The Beatles

"The Beatles were the symbol of their era, but their music and their success transcends their time to arrive at ours." -
Are you a Beatles fan? Don't matter because I think you must be. Who isn't?
I watched CNN's Larry King Live on Tuesday with his guests, surviving Beatles -- Paul McCartney, Ringo Star and he widows of John Lennon and George Harrison -- Yoko Ono and Olivia.
Paul and Ringo were clowning around and rib-tickling each other and I thought -- "Jesus...if only John and George were there.."
Oh. How I remember so vividly the night John was shot. I was with some friends somewhere in New York and we couldn't believe it.
"Oh God..don't let him die", I prayed.
Even when the news of his death was announced, we still couldn't believe it.
We did not want to believe it.
John Lennon dead? No! He's supposed to live a thousand years.
He died but his music lives on. He died but his message of love and peace lives on.
And years later, George died. George, the handsome one. George, the quiet one.
During Larry King Live, Paul said that they were just kids from Liverpool.
"And, yes, it is quite amazing, because as time goes on, it kind of becomes more and more of a phenomenon," he said.
He said the early Beatles knew they were a good band and were pretty sure of themselves.
Ringo said they "thought we'd be really big in Liverpool."
"I think the most exciting thing is that, you know, we expect people our age to know the music. But actually, a lot of kids know the music," he said.
"And if anything is left, we have left really good music, and that's the important part, not the moptops or whatever."

Yeah, Ringo baby, you guys made some real good music. We're so lucky to still have them.
Love you guys!

Love And Jealousy

Oh. I don't know. Jealousy is such an overrated bad word.
But, I caught this one that could help couples understand themselves.
Moi? I ain't the jealous type, as typecasting or stereotyping goes. So, I really don't know what it feels like to be jealous.
According to this article, you get strong feelings of jealousy perhaps because you don't have enough trust in your partner that he or she is being faithful to you. That lack of trust may be prompted by one of four factors.

• You may feel insecure about your self-worth. In these cases, either you've been raised to believe, or some part of your inner self feels, that you just don't measure up. Because you don't love yourself, you can't believe that others would love you, so you live in fear that your partner's "true" feelings will be revealed and she will leave.
• You're prone to cheating on your partner -- maybe even have done so. Knowing what you're capable of, you project that behavior onto your partner.
• You and your partner haven't yet figured out how to establish safe boundaries within the relationship. Having a tight bond is about building walls around your love with windows that allow others to be part of it -- not doors where competing lovers can walk right in and disrupt your home. Because you don't know what's permissible within the relationship and what's not, you're constantly on your toes.
• Your mate is cheating on you. Cheating doesn't have to include sex; it often has to do with making emotional connections to others outside the relationship. If your partner is sharing things about your private life with attractive members of the opposite sex, it robs a sense of intimacy from your relationship and leaves you feeling vulnerable.

For the complete article, click here.

I'm sure many of you out there can relate to either or all of these factors.

Of Firstborn Men & Their IQ

They really carry out research and studies on things like this -- whether firstborn sons have higher IQs than their younger brothers.
This is interesting.
The study also found that in many circumstances, men who have been raised as the eldest (even if they are not) have IQs to match their firstborn peers.
Interesting.
The study was conducted by Petter Kristensen and his colleagues at the University of Oslo. The findings were reported in the journals, Science and Intelligence.
I have never thought about it. I have met many firstborn men or men who are regarded as the eldest in their families.
But what is a "higher IQ"? If it is higher than a low IQ, it ain't a big deal, man. My IQ could be higher than firstborn men.
It must be pointed out here that the study was carried out in Norway and based on Norwegian firstborn men.
Oh, I know their men are - - - different.
Interested to know more. Here it is.

Sir Salman Rushdie: Of Blasphemy and Knighthood

As far as I am concerned, Salman Rushdie deserves all the death threats and the death fatwa that have been coming his way.
While I think his book "Satanic Verses" displayed his stature as an novelist, it contained blasphemous verses that, naturally got Muslims inflamed.
Now, I would not be too excessive or go overboard in my praises.
Ooh. I do feel so sorry for him, knowing how terrifying it must be to be living every day of your life in fear - of being killed anytime and anywhere.
But surely, a man of his intelligence must have known the score.
Besides, I do not think he is all that the Brits and the Americans have made him out to be -that he is so damn brilliant.
I think they like what he has been writing because he has written bad things about Islam and Muslims. And he happened to be a Muslim when he wrote that contentious book. At least, that was what he was purported to be. I don't think he is a Muslim anymore. Now, I am not so sure if he ever was.
Not that I care. Anyway, that don't matter no more.
What I know and what I care is that he has insulted Islam and Muslims. No, I would not go to the extreme of wanting to have his head because I believe that it is not for mere mortals to punish him.
And I am a peace-loving woman of the universe.
But I think he deserves what he gets. He should know what he was in for when he wrote all those blasphemous things.
Salman baby. You can run but you cannot hide. They're gonna get you.
Now they're giving you a knighthood, Sir.
Don't be misled. They are giving you a knighthood not because of your immense contribution to literature but MORE because you have served their anti-Islam scheme very well and because, as a Pakistani newspaper editorial said, you were "one of the few intellectuals with clout in the west who had supported the US-led invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan after 9/11".
So, you're their man, man.
Don't you just love the attention!
I agree that it is an affront to Muslim sentiments but I would not go so far as ordering you killed or justifying suicide attacks.
But, Salman honey, you know that there are extremists out there.
Already in Pakistan, hard-line Muslims are chanting "Kill him! Kill him!". That's you, sweetie.
Wish I can help you there.
I can understand why the honour (given to you on the occasion of Queen Elizabeth's 81st birthday) had hurt the sentiments of Muslims across the world.
Oh. Don't feign ignorance. You're from the sub-continent. You know what's going on there. And nearby Iran.
Robert Brinkley, Britain's high commissioner to Pakistan, defended his government's decision to honor you for your contributions to literature.
Yeah. That's your friend. And man, don't you just need friends now. I mean powerful friends.
As far as the Brits are concerned, you are one of the most prominent novelists of the late 20th century whose 13 books have won numerous awards, including the Booker Prize for "Midnight's Children" in 1981.
"It is simply untrue to suggest that this in anyway is an insult to Islam or the Prophet Muhammed, and we have enormous respect for Islam as a religion and for its intellectual and cultural achievements," Brinkley said.
Sigh. Why don't I believe you, Bobby baby?
In 1989, Iran's spiritual leader, spiritual leader Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa or religious edict/decree to kill /assassinate Salman because "The Satanic Verses" insulted Islam.
The threat forced the "convicted blasphemer" to live in hiding for a decade.
Aaah.... but he couldn't bear the hibernation, the isolation.
He got out and partied, man. Left his loyal wife for the younger, sexier model by the name of Padma.
Iran and Pakistan have protested the decision by the Brits to award the blasphemer with a knighthood.
Sir Salman. Well, in this life, man. In this life.

Happy Father's Day

Small boys become big men through the influence of big men who care about small boys. -- anonymous.

Wishing all good fathers out there a Happy celebration, and you bad ones -- well, hope your kids think about you today.

World Naked Bike Ride Day

Here's from Reuters, your friendly international wire service:
Photo above is of naked cyclists riding their bikes through downtown Vancouver, British Columbia during the World Naked Bike Ride Day June 9, 2007. About 50 cyclists rode through the streets trying to bring attention to pollution caused by cars.
Man, could we do this in Malaysia? Just to make a statement?
Not in this century?

Weekend Wedding

Well, I read the good news over the weekend. Thank God for online news portals and (Malaysian) newspapers having gone online, and yes, the internet, that I am able to get news from home.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi got married to Ms (now Datin Seri) Jeanne (nee Danker) Abdullah.
Finally! I mean, we heard about their relationship for so long already. Some people even said that they were already man and wife as early as December last year.
I know the PM getting married is a good thing. In Islam, marriage is akin to building a mosque. It is a sacred act. So, it is very much welcomed.
The Prime Minister marrying Jeanne is good because it means that it puts an end to all those speculations and also that he is no longer lonely and alone.
I hear Jeanne is a good person too.
The PM marrying Jeanne is good because she is not a sweet young thang, if you know what I mean. A trophy wife she ain't. For that, we should all be thankful.
Can you imagine if Jeanne was a 20 or 30 something sexy young thang?
I think the PM should then resign because it means that he is no different from the rest of those mortal men.
You know what I'm saying?
I do hope, however, that Jeanne remains the nice lady that she has always been. I hope she will not be "power-crazy" as some women are wont to be in her position.
If she does not already know, the position of PM's wife is a power unto itself.
I mean, look at the position of the DPM's wife. If that ain't powerful, I'm a barmaid in Kabul.
I hope Jeanne is not the de facto PM, although, that is not such a bad idea under the circumstances in the country.
And if she decides to be the de facto PM and her hubby, the PM, is okay with it, then I suggest she makes it a hush-hush affair. Nobody must know. Better that way than the whole country knowing that the PM is cuckolded and queen-controlled.
He's already been bad-pressed really bad.
So, enough already.

However, here's the thing.
I am no sentimental Juliette but I cannot help thinking that it was not too long ago that Kak Endon died. I can just remember so vividly the featured stories about her in the Press, the funeral and all the accolades as well as the sadness and grief that shrouded her death.
The sad face of the PM. His grief.
Kak Endon did not leave us that very long ago.
Why, it feels just like yesterday.

Sigh....and what does it tell us about --- men?
Are all men, regardless of who they are or what position they hold, emotionally and physically, weak?
Love, companionship, they say.
Podah, I say.
It's sex, baby. Sex.
Pure and unadulterated sex. Physical needs.
Men have their needs! And life must go on.

So.... I need to end here before I get out of control.

All that said -- I am happy that the PM has got married to his late wife's ex-sister-in-law, and that he has found a companion to replace his late wife and that it is all in the family.
In some culture, I hear it is incestuous.

So, may the newlyweds find eternal bliss. Amen.

Love & Raunchy Love

If I were an entertainment journalist which I'm not about to be -- not in a million years -- I'd ask this question to a singer or an actor -- "do you believe in true love?"
The reason I'd like to do that is that most artistes sing love songs or act in love and romance movies, touching our hearts, teaching us about love, inspiring us and tugging at our heartstrings. But do they believe in what they do for a living?
Do they believe in staying faithful and true?
They're the ones who talk about endless love, about love never having to say you're sorry and all that load of bullshit.
We're the ones who are lapping every verse they sing and every scene they play.
And guess what? They're the ones changing spouses or lovers. Splitting up like it's the most natural thing to do next to breathing.
Are they not at all influenced by the songs they sing and the roles they play?
Sure, sure. Not every thing is about life imitating art. Nor is it about art imitating life.
Actually, I got thinking about love and artistes after reading about the fact that love and relationships being very much the theme in songs and music today.
Love song still dominate the music industry.
Just that the language of love is raunchy and getting raunchier.
Language as we all know, has evolved over the years and words which were plain and simple in meaning, are now obscene and vulgar terms.
What is probably G-rated in the 60s and 70s is probably so tame today.
An interesting read.

Just click here.

The Holocaust

Do you know that I never watch any movie on the Holocaust?
Not even "Schindler's List".
Don't misunderstand. I know very well what the holocaust is all about.
I have read and seen black&white photographs of Jews being taken to be tortured and put to death.
I can never forget those pictures.
My father had and still has a vast collection of books. Among them were books on the holocaust.
I had always been an avid reader, and I must have been about eight years old that I found the books on the shelf of my father's library.
I still remember naked girls and women with their head shaven running away from soldiers armed with machine guns, shooting them down.
Their faces were no longer terrified. They were blank. They were like skeletons.
I wept and wept.
There were other pictures as well, of children, of babies.
There were people being burnt in ovens.
I have read Anne Frank diary when I was nine, I think.
That is why I never watch movies about the holocaust. They bring back painful memories. It is as though I have lived those memories.

And now, there is another diary of 14-year-old Jewish girl dubbed the "Polish Anne Frank".
It was unveiled yesterday (Monday, June 4 2007).
Rutka Laskier chronicled the horrors she witnessed in a Jewish ghetto — at one point watching a Nazi soldier tear a Jewish baby away from his mother and kill him with his bare hands.

I shan't read her diary. But her story is here.

No Joy For Lina And Muslims

I think this girl Lina Joy is being used by some non-Muslim quarters and Muslim liberals to give Islam and Muslims a real bad name.
It's all over the world. It's all part of a grand sinister scheme to discredit Islam.
Everybody's hitting at the two Malaysian judges for deciding against her appeal.
Everybody, including Americans, Indians and God-knows-who! The gall of them!
Appeal to what? Oh, to remove the word "Islam" from her ID becuz she aint a Muslim no more.
May she find peace in her new religion which is not so new, really. She's been a Christian for a good number of years.
I have some advice for Lina -- migrate. Go to Australia or Singapore. Come, baby, come to the US or Canada, just next door.
I don't blame Muslims for looking at you the way they do. Okay. You have chosen to renounce Islam.
But what you've done is to have got all these people to gang up against Islam and Muslims and blacken the name of Islam and what it stands for.
Maybe that's not your intention but, sorry, girl, that's how I'm seeing it.
Muslims have been known to fight to the death for their religion.
But, not to worry -- the world is changing. Lina Joy supporters can find comfort in the fact that they know that all this is not worth anyone's blood, sweat and tears.