Saturday, May 30, 2009

East Meets West

Blogger Lina Soo is PKR Protem Chairperson of Batu Kawa – N13 from Sarawak. Together with Ben Martin, they dropped by to say “hi” to the peninsula bloggers.

There is no doubt about the much needed liaison among bloggers between east and west Malaysia, and to be in the flesh, there seems to be so much in common, politically speaking.

On hand to welcome them over lunch is our charmer – Benz a.k.a. Tuai Rumah, and the other bloggers and friends. Also not forgetting the one and only – rakyat@work!

Note: The audio of the video clips is too distorted for posting.

Friday, May 29, 2009

In A Jiffy


This is how you can learn a trick or two. Quick and easy!

Contributed by : Estrelita

Thursday, May 28, 2009

The Cry For Justice

Kugan 28 May 2009

N Indra, the mother of the deceased (Kugan), filed the suit at the Kuala Lumpur High Court this morning accompanied by lawyer, N Surendran. It is really a very sad state of affair to see parents have to live with the loss of their child with no avenues to seek for the truth in justice.

Justice for Kugan is like an elusive dream despite the Attorney General who remarked the incident as “murder.”

Of course Kugan's father, G.Ananthan, wants justice because if his son is guilty then send him to court but not to kill him in the police station which in the first place is to provide protection to the citizens.


Kugan's mother today filed a suit against the police for seizing items from the office of Universiti Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) pathologist Dr Prashant N Sambekar.

She named the following police top brass in her suit:

1. ASP Mohd Marzukhi Bin Mohd Mokhtar
2. ACP Arjunaidi Bin Mohamed
3. Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Bin Mohd Zinin
4. Ketua Polis Negara


Dr.Prashant had performed the second autopsy which revealed that the youth had been beaten, burnt and starved.

Kugan had died on Jan 20 at the USJ Taipan police station, five days after he was picked up in connection with a car theft case.

The crowd was unbeliever during Kugan’s funeral but those who came this morning to show consolatory support could be counted. It was a pathetic sight!

Day 3 At Ipoh (28 May 2009.)

# Bubar Dun signature campaign with YB Nizar and YB Lim Kit Siang.
To Meet at Heng Kit Restaurant at Jalan Besar (next to Menglembu market).

# Closing of Hunger Strike campaign and press conference at Wisma DAP 6.00 pm.

# Majlis buka puasa solat hajat at PAS Perak, Istana Raya at 7.00 pm.

All are welcome!



Reported by : Noh - Ipoh.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

What Is It About?

School: A place where Papa pays and Son plays.

Life Insurance: A contract that keeps you poor all your life so that you can die rich.


Nurse: A person who wakes you up to give you sleeping pills.

Marriage: It's an agreement in which a man loses his bachelor degree and a woman gains her masters.

Tears: The hydraulic force by which masculine willpower is defeated by feminine waterpower.

Lecture: An art of transferring information from the notes of the Lecturer to the notes of the students without passing through "the minds of either"

Conference: The confusion of one man multiplied by the number present.

Compromise: The art of dividing a cake in such a way that everybody believes he got the biggest piece.

Dictionary: A place where success comes before work.

Conference Room: A place where everybody talks, nobody listens and everybody disagrees later on.

Father: A banker provided by nature.

Boss: Someone who is early when you are late and late when you are early.

Politician: One who shakes your hand before elections and your Confidence after.

Doctor: A person who kills your ills by pills, and kills you by bills.

Classic: Books, which people praise, but do not read.

Smile: A curve that can set a lot of things straight.

Office: A place where you can relax after your strenuous home life.

Yawn: The only time some married men ever get to open their mouth.

Etc.: A sign to make others believe that you know more than you actually do.

Committee: Individuals who can do nothing individually and sit to decide that nothing can be done together.

Experience: The name men give to their mistakes.

Atom Bomb: An invention to end all inventions.

Philosopher: A fool who torments himself during life, to be wise after death

Taking Precaution Is Always Wise

Women Drivers – Please Take Note

I knew about the red light on cars, but not the #77. It was about 1:00 p.m. in the afternoon, and Lauren was driving to visit a friend. An UNMARKED police car pulled up behind her and put his lights on. *Lauren's parents have always told her never to pull over for an unmarked car on the side of the road, but rather to wait until they get to a gas station, etc..

Lauren had actually listened to her parents advice, and promptly called #77 on her cell phone to tell the police dispatcher that she would not pull over right away. She proceeded to tell the dispatcher that there was an unmarked police car with a flashing red light on his rooftop behind her. The dispatcher checked to see if there were police cars where she was and there weren't, and he told her to keep driving, remain calm and that he had back up already on the way.

Ten minutes later 4 cop cars surrounded her and the unmarked car behind her. One policeman went to her side and the others surrounded the car behind. They pulled the guy from the car and tackled him to the ground. The man was a convicted rapist and wanted for other crimes.

I never knew about the #77 Cell Phone Feature, but especially for a woman alone in a car, you should not pull over for an unmarked car. Apparently police have to respect your right to keep going to a safe & quiet place. You obviously need to make some signals that you acknowledge them ( i.e. put on your hazard lights) or call #77 like Lauren did.

Too bad the cell phone companies don't generally give you this little bit of wonderful information. *Speaking to a service representative at ** Bell ** Mobility confirmed that #77 was a direct link to OPP Dispatch. So, now it's your turn to let your friends know about #77.

Contributed by : Angela Ooi



We all know that fire is a good servant but a bad master. So, when something burns on the stove, do not panic but to remember what you have just seen from the video clip.

Be calm, cool and collected, and to be in controlled.

Contributed by : Sokewong.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

BREAKING NEWS FROM IPOH (2)

ARRESTED

1. Keshvinder
2. Sivakumar
3. Thomas Su
4. Leong MM
5. Lim PH
6. Kula
7. Chang LK
8. Chan MK

Total:
7 Aduns (5 DAP, 2 PKR)
1 MP (DAP)
2 Amal Security staff
2 onlookers.

BREAKING NEWS FROM IPOH (1)

Noh from Ipoh sent these updates.

1. Police disallowed banners screaming "Selamatkan Demokrasi di Negeri Perak" for the group photo session after the press conference.

2. The elected representatives are marching to Ipoh High Court to support the JKKK village heads to file a suit against BN govt for sacking them from their posts.

3. Arrests include the aduns from Pasir Pinji, Simpang Pulai and Jalong.

4. Several supporters in black were also arrested.

5. Sivakumar and Kula were also arrested.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Aung San Suu Kyi

Peace Vigil In Unity for the liberty of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

SUARAM, Tenaganita, KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall and Youth 4 Change (Y4C) is organising a vigil that is part of an initiative of coordinated vigils by various groups in Southeast Asia. While we have our vigil for Aung San Suu Kyi in Malaysia, other groups in other countries in Southeast Asia will also be having vigils at the same time!

Please come with your friends to show solidarity for Aung San Suu Kyi - one of the greatest leader of peaceful resistance against oppression of our time - and the oppressed people of Burma.

You can also make your own posters and/or banners that shout of support for Aung San Suu Kyi and the people of Burma. Spread the word!

Details of the vigil
DATE: Sunday, 31 May 2009
TIME: 6.00pm
VENUE: Meet at entrance of KL & Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, No. 1, Jalan Maharajalela
Dress code: Wear YELLOW and/or RED

Tamme Lee

Sunday, May 24, 2009

What Is Fear?


Do What You Fear Most And You Fear No More! It is unbelievable to see how the skier could harness his courage to perform the unthinkable feat.

Contributed by : Angela Ooi.

Friday, May 22, 2009

It Is Expected - Palace Of Justice – 22 May 2009

On May 11, Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Abdul Aziz Abd Rahim proclaimed Nizar as the rightful menteri besar.

Today (22 May 2009) the Court Of Appeal declared that the rightful mentri besar of Perak is Zambry.
Umno lawyer Mohd Hafarizam Harun described the court's decision as a 'moral victory' for the ruling coalition.

However, looking at the Perakians today, their faces tell that it is over when the power is returned to the people.

Looking at the faces, even words have their limitation to describe the decision made by the Appelant Court.



Nizar's lawyers told the court today that they will be appealing to the Federal Court. And everbody knows that nothing is over because the Perakians have yet to speak.



The court staff could not resist the roar of dissatisfaction, but to take a quick peek at the enthusiastic crowd.



Palace Of Justice - 21 May 2009

The scene outside the packed courtroom makes no difference. People are waiting patiently for hours for the court's decision.

Dr.Hatta (PAS) is seen talking with the supporters and friends of PR.

Perak DAP chief Ngeh Koo Ham and Nga Kor Ming make their presence felt.

Cecil Abraham’s team

The Temiang community from Dengkil with decorative headgears came to show support. To whom I wonder. They have nothing to do with Perak except to support the government. An hour later, an unidentified man is seen talking to them and they left.


It is a crystal clear indication that there will be no court decision for the day or their service is not required because the decision by the court is not to BN’s favour.
Perakians show their moral support in front of the Palace Of Justice.

No matter where the people’s MB is, he and his entourage are mocked by supporters and news makers.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

At The Court Of Appeal (21 May 2009)


The movement of the crowd has a lot to tell. Each time the door of the courtroom opens, the crowd rushes towards it, and many times to their dismay, it is not the popular MB Dato' Nizar.

Finally, at lunch break. Dato' Nizar and his wife emerge and they walk to the lift.


YB Lim Kit Siang is seen walking to the cafetaria during the lunch break.

Note: More to come.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Copying In Exams

In many countries, the pressure to succeed is one reason that students cheat during exams.


The disturbing rise of students cheating is from technological advances have made cheating easier than ever.

Competition among young graduates is the real culprit. As the work force becomes ever more crowded and the number of college grads skyrockets, top educational credentials are increasingly seen as the only sure vehicle to success.


Not surprising even parents are involved to help their children in the exam, but through unscrupulous means.

One of the parents hired university students to provide answers which were sent to the children via wireless earphones while they were in the exam room.

Eight Chinese parents who used high-tech communications equipment, including mobile phones and wireless earpieces, to help their children cheat at university entrance exams have been jailed on state secret charges. Their ruse was discovered after police detected "abnormal radio signals" near the school.

In China, girls used to cheat during examinations. To stop this trend the Chinese school authorities devised a new method.
Contributed by : PCTan

Calling For Urgent Support

URGENT APPEAL: 19 MAY 2009

Release 11 Individuals Arrested During Candlelight Vigil



The police have arrested 11 individuals including two elected representatives at a candlelight vigil held outside DAP MP Teresa Kok’s office to mourn the death of democracy of Perak crisis.

The 11 individuals were arrested around 8.20pm and were taken to IPD Brickfields. This is an indication of the authority’s continual intolerance to peaceful assembly continued even after the arrests of 119 people in relation to the Perak political situation between 5th to 7th May 2009.


Those arrested (7 men and 4 women) includes:

1. Jenice Lee (Teratai state assemblyperson)
2. Teo Nie Ching (Serdang Member of Parliament)
3. Lam Kah Hon
4. Alax L. C. Ling
5. Koh Weng Ken
6. Chua Yew Choong
7. Lim Jen Yow
8. Tan Hak Lian
9. Fong Kok Leong


SUARAM condemns the police for their ongoing attacks and intimidation on freedom of expression and right to assembly, fundamental rights which are guaranteed under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Federal Constitution of Malaysia.We demand the police to release the 11 individuals immediately and unconditionally. We also demand that police stop harassing the Malaysian people from exercising their rights to assembly and stop the assault on freedom of expression.

Released by,

Wong Chai Yi
Coordinator

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Urgent action needed:Please write protest letters to the government and the police to express your strongest condemnation of the arrests and the ongoing denial of rights of expression. Please also demand the Malaysian government for the immediate and unconditional release the three activists.


Your protest letters should be sent to:


1. OCPD ACP Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Talib
IPD Brickfields
Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah Brickfields
Polis Diraja Malaysia
Jalan Tun Sambanthan
50470 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-22742222
Fax: 03-22730885



2. Inspector-General of PoliceTan Sri Musa Hassan
Ibu Pejabat Polis Diraja Malaysia,
50560 Bukit Aman,
Kuala Lumpur ,
Malaysia .
Tel: +603 2262 6015
Fax: +603 2272 5613


3. Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak,
Prime Minister of Malaysia,
Prime Minister's Office,
Main Block,
Perdana Putra Building ,
Federal Government Administrative Centre,
62502 Putrajaya ,
MALAYSIA
Tel : 603-8888 8000
Fax : 603-8888 3444
E-Mail: ppm@pmo.gov. my





SAMPLE LETTER

[Letterhead of your organization]


Prime Minister,Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak,
Prime Minister's Office,
Main Block, Perdana Putra Building ,
Federal Government Administrative Centre,
62502 Putrajaya ,
MALAYSIA
Tel : 603-8888 8000
Fax : 603-8888 3444


E-Mail: ppm@pmo.gov. my


Dear Sir,


Re: Release 11 Individuals Arrested During A Candlelight Vigil

We are writing to you, once again, to express our outrage and our strongest condemnation over your government’s ongoing crackdown on freedom of expression.


We are appalled by your government and the police’s latest actions and view this as yet another attempt by your government to intimidate Malaysian citizens from exercising their freedom to express their views.


We demand that the 11 individuals should be released immediately and unconditionally. We further demand that your government stops the assault on freedom of expression.


We strongly urge you, once again, to stop bringing shame to Malaysia. We would like to remind you that freedom of expression and assembly is guaranteed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as the Federal Constitution of Malaysia.


Yours sincerely,

[Name]

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Freedom Of The Press

The Selangor state government is moving into the right direction to disseminate unbiased news to the people for assessment.

Be it the state or federal government, the secrecy laws especially OSA (Official Secret Act) should be obsolete because it is the breeding ground for corruption to infest.

Today, Malaysia ranks 31 in Asia Pacific and 143 global ranking which signify “not free” in the Freedom of the Press 2009 ranking.

Note:

1. Each country is ranked on a scale of 0 to 100. 0 is the best and 100 is the worst.

2. A combined score of 0 – 30 is Free, 31 – 60 is Partly Free, and 61 – 100 is Not Free.

When freedom of information is curbed, then transparency is missing. To be able to access to correct information is the basic right of the people. This will then be an avenue to gauge and evaluate to what extent the people could support the administration.

The state government of Selangor is leading by example by launching “tvselangor” on the 19 May 2009 at Dewan Sivik. An open government will always be the choice of the people.

Taniah and syabas to the Selangor State Government!

Arrival Of Selangor Mentri Besar

TELEVISION SELANGOR


The Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Dato' Abdul Khalid Ibrahim launched "tvselangor" at MPPJ Dewan Sevik on the 19 May 2009.

More reporting on the launch will follow with video clips.


Sunday, May 17, 2009

Mystery - Stolen Childhood

These are the faces we should be seeing everyday no matter where we are in this world. Unfortunately, not all the children are that lucky to be able to put on their smiling faces.

In Asia alone, 22 % of children below 18 years are child workers. In Latin America 17 %, and 1% in US, Canada and Europe. In both these continents, only a tiny proportion of child workers are involved in the formal sector and the vast majority is for their families, in homes, in the fields or on the streets. – Unicef’s 1997 State of the World’s Children Report.

With a little luck, I managed to pick up this latest news.

Five assistant labour commissioners appointed under State Action Plan prepared by Labour and Employment Department

In A bid to eliminate child labour from Gujarat, the government has appointed five additional assistant labour sommissioners under the State Action Plan for Elimination of Child Labour prepared by the Labour and Employment Department. May 16, 2009
People cry for specific reason especially emotion related factors. Hunger does not make people cry, but the bondage of exploitation (physically, mentally and morally) will.

Child labour is often mistaken by its nature of work. Young children are seen in hawker centres or night markets helping their parents after school. This is not forced and bonded labour, but family obligation for survival.

But in different parts of Asia or the world, children live differently.

In the Indian subcontinent, which includes India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, there are people living on less than a dollar a day. Poverty drives the children out of home to look for cheap and exploited employment.

The prime cause of poverty derives from the pressure of rapid population growth. With high illiteracy rate, health care and birth control are beyond their understanding.

Caste discrimination still prevails, where weak governance and corruption are the added miseries to this marginalized group of people.

The emphasis on education is lost because to work for money to buy food to fill the stomachs is more important than going to school with empty stomachs.

However, to say that the exploitation for cheap labour is despicable is rather contentious because of the excess “manpower”. When there are more mouths to feed, more jobs are in demand, and to be able to hire more it means the wage to pay a single worker is used to pay for a few.

Is this call exploitation or opportunity given to those who are in the dire need to survive? The argument here does not lie in the exploitation of cheap labour, but good governance is missing which subjugated the people to such deplorable condition of living a decent life!

Blame it on corruption and the greed to remove the resources that people are much depended on.

Working for pittance has become a way of life for these unfortunate children. Such vicious cycle can only end when birth rate is controlled and proper education is emphasized by the government.

Such unfortunate children did not ask to be born and yet they are here to live a deprived life. Child labour will not end because the young girls will get married off and the production of the next generation of child labour will continue.

Such young girls will fall prey to child trafficking for sexual exploitation. When poverty and unemployment set in, the legal system provides little legal protection especially for these vulnerable young girls.

There must be a great stride in poverty reduction otherwise the fate of such children will end up like commodity to trade for their survival.

Illiteracy will not give anyone the voice of freedom. Beggars cannot be choosers so to speak. Any unwanted “crumbs” that are offered will be grabbed instantly, and that is the little luxury that makes the difference in their kind of life.

Why me? This is the question that is difficult to answer. Is it their karmic repercussion to be born into poverty or are they here for a purpose – a purpose to be in the league of stolen childhood of deprived children?

Skill And Experience




Contributed by : Estrelita.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Fun With Words

Somehow, we all play a game which is half-luck and half-skill that is sold in 121 countries round the world. It is called Scrabble.

Over 100 million sets of the game have been sold in 29 different languages making it easily the world's best selling word game.

The creator is Alfred Mosher Butts who envisioned the diversion when he invented it in 1931.

The name of the game is not solely depended on the power of vocabulary, but the ability to manipulate words and phrases which prove deadly in the game.


This unidentified person is just brilliant to be able to manipulate the alphabets of a word to another word(s) that makes sense as well.

DORMITORY: When you rearrange the letters:DIRTY ROOM

PRESBYTERIAN:When you rearrange the letters:BEST IN PRAYER

ASTRONOMER: When you rearrange the letters:MOON STARER

DESPERATION: When you rearrange the letters: A ROPE ENDS IT

THE EYES: When you rearrange the letters: THEY SEE

GEORGE BUSH: When you rearrange the letters: HE BUGS GORE

THE MORSE CODE: When you rearrange the letters: HERE COME DOTS

SLOT MACHINES: When you rearrange the letters: CASH LOST IN ME

ANIMOSITY: When you rearrange the letters: IS NO AMITY

ELECTION RESULTS: When you rearrange the letters: LIES - LET'S RECOUNT

SNOOZE ALARMS: When you rearrange the letters: ALAS! NO MORE Z 'S

A DECIMAL POINT: When you rearrange the letters: IM A DOT IN PLACE

THE EARTHQUAKES: When you rearrange the letters: THAT QUEER SHAKE.

AND FOR THE GRAND FINALE

MOTHER-IN-LAW: When you rearrange the letters: WOMAN HITLER
Contributed By : Angela Ooi.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Going Fishing?

Fishing refers to the practise of catching fish either for sport or for food that goes back to ancient times all over the world that have lived by the coast have also learned to hunt for fish and catch them for food.


Fishing by hand is very difficult and considered to be very skilful (ask the fungfu master to show you). Using a spear or a bow is also difficult but is used by some people today.

Net fishing, where nets are cast into the water to catch fish and particularly the more slippery marine life like eels is the easiest and efficient. Modern fishermen still use nets dragged by boats to trawl the water for a big harvest of fish. This is illegal because the breeding ground beneath the sea will be annihilated.

Sport fishing is competitive and the rules are based on anything from number of fish caught to the weight and size of the fish. It is more common for sport fishing to go out to sea, where some people tackle the challenge of larger fish such as tuna or even sharks.

Nature has it own creation for excellent fishing birds. This is the real kungfu because such predators come stealthily to scoop their food at the least expected moment.


Anglers can be seen everywhere. At river banks or in the open sea, fishing has become the fast catching up hobby. The most important requirement is to have the patience to wait even for a bite, and the time spent waiting is worth all the efforts.

Going Fishing?


This is just incredible! No equipment needed but just by knocking on your boat, the fish will jump in for a ride. Hopefully, not sharks!

Contributed By: Estrelita

Thursday, May 14, 2009

This baby must be a female!


Women talk more than men.

What to say? This study finds men are wired differently then women and this results in women talking more.

In fact, women talk almost three times as much as men, with the average woman chalking up 20,000 words in a day - 13,000 more than the average man.

Women also speak more quickly, devote more brainpower to chit-chat - and actually get a buzz out of hearing their own voices, a new book suggests.

The book - written by a female psychiatrist - says that inherent differences between the male and female brain explain why women are naturally more talkative than men.

In The Female Mind, Dr Luan Brizendine says women devote more brain cells to talking than men.

Contributed By: Estrelita.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Who Are We?

Between The Planet Sizes – lies the puny Man who thinks he is greater than God.

Homo sapiens first began to appear nearly 200,000 years ago as the early Neanderthals. And today, we all share a common home call planet Earth with whatever organisms existing rightfully together with us.



Planet Earth is fascinating because it stands gigantic compare to the other four planets in the Milky Way. It is a big world indeed we are living in!

When the other planets in the same galaxy are compared, planet Earth is humbled by its own size.

We make no difference as homo sapiens because there is none too great that cannot fall!

We all live the life where death is inevitable, and life is too short for trivialities. Should everyone be given the right to live in peace, be it from what religious background or political beliefs?

I know fairly well that religions should not mingle with politics, but the correlation is important because that is what we are made to be as the human species.

I would like to give my opinion, by comparing the planets, religious and political beliefs and the worst kind of species some homo sapiens are!

I am a descendant of the first man formed of earth. In my mother's womb I was moulded into flesh in a ten-month period, body and blood, from the seed of man, and the pleasure that accompanies marriage. And I too, when born, inhaled the common air, and fell upon the kindred earth; wiling, I uttered that first sound common to all. (Bible, Wisdom Book, 7:1-2).

Yes, we breathe the same air to live and with the same purpose to survive. We came into being and emerge to the world in the same way. We all need food, shelter and clothing - our physiological needs, in fact we have to look further from such basic needs.

Humans cannot live with only food, shelter and clothing but more than that which most of us refused to take notice about is compassion.

What is the purpose of life? I believe that the purpose of life is to be happy. From the moment of birth, every human being wants happiness and does not want to suffer. From the very core of our being we simply desire contentment. (Dalai Lama, Tibetan spiritual and political leader, Voices from the Heart).

When there is no happiness then suffering emerges that manifested through emotional, psychological or physical reactions.

We cannot ask for happiness neither can we escape from suffering. It all boils down to our own makings. And the most important of all is how we choose to be, even at the most trying situation. When we can differentiate what is right from wrong, then respect is earned no matter how hopeless it may seem to be.
The present Perak political upheaval between the two “mentri besars” has to an extent brings the “suffering” to Malaysians on the whole, and not only to the Perakians. Why is that so you may ask, and the simple answer is that are we not the same “anak bangsa Malaysia” or “1Malaysia” as have been promulgated to all Malaysians?

If 1Malaysia is only rhetoric then might as well forget about it, otherwise it has to start from the top and make it a reality!

So, to the legitimate “mentri besar” we have this to say to you: It is better to suffer wrong than to do it, and happier to be sometimes cheated than not to trust. By Samuel Johnson.
Without planet Sun, all living things will not exist. It is the recognition of the truth that will set humans free from their parochial way of thinking. No one human is greater than the other and comparing to the size of the Sun, planet Earth is just a puny dot, so to the lives that live in it.

To scientists we are beings whose behaviours are largely determined by genes.

We are survival machines - robot vehicles blindly programmed to preserve the selfish molecules known as genes. This is a truth which still fills me with astonishment. Richard Dawkins, English biologist, The Selfish Gene

Sociological perspective of who are we it is largely dominated by our own ideas and dreams.

We are in the hands of those gods, those monsters, those giants: our thoughts. Victor Hugo. 1802-1885, French writer, Quatre vingt-treize

Philosophical perspective is to be aware of mortality, instincts rather than urges, reason rather than passion, thoughts rather than fantasies and wisdom rather than anger.

All that threatened the cave man - dangers, darkness, famine, thirst, ghosts, demons – all has passed to the interior of our souls, all troubles us, grieves us, threatens us from inside. E. Morin, French philosopher and sociologist, Method V.

Our positive or negative thoughts, and the way we see the world and ourselves, determine our happiness - without a direct dependence on objective causes. Indian saint Guru Nana

Where is planet Earth? Even the Sun is beyond comparison to Sirlus leaving Arcturus aside. We, as human beings are so “fragile” in existence yet we wage wars against each other. Creating misery to ourselves is endless and it is all because of greed.
Let us try to understand the wisdom and what Dalai Lama has to say about the most interesting philosophies of life.
- The key to a happier world is the growth of compassion. We do not need to become religious, nor do we need to believe in an ideology. All that is necessary is for each of us to develop our good human qualities.

- We should devote our most serious efforts to bringing about mental peace. From my own limited experience, I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion.

- The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes. Cultivating a close, warm-hearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease.

- Because we all share an identical need for love, it is possible to feel that anybody we meet, in whatever circumstances, is a brother or sister.

- I try to treat whomever I meet as an old friend. This gives me a genuine feeling of happiness. It is the practice of compassion.
Dalai Lama,Tibetan spiritual and political leader, Voices from the Heart
Antares is the 15th brightest star in the sky and it is more than 1000 light years away! The human mind will desire for the unthinkable and we may not even with an iota of hope to explore Antares. It is because how can humans try to accomplish something that big, not realising that life is made up of little things?

All those little virtuous things inside us are left sedentary or rather overlooked yet what we want is to greed.

The main cause for all the ills of any country and every country is the present democratic system of governance which allows "corruption" of all forms to thrive unchecked.

It is because of greed and selfishness that are eating into the social fabric of our society. Our sense of purpose has changed to hurtful, traumatic and stressful events and it will take years to heal such wounds.

It is all about selfish and brutish people. They are oblivious to the negative consequences of their actions ultimately abuse the patience, trust, and goodwill of all who believe in the system to satisfy their petty whims.

Greedy people get together and start a rebellion movement using democracy as their tool for their selfish gain. This becomes possible when power is concentrated in the hands of a few who manipulate the nation's political, judicial, police and economic institutions.

To eradicate corruption, the present democratic system of governance, where full power to make final decisions ultimately rests in the hands of one person, must be changed.

The only way to salvage a country is to change the present system of governance to one that is truly democratic where the final decision-making power will rest on Parliament (the decision making supreme body of a country) that will benefit everyone other than the crooked politicians.

Should we look beyond the stars for democratic institutions guided by true democratic principles, the rule of law and justice? No! We do not have to, but to get rid of all the corrupted politicians and usher-in a new era of a corrupt-free society in the country.

...when we finally know we are dying, and all other sentient beings are dying with us, we start to have a burning, almost heartbreaking sense of the fragility and preciousness of each moment and each being, and from this can grow a deep, clear, limitless compassion for all beings. Sogyal Ripoche.

I can still live in peace because within me lies the hope and belief that the good will triumph over evil and where virtue hides no lies.

Those who cause unpeace, should live in unpeace. Outer peace should be proportional to inner peace, to one's peace of mind. This is natural justice. As you sow so shall you reap. Lime seeds give lime fruits. Christer Olsen.

So, who are we?

Tuesday, May 12, 2009