Parannoyed Delusions

This is my first post in 5 months. Just would like to share few developments, web links, etc. for anyone insterested.

1. UNICEF Malaysia is conducting an online survey on teen attitudes towards drug use:

   UNICEF Malaysia needs your help.

   We're trying to reach out to young people to understand you better. We care about the choices you make in your life. And your reasons behind these choices - in particular regarding drug use.

   Pretty much every time a social problem crops up - young people face the brunt of the blame. Instead of engaging young people in discussion, instead of looking for the root causes and asking ourselves a million WHYs; we tend to shrug our shoulders, shake our heads and wag our fingers - at young people. Enough is enough i think.

   Its time we did things differently. The only way to do the right thing for young people is to give you a voice. The only way we can improve things for you, is for you to take the opportunity to talk to us in return. And that's pretty much why UNICEF is carrying out an online survey ---- we want to give you a platform to "speak" to us.

   The survey is ANONYMOUS. You don't need to give us your name. Just answer the questions as honestly as possible. Hopefully its a begining towards working together to create a space that is safe for you. You can do the survey in English or Malay:

   English: http://www.nst.com.my/survey

   Malay: http://www.bharian.com.my/unicef

   The more people who respond, the more powerful your voice... and the better our chances of understanding the issue and working to advocate for your rights. So please also pass this on to your friends and get them to respond and pass on to their own friends. We need at least a million young people in Malaysia to talk to us.

   We're listening. ;-)

   UNICEF Malaysia

2. The situation in Sudan. I'm sure people have heard about the civil unrest in Darfur, Sudan. Well, civil unrest would probably be an understatement with all the rapes, killings and geneocide, and all. Maybe it's not as well documented as, say the London bombings or the December 26 tsunami... since:

   [...] it's become abundantly clear that the US won't have major involvement with the Darfur situation, it's less commmon to see news stories on Western Sudan in the mainstream press.
   (quoted from Global Voices Online)

   So, yes, a full-blown genocide is happening right under our noses. And what's sad, or surprising, is that it's happening in a predominantly Arab/muslim country, and the victims are the non-Arab or African tribal groups of Darfur. To learn more, here are some links: A unique view from Darfur: Sleepless in Sudan, Humanitarian hijinks, New Republic blog: etc., Sudan Wikipedia entry

3. Other miscellaneous stuff.
   • spring_alpha: an open-source software/simulation/game based on drawings by Chad McCail which narrates a community's attempt to create a utopian society.
   • Cruel Jewelry: dangerous wearable accessories, e.g. the "Suicide Bracelet comes with a sharp blade and is easy to use: wear slit on pulse, break off blade, insert blade, cut wrist."
   • Shakeskin.com: "(1) Place camera in front of face. (2) Shake face. (3) Send us the picture."