the damned quarter pounder

Damn, damn. Double damn.

I feel so darn pudgy right now, thanks to my lack of wisdom in choosing food for lunch. Yup, yours sincerely disgustingly stuffed her face with a Quarter Pounder, as well as medium fries and Vanilla Coke. What the hell was I thinking?

But I can hardly be held culpable for this idiocy. For serious, it ain't my fault, people. How does one stay strong when as soon as one walks through the Golden Arches, one gets seduced without warning?

Now come on, you can't possibly tell me that you won't falter after seeing the juiciness of that.

And you know what else seriously doesn't help? The scrumptiously salty scent of fresh French fries... It's tough, oi!

But just like with everything else in life, you gotta know your limits. A large meal?

Calories in Quarter Pounder

A quarter pounder with cheese, large fries & large shake contain about 1300 calories. To burn off the calories, take a brisk 5 hour walk.

Five blinking hours of walking? Am so patting my back for settling with just a medium meal.

But still.

I'm definitely going for kickboxing today, man.

Curse you, McDonald's. Curse you to bankruptcy.

~*~

Perhaps I shoulda just had this...

After which I'll be surfing high on my very own...

~*~

If these bad-ass big boys from Pulp Fiction couldn't resist the evil seductions of the Quarter Pounder and its other sinful fast-food friends, how could I?

Vincent Vega: You know what they call a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris?

Jules: They don't call it a Quarter Pounder with cheese?

Vincent: No, they got the metric system there, they wouldn't know what the f**k a Quarter Pounder is.

Jules: What'd they call it?

Vincent: Royale with Cheese.

Jules: Royale with Cheese... What'd they call a Big Mac?

Vincent: Big Mac's a Big Mac, but they call it Le Big Mac.

Jules: What do they call a Whopper?

Vincent: I dunno, I didn't go into a Burger King.

Even weapon-bearing citizens in cartoonland have fallen prey to this evil of our world:

Lou: Well, at McDonald's you can buy a Krusty Burger with cheese, right? But they don't call it a Krusty Burger with cheese.

Wiggum: Get out! Well, what do they call it?

Lou: A Quarter Pounder with cheese.

Wiggum: Quarter Pounder with cheese? Well, I can picture the cheese, but, uh, do they have Krusty partially gelatinated non-dairy gum-based beverages?

Lou: Mm-hm. They call 'em, "shakes."

Eddie: Huh, shakes? You don't know what you're gettin'!

Hallelujah. I ain't alone in this predicament, no seree.

get them eggs outta them ice boxes!

More info on the avian flu...

Academic warns people not to store eggs in refrigerators

Eggs should not be stored in refrigerators because the cooler conditions might allow the bird-flu virus to live longer, increasing the chance of exposure to humans, a senior Chulalongkorn University researcher said Thursday.

Professor Yong Phuvoravan, who is part of a team examining patterns of genes in bird flu, said that while the virus can be caught only through direct contact with chickens, refrigerated conditions could allow the virus to live longer on the outside of eggshells.

Speaking at a bird-flu seminar at the Chula Academy Exhibition Thursday, he urged people to wash their eggs carefully (hahah, sorry, this sounds so salah, man!), especially those smattered with chicken droppings, and not to store them in their fridges.

He added that people should wash their hands well after touching the eggs and cook the eggs in 70-degree Celsius heat.

The virus has mutated by about 3 per cent from the first batchfound in 2003, which was a natural process, he said. However, as yet there has been no evidence of a mutation to make the virus transmittable from human to human.

Yong did say, however, that over consumption of the Tamiflu vaccine could lead to the virus building up a resistance.

a dream that turned into a nightmare in just one afternoon

... for Wigan, that is. We, on the other hand, got silverware, woohoo!

GLORY GLORY MAN UNITED!

P/S: Way to go, Wayne!

i'm wishing on a star

Ah, human nature. Never satisfied with anything that you already have, and always wanting more more more. Being a fellow homosapien, I am in no way exempted from this curse. Here goes my current wish list.

I w*sh I had more...

money * Aha, the obvious choice. I mean, come on, in this day and age, who can deny that loot is way up there in their list of wants and worries? But you know what? While I dream of having more kaching all the time, I'd just like to make something very, very clear. I don't wanna be filthy rich, nah-uh. Sure, the thought of never having to worry about financial constraints is truly heavenly indeed. Sure, I get insanely envious of the glitz and glam that some of my more fortunate peers who were born into super-rich families enjoy. But big fortune, as unfortunate as it may be, comes with bigger price tags. So, while I don't agree with the saying "money can't buy happiness"—'cause let's get real; money can buy anything nowadays, honey—I think the tagline that better suits me is "just a little bit more money makes a happier little missy."

time * Oh how I wish that there were more hours in my days! As it is, my job sucks up a huge chunk of my time. And being the ever-hyper-can't-stay-still-for-more-than-two-minutes person that I am, I have so much stuff to do (futsal, kickboxing, cooking, shopping, not to mention the ones I've been wanting to partake in like capoeira, more language classes, etc) but so little time to do them. But then again, there is never enough time for anything, is there? Yup, I gotta make time to have more time, innit. And not just for those stuff I mentioned above, no way José. What I really, seriously need to make time for is those dearest to my heart, so that I can arm myself with precious memories to ensure my fulfilment in years to come.

patience * Blame it on my age, blame it on my growing disenchantment with life, heck, blame it even on the bad influence of all things uncensored (hah!). Whatever it may be, patience is a definite virtue that I've never been well endowed with. A virtue that seems to be more and more of a stranger to me. And lately, I find it extra easy for things to tick me off. This, especially true in the love department. Which is so salah, as my significant other should be my source of comfort, not some poor punching bag. Perhaps it's the fifth-month curse (you know, things are all dandy till you reach the second quarter). Perhaps it's all the drugs that I'm forced to pump myself with. Perhaps it's just bad anger management... For what it's worth, I'm sorry, sweetheart. Do have the comfort of knowing that I'm trying to do something about it, ya ;)

wisdom * I hate making decisions. Be it something simple like which road to take, or not so simple as choosing the starting five for my team at a tourney, or just downright life-threatening like "should I or should I not go home beyond my curfew nightly" (yes, people, Catwoman has a curfew, so bite me). Why is this so? Because I fear that the choices I make might haunt me. Also, sometimes—most of the time—I'm torn between being wise and being instantly gratified that I close one eye deliberately. Sigh. I think I know what I need to do: Grow up. Insya-Allah, this will eventually gift me with the wisdom to make good choices. No, no, the wisdom to make the right choices, more like.

strength * ... to say no. Don't know why I find it so hard to blurt "no!" to those annoying callers who claim that "someone has recommended you for an exclusive membership to the Legend Group," and the like. I would usually resort to telling them that I'm "busy" rather than "not interested" for fear of hurting their feelings. Silly? Very, I know. And yet I still succumb to such behaviours. Oh, why do I have a heart? ;Þ (in major denial)

creativity * Being a so-called "creative" personnel in the advertising industry has made me realise one thing: that I'm not too creative after all. Ironic, innit. I simply can't get how people around me can just pluck ideas out of thin air. Me, I think and think and zilch. Well, not zilch per se but pretty blah thoughts. Maybe I just care too much about what people think, hence I filter out anything that I deem unworthy of their opinion (which spells most of my thoughts). Maybe I just need to stop thinking too much about thinking. There, another irony. Welcome to the world of advertising.

accessories * Okay, okay, so this one's lame, but I wish I had more bling! Calm down, I ain't talking real-deal carats here (though one or two of those would be sweet, heh.) I'm just wishing that I hadn't stopped my high-school hobby of collecting costume jewellery along the way, so that by now I would have an abundance of girly-girl stuff to complement (contradict?) my not-so-girly-girl personality. Oh well. Thank gosh for all the "three for tens" that are available everywhere nowadays.

inches * What, you didn't know that I'm actually a man? HAH! Now that I've got your imagination engine running wild, try picturing me with a little more to my height. Nothing too OTT, just four more inches would be good. I wonder if those "stretch your bones longer to be taller" stints in China are worth a looksee, hrmmm...

strange but true

"By raising your legs slowly and laying on your back,

you can't sink in quicksand."

-- Anonymous

chicken run

Some vital stuff on the avian flu.

BTW if you find this dark image below intriguing, do scroll all the way down to the bottom of this post to discover the truth about the ill-fated bird.

U.S. Embassy Warden Message on Avian Flu

February 22, 2006

Malaysian government authorities have confirmed an outbreak of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in the Gombak neighborhood of Kuala Lumpur.

The virus caused the death of approximately 40 chickens. We have received no reports of human transmission and no reports of outbreaks outside this immediate area.

The authorities have responded to the outbreak by culling chicken flocks in the area, restricting the transport of poultry, disinfecting coops in the neighborhood and monitoring the surrounding area.

We are advising Embassy staff to minimize any possible risk of exposure to the H5N1 virus by taking the following steps:

* Avoid physical contact with birds or their feces, in particular domestic poultry

* Avoid contact with people who come in contact with live poultry

* Avoid wet markets, chicken coops and other places where it would be easy to come into contact with birds or their waste

* Wash your hands frequently to minimize the risk of infection

* It is safe to consume poultry and eggs, but both should be thoroughly
cooked

* Wash the shells of eggs in soap and water to minimize the risk of infection

Additional country information can be obtained from the Department of State's Consular Information Sheets at http://travel.state.gov/ and from the Department of State's toll-free number, 1-888-407-4747, or if calling from overseas, 202-501-4444.

The State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs will keep international travelers up to date through their Avian flu fact sheet which can befound at http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/health/health_1181.html

All involved agencies throughout the U.S. Government are coordinating to maintain up to date U.S. information on pandemic flu and avian influenza at http://pandemicflu.gov/

Specific CDC travel information relating to avian influenza, including preventive measures, is available at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/index.htm

WHO guidance related to avian influenza is available at http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/

CDC Contact Information:
Public Inquiries:
English (888) 246-2675
Spanish (888) 246-2857
TTY (866) 874-2646
Mon-Fri 8am-11pm EST
Sat-Sun 10am-8pm EST
Address: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd., Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. (404) 639-3311

WHO Liaison Office in Washington DC
Contact Information:
Telephone: (202) 331-9081
Facsimile: (202) 331-9097
Address: WHO Liaison Office, 1775 K Street, N.W., Suite 430 Washington, D.C.
20006, USA

And now, just to satisfy any curiosities about the picture I pasted at the top of this page. It's not taken from any funny sites or on-line photo databases, no way José. In fact, it came with an interestingly peculiar though somewhat morbid true tale entitled:

Russian suicidal chicken hangs itself on a fence

Read all about it here

stupid b & l

Bleedin Bausch & Lomb, always causing me inconvenience and agony. Argh!

Health warning on lens solution

SINGAPORE: The Health Ministry has strongly advised contact lens users to discontinue the use of Bausch & Lomg (S) Pte Ltd (B & L) ReNu multipurpose contact lens sokution following recent cases of contact lens-related fungal corneal infections.

The Ministry said that the advice was a precautionary measure until the causes behind the recent increase of infections could be more clearly ascertained.

"B & L will advise consumers on what to do with existing stocks of their products," it said in a statement. -- Bernama

I also picked this up while surfing:

Contact lens users are reminded to practise proper contact lens cleaning and care regimens, to not use disposable contact lenses beyond their ecommended disposal period and to replace contact lens storage cases at least every three months.

Multi-purpose solution in the lens storage case must be changed every day, even if the lenses are not used daily.

Users should stop wearing the lenses if they develop any redness, blurring of vision or pain of the eye and visit a doctor or contact lens practitioner. -- CNA /ct

the hell with the rat race

Ohhhhhhhmeeeeeegawd ohmegawd ohmegawd ohmegawd ohmegawd ohmegawd OHMEGAWDDD!

What I've been dreaming about is finally coming true... AMAZING RACE IN FRIGGIN ASIA!

I wanna I wanna I wanna I wanna I wanna I wanna I SO WANNA!!!

Of course, I would have to think of the perfect partner for this (amongst other things).

My first natural choice would be my significant other, obviously, but I doubt he will give up his current dream job for such a seemingly silly cause.

My second natural choice would've been one of my best friends, Qaty. She who'd been my partner in all aggressice crimes since I was 15, from rough in-line skating stunts to psychotic taekwon-do final bouts to nasty taxi rides... The adventures were endless, really. Sadly (for me, glad for her), though, Qaty is now a missus and more importantly a mommy, and I wouldn't wanna be the cause of her taking a break from that.

Me, I'd take time off of my current job in a second ;Þ

Anyways, I digress. My other dear friends Tasha and Shereeta do come to mind, but something tells me that Tash would not pick me over her best mate, Azhar. While Shereeta, well, I could ask her, but something tells me that her oh-too-loud voice might just leave me even more insane than I already dangerously am, hah!

I could ask my fellow Wildcat, Raveena (who's my all-time fave futsaller, seriously). She's smart, she's tough, and she's a Scorpio. The perfect combo, I reckon!

Or, of course, I could do The Pawang Clan proud by asking my good ol' brother. Him+me would've been a hellish match not too long ago, but now I'm pretty sure we'd make quite a pair!

Hmm... Who else, who else?

Any ideas/suggestions/self-recommendations welcome, but make sure it's soon-ish because... well, check out this bottom line:

More info on the Amazing Race Asia here

oh what a week

1st boo-effin-hoo factor:
ManU got ousted from the FA Cup

2nd boo-effin-hoo factor:
Nicol lost the KL Open '06 title

3rd boo-effin-hoo factor:
I fell ill on Sat nite. Again.

Sore throat, it seems. AGAIN.

Geez, man. Been getting these nasty throat attacks once a month since November. Bad bad bad.

Sunday through Tuesday saw me being knocked off my feet. And couldn't swallow a thing cuz it hurt too much. What made it worst, most of Monday and yesterday I couldn't keep anything down. That surely did more damage to my already SO-THE-PAIN swallowing passage.

Major hunger. Major ouch.

Went to the ENT specialist again, and he gave me yet another reason to frown.

4th boo-effin-hoo factor:
Gotta take my tonsils out before the end of next month.

Sigh.

gusti putri raden adjeng retno dumilah

For V-Day, my dear darling surprised me with tix for Puteri Gunung Ledang: The Musical.

You'd think I'd be ecstatic over this, right? Wrong.

Rather annoyed was more like it, actually. You know why?

Because I'd already purchased tickets for the both of us for this Sunday, and I was supposed to have surprised him last nite with them tix. Grr!

Anywho, I give the show two thumbs up. The set was breathtaking, the music superb, the singing and dancing brilliant.

Many, many snaps and salutations go out to Adlin Aman Ramli, who repeated his excellent performance as Sultan Mahmud of Malacca. I particularly enjoyed the a-go-go style number he did as a means of expressing the joy and excitement over his upcoming union with Gusti Putri. So gedik, but so apt! I can so imagine many guys out there doing the same when they got their "yes" from their respective puteri idaman ;)

But my utmost tabik goes out to AC Mizal, whose amazing portrayal of Gusti Adipati (the King of Majapahit) was the definite show stealer. Nevermind his believable Javanese accent. Nevermind the painful-looking facial expressions. Nevermind his powerful stage presence. What got to me the most were his mannerisms a la Michael Jackson in the "Remember The Time" music video. Watching him maintain them the whole time got me thinking, "isn't it tiring to do those really-stiff-and-highly-uncomfortable hand gestures all night long?"

Truly jaw-dropping stuff.

Honestly, I would've enthusiastically flailed my two big toes in the air even, but me being little-miss-perfectionist me, I do have some reservations.

While the orchestra performed plendidly, sadly many a time the music overshadowed the singing, leaving me as an unsatisfied camper as I couldn't menghayati the powerful words. This, in turn, made me feel as if I was robbed of the full grandeur of the recital.

I'm no big fan of Tiara Jacquelina's, this I must admit, but I thought she carried her part of Gusti Putri pretty well. That is, until she started getting sporadic breathlessness and having pitching problems. Her voice even broke a couple of times, which is a big, fat no-no in stage musicals. Pity, though, as I'm darn sure that if they had just a little bit more rehearsing time, she would've been closer to perfect.

The biggest boo-boo, however, was Stephen Rahman-Hughes. With all the bad vibes that has surrounded his appointment as Hang Tuah, I was really looking forward to him giving all the non-believers a run for their money. Disappointingly, though, the first many lines uttered by him sounded horrifyingly like a mat sal trying to read in Malay. Thankfully, he eventually warmed up and his accent got better, though still lacked the much-needed "Melayu-ness."

I mean, I cannot deny his immense talent—his voice is undoubtedly drool-inducing, and his dancing nothing short of commendable. And who could ignore his striking handsomeness, which left the ladies (including yours truly ;Þ ) swooning. But I just wish Stephen was more of a mighty warrior—rather than Bollywood crooner—kind.

Makes me wonder, why in the world did Stephen get casted for this? Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those people who think that only Malays should play Malays. To me, if you've got the ability, then I ain't gonna complain. But after witnessing the show, I hate to say I'm beginning to suspect that there's some truth in Cik Ura Ura's words: that Mr Rahman-Hughes got the role only and simply because Tiara wanted him. As in, wanted him. Hrmmm.

Anyways, all said and done, gotta say that the standing ovation myself and the rest of the audience gave at the end of the show was truly called for. Overall, Puteri Gunung Ledang: The Musical is undisputedly a stunning achievement for Malaysia, and is absolutely miss-it-and-weep material, I'll give you that.

And to mi bebé, muchísimas gracias for a wonderful night out, and so sorry for venting out my frustrations on the ridiculous traffic conditions all over you, heh. Nways, now you've left me stranded without a Valentine's pressie for you. Howwww? It's all your fault, you know ;Þ

malaysia today

Read the most hideous thing in the papers.

NST reported that there's this woman who staged her own kidnapping to test how much her boyfriend truly loved her.

This case eventually got to the Serious Crimes Division of the Negeri Sembilan police contingent, and totally wasted the time and efforts of policemen who went hunting for the "kidnapped" Seremban lass.

Like wha'?!

My take...

Symptoms point to:
LOA (Lack of Attention) Syndrome, Brain Damage, and Calamitous Stupidity

Stage:
Critical

Procedure of recovery:
A really, really strong bang on the head, no less than three times a day

~*~

In other news, it's major snaps for our very own immensely talented cartoonist, Lat.

His legendary "Kampung Boy" can now be enjoyed on the sunny beaches of Brazil, in Portuguese.

This bestseller, which was first seen way back in 1979, has also been published in Japan (in 1984) as well as France (2003), and will be made available in the United States come September.

The brilliant "Kampung Boy" has also been relished in animation on the worldwide cartoon network.

Commented Lat:

"'Kampung Boy' is almost an autobiography and is popular as it portrays the true Malaysian identity.

There are also plans to publish the book in Holland and Germany."

Syabas, Datuk!

cherish: part deux

... and here's another one for the guys. Though this one's more "drama," am pretty sure you blokes are smart enough to just get the gist of it.

Compliment what she does
Send her roses just because
If it's violins she loves
Let them play

Dedicate her favourite song
And hold her closer all night long
Love her today
Find one hundred ways

Don't forget, there could be
An old lover in her memory
If you need her so much more
Why don't you say?

Maybe she has it in her mind
That she's just wasting her time
Ask her to stay
Find one hundred ways

Being cool won't help you
keep a love warm
You'll just blow your only chance

Take the time to open up your heart
That's the secret of romance

Sacrifice, if you care
Buy her some moonlight to wear
If it's one more star she wants
Go all the way

In your arms tonight, she'll reflect
That she owes you the sweetest of debts
If she wants to pay
She'll find one hundred ways

So love her today
Find one hundred ways

-- "One Hundred Ways" by James Ingram

cherish

Since Valentine's Day is just upon us, thought I'd give a tip to the boys on how to keep their women smiling.

Okay, okay, so it's not really wisdom from me per se, but they are simple words that I reckon you lot from the darker gender could better yourselves with! ;Þ

Thinkin' back in time
Someone said that love was blind
But they were wrong
You just choose to not see
When it's right before your eyes
You'd rather compromise
Than give your all
And it don't turn out
The way it's supposed to be

Time and time again you disappoint
When she believes
Do all you can
To give her what she needs
And...

Cherish her love
Show her she's right where she belongs
Take care of her heart
Before she's gone
Cherish her love

It might be hard to conceive
You gotta see the forest
Despite the trees
Before it all burns down
Not tellin' you nothing you don't know

You see, she'll let you have your fun
But when a woman's done, she's done
And then she'll go
Just when you're needin' her the most

So if you care about the weather
Keep her safe and warm
Let nothing in between stand in your way
They say it's calm inside the eye of the storm
Together come whatever
Come what may

Just cherish her love

-- Brian McKnight

thank you, boro

Middlesbrough 3-0 Chelsea

How?!

In any case, WOO-BLINKIN'-HOO!

I leave you now with this totally precious, totally rare treat for the eyes...


Sweet dreams :)

isn't she lovely

Did you see my alter-ego Alicia Keys (yeah, uh-huh ;Þ) fashioning a black beaded Armani gown—and a slimmer physique—at the 48th Grammy's 2006?

One word: breathtaking.

Though the neckline truly epitomises the meaning of "plunging," Ms Keys pulled it off looking absolutely stunning and not skanky. I know it sounds corny, but for serious, I couldn't take my eyes off of the gorgeous Ms Keys!

And, of course, the little impromptu delight that she did with Stevie Wonder was just the perfect icing on the cake, indeed.

I LOVE YOU, ALICIA KEYS! ;)

wise words

"To be happy with a man, you must understand him a lot and love him a little.

To be happy with a woman, you must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all."

-- Anonymous

los galácticos tristes

Real Madrid 1-6 Real Zaragoza

WTF? That's SIX-ONE, people!

A team full of galácticos—Spanish for "superstars"—like Ronaldo (the Brazillian, not the Portuguese), Roberto Carlos (now with hair!), Raúl, Becks, Robinho, Cicinho, Casillas, as well as the most expensive footballer in the world, Zinedine Zidane... And they got ass-whopped by REAL ZARAGOZA?

But then again, Real Zaragoza did end La Liga leaders Barça's 18-match unbeaten run in stunning fashion recently, simultaneously booting the latter out of the Copa del Rey on a 5-4 aggregate.

But still. A side bursting with so many (too many?) world-class footballing greats should have done so much better. This kind of scoreline is unheard of, man, come on!

Los galácticos, my behind. Judging from their sorry showings this past couple of seasons, they sure sound more like fallen stars to me.

Open your eyes, o' bigwigs of Real Madrid. When will you realise that over-stuffing your team with too many stars only spells disaster!

Why? Because not only are the players too individualistic, but worse is that they'll be too busy trying to outshine each other.

I'm not saying that superstars are bad news. But having two or three per team is more than sufficient. That way, these few can inspire and lead the rest of their not-so-stars teammates to their team's—instead of their own—glory.

Take the practically-impossible-to-beat Chealsea, for example. As my footie buddy Adrian put it:

"They only have a couple of stars, while the rest are workhorses."

i've been a bad, bad girl

... for these past few days have seen me neglegting my rediscovered old love.

How can I be so careless, so reckless, especially when Valentine's Day is just around the corner?

Confused? Put two and two together by referring to "Rekindling of an old flame" as well as the last two paras in "Guilty speech".

so the angst!

I'm a sporty person. You could say that working out my muscles is my aphrodisiac.

In fact, if I don't get my usual fixes of futsal or kickboxing or any other sport that I've penned down in my schedule, I'd turn into one very bitchy camper.

You see, Saturday afternoons and Monday nights are my futsal team's training days. Last Saturday, what would usually be a solid two-hour sweat-out session was rudely truncated by half. Why? Because somebody stuffed up our booking.

Strike one.

Needless to say, I was truly looking forward to Monday night. But again, the blinking centre (not the same place) also made a mess in their RSVP book.

Strike two.

Watch out, world; conditions can get pretty ugly when this feisty catlady doesn't get to kick balls!

And today's Wednesday. Which spells out another futsal day for moi (yes, I'm a futsal junkie so bite me!). Usually, on this day every week I would play with a group of guys and gals. This has been going on for the past 2.5 years or so. But tonight, it seems everyone's caught up in something that's keeping them from futsalling.

STRIKE THREE!

Imagine how pissy this puss is right now.

Argh.

Argh!

ARGH!!!

Thank God for kickboxing. At least the well-being of my mental can still be preserved by venting out these frustrations on them punching bags!

those damned caricatures

Been reading up on this and just gotta get some stuff off of my chest.

Firstly, I'm really puzzled. Because to me, why must one do something controversial if it doesn’t bring any true benefit to the doer? Were the caricatures so darn important that not publishing (and republishing) them would mean the end of mankind?

Granted, I respect that the press in the West firmly believe in and stand behind the notion of "freedom of speech," which means that they can practically put anything and everything in their publications. But it doesn’t take a genius to also realise that the media—all forms of it—has the power to spark serious damages both locally and globally. As such, they should take extreme measures in avoiding issues that could very well lead to acts of war!

Yes, we Muslims have no right to force others to abide by our ways and laws**. For serious, I can't stop your undying need to express yourself via drawings of the sacred people of my religion, but why the hell must you go and PUBLISH such a thing? The act is unruly, insensitive, and just plain stupid.

As this International Herald Tribune reader aptly put it:

"We are free to the extent that we don't abuse the freedom of others. That is why the excuse of freedom of the press is clearly not sensible to all Muslims and even some non-Muslims in the cartoon case.

It is not a matter of imposing Islamic laws on secular countries or any sort of intolerance; it is rather a matter of defending one's right against 'abuse of belief'." -- Amany Salem from Cairo

I mean, come on; publish a gory picture of a man cutting people up and/or the loose bloody pieces of his victim, and this will surely cause a huge racket. Why? Because it is a distasteful act which violates our moral beliefs and everyone should respect that.

So why should this issue be any different?

Okay, so some of the foreheads above eyes that are scanning through these words of mine are in danger of major wrinkles right now. You’re thinking: "It’s just a darn cartoon. If you don’t like it, turn the page and just plain ignore it. What’s the biggie?"

Well...

"The uproar concerns a caricature implying Muslims are violent. It is understandable the Muslim community would be upset; such caricatures are in poor taste. Hiding behind the freedom of the press is just plain cowardice." -- Daniel Dobbs from Annecy, France

However, the insult felt by Muslims the world over—thanks to a few idiotic Danes who’ve obviously got sh*t for brains—is no excuse for all the violence that have erupted. All I can say to these extremists is: OI! WHAT DO YOU MORONS THINK YOU’RE GONNA ACCOMPLISH WITH BRUTALITY? DO YOU SERIOUSLY THINK THAT ALLAH S.W.T. IS GONNA GRANT YOU WITH A PASSPORT TO HEAVEN BECAUSE YOU'VE "DEFENDED" YOUR RELIGION; THAT PROPHET MUHAMMAD S.A.W. WOULD’VE ACTED THE SAME WAY IF HE HIMSELF SAW THE CARICATURES?

Please. Your reckless actions are merely strengthening the negative perception of Muslims that were reflected in those damned caricatures in the first place.

If you are strongly obliged to not do nothing about this, there are other ways of showing your discontent. Join the many out there in boycotting anything and everything from Denmark. Heck, you can shun stuff that come from each and every country in Europe even!

Don’t get me wrong—I’m not saying that I agree with this solution, but at least it only causes monetary and not bodily injuries. And trust you me, this method can cause a pain so immense, it would most definitely result in public apologies to the Muslim world.

Perhaps some of you are like, "Public apology? How is that enough? Surely such insolence calls for a much harder punishment!" If that's the case, let me ask you: What exactly do you expect out of this? What is it exactly that can put your aggravation at ease?

I reckon what it all boils down to is respect. But remember that respect can only be gained if it is given. Plain and simple.

Now, one person pointed this out:

"I think the Muslim population in Europe has to realize that they are in a Western democracy. Newspapers routinely cartoon Jesus, Buddha, Moses and other religious figures." -- Nannette Orange from Paris

... and another, this:

"I find it striking that the very same month that Rolling Stone magazine puts Kanye West on its cover wearing a bloody crown of thorns, thousands of Muslims take to the streets over cartoons depicting their prophet in an equally 'offensive' manner.

Why aren't thousands of Christian taking to the streets and burning the offices of Rolling Stone? Where are the Christian death threats to Kanye? The answer is simple and it shows the vast gulf between our two cultures: We live in an open society that grants people the right to say offensive things but fosters individual thought and action based on conflicting view points. Muslims live in closed societies where religious leaders have tremendous power over the thoughts and actions of their followers.

While the Danish cartoons are tacky, the very fact that cartoons could provoke violence shows how far Muslims would have to come to join modern, open societies with all the messy unpleasant side effects that free speech entails." -- Kyle Drasky from Palmer, Alaska

Here’s enlightenment for you:

**Muslim laws forbid any form of depictions of any kind of its religious icons, which includes Allah swt (God), nabi (the prophets) and malaikat (the saints or angles). On the contrary, Jesus Christ, Buddha, Hindu gods, etc., are crafted into statues, paintings, movies, etc., and this is considered as a precious immortalisation of the said religious figures by their devout followers.

And to Mr Drasky. You can call us Muslims closed-minded and such, but at the same time non-Muslims should also be open-minded enough to understand and be sensitive towards other people's beliefs. Also... Uhm, hello? Likening the holy Prophet Muhammad S.W.T. to Kanye West is nothing short of lame, innit.

As for the journalists over in Sarawak who were responsible for publishing the damned caricatures, I deduce that you’re the worst of the lot. At least the rest of the papers were printed and read in the West. But you imbeciles did it in an Islamic country, less than a month after our DPM preached about how the press should be more responsible in reporting. SHAME ON YOU!


Note: All quotes were taken from International Herald Tribune (Europe)

living next door to hell

Two of my sisters, as well as my brother, live a walking distance away from my parental units' unit. I'd have to say that it's a pretty decent apartment complex which includes some low-rise townhouses as well as a block of high-rises.

Things were pretty dandy over there until a neighbour from hell moved in next door. Mind you, he has two condos. One used as a family home, and the other, for some sort of commercial use. For the latter, most of the other neighbours aren't too jolly about. Not only did this mean that he stacked up boxes of products in the parking lot, but his second unit also houses his workers—most of whom are suspicious-looking working-class Indos. Not to mention that these all do not agree with the law, hey.

Anyways, earlier today, my bro and the said man had a minor disagreement. You see, the man's family unit has been worked on and on and on that it hardly looks like the original apartment. This, my friends, is also against the law... or so suspects my sister.

Curious, darling bro decides to consult in building management. The man apparently overheard, decides to arm himself with a parang before demanding that my bro minded his own biz.

All these, while being watched by the man's primary-school-goer kids.

And this, ladies and gents, isn't the first time he's flailed the said weapon around. Apparently, the poor guards and even the management guys have fallen victim to the man with the parang before. Apparently, the man felt the parang was called for when (i) he felt that the guards ill-treated members of his extended fam when they asked the visitors to leave their ID cards, and (ii) when management came by to ask for service fees.

Nuts!

Makes me wonder what the hell is up with our society nowadays?

rude encounter

My significant other was recommended for the annual CLEO magazine's 50 Most Eligible Bachelors. Yesterday, he was required to attend a photo shoot. Being the curious kitty that I am, I volunteered to accompany him.

Interestingly enough, the location was the newly built Armanee Terrace II showhouse in Damansara Perdana. I thought, great! I get to witness the photo-taking session and view the insides of the gorgeous duplex condos—both of which are firsts for me. I mean, of course I've been to many many shoots before, but not for something quite like this.

Anywho, when we got there, my darling was almost immediately worked on. Wardrobe check, hair check, as well as questionnaire filling out. And me, well, I had a nice little surprise when I saw an ex-colleague amongst the bachelors. He walked on over to me and we chatted for a tad, before our conversation was rudely cut off by a girl whom I assume is a staff of the publication's. No "excuse me," no "sorry for interrupting," just "You have to get your picture snapped upstairs now!"

Though rather taken aback, I politely stepped out of the way. The said lady then gave me the up-down-up-down stare, and, in front of my nose, she demanded to my other half, "Who is she? Your girlfriend, is it?" to which he nodded in agreement. She then continued, "She can't be here; tell her to wait at the sales office."

And I'm thinking, "Oi! I'm standing here right in front of you, so why the bloody hell can't you just talk to me straight?"

I appreciate that she was probably busy out of her wits but there's no reason to be bitchy to me, hey. So maybe girlfriends, sisters, mothers, grandmas, etc. aren't allowed, but none of that was mentioned in the "To Do" list that was sent out by the magazine.

And even if, why must one be so ill-mannered and uncivillised about it?

meow, world!

So here I finally am, with the likes of my shweetheart, his best friend and his cousin. Yup, am now an official BlogSpotter.

Drama as it may sound, moving from Friendster Blogs wasn't a decision which was taken lightly by yours truly, no way José. Please understand; I already have half a year's worth of writings in my old blog, so you can imagine how tough it is for me to leave it behind.

In fact, for serious, I am thinking about actually copying and pasting everything from there into here. Crazy, I know, but crazy I am!

For now, though, here's where *CaTWoMaN's* previous home is:
http://sellyselina.blogs.friendster.com/purrs_hisses/

Here's to more exciting blogging times for moi!