The Chaos We Cannot Not Know

As such sad images would continue to deluge the world of photography, the immortalized sentiments of grieve and pain in this photo, unfortunately, would too continue to inundate many more lives in Syria as a resolution is not reached. In its neighbouring countries and in Africa, such plight is indiscriminately inflicted on the lives of the innocent peoples. Injured, displaced, loss of family members or the worst are but the cruel scheme of human’s dissolution and corrosion in his traits. Dreaded is the unresolved continuity, the impossibility to help and the fatalities of humanitarian aids, alike the wanting an extermination notwithstanding infant, children or women. Violence mutation demonstrated the most evil ones. Grim subject but not untrue.

This photo is first prize singles winner for General News category, by Rodrigo Abd from Argentina, dated March 10, 2012. Location is Idib, Syria. Story: Aida cries while recovering from severe injuries she received when her house was shelled by the Syrian Army. Her husband and two children were fatally wounded during the shelling. Click here, International BusinessTimes

"A physically disabled woman clashes with riot police in the centre of La Paz, Feb. 23, 2012. Hundreds of physically disabled people arrived in La Paz after completing a protest march of some 1600 km (994 miles) over a hundred days to demand that Bolivia's government offer support in the form of 3000 bolivianos ($434) payment to each physically disabled Bolivian. (David Mercado/Reuters)"

February 23, 2012, hundreds of Bolivian disabled people demonstrated in La Paz. The disabled participants, with 120 of whom 75 disabled marched 1000 miles to Bolivia’s main city, La Paz, demanded better benefits and treatment, and, prominently, highlighted the urgent plight of the marginalized group. The ministry of health listed 35 thousand disabled nationwide, starkly contrasted the human-rights groups estimation of 600,000 or 6% of Bolivia’s population. They demanded yearly stipend of £325 and special recognition. Violence was reported but not confirmed but it was indeed an uneasy task for the authority. The author could not find updated news of an outcome. However, such news do mirror the author the images of fortunate, unfortunate and worse; the author considered himself in a very fortunate position and truly wish the best outcome not just for these Bolivian disabled people but the rest in the world. To my dear reader, you may read more on this link,

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/poverty-matters/2012/jan/11/disabled-people-march-for-equality-bolivia, or just google search.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Lion's Heart

The author just watched a Facebook footage of a woman and a lion which the woman saved from death. After that the author went to googled another video, which I remembered seeing many years ago, and of a lion and his old owners reunited on a rocky span in a jungle. The author choosed this footage as it was filmed during the author's younder age, the baby boomers, :). The readers will find more in YouTube.
 

Both videos are stunning chants of beasts’ love and affection for those they loved. Although one was caged while another was in nature place but both nevertheless told of beastly beauty and exceptions of derelict humanity. If you are critically harmed or censured by the one you trusted and loved, you will continue to love him or her that harmed or censured you. Like an animal, sometime, we do exhibit hasty moments that seemingly terminated a bond of love, but we know a true bond of love can never be annihilated. Of course, animals and humans are separated by a biased divide of intelligence, but pets of animals so often prove their loyalty are above man.

A relationship of love, platonic or not, may be broken but the sentiment of truth in love shall always preserve by at least one party. Such occurrences, in author’s life alone, have learned that happened among friends, and bond of love always perpetuate and deem reparable by at least one side. If a bond is not repaired, it will remain a token of virtue characterizing perpetuity and a resolute forgiver. Perhaps such token, to some, reflects futility or a waste of time, but lions do kill but simultaneously manifest remembrances of such token, such virtue. Why not human?

“Humans do have many great virtues, just that we need to practice and exercise more of these gifts.” – Nathan Phang

Light Of Compassion Versus Darkness of Killer's Instinct

The terror of unforgiving warfare, the horror of destitute welfare; unconsidered demise and unruly displacement of the innocence, infants, young or old civilians that are impossible to miss, and unreasonably to bleed one’s heart and to burden one’s mind, if one has love and compassion. It is man-made actions causing such calamities that created faces of the grieved and the frightened, the expressions of hopelessness and homelessness and the internal cries of void and vacuum.

Where these Afghan children now? Sitting closely to a stove in freezing temperature in refugee camp, what was in their mind? Did they know their parents were killed in land mine blast? Freezing temperatures have killed hundreds of Afghan children died each year. Many children were left parentless in the war-torn country, Afghanistan, and forced to live in such dilapidated camps. Sadly here are just two deeply war-riven countries of many.

Equally intestine war-inflicted Sudan have displaced more than a hundred thousand people, and forced to flee from homes. Where can they go? The author cannot observe disparity in intelligence of the plights of the two peoples of innocence. Which party or people such extremist or political warring behoove? How can one inflicting injury, slightly or critically or fatally, on another without a sleepless and nightmarish night? Is this a living proof that human can be stripped light of compassion and be replaced darkness of killer’s instinct?

The author wished not to oppress a reader but, more importantly, to impart a possible hidden fortuity bestowed the reader; cherish now and give.

The photos, left to right, are attributed to Jawad Jalali/EPA and Isaac Billy/UNMISS/Reuters/Handout respectively, and more photos can be seen at this site ....

More articles to read for Afghan children on this link!

How Young Are You?

Traditions And Customs For Posterity

Traditions and customs, enduringly bonded to everyone’s life, for centuries acquiring, but changing with time, the forms of festive holidays and greatly desiderate, with thirst of hope, joy and happiness, reunions with their loved ones, families, relatives and friends. As the indiscriminate tide of modernity and technology continue to charge at the recalcitrant spirit of traditions and customs, abide bruised but actuating mightier especially in the current tumultuous dictation of global economic woes and neighborhood of warfare rues. To consider fortunate and blessed the chance of attendance for a traditional festive reunion and celebration is indeed not overstated. The fact that one clings to one’s respective tradition and customs is not lesser a design of an ancestral continuity than an investiture of innate values and beliefs of love, compassion and respect for others, and reverence for their ancestors; an investiture upon the distancing younger generations and the posterity.

 The tidal wave of advanced technologies that morphed the landscape of communication and mobility, the merciless stake of materialistic capitalism that bullied the migration of demographics and the coup de grace of cruel politics that inflicted the amorphous figure of fatality and grieve; evicted not out of placement but enlivened an unyielding spirit of celebration for joy, happiness, peace and hope, not just for oneself, but for the whole world. As himself, the author, favored with no immunity from these sad and troubling vicissitudes, but he remains hopeful for a better time for all co-existences, true and genuine.

 

The exodus of people from the cities is a just affidavit for a time to everything hopeful and happy, and away from otherwise despairing and miserable. The news of festive celebration from any corner of the globe is always ever so welcoming and uplifting, even when one does not partake in the banquet or to delight in the revelry. The flux of joyous celebration sprays across the globe, the effluence of teary reunion showers everywhere the planet.

 

“One is all and all is one; unison in concerts; concordance in rapport. Wishing to all celebrators and revelers Happy Chinese New Year; may the Year of Snake bring all Abundant Prosperity and Everlasting Happiness!” – Hopeful Nathan. 

"Misao the Big Mama and Fukumaru the Cat"

A golden-orange cat's eye and a sky-blue aquamarine, which the inseparable awesome twosome are so uncannily paired, that only nature, indeed with her ineffable stroke of paint and brush, can wield and choose to secure them in a thick and beautiful coat of white fur; upon which preternaturally favoured a gift of love in friendship not found on many humans but, unsurprisingly, felines and canines. Such is the case a creation in a cat; alike embraced the sunshine, the fields, the green vegetation and the sunflowers.

Her still abundance of hair, more silver than dusky, perhaps suggesting healthy longevity; her tanned skin masking not but the virtue of endurance; and her ripples revealing the grace of age; by which all of these manifesting strength and will, toughness and assiduity. That time may faint her strength, time cannot abduct her spirit. Whilst pastoral life may not bring wealth, pastoral living naturally brings what wealth cannot purchase - peace, love and joy! Must be the countryside air; must be the bucolic countryside. An idyllic life envied by the multitudes.

 

She may have submitted her whole life to self-sustenance, or a drudgery industry now abandoned by many and slowly moribund, but with her recompense she purchased the richest cannot acquire with money, a life of serenity, quietude, salutary countryside and a serendipitous bond of love and companionship with an oddly coloured-eye and astonishingly unique cat. Misao found the kitten, Fukumaru, 8 years ago and have been together since side by side in the field, in her house, in her chores and in her mundanities. Misao, was an 88 years old grandmother of Japanese photographer, Miyoko Ihara, who took many photographs of her grandmother in the last 13 years to commemorate her grandmother’s living years before created and published the portrait album,  “Misao the Big Mama and Fukumaru the Cat“ in 24^th November, 2011.

 

“During the days of searching and googling for more recent details the author could not find as to the well-being of the odd couple. Today, Misao must be at least 89 years and Fukumara, loosely meaning “a circle of good faith”, 9 years old. The author would like to truthfully wish them well and both a very healthy longevity.” Nathan true words.

China Paid For Fresh Air

 On 13th this month the auhor published a post, Not So Blue Planet, informing and reminding the reader the extreme importance and serious shortage of precious fresh water depleting in our planet. In that post a line said "So air is free, water is charged but if it is free it is probably unsanitised." aptly reflected the phenomenon that transpired in China, Fresh Air In Can, selling for five yuan each. The author, if his person could, would disown this truth but no disownment can check the dreaded imminence that other countries would follow suit if our concerted efforts to curb the spread of environmental corrosion remained passive and casual.

 

China, in a fury of impressive catch-up and rapid succession, underwent an economical knife

that changed the face of its economy without not altering the landscape of its politics, society and, drastically, populace. China today has achieved many countries cannot and simultaneously repaying nature by instalments of water pollution, air pollution, desertification, erosion of soil, lost of cultural sites and others.



 

These problems have already besieged many developed countries but not in comparison in gravity with China. The author here would like to stress that his person has no intention or ill-will to criticise or speak against anyone. While such problems took just a few decades to form and worsen, it will take centuries to repair, restore and reform. Such problems will have rippling effects both globally and eventually.

The author, truthfully and sincerely, urges reader to understand and weigh the gravity of these problems and impart these intelligence to all your friends and family for the sake of our future generations. For better for worse, we live in the same big blue planet.

Nature, the ultimate artist. Beauty found on this beach, in Lang Tengah Island, East Malaysia. Blue sky, blue sea, green trees, brown rocks and white sand. Let us hope the sands of our planet are still a long way ahead. Read here for more on Pulau Lang Tengah by Keith Jenkins.