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POPSOf Scarlett Johansson & Nation-building... At a glance, the headline of the article clipped below would probably lead the reader to think the article is about being sexy, like Scarlett Johansson. Or at least that's what Walski thought until he took the time to actually read the article. In all honesty, it's this kind of out-of-the-box thinking that gives Walski hope that this nation does have some hope left, amidst the doom and gloom that occupies the news sphere of our every day existence. That said, it's sometimes difficult to take such fresh thinking to the next level when everything about how we operate says "in the box, and don't you dare even look beyond the four corners". This happens to be true not only in the government sector, but across the Malaysian homegrown private sector as well. A great article and a good way to look at solving problems from a different perspective, nevertheless.
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POPSSteve Jobs resigns as Apple CEO Walski can't say that this was totally unexpected. Apple in recent years has gone far in taking computing to a new level with the game-changing iPad. And this, Walski believes, is in a big part thanks to the leadership of Steve Jobs. One can safely say that Jobs is an irreplaceable icon in the industry. And Walski wishes him well, as he fights his way, hopefully, back to wellness...
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POPSA timely video reminder for OneMalaysia... Don't know about you, but Walski had two thoughts when he watched this video. First, he thinks that it would've been something Yasmin Ahmad would have absolutely loved. And second, for the first time in a long, long while, someone comes up with a video that doesn't walk the slippery slope of racial stereotyping. A fitting video for the time of year, when Aidil Fitri is just around the corner. And it had to be from the telco outfit that continues to stand out. Thank you, DiGi... you just made Walski's evening.
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POPSU-turns leading to the Right So it's not just Walski that's less than enamored with how Najib has performed as Prime Minister so far. What's disconcerting is that Najib usually "says" all the right things, but what happens on the ground in terms of action and sentiments tell a totally different story. Walski is even willing to go as far as to ask whether Najib truly has a mind of his own, or is he just going with the flow, towards where the currents are strongest. Any strong swimmer will tell you that the latter is exactly how one drowns, unable to fight the currents that bring you further and further adrift from shore, until you find yourself trapped in a whirlpool from which you no longer are able to escape. Quo vadis, Najibus?
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POPS10 things the Monyet (Monkey) King wants Civil Society to do Yes, Walski did say that the King is fair... and in this third installment of his 10 things, the target is Civil Society. Meaning, the NGOs and individuals who care enough to say and do something. Being a peripheral part of civil (and many times 'sewel', meaning nutty) society, Walski thinks his simianness' advice may not be something you want to hear, but it definitely is something you NEED to heed. And yes, Walski still maintains that the Monyet King is being very fair. So, stop monyetting around and read the piece in its entirety (only the points have been clipped here). Being fair ain't easy, but it's something we all gotta be, if we want to be regarded with any amount of credibility. If the Monyet King realizes this, so, too, should we...
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POPS10 things the Monyet King wants PR to do
Not only is the Monyet (Monkey) King wise, he's also fair. What's good for the goose, as they say, is also good for the other goose. And so after the Monyet King made his 10-things list for BN, now comes the 10-things list for Pakatan Rakyat (PR). Some of the line items are the same - no surprise, because we are after all talking about a bunch of politicians. And like it or not, most, if not all, Malaysian politicians are cut from the same cloth. Okay, the style and fashion may be different, but the cloth is pretty much the same (with some exceptions). PR should take heed - these are wise words from a wise (and fair) Monyet King. To ignore them is to potentially fall face-in-the-mud on the banana peel slippery slope of Malaysian politics... Do read his highness' post in full. The bits that Walski's clipped are merely the points, which tell you the Whats. The Monyet King's post elaborates the Whys behind the Whats. And like the previous 10-things list, the Monyet King is certainly
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POPS10 things the Monyet King wants BN to do Yes, the Monyet (Monkey) King has decreed. But don't let his seemingly simian and diminutive proportions fool you into thinking that the 10 things he wants is simply a regal simian monkeying around. Far from it, the Monyet King is serious about what he's decreed. Walski's clipped the 10 points, but each comes will at least a paragraph of elaboration (so do yourself a favor and read the whole damned thing). For the target of the post, the ruling BN coalition, this piece may prove to be more slippery than a banana peel... but if BN is serious about being there for all Malaysians, the least they can do is read the post. And take the unsolicited advise seriously - the king may be a Monyet, but the 10-point decree is certainly no monkey business...
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POPS"In good faith" - does BN know what that means? Bersih, in respecting the King's wishes, has agreed to not do a street rally. Instead, it has applied to use Stadium Merdeka. But in the meantime, the crackdown on Bersih and the detention of its supporters continues. What's up with that??? Does BN even know the meaning of "in good faith"? And why the hesitation to reciprocate in good faith, as well?
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POPSWhen mainstream media isn't free, online media fills the vacuum The viral nature of Internet media, namely Facebook and Twitter, is one of the reasons why the Bersih 2.0 campaign has been successful. Yes, Walski thinks it is a success, despite not being able to proceed with the originally planned July 9 street rally. Although the Patriot and Perkasa opposition campaigns, too, used online media to promote their counter-cause, the numbers speak for themselves - the acceptance and influence of Bersih 2.0 far exceeds that of the Patriot/Perkasa one. That, for Walski, is proof enough as to which majority supports what....
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POPSWill the real Ibrahim Ali please stand up? Datuk Ariff Sabri, aka Sakmongkol AK47, gives a brief but very scathing look at who he thinks the REAL Ibrahim Ali is. And the revelation is less than pretty. But are we surprised? Not really. What really remains surprising is the lack of comment from the Malaysian government. Why is Ibrahim Ali given card blanche to say/do what he likes? Walski certainly doesn't know. But the government's not-so-elegant silence is truly deafening. It can only mean that what Ibrahim Ali says/does is condoned. That's Malaysian politics for ya - if you don't wanna look bad, let some other stooge do your dirty work...
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POPSThe award for Father of Fascist Malaysia goes to... Being that it's Father's Day, Walski thought it be apt that this man gets an award for being the wonderful fascist that he is. What kind of irresponsible asshole threatens violence, then has the cheek to say that he will not be held responsible for any untoward occurrences? Yup, only Ibrahim Ali can get away with such audacity. And only the brain-dead could even consider this man their leader. As Walski has mentioned more than once before, if you're against reform of the electoral process, such that it becomes truly free and fair, you are, in fact, anti-free and fair elections. It is as simple as that. And so, the winner of the 2011 Father of Fascist Malaysia goes to...
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POPSDifficult I truly, honestly sometimes think that this is probably required reading if you're a part of the behemoth called the Malaysian government.
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POPSPossible Pyramids Discovered From Space The technology used isn't exactly new, but infra-red photography from space has now been proven useful for another purpose: archeology. In Malaysia, perhaps this technology could be used to locate the lost city of Galanggi. Perhaps?
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POPSBlogger's Manifesto It's a simple 7-point manifesto, but it outlines quite completely what a responsible blogger should practice. He came across this through a newsletter (from BlogCatalog), and immediately what the manifesto says clicked with Walski. Not to brag, but these are the very same values he practices, or tries his best to practice. Walski fully endorses this, and hopes that other bloggers (the Malaysian ones in particular) will, too.
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POPSTime to Curb Malaysia's Racial Attack Dogs by Salim Osman – Straits Times Indonesia Yes, not only is Perkasa annoying the hell out of Malaysians with their broken logic political rhetoric, but it's getting attention elsewhere, too. One good thing about the Indonesian press - they don't mince their words. They don't have to, in fact. They are free to report and write as they see fit. Unlike their Malaysian counterparts who have to be more circumspect and compliant. Because if the Malaysian government doesn't get your ass, Perkasa will make sure any press they don't like gets persecuted. That's the kind of power and sway Ibrahim Ali and his gang of idiots have, it appears, over UMNO and BN, both too chicken-shit to dismiss this ultra-right wingnut NGO, the way wingnut organizations deserve to be dismissed.
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POPSZombie teambuilding It's been one hell of a busy week for yours truly, but here's something Walski came across that he thought he absolutely MUST share... thanks to Doug Savage, author of what must be one of Walski's most favorite of comic strips. A very relevant bit of humor, for a very turbulent time in Malaysian history. Yes folks, at times Walski DOES think some Malaysians are zombies, at the immediate beck and call of their zombie leader... that's about the only thing that can explain Ibrahim Ali's appeal.
4
POPSGoogle unveils first Chromebooks The battle for mobile computing devices is hotting up! But will Google's foray into the market be a success, being that it is priced in the same region as IOS and Netbooks?
3
POPSSludge spill during refinery shutdown By the sounds of it, it was sludge that somehow escaped the PD refinery battery limits into the local drainage system. This is the stuff that accumulates at the bottom of crude storage tanks, consisting of some heavy hydrocarbon and a whole lot of gunk. The incident is being investigated, and hopefully measures will be put in place so that such occurrences don't happen again in the future.
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POPSBrought to you by the letters B and S Unintended humor in the news headlines can come in many shapes and forms. A one-letter snafu, and the world starts wondering when Joe Biden is expected to take the oath of office. When news of the death of the world's most recognizable terrorist was starting to make its rounds worldwide, many got their B's and S's mixed up, and reported instead that OBama, not OSama, was dead. This would have been funnier if not for the fact that since President Barrack Obama took office, many right-wingers have been mentioning 'Obama bin Laden' as half-joke, half-insinuation. And later in the day, government leaders the world over made statements of hope that bin Laden's death would usher a new era of peace. Now that's a whole other case of B's & S's of another kind...
2
POPSHa Ha - Utusan actually has credibility? Utusan sacking National Union of Journalists president Hata Wahari was on the grounds of - get this - damaging the paper's credibility? What credibility? As a mouthpiece of UMNO? In any case, the sacking was very much expected. Let's hope other journalists with integrity will leave the paper as well. Assuming there are other journalists with integrity...
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POPSObL Finally Dead? The news wire has been abuzz with news that Osama bin Laden, head of the international terror network Al-Qaeda, is dead. Not much details are available at this juncture, but U.S. President is expected to make a statement relating to this sometime Monday evening (Tuesday morning in Malaysia).
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POPSIf it weren't for double standards... ... we'd have no standard at all. Yes, sports fans, in full blazing color - the double-standards practiced by our boys in blue when it comes to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and free speech. Perkasa is pretty much given card blanc to do whatever the hell it pleases. It can protest whatever it wants, wherever it wants, and hell, even have the police around to facilitate the process (as they're supposed to). Not so when it's anyone else, though - police are usually present to nab, not facilitate. It really seems like all and sundry in BN and government are cowed by Perkasa's being... so much so the ultra-right wing nut organization doesn't even need to be a proper political entity - they're so powerful, they effectively do their deeds outside of the electoral system. Such is the fucked up kind of democracy that's currently in operation in this land we love....
2
POPSLife thru Perkasa's race-tinted glasses Despite his objection earlier to the "1Melayu, 1Bumi" sloganeering by Perkasa, it's patron, former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir graced their gathering anyway. Personally, Walski thinks Dr. M should have given them the snub, but that's just Walski. After half a century of independence, and almost half a century of being Malaysia proper, this nation has never been more divided. And that division is along racial lines. One organization set up to reinforce that dichotomy is none other than Perkasa. Dr. M, among other things, said that "Malays are afraid of saying 'Melayu' in their own land". Walski begs to differ - it is more a feeling of embarrassment. And Perkasa, more than any other organization, is who's responsible for instilling that feeling of embarrassment.
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POPSThe talented Mr. RPK Excellent article, written by the talented Mr. Sharaad Kuttan, delving into why Malaysians lap up what RPK and similar story tellers serve up. Headline-only readers, especially the usual suspects in cyberspace, will undoubtedly scoff at the title, thinking it's a tribute to the princeling in exile. This piece, however, is less about RPK and more about us Malaysians; an attempt to understand why we react to rumors and stories in that uniquely Malaysian way we usually do.
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POPSYouTube founders acquire Delicious And essentially salvage the bookmarking service from the Yahoo scrap heap. Could this be a renewed lease on life for the bookmarking service? Tomio Geron (Forbes Tech blogger) tells us about it in his posting...
1
POPSSpiritual leader Sai Baba mourned Sathya Sai Baba renowned spiritual leader and healer passed away at the age of 84. Although rationalists and skeptics (yours truly included) rightly question his "ability", one thing that cannot be denied is that many have been helped by his charity trust. His passing will undoubtedly be mourned by millions, not just in India, but the world over.
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POPSSarawak: Interesting developments afoot If what's reported by The Broken Shield in this posting is true, we may be seeing some interesting turn of events in Sarawak in the coming weeks. Walski maintains a cautious wait-n-see approach, and will not speculate further. Read the full posting to find out what's afoot.
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POPSPerkasa proceeds with 1Apartheid agenda Never underestimate the power of a bad idea. And when that bad idea is in the hands of a reject politician such as Ibrahim "no party wants me" Ali, you can almost be sure that the key ingredients for a recipe for disaster are all in place. So potentially disastrous is this idea that even the ultra-right wing nut organization's patron, former Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, is distancing himself from it. Yes, Ibrahim Ali is charismatic. No, he's not the savior Einstein his worshippers regard him to be. Worse, Perkasa is filled with individuals who are in important positions, but whose mindset is of the "I'm Bumi, no where's my 30%" kind, and whose reasoning sometimes borders on the incredulous. All right-minded Malaysians should - nay, MUST - reject this dangerous organization. Dangerous not because of immediate physical threat, but because their delusional ideas will lead to a nation divided.
1
POPSFree: 1SpamMalaysia e-mail account Gee, it's not like most of us don't already have more e-mail accounts than we know what to do with. But the 1Malaysia government, under 1Najib, announced earlier today that everyone above the age of 1Eight will get a free 1e-mail account. Which in all likelihood will end up being a 1Big-spam-receptacle - both the official 1MalaysiaSpam, plus the 1Viagra, 1NegeriaScam, 1PenisEnlargement (or 2 for the price of 1, if you're lucky), etc. kind. And the purpose? Who knows... The real purpose, that is, and not the smarmy "better services deliver" 1Bullshit public relations kind of reasons. Who comes up with these wasteful 1NumbNuts ideas? Seriously, we're 1Unwilling to implement automatic voter registration, but giving out 1e-mail accounts? What a truly 1diotic idea...
1
POPSUtusan continues with their vitriol Like it or not, many see Utusan Malaysia as the mouthpiece of UMNO, the largest component in Barisan Nasional (BN), regardless of whether or not what the newspaper says is what UMNO says. And when Utusan's editorial calls for BN to ignore a portion of the nation's population, it is as if this is a call from UMNO. Utusan certainly is not doing its political master any favors, and personally Walski sees it as a liability to the party. Editorials such as this may be an ego boost to some in UMNO, but in public relations terms, does more damage to it than good. Equally unfortunate is the fact that some party supporters often echo what Utusan editorializes as if the paper represents the party in toto. Senior UMNO member, who blogs under the pseudonym Sakmongkol AK47, has constantly criticized this attitude (see http://sakmongkol.blogspot.com/2011/04/umnos-self-limitations.html). But Utusan, it seems, continues to have a mind of its own, basking in the glory of its own narrow perspectiv
2
POPS5 Things Learned in Sarawak The Malaysian Insider published a list of 5 things they learned from the recently-concluded Sarawak state election. What you see here are the 5 points - the full article elaborates on each, and deliberates further WHY these were important lessons. And to do the article justice, you really need to read the rest.
1
POPSRicky Gervais' Easter Message If you're hoping that this is something similar to the Pope's messages, then it would probably be a good thing if you skipped this one. Comedian Ricky Gervais penned a follow up to his Christmas message last year. Although it talks about Christians and Christianity, what Gervais has to say applies almost equally to all faiths. A good read, but could be subtly insulting if you're one of those who think faith should be blind...
1
POPSThe return of Duran Duran So, are they still 'Hungry Like A Wolf'? This is certainly one revival that caught many people by surprise, Walski included. Though he's not never been a big Duran Duran fan, it's nice to know that rock above 50 is still possible. In this article, the LA Times previews the performance of these senior rockers at the 2011 Coachella Music & Arts Festival (this weekend in Indio, California). Walski has so far heard one track from their recent album, "All You Need Is Now" - all he can say is that unlike other bands of their age group, Duran Duran aren't milking the nostalgia of their 80s popularity.
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POPSAnother ranking slide for Malaysia It does make you wonder - are others getting ahead of us, or are we getting worse as time progresses? Or worse, both? Malaysia slides down the scale again in the latest report, after sliding two spots last year. The full Global Information Technology report can be obtained from http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GITR_Report_2011.pdf
3
POPS"Angry Birds" best game app at Appys If you've never heard of the very addictive game, then you really must be living under a rock. Or a cave. Or under a rock, in a cave, concealed by more rocks... Yes, them birds has taken the gaming world by storm, and are deservedly acknowledged by the Appy Awards, held yesterday. Facebook also won an award - for the best time water app!
3
POPSIt was 50 years ago today... Not, it wasn't the day Sgt Pepper told the band to play, but something that would become a milestone for humankind. Today in 1961 Yuri Gagarin became the first man to orbit the Earth. This would pave the way for further space exploration, an era of mankind that we're still in today. Granted we're still at an infantile stage of exploring the vastness of space, but it was Gagarin who made the first baby steps, half a century ago today.
1
POPSBN losing mindshare in Sarawak? If BN isn't worried, they probably should be. Has the political tsunami that swept Peninsular Malaysia in 2008 finally arrived in Sarawak? To the outside observer, it would seem that the answer is yes, or at the very least, in the more urban portions of the state. It is also speculated that the main reason Najib is in Sarawak right now is to bolster public support for the beleaguered BN, helmed by Taib Mahmud. Doesn't look like the visit's making too big of a dent, going by this report.
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POPSPKR-SNAP Impasse Revisited Politics, more than anything else, is about power. The impasse between PKR and SNAP is no different. Even with the allegations of collusion between the Sarawak homegrown political party and Barisan Nasional, it all boils down to a question of influence and power. This article looks at the possible scenarios once the votes are counted on April 16.
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