Muslim World in Turmoil

The Muslim world is in turmoil. 

And some blame the west for that. The Muslim world was once a great empire and a place of wealth and learning. Now they can offer the world nothing except cheap oil. Are the west or the Jews and Christians to blame for that? 

It was not the west, Jews or Christians that brought the Muslim world down to the level it is now. It was human nature (corruption and mismanagement). The Muslims were on self-destruct mode and they did to themselves whatever happened to them. 

Similarly and retrospectively, Greece, Rome, Persia, Britain, etc., were once great empires. They, too, saw a collapse of their empires. Even the modern Holy Roman, Hapsburg and Romanov Empires eventually collapsed. And it was for the same reason as the collapse of all those other empires before them. And the Muslim Empire faced the same fate as those other great empires and for the same reason. 

So Muslims want to restore the glory of the Islamic State by conquering the world, again. That is like saying Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, England, Holland, France, etc., want to re-colonize their now independent colonies to return to the days of the great colonial empires. 

Those are ramblings of mad people, just like the mad people of the Islamic State (or ISIS, ISIL, or whatever). And killing people in Paris is not going to get God on your side or help restore the once great but corrupt Ottoman Empire.

In the name of love...

I see plenty of my fellow Christian friends being "moved to silence" by the recent pronouncement / ruling in the United States that allows two people who are in love to get married. 

You need to know this:- The ruling doesn't stop us from loving. It doesn't stop us showing kindness &  understanding. It also does not stop us marrying the opposite sex, as well. It doesn't ask faiths or ideologies that oppose LGBT union to change their messages, good news or believes, by all means carry-on. 

I am not trying to be a new fangled Christian here but can we respect an individual's rights please.

Back in Malaysia we can feel "offended" whenever hudud laws are discussed to be implemented for all races. We may not agree on all things, just as there are many religions in the world and many of them regard theirs as the only true and right way. 

No one has a stranglehold on the institution of marriage, the Christians did not, nor the Muslims nor the Jewish faith etc... can claim it as their own. If there are loving people who wish to realise and pronounce their love with the institution of marriage, so be it. 

If you are against same sex marriage, then don't do it yourself. You and you alone are accountable, you are not to be the judge. You can voice your protests in a Christian context, and preach it within a Christian context. You cannot take snippets of your religion and impose that as the standard for all. Other religions can do likewise. Supporting the right to love is not unChristian. 

If there are non religious people in the world who do great work and sacrifices for charity and humanity, we should also support and applaud them even though they may not be Christians or Buddhists or Muslims. In the same way if non religious people choose to love better, we should applaud the same.

A Book Buyer's Rues

Bookstores have become places of regret and shame. We once enjoyed shopping in them or simply looking in their windows, back in the days when they were ordinary retail establishments. They were like stores that sold shoes or hats, but with more appealing merchandise. Now they’ve taken on 'moral significance'. Buying a book and choosing the place to do so involve delicate and complicated considerations. You may fail to do the right thing. 

I want to buy a book—perhaps it’s a specific book, identified in a review or mentioned by a friend, or perhaps simple intellectual restlessness has put me in the mood to browse a bookstore shelf and find something new. As I descend to the large shopping malls, I recall that many fine unread books remain on my overstocked shelves at home. I’m aware of them every hour of the day, even when I look up from the book I’m currently reading. They remind me of promises made to read them when they were bought; some of these promises are now decades old. My shelves also hold certain already-read volumes that deserve a careful, more mature rereading. I should turn back and head home! 

I don’t turn back. The day is too fair and the streets are thronged. 

I’m unsure of my destination. Only a few of the city’s bookstores remain in business and they each need my patronage desperately. They sell mostly identical items, for mostly the same price. A familiar calculation has to be made. The calculation is primarily ethical: where would my purchase do the most good? With literary culture under threat from several directions, every opportunity to come to its relief should be seized. 

In recent times, our affluent society has enshrined as principle the notion that ethically considered purchases of goods and services will produce wide-ranging social benefits. We have a responsibility to think about where our money will go, and what it will do when it gets there, before we reach for our wallets, an obligation that I usually perform—yea to the locally grown produce, nay to garments from Third World sweatshops—and sometimes privately resent. Sometimes I prefer to make my purchases with no more than the product in mind. This is especially true when it comes to my favorite product, a book.

I feel I’ve already made a significant ethical choice by stepping away from my computer. I could have bought a new book online, which is, we all agree, the least socially valuable way to buy one. Online bookstores dwell within a moral abyss, cold, unseeing, and uncaring. Their stock lies in remote warehouses where mechanical factory implements fulfill our purchases, the workers harried to keep up with the machines. The online stores’ low overheads allow deep discounts, threatening the existence of small, local bookstores that maintain a physical presence and strengthen the urban fabric.

I have to admit ignobility, then, for the pleasure I take in browsing the online stores’ electronic catalogues, nearly as capacious as any Borgesian library. I appreciate the felicitous recommendations based on my purchasing history. I like being greeted, “Hello, Ken.” I like the perfect illusion of personality without the need to reciprocate, without the intrusive intimacy of a real-life bookstore clerk who knows my name and private tastes. When the box arrives several days later, when I’ve already forgotten that I’ve placed the order, it comes with the unexpectedness and neat, deliberate packaging of a gift. Through some expert digital manipulation, the online book-buying experience improves on the gratifications we once obtained from our traditional bookseller.

In an entirely different moral realm lies the electronic book, with which I once pursued a brief, clandestine affair, knowing that it threatened my marriage to the traditional book and what is left of the traditional bookstore. I go back to her from time to time, furtively, our lovemaking entirely mechanical. E-books subvert every romantic idea I ever had about the physical qualities of the book, like its heft, the texture of its cover, and its nearly subliminal odor. E-books depart from millennia of literary history, to which, as a reader, I dearly wish to be connected. But the truth is that reading a book on an electronic device can be a rewarding literary activity, if the book is good. Best of all, e-books take up no room in my house next to my lamentably unread physical books.

With these competing, not-encouraging thoughts in mind, I reach the downtown area, where an outpost of the nation’s single major remaining retail chain is located, situated in an ethical space above the online bookstore, but only just above it. The chain’s well-stocked outlets are each attractive in the same way, in accordance with the company’s corporate design: impersonal, without sincere literary feeling. Although they offer an immense variety of titles—a variety that the serious reader will never exhaust in a lifetime of reading—we suspect that certain stranger, more adventurous, less commercial books don’t reach their shelves. Most of the charm of the chain’s shops resides in their comfortable, wireless-equipped cafés. Sometimes I buy an espresso. Sometimes I just use the men’s room, fleeing from the store in a cloud of self-reproach. The chain has been in grave economic distress for some time.

It would be unfortunate—a catastrophe for literature, in fact—if the chain went out of business. In many parts of the nation it offers the only significant bookstore from one county to the next. It maintains a deep inventory that keeps the publishing industry afloat. Its stores are the only places where you can find a rich selection of consumer magazines and literary journals. In its children’s departments, books are purchased that may lead to a lifetime of reading.

But, really, I shouldn’t fret about the chain bookstores, which have joined with the online retailer to drive nearly all of the city’s independent bookstores out of business. Book-lovers consider the independent bookstore the true altar at which to express our devotion to literature. We believe the independent store offers more idiosyncratic selections, employs more knowledgeable and more personable staff, and maintains a more intimate relationship with the local community. Some independent shops are said to keep their doors open without profit, only because their proprietors love literature. This makes me sorry for the books I’ve purchased from every other bookseller.

My remorse enfeebles me. I recognize that I’m no longer thinking about the essence of the reading experience or the book I want to buy, which in the depths of my moral rumination has been turned into simply another form of consumption, and not even that, but rather the aspiration to consume. It takes me about a week and a half to read the typical book. I don’t know how many ten-day spans I have left. Eventually the unread books on my shelves will have to be abandoned, or they will join me on the pyre. The book I’m about to purchase may be among them. We all buy books we won’t live to read. These surplus, unexperienced books represent a sizable part of the literary profit margin, such as it is. Writers, publishers, and bookstores depend on them.

I turn a corner onto a shady street of small shops, where the independent bookstore is located, halfway down the block. Anxious, distracted, with the titles of the books I left at home still in mind, I try to remember why I read. 

It isn’t for the bookstore, nor for the consumption of the book. I think it has something to do with the presence of the permanent book in my perishable head. Outside the store I gaze at the window display, where a dozen titles offer a dozen alternate reading futures. I remain in place, waiting for the impulse that will propel me inside, painfully aware that the survival of literature depends on it.

Whisky

I often get asked by people which whiskies they should buy. But there are as many different answers to that question as there are people asking it. Still, as I wanted to help my fellow whisky aficionados out I developed a little theory:

You shouldn’t buy one whisky, you should buy three.

My theory goes that as long as you make sure you have the following three whiskies in your liquor cabinet you will have all you ever need.

The Old Faithful

This is your standby drink, a tipple you can return to time after time, no matter the occasion. They may not have bags of awards but they deliver and can always be relied on. This would be the dram to get out to introduce someone to whisky or to relax with at the end of a long day. 

Think Sullivans Cove Double Cask, Talisker 10, Kavalan King Car.

The Big Gun

This is where you splash out a little. This is your special occasion whisky, something you bring out only when it is warranted. Go for quality and age here. You want to be able to savor this one, really sink into it, let in envelope you. Drinking this should be an experience. You’re not going to empty the bottle in a hurry, you’re going to enjoy every last drop of this one, sharing it only with your very closest of friends. 

Think Sullivans Cove French Oak, Highland Park 18yo, Ardbeg Corryvrecken.

Happy Fathers Day

I had a good chat with a friend about dads growing old. I assume we are all filial sons and daughters. When our dads grow older and older, maybe some will have retired from their careers by now. I wonder how many of us "love our dads" in the way that allows him to continue to be the man that he is. 

Dads who are now retired are dads from a different era. Most of our dads are the strong silent types, not like many of the younger dads nowadays who will try to be good friends with their kids.

A man of the house usually takes the lead in the household. He takes care of the paycheck. He calls the shots in many areas of the household matters. When they retire, they may not have access to as much "money as before" - gee, do you ever wonder why, thats because he has brought you guys up, send you guys to further your studies, even finance your first car or even your first home, down payment for this and that. Flying you back from overseas, etc...

Now he may be pushing 60 or 70, he may be living primarily off what you kids give him. We somehow think if we give them a few hundred or a thousand or two ringgit a month, we have done our part. Your dad is still the man he was, faults and all. He used to call the shots, ask you guys where you like to have dinner, ask you guys what you want for your birthdays.

Now, he has to take money from you guys. Funds may not be so "loose". When you guys take him out to dinner, he doesn't have the "right" to pay for you guys anymore. Heck, he may even shy away from ordering whatever he likes from the menu or dictate where he wants to have dinner. He may not even be able to just take your mum wherever they wish to go for holidays.

In these very many small ways, he is not "allowed to be the man he used to be". We as children should empathise with that. If we can afford it, we should give him more than what he needs to survive. We should allow our father to be the father he still is.

A person's spirit is the hardest to please and easiest to break. 

Love comes in many disguises. Love is not just money but our attitude as well. Reconsider how we love our dads. Be the better son and daughter. 

Love your dad better.

Motivation.

Motivation is something athletes are always seeking, but can be elusive to obtain. 

Motivation can put a lesser skilled athlete on the podium standing over his more gifted and talented peers. It is the life blood of training. Simply put motivation is how much an individual wants to achieve a goal, but sources of motivation can be as varied as athletes.

It is important to ask yourself why you are training. Is it to get physically fit, for fun, a challenge, social interaction, build confidence, to learn a skill, or to compete and win? You may train for a combination of these reasons or for a completely different reason. What you do not want is to find yourself wondering why you are working toward a goal. Remind yourself why you train and visualize the outcome and rewards you will receive. 

I often hear “I am 'waiting' to get motivated.” This implies that motivation will somehow come to a person like a divine gust of wind. True motivation MUST come from within you. This is one of the reasons children who are pushed too hard by the imposed ambitions of overzealous parents often lose interest in a sport. The child has lost the internal motivation to participate (fun) and generally does not stay involved long term.

People are motivated by accomplishment and the attainment of goals. Think of how motivated you are after you complete a race you have been training for. Motivation becomes hardest the furthest from your goal. This is when you have to really keep your long-term focus and regularly remind yourself of the end reward.

One external motivating influence, however, is INSPIRATION. We have all been inspired by someone in our lives. Lance Armstrong (despite his doping scandals) has inspired many to take up the sport of cycling. You may have participated in a pink ribbon run event because of a friend’s battle with cancer. Inspiration is an emotion that can cause us to aspire to greater levels of motivation. It reinforces our own personal reasons to work toward our goals.

Motivation can be fleeting. You may find the goal you are working toward is no longer conducive to reasons you train. This is why it is important to set reasonable and attainable goals that match our individual purpose to train and compete. Fatigue, stress, emotional issues, overtraining, time constraints, and injuries can all reduce our motivational levels.

Often taking a day or two off to rest and refocus will help restore your training ambition. Training should add to the quality of your life, not hinder it. It is important to balance all aspects of your lifestyle and adjust your training level accordingly.

A positive mental outlook supports and enhances motivation. Avoid negative self talk; “I will never be a climber”, and focus on the positive; “I am becoming a more powerful cyclist each month.” Surround yourself and train with positive-minded people who encourage and support you. Accept responsibility for, and learn from your failures as well as your successes. Blaming others will get you no where.

Motivation can be complex, but if you remember why you train, look for your sources of inspiration, and keep a positive mental outlook the rest should fall into line. Realize that motivation comes from within, and from accomplishment. It is also a building process. Each goal you attain builds self esteem and confidence, giving you more motivation to accomplish your next goal.

Being poor sucks....sometimes.

The biggest mistake young people make is underestimating how competitive the world is out there.

Everyone will have had a group of friends who went hitchhiking around Europe or travelling in Asia when they were nineteen, living off ten dollars a day. And they were so happy! And they had so much fun! And money wasn't an issue!

Yes, that was youth, that was not reality. Reality is much bigger than youth - and not as nice.

That's not to say cash is the be-all and end-all. But to deny the importance of the material world around you (and its hard currencies) is to detach yourself from reality. And the world will likely punish you hard, eventually, for denying reality.

I've often been asked by younger kids, which do I think is a better career choice: "Creativity" or "Money"? I say both are the wrong answer! The best thing to be in this world is an effective human being. Sometimes that requires money, sometimes it doesn't. You just have to be ready for either when it happens.

Sing in Your Own Voice

Picasso was a terrible colorist. Turner couldn't paint human beings. Saul Steinberg's formal drafting skills were mediocre. Bob Dylan can't sing or play the guitar.

BUT THAT DID NOT STOP THEM, RIGHT? 

So, the next question is "Why Not?"

I really have no idea. Why should it stop them? No one person can be good at everything. The really good artists, the really successful entrepreneurs, figure out how to circumvent their limitations, figure our how to turn their strengths into weaknesses.

The fact that Turner couldn't draw human beings very well left him no choice but to improve his landscape paintings, which have no equal.

Had Bob Dylan been more of a technical virtuoso, he might not have felt the need to give his song lyrics such power and resonance.

DONT MAKE EXCUSES. Shut-up and get on with it. Time waits for no one. Develop and harness what you're good at. Focus on your strength.

Triathlon: It's Not As TOUGH as You Think It Is

I have been doing triathlons for a three years now. Started out with cycling and a bit of running. The thought of combining swimming did not occur to me until I found out I could breast-stroke the entire distance of 1.5km (required for the swim leg of an Olympic distanced triathlon). With a bit of practise, swimming freestyle will come thereafter.  

Friends often ask how do you train and out your body through such demanding pressures of swimming 1.5km, cycling 45km and running 10km non-stop? My reply is simple: train, commitment, train and repeat. Why train - you need to condition your body to the chores; why commitment - you need to find time and commit to precious time to train - even if it requires waking-up at 5 in the morning to swim, bike and run. 

If you wish to start with triathlon, I hope my beginner's training schedule (which I've put myself through for 5 solid weeks) will be of assistance. Caveat is always listen to your body - if its painful, stop. 

Here you go:- 

Week 1
Mon: Swim 500 meters
Tue: Cycle 25km 
Wed: Swim  500 meters 
Thu: Run 5km (easy effort) 
Fri: Rest / Recovery + Carbo load.
Sat: Swim 500 meters + Cycle 25km 
Sun: Run 7km (easy effort) 

Week 2
Mon: Swim 750 meters
Tue: Cycle 30km 
Wed: Swim 750 meters
Thu: Run 7km (easy effort) 
Fri: Rest / Recovery + Carbo load 
Sat: Swim 750 meters + Cycle 30km 
Sun: Run 7km (easy effort) 

Week 3
Mon: Swim 1000 meters 
Tue: Cycle 25km + Run 5km
Wed: Swim 750 meters + Cycle 30km
Thu: Run 7km (easy effort) 
Fri: Rest / Recovery + Carbo load 
Sat: Swim 1000 meters + Cycle 30km
Sun: Cycle 30km + Run 5km (easy effort) 

Week 4
Mon: Swim 1500 meters
Tue: Cycle 45km 
Wed: Run 10km 
Thu: Rest / Recovery
Fri: Rest / Recovery 
Sat: Swim 750 meters + Bike 25km + Run 5km 
Sun: Swim 750 meters + Bike 25km + Run 7km 

Week 5
Mon: Swim 1500 meters + Bike 30km 
Tue: Cycle 25km + Run 5km 
Wed: Swim 1500 meters + Run 5km 
Thu: Cycle 45km 
Fri: Rest / Recovery 
Sat: Swim 1500 meters + Bike 45km + Run 10km 
Sun: Rest / Recovery 

All the best.......if you don't TRI you'll never know.