Chasing the Dust Bunnies

Ever since the last posting more than a month ago, I could only stare at the collected dust day after day before deciding that I should just put something up here today. Begone, ye binary dust! I had so much planned for the blog before the weekend but Murphy's Law prevailed. There's nothing much I could do.

April is the birthday month of some wonderful people as far off as Минск. Just saying...

I thought the following song was good when I first heard it. Thanks to neungy1 who put up the English translation on YouTube, I now understand its content and find it rather poignant. Ha!

Stream and enjoy.

Unloveable by Mild

Now, I don't spend my time on the net looking for Thai music but some videos, being viral, will eventually catch your attention. Bell Nuntita sang this song as one of the two-song remix during the audition for Thailand's Got Talent.

I must say, a good performance. And sweet-looking too. Before anyone thinks that I support the cause of the LGBT community, I have made my stand some time back. That said, I won't stand in the middle of the street and scream "God hates fags!".

To do that would be presumptuous and assumptive; playing God and being sanctimonious. This group of people misrepresent the nature of God to serve their confrontational methods; cherry-picking from the Scripture whilst conveniently overlook the others.

On another matter, I would have no problems marching in the BERSIH rally to make a stand (BERSIH 3.0 will be a sit-in though) against all things immoral perpetuate by the government of the day.

I should get back to work now.

Boleh in Birmingham: What Does Being A Malaysian Means?

At last it's started. Lee Chong Wei against Lin Dan for the All-England champion's title. The Malaysian crowd's reception is fantastic. Each time the camera pans across the arena, you see Malaysians cheering and waving.  Who wouldn't? After all it's a worldwide 3 seconds of fame.

These fellas aren't paid to sing "Boleh, Boleh, Boleh" in Birmingham (yes, I swear I heard boleh and not Olé or Oé). They scream for their fellow countryman, jump, and clap side by side.

Back home, it's a little different. When I say little, it's actually heaps. Here we're told not to mingle too much lest we go astray (rightly or wrongly, I'll leave it to the 'learned'). Here, we're taught day after day since 7 years old that the Ahmad, Beng, Chandran, and Dominic ak. Embong have evil plans waiting to be realised. So, we cheer for our own and we jeer at someone who speaks a different tongue.

*Hey, that's another questionable call by the umpire!*

Living/studying abroad was never an option for me but I reading about what life is like over there and I'm always moved by the unity displayed by Malaysians; the most recent one being the worldwide BERSIH rally. I learn from a friend studying in the UK that whenever there are student-organised events, the Malaysians always do food. Ha! Home or abroad, food's on our minds.

But there's more at home. We have bread war! And on Facebook, racially-motivated rumours has been circulating and many gobbled it up blindly. Nobody cares. Why do anything when you can get the people to suspect one another and remain divided?

*Lee Chong Wei conceded a walkover to Lin Dan. Damn! Better game next time, Lee.*

Yes, we've heard this time and again. We're Malaysians outside the country's border and in here, we live within our own racially-demarcated enclave. Enclave because some are still considered immigrants; or made to feel that way.

This is purely my opinion but I suspect it's a fact. Perhaps this one comes a little too late: 55 years late. But whoever said we shouldn't push for a change? A change in [insert your favourite noun here].

Time to dream about change. Good night Malaysians abroad. Good night my friends. Oh, come back and vote-lah! Satay and teh tarik alone ain't good enough, y'know...
   

Looking Back in Time - Kizuna

They say time flies when you're having fun but on the flip side, it stops when tragedy strikes. Does it really? Depends on how you perceive it.

This photo greeted me on TMI

It's been a year already. For many, it was news. And it was difficult. But for victims of the March 11 quake and tsunami, it truly is. Whether it's a minute's silence or a daily revisitation, the events of 2011 and others that followed should cause many to stop and reevaluate the course of their life.

I did.

Kizuna: Kanji of 2011, story on BBC News Asia (STR/AFP/Getty Images)

As for looking back, it's very much up to an individual how he or she wish to make of it. To some, bad fortune hardens their resolve to push on. Personally, I'm beginning to learn that the woulda-coulda-shoulda sentiment won't do me any good.

For every other things, a moment's pause is all it takes to realign and try again.

And oh, it's also been a year since the "unofficial first lady of Malaysia" aired her unadvised * opinion on the disaster,

(*grossly understated)
     

What the Fff--? TOL?!

TOL as in temporary operating licence for Lynas. You know, the Australian company that really admires Malaysia so much that they're willing to come all the way here; bringing along their glow-in-the-dark playthings.

Earlier in the day I read about a chemical firm bailing out on Lynas [1]. The issues follow and earlier report from the New York Times last year [2]. Later on just before time to turn in, news of the issuance of the TOL broke [3]. Damn!

Why Malaysia?

According to them,

• Gebeng is a well established and well designated industrial park with access to good port facilities, high grade chemicals, a well educated and skilled workforce. 
• Gebeng also has reliable power and utility supplies and very good infrastructure. 
• Finally Malaysia was chosen because the investment climate here in Malaysia is favorable and competitive.

Well, I'm flattered. Malaysians are (at least those in support of the plant). There are plenty of skilled workers here with a pool off 700 000 to tap from around Gebeng. Who cares if they glow later or mysteriously die off? As for reliable power, we're known to be very efficient wherein problems (big or huge) are solved with a few phone calls and some tugging (at what, I don't know). Lastly, with a 12-year tax exemption, how can the climate not be favourable? Heck, even the environment is ready for some devastation! You feel me?!

Whilst it's true I could never feel exactly like the folks over in Kuantan, but anyone would (I would!) be angered by the illogicality of all these upshots! I am!

1. Key contractor pulled out of Lynas plant due to safety concerns, says NYT
2. The Fear of a Toxic Rerun
3. Lynas gets temporary licence to start Kuantan plant

Argh!!!
     

CNY Cometh

Lent my strength today at Tesco to help cart away two boxes of honey mandarines and three cartons of canned drinks. I'll settle for the two cans of Coke Light in the fridge during the holidays. I know, artificial sweeteners aren't the best thing around.

As I grow older, preparation for reunion dinner gets more wearing. Part of growing up and growing old I suppose. Luckily I can still choose to not go to the wet market. The atmosphere's the same (excited, anticipatory, and work done in a feverish manner) but the feeling's different now. Is it because there's nothing great lined up for prime time TV? Maybe it's the nagging feeling telling you work ain't done yet and the deadline's coming soon?

How I miss those harum-scarum days of yore when the sum of the two digits of my age is more than 1 and less than or equals 10. Or in recent years, the tear-jerking TVCs by Yasmin Ahmad [for Petronas]. This year's – I missed the last – TVC ain't that great. There's too much going on in the first two minutes I started to lose interest by the 60th second.

You've been warned.

The other locally-produced CNY vid on YouTube has more views and less painful comments. More importantly, the message is clear. I felt Malaysians can better relate to this video than, say, someone who never lived here before. And the subtitles didn't help much. =)

The Prime Minister's CNY wish to all Malaysians is that we "continue with our best Malaysian tradition by sharing the celebration with all communities; to open our doors to all Malaysians."

Point well taken. The last thing he was quoted as saying is, "Let's tear down the divisive walls and barriers and build bridges between our hearts."

Well Mr PM, the walls and barriers that divide and separate us were built and preserved by the present government. How long more do you want to be in denial? I guess you've stopped listening long ago.

Happy Chinese New Year, people!

        

Double Take (1): Feeling Hopeful and Empowered by 2011

We'll usher in the new year in less than 9 hours; with fireworks, booze, and loud music no less. New year or not, things remain the same. There's always work to be done and the incessant knocking and drilling a few floors down from where I am bear testament to that fact.

The next person who asks what my new year resolution is will get "1024 x 768" for an answer. I haven't had time to look back and evaluate this very eventful year. Contrary to what some thinks, 2012 is by no means the last year of us living creatures. Someone said to a few weeks back that "the end of the world" isn't like what was portrayed on the silver screen, rather it's the beginning of the end. 

Well my friends, the beginning of the end has already begun way before 2009.

On the here and now, events in 2012 will be a continuation from 2011 where corrupt regimes and system the world over were uprooted and burned to ashes. If those weren't the case, Death had a hand on a few occasions. What I'd like to see in my country is the doing away with the extremists in the Malaysian society as well as those bankrupting the nation. Also, 2012 should (hopefully) mark the demise of a morally-corrupt governance based on [the now trite] cronyism, nepotism, and flagrant violations of the Constitution. 

My role? I have a small space on the ballot paper to make an X. And I plan to do just that.

            

Kitchen's Still Smoking

Now, it makes more sense when I learn it in Malay: ...dapur masih berasap. I won't go into the shaggy dog story of why the kitchen smokes and why nobody uses non-stick pans or a gas stove instead of firewood. Moving on, I was plotting graphs all day yesterday (not on Excel mind you, hence the long hours making my way around the program) and I do my blogroll update this morning.

I must admit here, like most living outside the area, the mention of Lynas first reminds me of the government's dealing and secondly, the people directly affected by it. Still, I try to do what I could and being penniless to travel (to KL for the march to the Australian Embassy or to Kuantan for that matter), I keep abreast of the latest development and spread the word around.

Coming back to the post, here's a video titled "Masakan Cinta (Love Dish)". The fight's still on. Yes! Bon appétit!

Last Sunday, the folks over at Kuantan had the "1311 For Our Family - Whack a piñata" event. Visit Antares' WE'RE DETERMINED TO STOP YOU, LYNAS! GREEDY PIGS! for pictures.

Till then

   

Autocracy, Bureaucracy, and I'm busy

As usual, faced with an enormous list of things to do, I'm complaining about the lack of time in a day. There's only so much (and a little more) a person can do before 10 x 5 = ? takes more effort than usual to compute.

This is where my favourite part of toiling comes in: the reward. My "have a break, have a Kit Kat" time. Instead of chocolates, I go on a blog hop or streaming videos on YouTube. Recently, everyone was sharing the Undilah (Vote-lah) PSA on facebook and I must say, the messages are spot on.

1. exercise our right to vote (meaning you register if you'd never voted before

2. the people's the boss (and like most evil bosses, they have the "Eject" and "Promote" buttons to push)

Still, when I learned that the PSA was taken off the air (not that it really matters since there are plenty of resources on the Net), I felt that someone on top was annoyed by the contents and the 'extras' making a cameo appearance.

I don't know, I might be wrong. Of course, they have their reasons for doing so. They always have some forms of a canned speech, don't they?

Back in school, I remember learning about the structure of the government and the principle of separation of powers. We discussed many things and one of it was the deadening subject of bureaucracy.

I wish I could meet up with Mr Anthony now and ask why didn't we learn that the government is autocratic? Well, to put it nicely, quasi-autocratic. I suppose this is tacit knowledge to most people? Again, I might be wrong because nowhere in the [mainstream] papers or news states that. We're a democratic country because... *trails off*

Oh well, I'll settle for a Jubilee Project PSA for now.

Teachers, I have so much love and admiration for them...Well, not quite everyone...
 

Selamat Hari Raya, Hari Kebangsaan, and Selamatkan Saya

If firecrackers are synonymous with Chinese New Year 20 years back, that startling but familiar boom now announces the start of Hari Raya and even Deepavali (in October; chapati and briyani!). Once again, technology has [nearly] replaced the conventional telephone (you know, those land line phones) calls and greeting cards.

Ketupat (Source: stock.xchng; boy am I glad I found ketupat on a stock photos site)

So, being the progressive person that I am (ahem!), I'm one of those people sending my wishes via SMS and on Facebook. I shall not repeat myself here and I don't think I want to either.

After 54 years, I honestly wish we can do better compared to our ASEAN neighbours. Many know the laughable yardstick used by the government to gauge how "well" the economy's performing. *winks*

Sometimes it's true that "absurdity rules Malaysia" and we have a handful of leaders to thank for that. Still, I look to sporting events and those public gatherings (read BERSIH rally) to see a homogenous Malaysia. If I've said it once, I've said it a hundred times: that true harmony among the people cannot be seen on TV. I'm blessed to live everyday with these bunch of fantastic people.

When mcDonald's gets too costly, there's always Ramly burger at half the price and, depending on individuals, twice the enjoyment. Fries and Coke not included.

It is them that I think of whenever some bigots threatened to shed blood or to make BBQ. I recall the always-mirthful meals at Sungai Nibong and Hammer Bay when I'm asked to eff off (excuse me) to where I came from.

"I can't possibly go back to my mother's womb, can I?"

Fact is, this ain't a bad place to live in. Although we've had tremors and felt the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami, nobody fears a drive-by shooting whilst sipping teh tarik at the mamak stall. As far as I know, nobody scoffs at me when I dined at the warung or when I ordered burgers outside 7-Eleven.

Was I being naive? A utopian idealist hoping against hope? I sure hope not.

Rendang, need I say more?

Now after wishing everyone Selamat Hari Raya and Selamat menyambut Hari Kebangsaan, I wonder who's going to selamatkan(save) me from deadlines and a big load of stuff to type. The only thing that motivates me is the Raya open house cum Mooncake Festival cum birthday celebration this Saturday. The wound in my mouth healed nicely and I can't wait to have ketupat and rendang.

Where can I get my hands on some sparklers?

 

Chewing the Cud, Choking on Grass

Weekends never tarry. They come slowly and leave quickly every time. Just when I needed more time, a new day announces itself in the form of the time and date on the system tray. It was a balmy Sunday and there I was, hunched over the LCD reading – from bootstrap analysis to enteropathogenic E. coli. Those journal articles and web pages took about 5 hours to complete.

Now, I wouldn’t remember a single thing, much less understand what I was reading, if I didn’t punctuate those 1 – 6 pm period with some less demanding materials. I trawled the net looking for graduate schools offering doctoral degrees in varsities all over the world, stopping at Singapore, Ghent, Seattle, Oregon and somehow I got caught up in the breathtaking view of Montana.

Alas, that tiny but mounting desire to pursue a doctorate was snuffed out. To digress, my decision to jump into postgraduate studies in 2008 was because I felt inadequate as a graduate. It’s a deception for anyone to think that after three years, one is qualified and competent; not me and definitely not here in Malaysia. It’s purely for knowledge and to better train myself; which is why I wasn’t in a rush to complete everything in under a year.

Now when I’m ready to take my life as a student / researcher to the next level, I’m faced with the prospect of having to give it all up and settle for a job somewhere in the country. All I could hope for is that my government establishes (and broadens bilateral) ties with more countries as far as education is concerned.

That light at the end of the road (?). One evening on the North-South Expressway

From Sweden to Switzerland, scholarships are offered to students from a rather long list of developing countries and when you thought your country is there somewhere (owing to a number of high profile pacts with MIT, Johns Hopkins, and scholarships to Harvard), you’re stupefied to not see your country in it but your neighbours are there.

Maybe my government is committed only to world class (assuming the rest aren’t) education in renowned institutions and I’m better off applying here at home. Then it hits me: the selection process is shady and reeks of biasness.

Some would say to me, if I’m so good why don’t I seek out scholarships from my institution of choice? To which I answer, even if I know I’m damn good, how am I going to raise that sum of money for the flight ticket and the fees for the first term so I can get registered to be eligible? Still, many will come with many propositions without knowing the state I’m in. Also, I'm not one that will just settle for the next convenient pasture and do something I'm totally not interested in.

I’m in good spirit, still. One more channel to pursue: USM’s Academic Staff Training Scheme. Upon completion of studies, there’s a 7-year bond to the varsity. Ready for another bad news? The selection process is like what I mentioned before and I know who will be in the panel. Ah, life on Earth sure is colourful! Let’s hope when (if that happens) I get selected, I’d be able to charm them with whatever appeal that’s left in me – nothing much to begin with.

So, those research and sulking took all afternoon and come dinnertime, I was swallowing the spaghetti, mushroom and mussels. After that, it’s another few hours of protein folding, oxidative damage, and metering in photography.

Just before calling it a [backbreaking, shoulder-hurting, and heart-hairline-craking] day, I said “hey” to a friend on MSN only to get a cold response. Well, problems of the heart ain’t easy for some so I smiled, gave her my best, and said good night.

My obsession with the sun (sigh): One morning whilst cruising along Gurney Drive.

 So, here I am. I’m supposed to post something about the ocean, underwater trenches and a sinusoidal graph here but I think I’m no longer in the mood for that. Time to dream of shopping at the Portland Farmers Market and wander the streets of Bruges.

 

BERSIH 2.0: Looking Back and Looking Forward

Post-709. Damage control in progress. Still, I couldn’t believe my ears (or eyes, for that matter) when I get to know how the rally is being attacked (by the local mainstream media of course) and the support the rally got from the people, both at home and abroad, downplayed.

As the Prime Minister (I thought he’d do better) continues to be in denial, videos and photographs controverting his statements, claims, and praises [for the police] are aplenty. I felt really sad to watch how the police kicked one dude in the CS smokescreen. That’s low!

Here a nice vid I watched some moments ago. And videos such as this should be easy to find on Youtube now. Look out for the girl who shouted [back at the police I think] near the end of the video. That one gripped me! I think it was her anguish that I felt then.

And taking the acronym WYSIWYG, I suppose that words on the streets were true after all.

Anyway, after the rally, the #bersihstories hashtag was trending on Twitter. And this site here has the tweets. Head on over to bersihstories.

Lastly, I’d like to pay tribute to Madam Annie Ooi (or Aunty Annie a.k.a Aunty BERSIH). She, like the man in my previous post, attended the rally and their firmness of purpose touched me (and everyone else I’m sure). They have nothing to gain from all this except making this country a better place to live in for the younger generations.

Aunty Annie

This is the Facebook page created for her: Aunty Bersih – The lady of liberty

Of course, things aren’t that bad everywhere. Some had it better in other hotspots. And there are many who played “medic”, helping fellow Malaysians being overwhelmed by teargas and chemical-laced water. I salute them.

It was a day when we got together as Malaysians, stood (err... walked?) for a common cause, and shouted in one tongue. That, people, is the making of a better Malaysia.

 

BERSIH 2.0: We've Done Ourselves Proud

At home and abroad.

It’s over. I’ve been following the updates closely and I must say, at times I felt the lachrymal glands acting up. BERSIH is, and always has been, a peaceful gathering by members of the civil society. Of course, many things aren't going to show in the mainstream media tonight and tomorrow.

The same can’t be said about our men in blue though. Words on the ground may be exaggerated but if you read about the same thing for over 2 hours, that couldn’t have been lies. And oh, teargas was fired into the compounds of Tung Shin Hospital. Click here for pictures of the rally by Azlan Zamhari.

All in all, hundreds – including BERSIH Chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan – were arrested (over 600 according to the number on the Police’s Facebook page). Teargas and water cannons were fired into crowds of people armed with only their desire to clamour for electoral reforms.

Shaking hands with the men in blue. See? They're supposed to protect us, not--

At 4 pm, they dispersed. For these people who began trickling into the city in the morning, it was a time when they’re Malaysian. It was a time when they’re not identified by the colour of their skin. For decades, we’re driven apart and taught to alienate one another. I truly hope today taught us what it means to be Malaysians. After all, we’re called Malaysians when we’re abroad.

Speaking of Malaysians at-large, the rally Down Under was a success. A stark contrast compared to how the crowds were greeted back home. I’ve spent some time gathering the photos and I’m sure in a week or so, the Global BERSIH 2.0 rally will have a complete collection. Click here for BERSIH the world over.

Good job, Malaysians. It’s a shame I stayed home today whilst this man walked with the rest.

Hidup rakyat!

[Edit: Here's the link to photos of the Global BERSIH 2.0 gatherings/ralllies]

BERSIH 2.0

[Edit 1214, July 9: I'm following Live updates on anilnetto.com and on LoyarBurok]

What a week it’s been: mass arrest, an audience with the King, and reneged words. I wonder if we’d made it to the list of “Top Ten Places You Have To Laugh At Before You Die” yet. See, by now many so called patriots (not the UMNO Youth’s Patriot movement) would have branded me a traitor. It’s spun in such a way that the moment you speak out against the government of the day, you’re an anarchist; hell-bent on destroying the country. It doesn’t matter if it’s a call against corruption or a rare earth processing plant.

As I’m typing this, some roads in Kuala Lumpur are closed and traffic diverted. The picture I saw does seem like a lockdown, which reminds me of scenes in The Siege. And nobody knows how the rally (and counter-rally) is going to turn out tomorrow at 2 pm.

Hii doing his one-man protest in support of Bersih in PJ. He was later detained. -The Malaysian Insider. Story here.

One thing’s for sure, BERSIH 2.0 has gone global. At least outside the country, these folks who gather will not be faced with possible arrests, threats by martial artists, or be called anarchists. Perhaps the best thing is that nobody will get arrested for wearing something yellow. The following listing was obtained from here:

UTC + 12 – New Zealand - http://on.fb.me/jMlCwc
UTC + 10 – Canberra, Australia - http://on.fb.me/kBLI2H
UTC + 10 – Sydney, Australia - http://on.fb.me/j0RzYt
UTC + 10 – Melbourne, Australia - http://on.fb.me/j0rDf1
UTC + 10 – Hobart, Australia - http://on.fb.me/jP0MWL
UTC + 10 – Adelaide, Australia - http://on.fb.me/klaDdS
UTC + 10 – Brisbane, Australia - http://on.fb.me/imhKwv
UTC + 09 – Osaka, Japan - http://on.fb.me/mUGxvB
UTC + 09 – Seoul, Korea - http://on.fb.me/lgB4oQ
UTC + 08 – Manila, Philippines – URL pending
UTC + 08 – Perth, Australia - http://on.fb.me/lihTnU
UTC + 08 – Taipei, Taiwan - http://on.fb.me/mIEOGW
UTC + 08 – Hong Kong - http://on.fb.me/lxYT2E
UTC + 08 – Singapore - http://on.fb.me/l87wNS
UTC + 07 – Bangkok, Thailand - http://on.fb.me/mmyiWc
UTC + 09 – Jakarta, Indonesia – URL pending
UTC + 02 – Egypt - http://on.fb.me/r4fvC2
UTC + 02 – Switzerland - http://on.fb.me/lQq8qB
UTC + 02 – Stockholm, Sweden - http://on.fb.me/kfrxAK
UTC + 01 – Austria - http://on.fb.me/kH9gBn
UTC + 01 – Paris, France - http://on.fb.me/joKlVQ
UTC + 00 – United Kingdom - http://on.fb.me/kQ9fsQ
UTC + 00 – Scotland - http://on.fb.me/kAefYr
UTC + 00 – Ireland - http://on.fb.me/pvu7iJ
UTC – 04 – Ottawa, Canada - http://on.fb.me/kb5OY4
UTC – 04 – New York City - http://on.fb.me/lWrJ8l
UTC – 04 – Washington DC, USA - http://on.fb.me/l9XgH0
UTC – 06 – Chicago, USA - http://on.fb.me/rjGpaq
UTC – 07 – San Francisco, USA - http://on.fb.me/jehClH
UTC – 07 – Los Angeles, USA - http://on.fb.me/iBJgM3

I sure hope everything would go smoothly later. Let’s see if it pans out. I look forward to pictures of the gathering in the cities around the world. You might be thinking why I’m not already in KL. Fact is, I gave the rally a long, hard thought. But I didn’t think I’d afford the trip there and the lodging too. If I’m still receiving my monthly stipend from my scholarship then I’d have typed this in a room somewhere in the city.

And whilst we're fixating on the rally, let us not forget those detained in connection to the rally; particularly the six from Parti Sosialis Malaysia (Socialist Party of Malaysia). I remember asking my friend, "What communism?"

“I would like to thank everyone who is supporting us by the hours, prayers, urgent appeals etc.The 6 of us have not broken any laws and our crime is that we are socialists and we are attempting to put the issues affecting the poorer 60 per cent of Malaysians in the national agenda. eg. Hospital privatisation, minimum wage and decent wages.

Our detention is totally unwarranted and we are working within the democratic framework.“Udahlah bersaralah“ campaign which involves pamphlet distribution and awareness calls for people to think properly for the General Election. The action and activity is totally within the democratic space allowed by Constitution.
Sad to see, higher ups in police unable to differentiate national and constitutional rights from the political party in power. Stand up for democratic rights and let us not allow this kind of intimidation hold us back.

* Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj is the Sungai Siput MP and is currently detained with 5 others under the Emergency Ordinance. His arrest is related to his involvement with the upcoming Bersih rally.

Source: Susan Loone's blog

You might want to read:

Running Scared in Malaysia by former US Ambassador to Malaysia, John Malott

 

Xanthophobia and a "Dirty" Hashtag

Whilst the mainstream media is silent over (except to bemire) the BERSIH 2.0 rally, the World Wide Web is abuzz with news and updates on the rally planned for July 9. I no longer have a Facebook account but it seems that the rally’s gained a lot of support; more so after the police began arresting people linked to it.

On Twitter (at least on my update page), the hashtag #bersih appear every 10 minutes or so and looking up the tag updates on Google gave me a hearty laugh. Apparently, everyone has become more aware of what BERSIH is. Even if they don’t, they love poking fun at the way the police handles the situation. That’s because the rally’s T-shirt and anything yellow is considered illegal because they “promote” the rally and “incite” the people to join in.

Here are some that I managed to copy (I didn't go through every post to check for errors) but I must admit that #Egypt gets new post every few seconds:

Yellow Post-It notes will be confiscated on sight. Other colours may be allowed

Bumblebee told 2 lose his colours or "action will be taken within confines of the law."

Publishers & Print designers forced to work with C M K, as Y (Yellow) has been banned.

Lagu hit Coldplay "Yellow" diisytihar haram kerana mempunyai element subversif

[Coldplay’s hit song, Yellow, contained subversive elements and has been declared illegal]

Steve Jobs admitted that #Bersih is the main reason why Apple did not push for a yellow iPhone!

Digi (telco service provider) phone coverage will go down for a day or two because (sic) yellow man (Digi’s mascot) will get arrested for sedition

Saw a group of policemen at the fruits section. Apparently the lemons are under arrest for being yellow

Even the yellow lines on the side of the road in front of my office has (sic) been changed to the colour white

Mother bought unripened bananas yesterday. We’re so worried when they turned yellow this morning

Everyone from Rumah Kuning (literally Yellow House, a grouping based on colour) cannot go for Pendidikan Jasmani (Physical Education)

Ah bengs who like to dye their hair yellow are going be in trouble

Sometimes, our absurdity knows no bound. I suppose everyone else in the world is having a good time reading about it in the papers. At least many now knows what Article 10 of the Federal Constitution is all about. If you'd prefer something else, might I suggest to you the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?

“IS BERSIH A DIRTY WORD?”

More Pakatan lawmakers nabbed for Bersih links

Experts: Bersih T-shirts NOT illegal

 

Mile Marker 418: Open Houses

I’ve officially finished my work at the lab and achieved all the project milestones. Until the day I obtained the scroll, I can never be totally free. I still have to go back almost daily to do some [culture] maintenance, cleaning up, and a small but tedious errand – cloning a gene into an expression vector and possible induction of the vector to overproduce a protein which will then lead me to the verification of the protein via SDS-PAGE. ‘Small’ and ‘tedious’ appear to be a gross understatement. It’s a goodwill gesture to my supervisor and something that I’ll give my best to do it.

One a much happier note, I’m looking forward to visiting Firdaus’ family orchard next Tuesday. Fruits! It’d be great if we’d repeat last year’s trip when Kak Mimi and the Kuala Lumpur branch (the Penang 418 being the HQ) members were there.

So, as this topic nears its last stop, I’m posting pictures of the open houses by Kak Mimi, Kitha and Firdaus. Over the years, we’ve stuffed ourselves under the roofs of these gracious host, cut birthday cakes, and fool around in true kampung spirit. But most importantly, we visit one another to celebrate our differences – the Eid, Deepavali and Chinese New Year (I’m not sure who has the pictures of CNY open house). Who’d forget rendang? Or briyani and chapati? Or mandarin oranges, satay, and noodle (sorry, pork wasn’t on the menu as it’s not halal)? And oh, the day out in Taiping Zoo after Kitha's Deepavali open house.

As we hear (again) of racist remarks by some of the most intolerant of people in the country, I take comfort in that the spirit of muhibbah is very much alive as far as we are concerned. Still, I don’t deny that the relationship among the different races took some beating; no thanks to a few bigots frothing at their mouths spewing venom. Wonder why we’re Malay, Chinese, Indians and Others here but Malaysians in the rest of the world.

Someone posted this on Facebook with the same caption. I'll leave it in its original language as I find it funnier that way. No, we weren't fighting.

Julian: pisang tu kat rumah saya.Curi-curi ambik pi goreng, ingat I tak nampak???
Mimi: Itu pisang kami yg beli la..
Kitha: Eh...jadi tak jadi makan lah??

On A Hot Sunday Evening

...I'm thinking, FREEDOM.

 

Slowing Down for the Weekend

Ah, the much awaited weekend where I'd laze in bed at 11 am (Ha!) and writing this. It's been a good week for me although some days were rather gloomy. I tried to be positive and civil about a few issues; for what good is a blown top if all it does is make me look silly? I have so much on my mind needed to be put into words and I'm still stringing them together.

For now, I couldn't help but think how long this country would last if the current nonsensical governing continues. A lot of things no longer surprised me but I'm a little optimistic — maybe, just maybe, things would get better. So, these (and more, if you'd look) make for some good reading material:

• The migrant’s eye
• I am an unwanted step-child

Have a great weekend!

Stopping Lynas 2: The Walk

It's great to know the people did what they wanted to do today. Also, it's good to know the police didn't round people up and throw them into lorries. We all know that the men in blue aren't known to always remember their oath and answer their real call of duty.

Stop saying "Australia doesn't have the infrastructure..." Source: TheStar Online

Read more:
Rain fails to dampen anti-Lynas protest

Too bad, Australian hands are tied on Lynas don't you think?
Skip to 1:55 for the interview.

Wide Angle Lens

People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

As I wait for my the day I own a camera, I thought to myself, "Should everything be about me?"

Many recount their misfortunes, their I-nearly-hit-the-jackpot lottery incident, and like me, looking at how pathetic I am to be broken time and again. I hit the net reading stories written about the early days of Malaysia. The recent threat of a crusade against Christians and other inflammatory statements spewed out by racists-cum-bigots did well to remind me that there are bigger things in life.

I love the stories of human relationships. And at the same time wonder to myself why is it that only during a bloodbath that we hear of people like Oskar Schindler? It's refreshing, nonetheless, to know that there are many who don't subscribe to extremism and that idea racial superiority.

• Harith Iskander’s “Race Malaysia”
• May 13 - The glue that binds us
• Malay volunteer saves Chinese man

Now, back to nursing my injuries. *lol*

Gimme a break!

it's been erratic around here really. i'm not faithfully putting my thoughts up (or down?) that frequently compared to last time. i'm jaded. i'm disappointed with people around me though i don't put much hope in them. when it comes to work, i'm slogging for what would be another thesis tucked away in an inconspicuous corner of the shelf. how am i to go forward or go greater heights (as our politicians love to put it) if my own doesn't even care? i'm sponsored by another government for all i'm worth yet i'm prevented to go. i'm resigned to the fact that red tape is a culture like any other and that colour changes life. after all, without colour life would be dull won't they?