It is common, for contacts to comment on a, serious or non-serious, provoking ‘status update’, link, video etc, on Facebook.

I am disappointed at the lack of response that I received from the video I had just posted, followed by my commentary of it. The silence is, ironically, almost in direct relation to what the video was about.

That said, giving the benefit of doubt, I hope that their omission is not a reflection of their interest, care and concern regarding a matter and issue (I feel) so significant to all of us.

Below is the video, followed by my commentary.

The title I think is inaccurate. It relates a little more on the Brain Drain, among other things.

For some years now, I’ve had the same sentiment regarding Malaysia, Singapore, Indo, Mid East, and just the East really.

This is why it is important to have a healthy democracy. A judiciary that the people are confident in. Because everytime a fellow citizen is not enjoying his country, not trusting the system, he will want to leave.

And more often than not, the talented ones, who have the opportunity to leave, will leave. Human resource are more valuable than other resources (like oil). When you don’t have or run out of natural resources, you will need human resource. That need is imperative, continuous, perpetual. Never out of demand, never limited from growth.

If you don’t fight, make effort for a better place, wherever you are, capable and competent people, citizens, strangers around you leave.

That is a loss. Your loss. Those around you. Those after you.

In 2000, he lived in San Pedro Prison with Thomas 'the tour guide' McFadden (left) for four months in order to research the book 'Marching Powder'.

When I was in La Paz, each day I walked past the San Pedro Prison at least four times. Bolivia is (economically) the poorest country in the South American continent, the prison’s illegal tour is a well known attraction. One that I regret not indulging in.

Two weeks later (January 2009), in central Chile, a travelling couple I spent some (good) time with, told me about the tour, a high rank drug cartel detainee who resides there in the plushest conditions available and the existence of the book by one Rusty Young.

Today, hours after arriving from Singapore on a five hour bus ride, I had to MC a press conference which took little of my time and had even less of a significance for me. In celebration for the money I received (not the work), I bought the book. To find out later on the website, that the movie will be released in 2010.

I imagine this would a stark difference of everything, of the British prison, as according to Jeffrey Archer’s incaceration. Found in his book, Prison Diary.

x says:
am gonna tell u something, something that u may not find cool, but something that i think i would always like to know coz it sorta makes my day a bit better
x says:
i think you are pretty cool.
x says:
but i swear if u tell anyone, i will never admit to it

In 2008, I made an effort to set things straight and it was received kindly, with open arms, undeservingly so.

Last night, we finally managed to meet for dinner after many failed attempts. Without prior warning, I surprised the first few minutes with a gift, only to find out that there was also one waiting for me.

I was at a theme park today.  As I approached the Bag Check counter right before the entrance, the personnel said something to her colleague in a foreign language I am familiar with but have no understanding over. A scenario for me that, she too knows.

Somewhere in between, I heard her say, ‘Random Alphabets.’

“If you want to make good art, good anything, you have to dream.”

Gostan Forward, 10 May 2009

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*Pics & vid by Juria Toramae

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He asked me a few, starting about my height and how he could grow tall. Eventually I went on telling him things that I knew that might be of interest to him. As we doodled around a few topics, he cuts me by asking ‘are you Einstein?’

A question that took me and my friend back, despite both of us being the kind of people who (seem) to always have something to say.

I managed, ‘no. He is short and ugly.’

There’s not a need to document here, my friends’ soft retort to my ‘canny’ response.