Direct Democracy: 'The Third Wave', Alvin Toffler

fascinating! the politicians in the US could only agreed to disagree. in Egypt, street demonstration kicking again. anti-Muammar Gadaffi in Libya had one of their top leader killed. in Turkey, top brass of all three branches of army, whom they called themselves defender of the constitution, resigned en mass. in my country, we lose some of our land and waters to our neighbour. I wonder if all these have anything to do with what people really want. leaders have always say what they do is what the people want.

then I remember the term 'direct democracy' I read in 'The Third Wave'by Alvin Toffler 30 years ago. with all the social and technological advancement, can't the idea put into practice? or is it practical in the first place? remember that some of previous civilizations did some kind of the idea.

'to be or not to be'
- c 1600

more things

I keep on thinking on yesterday's topic and I believe it is true. more things have never contribute to any value. I think I want to write more about this. really.

yesteryears, 'more things', house and home

yesterday I drove through a place where I brought up my family at the very early stage. it was our first home where we were bestowed with our first child. our working place was not far from the home. the life was easy then. there was no TV, just a radio, a PC without internet connection, no washing machine. we made our own shoe rack from a box. yes, we had a sofa set which was given by my mother, and we still have it. what a life!

then our life became 'more'. more things, more issues, more kids, more responsibility, more problems, and more 'more'. among the 'more', 'more things' definitely never make us happier, never. my God, it was only today that I realised deeply that more problems, issues and all the human related things may get you depressed, but in the end we become more human. on the other hand, 'more things' has never brought any value. a home bring up the family not the house. praise to God.

I've taken my bows
And my curtain calls -
You brought me fame and fortune and everything that goes with it
I thank you all -

But it's been no bed of roses 
No pleasure cruise -
I consider it a challenge before the whole human race -
And I ain't gonna lose 


- 1977

powers that be

we've Got The Right To Choose And
there Ain't No Way We'll Lose It
this Is Our Life, This Is Our Song
we'll Fight The Powers That Be Just
don't Pick Our Destiny 'cause
you Don't Know Us, You Don't Belong


- 1984

basic food

oh no, not again. my country is now plague by news of basic food shortage. the story keep on surfacing every now and then and I don't really know why. this kind of situation is unheard while I'm young, when our GDP per capita is 1/4 of it is now. what is happening here?

money and the hotter earth

my mechanic complaint to me that everything is pricey today. I said I agreed and even rain is somehow reluctant to getting 'down'. it is hotter today than it was time. the mechanic then blamed on our hunger for cutting trees and develop. "they all thinking about money", he said. again and again I stumble upon human who demonised money. yet we still after it. and never feel enough of it.

Norway's tragedy

from the day the tragedy happened until now, media have painted the incident as 'attack to the core of Norwegian values' - freedom. so the road to freedom has a price. and having the freedom too has a price? who put that price.

people of Norway, I hope that you just be strong and persistent. it's all in your hand whether to give in or keep on.

regards,
human

Somalia

years ago my father used to show us pictures in newspaper showing hungry and abandoned children in Africa. I cannot recall whether the picture was taken in Somalia which today faced a serious humanitarian crisis - famine. and I believe most of us has seen Kevin Carter's picture of a starving toddler in Sudan. the picture won him a Pulitzer Prize. but like most of us, he finally realised that money is evil and the society is corrupted.

to see the picture, search on the net.

regards,
human

when the children cry

little child 
dry your crying eyes 
how can I explain 
the fear you feel inside 
cause you were born 
into this evil world 
where man is killing man 
and no one knows just why 
what we have become 
just look what we have done 
all that we destroyed 
you must build again


- 1987

nemesis

today my nemesis sent me an invitation card to some kind of party. what a shit! after those years of betrayal and injustices, that person even had an idea to invite me! yeah, sure positive thinking. well, go to hell.

people revolution

through my short life so far, I've been witnessed a score of people revolution or rather people power that brought their tyrannies to their knee. those revolution had involved no serious fire power from the people. there were death, of course. from what I can recalled, there was the such victory in Iran (1979) and the Philippine, in the 1986. then the same thing happened in Romania (1989), Soviet Union (1991), Indonesia (1998), Nepal (2008), Tunisia (2011), Egypt (2011). of course there were also bloody revolution.

I would never know how is the people of such countries feel today. I can only suggest that they must be feeling some kind of freedom. may be.

UK's media frenzy: parliamentary hearings

I watched the proceeding involving the Murdochs on the internet yesterday. it was my first time for watching such proceeding. in my country there is no such event. even parliament session is only aired half an hour daily. after which there will be a talk show between  TV station presenter and usually backbenchers. and of course, you will never want to watch that 'talk show'.

I eager to watch how the Murdochs do it to learn how people at the top level interacted. I watch some of it. but what the heck, my internet connection isn't that good. so I just shut down my pc and do something else!

people: decision making

I had a meeting today. there's one observation: there are people who like to change things arbitrarily. when confronted, they will said "this is my thinking...". sure enough that person is seemed to take responsibility on the decision, but is he? how about is you're the superior and ultimately you'll be responsible. why change when the current things is ok and there's no apparent reason to do that.

UK's media frenzy

there are certainly something rotten in the media houses in the UK. but at least I can see that corporate power can be brought down to its knee by people power. provided, of course, their political master isn't meddle. but even that is the case, with the free flow of information, both the corporate and the politician, can be brought down.

hail the people.

'Use Your Memory', by Tony Buzan

this is a good one. the author says in order to remember something we must use our 'imagination' and 'association' of the events, lists etc. use the following Memory Principles to create that image:

1. synaesthesia/ sensuality
2. movement
3. association
4. sexuality
5. humor
6. imagination
7. number
8. symbolism
9. colour
10. order (sequence)
11. positive image
12. exaggeration

use this Key Memory Image words along with the principles

1. crashing things together
2. sticking things together
3. placing things on top each other
4. placing things underneath of each other
5. placing things inside each other
6. substitute things for each other
7. placing things in new situations
8. weaving things together
9. wrapping things together
10. having things talks
11. having things dance
12. having things share colour, aroma, action

there are several system explained in the book. but these systems are awesome

1. link system
• links all the events, lists in one story
2. number shape system
• assigns shape to number 1 to 10 and wraps any object within that shape (e.g. pencil to 1)
3. number rhyme system
• assigns word that rhyme with number (1 to 10) (e.g. bun to 1)
4. Roman room system
• I like this system. imagine entering a house and seeing things along the way
5. alphabet system
• assigns a word to an alphabet (e.g. arrow to A)
6. major system
• assigns number to any word.
• 0 - s, z, soft c
• 1 - d, t, th
• 2 - n
• 3 - m
• 4 - r
• 5 - l
• 6 - j, sh, soft ch, soft g
• 7 - k, hard ch, hard c, hard g, ng, qu
• 8 - f, v
• 9 - b, p
• mind maps

'How to Manage Your Boss - Developing the Perfect Working Relationship', book by Ros Jay

I couldn't finished reading this book. I just can't. I've read two chapters and ... you expect me to worship my boss? what a s***. please read this book your self.

Japan, nuclear free nation

so the PM of Japan has finally spoken on the future of nuclear power plant. but does it translated into the government policy? I really want to see what this advanced nation has in store to replace one-third of her electricity energy source. energy efficiency society? natural energy resource?

according to Wikipedia, Japan is using 868 W/ person. that is less than Finland (almost 2000), Norway (almost 3000) and Iceland (slightly more than 3000) (of course cold countries). Japan's figure is lower than Qatar and Kuwait (more than 1700 and 1500 respectively) (ok, small, hot energy-hunger countries). and the figure lower than Singapore (947) but is slightly more than Brunei (801). other G7 countries electricity energy consumption stands as follows: France (851), German (822), Italy(603), UK(667), US (1460) , Canada (1910). Wow, Italy and UK are low at less than 700.

so Japan, show your colour.

work

am I going to work tomorrow? am I working again after these dis-illustrious months?

bicycle and my kids

we bought a used bicycle for one of my kids on her excellence performance in academic. when we showed her the bicycle, she was stunning and speechless. I tried all my might not to cry. she looked so happy despite knowing that the bicycle was a used one. it's all that we afford at this moment.

thank God for giving the chance to my kids to excel in their study. and thank God for making all of my kids grateful and understanding. and thank God for bestowing us with our kids.

liberty

 "Where the people fear the government you have tyranny. Where the government fears the people you have liberty"

- John Basil Barnhill, 1914

engineering

this is the first 'engineering' entry in my blog despite I'm and engineer by profession. this picture depicts a part of the overhead 'catenary' for electrified train system. the scheme is essentially supplies electricity to the train set. the picture was taken lat week after a very disappointed, 'waste and stupid' interview session. the location of the picture was in a 100-year old former main train station in the capital. the electrical system is new, less than 20 years old.

integrity

at the time I took this picture, I was lack of problem. everything was good that I felt I was blessed. but it was not. actually it was now with all the problems in the world are on my shoulder, I started to understand humanity. which is 'the hell with integrity'.

the shortest interview ever

on 10 to 15 minutes. that was the time taken to interview a project manager by an organisation with about USD 30 billion worth of property. there were 5 candidates for two posts and I was one of them. but only me was the damned. may be they already have the people to be appointed. so why spend more time. get the damned people in just to fulfill the quota and do the report to the management. the hell with integrity!

freedom

I hope that freedom depicts in this picture will persist.

colonial

this picture was taken few weeks ago in a small local museum not far from my home. it was actually a home of a local figure head who was tried in his very own house. he was expelled from his country about two centuries ago. occasionally I bring my family here to relearn what had happened to our fathers. I teach them how not to repeat the same mistake and stupidness. the other reason is that the entry to this museum is free.

Stand and fight
Live by your heart
Always one more try
I'm not afraid to die
Stand and fight
say what you feel
Born with a heart of steel


- 1988

faces

those are faces of my kids, the two most younger. I brought the younger one to a park one morning and told about it to her sister that night. as a result she refused to go to school the next day. so the next day two kids were playing happily ever after at the park, hence the two faces.

they're happy and vibrant. I'm not going to replace that little smile with anything.

Little darling
The smiles returning to the faces
Little darling
It seems like years since it's been here

-1969

changes

this is about change,

I heard some kids telling me 
How they've lost all the faith in the way 
They've been talking world peace 
And the war's in the streets 

The lines on their faces so deep 
A revolution, or reach out 
And touch the day 
We're overdue child 

Change 
Now it's time for change 
Nothing stays the same 
No it's time for change 

I feel the future in the hands 
Of our youth will be safe 
No more lies 
Old, tired fools tell our future 
With tarot cards, and lie of crime

-1986

'Dealing With People You Can't Stand - How to bring Out the Best in People at Their Worst', book by Rick Brinkman, Rick Kirschner

in 'Dealing With People You Can't Stand - How to bring Out the Best in People at Their Worst', book by Rick Brinkman, Rick Kirschner, difficult people can be divided into several classes.

1. the tank
2. the sniper
3. the grenade
4. the know-it-all
5. the they-think-they-know-it-all
6. the yes person
7. the may be
8. the nothing person
9. the no person
10. the whiner

in this book, the authors write about the character of each class of difficult person, the skills and strategy to defuse such attitude. yea read it and practice it. but from my experience the most class of people that I faced was from the 'the they-think-they-know-it-all'. may be from my culture, they need to do that to disguise their incompetency or low-esteem. you figure.

silver lining

next week there will be another interview for yet another company. a promised from my previous employer is now, I considered, as good as dust - it got no where. things getting worse and I keep my self listening to Bohemian Rhapsody every day, lot of times a day. "I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy", Freddie said.

Nothing really matters.