guns,germs and steel

Guns,germs and steel
by Jared Diamond


"The difference between a kleptocrat and a wise statesman,between a robber baron and a public benefactor ,is merely one of degree:a matter of just how much large a percentage of the tribute extracted from producers is retained by the elite,and how much the commoners like the public uses to which the redistributed tribute is put.

For any ranked society,whether a chiefdom or a state,one thus has to ask why do the commoners tolerate the transfer of the fruits of their hard labour to kleptocrats?This question,raised by political theorists from Plato to Marx,is raised anew by voters in every modern election.Kleptocracies with little public support run the risk of being overthrown either by downtrodden commoners or by upstart would be replacement kleptocrats seeking public support by promising a higher ratio of services rendered to fruits stolen.

What should an elite do to gain popular support while still maintaining a more comfortable lifestyle than commoners?

1.Disarm the populace and arm the elite
2.Make the masses happy by redistributing much of the tribute received in popular ways.
3.Use the monopoly of force to promote happiness,by maintaining public order and curbing violence.
4.The remaining way for kleptocrats to gain public support is to construct an ideology or religion justifying kleptocracy."


History repeats itself.

waterfalls and downfalls

just seize the day and grab it by its neck,then try to wring every ounce of joy from the moment.So here in the pouring rain with a hopeless umbrella,I was watching the kids frolicking in the gushing waterfall of Sg tekala/Gabai .wow when you slide down the smooth rockface,it's so thrilling but the next few weeks you dipped into another saga of Madame B. Ovary and you just wonder if the Big C has decided to wipe that smile of your face-but I made it through and so its the mountains and the fun and the new people you've yet to meet that keeps you looking forward to a new day,a new year.

Evening is the whole day

Evening is the whole day -has a surprising reference to bodily excretions as a source of humour-from leaking butts to chamber pots that spill over to the stench,the stinking smell from Ammachi's room to Paati's droppings on the floor.Could the writer be saying that if the reader digs beneath that squeaky clean facade,he or she will come face to face with the skeletons in the closets and if you scratch beneath the prim and proper surface,you can literally dig out dirt.The purpose of the scatology of farts,burps and belches and poo is to remind us that shit happens or what a load of bullshit we weave to deceive ourselves that all is hunky dory.

Peace be unto you

Peace be unto you
Who speak truth to power
peace be unto you
Who tread the path of nails
May peace be in every step you take
To
Free the hungry
Free the mind
May light
Free the darkness of human ignorance
May light
Brighten our hearts
Brother and sisters of all colours and faith
May peace be unto you

SAM

Saya anak Malaysia.

Reality

It's so easy to lose touch with reality when you see so little of it.

Oh man,when Politics and Religion make strange bedfellows
And Business tries to jump into the bed
Then Race screams for attention
Then divorce would be the best intention
To each your own turf

Poverty despairity

Could there be a common criteria to measure poverty?

On a one to one basis,who has a better recourse for meeting basic needs- the poor in an OECD country or in a socialist country?

If the objective of business corporations is primarily profit maximisation and that of the public service is governance,then who should shoulder the burden of helping the poor?The third sector would be the NGOs or the religious organizations.

As societies become more complex,what safeguards would there be for those who have dropped out of the system?

With the lack of social security,wouldn't there be greater propensity for someone in position of power to be opportunistic and amass financial security through illegal means?

When human capital cannot be capitalised any longer,are they relegated to junkyards like useless cars?

Air Pressure

Poof .....poof.......poof...
The ill wind breaks
on an 18 hour flight
from A to Z
Non-stop
without a break

Reimagining the city

Tropics

The heat-trap of concrete sidewalks
how to get a pedestrian friendly culture
when the humidity and heat saps your vitality

If youths need the thrill of racing,either they do it safely through virtual reality
illegally endangering other motorists is not the way to go
or start racing clubs at subsidized rates to train future Grand Prix drivers

A fusion city

Cityscape

revitalise the cities
everything is geared indoors
how to create pockets of outdoors
where children can roam,explore,scream
where young can play,outdoor performances of music and dance

A fusion city of past preserved and futuristic designs
grey slabs of concrete
revitalised

Wish List for RE generation

Impian Kami
Ren Min Di Xi Wang

Less dirty jokes and dirty politics at our expense

More recreational spaces,more natural,open spaces,more SAFE spaces

Community centres for interaction of all regardless of race or religion with free exercise classes for the elderly,cookery classes,dance and music facilities for youths instead of mat rempits and mall rats,training in traditional batik crafts,basket weaving,painting etc,IT facilities for young and old to bridge the digital divide

Non partisan media for critical dissemination of knowledge and not more shopping catalogues,no thank you

A Safe and Sound Environment

Mengekalkan ketenteraman agar rakyat jelata boleh meneruskan pekerjaan
Dalam keadaan ekonomi yang semakin bercabar and pesiangan dari negara lain yang lebih menarik
kekecohan hanya membawa kehilangan keyakinan pelabur asing
Maka keruntuhan ekonomi akan menjejas setiap orang
Masa inilah untuk menjalin perhubungan erat antara sektor awam and swasta
Berganding bahu bagi menyediakan lebih peluang pekerjaan kepada pemuda negara
Agak masa depan mereka masih cerah
atau kita akan kehilangan lebih orang muda ,berhijrah memajukan masa depan lain negara

Zeitgeist -The Spirit of The Time

It's time to stand up and be counted
It's time to defend our common space from the racists and sexists
It's time to claim the humanity
That links us to a common destiny

It's the day of reckoning
When the wronged cannot be silenced
When dark deeds cannot be whitewashed
When those with the wherewithal are above the law

It stands to reason
That's the time
that will turn the tide
From every side
To the rightful.

How should power sharing be distributed

What should be the primary duty of representatives of the armed forces?

To prevent the abuse of power by armed forces in the running of a government democratically elected,how can the authority to mobilize soldiers to engage in armed conflicts be decentralized?

Should the public sectors be involved in competition with the private sector?

What should be the primary responsibilities of the public sector-macro management of economic policies and should they be involved in running mega corporations which seek to compete with the private sectors in terms of funding and market share so much so that the playing field is not level?

The 7 Deadly Sins

Commerce without morality
Science without humanity
Wealth without work
Worship without sacrifice
Politics without principles
Knowledge without character
Pleasure without conscience

M . Gandhi

State of fear

Do we the people have to live in a state of fear?

What is the perception of the state of safety in Malaysia?

1. The parents dare not let our children out to play with friends in public spaces without constant surveillance by adults.( Missing out the fun of outdoor play and robbed of childhood innocence)
2.Teenagers who hang around in shopping malls are robbed of handphones and wallets.(as my students out on a project work assignment in KLCC for an art exhibition have been relieved of their belongings)
3.Working adults at ATM terminals have to constantly look over their shoulders for potential robbers or snatch thieves when they are out shopping.
4.Although homes are heavily barricaded,these burglars have the skill to break in.
5.Our vehicles are not safe from car thefts.
6.What about business retail premises which are broken into?
7.What about the insurance sector or investors when expensive cargoes or consignments are hijacked?
8.What about foreign tourists who are robbed?
9.What is the psychological effect to be constantly in a state of fear of being attacked?
10.What is the economical effect on retail , tourism , real estate investors?