Avril Lavinge not good enough for Malaysia

I listen to a wide variety of music and personally in Malaysia we do have a lack of support and opportunity for the building up of local talent. It's even more depressing when international talents are barred from performing in Malaysia. The latest case being international pop star Avril Lavinge. At first there was a go ahead given for the concert and then due to protest from some quarters, it was eventually cancelled.

Several questions come to mind.

Firstly, if it was approved in the first place, shouldn't that mean it had passed all the requirements set by the Malaysian government? Instead, we have third party bodies protesting it on the grounds, it would bring about decadence among the youth of Malaysia. Heck, the youth are already listening to her music and it's being played over Malaysian radio, so why the protest? They say she is not "good" enough for the Malaysian public. Obviously, pointing towards her image rather than her talent. But showbiz is showbiz and the image does not necessarily reflect the true personality or character of a person.

Secondly, does Malaysian have a moral police? Meaning, it seems certain groups are acting as moral police who determines what I see or hear. To me Avril is mild compared to some of the local acts I see around me. Or does the image of a young woman, in full rock gear not to mention the fact she is also a mother, singing on stage strikes fear in the protesting groups? What gives?

Music is neutral, the rest is open to interpretation.

So I find it pretty stupid that my choices are decided by a group of people whom I have not entrusted in making those "moral" decisions. It is indeed a sad state for the Malaysian entertainment industr

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Writing About Life

Almost anything in life can be turned into a book. Provided you are willing to allow your life to be showcased in the public arena. It is then a good thing that circumstances happen to us whether they are good or bad. Most times the best stories are about how a bad situation turns for the better and we gain something wonderful out of it. Most times it is a story of lost and gain that captures our hearts. Whatever the plot, our lives are rich gold-mines for stories.

But diving deep into our lives for those nuggets of stories is a daunting task. It strains you emotionally, drains you mentally and often times cause a slight state of insanity as you deal with issues that may have been repressed long ago. This is what I find when I dive into my own life experiences to seek out diamonds in the rough upon which I can create a basis to build good plots.

I find as I descend that tunnel, goblins of various kinds, strange apparitions and the occasional fire breathing dragon. There are dangers along the way, traps laid by past hurts and angry voices that echo against the tunnel wall. All of them screaming out for attention, all of them wishing to be written. All of them with the potential to scar your mind.

Writing is such a journey, a lonely journey and we have the capability to dwell within the situation whether its our own or the lives of others. We are emphatic beings, spending most of our time in the shoes of others. Writing their thoughts, their speech, their actions and almost all the time looking at our own lives as a foundation for logic and truth. Even in fantasy, logic has to hold true.

Be happy that you have a life that hurts you, pains you, makes you cry, or laugh, or plain angry because that is ripe material for stories that move other people.

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