Where are you at these days Bahari?
Not exactly where i want to be, but there are times when one has to be in places that is not exactly where one desire simply because there are other circumstances that require one's attention or assistance involving those one cares for; like one's children. Taking care of the matters closer to home that needs attention no matter how small is a must if one is to take care of the world. The world does not need someone who cannot do the laundry or take his daughter to work every now and then to help heal itself. It is in the small things, handling the small stuff and solving the petty matters that makes one to become a world leader. Being a world leader does not need to mean that one is the President or the CEO or the Captain of any enterprise in this case it simply means one leads in one's own capacity. You become a leader when others look up to you with respect, trust and gratitude.
Presidents, Kings, CEOs and such are leaders by virtue of being selected, elected and promoted but not necessarily leaders in the trues sense of the word leader and some may even make for the worse kind of leaders that the world can do without. Natural born leaders are those that arrive in the leadership position by virtue of simply being capable of earning the the respect and trust of his fellow man like the Prophet of Allah or like Jesus or the Buddha, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela and those like them. For the lay man, leaders are those whose presence give a sense of comfort and security, who radiates calm and even dignity about themselves. I do not feel like any of these of late and as a matter of fact i feel like my little needy self again, drifting in limbo from here to there with no sense of self confidence. Still looking for something, seeking something, needing something; what, I don't really have a clue anymore!
Perhaps this is how it is meant to be, as you get older the lows out number the highs in one's life as every minute that passes becomes more and more time gone by that will never be redeemed and every time you look in the mirror your facial hairs keeps reminding you of the times that were. It is a bonus to have lived till the age of 66 without any major health hazards incurred, while mentally still able to write, paint and think up nonsensical issues to keep passing the time productively. The eyes are beginning to fade and the body is slowly giving way to aches and pains like never before experienced especially in the shortness of breath with every slight exertion. There is a sense of lack of energy and the will to get up and go to get things done and not to mention the feeling not motivated to do what needs to be done. All said and done, where I am at lately is where I thought I would never be but i am drifting towards what most would call getting old and cranky.
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Monday, December 14, 2015
Capturing the Moment....
| It takes some doing to be able to sit and sketch a whole Chinese family having dinner out. I takes a whole lot of curiosity to hand around a strange old fart doing doping his thing. |
| Yes nothing attracts children better than drawing, forget the food! |
| Yes I know, when you grow up you too wanna be and artist, right? |
| Okay, you get to keep the drawing since you know who all the characters in it are. |
| Yes you can be or do what you want in life, a Hotel Staff one day and a burger flipping lady the next, why not? |
| At the Sungai Pinanag Food Court while assisting my daughter selling burgers. |
Thursday, December 10, 2015
'Just Do It!'
If you truly love your country protect your land and its resources. Do not become a part of the problem but become the guardian that you are supposed to be as written in most sacred text for mankind. It is as simple as that failing which you are nothing but a hypocrite if you insist that you are patriotic and willing to die for your country. The earth needs our protection and its never too late for us to heal whatever that has been subjected to it by human ignorance and hubris. The fact that we came out of it and will return to it in the physical sense should be a a good reminder for us all that we owe it to ourselves if not the future generations to keep this planet that is our only place of habitat in good form for as long as we can. It may sound naive and simplistic but it is the simple truth that cannot be denied and deny it at our own peril sooner than later. The voices of concern from the scientific and research institutes internationally are calling out to us to wake up before it is too late to the fact that our planet is in peril. The fact that we are digging our own funeral at a steady pace is as clearly spelled out as could ever be and only the few are taking any cause for concern over these facts; like Climate change is real and happening.
Hollywood movies has done a very good job at desensitizing our younger generations from being freaked out by future cataclysmic events through their almost realistic depiction of Earth quakes and Tsunamis, tornadoes and volcanic eruptions. Cities and landscapes are shown upended while skyscrapers are wiped out and yet some survived as in all movies to live and tell the tales. We are lulled into false pretenses over what can happen or will happen but just as we become desensitized with wars and violence through movies we become complacent in natural disasters too; it will never happen to us, not in our time and if it does, oh well.
What can i do? How do i go about getting my hands dirty in order that I may heal the very soil that has been contaminated by years of abuse and apathy. How can i help to clean the rivers or the drains in front of my home? How? The answer is right there in the very act of asking the question, just do it as 'Nike' the brand slogan said it, 'Just Do It!. Star with not polluting or being conscientious in how we dispose off our garbage and the amount of water we use or the conservation of fuel in our need to use our vehicles or not to. Reduction of wastage and recycling of discarded items, all these simple acts of conservation helps more than we really know. Educate our young with mindfulness and awareness of the environmental use and abuse. Give if and when you can afford towards those institutions that strive to work towards environmental conservation, if not financially make it in the form of voluntary work. Become leaders in leading groups to take on the various aspects of environmentally friendly activities, such as growing trees or cleaning up rivers etc.... in short 'Just do it'.
Hollywood movies has done a very good job at desensitizing our younger generations from being freaked out by future cataclysmic events through their almost realistic depiction of Earth quakes and Tsunamis, tornadoes and volcanic eruptions. Cities and landscapes are shown upended while skyscrapers are wiped out and yet some survived as in all movies to live and tell the tales. We are lulled into false pretenses over what can happen or will happen but just as we become desensitized with wars and violence through movies we become complacent in natural disasters too; it will never happen to us, not in our time and if it does, oh well.
What can i do? How do i go about getting my hands dirty in order that I may heal the very soil that has been contaminated by years of abuse and apathy. How can i help to clean the rivers or the drains in front of my home? How? The answer is right there in the very act of asking the question, just do it as 'Nike' the brand slogan said it, 'Just Do It!. Star with not polluting or being conscientious in how we dispose off our garbage and the amount of water we use or the conservation of fuel in our need to use our vehicles or not to. Reduction of wastage and recycling of discarded items, all these simple acts of conservation helps more than we really know. Educate our young with mindfulness and awareness of the environmental use and abuse. Give if and when you can afford towards those institutions that strive to work towards environmental conservation, if not financially make it in the form of voluntary work. Become leaders in leading groups to take on the various aspects of environmentally friendly activities, such as growing trees or cleaning up rivers etc.... in short 'Just do it'.
Time for Retribution for Monsanto.
Several activist groups joined by food and farming experts are suing Monsanto for their crimes against humanity. Finally, Monsanto, the US-based, transnational company responsible for introducing multiple genetically modified crops and numerous toxic chemicals into our environment – including saccharin, aspartame, polystyrene, DDT, dioxin, Agent Orange, petroleum based fertilizers, recombinant bovine growth hormones (rGBH), Round Up (glyphosate), Lasso (an herbicide used in Europe), Bt toxic plants, and more – will have to answer to the world for its reign of terror. Monsanto has acted with severe negligence, and the hubris and supremacy of a corporation given personhood, but no longer. The Organic Consumers Association (OCA), IFOAM International Organics, Navdanya, Regeneration International (RI), and Millions Against Monsanto, along with dozens of global food, farming, and environmental justice groups announced at the United Nations conference held recently in Paris that an international court of lawyers and judges will assess Monsanto’s criminal liability for their atrocious acts. The court, in The Hague, Netherlands, will use the UN’s ‘Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights’ developed in 2011 to assess damages for Monsanto’s acts against human life and the environment. The court will also rely on the Rome Statute that created the International Criminal Court in The Hague in 2002, and it will consider whether to reform international criminal law to include crimes against the environment, or ecocide, as a prosecutable criminal offense. This International Criminal Court, established in 2002 in The Hague, has determined that prosecuting ecocide as a criminal offense is the only way to guarantee the rights of humans to a healthy environment and the right of nature to be protected. The proceedings will take place on World Food Day, October 16, 2016 ( via naturalsociety.com ). READ MORE: http://www.disclose.tv/news/finally_monsanto_going_to_trial_for_crimes_against_humanity/125368?utm_content=bufferf3043&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer
Wednesday, December 09, 2015
Faith in Allah is holding them together.
There was a time when I read of the Buddha's teaching that made a whole lot of sense in relationship to being detached from the world and its tribulations. The Gautama Buddha was said to have said that, "One has to live in this world as though one is plucking a lotus from the pond and not getting the fingers wet." That is like one is aware of what is happening but is not affected by what is happening. well at least not in the negative sense, my add. Sure it is a living hell in Syria right at this moment with all the brutality that man is inflicting upon his fellow man and there is little that i can do at my age and even if i can i have in all truth no idea who to fight or where i can get myself involved in other than pick up a wounded child or a assist in moving the injured to safety, that is what the Red Crecent or Red Cross is doing. I am very angry as a man at what is going on if not ashamed of being called a human being when I see what is happening around the world but I know i would most probably be right in the middle of it all if i were there myself kicking and killing those i consider my enemy or a threat to me too.
Gautama also went on to say, "May we exist with the purity of a lotus in muddy waters." Despite all that is going on that is negative it is still our duty to make the best of our own lives like growing out of the bottom of the pond filled with rotting debris and mud to bloom with purity of the lotus flower. I am fully aware that i am existing in a screwed up world that is bound and determined to self destruction but it is still my duty or my call to shine through it all as a witness that through it all Love still prevails and where there is Love and Compassion there is still beauty in existence. As a man i bear witness towards the atrocities man has inflicted upon his fellow man for whatever the reason and wherever the place or country today and I will stand before my Maker on this, but as a man it is also my duty to share Love and Happiness with all those around me so as to help in some small way to fan the cool breeze of Love and Hope among them, This is my small contribution towards healing an already sick planet while also heal my sick heart.
It seems like there is no turning back for mankind than to fulfill his own destiny of bringing self annihilation upon himself and the beautiful Planet hat he was supposed to have been assigned to care for. It is like the Titanic drifting toward the iceberg for her final countdown while the passengers were unaware and having a good time on board. The captain and her crew could only stand and watch as she slide towards her watery grave and this is how i feel about the state of our world. I can moan and groan and cry out foul, but it will do no good. Instead i will just sing and dance that the children around me will not feel what i feel deep within me. I will pluck the lotus and not get my fingers wet in the process and I will continue on to exist in the best of possible ways that will benefit others for the sake of all till I die.
This life to the Buddha is only fleeting and everything in it is Maya or Illusion, we live and die according to our karma for that what we sow so shall we reap. Perhaps it is my Karma that i was born n this country and has been spared many a bad turns as i grew up like not having to experience war or starvation just as perhaps it is the Karma of the children of Syria and many other countries today suffering the scourge of wars and starvation to have been born in such an environment. who is to say? I am a Muslim and as such I am very disturbed that this is happening and Allah is not doing much about it, but I have to accept in faith the He knows fully well what He is doing. As i watched all the horrors that is being posted on You Tube I keep hearing the victims screaming His name and glorify Him despite their suffering and from this i feel small when in comparison to their faith. Who or What would they call out to after witnessing their children being butchered and homes destroyed if they had no faith at all?
Sadly enough, when one looks back in history one ask, who cried for the Native Americans when their lives were thrown into hell by the Whiteman? Or who cried for the six million Jews who were roasted by Nazi Germany? This is national karma that every nation is paying their dues back in one form or another ...from the Buddha's perspective.
Gautama also went on to say, "May we exist with the purity of a lotus in muddy waters." Despite all that is going on that is negative it is still our duty to make the best of our own lives like growing out of the bottom of the pond filled with rotting debris and mud to bloom with purity of the lotus flower. I am fully aware that i am existing in a screwed up world that is bound and determined to self destruction but it is still my duty or my call to shine through it all as a witness that through it all Love still prevails and where there is Love and Compassion there is still beauty in existence. As a man i bear witness towards the atrocities man has inflicted upon his fellow man for whatever the reason and wherever the place or country today and I will stand before my Maker on this, but as a man it is also my duty to share Love and Happiness with all those around me so as to help in some small way to fan the cool breeze of Love and Hope among them, This is my small contribution towards healing an already sick planet while also heal my sick heart.
It seems like there is no turning back for mankind than to fulfill his own destiny of bringing self annihilation upon himself and the beautiful Planet hat he was supposed to have been assigned to care for. It is like the Titanic drifting toward the iceberg for her final countdown while the passengers were unaware and having a good time on board. The captain and her crew could only stand and watch as she slide towards her watery grave and this is how i feel about the state of our world. I can moan and groan and cry out foul, but it will do no good. Instead i will just sing and dance that the children around me will not feel what i feel deep within me. I will pluck the lotus and not get my fingers wet in the process and I will continue on to exist in the best of possible ways that will benefit others for the sake of all till I die.
This life to the Buddha is only fleeting and everything in it is Maya or Illusion, we live and die according to our karma for that what we sow so shall we reap. Perhaps it is my Karma that i was born n this country and has been spared many a bad turns as i grew up like not having to experience war or starvation just as perhaps it is the Karma of the children of Syria and many other countries today suffering the scourge of wars and starvation to have been born in such an environment. who is to say? I am a Muslim and as such I am very disturbed that this is happening and Allah is not doing much about it, but I have to accept in faith the He knows fully well what He is doing. As i watched all the horrors that is being posted on You Tube I keep hearing the victims screaming His name and glorify Him despite their suffering and from this i feel small when in comparison to their faith. Who or What would they call out to after witnessing their children being butchered and homes destroyed if they had no faith at all?
Sadly enough, when one looks back in history one ask, who cried for the Native Americans when their lives were thrown into hell by the Whiteman? Or who cried for the six million Jews who were roasted by Nazi Germany? This is national karma that every nation is paying their dues back in one form or another ...from the Buddha's perspective.
Tuesday, December 08, 2015
Join Us in returning to the Wild and the Organic.
LOOK AT WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO MY sONG ,MA!
I wish to continue on writing, but my mind is being occupied by so much negative pieces of news that i am almost choked from wanting to do it anymore even if it meant giving up this whole process of 'self healing', 'self discovery' effort that has taken so much of my time for so long since it began. Very early this morning sometime at three or four, my son who was at the computer said to me, look at this dad and he showed me a clip where a man was being accosted for attacking with a knife and hurting some people in the subway in London. AS the bobbies brought him down I can hear someone repeating, "You are not a Muslim Bro.!" Off course, CNN News claims that the man had said this was for Syria, and this whole episode was dubbed a terror act before the thing was even over.
"We are dealing with a criminal undertaking at a global level … and there is an ongoing war, it is led by the United States, it may be carried out by a number of proxy countries, which are obeying orders from Washington …The global war on terrorism is a US undertaking, which is fake, it’s based on fake premises. It tells us that somehow America and the Western world are going after a fictitious enemy, the Islamic state, when in fact the Islamic state is fully supported and financed by the Western military alliance and America’s allies in the Persian Gulf. …They say Muslims are terrorists, but it just so happens that terrorists are made in America. They’re not the product of Muslim society, and that should be abundantly clear to everyone on this floor. …The global war on terrorism is a fabrication, a big lie and a crime against humanity.” (source) (source) – Dr. Michel Choissudovsky, Canadian Economist & Ottawa’s Professor of Economics
Now every country that has an arsenal or war machines wants to bomb Syria just like the Russians are doing and they claim it is to wipe out ISIS, hence screw collateral damages like the men, women and children whose whose homes are already in shambles or whatever is left of them in the streets of Syria. The warmongers are having a field day and there is none that can check them. Russia is up in arms ready to turn on Turkey for shooting down one of its war plane and the Turks turns up in mass demonstration in support of their leader willing to take on the Bear from the North. In the United States, the 'Implosion' syndrome is gathering momentum as more and more police brutality and random shootings are happening all across the nation of unsatisfied citizens.
The Pentagon have admitted that they are concerned that widespread civil unrest will hit U.S. streets in the very near future. The Department of Defense have begun funding universities to research the areas in society that are likely to breakdown and the risks that would come with a breakdown of society at large. Anonhq.com reports: READ MORE:
At home the ruling power has managed to establish itself with a stronger hold on the nation's well being by passing the law allowing for the National Safety Council to be implemented giving the Prime Minister an almost dictatorial power to perform his duties.
The gory details of violence inflicted by man on his fellow man and not to mention the environment has filled the Face Book postings just as much as the food postings. It is a very depressing world we live in, yet my niece in Balik Pulau, who is raising her three kids by herself because her husband died not too long ago is still optimistic and had me tried her first time made spaghetti when I visited her yesterday. Her youngest son, not yet one year old had one of his fingers smashed in a door jam and the trauma in dealing with that in itself must have been agonizing for her, but she was optimistic. The rising cost of living like the prices of milk and diapers has become a part of her daily worry and the fact that they out in the middle of the rice field with no neighbors around and being haunted by a group of wild monkeys is an added challenge.
I can go on rambling all day with more negative issues that is going on in and round the country but what is the use? What good does it do to keep telling yourself that you, the one person can make a difference when in reality shit is hitting the fan all over and there is little if not anything that you can do,(except remove yourself from the equation).
"We are dealing with a criminal undertaking at a global level … and there is an ongoing war, it is led by the United States, it may be carried out by a number of proxy countries, which are obeying orders from Washington …The global war on terrorism is a US undertaking, which is fake, it’s based on fake premises. It tells us that somehow America and the Western world are going after a fictitious enemy, the Islamic state, when in fact the Islamic state is fully supported and financed by the Western military alliance and America’s allies in the Persian Gulf. …They say Muslims are terrorists, but it just so happens that terrorists are made in America. They’re not the product of Muslim society, and that should be abundantly clear to everyone on this floor. …The global war on terrorism is a fabrication, a big lie and a crime against humanity.” (source) (source) – Dr. Michel Choissudovsky, Canadian Economist & Ottawa’s Professor of Economics
Now every country that has an arsenal or war machines wants to bomb Syria just like the Russians are doing and they claim it is to wipe out ISIS, hence screw collateral damages like the men, women and children whose whose homes are already in shambles or whatever is left of them in the streets of Syria. The warmongers are having a field day and there is none that can check them. Russia is up in arms ready to turn on Turkey for shooting down one of its war plane and the Turks turns up in mass demonstration in support of their leader willing to take on the Bear from the North. In the United States, the 'Implosion' syndrome is gathering momentum as more and more police brutality and random shootings are happening all across the nation of unsatisfied citizens.
The Pentagon have admitted that they are concerned that widespread civil unrest will hit U.S. streets in the very near future. The Department of Defense have begun funding universities to research the areas in society that are likely to breakdown and the risks that would come with a breakdown of society at large. Anonhq.com reports: READ MORE:
At home the ruling power has managed to establish itself with a stronger hold on the nation's well being by passing the law allowing for the National Safety Council to be implemented giving the Prime Minister an almost dictatorial power to perform his duties.
The gory details of violence inflicted by man on his fellow man and not to mention the environment has filled the Face Book postings just as much as the food postings. It is a very depressing world we live in, yet my niece in Balik Pulau, who is raising her three kids by herself because her husband died not too long ago is still optimistic and had me tried her first time made spaghetti when I visited her yesterday. Her youngest son, not yet one year old had one of his fingers smashed in a door jam and the trauma in dealing with that in itself must have been agonizing for her, but she was optimistic. The rising cost of living like the prices of milk and diapers has become a part of her daily worry and the fact that they out in the middle of the rice field with no neighbors around and being haunted by a group of wild monkeys is an added challenge.
I can go on rambling all day with more negative issues that is going on in and round the country but what is the use? What good does it do to keep telling yourself that you, the one person can make a difference when in reality shit is hitting the fan all over and there is little if not anything that you can do,(except remove yourself from the equation).
Monday, December 07, 2015
But. there is still hope for humanity.
This incredible story is from a flight attendant on Delta Flight 15:
On the morning of Tuesday, September 11, we were about 5 hours out of Frankfurt, flying over the North Atlantic.
All of a sudden the curtains parted and I was told to go to the cockpit, immediately, to see the captain.
As soon as I got there I noticed that the crew had that “All Business” look on their faces. The captain handed me a printed message. It was from Delta’s main office in Atlanta and simply read, “All airways over the Continental United States are closed to commercial air traffic. Land ASAP at the nearest airport. Advise your destination.”
No one said a word about what this could mean. We knew it was a serious situation and we needed to find terra firma quickly. The captain determined that the nearest airport was 400 miles behind us in Gander, Newfoundland.
He requested approval for a route change from the Canadian traffic controller and approval was granted immediately — no questions asked. We found out later, of course, why there was no hesitation in approving our request.
While the flight crew prepared the airplane for landing, another message arrived from Atlanta telling us about some terrorist activity in the New York area. A few minutes later word came in about the hijackings.
We decided to LIE to the passengers while we were still in the air. We told them the plane had a simple instrument problem and that we needed to land at the nearest airport in Gander, Newfoundland, to have it checked out.
We promised to give more information after landing in Gander. There was much grumbling among the passengers, but that’s nothing new! Forty minutes later, we landed in Gander. Local time at Gander was 12:30 PM …. that’s 11:00 AM EST.
There were already about 20 other airplanes on the ground from all over the world that had taken this detour on their way to the US.
After we parked on the ramp, the captain made the following announcement: “Ladies and gentlemen, you must be wondering if all these airplanes around us have the same instrument problem as we have. The reality is that we are here for another reason.”
Then he went on to explain the little bit we knew about the situation in the US. There were loud gasps and stares of disbelief. The captain informed passengers that Ground control in Gander told us to stay put.
The Canadian Government was in charge of our situation and no one was allowed to get off the aircraft. No one on the ground was allowed to come near any of the air crafts. Only airport police would come around periodically, look us over and go on to the next airplane.
In the next hour or so more planes landed and Gander ended up with 53 airplanes from all over the world, 27 of which were US commercial jets.
Meanwhile, bits of news started to come in over the aircraft radio and for the first time we learned that airplanes were flown into the World Trade Center in New York and into the Pentagon in DC.
People were trying to use their cell phones, but were unable to connect due to a different cell system in Canada . Some did get through, but were only able to get to the Canadian operator who would tell them that the lines to the U.S. were either blocked or jammed.
Sometime in the evening the news filtered to us that the World Trade Center buildings had collapsed and that a fourth hijacking had resulted in a crash. By now the passengers were emotionally and physically exhausted, not to mention frightened, but everyone stayed amazingly calm.
We had only to look out the window at the 52 other stranded aircraft to realize that we were not the only ones in this predicament.
We had been told earlier that they would be allowing people off the planes one plane at a time. At 6 PM, Gander airport told us that our turn to deplane would be 11 am the next morning.
Passengers were not happy, but they simply resigned themselves to this news without much noise and started to prepare themselves to spend the night on the airplane.
Gander had promised us medical attention, if needed, water, and lavatory servicing.
And they were true to their word.
Fortunately we had no medical situations to worry about. We did have a young lady who was 33 weeks into her pregnancy. We took REALLY good care of her. The night passed without incident despite the uncomfortable sleeping arrangements.
About 10:30 on the morning of the 12th a convoy of school buses showed up. We got off the plane and were taken to the terminal where we went through Immigration and Customs and then had to register with the Red Cross.
After that we (the crew) were separated from the passengers and were taken in vans to a small hotel.
We had no idea where our passengers were going. We learned from the Red Cross that the town of Gander has a population of 10,400 people and they had about 10,500 passengers to take care of from all the airplanes that were forced into Gander!
We were told to just relax at the hotel and we would be contacted when the US airports opened again, but not to expect that call for a while.
We found out the total scope of the terror back home only after getting to our hotel and turning on the TV, 24 hours after it all started.
Meanwhile, we had lots of time on our hands and found that the people of Gander were extremely friendly. They started calling us the “plane people.” We enjoyed their hospitality, explored the town of Gander and ended up having a pretty good time.
Two days later, we got that call and were taken back to the Gander airport. Back on the plane, we were reunited with the passengers and found out what they had been doing for the past two days.
What we found out was incredible…..
Gander and all the surrounding communities (within about a 75 Kilometer radius) had closed all high schools, meeting halls, lodges, and any other large gathering places. They converted all these facilities to mass lodging areas for all the stranded travelers.
Some had cots set up, some had mats with sleeping bags and pillows set up.
ALL the high school students were required to volunteer their time to take care of the “guests.”
Our 218 passengers ended up in a town called Lewisporte, about 45 kilometers from Gander where they were put up in a high school. If any women wanted to be in a women-only facility, that was arranged.
Families were kept together. All the elderly passengers were taken to private homes.
Remember that young pregnant lady? She was put up in a private home right across the street from a 24-hour Urgent Care facility. There was a dentist on call and both male and female nurses remained with the crowd for the duration.
Phone calls and e-mails to the U.S. and around the world were available to everyone once a day.
During the day, passengers were offered “Excursion” trips.
Some people went on boat cruises of the lakes and harbors. Some went for hikes in the local forests.
Local bakeries stayed open to make fresh bread for the guests.
Food was prepared by all the residents and brought to the schools. People were driven to restaurants of their choice and offered wonderful meals. Everyone was given tokens for local laundry mats to wash their clothes, since luggage was still on the aircraft.
In other words, every single need was met for those stranded travelers.
Passengers were crying while telling us these stories. Finally, when they were told that U.S. airports had reopened, they were delivered to the airport right on time and without a single passenger missing or late. The local Red Cross had all the information about the whereabouts of each and every passenger and knew which plane they needed to be on and when all the planes were leaving. They coordinated everything beautifully.
It was absolutely incredible.
When passengers came on board, it was like they had been on a cruise. Everyone knew each other by name. They were swapping stories of their stay, impressing each other with who had the better time.
Our flight back to Atlanta looked like a chartered party flight. The crew just stayed out of their way. It was mind-boggling.
Passengers had totally bonded and were calling each other by their first names, exchanging phone numbers, addresses, and email addresses.
And then a very unusual thing happened.
One of our passengers approached me and asked if he could make an announcement over the PA system. We never, ever allow that. But this time was different. I said “of course” and handed him the mike. He picked up the PA and reminded everyone about what they had just gone through in the last few days.
He reminded them of the hospitality they had received at the hands of total strangers.
He continued by saying that he would like to do something in return for the good folks of Lewisporte.
“He said he was going to set up a Trust Fund under the name of DELTA 15 (our flight number). The purpose of the trust fund is to provide college scholarships for the high school students of Lewisporte.
He asked for donations of any amount from his fellow travelers. When the paper with donations got back to us with the amounts, names, phone numbers and addresses, the total was for more than $14,000!
“The gentleman, a MD from Virginia , promised to match the donations and to start the administrative work on the scholarship. He also said that he would forward this proposal to Delta Corporate and ask them to donate as well.
As I write this account, the trust fund is at more than $1.5 million and has assisted 134 students in college education.
“I just wanted to share this story because we need good stories right now. It gives me a little bit of hope to know that some people in a faraway place were kind to some strangers who literally dropped in on them.
It reminds me how much good there is in the world.”
“In spite of all the rotten things we see going on in today’s world this story confirms that there are still a lot of good people in the world and when things get bad, they will come forward. Let’s not forget THIS fact.
This is one of those stories that needs to be shared!
Source: www.tpnn.com
Tuesday, December 01, 2015
Finding my call in Life.
Despite the fact that there is minimal if at all aids from government agencies related to NGO agricultural activities in the rural areas, the SRI LOVELY Organic farm has come a long way to become a part of the international research institute for Organic Rice Cultivation. Today, practically most of the agricultural land cultivated on a large scale of rice and various other crops is being done with the use of chemical fertilizers as well as chemical pest control system and this has caused a whole lot of destruction to the environment not only to the cultivated land but also to its surrounding environment due to run offs and flood born chemical residues. The effect this has on streams as well as rivers is often gone undetected but fishes and various other forms of life normally found in abundance in many area are now becoming scarce if not extinct. Still the public awareness to these effects are at the very minimum as most of these happens slow and steadily over a long period of time in most cases.
I have written on this subject a few times already in my previous Blog entry but it is never enough to keep reminding myself as well as others who cares about our environment and the food we eat that Chemicals used for agriculture products are killing us as well as the environment itself. Monsanto, Syngenta, Bayer among other major agricultural chemical companies in the world that have their holds on the agricultural belt of the Malay Peninsular.
The "Big 6" pesticide and GMO corporations are BASF, Bayer, Dupont, Dow Chemical Company, Monsanto, and Syngenta. They are so called because they dominate the agricultural input market -- that is, they own the world's seed, pesticide and biotechnology industries.
Down on the ground in the fields, in the streams and rivers all over the country life is never the same; it is like the environment itself is addicted to drugs just like a drug addict and never is enough until there is a total breakdown of the ecosystem itself leading on to the scarcity as well as demise of indigenous habitats and wildlife. The average farmer has become like his land sensitized by the use of chemicals as a sure fired way toward achieving his goals the easiest and fastest if not cheapest ways. The fact that all around him there seem to be MIA of wild life and especially local fishes is not any problem to him anymore so long as he gets to gain from his timely harvest of his chemically grown crop. This is a case where ignorance is not bliss but has the potential to kill.
A case example :-
“With this action, EPA confirms the toxic nature of this lethal cocktail of chemicals, and has stepped back from the brink,” said Earthjustice Managing Attorney Paul Achitoff. “Glyphosate is a probable carcinogen and is wiping out the monarch butterfly, 2,4-D also causes serious human health effects, and the combination also threatens endangered wildlife. This must not, and will not, be how we grow our food.”
Missouri farmer Margot McMillen added, "I applaud the Environmental Protection Agency for this action. For many of us, the right to farm has been lost because there are so many pesticides in the environment. Many acres of crops have been killed by combinations of poisons. I hope the EPA takes this opportunity to re-examine all existing pesticide registrations."
Source:
http://www.panna.org/press-release/epa-pulls-registration-dow-enlist-duo-herbicide-citing-high-toxicity-levels
When i discovered during my travels in 2012 the organic farm at SRI LOVELY I was captivated by what was going on so much so that instead of staying there for two days as i had planned I ended up staying there for two months. I had found my calling and in some small way I vowed o help make it happen for the guys who were trying to keep the farm alive despite of all the travails and no help from the proper authorities. And ever since i had been going back there to do my bit if and when ever i can afford to do so. It is mt way of saying thank you to Mother Earth.
I have written on this subject a few times already in my previous Blog entry but it is never enough to keep reminding myself as well as others who cares about our environment and the food we eat that Chemicals used for agriculture products are killing us as well as the environment itself. Monsanto, Syngenta, Bayer among other major agricultural chemical companies in the world that have their holds on the agricultural belt of the Malay Peninsular.
The World's Top 10 Pesticide Firms - Who Owns Nature?
Nov 1, 2008 - Bayer: the world's biggest agrochemical company is also the world's seventh biggest seed company. Syngenta: the world's second largest agrochemical company is also the world's third largest seed company. Monsanto: the world's biggest seed company is the world's fifth largest agrochemical company.The "Big 6" pesticide and GMO corporations are BASF, Bayer, Dupont, Dow Chemical Company, Monsanto, and Syngenta. They are so called because they dominate the agricultural input market -- that is, they own the world's seed, pesticide and biotechnology industries.
Down on the ground in the fields, in the streams and rivers all over the country life is never the same; it is like the environment itself is addicted to drugs just like a drug addict and never is enough until there is a total breakdown of the ecosystem itself leading on to the scarcity as well as demise of indigenous habitats and wildlife. The average farmer has become like his land sensitized by the use of chemicals as a sure fired way toward achieving his goals the easiest and fastest if not cheapest ways. The fact that all around him there seem to be MIA of wild life and especially local fishes is not any problem to him anymore so long as he gets to gain from his timely harvest of his chemically grown crop. This is a case where ignorance is not bliss but has the potential to kill.
A case example :-
“With this action, EPA confirms the toxic nature of this lethal cocktail of chemicals, and has stepped back from the brink,” said Earthjustice Managing Attorney Paul Achitoff. “Glyphosate is a probable carcinogen and is wiping out the monarch butterfly, 2,4-D also causes serious human health effects, and the combination also threatens endangered wildlife. This must not, and will not, be how we grow our food.”
Missouri farmer Margot McMillen added, "I applaud the Environmental Protection Agency for this action. For many of us, the right to farm has been lost because there are so many pesticides in the environment. Many acres of crops have been killed by combinations of poisons. I hope the EPA takes this opportunity to re-examine all existing pesticide registrations."
Source:
http://www.panna.org/press-release/epa-pulls-registration-dow-enlist-duo-herbicide-citing-high-toxicity-levels
When i discovered during my travels in 2012 the organic farm at SRI LOVELY I was captivated by what was going on so much so that instead of staying there for two days as i had planned I ended up staying there for two months. I had found my calling and in some small way I vowed o help make it happen for the guys who were trying to keep the farm alive despite of all the travails and no help from the proper authorities. And ever since i had been going back there to do my bit if and when ever i can afford to do so. It is mt way of saying thank you to Mother Earth.
Upgrading the Facility at SRI LOVELY!
| After being absent from the farm for a few months i discovered upon my return so much changes in terms of new lodgings mostly constructed in the Traditional Malay way. |
| The facility is in need of upgrading as most of the original huts are now more or less out of commission.. |
| The open 'Lecture hall was complete renovated with new roofing and looked very unique for such a facility. |
| Using local materials including bamboos and palm leaves the new structures looked like it belonged in the environment. |
| Caught my friend the 'Cikgu' rafting in the fish pond with his two sons. |
| Delivery of bamboos and wood strips for the construction. |
| The Captain and myself giving the young college students a hard time during one of their lectures.. |
Revisiting the Organic Farm. at Lintang.
| The road less traveled; the trip back into the wild side. |
| How i miss this scene and every time i behold this i am reminded of my need for silence and tranquility. |
| The organically grown rice is slowly becoming a reality. |
| My daughter having her first taste of drinking tea in a bamboo cup. |
| Good friends welcomes you even when you have been away for so long. |
| Of the the simple beauty in nature. |
| And the younger generation keeps on coming to learn the ways of the organic farming. |
| Perhaps the future farmers even if they on't look it now. |
| Upgrading the facility with the traditional ways. |
Thursday, November 26, 2015
What if Religion is being removed from the equation?
What if the God cum religious equation is removed from the present day Middle Eastern if not global scenario of wanton genocidal butchering of man women and children. The accusations of and the claims of 'The Chosen People' the People of the Right Path', the 'My religion and not yours is the way to go'. is not an issue; what would be the issue? Would we still be seeing bombs being dropped from the skies and wrapped around the waist slaughtering the innocent bystanders calling it war? Would the Jews be going all out to wipe out the Palestine and if possible the rest of the Arab if not the Muslim world? Would the Founding Fathers of North America had practically wiped out the Native Americans in the eradication pagan and non believers in the Christian Faith? Would the Hindus and the Muslims be separated into two countries of India and Pakistan and thus till this day is causing a tension between the two nation while killings are ongoing on the Kashmir borders? Would Iran and Iraq had gone for each other's throats claiming that the Shiah faith is right way as opposed to the Sunni? Would Osama Bin Laden had made an impact upon the world or the Twin Towers incident even happened?
Yes they would, and the reason is simple, man id by nature a predator and he is still the top of the food chain where species are concern. man is the most vicious predator as he hunts and kills for sport if nothing else, he has that propensity to kill for no reason but simply because it is in his nature. Even the wildest beast would resist from killing when its belly is full but not man. Man kills not for his survival but to satisfy his urge to kill another albeit man or beasts. If he is not killing physically, he is doing it in his mind, in his dreams in his nightmares. Man seeks the most creative ways to kill and he sell these products on the market making it a lucrative income as a source of employment for his kind. Man kills out of Greed and fear, out of hatred and anger, out of jealousy and envy and he does this with justification and impunity.
Man's greatest failure is observing the First of God's commandment and that being thou shalt not kill! From the time when Cain took his brother's Abel's life, man has the inherent nature to kill his fellow man.
Religion cannot unite the people of this world. To unite the people of this world we need harmony and for harmony to happen, we can't have religion as a uniting factor because in religion, too much of differences exist between one religion to another be it about doctrine, practice or observances and when differences exist, nothing gets united. Not unless we learn how to live with the differences by being tolerant, by being accommodative, by compromising or by opening up our heart and minds with a sincere willingness to allow peace understanding and goodwill to come into our lives. At the extreme end, one can also convert others by duress but is that a correct thing to do? Even if only one religion exist in the end, that religion itself is divided into many many denominations. My conclusion is we can't use religion to unite us. We must choose something else. Like a good public policy. Or maybe sports...
Kris Lee's Face Book post.
Of all the animosities which have existed among mankind, those which are caused by a difference of sentiments in religion appear to be the most inveterate and distressing, and ought most to be deprecated.
~ George Washington...poste by Ivy Chus on Face Book
.
"You have to pull out the roots of evil rather than simply hack away at the branches. Without looking at the origins of religious servitude, and clearly identifying who these God imposters (that have farmed humanity for eons) really are - and instead focusing on simply identifying and blaming previous and current corrupt governmental models - you are only seeing the puppets dance, oblivious to the marionette pulling the strings.
The Hebrew Bible story of human origins (known as the tale of Adam and Eve) is a false, misleading, and abbreviated version that was derived from a far more 'well-rounded' rendition that originated in ancient Sumerian cuneiform texts. These recollected Sumerian accounts describe a space-faring species, known as the “Annunaki”, who genetically modified the human race and used them as slaves. "
By Karlos Kukuburra.
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
We are dancing in the 'Killing Fields'
Hence as we can see in Judaism or the times Abraham and his children already there was a schism between what was one day would be Islam and what was the Judaic or Israel's root through Isaac. There was not even an agreement on who Abraham chose to sacrifice to God of the two sons he had. Personally and logically Abraham would have had to choose Ismael as he was the first born and at the same time expendable for being the son of a surrogate mother. Isaac's mother Sarah would have never allowed Abraham to take her son no matter what...but, well as the Muslim would say WallahuAllam, only God knows. However based on this matter in the religious history of the two religions today we have ISIS today! We have Muslim terrorists and Zionists today at each others's throats for something or other, albeit faith or culture or more so; territory. Had God purposely planned it this way?
Then came Christianity in the middle of the equation with its own Prophet and doctrines as encapsulated in the Bible and Christianity has its own story with twists that further provokes schism between the two religions of Islam and Judaism. The most pronounce of this being the Crucifixion of Jesus of which the Muslims denies as having taken place while the Christians held it pivotal in their belief to the point of defending it with wars against the Muslims. The Christian claims that Christ is the 'Son of God', does little to help the situation nor the claim of the "Holy Trinity'; that of the Father , the Son and the Holy Spirit. All these claims are anti thesis to the Muslim faith in the One God. This is again my very shallow or brief look at the issues as i am sure allot more deeper matters runs through their differences if one care to make it a research.
Other than these few major differences in belief and perceptions held by the threes religions, there is a whole lot of similarity between them, enough to make one agree that they worship the same God, Jehovah, Elohim, Allah with these different names for the same entity, the One true God, The God of Abraham, the God of Moses. Jesus and Muhammad. hence all that is going on in the Middle east today, the wanton killing and the disregard for human lives is by right not because of religion per say more so due to Race culture and territory. At the end of the day all believers in the tradition of these three religions will stand before their Maker and answer for their part in this mess whether we are involved directly or not is irrelevant but being a part of the people of the Book makes us responsible.
The lives lost in Israel, Palestine, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan and other various parts of the world including the United States is our Collective responsibilities and we will stand before our Lord and answer where we went wrong; blaming Satan or the anti Christ is not option. We are creating Hell on Earth as foretold by Satan when he confronted God in Genesis.
"Additionally, if we take Allah’s statement at its face value, it would lead us to believe that by ordering the angels to bow down before Adam, Allah Himself committed a great sin, which is called shirk in Arabic. Allah castigated the pagans for worshiping the idols, and forbade the Muslims from bowing down to any deity or to any human being. If anyone bowed before anyone but Allah, the sinner would be consigned to the fire of hell on the Day of Judgment. Knowing His own commandment, why Allah ordered the angels to bow down before Adam-a human being- is beyond our comprehension. "
Adapted from; "Without Satan Allah's Universal Plan would have failed" by Mohammad Asghar.
Herein again is another twist in the revelations of the origin of man according to the scriptures which today still is a cloudy issue that has led us to the state that we are - ignorance. It is ignorance of the truth that has led to the ever escalating state of madness that mankind is presently headed for...or so it seems. You are given free will to make the choices for yourself, to read,( Iqrar!) and understand what Is the truth to break through the veils of ignorance and see the light of Divine Nature that is who you are and not get sucked into the decadence of existence as you are made to believe as who you are through the bonds of conditioning.
Then came Christianity in the middle of the equation with its own Prophet and doctrines as encapsulated in the Bible and Christianity has its own story with twists that further provokes schism between the two religions of Islam and Judaism. The most pronounce of this being the Crucifixion of Jesus of which the Muslims denies as having taken place while the Christians held it pivotal in their belief to the point of defending it with wars against the Muslims. The Christian claims that Christ is the 'Son of God', does little to help the situation nor the claim of the "Holy Trinity'; that of the Father , the Son and the Holy Spirit. All these claims are anti thesis to the Muslim faith in the One God. This is again my very shallow or brief look at the issues as i am sure allot more deeper matters runs through their differences if one care to make it a research.
Other than these few major differences in belief and perceptions held by the threes religions, there is a whole lot of similarity between them, enough to make one agree that they worship the same God, Jehovah, Elohim, Allah with these different names for the same entity, the One true God, The God of Abraham, the God of Moses. Jesus and Muhammad. hence all that is going on in the Middle east today, the wanton killing and the disregard for human lives is by right not because of religion per say more so due to Race culture and territory. At the end of the day all believers in the tradition of these three religions will stand before their Maker and answer for their part in this mess whether we are involved directly or not is irrelevant but being a part of the people of the Book makes us responsible.
The lives lost in Israel, Palestine, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan and other various parts of the world including the United States is our Collective responsibilities and we will stand before our Lord and answer where we went wrong; blaming Satan or the anti Christ is not option. We are creating Hell on Earth as foretold by Satan when he confronted God in Genesis.
"Additionally, if we take Allah’s statement at its face value, it would lead us to believe that by ordering the angels to bow down before Adam, Allah Himself committed a great sin, which is called shirk in Arabic. Allah castigated the pagans for worshiping the idols, and forbade the Muslims from bowing down to any deity or to any human being. If anyone bowed before anyone but Allah, the sinner would be consigned to the fire of hell on the Day of Judgment. Knowing His own commandment, why Allah ordered the angels to bow down before Adam-a human being- is beyond our comprehension. "
Adapted from; "Without Satan Allah's Universal Plan would have failed" by Mohammad Asghar.
Herein again is another twist in the revelations of the origin of man according to the scriptures which today still is a cloudy issue that has led us to the state that we are - ignorance. It is ignorance of the truth that has led to the ever escalating state of madness that mankind is presently headed for...or so it seems. You are given free will to make the choices for yourself, to read,( Iqrar!) and understand what Is the truth to break through the veils of ignorance and see the light of Divine Nature that is who you are and not get sucked into the decadence of existence as you are made to believe as who you are through the bonds of conditioning.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)

