These are a couple of interesting articles I came across today. They may not be what you would categorise as 'Breaking news' or they may not even be written for today but nevertheless amusing (to me, at least!). Note: I've hyperlinked the Webpages I referred to at the beginning of each paragraph.
So, number 1: UK-based firm, Vicon, will be launching a camera that you can wear around your neck to record everything that you do in your life. The camera automatically takes photos every 30 seconds with an accelerometer and light sensors to detect when the user enters a new environment and an infrared sensor to detect body heat from a person in front of the wearer. I suppose these sensors will trigger the camera to capture a photo although it is not within its 30 seconds rhythm. Anyway, does this vaguely remind you of that movie Robin Williams starred in - The Final Cut? According to the article, this camera was originally invented to help Alzheimer's disease sufferers but could one day be used to create "lifelogs."
Numero duo: Can you imagine 14 hours of 'dikir barat', non-stop in a train journey from Singapore to Kelantan? I don't know about you, but I can just imagine the headache coming with each pounding of the drum. And in case you're wondering what 'dikir barat' is, it's a traditional Malay performance where there are two groups taking turns to sing, accompanied by instruments such as rebana and kompang, in response to each other. Yes, it is a culturally rich tradition, but 14 hours straight? Not forgetting the unfortunate few who suffer from motion sickness? I believe there is always a right time and place for everything and this here... hmmm... doesn't seem quite so (in my honest opinion and purely relying on my imagination of the situation).
Number three: Good news for shorter and plumper women! Apparently we, humans, are still evolving. Okay, that sounded cynical... But yes, I do think we are still evolving, just that evolution takes millions of years and so we don't get to witness visible results at the moment. And here comes the cliché phrase: "Just because you don't see it, doesn't mean it's non-existant" (or something along the lines). Anyway, the reason behind the good news - shorter and plumper women have healthier hearts and longer reproductive windows. These women tend to have more children on average than their taller, lighter counterparts. So according to the theory of natural selection, the more fertile individuals will succeed in passing down their genes and so, we will probably be seeing more shorter, plumper women walking the earth in the future! (OK, that last part was added by me just for the heck of it! haha) Yay, I'm short! And slowly leaning towards the plump side too... :P
Nombor empat: I'm referring here to the bottom half of the Webpage (not the upper half, although it might have proven to be a more spicy interesting topic to blog about... hehe). Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) is seeking an amendment to the National Language Act 1963 and the Education Act 1996 so that they can penalise private sector and agencies that fail to use Bahasa Malaysia in official dealings. It is also mentioned that these 'official dealings' include meetings, preparation of minutes and official functions. So does this mean secretaries have to start writing meeting minutes in BM? If so, I am going to die (if I decide to pursue a career in company secretaryship)! hahahaha... anyway wow! The DBP D-G said Bahasa Malaysia is ranked 5th in the world in terms of the number of speakers... Sure or not? tsk tsk tsk...
I admit it - I've just got bitten by the blogging bug again. 2 posts in a day! Wow!
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Self Bet
I was looking at the frontpage of The Star newspaper today and read a line: 'INSIDE: Unknown song rocks the nation >N12.' With my curiosity piqued, I turned to page 12 to find out what it's all about.
Turns out that radio DJs received a song 'Through My Window' yesterday and there was a buzz about the mysterious song that was only linked to a Website, everyoneconnects.net. And yes, I gave in to the trap and scored them another hit to their Website... streamed the song, and in my opinion, it really sounds like a local production. It had one of those whiny American pop-rock tunes, very popular with today's youths (with me as the exception...).
So, this is my bet (with myself, not with anyone of you!). Based on the orange colour theme of the Website and past experience of marketing schemes by telco companies (usually our famous yellow service provider), I'm guessing it's got something to do with Umobile. I may be wrong, I may be right, let's just wait and find out!
P.S: While typing this post out, I remembered the launching of the Happy prepaid plan. I clearly recall cute and colourful stickers being distributed with our free newspaper - The Sun - a couple of years back. Anyway, that got me to search out their official Website and somehow I suspected it was tied to DiGi (although they did not mention it on their Website, or at least, I didn't find it after poking around) and Google managed to dig this out for me. So I was right! haha... I think/suspect the other campaign sometime back (thetruthaboutprepaid.com) was also by DiGi, but I'm too lazy to confirm that... ;)
Turns out that radio DJs received a song 'Through My Window' yesterday and there was a buzz about the mysterious song that was only linked to a Website, everyoneconnects.net. And yes, I gave in to the trap and scored them another hit to their Website... streamed the song, and in my opinion, it really sounds like a local production. It had one of those whiny American pop-rock tunes, very popular with today's youths (with me as the exception...).
So, this is my bet (with myself, not with anyone of you!). Based on the orange colour theme of the Website and past experience of marketing schemes by telco companies (usually our famous yellow service provider), I'm guessing it's got something to do with Umobile. I may be wrong, I may be right, let's just wait and find out!
P.S: While typing this post out, I remembered the launching of the Happy prepaid plan. I clearly recall cute and colourful stickers being distributed with our free newspaper - The Sun - a couple of years back. Anyway, that got me to search out their official Website and somehow I suspected it was tied to DiGi (although they did not mention it on their Website, or at least, I didn't find it after poking around) and Google managed to dig this out for me. So I was right! haha... I think/suspect the other campaign sometime back (thetruthaboutprepaid.com) was also by DiGi, but I'm too lazy to confirm that... ;)
Monday, October 19, 2009
Would you eat meat grown in the lab?
Last week CNN highlighted a story on in vitro meat. PETA is offering US$1 million to the first company that brings lab-grown meat to consumers by 2012. The TV programme featured New Harvest, a non-profit organisation, who is in active pursuit of this research.
The whole idea is to stop farming animals for meat and instead grow animal muscle tissue in the lab through cell cultures. This is supposed to effectively stop animal cruelty, as the harvesting of muscle cells which would serve as the precursor for the cultures, do not harm the animals. Other benefits is said to be the lower cost of production, and in vitro meat is supposed to be cleaner - free from disease and microbial contamination. To know more, you can read this Wikipedia page.
My initial reaction when I heard this was... horror! It sounded like some Frankenstein-ish project. Images of muscles grown in petri dishes and incubators flashed in my over-imaginative mind. And when I came across the 'bioreactor' part in Wikipedia, I started picturing a slurry of cell culture and how the process engineers would have to deal with reducing frothing and ensure proper sterilisation of the nutrient media. Taking things to another level, I started thinking what kind of nutrient media they would use and what if they added some sort of growth factor that could impair our genetic makeup in the long run?
Bottom line at that moment - I was dead against it. But then, thinking more about the matter, it does have its pros. For example the 'cleaner' advantage in vitro meat has. We would be able to prevent epidemics or meat-related diseases such as mad cow disease, red tide and flesh-eating bacteria contaminations - provided that the cell sample collected from the source animal was not already contaminated. Another benefit would be preventing environmental pollution from seeping into our diet. Currently, we worry about where our fresh meats are from, what the farm animals are eating and drinking. We get countless forwarded emails warning of fish caught from the Mekong river having high levels of heavy metals and unscrupulous farmers feeding their cattle with meat-based feedstocks to hasten muscle growth via a high protein diet. Heavy metals, prions, radioactive waste, deadly algal toxins... and the list goes on. You'll never be done worrying about what goes into your food!
Oh, and another interesting pro for in vitro meat is the decrease in the need for farming cattle (for meat). I think most of us have heard that cows and their methane farts and burps are one of the causes of global warming? A weird-ass funny but supposedly true fact (hope it's not just another over-exagerated fact/excuse that certain parties are using to blackmail us into adopting their policies). Anyway, in vitro meat could cut down that unwanted bowel expulsion of methane gas from these 'highly explosive' ruminants. And so, we get to save the world! *puts on a Miss Universe smile*
But when it comes down to the moment where you have to decide whether you will eat in vitro meat, what would your response be? Yes or No? For me, I think I would still say No. Don't get me wrong, I'm an animal lover and all, but there's still something uneasy about the idea of growing meat in a lab (or factory - once this idea is successfully commercialised). It's the same feeling you'd get about genetically-modified (GM) plants. Although companies like Monsanto would swear by their GM products' safety, we still prefer natural plants or even better, organic or wild species plants as our food source.
Just a thought: If this idea of in vitro meat were to actually take flight in the future, I wonder whether one day we could see chicken meat in our supermarket with fancy shapes like hearts, flowers and the likes? Knowing the Japanese, with their ever-innovative ideas of repackaging common place items, someone could experiment with growing these muscles in a mould or something!
The whole idea is to stop farming animals for meat and instead grow animal muscle tissue in the lab through cell cultures. This is supposed to effectively stop animal cruelty, as the harvesting of muscle cells which would serve as the precursor for the cultures, do not harm the animals. Other benefits is said to be the lower cost of production, and in vitro meat is supposed to be cleaner - free from disease and microbial contamination. To know more, you can read this Wikipedia page.
My initial reaction when I heard this was... horror! It sounded like some Frankenstein-ish project. Images of muscles grown in petri dishes and incubators flashed in my over-imaginative mind. And when I came across the 'bioreactor' part in Wikipedia, I started picturing a slurry of cell culture and how the process engineers would have to deal with reducing frothing and ensure proper sterilisation of the nutrient media. Taking things to another level, I started thinking what kind of nutrient media they would use and what if they added some sort of growth factor that could impair our genetic makeup in the long run?
Bottom line at that moment - I was dead against it. But then, thinking more about the matter, it does have its pros. For example the 'cleaner' advantage in vitro meat has. We would be able to prevent epidemics or meat-related diseases such as mad cow disease, red tide and flesh-eating bacteria contaminations - provided that the cell sample collected from the source animal was not already contaminated. Another benefit would be preventing environmental pollution from seeping into our diet. Currently, we worry about where our fresh meats are from, what the farm animals are eating and drinking. We get countless forwarded emails warning of fish caught from the Mekong river having high levels of heavy metals and unscrupulous farmers feeding their cattle with meat-based feedstocks to hasten muscle growth via a high protein diet. Heavy metals, prions, radioactive waste, deadly algal toxins... and the list goes on. You'll never be done worrying about what goes into your food!
Oh, and another interesting pro for in vitro meat is the decrease in the need for farming cattle (for meat). I think most of us have heard that cows and their methane farts and burps are one of the causes of global warming? A weird-ass funny but supposedly true fact (hope it's not just another over-exagerated fact/excuse that certain parties are using to blackmail us into adopting their policies). Anyway, in vitro meat could cut down that unwanted bowel expulsion of methane gas from these 'highly explosive' ruminants. And so, we get to save the world! *puts on a Miss Universe smile*
But when it comes down to the moment where you have to decide whether you will eat in vitro meat, what would your response be? Yes or No? For me, I think I would still say No. Don't get me wrong, I'm an animal lover and all, but there's still something uneasy about the idea of growing meat in a lab (or factory - once this idea is successfully commercialised). It's the same feeling you'd get about genetically-modified (GM) plants. Although companies like Monsanto would swear by their GM products' safety, we still prefer natural plants or even better, organic or wild species plants as our food source.
Just a thought: If this idea of in vitro meat were to actually take flight in the future, I wonder whether one day we could see chicken meat in our supermarket with fancy shapes like hearts, flowers and the likes? Knowing the Japanese, with their ever-innovative ideas of repackaging common place items, someone could experiment with growing these muscles in a mould or something!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Nights of Music
On Saturday night, I followed LK to Alexis in Jalan Ampang to catch the Lewis Pragasam Quartet. We were anticipating a performance with an Akai EWI (Electric Wind Instrument) but alas, we were let down as there were none. The quartet, which had 2 Cuban members, played jazz songs, a Santana song and that hit song by Latin pop group, Son By Four. We left halfway through the second set, after I finished my semi-dinner of a petit quiche lorraine and cranberry-raspberry soda. Was kind of let down after all the fuss of arranging to meet up, driving all the way to KL, finding a parking space at the road curb, waiting for a place to sit and not getting what we went there for. Anyway, an experience is an experience -be it a good or bad one.
On a different note, I really enjoyed Double Take's performance on Monday at the MPO Hall in KLCC.
It was a bit of a last minute plan but NP was kind enough to book the tickets for the three of us. We got our tickets just in time before they were sold out by Wednesday. Our journey to and from KLCC were adventures in themselves - "kaedah cuba-cuba" - as NP puts it! Truly works, although we did go round and round in the carpark trying to find the exit to Jalan Tun Razak! haha... That was cute!
The performance. Mia Palencia's vocals were just so beautiful. Perfect pitching and timing. She even managed to imitate trumpet sounds in one of the songs - I think it was the Raul Midon number that she sang. Roger Wang was her match in his guitar playing skills and although they were only two, the overall sound was adequate and complete. With Roger's miked-up foot tapping keeping tempo and providing rythm, they both put on a great show.
However my only critique would be Roger's solo performance. I felt that there was a slight irregularity in the tempo, but then again, perhaps that was part of the song? Anyway, this is coming from a pair of untrained ears, where I'm only used to critically commenting on LK's music.
Now to the educational part of the performance. What we learned from Roger: harp guitar. That was a strange-looking instrument with its roots from the Celtic (I think) and it must've been pretty heavy (from the looks of it). What we learned from Mia: Raul Midon. A black jazz/soul singer songwriter who is blind but plays like a acoustic guitar version of Stevie Wonder! Check out his song below and do note how he executes harmonics in his guitar riffs with such skill and tastefulness!
Somehow, I can't seem to escape Michael Jackson's Human Nature. As if it wasn't enough getting an overdose at home while LK was working on his project the past few weeks, it was a pleasant surprise to suddenly hear that familiar tune coming from Roger while Mia gave hints to the next song. They played 2 MJ songs in the latter part of their set. Which reminds me that I haven't given a commentary on their song list! They performed a couple of jazz standards, a P. Ramlee song, another by Raul Midon and one of their own composition.
On a different note, I really enjoyed Double Take's performance on Monday at the MPO Hall in KLCC.
It was a bit of a last minute plan but NP was kind enough to book the tickets for the three of us. We got our tickets just in time before they were sold out by Wednesday. Our journey to and from KLCC were adventures in themselves - "kaedah cuba-cuba" - as NP puts it! Truly works, although we did go round and round in the carpark trying to find the exit to Jalan Tun Razak! haha... That was cute!
The performance. Mia Palencia's vocals were just so beautiful. Perfect pitching and timing. She even managed to imitate trumpet sounds in one of the songs - I think it was the Raul Midon number that she sang. Roger Wang was her match in his guitar playing skills and although they were only two, the overall sound was adequate and complete. With Roger's miked-up foot tapping keeping tempo and providing rythm, they both put on a great show.
However my only critique would be Roger's solo performance. I felt that there was a slight irregularity in the tempo, but then again, perhaps that was part of the song? Anyway, this is coming from a pair of untrained ears, where I'm only used to critically commenting on LK's music.
Now to the educational part of the performance. What we learned from Roger: harp guitar. That was a strange-looking instrument with its roots from the Celtic (I think) and it must've been pretty heavy (from the looks of it). What we learned from Mia: Raul Midon. A black jazz/soul singer songwriter who is blind but plays like a acoustic guitar version of Stevie Wonder! Check out his song below and do note how he executes harmonics in his guitar riffs with such skill and tastefulness!
Somehow, I can't seem to escape Michael Jackson's Human Nature. As if it wasn't enough getting an overdose at home while LK was working on his project the past few weeks, it was a pleasant surprise to suddenly hear that familiar tune coming from Roger while Mia gave hints to the next song. They played 2 MJ songs in the latter part of their set. Which reminds me that I haven't given a commentary on their song list! They performed a couple of jazz standards, a P. Ramlee song, another by Raul Midon and one of their own composition.
Saturday, October 03, 2009
Becoming Aunt Agony
I don't know why I'm always ending up becoming Aunt Agony (someone to listen to your problems and is expected to offer advice). Why do people ask me about relationship matters? Do I look like I have tremendous experience in that department? The funny thing is even after pointing out my inexperience, they turn back with a reply "these things don't need experience to know" (erm... huh? yeah, they do!?!)
All this listening and advising makes me feel old - like some big sister. When the fact is I'm nobody's big sister! I am and always will be the younger sister in my family. Sometimes I just don't want to know (ignorance is bliss), but if a person insists on telling, what can I do? Can't be saying NO to a friend, right? So there I am, feeling like an alien, giving words of advice that I have never taken or seen the need to use before, but seems like the right thing to say in the situation.
Well, I hope I did not go wrong in offering my point of view. And although it was a bit self-destructive in one case, I think I feel better for choosing to say the right thing. Anyway it all comes back to you in a vicious cycle, doesn't it? You deliberately sabotage someone, and down the line you get the same treatment. Well well, all the best to them! Hope happiness is just around the hill...
All this listening and advising makes me feel old - like some big sister. When the fact is I'm nobody's big sister! I am and always will be the younger sister in my family. Sometimes I just don't want to know (ignorance is bliss), but if a person insists on telling, what can I do? Can't be saying NO to a friend, right? So there I am, feeling like an alien, giving words of advice that I have never taken or seen the need to use before, but seems like the right thing to say in the situation.
Well, I hope I did not go wrong in offering my point of view. And although it was a bit self-destructive in one case, I think I feel better for choosing to say the right thing. Anyway it all comes back to you in a vicious cycle, doesn't it? You deliberately sabotage someone, and down the line you get the same treatment. Well well, all the best to them! Hope happiness is just around the hill...
Online Bible Study, Anyone?
I was reading past posts, back from the days before I started university, and found that I used to sound so kiddish! (maybe I still do... haha). It got me thinking - I used to mention full names in my posts, so this blog isn't as anonymous as I'd perceived it to be. Anyway, I'm not in the habit of going back into my archive and editing away the slips of information that I may have unwittingly leaked. So, que sera sera for whoever that discovers this blog and happens to guess who I am. I think I can rest assured that I did not flame anyone using their full name in the same post.
OK, moving on to the next topic. I've signed up for an online Bible study, where a study helper is assigned to you and he or she sends you lessons (from a fixed curriculum) via e-mail. I'm currently in my third lesson now. I've never seriously taken Bible study before (well, with the exception of that one short stint in UM, where I just could not concentrate on what my 'teacher' was teaching... feel bad for wasting her time). Anyway, what I was trying to get at here was that I find the WBS (World Bible School) lessons interesting - relevant to what I'm searching for. However the tougher part is the discussion questions, where I really need to evaluate what are my beliefs (and me not used to analysing my own heart) and searching for more understanding online. However the thing that I like about this is that I am not under pressure to memorise and answer the questions correctly within a short time frame. The time factor also allow me to phrase my questions properly before sending the reply e-mail.
OK, moving on to the next topic. I've signed up for an online Bible study, where a study helper is assigned to you and he or she sends you lessons (from a fixed curriculum) via e-mail. I'm currently in my third lesson now. I've never seriously taken Bible study before (well, with the exception of that one short stint in UM, where I just could not concentrate on what my 'teacher' was teaching... feel bad for wasting her time). Anyway, what I was trying to get at here was that I find the WBS (World Bible School) lessons interesting - relevant to what I'm searching for. However the tougher part is the discussion questions, where I really need to evaluate what are my beliefs (and me not used to analysing my own heart) and searching for more understanding online. However the thing that I like about this is that I am not under pressure to memorise and answer the questions correctly within a short time frame. The time factor also allow me to phrase my questions properly before sending the reply e-mail.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Last Minute Plans Always Work Best
I don't know about others, but I've always found impromptu or last minute plans work out the best! Somehow, premeditated plans always tend to fail before they can materialise.
An example would be today. Initially I had made plans to meet up with a couple of friends for dinner in Kota Kemuning - this was made more than a week in advance. However, come Thursday, suddenly everyone could not make it. And the funny thing was that I suddenly realised it was my close friend from uni's birthday on Saturday. It had completely slipped my mind and I felt bad for having my whole week booked full.
So it came as a relief that my Friday plans suddenly folded - of course I did not voice this out! haha And then came the challenge of contacting this friend to enquire whether she was free on Friday night. Thank God she was!
We almost did not get to meet up due to our work commitments, but in the end we DID meet up and it was good! Sometimes simplicity is the best. Too much planning spoils the fun.
An example would be today. Initially I had made plans to meet up with a couple of friends for dinner in Kota Kemuning - this was made more than a week in advance. However, come Thursday, suddenly everyone could not make it. And the funny thing was that I suddenly realised it was my close friend from uni's birthday on Saturday. It had completely slipped my mind and I felt bad for having my whole week booked full.
So it came as a relief that my Friday plans suddenly folded - of course I did not voice this out! haha And then came the challenge of contacting this friend to enquire whether she was free on Friday night. Thank God she was!
We almost did not get to meet up due to our work commitments, but in the end we DID meet up and it was good! Sometimes simplicity is the best. Too much planning spoils the fun.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
A Bout Of Directionless-ness
Being the 'recently-evolved-into-an-emotional-wreck' that I am, today I had another bout of directionless-ness (career-wise). I don't know why I can't seem to find any peace about where my career path is headed towards. I pray about it but I don't know what specifically to pray for. And it's constantly niggling in the back of my mind, showing up whenever I feel 'emo'...
So, today was one of these instances. It's a curiosity that I was never like this (over the top emotional) when I was in school. All this nonsense began when I started working. Perhaps too much free time, where my mind becomes an ideal workshop for the devil to spin his lies and deceptions.
Anyway, I just tried out a career/personality quiz and this was the outcome. I think it does speak much about how I am 'wired'. And perhaps it's a bit too late now, but I've always had a sort of interest in advertising. However I've always thought that my personality is not suitable for such a line - so this contradicts what I've thought I'd known so far.
So, today was one of these instances. It's a curiosity that I was never like this (over the top emotional) when I was in school. All this nonsense began when I started working. Perhaps too much free time, where my mind becomes an ideal workshop for the devil to spin his lies and deceptions.
Anyway, I just tried out a career/personality quiz and this was the outcome. I think it does speak much about how I am 'wired'. And perhaps it's a bit too late now, but I've always had a sort of interest in advertising. However I've always thought that my personality is not suitable for such a line - so this contradicts what I've thought I'd known so far.
You would be very happy in a career that utilised your level-headedness, and allowed you to work mainly on your own. You want a career that allows you to be creative, without having to be involved with lots of people. Some careers that would be perfect for you are:
You like working and being alone. You like to avoid attention at all costs. You tend to keep to yourself, and not interact much with the people around you. You enjoy spending time with a few a close friends. You like to listen to others, but don't like sharing much about yourself. You are very quiet and private.
- Artist
- Historian
- Banker
- Novelist
- University Professor
- Photographer
- Vet
- Paralegal
- Graphic Designer
- Online Content Developer
- Webmaster
- Producer
- Managing Director
- Nutritionist
- Advertising
- Nursing
You are very practical, and only act after thinking things through. You don't like being forced to answer quickly. You have to evaluate the situation completely. You make decisions based on what you can verify with your senses.
You like to be deeply involved in one or two special projects. You like to be behind the scenes. You are very logical and fair. You feel you should be honest with others and protect their feelings.
You trust your gut instincts. You are easily inspired and trust that inspiration. You are very innovative. You analyse things by looking at the big picture. You are concerned about how what you do affects others. You worry about your actions and the future. You tend to use a lot of metaphors and are very descriptive and colourful in your choice of language.
You are very creative, and get bored easily if you don't get to express yourself. You like to learn new things. You don't like the same old routine. You like to leave your options open.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
'Malu-fying' Malaysian Bad Habits
Not being in a really good mood today after yesterday's accident where my car was knocked by an old-school Proton Saga who was trying to squeeze past the car in front of him turning out at a junction in Kelana Jaya while in the thick of the jam (I was on the main straight road giving way to the aforesaid "car in front of the offender"). And further peeved that the detritus-of-a-driver was giving hand gestures to me implying that I was in the wrong! It really peeves me that someone could be THAT dumb (or perhaps just too Malaysian - the "I didn't do it" Syndrome)! I'm just too b****y sick of explaining what exactly happened, but I can vow that I was in the right this time and that if anyone wants to bring it up to the police, they would pronounce me as the one who was wronged! Anyway, bottom line is I didn't stop to argue because the driver and his 'oh so brilliant' (pls read that with oozing sarcasm) passenger looked like thugs and well, I'd rather not sacrifice my life for a couple of scratches on my bumper.
Yeah, that briefly explains the "crap" I had yesterday evening... now on to what I originally set out to blog about - two articles that displays the ugly side of Malaysians.
First, prank calls. This Bernama article - Prank Calls: Mobile Phone Dealers, No Angels Either! I particularly found these lines shocking:
Don't they have anything else better to do? Perhaps if they put the same effort into something more constructive then we could cease being called a third world country!
Now to the second article - PLUS To Screen Off Minor Accident Spots. This action will be taken to prevent jams caused by kaypo-chis (busybodies). Check out what the Works Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor said:
Boy, do I know what he's talking about! Once, I was already late to work and was driving on the NKVE and there was a massive jam. In the end, the jam was caused by busybody drivers trying to get an eyeful of the accident which happened on the OTHER side (opposite) of the highway! WOW... Incredible!
Ok, the sarcasm is getting a bit too much to be considered healthy. I'd better stop now.
Yeah, that briefly explains the "crap" I had yesterday evening... now on to what I originally set out to blog about - two articles that displays the ugly side of Malaysians.
First, prank calls. This Bernama article - Prank Calls: Mobile Phone Dealers, No Angels Either! I particularly found these lines shocking:
"The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) has discovered that mobile phone dealers also abused the 999 Emergency Service by dialing 999 to check activation status of new SIM cards sold by them."
"In June alone, of the 1.073 million calls received by the centre, 63.84 percent or 685,516 were prank calls, noted the MCMC."
Don't they have anything else better to do? Perhaps if they put the same effort into something more constructive then we could cease being called a third world country!
Now to the second article - PLUS To Screen Off Minor Accident Spots. This action will be taken to prevent jams caused by kaypo-chis (busybodies). Check out what the Works Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor said:
“Sometimes it is just a small knock on the bumper, but it causes a massive jam. Other motorists slow down to look at the accidents.
“Some want to take down the number to buy 4D (lottery), others are busybodies who want to check out the condition of the driver or the severity of the crash.”
Boy, do I know what he's talking about! Once, I was already late to work and was driving on the NKVE and there was a massive jam. In the end, the jam was caused by busybody drivers trying to get an eyeful of the accident which happened on the OTHER side (opposite) of the highway! WOW... Incredible!
Ok, the sarcasm is getting a bit too much to be considered healthy. I'd better stop now.
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Is it just a car sticker?
It's funny how most of the day's thinking occurs during my drive to work in the mornings. Today I randomly noticed a car sticker on the back windshield of the car in front of me. It read:
I don't know what to think of such 'statements' or 'publicity materials'. Does this mean that the driver (a young lady) is a racist? a supremacist? Five simple words that may seem innocent at first glance but can be interpreted as a means to stir disharmony. Do people actually truly understand what messages they are sending by thoughtlessly endorsing any freebie that comes their way?
UiTM - Hak Melayu dan Bumiputera
I don't know what to think of such 'statements' or 'publicity materials'. Does this mean that the driver (a young lady) is a racist? a supremacist? Five simple words that may seem innocent at first glance but can be interpreted as a means to stir disharmony. Do people actually truly understand what messages they are sending by thoughtlessly endorsing any freebie that comes their way?
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