Endless Idiocy based on a joke

This is really funny. There is seemingly no end to idiocy. How I wish to drop him a mail, informing him that Sweden is not in the picture at all. Hard Luck, boss.

It is NEVER the religion or belief that wages war. It is those who 'claimed' to be followers. The misled, the misinformed.

I personally feel that the more we give them special attention, the more we rspect them, the more segregated and excluded they become. They become exclusive. They become feared. I do not think this is what anybody wants, but it is simply true. I returned recently from a holiday, a rich 'east asian country'. I was surprised to see that anyone 'arab-looking' is given a special row to check in. They are thoroughly checked and interviewed. I wanted to voice up my concerns to the customs officers, but sadly I cannot speak their lingo.

C'mon, not all arabs are terrorists. There are also many non-arab terrorists and fundamentalists. The name of Islam has been tainted by a minority of fundamentalists. They may make up 1% of the total muslim world. But they certainly raised the profiles of muslims worldwide. In the negative aspect, of course.

To sum up, I have retaliated in my own little way, as a philatelist. I have set on fire my entire collection of Yemen stamps. Yes, I have, indeed. To all 3 of them. Hahahaha. I will have to stop here, to clear out the ashes on my ash tray, before they dirty my carpet.

Sad Sad Love Story for This Valentine's Day

This following story may seem amazing, even incredible. But well, weird things do happen in life, right?

Like why on Earth did the Indonesian government release terrorist from their cells. C'mon, they deserve more than the 3-4 years sentence. Not to mention the purported leader released after 2 years. For 'good behaviour'.

Here we are, fighting terrorism, and there they are, setting them free. But well, that's another matter.

Enjoy this story and pay more attention to the stranger that seems so perfect in your eyes on the street in future, this Valentines.

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Haruki Murakami: On seeing the 100% perfect girl one beautiful April morning

One beautiful April morning, on a narrow side street in Tokyo's fashionable Harujuku neighborhood, I walked past the 100% perfect girl. Tell you the truth, she's not that good-looking. She doesn't stand out in any way. Her clothes are nothing special. The back of her hair is still bent out of shape from sleep. She isn't young, either - must be near thirty, not even close to a "girl," properly speaking. But still, I know from fifty yards away: She's the 100% perfect girl for me. The moment I see her, there's a rumbling in my chest, and my mouth is as dry as a desert. Maybe you have your own particular favorite type of girl - one with slim ankles, say, or big eyes, or graceful fingers, or you're drawn for no good reason to girls who take their time with every meal. I have my own preferences, of course. Sometimes in a restaurant I'll catch myself staring at the girl at the next table to mine because I like the shape of her nose. But no one can insist that his 100% perfect girl correspond to some preconceived type. Much as I like noses, I can't recall the shape of hers - or even if she had one. All I can remember for sure is that she was no great beauty. It's weird. "Yesterday on the street I passed the 100% girl," I tell someone. "Yeah?" he says. "Good-looking?"

"Not really." "Your favorite type, then?" "I don't know. I can't seem to remember anything about her - the shape of her eyes or the size of her breasts." "Strange." "Yeah. Strange." "So anyhow," he says, already bored, "what did you do? Talk to her? Follow her?" "Nah. Just passed her on the street." She's walking east to west, and I west to east. It's a really nice April morning. Wish I could talk to her. Half an hour would be plenty: just ask her about herself, tell her about myself, and - what I'd really like to do - explain to her the complexities of fate that have led to our passing each other on a side street in Harajuku on a beautiful April morning in 1981. This was something sure to be crammed full of warm secrets, like an antique clock build when peace filled the world. After talking, we'd have lunch somewhere, maybe see a Woody Allen movie, stop by a hotel bar for cocktails. With any kind of luck, we might end up in bed. Potentiality knocks on the door of my heart. Now the distance between us has narrowed to fifteen yards. How can I approach her? What should I say? "Good morning, miss. Do you think you could spare half an hour for a little conversation?" Ridiculous. I'd sound like an insurance salesman. "Pardon me, but would you happen to know if there is an all-night cleaners in the neighborhood?" No, this is just as ridiculous. I'm not carrying any laundry, for one thing. Who's going to buy a line like that? Maybe the simple truth would do. "Good morning. You are the 100% perfect girl for me." No, she wouldn't believe it. Or even if she did, she might not want to talk to me. Sorry, she could say, I might be the 100% perfect girl for you, but you're not the 100% boy for me. It could happen. And if I found myself in that situation, I'd probably go to pieces. I'd never recover from the shock. I'm thirty-two, and that's what growing older is all about. We pass in front of a flower shop. A small, warm air mass touches my skin. The asphalt is damp, and I catch the scent of roses. I can't bring myself to speak to her. She wears a white sweater, and in her right hand she holds a crisp white envelope lacking only a stamp. So: She's written somebody a letter, maybe spent the whole night writing, to judge from the sleepy look in her eyes. The envelope could contain every secret she's ever had. I take a few more strides and turn: She's lost in the crowd.

Now, of course, I know exactly what I should have said to her. It would have been a long speech, though, far too long for me to have delivered it properly. The ideas I come up with are never very practical. Oh, well. It would have started "Once upon a time" and ended "A sad story, don't you think?"

Once upon a time, there lived a boy and a girl. The boy was eighteen and the girl sixteen. He was not unusually handsome, and she was not especially beautiful. They were just an ordinary lonely boy and an ordinary lonely girl, like all the others. But they believed with their whole hearts that somewhere in the world there lived the 100% perfect boy and the 100% perfect girl for them. Yes, they believed in a miracle. And that miracle actually happened. One day the two came upon each other on the corner of a street. "This is amazing," he said. "I've been looking for you all my life. You may not believe this, but you're the 100% perfect girl for me." "And you," she said to him, "are the 100% perfect boy for me, exactly as I'd pictured you in every detail. It's like a dream." They sat on a park bench, held hands, and told each other their stories hour after hour. They were not lonely anymore. They had found and been found by their 100% perfect other. What a wonderful thing it is to find and be found by your 100% perfect other. It's a miracle, a cosmic miracle. As they sat and talked, however, a tiny, tiny sliver of doubt took root in their hearts: Was it really all right for one's dreams to come true so easily? And so, when there came a momentary lull in their conversation, the boy said to the girl, "Let's test ourselves - just once. If we really are each other's 100% perfect lovers, then sometime, somewhere, we will meet again without fail. And when that happens, and we know that we are the 100% perfect ones, we'll marry then and there. What do you think?" "Yes," she said, "that is exactly what we should do." And so they parted, she to the east, and he to the west. The test they had agreed upon, however, was utterly unnecessary. They should never have undertaken it, because they really and truly were each other's 100% perfect lovers, and it was a miracle that they had ever met. But it was impossible for them to know this, young as they were. The cold, indifferent waves of fate proceeded to toss them unmercifully. One winter, both the boy and the girl came down with the season's terrible inluenza, and after drifting for weeks between life and death they lost all memory of their earlier years. When they awoke, their heads were as empty as the young D. H. Lawrence's piggy bank. They were two bright, determined young people, however, and through their unremitting efforts they were able to acquire once again the knowledge and feeling that qualified them to return as full-fledged members of society. Heaven be praised, they became truly upstanding citizens who knew how to transfer from one subway line to another, who were fully capable of sending a special-delivery letter at the post office. Indeed, they even experienced love again, sometimes as much as 75% or even 85% love. Time passed with shocking swiftness, and soon the boy was thirty-two, the girl thirty. One beautiful April morning, in search of a cup of coffee to start the day, the boy was walking from west to east, while the girl, intending to send a special-delivery letter, was walking from east to west, but along the same narrow street in the Harajuku neighborhood of Tokyo. They passed each other in the very center of the street. The faintest gleam of their lost memories glimmered for the briefest moment in their hearts. Each felt a rumbling in their chest. And they knew: She is the 100% perfect girl for me. He is the 100% perfect boy for me. But the glow of their memories was far too weak, and their thoughts no longer had the clarity of fouteen years earlier. Without a word, they passed each other, disappearing into the crowd. Forever. A sad story, don't you think?

Yes, that's it, that is what I should have said to her.

Thanks to Ling for sharing this sad sad story with me...

Valentines Day is just around the corner

Well, Valentine's Day is only a week away. Valentine's Day, or Blackmail season, is the day where lovers rededicate their love for each other.

This syndrome is very much tagged to how long the couples have known each other, generally speaking. Hehehe...

For those fresh love-birds, it's presents and flowers galore. Bouquets of freshly cut roses, pink, red and blue. Chocolates in heart-shaped boxes with silver or red ribbons.

For the working couple, a diamond ring is very appropriate for the occasion(if the man can afford it), to be presented at the candlelight dinner at one of the posh restaurants, be they French, Italian, or Chinese. Champagne is a must at this crucial occasion.

For the Been-dating-since-God-knows-when, usually, it is celebrated with a gift, bought with PRACTICALITY in mind. Because they have been together for sooooo long. Gifts like watches, coffee-makers, matching mobile phones, flower vases, and the like will dominate the shopping list. Dinner will be a drab affair, with no prior booking and minimal budget. A glass of champagne, often complimentary, is served.

For the married couples, the husband will simply say... 'well honey, I've bought you gifts and presents all year through, let's just perhaps find a place and have dinner with the kids.' Well, they always end up eating at home or some fast food restaurants, because all restaurants will be fully booked.

For me? I buy presents every now and then. Whenever I see something nice and practical and appropriate. Then what? I keep them for the special occasions. And one by one, they get sent out on birthdays, Valentines Day, Christmas Day, anniversaries.

To be continued...

Q&A: The Muhammad cartoons row

Cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad published in several European newspapers have caused outrage among some Muslims. The BBC News website looks at the key questions behind the row.

How did the row develop?

The cartoons were first published in September 2005 by Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten. They were later republished in Austria in January, and then at the beginning of February in a number of European newspapers in France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

Diplomatic protests by governments of Islamic countries started in October 2005, escalating to the closure of embassies.

Boycotts of Danish products and protests across the Islamic world built up in late January and early February. In the Palestinian territories, armed groups have made direct threats against citizens of the countries in which the cartoons were published. There have also been death threats against the artists.

On 2 February, Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen appeared on Arabic TV to apologise for offence caused by the cartoons, but he also defended freedom of expression.

There have since been angry and sometimes violent protests across the Islamic world, and in Britain and France.

What do Muslims say about the cartoons?

Many Muslims say that the cartoons - one of which shows Muhammad wearing a bomb-shaped turban - are extremely and deliberately offensive, expressing a growing European hostility towards and fear of Muslims. The portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad and Muslims in general as terrorists is seen as particularly offensive.

Read more: The Islamic prohibition on images of Muhammad

Some Muslims see the cartoons as an attack on their faith and culture designed to sow hatred.

Islamic tradition explicitly prohibits images of Allah, Muhammad and all the major figures of the Christian and Jewish traditions.

Has Muslim reaction to the cartoons been uniform?

Not at all - some Muslims have accused protesters of overreacting.

A weekly newspaper in Jordan reprinted some of the cartoons and urged Muslims to "be reasonable".

Websites produced by and for Muslims have shown the cartoons or linked to them. One liberal website said Muslims were making a mountain out of a molehill.

Some Muslims, mainly in Europe, have supported the re-publication of the images so that individual Muslims can make their own minds up and welcomed the debate on the issues that that cartoons have raised.

It has also been pointed out that cartoons in the Arab and Islamic press "demonising" Jews and Israelis are common.

Why did the Danish newspaper publish the cartoons?

The Danish newspaper that originally published the cartoons commissioned them after the author of a book about Islam said he was unable to find a single person willing to provide images of the Prophet.

The newspaper's culture editor, Flemming Rose, says he did not ask the illustrators to draw satirical caricatures of Muhammad. He asked them to draw the Prophet as they saw him.

Rose has insisted that there is a long Danish tradition of biting satire with no taboos, and that Muhammad and Islam are being treated no differently to other religions.

He also argues that the images have raised the profile in Denmark of a debate on integration of religious minorities.

The newspaper editors who have republished the cartoons say they are defending the right to free speech and acting in solidarity with the Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten.

What are the issues raised by the cartoons?

In many European countries there is a strong sense of secular values being under fire from conservative Islamic traditions among immigrant communities. Many commentators see the cartoons as a response to this.

There are also issues of integration - how much should the host society compromise to accommodate immigrant populations, and how much should immigrants integrate into the society they are making home.

Some commentators have defended the cartoons, saying they address fault lines in changing European societies that need to be discussed more openly.

Has anything like this happened before?

Culture clashes of this kind are not new.

In 1989 Iran's spiritual leader Ayatollah Khomeini called on Muslims to kill British author Salman Rushdie for alleged blasphemy in his book The Satanic Verses.

This may be closest comparison to the current situation. It raised many of the same issues - sensitivity of host cultures to religious sensibilities, integration of immigrants, religious intolerance and freedom of speech.

It took many years for the controversy over Mr Rushdie's novel to fade away, and for the author to emerge from hiding

(BBC News)

Welcome All Bloggers to my Blog. Mark This Page!

As this is my very first Blog entry, I shall restrain myself from being too harsh and critical.

Will be inviting discussions on social, political, literal, philosophical issues in time to come. But for now, let me post this up and see how warm my fellow bloggers can be!

And yes, I have got quite a number of wealth generating programs to introduce, if it is at all permissable. One of my philosophies... money is good, only when all your life's material worries are well taken care of, can you actually go forth and lead a Godly life. Remember, God Blesses us, how much we want Him to bless us is up to us.

Cheers!