Back to the present running story, luckily a fellow BLOGGER whom I DO NOT PERSONALLY KNOW -- in fact first time 'twas I sighted his name at FREEDOM COME, FREEDOM GO portal via Rockybru's post...) spoke my mind lots, and I thank him from the bottom of my hear. Bear with me please if I ask you, dear ER, go read the past few days' posts here -- I ain't wanna bore you wit' a Cut&Pastry OK!
JEST a few points worth reiterating, can?
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Back in Oct 2011, I had writ:
The saga has its incubation a few days ago in a Malaysian Insider story about impending changes at the top editorial and management levels of New Straits Times Press, an UMNO-controlled propaganda machine if you don't know (you haven't come out of the cave ah?)
In a by the way mention, MI reported that 12-year-old pioneer news portalMalaysiakini is holding talks with Malay Mail, perceived as yet another UMNO -- if not UMNO, then an Establishment -- newspaper. (A fellow Blogger named Rockybru was helming this "free" paper until very recently, and the Datuk Ahirudin Attan started a blog-newspaper The Mole on September 16, 2011, but that's another story...Why I mentioned this name was because it was speculated by MC maybe, just maybe, Rocky has a role to play in the MM-Mkini deal...)
The Malaysia Chronicle under a former Mkini editor Ms Wong Choon Mei picked up MI report, expanded on it by a follow-up with an implication that the Mkini-MM deal might involve a share-swap.
As expected (by those who kniow Mkini CEO Premesh Chandran well (like this writer for YL Chong is also a former Mkini News Editor in 2000!) in a press statement vehemently denied about a Mkini-MM deal, even asked Ms Wong CM to retract her portal's story. I think it was a case of big brother in Internet news trying to bully a young sister -- but having interacted with Wong CM, Premesh in pres world is just a mouse compared with a cat.
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And what the M Chronicle reported soon after:~~~~~~
Friday, 14 October 2011 14:18
MALAYSIAKINI OWNS UP
Written by Ismail Dahlan, Malaysia Chronicle
Despite his vociferous denials of our report on the 13th of October, Malaysiakini’s Premesh Chandran failed to come clean and admit that Malaysiakini is in fact in discussion with the Malay Mail.
This was admitted to by Steven Gan under the melodramatic headline that he would sell out of Malaysiakini over his ‘dead body’. But Gan is not Kapal Singh.
Towards the bottom of his article, Gan admitted that Malaysiakini is in fact in discussions with The Malay Mail.
It is not clear whether the infamous ‘Rocky Bru’, who moved from criticizing the BN to supporting it overnight (to the horror and disgust of his many supporters), was part of the discussions.
Gan then noted that while he may end up selling his news to The Malay Mail, this would not affect editorial policy. He neglected to explain why the pro-government Malay Mail would want to run any news which is positive to the opposition.
_______________________________________________________________So the preceding were extracts from an earlier post when I caught Premesh telling an outright lie which his cohort EIC Steven Gan 24 hours later saying a contrary story relating to a sort of tie-up with Malay Mail...I just ask dear readers to search Malaysia Chronicle archives for the full story/ies last year. Hey, Desi ain't gonnna "pamper" you by C&P OK! COS I NO WORK FOR THAT DIAPERS BRAND K!:(
In such "challenging" times I go back to my folksy pastime of RUMINATION recalling past times when the bells were chiming the goode olde songs, and I had company of BLOGGERS who accompanied Desi on his BUMmer's abenchas:):) I look forward to "reconnecting with a few" -- Yancorner, Primroses, Kyels & some Y&As who I include as "Friends so near Yet so far!..."
So sharing an olde posttand recalling FOR THE GOOD TIMES we shared:):~~~~
Desiderata.english for Sunday, november 20, 2005
Main article
NOSTALGIA – SWEET AND SOUR MEMORIES
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…
"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 example. 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.
A six-year-old kid 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 toDisney Land
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.
A six-year-old kid 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
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
Passenger in depth
In Frances
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
As a reader not privileged to share Frances Frances
DESI's CHALLENGE: Can any ER track down the above EXTRACT naming Date, Time and Place and I will reward you with a copy of MIdnight Voices and Other Poems -- AUTOGRAPHED somemore by its author, so it's worth like RM15.00 X 100 times!
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