Perspectives, Creativity & Humour

2011-10-24T05:08:00.001-07:00

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MY DEVOTIONAL FOR JANUARY 24

2011-01-24T04:30:00.000-08:00

I first started with My Utmost For His Highest devotional in 2006

God’s Overpowering Purpose

I have appeared to you for this purpose . . . —Acts 26:16

The vision Paul had on the road to Damascus was not a passing emotional experience, but a vision that had very clear and emphatic directions for him. And Paul stated, "I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision" (Acts 26:19). Our Lord said to Paul, in effect, "Your whole life is to be overpowered or subdued by Me; you are to have no end, no aim, and no purpose but Mine." And the Lord also says to us, "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go . . ." (John 15:16).

When we are born again, if we are spiritual at all, we have visions of what Jesus wants us to be. It is important that I learn not to be "disobedient to the heavenly vision" not to doubt that it can be attained. It is not enough to give mental assent to the fact that God has redeemed the world, nor even to know that the Holy Spirit can make all that Jesus did a reality in my life. I must have the foundation of a personal relationship with Him. Paul was not given a message or a doctrine to proclaim. He was brought into a vivid, personal, overpowering relationship with Jesus Christ.Acts 26:16 is tremendously compelling ". . . to make you a minister and a witness . . . ." There would be nothing there without a personal relationship. Paul was devoted to a Person, not to a cause. He was absolutely Jesus Christ’s. He saw nothing else and he lived for nothing else. "For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (1 Corinthians 2:2).

1. Read Scripture/Commentary

2. Meditation

3. What am I going to do about it?

God wants our whole/entire/absolute devotion to Him!

God chose me NOT I chose Him.

When we are connected to Jesus, He will give us vision ~ not necessarily vision of visual image in front of us that we can see with our eyes or vision like dreams in our sleep BUT vision that help us visualize or imagine the future. AND it is not daydreaming or fantasizing; it is a holy vision from God that He can help fulfill using His own resources and means and whatever powers He wants to exert.

Once I get this vision, I should not doubt and start to explain it in human way or consult another human being for approval.

I suspect Oswald Chambers was the one who popularize the term "personal relationship with Jesus" as this term is not found in the Bible. But that does not make it wrong. It actually make sense. Most Christian Americans now use this term to evangelize their fellow citizens as well as the rest of the world.

So, what am I going to do about this? I must not fear but have full confidence in the Lord once I grasp His vision. And I must work hard on it to realize it. I must not have even an iota of doubt of His vision.

WHAT'S NEW IN 2011

2011-01-24T04:19:00.000-08:00

Getting the trash cleared. Too much remnants from the past and they seemed to be accumulating by the year. Collections of papers, notes, bills/receipts, etc.

Seeking to grow greater maturity in the Lord and strengthen my character. They said ships are meant to go into the rough seas and not remain in the marina. Why do camels have split hooves? Long eye lashes? And hump on their backs? _ So that they can live in the desert!

Increase my salary either as an employee or as my own boss.

SABAH'S HOMESTAY INCOME: RM2.3 MIL

2010-11-28T05:17:00.001-08:00

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 23 (Bernama) -- Income from the Homestay Programme in Sabah was RM2.3 million last year, compared with just over RM500,000 in 2006.

Assistant Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment Datuk Ellron Alfred Angin said today that 15,244 tourists took part in the programme in 2010, triple the 2006 total of 5,152.

As of October this year, locals hosting 12,601 tourists under the programme earned RM1.9 million, he told the state assembly, in reply to a question from Datuk Justin Guka (BN-Bingkor).

There were 237 participants of the programme registered at 19 villages in 12 districts, he added.

-- BERNAMA

PNB TO HELP SABAH'S HOMESTAY

2010-11-28T05:12:00.001-08:00

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 22 (Bernama) -- Perbadanan Nasional Bhd (PNB) is ready to help Sabah Economic Development Corporation (Sedco) establish a homestay tourism product as a franchise business in the state.

Chairman of PNB Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad said homestay programme had the potential of becoming a franchise business considering Sabah's powerful and attractive tourism pull.

"Homestay is a good programme and we are ready to work with Secdo to develop it as a franchise business."

Under the concept of a homestay programme, tourists get to stay and enjoy their visits in traditional homes and among people who have opened up their homes to the tourists.

"If tourists are given the assurance that a homestay has quality especially in terms of hygiene, convenient accommodation and food, I feel that the concept can be developed and we can work with Sedco to make it a success," Shahrir told reporters after the launch of a seminar here today on the franchise business by Sabah's Minister of Industry Datuk Dr Ewon Ebin.

He said PNB was also ready to help Sabah government market its herbal products through franchising via its newly introduced "Forest Secret" outlets.

"We will repack the herbal products found in Sabah before marketing them through our Forest Secret outlets," he said.

-- BERNAMA

MELAKA: 10 MIL TOURISTS IN 2010

2010-11-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

MELAKA, Nov 25 (Bernama) -- For the first time, Melaka is expected to receive as many as 10 million tourists compared with 8.9 million last year.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said up to October this year, the historical state had received 7.8 million tourist arrivals and another 2.2 million were expected in November and December.

"The number of tourists has risen considerably since Melaka was declared a World Heritage Site in July 2008," he said in his speech at the 'Session with Eminent Personalities' organised by the Institute of Management and Integrity, Melaka (Inspim) at a hotel, here, Wednesday night.

Also present was Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen, as the guest-of-honour.

Mohd Ali also said that the Melaka International Airport (MIA) in Batu Berendam would see the arrival of Riau Air's Boeing 737-500 flight carrying 120 passengers on Dec 6.

He said Riau Air had been operating daily flights between Pekan Baru in Indonesia and Melaka using the Fokker 50, carrying 50 passengers.

"We will also work at having more special flights from Macau and China to Melaka as the MIA had been upgraded," he added.

Dr Ng told a news conference later that Melaka received an allocation of RM157.2 million for a two-year period under the Tenth Malaysia Plan (10MP), which was 46 per cent of the total allocation of RM340 million under the tourism implementation programme.

"This allocation is in recognition of Melaka's role as a prime tourist destination," she said.

At the same function, Dr Ng also announced five main projects under the two-year period of the 10MP, which include upgrading of facilities at the Ayer Keroh Botanical Park costing RM30 million, developing the Tasik Chin Chin area in Jasin (RM25 million) and infrastructure for the cable car in Bandar Hilir (RM49 million).

The two others are the monorail phase two project along the Melaka River (RM13.2 million) and the development project at the Hang Tuah village along the Duyung River (RM40 million).

Meanwhile, Mohd Ali said Melaka planned to hold a Baba-Nyonya International Festival for the first time next year to attract more tourists to the state.

He said the Casa del Rio boutique hotel in Bandar Hilir, expected to be ready by April next year, would be the main venue for the festival showcasing the culture, traditions, fashion and food of the Baba-Nyonya community.

Organised with the cooperation of the Tourism Ministry, the festival will also invite the participation of Penang, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand which also have such a community.

Source from BERNAMA

SABAH: RM5.2 BIL FROM 2.5 MIL TOURISTS IN 2010

2010-11-28T04:51:00.000-08:00

Friday, 26 November 2011

Sabah is set to generate an income of RM5.2 billion from the targeted arrival of 2.5 million tourists next year. Revenue is expected to further reach RM8 billion in 2015 with 3.5 million tourists expected. Minister of Tourism, Culture and Environment, Datuk Masidi Manjun in his winding up said the Sabah Tourism Board (STB) will be allocated RM25 million to carry out promotions domestically and overseas to achieve next year’s objective.

In his winding up speech at the State Legislative Assembly Sitting yesterday, he said the ministry will focus on developing human capital from 2011 to 2015 to produce more skilled workers for the hospitality and service sectors.

Similarly, it will set up a management and monitoring system to tackle environment degradation issues in tourism areas; develop main towns in Sabah not only as a gateway for tourism but also for short-term visitors from South and East Asia regions; enhance research and development in biodiversity conservation for the benefit of the economy and rehabilitation; and enhance the promotion of traditional culture and art at the international level.

Under the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP), the ministry has been given RM33 million to carry out 27 projects under Phase 1 from 2011-2012 for tourism, environment, conservation and culture.

Altogether, the ministry received RM121, 489,280 in the 2011 State Budget.

Departments and agencies under the ministry such as the Environment Protection Department, Wildlife Department and Sabah Parks were each allocated RM4.3 million, RM18 million and RM26 million respectively for administration expenditure.

These include maintaining cleanliness, ensuring the protection of natural resources within Sabah Parks; and maintaining natural diversity to ensure sustainable and equitable use of wildlife resources.

The State Museum Department and Sabah Cultural Board were given RM13.9 million and RM8.5 million respectively.

Meanwhile, in reply to issues raised by BN backbenchers when debating the State Budget, Masadi told Kemabong Assemblyman Datuk Rubin Balang that the Atkinson Clock Tower should be protected.

He said it was ranked 4th in a list of 100 wooden clock towers in the world by the Lonely Planet.

“The Atkinson Clock Tower is made from local wood and is the oldest clock tower in Sabah,” said Masidi who concurred with Membakut Assemblyman Datuk Mohd Arifin Arif that historical monuments whether nice to look at or ugly must be protected for the future generation.

Masadi said the latest development plan submitted by the developer was new plan and had nothing to do with the Museum Department as they needed to get permission from the State Cultural Heritage Council.

On the request for RM5,000 from Gum-Gum Assemblyman Datuk Zakaria Edris to upgrade the bathrooms and toilets at homestays, Masadi said the allocation is a one-off grant given in 2009 and only granted to operators registered with the Malaysian Tourism Board.

On education, Masidi informed Kundasang and Kuala Penyu Assemblymen Dr Joachim Gunsalam and John Teo that the distribution of financial aid to poor students, the food supplementary programme and school uniforms are not decided by the Sabah Education Department but by the Ministry of Education under the instruction of the Cabinet.

Masidi is also in charge of the state education portfolio.

He also informed Luyang Assemblywoman Melanie Chia that Kampung Kinadaan did not exist either in Kota Marudu or Pitas.

“There is a village called Kampung Kinangkaban (Kota Marudu) and Kampung Kaindagan (Pitas) and the Ministry of Education rejected their proposals to build two blocks of building as branches because schools are no longer allowed to do that,” he said.

Furthermore, he said there was no need to build a school in Kampung Kinangkaban as there were not enough students.

“The students can go to SK Samparita (Kota Marudu) which has a hostel. To build a school, there must be at least 150 students,” he explained.

Source: New Sabah Times

TOURISM-FRIENDLIER KK

2010-11-28T04:36:00.000-08:00

Published on: Sunday, November 28, 2010 Daily Express (Sabah)

Kota Kinabalu: Work on the first parcel of the Sembulan River Beautification Project at Sadong Jaya has commenced and is expected to be completed by 2012.

The RM25 million Parcel One plan which involves the Sembulan and Karamunsing riverbanks adjoining Sadong Jaya, will be constructed by Abad Jaya Construction Sdn Bhd.

In announcing this, Mayor Datuk Iliyas Ibrahim said it is one of three tourism related projects for the State Capital funded by the Sabah Economic Development and Investment Authority (Sedia) under the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC).

The other two are the coastal cycle way between Tanjung Aru and UMS and the upgrading of the historical precinct of Kota Kinabalu City.

Construction work is divided into three parcels and only work on Parcel One has commenced due to several outstanding issues such as the need to relocate squatters, several abandoned buildings and land exchanges.

Iliyas said a total of RM45 million has been allocated to the Sembulan river beautification project.

It involves beautifying the riverbanks of both the Sembulan and Karamunsing Rivers, between the South China Sea and Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman adjacent to the Muis building and the Karamunsing River, to the Jalan Kemajuan adjacent to the flyover.

Massive changes are expected to take place in the adjoining areas if building owners and businesses cooperate to help transform the whole area into a vibrant tourism hub with international standard dining, drinking and entertainment establishments.

According to him, building owners and nearby residents in the Sembulan area should see this as an opportunity to upgrade and beautify their buildings and homes, so that visitors and tourists to the area will go home with pleasant memories and, more importantly, the desire to come back.

On the said project, Iliyas, said DBKK is going far beyond the normal "repair" work to an old part of the City. He added that the project design is of international standard and was prepared by Innotech Design Architects Sdn Bhd.

Innotech Design together with AIA Consortium Consultancy Services (along with their team of experts) have taken into consideration concepts and lessons learned from cities like Singapore, Seoul, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Sydney and Melbourne, that have all developed their waterfronts.

He said the architect has also earmarked several public spaces for outdoor entertainment and several spots for public art such as sculptures and fountains.

Iliyas invited big businesses such as banks and corporations to advertise through their contribution to major public artworks in the area and hoped this would amount to several millions over the next few years.

He is also pleased that some businesses had already shown keen interest. Iliyas also reminded the public not to confuse beautification and transformation of the Sembulan and Karamunsing riverbanks with the cleaning and rehabilitation of the rivers as the matter will be looked into separately by DBKK.

Meanwhile, Iliyas is appealing to building owners, business operators, customers and residents of the Sembulan River area, particularly in Sadong Jaya, to be patient with DBKK over the project.

He said DBKK has come up with a traffic plan, parking areas, which are expected to change several times over the construction period.

Realising that no amount of planning will make everyone happy, he said DBKK has set up a hotline number for the public to forward their suggestions and complaints at 088-521861.

TRANSITION ~ NEVER EASY

2010-10-17T09:22:00.000-07:00

Transition is never easy for me. Having to leave home for the first time to enter kindergarten was horrific. Then moving into primary school and then to high school was equality unimaginable. After high school the uncertainty was scary enough that I would rather not live.

I had to leave my hometown for the first time to do a pre-university education. And then leave my country. Scary, scary, scary.

But as things turned out, in that new country I found Jesus. Woot!

Five years later, yet another transition which I wished [again] never happened. I had to return to my country and face a reversed culture shock. I lost my mother-tongue (Malay) [for a moment]. I lost my culture [also for a moment]. I had almost fully adapted the American culture and language. So moving back to Malaysia was no easy thing.

But as it is, this is the reality of life. We must face transition, transitions and more transitions. Like a butterfly that was transformed from a caterpillar, humans too must constantly face metamorphosis in order to progress and adapt the constantly changing surrounding. But thank God for His unchanging truth in the Bible which acts as anchor (or stabilizer) for mankind across the globe.

I was back in Sabah in Summer of 1993. Started my first career in a short week thereafter as a Graphic Designer and that was how it was like for the next five years. Then I thought I would dump GD as it no longer appeal to me.

I thought of acquiring a new skill. So then came journalism in Summer of 1998. Transition again!

It is never easy. And it is scary. It always takes a while for me to adapt to new situations.

To cut long story short, 12 years on, I am looking at another transition. I am actually in transition mode. I am still doing the same job but in my mind, I am already shifting my thought to a new leaf of page in my life.

Enough of being employed, I now want to go on my own. I want to start a business. Selling insurance might sound easy at first. But so far, I find it quite difficult to start. How to start? From what I see and sense since early September 2010, it is a great challenge to do this business in Sabah. People said need to be ready for rejections and more rejections and even lose friends. And the market might just be saturated.

To me at this moment, tourism business may be more feasible in Sabah. I must learn more of the know-how of this industry. Learn the nitty-gritty of being a player in this filed. And that is what I am trying to do now.

Change we can if we desire so much for it.

A person who fails to plan, plans to fail.

There is no shortcut to the old-fashion hardworking smart way.

CATCH 'EM BEFORE THEY DISAPPEAR AGAIN

2010-09-13T07:41:00.000-07:00

If I don't write now, I don't know when the next inspiration and time will come. My next vacation, maybe? Even with that, it is not guaranteed I'll be inspired to write down my ideas and ambitions.

Think Penny Wong who recently became Australia's Finance Minister. She is Sabah-born and it proves "Sabah Boleh!"

Think back Obama's step sister's husband who has links with Sabah. Again "Sabah Boleh!"

What else do I want to inspire myself with, to do more? Now, I am not talking about greed or glutton, or even envy or covetousness.

Rather, it is about "moving on" in life. Which means not living a life of complacency and lax ~ spiraling down to nothingness and physical death. No, I don't want to be a lame duck. No. Don't want that!

So, now I am 42 ~ hoping to live until 73 (the age of my dad's death in March 2006). That means I have 31 years to go. And what am I going to do with that 31 years? I can either be a spectator as the world passes by or a participant to make this world a better place to live.

I had wanted to be a pastor (my secret ambition but known to some). But recently my church has found one. So I praise God for that and also that the burden is no longer mine. I now seek other ways to live a full life.

I am thinking of owning a business. Tourism-related. That would be difficult to start but it is a good industry to be in. Tourism is after all Sabah's second most profitable revenue behind palm oil. And as important is my interest in taking people around my State. I have no experience in entrepreneurship and that is a handicap but it shouldn't stop me from pursuing this ambition. More worrying is the big capital to start the venture and the fact that I may not make any profit for the first 2-3 years.

So, my strategy is not to move too drastically. That means I keep my present job (which after 12 years I feel enough of it!) and find a source of supplementary income to "jump start" my tourism business.

This supplementary income that I have in mind is selling insurance. Selling insurance is low on capital to start with and if you are good at it (right time, right place), you can earn high income in mere 2-3 years. I am not cash greedy but my main motivation to sell insurance is in the form of two goals: to visit as many countries as I can in the next 31 years and to help poor churches.

Can I do it? Mr Lee (my wife's brother-in-law) whom I spent time with the past few days during my vacation has become an inspiration to me in making this decision. I've known him since the early 2000's and saw him progressed through the years.

How do I start? I have done my part in the 12 years at my present career and my income is below this certain figure. I am not very pleased with that as I believe I can do much better. So, why waste my time at a place that cannot really pay me. And instead of crying about it, and grumbling, and complaining, and having sleepless nights, why not do something about it? God gives me a good mind and healthy body, and that gives me the option to do something more. Work hard, work smart ~ putting it simply.

I am not quitting my present job right away. Detailed planning is a must. I start with part-time insurance business. Once my pay is more than my present job, I will quit and do insurance full-time. And that's when I will also embark on my tourism business.

Insurance business would require me to build a vast network of human relationships.

My dream of building a tourism business would require me to have a proper transport facility. Revenue from insurance can provide for this. I already have the tourism knowledge about my State. And I also have the gift of hospitality. Possible spin-offs from my tourism business would be homestay lodge and food (read: mom's cooking), my paintings and John's studio (import and export of crafts).

Critics will be there. Possibility of failure is there. Confusion and anger will happen.

But the odd is, it is better to just do it rather than daydreaming and not doing anything at all.

Catch the ideas, catch the opportunities before they disappear again.

Catch 'em one by one. Woot!

REMEMBERING FRIENDS

2010-03-13T02:28:00.000-08:00

Recently saw the deaths of few people I know.

The first one was the death of Lisa. She actually died in Dec of 2008. She helped us at the church with Vacation Bible School in Dec 2007.

Then on Feb 20, 2010 my brother-in-law passed away peacefully after a few years struggle with cancer.

A friend from pre-U days at Shah Alam, Richard Lupang was brought to be with the Lord on Feb 16, 2010. He had kidney failure.

Life is like a morning mist. It would disappear before we know it.

KONRAD NG

2009-11-25T02:44:00.000-08:00

Maya Soetoro with her husband, Konrad Ng of Burlington, Ont., and their daughter Suhaila, 4, after meeting with Obama supporters in Honolulu in May 2007. (Lucy Pemoni/Associated Press)

Konrad's father Howard Ng was born in Sandakan and married his mother, Joan from Kudat. Howard and Joan then moved to Canada where Konrad Ng was born there. Though Konrad is a Canadian, his parents are Malaysian (or maybe ex-Malaysian).

Konrad then married Maya Soetoro, a half-sister to Obama. Maya was born to Lolo Soetoro, an Indonesian businessman, and Ann Dunham, a white American cultural anthropologist, who is also Obama’s mother.

That give Obama not only one but two links to Asia, i.e. Indonesia and Malaysia.

ASIAN CENTRE FOR JOURNALISM OFFERS 15 FELLOWSHIPS FOR 2010

2009-11-23T02:56:00.000-08:00

Nov 23, 2009 - Applications for the 2010-2011 Fellowships for M.A. Journalism are now being accepted by the Konrad Adenauer Asian Centre for Journalism at the Ateneo de Manila University (ACFJ).

The fellowships are awarded to full-time Asian journalists who have excellent professional and academic record, strong commitment to good journalism and leadership qualities.

According to a statement issued by ACFJ, the grant covers tuition and other expenses for the two-year M.A. Journalism programme which is offered by the Ateneo de Manila University with ACFJ's support.

Since its inception in 2003, 90 journalists from 15 Asian countries have received the grants.

Ateneo's M.A. Journalism is distinctive for its innovative use of online and conventional learning methods. The master's programme covers 12 courses which are conducted using a mix of online and conventional methods.

Six are purely online courses, three are held in the conventional classroom,
and another three are hybrid courses that take place alternately online and on-campus.

The statement says the programme's design allows working journalists and other media professionals to study at their own pace and time, and in their own homes or workplaces.

Courses in ethics, media law and news writing are at the core of the programme.

ACFJ, a joint project of Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) and Ateneo, was founded in June 2000 to promote good journalism in Asia by providing training opportunities primarily for working journalists.

Application forms for the fellowship grants can be downloaded from http://www.ateneo.edu/acfj or requested by e-mail at newsroom@admu.edu.ph.

ACFJ can also be contacted by phone at (+632) 9263253 or (+632) 4266001 (local 5296), or fax at (+632) 9263254. The closing date is Feb 12 next year.

For admission to the M.A. programme, a separate set of application forms is
required. These are also available from ACFJ or Ateneo's Office of Graduate
Studies (OGS).

FOUR CHARACTERISTICS OF MUSCULAR MEN

2009-11-04T01:46:00.000-08:00

Want to be that guy in the gym?

You know the one; the guy who picks up a weight and seems to effortlessly grow muscle. If so, there are some adjustments you should make in your everyday life. These adjustments are in line with the four characteristics of muscular men, and following them will help you be the one that gym-goers aspire to be.

Here are four characteristics of muscular men and what they mean to you.

1. Muscular Men Don’t Skip Meals

When it comes to building and maintaining a large volume of muscle mass, total calories and total carbs are important. While there are many men who can successfully build muscle mass without a problem, the number of them who manage to keep this muscle mass on their frame is far smaller.

Maintaining a lean body weight means that you’re dedicating a significant portion of your day to eating. You simply cannot get by eating the usual three squares a day.Muscular men typically do some meal planning, so they know when their next meal is coming, at the very least. Many will plan out all their meals beforehand, ensuring their calorie intake is where it needs to be. Eating is important for muscle gains and maintenance, which is why it’s among the four characteristics of muscular men.

Further, muscular men understand that their meals are best made up of a combination of macronutrients: proteins, carbohydrates and moderate amounts of dietary fat. It’s hard to maintain such large volumes of muscle glycogen stores when you’re on a low-carbohydrate diet, even with weekend carb-ups. For this reason, muscular men usually aren’t using low-carb nutrition plans.

A smarter idea is to create a diet plan that contains a more moderate carbohydrate intake (30 percent to 40 percent of total calories), combined with enough protein to meet your requirements and healthy dietary fats to round out the diet.

2. Muscular Men Spend Less Time in the Gym

You might think that maintaining large volumes of muscle mass equates to hours spent in the gym, but in fact quite the opposite is true.Muscular men know that muscle is built when they are out of the gym; therefore, they design their workouts to allow for enough rest. If muscular men are spending more time in the gym per workout (one hour plus training sessions), they’re taking full days off in between sessions to allow for complete recovery. Now, that’s one of the four characteristics of muscular men that’s easy to adopt.

3. Muscular Men Sleep a Lot

If you survey professional bodybuilders, you’ll find that many of them take naps on a regular basis. Not only do they make sure to get a solid seven or eight hours of sleep at night, but they also take naps after their training sessions.

While taking midday naps may not be a practical solution for you if you’re busy at work, the point here is that you must give value to your sleep time. If it’s one of the four characteristics of muscular men, why can’t it be one for you too?

Cutting yourself short on nightly rest to stay up and watch late-night TV is going to seriously impact your ability to grow muscle over time. One or two nights isn’t something to get too worked up over, but if you’re regularly getting fewer than seven hours of sleep, something needs to change. Sleep time is the body’s prime time to repair the muscle tissue that’s been destroyed during your weight-lifting session and it is also when growth hormone levels tend to peak. Since growth hormones play a big role in the muscle-building process, maximizing the time when they are at their peak is definitely to your advantage.

4. Muscular Men Do a Variety of Workouts

While there are certainly some types of workouts that tend to be most conducive to putting on the muscle mass, muscular men get into the habit of applying different workout principles on a regular basis. In doing so, they are constantly challenging their muscles from different angles, applying different varieties of stimuli and shocking their muscles into growing. Once you hit a certain size and strength level, it can be hard to keep adding pounds to the bar every few weeks, which is why trying new techniques using the same weights becomes important.

I "Vant" to Pump You Up

So, if you want to be very muscular, start adopting the characteristics of muscular men. As the saying goes, if you want to be 200 pounds, eat like you are 200 pounds. Once you start walking in the steps of someone this size, you’ll find you are getting much closer to your goals.

WHAT BODY TYPE AM I?

2009-11-04T01:27:00.000-08:00

Mesomorphs

In a sense these individuals are the genetically blessed. They are muscular and ripped maintaining the best attributes of the ecto and endomorphs.

Mesomorphs are hard bodied and gain muscle easier than either of the other two body shapes.

Ladies will be hourglass shaped and Males rectangular.

Attributes & Traits of a MESOMORPH:

· Excellent posture

· Well defined muscle

· Large bones

· The torso tapers to a narrow low waist

· The bones and muscle in the head is prominent

· Facial features are well and clearly defined

· Arms and legs are well developed and even the digits in the hands are muscled

Attributes & Traits of an ENDOMORPH:

· Body may be round and soft

· Much of the mass is concentrated around the abdominal area

· Arms and legs may be short and tapered

· The feet of an endomorph may be small in relation to the rest of the body

· Upper arms and thighs are often more developed than the lower parts of the arms and legs

· Soft and smooth skin.

· Fine Hair

· Spherically shaped head

· Broad face and large head

Ectomorphs:

Ectomorphs are lean, and have difficulty gaining muscle. In woman there are no defined curves, in other words a straight up and down physique.

Men appear smaller, and slightly delicate.

Attributes & Traits of an ECTOMORPH:

· May have long fingers and toes

· May have a long neck

· Features are sharp and the face is triangular

· The skin is fair and tends to burn easily

· Due to their lack of muscle they may suffer extreme temperatures i.e. when it is hot they suffer extreme heat and when it is cold they suffer extreme cold

· They have fine, but not necessarily thin hair

I hope the pictures helped in pinpointing your body type.

Please remember, you fall into the category in which you have MOST attributes.

BUSH FAMILY POLITICAL HEIR IS SHIPPING OFF TO WAR

2009-10-29T03:00:00.000-07:00

George P. Bush, or "P" as he's known to some, is thought to be the biggest hope for a fourth generation of Bush family political leaders, with some suggesting that he might run for statewide office in Texas at some point in the next four to eight years. But, as The Daily Beast points out today, any future George P. Bush political ambitions will have to be put on hold as his Navy Reserve unit is set to be deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan in the coming weeks.
George P. Bush, son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and nephew of former President George W. Bush, listens to a speaker during the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials annual convention in this June 23, 2006 photo, in Dallas.
(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Lt. Junior Grade Bush, 33, joined the Navy Reserve in 2007 as an intelligence officer. The Navy recently told him, like thousands of others, that the two ongoing wars required him to go active-duty overseas, potentially in Iraq or Afghanistan. "It's been communicated to me that it's not a question of 'if,' it's a question of 'when,'" Bush told The Daily Beast. "It's just a matter of time."

Bush, who said that he was inspired by the service of his grandfather George H.W. Bush as well as former NFL star Pat Tillman, signed up for an eight-year term in the Navy Reserve in 2007. When word got out about his enlistment, Bush told Politico that he was "disappointed" as he'd intended to keep it under wraps, saying, "I was hoping to keep this as confidential as possible. I'm not doing it for political purposes or anything along those lines." However, prior to his joining some opponents of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan roundly criticized the Bush administration for the Bush family's lack of service in the war effort, saying that if George W. Bush was willing to send the children of other Americans into harm's way overseas, then George P. Bush and other eligible Bush family members should join the armed services and risk their lives fighting for the country as well.

Compared to JFK Jr. due to his good looks and seemingly effortless public charisma, George Prescott Bush (his middle name honors his great-grandfather, former U.S. Sen. Prescott Bush) is the son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and his wife, Columba Bush, who was born and raised in Mexico. Bush's half-Hispanic bloodline aided his burst onto the American political scene in 2000, when he helped his uncle George W. Bush rally up considerable Hispanic voter support by speaking at the Republican National Convention and starring in Spanish-language campaign ads, an effort that many feel helped Bush win the state of Florida's electoral votes, which turned out to be the controversial determining factor in the close election.

Born and raised in Florida, George P. Bush was a high school classmate of pop star Enrique Iglesias. After high school, he attended Rice University in Houston, where, just like his presidential uncle and grandfather, he was a walk-on on his school's baseball squad, though he quit the team during his sophomore year. After earning a degree in history from Rice, Bush got a job teaching at a Miami-area agricultural community. After leaving that job to hit the campaign trail in 2000, he entered law school at the University of Texas after NYU, Yale, Harvard, and Columbia rejected his applications. While there, he met his future bride, Amanda Williams, whom he asked to play golf on their first date. After graduation, they both practiced law in Dallas before moving to Austin in 2005. Bush now is a partner in a real estate investment firm while his wife practices law.

Other than being arrested at 18 for burglarizing the home of an ex-girlfriend, George P. Bush appears to have all the right credentials to carry the Bush legacy well into the future. While family members often refer to the former presidents Bush as "41" and "43," the Washington Post says that some close to the family have taken to referring to George P. Bush as "47," so it's probably safe to assume that those inside the family see him as a potential future Bush torchbearer just as many outside the family do. Could a possible Bush vs. Biden matchup be in the works for 2020 or 2024, with George P. Bush taking on Beau Biden, the attorney general of Delaware and son of the current vice president who also served in Iraq? In some circles, it may not be too early to speculate.

-- Brett Michael Dykes is a contributor to the Yahoo! News Blog

OBAMA: TWELVE MONTHS ON, THE STAR FALLS BACK TO EARTH

2009-10-29T02:56:00.000-07:00

By David Usborne

OCT 29 — If there was a degree of déjà vu for fans of Barack Obama crammed inside a university athletic arena in Hackensack, New Jersey, the other evening, it was entirely deliberate. They only had to close their eyes and listen to the deafening chants of "Yes We Can" to imagine they had been transported back to the heady days of a year ago when their candidate was on the verge of seizing the White House and making history.

Even with open eyes they could have felt some of that old frisson. Event organisers wandered the hall wearing shirts proclaiming "Yes We Can 2.0", as if they were selling the latest Windows update, and a giant banner stage-right gave top billing to Obama. The name beneath his, Corzine, might almost have been an afterthought.

This was not a re-election rally for Obama — not yet, please — but for Jon Corzine, the former boss of Goldman Sachs and now governor of New Jersey. He had invited the president to speak because, when Jersey voters go to the polls next Tuesday — New Jersey and Virginia are the only states where governorships are in play this year — it is not at all clear that they won't ditch him in favour of his Republican opponent, Chris Christie. The latest polls say it's too close to call.

That's better than in the summer when Christie had a double-digit lead. But, in the final stretch, Corzine needs to remind Democrats of the fervour of 12 months ago when they overwhelmingly chose Obama over John McCain. "One more time", the disco beat booms before the two men arrive on stage in front of a crowd of about 3,000 eager supporters. "One more time. We're going to celebrate. Oh yeah. Alright." Once at the microphone, Corzine promises to be brief. "I know who you came to see," he says.

Obama does what is required of him with his usual eloquence, speaking for 30 minutes. He looks happy to be campaigning again, relieved of Oval Office responsibilities for an afternoon, his stump oratory uncaged. But selflessness and politics do not go together. He is in New Jersey because what happens here next week will matter to him. This is an off-year for congressional races, so, rightly or wrongly, the outcome of these two gubernatorial races will be viewed by some as a first referendum on his presidency.

The President has already suffered a slow, but steady, decline in his approval ratings, so it cheers no one in the White House that the outcome in Jersey is so uncertain. In Virginia, where the President campaigned this week, the outlook is worse with most polls suggesting that the Democrat candidate, Creigh Deeds, will be walloped by his Republican rival, Bob McDonnell.

If Republicans seize the governors' mansions in both states, the embarrassment will be acute. That is just what happened in both New Jersey and Virginia back in 1993 before the Republicans seized control of the US Congress the following year, dealing a crippling blow to the newly minted Democratic President of the time, Bill Clinton.

But even losing one of them next week will scratch the sheen of President Obama, who seems, one year on from his election, to be hovering in the view of most Americans between competent and fumbling, notwithstanding the high esteem in which he is still held abroad and, of course, in the minds of the Nobel committee.

What is certain is that the almost-mad expectations placed on Obama that unusually warm night in Chicago's Grant Park when he delivered his victory speech last November, have given way now to a general unease about his performance in office. For sure, he has mostly avoided calamity. Not getting the Olympics for Chicago doesn't count. Nor is his administration in disarray or anything close to it. (Clinton had barely arrived in office before he was instantly engulfed in mini-scandals.) But the Obama magic that should be working to protect Democrats like Corzine and Deeds seems mostly to have leaked away.

New Jersey is a state that naturally belongs in the Democratic column. Moreover, since 1947, only two Jersey governors have failed to win a second term. But Corzine is unpopular in the state, thwacked by raising property taxes and the effects of the economic recession. "The New Jersey governor's race is going down to the wire," predicted the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

Virginia had been a red state — as far as the presidency was concerned — since 1964, but it turned blue for Obama and Democrats hailed it as a sign that their party was breaking the virtual lock that Republicans had long enjoyed on the South. Keep Virginia, they said, and the Democrats will keep the White House.

The plight of Deeds — 11 points down according to a recent poll in the Washington Post — is being interpreted as a measure of how far the pendulum is already tracking back to the Republicans in that state, and probably elsewhere. Just as Obama's victory was powered in part by his success in winning over independents, it is now the independents who are feeling disappointed and fleeing back to the other side.

"This is a state that Obama won by seven points," said Nick Ayres, executive director of the Republican Governors Association. "They don't want this to be their Olympics, Part II."

McDonnell, the Republican candidate, will be the first to put the blame on the President if he wins the Virginia race. "There are blocs of independent voters that are being driven over because they are very concerned about these federal policies: its spending and the new intrusions into the free enterprise system," he said. "Those voters probably leaned towards President Obama in the last cycle. But when voters see specifics... I think some bloc of voters said: 'This is not the change we thought we were getting'."

Back in Hackensack, Carrie Wilkins, a 44-year-old hairstylist, is exasperated by the bad press the President has been getting. "He has a very tough job," she says, arriving for the Corzine event with her 14-year-old son, Troy, whom she has taken out of school specially. "I don't think he has had a chance to do anything yet. He is trying, but it was such a mess when he came in. I kind of feel bad for him, actually."

Indeed, the attacks on Obama have become fiercer. Wisely, or otherwise, the White House has called out Fox News, owned by Rupert Murdoch, saying that it has abandoned all pretence of objectivity in the daily ear-boxing it gives Barack. Saturday Night Live, which last year so brilliantly skewered Sarah Palin, is getting sharper in its weekly skits on Obama. Meanwhile, the usual media stars of the conservative right, notably Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck, continue to grow their Obama-bashing brands. The Nobel Prize was a gift to them from heaven.

They know what they think, and would probably think it whatever the president did. A broader picture, and a much prettier one, is provided by the polls. According to the Real Clear Politics poll of polls, the President's approval rating is still hovering above 50 per cent, but only just. Sometimes we forget, however, to measure Obama against his opponents. Little fuss was made over a poll by CNN last week, which showed the Republican Party with just 36 per cent approval — the lowest it has been in a decade.

A more reliable observer of the scene may be Troy, the schoolboy. Asked if he thought Obama had done a good job so far, he paused for a second and then delivered a rolling shrug of the shoulders. "I guess so." Meaning he, like many Americans, is not quite sure yet.

A lot of things are in the pending tray in Washington. Pending is the economic recovery, for instance. While the signs of recovery seem to multiply almost daily, so do the warnings that this will be a largely jobless one, at least for the time being. The breaking of the 10,000 mark on the Dow Jones Industrial Average this month looks encouraging to economists, but it is galling to the almost one-in-ten Americans out of work.

Pending also is the grinding effort on Capitol Hill to pass healthcare reform. This has been much more of a struggle than the Obama team — many of whom came to Washington with scant experience of its labyrinthine ways — ever expected. The success or failure of the healthcare push could change the perception of Obama profoundly. While momentum towards a deal seems to be building at last, a wise person would not bet on its passing just yet.

The debate has also exposed what some now see as a naivety in Obama's candidature: his dream of creating a new spirit of bi-partisanship in Washington has hardly come to pass. So far, only one Republican has stepped forward to support just one of the versions of healthcare reform to have surfaced from five congressional committees.

Healthcare is one of several areas where Obama has displayed characteristics that his supporters call patience and a preference for conciliation, but which others brand as dithering and betraying an absence of the kind of toughness that was typically personified by Lyndon B Johnson, 45 years ago. "Healthcare could be his hammer," argues Larry Sabato, a professor of politics at the University of Virginia. "If he gets it, he will have proven that his style works, that you don't have to be an in-your-face LBJ type to get significant healthcare reform. But, if it falls apart or he gets a tiny piece of it, then there will be criticism that he is ineffective and not tough enough."

The narrative of a President who is too pliable has been growing in volume since the summer, much to the chagrin of the White House. Nor is it coming only from the right. There are those on the left who feel let down by Obama and are infuriated by his "political pragmatism". They object, for instance, when he refuses to push aggressively for the so-called "public option" to compete with private insurers in a new healthcare system, or when he declines to meet with the Dalai Lama in Washington because his agenda with China is more important to him. They even don't like it when he brushes off a member of Congress openly calling him a liar as being unimportant.

That's the way Obama is, but some contend it is unhelpful. "Obama has created an atmosphere of no fear," Douglas Brinkley, a history professor at Rice University and political biographer, told the National Journal. "Nobody is really worried about the revenge of Barack Obama, because he is not a vengeful man. That's what we love about him; he is so high-minded, and a conciliatory guy, and he tries to govern with a sense of consensus — all noble goals, but they don't get you very far in this Washington knifing environment."

As Obama takes his time deciding whether to send as many as 40,000 more soldiers to Afghanistan, he has again come in for attack, not least from Dick Cheney, who brooded in the shadows while in power but prefers daylight in opposition. "What ... Cheney calls dithering, President Obama calls his solemn responsibility to the men and women in uniform and to the American public," Robert Gibbs, the White House spokesman, shot back. "We've all seen what happens when somebody doesn't take that responsibility seriously."

The truth is that when Obama has played it tough, it has usually been in ways almost designed to infuriate the conservatives who call him lily-livered. He fired the CEO of General Motors earlier his year before bailing the company out and, just last week, his administration took extraordinary steps to force banks and lending institutions to scale back previously outrageous pay deals for their executives. Both things were bold and in-your-face. But they also represent severe cases of interfering in the private market, which the right abhors.

Obama knows he is still on probation. In his speech in Hackensack, he asked the crowd "to cast aside the cynics and the sceptics and prove to all Americans that leaders who do what's right and who do what's hard will be rewarded and not rejected". It was meant as an appeal to Jersey voters to show mercy to Corzine and give him back his job. But, with the Nov 3 polls being seen by some as the first verdict on Obama's infant presidency, he might too have been asking for a little understanding for himself. — The Independent

NO SEASON FOR POLITICS

2009-10-28T04:08:00.000-07:00

I just cannot help but give my two cents again on Malaysian politics particularly in Sabah. An active mind wants to get it out of the system and share to the world (even though none may want to hear) and that would somehow make my blog viable and relevant.

I would want to consider myself as thinking from outside the box and talking from a distance. I do not want to align myself with any political party in Malaysia (even though I admire one or two or three parties) but if I were in the USA I would proudly say that I am a Republican (that said because I think I am 80% traditionalist and 20% rebellious ~ in short, I am not really a full-fledged enterprising person or an adventurer just for the sake of being one in the sense that he goes to uncharted territories knowing the danger and finding it too late to make a U turn. I am a person who desires to know his available resources and bloom with them).

In US they have a season to "play" politics and time to sit down and work so that the country can move forward. There's the presidential elections and there's the mid-term elections. Simply put, why can't Malaysian politicians do the same?

Sadly, we are still in communalism politics ("still" I say, but looks like the way things go, communalism politics is here to stay in Malaysia for good!). But recently we heard someone said "ketuanan" could be replaced with "keterasan"; roughly, "ketuanan" means "supremacy" and "keterasan" is "vanguard" or "leadership". With that, there it seems to be some glitter of hope that I could be wrong when I say communalism politics is here to stay in Malaysia for good.

We saw how Nazi Germany crumbled and Apartheid South Africa no longer exist. Let's just hope that race-based politics or race-based anything, will see its demise not too long from now.

Today we heard in Sabah that the state PKR is fast dismantling itself. From my personal point of view Jeffrey Kitingan, Christina Liew and John Ghani should all join SAPP and form a new state government that practice autonomy from the central administration and also practice meritocracy. If SAPP can't then it would at least be a formidable opposition which is vital. And it should keep trying and trying. DAP in Penang and PAS in Kelantan are excellent examples where central influence has been kept at bay. We will try to do that in Sabah.

Then only we see a stable state which is able to preserve its cultural & socio-economic characteristics. No more Roman-type of empire trying to impose its will on far-ranging provinces, or neo-colonialism of British-style divide and conquer methodology attempting to subjugate certain communities.

When things stabilize, and strong political parties with impeccable leadership prevails (sans graft, cronyism and arrogance), then we can hope for seasonal politics where there will be time to fight and time to sit down together and move the country forward.

REBRANDING AMERICA ~ BONO

2009-10-18T03:37:00.000-07:00

Wow! This is one of the best articles I've read in a long time!
I wouldn't say that I am a fan of Bono, but I think I am beginning to admire and respect him.

OCT 18 - A few years ago, I accepted a Golden Globe award by barking out an expletive.

One imagines President Obama did the same when he heard about his Nobel, and not out of excitement.

When Obama takes the stage at Oslo City Hall this December, he won’t be the first sitting president to receive the peace prize, but he might be the most controversial. There’s a sense in some quarters of these not-so-United States that Norway, Europe and the World haven’t a clue about the real President Obama; instead, they fixate on a fantasy version of the president, a projection of what they hope and wish he is, and what they wish America to be.

Well, I happen to be European, and I can project with the best of them. So here’s why I think the virtual Obama is the real Obama, and why I think the man might deserve the hype. It starts with a quotation from a speech he gave at the United Nations last month:

“We will support the Millennium Development Goals, and approach next year’s summit with a global plan to make them a reality. And we will set our sights on the eradication of extreme poverty in our time.”

They’re not my words, they’re the president’s. If they’re not familiar, it’s because they didn’t make many headlines. But for me, these 36 words are why I believe Obama could well be a force for peace and prosperity — if the words signal action.

The millennium goals, for those of you who don’t know, are a persistent nag of a noble, global compact. They’re a set of commitments we all made nine years ago whose goal is to halve extreme poverty by 2015. Barack Obama wasn’t there in 2000, but he’s there now. Indeed he’s gone further — all the way, in fact. Halve it, he says, then end it.

Many have spoken about the need for a rebranding of America. Rebrand, restart, reboot. In my view these 36 words, alongside the administration’s approach to fighting nuclear proliferation and climate change, improving relations in the Middle East and, by the way, creating jobs and providing health care at home, are rebranding in action.

These new steps — and those 36 words — remind the world that America is not just a country but an idea, a great idea about opportunity for all and responsibility to your fellow man.

All right ... I don’t speak for the rest of the world. Sometimes I think I do — but as my bandmates will quickly (and loudly) point out, I don’t even speak for one small group of four musicians. But I will venture to say that in the farthest corners of the globe, the president’s words are more than a pop song people want to hear on the radio. They are lifelines.

In dangerous, clangorous times, the idea of America rings like a bell (see King, M.L., Jr., and Dylan, Bob). It hits a high note and sustains it without wearing on your nerves. (If only we all could.) This was the melody line of the Marshall Plan and it’s resonating again.

Why? Because the world sees that America might just hold the keys to solving the three greatest threats we face on this planet: extreme poverty, extreme ideology and extreme climate change. The world senses that America, with renewed global support, might be better placed to defeat this axis of extremism with a new model of foreign policy.

It is a strangely unsettling feeling to realise that the largest navy, the fastest air force, the fittest strike force, cannot fully protect us from the ghost that is terrorism .... Asymmetry is the key word from Kabul to Gaza .... Might is not right.

I think back to a phone call I got a couple of years ago from General James Jones. At the time, he was retiring from the top job at Nato; the idea of a President Obama was a wild flight of the imagination.

General Jones was curious about the work many of us were doing in economic development, and how smarter aid — embodied in initiatives like President George W. Bush’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief and the Millennium Challenge Corporation — was beginning to save lives and change the game for many countries.

Remember, this was a moment when America couldn’t get its cigarette lit in polite European nations like Norway; but even then, in the developing world, the United States was still seen as a positive, even transformative, presence.

The general and I also found ourselves talking about what can happen when the three extremes — poverty, ideology and climate — come together.

We found ourselves discussing the stretch of land that runs across the continent of Africa, just along the creeping sands of the Sahara — an area that includes Sudan and northern Nigeria.

He also agreed that many people didn’t see that the Horn of Africa — the troubled region that encompasses Somalia and Ethiopia — is a classic case of the three extremes becoming an unholy trinity (I’m paraphrasing) and threatening peace and stability around the world.

The military man also offered me an equation. Stability = security + development.

In an asymmetrical war, he said, the emphasis had to be on making American foreign policy conform to that formula.

Enter Barack Obama.

If that last line still seems like a joke to you ... it may not for long.

Obama has put together a team of people who believe in this equation. That includes the general himself, now at the National Security Council; the vice president, a former chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; the Republican defence secretary; and a secretary of state, someone with a long record of championing the cause of women and girls living in poverty, who is now determined to revolutionise health and agriculture for the world’s poor.

And it looks like the bipartisan coalition in Congress that accomplished so much in global development over the past eight years is still holding amid rancour on pretty much everything else. From a development perspective, you couldn’t dream up a better dream team to pursue peace in this way, to rebrand America.

The president said that he considered the peace prize a call to action. And in the fight against extreme poverty, it’s action, not intentions, that counts. That stirring sentence he uttered last month will ring hollow unless he returns to next year’s United Nations summit meeting with a meaningful, inclusive plan, one that gets results for the billion or more people living on less than $1 a day. Difficult. Very difficult. But doable.

The Nobel Peace Prize is the rest of the world saying, “Don’t blow it.”

But that’s not just directed at Obama. It’s directed at all of us. What the president promised was a “global plan,” not an American plan. The same is true on all the other issues that the Nobel committee cited, from nuclear disarmament to climate change — none of these things will yield to unilateral approaches. They’ll take international cooperation and American leadership.

The president has set himself, and the rest of us, no small task.

That’s why America shouldn’t turn up its national nose at popularity contests. In the same week that Obama won the Nobel, the United States was ranked as the most admired country in the world, leapfrogging from seventh to the top of the Nation Brands Index survey — the biggest jump any country has ever made. Like the Nobel, this can be written off as meaningless ... a measure of Obama’s celebrity (and we know what people think of celebrities).

But an America that’s tired of being the world’s policeman, and is too pinched to be the world’s philanthropist, could still be the world’s partner. And you can’t do that without being, well, loved.

Here come the letters to the editor, but let me just say it: Americans are like singers — we, just a little bit, kind of like to be loved. The British want to be admired; the Russians, feared; the French, envied. (The Irish, we just want to be listened to.)

But the idea of America, from the very start, was supposed to be contagious enough to sweep up and enthrall the world.

And it is. The world wants to believe in America again because the world needs to believe in America again. We need your ideas — your idea — at a time when the rest of the world is running out of them. – NYT

* Bono is the lead singer of the band U2 and a co-founder of the advocacy group ONE and (Product) RED.

CHEST WORKOUT

2009-10-17T03:23:00.000-07:00

Greg Plitt: Chest workout

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00X-A2qzsdM

ETHAN BORTNICK

2009-10-17T03:20:00.000-07:00

Meet six-year-old music prodigy Ethan Bortnick. He can play up to 200 melodies from memory, and has composed over 20 pieces.

THAT'S MY KING, OOOOH YEAH!!!

2009-10-10T09:01:00.000-07:00

Amen and amen and amen!

4-YEAR-OLD BOY MASTERS 'MIRACLE' SPEECH

2009-10-08T09:39:00.000-07:00

The awesome kid

Here's what Coach Herb Brooks's (Kurt Russell) speech sounded like in the film "Miracle":

CELINE & ELVIS

2009-10-08T09:29:00.000-07:00

Celine Dion with Elvis Presley (in hologram) on April 25th 2007

MILLENIUM PRAYER BY CLIFF RICHARD

2009-10-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

This was in 1999. A bit late but hey...

WHO SAYS OLD DOGS CANNOT LEARN NEW TRICKS?

2009-10-04T06:57:00.000-07:00

... or at least imagine and grumble about not having acquired them!

WHAT A BOSS SHOULD DO

2009-09-28T03:53:00.000-07:00

1. Respect his workers

2. Daily evaluation of his workers performance as well as his own; and when he does this, he must do it politely or else it would be counterproductive; he must ask "What he likes about his worker's performance", "What he doesn't like", "What needs to be kept" and "What needs to be changed", "How can things be improved", and so on.

3. Reward ~ consistently and at random (jackpot or surprises or bonuses)

4. Ice breaker ~ family day or field trips

5. Ongoing refresher courses and more training and retraining

6. Active communication

CHURCH GROUPS SPEAK UP ON POLITICS

2009-09-27T08:16:00.000-07:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26, 2009 — When the provocative cow's head protest took place last month, the Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM) was among the first to issue a statement of condemnation.

When opposition aide Teoh Beng Hock died during a graft investigation in July, the CCM's youth section came out with a strongly-worded statement.

And when Perak descended into political chaos after the Barisan Nasional toppled the Pakatan Rakyat government in February, council members joined the chorus calling for fresh state elections.

These are not “Christian” issues, but the CCM — an organisation of the mainstream Protestant churches — considers them as issues of social responsibility.

It is not the only church body that has become socially conscious and vocal. The Catholic church has long been active in such issues.

“I think it augurs well for moral responsibility. This is a responsibility of our faith,” said Reverend Hermen Shastri, secretary-general of the CCM.

Christians make up about 9 per cent to 10 per cent of Malaysia's 27 million people.

Their active political voice adds a new dimension to a political landscape which already has many players. Political parties are the most active, but civil liberties groups and bloggers have emerged as another force.

However, until recently, non-Muslim religious groups have rarely been active in political activism other than a few Catholic churches.

“This will definitely have an impact on politics. We may describe the activism as activities by churches, but churches are made up of members, and voters,” said political analyst Khoo Kay Peng.

The church's political voice emerged just before the general election last year.

Shastri said it started with seminars for parishioners to discuss issues such as religious freedom.

“We felt then that Christians must be more aware, and must hold elected representatives accountable,” he said.

This culminated with an open letter by the Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) ahead of the election, asking them to vote for candidates whose policies “reflect God's standard and Christian values”.

The CFM is the umbrella body of the Catholic church, the CCM and the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship, which groups the evangelical churches.

Churches also invited election candidates to address their members.

Reverend Sivin Kit, of the Bangsar Lutheran church, believes that the activism arose because the political atmosphere in the last few years had created unease.

He said it was triggered by the refusal of the civil courts to hear cases where the rights of non-Muslims were affected by Islamic law. This includes cases of deceased Muslim converts whose families were caught in a tussle with the Islamic authorities over funeral rights.

The civil courts, instead, sent these cases to the Syariah courts.

“That was the start,” said Sivin.

The government's initial response was unfavourable. Last year, the Home Ministry sent a warning to the Catholic church after its newsletter, the Herald, carried articles on current affairs and politics.

However, representatives from the government have since then participated in dialogues organised by the CCM. Shastri said representatives from the MCA had taken part. So have officials from the Election Commission, which also held voter registration in the churches.

The CCM Youth recently held a dialogue with Umno Youth. — Straits Times

WORTH LOOKING

2009-09-27T07:28:00.000-07:00

I am not too crazy about prophecy issues. But perhaps this one is worth looking at.

"The prophet Ezekiel reveals in chapters 38 and 39 that an unimaginably huge military coalition from the north will one day launch an invasion into Israel. It is the purpose of Northern Storm Rising to explore the details of Ezekiel’s prophecy...."

Check out these links:

http://www.ronrhodes.org/

http://www.ronrhodes.org/NorthernStormRising.htm

THREE KEY POINTS

2009-09-27T06:08:00.000-07:00

Health, finance & relationship.

Like a game of chess, in a person's life he needs to place the King in a strategic position with three pawns in front of him.

When a person fails in one of the three, he will be off balanced. But of course as a Christian, I am placing Jesus as the central part of the three. The fear (reverence) of Jesus has to be the controlling factor. If a person says he doesn't need Jesus because he has health, finance & relationship, the next moment he could suffer from a stroke or a tsunami could wipe out his bank or a snatch thief could take away the life of his best friend. All these are within Jesus's sovereign power and will to let them to happen. And He lets "bad" things to happen for the good of His children.

Health:
We all need good health for without it how can we think with the right frame of mind? If we cannot think, we cannot live properly. And so we cannot work to earn money for a living. Or we cannot preach the Gospel to others.

Finance:
We cannot serve God and money at the same time. God can be the central thing in our life, yet we still can make a lot of money. We must control money and not let money control us. We need money. Even the church needs money. Preachers would preach about giving money. Preachers need salary to buy food for himself and for his family. Some people have the gift of making more money than others. Tony Fernandes has a good acumen to start entities that generate money. But he had to make many sacrifices along the way. He is willing to take the risks and persevere. When we have, we should give. Then God will give us even more. After all that's how economy persists. If everyone keeps their money, there's no economy. (Just as, if there is no people, there's no church ~ a church is not the building, it is the people.) If everyone thinks the economy is bad, they will not spend and thus an economic recession. If they think the economy is good, they are willing to spend and thus economic progression. It is all in the mind. Bill and Melinda Gates are now generously giving away their wealth to help the underprivileged around the world.

Relationship:
Without people around us, how would we share the love of Jesus? We cannot be an island or live high up on a mountain and expect to do God's "will" in our lives. Would we share the love and joy of Jesus to the fish or the rocks?

WHAT IS SUCCESS?

2009-09-27T05:59:00.000-07:00

From the messages of Adrian Rogers

BIBLE MEDITATION:
Romans 12:2 - "And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God."

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
The one who dies with the most toys wins. Is that success? Having your dreams come true? Getting all you want? Earning enough money so that you never have to work again? May I tell you what success is? And I say this without equivocation. Success is the progressive realization of the will of God for your life. That’s what it is. It’s not how much money you have. It’s not how famous you are. It’s not how healthy you are. It’s not how many friends you have or how many toys you have acquired. Success is nothing more, nothing less, than the progressive realization of the will of God for your life.

ACTION POINT:
Do you want to know God’s will? Do you want your heart’s desire to come true? Read Micah 6:8. What does God require of you? Read Psalm 37:4. What is God calling you to do?

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S FIRST U.N. SPEECH

2009-09-26T10:01:00.000-07:00

Sept 23, 2009

Read full transcript

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-to-the-United-Nations-General-Assembly/

PRESIDENT OBAMA SPEAKS TO THE MUSLIM WORLD FROM CAIRO, EGYPT

2009-09-26T09:46:00.000-07:00

June 4, 2009

Read full transcript
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-at-Cairo-University-6-04-09/

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S INAUGURATION SPEECH

2009-09-26T09:32:00.000-07:00

January 20, 2009

Read full transcript
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/20/us/politics/20text-obama.html

JUST THINKING...

2009-09-17T08:08:00.000-07:00

MY academic background is Graphic Design. I come across people asking me, "John, what are you doing in the newspaper line?" That made me pause a bit and ponder. How can I explain? Or do I need to explain... I mean can I just let my performance do the explanation? I have been hoping that would happen; but so far, with doubting questions keep cropping up now and then, I think I need to be more pro-active again than I am now. I felt like "I've done that, been there" kind of attitude but now it is time again to do a bit of explanation... if you like to call it that.

I mean by gosh, I had a university education and I didn't just study "Graphic Design". As a media person now, suffice to say that I went through a hell of basic English courses that I felt I should have gotten a minor in English to justify my full-time career as a sub-editor currently for the past 11 years!

Anyway, the oft mind-boggling "what a waste of your Graphic Design degree" keeps coming. It seems that some people can never ever relate a person who studied graphic design to be working as a sub-editor. Er, that's purely logical thinking to me but we also need some intangible thoughts peppered to that equation. And thus, as a result, I Googled and found this link below.

This person is also a graphic designer (albeit a more experienced one than I) and she WRITES! So, that pacifies me a bit; that gives me a little bit of comfort as I think I am still kinda struggle with this puzzle of "what am I doing?" and "what direction am I headed?" Scary, isn't it when at 41 you are still struggling to provide a convincing answer to those questions.

Here meet Sue Campbell.

Sue Campbell has been a: roller skater, frosty-rootbeer mug-washer, tomboy, graphic designer, mom, wife, writer, younger, goatherd, domestic diva, world traveler, avid reader, birder, photographer, cheesemaker, poet, pauper, princess, queen?

She writes about design, books, art, writing, & life... and here is the link to her blog:

http://www.suecampbellgraphicdesign.com/?page_id=90

I know I won't be Bill Gates or Robert Kuok, or Tony Fernandes, but hopefully with clearer objectives in the area of my career and even life per se, I can make a more decent living financially. Not only this a responsibility of a husband, it is indeed a basic need of a human. The Apostle Paul was a tentmaker who earned a decent income to support his Christian works and travels. He could have depended on other people but he didn't want to trouble them. He did however accepted some help from others but he kept his tentmaking job. With thoughts along this line, I too want to keep a job that provides me a decent financial income and yet allows me to preach God's words and organise mission works, and at the same time provides me the freedom to visit places and people around the world at my own leisure. I am sure that ain't wrong, is it?

BORNEO IS CALLING

2009-09-17T06:41:00.000-07:00

BEING a long-time dweller of Borneo, and on the Malaysian part of the island, I know what Praba Ganesan is talking about. I agree with him that from the very beginning there was already a vested interest and agenda by the central government. A Malaysian lawmaker last year (2008) said it bluntly that if Malaysia is a house, then Sabah is the less important part of it. Sabah and Sarawak have always been sidelined in many ways. Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan should have been fully utilised to justify its status as a Federal Territory; instead of building Putrajaya, Labuan should have been the administrative capital. Or at least build a second Istana Negara and place some relevant federal ministries (like rural, security, agriculture and transport) on that small island located near the Sabah and Sarawak border. That I think can still provide some kind of dignity to the East Malaysian people. Read on, Praba puts it very articulately. Credit goes to Praba.

By Praba Ganesan

SEPT 17, 2009 — To East Malaysians, with Malaysia Day being yesterday, I offer my unreserved apology. Putrajaya has always given hell, quite literally, to the good people of Sabah and Sarawak.

Critics have insisted that the 46 years of “Malaysian-ness” has actually been colonisation by the peninsula over the former British colonies in Borneo. Cynics would add that if not for negotiations by Britain with the Netherlands in the post-Napoleonic War period leading to the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824, they’d be in Indonesia or the Philippines now.

They’ve got a point. I’m for the sustained shape of the Malaysian federation, but it can’t morally go on just on the terms set by the boys from the 12 states land-linked to mainland Asia.

Sitting in an Indian restaurant in Bintulu two years ago, I was embarrassed.

The local paper related how Penan students, living away from their families, cope with things many of us take for granted, like schooling. One student had only one change of clothes other than her school uniform. The girl could only wash one set of clothes when she was wearing the other.

In a nation with an administrative capital built from ground up for the vanity of “he we will not mention”, not giving basic care to all Malaysians first is offensive. Did I tell you about the grotesquely large Ferrari showroom in KL, the biggest one outside Italy?

I may be old school, but countries should not be competing — using a national car company built on the financial sacrifice of car buyers for decades — in Formula One until they can provide tap water to all its citizens.

Where did it all go wrong?

Malaya courted Sabah and Sarawak, mind you. With full British withdrawal from Asia by 1960 with the exception of Hong Kong, Sarawak, Brunei and North Borneo (Sabah), the masters only fancied keeping Hong Kong. Singapore had already self-governing status, and union with Malaya was inevitable.

Lands had to be disposed of and Malaysia was mooted.

The Borneo leaders saw Singapore and Malaya to a lesser extent as means to improve things in their states. Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman saw in Borneo a chance to increase the overall number of “natives” in lieu of Singapore joining and the non-Malays already in the peninsula. He sent Umno minister Suleiman Abdul Rahman to Borneo to assess if the “natives” could be made into Malays.

Umno already had firm ideas on what was to become of the “natives” over there, and how its interest could be served first.

The people of Sabah and Sarawak, they never had a chance.

Sabah made Kuala Lumpur sign a 20-point agreement to safeguard its interest, but all the parts impeding the federal government were torn up in record time. Point 1 — no state religion for Sabah. And the rest which ebbed away; English as an official language without a time limit, constitutional reconciling on equal terms, Borneonisation of the civil service and British subjects holding the fort until the "natives" were ready and jus soli basis for citizenship post-union.

The socio-political developments of the two states are complex and lengthy, however the summary direct and telling. The politicians in East Malaysia may prosper as long as they submit to the federal government’s directions.

The rise and fall of Tun Datu Mustapha Harun and the continued reign of Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud underlined this Machiavellian attitude by the powers in Kuala Lumpur.

It was a skewed game all along.

There were dissenters to absolute federal rule, those who boldly pointed out there are state prerogatives, and without them they cease to be equal partners inside the Malaysian federation.

They were put down enough times that Borneo’s people and leaders came to a tautology — it is: Borneo had to remain backward enough to enable the simplistic “support if you want development” politics by both federal and state leaders.

The Batang Ai (Sarawak) by-election earlier this year is telling. Despite the clamour for change in Peninsular Malaysia, in Borneo elections are all about resources, because between elections a minority hoards it. Principles come second when you are asked to risk the ire of those quite unforgiving, and ready to abandon you. The stakes are too high for the voters to choose on principle.

Starting points?

Perhaps by giving their people self-determination. It is the right thing to do.

Partnership, not supplication. The world’s largest sea separates East from Peninsular Malaysia, and to expect homogeneity was always far-fetched. More denigrating is our efforts systematically undermining the faiths and cultures of the peoples in order for them to adhere to a singular peninsula-driven culture.

For these decades, Sabah and Sarawak have been only means to the peninsula’s intended ends. It is time Borneo was the end, the objective.

That goes for both BN and PR.

By bringing our national consciousness closer to Borneo we might just get closer to that ideal.

The constant competition between Victoria and New South Wales forced the formation of a lifeless Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory.

In the same vein, how about moving Parliament to Kuching or Kota Kinabalu?

And maybe housing some of the ministries in East Malaysia.

Redress the amount of content in Liberal Arts subjects (history, geography, sociology, languages, etc) in school and universities to reflect the clear physical representation of both the states?

Real change which cost the peninsula for a change.

I doubt we can change overnight. However by having that conversation without showing condescension edges us closer to a Malaysia of equals.

Praba Ganesan is a Hulu Langat boy with a penchant for durians and debate. He is part of balairakyat, an NGO promoting ideas exchange. More of him at prabaganesan.

wordpress.com

MY FIFTH SERMON

2009-05-24T06:14:00.000-07:00

My fifth sermon will be on May 31, 2009.

The first was in Amarillo, Texas at a Salvation Army center. That was on a March or April of 1993. I was a student then. My audience were mostly homeless people. And my fellow students who were with me were Juliana Ribeiro (now Valentini) (piano), Greg Luce (guitar) and Dalona Borgman (morale support). The topic of my sermon was "treasures on earth & treasures on heaven". It was a good 10-15 minutes sermon I think, and I was basically reading from my own manuscript! The audience must have been bored to death or confused, and especially with my heavy Malaysian accent trying to preach deep in the heart of Texas! Thank you Dr Buddy Young for giving me that opportunity to preach. He was my BSU director and spiritual mentor.

My second sermon was at Kota Kinabalu Baptist Church on June of 1993. It was only about two or three weeks after I returned from US after a five-year absent from Malaysia! Peter Lai (one of KKBC lay leaders) talked to me one night (it was during a prayer meeting) and asked me if I would like to preach on the following Sunday morning. Without much thoughts, I took the opportunity almost immediately. I was free to choose any topic and I went for "faith". I was super excited I guess but I knew now that I lacked preparation. In the end, the morning came and go and I ended my sermon in less than 10 minutes! Wow and wow and wow! Should I say "it was impressive" or should I say "it was such a great embarrassment"? Lesson to learn for me.

Third sermon was in 1995 also at KKBC. This time Pastor James Khoo was already the church pastor (since Nov 1993) and bless his heart that he gave me an opportunity to preach. I decided to take up the challenge yet again. After much prayers and thoughts, I chose "salt & light" as my next topic. Unfortunately, don't know where the idea came from, I saw someone's sermon and plagiarized! Awww, John! Why did you do that? Well, I was a rookie (still is) and I know not much about sermon preparation. The day came and it was mostly reading (instead of preaching) and I sensed later that some in the congregation knew it was taken from someone else's sermon. (And I remembered quite well that Pastor James said that my sermon was not relevant.) Oh well. That's life and it has to move on!

Fourth sermon was yet again at KKBC and yet again given the chance by Pastor James Khoo.This time it was a pre-Christmas sermon (Dec 1996) and my topic was "liberation of Christ's birth". I studied Dan Kennedy's book on "What if Christ was not born?". Two or three months I prepared, I think. I used the analogy of US liberation of Kuwait in the early 1990s. I used the Western civilizations' contribution to the developing nations... a lot of Christian missionaries were part of the early Western colonization of the third world -- they introduced modern medicine, modern education, democratic government, etc. I remembered the late Jim and Terri (an elderly couple of Dallas and also of SIL) who were amongst the congregation and they initiated a round of applause at the end of my sermon... that was a great encouragement. My voice was low and I read too much. But things can only get better.

Now comes my fifth. It will be at 11:15am at KKBC on May 31, 2009. The topic: Fulfillment of the Law from Matthew 5: 17-20, yeah! Preparations have been done for the past two months. The longer time I am given to prepare, the wider the stretch I will take to prepare. It will never end. So, what can I do? This week it the final lap before d-day and I need to refine and get my emotions into it. No time for anything else. So, knock 'em dead, John. And knock my socks and their socks off!

NOT ALWAYS HOW YOU WANT IT TO BE

2009-05-24T05:16:00.000-07:00

Most of the times we think it is greener pastures on the other side of the land... we seldom think that our place is better. But watch out, like Pooch, we may think our place is so much better than the rest. And see what happened next? Can you handle it when what you fear most would happen? There's plenty for us to learn.

Moral of the story:
Never boast but be humble with what you have; blessed are those who are meek in spirit for the Kindom of God belongs to them.
He who wants to be first will eventually be last.
And when that happens, like Pooch says try to keep a positive attitude about the whole thing; swallow your pride and look at the brighter side -- don't miss the forest for the trees. Good things will return if you just be patient and do the right things. Work on it! Persevere and endure. It also builds character in the process.

VINTAGE MAHATHIR

2009-03-19T08:34:00.000-07:00

In Malaysian politics, it seems to be that it is only Mahathir who can say about anything and he can get away with it. Not that others cannot or not bold enough to say what they like. People like Karpal Singh, Lim Kit Siang and Nik Aziz are known in Malaysia to be outspoken and unbridled with their tongues... but their effect is simply not the same as that of Mahathir. I guess Mahathir has that incomparable aura and respect among many Malaysians. When he speaks, a lot of Malaysians would listen. Read this one latest instance below. It is funny, out of the box, out of the ordinary, blows the mind and good for both the government and the opposition. Vintage Mahathir ~ someone you love to hate but also at times, admire much. Well done to this former PM!

Mahathir: Call not to appoint Najib PM illogical

KUALA LUMPUR (March 19) Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today it is illogical to call on the Yang di-Pertuan Agong not to appoint Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak as the prime minister.
Commenting on the call by Datuk Zaid Ibrahim, urging the Yang di-Pertuan Agong not to appoint Najib as the prime minister, Dr Mahathir said, “He can say what he likes but he is just one person.”
“Whether the Yang di-Pertuan Agong will listen to the opinion of one person will be up to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong,” he said.
He was speaking at a news conference to announce the “Forum and Exhibition on Gaza Genocide: Palestine Solution” here today.
Zaid, the former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, claimed that Najib’s appointment would divide the people.
Dr Mahathir said: “The person who made this suggestion is not someone who is regarded highly or someone who is rational. If I were the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, I wouldn’t even want to read about this. It’s too stupid. Who does he want to be?”
Asked whether he would fully support Najib’s appointment as the prime minister, Dr Mahathir said, “I will give a full backing to Datuk Najib on condition that he must not appoint any of the corrupt leaders to his cabinet.”
He also commented on perception that Najib was corrupt.
“I’m not talking about what people believe. A lot of people believe about something but there is no legal stand taken on whether Najib is corrupt or not.”
Asked on his choice for the Umno deputy president’s post, Dr Mahathir said, it would be Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the International Trade and Industry Minister.
“I think what is left is somebody who is... well, could not read English and therefore he did something wrong in Australia. So my choice is Muhyiddin,” he said.
The contest for the deputy presidency is now between Muhyiddin and Tan Sri Muhammad Muhd Taib.
A third candidate, Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam was barred from contesting after the party’s disciplinary board found him guilty of breaching party ethics.
Dr Mahathir also commented on the statement by Mohd Ali that he (Dr Mahathir) had a hand in the recent decision taken by the disciplinary board.
Dr Mahathir said: “I wish I had but I’m not a member of Umno. If I had been involved, I would have thrown him out from the very beginning but I’m not involved. I have to very reluctantly wait for the decision by the board and I’m not completely happy with it.”
He said that Mohd Ali should be treated the same way former Umno vice-president Tan Sri Mohamed Isa Abdul Samad was treated in 2005.
“Isa was thrown out because he was involved in money politics but he also lost his position as a minister. But here, we have a very strange decision.
“He was found to be corrupt but he can remain as the Chief Minister (of Melaka). Now we have a person who is confirmed corrupt but the party accepted him as the chief minister.
“If you pass judgment, you must be consistent. It must apply to everybody in the same way and in the same amount.
“You cannot say, well, he killed that person so he should be hanged. And then he killed another person but this other person is not important, so let him go,” he said.
The former Umno president also spoke on the possibility of a “motion of confidence” be tabled in Parliament to have Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi remained as the prime minister.
“It’s a possibility; it’s not against the law. The law provides that to be the prime minister, you must have the support of the majority in Parliament but it does not say from which party.
“According to the constitution, the person who shall be made the prime minister is a person who has the majority support in Parliament. If you appoint somebody who has no majority support, he will be out,” he said.
Dr Mahathir said that there was nothing in the Federal Constitution which stated that the Umno president must be the prime minister.
“There is no provision. That is only our arrangement,” he said, adding that legally, the current prime minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi could continue serving his term until the next general election if he wanted to.
“But of course he may face a vote of no confidence in Parliament... he has a good chance of winning with the support of opposition members but he will become the prime minister of the opposition,” he said.
Dr Mahathir said opposition members also had votes in Parliament and if they, together with some members of the Barisan Nasional, were to vote for Abdullah, “then he will be the PM (prime minister).” – Bernama

THINGS WORTH PONDERING

2009-01-04T01:25:00.000-08:00

Recently, some of these issues came to mind and they have been dwelling up there since then. So, to dissect them and see what significance they can offer I am journaling (or outlining) them here.

1. What is race and why it matters?

2. Public speaking and preaching: essentially the same, and I am thinking of committing myself into it... problem is I can't pronounce words clearly and I talk like a drunk person with a monotone voice. And oh, my natural volume is too low!

3. Purpose of writing.

4. Journaling of my daily devotional... thinking of creating another blogs for that purpose.

KIMCHILAND KOREA ~ ANYEONG HASEYO! Part 5

2008-12-16T04:46:00.000-08:00

I had tried to sleep during the flight from KK-Incheon but I guess I was too excited to doze off! It was around 4am or 5am (Malaysian time) [5am or 6am Korean] and I could see on the video monitor that we were fast approaching South Korea. It was dark; most passengers were fast asleep. I peeped through the plane window and perhaps it was Japan on the far horizon as there was already a glimpse of dawn. Moreover Japan is known as the "Land of the Rising Sun". And oh, next to me was a fellow Sabahan (Chinese guy from Manggatal) ~ (found out about his identity later only when we were on land in South Korea).

Would it be the beginning of my many future travels? Or is this one of the few random travels that I would make. Certainly it was my first overseas travel since May 1993 and I am just unsure when the next one would be even though I see it as a deep passion for me to travel (especially overseas)!

It was excitement all the way, moment by moment, as if I can feel the heartbeat and pulse of the Korean peninsular!

We approached fast the southern part of the Korean peninsular and then descend slowly but surely to Incheon. I closely kept progress on the video monitor. Sun rose quickly also. And in no time we flew lower and lower and soon, behold, the view of the vast (I mean VAST!) Seoul megalopolis was in sight. Astounding! Reminded me of LA. Concrete jungle. Seemingly boundary-less! Few turns and maneuvering, and soon found our plane on the tarmac of Incheon.

The international airport (on Incheon island ~ man-made or not, I am not sure) was itself a sight to be behold! Looks a lot bigger than Sepang's KLIA. Long runway (seemed like never ending) and also seemed like there were thousands of airplanes parking at the many bays by the terminal buildings.

The captain made his landing announcement. Our plane's wings spreading low, and pressure changed and deafened the ears. And soon the screeching sound where the rubber meets the ground! Woohoo, thank God we landed... on a foreign land. It was a safe and self-discovering flight - once again!

TBC

OBAMA'S TRUE COLORS: BLACK, WHITE ... OR NEITHER?

2008-12-14T04:57:00.000-08:00

SOMETIMES I wish this world is just of one race or ethnicity ~ not because I'm am a racist, but more for practical purposes.

What do I mean? Look at countries with multi-ethnic and multi-racial composition. Politicians and social activists love to embellish this multi outlook thing with cosmetic and soothing portrayals. But deep down under the surface, in the realistic undercurrents of it all, people of different races and ethnicity just acnnot live together! They don't think alike because they come from different family background and values, and varying social and economic stratas. Some race and ethnicity advance faster, some slower, some moderately, some felt being left out, some felt so superior, some very tolerant and some just don't care. Countries like Japan, Korea and China make fast economic and social progress mainly because these nations are generally have a homogeneous society makeup ~ they think alike and they have the same value to move forward collectively with one mind and one heart!

But the fact is that having a one race world would never be the case because at one point in human history, men tried to be like God by building the Tower of Babel, which symbolizes the apex of human and racial pride and God destroyed that pride forever by creating multiple races and languages.

In addition to this problem of multi-ethnic and multi-racial complexity, an individual who comes from a multi-racial background face problems also.

Read below about Barrack Hussein Obama:

By JESSE WASHINGTON, AP National Writer Jesse Washington, Ap National Writer – Sat Dec 13, 12:54 pm ET

A perplexing new chapter is unfolding in Barack Obama's racial saga: Many people insist that "the first black president" is actually not black.

Debate over whether to call this son of a white Kansan and a black Kenyan biracial, African-American, mixed-race, half-and-half, multiracial — or, in Obama's own words, a "mutt" — has reached a crescendo since Obama's election shattered assumptions about race.

Obama has said, "I identify as African-American — that's how I'm treated and that's how I'm viewed. I'm proud of it." In other words, the world gave Obama no choice but to be black, and he was happy to oblige.

But the world has changed since the young Obama found his place in it.

Intermarriage and the decline of racism are dissolving ancient definitions. The candidate Obama, in achieving what many thought impossible, was treated differently from previous black generations. And many white and mixed-race people now view President-elect Obama as something other than black.

So what now for racial categories born of a time when those from far-off lands were property rather than people, or enemy instead of family?

"They're falling apart," said Marty Favor, a Dartmouth professor of African and African-American studies and author of the book "Authentic Blackness."

"In 1903, W.E.B. DuBois said the question of the 20th century is the question of the color line, which is a simplistic black-white thing," said Favor, who is biracial. "This is the moment in the 21st century when we're stepping across that."

Rebecca Walker, a 38-year-old writer with light brown skin who is of Russian, African, Irish, Scottish and Native American descent, said she used to identify herself as "human," which upset people of all backgrounds. So she went back to multiracial or biracial, "but only because there has yet to be a way of breaking through the need to racially identify and be identified by the culture at large."

"Of course Obama is black. And he's not black, too," Walker said. "He's white, and he's not white, too. Obama is whatever people project onto him ... he's a lot of things, and neither of them necessarily exclude the other."

But U.S. Rep. G. K. Butterfield, a black man who by all appearances is white, feels differently.

Butterfield, 61, grew up in a prominent black family in Wilson, N.C. Both of his parents had white forebears, "and those genes came together to produce me." He grew up on the black side of town, led civil rights marches as a young man, and to this day goes out of his way to inform people that he is certainly not white.

Butterfield has made his choice; he says let Obama do the same.

"Obama has chosen the heritage he feels comfortable with," he said. "His physical appearance is black. I don't know how he could have chosen to be any other race. Let's just say he decided to be white — people would have laughed at him."

"You are a product of your experience. I'm a U.S. congressman, and I feel some degree of discomfort when I'm in an all-white group. We don't have the same view of the world, our experiences have been different."

The entire issue balances precariously on the "one-drop" rule, which sprang from the slaveowner habit of dropping by the slave quarters and producing brown babies. One drop of black blood meant that person, and his or her descendants, could never be a full citizen.

Today, the spectrum of skin tones among African-Americans — even those with two black parents — is evidence of widespread white ancestry. Also, since blacks were often light enough to pass for white, unknown numbers of white Americans today have blacks hidden in their family trees.

One book, "Black People and their Place in World History," by Dr. Leroy Vaughn, even claims that five past presidents — Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge — had black ancestors, which would make Obama the sixth of his kind.

Mix in a few centuries' worth of Central, South and Native Americans, plus Asians, and untold millions of today's U.S. citizens need a DNA test to decipher their true colors. The melting pot is working.

Yet the world has never been confronted with such powerful evidence as Obama. So as soon as he was elected, the seeds of confusion began putting down roots.

"Let's not forget that he is not only the first African-American president, but the first biracial candidate. He was raised by a single white mother," a Fox News commentator said seven minutes after Obama was declared the winner.

"We do not have our first black president," the author Christopher Hitchens said on the BBC program "Newsnight." "He is not black. He is as black as he is white."

A Doonesbury comic strip that ran the day after the election showed several soldiers celebrating.

"He's half-white, you know," says a white soldier.

"You must be so proud," responds another.

Pride is the center of racial identity, and some white people seem insulted by a perception that Obama is rejecting his white mother (even though her family was a centerpiece of his campaign image-making) or baffled by the notion that someone would choose to be black instead of half-white.

"He can't be African-American. With race, white claims 50 percent of him and black 50 percent of him. Half a loaf is better than no loaf at all," Ron Wilson of Plantation, Fla., wrote in a letter to the Sun-Sentinel newspaper.

Attempts to whiten Obama leave a bitter taste for many African-Americans, who feel that at their moment of triumph, the rules are being changed to steal what once was deemed worthless — blackness itself.

"For some people it's honestly confusion," said Favor, the Dartmouth professor. "For others it's a ploy to sort of reclaim the presidency for whiteness, as though Obama's blackness is somehow mitigated by being biracial."

Then there are the questions remaining from Obama's entry into national politics, when some blacks were leery of this Hawaiian-born newcomer who did not share their history.

Linda Bob, a black schoolteacher from Eustis, Fla., said that calling Obama black when he was raised in a white family and none of his ancestors experienced slavery could cause some to ignore or forget the history of racial injustice.

"It just seems unfair to totally label him African-American without acknowledging that he was born to a white mother," she said. "It makes you feel like he doesn't have a class, a group."

There is at least one group eagerly waiting for Obama to embrace them. "To me, as to increasing numbers of mixed-race people, Barack Obama is not our first black president. He is our first biracial, bicultural president ... a bridge between races, a living symbol of tolerance, a signal that strict racial categories must go," Marie Arana wrote in the Washington Post.

He's a bridge between eras as well. The multiracial category "wasn't there when I was growing up," said John McWhorter, a 43-year-old fellow at the Manhattan Institute's Center for Race and Ethnicity, who is black. "In the '70s and the '80s, if somebody had one white parent and one black parent, the idea was they were black and had better get used to it and develop this black identity. That's now changing."

Latinos, whom the census identifies as an ethnic group and not a race, were not counted separately by the government until the 1970s. After the 1990 census, many people complained that the four racial categories — white, black, Asian, and American Indian/Alaska native — did not fit them. The government then allowed people to check more than one box. (It also added a fifth category, for Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders.)

Six million people, or 2 percent of the population, now say they belong to more than one race, according to the most recent census figures. Another 19 million people, or 6 percent of the population, identify themselves as "some other race" than the five available choices.

The White House Office of Management and Budget, which oversees the census, specifically decided not to add a "multiracial" category, deeming it not a race in and of itself.

"We are in a transitional period" regarding these labels, McWhorter said. "I think that in only 20 years, the notion that there are white people and there are black people and anyone in between has some explaining to do and an identity to come up with, that will all seem very old-fashioned."

The debate over Obama's identity is just the latest step in a journey he unflinchingly chronicled in his memoir, "Dreams from My Father."

As a teenager, grappling with the social separation of his white classmates, "I had no idea who my own self was," Obama wrote.

In college in the 1970s, like millions of other dark-skinned Americans searching for self respect in a discriminatory nation, Obama found refuge in blackness. Classmates who sidestepped the label "black" in favor of "multiracial" chafed at Obama's newfound pride: "They avoided black people," he wrote. "It wasn't a matter of conscious choice, necessarily, just a matter of gravitational pull, the way integration always worked, a one-way street. The minority assimilated into the dominant culture, not the other way around."

Fast-forward 30 years, to the early stages of Obama's presidential campaign. Minorities are on track to outnumber whites, to redefine the dominant American culture. And the black political establishment, firmly rooted in the civil rights movement, questioned whether the outsider Obama was "black enough."

Then came the primary and general elections, when white voters were essential for victory. "Now I'm too black," Obama joked in July before an audience of minority journalists. "There is this sense of going back and forth depending on the time of day in terms of making assessments about my candidacy."

Today, it seems no single definition does justice to Obama — or to a nation where the revelation that Obama's eighth cousin is Dick Cheney, the white vice president from Wyoming, caused barely a ripple in the campaign.

In his memoir, Obama says he was deeply affected by reading that Malcolm X, the black nationalist-turned-humanist, once wished his white blood could be expunged.

"Traveling down the road to self-respect my own white blood would never recede into mere abstraction," Obama wrote. "I was left to wonder what else I would be severing if I left my mother and my grandparents at some uncharted border."

PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK OBAMA

2008-11-26T02:04:00.000-08:00

Here's where it all started:

Presidential announcement speech in Springfield, Illinois on Saturday, February 10, 2007

For full text of speech above click on this: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/10/AR2007021000879.html

He beat early favorite Hillary Clinton in the hard-fought primaries from Jan-June 2008. This is then followed by his acceptance speech at the DNC 2008 where he spoke to an audience of 84,000 at Mile High Stadium, on August 28, 2008 in Denver, Colorado.

For full text of speech above click on this:
http://www.demconvention.com/barack-obama/

Finally, the decisive moment when he beat Republican's John McCain handily on Tuesday, Nov 4, 2008. Here is his memorable victory speech at his hometown in Chicago, Illinois.

For full text of speech above click on this:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/ynews_pl135

KIMCHILAND KOREA ~ ANYEONG HASEYO! Part 4

2008-11-24T04:56:00.000-08:00

The Air Asiana stewardess were very pretty! Their smiles were captivating. They warmly greeted us "anyeong haseyo". We got our Korean English newspapers; it was either Korean Times or Korean Herald. We got into our seats. So nice. So comfortable. So cool!

As standard procedures, the stewardess did what other airlines do... formal welcoming and then safety instructions (with the help of video). After that, they went to the rear area of the plane, and reappeared with their smart red aprons ready to serve beverages and food! (I remember that MAS or AirAsia did not have such attires for their air stewardess.)

I think I had a couple of orange juice. And when they were about to serve our "dinner" it was already 1am! To eat or not? Well, to make my money worth the traveling expenses, I would take the meal. We were about 30,000 feet above sea level and somewhere between north of Borneo and Palawan Island in the Philippines. I think I had Korean fish for my meal; and that was excellent, and the "kimchi" (yes, my first ever!) was exhilarating! Some passengers opted to skip meal and went straight to dozing off. I saw a girl had her toothbrush with her headed to the restroom. Hmm, I needed to do that too later after meal, I thought. But I did not have my toothbrush handy. It was in my checked-in luggage.

Interesting to note here is the video panel that folded down from the ceiling in front of passengers seats. It provided not only infos of safety instructions but also entertainment videos and flight infor such as altitude and journey time. It also showed map of where the plane was and how far more it had to travel. And we also had our earphones for musics, news and video voice.

Amazingly I did not sleep throughout the journey from KK to Seoul. Everything was crazy exciting for this ole boy from Putatan. I guess I need to travel more and actually I do have a deep passion traveling to see the outside world. We shall see.

WHY NOT LRT?

2008-11-24T04:38:00.000-08:00

Is Sabah heading towards modernization? But why is the railway track from KK to Putatan seemed to be that of a "vulcan" track? I would like to see that in the next 5-10 years, Putatan be part of the greater Kota Kinabalu or KK metropolitan.

If that is the case, then Putatan needs to be urbanized, and urbanized fast! Time is running out. One of the things that the authorities can do is to install now infrastructures for LRT.

Come on. Stop treating Putatan like a kampong - it is no longer a backwater. It is a fast developing suburban or satellite area of KK.

We no longer need this:

or this:
to ply from KK to Putatan, or even from KK to Papar.

What we really need is this.

Here take a look:

Stop giving lame excuses such as no money and no sponsors to build and maintain the LRT operations.

KIMCHILAND KOREA ~ ANYEONG HASEYO! Part 3

2008-11-24T04:21:00.000-08:00

It was boarding time.

We checked in. My wife and I witnessed how this elderly Korean lady got into trouble with the Malaysian airport customs as she was trying to carry in with her what seemed to be little bottles of some kind of jam or jello. She was furious and all the customs people could say was that "no, ma'am you can't take these in". Her family tried to calm her down. We left the scene not knowing how it would end.

We got to another area where Korean immigration personnel checked our passports. I tried again my "anyeong haseyo" greeting. Got a friendly reaction, I think. Then it was to the waiting wing. Some photo-takings near the moving floor. Stopped by the restrooms. Then walked down to the waiting lounge. There was Teo and he said that he was looking for us at the airport departure lobby. Sorry Teo, we got in first. He later told me that his son saw us in.

I waited anxiously for our flight. Super excited as it was my first overseas flight in 15 years. We chatted with Teo. I looked through a printed material of Seoul. And asked Teo about some things that he might know about South Korea and Seoul.

Then it was about 15-20 minutes before departure and we finally get to board Air Asiana (a Korean Air subsidiary). That was a really cool feeling... walking through the aero-bridge and headed into the plane.

Yes, I am flying on a jet plane!

KIMCHILAND KOREA ~ ANYEONG HASEYO! Part 2

2008-10-21T21:31:00.000-07:00

There was Ben with his cousin Alex and fiancee Suzie; they were all from Labuan and natives, so that adds interesting blend of flavor to the team - which I thought would be all El Chinos. Later, we met two other families (Peter Wong family from Manggatal & another family from Sandakan).

We checked in; and I guess also officially met our first Korean for this trip - he was a young handsome fair-skin chap (and most Koreans have that complexion) and I think I tried on him my first "anyeong haseyo" during the duration of the journey. (The greeting was well-received with a bright smile.)

Excitement continues to blossom surely and steadily. My wife and I happily strolled around KK's latest landmark not particularly looking for anything but merely roaming like curious innocent kids. We were "killing time" - if you would like to put it that way. Killing time? No way; time is too precious to waste! Yeah, but we checked in at 10pm and we don't board till 11pm and final call was not till 15 minutes before take off at 12:05am.

And oh, need to mention here was this long-white haired spunky lanky "cowboy" whom I believe is a Sabahan. (And later in Seoul, I would see him again at the Chinese breakfast place on the fourth morning.) (Anyway, it was just amazing how lasting the effect can be to the mind when someone decides to present himself unconventionally to the world.)

KIMCHILAND KOREA ~ ANYEONG HASEYO!

2008-10-14T01:37:00.000-07:00

It was close to 9:30 Tuesday night the last day of September 2008. The weather was nice and calm but my wife and I were apparently becoming nervous. Yes, we were about to embark our first journey overseas together as husband and wife since we got married on Aug 31, 2002, but that wasn't the main reason we were restless at that particular moment on that fine evening.

Ah, finally here he comes. It was the cabbie; he was right on the dot, thankfully, even though my wife swore that he would be 15 minutes early. Great respite for us. We made sure the house was secured (we actually both knelled down much earlier and prayed for God's protection and journey mercy) and gladly boarded the taxi with all our luggage for a five minutes drive to KK's brand new airport main terminal.

Endless exhilaration and anticipation best described my emotions at that time. Sure, why not? I have not traveled outside Malaysia since I returned from US on 17 May, 1993. Cruising over the clouds into the heavens headed to a foreign land and culture is arguably the neatest thing for me to experience. Been there, done that, but I don't mind going through it again. Over and over again, if need be.

Five minutes were up and we're at that spanking sparkling structure. Wow! I'm getting closer every moment. And each time it felt like I needed to shed some tears to remind me that things are real - really happening. (No, no need to pinch; watery eyes were sufficient) Sights of travelers (locals and internationals) were suddenly plenty and from here onwards becoming common. Not too long later, we met Teo (our Sabahan tour guide of Eternal Holidays) and slowly the rest of the team members - 15 of us altogether.

TBC

PONCHO'S LIFE

2008-10-13T10:07:00.000-07:00

KOREAN HOTELS

2008-10-11T09:52:00.000-07:00

These are the hotels my wife and I stayed during our visit to South Korea recently.

Night One ~ Wednesday, Oct 1, 2008
Seorak Tourist Hotel Gapyeong
After a long drive from Seoul, and visiting a place where they had a movie shot, we drove almost two hours or more through tunnels and the mountains (like driving up to Kundasang) to get to this hotel. It was really foggy and freezing. We got here at about 8pm. Hotel was nice and clean. Quaint. Two or three star maybe. Friendly services.

Night Two ~ Thursday, Oct 2, 2008
Daemyung Resort Seorak
We started early at about 7am, had Western breakfast at Gapyeong Hotel and then drove through more tunnels and ridges and valleys and river banks and paddy fields and small towns and military posts, we got to Mount Seorak National Park. What a wonderment! After a long day hiking and trekking and saw many places (even visited an tiny exotic fishing town), this is our next hotel. What a delight! I would say that it is something like Sutera Harbour Resort or Shangri-La's Tanjong Aru Resort and Spa (except no beach!!!???) Nice place. There were lots of Indonesian tourists stayed there that same night. Went to spa. Fabulous! And the rooms were designed in a very traditional Korean motifs and interior; slept on floor (Korean/Japanese style). Neat! My wife took a lot of photos of trees with Fall-like colours around this resort. Right at the front of this resort are beautiful greyish/bluish granite peaks (which reminded me of beautiful Kinabalu!).

Night Three & Four ~ Friday, Oct 3, 2008 & Saturday, Oct 4, 2008
Capital Hotel Seoul
Back to the HUGE metropolis of Seoul. We drove from all the way from the country side (very sleepy) and headed to Everland (south of Seoul) (at KK's twin-city) (and literally spent the whole day at that Disneyland-like park!) and then headed to Seoul finding our way through the freeways and highways and streets and flyovers and bridges to this hotel pictured below. Urban hotel. Big. Like Hyatt Regency Kinabalu. Very business-like hotel. Nice services. Very professional. But no three-point adapter for Malaysian electronic device??? The rooms are decorated with very old English interior! Earlier we visited a casino by the river in Seoul.
Saturday we had China breakfast and visited the Blue House and Lotte World. And headed back to this hotel late at night. Next day headed to Jeju.

Night Five & Six (final) ~ Sunday, Oct 5, 2008 & Monday, Oct 6, 2008
Palace Hotel Jeju
Jeju Island! Ah! Just like going to Hawaii, haha. Except no "Lei"!!??

WAY TOO CUTE!!!

2008-09-21T05:33:00.000-07:00

ONGOING POLITICS

2008-09-21T05:18:00.000-07:00

My fascination with politics goes way back during my childhood days when several uncles were active politicians.

The way I look at the ongoing US presidential race is that, Obama has gone so far yet oh, I don't think he looks like he is going to make it after all. US has progressed so much since Ab Lincoln days that race relations in America is arguably the best in the world; yet, analysis tells us that white majority America is not just quite ready yet for a black president. I don't think white Americans are being racist -- on the other hand, they are merely being practical. As of today, Sept 21, 2008, McCain looks like he is going to be the next US president.

In Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim needs to forget about his ambition to form a government and him the PM. Not yet Mr Anwar. Moreover, it is not good for Malaysia to have a government formed in such a way where MPs are pinched from the opposing camp. It would be similar to the coups that had happened in Pakistan and Thailand. The rival camps would never give up and the government of the day would never be able to administer in peace and in the end who suffer? The economy and the people especially the middle and low income groups. When that happens, vicious cycles would never end. So, my advice is for Mr Anwar to be a strong opposition and in the next general election you will be the rightful leader of the next government. Mark my word for it!

BETTER THINGS AHEAD!

2008-06-25T05:28:00.000-07:00

Hey there!

Talk about being away for so long and not wanting to come back.

My adventure with friends from abroad from May 21-June 9 was an indescribable experience - the best in my life, I would say. So much so, that right after they left on June 9, I felt reality began to sink in and the inevitable happens.

It was back to work and the monotonous life; not that it is bad in itself. But when placed side by side with a mountaintop experience, the daily routine becomes somewhat an anticlimax of sorts!

Don't get me wrong. Routine is good; it's a stabilizing factor in a person's life.

Nevertheless, like most people would say, life goes on and I imagine that I am now back into my swing of things.

Out of the negative and in to the positive... the brighter things in life, here I come.

I recently discovered an interesting personalty and she has her own blog. I am introducing Miss Vicky Beeching and her website is at www.vickybeeching.com

I was looking for Chris Tomlin's video on How Great is our God at YouTube and one of his videos that I discovered was him with Vicky.

Cheers,
John

COPY JEWS AND CHINESE, MALAYS TOLD

2008-04-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

(Taken from The Star Online on Sunday April 27, 2008)

PENANG: The Malays should emulate the Jews and the Chinese who are far-sighted in developing a progressive society.

Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop said the Jews, for example, would make development plans that would ensure they would excel for another 1,000 years.

“That's unlike us (the Malays), who only make four- or five-year plans,” he said at a dinner held in conjunction with the Penang Malay Chamber of Commerce’s annual general meeting at a hotel here on Friday night.

He said the Chinese in China also took measures to ensure collective success of their race.

He said that over the last 50 years the standard of living among Malays had improved tremendously.

“The question now is: where we are heading?” he said.

On another matter, Nor Mohamed said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had appointed him as the chairman of the Penang Economic Action Council.

Editor's note:

The editor, John Manjaji, is a Kadazandusun -- a race that has its origin in the northern part of Borneo. This race used to be known as skillful jungle farmers and hunters but now are more happy-go-lucky people, seemingly oblivious to the progressive threats they face from other races. When it comes to festivities they party hard ignoring the long term consequences of hangovers. I would say that in the next 4-5 generations (80-100 years) if this pattern continues, there will be no more Kadazandusuns in this world. Already their womenfolks are marrying Muslim Malays and prefers to be called "Malays" henceforth. And their men, they slowly are killing their brain cells with the deadly "tapai"!

COMMUNITY LEADERS COMMEND STATE POLICE FOR SWIFT ACTION

2008-04-27T05:42:00.000-07:00

(As published on Page 3 in the New Sabah Times on Monday April 21, 2008)

Chin (right) with Lam at the New Sabah Times office yesterday

By JOHN MANJAJI

KOTA KINABALU: Give credit where credit is due.

That’s the message from two local community leaders commending the state police in their swift action to solve a case involving the abduction and assault of a female student of the Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) here last week.

All this while we see and read how police are being hurled with criticisms from every level of society for purportedly not doing their duties well, said Pastor Lam Kee Hing and Pastor Chin
Chi Kiong of the Kota Kinabalu Pastors Fellowship.

“Three things I would like to highlight regarding last week’s kidnapping case,” Lam said during an interview with the New Sabah Times yesterday.

Firstly, it’s a wake up call for all of us. There had been frequent instances of unreported snatch thefts and houses being broken into especially at the Kingfisher Park residential area which is close to the UMS campus and where hundreds of university students live.

Not many of them were highlighted because those incidents were not as “dramatic” as last week’s kidnapping.

“With this latest incident it is hoped that university students as well as other residents at the Kingfisher area would now be provided with safer living conditions,” Lam said.

The assurance from Karambunai Assemblywoman Hjh Jainab Datuk Hj Ahmad Ayid on Saturday that a special task force has been set up to monitor the security situation in the area is very much welcomed. Jainab, who is Assistant Minister of Industrial Development, announced the formation of the special task force after chairing a meeting with City Police Chief ACP Ahmad Sofi Zakaria and other community leaders.

Secondly, the ability of the Sabah police to rescue the student and arrest the two abductors all within 48 hours is highly commendable.

Members of the public and in this case villagers and a bus driver cooperated with police to make their operation more efficient.

“We hope this will be a continuing trend in Sabah and plans to set up police beats or stations at crime-prone areas are very timely,” said both Lam and Chin.

On Thursday state deputy commissioner of police Datuk Abd Razak Ghani Abd Razak said that police would consider setting up a functional police station in Kingfisher Park.

Thirdly, everyone has a role to make Sabah a safer place.

“Don’t leave everything to the police. Rukun Tetangga, religious bodies, political parties among others can play their role to make this state a safer place. And it is for the long term benefit not only for Sabahans in general but for institutions like UMS, where many of its students are from
outside the state and the country,” Lam said.

Almost immediately after the incident befell the 22-year-old student from Sarawak, her church leaders established a network of SMSes that lead to instant alert among members of the public as well as the police.

“There’s no room for blame game because when we all work together, everyone wins. Even the media played a major role by publishing photos of the suspects,” Lam said.

MY CHRISTIAN TESTIMONY

2008-04-18T03:36:00.000-07:00

My life before I met Jesus

From May 14, 1968 to March 21, 1988 I did not know Jesus. I knew there was a god but I didn't know who He was. From kindergarten to Form 5 I basically lived on my own strength and wisdom, believing God is there, Jesus is there, but not knowing much about who He really is and what I was supposed to do with Him. Children are wet cement. My formative years are almost entirely depended on my parents values and principles. I observed their lifestyle (what they did, what they said, how they react to circumstances around them). That was the world to me. Nothing else. No other role models. No other guidance. No other shoulders to cry to. No other place to seek refuge. An event in College Station, Texas, USA on a beautiful Spring day change the rest of my course of life.

My life after I met Jesus

Paul Kwan of HK, an engineer who just completed his bachelors degree in OK and pursued his masters degree at TAMU was instrumental. He let Jesus used him to witness to me. Paul was a Navigator guy. He was self-disciplined. He was persistent. He was patient. I am his fruit. I am grateful to Paul. He is somewhere in HK now. My job is to continue witnessing for Jesus and produce more fruits.

CHINESE ECONOMY

2008-04-18T03:04:00.000-07:00

Without the Chinese, Malaysia won't be where it is now economically speaking. Everything would be backwards. Look at many parts of Kalimantan and Sulawesi in Indonesia where there are not many Chinese or none at all. Those regions are very much undeveloped and economically they are at the lower end of the Indonesian economic scale.

So, what makes the Chinese economically smart and successful? How and why are they different? They are like the Jews but the Jews are few in numbers. The Chinese are everywhere around the world, all the seven continents. And wherever they are they display their business acumen.

What's this business acumen all about?

I spent five hours with my Chinese businessman friend today and he gave me an excellent example.

He made the plunge into business when he was 21; it was a Western engineering firm and he and a friend decided to become partners to run the entity locally. As it went, the government of the day decided to "Look East" and thus my friend and his partner's enterprising venture in this firm was prematurely ended.

At age 23, they both started another enterprise -- and now it was pharmaceutical. With little capital and experience but with the Chinese business acumen, they made it until today... 25 years later they are very successful and "even if i sell my business, I can live comfortably," my friend told me.

Chinese are migratory people. It is in their blood. Historically China may be their motherland but after a certain time they would migrate to another land and live there for four or five generations, and then the migratory process would continue.

This migratory instinct gives them sharp survival skills and among others, economic acumen. They think of their future and what they need to do now. After that they work hard for it. They wait for the result patiently; their principle is delayed gratification. They would also think "whichever or whatever benefits me,I will give my full support and cooperation".

That is why, even though in Malaysia they may not be politically dominant, they control the economy and that is sufficient to keep the migratory cycle alive and kicking.

After four or five generation, they would leave this country and in the end when there's no more Chinese in Malaysia, the country would have to close shop.

CAN I WRITE?

2008-04-18T02:52:00.000-07:00

This question keeps bugging me. Every year there will be an assessment at my workplace in order for the bosses to consider salary increase or job promotion. One section that bothers me is the part where it asks for if I have gone through any courses that would upgrade myself as a journalist.

In my line of work, being able to write is the most important thing. So, the question of whether I can write or not is of utmost importance.

I have this inkling that someone somewhere had told the bosses that I cannot write.

Now, I want to prove them wrong. In fact even my wife questions my ability to write; she says all I have on my blog is a copy and paste of someone's article. She may be right there but not absolutely correct. I have begun to write more based on my own ideas, perception and brain.

Now, one of my bosses also dropped a hint to me many months back. Not everyone can write, he toldme. And he went on to say, John if you have a better offer elsewhere just go and grab it. Look, some of your former colleagues grabbed every opportunities that were offered them. This company cannot offer you much.

So, what does that supposed to mean? Should I go or should I leave?

A TWO-PARTY SYSTEM FOR MALAYSIA?

2008-04-13T07:04:00.000-07:00

Anwar Ibrahim, de facto leader of Malaysia’s new opposition coalition Pakatan Rakyat

By Nazary Bahrawi,TODAY | Posted: 04 April 2008 0852 hrs

FOR HALF a century since independence, the Barisan Nasional (BN) — Malaysia’s ruling coalition of 14 political parties — has dominated parliament. Now, the days of a dominant-party system may be numbered.

In the recent March polls, BN suffered its worst electoral defeat since 1957. Not only was it denied the crucial two-thirds parliamentary majority it needed to make constitutional changes, BN also lost five out of 13 states to the opposition, which used to control only one.

Just how real then is the likelihood of a two-party state in Malaysia?

After the opposition’s sweep of much of Malaysia’s west coast, even sceptics would be wary of dismissing this scenario.

Here, the views of Tawfik Tun Dr Ismail, a former BN parliamentarian in Johor, are telling.

The son of Malaysia’s former Deputy Prime Minister Tun Dr Ismail Abdul Rahman told reporters on Tuesday at the sidelines of an Institute of South-east Asian Studies forum in Singapore that a two-party system is not untenable.

Recent developments lend credence to the two-party scenario, but the surest sign must be the birth of Malaysia’s new opposition coalition, Pakatan Rakyat or People’s Alliance.

Yes, it may have been formed on April Fools’ Day, but its coming into being is not something to be laughed at. Especially since this is the second attempt by Malaysia’s three opposition parties — Parti Keadilan Rakyat, Democratic Action Party (DAP) and Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) — to officially band together.

In 1999, the trio came together to form Barisan Alternatif, or Alternative Front, to break BN’s political hegemony, but disagreements then between PAS and DAP on the issue of the Islamic state led to BA unravelling some two years later.

Then came Mr Anwar Ibrahim, former Deputy Prime Minister, who managed to bridge the ideological rift between the two parties. Now, Mr Anwar — whom some analysts had dismissed as a “spent force” —has graduated from being the de facto leader of Keadilan to the de facto leader of Pakatan.

But will debates on the Islamic state — once a central political philosophy of PAS— resurface as a divisive force?

A confident Mr Anwar does not think so. He told reporters during the coalition’s launch: “It was not mentioned in the PAS(election) manifesto and has not been mentioned for a long time. It is no longer an issue.”

But his word can only carry so much weight; it is still the PAS leaders who hold the key to Pakatan’s shelf life.

In this light, it is perhaps noteworthy that while clerics such as Abdul Hadi Awang and Nik Aziz Nik Mat still occupy PAS’ top two positions, the party’s second-tier leadership is manned by progressives like vice-president Husam Musa, who holds an economics degree from Universiti Malaya, and youth chief Salahuddin Ayub, a former bank officer who was also trained secularly.

As long as PAS maintains this mix of clerics and progressives, the party will not dwell on its Islamic state rhetoric as the runup to the recent polls proved.

Many did not expect PAS to field a non- Muslim candidate in the form of Ms KumuthaRahman, a 29-year-old law graduate who is an ethnic Indian.

So Pakatan’s message to voters is resoundigly clear: We made a mistake, we learned, and now we’re back as a stronger force.

On the contrary, BN’s message to voters must read a tad dodgier: We lost, we bicker, and now we do not know who is boss.

The ruling coalition’s facade of a united stand in the face of its poor election performance — with heavyweight ministers like Hishamuddin Hussein and Najib Abdul Razak expressing full confidence in the premiership of Mr Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (Pak Lah) — is now withering by the day as factions emerge within the United Malays National Organisation (Umno), a key component of BN.

Umno veteran Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, or Ku Li, looks set to launch an offensive against Mr Abdullah in a much-anticipated Ku Li-Pak Lah clash for the party’s top position at the Umno general assembly in December.

Whether BN can regain the trust of voters is dependent on whether its members can agree on who will be boss.

Till then, a weakened BN — and a stronger Pakatan — could only signal that the winds of change in Malaysia could give rise to a two-party state. TODAY/sf

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/analysis/view/339246/1/.html

FAST & FURIOUS

2008-04-13T04:37:00.001-07:00

It seems that nowadays Malaysian politics are moving fast and furiously.

The prime/loudest echo is on "Ketuanan Melayu" or "Malay Supremacy". Are Malays in Malaysia really feeling threatened as a result of the rise of Pakatan Rakyat? Or is it merely UMNO who feel being slowly marginalised and thus shouting "Malay rights are being undermined!"

Look at these recent statements in Malaysian media:

"Malay special rights and privileges; Article 153 merely states 'the special position of the Malays'."

(May I ask what about the special position of the Bumiputeras in Sabah and Sarawak?)

"The crown prince of Kelantan says the special position of Malays is a quid pro quo for citizenship rights of non-Malays in the country."

"Anwar Ibrahim said the ‘Ketuanan Melayu' card increasingly played up by Umno is to divert attention from the party's internal problems following its unprecedented electoral setback."

Really, changes are happening in Malaysia. And we in Malaysia better get used to it. Race and religion are big issues, and seemed to be inseparable in Malaysian politics despite repeated calls for separation of state and religion like they do in US.

WHAT ARE MY PEERS DOING?

2008-04-13T03:01:00.000-07:00

What are the rest of the 40-year-olds around the world doing?

Here's some I want to highlight:

1. FRANCIS CHAN
A pastor. 40 years old. Originally from HK now lives in southern California. Family migrated to US when he was very young. Married to a white beautiful Christian American lady who also sings well. They are blessed with three children. The church he leads is called Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley. I think it is closely affiliated to Reformed Baptist. He refers a lot to John Piper and John MacArthur. Earlier in his Christian ministry, he think he could sing but his wife told him that he's not cut out to be a singer; so he gave up on that and concentrated on being a teaching pastor. When he first started his present church in 1994, his salary was US$3,000. And he kept that same salary until 2004. Here's an excellent link about him http://www.shaungroves.com/shlog/comments/chan_and_change/

2. KARIM RASLAN
Karim Raslan is a forty-year-old Cambridge University-educated lawyer, columnist and author. He is a founding partner of Raslan Loong, one of Malaysia's leading corporate law firms. Read more about him in this link http://www.ytlcommunity.com/karimraslan/index.asp

WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ABOUT IT

2008-04-09T03:41:00.000-07:00

I was just thinking... young men want to be seen as older and respectable; old men want to be seen as younger and hip!

Also, I was flashing back momentarily ago to my roots -- like they say: to move forward, we must look at our past. But don't look too far back and too long behind, otherwise you'll go nowhere!

I am the nephew of two Sabah political stars -- Peter Mojuntin and Joe Manjaji.

Peter Mojuntin was mom's older brother; he was a firebrand civil rights leader molded by the Catholic church. To illustrate, he is like Sabah's Martin Luther King or closer to home, Anwar Ibrahim of Sabah. The point is that: Peter Mojuntin was a very eloquent orator (bigger than life, far ahead of his peers) and superbly articulate at that. Boldness and perseverance, made him invincible. Alas, someone sabotaged his short and illustrious life -- he died in a plane crash in Kota Kinabalu in June 6, 1976 at age 33.

Joe Manjaji is dad's oldest brother. He had the head and heart of a steel. Temperament may get anyone's potential out of the way, and it did the same to Joe. Yet, he achieved much. Heard from the grapevine he was among many other things involved in writing of the USNO constitution. Isn't that cool? USNO was an incredibly dominant force in Sabah politics in the 1960s-70s. But like the saying goes: what comes up must come down (hey, look at UMNO now)!

Furthermore, two other uncles, Conrad Mojuntin and Michael Manjaji are also significant -- albeit contorversial -- political figures in Sabah.

Presently, two cousins Don Mojuntin and Jane Manjaji are respectable political figures in their own right. Don, now an assistant minister in the state cabinet, is set to follow his dad's footstep. Don I foresee will be the next Huguan Siou or Paramount Leader of the Kadazandusuns. Jane was the PBS women head in Penampang in the 1990s.

So, what am I going to do about all these?

Firstly and frankly let me say that my own father and mother were not near the achievements of their famous siblings. They would live -- or rather chose to live -- what I say a "mediocre" life, unfortunately. It's their choice. It's beyond my control.

But what I can control is my reaction or response to my roots.

So what am I going to do about my roots? Where am I heading? Is there any earthshaking goals? Am I aiming for a life that is above "mediocrity"?

Yeah, I have been thinking about this for a long, long time. The earliest conscious effort to move significantly forward was during my time in the US from 1988-93 doing my tertiary education.

No I didn't go to Stanford or MIT or Princeton or Harvard or even Yale. But I went to Texas A&M deep in the heart of the Lone Star State. Whoop!

There my perspectives of life changed forever. My heart and spirit were burning like never before. The desire to go far in life sparked just like when the space shuttle Endeavour (constructed in 1987 and first space mission in 1993) ignited ready for take off.

Am I boasting about myself? No, I don't think so. If I am not telling my story, who else would? And the reason I tell my story is so that God can be glorified. How? My story tells about my conversion to Christianity; how Jesus changed my life from rags to reformer. I am a reformer for Christ; and all the glory goes to HIM.

DAILY DEVOTIONS (DD)

2008-04-08T02:02:00.000-07:00

I will be posting my daily devotions here using the A, B, C formula.

A -- A title for the passage

B -- Bible reading

C -- Contextualize what I just read

In a nutshell, "A title" would help me to remember what I just read. When I say "Bible reading" I need to set a specific time everyday to meet in the Lord by way of reading the Bible, meditate on His Word and pray. To contextualize is to apply what I just read in my present situation; the country I am in, the culture I am in, the type of people around me (what are their needs? spiritually? physical needs?)

In order to have a meaningful DD, it takes three S:
1. Self-discipline
2. Systematic progression
3. Sharing my thought with another Christian

THAT'S POLITICS!

2008-03-26T05:24:00.000-07:00

A game of manipulation and maneuvering.

Abdullah Ahmad Badawi knows it and is busy into it right now. Without it he can't go far in the game of politics.

I keenly saw how George W Bush played his game. His acumen is second to none. He's got divine intervention as well. I closely followed his political progression since 1999 -- that's when he first toyed with the idea of becoming US president. As time goes, he went through several personal political challenges, notably the Iraq War. George W wasn't expected to win the presidential election in 2000; many US political analysts ruled him out. But God prepared George W for the job. His team of people (during his first term) like Colin Powell, Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney (from the legacy of George Sr) were enough to see that he is meant to spearhead the US nation. Saddam had to go. 9/11 was coming. Any other team would have been incapable. (The next team could either be John McCain or Obama/Hillary.) Either ways, it would be what God wanted for US and for the world. US is a blessed nation; from its formation, the founders were Bible-believing and God-fearing people. I have no two ways about what I think of this part of US history. US is meant to lead the world; even though it may not be a perfect nation, it is the best nation it could be in this present era to be the salt and light of the world (I am talking about collectively as a whole nation) (UK had its time to lead the world as salt and light) Now, US is in danger -- like the Roman Empire and Europe -- of immorality. Are we going to see its downfall soon? Which nation would replace it? (Maybe it won't happen in my lifetime.)

Now back to Malaysia and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

Abdullah faces attacks from inside and outside. Some within Umno like Mahathir and Razaleigh are asking for his resignation. Will Najib take over? That would be the assumption due to tradition. From the outside, Anwar Ibrahim is working hard to be the next prime minister. But my take is that he should not be too greedy. Five states under the Pakatan Rakyat and denying the BN two thirds majority are already an achivement of sorts. Do well now and increase the territory the next elections.

But again I may be wrong. Sometimes my assessment can be too conservative. I said Anwar shouldn't be too greedy. But the world is "dog eat dog" world, and especially in politics; it is super vicious, cruel and unmerciful!

God's will is nothing to them; God's sovereign will is nothing; God's specific will is nothing. The sky is the limit to them. Whatever they see is feasible, they would go for it -- I am talking about politicians.

As a conclusion, I say Najib will take over as a Malaysian tradition while Anwar would attempt to break that cycle. Najib for a short while and then Anwar will be the PM. That's the mind-boggling politics for all of us.

YOU GOT IT RIGHT, PAS

2008-03-26T05:10:00.000-07:00

KUALA TERENGGANU, March 25 (Bernama) -- PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang claims that the proposal to formulate a law preventing elected representatives from switching parties is made for the benefit of Umno and not based on democratic principles.

He said PAS had previously come up with the same idea in the 1960s when the late Datuk Asri Muda was the PAS president but it was rejected by the government then.

"At that time, Umno was trying to buy elected representatives in Terengganu, Kelantan, Sabah and Sarawak and we had suggested that such a law was formulated.

"Now, this suggestion was raised again to save Umno and not to save democracy," he said at a media conference after chairing a meeting of the Terengganu PAS Liaison Body, here today.

Abdul Hadi said the government, on the other hand, should formulate a law to ensure that the general election was carried out cleanly to prevent doubtful elements such as bribery.

"(We) cannot prevent (elected representatives) from defecting; what must be prevented is corruption.

"Whatever it is, they (elected representatives) have the right to switch parties if they feel that their original parties were no longer championing their original cause," he said.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim on Sunday said he planned to propose to the Cabinet that a law to prevent party-hopping be formulated as soon as possible.

The proposal was supported by Umno leaders because they felt that it could ensure political stability in the country besides protecting the trust given by the people to their respective candidates in the last general election. -- BERNAMA

John Manjaji's note: Look at what happened in Sabah especially in 1994. The people in Sabah had clearly voted for PBS. But about two weeks after the verdict had been made, one by one the PBS assemblymen hopped to another party or formed another party. Umno did not say anything. Umno did not propose any law to prevent party-hopping. Ironically, what actually happened was that PBS' anti-hopping law then was deemed to be unconstitutional and therefore, blatantly ignored!

DOUBLE STANDARD, DUH?

2008-03-26T04:00:00.000-07:00

Pity Lim Kit Siang. He told his 17 Perak DAP assemblymen to boycott the swearing-in of the MB, and then retracted that statement hours later. Umno played up the matter through national media. One BM national newspaper had on its frontpage the following day "DAP BIADAP".

Fast forward approximately two weeks later, Umno president and deputy president told their 23 Terengganu assemblymen to boycott the swearing-in of the Sultan's choice of MB. They never retract their stand. And practically nobody said anything against that action. I would expect something like "UMNO BIADAP". But none of that. None!

Why? Here's why I think it happened.

Lim Kit Siang is a Chinese. Umno president and deputy president are Malays. Like they say here in Malaysia, it is not nice for Malays to fight amongs themselves. Let's settle things amicably; Malays have soft and tender hearts -- "let's us settle things according to our culture," they would say. But Kit Siang, he is Kit Siang. He is a Chinese. And he is a Chinese in Tanah Melayu (Malay Land). And he is a chauvinistic racist. How dare he challenged the Malay supremacy in their own yard? That's why they called him "biadap". That's why they saw it appropriate to make a mountain out of a molehill. Poor Kit Siang. Life is so unfair.

Then today, it seemed that Abdullah Ahmad Badawi sought audience with the Sultan of Terengganu (who also happens to be the present King of Malaysia) to discuss the MB issue, and rumours have it that the Prime Minister finally succumbed to the royalty's wishes. Slap on his face?

Anymore double standards?

HOW LONG WILL IT LAST?

2008-03-21T02:23:00.000-07:00

In 1994, Sabah's PBS state government which was then an opposition party seemed set to rule with stability and enough support. But as history puts it, that administration lasted only a few months. One of its assemblymen Lajim Ukin opened the floodgates by crossing over to the BN. Several others followed and it saw the collapse of Sabah government. Maximus Johnity Ongkili famously called the moment the "black mark of Sabah's history".

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad had a field day forming instant political parties for Sabah. How did he do it? I heard from the grapevine that Sarawak wealthy businessmen closely linked to the PM were involved in those political tradeoffs; people like Ting Pek Khing? Joseph Ambrose? PBS head Joseph Pairin Kitingan was ready to set his foothold in Sabah -- with the belief that once you past the "10-year barrier" it would be difficult to be uprooted... look at PAS in Kelantan (on March 8, 2008 it entered its 5th term ruling in the conservative state).

In Sabah's case 14 years ago, did Mahathir also used Anwar Ibrahim to initiate the opening of the floodgates? Very possible. After all, Anwar has the calibre.

And today, now, look at what is happening. The cycle is all set to repeat. It is said that Anwar is in his element again to open another floodgates -- this time at the expense of the shaky BN federal government under Abdullah Ahmad Badawi but all in the favour of Anwar's coalition of PKR-DAP-PAS.

30 more seats and Anwar's coalition can rule Malaysia with a simple majority and Anwar the prime minister.

My take is that Abdullah would last no farther than the annual Umno Assembly expected to be held in June. Every three years, it would hold its internal elections. Whoever is the Umno president would traditionally become Malaysia's prime minister.

Abdullah's Cabinet unveiled on March 18 seemed to be stable with enough support -- just like the PBS government in 1994.

But there's a saying that says "what goes up will come down" and "what you did to others will return to you". So, it is just a matter of time that Abdullah's government will disintegrate.

(Abdullah is a case where he is so much like US President Jimmy Carter; they are both nice guys. But their political skills aren't sharp enough to sustain their survival. Abdullah admirably let the people and opposition parties of Malaysia plenty of room to roam -- yet at the expense of his political life. All I can say is that he sacrificed himself for the sake of others, and that's exactly what Jesus did on Good Friday -- today!. Wrong time, wrong place Abdullah. Sorry, your political life can't continue but bravo for unselfishly sacrificing for all Malaysians! God used you even as you didn't realise it; He used you in ways no human can imagine; He used you to let miracles to happen in Malaysian politics.)

HOT SEATS IN SABAH

2008-03-04T09:39:00.000-08:00

Come Saturday March 8 is Malaysia's 12th Polling Day. A new government would be formed later that day, and the new goverment would again be BN. (It had been ruling Malaysia since the formation of this federation in Sept 16, 1963 -- the past 45 years. But for official purposes, the Federal government of Malaysia is seen as commencing on Aug 31, 1957. Oh what can I say... in the US, the history of America starts with the 13 original states of the Union, I think -- I will refer and update this later!)

Sabah was an independent (sovereign) nation from Aug 31, 1963 until Sept 16, 1963 when it merged with Malaya, Singapore and Sarawak to form Malaysia.

Sabah's first state government in Sept 16, 1963 was a coalition of UPKO and Usno, I think... I would have to refer and update this later.

Then it was topsy turvy administrations until 1994 when Umno plays dominant role in Sabah politics. (At times I think God let this happened because the majority Kadazandusun community was given the opportunity and they did not know how to manage themselves!) (So, in this context, Umno's presence is a blessing because that somehow stabilised things in Sabah -- be it economic, politics or cultural.)

This 12th general election shows further cohesiveness (or consolidation) among political leaders in Sabah. I must say that this is a sign of political maturity and that is a good thing for Sabah. There needs to be some kind of establishment, someone who calls the shots and is respected by all. Musa Aman seems to be gaining momentum. He is an excellent politician and economist. He knows how to play the card well in Sabah's circumstances. From the first CM Donald (Fuad) Stephens to Joseph Pairin Kitingan, and then Sakaran Dandai to Chong Kah Kiat there had been a lot of disrespects and infightings.

I know and understand the Sabahans' mentality and I know and understand the Sabahan politicians' mentality.

Based on my research and observation, this Saturday we will see a few hot seats in Sabah where candidates would slug it out very intensely.

The hot parliamentary seats are P180 Keningau (Jeffrey Kitingan may beat Joseph Pairin Kitingan), P186 Sandakan (Shanty Chong Chui Lin may beat Liew Vui Keong), and P172 Kota Kinabalu (Christina Liew may beat Chin Tek Ming). So that's BN 22, Opposition 3!

The hot state seats are N2 Tanjong Kapor (Berman Angkap may beat Teo Chee Kang), N33 Bingkor (Jeffrey Kitingan may beat Justin Guka), N 36 Kemabong (Peter Lonok may beat Rubin Balang), N37 Sook (Paul Gitang may beat Ellron Angin), N58 Merotai (Hj Mohamad Abdullah may beat Pang Yuk Ming), N26 Kuala Penyu (John Ghani may beat John Teo Mau Sing), and N18 Petagas (Salleh Tiasi may beat Yahya Hussin). If that happens, then it would be BN 53, Opposition 7!

Wow! That means the opposition is unable to deny the 2/3 majority for Sabah BN that I first expected. But it is good that the BN did not win everything. There needs to be check and balance in the government. Or the administrators would be arrogant and corrupted.

HEAT IS ON

2008-02-29T17:52:00.000-08:00

Exactly one week tomorrow, politicians in Malaysia have been busy campaigning since their nomination as candidates.

It is easy to get intimidated and distracted as I do my research. I look at other people's achievements or at least at what they have attempted to do, and I felt very insufficient or redundant to say the least. Chains suddenly built up. And the movement is limited or paralyzed. Why? Egoism and pride. Humility must prevail. The Bible says we ought to be humble.

2/3 denial for BN is still within sight but opposition is giving me the impression that they are getting too lame. The momentum is slowing for them. We shall see how things progress.

AH! THAT COFFEE AROMA & CREATIVE MIND

2008-02-29T16:34:00.000-08:00

Hello! It is not that early but it is early enough for me. 8:30am, and it is the 1st of March 2008. Can you believe it? It is already the third month of the year.

I want to feel like a creative person, and so I woke up early, see my wife off to work, and here I am in front of a computer writing... with a cup of coffee - I like the aroma of it and that explains why a lot of creative minds do the same to keep them fresh/alert/awake. (Remember I was both an architecture and art&design student - and we stayed up many times till 3am.) Adrenaline rush.

I am thinking of writers like Bob Woodward. Yes, a political writer for conservative Washington Post and he wrote many things about the Bush presidents.

And John Grisham? I accidentally read an article about him and I was impressed. He was a US lawyer and politician who writes blockbuster books. He made millions out of that and needless to say, he is now living comfortably, and also he seems and claims to be writing effortlessly now as compared to his earlier days when he said that he had to discipline himself and woke up early every morning (with a cup of coffee!) to start writing as he had then started his full time career as a writer (with the backing of his wife).

I am thrilled with several Malaysian-born writers - and they are famous now. Who does not want to be famous? Most of the time it makes a person wealthy and influential - and if he is wise enough, he can get things done easier. But then again, reality may have it differently. Oh well.

Rehman Rashid. When I was young and small, I remember reading his articles in the local New Straits Times. Now he has found his niche as an articulate observer-cum-writer of the Malaysian way of life.

Karim Raslan. He caught my attention with his book "Cerita Lah!". He was born in Malaysia and raised in Britain. That gave him quite a unique perspective or outlook of this country and its culture - somewhat, the kind of opportunity I had when I was in Texas for five years (1988-93).

Tash Aw. FIRST NOVEL WINNER: TASH AW - THE HARMONY SILK FACTORY. Less is more. This speaks loud enough.

Tunku Halim. Another accidental encounter. I saw him one morning on a TV talk show. He has a weird/strange mannerism. With an Australian accent? Man, this guy is creative.

Marina Mahathir. Her dad's a very influential person in Malaysia. I like her Liberal Doses.

http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/index.php?id=1386478

http://www.fusionview.co.uk/2007/03/the-best-malaysian-books-for-my-suitcase/

IT’S HOW CHILDREN PROCESS THE EXPERIENCE

2008-02-29T08:09:00.000-08:00

Children who are spanked or given some form of physical punishment by their parents may be more likely to have sexual problems as adults, a new study finds.

An analysis of four studies by Murray Straus, co-director of the Family Research Laboratory at the University of New Hampshire-Durham, found that children who suffer physical punishment in the form of spanking, hitting or slapping are more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior as adults, it is reported by USA Today.

The study, presented Thursday to the American Psychological Association, suggests that spanked children also are more likely to be "physically or verbally coercing" to a sexual partner and engage in masochistic sex, including arousal by spanking, later in life.

Elizabeth Gershoff, an assistant professor of social work at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, who reviewed 80 years of spanking research in 2002 in the APA's Psychological Bulletin, said Straus' work appears to be the first to link spanking to sexual problems, USA Today reported.

Gershoff said that even though many children are spanked by their parents, future problems often depend on how the children process the experience and whether they ultimately equate love with physical pain.

BLIND MAN REGAINS SIGHT AFTER TOOTH IMPLANT IN EYE

2008-02-29T07:56:00.000-08:00

Check this out... a medical phenom!

Bob McNichol has been fighting to get his sight back, tooth and … eye?

The 57-year-old Irishman was blinded two years ago after an aluminum explosion at a recycling plant, AFP reported Thursday. His sight has been miraculously restored after doctors inserted his son’s tooth in his eye.

"I thought that I was going to be blind for the rest of my life," McNichol told RTE state radio, AFP reported.

After doctors told McNichol there was nothing more they could do for him, he heard about an offbeat operation called Osteo-Odonto-Keratoprosthesis (OOKP) being performed in England.

OOKP, first performed in Italy in the 1960s, involves creating an artificial cornea by using the patient’s tooth and surrounding bone as a support, AFP reported.

McNichol’s son Robert, 23, donated a tooth, its root and part of his jaw for his father’s surgery. McNichol’s right eye socket was rebuilt, and a lens was inserted into a hole drilled in Robert’s tooth. The procedure required two surgeries lasting a total of 15 hours.

"It is pretty heavy going," McNichol told RTE state radio. "I have enough sight to get around and I can watch television. I have come out from complete darkness to be able to do simple things.”

I WANT THE CHICKEN BREAST

2008-02-23T00:57:00.000-08:00

Aha... it is the election fever again... not only in America but also right here in Malaysia.

And it is at this time that we see many lobbyists at full throttle.

One candidate Yong Teck Lee finally gets to contest in this election after a court case that disqualified him to contest in the last Malaysian polls (2004).

He is a party president; he was a former chief minister of Sabah. He has all the connections and privileges of a powerful politician. In my perspective, he has been given the opportunity to have at least a "chicken feet" of the political meal.
But Yong is Yong. He wants the best. He wants the chicken breast.

He could have chosen Tawau. Instead he replaced the incumbent Shim Pau Fatt and gave it to Chua Soon Bui. What generous man he is. Talk about leadership by example.

The following day he explained that no one is a "spare tyre" in his party. And he would patiently wait for an opportunity to get his "chicken breast"... which is the prized Kota Kinabalu seat. "I am not familiar with Tawau. I have lost touch with the constituents there. Let a local handle Tawau," he said.

Good job Yong. I can't say you are not "greedy". But I can say that you are playing your card well! Others (especially in Sabah and especially the Bumiputeras) have much to learn from this matured and learned politician!

POLITICS OF THE TIMES

2008-02-18T01:09:00.000-08:00

Someone told me that I have the gift of loyalty and insights. I am going to use my gift of insights to share with the world of the Malaysian and American political scenario.

I didn't go to Harvard or Yale or MIT, or Oxford or Cambridge. But I went to Texas A&M to study architecture, albeit incomplete with one year to go for a BED -- but I may not do it. Anyhow, I completed a BFA in Graphic Design at West Texas A&M. With this academic credentials as my background, I share my thoughts.

And oh, I have also been in the journalism realm for 10 years in 2008. Why journalism and not graphic design, one may ask? I like to think and share through words, not merely through visuals.

My family political background influenced me. Dad's brothers were pioneer politicians in Sabah and so does mom's brothers; so my family is like the Kennedys or Bushs of Sabah politics. But unfortunately for me that has been forgotten -- at least for now. The Federal brand of politics has bulldozed its way into Sabah thus changing the local landscape. The Manjajis and the Mojuntins have been silently marginalised.

Never mind all that. Life goes on.

Barack Obama is going to be the next president of the US. He is creatively intelligent and he knows how to use that to his political advantage, and now his popularity is like none other in his generation -- he is akin to that of a rock star. He makes Americans interested in politics again. But once he takes office, who knows what is going to happen after that. Jimmy Carter's record possibly provides some hint.

BN in Malaysia will again form the government come March 8. But they will lose their 2/3 majority. Why? Because non-Malays and non-Muslims are fed-up with the BN government's extremely pro-Malay and pro-Muslim policies. I am not a die-hard Hindraf fan, but the people there lead the way for minority Malaysians. Having said all that, let's hope the peace and economic progress would continue to prevail in the country.

BARACK HAS A DREAM

2008-02-13T08:21:00.000-08:00

Barack Obama was at his spine-tingling best in this speech on Sunday 22 January 2008 at King's Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, reaching oratorical heights that the other candidates could only dream of. It was Martin Luther King day and the South Carolina primary coming up, and the Democratic frontrunner was reaching out for the African-American votes. Obama went on to win Georgia and South Carolina primaries.

KK'S WATERFRONT

2008-01-22T10:08:00.000-08:00

Recently there's so much debate among the locals what KK's waterfront should look like.

Greedy politicians have already made part of KK's beautiful seafront looks like this...

BUT with proper planning and wise use of urban planners and financial resources, KK can look like these...

FED CUTS INTEREST RATE

2008-01-22T09:44:00.000-08:00

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke

By MARTIN CRUTSINGER, AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON - The Federal Reserve, confronted with a global stock sell-off fanned by increased fears of a recession, slashed a key interest rate by three-quarters of a percentage point on Tuesday and indicated further rate cuts were likely.

The surprise reduction in the federal funds rate from 4.25 down to 3.5 percent marked the biggest funds rate cut on records going back to 1990.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues took the action after an emergency video conference on Monday night, a day when global markets had been pounded by rising concerns that weakness in the world's largest economy was spreading worldwide.

Despite the Fed's bold move, Wall Street plunged at the opening. The Dow Jones industrial average was down 311.99 points in the first hour of trading.

In a brief statement explaining its move, the Fed said that "appreciable downside risks to growth remain" and officials pledged to "act in a timely manner" to deal with the risks facing the economy. The action was approved on an 8-1 vote.

Analysts said the fact that the Fed did not wait until its meeting next week to cut rates underscored the seriousness of the situation.

"The world's stock markets are in meltdown so the Fed came in with an inter-meeting move to try to stop the panic," Christopher Rupkey, senior economist at Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi.

The Bush administration, which had announced on Friday that President Bush supported a $150 billion economic stimulus package, said Tuesday that it was not ruling out doing more than the $150 billion proposal if necessary.

Many analysts said if the carnage continues in stock markets, the Fed will move to cut rates again at its Jan. 29-30 meeting.

"This move is not an instant fix," said Ian Shepherdson, chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics. "The economy is still staring recession in the face, but at least the Fed now gets it."

In addition to cutting the funds rate, the Fed said it was reducing its discount rate, the interest it charges to make direct loans to banks, by a similar three-quarters of a percentage point, pushing this rate down to 4 percent.

Commercial banks responded to the Fed's action on the funds rate by announcing similar cuts of three-quarter of a percent on its prime lending rate, the benchmark for millions of business and consumer loans. The action will mean the prime lending rate will drop from 7.25 percent down to 6.50 percent.

The Fed action was the most dramatic signal it can send that it is concerned about a potential recession in the United States.

The Fed action occurred after global financial markets had plunged Monday as investors grew more concerned about the possibility that the United States, the world's largest economy, could be headed into a recession. Many markets suffered their biggest declines since the September 2001 terrorist attacks.

In its statement, the Fed said it had decided to cut the federal funds rate "in view of a weakening of the economic outlook and increasing downside risks to growth."

The central bank said that the strains in short-term credit markets have eased a bit, but "broader financial market conditions have continued to deteriorate and credit has tightened further for some businesses and households. Moreover, incoming information indicates a deepening of the housing contraction as well as some softening in labor markets."

The move caught financial markets by surprise. Many had expected the central bank would wait until its meeting next week to make any move in interest rates. The Fed made the move before markets had opened in the United States.

Before Tuesday's move, the Fed had cut interest rates three times, beginning in September, the month after a severe credit crunch had roiled Wall Street and global financial markets. The Fed cut the funds rate by a half-point in September and then by smaller quarter-point moves in October and December.

"The committee will continue to assess the effects of financial and other developments on economic prospects and will act in a timely manner as needed to address those risk," the Fed statement said.

The Fed's action was approved on an 8-1 vote with William Poole, president the Fed's regional bank, dissenting. The statement said that Poole objected because he did not believe current conditions justified a rate move before the Fed's meeting next week.

John Manjaji's comment:
An economic recession is a psychological matter. People observe the stock market and when there's a decline, people would start selling their shares and that's where the panic starts -- the domino effect. Cash flow needs to continue to rotate so that consumers would spend and manufacturers produce, and that's what economy is all about basically. (You make, people buy; people spend, you gain)

FEDERAL FUNDS RATE

2008-01-22T09:41:00.000-08:00

Federal Funds Rate (Investopedia definition)

The interest rate at which a depository institution lends immediately available funds (balances at the Federal Reserve) to another depository institution overnight.

Investopedia Commentary This is what news reports are referring to when they talk about the Fed changing interest rates. In fact, the FOMC sets a target for this rate, but not the actual rate itself (because it is determined by the open market).

Federal Funds Rate (Wall Street Words definition)

The rate of interest on overnight loans of excess reserves made among commercial banks. Because the Federal Reserve has significant control over the availability of federal funds, the rate is considered an important indicator of Federal Reserve monetary policy and the future direction of other interest rates. A declining federal funds rate may indicate that the Federal Reserve has decided to stimulate the economy by releasing reserves into the banking system. Care is needed in using this indicator, however, because a declining rate may simply mean that the banks have weak demand for commercial loans and little need for borrowing reserves.

Case Study
Federal Reserve announced in early December 2001 it was lowering its target federal funds rate from 2.00% to 1.75%, the lowest level in 40 years. The quarter-point decline represented the 11th reduction in the benchmark short-term interest rate since the beginning of the year and established a target rate lower than the rate of inflation. The federal funds rate represents the rate that banks pay to borrow reserves from other banks. This rate influences other short-term rates, including the prime rate and the interest rate on U.S. Treasury bills. The aggressive Federal Reserve policy toward reducing interest rates was intended to stimulate a weak economy that had produced rising unemployment and business failures, especially following the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C. The Federal Reserve has tools available to affect short-term interest rates but not long-term rates, which are influenced by inflation expectations of lenders and borrowers. Thus, an aggressive policy by the Federal Reserve to reduce short-term rates and stimulate the economy can actually result in higher long-term rates as investors become concerned that increased economic activity will be accompanied by rising inflation.

MONTICELLO

2008-01-22T09:09:00.000-08:00

I was in Kuching recently (Dec 28, 2007-Jan 2, 2008), and I saw a house designed after Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. I am pretty sure of that. It was really impressive. It is located at North Kuching City. Above photos are of the original Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia.

PAPAR-TUARAN FREEWAY VIA KK

2008-01-22T05:24:00.000-08:00

Dream is good. Being visionary is the hallmark of a leader. I envision that 10-20 years from now (Year 2018 or 2028), there will be a freeway connecting Papar (south) to Tuaran (north) via KK to form what would be known as the Kota Kinabalu megalopolis!

TRAM, KK, TRAM

2008-01-22T05:04:00.000-08:00

For goodness sake, we need to improve KK's public transport. For a start have the tram system starting from the CBD (central business district) and then south to KKIA and further south to Putatan (KK's southgate) and then turn southeast to Donggongon (KK's interiorgate), turn north to Inanam (KK's northgate) and a stop at One Borneo (Borneo's largest mall) and finally back to the CBD.

US POLITICAL MATURITY

2008-01-22T03:09:00.000-08:00

I love politics. I wouldn't be a politician thought -- I don't have the political charisma, I don't have the spontaneous intellect of a politician, I don't have grassroot support, I don't click to the local culture and most of all, Sabah politics is dirty, dirty, dirty (well, that's a cliche as where in the world politics is clean???). I love politics because I grew up in a political family -- dad's dad was closely connected with the British colonial powers, dad's oldest brother was the first Penampang MP and also a close buddy with Tun Fuad (Sabah's first CM), dad's youngest brother was a political candidate who stood but lost unfortunately! And there's mom's brothers -- oldest brother George was a Matunggong YB; Peter was a fiery orator and in his 20s was already an active politician; he was a Moyog YB and a full minister in Sabah government; when he died prematurely in a plane crash, mom's youngest brother Conrad took over Peter's role, and he was mere 26 or 27 I think. And oh, by the way, cousin Donald (Peter's son) is currently a Penampang MP.

So, that's my political pedigree. Between late 1980s and 1990s Sabah's social and political structure changed so radically that my family has practically lose any political respect it deserves. Oh well, that's life in this dark and broken world where Jesus is the only true and permanent hope and light. Even in the world's best economy and politics -- USA -- signs of moral erosion are there. The whites in America generally did a good job (except for the KKK) for hundreds of years managing their nation and they're comprised mostly of hardworking Protestants originally of the Puritans and Quakers of Europe. (People of other countries do well to take note of and follow the example of these white hardworking Protestants of North America!) But now, look, illegals from across the borders are messing up USA; politicians' policies are partly to be blamed (and that sounds exactly like what's happening in Sabah, Johor and Selangor!!!) Crimes are high, bonafide taxpayers and citizens are have their rights abused and their values threatened, social structure and confusion become the order of the day, and stress levels as a result of cultural, racial and religious complexities are deteriorating!

All said, here is another article that reflects the political maturity and excellence in USA.

Bush biting his lip and biding his time as the race to replace him unfolds

By BEN FELLER

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP): In a presidential race not lacking for pundits, at least one person is trying to keep his mouth shut: the president himself.

President George W. Bush’s silent approach toward the 2008 campaign _ with some notable lapses _ reflects the kind of message discipline that his administration cherishes. Yet it goes against political instinct for this White House, which was built around setting a big agenda and defending itself aggressively.

No doubt, Bush is deeply interested in the race. Beyond the obvious consequences for the country and for his own policies, there is Bush’s political underpinning to consider. He admits missing the crowds and the noise and the competition of the campaign. No quarterback likes to be on the sidelines.

So what does Bush have to say about the intrigue of Iowa, or the looming votes in New Hampshire? No comment.

That is his policy, to stay in effect until the Republican Party settles on a nominee. And even then, when Bush gets behind the new face of his party, he might end up serving an important but background role as a fundraiser.

The White House says it would be inappropriate for Bush to weigh in now.

The election is about the future, said Bush counselor Ed Gillespie, a veteran politico in his own right. It is up for voters to decide for themselves, without Bush’s input. He even suggested that all the media coverage focusing on the race _ and disappearing from Bush _ could help.

“We understand it’s going to distract attention, but in some ways that may allow us to continue to pursue policies and do important things,” he said.

Outside political experts buy that to a degree. They say the White House’s explanation for staying above the fray is fair and reasonable, but incomplete.

Bush is right to avoid influencing the nomination process, said Bruce Buchanan, a University of Texas political scientist. It is up to the electorate, not the elected party leader, to decide who should lead the nation next.

Yet the Republican nominees are not exactly asking for the unpopular president’s endorsement, either. “It’s potentially toxic,” Buchanan said.

The Republican contenders rarely say Bush’s name. In seeking to inherit the mantle of a Republican president, they tend to skip past Bush, and his father before him, and reach back two decades to Ronald Reagan.

“All of the candidates are being generally supportive of Bush in his positions, but none want his imprimatur,” said Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University. “That suggests if he were to toss his endorsement out there, they would scatter. No one would dive on it.”

Before Mike Huckabee’s win in Iowa, he accused the Bush administration of having an “arrogant bunker mentality” in foreign policy. It was the kind of barb that, under other circumstances, would have drawn fire from the White House. Not this time.

“Their own political interests do not give them a good motive to frame this particular debate. It doesn’t even help them to try,” Buchanan said. “That’s the bottom line _ there’s not much to be gained.”

History has shown that presidents often have a tricky time finding their place in the race to replace them. Bush’s father never got the chance, since he lost after one term. Former President Bill Clinton had plenty to say, but Vice President Al Gore kept him at arm’s length during the 2000 race.

Now, for the first time in 56 years, there is no incumbent president or vice president on the ballot on either side.

In political terms, that leaves Bush to bide his time, and bite his lip.

Still, reporters try. The race is frantic and wide open. And no one in the world could offer the perspective that Bush could.

Bush, of course, knows this and tried set some ground rules almost a year ago.

“I will resist all temptation to become the pundit-in-chief,” he declared last February.

Not quite. The questions keep coming, and Bush has shown a few cracks.

In September, he told book author Bill Sammon that New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton would be the Democratic nominee for president. “I got caught,” Bush said with a laugh when asked about it again in November, during an interview with ABC News. “I think she’s a very formidable candidate.”

The White House denies the theory that Bush wants to bolster Clinton so that the Democrats will have a nominee with a potential “electability” problem.

Bush’s vice president, Dick Cheney, has followed the example of not commenting. “Scrupulously neutral” is the way he puts it.

Others around Bush have spoken more freely.

Cheney’s wife, Lynne, has publicly questioned Sen. Clinton’s national security positions. Bush’s former political adviser Karl Rove has touted Clinton as the presumed Democratic nominee and wrote a Newsweek column entitled “How to Beat Hillary.” White House press secretary Dana Perino got drawn in once in August _ calling a television ad placed by Clinton “outrageous” and “absurd” _ although Perino has since vowed not to slip again.

Bush’s ultimate campaign role will largely be shaped by the wishes of the Republican nominee. The president can still raise money successfully, which will also help Republicans in the House and Senate, who are trying to stem the loss of more seats in November.

Meanwhile, Gillespie kicks most questions about the campaign to the Republican National Committee. That’s the same RNC he ran during the 2004 election cycle, when Bush won re-election and Gillespie’s job was to go on the offensive. This time, he reserves comment, even if he has a good one ready to go.

“It goes against instinct,” he said. “We’ve become kind of conditioned to it. Whereas before, there may have been some frustration, now it’s more amusing. It’s become kind of like, ‘This is what I would have said.”” AP-TK-07-01-08 0635GMT

John Manjaji's note:

In some countries, people would hold on to power for as long as they can regardless of the circumstances, and would rather fight and even kill just to stay on top. We salute the Americans for their respect and upholding of their constitution. This is one of the things people of other countries can learn from the US. Bush, the most powerful man on earth, could have easily influence the ongoing presidential election process and thus affect his countries future according to his wills and fancies; but he knows the true American value and political etiquette. In this sense, Americans are a respectable lot!

HUCKABEE HAS HISTORY OF WINNING SUPPORT, OR AT LEAST ATTENTION, WITH ‘BUMPER STICKER’ STYLE

2008-01-07T01:21:00.000-08:00

By ANDREW DeMILLO

Associated Press Writer

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas (AP) _ Mike Huckabee’s offbeat antics _ what some would call stunts _ helped propel him to the front of the Republican presidential pack after a decade honing that “bumper sticker” style as governor of Arkansas.

This is a man who moved with his wife into a triple-wide trailer while the governor’s mansion was being renovated. Who wedded her again, before a crowd at a sports arena, to show support for a marriage law he had just signed. Who, five weeks into Arkansas’ top job, worked a day in the state motor vehicle office sporting a “Cashier Trainee” tag before launching and winning a fight to streamline the agency.

During his decade as governor of Arkansas, Huckabee’s style drew criticism from opponents who bristled at his lighthearted approach to serious public policy debates. But it also got the attention and often the support of voters Huckabee needed most.

Transferred to the opening round of the 2008 presidential nominating contest, Huckabee’s wit charmed even his Republican opponents _ before they saw him as a threat. Among those listening to the affable Arkansas governor were evangelical Christians, who on Thursday night helped propel Huckabee past millionaire Mitt Romney to win the race’s first test of strength, the Iowa caucuses.

Touching down a day later in New Hampshire, Huckabee tried to reassure skeptics in a famously independent northeastern state that holds its primary on Tuesday.

“Being president is a serious job. Running this country is serious business. The issues we face are serious,” he told about 175 people in Henniker, New Hampshire, on Friday. “The reason I have fun is because I love America.”

By that reasoning, he adored Arkansas.

Huckabee’s antics earned criticism from lawmakers and groans from

reporters, but helped the Republican win re-election twice in a Democratic-leaning state.

“Here in Arkansas, obviously, he knew coming in with one of the most heavily Democratic legislatures in the country he would have to have a strategy of going around the Legislature, around some of the traditional media, around some of the traditional power makers in politics,” former Huckabee aide Rex Nelson said. “He had a superb ability at doing that.”

Jay Barth, a political scientist at Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas, said Huckabee’s gimmicks in national politics echo those in Arkansas because they were met with criticism but helped Huckabee win over the voters he needed. In Iowa that meant evangelical Christians; in Arkansas, rural white voters.

Barth cited Huckabee’s opening campaign ad for president, a tongue-in-cheek spot that featured an endorsement by action star and Internet cult hero Chuck Norris.

“Most of these gimmicks all said the same thing: ‘I am one of you. I get the entertainment value of Chuck Norris. I want to celebrate Christmas. I’m sick of negative ads and I know you are too,”” said Barth, a member of the state Democratic committee.

Huckabee’s penchant for gimmicks to get his message out began with his first year in office, 1996, when he traveled the Arkansas River by bass boat to drum up support for a one-eighth of 1 percent sales tax for conservation efforts.

Months after his one-day stint at a state motor vehicle office, Huckabee successfully fought to drop annual vehicle inspections and streamline renewals for driver’s licenses and car tags.

In 2001, Huckabee created a “tax me more” fund to chide legislators who suggested targeted tax increases to offset $142 million in budget cuts.

“It’s put up or shut up time,” Huckabee said then. “Either put up the money, write the check and let us see if you’re serious, or quit telling me that Arkansans want their taxes raised.”

By 2003, the fund held between $2,000 and $3,000.

Legislators lamented the governor’s “bumper sticker” approach

to serious state budget problems. Senate Majority Leader John Riggs, a Democrat from Little Rock, then called Huckabee’s fund a “grandstand act and what you would expect of somebody who takes on clownish behavior.”

Nelson, Huckabee’s aide, said the criticism was not a major concern and came from people who were not going to support the governor anyway.

Huckabee even used his home and his marriage to gain publicity. In 2001, Huckabee signed into law an option for couples to enter into covenant marriages, which can be ended only after counseling and only on certain grounds _ adultery, criminal activity, physical or sexual abuse or a two-year separation.

To mark the occasion, Huckabee and wife Janet converted their 30-year union to a covenant marriage in front of a crowd of 6,400 people at Alltel Arena in 2005.

“We hope to say to others, ‘Marriage is tough, but it’s best to work through those difficulties,”” he said.

That was five years after the Huckabees moved into a triple-wide manufactured home so the governor’s mansion could be renovated. Huckabee went along with plenty of jokes _ including an appearance on NBC’s “Tonight Show with Jay Leno” _ when the first family moved into the once-wheeled dwelling. Mrs. Huckabee jokingly referred to herself as the queen of the triple-wide _ and received more than $6,000 in honoraria from mobile home industry trade groups grateful for the publicity.

“We’re blowing the stereotypes by letting people see that this is not some pull-behind-the-truck trailer,” the governor said at the time. “This is a beautiful, very nice home. We’re thrilled to death to have it.”

Barth said the mobile home may have looked like a public relations disaster, but actually was a political gain for Huckabee.

“It was ridiculed mercilessly, but if you look at the counties where he needed to win, those white, rural, swing counties, those were the places where there are a lot of mobile homes,” Barth said.

AP-TK-07-01-08 0646GMT<

SOCIAL CONTRACT

2008-01-05T03:57:00.000-08:00

Umno Assembly Nov 6, 2007

Hindu racial riots in Kuala Lumpur Nov 25, 2007

I cannot sit still unless I make a comment on this article below.

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 (Bernama) -- A senator today disagreed with a tabloid newspaper editorial which proposed that the existing social contract between the various races in the country be restructured. Senator Datuk Syed Ali Al Habshee said the tabloid proposal that the political formula be restructured by using a more universal spirit in line with global trends indirectly questioned the special privileges of the Malays as agreed in the social contract. "Come to think of it, all the races are dissatisfied. This we admit but don't question Malay rights this way. Why must we question something which has led to racial harmony and unity," Syed Ali told Bernama here today. The tabloid had raised the issue when commenting about the illegal rally by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) on Nov 25 and its demands. "There are things which can be changed to suit the times but this is not the case for Malaysia as the social contract had been agreed and used for a long time," Syed Ali added.

I am a practising journalist (even though I may not have a journalism degree - but I have an American university degree... some senior editors in Sabah have only completed SPM or maybe lower, and they boast like there's nothing else in the world but their career). I am a practising journalist for almost exactly 10 years now. (I am not boasting about myself; if I need to boast, I would rather boast about Jesus). I am a free Malaysian, free to express my thoughts and insights. I hear people (even in my office room) who talk like they know everything and like they own this world. (I will not do that -- because I know it is God who knows everything and it is God who is in control of everything; omniscient & omnipotent)

With this background and backdrop, and without much ado, here is my piece of thought on the so-called Malaysian social contract:

Who says the present social contract is the reason we have sustained harmony and unity now? It is God's will that we prevail. True, the social contract is there but look -- the "kris" kissing at the expense of others' culture, the continuing lazy Bumiputeras and indefinite special quotas at the expense of others' economic well-being, the closing down of non-Muslim worship places at the expense of others' faiths, the controversial conversions of non-Muslims at death beds at the expense of others' dignity, etc... so, what is this "harmony and unity" that we are talking about? The Malays are increasing/expanding their "rights" at the expense of non-Malays' rights; that's already like a gross breach of the so-called "social contract". I don't need to go further than this.

I've heard the arguments; they say we do not want social unrests like those in Zimbabwe, in Fiji, in Indonesia, etc where the so-called owners of the country were being marginalised economically. But that's only an excuse to be lazy. Those who worked hard and pay taxes and contribute greatly to the nation's economy were being targetted by the lazy ones.

Look around the world. The world does not revolve around the Malays in Malaysia. Who are the Malays anyway and were there ever such thing as "zaman keagungan'kegemilangan Melayu"?? The Bible talked about the fall of the Tower of Babel. I know Hitler tried to promote the Aryans or "White Supremacy" and you know what happened. The KKK in the US is still around -- and so what? Is Umno or PAS another KKK? The South African apartheid is longer there. Get real. If God wanted any race to disappear at once like the morning mist as the sun rises, that can happen. Basically, what I am saying is Malaysia's social contract must be flexible and not revolve around the Malaysian Malays. The Malays don't own Malaysia. Nobody owns Malaysia for that matter. It is God who owns everything; we are only placed here in time and space to be good stewards.

I am not looking for a fight or trouble. I am just saying "get real". Don't be racist. God loves all races. Treat everyone equally regardless of skin colour, race, creed, culture or religion.

That's all I have to say about this. In Jesus name. Amen.

NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES EXHIBITION

2008-01-05T03:47:00.000-08:00

James Keith with the works of Edward Sheriff Curtis

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 4 (Bernama) -- Malaysian art lovers, especially in Klang Valley will have the opportunity to feast their eyes on masterpieces by prominent American artist Edward Sheriff Curtis who is holding an exhibition of fine-art photographs capturing the extraordinary diversity of Native American tribes, at the Central Market here. The 12-day exhibition starting tomorrow, entitled `Sacred Legacy,' will display about 60 masterpieces of Curtis and is themed "The old-time Indian; his dress; his ceremonies; his life and manners". "Basically, this exhibition is held here to mark the 30th anniversary diplomatic ties between the United States (US) and the Asean region," US Ambassador to Malaysia, James Keith told reporters after launching the exhibition here tonight. He said, it was also part of the embassy's effort to share with Malaysians of the actual culture of the Native American tribes. Similar exhibitions will also be held in Sabah and Sarawak soon.

FINANCIALLY-REWARDING ARTWORK

2007-11-26T07:54:00.000-08:00

Read this report below that came out in a newspaper recently. It shows how an artist can earn so much money from his works. But I believe that has a lot to do with the context of his painting as well as the "right place right time" thing and also the "know the right people" game. As an artist myself, I can take delight in this... knowing that I too have the chance to have some financial rewards in my artworks, provided that I got lucky as Mr Francis Chong did. Read on and enjoy!

Dr Yee (2nd left) handed over the painting to Ho (right) while Francis (left), Emily (centre) and Dr Ranjit (behind her) look on

KOTA KINABALU: Resource Development and IT Minister Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai has decided to part with his beloved painting, titled ‘Embrace’, by local artist Francis Chong, in the interest of charity.

The painting, which Dr Yee had successfully bid for during the auction at the recent Palliative Care Association (PCA) annual fund raising concert dinner, was bought by Wagamama Japanese Restaurant proprietor Ho Swee Khing, to whom it has special significance. “The painting shows a woman cuddling her two babies,” Dr Yee said. “To Ho, it reflects his (Ho) twin daughters… and that is why he is so fond of it.”

“Linda (Ho’s wife) called me up, and asked me if I can sell the painting to them. At first I was very reluctant… but after giving serious thought, I rather unwillingly sold it to them, but with one request—that they must donate the price of the painting (RM2,200) to PCA,” he explained.

He told reporters this after handing over the painting to Ho yesterday during a simple ceremony. Ho later handed over the donation from the sale of the painting to PCA honorary treasurer Emily Koh.

“I am proud to have this opportunity as it has allowed me to play a small part in helping the association to raise funds. I hope that the artist will produce more paintings to be sold next year,” said Dr Yee.

WHY, WHY, WHY?

2007-11-20T03:33:00.000-08:00

I would like to add these articles in my blog over the next few days. How I became a Christian? Why I chose the Baptist denomination? Why am I in journalism now and not graphic design? The foundation of journalism - why journalism? How journalism started? Why write? Why bother writing? Who is supposed to write? Who has the right to write? Who can write... the previlege few or just anybody who cares or interested?

So, check me out the next few days!

MORE MILLIONAIRES NOW IN ASIA-PACIFIC

2007-10-22T09:10:00.000-07:00

Editor's note: Again I am saying that I am not dreaming of becoming a millionaire. I just would like to highlight the last paragraph of this article.

MELBOURNE, Oct 19, 2007 (Bernama) -- Financial services companies will increasingly turn to the Asia-Pacific in search of new business as the number of millionaires in the region continues to grow because of rapidly developing economies, a new study finds.

The number of millionaires in the region grew by 8.3 percent to 2.6 million in 2006, up from 2.4 million in 2005 and 2.2 million in 2004, according to Merrill Lynch and Capgemini's second annual Asia-Pacific wealth report.

The net worth of these individuals rose to US$8.4 trillion in 2006, an increase of 10.5 percent over 2005.

Total wealth is expected to reach US$12.7 trillion by 2011, growing at an annual rate of 8.5 percent and outpacing the global rate of 6.8 percent.

"Asia-Pacific HNWI (high net worth individuals) - those with more than US$1 million in financial holdings - benefited from the region's continued strong economic performance, adding wealth and newly minted HNWIs to their ranks," the report said.

Most of the HNWIs resided in Japan and China, which accounted for 43.7 percent and 20.6 percent respectively, of the region's total millionaires.

In terms of millionaire population growth, Singapore came in at No.1 with 21.2 percent growth followed by India at 20.5 per cent and Indonesia at 16 percent.

Most well-off people in the region fell into the 41-55 age bracket, except in Japan and South Korea where most moneyed people are aged over 56.

FACTORY WORKER'S SON JOINS PHILIPPINE BILLIONAIRES

2007-10-22T08:32:00.000-07:00

Editor's note: Not that I am dreaming of wanting to be a billionaire - not to mention millionaire - but I am just impressed at how these people managed to make so much money. I know that some of them either just got lucky (at the right place, right time), or they are well-connected, got rich through family inheritance, apply the sheer hardwork principle or have brilliant business acument. The Bible warns of God vs mammon. God blesses people (financially, etc) for a purpose. I am including this article in my Blog because we all can always learn something from "zero to hero" or "rags to riches" stories, notwithstanding all the evils money can bring or the love of money can bring. I believe awareness comes a long way to help people from being corrupted by materialism. I myself am a 5th generation Chinese in Malaysia (my ancestor Wong Loong came to Malaysia in the early or mid 1800s also as a poor immigrant). May successful people like Mr Andrew be an inspiration to all.

MEGAWORLD Corp. chairman and president Andrew Tan PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER/LYN RILLON/FILE

Agence France-Presse

Last updated 02:29am (Manila time) 10/19/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- Andrew Tan, the son of a poor immigrant factory worker from China, has reportedly become the newest addition in more than a decade to the ranks of billionaires in the Philippines.

After restructuring his holding company Alliance Global, Tan's net worth more than doubled to $1.1 billion from $480 million, Forbes Asia magazine said in its 2007 Philippine Rich List report published Thursday.

Tan made his fortune from three major businesses: property, alcohol and fast-food restaurants. His wealth propelled him to fourth on Forbes Asia's ranking of the 40 richest people in the Philippines.

Property and telecommunications tycoon Jaime Zobel de Ayala and family jumped from third to first place with a net worth of $2.0 billion.

Shopping mall king Henry Sy was second with a net worth of $1.7 billion and tobacco, alcohol and airline tycoon Lucio Tan came in third with $1.6 billion.

Last year these two were first and second, respectively, with $4.0 billion and $2.3 billion, but their net worth was adjusted down this year when Forbes Asia learned new information about their holding company structures, it said in a statement.

"The Philippines is making a comeback. Second-quarter growth of 7.5 percent was the highest in two decades and unemployment was eight percent, the lowest since 1997," said project editor Justin Doebele.

The 40 richest people in the Philippines are worth a combined $17 billion -- $1 billion more than last year, Forbes said.

The top 10 richest in the Philippines:

1) Jaime Zobel de Ayala (US$2 billion)

2) Henry Sy ($1.7 billion)

3) Lucio Tan ($1.6 billion)

4) Andrew Tan ($1.1 billion)

5) Manuel Villar ($940 million)

6) George Ty ($870 million)

7) Andrew Gotianun ($860 million)

8) Enrique Razon Jr. ($820 million)

9) Tony Tan Caktiong ($790 million)

10) Oscar Lopez ($775 million)

($1=P44.09)

JALA WORKS HIS MAGIC

2007-10-21T06:37:00.000-07:00

Editor's note: I am impressed with Mr Idris. I can learn a lot from him in human and corporate management. I am also amazed at how he handles the sophisticated and complex carrier's pricing structure.

The recovery of Malaysia Airlines from near bankruptcy to profitability in less than 18 months is an object lesson in hope for struggling carriers. Idris Jala, the former oil industry executive who has become the Kuala Lumpur flag carrier’s white knight, explained to TOM BALLANTYNE how he has achieved the near impossible.

It may not be pretty, but Malaysia Airlines (MAS) managing director Idris Jala’s style is damned effective. MAS was on the ropes after losing a record RM1.3 billion (US$377.9 million) in 2005 when he was headhunted to perform miracles and turn the airline around.

The former Shell oil executive took off the kid gloves and started to work hard and fast ... and a little dirty. In a bid to reduce costs dramatically and improve yields, he slashed jobs and cut routes. He exposed malpractices by introducing a ‘whistle blowers’ programme.

Problem solving? “We stick people in a room and they stay there burning the midnight oil until it is solved,” said the 48-year-old boss.

And the result of this tough love? Some would say a miracle. In just 18 months MAS has been transformed from a basket case with record losses to an airline forecasting anything up to a RM 700 million profit this year.

There are no simple answers about how to revive a struggling state-owned international airline. But Jala needed to find them.

And he realised one thing very quickly: any hope of success hinged on two critical issues, reducing costs and increasing yields.

To achieve the first Jala did the expected. He set out on a relentless drive to re-engineer the business, trim expenses across the board, increase productivity and rationalize the network.

To tackle the second he did the unexpected. In an industry heavily reliant on sophisticated information technology systems to cope with every aspect of the business, he turned off the computer that runs the carrier’s pricing structure and seat inventory and did it his way.

Why? Because Jala had a theory the sophisticated network revenue management systems used by airlines to cope with the industry’s incredibly complex fare structure were perpetuating low yields.

“There is probably no other industry anywhere in the world that has a pricing mechanism as complex as the airlines,” said Jala. “I come from the oil business and no way is it anywhere near as complex as the airlines’ [price structure]. If you have 118 routes, as we do, there are something like 2.5 million fare permutations and these are changing on a daily basis.”

That is why, he explained, every airline today runs its pricing structure and seat inventory through sophisticated IT systems.

Jala backed his judgement, forming a team whose job was to take the system off line and produce massive spreadsheets covering every route the carrier operated. They had to look at 2.5 million fares on a daily basis, compare them with competitors and manually adjust them to ensure they were competitive.

“This was a massive and very detailed piece of work. I think the reason we are seeing increases in yield is not because we found a simple way to do it, but just by hard work,” said Jala.

The proof was in the bottom line. When Jala took the helm, passenger yields were 22.6 sen (US cents 6.5) per revenue passenger kilometre (RPK). At the end of September last year they had risen to 25.3 sen per RPK. And by the end of the first quarter this year (March 31) they had reached 26.1 sen.

“Yields have been our greatest improvement in the past 18 months. Every quarter they have risen with a total increase of 27% in yield. I think very few airlines can generate that kind of increase in such a short period of time. We think there is still scope for raising it further,” said Jala.

But improving yields was only part of the solution. In 2005, MAS lost RM1.3 billion in just nine months (it had shortened its financial year because it was switching to a calendar fiscal year in 2006).

“This company had a very, very tough time in 2005. We had a cash crisis. We felt if we didn’t change the way we ran the business we would run out of cash and go bankrupt. It was not a funny matter,” he said.

By February last year, just three months after taking control, Jala had drawn up a business plan aimed at reversing the carrier’s financial performance to the tune of RM1.1 billion by the end of the year. “That comprised RM710 million from revenue and yield improvement and another RM370 million from cost reduction, to reduce the loss to [an estimated] RM620 million,” said the chief executive.

“At the time people didn’t believe we could swing this in a year because the share price fell and languished at two ringgit 60 sen (76 US cents) for six months. But we relentlessly monitored our profit and loss (P & L) performance. In fact, we monitored the P & L and the cash flow on a daily basis and there are not many companies that do that.”

In the end, despite rising fuel prices and higher aircraft leasing costs, Jala’s plan exceeded all expectations. The estimated loss of RM620 million loss was slashed further to RM136 million. Today, the share price is around six ringgit.

MAS beat all its quarterly and full year targets. This, said Jala, was down to yield improvement, a RM973 million increase in revenue and a RM665 million reduction in costs. In the year prior to his arrival, MAS’s costs had ballooned 50%.

By the end of the third quarter last year MAS had moved into the black recording a net profit of RM240 million to September 30. And the profits have continued to flow onto the balance sheet. There was income of RM121 million in the fourth quarter, which reduced the loss for the full year to RM133.8 million. The good times continued this year with a first quarter profit of RM133 million.

Jala is now confident MAS can achieve what he terms a “stretched target” of between RM300 million and RM700 million in net profit this year.

So what was wrong with MAS in the first place? “When I came to this job on December 1, 2005, we had a quick prognosis of the problems and we identified four key areas. The first was low yield, the second an inefficient network, the third low productivity as a result of too many staff and, fourthly, poor control over costs,” said Jala. “Many airlines that are losing money have these same problems.”

Jala moved quickly cutting routes that were “bleeding cash”, particularly direct services from secondary Malaysian centres to overseas destinations.

He needed to build feeder traffic into major MAS trunk routes and not being a member of an alliance, realised this would have to be done through individual bilateral agreements with other carriers.

With the need for speed in mind, he told potential partners deals had to be finalised within three months.

Today, the result is an array of code-share pacts that are already paying dividends. MAS has signed agreements with South African Airways, Gulf Air, Alitalia, KLM, Russia’s Transaero Airlines and Virgin Blue in Australia, all adding weight to the carrier’s hub and spoke network.

Jala said discussions were now underway with two more airlines, one in India and one in China, for similar agreements. “If you don’t have the feeder traffic into your main trunk routes it is difficult to get the load factor on trunk routes and the right yield,” he said.

Looking to the future, the airline has completed a full analysis of how its network should look by 2011 and the type of aircraft it will require. Aircraft manufacturers have been asked to put forward a proposal for 55 narrowbody jets. A decision on requirements for widebody aircraft will be made in the next two months.

The staff issue was “a very painful process, but we had to act quickly”, said Jala. In 2006, staff numbers were reduced from 22,700 to 19,700. Between 600 and 700 more jobs will go this year through retirement and natural attrition.

The airline is also focussing on parameters like on-time performance and customer service.

MAS has widened its customer reach. In January, it broke away from the traditional approach of selling tickets only through travel agents who had signed an agreement with the airline. “Now any IATA approved and registered travel agent can sell our tickets. That’s what is called opening up the store front,” said Jala.

The chief executive is looking for more income from his various divisions, such as cargo and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO). “We want more third party work for our MRO division. When I arrived at MAS third party revenue was about RM100 million. Last year, we more than doubled that figure to RM220 million. This year we are challenging our team to deliver revenue of RM300 million with the same number of people, or perhaps less because of the manpower reduction. We are on track to achieve that target,” he said.

In June, MAS established a new engineering subsidiary, Malaysia Aerospace Engineering.

“We are still working on how cargo can become more profitable. However, last year our freight division made a record profit [it exceeded its RM150 million target], much of that coming from belly business rather than freighters. The challenge for our cargo folks is to make sure we make money, or at least break even, from the freighter business rather than relying on belly business to make the lion’s share of profits,” said Jala. The airline has six freighters, four B747-200s and two B747-400s.

Last month, Shahari Sulaiman was appointed the new managing director of MASkargo.

In recent months MAS has established a low-cost carrier, Firefly. It operates to six destinations: four domestic and two international (Koh Samui and Phuket in Thailand), with just two Fokker F50 aircraft.

“By end of this year we will be ready to declare what we want to do with Firefly, but based on the start-up experience I have confidence that we will grow this business.”

The airline is also to set up a new subsidiary, MASWings, to operate rural air services in Malaysia from October (see separate story).

And the battle against costs is continuing. “We are looking for ways to structurally reduce costs. Many of the costs we took out last year were what I call low hanging fruit. The big numbers will have to be dealt with structurally, which means addressing the way we manage the business,” he said.

Jala insists on constant communication with staff. He holds quarterly “engagement sessions” with employees – the carrier has 47 unions. He also issues regular reports on tape to all staff on the progress of his business rescue plan.

When it comes to problem solving, Jala uses an analogy with a popular Eagles song. “We stick people in a room to find a solution. It’s like a line from the song Hotel California: you can check out any time you want, but you can never leave. They stay there burning the midnight oil until the problem is solved,” he said.

Jala has a relatively simple philosophy for the future of MAS: “We will be quite prudent in our growth. Most of our new aircraft will be for replacement. If the industry grows at 6%, we will grow at 6%. We won’t pretend we can grow at 40% or 60%,” he said.

Jala does worry, however, about airlines that throw capacity into the market. “Business is all about supply and demand. If you put in excess capacity, margins will come down. We will not be like that. We do not want to conquer the world at MAS. We want to hold our place under the sun and make sure it is profitable for ourselves,” he said.

Jala is not one to rest on his laurels, or dream about what most airlines would consider out of reach. “The impossible first paradox ambition for MAS would be to operate a five star airline with LCC costs. If you can do that, it would be fantastic. That’s why I want to go down the path of continuing to reduce our costs while improving our customer proposition.”

Blowing the whistle

One innovation Jala introduced from his previous company would send shivers down many a spine, but the MAS boss makes no apologies – a whistle blower programme.

As Jala explains, the idea is for the programme to provide a “confidential internal channel for employees to raise their concerns about malpractices, irregularities and negligence affecting MAS”.

“[In the beginning] we had about 100 whistle blower cases. We have certainly unearthed a lot of cases of malpractice and we have issued warning letters to staff that were involved. We also had contracts that were renegotiated as a result of this,” said Jala.

“The good news is that people now know there is an opportunity [to report complaints] other than through normal channels, that you can do it anonymously via the whistle blower policy. It is a very important deterrent to malpractices.

“When I first joined there were a lot of poison pen letters. We had them almost every day for the first three months. We don’t have them today. And there is less rumour circulating, although you can never remove that entirely.”

SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION

2007-10-05T09:56:00.000-07:00

The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a United States-based Christian denomination consisting of numerous agencies and agencies including six seminaries, two mission boards and a variety of other organizations such as: the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Church, which can act for the SBC ad interim between annual meetings; Ethics & Religious Liberties Commission, Southern Baptist Foundation and GuideStone Financial Resources.

The name "Southern Baptist Convention" refers both to the denomination and to its annual meeting of messengers. Messengers are those who are elected by a congregation to attend the annual meeting as representatives of the local church. Though they are similar to delegates, they are not obligated to cast votes representing a particular stance on any issue. All messengers are free to vote according to their conscience. Churches are free to choose messengers based on their loyalty to positions held by the majority in their local church.

The SBC is the largest Baptist group in the world and the largest Protestant denomination in the United States. It is the second largest grouping of Christians in the United States, the Roman Catholic Church being the largest.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Baptist_Convention

EVANGELICALISM

2007-10-05T09:51:00.000-07:00

The word evangelicalism often refers to a broad collection of religious beliefs, practices, and traditions which are found among Protestant Christians and some Evangelical Catholics. Evangelicalism is typified by an emphasis on evangelism, a personal experience of conversion, biblically-oriented faith, and a belief in the relevance of Christian faith to some cultural issues. Historically, the movement began in the early 18th century as a response to Enlightenment thinking. It stressed a more personal relationship with God at the individual level; as well as activism based upon one's biblically based beliefs.

Current media usage of the term (especially in the United States), is often synonymous with conservative Protestant Christians. This is only partly accurate, as the movement embraces a wide range of expressions of faith around the four core characteristics.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evangelicalism

FUNDAMENTALIST CHRISTIANITY

2007-10-05T09:46:00.000-07:00

Fundamentalist Christianity, or Christian fundamentalism, is a movement that arose mainly within British and American Protestantism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by conservative evangelical Christians, who, in a reaction to modernism, actively affirmed a fundamental set of Christian beliefs: the inerrancy of the Bible, Sola Scriptura, the virgin birth of Christ, the doctrine of substitutionary atonement, the bodily resurrection of Jesus, and the imminent return of Jesus Christ.
The nature of the Christian fundamentalist movement, while originally a united effort within conservative evangelicalism, evolved during the early-to-mid 1900s to become more separatist in nature and more characteristically dispensational in its theology. Most fundamentalists have strongly opposed the Roman Catholic Church for theological reasons; in recent years there has been limited political cooperation between individuals in each group on certain social issues, such as abortion. However, the relationships between Fundamentalist Christians and Catholics are still often strained due to historical/cultural perceptions and strongly divergent views on a number of theological issues.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_fundamentalism

EMERGING CHURCH

2007-10-05T09:41:00.000-07:00

The emerging church (also known as the emerging church movement) is a controversial^[1] 21st-century Protestant Christian movement whose participants seek and to engage postmodern people, especially the unchurched and post-churched. To accomplish this, "emerging Christians" (also known as "emergents") deconstruct and reconstruct Christian beliefs, standards, and methods to accommodate postmodern culture. This accommodation is found largely in this movement's embrace of postmodernism's postfoundational epistemology, and pluralistic approach to religion and spirituality. Proponents of this movement call it a "conversation" to emphasize its developing and decentralized nature as well as its emphasis on interfaith dialog rather than verbal evangelism. The predominantly young participants in this movement prefer narrative presentations drawn from their own experiences and biblical narratives over propositional, Bible exposition. Emergents echo the postmodern rejection of absolutes and metanarratives. They emphasize the subjective over the objective since postmodern epistemology is ultimately destructive of certainty in objective propositions.

Emerging church methodology includes frequent use of new technologies such as multimedia and the Internet. Emergent blogs are quite numerous. They have not neglected more traditional means of communicating their ideas, however. Many emergent books and articles have been written, and leaders in the movement often conduct seminars.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerging_church_movement

THE BARBARIAN WAY

2007-10-05T09:28:00.000-07:00

“The church is not here to meet our needs.

We are the church here to meet the needs of the world.”
- Erwin Raphael McManus

Erwin McManus wasn't raised in a Christian home, so when he came to Christ as a college student, he didn't know the rules of the "religious club." He didn't do well in Shakespeare courses, so he didn't really understand the KJV Bible he was given either. But he did understand that prayer was a conversation, and he learned to talk to God and wait for answers. Erwin's way was passionate and rough around the edges-a sincere, barbaric journey to Christ. Barbaric Christians see Jesus differently than civilized Christians. They see disciples differently, and they see Christ's mission differently. The Barbarian Way is a call to escape "civilized" Christianity and become original, powerful, untamed Christians-just as Christ intended.

HE IS NO FOOL

2007-10-04T09:23:00.000-07:00

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

– Jim Elliot

On January 20, 2006 the movie End of the Spear was released in 1,200 theaters nationwide (US). The film documents the incredible events in 1956 surrounding the missionary efforts of five Americans and their families in reaching out to the Auca Indians of Ecuador, a tribe known for their savagery. Their attempts to befriend the tribe resulted in the deaths of Jim Elliot, Pete Fleming, Ed McCully, Nate Saint,and Roger Youderian.

www.bethel.edu/.../triumph-from-tragedy.html

THE PLACE OF EXALTATION

2007-10-01T03:31:00.000-07:00

We are not made for the mountains, for sunrises, or for the other beautiful attractions in life— those are simply intended to be moments of inspiration. We are made for the valley and the ordinary things of life, and that is where we have to prove our stamina and strength...

We are inclined to think that everything that happens is to be turned into useful teaching. In actual fact, it is to be turned into something even better than teaching, namely, character. The mountaintop is not meant to teach us anything, it is meant to make us something.

- Oswald Chambers (1874-1917), Christian Educator

AN AGGIE PAINTS TEXAS ROAD

2007-09-28T06:10:00.000-07:00

An Aggie had just completed his studies and was awarded a BS Degree in Mechanical Engineering. He was immediately hired by the Texas Highway Department.

His job was to paint the yellow stripe down the middle of the highway. After three days, his boss called him in and advised him that he was no longer needed.

When the Aggie inquired as to the reason for his dismissal, the boss replied, "On your first day here, you painted three miles of stripe, which is good. On your second day, you painted two miles; not as good, but still acceptable. Today, you only painted one mile. This is too far below our standards."

The Aggie accepted the explanation, saying on his way out the door, "Well, alright, but I want you to know, it wasn't my fault. The paint can kept getting farther away."