Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Much ado about nothing
The recent racket about Ikea serving pork laced sausages has stirred the nation. Muslims where upset how, Ikea, a multi-national corporation could be so insensitive. Ikea in return holified their food preparation area in accordance to Islam's requirement.
However, the story took a turning point when the Government released to the media that the two companies did not use any pork or pork related items in their food processing. DNA revealed that its chicken, sheep and vegetable. The only thing they were guilty of was an expired halal certificate that they should have renewed.
Another news source
Even when the owner of Muller Sausage Haus, a Muslim himself, cried foul over the allegations, nobody listened to him. Now everything is cleared but the damage is done.
I was in Ikea few days back and I chatted with one of the staff there. Sales has been bad for them. Muslims averted from consuming any food that was served there. Now, what will the relevant authorities do to compensate to the affected parties. I have not seen any kind of formal apology or even an acceptance of error.
To err is human. But doing it again and again is plain stupidity!
However, the story took a turning point when the Government released to the media that the two companies did not use any pork or pork related items in their food processing. DNA revealed that its chicken, sheep and vegetable. The only thing they were guilty of was an expired halal certificate that they should have renewed.
Another news source
Even when the owner of Muller Sausage Haus, a Muslim himself, cried foul over the allegations, nobody listened to him. Now everything is cleared but the damage is done.
I was in Ikea few days back and I chatted with one of the staff there. Sales has been bad for them. Muslims averted from consuming any food that was served there. Now, what will the relevant authorities do to compensate to the affected parties. I have not seen any kind of formal apology or even an acceptance of error.
To err is human. But doing it again and again is plain stupidity!
Friday, March 18, 2005
Hear me roar!
Recently, there has been uproar among the community, well at least with the ones I am around with, that Dato’ Azhar Mansor has converted into Christianity. The full details of the story can be read here.
It's hard to verify because its a forum and anyone can basically say anything. But the website does exist, and they give information for Malaysian Muslims to be an apostate (Christian or other convert). If you are curious, check it out http://www.murtadd.org/
But warning, the website states the truth about the apostate level in Malaysia and if you think you cannot handle it, I advise not to go in.
I think it’s a make believe story. It’s like what was said about Neil Armstrong (The First Man to reach the Moon). It was said that when he made his few steps on the moon, he heard the sound of Azan. The story goes that he actually met someone, maybe a prophet or vision or something like that there and said that Islam is the way and stuff like that. Once he got back to earth, he converted to Muslim and brought his family too. For a Muslim especially convert, this story makes us believe more in our faith. This story makes those who are a bit confused that they are on the right track in believing Islam.
I guess this Azhar Mansor story goes the same for the apostates that someone highly regarded has also chosen the Christian way. Or maybe just someone want to tarnish his image.
On a different note, I kind of don't agree with the law that does not allow people to convert out. Islam has already guaranteed that there is no force in the religion.
Surah Al-Baqara, Ayat 256:
" Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah hears and knows all things. "
I don't see the point why the government forces people to be Muslim when they don't want to be. It's a sad thing to do. Instead of educating these people, forcing is just making it worse.
It's hard to verify because its a forum and anyone can basically say anything. But the website does exist, and they give information for Malaysian Muslims to be an apostate (Christian or other convert). If you are curious, check it out http://www.murtadd.org/
But warning, the website states the truth about the apostate level in Malaysia and if you think you cannot handle it, I advise not to go in.
I think it’s a make believe story. It’s like what was said about Neil Armstrong (The First Man to reach the Moon). It was said that when he made his few steps on the moon, he heard the sound of Azan. The story goes that he actually met someone, maybe a prophet or vision or something like that there and said that Islam is the way and stuff like that. Once he got back to earth, he converted to Muslim and brought his family too. For a Muslim especially convert, this story makes us believe more in our faith. This story makes those who are a bit confused that they are on the right track in believing Islam.
I guess this Azhar Mansor story goes the same for the apostates that someone highly regarded has also chosen the Christian way. Or maybe just someone want to tarnish his image.
On a different note, I kind of don't agree with the law that does not allow people to convert out. Islam has already guaranteed that there is no force in the religion.
Surah Al-Baqara, Ayat 256:
" Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah hears and knows all things. "
I don't see the point why the government forces people to be Muslim when they don't want to be. It's a sad thing to do. Instead of educating these people, forcing is just making it worse.
Monday, March 14, 2005
The Chain Letter that Saved the World
This post is inspired by Hyelbaine. Well, just creating the post, not the content though
I hate chain letters and have never, or perhaps very rarely, forwarded them as I think they're a load of crap -- but this one is really worthwhile and expresses EXACTLY what I think about chain letters. I did not write, so I don't take any credit for it. If you know who wrote it, please let me know.
The Best Chain Letter Ever
Hello, my name is Candy and I suffer from the guilt of not forwarding 50 billion fucking chain letters sent to me by people who actually believe that if you send them on, a poor 6-year-old girl in Arkansas with a breast on her forehead will be able to raise enough money to have it removed before her redneck parents sell her to a traveling freak show.
Do you honestly believe that Bill Gates is going to give you, and everyone to whom you send "his" email $1000? How stupid are we? "Ooooh, looky here! If I scroll down this page and make a wish, I'll get laid by every good looking model in the magazine!"
What a bunch of bullshit. Maybe the evil chain letter leprechauns will come into my house and sodomize me in my sleep for not continuing a chain that was started by Peter in 5 AD and brought to this country by midget pilgrims on the Mayflower. Fuck them. If you're going to forward something, at least send me something mildly amusing.
I've seen all the "send this to 10 of your closest friends, and this poor, wretched excuse for a human being will somehow receive a nickel from some omniscient being" forwards about 90 times. I don't fucking care.
Show a little intelligence and think about what you're actually contributing to by sending out these forwards. Chances are, it's your own unpopularity. The point being? If you get some chain letter that's threatening to leave you shagless or luckless for the rest of your life, delete it. If it's funny, send it on. Don't piss people off by making them feel guilty about a leper in Botswana with no teeth who has been tied to the ass of a dead elephant for 27 years and whose only salvation is the 5 cents per letter he'll receive if you forward this email.
Now forward this to everyone you know. Otherwise, tomorrow morning your underwear will turn carnivorous and will consume your genitals.
I hate chain letters and have never, or perhaps very rarely, forwarded them as I think they're a load of crap -- but this one is really worthwhile and expresses EXACTLY what I think about chain letters. I did not write, so I don't take any credit for it. If you know who wrote it, please let me know.
The Best Chain Letter Ever
Hello, my name is Candy and I suffer from the guilt of not forwarding 50 billion fucking chain letters sent to me by people who actually believe that if you send them on, a poor 6-year-old girl in Arkansas with a breast on her forehead will be able to raise enough money to have it removed before her redneck parents sell her to a traveling freak show.
Do you honestly believe that Bill Gates is going to give you, and everyone to whom you send "his" email $1000? How stupid are we? "Ooooh, looky here! If I scroll down this page and make a wish, I'll get laid by every good looking model in the magazine!"
What a bunch of bullshit. Maybe the evil chain letter leprechauns will come into my house and sodomize me in my sleep for not continuing a chain that was started by Peter in 5 AD and brought to this country by midget pilgrims on the Mayflower. Fuck them. If you're going to forward something, at least send me something mildly amusing.
I've seen all the "send this to 10 of your closest friends, and this poor, wretched excuse for a human being will somehow receive a nickel from some omniscient being" forwards about 90 times. I don't fucking care.
Show a little intelligence and think about what you're actually contributing to by sending out these forwards. Chances are, it's your own unpopularity. The point being? If you get some chain letter that's threatening to leave you shagless or luckless for the rest of your life, delete it. If it's funny, send it on. Don't piss people off by making them feel guilty about a leper in Botswana with no teeth who has been tied to the ass of a dead elephant for 27 years and whose only salvation is the 5 cents per letter he'll receive if you forward this email.
Now forward this to everyone you know. Otherwise, tomorrow morning your underwear will turn carnivorous and will consume your genitals.
Monday, March 07, 2005
Where was I?
OK, I have been gone since New Year. Some thought I went to Banda Aceh. Some thought I was up it everything and migrated to Greenland. I like the latter though, get a fishing boat, do some deep sea fishing. Backed by some blue whales, walruses and musk oxen.
Anyway, back to reality. I was seconded to this Japanese company in Cyberjaya. Initially was excited with the prospect of not being with my dullard colleagues. Alas, my joy was dashed when the first thing they told me that I will not be given Internet access. Apparantly my function did not require internet access and its a privilege to have one. And they are a bloody IT solution provider. Which century is this company in? So with the daily 120KM travelling and no internet basically cut me off for a while. Weekends, I was just busy with life.
I was back for a while. I thought I got my freedom back. The Japs were impressed with my work, they want me back! So my boss saw an opportunity that he could not miss. So now I am back there for another two months and another possibility of an extenstion for another two months. Oh my god!
Anyway, back to reality. I was seconded to this Japanese company in Cyberjaya. Initially was excited with the prospect of not being with my dullard colleagues. Alas, my joy was dashed when the first thing they told me that I will not be given Internet access. Apparantly my function did not require internet access and its a privilege to have one. And they are a bloody IT solution provider. Which century is this company in? So with the daily 120KM travelling and no internet basically cut me off for a while. Weekends, I was just busy with life.
I was back for a while. I thought I got my freedom back. The Japs were impressed with my work, they want me back! So my boss saw an opportunity that he could not miss. So now I am back there for another two months and another possibility of an extenstion for another two months. Oh my god!
Saturday, March 05, 2005
We Might As Well Dance
I got an email from a friend I haven't heard in ages. It reads:
Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine.
Because we cram so much into our lives, we tend to schedule our headaches. We live on a sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the conditions are perfect!
Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises to us gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of "I'm going to," "I plan on," and "Someday, when things are settled down a bit."
Now...go on and have a nice day. Do something you WANT to, not something on your SHOULD DO list. If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?
"Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!"
I was actually moved by it, where else usually I just dismiss it as internet junk. We are so busy in the rat race we forget what is our passion. My guitars have been collecting dust ever since it came back from the states. My fishing rod, I don’t even know where it is. All my photographs that I have taken through my journeys are somewhere in a drawer. Everything has been put off. I need to do something about this.
Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine.
Because we cram so much into our lives, we tend to schedule our headaches. We live on a sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the conditions are perfect!
Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises to us gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of "I'm going to," "I plan on," and "Someday, when things are settled down a bit."
Now...go on and have a nice day. Do something you WANT to, not something on your SHOULD DO list. If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?
"Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!"
I was actually moved by it, where else usually I just dismiss it as internet junk. We are so busy in the rat race we forget what is our passion. My guitars have been collecting dust ever since it came back from the states. My fishing rod, I don’t even know where it is. All my photographs that I have taken through my journeys are somewhere in a drawer. Everything has been put off. I need to do something about this.