Friday, October 31, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
Photos from my travels
I finally took the time to sort my photos and to upload them on Facebook...
so with that, let me introduce a new addition to this blog!!
Check out the side bar, with the drop down menu for My Travel Album
I am still in the process of uploading photos from the various countries I have visited (mostly thanks to AIESEC, and mostly from July 07 to July 08) so stay tuned as the list grows!
Countries listed so far include:
Skopje, Macedonia - Feb 08
Ohrid, Macedonia - Feb 08
Sofia, Bulgaria - Feb 08
Tokyo, Japan - Mar 08
Guang Zhou, China - May 08
Bandung, Indonesia - June 08
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam - July 08
so with that, let me introduce a new addition to this blog!!
Check out the side bar, with the drop down menu for My Travel Album
I am still in the process of uploading photos from the various countries I have visited (mostly thanks to AIESEC, and mostly from July 07 to July 08) so stay tuned as the list grows!
Countries listed so far include:
Skopje, Macedonia - Feb 08
Ohrid, Macedonia - Feb 08
Sofia, Bulgaria - Feb 08
Tokyo, Japan - Mar 08
Guang Zhou, China - May 08
Bandung, Indonesia - June 08
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam - July 08
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Shortest and longest
Following a comment that I have never had long hair all this time in AIESEC, I decided to showcase proof of when my hair was shortest, and longest :)
This is me in March 2008 in Tokyo, Japan. and yes my hair was long enough to tie up...
This is me in March 2008 in Tokyo, Japan. and yes my hair was long enough to tie up...
This is a little bit more close-up...
And finally.. the shortest I think in my whole AIESEC career as you can see from this shot in May or June 2006...
Latest Read
My latest book acquired is The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein...
In THE SHOCK DOCTRINE, Naomi Klein explodes the myth that the global free market triumphed democratically. Exposing the thinking, the money trail and the puppet strings behind the world-changing crises and wars of the last four decades, The Shock Doctrine is the gripping story of how America’s “free market” policies have come to dominate the world-- through the exploitation of disaster-shocked people and countries. Click here to read more...
Here, you can also find a short video about Naomi Klein's research on disaster capitalism...
Hopefully the book proves to be an interesting read...
In THE SHOCK DOCTRINE, Naomi Klein explodes the myth that the global free market triumphed democratically. Exposing the thinking, the money trail and the puppet strings behind the world-changing crises and wars of the last four decades, The Shock Doctrine is the gripping story of how America’s “free market” policies have come to dominate the world-- through the exploitation of disaster-shocked people and countries. Click here to read more...Here, you can also find a short video about Naomi Klein's research on disaster capitalism...
Hopefully the book proves to be an interesting read...
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
In a fit of randomness...
What Sharon Means |
 You are the total package - suave, sexy, smart, and strong. You have the whole world under your spell, and you can influence almost everyone you know. You don't always resist your urges to crush the weak. Just remember, they don't have as much going for them as you do. You are truly an original person. You have amazing ideas, and the power to carry them out. Success comes rather easily for you... especially in business and academia. Some people find you to be selfish and a bit overbearing. You're a strong person. You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic “Type A” personality. You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something. You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense. You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun. You are well rounded, with a complete perspective on life. You are solid and dependable. You are loyal, and people can count on you. At times, you can be a bit too serious. You tend to put too much pressure on yourself. You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals. |
Monday, October 06, 2008
Potrayal of Singapore from a different perspective
I found the World Report 2008 by the Human Rights Watch, the largest human rights organization based in the United States. You can find out more about them at http://hrw.org/about/whoweare.html
If you're free to check it out, go to page 321 and read what they have to say about Singapore.
It's always interesting to see what others say about us from their perspectives...
it's also interesting that if you read the section on Malaysia, you will find no mention of their law on sodomy; whereas in the section on Singapore, you will find a section on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Rights due to the existence of law 377A...
If you're free to check it out, go to page 321 and read what they have to say about Singapore.
It's always interesting to see what others say about us from their perspectives...
it's also interesting that if you read the section on Malaysia, you will find no mention of their law on sodomy; whereas in the section on Singapore, you will find a section on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Rights due to the existence of law 377A...
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Book Review and thoughts...
Having finished the book "Jihad - The Rise of Militant Islam in Central Asia" sometime last week, this post is a summary of my thoughts about the issues highlighted in the book.
In General
The book is an interesting read, especially for those interested in the history of the region, in foreign policies and the power play among neighbouring states, and in the evolution of people's mindsets about Islam. What makes it an even more captivating read is that information is presented in a relatively un-biased way. The author presents facts from bureaucrats and militants alike, he presents facts from the history of these nations and their interactions with each other, he presents information about the different branches of Islam. All these coming from a Muslim and a journalist with years of experience in the region lends credibility and also removes possibility of the information being mis-interpreted in a negative way. (you get this with some books written about Islam by non-Muslims)
Collaboration VS Self-interest in Power Play of Countries
The author makes a very clear point that countries such as the US, Russia, China, Pakistan, Turkey etc all have keen interest in the Central Asian states. This is largely due to the huge reserves of oil and natural gas that these states are sitting on. While international aid has been extended to the Central Asian states and some states are making an effort to draw in foreign investment, these moves have yet to translate into real economic and social reforms that benefit the average citizen on the streets due to overriding presence of corruption. The author also points out that much of these aid and investments are not conditional on reforms taking place, and this reflects the gap between the profit-driven and self-interest mindsets that exists as opposed to the a bigger-picture and socially responsible mindsets that are needed.
The author presents a lot more points regarding the power play between states interested in the region, as well as the self-interest attitudes of governments within the Central Asian states themselves so I won't reveal them all.
Something that really struck me was the difficult balance facing states and governments in today's highly globalised world. These institutions generally pursue the concept of globalisation, especially since it facilitates so much of our trade, investments and economies today. Yet at the same time, there exists the 'general understanding' of a non-intervention policy outside of our own countries, which in basic terms simply means that as my neighbour, you are free to comment on what's happening in my house but you don't shouldn't take any action or interfere too much since it's not your house, even if my actions may be causing you discomfort.
There's no better example of this difficulty than that of the financial crisis happening right now. As the melt-down of Wall Street in the US sends shockwaves through the global community and governments and banks scramble to take action, we see how on one hand, the IMF is calling for a coordinated approach among European nations and on the other hand, Ireland and Germany have gone ahead with their own stands and actions. So on one hand, we can see how it makes sense that these countries are acting to protect the interests of their own people, and on the other hand, we see how sensitive it is when there are expectations (in the union) to make a collective stand for the greater good.
In General
The book is an interesting read, especially for those interested in the history of the region, in foreign policies and the power play among neighbouring states, and in the evolution of people's mindsets about Islam. What makes it an even more captivating read is that information is presented in a relatively un-biased way. The author presents facts from bureaucrats and militants alike, he presents facts from the history of these nations and their interactions with each other, he presents information about the different branches of Islam. All these coming from a Muslim and a journalist with years of experience in the region lends credibility and also removes possibility of the information being mis-interpreted in a negative way. (you get this with some books written about Islam by non-Muslims)
Collaboration VS Self-interest in Power Play of Countries
The author makes a very clear point that countries such as the US, Russia, China, Pakistan, Turkey etc all have keen interest in the Central Asian states. This is largely due to the huge reserves of oil and natural gas that these states are sitting on. While international aid has been extended to the Central Asian states and some states are making an effort to draw in foreign investment, these moves have yet to translate into real economic and social reforms that benefit the average citizen on the streets due to overriding presence of corruption. The author also points out that much of these aid and investments are not conditional on reforms taking place, and this reflects the gap between the profit-driven and self-interest mindsets that exists as opposed to the a bigger-picture and socially responsible mindsets that are needed.
The author presents a lot more points regarding the power play between states interested in the region, as well as the self-interest attitudes of governments within the Central Asian states themselves so I won't reveal them all.
Something that really struck me was the difficult balance facing states and governments in today's highly globalised world. These institutions generally pursue the concept of globalisation, especially since it facilitates so much of our trade, investments and economies today. Yet at the same time, there exists the 'general understanding' of a non-intervention policy outside of our own countries, which in basic terms simply means that as my neighbour, you are free to comment on what's happening in my house but you don't shouldn't take any action or interfere too much since it's not your house, even if my actions may be causing you discomfort.
There's no better example of this difficulty than that of the financial crisis happening right now. As the melt-down of Wall Street in the US sends shockwaves through the global community and governments and banks scramble to take action, we see how on one hand, the IMF is calling for a coordinated approach among European nations and on the other hand, Ireland and Germany have gone ahead with their own stands and actions. So on one hand, we can see how it makes sense that these countries are acting to protect the interests of their own people, and on the other hand, we see how sensitive it is when there are expectations (in the union) to make a collective stand for the greater good.
'What counts above all is coordination and the will not to act each for himself as we have seen a little bit in some European cases.'So while globalisation has taken off, along with the flourishing of trade laws, global governing bodies and international standards, we are still struggling with the other doors that globalisation opens up. How do we manage the safety and interests of our own countries while taking a consistent stand on the actions of other countries whose actions impact us? If trade and economic relations are such key drivers for the opening of a country's doors to the world that they can easily become the trump card for placing pressure for positive change, why then has the concept of social responsibility still only remained within the sphere of companies and businesses instead of being extended between states? instead of something driven together by both government and companies?
INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND CHIEF DOMINIQUE STRAUSS-KAHN
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