THE JAX NETWORK

Trying It Out

2010-05-10T07:51:00.001+08:00

Hey peoples! Trying to blog through this new app I just downloaded on iPhone. Appears that I can only upload text, no photos. A big minus point!

BREAKING NEWS: Powerful Earthquake Shocked Italy

2009-04-06T15:26:00.006+08:00

Hi all!

It's been a long time since I last posted (nearly a year, to be exact!). So, I thought perhaps it's time for me to start writing again (though I've been writing for the past two months, albeit for another purpose). Anyway, when I was looking through all the online editions of global newspapers this morning, I came across a shocking news flashing on Times UK's frontpage.

A powerful earthquake (5.8 on the Richter scale) has shocked Italy and so far, nearly 20 people have died from this disaster. My prayers go out to Italy, to all Italians especially those directly affected by the earthquake. Official reports have said that the death toll will keep increasing as many people are still trapped. Some old buildings have collapsed and a road leading to one of the villages affected was blocked by these rubbles. Even some modern buildings were not spared.

It's sad to be greeted by such a gloomy news especially on a Monday morning and it's not helping at all now that it's also pouring incessantly at the moment. And with the current economic situation, nothing seems to be cheery. I just hope for a fast recovery.

In Loving Memory

2008-07-27T10:32:00.003+08:00

This coming Sunday, August 3rd, will the seventh year anniversary of my aunt's passing. Back in 2001, she passed away suddenly and until today, I still can't get over the fact that she's not with us anymore.

To my beloved Say Ee, I am so proud and honoured to have been your nephew and I miss you so very much. Looking down from heaven, I know you will bless me and guide me through turbulent times. Life is never the same without you with us.

Empty Cans Make The Most Noise!

2008-07-26T13:51:00.003+08:00

Some empty cans just love to contribute to the already deafening sound of the local media and political drama!

I'm from Sarawak (and will always be a Sarawakian first, a Malaysian second) and no matter how proud I am of my state's rich natural heritage and its rainforests, I'm sure the proposed dam projects are all within the appropriate environmental limits. The people who have been making a lot of noise should do their research first and not start talking shit even before they know their facts. Sarawak is a land filled with rivers and therefore, it is most suitable to make dams. So, get your facts right first! I'm sure all rainforests will be preserved accordingly.

Just one thing though, to the loud mouths of the peninsula - you guys just love to make so much noise and yet do you know that all these dams are for your own good? Do you think Sarawakians need so many dams for our electricity? We have more than enough already now and the government know that! It's because we have to sacrifice our land to provide for you, that's why we have to build these dams. So, perhaps, just shut your mouth!

Miss Universe 2008

2008-07-24T15:36:00.003+08:00

Hiya, peoples! Sorry for the slow update. Anyways, the new Miss Universe 2008 has been crowned and she is none other than the super sexy and extremely gorgeous Dayana Mendoza, Miss Venezuela. With her win, Venezuela now has five Miss Universe titles and the last time they won was when the controversial Alicia Machado wore the title in 1996. Miss Colombia, Taliana Vargas and Miss Dominican Republic, Marianne Cruz Gonzalez was the 1st Runner-up and 2nd Runner-up respectively. Vera Krasova, Miss Russia and Elisa Najera, Miss Mexico rounded out the Top 5.

This year's pageant was full of surprises and so many undeserving delegates made the Top 15. It was a travesty! Hungary (that body was totally and utterly undeserving), Vietnam (she's great but there's no need to polish the shoes of the host country! Chanantorn didn't even make it when the pageant was held in Thailand in 2005 and she was far superior than Thuy Lam!) and Italy (ugh! the worst evening gown presentation and the worst national costume ever! and that surname was so tongue-in-cheek! Italy is the capital of the fashion world, Claudia ought to prepare better!) were included in the list of finalists whereas pageant powerhouses like Puerto Rico, India, Korea, Trinidad & Tobago and Panama were left out in the cold. It's unforgivable for delegates who prepared so hard and so well to be left standing with the rest of the delegates. My commiserations to Ingrid, Simran, Sun, Anya and Carolina! I believe I speak for the rest of the pageant community when I say the preliminary judges should be shot!

Perhaps the Top 15 was such travesty because The Donald didn't make it to Vietnam. He should be the one with the final say of the girls who made the cut. Anyways, what's done is done, so let's leave ourselves some room for Miss World 2008 in Kiev, Ukraine! I hope it'll be a memorable pageant! By the way, the telecast for this year's Miss Universe was kinda boring. Lack of the wow factor if you ask me!

Miss Universe 2008 - Presentation Show Update

2008-07-10T17:47:00.005+08:00

Hey, peoples! I managed to watch all videos of the girls competing in both swimsuits and evening gowns at the presentation show for this year's Miss Universe 2008. I was astounded by some of the girls' performances (Go Korea! Go Japan! Sun and Hiroko all the way! Go Ines! Tu es magnifique!). Anyways, as you all know, I've already posted my final prediction list for this year's pageant. And I was quite disappointed with some of my choices' performances at the one competition that mattered most before the final night. So, as always, to update my list, with a heavy heart, I have to remove and add some girls to my list.

GIRLS I BELIEVE WILL TAKE IT ALL (TOP 5)

After the presentation show, here are the girls I believe will take it all, in alphabetical order...I think this will be another year where there will be another South American onslaught. So, here goes - Colombia, India, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Venezuela. I think it will be a three-way fight between Tali, Elisa and Dayana. Ingrid looks tired already and Simran is still gaining ground. All the best, girls!

BUBBLING UNDER THE TOP (TOP 10)

Crystle is now down to the Top 10. I like her evening gown a lot as well as her presentation but her age is showing and it's quite obvious. Anyways, Tali performed better. So, once again in alphabetical order, Australia, Japan, Korea, T & T and USA.

POSSIBLE CONTENDERS (TOP 15)

OK, big disappointment from Norway. But I'm truly impressed with both Panama, Spain and (gasp!) Belgium. So, my list in alphabetical order is Belgium, Kosovo, Panama, South Africa and Spain.

GATECRASHERS (ALTERNATES)

Instead of the usual five girls, I decided to award more girls the opportunity in this category. After the presentation show, it seemed that more girls are shining more than before and I'm actually glad. But nevertheless, the race for the crown seem locked among those three girls I mentioned above. And I'm truly surprised by Malaysia's performance and she didn't use that hideous gown for the presentation show. Amen to that! Congrats Levy! So, in alphabetical order, these girls are Angola, Brazil, Germany, Indonesia, Israel, Malaysia, Nigeria, Norway, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

Miss Universe 2008 - The Jax Network's Final Prediction

2008-07-09T16:07:00.008+08:00

GIRLS I BELIEVE WILL TAKE IT ALL (TOP 5)

BUBBLING UNDER THE TOP (TOP 10)

POSSIBLE CONTENDERS (TOP 15)

GATECRASHERS (TOP 20)

The Jax Network's Top 20 List - Miss Universe 2008

2008-06-23T16:14:00.019+08:00

Here is my Top 20 list for this year's Miss Universe 2008. This list will change as the pageant progresses. Some girls who may not be in this list now may appear in the next update and some girls who are on this list now may disappear. Who knows? Just stay tuned and keep an eye for my updates!

1ST ROW: Top 5 - Venezuela / USA / India / Puerto Rico / Colombia
2ND ROW: Top 10 - Korea / South Africa / Australia / Czech Republic / Japan
3RD ROW: Top 15 - Kosovo / Panama / Belgium / Russia / Trinidad & Tobago
4TH ROW: Top 20 - Albania / Canada / Dominican Republic / Nigeria / Philippines

The Jax Network's Top 20 - Miss Universe 2008

2008-06-23T15:55:00.005+08:00

Here are five girls who I believe will have a chance to make the final cut, in alphabetical order. There will be no scores for these girls. But please remember that as the pageant progresses and new photos and videos are made available, my Top 15 list will change and who knows these five girls may even break into the Top 15. So, stay tuned!

GATECRASHERS (TOP 20)

Miss Albania - Matilda Mcini

Miss Canada - Samantha Tajik

Miss Dominican Republic - Marianne Cruz

Miss Nigeria - Stephanie Oforka

Miss Philippines - Jennifer Barientos

The Jax Network's Top 15 - Miss Universe 2008

2008-06-23T15:34:00.004+08:00

OK, here are the next five girls that round up my first Top 15 list for this year's Miss Universe 2008. These girls make up the Possible Contenders (Top 15) group.

POSSIBLE CONTENDERS (TOP 15)

Miss Kosovo - Zana Krasniqi

(Official Photo - 9.8 : Evening Gown -8.9 : Average - 9.35)

Miss Panama - Carolina Dementiev

(Official Photo - 9.3 : Evening Gown - 9.3 : Average - 9.3)

Miss Belgium - Alizee Poulicek

(Official Photo - 9.6 : Evening Gown - 8.9 : Average - 9.25)

Miss Russia - Vera Krasova

(Official Photo - 9.2 : Evening Gown - 9.2 : Average - 9.2)

Miss Trinidad & Tobago - Anya Ayoung-Chee

(Official Photo - 9.4 : Evening Gown - 8.9 : Average - 9.15)

The Jax Network's Top 10 - Miss Universe 2008

2008-06-22T16:27:00.008+08:00

Here are the next 5 girls in my first Top 15 list for this year's Miss Universe 2008. Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together, the girls from Bubbling Under The Top (Top 10).

BUBBLING UNDER THE TOP (TOP 10)

Miss Korea - Sun Lee

Will Sun be able to outdo Honey and bring back the crown to Korea for the first time? It's not impossible and besides, Sun is trained by the multi-talented superwoman and national director extraordinaire, Ines Ligron. So, let's see if Sun will be able to join Simran in the Top 5 and gives everyone a run for their money. (Official Photo - 9.4 : Evening Gown - 9.8 : Average - 9.6)

Miss South Africa - Tansey Coetzee

After lackluster performances by past Miss South Africas in recent years, even though last year's delegate was super gorgeous, Tansey seemed set to bring South Africa back to the Top 15. Can she do it? I'm sure she has all the goods and talents. (Official Photo - 9.5 : Evening Gown - 9.6 : Average - 9.55)

Miss Australia - Laura Dundovic

Now this is one lady who looks set to follow in the footsteps of Jennifer Hawkins. She happens to be the best Australian delegate since the thunder from down under swept the universe off its feet in 2004. Laura did well in both the official photo and evening gown shots and I believe she stands a chance. Watch out for her! (Official Photo - 9.4 : Evening Gown - 9.6 : Average - 9.5)

Miss Czech Republic - Eliska Buckova

Eliska is the strongest European delegate, in my humble opinion. She executes both photo shoots perfectly and I'm really hoping she gets a chance to grace the final night with her presence in the Top 15. (Official Photo - 9.4 : Evening Gown - 9.5 : Average - 9.45)

Miss Japan - Hiroko Mima

The reigning Miss Universe is Japanese and it has not been done before that the Miss Universe Organization will crown a back to back winner. Nevertheless, it's not impossible and besides, just like Sun Lee, Hiroko is trained by Ines Ligron, the greatest national director ever lived! She can beat all odds! Not really digging her make-up for the official photo though, what's with the cat's eye? (Official Photo - 9.1 : Evening Gown - 9.7 : Average - 9.4)

The Jax Network's Top 5 - Miss Universe 2008

2008-06-22T15:41:00.005+08:00

Alright, peoples! Here is my first Top 15 for this year's Miss Universe 2008 and I've divided my list into three categories - Girls I Believe Will Take It All (Top 5), Bubbling Near The Top (Top 10) and Possible Contenders (Top 15) and not forgetting five more girls I believe will have the chance to make it through to the final list - Gatecrashers (Top 20). For now, I will post my Top 5 list first.

GIRLS I BELIEVE WILL TAKE IT ALL (TOP 5)

Miss Venezuela - Dayana Mendoza

All hail the queen, peoples! This will be Dayana's year and after a missed opportunity with Ly Jonaitis last year, this will be the year the Venezuelans will rejoice and be redeemed of the elusive Miss Universe crown. Mariangel Ruiz is the only Miss Venezuela that came closest to the crown after Alicia Machado won it in 1996, although both Veruska Ramirez and Claudia Moreno were also 1st Runner-up. Anyways, I'm hoping for Dayana to take it all. (Official Photo - 9.95 : Evening Gown - 9.75 : Average - 9.85)

Miss USA - Crystle Stewart

Now this is one lady the three gorgeous Latinas need to watch out for! Crystle is the strongest Miss USA in recent history, even I believe superior to the flawless Rachel Smith. With perfect execution of both the official photo and evening gown shots, it seems this girl is destined for a bright future. (Official Photo - 9.8 : Evening Gown - 9.8 : Average - 9.8)

Miss India - Simran Kaur Mundi

Enough of the Americans for the moment, here comes the Queen of Asia - the gorgeous Simran who I believe is the strongest Indian candidate after the perfect Lara Dutta. Will she finally end India's dry spell? Let's hope she does her best this coming July 13th and as always, she happens to be my sentimental favourite for the crown. (Official Photo - 9.9 : Evening Gown - 9.6 : Average - 9.75)

Miss Puerto Rico - Ingrid Marie Rivera

Will Puerto Rico win again after Zuleyka took the crown only in 2006? It's quite a difficult feat to achieve but not possible. With tons of experience, Ingrid has positioned herself to be one of the girls to beat pre-pageant. And after the release of the official photo and evening gown shots as well as candid photos, Ingrid looks set to be a frontrunner this year. Expect her to do well! (Official Photo - 9.6 : Evening Gown - 9.8 : Average - 9.7)

Miss Colombia - Taliana Vargas

I believe that a Latina will win this year and if my predictions are correct, the crown will be a 3-way fight between three gorgeous Latinas - Taliana, Ingrid and Dayana. Of the three girls, I place Taliana third, behind both Dayana and Ingrid. But don't count her out just yet, with a near perfect evening gown shot, she still stands a chance in grabbing the crown. (Official Photo - 9.35 : Evening Gown - 9.95 : Average - 9.65)

The Best Official Photos - Miss Universe 2008

2008-06-22T14:37:00.009+08:00

After the evening gowns, here are my favourite official photos for this year's Miss Universe 2008 and as always, in no particular order. These ladies, as they are lined in these photos, are Miss Nigeria, Miss Russia, Miss Tanzania, Miss USA, Miss Venezuela, Miss Kosovo, Miss Netherlands, Miss Norway, Miss Philippines, Miss Puerto Rico, Miss Czech Republic, Miss Finland, Miss India, Miss Japan, Miss Korea, Miss Albania, Miss Angola, Miss Belgium, Miss Canada and Miss Colombia.

For the moment, I've chosen twenty best from each category - official photos and evening gowns. And I've not ranked these girls in terms of superiority yet because I'm about to announce my first Top 15 girls in my next post. So, stay tuned!

The Best Evening Gowns - Miss Universe 2008

2008-06-22T13:16:00.009+08:00

Here are my picks for this year's best evening gowns (in no particular order) for this year's Miss Universe 2008. Please note that these girls chose these gowns for this particular photo shoot. They may or may not wear these gowns during the preliminaries and the final night. Some girls bring with them more than one evening gowns and I'm sure Miss Japan, Miss Korea, Miss India, Miss Colombia and Miss USA will not be wearing these gowns on the final night. We'll wait and see. Anyways, these girls are (in the order that they appear in this line of photos) Miss Czech Republic, Miss Philippines, Miss USA, Miss Uruguay, Miss Peru, Miss Nigeria, Miss Puerto Rico, Miss South Africa, Miss Switzerland, Miss Thailand, Miss Guam, Miss India, Miss Indonesia, Miss Japan, Miss Korea, Miss Australia, Miss Canada, Miss Costa Rica, Miss Colombia and Miss Dominican Republic.

In my personal opinion, the best gowns are Miss Korea and Miss Colombia (these two gowns are the best in the whole of the pageant, so fashionable and so elegant!), followed closely by Miss Japan (gasp!), Miss USA (va-va-voom!), Miss Thailand (incredibly couture!), Miss Puerto Rico (great colour!), Miss Indonesia (those legs!) and Miss South Africa (is that you, Nefertiti?).

Miss Universe 2008 - The Frontrunners So Far...

2008-06-21T14:57:00.006+08:00

Here are my favourites for this year's crown, in no particular order...

Miss Japan - Hiroko Mima

Miss Korea - Sun Lee

Miss USA - Crystle Stewart

Miss India - Simran Kaur Mundi

Miss Colombia - Taliana Vargas

Miss Venezuela - Dayana Mendoza

The Greatest Pageant Has Started

2008-06-21T14:44:00.005+08:00

The new Miss Universe 2008 will be crowned this coming July 13th in Nha Thrang, Vietnam. Who will take the coveted crown and step into the shoes of the wonderfully gorgeous and sinfully sexy Riyo Mori? Will it be another Asian? Or will a Latina fight until the end? Currently, there are a few beauties who I'd like to see walk away with the crown. Venezuela's Dayana Mendoza, Colombia's Taliana Vargas, India's Simran Kaur Mundi, Korea's Sun Lee, USA's Crystle Stewart and if the judges are being kind this year, not saying that she's not deserving but it's quite impossible (never been done before) for a country to win the Miss Universe crown back to back, Japan's Hiroko Mima.

Oh yeah, the divalicious girl above is Miss Kosovo - the beauty who is representing the world's youngest country. Let's hope she makes some ripples in the sea of beauties.

Ditto Kak Marina!

2008-06-04T09:34:00.004+08:00

LOOKING BEYOND THE WHITE BLOUSE - MARINA MAHATHIR

There are many different ways of thinking about the same thing, and if we insist that our way is best, we need to defend it with sound arguments.

I would nominate for “Small Mind of the Year” the announcement by a female student that our schoolgirls’ uniforms are too transparent, and therefore would lead to them being raped, have unwanted babies and all sorts of evil things. I’m surprised they didn’t mention that these white blouses would also make them corrupt and power-hungry. It’s nice that a student association is taking an interest in issues. But one would have thought it would complain about the general state of education in this country, rather than school uniforms.

In France, students are taking to the streets to protest against the poor quality of the education in the state schools. It would be far more impressive if our students complained about the same. After all, they must wonder why they cannot get jobs after studying. Or do they blame it on the alleged state of undress of other people as well? Perhaps complaining about the education system would reveal that this is why they have become so small-minded.

Instead of breeding big brains with the capacity to think issues out clearly and then hold their ground with solid arguments, we get grey matter that has been squeezed into tiny boxes by an education system that lauds small minds and thinks brains that think expansively are dangerous. The easiest and cheapest counter-attack is however to use the “freedom of speech” argument, where hole-ridden proposals are recast as opinion, never mind how silly. But these are the same people who would never allow anyone with contrary opinions the same freedom to speak.

It’s an argument that took the Education Ministry rather too long to put down. And nobody seems to have noticed that neither Minister nor Special Adviser on Women said anything either. When there are statements like these, nobody should be so polite as to not simply say that it’s silly. Why should we be afraid of offending people who patently have not thought things through? But we allow it for only one reason: they mentioned religion. Instantly this puts such dubious arguments out of bounds. I have heard people claim that drinking hot water is haram.

If someone proposes a ban on anyone drinking hot water because it is not allowed by a certain religion, do we simply let it pass? Once upon a time, someone said that it was impossible to land on the moon. If someone still says that today, do we still treat it with reverence? We see small-mindedness everywhere, with simplistic arguments and solutions to everything. Nobody seems to want to do the hard work of bolstering arguments with hard facts and evidence.

We seem to be proud of not using our brains, as if it’s an organ that is meant just for show. Never mind that in some people, once they open their mouth, the size of the brain becomes evident. The assumption is often made that the smallness of mind is in direct proportion to the amount of education the person has. But we often see so-called educated people displaying the same narrowness of thinking. Perhaps it is a factor on how much exposure someone has. I think we should take someone like those who say things like “clothes cause rape” and put them in forums where they have to defend their arguments.

If their arguments can actually stand up to the test, then they’re worth talking about. But how much should I bet that they won’t take up the offer? I once witnessed the total shock someone with a dubious argument received when he was invited to defend his policies at an international forum overseas. He was so confident he was correct; it did not occur to him that there would be counter-arguments. Left unable to defend himself, he started to blame others and the organisers for “setting him up”. This is what happens when one lives in an environment where small-mindedness is encouraged, where debate and discussion is discouraged.

If we truly want to develop, we need to teach our children that there is a big world out there; and to be part of that world, we need to learn how to think differently. We need to realise that there are many different ways of thinking about the same thing, and if we insist that our way is best, we need to defend it with sound arguments, not retreat into the realm of opinion. Even opinions must have a sound basis, not plucked from the air.

---------------

I couldn't agree more with the above! And as you all know, I admire Marina Mahathir a lot for what she has to say and all that she stands for. Perhaps, if we have more people like her here in Malaysia, the world would be a better place! I'm so happy for this article! Ruffle some more feathers! Can't help but feeling so great! The above article was extracted and taken from The Star. I do not own the article, I'm just merely posting it here for everyone to read. Oh yeah, if you want to read more and be inspired with what Kak Marina has to say, point your mouse here.

Barack Obama Is The Democratic Presidential Nominee

2008-06-04T09:27:00.003+08:00

Congrats Senator Obama for being officially selected as the Democratic Party's Presidential Nominee! I hope you'll be the President by the end of this year. Honestly, I was rooting for your competitor and still hoping that she'll one day be President. But for the time being, it'll be great if it could be an Obama/Clinton run. So, here's to you and all the best! Make history, make change! We've had enough Republicans telling us what to do. Give us that much needed breath of fresh air!

50 Most Powerful Women In NYC

2008-06-02T14:42:00.003+08:00

Mariah Carey is recognised as one of the 50 Most Powerful Women In NYC by The New York Post recently. She's at #40 and guess who's #1 - the incomparable Hillary Rodham Clinton, who I hope will still be the Democratic Party Presidential Nominee for this year's election. Anyway, here's what The New York Post had to say about Miss Carey - Not long ago, things looked dire for the Long Island native - dropped from her record label, trying to live down "Glitter". Now she's back as R & B's biggest diva, with her song "Touch My Body" becoming her 18th No. 1 single - pushing her past Elvis Presley and second only to the Beatles in chart-toppers.

Not bad for the little girl from Long Island who was named after the song "They Called The Wind Mariah". Good on you, Mariah! Peoples, keep voting/buying/downloading Bye Bye and make it Mariah's 19th #1!

Yves Saint-Laurent 1936 - 2008

2008-06-02T14:28:00.005+08:00

Yves Henri Donat Dave Mathieu-Saint-Laurent
1 August 1936 - 1 June 2008

Rest In Peace

Green Peas

2008-06-01T19:47:00.003+08:00

This is quite a random post but I know I must say something about green peas. Anyway, have any of you out there bought/eaten Ayam Brand's Green Peas before? Have you guys/gals realised that there seems to be something amiss about the green peas? In my personal opinion, I believe those are not green peas at all. In fact, they're "kacang kuda" dyed green. If you don't believe me, go buy one yourself and check the water these green peas are soaked in. It's all green and I also believe that if they're really green peas, I don't think they'll discolour that much to even colour the soaking water green. Besides, green peas don't taste like those produced by Ayam Brand. Even those frozen ones we get packaged together with sweet corn and carrot are much better. What do you guys think? Just a thought, a random one at that.

I don't know if I'm being paranoid but I trust that many companies out there, especially big ones, are resorting to cheaper productions and larger profits these days. It's quite a norm actually, so I won't be surprised if what I said above is true. It's just too bad that our consumer associations are not doing enough like those in the European/North American countries. If we happen to have a society like those in the UK, one complain and there goes everything for the company. Don't look at me like I'm some kind of shoe polisher for all things West. I'm just saying the truth, I've lived four years in the UK and I know how good their government is. Trust me, I'm still proud to be Malaysian but I just thought that Malaysians ought to/must be better off.

The Concept Of Class

2008-06-01T14:05:00.003+08:00

It's quite sad really when you think that our world today is divided into many different classes. You've got the upper class who feels like they're everything in the world and then, there's the lower class where people is struggling everyday for their survival. If everyone can be like children and never have to think about the importance of race, creed, culture, class and religion, the world would be a much better place. When I was at the University of Hertfordshire, I attended a class called Human Space and Society. For the syllabus, we had to write a paper on the concept of class and its importance in today's society. The paragraphs that follow are my thoughts.

Mahatma Gandhi once said that “there is enough in this world for everyone’s need, but not for anyone’s greed.” This statement would have been true if not for the fact that the concept of class in today’s society has always been considered the utmost importance. People all over the world feel the need to be categorised in groups that share the same qualities. When social classification is in place, the upper class of any society in the world will not want to have anything to do with the middle and lower class of the society. Eventually, this will only lead to inequalities and discrimination among the citizens of a society. Revulsion and hatred will be considered a norm in society that feels the need to have such magnitude towards the concept of class.

In today’s world, the concept of class is a comprehensive perception that has a number of related dimensions and it can still be considered a useful categorisation in the following Marxist sense: “the history of capitalism is a history of the creation and reproduction of a social order.” Presently, the concept of class has three significant dimensions – economic, political and cultural. These dimensions can be measured in terms of indicators such as the wealth, income, status, power, lifestyle and levels of education of a particular individual. Matter-of-factly, the economic dimension is seen to be the most socially and sociologically important of the three. Throughout this article, the importance and the need for the concept of class in today’s world will be discussed. More importantly, the very basic division of sex and its consequences will also be presented in this paper.

The world has always perceived that in today’s modern age, men and women all over the world are equal in every aspect and the demeaning of women are a thing of the past. Nevertheless, in some societies all across the world, the inequalities between men and women are still very apparent. When men and women are treated differently and unequally on the basis of their sex, this produces a form of social stratification – the very basic concept of a two class model. For centuries, men have always been considered to be at the top of society while women belong to the other end of the spectrum. Many people all over the world believed the fact that developed countries are open-minded societies but the selection of their leaders are still very much limited to the much-believed stronger sex.

The presidents and prime ministers of many developed countries are men and this is evident in countries such as United States of America, Japan, Russia and France, just to name a few. The citizens of these countries still believe that men are leaders and women are followers. This social inequality occurs when ideology and power are combine to make men superior and women inferior. Eventually, this has led to the reflection of the importance of the concept of class in today’s society. In contrast, some developing countries that are considered to be ancient have championed the rights of women. Although this cannot be said of the majority of these countries, the people of Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka have made bold steps by choosing women to lead their countries. President Megawati Sukarnoputri and President Gloria Arroyo have showed the world that inequalities have not stopped them from success.

The need for the world to classify everyone and everything into specific groups and classifications has shut out the possibilities for women to be in the same level as men. For example, majority of children today will take quite awhile to answer this particular question – “A doctor and a nurse are trapped in a deserted island. A year later, a baby was born. Neither the doctor is the father nor is the nurse the mother of the baby. Why?” In schools all over the world, children are taught to believe that only men can be doctors and nurses are always women. This has resulted in confused children when told that the doctor is the mother of the baby and the nurse is the father. It is a simple and harmless question and answer but because of the concept of class, it has turned out to be a complicated matter for children.

Many people have speculated the relevance of two classes in today’s society but truthfully, the society today still feels the need for three classes even though it is already the 21st century. Nevertheless, according to Wright in 1997, the world today can be seen as a society of two main opposing classes – “the ruling class which controls all the power and wealth, and the working class which the rulers exploit to maintain this.” The upper or ruling class of the world are considered to be the people who are of power and status. Kings, presidents, prime ministers, politicians and directors of companies are among the groups of people that fall within this frameset. Essentially, the upper class of today’s society is no different than the upper class of the society of the past. These people who are in the so-called upper class are those that imposed work and instructions on the rest of the communities that are from the middle and lower class.

As mentioned earlier, wealth and levels of education are also taken into consideration for social stratification. Ultimately, only power, status and wealth plays vital importance. This is due to the fact that a well-learned individual is not always a person of power, stature or wealth. The majority of the world’s population belongs to the middle class of the social stratification. Many poor countries have most of their citizens belonging to the lower class. The communities from these countries usually have to suffer for the rest of their lives and there will be no chances for advancement and even if it exists, the possibilities are limited. Nonetheless, the communities from developing countries have a brighter future and the opportunities for betterment are always attainable.

The concept of class in today’s society is still as important as oxygen is to the survival of the human race. Without the existence of middle and lower class, the upper class will never survive because with every single person belonging to the same group, there will be no one wanting to be the follower. The competition to the top among the upper class communities are always in existence and the concept of the survival of the fittest are a norm in these societies. The race to be the best can be considered the indispensable part of the concept of class in today’s society. Wealth, power, stature and education are the four utmost weapons in attaining the membership of the upper class. With none of these available, citizens from poor countries can only hope for enough money to buy food to live for another day.

By looking at the countries of the world, the world’s population can also be classified according to their countries of origins. Developed nations can be considered to be the upper class, developing and poor countries are the middle and lower class respectively. It is very obvious that developed nations used their power and wealth to exploit the communities from developing and poor nations with the promise of a better life. Major companies from countries like the United States of America, United Kingdom and Russia set up huge factories and plants in developing countries like India, China and Malaysia because the citizens in these countries need the work and money. Discriminations and exploitations are common due to the fact that most of these workers have very low level of education as compared to their Western neighbours.

One good example is the disaster that happened in Bhopal, India more than a decade ago. Until today, the chief executive officer of the company responsible for this calamity never went back to India where he is charged for first degree murder. The company knew the defects and problems that the plant in Bhopal had after the annual maintenance. Nevertheless, the parent company in the United States of America decided to ignore the problem and the warnings from engineers. With the belief that the problem will go away in due time, the company also deemed that even though a catastrophe is about to strike, it will not be life threatening. Not only did a catastrophe happen, it left behind a lifetime of suffering for the workers of the plant and the people of Bhopal.

Since decades ago, the concept of class has always been seen as a way of self-identification for people across the globe. The upper class identified themselves as the powerful and the rich, the middle class knew themselves as the working force of the communities while the lower class thrived to be a part of the world. Being in the middle and lower class has encouraged people to liberate themselves for advancement and betterment into the future. People from the middle and lower class have worked hard to ensure a better life for generations to come. The middle and lower class communities have the opportunities to move from one class to another. This concept of self-identification have made these people to be more independent and determined in their common struggle towards success.

With more people getting better education by the day, the number of people categorised as those that belong to the lower class will also reduce. Many people believed that in the future, the lower class of society will be totally wiped out. This may be possible but it is completely wrong to consider that the world’s population will only be made up of those that belong to the upper and middle class. The lower class of society will always be present even with the increase of levels of education. This is because the acceptable standard of the world will also rise. Moreover, levels of education are not considered to be essential in the classification of society as compared to wealth, power and stature. If the world is only made up of citizens from upper and middle class, then it has to depend on robots to do works that used to be done by people from the lower class. It is still a long way to go before the world can assume such status of technological advancement.

Ultimately, the concept of class is still very important in today’s world. However, no matter how important it is, this concept is not essential and should be demolished from the mindset of the people of the world. It should be killed and this concept can only die with the capitalism of which it is a part. Discriminations and exploitations have always been the result from the enforcement of the concept of class in today’s society. Throughout this paper, it has been shown that women are considered to be weak and passive because of the age-old concept of class that men are leaders and strong. Besides that, the middle and lower class have also been used extensively by the people from the upper class for various purposes. Conclusively, the upper class can not survive without the middle and lower class and the middle and lower class can not survive without the upper class.

No matter how open-minded the society today is, this concept of class will always exist to recognise the general situation that draws the attention of the world. However, it can be seen as a perception that allows the citizens of the world to liberate themselves from the obligatory commonality of the collective life sentence to hard labour. More importantly, this concept of class should be seen as a guiding principle of diversity within which the people of the world can realise their potential in so many different ways. Lara Dutta, Miss Universe 2000 once said – “every man dies, but very few really live.” Every human being should live life to the fullest and social stratification should never be a deterrent for anyone to succeed. It may be an important concept in today’s society but it should not be a way of life.

George Sampson - Street Dancing Wonderkid

2008-06-01T13:56:00.002+08:00

The winner for this year's Britain's Got Talent 2008 was crowned last night and as you may have read from my previous post about talented British kids, one of the performers I mentioned, Andrew Johnston, did not win but he managed to score himself a reputable third place. Nevertheless, the winner is another superkid who outdid every single performer by doing a street dancing routine to a remixed version of Frank Sinatra's Singing In The Rain, complete with fake rain and all. Congratulations to George Sampson and you've done your mother proud now! Go on and enjoy your moment of glory. Watch the winning moment and George's winning routine below.

Are Beauty Pageants Discriminatory?

2008-06-01T01:22:00.007+08:00

Aishwarya Rai - Miss World 1994

I'm writing this from a fan's point of view and I don't mean to offend anyone. But seriously, I view beauty pageants as, in the words of Lara Dutta - Miss Universe 2000, "a platform for women to foray into the fields that they want, be it entrepreneurship, the armed forces or politics". There's nothing wrong with women competing in beauty pageants and, in the words of Mpule Kwelagobe - Miss Universe 1999, "celebrating their feminity". Why must people view it as a way for women to sell themselves as sex objects or looking at pageants as discriminatory or an affront towards women? What different is there between a beauty pageant and a boxing fight/athletic meet/weightlifting competition? Aren't they all competitions? And what is wrong with competitions? Do we have to reduce ourselves to being chauvinistic midgets and go around being a hypocrite and criticising/demeaning/discriminating women? Anyway, many women succeed in their career paths, some more than others. Nevertheless, without a doubt, most women achieve their success through sheer determination and hard work, through years of education and experiences. Sometimes, being in a beauty pageant actually helps these women to realise their dreams and giving them enough exposure to be noticed. Some of the world's most famous women are past beauty queens themselves. Look at Aishwarya Rai, our own Datuk Michelle Yeoh, Oprah Winfrey, Halle Berry, Laura Elena Harring and many more! They have also worked hard for their success and are we going to reduce them to minuscule creatures just because they joined a beauty pageant? I seriously don't think so.

Riyo Mori - Miss Universe 2007

The main reason I'm writing this entry is because I find it quite amusing that Malaysian women are so "scared" to join pageants and representing their country in the international arena. Isn't it a great opportunity? How else can you get a chance to wear your country's name alongside other people and feel proud about it? Case in point - say if you're a singer/actress in Malaysia, how often will you get the opportunity to be like Datuk Michelle Yeoh? Quite frankly, not a very bright prospect, right? What I'm trying to say is that being a beauty queen actually enables you to be proud of who you are, represent your country and stand tall among other women from all over the world! Even if you don't make it, at least you tried. Peoples, always aim for the moon because even if you fail, you will still land among the stars!

Andrea Fonseka - Miss Malaysia Universe 2004

Sometimes, I'm kinda disappointed with the kind of reception beauty pageants get here in Malaysia. Basically, it's like no exposure at all aside from Arianna Teoh, Lina Teoh and Deborah Priya Henry. OK, if you don't believe me, ask yourself - who is Miss Malaysia Universe 2004? Don't know? Not surprising because not much press actually cover our pageants every year except for the fact when the girl is someone famous or someone they believe "will make an impact at the international pageant" just like Deborah last year. But really, I can't blame them because if Malaysians are not even interested, why should they even bother, right?

Kurara Chibana - 1st Runner-up Miss Universe 2006

Anyway, enough of my rantings, I just hope my entry will spark some interest in young Malaysian women out there in joining our local pageants. Miss Malaysia Universe just crowned its winner yesterday and Miss Malaysia World is looking for contestants now. Click here to join the pageant and be in the footsteps of Deborah Priya Henry, Miss Malaysia World 2007 and Miss World 2007 semifinalist. One last thing, even the ultramodern Japan is finally taking beauty pageants seriously and guess what they get in return for their renewed interest in what some people labelled as a cattle market - one Miss Universe, one Miss Universe 1st runner-up and one Miss Universe 4th runner-up in a span of just five years. Five years, peoples! Malaysia has not had a Miss Universe semifinalist since 1970! And she was our only semifinalist!

Some Really Talented British Kids!

2008-06-01T00:26:00.004+08:00

The final of Britain's Got Talent is happening later today and it's really great to know that these two British kids are so talented. I wonder if we do get children like this in Malaysia, I'm sure we do, it's just that Asian kids tend to be a little more timid than European/American children. Anyway, I hope either of these two will win tonight. So, peoples, enjoy these raw talents before they become household names all over the world. I present to you Andrew Johnston and Faryl Smith!

Gayu Guru Gerai Nyamai

2008-05-31T23:32:00.003+08:00

To all my fellow Sarawakians, Gayu Guru Gerai Nyamai! Have a wonderful celebration on this day that truly represents us! I couldn't have hope for a better homeland! Here's to the day that we're finally known as only Sarawakians!

Congrats Levy!

2008-05-31T11:16:00.000+08:00

From my previous post, I guessed all of you would have known that the pageant was held last night and without a doubt, it was never televised and I bet only some old rich farts attended the pageant. Typical!

Anyway, the new Miss Malaysia Universe 2008 has been chosen and she's 20-year-old university student/model from Terengganu, Levy Li Su Lin. On her left is the 1st runner-up, 23-year-old Jean Thor Jean Nee from Kuala Lumpur. And guess what, I'm so proud of this - the 2nd runner-up is Sarawakian! She's 23-year-old Valerie Chan Hsueh Yi.

I never saw the pageant/contestants so I couldn't really comment on how deserving these girls are or how Levy will fare in the international pageant to be held in Vietnam this coming July. All I know is that if Levy wants to a mark in Miss Universe, she has a lot to do before the pageant. With so many power contestants this year, it looks set to be a tough fight. I'm really hoping that Levy stands at least 5'7" because all the Asian contestants this year are all over 5'8". I thought (was hoping) one of the taller contestants in the Malaysian pageant would win but anyway, perhaps, Levy did a better job than them. Congrats! And please make Malaysia proud! We haven't had a semifinalist in Miss Universe since 1970. It's quite pathetic if you think about it!

Miss Malaysia Universe 2008

2008-05-30T19:52:00.000+08:00

Adelaine Chin - Miss Malaysia Universe 2007

Guess what! Everything in Malaysia seems a little out of touch sometimes. Even beauty pageants! The Miss Malaysia Universe 2008 pageant is going on right now as I'm typing this entry but there's not even any coverage at all, besides some articles/videos on The Star. It's a disgrace actually considering the fact that the Miss Universe pageant is the #1 pageant in the world. I wonder what Donald Trump would say to the local production/selection. Quite embarrassing! Anyway, the official website of the local pageant is never updated and no one ever knows who the contestants are!

Goh Nai Hsing - 1st Runner-up

But thankfully, last year's first runner-up, Goh Nai Hsing, actually took the time to highlight the contestants in her blog and even add her own commentary on these girls. I just thought it was very gracious of her, considering the fact that she didn't even have to! Good on you, girl! Anyway, last year's winner, Adelaine Chin, has her own blog too and she did mention about highlighting this year's pageant but I haven't seen any updates yet. So, hopefully, I'll get to see some updates after the pageant tonight. As for Adelaine, you've done Malaysia proud and you really deserve a standing ovation for your tremendous effort. All the best in you future undertakings! To Nai Hsing, don't forget to keep updating your blog and entertain us with all your stories. Great read by the way!

HHHMMM...Need I Say More?

2008-05-22T11:07:00.000+08:00

KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian group condemned the uniform worn by girls at government schools, saying it encouraged rape and pre-marital sex. “The white blouse is too transparent for girls and it becomes a source of attraction,” National Islamic Students Association of Malaysia vice-president Munirah Bahari said in a statement.“It becomes a distraction to men, who are drawn to it, whether or not they like looking at it,” she said, calling for a review of uniform policy so that it did not violate Islamic ideals.

In multicultural Malaysia, home to majority-Muslim Malays as well as ethnic Chinese and Indians, female students at government schools have a choice of wearing a white blouse with a knee-length skirt or pinafore. They may also wear a “baju kurung” and a headscarf is optional for Malay students. Munirah said that “covering up” according to Islamic precepts was important to fend off social ills, including “rape, sexual harassment and even premarital sex.”

“This leads to babies born out of wedlock and, to an extent, even prostitution,” she said. “Decent clothes which are not revealing can prevent and protect women from any untoward situations,” she said, suggesting that girls wear a blouse of a different colour or with an undergarment.However, the girls themselves also came in for criticism, with the association saying that some used the white blouse to lure men. “This is the source of the problem, where we can see that schoolgirls themselves are capable of using this to attract men to them,” Munirah said. “This could see them getting molested, having premarital sex and all sorts of things.” – AFP

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OK, I'm all for reducing the rates of crimes against women and girls here in Malaysia. With the amount of rape cases and premarital sex increasing by the year, it's quite scary to think that in a country where religion and values are of utmost importance, such insanity should be the least of our worries. But it seems otherwise.

Anyway, changing our school uniforms (to something less sexier? how more can it be changed?) is definitely not the way for us to reduce such crimes or to even prevent them. I believe education is key and that perhaps is the single most important thing for everyone to look into when it comes to solving such crimes in Malaysia.

There's also the other thing. Isn't it just true that it's human nature when we're told not to do something or prevent from doing something, we just love to do it more? Well, the more controlled a human is, the wilder they'll get. Trust me, it's certainly true. Case in point - how many more anti-piracy programs do we need? Are the consumers even afraid of being caught? Worst still, are these VCD/DVD peddlers even afraid of the government/officers-in-charge of anti-piracy? Sad to say, they're having a ball actually. If you happen to visit a shopping centre in USJ, the whole place is dedicated/filled with pirated goodies. Whatever you want, just name it, you got it.

Politics = Greed!

2008-05-14T00:49:00.000+08:00

Just when you thought the world could not get any worse, here comes another dumbass government acting like it's so great! I just can't believe the world is filled with stupid idiotic people like that. How can a governMent reject foreign aids in time of needs? And how can theY just keep these foreign Aids, oNce accepted, for their top generals and forget about their citizens? Here's soMething I would like to shAre - if you want to be gReat/successful/rich/famous, be cruel! The crueler, the better! Trust me, it will surely work! Like a charm!

May Buddha Bless Everyone

2008-05-13T20:59:00.000+08:00

Peoples, join me in honouring and remembering all the victims and their families of the Myanmar cyclone and China earthquake. May Lord Buddha bless everyone in these difficult times!

FHM 100 Sexiest Women In The World 2008

2008-05-11T01:31:00.000+08:00

Megan Fox is #1! Congratulations!

Anyway, I may have been a little late in posting anything about this annual poll for the sexiest women alive. But hey, better late than never. However, unfortunately, no matter how late I am in posting/announcing that Megan's #1 in the world...I'd still be considered earlier than the local issue of FHM Malaysia. Ever since the whole Ning fiasco, the magazine has been tone terribly down and these days, sad to say, it's not even worth it to buy the magazine anymore.

When I was in the UK, FHM is like so great and it still is! The 100 Sexiest List is a book there but here in Malaysia, all these gorgeous ladies are all cramped into ten pages or so. How sad! And guess what, no matter how measly it may be, the issue with the list is the only one I buy. When FHM first started out in Malaysia, it's like a must buy for me every month. But now, only one issue per year. Anyway, for more information on the list and more on FHM UK, point your mouse here.

Vintage Joni Mitchell - Classic All The Way!

2008-05-07T13:50:00.000+08:00

I was browsing through YouTube awhile ago and I came across two Joni Mitchell's performances from 1970. It is true classic and I'm sure not many people today will know who she is especially the tweens and teenagers. The music world is filled with too many wannabes (Miley Cyrus, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton - all trying so hard to make a name for themselves) and I'm glad people like Joni Mitchell is still making music. Anyway, below is a performance of Big Yellow Taxi from 1970. Enjoy!

Bye Bye - Mariah Carey

2008-05-06T11:39:00.000+08:00

Mariah Carey's latest video - Bye Bye! It's going to be her 19th #1! Enjoy!

F.U.R.K. (Fuck You RapidKL)

2008-05-05T22:42:00.000+08:00

Never in my life have I ever need to wait for a bus for nearly two hours! Thanks to RapidKL and Metrobus, only in West Malaysia you get this kind of fucking service! Rapid indeed! And guess what, after two painful hours of waiting and wasting my time standing like a fool in the middle of nowhere, the bus never came and I have to take a taxi.

And as you've read from my previous post about the best and most luxurious taxi service in the whole world, you'd know that only in West Malaysia you can get the best service. West Malaysia, Truly The Best!!! Seriously, I wonder what the tourists would think of this kind of service. Oh yeah, I forgot. There's another bunch of taxis that help to protect the good name of West Malaysia. They go around being so kind to the tourists and so polite and well, you get it! Polish shoes all the way!

And we Malaysians, it's just too bad we're not fair-skinned and light-haired (Jinjang bengs and lians notwithstanding, sorry fellas!).

The Time 100

2008-05-04T20:02:00.000+08:00

This year's list for The Time 100 has just been announced. And I'm so glad Mariah Carey is one of this year's honorees. This distinguish group of people include numerous public figures who have influenced our world today! The Dalai Lama, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and the very first Malaysian, Anwar Ibrahim are among the honorees too. Congratulations to everyone and do continue to inspire us in the years to come. Hillary for President!

Sustainable Development And Its Consequences

2008-05-04T14:19:00.000+08:00

Have you ever wondered how come suddenly the world seemed so interested in our environment and everywhere you go, you'd hear people talking about global warming, greenhouse gases and sustainable development? Well, I'm glad that people are actually starting to worry themselves about the state of our planet. Nevertheless, it's a little upsetting to know that Malaysia is still not doing enough to protect our environment. However, it's comforting to know that we've actually signed the Kyoto Protocol. That is a start and should be looked as a little encouragement. Anyway, the following essay that follows is a paper I wrote during my time at the University of Hertfordshire. Enjoy reading!

In recent years, many people across the world have started to realise the importance of conserving the natural environment of the Earth. Nevertheless, many parts of the world today still seem a little unfazed about the environment and its chronic conditions. Most people consider it to be somewhat of a trivial issue – something that does not need our attention just yet. However, environmentalists and conservationists beg to differ and argued that it is about time the world starts paying attention because in the years to come, this crisis will be worsening if there is nothing done to prevent it.

Indisputably, there are many factors to the deterioration of the world’s environment but of all these factors, human activities and the exploitations of nature seems to be the utmost factor. Fundamentally, this has resulted in a worldwide concept known as sustainable development. Sustainable development has become an important phrase within the environmental community as well as world citizens alike. Briefly stated, it means that in order to protect the Earth and its environment from destruction of its resources, we need to learn to live so that we can sustain our environment as we forged ahead for development.

In 1987, The Brundtland Commission defined it as the ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’ A global concept that it is, sustainable development encompasses all aspects of life, requiring the participation of everyone. Most importantly, the issue that involves every nation today is human overpopulation. Single-handedly, this issue has brought upon countless impacts to the world and its environment.

This global calamity of human overpopulation is inevitable. In this essay, this issue will be discussed along with its effects towards the Earth and its environment. Noticeably, the concept of sustainable development has evolved around this issue due to the fact that many impacts of human overpopulation are interrelated. The need for the world to sustain the natural resources that are, in recent years, becoming less is almost an issue on its own. Nevertheless, with the increase of the world’s population, pollutions are unavoidable and this only adds to the weight of the current worsening situation. The biggest challenge of sustainable development is the need for the world to find a new way forward.

The world’s population only reached one billion in 1830 and this took all of recorded history to happen. Today, the world has an approximate population of 6.4 billion people with the three most populated countries being China, India and United States. The concept of sustainable development calls for the need to stabilise the world’s population in regards to its carrying capacity. Common knowledge states that the world has a limited ability to accommodate the number of inhabitants in this planet. Unfortunately, the world population figure is increasing by the day.

According to a research conducted by the United Nations Population Fund, the current figure will grow by an estimated 100 million people every single year. As mentioned earlier, this issue is the root of so many problems especially those that are environmentally-related. Unbelievably enough, to sustain the needs of six billion people actually means that the world is losing an estimated 70,000 species of plants and animals each year. The world is faced with a problem of mass extinction in which the human population is held responsible.

The world’s population of six billion people is not sustainable because the living community cannot indefinitely sustain the loss of 70,000 species a year. As the number of people grows, the number of extinctions will also increase. This has become an eerily scary statistic and there is nothing appropriately enough that can be done to curb this problem. World leaders are faced with the difficulty of deciding on which is better – controlling the number of children their citizens should have or controlling the amount of resources their countries should use or maybe even both. Conclusively, the world’s population will never have to be a problem that bothers everyone if there were unlimited land, resources and water.

The Earth that we live in now is a very rich one albeit unevenly spread. There are so many natural resources that the human population can use for further development. Abundant amounts of petroleum, coal and metals, just to name a few, are found easily all over the world. Nevertheless, fossil fuels that are petroleum and natural gas are running out in the years to come and if nothing is done to maintain its availability, it will just perish even before the end of this century.

As it evolves around the issue of human overpopulation, the concept of sustainable development is also closely related to sustaining the world’s natural resources. Unquestionably, sustaining and stabilising the world’s population as well as the natural resources is a complicated matter. The more number of people essentially means the need for more natural resources being exploited. This is due to the fact that more people will definitely consume more resources. Sustainable development has influenced the rise of alternative energy sources lately. This appropriate consequence from the interpretation of this concept has resulted in a more manageable and acceptable exploitation of the Earth’s resources.

Many countries across the world have now stopped using coal as their main energy source for their power plants and have instead turn to cleaner sources like nuclear, water, wind and solar. Nevertheless, the mention of nuclear power plants will certainly spark a debate on its safety but this is another topic altogether. The vital point is that everyone is responsible for understanding the need to sustain the natural resources that is becoming less by the day.

The study of the Earth’s natural resources has made it possible for everyone in the world to truly appreciate what the Earth can provide us. Nonetheless, it is the study of sustaining the Earth’s natural resources that is far more superior in today’s world. The over usage of these natural resources would result in a severe threat to global society in the near future.

The outcome of this serious predicament actually means that the future generation might not have the resources that are needed for further development. Apparently, this illustrates the importance of sustainable development in today’s world even more. It is so imperative to respect the limits of the world’s environment. Mahatma Gandhi once said, ‘there is enough in this world for everyone’s needs but not for anyone’s greed’.

Moving on, the significance of respecting the limits of the world’s environment conjures up another issue – pollution. This issue can be considered an age-old dispute in today’s society. Seriously enough, the rapid population growth only contributes to an even more chronic situation. Both air and water pollution as well as other forms of pollution continues to be a severe crisis. World leaders across the world have worked closely with their respective governments to enact tighter laws and regulations to counteract with these catastrophic conditions. One of the first pollution regulations dates back to the fourteenth century when King Edward I banned the burning of sea coal in lime kilns. Nonetheless, despite all these efforts, pollution is still a serious local and worldwide problem.

One of the principles of sustainable development that was set up by many nations all over the world is to make the parties involved in pollution pay for what they have done to relentlessly threaten the environment. Environmental pollution and social depletion happens because those accountable are not those who bear the aftermath. If the polluter or the consumer is made to pay for these costs, in essence, this can actually reduce the devastation of pollution. Ultimately, this will mean that the world’s inhabitants, at large, will not have to bear this burden alone. Nevertheless, ensuring that this principle actually works is a difficult task. At all costs, precautionary actions should be considered. With the full cooperation of all the parties involved, only then this particular principle of sustainable development can be achieved.

The world depends on its human population to flourish into the next generation. Unfortunately, it is this population of people that might bring about the fall of the Earth. Sustainable development is one concept that was set up to ensure that this disastrous consequence will never happen. It is a dynamic progression that enables everyone to realise their full potential and to improve their quality of life along the way.

Nevertheless, this enhancement can only be successfully achieved with the assurance of simultaneously protecting and improving the Earth’s life support systems. Millions of dollars are spent each year on sustainable development across the globe. If a balance can be maintained between sustainability and the development of the world, many experts actually agree that in the future, the world can achieve economic, social and environmental objectives at the same time.

Queen Rania al-Abdullah

2008-05-04T14:07:00.000+08:00

“If more people were empowered to look after their own health, we can substantially reduce the impact of diseases” – these words of empathy and hope were uttered by Queen Rania of Jordan when she addressed the media on the day the International Osteoporosis Foundation announced her patronage. A woman of stature and beauty who believes challenges in life actually energises her instead of daunting her already busy life as the Queen of Jordan, wife, mother, human rights advocate and activist. Compassionate, independent and humble, she spoke with multitudes of confidence and humility, never denying the fact that she is constantly learning and believing she always will. Known for her elegance and outspokenness, she is a shining beacon in a world tainted by prejudice and hatred, setting a great example for Arab women as well as women worldwide.

Queen Rania al-Abdullah was born Rania al-Yasin on 31st August 1970 to a distinguished Jordanian family of Palestinian origin in Kuwait. A paediatrician’s daughter, she lived comfortably on the West Bank with her parents and her two siblings. Though born into a rather conservative country, she was educated in Western schools since her primary years where she went to the New English School in Kuwait City. She then went on to the American University in Cairo, Egypt for her tertiary education where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Many would have thought that her blessed upbringing would at least influence her to have an air of superiority and arrogance but she proved everyone wrong and remains her same unpretentious self. Upon graduation, she went to Amman where she worked for Citibank and Apple Computers. In 1993, she met the then Prince Abdullah and fell in love at first sight. The royal couple married five months later. Today, she has four children, Prince Hussein, Princess Iman, Princess Salma and Prince Hashem, with her husband.

Before the late King Hussein passed away in 1999, he unexpectedly named his son, Prince Abdullah, his successor. Just married and still inexperience in handling royal duties, Queen Rania was suddenly thrust into the limelight and had to adjust to her new role as the wife of Jordan’s leader. Today, she has very much taken to her role and she is now known for her tireless works for numerous charities throughout Jordan and the world. She is an outspoken and intellectual woman whom her husband, King Abdullah of Jordan considers his equal. Since her ascension, she has set an astonishing example by trying to reconcile traditional values with modernism in her beloved country. She pushed for compulsory education for children as well as mandatory English and computer lessons in classes throughout the country. With a strong belief that children need all the support and help in their early years, she champions their rights by trying her very best to end child abuse and trafficking.

Besides promoting the creation of child abuse counselling centres throughout Jordan, Queen Rania talks openly about the cruelty of “honour killings” and her immense plan to end such gratuitous injustice. She is determined in giving the women in her country the chance to voice out their concerns and views. Some might say she has overstepped her boundaries but she has made it very clear that she knows who the leader of Jordan is. Nevertheless, it is very poignant to know that a woman who has everything in the world do not see her title and wealth as an advantage but as a platform for her to foray into uncharted grounds her predecessors have yet to go. With distinct financial backgrounds, it is without any wonder that she has also introduced micro-fund movements that provide monetary assistance to would-be entrepreneurs. Wanting her people especially women and children to be independent and head-strong has always been a dream of hers.

Queen Rania of Jordan was recently named the world’s third most beautiful woman of 2005 by Harpers & Queens. With supermodel looks and a charisma that befits her role as the wife of King Abdullah, her often exposed hair and modern fashion sense and style are a socio-political statement that speaks strongly of her conviction that the veil should only be a matter of personal choice for Muslim women. She is a rare example of a powerful woman who uses her power to push progressive agendas and exercises her influence on vital issues. This has brought her praise from modernists and of course, the expected condemnations from traditionalists. She is not a woman that seeks media attention but always the one that makes the headlines. She causes just enough ripples to stamp her influence and to deliver all that she promises, making her an inspiration to many across the world.

On a global scale, she is currently working to spread the modern gospel of childhood vaccination with The Vaccine Fund. She stated frankly that every year, more than 30 million children get no immunisations during their first year of life and at least 10 percent of them will die for the lack of just $30 worth of vaccinations. Always an advocate of children’s rights, thanks to her endless effort and endorsement, The Vaccine Fund has raised $1.3 billion to date. Nowadays, of the many organisations she supports, perhaps the most distinguished of her roles is her position in the governing board of the World Economic Forum. She is the only Arab in the forum that helps to steer global political and business leaders to success. Her sensitivity, wisdom and intuitive intelligence earned her the deserved respect from the members of such a masculine group.

Queen Rania has always had divided opinion about those who feels that she should take on a more traditional role but she knew she had to be more upfront if her country and its people want a better future. She is a Queen that does not need any entourage or even security to follow her around. It is with ease for her to just slip into her own car, pop in a Lauryn Hill CD and travel to the many charitable houses to spend time with less fortunate women and children. She sees no need for class stratification in our society today and to quote her, “everyone is equal.” Indeed. When your entourage of admirers and fans range from young school girls in your native country to Giorgio Armani to Oprah Winfrey to Bill Gates, there is just one thing left to say – Your Majesty, you’re a truly amazing woman.

For more information on Queen Rania and her tireless work, point your mouse here and here.

Wake Up!

2008-04-30T23:24:00.000+08:00

Have you ever taken a taxi in Malaysia and get so frustrated with the service provided? Indeed, I'm very sure it's very common and without a doubt, of the ten taxis you take in Malaysia, all ten provide the world's lousiest service!!!

I'm really pissed with the level of service these taxi drivers provide. Some don't even bother to use the meter and charge so excessively, you thought you'd bleed from the neck without anything cutting it. And worse still, these taxi drivers push their seats so far back, people sitting behind can't even sit and there's no leg room left at all!!!

What's more, these taxis smell so bad even my unwashed socks smell like French perfume!!! Anyway, the government ought to do something about this but then again, what more can I say. Sigh!!!

Another Dumb Blonde Moment!

2008-04-08T11:37:00.000+08:00

PM agrees to Sabah's request for more government posts.

What more can I say? Only now? How about Sarawak?

Lights Of KL Part Two

2008-04-07T15:52:00.001+08:00

Here is the second part of the "Lights Of KL" photo series taken by my friend. Enjoy!

Lights Of KL Part One

2008-04-07T15:37:00.000+08:00

The photos below are a series of photos my friend took. I found these photos extremely unique and different. The series is called "Lights Of KL" and if you agree with me or perhaps are interested to purchase any one of these photos, just leave a comment.

Mariah Carey Is Sizzling!!!

2008-04-07T14:19:00.001+08:00

Congrats to Mariah on her 18th Explosive #1 - Touch My Body!!!

And don't forget to mark your calendar for April 15th - E=MC², the hottest album for 2008 will be released!!!

Miss USA 2008 - The Jax Network's Favourite Five

2008-04-06T16:29:00.000+08:00

Here are The Jax Network's Favourite Five for this year's Miss USA, in ranking order. These five ladies are the true embodiment of beauty, grace and intelligence. So, let me present to you, my Miss USA 2008 predictions...

Miss USA 2008 - Raquel Roxanne Beezley (California)

1st Runner-up - Jackie Bruno (Massachusetts)

2nd Runner-up - Andrea Duke (North Carolina)

3rd Runner-up - Hailey Laine Brown (Tennessee)

4th Runner-up - Crystle Stewart (Texas)

Need I Say More?

2008-04-06T16:25:00.000+08:00

“Without East Malaysia, Barisan would have been done for,” said a KL-based political analyst, referring to the recent election results.

Heath Ledger 1979 - 2008

2008-01-23T11:43:00.000+08:00

Heathcliff Andrew Ledger
4 April 1979 - 22 January 2008

Rest In Peace

The Jax Network's Best Of 2007 Music Roundup

2008-01-20T14:49:00.000+08:00

The winners of all categories have been announced. Do check out the individual winners of each category at the posts below. Congratulations to Leona Lewis, Alison Krauss, Alicia Keys, Kanye West and Robert Plant for creating the best music in 2007. Anyway, here are the list of multiple winners:

Leona Lewis - 3 Wins (Best Single, Best New Artist, Best Pop Album)

Alison Krauss - 2 Wins (Best Album, Best Country Album)
Alicia Keys - 2 Wins (Best R & B Album, Best R & B Single)
Kanye West - 2 Wins (Best Rap Album, Best Rap Single)
Robert Plant - 2 Wins (Best Album, Best Country Album)

Brandi Carlile - 1 Win (Best Pop Single)
Bruce Springsteen - 1 Win (Best Rock Single)
Daft Punk - 1 Win (Best Rap Single)
Miranda Lambert - 1 Win (Best Country Single)
Radiohead - 1 Win (Best Rock Album)

Congratulations to all! Here's to a year of great music in 2008!

The Jax Network's Best Of 2007

2008-01-04T22:23:00.000+08:00

Now that I've announced the nominees for all the best singles in each genre, it's time for the nominees of the best albums from each category. Let's begin with Best Pop Album Of 2007. The nominees are...

Alright Still - Lily Allen
Blackout - Britney Spears
Spirit - Leona Lewis
Taking Chances - Celine Dion
The Reminder - Feist
The Story - Brandi Carlile

The nominees for Best R & B Album Of 2007 are...

As I Am - Alicia Keys
Back To Black - Amy Winehouse
Exclusive - Chris Brown
Growing Pains - Mary J. Blige
Planet Earth - Prince
The Dutchess - Fergie

Here are the nominees for Best Rock Album Of 2007 are...

Echoes, Silence, Patience, Grace - Foo Fighters
In Rainbows - Radiohead
Magic - Bruce Springsteen
Memory Almost Full - Paul McCartney
Sound Of Silver - LCD Soundsystem
The Awakening - Melissa Etheridge

The nominees for Best Rap Album Of 2007 are...

Konvicted - Akon
Finding Forever - Common
Curtis - 50 Cent
American Gangster - Jay-Z
Kingdom Come - Jay-Z
Graduation - Kanye West

And finally, the nominees for Best Country Album Of 2007 are...

5th Gear - Brad Paisley
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend - Miranda Lambert
Duets - Reba McEntire
Raising Sand - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Let It Go - Tim McGraw
These Days - Vince Gill

UPDATE: The winners of these categories are bolded.

The Jax Network's Best Of 2007

2008-01-04T21:58:00.000+08:00

Here are the nominees for Best R & B Single Of 2007...

Big Girls Don't Cry - Fergie
Just Fine - Mary J. Blige
Let It Go - Keyshia Cole
Like You'll Never See Me Again - Alicia Keys
Rehab - Amy Winehouse
Umbrella - Rihanna featuring Jay-Z

And the nominees for Best Rock Single Of 2007...

All My Friends - LCD Soundsystem
Long Walk Home - Bruce Springsteen
Makes Me Wonder - Maroon 5
The Pretender - Foo Fighters
Weird Fishes/Arpeggi - Radiohead
When Under Ether - PJ Harvey

Let's not forget, the nominees for Best Rap Single Of 2007 are...

Don't Matter - Akon
I Get Money - 50 Cent
Roc Boys - Jay-Z
Stronger - Kanye West featuring Daft Punk
Tambourine - Eve
The People - Common

Finally, the nominees for Best Country Single Of 2007 are...

Are You Alright? - Lucinda Williams
Because Of You - Reba McEntire & Kelly Clarkson
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend - Miranda Lambert
If You're Reading This - Tim McGraw
Killing The Blues - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Oh Love - Brad Paisley & Carrie Underwood

UPDATE: The winners of these categories are bolded.

The Jax Network's Best Of 2007

2008-01-04T17:04:00.000+08:00

Throughout the year, many songs from different types of genres made their presence felt in all charts across the world. From R & B to country to rap to pop to rock, every songs managed to capture the hearts of so many music fans worldwide. So, let us begin with the first category to award the best songs from each genres. The nominees for Best Pop Single Of 2007 are...

Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis
Headlines (Friendship Never Ends) - Spice Girls
If You Were A Sailboat - Katie Melua
Piece Of Me - Britney Spears
Taking Chances - Celine Dion
The Story - Brandi Carlile

UPDATE: The winner of this category is bolded.

The Jax Network's Best Of 2007

2008-01-04T02:09:00.000+08:00

Now it's time for the category of Best New Artist Of 2007. This year has seen the rise of many new artists to superstardom and magnified presence in the music industry. So, this category is to acknowledge the best of the newbies. The nominees are...

Brandi Carlile
Colbie Caillat
Feist
Leona Lewis
Mika
Taylor Swift

UPDATE: The winner of this category is bolded.

The Jax Network's Best Of 2007

2008-01-03T21:13:00.000+08:00

OK, now it's time for the second category for this year's award. I announced the nominees for Best Single Of 2007 yesterday, so it's only appropriate that it's the nominees for Best Album Of 2007 today. Ladies and gentlemen, the nominees are...

As I Am - Alicia Keys
Back To Black - Amy Winehouse
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend - Miranda Lambert
Graduation - Kanye West
In Rainbows - Radiohead
Raising Sand - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

UPDATE: The winner of this category is bolded.

The Jax Network's Best Of 2007

2008-01-02T23:11:00.000+08:00

Now that it's 2008, I guess it's only appropriate that I have this award to acknowledge all the things that are the best of 2007. Since this blog encompasses a wide aspect of the world, ranging from music to movies to pageants to the environment, I believe it's only fair that I award all the best in all these fields. Anyway, I'm still not sure if I want to make this into a poll for all of you to vote or perhaps, I'll be the judge myself. Nonetheless, I'll start off with the nominees first and only then I'll decide how the winners are picked.

So, to begin this year's first annual The Jax Network's Best Of 2007, I've decided to start with the nominees of Best Single Of 2007. Below, I'll list down the six nominated songs and these songs I believe are the songs that have made the most impact in the music world as well as to me. Here goes, drum rolls please, the nominees for The Jax Network's Best Single Of 2007 are...

Big Girls Don't Cry - Fergie
Headlines (Friendship Never Ends) - Spice Girls
Like You'll Never See Me Again - Alicia Keys
Rehab - Amy Winehouse
Run - Leona Lewis
Umbrella - Rihanna featuring Jay-Z

UPDATE: The winner of this category is bolded.

Happy New Year 2008!

2008-01-02T17:06:00.000+08:00

Happy New Year to all of you. I hope 2008 will bring the greatest joy and happiness to everyone. May all of you be granted a wealth of good fortune, abundant prosperity and immaculate health. May all that you wished for be fulfilled. May all that you hoped for be achieved. May all that you dreamed for be realised. Here's to a wonderful year ahead!

Thank God I'm Fat!

2007-12-31T18:32:00.000+08:00

I was walking around at one of the shopping centres here in Kuala Lumpur the other day and it happens to be the Year End Sale Carnival here in Malaysia. And as you can expect, everyone was rushing to shop until they drop. Buying all the things that are available without taking a moment to stop and think whether they really need it or not.

And then it got me thinking...I thought that I am really thankful that I'm fat because I won't need to shop for new clothes and follow the fashion trend all the time. Because for most of the time, I'm always wearing the clothes that are most comfortable to me. Even though I enjoy following fashion trends and hopelessly devoted to Vogue, Vanity Fair, W and InStyle, I still am thankful that I'm fat.

Perhaps, I'm just not that vain or maybe I'm just fat.

Benazir Bhutto Assassinated

2007-12-28T12:15:00.000+08:00

The former Prime Minister of Pakistan and one of the world's foremost women leaders, Benazir Bhutto, was gunned down yesterday in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. She was attending a rally ahead of the upcoming elections. She will be greatly remembered for all that she had done for her country. May she rest in peace.

For more information on Benazir Bhutto and all the works she had done during her illustrious life, click here.

Time Person Of The Year 2007

2007-12-28T02:52:00.001+08:00

I read about this in the newspaper quite awhile ago.

Anyway, I just bought the magazine today. I feel that I have just got to write something about this here because I was glad to know that Al Gore and J.K. Rowling are the runners-up in this year's list.

After winning the Nobel Peace Prize, and now the runner-up position of Person Of The Year, I guess what Al Gore has done so far for the world and the environment is finally achieving fruitful results. Anyway, I will be writing more about this because it is kinda late now and I just thought of sharing this news with all of you.

By the way, the Person Of The Year is the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. If it were according to me, I would have awarded this year's title to either Al Gore or J.K. Rowling. But since it is not, well, I will just have to live with it and perhaps agree as well.

POLL: The Best Of The 5 Queens

2007-12-27T00:37:00.000+08:00

If you look further to your right on this blog, you would have noticed that I have added a poll for all of you to vote. Well, to begin, the first poll is for you to decide who among the five beauty queens crowned this year are the best.

Why five beauty queens you may ask, perhaps, I should explain. In the world of pageantry, each year, there are many pageants being held but there are only five that are recognised to be the most watched and best of all. These five pageants, in the order of the best according to my humble opinion, are Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss Earth, Miss International and Miss Tourism Queen International. I will be placing photos of each of the winners this year, so you'd know who to vote.

MISS UNIVERSE 2007

RIYO MORI - JAPAN
For more information on Riyo, click here.

MISS WORLD 2007

ZHANG ZILIN - CHINA
For more information on Zilin, click here.

MISS EARTH 2007

JESSICA TRISKO - CANADA
For more information on Jessica, click here.

MISS INTERNATIONAL 2007

PRISCILA PERALES - MEXICO
For more information on Priscila, click here.

MISS TOURISM QUEEN INTERNATIONAL 2007

OLGA ZARUBINA - RUSSIA
For more information on Olga, click here.

Hillary Rodham Clinton For President!

2007-12-26T22:47:00.000+08:00

Even though I'm not an American, I'm really hoping that Hillary Rodham Clinton will be the country's new president. I really admire her and she's really an inspiration to me. Below is an article about her that I wrote for a local newspaper here in Malaysia back in 2005. Now that I've got a blog, I'm really glad that I'm able to share it with all of you! So, here goes...

In about three years’ time, one of the world’s largest countries – the United States of America, could have their first ever female President. Is this possible, you may ask. If the little girl from Chicago who never thought she would become First Lady would consider running for Office, then nothing is impossible. In this world of chaos and endless wars, it would be a welcome relieve for a woman who dedicates her whole life to the betterment of women and children worldwide to become one of the leaders of the world. This woman has touched the lives of so many through her eight years in the White House and now, as a U.S. Senator from New York, her enthusiasm and passion is a tale of unsurpassed hope and love.

Hillary Rodham Clinton was born on October 26, 1947 to loving parents, Dorothy Howell Rodham and Hugh E. Rodham. Being the eldest child and only girl of a middle-class, Midwestern family, her parents never denied her of any privileges she deserved but they also made her work hard for all her dreams that she aimed to achieve. Her father owned a small business while her mother was a homemaker whose days revolved around the family. The challenges that her parents had to endure set a great example for her to always strive for the best and never look at failure as an option in life. It is because of this earnest behaviour and her level-headedness that sees her as an inspiration to many around the world, yours truly included.

In the opening lines of her memoirs, “Living History”, Hillary Rodham Clinton declared – “I wasn’t born a First Lady or a Senator…I was born an American in the middle of the twentieth century, a fortunate time and place.” A woman who was never afraid to speak her mind and most importantly, a woman who gave her best in all the things she does, she went to Wellesley College to further her education after grade school. Knowing her constant struggles with mathematics and geology, she gave up the idea of becoming a doctor or a scientist in its entirety. Medicine and science might have lost a valuable asset but it is safe to say that law and the world has gained an extraordinary leader. Her experiences in life have facilitated her transformation from Goldwater Girl to student activist to controversial First Lady to U.S. Senator.

Hillary Rodham Clinton is a fighter and the champion of human rights. She has gone through all kinds of predicaments and dilemmas and each time, she sailed through smoothly and she always came out stronger and bolder. The old saying goes, “whatever that does not kill you will only make you stronger.” It is very apt to say that she is a pioneer in everything she does. After Wellesley College, she had the choice of either attending Yale or Harvard. Bewildered, she thought she would never be able to make the right decision but after attending an event at Harvard, she unanimously chose Yale when one professor told her Harvard did not need anymore female students in their university. Truthfully, if I were that professor, I would have slapped myself in the face real hard. Nevertheless, in 1969, she was one of twenty seven women out of 235 students who entered Yale Law School that year.

It is unfair to say that Hillary Rodham Clinton’s future took shape during her years at Yale because her future is constantly charted throughout her glorious life. Nonetheless, this was the place that she met her husband, “the Viking who had just returned from Oxford”, William Jefferson Clinton. It is also during the years to come that she made all of her important decisions in life – marrying the 42nd President of the United States of America, following him back to Arkansas and hence, becoming the First Lady of Arkansas as well as the First Lady of the United States of America. The marriage of two of the world’s brightest and most intelligent people is a match made in heaven, a union of sorts that will make anyone feel proud to be part of it. With the blessing of Chelsea Victoria Clinton, the former First Family is complete and absolute.

Not just a pioneer, Hillary Rodham Clinton is also a survivor. Never one for failures and disappointments, she lived through great political wars during her years in the White House, from Whitewater to Monica Lewinsky to the near impeachment of her husband. Her enemies wanted her to quit and give up but she never faltered not even a single time through all her hard times. A woman who deserves all the adulation and admiration from many across the world, she sets a high standard for many First Ladies to come and perhaps, for many women leaders as well. She showed the world the ideal way to prosper and she steered many towards success and victory. The exaltation she received is just a mere justification to the many tireless works and supports she has given to so many.

A pioneer, a survivor, a champion, a leader, a First Lady, a Senator, a lawyer, an advocate and so many other astonishing words proves to the world just how great a woman Hillary Rodham Clinton is. She sets milestones and accomplished so many firsts in her life. She is the only First Lady in history to play an active and major role in shaping domestic legislation. She is the first First Lady to be elected into U.S. Senate. She travelled extensively throughout the world to champion the rights of women and children and fought for better healthcare and educational opportunities. She is a selfless, independent and successful woman who, with utmost humility, always finds the most fitting way to define herself as a woman, an icon and a formidable figure in the world. So, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, I salute you and please would you consider running for President of the United States of America in 2008. The world needs someone like you to guide us in these turbulent and tumultuous times of desperation.