2010 : Another New Year

Hi,

2010...Another new year with some changes for the better (for me). Anticipating some economic changes in the country and that will not be the same as the pre 2008, the financial industry will be having tighter controls and with that, the trade sector will be improving steadily.

With many of my new year resolutions achieved (except for the story-writing portions), I need to draft out the resolution tonight. One will be the story writing (again). Although many stories are in my mind, I have not been puting it down in writing. So, that is what I must start doing. There are also others that I will nto be able to share here, but things are looking better for me unlike my pre-2007 times (my first half of my life).

This time, it is another ball game.. a more positive one and it is great. Just creating and molding it to the betterment of my progress in career and life.

I am doing good in eating more vegetarian food than non-veg. I only consume egg and fish once in a while and have stopped eating other non-veg food. I have also completely stopped drinking soft-drinks. My body feels much better now. That clean and fresh feeling.. it is great. Hope to maintain it consistently.

I used to be very stingy due to my financial constrains and that trait is still stuck in me. I should loosen alittle and be thrifty than stingy.

I have started reading more books and should continue that too.

I have learnt to set my priorities especially when it involves grassroots volunteerism.

Just keeping in my the importance of time and money and staying in focus with my life's vision that was set by me 10 years ago.

Hope this new year will be a great one for the country as a whole :)

Best regards.

Kumaran RN

My Poems

Hi,

The following are some poems written by me :-


























Best regards.
Kumaran RN

A Thought Provoking Speech by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam

Hi,

The following is a thoght proving speech by Dr APJ Abdul Kalam (former President of India) who delivered it in Hyderabad, South India. I feel all Indian (from India) should read this speech and think about it and hopefully change for the better :-

=============================================================================
Why is the media here so negative?

Why are we in India so embarrassed to recognize our own strengths, our achievements?

We are such a great nation. We have so many amazing success stories but we refuse to acknowledge them. Why?

We are the first in milk production.
We are number one in Remote sensing satellites.
We are the second largest producer of wheat.
We are the second largest producer of rice.

Look at Dr. Sudarshan , he has transferred the tribal village into a self-sustaining, self-driving unit. There are millions of such achievements but our media is only obsessed in the bad news and failures and disasters.

I was in Tel Aviv once and I was reading the Israeli newspaper. It was the day after a lot of attacks and bombardments and deaths had taken place. The Hamas had struck. But the front page of the newspaper had the picture of a Jewish gentleman who in five years had transformed his desert into an orchid and a granary. It was this inspiring picture that everyone woke up to. The gory details of killings, bombardments, deaths, were inside in the newspaper, buried among other news.
In India we only read about death, sickness, terrorism, crime.. Why are we so NEGATIVE? Another question: Why are we, as a nation so obsessed with foreign things? We want foreign T.Vs, we want foreign shirts. We want foreign technology.
Why this obsession with everything imported. Do we not realize that self-respect comes with self-reliance? I was in Hyderabad giving this lecture, when a 14 year old girl asked me for my autograph. I asked her what her goal in life is. She replied: I want to live in a developed India . For her, you and I will have to build this developed India . You must proclaim. India is not an under-developed nation; it is a highly developed nation.

Do you have 10 minutes? Allow me to come back with a vengeance. Got 10 minutes for your country? If yes, then read; otherwise, choice is yours.

YOU say that our government is inefficient.
YOU say that our laws are too old.
YOU say that the municipality does not pick up the garbage.
YOU say that the phones don't work, the railways are a joke. The airline is the worst in the world, mails never reach their destination.
YOU say that our country has been fed to the dogs and is the absolute pits.
YOU say, say and say. What do YOU do about it?

Take a person on his way to Singapore . Give him a name - 'YOURS'. Give him a face - 'YOURS'. YOU walk out of the airport and you are at your International best. In Singapore you don't throw cigarette butts on the roads or eat in the stores. YOU are as proud of their Underground links as they are. You pay $5 (approx. Rs. 60) to drive through Orchard Road (equivalent of Mahim Causeway or Pedder Road) between 5 PM and 8 PM. YOU come back to the parking lot to punch your parking ticket if you have over stayed in a restaurant or a shopping mall irrespective of your status identity… In Singapore you don't say anything, DO YOU? YOU wouldn't dare to eat in public during Ramadan, in Dubai . YOU would not dare to go out without your head covered in Jeddah.

YOU would not dare to buy an employee of the telephone exchange in London at 10 pounds (Rs.650) a month to, 'see to it that my STD and ISD calls are billed to someone else.'YOU would not dare to speed beyond 55 mph (88 km/h) in Washington and then tell the traffic cop, 'Jaanta hai main kaun hoon (Do you know who I am?). I am so and so's son. Take your two bucks and get lost.' YOU wouldn't chuck an empty coconut shell anywhere other than the garbage pail on the beaches in Australia and New Zealand .

Why don't YOU spit Paan on the streets of Tokyo ? Why don't YOU use examination jockeys or buy fake certificates in Boston ??? We are still talking of the same YOU. YOU who can respect and conform to a foreign system in other countries but cannot in your own. You who will throw papers and cigarettes on the road the moment you touch Indian ground. If you can be an involved and appreciative citizen in an alien country, why cannot you be the same here in India ?

In America every dog owner has to clean up after his pet has done the job. Same in Japan .

Will the Indian citizen do that here?' He's right. We go to the polls to choose a government and after that forfeit all responsibility.

We sit back wanting to be pampered and expect the government to do everything for us whilst our contribution is totally negative. We expect the government to clean up but we are not going to stop chucking garbage all over the place nor are we going to stop to pick a up a stray piece of paper and throw it in the bin. We expect the railways to provide clean bathrooms but we are not going to learn the proper use of bathrooms.

We want Indian Airlines and Air India to provide the best of food and toiletries but we are not going to stop pilfering at the least opportunity.
This applies even to the staff who is known not to pass on the service to the public.
When it comes to burning social issues like those related to women, dowry, girl child! and others, we make loud drawing room protestations and continue to do the reverse at home. Our excuse? 'It's the whole system which has to change, how will it matter if I alone forego my sons' rights to a dowry.' So who's going to change the system?

What does a system consist of? Very conveniently for us it consists of our neighbours, other households, other cities, other communities and the government. But definitely not me and YOU. When it comes to us actually making a positive contribution to the system we lock ourselves along with our families into a safe cocoon and look into the distance at countries far away and wait for a Mr.Clean to come along & work miracles for us with a majestic sweep of his hand or we leave the country and run away.

Like lazy cowards hounded by our fears we run to America to bask in their glory and praise their system. When New York becomes insecure we run to England . When England experiences unemployment, we take the next flight out to the Gulf. When the Gulf is war struck, we demand to be rescued and brought home by the Indian government. Everybody is out to abuse and rape the country. Nobody thinks of feeding the system. Our conscience is mortgaged to money.

Dear Indians, The article is highly thought inductive, calls for a great deal of introspection and pricks one's conscience too…. I am echoing J. F. Kennedy's words to his fellow Americans to relate to Indians…..

'ASK WHAT WE CAN DO FOR INDIA AND DO WHAT HAS TO BE DONE TO MAKE INDIA WHAT AMERICA AND OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES ARE TODAY'

Lets do what India needs from us.
Forward this mail to each Indian for a change instead of sending Jokes or junk mails.

Thank you,
Dr. Abdul Kalam
========================================================================

Best regards.
Kumaran RN

Interesting Definitions

Hi,

I recently received an email from a friend that contained some interesting definitions that were (and still is) thought provoking. The following are the ones :-

CIGARETTE:
A pinch of tobacco rolled in paper with fire at one end and a fool at the other!

MARRIAGE:
It's an agreement wherein a man loses his bachelor degree and a woman gains her master

LECTURE:
An art of transmitting Information from the notes of the lecturer to the notes of students without passing through the minds of either

CONFERENCE:
The confusion of one man multiplied by the number present

COMPROMISE:
The art of dividing a cake in such a way that everybody believes he got the biggest piece

TEARS:
The hydraulic force by which masculine will power is defeated by feminine water-power!

DICTIONARY:
A place where divorce comes before marriage

CONFERENCE ROOM:
A place where everybody talks, nobody listens and everybody disagrees later on

ECSTASY:
A feeling when you feel you are going to feel a feeling you have never felt before

CLASSIC:
A book which people praise, but never read

OFFICE:
A place where you can relax after your strenuous home life

YAWN:
The only time when some married men ever get to open their mouth

ETC:
A sign to make others believe that you know more than you actually do

COMMITTEE:
Individuals who can do nothing individually and sit to decide that nothing can be done together

EXPERIENCE:
The name men give to their Mistakes

ATOM BOMB:
An invention to bring an end to all inventions

PHILOSOPHER:
A fool who torments himself during life, to be spoken of when dead

DIPLOMAT:
A person who tells you to go to hell in such a way that you actually look forward
to the trip

OPPORTUNIST:
A person who starts taking bath if he accidentally falls into a river

OPTIMIST:
A person who while falling from EIFFEL TOWER says in midway "SEE I AM NOT INJURED YET!"

PESSIMIST:
A person who says that O is the last letter in ZERO, instead of the first letter
in OPPORTUNITY

MISER:
A person who lives poor so that he can die RICH!

FATHER:
A banker provided by nature

CRIMINAL:
A guy no different from the other, unless he gets caught

BOSS:
Someone who is early when you are late and late when you are early

POLITICIAN:
One who shakes your hand before elections and your Confidence later

DOCTOR:
A person who kills your ills by pills, and kills you by his bills!

Best regards.
Kumaran RN

Towards Progress

Hi,

After tiring Deepavali preparations and celebrations, and continuing heavy workload, I managed to find some time now to air out my thoughts.

Deepavali comes and goes. When I was a single living with my parents, I used to just spend the deepavali holiday at home watching TV and doing my own things (after the usual morning prayers and family breakfast). After marriage, I started to travel to visit my parents, parents-in-law, and sisters.. all in a day. This was the same thing too for the three years now, but this year there has been a slight improvement.

After last year's deepavali, I stared to increase my vegetarian food intake and reduce my non-vegetarian food intake drastically. I have stopped eating chicken and mutton. I do take egg and fish, not often but once in a while. It has been a year since and I feel great physically and internally. I have also started to do regular meditation and improving my spiritual involvement.

As a result, I am able to find more answers and get realisations for many happenings. This year onwards I have decided to be on full vegetarian diet every deepavali (no egg or fish intake at all for me). It is nice to get the spiritual connections. The feelings and energy they generate as fantastic.

two weeks ago, I got the blessings of the siththar Dattatreya Siva Baba (http://www.sivababa.org/) when he was visiting Singapore to give some spiritual talks. I wanted to see him live and hear his speech, but I was gifted (unexpected) to get to walk with him so close after the talk to his car. His blessing looks and smile was just awesome. I felt as though I my karmas were gone. Thanks to my god brother Shivakkumar.

At least this year I have reduced my grassroots and volunteer involvement drastically and realigned my live to be more focused on my family, career, spirituality and knowledge seeking. I am still maintaining my membership int he Indian Activites Executive Committee (IAEC) in Punggol Park Community Centre, but a low profile one.

There are still more to do and the progress is encouraging. I am curently planing out my goals/targets to achieve in 2010.

Of course there are slack periods that I do experience sometimes, but it is not as worse as before.

Hope to instill more improvements in my life and in turn help others by creating positive differences in them.

Best regards.

Kumaran RN

Nice song from the classic Telugu movie Maro Charitra

Hi,

I like this song from the classic Telugu movie Maro Charitra which was written and directed by my favourite director the legendary K Balachander. I like the picturisation of the song and the dance choreography too. The movie is still regarded as one of the best Indian romantic movies of all time with great songs and acting by the legendary Kamalhassan and Saritha. Enjoy.

Best regards.

Kumaran RN

Legendary Michale Jackson's "This Is It!" Trailer

Hi,

The King of POP, the legendary Michale Jackson's last tour practice "This Is It!" now produced as a movie that will be shown for 2 weeks only. I watched the trailer. It was really cool. Michael Jackson as his usual best as always. The one and only Michael Jackson. The following is the link to the trailer :-

Best regards.

Kumaran RN

Another wonderful Tamil song for those fans of 70s, early 80s Tamil songs

Hi,

This song is a dedication to those fans (like myself) of the 70s and early 80s Tamil songs, and the legendary mellisai mannar M.S.Visvanaathan's music compositions. Sung by P Jayachandran and Vani Jeyaram, this song is such an evergreen song. The pictuirisation is ok except for the hero who is a turn-off :-



Regards.
Kumaran RN

Maestro Illaiyaraja felicitates Kavignar Vaali

Hi,

I came across this video where the legendary isai gnaani Maestro Illaiyaraja talking about the legendary Kavignar Vaali. Both are my favourite celebrities : great music composer Illaiyaraja and great lyricist Vaali. In fact Illaiyaraja is a wonderful lyricist too and one example is the songs in the Bharathiraja's movie Naadodi Thendral. In this video, you can see Illaiyaraja's great Tamil knowledge and how he used the tamil words... so nice to hear.



Kumaran RN

My Favourite Motivational Songs (Tamil)

Hi,

The following are my favourite motivational songs.. when I listen to them anytime and in any mood, I will feel recharged. Once I am able to find the link to the MGR song Kann Pona Pokile (Film : Panam Padaithavan), I will include it in this list too. Enjoy listening.


1. NIRAINTHU VAAZHGA (Movie : Perumaikkuriyaval, Singers : P.Suseela and S.Janaki, Music : M.S.Visvanathan)



2. NAALAI NAMADHE (Singers : T.M.Soundrarajan and SP Balasubramaniam, Music : M.S.Visvanathan)




3. VAAZHUMATTUM (Film : Kali, Singer : S.P.Balasubramaniam, Music : Illayaraja)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1UpCwAE2M4


4. VETRI KODI KATTU (Film : Padaiyappa, Singer : Sriram, Music : AR Rahman)




5. VAAZHKAIYA YOSINGADA (Film : Chennai 600028, Music : Yuvanshankar Raja)



Best regards
Kumaran RN

National Day Rally 2009 : My Views

Hi,

Every year I watch the National Day Rally that comes the following week (Sunday) after the national day celebration (9 Aug). Last year I had one of my dreams fulfilled which is to attend at least one of the national day rallies. I was selected to attend and I was impressed with the rally and the speech.

This year I did not get the chance but I managed to catch the live telecast on TV. I tried the online webcast but due to heavy online traffic it took very long time to connect to the video streaming, but the website looked simple and informative with sections to air the views and also live blogging.

I am not that impressed with this year's rally and felt it was draggy. this maybe due to the fact that during the past some years, I have been used to seeing new policies and "goodies" announced which was not done this year. Expecting an election at the end of next year, I expected interesting give-aways, but, well.. i was disappointed.

Still the main topics touched were of relevance to the current Singapore situation. The economic is recovering, slowly but steadily. The health sector to be enhanced further to cater to the future growth of the elderly population. One point in the message was clear : keep fit and embrace a healthy lifestyle and that will help in a big way to keep the health cost low or rather at a manageable level.

The racial and religious matters portion was quite well handled. The racial and religious discriminations do exist although the government policies and constitutions clearly condemn such discriminations and meritocracy is promoted. I find the better racial and religious integration among the younger generation is much better than the older generation and especially those who are not exposed to the global village. Internet technology, increased travelling to countries and global-level interaction, and our cosmopolitan society have all contributed to this reduction in the discrimination. That is my observation.

I have experienced racial discriminations since young and also during my former jobs, but it has only made me stronger to strive better, to learn more about in-depth my race, traditions, culture and religion, and also other races, cultures and religions to see the differences and the links especially the common spaces. That knowledge which is still growing helps me to educate (in a pleasant and more civilised way of course)ignorant people when they behave in disciminatory way towards me (actions or words). There have been many instances where such education have made the other party learn and appreciate my culture and sometimes other cultures too. They also get to understand their own cultures better too.

Well.. the discussions are going on as usual among the various groups, but it will take at least another generation or two to have a better understanding.

As for now, I will carry on my learning process and civilised eduction to those discriminators who I may encounter.

These are just my thoughts and views.

Best regards.

Kumaran RN

One People, One Nation, One Singapore.. are we there yet ?

Hi,

One People, One Nation, One Singapore.

Nice and motivating phrase. Whoever coined this phrase must have really thought through it. If only many of the people show this phrase in action, this nation will definitely be a developed nation with people of social graces and national pride where the hardware and the heartware work hand in hand to create an examplery country that is a role model to the world, especially those countries with enthnic, racial, social and political problems and conflicts.

Of course the government of Singapore has the important policies, laws, programmes and foundations in place to eradicate any social and ethnic problems that may lead to misunderstandings and conflicts. The setting up of the People's Accosiation (PA) and then the Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circle (IRCC) are brilliant ideas that are still working well reaching out to the grassroots as much as possible. The response is encouraging and sometimes even excellent especially among the younger generation where the "one people" gelling is very obvious. Kudos for that.

As we are progressing in this well although there still exists some bad apples among the mid and older generation people (especially the majority race) that creates unnecessary blocks within themselves about the minority races resulting in discriminations and unhappinesses even within grassroots organisations (I have experienced them personally), the one nation phrase is still lagging behind to a great extend.

I have noticed and witnessed the nationhood and national pride among many other other countries and it only makes me jealous of them. In India for example, I have seen many people, even the celebrities ending their speech in "Jai Hind" (victory for India) and when they say that, you can sense their national pride coming from the bottom of their hearts, and when someone says something bad about their country, they go to the extend of even bashing that person up, and when the national anthem plays anytime anywhere, they stand up with pride and salute their nation. In Bangkok (Thailand) when I was there this year in Feb (2009), such an incident happened. At about 6.20pm (Thailand time) at the busy streets (opposite the Arnoma Hotel), out of nowhere, the national anthem sounded and the whole street stood up still giving respect to the national anthem. My wife and I also stood still. At the end of the song when my wife and I continued our walk, some of the Thais thanked us for respecting their national anthem.

Will that happen in Singapore ? I wonder. Just try playing the song in Orchard road or Shenton Way, or even in a busy neighbourhood during a peak hour and how many will stand still giving respect to the national song ? There maybe a handful, but the rest will just carry on their usual activities ignoring the national anthem. During a couple of grassroots events (both were national day-related events), at the end of my announcements, I uttered "Majulah Singapura" (Onward Singapore) and what I got ? Many stares making me feel weird. I hoped for a repetition of the phrase, but nobody bothered, even the MP. In fact how many MPs actually utter that phrase publicily in the events ? Even those serving the their nation as soldiers (NSFs and reservists) may not stand up for their national anthem in the public (unless it is in their army camp).

Why is this ?

I wonder again.... money, material wealth and many other personal reasons (grudges with the government policies, MPs, laws, etc) that maybe the causes I think. Nowadays, many notices made to be put up to encourage the people to display the national flags outside their homes. The number of displays are still pathetic if one goes around to observe. If there are any blocks of flats that have complete display of flags, this will only mean that their RC (Resident Committees) have decorated those blocks of flats for the best decorated flat or estate competition.

I like to display the flag, but I myself do not. Why ? The main reason being that they are selling the flags for money which I am not in favour of. The national flag is priceless and so how can a price be put for a flag and sold (even in NTUC, CCs and RCs) ? I find it as a lack of respect for the national flag. So, I refuse to display the flag. That does not mean I have no national pride. I am proud to be a Singaporean, my motherland. There maybe some personal grudges, but still I am proud of the government, many of its policies and some of the leaders, especially the founders.

I hope this evolves through better government policy implementations and reaching out to the grassroots and the leaders themselves feeling proud to utter "Majulah Singapura" (not only on national day but all days). The leaders and even the government officials and teachers showing their national pride in action and be examplery citizens for the rest to look upon and follow. This strengthening should overflow to the new citizens up to the point that they must start to learn and utter the national anthem and pledge and start to blend in with the Singapore's nationhood culture. Like they they "if you are in rome, do as what the romans do".. so if you are in Singapore, do as what the Singaporean do. Show your national pride in action even if you win a medal for the country (especially the foreign talents with citenzenships).

I am waiting for that day. A day when the "One People, One Nation, One Singapore" becomes a reality in Singapore not only in words but in action.

Best regards.

Kumaran RN

Michael Jackson, The King of Pop, The Legend, The One and Only

Hi,

The demise of the legend, the one and only, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson shocked me like all his fans around the world. His songs, dance, music videos, looks.. he is simply the best. A complete music entertainer. I still think that his music videos are the best and evergreen. I normally do not watch or buy any music videos, except for Michael Jackson's. His Thriller, Beat It, Billi Jean, Dirty Diana, Bad, Smooth Criminal, Dangerous, Man In The Mirror, Will You Be there and many many more...he is the best. His moonwalk, breakdance.. wow.. simply awesome. I got a chance to watch his History advertisement in TV 14 years ago where he will lead a contingent of soldiers and the helicopters will remove the veil of his statue (I think it was shot in Belgium or Austria).. that was really awesome.

Michael Jackson is a great loss to the world and music entertainment.

Here are some of his music videos (from YouTube)....















For more.. do visit the youtube the music stores near you.

Peace.

Best regards.
Kumaran RN

Toungue Twister

Hi,

I like tongue twisters and here are some of them for you to enjoy too :-

1.If you understand, say "understand". If you don't understand, Say "don't understand". But if you understand and say "don't Understand". How do I understand that you understand? Understand!

2.I wish to wish the wish you wish to wish, but if you wish the Wish the witch wishes, I won't wish the wish you wish to wish.

3.Sounding by sound is a sound method of sounding sounds.

4.A sailor went to sea to see, what he could see. And all he could see was sea, sea, sea.

5.Purple Paper People, Purple Paper People, Purple Paper People

6.If two witches were watching two watches, which witch would watch which watch?

7.I thought a thought.But the thought I thought wasn't the thought I thought I thought. If the thought I thought I thought had been The thought I thought, I wouldn't have thought so much.

8.Once a fellow met a fellow In a field of beans. Said a fellow to a fellow, "If a fellow asks a fellow, Can a fellow tell a fellow What a fellow means?"

9.Mr Inside went over to see Mr Outside. Mr Inside stood outside and Called to Mr Outside inside. Mr Outside answered Mr Inside from Inside and Told Mr Inside to come inside. Mr Inside said "NO", And told Mr Outside to come outside. MrOutside and Mr Inside argued From inside and outside about going outside or coming inside. Finally,
Mr Outside coaxed Mr Inside to come inside, then both Mr Outside and Mr Inside went outside to the riverside.

10.SHE SELLS SEA SHELLS ON THE SEA SHORE , BUT THE SEA SHELLS THAT SHE SELLS, ON THE SEA SHORE ARE NOT THE REAL ONES.

11.The owner of the inside inn was inside his inside inn with his inside outside his inside inn.

12.If one doctor doctors another doctor does the doctor who doctors the Doctor doctor the doctor the way the doctor he is doctoring doctors? Or does the doctor doctor the way the doctor who doctors doctors? "When a doctor falls ill another doctor doctor's the doctor. Does the Doctor doctoring the doctor doctor the doctor in his own way or does The doctor doctoring the doctor doctors the doctor in the doctor's way"

13.We surely shall see the sun shine shortly. Whether the weather be fine, Or whether the weather be not, Whether the weather be cold Or whether the Weather be hot, We'll weather the weather Whatever the weather, Whether we Like it or not. Watch? Whether the weather is hot. Whether the weather is Cold. Whether the weather is either or not. It is whether we like it or not.

14.Nine nice night nurses nursing nicely.

15.A flea and a fly in a flue Said the fly "Oh what should we do" Said the Flea" Let us fly Said the fly "Let us flee" So they flew through a flaw in the flue.

16.If you tell Tom to tell a tongue-twister his tongue will be twisted as Tongue-twister twists tongues.

17.Mr.See owned a saw.And Mr.Soar owned a seesaw. Now See's saw sawed Soar's Seesaw Before Soar saw See, Which made Soar sore. Had Soar seen See's saw Before See sawed Soar's seesaw, See's saw would not have sawed Soar's Seesaw. So See's saw sawed Soar's seesaw. But it was sad to see Soar so sore Just because See's saw sawed Soar's seesaw.

Best regards.

Kumaran RN

Mantra to Improve and Fix the Finances

Hi,

I learnt this mantra during my visit for a session last month. It is quite a powerful mantra when meditated upon with discipline. I am slowly getting to see miracles happening around me and my financial situations improving.

Do take note that god will only help those who help themselves. Just by siting and doing nothing will not fix your financial challenges. One has to work on them and try to find the means and ways to get them fixed. Such mantras, especially this, and meditations help one to work and search smoother. It follows the universal principle of Law of Attraction. When working on this meditation and uttering of the mantra, do take note that consuming vegetarian diet as far as possible and having good and positive thoughts, and belief (on this mantra) goes a long way.

So, if you are interested, do practice this mantra and see the changes happening for yourself :-



This mantra is by Dattatreya Sivavababa. He is a siththar sage. For more information on him including his previous births and his other sayings, do feel free to visit his website : http://www.sivababa.org/

Best regards.
Kumaran RN

Google E-Book : "THE UNSPEAKABLE TRUTH"

Hi,

The following is a google e-book entitled : The Unspeakable Truth". It documents the genocides suffered by the Tamils in Srilanka. The details are interesting and hope the UN and the other counties, including those that supported the Srilankan government during the massacre, could read the book and decide as to whether the Srilankan government is guilty of human rights violation and war crimes :-


http://www.pagegangster.com/p/2Lweq/

Best regards.

Kumaran RN

Article : "Malaysian Indian Background"

Hi,

I received this article as an email a couple of days ago. Interesting piece of history and statistics about the Indians in Malaysia. Here is the article :-

====================================
Malaysian Indian Background
From: MpKapar's Blog

To understand the Indian Community in Malaysia we have to reminise the history of this country. Between 100 BC-1400 AD, the Indians arrived in Malaysia and with their arrival, Malaysia's culture changed dramatically. Indians initially sought the Malaysian peninsula in search of the mystical "Land of Gold". Although their discovery of this mystical land of gold proved to be elusive and futile, the Indians did not leave, but continued their search for gold, spice and aromatic wood. In addition to trade, the Indians introduced Hinduism and Buddhism to the peninsula, thus bringing temples and other cultural traditions from India. Semblances of some of the Indian cultural influences may be seen in certain aspects of a traditional Malay wedding ceremony for example.

Local kings in Malaysia also adopted and incorporated what they considered to be better aspects of Indian government practices into existing structures, resulting in "Indianised kingdoms". The second wave of Indian immigrants to Malaysia came in the early 20th century when the British brought them to meet the demands of the labour force in the colonial public services and private plantation sectors. While the bulk of the South Indians comprised Tamils who were employed as labourers and rubber tappers in the plantations, the Sri Lankan Tamils and Malayalees held supervisory or clerical positions. Of the North Indians, the Punjabis mainly formed the police force, while the Gujaratis and Sindhis were involved in businesses (mostly textiles). Despite the exodus of South Indians back to India after independence and the racial riots of May 1969, the Tamils still constitute about 80% of the total Indian Community.

The Malaysian Indians, who number about 1.8 million or 7.5%, are not a homogenous group. They are divided on the basis of language, religion and place of origin. The overwhelming majority of Indians are Tamils 80%; followed by North Indians, mainly Sikhs, 7.7%; Malayalees 4.7%; Telugus 3.4%; Sri Lankan Tamils 2.7%; Pakistanis, including Bangladeshis, 1.1%, and the others 0.4%. As far as religion is concerned, Hindus number 81.2 %, Christians 8.4 %, Muslims 6.7 %, Sikhs 3.1 %, Buddhists 0.5 % and others 0.1 %. These cultural and religious differences, no doubt divide the Indian populace but it must be pointed out that over the years, they have developed an Indian identity over and above their primordial loyalties. The policy of the Malaysian Government to club them together as Indians both for political and administrative purposes has further provided a flip to this process.

A notable feature of the Indian Community has been its waxing and waning socio-economic profile. In 1970, 47% of the Indians were engaged in agriculture of which 74% were in the plantation sector. With the country experiencing rapid economic expansion and diversification of the economy in the last 30 years, many plantations were converted for other commercial uses, including that of the construction of luxury homes. As a result, these uprooted Indians migrated to urban areas and joined the squatter population.

ALIRAN, a local monthly journal, provides some statistical details of the correlation of these migratory patterns with the increase in the crime rate.

a)For example, 40% of the serious crimes in Malaysia are committed by Indians;

b)There are 38 Indian- based gangs with 1,500 active members;

c)During the last three years, there has been a 100% increase in the number of Indian gangsters;

d)Indians also record the highest number of those detained under Emergency Regulations and banished to Simpang Renggam Prison.

e)In Kuala Lumpur, 15% of the squatters are Indians;

f)They claim the highest suicide rate;

g)41% of the beggars and vagrants are Indians;

h)20% of the child abusers are Indians and they also make up 14% of juvenile delinquents.

Looking at the ownership of corporate wealth,

i) In 1970, Indians held only 1% of the share capital in the limited companies,

ii) While the Chinese controlled 22.5 %;

iii) Malays 1.5 %

iv) Foreigners 60.7 %.


At the turn of the century:

a) Indians owned only 1.5 %,

b) 19.4 % for Malays

c) 38.5 % for Chinese.

The Indian Community is concentrated in the western states of Peninsular Malaysia namely Selangor (Kuala Lumpur separated to form the national Capital), Perak, Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Pulau Pinang and Kedah. The primary reason for this concentration is due to the fact that most plantations were developed in these states during colonial era and it remained the same until the early 1980s. While composition of the state
level population of Indians to a certain extent remains the same, there has been redistribution from rural to suburban and urban parts of the state as a result of these migratory patterns.

This geographic redistribution may have contributed to the problems faced by the Indian Generally, there was a major demographic change in Malaysia and this has had a direct impact on the Indian Community. The 2000 Census show that the proportion of urban population had increased to 62.0% from 50.7% in 1991. In the case of Indians 79.7% are in urban Centers and only 20.3% in the rural areas. Although at the national level Indians comprise only 7.7% of the population or 1,736,700 people, there are five States with a higher density of Indians. These are Selangor (14.6% - 604,400); Perak (13% - 274,100); KL (11.4% - 153,400); Penang (10.6% - 142,000) & Negeri Sembilan (16% - 138,200). Indians are the second most urbanized Community in Malaysia after the Chinese.

Due to the lack of affordable housing, a majority of them found houses in squatter areas and low-cost flats near industrial locations in the Klang Valley and other urban Centers in Peninsular Malaysia. The shift from rural to urban Centers has had a dramatic effect upon this section of the Indian Community. The new environment poses many new challenges. Urban communities are more diverse in comparison with their rural counterparts. These changes caused the loss of authority and leadership in the Community to deal with the challenges faced in the new environment. here has resulted a major contrast between plantation and urban life for these displaced communities. Work patterns have changed from normal routine plantation work with fixed working hours to shift work in factories. There is also a marked absence of extended families and neighborhood Community. All these have affected family and Community lives. In urban squatter areas, there is distinct lack of public facilities such as Community halls and childcare facilities.

Due to the nuclear nature of the family in the urban squatter areas, the growth of dysfunctional families is rampant resulting in poor parental supervision, domestic violence and lack of conducive home environment for child development and growth. The new social squatter environment with its inadequate public facilities is not conducive for human development especially when compounded with social risks such as drugs, gangs and crime-related activities. The problems are further exacerbated by the poor academic achievements of children from these communities. Underachievement
is the major issue and there is a high dropout rate at the secondary school levels.

Presently about 40% of Indian workers are Production Workers whereas only 15% remain as Aricultural Workers. Over the years significant portions of the Indian Community have been subject to such labour and social mobility

====================================
Best regards,
Kumaran RN

Dress-Changing Magic Trick.. Wow !

Hi,

The dress-changing magic trick.. this act that appeared in one of the segments of "America's Got Talent" show, is really impressive especially the last portion. Here it is.. enjoy :-



Best regards,

Kumaran RN

Hi,

I always wanted to upload this picture but forgot. Today I am publishing this picture in this blog. I was in Bangkok this year February (2009) with my wife for a holiday. On the first day when my wife (Mageswari) and I were travelling down an escalator in a shopping centre heading towards the food court, we bumped onto Dhanush and Aishwarya Dhanush. Dhanush, one of the famous current kollywood movie actor, is also the son-in-law of Superstar Rajinikanth. Aishwarya Dhanush - his wife - is the elder daughter of the Superstar.

What a surprise my wife and I had. Such big stars and yet such down-to-earth people both were. Nice and simple people. The photos themselves will tell. The first photo of me with a celebrity (kollywood actor).

We said hi and also asked for an autograph from both of them. They also obliged to pose for a picture with us. Here are the photos :-

Best regards,

Kumaran RN

Riverdance (Tap Dance)

Hi,

Tap dance is my next favourite dance after Bharathanaatiyam (Indian classical dance). I would like to share with you the following video which is my favourite tap dance sequence and it is entitled "Riverdance"... enjoy :-




Best regards.

Kumaran RN

An Interesting Article : The Folly of Indian Sri Lankan Policy

Hi,

I recently received, via email, an interesting article entitiled "The Folly of Indian Sri Lankan Policy" by KP Nayar. With the current attrocities and genocides happening in Sri Lanka where millions of Tamil people are suffering, this peice of articile gives an insight and background to the Rajiv Gandhi-era's Indian policies towards Sri Lanka. Rajiv Gandhi, the late husband of Sonia Gandhi, was former prime minister of India who was executed by a LTTE suicide bomber. The article is as follows :-

============================================

"India’s assistance to Sri Lanka to defeat the LTTE is not without
adverse consequences to its own security. It is a case of cutting the nose to spite the face. In addition to antagonising the Tamils on both sides of the straits, it has brought in China close to its southern flanks. Here is a thoughtful article from a Kerala journalist. Unlike M.K.Narayanan, Shiv Shankar Menon, Vijaya Nambiar and his brother Satish Nambiar, who is on Sri Lankan payroll, K.P.Nayar uses his brains more than his heart." - Visvanathan

REVENGE DRAMA
India will pay a heavy price for abdicating a Sri Lanka policy
Diplomacy - K.P. Nayar

The death of Velupillai Prabhakaran (still unconfirmed) brought back a flood of memories. If history is to determine the day when India’s pre-eminence in all of South Asia began its decline, it would be November 17, 1986. Prabhakaran, the founder of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, would be one of the characters who set in motion a process that brought about this decline. And if history is to fix the responsibility on a single individual for triggering the onset of that decline, it would be P. Chidambaram, who was then the naïve minister of state for internal security in Rajiv Gandhi’s government.

On November 17, 1986, the curtain rose on the second summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation in Bangalore. Prabhakaran was flown in by the Indian government from his LTTE base in Chennai in the hope that under Indian auspices, he would find a meeting ground with the high-level Sri Lankan delegation at the SAARC summit led by the then president, J.R. Jayewardene. A four-member team of Indian officials, led by the then minister of state for external affairs, Natwar Singh, burnt the midnight oil in an effort to persuade Prabhakaran to agree to what Jayewardene was offering the Tamils, at least half way. But Prabhakaran was adamant, and would agree to nothing. He was flown back to Chennai without the breakthrough that India wanted.

Rajiv Gandhi was still the highly motivated, hands-on prime minister who sought quick results. He had broken with his mother’s Sri Lanka policy and wanted to moderate, and gradually end, Indian support for the Tamils on the island. Rajiv was taken in by the glib talker that Jayewardene was. The consequences of how Jayewardene, the “fox” as he was known for his cunning, trapped Rajiv (often referred to as a cub) into getting India embroiled on the island through the Indian Peace Keeping Force are now history.

Rajiv was petulant that his efforts at mediation in Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict had been frustrated by Prabhakaran in Bangalore, according to conversations that this columnist has had with the dramatis personae of the IPKF saga then and over the years. This was the fourth time that the LTTE leader had stood steadfast against the government in Colombo and Rajiv’s new Sri Lanka policy: he had done it twice before in Thimpu, at meetings orchestrated by New Delhi, and once in Chennai.

It was then that Chidambaram, who was part of Rajiv’s inner circle, proceeded to transform his prime minister’s annoyance into action. To send Prabhakaran a message that he cannot get a free lunch from India, Chidambaram’s ministry directed the Tamil Nadu police to confiscate all the communication equipment at their bases in the state that the LTTE was using to contact its cadre in Sri Lanka. Prabhakaran proved to be more politically savvy than either Rajiv or Chidambaram. He went on a highly publicized fast in Chennai, which evoked much sympathy among Indian Tamils.

Caught unawares, Chidambaram then foolishly issued a statement that the seizure of the communication equipment by the Tamil Nadu police was done without consulting his ministry, which, in fact, had initiated the action, according to an account of the incident by J.N.Dixit, then India’s high commissioner in Colombo, in his book, Assignment Colombo.

It was at this point that M.G. Ramachandran, then chief minister of Tamil Nadu, proved that he was more than a match for both Rajiv and Chidambaram. He had gone along with the broad contours of Rajiv’s new Sri Lanka policy and cooperated with the young prime minister whom he liked. But Chidambaram’s statement blaming the Tamil Nadu police was a bolt from the blue. It had the potential of handing over a pro-Sri-Lankan-Tamil vote-bank in the southern state to MGR’s rival, M. Karunanidhi of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. MGR simply returned all the communication equipment his police had seized to the LTTE.

Prabhakaran realized after this incident that he could no longer rely on India if he were to expand his operations against Colombo. Within a month, he began moving his operational base out of Chennai to Jaffna, according to intelligence dossiers that this columnist has seen of that period. Gradually, India began to lose control and influence on the Tamil movement in Sri Lanka.

Would the history of southern South Asia have been different if India had not attempted to force Prabhakaran into compromises he was not yet willing to consider? Would Prabhakaran have been compelled to move to Jaffna and engage in desperate acts if Chidambaram had not initiated the seizure of his vital communications equipment? Would India then have had greater influence on Prabhakaran, and perhaps even prevented Rajiv’s assassination? The prospects for historians with one of the most fascinating periods of Tamil ethnic churning in South Asia are tantalizing indeed.

There is a remarkable account in Dixit’s book about the “viceroy” — as Dixit was known in Colombo — telling the Sri Lankan president that “India would not watch idly Tamil civilians being oppressed by Sri Lanka’s security forces in Jaffna or in the eastern province”. The account continues to the point where a high commissioner warns a head of state to “consider the implications” of his prime minister’s statement on Sri Lanka. Dixit reflected the pre-eminence that India always enjoyed not in Colombo alone, but in Kathmandu, Male, Thimpu and, to a lesser extent, in Dhaka and Kabul.

The next generation of Indians will only be able to look wistfully back on those glorious days when India was not just important in South Asia but the single most important factor in regional security and diplomacy. Once Rajiv decided that what he considered fair play was more important than realpolitik, there was no stopping the slide for Indian strategic interests, beginning in Sri Lanka and spreading elsewhere in South Asia. This columnist knows of a successor to Dixit having been made to wait in the ante-room of the Sri Lankan president’s office for four hours — despite having a confirmed appointment — before the president would see the high commissioner. The president was making a point. The high commissioner’s wait merely reflected the realities of India’s waning influence.

In 1986, India completely stopped all assistance to Tamil groups in Sri Lanka. But that did not help bring peace to the island. Nor did it increase goodwill for India, either from the Sinhalese or from the Tamils on the island. More important, it set in motion a process by which India’s foothold in Sri Lanka was first reduced to a toehold before even that was lost. In 1990, the former Mossad agent, Victor J. Ostrovsky, published a best-selling account of his years with the Israeli foreign intelligence agency, By Way of Deception: The Making and Unmaking of a Mossad Officer. The book has bizarre details of how Mossad simultaneously trained both the LTTE and the Sri Lankan army’s special forces.

Forced to the wall, once India stopped dealing with them at least five years before Rajiv was assassinated, the Sri Lankan Tamils took help from wherever they could get it. Many of the world’s notorious terrorist gangs aided the LTTE in return for money or for other quid pro quo. At the same time, the Sinhalese turned to the Pakistanis for arms and for training for the Sri Lankan army.

In recent years, led by the national security adviser, M.K. Narayanan, revenge became a substitute for India’s Sri Lanka policy: revenge for Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination, revenge against Sri Lankan Tamils for exposing and getting the better of the Intelligence Bureau during the years when Narayanan led it, revenge for the successful penetration of the Research and Analysis Wing, the external intelligence agency, whose plans for Sri Lanka were known on the island and in Washington even before the prime minister’s office on Raisina Hill was briefed about them.

In the coming years, India will have to pay a heavy price for having abdicated any semblance of a Sri Lanka policy. China, which helped fund and train the effort to defeat the LTTE more than anyone else, will soon get its proverbial pound of flesh when it completes the construction of a billion-dollar port in the Sri Lankan fishing spot of Hambantota which will be used to service and refuel Chinese naval operations in the Indian Ocean. Of more immediate concern for Narayanan’s successor, however, will be the task of dealing with Sri Lankan Tamil refugees who are certain to flock to India once Colombo begins colonizing former Tamil areas, now that the LTTE has been eliminated.

This is what Nayar has to say about Indian political bungling in Sri Lanka. It is well known fact that India was the architect of Sri Lankan armed forces performance against the LTTE. India trained the Sri Lankan forces, armed them, supplied aerial and sea surveillance. Are the Sinhalese grateful to India for this? Please have a taste of Sinhalese gratitude.

JHU PAYS TRIBUTE TO RUSSIA FOR SUPPORTING WAR AGAINST LTTE
[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 May 2009, 09:00 GMT]

Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), the Buddhist monk political party of the ruling United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government of Sri Lanka paid tribute to Russia Tuesday for the support it extended to the Government of Sri Lanka by supplying arms and technical advice in defeating the LTTE and also for extending its support in the UN.

JHU members including several Buddhist monks went in procession to the Russian Embassy in Colombo to show their solidarity with the Government of Russia. JHU General Secretary Venerable Omalpe Sobitha Thera presented a plaque to the Russian Ambassador in Sri Lanka, Veadmior Mahailov.

With China already having a strong hold on Sri Lanka, how much longer it would take for the Sinhalese to turn against the Indians. God save Sonia and M.K.Narayanan.

============================================

Best regards.

Kumaran RN

A Must-See, Touching International Award-Winning Short-Film : "Chicken Ala Carte"

Hi,

Recently I watched a very touching international award-winning short-film by Ferdinand Dimadura entitled "Chicken Ala Carte". This must be shown to all school-going children and also the adults in Singapore and all over the world. Someone's half-eaten food is someone else's meal for the day. Hope a day will come when all people in the world will be able to enjoy at least 3 decent meals a day, especially the children. I pray for that day to come. In the mean time, here is the film for you to watch too :-



Best regards.

Kumaran RN

Suggestion to Eradicate the Sufferings of Tamils in Srilanka

Vanakam Nanbargale (Friends),

As we are aware of the great suffering of the Tamils in Srilanka for a very long time now and this time being more worse than before. The atrocities they have been facing are indescribable too. The civil war and racial discriminations happening in Srilanka has gone beyond the limit and it appears that the government is not bothered at all by the various efforts and protests by the Tamils around the globe.

I would like to suggest the following to eradicate these suffering and it will only work if the Tamil in the world get together :-

·All these are happening all because we Tamil people do not have a land for ourselves to call as a country. We only have a state in India and even if the state wants to accept all the Tamils of Srilanka or any other parts of the world as citizens instead of refugees, the central government may not agree to it. So, the solution that I can think of is to :-

* Form a protem Tamil government/committee.

* Identify and purchase an island (as big as Singapore or bigger than Singapore)
* I am sure all Tamils around the world will contribute an amount
they can for this purchase.
* If any country is willing to donate an island without any
obligations, then that will be better too.

* Give a name for the island and register/seek recognition of it as a
country by the United Nations.

* The protem government/committee should draw out the constitution and have some foreign advisors like the former prime-minister and current Minister Mentor (Singapore) Mr Lee Kwan Yew.

* Seek the help of the United Nations, countries and NGOs to setup the basic amenities for the country to function :-
* Water (deslination plants, etc)
* Food
* Medication
* Hospitals
* Homes/Shelters
* Defense, Civil and police forces
* Infrastructure development (telecommunication, road networks, public
transportation, etc)

* Seek the help of the various countries for investments.

* The people of the new country which will truly be a Tamil Naadu must
get together and work together and hard for the development and
progress of the country and people.

If Japan (after World War II) and Singapore (after its independence in 1964) can do it, so can this new country.

This I truly will help the Tamils not only of those in Srilanka but those around the world.

A country to call their own (Tamil Naadu). A country that accepts any Tamilian from any country as its resident. A country with rich Tamil culture and traditions.

All these will only be possible if the Tamils around the world get together and ACT instead of just talk.

Ondru pattaal undu vaazhvu.

Kumaran RN

Interesting Video 4 : Music Video by a Tamil Malaysian Group

Hi,

As compared to Singapore, the entertainers, especially the musicians (singers, music composers, etc) appear to be more talented. This particular song (the video and also the song really captured my attention. This song talks about the situation the Tamilians/Indians in Malaysia were facing which prompted the production of this song especially those at the middle-class level and below. Quite a thought provoking song. I like the catchy tune and especially the mixing of the yesteryear hit "Nallavar Sollai Naam Kaetpom (let us listen to the good/great people)" which was sung by the yesteryear kollywood actress J.Jayalalitha (who was also once a chief minister of Tamil Nadu and still working hard to get that post again).



Best regards.

Kumaran RN

Interesting Video 3 : The Full Version of Martin Luther King Jr's "I Have A Dream" Speech

Hi,

I really enjoyed this inspirational and thought provoking legendary speech by the great Martin Luther King Jr. This is the full version of the speech :-




Best regards

Kumaran RN

An Interesting Video 2 : My First Short Film "Sila Vagupugalil Sila Maanavargal"

Hi,

The following is is first short film entitled (in Tamil) "Sila Vagupugalil Sila Maanavargal" which translates, "Some Students in Some Classes".

The happenings that you will see in the video are a mix or real-life and imagination.

Enjoy viewing :-




Best regards.

Kumaran RN

An Interesting Video 1 : "Singapore : Crossroards of the East 1938"

Hi,

I came across this historic video in the news recently and thought of sharing it here with you :-




Best regards.

Kumaran RN

"Can't" : By Edgar A. Guest

Hi,

The following poem was emailed to me recently and I wanted to share it here :-

*********************************************************
Can't : By Edgar A. Guest

Can't is the worst word that's written or spoken;
Doing more harm here than slander and lies;
On it is many a strong spirit broken,
And with it a good purpose dies.
It springs from the lips of the thoughtless each morning
And robs us of courage we need through the day:
It rings in our ears like a timely set warning
And laughs when we falter and fall by the way.

Can't is the father of feeble endeavour,
The parent of terror and half hearted work;
It weakens the efforts of artisans clever,
And makes of the toiler an indolent shirk.
It poisons the soul of the man with a vision,
It stifles in infancy many a plan;
It greets honesty toiling with open derision
And mocks at the hopes and dreams of a man.

Can't is a word none should speak without blushing;
To utter it should be a symbol of shame;
Ambition and courage it daily is crushing;
It blights a man's purpose and shortens his aim.
Despise it with all of hatred of error;
Refuse it the lodgement it seeks in your brain;
Arm against it as a creature of terror,
And all that you dream of you someday shall gain.

Can't is the word that is foe to ambition,
An enemy ambushed to shatter your will;
Its prey is forever the man with a mission
And bows to courage and patience and skill.
Hate it, with hatred that's deep and undying,
For once it is welcomed 'twill break any man;
Whatever the goal you are seeking, keep trying
ans answer this demon by saying: 'I Can.'
********************************************************

Best regards,
Kumaran RN

A Thought Provoking Email

Hi,

A couple of days ago, I received a thought provoking email from some contacts of mine. It was written by a muslim friend. I feel many of the points are agreeable and the gist of the email applies not only to the followers of islam but also the other religions in which terrorists exists. We should understand that all religions int he world are not advocates of terrorism but they preach peace, understanding and tolerance. Terrorism is the result of the abuse of politics by an individual or a groups of people for his/her or their personal gains that maybe power and/or wealth.

Let us all re-look at our belief systems, our religions and condemn all acts of terrorism and preach peace, tolerance and understanding among fellow human beings regardless or who they maybe. Hope the relevant religious and government authorities in the world start to put this into action right away. When there is a will, there is a way.

God is Love, Love is God :)

Just my thoughts and views.

Here is the email for your thought :-
=============================================
Date : 18 March 2009

From the heart of a Muslim --- Tawfik Hamid

I was born a Muslim and lived all my life as a follower of Islam. After
the barbaric terrorist attacks done by the hands of my fellow Muslims
everywhere on this globe, and after the too many violent acts by
Islamists in many parts of the world, I feel responsible as a Muslim
and as a human being, to speak out and tell the truth to protect the
world and Muslims as well from a coming catastrophe and war of
civilizations.

I have to admit that our current Islamic teaching creates violence
and hatred toward Non-Muslims. We Muslims are the ones who need to
change. Until now we have accepted polygamy, the beating of women by
men, and killing those who convert from Islam to other religions. We
have never had a clear and strong stand against the concept of slavery
or wars, to spread our religion and to subjugate others to Islam and
force them to pay a umiliating tax called Jizia. We ask others to
respect our religion while all the time we curse non-Muslims loudly (in
Arabic) in our Friday prayers in the Mosques.

What message do we convey to our children when we call the Jews
"Descendants of the pigs and monkeys". Is this a message of love and
peace, or a message of hate?

I have been into churches and synagogues where they were praying for
Muslims. While all the time we curse them, and teach our generations to
call them infidels, and to hate them.

We immediately jump in a 'knee jerk reflex' to defend Prophet Mohammed
when someone accuses him of being a pedophile while, at the same time,
we are proud with the story in our Islamic books, that he married a
young girl seven years old (Aisha) when he was above 50 years old.

I am sad to say that many, if not most of us, rejoiced in happiness
after September 11th and after many other terror attacks. Muslims
denounce these attacks to look good in front of the media, but we
condone the Islamic terrorists and sympathise with their cause. Till now
our 'reputable' top religious authorities have never issued a Fatwa or
religious statement to proclaim Bin Laden as an apostate, while an
author, like Rushdie, was declared an apostate who should be killed
according to Islamic Shariia law just for writing a book criticizing
Islam.

Muslims demonstrated to get more religious rights as we did in
France to stop the ban on the Hejab (Head Scarf), while we did not
demonstrate with such passion and in such numbers against the terrorist
murders.... WHY???

It is our absolute silence against the terrorists that gives the energy
to these terrorists to continue doing their evil acts. We Muslims need
to stop blaming our problems on others or on the
Israeli/Palestinian conflict. As a matter of honesty, Israel is the only
light of democracy, civilization, and human rights in the whole Middle
East .

We kicked out the Jews with no compensation or mercy from
most of the Arab countries to make them "Jews-Free countries"
while Israel accepted more than a million Arabs to live there, have
its nationality, and enjoy their rights as human beings. In Israel ,
women can not be beaten legally by men, and any person can change
his/her belief system with no fear of being killed by the Islamic law of
'Apostasy', while in our Islamic world people do not enjoy any of these
rights. I agree that the 'Palestinians' suffer, but they suffer because
of their corrupt leaders and not because of Israel .

It is not common to see Arabs who live in Israel leaving to live
in the Arab world. On the other hand, we used to see thousands of
Palestinians going to work with happiness in Israel, its 'enemy'. If
Israel treats Arabs badly as some people claim, surely we would
have seen the opposite happening... Right?

We Muslims need to admit our problems and face them. Only then we can
treat them and start a new era to live in harmony with human mankind.
Our religious leaders have to show a clear and very strong stand against
polygamy, pedophilia, slavery, killing those who convert from Islam to
other religions, beating of women by men and declaring wars on
non-Muslims to spread Islam.

Then, and only then, do we have the right to ask others to respect
our religion. The time has come to stop our hypocrisy and say
it openly: 'We Muslims have to Change'.

- Tawfik Hamid -
==================================

New Year (2009) New Hope

Hi,

I am writing my thoughts more than a month after the year began is not on purpose. It was just that I was busy with work and the reading of the various news about the happenings on the current economic crisis around the world.

Still, I decided to go on a honeymoon trip to Bangkok that my wife Mageswari and I wanted to go since our wedding three years ago but was not able to due to various personal, financial and work-related reasons.

It was good timing - economic downturn, the drastic drop in the crude oil price, tourism being down in Thailand due to the long political protest that crippled the Suvarnabumi airport. These lead to competitive prices and bargains.

It was a 4 days and 3 nights trip. We stayed in Arnoma Hotel which is located at the heart of the Bangkok city and surrounded by many shopping complexes and of course the famous Pratinam Market which is a haven for the bargain hunters.

Although my wife have travels yearly with her teacher collegues (organised by her childcare centre principal), it was her first time to Bangkok. It was my first overseas trip via flight (after a 12-year gap) and also to Bangkok.

The city, overall left a good impression in my mind. It was clean, the people were friendly, the city was vibrant. We did go for some sightseeing : floating market, Chaophrya River and the temple along it, cobra show, elephant ride, and woodcarving centre. The jam during the peak hours, especially mornings, noons and evenings were bad, but the drivers were many times more skillful than Singapore drivers. For the four days I stayed, I did not encounter a single vehicle accident in the roads. In Singapore, every three or four hours there will be one vehicle accident.

There were many shrines placed all over the city especially infront of the houses, and buildings and they were well-maintained. The city was clean too.

ANother thing that impressed me was the Thai people's patriotism and national pride. On the second day at about 6.30pm (Bangkok time), the Thai national anthem was played out of nowhere and suddenly the whole city froze and people stood up with respect. We too stood still. I observed the people's faces and the pride and joy that appeared on their faced while listening to their national song increased my respect for the Thai people. I was just wondering if Mahjula Singapora was played in Singapore on an evening (during peak hours) will the people of Singapore stand up and freeze like the Thais ? I doubt even the national servicemen will stand up and freeze with pride and joy. Will the MPs and Ministers stand up and freeze ? May or may not, but that will be interesting to see. Unless the Singaporeans were offered goodybags, lucky draws or a law or campaign is imposed, they will not bother about giving respect to the national anthem. Of course not all people are like that. There will be Singaporean who will stand up for the national anthem with pride and joy.but how many will that be ?

Will I be one of those few ? Yes, of course. It is my nation and I have to lead my example for the younger generation before I comment, and I was raised such. Thanks to my parents, teachers and guides.

Moving away from that, I think, even though our country is in the first world status, our people (especially many in the majority race) got more to learn from the Thais. I am not being racist here but just being frank and factual. The business-like competitive environment that has created the image of a concrete jungle with the people forced to compete for money (the survival of the fittest syndrome) for a living have created such bad attitudes in many people. I think we need to loosen up abit and adjust our mindset to be abit more cultured. We need to be a more caring society. The heartware need to be built and nurtured without the need for campaigns and laws to abide by. The adults need to be set the right examples, especially those in the important positions in the society. We need to get rid of the handing out of the goody bags and luckydraws.

That was how much the trip opened my eyes.

Good trip with of course good shopping too :)

Just wanted to share my thoughts and views.

Best regards.

Kumaran RN