Category: History & heritage

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History & heritage Personal Sports

[608] Of September 16

Did you know that Lee Kuan Yew was born on September 16 1923?

I found this out after reading Lee Kuan Yew’s The Singapore Story. Also, hah, his name is Harry Lee Kuan Yew. Harry.

Consider also a much unknown fact that Malaysia was formed on the same date, 40 years later (alright, sarcasm doesn’t work on the net. Read with tongue-in-cheek). Coincidence?

Heh, now I know why the formation of Malaysia was postponed from the planned August 31 1963 to September 16 1963. Maybe this is why a lot of people are trying to shun Malaysia Day altogether.

Damn that bugger. Forever will we as Malaysians celebrate his birthday.

p/s – crazy talk.

There’s a buzz in Los Angeles this week about a certain local football team. Its senior quarterback is completing passes like a seasoned pro. Its electrifying tailback is breaking big runs and even bigger punt returns. There’s talk that maybe this could be a special season.

And USC is looking pretty good, too.

My, those Trojans must be fuming by now.

pp/s – this totally reminds me of my meeting with my econometrics professor. Who was the professor? The famed Daniel Hamermesh. Yup yup. Looks like him too.

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Economics Environment History & heritage Politics & government

[392] Of 59 years later

Today is the 59th anniversary of the dropping of the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Approximately 80 000 people died on that day and many others in later due to deadly radioactivity. It was the finale of the greatest war in human history.

Let us hope that such weapon may never be used again. The first step to ensure that is to urge the US to adhere to ABM Treaty that it signed more than three decades ago. And the only way to do that is to remove Bush from the White House.

Go Ralph Nader!

Heh.

Anyway, I donated a few bucks to the local Green Party earlier. Hopes it is worth it.

p/s – there is a plan in California for a greater expansion of solar energy:

California officials are proposing that half of all new homes in the state be running on solar energy in 10 years, an effort spurred by $100 million in annual incentives paid for by electricity consumers.

Denmark is known for its wind energy, California will be known for its solar energy.

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Environment History & heritage Photography

[327] Of Ghost Town

A site with a collection of photos, depicting the current state of Chernobyl. Via Seat of the Revolution.

Let’s pray the same terrible incident won’t happen again.

Say no to nuclear power; there are other better alternatives.

Say once is enough, twice is too much.

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History & heritage

[285] Of Mina fire

It’s Dhu’l-Hijja the ninth, year 1424 AH. I am really indifferrent to this date.

However, I woke up at five in the morning and the first thing I read in the news concerned a stampede near Mina. First, the news said a few people are feared to have died. I checked out fifteen minutes later, the figure went up to 50. Hold your breath because an update later, the number jumped to almost 200%.

It has been reported that 244 people died in a stampede near Mecca. I really hope that the Malaysian Embassy in Saudi Arabia won’t issue any unwanted statement because if it does, there is a possibility it would affect me and that sucks.

p/s – I’ve just read the updated version of A History of the Malay Peninsula and I found one particular paragraph to be extremely funny despite the author’s serious mood:

They were soon joined by a Siamese warship but the vessel took great care to anchor much further away from the coast to avoid Malay cannon fire. When the British invited the captain to join their blockading line much closer to the ramparts, he would just shake his head and mutter “Tidak bagus! Tidak Bagus!” (No, that’s not good, not good!). He refused the offers so many times that the British – who were not told what the name of the formidable vessel was – from then on referred to His Majesty Siam’s ship as the “Tidak Bagus!”.

LMAO!

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History & heritage Sports This blog

[252] Of 100 years bucking the Buckeyes

The __earthinc’s 5000th visitor is somebody from Europe.

Anyway, Michigan is celebrating 100 years of bucking the Buckeyes. The people from some pathetic place called Ohio however is singing “we don’t give the whole state of Michigan a damn”.

Tomorrow, is the game, the game dubbed by the Michigan Daily as the one game to rule them all.

Tomorrow, the biggest college rivalry will be played – bigger than USC – UCLA, bigger than anything in the realm of pac americana.

errata – it’s we don’t give a damn for the whole state of Michigan. thanks to David. But, who cares? Ohio still sucks.