heavy snowfalls

(photos taken from chinadaily.com.cn)

An aesthetic picture? This also reveals food shortage in days to come.

China is experiencing one of its worst snowstorms since the 1950s. For China to experience such at this time of year is most inauspicious as the Lunar Chinese New Year falls on 7th & 8th of February. This is the time when families get-together no matter how poor a family is, there will always be celebration of sorts -- the festive season is a must for family togetherness.

However with this unabated snowstorms forthcoming, how do the Chinese read the zodiac year of the rat? This also coincides the main focus of the year: the Olympics Games.

Many Chinese believe in nature. How will they interpret this religiously?

energy or power crisis -- back to basics?

Canada has experienced an unusual flood of snowfalls and so is the US.

Global warming? Is mother nature playing a joke on earth?

Now where will the debate on man thoughtlessly creating global warming stand? I'm not suggesting that man has no part but to exaggerate and harp upon man's activities is...

It appears the melting of the ice-cap might be due to some underground volcanic activities.

Is this El Nino or La Nina activity?

The truth is I'm confused at all the on-going debates.

2nd korean hostage killed

Talibans? Who are you?

Why murder the innocent and the defenceless?

What cowardice!

You're powerless!

By taking the lives of the innocent,

you hope to get what you want?!

...

For the Christians,

death is an open door

to their Heavenly Father in Jesus Christ.

...

The two Korean men have become martyrs in your hands!

Their blood will remain in your land, Afghanistan.

...

The power of the Christian message will remain forever

and will bear fruit.

The Christian God in Jesus Christ will visit

those who took these innocent lives.

...

These Koreans came to help

bring relief and medical aid to your country

Yet you return

misery and ingratitude!

senseless acts

(photo taken from news.bbc.co.uk)

I am sad, sorry and boggled to hear the eight terror suspects are medical doctors and wife, a lab tech, in the recent attempted failed car bombings in Central London and Glasgow airport.

They are all in their 20s. Did these young people fall prey in the hands of the jihad group/s? Once in the organization, these young could not get out even when they found the group was not what it professed to be. Either they be killed by the group or be the terror act which represented allegiance.

I cannot imagine intelligent young people would carry out such terror in their right minds unless they’re brain-washed or forced to and without choice.

If these young people wanted to redeem their societies, surely they could use their professions or, vocation as medical doctors. They would have greater impact upon the society.

By committing such terror acts, they not only killed themselves but grieved their loved ones and carried along with them the innocent civilians which are ignoble acts!

Why the senseless acts? Surely these are not sacrifices to their gods.

I asked myself constantly what causes fights and quarrels. I kept returning to these words in the bible, James 4:1-3:

"Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?

You want something but don't get it.

You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want.

You quarrel and fight.

You do not have, because you do not ask God.

When you ask, you do not receive,

because you asked with wrong motives,

that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."

....

If religion is pure, righteous and good, surely these suicide bombers killing indiscriminately are not what their Allah wants, and not what one believes!

.....

Whoever these leaders are, they are just evil!

released

I couldn't believe when I heard on BBC news that Mr Alan Johnston was released a little after 9 this morning. Disbelief until I actually heard him feebly over the air then I heave a sigh.

I was elated with tears welled up...rejoicing over his release. Never did I dream I'd be feeling this way for a stranger. I found myself praising the Lord. The most gratifying fact was not only the group gave in to Hamas' negotiations but the world stood by this journalist. Never in history was one like him. Even the Palestinians were his friends!

What a grand day! Joy and peace to everyone...even to the members of army of Islam.

strapped to an explosive vest

I felt sick to my bone when I heard the news yesterday.

Mr Alan Johnston, the only BBC international correspondent who lived in the Gaza Strip was kidnapped by a group called 'the army of Islam' on 12th March 2007. Yesterday a video clip on Mr Johnston strapped to an explosive vest was released to prevent forced entry to save him.

The group wanted the UK government to release Abu Qatada, a Palestinian-born Islamic cleric suspected of having close links with al-Qaeda in exchange.

According to sources Mr Johnston's reporting gave insightful and accurate reportings on the situation. Now that he has been kidnapped, are there good reportings coming out from the area?

What was in the mind of the leader of 'the army of Islam'? What does he or his group expect to resolve or achieve?

By calling themselves 'the army of Islam' -- have they not made a mockery or tainted the name of their Allah? Why come under the banner of religion? Is this the only way to recruit suicide bombers to do their dirty work by calling on the name of their god? Is this the way to gain sympathy from the masses?

Are the leaders so powerless that they resort to using kidnapped hostage to become human bomb?

public protests

News: Pakistani lawyers went on public protest and clashed with the police in several cities over the suspension of the country's top judge.

I thought lawyers are more resourceful in dealing with such! Why fight with those policemen who are actually doing their job?

Can you imagine the educated professional hurling stones at those policemen to vent their frustrations??? Adolescent behavior?!

Should professionals go on public protests just to be heard?