Jefferson lives...

An episode of the latest season in the West Wing tells the tale of John Adams who was to speak on the occasion of the anniversary of the Declaration of independence until ill health prevented him from doing so. On his deathbed was relieved that he would be survived by then Jefferson when he uttered the last words "... Thomas Jefferson survives." 5 hours later, he was proved wrong.

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died within hours of each other, on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1826.

I thought what an irony it was, especially given the significance of today. As the upper most echelon of our country changes hands, Malaysia waits in abated breath albeit with speculation swirling around every pocket of conversation. Whatever your bias, Malaysia today is not a bad place to live in. We have wealth manifest in so many different respects in the country, and a voice that people recognize as largely one of moderation and reason. We are not perfect, and surely no other government would claim to be so.

I would be tempted to turn to the back page of this "book" and see how things emerge, but somehow sense that any change will be gradual.

Just wondering aloud, in the event of the unthinkable, and 5 hours later history repeats itself, I wonder who would be in line to take over the hot seat, given that the political succession issue has yet to be resolved?

A different perspective of success

At age 4 success is . . . . not peeing in your pants.
At age 12 success is . . . having friends.
At age 16 success is . . . having a drivers license.
At age 20 success is . . . going all the way.
At age 35 success is . . . having money.
At age 50 success is . . . having money.
At age 60 success is . . . going all the way.
At age 70 success is . . . having a drivers license.
At age 75 success is . . . having friends.
At age 80 success is . . . not peeing in your pants.

Have a laugh then think some ;)

GWB parody site

China Space Flight: President Bush's Formal Statement Welcoming Red China to Space Age: "Never Trespass on America's Moon!" - WHITEHOUSE.ORG

This site is so side splitting funny, it would be banned in Malaysia if the subject matter was local ;)

Symbolism vs Shambolism: US$ 1.2 million aid held back

The U.S. Senate agreed by a unanimous decision on Monday to hold back $1.2 million in military training aid to Malaysia as a reaction to Dr Mahathir's speech at the recent OIC meeting. While the The Bush administration surprisingly distanced itself from the Senate decision, Mahathir gave the news the 2 second attention it deserved, observing the fact that Malaysians could easily afford the shortfall.

Jeff Ooi writes:

Keep your money, you BIG BULLY!

Malaysians tell the US that our national prode is worth more than US$1.2 million. One Ringgit from each citizen will more than cover that military aid which comes with so many strings attached...

I couldn't agree more.

The point is lost because not only is the amount insignificant, it casts a serious shadow of doubt over the US' commitment to the so-called war on terror. Like it or not, Malaysia has been a relatively active ally up to this point and while US$ 1 million does little to dent our contry's military, it sends the wrong signal to a land that is universally recognised as the flagship of moderate Islam. Does it mean that we are to stand on the other side of the fence?

The action by the US senate is more juvenile than helpful. Unfortunately, by disassociating themselves from this action, the Bush Administration only demonstrates a political naivety that will probably be Dubya's legacy.

Lost memories while I found humanity

Old soldiers never die, they only fade away... (General MacArthur). I chanced upon an ex-soldier of the Malaya army. The old man approached me last night and asked if I knew what his keys were for. Raising my defences, my immediate thoughts were that he was going to ask me for money, not an uncommon ploy for people to sponge of others. Then the look of confusion in his eyes brought shame to mine. I recognised the signs of someone aged with half a memory and at once took pity on the dimunitive old man. He introduced himself as Abdul Jalil and confessed that he had been wandering around for several hours wondering how to get home.

He claimed to have come from Puchong and showed me his identity card to prove it. As if to atone for my misjudgement, I offered to send him home, which he willingly and gratefully accepted. So on we set off literally house-hunting. AJ's poor recollection of landmarks only diminished my hope that he knew where we were heading, but drive we on did. After an hour we found the house, empty. It seemed that the old tenants had shifted months ago and yes, they recognised the old man, but did not have a forwarding address or contact.

Stunned, he asked me why his family would move without his knowledge. I knew at once that logic played no part in this. Here was a confused individual and all I could think of was to assure him that all would be alright and that he should rest while we made our way back to the Kelana Jaya police station. We arrived at the station past midnight and even the police were amazed that no missing persons report were made at this hour. After much trying, we obtained a contact number - Julee, his daughter. Our call was rebuffed as the female on the other side of the line directed me to call her sister instead who lived nearby. I remember thinking to myself, "if this was my father, I'd be there in 2 minutes." Next we called Ros and true to form, she began complaining that AJ was a stubborn old man and sounded reluctant to attend to her father.

Here I was at 2am in the morning, a complete stranger minding AJ while his 13 children debated between themselves whom should take the responsibility of picking the poor fella up from the police station! Coincidentally a couple of busted VCD traders were around and ironically, they had little good to say of the ingrates! Finally at 3:30 am, Ros showed up with an accusing husband who made little effort to thank us and instead demonstrated his ire towards the old man. The officer in charge pulled him to one side and presumably gave him a piece of his mind, while I spoke only kind words towards AJ, in part wishing him all the best in an uncertain future.

Well, uncertain is probably not the right word, because as things stand, the poor chap will probably be sent to an old folks home soon...

I drove off convinced of the need to be a better man, and I hope a better son.

Arsene Wenger - hypocrisy and sore "loser"

Anyone watching yesterday's London derby would have been apalled to read Mr Wenger's statements in the press today. It seems that while his players are above reproach, any provocation on the part of opposing players is indefensible...

As it stands, Matty Holland has joined the ranks of Ruud Van Nistelrooy as a diving cheat, unlike squeaky clean Robert Pires, Olympic diving gold medalist (potential) Ashley Cole and the guy without elbows, Dennis Bergkamp.

'There was no water underneath, but it was very nice,' declared Wenger, with more than a hint of irony, of Holland's fall.

Fine, I wonder if there is a Gaelic explanation that differentiates between someone who dives without being touched or someone who dives after being touched? I guess the difference lies in whether it is a favorable result for Arsenal or not.

For all his strengths in identifying good players, Wenger has surely brought the game into serious disrepute each time his myopia manifests! If anything, his actions are only inflammatory and can only do more harm than good. Perhaps it is time that a player takes the errant Frenchman to task and haul his bony a$$ to the courts for good measure.

Defending a General

A recent Article in the CNN claimed that the Pentagon deleted portions of Gen, Boykin's official apology. This includes a statement that God had placed Pres. Bush in his current position and that Boykin himself would refrain from speaking at Christian meetings. I wonder why?

Boykin, deputy undersecretary of defense for intelligence, said in a speech to a Christian prayer group in June that radical Muslims hate the United States "because we're a Christian nation, because our foundation and roots are Judeo-Christian and the enemy is a guy named Satan."

Taken at face value, I may have joined the multitudes in lambasting Boykin, given his active role in the US Military. Why allow such a person to participate, lead even in the war against terror? Is that not like adding fuel to the fire?

Take a step back. Many likeminded people took exception to Dr M's statement that Jews ruled the world, without first understanding the context in which it was spoken to, and particularly the audience to which the same was directed at. Let me offer a word of moderation (not defence for I would definitely be castigated and cast as a proponent of hateful racial bias). The Christian belief is that we live in a human and spiritual world. The bible, which forms the basis of a believer's faith, clearly states that there is a spiritual world, and that Jesus Christ is THE WAY, THE TRUTH and THE LIFE. It goes on to say that our battles are not against flesh and blood but the against authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Eph 6:12). These powers and authorities are referring to the spiritual element, not the physical reality we all know. How do I interprete this? Well read the verse in context it should include the verses before and after it:

11Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Eph. 6)

Boykin was speaking to a group of Christian evangelicals who did not need the added clarification and background before drawing their own conclusions. The influence and manipulative power of the fourth estate as Sir Jeffrey Archer puts it, means that news is now no longer as we see it, but how THEY (the reporters) see it. If it serves their prupose to publish something by leaving parts relevant to it out, they will do so! Of course most people do not share Boykin's spiritual opinion... if you do, you would probably be a Christian!

The manner in which this was taken out of context and thrust to the world as the fleshly ideology of a military man designed to enflame the Moslem community only goes to show that the truth is really whatever we want it to be. Whether to fan religious fervour or just to sell more newspapers, the fact is, Boykin was speaking not to you or me, or the 1 billion Moslems worldwide. Ask any Moslem general if Christians would go to heaven and then judge for yourselves.

What was his wrongdoing? If he had drawn on his position as a military leader to lend credance to what he said, that was irresponsible. But as far as we know, he was speaking in a spiritual context for a spiritual meeting - or has prayer meetings taken a new dimension I am not aware off. Frankly, I do not know Lt. Gen. Boykin, nor am I aware of his military record. But just as I joined the chorus in defending the "anti-semitism" remarks of our outgoing PM, I'd rather be consistent that hypocritical.

The right to starve

CNN.com - Lawyer: State has no right to rule in Schiavo case - Oct. 22, 2003

Bo and Mary Schindler have been engaged in a long legal battle with son-in-law Michael Schiavo over the fate of the 39-year-old woman, who suffered severe brain damage following a heart attack in 1990. In the latest twist of events, Governer Jeb Bush rushed a bill through the Florida Legislature allowing the reinsertion of Schiavo's feeding tube rather than allow her to die.

A court ruled recently that her feeding tube could be removed it was on the basis of Terri Schiavo's own wishes not to be kept alive by artificial means. He said Terri Schiavo told her husband, "I never want to be kept alive artificially."

The spectre of Judicial tyranny still hovers over this case, says Dr Jim Dobson on Family Life Ministries Network in that the matter will continue to simmer perhaps until and perhaps after the last breath that Schiavo will ever breathe. Dobson, a strong pro-life Christian advocate and the large Christian Florida community are adamant that the woman who despite being brain damaged, yet is able to respond in a limited way; is allowed a chance to rehabilitate to some form of recovery.

The issue here is not so much the wishes of Terri (if indeed it is true) to die, but rather the fact that no one should be allowed to starve to death, especially in the case where there is no way to establish if this is indeed her wishes. The decision of the court was based solely on Schiavo's statement to her husband and would unlikely have taken into consideration such a scenario.

I wonder if the courts are truly equipped to play God? Even worse, to waive the consequence (relatively short-term though it would have been) of pain and suffering it would bring to the "victim" all for the sake of choice? If for example I were found out to be starving a pet at home, will the police, upon being made aware, be oblidged to stop me?

Bush Rebuke: Did he, didn't he?

I cannot comprehend the manner in which the press is hyping up the supposed personal rebuking of Dr M by Pres. Bush.

Consider the fact that George W Bush is willing to stand up for his convictions and wage war in 2 major hotspots in the middle east, whatever his convictions. That he is now willing to sign on the bill that makes late pregnancy abortion illegal in a country divided and very passionate over this issue. All these and more, despite the fact that he is the minority elected President with a second term election in the not too distant future.

Now consider the fact that the person reporting on this, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan, was in a sense not part of that personal conversation.

IF indeed Pres. Bush intended for any reason whatsoever, to rebuke Dr M, why go personal? If anything, APEC provides a sufficient platform to put the outgoing Malaysian PM in his place... He has demonstrated this with Arafat.

No, I think what transpired between these men was intended to be private rather than laundered in the press like some cheap gossip. Like them, love them, both are men of conviction who stand by what they believe. The senior staff and press have no business putting a spin on the issue knowing full well that Bush had no way to respond otherwise.

For an interesting view on this read this article.

IPO hangover

A friend commented over lunch today that Maxis' recent service outage smells more than the power failure that was attributed as the cause for it.

"It only goes to show that nothing good happens after an IPO," he went on.

Well, to be fair, complains about their poor service levels and constant dropped lines were fairly common long before the IPO came into the picture. Still, talking about pictures, one wonders how the leading mobile telco in the country could be caught with no back-up and its literal pants down?

Also showing panty lines is the recent offerings on Astro's Wah Loi Toi channel. The grey scale images aren't a sign of poor transmission. That's the sight of oldies being screened on weekends as if to say their purchasing budget has gone to the dogs. Not only that, many of the so-called latest serials are at least weeks, if not a couple of seasons behind those being screened on the terrestrial channels... shame, it all deteriorates after the IPO...

Buying over the people's game

Someone hit me on the head and tell me if soccer is still the people's game? The beautiful game is undoubtedly the largest single sport spectator event on the face of earth largely due to its accessibility to the masses. Several clicks of the remote on weekends would eventually find a soccer telecast. All it takes is a ball and at least 6 people on a half decent field for a game. And it does not matter if we can bend golden balls like Mr Beckham... there's almost always an interested spectator or more on hand.

Yet Roman Abramovich's spending spree at les Blues and interests by other billionaires in Manchester United threaten to take the game to another less flattering level. Of course comparing favorably to the recessionary transfer window prior to his intervention, the game now looks inclined towards being nothing more than a billionaires' playground with spare change exchanging hands to the tune of millions and hundreds of millions. Will it be candy to the eye? Why not? Will it elevate the standard of the game? At least in some leagues (say, for the price being touted as Rooney's tag, Roman could buy the our inaugural Super League and Premier League teams with cash to spare!) anyway...

But what about the passion and sense of ownership? This is Mr Moneybags' team now can't you see? You can't buy that... can you?

A life worth living... and celebrating

Walls and wails in Israel, bombs and bodies in Baghdad, space and beyond in China, nepotism and anti-semitism in Kuala Lumpur... amidst all that Mother Theresa was beatified yesterday. While I do not fully understand the spiritual significance of this, I think celebrating the life of someone who had not taken a single day off in 50 years to ease the pain of humanity is worth the trouble... and attention.

My brother embraced for the first time his newborn baby. I need to wait several more months. But if there was something I would impart to the 2 kids, it would be this:

My wise uncle once told me that there are 2 types of people today; one who does all the work, and the other who takes all the credit. He went on to say he'd rather be the former and do all the work cos there was less competition. Mother Theresa knew the difference; I wonder if we will ever get fed-up of our own self-serving lip servicing? But rather than take this time to bitch about how bad we are, in the spirit of things, let us take time to see how much better we can become? It starts with a little kindness, which we learn, eventually begets kindness...

Peace be with you.