If mum knew what I was up to last night...

she'd throw her Japanese slippers at me.

Heh. No, this is not a juicy post, but rather a chance to vent my frustrations (along with many Malaysians) of the current political scenario.

I accompanied a freelance radio journalist friend to Jalan Hang Tuah where the said opposition bigwig was detained (freed at current point in time).
Being naturally nosy and itching for excitement, I got a chance to take these amateur photos at the scene.
A shot from the divider(standing underneath the shaky monorail), the police's Federal Reserve Unit stand guard.










While the group of supporters crowd around, amidst the hundreds of press photographers, camera personnel and journalists who jostled to get the best angles.









So I chose to stand next to the FRU line, should jeers or taunts turn into an ugly clash. At least, I thought, I would be facing in the opposite direction should the teargas guns fire away.
Plus, running towards the police station (located behind the FRU line), was the best escape route in my torn sandals.
I guess, more importantly, as I chatted with my weary-eyed friends tasked to cover this long night, the bigger question remains.

Why are Malaysians being dragged into this time consuming and time wasting tussle for power. As cliche-d as it will sound, priorities are misplaced and we forget why we push for transparency and accountability in the first place.

Were we misguided as Malaysians on March 8? Were we misled to believe that there could be hope for at least a better life as a Malaysian?
Idealistic, yes. I believe I am entitled to that, like the rest that voiced their rights that fateful day. And as a person who hates to rant and whine, could we not be pro-active then since the hope that March 8 brought seems to be fading..

I turn 31 this year. I want to be able to tell my friends from other countries that while Malaysia is not perfect, it is home. It is colourful, exciting, slow at times, but it has soul.

But the current spare of events in the past month is embarassing, and disappointing. What can we do as Malaysians. Close one eye? Or both. Do we make plans to pack our lives into boxes (again) and live in places not called home? Or do we carry a placard and holler for our "voices" to be heard (again)? I'll ask Oracle when he distributes flyers in the Ss2 coffeeshops.

What do we do?

Renewing, reflecting and recharging.

That was the central theme of our last meeting in Manila. Renew we did our ties with journalism concepts, values, issues and common challenges. Reflect on the progress made and unmade in the last years of this pursuit of a wider goal and shared vision. And recharge we did.

It did not occur to me that the alumni conference this time was a rather academic one, more importantly, it did not occur to me how strongly I felt for the profession and the values it represent, and the (growing) network that has been built over the years, thanks to the kind donors that gave all of us this opportunity.

You can't help but feel the nostalgia when you go through the class photos, the sleepless nights and the exhausting debates about ethics when deciding material for print and broadcast. You also find yourself laughing contagiously when you remember the jokes, antics and little escapisms you took in this pursuit of excellence.

Keywords that still make me smile or laugh out loud in fond memory - pandesals, Father Bu, UP and that FHM magazine we bought for our Burmese friend.

My eyes have opened much in the last few years, compounded by my brief stint across the Causeway. I do want to capitalise on the opportunities that lie ahead - maybe even make a(nother) brave exit, this time out of the profession. Till then. I will still keep giggling fondly of the best times I have had in Manila.

Posing pretentiously at the fountain on the Ateneo de Manila University campus









And seen here, mucking around
after only one.. one bottle of San Mig Light..










But photojournalist Jimmy Domingo's take of the moment says it all...I absolutely relish it.

Bernoulli's Principle

This theory, which originally was applied to his research in fluids & medicine (particularly blood pressure), helps explain how planes fly.
He discovered that the principle that the pressure of a fluid decreases when its speed or velocity increase.
This helps to explain that when a plane is speeding up for take off, the faster it goes the less air pressure is exerted on it and therefore the plane is able to 'lift-off' the ground and fly. A plane that does not obtain sufficient speed on the ground, for its size & weight, may not be able to take off successfully

*Source: Wiki.answers.com

Ed's note: I am trying to find the co-relation between flying and perspiration