I feel like screaming!There's no sense in anything today. I feel pressured by people expecting too much. Just dumping things on me, as if I were ready to jump at their every whim. I've been cracking my brain for most of the day on how to get from one place to another. I've no sense of direction these days, don't know why. I can't remember how to get somewhere. The internet is of no use, it simply confuses. Do they know how frustrating that is? I need to go far, far, far away to a land where no one lives. I'm tired of people, especially those always seeming to make demands on me.
Perhaps, I need to just stop and forget their existence. When will the day of freedom come. The day I'm released from the shackles of demands and expectations, polite hypocritical responses and always having to fend off anyone who insidiously wants to control my life, even my time and thoughts. If only I had wings and could just take off and disappear into the blue, over the mountains and only return if I feel I want to. Maybe I would never return to this place of nagging mouths, self-centered considerations and callousness.
I dream of a quiet spot, a place I can call "Home". I once had a home, MY HOME, but now it's no more. I wish I hadn't been so kind...just hate heroics - trying to be smarter than the average person. I'm one of the ordinary folk who like living in peace, minding my own business. Perhaps, I should shut the door to all the outside world and seek restful sleep to restore my confidence and strength for another day's battle with this tiresome world.
Good Night, sinking into dreamless sleep.
Sunday, 8 November 2015
Wednesday, 15 October 2014
An Amazing Invention - the Humble Paperback Book
I've been chaffing at the bit to write this, when I saw a cartoon on Facebook showing electronic book (tablet) vs ordinary book. The shiny new Tablet was good as long as it's battery lasted. No page turning, just "let your fingers do the walking" as they say. Can be read in the dark, as background light is sufficient to read even in the gloomiest surroundings. Must be treated with care due to its electrical-electronic make up. This advancement in technology has certainly vast benefits, especially in space and time saving and speed in information dissemination. Certainly something to be celebrated!
But for the sake of nostalgia and convenience, to an extent, laziness, I'm still very fond of my little paperback book that often travels with me on long journeys. It's nice to bury my head in a book to fill 10+ hours of flying time on the way to a far away place or even just shut out the world for a break, when there's too much happening around me. It's a good escape. So, even if I can't look at it in reduced light conditions, it's conveniently slipped into a big pocket or hand bag, until the chance arises, to immerse myself into its adventures again. Having an inclination to lounge around, I often read in a horizontal position i.e. lying down. When, heaviness in my hands and eyes overcomes me, it can just be put down, before sleep takes over.
For loungers, like yours truly, the paperback book is a wonderful thing, without the need to charge it up, turn it off or having to be in an upright position to read it. I'm really grateful to the inventor, she/he seems to have had the foresight and mind for the comfort and convenience of the reader.
Although print literature may be facing a down turn in popularity, optimism tells me the little paper back could still enjoy a loyal readership, if only for it's convenience. Hopefully, the humble paper back will persist using recycled paper, taking on an eco-friendly form, minus the need for any external power up. Here's one vote for it to stay!
But for the sake of nostalgia and convenience, to an extent, laziness, I'm still very fond of my little paperback book that often travels with me on long journeys. It's nice to bury my head in a book to fill 10+ hours of flying time on the way to a far away place or even just shut out the world for a break, when there's too much happening around me. It's a good escape. So, even if I can't look at it in reduced light conditions, it's conveniently slipped into a big pocket or hand bag, until the chance arises, to immerse myself into its adventures again. Having an inclination to lounge around, I often read in a horizontal position i.e. lying down. When, heaviness in my hands and eyes overcomes me, it can just be put down, before sleep takes over.
For loungers, like yours truly, the paperback book is a wonderful thing, without the need to charge it up, turn it off or having to be in an upright position to read it. I'm really grateful to the inventor, she/he seems to have had the foresight and mind for the comfort and convenience of the reader.
Although print literature may be facing a down turn in popularity, optimism tells me the little paper back could still enjoy a loyal readership, if only for it's convenience. Hopefully, the humble paper back will persist using recycled paper, taking on an eco-friendly form, minus the need for any external power up. Here's one vote for it to stay!
Sunday, 18 August 2013
A Distorted Day
I woke up long after the alarm went off and stepped on a dead cockroach that somehow found its way into my bedroom. I never thought about it but may be that was an omen of a day that would go completely pear shaped. I was late to go to sit with my Dad, as Mum had gone shopping and Dad who's disabled and elderly, was on his own at home. For some reason, my limbs decided to slow down and I found I couldn't hurry, apart from a burning sore-throat that didn't let up, even after downing a glass of water. so, I tried to ring Mum, once, twice - no answer. Then I tried to ring Dad, once, twice, again - no answer. Had they simply disappeared?
I made my habitual mug of coffee and cereal and decided to take a shower. After that ritual, and being more awake, I tried Mum and Dad again, still no answer.
Mum had gone shopping with my cousin and her son, so I rang Pauline, she answered but the call became garbled and I couldn't make out what she said. The phone was passed to Mum and she said something, which I still couldn't make out, when I told her I'd tried to call several times and would be going to Dad almost immediately. Suddenly, she went off and I had to hang up. From that broken conversation, I gathered, they had finished shopping and would be getting home soon. I grabbed all the necessaries and drove off to my parent's home.
At the junction of their road, another headache awaited me. The piece of grassy open ground just opposite the row of terrace houses where my parents live has conveniently become the place to set up a customary food stall, whenever the local Chinese opera season comes round. Now, is the "Hungry Ghost" season, just before the September "Moon Cake" festival. It is the season of my discontent, as those patronizing that food stall park anywhere and every where, they fancy. There was nowhere nearer the house, to park the car, get off and open the porch gate, moreover, I didn't know if my cousin had brought Mum home with the shopping. Spying a space somewhere near the steps up to the temple, I drove past the gate and reversed into that space. It was a hot place out in the blazing sun.
For all my trouble, I found that Mum had already got home with all the shopping. So much for thinking of other people's convenience. My throat was still sore and I was feeling a little headachy. It was around 1 something then, but no lunch yet. I decided to catch up on my reading and eventually fell asleep again. Opening my eyes after a while, it was nearly 3pm. Then, sunk into slumber again. When I came too again, it was past 4pm. Both my parents had also decided to take a nap before lunch! Nobody had had lunch.
Dragging myself out of the chair, I went to the dining-kitchen and found the rice -cooker on the boil. Some food was being kept warm. There was chicken curry and rice, and an enamel bowl of rice porridge for Mum. Laid the chicken curry and rice on the table mats with metal plates and 2 pairs of forks and spoons for Dad and myself, and a serving ladle, since Mum usually prefers to arrange her own dinner.
While I'm at my solitary 4.30pm lunch, a missed call comes through and I return it, making a dinner appointment on Monday with another acquaintance. He's almost shocked to know I'm having lunch at 4.30pm on a Sunday afternoon. I tell him, it's normal. Then, I remember having promised a friend on the other side of the globe to call her around 10 am her time, in the UK. I rush home to make the call, about 5 pm, my time in Malaysia.
In the midst of our chat over skype, the internet connection gets cut off and I decide to load my equipment into the car again and go to my parents' place for a less choked connection. Setting up everything again in the back room, I try her again and this time get "voice mail". So, I hang up, send her a text and go into email. This isn't the pinnacle of my pear shaped day.
On the way to my parents' home, a stupid "Polis" car, with a few young men, I assume they were either plain-clothes cops or cops in plain clothes using the company car, recklessly turned out of a road nearly hitting me as I was going along the main road. That, was the peak of this completely distorted day, and I still have a sore-throat!
Well, tomorrow is another day, as Scarlet O'Hara said. Hopefully, it'll be more in shape than today!
All the best to my readers, hoping you'll have more good days than pear shaped ones. Till next time... Thanks for listening to my grouses.
I made my habitual mug of coffee and cereal and decided to take a shower. After that ritual, and being more awake, I tried Mum and Dad again, still no answer.
Mum had gone shopping with my cousin and her son, so I rang Pauline, she answered but the call became garbled and I couldn't make out what she said. The phone was passed to Mum and she said something, which I still couldn't make out, when I told her I'd tried to call several times and would be going to Dad almost immediately. Suddenly, she went off and I had to hang up. From that broken conversation, I gathered, they had finished shopping and would be getting home soon. I grabbed all the necessaries and drove off to my parent's home.
At the junction of their road, another headache awaited me. The piece of grassy open ground just opposite the row of terrace houses where my parents live has conveniently become the place to set up a customary food stall, whenever the local Chinese opera season comes round. Now, is the "Hungry Ghost" season, just before the September "Moon Cake" festival. It is the season of my discontent, as those patronizing that food stall park anywhere and every where, they fancy. There was nowhere nearer the house, to park the car, get off and open the porch gate, moreover, I didn't know if my cousin had brought Mum home with the shopping. Spying a space somewhere near the steps up to the temple, I drove past the gate and reversed into that space. It was a hot place out in the blazing sun.
For all my trouble, I found that Mum had already got home with all the shopping. So much for thinking of other people's convenience. My throat was still sore and I was feeling a little headachy. It was around 1 something then, but no lunch yet. I decided to catch up on my reading and eventually fell asleep again. Opening my eyes after a while, it was nearly 3pm. Then, sunk into slumber again. When I came too again, it was past 4pm. Both my parents had also decided to take a nap before lunch! Nobody had had lunch.
Dragging myself out of the chair, I went to the dining-kitchen and found the rice -cooker on the boil. Some food was being kept warm. There was chicken curry and rice, and an enamel bowl of rice porridge for Mum. Laid the chicken curry and rice on the table mats with metal plates and 2 pairs of forks and spoons for Dad and myself, and a serving ladle, since Mum usually prefers to arrange her own dinner.
While I'm at my solitary 4.30pm lunch, a missed call comes through and I return it, making a dinner appointment on Monday with another acquaintance. He's almost shocked to know I'm having lunch at 4.30pm on a Sunday afternoon. I tell him, it's normal. Then, I remember having promised a friend on the other side of the globe to call her around 10 am her time, in the UK. I rush home to make the call, about 5 pm, my time in Malaysia.
In the midst of our chat over skype, the internet connection gets cut off and I decide to load my equipment into the car again and go to my parents' place for a less choked connection. Setting up everything again in the back room, I try her again and this time get "voice mail". So, I hang up, send her a text and go into email. This isn't the pinnacle of my pear shaped day.
On the way to my parents' home, a stupid "Polis" car, with a few young men, I assume they were either plain-clothes cops or cops in plain clothes using the company car, recklessly turned out of a road nearly hitting me as I was going along the main road. That, was the peak of this completely distorted day, and I still have a sore-throat!
Well, tomorrow is another day, as Scarlet O'Hara said. Hopefully, it'll be more in shape than today!
All the best to my readers, hoping you'll have more good days than pear shaped ones. Till next time... Thanks for listening to my grouses.
Sunday, 19 May 2013
Finding a Cure for Stupidity
A friend posted a cartoon on my Facebook page of a character trying to exorcise demons of stupidity. Stupidity,as far as I know is an incurable disease. It sometimes strikes when least expected. All human beings are vulnerable to this disease, some times we may regret what we do under the influence of 'stupidity', at other times, we dismiss it as, "Perhaps, it was for the best". However, in some cases, persistent stupidity seems to take over and all capacity for logical thinking is halted or simply blocked out, for a short time, hopefully.
In some places around the globe, especially in densely populated areas where there is a very high volume of vehicular traffic, like capital cities and metropolises, stupidity can be rampant. Symptoms of stupidity come in various forms. It may show itself in illogical action or snap decisions made by people driving or doing anything else without warning. Queue jumping in a traffic-jam may be a symptom of stupidity. It may confuse others and cause accidents that can be avoided, moreover it could worsen the traffic-jam instead of helping to disperse it.
Con men often like to use stupidity on their victims, where victims are stupified into acting on their suggestions without thinking. This happens very quickly, accelerated by threat or the apparent need for haste.Clear thinking doesn't come with haste. Still, we are all susceptible to such shock and grab tactics.
Stupidity comes in various forms. One of these frequently infect those under the impression
that the world beyond them is just the same as that within their 'walled up' area. This is called, living under a coconut shell, or "katak dibawah tempurung" ( frog under a coconut shell). This may seem rather strange to some of us but really, most of us are affected by these illusions, some in government, too.
A government is frequently, stupidly unrealistic in many ways. It may cling to the illusion that rigidity in implementation of certain policies and extensive bureaucracy makes it a more efficient and effective government, when these, in fact, cause many hardships to the common people by illogical implementation.
A ruling party may also imagine that it is most popular when its popularity is very near rock-bottom, so it will continue to act, not as people expect it to, but in a way that diminishes electoral desire for it. It might only realize this one day,when it finds itself completely unable to control a mob of angry citizens or is simply being ignored by all and sundry.
So, we have to be aware of this thing called, "STUPIDITY" and the demons that can possess anyone, big, small, human, or organization, even an inanimate object. It can suddenly seize control and cause utter and irrational chaos in our lives. Do look out for it, you'll never know when you get struck by it until later.
As for finding a 'cure', well, that may be in the realms of "Bolehland". No ancient herbalist or doctor has yet discovered a permanent cure for 'Stupidity'. We'll just have to live with it, for better or worse. Take care.
In some places around the globe, especially in densely populated areas where there is a very high volume of vehicular traffic, like capital cities and metropolises, stupidity can be rampant. Symptoms of stupidity come in various forms. It may show itself in illogical action or snap decisions made by people driving or doing anything else without warning. Queue jumping in a traffic-jam may be a symptom of stupidity. It may confuse others and cause accidents that can be avoided, moreover it could worsen the traffic-jam instead of helping to disperse it.
Con men often like to use stupidity on their victims, where victims are stupified into acting on their suggestions without thinking. This happens very quickly, accelerated by threat or the apparent need for haste.Clear thinking doesn't come with haste. Still, we are all susceptible to such shock and grab tactics.
Stupidity comes in various forms. One of these frequently infect those under the impression
that the world beyond them is just the same as that within their 'walled up' area. This is called, living under a coconut shell, or "katak dibawah tempurung" ( frog under a coconut shell). This may seem rather strange to some of us but really, most of us are affected by these illusions, some in government, too.
A government is frequently, stupidly unrealistic in many ways. It may cling to the illusion that rigidity in implementation of certain policies and extensive bureaucracy makes it a more efficient and effective government, when these, in fact, cause many hardships to the common people by illogical implementation.
A ruling party may also imagine that it is most popular when its popularity is very near rock-bottom, so it will continue to act, not as people expect it to, but in a way that diminishes electoral desire for it. It might only realize this one day,when it finds itself completely unable to control a mob of angry citizens or is simply being ignored by all and sundry.
So, we have to be aware of this thing called, "STUPIDITY" and the demons that can possess anyone, big, small, human, or organization, even an inanimate object. It can suddenly seize control and cause utter and irrational chaos in our lives. Do look out for it, you'll never know when you get struck by it until later.
As for finding a 'cure', well, that may be in the realms of "Bolehland". No ancient herbalist or doctor has yet discovered a permanent cure for 'Stupidity'. We'll just have to live with it, for better or worse. Take care.
Saturday, 2 March 2013
Not Gone Altogether
We think that dying is the end of the story. Physically, yes. But in some circumstances, a death is the beginning of a whole series of events. It can even be the door to a new life. Just looking around me, in my little two roomed flat, I felt rich i.e. wealthy and content. I don't have any thing ultra valuable, just a lot of very sentimental, usable stuff, that I was thankful for. My late husband still provides for me. I'd have been worse off without all this - my own place to live in, even if it's rented, a stock of food in the refrigerator, clothes to wear, a computer to connect with the outside world, a car to move around in and all the basic necessities of life.
I'm lucky, much luckier than so many others who may have been left high and dry or have nothing at all after all debts are paid. He was a good husband, a gentle and kind man, who cared for me, even making sure I could continue life, independently without having to worry about basic needs. I like a quiet life, although I'm forced to leave the security of my shell to face the world when others may need an extra hand. It's not comfortable, but necessary. Much of the time, I like being left on my own to potter around in my own world, enjoying whatever I enjoy doing - reading, writing, building castles in the air...So, his going away, started my 'new' life.
A woman who dies in childbirth still gives the world a gift - her child, starting a new life, a new history and a new hope for the future. It is often hard to tell how this gift will be received by the world at large.
Princess Diana's death brought changes to the British Royals that probably would never have happened, until William comes to the throne. Yet, it had such an impact that now, William and Kate ( his wife) are public figures who are less remote, more humanly identifiable as normal celebrities, and more approachable. They have, in a way, stepped off their pedestals. Thanks to Diana Spencer for being a good mother, who understood what children need to lead a normal life, as normal human beings.
Back in the 1980s, the tragic killing of Benigno Aquino, father of the current Philippine president, Benigno Aquino III, whose mother, Corazon Aquino, was also a former president of that country, served to bring changes in the Philippines, for which all hope was almost lost. The country was freed from the clutches of dictator, Ferdinand Marcos.
So death actually brings new life, as Jesus said, " A seed, gives up its life for a tree to grow."
Death is not the end but a new beginning.
I'm lucky, much luckier than so many others who may have been left high and dry or have nothing at all after all debts are paid. He was a good husband, a gentle and kind man, who cared for me, even making sure I could continue life, independently without having to worry about basic needs. I like a quiet life, although I'm forced to leave the security of my shell to face the world when others may need an extra hand. It's not comfortable, but necessary. Much of the time, I like being left on my own to potter around in my own world, enjoying whatever I enjoy doing - reading, writing, building castles in the air...So, his going away, started my 'new' life.
A woman who dies in childbirth still gives the world a gift - her child, starting a new life, a new history and a new hope for the future. It is often hard to tell how this gift will be received by the world at large.
Princess Diana's death brought changes to the British Royals that probably would never have happened, until William comes to the throne. Yet, it had such an impact that now, William and Kate ( his wife) are public figures who are less remote, more humanly identifiable as normal celebrities, and more approachable. They have, in a way, stepped off their pedestals. Thanks to Diana Spencer for being a good mother, who understood what children need to lead a normal life, as normal human beings.
Back in the 1980s, the tragic killing of Benigno Aquino, father of the current Philippine president, Benigno Aquino III, whose mother, Corazon Aquino, was also a former president of that country, served to bring changes in the Philippines, for which all hope was almost lost. The country was freed from the clutches of dictator, Ferdinand Marcos.
So death actually brings new life, as Jesus said, " A seed, gives up its life for a tree to grow."
Death is not the end but a new beginning.
Tuesday, 22 January 2013
The Story of Dig It Dot Co.
Dig It Dot Co. was a cell phone and broadband provider in Anythingland. It kicked off on a wave of hype, widely advertising itself as THE hip provider with the best rates and simple, straight-forward connection packages without hidden costs. Many people, were persuaded to become Dig It's customers. Dig It grew richer and richer over a few years and continued to introduce various cellphone schemes, ultimately going into the internet broadband market. With this category of products, Dig It attracted many young internet users. So, Dig It became an important competitor in the mobile communications market.
In the mean time, other competitors came into the market using various strategies to corner as much of the Anythingland telecommunications market as they could. Dissatisfied customers of these competitors were known to switch over to Dig It for better service. So, life went on as rapidly as changes in IT and communications technology allowed.
One day Dig It decided to jump on the ecological conservation band wagon due to the hype about climate change and progressive environmental damage, to increase profits and lessen work involved in sending out hard copy bills to its customers. Dig It began encouraging them to opt for e-bills and e-payments. It was all set to phase out hard copy bills sent by post, but seemed not to consider that a small number of its customers perhaps, preferred to get paper bills in the post for personal reasons.
Dig It got very angry when this customer minority didn't opt for e-billing, and went on a tough campaign to force them to comply with the company's 'green policy'. It resorted to belittling these non-conforming customers, with messages suggesting that they were, not cool or eco-friendly, and were destroyers of the environment.
Yet, Dig It did not take any steps to put into practice, its own eco policies by using existing alternatives, like recycled paper, to produce hard copy bills. Dig It also introduced self-service payment at its kiosks, directing customers to its payment machines. However, customers could not pay the exact amount of the bills into these machines, as coins or non-rounded off sums of money were rejected. If a customer had a $54 bill, he/she could only pay $50 into the machine, bringing forward $4 to the next month's bill. The customer always seemed to be in debt even if they wanted to settle the full bill for the month.
Dig It thought it a good way to maintain customer loyalty by keeping them in debt. Dig It also thought that its customers were too stupid to see through this financial ploy or that they didn't mind being put in debt although they could actually clear the bills every month. Those who insisted on clearing the bills for the month were made to queue up to wait a long time to be served. Dig It's staff took their own sweet time dealing with the long queue of customers.
Some customers decided to pay bills by mailing checks to Dig It's Payment Departments, at its main offices. But, it took a long time to get their receipts. Some complained that when checks were presented to staff at Dig It's kiosks, staff didn't know what to do with the checks.
It never occurred to Dig It to consult or ask its customers before launching on the 'green policy' drive, nor did Dig It understand how to treat its customers with courtesy and establish good customer relations. Everyone's patience has its limits and eventually more and more customers began to terminate Dig It's mobile provider services.
Dig It, then went on to rigorously marketing the internet broadband facility and did reasonably well except for the continued 'green' e-billing policy. E-notifications could be viewed in a few seconds and forgotten immediately, if the customer was too busy working on something else online and had no time to make an e-payment.
Dig It's billing system was also so unclear, as it held onto the aim of keeping the customer in debt, confusing customers of whether, they were over-paying or under-paying Dig It. Dig It's staff (equally confused) were unable to clarify this confused system to customers. So, a number of these broadband customers also began to drift away to competitor internet broadband service providers.
The moral of the story is that wealth and prosperity do not make up for bad manners and arrogance. If Dig It had not become dictatorial towards its customers, it would still have the goodwill and cooperation of its former customers in promoting the eco-friendly green policy it launched. Sadly, unless Dig It learns something from this circumstance it will only succeed in turning away more customers and harming its own business. Dig It had dug its own grave.
Dig It Dot Co. is a fictional company and any similarities arising in this story to real situations are merely accidental and not intended to reflect on any existing telecommunications enterprise anywhere.
In the mean time, other competitors came into the market using various strategies to corner as much of the Anythingland telecommunications market as they could. Dissatisfied customers of these competitors were known to switch over to Dig It for better service. So, life went on as rapidly as changes in IT and communications technology allowed.
One day Dig It decided to jump on the ecological conservation band wagon due to the hype about climate change and progressive environmental damage, to increase profits and lessen work involved in sending out hard copy bills to its customers. Dig It began encouraging them to opt for e-bills and e-payments. It was all set to phase out hard copy bills sent by post, but seemed not to consider that a small number of its customers perhaps, preferred to get paper bills in the post for personal reasons.
Dig It got very angry when this customer minority didn't opt for e-billing, and went on a tough campaign to force them to comply with the company's 'green policy'. It resorted to belittling these non-conforming customers, with messages suggesting that they were, not cool or eco-friendly, and were destroyers of the environment.
Yet, Dig It did not take any steps to put into practice, its own eco policies by using existing alternatives, like recycled paper, to produce hard copy bills. Dig It also introduced self-service payment at its kiosks, directing customers to its payment machines. However, customers could not pay the exact amount of the bills into these machines, as coins or non-rounded off sums of money were rejected. If a customer had a $54 bill, he/she could only pay $50 into the machine, bringing forward $4 to the next month's bill. The customer always seemed to be in debt even if they wanted to settle the full bill for the month.
Dig It thought it a good way to maintain customer loyalty by keeping them in debt. Dig It also thought that its customers were too stupid to see through this financial ploy or that they didn't mind being put in debt although they could actually clear the bills every month. Those who insisted on clearing the bills for the month were made to queue up to wait a long time to be served. Dig It's staff took their own sweet time dealing with the long queue of customers.
Some customers decided to pay bills by mailing checks to Dig It's Payment Departments, at its main offices. But, it took a long time to get their receipts. Some complained that when checks were presented to staff at Dig It's kiosks, staff didn't know what to do with the checks.
It never occurred to Dig It to consult or ask its customers before launching on the 'green policy' drive, nor did Dig It understand how to treat its customers with courtesy and establish good customer relations. Everyone's patience has its limits and eventually more and more customers began to terminate Dig It's mobile provider services.
Dig It, then went on to rigorously marketing the internet broadband facility and did reasonably well except for the continued 'green' e-billing policy. E-notifications could be viewed in a few seconds and forgotten immediately, if the customer was too busy working on something else online and had no time to make an e-payment.
Dig It's billing system was also so unclear, as it held onto the aim of keeping the customer in debt, confusing customers of whether, they were over-paying or under-paying Dig It. Dig It's staff (equally confused) were unable to clarify this confused system to customers. So, a number of these broadband customers also began to drift away to competitor internet broadband service providers.
The moral of the story is that wealth and prosperity do not make up for bad manners and arrogance. If Dig It had not become dictatorial towards its customers, it would still have the goodwill and cooperation of its former customers in promoting the eco-friendly green policy it launched. Sadly, unless Dig It learns something from this circumstance it will only succeed in turning away more customers and harming its own business. Dig It had dug its own grave.
Dig It Dot Co. is a fictional company and any similarities arising in this story to real situations are merely accidental and not intended to reflect on any existing telecommunications enterprise anywhere.
Thursday, 20 December 2012
Behind the Gun Barrel
Pointing a gun at someone must feel like sitting behind the wheel of a car. In Malaysia, certain vehicle drivers seem to feel free to drive as they please without considering themselves a danger to the public. The power of speed is in their hands and all who value their safety or lives must get out of the way, or be run down.
If you hold a gun, you have the power to gun down or harm anybody you don't particularly like or who has deliberately or unwittingly hurt body or ego. So, you hold a source of power in your hands, and for the moment feel less vulnerable to being bullied or put in fear. You become the source of fear.
In the aftermath of the Sandy Hook, Connecticut tragedy, it was shocking to see the headline of an online news site scream that gun sales had grown. More people decided to own guns. Why? Did this tragedy which cut short the lives of so many young children and teenagers who would have grown up into amazing adults, have virtually no effect or a completely reverse effect on American society?
Yet, should this be surprising, when children, youths and adults, young and old are gunned down on a daily basis in conflict zones all over the globe? Has human life become the ultimate disposable commodity in this age of biodegradability? Despite our delusions of freedom and security, the fear factor is very real, not only in apparently peaceful places like the United States, but also in Malaysia, where alleged suspects and teenage pranksters have been gunned down by police. It seems that the dead tell no tales.
On the contrary, the dead stimulate more questions, many which may remain unanswered for years, or become unsolved mysteries, and guilty secrets of secret perpetrators.
Fear creates a vicious cycle of irrationality and paranoia. Fear instills the need to defend or protect ourselves, using its own tools. So, it goes on, and doesn't solve anything.
Shooting unarmed civilians in any armed conflict is an expression of power, like the rape of women and children. However, this expression of power is an expression and revelation of cowardice in they who wield the power, but cannot control it, like driving a car at speed in a manner revealing the inability of the driver to control the car.
So can freedom be won through the barrel of a gun? In an instance of trigger happy power?To place power in the hands of those who like to wield it but become its slave, is to make slavery an accepted tradition. Will the human being ever be free?
Change must come, if the human race is to see the future, otherwise, we could ultimately face extinction by our own hand.
If you hold a gun, you have the power to gun down or harm anybody you don't particularly like or who has deliberately or unwittingly hurt body or ego. So, you hold a source of power in your hands, and for the moment feel less vulnerable to being bullied or put in fear. You become the source of fear.
In the aftermath of the Sandy Hook, Connecticut tragedy, it was shocking to see the headline of an online news site scream that gun sales had grown. More people decided to own guns. Why? Did this tragedy which cut short the lives of so many young children and teenagers who would have grown up into amazing adults, have virtually no effect or a completely reverse effect on American society?
Yet, should this be surprising, when children, youths and adults, young and old are gunned down on a daily basis in conflict zones all over the globe? Has human life become the ultimate disposable commodity in this age of biodegradability? Despite our delusions of freedom and security, the fear factor is very real, not only in apparently peaceful places like the United States, but also in Malaysia, where alleged suspects and teenage pranksters have been gunned down by police. It seems that the dead tell no tales.
On the contrary, the dead stimulate more questions, many which may remain unanswered for years, or become unsolved mysteries, and guilty secrets of secret perpetrators.
Fear creates a vicious cycle of irrationality and paranoia. Fear instills the need to defend or protect ourselves, using its own tools. So, it goes on, and doesn't solve anything.
Shooting unarmed civilians in any armed conflict is an expression of power, like the rape of women and children. However, this expression of power is an expression and revelation of cowardice in they who wield the power, but cannot control it, like driving a car at speed in a manner revealing the inability of the driver to control the car.
So can freedom be won through the barrel of a gun? In an instance of trigger happy power?To place power in the hands of those who like to wield it but become its slave, is to make slavery an accepted tradition. Will the human being ever be free?
Change must come, if the human race is to see the future, otherwise, we could ultimately face extinction by our own hand.
Sunday, 2 December 2012
Trying to Force Love
I've been watching a few Taiwanese and Korean soaps on TV. Very often the plots of these stories bear close resemblance, Boy meets Girl1, Girl1 is crazy about Boy, but Boy is crazy about Girl2. So Girl1 goes all out to ruin Girl2 in Boy's eyes, taking the moral high ground to put herself in a good light. As the melodrama moves on, the lengths to which Girl1 is prepared to go to secure Boy's undying love and get rid of her rival become more and more extreme, including murder.
At the end of the day, one wonders if Boy can't make up his mind or has the inability to know how he feels about both Girl2 and Girl1. Are men in reality, so wishy washy? Looks like they're more controlled by down there than up there, or even by a beating human heart.
Even so, can one force someone to love you? Couples get engaged or marry for many reasons and not necessarily because of love. As a woman, I think many men marry because they don't want to be alone. They often depend on another human being for physical and psychological comfort and support. When this has been secured, they tend to take it for granted ( women also do that), life becomes normal and reverts mainly to the needs of each individual. It needn't have anything to do with love.
A few more years down the line, if the couple start drifting apart and finding their individual friends, divorce looms on the horizon. So, is trying to force someone to love you worth it?
Girl1 then, could be putting herself in hell by trying to force Boy to love her. Yet, why does she persist in this obviously lost cause? Her quest could be ego-driven and obsessive. It is an ego-driven greed for vengeance that can't be sated unless, the obstacle to her goal is removed permanently. Even then, I wonder, if she will ever have peace of mind living in fear of losing Boy's affection to anyone else?
Boy, on the other hand seems naively clueless about the 'contest' and rivalry between the two girls. Are men so naive? Or does it boost their ego to see two women fighting for their affection. Some men probably like it and thrive on jealousy. It's like a chain they can pull to reassure themselves that they still appeal to women.
Another favorite theme of soaps is emotional blackmail. A means to force someone to do what they are unwilling to, yet, give in under duress. This is another tactic Girl1 resorts to in order to get her way. Girl2 in contrast is often portrayed as not only naive but not too intelligent. She often succumbs to the treachery of Girl1, thinking it best to give in because she loves Boy. She is the victim and waits for her knight in shining armour to rescue her i.e. for Boy to wake up and make a definite choice. Sadly, because of his apparent naive nature, it's often too late when he realizes his preference is for Girl2. She may not be around by then or may have found a more reasonable partner. The joke is really on Boy who can't make up his mind.
If Boy had been single-minded, decisive and committed himself to Girl2, he may have avoided ending up with less than he hoped and dreamed for. Yet, many things in life are uncertain and unclear and often wrong decisions are made. So, one either lives with it or charts a new course.
We often think of what may have been, maybe for a reason, perhaps a very good one, that life plays out differently from our expectations.
At the end of the day, one wonders if Boy can't make up his mind or has the inability to know how he feels about both Girl2 and Girl1. Are men in reality, so wishy washy? Looks like they're more controlled by down there than up there, or even by a beating human heart.
Even so, can one force someone to love you? Couples get engaged or marry for many reasons and not necessarily because of love. As a woman, I think many men marry because they don't want to be alone. They often depend on another human being for physical and psychological comfort and support. When this has been secured, they tend to take it for granted ( women also do that), life becomes normal and reverts mainly to the needs of each individual. It needn't have anything to do with love.
A few more years down the line, if the couple start drifting apart and finding their individual friends, divorce looms on the horizon. So, is trying to force someone to love you worth it?
Girl1 then, could be putting herself in hell by trying to force Boy to love her. Yet, why does she persist in this obviously lost cause? Her quest could be ego-driven and obsessive. It is an ego-driven greed for vengeance that can't be sated unless, the obstacle to her goal is removed permanently. Even then, I wonder, if she will ever have peace of mind living in fear of losing Boy's affection to anyone else?
Boy, on the other hand seems naively clueless about the 'contest' and rivalry between the two girls. Are men so naive? Or does it boost their ego to see two women fighting for their affection. Some men probably like it and thrive on jealousy. It's like a chain they can pull to reassure themselves that they still appeal to women.
Another favorite theme of soaps is emotional blackmail. A means to force someone to do what they are unwilling to, yet, give in under duress. This is another tactic Girl1 resorts to in order to get her way. Girl2 in contrast is often portrayed as not only naive but not too intelligent. She often succumbs to the treachery of Girl1, thinking it best to give in because she loves Boy. She is the victim and waits for her knight in shining armour to rescue her i.e. for Boy to wake up and make a definite choice. Sadly, because of his apparent naive nature, it's often too late when he realizes his preference is for Girl2. She may not be around by then or may have found a more reasonable partner. The joke is really on Boy who can't make up his mind.
If Boy had been single-minded, decisive and committed himself to Girl2, he may have avoided ending up with less than he hoped and dreamed for. Yet, many things in life are uncertain and unclear and often wrong decisions are made. So, one either lives with it or charts a new course.
We often think of what may have been, maybe for a reason, perhaps a very good one, that life plays out differently from our expectations.
Monday, 26 November 2012
Battling the Demons of Enmity
In many countries the world over, there are terrible wars, tearing societies, communities, families and individuals apart. There are so many, yet we often only react to those that attract the most publicity. I needn't mention these, as all who watch or read the news bulletins everyday, are aware of them. It is natural to have a reaction on seeing or hearing such painful news of inhumanity committed against other human beings. Intra-familial wars are actually worse than being attacked by some outside aggressor, a common enemy. The enemy within is harder to eliminate.
In everyday life, there is a demon that can emerge out of our sub-conscious, it is the demon of prejudice, bigotry, generalization and stereotyping. It usually waits for an opportune moment to seize possession of us, suppressing our normal gentle, kind, forgiving and loving natures. When this happens, we can become raving, blood-thirsty lunatics who are capable of doing things we will most definitely regret, when the madness subsides.
If the madness is rationalized and justified, it continues and progressively erodes our humanity, turning the once gentle, humane person into an inhuman abomination, capable of anything.
Why do people run 'amok'? Why does the killing continue? It spares none.
Yet, those delusioned by the madness might still smile the smiles of hatred and glory in the blood they have spilt.
Here at home, in Malaysia, where racial and religious politics are the occupation of many of our politicians, especially those still hogging the reins of power, the common people are realizing the futility of in-fighting and the creation of division and disunity. People are trying to unify, trying to find common platforms and causes that counteract, the divide-and -rule system of governance that is our colonial legacy. This method of governance was adopted by the subsequent leaders of our 'independent' nation eversince we divested ourselves of colonial rule.
In truth, we have not really eliminated a neo-colonial structure. The same arrogance prevails, but by a different group of bureaucrats. Now, it is for us the common people to battle the demons as those who assume rule of this place have succumbed to their self-interests and given the demons full sway over themselves.
To help build this fortress of peace and unity we come together to talk honestly without antagonism, to forgive and heal the rifts that have frequently driven us apart in animosity and enmity. We dialog with one aim - to be united in our diversity. A family of a nation, accepting each other and being part of the spectrum of the cultural rainbow that makes up our unique Malaysian world.
If you would like to participate in this effort to build our rainbow, use this link to see how you can do it - http://www.projekdialog.com/
"Project Dialogue" is a project under the "Say NO to Racism Campaign" in Malaysia. Use the link to find out more about it.
You may find something you never thought was possible.
May the Light overcome the Darkness, and all demons be vanquished.
In everyday life, there is a demon that can emerge out of our sub-conscious, it is the demon of prejudice, bigotry, generalization and stereotyping. It usually waits for an opportune moment to seize possession of us, suppressing our normal gentle, kind, forgiving and loving natures. When this happens, we can become raving, blood-thirsty lunatics who are capable of doing things we will most definitely regret, when the madness subsides.
If the madness is rationalized and justified, it continues and progressively erodes our humanity, turning the once gentle, humane person into an inhuman abomination, capable of anything.
Why do people run 'amok'? Why does the killing continue? It spares none.
Yet, those delusioned by the madness might still smile the smiles of hatred and glory in the blood they have spilt.
Here at home, in Malaysia, where racial and religious politics are the occupation of many of our politicians, especially those still hogging the reins of power, the common people are realizing the futility of in-fighting and the creation of division and disunity. People are trying to unify, trying to find common platforms and causes that counteract, the divide-and -rule system of governance that is our colonial legacy. This method of governance was adopted by the subsequent leaders of our 'independent' nation eversince we divested ourselves of colonial rule.
In truth, we have not really eliminated a neo-colonial structure. The same arrogance prevails, but by a different group of bureaucrats. Now, it is for us the common people to battle the demons as those who assume rule of this place have succumbed to their self-interests and given the demons full sway over themselves.
To help build this fortress of peace and unity we come together to talk honestly without antagonism, to forgive and heal the rifts that have frequently driven us apart in animosity and enmity. We dialog with one aim - to be united in our diversity. A family of a nation, accepting each other and being part of the spectrum of the cultural rainbow that makes up our unique Malaysian world.
If you would like to participate in this effort to build our rainbow, use this link to see how you can do it - http://www.projekdialog.com/
"Project Dialogue" is a project under the "Say NO to Racism Campaign" in Malaysia. Use the link to find out more about it.
You may find something you never thought was possible.
May the Light overcome the Darkness, and all demons be vanquished.
Sunday, 11 November 2012
Celebrating the Light
Today is the eve of a very important festival for our Hindu friends, it is the day before Dwali (as some call it) or Deepavali ( as others in Malaysia, call it). Dwali is known as the Festival of Light, a triumph of Light over Darkness. I read the legend once, that was a long time ago. But, will tell it to you when my memory is refreshed. The story is about the battle between Good and Evil, where Evil is defeated and Good illuminates the world.
This is a Holy Day for Hindus (Hindoos) and many significant cleansing rituals are carried out. It is symbolic of repentence, renewal and rebirth.
In Malaysia, despite the many controversies prevalent in our pluralist society at the moment, it is customary to give a greeting of "Happy Deepavali" to almost anyone, not just the Hindus celebrating this special religious celebration. It is a friendly gesture, one that recognizes the importance of the day and the shared universal belief that Good will ultimately be victorious. That is what, most of humankind believes and aspires to. Whilst, this is still in the realms of an ideal within our minds and hearts, unimaginable to some in reality. Yet, the possibility raises hope of peace in our embattled circumstances.
Although it seems easy to revel in goodwill, it is far harder to recognize that the hardships arising from conflict situations at home and around the world are also situations we share, and indirectly or inadvertently, contribute to, in some ways. This brings to mind Barack Obama's presidential election victory. It is a first in history which was celebrated, not only by Democrat supporters of the United States, but joined in by peoples in Africa and Asia. His first presidential victory celebration was even more widespread.
To think that a single person is capable of uniting so many nations in one event, due to his variegated past is rather astounding. He is an international icon, not just small town US, or Afro-American minority.
It feels like the world is on the threshold of a new era, the era of 'internationality', where perhaps we will realize the dream of being world citizens, besides identifying ourselves as belonging to the subsets of citizenship i.e. of a nation, by ethnic, religious or cultural communities, language, or skin colour.
If this ever happens, the peoples of the world will find their own roles in combating the evils t overrunning our lives today, that will continue to enslave a majority of us till the end of time.
With this I wish all the world, a "Happy Dwali" and may Good be ever victorious, within ourselves and beyond ourselves.
Deepavali Eve 12th November 2012
This is a Holy Day for Hindus (Hindoos) and many significant cleansing rituals are carried out. It is symbolic of repentence, renewal and rebirth.
In Malaysia, despite the many controversies prevalent in our pluralist society at the moment, it is customary to give a greeting of "Happy Deepavali" to almost anyone, not just the Hindus celebrating this special religious celebration. It is a friendly gesture, one that recognizes the importance of the day and the shared universal belief that Good will ultimately be victorious. That is what, most of humankind believes and aspires to. Whilst, this is still in the realms of an ideal within our minds and hearts, unimaginable to some in reality. Yet, the possibility raises hope of peace in our embattled circumstances.
Although it seems easy to revel in goodwill, it is far harder to recognize that the hardships arising from conflict situations at home and around the world are also situations we share, and indirectly or inadvertently, contribute to, in some ways. This brings to mind Barack Obama's presidential election victory. It is a first in history which was celebrated, not only by Democrat supporters of the United States, but joined in by peoples in Africa and Asia. His first presidential victory celebration was even more widespread.
To think that a single person is capable of uniting so many nations in one event, due to his variegated past is rather astounding. He is an international icon, not just small town US, or Afro-American minority.
It feels like the world is on the threshold of a new era, the era of 'internationality', where perhaps we will realize the dream of being world citizens, besides identifying ourselves as belonging to the subsets of citizenship i.e. of a nation, by ethnic, religious or cultural communities, language, or skin colour.
If this ever happens, the peoples of the world will find their own roles in combating the evils t overrunning our lives today, that will continue to enslave a majority of us till the end of time.
With this I wish all the world, a "Happy Dwali" and may Good be ever victorious, within ourselves and beyond ourselves.
Deepavali Eve 12th November 2012
Tuesday, 6 November 2012
Apologies from this Rookie Blogger
Dear Readers,
I didn't realize that posting comments on this blog was a big problem, due to its being restricted to certain providers. I only became aware of it today when I spoke to my blogger friend Anil Netto. He's helped me to put posts on Wordpress instead, so comments can be more easily posted by any reader who has one.
I AM SO, SO, SORRY for preventing you from free speech. To make up for it, all previous posts have been exported to my Wordpress blog at shannanjp.wordpress.com. My blog is still called, "Winking at Life" and I will continue 'winking' at you there, so you can 'wink' back.
Thanks so much for reading my blog and listening to my 'e-soap box' speeches. So, forward we go. Hopefully, see your comments soon, at Wordpress.
My Wordpress blog is still in process, as I need to familiarize myself with it. It is a little more complicated but will enable comment from readers more easily. So, in the meantime, I'm keeping this blog, that is relatively user friendly and less complicated. You may visit me at my new blogsite and try the comment facility, out of curiousity. Looking forward to talking to you in another room.
Wishing you a good day,
Jasmine Tea
20th December 2012
Dear Readers,
I informed you in the earlier post that I had opened another "Winking at Life" blog in Wordpress. To diffuse confusion, the URL of my current blog is "Winking at Life" at shannanjp.com. I decided to try 'renting a house' metaphorically, so have to do my own housekeeping at my dot com address. Visitors are definitely welcome! So, do continue to enjoy reading my posts.
For those who prefer to come to this "Winking at Life" URL, I will still be posting my thoughts for your reading pleasure from time to time.
Have a good day and may you always be blessed with peace of mind.
Thanks,
Jasmine Tea
I didn't realize that posting comments on this blog was a big problem, due to its being restricted to certain providers. I only became aware of it today when I spoke to my blogger friend Anil Netto. He's helped me to put posts on Wordpress instead, so comments can be more easily posted by any reader who has one.
I AM SO, SO, SORRY for preventing you from free speech. To make up for it, all previous posts have been exported to my Wordpress blog at shannanjp.wordpress.com. My blog is still called, "Winking at Life" and I will continue 'winking' at you there, so you can 'wink' back.
Thanks so much for reading my blog and listening to my 'e-soap box' speeches. So, forward we go. Hopefully, see your comments soon, at Wordpress.
My Wordpress blog is still in process, as I need to familiarize myself with it. It is a little more complicated but will enable comment from readers more easily. So, in the meantime, I'm keeping this blog, that is relatively user friendly and less complicated. You may visit me at my new blogsite and try the comment facility, out of curiousity. Looking forward to talking to you in another room.
Wishing you a good day,
Jasmine Tea
20th December 2012
Dear Readers,
I informed you in the earlier post that I had opened another "Winking at Life" blog in Wordpress. To diffuse confusion, the URL of my current blog is "Winking at Life" at shannanjp.com. I decided to try 'renting a house' metaphorically, so have to do my own housekeeping at my dot com address. Visitors are definitely welcome! So, do continue to enjoy reading my posts.
For those who prefer to come to this "Winking at Life" URL, I will still be posting my thoughts for your reading pleasure from time to time.
Have a good day and may you always be blessed with peace of mind.
Thanks,
Jasmine Tea
Sunday, 4 November 2012
A Leaky Tub in the Ocean
The world is like a leaky tub in the ocean. Here we are undergoing climate change that's punching holes in our planet, yet human kind is aiding its sinking by creating conflict on the lamest excuse. Those trying to repair the leaks can't keep up with the rate at which these are being created. It looks like the negative elements are getting the better of us and taking the upper-hand. Samuel Huntingdon's proverbial "clash of civilizations" seems to be the thing influencing certain minorities who seem intent on making that premise a reality.
World media attention gives world wide publicity to these negatively distructive minorities on both sides of the civilizational clash, just to sell these 'toxic products' to 'children' who very often believe anything and everything they read or see, and react in an equally juvenile manner, without question. Advantage is also taken of the situation by any seeking 'cheap' publicity to feel elevated above the generally silent population.
Let's not get wrong and right confused. Every religion ( for want of a better word) preaches peace, justice, charity and goodwill. That's a universal truth. Even an aetheistic subtraction of God doesn't change what is perceived as good. Moral codes and laws overlap to maintain a civilized order in every country in the world, whether they prevail or otherwise, is another matter. Yet, big words and well intentioned edicts don't change reality.
Still, when it comes to the crunch, people instinctively revert to viewing themselves as members of the human race. At least, that's what generally occurs in times of disaster in various parts of the world. So, why do we maintain conflict in times of relative peace and prosperity, as if we have nothing else to do, but pick a fight with anyone and everyone?
In personal experience there are small victories in over-coming racial, religious and class barriers that give an insight into the possibilities of a completely different world from the current one. These little sparks of goodness, hopefully will some day become the order of the day. But it needs more participation, and more personal victories over personal barriers that end in defeat, contributing to the general on-going personal wars.
A few years ago, my father under went an operation. Dad is over eighty (nearer to ninety) and his chances of survival were at first 50:50 but fell during the operation due to his heart rate being very low, affecting his blood pressure. In this crisis situation, friends and family came together.
Friends from all faiths, ethnic and cultural backgrounds sympathized with us in this crisis, and petitioned God ( in their own ways). What doctrine or beliefs they subscribed to was totally immaterial. A miracle did happen, and Dad miraculously survived this major operation, and is still around today, despite having to use a wheelchair to be mobile.
After Dad was discharged from the hospital, Mum and I would have been completely sunk in looking after him as my siblings returned to their homes in the southern state of Selangor, and overseas to Europe, due to work, family etc.
The multi-national 'aid army' was sent out again and this time we had Christian and Buddhist help, bringing in nursing care for Dad. Not a penny was asked for it, just love and care, in exchange. We've been truly privileged to be looked after by a peoples' multi-national force, in the persons of friends and relatives regardless of our different views, attitudes and beliefs.This is not the first nor, I believe, will it be the last such experience, as the world gets smaller.
Amazing presents some times come wrapped in ordinary newspaper. Perhaps, we, ordinary folk with no claims or pretensions to vast empires, elite status, or celebrity, but who out number those with such claims, can make a bigger difference to this culture of conflict that has been imposed on us by recognizing that we all bleed in red.
Maybe, by doing this, we can work to patch up the leaks that keep springing in our drifting tub on these rough seas. Rub-a-dub-dub!
World media attention gives world wide publicity to these negatively distructive minorities on both sides of the civilizational clash, just to sell these 'toxic products' to 'children' who very often believe anything and everything they read or see, and react in an equally juvenile manner, without question. Advantage is also taken of the situation by any seeking 'cheap' publicity to feel elevated above the generally silent population.
Let's not get wrong and right confused. Every religion ( for want of a better word) preaches peace, justice, charity and goodwill. That's a universal truth. Even an aetheistic subtraction of God doesn't change what is perceived as good. Moral codes and laws overlap to maintain a civilized order in every country in the world, whether they prevail or otherwise, is another matter. Yet, big words and well intentioned edicts don't change reality.
Still, when it comes to the crunch, people instinctively revert to viewing themselves as members of the human race. At least, that's what generally occurs in times of disaster in various parts of the world. So, why do we maintain conflict in times of relative peace and prosperity, as if we have nothing else to do, but pick a fight with anyone and everyone?
In personal experience there are small victories in over-coming racial, religious and class barriers that give an insight into the possibilities of a completely different world from the current one. These little sparks of goodness, hopefully will some day become the order of the day. But it needs more participation, and more personal victories over personal barriers that end in defeat, contributing to the general on-going personal wars.
A few years ago, my father under went an operation. Dad is over eighty (nearer to ninety) and his chances of survival were at first 50:50 but fell during the operation due to his heart rate being very low, affecting his blood pressure. In this crisis situation, friends and family came together.
Friends from all faiths, ethnic and cultural backgrounds sympathized with us in this crisis, and petitioned God ( in their own ways). What doctrine or beliefs they subscribed to was totally immaterial. A miracle did happen, and Dad miraculously survived this major operation, and is still around today, despite having to use a wheelchair to be mobile.
After Dad was discharged from the hospital, Mum and I would have been completely sunk in looking after him as my siblings returned to their homes in the southern state of Selangor, and overseas to Europe, due to work, family etc.
The multi-national 'aid army' was sent out again and this time we had Christian and Buddhist help, bringing in nursing care for Dad. Not a penny was asked for it, just love and care, in exchange. We've been truly privileged to be looked after by a peoples' multi-national force, in the persons of friends and relatives regardless of our different views, attitudes and beliefs.This is not the first nor, I believe, will it be the last such experience, as the world gets smaller.
Amazing presents some times come wrapped in ordinary newspaper. Perhaps, we, ordinary folk with no claims or pretensions to vast empires, elite status, or celebrity, but who out number those with such claims, can make a bigger difference to this culture of conflict that has been imposed on us by recognizing that we all bleed in red.
Maybe, by doing this, we can work to patch up the leaks that keep springing in our drifting tub on these rough seas. Rub-a-dub-dub!
Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Not Everything Old is Bad
This post may sound like one for middle aged to elderly readers, if they manage to use a computer and access the internet. Actually, it's for the young, who are now wanting to look hip amongst their peers and trying to ignore the advice of their elders. Having been young myself, I look back and remember how I used to have the idea that "old people" like my parents, grand-parents etc. could not understand the way we thought or acted according to our times and the ideas then. I grew up in the 1960s to late 70s and 80s. It was the time of the Anti-War protests, Womens' Lib, mini skirts and baby doll fashion, flower children, free love, Anti-nuclear protests, and "peace, man, peace". Not forgetting, bell-bottom Levis jeans.
The most wonderful thing about that time was the pop music. "Pop" means popular as in peoples music. We had 'wild' parties just like teenagers nowadays with blaring heavy metal music - Deep Purple, Uriah Heap, Black Sabbath etc. and of course, singsong sessions. Men had long hair like Marc Bolan of T-Rex, and we thought the world was ours.
What we didn't think of was, that our parents and grand-parents had also gone through the same phase in their lives and knew about 'wild parties', possibly drugs and 'free love'. Yet, in their time society often frowned on freedom and labelled non-conformism immoral. We were very influenced by western culture then, as youth are today. Still, their fears of our going astray, were to some extent justified. Perhaps, they did not want us to repeat their errors. But, the human condition remains unchanged.
The 1960s and 70s, particularly, seemed to be a time of revolution, non-conformism was the in thing. A breakaway from the old world culture. It was a time when people decided to be individualistic, but in some ways unselfish. There were the hippy communes. The music reflected many good values but explored areas of uncertainty, like inhumanity and oppression, it was really quite philosophical. It spoke about the lack of social justice and suffering of people, of increasing materialism, countered by environmentalist singers like John Denver, social singers like Bob Dylan, Don McClean, Bob Marley, Simon and Garfunkel and many more who questioned establishment. It was a time of questioning.
R&B and Jazz also caught on, and Asia saw its own rise in the pop world. I remember well the popular Filipino singer, Freddie Aguila's hit - "Child". It was in English and Tagalog, and would bring tears to many eyes. Freddie Aguila was like the Bob Marley of Asia, having a slum background and weaving personal experiences and life around him into his music. There was the birth of "Asia Beat" and at 19, attended a gig in a local university on the invitation of friends who were students there.
It was at this time that protest songs like, "We will Overcome", "Blowing in the Wind", "American Pie", etc. achieved popularity. It became an era of protests. A time to challenge authoritarian establishment and ancient codes of morality. A peoples' cry for peace in the world, whilst governments waged a Cold War and interfered in other countries civil conflicts.
Sadly, the new morality that followed from the mid - 1980s and later, seems to have taken an opposite path where materialism became the order of the day, probably turning into super-materialism as it is today with wealth, elitism, hedonism and image, dictating the suppression of humane and community values. Individualism has turned to something more ugly, expressed in greed, gluttony, domination, and avarice, overriding consideration, civil consciousness and courtesy. The world seems to have come full circle, but hope still exists. The wheel has not reached it's starting point yet.
The irony of our current times is, that there may be another reversion to those good old days of noble values which have existed since time immemorial. The values of humanity, as old as the mountains, that some youth today are starting to pick up and re-examine. A push towards the protection of our human dignity.
Climate change is another omen of a changing world order, what will the world be like, if human kind survives that? People have to think of the future, and present day youth must take on the responsibility of knowing that the necessities for survival are found in giving rather than receiving only. They will have to sift through history to help human kind survive the upheaval of climate change, propelling a changing world order. The best of the old values may yet save the human race.
To those reading this 'soap box speech' detecting the many inaccuracies in it, I give my sincere apologies, for a flagging memory.
The most wonderful thing about that time was the pop music. "Pop" means popular as in peoples music. We had 'wild' parties just like teenagers nowadays with blaring heavy metal music - Deep Purple, Uriah Heap, Black Sabbath etc. and of course, singsong sessions. Men had long hair like Marc Bolan of T-Rex, and we thought the world was ours.
What we didn't think of was, that our parents and grand-parents had also gone through the same phase in their lives and knew about 'wild parties', possibly drugs and 'free love'. Yet, in their time society often frowned on freedom and labelled non-conformism immoral. We were very influenced by western culture then, as youth are today. Still, their fears of our going astray, were to some extent justified. Perhaps, they did not want us to repeat their errors. But, the human condition remains unchanged.
The 1960s and 70s, particularly, seemed to be a time of revolution, non-conformism was the in thing. A breakaway from the old world culture. It was a time when people decided to be individualistic, but in some ways unselfish. There were the hippy communes. The music reflected many good values but explored areas of uncertainty, like inhumanity and oppression, it was really quite philosophical. It spoke about the lack of social justice and suffering of people, of increasing materialism, countered by environmentalist singers like John Denver, social singers like Bob Dylan, Don McClean, Bob Marley, Simon and Garfunkel and many more who questioned establishment. It was a time of questioning.
R&B and Jazz also caught on, and Asia saw its own rise in the pop world. I remember well the popular Filipino singer, Freddie Aguila's hit - "Child". It was in English and Tagalog, and would bring tears to many eyes. Freddie Aguila was like the Bob Marley of Asia, having a slum background and weaving personal experiences and life around him into his music. There was the birth of "Asia Beat" and at 19, attended a gig in a local university on the invitation of friends who were students there.
It was at this time that protest songs like, "We will Overcome", "Blowing in the Wind", "American Pie", etc. achieved popularity. It became an era of protests. A time to challenge authoritarian establishment and ancient codes of morality. A peoples' cry for peace in the world, whilst governments waged a Cold War and interfered in other countries civil conflicts.
Sadly, the new morality that followed from the mid - 1980s and later, seems to have taken an opposite path where materialism became the order of the day, probably turning into super-materialism as it is today with wealth, elitism, hedonism and image, dictating the suppression of humane and community values. Individualism has turned to something more ugly, expressed in greed, gluttony, domination, and avarice, overriding consideration, civil consciousness and courtesy. The world seems to have come full circle, but hope still exists. The wheel has not reached it's starting point yet.
The irony of our current times is, that there may be another reversion to those good old days of noble values which have existed since time immemorial. The values of humanity, as old as the mountains, that some youth today are starting to pick up and re-examine. A push towards the protection of our human dignity.
Climate change is another omen of a changing world order, what will the world be like, if human kind survives that? People have to think of the future, and present day youth must take on the responsibility of knowing that the necessities for survival are found in giving rather than receiving only. They will have to sift through history to help human kind survive the upheaval of climate change, propelling a changing world order. The best of the old values may yet save the human race.
To those reading this 'soap box speech' detecting the many inaccuracies in it, I give my sincere apologies, for a flagging memory.
Monday, 29 October 2012
Laws for Everything Under the Sun
You will get a full blast of typical Malaysian petty bureaucracy when you visit any government department office. A friend of mine who was married to an Englishman was told at the NRD (National Registration Department) in Penang that she could not change the name on her identity card from her maiden name to her married name. She asked if she could have an "alias" (@), but that was also refused by the officer, saying that there was no law in Malaysia that allowed one to have a change of name. She told him that her mother had an @ added to her maiden name and could use that officially for bank accounts etc. The petty bureaucrat's reply was that , "oh, now, you cannot change your name or have an alias by law. Name changes on marriage are only done in the US or the UK!". As nothing could be done to penetrate the thick cranium of this petty bureaucrat, my friend gave him a parting shot of, "What a pity!", that seemed to baffle him, as he didn't seem to understand the implications of the reply.
For anyone who doesn't get it either, such a reply could mean,
1. Sorry, you have no commonsense whatsoever.
2. It's a pity, you're so lazy and can't get your backside out of that chair.
3. It's a pity, you think I'm stupid, or
4. I see, marriages registered under Malaysian law are not recognized in Malaysia, according to you.
There is a current lack of rational thinking and logic in government departments, especially when petty bureaucrats don't know their job, or even what they're doing warming the seats behind the counters in those government departments. This particular specimen of petty bureaucracy apparently thought he was very clever parroting the law but failed to see that what he said was completely nonsensical. If one were to think about the excuse he gave, it would follow that, a law is needed for every thing we do no matter how small or insignificant. It would be good to know which law tells him that he should take a bath everyday or when he should eat or go to sleep.
I wish there was a law that tells these petty bureaucrats in clear terms, what they should be doing during working hours, and what they should not be doing during working hours, and that if they don't do any work, they should not be paid.
Leg shaking and tongue wagging (gossiping) seem to be endemic amongst petty bureaucracy in many government departments. It is not difficult to witness this first hand, almost everyday. At the end of the day, the taxpayer has to admit that this is another waste of our hard earned money, on so much deadwood in our government departments.
Another financial leakage that should be accounted for and is not, apart from all the big time financial scandals that have been exposed and reported in the media. We pay for the services in government departments but get no service at all. Ironically, some of these bureaucratic parasites try to shift their work onto us, when we are in fact, their paymasters. The deadwood should definitely be pitched into the fire, then it might be of some use. Some of these, probably won't even be good for burning, so they should simply be thrown into the "tak guna"(useless) bin.
For anyone who doesn't get it either, such a reply could mean,
1. Sorry, you have no commonsense whatsoever.
2. It's a pity, you're so lazy and can't get your backside out of that chair.
3. It's a pity, you think I'm stupid, or
4. I see, marriages registered under Malaysian law are not recognized in Malaysia, according to you.
There is a current lack of rational thinking and logic in government departments, especially when petty bureaucrats don't know their job, or even what they're doing warming the seats behind the counters in those government departments. This particular specimen of petty bureaucracy apparently thought he was very clever parroting the law but failed to see that what he said was completely nonsensical. If one were to think about the excuse he gave, it would follow that, a law is needed for every thing we do no matter how small or insignificant. It would be good to know which law tells him that he should take a bath everyday or when he should eat or go to sleep.
I wish there was a law that tells these petty bureaucrats in clear terms, what they should be doing during working hours, and what they should not be doing during working hours, and that if they don't do any work, they should not be paid.
Leg shaking and tongue wagging (gossiping) seem to be endemic amongst petty bureaucracy in many government departments. It is not difficult to witness this first hand, almost everyday. At the end of the day, the taxpayer has to admit that this is another waste of our hard earned money, on so much deadwood in our government departments.
Another financial leakage that should be accounted for and is not, apart from all the big time financial scandals that have been exposed and reported in the media. We pay for the services in government departments but get no service at all. Ironically, some of these bureaucratic parasites try to shift their work onto us, when we are in fact, their paymasters. The deadwood should definitely be pitched into the fire, then it might be of some use. Some of these, probably won't even be good for burning, so they should simply be thrown into the "tak guna"(useless) bin.
Friday, 26 October 2012
What would We do Without Them?
Climbing upstairs to my 1st floor flat, I thought," Thank God, for the cleaner!". This is not a posh place but kept neat, tidy and clean by a cleaner employed by the Apartments Management Office of our blocks. All residents, including tenants contribute a small sum for the upkeep and cleanliness of these 4 storied blocks. Keeping a public place clean is not a pleasant job.
This brings to mind the scores of cleaners and blue collar workers, some being foreign workers, who carry out so many manual tasks to maintain a hygenic and pleasant environment in so many public places like hospitals, shopping malls, bus terminuses, public toilets and roads. Garbage collectors also fall into the hygiene maintainance category, having to face stench and putrefying, nauseating piles of wet mushy organic waste, food packaging, disposable sanitary wear like soiled diapers etc., and any thing that's lobbed into the large garbage receptacle through the chute.
More disgustingly, some people think that they are entitled to mess the place so the cleaners and garbage collectors have to clean up after them. Rubbish is simply thrown anywhere and everywhere. They seem to think that the hygiene workers have too little work to do, and so must be unreasonably exploited. Who do they think they are? The 'swollen headed tauke' (boss) taxpayers who forget that they are actually dependent on these humble blue collar workers to maintain their health and respectability.
I have frequently watched, with much revulsion, the way in which these blue collar hygiene workers are treated, and am certain that they suffer in silence because they need these ill-paying and totally exploitative jobs to keep their own, and dependents body and souls together.
Once I was sitting in the Sg. Nibong Express Coach Station in Penang and observed a foreign hygiene worker clearing rubbish out of the bins around the bus terminus waiting area, into some big black plastic bin bags. Whoever, his contractor employer was, had not provided him with any protective clothing, or even gloves, uniform or face mask. He had to clear the dirty, germ ridden bins with his bare-hands and a blackened rag that didn't look very clean. He probably had no choice in the matter, even if he had asked for these necessities to do the job.
Such employers are likely to retort, " accept these conditions or leave". These are the sort of employers who want everything for nothing, and see it as normal practice to treat the worker like a machine. Once broken-down, readily replaceable. I wonder, if the slipper was on the other foot, whether they would be as resilent as the workers they ill-treat and exploit in this way?
In another instance, as I was walking past an upmarket shop in Pulau Tikus, I saw another foreign employee, who had apparently come to start his new job. He was well, though not formally, dressed and stood listening as a man (apparently his new boss) said something to him. The very next second, I saw him having to squat down on the sidewalk and pickup some rubbish thrown near a pillar with his bare hands and deposit the rubbish in a nearby bin. His expression of surprise and disappointment at this apparent humiliation was unmistakable. It was degrading. It was hard not to feel pity for the foreign worker, and embarrassment and disgust, that he should suffer such treatment from a Malaysian employer.
There have been so many incidences of ill-treatment, not only of foreign workers but of workers in general, but despite the "Ooos" and "Ahhs" expressed by many middle and upper-class readers of these reports, this same public has yet to learn that workers are human beings with dignity and rights to be respected.
In an attempt to talk to someone about the non-supply of protective clothing, which employers should rightly supply to these hygiene workers, the response received was a glib and dismissive one, that the worker should purchase these necessities for their own use, with their own money. This was really nauseating and the conversation lapsed into silence, though I was fuming at the obvious ignorance and lack of humanity of the speaker. Did he think that people with mega bucks come to Malaysia to take up such jobs, as if they had nothing else to do?
Many Malaysians seem unaware that although they are the employers, it is these workers without whom their lives won't be as easy, and their businesses won't thrive. It is not the employer who does the worker a favor by filling the vacancy, but the worker who is doing the employer the favor by submitting to such treatment in the circumstances, for the employer's own benefit and profit, usually for low pay, slave-labor conditions and odd working hours.
Hygiene workers do the general public a favor by maintaining the cleanliness and pleasantness of public spaces despite the often dirty and dangerous nature of their jobs. Theirs is the nobler cause. What would we do without them? Live in a DUMP?
This brings to mind the scores of cleaners and blue collar workers, some being foreign workers, who carry out so many manual tasks to maintain a hygenic and pleasant environment in so many public places like hospitals, shopping malls, bus terminuses, public toilets and roads. Garbage collectors also fall into the hygiene maintainance category, having to face stench and putrefying, nauseating piles of wet mushy organic waste, food packaging, disposable sanitary wear like soiled diapers etc., and any thing that's lobbed into the large garbage receptacle through the chute.
More disgustingly, some people think that they are entitled to mess the place so the cleaners and garbage collectors have to clean up after them. Rubbish is simply thrown anywhere and everywhere. They seem to think that the hygiene workers have too little work to do, and so must be unreasonably exploited. Who do they think they are? The 'swollen headed tauke' (boss) taxpayers who forget that they are actually dependent on these humble blue collar workers to maintain their health and respectability.
I have frequently watched, with much revulsion, the way in which these blue collar hygiene workers are treated, and am certain that they suffer in silence because they need these ill-paying and totally exploitative jobs to keep their own, and dependents body and souls together.
Once I was sitting in the Sg. Nibong Express Coach Station in Penang and observed a foreign hygiene worker clearing rubbish out of the bins around the bus terminus waiting area, into some big black plastic bin bags. Whoever, his contractor employer was, had not provided him with any protective clothing, or even gloves, uniform or face mask. He had to clear the dirty, germ ridden bins with his bare-hands and a blackened rag that didn't look very clean. He probably had no choice in the matter, even if he had asked for these necessities to do the job.
Such employers are likely to retort, " accept these conditions or leave". These are the sort of employers who want everything for nothing, and see it as normal practice to treat the worker like a machine. Once broken-down, readily replaceable. I wonder, if the slipper was on the other foot, whether they would be as resilent as the workers they ill-treat and exploit in this way?
In another instance, as I was walking past an upmarket shop in Pulau Tikus, I saw another foreign employee, who had apparently come to start his new job. He was well, though not formally, dressed and stood listening as a man (apparently his new boss) said something to him. The very next second, I saw him having to squat down on the sidewalk and pickup some rubbish thrown near a pillar with his bare hands and deposit the rubbish in a nearby bin. His expression of surprise and disappointment at this apparent humiliation was unmistakable. It was degrading. It was hard not to feel pity for the foreign worker, and embarrassment and disgust, that he should suffer such treatment from a Malaysian employer.
There have been so many incidences of ill-treatment, not only of foreign workers but of workers in general, but despite the "Ooos" and "Ahhs" expressed by many middle and upper-class readers of these reports, this same public has yet to learn that workers are human beings with dignity and rights to be respected.
In an attempt to talk to someone about the non-supply of protective clothing, which employers should rightly supply to these hygiene workers, the response received was a glib and dismissive one, that the worker should purchase these necessities for their own use, with their own money. This was really nauseating and the conversation lapsed into silence, though I was fuming at the obvious ignorance and lack of humanity of the speaker. Did he think that people with mega bucks come to Malaysia to take up such jobs, as if they had nothing else to do?
Many Malaysians seem unaware that although they are the employers, it is these workers without whom their lives won't be as easy, and their businesses won't thrive. It is not the employer who does the worker a favor by filling the vacancy, but the worker who is doing the employer the favor by submitting to such treatment in the circumstances, for the employer's own benefit and profit, usually for low pay, slave-labor conditions and odd working hours.
Hygiene workers do the general public a favor by maintaining the cleanliness and pleasantness of public spaces despite the often dirty and dangerous nature of their jobs. Theirs is the nobler cause. What would we do without them? Live in a DUMP?
Tuesday, 23 October 2012
Blighted Reputation
I was traveling in Europe some years back and standing in line to be processed by Immigration at Dublin Airport. When I got to the counter, the Immigration officer looked at my Malaysian passport and told me to stand aside. Whilst waiting for him to finally deal with me, I wondered what concerning my documents attracted this 'special treatment'. I had come to Dublin from the UK and as far as I knew, persons traveling to Ireland from the UK, did not need to get any special entry visas before embarking on their journey. This included non-EU citizens. I stood leaning against the counter resting my cheek on my hand, waiting to see what he would say when he finally dealt with me.
It took around 10 minutes before all those after me had been waved through, then, without offering any explanation, he simply said, "You're all right" and let me through. This was rather weird, what had he been expecting me to do on seeing my Malaysian passport? I mulled this over as I went to the carousel to collect my luggage.
Then, it hit me - was he expecting me ( a Malaysian) to 'grease his palm' as a means of avoiding embarrassment? Was this a trap by Immigration to catch out less than honest Malaysians who may be in the habit of 'getting out of trouble' this way? Or was my passport so foreign that he'd never seen such a passport before, or was he just being down right racist? At any rate, having done nothing, and having nothing to hide, perhaps indicated to him that I was not one of those, nor would I jump to conclusions about being discriminated against before I had any proof of it.
Some people may think that I should be howling 'blue murder' when he stopped me, but as luck would have it, I think keeping my cool is the better part of valor than kicking up a rackus to prolong this 'ordeal' and face possible deportation or detention at the airport, and a whole can of other worms.
In hindsight, I think that being stopped at a foreign airport by Immigration on the apparent basis of possessing a Malaysian passport says something about the kind of reputation we seem to have overseas - coming from a country with a reputation for corruption. There are reports of Malaysians committing crimes overseas, Malaysians engaging in illegal businesses, and becoming illegal immigrants by overstaying, particularly in the UK. But, this doesn't mean that ALL Malaysians traveling overseas should be suspects or that all have an intention to commit offences of whatever nature.
So who can we 'thank' for giving all Malaysians a worldwide bad reputation as persons likely to engage in illegal or corrupt activities, should I whisper their name?
Those, who, Malaysians know are squandering our taxpayers hard earned money and now trying to 'buy' our votes with regular payouts, sweet words and "kept promises" (janji di tepati). Who else can we blame for the blight on our good name?
It took around 10 minutes before all those after me had been waved through, then, without offering any explanation, he simply said, "You're all right" and let me through. This was rather weird, what had he been expecting me to do on seeing my Malaysian passport? I mulled this over as I went to the carousel to collect my luggage.
Then, it hit me - was he expecting me ( a Malaysian) to 'grease his palm' as a means of avoiding embarrassment? Was this a trap by Immigration to catch out less than honest Malaysians who may be in the habit of 'getting out of trouble' this way? Or was my passport so foreign that he'd never seen such a passport before, or was he just being down right racist? At any rate, having done nothing, and having nothing to hide, perhaps indicated to him that I was not one of those, nor would I jump to conclusions about being discriminated against before I had any proof of it.
Some people may think that I should be howling 'blue murder' when he stopped me, but as luck would have it, I think keeping my cool is the better part of valor than kicking up a rackus to prolong this 'ordeal' and face possible deportation or detention at the airport, and a whole can of other worms.
In hindsight, I think that being stopped at a foreign airport by Immigration on the apparent basis of possessing a Malaysian passport says something about the kind of reputation we seem to have overseas - coming from a country with a reputation for corruption. There are reports of Malaysians committing crimes overseas, Malaysians engaging in illegal businesses, and becoming illegal immigrants by overstaying, particularly in the UK. But, this doesn't mean that ALL Malaysians traveling overseas should be suspects or that all have an intention to commit offences of whatever nature.
So who can we 'thank' for giving all Malaysians a worldwide bad reputation as persons likely to engage in illegal or corrupt activities, should I whisper their name?
Those, who, Malaysians know are squandering our taxpayers hard earned money and now trying to 'buy' our votes with regular payouts, sweet words and "kept promises" (janji di tepati). Who else can we blame for the blight on our good name?
Monday, 22 October 2012
Livable and Pleasant Low-Cost Housing
When one mentions "low-cost housing" for the lower-income community, visions of concrete tower blocks with apartments little more than cubicles comes to mind. The stink of garbage chutes, florescent lighting that's broken and blown in places, smelly dimly lit lifts frequently out of order, walls decorated with graffiti, and all that's dark, dreary, wet and repulsive. Being poor doesn't mean that one has to be treated sub-humanly and allotted the cheapest, lowest quality standard of living in vermin infested, crime fertile environments.
If governments really paid any attention to the causes and effects of poverty, they may discover that treating poor people as human beings and affording them a better living environment could help change their perception of themselves and help reduce numbers taking to crime as day jobs in urban areas. The poverty scenario is a little different, but just as bad for the rural poor.
There is an abundance of alternative cheap housing that doesn't have to be like what's described above.
Take for example, the little plank, zinc roofed one storied house that vegetable farmers used to build in the centre of their small farms. There were also plank house villages (kampungs) which were not squatter areas but villages supplied with electricity and piped water. These "kampung" houses were proper houses with kitchen, bathroom/toilets, living-rooms and 2 -3 adequately large bedrooms for families to live in.
Recently, I saw a newly built double storied plank house with louvered windows and beautiful brown stained or painted wooden walls.
With the right technology for safety, such as flame retardant and anti-pest and fungus treatment, sound workmanship and substitution of materials like tile/slate or treated attap roofing, in place of tin or zinc which increase temperatures under the hot sun, these would be really wonderful dwellings that cost only a fraction of what is spent on heaving and piling concrete into unsightly, hot, dark and dank, anonymous tower blocks.
The traditional Malay 'kampung' house is another possible model for low-cost housing. These houses were meant to house extended families, as is the traditional and customary way of living in many Asian societies. They have shared kitchen and bathroom/toilet facilities, which can be updated into modern kitchens and bathrooms. Adjustments and variations can be made to provide more private facilities, if the traditional design was modified to accommodate it.
Even the traditional Chinese town house with its labyrinth of inner courtyards and separate areas for various household activity is another alternative for housing a large number of people.
In all of the three models suggested, a garden in which to relax and where children can play safely is part and parcel of the whole design, much like the swimming pool areas in luxury apartment blocks.
I saw amazing houses in an "Orang Asli" (Aboriginal) village. The houses had bamboo frames with woven fiber walls. As far as I could see, there were not many rooms in it and cooking was done outdoors or in a separate area. They had outside toilets which were kept very clean. What really impressed was the flooring of these house verandahs, made of bamboo strips tied side by side with gaps in between for air-circulation. It was cool to sit on. These houses could also be moved en masse to a different site i.e. dismantled and reconstructed in another location.
There are also the Dayak long houses in Sarawak and native houses of Sabah designed for extended families and are in sync with the forest environment, just like the Orang Asli Houses.
Although not all of us can adopt the aboriginal lifestyle, we could learn and adapt the flexibility and eco-friendliness of it. There is still a long way to go before we can relinquish our craving for bricks, mortar and concrete boxes in tower blocks which we expect to call "Home". There is a more human way to live, in harmony with nature and with our neighbors.
If I were an architect/developer, I would be looking to adapting the best in traditional housing to modern living that is sustainable, eco-friendly and humane, things that make places not only habitable but what would make up a pleasant and livable Home. Not only for the rich, but especially for the poor.
If governments really paid any attention to the causes and effects of poverty, they may discover that treating poor people as human beings and affording them a better living environment could help change their perception of themselves and help reduce numbers taking to crime as day jobs in urban areas. The poverty scenario is a little different, but just as bad for the rural poor.
There is an abundance of alternative cheap housing that doesn't have to be like what's described above.
Take for example, the little plank, zinc roofed one storied house that vegetable farmers used to build in the centre of their small farms. There were also plank house villages (kampungs) which were not squatter areas but villages supplied with electricity and piped water. These "kampung" houses were proper houses with kitchen, bathroom/toilets, living-rooms and 2 -3 adequately large bedrooms for families to live in.
Recently, I saw a newly built double storied plank house with louvered windows and beautiful brown stained or painted wooden walls.
With the right technology for safety, such as flame retardant and anti-pest and fungus treatment, sound workmanship and substitution of materials like tile/slate or treated attap roofing, in place of tin or zinc which increase temperatures under the hot sun, these would be really wonderful dwellings that cost only a fraction of what is spent on heaving and piling concrete into unsightly, hot, dark and dank, anonymous tower blocks.
The traditional Malay 'kampung' house is another possible model for low-cost housing. These houses were meant to house extended families, as is the traditional and customary way of living in many Asian societies. They have shared kitchen and bathroom/toilet facilities, which can be updated into modern kitchens and bathrooms. Adjustments and variations can be made to provide more private facilities, if the traditional design was modified to accommodate it.
Even the traditional Chinese town house with its labyrinth of inner courtyards and separate areas for various household activity is another alternative for housing a large number of people.
In all of the three models suggested, a garden in which to relax and where children can play safely is part and parcel of the whole design, much like the swimming pool areas in luxury apartment blocks.
I saw amazing houses in an "Orang Asli" (Aboriginal) village. The houses had bamboo frames with woven fiber walls. As far as I could see, there were not many rooms in it and cooking was done outdoors or in a separate area. They had outside toilets which were kept very clean. What really impressed was the flooring of these house verandahs, made of bamboo strips tied side by side with gaps in between for air-circulation. It was cool to sit on. These houses could also be moved en masse to a different site i.e. dismantled and reconstructed in another location.
There are also the Dayak long houses in Sarawak and native houses of Sabah designed for extended families and are in sync with the forest environment, just like the Orang Asli Houses.
Although not all of us can adopt the aboriginal lifestyle, we could learn and adapt the flexibility and eco-friendliness of it. There is still a long way to go before we can relinquish our craving for bricks, mortar and concrete boxes in tower blocks which we expect to call "Home". There is a more human way to live, in harmony with nature and with our neighbors.
If I were an architect/developer, I would be looking to adapting the best in traditional housing to modern living that is sustainable, eco-friendly and humane, things that make places not only habitable but what would make up a pleasant and livable Home. Not only for the rich, but especially for the poor.
Saturday, 20 October 2012
A Guide to Cross Over or A Premonition?
At a funeral wake for my aunt who recently passed away, I overheard one of my cousins say that before she left us, she had seen her eldest brother and a sister, both long 'gone home to the Lord'. Apparently, her sister's apparition had told her that she was going to take her to their childhood home. Whether she had seen them in dreams or if she had seen them when wide awake, I don't know. But since she was in a semi-coma just before her apparent brief recovery, she may have seen them in that twilight world in semi-consciousness.
This is the third time, I've heard of people seeing long dead relatives shortly before joining them on the other side, so to speak.
My grandfather was southern Indian and dark skinned, and before Granny (who was Chinese) passed on, she was said to have remarked to the relative who was caring for her, that she saw an Indian man in the room and asked who he was, yet no one else there saw him. Granny was suffering from Alzheimer's disease and could not remember Grandpa or any other of her family. She was also in her 90s before she passed away. This happened a few days before, dear Granny, said "Good-bye".
Also, just before a cousin passed away, about 10 years ago, he said he dreamt of his mother, who had passed on long before, calling him home. It was as if he had a premonition or warning of his coming demise. In sharing their experiences, some friends tell of the reluctance of loved ones to do things or go to certain places on the very day they died. Then, there is also the completion of work or having visited everyone and tied up all personal affairs neatly before just "popping off", like an uncle of mine did, a few years ago. Are these premonitions that there will be no more time or opportunity to do these things?
To an extent, I believe that the paranormal or supernatural possibly exists, but don't have anything to confirm this belief. Yet, it seems to be the in-thing nowadays, with big screen Hollywood, foreign television and even local film makers, attempting to explore and document evidence of paranormal/supernatural activity. The spirit world, if it exists, is a complete mystery, yet how can the unexplainable be explained by science?
Coming back to the point, I'm not actually speculating on if ghosts exists or not, but simply wondering if these 'visions' that some people have, are actual premonitions or warnings of their demise. It may sound creepy to some, but perhaps it is something natural and linked to the spirit within us, that we believe exists. Perhaps, it is the spirit knowledge in ourselves that realizes when it is time to leave, an alarm-clock set to alert us when the time comes.
Then, again, it is consoling to think that, a loved one, we are familiar with, may act as our guide into the spirit world. Our first steps into the unknown...
As for ghosts, a few theories exist and are expressed in so-called "ghost stories" or studies of the paranormal. Whether these are really scientific or not, they certainly make exciting reading and popular television. If you have a story to tell about death premonitions, or near death experiences, do share them. I wonder, if I'll have warning when my time is up? Hopefully, I'll be able to leave peacefully, and live happily ever after with those who have passed on, and that a loved one will come to fetch me on that final journey home.
This is the third time, I've heard of people seeing long dead relatives shortly before joining them on the other side, so to speak.
My grandfather was southern Indian and dark skinned, and before Granny (who was Chinese) passed on, she was said to have remarked to the relative who was caring for her, that she saw an Indian man in the room and asked who he was, yet no one else there saw him. Granny was suffering from Alzheimer's disease and could not remember Grandpa or any other of her family. She was also in her 90s before she passed away. This happened a few days before, dear Granny, said "Good-bye".
Also, just before a cousin passed away, about 10 years ago, he said he dreamt of his mother, who had passed on long before, calling him home. It was as if he had a premonition or warning of his coming demise. In sharing their experiences, some friends tell of the reluctance of loved ones to do things or go to certain places on the very day they died. Then, there is also the completion of work or having visited everyone and tied up all personal affairs neatly before just "popping off", like an uncle of mine did, a few years ago. Are these premonitions that there will be no more time or opportunity to do these things?
To an extent, I believe that the paranormal or supernatural possibly exists, but don't have anything to confirm this belief. Yet, it seems to be the in-thing nowadays, with big screen Hollywood, foreign television and even local film makers, attempting to explore and document evidence of paranormal/supernatural activity. The spirit world, if it exists, is a complete mystery, yet how can the unexplainable be explained by science?
Coming back to the point, I'm not actually speculating on if ghosts exists or not, but simply wondering if these 'visions' that some people have, are actual premonitions or warnings of their demise. It may sound creepy to some, but perhaps it is something natural and linked to the spirit within us, that we believe exists. Perhaps, it is the spirit knowledge in ourselves that realizes when it is time to leave, an alarm-clock set to alert us when the time comes.
Then, again, it is consoling to think that, a loved one, we are familiar with, may act as our guide into the spirit world. Our first steps into the unknown...
 |
| Light across the water |
As for ghosts, a few theories exist and are expressed in so-called "ghost stories" or studies of the paranormal. Whether these are really scientific or not, they certainly make exciting reading and popular television. If you have a story to tell about death premonitions, or near death experiences, do share them. I wonder, if I'll have warning when my time is up? Hopefully, I'll be able to leave peacefully, and live happily ever after with those who have passed on, and that a loved one will come to fetch me on that final journey home.
Wednesday, 17 October 2012
Revolutionary Cut
When I cut my hair, I feel like a new person. There's a feeling of freedom, besides feeling cooler in this hot humid tropical climate. But, preferring very short styles, I tend to like a boyish 'pixie look'. It's cute and very, very easy to manage, especially when you are the 'wash and go' type with a lifestyle that doesn't spend too much time in front of a mirror.
But, when 'googling' varieties of short hairstyles in my favorite period of fashion history - the 'Roaring 20's" (1920s), I stumbled over some facts about short hairstyles that I thought quite amazing.
Who would think that chopping off one's locks could cause a storm of controversy? But, that was exactly what happened in the 1920s when young women took to the hairstyle worn by Irene Castle, a famous North American ballroom dancer in 1915. Her hairstyle was nicknamed the "Castle Bob" after her, which was worn merely for convenience. Then, after the 1st World War (the 'Great War') more and more women took to the style and a new era was born. It seems to have been the first time in history that women took this 'big leap' to shear off their long tresses and shorten their hemlines, much to male bewildered bafflement. Lines of women outside barber shops to have luxuriant tresses cropped short began to lengthen. The 'Bob' style seemed to turn into a statement for freedom from patriarchy by women, a statement for independence and equality, so much so that women with cropped hair faced all kinds of negative reactions from husbands, church and employers.
"Preachers warned
parishioners that “a bobbed woman is a disgraced woman.” Men
divorced their wives over bobbed hair. One large department store
fired all employees wearing bobbed hair."
It even affect the Royals of England, where Queen E's grandmother held that ladies attending royal functions should wear hair extensions to 'hide' their short crops. King George, Queen E2's father held his peace as his wife did like the style and took to it as well. If you have seen old pictures of the Queen Mother, you'll understand why.
The 'bob', was further modified when women's hairdressers accepted the style and began to modify and stylize it with perming, waving and 'shingling' the original design. This increased controversy...
"And to make matters worse, the bold and daring flapper pushed the
envelope even further when she subjected herself to the shingle bob
causing even more controversy. In a letter to the editor of a
professional hair publication, one parent deplored this newest
version of the bob: “From the rear, it is hard to tell a girl from a boy,
since the advent of the shingle bob.” And, “I’ve raised my girls to be
women and my boys to be men, but since the advent of this shingle
bob, I have to look twice at my own offspring to tell which is which.”
http://www.hairarchives.com/private/1920s.htm- "1920's piece haristyles"
So, short hair became a trajectory that pushed women right into the 20th century and changed almost everything, but seems to still have fallen short of changing the patriarchal mindset.
Yet, the world learned to accept it, and our crowning glories have been subjected to revolutionary, and some times controversial variation, even to making baldness for women a fashion in the west, in contrast to baldness being a sign of humility and sacrifice in eastern religion as in the case of a Buddhist nun.
However, my short crops still appear to draw some attention and a bit of hassle from certain women's hairdressers ( but not barbers, which I have visited once or twice) who tell me that it "isn't nice", probably meaning that women/girls don't cut their hair so short or expose their ears. My own reaction is, "Why not?". Sorry, I am a pragmatist and can't subscribe to that out-dated traditional mindset of having to grow my hair longer than I like, to attract male admiration or attention. It is better to know the nature of a person than to make judgments based on their external appearance.
Apologies for the lack of photos for this piece, I'm still learning how to download pix. from other sources and hopefully not be sued for it.
But, when 'googling' varieties of short hairstyles in my favorite period of fashion history - the 'Roaring 20's" (1920s), I stumbled over some facts about short hairstyles that I thought quite amazing.
Who would think that chopping off one's locks could cause a storm of controversy? But, that was exactly what happened in the 1920s when young women took to the hairstyle worn by Irene Castle, a famous North American ballroom dancer in 1915. Her hairstyle was nicknamed the "Castle Bob" after her, which was worn merely for convenience. Then, after the 1st World War (the 'Great War') more and more women took to the style and a new era was born. It seems to have been the first time in history that women took this 'big leap' to shear off their long tresses and shorten their hemlines, much to male bewildered bafflement. Lines of women outside barber shops to have luxuriant tresses cropped short began to lengthen. The 'Bob' style seemed to turn into a statement for freedom from patriarchy by women, a statement for independence and equality, so much so that women with cropped hair faced all kinds of negative reactions from husbands, church and employers.
"Preachers warned
parishioners that “a bobbed woman is a disgraced woman.” Men
divorced their wives over bobbed hair. One large department store
fired all employees wearing bobbed hair."
http://www.hairarchives.com/private/1920s.htm - "1920s piece hairstyles"
It even affect the Royals of England, where Queen E's grandmother held that ladies attending royal functions should wear hair extensions to 'hide' their short crops. King George, Queen E2's father held his peace as his wife did like the style and took to it as well. If you have seen old pictures of the Queen Mother, you'll understand why.
The 'bob', was further modified when women's hairdressers accepted the style and began to modify and stylize it with perming, waving and 'shingling' the original design. This increased controversy...
envelope even further when she subjected herself to the shingle bob
causing even more controversy. In a letter to the editor of a
professional hair publication, one parent deplored this newest
version of the bob: “From the rear, it is hard to tell a girl from a boy,
since the advent of the shingle bob.” And, “I’ve raised my girls to be
women and my boys to be men, but since the advent of this shingle
bob, I have to look twice at my own offspring to tell which is which.”
http://www.hairarchives.com/private/1920s.htm- "1920's piece haristyles"
So, short hair became a trajectory that pushed women right into the 20th century and changed almost everything, but seems to still have fallen short of changing the patriarchal mindset.
Yet, the world learned to accept it, and our crowning glories have been subjected to revolutionary, and some times controversial variation, even to making baldness for women a fashion in the west, in contrast to baldness being a sign of humility and sacrifice in eastern religion as in the case of a Buddhist nun.
However, my short crops still appear to draw some attention and a bit of hassle from certain women's hairdressers ( but not barbers, which I have visited once or twice) who tell me that it "isn't nice", probably meaning that women/girls don't cut their hair so short or expose their ears. My own reaction is, "Why not?". Sorry, I am a pragmatist and can't subscribe to that out-dated traditional mindset of having to grow my hair longer than I like, to attract male admiration or attention. It is better to know the nature of a person than to make judgments based on their external appearance.
Apologies for the lack of photos for this piece, I'm still learning how to download pix. from other sources and hopefully not be sued for it.
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