Blackberry world

Hello... I'm now posting this on the move with this nifty little gadget that is blackberry. I can't help but join the millions others who are already hooked on bb. If the powerful man from the USA swears by it-he was even quoted 'not even the CIA will take away my bb, dont blame me if yours truly is also hopping on the bandwagon. So when I was transitting at Changi on the way here, I splurged myself on one. there is just something magical about this canadian based technology. And true to its hype, it has not disappointed me. I am able to get all my emails seamlessly integrated into a single inbox, use googletalk and the bb instant messaging, my it is simply magic!
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Facebook ban?

Facebook ban?

If that happens, that would be the most daft thing done ever. We cannot have a knee jerk policy simply because of some stupid idiots abuse facebook for some unsavoury activities. Facebook like the internet is a double edged sword. It can be a useful communication and information tool. Even President Obama and other world leaders use them. Organisations like crimes fighting agencies use them as part of their public out reach programs. Families, relatives and long lost friends use it to reconnect themselves. I use it to communicate with my siblings back home and use it to get ourselves updated with the conditions of our parents.
Just because someone can use the pencil to write graffitis on the walls or nasty poison letters, would we start banning the use of the pencil as well?

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Happy bday to my loving wife

Happy bday to my loving wife

Tonite we are celebrating a special bday treat for a girlfriend of more than 22 years, a loving wife and a mother to the beautiful angels on earth.
No, I wont post any corny messages here but I have loved you simply because of who you are and you are always there for me.
I love you sayang

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our weekend ritual

aahh..finally we managed to get my siblings together after 1 week stay. The president visit was over and we we were glad that it went well. Alhamdulillah. And now we could lay back a bit, visit our parents and relatives. The Schedule has been hectic with night and lunch outings up till the end of the week. We could only see mum on the 1st day. She is no longer active as she used to and could hardly recognise me...

Entitlement mentality

One young academically excellent man went to apply for a managerial
position in a big company. He passed the first interview. However, the CEO of the company would have the final say. The CEO discovered from the CV, that this young man had an impecabble academic record all the way, from the secondary school until his postgraduate. Impressed, the CEO asked "Did you obtain any scholarship?" and the young man answered "none" He then asked, " Is it your father who paid for your school fees?" the young man answered, "my father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees.."

" Where did your mother work?" the CEO continued to prod the young man, "my
mother worked as a cloth cleaner". The CEO requested the young man to show his
hand, the young man showed his hand that was smooth as silk to the
CEO. The CEO then asked, " Did you ever help your mother wash the cloth
before?" The young man answered "never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books, furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me."
The CEO then said, "I have a request, when you go back today, go and help
clean your mother's hands slowly and then see me tomorrow morning"

The young man felt that his chance of landing the job was high. He went home
and happily wanted to clean his mother's hands. Obviously his mother thought this was strange but somehow happily showed both of her hands to the kid.

The young man looked at his mother's hands and began to slowly clean the hand. his tears dropped down as he did this. It was the first time he found his mother's hands so wrinkled and there were visible bruises clearly as a result of those years of hard labour. Some of the bruises brought sharp pain so strong that the mother shivered when her hands touched the water that was soaked with soap.

This was the first time the youth realized and saw that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to earn him the school fees. the
bruises on the mother's hands were the price that the mother paid for his
graduation and the academic excellence and probably his future. After finishing, the young man quietly cleaned all the remaining clothes for his mother.

That evening, the mother and son had a long talk that went through the night.
The next morning, the young man went to the CEO's office. The CEO noticed the tears in the young man's eyes. He asked: " Can you tell me what you did and learned yesterday at your house?" The young man with a deep remorseful look answered, " I cleaned my mother's hands and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes'
The CEO then asked him again " please tell me your feeling."
The young man answered,
"Number 1, I knew what appreciation is, without my mother,
there would not the successful me today. Number 2, I knew how to work
together with my mother, then only I can realize how difficult and tough to
get something done. Number 3, I knew the importance and value of family relationship."

The CEO said, " This is what I am asking, I want to recruit a person
that can appreciate the help of others, a person that knew the suffering of
others to get things done and a person that would not put money as his only
goal in life to be my manager. You are hired"

As time went by, this young man worked very hard and received the respect of
his subordinates, every employees worked diligently and in a team. the
company's results improved tremendously.

A child who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wants will
develop an "entitlement mentality" and will always put himself first. He is
ignorant of his parent's efforts and sacrifices. Once, he starts to work, he will assume every people must listen to him and when he becomes a manager, he will never know the sufferings of his employees and will always blame others. For this kind of person he can produce good results, may be successful but eventually will not feel any sense of achievement. he will continually grumble and will be full of hatred and will fight for more. Being over protective is a natural trait of being a parent and we may have the noblest of intentions of how we want to shower our kids with love. But are we showing our love the right way?

You can let your child live in a big house, eat a good meal, learn to play the piano or watch on a big screen TV. But when you are washing your car, please let them
experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plate and bowl with their other siblings. It is not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them in a right way. You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair will grow gray, just like the mother in this story. The most important thing is to let your child learn how to appreciate the efforts and experiences or the difficulties of others and learn the ability to work with others to get things done.

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Gala night to welcome delegates to the first state party conference on the convention on cluster munition

40+years+on,+Laos+still+faces+threat+of+cluster+munitions

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/asiapacific/features/article_1596569.php

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The Rule of Law

Here is a true story that happened in a neighbouring country that I thought worth sharing. an 18 year old student was disqualfied from sitting a medical school entrance exam because her application to sit for the exam was missing a photograph. She had dreamed of becoming a phychiatrist one day and her hope was dashed when she learned that she could not sit for the exams as her application was deemed incomplete by the medical examinations board when 1 of the 5 photographs required was missing.

Believing that she didnt do anything wrong she began her crusade fighting what most of us thought would be a fight she would eventually lose. The david against goliath scenario was not however exactly the case as this David had a good powerful sidekick in the name of NHRC. Thankfully in this country, a National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) which is empowered by law to investigate any alleged human rights abuses has long been established. She filed her complaint with the Commission, and then it took up her case to court on her behalf which after 2 weeks of hearing ruled in the student's favour by saying that the board should have first investigated whose fault it was on the missing photograph. The decision to disqualify her was upheld by the court to be unreasonable.

In a country governed by a rule of law, every entity or person is subjected to the same law. He or it will be made legally accountable for his or its exercise of powers. No single exercise of power by man or any entity is above the law. Accountability and transparent decision making process is normally required by law. Exercise of discretion is never absolute and arbitrary powers are often checked by the same sets of laws that govern these powers. Any person aggrieved by a decision of another person will have recourse to the law if only you are willing to spend the time and energy to fight for your right. In this case this 18 year old's dream of becoming a doctor could not simply be wiped off on a silliest of decisions. It was just too bad for the other 41 disqualified students who failed to submit the 5 required photographs that didnt have the courage and wherewithal like this 18 year old. They would probably have won the same.

But here is another story. Not too long ago. an iban man got bitten by a crocodile and survived to tell the tale. He got hospitalised for the bite and thankfully was not that serious. He happily related his story to the newspaper. However strangely a few days later the man died not because of the bite but because he was allergic to the penicilin that was prescribed on him by the hospital. Unfortunately for him and his family this was just another tragic story that made to the newspaper headline for the next day. Tne day after, his story was all but forgotten. No action could be made against the hospital because the hospital could not be sued as it was a Government hospital and the Government could not be sued.

In my final year doing law, I took up medical law as one of my options. We studied real cases which we used as caselaw. Surprisingly even at the best equipped with the highest standards of practice known of the UK hospitals, there were still cases of gross negligence committed by surgeons and doctors. There were instances of cotton swabs or operating utensils such as a pair of scissors being left inside the bodies of patients after surgeries. The difference of course the hospitals in UK would have to pay compensations or even punitive financial damages once they were found to be negligent by the courts. They were simply subjected to the rule of law like everyone else. Because of this possibility of getting sued and pay hefty compensations, UK hospitals have to continue to maintain the strong best possible standards of practice and service. In essence the rule of law does improve effeciencies and the standards of services because of the prospect of potential huge legal liabilities should they not.

In a country with a strong rule of law, the option for the public to have legal recourse is always available and is an indespensible tool to check abuse of public power. silence is never an option when things are ill done...

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Champasack Province

Champasack Province

I have been busy of late. There was this international meeting that i had to attend and followed by a field visit to the south. We actually went to the Bolaven Plateau, the coffee heaven of laos, to see, well, coffee of course and how they are actually harvested by the farmers on a cooperative scale with assistance of the donor countries. The area is more than 1000 metres above sea level with day temperature in the 20s. It is the most beautiful part of south Laos and I was fortunate enough to make the visit. Being a coffee addict myself, i couldnt resist every coffee they had to offer from arabica to robusta. It so happened that the itenary included a visit to a coffee chateau owned and run by a friend, monsieur alex, who is a french lao. Its a 50 hectare coffee plantation with chalets that you can rent. There is a small stream with a waterfall closeby that actually runs just underneath the main chalet and I must say, the sound of the cascading almost pure transparent white spring water with cool surrounding temperature has to be the most therapeutic feeling i ever encountered. I promise I will post some of the pics that I took.

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@joma

Missing my family :-(

Becoming a Novice Monk

I caught this photo on my way for my usual caffeine shot before work. This is actually a common sight here, novice monks packed in a converted pick up truck that they call jumbo on their way presumably to a temple.
In buddhism, a man or woman who intends to take ordination must first become a novice, as part of the monastic code and in preparation for a full ordination. The name for this level of ordination varies from one tradition to another. In Pali, the word is samanera, which means 'small monk' or 'boy monk'.
For many, becoming a novice monk is a matter of choice but most men here would probably have spent some time as a novice monk. For some, becoming a novice monk is like making a certain promise or covenant to oneself, in what we normally call in our language as "benazar". In Buddhist's belief, such act would help fulfill their prayers, for instance in helping their loved ones who have just passed away to go to heaven in the after life. Becoming a novice monk can be a tough experience. For a start, novice monks like their older brethren cannot eat after midday. They have to stay in a kuti, the temple like any other monks and get up early at about 4.30 a.m. every day to do a morning chant then at about 5.30 a.m. they have to go out barefoot to get some food. Its actually quiet a sight when you see a group of young monks walking in a line in their saffron robes chanting their prayers. You will see by the road side, ladies young and old, sitting on the floor with their legs folded together, like we do when we perform our prayers (betimpuh) offering food to the monks. Strangely enough I have yet to see men making such food offerings. In Buddhism they believe that giving food to monks is a way to make merit as the monks will stand and chant some prayers soon after the food offerings are made. This is actually a daily sight here but if you wish to catch a glimpse of this daily ritual, you really need to wake up early in the morning.

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Genuine answers for GCSE papers from 16 year olds

Genuine answers for GCSE papers from 16 year olds

The following questions were set in last year's GCSE examination in Swindon, Wiltshire ( U.K. )
These are genuine answers from 16 year olds

Q. Name the four seasons?
A. Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar

Q. Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink?
A. Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists

Q. How is dew formed?
A. The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire

Q. What causes the tides in the oceans?
A. The tides are a fight between the earth and the moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature abhors a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins the fight

Q. What guarantees may a mortgage company insist on?
A. If you are buying a house they will insist that you are well endowed

Q. In a democratic society, how important are elections?
A. Very important. Sex can only happen when a male gets an election

Q. What are steroids?
A. Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs (Shoot yourself now , there is little hope)

Q. What happens to your body as you age?
A. When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental

Q. What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty
A. He says goodbye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery (So true)

Q. How can you delay milk turning sour?
A. Keep it in the cow (Simple, but brilliant)

Q. How are the main 20 parts of the body categorised (e.g. The abdomen)?
A. The body is consisted into 3 parts - the brainium, the borax and the abdominal cavity. The brainium contains the brain, the borax contains the heart and lungs and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels: A, E, I, O and U (What the *!!*???)

Q. What is the fibula?
A. A small lie

Q. What does 'varicose' mean?
A. Nearby (This should be what it means!!!)

Q. What is the most common form of birth control?
A. Most people prevent contraception by wearing=condominium (That would work)

Q. Give the meaning of the term 'Caesarean section'
A. The caesarean section is a district in Rome

Q. What is a terminal illness
A. When you are sick at the airport. (Irrefutable)

Q. Give an example of a fungus. What is a characteristic feature?
A. Mushrooms. They always grow in damp places and they look like umbrellas

Q. Use the word 'judicious' in a sentence to show you understand its meaning
A. Hands that judicious can be soft as your face. (OMG)

Q. What does the word 'benign' mean?
A. Benign is what you will be after you be eight

Q. What is a turbine?
A. Something an Arab or Shreik wears on his head

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The Wrong Way to Deal with Beijing - By John D. Watkins Jr., and Christian Murck | Foreign Policy

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/09/27/the_wrong_way_to_deal_with_beijing

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Precious moments II

Group School Photo E4/1985 New Town Secondary School and the girl whom I fell in love when I first set my eyes on her more than 21 years ago in Brunei Hall and until now.

Precious moments

In our life time, there will be places that we have visited or lived that will have long lasting impressions at the back of our memory.
Though many of these places would have changed forever and usually for the better,
but some would probably have gone whilst others might remain.
All these places would have their moments in our life with the friends and those whom we love. Some would probably be dead and some would still be living. But in my life, I have loved them all and I will forever cherish these precious moments.

2010 Holiday Shopping Predictions: Gadgets, Games and Software [STATS]

Article from Mashable

http://mashable.com/2010/09/21/holiday-shopping-predictions/

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gym workout

VIS International Day of Peace

Peace for a day! Im now as im posting this live at the VIS attending my kids school's celebration of Peace for a day. Its a fun filled event for the kids and their parents celebrating world peace day culminating with pot luck lunch with the kids and teachers. Parents were encouraged to bring their national dish and missus came with mee goreng which we thought would be more palatable than the sticky ambuyat..

International Day of Peace

21 september 2010 is the international day of peace.

The International Day of Peace ("Peace Day") provides an opportunity for individuals, organizations and nations to create practical acts of peace on a shared date. It was established by a United Nations resolution in 1981 to coincide with the opening of the General Assembly. The first Peace Day was celebrated in September 1982 and in 2002 the General Assembly officially declared September 21 as the permanent date for the International Day of Peace.

By creating the International Day of Peace, the UN devoted itself to worldwide peace and encouraged all of mankind to work in cooperation for this goal.
Since its inception, Peace Day has grown to include millions of people in all parts of the world, and each year events are organized to commemorate and celebrate this day. Events range in scale from private gatherings to public concerts and forums where hundreds of thousands of people participate. Anyone, anywhere can celebrate Peace Day. It can be as simple as lighting a candle at noon, or just sitting in silent meditation. Or it can involve getting your co-workers, organization, community or government engaged in a large event. The impact if millions of people in all parts of the world, coming together for one day of peace, is immense.
International Day of Peace is also a Day of Ceasefire – personal or political. Take this opportunity to make peace in your own relationships as well as impact the larger conflicts of our time.

To inaugurate the day, the "Peace Bell" is rung at UN Headquarters. The bell is cast from coins donated by children from all continents. It was given as a gift by the Diet of Japan, and is referred to as "a reminder of the human cost of war." The inscription on its side reads: "Long live absolute world peace."

Early bird

When they say at 6 you are not expected to come at 6 on the dot so Im told.

where it all begun: Journey to our new home

I should have published this last year. Today exactly a year ago, we began our journey here to a place we now call home, at least for a period that I will get posted here. Time flies really fast.

HOW TO: Undo “Send” in Gmail

Article from Mashable

http://mashable.com/2010/08/22/how-to-undo-send-in-gmail/

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"biar papa asal bergaya" adalah ungkapan melayu bodoh!

"biar papa asal bergaya" adalah ungkapan melayu bodoh!

Sebelum saya meneruskan post ini saya kena minta maaf lah dulu. Ini kerana pasti ada kawan dan saudara saya yang akan rasa terguris hati membaca post ini. Tapi niat saya hanyalah untuk menyampaikan nasihat bukannya hendak mengutuk. Bapa saya sering mengatakan sewaktu saya masih kecil lagi, "kalau orang paloi, kitani jangan buat paloi jua" terjemaahan: "kalau orang lain buat bodoh, kita jangan buat bodoh juga"

Apa yang saya rasa tak kena ialah, tabiat kitani orang Brunei yang suka berhutang kerana untuk bergaya ataupun untuk show off hingga lupakan diri. Ada yang pasti mengatakan yang ini hal dia orang so apa saya peduli. Okay, tapi apahal pula kalau dia orang ini menyusahkan kita pulak? Bila time hendak pinjam wang dengan kita, nampakan pula muka seposen dengan air mata sedih ngalahkan pelakon zaman P Ramlee dulu. tapi bila time kita tanyakan bila nak bayar balik, seribu dalih pula yang diberikan sampai ada yang ngatakan kita pula.

Saya harap saudara, cousin cousin saya yang baca post ini harap fahamlah buanglah sikap berhutang untuk bergaya. Yang saya lihat inilah tabiat paloi yang patut kitani kikis. Harap yang terkena pedas cili padi ini taulah sendiri untuk mengubah sikap ini. Di bawah ini saya senaraikan tabiat-tabiat yang saya temui and unfortunately yang buat pun ada yang saudara saya sendiri:

1. Pinjam wang untuk beli kereta mewah tapi gaji tak cukup untuk beri makan anak sendiri- tabiat paloi
2. Pinjam wang untuk naik haji tapi hutang-piutang saudaranya tak pernah dijelaskan- niat bagus tapi tabiat masih jua paloi
3. Pinjam wang untuk holiday- another tabiat paloi
4. Mau kawin baru tapi anak dari isteri awal masih terbiar sampai ada yang melakukan jenayah- yang ini bapanya paling paloi
5. Mau kawin lavish nak nampakan status so pinjam duit sana sini. Sampai anak sudah besar-besar pun hutang belum dijelaskan. Tabiat paloi!

Dibawah ini saya senaraikan tabiat berhutang yang berakal:

1. Pinjam wang untuk beli tanah atau pun buat rumah
2. Pinjam wang untuk membuat perkara yang berkebajikan seperti membantu membayar kos perubatan ayah atau ibu yang sakit.

So, ingatlah ungkapan "biar papa asal bergaya" adalah ungkapan melayu paling bodoh!

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Is nuclear energy an option for Brunei?

I often ask myself this question, will there be life after oil? And if so what will that be?

Following last week’s Kuwait announcement by unveiling plans to construct four nuclear reactors for power generation by 2022, it came to me as no surprise as the Arab countries are scrambling in looking at the various options before the final drop of the precious oil will finally start to drain out. Saudi Arabia, UAE and Jordan had already begun the push for civilian nuclear energy and I wont be surprised many oil producing countries will begin to explore this possibility.

Any decision to move into nuclear energy will stem from the increase in electricity demand which is expected to grow in Brunei as population increases and as we begin our push for industrial development. Internationally, there is already a growing expectation that the oil prices will remain above $50, which makes our oil to be more valuable as an export rather than as an energy source. But the very moment we say the word “nuclear”, one thing that comes into our head is obviously is its “safety” and as well as obviously after post-911, the worries on “terrorism”. This will be, I am sure will be a tough consideration for the policy makers. But like what I used to say, it is a lot easier to predict the future of Brunei if we can shape it today. So my parting question is: do we want to be with the guys who are wrong or with the other guys who are right?

Huffington Post: Another Wound For Muslims Who Lost Loved Ones On 9/11

 

		Another Wound For Muslims Who Lost Loved Ones On 9/11
	By Omar Sacirbey Religion News Service (RNS) When the subject of the proposed Islamic center near Ground Zero came up in Fahina Chowdhury's government class...

 

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Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri

Raya is coming. And this is the second time my family and I will be celebrating it away from home :-(

I do miss miss my parents and my siblings but I have to make do with what I have here. Well I have no reason to be unhappy as my kids and my missus are still besides me during this joyous occasion with the exception of my eldest princess who is boarding back home of course.

Anyway I came up with this pantun raya versi nusantara (sorry no indonesian as I cant speak the language). I have to admit some of them I plagiarized from the Internet but some I created my own..

Brunei…
Makan ambuyat cacah binjai,
Bersama lauk rumahan salai,
Jangan belanja raya sehingga lalai
Karang sampai rumah tergadai

Labuan:
ku idang kuih kan biskita,
bukannya tah kali diliat nganya,
di malam raya memasang pelita,
hati happy bis liaunya.

Sabah
Orang Papar suka bedundang bah,
Mengkali memang keturunan Barunai kali ah,
Baru ku tau sana banyak sudara ku bah,
Di raya ane, balum tah ku ta agai ne nah,

Singapura..
Minah ku shopping di Geylang Serai
Hendak membeli sehelai selendang,
Di raya ni janganlah bercerai-cerai
Kita kan melayu bangsa yang tenang

Sarawak…
Anak manok terciak ciak,
Situk lepas sia pun sik boleh,
Tegal mengenang urang yang jaoh
raya klak kamek ngidang kek lapis sarawak, boleh?

Kelantan…
Make ikke cicoh budu
Jange lupo tamboh satar?
Kelik rayo taksir laju
Nanti rayo dale sepita

Terengganu…
Makang ubi jamang jepong
Makang kepok cicoh cuke
Bulang pose mung bengong
Bulang raye mung suke

Pahang…
Sepadan Pahang ada kasino
Nasi dagang ikan patin
Jange mu masam muko
Raya makan rendang sadin

Johor…
Cegitu cegini awak suke
Awak suke kite tak suke
Esok luse hari raye
Sama-sama bersuke rie

Melaka…
Hawau kau berak merate
Kaki bengkak ulau patok
Kalu balik naik kerete
Jangan pandu kalau ngantok

N. Sembilan…
Masak lomak cili api
Campo dongan ! daun turi
Hari rayo kolumpo sopi
Tinggal penyamun dongan pencuri
(org kolumpo jgn kocik ati!!)

Selangor/K.Lumpur…
Wa cakap lu wa tak tau
Tapi wa tipu sama lu
Raya jangan buat tak tau
Angpau ada bagi gua dulu

Perak…
Gulai tempoyak ikan mayong
Deroyan busok tebok tupai
Pandu hemat ingat kampong
Asal teman selamat sampai

SELAMAT HARI RAYA MAAF ZAHIR BATIN

Huffington Post: Who's Afraid of Shariah?

 

		Who's Afraid of Shariah?
	How many of those anti-Islam protesters holding "No Sharia Law" signs (as if anyone were advocating shariah law in the U.S.) actually know what the word means? I'd say, oh, none.

 

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Huffington Post: Katie Couric Interviews God About Ground Zero Mosque

 

		Katie Couric Interviews God About Ground Zero Mosque
	Perhaps disappointed and bemused with the incessant bickering, backbiting and slandering, God finally agreed to set the record straight about the proposed Ground Zero Mosque in an interview with Katie Couric.

 

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My name is Amir Khan and I am a Muslim.

My name is Amir Khan and I am a Muslim.

Ok don't panic. I am not a terrorist and I am not Al qaeda. I hate al Qaeda as much as you are.

I have been following this so called "ground zero" mosque debate in the USA, the proposed Islamic center to be built 2 blocks away from Ground Zero the site of the World Trade Centers.

61 percent of Americans in a recent TIME poll said they opposed plans to build the mosque. I won't be surprised to expect that percentage to grow as more US politicians in the likes of the Mama Grizzly from Alaska take to the nearest media platform and vent her shall I say "intelligible" thoughts.

To most Americans, they must have thought that all perpetrators of terrorist acts nowadays are Muslims. the Fort Hood massacre, the shoe bomber and the Times Square attacker all were Muslims, as were dozens of others captured. Some of you may say that this is a fair conclusion. But does it necessarily mean that all Muslims are terrorists? Newt Gingrich the Republican, seemed to suggest this. He, on Fox News said "Nazis don't have the right to put up a sign next to the Holocaust museum in Washington," ..He is implying (like his Nazi example) that no muslim should even think of building anything near ground zero. But hang on a sec, were'nt 911 committed by Al Qaeda? Okay, I get it, this guy is actually suggesting that every Muslim is al Qaeda.

Okay, now I get everything. Everything that is Islam should be feared including my name. Now you should panic!

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Can you swim while fasting for a school requirement?.

Can you swim while fasting for a school requirement?.

There is much discussion at the school where my kids go to if the muslim children should be allowed to swim during the fasting month as swimming is a compulsory part of the school activities. Some muslim parents including my own missus were obviously worried that their children taking up such activity during this holy month could invalidate their fasting and said they should be excused. for one I see no reason why they should stop. I remember when I was a kid back in the kampung days, my brothers and I would take a dip in the little river near a house during the fasting month. We were never told that cooling oneself in the water was 'haram' or prohibited. So, I scoured the internet trying to find the answer and I found one reliable website at http://www.islamqa.com. The site aims to provide intelligent, authoritative responses to any question about Islam, whether it be from a Muslim or a non-Muslim, and to help solve general and personal social problems. The responses are composed by Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid, a well known Islamic lecturer and author from Saudi Arabia.

Here is the excerpt:

Praise be to Allaah.
The ruling on swimming when fasting depends on the following:

Firstly:

If the swimmer thinks it most likely that no water will enter his stomach through the mouth or nose, and he is a good swimmer and can guarantee that his fast will not be broken, then in that case there is nothing wrong with him swimming. The ruling is the same as that on doing ghusl when fasting. The scholars have stated that that is permissible even if it is just for the purpose of cooling down.

Al-Bukhaari (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: "Chapter on doing ghusl when fasting. Ibn 'Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) wetted his garment and put it on when fasting."

Al-Sha'bi entered the hammam (bath) when fasting. And al-Hasan said: There is nothing wrong with the fasting person rinsing his mouth and cooling himself off … and Anas said: I have a tub which I keep immersing myself in when I am fasting.

Abu Bakr al-Athram narrated with his isnaad that Ibn 'Abbaas entered the hammam when he was fasting, he and some of his companions, during the month of Ramadaan. Al-Mughni, 3/18

It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah (10/281):

It is permissible to swim during the day in Ramadaan, but the swimmer should take care to avoid letting water enter his stomach. End quote.

Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

There is nothing wrong with the fasting person swimming, and he may swim as he wants, and immerse himself in the water, but he must be careful to avoid letting water enter his stomach, as much as he can. This swimming will energize the fasting person and help him to fast, and whatever gives a person energy to carry out Allaah's commands should not be disallowed, for it is something that makes it easy for people to carry out His commands. Allaah says in the verses on fasting (interpretation of the meaning):

"Allaah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allaah [i.e. to say Takbeer (Allaahu Akbar: Allaah is the Most Great)] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him"

[al-Baqarah 2:185]

And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "This religion is easy, and whoever overburdens himself in religious matter will not be able to continue in that way." And Allaah knows best. End quote.

He also said:

There is nothing wrong with a fasting person diving into water or swimming in it, because that is not among the things that break the fast. The basic principle is that things are permissible unless there is evidence to show that they are makrooh or haraam. There is no evidence that swimming is makrooh or haraam, rather some of the scholars regarded it as makrooh lest anything enter the swimmer's throat without him realizing it. End quote.

Fataawa Ibn 'Uthaymeen, 19/284, 285

Secondly:

If he thinks it most likely that water will enter his stomach because of swimming, then it is not permissible for him to do this, and it is haraam for him to go swimming during the day in Ramadaan. The evidence for that is the report narrated from Laqeet ibn Sabirah (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: I said: O Messenger of Allaah, tell me about wudoo'. He said: "Do wudoo' well, make the water go between your fingers and toes, and go to extremes in rinsing the nose, unless you are fasting." Narrated by Abu Dawood (142) and al-Tirmidhi (788), who said it is hasan saheeh. Classed as saheeh by Ibn Hajar and al-Albaani.

Imam Ahmad said that a fasting person may immerse himself in water if he does not fear that it will get into his ears.

Al-Hasan and al-Sha'bi regarded it as makrooh to immerse oneself in water, lest water get into the ears. al-Mughni (3/18).

Al-Adhra'i (one of the Shaafa'i fuqaha') said:

If he knows that water usually enters his stomach when he immerses himself in water, and he cannot avoid it, it is haraam for him to immerse himself. End quote. Haashiyat al-Bujayrami (2/74).

The question now is: if he goes to extremes in rinsing his nose – and similarly if he immerses himself in water and swims during the day in Ramadaan – and water reaches his stomach without him intending it to, whether he thought it most likely that water would not enter his stomach or not – is he regarded as having broken the fast?

The scholars differed concerning that.

The first view is that of the majority of Hanafi, Maaliki and Shaafa'i scholars, which is that his fast is invalidated.

The second view is that it is not invalidated. This is the view of some of the Taabi'een, and is the view of the Hanbalis, and was the view favoured by Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him). Al-Sharh al-Mumti' (6/407).

See: al-Majmoo' (6/338); al-Mughni (3/18).

You must also be careful to avoid showing the 'awrah when swimming. Do not swim in a place where people uncover their 'awrahs, and do not take lightly the issue of looking at the 'awrahs of others.

See also the answer to questions no. 23464 and 38907.

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Part 1: a mark of a mature society is how..

1. It treats everyone equally in the eyes of the law and not just simply to treat 'everyone equally' (mind you, 'equally' is a Marxist principle that is long dead, that's why most of us travel economy but some of the lucky ones first class but if you are given the same opportunity to work hard and prove yourself, you should have the same opportunity like everyone else to travel first class)
2. It gives everyone access to equal opportunity and not simply to be spoon fed (for instance if you study hard in school and achieve a very good result, you should get the same opportunity like everyone else to qualify for a government scholarship)
3. It uses Subsidy only to assist the extremes of poverty (and not to allow a well to do man build a grand house on government land scheme so much so a much more deserving person is left on the wait list for years)
4. It makes it into law that Conscience is never a crime for as long as we don't incite hatred against any person or race or religion (as Allah Almighty has given us a brain to think)
5. It upholds the very principle that Its ok to agree to disagree
6. It treats The most vulnerable member of the society with dignity and respect (whether you only have one limb, one eye, you must have a place in society)
7. It treats those Who run the red light equally no matter who you are
8. There are more people working in the private sector than in the civil service
9. It has stopped asking for everything for free
10. we park our cars at weddings far away from the newly wed's house and allow those who come late to park nearer

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Where are our universities?

TOP UNIVERSITY ASIA
UNIVERSITY
COUNTRY
WORLD RANK
 SIZE  VISIBILITY RICH FILES SCHOLAR
               
1 University of Tokyo 51 98 56 85 24
2 University of Hong Kong 78 35 130 108 59
3 Kyoto University 83 134 106 158 9
4 Chinese University of Hong Kong 112 99 239 95 19
5 National University of Singapore 124 164 182 96 62
6 National Taiwan University *** 139 140 121 101 734
7 Hebrew University of Jerusalem 152 215 152 91 541
8 King Saud University 164 161 203 171 183
9 King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals 178 149 218 189 164
10 Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology 200 66 452 153 92
11 Keio University 208 434 92 469 419
12 Tel Aviv University 220 304 295 65 453
13 Nagoya University 237 395 236 370 90
14 Technion Israel Institute of Technology 241 367 321 69 506
15 Osaka University 253 510 216 277 214
16 Hong Kong University of Science & Technology 256 278 474 93 188
17 University of Tsukuba 258 458 281 467 44
18 Tohoku University 262 446 262 430 84
19 Peking University 271 511 195 532 130
20 King Abdulaziz University 291 305 355 344 299
21 Seoul National University 298 465 323 356 176
22 National Chiao Tung University *** 309 333 334 186 734
23 Kasetsart University 310 486 254 434 332
24 Tsinghua University China 317 599 301 605 77
25 Weizmann Institute of Science 335 451 237 326 978
26 City University of Hong Kong 336 354 483 329 216
27 National Taiwan Normal University 354 468 288 378 782
28 Hong Kong Polytechnic University 357 261 469 316 545
29 Tokyo Institute of Technology 359 598 316 539 307
30 National Tsing Hua University Taiwan *** 361 245 522 194 734
31 Kobe University 379 408 403 601 228
32 Chulalongkorn University 388 488 424 470 290
33 Prince of Songkla University 392 351 346 684 503
34 Kyushu University 395 634 366 598 289
35 National Cheng Kung University *** 413 400 453 344 734
36 National Chengchi University 430 433 460 555 446
37 National Sun Yat-Sen University *** 437 410 505 355 734
38 United Nations University 447 548 355 762 473
39 Nanyang Technological University 468 543 526 673 318
40 Hiroshima University 469 597 399 647 673
41 Zhejiang University 471 566 728 604 91
42 Ben Gurion University of the Negev 472 531 816 123 803


Source http://www.webometrics.info/top100_continent.asp?cont=asia

Bidding farewell to very good friends

How to avoid car thefts the Economist's way

To anybody about to purchase a new car, take a gander at a new list from The Economist that charts the most stolen cars in America.

According to data compiled by the Highway Data Loss Institute, car thieves have a type, preferring large-sized American made models.  Hardly eco-friendly, especially considering vehicles least likely to be stolen are foreign made, small, and fuel-efficient.

What model tops the list? The (hardly humble) Cadillac Escalade, followed closely thereafter by the Ford F-250 and the Infinity G37. On the other end of the spectrum, the Volvo S80 and the Saturn VUE are some of the least stolen vehicles. (Toyota's ever-popular Prius charts in the top 10.)

So what's the takeaway? Buying small (and keeping green) may not be the sexiest pick, but it's good for the planet and even better for your peace of mind. (via The Economist)

Too big to fail

In Brunei, every once and awhile we do get to hear shops or restaurants shutting down due to the lack of business. Although I do feel sorry for the owners who probably have mountain of debts to settle and a number of employees retrenched, who by most account would be made up of foreign workers, I do not think however it is a matter of public concern as we do know for every shop or restaurant that shuts down, there will always be another one or two that will open their doors for business. The truth of the matter is that its pure economics of demand and supply. If there is more supply than demand in a market then competition to attract customers especially in a country with a very small population will become very stiff. Obviously the stiffer the competition, the more cut throat the market becomes and it will be something of a survival of the fittest. The fittest in this case would be the ones whose owners have good business acumen, good strategies and good financial cashflow and those who understand the market and the business they are in. As in any business, risks of failures will always be there.

If however such restaurant venture failed, should the govervment get involved and used the public funds to, for use of the common term, provide a bailout package? The answer that we would say would probably be a no since it does not make any sense on why should public funds be used to save a private venture turned bad. But what if the business entity is one that employed thousands of our own people and by its going bust would affect almost the entire population of the country? The term "too big to fail" is now a common term used for huge conglomerates in the USA which during the financial crisis faced the prospect of going bust but if they did would have affected millions of people. Jobs and millions of dollars worth of pensions, insurance plans and savings funds were simply wiped out because these companies somehow did not anticipate some investments they made took a very hard beating.

Now let me come back to the ealier example of the restaurant. Say it undertook the grandest expansion plan and every one of us put our money into it as an investment because the manager of the restaurant was a MBA graduate out of the Ivy League who was able to sweet talk us to part with our savings. And imagine if that same MBA graduate was one whose pay package and bonusses were pegged with the number of restaurants and revenues he could open and generate in a given year. He knew he was only an employee and not the owner of the restaurant so he bore no risk apart from the possibility that he might get fired if his maverick venture turned out to be a bad decision. But what if this clever chap also borrowed money from banks on behalf of the company and knew that since most of our money were tied in the restaurant, any moment the company went into financial trouble, it would have affected the most of us. What also if this clever chap prepared himself early, that should he be fired he had himself covered with a generous severance package? The Government would have a recipe of a financial conundrum of having to rescue one company to save a nation from facing a huge financial and possibly a social and political problem and left no choice but come to the rescue by using public funds. That was not just it but here is the thing. there is, again for use of another term that we hear often these days, "a moral hazard", a situation where Governments would have no choice but bail out big companies that took huge financial risks because the CEOs or the COOs "smart" enough to understand that these companies would never be let go bust under the hammer because they were just "too big to fail". The "moral hazard" in this case would be that the MBA chaps of all these companies will go on and continue to take extreme investment risks knowing full well that the government would bail the companies out should something bad to happen as they are just "too big to fail".

Thankfully we didnt face this situation partly I think because our financial system is not as complex as those in Wall Street and our people have not been exposed to complex investment instruments that nobody could understand except those MBA smart alexes. But this is not to say this could not happen here. Of late, we have had encounters with dubious pyramid schemes where hundreds of people were duped into investment schemes offering huge financial returns that were too good to be true. Of course with pyramid schemes, if you were the earlier punters, you would probably be getting huge "returns" from your so called "investment". But lets not forget, these "returns" were actually principal monies from the later members who opted into the scheme. Such scheme would appear to work well for as long as new members kept coming in but like any deck of cards forming a pyramid there will always be a limit on how high this pyramid can grow itself without crumbling down. The very moment new members became hard to come by, the scheme would start to crumble especially when the existing members started to demand their so called "investment" back and if you happened to be at the bottom of the pyramid, you can be sure to kiss your money goodbye.

I am happy to learn that our Government is taking serious actions against these schemes which are very clearly unsustainable business model which are actually illegal in most countries. During His Majesty's recent Birthday celebration, he made the announcement of the formation of the Monetary Authority of Brunei which will come into effect next year. If my hunch is correct, this new outfit will closely follow the set up of the Monetary Authority of Singapore. If this is so, it will be our de facto central bank and a financial regulatory authority at the same time.

Ps I'm starting my 2 1/2 weeks leave as of today. I hope I will be able to post some nice pics of the places that we will visit in the coming days. Ciao :-)

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you are mine :)

FW: My princesses

-original message-
Subject: My princesses

Date: 21/07/2010 19:38

We are now at the Swedish Pizza & Bakery, one of our favorite hangout for a pizza meal.

Im in love with Ipad. (Yes, it has wings!)

I have to say despite of all the negative reviews Steve Job and his Apple kingdom are facing right now on the debut of the Iphone 4, one niftiest gadget that can withstand the withering criticisms is their Ipad. Ok nevermind the feminine nature of the name, but its the coolest gadget on the planet right now. Im now using it to update this post. I got one for missus from New York for her birthday when my youngest brother went there to visit my eldest brother who happens to be working at the Big Apple. The Ipad is just a tablet version of the iPhone. Though I had 2 iphones previously which I gave them up to the kids as I never quite liked the short battery life as well as countless number of smses that got sent accidentally before i completed the intended messages (the send button was too trigger happy); somehow I like this Ipad so much. It has a longer battery life and i have access to the coolest array of softwares from productivity tools to free games and educational programs for the kids. Ok, you might say Im bias as PC run tablets have the same access to a whole host of softwares and programs too. But I can honestly tell you that I am actually both an Apple and PC user and right now, Im favouring Apple. I have used Mac air, Powerbook and now an Imac. The single most reason I favour Apple is its OS. I have not encountered a single virus infecting the computers.

Now, I know this Ipad was supposed to be a birthday gift for missus but Im so much in love with it right now. So if you are reading this post dear, can I get you something else for your birthday? Pleaseeeeeeeee :-)

Six degrees of separation

Is it really true if you were to pick randomly of any name in any phone books of this world, you could actually trace your connection to that person with only six different persons of this world? I wont put this theory to the test but i do know that with social networking web like twitter and facebook, the world has shrunk in size. Im now reconnecting with my old school and college mates and even with my former tutor at law school whom I have not met and seen for years.

But I thought I should post something on this much touted social theory on an incident that I encountered recently. I came to know a person here from one of the balkan states who happened to be married with a canadian whom I met at one of the endless dinner functions that me and my wife attended. She was introduced to us by the wife of the world bank director here. The Director who is a Sri Langkan is one of my golf buddies. One night me and missus bumped into her with her friends, a couple on holiday here from Canada. When we were introduced, I asked the husband of the couple where he worked and he told me that he used to be a police officer. I told him that I used to know a government lawyer, a prosecutor to be exact working in Canada and now she is a judge at the International Tribunal at the Hague. And we were actually good friends but somehow I lost contact. To my surprise, the husband told me that he knew the person I was talking about and in fact he used to work with her in some of the criminal prosecutions they did together. What a small world indeed! but there you go with six different persons I randomly met, I could reconnect with a friend. Of course with the modern days wonder called Facebook, the "mutual friend" button could probably take you to your long lost friend within a click of a button.

But that is not my central thought of the day. This is... With only six different people or six degrees of separation with every person on this planet, we are actually very close to one another than we thought. This may sound corny and idealistic to some, but why the heck do people still hate each other? Okay, I do a have a fair idea on some of the answers. I just thought I wanted to pose that question as my closing thought for this post. Have a good day ahead :-)

babysitting job: my last night

we are now at our favourite hangout at Swensen. My boys' good friend Haidar has been having a sleepover at our house. And today is his last night before we send him home. Haidar's dad Habib, is an Indian businessman who has been living here for years and we have become close friends since the day we arrived here. It so happened that Habib went back to India for a businness trip so I told him that I could take care his son Haidar as he goes to the same school as my eldest son syafiq and they too are good buddies.

My maids told me that they had been awake almost everynight playing pingpong, football and the PS3 only to hit the beds at the wee hours of the morning. As usual the little rascals have been pushing me around literally like a headless chicken from one end of the planet to another. I really have no idea where they got their energy from but they really got me so conked out with all the endless activities they wanted me in, from swimming at our lap pool, playing catch up, football as well as cyclin. Last weekend they got me up onto the ferris wheel at the night market down at the city centre. It was not exactly the kind of theraphy I was expecting from my current malaise that is vertigo. and the worst part was the ferris wheel did seem to spin endlessly as the guy handling the wheel looked gingerly happy looking at my misery. It kept on spinning for a good 8 minutes or so. Had I threw up that night I could swear I would have aimed it at him! really cant wait for missus to get back! Thankfully this is the final night I am all alone babysitting them. Otherwise, I dont think I will live through another day! Honestly.

Babysitting

Since missus is back home for her 2 weeks break, I am left behind to babysit the boys. I caught these pics this morning when they were still fast asleep. Everytime I look at them sleeping looking innocently, I can feel this deep appreciation with all the fortunate blessings that I have received from God the Almighty. Alhamdullilah...Thank you Allah

Sweating it out

Im now at my gym trying to shed those extra fat. Happy to see that they got new equipment.

Last day in luang prabang

just sitting quietly over coffee at the hotel room verandah. Flight is at noon and I need to kill time before i hit the road.

Bear Rescue centre

Day 2

luang prabang

Pesan Babah....

Seorang gadis kecil bertanya kepada ayahnya, "Ayah ceritakanlah padaku perihal muslimah yang sejati?"

Si ayah pun menolehkan mukanya seraya melontarkan senyuman manisnya ke arah anak kecilnya itu.

"Anakku...Seorang muslimah yang sejati bukanlah dilihat dari kecantikan dan keayuan paras wajahnya semata-mata. Wajahnya hanyalah satu peranan yang teramat kecil sahaja. Tetapi, muslimah yang sejati dilihat dari kecantikan dan ketulusan hatinya yang tersembunyi. Itulah yang terbaik."

Allah tidak melihat kepada tubuh kalian dan tidak pula kepada bentuk kalian. Allah hanya melihat kepada hati dan perbuatan kalian. (Hadis riwayat Muslim)


Babah sampaikan ajaran al-Quran dalam Surah Luqman: ayat 14 - 19.

14. Nabi Luqman as berkata kepada anak-anaknya, "Wahai anakda, janganlah kamu mempersekutukan Allah. Sesungguhnya mempersekutukan Allah adalah suatu kezaliman besar pada dirimu," dan

15. Firman Allah "Aku perintahkan manusia supaya berbuat baik kepada ayahda dan bonda mereka. Bonda kamu mengandungkan kamu, beban kandungannya semakin hari semakin bertambah berat, dan kemudian menyusui kamu selama dua tahun. Bersyukurlah kamu kepada Aku dan kepada kedua ayahda dan bonda kamu. Hanya kepada Akulah kamu kembali."

16. Nabi Luqman as berkata, "Wahai anakda, apabila ada sesuatu perbuatan baik anakda seberat biji sawi sekalipun, dan walaupun ia berada di dalam batu, atau di atas langit, atau di dalam bumi, nescaya Allah membalas kebaikan anakda itu. Ini adalah kerana Allah itu Maha Halus lagi Maha Mengetahui.

17. "Wahai anakda, dirikanlah solat, dan suruhlah manusia mengerjakan yang baik, dan cegahlah mereka daripada melakukan perbuatan mungkar. Dan bersabarlah anakda terhadap apa kesusahan yang menimpa anakda. Semuanya itu adalah perkara-perkara yang dirancangkan oleh Allah."

18. "Janganlah anakda sombong dan memandang hina kepada manusia lain. Dan janganlah anakda berjalan di atas muka bumi dengan angkuh. Allah tidak menyukai orang-orang sombong dan angkuh." Dan.

19. "Oleh sebab itu, sederhanakanlah perilaku anakda apabila berjalan di bumi Allah ini, dan lunakkanlah suaramu. Sesungguhnya seburuk-buruk suara adalah suara keldai."

My 1st attempt posting a blog entry on the move

Im now in a car on the way back home (Im not driving). Im trying to
see if this place supports mobile blogging. If this is so then Laos is
just as tech savvy as anywhere else.

--
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Integrity is a matter of choice

In life, there are a lot of things that we do not have control or the right to choose. We cant choose where we should be born or the type of parents we have or the siblings that we grow up with. But I believe that we do have a choice when it comes to building our own character and be a person of integrity. We do have a choice if we want to be an honest person or a dishonest one. We do have a choice if we want to be a corruptible person or a man of integrity. But sad to say I have seen too many people who have made these bad choices. I wont go and relate to you some of my experiences at the Bureau. I could probably be spending hours writing on some of the interesting characters that my officers and I had come to deal with.

Take playing golf for instance, the game that I have begun to love. When you hit a ball out of bound, the rule says you must incur a penalty and return to where you last hit the ball. When you finished playing that particular hole you must write down your true score. Golf is a game where you are your own judge with a whole host of ethics and rules that you need to follow. In fact it's been said that golf is a gentleman's game because to be a gentleman there is a list of etiquette you must follow - honesty and integrity are on top of this list. Writing down your own score would certainly be a moment that would test your own character. You would have a choice of returning a true score or you could submit a lowered score. But many a time where I see true characters being shown in the golf courses. I would see players where they would improve the lie of their ball when the rules say they shouldn't as you must play the ball as it lies or declare it unplayable or I would see one who would declare someone's else ball as his when he knew his ball was lost. I had met a few who despite hitting so many strokes on a particular hole and declared a rather impressive score when they knew the score was much worse than that. These kind of people would do anything to win, even to cheat. Were these people born to cheat? I am very sure not. To cheat or to be honest is a matter of choice. There is nothing wrong to be fiercely competitive and to possess that killer instinct but to be a cheat or to bend rules so that you can have an unfair advantage over another is something quite different.

Our everyday life is no different. Often we are called to make choices. So it is really up to us. We can choose to be honest or we can choose to be like the golfing cheat. But one thing is for sure, if a golfer is known to be a cheat he will carry that reputation with him because that is the character that he wanted to show to other fellow golfers. It is our character that people see of us when you make choices. They can see you as a man of integrity or they can see you as a big cheat. It really is up to you on how you build your character and how you want people to see of you.

A revisit of history : one reason why I admire LKY

This article was first published in 1967 in the Harvard Crimson, the daily student newspaper of the Harvard University.

Lee Kuan Yew
Profile

By JOEL R. KRAMER,
Published: Monday, October 23, 1967

Lee Kuan Yew, prime minister of the city-state of Singapore, is a mayor who talks as though he may one day be a world statesman.

The 44-year-old prime minister is an imposing figure who gives the impression that he is both competent and sure of himself. He speaks with a mild British accent, but, before a Harvard audience, he frequently used American idioms and seemed to have read everything published in the United States--from daily newspapers to the texts of Presidential speeches.

Lee's Singapore is the fifth largest port city in the world. Though plagued by severe unemployment and racial problems, it still has the highest standard of living in Southeast Asia. The tiny country with a predominantly Chinese population is walled in by four Muslim nations. And co Lee must try to maintain Singapore's delicate relations with Malaysia, increase Singapore's trade with both Eastern and Western powers, and prevent a new wave of Communist uprisings in neighboring Southeast Asian nations.

His concern for the fate of Southeast Asia, fortified by his spectacular economic successes and his ambitious style, make Lee a potential international strongman. The prime minister has traveled around the world talking about the Vietnam war and other Southeast Asian affairs. "I've got a very deep interest," he explains, "in my own survival."

Lee reportedly told a Harvard audience Friday that he has no right to tell America or Americans what to do. But he also said that the United States could have sharply limited its Vietnam operation in 1954, 1956, or even 1961, but now it is too late. On those occasions, he thought, the United States could have "drawn a line west of Mekong and said it will defend no more than that."

Now, the prime minister believes, the United States owes it to the Thais in particular and Southeast Asia in general to maintain a "military shield" behind which South Vietnam can build industrially.

Lee thinks there's some point to buying time with a shield because he believes in the great-man theory of history. And the great man is none other than Lee Kuan Yew, who thinks that because of his own competence and shrewdness Singapore has succeeded where South Vietnam has failed. "If you can find the group of men who could do it," Lee said in Dunster, "Saigon can do what Singapore did." In fact, the prime minister boasted, "If one looked at Saigon and Singapore in 1954, one would have said Singapore was the goner, not Saigon."

Because he believes one great man makes the difference, Lee blames the Eisenhower administration for America's present dilemma, because Eisenhower "permitted Diem to systematically eliminate all alternatives to him." South Vietnam no longer had a pool of talent from which a hero-ruler might emerge. "You can't go talent-scouting for leaders like in a telephone directory," Lee points out; "the British didn't create me."

The British may not have created Lee, but they did provide him with a Cambridge education and later bolstered him when his political machine began to sputter. Lee was the head of the ruling People's Action Party, and in 1962, British officials decided his power was eroding so quickly that his three-year old nation left alone would soon become another Cuba. The British decided that the best way to preserve Lee's power over Communist obstructionists was to unite Singapore and Malaysia, an ideal for which Lee had been striving for a decade. With British support, such a federation was effected in 1963. It was unstable from the outset and dissolved two years later, but observers believe that Lee has emerged a stronger Asian figure as a result of the temporary coalition.

Lee's strength probably has derived, in part, from his shrewdness. At Dunster House, he was the complete politician--deftly dodging embarrassing questions about the absence of political opposition in Singapore, humbly reiterating that it is not his place to order Americans around, and mentioning his accomplishments in Singapore just often enough to establish his credentials. The prime minister spoke into what looked like a microphone but was actually an attachment to his private tape recorder, "so I can check back and make sure I wasn't misquoted," he explained.

There is no doubt that Lee has done much for Singapore. The tiny island republic has a per capita income of $500 per year, the highest in the area. From 1961 to 1965, Lee spent $315 million on economic development, focusing on power plants, water facilities, roads and other precursors of industrial growth. Singapore has negotiated trade agreements with the Soviet Union, Hungary, Bulgaria, Great Britain, the United States, and several other nations.

Lee still must tackle an acute unemployment problem. It is estimated that 20,000 more jobless youths emerge from the schools in Singapore each year, and there seems to be no immediate solution in sight.

Perhaps a more important problem, and one Lee refused to discuss in Dunster House, is the lack of political opposition in his country. There is no opposition to speak of at present, except an underground Communist movement. In three of the past four by-elections, all the candidates in Lee's party ran unopposed. Lee said last year that he would like to see a "good, lively, opposition" but he doesn't seem to act with that idea in mind. Newspapers are strictly licensed, and leading Communists who happen to bob above the surface are frequently jailed.

These internal problems, however, are dwarfed by the Vietnam war, which brought Lee to see President Johnson. Lee is not the kind of man who would admit that his future rests entirely in America's hands. On the contrary, he told his Harvard audience, "If you leave, we'll soldier on. We'll try. I'm only telling you the awful consequence which withdrawal would mean." One gets the feeling that Lee believes those "awful consequences" would not mean his downfall. It would take more than the blunders of a misguided super-power to accomplish that.

I am so sick of Durian!

I have been very very sick for the last 2 days and I am blaming it on my over durian bingeing- Of those of you who have no idea of what this thorny king of fruits of SE Asia is, you can simply wiki it to find out or checkout my previous posts. I bought two packets of already nicely packed durians last friday down at the fruit stall as they are already now in season. They were of Monthong variety and I was pretty sure they came across the border as I am yet to see a durian tree being grown here (though I am told in the south of Laos there are plenty of durian trees grown) This wasnt the first time I had durian here but this was the first time I got really sick. My wife did tell me that I shouldnt eat too much of it as they can be quiet “heaty”. I simply ignored her as in my world, nothing comes in the way between me and my love for durian. I told her that this was my only guilty vice so she should let me indulge in it. But there I was regretting the whole thing as I vomited profusely the next day. I fell so sick I actually couldn't get myself out of the bed nevermind having anything solid to eat as I just simply threw out soon after I took anything down my throat. This is one of those times I have to let down my ego and say sorry to my wife.

10 Commandments of Goofiest Fiscal Policies

As the media frenzy of Greece's debt crisis slowly unfolds, all eyes are now looking at how Germany and France will come out of this in ensuring that the Euro will remain a stable currency. There is an obvious fear of a contagion effect affecting the rest of the smaller ecomomies that make up PIIGS which to my mind is quite an acronym to give for Portugal, Ireland, Iceland and Spain. Whilst the figures of the rescue package announced are mind boggling, I have been having a hard time trying to understand why there are angers on both sides of the fence- okay I am just kidding! I can understand why the ordinary Germans are angry. After all their country will have to come out with the biggest share in the bailout and I am sure the money will come out from the taxpayers. This was reminiscent of the amount they spent unifying the two Germans. But that was different. German reunification was somewhat a national issue- to reunify of what was a single sovereign country. The current bailout was nothing of that sort. The two countries are vastly different in terms of politics, identities and are wide apart in terms of economic wealth. They maybe under a union but we all know that politically and economically countries that form the Union are still wide apart. I mean just ask the Brits on why they will never join the Euro Zone. I dont think they are ready to subsidize the poorer members when they have their own economic problems and budget deficit to sort out. I just wish David Cameron a very good luck on how he and his new coalition Government will manage to shrink UK's massive deficits.

That brings me to this issue which is closer to home. We have been brought up in a subsidized culture and If we could have the option, everything in this world should be free. But how many of us do realize this? - in the real world this can never be the case. somehow, someone has to pay for something that we get for free which in our case the Government. But Governments have to earn some money to pay for all these services and obviously tax will form the major bulk to fill up the Government’s coffers. For us, its a good thing we have oil and infact for every dollar that the Government earns 80 cents is actually coming from oil and gas. How many people do realise this? how many people realise that such resource-based income is not sustainable?

Just to give you and idea, for one, oil is not an infinite resource, they do and can run out. for second, what makes us think, with fear of climate change and rush for alternative energy and so on, oil will remain a valuable commodity? I mean just think about it- the world stopped using steam engine not because we ran out of water but we found a better and more efficient energy which was oil. Wont oil suffer the same fate once the world finds a better alternative?

Sometimes thinking the worst case scenario will make us understand the consequences easier. Herewith, I thought why dont we sit down for a moment and think of what would be the worst possible macro economic and financial policies that any Government could adopt to destroy their own countries.

1. Thou shall spend money that thou do not have.

Governments are just like you and me. If you want to go bust you can just simply spend, spend and spend. Now unless you are as big as the USA which can print money almost at will, with a huge economy to back you up and a fiat money that has a life in itself (PetroDollar, Chinese Dollar, Euro Dollar), you can forget of being extravagant without facing the consequences. Greece is a perfect example of this situation.

They need to have an income to support its public sector spending that can include paying the salaries of the public servants, the capital infrastructure spending as well as the many subsidies given. Income can come from the tax in our case the oil tax as well as profits and dividends from our investments at home and abroad. If we spend more than we earn we may have to find other sources of the income. We can either increase the tax or in the case of Greece they actually increase their public sector borrowing from the private banks through the sale of their bonds which are now rated as junk. If your government bonds are backed with some valuable security that will work out just fine. But once you have a bad record of not paying the agreed dividend as promised, you can be sure no creditor will ever buy your bonds.

2.Thou shall have a bloated civil service.

Lets face it- The public sector does not create wealth. It spends it for social programs and public sector infrastructure projects like building roads and hospitals etc. Of course you do need this program to push for your social agenda. after all, thats is why Governments exist. But if you do need to spend on this, be sure you have the money to pay for it. A better option could have been attracting private sector participation as well as foreign direct investments. 3Ps or Public Finance Initiatives or some of the ingenious business models are perfect models that can be exploited.

3. Thou shall have a deficit that hit beyond 10% of GDP
Isn't this obvious? If you earn $1 but you spend $1.40, that spells trouble. Ask Greece.

4. Thou shall have more subsidies and more subsidies

To be continued......