I Forgot...

It seems that age is catching up - with a vengeance at that! I didn't think i could get much worse with my memory of dates and details but I have. As such I am completely dependent on my outlook calender - consistently synced with my PDA every day to ensure my life is well scheduled 24/7. Six years ago I didn't even want a handphone...now my handheld device dictates my life.

Yet there are a many great things that my little PDA cannot be programmed to remind. In this wonderful rat race of corporate hullabaloo, I'm thoroughly guilty of forgetting what it is I'm working so very hard for.

Money? Yes, partially. Money is but an enabler for a purpose. A purpose that took me 17 years to figure out but a mere 2 years to forget. Thankfully it's not taken another 17 years to remember...it will just take some time to refocus.

Of Opinions, Advice and Law

Three short little words......different in intonation, length and (rightfully) meaning.

Opinion: a view or judgement not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.

Advice: somebody's opinion about what another person should do

Law: the collection of rules imposed by authority

It's a wonder anyone could get them mixed up, it's downright embarassing that the people who do get them mixed up are representing the population. But I suppose it really isn't that hard to criss cross the three when the authority has an opinion and rather than expound it as advice, turns it into law. Who then governs the authority?

i think i missed the train here.......


Is it just me or do people seem to prefer to stave off course from actual issues by making mountains out of truly insignificant molehills?

E.g. a country faces high crime rates - ranking #2 in violence against women. Instead of implementing laws and enforcing protection our beloved parliamentarians choose instead to focus on more pressing issues, such as the all evil short skirts and make up women wear and how they should be banned.

-not to mention the most embarrassing suggestion put forth that women should ‘sit back and enjoy’ being raped-

Not only have incidents like this happened, but repeatedly happens. Instead of pulling together to GOVERN a COUNTRY entrusted upon them by the people, they choose instead to side step uncomfortable issues like the increasing amount of immigrants. Tax payers funds are apparently paying for discussions of individual preference and private affairs instead. How a lady so chooses to dress herself is no business of anyone else. A man’s sexual preference is his own – so long as it brings no harm to any other individual. If 2 individuals wish to hold hands in a park or show some public affection, by all means. Why is it alright to hang/cane a person publicly but not have people kiss/hug publicly? Does this society prefer that it’s children witness more violence and punishment rather than love and affection? The powers that be certainly seem to think so.

And what give them the right to think they can hold themselves way up “there” oh so almightily and lord their “unwavering pillars of morality” at the rest of us?

Stop trying to police people’s mind and freewill and go DO YOUR JOB already. In a country that has everything going for it, it is a shame to see everything wasted on shallow agendas.

Someone should teach governments proper customer service.

No, this is not a piece about how incredibly imbecilic an experience at a government or governments-linked outlet can be. I have come to terms with the fact that peanuts for pay will get you monkeys for the day.

My pet peeve for today has more to do with the wonderful, educated, civilized & cultured individuals sitting higher up the food chain. They who actually have a say in how the country is run, where our tax money goes, and who gets pieces of the national pie.

Perhaps I should explain how customer service is of any concern of these busy, important VVIPs. Last I checked, however high a rank given, are there to service the nation. The nation, the people, ARE the customers – end users of their services and their paymasters by virtue of tax contributions.

I believe a government is an organization of leaders elected by the people for the purpose of serving the people.

The very basic rules of customer service is to ‘Deliver to customers’ needs’ and ‘Exceed Customers’ Expectations’.

To date I have seen little evidence in the government’s fulfillment of the above criteria – have you?

Vegetarianism..........


Many people around the world are vegetarians......the word itself is a rather general term. Simply put it means not to consume meat. However there are those who refuse to consume any produce from animals such as milk and eggs. Certain sects of vegetarians do not even consume plant products which could lead to meat cravings (e.g. garlic, fake meat, etc...).

Many boast that they do this out of compassion for other living beings.........now if one had said this was done out of compassion for the animals it may be well acceptable. But to say it is done out of compassion for living beings is rather hypocritical and essentially biased, don't you think?

Who are we to claim that plants are not living beings? Science thus far has classified them on their own, things that grow but do not move, do not feel, do not think.....

The fist claim is well proven as we can see that plants do not walk. But what of the other two? How sure are we that these plants do not have conciousness? How do we know for sure that the flowers we put in vases are not suffering a slow rotting death? How is it that we can say with conviction that these 'plants' are not beings as well?

Time and time again science has proven that the only certainty is UNCERTAINTY so how can we say for sure that eating vegetables make a person more compassionate towards other beings?

The death of a cow can feed a neighbourhood..........but it takes a substantial amount of plant life to sustain even a single individual. How compassionate.............

The next book I want to read……..”In the name of Honour”

It is a book by a Pakistani lady named Mukhtar Mai. She hails from a village called Meerwala where she was condemned to gang-rape by her village council in 2002. Hers is a story very much like Phoolan Devi a.k.a. The Bandit Queen who was also brutally persecuted and gang raped by men of higher castes for crimes which were never proven.

In Mukhtar Mai’s case, they “punished” her for alleged crimes committed by her 12 year old brother. What the bloody fuck could a damn 12 year old do to justify such “punishment”????? This is something inhumane, incomprehensible and should be completely unacceptable – not simply in this modern era, but in any group of homo-sapiens who wish to call themselves HUMAN.

The Bandit Queen went on a three year killing spree where she sought out and murdered rapists………in my opinion I hope she kept them alive long enough to experience some semblance of torture. Personally I think they should be tied up, generally anesthetized in their groin and forced to watch their ‘precious tools’ shredded bit by bit. I do NOT believe in rehabilitation of people who rape because their social standing/circle gives them the ‘right’ to do so. It is not impossible….but are their respective governments willing to admit that their society is responsible for the production of such dysfunctional fiends as well as spend the time and effort needed to properly rehabilitate them thoroughly???

Even in Boleh-land, the longest serving prisoner was jailed nearly 30 years (I think) because he robbed the FELDA bank of a ‘substantial’ sum of money (believe me when I say it does not even come close to a million). In the meantime rapists are let off with a slap on the wrist……..most get 1 or 2 years if they are punished at all!!!!

Now why the hell would anyone want to report a rape? The rapist would be back out in no time, if he ever served any time…….and the process of our ‘justice system’ would force victims to undergo more humiliation at the hands of our ever ‘mesra’ police personnel. This BEFORE having to RELIVE her RAPE over and over at trial. I admit I would be hard pressed to report a rape if I intend to continue with life as I know it.

Mukhtar Mai has my utmost RESPECT – with the help of the foreign press, her rapists have been jailed. Unfortunately I do not know how long they will be put away and she now lives in constant danger. She chooses to stay in her village though she has many opportunities to flee because she wants to play her part in elevating the status of women in her country.

Kudos to those who report rape and give up life as they know it to fight an uphill battle for women’s rights everywhere, as well as those who support these brave people. Equality does not mean that everyone has the same skills in every aspect, only that everyone should be treated as a human being. Respect others as you would have them respect you, is that really too much to ask?

Malaysian April Fool’s Day!!!

Do you know how April Fool’s day started? The summary of it is that a group of people celebrated New Year’s Day on the 1st of April instead of the 1st of January. So others used to play pranks on these people for celebrating New Year’s on the wrong day…..thus creating April Fool’s day as we know it.

Read 27th December 2006 Malay Mail, Page 6, Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adman Tengku Mansor announces that the Malaysian Governtment has decided to postponed New Year’s Eve celebrations till the 6th of January. Why? Because it clashes with Hari Raya Haji….wooooooo apparently it must be a solemn occasion or something because we simply cannot celebrate it in conjunction with New Year’s Eve which is a happily bright occasion.

Normally when celebrations clash we have things like Deepa-Raya or Gong Xi Raya…….but that only happens with celebrations. I guess Hari Raya Haji is not a celebration so it cannot be tied with the happy celebration of New Year’s Eve.

I would have thought that tourism would be boosted with BIGGER celebrations on New Year’s Eve to celebrate both New Year’s and Hari Raya Haji together. I’m only a fresh grad……but wouldn’t a huge celebration entice more tourists to come and experience this gala that is not likely to be found anywhere else? Maybe I’m just too money minded.

So fellow Malaysians, our New Year shall begin on the 7th of January……….see the similarities with April Fool’s day?