the constitution has always been underrated in Malaysia, where laws, by-laws and rules were passed without even a glance as to whether they violate the constitution in any way, except of course when it serves the legislators to look at it. If there is such a thing as selective amnesia, there is such a thing as selective understanding of constitutional provisions.
Maybe the lawmakers in Malaysia need to undergo Constitution of Malaysia 101.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Friday, January 20, 2006
Not Metaphysics
I apologise to those who are awaiting my post on metaphysics. I will definitely write it. (:
I've finally read the more than 500 pages of the Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood. She, Carter and Le Guin are the contemporary female authors that I presently enjoy, though I honestly say I have not read too much of Le Guin (though have read enough to like her).
Characters in this particular book are so real that I felt myself living through them. The annoyances, irritation, anger, hatred, betrayal, every single one. And Canada doesn't seem like an alien country at all, in fact, it is so very Malaysian, in its universal rendering. The era in which 2/3 of the book was set in has a very modern feel to it, though one is reminded of the woman's condition back then, as well as the encumbrance of seedy aristocracy. So very antebellum and even a little bit Tennysian. Frigidity, sex, love, non-love? Where can they all fall into? Can the blind love the one whom he cant' hear, but merely feel? Or can one feel trusting enough in love? And why exactly is it the gilded cage?
Atwood is not everyone's cup of tea, but her prose flows like a bridge that is bracketed at various spots, unbroken, broken and mended, interrupted by many tales that have to be told. They are poetic and poignant, and memorable. How I wish I could write like her, without being bogged down overinflated adjectives and adverbs that seem to be the bane of most mediocre writers of descriptive prose. Would help in my copywriting, which is not only selling an idea, but also peddling of words. A form of high-class whoring.
Anyway, have a good weekend to the rest of you. And I'll be back later next week.
I've finally read the more than 500 pages of the Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood. She, Carter and Le Guin are the contemporary female authors that I presently enjoy, though I honestly say I have not read too much of Le Guin (though have read enough to like her).
Characters in this particular book are so real that I felt myself living through them. The annoyances, irritation, anger, hatred, betrayal, every single one. And Canada doesn't seem like an alien country at all, in fact, it is so very Malaysian, in its universal rendering. The era in which 2/3 of the book was set in has a very modern feel to it, though one is reminded of the woman's condition back then, as well as the encumbrance of seedy aristocracy. So very antebellum and even a little bit Tennysian. Frigidity, sex, love, non-love? Where can they all fall into? Can the blind love the one whom he cant' hear, but merely feel? Or can one feel trusting enough in love? And why exactly is it the gilded cage?
Atwood is not everyone's cup of tea, but her prose flows like a bridge that is bracketed at various spots, unbroken, broken and mended, interrupted by many tales that have to be told. They are poetic and poignant, and memorable. How I wish I could write like her, without being bogged down overinflated adjectives and adverbs that seem to be the bane of most mediocre writers of descriptive prose. Would help in my copywriting, which is not only selling an idea, but also peddling of words. A form of high-class whoring.
Anyway, have a good weekend to the rest of you. And I'll be back later next week.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Moving beyond the Rydberg Constant
That is what I intend to do this year, which is why I am going to brush up my knowledge of two languages, one of which I already have a slight working knowledge, and who which I could never pronounce before.
I wish I could say the same for Malaysia. In a way, some things are better than they used to be. That is a slight consolation. However, our appreciation of all things cultural and intellectual are still stuck at a very low level. Maybe we forgot to acculturate ourselves in our striving for the greenback (or whatever colour paper money) and platinum card. Despite our so-called economic ascendancy, as a nation, we are still very vulnerable to scammers, schemers and con-arists, especially if they are from the First World.
Thanks to the wonderful world of the internet, at least we no longer have to feel like a frog under the coconut shell. Information gap stil exist, and the literacy rate in this country is not as high (when I say literacy rate, I mean the ability for someone to digest information beyond high-school level). Potboilers and trashy magazines (uh-oh, I just revealed myself as a cultural snob, when in actual fact, I do read trashy stuff as well :P) are the mainstay of one's diet. People would not mind spending lots on other luxuries but most find it painful to spend too much on books. Despite the govt's tax allowance. I have friends asking me for book receipts just so that they can claim tax relief, even if they seldom buy a book themselves. And these are not high-school dropouts, but my peers from university! It is interesting that what Orwell wrote about in relation to the working-class English society is as applicable to the middle to upper-middle class members of Malaysia. Books or cigarettes, mon cherie?
Lets talk about religion. Everyone is minding their ps and qs. Hard-nosed pious religious types are now stabbing, shooting and clubbing the so-called "liberals" who are are leading the flock astray. Interesting how the same kind of thing is happening in both the Christian and Islamic world. I refuse to call it internal conflicts within the East and West, since the religions of the BIG BOOK (or BOOKS now?) did come from the confluence between east and west. Forget Huntingdon's theory on the clash of the civilization. From my vantage point (not very high since I am rather short), just let these people hack each other to death. figuratively speaking. It seems that these people are more interested in appearing holier than thou than and may God give them the best place in Heaven. Poor God must be experiencing continuous de-ja-vu with His (Her? Why do we think God is male?) recalcitrant attitudes of His (Her?) human creations. I marvel at His (Her?) patience, coz if it had been me, I would take back their ability for free will. You give them free will, they try to take it away from their fellow men. Bugger. Also, I refuse to see Goddess as the female counterpart of God. For me, it's just a cop-out. And a Goddess doesn't have the same Authority as God.
As a parting thought, I sugest that those who have not read Orwell's essays to do so online. Now! http://whitewolf.newcastle.edu.au/words/authors/O/OrwellGeorge/essay/ShootingElephant/.
P.S.I wonder what Nostradamus would have thought if he were alive today. Next entry wold be about the semantics of the word "Metaphysics".
Shalom
I wish I could say the same for Malaysia. In a way, some things are better than they used to be. That is a slight consolation. However, our appreciation of all things cultural and intellectual are still stuck at a very low level. Maybe we forgot to acculturate ourselves in our striving for the greenback (or whatever colour paper money) and platinum card. Despite our so-called economic ascendancy, as a nation, we are still very vulnerable to scammers, schemers and con-arists, especially if they are from the First World.
Thanks to the wonderful world of the internet, at least we no longer have to feel like a frog under the coconut shell. Information gap stil exist, and the literacy rate in this country is not as high (when I say literacy rate, I mean the ability for someone to digest information beyond high-school level). Potboilers and trashy magazines (uh-oh, I just revealed myself as a cultural snob, when in actual fact, I do read trashy stuff as well :P) are the mainstay of one's diet. People would not mind spending lots on other luxuries but most find it painful to spend too much on books. Despite the govt's tax allowance. I have friends asking me for book receipts just so that they can claim tax relief, even if they seldom buy a book themselves. And these are not high-school dropouts, but my peers from university! It is interesting that what Orwell wrote about in relation to the working-class English society is as applicable to the middle to upper-middle class members of Malaysia. Books or cigarettes, mon cherie?
Lets talk about religion. Everyone is minding their ps and qs. Hard-nosed pious religious types are now stabbing, shooting and clubbing the so-called "liberals" who are are leading the flock astray. Interesting how the same kind of thing is happening in both the Christian and Islamic world. I refuse to call it internal conflicts within the East and West, since the religions of the BIG BOOK (or BOOKS now?) did come from the confluence between east and west. Forget Huntingdon's theory on the clash of the civilization. From my vantage point (not very high since I am rather short), just let these people hack each other to death. figuratively speaking. It seems that these people are more interested in appearing holier than thou than and may God give them the best place in Heaven. Poor God must be experiencing continuous de-ja-vu with His (Her? Why do we think God is male?) recalcitrant attitudes of His (Her?) human creations. I marvel at His (Her?) patience, coz if it had been me, I would take back their ability for free will. You give them free will, they try to take it away from their fellow men. Bugger. Also, I refuse to see Goddess as the female counterpart of God. For me, it's just a cop-out. And a Goddess doesn't have the same Authority as God.
As a parting thought, I sugest that those who have not read Orwell's essays to do so online. Now! http://whitewolf.newcastle.edu.au/words/authors/O/OrwellGeorge/essay/ShootingElephant/.
P.S.I wonder what Nostradamus would have thought if he were alive today. Next entry wold be about the semantics of the word "Metaphysics".
Shalom
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Embracing 2006
I've decided not to have a special post about the previous year as most of them are personal crossroads and struggles that I am sure would bore you, gentle readers, to tears. (:
Instead, what I would like to do in this post is to officially recognise that I should now strive for greater milestones and achievements this year, and make lessons learnt from the past year, however painful, my guiding principles. All I can say is, I've matured and grown up a lot in 2005, done a number of interesting as well as foolish things, met people and read books that have influenced my life in more than one way. Nevertheless,I still have a lot more growing up to do.
This year is going to be pretty exciting, I daresay. I am slowly moving out of the bloom of youth into mature adulthood. Which means, I've better have something to show for it.
Instead, what I would like to do in this post is to officially recognise that I should now strive for greater milestones and achievements this year, and make lessons learnt from the past year, however painful, my guiding principles. All I can say is, I've matured and grown up a lot in 2005, done a number of interesting as well as foolish things, met people and read books that have influenced my life in more than one way. Nevertheless,I still have a lot more growing up to do.
This year is going to be pretty exciting, I daresay. I am slowly moving out of the bloom of youth into mature adulthood. Which means, I've better have something to show for it.
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