How should we judge a government?

In Malaysia, if you don't watch television or read newspapers, you are uninformed; but if you do, you are misinformed!

"If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing." - Malcolm X

Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience - Mark Twain

Why we should be against censorship in a court of law: Publicity is the very soul of justice … it keeps the judge himself, while trying, under trial. - Jeremy Bentham

"Our government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no
responsibility at the other. " - Ronald Reagan

Government fed by the people

Government fed by the people

Career options

Career options
I suggest government... because nobody has ever been caught.

Corruption so prevalent it affects English language?

Corruption so prevalent it affects English language?
Corruption is so prevalent it affects English language?

When there's too much dirt...

When there's too much dirt...
We need better tools... to cover up mega corruptions.

Prevent bullying now!

Prevent bullying now!
If you're not going to speak up, how is the world supposed to know you exist? “Orang boleh pandai setinggi langit, tapi selama ia tidak menulis, ia akan hilang di dalam masyarakat dan dari sejarah.” - Ananta Prameodya Toer (Your intellect may soar to the sky but if you do not write, you will be lost from society and to history.)

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Useful tests in life...

I can still remember having to prove to my father that I could change a tyre before I was allowed to drive the car on my own. When told this, my sister-in-law said that it would not be necessary but years later, she was alone on the North South Expressway, waiting for help. But then again, what could have been useful, might prove to be risky with today's lawlessness. A 'good samaritan' might turn out to be a robber or even rapist. While on this subject, I hold the view that it is better to drive on to a safe place than to wait alone, especially for a female. Once, even though I was capable of changing a tyre, it was midnight and at the dangerous 310.6 on NSE, we waited for Plus Rhonda who had the equipment for warning others. Till today, I still think it was a wise decision.

When my elder daughter was on her first trip to UK alone, I made a wise decision to contact my nephew in London (against my wife's idea) who overslept and she had to wait for some two hours before he arrived at Heathrow Airport. When my younger daughter was on her first trip, again my nephew offered and again, I felt it was wise of me to accept his offer because the cab driver did not turn up (even though confirmed before arrival) and she had to spend the night at my nephew's place. The university sent another cab for free the next day while the cab driver offered a free trip next time which I think she did not take up the offer. The moral of my story is that even though my daughters were supposed to look after themselves, I would not wish upon them to go through unnecessary trouble and possible trauma being alone in a new country. Let's have a look at how the American Indians test their youths:

The legend of the American Indian youth's rite of Passage.

The youth’s father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone.

He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone.

Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.

He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own. The boy is naturally terrified.

He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man!

Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.

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