Paul Long's Ramblings

Been avoiding posting on Malaysian politics for a long time but since I will be back later this year for a couple of weeks ... here's a link below that brings up some old information a friend shared with me over 10 years ago .. now updated in a nicely written piece. I am a Malaysian citizen with New Zealand PR status. What is sad is that often I feel more welcome in NZ with my PR than in Malaysia.  I feel this way whenever I arrive at the KLIA and Auckland airports immigration counters respectively. Even with my Malaysian passport and using the auto-gate at KLIA, I cannot avoid noticing the poor way many immigration officers treat non Malay looking Malaysian passport holders who for one reason or another do not use the auto gates ... Ok, maybe these have just been coincidences but have been my impressions ... But when I arrive at AKL airport, the atmosphere is so different despite my having to queue up at the long non NZ passport lines. The officer will check my passport, l...

Yesterday I read a couple of new graphic novels I borrowed from the library.  Both were given top notch reviews. For example, about "Superior" USA Today wrote, "The best mini-series of the year" and for "A god somewhere" it wrote "One of the most compelling page-turners to come out this year".  In my mind I think that while the quote may come from the same magazine, (USA Today), it surely cannot represent the same reviewer / person! I enjoyed SUPERIOR very much but hated "A GOD SOMEWHERE. WARNING - SOME MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD! What I enjoyed about SUPERIOR is that the plot is simple yet the story very compelling. And best of all while I seldom agree with the theology in the stories of most graphic novels (no exception here either :-)) I like the moral dilemmas presented in the story and how the hero wrestles with them. I particularly like how the story is seen from the perspective of a 12 year old boy who understands that with g...

On TV this morning's BREAKFAST SHOW, I viewed an interview with the NZ Police commissioner (I think) on the problem of the growing NZ binge drinking culture. Seems this was highlighted on last night's CLOSE UP - and they showed some clips of what the police have to go through every weekend. What really connected with me was the obvious frustration of one officer. I agree that surely the police have better things to do. And on a personal note, I remember how frustrating it was for me personally last year when during an emergency one late weekend night, I called the police for help. A life was in a high risk potentially dangerous situation and the police were unavailable. The police apologized that they had no staff available to help and wold not have any for hours because it was the weekend and personnel were tied up  dealing with public drunken behaviour! And what irks me is that a huge percentage of binge drinkers seem to students! If so, is this what student allowances a...

Over the past few months, have had a number of emails, letters,telephone calls and personal visit (all cold calls) promoting various ministries and organizations, Christian and non Christian alike ... In my humble opinion, all FAILED big time. And I am the type of person who will actually try my best to take time to be courteous and listen, and even respond .... so like I said FAILED big time. Reasons ... 1. If you email me about your ministry and promote yourself, ask me to buy your merchandise, financially support your ministry, promote it etc., then for goodness sake, have the courtesy to respond to my email queries. I won't name the ministries but it seems ridiculous to me that if I happen to read your email a couple of minutes after it arrives in my in-box (meaning even if if is spam as you got my email from my church website), and I respond with a couple of questions about your ministry, please answer! And if you do answer, it ought to be within a few days. Just...

I subscribe to all kinds of email lists. I certainly do not check or read them all the emails I get from these lists - in fact most of them end up deleted without a second glance ... But every now and then if something catches my eye and I have a little extra time, then glancing through an email does at times results in some helpful information One list I subscribe to is Christianity Today's Preaching.com. I wonder, is it just me who is rather disturbed that it is a site that charges money to listen / read good sermons? The email heading caught my attention: The Good Samaritan Like You've Never Heard It: Preaching Today So I thought, hmmm... interesting ... And then even more interesting was the first line after the date Wednesday, May 02, 2012 Featured sermon:   The Parable of the Good Samaritan , by D. A. Carson I know DA Carson is an excellent expository preacher So I click on the link ... http://www.preachingtoday.com/sermons/outlines/2012/april...