Plastic Aplenty in Oceans

Every year 10 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean. This is detestably disgraceful!

 

If we don't change our behavior we might end up with more plastic than fish in the ocean.

 

The Animation Workshop has produced this fantastic video. You should see this man as a symbol of consumers as well as industry, makers and politicians:
 

Other videos:

 

Please help us fight plastic pollution! Kindly go to http://plasticchange.org/signup-pages/signup-overview/ .

The Brit and His Beer

Image credit: https://static.standard.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2017/06/04/13/londonbridgepint.jpg

A man who left the scene of the London terror attack on June 03 on London Bridge and Borough Market has been praised online with tongue-in-cheek British humor.

News footage showed the individual walking slowly and appearing to try to prevent his pint of beer from pouring out.

His picture was posted on Twitter by Howard Mannella, who said, "People fleeing #LondonBridge but the bloke on the right isn't spilling a drop. God Bless the Brits!" His post went viral, and was retweeted thousands of times.

Malaysian squash queen Nicol David’s hopes of advancing to the semi-finals of the PSA World Series Finals in Dubai (June 06-10, 2017), suffered a big setback after she was defeated for the second time in the group stage on Wednesday.

David who was drawn in Group B lost to the tournament’s top seed Egypt’s Nour El Sherbini 6-11, 9-11 in the second group match in twenty-one minutes this morning.

On Tuesday, Nicol was defeated by England’s Laura Massaro, 10-12, 10-12 in the group’s opening match.

With the defeat, Nicol, ranked sixth in the world, has failed in her pursuit for her first title in the world series this season. This marked the first time she missed out on a place in the semi-finals of the tournament.

No Funeral Rites for London Assailants

People lay flowers after a vigil for victims of Saturday’s attack, at Potter’s Field park in London, UK. Photograph: Tim Ireland/AP

In the UK, at least 500 imams and Muslim religious leaders have now rightly refused to perform funeral prayers for the assailants shot dead in a June 03 terror attack, branding them “vile murderers”.

 

They had expressed “shock and utter disgust at these cold-blooded murders”, and said the latest terrorist incident was indefensible and completely at odds with the lofty teachings of Islam.

 

Harun Khan, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, was appalled and angered: “That this should happen in this month of Ramadan, when many Muslims (are) praying and fasting only goes to show that these people respect neither life nor faith".

 

His remarks came after seven people were killed and 48 injured in an attack on London Bridge and in Borough Market on Saturday. A van had smashed into pedestrians before three persons launched a knife attack – before they were killed by armed police.

 

This was just 12 days after the Manchester suicide bombing. Twenty-two people were sacrificed, seven of whom were children:

 

Image credit: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/26/manchester-arena-bombing-salman-abedi-latest-updates/

 

Qari Asim, spokesperson for the British Muslim Forum and imam of the Leeds Makkah mosque, said his organization aimed to broadcast the message that violent extremism was “forbidden” by Islam.

 

IS-inspired/IS-directed terror attacks are getting more frequent. And not just in the UK.

Nowhere is anybody safe. Whether you care to admit it or not, all of us are now marked for death.

 

This evening, I was at the ITC Bintang Toastmasters meeting where I was the General Evaluator.

 

I also participated in Table Topics and was voted Best Speaker. 'Heaven and Earth' became mine for the taking, if you know what I mean!

 

Overall, a well-attended meeting although I thought members could have shown more enthusiasm.

Donald Trump Quits from the Paris Climate Covenant

President Donald Trump (left) proclaimed Thursday he was withdrawing the US of A from the Paris climate covenant, a sweeping step that frustrates global efforts to curb global warming.

In a world that is divided by ideology, inequality and economic rivalry, the landmark Paris accord was one rare area of global consensus to cooperate, on climate change.

As Martin Khor, Executive Director of the South Centre had  correctly intimated that for America to pull out of that hard-won agreement is "a shocking abdication not only of leadership, but of its membership of the community of nations in its joint effort to face its gravest threat to survival”.

And still, Trump had the gall to say he was open to re-brokering US carbon reduction commitments. At the same time, he didn't express any urgency to bring his country back into the deal, which he had claimed placed 'draconian' financial burdens on the American people.

What did he say? Trump is prepared to re-negotiate? He thinks he can just do things on a whim? F-off!

Khor was right to state that since Trump already made clear his country wants to leave the pact, and no longer subscribing to its emissions pledges, nor meeting its $3 billion (RM12.8 billion) pledge on the Green Climate Fund – it would be weird to permit the US of A to still negotiate with the same status as other members that remain committed to their pledges.

In triggering the official withdrawal procedures, Trump has sparked a lengthy process that won't conclude until November 2020 – the same month he's up for re-election, ensuring the issue becomes a major topic of debate in the next presidential contest.

Of course I understand he made an election promise but I am still stumped that Trump would dump the Paris pact and doing his country a great disservice.

Is he stupid or what?

Environmental activists and supporters display placards during a demonstration in New York, to protest Donald Trump's decision to pull out of the 195-nation Paris climate accord deal. AFP Photo

Last evening, I was in KL’s Jalan Hose to attend the NAWEM Toastmasters meeting. 

The company was fun. There was much laughter and I had a really enjoyable time.

I was General Evaluator and I even received a sweet surprise:

.

Angela Merkel Loves Her Beer

Last Sunday, speaking at a campaign event held in a Bavarian beer tent, German Chancellor Angela Merkel declared that the country can no longer rely on Donald Trump's America.

 

“We Europeans must take our destiny into our own hands”, she asserted. And then she drank her favorite beer.

Image credit: https://www.buzzfeed.com/davidmack/prost?utm_term=.ka5MKp0Xk#.xc4Xa8je2

I don’t know about you – but I am attracted to a woman who loves her beer!

 

Parti Sosialis Malaysia have stated in no uncertain terms that they will not surrender any of their seats to Pakatan Harapan in the absence of an electoral pact. They also ruled out any partnership with PAS in GE14.

 

PSM secretary-general A Sivarajan (left) believes that the political party will be overlapping with PH in virtually all the minimum 20 federal and state seats they are eyeing, adding that they will be engaged in multi-corner fights against the ruling BN alliance.

 

He said: “We have expressed our intention to be Pakatan friendly but if there's no intention shown on the other side...In terms of policy we can say we are more Pakatan friendly, but in terms of electoral pact, if they are also contesting that means there is no more electoral pact. If they are contesting we will also contest against them”.

 

To me, PSM are a principled party; therefore, it is about time that PH embrace them. For the good of the opposition coalition.

 

Remember, we are all fighting the same cause.

3 Suicides in 31 Days

I’m no longer that keen on keeping tabs on suicides in our institutions of higher learning and elsewhere.

 

I am becoming depressed as I learn about them; worse – if I am writing about these needless deaths. Putting them into words is really difficult. It makes me flinch and cringe. And I am filled with grief.

It is a tragic reminder that young people choose to kill themselves and yet the authorities are not doing enough to stop them, if at all, they do anything at all. 

And it was only last month when I had blogged about the suicides on Malaysian campuses – kindly do check out my blogpost @ http://helpvictor.blogspot.my/2017/05/goodbyes.html

Photo credit: Sin Chew

Just yesterday, a female student from Tunku Abdul Rahman University College in KL committed suicide.

 

According to Sin Chew, the 20-year-old student named Wong, had written a note to her mother. She had claimed she was a ‘loser’. She thought ‘leaving’ was the best solution for her. And so, she decided to end her life.

 

She jumped off from her condominium in Setapak at 4:00 AM.

 

A month ago, a young boy too chose death.

 

The 12-year-old hanged himself at his home in Felda Cahaya Baru, Masai in Johore. On May 10.

 

It was reported that the boy, who was living with his adoptive family, was said to have been suffering from deep depression since the death of his father three years ago. 

 

Seven days earlier, a 20-year-old student from the TARUC Penang campus named Teh killed himself when he leapt from the seventeenth floor of a building, Kwong Wah had reported.

 

According to comments left by the deceased’s friends on social media, Teh’s suicide had nothing to do with his study or grades. The real reason behind his tragic death was because of cyber bullying.

 

In fact, a day after his suicide, a posting submitted to TARUC Confessions by Teh’s friend had urged the keyboard warriors who bullied Teh to attend his funeral also on that day and apologize to him.

 

Three suicides in thirty-one days. Scary.

 

And these are suicides that I gleaned from just the newspapers.

 

Honestly, what are we doing about it? Or are we just going to let the suicide statistics in this country climb even higher?

 

Do we care at all?

Gal Gadot, Wonder Woman

Image credit: http://comicbook.com/dc/2017/02/21/wonder-woman-gal-gadot-audition/

Lebanon has banned the movie featuring DC Comics’ superhero, Wonder Woman – all because its lead actress is an Israeli.

What foolishness is this?

Anyway, to add to the Lebanese loathing, Gadot also served for two years in the Israeli army.

In 2014, she had received a deluge of attention for a Facebook post in which she shared anti-Hamas sentiments, calling members of the Palestinian militia "cowards".

A billboard advertising the "Wonder Woman" film, is pictured near an army post in Beirut, Lebanon on May 31, 2017. Photo credit: Mohamed Azakir/Reuters

Moreover, Lebanon has a boycott against Israel in place, preventing citizens from buying Israeli products, traveling to the country, or being in contact with Israelis.

I’m sorry that the prohibition took place.

Perhaps, the Lebanese shouldn't just stop there. They should ban everything and anything that's Jewish too.

I don't care about her nationality. I only know Gadot is super sexy!

Image credit: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3AdoQr8QeUc/maxresdefault.jpg

The movie Wonder Woman is the first female superhero film since 2005’s box office dud “Elektra,” and the first to be directed by a woman, Patty Jenkins, whose budget was more than $150 million.

Since her inception in 1941 in DC comic books with her patriotic red bustier embossed with a golden eagle and blue shorts with white stars, Wonder Woman has become a symbol of female empowerment in a comic book world dominated by male superheroes like Batman, Superman and Iron Man, and by male fans.

Reviews for “Wonder Woman” have been glowing, scoring a rare 97 percent positive rating on aggregator Rotten Tomatoes with critics praising its humor and positive spirit.

Jenkins, the director, said that behind the fun, “I hope that we can use a character who stands for something so needed right now... and to inspire people to be heroes in their own lives".

Today, Liverpool FC celebrates their 125th birthday!

It was June 03 1892 when the club was officially recognized by the Board of Trade as 'Liverpool Football Club and Athletic Grounds Limited'.

This document is now regarded as the birth certificate of Liverpool FC:

Malay Materialism

Mahathir Mohamad (left) has finally realized how wrong he was.

 

His blog (http://chedet.cc/) entry on Monday wrote of his fear that Malay materialism would eventually replace Malay nationalism:

 

“…Jika tidak diupah dengan duit, pangkat atau jawatan, kontrak atau sebagainya biarlah negara hancur, tidak ada apa-apa yang sanggup dibuat untuk menyelamatnya”.

 

And this shall lead to the extinction of the race.

 

“Apakah buku sejarah di zaman akan datang akan tertulis didalamnya, “Maka di zaman dahulu terdapat satu bangsa yang dikenali sebagai Melayu, yang sudah pun hilang, kerana semangat bangsa luput diganti dengan ketamakan nafsu. Wallahu A’lam”. (“Will history books one day contain a paragraph that reads: ‘Once, there was a race known as the Malays but they have since become extinct due to avarice’? Only God knows”).

 

Former information minister Zainuddin Maidin (right) in a comment on Mahathir’s entry said he believed it was the latter who was responsible for instilling the materialist tendency among Malays when he was in power. 

“What made the Malays materialistic was Mahathir himself”, he said.

 

“He insisted that our race will become successful only when we have our own millionaires”.

Zainuddin suggested that it had become a trend for Malays to join UMNO to get rich, saying this was because Mahathir, who led the party for 22 years, propagated the idea that wealth could represent Malay success and pride.

There is no necessity to work hard and make sacrifices. Just get into UMNO and become super rich. 

 

That explains why UMNO have lost their relevance.

Bomb Violence with Mercy

A still from the advert showing the suicide bomber pursued by a crowd. Photograph: Youtube

Those playing victims of terror in the video attempt to reclaim the bomber’s religious invocations. Photograph: Youtube

A Ramadan TV ad by a Kuwaiti telecom company Zain in which victims of terrorism confront a suicide bomber and urge society to “bomb violence with mercy” went viral over the weekend.

At the same time, it provoked a heated debate on social media – there were those who praised its attempt to tackle extremism as well as those saying it was inappropriate to use images of victims of terrorism in a commercial spot, arguing it was exploitative. 

 

On top of that, it has also sparked conversations about Islam.

Selamat menyambut Hari Gawai dan Tadau Kaamatan to Sarawakians and Sabahans!