KL to have one of the world's biggest Ferrari and Maserati showrooms

Quoting from The Malaysian Insider:
By Shannon Teoh

PETALING JAYA, March 19 – Naza Italia will open what is possibly one of the largest Ferrari and Maserati centres outside of Italy at the end of the month with the launch of its "4S centre" for the two luxury marques.

A riddle - Which famous person is this rhyme about?
Let the people eat cake, if they can not have bread.
She who thus jested made a dreadful mistake;
Her callousness cost her her head.

The answer is NOT:
Marie Umtoinette

A Monday Adventure

IT helps to put things in perspective if you start your Monday morning with an adventure.

I was walking to the office across a muddy tract of land (it is being cleared to become a car park I am told) and I was navigating around the puddles. I came to a big one, and chose to cross the higher ground to avoid it.

This is where not being an outdoor-and-camping kind of guy becomes a disadvantage.

The 'higher ground' turned out to be just a pile of soft mud deposited there by the earth mover. My left foot sank in up to the ankle; I lost balance, and moved my right foot only to place it into the same pile of mud. Still off balance (because now both feet were stuck), I had to crouch and put my hand out to steady myself. Yes, my right hand also sank into the mud.

To his credit, my friend who was walking behind me did not burst in laughter. He kept his head, and gave me a hand - like Indiana Jones pulling someone out of quicksand.

The mud had taken a liking to my shoes, but I was determined (they were new until 5 seconds ago) and hooked them with my feet as I was pulled out onto terra firma.

I waddled to the office (my shoes were encrusted in mud and looked like a pair of rocks), located a water pipe outside the building, and carefully washed the mud away from my shoes. My friend went into the office to find a pair of alternate footwear, which he thankfully did. I had to bin the socks.

And so, I am waiting for my shoes to dry sufficiently so I can put them on and go home to change…. Amazingly, even though I was almost knee deep in mud, my trousers (also relatively new - I bought them while on holiday in Canada last August) are not totally soaked in the stuff. Hooray for Canadian brands. This is a Mantles trouser. Absolutely a must-wear if you plan to walk though mud on the way to work.

Of course, my luck being what it is, someone just HAD to take photos of my latest fashion statement and email them to me.

So I present you with the very latest in Malaysian office attire. I call it the earthy look.
(Caution for the faint hearted - pictures contain graphic representation of an ugly pair of feet)





Lesson learned – my friend says stick to those areas that have tyre tracks. You know those are firm enough to support a vehicle.

Helping out with RVGSC

RVGSC (see their business card at right) is a Voluntary Welfare Organisation committed to improving the lives of women, girls and children in crisis.

The centre is one of the many houses run by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd in Malaysia. This is a charity I fully support. After the 2006 Tsunami, the local house was collecting funds to send to their sister house in Ceylon, and I gladly chipped in - something I would not do for any government organised fund collection. (Not that government itself cannot be trusted, but that one can never be sure all the people involved are on the level).

We were in Petaling Jaya today - 1Utama shopping centre. We were helping RVGSC setup their booth at the community counter. They will be there today (19Feb2009) till Sunday (22Feb2009).

As you can see, its a cheerful counter, and it's selling delicious cookies and ikan-bilis sambal. There's also handicraft made by members in East Malaysia.

Prices are resonable (not cheap, but well within the range of what you'd pay for stuff at 1-Utama) and the staff are shy but friendly. They all dashed away the moment I said "lets take a picture".

Here is a picture of their sambal (in the bottles), special mixed nuts (with just a dash of spice to make your mouth water) and cookies. Their London biscuits are amazing - I literally sucked the chocolate off the wrapper after eating the biscuit.

Below this is a picture of their handicraft. mostly cute little stuff, but one thing to look out for, for those with an eye for the unique and beautiful, is the hand painted river stones.

I picked out the one with the tiger face on it. You can see it in this picture, a little left of centre. Truly amazing. The price, however, was a little over my budget, so I reluctantly put it down. Someone else will get luck and take it home with them.

I hope all of you reading this (yes, both of you) stop by and give them your custom. (That's good Engrish for 'buy their stuff' lah). After all, if we personally can not help people in trouble, the least we can do is sponsor someone we can trust to do it on our behalf.
The RVGSC booth is located at the first floor of the OVAL, New Wing, 1-U. They are directly across the Oval from the escalators.
Update on Tue 24Feb.: Thanks to all my friends and relatives for showing up and giving the sisters your custom (i.e. you were their customers - thats there the word comes from I think). I was told that She-Ra and friends even ordered several bottles of salt-fish pickle (which is pretty good too, so I dont know why they didn't stock any to start with) which will have to be imported from Ipoh. Good show. Maybe I can convince She-Ra to invite me over to her place for chicken curry and salt-fish pickle one day... ha ha ha.

Book Review: The River of Time, By David Brin

Being an Issac Asimov junkie, I did not at first recognize the name 'David Brin' and thought it might end up a "ho hum" book. In fact, I had a long and thoughly enjoyable read right to the end of the book, where I discovered a familiar gem - the short story "The River Of Time" was one of the earliest science fiction stories I read, when I was still in school, and asks a simple question - "What if time is like a river, and we are only flowing along in 1 tributary stream right now?

This is a collection of short stories grouped around four themes: Destiny, Recollection, Speculation, and Propagation. It was not immediately apparent to me how these themes were developed, but thinking about it, they were. And that's the problem, in a sense. You need to think to get the full impact of these stories.

Don't read this book if you like your Science Fiction to be just mindless (ok, near-mindless) shoot-em-up entertainment (star wars?), or worse, pseudo-scientific mysticism (Galactica seems to have gone down that road, an the Matrix, to a degree, even though I like the 'Matrix' series). Here is science fiction that challenges your ideas of reality, while remaining rooted in rationality. David Brin's work is simultaneously encouraging, disturbing and thought provoking. Something like Star Trek the original series must have been to people in the 1960's and 70's.

Go to davidbrin.com and at the bottom of the page you can see the issue I bought. You can also get it from Amazon and from fantasticfiction.co.uk David Brin's website might be the best place to go, as he lets you read samples of his work.

MELAMINE: Raising agent from China banned

The news is in the Sun and the Star. (Wouldn't know about the "Crooked Times" and "Beri Cerita Harian" as I don't read those rags).

http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=26685
X snip X
The decision to ban the raising agent, which takes effect immediately, was made after analysis made on samples from two biscuit factories -- Khong Guan in Johor and Khian Guan in Penang -- found that 18 of 47 samples had excessive melamine levels.
X end snip X
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/10/17/nation/2305367&sec=nation
X snip X
Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said...... "Results from our tests found that the melamine level in the ammonium carbonate used for Khong Guan and Khian Guan biscuits is 33.4ppm and 508ppm respectively,” he told a press conference on Thursday.
etc... etc...
Khong Guan Sdn Bhd and Khian Guan Biscuit Manufacturing Company Sdn Bhd, in a joint statement, said they would fully cooperate with the ministry and would ensure that the products were recalled quickly.
The two companies said they have ceased using ammonium bicarbonate from China and had switched to those sourced from other countries.
X end snip X

Looks like I have to add biscuits and baking power to my list in my blog on things Made in China.
Oh - and I think I need to correct something: In 2007, when pets were dying because of Melamine in their food in the US, I think the food was not made in China - one of the ingredients was.

Have they tested Lap Cheong and Waxed Duck yet? And Ma Ling luncheon Meat?
Bwahahahahahahahaha....

A letter from Australia

This one is hilarious.
Hey - looks like lately I have been posting more of other peoples words than my own. Well, it's just that I am finding it harder to articulate.... writer's block I guess. So I compensate for my constipation of ideas with a diarrhea of trivia.
ANYWAY - here is a joke from a friend in Australia. hmmmm... yes, in Oct they would be moving from Spring into Summer.. so here is the letter from Joe:

Spring is now coming close to 2 months already and soon summer will be here...
You can see alot of those who are staying around my place having BBQs....of course in their balconies...like i said b4...there are only apartments in my area.....

there are some rules that we need to follow over here.....

B B Q RULES
We are about to enter the BBQ season. Therefore it is important to refresh your memory on the etiquette of this sublime outdoor cooking activity. When a man volunteers to do the BBQ the following chain of events are put into motion:
Routine...
(1) The woman buys the food.
(2) The woman makes the salad, prepares the vegetables, and makes dessert.
(3) The woman prepares the meat for cooking, places it on a tray along with the necessary cooking utensils and sauces,
and takes it to the man who is lounging beside the grill - beer in hand.
(4) The woman remains outside the compulsory three meter exclusion zone where the exuberance of testosterone and other manly bonding activities can take place without the interference of the woman.
Here comes the important part:
(5) THE MAN PLACES THE MEAT ON THE GRILL.
More routine...
(6) The woman goes inside to organise the plates and cutlery.
(7) The woman comes out to tell the man that the meat is looking great. He thanks her and asks if she will bring another beer while he flips the meat .
Important again:
(8) THE MAN TAKES THE MEAT OFF THE GRILL AND HANDS IT TO THE WOMAN.
More routine...
(9) The woman prepares the plates, salad, bread, utensils, napkins, sauces, and brings them to the table.
(10) After eating, the woman clears the table and does the dishes.
And most important of all:
(11) Everyone PRAISES the MAN and THANKS HIM for his cooking efforts.
(12) The man asks the woman how she enjoyed 'her night off.' And, upon seeing her annoyed reaction, concludes that there's just no pleasing some women.

Australia has been more or less the 'favourite' migration route for Malaysians fleeing the subtle racial and religious persecution back home. But as Erma Bombeck said; "The Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank", and Joe has also sent back not-so-funny emails about the social ills of Aussie land. I don't want to go into an Aussie-bashing mode however - I think its just fair to say that every country has its own skeletons in the closet, so why not just fight the one you have back home, instead of going to look at someone elses......
Gdday mate.!

Made in China

Update: read this report in CNN - more information than local newspapers.
China's tainted milk scare spreads globally
-----------------------------
The email I got today was almost exactly like the SMS last night:
FYI, the following items have been recalled due to China's milk scandal.
* M&M's
* Snickers
* Mento' yoghurt bottle
* Dove choc
* Oreo wafer sticks
* Monmilk
* Dutchlady sterilised milk
* Wall's all natural mango
* Mini Poppers ice cream
* Magnum ice cream
* Moosandwich ice cream
* Mini Cornetto
* Youcan ice cream
Stores in Singapore have been asked by AVA Singapore to remove them. If you have any of these items at home, don't eat them. Please forward to loved one.

NO, I won't forward it... I think this is just a tad hysterical. I think it is better to just check the labels.

A lot of the ice cream in Malaysia is made from palm oil, and not milk. Also, 1 Dutchlady product in Singapore was found contaminated with melamine, but Dutchlady in Malaysia declared that they do not use any milk from China. So it may be wrong to follow guidelines from different countries too.

If you want to be ultra conservative, then avoid all milk, and anything containing milk. But I think checking labels gives you more options. I have already been avoiding buying China made foods for months – and that includes US brands that are manufactured in China. Wherever possible, I go for foods manufactured outside China. For example, I think Fernleaf is safe because it is from NewZ, and I buy peanut butter made in Australia. Better to have less to eat (because it is expensive) than to have enough and kill yourself.

I started avoiding China-made foods long ago - i think it was last year when the US found a lot of animals falling sick or dying from pet food made in China. The pet food was contaminated with - wait for it - Melamine. Obviously, since they could not put it in US pet food any more, the businessmen thought of a new use for the melamine: milk - since the quality controls were not complete in that area. Now that milk is no longer an option, what will the businessmen do with all that melamine?

Next you will find lap-cheong (preserved sausages) made with real plastic skin, and stuffed with recycled engine oil. Of course, it will be high in protein – from the melamine additives. I wonder if it (melamine) could be used to make tawfoo (tofoo) and soya-bean milk? Do you think I am being too cynical?

And the snake shudders....

There was a sermon I was listening to some time ago, by a brilliant priest who had a unique lesson to teach.
"Satan is already beaten" he said, "Evil is already conquered."
HOWEVER, like a snake that has had its head chopped off, the evil body threshes about in a 'death dance' causing destruction and confusion for a short time.
So what I read in today's news is very much to me part of the death throes of satan:
Raja Petra detained for 2 years
There is a lot I would like to say, but angry words only hide the truth and the real issues. So I will quote from a comment made after that article (with a few of the stronger phrases blanked out):

DAMN THEM!! They are provoking the Rakyat to take to the streets so that they can invoke the emergency and stop Anwar in his tracks. ...etc...

They want this to happen. RPK is the trigger point. Let's face it. We take to the streets and we will be playing right into their hands. ...etc... You can't take to the streets but we must bring down this entire BN/UMNO machinery. The whole country should protest about this grave injustice to one of the true sons of Malaysia.

Wear a black arm band with the words FREE MALAYSIA, FREE RPK! Place stickers on our cars. We have to show our sloidarity. While from another front Anwar should make the final push to drive the stake thru the evil heart of ..etc... This shows the true colour of the government. They are not interested in the Rakyat. They are not interested in the country. They only want to retain the power to control the Rakyat. How can the Malays support such a government? .etc...?

And before anyone misunderstands, when I say Satan, I mean the real thing - I am not using that name on any person or group of people.
UPDATE: Invitation To The Candle Light Vigil On 27th September 2008

Holiday In Canada - Aug08

The holiday of the decade!!
Read about it here: http://canadaholiday0808.blogspot.com/
(Recording begun on 09 Sept 2008... story will unfold as the days go by...)

Word for today: supercilious

su•per•cil•i•ous
–adjective:
[1] haughtily disdainful or contemptuous, as a person or a facial expression.
[2] having or showing arrogant superiority to and disdain of those one views as unworthy

1. "some economists are disdainful of their colleagues in other social disciplines"
2. "his mother eyed my clothes with a supercilious air"

[3] expressive of contempt;

1. "curled his lip in a supercilious smile";
2. "spoke in a sneering jeering manner";
3. "makes many a sharp comparison but never a mean or snide one"

As in:
This article in The Independant:
Rupert Cornwell: Out of America
Barack Obama will win the forthcoming presidential election. I can report this with some confidence on the basis of my latest foray into the American heartland – both real and metaphorical.
Obama has had his troubles of late... you can't help feeling he should be farther ahead of McCain than is he is.
One reason, perhaps, is that famous Obama cool. Cool unflappability is one thing. The supercilious arrogance he is apt on occasion to display is quite another.

—Related forms:
su•per•cil•i•ous•ly, adverb
su•per•cil•i•ous•ness, noun

—Synonyms: arrogant, scornful.
—Antonyms: humble.

Sometimes, that our friends may live, we must risk death.

We are so used to seeing men in uniform assaulting DPM's and spraying chemical-laced-water on our friends that it's hard to see them as people with guts and feelings and loyalties and fears.

Here is a blog every Malaysian must read - one that puts a very human face on our Military, and bears witness to the heroism of these silent few.
To the author;
Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing your life with us, and giving us a glimpse of the heroes who serve, suffer, and are ready to die in silence, that we may sleep without fear for our security.
I am especially touched by this post of a real-life search and rescue.

To be sure, the RMAF is very different from the PDRM, but this blog goes a long way in opening my eyes about ALL our men and women in uniform.

On the downside, i quote:
Other than for the crew involved in the rescue, the air force has forgotten the events that led to joy substituting sorrow. Timely recognition was miscarried. Lessons as to why of seven aircraft in search for one missing pilot only one yielded results, is now permanently lost.
It would appear that the the penchant of our leaders not to learn from mistakes (and not to appreciate those who do) is not limited to the civilian administration.

Rumor-mill

We Malaysians have a penchant for rumor and fantastic stories.
Even a responsible organisation like CAP (the Consumer Association of Penang) has made a slip, recommending that handphones be banned because ofthe "radiation they produce". Sorry, I read that in the hardcopy of a local paper, and can not find the reference online.

My theory is that this is a reaction to knowing that we are not being told everything. It seems that at any time, a judge might make a revelation that someone attempted to coerce him into putting the needs of one party above the law. It seems that at any time, someone could turn up missing, or dead, or blown to pieces, and no one would be able to get a straight story from anyone about it. It seems that you could put a brilliant man, politician, and/or political leader on the witness stand, and to the crucial questions he could just say "I dont remember", whereas if anyone cast aspersions on him, he would be able to say "I remember it was not that way".

So the latest rumor is that there will be a "strike" by petrol stations in a day or two, and they will close. After all, The Star already reports "Petrol kiosks may stop credit card payments". Fantastic! Unbelievable! But some of us WILL rush out tonight to fill our tanks. And thinking about it, you need the fuel anyway, so what's the harm in being safe rather than sorry?

Except that rushing, and panic buying, and hoarding creates artificial demand, and demand (whether artificial or not) creates shortages and higher prices.

But go ahead if you want - rush to the pump. After all, I already filled up at lunchtime today... Nyaaah Nyaah Nyaah...

A toast for the Bride and Groom.

Ah Fook got married.

We have been good friends, and he asked me to give the toast at his wedding dinner.

Now – the problem is, traditional Chinese wedding dinner toast is threefold: One toast for the happy couple, one for the coming children, and the final one for everyone in the room. I had never done this before, and could only remember one other time when I had heard somebody giving the toast. Still, I owed it to Ah Fook to give it my best, so I sat down and came up with this.

To the Bride and Groom.

Ladies and gentlemen, I will never forget the 1^st time I met Ah Ying. Ah Fook invited me to dinner, to meet ‘his friend’. I never thought that his ‘friend’ would knock my socks off. After dinner, we were chatting about cars and the weather, and these two people were holding hands under the table, and giggling together. As though I wasn’t there.

I have to say, it was refreshing; we all tend to get disillusioned and cynical from watching TV romances, and the easy breaking of commitments in Hollywood relationships. But there, in front of me that day was love at its purest and most innocent. In Ah Fook and Ah Ying, I saw not just shared feelings, but also joy, sharing, and the beginnings of commitment; that same commitment that we see them now declaring to everyone today.

And so, I propose toast to the happy couple – thought good times and bad times, thought thick and thin, may you always succeed in your endeavors and never forget to hold hands under the table.

To the coming Children.

At the church this morning, we shared in the ‘fruit of the vine, and work of human hands’ that became the source of our unity and Salvation. A successful marriage is also the ‘fruit’ and ‘work’ of human hands, and most often, we see this ‘fruit’ in the form of children in the home.

And, so, let us drink to the children of Ah Fook and Ah Ying; may they be many, and healthy, and many, and wealthy, and many, and wise.

To all of us.

Ladies and Gentlemen: let us consider Ah Fook and Ah Ying and the love they share. May it remind us of our own lives, and the people close to us.

We are gathered here to honor them tonight, let us leave this dinner and go to our homes and honour Ah Fook and Ah Ying again by being the best husband, or wife, or mother or father, or brother or sister we can be to our own families.

Long life, good health, and prosperity to all of us.

School Rally / School Anthem.

All though our college, a voice is resounding,
Promptly respond to your duty's sweet call.

These are the first 2 lines of the School Rally - the rallying call to La Sallians - that I remember with pride. I have not thought of these lines for many many years, and today, from out of nowhere, a fellow La Sallian started humming the tune, and I felt the rush of being 17 again and being in a school that taught us to be the best we were, and gave us the best it had.

I wont cover details and history of the School Rally, but you can find more info on it here.

Of course, nothing is perfect, and I do know some people who have - shall we say - less than glowing memories of school. And yet, to me, it seems like SFI was a womb in which we were slowly and systematically given all the skills that we have used in our lives to make whatever we are today.

Even my 'hero' comes from there - Bro. David, who could congratulate the D class boys for getting 50% on maths, then walk 3 classes down the corridor and cane the A class boys who got less than 80% in the same paper. Yes, some of them hated him, and still do, perhaps with justification. But
he showed me that we all bear responsibility for our gifts/talents, and ultimately we are also answerable if we squander them. And he taught us leadership lessons I still apply in the corporate world today.

Bro David, if you ever read this, thanks.
From the person who gave the meaning of "condone": allow, permit, accept.

Metaplanetary: A Novel of Interplanetary Civil War

Book Review

Metaplanetary: A Novel of Interplanetary Civil War

By Tony Daniel

“I am a spaceship. I am about the size of the Martian moon Phobos, although not nearly as dense. I am also a human being.”

With these words, Tony Daniel captures the mind, heart and imagination in the first 3 sentences of the introduction. He is talking about the transformation of our species. He is talking of humans leaving the cradle of mother earth to …. What? The tone he uses hints at racial – no – species discrimination. How will he develop this idea? And are there lessons we can learn as Malaysians encumbered with a racially based body politic?

The answers are not soon coming; though the introduction is captivating and full of promise, one fairly has to wade though chapter one and two, pushing against a flood of ideas and concepts that challenge you to find a way to sort them in a coherent order you can relate to. But the hard work is worth it – the mad rush of new ideas only prepares you for a breathlessly readable novel.

What amazes me is the way Tony Daniel has taken some very new ideas in Science and applied them in a working universe. It seems like only recently that I read about quantum entanglement (ref-1) (ref-2), and here is a book (published in 2001) where this is an applied science. Also, with nanotechnology, virtual reality and Artificial Intelligence, he pushes the envelope and gives a perspective of how all these sciences could develop that’s – exhilarating.

I you want to read a synopsis of the book, here’s one that captures the facts but not the experience of reading it.
If you want your own copy, here it is on Amazon.
I want to get my hands on the follow up story – Superluminal.

Heart Attack alert?

Jacie – do you have a younger sister around 25 y.o.? Did she just get a job in Kinta Dredging?

We got a new employee today – I think this is her 1^st day, and she is dressed to impress her new colleagues I think.

Fitting black dress (like the ones you wear lah)… but I think I have t-shirts longer than this dress of hers – it only goes down below the hips, and stops there…. And because she is tall, she has to have these loooong legs all the way to the floor.
Quite a pretty face, I think, though I can’t be absolutely sure – its hard to focus on the face when the neckline is so wide and low….

I think I may have to quit KD just to avoid getting a heart attack….. Maybe you have to give me a lecture again about how there’s nothing wrong about a girl dressing up just to make herself feel good.

Regards and Palpitations,
Short, fat, and ugly.

Why would I support PAS?

In my younger days, PAS was portrayed as a demonic political party which would cut off the hands of a thief and hang me as an unbeliever.

But how much of that picture was real (and I know some of it was) and how much was the embellishment of the BN controlled media (like the NST and the Star)?

But here in this article, we see a PAS that has started to take a moderate road - the kind of road a political party takes when it needs co-operation from others, and does not hold a 2/3 majority.

Read: The Political Maturing of PAS: Recognition of the Need for Inclusion of Non-Muslims and Non-Malays

So PAS is opening its mind across religious and racial lines. I would much rather support someone attempting to have an open mind, than someone who makes veiled (quite thinly veiled) threats of racial segregation and discrimination as in the NST today. NST even had a picture ("No Representation, No Voice" it said), but this only tells me what BN would do to "punish" the rakyat if it (BN) does not win its 2/3 majority. I will never support bullies.

5% penetration

No, K.Alvin, not that kind of penetration.

I am talking about the statistic I heard about some weeks back - that the internet access is available to only 5% of the Malaysian Population - hence the 5% penetration phrase.

Being a frequent user myself, its easy to imagine that all the information available online is read by many people, and that the majority of Malaysians can see through the vapid, ingratiating support the the New Straits Times and the STAR (how the mighty have fallen) give to Barisan National. Even though I do NOT support any particular political party, the blatant unfairness of 'news reporting' in the papers convinces me that I am being lied to, and the non-BN parties are being suppressed.

Let us make this crystal clear. Since the dissolution of Parliament, Malaysia has NO Government, and hence NO opposition. (ok - there's a caretaker government. But that's not an elected government with a mandate to rule) What we have are different political parties whom all want to be given the mandate to form the next Government. So BN usage of MY tax money for their campaigning is illegal - it's stealing from me. And you. Read this article about just one case, and this one about Ijok (especially the last 4 lines).

But sadly, even if all the Malaysians accessing the internet vote against BN, thats just 5% penetration. And as Ijok has shown us, bribery (via the building of infrastructure that should have been there anyway) works. So make every vote count - dont for a moment doubt that for the good of all Malaysians, you must NOT vote BN.

Malaysia Votes 2008: a perspective

Having followed "America votes 2008" on CNN for the past couple of months, I have a few things to say about the way we do it in Malaysia;

An election is an important step in the progress of a country. As such, it should be approached with deliberate and considered steps, and all parties involved must have fair chance to decide on who best represents the peoples needs. Malaysia treats the election as a 'hide-and-seek' game, with the government deciding in secret, and letting the country know only on the day Parliament is dissolved. US elections are scheduled for NOV 2008, and the process of selection of candidates began in late 2007.

No man can have absolute discretion - even George Bush, as the US President, though he may give the executive order to attack Iraq, finally must answer to the electorate for the rightness or wrongness of his decisions. I find it galling that in Malaysia, an ex-Prime Minister (Dr. Mahatir) can say he chooses judges at his absolute discretion ('the decision is mine' he said). His description of getting 'input' from other people showed no trace of intending to give their opinion due consideration. We have put our PM on such a pedestal, he effectively has more power then DYMM the King. Witness the case of Chua Soi Lek and other politicians getting caught with their pants down, or palaces built in low-cost housing areas; their song always refrains with "I will let the PM decide my future", showing that among politicians at least, if not among the rakyat, it is the PM, and not the DYMM who may grant pardon or may dispose.

The politics of RACE were used by the colonialists to divide and conquer. (read an excellent writeup about it here). To be relevant and progressive, and to compete with the countries around us, we must be UNITED. And yet, Malaysian politics is dominated by the National Front (BN), which pretends to be a united front but in reality is a collection of racially aligned groups dancing to the tune of the biggest bully among them - UMNO. This can be seen by the way no BN MP is allowed to vote contrary to BN proposals according to conscience. Racial Riots of May 13th 1969 are also frequently invoked by UMNO as a threat to anyone daring to question its ascendancy. Refer to:
Kris Dilemma or Phobia?
and
May 13 nightmare still haunting us

The politics of manipulating racial prejudice and demonising other races because they appear more successful, or belittling those who are mainly laborers must end in this country. The only way I see it, is to dissolve all racially based political parties, leaving only the non-BN, so-called "opposition" parties. I have no illusions of this happening in my lifetime, but one can always hope.

On CNN, commentators can talk rationally about the 'Hispanic vote' and the 'Black vote' and how the prospective candidates need to address the concerns of each community in order to get their support. Oh, I dont for a moment believe it is always so rational and civilised a conversation, but at least the American system allows for this discussion among rational parties to take place. Here, we have:
Police Warn Against Race Baiting in 2008 General Election (Like That’s Gonna Stop UMNO)

Enough for now. Its late in more ways than one, and I need a break. I will write more thoughts later if I am able.

T r u e C r y p t

Data Privacy - this is important because you don't want your personal data readable by anyone who may;

1. Use your PC while you are making coffee in the pantry
2. Hack into your system though your home streamyx connection
3. Scan your system as part of a corporate audit
4. Dismantle your laptop and plug the hard-disk into his PC after snatching it from you along Bkt Bintang because you were walking and keying in an SMS instead of paying attention to where you were going.
5. Or, Like Edison Chen found out, just make a copy of your hard drive when you send your PC in for repair.
   

Personal data can be as varied as as the people who create it... it can be:
1. Lists of credit card numbers
2. Bank account numbers.
3. ATM PIN numbers
4. avi files of your latest romp in a JB Hotel with a close friend.
5. Pictures of all the girls you s@@@@ed who thought you look like Edison Chen

I have found this utility that is fast becoming my favorite for storing all my personal data. Best thing is - its free.
Free open-source disk encryption software for Windows Vista/XP/2000 and Linux
Go here for more information on TrueCrypt: http://www.truecrypt.org/
There is an informative introduction to TrueCrypt here.

How I use it: I create a 640MB encrypted space, and store my information there. This is small enough to allow me to backup the space to a CD-RW, and move it to other PC's if required. Yes, a CD can have 650 or 700MB of space, but I believe in safety buffers.
When I get a DVD burner, I will create 4.6GB spaces for storing data. Cool.

A not for the dinosaurs out there - TruCrypt does not work on Win98.