Why I Support Obama

First things first, congratulations to Barrack Obama for winning his second term as president, a job well done indeed. Now, there will be less annoying campaign ads (not that I am affected too much by them) and the country can return the usual running state. Before Obama was mandated his victory, people around the world were watching the television and the Internet for continuous updates about the polls, me included, but I believe that many have chosen to let this poll go unnoticed. After all, it doesn't really affect them, or does it not?

America is truly a symbol of democracy for countries around the world, and although their democracy system may not be completely flawless, the leaders and citizens fight hard to uphold the basic principles of the land of the free. As we approach a globalised world, America which used to be one of the places with the darkest history of racism, is slowly becoming a wonderful multicultural deposit of wealth, cultures and intelligence. Even Malaysia can't brag anymore about being Muhhibah or having good goodwill between all ethnolingual groups, as although American may be explicit with their racism, they probably have a little more tolerance than us in Malaysia who hide our extreme discrimination under our family rugs. Heck, some of us couldn't even bother hiding anything, and our government policies continue to favour a certain ethnolingual group when they aren't even indigenious to our land, not too mention the dirtiest and corruptest racial politics you see being played the nearer we close to our own elections.

It deeply saddens me indeed.

But Barrack Obama, as a leader of a first world nation, can offer to be a leading example of the policies that people thought will never get past the lobbyists: higher taxes on tobacco, the legalisation of gay union, heavy focus on education, reduction of national deficit, pulling out of the war, and to become less dependent on foreign nations. He might be taking a long time, but he has already made so many 'unpopular' decisions and still have won the election.

Because people believe in hope. And people believe in a better.

And we should too, regardless of where we live on this planet we called Earth.

Edit: I actually wrote this yesterday before I slept and scheduled it to be published at 8am, but I'm editing before it goes live so here you go. Maine and Maryland just won their gay marriage freedom, and Washington is on its way to victory. Minnesota voted out. Change is indeed quick.

"No Status, Please."

Wow, what a long hiatus. But if you have read my previous post, you'd probably know why I am such an infrequent poster these days. I also came across a fever and twisted neck muscles yesterday and am still resting today; it almost felt like being a paraplegic.

Today is weird.

How many of us can say that we are inspired by a porn star (and when I say this I mean not inspired to do porn, or to perform better in bed, but rather in the way we lead our life)? Today happened to be the day I can proudly say "yes, I have", which is just pure surprising even to me.

I can write about everything he has written, but I think you'd be better off reading it yourself:

No Status, Please. - Bryan Slater

You can argue about the morality of porn till the cows come home, but I totally salute Bryan Slater for approving equality of status in a relationship regardless of sexual role, a principle I totally belief in.

The Myth of Profit-Profit Economics

Warning: Anti-Establishment rant approaching.

Okay.

I haven't been blogging for a while now because most of the time I have an idea that I really want to write about, it isn't one of those simpler and free-roaming ideas or experiences but rather a complex idea that I know will put many readers off and that I have less knowledge of in whole. I'm gonna try to attempt to explain one idea today (keeping the other ideas as isolated from each other as much as I can to prevent confusion) as much as I can by being relevant, yet thoughtful. I'm not an economist by training, so if you see any flaw in my thoughts, please point them out as I am still a learning man.

Let's start with a strong premise:

There is no such thing as absolute profit-profit transactions between two parties in the economy.

When I say this, I mean every single business transaction, investment plan, sales and purchasing of product or service, is always a profit-loss scenario where one party has more to gain than the other.

The most frequent argument against this idea that people have been saying to me is that both parties have come to an agreement and has gotten something they want in exchange for what they give in return, and since both parties now have what they want, they are then satisfied and thus both parties profit. I believe that this can be true if and only if both parties are completely happy with the exchange which has to be objectively (ideally) of the same value.

The truth is that in almost most scenarios today, both parties will both think that they are losing out and had to compromise to the others' demands. Even in scenarios where both parties are "completely happy" (where a rich businessman buys an expensive car because he likes it and ends up happy with the purchase and the salesman is obviously happy too), the businessman (assuming he is financially smart) would have wanted the car to be cheaper and the salesman would have wanted to sell it for higher. Or in rarer cases, some people would have lost out for selling something for so much cheaper because there is no knowledge of how much it should be priced (or in reality the market prices of commodities are terrible absolutes in general).

Crap. I think my argument is going in circles. I think I better start from the fundamental of where profit started.

Back in the days where bartering was a method of economic transaction and there was no currency to represent value, people had to barter goods based on an exchange which both parties deem as equal. Yes, even at that point of time, someone was bound to profit more than the other. However, as the market wasn't as open as today and there was less capitalism at work, people had the power to objectively price goods based on overall time, labor and resource required and standardise it across all transactions. So, yes there is already a profit-loss transaction happening, but it wasn't as apparent.

Then as currency became a means to represent value and product markets remained local while labour markets open up globally, the world

Ugh, I'm just not making my point! Just go and read: Understanding Capitalism Part II: Personal Property, Money and Finance...

This is why I hate blogging these days.

Tortured By My Own Ideals

I am an idealist at heart. Yes, I do have my realist ends, but it is that belief in what can be and what should be that drives me to learn and grow in intellect, ability and stature to hopefully influence others who are still clueless at the top of their own ladders. I don't blame them, perhaps ignorance really is bliss, but it is not enough for me to just live my life when deep down I know, and I know I can, transform this landscape that we are in.

Perhaps I was born a few centuries too early, but this is my time. A world full of possibilities. Yet, at every corner, people still amaze me with how backwards we can keep going.

I mourn for our present, and for the death of our possible future, yet I do not give up.

Who else is going to push on?

Not Eating Enough

I need more food.

Of Surprising Ringtones and Earlier Than Expected Exits

My new ring tone is this:

Gershwin Piano Concerto in F, Movement 3.

Yes, it gives me a heart attack when I least expect it, but it is so fun and so me.

One of my favourite contestants in X Factor UK has been voted out. I knew she wouldn't last till the end, but how can she not last longer than Rylan Clark... :( Her performance of INXS' Never Tear Us Apart is a craazy combination of Cruella de Vil, a generic psychotic serial killer and The Godfather. Kudos to her for being the most experienced singer in the competition (not only for being the oldest), I hope she releases something in the future.

Melanie Masson, Never Tear Us Apart. 

Instead Of Panicking Because You Are Without An Umbrella,

do you stop, look up, close your eyes and breath in the air of impending rain. What a calming aroma.

Have a great weekend guys!