”
On his side I heard very clearly a wonderful chuckle.
Yes, we were on to something new.
He was my mother’s special one in the twilight of her years.
He is mine now.
*****************************************************
I can appreciate Farida's perspective; her very noble and sincere intentions for her nephew. But reading it as a Chinese I would differ slightly.
"Sayang, you are not responsible for Nenek’s happiness and you are not responsible for mine. Whatever you choose to do, Nenek and I will accept happily because we love you. Can you understand that?”
I believe in the above context, the youngster could also be taught that he is partially (not totally) responsible for his Nenek's happiness and that choosing to stay can also be an option. It would then become a lesson in sacrifice and expediency rather than one of absolute responsibility. Alas, the boy was very young and it remains a beautiful love story.
Perhaps the following clip from the movie, "The Joy Luck Club" (from Amy Tan's novel of the same title) can illustrate my point and perspective. I do not know how many times Jeannie and Krystyn watched the movie together but I do know Jeannie often used it to guide the kids on certain aspects of what is termed, "Chinese Values".
BOUNDARIES AND TRANSITIONS
My late mother had a special relationship with each of her grandchildren. One grandson, the youngest among them, brought her much fun and joy in her latter years.
They were so in tune with each other despite the 73-year gap that it was such a pleasure to see them together. Grandson adored his Nenek and she cherished him with all her heart.
It pleased Mum when he came by and shared with her the things he had done at home and in school. In many ways he had inherited her business acumen and her artistic talent. While in primary school, he had sold pencils and his Star Wars-like drawings to classmates and it took almost a year before his parents found out about this clandestine activity.
My mother would laugh heartily at his tales and when he told how he stood up for what was right, she would beam with pride. This boy belonged to her. He was hers in the twilight of her years.
I was usually around when he came to stay or when the lovely phone conversations between them took place. Those calls always went something like this before the two said their goodbyes and hung up:
Mum: I love you.
Grandson: I love you too, Nenek.
Mum: I love you more than you love me. My love for you is taller than the tallest tree.
Grandson: Nenek, my love for you is higher than the clouds….
And this would go on and on and include dinosaurs, the seas, the stars and planets but invariably Grandson would top it all with “Nenek, I love you to infinity.”
And that was where Mum got stuck, without any answer to give back.
During the December holidays two years ago, he came again to stay for about a week. But this time he found a much frailer grandmother waiting for him.
Several diseases had plagued her body over long, long years and Mum had borne the pain and discomfort with remarkable fortitude. But time had taken its toll on her health and an aging body made it so much harder to battle the diseases.
On the first day of his visit, Grandson looked at Mum’s food and couldn’t believe what she was having - cooked vegetables, rice and chicken all blended finely into a flavoured porridge for her to take in easily.
In his great love for her, he asked, “Can I taste?” and he took a spoonful. The look on his face was telling.
“Poor Nenek,” he said, a sad finality in his voice that could only mean he wished he could do something about it but couldn’t.
The pattern of fun had to be scaled down, with outings no longer a regular feature as in former times. Mum needed help going up and down the stairs and he was always ready to offer a steadying hand. While Mum had her late morning and afternoon naps, he spent his time reading or on the computer or talking to me.
On his fourth day, I decided to take him out for breakfast at a kopitiam, and then for an art class. We had just finished eating when his dad called to ask if he wanted to stay on or follow him back. I passed the phone to him and saw a flash of discomfort on his face.
I caught on when I heard his “ er...er…” and “ I’ll talk to you later.”
“You need privacy,” I said. “I’ll go out and you talk to your father.”
He protested so we stepped out, went to the lift area at the back of the mall and I stood away from him so he could have his private moment. To my astonishment, he went into a remote corner, sat on the floor and spoke in hushed tones, and all I could see was a pair of feet sticking out.
He kept me waiting for about 20 minutes and when I thought I had had enough of this and was about to haul him up, he stepped out. And what I saw was a distraught face.
“What’s the matter?” I asked quickly.
“Nothing,” he said but his voice was choked with emotion.
“Tell me,” I practically begged as my arm went around his shoulder to console him.
Tears streamed down his face and he said brokenly, “I want to go back…but …but I don’t want to hurt you and Nenek.”
This was it? No, the unspoken words said more.
It was very hard for him to stay and see the one he loved so dearly reduced to a pale shadow of her former self – his Nenek, who had told him stories, painted with him, given him clay to work with, taught him songs and sums, and inspired him to better himself.
It was just too much for someone so young to bear. It dawned on me then that a tender heart was breaking under the strain.
Behind the tears was an unspoken longing for the open spaces around his home and its surroundings, where he could wade amidst frolicking fish, climb fruit-laden trees, catch an insect or two and run like the wind down a slippery slope with nothing to rein him in.
He needed to be free and happy, not stay behind the prison walls of our home with its grills and gate and locks. And deep in his heart he must surely yearn to free his Nenek from the prison of her bed and wheelchair and medicine.
He didn’t see the parallels. I did.
I wanted so much for him to understand what I was saying: “Sayang, you are not responsible for Nenek’s happiness and you are not responsible for mine. Whatever you choose to do, Nenek and I will accept happily because we love you. Can you understand that?”
He nodded dumbly. When he was ready, we went off arm in arm for his batik-painting class.
I watched him engrossed in dabbing bright and beautiful colours onto the plain fabric with its waxed lines that ensured colours kept their integrity and didn’t merge into one another.
To me he was himself those bright and beautiful colours and the plain piece of cloth, the situation at home. The waxed lines were boundaries, there to maintain integrity, define safe space, protect him and enable him to enjoy his role as a youngster.
But somewhere along the way, a breach had occurred amidst those boundaries.
The unthinkable had happened - the youngest among us had felt it his responsibility to keep two adults happy, though we had never expected it of him.
And this being responsible for someone else’s happiness has its echoes around the world but with expectations often enforced in the most heartless of ways: a child having to get straight A’s so his parents can be happy; an adolescent forced to pursue a particular field of study to make her parents happy; a man wanting to end a marriage because the wife does not keep him happy; a woman not allowed to follow the faith she believes in because to do so makes her community unhappy. And so it goes on.
In truth, no one can make us happy but we ourselves. Happiness is a choice and that choice rests with us and us alone, no matter what the circumstance.
He left that evening and I could only hope that the breach had been repaired and that he was convinced no child should be made to feel responsible for an adult’s happiness.
A few months later, Mum passed away. It was very hard for us. It always is when a loved one whose life has been such a wonderful testimony to courage, resilience and faith makes an exit.
Almost a year after, I received a stirring poem from my nephew about his Nenek. It had been birthed from the depths of a loving heart that remembered her well. It convinced me that he had found his peace.
On his birthday this year, I called to wish him. In the midst of our conversation, before I knew it, I found myself saying, “I love you more than …” and he responded in the same way he had done with his Nenek.
It was a moment of transition for both of us – the same stage but with one new player.
I took a chance.
“I love you to infinity,” I said, seizing his prized clincher.
Was there anything left to say? Yes, there was.
“I love you to infinity plus one!” he said and it was a voice of triumph.
He had hit upon a continuum of his own making, willing to defy the facts to do just that.
“No such thing,” I declared. “Infinity is infinity.”
On his side I heard very clearly a wonderful chuckle.
Yes, we were on to something new.
He was my mother’s special one in the twilight of her years.
He is mine now.
*****************************************************
I can appreciate Farida's perspective; her very noble and sincere intentions for her nephew. But reading it as a Chinese I would differ slightly.
"Sayang, you are not responsible for Nenek’s happiness and you are not responsible for mine. Whatever you choose to do, Nenek and I will accept happily because we love you. Can you understand that?”
I believe in the above context, the youngster could also be taught that he is partially (not totally) responsible for his Nenek's happiness and that choosing to stay can also be an option. It would then become a lesson in sacrifice and expediency rather than one of absolute responsibility. Alas, the boy was very young and it remains a beautiful love story.
Perhaps the following clip from the movie, "The Joy Luck Club" (from Amy Tan's novel of the same title) can illustrate my point and perspective. I do not know how many times Jeannie and Krystyn watched the movie together but I do know Jeannie often used it to guide the kids on certain aspects of what is termed, "Chinese Values".
Friday, 24 September 2010
Monday, 20 September 2010
What Are They Up To?
It was a quiet Sunday today. After sending JJ to Sentral this morning because he was supposed to witness an ad shoot or something, I was home the whole day. By the way, JJ is still out there somewhere but it's OK because he is getting relevant exposure in his chosen line of work.
Sometime in the late afternoon, someone rang the doorbell and looking out the window I saw four young-looking people. At first impression, I thought they were students doing some part-time survey or promo thingy. There was a guy and three girls. They told me they had something to share (regarding Christianity of course) and asked for a few minutes of my time. On closer scrutiny, none of them looked anything above 23 (Krystyn's age) and curiosity got the better of me so I invited them in.
The group said they had just graduated. My initial evaluation after a brief introduction was through visual impression. The guy (from Sarawak) who looked typically nerdy said he graduated overseas (did not say what discipline).
The three girls had distinctly different looks from each other. A prettier one with bright eyes who had graduated from Universiti Malaya in accounting (looked to, and did have a better command of English); a born Christian. Another who looked definitely ordinary had a degree in marketing from UPM or UKM; she looked the type who would feel at home in a Christian fellowship. The third (also from Sarawak) was a graduate in finance and economics I think. She was definitely in need of professional skin care. The second and the third girls appeared more enthusiastic and they revealed later that they were not born into Christian families but had recently converted to the faith.
The guy was the leader and I prompted him to begin his "sharing". They must have been taught by their church elders some form of canned presentation; everytime he mention a seemingly "salient" point the second and third girl would chorus his words in tandem as if cued. Anyway, they were trying to sell me Jesus...
Guy: "Uncle, all you have to do is to embrace the Spirit" (followed by girls' chorus on cue).
Me: "How do I do that?"
Guy: "Just say three simple words" (followed by girls' chorus on cue).
Me: "Wah! So easy wan ah. Say what ah?"
Guy: "The Lord Jesus"
Me: "You sure or not? So simple only ah. Just say the words and I can go to Heaven ah?"
Guy: "No lah, you have to accept Jesus in your mind (he did say "mind") by saying the three words then the Spirit will grow in you and you are on your way".
They were obviously all reasonably intelligent kids but I suppose still very naive and vulnerable to persuasive church elders. I was of course amused by the whole thing but felt I should stop wasting their time because they were certainly wasting mine. Moreover, I was already laughing in my mind because they reminded me of Boney M singing "The Rivers of Babylon":
What concerned me was that these 4 Chinese youth who admitted to not having had any life-shaking upheavals in life yet, are so besotted and obsessed with their religion which they obviously had not sufficiently studied in depth. There they were trying to teach me about my afterlife when they had not really begun to live their own real-life!
I was thinking they should be channeling their energy and devotion towards joining hands with other youths of Malaysia in demanding a better future for themselves in THIS promised land called Malaysia.
The session ended with me advising them to study Christianity in greater width and depth, and more importantly, also study the religions of others. But most important of all; find out in wider perspective what the increasing numbers of "Non-believers" believe. Gain more knowledge before deciding to put on the blinkers!
The guy was of course not very pleased that he was made to look rather unconvincing in front of his "flock". Hope they learnt something.
Hmmm... JJ is still out in KL somewhere. I know he has the same degree of dedication as the 4 youths but his is to learn as much, in the shortest possible time by creating opportunities and at the same time, not wasting opportunities that come his way.
Watch the following video too and see what many other Malaysian youth are doing:
...and this was a prequel:
Sometime in the late afternoon, someone rang the doorbell and looking out the window I saw four young-looking people. At first impression, I thought they were students doing some part-time survey or promo thingy. There was a guy and three girls. They told me they had something to share (regarding Christianity of course) and asked for a few minutes of my time. On closer scrutiny, none of them looked anything above 23 (Krystyn's age) and curiosity got the better of me so I invited them in.
The group said they had just graduated. My initial evaluation after a brief introduction was through visual impression. The guy (from Sarawak) who looked typically nerdy said he graduated overseas (did not say what discipline).
The three girls had distinctly different looks from each other. A prettier one with bright eyes who had graduated from Universiti Malaya in accounting (looked to, and did have a better command of English); a born Christian. Another who looked definitely ordinary had a degree in marketing from UPM or UKM; she looked the type who would feel at home in a Christian fellowship. The third (also from Sarawak) was a graduate in finance and economics I think. She was definitely in need of professional skin care. The second and the third girls appeared more enthusiastic and they revealed later that they were not born into Christian families but had recently converted to the faith.
The guy was the leader and I prompted him to begin his "sharing". They must have been taught by their church elders some form of canned presentation; everytime he mention a seemingly "salient" point the second and third girl would chorus his words in tandem as if cued. Anyway, they were trying to sell me Jesus...
Guy: "Uncle, all you have to do is to embrace the Spirit" (followed by girls' chorus on cue).
Me: "How do I do that?"
Guy: "Just say three simple words" (followed by girls' chorus on cue).
Me: "Wah! So easy wan ah. Say what ah?"
Guy: "The Lord Jesus"
Me: "You sure or not? So simple only ah. Just say the words and I can go to Heaven ah?"
Guy: "No lah, you have to accept Jesus in your mind (he did say "mind") by saying the three words then the Spirit will grow in you and you are on your way".
They were obviously all reasonably intelligent kids but I suppose still very naive and vulnerable to persuasive church elders. I was of course amused by the whole thing but felt I should stop wasting their time because they were certainly wasting mine. Moreover, I was already laughing in my mind because they reminded me of Boney M singing "The Rivers of Babylon":
What concerned me was that these 4 Chinese youth who admitted to not having had any life-shaking upheavals in life yet, are so besotted and obsessed with their religion which they obviously had not sufficiently studied in depth. There they were trying to teach me about my afterlife when they had not really begun to live their own real-life!
I was thinking they should be channeling their energy and devotion towards joining hands with other youths of Malaysia in demanding a better future for themselves in THIS promised land called Malaysia.
The session ended with me advising them to study Christianity in greater width and depth, and more importantly, also study the religions of others. But most important of all; find out in wider perspective what the increasing numbers of "Non-believers" believe. Gain more knowledge before deciding to put on the blinkers!
The guy was of course not very pleased that he was made to look rather unconvincing in front of his "flock". Hope they learnt something.
Hmmm... JJ is still out in KL somewhere. I know he has the same degree of dedication as the 4 youths but his is to learn as much, in the shortest possible time by creating opportunities and at the same time, not wasting opportunities that come his way.
Watch the following video too and see what many other Malaysian youth are doing:
...and this was a prequel:
Thursday, 2 September 2010
That Anarchist Namewee Again! Part 2
I am not particularly a fan of Khairi Jamaluddin but in the case of Namewee I seem to be in agreement with his opinion. My position on Namewee remains the same; two wrongs do not make one right.
My previous blogpost on Namewee was posted before KJ's comment on the same appeared in Malaysiakini about 2 hours later.
I concur that Siti Inshah and her other colleague must be made accountable and more importantly Malaysians at large must be told how those comments came about. They give the teaching profession a bad name and the incidents must not repeat. Are'nt all Malaysian children supposed to be 1Malaysia children?
As for Namewee, lets make an example of him as a lesson for all the Chinese racists in Malaysia.
This was what KJ said:
KJ nails down contentious line in Namewee's song
Sep 1, 10 5:36pm
Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin believes that Wee Meng Chee @ Namewee's overt insinuation that Malays played a minor role in Malaysia's economic growth was racist in nature.
The lyrics to the song 'Nah' which had landed Wee into trouble with the police contains a line in Malay which reads: "You tak baca? Siapa buat Malaysia kaya?" (Don't you know? Who made Malaysia prosperous?)
In a statement today, Khairy (right) said that Wee's assertion in attempt to criticise school principal Siti Inshah Mansor for recently uttering racial remarks against Malaysia's minorities were inapproriate.
"The implication (here is) that the Chinese are the reason for Malaysia's prosperity and as such Malays like Siti Inshah have no business asking the Chinese to 'return' to China.
"The same message could have easily been conveyed by stating that no one should be telling anyone else to 'return' because Malaysia belongs to all its citizens without suggesting that a particular ethnic group has contributed more or less," he said.
"Malays not being too sensitive"
Khairy argued that Wee's actions has instead now exposed himself as a racist.
"Now, my position on the Siti Inshah matter is crystal clear. If she did utter the words as claimed, she should be severely punished.
"But let there be no doubt, Namewee's insinuation that the Chinese are solely responsible for this country's growth is just as blatantly offensive.
"Neither is it a question of Malays being too sensitive. Hurt and anger are to be expected when one community is essentially told they play a minimal role in this country's progress," added Khairy.
Citing an example on how Wee's (left) argument was counterproductive, Khairy said others may be inclined to say that the Chinese should be eternally grateful to the Malays for their citizenship.
"He or she would be mistaken of course, but the point is we cannot allow dis-empathy to feed on itself. We cannot let this vicious cycle go on in perpetuity.
"We cannot play the game of the extremists and the racists on both sides of the spectrum if we are to forge a better path than what they offer," he said.
We know he won't vote BN, but...
"I am utterly against extremism, dis-empathy, insensitivity and racism of any kind - I have spoken out against the likes of Perkasa, Al-Islam magazine and Siti Inshah, often at great political risk.
"And today I am speaking out against Namewee, not because of his race, religion or even the probability that he will not vote BN. But because he was explicitly insulting."
Wee's latest video has sparked a deluge of complaints and slew of police reports.
Last night, he was grilled for nearly three hours at a police station in Petaling Jaya where his statements were recorded.
According to the police, Wee is being investigated for sedition.
My previous blogpost on Namewee was posted before KJ's comment on the same appeared in Malaysiakini about 2 hours later.
I concur that Siti Inshah and her other colleague must be made accountable and more importantly Malaysians at large must be told how those comments came about. They give the teaching profession a bad name and the incidents must not repeat. Are'nt all Malaysian children supposed to be 1Malaysia children?
As for Namewee, lets make an example of him as a lesson for all the Chinese racists in Malaysia.
This was what KJ said:
KJ nails down contentious line in Namewee's song
Sep 1, 10 5:36pm
Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin believes that Wee Meng Chee @ Namewee's overt insinuation that Malays played a minor role in Malaysia's economic growth was racist in nature.
The lyrics to the song 'Nah' which had landed Wee into trouble with the police contains a line in Malay which reads: "You tak baca? Siapa buat Malaysia kaya?" (Don't you know? Who made Malaysia prosperous?)
In a statement today, Khairy (right) said that Wee's assertion in attempt to criticise school principal Siti Inshah Mansor for recently uttering racial remarks against Malaysia's minorities were inapproriate.
"The implication (here is) that the Chinese are the reason for Malaysia's prosperity and as such Malays like Siti Inshah have no business asking the Chinese to 'return' to China.
"The same message could have easily been conveyed by stating that no one should be telling anyone else to 'return' because Malaysia belongs to all its citizens without suggesting that a particular ethnic group has contributed more or less," he said.
"Malays not being too sensitive"
Khairy argued that Wee's actions has instead now exposed himself as a racist.
"Now, my position on the Siti Inshah matter is crystal clear. If she did utter the words as claimed, she should be severely punished.
"But let there be no doubt, Namewee's insinuation that the Chinese are solely responsible for this country's growth is just as blatantly offensive.
"Neither is it a question of Malays being too sensitive. Hurt and anger are to be expected when one community is essentially told they play a minimal role in this country's progress," added Khairy.
Citing an example on how Wee's (left) argument was counterproductive, Khairy said others may be inclined to say that the Chinese should be eternally grateful to the Malays for their citizenship.
"He or she would be mistaken of course, but the point is we cannot allow dis-empathy to feed on itself. We cannot let this vicious cycle go on in perpetuity.
"We cannot play the game of the extremists and the racists on both sides of the spectrum if we are to forge a better path than what they offer," he said.
We know he won't vote BN, but...
"I am utterly against extremism, dis-empathy, insensitivity and racism of any kind - I have spoken out against the likes of Perkasa, Al-Islam magazine and Siti Inshah, often at great political risk.
"And today I am speaking out against Namewee, not because of his race, religion or even the probability that he will not vote BN. But because he was explicitly insulting."
Wee's latest video has sparked a deluge of complaints and slew of police reports.
Last night, he was grilled for nearly three hours at a police station in Petaling Jaya where his statements were recorded.
According to the police, Wee is being investigated for sedition.
Tuesday, 31 August 2010
Malay Rights And A Malay Woman
Not only no gumption...he has no balls to face a "small fry" who also happens to be a woman.
The fact of the matter is that the true Ibrahim/Mahathir Perkasa agenda will be laid bare in the debate. This is how Perkasa responded to Nurul Izzah's challenge:
Perkasa declares Malay rights not for debate
**********************************
Malaysia's future first woman PM, Nurul Izzah will be disappointed because Ibrahim Ali will not risk his Perkasa all in a single debate with a woman, of all creatures! Mind you this is not ONLY about Malay Rights. It is as much about the Malay Muslim Woman in Malaysia.
Come on Ibrahim! It is obvious you have the gall...let's see if you have the gumption.
This was in the Malaysian Insider:
Nurul Izzah wants clarification from Perkasa on where they are going with their agenda.
Nurul Izzah wants Malay rights debate with Perkasa By Yow Hong Chieh August 31, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 31 — Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar today invited Perkasa to a public debate on Malay rights, contending that the question of Malay special rights should be put to the King and the people of Malaysia.
Her invitation to the Malay rights group appeared to be an attempt to contain Datuk Ibrahim Ali’s growing influence on policy by locating his discourse squarely within the democratic process.
Referencing Article 153 of the Federal Constitution - which Perkasa says grants “Malays rights” in perpetuity — Nurul pointed out that the article only specified that Malays be given a special position and should, in fact, to be interpreted in light of Articles 8(1) and 8(2) by the King or a body appointed by him.
Article 8(1) states: “All persons are equal before the law and entitled to the equal protection of the law”; and Article 8(2): “Except as expressly authorised by this Constitution, there shall be no discrimination against citizens on the ground only of religion, race, descent or place of birth in any law relating to the acquisition, holding or disposition of property or the establishing or carrying on of any trade, business, profession, vocation or employment.”
“It would be ideal to have a mandated entity such as a Constitutional Court or at least a Constitutional Council appointed by the King to act as the final interpreter of any constitutional issues,” Nurul said, adding that the judiciary, which already deals with constitutional matters, would also have a role to play.
Alternatively, she proposed a possible solution in the form of a legally binding referendum, while simultaneously challenging Perkasa to both a dialogue through open letters as well as a televised debate.
Nurul argued that “Malay rights”, as envisioned by Perkasa, were an ideological and philosophical construct that was not rooted in either the constitution or law.
“My question to Perkasa is, has the concept of ‘Malay rights’ now become a permanent convention that supersedes even the written constitution in policy and practice that has to be accepted by all non-Malay citizens?” she asked.
“My question to Perkasa is, spiritually and intellectually, does a Malay accepts injustices, power abuse, corruption, racism, anti-democratic laws, state institutional degradation to ensure that the Malays are a Supreme Race in Malaysia, with first class citizenship privileges not to be shared with other non-Malay citizens?”
She added that it was important to note that the Reid Commission, which drafted the constitution, had seen Article 153 as temporary measure, subject to review after 15 years by Parliament, before it was institutionalised into the NEP following the 1969 race riots.
Arguing that Malaysia was at a “monumental cross-road”, Nurul hammered home the point that it ultimately came down to the people to decide if Ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy) or Ketuanan Rakyat (people’s supremacy) was going to define Malaysia.
“Once the next general election outcome is determined, and if ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ is victorious, then some may choose to vote with their feet (emigrate with massive brain drain and a diminishing tax base), and some will choose to vote with their wallet (domestic capital flight compounded with decreasing FDI that further stunts our economic growth), which in turn will indicate the makings of a potential failed state with irreversible consequences,” she warned.
“What is left will be a shell of a former Malaysia that could have been a great example of a democratic and pluralistic nation to the world.”
Nurul Izzah wants Malay rights debate with Perkasa By Yow Hong Chieh August 31, 2010
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 31 — Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar today invited Perkasa to a public debate on Malay rights, contending that the question of Malay special rights should be put to the King and the people of Malaysia.
Her invitation to the Malay rights group appeared to be an attempt to contain Datuk Ibrahim Ali’s growing influence on policy by locating his discourse squarely within the democratic process.
Referencing Article 153 of the Federal Constitution - which Perkasa says grants “Malays rights” in perpetuity — Nurul pointed out that the article only specified that Malays be given a special position and should, in fact, to be interpreted in light of Articles 8(1) and 8(2) by the King or a body appointed by him.
Article 8(1) states: “All persons are equal before the law and entitled to the equal protection of the law”; and Article 8(2): “Except as expressly authorised by this Constitution, there shall be no discrimination against citizens on the ground only of religion, race, descent or place of birth in any law relating to the acquisition, holding or disposition of property or the establishing or carrying on of any trade, business, profession, vocation or employment.”
“It would be ideal to have a mandated entity such as a Constitutional Court or at least a Constitutional Council appointed by the King to act as the final interpreter of any constitutional issues,” Nurul said, adding that the judiciary, which already deals with constitutional matters, would also have a role to play.
Alternatively, she proposed a possible solution in the form of a legally binding referendum, while simultaneously challenging Perkasa to both a dialogue through open letters as well as a televised debate.
Nurul argued that “Malay rights”, as envisioned by Perkasa, were an ideological and philosophical construct that was not rooted in either the constitution or law.
“My question to Perkasa is, has the concept of ‘Malay rights’ now become a permanent convention that supersedes even the written constitution in policy and practice that has to be accepted by all non-Malay citizens?” she asked.
“My question to Perkasa is, spiritually and intellectually, does a Malay accepts injustices, power abuse, corruption, racism, anti-democratic laws, state institutional degradation to ensure that the Malays are a Supreme Race in Malaysia, with first class citizenship privileges not to be shared with other non-Malay citizens?”
She added that it was important to note that the Reid Commission, which drafted the constitution, had seen Article 153 as temporary measure, subject to review after 15 years by Parliament, before it was institutionalised into the NEP following the 1969 race riots.
Arguing that Malaysia was at a “monumental cross-road”, Nurul hammered home the point that it ultimately came down to the people to decide if Ketuanan Melayu (Malay supremacy) or Ketuanan Rakyat (people’s supremacy) was going to define Malaysia.
“Once the next general election outcome is determined, and if ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ is victorious, then some may choose to vote with their feet (emigrate with massive brain drain and a diminishing tax base), and some will choose to vote with their wallet (domestic capital flight compounded with decreasing FDI that further stunts our economic growth), which in turn will indicate the makings of a potential failed state with irreversible consequences,” she warned.
“What is left will be a shell of a former Malaysia that could have been a great example of a democratic and pluralistic nation to the world.”
Saturday, 26 June 2010
That Effing Show: Lamps, Messi and the Curious Case of Nazri Aziz
As long as we have shows like this, there is still hope for the Nation:
Sunday, 18 April 2010
PR Consultant? Dei Thamby! Public Relations or Pakatan Rakyat?
This PR consultant does not seem to be reading his public very well... perhaps someone should borrow his watch and tell him the time.
I was given the impression that this Kamalanathan was a candidate for the new era, a fresh face with a fresh perspective and agenda, an individual with courage of conviction and his own mind. It turns out he is just another MICkey mouse.
I think it would be Zaid by a margin of at least 4,000 (just a figure that comes to mind) if Kamalanathan’s handlers do not begin damage control immediately.
Below are some of the things he said on Nomination Day yesterday:
"I may not be an expert but you can make me one, I may not be an outstanding person but you can make me one”.
"Let me have the opportunity to get to know you better. I humbly plead to you not to vote for me because I am Kamalanathan but rather vote for me because I am a BN candidate”.
"I am a 1Malaysia candidate. I am a candidate who is representing the prime minister and I am a candidate who aspire to represent you,"
“Right-wing group Perkasa is not belligerent against non-Malays as its aim is to promote the empowerment of the Malay community”
Obviously Kamalanathan knows he needs the Malay votes because his Indian votes are in doubt. But this PR (public relations) guy should posture as a Man and not a mild, polite and humble guy when Hulu Selangor voters need a Jantan who can handle BN sharks and get Hulu Selangor the rewards that it needs.
At 1.00 pm yesterday I told my son we should take a leisurely drive to Hulu Selangor at 6.00 pm. I felt it would be a good awareness trip for my 19 year old and wanted to attend ceramahs on both sides to get a feel on the ground. After the above statements by Kamalanathan started coming in, I cancelled the trip. Buang masa dan minyak.
Saturday, 10 April 2010
Haris On Najib On PopTeeVee
Popteevee is a must follow especially for the youth of Malaysia. Facebook is ideal to spread this ideavirus called Popteevee so please do your part. This interview of social advocate Haris Ibrahim by Fahmi Fadzil says why:
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
Fame 1980
Watched "Fame" the original 1980 version on DVD with JJ yesterday; rekindled some old memories it did. The song "Is It Okay If I Call You Mine" is one of my favorites:
And then there's another good one also by Paul McCrane, "Dogs In The Yard" which reminds me of our labrador, Shadow in the yard of our house.
But the song that takes the cake was definitely Irene Cara's "Out Here On My Own":
And then there's another good one also by Paul McCrane, "Dogs In The Yard" which reminds me of our labrador, Shadow in the yard of our house.
But the song that takes the cake was definitely Irene Cara's "Out Here On My Own":
Tuesday, 9 March 2010
Thursday, 4 February 2010
Abracadabra! Or Alakazam! Or Open Sesame!...Or The Latest Incantation; "Can I Fcuk You Today?"
The following transcript is the juicy part of proceedings on Day 1 of the "Sodomy; The Sequel" trial. Whether the alleged sodomizer is guilty or not, there will always be detractors. Personally, I am neutral about whether Anwar did it or did not do it...he may have done it. What is it about smoke and fire?However, it has come to a point of pointlessness because the most important issue is; whether Anwar in jail again for sodomy or cleared of the charge, two mutually exclusive results will follow: BN to fall or win in the next GE.
The plaintiff was the first on the stand and his opening testimony is nothing short of sensational; sensational only because it gives new approbation to come-on lines. If a mere. "Can I fcuk you today" can get the fcuks, then the world would be a better place for the fcuk-deprived. In this case apparently an ass-hole bandit can even get to plug a seemingly straight male "sodomee" who was about to get married to a seemingly real woman. From two "No's" to a "Yes" (he went to the bathroom and came out wrapped in a towel after saying "no" twice) it did not take too much convincing nor intimidation. Sheeeesh! "Open Sesame!!! And the bugger will bend over! Yeah, right!
I can imagine the world tomorrow. Everyone going around greeting each other; "Can I fcuk you today?"
Judge for yourself:
****************************************************
Di hadapan Yang Arif Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah [hari #2]
[03:05 pm]
Dato’ Mohd Yusof: Memperkenalkan pihak-pihak
Dato’ Mohd Yusof: Memperkenalkan pihak-pihak
Bagi Pihak Pendakwa Raya: Dato’ Mohd Yusof (MY), Hanafiah Zakaria (HZ), Dato’ Nordin Hassan(NH), Wong Chiang Kiat (CK), Noorin Badaruddin (NB), Farah Azlina Latif (FA), Mira Mirna bt Musa dan Naidatul Atirah bt Azman.
Bagi Pihak Anwar Ibrahim (AI): Karpal Singh(KS), Paracumaraswamy(PC), Sankara Nair(SN) – Tidak Hadir, CV Prabakaran(CV), Ram Karpal (RK), Marissa Regina Fernando(M) dan Wan Anuar Shahdat (WAS)
Watching Brief: Zamri Idrus (S), Rajpal Singh, Andy Yong dan N.S. Leong (Majlis Peguam), Kailesh (for Prof. Dr. M. Ariff)
Pemerhati: Mark Trowell, Queen Council for the Law Asia, Commonwealth Lawyer’s Association and International Court of Justice
Jennifer Robinson for IBA.
Jennifer Robinson for IBA.
******************************************
A: Lepas serah dokumen, kami bincang tenteng jadual kerja, tidak lama selepas itu beliau tanya satu soalan.
Q: Apa soalan itu?
“Can I fuck you today?”
Q: Apa reaksi kamu ketika diajukan soalan itu?
A: Marah dan takut
Q: Ada kamu kata apa-apa?
A: Tolak pelawaannya
Q: Apa kamu kata bila menolak?
A: Saya kata saya tak mahu melakukannya
Q: AI kata apa-apa, bila kamu kata tak nak melakukannya?
A: Dengan nada marah AI kata “what?”
Q: Apa respon kamu?
A: Saya ulang yang sama
Q: Seterusnya?
A: AI agak marah dengan itu saya takut. AI arahkan ke bilik tidur utama.
Q: Adakah kamu ke bilik tidur utama seperti diarahkan?
A: Ya
Q: Siapa pergi dulu?
A: Saya pergi dulu
Q; Dalam bilik utama apa berlaku?
A: Dalam bilik utama AI pergi ke hujang bilik untuk tutup langsir. Saya ketika itu masih ada di pintu, kemudian AI pergi ke pintu untuk tutup lampu bilik.
Q: Jadi gelap la bilik itu?
A: Ada cahaya dari pintu tandas dan celah-celah langsir
Q: Lepas itu?
A: AI arahkan saya membersihkan diri di dalam tandas
Q: Tandas atau bilik air?
A: Bilik air
Q: AI arahkan bersih diri?
A: Ya
Q: Teruskan?
A: Ya, saya masuk ke tandas dengan berpakaian, saya bilas badan tetapi saya tak mandi sepenuhnya.
Q: Masa itu dah buka pakaian?
A: Ya
Q: Lepas bilas diri?
A: Saya ambil tuala dalam tandas, saya keluar dengan bawa baju kemeja saya kaler putih dan gantung di tempat pemegang almari.
Q: Kamu bertuala?
A: Saya bertuala.
Q: Masa keluar dari bilik air, nampak di mana AI?
A: Saya nampak, AI di hujung penjuru katil, dibahagian kaki sebelah kanan.
Q: Apa AI buat pada masa itu?
A: Dia berdiri pakai tuala putih dan mengarahkan saya untuk pergi dekat dia lalu dia peluk saya sambil berdiri.
KS: May this evidence be in camera?
YA: Are you coming to that part?
MY: Yes, I’ m coming to that part. I leave it to the court. Read proviso s.50(2) Courts of Judicature Act 1964.
[04:54]
YA: This proceeding should be in camera.
At 9 am?
CV: Can it be 9.30 because I’m coming from Rawang.
YA: 1st proceeding 2mrw will be in camera.
Adjourned to 09:30 tomorrow.
Monday, 1 February 2010
Follow Your Heart...
"Follow Your Heart" was one of Jeannie's favorite songs and when it was first released by Mario Frangoulis I remember looking for the CD in so many shops till we found it. Enjoy...
Follow Your Heart by Mario Frangoulis
Every little tear you cry
Leaves your heart so heavy
Every time you hear goodbye
You wonder will it ever end
There's nothing I can tell you
The word moves on and on
But I still believe
In love
Follow your heart
Wherever it takes you
Nobody knows
Where the wind blows
No one can say
Follow your dreams
Wherever they find you
Lost and alone
The light in the storm
Will always be with you
If you follow your heart
When the world's a little crazy
The truth's so hard to find
But I still believe in love
Follow your heart
Wherever it takes you
Nobody knows
Where the wind blows
No one can say
Follow your heart
Wherever they find you
Lovers and friends
They fade in the end
But the love that's inside you
Grows stronger inside you
Will always be with you
Follow your heart
Follow Your Heart by Mario Frangoulis
Every little tear you cry
Leaves your heart so heavy
Every time you hear goodbye
You wonder will it ever end
There's nothing I can tell you
The word moves on and on
But I still believe
In love
Follow your heart
Wherever it takes you
Nobody knows
Where the wind blows
No one can say
Follow your dreams
Wherever they find you
Lost and alone
The light in the storm
Will always be with you
If you follow your heart
When the world's a little crazy
The truth's so hard to find
But I still believe in love
Follow your heart
Wherever it takes you
Nobody knows
Where the wind blows
No one can say
Follow your heart
Wherever they find you
Lovers and friends
They fade in the end
But the love that's inside you
Grows stronger inside you
Will always be with you
Follow your heart
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
Post Generation Y?
I am watching with interest and amusement how some of our youngsters are trying to cope with the new or social media paradigm.
It is heartening to see most are trying to embrace the empowerment presented by fast improving technology and vast opportunities for social intercourse and networking. By and large, most are content to use these new tools just to fraternize but the more adventurous attempt to "ride the tiger" so to speak and get involved in e-enabled commerce, either as sellers or buyers of services or goods off the Internet.
Faced with the frightening prospect of being unable to keep pace with an expected increasingly competitive environment, many youngsters impatiently plunge into the realm of e-business for fear of being left behind by their peers. As a result many throw themselves into the deep end and try to ride this new wave on a wing and a prayer; most of the time, armed only with the diligence to scour the Net for bargain merchandise for reselling to equally diligent bargain hunters.
Youth-run online business websites and blogs are sprouting up like mushrooms after a storm. The majority are e-trading sites retailing everything from boutique clothes, cosmetics, accessories, etc. to confectionery, appliances, gadgets and what have you.
The great information superhighway was supposed to create the perfect free and open marketplace where laissez-faire is the order of the day. Yet the reality is that we are just not there yet. While information is virtually free-flowing, it forms just one part of the business and transactional cycle. A major component of e-trading is the management of logistics coupled with the "rules of engagement".
Usually, the buyer and seller need to trust each other and this runs counter to basic human nature; the average person is pragmatic in believing the end justifies the means in being perceived as individually successful. This rugged individualism in human attitudes runs counter to universalism and resolution between the two is made all the more difficult because the need for personal status and upmanship is equated with happiness!
However, the rulebook on engagement is a work-in-progress awaiting further development in both enabling technology as well as more effective legislation. Alas, the learning is steep on a curve that is itself only now being defined.
Therefore, things are still very much grey in the world of e-trading and this is reflected in the acceptance that there is an inherent level of risk when one chooses to trade or purchase online. Without the wisdom of experience and knowledge, most immature minds cannot cope with the demands for real business responsibilities and ethical behaviour whether they be the seller or the buyer. Conflict occurs when minds do not meet and anarchy erupts.
To compound matters, aggression and avoidance behavior has been a means of survival for humans since the Stone Age and in our evolutionary process, we have a brain which does not as yet have complete control over our physiological responses. Under high emotional stress, we tend to lose rationality. As Carl Gustav Jung aptly puts it; "The rational and irrational exist side by side and healthy people recognize the workings of both forces within themselves. We should look to our mental neuroses and physical ailments as unconscious value patterns".
I am bemused while witnessing a classic dispute happening to JJ relating to an online transaction gone awry and obviously blown out of proportion by over-reaction. Self-explanatory exchanges can be found here and here. For JJ it is a learning curve.
While fault is debatable and hardly a case for the Police Commercial Crime Division, some rudeness and hassle have spilled over to my blog. Invasion of privacy aside, harassment and intimidation are definitely criminal and I will decide soon whether to press charges.
Obviously, the phone number and exact address of the perpetrator and screenshots are with me.
It is heartening to see most are trying to embrace the empowerment presented by fast improving technology and vast opportunities for social intercourse and networking. By and large, most are content to use these new tools just to fraternize but the more adventurous attempt to "ride the tiger" so to speak and get involved in e-enabled commerce, either as sellers or buyers of services or goods off the Internet.
Faced with the frightening prospect of being unable to keep pace with an expected increasingly competitive environment, many youngsters impatiently plunge into the realm of e-business for fear of being left behind by their peers. As a result many throw themselves into the deep end and try to ride this new wave on a wing and a prayer; most of the time, armed only with the diligence to scour the Net for bargain merchandise for reselling to equally diligent bargain hunters.
Youth-run online business websites and blogs are sprouting up like mushrooms after a storm. The majority are e-trading sites retailing everything from boutique clothes, cosmetics, accessories, etc. to confectionery, appliances, gadgets and what have you.
The great information superhighway was supposed to create the perfect free and open marketplace where laissez-faire is the order of the day. Yet the reality is that we are just not there yet. While information is virtually free-flowing, it forms just one part of the business and transactional cycle. A major component of e-trading is the management of logistics coupled with the "rules of engagement".
Usually, the buyer and seller need to trust each other and this runs counter to basic human nature; the average person is pragmatic in believing the end justifies the means in being perceived as individually successful. This rugged individualism in human attitudes runs counter to universalism and resolution between the two is made all the more difficult because the need for personal status and upmanship is equated with happiness!
However, the rulebook on engagement is a work-in-progress awaiting further development in both enabling technology as well as more effective legislation. Alas, the learning is steep on a curve that is itself only now being defined.
Therefore, things are still very much grey in the world of e-trading and this is reflected in the acceptance that there is an inherent level of risk when one chooses to trade or purchase online. Without the wisdom of experience and knowledge, most immature minds cannot cope with the demands for real business responsibilities and ethical behaviour whether they be the seller or the buyer. Conflict occurs when minds do not meet and anarchy erupts.
To compound matters, aggression and avoidance behavior has been a means of survival for humans since the Stone Age and in our evolutionary process, we have a brain which does not as yet have complete control over our physiological responses. Under high emotional stress, we tend to lose rationality. As Carl Gustav Jung aptly puts it; "The rational and irrational exist side by side and healthy people recognize the workings of both forces within themselves. We should look to our mental neuroses and physical ailments as unconscious value patterns".
I am bemused while witnessing a classic dispute happening to JJ relating to an online transaction gone awry and obviously blown out of proportion by over-reaction. Self-explanatory exchanges can be found here and here. For JJ it is a learning curve.
While fault is debatable and hardly a case for the Police Commercial Crime Division, some rudeness and hassle have spilled over to my blog. Invasion of privacy aside, harassment and intimidation are definitely criminal and I will decide soon whether to press charges.
Obviously, the phone number and exact address of the perpetrator and screenshots are with me.
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