Let's Be Civilised and Just Stop Violence Against Women
A man throws acid over his wife and daughter while they slept.An Indonesian maid dies after being abused by her employer, including being locked up in a toilet for a few days.

Confusing the 'Confusers'
Hi folks, very sorry to have been quiet for a bit. Once again it's been a busy time for me with various bits of work. There have been too numerous issues to think about that it's been difficult to sort out what to write that might be fresh and original.Also as I have mentioned before, being on Twitter and microblogging is so much easier that I tend to concentrate on that, rather than this blog. It's a fast way to get news and to pass on news, with a bit of comment thrown in. However commentary in 140 characters is limiting so I will occasionally be fleshing things out in this blog but it would depend on having the time to spare to do it.

A Tale of Two Launches
I think it would be fair to say that every day there's something or other being launched in KL. Sometimes it's a commercial venture, sometimes a book, new movie, album. Or sometimes a new cause and campaign.Last week there were two of the latter. But they were rather different in the way they came out.I blogged about the launch of the Charter of Compassion on November 12. On that day, people all over the world witnessed the launch of the Charter and affirmed it. They promised to show compassion to others and to forego any violence towards people different from them. They agreed to live by the Golden Rule 'Do Unto Others

Compassion and Constitution - the Concerns of Our Times
Hi folks, two important events are taking place these next two days.The first event will take place tomorrow November 12 all over the world including here in Malaysia. The Charter for Compassion is the brainchild of the writer and scholar Karen Armstrong who you may remember spoke here in KL last year. She articulated her vision for this Charter at the TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) conference last year and since then, she and various people round the world have worked to make it happen.In KL, it will take place at the PJ Hilton at 10.30am and will be officiated by YAB Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi

Weighing the Waffle on Wahabis
Many of you may be wondering why, in the accusations against Dr. Asri Zainal Abidin, the word 'Wahabi' has become a derogatory term. After all, the Saudis, on whose hospitality we Muslims depend on to visit the holy cities of Mecca and Madina, are Wahabis. As are, for that matter, almost everyone in Perlis (including the Raja of Perlis) and some in Penang. It seems to be the latest 'insult' to be put on people who may differ from the religious establishment, just like 'liberal', 'secular' and, my current favourite, as people 'obsessed with justice'.Well, if anyone wants to understand what this is really all about, do read Farish Noor's article which I'm reproducing with his perm