Calling all gays...

(CNN)The Food and Drug Administration has lifted its lifetime ban on accepting blood donations from men who have had sex with men.
"The FDA is changing its recommendation that men who have sex with men (MSM) be indefinitely deferred . . . to 12 months since the last sexual contact with another man," the administration announced Monday.
This final guidance from the FDA is the culmination of several years of scientific research as well as consultation with external advisory committees and other government agencies.

"We have taken great care to ensure this policy revision is backed by sound science and continues to protect our blood supply," FDA Acting Commissioner Stephen Ostroff, M.D. said.
The lifetime ban of blood donations from gay and bisexual men was implemented by the FDA in 1983 at the start of the AIDS crisis, when little was known about the spread of the disease.
"The United States government has to stop reacting to HIV like it is the early 1980s," said Kelsey Louie, CEO for Gay Men's Health Crisis said. GMHC is the nation's leading provider of HIV and AIDS care.

"It is time for the FDA to implement a policy that is truly based on science, not blanket bans on certain groups of people," Louie said.
In 2006, the AABB (formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks), America's Blood Centers and the American Red Cross said in a joint statement that the lifetime MSM blood-ban was "medically and scientifically unwarranted" and urged the FDA to modify blood donation policies so they are "comparable with criteria for other groups at increased risk of sexual transmission of transfusion transmitted infections."
The Human Rights Campaign called the change a "step in the right direction," but said the new policy, "still falls short of a fully acceptable solution because it continues to stigmatize gay and bisexual men."

Dr. Peter Marks, deputy director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said the yearlong celibacy requirement for MSM is supported by scientific evidence relevant to the U.S. population.
"In reviewing our policies to help reduce the risk of HIV transmission through blood products, we rigorously examined several alternative options, including individual risk assessment," Marks said.

In addition to changing the lifetime ban for homosexual and bisexual men donating blood, the FDA also made recommendations regarding "donor educational materials, donor history questionnaires and accompanying materials, as well as donor requalification and product management procedures," the release said.
Part of the donor history questionnaire asks that transgender individuals self-identify and self-report for the purpose of blood donation.

Hope...

Hope.

This one simple and easy word can be quite perplexing.
To me it brings along with it many uncertainties.
It can be confused by either being a positive force to keep us going or on the other hand can cause detriment to those who'd hold on to it without having any reservation.

Who doesn't have hope.
Every one of us do. The difference is whether we have heap of it or just a mere one or two important ones. It is much more easier leading a life without too much of hope because hope can kill us too.

'Hope for the best and prepare for the worst'... this must be one of my favourite.
Yup. Especially when you went beyond that boundaries.
It can be both good and not so good though.
It basically telling you to always be prepared.
Being prepared is always good. Expecting the unexpected is the best tool, a safety net that would not let you fall hard on the ground.

Realistically, we will always have hope as our trump card.
That what makes life goes around and round and around again.
Without it, we can be called hopeless...or 'given up hope'..which can have it reverse effect.

I have my fair share of giving up hope.
I have had experience where things people doesn't change after a decade, or things I'm hoping for didn't materialised after years of trying; I just give up hope in seeing any changes totally.
In such case(s) there isn't any point of hoping. It will only bring us agony and dejection.

There is one very good proverbs in Bahasa Malaysia that would fit my feeling in such situations -- 'mencurah air ke daun keladi', i.e. pouring water onto a yam leaves.It simply mean the act of doing something totally pointless even after one tries many time.
especially in cultures where the plant is unknown or does not exist. In the case of this particular

Anyhow, I have another set of hope now.
Both personally and for my country that is being plague by the corrupted prime minister.

My hope for better future, for better peaceful environment and world and for better understanding of life per se.

Que sera sera....

Bric-à-brac -- Compartmentalisation of life.

It must have been human nature, not wanting to know any one or anything, or any information besides what they effortlessly see, being told or fed with.

I have been misunderstood maybe the whole of my life since my coming of age.
Nope, I do not think I'm delusional or are at any point of having what they called mid-life crisis. Far from the latter definitely.

But today it just got me thinking that people love to take an easy things out in almost all aspect of their life. Without having to put an effort to learn more.
They like taking things for granted because they just not bothered to value what is in hand today might slip off tomorrow.

Maybe when I was younger in my teenage life; if I'm feeling as such, I might get to think that I am somewhat imagining things and having unhealthy thoughts about something.
But now at this juncture in my mid life -- nope; I do not for a bit think that I am delusional whatsoever.
Nope I am not having these feeling because of my resentments towards any one or any thing and that this is my subconscious mind taking charge of my emotion in retrospect.

It is just pure full of reflection of  feelings after long gathering my inner 'philosophical' turmoil besides watching how the world revolves and how human treat another human --  I came to a conclusion that I will, in my personal capacity teach my offspring on the value of appreciating and learning about anything at all. Anything.

Be it a person sleeping on the walkway, to those blind people with able limbs goes around food stalls asking for money ,to the existence of flora and faunas and the whys clouds moves like that and the moon is visible when the sun's still up; and I will teach them to never take a seat back and burying their mind and heart inquest in anything at all.

Having been misunderstood by not just people who don't really know me well because of my rebellion and a little unorthodox perception about life per se, prejudices also came from my own family members. What more the extended ones.
But all in all, having been in such conundrum and having an alternative way of expressing my thoughts (I start writing journals since 12 years of age thanks to my father)...I am quite thankful that those experiences enable me to look at life out of the norm of my society. It makes me enjoy my being as me better and help me approach from slightly different angle.

I have been bashing races, even my own ; again I would like to state here I am not that proud to be one because I am a human. I am born as a female and I will die a female, thus why race is subjective. Unlike to most who think it is really important. Perhaps for the sake of having to hang on to that particular tribe in life. Scared to be a loner. Afraid of what they themselves fail to learn.
I have had friends more from another race than mine, I have had them judging me because of my political ideology. I have had them unfriending me in Facebook because of me raising certain issues related to them or their race.

But because of who I am, I honestly am okay with it.
I do not feel the pinch of resentment because I do that too.
I have no qualms pushing the delete button in my life because those compartmentalised space in my brain are quite limited. It only will be filled with healthy, informative, spiritual concoction and I make sure I am surrounded with good energy in order for me to reach my personal legend.


                                                                   

Niqab no niqab, niqab no niqab, niqab no niqab...

What a sheer malarkey.

There was this issue in Canada surrounding the niqab during the second-longest election campaign in Canadian history.
The ruling Conservative Party - led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper has taken steps to prevent women from wearing it while taking the citizenship oath and also plans to ban the niqab during public ceremonies. Obviously it were met with much dispute.

Now, as it has always been anywhere around the world, there would be fanatics.
Why I say fanatics?...
Because only fanatics would fight for something that is not a requirement of the religion at all.
For example this niqab.

What is the relevance of covering your whole face like some loony,  or sometimes exposing a small window for your eyes to see, when in the religion per se, covering face are forbidden during praying -- a time when you bow and talk to your creator.

To those non- Muslims; you must know that God is not that stringent. Only human make the religion rigid, probably to satiate the man-dominated fatwas or lawmakers.

Niqab to me is absurd.
And men who claimed that all those women don it willingly without any force or dictation from their mahram are just baloney.

You know the country you're living in is not a Muslim country.
You know you have to abide to their laws and regulations.
You are trying to showcase your steadfastness and indirectly you are also showing those non-Muslims that you are non-compromising lots. So, can you not blame them when they conclude that Muslims are strongheaded uncompromising  people.
What comes next need not be said.

Think about it.
When your own God did not expect you to do that when facing him in your prayers, why you you then feeling too obligated to hide your face from the owrld -- and you on the other hand can look at the 'world'?.
Personally, I find women covering their face to be extremely creepy.
Im seeing them loads.
 and even frightening.

I mean, let's put your shoes in their's. The person behind the veil might be someone else.
They might be a man instead of woman.
It happens. Not a fairy tale.

As a liberal person, I have absolutely no tolerance for this extreme form of medieval religious totalitarianism.
And there are no harm sharing your face the the rest of the society.

Bric-a-brac on life (Of Yin and Yang and Paulo Coelho).

I am in the re-reading zone currently.
Reading back books (yup, I'm a polygamist reader) that suits my current lust need of certain something.

Somehow, Paulo Coelho's repeated sentences "when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it"...has been the most outstanding statement that lingers in my head.

It has been for days already.

Eventhough I have loads of post on the shilly shally juicy story of Malaysia Prime Minister's accusation of swindling large sum of public money (at one point of time last year, I told myself I am not going to gabble about politics, but I just can't resist), my inner wants still thirst for something more worthy of life and in search of ways and means to cleanse my soul. Which I assume everyone around my age group would do when the time comes -- if it come.
It's natural I guess.

And, yeah, I told my self to hell what the world and the people around me, and other corrupt inhabitants of this world and those greedy people whom greed can never be satisfied.
We human will never have enough of what we have and will always want more.

Thus why reading books that aid mental wellness is great for both the body and soul. It is vital to balance out the energy. Like the Chinese and their Yin and Yang.

I have been, in my solemn mood, questioning the fact of that particular statement -- when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it--
And to what level would it bring us achieving the something that we want.
And the medium of it.

It would be nice if it does easily.
But I do not think it will be that easy.

I might be the biggest objector to this if I were to know about it 15 years ago.
How can that be when nearly 90% of what I want to achieve at that point of time would definitely run away from me, and instead, those unwanted things or people that I wish I would not come across keeps on knocking at my door.
Yeah, I know. I should've not opened the door and let in those dark clouds in, but hey, that is life -- without it, I wouldn't learn anything at all.

In retrospect, I am ever grateful for all the bad and good things that clouded and shine my way while making my walk through this journey of imperfect but beautiful life.

Experience will result in maturity, and maturity will make us who we are.
Meeting with all sort of human behavior, watching them and getting to know them, learning from mistakes, making certain little self- achievements -- all of those are life experiences that every parents must one day teach their children.

Now, evaluating life per se, I can say there are truth behind Paulo Coelho's statement.
And yes, the universe will conspires in helping you to achieve what you want -- the only fine line that separate the good and bad is our conscience.

Que sera sera....

Words of Wisdom.

Learning different languages is no doubt very interesting, at least for those who have the interest in doing so.
I have read some books that have been translated into several different languages, but to date the one written by Paulo Coelho is still top the chart (perhaps). The particular book written by him has to date being translated into a whopping 80 different languages, and the fact that it made a best seller not in his own country making it more compelling for us to have the desire of  learning another language.

Sometimes, expressing oneself in another language is much more easier than expressing in your own mother tongue for example yours truly; because I found English is a language that has better translation and gives more impact  for me in my verbal and written manifestation of life and whatnot's.

However, this recent research from the British Council, which I came across in one write-up, claimed that around three-quarters of British people don’t speak another language well enough to have a basic conversation.
Well that is ab-so-lute-ly (with 'that' Brits expression please) daunting given the fact that British were one of the earliest people who roam the world in order to find new pastures to conquer.
With that, I am somehow glad they did. Otherwise, English language might not be Malaysia's second language; where it is a must to learn from elementary stage.

It is also mentioned in the report that they face problems in businesses such as selling a product or negotiate a deal, and as the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) of UK found out they are literally 'losing out on an incredible £48bn a year in lost exports as a direct result of its lack of language skills'.

That is quiet a sum.
It added that a lot of SMEs see languages as a cost when it is actually an investment.

Now that I know that, I must share one person among the family circle whom, is well equipped with Mandarin, French, Germany, and Japanese besides English as second language and Bahasa Malaysia as the mother tongue.
That is six in total up his sleeves.
Yup, as a person who have great inclinations towards languages -- I envied him. Totally.
He's a polyglot.
He spend his break learning language(s) by going to the origin country.
And how original is that. Duhh...

I only have a smearing two.
I'm a bilingual. But to a certain point would like to consider myself a multilingual.
That is because I occasionally use two other languages in the house with the kids (in order to express myself) understood quite well one of them even though I don't know it by reading and writing.
It is a combination of what I call half-way-done and the x-rated one. They say, you must learn the bad words first because it will easier to learn the rest of other words...(Im suspecting those who says that must have some sort of penchant for language in their own special way)...to a certain extend, I am in agreement though.

Another personal example exposure to languages will excite the brain and triggers the acceptance thus the start usage of it would be my four year old. She would always occasionally with spontaneity use the word 'la' in replacement of no, and learnt that from her friend at school.

I remembered my French language instructor, whom despite being born into a family with different mother-tongue, even speaks French in his dream, told as joke by his partner. Conclusion? That is what language would do to you. It will take over your subconscious mind.It will stay in you -- of course with continuously conversing and using it.
My dad whom speaks and write Germany, after decades coming back home and with no one to converse with, still understand the language even though slow but fail to work a full sentences now.

Living here in the middle east, has made me somewhat learning few Arabic words -- indirectly though.
My dad would every now and then on my visiting home yearly, ask me whether have I started taking up Arabic.
You know, as a Muslim; he'd told me the good side of learning that language will enable me better understanding the Quran when I read it, even though the Quran wordings are not the typical Arabic words.
We (me and partner) were told that Quranic language is more like a literature.
Or a Sastera Melayu in Malay even perhaps like trying to really understand William Shakespeare in English.
Nonetheless, I liked to jest around and said yes I know Arabic -- and I will start mentioning all those 'salaams' and some words I repeatedly hearing on the tele such as (gha)radaan, karriban and al-laylah -- yup, spending time in front of the tele does have some good side of it you know!

Despite easy communications when travelling abroad, having to know other languages prove to be beneficial too. While waiting for future engagement or advancement in life -- one can tutor, or become a translator and make an income. It is a skill.
A very good example one co-founder of British SMI mentioned -- his company paid someone to translate their webpage into Germany for £700 and £500 for another language.
There is market for translator, in deed.

Even though online translation is available for us to make use of; such as Google Translate-- it doesn’t have the acuity for correct translation especially when it comes to the usage of words as an adverb, or adjective.
It is quite ridiculous to expect a computer to do it amicably.

Coming back to the fact that the most  Brits doesn't acquire more language except their own, as a Malaysian, I felt lucky somehow that the country is among nine of the most multilingual country.

This was shared with me by a multilingual person -- once you learn another language both written and verbal, it will be much more easier for you to learn the next and the so forth.

C'est tout!
Lets start learning.

Hajj continuous disaster 2015.

Reuters photo

Just less than two weeks after a construction crane came crashing down the roof of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, killing 107 people and injuring more than two hundred worshipers, another bigger disaster took place yesterday when at least 717 pilgrims were killed in a stampede in Mina where ritual of stoning the devil being carried out as one of their last major Hajj rites.

More than eight hundred others were injured when a multi-story structure, known as Jamarat Bridge were trampled after claims that an 'unprecedented high number of pilgrims' surrounding that area.

Mina is situated a few kilometers east of Mecca and pilgrims will end their Hajj here in what dubbed by officials to be the worst in Hajj disaster in 25 years since July 1990, when 1,426 pilgrims suffocated in a tunnel near Mecca. Both incidents occurred on Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice), Islam's most important feast and the day of the stoning ritual.

Reading some of comments online, especially from citizens of certain country, blaming the Saudis government for the befallen disaster conform my believe that people are so easy to blame on something when something bad happened.

They said they are Muslim.
They claimed they are better than other believers. But what they failed to do is to check on their own little self.
To check on their mentality and outlook in life. To evaluate and weigh situations both personally and overall.
Perhaps most of them does not know what reality check is.
Being live in this side of the globe for nearly a decade, having to 'savor' their way of doing things, such as on the road for instance -- my conclusion is these people are basically narrow minded people, lustful with I-want-it-my-way and are perhaps always having the thoughts that they are more important than others.
They lack empathy and having little wisdom evaluating consequences of their actions.

With much remorse I read one comment online, where this man and his fellow yay-er blaming the Saudi government for non- systematic way of arrangement of the ritual site and building buildings surrounding the area etc -- I could not hold myself from lambasting him on how shallow and how ignorant he is while claiming himself a Muslim yet he fails to believe in qadâ and  qadr.

All they know is they must blame it on something.
Not themselves.
Not their intolerance and unwillingness to listen to instructions and not their common 'known' attitude as a whole.

All these disasters can be avoided if 60 percent of those worshipers would have conscience and a little bit of patience in their heart. After all this is what required of them Muslims by the religion. And it is what being told upon -- that this rituals would not be a bed of roses.

The haj where Muslim from around the world would gather yearly has been the scene of numerous incidents and accidents such as fire due to human negligence, riots and other misfortune.
However,it has seen improvement and reduction as Saudi government spent billions of dollars upgrading and expanding the sites infrastructure with crowd control technology such as thousands of cameras and loudspeakers in order to control any commotions.

Nonetheless, even the government set up the best ever crowd controlling system to avoid disasters, BUT if the crowd itself is uncontrollable and have not a tinge of consciousness, then it will be to no avail, and death such as this would happen again and again.
Maybe not in a bigger numbers in next couple of years but it will occur unnecessarily and unexpectedly.

Again, it amuses me reading Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei statement asking the Saudi government to take responsibility for the incident in which more than 150 of their nationals were reported to have died.

I won't be surprised that this will later ensued with some sort of retaliation from them and hopefully not become a revenge and a start of any war. God forbid. Knowing these people are all 'war'-riors. And blood must be paid in blood.

One thing I know what future pilgrimers should be thought, (of course) besides all those ritual prayers and what one should do during the homage is this :

ICKY -- Impatience Can Kill You

Let's wait and see....

Owh Me Owh My...Health.

Owh why....why do they have to come out with all these superfoods, super this and super that almost on a yearly basis. Like an Academy Awards for for foods and other healthy things.
Honestly, I was at a per centum of 60% must-try-any-healthy-things introduced, and which I can get my hands on, but luckily I managed to overcome my (unhealthy) indulgence and realised that these, all these super everything are just cheap-trills.

Yup. Cheap trills for those health junkies.
And for those who created it, or coincidently bumped into it, even though it has been in existence for centuries by certain cultures around the globe -- it's mere hype seekers.

I got this in one of my 'healthy-emails' -- yup, must admit-- I'd never unsubscribe from those despite not following any of their repetitive suggestions.

Please ask yourself which of them that you've never know exist.


Coconut Flour, yes, coconut flour, not your (my) normal coconut milk, Kombucha, Ghee (yup Ghee),
Bone Broth and Kefir (first time hearing it myself) hail to the supposedly to be the 2015 superfood.

Human Bats, no?

For your good hanging.

No doubt, when health and wellness are having its crowning years now -- be it for purely health reasons or merely for wanting a bod looking like J-Lo's -- it is good.
It's easy for people to get health food, healthy meal takeouts, healthy mix smoothies or veg juices...you name it.

And what about those Western hyped up diets such as paleo, vegan, raw, macrobiotic. And gluten -free almost everything that I for once had been one of the Ooo-I-should-be-glutenfree person and had been quite conscious in giving gluten-free whatsoever to my kids.
But, in reality, trying to really stick on to a real gluten-free diet is like a 600lbs trying to wear size 10 in three months' time. And it gets even harder when almost what you see are not gluten-free.

Here are five basic warning signs to look for if you don't realise whether you're living a healthy life or an unhealthy one:

1. You often feel guilty about food choices.

If you eat something you consider "unhealthy" that isn't the norm in your diet, that is A-OK. You shouldn't become so consumed with guilt that you plan how you will correct your "cheating" through diet restrictions or exercise.

Unfortunately, this is a behavior that becomes a habit for many people, revealing that they may have taken "healthy eating" to an unhealthy extent. Having certain foods in moderation is actually good for you, even if these foods may be culturally-demonized as "unhealthy" or not in the scope of "clean eating." In fact, allowing yourself variety in your diet will allow you to stay on track with being healthy.

2. You eliminate food groups.

Eliminating entire food groups may deprive your body of important nutrients it needs and make your body crave the eliminated food, thus often resulting in binge eating. When you are striving to become healthier, it can be effective to limit certain categories like deep-fried foods, foods with a lot of sugar or highly processed, packaged snacks. But you shouldn't eliminate an entire food group without talking to your doctor first.

3. You're controlled by food.

You shouldn't have to spend hours of time, or inordinate amounts of mental energy (often involving anxiety) determining what to eat or how to prepare your food.

Also: make sure to enjoy social interactions, which often include eating and drinking in some form. You shouldn't miss social engagements because you're worried about the food they will serve or because it will mean you'll miss going to the gym.

4. You're critical of the way other people eat (or at least hyper-conscious of it).

When you're out to dinner, maybe you find yourself being judgmental of what your friend is ordering for his/her meal, or perhaps just find yourself distractingly focused on it.

The truth is that you can't control what anyone else puts in their body. Not everyone is going to eat healthy, or in the same way as you do. And that's OK. You shouldn't become critical or feel superior to those that don't eat only pure or healthy foods, or generally feel distressed if someone chooses to eat different foods than you generally. It's important to maintain healthy relationships with others even if they don't share the same thinking around eating that you do.

5. You're exhibiting depressive behaviors.

Many people do not realize that eating disorders are mental health disorders that require treatment. 50% of those that suffer from an eating disorder also have depression. If you've been sleeping too much or too little, can't concentrate, feel hopeless, have lost your appetite or can't stop eating, or have lost interest in daily activities, it's time to seek help for depression.

You need to find what works best for your own body to stay healthy, which includes listening to your body and understanding if you are turning to food because you are hungry or because of the way you are feeling.

Health, wellness and fulfilment.

Im trying to get away from criticising about things, or people.
Or finding fault in other; which I think believe works much easier after I pulled the plug off facebook. Only to hook it on back once in a while to see the being of those I've once shared laughter and experience together.
Im still a concern person despite my eagerness to create a better person in me and ridding unwanted energy surrounding me.

Maybe it is a little bit too late given the wasted years; or perhaps it is not, because nothing IS too late while you're still breathing -- to plant goodness in life.
To savour life experiences in whatever form it might come.
The term 'I should've' -- I tried very much to reduce in my daily life as far as I can remember.
It might put a little weigh up on the shoulder, but once you're used to it, it will become part of us.
For example; of me trying to sort out why the existence and continuations of this certain toxic behaviour in someone I know, which has been going on forever.
I have been dwelling on it.
I have been bitching about it.
And I have had endless gossiping sessions on it...the only thing I haven't done is write a short story of it or perhaps get a script writer to pin it down for me because I know this would obviously be a sellable story for the local television in Malaysia...(okay, now Im diverting...)

So coming back to that issue.
After years of seeking the whys and the whys....I finally let it go.
Of course it doesn't go immediately. It took a gradual steps...slow but very steady until one day, I realised that I have ab-so-lutely no feeling of remorse, or anger, or agitations whatsoever when facing this particular individual.

And I was quite surprised by the new energy in me...the thing that I never knew I could be able to do with toxic individuals..(sorry to myself, I do not know why Im like magnet to all kind of individuals) and I know that, it is the beginning of solace after all the years. And the learning of not clinging to our anger or hatred or any sort of resentment at all.
After all, I know, we human are created good and well by the One, only life and surrounding mapped and changed us to what we are. Good or bad.

It is good to feel good.
If exercising promotes endorphins in us, the feeling of total relieve of any resentment towards people does good to our soul.

We can feel better. Genuinely.
We can feel good and living life without having to compete in worldly possessions or personal gains.
The only thing is that, determining whether it is what we really WANT or HAVE to do for ourself.

When we lead our life having to do what we have to do in order to become like someone, or having any posses  a certain lifestyle even though it is beyond our reach -- it will not be permanent.
It will however be detrimental to both our mind and our fragile soul.

Instead, being mentally healthy and happy is paramount and achievable once we learnt how to troubleshoot those ruining emotions and thoughts.
The ultimate road to there is first, by knowing our self, how do we REALLY feel about certain things, and secondly work on it in order to justify those feelings and thoughts; whether it will bring us good feeling or it is just dust in the wind that will disappear unknowingly.

Forcing or expecting others to see how we look at things is not easy especially if our outlook in life per se are quite contrary. This, however is the test of our resistance towards own emotional fluctuations.
Once we're able to tackle the inner war,  we will not do anything that will make us feel uncomfortable, nor do we force ourself into doing something that we do not agree upon.
In return it will make us a more genuine and honest person -- first to ourself and then to others around us.

I have always trust that statement ' no regrets'.
Managed to lived up to it for this long, it would be a terrible lie if I say I have never done anything wrong or unjust in my life especially during my rebellious years of growing and searching for some footing in the society, but I took all that as my teacher.
Life experiences is our greatest teacher.
It what that help shape us. And we must learnt from our mistakes and held them up as our life guidelines.

It will then come to where we will be able to set free ourself from expectations of others and society's pressure. True happiness will only happen when we let ourselves do what feels right for us. When we do something because we WANT to do it, we will find it,  and we will embrace it and it will stick on to us for a very long time.
Most of all, we will adapt to it , and it will become us.

Having to have options in not allowing ourself be consumed in unwanted situations is the best, but without having it we can also free ourself by avoiding it, by taking another route. Let it be different from the norm, let it be radical, but when we believe in it -- it will bring us somewhere.
It is better than pondering on it and not doing anything to come out of it.

Recently I have learn something new.
I am quite a brand believer.
I will stick to a particular brand and this made me not wanting to try or look at any other options.
For example a kitchen towel. I have been sticking to this particular brand for its durability and moderate price (that's what I feel). I will not look at higher price with thin layers obviously, I will not try any cheapest one because the quality is zero (it's proven).
So one day, having time to browse the aisle at the grocer -- I saw one that caught my eyes and afer evaluating (by eyes) the material, I gave it a try.
Viola!...It is cheaper than the normal one that I have been buying all these years, the quality is compatible and most of all I learnt that brand-loyalty would close us from trying other new things.

So, let us try to change in order to gain fulfilment in life.

Facebook = Depression

"Facebook leads to depression"... and like as if we needed to be reminded of that.

Posting picture of food on Facebook is a sign of depression, so on and so forth....but people still do it because they can't help but want others to see it.

Now, I came across this report where a recent study done by those smart people -- maybe they don't have facebook because they're bookworm-- of Nanyang Technological University, Bradley University and the University of Missouri Columbia found that heavy Facebooking can lead to the ugly feeling of envy -- which can ultimately lead to the more ugly feeling of extreme sadness.

Constantly checking Facebook to see what your friends are doing could lead to some serious depression it said.
However, I'd like take a nay for that because of "I-don't -give- a -bulls" self esteem I posses. Ehem...
Nonetheless, I do know and came across life testimonials of people who had become increasingly envious or jealous in their life just to show that "I can have that too ..." despite their unfavourable situations.

Coming back to the studies, it mentioned that some 736 college students were found feeling bad about themselves when they quietly stalk friends on Facebook and realise that their life doesn't measure up to those they stalked. -- And thus why, like we all know, Facebook is the best medium of showing of what latest gadgets we have, how happy and lovely the family is right up to showing how independent we (she was) are by pulling the baby out of our (her) stomach after the Doc cut open the stomach. Gross.
As for the vagina part, well Im not quite sure whether there's any 'direct to the point' pic or videos by any one but remembered there was once that went viral...

Yup.
Viral.
That is the key word.
That is basically what they want.
They want whatever they post to go viral, be it in a smaller scale amongst the friends of friends or  if it is dynamite enough it will have the prospect of going international.

"If Facebook is used to see how well an acquaintance is doing financially or how happy an old friend is in his relationship -- things that cause envy among users -- use of the site can lead to feelings of depression," said Margaret Duffy, a professor at the University of Missouri School of Journalism.

According to Ms Duffy, those feeling isn't just a college phenomenon because her nearing middle age can relate to that (depressing) situation.
For Facebook addict like her, checking on it is a huge part of  their life and  having the app on the phone checking it at work, at home, while in traffic, or in a subway station with Wi-Fi, I'd say there's no place that the Z(f)uckerberg creation didn't go.

No doubt getting updates of all friends or so-called friends or extended families, is a good way of being in touch especially for someone who is living thousands of miles away and that it is impossible for occasional latte  -- yes, Facebook has it's good side too.

But when material possessions or endless happiness portrayed in pictures of excellent deco, lavish lifestyles or good food constantly being spread on the table like there was a private chef cooking for them day in and day out -- IT CAN GET NASTY.

Okay. I must admit.
Nope, I wasn't an addict. But I do check on it everyday like once in the morning and once in late afternoon and that was like maybe five or six years back when Facebook was at the height of it. But at that time people aren't so showy. They're not so bold showing off their 34DD boobs or big huge belly with baby inside for people (friends) to see and sharing the pic of their baby sucking their breast for that purely 'motherhood' joy-hood.

It has changed.
People get more dirtier...and they get more crazier by sharing almost everything they do in and out of their house, alone or with their families and friends.

Those things can get overboard.
Frankly, I despised those showy lots. I loath it. Be it in the form of emotional or material.
What about those in their friends circle that don't have much.
Those that just came out of a relationship.
Those teenagers with mom and dad living separate ways...what would the affect be on them?

But because the founder and his minions are so brilliant, they have make almost all of other informative platforms such as news, medical or wellbeing site an option or a must to LIKE to enable us to gain access to their daily dose of information.

It sucks.
I have talked few friends out of terminating their account for the reasons those researchers indicated.
Told them, we still need Facebook but we can either delete (which I have no qualms of doing) or for those nicer people -- I suggested them to hide those incredibly loud friends from showing on their newsfeed.

And just like Ms Duffy said  -- "my only consolation is sometimes my friends confuse "there," "their" and "they're" in their posts about their lovely vacations and darling children. Then suddenly, I feel a little bit better about myself."....

Don't we human sometimes love it when we see people are not as good as their façade....

Poverty --the root of corruption.

Stop being in denial, pay gap causes graft, Perak Sultan tells Putrajaya.

Now, not many sultan of all the sultans of Malaysia would openly criticised over any government-related issue.
Probably it has been their nature ever since those days when the Malay sultans were being told to just follow and accept whatever the mat sallehs lord gave and told them to do.
And perhaps they have all the perks that they feel there aren't any need for them to raise anything against the government.

However, Sultan Nazrin Shah of Perak proved that the Sultan do have a say somehow.
In his speech at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) 47th Anniversary event in Kuala Lumpur recently, he told the government to tackle income inequality among the rakyat as it is the root of poverty and corruption.

Putrajaya recently announcement that average household incomes have surpassed RM5,900, which in actual fact it is not. With rising expenditure and same 20 years ago average income take home; their claim are very much debatable.

The Sultan also said Putrajaya must stop being in denial about wealth inequality and realise that hardship and poverty are also fuelling corruption.
I must salute this Sultan.
If almost all of the cabinet ministers are mere butt-licker and puppy dogs, we need someone up above than them to shake their lazy self a little bit.

In a speech, he cited figures that showed the low earnings of a vast majority of households and noted that those struggling to make ends meet were exposed to petty corruption.

Malaysia is not at any bottom 10 of the world's corrupted nation list. It is however climbing higher and higher wanting to get to the top 10 of the world's most corrupted nation.
Corruption is present among high-ranking officials in public and private sectors due to greed, and the Sultan also said struggle of those in the lower-income groups who wanted to avoid corruption by taking up second jobs to sustain their families would eventually affect their productivity at their workplace.

"This is the reality. The number of them will increase if the effective formulas to address housing, transportation and medical assistance are not introduced. The country has to wake up and realise what is happening."

He cited the New Economic Model report which showed that 80% of households earned less than RM5,000 a month, and of this, 40% were earning less than RM2,000 a month.

The data also showed that 78.6% of Employees Provident Fund account holders were those earning less than RM3,000 a month.

While investment power among majority Bumiputera was manifested in the Amanah Saham Bumiputera, 75% of account holders only had an average of RM611 in savings.

He said Sultan the data was worrying given Putrajaya's efforts to be a high-income nation with a target of RM48,000 income per capita by 2020.

He said the situation was like a disease that needed serious treatment liking it to 'a temporary sore throat which can be cured by taking a Strepsil'. This is a serious social illness that needs intensive treatment from 'social doctors and surgeons' to structure a comprehensive and holistic social policy, he added.

Perhaps the country need more of this kind of Sultans just to keep order of the cabinet and its ministers. Including the prime minister of course.

The other one whom I reckon would have the gut to speak out is the Johore sultan and the Sultan of Selangor.

Maybe we should wait for them to touch on the agenda to rid the Malays (not so much bumiputera though) off their rights as stipulated in the Article 153 of the Constitution of Malaysia.

For those Malays (whom to me were mere sheeples of konon-new Malay breed whom are basically kacang lupa kulit) and those non-Malays, please read and understand the following carefully;

...grants the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King of Malaysia) responsibility for “safeguard[ing] the special position of the ‘Malays’(and natives of any of the States of Sabah and Sarawak and the legitimate interests of other communities” ....

If you still don't get it, then try to learn and understand the history of the country and how those Malays fought to relieve this nation from the Lord Union Jack.

One thing I know, from my little experience in life -- you will only know when you lose it.

No off shoulders please teachers.

This is something that I as parents applaud.
The Supreme Education Council (SEC) has recently outlined 10-point code  "core values" expecting professional behaviour from teachers both inside and outside of school hours.

Besides emphasising on communicating effectively with students, working with parents -- their must also be modest in their day to day dress.

The council has previously outlined a similar set of expectations for students at the start of the term in their effort to improve poor attendance and discipline in local schools. Parents have been given questionnaires and I remember receiving them for the past two school years.


The ten core points are;

• Establishing a good, professional relationship with all students without exception, and providing them with the necessary attention and care, both inside and outside the classroom;
• Showing respect to parents and collaborating with parents and community organisations to raise students’ performance;
• Respecting subordinates and implementing instructions of superiors, and behaving wisely and objectively in accordance with social customs and professional conduct;
• Abiding by the laws and regulations of the state at all times, informing officials, superiors or competent authorities of any violations of the laws;
• Communicating with members of the school community, students and the public effectively, wisely and respectfully
• Respecting Islamic values, national customs and traditions and all other religious beliefs;
• Dressing modestly, taking into account the customs and traditions of the workplace and beyond;
• Avoiding any activities that lead to the emergence of a real or apparent conflict of interest;
• Optimizing the use of public property and financial resources of the school, which should be used strictly for important and functional purposes only; and
• Avoiding possessing or using unauthorized alcoholic beverages, drugs and tobacco and all drugs substances or becoming under their influence, whether at the work place or outside.

While some criticised key aspects of the new code that appear to dictate modest dress and limit drinking and smoking out of school hours there are some who say this is timely and glad the SEC is aware of some problems and is addressing them.

Since Qatar imports I'd say 90 percent of their teachers from abroad especially the UK in order to provide education to expats children in the country; cultural differences has somehow took its place in the society.

Where I lived for instance --  I have witnessed teachers smoking just outside the school gate during their break time -- something that I have never seen and Im pretty sure are not done even now in Malaysia.

Yes, they don't do it in the school compound, but it is just a step away and the gate is used by pupils in and out of school. 

And that is not all.

The drinking at family clubs while sunbathing, the party organise by the headmaster at his house on a weekly basis for the teenage girl to have fun with other teenagers.

Honestly -- this is not a good example for young minds at all.

I am not saying the Brits teachers are all such, there are those older ones whom you know you can trust teaching good values to your children but the younger ones, those in their late twenties single aiming for hot countries experience -- I had gone through a bad school year last semester with my daughter's teacher. Thank god she had hopped to another hot weathered country.

It is all about the basic role of being a good model that might have been slipped away from the later generations of teachers. That has led to pupils having less respect to teachers. Unlike 20 years ago.

Nontheless, those who realise something must be done do exist still. For example the teacher in the US whom created headline after sending one teenage girl home when she wore a dress to short for her prom night.

And the headteacher in UK who sent 250 schoolgirls home for wearing short skirts ; who also told his female staff off for wearing smaller tops that expose their naked shoulders -- these are the values that should be kept and abide by all teachers in order to maintain modesty among younger generations.

Latest crash of Malaysian Airlines MH17 with 295 onboard.

(CNN) -- A Malaysia Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, has crashed in eastern Ukraine, Russian news agency Interfax reported Thursday.
Malaysia Airlines confirmed that it lost contact with Flight 17 and that the plane's last known position was over Ukrainian airspace, the airline said on Twitter.

The aircraft was "shot down" over Ukraine by "terrorists" operating a Buk surface-to-air missile system, according to the Facebook page of Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to the Ukrainian Interior Ministry. There were 280 passengers killed as well as 15 crew members, Gerashchenko's post reads.

"We do not exclude that the plane was shot down and confirm that the Ukraine Armed Forces did not fire at any targets in the sky," Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said, according to his website.

The jet is a Boeing 777, according to Interfax. The plane reportedly went down near the border between Russia and Ukraine.

"We are aware of reports on MH17. We're gathering more information," Boeing said on Twitter.
"I am shocked by reports that an MH plane crashed. We are launching an immediate investigation," Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said in another tweet.
News of the Malaysian plane comes in the same week that Ukrainian officials said a Russian fighter shot down a Ukrainian military transport plane while the aircraft was in in Ukrainian airspace.

The route the Malaysian plane was on, between Kuala Lumpur and the Netherlands, is a common one, CNN aviation safety consultant Mary Schiavo said Thursday. She said that the plane was flying over a troubled area and that close communication with air traffic controllers would be a key necessity.
In hostile or disputed areas, "any alteration from your course, and you can have a problem," she said.

Tensions have been high between Ukraine and Russia since street protests forced former pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych from power in February. Russia subsequently annexed Ukraine's southeastern Crimea region, and a pro-Russian separatist rebellion has been raging in Ukraine's eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regions..

Ukrainian forces have been struggling to quell the separatist unrest. Ukraine's government has accused Russia of allowing weapons and military equipment, including tanks, to cross the border illegally into the hands of pro-Russian separatists.
The Pentagon said Wednesday that Russia now has 12,000 troops on the border with Ukraine, as well as some heavy weapons. The troop numbers had fallen to about 1,000 previously from a high of an estimated 40,000 forces earlier this year.

On Thursday, CNN reported that Ukrainian officials said a Russian fighter shot down a Ukrainian jet Wednesday as the jet flew in Ukrainian airspace.
Tensions are high over that incident, separate from the breaking news of the Malaysian flight Thursday.
Airline's troubles

On top of that, the report of a downed Malaysian flight marks the second time this year that Malaysia Airlines has faced an incident involving a plane.
On March 8, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared. That plane had 239 people on board. Searchers have found no trace of 370 or its passengers, despite extensive search efforts.
Flight 370 probably flew into the southern Indian Ocean on autopilot with an unresponsive crew, Australian authorities said last month.

During the early phase of the search for Flight 370, aircraft and ships scoured vast stretches of the surface of the southern Indian Ocean but found no debris.
Pings initially thought to be from the missing plane's flight recorders led to a concentrated underwater search that turned up nothing.

A new underwater search, farther south, will be broadly in an area where planes and vessels had already looked for debris on the surface of the water. It is expected to begin in August.

Sendiri tengok bulan...

Okay.
It's either the editor could not find the best title for this post, or it is actually a fact that they're calling the residents to look for Ramadan crescent after sunset Friday.

Qatar’s Muslims should look to the sky on Friday evening, June 27, to see if they can spot the new moon, which would signify the beginning of the month of Ramadan.

With the Ramadhan in just few days, sometimes news like this can be quite misleading.
Like as if they do not have a trusted board to look for the crescent indicating the start of the holy month.

The committee also called on whoever sees the crescent of the blessed month of Ramadan to report to the Ministry’s headquarters at the The Towers (al-Abraj) in Dafna and attest his testimony.

That made me laughed somehow.
It can also implies that their finding might be contradicting.
Don't you think so?

Que sera sera...

Petronas and a non-virgin wife.

The caption which read "Petronas in discussion with Sarawak govt on royalty" somehow churned my thought on how this will help the 'publicly pitiful' ex-wife of the son of Sarawak's King Taib claim for RM400 million payout for her divorce settlement case.

Petronas, the government oil and gas owned company, will conduct a special briefing on the royalty with the state government soon and although the decision on the monetary increase has yet to be made but with federal government's allocation of RM3 billon for Sarawak --  I bet every eyes and mouth would be gawking by now.

The counsel for the sister of once famous jazz singer should know what to do and where to hit next.

In his defend to not pay amount she wanted, the son of Taib Mahmud said he discovered his estranged wife was not a virgin on their wedding night on January 9, 1992 -- Thank god they didn't go to the extend of stating the actual time and and what they wear that night. God Almighty!

On the political side of it, I reckon the federal government will definitely find it easier to gather more votes for Barisan Nasional for the next General Election.

Que sera sera....