As BN Falls The Rakyat Rises!

Storming of the Bastille, 14 July 1789

Yesterday I received notifications from Blogger that two of my blogs had been locked. I had to laugh, because my first thought was that a BN cybertrooper or some inarticulate injured party had flagged my blogs in fury. "Great!" I said to myself. "My kick in the groin must have connected!" However, the explanation could also be that Blogger's robot patrols mistakenly identified my blogs as spamsites. How ironic! Nobody detests spam as much as I do, and here's some stupid, soulless cyberbot accusing me of spamming.

I know how Anwar must feel, constantly being accused of sodomy and corruption by those who themselves may be the biggest, baddest and most corrupt pederasts on earth.

Anyway, even as Barisan Nasional begins to sink out of sight below the horizon of basic decency, the Malaysian people are swiftly rising to the occasion and boldly speaking their thoughts and feelings - thanks to web portals like Malaysiakini and Malaysia Today - not to mention the thousands of blogs sprouting up every week, run by rank amateurs as well as seasoned veterans.

Because my blogs were locked, I decided to spend some time reading other people's contributions to Malaysiakini and was rewarded by several excellent pieces that resonated so robustly, I simply had to promote them on my blog. So I've cloned one of the essays and provided a few links to the others. The well-crafted essay below (credited only to "Kein") comes pretty close to expressing my own dream and nightmare scenarios whenever I consider the political crossroads Malaysia has reached today...

BETWEEN A DREAM AND A NIGHTMARE...
Kein | Aug 1, 08 4:19pm

Last night I had a dream. I dreamt that it was 2010 and Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had handed power over to his deputy Najib, putting an end to his pointless and rudderless rule. Malaysia was now in firmer hands and the country had passed a defining fork in the river of time.

As I dreamt on, time seemed to be compressed into fast changing glimpses of unfolding events. The nascent opposition had failed to take over the federal government in 2008. Anwar Ibrahim was languishing in prison, convicted of sodomy in a scandalous show trial without an iota of credible evidence. The government shrugged off the torrent of international condemnation as ‘meddling in internal affairs’ and carried on business as usual.

Najib stamped his mark on Malaysia as an authoritarian in the mould of Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Democratic space which allowed the opposition to flourish under Abdullah’s rule was severely curtailed. Political blogs were outlawed and control over the mainstream pres tightened. The ISA was liberally used to quell dissent.

Social reforms proposed for the judiciary, the ACA, the police and the AG’s chambers during Abdullah’s time were stalemated and never saw the light of day. The rule of law had broken down with the acquittal of all accused in the murder of a Mongolian lady.

The economy went into free fall under the onslaught of massive corruption and the implementation of unproductive mega-projects which did not benefit the rakyat but were vehicles for enrichment of a small group of elite. Foreign investment dried up, the ringgit depreciated drastically, the gap between rich and poor widened and people’s lives became harder.

When the time came for the 13th general elections, the ruling party pulled out all the stops to win. Free and fair elections were impossible with the total control of the mass media by the ruling party and the use of threats, intimidation, vote-buying, repression of the opposition and massive cheating. The ruling party won with a handsome majority in parliament..

Meanwhile, the shrinking economic pie led to a resurgence of Malay nationalism instigated and nurtured by Umno leaders. Chinese, Indians and other non-Malays faced a slew of racially-based polices which imposed new limits on their education, employment and economic opportunities.

The best and brightest of human capital fled overseas to escape the racial discrimination. On their heels were to come maids, labourers and other unskilled workers seeking work overseas as unemployment soared.

But for the ordinary Malays themselves, life did not improve. They were deceived by the nebulous notion of Ketuanan Melayu, Malay special rights and NEP which did little for them except to benefit a ruling oligarchy. They had begun to realise the deceit but it was too late to turn back the clock. A pseudo-democracy had replaced real democracy in a political system which the ruling party could never lose.

Deteriorating economic conditions led to widespread social discontent but suppression of public demonstrations had become more brutal. I watched as intimidating-looking red-helmeted FRU men armed with clubs and shields beat a defenseless crowd demonstrating over a surge in inflation.

The air was thick with the acrid smell of tear gas and a short distance away, a water canon was spewing a powerful gush of chemically-laced water as the crowd ran helter-skelter. Amid the noise and the commotion, I heard a sharp crack and an old lady fell in front of me, her weary face lined with pain as I woke with an abrupt start with her scream of pain reverberating in my ears.

Moonlight filtered through the windows and rain pattered on the roof with a steady rhythm as the wind howled outside. I was drenched in cold sweat with a feeling of extreme disquiet. The alarm clock read 2 am, it was too early to get up so I had a drink of water before settling down again to try to sleep.

I thought of Malaysia, the future of the country and the reality that social injustice and authoritarian methods always lead to economic decline. I drifted off again and was soon again in the dimension of dreams.

It was a sitting of parliament and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was addressing the lawmakers in the presence of the King and Queen. He promised a new Malaysia where all races were equal partners in the economic and social life of the country while the special rights of the Malays guaranteed under the constitution will remain protected.

Corruption will not be tolerated, social justice upheld and emphasis given to reviving the economy. His first act was to lower the price of oil to assist the wheels of economy which he asserted Malaysia could afford as an oil-exporting country.

Under the new government, wide-ranging reforms were made to repair severely damaged democratic institutions. The judiciary, the police and the ACA benefitted from reforms which accorded them true independence from the executive. An independent police complaints commission was set up, the powers of the attorney-general clipped and good men were appointed to helm all these institutions. A host of oppressive laws such as the ISA, OSA, UUCA and PPPA were repealed.

On the economic front, open tenders were conducted for all government contracts and non- productive projects which do not benefit the rakyat were cancelled. Unfair one-sided agreements with toll concessionaires and IPPs were re-negotiated. The billions saved were used to subsidise oil prices and spent on projects with real benefit for the people.

Foreign investments flooded in following open market policies without race-based restrictions and the ringgit appreciated.

In the new climate of meritocracy and equal opportunities, the ‘brain drain’ which had afflicted Malaysia for decades reversed itself. The country no longer bled its best and brightest youth to foreign shores and local professionals and specialists who had gone overseas made a beeline back to the country they still called home to contribute their energies and skills.

The much abused NEP was replaced by the Malaysian Economic Agenda which channels affirmative action based on need instead of race. Help flowed to those who really needed it..

With proper economic management, foreign inflows and a stronger ringgit, the per capita income of the people increased and poverty was drastically reduced.

The end of race-based policies and racial politics brought the various races closer together. In schools and colleges, in work places and entertainment outlets, people of all races mingled and interacted in the spirit of genuine friendship. Malaysia became a shining beacon of democracy where the various races lived together in harmony and a true ‘Bangsa Malaysia’ began to emerge.


The cheerful sound of big band music sliced through the clear morning air as Malaysia celebrated its Independence Day. It was a joyous occasion which saw an endless parade of colourful uniformed bodies marching proudly past a spellbound crowd.

At the grandstand, Prime Minister Anwar lifted a ceremonial keris high in the air to shouts of ‘Merdeka!’ as trumpets blared and a shrill ringing became louder and louder until it cut through the reverie to wake me from my slumber.

Outside, the rain had given way to a cool breeze rustling the leaves outside my window. Night was slowly receding to the pale light of a new day, a full moon looked down while the faint barking of a dog could be heard in the distance. I looked at the new dawn breaking above the horizon and dared to hope.

More juicy contributions by Malaysiakini subscribers:

DID THE POLICE COVER ALL THE ANGLES?
Aug 1, 08 10:33am

MR PM, PLEASE ANSWER MY DAUGHTER
True Malaysian | Aug 1, 08 4:05pm

WAN AZIZAH, A TOWERING MALAYSIAN WOMAN
Richard Kamalanathan | Aug 1, 08 4:16pm

"Let the Polis Investigate." Har har har har har!

Saiful Bukhari Azlan's lawyer, Zamri Idrus, could do with a crash course in holding media conferences. His whole demeanor, body language, and evasiveness mark him as somebody with a hidden agenda - and those tinted glasses hardly help to dispel the impression that we're looking at a somewhat "shady" character. All the man can say is:

"Let the polis investigate."

"It's under polis investigation."

"No need to go into this issue."

"I can't comment on that."

Asked about the first medical report by Dr Osman Hamid of Hospital Pusrawi, Zamri's ridiculous reaction is that nobody knows what "the so-called report" is all about. Hey, bodoh... it's about Saiful Bukhari being a goddam liar, making up a wicked story about being sodomized eight times by a guy with a bad back.

The reporters want to know why Saiful is under polis protection. "He requested it," Zamri says. Boy, the Malaysian polis are ever so accommodating, always eager to serve the rakyat. Does Saiful think Anwar's supporters will hunt him down and hang him from a lamppost? Obviously, these Umno thugs believe everybody else thinks just like them.

Not only Zamri Idrus, but every Umno mouthpiece that has commented on this repulsive piece of chicanery - from Badawi (PM) to Botak (home minister) to Moh Choon Toy (health minister) - has used this phrase, "Let the polis investigate," like a magic mantra. Indeed, the phrase seems to be interchangeable with "Leave it in God's hands!"

And Malaysia is NOT a polis state??? Well, whatever it may be, Malaysia is definitely in a totally psychotic state - or, at least, the hoodlums are that have been misruling this poor country for decades. Now that Umno is facing its own imminent demise, panic has broken out and is causing it to sink deeper and deeper and deeper, with every move it makes, into a stinking quagmire from which it will never be able to extricate itself.

Glub glub glub. Good riddance, Umno.

Another Juicy Scoop From RPK!

RPK, what would Malaysia do without you? This latest juicy scoop from Malaysia Today deserves the widest possible dissemination. That's why I'm reproducing it in full on the Magick River blog. Thanks again, Pete! :-)

NO HOLDS BARRED

Raja Petra Kamarudin

THE MALAY UNITY SODOMY CONSPIRACY

Actually, there is a lot more sodomising going on in Malaysia than most people realise. The question is: who is sodomising whom? Or are they taking turns to sodomise each other?

The sad thing is, all those involved are Malays who profess the religion of Islam. And some are even from an Islamic political party. They talk about Islam until they foam at the mouth. They say that all Muslims are going to heaven, even bad Muslims who will of course have to serve a short term in hell to pay for their sins before they get transferred to heaven after their ‘sentence’ has been fully served. Good non-Muslims like Mother Teresa, never mind how good they may have been, will all end up in hell because they do not profess the religion of Islam.

Yes, this is the Malay mindset. Do good and you go to heaven. Do bad and you still go to heaven. And if you do bad all your life and repent a day before you die then you will go to heaven. Just make sure you repent at least a day before you die. Then you can escape hell.

Everything about the Malay mind revolves around heaven and hell. They will have this ‘little book’ like a weight-watcher’s book of calories and they measure their deeds with debits and credits. Sure, you can do bad. But just make sure you ‘balance’ your bad deeds with some good deeds. You do a bad deed and you get one debit. But if you know how to work your way around the system, then your good deeds can earn 27 credits. So one good deed can wipe out 27 bad deeds, depending on the degree and ranking of these good-bad deeds.

Yes, it’s all about balancing. And it’s all about punishment and rewards. Malays will avoid bad and do good only if there is a reward system. And the good is done only so far as it can help balance or wipe out the bad deeds. Conscience does not come into play here. In fact, there is no proper or precise word in the Malay vocabulary that is equivalent to the word ‘conscience’. The closest ‘description’ to conscience would probably be hati kecil or suara hati. Even then this is more a description rather than a translation because hati kecil or suara hati can describe other things as well and may not necessarily refer to conscience.

And that is why, of late, we have seen many acts perpetuated by people without any conscience and who feel that one bad deed is not a big deal when one can always go to Mekah to pray in front of the Kabah after the deed is done and this will wipe out all traces of the bad deed. An atheist is good because he or she is good by nature. A ‘religious’ person is good not necessarily because he or she is good by nature but because he or she is a coward and is too scared of hell or he or she wishes to be ‘bribed’ with heaven.

The Malay unity talks between PAS and Umno are not something that just sort of happened. They were carefully planned way ahead with the objective of restoring Malay political power and to ensure that the non-Malay ‘immigrants’ would not become the dominant political force in Malaysia. Part of this plan involved ensuring that PAS would lose confidence in Anwar Ibrahim to the point they would see that their future lies with Barisan Nasional rather than with Anwar.

Anwar is, after all, a traitor to the Malay race (he espouses Ketuanan Rakyat instead of Ketuanan Melayu and he is opposed to the New Economic Policy and wishes it to be replaced with a new, more-equitable, policy) and an American agent (reinforced with the US’ recent statements condemning Malaysia on this latest sodomy allegation against Anwar). So Anwar, the traitor that he is, needs to be destroyed for the good of the Malays.

Did it not make you wonder why it was Saiful’s uncle (or was it his auntie?) and not his father who called the press conference asking Anwar to swear on the Quran that he never sodomised the young man? Why the uncle/auntie? Why not the father? Anyway, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak too swore in front of 900 Umno national and grassroots leaders that he never met and does not know Altantuya. Are the people convinced that since Najib has sworn an oath then he is telling the truth? Or has his oath not changed the people’s minds one bit?

Actually, Saiful hardly knows his father. His father abandoned his mother soon after he was born and the mother remarried. When his mother died, his stepfather also disappeared and Saiful was subsequently brought up by his uncle (or was it his auntie?). And one important aspect in this whole episode is that Saiful’s ‘God Mother’ is Mumtaz Jaafar - who is Rosmah Mansor’s nominee and ‘bag lady’ in all their clandestine business deals.

[Even more intriguing, I've read in one blog that Mumtaz Jaafar's daughter is Janna Syariza,who happens to be engaged to Saiful Bukhari (although Saiful has flatly denied that Janna and Mumtaz are related. Will somebody who knows the facts enlighten us on this score? It's an important detail, because if this were true, it further reinforces the link between Najib Razak's wife and Saiful Bukhari.]

Now does that explain why Najib agreed to meet Saiful? Many just could not understand why a busy and important Deputy Prime Minister would want to waste time meeting a university dropout. It is because Saiful is Mumtaz’s ‘God Son’. That was why Najib met him.

Looking at Saiful’s uncle, who looks and acts like his auntie, you can now begin to understand what makes that young man tick. Did the doctor find Saiful’s uncle’s semen specimen in the young man’s sorry butt and that is why the police are not able to charge Anwar? That may explain why the police released Anwar on police bail after the dramatic Hollywood-style arrest just a day earlier.

Saiful’s father is a member of the Malay unity ad hoc committee that was set up to engineer the PAS-Umno talks. Another committee member is the Sapura Managing Director, Rameli Musa, an Anwar ‘crony’. Yes, little did Anwar realise that his ‘best friend’ was setting him up for a fall. Heading this committee is someone from Military Intelligence who I shall not name at this stage.

Yeap, Military Intelligence again. Now can you see why Military Intelligence leaked the information about the official report on Rosmah Mansor’s involvement in the Altantuya murder? It was meant to bring Najib down. And these same people are involved in the PAS-Umno unity talks, which has, amongst its ranks, committee members like Saiful’s father and Anwar’s so-called best friend, Rameli Musa (right).

Okay, recently, Saiful’s father, who had abandoned the young man way back when he was born, came back into his life. Why, after riding off into the sunset 20 years or so ago, does this father suddenly appear on his son’s doorstep? Simple. He wanted to send his son to meet Najib. Yes, that’s right. Najib thought he was sending Saiful to Anwar as a Trojan Horse. What Naijb did not know is that, in the first place, this young man was sent to him as a plant. Najib thought the young man was God sent and the weapon he could use to destroy Anwar. Actually, he was not God sent. He was sent by the committee to engineer the PAS-Umno Malay unity talks. Najib swallowed the bait - hook, line and sinker.

And that is why Saiful’s father did not want to appear in public, especially on camera. If his face were to appear on TV then many would probably remember seeing him all over the place. He is not employed of course. His job is ‘brokering’. He is what we would call a Mister Fixit. If you want something fixed, if you want to win a government contract, if you want to set someone up, if you want to meet a Minister or the Deputy Prime Minister, then call Mister Fixit and he will fix it up for you.

The deal is simple. Conjure new sodomy allegations against Anwar. This will get PAS worried and they will start having second thoughts about Anwar and Pakatan Rakyat. Get PAS and Umno to sit down and talk about Malay unity. Let PAS see that their political future lies with Umno and not with PKR, which is going to be brought down by the latest sodomy allegation against Anwar. Tell PAS that Umno agrees to the implementation of Islamic laws in the states they control and that Umno agrees PAS shall be the Menteri Besar (whereas PKR is opposed to Islamic laws just like their other partner in Pakatan Rakyat, DAP).

The architects and engineers of the PAS-Umno Malay unity talks realise that offering PAS the Menteri Besar post and agreeing to the implementation of Islamic laws alone is not enough. They need to also destroy Anwar’s credibility to prove to PAS that its future lies with Umno and not with PKR. Is it any surprise then that the ad hoc committee for the PAS-Umno talks is also the ‘committee to get Anwar’ and that Saiful’s father together with the Military Intelligence are crucial players in this whole thing?

As I said, Malays don’t have a conscience. There is no precise word in Malay that means conscience. Anything goes as far as Malays are concerned. Okay, so they commit the sin of fixing Anwar up on sodomy charges and they sell out the voters who voted for them. But these sins can be washed clean by just going to Mekah to pray in front of the Kabah. And if you repeat these sins after your return to Malaysia you can always make another trip to Mekah and repeat the repentance scam in front of the Kabah.

Sigh... I just wonder why those Indian Muslims are insisting that the government recognises them as Malays.

IT'S LAUGHABLE... NOT LOVABLE!

RAIS vs RICE ROW OVER ANWAR

Friday, 25 July 2008 08:54

(TODAYOnline) - The war of words between Malaysia and the United States over the Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim affair, which began in a letter earlier this month, continued yesterday as the two countries' top diplomats defended their governments' respective stands.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the US would never stop speaking on human rights and political cases while Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim accused the US of meddling in Malaysia's domestic affairs.

The two had earlier met for 15 minutes on the sidelines of the 15th Asean Regional Forum where Rais told Rice that police investigations into the sodomy case involving Anwar were not politically motivated.

At her press conference, Rice dismissed Malaysia's claim that the sodomy case is an internal affair.

NOW WHO TO BELIEVE - UNCLE PET OR UNCLE PETE?

"What has happened... has happened but we have to go on with our lives. And we are confident Allah will come to our aid. [Saiful] is my nephew and I trust him." - Saiful Bukhari's "Uncle Pet" (left)

“I refuse to respond to the plea on grounds that the charges are both defective and mala fide. I'm in the mood to fuck the government. What more do you want me to say?” - Uncle Pete aka Raja Petra Kamarudin (right)

SHUT THE FUCK UP, PAK BLAH!

You lost all credibility with me in November 2006 when you chose to cover Najib's arse instead of doing what any credible leader would have done, that is: tell your deputy to go on temporary leave of absence so that police investigations into the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder could proceed unhindered and undistorted by a morally condemned Attorney-General and a self-aggrandizing IGP. By failing to do so, you have become tarred with the same despicable brush as all the other sleazebags and slimeballs in Umno - and therefore your neck is no longer worth saving, nor are any of your banal utterances worth publishing.

Infamous stained mattress displayed during 1999 Anwar Trial (Photo courtesy of Malaysiakini)

Each time you open your mouth to comment on the braindead sodomy accusation you only sink deeper into the slimy mud of contemptibility. Do the intelligent thing and rescue an iota of your dignity as prime minister by instructing the police to drop the case at once - because it has seriously damaged Malaysia's international reputation - more so than a million tattooed and transgendered sodomites staging an anal sex carnival on live TV could blemish our image as a civilized nation.

Only thing you have going for you is the fact that Mahathir hates your guts. That alone makes you a lot less obnoxious than most of your benighted colleagues in Umno. Your avuncular aura and gentlemanly stance also ensure that people tend to spare you the worst insults. However, your hands are just as dirty and bloodstained as Najib's since you are fully complicit in the Altantuya cover-up - don't kid yourself that anyone believes you're Mr Clean!

I challenge you to prove me wrong. Sack Musa Hassan and Gani Patail for falsifying evidence to ensure Anwar's conviction in 1999. Then order Najib to go on leave while you investigate how many generals he has bought off with lucrative contracts. After that you can stun us all by hauling up Mahathir, Tengku Adnan, V.K. Lingam, Vincent Tan and Ahmaid Fairuz for a thorough grilling - before charging them with manipulating the appointment of judges and influencing the outcome of trials. Do that today and tomorrow I'll say something really nice about you. Promise!

Too Expensive To Blog From A Cybercafe (But How To Stop?)

I've been at this dimly lit cybercafe for the last two hours, catching up on the local news through Malaysiakini and Malaysia Today. Never a dull moment. Anwar released after being subject to major harassment, indignity and extreme discomfort. RPK roped in, only to be released on bail within a couple of hours. Now I can leave the cybercafe with a much lighter heart. For the last 48 hours I have endured genuine anxiety on behalf of Anwar and RPK. I care deeply about the well-being and freedom of these two national heroes who are doing what I myself would gladly do if I had chosen the political path. The bullshit they go through for our sake and that of our posterity may seem mild compared with what others have been subjected to in countries like Cambodia, Burma, Zimbabwe, Palestine, Chile, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Nonetheless, I thank such public figures every single day for their heroic acts, because they keep the idea of freedom, justice and truth alive even through the darkest night of authoritarian misrule. I know we must be thankful that Malaysia is relatively less violent than some countries where political dissidents face arrest, torture and summary execution by hooded death squads. But why can't we compare ourselves with countries like New Zealand, Australia and Norway instead?

Anyway, July 16 will remain embedded in my memory as among the darkest days in recent memory. The totally unwarranted and unjustifiable arrest of Anwar Ibrahim came close to shattering all my hopes of a peaceful transition for Malaysia from the stinky and stupid BN era to a new political dawn with Pakatan Rakyat administering the country. The sheer insanity of a country that sends a UTK (Special Action Unit) team out in terrorist-style balaclavas and a convoy of police vehicles to nab a guy whose only crime is that he has set his sights on the nation's top post! Come on, let's grow up, people.


Only a not-happening no-hoper like Mukhriz Mahathir would stand up in Parliament and foam at the mouth like Shabery Cheek about "unnatural sex acts" - as though there are no worse crimes that occur at any given moment. In the first place, whoever labeled anal and oral sex as "punishable crimes" requires immediate psychological counseling and deep emotional therapy. Rape is a no-no, that's for sure - but that Saiful fella certainly didn't look like somebody who had just been repeatedly raped when he smiled for the press photographers soon after lodging a police report against Anwar. Indeed, he looked like some dimwit kid who can't get over the fact that he has become an overnight sensation across the nation and that thousands were Googling his name and even visiting his girlfriend's inane blog.

The prime cause of BN's inevitable downfall may well prove to be a 28-year-old Mongolian beauty who found herself in extremely bad company and got blown up trying to collect her rightful share of ill-gotten gains. No matter how many formal denials issue from the pink lips of Najib Razak or his reprehensible spouse Rosmah Mansor, ugly rumors will persist until the murder case is finally resolved to the public's satisfaction. And the only way that can happen is for the DPM to take temporary leave and allow himself and his wife to be summoned to court as key witnesses.

UMNO'S NEW IMAGE?

Where's Frodo when we need him to deliver the Ring of Power to Mount Doom... and destroy it forever?

We Interrupt This Program...

CULTURE IS YOUR OPERATING SYSTEM

From the Wikipedia entry on Terence McKenna...

Terence McKenna grew up in Paonia, Colorado. He was introduced to geology through his uncle and developed a hobby of solitary fossil hunting in the arroyos near his home. From this he developed a deep artistic and scientific appreciation of nature.

At age 16, McKenna moved to, and attended high school in, Los Altos, California. He was introduced to psychedelics through The Doors of Perception by Aldous Huxley and Village Voice. One of his early experiences with them came through morning glory seeds (containing LSA), which he claimed showed him "that there was something there worth pursuing."

After graduating from high school, McKenna enrolled in U.C. Berkeley. He moved to San Francisco during the Summer Of Love before his classes began, and was introduced to cannabis by Barry Melton in 1965 and tried LSD soon later.

As a freshman at UC Berkeley McKenna participated in the Tussman Experimental College, a short-lived two-year program on the Berkeley campus. He graduated in 1969 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Ecology and Conservation. One of McKenna's most widely-promulgated ideas is known as Novelty theory. It predicts the ebb and flow of novelty in the universe as an inherent quality of time. McKenna developed the theory in the mid-1970s after his experiences in the Amazon at La Chorrera led him to closely study the King Wen sequence of the I-Ching. Novelty theory involves ontology, extropy, and eschatology.

The theory proposes that the universe is an engine designed for the production and conservation of novelty. Novelty, in this context, can be thought of as newness, or extropy (a term coined by Max More meaning the opposite of entropy). According to McKenna, when novelty is graphed over time, a fractal waveform known as "timewave zero" or simply the "timewave" results. The graph shows at what time periods, but never at what locations, novelty increases or decreases.

Considered by some to represent a model of history's most important events, the universal algorithm has also been extrapolated to be a model for future events. McKenna admitted to the expectation of a "singularity of novelty", and that he and his colleagues projected many hundreds of years into the future to find when this singularity (runaway "newness" or extropy) could occur. The graph of extropy had many enormous fluctuations over the last 25,000 years, but amazingly, it hit an asymptote at exactly December 22, 2012. In other words, entropy (or habituation) no longer exists after that date. It is impossible to define that state. The technological singularity concept parallels this, only at a date roughly three decades later. According to leading expert Ray Kurzweil), another concept called cultural singularity (essentially cultural dissolution, or language dissolution), parallels this as well. Terence claimed to have no knowledge of the Mayan calendar, which ends one day before the Timewave graph does: December 21, 2012. This is likely to be true as Mckenna's timewave theory was published in The Invisible Landscape 12 years before the book which brought the Mayan calendar into public consciousness; José Argüelles's The Mayan Factor.

THE PSYCHEDELIC SOCIETY (47-MIN LECTURE)

Are We A Nation of Thieves?

A few hours after I paid my June phone bill online, my land line went dead. It must have been in the wee hours of July 5th, a Saturday. A couple of friends were kind enough to lodge a 100 report on my behalf and I called Hamdan, my Telekom contact in Kuala Kubu Bharu, who said a technical team from Rawang would be sent up to sort out the problem on Sunday. So I had to monitor the Kelana Jaya Stadium Protes Event from a cybercafe in KKB. Sunday came and went. Still no phone service! I called up Hamdan again and he said the Rawang crew had inspected the equipment and everything was working fine. So how come I still had no service? Hamdan went up to take a look and called me with the bad news: "Thieves have stolen a section of the cable near the bridge!" This is the third time this has happened. The first couple of times it took nearly two weeks to get my land line up again - because right after one section of cable was replaced, the same gang struck again and stole another cable section! To make matters worse, the Telekom techies used the wrong type of cable (one that didn't support Streamyx) and so they had to do the job all over again. Each time this sort of breakdown happens, I add another entry to Mahathir's long list of crimes against Malaysians.

Why Mahathir? He's the Bloody Nincompoop who privatized (read, piratized) our essential telephony, electricity, water, and train services by handing them on a silver platter to his Umno cronies who swiftly proceeded to make them even more inefficient - and, in the case of Telekom, the privatization exercise included the creation of a whole slew of private limited Bumi companies owned and operated by former Telekom employees who were given exclusive contracts to supply components, install wiring, and undertake cable replacement. That in itself need not be a problem. However, these crony companies have a very different attitude to service than your typical Chinaman run auto workshop. If your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, chances are you'll be rescued by a roadside workshop who will tell you in 15 minutes what part needs replacing and then proceed to phone a parts supplier in the nearest town. Within an hour a guy on motorbike will arrive with the required part and within another 30 minutes your car will be on the move again. Now, if only Telekom Malaysia and its associated suppliers had this sort of work ethic!

Instead, the technical team from Rawang that supposedly checked the equipment on Sunday saw that the relay switches were functioning fine and didn't even bother making a test call on the line. Then they would have known it was dead and perhaps would have discovered that a cable section was missing. Instead they turned around and went home, believing their job was done. So on Monday did they get the problem fixed? Of course not! What they did was send a team out to Shah Alam to obtain the replacement cable from their store. That's right, that took an entire day to accomplish. Hopefully, today, they will manage to get the cable replaced and my phone line will be working again. But with Telekom Malaysia on the job, one can never assume anything. Betul TM = Tak Malu. It must be obvious to anyone with half a brain that in Malaysia mono-ethnic companies simply don't work - especially if they're in high-pressure businesses like airlines, commuter train and telco services.

Why is the crime rate so high in Malaysia? Just look at our so-called leaders in the Barisan Nasional. All they have done in the last 25 years is steal from the Rakyat - whether it's Petronas revenues or submarine deals or even Chinese New Year decorations, they grab whatever they can any chance they get. Right after the March 8th election results came in, Umno stste governments began looting their offices of computers, printers, fax machines, even furniture - while furiously shredding whatever evidence might incriminate them. Even their wives quickly stole state money intended for charities. Have the police been around to investigate these Umno wives? Crime has become part of the national culture! Now, no thanks to Najib, murder may become the Malaysian way to cover up corrupt deals and politically embarrassing liaisons. Am I being unfair to prejudge the man? Hey, just read those chubby pink lips!

(Photo courtesy of Tian Chua)

BUSH THE REPTILIAN SHAPESHIFTER!

[Forwarded by Jason Rao]

BUSH CHARGED WITH MURDER

About the book

In The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder, Bugliosi presents a tight, meticulously researched legal case that puts George W. Bush on trial in an American courtroom for the murder of nearly 4,000 American soldiers fighting the war in Iraq. Bugliosi sets forth the legal architecture and incontrovertible evidence that President Bush took this nation to war in Iraq under false pretenses—a war that has not only caused the deaths of American soldiers but also over 100,000 innocent Iraqi men, women, and children; cost the United States over one trillion dollars thus far with no end in sight; and alienated many American allies in the Western world.

As a prosecutor who is dedicated to seeking justice, Bugliosi, in his inimitable style, delivers a non-partisan argument, free from party lines and instead based upon hard facts and pure objectivity. A searing indictment of the President and his administration, The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder also outlines a legally credible pathway to holding our highest government officials accountable for their actions, thereby creating a framework for future occupants of the oval office.

Vincent Bugliosi calls for the United States of America to return to the great nation it once was and can be again. He believes the first step to achieving this goal is to bring those responsible for the war in Iraq to justice.

HAPPY "INTERDEPENDENCE DAY" TO ALL MY AMERICAN FRIENDS & VISITORS. WE IN MALAYSIA HAVE TO DEAL WITH OUR OWN FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD HOODLUMS-IN-GOVERNMENT TOO! NOW READ WHAT MY BUDDY SWAMI BEYONDANANDA HAS TO SAY...

How We Can Break the Soundless Barrier and Bring Down the Irony Curtain

by Steve Bhaerman (July 3, 2008)

"We no longer have a free press. We have a brainwashing machine stuck on spin."

In case you missed it, there was a front page story two weeks ago that most newspapers - like our own "liberal" San Francisco Chronicle - treated as a no-page story. While those of us in the Bay Area were offered a front page analysis of Tiger Woods' injury and the latest doings of penguins at the zoo, a former commanding general in Iraq accused the Bush Administration of war crimes.

You didn't hear about it? Well, obviously you weren't supposed to. In the preface to a report prepared by Physicians for Human Rights, Maj. General Antonio Taguba (USA-Ret.), who led the U.S. Army's investigation into the Abu Ghraib detainee abuse scandal, wrote: "After years of disclosures by government investigations, media accounts, and reports from human rights organizations, there is no longer any doubt as to whether the current administration has committed war crimes. The only question is whether those who ordered the use of torture will be held to account."

So, let's see. An American general accuses the Commander-in-Chief of committing war crimes, and it doesn't even make the news. The last time an American general accused the President of committing war crimes was ... uh ... never. In other words, something truly new happens, and it's not even "news." Our so-called "free press" is free to report freely on any story it likes, provided it doesn't rock the ship of state. I've said it before, but it - sadly - bears repeating. The main difference between the corporate media and Pravda is that the Soviet citizens knew they were being lied to.

We no longer have a free press. We have a brainwashing machine stuck on spin.

So if we're wondering why impeachment and war crimes have gotten no traction, well ... welcome to Not-See America, where the press makes it easier and easier for Americans to "not see" what should be all too obvious. Fortunately, as the "up-wising" continues, Americans across the political spectrum are waking up and wising up. Unfortunately, they are finding their voices intentionally silenced by a media monopoly that does more than "cover" the most important stories of our day - it smothers them to death. I guess that's what they mean by "blanket coverage."

However, there is one way to break the story of the most dangerous and toxic regime in American history through the "soundless barrier." It can be done without demonstrations (one of the lessons the powers in power learned in the Vietnam War is to pay no attention to them), petitions, civil disobedience, fasting, etc. It is using the two weapons we the people still have in our arsenal - the marketplace and the meeting place.

Vincent Bugliosi, the former Los Angeles County prosecutor who helped convict the Manson family and wrote a book about it, Helter Skelter (touted as the # 1 True Crime Bestseller of all time) has written a new book called The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder. In it, he lays out what the book jacket describes as "a nonpartisan argument, free from party lines, based upon hard facts and pure objectivity." In other words, the very book America needs right now. Needless to say, finding a review of this book ... well, it's like finding those weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

[Illustration: Abu Ghraib 37 (2005), by Fernando Botero]

Bala's Bombshell: Press Conference (Part Two)

(Courtesy of Malaysiakini.tv, 4 July 2008)

In view of the high-tension drama raging around DPM Najib Razak's intimate links to the explosive Altantuya Shaariibuu murder case - and Balasubramaniam Perumal's retraction of his July 1st statutory declaration this morning, after a "friendly chat" with the Polis Di Raja Malaysia at Balai Polis Brickfields yesterday evening - it's important that everybody in Malaysia gets to view the full proceedings at the July 3rd press conference. This is already on Malaysiakini but it won't hurt to carry it on this blog too as the well-being and future of our nation is under extreme threat from reactionary forces aligned with the Barisan Nasional.

I was told earlier today that a statutory declaration, by definition, cannot be retracted. Perhaps Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail will have lots of time to revise his basic law while on long vacation at Sungai Buloh Prison?

DELETE! DELETE! DELETE!

Anwar Ibrahim @ Shah Alam, 1st July 2008

I wish to record my sincere appreciation to the dynamic team at MediaRakyat for uploading Anwar Ibrahim's full speech at the Shah Alam stadium on YouTube within a matter of hours. Now Malaysians around the world can hear what the man has to say... and decide for themselves whether they still prefer the Devil They Know!

ANWAR: Ceramah @ Shah Alam (1 July 2008) PART 1


PART 2


PART 3


PART 4


PART 5


[Courtesy of MediaRakyat]