The bad soap opera - Blocking malaysia-today.net

It's like the bad soap opera on tv - you know what lines will be coming next - just like the banning of Malaysia-today.net. And "No", it's not a politically motivated move... just one day after Anwar's victory. Perfect.

I think our government clearly went against the guideline they have set for themselves when they setup the MSC- not to censor the internet. I believe, this move to block MT has definitely shaken the confidence of investors. It leaves me wondering how strong or resolute will the government follow through their other promises/guidelines/acts? Will they 'bend the rules' to suit?

It just doesn't lend credibility. Not that the current govt has much left, or if there's any to start with.

And what reason did they give to ban the site? At first the reasons given were that the published materials that are libellous, slanderous and defamatory. Really? Says who? Says our home minister here. Has the court proven so? Not yet. I'm no lawyer but can one simply say things like that?

Of course after a few days, the tone has changed. Now it's about religion.

"No" It's not politically motivated afterall.

I got another question running in my head. SKMM is a department under a minister. SKMM ordered the ban. The minister said, "No" they did not order the ban. Okay, I got all this parts so far.

So why not lift the ban now? Unless the minister agrees with the move. So don't say that you didn't give the order to ban because you here, you just gave the approval. Or did you? I'm confused.

And like all soap opera, even the bad ones.. they end their episodes well. They end it with just enough pull for us to wonder what will happen next (but of course we can kinda guess but you never know right?)...

So quoting the star here:

*start quote*

Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum, the Deputy Minister of Energy, Water and Communications, said he was not aware that SKMM had ordered ISPs to block the website.

“I do not read Malaysia Today. Media practitioners must be sensitive to culture and religion,” he said.

Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek declined comment as it was not under his jurisdiction.

SKMM chief operating officer Mohamed Sharil Mohamed Tarmizi, who is overseas, declined to elaborate, saying a press conference would be held to explain why such action was taken.

It is understood that this is not the first time SKMM has ordered a website to be blocked.

Malaysia Today remains accessible through its mirror website.

*end of quote*

How classic is that? No one seems to be able to comment. Happy birthday Msia.

Why we should vote opposition...

Like the new 15cents drop in fuel prices? Like the fact that our PM finally took the train after so many years? Like that our PM actually attends debates in the Parliment? Like that suddenly our government seems to care of us? Like that more land scams are discovered? Like that a more fair and competitive Malaysia is build?

Like it? Love it?

Then vote the opposition. (At least for now.)

All the changes we have seen in the last 5 months has happened because we have voted the opposition in. It is because the ruling party has felt the earth move under them. Their power was rocked. Now, suddenly, they listen.

They treat us like children, luring us with candies for so many years... and when that don't work, they take the 'big projects away' like the second Penang bridge, like the LRT system for Penang.

But it is them now who are like kids, we took their candy away and they're crying and shouting and throwing toys around the house. Just read the newspaper... you'll know what I mean.

Like kids, we need to be firm with them... tell them in no uncertain terms that we don't like what they do. As such...I hope.. really hope that the by-election tomorrow goes to Anwar.

Myth - Plausible

Well... Saiful says it's not political! Sure or not?

When you put pieces together like this piece of news :'Saiful ‘appears’ to garner votes - the star 20th August, 2008'.

It's way too too too obvious isn't it?

No, there's no conspiracy against Anwar. Really one!

Mythbuster meets TVB

You know I've always liked HK TVB series. It's full of drama, lies, love, hate and sometimes conspiracy.

I also like discovery channel a lot. Mythbusters is among my favourite. You know it always ends with a 'bang'... fans will know what I mean.

Hehe.. so what do you get when you them together. The Anwar-Saiful sodomy case :) It's so full of drama and myth-tery, don't you think? Check this out from Aisehman for a very quick context.

I've just got so many questions of my own...

Saiful says, “It has nothing to with politics. It is between Anwar and me,” he said..... , just before the by-election... hmmm suspicious don't you think? See here.

And the whole drama has so many inconsistencies. Some say he's sodomised once, some says multiple times, some says forceful and some says consensual.

Now wait a minute. First of all, if it was consensual, then why isn't Saiful charged. So if it was forced.... how can a small man like Anwar pin down a guy a head taller than he is and 'do it'? Anwar's close to 60 and Saiful is a strapping strong lad in the 20s? Is it posible? Were there signs of struggle too? If so why wasn't it mentioned at all?

And if Saiful was sodomised, multiple times? He went back for more? Or was it just once?

So what do you think? Plausible or busted?

How I nearly puke over my coffee

See here. The topic reads "China chemicals starve Indian pharma". If you read further, it says , "But because China has stopped, there's pressure on materials coming from Taiwan, Korea, Europe. And everyone's taking a little bit advantage and jacking up their prices."

So apparently closing factories in China causes prices to rise why? because everyone else is taking advantage to jack up the prices. So now when China's factories take a break for the olympic is China's fault and not the countries that jacking up their prices?

Why not blame the fund managers for pushing up oil prices? Where are they, the fund managers from? How come those issue are not covered nor their country blamed? How about food prices? How about energy prices?


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On the local front, this news made me 'vomit blood'. The issue of opening up UiTM to non-malays is actually a 10% issue. 10% of the total places in UiTM is hardly opening up to other races isn't it?

And I quote: "If something like this is allowed to happen, then there will be a worrying situation where many Malay institutions will crumble and be 'Malaysianised'.

So the problem here is that a university being Malaysianised? So much for Merdeka day coming.

Media bias against China Olympic? What's your say?

A friend of ours wrote this:


****************
Dear NBC Sports,

We get it. We really do. We're all well aware of China's poor track record when it's come to human rights. We've also become familiar with the Chinese training setup, and how children are trained up for years apart from their families in a relentless pursuit of excellence. We know that it's all alien to the American culture.

But can you please refrain from constantly calling China and everything Chinese into question during your coverage of these Games? Can your commentators actually focus on the athletes and the competition? Would it be possible to find another human interest angle, since you've saturated your coverage so far with all this commentary about China?

And if President Bush comes to the studio for another interview, could you actually talk to him about the Olympics, instead of human rights, other world conflict, Sudan, and steroids in baseball?

Can you please do all that? Or can you at least put a muzzle on Bob Costas?

Please?

This is not to say those issues are not important. They are. But there is a time and a place to discuss them, and the Olympic Games are surely not the place for it. Not when people have poured forth every ounce of effort they have to get to Beijing. They are the ones you need to be talking about. Leave the political commentary to the ones best suited to it.

Signed,

An Olympic fan who'd like to actually listen to Olympics-related commentary.

***********
What do you think?

Addidas run

Last sunday was the long awaited Addidas run. What a run it was. It was also the first run I ran all the way 10km without stopping. On top of that I felt dizzy at about the 7th km which I am pleased to say that I'm kept my mental strength and kept going. I think I didn't eat enough ni the morning. Once I had a gulp of 100plus in the following drinks station the dizziness went away. Actually now that I think about it, it may have been dangerous that I kept going even though I felt dizzy.

What was really dissapointing was that I finished at 78mins. Granted I went to use the gents for 2mins mid way at the Esso station. It's still 76mins! Actually I was happy with 76mins in the beginning.. because that was the target I set for myself.

Only to notice that I have set the wrong target.

No wonder my breathing was not breathless throughout my training and the run itself. Aiyoh..... Ok next target is at 65mins for 10km!

The problem with a Purpose Driven Life

First of all, I don't really have an issue with a purpose drivien life. I think everyone should have a purpose. A purpose liken to a conviction. And I once heard a very smart man say: a belief is something we cling on to but a convinction is something that clings on to us. I think having a purpose to live is very very important - it drives us forward and gives us fufilment.

That purpose or conviction could be as simple as making the best food in kitchen, be a business tycoon, be the best politician or be the best evangelist but it could also be as simple as wanting to be a taitai or to be a housewife.

Whatever that thing is, I believe that purpose would grab hold of you. You just can't force it to come or force yourself to go for it. It doesn't have to be 'spiritual' or 'secular'... all are spiritual.

The hallmark of Godly purpose I believe is that Peace and Joy and Sureness which follows. You can't explain it but you just know it. Like it's inside of you.

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The problem I have with the purpose driven life is when 'purpose' takes centre stage of life. It's when our driving force is "purpose". It's when a life that's PURPOSE driven instead of God led that I think there may be a problem. I think. One is motivated by God, the other by sheer willpower from our own. I believe our value & identity in Christ is not judged by our 'Purpose'. It's not about what we do. We're human beings and not human doings.

However there's lot of things out there that incline on making us a 'do' christianity. We are told to 'do' holiness, to 'do' godly stuff, to 'do' ministries and to 'do' serving. Hey! Bible says 'be' holy for God is holy. It's like being a guy or a gal. You don't 'do' guys' stuff to be a man.. you just be, as simple as that. And as I read the bible more, most if not all the things starts from resting in Him, in Jesus' finished work.

Remember Jesus said that we can do nothing except through Him. Nothing.

*****
Lastly on the great commision.

It says to make disciples. Disciples are not converts. Disciples are just much more than that. Again, it's not about doing evangelism to 'convert' it's about becoming like christ to influence. The difference is subtle but the outcome huge.

Last last, on chapter 36 of the book, it quotes: The most important thing is that i complete my mission that the Lord Jesus gave me' -Acts 20:24 .

That's not accurate. "24However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace."

Hmm... testifying, gospel,God's grace.

In another passage Phil 3 "7But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead."

What is Paul's purpose? I thought he's suppose to preach the gospel and all that, wasn't he the guy tasked to preached the gospel to the gentiles? Letter after letter, he seems addicted to the "grace of god" -- how come he doesn't say 'go and make converts'?

Even to the mature christians in ephesians, he says:

16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

So I think there you have it, Paul's own words. His purpose in life.