Black & White

Press statement from Guan Eng's press secretary.

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:55:00 +0000

Received this piece through email. I checked on the link given: http://cm.penang.gov.my/

but could not find the press statement.

This is just a "copy and paste", for your information.

Press Statement From Cheong Yin Fan， Press Secretary To The Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng In George Town On 8.11.2009.
____________________________________________________________________

The only approvals granted for reclamation or hill development projects were by the previous BN state government.

____________________________________________________________________

The Penang Chief Minister’s Office regrets certain misleading reports of government approvals granted on large tracts of land reclamation and hill development projects by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng. Such false press reports by pro-BN and UMNO-controlled media is calculated to cause maximum damage and undermine public confidence, the integrity and credibility of the Pakatan Rakyat administration.

The Penang state government appreciates the valid concerns expressed by Penangnites who are confused by these false allegations from BN. Amongst the issues raised are existing hill slope projects approved by the previous BN state government which the present PR state government can not simply cancel for fear of incurring hundreds of millions of ringgit in compensation that Penangnites can not afford.

There have been no approvals granted on any major land reclamation or hill development projects by either the state government or Lim Guan Eng. The only approvals granted for reclamation or hill development projects were by the previous BN state government. It is ironical that amongst those making these allegations are BN leaders that had themselves approved these projects in the past without public consultation. It is wrong to pin the blame on the PR state government.

There have been proposals for development from various quarters. However proposals can not be equated with approvals. Any approvals made must fulfill the aspirations of a people-centric government transforming Penang into an international city with world-class facilities and support services and a thriving magnet for the best human talent.

Before any approvals are signed, the state government will observe the principles of CAT (Competency, Accountability and Transparency) governance and obtain public consultation. BN had approved numerous major hillslope projects and PR not even one. BN had not consulted the public whilst PR had regularly consulted the public. There is no corruption in PR state government whilst there are hidden monetary costs in the BN state government. This is the difference between a people-centric government of PR and the crony government of BN.

As Lim Guan Eng is away overseas in Bahrain and Iran on an investment mission to seek new markets for our investments and tourism, he will address these queries upon his return or at the coming Penang state Assembly meeting on 30.11.2009.

CHEONG YIN FAN

槟州首席部长新闻秘书张燕芬

于2009年11月8日在槟城发表的文告:

___________________________________________________________________

所有大型填海及山地开发项目皆是前朝国阵州政府批准

___________________________________________________________________

槟城首席部长办公室对于指责民联州政府批准大型填海及山地开垦的误导性报告，感到遗憾。

类似的新闻报道在亲巫统及国阵的媒体蓄意炒作下，导致民联政府的公信力造成伤害，并让人民对民联感到失望。

槟州政府感激一些槟州子民对填海及山地开垦课题上的关注，可是却别因此而被国阵的谎言误导。现有的大型山地开垦发展项目是由前朝国阵州政府所批准，而现在民联州政府并无法一笔勾销取消发展准证，因为这将使槟城政府及子民承受数亿令吉的赔偿。

从民联执政槟城开始至今，州政府及首长林冠英并没有批准任何大型填海及山地开垦发展计划。所有的填海及山地开垦发展项目是由前朝国阵州政府所批准。最讽刺的是，当初忽视公众咨询而一意孤行批准相关发展项目的国阵领袖，今天竟然转过来诬赖民联州政府，真是黑狗偷吃，白狗当灾。

虽然槟城州政府有获得各方面的发展建议，但是建议并不等同于批准。所有的批准项目必须附合塑造槟城为国际城市的条件，以提供优质生活设施及吸引人才回流。

在任何计划被批准签署前，州政府将遵守CAT（能干、公信及透明）的原则来处理和谘询公众的意见。而目前州内所有大型填海及山地开垦项目是由国阵执政的州政府批准，反观民联执政后并没有批准过任何的大型填海及山地开垦项目。

民联槟州政府奉行廉洁政策，而以民为本顾及人民福祉，不如国阵一般以朋党利益为优先来中饱私囊。

槟州首席部长林冠英目前率领招商代表团到巴林及伊朗进行访问，他在返抵国门后或者在11月30日的州议会上，将会回复这些指责。

张燕芬

Democracy.

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:27:00 +0000

I wish to highlight today's "thought of the day" appearing on the top right margin of this blog, which I quote:

"The test of a democracy is not the magnificence of buildings or the speed of automobiles or the efficiency of air transportation, but rather the care given to the welfare of all the people. -Helen Adams Keller, lecturer and author (1880-1968)"

And may I add: it is definitely not the current "opera performance" of the MCA nor the "1 Malaysia" of Najib.

"Saya anak bangsa Malaysia" roadshow in Penang.

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:26:00 +0000

"Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia" roadshow in Penang.

Heard of the SABM initiative led by lawyer and civil activist Haris Ibrahim? If not then fret no further. It is coming to Penang this Sunday on 15 November 2009.

Please go to my blogger friend's post for more information @

The Middle Ground.

An idiot making a fool of himself.

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:16:00 +0000

The MalaysianInsider reports on the latest comment by Nazri trying his "best" not to be an idiot:

[Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz sparked an uproar in Parliament on Monday when he said “judiciary fixer” Lingam had been let off the hook “because he had broken no law”.

Nazri also suggested that Lingam breached no laws as he might “have just acted to fix the appointment of judges as if he was brokering the appointment of senior judges to impress people”.]

Where to find an idiot making a fool of himself?

Click HERE, and HERE.

10 Extraordinary people of the world. (Part 10 of 10)

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:20:00 +0000

Elaina Smith: youngest agony aunt aged 7.

Her local radio station gave her the job after she rang and offered advice to a woman caller who had been dumped. Elaina’s tip — go bowling with pals and drink a mug of milk — was so good she got a weekly slot and now advises thousands of adult listeners.

The littler adviser tackles problems ranging from how to dump boyfriends and how to cope with relationship breakdown to dealing with smelly brothers.

When one listener wrote to Elaina asking how to get a man, she replied: “Shake your booty on the dance floor and listen to High School Musical”. Another caller asked how to get her man back, Elaina told her: “He’s not worth the heartache. Life’s too short to be upset with a boy.”

Taste like me, looks like me, not me!!

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:26:00 +0000

Free advertisement for the famous Lingham's Chilly Sauce!

Taste like me, looks like me, not me!!

Goes well with Maggie Mee, or One Ton Mee!!

Don't ask me.

Click HERE to see.

Or is it "Looks like me, it's me!" Click HERE to see.

Let's go fly kites!!

Or should we go "spin a top in different ways"?

10 Extraordinary people of the world (Part 9 of 10)

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:58:00 +0000

Willie Mosconi: played professional Billiards at age 6.

William Joseph Mosconi, nicknamed “Mr. Pocket Billiards” was a American professional pocket billiards (pool) player from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Willie’s father owned a pool hall where he wasn’t allowed to play, but Willie improvised by practicing with small potatoes from his mother’s kitchen and an old broomstick. His father soon realized that his son was a child prodigy began advertising challenge matches, and though Willie had to stand on a box in order to reach the table, he beat experienced players many years his senior.

In 1919, an exhibition match was arranged between six-year old Willie and the reigning World Champion, Ralph Greenleaf. The hall was packed, and though Greenleaf won that match, Willie played very well launching his career in professional billiards. In 1924, at the tender age of eleven, Willie was the juvenile straight pool champion and was regularly holding trick shot exhibitions.

Between the years of 1941 and 1957, he won the BCA World Championship of pool an unmatched fifteen times. Mosconi pioneered and employed numerous trick shots, set many records, and helped to popularize the game of billiards. He still holds the officially recognized straight pool high run record of 526 consecutive balls.

10 Extraordinary people of the world. (Part 8 of 10)

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 16:15:00 +0000

Fabiano Luigi Caruana: a chess prodigy who became the youngest Grandmaster at age 14.

On 2007 Caruana became a Grandmaster at the age of 14 years, 11 months, 20 days – the youngest Grandmaster in the history of both Italy and the United States.

In the April 2009 FIDE list, he has an Elo rating of 2649, making him the world’s highest ranked player under the age of 18.

Read more at Wikipedia.

10 Extraordinary people of the world ( Part 7 of 10 )

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:39:00 +0000

Michael Kevin Kearney: earned his first degree at age 10 and became a reality show Millionaire.

24 year-old Michael Kearney became known as the world’s youngest college graduate at the age of 10. In 2008, Kearney earned $1,000,000 on the television game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

Kearny was born in 1984 and is was known for setting several world records and teaching college at the age of 17.

He spoke his first words at four months. At the age of six months, he said to his pediatrician “I have a left ear infection” and learned to read at the age of ten months. When Michael was four, he was given diagnostic tests for the Johns Hopkins precocious math program and achieved a perfect score. He finished high school at age 6, enrolled at Santa Rosa Junior College graduating at 10 with an Associate of Science in Geology. He is listed in the Guinness Book as the world’s youngest university graduate at the age of 10, receiving a bachelor’s degree in anthropology.

For a while, he also held the record for the world’s youngest postgraduate.
But in 2006, he became worldwide famous after reaching the finals on the Mark Burnett/AOL quiz/puzzle game Gold Rush, and became the first $1 million winner in the online reality game.

You see what you desire to see!

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:00:00 +0000

You see what you desire to see. You sure you see what you see? Let's see.

Our mind works wonders. We can fantasize quite vividly even by looking at someone's exposed shoulder. If you still can't see what I correctly see, then come see me.

By the way if you still dream of seeing something desirable, let me assure you that the above photo is not what you see.

You see?

By the way, nothing to do with the girl infront; if you're still staring at her.

Greater Fool Syndrome.

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:11:00 +0000

The case study below has been circulating in the internet and in blogs for the last few years. If you haven't come across it, now is your chance to read it here. I call it "The Greater Fool Syndrome".

[A group of children were playing near two railway tracks, one still in use while the other disused.
Only one child played on the disused track, the rest on the operational track.

The train is coming, and you are just beside the track interchange.
You can make the train change its course to the disused track and save most of the kids.
However, that would also mean the lone child playing by the disused track would be sacrificed.
Or would you rather let the train go its way?

Let's take a pause to think what kind of decision we could make........ ........ ]

Scroll down

[Most people might choose to divert the course of the train, and sacrifice only one child.
You might think the same way, I guess.
Exactly, to save most of the children at the expense of only one child was rational decision
most people would make, morally and emotionally.
But, have you ever thought that the child choosing to play on the disused track had in fact
made the right decision to play at a safe place?

Nevertheless, he had to be sacrificed because of his ignorant friends who chose to play where the danger was.

This kind of dilemma happens around us everyday.
In the office, community, in politics and especially in a democratic society,
the minority is often sacrificed for the interest of the majority,
no matter how foolish or ignorant the majority are, and how farsighted and knowledgeable the minority are.

The child who chose not to play with the rest on the operational track was sidelined.
And in the case he was sacrificed, no one would shed a tear for him.

The great critic Leo Velski Julian who told the story said he would not try to change the course of the train because he believed that the kids playing on the operational track should have known very well that track was still in use, and that they should have run away if they heard the train's sirens..
If the train was diverted, that lone child would definitely die because he never thought the train could come over to that track! Moreover, that track was not in use probably because it was not safe.
If the train was diverted to the track, we could put the lives of all passengers on board at stake!
And in your attempt to save a few kids by sacrificing one child, you might end up sacrificing hundreds of people to save these few kids.

While we are all aware that life is full of tough decisions that need to be made,
we may not realize that hasty decisions may not always be the right one.

'Remember that what's right isn't always popular... and what's popular isn't always right.'

Everybody makes mistakes; that's why they put erasers on pencils.]

This is the tragedy of life. More often than not, the innocents and the weak are bullied by the powerful.

That's why we have politicians!!!

What went wrong??

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:26:00 +0000

(Maj Nidal Malik Hasan)

American soldiers shot dead within their own compound!!

This is from Associated Press:

"There are many unknowns about Nidal Malik Hasan, the man authorities say is responsible for the worst mass killing on a U.S. military base. Most of all, his motive. But details of his life and mindset, emerging from official sources and personal acquaintances, are troubling."

This is from another report:

"The base commander at Fort Hood says soldiers who witnessed a shooting rampage that left 13 people dead reported that the gunman shouted "Allahu Akbar!" before opening fire at the Texas post.

Hasan was shot four times during the rampage....he is hospitalized in stable condition and that military officials will interrogate him as soon as possible."

The most astounding fact is that this man is "a fellow in disaster and preventive psychiatry".

What went wrong??

A very sensitive and dangerous question!!

10 Extraordinary people of the world. (Part 6 of 10)

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:23:00 +0000

Saul Aaron Kripke: Invited to apply for a teaching post at Harvard while still in high school.

A rabbi’s son, Saul Aaron Kripke was born in New York and grew up in Omaha in 1940. By all accounts he was a true prodigy.

In the fourth grade he discovered algebra, and by the end of grammar school he had mastered geometry and calculus and taken up philosophy. While still a teenager he wrote a series of papers that eventually transformed the study of modal logic. One of them earned a letter from the math department at Harvard, which hoped he would apply for a job until he wrote back and declined, explaining, “My mother said that I should finish high school and go to college first”. After finishing high school, the college he eventually chose was Harvard.

Kripke was awarded the Schock Prize, philosophy’s equivalent of the Nobel. Nowadays, he is thought to be the world’s greatest living philosopher.

In a recent poll conducted by philosophers Kripke was among the top ten most important philosophers of the past 200 years.

10 Extraordinary people of the world. (Part 5 0f 10)

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:44:00 +0000

[Aelita Andre: The 2-year-old artist who showed her paintings in a famous Gallery.

The abstract paintings of emerging artist Aelita Andre have people in Australia’s art world talking. Aelita is two (the works were painted when she was even younger).

Aelita got an opportunity to show her paintings when Mark Jamieson, the director of Brunswick Street Gallery in Melbourne’s Fitzroy, was asked by a photographer whose work he represented to consider the work of another artist. Jamieson liked what he saw and agreed to include it in a group show.

Jamieson then started to promote the show, printing glossy invitations and placing ads in the magazines Art Almanac and Art Collector, featuring the abstract work. Only then did he discover a crucial fact about the new artist: Aelita Andre is Kalashnikova’s daughter, and was just 22 months old. Jamieson was shocked and embarrassed but decided to proceed with the exhibition anyway.]

Now let's see her in action:

10 Extraordinary people of the world. (Part 4 of 10)

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:39:00 +0000

Cleopatra Stratan: a 3 year old singer who earns 1000€ per song

Clepotra was born October 6, 2002 in Chisinau, Moldova and is the daughter of Moldovan-Romanian singer, Pavel Stratan. She is the youngest person ever to score commercial success as a singer, with her 2006 album La vârsta de trei ani (”At the age of 3″). She holds the record for being the youngest artist that performed live for two hours in front of a large audience, the highest paid young artist, the youngest artist to receive an MTV award and the youngest artist to score a #1 hit in a country (”Ghita” in Romanian Singles Chart).

Don't believe me? Take a look:

10 Extraordinary people of the world. (Part 3 of 10)

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:11:00 +0000

Akrit Jaswal: The Seven Year-Old Surgeon.

Akrit Jaswal is a young Indian who has been called “the world’s smartest boy” and it’s easy to see why. His IQ is 146 and is considered the smartest person his age in India—a country of more than a billion people.

Akrit came to public attention when in 2000 he performed his first medical procedure at his family home. He was seven. His patient — a local girl who could not afford a doctor — was eight. Her hand had been burnt in a fire, causing her fingers to close into a tight fist that wouldn’t open. Akrit had no formal medical training and no experience of surgery, yet he managed to free her fingers and she was able to use her hand again.

He focused his phenomenal intelligence on medicine and at the age of twelve he claimed to be on the verge of discovering a cure for cancer. He is now studying for a science degree at Chandigarh College and is the youngest student ever accepted by an Indian University.

10 Extraordinary people of the world. (Part 2 0f 10)

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:10:00 +0000

Gregory Smith: Nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize at age 12.

Born in 1990, Gregory Smith could read at age two and had enrolled in university at 10. But “genius” is only one half of the Greg Smith story. When not voraciously learning, this young man travels the globe as a peace and children’s rights activist.

He is the founder of International Youth Advocates, an organization that promotes principles of peace and understanding among young people throughout the world. He has met with Bill Clinton and Mikhail Gorbachev and spoke in front of the UN. For these and other humanitarian and advocacy efforts, Smith has been nominated four times for a Nobel Peace Prize.

His latest achievement? He just got his driver license.

10 Extraordinary people of the world. (Part 1 0f 10)

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:17:00 +0000

Today I received another interesting email. I shall share with you, in 10 parts. You may have come across this before. In my opinion, people are not born equal in intelligence, despite many claim it to be. If we are all as intelligent, then all of us will be the same. No one will be smarter or more stupid than us. Most of us are just average normal humans.

This is part 1:

[Kim Ung-Yong: Attended University at age 4, Ph.D at age 15; has the world’s highest IQ!

This Korean super-genius was born in 1962 and might just be the smartest guy alive today (he’s recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as having the highest IQ of anyone on the planet).

By the age of four he was already able to read in Japanese, Korean, German, and English. At his fifth birthday, he solved complicated differential and integral calculus problems. Later, on Japanese television, he demonstrated his proficiency in Chinese, Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog, German, English, Japanese, and Korean. Kim was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records under “Highest IQ”; the book estimated the boy’s score at over 210.

Kim was a guest student of physics at Hanyang University from the age of 3 until he was 6. At the age of 7 he was invited to America by NASA. He finished his university studies, eventually getting a Ph.D. in physics at Colorado State University before he was 15. In 1974, during his university studies, he began his research work at NASA and continued this work until his return to Korea in 1978 where he decided to switch from physics to civil engineering and eventually received a doctorate in that field.

Kim was offered the chance to study at the most prestigious universities in Korea, but instead chose to attend a provincial university. As of 2007 he also serves as adjunct faculty at Chungbuk National University.]

Well don't ask me what is "adjunct faculty". I am not smart enough to know what it is. I suppose if he tries anything he will be on top.

People are not born equal in intelligence.

Have a nice day.

(Some time ago, I posted 2 articles called
"We are not made equal".

You can click HERE for part 1

And HERE for part 2)

What is a diplomat?

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:47:00 +0000

DIPLOMAT:

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

A politician.

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:10:00 +0000

(Picture has nothing to do with the post!)

POLITICIAN:
One who shakes your hand before elections
and your confidence later.

The scum of government.

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:28:00 +0000

Quotation from Edward Abbey, naturalist and author (1927-1989) on "government":

"Society is like a stew. If you don't stir it up every once in a while then a layer of scum floats to the top."

How true, how true.

Malaysia Boleh!!

And remember, his quotation on a patriot:

"A patriot must be ready to defend his country against his government."

How to spin a top in different ways.

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:55:00 +0000

There is only one way to spin a top. But in Bolehland, politicians can do it in reverse, double flicks plus triple summersaults. This is how it works:

As reported in Malaysianinsider : (this is the reversed spin)

[“The investigation in relation to V. K. Lingam’s video case is still under investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the police are no longer handling the case,” he said in a written reply to Wangsa Maju MP Wee Choo Keong.]

and these are the double flicks and triple summersaults like this:

[Minister in the Prime Minister Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz had in a written reply last week to Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said that no action would be taken against Lingam.

Nazri explained today that he never said that the case was closed and blamed the media for misinterpreting his words.

“That is your reading. I never said it. That is why I was wondering if the case was closed. You all concluded that it is closed,” he told reporters in Parliament.

He said that there was “no further action” but it was not closed and added that the case can be reopened if there are new witnesses. ]

I just hope that they continue to spin until they drop dead!

They are treating us like a bunch of idiots.

Remember to teach these monkeys a good lesson come next GE!

Send them to Timbuktu!

The original spin was like this: "looks like me, stinks like me, it's me!"

Not happy? Then resign.

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:31:00 +0000

(This person's photo is not fit to appear in this blog.
So I just put something close to it:)

The Malaysianinsider reports:

[Port Klang assemblyman Badrul Hisham Abdullah has quit PKR, citing a loss of faith in the party leadership and unhappiness over financial allocations, in a move that could spark a crisis in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) state government.

Badrul Hisham said he would now be a Barisan Nasional (BN) friendly independent lawmaker.

He did not say if he would eventually be joining Umno or any other political party, but he asserted that he would not relinquish his state seat.]

Hey you! If you are not happy, then also resign from your State Assembly Seat.

This is again from the Malaysianinsider:

[Khalid's political secretary Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said today Badrul Hisham has been evasive and has not made efforts to improve his work despite getting a show-cause letter on Aug 20, 2008.

"Mentri Besar of Selangor Tan Sri Abdul Khalid today had made a recommendation to the Parti Keadilan Rakyat supreme council for Badrul Hisham to resign as assemblyman," he said in a four-paragraph statement today.]

Identify yourself!

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:16:00 +0000

This is amazing! I did not believe the Internet world would ever achieve this, but it has arrived!

You can find your old self in the photos of your old schools irrespective of where you were from.

And one step better, I tried the second time by just clicking the "submit" button, without keying in the data, and my picture came out again!

This is unbelievable!!

Don't believe? You can click the website below:

http://www.worldschoolphotographs.com/

How many innocent children must die??

happeaceone@yahoo.com (Justin Choo) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:25:00 +0000

(Picture from Sun2surf)

The Malaysian insider reports:

The Pakatan Rakyat (PR) today demanded that the 1 Malaysia camp to be suspended until the safety of students taking part in the programme can be guaranteed.

A 50-metre suspension bridge in Kuala Dipang, Perak collapsed late last night killing at least one student, while two are still missing.

I wonder whether the politicians send their children to these camps???

SICK SICK SICK!!!

As the good doctor said something is very wrong. But then again, who doesn't know that?