Tempted by the Apple?

Since Adam and Eve, the Apple symbolized an object of temptation. I am not particularly fond of it, more so now because of dental gaps, especially the lack of molars necessary for chewing. A friend sent me this information which might be useful for those avoiding genetically modified fruits and vegetables:

Conventional Fruit Labels
Four digits starting with 4

Organic Fruit Labels
Five digits and starts with number 9

Genetically Modified Fruits
Start with the digit 8

So next time you go shopping, remember these critical numbers and know how to avoid purchasing inorganic and GMO fruits. Shop Safe :)

This is good to know because stores aren't obligated to tell you if a fruit has been genetically
modified .)

So if you come across an apple in the store and it's label is 4922, it's a conventional apple grown with herbicides and harmful fertilizers. If it has a sticker 99222, it's organic and safe to eat.
If it says 89222, then do not buy!!!! It has been genetically modified (GMO).

While on the subject of temptation, the following article in The Edge which I found in Malaysia Today seems relevant.

I wish to add that it is open knowledge that there exists a separate world of under-counter dealings involving slush funds.

If dealing with government departments, and where big projects are concerned, with political leaders as well, require kick-backs, where does the money come from?

Developers might try collecting money apart from the stated prices of houses (where there is a great demand) or over-state their costs of construction, to help grease their way in government departments for their projects' approvals. These are so necessary for successful completion up to the issue of certificate of fitness for occupation. Just imagine the losses in income tax as a result of these twilight zone dealings too.

UNLOCKING POLITICS-BUSINESS CLOSE TIES BEFORE NEW ECONOMIC MODEL
By Thomas Soon, The Edge (excerpts)

Talking about insidious relationship between government officials and businessmen — it’s almost an exercise in futility, isn’t it? Yet the matter is an important topic for discussion, although clearly an uncomfortable one for Malaysian politicians and businessmen, towards improving corporate and public governance, upholding integrity and credibility and towards making good use of taxpayers’ money in good and bad times.

It is all the more crucial given that within Asia, according to Morgan Stanley Research recently, Malaysia’s public sector economy at between 25% and 30% of gross domestic product is one of the biggest, ahead of countries such as India, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Some may say open tenders would do the trick, without the necessity of divulging the political funding. Yet even with that, the politically well-connected personalities can still be favoured.

Aplenty are rumours of “tricks” employed by corporate figures high up the social and political rank — including having the “opportunity” to have more than a glimpse of proposals submitted by rival bidders. Many companies in the developed world even have “slush” funds to pay off their peers and public officials in emerging markets. Stories too abound of indirect funding via people purportedly bidding for public projects on behalf of the ruling political parties, with the latter getting a cut of the “unjust” rewards — as they say, a win-win situation.

Such allegations are not new, but they do highlight dishonesty and unethical practices in public procurement. Of course, costs to the public jump many fold. Taxpayers will suffer all the more if this public-private sector disease is allowed to continue and fester in any economy.

So it is not much of a surprise when Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M) president Datuk Paul Low recently spoke of the need for businesses to disclose any contributions made to political parties in order to curb political patronage.

Money saved could be deployed to improve public utilities and infrastructure, including the development or redevelopment of human capital, that would have brought even more benefits for the country as a whole over the longer term, even more so during a recession.

Given that it was highly unlikely that local companies would freely reveal if they were funding any political party, Low suggested that the Securities Commission or Bursa Malaysia Bhd introduce a requirement for them to make such a disclosure. He might add that many of our current batch of politicians will never concur with it...
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