He loves us all...

His sweaty cheeks pressed against the hot arid sand before his face rolled towards the desert sun. Fine grains of sand stuck to his skin, some got into his mouth as he fell. A few seconds passed, all he saw was the blue sky, pierced by halos emanating from the eye in the sky. At one corner of his fast-receding vision, he saw his body, arms bound behind his back, his knees and shin pressing against the ancient landscape. He could remember how his naked knees and shin felt, how they burned as he was forced in that position moments before now. He gasped for air, but like a fish forced out of the water, his lips and mouth just gaped, with no familiar sound of air each time a person takes a breath. At the corner of his eye, he could see his own heartbeat through the squirts of blood spewing from the top of his severed neck, every time his heart pumped. He thought, if only he could write this experience down and report it to the world. But his thoughts were interrupted by a growing darkness that descended too soon, like the end of video that ran out of tape; there was no rewind. ---------- She felt a fist bury into her eye sockets. The pain was severe; the prior agony of having a man force his desperate appendage into her dry vagina now had more company. Her senses were being overwhelmed by a tsunami of aches and shame. He continued to thrust, and grunted each time he did, and which each thrust her dignity, pride and life faded. No, it was collapsing chunk by chuck. She could not see herself living through the next second, but she did. In fact, she has had that thought an hour ago, but there she was, still lying pinned against the floor. The man had pressed his burly hands across her mouth with such force her teeth were bending inwards. The pain was constant, the humiliation was perpetual, and the only things different were the men pressed on top of her. ---------- The doll had many colors. It’s hair was yellow, the boy had only seen hair color like that in pictures he saw in town. The doll’s skin was fair, also a feature that exists only in pictures. The boy had never seen anyone with skin color as light as his doll’s. It was wearing a white dress; white like the clothes the boy’s mother wears every day, although the white is no longer as bright as he remembered. She was wearing red pants. The boy knew his doll was a girl because he had looked inside the red pants and found a smooth surface, and it was different from his. He would hold the doll by the hand everywhere. He would bring her to the side of the pond while they played. He would sit at the water’s edge with his feet dipped in the milky brown water, with the doll seated next to him and watch the sun set below the horizon. He loved doing that, it reminded him of his sister, who last year started to un-eat her food. Her eyes turned into the color of his doll’s pants. It was not long before his mother had to put her sister inside a hole and pour soil over her. One day the boy had tried to dig his sister out from the ground to play, but his mother was upset. The boy chose a different place to dig after that, free from grown ups who will just stop him. He found the doll in one of the holes he dug, and they were now best friends. He looked at the doll, how she did not need to eat, how she looks the same, always smiling, always happy; the boy wanted that. He lay down in a hole, covered his body with soil and waited for the doll to dig him up, so they can be happy together.

Times have changed

Its funny when I remembered the time, when I was 12, my father told me to learn up the diagram of how an internal combustion engine worked.

Because I was lazy, and more engrossed in playing Diablo II or whichever PC game was hot at the time, I came up with some lame excuse.

“When I get my license, they probably will not use petrol engines anymore, it would be something completely different.” I said.

I got my license when I was 18.

And lo and behold, I was driving a petrol engine. I am now 25, and all the cars Ive driven are either petrol of diesel engines.

Although there are some advancements such as the different variants of cam-timing, profiling, switching, I learnt about the different aspirated engines, H-4s, Inline 6, V6, V8 ,V10, V12, W16 and what not, the key principles are still applied.

Its only until recently when suddenly, going “green” is more hot than Diablo II that we see a new range of engines rolling off the conveyor belts in car factories.

Even so, the hybrid systems still use a petrol engine, where the 4-magic-stokes still apply.

The electric motors are nothing more than an oversized Tamiya engine. So, still not much has changed.

THEN, over breakfast a few days ago, my father said to me, “you need to relearn your mandarin, its going to be the lingua of the 21st century.”

And here I play the conservative one in a argument again.

In my head, “until the day I die, english will still be the top language of the world,”

Its funny how our perceptions change over time. Me, being the radical and forward thinking one when I was 12 said petrol engines would be out of fashion soon.

But now Im fighting to say english will remain dominant.

and my father, doing the opposite.

Except, today, I quite like the petrol engine. The sound it makes is distinctive, the feel, the pull.

And electric engine is, well, just another gimmick, to trick those who believe San Francisco is a country on its own, into spending more money to buy something they already have, that is if they already have an efficient car.

I’ll leave it at that.

Dispute Me

Man is now here on earth. Where did we come from? Where did the ground where we stand come from? Where did the sky come from?

Religion claimed to have most of the answer. It even tells us where we will go after our physical existence ceases, well.. to exist.

Where the universe came from, mankind has not advanced far enough to say for sure. We have not achieved a level of understanding like how we understand a Pencil works on paper.

That question, I hope will be answered soon.

But when it comes to religion, we have a good idea where it started.
It started when people of old started asking questions like I did in my first paragraph. They associated events occurring around them with stories and tales just to make sense of it all.

Like the coming of Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring. Read up Hades and Persephone for the GreecoRoman version.

For monotheistic religion, I don't have a specific prejudice against Christianity, but I will use Jesus as an example.

Jesus came about, claimed to want to save the world from sin etc etc. Promises eternal joy in his Kingdom when he returns. Promises those who observe the sabbath to live forever by his side.

It has been a big leap, from pagan society (which was what the denizens of the world were primarily), for someone to lay claim that his father was the ONLY god governing the world we call Earth.

It does not directly provide claim or proof as to how the universe begin, other than "In the beginning..."

Christianity (Catholics and Protestants, I will refer to each specifically if I see the need arise, for now when I say Christianity i mean both) was heavily persecuted in its earlier days. Where masses of people were crucified (it was an old Roman punishment, and its genesis has got nothing to do with Genesis) just because they believed in a new god.

People worshiped in their homes, behind closed doors and windows to avoid being killed.

But again, What a leap! From tree and rock spirits to believing that there is an "invisible man" -George Carlin, living in the sky, watching everything we do.

So many questions unanswered, again to the creation/start of the universe.

Many people of the faith I spoke with, said it was up to "Faith".

"I do not have proof, nor does my religion, to prove the universe was created by my god," a devout Christian said. There were many like him/her, but if we look far enough, it all started with One man.

A man named Jesus Christ.

But by the 1600s, most parts of the "known" world where Christianity sprang about, harbored Christians.

Now. Hear my proposition.

Like the universe, where so much is uncharted, so much is unknown, so many questions unanswered. We delegate these unknowns to a superior being, the mastermind behind it all. And we go with Faith, to know that he/she/it will deliver us from the pain of existence.

Like the universe, the human mind is also very benign. We know nothing about the flesh that allows us to know. We learn so little from the matter which allows us to learn.

From knowledge, to facts, to love, to anger, all of which comes from our brain, but yet again, there is SO little we know of our mind.

Some reports said we only use 1-4% of our brains.

Extrapolate that, and put it against the universe. We know much less than 1% that makes up our universe in which we live in. Its the same thing.

To understand our minds more, which cannot be answered for now, I propose we worship it. Not the brain itself, but the mind.

The mind is capable of so many things, the elements in which we can derive from our mind is endless.

We can move matter, create, destroy, explore and so much more, using the power of our minds, fueled by our muscles to help the mind accomplish what it sets out to do.

So, why not we worship everyone's minds as a "religion"?

Why cant we provide an explanation for the mind like we provide and explanation to the four seasons, to the events that happen around us, and to the creation of the universe?

"But god created our minds, therefore god is still god" Another Christian said.

No. You only wish to have "faith" that god created your minds.
So, who are you to tell me that my "faith" in my mind (and everyone elses) is based on unsound belief? That the mind is not worship-worthy? That we are alone in this godless world?

"Christianity has been around for a long time and billions of people believe in the religion today, billions of people have faith in Jesus and his second coming," he continued.

He added, "It must have been because it is the word of god that his message was allowed to propagate itself among us," he added.

It may have been god's message, but how many times have god sent a different prophet to come and make us download new "versions" of his "mental software"? There was Adam, there was Noah, There was Abraham, Moses, Jesus and even Mohammed, some claimed that they have the latest and last version.

So, which one is the word of god? Can I too, lay claim that I am the new messiah? The latest message, and tell everyone 'oh by the way, god said hi and told us to think more for each other and less for him'.

I will be shot. eventually anyway.

"But all the prophets have done miracles," the Christian said.

What is a miracle? My question was.

"Parting the seas, curing the sick, reviving the dead and coming back to life after getting crucified. There were many witnesses." he elaborated.

The last bit, off topic, but why didnt Jesus just DID'NT die on the cross, and choose to come back to life in a cave when no one can see it happen. No witnesses there right?

My question again is: So miracles are things that ordinary people cannot do.

"Yes" he answered.

Then I want to say, I am thinking. Does that count as a miracle by today's standards?

The devout Christian broke off the conversation, apparently angry because I just indirectly implied he doesn't think.

He said "Anyway, Christianity is a very established religion now, again, Many people have faith."

But it all started with one man. His name was Jesus Christ.

I have faith that the mind is capable of so much, it is on par with the things we call god.

With a god of the mind, there is a religion of the mind.

It will start, like any other religion we know today.

It will start with one man.

That man's name is Roy See.

Headlines

From NST

"Umno's role as unifier"
something something multiracial outlook, something something unifier for all institutions and something races.

Meanwhile, a French chocolate factory said it will produce Belgian chocolates but will not accept applications from Belgians to be part of the Belgian chocolate production.

Home

Wisdom, Justice, and Love

"I come to this magnificent house of worship tonight...

because my conscience leaves me no other choice...

A true revolution of values will lay hand on the world order and say of war,

'This way of settling differences is not just.'

This business of burning human beings with napalm,

of filling our nation's homes with orphans and widows,

of injecting poisonous drugs of hate

into the veins of peoples normally humane,

of sending men home from dark and bloody battlefields physically handicapped and psychologically deranged,

cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice, and love...

cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice, and love...

cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice, and love...

cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice, and love...

cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice, and love...

cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice, and love...

cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice, and love...

cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice, and love...

cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice, and love...

cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice, and love...

-Martin Luther King Jr.

Sense, It makes none

"Toilet Paper" and "Football"
-These two things will produce an odd sentence if they are put together in the same one.

"Coffee" and "Socrates"
-Dont think coffee existed when Socrates was around, He drank wine to stimulate his cognitive functions.

"Electricity" and "Justin Beiber"
-His songs are not "electric", no logical meaning can be derived from these two words. Unless you plan on electrocuting that sodder.

"Rain" and "Fire"
-Is not synnonymous, BUT juxtaposes itself with one another. Cold, hot, get it?

"Monkey" and "Banana"
-One is an animal, the other a fruit. But this Animal eats that particular kind of fruit so...

What about...
"Charity" and "Car Maker"?
These two words do not make sense when put in the same sentence. I mean, what has charity got to do with a company that produces cars? I mean, when was the last time you saw these two words put in the same sentence? I bet it has not happened before and It never will!

oh wait, hang on a moment...
"As part of Kia Motor’s commitment to helping underprivileged youth and supporting the growth of soccer at a grass roots level, Kia Motors Corporation headquarters ran a charity campaign on its global corporate Facebook Fan page from early May through to the end of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ South Africa." (taken from http://www.autoworld.co.za/NewsArticle.aspx?Article=8533)

I dont geddit.

The only logical meaning I can derive from this is, it is part of a marketting/public relations campaign, designed to make people feel good about the car maker Kia.

But we all know the only time we can feel good about Kia cars is when you sell a lemon to an unsuspecting buyer (all Kia are lemon anyway, even the brand new ones). I then take the excess money I got from the sale (paying anything more than a dollar for a Kia is 'excessive' enough) and give it to charity.

Anyway, about the "feel good" element. I mean, Im not part of the, how did Apple put it again? Oh yes thats right, Im not part of the "Kia Community", and I dont subscribe to whatever Kia has to say about "underpriviledged" people or what the CARMAKERS company is going to do to help them.

Shouldnt they leave it to UNESCO or UNICEF or something like that? and focus on what theyre supposed to do? like, err, build better cars?

Back to public relations, me, as a "disinterested third-party" does not "feel good" after reading that. Certainly the next time I buy I car my head wont even be thinking along the lines of "hmmm, that one time Kia donated some footballs to landmine victims, so i think i'll buy a Kia."

Nope, not even close. Far from it even.

The later part of the article reads:
"Through the Kia Charity and Care initiative, the Kia Street Soccer programme is aimed at children from around South Africa who will be given the opportunity to participate in street soccer leagues after completing the accompanying health education programme.
The programme is made up of three phases:
The first being the health and education programme which focuses on three core areas which have been identified by the South African Government as being of vital importance:
Nutrition – what to eat and how to eat healthily, drinking plenty of clean and safe water.
Hygiene – washing hands, keeping your body clean and covering your mouth when you sneeze or cough.
Being Active – how to lead an active lifestyle in order to prevent obesity. "

What? All that, from a CARMAKER? No wonder they build shitty cars. Their products run on "plenty of clean safe water" instead of petrol.

Another one example.

"Honda" and "Golf"

If the carmaker was "Volkswagen" then Id understand, they do have a variant (quite popular too) called the "VW Golf". But Honda? If im not mistaken, "Honda" stands for "Rice" in Japan. "Rice Golf?"

Throw another wildcard word like "Charity" and you have "Honda" "Golf" and "Charity"!

oh wait...
"The theme for this year’s tournament was “Swing on the Charity” which is part of Honda’s efforts to contribute towards helping the urban poor."
taken from (http://www.honda.com.my/newsevents/events/details.dot?inode=62819)

And another,
"PROTON Holdings Berhad (Proton) has established the Proton 25th Anniversary Charity Fund as part of its year-long silver jubilee celebration. Under the programme, it has pledged RM25 from each Proton car sold between April 22 and June 30 to the fund which will be presented to 25 selected charitable organisations during the company’s 25th anniversary commemorative gala dinner."
(http://www.sun2surf.com/article.cfm?id=46044)

As if Proton doesnt already have a notorious reputation for cutting-corners in their car building process. Now they come out into the open and declare "there, we feel bad for nicking RM2500 worth of quality from that brand new proton you just brought from us, dont worry, we well be giving RM25 of that to poor people!"

Another carmaker thats rapidly gaining more and more negative attention is doing non-coherent things!

"Toyota, although suffering a slow down of sales, is still able and willing to keep charity afloat. The company likes to give to charities in the areas where it has plants (5, soon to be 6, in the U.S.), and its donations will amount to $57 million to schools, arts, environmental groups, and other charities this year. "
(http://nonprofit.about.com/b/2008/11/24/giving-declines-from-crumbling-car-makers-but-toyota-is-no-turkey.htm)

Then a fleet of their Priuses will have their gas/electric/Justin Beiber paddles stuck and ram into school buildings, arts museums, environmental groups offices and other charitible associations, which if they had an extra 57million dollars could have made a more reliable car.

The "non-coherent words in a sentence" lists on forever. What I still dont get is, which PR or marketting genius thought of all this in the first place? Maybe he or she is a golf-club-wielding monkey who eats rice and cleans footballs with toilet paper, reads philosophical revelations from coffeebeans while charging an mp3 player thats filled with Justin Beiber songs from a Toyota Prius's battery pack, at the same time singing in the rain while trying to set fire to a carmaker's office which builds bananas for charity.