OutSyed The Box

OutSyed The Box

Bobaks Ferdowsi & Anousheh Ansari

Posted: 14 Aug 2012 01:28 AM PDT

The Americans have once again done something fantastic - they have landed a one tonne rover vehicle on the planet Mars. We dont know if they will find anything beneficial on Mars (I doubt it) but the effort and the technology required to get there is evidence enough that they have perfected their system. 

Their education system, Government procurement systems, their scientific and technological development and its application. It is a fantastic achievement by any measure. We will benefit more from the spinoffs of this space technology. I am most interested in the batteries and solar panels that power the one tonne Curiosity rover.  There is cutting edge technology there which I hope the Chinese will mass manufacture soon. (Its a global world - we are all connected).





Folks, the closest distance between Earth and Mars is 34 million miles or 56 million km. The Curiosity rover took seven months to reach Mars from the Earth. Earth and Mars are in different elliptical orbits around the Sun. This means they are never at fixed distances. Earth and Mars are constantly moving towards each other or away from each other. Imagine landing a space craft by remote control over a distance of 56 million km and to land it precisely at one particular spot, inside a crater on the planet Mars. What an achievement. 

Upon entry into the Martian atmosphere the Curiosity rover has seven minutes before hitting the surface. But it takes 14 minutes for radio signals to travel one way between the two planets and another 14 minutes for the return radio signal. This meant that they would not be able to control the rover's final seven minutes upon entry into the Martian atmosphere from NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab at Pasadena, California. For seven of the most critical minutes of the entire mission, the rover had to operate using its own "brains". And they have done it.

Well so much about the Curiosity rover. This mission to Mars has created a new heart-throb in America, a young 32 year old NASA engineer who is the Mars Mission's Flight Director. This is the guy who handled the entire safe landing of the Curiosity rover on the Martian surface. They call him the Mohawk Man. Here is a picture of Bobaks Ferdowsi :




Born of an Iranian father, Bobaks sports fancy hairstyles including this Mohawk with stars shaved into his scalp. Educated at Washington State University and the MIT in Boston he is being hailed as a nerd and a hero who has landed the Curiosity rover on the red planet. You can read more about Bobaks Ferdowsi on the Net.

Here is another picture. This very pretty lady is Anousheh Ansari, born in Mashhad, Iran who migrated to the United States where she became an engineer, a successful communications entrepreneur and the first self funded woman to fly into space. She travelled to the International Space Station in 2006.



Both these people of Iranian (and Muslim descent) are able to achieve great heights (quite literally) outside their country of origin Iran. This is true of many Muslims or people of Muslim descent. Often they have to "escape" from their countries before they can realise their fullest potentials.

If both Anousheh Ansari and Bobaks Ferdowsi had remained in Iran they would have been stoned to death or something for wearing a Mohawk, for not covering their head or face and other crap like that. And forget about Anousheh Ansari travelling alone to outer space. In countries like Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan a woman cannot even go out to the shop unless she is accompanied by a male relative. 

But once they "escape" from their countries like Iran, they are able to benefit greatly from the freedoms available in their new countries especially the USA. Hence they thrive. Plus they contribute so much not just to their society but also to the entire human race. 

No matter how the US behaves around the world, without a doubt they are a nation that celebrates knowledge, celebrates people from different backgrounds and they celebrate their engineers. An African American is their President. Iranians fly their space ships and venture into space. 

You can see a quick video here about the Curiosity rover, the Mars landing and the engineers behind it. Other than Iranians, there are Chinese, Indians, Spanish and American engineers who are involved in this NASA project. 



Folks you have also seen the YouTube earlier of Hadi Awang where he says that his akal or brain is limited. Our brains or akal are NEVER EVER limited. Only our knowledge is limited. That is why the Americans have now ventured to Mars, using their brains, so that we can expand our knowledge of Mars. 

But some dunggus are arguing vehemently in support of the religious people that they too have no 'akal' or brains. That is the status of the Muslims in the world today. They are screaming to the whole world 'Saya tak ada akal'. They are firmly entrenched that they do not have brains.  And they are so proud and arrogant to say this to the whole world.

Other 'tak ada akal' dunggus are screaming at the top of their voices that the higher the prices of cars in Malaysia, the cheaper we are compared to the US and even the rest of the world. Without a doubt these people also say they are "Muslim".

Public Services Commission : More non-bumi in the frontline

Posted: 13 Aug 2012 10:46 PM PDT

  • More non-bumiputra will be appointed as frontline counter staff at government offices nationwide to make Malaysians from all ethnic groups feel more at ease when dealing with ministries and departments, the Public Service Commission (PSC) said.
  • Tan Sri Mahmood Adam said some Malaysians seeking service or help at front office counters may have certain problems or issues which officers from their own race could better understand or help them with.
  • "Apart from helping the public feel comfortable, this is also part of the Government's larger effort to attract more non-bumiputra to join the civil service," Mahmood told The Star.
  • Mahmood said he would chair a meeting today to finalise details of the programme.
  • PSC would look at ways to increase the number of Indian counter staff and officers from about 1,000 at present to about 3,000. It would then examine ways to boost the number of Chinese counter staff.

I am afraid this approach will just not work. 

First of all the demographics are just against this. In 2012 the bumi to non-bumi population ratio is close to or over 70:30. By 2030, this figure will edge closer to 80:20. There is NO way we are going to have enough non-bumis not only in Gomen but even in the streets. 

Secondly if you employ Indians, Chinese or Malays in Gomen just to handle people of their own race it will develop more racism. The Indian guy will only cater to Indians. If a Malay comes along, he will say 'Nanti ah. Tunggu itu pegawai Melayu datang." 

The Malay guy will tell the Indians, "Hari ini pegawai India kita sudah pergi kursus. Dia balik minggu depan. Encik datang balik minggu depan sajalah".

The better option is tell ALL the Gomen servants at our front line counters 

i.   to be polite, courteous
ii.  jangan jadi malas macam nak mampus
iii. dont buy or sell kuih raya during office hours and 
iv. just do your job well. 

Whether a lembu, monyet, lebai, kambing, Malay, Indian, Chinese, Iban or whoever turns up at the counter - just handle them well. 

Show basic coutersy. Here are some simple pointers for Tan Sri Mahmood Adam the Chairman of the PSC to tell his officers. First here are things that ALL Gomen officers MUST NEVER NEVER do:

1. Do not decide on the level of friendliness you will show anyone based on the race, language, colour, religion of the person standing in front of you. This is an absolute no no.

2. Do not decide on the level of politeness you will show anyone based on the race, language, colour, religion of the person standing in front of you.

3. Do not decide on the level of work tasks you will perform based on the race, language, colour, religion of the person standing in front of you.

Thes are the absolute donts. They are very, very simple. If you can observe all three of these, there will be zero complaints.

Here are some dos.

1. Smile. Be friendly. You are the damned Civil Service. You are supposed to be "civil". If you do not want to be "civil" then please wear a name tag that says "Saya kurang sivil". Then people will know they should  avoid you. 

2. Always use these magic words "How can I help you?" - "Boleh saya bantu Encik?"

3. Please understand that people do not come to you because they have nothing better to do. They come to you because YOU (the Gomen) make them come to you. You force people to come to you for licenses, approvals, passports, school registration and a million other things. So be nice to people - all people.

4. Focus on the task at hand. Be professional. If an Indian, Malay, Chinese, Iban, Kadazan cannot communicate well to the Education Department clerk dont panic, dont worry, dont get irritated. It is most likely an education issue - your area of expertise. Otherwise they wont come to the Education Department. So listen carefully and explain to them. If they are asking about their child's entry to a school, or transferring their child to another schooel then deal with them. Apa susah sangat?

However if they want to know what approvals to get to open a tom yam restaurant, politely tell them to go to the Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan. Apa susah sangat? 

We cannot have situations like that ferry terminal security guard in Kuala Kedah who stopped a Chinese man from taking his critically injured son to hospital until they agreed to pay for the broken glass which was poorly put in place by the ferry terminal in the first place.

Or the doctors and nurses at the Hospital Serdang who did not help Chinese victims of a slash and grab armed robbery who were bleeding all over the floor to even get on the stretcher, and refused to let them use the ambulance to take them to another hospital of their choice. 

We all know that if a Dato or other orang ternama had come in, the service would be completely different. So just tell people to show good work ethics, be professional and focus on the task at hand - not on the race, religion, language, colour etc of the people across the counter. 

Dont blame language barriers. That is stupid. A smile and a pleasant manner go a very, very long way towards overcoming language barriers. You have all travelled overseas and so have I. In Africa, Papua New Guinea, Arabia, Europe, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Cambodia a smile goes a long way in overcoming language barriers. This is Malaysia. All people can understand some Malay. It is not difficult to communicate with anyone.

Here is one last piece of advice. Please tell all the Gomen doctors and dentists that when you are handling a patient - stop talking to the nurse about your lunch, breakfast or your next holiday while you are treating the patient. It is also very, very rude. Just focus on the job.

The same goes for counter officers at Gomen Departments. When you are dealing with anyone at the counter : 

i.   dont get distracted
ii.  dont walk around the office twice
iii. dont stop to speak to the nearest female
iv. dont stop to arrange something inside your pocket 

before you go back to the person waiting for you at the counter. Focus, focus, focus. 

Deal with the person at the counter first. After that you can go and talk to the nearest female, stop to arrange something inside your pocket, walk around the office three times etc.

Just focus on the task. Tak kira Melayu, China, India, Iban, Kadazan, UMNO, PAS, DAP, PKR, Islam, Kafir, bersih, kotor, handsome, tak handsome or whatever. Focus on the task at hand.

Muslim Brotherhood Flexes Muscles In Egypt

Posted: 13 Aug 2012 09:16 PM PDT


  • CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi has driven back the biggest challenge to civilian rule by dismissing top generals and tearing up their legal attempt to curb his power in a bold bid to end 60 years of military leadership.
  • Taking the country by surprise, Mursi pushed Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi into retirement. 
  • Mursi also cancelled a decree issued by the military before his election which had curbed the power of the presidency.
  • "civilian counter-coup" coordinated with an internal putsch in the armed forces.
  • Mursi and his long-suppressed Muslim Brotherhood had been expected to roll back the influence of the army, a close ally of Washington and recipient of $1.3 billion in annual U.S. military aid.
  • ElBaradei, a former U.N. diplomat wrote: "With military stripped of legislative authority and in absence of parliament, president holds imperial powers."
  • Some liberal rivals of the Muslim Brotherhood have voiced alarm at the growing might of the Islamists, whom they fear could turn their backs on Western alliances and impose religious law on a tolerant society with a big Christian minority. 
  •  "This is not a soft coup, but a declaration of Islamic state."

CHAPTER SEVEN: THE TURKISH CONNECTION

Posted: 13 Aug 2012 04:38 PM PDT

New Development In Syria

Posted: 13 Aug 2012 07:50 AM PDT


  • BEIRUT (Reuters) - Rebels in eastern Syria said they downed a government fighter jet on Monday, but state television said the plane crashed due to technical difficulties.
  • The downing of a warplane would be a rare event for lightly armed rebels faced with the superior weaponry of President Bashar al-Assad's forces.
  • The state news channel Syria TV said the plane crashed due to technical problems during a "regular training mission" 
  • Anti-Assad activists uploaded videos on YouTube, said to be from the town of Mohassen in Syria's eastern province of Deir al-Zor and showing a warplane streak through the skies amid heavy gunfire. The jet suddenly erupts into flames and begins to swirl, leaving a trail of smoke.
  • An opposition source working with rebels in the area told Reuters the insurgents used anti-aircraft guns to down the jet.

If the rebels downed the jet it indicates a serious escalation. It is possible that some of Obama's 'covert assistance' is kicking in at higher altitudes. When the Soviets invaded Afghanistan they had complete air supremacy, especially their MI24 gunships, which helped them hold the gound. Until the Americans supplied Stinger shoulder launched anti aircraft missiles. In no time the Mujaheddin were shooting down the MI24s and MIGs as well. Soon after the Soviets left Afghanistan.
This is the latest picture from Syria :


This is the result of an airstrike by the Syrian airforce on their own people. This does not win hearts and minds of the people - the most powerful force on the surface of the earth. This is not good.  
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