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, June 13, 2007

Diploma

A grandmother was pushing her little grandchild around Wal- Mart in a buggy. Each time she put something in the basket she would say, 'And here's something for you, Diploma.' or 'This will make a cute little outfit for you, Diploma.' and so on.

Eventually a bewildered shopper who'd heard all this finally asked, 'Why do you keep calling your grandchild Diploma?'

The grandmother replied, 'I sent my daughter to Virginia Tech and this is what she came home with!'

I asked two Chinese educated ladies how to say it in Cantonese, Masters and Doctorate. I was told "Pok Si" and "Sek Si" respectively.

A few days ago, I was at a wedding eve dinner and chatted with some women in their fifties, who probably had only primary Chinese education. They told me it should be "Sek Si" then "Pok Si". I have just reconfirmed with someone else that the earlier version was correct! I am confused but would then to agree with the first version.

This confusion reminds me of the surgeons being called "Mister" instead of "Doctor" in UK. To others, they cannot imagine going for further specialization and being reverted to Mr.!

To the layman, the confusion will go on and on. Only those in the profession or in academia would know and appreciate the difference.

Just yesterday at the coffee shop in Pusing, soon after a housewife explained to me, her husband said, "those who study until Sek Si are those who studied until they are "ngong chor"! Almost immediately, the wife asked me what level my daughter is studying and I replied, "ngong chor"! She felt embarrassed at what her husband had just said.

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