Musings- Passing the buck?

Caution- This would be one of those hard to understand posts, again :-(

Eh recap recap we're gonna do it again;
again and again, nothin' gonna change;

Rain rain, rain down the pain;
I will stand up to it;
stand up to the pain;

Embers of the flame;
tears of the shame;
crying, well, that ain't lame;

coz it helps to deal with the pain

Part of what shaped me into who I am today, silly as it may seem, stems from lessons I got, from Japanime.

The first anime that gave me a sense of direction, the unmistakable lesson of reasons to be, raison detre even, if you will

was Samurai-X.

Kenshin Himura, he was my hero of sorts.



He thought me about standing up for those who didn't have a voice,
to be true to myself, (oh how hackneyed can this be? LOL), to fight for what I believe is right... and that "truth" is what you perceive as real, though there may many versions of it depending who you are talking to ... where justice means very different things depending on where you stand.

Because of sanosuke Sagara, I punched the wall, hoping to train my knuckles into fists of steel. Futae no Kiwami- well, turns out there is Wolf's Law.. which states that bone hardens and toughens from stresses placed on it.

conversely, disuse weakens the bone, much as what is experienced by astronauts in zero gravity.

Either way, I punched my way thru year 2001 to 2010.. and indeed I have pretty tough fists.. if I may say so hohoho.. Few times, I punched till my hands bled. Just recently, I bled my knucles again, despite wearing protective bandage... and it was only a Sandbag... well me keeping at it for half an hour contributed much I guess!

Now I have a sense of deja vu with Naruto with the "pain" Arc...
The anime was so so from the start... dipped down very badly during filler arcs before shippuden.. and now things are really really picking up.

I think, these few days, watching selected episodes of the anime....
I figure that Jiraiya is my favourite character...




I don't know... maybe its him passing on his hopes and dreams onto his disciples.

Maybe its because:

Much as I try to better myself, in terms of spreading the conservation message...
I just seem to be knocking into many brickwalls.

From 2001, when I first brushed shoulders with environmentalism through the river terrapin conservation programme in Dungun, Terengganu with Prof Chan...

(prof chan is the one in the middle)

During which I ran into problems with a Canadian volunteer over the washing of plates. I spoiled her "system" by pouring away dirty dishwater which I thought she was gonna pour into the river... and that tensed up things in the camp...

Then came Anthony, the youngest kid on the block... I tried to take him "under my wing" in a way by showing off Pioneering techniques from my Scout years... But somehow I built a wall around myself during that time. He went on to become the Bayer's Environmental Envoy for 2008, and had a stint inGermany.. whereas I grovelled here still.. LOL

Maybe through both these incidents, Prof chan has a weird aura around her when Im around.. It lingers when I met her in 2008... this time for a turtle conservation programme with SEATRU in Pulau Redang... there is this wall, I don't know... that separates me from her... It just feels awkward... It really rears up during the environmental carnival when I asked a favour from her... things in fact.. turned cold.

Another event would be with Mister Choo Chee Kuang, a seahorse conservation expert, hailing from UMT (or KUSTEM as it was once known), along with Prof Chan...

I had two experiences with him- once in 2005 and another in 2007, If I'm not mistaken...

In 2007, I saw my picture that was taken in 2005 glued to the wall along with other volunteer's photos at the research house in Gelang Patah... I was wearing a blue shirt with the words: "Environmental Philosophy" in that picture, Lol... but It was baggy and prompted a fellow volunteer... I think it was Ching Foong's GF- to comment...

"WAH! these two years must be a lot of Stress for you hor, to lose so much weight?" -.-'''

haha putting a very "yeng" photo of him here!

That aside.. during this trip out into the sea, during a transect/ quadrate sampling, I wasn't able to release one of the seahorses that was still within an untied plastic bag on a transect pole before the tide came in... and We didn't know the fate of that poor little seahorse. I have no idea till now, how I committed the blunder- cum- murder... but things stiffened thereafter, this time with Mr Choo...

My environmental Carnival was plagued with different kind of problems... many problems..

Job delegation problems, team member issues

The Dean wanting to convert the English themed carnival into a fully Malay language themed event at the very end. ( I have no issue with the language, but that was the at the very last moment when all my publicity was in English, in the website, in the magazine, in new strait times)... He let me have my way.... but in a show of defiance, the Dean protested by giving his opening speech in BM .. The crux of the matter? "we're called Universiti KEBANGSAAN Malaysia" so all things should be in Malay...

my lapse to place recycling bins during the event,

my error for not informing stalls to not use polystyrene and plastic bags...

My inexperience, overestimation of my abilities to shoulder everything- which stems from my inability to delegate work well- resulted in a less than stellar Environmental Carnival... of which I'm still sulking over....

Well, Despite honing my skills at public speaking, reading up on team-work as well as leadership, I'm afraid I failed terribly, nonetheless...

then there's also this weird guy Bernard... (oh man, it takes some guts for a weirdo to call another weird.)...arggghh... most of the relationships I built in the name of conservation are brittle, high strung ones... including the most recent, withDr Chan Kah Yein... i wonder why....

So, Back to what lead me into this post...
These events, coupled with failed lectures onto my fellow friends regarding environmentalism, failed recycling projects in my KTDI hostel... made me sorta wanna give up on this cause..

Not give up 100%, but give up putting too much effort into it for the fear of disappointment and failure...

I feel that, maybe I'm destined to pass my spirit and my cause onto my children..

to expose to them the wonder that is nature from very young and cultivate in them a sense of enjoying the simple pleasures in life... to instil in them the passion of an environmentalist, and for them to carry on the cause of conservation for me.

Damn, That's from a 23 year old guy talking like he is 60.

but I can't help but feel Jaded, and taxed from pushing for greener change.

I.... have I lost the fight?

Maybe I should take more heed from naruto's never say die spirit instead of Thinking of passing the baton on..from Jiraiya who didn't have a choice.

Sigh.

The Rant/ Rap at the start is paying homage to one of Narutonime's theme song- "Make some noise"

Green Comic :-)

The Following is a collection of comic-styled story telling which very much represents my feelings when I am pushing for environmental responsibility in my campus, and among my friends.

It is courtesy of My Malay Fren, Muslim, who goes by the pen name MYLO.

I discovered this artpiece while rummaging through my boxes of stuff, glad I found it.

As I will be leaving the greening job to others very soon, as I step into 5th Year... finding this pic, almosts puts a resounding ending to my career in fighting for green change... for more greening efforts in my campus. do refer

http://resonating-ripple.blogspot.com/2010/05/up-ante-green-campus-ppukm.html

and

http://resonating-ripple.blogspot.com/2008/12/ukms-trash-sampah-ukm.html














May I no longer be lonely in this fight :-)

You can recycle almost anything nowadays, and get rewarded for it!

Interested in Changing Trash to Cash? Or Cool items, Cameras, Gift Vouchers?
Here's your chance to do it! And you can practically recycle anything under the sun nowadays! Read on to find out!

Heads up! The prizes!




Now, what treasures do you have to find from your home to be eligible for the prizes?





Simple isn't it?
If you're interested to know more about this programme, drop me a line/mail :-)

Give me your details and Email and I'll pass your particulars over to the person in charge.

In BRIEF-
How it works.
Register as a member online here http://recycleandreward.wordpress.com/register/

You'll be given a recycle sack with a calender as a free gift.

Collect recyclable items such as these - separate them in plastic bags

You can then check your Account and Point Details here
http://www.recycleandreward.my/logon

Once you get enough points, just redeem them via this channel
http://recycleandreward.wordpress.com/redeem-prize/

p.s.- Chingfong It's onli Avai in the klang Valley only at the moment :-)

James Cameron's Avatar Review

It’s been a long night… but a very happy night!

First off, I’m feeling in the mood to blog again.

Second off, Avatar Rocks.

(THANK you thambi, and your generous friend!)

Third Off, I met Danny, A Jovial Taxi Driver who makes me realize a lot of things.


Uh… Now I’m reading the above lines… and the “….off” do sound weird, LOL!

I’ve been away from blogging for quite some time.
Paeds was hectic, and I didn’t quite put much effort into writing.
Ortho was less so, but I was caught up with the Environmental Carnival.. and since my Blog is about pushing for change, about opening eyes and minds, and I’m doing that much better by etching the Carnival out than writing here… I let resonating-ripple rest a bit :p

What made me blog? Avatar Did!

I really have to say, It’s the prettiest movie I’ve ever seen.
Especially those biolumisnescent Jelly Fish- Dandelion chimeras… They are so… dazzlingly beautiful…
And despite their size and short on-screen time, I’m made to believe they’ve each got their own personality.

The 3D rendering of the world,
- the waterfall that dropped off into misty sprays
- the tubeworm like plants
- the “TOUCH-ME-PLEASE because I glow pretty” plants (touch me nots, you’re a shame!)

-the communion dance around the tree, pulsating waves of light and energy going to the heart of Eywa…..

Ever felt like going to a place you’ve seen in a movie?
This movie is so SAD because It’s a place you can’t go to! I so Wanna Go there!

James Cameron,


I give you credit for
-Out Lucas-ing George Lucas! You’ve achieved your dream.
And as Sam Worthington Said “ It feels like that’s real, and this world is a dream”
-Sending a message so subtle yet so clear
-Doing all That in Style.

15 years was worth the wait. Salute, Salute.


Why?
Jimmy had his own fantasy movie in his head since he was 17.
He grew up drawing fantasy characters in his notebook with his Maths textbook shield-up in front during lessons.
He pictured his planets, his characters, his heroes, their powers….

Then he saw Star Wars… he went home.. and punched the wall.

He felt that he should have been the one to make that movie. Lucas Stole his limelight!


Fast forward his teenage and young adult years…
Now He’s in the Director’s chair of Titanic..
Building half a cruise liner on solid land only to blast it away…

But the time, 1994 I believe, was a sad time for America…
the mood of country at that time was sombre .. for economic and other reasons..

His movie went over budget by twice the original amount

Titanic’s Screening date arrived and went and they needed more time for post-processing so they had to make the Cinemas worldwide wait and change their release dates

If that wasn’t bad enough, He made a movie that in which Everyone Died!

“OH GOD!” He said to himself… “WHAT WAS I THINKING!”
He was given the ultimatum by the powers that be to wrap it up …but he persisted and relinquished his pay as a statement, a guarantee that he would see it through…

And Titanic Rose above the waves of doubt and became the best selling movie of the decade.



His reputation intact… and confidence building… he set out to film his dream movie…
ONLY to discover that technology couldn’t catch up with his imagination.

He had to wait, and he had to push
-push SONY Japan to Come up with a camera the world had not seen
-push Silver Screen conglomerates to accept Modifications in their cinemas worldwide to be 3D ready..
-Push Directors, Companies, Disney to come up with movies that sell so that the Conglomerate bosses would see that People want 3D movies..
(and that’s why we have Spy Kids 3D, Bolt 3D, Journey to the centre of the eath 3D, and yes, a Christmas Carol 3D…but of course, these were just appetizers.. coz he was cooking up a hell of a main course )

Through many trials and tribulations…

working with Weta Digital NZ (the company that made LOTR’s spectacles possible)

with Oxford Linguists- he made them craft out an entirely new language..

with biologists and scientists- Who thought up Common names, Scientific Latin names as well as Navi’ Names for each and every plant, animal and rock you see on screen, and catalogued all of that into an encyclopedia many times larger than Star Wars’.

He came up with this! And what a ride that was!

Back to the movie, It’s… groundbreaking, it’s Awe-inspiring.. it’s……. drool-inducing LOL….. and heart-breaking

Love it.

I mean, to come up with a technologically advanced movie is no mean feat…
But to add on to that a meaningful story, romance, action, adventure, all in beautifully rendered 3D…counts for much.

It certainly will be the movie of this Decade.

there are many messages woven into the storyline,
but the one I elaborate here resonates with the conservationist in me.

Human greed knows no bounds.
what you see happening on screen, is but a miniscule part of what is happening on our world.

In Malaysia,
Palm Oil plantations, Timber Merchants, Government Officials with pockets waiting to be lined up with Bakun dam overspending are all rubbing their grubby hands in glee while Malaysian Forests disappear off the Google Earth map that you see, hundreds of acres each day.

The Natives , the real bumiputras.. as I have so often said before
are the ones who suffer. Their lands get bulldozed over, their food, their home, their livelihood destroyed, their ancestral graves desecrated, their young women raped…their culture lost…

Nothing is left when $$ is allowed to rule.

Money is the root of all evil. Before you entertain the notion that I’m about to spew crap,
hear me out.

Humans started out like all other beings on earth, only taking what they need: food, and shelter.
Overtime, they traded through barter exchange what they didn’t produce…but because there is only so much leftover that you can swap…all is well.

After the invention of currency. EVERYTHING CHANGED.

With money you could buy a lot more that you need,
You end up with a lot of items non-essential for survival… take the mobile phone in your pocket, the Ipod your kid listens to while he ignores you, the multiple shoes your daughter keeps in her museum…

with the invention of money, people start to amass wealth, to indulge in frivolities,
and in the process, take away what once belonged to others.

Our tribesman drink from streams, from leaves
The healthy American drinks only bottled mineral water, but having dried up their own aquifers long ago, they are now globe trotting to Africa to pump away the land’s underground water supply, to be transported back home.

How much damage does that make, you ask? TOO MUCH.
The ground water having run dry, Africa’s Saharas threaten to evolve into more and more deserts and the land can no longer support vegetation. People have had to migrate from their homeland, and hman-animal conflicts become commonplace when food becomes scarce.

Is it fair? It is not. For someone to enjoy something on the expense of the suffering of another is unjust, and is not right.

For the rest of us using paper, timber, fuel, electricity,
remember that what you are enjoying isn’t guilt free.

I know these luxuries are now essentials and we really can’t live without them..
but the keyword here is moderation, and sustainability.

With each piece of paper that you use both sides, you are aiding the welfare of your countrymen by slowing down the destruction of their home.

With each kilometer travelled replaced by cycling or walking, you are reducing the need for petrol, the need for bio-fuel which comes from palm oil, the amount of green house gases and you exercise for your health at the same time.. Is that not a fair bargain?

With Each Kilowatt of energy saved by not putting the television on standby or leaving your computer on to download illegally, you are reducing the need for a new hydroelectric dam, or even worse, a coal plant to be built.

That is what you can do... for the sake of your people, for your children and grandchildren and it really is very easy to do.

I'll be writing on Mr Danny in the next post, considering it is 4am now.

If you've read this far, please do come to our See Green, See Life! carnival,
details at http://seegreenseelife.weebly.com

Is it a Malaysian culture to litter?- KL's Rubbish. (Cf. UKM's Trash)

In Kuala Lumpur, the City Hall has hit out at irresponsible revellers who littered Jalan Sultan Ismail during the Christmas eve celebration.

City Hall director-general Datuk Salleh Yusup said though the public had a right to party they should not go overboard and dirty the place.

Trash city: Jalan Bukit Bintang practically awash in a sea of rubbish left behind by Christmas revellers.

“We had a tough time clearing the mess left behind by these irresponsible revellers. They obviously do not bother about cleanliness and left the mess for others to clean up.

Thousands of people flocked to Bukit Bintang area on Christmas eve, causing the usually clean area littered with aerosol cans used in the Christmas revelry.

IS IT a MALAYSIAN CULTURE to LITTER?

"UKM's trash"- "SAMPAH UKM"- "国大的垃圾"

This is the place I live- Laman Midah Apartments

Inilah tempat tinggal saya sekarang, di Bandar Tun Razak

这是我住的地方-焦崃



Below is the route I pass through everyday from the wards to my place of stay.

jalan ini perlu saya lalui saban hari

以下是我每天必经之地



Every evening will be the time everyone looks forward to when they can throw off their 1/2kg white coat and can slump on the chair... motionless for a few hours at least..

Tibanya petang setiap hari, gembiralah semua warga UKM dapat pulang ke rumah, menanggalkan kot putih yang diberatkan dengan tendon-hammer, stetoskop, pen torch, dan pocket kumar and clark

夕阳西下,我们终于能弯弯腰,放下包袱, 安心地歇息...





But everytime I reach this part of the road home my heart sinks. Down to the unknown fathoms of sorrow...

Belum lagi baju pemberat ditanggalkan, hati kecilku telah diberatkan sungguh

但一经这处,心情不知不觉地沉重下来...



Why? because this pass, is only used by 3 groups of people.

Kerana jalan peniti ini hanya digunakan khas oleh 3 kumpulan orang


因为这径路别无他人使用,只有.....




Doctors, Nurses and medical students!




ONLY DOCTORS, NURSES AND MEDICAL STUDENTS!




And this is solid proof of origin- the Cooperative store's plastic bag.

Dan inilah bukti terbaik...

而这,就是最好的证据...



Yes! All of them are involved in the healthcare profession and are held in high regard in society. Thus, professionalism aside, qualities like integrity, civic consciousness, responsibility, good moral conduct are expected of them and this should manifest not only when they are involved with patients but should permeate every aspect of their lives.

Golongan inilah mendapat sanjungan tinggi masyarakat, maka secara semula jadi kita mengharapkan yang terbaik daripada mereka, dari semua sudut kemanusiaan... bertanggungjawab, berkesedaran sivik kerana mereka menjadi papan ukur and teladan semua... bukankah begitu?

这群专业人士, 得到大众的的尊敬及崇拜,而同时我们也对他们有所要求- 至少在成为一个负责任的公民.



If professionals like the above act in such an irresponsible, callous and cavalier matter.... What has become of our society? What type of individuals have UKM bred?
Will that augur well for our nation as a whole?

Jika golongan yang disanjungi ini berkelakuan sedemikian... apakah yang masyarakat kita telah menjadi?

上梁不正下梁歪...那接着岂不是屋倒人亡吗?



If you have the chance to stop by HUKM, please take the chance to view the "products" of UKM.

Jika melalui kawasan ini, janganlah lupa melawati kubur sampah ini...

有闲不妨到这观观'奇景'



The many 'colourful' "subjects" HUKM has "produced."



Why can't we let them be you ask? The rains will come, trash floats? aint it?
After a monsoon, problem solved? ain't it?

Mengapa tidak kita biarkan saja, tanya-mu. Hujan akan turun, air akan melimbah, sampah akan dihanyutkan dan masalah KAN diselesaikan? Kedudukannya begitu strategik di tepi parit, besar lagi tu?

等等那倾盆大雨洗净一切不就没事了? 不? 坐落在大渠旁的东西根本不肖一顾吗!




The matter ends not, there. Fouled streams, begrimed rivers, loss of tourist location, disease spread, floods, landslides (water stagnation leads to poor clearance of soil pooled water, leading to increased soil load...) all stems from this act.

Whatever you throw down the waterways- mercury, nickel, lead, pesticide, poison, industrial waste, will be absorbed by microorganisms... being lipid soluble these compounds accumulate up the food chain... a fish eating many contaminated shrimps will have 20X d amount of contamination. sharks and human will have 100000x because we're at the very end of the food chain.

A term called biomagnification

Masalah ini tidak terburai begitu sahaja. Tidak kira apa yang dilupuskan melalui jalan air, akan suatu hari nanti kembali kepada kita. Racun, logam berat, Sisa toksik larut-lemak dan akan dikumpul dalam tubuh hidupan air, dan akan menjadi berganda apabila makhluk besar makan bilangan haiwan yang kecil... manusia, ikan besar seperti tuna mempunyai puluh ribu kali ganda mercuri dalam badan udang. Dan inilah yang akan kita makan.

Kita pandai melempar tuduhan kepada kerajaan apabila sungai Dicemari, pantai dikotori, Sungai melimpah ruah, banjir berlaku, tanah runtuh, penyebaran penyakit berleluasa... tapi sebenarnya salah siapa?

垃圾-不见不闻不代表没有. 别只会把矛头指向政府,偶尔照下镜子- 土崩, 泛滥, ,兮湖浊山...都是我们一手造成...

排泄物,重金属,毒素品倒下河里,迟早会吃回肚里. 它融与体脂--在生物线,生物网里它会愈增, 在线,网末端的动物,比如鲨鱼,量有万倍上...人也不例外...
请别再捕杀鲨鱼...为您健康着想...


methyl mercury levels reach FDA limit for human consumption of 1 ppm. Excess will cause minamata disease.




People who litter are no better than the stuff that they throw.

Sampah, dibuang oleh sampah

废物,才会乱丢垃圾




You're action, Kills


Perbuatan anda membunuh

此行为侵害众生





Please make this lowly habit a thing of the past. we must shed the tag
"1st world country with 3rd world mentality"

Usah biar negara kita masih ditanggap penduduknya jahil! Kalau tidak tukarnya tabiat kita tidak akan terhenti sahutan bahawa mentaliti kita masih tinggal atas pokok sungguhpun ada bangunan kembar petronas

别再让这陋习流传在我国人民内. 我们是时间长大了.



I am ashamed today. For being a UKM medical student.



Adakah anda selesa melalui kawasan tersebut melihat keadaan sekeliling?



羞!羞!羞! 我羞!



Preserve the environment, and may your health be preserved... Let us do what we can, and it's as simple holding on to the piece of paper, till you reach a dustbin.





Beratkah cebisan kertas kecil tu sehingga anda perlu melepaskannya serta-merta di mana jua? Tidak beratkah pula mata anda memandang kejijikan dan kekotoran buatan sendiri? Bawalah ia dalam tangan sehingga terjumpa tong sampah... aku merayu



相信那张纸没千斤重吧? 居然如此, 能不能将它握在手里, 直到看见垃圾桶?
想信这是举手之劳? 谢谢....




For a better Malaysia

Untuk negara kita yang makmur

为国家,为环境,为自己..



The title of the post refers to items and not humans.
Tajuk merujuk kepada benda dan bukannya orang
其上标题指向物体,非人体.