Well, no one seems to be commenting. As usual.

Could be that two comment-boxes ARE confusing, no doubt. Plus, there's an odd bug that hides any commenting efforts made. In either type, I might add. I'll see what I can do about that detail.

Anyhow, not all was rosy with Merdeka Day 2004. 47 years of independence, and YET:

1. Garbage is still something we have to deal with, the morning after. Sickening. KLCC on Merdeka Day was proof of our irresponsibility. I can attest to this, because I was there at 8.00 a.m., 31st August 2004.

2. Crime rates, drugs, and rape cases still dog the local media. Sadness all round, especially for those that have left us.

3. Our Olympic athletes STILL got blown away by the competition down in Athens. Evidently, Athena's knowledge hasn't fully rubbed off on them. Or on us, in most cases.

4. Self-censorship is a dream, for our so-called "well-meaning" Malaysian government INSISTS on covering up anything controversial from our "naive" eyes. Guys, we're not as naive as you think. It doesn't take an expert to find out that most translated Japanese comics have some bits of nudity and/or violence, so why do you insist on using a poor correction fluid job to mask all that?

5. We force our kids to join the National Service, instead of letting them gain patriotism in other ways. Frankly, if even my Nigerian friend could say that, what of everyone else?

Therefore, it's up to us to change how things are run around the world. Or at least, in our own country. Otherwise, such things will only ensure that "Keranamu Malaysia" will come up a 5th or 6th time.

At least the first 2 times had meaning. The rest, however, are proof that we've just been recycling ideas (and doing a poor job of doing that, by the way) and NOT coming up with anything worthwhile.

We have to wake up. Really.

Oh, and the above 5 are just a few things among many others, but these are more relevant to this entry at hand.

Also, Athena's the Greek goddess of knowledge. Not related to any other religion, but still...you'd have thought we'd have learnt something after those 47 years.