I wanted to blog something on economics and the environment but I unwarily caught myself some gems from my friends. Right now, I'm feeling terrible with a bad case of sore throat, a minor flu and an on and off headache. But I still want to blog. So, I cut down on the thinking part and post a picture instead.

Last April, I was at the Malaysian national monument complex. In Kuala Lumpur of course (tag). Well, this is another picture from that complex. This time, it's the actual picture of the main monument.


At time of completion in February 1966, it was the largest bronze statue in the world. I'm uncertain which monument is the largest bronze statue in the world currently but one thing is certain though - Malaysians' obsession with superlative is not of recent invention.

The communist rebels really hated the Malaysians' obsession that they bombed the monument in 1975. Nah. I'm kidding about the cause but the bombing did occur.

I like the silhouette against the blue sky. The burnt section however is not so admirable.

Finally, 20 squared times 2 is 800. God, I hate blowing my nose.

  

p/s - Vegetarianism are conquering the world! Starting with India:

BOMBAY, India - Never mind pets, smokers or loud music at 2 a.m. House hunters in Bombay increasingly are being asked: "Do you eat meat?" If yes, the deal is off.

As this city of 16 million becomes the cosmopolitan main nerve of a booming Indian economy, real estate is increasingly intersecting with cuisine. More middle-class Indians are moving in, more of them are vegetarian, and the law is on their side.

"Some people are very strict. They won't sell to a nonvegetarian even if he offers a higher price than a vegetarian," said real estate broker Norbert Pinto.

Damn. Vegs are capable of discrimination! The shock! The horror!

I've had always thought vegetarians are the nicest people around. Well, that's another one of my stereotypes smashed to pieces. Come to think of it, I wonder how I had developed a thinking that accepts vegetarians-are-the-nicest-people. It probably due to one of my political biases.

While at Kuala Kangsar (tag), I and a few friends spent two nights at a resthouse by the Perak River. Roughly 200 meters away from our balcony was Sultan Abdul Jalil Bridge.


The concrete bridge is different from those modern bridges of stainless steels and wires that are so prevalent nowadays. It's a breath of fresh air.

Kuala Kangsar has another bridge farther upstream. The name is Sultan Iskandar Bridge and it's made out of steel. If I got my fact right, the concrete bridge was built because the locals complained that the steel bridge was too far away from the town.

Across the river is a village called Sayong. Before the newer bridge was constructed, those that planned to travel by land from Kuala Kangsar to Sayong, or Sayong to the town or to and fro had to suffer one huge U-turn with kilometer as the proper unit of measurement. Walking was simply not a good idea. Therefore as late as year 2000, boats still played an important mean of transportation between Kuala Kangsar and Sayong.

With the concrete bridge, I observed that the river's role as a mean of transportation has diminished. Not completely though.

  

p/s - last year, I said I expect Malaysia to see another bout of haze in 2006. Well, Indonesia promises that we won't:

Indonesia promises this year will be less hazy

Sat May 27, 11:36 PM ET

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - Indonesia has said the choking haze that annually blankets parts of Southeast Asia will be reduced this year as it cracks down on oil palm plantations that clear land by burning.

Indonesia's Agriculture Minister Anton Apriyantono said authorities would enforce a 2004 law that imposes stiff penalties on plantations that burn land, a practice largely blamed for contributing to the haze.

I'm skeptical. Especially that enforcement part. But if Indonesia needs Malaysia's help, by all means, please ask. I don't want another "no thank you but we can handle this by ourselves" again.

East Timor is deep in crisis and they're in need of help. I'm glad to hear that East Timor has requested assistance from Malaysia and even happier to know that Malaysia is responding to the request. My only regret is that Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) has neither been proactive nor responsive to the conflict. What's more embarassing is to see Australia leading the expedition instead of ASEAN (tag).

Those that have been reading my blog long enough would know that I advocate a stronger ASEAN. Since East Timor is part of Southeast Asia, I strongly feel that East Timor is part of ASEAN, regardless the fact that the country has yet to be granted an observer status, much less a membership. Therefore, I see the conflict as a trouble in ASEAN's backyard. So, it's only logical for me to want to see ASEAN to assist East Timor. Unfortunately, ASEAN has not and because of this, I believe ASEAN has failed East Timor.

I do understand that ASEAN is primarily an organization concerned with economic, political and cultural cooperation. It's not a military alliance and ASEAN has no peacekeeping force of its own. However, I have no desire to see a failed state within Southeast Asia; ASEAN should feel the same way too. If ASEAN does feel the same way, then it should have the means to prevent states from falling into anarchy. That means must include a way to maintain law and order.

Perhaps, it's time for ASEAN to have a formal body that could take police actions in time of crisis. If ASEAN had such body, it could have taken the lead in assisting East Timor and indirectly telling the world that we are capable of caring for our own welfare. More importantly, ASEAN wouldn't have failed its small neighbor.

Like what I've said yesterday, I didn't get too much time to roam with my old trusty camera at the Malay College. But here's another one that I managed.


This building is called the Overfloor. Most Malaysians - well, even those that attended the Malay College I suppose - strongly relate the structure with the School (tag). And a few other ideals too. But, this is supposed to be an entry with a light subject. So, I won't touch on that.

Concerning the photo, this is the first time I've ever posted a black and white. I feel the raw picture isn't as good as I had expected it to be. So, I turned it into black and white instead. I'm not quite satisfied with the final product but I do like it better than the raw version.

The photo underwent two stages. I first lightened up the facade. Nextm I stripped the photo of its colors.

This is the "lightened up" version with its colors intact:


This is the raw version:


Finally, haha, go Leman!


This is the first time I see my house grabbing the first overall spot since I first set my foot in the School. And in sports! Eat dust Mohd Shah! With Vengeance. Capital V!

But it seems that Leman has problem with discipline. Notice that Sulaiman's Sahsiah points is the lowest among the Houses. LOL!

Just got back from Kuala Kangsar and boy, lots have changed.

I was in Kuala Kangsar, Perak for the past two days. This is my first visit to the town in roughly five years. And the state of Perak for that matter. Despite that, unfortunately, I didn't get much chance to walk around and take some shots. I did manage a few however; nothing spectacular though. This is one of those snaps:


It's a clock tower at the Malay College. I pretty much regretted for being unable to dedicate more time to photography. I failed to take a complete shot of the Big Schools - especially the Overfloor - for Wikipedia's article.

Anyway, Japanese monarch, Emperor Akihito is coming to the Malay College this June. And, heh, the Malay College now has two inter-ASEAN rivals. The Vajiravudh College of Thailand has always been a traditional rival since 1960s. Now, we have Raffles Institution of Singapore. Well, not a real rival yet. I was informed that the two schools started to exchange visits only last year. So, this will be a second meeting.

Heh. And they are going to live in the Pavilion. Those Singaporeans are in for big culture shock. LOL!

One week ago, I blogged on why conservative Muslims would prefer gold standard to fiat currency. Today, I found out that Kelantan, a state ruled by PAS, an Islamic party, plans to introduce gold dinar and silver dirham in three months time (tag). Gold dinar and silver dirham are gold and silver standards respectively. More at Bernama:

Kelantan Plans To Use Gold Dinar As Currency

KOTA BAHARU, May 21 (Bernama) -- The Kelantan government will introduce the gold dinar and silver dirham as currencies in three months time and even plans to pay state public servants with the currency.

State Public Administration, Economic Planning, Finance and Community Development Committee Chairman Datuk Husam Musa said the dinar and dirham currencies would first be implemented in the Islamic system of pawnbroking, the Ar-Rahnu.

...

Husam said when implemented, the public could buy the dinar and then exchange it for cash at the Ar-Rahnu pawnshops.

Talk about economic crystal ball...

However, I'm not interested in the predictive power of economics in this entry. I'm questioning the legality of such move instead.

Under item 7(a) within the Ninth Schedule of Constitution of Malaysia, finance, more specifically, "currency, legal tender and coinage" fall under the Federal List. It doesn't fall under the State List or Concurrent List but instead - I stress - in the Federal List. This means only the central government has the exclusive right on matters pertaining to issuance of currency. Therefore, I suspect Kelantan's move is illegitimate.

The existence of two standards is detrimental to intrastate trade and the need to exchange currencies - ringgit to dinar and vice versa - acts as a trade barrier. Furthermore, the introduction of gold dinar just in Kelantan - instead of countrywide - will undermine the authority of Malaysian central bank, Bank Negara. The introduction will indirectly hurt the country's economy as there will be no congruent monetary policies.

This move is unneeded especially when Southeast Asia is contemplating on monetary union. The region as ASEAN plans to increase regional trade instead of reducing it. Introduction of a new standard will take the dream of an ASEAN-wide monetary union a step backward. In short, the introduction is counter-productive towards the ultimate ideal of ASEAN.

Finally, who will manage the gold standard? The central bank of Kelantan? What a ridiculous notion! Revolting!

Unless Kelantan plans to secede from the Federation, this move must be stopped. Bank Negera, which is responsible to Malaysian monetary policies must come forward and knock some sense into the state government of Kelantan.

I'm vehemently against Kelantan's move and the existence of two separate standards within the Federation. There can be either one currency or the other. Not both.

  

p/s - I'm right. Introduction of a different standard within the Federation is illegal. From The Star:

Kelantan plans new currencies

By IAN MCINTYRE

KOTA BARU: The Kelantan government plans to introduce the gold dinar and silver dirham as currencies in three months, saying that it also hopes to pay state public servants with the currency.

However, Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi shot the idea down.

State governments were not allowed to issue their own currency, he told reporters covering the World Economic Forum in Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt when asked to comment on the statement by Kelantan Public Administration, Economic Planning, Finance and Community Development committee chairman Datuk Husam Musa

This makes me wonder, do PAS politicians ever read the Constitution?

The Pope yesterday cites secularism as the reason why Canada is having a low birth rate. More:

VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI said Saturday that low birth rates in Canada are the result of the "pervasive effects of secularism" and asked the country's bishops to counter the trend by preaching the truth of Christ.

Benedict, who has spoken out several times in favor of large families, blamed Canada's low birth rate on social ills and moral ambiguities that result from secular ideology.

Heh. And I blame the Pope (well, Vatican to be precise) for causing overpopulation and hence, shortage of food in Africa.

  

p/s - Haha! Just discovered that Scott Adams blogs! Adams is the author of Dilbert but who doesn't know that?

  

pp/s - sucks. MSU gets on front page today at Wikipedia. I won't bother linking to our intrastate rival.

It's poll day in Sarawak today (tag). Today is one of the few days when people of Sarawak are able to directly affect the state's policies. Because it's poll day today, I feel I need to address a minor point that affects the relationship between people in Peninsular Malaysia and those in Malaysian Borneo. That one minor point concerns scapegoating.

There are people in both Sabah and Sarawak that blame those in the Peninsula of hoarding the Federation's resources. This group of people argue that resources originated from eastern Malaysia are brought over to West Malaysia while the locals receive less than an equitable share. It seems that this opinion is part of a greater idea that the Malaysian Federation is biased towards Malaya.

This is something that is hard to counter given that most Peninsular Malaysians see August 31 as a grander date compared to September 16. The former is the date Malaya and Sabah (formerly North Borneo) achieved independence while the latter is the date of the Federation formation. This fact symbolically affirms the feeling that the Federation is biased towards its western members.

For a strong federation, all members need to be treated equally so that there's no ill-feeling among member states. Hence, I do sympathize with those that subscribe to the opinion that the Federation is biased. However, I'm beginning to feel that Malaysians on the Peninsula are becoming the group's whipping boy. This group is indiscriminating blaming everything on Peninsular Malaysians. It's becoming apparent that these Malaysians from Sabah and Sarawak aren't interested in solving the problem of inequity but rather, are more interested in assigning blames.

Why do I feel so?

Simple. They point their finger across the South China Sea but yet, they keep voting the same persons or parties into office over and over again. These persons in the office aren't standing up for Sabah and Sarawak's rights and yet, they're kept being voted in.

The options are in front of them and hence, they have the power to change the situation. When they failed to choose the candidates that would fight for them, it's not others' - those in the Peninsula - fault. When you aren't willing to commit changes and then you're suffering from it, don't blame others for it.

So, if you are reading this and you're able to vote in Sarawak today, before casting your ballot, bare this in mind. Your future is in your hands and you're responsible for it; no one else. Failure to do good with your future will be your own fault; no one else.

  

p/s - the Great Firewall of MENJ! For those that are unfamiliar with the nick MENJ, he's a far-right conservative Muslim. And I'm being polite by labelling him that.

However, unlike the Great Firewall of China which could be imagined as a huge virtual Great Wall of China, the MENJ's is a human-size box around a person. And unlike the Great Firewall of China which discriminately prevents PRC citizens from visiting certain sites on the net, the MENJ's indiscriminately prevents everybody from visiting his blog. Well, so far, just visitors from Malaysia, Scotland and Australia, according to comments at Bebas; I wonder if he could even visit his own blog! Self-ban!

His blog must be experiencing a drop in visitors. LOL!

I don't know this MENJ guy personally but I have a feeling that I won't like him too much. He just has a talent to insult a lot of people online. In fact, I remember him calling me a moron via a third person just because I disagree with him. But, that's not really surprising because he calls all Muslims that disagree with him as infidels.

This is an occasion that MENJ shot himself in the foot, again. I praise minishorts for getting the snowball rolling in MENJ's direction. I hope the ball's inertia is unstoppable.

Heh. Singapore has Xiaxue. Malaysia has MENJ. They should get together.

Two summers ago, a movie created a debate on climate change. It was The Day After Tomorrow. The movie was fun, Emma Rossum was great (I'm falling in love LOL!) and there was a Michigan t-shirt in the movie (Go Blue!). However, the movie exaggerated the effect of climate change. This May, comes another movie that will rock the greens' world. It isn't an exaggeration and it's called An Inconvenient Truth.

An Inconvenient Truth isn't a movie like The Day After Tomorrow. It's a kind of documentary, with Al Gore in it. RealClimate.org calls the documentary as Al Gore's movie.

I first heard about An Inconvenient Truth at WorldChanging.com. It will hit cinemas in the US on May 24 but I don't know if it would ever reach Malaysian shore. Instead of Mission Impossible or The Da Vinci's Code, I want to catch this film. This should be better than Fahrenheit 9/11. But for me to be able to watch it at the Malaysians cinemas, those in the US have to ensure the film receives good returns - the film has to get a good ticket collection. Why? At WorldChanging, in the same entry:

This movie will change the American debate on climate, if people get a chance to see it. But in order for them to see it, it needs to do well its first weekend. If you are an American and read this site, it is your duty to go see this film the weekend it opens.

Else, in absence of the legal version, as much as I hate to say it, I'd have to resort to piracy. So, those in the US, please watch it, so I could too!

See the trailer at Google Video.

  

p/s - Henk ten Cate joins Ajax Amsterdam as the new head coach. Until today, ten Cate was Frank Rijkaard's assistant as Barca, this season European champion.

A large barge crashed into reefs at Sipadan on Tuesday (tag). Reports indicate that the damage is extensive. Two witnesses wrote:

An enormous steel barge carrying thousands of tonnes of coarse gravel, sand, steel tubes, iron mesh, prime movers, a large bulldozer and a gigantic crane - which had incredibly been allowed to anchor right in front of Sipadan's legendary dropoff before unloading its cargo on the supposedly protected island - was pushed against the reef by wind, ending up beached on the island like some monstrous whale. In the process of being beached, the barge scraped clean thousands of years of nature's delicate work between the old pier and Barracuda Point. The barge's flat steel hull wiped corals away like a giant knife slicing through butter, leaving in its wake hundreds of square metres of unnaturally flat limestone, and a veritable wall of coral and debris piled up against the beach.

While the damage is bad, the worse might not have come to pass. In the same report, the authors point out a sort of development going on at Sipadan. What the local government is doing? What kind of development does Sipadan need?

For goodness' sake, just leave the island alone.

addendum - according to a blog, that development might be the construction of a marine research facility. What's left to be researched when all is gone? The case is starting to look similar to the marina case at Tioman. The marina is meant to boost tourism. But who would come to Tioman when the marina construction ruins the reefs? Wacky government.

  

p/s - I need to go to Putrajaya early in the morning tomorrow but UEFA Champions League final will be up in less than 45 minutes from now. Looks like I'll be yawning throughout the morning. Possibly the day.

  

pp/s - Arsenal made history - Lehman becomes the first keep to be sent off in a UEFA Champs League Final. LOL! But Arsenal fought valiantly I suppose, considering they played with 10 people against full team Barca.

Earlier today, Nokia launches a product that might trigger the death of phone. According to Reuters:

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Nokia, the world's biggest mobile phone maker, unveiled a new version of its Internet tablet device running Google Talk communications software on Tuesday.

The deal between Nokia and Web search leader Google Inc. allows people to chat with other users of instant-messaging software via the Nokia Wi-Fi device, which relies on short-range wireless networks.

The Nokia 770 Internet Tablet, introduced last year, offers wireless access to digital music and video, as well as access to e-mail.

But it is not a phone, and relies on unregulated local wireless connections rather than cell-phone networks.

Over four years ago, I blogged about the internet is replacing the phone.

If I remember correctly, a person disagreed and said that in emergency, the phone will still be in need. Well, what he didn't consider was the fact that computers are becoming smaller, becoming more versatile than convergences, introduction of VoIP and proliferation of Wi-Fi.

The Nokia tablet, which is a computer, equipped with Google Talk, which allows voice communication over the internet, is justifying that four years old entry of mine.

In mainstream economics, it's very hard to not discuss interest rate. The idea of interest rate in mainstream economics is so prevalent that if a person successfully pushed the idea of interest rate out of all equations, chances are, modern economic system would undergo a radical transformation, for better or for worse. In Islam, there's an explicit prohibition of usury (tag). I don't consider modern-day interest rates as usury but rather, accept usury as unreasonable interest rates, such as those enforced by loan shacks; not rates imposed by proper financial institutions that are based on economic fundamentals. However, if a person really wants to err on the conservative side, it's really hard for me to reconcile modern economics that I'm acquainted of with Islamic economics. But it occurred to me recently that there might be a way to reduce the presence of interest rates in an economic system. There are probably more than one way but I'll touch only one.

First, let's get down to basic.

There are a number of causes why interest rate exists. One of them is inflationary expectation. At the same time, inflation is caused by several reasons. One of them is the increase of money supply. Some people may not agree to that but let's just assume that the monetarists, the Austrians and the supply-side people have the upper hand over Keynesians.

When inflation is going up, it's typical to hear a corresponding central bank to increase interest rate; nominal interest rate. A real interest rate is roughly equivalent to nominal interest rate subtracted by inflation. Because inflation necessarily erodes real interest rate, increasing the nominal interest rate prevents the real interest rate from falling too much or at all. For this reason - and other unstated reasons - interest and inflation rate are closely related.

Keeping this in mind and the fact that Islam forbids usury - assuming usury includes those rates that I don't consider as usury - adopting the gold standard is a logical solution to reduce the differences between Islamic and mainstream economic system (tag).

According to Wikipedia, the "gold standard is a monetary system in which the standard economic unit of account is a fixed weight of gold." In a gold standard, every note issued by a government is backed by gold. This limits or outright eliminates a government's ability to increase money supply, unlike fiat currency. Again, since one of the causes of inflation is money supply increase, adopting the gold standard eliminates inflation and with it, a cause for interest rate. Of course, this is assuming that the price of gold itself is free from inflation, which it is not. But the price of gold is relatively stable for us to not think too much of it. Gold is a reliable store of value.

Because gold standard eliminates a need - I stress, not all - to have interest rate, I'd expect those that want to build a more Islamic society to support a reversion to the pre-Bretton Woods period; back to the gold standard. Or any standard that takes away the government's power to increase money supply.

The standard however is not free of fault. It has its own set of problems but I'm not planning to go into that. One question is, do I want to revert back to the gold standard?

Well, I'm pretty happy with the current system. No point fixing something that ain't broken, yet.

Finally, do you notice something? This practically means there's a policy overlap between conservative Muslims and objectivists! The causes for support differ but the end result is the same nonetheless. That's just weird.

  

p/s - holy shit. Did you guys see how those shares at the local stock market fell today? Words on the streets have it that it has something to do with Iris. The Security Commissions along with Bursa Malaysia's effort to curb excessive speculations over Iris might have spilled over to many other counters. I haven't seen so many reds in recent local history!

  

pp/s - I am the very model of a modern wikipedian.

When Sepet came out, some people called the film as un-Malaysian. When Gubra came out, the same some people called it "pencemar budaya". Pencemar budaya basically means culture polluter, whatever that is supposed to mean.

Well, about eight hours behind Malaysia, in Morocco, a film known as Marock (tag) is receiving similar hostile remarks.

In a report by Associated Press:

Acclaimed Moroccan director Mohamed Asli said "Marock" did not deserve inclusion in the festivals because it was "not a real Moroccan film," although he subsequently told a magazine that he welcomed the public release because it would open debate. Some critics claimed to detect sinister Zionist propaganda in the depicted Jewish-Muslim romance.

By Morocco Times:

Laila Marrakchi's new film Marock has received harsh criticism in Morocco during its screening at the National Film Festival held last week in Tangiers.

Several film directors and critics have attacked Marock and even went further to question Marrakchi's nationality as a Moroccan.

Mohammed Asli, director of "In Casablanca, Angels don't fly", started a ferocious campaign against the young director, saying that her film "should not have been screened in the festival."

Malaysian films Sepet and its sequel Gubra's storyline sound similar to Marock's in principle; it's about cross cultural relationship. But in both Malaysia and Morocco, conservatives' are having problem accepting the films' premise.

Sepet and Gubra of course aren't a love story involving a Muslim and a Jew but it's about a Malay and a Chinese teenagers. If I may be a little bit politically incorrect, Chinese are the Jews of Southeast Asia. Even if you couldn't accept that statement, don't worry. To Malaysian conservatives, those on the extreme rights of political spectrum, all non-Muslims are Jewish. And all Malays are Muslims, at least constitutionally. So, the two counterparts actually concern one issue - intimate relationship between a Muslim and a Jew.

Well, now I know that Morocco and Malaysia have at least one thing in common; narrow-minded conservatives in both countries hate films on cross cultural relationship.

I highly advise all cultural conservative people to not live in a cosmopolitan society. It might be bad for your health.

  

p/s - Whoa. Is Karl Rove (tag) being indicted? Rumors abound!

The source of this rumor seems to have originated from Jason Leopold at truthout.org. If true, cool!

  

pp/s - well, that indictment thing is false.

I am one of those people that have issues with security checks. I never pass a typical security check without failing it. Friends that had traveled with me more than once or twice can confirm this - those bastards even joke about it. They always joked, what is it between you and security check. I blame it on 9/11.

I failed security checks in New York. I failed it in Los Angeles. In San Francisco, Detroit, Washington D.C. Once in Stockholm during transit. Another in Singapore. The latest was Kuala Lumpur, yesterday, on my way to Khazanah Nasional office within the Petronas Twin Towers. That metal detector that everybody goes through is just my arch bane. This bane however has allowed me to make a comparison of some security measures taken by Malaysia with those implemented in Singapore and the United States.

In the US, each time I failed initial security check, I was subjected to further scrutiny; a thorough check. I had to take my shoes off, take my metal belt off and undergo an awkward body check. Not to mention, harassed by personal metal detector. The officers even went through my hand luggage. Too much hassle to say the least. They also would give my personal details extra attention. This is one of the reasons why I always tried to get to the airports in the US a few hours earlier. It would suck to miss a flight.

In Singapore, it's about the same thing though not quite as strict as those in the US.

But in Malaysia, I think I could bring in a bomb with me, got caught at the metal detector, questioned by security personnel, then tell them that it isn't a bomb and get away with it. I kid you not.

First case was at the airport when I first set foot in Malaysia for the first time in a bit over four years. I failed the metal detector and a security person asked me what may have triggered the alarm. I - already well-experienced the art of answering this type of questions - told the person that it could be my boot, or my belt. She believed it and let me go.

Second case was at the Singaporean border. At the Malaysian side. I've blogged about it earlier.

Third case occurred, as mentioned, at the Petronas Twin Tower. I duly failed the metal detector and the alarm went off. And the security officer duly asked "what do you have with you?" I said "nothing really" and he simply let me go.

I've said it before and I'm saying it again: our security is badly lagging. One day, a real terrorist might be tiptoeing right down our nose and pull a real attack unless we buck up.

In The Star today:

The Nation reported that all "white" elephants found in Thailand must be presented to the king and become his sole ownership.

"White elephants are regarded as auspicious. The more a monarch acquires during a reign, the more prosperous and happy his kingdom will be," according to The Nation.

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

If no, Malaysia does have a "white elephant" in Johor. Since the Thais see white elephants as auspicious, they'd appreciate Malaysia offering our white elephant to them as, er, gift of friendship.

Should I get a Pringles?


Or locally produced Agromas instead?


One thing for sure, both are unhealthy.

  

p/s - Laffer curve. Though the idea is nothing new, there's an interesting coincidence (via):

Economist Arthur Laffer made a very interesting supposition: If tax rates are high enough, then cutting taxes might actually generate more revenue for the government, or at least pay for themselves. (In one of life's great coincidences, he first sketched a graph of this idea on Dick Cheney's cocktail napkin.)

I know it was sketched on a napkin. But I didn't know it was Cheney's napkin.

  

pp/s - Blind sacked. From Ajax-USA:

A surprise? Not exactly. Ajax officially confirmed today what everybody already knew: the club have decided to replace head-coach Danny Blind, as well as his assistants Ruud Krol and Gerard van der Lem. The reasons: Ajax never competed for the Dutch championship this season and the first team players have not made the desired progress, neither as individuals nor as a collective. Chairman John Jaakke and technical director Martin van Geel commented on the club's decision at a press conference at the Amsterdam ArenA. They expect that the new Ajax-1 boss can be presented in less than three weeks' time.

Henk ten Cate, Rijkaard's man at Barcelona, might be the next person for the Ajax job. Also, from Ajax-USA

"Certain Dutch journalists have actually called my mother to ask her about my future! I find that scandalous. I understand that journalists are supposed to their job, but come on: don't they have certain values? Leave my mother out of it!"
- Henk ten Cate, who is generally expected to coach Ajax-1 next season, on RTV Noord-Holland.

I'm convinced that the most useless key on a typical 105-key qwerty computer keyboard is the scroll lock. Stuff from Google indicates that the key is an archaeological remain. Since that is the case, somebody should replace the scroll lock with the 13th function key. 13.

Don't you think it's annoying that sometimes, you can't find the 13th floor when you need to get to the 13th floor? There's the 12th floor. And there's the 14th floor and the 13th floor is nowhere on the panel. Even worse, you need to go to the 42nd floor but according to the panel, you actually want to go to the 43rd floor?

Why don't we be done with the number 13 and let 14 be the new 13? How about that?

I wonder if Laputan Logic gonna blog about the number 13. Should be a fun read.

Yup. You got it right. It's a goddamn slow day.

I admire Shahrir Abdul Samad, an UMNO representative from Johor Bahru. He is true to himself unlike so many others:

Shahrir Resigns From BN Backbenchers Club Chairman Post

KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 (Bernama) -- Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad Thursday resigned as the Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club chairman as many BN members of parliament did not support the motion without notice to refer a news report in the New Straits Times to the parliamentary rights and privileges committee Thursday.

It all first started with a news report by the New Straits Times:

Nudge, nudge. Wink, wink...
Customs ignored MP's request
Hamidah Atan and Farrah Naz Karim

PUTRAJAYA: A Member of Parliament allegedly asked the Customs and Excise Department to "close one eye" in a case involving the import of sawn timber.

It is learnt that the department has submitted a detailed report on the MP’s alleged interference into the seizure of sawn timber brought in from Indonesia at Sungai Linggi recently.

The MP is said to have gone to the Malacca Customs Office on April 14 to "settle" the matter. He had allegedly requested that the department "close one eye" in handling the case.

The MP according to Malaysiakini is from Jasin, Malacca.

It's disturbing to see the one that should resign stays while the one that should stay resigns. Even worse, the majority is not only uninterested in pursuing justice, but they are shielding the MP in question from possible inquiry. Though short of legalizating corruption, if this continues without check, kleptocracy will not be impossible. This is one of the reasons why Malaysia needs a stronger opposition in the Parliament.

All is not lost though. The Malacca Customs did their work and therefore, deserve praises for what they have done. Or haven't done.

There is too much red today and I feel compelled to add two different colors to an already bloody reddish day. And for the past few weeks, I've been adding too many photos about architecture. So, I hope that this is breath of fresh air for you because this ain't another red rose or red brick.



Earlier in January, I said that an old building's facade in Kuala Lumpur is my best shot yet so far this year . Well, it was my best shot until I managed this macro shot of a flower (tag). I don't know about you but I'll say, this is a goddamned pretty picture. The shot was taken a little over two weeks ago near Jalan Parlimen where Tugu Negara stands.

I have one problem though - I don't know the name of the flower. Somebody at Wikipedia suggested that the flower might be yellow toreador (Celosia sristata). A search on Google reveals that it isn't so. The leaves look too different.

If there is any kind soul who knows the name of the flower, please do tell me!

  

p/s - have you heard of NYSE Hostage? The ad first came up in the New York Times last friday.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A mysterious advertisement in Friday's New York Times accusing the New York Stock Exchange of bowing to terrorist threats has again spotlighted the struggle of controversial animal-testing company Life Sciences Research Inc. to get a listing on the Big Board.

Seems like a new war between animal right activists and the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.

  

pp/s - w00t for the Singaporean opposition:

PAP Not Doing Enough To Forge Close Relations With M'sia - SDA

By Jackson Sawatan

SINGAPORE, April 30 (Bernama) -- The opposition Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) has criticised the People's Action Party (PAP) over the state of relations between the republic and its neighbour Malaysia.

The economic union sounds good but I still prefer an ASEAN-wide version. But an economic union with Singapore might be the first step in that direction.

So, let's break some Singaporean anti-democratic law (tag). I endorse this particular Singapore Democratic Alliance's policy. Singaporeans, vote for the opposition!

Yeah, I'm shouting without really knowing what's going on down south. Still, having PAP in Singapore (and BN in Malaysia) up at the top for too long is bad for both Singaporeans and Malaysians' health!

  

ppp/s - our own Rajan seems to have taken interest in Singaporean election. Also, Workers' Party's rally. Huge. (via)

  

p4/s - about the flower, two persons at Wikipedia, one at the science reference desk and the other at WikiProject Tree of Life suggest that it might be indeed Celosia cristata. However, the two suggest two different common name; one as earlier, yellow toreador and another cockscomb.