• It was a sunny day at Gasworks Park in Wallingford, Seattle last weekend and a bunch of people were enjoying the beautiful day...I saw people flying kites, riding bikes, throwing frisbees, running, walking, playing fetch with their dog, lounging, hugging, kissing, cuddling, holding hands, canoeing, rowing, sailing, and my favorite - rolling down the hill.
• I had the very fun privilege of hanging with 4 other Canadians at ComiCon and wandering downtown Seattle. It was great to talk in my native tongue and my company knowing exactly what I was saying
• I received texts from 3 different friends along the lines of "I'm drunk and don't know what I'm saying..." and wondering how many times I've done that.

Lastly, I didn't have one drink all weekend. Does that mean that I'm going to lose my party girl title? Fine by me!

After a few years of not meeting someone,
suddenly on that day, fate has brought you to stumble upon them?

This happened to my Uncle Azim.
We were all hanging around at Sunway Pyramid trying to search for keychains.

Then, he stopped walking and was looking at a particular guy.

He asked for me and Mak Su to snap a picture of him with his ex-schoolmate.

He went to the guy,
who was in charge of promoting a toothpaste brand, Sensodyne at the exhibition.

So I was expecting my uncle to strike up a conversation with that guy.
Instead, he only said,

"Excuse me sir, could you please move a bit?
I'd like to take a picture with my fellow ex-schoolmate here."

Eih?
That guy isn't his schoolmate?
So who is it?
I don't see any other people around there.

It only dawned on me after Unc Azim posed beside a guy with his shiny teeth,
telling us to quickly snap the photo of him with his classmate.

Lorh!

His classmate was the Cardboard Cutout Image of the Sensodyne model!

Ceyh, buat suspense je!

I don't want her to be upset at me, but at the same time, I also am in an indifferent mood about the whole situation. I didn't do anything wrong and I didn't call anyone out (well, at least I don't think I did). When I found out that she was reading my blog, my ears went up. My first instinct was to delete the entry, but as I sat back and thought about the situation, deleting the entry would make it look like I have something to hide (which I do not). I guess I broke the first rule of semi-anonymous/anonymous blogging, which is: Never tell friends or family that you blog. Now that I think about it. Only 3 or 4 people know that I blog and of those people, 2 of them have the URL.

Friend A, when you're ready to talk (which I doubt you will be) you have my number. Save us all some stress and use it so we can get everything out in the open. The floor is yours.

Random Thought of the Moment: "Damn, that pasta from Bertucci's was on point!"

The Song of the Moment: "The Baby Song" by Eric Roberson

So now I must undress.

I yelled at my kid tonight.  I lost it.  I screwed up.  I may have even....*gasp* ....CUSSED! 

Does anyone else do this out there?  No? 

See?   I suck.

 to be fair, Big "A"  is known for instigating.  By golly, she pushes buttons I NEVER thought I even had.

She's ADHD, she's ODD, she's a pain in the ass sometimes, but she's my kid.  I love her.  Every day and every night, she provokes fights with family members, she screeches at the top of her lungs when it only takes a whisper.  She get's mad at the stupidest things (just like her daddy does).  She's thrown stuff, kicked the walls, and called me stupid and told me to shut up before. 

Out of the 4 kids, she's the only one so volatile. 

Somewhere out there, my OWN mother is laughing her behind off getting divine retribution on me for all the times I was bad.

So what was the almighty infraction that set off this tweenager tonight?

 she got mad at little "A"  for taking her pillow, that is, switching her bed pillow, unknowingly. 

Now,  little "A" is cut from the same cloth as I am.  We could give a rat's butt about what pillow belongs to WHOM.

But now, 12 year old, stands at the top of the stairs, screaming as if she is tied up, shot, beaten and stabbed.  Hitting her little sister, and making threats, telling her she hates her.

All over a pillow.

I am TIRED, young ladies!!! Sick and tired.

  If this is a conspiracy to KILL your mother, I must tell you.  Mother's never die. 

 You can have me cremated and I will be in my little ashy box staring down at you from the curio cabinet, saying, "I'm still heeeeeere!"

I want everyone to know, that everyone most likely has screamed at their kid at one point or another.  It's just that I'm trying so hard to be a good mommy. 

I should've had a clue when I brought Little "A" home from the hospital and her big sister's reaction was to pull off her sisters tiny little baby socks and BITE HER FEET! 

What makes this so hard is that when these 2 knuckleheads are at peace they make fun of me when I'm trying to chastise them. 

Big A:   "look, look, little 'A'!  This is mom, this is mom right here!" 

 *makes funny face or stupid noise that is supposed to be an impersonization of me* 

Little A: "hahahahahahahahahahahaha!"

Then they high 5 each other. 

 So much for loyalty.

1. Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Presiden UMNO, Pengerusi Barisan Nasional dan Perdana Menteri telah menyalahkan semua orang kecuali dirinya sebagai penyebab prestasi Barisan Nasional yang buruk pada Pilihanraya Umum ke-12.

2. Dia menyalahkan pengundi kerana kononnya tidak mahukan dia menang dua-pertiga majoriti; ahli Barisan Nasional kerana sabotaj, ahli UMNO di Kedah dan Perak juga kerana sabotaj, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah kerana kekalahan Barisan Nasional di Kelantan dan saya sendiri kerana lantang mengkritik dirinya dan Kerajaan pimpinannya.

3. Apa yang dikatakan olehnya bukanlah semuanya salah. Ada banyak kebenaran di dalam apa yang dikatakan. Saya tahu ramai ahli UMNO yang mengundi pembangkang. Saya akui apa yang saya katakan mungkin pengaruhi sesetengah daripada mereka untuk lakukan apa yang tidak pernah terfikir oleh mereka.

4. Tetapi soalnya, kenapakah mereka berbuat demikian? Ahli UMNO selalunya amat setia terhadap parti mereka. Mereka tidak akan mengundi pembangkang, terutamanya PAS dan DAP. Tetapi di dalam Pilihanraya Umum 2008, mereka buat demikian. Bagaimana pembangkang boleh menang jika mereka tidak mendapat undi penyokong Barisan Nasional? Kekurangan jumlah undi pada calon Barisan Nasional hampir sama jumlahnya denganpeningkatan undi untuk parti pembangkang.

5. Selama 50 tahun dan 11 Pilihanraya Umum, ahli UMNO dan rakyat Malaysia secara purata tidak pernah gagal menyokong UMNO mahupun Perikatan/Barisan Nasional. Kecuali pada tahun 1969 apabila orang Cina tidak memberi sokongan mereka, Perikatan dan Barisan Nasional menang dua-pertiga majoriti tiap kali.

6. Tunku Abdul Rahman (kecuali Pilihanraya Umum tahun 1969), Tun Razak, Tun Hussein Onn, dan saya sendiri tidak pernah gagal menang lebih dua-pertiga majoriti. Sudah tentu kami tidak pernah menyalahkan ahli parti kerana sabotaj. Tetapi Dato Seri Abdullah mengakui bahawa dirinya telah disabotaj oleh ahli UMNO.

7. Ahli UMNO tidak mahu parti mereka kalah. Tetapi mereka rasakan perlu untuk hantar mesej kepada Dato Seri Abdullah dan konco-konconya yang hanya berminat untuk mengiakan setiap apa yang dia katakan. Mereka (ahli UMNO) tidak boleh meluahkan perasaan mereka kerana semua jalan telahpun tertutup. Perwakilan ke Perhimpunan Agung UMNO dipilih kerana mereka tidak akan mengkritik Presiden. Anak saya Mukhriz apabila menyatakan tidak ada benda baru yang disampaikan presiden parti dalam ucapan 2006 telah dipanggil oleh Jawatankuasa Pemuda, dimarahi dan diarah untuk memilih antara bapanya dan Presiden.

8. Majlis Tertinggi UMNO dan Kabinet dipenuhi "Yes-Men" yang tidak pernah menyuarakan ketidakpuasan hati ahli UMNO di peringkat akar umbi. Ahli UMNO diugut tindakan disiplin jika mendengar ucapan sesiapa yang tidak mendapat restu atau kelulusan Presiden. Ini termasuk saya. Polis dan UMNO Negeri akan memanggil pihak yang menjemput saya dan diarah menarik balik jemputan mereka.

9. Apabila ahli UMNO tidak dapat menyuarakan pendapat sebenar mereka berkenaan Kerajaan, hanya terdapat satu cara sahaja bagi mereka untuk menyatakan ketidakpuasan hati mereka, iaitu dengan undi mereka dalam Pilihanraya Umum. Undi secara dasarnya adalah rahsia. Begitu takutnya pengundi UMNO ini akan orang lain mengetahui tentang niat mereka, maka mereka tidak mendedah kepada sesiapapun niat mereka untuk mengundi pembangkang. Begitulah sehinggakan tiada siapa dapat meramal dengan tepat peralihan sokongan yang besar yang berpihak kepada pembangkang.

10. Sesetengah ahli UMNO masih tidak sanggup mengundi pembangkang. Oleh itu mereka sengaja rosakkan undi mereka. Terdapat 300,000 undi rosak, satu angka yang mungkin terbesar dalam sejarah pilihanraya. Tak mungkin setelah 50 tahun dan 11 Pilihanraya Umum pengundi masih lagi tidak tahu bagaimana nak mengundi.

11. Mungkin kerana saya pengundi UMNO berbuat demikian. Saya telah menyeru ahli UMNO untuk mengundi calon yang terbaik dan bukan hanya parti. UMNO boleh meletakkan calon yang benar-benar baik tetapi walaupun Presiden memberi jaminan yang semua calon bersih dan berkelayakan, mereka kalah. Ini kerana calon tidak baik dan ini mengganti calon yang berjaya atau "giant killers" yang telah berjaya pada pilihanraya lalu. Kebanyakan calon payung terjun muda dan ahli UMNO marah kerana mereka syak calon muda ini dipilih oleh orang tertentu. Buatlah satu kajian untuk tentukan berapa ramai calon baru ini yang kalah.

12. Kepimpinan parti percaya yang ahli UMNO akan undi siapa sahaja yang dipilih oleh kepimpinan parti. Kepimpinan salah apabila memiliki pendapat ini.

13. Pengundi UMNO begitu sekali marah hinggakan mereka sanggup undi calon pembangkang yang bukan sahaja tidak layak dari segi akademik, tetapi tidakpun berpengalaman.

14, Kepimpinan UMNO dan Barisan Nasional, terutamanya Dato Seri Abdullah patut terima kenyataan. Pengundi tidak menolak atau sabotaj Barisan Nasional tanpa sebab. Pada tahun 2004 pengundi belum lagi dapat menilai kepimpinan Dato Seri Abdullah. Jadi tidak ada sabotaj. Tetapi pada 2008 mereka telah dapat melihat siapa sebenarnya Dato Seri Abdullah. Dan mereka tidak suka apa yang mereka lihat.

15. Perkara pertama yang dilakukan selepas menjadi Perdana Menteri ialah untuk membawa masuk ahli keluarganya secara tidak rasmi ke dalam pentadbiran Kerajaan. Beliau boleh menafikannya tetapi orang ramai tahu akan kegiatan Khairy Jamaluddin dan Kamaluddin Abdullah serta konco-konconya termasuk budak-budak Tingkat Empat. Mereka sering turut serta dalam mesyuarat rasmi Kerajaan dan apabila Perdana Menteri mengadakan perjumpaan.

16. Kemenangan Khairy Jamaluddin sebagai Naib Ketua Pemuda UMNO menaikkan kebencian ramai. Jika veteran parti dengan rekod perkhidmatan yang lama yang menang tanpa bertanding tidak ada sesiapa yang akan membantah. Tetapi Khairy berada dalam UMNO kurang dari lima tahun dan tidak pun mempunyai rekod perkhidmatan cemerlang di dalam UMNO. Bagaimana dia boleh menang tanpa bertanding?

17. Pengambilalihan Scomi oleh Kamaluddin timbulkan tandatanya. Seorang pemegang saham terbesar Scomi ditahan di bawah Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri. Dia masih lagi ditahan. Pada waktu yang sama Scomi menang banyak kontrak yang melibatkan kelulusan Petronas.

18. Scomi juga telah mengambil-alih M-Trans baru-baru ini kerana sistem monorel telah dicadangkan untuk Pulau Pinang. Keputusan juga dijangka dibuat untuk meneruskan projek monorel Putrajaya.

19. Setelah berjanji ketelusan dan pengagihan kontrak melalui tender terbuka, Kerajaan terus memberi kontrak yang besar kepada Syarikat Berkaitan Kerajaan (GLC), dan selalunya sebelum Unit Perancang Ekonomi dapat membuat penilaian dan perancangan. Tidak ada tender. GLC ini tidak punyai kemampuan untuk menjalankan projek-projek ini. Ianya kemudian akan di sub-kontrak kepada kontraktor-kontraktor yang tiada sesiapa pun tahu. Dipercayai bahawa harga kontrak ditingkatkan melebihi harga jangkaan asal.

20. Kalimullah Masheerul Hassan dan ECM-Libra tiba-tiba menjadi begitu terkenal. Kalimullah mempunyai pengaruh yang kuat ke atas Kerajaan. Sebuah syarikat Kerajaan yang besar, Avenue Assets digabungkan dengan ECM-Libra yang rendah nilai sahamnya. Tetapi nilai saham Avenue Assets sengaja diturunkan supaya ECM-Libra dapat menguasai syarikat gabungan ini.

21. Kalimullah juga berpengaruh kerana dianya adalah timbalan pengerusi eksekutif New Straits Times Press dan mempunyai suara yang besar di dalam bilik berita New Straits Times. Oleh itu Dato Seri Abdullah sentiasa dipaparkan dalam keadaan yang amat baik. Cerita yang menonjolkan Abdullah akan mendapat kelulusan untuk disebar meluas.

22. Malang bagi Abdullah, dia mula mempercayai cerita-cerita ini dan menyangka yang dia benar-benar popular. Oleh sebab itu dia telah mengadakan pilihanaya awal menyangkakan yang dia akan sapu bersih. Dia tidak menjangkakan yang pengundi menolak kepimpinannya. Tetapi dia masih lagi bertegas bahawa dia menang.

23. Di awal pemerintahannya dia memutuskan untuk tidak meneruskan apa yang dikatakan "mega projeck" yang saya sendiri telah mulakan. Itu haknya. Yang tidak betul dan apa yang membuatkan orang berfikir yang dia sebenarnya berdendam adalah cadangan yang mengatakan saya membuang duit ke atas banyak "pet" projek saya sehinggakan Kerajaan sudah tidak mempunyai wang untuk meneruskannya. Sebenarnya orang tahu bahawa projek-projek berkenaan amat diperlukan. Bayangkan Malaysia tanpa KLIA, Stesen Sentral, Jambatan Pulau Pinang, Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan, projek rel-keretapi berkembar dan elektrik, LRT, monorel Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya dan Cyberjaya, lebuhraya bertol, Pelabuhan Barat, Pelabuhan Tanjung Pelepas, Litar lumba Formula 1, Menara KL dan lain-lain

24. Saya tidak akan sebutkan berkenaan perkara-perkara yang dilakukannya yang menyentuh diri saya dan umumnya tidak diketahui orang ramai. Ini kerana pengundi tidak mungkin dipengaruhi perkara ini.

25. Tetapi apa yang diketahui ialah reaksinya terhadap kritikan saya berkenaan APs (Approved Permits) dan keputusan untuk tidak membina jambatan bengkok di Johor. Dia dan menteri-menterinya menghina saya di khalayak ramai dan di satu ketika hendak melucutkan saya daripada keahlian parti. Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz terutamanya, amat biadap.

26. Rakyat juga tahu bahawa dia dan rakan-rakan Kabinetnya, yang kebanyakannya adalah lantikan saya amat tidak mengenang budi. Rakyat juga tahu bahawa jika bukan kerana saya Abdullah tidak akan jadi Perdana Menteri hari ini. Begitu juga kebanyakan yang lain yang dilantik Menteri oleh saya. Mereka dahulunya merupakan penyokong kuat saya, cium tangan saya dan menangis apabila saya meletakkan jawatan. Sekarang mereka menentang saya dan menghina saya dengan cara yang amat tidak sopan. Saya tidak tersinggung kerana ini tetapi saya fikir orang ramai anggap perangai sebegini amat buruk.

27. Ketakutan yang Abdullah semaikan dalam diri Menteri-Menterinya, ahli Majlis Tertinggi UMNO dan kepimpinan UMNO yang lain begitu hebat sekali sehinggakan tiada yang sanggup berdiri mempertahankan saya ataupun untuk mempertikaikan apa yang Abdullah dan rakan-rakannya kata..

28. Jika Singapura tidak bersetuju untuk membina jambatan lurus melainkan pasir dijual kepadanya, kita sepatutnya boleh teruskan pembinaan jambatan bengkok kerana ianya tidak ada kena-mengena dengan Singapura. Tetapi kerana marahkan penolakan rakyat Johor terhadap usaha menjual pasir dan kebenaran bagi jet pejuang Singapura melintasi ruang udara Johor, Abdullah telah batalkan pembinaan jambatan bengkok. Kenapa?

29. Saya percaya ianya kerana 1 billion meter persegi pasir yang dia mahu jual kepada Singapura tetapi dibantah Johor. Ada orang yang akan mendapat untung hingaa satu bilion Ringgit dalam masa 20 tahun dari penjualan pasir. Singapura bersedia membeli pasir pada harga yang lebih tinggi daripada pasaran kerana tanah yang ditambak akan dijual pada harga antara 3,000-5,000 dolar Singapura satu kaki persegi.

30. Bantahan Johor adalah kerana perlombongan pasir dasar laut akan menyebabkan hakisan pantai, kemusnahan kawasan pembiakan ikan dan akan menyebabkan nelayan Johor kehilangan kawasan menangkap ikan. Royalti yang akan dikutip Johor juga tidak terbanding dengan keuntungan yang diraih Singapura dengan mejual tanah tambak.

31. Terdapat beberapa perkara lain yang dilakukan Abdullah yang orang tidak suka. Ini termasuk isu pengeluaran AP, penjualan MV Agusta, masalah bangunan CIQ Johor Baru, pembatalan projek landasan berkembar dari Johor Baru ke Padang Besar, masjid kristal di Terengganu, Monsoon Cup, koridor-koridor serta pengubahsuaian Seri Perdana.

32. Banyak juga perkara yang tidak popular yang dilakukan Dato Seri Abdullah yang telah menyisihkan ahli serta pengundi UMNO dan Barisan Nasional secara umumnya. Jika ada sesiapa yang patut dipersalahkan kerana prestasi buruk UMNO dan Barisan Nasional, dianya adalah Dato Seri Abdullah sendiri. Ini adalah pendapat majoriti kebanyakan rakyat Malaysia. Jika mereka diberi kebebasan bercakap, inilah yang akan mereka katakan.

33. Walau bagaimana pun beliau menolak yang beliau adalah punca segala-galanya. Walau betapa ramai orang yang beliau salahkan, beliau tidak boleh menerangkan kenapa malapetaka yang melanda UMNO, MCA, MIC dan Gerakan dan Barisan Nasional ini tidak pernah berlaku dibawah empat Perdana Menteri yang terdahulu, tetapi hanya berlaku dibawah pentadbirannya. Dia tidak boleh menerangkan kenapa berlaku sabotaj oleh ahli UMNO dan parti komponen pada tahun 2008 sedangkan sebelum ini mereka amat setia dan tidak pernah gagal memberi Perikatan dan Barisan Nasional kemenangan dua-pertiga majoriti di Parlimen dan kemenangan di hampir semua negeri-negeri.

34. Jika Dato Seri Abdullah berdegil tidak mahu mengundur diri dan jika dia cuba untuk mengenepikan usaha peralihan kuasa sebelum Pilihanraya Umum akan datang, pengundi serta ahli parti yang meluat dengannya akan tentukan Barisan Nasional dikalahkan di peringkat Pusat dan Negeri sebagai satu cara untuk menyingkir beliau dan mengakhiri tempohnya sebagai Perdana Menteri.

35. DAP dan PAS akan tentukan Dato Seri Abdullah terus jadi Perdana Menteri hingga Pilihanraya Umum seterusnya kerana serupa seperti 2008, pengundi Barisan Nasional yang menyampah dengan BN akan meyokong pembangkang. Kemarahan Karpal Singh terhadap serangan saya ke atas Dato Seri Abdullah ialah kerana saya mungkin menyebabkan Dato Seri Abdullah undur diri. Dengan ini DAP dan parti pembangkang yang lain akan kehilangan satu orang yang tentunya akan menolong mereka menang. Ini akan menjadi realiti sekiranya PAS dan DAP berjaya mediri Kerajaan yang baik bagi Negeri-negeri di bawah pentadbiran mereka.

36. Apabila ini terjadi maka tidak akan ada apa-apa lagi harapan bagi UMNO untuk kembali berkuasa.

37. Seperti yang saya katakan, saya mengaku bertanggungjawab terhadap kemerosotan prestasi UMNO dan Barisan Nasional. Sebabnya ialah jika Dato Seri Abdullah menang besar beliau akan terus mengabaikan objektifnya untuk UMNO dan untuk kesejahteraan Malaysia.

38. Saya akan anggap diri saya sebagai pengkhianat bangsa jika saya biarkan ini berlaku. Dan mereka yang terus menerus mengampu Dato Seri Abdullah akan menjadi pengkhianat negara, bangsa dan orang Melayu serta agama mereka juga.

39. Akhirnya, analisa menunjukkan yang bertanggunjawab bagi kekalahan yang dialami Barisan Nasional ialah Dato Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi sendiri. Jika dia mahu menebus dirinya dan bantu pulihkan UMNO dan BN dia harus meletak jawatan dan biarkan kerja-kerja pemulihan dijalankan oleh pihak lain. Selagi dia terus kekal Presiden UMNO, Pengerusi BN dan Perdana Menteri Malaysia, pemulihan adalah mustahil.

Ed Yong is a man to watch. In 2004, 2005, and again in 2006, Ed was a runner up for The Daily Telegraph's Science Writer Awards. In 2007 he won first place.

In August of 2006, Ed began blogging on Wordpress.com. Within sixteen months, ScienceBlogs invited him to blog for the world's "largest online community dedicated to science."

People have said wonderful things about Ed. Over and again, folks ranging from laymen to professional scientists have praised both the clarity and the accuracy of his science writing. In an extraordinary vote of confidence, the editor of the journal Nature went so far as to personally recommend Ed's blog to Sir David Attenborough. Yet, in by far the most important comment ever to be made about his blog, I myself described it as, “So well written it could pass for literature.”

Ed is a man to read. If he were a novelist, his style would compete with Ernest Hemingway's for clarity and precision. He describes himself as on a mission to beat "jargon, confusion and elitism with the stick of good writing", and it's a mission at which he succeeds.

Given a little luck, Ed will be a famous science writer someday. So, I am extraordinarily proud of my good sense and foresight in offering him the uncoveted Sun Mountain Award. Please do drop by his blog, Not Exactly Rocket Science, and treat yourself to the best science writing I've yet to find on the net.

Thank you for an outstanding blog, Ed!

For more about Ed, see:

I Hereby Tag Ed Yong!

Some years before her death she said: "My conscience still torments me, because I couldn't do more." --because she did not save 2501.

This is the strongest earthquake since 1976. The earthquake was felt in Peking, a thousand kilometers away. Aftershocks have been felt about every 20 minutes and survivors are sleeping outdoors for fear of further building collapses. Harold Asmis of Ontario Geofish estimates that the epicentre might be as much as 30 km deep.

The New York Times has a good link.

1) Amanah Kad Jemputan: If a family member is getting married, never allow the parents (or you, yourself) to give a bunch of invitation cards to 1 person and expect them to pass it onto your other invitees just because they are family. It probably won't reach the other party, and you only have yourself to blame. Call all invitees to get their addresses, and send it all out as franked mail (no stamps needed). Enquire at SingPost and jangan harapkan makcik kau. Invitations should come from you!

2) Signing As Guarantors: Each and everyone of us must know at least 1 person pernah kena kencing pasal contracts or bonds, and the guarantors have to pay the price later. It should be haram to sign as guarantors if you're not a spouse or siblings. At least the guilt factor is a bit higher if you cheat your direct family members. Cousins don't count. Don't ask random people (bestfriends, cousins included) to sign as guarantors for your jobs, bank loans or new Starhub business plans, and never sign for anybody as guarantors unless you are physically attached to that person ie Siamese twin. You cannot trust anybody at all, so don't give society the benefit of a doubt.

3) Not Turning Up For An Appointment then Turning Off Your Handphone: it says it all. Ni very Melayu actually. For heaven's sake, what's wrong with just calling to call it off?

4) Taking Credit For Something Irrelevant To You: "Aku yang kasi dia benda tu" "Dulu aku yang tolong dia" "Alah, bila dia susah siapa jugak dia call". Enough is enough already.

5) When You're Not Invited to A Function of Somebody You Know, Jangan Merajuk, Bodoh!: So what? They probably don't want you around. Why nak amik hati and waste your adrenaline? Don't make a big fuss that you're not part of it and move on with your life instead of moping around and whining to your friends and family about not receiving news about the wedding and then doing a No.4 (refer to No.4). Sudah lah. Kau siapa nak mengharap ni semua? This is what you do: Send gifts or money via somebody else and leave your name and contact details there for future use. Who knows they might have just forgotten about you? You could have made the same mistake too.

6) Going Online Only To Use MSN and Friendster: If I had a dollar for everytime somebody says "Aku tak tau macam mana nak pergi sana" or "Aku tak beli papers so aku tak tau wayang tu pukul berapa" and this is said in an MSN conversation. Hello? You're online! Google it! If you know how to find pirated MP3s and Youtube, you must learn how to use the street directory and Yahoo movies already. Idiots!! Lyrics and guitar chords also available.

7) Waiting On Others: this is the most popular of it all. "Kalau dia pergi, aku pergi" or "Tunggu dia dulu". Most of us in big groups can't function when the self-proclaimed leader has not decided for us. I don't know why we do that. Don't wait on others to make decisions. And if you're going to be late, ask them to go on without you, and not wait for you.

8) Fighting In Public: to the young couple at Tampines Mall yesterday shouting at the top of their lungs and the girl crying for attention, you've officially joined our society as a member who loves public display of anger and frustration!! IS FIGHTING IN PRIVATE LESS THRILLING?? Remember the Youtube video; minah shouting and crying on the phone in the MRT?

This post was inspired by a site called Stuff White People Like ; maybe we should do one for Malays and I could chronicle the endless chalets, naik lorry jalan raya, gold, soccer and fish&chips equals to Western food. I love being Malay and making these observations.

I usually do not have a great opinion about congressmen but one has to show some respect over Nehru-era congressmen like Arjun Singh but with this he has shown that he is the most pathetic party member in the Congress.

When Mr. Arjun Singh finally showed some guts and asked (aloud) about the decision making process in the Congress party, Madame president felt insulted. We have to understand that he actually didn't want to make a statement about anything, he just thought about it aloud. Nothing more. After Madame Sonia cold shouldered him, he makes statements like:

Arjun Singh has reacted saying that he would always be loyal to her and her family...The union minister said that when he met Pundit Nehru in 1960, he pledged his total loyalty to Nehru and his family and have scrupulously adhered to it. He also said that he shall do everything to maintain the loyalty and commitment to remaining members of the family till he lives.

Now we have to understand that he is loyal to India, because according to Congressmen, being loyal to Sonia and her family is being loyal to the Congress party and being loyal to the congress party is being loyal to the country. See, it makes sense now.

Here is an interesting Rediff cartoon:

So Mr. Arjun Singh, look at the literacy rates in Sri Lanka and China and do something about the comparative literacy rates in India. If kissing Sonia's butt is all that matters then please take up a post in the party and leave the ministry to somebody else. Pretty please.

Thanks.

Before this year, a lot of outcries have been heard of concern for students at my university. Some of these worries are well-placed and some are simply unfounded! This year, there was a lot of media recently on the anonymous online message board for Johns Hopkins students, JHUConfessions. The local news has basically turned this into a farce, confirming fears from the school administration that students are pulling down the reputation of JHU by posting about taboo and shocking subjects (drugs, sex, random vices, gossip). The same news reporters covered embarrassments at JHU before (see "A Past School Controversy"). The reporters have shown themselves to be more wanting to feed off of the potential for frenzy than to actually report the news for what it is.

JHUConfessions was created by Andrew Mann, a senior, as a way for students to voice their thoughts. Many students do not go to counseling or know a goo way to talk to people face to face about the topics discussed. While the board isn't meant to act as any substitute for parents, friends, or professional guidance, I think it probably helps a lot of people who otherwise could never talk about certain issues with anyone.

Anyone can view the message boards. To post on the board, you must be a JHU student, confirmed by JH email. I think it is probably not that hard to track which poster wrote which post/ reply due to this, as well as by IP Number (although current technology makes it possible to avoid the IP identification). While students do seem to make sure they remain anonymous, they do seem to trust the integrity of the system not to reveal their identity. On some level, this poses a problem for JHUConfessions, should there be posts regarding suicide, violence, and other ethical violations. But for the most part, it's kids writing things about other kids (and other people too). As such, they can be mean spirited and good natured. When people mention names, the person might reply to the forum or never see the post at all! Most of the people who use JHUConfessions look like underclassmen, so a great number of the student body does not participate in the discussions (but they probably view them).

A lot of people are saying JHUConfessions should be banned and user should be punished, I really don't know what to tell those people as a stranger. I would say that the rate of depression is extremely high at JHU, moreover increased by the atmosphere of the city as claustrophobic. Students fear going a few blocks away from campus without the school shuttle, thinking they will be shot or attacked in some way.

*/digression
Yes, I tell people who come to prospective student visits not to come here if they can't handle the stress. It's a serious issue that I'm not sure the counseling center has enough manpower to handle. There are 4,000 undergraduates and at least 2/3 of the school has asked for help. As the saying goes: it's not as hard to get into JHU as it is to leave!
The parents always get mad when current students tell them to make informed choices with their kid. But I see them walking around campus with those yellow JHU visitor totebags and it screams WARNING.
/*

I love my school and I know we have a beautiful green campus that some kids can only see pictures of. But I also see the despair when much of the student population is under suicide watch by the counseling center during Finals. I see kids far from home and trying to fit in to a new place they don't really understand and can't really explore. I see people who want to interact with others but are afraid to say the wrong things. There's a lot of silence at JHU and I don't see the good in shutting up voices that need to be heard.

Click here to step into John's world and learn what it's like to voice a live television event like the CMA's!

(Cape May, NJ) The Cape May Film Society's Memorial Day film program will be a great addition to your holiday plans--after the parades and picnics. The program is entitled "Hollywood Goes to War," and the featured speaker is Hollywood actor/screenwriter JC Stinson, who says if you think the program will be all about combat, you'd be mistaken. "There aren't as many combat scenes as there are clips demonstrating what makes a film truly remarkable," he says. "There are classic elements of these films like the rogue enlisted man, the brutal training, the outsider. And we will leave plenty of time for discussion after the clips are presented and before the reception." Stinson will present the most memorable moments from some of the greatest films ever made, and some work that's off the beaten track as well.

"Hollywood knows war," says Corbin Cogswell, Chair of the Programming and Membership Committee for the Society, "and the films honoring the heroes are among the most important and entertaining movies ever produced. And we're planning a wine and cheese reception after the retrospective for members of the Society. This will be a perfect time to mingle with others who love the movies as much as you do."

The retrospective will be held at the Cape May VFW on Congress Street. "That's is certainly the most appropriate place for many reasons," says Cogswell. "It is were we launched the Cape May Film Society in June 2007, and we definitely want to honor those who have served in the military by bringing this particular show to their lodge." The program will be held on Memorial Day, Monday May 26, at 7:00 p.m., at the VFW with a wine and cheese reception to follow. For details, contact the Film Society at 609-884-6700.

The Cape May Film Society hosts the Cape May Film Festival, which is New Jersey's premiere film festival dedicated to the support and presentation of creative, challenging, groundbreaking, film/video works by New Jersey filmmakers. The Society is also the region's leading educational and cultural resource for youth and adult learners interested in all facets of the cinematic experience. For tickets to this program, contact the Film Festival office at 609-884-6700 or visit them online at www.njstatefilmfestival.com.

Tom Sims
Cape May Film Society
PO Box 595, Cape May, NJ 08204
Cell: 267-626-3688, Office: 609-884-6700
Email: tomhsims@aol.com - www.njstatefilmfestival.com

Scarlett Johansson: This girl cannot act. She is the same character over and over again. She was OK in Ghost World, but still overshadowed by Thora Birch. I lost a lot of respect for Woody Allen's penchant for this girl via Match Point. I walked out of The Black Dahlia laughing. She was not funny enough for that nanny movie my sister made me watch with her, and what is up with this Tom Waits thing? Does God hate me? She talks like the corpse of a very uninteresting old woman.

Natalie Portman: You know, I like the idea of her. I liked her in Leon the Professional, though I liked Leon's plant a little more. I walked out of Star Wars after the pod race back in, what was it, eighth grade? I liked Closer despite her, mainly because it was so weird to watch Julia Roberts act bitchy after a lifetime of watching My Best Friend's Wedding and Pretty Woman with my sisters. I like how she's a smart girl and into languages. But she also plays the same characters over and over. Don't even ask me about Garden State. I will never watch Blueberry Nights.

I shall add to this list as I remember my hatred in pieces.

Another Character by Bethann Shannon

COPYRIGHT 2007-2008

Todays post is a selection of photos of my family and friends taken anywhere, anytime, in the past fortnight.

I've also decided to increase the size of my pictures to make viewing easier....if you have a slow internet connection speed....sorry, but it's worth the wait! If you would prefer I go back to smaller images, please let me know by leaving me a comment or emailing.

Yup! She's a poser!

crazy child!

Leisurely stroll:

....see me in the glasses!!

I've thrown in a landscape shot just to mix things up a bit!

Playing with cars with boys....

An impromptu family photo....

Don't know, don't ask....but I like it!!

Until next time,

Vicki

They throw out all their bombastic words and yet when you read it, you have no idea what they are trying to say. (not that their english is bad, it's just that everything is just so, vague)

I don't think I can ever do that. It's just, too strange.

While enjoying a chewy low-fat, low-calorie (translattion: tasteless) granola bar today I broke a fairly new crown on one of my middle-aged molars. Ouch. How do you break a tooth on something so benign as a chewy granola bar? Murphy's Law.

The reason this is the worst possible time for Murphy's Law to hit is Devoted Spouse and I are getting ready to go to the National Rifle Association Convention in Louisville, Kentucky in a few days. This is a big deal for Devoted Spouse; for me, well it will be a nice break and chance to get away for a few days. This trip allows me to 1) support him in a hobby he thoroughly enjoys, and 2) what a great place for blog ideas, and oh yeah 3) probably shoot the breeze (and only the breeze -- I don't have a concealed carry license) with my fellow Hitlery bashers.

Fortunately, I have a very nice dentist who can fit me in tomorrow to fix this stupid tooth ($$$$$$$). He loves when I break things; he can buy more boats and big homes. Murphy's Law for me; new toys for him. I'm just another part of the universal checks and balances, and well things have been going pretty nicely for me lately. Murphy's Law was bound to hit sooner or later.

I'm going to go liquify some diet cookies now - I really need a safe snack.

On the train on the way in to work yesterday afternoon, standing there minding my own business when a complete scrotum-head spilt his coffee. I’ve no idea what he was doing and I doubt he did either but we had stopped at a station, his station, not mine and somewhere in his haste to make it to the door he upended what seemed like a whole cup of coffee down the front of my shirt and pants. 

He hadn’t even noticed until I yelped something containing a few mild expletives, at which point he turned around, noted his cup…hmm, lighter…and me…ooh, angry and wet. He smiled, embarrassed and mouthed a cowardly Sorry, but continued to back-step his way to the door and freedom. I mouthed a considerably voluminous Cunt! as the doors closed. A concerned woman, unperturbed by my profanity, asked me if I was OK and handed me some tissues, which I dabbed ineffectually at my stained crotch whilst holding the fabric at a safe distance while it cooled. The coffee hadn’t been overly hot and thankfully hadn’t done any medical damage but I was left with the cosmetic problem. A white shirt and fawn pants completely cunted by some uncoordinated fuck’s crappuccino. What the flyblown-arse was I going to do? 

There was no turning up to work in my present state so I rang the mill-stone-around–my-neck that employs me to let her know I would be late. WHY DO YOU ALWAYS LAUGH AT ME, YOU FAT BITCH? LOOK IN THE FUCKING MIRROR, WHAT DO YOU EVER HAVE TO LAUGH ABOUT? I hate her so much! 

I got off the train, crossed to the opposite platform and caught a train back home. I’m usually at work early on account of having a bit of an obsessive problem with lateness so I had time up my sleeve. I got off the train and the wetness of my clothing coupled with the wind made me quite cold. I hurried home and snapped my key off in the flyscreen door lock. Snapped it. Right off. 

Oh, ha ha HA!!! FUCK YOU, GOD, YOU OMNIPRESENT PIECE OF CLOUD-DWELLING SHIT!!! FUCK YOU!!! Isn’t it funny how your neighbours never ask what’s wrong when you’re screaming blasphemies at the sky? Fuck you, Gareth! He doesn't speak to me because his girlfriend smiled at me once. 

I rang my land agent, he’s a complete cunt, as they all are - I believe it’s a prerequisite for the job. He told me he was heading out the door and as I’d snapped the key off, it was my responsibility to find a locksmith, not his. It is Monday, isn’t it? 

Stuck outside my house - the backdoor can only be opened from inside. After a few phone calls, finally, I found a locksmith who could come out and fix it. In keeping with the rest of my day, it was after 5pm so after-hours rates were all I was going to get unless I wanted to sleep on my front step. He’d get here in half an hour. Yeah! I love life, it rocks! I rang my stinking anus of a boss and let her know I wouldn’t be in at all. She was less amused by this call and I could tell she’d hold that shit over my head for a good 18 months – fuck, maybe I could poison her donuts, everyone hates her, there’d be so many suspects I’d be almost certain to get away with it. 

The locksmith arrived, he was a cheerful-looking guy in his early forties called David. I was genuinely grateful to see him. He approached and I could see him taking stock of the shivering, coffee-stained figure I’d become. I could see him feel that inevitable sense of smugness one has when they know their life is substantially better than someone else’s, and without any malice he smiled Looks like you’ve been having a good day so far!, he joked. The lackadaisical whimsy of his comment severed a neurological connection deep in my brain, something twanged inside my head and I broke into uncontrollable laughter. I looked at him and shrieked with laughter. I knew it was ridiculous but I couldn’t stop. The shivering from the cold gave way to wracking sobs of hilarity as tears rolled down my cheeks and my body cramped with the pain of hysterical laughter. David looked very concerned all of a sudden and putting a hand out as if to half sooth and half keep me at a safe distance. Are you OK? 

That sent me off even more, I couldn’t articulate a syllable. I mouthed words that wouldn’t form and he just stared in fear at the giggling mess now collapsed and gibbering on my front step. With some effort I rolled away from the door. Trying desperately to control my breathing and stop the laughter, and I waved him towards the door. Nervously he edged towards the door, glancing back at me to make sure I didn’t do anything weird – like a guy covered in coffee laughing like a maniac on the ground outside his house isn’t weird.

The laughter began to subside. Gradually, I brought myself under control, only bursting out again occasionally whenever he looked back at me. He must have realised looking at me made it worse and he just focused on the lock. He was fast. Within 10 minutes he’d removed the offending lock and replaced it with a new one. I had calmed down and gotten to my feet and was acting like nothing out of the ordinary had happened whatsoever. I casually handed him my credit card and soberly thanked him for having helped me at such short notice. He also pretended everything was perfectly normal, handed me my new keys and left me to my open house. 

Once inside and changed, I reflected on the expense of the afternoon. One lost shift, serious laundering and $150 worth of lock. The lock may have happened anyway, but in the interest of being petty and small-minded, that fucker on the train cost me over $350. I remember your face, motherfucker, you owe me three hundred and fifty bucks, and when I see you next, I’ll fuckin’ ask for it. You fucking spastic, UNCO FUCK!!! You travel on my train line and I’ll fucking see you again, be fuckin’ sure if it! I’ll have coffee too. I’ll never go to work again without coffee. I’ll have coffee every day, really hot, strong, black coffee and if you don’t have my money, I’ll fucking spill it on you and I’ll burn your fucking balls off with my coffee!!! And I’ll fucking laugh at you and your stupid burning balls and your stupid stained clothes. HA HA HA!!!