Giving back to our community

Social causes, not drugs

By LOH FOON FONG

FIQTRY Al Haqimiey plays the didgeridoo and djembe for his four-member band Semira (Seni Milik Rakyat) but on Sundays, the 21-year-old goes to the market, collects free vegetables from the sellers and cooks them for the homeless.

Coordinating an NGO called Food not Bombs Kuala Lumpur (FNBKL), Fiqtry and six other people, including his band members, cook vegetarian food at the FNBKL centre in Robson Heights, Taman Seputeh from 2pm to 5.30pm and then distribute the food to the homeless and destitute at Jalan Bukit Nenas, Kuala Lumpur.

http://thestar.com.my/youth2/story.asp?file=/2006/3/29/youth2/13471869&sec=youth2

(Wednesday, March 29 2006)

I heard about them from a friend some time ago,and it's amazing how dedicated some people are.Charity work will always amaze me as it requires you to put extreme effort in order to make it work and also bring the effects that you want.I don't think people do enough for society because even stories like the above occur only once in awhile.Not that i'm doubting the existence of many good samaritans out there who are ever willing to lend a helping hand to those who need it.But you know how things are,it's never enough.Even the occasional beggars who ask for money from table to table gets turned away.I guess some people think they are putting up a front,'pretending' to be crippled or blind in order to get some sympathy.I guess you could never really be sure,just have faith in the human kind.haha.But anyway,it would be really nice to get involved in any form of charity work.So maybe we could encourage each other to do so! ;p

The idea of recycling has always appealed to me as it offers a solution to the answer of where does all the rubbish go.I mean,i look at the amount of plastic rubbish alone i generate in a day and i shudder.Times that with the whole population of Malaysia,not to mention the whole world and its like wowhh.It's just amazing the amount of non-biodegradable rubbish we produce.So why not recycle?It is for our own good right?I applaud malls which have recycling bins like Ikano Power Centre in Damansara.It actually encourages consumers to practice recycling,even if it's only in the mall but hey,that's a start right?But sometimes there are irresponsible people who do not throw the types of rubbish into their respective bins.I don't know why but i guess not everything can go perfectly.Which comes back to the main question.Why can't our country be more serious in handling our rubbish?I mean,the decreasing amount of space to chuck them away had some people worried a few years back,and i heard about trips being made to countries who successfully carry out their recycling programs.Then nothing.Nada.Nyet.What happened?Is it still in progress?What's going on?A friend says that it's takes a lot of time,cost,technology to start this whole recycling thing but what are we waiting for?Till we finally run out of space and grounds to dig,or till our rivers or lakes or oceans becomes a dumping ground (It is already isn't it?) I mean ,yeah,it's easy to talk about it and all but to carry it out takes a lot more and that is exactly what we don't have.We've achieved so much and yet we still have doubts about doing things that would actually benefit us.Is it because recycling takes too much effort and we can't really gain any profit from it that we think that it is not a worthwhile cause to fight for?For me,i think that recycling is a brilliant idea and if only we are encouraged to recycle more,and also provided with the facilities and also the knowledge,well,wouldn't it be a better world? :) I'm trying it out and mind you i'm not an expert on the subject.In fact,i'm still having trouble identifying a proper recycling center but i don't think that should stop me.Till then,lets try this recycling thing.Once we get used to it it'll probably be a breeze ;p

http://www.kitarsemula.com/RecyclingCentre.asp (it's a dead link!anyone has any suggestions as to where we can check out our nearest recycling center,other information about recycling etc.thanx!) this might be something worth looking into : http://www.reach.org.my/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22&Itemid=47 (

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall...

New love-our-river campaign

JOHOR BARU: The 15-year-old “Love Our River” campaign has been declared a failure but there are plans to launch a new RM10mil campaign to educate the public about protecting rivers in the country.

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/4/25/nation/17541919&sec=nation
(Wednesday, April 25th 2007)

Let's hope it will be a well-spent 10mil.....

Why Walls Don't Work in Baghdad


Residents walk past a concrete wall on a street in Adhamiya district in Baghdad April 22, 2007. The U.S. military is putting up concrete walls to protect five neighbourhoods in Baghdad in a new strategy some residents said on Sunday would isolate them from other communities and sharpen sectarian tensions.



http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1614328,00.html
(Tuesday, April 24th 2007)

Earth Day and Astronomy Day

Astronomy Day : 21st April (ngehehe.i know i could've been an astronomer if i wanted to ;p)

Earth Day : 22nd April www.earthday.net Fight climate change!

Check this out:will it work in favor of the Democrats?

Senator Reid: Iraq War is 'Lost'
Friday, Apr. 20, 2007 By AP/ANNE FLAHERTY

(WASHINGTON) — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday the war in Iraq is "lost," triggering an angry backlash by Republicans, who said the top Democrat had turned his back on the troops. The bleak assessment — the most pointed yet from Reid — came as the House voted 215-199 to uphold legislation ordering troops out of Iraq next year.

read the rest : http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1612977,00.html

I say get the American troops out A.S.A.P .Enough lives are wasted and they are fighting a different war now,one that is not becoming any better with or without their (US) intervention.I used to think that US soldiers are a bunch of mindless bullies but now,well,lets just say that i've learned to understand the,umm,situation.Circumstances can put us in situations where,well,we may or may not want to be in.But anyway,as i was saying,it's high time the American troops are taken out of Iraq.They're fighting a war that's not theirs.And i'm sure their service could be put to much better use,like giving aid to countries who really needs it.



College student loses RM148,000
PENANG: A college student lost all her college fees totalling RM148,000 to a syndicate which told her that she had won RM3.3mil in two Internet lucky draws.
The 20-year-old student first received a call on March 20 from a woman telling her that she had won RM120,000 in a Hong Kong Turf Club online draw.

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/4/20/nation/20070420184750&sec=nation

I think a lot of Internet scams are surfacing nowadays.Please please,let's remind ourselves,don't be fooled by them!

14 langkah yang perlu diikuti oleh negara2 sebelum boleh mengisytihar perang

1.Gunakan nota bantahan
2.Satu pihak akan membuat penafian dan tuduhan
3.Memanggil balik dutanya di negara yang berkonflik itu
4.Menarik balik dutanya
5.Tindakan untuk mengeluarkan ancaman yang serius
6.Ancaman untuk adakan sekatan,embargo atau 'ekonomik embargo'
7.Melancarkan propaganda di dalam dan diluar negara untuk jatuhkan suatu pihak
8.Perlaksanaan sekatan atau embargo secara terhad
9.Memutuskan hubungan diplomatik secara formal
10.Melaksanakan tindakan ketenteraan yang bersifat tidak kekerasan
11.Penutupan semua dokumen2 pergerakan dan komunikasi antara kedua pihak
12.Perlaksanaan sekatan secara formal dan menyeluruh
13.Penggunaan kekuatan secara terhad (hantar tentera ke sempadan)
14.Perang

got this from a friend who is studying international relations (just so happens he has an exam on this subject the next day.gud luck!) haven't had the time to translate it tho but will do!

see see??!! don't be litterbugs people!!

Rubbish in rivers force water treatment plants to shut down temporarily

CHERAS: Water treatment plants are being forced to temporarily shut down, up to 18 times a year, as a result of effluents and rubbish being dumped into rivers.
Puncak Niaga Sdn Bhd (PNSB) managing director Datuk Mat Lasa Hitam said the company's shut down of several water treatment plants last year resulted in a total water production loss of 30,000 cubic metres.
PNSB operates 33 water treatment plants in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, four of which are operated by water concessionaires Konsortium Abass Sdn Bhd and Splash Sdn Bhd.
Shutting down the plants adversely affects residents when the volume of clean water produced does not meet demand.
"For this year, until April, we had been forced to temporarily close several of our plants nine times, resulting in water production loss of 34,000 cubic metres.
"Such plant closures are caused by wanton dumping of rubbish and fluids into our rivers, in addition to other factors such as oil spillage, high ammonia levels and even the stench of nearby rubbish disposal areas.
"For example, PNSB plants in Bukit Tampoi, Cheras and Salak Tinggi were closed due to high ammonia levels in the water.
"The Gombak plant was closed as a result of diesel spillage caused by an overturned vehicle on the highway where the river runs through," he said.
He also added that a new water treatment procedure using membrane technology in an ultra-filtration process was undergoing a test-pilot project in the Kepong and Sungai Rumput plants to develop more conducive filtration procedures.
Mat Lasa, who earlier read out a speech on behalf of PNSB executive chairman Tan Sri Rozali Ismail during the launch of PNSB's 20th River Rescue Brigade (RRB) here, added that it was important to educate society on preserving our rivers.
The event on Thursday was aimed at inculcating knowledge among the young on the effects of river pollution, water cycle, water treatment process, water quality and wise water usage.
More than 160 students aged between 10 to 11 from SK Dusun Nanding, SK Lubok Kelubi, SJK (T) Kajang and SJK (C) Cheras were selected to join the RRB.
Fomca president N. Marimuthu, who opened the event said it was important to educate them from young so they could spread the message to their parents and peers of the importance of river-cleanliness.

www.thestar.com.my (thursday,april 19th 2007)

some of us don't really care about littering because the crap that we throw out of our windows don't show up in our faces the next day.but get this,it shows up someplace else.we may not think that the little things we do,like actually putting rubbish in the rubbish bin and not outside it,matters, but if we all just take a little initiative to care more about our environment (hey.just imagine people littering your house,you like it?) it can really go a long way.if you think this is all just a myth,so is global warming.and we're not very far away from that are we.just ask Gore.haha

must watch : The Inconvenient Truth (i haven't)

virginia tech massacre

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1612368,00.html

What does being Korean or Asian have anything to do with Cho Seung-Hui's actions?I really don't see a need to bring up this issue.His actions were his alone,they do not represent a country or a region or anything else.And i don't think psycho analysing his actions would help much either.I mean,it's done and over with.Actions needed to be taken to beef up security in the campus (but really,to what extent) It just goes to show how unpredictable people can get,and really,what defense is there against that?Not all Asians,North Koreans, or English literature people will suddenly pick up a gun one day and decide to just shoot some people.

I was discussing it with my room-mate and she said why don't they stop people with mental problems from being out in public so that things like people going amok or stuff like that won't happen.Well,that wouldn't really be fair would it?I mean,first of all,how do you tell if someone actually had mental problems?And how do we measure the level of 'craziness' that person has?Some could be totally harmless and some could be really dangerous.And does it take mental problems to actually drive someone over the edge?A person can be rational one minute and snap in the next.And people with mental problems needs to be treated just the same as everyone else.

It's an endless debate,when issues arise from an action of this kind.We can talk about it,till we feel that we've come to a solution.But is there,really,a solution?I mean,who can fathom the human mind?Who really knows what was going on in the killer's mind?He could be trying to prove a point,make a statement.What?Beats me.We are,by far,the most unpredictable and dangerous creature to ever exist and who knows what anyone of us will do tomorrow.

will it only end when every single iraqi citizen is wiped out?

Bombs kill nearly 200 in Baghdad after PM's pledge

By Dean Yates and Paul Tait
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Car bombs killed nearly 200 people in Baghdad on Wednesday in the deadliest attacks since U.S. and Iraqi forces launched a security crackdown aimed at halting the country's slide into civil war.
One car bomb alone in the mainly Shi'ite Sadriya neighbourhood killed 140 people and wounded 150, police said, making it the worst single insurgent bomb attack in Baghdad since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

Residents and rescue workers gather at the scene of a car bomb attack in Baghdad April 18, 2007. Car bombs killed nearly 200 people in Baghdad on Wednesday in the deadliest attacks since U.S. and Iraqi forces launched a security crackdown aimed at halting the country's slide into civil war. (REUTERS/Ali Jasim)

Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki condemned the perpetrators as "vampires" and "soldiers of satan" and ordered the arrest of the Iraqi army commander in charge of security in Sadriya for failing to secure the neighbourhood.
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, speaking in Tel Aviv on a visit to the region, called the bombings "horrifying" and indicated Sunni Islamist al Qaeda was to blame.
The apparently coordinated attacks -- there were several within a short space of time -- occurred hours after Maliki said Iraq would take security control of the whole country from foreign forces by the end of the year.
The bombs killed a total of 191 people and wounded 250, police said. The worst combined bomb attacks in Baghdad since the war were when six car bombs killed 202 people in November.
"The street was transformed into a swimming pool of blood," said Ahmed Hameed, a shopkeeper near the carnage in Sadriya.
One witness described scenes of mayhem at an intersection where the bomb exploded near a market. Many of the dead were women and children, said the witness, who declined to be named.
"Some people were burned alive inside minibuses. Nobody could reach them after the explosion," said the witness. "Women were screaming and shouting for their loved ones who died."
One man waving his arms in the air screamed hysterically: "Where's Maliki? Let him come and see what is happening here."
Maliki is under growing pressure to say when foreign soldiers will leave, but the attacks in mainly Shi'ite areas of Baghdad underscored the huge challenges for Iraq's security forces in taking charge of overall security from more than 150,000 U.S. and British troops.
U.S. and Iraqi forces began deploying thousands more troops on Baghdad's streets in February.
Sectarian death squad killings have declined, but car bombs are much harder to stop, U.S. military officials say.
The bombings could inflame sectarian passions in Baghdad, especially among the Mehdi Army militia of anti-American Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, which has kept a low profile so far during the two-month-old Baghdad security offensive.
Al Qaeda is blamed for most of the major bombings targeting Shi'ites in Iraq and there are fears the Mehdi Army may take to the streets to retaliate.

www.thestar.com.my (Thursday, 19th april 2007)

When will it end?

Sharifah Mazlina makes it to top of North Pole
By Manjit Kaurmanjit@thestar.com.my
SVALBARD (Norway): Polar explorer Datin Paduka Sharifah Mazlina Syed Abdul Kadir has made it to the “top of the world.”
She reached her destination at 90 degrees North at 2.45pm (8.25pm Malaysian time) in a day of clear sunny skies, according to a report posted on her website last night.
“I am here. Thank you everyone for your prayers and support; this is for all of us Malaysians. Greetings from the North Pole!'' she said in remarks carried on her website www.sharifahpole2pole.com.
It was the culmination of the 42-year-old lecturer's one-and-a-half years of preparation and hard work to reach the top of the North Pole.


True grit: Sharifah Mazlina during one of her treks through the ice before reaching the North Pole yesterday. — Picture taken from her website.Despite enduring bad weather over the last 10 days and having to cross difficult terrain, Sharifah Mazlina surmounted the odds to put the country on the polar map.
Several of her fans posted congratulatory messages on her website.
Sharifah Mazlina, who is the first Asian woman to complete the Pole-to-Pole mission, left for Norway on April 3.
In April 2004, she was the first Asian woman to reach the South Pole.
Earlier reports on her website yesterday stated that good weather and a smooth surface provided her with an easy trek.
“I plan to start early and hope to reach the finishing line during midday so that I can proceed to go back to the Borneo Base camp,” she had said earlier.
“Today’s (yesterday's) journey was full of ice cracks but I managed to pull it through by walking 13km without any drifting and not pressurising both my feet,” she added.
Sharifah Mazlina had been using a Global Positioning System device to record her movement and location, and carried a revolver for safety reasons.
The explorer's achievement also caps a proud moment for Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is the patron of the North Pole Expedition Pole-to-Pole Mission 2006/07.

www.thestar.com.my (wednesday,april 18th 2007)

it's amazing the sheer willpower some people have to achieve their goals.kudos to Datin Paduka Sharifah Mazlina (maybe it's the name.hahah) for another amazing accomplishment and for bringing glory to Malaysia.i salute you!

hello

hello.
i do not have a solid concrete reason why i wanted to start this blog but maybe i'm hoping to just obtain the reasons as i go along.so this is where i will be posting things that get my attention,mainly to highlight certain issues which i think needs to be spread around.i guess one of the things that i hope i am able to do is create awareness,since that is the only thing i am able to do right now.whether anyone actually reads this,is well,not really my concern.this blog is just a place for me to voice out my opinion and well,rant on and on about how i'm an activist wannabe and all.if you ask me what kind of activist it is i want to be,well,seriously,i don't know.that is why i am a wannabe.i mean,i want to fight for human rights,no wars,the environment,abuse against animals etc. but in order to be a full-fledged activist i guess you need to focus and i just haven't found that focus yet so maybe this blog will help me find my focus.hehe.and i guess this blog also helps me to compile the various links which i find interesting to look at in achieving my activist-ness.so,good luck to me and thank you to you who is reading this

ok.1st up i guess i'll talk about the power of the internet.recently,i've been reading the TIME magazine (december 25,2006-january 1,2007) and one of the issues they were talking about was how much YouTube has changed our lives.and also blogs.people are able to express their minds and amateurs are putting up videos that actually affects politicians' lives.it is an undeniable fact that the web (or known as Web 2.0-made up of ordinary people,people adding their voice to the Web's great evolving conversation-TIME) has such an influence on people's lives.so why not use that influence to spread news or our own take of things,you never know who is reading them.so here is my take on things.feel free to comment and to say what's on your minds.till then,peace y'all (*waving a peace sign*) ps: how activist-ty is that ;p