February.March 2011

By Life Journal, Photography
love.peace

love.peace

Last month, February was a very busy and hectic month for mEE, nothing but work. The pace of life is going back to normal in early March and I can have more updates on juesatta.

Having said that, a series of fortunate events have just happened in Japan, earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown tragically claim countless human lives and destroy the livelihoods of many others including wildlife and ecosystems. And the latest update of today,

The toll of Japan’s triple disaster came into clearer focus Monday after police estimates showed more than 18,000 people died, the World Bank said rebuilding may cost $235 billion and more cases of radiation-tainted vegetables and tap water turned up. (yahoo.com)

More work has to be done here such as to increase awareness of the need for aid after natural disasters. And we’re grateful that everyone is standing together in such difficult moment and is giving a hand. Each of us make a difference and together we’re powerful.

Besides the quake, war has also begun in Libya when US coalition forces launched strikes on Libya to degrade its air defense yesterday. Despite the goals of US coalition forces to protect the people of Libya, Libyan government claimed that allied attacks on Sunday have killed innoncent civilians. It was not immediately clear what targets had been hit but we do hope that Libya can return to stability as soon as possible and its problems can be resolved peacefully.

May you find serenity here and we hope that the victims in Japan and people in Libya to peace, and survive. May all beings bEE happy.

Sharing some shots taken in Melaka within these two months.

demolish

demolish

"I'm watching you"

"I'm watching you"

seven

seven

duet (traditional Malay performance)

duet (traditional Malay performance)

dine

dine

ambitious

ambitious

heading home

heading home

Masjid Selat Melaka (Malacca Straits Mosque)

Masjid Selat Melaka (Malacca Straits Mosque)

fire fighters

fire fighters

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juesatta awakening foundation: japan quake relief mission launched

By Involvement
juesatta awakening foundation logo (draft)

juesatta awakening foundation logo (draft)

A huge 8.9 earthquake, subsequent tsunami, and nuclear meltdown struck Japan on March 11th at 2:46 pm, causing immeasurable human suffering and physical damage. Officials say at least 10,000 people were killed, many more are still missing or injured, and millions are without food, water, power in Japan.

Major disasters always require a huge amount of international support to provide relief and long term recovery efforts. Japan, being one of the world’s most generous nations, has always donated when other countries have experienced disasters. In these, their days of greatest need now, we stand ready and are eager to help the Japanese in this time of great trial.

I’ve received calls these two days from friends who  have expressed their sympathy and wish of helping those who are at risk in Japan now. We are getting the assessments by the reputable aid organisations such as Red Cross, Tzu Chi, World Vision, Salvation Army and those already have a presence in the impacted area and their response will likely be faster and more efficinet than other organizations that are not on the ground.

Right now, while waiting and see how the relief situation develops, we express our heartfelt sympathy for the tragic loss and are ready to assist the reputable aid organisations. Friends, you can make a donation to well-known charitable organisations or through us as we are collecting fund and will make the transfer next week to the organisations mentioned that are working on relief and recovery in the region.

A woman cries amid the destruction in Natori, Japan (Reuters photo)

A woman cries amid the destruction in Natori, Japan (Reuters photo)

Residents walk along a path overlooking shattered homes from the tsunami in Kesen Numa, Miyagi Prefecture. (Reuters photo)

Residents walk along a path overlooking shattered homes from the tsunami in Kesen Numa, Miyagi Prefecture. (Reuters photo)

A man surveys the damage in Minami Sanriku, a town in Miyago Prefecture, on Tuesday, March 15. (AFP/Getty photo)

A man surveys the damage in Minami Sanriku, a town in Miyago Prefecture, on Tuesday, March 15. (AFP/Getty photo)

A Self Defense Forces soldier holds a 4-month-old baby in Ishinomaki city in Miyagi prefecture Monday. The child survived the tsunami with her family. (AFP/Getty photo)

A Self Defense Forces soldier holds a 4-month-old baby in Ishinomaki city in Miyagi prefecture Monday. The child survived the tsunami with her family. (AFP/Getty photo)

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残缺

By Compassion
李心洁新书《在我说愿意之前》插图

李心洁新书《在我说愿意之前》插图

贫民区。

我握着你的手。

我们的手相溶在一起。

我紧紧地握着,闭上眼,透过你的皮肤的温度聆听你的故事。

当那些残酷的人们砍断你那可爱的小手指时,他们是不是就这样眼睁睁看着你的痛苦而无动于衷,聆听你的惨叫声而没有一丝怜惜。

那时候的你几岁?

他们难道忘记了你也是从妈妈肚子里怀胎十月生下来的吗?他们难道忘记了你只不过是一个含颗糖果就会快乐的小生命吗?

一个人的心中充斥着如何巨大的仇恨才能对一个天真无辜的生命造成如此深沉的伤害。

他的心死了吗?

而你又是如何让自己在这残缺的生命中继续活下去,继续感受自己的存在?

我听见你在无数个黑夜里颤哭泣的声音,听见你的无助,听见你的恐惧,听见你弱小受创的心灵。

你用力呼唤着爸爸妈妈,但他们再也听不见了。

我想就这样永远握着你的手不放,直到抚平你的伤痕,直到真爱降临你的内心。

[摘自:李心洁的《在我说愿意之前》]
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Hundreds killed in tsunami after 8.9 Japan quake

By Compassion
A massive tsunami engulfs a residential area in Natori, Miyagi Prefecture in northeastern Japan. (photo by Reuters/Kyodo)

A massive tsunami engulfs a residential area in Natori, Miyagi Prefecture in northeastern Japan. (photo by Reuters/Kyodo)

TOKYO – A ferocious tsunami unleashed by Japan’s biggest recorded earthquake slammed into its eastern coast Friday, killing hundreds of people as it carried away ships, cars and homes, and triggered widespread fires that burned out of control.

Hours later, the tsunami hit Hawaii but did not cause major damage. Warnings blanketed the Pacific, putting areas on alert as far away as South America, Canada, Alaska and the entire U.S. West coast. In northeastern Japan, the area around a nuclear power plant was evacuated after the reactor’s cooling system failed.

Tsunami waves swirl near a port in Oarai, Ibaraki Prefecture (state) after Japan was struck by a strong earthquake off its northeastern coast Friday, March 11, 2011. (AP Photo/Kyodo News)

Tsunami waves swirl near a port in Oarai, Ibaraki Prefecture (state) after Japan was struck by a strong earthquake off its northeastern coast Friday, March 11, 2011. (AP Photo/Kyodo News)

Police said 200 to 300 bodies were found in the northeastern coastal city of Sendai, the city in Miyagi prefecture, or state, closest to the epicenter. Another 137 were confirmed killed, with 531 people missing. Police also said 627 people were injured.

The magnitude-8.9 offshore quake unleashed a 23-foot (seven-meter) tsunami and was followed for hours by more than 50 aftershocks, many of them of more than magnitude 6.0.

Dozens of cities and villages along a 1,300-mile (2,100-kilometer) stretch of coastline were shaken by violent tremors that reached as far away as Tokyo, hundreds of miles (kilometers) from the epicenter. A large section of Kesennuma, a town of 70,000 people in Miyagi, burned furiously into the night with no apparent hope of being extinguished, public broadcaster NHK said.

Koto Fujikawa, 28, was riding a monorail when the quake hit and had to later pick her way along narrow, elevated tracks to the nearest station.

“I thought I was going to die,” Fujikawa, who works for a marketing company, said. “It felt like the whole structure was collapsing.”

Scientists said the quake ranked as the fifth-largest earthquake in the world since 1900 and was nearly 8,000 times stronger than one that devastated Christchurch, New Zealand, last month.

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Homegrown inspiration: ladies who make us proud

By Rambling

Wednesday 8th March is International Women’s day which celebrates the achievements of women globally and hopes to remind us and raise awareness of the many women’s issues that still need addressing. Life & Style has decided to highlight and celebrate the accomplishments of some truly inspiring women in Malaysia.

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Zainah Anwar (image from Women's Learning Partnership)

Zainah Anwar (image from Women's Learning Partnership)

Zainah Anwar
The leading Malaysian social activist who founded Sisters in Islam in 1988 and who is a director of Musawah which seeks equality and justice in the Muslim family, was ranked 7th on a New York based advocacy’s list of the 100 most inspirational women around the world. She pushes for the equal rights of Muslim women petitioning the Government to reform laws which are sexist.

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Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir (photo by Nur Zalikha)

Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir (photo by Nur Zalikha)

Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir
The eldest daughter of Malaysia’s fourth Prime Minister, Marina Mahathir was this month placed 57th in a New York based advocacy’s list of the 100 most inspirational women around the world for championing the rights of women and children. As an advisor for the Malaysian AIDS Council and has won worldwide praise for her activism in dealing with the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS in Malaysia.

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Meera Samanther (image from http://national-express-malaysia.blogspot.com)

Meera Samanther (image from http://national-express-malaysia.blogspot.com)

Meera Samanther
Meera Samanther is the President of Women’s Aid Organisation, Malaysia (WAO) which opened in 1982 offering the first shelter for Malaysian women and children who had been battered. One of the group’s biggest achievements was a change to the Federal Constitution prohibiting discrimination of women on the grounds of gender and pushed for the Domestic Violence Act to be passed.

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Dato Michelle Yeoh (image from www.oneasianworld.com)

Dato Michelle Yeoh (image from www.oneasianworld.com)

Dato Michelle Yeoh
The Malaysian born Hong Kong based actress was voted in 2008 as the greatest action heroine actress of all time for her many roles on the big screen, including the 1997 James Bond film and the award winning Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon for which she was nominated a BAFTA for. Yeah was also honoured as The Outstanding Young Persons of the World (TOYP).

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Datuk Nicol David (image from http://squashstars.com)

Datuk Nicol David (image from http://squashstars.com)

Datuk Nicole David
Dominating women’s squash since she turned professional in 2000, Nicole is the World’s number 1 women’s squash player winning the World Open Title in 2005 and for five consecutive years and achieved the World Junior title, twice. Her winning streak also includes the Asian Squash Championship which she won seven times, and was awarded with WISPA Player of the Year six years in a row from 2005. Nicole honoured Malaysia by carrying the Olympic torch in the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

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Datuk Rasammah Bhupalan (image from http://gambargambarpelik.blogspot.com)

Datuk Rasammah Bhupalan (image from http://gambargambarpelik.blogspot.com)

Datuk Rasammah Bhupalan
The 84 year old Past President of the National Council of Women’s Organisations (NCWO), fought for Malaysian independence, served in Burma during the Second World War, has fought for women’s right and the equal pay for women teachers. She also involved herself in the anti-drug abuse movement and championed for women’s rights, giving a voice to millions of women.

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Yasmin Ahmad (image from www.selebriti.tv)

Yasmin Ahmad (image from www.selebriti.tv)

Yasmin Ahmad
The renowned film director and writer who sadly passed away in 2009 won numerous awards for her work within Malaysia and internationally. Although her films were contentious as they often broached taboo topics, they were also hailed for the humour and crossing cultural barriers. Thanks to the many commercials she was received into the Malaysian Advertising Hall of Fame by the Association of Accredited Advertising Agents Malaysia in 2008.

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Ida Nerina (image from www.qpicture.com)

Ida Nerina (image from www.qpicture.com)

Ida Nerina
The actress, director and producer who was paralysed after a fall in 2009, won multiple awards throughout her career from the Malaysian Film Association from best actress, best supporting actress and from the Malaysian Film Workers Association. She finished third place in The Amazing Race Asia series three and in 2009 became the acting and Drama coach for the seventh season of Akademi Fantasia.

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Hannah Yeoh (image from http://akalminda.wordpress.com)

Hannah Yeoh (image from http://akalminda.wordpress.com)

Hannah Yeoh
The former lawyer and event manager became Subang Jaya assemblyman in 2008 after joining DAP in 2006 and obtaining a Bachelor of Law from the University of Tasmania, Australia in 2001. She has pushed for racial harmony and multiculturalism with the aim to eradicate discrimination.

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[article: Flora McCraith, http://lifestyle.malaysia.msn.com/Relationships/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4694043&page=0]
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