Spare the hostages and prisoners.

 

In wretched wars gone by, we had mostly heard of 'prisoners of war', where warring nations got hold of the soldiers who were captured alive and put them in detention camps.And after the wars, we had seen or heard prisoners of wars of both factions being exchanged, or released, after all sorts of diplomatic or political manoeuvres. But in this accursed war between Israel and Hamas, we are seeing innocent men and women, civilians being dragged and taken away forcibly at gunpoint and kept as  bargaining powers, or to say plainly, for blackmailing purposes. What a sickening, deploring thing this is..They should fight their damned wars but not stoop to  the disgusting level of holding innocent people at their mercies. Doesn't the Geneva Convention of 1949 establish that it is a war crime to take civilians as hostages or prisoners? 

It is said that Hamas is holding about 240 civilians as hostages. Israel, after the Hamas attack on 7th October, is said to have, immediately, 'arrested' about 4000 Palestinians, many of them labourers, and put them in detention camps or prisons 

Now, at the time of this writing, I hear that Qatar, with the presence of Egypt and the United States, had obtained a hard-fought agreement for a ceasefire of 4 days and an  exchange of captives; 50 hostages held by Hamas for 150 Palestinian prisoners held by the Israelis. See how they play with the lives of innocent people!

 Wars are cruel and often follow no set rules, but please do not stoop to this dirty level of taking hostages or imprisoning  of people not even involved in any disputes. I hope the great almighty organisation,'YOU KNIGHTED  NATIONS', will show its armour and prevent such lowly occurrences. Well, what I meant was the United Nations should be more forceful and see that war-rules on hostages and prisoners are adhered to. I hope all the hostages and all the people in the detention camps or prisons are released promptly. May God bless them and their families with mercy and  kindness.

Only when it happens to you....

 

Only when it happens to you will you feel the real pain. Until then, it will be, "Poor souls, they are suffering so much, they are so unlucky! No, it won't happen to us!"

The above conception and perception have been every human being's instinctual  thought since time immemorial. So, when the cursed wars are going on in other corners  of the world, with the humanity suffering the torturous  consequences, we go on, here, in our own  corner  of the world, with our routine way of life; going to the movies, going to the stadiums to cheer our favourite teams, having parties, going to our favourite restaurants, gobbling up our favourite  foods and drinks, having  karaoke sessions; watching the tv dramas and comedies - all the routines, because, "No, it won't happen to us! Those poor souls, they are so unlucky!"

 Yes, only when it happens to us will we feel the real pain, the agony, the physical and mental tortures, the heartaches, the untold anguish! 

Strange creations  we are. Are we not? 

" Waiter, my usual, please!"

Australia in back lane.

 

If not for the dreaded wars that have agonizingly pulled in everyone's attention and concern, the following event in Australia would have hovered over the media, as headline news. What Australia has done recently is, in my opinion, wrong in these modern times. 

On October 14, the Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, with some optimism, held a referendum on recognizing the constitution of the indigenious people of Australia, the natives who had been in Australia for more than 60,000 years; about 4% or 26 million of them now. Significantly, it was only in 1788 the ancestors of the present Australians settled in the land. They came as convicts exiled from the British Isles. Gradually, the British colonialised the land. In January 1901, the six British colonies united and became one Commonwealth of Australia with British approval, and later, in March 1986, Australia legally  gained independence from Britain.

Of the people who took part in the referendum, most said 'no' to the indigenous people being acknowledged and validated properly, of their existence, in the constitution. What a disappointing reaction! Other countries are bending backwards to get their natives of the lands to come into the society, so that they, too, can  be helped to experience the benefits that the citizens are getting. But in Australia, 'no'. The Australians feel that recognizing the natives into the constitution  will later on bring all sorts of problems. Of course, the natives will demand equal rights and other benefits, and the government will have to look into them. The Australians are afraid that their well-being could be compromised in some way. But what is ironic is that the natives could enrol as voters and vote! Selfish and absurd, is it not? For a nation that calls itself well advanced!

My hats off to USA and UK, where the natives and other ethnic minority are recognized and can be elected to the highest post of the nation! Who can forget Barrack Obama and now  Rishi Sunak. Then, there is Kamala Devi Harris, for  good measure! How gracious and civilized the citizens of these nations are! Their nations are the real advanced ones - advanced in thinking and action, of matureness. 

Who knows, Australia could be like them, someday, it too, being controlled by the white majority. I hope it is soon.

Israel-Hamas war - another curse.

Wars after wars. Man, killing man. This seems to be the curse that fell on the world since it was created.

On top of witnessing the tragedies  and havocs of the Russian-Ukraine war, which does not seem to end, our hearts and minds have been turned into more despair and agony to witness another brutal war, this time, without any forewarning - the war between Israel and Hamas of Gaza, in the middle-east. This time around, Hamas, the militant organisation in Gaza, is seen to be the starter of the war.

On 7th October, a religious holiday of the Jewish Sabbath, it is said that more than 3000 rockets were launched from Gaza into southern and central Israel. Coincidentally, hang-gliders, as well as motorized paragliders, motorbikes, and speedy four-wheeled vehicles, were their convenient transport armaments of attack. No barriers were made to obstruct them. Bulldozers had been readily brought in the forefront, to penetrate the defensive walls. More Hamas militants arrived on motorboats to the Israellian beaches to attack the beach goers and take many of them as hostages. All, planned in advance, meticulously planned!

Most of the Muslim countries seem to utter tones of  support towards Hamas, somewhat indicating that the people of Palestine have been bullied by Israel for too long, and it is not surprising for the Hamas' fury. Israel's strong contention is that the land on which the Palestinians dwell is theirs, and they are doing everything to safeguard their security. The Palestinians vigorously disagree with these assertions.

USA is the strongest supporter of Israel, followed by almost all the European countries. This war has put some countries, especially the Muslim ones in a predicament, in an embarrassing position.  They, being Muslim countries,  are obliged to give  support to the Hamas, and they are wary because they are also friendly with USA. Anything they may say or do in favour of Hamas may anger or displease the superpower USA. Uneasy situation, indeed. Well-known Muslim  countries that are, in some way, friendly with USA are Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates. Hamas, too, has its own allies; Iran, Qatar, Lebanon, being the main ones.

Coming back to the dreaded war and also all the other wars, as well,  how I wish wars followed the ancient system of warring, where innocent civilian deaths were very rare. where two intending-to-war nations will come to an agreement to have the battlefield in a certain area.  Deaths of civilians were subsequently avoided. Of course, there were no dreadful armaments of explosion, then. Only the horses, knives, swords, and shields were in play. Deaths were only to the persons bravely seeking it, or prepared for it. Now? Innocent people, not involved in any disputes, are killed, maimed, blown to pieces! How unfair! How heart-wrecking! 

Cursed, be the men who discovered and modified explosive materials! One such man is Alfred Nobel. 'Sir' Alfred Nobel, now! And they are giving out Nobel prizes to people in remembrance of him! How absurd and unthinkable!  So, they say Alfred Nobel realized his mistake, and to make amends, he institutionalized the Nobel prize, to be given to those who made notable contribution to science, medicine, literature, and peace. Some peace we are having! And they are giving out Nobel prizes in remembrance of him, the creator of dynamite, and thence, the bomb! How unnoble! 

Ai's CHATGPT on all fronts, on God and mankind.

The advent of humanity on this earth has always been intriguing me. The bible's version is very popular but the answers to my doubts seem to be not clarified. No, I did not read the bible fully, only the first few pages that pulled my interest, greatly. But I have read a few Christian magazines and they did not clear up my various doubts. The well acclaimed Ai based 'chatgpt' is around! So, I thought why not approach it. So, here I go!

But first, my sincere declaration . I am a respecter of all religions and I will never look down on any. If, in some way, my questions here to chatgpt hurt anyone I apologize. Please read on! I will be very happy if you, too, are satisfied with your perception and acceptance of our ancestors on earth.

ME;

 In the bible, it is stated that God made Adam and Eve and told them to multiply but did not teach them how. Only when the serpent asked them to eat forbidden apple did they know how to multiply. Then, why should God be angry at Adam and Eve and the serpent?

CHATGPT;

The biblical narrative you mentioned is a symbolic story, and interpretations may vary. However, a common understanding is that the disobedience of Adam and Eve by eating the forbidden fruit represents a violation of God's command. It's not that they learned how to multiply from eating the fruit, but rather they disobeyed God's explicit instruction.

God's anger in the story is typically viewed as a consequence of disobedience, emphasizing the importance of free will and moral choices. The serpent, often associated with temptation, plays a role in leading Adam and Eve astray. The story is a moral lesson about the consequences of disobedience and the significance of following divine commands.

ME;

Did God tell Adam and Eve how to multiply?

CHATGPT;

In the biblical narrative, God's command to "be fruitful and multiply" is found in Genesis 1:28. However, the specific details of how reproduction works are not explicitly mentioned in the text. The idea is that God intended for Adam and Eve to procreate and populate the Earth, leaving the intricacies of reproduction to natural processes.

The disobedience of Adam and Eve, as described in Genesis 3, involves eating the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. This act is often seen as a symbolic representation of humanity's inclination to go against God's commands and seek knowledge independently. The punishment they face is a result of disobedience rather than a lack of information about reproduction.

ME;

Did God allow incest which is a crime?

CHATGPT;

The biblical narrative, particularly in the Old Testament, does mention instances that might be interpreted as involving close relatives marrying or having children. However, it's essential to approach these texts with an understanding of cultural and historical contexts.

In the early chapters of Genesis, Adam and Eve's descendants are mentioned, and due to the limited population at that time, close relatives likely married each other. It's important to note that interpretations of religious texts can vary, and different religious traditions may offer distinct perspectives on these narratives.

n many modern societies, incest is considered taboo and illegal due to genetic concerns and potential harm to offspring. However, ancient cultures had different practices and beliefs.

It's crucial to approach discussions about biblical narratives with sensitivity, recognizing that interpretations can differ among individuals and religious denominations. If you have specific questions about a particular religious perspective, it might be helpful to consult with religious scholars or leaders from that tradition.

ME;

You mean so far the christian clerics did not debate about this multiplying and serpent matter as well as the incest matter. Looks like they swept them under the carpet to make Christianity look good! Didn't they?

CHATGPT;

The interpretation of religious texts, including those in Christianity, has been the subject of much debate and discussion over centuries. Different Christian denominations and theologians may have varying perspectives on how to interpret specific passages, including those related to creation, Adam and Eve, and other biblical stories.

It's important to recognize that interpretations of religious texts are influenced by various factors, including cultural, historical, and theological considerations. Scholars and clerics within Christianity have engaged in extensive debates and discussions on these matters, and perspectives may continue to evolve.

While some theological perspectives emphasize metaphorical or symbolic interpretations of certain passages, others may take a more literal approach. Debates within religious communities are not uncommon, and individuals within those communities may hold diverse views.

It's advisable to engage in open and respectful discussions with theologians, scholars, or religious leaders who can provide insights into the specific interpretations within a particular Christian tradition. Keep in mind that interpretations can vary, and not all individuals within a religious community will share the same perspective.

ME;

Don't you think it would have been better if God created two males and two females so that this matter of incest did not happen. Or maybe, God indeed created two males and two females but nobody realized it. What do you think? Isn't this possible?

CHATGPT;

The question you raise touches on theological and philosophical considerations. The story of Adam and Eve is often understood within a religious context, and interpretations can vary. Some may view it as a literal historical account, while others see it as a symbolic narrative with deeper spiritual or moral meanings.

If you consider the idea of God creating multiple pairs, it's essential to remember that religious narratives often convey messages beyond the literal details. The focus of the story might be on broader themes such as human relationships, free will, and moral choices rather than the logistics of initial human creation.

Theological perspectives vary widely, and some believers may find metaphorical or symbolic interpretations more meaningful. Others may adhere to a more literal understanding. Ultimately, the interpretation of these narratives depends on one's faith tradition, personal beliefs, and the guidance of religious authorities.

It's an intriguing topic that has been discussed and debated by theologians and scholars throughout history, and different religious denominations may offer distinct perspectives on the matter.

ME;

Thank you.

CHATGPT;

You're welcome! If you have any more questions or if there's anything else I can help you with, feel free to ask.

Well, there you are. Did I get what I wanted? Did chatgpt really satisfy me with its answers? Sorry, no. I feel that it is trying to bulldoze its way out. What I got to understand from its presentation is that it was saying that the religious verses had been written and had existed for thousands of years, and I should accept it as it is. And, if I really want to be enlightened, " it might be helpful to consult with religious scholars or leaders from that tradition", it says.

 I rather prefer the Google way of presentation; more professional, and not human-like, like chatgpt, Ha ha! Thanks, chatgpt,  for answering like a human. But no thanks. I would rather use a customerily professional search engine like Google,  than the humanly chatgpf. For, humans are not perfect , Oops!

The spirit is willing, the body protests!

 

There is a sadness inside me always. 

It seems like only yesterday I was twelve!

Today, I am seventy and two!

I am now  'Hai uncle' .

I wish I could be 'Hello, young man'!

How I yearn 

to go for a game of football on the green field.

I can't. My legs don't yield!

How I long

To fling my school bag on the bed! 

And get my mum's face all red!

Throwing a bag today, on a chair, 

Will get grandson's snigger and stare

Loved the glances of the girls, then

Today, not a glance, 

not a chance!

Enjoyed then, the swim in the river!

Now it's so cold, the muscles shiver

Oh, that game of hide and seek!

Play that now? No, I am meek!

Nice game, police and thief!

But not now. All pain and grief!

A tarzan was I then, climbing the trees!

Not any more, pain in the knees!

"What would I like to be in the future?" 

No! Not a doctor, a pilot, or a teacher!

All I want to be is young, young forever.

And ever!

Singapore - lizards on track!

 

 Singaporeans are  proud people. Whenever they come on vacation to Malaysia, they tell their Malaysian friends how clean Singapore is, They will proudly acclaim their roads are well structured, well planned, and maintained. Discipiline is everywhere, and there is no corruption or 'under the table money' as they call it, with their police officers and others. And how modern and sophiscated Singapore is, and the Singaporeans are, with the latest facilities and technology.

Their acclamation  mostly, seem to be true, as the Malaysian workers returning from there, vouch for it. So it was indeed a proud moment for them when the highly prestigious Formula 1  Grand Prix was held there recently. How internationally recognised and respected their nation was!

However, sadly, to their anguish and dismay, monitor lizards made dents in their pride. Yes, monitor lizards! The lizards  made it difficult for the drivers during the practice session,  in the meticulously  prepared race circuit, crossing the track at their whims, making the drivers wary. Yellow flags were also waved by the marshalls to warn the drivers of the lizards on the track. Speed and positioning were at risk! F1 aces,  Max Verstappen, and George Russel were vocal about them. Fernando Alonso seemed to have accidentally ran over one!

Thankfully, there was no mention of the lizards from any quarters on F1 final race day. So it was assumed the reptiles did not make any appearances on the track.

On the funny side, it seemed like bad omen for the afore mentioned drivers. Max Verstappen, who won the past 10 races, only came out 5th in this one! Fernando Alonso was 15th. Russell did not finish the race! His car crashed and stopped in the last lap of 62! He was in 3rd place at that moment! 

But, Singaporeans, please do not despair. This was not the first time animals had intruded on the race tracks. In 2011, a dog had run here and there on the race track of India during the practice session of the F1 Indian Grand Prix. In 2020,  the Bahrain Grand Prix practice session had also been interfered with by a dog. In the 2016 Canadian Grand Prix, a pair of seagulls stood blatantly on the track  while Sebastian Vettel was speeding towards them! And he had to maneuver around them! So, Singaporeans take heart! Fret not. Singaporean authorities, as well as the F1 race officials will, surely, monitor the reptiles' habitats and their movements closely, and take the relevant preventive measures so that these reptiles stay away from the races!

By the way, the Singapore Formula 1 GP was won by Carlos Sainz Jr. Second was Lando Norris. Louis Hamilton captured the third place. Congratulations to all of them. Congratulations also to the organisers and all the Singapore fans!

Zelenskyy, what a man!

 Voloadymir Zelenskyy. What a man. Instead of runnng into exile when a superpower like a Russia attacks his small nation, he stood there, challenging, organising, and then going helter-skelter, in his simple army-green T-shirt, to many nations in the world, requesting help, realizing his country could not do it alone. No one, including Russian president, Putin expected this, Zelenskyy being an actor and comedian as his former career! Who knows, perhaps it was this career that made  Putin think that this was an opportune moment to attack Ukraine. He may have thought that a nation run by a political minnow was easy meat. Ha ha! Wrong presumption!

Sorry, for that comical, tongue in statement. Thousands of lives have been lost, men, women, old, young and children. People have been displaced, Lives have been turned into upside down, into hell. All for what? Land? Wretched land! 

To all the nations of the world. Let the past be past. Do not have the urge or temptation to take back the land that you had somehow let go out of your hand. Start a new beginning. Please respect human lives. Live and let live, There is enough natural disasters on this earth to think about; the earthquakes, the volcanoes, thunderstorms, tornadoes, typhoons, floods, heatwaves not to mention the uncontrolled demonic fires, etc, etc. 

Coming back to our Zelenskyy, he, Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy is not too old,  just forty years old and is married with two children. He comes from an Ukrainian Jewish family. He has been the President of Ukraine since 2019, after popularly winning the election. He was a likeable actor and comedian, and being a household face and name, winning was not too hard. He possesses a degree in law.

Many statesmen are known for something, like for bravery, or for strictness or for hastiness or even for tyranny. Though President Zelenskyy has received certain awards like Freedom Award and Courage Award from USA and Leadership Award from UK, to me, and I am sure many of you will agree, President Zelenskyy is known for his persistancy. His persistancy in travelling all over the world to request for weaponry has fruited in several NATO countries sending all sorts of armaments to Ukraine, to fight the disliked and uninvited war. 

The younger generation could learn a thing or two on persistancy from Zelenskyy. That persistancy pays. If there is a 'Persistancy Award', it should be given to one Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy!

Whither Donald Trump, 2024 and beyond

 

It is funny that former US president, Trump is facing so many charges all at once . Altogether 4, if not more. Yes,  more is possible. If you ask me, I will firmly say that his crime, serious though it is, is only one, that is instigating mobly people to attack and damage the Capitol Hill building on January 6 2020.The world also knows. It seems to have been proved beyond reasonable doubt, through video and audio evidences, that  Trump's unthoughtful and disastrous  reaction to his presidential loss was the main negative push, the impetus for the January 6 catastrophe, where damages to the building and materials were immense. The pride of America had been injured.

Regarding the keeping of  the important documents in his house, I think he would have returned them later if he had finally admitted to the election loss, and had been approached diplomatically. And that matter of Trump trying to overturn the election result of the state of Georgia, Actually, in every country this thing happens; the losing party trying all sorts of things to win, like putting the blame on some sort of malpractice by the winners and also trying to get the votes through some unorthodox means. Mostly, these will get condemned and the political life goes on.

As for the sexual abuse or harassment cases, those women only brought them up or highlighted them only  when Trump was standing for president or after his initial election, as the President of the United States. So it looks like as a spur of the moment; an opportune or inopportune moment - you make your own choice. It is worth noting that a 'me too' sort of thing also strangely began to happen, then. Violated, though, those women could be, their late reporting seem  to be an afterthought or on coercion from certain individuals. But, of course, we  cannot disregard them altogether. The law has to take its  course. But not together or close together with the January 6 case. Remember, we have come to know Trump had also settled some cases out of court,

Deep inside me, I seem to like Trump. I know Trump would make a good president, an exciting one! We have seen that in his first term, such as, calling North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, the Rocket Man, but  still, visiting him in his own land of North Korea, being overly friendly with supposedly, arch enemy, President Putin of Russia, showing displeasure towards NATO, saying USA is paying more to NATO than it should. Always something new! Remember the 'Kung Fu Virus? Ha ha,that was a good one!

 Unfortunately, the January 6 incident has tarnished Trump's image. How sad! What a loss! Trump has been indicted, court cases are going on and mug shots have been taken. Will he go to jail? I don't think so. American Presidents don't go to prisons! They just go to the courts for their lifetime, while going about their business (literally) and continue to do their political rattling!

Gone with the wind

 Covid- 19 virus disease has gone down tremendously. As a result, manufacturing firms producing the covid 19 preventive and protective equipment and protective gears and wears are watching their profits slump. To make matters worse, there were many related firms, which, seeing money coming in so fast and in plenty during the very prevalent covid 19 epidemics, had expanded, constructing new and up to date manufacturing plants. 

All those firms are feeling very uneasy now, Demands have considerably diminished. In Malaysia, especially, the glove manufacturing companies, most of which did the expanding, are feeling the pinch. Workers are being laid off. These expansions are now regretted.

Then, there are the vaccine producers! Big stories there! You know what I mean.They may say they helped the humanity. Sure, and themselves, too. Abundantly!

How greedy can man get! It is hoped no new viruses are created and spread, to keep profits coming in again!

To All Women - HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

 

God created all the living things in this world. And women continued with God’s work, creating the human species of the world, with the help of their male partners. God left it to the poor woman to bear the burden of the weight of the growing child, in her womb, for 10 long months and then, finally. bring it out on to this world. God, surely, planned it that way. He had instilled a soft side to women, to all female species, and they are sternly possessive towards their offspring.

Possessiveness emulates passion, and this passion results in the mother’s willingness to sacrifice all her comfort of life for the sake of the wellbeing of her child. She would rather face hardship herself than see her child in destitution. Seeing her child in comfort and happy in life, fully gratifies a mother - the always all loving mother.

As we know, Hinduism potrays several Gods and Goddesses. To many Indians their mothers are also Goddesses!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! 

To me, if you please, all women who are unable to have children for various reasons but have motherly emotions and devotions towards their siblings and loved ones and care about their comfort and happiness,are also mothers of sorts. Also, to them – HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

Russia-Ukraine war = more lessons to be learnt

 

What happens when a big, strong man is found beating up a weak man? Normally. passers-by or the friends of the weak man will push the big man away from hitting the poor small man, further. Looks like that’s the same case as with the Russian-Ukraine war going on now. The big man is Russia, the weak, small man, Ukraine, the passers-by and the friends are USA and the other NATO countries.

In the gone old days, USA was known to have its famous cowboy character and trigger-happy notions. Anyone, or any nations going out of line and causing the displeasure of the Americans would have to answer to strong arm manoeuvres and decisiveness of the Americans. The tragic outcomes of Egypt’s Saddam Hussein, Libya’s Gaddafi and Afghanistan’s Osama Bin Ladin are some examples, Perhaps, you can also add the bombings of Japanese Hiroshima and Nagasaki to those illustrations. It was the real policeman of the world, then. National leaders would run to America to report to the American leaders of any excessive martial or military problems that they cannot solve in their own lands. And the Americans would jump in straight away. 

Not anymore. They have got their fingers burnt in Vietnam, Afghanistan and other middle eastern countries. Thousands of their military men had died. They are now trying to be more patient, civilized, if you may, and unwilling to sacrifice their soldiers. That is why the hesitation in the Russian Ukraine war. Not only are they worried over their troops but also the citizens of Ukraine and Russia. So, they are going about using sanctions against Russia as the main weapon. Even an emergency meeting of NATO and other friendly countries just resulted in just a statement by American President Joe Biden that ‘NATO countries have never been more united’! He tried to make that statement look big! 

Anyway, it almost looks like an agreed-upon progression of psychological war by the Ukraine friendly countries is in headway, like, with threats of complete sanctions, trying to feed the Russian people what is ‘actually’ happening, through whatever means, and statements like ‘Ukraine is winning the war’. Maybe, ‘winning the war’ is true to a certain extent for now, as the Ukrainian fighters were able to prevent Russian soldiers for advancing further in certain areas, with the help of NATO armaments. USA’s President Joe Biden had also said, recently, that President Vladimir Putin is a ‘war criminal’ for the death of so many civilians. Suspected or expectant usage of chemical weaponry by the Russians  had also been mentioned. Surely, it is done to sway the opinion of the people of the world at large. 

Russia, on its part, is trying to portray to the people of its own nation and its friendly countries, that everything is normal within its homeland and just doing what it ought do in Ukraine after having been very patient for several years. Russia is afraid that, Ukraine, once part of the Russian Empire, is slowly moving its alliance to the NATO countries and will be untouchable once it becomes one of the members of NATO.

Physiological warfare or not, both by the Russians and the Ukrainians with their NATO friends, we only hope everything ends here without more bloodshed and tragic displacements and sufferings of human beings.

The oldest still surviving language of the world!

 

Didn’t know they had a day for mother tongue language – the International Mother Language Day, which fell on 21st February this year and of course will fall on that date and month every year. On googling, I found out that it was mooted by the United Nations in 1999 to recognize and promote multilingual diversity of the world.

They seem to have a day for everything. The other day, I had written a post in this blog, saluting the all-spicy chicken, and later discovered that they had a day for the chickens, too! How nice! How very nice! And now when I was feeling all proud for having Tamil, which is the oldest existing language in the world, as my mother tongue, I got to know through a Tamil TV channel in Malaysia, that there is a day for the mother tongue, too. The news reader, a young Tamil lady, was telling or rather conveying about sending of children of Tamil parents to Tamil schools that exist in Malaysia, so that the Tamil Language does not die of, as had many ancient languages, Sadly, she failed to mention that Tamil is the oldest language in the world, I, being a proud Malaysian of Tamil origin, who started his education in a Tamil school, felt deeply disappointed,

 Anyway, a little info about the language of the Tamilians, Historic engravements in ancient times show that Tamil language existed about 5000 years ago. It was found spoken  commonly around the Godavari River in Southern India.  Tamil is called as a Dravidian language as Tamils were one of the tribes of the Dravidian family, which existed in southern India in ancient times. Linguists say there are touches of the Tamil language in many other languages of the world. The language of the Tamils can be summed up as The Ancient Main International Language! 

I am sure everyone of us is proud of his/her native language and desire to portray the beauty and the benefits of their own mother tongue. Sure, go ahead!

Territorial Whirlwind in Ukraine!

Will there be a Russian-Ukraine, a Russian-USA or a Russian-NATO war? 

Whichever nations they may be, the main question is will there be a war at the Russian Ukraine border.

Russia has equipped 100.000 troops at the border. And of course, with the armaments of war. It easily gives the signal and perception that an invasion of Ukraine is imminent.

The acclaimed savior of the world-democracy, the USA, is worried, is panicking. It is initially sending about 8500 troops of its own to the Ukraine border and also waiting for other NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization} countries to follow suit. So far, Britain, its strongest ally, has pledged its involvement militarily. France and Germany are trying mediation. Germany is in a great predicament. It is depending on Russia for almost all of its petroleum gas supply. New pipelines are being constructed at a drastic cost.  Showing of hostility to Russia will affect Germany critically, in terms of man, money and material.

Well, first, let us refresh our mind. Which are the NATO countries? There are 30 nations in NATO – Albania, Belgium. Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom and USA.

A look at the map of the NATO countries with Russia will show that most of the nations in Europe are NATO countries. Russia has Belarus, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania among its immediate border nations. Belarus is its only ally and serves as a buffer. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have already left the once Soviet Republic or the Russian Empire, and have since joined NATO. And now Russia is afraid that Ukraine will also be absorbed into NATO, as Ukraine itself has been asking for it. This will make it one less buffer nation.

And so, Russia could not be blamed for equipping its man and armaments at the border with Ukraine, with the threat of entering Ukraine anytime. One of the criteria of being admitted into NATO is the applying nation should not have any disputes, especially of the military kind with its neighbors. So, there you are. Russian troops are there with the threat of invasion. How can NATO accept Ukraine when such is the situation? For its part, what Russia is asking seems reasonable. It wants promise from NATO not to admit Ukraine within its organization. We can see Russia has Belarus as its buffer. It also needs Ukraine. It is hoped the NATO countries see it that way. And get that agreement that says Russia should withdraw its troops from the border of Ukraine and NATO in turn should never admit Ukraine into NATO.

At the bottom of it all, It will be very much beneficial for Ukraine to stay non allied. NATO countries (especially USA) and Russia will compete with each other to be of economic value to Ukraine and to be in the good books of Ukraine! And that part of the world will be in peace!

 President Vladimir Putin and President Joe Biden, over to you!

 

Come to think of it.....

*Are you still writing 2021 instead 0f 2022? I do still. But it has lessened. Because, I pause before writing up the year! I hope in the month of February I need not pause anymore!

*Never be careless or absent minded with words and letters or even the spaces. Abnormalities like these (below) can happen!  

There was much noise and slaughter all around!

 "No, officer. I am a therapist. Not the rapist!"

Dear John,  .........I used to love you once. Now I  ate you.

Don't trust him. He is a ship in wolf's clothing'

The chairman thanked all thr bored members for standing up upon his entrance.

.....And she replied that his dress was also  ice.

The vessel to Tioman Island is cap sized now.

*The motivation words 'be positive' is very much unwelcome during these covid times.

* Often it made me wonder, while driving, in my home town, Taiping, in Malaysia, whether my eyesight was getting weaker or was there a mist in front of me. I am a diabetic. That was why this worry. When someone said it was misty out there it would make me  happy and relieved! Anyone out there in my position? 

Grasp that opportunity!

 

There is an old popular saying; Opportunity knocks but once on every man’s door. Checking on the websites, looks like there were several versions of it, since around 8 A.D by sayers and writers of various nationalities. It has since evolved into as it is being said now.

Opportunities should never be missed. But people do miss them. Here are some explanations on why they miss them and the funny aspects!

* Sometimes opportunity tries to break the door open but the occupant had made it too strong.

* Many remain poor because when opportunity knocked on their doors but they were in the theatres.

* Thinking it was opportunity knocking, he opened the door. It was the bill collector!

* He did not hear opportunity knocking. He was fast asleep as usual.

 * When opportunity knocks, open the door fully. Don’t see through keyhole. You won’t find anything. Opportunity is invisible.

* When you feel that opportunity is just around the corner go meet it and lead it to your door.

* Maybe you can leave your door open always so that opportunity enters straight away into your house.

Well, you can make your own opportunity or wait for it to come. I am taking this opportunity  to leave!

Whither booster shots

 

 

Now they are saying a third shot of vaccine is needed to be immunized against the new mutilated covid 19 viruses.

At the beginning, they said it was a break through that they finally discovered a vaccine for the covid- 19 virus.  And they were saying all sorts of efficacies for the various vaccines -   95%, 90%, 75%, 52% and what not. Then, they said another shot of vaccine was needed to have real effect on the virus. And now they are saying yet another shot of vaccine is needed to efficiently create an antibody against the virus. A new virus now that they call it as Omicron. They call the new vaccine jab  as the booster shot.  I wonder how many booster shots we are going to have. Will it end here? I don’t think so, but I sincerely, hope so!

Why are they not improving on the vaccines that currently exist, instead of requesting for further vaccination? They may argue the booster shot is the improvisation. Okay, well and good, but pessimistically, speaking, I think there will be further pleading of getting more shots of other vaccines or ‘boosters’ with new names. I hope financial gains are not a consideration here.

Let’s wait and see! Fingers crossed!

The Taliban take their chance. Now or never.

 

Now or never! This seems to be the stance taken by the Taliban on seeing the American troops withdrawing from Afghanistan. It looks as though it was well planned earlier. Very well earlier! Otherwise, they could not taken the whole of Afghanistan at such a short period, without much resistance.

Actually, President Trump had the ball rolling on February 2020, in Doha, Qatar, when a peace deal and agreement on troop withdrawal was made with the Taliban. And, remember, the Taliban had insisted on a deadline of withdrawal by May 1, 2021. And President Trump did begin to withdraw the troops. Not all troops were withdrawn by May 2021. But credit to him, from 13,000, the number of troops remaining at the time of Biden was were 2,500. When President Joe Biden came into office, and later said he was withdrawing all the troops from Afghanistan, the media was wrongly accrediting him with the move – the decision to pull out the troops. That was Trump's triumph. Anyway, the Taliban were already well prepared since then,and were certain the final troop withdrawal was going to happen, and were waiting for it!

Poor Biden may have thought the Taliban will make some war moves in the way of conflicts and combats with the Afghanistan military. And American will, graciously, dispatch diplomats to mediate in the matter. But that was not to be. Biden did not realize that the Taliban would have, surely, thought of all these possibilities. And also failed to recognize that the Taliban would not have any of these. That was why he pulled the troops as he did, unintentionally, unknowingly but alarmingly, making the American supporters in Afghanistan running helter skelter, trying to get to the airport and leave their beloved land!

So there you are. Taliban are in full control of Afghanistan now. Only time will tell if this is for good or otherwise.