A million years ago, I wanted to drop everything and just write, draw and publish my own comic. I was 17, fresh out of school living out of my parent's attic. I had the time and the somewhat mediocre artistic talent. But most importantly, I had a dream of becoming the next Stan Lee or Todd McFarlane or even (God help me!) Erik Larsen.
I figured, what's so hard about it? There's the characters, a story, some plots, 22 pages of comic art and at least a gajillion dollars to publish it.
Yes. A gajilion dollars. Obviously I needed a cheaper dream.
Now, the point to all the meandering nostalgia is this - I just read 2 unsettling blogs about a friend (acquaintance? shop guy? dunno) who realized his dream to have his name printed on the credits of a comic book. According to those blogs, apparently, this friend of mine is in a rather uncompromising pile of dog doo. In non-excrement terms, he owes people money for completed comic jobs.
At first he was really enthusiastic about his 'publishing' house and books. I'd go to his shop and we'd talk about them. He'd tell me about the artists he spoke to and the publishing loop-de-loop he had to go through to get a comic out. To me, at that time, this guy was living my dream.
Normally after talking to him, I'd go home and tell my wife that I wished I was brave like this guy. He knew what he wanted and he went for it. My wife (who is obliged to support me on every idiotic idea per our contract signed in blood) told me to go for it. The result was a 1 page summary of a story now rotting in my personal folder in the office computer. But that's a story for another time. Back to my friend.
My friend published approximately 2 ashcans and 8 issues. That's 2 ashcans and 8 issues more than what I published. So my initial reaction was - wow! Look at that. He did it.
But lately he seemed very distant and cold. I'd go to his shop and he no longer talks to me. At first I thought he was mad at me for cancelling a lot of titles from my pull list (Look kids! A comic nerd jargon). Could be. Just look at that new comic price. $3.99 cover price for a 22 page story?
It turned out that he and his business partner owed people a lot of money. His comics tanked. The whole comics community has been warned not to do business with them. And worse of all, I've got most of their comics and original art, hoping that they would increase in price. Dammit!
The serious side to this dream is this - there is no guarantee of success. The pessimist in me would have said, "Hah! I knew this would happen". But the optimist in me would have said," Hah! I knew this would happen. But we get up and give it another good, old fashion school boy try".
My friend did his best to achieve his dreams. So what if he's knee deep in smoking, scorching horse dung. He did it because he loved it. He can always get up and get out of said dung.
In life, any thing worth dreaming is something worth fighting for (I think Prof X said this in the X-Men movie). Just because I'm a shitty assed coward doesn't mean every one else has to be one. If someone wants something bad enough, then take the plunge. See if you float.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
P(i)K(i)R betul2 (Think Carefully) Ummm..NO!
I don't like politics. I really don't.
But I don't like people who, in their need to pursue their political agendas and beliefs, impose upon others ideas that don't make sense. People who try to show to others how wrong one side is by using ideas from biased sources.
Amnesty International.
Last week, a friend of mine showed this link, a report on Malaysia saying Malaysians are racists. Especially the Government and the bumiputras. Really?
This coming from an organization that won't even recognize Palestine as a country. Rather, Palestine is just an authority.
I went on to read more of these so-called 'independent' reports. I am not conviced.
Racism
How do we measure racism? Do we even need to? How do we categorize racism, or racists for that matter?
Let's do some examples:
First Example
Person A works in Company 1. Person B also works in Company 1. Person A works as hard as Person B. Both are likable. However, come promotion time, only Person A got promoted.
Consider these suppositions:
1. Person A is a bumiputra and Person B is a non-bumiputra.
2. Company 1 is a Government-linked Company.
3. Both Person A and Person B's bosses are bumiputras.
Now consider these suppositions:
1. Person A is a non-bumiputra and Person B is a bumiputra.
2. Company 1 is a multi-national company.
3. Both Person A and Person B's bosses are non-bumiputras.
Which scenario best describe racism?
Second Example
State A wants to open a tender for a billion ringgit construction project.
The 2 quotes that made the shortlist came from Company A and Company B.
Company A is a bumiputra company. Company B is a non-bumiputra company.
Consider these suppositions:
1. Company A is a turnkey company who employs a group of construction companies consisting of bumiputra and non-bumiputra companies to perform the construction.
2. Company B does everything themselves.
3. Both companies bid more or less the same amount.
State A choses Company A.
Does this mean State A is using the affirmative action to favor a bumiputra company?
Third example
A school canteen is looking for fruit suppliers to supply fruits daily for the students. Two companies bid for the tender.
Company A is a bumiputra company. Company B is a non-bumiputra company.
After considering both tenders, the school canteen chose Company B because it had the lowest quote, therefore the best bid.
Now consider these suppositions:
1. Company A got the fruits from non-bumiputra suppliers who charges the market rate for the fruits.
2. Company B got the fruits from non-bumiputra suppliers who charges lower than market rate for the fruits.
3. With the price quoted, Company A made 10% profit while Company B made 30% profit.
Did the school canteen benefit from the tender?
Going back to Amnesty International, the report did not give in-depth details as to how the report was researched. At no point did the report say in detail why they considered the affirmative actions were racist, other than saying the Government favored bumiputras.
My examples may be simplified. There should be other considerations in order to come up with 'right' answers. There might even be no 'right' answers.
However, to accept such a report as proof of the Government's shortcomings would be naive and downright premature.
Personally, I think the people controlling the Government now are dicks. But the alternatives are also dicks. Either way, the country is screwed. But I sincerely believe the Malaysian people are mature enough to govern themselves and not blame everything on the Government. Whether it's the old Government or the new one, it's up to the People of the country to stand up and be counted.
That's just my honest opinion. Don't take my word for it. Do your own homework and draw your own conclusions. Mine's just not conclusive as yet. Only time will tell.
But I don't like people who, in their need to pursue their political agendas and beliefs, impose upon others ideas that don't make sense. People who try to show to others how wrong one side is by using ideas from biased sources.
Amnesty International.
Last week, a friend of mine showed this link, a report on Malaysia saying Malaysians are racists. Especially the Government and the bumiputras. Really?
This coming from an organization that won't even recognize Palestine as a country. Rather, Palestine is just an authority.
I went on to read more of these so-called 'independent' reports. I am not conviced.
Racism
How do we measure racism? Do we even need to? How do we categorize racism, or racists for that matter?
Let's do some examples:
First Example
Person A works in Company 1. Person B also works in Company 1. Person A works as hard as Person B. Both are likable. However, come promotion time, only Person A got promoted.
Consider these suppositions:
1. Person A is a bumiputra and Person B is a non-bumiputra.
2. Company 1 is a Government-linked Company.
3. Both Person A and Person B's bosses are bumiputras.
Now consider these suppositions:
1. Person A is a non-bumiputra and Person B is a bumiputra.
2. Company 1 is a multi-national company.
3. Both Person A and Person B's bosses are non-bumiputras.
Which scenario best describe racism?
Second Example
State A wants to open a tender for a billion ringgit construction project.
The 2 quotes that made the shortlist came from Company A and Company B.
Company A is a bumiputra company. Company B is a non-bumiputra company.
Consider these suppositions:
1. Company A is a turnkey company who employs a group of construction companies consisting of bumiputra and non-bumiputra companies to perform the construction.
2. Company B does everything themselves.
3. Both companies bid more or less the same amount.
State A choses Company A.
Does this mean State A is using the affirmative action to favor a bumiputra company?
Third example
A school canteen is looking for fruit suppliers to supply fruits daily for the students. Two companies bid for the tender.
Company A is a bumiputra company. Company B is a non-bumiputra company.
After considering both tenders, the school canteen chose Company B because it had the lowest quote, therefore the best bid.
Now consider these suppositions:
1. Company A got the fruits from non-bumiputra suppliers who charges the market rate for the fruits.
2. Company B got the fruits from non-bumiputra suppliers who charges lower than market rate for the fruits.
3. With the price quoted, Company A made 10% profit while Company B made 30% profit.
Did the school canteen benefit from the tender?
Going back to Amnesty International, the report did not give in-depth details as to how the report was researched. At no point did the report say in detail why they considered the affirmative actions were racist, other than saying the Government favored bumiputras.
My examples may be simplified. There should be other considerations in order to come up with 'right' answers. There might even be no 'right' answers.
However, to accept such a report as proof of the Government's shortcomings would be naive and downright premature.
Personally, I think the people controlling the Government now are dicks. But the alternatives are also dicks. Either way, the country is screwed. But I sincerely believe the Malaysian people are mature enough to govern themselves and not blame everything on the Government. Whether it's the old Government or the new one, it's up to the People of the country to stand up and be counted.
That's just my honest opinion. Don't take my word for it. Do your own homework and draw your own conclusions. Mine's just not conclusive as yet. Only time will tell.
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