Singapore, to Down Under, then back again
Like a cycle or a ferris wheel
Hey, when the vacancy of a hangman crops up in Sin-land
A dissentin' Ozzie came aboard to give da helpin' hand?
Singapore sacks its hangman
From: Reuters From correspondents in Singapore
November 27, 2005
SINGAPORE has sacked its long-serving hangman, less than a week before the scheduled execution of Australian drug smuggler Tuong Van Nguyen.
"They called me a few days ago and said I don't have to hang Nguyen and that I don't have to work anymore," Chief executioner Darshan Singh said.
"I think they (the prison authorities) must be mad after seeing my pictures in the newspapers," Mr Singh said following reports he had been sacked after being identified by the Australian media.
Media reports said a new executioner was expected to be flown into Singapore this week to carry out the December 2 hanging of 25-year-old Nguyen, who was sentenced to death for carrying 396g of heroin while in transit at the island-nation's airport.
Mr Singh, a 74-year-old ethnic Indian, was reported in the Australian media to have conducted more than 850 hangings in his 50-year career. The reports said Mr Singh had wanted to retire, but the search for a replacement was unsuccessful.
Despite repeated pleas from Australia to reconsider clemency for the former salesman, Singapore has stood firm on its decision, saying that Nguyen Tuong Van was caught with enough heroin "for 26,000 doses" and that the Government would not allow Singapore to be used as a transit for illicit drugs.
Singapore has one of the world's toughest drug laws (Similar to Malaysia's).
Laws enacted in 1975 stipulate death by hanging for anyone aged 18 or over convicted of carrying more than 15 grams of heroin, 30 grams of cocaine, 500 grams of cannabis or 250 grams of methamphetamines.
Amnesty International said in a 2004 report that about 420 people had been hanged in Singapore since 1991, mostly for drug trafficking, giving the city-state of 4.2 million people the highest execution rate in the world relative to population.
I was working at the Australian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur during the truial of Kevin Barlow and Brian Chambers; both of them were also sent to the gallows in July 1986, despite widespread calls -- from Australian government and individuals -- for clemency. "DADAH IS DEATH" banners prominently greet overseas arrivals, so to plead "ignorance" is no defence.
And until the law is changed in the august Houses of Parliament in Southeast Asian countries, Australians and other "westren" peoples and their governments have to educate their peoples "When inRome, Do as the Romans do" applies.
The law is the law
As a Prime Minister John Howard did the necessary -- via the diplomatic channel, appealinmg for Nguyen's plea for clemency, which had been rejected by the Singapore President, on advice of the Singapore government.
Just as in the case of Barlow and Chambers, it would have been well nigh a "miracle" to believe the Head of State would grant clemency -- commuting the death by hanging sentence to life imprisonment.
The way some of Aussie politicians -- past and present -- tried to bring in "extraneous" factors to pressure the Singapore government, would, IMHO, have the opposite effect -- the noose around Nguyen;s neck would be tightened. No one responds kindly to neighbour's threats; seek benevolence in neighbourly threads.
Clemency grounds of aoppeal must rest on extraordinary factors -- medical condition like an IQ befitting a moron, extenuating circumstances considered from an average human's eye-lens. Nguyen's "reason" that he was carryiong drugs to save his brother's indebtyedness was not only counter-productive -- it reinforces the intent of the law to prevent a trafficker to those ill-gotten and quick bucks, at the expense of thousands of (young, innocent) lives -- mostly Aussies in Nguyen's case.
Maybe Singh's "sacking" is a temporary relief. I hope that "enthusiastic" aussie's offer to replace Singh would not be accepted. I also pray the Malaysian hangman's services would not be called upon.
Who knows, Nguyen's as well as his sympathisers' prayers, could be answered.
If no human comes forth to fill the Hangman's vacancy, Nguyen cam continue to hope. And hope must surely be with silents prayers of tears and repentance for a "wrongful" act.
IMPORTANT POSTSCRIPT:
*The United States of America is soon going to execute its 1,000th deathrow prisoner. An AP report datelined NEW YORK, carried by The Star, November 25, 2005 stated that (this week)ROBIN LOVITT is likely to earn the macabre distinction of being the 1,000th prisoner put to death since the US widely reintated capital punishment in 1976.
Lovuitt, 41, was convicted of fatally stabbing a man with a pair of scissors during a 1998 pool hall robbery in Virginia.
Will all those Aussies who yell "Stop the Death Penalty" at the Singapore government or any other Asian governments please lodge their protest at the nearest embassy? I'm holding my breath...
**Back home, there is a group of "young persons" who either carry a death wish, or are bloody fools; they openly taunt the Police with their drug habits and experimentations, also giving detailed information on the "safe use" of these banned rugs. Normally I leave such nincompoops alone --- but blogosphere is also a new medium of reach, and other YOUNGPERSONS shopuld also be cautioned lest they get carried away with their naivety and ignorance, then regret when the long arm of the law catches up with them.
Hey, deathwishers, citing grounds that such drugs are always available,if one is intent on getting the, and that other websites (quoting Google.com as one...)also carry such information on drug use is defence of the lowest IQ-occupant. Just because other countries tolerate certain modes of behaviour does not mean tghey are legal or proper. By publicly confessing you're doing drugs, you're giving these people enough rope to hang thee by the tallest tree in the county. Or are you vying for BolehLand's Braveheart Awards?
Well, if people wish to jump off the highest Twin Towers in da world, who is another Blogger to caution ftheir foolhardiness. But just don't influence your Younger Bros&Sis to go along, okay! They also like to shoot the messengers, don't they?
PPS: just to reassure thee that English standards in many newsrooms worldwide do NOT differ much in their deterioration -- down to the point where their jobs are not jeopardised.
"*The newspaper editor for the UNC* school newspaper
announces that there's enough money in the budget to
install a newsroom chandelier. The reporters huddle
and send a spokesman to say they're against it.
"Against it? Why?" the editor asks.
"First," the reporter says, "no one on the staff can spell
'chandelier' well enough to put it on an order form. Second,
I don't believe that anybody here can play one if we had it.
And third, if you got that much money, we think you should
get a hanging light instead, to brighten up the office!*"
mGf on a cloudy day, then stormy for two hours here in SS -- Welcome to the 4th estate slowly being absorbed into the real one. Just Desi's opinion, not Howsy's!
Don't shoot me, I'm not the messenger, I'm only a passenger! Dr Howdy's real culprit!
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
da clouds, and da sunshine?
ALTHOUGH The Star frontpage gave some cheer, it's another Tuesday with less worry. But worry still there is. Much. For Malaysians. (For Koreans? for Australians? -- wait for tomorrow's episode...:)
Cherry, thanks again to most esteemed Prime Minister Pak Lah.
Special inquiry
Independent body to
probe ear squat issue
On arrival back at SUBANG from official tour of duty overseas, Datuk Seri
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi assured that an independent body will be set up immediately
to unvestigate the recent case of a woman, believed to be a Chinese national,
ordered to perform ear squats in the nude in a police lockup.
Syabas, Pak Lah. At least I still have confidence in the nation's CEO.
But m,any of the hight officials -- political as well as administrative -- I need more convincing.
Alright, some word of appreciation for Women, Family and Community Minister Datuk Seri Sharizat Abdul Jalil (page 2, The Star) who called on the IGP yesterday, with some reasoned call for responsible and accountable behaviour in the security personnel.
Ensure dignity of
women, police told
KUALA LUMPUR: The police have been asked to
ensure the safety and dignity of women under
investigation.
They are also to ensure that their standard
operating procedures conform to the basic
principles of human rights.
Sharizat said she conveyed this to Inspector-General
of Police Tan Sri Mohd Bari Omar during their
meeting yesterday.
Yesterday, Malaysians were generally aghast to hearr the deputy IGP say that the police were going after the person who filmed the naked woman forced to do the ear squats!
As I said: They shoot the messenger, don't they?
Did you miss the deputy IGP's statement -- I won't blame you if you did -- The Star "buried" it in the inside pages. Frontpage ran a nopndescript story about checks on potential "Datukships" recipients -- ah, yes, written by a young journalist with TWO datukships. So now you get an inkling about what "news" priorities The People's Paper enjoys? Hey, that's a rhetorical question, unless the page 1 reporter wishes to rebut Desi's knotty insinuation. Is this a right word -- inSIN....!
After all da strange things going on in real life in da country that don't maketh sense, desiderata now takes a break into wordsmith country. Here the BeeGees refrain holds true:
"And words are all I have
To take your heArt away ..."
Da Clouds
i see a city
white mounds surround castle-like
wide huge floating residences
i see smilin' maidens
dancing by the windin' banks
of the windin' castle
built of white sheets and sand
i see children laughin'
they wave their hands at me
but i hear no sounds only images
of li'l ones dancing, floating,
fountains with running water
where the fair ladies and kids
quench their thirst and dance within
the pools of sparkling water
that shines forth a light
beckoning this stranger welcome
i want to reach da clouds
making my heart light and my sight bright
turning dark
then blinding flashes cut the far horizon
i hear the disturbing roar of thunder
da clouds have suddenly turned mighty dark
the afternnon sun hides behind the gray blanket
the smiling one becomes unruly
wreaking havoc as the waters blast the earth
with slashing wounds with unfeeling claps
the rivers over-run
The farmers' bund collapse
the highways become watery paths
only sea snakes and water fowls can graze
man becomes a victim to Nature
he has tried so hard to tame
testing bombs
shooting down hills and mountains with bombs
da clouds remind us
too often nowadays
tempt us not the elements of Nature
they too can surprise thee
with a visit
startling with a vengeance?
RIP answer to yesterday's ChallengiA:
After doing XXX number of ear squats,
how many fellow Malaysians can RIP?
Rise If Possible?
On da Deep Throat mystery...
He's MARK FELT, a former FBI deputy director.
OBVIOSULY A MAN WITH DEEP FEELINGS OF RIGHT VERSUS
WRONG. May Malaysia turn up more such feeling citizens?
RIP?
PS: Have you visited the neighbourhood VCD furthest you nyet? Saw any shadow following thee?
No, you're lucky. Cos they now shoot even at Da Shadow. ParanoiA.
Cherry, thanks again to most esteemed Prime Minister Pak Lah.
Special inquiry
Independent body to
probe ear squat issue
On arrival back at SUBANG from official tour of duty overseas, Datuk Seri
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi assured that an independent body will be set up immediately
to unvestigate the recent case of a woman, believed to be a Chinese national,
ordered to perform ear squats in the nude in a police lockup.
Syabas, Pak Lah. At least I still have confidence in the nation's CEO.
But m,any of the hight officials -- political as well as administrative -- I need more convincing.
Alright, some word of appreciation for Women, Family and Community Minister Datuk Seri Sharizat Abdul Jalil (page 2, The Star) who called on the IGP yesterday, with some reasoned call for responsible and accountable behaviour in the security personnel.
Ensure dignity of
women, police told
KUALA LUMPUR: The police have been asked to
ensure the safety and dignity of women under
investigation.
They are also to ensure that their standard
operating procedures conform to the basic
principles of human rights.
Sharizat said she conveyed this to Inspector-General
of Police Tan Sri Mohd Bari Omar during their
meeting yesterday.
Yesterday, Malaysians were generally aghast to hearr the deputy IGP say that the police were going after the person who filmed the naked woman forced to do the ear squats!
As I said: They shoot the messenger, don't they?
Did you miss the deputy IGP's statement -- I won't blame you if you did -- The Star "buried" it in the inside pages. Frontpage ran a nopndescript story about checks on potential "Datukships" recipients -- ah, yes, written by a young journalist with TWO datukships. So now you get an inkling about what "news" priorities The People's Paper enjoys? Hey, that's a rhetorical question, unless the page 1 reporter wishes to rebut Desi's knotty insinuation. Is this a right word -- inSIN....!
After all da strange things going on in real life in da country that don't maketh sense, desiderata now takes a break into wordsmith country. Here the BeeGees refrain holds true:
"And words are all I have
To take your heArt away ..."
Da Clouds
i see a city
white mounds surround castle-like
wide huge floating residences
i see smilin' maidens
dancing by the windin' banks
of the windin' castle
built of white sheets and sand
i see children laughin'
they wave their hands at me
but i hear no sounds only images
of li'l ones dancing, floating,
fountains with running water
where the fair ladies and kids
quench their thirst and dance within
the pools of sparkling water
that shines forth a light
beckoning this stranger welcome
i want to reach da clouds
making my heart light and my sight bright
turning dark
then blinding flashes cut the far horizon
i hear the disturbing roar of thunder
da clouds have suddenly turned mighty dark
the afternnon sun hides behind the gray blanket
the smiling one becomes unruly
wreaking havoc as the waters blast the earth
with slashing wounds with unfeeling claps
the rivers over-run
The farmers' bund collapse
the highways become watery paths
only sea snakes and water fowls can graze
man becomes a victim to Nature
he has tried so hard to tame
testing bombs
shooting down hills and mountains with bombs
da clouds remind us
too often nowadays
tempt us not the elements of Nature
they too can surprise thee
with a visit
startling with a vengeance?
RIP answer to yesterday's ChallengiA:
After doing XXX number of ear squats,
how many fellow Malaysians can RIP?
Rise If Possible?
On da Deep Throat mystery...
He's MARK FELT, a former FBI deputy director.
OBVIOSULY A MAN WITH DEEP FEELINGS OF RIGHT VERSUS
WRONG. May Malaysia turn up more such feeling citizens?
RIP?
PS: Have you visited the neighbourhood VCD furthest you nyet? Saw any shadow following thee?
No, you're lucky. Cos they now shoot even at Da Shadow. ParanoiA.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Re-visiting All the President's Men
ChallengiA for a blueish Monday -- I ended one comment yesterday with:
Quo Vadis?
PDRM - RIP?
You know aht Quo Vadis means -- What happens next?
Try to educate Desi what RIP means...can you, my ER?
But whatever happens, life must go on, mustn't it?
Next challengia, no, I withdraw that, everyone knows this one, or maybe some not. -- Who was Deep Throat?
AS one deputy IGP knows it, he's a rogue. He whistle-blew. He caused the beginning of the downfall of a US President, and that's not good.
The status quo must be protected at all costs.
Who remembers the (IN)famous Vijendran tapes?
They did not successfully prosecute the "perpetrators" -- the actors, actresses, the film-maker or the"messenger/s" who exposed the expose.
Too many questions on a usually Blues Monday.
I'll just stop after a short commentary and a recommendation -- see Da Movie, go invest RM15.00 at your nearest home video shop, unwind that, from the shop furthest from you -- you don't want to be seen in the company of a "messenger".
In Our Country, They shoot the messenger, don't they?
So Desi is preparing to be less of a potential mess-enger, gonna be a 'ollywood, or itit 'olyCow. scribe, hence:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All the President's Men
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford
This is the landmark event in journalism history by which all investigative jornalism in future would come to be measured against. If journalism thrillers be thy cup of tea, order two tehtariks this afternoon (after doing thy work, okay! Earn your B&B, throw in some kaya too!), sit back and appreciate how Deep Throat unwound his venom to bring down that mighiest man in the world at that time -- Richard Milhouse Nixon, President of the Greatest Power in the 'hole wide worlda.
All the President's Men. featured Dustin Hoffman (remember him as the young graduate who enjoyed the most envied status to be seduced by ...ne'er mind, I digress, it's definitely not for I.Cs -- could also be charged for corrupting YoungMinds2!)
Dustin (see, I'm now into first name basis, claiming to be a film-sript writer-to-be...)and Robert Redford were matched respectively as The Washington Post reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, whose investigation into the Watergate Caper, eventually snowballed into the Watergate Scandal, eventually led to President Nixon's downfall in 1974. Their bestselling exposé was brilliantly adapted by screenwriter William Goldman, and director Alan Pakula that dramatised vividly what could have been a difficult progression of Da Washington politics quite beyong Malaysians in general to follow. WE only could understand the simple politics of Money, Money, and more Money down the corridors of the PWTC Great Hall, Wisma MCa, maybe Wisma micKEY?.
Featuring Jason Robards in his Oscar-winning role as Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee, the two-hour movie must surely rank as a Classic, along High Noon, Casablanca, Gone in 60 Seconds?!No, it was Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable's GONE WITH THE WIND.
The film is a dramatic account, based on the two Pulitzer Prize-winning reporters' book of the same name,(I have a copy, on loan at USD5 per minute! It's autographed, don't believe me, see me next April, first date!:(
It we had the likes of a deputy IGP during those days in charge of US security, President Nixon would have been laughing all the way to his grave. The scandal that brought down a Presidency and changed the course of world history would have been a mere incidental event stopped in its tracks in the first seven days of budding. No budding award-winning investigative journalism.
If there was no film-maker willing to stick his/her neck out to "capture" the naked woman order to do the ear squats at the PJ Police Hq, we wouldn't have the scandal expose, would we?
We would not have our Esteemed Prime Minister Pak Lah giving his edict to "uncover" the roguish acts and the perpetrators, would we?
But now they are out to nab the messenger.
I'm so afraid.
The thriller of Malaysian security movie in the making.
They say, in life, Fact is Stranger than Fiction.
In Our Country, it often proves to be true. (NO) Thanks to the shooters of messenger boys/gals2.
Tune in tomorrow -- Patience, can? for
ANSWER to ChallengiA, not fair to reveal the answer as Patience is a commodity running dry fast, and furious2! has to be re-fostered and recultivated, has to be H2O-ed. Halo-hello-ed!
Truth be told, if you were any nigh a thriller fan, Deep Throat came forth with his tru identity some months back, Uou miss'd the boat, didn't you? Oh, I don't blame thee -- maybe you're under aged when it happened, or maybe, not born yet, three decades ago. How time slipped us by.
Quo Vadis?
PDRM - RIP?
You know aht Quo Vadis means -- What happens next?
Try to educate Desi what RIP means...can you, my ER?
But whatever happens, life must go on, mustn't it?
Next challengia, no, I withdraw that, everyone knows this one, or maybe some not. -- Who was Deep Throat?
AS one deputy IGP knows it, he's a rogue. He whistle-blew. He caused the beginning of the downfall of a US President, and that's not good.
The status quo must be protected at all costs.
Who remembers the (IN)famous Vijendran tapes?
They did not successfully prosecute the "perpetrators" -- the actors, actresses, the film-maker or the"messenger/s" who exposed the expose.
Too many questions on a usually Blues Monday.
I'll just stop after a short commentary and a recommendation -- see Da Movie, go invest RM15.00 at your nearest home video shop, unwind that, from the shop furthest from you -- you don't want to be seen in the company of a "messenger".
In Our Country, They shoot the messenger, don't they?
So Desi is preparing to be less of a potential mess-enger, gonna be a 'ollywood, or itit 'olyCow. scribe, hence:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All the President's Men
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford
This is the landmark event in journalism history by which all investigative jornalism in future would come to be measured against. If journalism thrillers be thy cup of tea, order two tehtariks this afternoon (after doing thy work, okay! Earn your B&B, throw in some kaya too!), sit back and appreciate how Deep Throat unwound his venom to bring down that mighiest man in the world at that time -- Richard Milhouse Nixon, President of the Greatest Power in the 'hole wide worlda.
All the President's Men. featured Dustin Hoffman (remember him as the young graduate who enjoyed the most envied status to be seduced by ...ne'er mind, I digress, it's definitely not for I.Cs -- could also be charged for corrupting YoungMinds2!)
Dustin (see, I'm now into first name basis, claiming to be a film-sript writer-to-be...)and Robert Redford were matched respectively as The Washington Post reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, whose investigation into the Watergate Caper, eventually snowballed into the Watergate Scandal, eventually led to President Nixon's downfall in 1974. Their bestselling exposé was brilliantly adapted by screenwriter William Goldman, and director Alan Pakula that dramatised vividly what could have been a difficult progression of Da Washington politics quite beyong Malaysians in general to follow. WE only could understand the simple politics of Money, Money, and more Money down the corridors of the PWTC Great Hall, Wisma MCa, maybe Wisma micKEY?.
Featuring Jason Robards in his Oscar-winning role as Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee, the two-hour movie must surely rank as a Classic, along High Noon, Casablanca, Gone in 60 Seconds?!No, it was Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable's GONE WITH THE WIND.
The film is a dramatic account, based on the two Pulitzer Prize-winning reporters' book of the same name,(I have a copy, on loan at USD5 per minute! It's autographed, don't believe me, see me next April, first date!:(
It we had the likes of a deputy IGP during those days in charge of US security, President Nixon would have been laughing all the way to his grave. The scandal that brought down a Presidency and changed the course of world history would have been a mere incidental event stopped in its tracks in the first seven days of budding. No budding award-winning investigative journalism.
If there was no film-maker willing to stick his/her neck out to "capture" the naked woman order to do the ear squats at the PJ Police Hq, we wouldn't have the scandal expose, would we?
We would not have our Esteemed Prime Minister Pak Lah giving his edict to "uncover" the roguish acts and the perpetrators, would we?
But now they are out to nab the messenger.
I'm so afraid.
The thriller of Malaysian security movie in the making.
They say, in life, Fact is Stranger than Fiction.
In Our Country, it often proves to be true. (NO) Thanks to the shooters of messenger boys/gals2.
Tune in tomorrow -- Patience, can? for
ANSWER to ChallengiA, not fair to reveal the answer as Patience is a commodity running dry fast, and furious2! has to be re-fostered and recultivated, has to be H2O-ed. Halo-hello-ed!
Truth be told, if you were any nigh a thriller fan, Deep Throat came forth with his tru identity some months back, Uou miss'd the boat, didn't you? Oh, I don't blame thee -- maybe you're under aged when it happened, or maybe, not born yet, three decades ago. How time slipped us by.
Monday, November 28, 2005
they shoot the messsenger!
desiderata.english
This morn I ordered my usual bourgeosie Breakfast, da CON BF I accord myself to deviate from my normal socialist-inclined weekdays where I work blood, sweat and tears, and then make compensation with sundaes, everthing luxury and nice. But page 5 headline of The Star took away my appetite.
In the olde days, the "telegram" service was often used as a bearer of good, bad and urgent news.
But the recipients often were grateful to the "messenger" who brought the news -- whther it was an invite to a wedding, news of the death of a loved one, good/bad news or otherwise, so-so news. Grateful for the service, some recipients even gave the deliverer a small tip--no, not on the stockmarket, just a token of appreciation like fruit basket or a few ringgit for kopi-o kau-kau.
But nowadays, messengers of bad news run a risk of being shot.
Like the hazards that come along with a dedicated reporter. It's like the readers "blaming" the reporters for updating news from Doomsville like the battlefront, disaster front or tragedy front. The bearer of bad news often gets shot in the crosssfires of the news recipients who can't use the rational mind anymore -- to distinguish the Singer, and the Song, or maybe the Orchestra. I don't lnow if this metaphor is appropriate, but you'll see more clearly after I reprise a follow-up to Yesterday's woe.
What Desi has feared has indeed come to pass.I reprise the relevant portion of yesterday's post:
"I hope the "film maker" who video-taped the eye-opener woman doing the ear squats won't be hunted down and then made a "victim".
I also yesterday recalled: See what happend to the 18-year-old who made a complaint to the ACA regarding giving a "bribe under duress" for a minor traffic offence? She's facing a suit from the PC allegedly the officer receiving the bribe.
OR for those with longer memories, remember the Vijendran tapes that "went up in smoke" before time? For mg younger readers, buy me a tehtarik and nasi lemak at Haridas on a cold night and I'll brief thee briefly da details!
Today, as I said I feared, the worst fear has come to pass. The police are going after the messenger who broke the bad news of the stripped naked woman. They are NOT after the wrongdoers, including the woman officer wearing the tudung shown in the picture!
Okay,
Who shot that video?
Police to go after person who filmed naked woman
KUALA LUMPUR: Who shot the scenes? This is the crux of police investigations into the controversial video clip showing a naked Chinese woman doing ear squats while in police custody.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Musa Hassan said whoever took the video clip -- whether from the force or a civilian -- would be charged under the Penal Code with insulting the modesty of a person or intruding into the privacy of a woman.
Among other things said, this is the quotable quote:
"It is the perpetrattor behind the video footage whom we are after and not the policewoman, who was carrying out a routine check."
I had earlier planned to write about the deteriorating standards of English in Malaysia, but other "security" matters took precedence. It also caused depression. It cut shot my writer's drive.
I break for true R&R and wish my fellow Malaysians GOoDDay
if it's posssible to find one after spoiling your lunch, dinner and supper on this supposedly a potential Beautiful Sunday.
For Desi and a few mGF, we're adjourning to pray. Veryt hard, and very quietly so that no messengers can carry mour innermost thoughts to the powers-that-be.
Desi doesn't want another passenger to be shot!
Can you can an "Amen/Amin" after me? A loud one, so that the authorities know it's the end of a prayer.
I guess we're still allowed/aloud to say Our Daily Prayer?
This morn I ordered my usual bourgeosie Breakfast, da CON BF I accord myself to deviate from my normal socialist-inclined weekdays where I work blood, sweat and tears, and then make compensation with sundaes, everthing luxury and nice. But page 5 headline of The Star took away my appetite.
In the olde days, the "telegram" service was often used as a bearer of good, bad and urgent news.
But the recipients often were grateful to the "messenger" who brought the news -- whther it was an invite to a wedding, news of the death of a loved one, good/bad news or otherwise, so-so news. Grateful for the service, some recipients even gave the deliverer a small tip--no, not on the stockmarket, just a token of appreciation like fruit basket or a few ringgit for kopi-o kau-kau.
But nowadays, messengers of bad news run a risk of being shot.
Like the hazards that come along with a dedicated reporter. It's like the readers "blaming" the reporters for updating news from Doomsville like the battlefront, disaster front or tragedy front. The bearer of bad news often gets shot in the crosssfires of the news recipients who can't use the rational mind anymore -- to distinguish the Singer, and the Song, or maybe the Orchestra. I don't lnow if this metaphor is appropriate, but you'll see more clearly after I reprise a follow-up to Yesterday's woe.
What Desi has feared has indeed come to pass.I reprise the relevant portion of yesterday's post:
"I hope the "film maker" who video-taped the eye-opener woman doing the ear squats won't be hunted down and then made a "victim".
I also yesterday recalled: See what happend to the 18-year-old who made a complaint to the ACA regarding giving a "bribe under duress" for a minor traffic offence? She's facing a suit from the PC allegedly the officer receiving the bribe.
OR for those with longer memories, remember the Vijendran tapes that "went up in smoke" before time? For mg younger readers, buy me a tehtarik and nasi lemak at Haridas on a cold night and I'll brief thee briefly da details!
Today, as I said I feared, the worst fear has come to pass. The police are going after the messenger who broke the bad news of the stripped naked woman. They are NOT after the wrongdoers, including the woman officer wearing the tudung shown in the picture!
Okay,
Who shot that video?
Police to go after person who filmed naked woman
KUALA LUMPUR: Who shot the scenes? This is the crux of police investigations into the controversial video clip showing a naked Chinese woman doing ear squats while in police custody.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Musa Hassan said whoever took the video clip -- whether from the force or a civilian -- would be charged under the Penal Code with insulting the modesty of a person or intruding into the privacy of a woman.
Among other things said, this is the quotable quote:
"It is the perpetrattor behind the video footage whom we are after and not the policewoman, who was carrying out a routine check."
I had earlier planned to write about the deteriorating standards of English in Malaysia, but other "security" matters took precedence. It also caused depression. It cut shot my writer's drive.
I break for true R&R and wish my fellow Malaysians GOoDDay
if it's posssible to find one after spoiling your lunch, dinner and supper on this supposedly a potential Beautiful Sunday.
For Desi and a few mGF, we're adjourning to pray. Veryt hard, and very quietly so that no messengers can carry mour innermost thoughts to the powers-that-be.
Desi doesn't want another passenger to be shot!
Can you can an "Amen/Amin" after me? A loud one, so that the authorities know it's the end of a prayer.
I guess we're still allowed/aloud to say Our Daily Prayer?
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Personification versus Institutionalisation
In Malaysia, the Prime Minister needs to issue personal edicts before the froggies jump.
Malaysian boasts the latest infrastructure and technology but the pace is still bullock cart and wheels.
You know WHY?
Tell you why -- but don't point da finger at Desi.
I'm only the messenger.
Read The Star frontpage today -- it demonstrates my point about the "dummy soldiers".
Saturday November 26, 2005
PM: It's shameful
Naked woman incident a blow to country's image
The nation's CEO is overseas on official duty and it had to be him issuing another edict all the way from VALLETA (Malta) before things got cracking.
By now the whole nation knows what's gripped the people's awe and surprise the past 24 hours, causing widespread indignation and rage and depression.
Quoting the starting para: "The video clip showing a naked woman doing ear squats while watched by another woman in uniform has shamed the country, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
He added that he had called deputy IGP and instructed him to thoroughly and immediately investigatethe matter.
Deputy PM Najib Tun Razak also pledged to conduct a thorough investigation, saying the video clip was the first documented evidence of a detainee abused.
and in The Star again, Page 4, a related report, with substantial extracts:
Police already probing video clip before public exposure
KUALA LUMPUR: Police were already investigating the video clip showing a naked woman doing ear squats in front of another woman in uniform before it was exposed in Parliament.
MCA head of Public Service and Complaints Department Datuk Michael Chong said he received the video clip via MMS last Saturday.
“I immediately called Selangor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Yahaya Udin.
“We met on Tuesday (Nov 22) and I showed him the clip and discussed what action should be taken,” Chong said at his office yesterday.
Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation vice-chairman M. Jayabarathi was also at the meeting.
“We were all shocked with what we saw, and Datuk Yahaya promised to investigate its source and authenticity.
“He informed me on Wednesday that police were close to finding the culprits,” Chong said.
On Thursday, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok showed the clip to ministers, MPs and the media at Parliament House.
Asked why he did not hold a press conference on the matter, Chong said it was not his way of doing things.
“I cannot be 100% sure and put the blame on the police just because of a video clip. I have to check both sides, and if it is true then action must be taken,” he said.
“I chose not to blow up the matter as the image of the police force had already been tarnished. By releasing it to the press, the whole force would be demoralised.
.
.
“This is not to say that Teresa Kok was wrong in what she did. It is just that we have different ways of solving problems,” he added.
DESIDERATA: The problem in OUR COUNTRY is that where there are spoils to be gained, there is no lack of high officials and common folks rushing to do their duty.
When it comes to doing true national duty as paid officials and government servants where no immediate gains are to be had, the system plods on at bullock cart and wheels pace.
To the second news report, it is noted that FIVE DAYS had paased by before MP Teresa Kok broke the stroy in Parliament House. Does it require THAT LONG for the police chiefs to trace down the culprit to the PJ Police Headquarters, yet with Teresa beating them to breaking the story?
Letters from the public to government departments are never answered -- I guess all of us have such experience to tell. Shuttled from counter to counter -- "come back another day", a common refrain, as standard reply given by publlic servants as related by the public, especially by less educated JoePublic who does not know his rights.
High offices are "personal-to-holder" occupied, which simply translated, is PERSONIFIED. If the head is not around, don't ask to see the second man, he can't help you!
Personalification means these powerful positions are at the whims and fancies of the occupant. In his absence, even the second man does not move! So wait until the PM orders: JUMP!
Then the underlings move a few baby steps.
I hope the "film maker" who video-taped the eye-opener woman doing the ear squats won't be hunted down and then made a "victim".
See what happend to the 18-year-old who made a complaint to the ACA regarding giving a "bribe uder duresss" for a minor traffic offence? She's facing a suit from the PC allegedly the officer receiving the bribe.
OR for those with longer memories, remember the Vijendran tapes that "went up in smoke" before time? For mg younger readers, buy me a tehtarik and nasi lemak at Haridas on a cold night and I'll brief thee briefly da details!
Hence, Malayia's CEO is taxed to his limits -- so how do we expect the country to move forward towqrds developed nation status.I wonder if Pak Lah could have at least six hours sleep a day if he's going to be bogged down with minutiae?
Execution and enforcement of the daily scheme of things should be INSITUTIONALISED.We must fix the systems, not the symptoms. At least this was what former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad as a trained doctor knows very well. Maybe I'll support Dr Chua Soi Lek as a future PM of OUR MALAYSIA, Thinking Allowed?
Why should all these Chinese women in distress head towards Wisma MCA to PERSPONAALY SEE MICHAEL CHONG to have their problems attended to.
FOR FAR TOO LONG POWER IS CXONCENTRATED IN A FEW PERSONS" HANDS THAT THE SYSTEM DOES NOT MOVE ON ITS OWN ACCORD. WHY WE WE TURN CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS TO THE STATUS OF DEMI-GODS?
It's time to establish an OMBUDSMAN SYSTEM NATIONWIDE. Citizens should not owe any gratitude to any particular political party (e,g, MCA in Michael Chong's case, not detracting from the 'good' work he's doing...). Why do we need to politicised what are clearly human rights and civil society issues?
Why do we need to every time rung to PAK LAH to just have a hearing relating to police abuse? What are the IGP and police personnel there for if not to ensure the safety and security of Malaysians?
Malaysia has reached crisis points in many areas: where insitutions have been taken over by powerful individuals. I'm not just referring to Government -- it's the same with many NGOs and Opposition parties. Do you wish Desi to be hung up the tallest tree in the country by naming a few? Okay, sticking my neck out: identification (now or at one time) --- Aliran with..., ISIS with ...DAP, UMNO, MCA with ...MB of NS, CM of Sarawak with ... ad nauseum.
We need to have systems running even in the absence of the head. The Cabinet comprises specialised Ministries with their own heads, not just the Prime Minister. Let's not deitify any Malaysain individuals. The human being comes and goes -- but the systme msut stay and run ... if only the officers charged with the duty do their national duty. Let's do away with the RM600nmillion National Service Programme. Send our Heads of Departmet for some basic refresher courses on what ownership, jurisdiction, responsibility and accvountability -- yes, national service -- truly mean, in word and deed.
At do we need to every day hearthe same voice of a former Oppoistion leader to be a spokesman of every asppect of Malaysian life? As he goes around in suit and a luxury car sitting on the boards of listed companies while claiming to the Voice of an SOCIAL ACTIVIST, day in day out. I'm thinking of filing a class action suit as a member of the CivilSociety I'm trying to be an activist in, just specialising in my area of wordsmithing. Any lawyer-cum-socialist out there on similat thoughts? I think one fellow journalist named Nadeswaran (Salute my media friend...for a job well done so far!) may just fit the bill by half.I still need a qualified legal officer!
My email is chongyl2000@yahoo.com, but please don't pass it around to the wrong people -- I may have to visit Michael Chong to overcome the impasse!
Malaysian boasts the latest infrastructure and technology but the pace is still bullock cart and wheels.
You know WHY?
Tell you why -- but don't point da finger at Desi.
I'm only the messenger.
Read The Star frontpage today -- it demonstrates my point about the "dummy soldiers".
Saturday November 26, 2005
PM: It's shameful
Naked woman incident a blow to country's image
The nation's CEO is overseas on official duty and it had to be him issuing another edict all the way from VALLETA (Malta) before things got cracking.
By now the whole nation knows what's gripped the people's awe and surprise the past 24 hours, causing widespread indignation and rage and depression.
Quoting the starting para: "The video clip showing a naked woman doing ear squats while watched by another woman in uniform has shamed the country, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
He added that he had called deputy IGP and instructed him to thoroughly and immediately investigatethe matter.
Deputy PM Najib Tun Razak also pledged to conduct a thorough investigation, saying the video clip was the first documented evidence of a detainee abused.
and in The Star again, Page 4, a related report, with substantial extracts:
Police already probing video clip before public exposure
KUALA LUMPUR: Police were already investigating the video clip showing a naked woman doing ear squats in front of another woman in uniform before it was exposed in Parliament.
MCA head of Public Service and Complaints Department Datuk Michael Chong said he received the video clip via MMS last Saturday.
“I immediately called Selangor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Yahaya Udin.
“We met on Tuesday (Nov 22) and I showed him the clip and discussed what action should be taken,” Chong said at his office yesterday.
Malaysian Crime Prevention Foundation vice-chairman M. Jayabarathi was also at the meeting.
“We were all shocked with what we saw, and Datuk Yahaya promised to investigate its source and authenticity.
“He informed me on Wednesday that police were close to finding the culprits,” Chong said.
On Thursday, Seputeh MP Teresa Kok showed the clip to ministers, MPs and the media at Parliament House.
Asked why he did not hold a press conference on the matter, Chong said it was not his way of doing things.
“I cannot be 100% sure and put the blame on the police just because of a video clip. I have to check both sides, and if it is true then action must be taken,” he said.
“I chose not to blow up the matter as the image of the police force had already been tarnished. By releasing it to the press, the whole force would be demoralised.
.
.
“This is not to say that Teresa Kok was wrong in what she did. It is just that we have different ways of solving problems,” he added.
DESIDERATA: The problem in OUR COUNTRY is that where there are spoils to be gained, there is no lack of high officials and common folks rushing to do their duty.
When it comes to doing true national duty as paid officials and government servants where no immediate gains are to be had, the system plods on at bullock cart and wheels pace.
To the second news report, it is noted that FIVE DAYS had paased by before MP Teresa Kok broke the stroy in Parliament House. Does it require THAT LONG for the police chiefs to trace down the culprit to the PJ Police Headquarters, yet with Teresa beating them to breaking the story?
Letters from the public to government departments are never answered -- I guess all of us have such experience to tell. Shuttled from counter to counter -- "come back another day", a common refrain, as standard reply given by publlic servants as related by the public, especially by less educated JoePublic who does not know his rights.
High offices are "personal-to-holder" occupied, which simply translated, is PERSONIFIED. If the head is not around, don't ask to see the second man, he can't help you!
Personalification means these powerful positions are at the whims and fancies of the occupant. In his absence, even the second man does not move! So wait until the PM orders: JUMP!
Then the underlings move a few baby steps.
I hope the "film maker" who video-taped the eye-opener woman doing the ear squats won't be hunted down and then made a "victim".
See what happend to the 18-year-old who made a complaint to the ACA regarding giving a "bribe uder duresss" for a minor traffic offence? She's facing a suit from the PC allegedly the officer receiving the bribe.
OR for those with longer memories, remember the Vijendran tapes that "went up in smoke" before time? For mg younger readers, buy me a tehtarik and nasi lemak at Haridas on a cold night and I'll brief thee briefly da details!
Hence, Malayia's CEO is taxed to his limits -- so how do we expect the country to move forward towqrds developed nation status.I wonder if Pak Lah could have at least six hours sleep a day if he's going to be bogged down with minutiae?
Execution and enforcement of the daily scheme of things should be INSITUTIONALISED.We must fix the systems, not the symptoms. At least this was what former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad as a trained doctor knows very well. Maybe I'll support Dr Chua Soi Lek as a future PM of OUR MALAYSIA, Thinking Allowed?
Why should all these Chinese women in distress head towards Wisma MCA to PERSPONAALY SEE MICHAEL CHONG to have their problems attended to.
FOR FAR TOO LONG POWER IS CXONCENTRATED IN A FEW PERSONS" HANDS THAT THE SYSTEM DOES NOT MOVE ON ITS OWN ACCORD. WHY WE WE TURN CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS TO THE STATUS OF DEMI-GODS?
It's time to establish an OMBUDSMAN SYSTEM NATIONWIDE. Citizens should not owe any gratitude to any particular political party (e,g, MCA in Michael Chong's case, not detracting from the 'good' work he's doing...). Why do we need to politicised what are clearly human rights and civil society issues?
Why do we need to every time rung to PAK LAH to just have a hearing relating to police abuse? What are the IGP and police personnel there for if not to ensure the safety and security of Malaysians?
Malaysia has reached crisis points in many areas: where insitutions have been taken over by powerful individuals. I'm not just referring to Government -- it's the same with many NGOs and Opposition parties. Do you wish Desi to be hung up the tallest tree in the country by naming a few? Okay, sticking my neck out: identification (now or at one time) --- Aliran with..., ISIS with ...DAP, UMNO, MCA with ...MB of NS, CM of Sarawak with ... ad nauseum.
We need to have systems running even in the absence of the head. The Cabinet comprises specialised Ministries with their own heads, not just the Prime Minister. Let's not deitify any Malaysain individuals. The human being comes and goes -- but the systme msut stay and run ... if only the officers charged with the duty do their national duty. Let's do away with the RM600nmillion National Service Programme. Send our Heads of Departmet for some basic refresher courses on what ownership, jurisdiction, responsibility and accvountability -- yes, national service -- truly mean, in word and deed.
At do we need to every day hearthe same voice of a former Oppoistion leader to be a spokesman of every asppect of Malaysian life? As he goes around in suit and a luxury car sitting on the boards of listed companies while claiming to the Voice of an SOCIAL ACTIVIST, day in day out. I'm thinking of filing a class action suit as a member of the CivilSociety I'm trying to be an activist in, just specialising in my area of wordsmithing. Any lawyer-cum-socialist out there on similat thoughts? I think one fellow journalist named Nadeswaran (Salute my media friend...for a job well done so far!) may just fit the bill by half.I still need a qualified legal officer!
My email is chongyl2000@yahoo.com, but please don't pass it around to the wrong people -- I may have to visit Michael Chong to overcome the impasse!
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Breathe, mGf, breathe...
Friday is for a Child born to Win at Love, they say.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Desi truly, and unabahshedly, confesses he envies Faith Hill's significant Other! TIM MCGRAW is a significant country singer in his own right, yet I feel he's more wel known as Mr Faith!
I'm also guilty of the same as ofen I foundit hard to recall Tim's name, but he shone at the recent AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS.
From the VOA -- apologise for some American media sell here, but WTH, IF MUSIC BE THE FOOD OF LOVE, PLAY ON...as da Bard says. No, the WTH is not part of da quote, you I.Cs! Hey, TGIF, Desi is more than in hi-spirirs, especially when brudder Im has gotten into Round 3! Marathon M/F...
Hip-hop chart toppers Black Eyed Peas and alternative rock band Green Day were among several musical acts taking home multiple prizes at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles Tuesday night.
The Black Eyes Peas earned favorite group honors in both the rap/hip hop and pop-rock categories while Green Day won for favorite artist in the alternative category and best pop-rock album for their critically acclaimed recording, "American Idiot."
Other multiple winners included country star Tim McGraw, who won for best country artist and album, and soul trio Destiny's Child, who won awards for best soul/rhythm and blues group and album.
Mariah Carey holds award for favorite soul/rhythm & blues female artist
Singer Mariah Carey led the field with four nominations, but took home only one award, for favorite female artist in the soul/rhythm and blues category.
(Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.)
At one stage of this writer's life, he was playing a CD featuring the Best of FAITH HILL agin and agin so that he could overcome whatever blocks that came his way. I hoe Tim McGraw didn't get any jealous!
She asks him to:
"Breathe"
I can feel the magic floating in the air
Being with you gets me that way
I watch the sunlight dance across your face and I've
Never been this swept away
All my thoughts seem to settle on the breeze
When I'm lying wrapped up in your arms
The whole world just fades away
The only thing I hear
Is the beating of your heart
‘Cause I can feel you breathe
It's washing over me
Suddenly I'm melting into you
There's nothing left to prove
Baby all we need is just to be
Caught up in the touch
The slow and steady rush
Baby, isn't that the way that love's supposed to be
I can feel you breathe
Just breathe
In a way I know my heart is waking up
As all the walls come tumbling down
I’m closer than I've ever felt before
And I know
And you know
There's no need for words right now
‘Cause I can feel you breathe
It's washing over me
Suddenly I'm melting into you
There's nothing left to prove
Baby all we need is just to be
Caught up in the touch
The slow and steady rush
Baby, isn't that the way that love's supposed to be
I can feel you breathe
Just breathe
Caught up in the touch
The slow and steady rush
Baby, isn't that the way that love's supposed to be
I can feel you breathe
Just breathe
I can feel the magic floating in the air
Being with you gets me that way
DESIDERATA read read sisdar Sabrina's kind advice to brudder Imran, and she ends with Breathe...
To amm my EsteemedReaders, life is all about this simple exercise of Breathing...
When an individual is able to wake up with the sunrise every day, he is still breathing.
That remains a mircale.
The miracle of Life.
So brudder Im,
L'VE.
While HOWSY from London updates me with nugets of Malaysian Cabinet members' records, a Dr Howdy humours me, so here's one li'l rumour while some of Pak Lah's ministers are always hanging around, elected in 1969, 74, 78 ...ad nauseum ... because Desi and mGf Howsy forgot to file their nomination papers! 1978, 74, 69 ...Many of these monkeys at da august House are steal at at! page 8, The Star, November 24,2005 to wit1 "Session turns into a circus"; ctd page 14, November 25, to wit2: "Lim stillup in arms over monkey business".
"The police recently arrested a man selling "secret formula" tablets
he claimed gave eternal youth. When going through their files they
noticed it was the fifth time he was caught for committing this
same criminal medical fraud.
He had earlier been arrested in 1794, 1856, 1928 and 1983....
And why Desi feels our Members of Parliament should adjourn to Old MacDonald's ....to conduct their proceedings ...
"Two UNC basketball players were taking an important
final exam. If they failed, they would be on academic
probation & not allowed to play in the big game. The
exam was fill-in-the-blank.
The last question read, "Old MacDonald had a ________."
Putty Duh was stumped. He had no idea what to answer.
But he knew he needed to get this one right to be sure he
passed. Making sure the professor wasn't watching, he
tapped Tiny on the shoulder. "Pssst. Tiny. What's the
answer to the last question?"
Tiny quietly laughed. "Putty, you're so stupid.
Everyone knows Old MacDonald had a FARM."
"Oh yeah," said Putty Duh. "I remember now."
He picked up his No. 2 pencil and started to write
the answer in the blank. He stopped. Tapping Tiny's
shoulder again, he whispered, "Tiny, how do you spell
farm?"
"You are really dumb, Putty Duh. That's so easy.
Farm is spelled E-I-E-I-O."
Have faith, the Monkeys and Donkeys will still be around ... Maintaining dat Zoo along Jalan Parlimen is very cheap-one, What -- you pay me peanuts, what do you expect to get?To serve thee, entertain thee, maybe labour thee, then to haunt thee? Take your pick, Malaysian politics is so democratic.Following one Malaysian university style, an examination paper with objective format. No wonder HOWSY draws a parallel: See no evil, Hear no evil, Speak no evil.
Desi writes no evil. No fable, no fabrication. Only breathing...
To All mGf, Have a niCe weekend before dime.
To Sweets:)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Desi truly, and unabahshedly, confesses he envies Faith Hill's significant Other! TIM MCGRAW is a significant country singer in his own right, yet I feel he's more wel known as Mr Faith!
I'm also guilty of the same as ofen I foundit hard to recall Tim's name, but he shone at the recent AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS.
From the VOA -- apologise for some American media sell here, but WTH, IF MUSIC BE THE FOOD OF LOVE, PLAY ON...as da Bard says. No, the WTH is not part of da quote, you I.Cs! Hey, TGIF, Desi is more than in hi-spirirs, especially when brudder Im has gotten into Round 3! Marathon M/F...
Hip-hop chart toppers Black Eyed Peas and alternative rock band Green Day were among several musical acts taking home multiple prizes at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles Tuesday night.
The Black Eyes Peas earned favorite group honors in both the rap/hip hop and pop-rock categories while Green Day won for favorite artist in the alternative category and best pop-rock album for their critically acclaimed recording, "American Idiot."
Other multiple winners included country star Tim McGraw, who won for best country artist and album, and soul trio Destiny's Child, who won awards for best soul/rhythm and blues group and album.
Mariah Carey holds award for favorite soul/rhythm & blues female artist
Singer Mariah Carey led the field with four nominations, but took home only one award, for favorite female artist in the soul/rhythm and blues category.
(Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.)
At one stage of this writer's life, he was playing a CD featuring the Best of FAITH HILL agin and agin so that he could overcome whatever blocks that came his way. I hoe Tim McGraw didn't get any jealous!
She asks him to:
"Breathe"
I can feel the magic floating in the air
Being with you gets me that way
I watch the sunlight dance across your face and I've
Never been this swept away
All my thoughts seem to settle on the breeze
When I'm lying wrapped up in your arms
The whole world just fades away
The only thing I hear
Is the beating of your heart
‘Cause I can feel you breathe
It's washing over me
Suddenly I'm melting into you
There's nothing left to prove
Baby all we need is just to be
Caught up in the touch
The slow and steady rush
Baby, isn't that the way that love's supposed to be
I can feel you breathe
Just breathe
In a way I know my heart is waking up
As all the walls come tumbling down
I’m closer than I've ever felt before
And I know
And you know
There's no need for words right now
‘Cause I can feel you breathe
It's washing over me
Suddenly I'm melting into you
There's nothing left to prove
Baby all we need is just to be
Caught up in the touch
The slow and steady rush
Baby, isn't that the way that love's supposed to be
I can feel you breathe
Just breathe
Caught up in the touch
The slow and steady rush
Baby, isn't that the way that love's supposed to be
I can feel you breathe
Just breathe
I can feel the magic floating in the air
Being with you gets me that way
DESIDERATA read read sisdar Sabrina's kind advice to brudder Imran, and she ends with Breathe...
To amm my EsteemedReaders, life is all about this simple exercise of Breathing...
When an individual is able to wake up with the sunrise every day, he is still breathing.
That remains a mircale.
The miracle of Life.
So brudder Im,
L'VE.
While HOWSY from London updates me with nugets of Malaysian Cabinet members' records, a Dr Howdy humours me, so here's one li'l rumour while some of Pak Lah's ministers are always hanging around, elected in 1969, 74, 78 ...ad nauseum ... because Desi and mGf Howsy forgot to file their nomination papers! 1978, 74, 69 ...Many of these monkeys at da august House are steal at at! page 8, The Star, November 24,2005 to wit1 "Session turns into a circus"; ctd page 14, November 25, to wit2: "Lim stillup in arms over monkey business".
"The police recently arrested a man selling "secret formula" tablets
he claimed gave eternal youth. When going through their files they
noticed it was the fifth time he was caught for committing this
same criminal medical fraud.
He had earlier been arrested in 1794, 1856, 1928 and 1983....
And why Desi feels our Members of Parliament should adjourn to Old MacDonald's ....to conduct their proceedings ...
"Two UNC basketball players were taking an important
final exam. If they failed, they would be on academic
probation & not allowed to play in the big game. The
exam was fill-in-the-blank.
The last question read, "Old MacDonald had a ________."
Putty Duh was stumped. He had no idea what to answer.
But he knew he needed to get this one right to be sure he
passed. Making sure the professor wasn't watching, he
tapped Tiny on the shoulder. "Pssst. Tiny. What's the
answer to the last question?"
Tiny quietly laughed. "Putty, you're so stupid.
Everyone knows Old MacDonald had a FARM."
"Oh yeah," said Putty Duh. "I remember now."
He picked up his No. 2 pencil and started to write
the answer in the blank. He stopped. Tapping Tiny's
shoulder again, he whispered, "Tiny, how do you spell
farm?"
"You are really dumb, Putty Duh. That's so easy.
Farm is spelled E-I-E-I-O."
Have faith, the Monkeys and Donkeys will still be around ... Maintaining dat Zoo along Jalan Parlimen is very cheap-one, What -- you pay me peanuts, what do you expect to get?To serve thee, entertain thee, maybe labour thee, then to haunt thee? Take your pick, Malaysian politics is so democratic.Following one Malaysian university style, an examination paper with objective format. No wonder HOWSY draws a parallel: See no evil, Hear no evil, Speak no evil.
Desi writes no evil. No fable, no fabrication. Only breathing...
To All mGf, Have a niCe weekend before dime.
To Sweets:)
Friday, November 25, 2005
The Marathon M/F
The Marathon Man
He swims against the tide
And rows the boat upstream
He drinks straight from the pipe
Others desire the evian du dream
She sings of labour as Joy
Others complain daily of mondane's toil
She brings up kids by the dozen
Wayward kids, aimless rovers, the Lost Ctitizen
Ne'er mind the toil of labour
If it's for country and fellow mankind
It's worth the while to pause and savour
That Nature has still its fruits to share
yet leave some behind
So run that extra mile
Wake up before the sunshine
So carry your ailing brother for a while
The burdened shared is lessened o' Divine
When other bodies rest in the shade
You challenge yours in the heat to make
A thousand smiles out of a hundred frowns
A thousand servicemen out of a hundred clowns
The Most Honourable ones are not in the zoo
At Parliament House they speak from morn till dawn
You call me monkee, I call thee moron
Yes, making mega bucks while dishinh out drivel for a yawn
Common folks, my friends
We don't need these leaders to make amends
The vote in in your hand
It's you who make the Marathon Man
So let's swim in the cold waters
Let the YBs enjoy theit hot showers
They play monkees and morons
Let's laff at 'em donkeys at our sojourns
At first glance you think M/F
is either Male or Female, right?
That's 'cos of your preconditioned mind
Says Desi, may he a li'l direct,a mite unkind
Many counsel thee to think out of the box
But you ask: what does that mean
I'll say this: Life's often a hoax
Just contiue swimming upstream
If you stil can't be a Marathan Man
It doesn't matter
We'll all be the happier
If you maketh a Marathon Friend
PS at 10.22am: As a special Flight&Easy dedication, Desi dedicates to one mGf who has been running a maradonnathon with Desi for some time. We'll keep on running ...
The Impossible Dream
Lyrics by Joe Darion
Music by Mitch Leigh
To dream the impossible dream,
To fight the unbeatable foe,
To bear with unbearable sorrow,
To run where the brave dare not go.
To right the unrightable wrong,
To love pure and chaste from afar,
To try when your arms are too weary,
To reach the unreachable star.
This is my quest,
To follow that star --
No matter how hopeless,
No matter how far.
To fight for the right
Without question or pause,
To be willing to march
Into hell for a heavenly cause.
And I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will be peaceful and calm
when I'm laid to my rest.
And the world will be better for this,
that one man scorned and covered with scars
still strove with his last ounce of courage.
To reach the unreachable star.
To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go.
To right the unrightable wrong
To be better far than you are
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star.
This is my quest, to follow that star,
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far
To be willing to give when there's no more to give
To be willing to die so that honor and justice may live
And I know if I'll only be true to this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm when I'm laid to my rest
And the world will be better for this
That one man scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star.
He swims against the tide
And rows the boat upstream
He drinks straight from the pipe
Others desire the evian du dream
She sings of labour as Joy
Others complain daily of mondane's toil
She brings up kids by the dozen
Wayward kids, aimless rovers, the Lost Ctitizen
Ne'er mind the toil of labour
If it's for country and fellow mankind
It's worth the while to pause and savour
That Nature has still its fruits to share
yet leave some behind
So run that extra mile
Wake up before the sunshine
So carry your ailing brother for a while
The burdened shared is lessened o' Divine
When other bodies rest in the shade
You challenge yours in the heat to make
A thousand smiles out of a hundred frowns
A thousand servicemen out of a hundred clowns
The Most Honourable ones are not in the zoo
At Parliament House they speak from morn till dawn
You call me monkee, I call thee moron
Yes, making mega bucks while dishinh out drivel for a yawn
Common folks, my friends
We don't need these leaders to make amends
The vote in in your hand
It's you who make the Marathon Man
So let's swim in the cold waters
Let the YBs enjoy theit hot showers
They play monkees and morons
Let's laff at 'em donkeys at our sojourns
At first glance you think M/F
is either Male or Female, right?
That's 'cos of your preconditioned mind
Says Desi, may he a li'l direct,a mite unkind
Many counsel thee to think out of the box
But you ask: what does that mean
I'll say this: Life's often a hoax
Just contiue swimming upstream
If you stil can't be a Marathan Man
It doesn't matter
We'll all be the happier
If you maketh a Marathon Friend
PS at 10.22am: As a special Flight&Easy dedication, Desi dedicates to one mGf who has been running a maradonnathon with Desi for some time. We'll keep on running ...
The Impossible Dream
Lyrics by Joe Darion
Music by Mitch Leigh
To dream the impossible dream,
To fight the unbeatable foe,
To bear with unbearable sorrow,
To run where the brave dare not go.
To right the unrightable wrong,
To love pure and chaste from afar,
To try when your arms are too weary,
To reach the unreachable star.
This is my quest,
To follow that star --
No matter how hopeless,
No matter how far.
To fight for the right
Without question or pause,
To be willing to march
Into hell for a heavenly cause.
And I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will be peaceful and calm
when I'm laid to my rest.
And the world will be better for this,
that one man scorned and covered with scars
still strove with his last ounce of courage.
To reach the unreachable star.
To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go.
To right the unrightable wrong
To be better far than you are
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star.
This is my quest, to follow that star,
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far
To be willing to give when there's no more to give
To be willing to die so that honor and justice may live
And I know if I'll only be true to this glorious quest
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm when I'm laid to my rest
And the world will be better for this
That one man scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach the unreachable star.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
The captain with dummy soldiers
The Star page 2 of November 23, 2005 is another showpiece of Woe, for Wednesday's Child...
PM: Speed up probe on projects
PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has directed the police to speed up investigation on developers whose work on police housing projects had stalled and resulted in a waste of government money.
The Prime Minister also wanted related government agencies to monitor on a regular basis projects awarded to developers.
“I do not know whether these are old or new projects which have been abandoned. We must take action against contractors who fail to deliver, otherwise this will recur.
“The responsibility falls on the contractors. These projects must continue, otherwise the cost will rise further and the Government will be wasting its money,” he told reporters after attending the Internal Security Ministry’s Quality Day here yesterday.
Abdullah was commenting on The Star’s front-page report yesterday that 11 developers had abandoned or delayed construction of 12 police housing projects costing RM500mil.
DESIDERATA: This will not be the last time we hear from our esteemed Prime Minister with his Litany of Laments.
I seem to slowly get the impression the captain of the nation's ship seems to be leading a bunch of dummy soldiers.
No wonder even my "under-aged" ER like johnleemk have described his underlings as "nincompoops".
Perhaps we should send all these "monitors" that Pak Lah refers to to Timbuktwo2?
Just referencing another news item today: The Star, page 8 --
PM: Stop talk of resignation
PUTRAJAYA: Amid the rising heat odn salvos between opposing sides over the issue of dissolving the Kelantan state assembly in the run-up to the Pengkalan Pasir by-election, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi warns that they could lose it all if they do not stop talking about resigning.
....
"Stop talking about resigning. Find other ways to campaign...
was among several points of advice he told his dummy soldiers.
And in step with dummies, listen to Da Echo, from the same report:
Meanwhile, IAN MCINTYRE reports in Kota Baru that Kelantan Barisan and UMNO chief Datuk Seri Annuar Musa, who had previously mooted the idea of fresh state elections, agreed that the issue should be stopped.
ECHO-CHAMBERS A-PLENTY
At the conclusion of the March 2004 General Elections, Kelantan was retained by PAS with 24 seats, three more than the BN. There was a flurry of backroom actvities, quite frntal and blatant, with much posturings of getting PAS assemblmen to jump ship into the BN. Only two froggies would do, and BN could then form the State government. Of course, money and position were thhe carrots -- remember last Monday's post titled FOR POWER AND WEALTH...?
Luckily the country has then a new, decent, God-fearing CEO in the person of Pak Lah ... and PAS got to form the government, holding onto just one state after losing Terengganu to BN. Now with the demise of a PAS assemblyman, the wayang continues ... Froggies and LittleMen maketh good sandiwara.
I remember when the PBS won the Sabah state elections once, and just days after some of its assemblymen jumped ship to join the BN, setting off a crisis in PBS, led by Pairin Kitingan. The PBS leaders called for a change in the state's Constitution to prevent such party hoppers unless they resigned their seats. Then PBS re-joined the BN, and everything is buried. PBS forgot its fiery principled politics. For power and wealth, men sell their souls...
Ask Chin Nyok Soo, Tiger Lee, and Khoo Seng Hock ... and many others who were elected under Opposition flags, then sold out their constituents by resigning from the Opposition party (the DAP for the named trio...)and joining the BN. The attraction for these turncoats was namely the wealthy MCA, who can afford EAT, DRINK and BE MERRY politicians. The more, the merrier...
Hi, brudder Imran, let's celebrate Pak Lah's credo with two tehtariks. For the Froggie and E,D & BM politikus, ask them to go fly a kite. Or patronise the karaoke, Eat, Drink...what? at whose expense? No wonder they make such GOOD ECHO-CHAMBERS!
And brudder Im, pease Explain to Annuar Musa the meaning of an ECHO-CHAMBER!
PM: Speed up probe on projects
PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has directed the police to speed up investigation on developers whose work on police housing projects had stalled and resulted in a waste of government money.
The Prime Minister also wanted related government agencies to monitor on a regular basis projects awarded to developers.
“I do not know whether these are old or new projects which have been abandoned. We must take action against contractors who fail to deliver, otherwise this will recur.
“The responsibility falls on the contractors. These projects must continue, otherwise the cost will rise further and the Government will be wasting its money,” he told reporters after attending the Internal Security Ministry’s Quality Day here yesterday.
Abdullah was commenting on The Star’s front-page report yesterday that 11 developers had abandoned or delayed construction of 12 police housing projects costing RM500mil.
DESIDERATA: This will not be the last time we hear from our esteemed Prime Minister with his Litany of Laments.
I seem to slowly get the impression the captain of the nation's ship seems to be leading a bunch of dummy soldiers.
No wonder even my "under-aged" ER like johnleemk have described his underlings as "nincompoops".
Perhaps we should send all these "monitors" that Pak Lah refers to to Timbuktwo2?
Just referencing another news item today: The Star, page 8 --
PM: Stop talk of resignation
PUTRAJAYA: Amid the rising heat odn salvos between opposing sides over the issue of dissolving the Kelantan state assembly in the run-up to the Pengkalan Pasir by-election, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi warns that they could lose it all if they do not stop talking about resigning.
....
"Stop talking about resigning. Find other ways to campaign...
was among several points of advice he told his dummy soldiers.
And in step with dummies, listen to Da Echo, from the same report:
Meanwhile, IAN MCINTYRE reports in Kota Baru that Kelantan Barisan and UMNO chief Datuk Seri Annuar Musa, who had previously mooted the idea of fresh state elections, agreed that the issue should be stopped.
ECHO-CHAMBERS A-PLENTY
At the conclusion of the March 2004 General Elections, Kelantan was retained by PAS with 24 seats, three more than the BN. There was a flurry of backroom actvities, quite frntal and blatant, with much posturings of getting PAS assemblmen to jump ship into the BN. Only two froggies would do, and BN could then form the State government. Of course, money and position were thhe carrots -- remember last Monday's post titled FOR POWER AND WEALTH...?
Luckily the country has then a new, decent, God-fearing CEO in the person of Pak Lah ... and PAS got to form the government, holding onto just one state after losing Terengganu to BN. Now with the demise of a PAS assemblyman, the wayang continues ... Froggies and LittleMen maketh good sandiwara.
I remember when the PBS won the Sabah state elections once, and just days after some of its assemblymen jumped ship to join the BN, setting off a crisis in PBS, led by Pairin Kitingan. The PBS leaders called for a change in the state's Constitution to prevent such party hoppers unless they resigned their seats. Then PBS re-joined the BN, and everything is buried. PBS forgot its fiery principled politics. For power and wealth, men sell their souls...
Ask Chin Nyok Soo, Tiger Lee, and Khoo Seng Hock ... and many others who were elected under Opposition flags, then sold out their constituents by resigning from the Opposition party (the DAP for the named trio...)and joining the BN. The attraction for these turncoats was namely the wealthy MCA, who can afford EAT, DRINK and BE MERRY politicians. The more, the merrier...
Hi, brudder Imran, let's celebrate Pak Lah's credo with two tehtariks. For the Froggie and E,D & BM politikus, ask them to go fly a kite. Or patronise the karaoke, Eat, Drink...what? at whose expense? No wonder they make such GOOD ECHO-CHAMBERS!
And brudder Im, pease Explain to Annuar Musa the meaning of an ECHO-CHAMBER!
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Projects Arrested, What About The PROject-ORS?
An interesting headline in The Star frontpage stares at Desi at BF table this morn, a li'l cloudy because Eagle did not appear with their "No More Cloudy Days...", so Be Prepared for some Rain, OK? I left my solitaire Umbrella crying alone at a lonesome rsstaurant caled some "Choi" where I had lunch last WedNURSEday. (Choi can mean vegetable or fortune in Kantunis, depends on How you Chow it! If in doubt, pleAse consult bruddder IMp... I dunno if he'd risen at time2rise.blogsome.com:( It's 0910hrs as I type this.
Okay, back to BIZ:
Arrested projects
Probe under way into 12
stalled police housing plans
EXCLUSIVE
(hey, this is NOT partof da headline, just
Interupt the programme to ask thee, can't get
freebie copy from SEVEN11; go invest RM1.20,
or put it into my AC -- MayDay Bank Savvy-ins
99999999999...)
KUALA LUMPUR: Police are investigating 11 developers wh have
abandoned or delayed construction of 12 police housing projcts
costing a whopping RM500mil.
Police director of logistics Commissioner Datuk Shahrudin said the
purpose of the investigation as to ascertain if hanky-panky was
involved.
I titled my post ending with What About The PROject-ORS?
for a GOoD ReAson. Desi always does things for a good reason, RAT-tionale, which rhymes with nationale, which makes me a nationaliste, okay, 'nuff of my twisted logic or Y&A Chris, all of 10-11 years old, might lodge a complaint against Desi
for twisting young, innocent minds. Have you read another Y&A johnleemk's rites yet? The one about problems at school? NO? You ain't educate yourself for free Nyet!
Back to BIZ2!
Desiderata on reading this morn's news from the Star brought along Da Clouds early. You know why?
It's like da old record playing, agin and agin!
A few years back, hundreds of million went down the monsoon drain when 90% of the computer labs for school were either not completed on time, or those completed were not in a condition fit for use. Yes, investigations were promised then...it's then
ALL QUIET ON THE KEMENTERIAN PELAJARAN FRONT.
So for the people implementing these PRojects, Desi COINED a new term for them "PRO-ject-ORS" which means they are indeed experts in PROjecting themselves as PROfessionals to land the jobs, then like the proJECT-iles those idiots keep flying and making innocents suffer as COLLATERAL DAMAGE, see? The Malaysian People are the Collateral Damage!
Meanwhile, the -ORS are enjoying their holidays with the wives, mistresses, concudbines, or ALL combined, on the River Nile, River Seine, or River Yangtze?Or if it's on da Swannie River, I'd like to hitch a ride.
I'm stoppin here; the clouds are appearing on Da Near Horizon, and some Municipal Council fellaws might not be so kind to Desi with no parking tcket on his car windscreen -- OR has the tic been blown away by Da Wind? JUST as Da Wayward Wind took those PROject-ORS on a fancy ride?
PS: To fellow Maradnathon-ER Imran, please investigate the School Co,puter Lab case. Report back within 24 hours -- any PROJECT-ORS ARRESTED
?
Marianne Faithfully arrived before time because of Da Clouds brought on by The Arrested Projects .. the haevens are weeping for Thee, fellow Malaysian reading this bad 'ritin' on another Tuesday with Worries:
"My riches can't buy everything;
I want to hear the children sing.
All I hear is the sound of rain falling on the ground;
I sit and watch as tears go by..."
Okay, back to BIZ:
Arrested projects
Probe under way into 12
stalled police housing plans
EXCLUSIVE
(hey, this is NOT partof da headline, just
Interupt the programme to ask thee, can't get
freebie copy from SEVEN11; go invest RM1.20,
or put it into my AC -- MayDay Bank Savvy-ins
99999999999...)
KUALA LUMPUR: Police are investigating 11 developers wh have
abandoned or delayed construction of 12 police housing projcts
costing a whopping RM500mil.
Police director of logistics Commissioner Datuk Shahrudin said the
purpose of the investigation as to ascertain if hanky-panky was
involved.
I titled my post ending with What About The PROject-ORS?
for a GOoD ReAson. Desi always does things for a good reason, RAT-tionale, which rhymes with nationale, which makes me a nationaliste, okay, 'nuff of my twisted logic or Y&A Chris, all of 10-11 years old, might lodge a complaint against Desi
for twisting young, innocent minds. Have you read another Y&A johnleemk's rites yet? The one about problems at school? NO? You ain't educate yourself for free Nyet!
Back to BIZ2!
Desiderata on reading this morn's news from the Star brought along Da Clouds early. You know why?
It's like da old record playing, agin and agin!
A few years back, hundreds of million went down the monsoon drain when 90% of the computer labs for school were either not completed on time, or those completed were not in a condition fit for use. Yes, investigations were promised then...it's then
ALL QUIET ON THE KEMENTERIAN PELAJARAN FRONT.
So for the people implementing these PRojects, Desi COINED a new term for them "PRO-ject-ORS" which means they are indeed experts in PROjecting themselves as PROfessionals to land the jobs, then like the proJECT-iles those idiots keep flying and making innocents suffer as COLLATERAL DAMAGE, see? The Malaysian People are the Collateral Damage!
Meanwhile, the -ORS are enjoying their holidays with the wives, mistresses, concudbines, or ALL combined, on the River Nile, River Seine, or River Yangtze?Or if it's on da Swannie River, I'd like to hitch a ride.
I'm stoppin here; the clouds are appearing on Da Near Horizon, and some Municipal Council fellaws might not be so kind to Desi with no parking tcket on his car windscreen -- OR has the tic been blown away by Da Wind? JUST as Da Wayward Wind took those PROject-ORS on a fancy ride?
PS: To fellow Maradnathon-ER Imran, please investigate the School Co,puter Lab case. Report back within 24 hours -- any PROJECT-ORS ARRESTED
?
Marianne Faithfully arrived before time because of Da Clouds brought on by The Arrested Projects .. the haevens are weeping for Thee, fellow Malaysian reading this bad 'ritin' on another Tuesday with Worries:
"My riches can't buy everything;
I want to hear the children sing.
All I hear is the sound of rain falling on the ground;
I sit and watch as tears go by..."
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
For power and wealth
In recent wanderings across newswrold, particularlty pertaining to politics and business, I discern the same sort of trends that also are creeping into Malaysian activities in other fields -- this certainly provokes some unrest within my soul. See if you share similar thoughts.
Some rivalry of the less than pleasant kind, some oneupmanship -- whether to show off their wealth, their status, or to utsiders, their insecurites that they need an anchor to their name like a fake Dr or Datuk. Some desperate ones even pay hundred of thousands for a Datukship house from an unknown Philipine royal house! Why don't they invest in a daughter-in-law instead, a prolific one for their prodigal son, mayhaps?
Debates at Parliament that degenerate into nothing higher than zoo shows, but I deman the animals again because of them behave better, like not fowl language thrown at each other between YBs, with some protagonists quite well named as national leaders, both governing and opposition. Rules are often bent, ethics and ethiquette thrown to the wind. People wanting to become instant millionaires, led (more like MISled) by a shortlived billionaire-at-27 up the silver-lined path to Wisma MAC in Jalan Ampong Koala Lumpuh? Sorry if Desi misleads the way.:)
This morning I woke up to the music of Eagle's No More Cloudy Days... WoW, I can keep on re-playing the last few bars of music and keep writing' ... but you wouldn't want to suffer through my rambling Mondae blues, do you? But some Malaysians are masochistic, so I'll continue...
Is the following headline a surprise?
Reference page 28, The Star November 21, 2005:
RM150,000 for
a number plate
That was the winning bid for JJJ1
I won't go intodetails, but recap that Malaysians are wont to splash on all sorts of things -- RM1million wedding fest; one handphone and overseas holidays to Disney Land for 7As; now onder Gunineas envies us for bulging entries in BukuRekod!
No wonder people are conned to but a Datukship for Rm300,000; parting with similar amount in deals with Nigerian moneymen who could change their RM notes into USD hundred times over!
So for power and wealth, men stretch their day indeed, or in deed..
No, because Desi has been trained in science, a beliver that in all human endeavours across all spectra of activities, the law of normal distribution always applies, given time. Which means a small minority of people showing the base characteristics of humans -- pride, greed and arrogance that comes with power and wealth, across the majority of average Joe -- nonsdescript, struggling, keeping to their simple ways of earning 3 meals a day -- right to another minority of downtrodden, underfed and sleepers by the 5-foot way. The intrinsic characteristics of the basic human unit will soon enough surface, and given time, will entrench themselves as the norm.
So I ask myself: Why should we be surprised by man's demonstration of power, wealth, pride, and arrogance at all
For power and wealth, man will corrupt the system and serve his own selfish interests. We adopted a free market system -- in business or any enterprise.
Maybe we should incorporate some SOCIALISM into our system of government officially -- to take care of those half naked beggars sleeping in the cold on five-foot ways and in the parks? I even see some in supposedly upmarket Subang Jaya!
Frankly, I'd like to be proven wrong hings will only get worse. My EsteemedReaders who have been involved with Blogging -- pro or at leisure, maybe you can share thy 3sen's worth? I know brudder Imran will respond because he wants to make it SE7EN in a row!:)
Dearest mGf out there,wherever you are, I hope your weekend finds you in hi-spirits 24 hours later to start the new week blooming. Hence I remind thee to listen to No More Cloudy Days... This is my closing sharing today quite different from any average Monday's, ore like extended desiderata.english , so I.Cowws are not being ignored today. MINTA MAAF, eh? to the lembu, I mean, for demeAning their herd all the time!
The saving grace in Blogging is that the Blogger and his/her Reader are both enpowered, not equally,no doubt, for the host of course enjoys the Upper Hand. If the Reader feels disadvantaged, he/she may be impelled or motivated to start a blog too. Brudder IMp has the audacity to challenge this brother to a Mara(H)thon! and sisdar kyels wants in but doesn't have the key; bro IM, do somethin'!:(
But to Desi, the beautiful part of blogging is that it enables minds to meet, clash, and perhaps, lift their mental faculties a notch or two higher. Then with reinforcement as in soldiers swelling in numbers, like-minded Bloggers moved by similar objectives and goals can come to a consensus to pursue some common interests. Community, professional, well even, national. We are all trying to build a Malaysia we can be proud of.
Ideally, there exists people out there looking at life beyond the mean and mundane. Beyond acquiring power and wealth.
Ideally there exists enough sparring partners out there who dare to speak their minds, and in thes frequent clashes of mind, their own mental faculties are sharpened, and all parties involved in the sparring benefit.
Oh, long-winded Desi living up to his name -- his finishing Act!
Do you wonder why many graduates can't write a decent 100-word letter in English nowadays without committing a dozen HOWLERS?
The hint follows:
DESIDERATA HolidaychallengiA:
An advertisment copy promoting
SPECIALLY Designed
'ENGLISH' & 'MANDARIN'
HOLIDAY Courses:
"Across the world thousands of people
are speaking a new language through our
specially designed course materials that
enhances their ability to learn more faster
and efficiently."
FunChallengiA is:
Tell me if you qualify to be an instructor if you are
the one (ir?)responsible enough to write the above
copy in bold?Hey, give da rationale, KO!
Also quote the newspaper, dae and page will do -- no need the name
of the institution-lah...
Best answer by end of today gets a share of Witstakker chics from NZ that Unforgetable Sabrina is brining home to meet some buggers -- oops, bloggers, in koala lumpur soon.
PS: Maybe I should recommend Young&Articulate johnleemkto be its principal?
I end with a li'l poem from my sifu, max EHRMANN:
I Go My Way
Al round is haste, confusion, noise.
For power and wealth men stretch the day
From dawn till dusk. But quietly
I go my way.
For glitter, show, to taunt the crowd,
Desire-tossed in wild dismay,
Men sell their souls. But quielt
I go my way.
The green of all the fields is mine,
The stars, the night, the wind at play,
A peaceful heart, while quietyly
I go my way.
It reminds me of mGf Yan's interpretation of Art&Garfunkel Sound of Silence "Hello Darkness, my old friend ..."
But this Monday I remind her, it's supposed to be minus Da Clouds.
Some rivalry of the less than pleasant kind, some oneupmanship -- whether to show off their wealth, their status, or to utsiders, their insecurites that they need an anchor to their name like a fake Dr or Datuk. Some desperate ones even pay hundred of thousands for a Datukship house from an unknown Philipine royal house! Why don't they invest in a daughter-in-law instead, a prolific one for their prodigal son, mayhaps?
Debates at Parliament that degenerate into nothing higher than zoo shows, but I deman the animals again because of them behave better, like not fowl language thrown at each other between YBs, with some protagonists quite well named as national leaders, both governing and opposition. Rules are often bent, ethics and ethiquette thrown to the wind. People wanting to become instant millionaires, led (more like MISled) by a shortlived billionaire-at-27 up the silver-lined path to Wisma MAC in Jalan Ampong Koala Lumpuh? Sorry if Desi misleads the way.:)
This morning I woke up to the music of Eagle's No More Cloudy Days... WoW, I can keep on re-playing the last few bars of music and keep writing' ... but you wouldn't want to suffer through my rambling Mondae blues, do you? But some Malaysians are masochistic, so I'll continue...
Is the following headline a surprise?
Reference page 28, The Star November 21, 2005:
RM150,000 for
a number plate
That was the winning bid for JJJ1
I won't go intodetails, but recap that Malaysians are wont to splash on all sorts of things -- RM1million wedding fest; one handphone and overseas holidays to Disney Land for 7As; now onder Gunineas envies us for bulging entries in BukuRekod!
No wonder people are conned to but a Datukship for Rm300,000; parting with similar amount in deals with Nigerian moneymen who could change their RM notes into USD hundred times over!
So for power and wealth, men stretch their day indeed, or in deed..
No, because Desi has been trained in science, a beliver that in all human endeavours across all spectra of activities, the law of normal distribution always applies, given time. Which means a small minority of people showing the base characteristics of humans -- pride, greed and arrogance that comes with power and wealth, across the majority of average Joe -- nonsdescript, struggling, keeping to their simple ways of earning 3 meals a day -- right to another minority of downtrodden, underfed and sleepers by the 5-foot way. The intrinsic characteristics of the basic human unit will soon enough surface, and given time, will entrench themselves as the norm.
So I ask myself: Why should we be surprised by man's demonstration of power, wealth, pride, and arrogance at all
For power and wealth, man will corrupt the system and serve his own selfish interests. We adopted a free market system -- in business or any enterprise.
Maybe we should incorporate some SOCIALISM into our system of government officially -- to take care of those half naked beggars sleeping in the cold on five-foot ways and in the parks? I even see some in supposedly upmarket Subang Jaya!
Frankly, I'd like to be proven wrong hings will only get worse. My EsteemedReaders who have been involved with Blogging -- pro or at leisure, maybe you can share thy 3sen's worth? I know brudder Imran will respond because he wants to make it SE7EN in a row!:)
Dearest mGf out there,wherever you are, I hope your weekend finds you in hi-spirits 24 hours later to start the new week blooming. Hence I remind thee to listen to No More Cloudy Days... This is my closing sharing today quite different from any average Monday's, ore like extended desiderata.english , so I.Cowws are not being ignored today. MINTA MAAF, eh? to the lembu, I mean, for demeAning their herd all the time!
The saving grace in Blogging is that the Blogger and his/her Reader are both enpowered, not equally,no doubt, for the host of course enjoys the Upper Hand. If the Reader feels disadvantaged, he/she may be impelled or motivated to start a blog too. Brudder IMp has the audacity to challenge this brother to a Mara(H)thon! and sisdar kyels wants in but doesn't have the key; bro IM, do somethin'!:(
But to Desi, the beautiful part of blogging is that it enables minds to meet, clash, and perhaps, lift their mental faculties a notch or two higher. Then with reinforcement as in soldiers swelling in numbers, like-minded Bloggers moved by similar objectives and goals can come to a consensus to pursue some common interests. Community, professional, well even, national. We are all trying to build a Malaysia we can be proud of.
Ideally, there exists people out there looking at life beyond the mean and mundane. Beyond acquiring power and wealth.
Ideally there exists enough sparring partners out there who dare to speak their minds, and in thes frequent clashes of mind, their own mental faculties are sharpened, and all parties involved in the sparring benefit.
Oh, long-winded Desi living up to his name -- his finishing Act!
Do you wonder why many graduates can't write a decent 100-word letter in English nowadays without committing a dozen HOWLERS?
The hint follows:
DESIDERATA HolidaychallengiA:
An advertisment copy promoting
SPECIALLY Designed
'ENGLISH' & 'MANDARIN'
HOLIDAY Courses:
"Across the world thousands of people
are speaking a new language through our
specially designed course materials that
enhances their ability to learn more faster
and efficiently."
FunChallengiA is:
Tell me if you qualify to be an instructor if you are
the one (ir?)responsible enough to write the above
copy in bold?Hey, give da rationale, KO!
Also quote the newspaper, dae and page will do -- no need the name
of the institution-lah...
Best answer by end of today gets a share of Witstakker chics from NZ that Unforgetable Sabrina is brining home to meet some buggers -- oops, bloggers, in koala lumpur soon.
PS: Maybe I should recommend Young&Articulate johnleemkto be its principal?
I end with a li'l poem from my sifu, max EHRMANN:
I Go My Way
Al round is haste, confusion, noise.
For power and wealth men stretch the day
From dawn till dusk. But quietly
I go my way.
For glitter, show, to taunt the crowd,
Desire-tossed in wild dismay,
Men sell their souls. But quielt
I go my way.
The green of all the fields is mine,
The stars, the night, the wind at play,
A peaceful heart, while quietyly
I go my way.
It reminds me of mGf Yan's interpretation of Art&Garfunkel Sound of Silence "Hello Darkness, my old friend ..."
But this Monday I remind her, it's supposed to be minus Da Clouds.
Monday, November 21, 2005
NOSTALGIA – SWEET AND SOUR MEMORIES
desiderata.english
A surprise gift that arrived recently from a good friend, comprising a compilation of well-loved folk songs, recalls for this writer many fond memories of his schooldays, “when we were young and gay”. This teacher had been a scout in secondary school, and it was pretty much fun going camping, cooking and feeding on self-cooked rice, overly salty vegetables, and of course, the constantly reliable sardine fish spiced with half cooked onions – all so yummy and delicious,. Come to think of it, all food would taste that way when you’re hungry as a wolf. The most memorable of all to us would be the inevitable climax of a campfire. As evening fell, all the troop members would pick up logs and tree branches and dried roots and dead and worm-infested trunks to build a fire.
If any schoolboy had not attended any camp that featured a campfire, to my mind, he would have missed one of the great joys of adventure and camaraderie as a youth. Camaraderie is that “spirit” of working together for a common goal -- planning with your “patrol” (usually consisting of five to seven members) – mine was named Beaver -- to organise ourselves for competition – whether it’s putting up sketches, group singing, or games in the style that later came to be popularised on television as “tele-matches”.
Scouts and girl guides would have learnt some basic skills of cooking,and first aid, which is of practical use; setting up a tent by the sea-front or in the woods., and learning how to share jopbs and care for each other for mutual benefit. And of course, learning some memorable cowboy/cowgal songs. Those who had gone on train rides in the steam engine era would tell you that the noise and smoke that went along as the train chugged to its thurderous start from a railway station were incredible sights and sounds., and there is one song the lyrics of which most boys would have memorised is the nostalgia associated with a weary traveller by train who fell into an “unfortunate” state. I prefer the version made famous by the Kingston Trio, although other groups like Peter, Paul and Mary and The Hooters, also made the charts with it:
Five Hundred Miles
If you miss the train I'm on,
You will know that I am gone,
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles.
A hundred miles, a hundred miles,
A hundred miles, A hundred miles,
You can hear the whistle blow A hundred miles.
Lord, I'm one, Lord, I'm two, Lord,
I'm three, Lord, I'm four, Lord,
I'm five hundred miles a way from home.
Away from home, away from home,
away from home, away from home,
Lord, I'm five hundred miles away from home
Not a shirt on my back,
Not a penny to my name.
Lord, I can't go back home this-a way.
This-a way, this-a way,
This-a way, this-a way,
Lord, I can't go back home this-a way.
If you miss the train I'm on,
You will know that I am gone,
You can hear the whistle blow A hundred miles.
A hundred miles, A hundred miles,
A hundred miles, A hundred miles,
You can hear the whistle blow A hundred miles.
"500 Miles," is credited to Hedy West, Bobby Bare, and Charlie Williams. (From Stambler and Landon, "Encyclopedia of Folk, Country and Western Music." New York: St. Martin's Press, 1969.)
But in one’s life, we are not all blessed with only happy memories. Life is never a bed of roses. We will at one time or another encounter a difficult period – boy/girl friend problems, school performance, peer group pressure, rivalry, lossing a job or a loved one – all these give rise to heartache, and sometimes, heartbreak, in a young person’s life. So we all would have our share of less-than-savoury times.
But nowadays many children are being pushed to grow up too fast, too soon. I quote one extreme exam[ple. A Fellow writer ran a story of a Mum spending big bucks for preparing their daughter to stand ahead of her peers in a Beauty Contest, all at the ripe old age of SIX YEARS! The “rat race” sees parents sending their children to the tuition centres for subjects more than what the child needs ... some of the children don't even have time to do their school work, and the parents think the tutors can be a substitute.
At six years old, they should be enjoying Cinderella, Tom Thumb and other fairy tales; it does no harm for them to listen to the 1,001 Arabian Nights than couched with their parents in front of the idiot box... It won't kill their future reading them bedside stories from Enid Bylton instead of making those trips to Disney Land before time.
RM200 spent on a child every month can buy him/her five good fiction works that will enrich his/her mind rather than inundate them with information overload. To me, if a child is just weak in one subject like Mathematics, okay, it justifies an expense of RM50-70 on tuition. But torturing him with a comprehensive coverage at several hundred dollars a month, there's something wrong somewhere. A pupil “weak” only in Mathematics would benefit from tuition just focused on Mathematics – it’s futile having him attend other subjects when the time should be spent at home doing school-assigned homework. Also, the child should be allowed outdoor time to play football or netball with the neighbourhood kids. I am truly concerned to see many of my friends’ children spending long hours playinmg “computer” games instead of enjoying reading time at the library. No wonder it’s a rare joy for Desiderata today to read a well-written essay or composition with original ideas by a students – compared with the reality where many candidates for public examinations are being encouraged by their teachers to “memorise” spotted essay topics! Scoring straight As is of utmost importance, when the emphasis is to foster a critical and thinking mind.
I hope our young ones will be well guided to enjoy their childhood and youth so that they can recall happy memories when they join the adult world of work, career and starting a family. May they then harbour some nostalgia of the “good, old days” and write some engaging stories to share with their children and public.
Let’s read an account recalling old times from FRANCES YEE, who seems somewhat caught in "another place, another time", finding it hard to completely "let go". I’m sure readers will find empathy with some of the experiences she relates, through the tender years of growing up, building friendships, waning relationships, breaking up…Frances likens her experience to a journey and the people she meets as passengers, and we learnt through her sharing the type of passengers one would cherish.
PASSENGER IN DEPTH
In Frances’ words, the journey is long. All I can hear is the reverberating sounds of wheels and tracks. It hums a little slower over hills and mountains and it echoes much faster across valleys drained by rivers and its tributaries. Bearing all sorts of weather: Creaking under scorching sun and other times, rusting in the heavy rain. Sometimes it comes to a halt for another train in passing. Sometimes it stops at stations for passengers.
Seated quietly in a corner of comfort, I know I can trudge along this long journey with a bit of patience. It could get slightly lonely. It could make me fidget with restlessness. Yet, it provided that much needed time for a little bit of reflection to meditate on life's crossroads.
Once in a while, a passenger will share the seat next to me. Some sat through without so much of fluttering their lashes. Others initiated small chats to kill boredom. Some brought new knowledge. Most came with sense of humour. A few struck me as very interesting ones. A couple more couldn't so much as catch my slightest attention. One or two rare ones brought new meaning. But all of them were from different walks of life with one purpose. To reach a certain destination.
That, my friend, is the journey of life.
It's a journey so long that it might take a while before you could reach anywhere. And along the way, you meet passengers. Passengers come and go. They leave footprints and impressions. They leave pain and sorrow. They give faith and hope. Best of all, some leave joy and love. Some of them make life more colourful and meaningful. Some won't make a difference at all. Most would though. Some can't wait to go ahead. Some would willingly walk beside you. Others prefer to lag behind.
Should you pick a passenger to travel with you? Or would you prefer to travel alone? Would you want a companion out of a passenger? Or would you prefer to brace life's challenges in solitaire? Whatever your decisions are, expect to make some right choices and some wrong ones or many wrong ones before you make some right ones.
Life will never ever be perfect
but an ounce of patience
will make a difference
Expect that as fast as it will come soaring
know that it will also come falling
Slow and steady, keep the pace
So to avoid the messy maze
Stay a while longer if it brings the meaning of love and happiness to a whole new level. Otherwise, do whatever's necessary to tell yourself that you have at least tried. But know when to move on when it's time to do so because lingering around when it doesn't exist anymore will only cause much inflicted heartache.
At this present moment, I'm staying here a while longer. Give me some time before reminding me that it's time to move on...(ends Frances’ sharing).
As a reader not privileged to share Frances’ full confidence, I hazard a guess that she wishes “to linger” a while longer because she’s caught in nostalgia’s emotional roller-coaster of sweet and bitter tastes. It’s a state where the person longs to retain the happy and joyous moments as long as possible. I have experienced such a state often enough – it’s so difficult to “let go”. But let go we must for various reasons, differing with each person depending on the circumstances and the interacting “players”. Frances realises it as she concludes “…that it’s time to move on…” She only asked to be given “some time”. Yes, we all need our private time to reflect on times gone by, on people or events dearly missed. Different people, different strokes. Different reactions, different times.
PS: Frances blogs at a *gardnern called Bloom, Flowers, Bloom at http://primroses.blogspot.com and during one of Desi's midnight sojourns there, he stole the Passenger bloom uing a fishing rod he borrowed from Tom Sawyer, without MTwain's permit. This is to strictly follow Primrose's command to "KEEP OFF THE GRASS".I saw no sign of "FIERCE DOGS", but it was in the nightime, and my I-sight was less than 20-20; so Ignorance is Bliss.:)
I often picked up Exquisite 'ritin's from Fellow Bloggers' homes to use along with my writ(H)in' at The Borneo Post, which features this article as itis MINUS THE PS, this sunny sundae. Just as an aside Xplanation, in Frances' case, this butterin' up came about as she feted this hungry wolfe with limitless supply of ButterCakes in Xchange for Haridas' tehtarik! Go visit her at da buttery kitchen, she is an Xtremely GOoD hoRst! No wonder hGf call her PrinCess:)
A surprise gift that arrived recently from a good friend, comprising a compilation of well-loved folk songs, recalls for this writer many fond memories of his schooldays, “when we were young and gay”. This teacher had been a scout in secondary school, and it was pretty much fun going camping, cooking and feeding on self-cooked rice, overly salty vegetables, and of course, the constantly reliable sardine fish spiced with half cooked onions – all so yummy and delicious,. Come to think of it, all food would taste that way when you’re hungry as a wolf. The most memorable of all to us would be the inevitable climax of a campfire. As evening fell, all the troop members would pick up logs and tree branches and dried roots and dead and worm-infested trunks to build a fire.
If any schoolboy had not attended any camp that featured a campfire, to my mind, he would have missed one of the great joys of adventure and camaraderie as a youth. Camaraderie is that “spirit” of working together for a common goal -- planning with your “patrol” (usually consisting of five to seven members) – mine was named Beaver -- to organise ourselves for competition – whether it’s putting up sketches, group singing, or games in the style that later came to be popularised on television as “tele-matches”.
Scouts and girl guides would have learnt some basic skills of cooking,and first aid, which is of practical use; setting up a tent by the sea-front or in the woods., and learning how to share jopbs and care for each other for mutual benefit. And of course, learning some memorable cowboy/cowgal songs. Those who had gone on train rides in the steam engine era would tell you that the noise and smoke that went along as the train chugged to its thurderous start from a railway station were incredible sights and sounds., and there is one song the lyrics of which most boys would have memorised is the nostalgia associated with a weary traveller by train who fell into an “unfortunate” state. I prefer the version made famous by the Kingston Trio, although other groups like Peter, Paul and Mary and The Hooters, also made the charts with it:
Five Hundred Miles
If you miss the train I'm on,
You will know that I am gone,
You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles.
A hundred miles, a hundred miles,
A hundred miles, A hundred miles,
You can hear the whistle blow A hundred miles.
Lord, I'm one, Lord, I'm two, Lord,
I'm three, Lord, I'm four, Lord,
I'm five hundred miles a way from home.
Away from home, away from home,
away from home, away from home,
Lord, I'm five hundred miles away from home
Not a shirt on my back,
Not a penny to my name.
Lord, I can't go back home this-a way.
This-a way, this-a way,
This-a way, this-a way,
Lord, I can't go back home this-a way.
If you miss the train I'm on,
You will know that I am gone,
You can hear the whistle blow A hundred miles.
A hundred miles, A hundred miles,
A hundred miles, A hundred miles,
You can hear the whistle blow A hundred miles.
"500 Miles," is credited to Hedy West, Bobby Bare, and Charlie Williams. (From Stambler and Landon, "Encyclopedia of Folk, Country and Western Music." New York: St. Martin's Press, 1969.)
But in one’s life, we are not all blessed with only happy memories. Life is never a bed of roses. We will at one time or another encounter a difficult period – boy/girl friend problems, school performance, peer group pressure, rivalry, lossing a job or a loved one – all these give rise to heartache, and sometimes, heartbreak, in a young person’s life. So we all would have our share of less-than-savoury times.
But nowadays many children are being pushed to grow up too fast, too soon. I quote one extreme exam[ple. A Fellow writer ran a story of a Mum spending big bucks for preparing their daughter to stand ahead of her peers in a Beauty Contest, all at the ripe old age of SIX YEARS! The “rat race” sees parents sending their children to the tuition centres for subjects more than what the child needs ... some of the children don't even have time to do their school work, and the parents think the tutors can be a substitute.
At six years old, they should be enjoying Cinderella, Tom Thumb and other fairy tales; it does no harm for them to listen to the 1,001 Arabian Nights than couched with their parents in front of the idiot box... It won't kill their future reading them bedside stories from Enid Bylton instead of making those trips to Disney Land before time.
RM200 spent on a child every month can buy him/her five good fiction works that will enrich his/her mind rather than inundate them with information overload. To me, if a child is just weak in one subject like Mathematics, okay, it justifies an expense of RM50-70 on tuition. But torturing him with a comprehensive coverage at several hundred dollars a month, there's something wrong somewhere. A pupil “weak” only in Mathematics would benefit from tuition just focused on Mathematics – it’s futile having him attend other subjects when the time should be spent at home doing school-assigned homework. Also, the child should be allowed outdoor time to play football or netball with the neighbourhood kids. I am truly concerned to see many of my friends’ children spending long hours playinmg “computer” games instead of enjoying reading time at the library. No wonder it’s a rare joy for Desiderata today to read a well-written essay or composition with original ideas by a students – compared with the reality where many candidates for public examinations are being encouraged by their teachers to “memorise” spotted essay topics! Scoring straight As is of utmost importance, when the emphasis is to foster a critical and thinking mind.
I hope our young ones will be well guided to enjoy their childhood and youth so that they can recall happy memories when they join the adult world of work, career and starting a family. May they then harbour some nostalgia of the “good, old days” and write some engaging stories to share with their children and public.
Let’s read an account recalling old times from FRANCES YEE, who seems somewhat caught in "another place, another time", finding it hard to completely "let go". I’m sure readers will find empathy with some of the experiences she relates, through the tender years of growing up, building friendships, waning relationships, breaking up…Frances likens her experience to a journey and the people she meets as passengers, and we learnt through her sharing the type of passengers one would cherish.
PASSENGER IN DEPTH
In Frances’ words, the journey is long. All I can hear is the reverberating sounds of wheels and tracks. It hums a little slower over hills and mountains and it echoes much faster across valleys drained by rivers and its tributaries. Bearing all sorts of weather: Creaking under scorching sun and other times, rusting in the heavy rain. Sometimes it comes to a halt for another train in passing. Sometimes it stops at stations for passengers.
Seated quietly in a corner of comfort, I know I can trudge along this long journey with a bit of patience. It could get slightly lonely. It could make me fidget with restlessness. Yet, it provided that much needed time for a little bit of reflection to meditate on life's crossroads.
Once in a while, a passenger will share the seat next to me. Some sat through without so much of fluttering their lashes. Others initiated small chats to kill boredom. Some brought new knowledge. Most came with sense of humour. A few struck me as very interesting ones. A couple more couldn't so much as catch my slightest attention. One or two rare ones brought new meaning. But all of them were from different walks of life with one purpose. To reach a certain destination.
That, my friend, is the journey of life.
It's a journey so long that it might take a while before you could reach anywhere. And along the way, you meet passengers. Passengers come and go. They leave footprints and impressions. They leave pain and sorrow. They give faith and hope. Best of all, some leave joy and love. Some of them make life more colourful and meaningful. Some won't make a difference at all. Most would though. Some can't wait to go ahead. Some would willingly walk beside you. Others prefer to lag behind.
Should you pick a passenger to travel with you? Or would you prefer to travel alone? Would you want a companion out of a passenger? Or would you prefer to brace life's challenges in solitaire? Whatever your decisions are, expect to make some right choices and some wrong ones or many wrong ones before you make some right ones.
Life will never ever be perfect
but an ounce of patience
will make a difference
Expect that as fast as it will come soaring
know that it will also come falling
Slow and steady, keep the pace
So to avoid the messy maze
Stay a while longer if it brings the meaning of love and happiness to a whole new level. Otherwise, do whatever's necessary to tell yourself that you have at least tried. But know when to move on when it's time to do so because lingering around when it doesn't exist anymore will only cause much inflicted heartache.
At this present moment, I'm staying here a while longer. Give me some time before reminding me that it's time to move on...(ends Frances’ sharing).
As a reader not privileged to share Frances’ full confidence, I hazard a guess that she wishes “to linger” a while longer because she’s caught in nostalgia’s emotional roller-coaster of sweet and bitter tastes. It’s a state where the person longs to retain the happy and joyous moments as long as possible. I have experienced such a state often enough – it’s so difficult to “let go”. But let go we must for various reasons, differing with each person depending on the circumstances and the interacting “players”. Frances realises it as she concludes “…that it’s time to move on…” She only asked to be given “some time”. Yes, we all need our private time to reflect on times gone by, on people or events dearly missed. Different people, different strokes. Different reactions, different times.
PS: Frances blogs at a *gardnern called Bloom, Flowers, Bloom at http://primroses.blogspot.com and during one of Desi's midnight sojourns there, he stole the Passenger bloom uing a fishing rod he borrowed from Tom Sawyer, without MTwain's permit. This is to strictly follow Primrose's command to "KEEP OFF THE GRASS".I saw no sign of "FIERCE DOGS", but it was in the nightime, and my I-sight was less than 20-20; so Ignorance is Bliss.:)
I often picked up Exquisite 'ritin's from Fellow Bloggers' homes to use along with my writ(H)in' at The Borneo Post, which features this article as itis MINUS THE PS, this sunny sundae. Just as an aside Xplanation, in Frances' case, this butterin' up came about as she feted this hungry wolfe with limitless supply of ButterCakes in Xchange for Haridas' tehtarik! Go visit her at da buttery kitchen, she is an Xtremely GOoD hoRst! No wonder hGf call her PrinCess:)
Saturday, November 19, 2005
NS money running wild, like H20 leakages everywhere?
When the National Service programme started, it had a budget of *RM500; then the budget rose to *RM600; oops, I forgot, or I was careless?, or something else? ...it should read RM500million and RM600million, respectively.
The second programme ended some months ago, but a "smallish" item caught my fishy Chinaman's eyes yesterday.
Page 4 of theSUN November 18, 2004 headlined:
NS Training Dept will settle RM4m debt, says D-G
KUALA LUMPUR: The National Service (NS) Training Department has reiterated its commitment to settle a RM4million debt to aprivate firm.
Its director-general, Abdul Halim Abdul Hamid, said yesterday he will meet Starza Corporation Sdn Bhd next wekk to discuss the matter.
"I am also meeting the Finance Ministry to sort out the payment," Abdul Halim said after attending his first NS Council meeting since taking over from Kamaruddin Mohamed Bariaa last month.
He was previously head of Intan's Professional Development Centre.
"Whatever it is, we must pay Starza. We want to pay. There is no issue about that, and we want the payment to be soon," he said.
TheSun reported yesterday that close to 1,000 NS trainers have yet to be paid their allowances.Adul Halim said the department ants to settle the matter before year-end, before the next NS training programme on Jan 1.
"Any problems will, of course, affect the success of the programme, so I am looking into this matter myself," he said.
DESIDERATA:
Hey, the "trainers" are a key component of the NS, and the RM4million out of a budegt of RM600million is just 0.666per cent, LESS THAN ONE PER CENT!, and the Dept can't pay for the fees for a programme that ended in late March and late July 2005 in two batches respectively (for the modules provided by Starza, according to its managing director Zafidi Mohamad.)
My question si: why the former D-G Kamaruddin Mohamed Baria is not asked to explain?
Also, on account of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's assuarnce that his government is committed to good and transparent governance, can the Rakyat be given an official accointing fo the NS programme's FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR 2004 and 2005?
In fact, the Pak Lah had promised some time ago that big budget items woud be OPEN TO COMPETITIVE CONTRACT BIDDINGS/TENDERS. What is happening at the NS?
This failure is just one "breach" of a huge NATIONAL EXPENSE. If the top managment of the NS Programme up to the point of the new D-G taking over can't give a proper accounting of their responsibility in managing such a huge budget, the honourable thing is call in the ACA.
We don't need a new DiG's assurance that "I am looking into this matter myself."
It is more than "just looking" on this "relatively tiny" expense that's needed.
It is INTEGRITY being the heart of the matter.
I continue to sigh for OUR COUNTRY.
** Actually I delibearely styled if afterthe fsahion of a once billionaire-at-27 answering an "exclsuive interview" question in a weekly magazine recently, about his borrowings reported at RM1.2billion in 19976/97 (NEVER DENIED THEN..), and his famous reply that he had paid back every dollar. It was only RM600,.... and left at that! It was implied (in context reading) it was only RM600million.
But these "experienced" journalists (two interviewed the second-echelon leader from a BN ciomponent party...) NEVER EVEN FOLLOWED UP WITH THE LOGICAL QUESTIONS LIKR:
(1) if it was just hafl the amount as reported some eight years ago, why did the subject not corect the misreported figures then?
(2) if he said he had "re-paid" every dollar, how come it was never reported on record? (The stock-market went down by some 70-80 percent in the period soon after this "billionaire" took over at least FOUR listed companies. Many stock players went bust -- how did he survive the crash? Even at RM6000,....??)
But we will never get any answers in this country. Some people are privileged to be not answerable, or accountable, for their actions, or inactions.
Maybe Pak Lah canpursue the matter of the NS just retired D-G, because D-Gs nowadays make a lot of headline news.
But I'd prefer he open up these "unanswered" mysteries of the former billionaire-at- 27, the case of the ex-Sabah Chief Minister gallivanting at a casino royale, and oh, yes, some minister involved in Taxi and AP permits and Bumi shares allocatin s....., oh, capers is the word I have in mind.
Just as it was with the Watergate Caper, remember, All the President's Men? before it morphed to become the Watergate Scandal.
Pak Lah, I don't envy you thy job. But I and mGf will continue to pray for you. God Speed.:)
The second programme ended some months ago, but a "smallish" item caught my fishy Chinaman's eyes yesterday.
Page 4 of theSUN November 18, 2004 headlined:
NS Training Dept will settle RM4m debt, says D-G
KUALA LUMPUR: The National Service (NS) Training Department has reiterated its commitment to settle a RM4million debt to aprivate firm.
Its director-general, Abdul Halim Abdul Hamid, said yesterday he will meet Starza Corporation Sdn Bhd next wekk to discuss the matter.
"I am also meeting the Finance Ministry to sort out the payment," Abdul Halim said after attending his first NS Council meeting since taking over from Kamaruddin Mohamed Bariaa last month.
He was previously head of Intan's Professional Development Centre.
"Whatever it is, we must pay Starza. We want to pay. There is no issue about that, and we want the payment to be soon," he said.
TheSun reported yesterday that close to 1,000 NS trainers have yet to be paid their allowances.Adul Halim said the department ants to settle the matter before year-end, before the next NS training programme on Jan 1.
"Any problems will, of course, affect the success of the programme, so I am looking into this matter myself," he said.
DESIDERATA:
Hey, the "trainers" are a key component of the NS, and the RM4million out of a budegt of RM600million is just 0.666per cent, LESS THAN ONE PER CENT!, and the Dept can't pay for the fees for a programme that ended in late March and late July 2005 in two batches respectively (for the modules provided by Starza, according to its managing director Zafidi Mohamad.)
My question si: why the former D-G Kamaruddin Mohamed Baria is not asked to explain?
Also, on account of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's assuarnce that his government is committed to good and transparent governance, can the Rakyat be given an official accointing fo the NS programme's FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR 2004 and 2005?
In fact, the Pak Lah had promised some time ago that big budget items woud be OPEN TO COMPETITIVE CONTRACT BIDDINGS/TENDERS. What is happening at the NS?
This failure is just one "breach" of a huge NATIONAL EXPENSE. If the top managment of the NS Programme up to the point of the new D-G taking over can't give a proper accounting of their responsibility in managing such a huge budget, the honourable thing is call in the ACA.
We don't need a new DiG's assurance that "I am looking into this matter myself."
It is more than "just looking" on this "relatively tiny" expense that's needed.
It is INTEGRITY being the heart of the matter.
I continue to sigh for OUR COUNTRY.
** Actually I delibearely styled if afterthe fsahion of a once billionaire-at-27 answering an "exclsuive interview" question in a weekly magazine recently, about his borrowings reported at RM1.2billion in 19976/97 (NEVER DENIED THEN..), and his famous reply that he had paid back every dollar. It was only RM600,.... and left at that! It was implied (in context reading) it was only RM600million.
But these "experienced" journalists (two interviewed the second-echelon leader from a BN ciomponent party...) NEVER EVEN FOLLOWED UP WITH THE LOGICAL QUESTIONS LIKR:
(1) if it was just hafl the amount as reported some eight years ago, why did the subject not corect the misreported figures then?
(2) if he said he had "re-paid" every dollar, how come it was never reported on record? (The stock-market went down by some 70-80 percent in the period soon after this "billionaire" took over at least FOUR listed companies. Many stock players went bust -- how did he survive the crash? Even at RM6000,....??)
But we will never get any answers in this country. Some people are privileged to be not answerable, or accountable, for their actions, or inactions.
Maybe Pak Lah canpursue the matter of the NS just retired D-G, because D-Gs nowadays make a lot of headline news.
But I'd prefer he open up these "unanswered" mysteries of the former billionaire-at- 27, the case of the ex-Sabah Chief Minister gallivanting at a casino royale, and oh, yes, some minister involved in Taxi and AP permits and Bumi shares allocatin s....., oh, capers is the word I have in mind.
Just as it was with the Watergate Caper, remember, All the President's Men? before it morphed to become the Watergate Scandal.
Pak Lah, I don't envy you thy job. But I and mGf will continue to pray for you. God Speed.:)
BIG, BAD WOLFISH KL! beware the CONmen!
As urbanisation sets it, it maket man un-sociable and the neighburhood unfriendly -- nay, un-human, or inhuman? Whatever, the case of YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW YOUR IMMEDIATENEIGHBOUR'S NAME ... that demonstrates my point.
Which is why L always liken Koala Lumpuh as one BIG, BAD WOLFISH CITY, where angels and lil red riding hood should not tread.
I was waylaid by a hood as I relatedin my post yesterday; had Desi been a fe-mail, ..... badder leave to it to my XteamedReaders' vivid (Bro Imran, yours vivacious one...?) imagine-nation.
Read theSUN page 12 today (hey, don't be lazy I.Cowws altho it's TGIF! Goto the nearest 7ELEVEN, and don't stop to speak with Xtrangers!:()
Hang up when this conman calls
Paraphrasing on the run, the story goes:
"*Victim executive makes an appointment with a man -- styling as a company financial CONtroller, how appropriate! --who called about giving V's company some business. As they chatted at a pastry restaurant at (Salem) Lot 10, downtown BIG, BAD ..., a call came to V's handphone, purportedly from CON's wife.
V passed the phone to CON who then excused himself, saying his wife had just arived from outstation and he was steping out "for a while" to give her directins.
The "for a while" turned out to be "yesterday and then the morrows after" for V< who loked at a clutch bag left behind by CON.The souvenirs were some brochures and leaflets to remember CON by.*"
DESIDERATA: Now you understand why Desi needs to get out of BIG BAD ... KL.. but can't avoid it-lah, cari makan-kan dan jalan-jalan!
My most Xpensive loss to CONmen came to about RM2,000 to RM400 respectedly ..oops, respectively.
What about yours? I hope your figures beat mine -- Guinea's BukuRekod?
WoW, "RM712 for a bowl of soup"NO-lah, thhis is NO CON JOB. It's Alex Chow's MONK JUMPS OVER THE WALL dish; you wanna spend me this Sundae? I'll forego my CON BF!
Desi received another story via the Email, reprised UNEDITED here, Desi joins the ranlks of I>Cowws2. Not sure whether this is true --but still it's the Moral of the Tail:
>
"***I just heard a few days ago that a new type of crime has surfaced in town.
It goes something like this:- Somebody slips a handphone into your pocket.
sometimes it could be just a wallet with an identity card and a few
ringgits. A few minutes later, the 'owner' comes up and confronts you, the
'thief '. He makes a big commotion that you stole his stuff. You, caught
unaware, are then pulled aside by the 'owner' for a settlement you are
intimidated and threatened that if you do not pay up the police will be
brought in. If you pay up, this 'owner' lets you go. If not, the police are
brought in.
Another strange thing is that there always seems to be a 'witness' to the
your 'theft'. I am told this often happens to foreigners at the Kuala
Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) or even at LRT trains. Given that
you're 'guilty until proven innocent' as far as the Malaysian police are
concerned, I understand some poor people are in jail for these 'offences'.
At the KLIA, the 'owner' throws his handphone and wallet with the few
ringgit notes into the luggage trolley of a just arrived passenger. The
drama unfolds a few minutes later. The real culprit has easily convinced
our Malaysian police to arrest the real victim (if he has not paid up the
'settlement' demand). This is a very serious matter.
This is another form of extortionists perating in broad daylight. They are
disgusting criminals who will do anything to rob and steal. The sickening
part of the whole scenario is that unless you pay the "settlement" money,
they will put you in real trouble by calling the police. The real culprit
gets back his handphone and wallet but the real victim (i.e. could be
any one of us) is thrown into the police lock up and charged in court.
So do be very careful, otherwise you may end up as a "thief" as you have no
way to prove your innocence.*"
PS: Sorry if I spoilt the reputation of KL-ites, is that how they call you people dwelling here, the capitalist city posing at tDa Capitol of Malaysia? Also, my apologies to Da Wolf who gobbled up li'l rrh:(
Which is why L always liken Koala Lumpuh as one BIG, BAD WOLFISH CITY, where angels and lil red riding hood should not tread.
I was waylaid by a hood as I relatedin my post yesterday; had Desi been a fe-mail, ..... badder leave to it to my XteamedReaders' vivid (Bro Imran, yours vivacious one...?) imagine-nation.
Read theSUN page 12 today (hey, don't be lazy I.Cowws altho it's TGIF! Goto the nearest 7ELEVEN, and don't stop to speak with Xtrangers!:()
Hang up when this conman calls
Paraphrasing on the run, the story goes:
"*Victim executive makes an appointment with a man -- styling as a company financial CONtroller, how appropriate! --who called about giving V's company some business. As they chatted at a pastry restaurant at (Salem) Lot 10, downtown BIG, BAD ..., a call came to V's handphone, purportedly from CON's wife.
V passed the phone to CON who then excused himself, saying his wife had just arived from outstation and he was steping out "for a while" to give her directins.
The "for a while" turned out to be "yesterday and then the morrows after" for V< who loked at a clutch bag left behind by CON.The souvenirs were some brochures and leaflets to remember CON by.*"
DESIDERATA: Now you understand why Desi needs to get out of BIG BAD ... KL.. but can't avoid it-lah, cari makan-kan dan jalan-jalan!
My most Xpensive loss to CONmen came to about RM2,000 to RM400 respectedly ..oops, respectively.
What about yours? I hope your figures beat mine -- Guinea's BukuRekod?
WoW, "RM712 for a bowl of soup"NO-lah, thhis is NO CON JOB. It's Alex Chow's MONK JUMPS OVER THE WALL dish; you wanna spend me this Sundae? I'll forego my CON BF!
Desi received another story via the Email, reprised UNEDITED here, Desi joins the ranlks of I>Cowws2. Not sure whether this is true --but still it's the Moral of the Tail:
>
"***I just heard a few days ago that a new type of crime has surfaced in town.
It goes something like this:- Somebody slips a handphone into your pocket.
sometimes it could be just a wallet with an identity card and a few
ringgits. A few minutes later, the 'owner' comes up and confronts you, the
'thief '. He makes a big commotion that you stole his stuff. You, caught
unaware, are then pulled aside by the 'owner' for a settlement you are
intimidated and threatened that if you do not pay up the police will be
brought in. If you pay up, this 'owner' lets you go. If not, the police are
brought in.
Another strange thing is that there always seems to be a 'witness' to the
your 'theft'. I am told this often happens to foreigners at the Kuala
Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) or even at LRT trains. Given that
you're 'guilty until proven innocent' as far as the Malaysian police are
concerned, I understand some poor people are in jail for these 'offences'.
At the KLIA, the 'owner' throws his handphone and wallet with the few
ringgit notes into the luggage trolley of a just arrived passenger. The
drama unfolds a few minutes later. The real culprit has easily convinced
our Malaysian police to arrest the real victim (if he has not paid up the
'settlement' demand). This is a very serious matter.
This is another form of extortionists perating in broad daylight. They are
disgusting criminals who will do anything to rob and steal. The sickening
part of the whole scenario is that unless you pay the "settlement" money,
they will put you in real trouble by calling the police. The real culprit
gets back his handphone and wallet but the real victim (i.e. could be
any one of us) is thrown into the police lock up and charged in court.
So do be very careful, otherwise you may end up as a "thief" as you have no
way to prove your innocence.*"
PS: Sorry if I spoilt the reputation of KL-ites, is that how they call you people dwelling here, the capitalist city posing at tDa Capitol of Malaysia? Also, my apologies to Da Wolf who gobbled up li'l rrh:(
Friday, November 18, 2005
chinaman's ode to crooked man
This morn was lit up by two responders to my China's post yesterday -- from a dreamer not so idiotic to mymind, and I've a good motive in buttering him up, or isit down? Then from long-lost HOWSY sending his apologies for not accepting Desi's tehtarik lately -- it's okay -- we are running out of H2O in Fu Rong anyway!:( hence water rationing for the last four months, steal counting...My appropriate reply as "When in London, Do as the Londoners do" sends a message in gist that says: we miss you dearly, attain your PhD soonest and come back to NS ...(NS is where Fu Rong is situated within; if you still find me speAking in tongue, take some Desiderata.hanyupinyin tuition on sundaes!:(
There was a crooked man
who drove Desi more than an extra mile
he made a few more than a crooked sixpence
with li'l chat behind a crooked smile
he played tourist guide
from subang to jalan ampang
after a three-quarter hour ride
this cab-driver was acting jekyll and hyde
my destination never came into sight
we spent an hour enjoying the countryside
luckily Desi is no fe-mail
otherWISE
this crooked man could have left
a rape victim in his trail
desi parted with RM26
hence cahed back with this wail
now you see why desi laments
that KL is one big wolfist city
with crooked men who have li'l pity
they add on to their kitty
exploiting the afternoon rain
charging double, he's more than a pain
Desi still must commend those he's met
who earn a decent wage with Honesty
with one lesson from wh 5656 i must not forget
when in koala lumpuh
be a greAt sumbody
like howsy, like desi
PS: THis ode has a funny ending because -- blame it on HOWDY!
There was a crooked man
who drove Desi more than an extra mile
he made a few more than a crooked sixpence
with li'l chat behind a crooked smile
he played tourist guide
from subang to jalan ampang
after a three-quarter hour ride
this cab-driver was acting jekyll and hyde
my destination never came into sight
we spent an hour enjoying the countryside
luckily Desi is no fe-mail
otherWISE
this crooked man could have left
a rape victim in his trail
desi parted with RM26
hence cahed back with this wail
now you see why desi laments
that KL is one big wolfist city
with crooked men who have li'l pity
they add on to their kitty
exploiting the afternoon rain
charging double, he's more than a pain
Desi still must commend those he's met
who earn a decent wage with Honesty
with one lesson from wh 5656 i must not forget
when in koala lumpuh
be a greAt sumbody
like howsy, like desi
PS: THis ode has a funny ending because -- blame it on HOWDY!
Thursday, November 17, 2005
china, replacing H2O, china everywhere?
Lately, I have had occaion to wonder about China, and so re-visited various facets -- re-viewing Farewell, My Concubine,The Red Lantern, The Red Violin; currently reading a few recent books on China, socio-economics mainly, including CHINA, INC, detailing the growth of another super-power.
Just in case some Malaysians have been sleeping, I reprooduce here an item to jog them out of their reverie; and don't wish to be caught "napping" --I'll leave the XXtrapolation to my EsteemedReaders on the impact this rising Economic Power House would have on us Malaysians.
Preface with one personal account:
One of mGf ML in Fu Rong operated a guitar-making factory emplying half a dozen Malaysians from about 1997-2003. Business was steady fro the first few years, with even a llisted company ordering Original Equipment Manufacturing guitars from him.
Towards the 2002-03 period, ML witnessed a China onslaught in that China-,ade guitars and other musical instruments were being imported here at below the local manufacturers' cost price. In just a few monts, ML had to make a painful decision to lay off hiw workers (all save one from Sabah/Sarwak) as it does make more sense to import directly the guitars from China, yet still giving him a good return. Hence, he had been making regulat trips to China to place orders and to know his "contacts" personally.
And ML's claim to fame as the country's first manufacturer of guitars on a commercial scale lasted just six years ... China the dragon wold be swallowing many Malaysian SMEs along its sweeping path. And more will fall along its way.
Now read, and foretll the future implications if you have not noticed already.
Chinese is hot campus subject
By K. Oanh Ha
Mercury News
Faisal Mostamandy, a San Jose State University graduate of Afghan ancestry, hopes to have a future in his homeland. To help him get there, he's learning Chinese.
``Afghanistan borders China, and China is an emerging power,'' said Mostamandy, 27. With the pace of economic globalization, he added: ``You'd be a fool not to learn Chinese.''
That seems to be the thinking for thousands across America, particularly in the Bay Area, where business and cultural ties with China are deep and broad. As globalization ushers China's economy onto center stage, unprecedented numbers of students, professionals and even preschool children -- many of whom are not of Chinese ancestry -- are clamoring to learn Mandarin, the language spoken by one-fifth of the world's population.
Most Chinese-learners feel they need to prepare for a future in which China will grow in economic, political and cultural clout.
Most corporations aren't yet rushing to teach employees Chinese. But among college students, many of whom will be the next generation working for those corporations, the growth is dramatic, swelling by at least 20 percent over the past five years, according to estimates by educators.
``Since 9/11, American college students have become more sensitized about what it takes to be a well-functioning global citizen,'' said Rosemary Feal, executive director of the Modern Language Institute, which promotes foreign-language teaching. ``That means having a deep understanding and knowledge of other languages and cultures.''
Evidence abounds
Some signs of the trend:
• Among some of the largest universities and colleges in the state, enrollment in Chinese-language courses is up as much as 64 percent over the past five years. The demand is so great that some schools, including the University of California-Berkeley, routinely are turning away a hundred students or more each term. While interest in Chinese has been healthy in a state with a high Asian-American population, much of the recent growth comes from students who are not of Chinese ancestry.
• California produces a disproportionately large share of K-12 students studying Chinese -- about a third of the 24,000 students enrolled in the United States. The total number of K-12 students learning Chinese across the country tripled between 2000 and 2005. At College Park magnet school in the Foster City-San Mateo school district, the majority of students enrolled in Chinese immersion are Latino.
• This spring, U.S. Sens. Joe Lieberman and Lamar Alexander introduced a bill authorizing $1.3 billion over five years to fund Chinese-language instruction in U.S. schools with the aim of improving business and cultural relations with China.
• While Chinese still lags far behind other languages such as Spanish and French on college campuses, a 2002 study by the Modern Language Association showed the number in the United States learning Chinese grew 20 percent since 1998.
At Berkeley, so many students show up for the first day of class that many end up sitting on the floor, said Jan Johnson, student-affairs adviser in the East Asian languages and cultures department. Many students are economics and business majors. In September, about 120 students were turned away from its course designed for ``non-heritage'' students -- those without Chinese ancestry.
Two-year degree
Foothill College last year began offering an associate degree in Chinese. It also revised its courses to use the simplified character writing style that China uses, rather than the traditional characters used in Taiwan.
``We felt it would be more useful for people who want to do business in China,'' said Karen Alfsen, Foothill's dean of language arts.
The Chinese government, in attempts to bolster its own cultural diplomacy, offers various programs to help foreigners learn the language. It has set up 100 Chinese-language centers, called Confucius Institutes, around the world, and staffs them with native Chinese teachers.
San Francisco State University will host the first such institute in the Western United States. It plans to offer language courses to the community, such as business Chinese, as well as a teaching-certification program, said Charles Egan, program coordinator of the Chinese program.
Even with China's emergence as a global economic power, English remains the predominant language of commerce for companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Intel and Oracle. Despite Yahoo's purchase of online auction site Alibaba in China, the Internet giant doesn't encourage employees in Silicon Valley to learn Chinese or offer on-site language courses.
``As a company we certainly think it's positive for our Yahoos to be bilingual, but for most positions that is not a requirement or expectation,'' wrote Heidi Burgett, Yahoo spokeswoman, in an e-mail.
Personal initiative
But other business professionals are taking up Chinese on their own initiative.
Lily Wu, an independent Chinese tutor who has been teaching the language the past 11 years, said she has seen an dramatic increase in Chinese in the past few years. Her full roster of 10 students are mostly non-Chinese professionals who are traveling to China for business.
David Earle found Wu's ad on Craigslist three weeks ago. Next year, he plans to move to Taiwan to start a bicycle-design and marketing business.
``A lot of Taiwanese aren't forgiving if you don't speak their language right,'' Earle said.
Finally, some aren't waiting for college, or even high school, to dive into Chinese. Some parents of preschoolers believe speaking Chinese can give their children an edge, and several local preschools offer Chinese-language instruction.
Manju Ramachandran of San Jose enrolled her 5-year-old daughter, Nithya, in an after-school Chinese program at Milpitas Montessori in September. There, she learns to sing nursery rhymes such as ``Head, shoulders, knees and toes'' in Chinese, taught by a native Chinese speaker.
Ramachandran, who speaks Hindi with her daughters at home, points to the populations of India and China as motivation enough.
``All of the business in the world will come from either China or India,'' she said. ``If she knows the language of the two most populated counties in the world, she can't go wrong in life.''
DESIDERATA: FOR OUR COUNTRY --I just have one forecast. Globalisation will break down the barriers in the next one decade from now that many politicians have put up as their defence walls for the past four to five decades.
Just in case some Malaysians have been sleeping, I reprooduce here an item to jog them out of their reverie; and don't wish to be caught "napping" --I'll leave the XXtrapolation to my EsteemedReaders on the impact this rising Economic Power House would have on us Malaysians.
Preface with one personal account:
One of mGf ML in Fu Rong operated a guitar-making factory emplying half a dozen Malaysians from about 1997-2003. Business was steady fro the first few years, with even a llisted company ordering Original Equipment Manufacturing guitars from him.
Towards the 2002-03 period, ML witnessed a China onslaught in that China-,ade guitars and other musical instruments were being imported here at below the local manufacturers' cost price. In just a few monts, ML had to make a painful decision to lay off hiw workers (all save one from Sabah/Sarwak) as it does make more sense to import directly the guitars from China, yet still giving him a good return. Hence, he had been making regulat trips to China to place orders and to know his "contacts" personally.
And ML's claim to fame as the country's first manufacturer of guitars on a commercial scale lasted just six years ... China the dragon wold be swallowing many Malaysian SMEs along its sweeping path. And more will fall along its way.
Now read, and foretll the future implications if you have not noticed already.
Chinese is hot campus subject
By K. Oanh Ha
Mercury News
Faisal Mostamandy, a San Jose State University graduate of Afghan ancestry, hopes to have a future in his homeland. To help him get there, he's learning Chinese.
``Afghanistan borders China, and China is an emerging power,'' said Mostamandy, 27. With the pace of economic globalization, he added: ``You'd be a fool not to learn Chinese.''
That seems to be the thinking for thousands across America, particularly in the Bay Area, where business and cultural ties with China are deep and broad. As globalization ushers China's economy onto center stage, unprecedented numbers of students, professionals and even preschool children -- many of whom are not of Chinese ancestry -- are clamoring to learn Mandarin, the language spoken by one-fifth of the world's population.
Most Chinese-learners feel they need to prepare for a future in which China will grow in economic, political and cultural clout.
Most corporations aren't yet rushing to teach employees Chinese. But among college students, many of whom will be the next generation working for those corporations, the growth is dramatic, swelling by at least 20 percent over the past five years, according to estimates by educators.
``Since 9/11, American college students have become more sensitized about what it takes to be a well-functioning global citizen,'' said Rosemary Feal, executive director of the Modern Language Institute, which promotes foreign-language teaching. ``That means having a deep understanding and knowledge of other languages and cultures.''
Evidence abounds
Some signs of the trend:
• Among some of the largest universities and colleges in the state, enrollment in Chinese-language courses is up as much as 64 percent over the past five years. The demand is so great that some schools, including the University of California-Berkeley, routinely are turning away a hundred students or more each term. While interest in Chinese has been healthy in a state with a high Asian-American population, much of the recent growth comes from students who are not of Chinese ancestry.
• California produces a disproportionately large share of K-12 students studying Chinese -- about a third of the 24,000 students enrolled in the United States. The total number of K-12 students learning Chinese across the country tripled between 2000 and 2005. At College Park magnet school in the Foster City-San Mateo school district, the majority of students enrolled in Chinese immersion are Latino.
• This spring, U.S. Sens. Joe Lieberman and Lamar Alexander introduced a bill authorizing $1.3 billion over five years to fund Chinese-language instruction in U.S. schools with the aim of improving business and cultural relations with China.
• While Chinese still lags far behind other languages such as Spanish and French on college campuses, a 2002 study by the Modern Language Association showed the number in the United States learning Chinese grew 20 percent since 1998.
At Berkeley, so many students show up for the first day of class that many end up sitting on the floor, said Jan Johnson, student-affairs adviser in the East Asian languages and cultures department. Many students are economics and business majors. In September, about 120 students were turned away from its course designed for ``non-heritage'' students -- those without Chinese ancestry.
Two-year degree
Foothill College last year began offering an associate degree in Chinese. It also revised its courses to use the simplified character writing style that China uses, rather than the traditional characters used in Taiwan.
``We felt it would be more useful for people who want to do business in China,'' said Karen Alfsen, Foothill's dean of language arts.
The Chinese government, in attempts to bolster its own cultural diplomacy, offers various programs to help foreigners learn the language. It has set up 100 Chinese-language centers, called Confucius Institutes, around the world, and staffs them with native Chinese teachers.
San Francisco State University will host the first such institute in the Western United States. It plans to offer language courses to the community, such as business Chinese, as well as a teaching-certification program, said Charles Egan, program coordinator of the Chinese program.
Even with China's emergence as a global economic power, English remains the predominant language of commerce for companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Intel and Oracle. Despite Yahoo's purchase of online auction site Alibaba in China, the Internet giant doesn't encourage employees in Silicon Valley to learn Chinese or offer on-site language courses.
``As a company we certainly think it's positive for our Yahoos to be bilingual, but for most positions that is not a requirement or expectation,'' wrote Heidi Burgett, Yahoo spokeswoman, in an e-mail.
Personal initiative
But other business professionals are taking up Chinese on their own initiative.
Lily Wu, an independent Chinese tutor who has been teaching the language the past 11 years, said she has seen an dramatic increase in Chinese in the past few years. Her full roster of 10 students are mostly non-Chinese professionals who are traveling to China for business.
David Earle found Wu's ad on Craigslist three weeks ago. Next year, he plans to move to Taiwan to start a bicycle-design and marketing business.
``A lot of Taiwanese aren't forgiving if you don't speak their language right,'' Earle said.
Finally, some aren't waiting for college, or even high school, to dive into Chinese. Some parents of preschoolers believe speaking Chinese can give their children an edge, and several local preschools offer Chinese-language instruction.
Manju Ramachandran of San Jose enrolled her 5-year-old daughter, Nithya, in an after-school Chinese program at Milpitas Montessori in September. There, she learns to sing nursery rhymes such as ``Head, shoulders, knees and toes'' in Chinese, taught by a native Chinese speaker.
Ramachandran, who speaks Hindi with her daughters at home, points to the populations of India and China as motivation enough.
``All of the business in the world will come from either China or India,'' she said. ``If she knows the language of the two most populated counties in the world, she can't go wrong in life.''
DESIDERATA: FOR OUR COUNTRY --I just have one forecast. Globalisation will break down the barriers in the next one decade from now that many politicians have put up as their defence walls for the past four to five decades.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
conversations2
during the last world cup season, there was a strange mix of an elvis track called conversations in a promo of this crazy game called football, sometimes the cause of much feAtbrawl.
i can't remember frankly what the "substance" of that song from the king of pelvis that was in any way connected with a game that adults play in the fashion and passion of children.
but it's enough that games and songs like these promote the fellowship of men. we can do with more of such activity and less of the murder, mayhem and other goings-on that daily yell out May Day! May Day!
mGf imran like a child asks desi when i would play his song on the blogosphere waves ... so brudder, in usual chatlike fsahion at desi's place, when we don't observe protocol, hence no "punctuation" in this tuesday-with-no-worries peice. others reading or listening in are considered kaypocik-voyeaur.
im-pls check sp for peep&enjoy word...the V word.
just so that desi won't be guilty of favouring the stronger sex, delete prior word in case it raises some fever -- replace with gender, this bro imran's verses going naked in all its pretty glory here came about because he lodged a komplen with the PM's dept...nah, we're going off tangent.
Without further a-do(I):(, welcome
Badder Days?
so from imran.nonsensicaldrivel comes this sharing:
not in the mood to say much, so I’ve decided to share this with all of you.
And you ask me what I want this year
And I try to make this kind and clear
Just a chance that maybe we’ll find better days
Cuz I don’t need boxes wrapped in strings
And desire and love and empty things
Just a chance that maybe we’ll find better days
So take these words
And sing out loud
Cuz everyone is forgiven now
Cuz tonight’s the night the world begins again
And it’s someplace simple where we could live
And something only you can give
And thats faith and trust and peace while we’re alive
And the one poor child that saved this world
And there’s 10 million more who probably could
If we all just stopped and said a prayer for them
So take these words
And sing out loud
Cuz everyone is forgiven now
Cuz tonight’s the night the world begins again
I wish everyone was loved tonight
And somehow stop this fight
Just a chance that maybe we’ll find better days
conversations2
desi has always deem thee a brudder
more of a child than an elder
you've been going MIA a lot
cause my grey cells out-numbering yours
by dot-and-not
i counted once my forest of hair
just one short of a million
yours i2 counted, 'was a million plus1
so i need a transplant of just one l lonely hair
and 2million(h)aires are instantly created
malaysiaboleh is good at entering guinea's bukurekod
this we will enter as the silliest CONversation
drivel-errata conversations2 we had
one tuesday in the goodyear of 2005
TGIPD, we're still kickin' and 'uch alive
i give thee a hand, you give me a five
PS: if no one absorbd any meaning from the converSATion between Des and Im, it's alright, the fool's in US, not in thee, as it's from nonsensicaldrivel-laden des'.:(
the miss... link
desiderata said...
brudder Im:
i was testing to see if you visited and noticed -- furthermore, you UNDERXtimate your own popularity!
OK, drumroar -- sila melawat brudder ni di:
http://time2rise.blogsome.com
just neignbour to that SunRise our Sweets
promised us will appear shortly
on the seafront horizon.
PS: Remember to bring lots of kuihdodol -- that's proof agin there's no such thingy as a free lunch:(
i can't remember frankly what the "substance" of that song from the king of pelvis that was in any way connected with a game that adults play in the fashion and passion of children.
but it's enough that games and songs like these promote the fellowship of men. we can do with more of such activity and less of the murder, mayhem and other goings-on that daily yell out May Day! May Day!
mGf imran like a child asks desi when i would play his song on the blogosphere waves ... so brudder, in usual chatlike fsahion at desi's place, when we don't observe protocol, hence no "punctuation" in this tuesday-with-no-worries peice. others reading or listening in are considered kaypocik-voyeaur.
im-pls check sp for peep&enjoy word...the V word.
just so that desi won't be guilty of favouring the stronger sex, delete prior word in case it raises some fever -- replace with gender, this bro imran's verses going naked in all its pretty glory here came about because he lodged a komplen with the PM's dept...nah, we're going off tangent.
Without further a-do(I):(, welcome
Badder Days?
so from imran.nonsensicaldrivel comes this sharing:
not in the mood to say much, so I’ve decided to share this with all of you.
And you ask me what I want this year
And I try to make this kind and clear
Just a chance that maybe we’ll find better days
Cuz I don’t need boxes wrapped in strings
And desire and love and empty things
Just a chance that maybe we’ll find better days
So take these words
And sing out loud
Cuz everyone is forgiven now
Cuz tonight’s the night the world begins again
And it’s someplace simple where we could live
And something only you can give
And thats faith and trust and peace while we’re alive
And the one poor child that saved this world
And there’s 10 million more who probably could
If we all just stopped and said a prayer for them
So take these words
And sing out loud
Cuz everyone is forgiven now
Cuz tonight’s the night the world begins again
I wish everyone was loved tonight
And somehow stop this fight
Just a chance that maybe we’ll find better days
conversations2
desi has always deem thee a brudder
more of a child than an elder
you've been going MIA a lot
cause my grey cells out-numbering yours
by dot-and-not
i counted once my forest of hair
just one short of a million
yours i2 counted, 'was a million plus1
so i need a transplant of just one l lonely hair
and 2million(h)aires are instantly created
malaysiaboleh is good at entering guinea's bukurekod
this we will enter as the silliest CONversation
drivel-errata conversations2 we had
one tuesday in the goodyear of 2005
TGIPD, we're still kickin' and 'uch alive
i give thee a hand, you give me a five
PS: if no one absorbd any meaning from the converSATion between Des and Im, it's alright, the fool's in US, not in thee, as it's from nonsensicaldrivel-laden des'.:(
the miss... link
desiderata said...
brudder Im:
i was testing to see if you visited and noticed -- furthermore, you UNDERXtimate your own popularity!
OK, drumroar -- sila melawat brudder ni di:
http://time2rise.blogsome.com
just neignbour to that SunRise our Sweets
promised us will appear shortly
on the seafront horizon.
PS: Remember to bring lots of kuihdodol -- that's proof agin there's no such thingy as a free lunch:(
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
welcome joy, from sadness arise
When I read about strife, disaster, from everyday mondane life to gigantic scale catsatrophe like terror attacks and inter-territory wars, I also hear echoes from certain quarters that these are signs and days of the impending "end of the world".
Desi as a writer thinks as long as men continue to war and fight over terrain and the bounty of the land, the impending "end" won't be such an easy, absolute finale to his greed. Isn't it greed at the peak of all the reasons leaders and governments try to hide as the prime and primordial motivation behind all their expressed noble intentions of bringing civilization (salvation?) to thy neighbour's land?
Spreading the dreams of democracy to enter Iraq and Kuwait?
More like the Balck Gold that awaits the victor.
So let's not get ourselves caught up in the crap of PoliticSpeak and its Perpertrators who abuse others' intelligence to no end.
Let's ENJOY the beauty of Wordsmiths and their creative spirit. So that even from Sadness, we reap Beauty, and Enjoyment of Life.
Welcoming a fellow blogger back from Escapeville ... sumtimes they call it a hiatus?... okay-lah, excuses are aloud;), I dedicate this PrimeDay's cut in answer to her honest to nature capture of a seaside sunset Down Under (http://sweetspirits.blogspot.com) , and I can sense its serenity to feed my hands ridingover Matey's keys on an otherwise mnodane day ...so often associated, poor dear, with Monday Blues:(
From darkness will spring forth light.
From sadness -- even the deepest one -- will spring forth joy. 'Cos you have fRiends and you care for them as they care for thee.
I recall from sweets webpage:
August 30, 2005
Pablo Neruda.......
SADDEST POEM
I can write the saddest poem of all tonight.
Write, for instance: "The night is full of stars,
and the stars, blue, shiver in the distance."
The night wind whirls in the sky and sings.
I can write the saddest poem of all tonight.
I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too.
On nights like this, I held her in my arms.
I kissed her so many times under the infinite sky.
She loved me, sometimes I loved her.
How could I not have loved her large, still eyes?
I can write the saddest poem of all tonight.
To think I don't have her. To feel that I've lost her.
To hear the immense night, more immense without her.
And the poem falls to the soul as dew to grass.
What does it matter that my love couldn't keep her.
The night is full of stars and she is not with me.
That's all. Far away, someone sings. Far away.
My soul is lost without her.
As if to bring her near, my eyes search for her.
My heart searches for her and she is not with me.
The same night that whitens the same trees.
We, we who were, we are the same no longer.
I no longer love her, true, but how much I loved her.
My voice searched the wind to touch her ear.
Someone else's. She will be someone else's. As she once
belonged to my kisses.
Her voice, her light body. Her infinite eyes.
I no longer love her, true, but perhaps I love her.
Love is so short and oblivion so long.
Because on nights like this I held her in my arms,
my soul is lost without her.
Although this may be the last pain she causes me,
and this may be the last poem I write for her.
with mighty thanks to Pablo Neruda
Desi as a writer thinks as long as men continue to war and fight over terrain and the bounty of the land, the impending "end" won't be such an easy, absolute finale to his greed. Isn't it greed at the peak of all the reasons leaders and governments try to hide as the prime and primordial motivation behind all their expressed noble intentions of bringing civilization (salvation?) to thy neighbour's land?
Spreading the dreams of democracy to enter Iraq and Kuwait?
More like the Balck Gold that awaits the victor.
So let's not get ourselves caught up in the crap of PoliticSpeak and its Perpertrators who abuse others' intelligence to no end.
Let's ENJOY the beauty of Wordsmiths and their creative spirit. So that even from Sadness, we reap Beauty, and Enjoyment of Life.
Welcoming a fellow blogger back from Escapeville ... sumtimes they call it a hiatus?... okay-lah, excuses are aloud;), I dedicate this PrimeDay's cut in answer to her honest to nature capture of a seaside sunset Down Under (http://sweetspirits.blogspot.com) , and I can sense its serenity to feed my hands ridingover Matey's keys on an otherwise mnodane day ...so often associated, poor dear, with Monday Blues:(
From darkness will spring forth light.
From sadness -- even the deepest one -- will spring forth joy. 'Cos you have fRiends and you care for them as they care for thee.
I recall from sweets webpage:
August 30, 2005
Pablo Neruda.......
SADDEST POEM
I can write the saddest poem of all tonight.
Write, for instance: "The night is full of stars,
and the stars, blue, shiver in the distance."
The night wind whirls in the sky and sings.
I can write the saddest poem of all tonight.
I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too.
On nights like this, I held her in my arms.
I kissed her so many times under the infinite sky.
She loved me, sometimes I loved her.
How could I not have loved her large, still eyes?
I can write the saddest poem of all tonight.
To think I don't have her. To feel that I've lost her.
To hear the immense night, more immense without her.
And the poem falls to the soul as dew to grass.
What does it matter that my love couldn't keep her.
The night is full of stars and she is not with me.
That's all. Far away, someone sings. Far away.
My soul is lost without her.
As if to bring her near, my eyes search for her.
My heart searches for her and she is not with me.
The same night that whitens the same trees.
We, we who were, we are the same no longer.
I no longer love her, true, but how much I loved her.
My voice searched the wind to touch her ear.
Someone else's. She will be someone else's. As she once
belonged to my kisses.
Her voice, her light body. Her infinite eyes.
I no longer love her, true, but perhaps I love her.
Love is so short and oblivion so long.
Because on nights like this I held her in my arms,
my soul is lost without her.
Although this may be the last pain she causes me,
and this may be the last poem I write for her.
with mighty thanks to Pablo Neruda
Sunday, November 13, 2005
li'l child, won't you dance with me?
desiderata.englsih
This post is Inspired by one childlike post -- from Not-so-Young Sabrina wondering -- as most of us would, sometime in our reverie -- whether we would want to travel the same road if we were given a chance to become "that child" once again...
Desi had a confesion: Yes, definitely I would some time, if I could.Each generation growing up in Malaysia -- from pre-Merdeka to early years, then some 50 years post-Independence -- all would have different opportunities, also paying certain opportunity costs.
So when I saw mGf Imran, ginger, and kyels putting their responses to sabrina's post all in verse -- I know it's spontaneity at its best. And that's what childhood is all about.
s-p-o-n-t-a-n-i-e-ty, as in the name of a ci-ty. Where everything is staright-to-the-face no hidden agenda. No pause, no second thought, no censorship -- just letting the ideas that first come to mind gush out of one's mouth.Swimmingly like the thousands of tadpoles we thought were li'l fishes on first push by Mother Froggie into this dark, daunt world.
First unpolluted words may prove embarrassing sometimes -- but there is no mala fide (bad faith) -- there, practising some loyar buluk-ese.
And this world must learn to go back to play with the YoungOnes. Learn from their untainted personality. Learn from their easily-satisfied needs and wants. And does that mean, Sabrina, being a six-year-old again?
CONTRAST:
Another fellow blogger I consider mGf mentor, Yan, ran a story of a Mum spending big bucks for preparing their daughter to stand ahead of her peers in a Beauty Contest, all at the ripe old age of SIX YEARS.
The RAT RACE sees parents sending their children to the tuition centres for subjects more than what the child needs ... some of the children don't even have time to do their school work, and the parents think the tutors can be a substitute.
A six years they should be enjoying Cinderella, Tom Thumb. and other fairy tales; it does no harm for them to listen to the 1,001 Arabian Nights than couched with their parents in front of the idiot box... it won't kill their future reading with/them bedside stories from Enid Bylton than making those trips to Disney Land before time.
RM200 spent on a child every month can buy him/her five good fiction works that will enrich his/her mind rather than inundate them with information overload. To me, if a child is just weak in one subject like Mathematics, okay, it justifies an expense of RM50-70 on tuition. But torturing him with a comprehensive covergae at several hundred dollars a month, there's something wrong somewhere.
Maybe the judges at the 6-year-olds beauty contest have some money-churning ideas?
With wits-taker chocs influence, I'm stealing one barOr2 each of verses from http://sabrinawstan.blogsome.com
November 9, 2005
O little child
I walked into the woods
And I saw thee
A small child
With your hands holding out to me
I stooped down
I gave you my famous frown
Why, oh why
O little child
Sitting here all by yourself
And cry and cry
I turned my head
I saw the sun going down
Up I rose again
And walk towards the sunset
O little child
How sweet of you
I held you close and tight
And I didn’t want to let go
*
*
*
O little child
I shall let you go
Live life and be happy
Is all I am asking for
You ran, o little child
And you never looked back
I managed a forceful smile
And hoped that I was like that
4 Comments »
"O little child
I envy you
I wish that
I could write like you
O little child
Please don’t be sad
Life is hard
Be thankful of what you have
Comment by Imran —
"Soar like an eagle
Go conquer the sky
Life is too short
No time for goodbye
Comment by ginger
"O Little Child,
You are just beautiful,
And your love is bountiful,
This is what you have, indeed…
"O Little Child,
Blessed you will be,
The heaven and skies,
Angels and Saints,
Will definitely look after you…
*hugs*
Comment by Kyels — November 9, 2005 @ 1:48 pm
"you bring desi back to beatles land of nostalgia, agin!
Lit’le child, lit’le child, Lit’le child, won’t you dance with me…
Yes, those were tender years of innocence and abnadon,
sabrina we can only treAsure them as memories
good, old-fashioned memories
when hearts were of gold and friends were of old
time tests our humanness it overcomes many of us
desi tries his best to meet time with grace and childlike abandon
hope you maintain your childlike — okay, reality here, youthful — glow as long as possible.:)
Comment by ylchong
So just to get into the same spirit of Sabrina and her pals, Desi joins the four mophaired boys from li'lpull, THE BEATLES, with their bouncy
"Little Child"
Music&lyrics by Lennon/McCartney
Little child, little child
Little child, won't you dance with me?
I'm so sad and lonely
Baby take a chance with me
Little child, little child
Little child, won't you dance with me?
I'm so sad and lonely
Baby take a chance with me
If you want someone
To make you feel so fine
Then we'll have some fun
When you're mine, all mine
So come, come on, come on
Little child, little child
Little child, won't you dance with me?
I'm so sad and lonely
Baby take a chance with me
When you're by my side
You're the only one
Don't you run and hide
Just come on, come on
So come on, come on, come on
Little child, little child
Little child, won't you dance with me?
I'm so sad and lonely
Baby take a chance with me
Baby take a chance with me
Baby take a chance with me
This post is Inspired by one childlike post -- from Not-so-Young Sabrina wondering -- as most of us would, sometime in our reverie -- whether we would want to travel the same road if we were given a chance to become "that child" once again...
Desi had a confesion: Yes, definitely I would some time, if I could.Each generation growing up in Malaysia -- from pre-Merdeka to early years, then some 50 years post-Independence -- all would have different opportunities, also paying certain opportunity costs.
So when I saw mGf Imran, ginger, and kyels putting their responses to sabrina's post all in verse -- I know it's spontaneity at its best. And that's what childhood is all about.
s-p-o-n-t-a-n-i-e-ty, as in the name of a ci-ty. Where everything is staright-to-the-face no hidden agenda. No pause, no second thought, no censorship -- just letting the ideas that first come to mind gush out of one's mouth.Swimmingly like the thousands of tadpoles we thought were li'l fishes on first push by Mother Froggie into this dark, daunt world.
First unpolluted words may prove embarrassing sometimes -- but there is no mala fide (bad faith) -- there, practising some loyar buluk-ese.
And this world must learn to go back to play with the YoungOnes. Learn from their untainted personality. Learn from their easily-satisfied needs and wants. And does that mean, Sabrina, being a six-year-old again?
CONTRAST:
Another fellow blogger I consider mGf mentor, Yan, ran a story of a Mum spending big bucks for preparing their daughter to stand ahead of her peers in a Beauty Contest, all at the ripe old age of SIX YEARS.
The RAT RACE sees parents sending their children to the tuition centres for subjects more than what the child needs ... some of the children don't even have time to do their school work, and the parents think the tutors can be a substitute.
A six years they should be enjoying Cinderella, Tom Thumb. and other fairy tales; it does no harm for them to listen to the 1,001 Arabian Nights than couched with their parents in front of the idiot box... it won't kill their future reading with/them bedside stories from Enid Bylton than making those trips to Disney Land before time.
RM200 spent on a child every month can buy him/her five good fiction works that will enrich his/her mind rather than inundate them with information overload. To me, if a child is just weak in one subject like Mathematics, okay, it justifies an expense of RM50-70 on tuition. But torturing him with a comprehensive covergae at several hundred dollars a month, there's something wrong somewhere.
Maybe the judges at the 6-year-olds beauty contest have some money-churning ideas?
With wits-taker chocs influence, I'm stealing one barOr2 each of verses from http://sabrinawstan.blogsome.com
November 9, 2005
O little child
I walked into the woods
And I saw thee
A small child
With your hands holding out to me
I stooped down
I gave you my famous frown
Why, oh why
O little child
Sitting here all by yourself
And cry and cry
I turned my head
I saw the sun going down
Up I rose again
And walk towards the sunset
O little child
How sweet of you
I held you close and tight
And I didn’t want to let go
*
*
*
O little child
I shall let you go
Live life and be happy
Is all I am asking for
You ran, o little child
And you never looked back
I managed a forceful smile
And hoped that I was like that
4 Comments »
"O little child
I envy you
I wish that
I could write like you
O little child
Please don’t be sad
Life is hard
Be thankful of what you have
Comment by Imran —
"Soar like an eagle
Go conquer the sky
Life is too short
No time for goodbye
Comment by ginger
"O Little Child,
You are just beautiful,
And your love is bountiful,
This is what you have, indeed…
"O Little Child,
Blessed you will be,
The heaven and skies,
Angels and Saints,
Will definitely look after you…
*hugs*
Comment by Kyels — November 9, 2005 @ 1:48 pm
"you bring desi back to beatles land of nostalgia, agin!
Lit’le child, lit’le child, Lit’le child, won’t you dance with me…
Yes, those were tender years of innocence and abnadon,
sabrina we can only treAsure them as memories
good, old-fashioned memories
when hearts were of gold and friends were of old
time tests our humanness it overcomes many of us
desi tries his best to meet time with grace and childlike abandon
hope you maintain your childlike — okay, reality here, youthful — glow as long as possible.:)
Comment by ylchong
So just to get into the same spirit of Sabrina and her pals, Desi joins the four mophaired boys from li'lpull, THE BEATLES, with their bouncy
"Little Child"
Music&lyrics by Lennon/McCartney
Little child, little child
Little child, won't you dance with me?
I'm so sad and lonely
Baby take a chance with me
Little child, little child
Little child, won't you dance with me?
I'm so sad and lonely
Baby take a chance with me
If you want someone
To make you feel so fine
Then we'll have some fun
When you're mine, all mine
So come, come on, come on
Little child, little child
Little child, won't you dance with me?
I'm so sad and lonely
Baby take a chance with me
When you're by my side
You're the only one
Don't you run and hide
Just come on, come on
So come on, come on, come on
Little child, little child
Little child, won't you dance with me?
I'm so sad and lonely
Baby take a chance with me
Baby take a chance with me
Baby take a chance with me
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