Banking humour

Posted in a stall in the ladies' bathroom:

"Kindly keep your 'DEPOSITS' in the right 'ACCOUNT'. Kindly keep your 'INTEREST' earned to yourself. Ensure confidentiality at all times."

... what?

Malaysia made it into Reuters

From Reuters: Referee pulls out red card, then a gun:

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - A Malaysian referee took out his gun and fired warning shots in the air after a local soccer match turned unruly following the suspension of a player, a newspaper said Tuesday.

The referee, who was also a policeman, ran to his patrol car to get his gun after players mobbed him for showing the red-card to one of them, the New Straits Times said.

Nice. I know I'm guilty of this too, but it's pretty bad how Malaysians have absolutely no respect for policemen. What's cool is that Reuters referenced the NST. Awesome. Malaysian newspapers are in the limelight. What's a limelight, anyway?

Also, are they going through a mid-life crisis or something? From BBC: Indian churches come under attack:

A curfew has been imposed in parts of the eastern Indian state of Orissa after Hindu hardliners attacked up to a dozen Christian churches, police say.

One person was killed and more than 25 injured in the violence in the Kandhamal area on Tuesday, police said.

Christians said it was sparked by Hindus objecting to a performance they were staging to celebrate Christmas.

But a Hindu group said it began when Christians tried to attack a local Hindu leader on Monday, Christmas Eve.

It said a group of people surrounded the vehicle carrying Swami Laxamananda Saraswati as he was on his way to the area. He was taken to hospital but was not seriously hurt.

Object this, attack that. Wth. And for some reason it's always about religion.

Things boys/men need to know

1. "Hey, wanna go get a drink?" sounds exactly the same whether it's coming from just a friend or a guy who's actually interested in you.
2. Girls/women aren't mind-readers. We just pretend we are. We're not going to figure out that you're interested if all you do is sit there listening attentively and asking insightful questions.
3. Just because a girl/woman is talking to you doesn't mean she's interested in you.
4. Just because a girl/woman is smiling while talking to you doesn't mean she's interested in you.
5. Just because a girl/woman is single doesn't mean she's interested in you.
6. Yes, girls/women are naive enough to believe that some boys/men actually just want to be friends.

Christmas is over. Stop playing Christmas carols.

From BBC: Festive greetings 'from Heaven':

A man from the US state of Oregon has stunned friends and relatives by sending them Christmas cards, two months after his own death.

The 34 handwritten cards were sent and signed by Chet Fitch, who died in October aged 88, with "Heaven" given as the return address.

In a message on the cards, Mr Fitch said God had allowed him back to Earth specially to deliver the cards.

But his barber told local media they had planned the ruse together.

Patty Dean, 57, was quoted by the Ashland Daily Tidings newspaper as saying Mr Fitch had approached her with the idea in 1987, saying he wanted to play one last trick on people after his death.

Mr Fitch's daughter, Tangren Alexander, described the card as "sweet and funny. So much like him".

"When I opened his card, all I could think was: 'You little stinker,'" said Debbie Hansen-Bernard, an old friend.

Awesome. I wanna send cards from beyond the grave when I'm gone. And it'll say "you fuckers, I faked my death. My will doesn't apply now" and then they'll be all like "what?" and can't get my stuff. Ya, whatever.

Also, from NST: Singaporeans carrying oxygen cans when they go out:

SINGAPOREANS are carrying oxygen cans when they go out, according to Sin Chew
Daily.

A can containing 90% oxygen and 10% nitrogen is sold for S$238 (RM547).

One of the brands has sold over 1,000 cans since it was released in the market in May.

Users claimed that the product could calm and “recharge” the mind within two to three seconds.

... Riiiiiiiiight....
Well this sounds like something my mum would fall for. Isn't it basically the same thing as drinking more water? Just a whole lot more expensive?

From BBC: How to take a holiday in Pakistan:

Suicide bombs, battles in tribal areas, and states of emergency tend to put off casual tourists. But the impression such events convey can often be misleading and unrepresentative of a country as a whole.

A few days ago I was sitting in a cafe sipping best Italian espresso and reading a news magazine.

The front page was full of furious faces and clenched fists under the headline, The Most Dangerous Nation in the World isn't Iraq, it's Pakistan.

Pakistani holiday, anyone?

BBC: Turning the tables on Nigeria's e-mail conmen

Worth the reading. This is hilarious. From BBC: Turning the tables on Nigeria's e-mail conmen:

Mike is a "scambaiter," dedicated to fighting back against those who send out the notorious 419 e-mails, promising untold wealth to anyone gullible or naive enough to disclose their bank details.

Mike asked us not to use his full name because he's dealing with some heavy cross-border criminals.

His group of volunteers at 419eater.com use their computer skills to fool the scammers, to disrupt their crimes, and to have some fun at the scammer's expense. Every day, millions of people get e-mails like this:

"Dear Sir/ Madam,

I am fine today and how are you? I hope this letter will find you in the best of health. I am Prince Joe Eboh, the Chairman of the "Contract Award Committee", of the "Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)", a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

NDDC was set up by the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha who died on 18th June 1998, to manage the excess revenue accruing from the sales of Petroleum and its allied products as a domestic increase in the petroleum products to develop the communities in the Niger Delta Oil producing areas. The estimated annual revenue for 1999 was $45 Billion US Dollars... "

And of course, if you were only willing to help the writer siphon some of it off, a few of those many millions could be yours.

Police estimate that every year, US citizens alone are conned out of some $200m.

Painted breast

Mike told me how he baited the writer of the e-mail above, Prince Joe Eboh.

"I'm sure he's not a prince at all," Mike says. "He contacted me with a standard 419 [so-called after a section of Nigeria's legal code] scam.

"I tried to turn it round by saying I worked for a church and we couldn't do any business with people who are not of our faith."

Mike sent a response in the name of Father Hector Barnett of the Church of the Painted Breast.

"Dear Sir,

I would dearly love to help you. If you ever decide to join our faith then of course I could help you both with my experience and financial support. I wish you well in your endeavour my brother.

Yours, Father Hector Barnett

"Now I knew the guy would write back and say: 'Well, can I join your faith?' and indeed he did," says Mike.

"Dear Father Hector,

If joining your faith is what it takes to help me of course, I am ready to join you. I'm from a good Christian family. I will do anything you want me to do in the faith. Don't
forget that I have to transfer the money to your account as urgently as possible. Send me your account details. I hope to read your mail soon.

Prince Joe Eboh

'War-paint'

"Dear Joe,

Our ministry was founded in 1774 by a wonderful lady by the name of Betsy Carrington. She spent many of her first preaching years in Kenya, spreading the holy gospel amongst the local people there. She was the first person male or female to promote Christian texts and beliefs to the Masai warrior tribe.

The most famous account is when as a test she had to remove the top part of her clothes and paint the top half of her body and breast with the red Masai war-paint as a gesture of faith and belief to them so that they would accept her and trust her. She was almost immediately accepted by them and was one of the most trusted westerners known at that time.

As a qualification to enter the Holy Church of The Order of The Red Breast, all followers must go through the initiation procedure that Miss Carrington made so famous. I have attached a photograph of four of our young inductees going through the procedure.

Please use this picture to enable you to make the same marking on yourself. I have also attached a small picture showing the design in more detail. I look forward to welcoming you into our membership my brother.

Father Hector Barnett Financial Development - Holy Church of The Order of The Red Breast.

'Processing fees'

Using image software, Mike made up an "initiation" picture. And Prince Joe duly carried out the induction and e-mailed back a photo of himself in the properly sanctified state.

"Dear Brother Hector,

I want to thank the Almighty God himself for the opportunity I have to be a member of this great church The Holy Church Of The Painted Breast. I'm looking forward to establishing a branch of the Church here. But I'll like us to finish everything about the business proposal, which I sent to you earlier...

"He then tried to hit me for $18,000 for processing fees for transferring millions," Mike says.

He wrote back as Father Hector, saying that the church had plenty of money, but there was a withdrawal fee of $80.

"I persuaded him to send me the $80, which he did, inside a birthday card, by courier," Mike says.

However, former Scotland Yard fraud officer Tom Craig says that it is unprecedented for the 419 con artists to part with any money - he suggests the notes may have been forged.

Mike says that any money they get from these reverse stings to a children's charity in the north of England.

Exporting snow

Father Hector of the Church of the Painted Breast then entered a troubling period of religious uncertainty.

"Dear Joe,

This is your good friend Hector Barnett. Please do not be alarmed that I am contacting you from a different e-mail address. I will explain what has happened.

I have been troubled recently after the death of a dear friend of mine, Minnie Mowse. She was a very, very dear friend indeed, and her death affected me greatly and started to make me question my faith. I have decided to leave the church and join a travelling circus.

I have already made two very good friends, and tomorrow I will be starting my circus training with them...

Prince Joe then began receiving e-mails from another "Reverend" of the Church of the Painted Breast worried about the disappearance of Father Hector and $18,000 from church funds.

Joe already knew from Hector's increasingly eccentric e-mails that he had put the money into a business exporting snow to Siberia.

Lottery winnings

Despite that, Prince Joe still hasn't given up, even though he's $80 down. The e-mail exchange between the probably fake prince and the obviously fake church continues.

At the same time, the scambaiters are running several other such stings. I asked Mike why these people who are themselves scammers can't spot an obvious scam.

"I think it operates in much the same way as it does with real victims. Greed clouds their judgement. The guy obviously thought he was going to get $18,000 so easily, he was blinded by his own greed.

"Which is what happens to those who fall for the 419 scams; they just see all these millions."

This would all be funny if it wasn't for the millions of dollars being stolen and probably put into drugs or other criminal activities.

Mike and his friends send all their e-mail exchanges to the police in the UK, Nigeria and to the FBI - he says they've had no response. And even warning the victims does no good. Most of them don't want to believe they're being scammed.

The latest e-mail scam concerns lottery winnings you didn't know you had.

If you're tempted, just remember Prince Joe who's still sending e-mails saying he's sticking to his promise and saying the daily prayer:

"When all above seems a great test, Get on down with the Holy Red Breast."

Dear Father,

When I said the prayer this morning, something like a fountain went down my system making me to feel strong & happy. I have spent money to process all the necessary documents for the transfer of this fund. What remains now is the registration of your name as the contractor who executed the contract.

Yours, Joe.

Medical Mythbusters

From BBC: 'Medical myths' exposed as untrue:

Busted:

1. You need to drink 8 glasses of water a day to be healthy.
2. We only use 10% of our brains.
3. Hair and fingernails continue to grow after we're dead.
4. Shaving hair causes it to grow back faster, coarser and darker.
5. Reading in dim light damages your eyes.
6. Handphones cause interference to medical equipment.
7. Eating turkey makes you drowsy.

From BBC: Tea 'healthier' drink than water:

Newfound: Tea is a better drink to be healthy than water is.

And now you know.

Reuters: Older white women join Kenya's sex tourists

From Reuters: Older white women join Kenya's sex tourists:

MOMBASA, Kenya (Reuters) - Bethan, 56, lives in southern England on the same street as best friend Allie, 64.

They are on their first holiday to Kenya, a country they say is "just full of big young boys who like us older girls."

Hard figures are difficult to come by, but local people on the coast estimate that as many as one in five single women visiting from rich countries are in search of sex.

Allie and Bethan -- who both declined to give their full names -- said they planned to spend a whole month touring Kenya's palm-fringed beaches. They would do well to avoid the country's tourism officials.

"It's not evil," said Jake Grieves-Cook, chairman of the Kenya Tourist Board, when asked about the practice of older rich women traveling for sex with young Kenyan men.

"But it's certainly something we frown upon."

Us in 40 years?

Men being boys

How the hell is a girl supposed to tell the difference between someone asking a girl out as a friend and someone asking a girl out as a date?
How, I ask you?

Also, I actually had work to do today. Tomorrow's a holiday. And I've just booked my flight to Tawau, Sabah for NYE.

That's right, baby.

More good news

From NST: Get set for wireless@KL:

KUALA LUMPUR: Good news for KLites: limited wireless broadband access will be a thing of the past this time next year.

By September, they will be able to enjoy wireless broadband Internet access anytime, anywhere in the city without having to be near a hotspot; and for free, too, thanks to the KL Wireless Metropolitan Project, or wireless@kl.

It will operate on WiMax technology operating on the 2.3GHz spectrum at a speed of 512 kilobytes per second.

I believe that it will be put in place. I might even believe that it will happen next year. What I won't believe is the speed, until I see it for myself.


Follow-up on 'One step forward, two steps back'.
From NST: Saudi king pardons woman who was raped by 7 men:

RIYADH: King Abdullah has pardoned a female rape victim who had been sentenced
to six months in prison and 200 lashes for being alone with a man who was not related to her, a Saudi newspaper reported yesterday.

Thank God.

The escape of the fledgling banker

Option 1: Tawau, Sabah

To depart on 29th Dec, 7am and come back 1st Jan, 6pm. Cost at approx. RM600.
Weather forecast for next 7 days: Thunderstorms, rough seas warnings

Option 2: Langkawi, Kedah

To depart on 28th Dec, 9.15pm and come back 1st Jan, 8.15pm. Cost at approx. RM200.
Weather forecast for next 7 days: Thunderstorms.

Option 3: Copenhagen, Denmark

To depart on 28th Dec, 9.45pm and come back 2nd Jan, 7.45am. Cost at approx. RM4,800.
Weather forecast for next 5 days: Very poor.

Option 4: Amsterdam, Holland

To depart on 28th Dec, 9.45pm and come back 2nd Jan, 7.45am. Cost at approx. RM4,800.
Weather forecast for next 5 days: Good.

Option 5: Palacio, Asian Heritage Row

And I die a little inside.

On the bright side

From The Informed Reader: Is Oil headed for a Crash?:

John Cassidy has a message for consumers who are contemplating giving up their SUVs to save on gasoline: not so fast.

Oil prices, which have hovered near record levels this fall, are to set plunge 50% or more in the next two or three years, says Mr. Cassidy in CondeNast’s Portfolio magazine. The downturn could be even steeper after that — $30 a barrel oil is a distinct possibility in the not-so-distant future, he says.

Mr. Cassidy bases his prediction on one essential idea: that the steep rise in crude prices over the past four years has been prolonged enough to fundamentally alter the behavior of both oil producers and consumers.

He certainly isn’t alone in anticipating a retreat in oil prices – many economists have forecast a pullback from the lofty $90-$100 a barrel levels of the past few months to $70-$85 next year as producers ramp up output to meet demand and a slowing U.S. economy reins in consumption. But most oil watchers also say that burgeoning demand from big developing economies like China and India will keep prices from falling too far.

There you go. Good news.

The optimistic Finn

From BBC Sport: Hamilton team-mate expects parity:

Heikki Kovalainen says he is confident of being treated equally with team-mate Lewis Hamilton at McLaren next season.

The former Renault driver has swapped places with former world champion Fernando Alonso, who has left McLaren after a fractious one-year stint.

"One thing I wanted to establish before signing was that I'd be treated equally," he told BBC London 94.9.

Poor little disillusioned Finn. He really thinks that even though he's already being described in the news as "Hamilton team-mate", he will be treated equally. Every Schumacher needs his Barrichello, but to misguide him in such a way is just mean. He's just a kid. Like how we were brought up to think that working would make us happy and feel fulfilled. Am I right?

Viva la revolucion

From The Star: 5,000 youths sign for peace:

IPOH: Over 5,000 Malaysians have voiced their rejection of street demonstrations
in a nationwide signature campaign led by the Malaysian Youth Council and Barisan Nasional Youth.

“We are not only against Hindraf (Hindu Rights Action Force). We are rejecting all street demonstrations,” he said.

Is this a sign for peace or for submission? If there is no existing avenue for citizens to voice their concerns that will be heard by government officials, and our own freedom of expression is taken away, how is the country supposed to function in unity?

Sociology finds that a functional society exists by finding ways to interact between the cultures through compromise and acceptance. America found their way to freeing the slaves and accepting them as citizens, a movement begun by the people through the manifestating of racial unrest in the form of demonstrations and public spectacles. How is the government to know the preferences of their citizens if they won't let us voice it? How are they to ensure unity if they don't know our understanding of unity?

Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

I suppose it's a bit worrying to get to the stage where everyday, at about lunchtime, you feel the need for a drink. There seems to be an association between eating and drinking in my head that's going a little bit beyond fun, and a step towards crave. And as always, when presented with a problem, I turn to the (other) solution to all my problems: Google.

There's actually a difference between "alcohol abuse" and "alcoholism". From Alcohol & Drug Abuse:

Alcohol & Drug Abuse

Some people who drink alcohol and/or use drugs become substance abusers. Alcohol and drug abusers, or substance abusers...

... use alcohol or drugs to help them change the way they feel about themselves and/or some aspect(s) of their lives.

... experience some problems associated with their alcohol or drug use but use those experiences to set appropriate limits on how much and how often they drink or use.

... seldom, if ever, repeat the alcohol- and drug-related behaviors that have caused them problems in the past.

... know what their limits are and drink or use within those limits - unless they have a good reason not to.

... get complaints about their drinking or using and accept those complaints as expressions of concern for their well-being.

Alcoholism & Drug Addiction

A few people who drink alcohol and/or use drugs become alcoholics and/or addicts. Alcoholics and drug addicts...

...experience negative consequences associated with drinking or using but continue to drink or use despite those consequences.

...set limits on how much or how often they will drink or use but unexpectedly exceed those limits.

...promise themselves and/ or other people that they will drink or use in moderation but break those promises.

...feel guilty or remorseful about their drinking or using but still fail to permanently alter the way they drink or use.

...get complaints about their drinking or using and resent, discount, and/or disregard those comments and complaints.

From HelpGuide.org:

People with an alcohol abuse problem:

• Use alcohol to help them change the way they feel about themselves and/or some aspect(s) of their lives.
• Experience some problems associated with their alcohol use but use those experiences to set appropriate limits on how much and how often they drink.
• Seldom, if ever, repeat the alcohol-related behaviors that have caused them problems in the past.
• Get complaints about their alcohol use and accept those complaints as expressions of concern for their well-being.

People who are addicted to alcohol:

• Experience negative consequences associated with drinking but continue to drink despite those consequences.
• Set limits on how much or how often they will drink but unexpectedly exceed those limits.
• Promise themselves and/or other people that they will drink in moderation but break those promises.
• Feel guilty or remorseful about their drinking but still fail to permanently alter the way they drink.
• Get complaints about their drinking and resent, discount, and/or disregard those comments and complaints.

And now we know.

The disappearance of the fledgling banker

Today, i was struck by this overwhelming feeling to disappear for a
while, like 6 months or a year. Or whatever. Seriously, i just felt
this need to go out and find the less disappointing sides of human
beings that i have to believe is out there or i go crazy.

Before this, i never thought that i was the long term travelling type.
I mean the type to disappear and reappear as and when. It turns out, i
am. I want to go get that zen feeling that i get on holidays that
disappears the second i touch down in kl. I want to find beauty in
nature and people. I want to be far enough away to have absence make
the heart grow fonder. I want the strength to help me accept the
things that i cannot change but will always be in my life. I want to
let this poison disappear from my body. If only.

The Star: Rainfall level 'at normal range'

From The Star: Rainfall level ‘at normal range’

KUALA LUMPUR: Rainfall recorded for the past few weeks was within the normal range compared to the same period last year, said Deputy Science, Technology and Innovations Minister Datuk Kong Cho Ha.

He said it was normal for floods to occur in the east coast states due to the heavy rain brought on by the north-east monsoon.

Kong added that normal rainfall was also forecast for the weeks to come.

“For decades, floods have been occurring in the east coast states, and district officers and the relevant authorities have been prepared for months,” he told reporters after opening the Tunku Abdul Rahman College’s Project Design Exhibition 2007 in conjunction with its open day Friday.

Kong said it was expected that there would be about four “waves” of floods in the next three months.

“The current flood is the first wave, and each wave can last about three to four days,” he added.

Is it just me or is there something wrong with the picture? This is "normal", has been happening every year, and yet their "preparations" consists of preparing not for excessive rainfall, but for people being affected by floods due to the excessive rainfall. Isn't that like thinking, 'it's inevitable that I get this disease, but instead of preparing for it by taking preventive medicine, I will instead prepare my will and deathbed'?

What?

Removing the blindfolds

Ever wonder what we'd be privy to in the newspapers if the government didn't have a stranglehold on the media, and free speech was prevalent? Probably this.

I got the Hindraf letter in the inbox today. The authenticity cannot be ascertained, but it seems pretty genuine to me. Only read it if you want to, and I'm only putting it up because I believe in freedom of speech and freedom of opinion. As in, if you call me unpatriotic, I will have the freedom to be of the opinion that you're a shithead.

HINDRAF
Hindu Rights Action Force
No. 135-3-A, Jalan Toman 7,
Kemayan Square,
70200 Seremban,
Negeri Sembilan Malaysia.
Tel : 06-7672995/6
Fax: 06-7672997
Email waytha@hotmail.com

15.11.2007
The Rt. Hon. Gordon Brown Prime Minister of the United Kindom
10 Downing Street,
Fax: +442079250918
London, URGENT
SW1A 2AA

Dear Sirs,

RE: 1. COMMONWEALTH ETHNIC INDIAN PEACE LOVING SUBJECTS IN MALAYSIA PERSECUTED BY GOVERNMENT BACKED ISLAMIC EXTREMIST VIOLENT ARMED TERRORIST WHO LAUNCHED A PRE DAWN VIOLENT ARMED ATTACK AND DESTROYED THE KG JAWA MARIAMAN HINDU TEMPLE AT 4.00 A.M THIS MORNING (15.11.2007).

2. APPEAL FOR U.K TO MOVE EMERGENCY U.N RESOLUTION CONDEMNING "ETHNIC CLEANSING" IN MALAYSIA .

3. APPEAL TO REFER MALAYSIA TO THE WORLD COURT AND INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT FOR CRIMES AGAINST IT'S OWN ETHNIC MINORITY INDIANS.

We refer to the above critical matters in Malaysia but which generally gets the least attention locally even by the Opposition parties, NGO's, the Malaysian Human Rights Commission and the media for this community is generally regarded as politically insignificant, do not draw local or international funding and are deemed not pressworthy. To the contrary the Malaysian government has successfully projected itself to the world as a modern Islamic thinking country which is not true.

The ethnic minority Indians in Malaysia were brought in to Malaysia by the British some 200 over years ago. Since independence in 1957 the Malaysian Indians have been permanently colonialised by the Islamic fundamentalist and Malay chauvinists UMNO led Malaysian government.

Among the recent atrocities committed by this government are as follows:-

1.100 over Indians were slashed and killed by the UMNO controlled Malaysian government in the Kampung Medan mini genocide. Despite numerous appeals, the Malaysian Human Rights Commission has refused to hold a Public Inquiry. The UMNO controlled Malaysian courts struck off a victim's public interest civil suit for a Public Inquiry to be held without even the said UMNO controlled government having to file in their defence. The UMNO controlled Attorney General and the Inspector General of Police refused to investigate and / or initiate an inquest into the death of at least six Indians in this tragedy despite.

2. Every week one person at average is killed in a shot to kill policy and in every 2 weeks one person is killed in police custody. About 60% of these victims are Indians though they form only 8% of the Malaysian population.

3. In every three weeks one Hindu temple is demolished in Malaysia. The latest being the demolishment of the Mariaman temple in Padang Jawa, Shah Alam, Selangor early this morning ( 15.11.2007) and the next being the (Mutaiya) Hindu temple in Sungai Petani scheduled for the 29.11.2007.

A violent armed pre down attack at 4.00a.m this morning was launched by the UMNO controlled Malaysian government backed by about 600 police, riot police, Islamic extremist and armed terrorists which completely destroyed this temple.

In an attack two weeks ago, uniformed police, riot police and city Council officers hurled rocks and attacked unarmed Hindu devotees with knives, sticks and iron rods.

At least 20 Hindu devotees were seriously injured and 19 arrested including 4 of their United Kingdom trained lawyers in direct violation of Article 5 (Right to life) Article 8 (Equality) Article 11 (Freedom of Religion) Section 295 (defiling a place of worship), Section 296 (disturbing a religious assembly), 298A(causing racial disharmony) and Section 441(criminal trespass) of the Malaysian Penal Code.

These authorities are plagued by an above the law mindset and in fact liberally take the law into their own hands. These atrocities however does not happen to almost all Islamic places of worship. Please visit http://www.policewatchmalaysia.com/ for further and better particulars.

4. State sponsored direct discrimination against the Indians in Public University intakes, Indian (Tamil) Schools, skills training institutes, civil service and private sector job opportunities, business and license opportunities and in almost all other aspects of daily life.

Despite our hundreds of letters, appeals and pleas to the Malaysian King and Sultans, the Prime Minister, Attorney General, Inspector General of Police, Ministers, Chief Ministers and the latest being our letters to the Prime Minister dated 29.10.2007 and 30.10.2007 and to the Attorney General dated 1.11.2007 the Malaysian authorities are only proceeding with greater ferocity and with impunity with very little regard for the Federal Constitution and laws of Malaysia. So please help us.

CONCLUSION

We fear that this peace loving Indian community of Tamil origin having been pushed to the corner and the persecution getting worse by the day may be forced to into terrorism in a matter of time as what has happened to the Sri Lankan Tamils.

APPEAL

On our part we are committed to a peaceful and lawful struggle and pray and appeal that the Government of the United Kingdom :-

1. Moves an emergency United Nations resolution condemning these state sponsored atrocities and persecutions of Malaysian Indians in Malaysia .

2. Refers Malaysia to the World Court and the International Criminal Court for Crimes against it's own ethnic minority Indians

Thank You,
Yours Faithfully P.Uthayakumar Legal Adviser

So there it is. Interestingly, I looked up "Kampung Medan" on our good old friend, Google, and found what they were talking about. I'd never heard about it.

From Malaysiakini: Remembering Kampung Medan: one year after:

Prasana Chandran

Mar 8, 02 10:08am

There was a funeral, a wedding, and a misunderstanding over a broken van windscreen. These led to a full-blown racial clash in Petaling Jaya Selatan that left six people dead and scores others suffering from head injuries, slash wounds and broken bones.

Photographs in malaysiakinis possession are gruesome evidence of the extensive hurt, both physical and emotional, inflicted by the clashes.

One of the victims, V Vasu, 24, had both his hands hacked off by rampaging youths. Doctors managed to reattach his left hand but failed to save two of his fingers.

There are several large stitch wounds on his forearm and on his wrist. There is also an unsightly wound on his palm.

Another photograph shows a man with a 20cm healed wound from below the navel right up to the rib-cage. While a third shows a man with over 20 stitches on each wrist.

The infamous incident, better known as the 'Kampung Medan clashes', took place exactly a year ago today.

It is often compared to the racial riots of May 13, 1969 which was sparked off after an opposition party's election victory parade.

The May 13 incident has been frequently used as a bogeyman during election time by the ruling coalition to urge the masses to reject the opposition, claiming that a bloody riot could recur.

One wonders why the March 8 clashes had not been twisted to the ruling coalition's benefit as well?

Apart from the six deaths, the four-day long clashes, also saw more than 40 people hospitalised. The majority of the victims were poor Indian Malaysians.

The incident created a climate of fear, anxiety, suspicion and trauma as attackers armed with parangs, samurai swords, iron rods and sticks roamed the vicinity baying for blood.

The government has been accused of denying the racial dimension of the clashes, perhaps concerned over Malaysia's international image as it might rattle investor confidence.

Until today, despite numerous memorandums sent to the Prime Minister's Department and Human Rights Commission (Suhakam), there has not been a show of a response.

This has undoubtedly created dismay among the minority Indians in the country.

The wedding tent

The whole episode supposedly started with an Indian security guard returning from work at 3am on March 4.

He found a tent erected for a wedding in the middle of the narrow road in Kampung Medan. He grew agitated and started kicking the tables and chairs.

This angered the Malay family that was preparing for the wedding, who rushed out and assaulted him. He fled but returned later with a parang and five other cohorts.

A fight broke out and at one point, the security guard fled to a nearby house, belonging to an Indian family, where a funeral wake was being held..

The group of Malays, who assumed he was a member of the household, then set fire to a car and two motorcycles parked nearby.

This marked the beginning of the bloody clashes, which was further aggravated when an Indian boy, using a slingshot, smashed the windscreen of his neighbour's vehicle.

The angry van owner, an Indian, sought compensation from the children's parents. He was joined by his driver, a Malay, but some villagers who saw the commotion thought that a Malay was threatening the Indians. Rumours began to spread and the rest is history.

The fragile balance of inter-racial 'harmony' was tipped with dire consequences -neighbourhood quarrels led to a racial strife.

The accounts

A six-member team representing a network of NGOs for a Violence Free Community took upon themselves to record the names and injuries of the victims.

Below are some of the details:

March 8: A 26-year-old construction worker and his friend were returning to their homes in Kampung Semarak off Old Klang Road on a motorcycle at 10.30pm. They were attacked by about 50 youths carrying iron rods, wooden sticks and hockey sticks. His friend escaped, but the construction worker ended up with a broken right
leg.

Suresh, 19, sustained head injuries when he was assaulted by five people at about 10.30pm. The college student from Taman Medan was returning home when five to six youths obstructed his way. They asked him about his ethnic origin. When he told them, Suresh was attacked with sharp instruments and wooden sticks. He passed out. He suffered multiple slash wounds on the head and abdomen. He also suffered a deep slash which almost severed the wrist from his left hand.

March 9: Mathavan was assaulted by a gang of youths when he was returning home on a motorcycle. He suffered a leg fracture and injuries on his hands. His motorcycle was torched.

Annadurai was carrying goods in his van when youths attacked him near the Shell petrol station in Sri Manja (near Taman Medan). He suffered injuries on his head and hands.

Security guard Kanan was assaulted in Kampung Medan while returning home from work. He had head injuries, a fractured leg and suffered a hemorrhage in his kidney. Rajathurai was on drips and on a resuscitation machine.

Naharul Hisham sustained injuries on his hands and his fingers were almost severed.

March 10: A fifth form student from Kampung Gandhi who was in Taman Medan with his brother at 3pm were chased by about 100 men on motorcycles, armed with samurai swords, wooden sticks and iron rods. The two were caught and assaulted. His brother's hands were almost severed.

Norhashihadi was returning to Kampung Medan after work when he was attacked by 10 men. He suffered head injuries.

In Sungei Way, Indonesian worker Sujari was attacked by six men while Yong So Lin was attacked by three.

Muthukumar, from Bidor, Perak, was delivering fruits when he and his co-worker were attacked by youths in Kampung Datuk Harun. He sustained head injuries.

Anbalakan was assaulted by a few youths when he stopped at the traffic light near Kampung Datuk Harun. He was on his way home to Sungai Buloh. He had leg injuries.

Ramesan, a mute, was attacked in Kampung Medan, sustaining injuries on his legs and hands.

March 11: Sahjahan, a Bangladeshi factory worker, was attacked by a man in Sungei Way. He fell unconscious and sustained injuries on his head and hands.

Kathirvelu had nose and head injuries. Thinakaran had injuries on his hand and leg.

Parthiban, 19, had stitches on the face and head. Anbarasan had injuries on his legs, hands and ear.

March 12: Subramaniam was travelling from Brickfields in Kuala Lumpur to his home in Sri Sentosa when he was assaulted. He had injuries on his head and back.

Bakhshish Elahi, a Pakistani, and his partner were assaulted in a lorry by about 100 youths armed with pipes, swords and parangs. He had injuries on his head, legs and hand.

March 13: A lorry driver and a factory supervisor were attacked by youths with parangs. Four fingers on the supervisor's right hand were almost severed. He also had two slash wounds across his shoulders. The lorry driver's fingers on his left hand were almost severed. He also suffered a slash wound to the back of the head.

In the aftermath

Following the bloody clashes, a group of concerned citizens comprising non-governmental organisations and individuals came together to draw-up a memorandum that was sent to the Prime Minister's Department, after failing to hand it personally to premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad at the Parliament House last year.

In the memorandum, the group asked that financial support be provided for the affected families as the victims were from the lower-income group such as petty traders, lorry drivers and factory workers. And some families had lost their breadwinner.

The group asked for immediate socio-economic development programmes aimed at providing adequate housing, sanitation, community centres, recreational facilities, public amenities and places of worship in Kampung Medan and the affected areas.

The poorest of them, regardless of their ethnic background, should be given further aid to own houses.

There was a request for the setting up of a special multi-ethnic police task force as the police were perceived to have acted sluggishly during the first three days of the
clashes. Only a multi-ethnic police force would be able to handle Kampung Medan-type of conflicts that involve racial dimensions, said the memorandum.

The communities living in the affected areas have long been suffering from drug and gang related problems. These problems, however, are not merely confined to the Kampung Medan area. Therefore, the setting up of a national task force was in order to take a holistic approach to resolve the problems.

The memorandum said Malaysians from all walks of life face racial discrimination and religious intolerance. Taking the Kampung Medan incident as a cue, it called for a Race Relations Commission be set up in order to eradicate unfair discrimination.

However, there has been no response to the memorandum, and no Royal Commission of Inquiry into the matter.

A political party, Parti Reformasi Insan Malaysia (Prim), has also been pressuring the government for adequate compensation and to investigate the cause of the clashes.

In the aftermath of the clashes, a BBC news article dated March 18, 2001 reported:
"Today, it is clear that beneath the normally tranquil surface of Malaysian society, dangerous tensions of the potential for violence still lurks."

I think there are a lot of fair requests in there. How did I not know about this? Oh that's right. Censorship.

Preparing for the new wave

Here's where I set out my New Year's Resolutions. In banking-speak, that means setting out my Key Performance Indicators (KPI), because how else are we supposed to measure how good the year was?

1. Skydive.
2. Go white water rafting.
3. Visit a country that I've never been to before.
4. Learn to ride a scooter properly.
5. Get over the NYE debacle (See? It's in here).
6. Moderate my drinking.

For bonus points:

1. Move out.
2. Fund a holiday entirely by myself.
3. Scale a mountain (Kinabalu if possible).
4. Decide on my career plan for the next 5 years.

And now, there is a public record of this.

Holocaust offends Muslims? What?

From BBC: Holocaust 'ban' e-mail confusion:

E-mails are circulating around the world, claiming the UK has banned the teaching of the Holocaust in schools.

The false suggestion is the action has been taken by the government to avoid offending some Muslim communities.

A number of people have contacted the BBC News website querying e-mails they have been sent.

One example is headed "In Memoriam".

It says: "Recently this week, UK removed The Holocaust from its school curriculum because it 'offended' the Moslem population which claims it never occurred."

It adds: "This is a frightening portent of the fear that is gripping the world and how easily each country is giving into it."

What? I'm not offended by the Holocaust. That's ridiculous. What does the Holocaust have to do with Muslims? It was the persecution of Jews.

You'll be glad to know that the e-mail is totally and wholly untrue.

BBC: Why we snooze after Sunday lunch

From BBC: Why we snooze after Sunday lunch:

University of Manchester researchers have discovered how the nerve cells in the brain that keep us alert become turned off after we eat.

Glucose - the sugar found in foods - stops these cells from producing signals to keep people awake.

The human body has an in-built mechanism which means that when the body needs fuel, the brain chemistry creates alertness.

But when that hunger is sated, the chemistry swings the other way.

Neil Stanley, director of sleep research at the Human Psychopharmacology Research Unit Medical Research Centre at the University of Surrey, said the work was interesting.

But he added: "There are many behavioural, circadian and societal factors that also determine whether we nap in the afternoon or not.

"The siesta is not only dependent on the intake of food.

"We naturally have a dip in alertness around 2pm to 4pm that happens whether we eat lunch or not.

"We also do not get tired after eating breakfast because we are on the rising phase of our circadian rhythm."

And now we know.

(FYI: circadian rhythm
A daily cycle of biological activity based on a 24-hour period and influenced by regular variations in the environment, such as the alternation of night and day. Circadian rhythms include sleeping and waking in animals, flower closing and opening in angiosperms, and tissue growth and differentiation in fungi.)

The Star: Mild earthquake hits Bukit Tinggi

This is relevant to those who attended the midweek madness last night.
Oh my god. This is the funniest thing ever.

Thursday, December 13, 2007
The Star: Mild earthquake hits Bukit Tinggi

KUALA LUMPUR: A mild earthquake, measuring 3.2 on the Richter scale, hit Bukit Tinggi in Pahang at 6.01pm yesterday.

It caused weak tremors in and around Bukit Tinggi, the Meteorological Department said.

It advised the public not to be alarmed by the tremors. – Bernama

Why democracies don't work

September:
Candidate puts forth proposition NYE. No quorum, no decision.

October:
Candidate re-submits proposition NYE. No quorum, no decision.

November:
Candidate re-submits proposition NYE. Quorum is achieved. Council deliberates. No decision.

December:

• Candidate re-submits proposition NYE with deadline. Council deliberates. Deadline passes with 20% participation. Decision requires simple majority. No decision.
• Second Candidate submits proposition NYE2.0. Council deliberates. Quorum is achieved. No decision.
  

Don't ask me about NYE

I hereby wash my hands off any and all decisions relating to NYE. If a plan comes through, I'm in. If not, fine. I don't care if I end up staying at home and doing nothing. It's just another day. You want me to get over it? That'll be one of my new year's resolutions, okay?

This is fucking frustating is what it is. I've been trying to get someone to just say "okay" to booking something somewhere since fucking September. No. No okay. Not even from people who know they're going to be here. It's so frustrating that I gave up 2 weeks ago and was going to run off to Singapore until Pher said he was going to be here.

So, no. I don't know if you will be able to make it for NYE because I have no clue about what you do and what needs to be done. No, I cannot choose a suite type unless you tell me what kind of space the suite involves. No, I will not give my credit card number to book a room for people who refuse to confirm it. If anyone has a bloody good reason to say "I'm okay with whatever", it's me.

Don't fucking ask me about NYE.

Proud to be Australian?

So much went on yesterday that I forgot to put this up:

A judge's decision not to jail nine men guilty of raping a 10-year-old girl in an Aboriginal community has triggered outrage in Australia.

The offenders were either placed on probation or given suspended sentences for the 2005 rape in the Aurukun settlement, in northern Queensland.

In her ruling, Judge Sarah Bradley told them that the victim "probably agreed to have sex with all of you".

(Source: BBC: Rape case ruling shocks Australia)

THE prosecutor at the centre of the case in which six attackers escaped jail time for the gang rape of a 10-year-old on Cape York has been stood aside, pending an investigation.

Queensland Attorney-General Kerry Shine last night said the Director of Public Prosecutions would investigate the conduct of Steve Carter, the senior legal officer responsible for Cape York matters, in the DPP's Cairns chambers.

Court transcripts released yesterday showed Mr Carter had described the 2006 incident as "childish experimentation" and consensual "in a general sense".

The girl was gang-raped at the age of seven in Aurukun on Cape York in 2002, and was later put into foster care with a non-indigenous family in Cairns. However, child safety officers in April 2006 returned her to Aurukun, where she was raped again at the age of 10.

(Source: TheAge: Gang rape prosecutor stood down)

Yep. That's right.

The aftermath

The road leading to the Parliament building was swarming with police personnel who were on a mission - Stop Coalition for Free and Fair Elections (Bersih) members from entering the August House.

(Source: Malaysiakini: Mission accomplished: 'Bersih 8' sneak in memo)

KUALA LUMPUR: Police arrested 29 people who snubbed a court order and went ahead with an illegal gathering at the Parliament House yesterday.

They were detained after they showed up to submit a Bersih memorandum to protest against the Constitution (Amendment) Bill to extend Election Commission members’ retirement age from 65 to 66.

• Parti Keadilan Rakyat, PAS and Parti Socialist Malaysia leaders were among those arrested at Parliament House.
• The Dewan Rakyat passed the Bill yesterday with more than a two-thirds majority after Opposition MPs staged a walkout.
• Seventeen of those arrested were released on police bail and the rest freed unconditionally.

(Source: The Star: 29 nabbed at illegal gathering at Parliament House)

OPPOSITION members present at Dewan Rakyat yesterday staged a walkout five minutes before a vote was taken to amend the Constitution to extend the retirement age of seven Election Commission members from 65 to 66 years.

(Source: NST: Dewan Rakyat: Walkout over bill to extend retirement age)

KUALA LUMPUR: In a dramatic sequence of events, Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) legal adviser P. Uthayakumar was arrested twice over alleged seditious offences yesterday.

At 9.20am, policemen picked him up outside a shopping mall in Bangsar and brought him to a Sessions Court at noon to face a charge of publishing a seditious letter on a website.

Eight hours later, after he posted bail of RM50,000 for allegedly posting the Nov 15 letter on the Police Watch website, he was arrested again at the lobby of the Jalan Duta court complex.

By 7pm, his lawyer M. Manoharan said Uthayakumar had been taken to the Pudu prison in connection with another sedition case.

(Source: The Star: Hindraf leader nabbed, freed on bail, nabbed again over alleged sedition)

KUALA KRAI: The 38 people who fell sick while being stranded in the jungle with more than 100 participants of an off-road expedition, have been rescued.

A team of VAT 69 police commandos helped them out, some on piggybacks, to the search and rescue operations centre at SMK Lakloh, about 270km from Kota Baru, where they were given first aid.

(Source: The Star: Commandos rescue 38 stranded in jungle)

Bersih Update

So here's the gist of what's been happening today from Malaysiakini:

AFP Dec 11, 07 1:04pm
The United States called on Malaysia to allow freedom of expression and assembly as the government of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi widened its crackdown on dissent.

(Source: US tells M'sia to allow freedom of expression)


Beh Lih Yi Dec 11, 07 12:12pm
PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim was detained by immigration officials for 45 minutes after he arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport this morning.

(Source: Anwar hauled up by immigration officials)

Sequence of Events

Here's the sequence of events of Hindraf:

22 November:

PUTRAJAYA: Police will not be issuing a permit for the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) rally this Sunday.

Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Mohd Johari Baharum said judging from text messages being circulated, Hindraf appeared to be playing up sensitive issues which included the demolition of Hindu temples.

(Source: NST: Rally to petition Queen E 'stirring religious sentiments')

KUALA KANGSAR: The decision whether or not to charge leaders of the Hindu Rights Action Force Hindraf with sedition will be known next week, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz.

He said police had conducted an investigation into whether Hindraf was behind a recent petition accusing the Government of carrying out ethnic cleansing of Indians here.

(Source: The Star: Sedition: Hindraf leaders to know next week)

5 December:

SHAH ALAM: Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Ghani Patail made a personal appearance at the Sessions Court here to lay charges against 26 people who allegedly took part in an illegal gathering at the Sri Subramaniar Temple in Batu Caves on Nov 25.


The 26 were charged with being in an illegal assembly and using criminal force on policeman Dadi Abdul Rani with the intent of causing death, under Section 149 of the Penal Code that was punishable under Section 307 of the same code.

(Source: The Star: Batu Caves illegal assembly case sees A-G laying charges)

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz was shocked during a recent work trip to India to find a newspaper there carrying a front page article that claimed that Malaysia was practising apartheid against Hindus.

Holding up the DNA newspaper of Nov 28, the International Trade and Industry Minister said that the article quoted a 22-year-old Sri Lankan-born poet who had spent 17 years in Malaysia, as saying that she fled Malaysia last month to escape “systematic racial harassment.”

(Source: The Star: Shocked by 'apartheid' report)

6 December:

KUALA LUMPUR: Allegations by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) that the Government was carrying out ethnic cleansing and had committed atrocities against Indians in Malaysia are baseless and untrue, said lawyer Karpal Singh.

(Source: The Star: Hindraf's allegations untrue, says Karpal)

7 December:

SHAH ALAM: The 31 alleged supporters of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) charged with attempted murder, causing mischief and participating in an illegal assembly were denied bail by the Sessions Court yesterday.

Sessions judge Azimah Omar said she had considered the severity of the offences and the issue of national security in making the ruling.

(Source: The Star: 'Batu Caves 31' denied bail)

8 December:

KUALA KANGSAR: The Government has identified the overseas groups linked to Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf).

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz said the groups are Sri Lanka’s Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the RSS, a militant organisation in India.

(Source: The Star: Link is with Tamil Tiger's and India's RSS, says Nazri)

9 December:

KUALA LUMPUR: The Indian community has been advised not to heed an SMS that claimed Hindraf would hold a gathering in Kg Baru, said Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo.

He said the messages were sent out with the intention of causing anger among the Malays and create racial tension.

(Source: The Star: Ignore SMS on gathering in Kg Baru, says MB)

11 December:

SHAH ALAM: The High Court here set aside a lower court's decision to discharge three Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders who were charged with sedition earlier.

(Source: The Star: Decision to discharge trio set aside)

PETALING JAYA: Umno Youth regrets the statement by the Hindu Rights Action Force which described Umno as its enemy.

Its treasurer Datuk Abdul Hamid Nazahar said the statement showed that the organisation was playing extremist politics.

He said Hindraf should be rejected and hated by all for the sake of peace and prosperity of the country.

(Source: The Star: Youth: Hindraf playing extremist politics)

So, I worked on all this as a run-up to telling you that there are roadblocks in place today. No one was sure why but speculation was that Hindraf was planning a mass rally or something along those lines. You see, there'd been an SMS and emails going around saying that they'd been stockpiling weapons, and there was gonna be something on Dec 16. I think these might just be stupid people trying to incite people and think it's fun. Yes, there are people like that.

And then whoren pointed me to MalaysiaKini which reported:

Dec 11, 07 10:35am
The police have closed all entries to Parliament since this morning, ostensibly to block members of polls reform group Bersih from submitting a protest memorandum on a proposed constitutional amendment.

(Source: MalaysiaKini: All roads to Parliament blocked)

So there you go. It's not Hindraf. It's the other human rights group.

The Star: JPJ men and cop nabbed

They may not be the best, or the most honest, but it's nice to know they're doing something:

KUALA LUMPUR: Three Road Transport Department (JPJ) officers, a traffic police corporal and four runners have been arrested in a sticker-for-protection scam worth hundreds of thousands of ringgit.

Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) officers who arrested the eight in Selangor in the last two days seized stickers with initials like KCE, KCHAI, BoB, VML, John, KFC, CB and one with a star-shaped symbol.

Lorry drivers who display the stickers would not be hauled up for overloading during operations by the JPJ and police.

(Source: The Star: JPJ men and cop nabbed)

Of course, the question now is, were they charged because the ACA didn't get a kickback? And why didn't they charge the rest of the syndicate?

Plan B

So I had a good old reflection of my life yesterday, as I rushed in my BMW to Palacio to pick up the platinum credit card that I'd left at a different location the night before (shut up). You see, I passed by this old man sitting by the side of the highway, and that got me thinking about how much I don't want to end up like that: a person with no means in a culture where means mean everything.

I was depressed all along Jalan Parlimen, thinking about what it would be like living without a car, or the possibility of spending more than what I earn every month. And then BAM! it hit me. I have a plan B. Plan B comes in the form of Pai, Thailand. I know, I've been going on and on about it, but that's really it.

Plan B:
If my life starts going the way that people commonly call "downhill", I'll pack up and move to Pai, where you don't need much to live on and there's no pressure or influence to make you buy a thousand dollar handbag. And if I get tired of it? I'll go somewhere else like that.

I don't want to be unhappy. Meaning, I don't want to live where people will think less of me because I don't have the means. Who knows? My Plan B might actually turn out to be my Plan A one day.

What's up?

So much news. And so much to be proud of, too.

For starters, this happened on Kuta Beach, Bali. Those are the bodies of about 1,000 participants depicting a world in which global warming has taken its toll, along with the words "11th hour".

This was to prompt action from the UN Climate Change Conference being held in Bali.

Source: 11thHourAction.com


Could global warming be causing this?

PETALING JAYA: A weak 3.5 magnitude earthquake occurred in Bukit Tinggi, Pahang, at 8.55pm last night.

According to the Meteorological Department, the incident triggered off slight tremors.

(Source: NST: Quake measuring 3.5 hits Bukit Tinggi)

In a country that's supposed to be off the fault lines, this worries me. I mean, I thought we were safe here. If we're going to be susceptible to things like earthquakes anyway, we might as well be so in like California or something. Am I right?

And then there was the march for World Human Rights Day yesterday, which I blogged about before but totally forgot about on the day itself. I suck. What happened was this:

About 100 lawyers, activists, bloggers and members of non-governmental organisations gathered near the Sogo Shopping Complex at 7.30am and walked to the Bar Council building, about 3km away, where events to commemorate World Human Rights Day were planned. The group held a banner during the walk.

There were also some people, said to be family members of Internal Security Act detainees, with surgical masks with ISA written on them.

When the group reached Jalan Tun Perak, an argument broke out between some marchers and the police, who ordered them to disperse. The police then arrested the eight people.

(Source: The Star: Eight held in illegal march)

I'm proud of people being socially conscious, and being brave enough to stand up for what they believe in. So many people these days just sit down and complain amongst themselves, but when it comes down to it, they'll never do anything. You're either part of the solution or you're part of the problem. Or you're just whiners. (Like certain uncles of mine who do nothing but complain about anything and everything. When presented with a suggestion, his immediate response will be "You think they'll do anything about it?" in an incredulous tone. If you don't like it, move back to that country.)

What was wrong with having the walk in the first place? It isn't meant to invoke any racial or religious elements, or even anything in Malaysia for that matter. It's for the rights of humans, regardless of location, religion or race. What the hell?

Oh, and so much pride in the government:

KOTA KINABALU: An officer of the National Registration Department that issued a MyKad belonging to a teenager from Sandakan to someone else has told the girl that she can make a “fresh application with a new identity to resolve the problem.”

(Source: The Star: Change your identity, girl told)

No seriously. I mean, forget the fact that identity theft is illegal and they haven't done anything about it. Really.

Moving on to the government's actions:

IPOH: Police detained 82 people, including women and students, and seized 77 motorcycles in a pre-dawn operation to catch illegal racers and Mat Rempit.

(Source: The Star: Married couple and students among 82 caught in dragnet)

That's right. They're doing something. Prediction for what will happen in my family sooner or later:

KAPAR: A tow-truck operator was killed during an argument with a family member at his home in Jalan Kaya, Taman Aman, yesterday.

C. Navinden, 24, had his throat slit and bled to death in the living room of the house.

(Source: NST: Man killed in family feud)

One more inspirational story for the road:

KUALA KRAI: Seven participants of an international rainforest challenge expedition, who were among 124 people trapped in a forest area after a makeshift bridge collapsed because of rising floodwaters, made their way to safety yesterday.

(Source: The Star: Seven stranded off-road participants make it out).

It can be done. Let's hope it happens for the remaining 117.

Okay, that's enough for now.

Footprints in the sands of time

I've just found an interesting article from the Poetry Foundation through a link from Neil Gaiman's blog.

It's about that ubiquitous and ever-recited poem of a man who has a dream that he and God are walking along the beach. When the man asks why sometimes there is one set of footprints and other times there are two, God says he has been carrying him through his struggles.

Apparently there are three people that think they wrote it.

Well, I think it's interesting: [Link]

Soulmate? No thanks. I've already got 5.

I suppose something someone said a couple of days ago got me thinking. I've been friends with my friends for a long time. 11 years, to be exact. That's right. That long. This has had quite a few effects on my life. For one, it's really hard for me to consider other people a close friend, simply because I have a very high standard for what qualifies as "a close friend". I don't feel the need to actually make too many new friends, because I'm so comfortable with my own little group. I don't understand that people don't understand me because I hang out so much with people who do.

Most importantly, I think, is that I'm comfortable in knowing that if I ever need someone, I've got 5 people to turn to. I have 5 people who love me unconditionally and will stay with me as long as they know that I need them. I actually feel a twinge of sympathy sometimes for those who don't have close friends, but try to just have as many friends as possible.

As the writers of Sex and the City had Carrie saying:

It's always hard to find someone who will love you unconditionally. I'm lucky enough to have found 3.

Or something along those lines.

News items that will affect you

NST: Law for 100pc smoke-free zones soon:

Malaysia, which ratified the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in 2005, is required to implement Article 8 by 2010.

Munshi presented Malaysia's action plan, which has yet to be approved by the Health Ministry, yesterday. He said the government would begin legislating towards making public places 100 per cent smoke free by next year. He said the priorities would be eating places -- restaurants, coffee shops, bars and pubs and entertainment outlets -- as well as government and private workplaces.

See. I put up things that affect other people too. Also,

From Rocky's Bru: 9/12 walk on?

Lawyers to walk despite Bar's decision. I was with some lawyers last night. They weren't happy with the Bar Council's decision to cancel the People's Freedom Walk. Lawyers have walked for the last two years to mark the World Human Rights Day (celebrated on Dec 10 every year) so they don't see why the Bar should cancel the walk just because the Information Minister said so.

These lawyers said they and others will walk on December 9. "It is important, more now than ever, that we walk this Sunday."

If the lawyers walk, I'll walk. Wait for the details, bros and sis.

I'll be there. I hope.

In the news today

NST: Women warned of rape gang on the prowl:

SHAH ALAM: Women have been advised to be extra careful when travelling alone as police believe there is a gang preying on them.

This follows two recent incidents where the victims were abducted, gang-raped and robbed before they were released.

The victims were abducted early in the morning while travelling alone.

Be aware.

The Star: One number for distressed folk to call for help:

PUTRAJAYA: 15999 – this is the number to call if you are a victim of domestic violence, child abuse or a natural disaster.

This hotline, called Talian Nur, will be the lifeline providing early intervention for these victims.

This is actually a really good idea. Right up there with one emergency number (999). I cannot stress how stupid the previous system of different numbers was.

Apparently they've had TeleDera and Healthline for a while on separate numbers, and they've just consolidated them. And we all know who Talian Nur is named after.

The Star: Cinemas allowed 'with conditions':

KOTA BARU: After the last cinema was closed down in 1995, the state government is now willing to consider allowing them or cineplexes.

However, only movies with strong moral values could be screened.

And they're wondering why people are leaving the country. Pfft. Oh get this (from the same article):

State Education Committee chairman Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah said that the state had not banned cinemas or cineplexes but that they died a “natural death” due to the advent of VCDs, DVDs and the Internet.

Not banned. Riiiiiiight.

The Star: PAS and UMNO offer to help woman:

KOTA BARU: The conviction of a 24-year-old woman in China has drawn the concern of both PAS and Umno, which said that they were ready to pay for the expenses for her parents to go to Guangzhou to see her.

PAS said it would also foot the legal expenses and engage a defence lawyer in China for Umi Azlim Mohamad Lazim (pic), who has been sentenced to death by a High Court there for trafficking in 2,983gm of heroin.

Malaysia's very own Schapelle Corby. Except this time, she's not allowed to leave the jail to go shopping.

Again, with the news

From The Star:

BALI: Malaysians must brace themselves for a worsening haze situation in the
years to come as the world climate heats up.

No shit. Really? Would never have guessed.

From The Star:

KUALA LUMPUR: The Human Rights Day march is off.

The Bar Council reached the decision yesterday after discussing the controversy surrounding the walk, scheduled for Dec 9, from Sogo to Central Market here, in conjunction with World Human Rights Day.

She also said that one of the reasons the walk was called off was the need to get a police permit.

“The police asked the council to apply for a permit for the walk, and, apart from the circumstances that we have taken into account, we believe this is an unlawful fetter on our constitutional right to assemble peacefully,” she said.

The walk was to have demonstrated complete racial harmony and that people could walk peaceably in unity for human rights.

“It would have been an opportunity for the authorities to show to the world that we subscribe to these values. It is a missed opportunity.”

Loves it. I actually wanted to go, too.

From The Star:

KUALA LUMPUR: If you download material illegally from the Internet, be prepared to fork out a minimum fine of RM250,000.

This is the warning from the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry to Malaysians who continue to illegally download songs, videos and the like.

Veerasingam said that the maximum fine for downloading material illegally from the Internet was a whopping RM500,000.

Crap. Just when I'm sorting out my internet situation, too.

One for the ladies

From Jennifer Love Hewitt's blog:

This is the last time I will address this subject.

I've sat by in silence for a long time now about the way women's bodies are constantly scrutinized. To set the record straight, I'm not upset for me, but for all of the girls out there that are struggling with their body image.

A size 2 is not fat! Nor will it ever be. And being a size 0 doesn't make you beautiful.

What I should be doing is celebrating some of the best days of my life and my engagement to the man of my dreams, instead of having to deal with photographers taking invasive pictures from bad angles. I know what I look like, and so do my friends and family. And like all women out there should, I love my body.

To all girls with butts, boobs, hips and a waist, put on a bikini -- put it on and stay
strong.

Xoxo

JLH

That's right, bitch.

Pai, Thailand

From Wikipedia: Pai, Thailand:

Pai (Thai: ปาย) is a small town in northern Thailand near the Myanmar border, north of Chiang Mai on the northern route to Mae Hong Son. It lies along the Pai River. The town has thesaban tambon status and covers parts of the tambon Wiang Tai of Pai district. As of 2006 it has a population of 2,284.[1]

Traffic

Pai is located on the Thai highway 1095, which connects Mae Hong Son with Chiang Mai. The Pai Airport had been refurbished recently, after being decommissioned for 20 years. It is currently served by Siam General Aviation with a daily flight from Chiang Mai International Airport.

Tourism

Pai was once a quiet market village primarily inhabited by Shan people, whose culture originated in Burma. As it lies at the foot of the mountains, it's a good base for trekking and visiting hill tribes like Karen, Hmong and Lisu.

Well-known among backpackers for its relaxed atmosphere, the town is full of cheap guesthouses, souvenir shops and restaurants. In the proximity of the town are spas and elephant camps. Outside of town, there are several waterfalls and a number of natural hot springs varying in temperature from 80 to 200 degrees Celsius. Some bungalow style resorts can tap the hot springs to feed the hot water into private bungalow and public pools. Another notable attraction is the town's excellent Wednesday Market which brings large and colorful crowds of local villagers and tribal people, from all around the Pai Valley.

Recently Pai has appeared on the Thailand tourist map and has received major infrastructure upgrades including an airport with daily flights, two 7/11's, several small to medium-size luxury resorts (adding to the more than 118 guesthouses and restaurants which existed as of June 2007), a couple of live music clubs, beer bars and two sets of traffic lights. This has done little to dampen the small and peaceful spirit of the town out of season. However, it has led to a recent influx of business investment and land speculation by both farang (non-Asian foreigners) and big city Thais. While some hail these sweeping changes as a new age of prosperity for Pai, others point to the loss of Pai's traditional customs and culture. In the tourist high season of November through March there are large numbers of farangs and even greater numbers of Thais who now come to Pai after it featured in a popular Thai-made romantic movie in 2006. Pai has music festivals regularly as well as staging an International Moto-Cross Championship.

Pai suffered a huge mudslide and severe flooding in 2005, resulting in major structural damage to homes, resorts, storefronts, and bridges. It rapidly recovered however.

You see, my previous entries about Pai were being kicked off the page. So I had to put another one up. This is also for you. If you'll check your email about the Air Asia air fares I sent you, this means that a trip to Pai for NYE next year will be well within our means.

A few things should pop out at you, namely cheap guesthouses, natural hot springs, music festivals, and an International Moto-Cross Championship. And non-Asian foreigners.

I want to be in pai,
where I can sit with people from all over the world and laugh at international politics,
where it's just far enough away from home for absence to make the heart grow fonder,
where music isn't about electronics or being as nude as a girl can be without being considered nude,
where all the principles of the Sixties' hold true,
where I can be happy with the products that I have and not feel like I need an overpriced handbag,
where I can let the tensions free ...