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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
 Posted - 10/07/2010 : 16:06:40
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For the past week, whenever I switch on my computer, I receive a congratulatory message that I have a chance to win an LCD. God can't be always on my side. I need to consult the magical octupus whether I should click or not click to win my gift, without also inviting the viruses. Unfortunately after the game the Germans would cook it as a hot dog.
Talking about soccer and betting, we are also not far behind the news. We have own own culture, crony, of course.
http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2581&Itemid=164
Americans like to out beat everyone, but this time they think their president is the "dumbest".
http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/07/the_dumbest_presidentever.html
Others might not agree with such accusation, or they thought him "dumb" for different reasons. He ate hamburgers with his Russian counterparts, knowing days ahead that these stupid spies were in America for a decade just to collect political gossips. (At least I wont swap that 28 year old lass without some bargain.) Then he and his Russian counterparts hugged and they both sent their fleet over to China. Fancy what could they do with three nuclear submarines, with few hundred missles. The Chinese "show hand" , and the rest must follow. Well the Indians had to pay their prize - in their war games, one of their jets exploded, killing at least 57 of their men. They were not shot down by China, but the Indians probably could not handle the jets they purchased from Russia or American.
http://www.zimbio.com/Bhutan/articles/781/Tensions+rising+along+Sino+Indian+MacMahon
The RMB dropped by 0.06% yesterday (after a rise early of nearly 0.5%). Obama insisted it should go up by 40%! He might as well robbed the Bank of China, esp when hot money was pouring in by the billions, and there are many natural diasters and social problems for China to take care of. He has yet to learn the chinese mentality - playing Tai Chi all the time.
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Edited by - k.h. on 15/07/2010 10:32:18 |
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2010 : 09:51:53
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Goodle has returned to China. The "freedom fighter" has agreed to abide by Chinese Laws. (The Chinese has to abide by American Laws in the States. Such common sense are often ignored by the West). Making Money is more important than scoring political points despite all the rhetoric. Perhaps Google should have consulted the spiritual octopus before the show down with the Chinese.
On Saterday evening, my wife and I were invited to dine at an Italian Restaurant in KL. There will be a Kiwi or Aussie wine promotion this evening - at Rm90 each, with abundant supply of wine and dine.
http://www.delucca.com.my/
The location was not not far from Hotel Istana. That place was full of tourists and local, with many western restaurants. Frankly we have not been there for quite some time, for it's relatively dark.
However, a lot of parking in their basement, with a guard at the entrance. This place was opened about one and half year ago, by a group of young professionals. I have heard that Anita Sarawak has performed there in a private function. There is a vibrant jazz group on Friday and Saterday from 10 - 12 pm. It's a good place to bring your girl friend out for a hide-out, with good music and wine, and reasonable food. Perhaps rm100 - 150 each should be sufficient.
My first impression of the place was: plenty of good wine displayed all over the restaurant. The decor was cosy but not lavish. There are quite a few food reviews written by experts. However I would comment that the food there were better than average, with lower than average prices, and quite big serving, but it's not fine cusine yet. For instance, three lamb cutlets, with salads etc only cost Rm58! The mushroom and pumkin soups were excellent. Desserts were ordinardy. However, wine was excellent: a good bottle of NZ pinot nor 2008, cost Rm180!
Here is a review:
http://voize.my/interests/food/lucca-in-delucca-the-italian-restaurant/
With reference to food, and if you are overseas, here is a blog that may be of interest to you: (Don't forget to change into the language you preferred)
http://nancymummy.blogspot.com/
Or, you prefer in this format:
http://picasaweb.google.com/nancymummy/NancyMummy#
Happy dinning. |
Edited by - k.h. on 12/07/2010 19:57:58 |
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 15/07/2010 : 12:48:51
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Singapore GDP grow by 13 - 15 %; and export surged by 29 %. In the context of such background, our politicans, esp IA, are still harping on racial issues, and not on national development. Worst still, the chinese parties are echoing and playing their game. In may mail box, I often receive many such letters, incl those letters addressed to Dr. M. These people are quite silly, Dr. M will never read them, not even his own daughter, otherwise, all she need to do is to advise the senior not to incite too much. Stop playing the Game of : Pulling one down to push another up, until He reached glory again. The best approach to IA and their idiots is to ignore them completely, and I always delete these letters. There are always so many things to read, so we must know how to filter our info. Why dont find time to read these two blogs ?
http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2587&Itemid=178
We often find time reading nonsense, instead of focusing our attention on the more serious and more relevant ones to read. In the past I was wrong to state that philosophy is dead in this country. Perhaps there's still hope; perhaps .... Due to inequality of policies, the race divide has widened. There is increasing mutual mistrust; intellectual interaction is minimal. Give yourself the chance to listen to The Other Malasyia:
http://www.othermalaysia.org/2010/04/21/being-muslims-and-more-besides-muslim-identities-as-complex-and-cosmopolitan/#comments
Happy reading. |
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 19/07/2010 : 15:47:30
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Singapore was flooded for the 4th time this year. It's unusual for the city state for its usual acclaim of efficiency. The heavy and prolonged downpour was the main reason, but there was no excuses for clogged canal or drain. Frequent human checking and re-cheking would be more reliable than complete reliance on electronic sensors. We trust the authorities have nothing to hide:
http://lifestyle.omy.sg/News/Local%2BNews/Story/OMYStory201007181601-169275.html
The Temasek Review hinted that by the end of the century, Singapore would become another "Atlantis".Flooding in some low reclaimed land, esp. in the East Coast appeared likely, but the fear of a sinking island would cause unnecessary panic, for the facts proved otherwise. Infact they had monitored the sea level for decades, and there's minimal increment.
http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/07/18/singapore-could-be-in-deep-trouble-by-the-end-of-this-century-says-experts/
Most motorists would wary about parking their vehicles in basement buildings, or drive along those infamous roads during heavy rain, or encounter traffic congestion in rain. Such worry and restlessness need to be assured with more positive actions, rather than blame on climatic change, or asked to accept as "facts of life", as in some third world countries.
(Sorry, it has been getting difficult to send messages to MMR.)
Lately, Chinese commentator remarked that the south Korean ship, Cheonan, was torpedoed by the South, not North, inorder to destablise the communists Kim. It quoted South Korean opposition party for stating that the south President needed that to win votes for the next election. Moreover, a deep sea port so close to China and Russia would be in American interest. If China were to help the North Korean to industralise, its influence would increase.
Which is the true version? It's no wonder that the UN condemmed the "attack", but not pointing fingers at either North, or South!
We hope that American "cold War mentality" would not turn hot. |
Edited by - k.h. on 19/07/2010 20:47:26 |
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 22/07/2010 : 20:16:41
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Alan Shadrake book "Once A Jolly Hangman: Singapore Justice In The Dock" was not really banned in Singapore, but booksellers were advised to take off that book from their shelves. Alan must be nuts to travel to Singapore to promote his book. He would face criminal defamation of Singapore Judiciary system, and that could be a two year prison sentence. Frankly, I gave my support of death penalty for drug traffickers, unless there were proof that they were tricked into it without their prior knowledge. These traffickers destroyed and killed more lives and people. And it seemed "idiotic" that people would spend so much time doing such research, instead of spending the same time doing more useful work for the community. But that was his choice, not mine!
Human Rights apply not just to the traffickers, but also to victims and their family as well. Maybe he thought he was seeking justice in some ways. Well, he would be brought to court to defend himself. The bets are perhaps not in his favour. However, many thought it was high handed, and the consequences would tarnish the Republic's image of a First World city-state. Asian states often lack tolerance for accepting differences and criticism. I understand that "liberal" attitude could, in certain circumstance, be harmful to the community, esp w.r.t. terrorism. Many might comment that the freedom and democracy in India often sterilise many social programmme, e.g. population growth and the attitude to cow dungs etc. In contrast, China could get such things done without much resistance, and both have huge population. The city state had a much smaller population, liked a lot of advanced Europeans states, but lacked the liberal "accomodation" of the West. We have more to learn and evolve. |
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 24/07/2010 : 10:12:25
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In this country we are blessed with no significant natural calamities, but we are cursed with many political (admixed quasi-religious ones) war games. Is the place worth staying? Take a bet with Vincent Tan's Toto. The odds - just see how rich he has accumulated - so it will be stupid for anyone to place any bets to enrich him more and more. Morever, gambling is "halal", that is, if
the inspectors don't search their pockets for such ticketing. Please don't put "crosses" on him, for crossing in this country has strangly become devilish! (I dare not write "crosses" on many forms , for it is now associated with hantu, instead I tick them.) Our schools have now taken a holy stance, but when are those zealots ever wholly?
We cannot live in a society that is so serious.
Allow me to introduce you to a Bangsar Babe. A friend of mine like to "pillow talk" with her. Why not? She's beautiful, Misss Malaysia beauty pageant, knows where to eat and dine, not sure whether she knows how to cook, but certainly know where to shop for LV bags.
http://bangsar-babe.blogspot.com/
It will be fun to meet up with her. And, it is in my friend's secret "Bucket List". |
Edited by - k.h. on 26/07/2010 10:29:42 |
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 28/07/2010 : 13:02:03
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When JHO Low poured his bottles of Champagne over his fatty fermented head, with the sparkling Paris Hilton worming around two jesters, Malaysians are perhaps unaware that many of our tax payers money have bubbled away in such foolhardy. We like to catch media headlines and attention, not with personal excellence, but by the extent we can waste and spend others' money. Cheers to the ad in the New york Times!
The Parieto Principle have gone astray. It's no longer 80/20, but perhaps edging all others out eventually. They want the cake all by themselves. They are hopelessly fixated with a fixed-pie mentality; unable to enlarge the pie with others' help, or by enriching it with some kind of co-operation or mutuality. They are too good to learn from other cultures. The Chinese, at their peak of civilisation during the Ming, closed their doors to outsiders, at their own peril, esp when the invading hordes matched in during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Does it really matter whether they abolished the UPSR, or PMR exam,
as long as all students get automatic passing, without the embarassment and stress of grading? The eventual outcome are groups of college students who are as good as unlearned. Despite this, we produce many top brains, and these are drained away to the Advanced World. We compensate by importing some other brains instead, as long as the political arithmetic appears right on election day. You see, we are blessed with so many natural resources to withstand all the plundering. God must be on our side. And it's difficult to understand why He worked that way.
Perhaps that was why I remain an apatheist,until there's a "calling" to change. |
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 30/07/2010 : 11:29:47
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The nation was caught by surprise that Tun Dr. Ling was "charged" with cheating tax payers' money.
http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/LiongSikcharged/Article/
We always thought that "Tun" was untouchable. Hope other tuns would follow him, one by one. I was surprised that Dr. Ling looked quite fragile and sick on TV; appeared he couldn't walk properly. I recalled meeting him at Shanghai Airport when we both queque for immigration. He was very friendly, made the initiative to greet us, unlike his aloof partner. He pointed to his red hand-carried bag to me. Not knowing what he wished to communicate then,I remarked, "very nice looking". He replied, "It cost RBM $10; imitation product." We both laughed. Well, if I carry it, it will most likely be imitation product, but, for a Tun, we are not certain about it. He really carry the title better than the bag.
The chinese paper reported he was "charged" (kong). The pictograph showed a hand on one side, and emptiness or void on the other. In other words, the hand snatches voidness, i.e.catches nothing. Hope that will be his faith. This is done in jest, rather than attempting to perform futuroscope.
On the international front, American government has nothing better to do, than trying to fight wars or create trouble everywhere. After Vietnam, it was Iraq, Afghanistan, Middle East, Iran, North Korea, and now instigating all south east Aisan nations, incl India, S korean, Japan, and Russia to fight with China. The Americans thrived on war mongering and waging, but why did these nations followed? Again its oil .....
The Wikileaks showed us the intrique between big powers, and other nation states. Secrecy in the government could be dangerous; and therefore, there's a need for "leak" to balance, incl OSA etc.
http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2613&Itemid=367
It is quite interesting to read, "What is Wikileak"? Perhaps more interesting to understand the background of those "founders", incl many dissidents.
http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/What-Is-Wikileaks--99239414.html?refresh=1
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 01/08/2010 : 12:56:17
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Last week I was a little fickle-minded about which lot to park my old volvo. Finally I decided to park on the lot infront of the hair dressor, just opposite my clinic, inorder to avoid bird droppings.
That slight indecision helped the hair dressor to win more than
Rm 10 K in his toto betting. My car no., 3932, meant "money" in gambler parlance. (Of course, in the past, there are others, mainly nearby hawkers, who lost money when something happened to my car, and they interpreted it not in in their gain.) He gave his friends a treat. So I approached him for a free hair cut. He was willing to comply. There were rumours that I might have won too, but gambling was never in my blood. I told him such "talk" caused itchiness in my ears, so how about a free ear wax removal. At the end,I said, "Jokes aside, I must pay for your services;don't confuse business with jokes". He gave me a discount, collected only Rm 5.
Toto betting have always been the ordinary people's dream of getting richer. How could they ever get rich when their bets were so regular and heavy? Professionals, incl doctor, were of no exception in such gaming. In my young childhood days in Pulau Ketam (my home town), whenever I watched gambling in the streets, I would get a beating from my father. Fortunately, I moved to Klang much ealier than all my siblings. However, I do buy the occasional lottery tickets; it is also buying a dream. We all have dreams, only different dreams ....
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 04/08/2010 : 13:01:00
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The Asia Sentinel have some interesting articles on Tun Ling, Shadrake, Wiki Leaks & Orchard flood etc for your reading:
http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php
Please bear in mind if you are a regular visitor to Singapore :
" ... government attorney David Chong Gek Sian warned reporters that repetition of contempt is itself a contempt and any reporters printing any of Shadrake's book could find themselves in court as well. "
In TV 301 last evening, it was reported that Dr. M would be willing to attend court if called, but he claimed he had no idea what ministers did behind his back! Infact it would be interesting for Malaysians to know who does what behind people's back!
It has been a political obsession in this country.
Last month I was invited to a few wedding or other functional dinners. Natually there were lots of loud noisy singing and drinking. Infact, if you don't drink, it will be difficult to survive thru the whole evening, with all the noise level, esp if you are seated just below the amplifier. Of course, the alcohol also removed the inhibition for some people to go on stage. In a strange way, I always felt consoled by some of these singers - their voices were as horrible as mine, except the courage to fool themselves.
Many times I was encouraged to take up singing, but I knew it could be a waste of time, and money. I have never sung since my primary school teacher failed my singing test! My auditory appreciation appeared out of sync with music and dances. In art you need to have visual and other senses to appreciate. Gustatory and olfactory senses are grosser, and easier to learn and train. (Despit this, many of my friends are below par in this respect.) It's not only in fine cusine, chinese tea, coffee, but also wine. Sense appreciation are part of aesthetic and beauty. The overtly religious wishes to refrain, supress these sensation, but what is life then? Of course, I am not a super taster, but is good enough to talk about it - to non experts, of course. Apart from sense appreciation, you need to have knowledge on your interest. Irrespective of what one wine experts said, I think the alcohol content do make a significant difference. I like cool beer on hot weather, and it's nice to have wine for dinner. It's so light to fly, but it's heavy to fall. To be an appreciator, one must learn to control the drink, otherwise the drink overtakes one. These days, many young people dont really sipped wine, they glup by the glass! Apparently they were never shown how to drink properly to enjoy life, instead they poison their organs at a young age. Lots of miseducation; fancy parents don't teach kids properly these days.
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2010 : 16:02:16
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For the past week, I loathe seeping my cup of coffee at the usual kopitian. It tasted tart ( acidic and bitter). This was unliked the tart from wine, for you felt nauseous, and unable to take a further sip. My enquiry showed that it was not due to prolonged stay of coffee powder in the sieve; it must be the coffee ingredients then.
The price of coffee seeds have gone up, and it's quite natural for them to blend with some oats/maize to reduce cost, but the percentage of impurities have exceeded the usual limit, and the over roasting with margarine have rendered the mixture too acidic for taste. However the owner was not keen to look into it. He was at a loss of how to make another cup for me -thou he assured that the cups were simmered in hot water, and the water temperature were truly boiling , and the cup was steaming even after pouring. At first I only sipped a mouthful, but eventually I have to drink a bit more to placate his feeling, even though we are paying for it, drinking or not drinking. My friends tasted the same, but they were not fussy about it. Perhaps "pillow talking" was more important to them than tasting.
The Medical Associations are organising a two-day Conference about "GPs At the Crossroad" this week-end. It's getting increasingly difficult to cover overhead costs, or just break a little better than even. In other words, can't even cross the road for some,unless he/she reinvent some unorthodoxies to fill the gap. Patients are increasingly deserting their doctors for their new love - sin-sehs and pharmacists.
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Edited by - k.h. on 15/08/2010 12:33:49 |
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 15/08/2010 : 13:03:37
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It has been a busy fortnight for me, though the practice has remained quiet. I do not know why we call our clinic work "pactice", but there must be some basis for it; more so for the younger doctors!
I attended some medical meetings to update myself, so that I could read my other interest with a better conscience. I have learned not to use newer drugs in my remaining years, for there may be more problems emerging after more research.
First, I was having fun in engaging a "poetry war" with a lawyer classmate (in our web Message Board);naughty exchanges in verses. We are trying to out wit the other, while the rest have their own fun reading our composition. However, these "sick poems" (another classmate termed it cordially) have lots of sexual connotation (bordering on obsecenity) that are not for publication here. Infact, it was more than attempting to out-wit the other, there are hardly friends around to engage in such exchanges. It was fun.
Perhaps I will quote a less offensive stanza from what I have composed:
A bed sprouting with three heads;
Growing the cauliflower that he hates.
It's the obsession that make him whine;
Gulping down all the fermented wine.
High and tipsy, he misses the hole;
Playing goof, confuse the stick for his pole.
The kamayoga that he toil;
Is treasured by him into a boil.
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Yesterday, my classmate thought it tiring to continue the game. I thanked him for the exchanges, though I offered him the olive branch first:
Old vintage is well preserved;
Garulity never sour the wine.
Gastronomical tasters appreciate what's fine.
What is deserved is conserved.
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Edited by - k.h. on 16/08/2010 09:27:12 |
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 16/08/2010 : 13:30:43
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Mr. Lee Kuan Yew stated that there are four values that contributed towards the success of Singapore:
1. High Integrity;
2. Meritocracy;
3. Level Playing Field;
4. English.
http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20100816-232210.html
If we are not as successful, are those values here or not?
The easiest to overcome is to upgrade our English standard. And there's a lot of resistance even for that. Most Advanced World countries encourage the study of English, incl China. Japan No 1 in the 70's could not keep the title towards the 21st century is not unrelated to the study of English. Sure the study of English does not imply we cannot study our Mother Tongue or other languages well. However, it is not easy to master more than two languages, and one is usually better in one only. In China today, there are now attempts to promote the use of "Pu Tong Hua" instead of local dialects, not without good reasons. I think in learning English, or even Chinese, you are not just learning a language, but also learning how to communicate with the rest of the world. There are still people who wish to learn Latin or Greek, not that there is anything wrong with that, but it is more for people with a special kind of interest, or for the Greeks themselves. Mind you, languages have deep association with the way you think or do. So in some places, we are not surprised that these people are still mired in 7th century thinking, even though they maybe highly qualified.
Level Playing Field implies some kind of equality to begin with. A lot of social ills occur because of social or personal comparisons. Even in Singapore, inequality of income results in inequality in educational opportunities. However a fair meritocracy system overcome some short coming for children in poorer families. In other ways, there are other ways to right the injustices or unfairness, as long as the system is wholsesome.
Mr. Lee added further that Meritocracy is not thru corruption and nepotism, or connections. Infact it is the presence of these negativity, plus fear and other factors that rendered meritocracy unworkable.
The presence of those factors also showed there's no integrity. Integrity implies wholeness, which is holiness in the secular. Yet there's talk about spiritual or religious holiness, without the secular aspect, that is, there's a strange separation. We are still comfortable with that, and we gradually get habituated by such glamour. We live in a kind of cognitive and emotional gap. The more we attempt to protect, the worse the protector and protectee. Survival need to be learned in the Jungle, not in the zoo.
Even though English is listed as no 4 in the values, but the ramification is significant. |
Edited by - k.h. on 18/08/2010 11:05:44 |
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 18/08/2010 : 11:23:00
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The "practice" has nothing much to practice this morning, so there's time to read some "pillow talk" in high places. My lawyer friend is now too busy to engage in poetry exchanges, so I pen these four lines to amuse myself:
Honking and bonking in their hearing;
Soliciting and courting in their sitting.
All done without fear;
Stone throwing by their peer.
The Talk go on and on;
The conclusion is all foregone.
The inquest is their best;
To make the opposition confess or arrest.
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Edited by - k.h. on 18/08/2010 16:24:33 |
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k.h.
Verbose member
Malaysia
1759 Posts |
Posted - 18/08/2010 : 20:39:29
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Last Sunday, my sister kissed her husband in his birthday celebration, and a niece inserted the photo in Facebook. I wrote these words:
When young, she is kissed;
When old, he is being kissed.
Today is my wife's birthday, and my daughter wishes that I do the same. I compose one in Facebook:
Happy birthday to my sweeat heart;
Kissing you in public is not my art.
A gift to tender my love,
And eternal blessing from above.
I receive a reply in verses from a doctor colleague. I can't quote his without permission, but it's about family, sharing and love.
This was my reply:
Love knows no queue;
Sharing is our only due.
If the hearts are together,
The moment lasts forever.
You are free to reply, pref. in verses. |
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Finding MOL In Godsibing/Gossiping
