Sometimes my hippie reputation is justified...

I bought this book at a book fair yesterday and I haven't read it, but i thought i'd just post it up because I think a lot of my friends would approve.
Actually I think i bought it because i could imagine people telling me it's my kind of book.
Oh gosh, I am becoming what I think you think I am. (o_0)

In any case, love, peace and flowers.

Oh, and if you're into the whole living free out of a backpack thing and have time to kill, do check out Zhang Su Li's book, website or her blog. Some of the most inspirational writing to come out of Malaysia in a while (I may be biased. She's a backpacking copywriter!)

Gosh, i'm like an advertisement. But one should share what one loves.

Guns and the Great States

My initial reaction when I saw the news heading 'Americans have right to guns under landmark ruling' was shock and horror. *
I already don't have the best impression of Americans wielding guns (if you recall many posts back, a story with Graham Norton and a fat kid who shot a giant boar). Then again, media nowadays does mimic Hollywood where sex, money and violence creates sensationalist furore, so that could be a result of too much Michael Moore and CSI.

I took some time to absorb it. So if I tell my neighbours that I'm uncomfortable with them keeping guns, they can tell me "So what? It's my CONSTITUTIONAL right to own one.''

Is it stil copyright infringement if i acknowledge: Yes, this is Yosemite Sam and I got it from here

Really, it baffles me how a court of law can want that. But some people really really do. Like Republican candidate John McCain:

"Unlike the elitist view that believes Americans cling to guns out of
bitterness, today's ruling recognizes that gun ownership is a fundamental right
-- sacred, just as the right to free speech and assembly," McCain said.

Anyway, if you're up to date with the American political system ... or not, here's the lowdown. Republicans are the more conservative bunch - generally taking the traditionalist stand in issues like gay marriage (not for it), legalised abortion (not for it), sex education (if you don't talk about it it won't happen), war (if you're not with me, you're against me) and preferring tax breaks to alternative energy sources. I guess think here about your 1950's Stepford Husbands. 'Good old 2.4 average children in my perfect house with the perfect wife using her up-to-date vacuum.'

Key Republicans: George Bush, George W. Bush, John McCain...

The Democrats, on the other hand, come from the more liberalised standpoint, and they have different views on gay marriage (they're people too), environmental policy (global warming is a fact and we're polluting the earth), war (how about diplomacy?) and would prefer social reform in general. If you needed a picture in your mind, think hippies. 'Free love, peace and the world can be a better place.'

Key Democrats: Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, Barack Obama...

Now that's really really simplifying things, but to me, the politics are about conservative vs. liberal. Individual candidates have their own stance on things and there are some overlapping policies, so this is a very generalised picture, but a picture nonetheless.

So, if you haven't already figured out which team i'm batting for, here's a quote from Barack Obama which makes sense to me. But obviously not to the Supreme Court:

"I have always believed that the Second Amendment protects the right of
individuals to bear arms," Obama said, "but I also identify with the need for
crime-ravaged communities to save their children from the violence that plagues
our streets through common sense, effective safety measures."

Anyway, continuing with initial shock and horror, I thought about it somemore.
To me it doesn't make sense to carry an extra spear so the lions go away (ehehe.. my analogies again). Prevention is much better than cure!

And this relates to Malaysia too. Pepper spray (personally, i can tell you it's nasty) isn't going to keep the murderers and rapists and robbers at bay. I'd very much rather there weren't any in the first place, thank you very much.

I wonder if in future, people complaining about crime can hear the retort, 'Well, if you had carried your gun... like we said you could, maybe this wouldn't have happened.'

So I was thinking 'Dear lord, Now they can all go postal and shoot each other because everyone's entitled to a gun.' (except madmen, ex cons and not in schools - yes, i read that the ruling is not unlimited) But, putting an optimistic spin on it... maybe legalising something will mean less problems with it?

Look at prostitution and drugs in Amsterdam!

Low records of rape and drug overdose, right?

Okay, i don't know. But i don't like knowing people around me own guns and are entitled to. This is my theory as to why policemen aren't respected anymore.

Gone are the days when they really had the biggest stick.

A lot of musings once again, Legalised 'vice', Democrats v Republicans, Crime rates and Law-affected Morals. As always, musings are better with feedback. So, have a point of view? Try me.

Yes Dan, this means you. I know you'll have something to say...

* Note: previously the constitution implied guns were a right but it wasn't clear. Now it is...

Yogyakarta in Short

Alright.
I didn't get stranded or kidnapped in Yogyakarta. My bad. I have no reason but laziness.
But it was a great trip and i shall sum it up in 10 memorable points of Yogyakarta (in no particular order)!

1. I rode pillion on a motorcycle for the first time in my life! Definitely not as scary when the driver is kind enough to ride at 40km/h and the roads don't have massive jams or crazy cars. Definitely also a plus point when it is at night with a gorgeous starry sky above you and the night breeze blowing as you pass by busy dangdut gatherings and quiet paddy fields. Highlight of the trip. =)
2. People there are so lovely and polite. I went for a few community meetings and they're all very hospitable and friendly and offer tea and snacks. (mind you we've never met before and they definitely aren't very well off) And also extremely civil. Maybe there's something in this community empowerment thing (that we propagate and don't practice at all)
3. I drank teh sampah which is actually extremely yummy tea with ginger, random branches, mint leaves, cinnamon and rock sugar but it looks like rubbish floating inside. Jawa tea is the yummiest drink in the world. Well, maybe next to Milo. And Baileys. And ... it's yummy anyway.
4. I ate a chicken heart. *Bleurgh* all in the name of politeness. All I can say - chewy.
5. I learned that Bahasa Jawa and Bahasa Melayu is same same but different. Asmara means love, not illegitimate sex. Intermisu means joke, not intermission. Cowot and Cewet means boy and girl. And seronok has sexual connotations. Bisa faham?
6. I had a Rp1000 meal. That's 10 US cents. That's 30 Malaysian cents. Nasi kucing - the staple of poor students in all Jogja. But too little with only a small portion of rice and sambal. The meal may have been improved by the buskers who travel around to the many mats that people sit on to sing for tips. Not great, but entertaining.
7. If you need inspiration for political activism and passion, just go to Indonesia. I was asked if there were demonstrations in Malaysia after the fuel hike and i said very very small ones. And they said 'Oh, there was quite a bit hubbub here.' So i told them that we get arrested on the Internal Security Act for 'illegal gatherings'. Indonesia used to have an ISA too. But they managed to get rid of it. "How?" i ask. "Oh. We demonstrated against it." (-_-") chicken and egg scenario, isn't it?
8. There was cheap accommodation (well, relatively) with awesome free breakfast, lovely staff and a library to boot! I am a big fan of Ministry of Coffee and Damn, those were some good chocolate banana pancakes.
9. My stomach did not act up, thank goodness. Even after the super spicy padang food. Oh, political gripe here. Although farmers in some regions have been on their lands (growing chilli and other things, there's some connection to the spicy food) for years and years. The land does not belong to them! So, they can be kicked off at any time. Like now, when there is an Australian mining company interested in buying the land. How unfair. *grumble*
10. People in Yogyakarta are extremely resilient with little signs of the devastation from the 2006 earthquake. My respect goes out to those ibu and bapa (sign of respect there) that are raising cattle, processing cassava, working on ceramics and just getting on with their lives.

Okay. 10 points. I know there was much more but i left it too late. Bad Jeannie! Bad Bad! In other news, there have been many comment-worthy things in the paper that i think "Ah! Blog worthy!"

Like the latest stupid Malaysian comment that lipstick and high heels are encouraging rape and immorality. Like i said, the fun never ends. Yay!

Oil *grumble* silly *grumble* motorists...

The cabinet decided that they would raise the price of fuel and electricity starting from midnight+ 1 minute on the 5th of June. (1 minute is there to minimise confusion)
I would just like to point out that there are horrible, penny-wise pound-foolish people who think it is worth queueing up at petrol stations to save that 78 cents per litre.
They might be right. You might save like, RM 10, but think of all that money you spend needlessly queuing! Can see the dollar signs evaporating into the air.
And i am speaking as a disgruntled motorist who was caught in a 2 hour jam because of you stupid people.
There was even a picture in the paper of a guy who had to pump petrol into bottles seeing as his car ran out of petrol as he was in the queue.

Don't you just love kiasu Malaysia?

On another note, I will be on my first working trip beginning tomorrow! Off to Jogjakarta and roughing it out in a place called the Ministry of Coffee!


Roughing it out indeed.
hur hur hur....

News Flash

I went out for chicken rice and...
WHAM!
Next thing you know,
I'm an aunty!

Welcome to the world little nephew. =)