Times They Are A-Changing

Music has always been at the forefront of change... more specifically at the forefront of people-driven change. The Vietnam War of the 50's; Nicaraguan Contra War of the 80's... they all had music, folk music especially, that expressed the anguish, sadness and the outrage of an entire generation. 

So in the light of the US incursion into Libya - here's a Bob Dylan classic for President Obama. To remind him that Times Are A-Changing... and that people won't tolerate the same sort of violation of sovereignty which they did under his predecessor in Iraq.


Even the New York Times doesn't mince its words in this article, swiftly drawing comparisons between the Obama administration's "extra-helpful" nature in Libya (attributed to certain 'strategic' interests... none of which have anything to do with oil. Or does it?) compared to the administration's 'painful' silence and non-interventionist stance when it came to people uprisings in Egypt, Tunisia, Bahrain, etc...

(P.Obama of course has just delivered his speech on oil and renewable energy to temper rises in WTI and Brent Crude levels, which are spiking and dipping erratically.) 

What better way to wade out of a depression than to wage war... is the government trying to 'pump prime' it's economy?

You may remember this man, Saddam Hussein? He's the one that Dubya decided to go after for Weapons of Mass Destruction until it all blew up in his face and Obama withdrew troops, leaving Iraq in tatters and Iraqis to fend for themselves - after forcibly removing a leader and dictator. 


It's no wonder that some Iraqi and Middle Eastern refugees/asylum seekers refuse to be relocated to the US. If someone came in to bomb your country, kill a leader, then leave you to fend for yourself... wouldn't you be upset too?

Make no mistake of it, the Iraqis may not have liked Saddam, but the US' superior 'moral' excuse has done more harm than good. If anyone is still in doubt, watch Fair Game starring Matt Damon for the updated version on Iraq and former CIA undercover operative Valerie Plame. Seems Obama has taken more than just a tip or two from the ol' Texan's playbook. 


Love him or hate him, Qaddafi was chosen by Libyans and it is up to Libyans to dethrone him (or 'throne' him first constitutionally, because according to him, he was never elected in the first place thus cannot leave an office he doesn't hold *groan* really....). The US has no business waging another war. Not unless they are looking to surpass their title as global war-mongers from its current count of 

Will the world stand by and watch this incursion?

Are Times Really A-Changing? 

Can Washington ever really change?

Listen to Bob Dylan & Eddie Vedder as they speak truth to power. 

The Tale of Two Seas

Sitting in the Geography class in school, I remember how fascinated I was when we were being taught all about the Dead Sea.

As you probably recall, the Dead Sea is really a Lake, not a sea (and as my Geography teacher pointed out, if you understood that, it would guarantee 4 marks in the term paper!)

Its so high in salt content that the human body can float easily. You can almost lie down and read a book! The salt in the Dead Sea is as high as 35% – almost 10 times the normal ocean water. And all that saltiness has meant that there is no life at all in the Dead Sea. No fish. No vegetation. No sea animals. Nothing lives in the Dead sea.

And hence the name: Dead Sea.

While the Dead Sea has remained etched in my memory, I don’t seem to recall learning about the Sea of Galilee in my school Geography lesson. So when I heard about the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea and the tale of the two seas – I was intrigued.

Turns out that the Sea of Galilee is just north of the Dead Sea. Both the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea receive their water from river Jordan. And yet, they are very, very different.

Unlike the Dead Sea, the Sea of Galilee is pretty, resplendent with rich, colorful marine life. There are lots of plants. And lots of fish too. In fact, the sea of Galilee is home to over twenty different types of fishes.

Same region, same source of water, and yet while one sea is full of life, the other is dead. How come?

Here apparently why. The River Jordan flows into the Sea of Galilee and then flows out. The water simply passes through the Sea of Galilee in and then out – and that keeps the Sea healthy and vibrant, teeming with marine life.

But the Dead Sea is so far below the mean sea level, that it has no outlet. The water flows in from the river Jordan, but does not flow out. There are no outlet streams. It is estimated that over 7 million tons of water evaporate from the Dead Sea every day. Leaving it salty. Too full of minerals. And unfit for any marine life.

The Dead Sea takes water from the River Jordan, and holds it. It does not give. Result? No life at all.

Think about it.

Life is not just about getting. Its about giving. We all need to be a bit like the Sea of Galilee.

We are fortunate to get wealth, knowledge, love and respect. But if we don’t learn to give, we could all end up like the Dead Sea. The love and the respect, the wealth and the knowledge could all evaporate. Like the water in the Dead Sea.

If we get the Dead Sea mentality of merely taking in more water, more money, more everything the results can be disastrous. Good idea to make sure that in the sea of your own life, you have outlets. Many outlets. For love and wealth – and everything else that you get in your life. Make sure you don’t just get, you give too.

Open the taps. And you’ll open the floodgates to happiness.
Make that a habit. To share. To give.
And experience life. Experience the magic !

Courtesy : Anu (source: http://vijaysrinivasan.wordpress.com/2011/02/13/a-tale-of-two-seas/)

Encouragement

A brilliant message. Thanks to the Foundation for A Better Life for making life better. 

Damn Gay lah, You!

This post will be articulating the frustration in us who appreciate friendships but not the consequential labeling. These are two scenarios that were shared to me by some of my friends:

Scenario 1:
I was to walk alone to a certain place to get things done after my classes in college. I did not get enough sleep the previous two nights and was seemingly tired, sleepy and was in no mood for laughter and joyous events. The thought of walking alone to that miserable location and the work I'd have to do once I got there further cemented my anger and frustration. 

 Miraculously, a friend of mine volunteered to walk with me to my destination and accompany me while I did whatever I needed to do. This is following conversation that took place as I decided to thank him for accompanying me; 
Me: Hey, I just want to say thank you for accompanying me.
Him: Damn gay lah, you!

Scenario 2:

I saw my friend wrapping gifts in great multitudes. I asked him whatever were they for. He said his friend's birthday was coming soon. I asked how many (as he was wrapping enough gifts for at least 4 people) friends of his had their birthdays coming. He said just one. I was amazed at the length he went for that one friend. I later found out that his friend was a girl. I grew curious and asked why didn't he give any of his male friends (I knew because he is a close friend of mine) gifts on their birthdays. Then he told me something that really disappointed me; "I wanted to, but my other friend told me that only gay people give gifts to their male friends during their birthdays." I told him that it'd be a nice gesture to give a friend, irrespective of gender, a present for their birthday, and that I'd give him a present on his birthday. Then he said, "Damn gay lah, you!"

My opinion:
Since when was being nice tantamount to being gay?!

Even if it is, what is so wrong about being gay (not that I'm gay myself)? These are the very same people who say that they believe in freedom of choice as the ultimate trump card. Some of them even support the passage of the gay marriage bill in America. And for the last time, gays are not sex addicts who want/need to engage in sexual intercourse with every guy they meet!!! Seriously, please!

Back to 'Since when was being nice tantamount to being gay?!'. It disappoints me to see what the human race (or the male race if you like) has become. Then, being so blind and ignorant, we wonder every day and night till our pimples burst why does violence and unkindness continue to thrive in our society. Firstly, saying thank you to a guy is wrong. Secondly, getting gifts for a guy friend is also wrong. Then we have other cases where if you don't watch football, you're gay. And the Gay-Determining Factors just keep adding up into an endless list that extends all the way to Hades throne.

On account of this, I gave myself the privilege of conducting my own experiment. For some many days, I went about being a very nice, jolly and grateful person. Giving gifts, saying thank you, lifting the toilet seat when I use the toilet bowls, and other acts that a cultured person would usually do. At the end, I had many creatures (I wouldn't think they deserve the title 'humans') giving me the 'certified gay' label. Some months later, I devoted my energy to making sure I never said thank you, never gave any of my friends gifts on their birthdays, (still kept the toilet seats clean because I couldn't bring myself to the level of a dog), and even getting into one or two fist fights. At the end, I had many creatures giving me respect and the title 'a true man'.

So the world dictates that in order to gain respect, we must lose all our culture and conform to the ways of dogs. O men, "Thou art fled to brutish beasts". It's so ironic to see that the only creatures who have rationalizing abilities are so caged in by immaturity. Unable to even comprehend the simplicities of life such as these, they ever so ambitiously try to discern whether God exists, calculate probabilities for earthquakes, find more beneficial economic models etc. etc. Like Christina Aguilera's album states, go "Back to Basics".

Who do we blame for this? Parents, for not ensuring that children are brought up to being kind and cultured? Media, for displaying the requirements of becoming 'a true man'? Or the creatures themselves, for not seeing the bigger picture in life where every one is united for the bond of kindness? Let's make it simple and say they all are.

I'm not going to elaborate more on this, as I think anyone who reads this already knows the degree to which this is taking place on a daily basis. But just for the benefit of me, myself and I, if being kind means being a 'certified gay', then I'd rather be a certified gay. Hey, at least the women still love me! XD

Join the Toilet Troopers - Global Potty Index

This is in response to a Traumatic Day in the history of all those who dared venture into *gasp* a Malaysian Toilet. 


The Scene:


- An upscale shopping complex - I walk into the washroom of a 'Members Only' lounge - Blood - Not mine. 'Nuff said.


With this traumatic encounter, we hereby declare it open season and the formation of Malaysia's first-ever TOILET TROOPER CRUSADE. 


Ever stepped into a squeaky clean toilet on the highway, dry floors, nice wafting scent of lavendar... *breathes in* Ahhhhh.... That how you know you're a Malaysian in Singapore.


Is Malaysia ready to become a Glocal (Global+Local) player? Are we really a developed nation with underdeveloped hygiene? How far do we really believe that Cleanliness is Godliness? 


This blog will be the venue for a year-long econometric  research study into the economics of  Being Toilet Trained in a Country suffering from Post-Latrine Tardiness. 


All aspects will be assessed as we benchmark each month, one photo from a Malaysian toilet against another similar toilet from a developed country. At the end of 2011, we will compile a public poll to create the world's first ever... *drumrolll* GLOBAL POTTY INDEX. 


How can YOU, the reader, get involved and revolt against unsanitary, unsavoury, smelly, dirty habits? Here's how:


1. Leave a comment on this post.
2. Share your nightmare or toilet encounters of the 3rd kind.
3. Vote at the end of year 2011 and have your say on where you think MALAYSIA stands on the list of being properly toilet trained. We'll open polls by way of announcement for a public ballot. 


And if you think we're kidding... here's introducing our first posting - the World Toilet Organisation (www.worldtoilet.org) - a global NGO for improving global sanitation which is supported by the United Nations Environment Programme, Ashoka, and many other influential foundations, an indication of how important it is for First World health standards to exist before one can actually qualify to being considered... well... First World. 


Support the cause by leaving a comment. And remember... it's a choice whether to Hit or Miss.

Pass This On: Google Tool 4 Reaching Loved Ones - Japanese Earthquake & Tsunami

Phone lines are down across Japan since the worst earthquake to hit it ever at 8.9 on the Richter scale, Japanese are worried and unable to contact loved ones. 


Google has an excellent tool, launched just after the Haitian disaster, to help find missing persons or share information on individuals during such humanitarian disasters when telco lines are down. Many people don't know this exists so please pass this on - you never know who it might help: http://japan.person-finder.appspot.com/


Pass on this link to friends, family and our prayers for all struck by the tragedy. Another 50 countries along the Pacific Rim are on red alert, Hawaii is due within the next few hours and evacuations are ongoing. 


As we watch the tidal destruction on our screens, our prayer resounds with all millions of others in the world. God Bless.

Guantanamo - Who Moved My President?

Last week, we here at Awake Minds asked if HOPE had become a TURKEY in this write-up.

Today, we're sad to say: YES IT HAS.

The White House has just approved the resumption of military trials at Guantanamo, the military base set up after 9/11 to deal with al-Qaeda operatives and detention without trial in this New York Times story. This is an about turn from its original position to allow for civilian trials, instead of military ones which are held behind closed doors and far from public scrutiny.

Rising to power on the back of promises to close down Guantanamo, President Obama says he remains committed to closing it down some day. This is an about turn after its withdrawal of US troops from Iraq in 2010. 

The existence of Guantanamo for so many years is already a violation of the Geneva Convention. For the US to issue an executive order that asks for resumption of military trials YET insist on compliance of questioning procedures according to internationally accepted codes of conduct... are we the only ones to see the absurdity of it all?

But it is all quite absurd - international conventions that talk of 'good' conduct in times of war. Most of us were brought up with the notion that war is just a bad idea. How anything good could ever come out of a rotten apple, is beyond belief.

Question is: What spooked the administration?

Perhaps an overly vigorous backlash to the Wikileaks debacle with Julian Assange - that instead of opening up to democratic principles, the US thinks that 'too much' freedom of information is out there and this is their over-reaction. One *achoo* and suddenly the whole presidency yells SARS! 

Well, gesundheit to you Mr. President. We'd like you to please return us the Obama that we all voted for. You know, the one that believed in Change and Doing What's Right.

Irrespective, it's a good reminder that the cry of "YES WE CAN" can swing both ways. It can be the wings that bring you to power, or the shouts of a people, cheated by empty promises, asking you to resign. 

I Am A Race Reject

By Ash L.


The very first day in college was supposed to be an exhilarating experience for a teenager, being away from the comfort of the old nest for the very first time. Spread my wings I did, as i soared to the bright blue sky and started my flight, but what happened instead was that poor overweight bird got smacked by the other birds and took two weeks of emotional recovery before attempting to try again.

Well, you might be slightly confused by my analogy, but what truly happened for the first month in college was that the coursemates I initiated conversation with would not want to be my friend, as much as I tried to find common ground..I know for crying out loud this isn't a big deal to shout about, but there's a point I want to make here.  

I am a rejected speciment of my own race. Chinese people do not want to talk to me because I do not converse in Mandarin. Probably I had not felt the barrier so clearly because I come from a national school my whole life, where the Malays, Indians and Chinese sat together in class..I celebrated Deepavali, Hari Raya, Chinese New Year and Christmas with my friends..The best people I met and had strong bonds were Muslims, Malays, Indians and also my non-Mandarin speaking Chinese comrades..

I know that friends from a Chinese school background are born and geared towards a natural instinct of the survival of the fittest. Well, I wouldn't blame them.The system and society we live grooms them to fit the mould. 

Their purpose on Earth seems to be studying and getting the highest A+++++ possible they could achieve, land a scholarship, grab the highest paying job, procreate to continue their family name, die and leave the fortune to their children or grandchildren. And if anyone, yes, anyone dared to disrupt the cycle, the consequences are dire and severe.

Racism is when, say the Chinese are going against the Malays or when the Indians are going against the Malays..The irony is that racism exist in the very core of our own race. There is a segragation between the superior class and the inferior class, the males and females (yes the chauvinist pigs out there are still lurking around)..

I am quite sick of this segragation really. The political leaders are splitting us through politicisation of certain issues that only serve well to their political agenda..Ask any Ramli, Ah Beng or Ramasamy out there if they feel hatred towards their friends of other racial background..The chances are no..We still feel united. Or at least, I do. Yes, it is natural for us to generalise a person with their race and we all do it (admit it!) although we know it is morally and socially wrong..

Back to the burning question: Why am i rejected by my own race?? If a Malay and Indian could accept me, why wouldn't my own race accept me?

I now mix with a bunch of race rejects who share the similiar fate as I do...They come from Sabah and Sarawak. The Peninsular Malays wouldn't really want to hang out with them even though they are tied by the brotherhood bond in Islam..But you know what? They understand me so much better than the others. Well, who said there were only the All American Rejects?

Ash L.

I am Chinese on my MyKad but 100 % Cap Malaysia from the way I speak, the food I eat, the friends I mingle and the attitude of a true blue Malaysian. I might accelerate when a driver wants to cut into my lane but thats just about how ugly I can get..I might be a race reject, a social outcast but also a silent feminist and an aspiring humanitarian volunteer at heart.

  

Do I Smell Another Iraq?

With all the bruhaha over Libya, and the US' very publicly debated no-fly zone... it's a wonder that the US hasn't learnt from its invasion of Iraq and ridding of another dictator. The memory of Saddam Hussein remains distant, hazy... or is the accurate word "well cloaked".


The US didn't like Saddam but Iraqis, as a people, had the right to sovereignty. 8 years since the US invaded Iraq in 2003 under the pretext of Weapons of Mass Destruction, today's Iraq remains in tatters and with the US pulling out of its moral obligations for a war it started.


Libya today seems to loom with the same prospects. The US may not like Gaddafi... but it is not in their jurisdiction to decide on behalf of Libyans.


CNN and Al Jazeera convincingly report that Gaddafi had ordered airstrikes against his own people - portraying an evil dictator, in the city of Benghazi. Yet Russian military chiefs who monitor Libyan grounds via satellite, say that such air strikes never occured. If anyone has watched Fair Game, the story of leaked CIA operative Valerie Plame, manufactured reports from the Whitehouse are far from incredible... it's has already happened, many, many times in history.


Question is: Will the US again repeat its Iraq rouse - beating the drums of war in Libya... for OIL?


They certainly didn't call for airstrikes in Egypt... Yemen... Tunisia... Oman... to bring down those dictators. History speaks volume, especially when one has less than altruistic agendas in a region rich in the world's most precious mineral.


It is a very sad day for the human race, when HOPE became another TURKEY.