Tuesday 29 September 2009

Muelmar Magallanes, a brave young hero in flooded Manila


The news story below depicts are truly brave and selfless young man, who deserves to be honoured as a hero and a role model for all. Muelmar was brave and honourable, and the perfect example of a good human being. The 18 year old Muelmar Magallenes died saving others, may he rest in eternal peace.


Read more HERE & HERE


"Muelmar Magallanes braved rampaging floods to save more than 30 persons, but ended up sacrificing his life in a last trip to rescue a baby girl who was being swept away on a styrofoam box.

Family members and people who Magallanes saved hailed the 18-year-old construction worker a hero, as his body lay in a coffin at a makeshift evacuation center near their destroyed Manila riverside village.

“I am going to be forever grateful to Muelmar. He gave his life for my baby. I will never forget his sacrifice,” said Menchie Peñalosa, the mother of the six-month-old girl whom he carried to safety before being swept away himself.

Magallanes was at home on Saturday with his family when tropical storm Ketsana (Ondoy) unleashed the heaviest rains in more than 40 years in Metro Manila and surrounding areas.

At first the family, long used to heavy rains, paid little attention to the storm.

But Magallanes and his father quickly decided to evacuate the family once they realized the river 2,600 feet away had burst its banks.

With the help of an older brother, Magallanes tied a string around his waist and attached it one-by-one to his three younger siblings, whom he took to higher ground. Then he came back for his parents.

But Magallanes, a strong swimmer, decided to go back for neighbors trapped on rooftops.

He ended up making many trips, and eventually saved more than 30 people from drowning, witnesses and survivors said.

Tired and shivering, Magallanes was back on higher ground with his family when he heard Penalosa screaming as she and her baby were being swept away on the polystyrene box they were using in an attempt to cross the swift currents.

He dived back in after the mother and daughter, who were already a few meters away and bobbing precariously among the debris floating on the brown water.

“I didn’t know that the current was so strong. In an instant, I was under water. We were going to die,” said Peñalosa, her eyes welling with tears and voice choking with emotion.

“Then this man came from nowhere and grabbed us. He took us to where the other neighbors were, and then he was gone,” Peñalosa said.

Peñalosa and other witnesses said an exhausted Magallanes was simply washed away amid the torrent of water.

Neighbors found his body on Sunday, along with 28 others who perished amid Manila’s epic flooding.

Standing next to his coffin, Magallanes’ parents paid tribute to their son.

“He always had a good heart,” said his father, Samuel. “We had already been saved. But he decided to go back one last time for the girl.”

His mother, Maria Luz, wept as she described her son as incredibly brave. He saved so many people, but ended up not being able to save himself.” "


The Philippines government says 240 people are now know to have died in flooding caused by Tropical Storm Ketsana, the AFP news agency reports.

The country has appealed for foreign aid to deal with the disaster, which has displaced more than 450,000 people.

Some 374,890 people are living in makeshift shelters, three times more than previously reported.

Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said the situation could become worse if aid supplies run out. Read more HERE



Urgent international assistance is needed, ASEAN has been very quiet, not a word so far from this regional group of which Malaysia & Singapore are the richest members.

Malaysia should shelve all the wasteful and ridiculous glamour programmes, such as the proposed Malaysian F1 team, and divert at least Ringgit Malaysia 500 Million [MYR] = (United States $145 million [USD]) = (6822 million Philippine Peso [PHP]) immediately to aid the needy in the Philippines.

Singapore should also donate substantially too.

Other aid, such as expert manpower, foodstuffs, medicines, tents and other materials to make shelters, is also urgently needed, let's get it organised now - but let us make sure that the evil corrupt bastards amongst us do not get a chance to syphon off this humanitarian aid to line their own stinking pockets!

What about it PM Najib & PM Lee?



Now is the time show a little charity, humanity and selflessness!

THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday appealed to the international community to assist in the government’s rescue and relief assistance to hundreds of thousands of victims of Typhoon Ondoy.

The US, China and Japan were the first to respond sending assistance amounting $280,000 in cash and relief emergency goods.

US military personnel were sent to help in the rescue efforts while the US Embassy donated $50,000 to the Philippine National Red Cross’s rescue and relief efforts.

READ HOW TO DONATE DIRECT TO:

THE NATIONAL PHILIPPINES RED CROSS, (PNRC), PNRC’s Operations Center has sent 18 rubber boats and one aluminum boat to the affected areas in Manila.

VERITAS & CARITAS ("Caritas & Veritas have kicked off the mobilization to raise much-needed funds for victims and relief operations affected by Typhoon Ondoy. Caritas Crisis and Disaster Program utilizes the church’s network of parishes, priests, social action centers, and church volunteers to bring aid and assistance to affected areas and families.") Click HERE


Omnes una manet nox


The same night awaits us all.



Maxima debetur puero reverentia


We owe the greatest respect to a child



Dum inter homines sumus, colamus humanitatem


As long as we are among humans, let us be humane.

Monday 28 September 2009

HOME TRUTHS FROM BARACK OBAMA


Fine words indeed, these words now need to be translated in to actions by all the governments of the world!
  • "The religious convictions that we hold in our hearts can forge new bonds among people, or tear us apart. The technology we harness can light the path to peace, or forever darken it. The energy we use can sustain our planet, or destroy it. What happens to the hope of a single child - anywhere - can enrich our world, or impoverish it."
  • "I believe that the people of the world want this future for their children. And that is why we must champion those principles which ensure that governments reflect the will of the people. These principles cannot be afterthoughts - democracy and human rights are essential to achieving each of the goals that I have discussed today."
  • "Because governments of the people and by the people are more likely to act in the broader interests of their own people, rather than the narrow interest of those in power."
  • "The test of our leadership will not be the degree to which we feed the fears and old hatreds of our people. True leadership will not be measured by the ability to muzzle dissent, or to intimidate and harass political opponents at home. The people of the world want change. They will not long tolerate those who are on the wrong side of history."
  • "This assembly's Charter commits each of us, and I quote - "to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women.""
  • "Among those rights is the freedom to speak your mind and worship as you please; the promise of equality of the races, and the opportunity for women and girls to pursue their own potential; the ability of citizens to have a say in how you are governed, and to have confidence in the administration of justice. For just as no nation should be forced to accept the tyranny of another nation, no individual should be forced to accept the tyranny of their own government."
  • "Developing nations must root out the corruption that is an obstacle to progress - for opportunity cannot thrive where individuals are oppressed and business have to pay bribes. That's why we will support honest police and independent judges; civil society and a vibrant private sector. Our goal is simple: a global economy in which growth is sustained, and opportunity is available to all."
  • "And I pledge that America will always stand with those who stand up for their dignity and their rights - for the student who seeks to learn; the voter who demands to be heard; the innocent who longs to be free; and the oppressed who yearns to be equal."
it was enlightening and heartening to listen to President Osama speak live at the UN

Fine words indeed, however these noble words need to be translated in to affirmative and sincere actions by all the governments of the world.

The time for shadow plays, lip service and bigotry is over!
Malaysia too needs to change and follow all the principles for good governance as outlined in President Obama's statement to the UN General Assembly.

Please take time to read and digest what Barack Obama said.

Barack Obama's UN general assembly speech in full (the links are to articles in the Guardian newspaper, UK).

Statement by Barack Obama at the UN general assembly, full text:

Mr President, Mr Secretary-General, fellow delegates, ladies and gentleman: it is my honour to address you for the first time as the forty-fourth president of the United States. I come before you humbled by the responsibility that the American people have placed upon me; mindful of the enormous challenges of our moment in history; and determined to act boldly and collectively on behalf of justice and prosperity at home and abroad.

I have been in office for just nine months, though some days it seems a lot longer. I am well aware of the expectations that accompany my presidency around the world. These expectations are not about me.

Rather, they are rooted - I believe - in a discontent with a status quo that has allowed us to be increasingly defined by our differences, and outpaced by our problems. But they are also rooted in hope – the hope that real change is possible, and the hope that America will be a leader in bringing about such change.

I took office at a time when many around the world had come to view America with scepticism and distrust. Part of this was due to misperceptions and misinformation about my country. Part of this was due to opposition to specific policies, and a belief that on certain critical issues, America has acted unilaterally, without regard for the interests of others. This has fed an almost reflexive anti-Americanism, which too often has served as an excuse for our collective inaction.

Like all of you, my responsibility is to act in the interest of my nation and my people, and I will never apologise for defending those interests. But it is my deeply held belief that in the year 2009 - more than at any point in human history - the interests of nations and peoples are shared.

The religious convictions that we hold in our hearts can forge new bonds among people, or tear us apart. The technology we harness can light the path to peace, or forever darken it. The energy we use can sustain our planet, or destroy it. What happens to the hope of a single child - anywhere - can enrich our world, or impoverish it.

In this hall, we come from many places, but we share a common future. No longer do we have the luxury of indulging our differences to the exclusion of the work that we must do together. I have carried this message from London to Ankara; from Port of Spain to Moscow; from Accra to Cairo; and it's what I will speak about today. Because the time has come for the world to move in a new direction. We must embrace a new era of engagement based on mutual interests and mutual respect, and our work must begin now.

We know the future will be forged by deeds and not simply words. Speeches alone will not solve our problems - it will take persistent action. So for those who question the character and cause of my nation, I ask you to look at the concrete actions that we have taken in just nine months.

On my first day in office, I prohibited - without exception or equivocation - the use of torture by the United States of America. I ordered the prison at Guantánamo Bay closed, and we are doing the hard work of forging a framework to combat extremism within the rule of law. Every nation must know: America will live its values, and we will lead by example.

We have set a clear and focused goal: to work with all members of this body to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al-Qaida and its extremist allies - a network that has killed thousands of people of many faiths and nations, and that plotted to blow up this very building. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, we - and many nations here - are helping those governments develop the capacity to take the lead in this effort, while working to advance opportunity and security for their people.

In Iraq, we are responsibly ending a war. We have removed American combat brigades from Iraqi cities, and set a deadline of next August to remove all of our combat brigades from Iraqi territory. And I have made clear that we will help Iraqis transition to full responsibility for their future, and keep our commitment to remove all American troops by the end of 2011.

I have outlined a comprehensive agenda to seek the goal of a world without nuclear weapons. In Moscow, the United States and Russia announced that we would pursue substantial reductions in our strategic warheads and launchers. At the conference on disarmament, we agreed on a work plan to negotiate an end to the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons. And this week, my secretary of State will become the first senior American representative to the annual members conference of the comprehensive test ban treaty.

Upon taking office, I appointed a special envoy for Middle East peace, and America has worked steadily and aggressively to advance the cause of two states - Israel and Palestine - in which peace and security take root, and the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians are respected.

To confront climate change, we have invested $80bn in clean energy. We have substantially increased our fuel-efficiency standards. We have provided new incentives for conservation, launched an energy partnership across the Americas, and moved from a bystander to a leader in international climate negotiations.

To overcome an economic crisis that touches every corner of the world, we worked with the G20 nations to forge a coordinated international response of over two trillion dollars in stimulus to bring the global economy back from the brink. We mobilised resources that helped prevent the crisis from spreading further to developing countries. And we joined with others to launch a $20bn global food security initiative that will lend a hand to those who need it most, and help them build their own capacity.

We have also re-engaged the United Nations. We have paid our bills. We have joined the Human Rights Council. We have signed the convention on the rights of persons with disabilities. We have fully embraced the millennium development goals. And we address our priorities here, in this institution - for instance, through the security council meeting that I will chair tomorrow on nuclear non proliferation and disarmament, and through the issues that I will discuss today.

This is what we have done. But this is just a beginning. Some of our actions have yielded progress. Some have laid the groundwork for progress in the future. But make no mistake: this cannot be solely America's endeavour. Those who used to chastise America for acting alone in the world cannot now stand by and wait for America to solve the world's problems alone. We have sought - in word and deed - a new era of engagement with the world. Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global
challenges.

If we are honest with ourselves, we need to admit that we are not living up to that responsibility. Consider the course that we are on if we fail to confront the status quo. Extremists sowing terror in pockets of the world. Protracted conflicts that grind on and on.

Genocide and mass atrocities. More and more nations with nuclear weapons. Melting ice caps and ravaged populations. Persistent poverty and pandemic disease. I say this not to sow fear, but to state a fact: the magnitude of our challenges has yet to be met by the measure of our action.

This body was founded on the belief that the nations of the world could solve their problems together. Franklin Roosevelt, who died before he could see his vision for this institution become a reality, put it this way - and I quote: "The structure of world peace cannot be the work of one man, or one party, or one nation. It cannot be a peace of large nations - or of small nations. It must be a peace which rests on the cooperative effort of the whole world."

The cooperative effort of the whole world. Those words ring even more true today, when it is not simply peace - but our very health and prosperity that we hold in common. Yet I also know that this body is made up of sovereign states. And sadly, but not surprisingly, this body has often become a forum for sowing discord instead of forging common ground; a venue for playing politics and exploiting grievances rather than solving problems. After all, it is easy to walk up to this podium and to point fingers and stoke division. Nothing is easier than blaming others for our troubles, and absolving ourselves of responsibility for our choices and our actions. Anyone can do that.

Responsibility and leadership in the 21st century demand more. In an era when our destiny is shared, power is no longer a zero sum game. No one nation can or should try to dominate another nation. No world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will succeed. No balance of power among nations will hold. The traditional division between nations of the south and north makes no sense in an interconnected world. Nor do alignments of nations rooted in the cleavages of a long gone cold war.

The time has come to realise that the old habits and arguments are irrelevant to the challenges faced by our people. They lead nations to act in opposition to the very goals that they claim to pursue, and to vote - often in this body - against the interests of their own people.

They build up walls between us and the future that our people seek, and the time has come for those walls to come down. Together, we must build new coalitions that bridge old divides - coalitions of different faiths and creeds; of north and south, east and west; black, white, and brown.

The choice is ours. We can be remembered as a generation that chose to drag the arguments of the 20th century into the 21st; that put off hard choices, refused to look ahead, and failed to keep pace because we defined ourselves by what we were against instead of what we were for. Or, we can be a generation that chooses to see the shoreline beyond the rough waters ahead; that comes together to serve the common interests of human beings, and finally gives meaning to the promise embedded in the name given to this institution: the United Nations.

That is the future America wants - a future of peace and prosperity that we can only reach if we recognise that all nations have rights, but all nations have responsibilities as well. That is the bargain that makes this work. That must be the guiding principle of international cooperation.

Today, I put forward four pillars that are fundamental to the future that we want for our children: non-proliferation and disarmament; the promotion of peace and security; the preservation of our planet; and a global economy that advances opportunity for all people.

First, we must stop the spread of nuclear weapons, and seek the goal of a world without them.

This institution was founded at the dawn of the atomic age, in part because man's capacity to kill had to be contained. For decades, we averted disaster, even under the shadow of a superpower stand-off. But today, the threat of proliferation is growing in scope and complexity. If we fail to act, we will invite nuclear arms races in every region, and the prospect of wars and acts of terror on a scale that we can hardly imagine.

A fragile consensus stands in the way of this frightening outcome - the basic bargain that shapes the nuclear non proliferation treaty. It says that all nations have the right to peaceful nuclear energy; that nations with nuclear weapons have the responsibility to move toward disarmament; and those without them have the responsibility to forsake them. The next twelve months could be pivotal in determining whether this compact will be strengthened or will slowly dissolve.

America will keep our end of the bargain. We will pursue a new agreement with Russia to substantially reduce our strategic warheads and launchers. We will move forward with ratification of the test ban treaty, and work with others to bring the Treaty into force so that nuclear testing is permanently prohibited. We will complete a nuclear posture review that opens the door to deeper cuts, and reduces the role of nuclear weapons. And we will call upon countries to begin negotiations in January on a treaty to end the production of fissile material for weapons.

I will also host a summit next April that reaffirms each nation's responsibility to secure nuclear material on its territory, and to help those who can't - because we must never allow a single nuclear device to fall into the hands of a violent extremist. And we will work to strengthen the institutions and initiatives that combat nuclear smuggling and theft.

All of this must support efforts to strengthen the NPT. Those nations that refuse to live up to their obligations must face consequences. This is not about singling out individual nations - it is about standing up for the rights of all nations that do live up to their responsibilities. Because a world in which IAEA inspections are avoided and the United Nation's demands are ignored will leave all people less safe, and all nations less secure.

In their actions to date, the governments of North Korea and Iran threaten to take us down this dangerous slope. We respect their rights as members of the community of nations. I am committed to diplomacy that opens a path to greater prosperity and a more secure peace for both nations if they live up to their obligations.

But if the governments of Iran and North Korea choose to ignore international standards; if they put the pursuit of nuclear weapons ahead of regional stability and the security and opportunity of their own people; if they are oblivious to the dangers of escalating nuclear arms races in both East Asia and the Middle East - then they must be held accountable. The world must stand together to demonstrate that international law is not an empty promise, and that Treaties will be enforced. We must insist that the future not belong to fear.

That brings me to the second pillar for our future: the pursuit of peace.

The United Nations was born of the belief that the people of the world can live their lives, raise their families, and resolve their differences peacefully. And yet we know that in too many parts of the world, this ideal remains an abstraction. We can either accept that outcome as inevitable, and tolerate constant and crippling conflict.

Or we can recognise that the yearning for peace is universal, and reassert our resolve to end conflicts around the world.

That effort must begin with an unshakeable determination that the murder of innocent men, women and children will never be tolerated. On this, there can be no dispute. The violent extremists who promote conflict by distorting faith have discredited and isolated themselves. They offer nothing but hatred and destruction. In confronting them, America will forge lasting partnerships to target terrorists, share intelligence, coordinate law enforcement, and protect our people. We will permit no safe-haven for al-Qaida to launch attacks from Afghanistan or any other nation. We will stand by our friends on the front lines, as we and many nations will do in pledging support for the Pakistani people tomorrow. And we will pursue positive engagement that builds bridges among faiths, and new partnerships for opportunity.

But our efforts to promote peace cannot be limited to defeating violent extremists. For the most powerful weapon in our arsenal is the hope of human beings - the belief that the future belongs to those who build, not destroy; the confidence that conflicts can end, and a new day begin.

That is why we will strengthen our support for effective peacekeeping, while energising our efforts to prevent conflicts before they take hold. We will pursue a lasting peace in Sudan through support for the people of Darfur, and the implementation of the comprehensive peace agreement, so that we secure the peace that the Sudanese people deserve. And in countries ravaged by violence - from Haiti to Congo to East Timor - we will work with the UN and other partners to support an enduring peace.

I will also continue to seek a just and lasting peace between Israel, Palestine, and the Arab world. Yesterday, I had a constructive meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Abbas. We have made some progress. Palestinians have strengthened their efforts on security. Israelis have facilitated greater freedom of movement for the Palestinians. As a result of these efforts by both sides, the economy in the West Bank has begun to grow. But more progress is needed. We continue to call on Palestinians to end incitement against Israel, and we continue to emphasise that America does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements.

The time has come to relaunch negotiations - without preconditions - that address the permanent-status issues: security for Israelis and Palestinians; borders, refugees and Jerusalem. The goal is clear: two states living side by side in peace and security - a Jewish state of Israel, with true security for all Israelis; and a viable, independent Palestinian state with contiguous territory that ends the occupation that began in 1967, and realises the potential of the Palestinian people. As we pursue this goal, we will also pursue peace between Israel and Lebanon, Israel and Syria, and a broader peace between Israel and its many neighbours. In pursuit of that goal, we will develop regional initiatives with multilateral participation, alongside bilateral negotiations.

I am not naive. I know this will be difficult. But all of us must decide whether we are serious about peace, or whether we only lend it lip-service. To break the old patterns - to break the cycle of insecurity and despair - all of us must say publicly what we would acknowledge in private. The United States does Israel no favours when we fail to couple an unwavering commitment to its security with an insistence that Israel respect the legitimate claims and rights of the Palestinians. And nations within this body do the Palestinians no favours when they choose vitriolic attacks over a constructive willingness to recognise Israel's legitimacy, and its right to exist in peace and security.

We must remember that the greatest price of this conflict is not paid by us. It is paid by the Israeli girl in Sderot who closes her eyes in fear that a rocket will take her life in the night. It is paid by the Palestinian boy in Gaza who has no clean water and no country to call his own. These are God's children. And after all of the politics and all of the posturing, this is about the right of every human being to live with dignity and security. That is a lesson embedded in the three great faiths that call one small slice of Earth the Holy Land. And that is why - even though there will be setbacks, and false starts, and tough days - I will not waiver in my pursuit of peace.

Third, we must recognise that in the 21st century, there will be no peace unless we make take responsibility for the preservation of our planet.

The danger posed by climate change cannot be denied, and our responsibility to meet it must not be deferred. If we continue down our current course, every member of this assembly will see irreversible changes within their borders. Our efforts to end conflicts will be eclipsed by wars over refugees and resources.

Development will be devastated by drought and famine. Land that human beings have lived on for millennia will disappear. Future generations will look back and wonder why we refused to act - why we failed to pass on intact the environment that was our inheritance.

That is why the days when America dragged its feet on this issue are over. We will move forward with investments to transform our energy economy, while providing incentives to make clean energy the profitable kind of energy. We will press ahead with deep cuts in emissions to reach the goals that we set for 2020, and eventually 2050. We will continue to promote renewable energy and efficiency - and share new technologies - with countries around the world. And we will seize every opportunity for progress to address this threat in a cooperative effort with the whole world.

Those wealthy nations that did so much to damage the environment in the 20th century must accept our obligation to lead. But responsibility does not end there. While we must acknowledge the need for differentiated responses, any effort to curb carbon emissions must include the fast-growing carbon emitters who can do more to reduce their air pollution without inhibiting growth. And any effort that fails to help the poorest nations both adapt to the problems that climate change has already wrought - and travel a path of clean development - will not work.

It is hard to change something as fundamental as how we use energy. It's even harder to do so in the midst of a global recession. Certainly, it will be tempting to sit back and wait for others to move first. But we cannot make this journey unless we all move forward together. As we head into Copenhagen, let us resolve to focus on what each of us can do for the sake of our common future.

This leads me to the final pillar that must fortify our future: a global economy that advances opportunity for all people.

The world is still recovering from the worst economic crisis since the great depression. In America, we see the engine of growth beginning to churn, yet many still struggle to find a job or pay their bills. Across the globe, we find promising signs, yet little certainty about what lies ahead. And far too many people in far too many places live through the daily crises that challenge our common humanity – the despair of an empty stomach; the thirst brought on by dwindling water; the injustice of a child dying from a treatable disease, or a mother losing her life as she gives birth.

In Pittsburgh, we will work with the world's largest economies to chart a course for growth that is balanced and sustained. That means vigilance to ensure that we do not let up until our people are back to work. That means taking steps to rekindle demand, so that a global recovery can be sustained. And that means setting new rules of the road and strengthening regulation for all financial centres, so that we put an end to the greed, excess and abuse that led us into disaster, and prevent a crisis like this from ever happening again.

At a time of such interdependence, we have a moral and pragmatic interest in broader questions of development. And so we will continue our historic effort to help people feed themselves. We have set aside $63bn to carry forward the fight against HIV/Aids; to end deaths from tuberculosis and malaria; to eradicate polio; and to strengthen public health systems. We are joining with other countries to contribute H1N1 vaccines to the World Health Organisation. We will integrate more economies into a system of global trade. We will support the Millennium Development Goals, and approach next year's summit with a global plan to make them a reality. And we will set our sights on the eradication of extreme poverty in our time.

Now is the time for all of us to do our part. Growth will not be sustained or shared unless all nations embrace their responsibility. Wealthy nations must open their markets to more goods and extend a hand to those with less, while reforming international institutions to give more nations a greater voice. Developing nations must root out the corruption that is an obstacle to progress - for opportunity cannot thrive where individuals are oppressed and business have to pay bribes. That's why we will support honest police and independent judges; civil society and a vibrant private sector. Our goal is simple: a global economy in which growth is sustained, and opportunity is available to all.

The changes that I have spoken about today will not be easy to make. And they will not be realised simply by leaders like us coming together in forums like this. For as in any assembly of members, real change can only come through the people we represent. That is why we must do the hard work to lay the groundwork for progress in our own capitals. That is where we will build the consensus to end conflicts and to harness technology for peaceful purposes; to change the way we use energy, and to promote growth that can be sustained and shared.

I believe that the people of the world want this future for their children. And that is why we must champion those principles which ensure that governments reflect the will of the people. These principles cannot be afterthoughts - democracy and human rights are essential to achieving each of the goals that I have discussed today.

Because governments of the people and by the people are more likely to act in the broader interests of their own people, rather than the narrow interest of those in power.

The test of our leadership will not be the degree to which we feed the fears and old hatreds of our people. True leadership will not be measured by the ability to muzzle dissent, or to intimidate and harass political opponents at home. The people of the world want change. They will not long tolerate those who are on the wrong side of history.

This assembly's Charter commits each of us, and I quote - "to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the
human person, in the equal rights of men and women."

Among those rights is the freedom to speak your mind and worship as you please; the promise of equality of the races, and the opportunity for women and girls to pursue their own potential; the ability of citizens to have a say in how you are governed, and to have confidence in the administration of justice. For just as no nation should be forced to accept the tyranny of another nation, no individual should be forced to accept the tyranny of their own government.

As an African-American, I will never forget that I would not be here today without the steady pursuit of a more perfect union in my country. That guides my belief that no matter how dark the day may seem, transformative change can be forged by those who choose the side of justice. And I pledge that America will always stand with those who stand up for their dignity and their rights - for the student who seeks to learn; the voter who demands to be heard; the innocent who longs to be free; and the oppressed who yearns to be equal.

Democracy cannot be imposed on any nation from the outside. Each society must search for its own path, and no path is perfect. Each country will pursue a path rooted in the culture of its people, and - in the past - America has too often been selective in its promotion of democracy. But that does not weaken our commitment, it only reinforces it. There are basic principles that are universal; there are certain truths which are self evident - and the United States of America will never waiver in our efforts to stand up for the right of people everywhere to determine their own destiny.

Sixty-five years ago, a weary Franklin Roosevelt spoke to the American people in his fourth and final inaugural address. After years of war, he sought to sum up the lessons that could be drawn from the terrible suffering and enormous sacrifice that had taken place. "We have learned," he said, "to be citizens of the world, members of the human community".

The United Nations was built by men and women like Roosevelt from every corner of the world - from Africa and Asia; form Europe to the Americas. These architects of international cooperation had an idealism that was anything but naive - it was rooted in the hard-earned lessons of war, and the wisdom that nations could advance their interests by acting together instead of splitting apart.

Now it falls to us - for this institution will be what we make of it. The United Nations does extraordinary good around the world in feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, and mending places that have been broken. But it also struggles to enforce its will, and to live up to the ideals of its founding.

I believe that those imperfections are not a reason to walk away from this institution - they are a calling to redouble our efforts. The United Nations can either be a place where we bicker about outdated grievances, or forge common ground; a place where we focus on what drives us apart, or what brings us together; a place where we indulge tyranny, or a source of moral authority. In short, the United Nations can be an institution that is disconnected from what matters in the lives of our citizens, or it can be indispensable in advancing the interests of the people we serve.


Verba de futuro


Words about the future

Friday 25 September 2009

WAKE UP YOU DUMB ARSE GOVERNMENTS!

YES! WAKE UP NOW!

END THE GREEDY DESPICABLE DESTRUCTION OF OUR PLANET.

The video, see below, is an awesome, undeniable expression of what all right thinking people demand and deserve worldwide.

Government leaders, wake up and make the long overdue changes now, if not you will be history.

We, the common people are are not powerless - we can collectively turn this thing around.

Use your democratic rights to kick out the corrupt, the greedy, the self-centred, the narrow-minded, the corrupt, the despotic, the nepotistic, the dictators and all those in government and in positions of power who think that they are invincible and untouchable.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!


Bonum commune hominis


Common good of man



Tuesday 22 September 2009

MALAYSIA TODAY ALTERNATIVE ACCESS URLs TO BEAT THE GOVERNMENT COVER-UP BY CENSORSHIP IN MALAYSIA





Here are some other possible ways to get around the block on Malaysia Today via use of anonymous proxy servers.

Bookmark and use them in case of difficulty, as the authorities seem to have put some Internet blocks in place to try to prevent access to the Malaysia Today Website.

http://www.defilter.co.uk/browse.php?u=Oi8vd3d3LmZyZWVhbm9ueW1pemVyLmNvLnVrL2Fub251cmwucGhwP3I9b24mdT1odHRwOi8vbXQubTJkYXkub3JnLzIwMDgv&b=13


Some may work only intermittently, depending on your ISP.

The first line is a “live” short link to each anonymous proxy, the second line is the full URL


» Malaysia Today via Zend
http://zend2.com/Go1.php?u=Oi8vbXQubTJkYXkub3JnLzIwMDgv&b=5&f=norefer

» Malaysia Today via FreeAnonymizer UK
http://www.freeanonymizer.co.uk/anonurl.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmt.m2day.org%2F2008%2F

» Malaysia Today via HideMyAss.com
http://w2.hidemyass.com/index.php?q=aHR0cDovL210Lm0yZGF5Lm9yZy8yMDA4Lw%3D%3D&hl=0

» Malaysia Today via Kproxy.com [no short link]
http://server10.kproxy.com/servlet/redirect.srv/slxv/shko2z/sic/p1/2008/

These are the links to the secret Cabinet papers
The first line is a “live” short link, the second line is the full URL

RPK’s Cabinet secret papers I — four-page memorandum from the Finance Minister

» What the public was not told
http://zend2.com/Go1.php?u=Oi8vbXQubTJkYXkub3JnLzIwMDgvY29udGVudC92aWV3LzI2ODY1Lzg0Lw%3D%3D&b=5

RPK’s Cabinet secret II — 18-page memorandum from the Finance Minister

» What the Cabinet hid from the public
http://zend2.com/Go1.php?u=Oi8vbXQubTJkYXkub3JnLzIwMDgvY29udGVudC92aWV3LzI2OTMxLzg0Lw%3D%3D&b=5

» Chinese translation
http://zend2.com/Go1.php?u=Oi8vY2NsaWV3LmJsb2dzcG90LmNvbS8yMDA5LzA5L2Jsb2ctcG9zdF8xOC5odG1s&b=5

» Four-page Chan Kong Choy memo

RPK’s answer to Lim Kit Siang
http://zend2.com/Go1.php?u=Oi8vbXQubTJkYXkub3JnLzIwMDgvY29udGVudC92aWV3LzI2OTAzLzg0Lw%3D%3D&b=5

Chinese translation
http://zend2.com/Go1.php?u=Oi8vY2NsaWV3LmJsb2dzcG90LmNvbS8yMDA5LzA5L2Jsb2ctcG9zdF8xNjY0Lmh0bWw%3D&b=5

Cabinet secrets I mirror: » Warga Marhaen
Cabinet secrets II mirror: »
National Express Malaysia



There are many thousands of proxy servers, if unsuccessful on one, try another one.

There is a list on the URL below:

http://www.publicproxyservers.com/proxy/list_rating1.html




Don't let the bastards grind you down


Noli nothis permittere te terere




Monday 21 September 2009

PURE 100% BULLSHIT

Picture Source HERE

Najib says: Stimulus packages having positive impact on economy


Read all the crap HERE

Do you believe all his pure adulterated UMNO bullshit?

I certainly do not.


Gratia placenti


For the sake of pleasing



Graviora manent


Greater dangers await

Saturday 19 September 2009

Eid Mubarak Greetings, Selamat Hari Raya Eid al-Fitr to Everyone


Hari Raya Greetings To Everyone




Malaysian F1 Team - what a Bloody Cruel Joke, for whose benefit is it really for?


Thai Moo Satay, the Original Satay



Too much barefaced brazen bullshit, far-fetched farcical fucking about, sneaky, slimy skulduggery.

One Malaysia minus One, F1 fantasy, foolish financial folly, to be followed by failure.

Malaysia is, it seems, cursed, doomed and in terminal decline.

Look around at the decaying infrastructure, the apathy, the waste and the incompetence.

Try this Thai Satay, you are certain to enjoy eating it after you prepare and cook it at home.
Just follow the recipe below. Bon Appetite!

It is some peoples belief that Satay (or sate as it is called in the Malay language) is not of Thai origin, but this is a mistake.

Thailand shares many recipes with surrounding countries, as this is also the case with Satay which is immensely popular in Indonesia, Malaysia and the southern provinces of Thailand.

Satay is also a popular Thai street food, as it can be found around Thailand sold from push-cars or motorcycle side-cars.

Now try to make our own Satay to impress our employers, friends, girlfriends, boyfriends, wifes, husbands or family.

Slice the chicken breast finely, width approximately 3 cm. Pound together, or blend in a blender, coriander seeds (
ลูกผักชี), Cumin seeds (ลูกยี่หร่า), pepper (พริกไทย), tumeric (ขมิ้น), curry powder (ผงกะหรี่), galangal (ข่า), lemon grass (ตะไคร้), salt (เกลือ) and garlic (กระเทียม). Pour the blended ingredients into the coconut milk. Add sugar and vegetable oil and blend again so that all ingredients are well mixed.

Add the chicken sliced and marinate for 2 hours, tread the chicken slices onto the skewers. Pour the marinating sauce into a pot and heat until boiling.

Place the chicken slices over a charcoal grill (barbecue) and apply the sauce to the chicken while turning over. When cooked through, serve with satay sauce and sliced cucumber.

We hope that you will enjoy your own made Satay and think about our website *, of course any failure to make it 'aroi aroi' will not be our fault.

Thank You :

* See this and more Delicious Thai Food Recipes HERE


Original Source; HERE




Kingdom of Thailand
ราชอาณาจักรไทย
[Ratcha Anachak Thai]







Unitam logica falsa tuam philosophiam totam suffodiant!



May faulty logic undermine your entire philosophy!

Wednesday 9 September 2009

What possessed the cow-head protesters?

That is the title of an excellent article that summarises the sorry state of affairs in Malaysia today.

So do you still want to go out and vote for UMNO / BN again?

Do your part.

I'm trying my best by disseminating news you won't find printed in the normal channels.


Cyberpower will prevail.

Please ask your other friends this question.


What possessed them, those pigheaded cow-head protesters?



" 4 Sep 09 : 8.00AM
By Jacqueline Ann Surin
jacquelinesurin@thenutgraph.com

(Source: openclipart.org)

WHAT possessed them? That's the question I'd like to ask the protesters who desecrated a cow head on 28 Aug 2009 after Friday prayers to object the building of a Hindu temple in Section 23, Shah Alam.

We know that it's not Islam that teaches intolerance of and disrespect toward other religious beliefs, nor is it Islam that preaches violence or force if Muslims don't get their way. We also know that it is really not Malaysian or Malay custom at all to be so obnoxious, threatening and crude. For all my life as a Malaysian, I have known Malay customs to be gentle, sophisticated and inclusive. This is most likely because the "Malay" race was actually historically constructed; its customs weaved from a convergence of different continents and cultures.

So, if neither Islam nor Malay custom drove the 50 protesters to publicly despoil a sacred Hindu creature and to threaten bloodshed because of a Hindu temple, what was it?

Possessed by superiority
My hunch is that these protesters were emboldened by a culture of Malay Muslim superiority that has been carefully cultivated and strategically stoked by the Umno-led government, Malay Muslim politicians from Umno, PAS and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), and by the judiciary both civil and syariah.

We only need to consider the following events where non-Muslim, non-Malay Malaysian rights are deferred, even trampled on, by a system that upholds Malay-Muslim rights and sensitivities as ultimate and unquestionable.



(Pic by Bill Davenport / sxc.hu)

Despite several police reports that have been lodged by Catholics against Al Islam for an undercover report that desecrated the holy communion, no action has reportedly been taken against either the publisher or the editorial team.

Despite the incendiary reports and headlines in Utusan Malaysia that promote ketuanan Melayu at the expense of the constitutional rights of other citizens, no action has been taken against the Malay-language daily by the Home Ministry. Consider how other media have received warnings and threats, and have even been suspended or shut down before for much vaguer offences.

Additionally, let's not forget that in 2006, it was the Barisan Nasional (BN) government, under the leadership of then Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who banned any discussion of Article 11 and the proposed Interfaith Commission. Abdullah also threatened to use the Sedition Act if Malaysians attempted to discuss their constitutional rights in the light of issues arising from a clash between civil and syariah laws because some Muslim groups charged that these initiatives were attempts to undermine Islam.

According to Selangor PAS, beer must not be sold in Muslim-majority areas regardless of non-Muslims, who may want to consume alcohol and are not prohibited from doing so.

Because this is the holy month of Ramadan, PAS Youth wants the Michael Learns to Rock concert banned. They have described it as a huge insult to Islam especially since Muslims, presumably, should not be having any fun during the fasting month. The Umno-led BN government, surprise, surprise, has also chided the concert organisers for being disrespectful towards Muslims and Ramadan.

But since when was Ramadan meant to be a kill-joy for Muslims and non-Muslims? I don't recall Catholics in Malaysia insisting that non-Catholics should also fast and sacrifice during Lent. Or Hindus suggesting that everyone else should also be a vegetarian on a Hindu holy day.

(Pic by Theodore99 / sxc.hu)

Mind you, this attempt to ban a band because of preferences, defined by some Muslims for all others, is no different from when the animated movie Babe, which starred a pig as the lead character, was banned several years ago.

Consider also how "Allah" cannot be used by non-Muslims in their worship in Malaysia, out of deference for perceived Muslim insecurity and the notion that the word "Allah" only belongs to Muslims. Let's remember that it is the government of Malaysia that is upholding the ban on the use of "Allah" even though historically and culturally, the word cannot be copyrighted by Muslims, and was used even before Islam.

Notice also how the proscription of pork in students' school lunch boxes and increasing regulation for pet dog ownership presupposes that Muslim sensitivities are all-important regardless of the way of life of other Malaysians.

And it's not just food and pets, its dress codes, too. Remember how in 2005, several ministers defended the dress code imposed by the International Islamic University on non-Muslim female students? No matter that even among Muslim scholars, there is no consensus about the requirement for Muslim women to wear the tudung.

In the conversion cases involving, among others, Shamala Sathiyaseelan, M Moorthy, R Subashini and more recently, M Indira Gandhi and Mohan Singh, one outcome keeps recurring: not even the civil courts will uphold the rights of non-Muslims.

Police inaction
I'll also wager that the Shah Alam protestors were bold enough to do what they did so publicly, showing no fear of being caught or penalised by the police, because they knew that they would not be arrested. After all, in the past, police have demonstrated an uncanny ability to restrain themselves from taking action whenever a Muslim mob attacked a Malaysian forum that tried to address the issues of political Islam and how they affect our nation.

We shouldn't be surprised at all that the Selangor police stood by and did nothing on 28 Aug while the protesters promised bloodshed and clearly threatened the peace. After all, the police also took minimal action against the mob that disrupted the peaceful Article 11 forum in Penang in 2006, and against another mob, led by PKR's Zulkifli Noordin, that disrupted the August 2008 Bar Council forum on conversion in Malaysia.

Hishammuddin (Pic courtesy of theSun)And what has the current administration led by Datuk Seri Najib Razak demonstrated to reinforce this culture of inaction in the face of threats and attacks against civil liberties and the legitimate rights of non-Malay and non-Muslim Malaysians? It excuses these threats of violence. Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein not only found time to meet the cow-head protesters at his office, he also found ways to justify their actions by making them out to be the ones who were "victimised".

We all know that if any group protested against the building of a mosque by using a severed and bloodied pig head, the group would not have stood a chance with the authorities. And they definitely would not have been so easily welcomed, and then defended, by the home minister in his office. And that's why, even when protests that are designed to insult Islam happens, the perpetrators of such hate antics do so without revealing themselves.

So, what possessed the residents of Section 23, Shah Alam to do what they did so boldly and publicly? I'll be happy to wager that it's because they believed they would get away with it. Even if they eventually don't because of public outrage, including among Muslims, and the embarrassing international headlines, these protesters probably started off by believing that their method of protest would not result in any repercussions on them. Indeed, Hishammuddin's defence of them may just be an indicator of how, even if they are taken to task for instigating violence, they will be let off lightly.

And so, do you blame the protesters for thinking they would get away with threats of violence? I don't. The evidence, after all, that they would likely escape action because they belong to a Malay Muslim majority, is just too overwhelming. Denying that a particular political culture has been put in place in order to favour such bigoted, violent and intolerant behaviour would be to deny that the 28 Aug demonstration ever occurred.


Jacqueline Ann Surin had to shout to be heard over a Merdeka dinner at a friend's home in Section 6, PJ because the terawih prayers from the nearby mosque was being blared for more than an hour before she left. She wonders if for some Muslims, piety is best demonstrated by being a nuisance to one's neighbours."


Veritas numquam perit


Truth never perishes



Vivere commune est, sed non commune mereri



Everybody lives; not everybody deserves to