Monday, 27 October 2014

Corruption


"This is my neighbor. She only speaks Mandarin, so we've never had a conversation. But she's brought me a handful of candy every day for 20 years."

I got this pic and statement from a Facebook page called 'Humans of New York'.


This is a very typical behaviour. The chinese think giving is an important part of life. If they are able to, they give. It always makes the receiver happy. No communication necessary, they give and it makes everybody happy. the happier the Chinese person is, the more they give. It is their culture. It is the way they say Thank you very very much. No words, just a present. It is impossible to mis understand the action. It is not only a Chinese culture trait. The Japanese go 10 steps further by giving incessantly. It is a science: a really appreciated present comes beautifully presented, carefully selected, the less is more, the presentation just as important as how it is given. It is almost why fruits are so expensive and are on top of the food table. They have square watermelons so the receiver can be in awe and appreciation in complete honesty.

Doctors are always in receipt of these thankful gifts. Their profession is selfless and always helpful, the patient having been cured is thankful for life. I have seen the appreciation that can be given. Nothing says an honest thankful than a gift. So in being honestly thankful all the time for everything and nothing, for just being a neighbour who is naturally quiet and pleasant, she gets a handful of candy everyday for 20 years.

So you wonder how this beautiful honest gesture has been twisted? With every thanks given in a business transaction that should include all the thanks in the price, the 'gift' in celebrating a successful contract has now become 'corruption'. The small thanks of a bottle of whiskey is looked as a bribe. Because the cost of the bottle of whiskey has to come out of the profit of the contract. It has been years since the cost of the bottle of whiskey is a separate line item in the contract, so the person awarding the contract already knows what he is getting for the success of the contract signing. The line item has become bigger and bigger as the understanding of 'how money goes round' replaces the value of money.


Corruption. Bribes.

Saturday, 25 October 2014

Some exiled politicians from Singapore

"Michael Barr, who teaches political science at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, says the PAP probably doesn't deliberately set about to try to drive its opponents into exile.

'But once people like Tang Liang Hong and Zulfikar Mohamad Shariff, both of whom are now in de facto exile in Melbourne, are out, the government is clearly delighted to see them remain outside the country,' Professor Barr says."
 I found this in an article here

Friday, 24 October 2014

Hudud law in Kelantan

Lets get real. 



"He said the intention of introducing hudud was to show the beauty of Islam and should not have adverse effects on society."

I am trying to imagine a place - not a hospital - hygienic enough to do an amputation. It will not have any doctors present. The mufti of Kelantan has visited other countries which practice hudud to see how they do it.  Which country did he go to? Saudi? ok. Perhaps they have a good centre. but the other countries are Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq - would they have a good centre with respect the basic rights of humans to proper care? Would any of the trained professionals be beholden to the doctors oath to be fair and sympathetic to the accused? That sounds contradictory.

I hope they have medical equipment and excellent hygiene. The properly trained amputator might be a professional, but would the centre have good trained nurses to sew look after the wound after the event? Where would the accused go for follow up treatment? 

The doctors and hospitals are stating very clearly that they are not to be involved in this process as 'hospitals are healing centers' The accused will go to the hospital to change dressings. Will this amputation centre be opened 24/7 to treat the injured? Or will they only be opened on the sentencing days.

The other recent concern of mine is the slaughtering of animals in the mosque. In any abattoir, the animals are stunned, killed, cut open, their insides are removed and placed on a tray under each carcass. A vet comes around and checks each and every insides of the animal to ensure they do not carry certain diseases and are safer to consume. This whole process is done in a sterile condition. 

In a mosque, the animal is killed, skinned and cooked. Who checks the health of the animal?


Hudud


Hudud offenses include:[2]
Theft (Sariqa, السرقة)
Highway robbery (Qat' al-Tariq, قطع الطريق)
Illegal sexual intercourse (Zina', الزنا)
False accusation of zina (Qadhf, القذف)[3]
Drinking alcohol (Sehurb al-Khamr, شرب الخمر)
Apostasy (Irtidād or Ridda, ارتداد أو ردّه) includes blasphemy. (Unlike the five offenses listed above, not all jurists consider apostasy to be a hudud offense.[4]


In brief, the punishments include:
Capital punishments – by sword/crucifixion (for highway robbery with homicide), by stoning (for zina by a married offender)
Amputation of hands or feet (for theft and highway robbery without homicide)
Flogging with a varying number of strokes (for drinking, zina' (this refers un-married offenders), false accusations of zina and spreading rumours of zin a')


Only eye-witness testimony and confession were admitted. For eye-witness testimony, the number of witnesses required was doubled from Islamic law's usual standard of two to four. Only free, adult Muslim men are eligible to testify in hudud cases.



22 Aug 2014 Amnesty International

Wednesday, 15 October 2014

Anila Quayyum


Intersections, Laser-cut Wood, Single Light Bulb, 6.5' Square Cube, Completed: December 2013, Cast Shadows: 32'x34'.

Exhibiting at GRAM (Grand Rapids Art Museum) for ArtPrize in Grand Rapids in September/ October 2014

Friday, 10 October 2014

Burnt toast


I was learning about Acrylamide. Then I found Furan.. what is it about?

1. http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodborneIllnessContaminants/ChemicalContaminants/ucm194482.htm


Glacier calving


They Took A Camera To A Remote Area In Greenland, And What They Recorded Is Simply Terrifying

From unworthy.com in their : This is a special Upworthy series about encouraging action on climate change. Made Possible by Planet Victory. Read more.

Sunday, 5 October 2014

Wallets



Ooh! Lovely slim wallets. From Australia too. Making a note for a present for DH. www.bellroy.com