Categories
Personal

[338] Of pure unexpected crap

Somebody from the University called me to tell me that I have to take up the spring semester if I want to maintain something. I do not want to take up the semester because I have anticipated to go to Europe sometimes around May or June.

I really want to go to Europe but, I have to take the semester.

Therefore, all I can say that this is a pure unexpected crap. Well, it looks like my only choice is the dreaded labor economics.

I was fully looking forward for a non-stress summer but, OMG, shit happens way too often.

Categories
Economics Liberty Politics & government

[337] Of May Day

Capitalism is the unequal distribution of wealth. Communism is the equal distribution of poverty.

I dedicate this post to Keynes and Hayek on this Labor Day. They saved us from socialism and communism.

Categories
Sports

[336] Of five against three

Hurray!

Malay College 5 – 3 King Edward VII

It has been awhile since I last watched rugby, especially when it concerns my old school. And as I remember, it is always good to see KE loses to us. I wonder how this year team will fair against the Vajiravudh College.

Categories
Economics Politics & government

[335] Of outrageous gas prices

Maybe, we need to reprioritize our wants and needs.

taken from Speedbump.com. Fair use.

Well, back to econometrics. Wish me luck for the exam.p/s – a major skirmish between the Thai authority and Pattani rebel had just happened, resulting more than a hundred dead. The event occured quite close to the Malaysian border and as a result, Malaysia is beefing up its security up north as to prevent a conflict spillover.

Earlier, Thailand Prime Minister had accused Malaysia of harboring these rebels but that misunderstanding has been solved a few weeks ago amicablly.

But make no mistake (love that cliche), something is really brewing up too close to home.

To come to think of it, it seems that only Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei could be considered safe and stable in the Southeast Asian region. In stark contrast, Indonesia has its Aceh and recently the reemerging Maluku problem while the Philippines with Mindanao and Sulu.

Well, maybe Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar sound stable for the moment but, pardon me, I don’t consider these countries as Southeast Asian. Their politics and cultures seem too disconnect with their archipelagoes friends – I could be wrong though; you could say almost the same thing for France and Cyprus.

Categories
Environment

[334] Of celebrating the 34th Earth Day

Today is Earth Day. It is the 34th Earth Day to be precise and the tree that was planted in front of University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment in conjunction with the 1989 Earth Day is now 15 years old.

Since 1989, a lot of things happened. The Berlin Wall, the fall of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic, the Earth Summit, the Kyoto Protocol.

Sometimes, despite seeing how we are not doing enough to save the Earth, it is amazing to see how far we have gone. From the discovery of the ozone hole more or less two decades ago, the fight for a greener world has moved from confirming some of the most depressing environmental issues, from discussion among the top scientists to grassroots support and actually fighting it at the highest possible level.

In the US and probably in Europe, the politicians ignore the green lobbyists at their own peril. My only hope is for the same truth to be applicable in Malaysia. My dream is to see Malaysia  somehow transforms itself from a conservative society to a liberal one. Until that happened, environmentalism would probably face a hard time garnering grassroots support in my home country.

Other than that, there is really nothing I have to talk about.

I was thinking on writing how to live a sustainable life in celebration of Earth Day but Yahoo! has already done that. I see little benefit in doing a redundant work. I couldn’t agree more with Yahoo!’s 10 big things you can do to make a big different. Most of the things I wanted say is said there. I guess all greens think alike. But I must say, our association with Leonardo Di Caprio is a little bit, umph, unexpected, perhaps. :)

Google is also keeping up with its tradition of Earth Day celebration.

And Ann Arbor, being hotbed for the green movement in the Midwest region, will be celebrating the Earth Day this Sunday. I am planning to celebrate Mother Nature.

You should celebrate Earth Day too. Or at least, turn off the tap, switch off the light, recycle the paper, get out of the car and walk.

Happy Earth Day.