Under $ 600.00 Boy Bedroom Design!

Under $ 600.00 Boy Bedroom Design!

Since I have designed a $400.00 girls nursery design, $440.00 girls room design, $400.00 playroom design, $500.00 guest bedroom design, I thought it was about time to create an affordable boys room design.I tried to make it crisp, modern, playful, and masculine.You can purchase everything on this design board for under $600.00!
+I adore the decorative antlers. I think they are the perfect unexpected item to hang above the bed. You can buy them here for $40.00!
+The side table is form IKEA. You can purchase it here for $13.00.+I think the headboard makes such a statement in this room. You can purchase it here for $250.00. Since it is so simple, I would think about attempt a DIY to save some money! You could buy this bw striped fabric for $8.00 a yard.
+This table lamp is on clearance for $15.00 from Target. I like how it is simple yet has an industrial vibe.+I love these mini paper deer heads. They are tiny, but I think they would look so cute hanging in a grouping. You can buy them here for $9.00.
+The pillow can be purchased here for $35.00.+The rug can be purchased here for $135.00.+I adore this light from Urban Outfitters for $65.00!
+You can purchase the Young Wild Free printable here for $5.00.Total: $567.00!So what do you think? Do you like the crisp modern look or prefer something a little more soft?xo,

Survey 74% Say Keep Sports Co-Op With Milford

Survey 74% Say Keep Sports Co-Op With Milford



(UPDATE: 11/21/13 -- 4:57 p.m.) -- A new Dorchester Times survey of finds nearly three-quarters of respondents want to keep Dorchester Public School's current athletics co-operative with Milford Public School.

However, the majority is split over whether to add girls and boys basketball, as well as volleyball, to the arrangement.

A little more than 28% of respondents said they favored adding the additional sports to the DHS-MHS pairing, while 46% said they thought DHS basketball and volleyball should remain unconsolidated.

Six respondents favored partnering with another school; and four respondents said DHS' discussions about athletic co-ops should end all together.

Here's the full breakdown of the survey when readers were asked: "Regarding the immediate future of DHS' athletic programs, what should the Dorchester School Board do?"



The informal survey was conducted over a 24-hour period from Nov. 20-21. Exactly 39 individuals from unique households or mobile devices took part.

As we reported yesterday, a special informative gathering was held at DPS on Monday night, Nov. 18. The town hall focused specifically on the future of DHS' athletic programs. School officials told the crowd that DHS participation and enrollment numbers were lower than they would like, and that the DPS Board is weighing its options.

As one Times reader pointed out, the projected number of Dorchester boys out for basketball next school year (2014-15) is six, although some DPS parents have questioned that estimate. Meanwhile, there were 20 DHS girls participating in volleyball this year, one of the largest volleyball teams in school history.

A special meeting of the Dorchester School Board is scheduled for tonight, Nov. 21. Board members may decide that DHS' current co-op arrangement with Milford -- in which the schools have combined football and wrestling squads -- should be extended to include girls and boys basketball, as well as volleyball.

There would certainly be pros and cons to expanding the co-op. Students would likely not see as much playing time as they do in Class D athletics, but they would certainly learn to be more competitive and perhaps prioritize the activity for which they're best suited -- a skill that will come in handy later in life. Also, the loss of a DHS-only team may discourage quality young teachers who also want to coach from applying at DPS, but there would likely be a cost savings realized by taxpayers who must foot the bill for school athletics via property taxes.

Patronage Being Intentional About our Cultural Investments

Patronage Being Intentional About our Cultural Investments



We've sent the Winter 2013 issue of Commentto press. It will hit iPads in a couple of weeks and mailboxes soon thereafter. It's another rich conversation with contributions by Mako Fujimura, Roberta Ahmanson, Lukas Naugle, and many more. Check out the Table of Contents here.

Our theme for this issue is Patronage, inviting you to think more intentionally about all of the ways you invest in culture and the common good. It's not a question of whetheryou patronize; only what--which is precisely we need to think and talk about this.

My editorial, "Let's Talk About Your Investment Strategy," invites you into these questions. Here's a snippet:

We are patrons, not just in our "charitable" giving, but in our day-to-day lives. When we spend our money, we are not just consuming commercial goods, we are also fostering and perpetuating ways of being human. To be a patron is to be a selector, an evaluator, and a progenitor of certain forms of cultural life. You didn't realize you exercised such power, did you?When you start to think in these terms, you realize that all of us are patrons. And you start to realize that maybe we should think a little more carefully about how to do this well. By decisions we perhaps don't think about, we are effectively saying "yes" to some version of the good life. In this issue of the magazine we have gathered wisdom from a range of practitioners with a view to equipping you to be a better patron—in philanthropy and charitable giving, but also in our nitty-gritty, workaday lives. We're interested in patrons as culturemakers and helping culture-makers to see their responsibilityaspatrons.


Read of the rest of the editorial. Then, if you're not yet a subscriber, I hope you'll sign up today for just $30/year. Or consider our reduced iPad subscription at just $19.99/year (and get a bonus issue).



Already a longtime Commentsubscriber? Then I have another suggestion for you:

1. Think of three people whose lives you want to invest in: they might be students who are going to graduate this year, staff members you are cultivating, leaders in your congregation, grandchildren who are beginning to make their way in the world.

2. Buy them gift subscriptions to Comment.It's a great way to invite them into a wider conversation.

3. We'll send you a signed copy of my new book, Discipleship in the Present Tense. (Hurry! Offer ends December 9.)

Mark 11 Cleansing our temples

Mark 11 Cleansing our temples


After another healing story, in which a man's faith is reported to be what cures his blindness, the gospel of Mark moves into the story of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, often called the "triumphal entry." The other gospels echo and elaborate on the entry into Jerusalem as depicted in Mark, and this scene leads into the passion narrative, which culminates in the crucifixion scene (or the resurrection scene). While some have elevated the passion story above other teachings of Jesus as conveyed in the canonical gospels, these pseudo-historical events do not actually instruct anyone as to how people should live. They are largely constructed after the fact (at least 35 years after the fact) with the agenda of imposing Hebrew prophecies about a messiah (some of which weren't originally intended as prophecies about a messiah) onto the Jesus figure, in order to "prove" him as the Messiah. As such, the passion narratives serve primarily to bolster the faith of people who already believe in the divinity of Jesus and to portray what we already know about the power of fear.

The author of Mark has Jesus do a bit of teaching amidst the scenes of the passion narrative, however, and these teachings are of more potential use to those among us who are willing to recognize "divinity" as a human characteristic and those among us who see human beings as having inherent worth and dignity rather than seeing people as broken and in need of saving. Indeed, if Jesus' actions as stated in the passion stories really took care of "sin" once and for all, then there is nothing more for people to worry about on that front. We can all focus on the important work of building better relationships with one another, rather than judging ourselves and everyone around us and trying to determine eternal matters that no one can prove or know anything about anyway.

In Mark 11, Jesus does three things when he first enters the city of Jerusalem. First, he curses a fig tree for not having any figs, even though it isn't the season for figs. Petty, perhaps, but there it is. Next, he causes a scene at the temple by disrupting trade. This is worth a closer look. Then, he refuses to establish any outside authorization for his actions or teachings. This, as it turns out, is related to the incident with the fig tree. For now, we'll keep ourselves to the "cleansing" of the temple, a rare story in that all four gospels have a version of it. The version of this scene in the gospel of Luke is almost identical to the version in Mark. The gospel of Matthew expands it to indicate that people who had been prevented from access to the temple (people who were blind or lame) were able to approach Jesus there for healing. Placing this scene much earlier in the narrative, removed from the passion story, the gospel of John includes a prediction about Jesus' resurrection in the temple cleansing.

One must assume from the accusation against the people driven out of the temple that they were making a profit off of people coming to offer the sacrifices required of their faith. In changing coins from Roman currency (which depicted the emperor) to currency that had no hint of idolatry, it must be assumed that the moneychangers were charging a fee of some kind. In selling the sacrificial animals for people to offer in the required Jewish rites, merchants were essentially taking advantage of people's faith, making money because of the devout practices of others. The original idea behind the Jewish sacrificial system was that people would offer the best of what they had to Yahweh, but it was not intended to keep anyone from accessing Yahweh's grace and mercy. Jerusalem's temple had been turned into something even worse than a profit-making enterprise. People who were indigent or infirm were essentially unable to participate in Jewish ceremonies to the same extent as everyone else. Worship had become something for those who could afford it; God had become a commodity.

There are many who will proclaim how much good religion has done in the world, but one thing that religion seems to do very well is delineate who is in and who is out -- who belongs and who doesn't. It usually has nothing to do with any sort of god; it's more about who we're comfortable with and who makes us uncomfortable. At the temple in Jerusalem, the Jewish authorities had developed a system that helped to invite acceptable people into God's presence while keeping the unacceptable people on the fringes. The author of Mark, and perhaps a historical Jesus, had a serious problem with that system. Everybody in Jewish society was meant to have equal access to God. In fact, one of the main culminating points of the passion narrative is that the old priesthood is obsolete -- the old way of managing human access to God was eradicated. Which is a fine message, except that the church continued to find new ways to regulate access to God for centuries. In many ways, it still does.

I believe that the cleansing of the temple suggests that all people matter -- that just because someone is poor or sick or inconvenient or unsightly or annoying or somehow not like me, it doesn't mean that they are worth any less than I am. Without any belief in an actual god, I assert that all people have inherent worth and dignity, and I am challenged by that when I encounter people who are in circumstances I wouldn't want to be in. We set up barriers within ourselves, protections that we thought necessary during times of vulnerability, and those protective barriers sometimes prevent us from recognizing the deep truth, beauty, and creativity within us. When we have trouble connecting with our authentic selves, we have trouble connecting meaningfully with other people. The temple cleansing may represent the kind of housecleaning we all need to do within ourselves to dismantle the barriers we've created around our deepest, most noble selves in some misguided attempt to protect ourselves.

I also believe that people will always be drawn to help those who are less fortunate because human beings are compassionate. I don't suggest that everyone is equally willing to respond to the compassion they feel, but I do believe that there is some part of every person that cares about people who are sick, injured, poor, malnourished, abused, or oppressed. Sometimes our fears get the best of us and override that compassion, but that doesn't mean that our feelings of compassion aren't there. I believe that we, as a species, are inherently compassionate toward those who have their homes destroyed in natural disasters or who lose loved ones to violence. We don't necessarily like feeling that tug of compassion, because there isn't always something obvious that we can do. We don't like feeling helpless.

Like the temple in Jerusalem, we might decide that some people are in the circumstances they're in because of some divine proclamation. "God is in control, so whatever happened to those people is his will." We are absolved from feeling inconvenient or uncomfortable compassion when we concoct a scenario by which things are the way they're "supposed" to be. Like the temple in Jerusalem, we might also develop systems by which we can outsource our compassion, which means that -- to a certain extent -- we can more or less ignore our feelings of both compassion and helplessness and move on. Whether we are religious or not, we have a tendency to invent systems to welcome desirable people into our lives and keep undesirable people at bay.

Sometimes, though, religion helps us outsource our compassion. We can pray for people without ever having to come into uncomfortable contact with them. We can write a check or hand over some cash to a non-profit organization, and while this actually sources a lot of good for people, our monetary contributions don't necessarily address our unwillingness to be with people we see as poor, sick, hungry, abused, oppressed, or inconvenient -- to look those people in the eye and say, "You matter." Religion sometimes serves as a buffer for us, but it doesn't have to. It's possible to contribute some money to a worthwhile organization, offer some prayers, and look people in the eye and say, "You are a human being, like me."

Even better, I think, would be to scrap the whole idea that a supernatural has any control over what people experience in life. Human beings created the problems that we experience in the world, and human beings can create solutions to those problems. If we abdicate responsibility by assuming that some higher power is in control, though, we won't necessarily feel any sense of personal attachment to the kind of world that we create. Compassion is a feature of being human. It isn't something to try to dismiss or protect ourselves from. Compassion isn't weakness. We feel helpless sometimes because the real work that needs to be done is on the level of systems and structures that go way beyond what any individual can control.

Our sense of helplessness can feed into old lies we hold about ourselves and other people, vows that we have made about what we must be or do, and fears about being taken advantage of or being worthless -- our feelings of helplessness bump up against whatever barriers keep us from being the people we most want to be in the world. Like Jesus taking radical action in turning over tables, letting loose caged animals, and whipping the perpetrators of injustice, we sometimes have to take radical action within ourselves. We have to be more conscious of what keeps us from being honest about who we are. We have to be more conscious of what we do that keeps other people at arm's length. We have to be more conscious of how we respond to feelings of compassion. We have the capability to do something different, if we choose to.

When we recognize the importance of living by the principle that every human being matters, we can start creating something better. When we refuse to outsource our compassion, even as we continue to fund organizations that are doing meaningful work in the world, that emotional fuel can ignite our creativity. When we accept that we need one another in order to build a better world, we can forge stronger relationships and find ways to confront the issues that keep people poor, sick, hungry, abused, and oppressed. Tough circumstances can prevent people from recognizing their own inherent worth and dignity. At the very least, we have the opportunity to help people see that circumstances do not define a person's value. If we commit to the work of breaking through some barricades within ourselves, we influence more lives than just our own. As we continually dismantle whatever fears make our compassion seem uncomfortable, people may stop seeming inconvenient, and might just start seeming like people. Like us.

I Am Grateful for Doing Dishes

I Am Grateful for Doing Dishes



Being Thanksgiving everybody is talking about things they are grateful for. Today after lunch it occurred to me that one of the things I am grateful for is something I don't even like very much. Doing dishes. Dishes and I have never gotten along very well. Repeitive, messy, and NEVER ENDING, I can think of any number of other things I would rather do, even in the realm of housework, than wash dishes. So why be grateful for it? Well, for one thing having a sink full of dirty dishes means you just had a full meal and that is truly something to be grateful for. But that's not it. Another reason might be a sink full of dirty dishes means you HAVE dishes - and a sink to put them in - and running water to wash them with. All things to to be grateful for, and I am, but that's not it either. Nope, this gratitude comes from a lesson that was long in the learning but hopefully not short in forgetting.About eight years ago my body started breaking down and I didn't know why. Small things became hard things and hard things kept getting harder. The harder things got, the less worthwhile doing them seemed to be. I left the grocery cart full of groceries in the aisle and went home empty handed because I was too tired to finish the shopping. I put my wet hair in a pony tail because the hair dryer was too heavy to hold up that long.I avoided leaving the house because the car seats seemed too hard to buckle and the diaper bag felt too heavy to carry.I remember standing at the sink trying to do dishes and stopping every few minutes to lay down because it hurt too much to stand that long. So I stopped cooking, and I stopped cleaning up. Somewhere in there I stopped smiling. I stopped playing with my children and started lying to them, pretending that giving them extra minutes of TV time was a "treat" when really it was a ruse so I could go lay in bed with the lights off and the blinds closed. Extra minutes turned to hours and while I lay there, leaving them unattended, I started lying to myself, telling myself that they didn't notice, that they didn't miss me, that they didn't need me anyway. Inflammation, fatigue, dizziness, blurred vision, left-sided weakness, and muscle spasms crept in and made themselves at home while my home went unkept and my children unattended and left me in the middle of it feeling frustrated, embarrassed, confused, and very, very sad.I don't know what I would've done without my husband. The thought of him helped me rally every day and the sight of him coming home in the evening lifted my heavy heart. I am inexpressibly grateful for him. With his help and support, I sought medical attention in all kinds of places which led to tests for brain tumors and Multiple Sclerosis and lots of late nights wondering "why?" and "what if?" Those tests came back negative (thank goodness) and then life became a carousel of physical therapy appointments and a roller coaster of health practioners for the next seven years. During that time we were blessed to find wonderful nannies who helped me do what I couldn't on my own and had a positive impact in my children's lives. I am grateful for their support and influence. Meanwhile my children were angels who walked beside me and helped me bring my smile back. I am grateful for their examples of forgiveness and unconditional love.Now here I am, in my kitchen, standing at the sink, washing the dishes. Earlier I shoppedfor our groceries and cooked our meal. Later I'll pick the kids up from school and help them with their homework.I am stronger. I am healthier. I am happier. I have seen miracles that brought me to this point. And I. Am. Grateful.I am grateful that I didn't have a brain tumor. I am grateful that I don't have MS. I am grateful that I have a husband who saw me through heavy hearted times and loves me more for it. I am grateful for beautiful children that fill my soul with pervading love at the sound of their laugh and the sight of them sleeping. I am grateful that I can take care of them. I am grateful that my life is full of everyday normal things and that I am here to embrace it. I am grateful for doing dishes.

Dutch Appeals Court Holds Church of Scientology Is Tax Exempt

Dutch Appeals Court Holds Church of Scientology Is Tax Exempt


In the Netherlands last week, the Amsterdam Court of Tax Appeals reversed a lower court decision and held that the Church of Scientology qualifies as a Public Benefit Organization (ANBI) which is generally tax exempt and can receive tax deductible gifts. As reported by Dutch News and a Scientology press release, the lower court had held that the organization did not qualify because it charges for its auditing and training programs. However the appeals court concluded that Scientology's activities are religious and ideological in nature, and other churches also charge for training. Unlike commercial establishments, Scientology gives the training at a reduced fee or free to those who cannot afford them otherwise. The full text of the decision in Scientology Kerk Amsterdam v.de inspecteur van de Belastingdienst, (Amsterdam Ct., Oct. 17, 2013) is available online in Dutch. [Thanks to Tom Rutledge for the lead.]

Book Review - THE WORLD ATLAS OF STREET ART AND GRAFFITI by Rafael Schacter

Book Review - THE WORLD ATLAS OF STREET ART AND GRAFFITI by Rafael Schacter





Amazon Buy Link
Page Length: 400
Publisher: Yale University Press (September 3, 2013)
ISBN: 0300199422

About The Book:
Painted murals first appeared in Latin America in the early 20th
century; in the 1950s, spray-can graffiti associated with Latino gangs
followed, notably the “cholo” graffiti of Los Angeles. Today, street art
has traveled to nearly every corner of the globe, evolving into a
highly complex and ornate art form. The World Atlas of Street Art and Graffiti
is the definitive survey of international street art, focusing on the
worlds most influential urban artists and artworks. Since the lives and
works of urban artists are inextricably linked to specific streets and
places, this beautifully illustrated volume features specially
commissioned “city artworks” that provide an intimate understanding of
these metropolitan landscapes.

Organized geographically
by country and city, more than 100 of todays most important street
artists—including Espo in New York, Shepard Fairey in Los Angeles, Os
Gêmeos in Brazil, and Anthony Lister in Australia—are profiled alongside
key examples of their work. The evolution of street art and graffiti
within each region is also chronicled, providing essential historical
context. With contributions by the foremost authorities on street art
and graffiti, this landmark publication provides a nuanced understanding
of a widespread contemporary art practice. The World Atlas of Street Art and Graffiti
emphasizes urban arts powerful commitment to a spontaneous creativity
that is inherently connected to the architecture of the metropolis.




Between the Pages Guest Reviewer
Breeze's Review



I want
to start off by saying this book does not require an extensive knowledge of art, or a special love of art to enjoy reading its pages or perusing its many wonderful photos. This is what I would call the perfect
coffee table book. Its a book that, after the first reading, I would look at
again and again, or sharing some of my favorite artwork with others.The artwork depicted comes from all over the globe and I think thats what I most
appreciated about this book. The author gives informative details so the
reader can truly understand what they are looking at. Many times, I found that I
didnt understand a certain piece of artwork but after reading what the author
wrote, I then was able to understand the story behind the art. I also came to
appreciate the depth of what I would have normally called “street graffiti” because of the history and back story given with each piece. My
favorite was from Kiev, Ukraine, the Interesni Kazki artwork was extremely
fascinating.
The author left
nothing out. Even the date, style, themes and influences are explained as you
look through each new piece of art. Something else that caught my eye was the
layout of each page; they were different each time and really added to the
overall appearance of the book. The author did an excellent job of wording
things simply enough for basic readers to enjoy but also leaving in every drop
of detail and history to satisfy a true art major.This book would make an
excellent gift. I highly recommend it for any art lover.


Lynda's Amazon Author's Page - Writing timeless romance you'll read again and again

A BOOK THAT I HAVE NOT READ

A BOOK THAT I HAVE NOT READ


COMMENTARIES ON SOME TOPICS IN 'AWAKENING'

1. I was in Mecca, during the last ten days of Ramadhan and subsequently a few more days in Medinah,when I heard that the book entitled 'Awakening' was coming into the market. My sources said that it was written by Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

2. Later on I read somewhere in the press that Tun Abdullah said that Tun Mahathir would not like anybody else to have a vision other than his. This could of course be the media's misunderstanding ofTun Abdullah's statement.3. I have not read the book as I am still waiting for a friend who wants to give me a free copy of it. I was told by this friend that it is not written byTun Abdullahbut by others who are probably agreeable to him. Only 36 pages of the 606 pages were written by him. That sounds more like it because I cannot remember him either as a writer nor a lengthy speaker. He was known as a 'nice guy'.

4. You may wish to read what I wrote about Tun Abdullah before his succession as a Prime Minister in my welcoming speech when he launched the Mahathir Encyclopaedia published by an Egyptian printer in Cairo. My speech was posted in this blog onApril, 21, 2010entitled 'Menjadi Seorang Perdana Menteri' or 'Becoming a Prime Minister'.

5. I did however ask my friend further as to what he thought was the motive for bringing out such a book at that particular time.

6. I was informed that the book could be an attempt to blame Tun Abdullah's bad performance, in the 2008 General Election, on Tun Mahathir, instead of the 4th floor boys being blamed for it; especially when the UMNO election was near. The 4th floor boys need a lot of white-washing to improve their image, among those who know their follies,butwas lucky that the UMNO election, this time around,was decided bythe less knowledgeable multitude of146,500 voters from all over the country in what an opposition thinker told me as a 'monetized, pyramidial network of wholesalers in votes for rental, guided and feudal pseudo-democraticprocess'. The results were as expected. I was informed by analysts the 'strategy of retaining all the incumbent office-holders was meant to rationalize the inclusion, in the list of victors,the most unpopular likely loser'.

7. When further asked whether there is any mention of 'Islam Hadhari' in the book the answer was positive.
8. Therefore,as ofnow, before reading the book,I can only comment onfour topics - a) the title of the book -'Awakening', b) thenon-negotiability of Tun Mahathir's vision, c) the 4th floor boys and d) 'Islam Hadhari'. My comment is of course divorced from the contents of the book which I have not read. Of course I have read the Chedet blog on the book.

9. This writing was not entered before the UMNO election as it would not like to be judged asan intrusion into the affairs of party election,but meant to assist its readers in understanding part of thethinking behind the decisions made by the fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia.
'AWAKENING' IS 'KEBANGKITAN'10. With the use of the word 'Awakening', as a title for a book in his name Tun Abdullah, who must have been consulted on the title before it is being used,is the fourth person,if not the fifth (should Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt be included),in the Muslim world, that has thought of the word 'Awakening' as a blessing.

11. In Malay and Indonesianthe word 'Awakening' is'Kebangkitan'.

12. As my friend, whom I knew even before he became blind, the ex-President of Indonesia, Gus Dur, was educated in Baghdad, Iraq. He hadincluded the word 'Kebangkitan' in the name ofhis political party,'Partai Kebangkitan Bangsa'. He too, as Tun Abdullah, did not last long in the leadership of his nation, Indonesia. Tun Abdullah lasted comparatively longer as he lasted his first term because of his fantastic victory in the 2004 General Election.

13. The 11th General Election in 2004 had the best performance in the ruling party's history, not because Tun Abdullah has done anything exceptional in his political career but more because Tun Dr. Mahathir took all the blames, for the decisions that were heavily criticised by the public, and as a 'nice guy', Tun Abdullah projected a clean image of hope for the future of Malaysia.

14. In the case of Gus Dur he did not complete a term becausehis lady deputy, daughter of the first President Soekarno, Presiden Megawati, ousted him. The late elderly Prof. Dr. Irfan, who was teaching at the International Islamic University Malaysia when I wasits President, was one of those who taught Gus Dur in the university in Baghdad; he appeared to be lamenting for Indonesia when his student suddenly became the President.15. In Arabic the word 'Awakening' is 'Ba'ath'. The Ba'athist party in Iraq was led by Saddam Hussein while the Ba'athist party in Syria was headed by the former President Hafez al-Asad and now by his successor son Bashar al-Asad. It seems that both the Arab 'Awakening' or 'Kebangkitan' parties have brought disasters,instead of blessings,to their countries just as the two 'ba'athist' inclined leaders of two Malay Muslim nations were also brought to disastrous ends totheir leadership of their respective nations.

16. I am now very cautious of anyone who attempts at awakening a nation when the personhimself isnot awakened by the facts of history andto the reality of life, particularly political life.
VISION 202017. I am quiteamazed if it is true that Tun Abdullah said anything which implies that there is anyonewhois trying to deflect a population from Vision 2020, as that was the only vision that Tun Dr. Mahathir everintroduced and was talking about during histenure as Prime Minister. I am however comforted when I then began to understand the reason as to why anyone should not want to adopt that vision. It is just because of not knowing what 'Vision 2020' means. 18. When Tun Mahathir announced Vision 2020 he did not call all leaders, close or far, to explain at length of what he meant by that vision. Of course nopolitical leader, either a member of the cabinet or of the UMNO or BN supreme councils,would like the public todoubt that they are close to Tun Mahathirwhen theywereunawareof what 'Vision 2020' means after Tun Mahathir announced it. Those who were not informed of the meaning of 'Vision 2020',simply replied, when asked,that it means the country must be a developed nation by the year 2020.

19. The year 2020 is certainly a good target to work for.

20. However, one should ask the meaning of 'Vision 2020' when Tun Mahathir said even Selangor must haveVision 2020 if it is to bea developedstate by 2005. Kedah too should have Vision 2020 if it is to be a developed state in 2015. Are there no contradictions in these two statements? The answer is no if one knows the meaning of Vision 2020.

21. After the Wednesday cabinet meeting when Tun Dr. Mahathir introduced 'Vision 2020' he asked me, as I was leaving the cabinet room,whether I understand what he meant by 'Vision 2020'. I replied 'Yes', and continued 'The Eyes'. 'OK, but make sure that on the logo the two 20s are separated so that the public do not read as 'two thousand and twenty' instead of 'twenty twenty'. I replied 'OK, thanks' and left the room.

22. This short conversation was necessary as I was the Chairman of the Merdeka Anniversary Celebration Committee for 13 years and had to organize a logo competition each year depicting a theme that the government was introducing or popularizing for the year. This particular year it was meant to be 'Vision 20 20'. That is why you will see the look of this logo, in my blog posting on December 23, 2009entitled 'Bingkisan Merdeka 52 Tahun' or '52 Years of Independence',separating the two twenties in order not to be read as the year two thousand and twenty (2020).THE SPECTACLES SHOP
23.. Though I am not a doctor I was lucky to have chosen a table near the window of the cafe' atthe old Grand ContinentalHotel, now renamed The Regency Hotel,in Alor Setarwhenever I returned to the state to visit my padi farmers who borrowed money from the bank I worked for. Looking at Maha Clinic, where Tun Mahathir used to have his practice,through the glass window ofthe café' in Grand Continental Hotel I could not avoid seeing a spectacle shop with the label'20 20' on the matted screenhung to prevent rays of sunlight from getting into the shop.

24. I did one day ask a doctor friend the meaning of '20 20' on the matted screen of the spectacle shop.I was then informed that when an optometrist check your eyes and the reading on one eye is 20 and on the other eye is also 20 thenyour vision is said to be '20 20' which means thatyou havea perfect vision andyou do not need a spectacle.

25. On the other hand if both eyes have different readings then it is the business of the optometrist to provide the glasses so thatyou havean improved and balanced orperfect vision.BLURRED VISION
26. The government policy of VISION 20 20 therefore means that the government would like to proceed with a development plan with a PERFECT VISION. Only with PERFECT VISION or VISION 2020 can we expedite development. To propagate other visions must inevitably be a result of ignorance of the meaning of Vision 2020 as the alternative to PERFECT VISION is IMPERFECT, DISTORTEDOR BLURRED VISION.

27. It was probably because of this blurred vision that the results of the 12th General Election in 2008was a disaster compared to the 2004 election when it was held in the shadow of Vision 2020 as it came to an endwith the change inthe leadership of the country.


THE ROLE OF ADVISORS AND IMPLEMENTERS

28. Just as any leader or head of a large institution or organization need advisors the same goes to aleader of any nation. Besides the advisors there must be the implementers for it is impossible for any leader to think and do everything himself.

29. A perfect vision with poor advisors will slow down progress and with weak implementers will achieve minimum results. An imperfect vision can be corrected bygood advisors. But when the advisors areinexperienced, with potted thinking and deviationist orientation,motivated bytheir own personal or proxy agenda we see the disastrous electionresults as in the 2008 General Election.

30. WhenDato' Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razaktookoverthe leadership,his gentlemanly and less Machiavellianpolitical approach,coupled withhaving tomaintain, as a matter of curtsey or condition for succession,all the pre-2008 General Election advisors, who brought the political Tsunami,and added with more overconfident but passive advisors, who could not even realize that they themselves were not winnable candidates in the constituencies which they choose to contest, the resultwas shown in the more disastrous 2013 General Election.

31. Although parliament-wise the 2013 General Election appears more disastrous but it is a better result in terms of greater Malay support for Barisan Nasional due to last minute actions by the leadership and the realization that the Chineseopposition to the BN was almost absolute.
ONLY DAP AGAINST MALAY LEADERSHIP BUT ALMOST ALL CHINESE ARE AGAINST CORRUPTION AND NEPOTISM

32. The results of the 2008 General Election revived the People Action Party's (PAP) idea of displacing the Malay leadership before Singapore was expelled from Malaysia inAugust 9, 1965. This idea was inherited by the successor party, the DAP (Democratic Action Party). The excitement brought about by the results of the 2008 election caused the visit of Lee Kuan Yew to Malaysia meeting, besides our national leader, and wife, separately, with Dato' Nik Aziz the Menteri Besar of Kelantan. Other unknown meetings were of course more important.

33. Except for theanti-Malay DAP leaders and memberswho have the intention of displacing the Malay leadership in the government,or replacing it with a puppet Malay leader, I do not believe that all the Chinesehave the same intentionas the DAPof displacing the Malays, but almost all the Chinese, except for those Chinese who facilitateand benefit from corruption, are against corruption and nepotism. In the case of nepotism they are only envious of those in power but are themselves practicing it in their own respective parties.

34. If one asks 'What more do the Chinese wants?' there are two answers to the one question. DAP Chinese wants the Malay leadership out but almost all Chinese wants a government which is not corrupt and does not practice nepotism. That is not to say that a Chinese led government will not be corrupt as even in China and Taiwan the problem of corruption is rampant and in some Chinese-led state, in a federationor nation, one cannot even talk of corruption.

35. The Malays too know that corruption is sinful and benefit only a few.


WHO ARE THE 4TH FLOOR BOYS

36. When I was still in the government and active in UMNO there was a time when theleadership was concerned with the activities of a student organization in the United Kingdom called the International Malaysia Forum (IMF). This organizationwas against the New Economic Policy and was attacking the social contractin the Constitution. The members of this forum comprise mostly of non-government scholarship students, of all races,and children of well-off Malay businessmen orcivil servants, including children ofthose parents whooccupied their positions because of the Malay privileges provided in the constitution, which the children are against.
UMNO KELAB

36. As the UMNO Kelab of the United Kingdom and Eire, at that time,has turned out to be moreof a social organization and non-responsive to theabove political situation it was thought that a new student organization need to exist from among the government scholarship holderswho are grateful for the privilege of getting the scholarships. Thus was born the UKEC or the United Kingdom Executive Council.
'KALSOM'

37. Some of the earlier students who mooted the idea, if my memory is still reliable, are Abdul RahmanRedza (now YB Abdul Rahman Redza, ADUNof Linggi), Omar Siddiq Amin Noer Rashidand Mohd Hirmiadi Don Rahim. When the protem committee was set up(arwah) Adlan Benan 'Ben' Omar became Chairmanwith Akhramsyah Muammar Ubaidah becoming the treasurer.

38.RahmanRedza withdrew from participation in the committee, when it was finalized,as he wasfocussing on another program forproviding tuition to rural children under the'KALSOM' programme.
UNITED KINGDOM EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (UKEC)

39. When UKEC was registered, Adlan Benan 'Ben' OmarandAkhramsyah chose to act as advisors withthe leadership going to Eqhwan Mokhzanee and Badlisyah Ghani (who drafted UKEC's constitution and is now CEO of CIMB Islamic Bank) as Chairman and Deputy Chairman respectively.They were succeeded byHirmiadi Don, better known as Don,and Akhramsyah as Deputy Chairman.HelmiNyak Yusof, who is now a senior Shell executive succeeded Don.They were at that time the defenders of the NEP and the Constitution. They were for the 'Affirmative Actions' to correct the economic and social imbalances in a multi-racial Malaysia.
INTERNATIONAL MALAYSIA FORUM

40. On the IMF (International Malaysia Forum) side was Khairy Jamaluddin (KJ)the current Minister of Youth, Omar Mustapha Ong (nowPETRONAS Director andNajib's adviser), Ganen Sarvananthan (now in Khazanah)and Zaki Zahid (the former 4th Floor chief and nowManaging Directorof KFCHoldings Malaysia Bhd..).When Anwar Ibrahim was removed from the government, and expelled from UMNO, hebecamean ally to this forum.

41. Since the formation of UKEC the influence of IMF greatly eroded.

42. However, withTun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi taking over the governmentand the subsequent marriage of KJ to the Prime Minister's daughter, the table was turned, andtheanti NEP,Social Contract and 'Affirmative Action'members of forum became part of the establishment and becoming the advisors to the Prime Minister.
A TRIBUTE TO 'BEN'

43. This episode was so traumatic to the UKEC members to the extent that the first Chairman of UKEC, Ben, whoobtaineddouble-degree in History and Lawfrom Cambridge University was forcedto join PKR as the only platform possible to confront the ex-IMF members. WhenI met him as a young and intelligent man, and a friend of Akhramsyah,,who was his treasurer, in UKEC, he was still lamenting on the future of UMNO although he was already inPKR.As a highly thought of historian from Cambridge he did not fancy Anwar Ibrahim. His heart was still with UKEC when he died of diabetic as a young man.
RAFIZI SHOULDBE IN BN

44. Rafizi Ramli who is the current PKR MP forPandan in Wilayah Persekutuan, succeeded Helmy Nyak Yusof as President of UKEC. Knowing Ben it is not difficult therefore to see Rafizi, following in the footsteps of Ben, is now head of strategy for PKR when as the leader of UKEC, he would have been in BN had the 4th Floor boys not been there. A number of UKEC activists, being government scholarship holders, have left for overseas as the unfriendly IMF boys are now everywhere in the government.

45. Arethe IMF alumnistill questioning the NEP and the Social Contract? It is obvious that their foreign western orientedpolitical exposures, devoid of the knowledge of the history and political situation in multi-racial, multi-lingual and multi-religious Malaysia,have influenced Tun Abdullah's government leading to the Tsunami in the 12th General Election in 2008. Tun Dr. Mahathir was not the cause of the Tsunami.
SCHOLARSHIPS

46. A good example is the allocation of government scholarships to Bumiputras. This allocation was one of the subjects of criticism against the NEP by the forum members. It is considered as a great injustice. Of course the raw students were unaware of the reasons for this correctiveor affirmative action. Continuous self indoctrination of this supposedly glaring injustice became an obsession to the raw students andeventuallyinfluenced the leadership of UMNO to doubt itself.

47. Pressured by the increasing popularity of the PKR advisor for promising to correct this injustice the government then, in trying to deprive the PKR of gaining greater influence, on the issue, decided to supposedly put this injustice right. This is of course a short-sighted political decision which became a major reason for the Malay voters rejecting BN in the 2008 General Election, without actually making any gains in the non-Malay support.
CORRUPTION AND NEPOTISM

48. The non-Malays were more obsessed withcorruption and nepotism within the government.These two issuesappear to them to be more important than other issues especially when they know that they have been enjoying the scholarships provided to them by the private sector which does not provide to the Malays. The Chinese know thatthey do not have anyobstaclein gettingtheir children educated though they are skeptical of the type of education that they get.

49. The government scholarships concession washowever awelcome bonus to them without them having to ask for it.But because of the image of corruption and nepotism they continued to vote against BN.

50. It is not the elderly Chinese who need to be explained that what appears to be an imbalance of allocation between Bumiputras and non-Bumiputras is actually an attempt tocorrect the overall imbalance of allocations of scholarships caused by the non-Bumiputra private sectorsnot providng scholarships to Bumiputras. It is the young Bumiputras who need to be educated on the subject; especially on the New Economic Policy and the necessity for the Affirmative Actions being undertaken to correct the potentially dangerous inter-racial imbalances.


ISLAM HADHARI

51. The fourth topic that interest me is the Islam Hadhari version of Islam. I had great hope for Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi when he first became the Prime Minister. Before becoming the Deputy Prime Minister, he came twice to my 'Toeti Juairiah Library'at No. 3, Lorong Batai Dalam, Damansara Heights, 50490Kuala Lumpur. Although he knew me personally for a very long time he was accompanied by Kalimullah Hassan on both the visits. It was only to ensure that I did not object to any proposal that Tun Abdullah be chosento be the Deputy Prime Minister.

52. He gave me the impression that Tun Mahathir, while not necessarily accepting my recommendations, is quite receptive to my objections. This was of course a false impression.
A BRIDGE NOT BUILT

53. WhenTun Abdullahwas falling out with Tun Dr. Mahathir I did meet him to discuss on how I could be the bridge between them. He did ask me whether I would be available for advice during odd hours, in the early morning, when he could not sleep. After agreeing tomake myself availableI was never contacted and was alsounable to contact him any more. He must have been advised not to use me as a bridge.

54. Knowing that the Prime Minister is a busy man I appointed one of his secretary,who wassupposed to be his advisor on the International Islamic University Malaysia, to be a board member or Majlis of the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). Reezal Merican was also the President of IIUM Alumni Association at that time. In order to reinforce the bridge between the Prime Minister's office and the IIUM I chose the Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Dato' Dr. Mashitah to also be a member of the Majlis. She was a former lecturer of IIUM.

55. These two appointments did not help to bridge the gap in communication.
ESQ REJECTED

56. At one time I was approached by Reezal andDr. Raihan (who recently contested for the post of Wanita UMNO Chief) to introduce the ESQ methodof preaching or 'Dakwah' at the IIUM. The Senate however rejected this methodology as Islam has it own method of disseminating the faith.
REJECTION BY 8 REPRESENTATIVES OF FROM OIC COUNTRIES

57. A message was later conveyed to me that Tun Abdullah would like the IIUM to be the center for the dissemination of 'Islam Hadhari' to the world. Being a big decision to make I had to bring the matter to the Council or Majlis and to the Board of Governors. These two bodies had representatives from Bangladesh, Egypt, Libya, Malaysia (being the host country), Maldives, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and a representative of the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC).All representatives of the7 member countries and the OIC representative rejected the idea of IIUM becoming the world center for the dissemination of Islam Hadhari.

58. The leaders of these Muslim nations were of the opinion that we already having enough problems in the Muslim world without having to add one more subject to argue about. Tun Abdullah informed me that as the West was against Muslim Fundamentalists we have to improve the image of Islam by introducing Islam Hadhari. He did mention that George W. Bush of the United States, Tony Blair of United Kingdom, Merkel of Germany and others looked favourably at Islam Hadhari which literally means Civilized Islam.

59. I am not aware of the authority of leaders of non-Muslim nations, particularly those who are messing up the affairs in Muslim countries, causing the death of hundreds of thousands of innocents, to decide the acceptability of Islam Hadhari while rejected the goodness in the fundamentals of Islam.

60. I cannot accept the idea that leaders of nations, barbaric to Muslims, to decide what type of branding which is good for Islam. Can one remain a Muslim but reject the fundamentals of Islam? Is it not the responsibility of Muslim to explain to those who are ignorant of the fundamentals of Islam of the goodness in them?

61. Even Tony Blair was unsure of his faith. Upon retirement from the premiership he changed from being a member of the Anglican Church to being a Catholic.

62.. The above stand was in contradiction to the view that we have always had. As Muslims it is imperative that we accept, as we know,that the fundamentals of Islamare correct. And therefore a Muslim fundamentalist is someone who adheres to these fundamentals and therefore should be a good man. Just as a man who knows the fundamentals of science is a good scientist, and a person who knows the fundamentals of mathematics is a good mathematician, a person who upholds the fundamentals of Islam is a good Muslim. He cannot therefore be a terrorist.

63. Except for those who benefits in many ways, such as getting employment, by promoting Islam Hadhari, it became an issue which was usedin the succeeding General Election causing the disastrous Tsunamic effect.

64. At a meeting with the late Tan Sri Hamid Othman I was informed that he was responsible for the idea of Islam Hadhari. Tun Abdullah readily accepted the idea as it would make him a different person than his predecessor.
DEMOTION OF A MINISTER TO AN ORDINARY MP

65. Islam Hadhari was mentioned to theMinister overseeingIslamic Affairs TS Brig. Jend. (Rtd) Hamid Zainal Abidin by TS Abdul Hamid Othman.Sensing that it could become a sensitive issue during the coming election the Minister was cool towards the idea. TS Hamid then approached the Head of Kusza in Trengganu informing him that he would be a Minister if he is prepared to introduce Islam Hadhari as a national programme. Upon acceptance the Kusza head was invited to contest the the PRU 11.

66. It was from TS Brig. Jend. Hamid, at a wedding function in his house, that I discovered that he was not informed that the introduction of Islam Hadhari was a pre-condition to him continuing to be a Minister. Had he known that he was not going to be a Minister for this rejection he would not contest the up-coming election, as it would look awkward for him to contest but not being of help as Minister of Islamic Affairs. Being just a Member of Parliament was not the reason for his coming into politics.
BRIG. JEN. HAMID AND MAULANA ZAKIR NAIKON THE SAME STAGE

67. I am glad that on the recent beginning of the Hijrah calendar Tan Sri Big. Jend. Hamid Zainal Abidin was put on the same stage as the world renowned Islamic scholar Maulana Zakir Abdul KarimNaik to receive the Maal Hijrah award. Obviously, the current Minister responsible for Islamic Affairs, while playing down and out of Islam Hadhari have pun a seal on it by honouring the man who rejected the idea in the first place.

68. Now that I have said on the 4 topics mentioned in the book which I have not read, I am ready to read the book entitled 'AWAKENING'. I will write again if my opinion changes after reading the book. Thank you.

Wallahua'lam.