Viva La Espanol!

Okay, this is really quite late... but i don't know why i wasn't in the blogging mood earlier.

However, they definitely warrant praise and jubilation! (unless you're a Germany or Federer fan - in which case, sucks to be you!)

Yay Spain national team for Euro 2008! First win in 44 years!

Of course special mention to my golden boy, Torres. *smooches for you*

And poser Nadal. He's only 22? Gosh. Most of my friends are 22. They neither look that hot nor have that much money. *sigh* (except Kee Win.. he's good looking)

Okay, i couldn't help myself. 6-pack and a gorgeous tan!! I think he'd be great to make babies with.

But look, i think Federer's awesome too. And they're both friends in the end so it's all okay...

Hahaha. So, can i be called shallow because my sporting support was given on the basis of who was hotter? *dush* Sorry, Federer, Nadal's bum looked yummier and Torres + Villa? The Germans didn't stand a chance.

Viva La Espanol! I think it's cool that Spanish royalty goes to attend the games. Yay! Be proud of your country! If i was Spanish royalty and i got to sit in the royal box. Hell yeah i'd go! And make sure i got a private audience with the hunks... i mean, the winners too!

Yay for hotness and for making me watch sport!

New life plan: Travel to Spain and find hot, rich men. Yay for beautifying the gene pool!

That's what i go to school for....

"I strongly suspect that there is a strong correlation between peace and happiness," said Ronald Inglehart, a political scientist at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research, who directed the study.

Mmmm... insightful.
I promise you not all political scientists say things like that. Anyway, he was just talking in relation to the World Values Survey that ranks the happiest countries in the world.

Overall, the world is getting happier, according to the U.S. government-funded World Values Survey, done regularly by a global network of social scientists.

In other news,

The number of children living in poverty has risen for a second year, a UK government report says.

By the way, the survey ranked Denmark as the happiest country in the world.
Whoopdee-friggin'-doo.


If you're in a mood like mine, perhaps you could use some cheering up, like from here.
*Be warned, clicking will lead to a possibly eye-searing picture. Its funny though*


Have a happy day.

What Irks Me... in a rare bout of patriotic questioning

Alright,

Someday i was bound to blog about it. I suppose what better time than when there are allegations rife of the foremost opposition candidate engaging in sexual activities of a posterial nature.

The whole country is in furore! (again)

Did he? Didn't he?

Was his victim paid? Was he planted there?

Is this just a way to divert attention from the potential swinging of power into the opposition's hands?

Is this really a case of him just liking little boys? (Ah, but as we know, the fathers of democracy back in Grecian day were all into little boys)

Anyway, not for me to say, seeing as we will probably never hear the end of this debacle. (or find the truth in it)

What you may have missed amongst all this hype though, was a tiny column tucked in the papers about how a forum questioning the 'social contract' that exists in the Constitution is tantamount to a seditious act (so someone went far enough to say). But the discussion was held anyway.

A panellist on the Bar Council forum, Tommy Thomas, said:

“To me, it(the social contract) exists; it was the quid pro quo bargain reached by the three communities before independence.
“All that was required of the non-Malays was an undivided loyalty to the new nation. In effect, Malaysia would remain a plural society where racial differences were recognised and diversity encouraged.
“My understanding of it is a formula by which race relations are arranged, a charter for the minority and a bill of rights for the majority,” he said, adding that the key social arrangements were found in the Federal Constitution.

Closer to my heart though, are the views of Dr. Puthucheary:

“Calls simply to uphold the 'social contract' as binding, rather than making a serious effort to understand its evolving meaning and use in Malaysian history and politics, have impeded effective nation-building,”

An article on the panellists' views can be found here

Alright, first of all, as a layperson born into my country, I have always known that

1) I am of the middle classes (therefore not much exposure to race politics. when you're a kid noone cares how your dad got the money to build that nice house - as long as i can come over and play)

2) Since i can remember, Chinese adults say that the quota is unfair and Bumis get lots of privileges. In this country, you make what you can because the government doesn't help you much.

3) I don't personally experience this lack of benefits myself but i DO notice that the Sultans, Datuks and most ministers are Malay.

4) I have never fought with anyone because they are Indian or Malay but I will notice that they are Indian or Malay, not Malaysian.

5) People who say enough times that this country is dominated by only one race and it's really unfair eventually end up moving out of the country.

And that is my cake and i will eat it. Noone questions. There's racial tension yeah. It's not like exploding-in-your-face-i-will-bash-the-next-race-up tension but there's always been undercurrents of dissatisfaction.

“There is no need to discuss these issues because it gives rise to various reactions from the Malays, including creating animosity and racial tension.
“I do not understand where the loss is if these issues are not discussed. No need to discuss,”

so i quote our Prime Minister.

Now that is just irresponsible behaviour.

I cannot believe that living in this country all your life, one can still be completely ignorant to the dissatisfaction that exists. In fact, in the recent elections there were calls from all three races to abolish the racial privilige system to make way for one that was more focused on need rather than race. (but there were also ugly reprisals, so it works both ways)

Look. I am a third-generation Chinese immigrant. Try as you might, only orang Asli can claim to be truly Malaysian. We are all from somewhere else. Do we remember our sejarah lessons about Parameswara? He was from Jawa.

I have absolutely no claim to China. If you left me there alone I would be as lost as if i was in South America. And can my Indian friends truly lay claim to India?

We are Malaysian. There's no two ways about it. This is my home country and there's nowhere else to go. So what's the difference? I have as much right as anyone else born here. What social contract is this? I think the powers-that-be agreed at independence that the 'locals' are given more benefits because they were here first and we seem to have taken up their jobs

.... 50 years ago.

Fair enough, though. If there was a sudden influx of migrants, i'd want to protect local interest too.

But can i just say it's been a little while since then?

Somehow I can't help thinking that all this racialised politics is stopping us from progressing as a country. As Malaysians.

So i might be accused of being seditious but I think that if there are to be benefits for anyone, it should be to those who need it. So away with benefits based on colour or birthright and why not benefits for the poor? Equally?

It may be wishful thinking but my point is that I think 50 years down the line, when we are trying to propagate equality and fairness and one bangsa Malaysia, it is healthy to discuss about how things may or may not be evolving in the country.

To just avoid discussion of something that noone wants to address - are we obliged to accept ketuanan Melayu or is it something written in stone and indeed deserved? Why, it's like the old adage of sweeping things under the carpet.

Thanks to jonnybaker @ Flicker for catching this excellent piece by Bansky (if you've not heard of his street art, definitely worth checking out!)

I mean, not addressing things when we could is why we ended up getting the Middle Rocks after all, isn't it? But Isaac can tell you that story.

[ An aside, while googling stuff to include, it seems i'm not the only disgruntled one. ]

The point of it all is, i'm not really asking or expecting all out change. Malaysia is pretty sweet the way it is - minus some needless developments and scary crime rates - but i think not everyone can feel contented. And i'd be much more willing to defend my country if i knew it was much more willing to address its citizens.

And i shall conclude like the true arts student that i am - Talk it out, people. Bottling up your feelings never did anyone good.

Sometimes my hippie reputation is justified...

I bought this book at a book fair yesterday and I haven't read it, but i thought i'd just post it up because I think a lot of my friends would approve.
Actually I think i bought it because i could imagine people telling me it's my kind of book.
Oh gosh, I am becoming what I think you think I am. (o_0)

In any case, love, peace and flowers.

Oh, and if you're into the whole living free out of a backpack thing and have time to kill, do check out Zhang Su Li's book, website or her blog. Some of the most inspirational writing to come out of Malaysia in a while (I may be biased. She's a backpacking copywriter!)

Gosh, i'm like an advertisement. But one should share what one loves.

Guns and the Great States

My initial reaction when I saw the news heading 'Americans have right to guns under landmark ruling' was shock and horror. *
I already don't have the best impression of Americans wielding guns (if you recall many posts back, a story with Graham Norton and a fat kid who shot a giant boar). Then again, media nowadays does mimic Hollywood where sex, money and violence creates sensationalist furore, so that could be a result of too much Michael Moore and CSI.

I took some time to absorb it. So if I tell my neighbours that I'm uncomfortable with them keeping guns, they can tell me "So what? It's my CONSTITUTIONAL right to own one.''

Is it stil copyright infringement if i acknowledge: Yes, this is Yosemite Sam and I got it from here

Really, it baffles me how a court of law can want that. But some people really really do. Like Republican candidate John McCain:

"Unlike the elitist view that believes Americans cling to guns out of
bitterness, today's ruling recognizes that gun ownership is a fundamental right
-- sacred, just as the right to free speech and assembly," McCain said.

Anyway, if you're up to date with the American political system ... or not, here's the lowdown. Republicans are the more conservative bunch - generally taking the traditionalist stand in issues like gay marriage (not for it), legalised abortion (not for it), sex education (if you don't talk about it it won't happen), war (if you're not with me, you're against me) and preferring tax breaks to alternative energy sources. I guess think here about your 1950's Stepford Husbands. 'Good old 2.4 average children in my perfect house with the perfect wife using her up-to-date vacuum.'

Key Republicans: George Bush, George W. Bush, John McCain...

The Democrats, on the other hand, come from the more liberalised standpoint, and they have different views on gay marriage (they're people too), environmental policy (global warming is a fact and we're polluting the earth), war (how about diplomacy?) and would prefer social reform in general. If you needed a picture in your mind, think hippies. 'Free love, peace and the world can be a better place.'

Key Democrats: Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, Barack Obama...

Now that's really really simplifying things, but to me, the politics are about conservative vs. liberal. Individual candidates have their own stance on things and there are some overlapping policies, so this is a very generalised picture, but a picture nonetheless.

So, if you haven't already figured out which team i'm batting for, here's a quote from Barack Obama which makes sense to me. But obviously not to the Supreme Court:

"I have always believed that the Second Amendment protects the right of
individuals to bear arms," Obama said, "but I also identify with the need for
crime-ravaged communities to save their children from the violence that plagues
our streets through common sense, effective safety measures."

Anyway, continuing with initial shock and horror, I thought about it somemore.
To me it doesn't make sense to carry an extra spear so the lions go away (ehehe.. my analogies again). Prevention is much better than cure!

And this relates to Malaysia too. Pepper spray (personally, i can tell you it's nasty) isn't going to keep the murderers and rapists and robbers at bay. I'd very much rather there weren't any in the first place, thank you very much.

I wonder if in future, people complaining about crime can hear the retort, 'Well, if you had carried your gun... like we said you could, maybe this wouldn't have happened.'

So I was thinking 'Dear lord, Now they can all go postal and shoot each other because everyone's entitled to a gun.' (except madmen, ex cons and not in schools - yes, i read that the ruling is not unlimited) But, putting an optimistic spin on it... maybe legalising something will mean less problems with it?

Look at prostitution and drugs in Amsterdam!

Low records of rape and drug overdose, right?

Okay, i don't know. But i don't like knowing people around me own guns and are entitled to. This is my theory as to why policemen aren't respected anymore.

Gone are the days when they really had the biggest stick.

A lot of musings once again, Legalised 'vice', Democrats v Republicans, Crime rates and Law-affected Morals. As always, musings are better with feedback. So, have a point of view? Try me.

Yes Dan, this means you. I know you'll have something to say...

* Note: previously the constitution implied guns were a right but it wasn't clear. Now it is...

Yogyakarta in Short

Alright.
I didn't get stranded or kidnapped in Yogyakarta. My bad. I have no reason but laziness.
But it was a great trip and i shall sum it up in 10 memorable points of Yogyakarta (in no particular order)!

1. I rode pillion on a motorcycle for the first time in my life! Definitely not as scary when the driver is kind enough to ride at 40km/h and the roads don't have massive jams or crazy cars. Definitely also a plus point when it is at night with a gorgeous starry sky above you and the night breeze blowing as you pass by busy dangdut gatherings and quiet paddy fields. Highlight of the trip. =)
2. People there are so lovely and polite. I went for a few community meetings and they're all very hospitable and friendly and offer tea and snacks. (mind you we've never met before and they definitely aren't very well off) And also extremely civil. Maybe there's something in this community empowerment thing (that we propagate and don't practice at all)
3. I drank teh sampah which is actually extremely yummy tea with ginger, random branches, mint leaves, cinnamon and rock sugar but it looks like rubbish floating inside. Jawa tea is the yummiest drink in the world. Well, maybe next to Milo. And Baileys. And ... it's yummy anyway.
4. I ate a chicken heart. *Bleurgh* all in the name of politeness. All I can say - chewy.
5. I learned that Bahasa Jawa and Bahasa Melayu is same same but different. Asmara means love, not illegitimate sex. Intermisu means joke, not intermission. Cowot and Cewet means boy and girl. And seronok has sexual connotations. Bisa faham?
6. I had a Rp1000 meal. That's 10 US cents. That's 30 Malaysian cents. Nasi kucing - the staple of poor students in all Jogja. But too little with only a small portion of rice and sambal. The meal may have been improved by the buskers who travel around to the many mats that people sit on to sing for tips. Not great, but entertaining.
7. If you need inspiration for political activism and passion, just go to Indonesia. I was asked if there were demonstrations in Malaysia after the fuel hike and i said very very small ones. And they said 'Oh, there was quite a bit hubbub here.' So i told them that we get arrested on the Internal Security Act for 'illegal gatherings'. Indonesia used to have an ISA too. But they managed to get rid of it. "How?" i ask. "Oh. We demonstrated against it." (-_-") chicken and egg scenario, isn't it?
8. There was cheap accommodation (well, relatively) with awesome free breakfast, lovely staff and a library to boot! I am a big fan of Ministry of Coffee and Damn, those were some good chocolate banana pancakes.
9. My stomach did not act up, thank goodness. Even after the super spicy padang food. Oh, political gripe here. Although farmers in some regions have been on their lands (growing chilli and other things, there's some connection to the spicy food) for years and years. The land does not belong to them! So, they can be kicked off at any time. Like now, when there is an Australian mining company interested in buying the land. How unfair. *grumble*
10. People in Yogyakarta are extremely resilient with little signs of the devastation from the 2006 earthquake. My respect goes out to those ibu and bapa (sign of respect there) that are raising cattle, processing cassava, working on ceramics and just getting on with their lives.

Okay. 10 points. I know there was much more but i left it too late. Bad Jeannie! Bad Bad! In other news, there have been many comment-worthy things in the paper that i think "Ah! Blog worthy!"

Like the latest stupid Malaysian comment that lipstick and high heels are encouraging rape and immorality. Like i said, the fun never ends. Yay!

Oil *grumble* silly *grumble* motorists...

The cabinet decided that they would raise the price of fuel and electricity starting from midnight+ 1 minute on the 5th of June. (1 minute is there to minimise confusion)
I would just like to point out that there are horrible, penny-wise pound-foolish people who think it is worth queueing up at petrol stations to save that 78 cents per litre.
They might be right. You might save like, RM 10, but think of all that money you spend needlessly queuing! Can see the dollar signs evaporating into the air.
And i am speaking as a disgruntled motorist who was caught in a 2 hour jam because of you stupid people.
There was even a picture in the paper of a guy who had to pump petrol into bottles seeing as his car ran out of petrol as he was in the queue.

Don't you just love kiasu Malaysia?

On another note, I will be on my first working trip beginning tomorrow! Off to Jogjakarta and roughing it out in a place called the Ministry of Coffee!


Roughing it out indeed.
hur hur hur....

News Flash

I went out for chicken rice and...
WHAM!
Next thing you know,
I'm an aunty!

Welcome to the world little nephew. =)

And you call me a hippie...

Remember reading Peter Pan and about the Little Lost Boys and the Indians?
[Ish. Why do they call them Indians when that was just because Columbus had a really bad sense of direction?]
Anyway, sidetracking. New photographs have emerged of previously undiscovered tribes in the Amazon.

Can be found at Survival International

It's just so foreign in this day and age. There are still people untouched by modernity!
And gosh, if you'd shown me personally I would've called it a spoof and a still from a movie.
I wonder what they were thinking as they saw the aircraft flying overhead?

A great bird?
An omen from the gods?

We'll never know because to tap into their minds would be to lose them as they are. The irony of conservation is sometimes the best thing you can do is nothing at all.

But still, there's a whole lot of world out there - even in this networked, international day and age.
Inspiration for the imagination.

Internet Superstars!

For a long time I thought that all MTV showed was tits, arse and utter rubbish.
Well, it is mostly rubbish, but for the first time in a long time, it was rubbish i liked!
They were showing the Top 40 Internet Superstars (gawd, i've degenerated [or evolved?] into such a geek. Aaron, i blame you)

Anyway, they had the staples of OK Go



The Chinese Backstreet Boys



The Diet Coke and Mentos fountains



But the one revelation from that program that i think is AWESOME is this 'little superstar'



Gosh that little fella really makes me smile. Hope it does for you too!
Poppin' to Summer Holiday. =)

Inescapable Fate...

This third voice was rather more prim than the first two. The owner of a voice like that would be the sort of person who, before making a plastic model kit, would not only separate and count all the parts before commencing, as per the instructions, but also paint the bits that needed painting first and leave them to dry properly prior to construction. All that separated this voice from chartered accountancy was a matter of time.

~ Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

p. 81 of Good Omens

Image from here

Heehee... I'm sorry my dear commerce friends. (Yes Tishy Poo, this means you) The funny thing is i read this quote out and before i finished my brother was saying 'Hey, that's me!' And then i said chartered accountant and he scowled while my mum let out a good chuckle.

Alright, I shall be the one to say it.
Genius. Pratchett and Gaiman is thy name.

And i am thoroughly enjoying reading Good Omens by the pair of them.

The Continuing Story of Male Chauvinist Malaysia...

So the last post was resolved somewhat happily.
1 article on how school uniforms are sexy blasted away happily by 2 articles the next day saying she was being 'close-minded' and essentially drawing stupid conclusions.

But then you know, you can always count on something else cropping up.

'Teach' Women Polygamy

Due to the high volume of divorce cases in the syariah courts, officials felt that something had to be done to reduce them. Not only would it mean faster processing times but of course we are always happy to have more satisfied marriages.

Noble.

However, I have a slight problem with the execution.

Ibrahim stood up to say that such cases would not stop happening as the population was increasing and divorces were taking place daily.

“Such problems happen because women cannot accept polygamy. From a preventive point of view, what about doing a big campaign so that women can accept polygamy?” he asked.

Ibrahim said women did not understand that when they were pregnant for nine months, or had “problems” when they hit their 50s, their men still wanted to “have fun”.

“So the man wants to marry again, and the wife gets jealous and asks for a divorce.”

Yeah. Divorces are happening all the time because wives are not accepting of polygamy. Why can't they understand their husbands' unlimited sex drive, right?

I'm only grateful that someone stood up in protest, saying a gender approach was very demeaning. And another person called Ibrahim a male chauvinist.

He got the name he deserved.
Except right after that he chuckled.

Asshole.

Forget your Japanese high school fantasies - the Malaysian uniform's coming to town!

Okay, i tried letting it go, but i really am INCREDULOUS that articles like this one are still appearing in our newspapers. And not as a joke, either.

School Uniform Sexy, says group

“The white blouse is too transparent for girls and it becomes a source of attraction,” National Islamic Students Association of Malaysia vice-president Munirah Bahari said in a statement.

“It becomes a distraction to men, who are drawn to it, whether or not they like looking at it*,” she said, calling for a review of uniform policy so that it did not violate Islamic ideals.

Munirah said that “covering up” according to Islamic precepts was important to fend off social ills, including “rape, sexual harassment and even premarital sex.”

“This leads to babies born out of wedlock and, to an extent, even prostitution,” she said.

However, the girls themselves also came in for criticism, with the association saying that some used the white blouse to lure men.

“This is the source of the problem,where we can see that schoolgirls themselves are capable of using this to attract men to them,” Munirah said.

*(emphasis added by me)

So let's get this straight.
Uniforms made of a thin material (why, how dare they in a tropical country?!) will attract attention, even from completely innocent men, therefore causing them to flock to these obviously promiscuous school girls and to rape, harass and seduce them into pre-marital sex.
Doh!
Why didn't i make the connection before?
Aish. Those prostitutes wouldn't be where they are now if they had only worn a thicker school uniform. (-_-")

I can see feminists all over the world jumping in their skins.
In my oh-so-modern, oh-so-civil country of Malaysia, I simply CANNOT believe that this kind of language is still being used.
And to make things worse, it was uttered by a WOMAN. How can you possibly lay all the blame on women tempting the men into sin? I honestly believed that we'd abandoned this stance ages ago.

Welcome to regression of the times.

Food for Thought

In Yingxiu, people who had lost everything kept trying to press food and water on
me. One old woman mourning her foster daughter had -- unbeknown to me-- told her husband to prepare me a bowl of noodles while I was interviewing her.

When he brought it over, I tried hard to refuse. Guilt about eating refugees' food was the last emotion I wanted to add to the mix that often threatened to engulf me.

But they were so insistent -- and worried I was rejecting the food because I thought it was dirty -- I felt I had no choice.

I wolfed the noodles down, embarrassed but grateful after 24 hours of biscuits and peanuts. I gave them some money in return, although there was nothing to buy and no one to buy it from.

~Emma Graham-Harrison, Reuters Press

Full story here

Hundreds of Chinese orphaned by the devastating 1976 Tangshan earthquake have offered to take care of victims of last week's devastating tremor in Sichuan, state media said on Thursday.

And more than 300 children orphaned in the Lijiang earthquake of 1996 have donated a year's pocket money.

~Nick Macfie, Reuters Press

Full story here

And here I am wondering about how to save money and splurge it on myself. Just to illustrate my point from the previous post.

Wrangling With Reality

So i engaged my brother in philosophical debate over lunch yesterday. I actually felt pretty good. Is that what being a teacher is like? When you make people think - like really think - about things they never pondered before?

The context: I have read and know of people who go travelling overseas to places that are somewhat remote and definitely not as modernised as the major cities. Many of these people get invited into strangers' homes for tea or a meal or just to chat. Alone. By themselves.

'How reckless!' brother says. 'It's so dangerous.'

Is it really? In our screwed up modernity, we are highly suspicious if someone offers us something. No strings attached.

There's no such thing as no catch, right? But in places where communal living is still a norm, (the few blessed places), i think there's more of a 'what's mine is yours' sentiment. What's wrong with being nice to someone you don't know? We do it all the time through that secure channel of charity. But when it's face-to-face kindness it's a bit more intimidating, isn't it?

This topic has come up before. People who live in the face of bombs and insecurity daily are unfazed by life-threatening explosions. They don't go around crying about how horrible everything is and call every few minutes to check if their loved ones are safe. You simply CANNOT function that way. Danger and risk is a fact of life, deal with it, move on.

We, in our ultra-sanitised, sparkling-white safe worlds have become caged in our own paranoia. What if the food isn't clean? Can i walk out of the house - traffic and kidnappings galore? Someone bearded is on the plane - is he about to blow the place up?

We're fearful of a fear that isn't even there. Meanwhile, people across the globe are thinking about the next meal, the next place to spend the night, the next time they'll be able to get the medicine that's saving their lives.
Doesn't that just put things into perspective?

Picture taken from this site. And i've uncovered a very interesting experiment which is worth checking out. Click here.

I woke up today feeling grateful to be alive. Children going to a normal day-like-every-other school day had no idea that the sky was literally going to fall on them. These children were all younger than me - they never got to experience the joy of uni, of falling in love, of even finishing school. Many of them were the brightest of their county - and they have futures that will remain unfulfilled.

I'm never going to ASSUME that i will live a long and healthy life (although my chances are higher than most) from now on. Life is SO very fragile and you just never know. So, do what you want to do as soon as you can. Don't wait until you've lost your chance.

There is this story where a rich man and a fisherman are out fishing one day. The rich man turns to his companion. 'I really envy you, getting to fish all day.' His companion replies, 'Well, why don't you?' The rich man says, 'I'm just too busy you know. I've got to earn money!' The fisherman asks, 'Why do you need to earn so much?'

The rich man ponders for a while, then answers: 'So that I can afford to relax and fish all day.'

If you're still reading and you know me then i hope you know that I love you! And if we haven't seen each other recently, then it's been too long. Take care, and do tell me if this is thought-provoking. I do so love feedback. =)

Little Boy Caught with Grubby Fingers

The thing about working in an NGO is that I get to monitor the news as part of my job.
But that also means I scrutinize situations.
And then I uncover some things that are just utterly disgusting.

Worse than that Mercedes driver who wove in and out of traffic like a motorcyclist - Bad driving etiquette on a good car. DISGUSTING.

But this, this is just gross.

Myanmar junta hands out aid boxes with generals' names

Myanmar's military regime distributed international aid Saturday but plastered the boxes with the names of top generals in an apparent effort to turn the relief effort for last week's devastating cyclone into a propaganda exercise. The UN sent in three more planes and several trucks loaded with aid, though the junta took over its first two shipments. The government agreed to let a US cargo plane bring in supplies Monday, but foreign disaster experts were still being barred entry.

The Associated Press

Sorry for the altruistic crusade. But using the cyclone to pose for publicity photos? Handing out referendum ballots that have the YES box already ticked (nevermind that the referendum is being held during a major disaster)?

Little boy, you've failed in my eyes.

A boy and his dog

There once was a little boy who owned a dog. Now this little boy was very fond of his dog because the dog was a very smart dog, and he would do useful things, like bring in the newspapers and help him catch peasants. You could say he was a helpful kind of dog, and a very pretty one at that, too.

However, the little boy knew that keeping a dog was no easy task and that discipline was key. Also, when you have a very pretty dog, people will covet it and try to take it away from you. This led him to be quite protective of his dog, and he made sure that he knew all the dog's friends. Really though, he preferred if they would all just stay away and leave the two of them alone. So, the little boy mostly kept his dog in a kennel behind his house, where he could keep an eye on it because, as we are all aware, bad influences can come from anywhere at anytime.

One day, there was a heavy thunderstorm, and when the rain had stopped, the little boy found that a large tree had toppled on to the kennel and the dog was trapped underneath. The little boy was distraught.

'Whatever shall I do?' he asked himself.
'If I ask someone to come and help, my dog will know about the outside world where there is no discipline, and he might become a bad dog and not listen to me anymore. Or worse, someone will steal him from right under my nose.'

He thought of how he could help the dog himself, but being just a little boy, he did not know anything about saving dogs. And as he pondered all these things in his head, the dog's breaths were becoming more ragged...
and wheezier...
and wheezier.

A few passers-by heard about this dog who was pinned under a tree, and they felt very sorry for it. They thought that the little boy was quite silly indeed as the poor dog was near-death, so they offered to come in and help. In fact, it so happened that one of the passers-by was a vet! The little boy, tears welling in his eyes, was still so very sure that his dog would be badly-influenced.

"Pass me your medicine kit," he told the vet. "I don't trust you. And I can handle it myself."

So he did.
But even with the gauzes and the medicines, the little boy was still overwhelmed and it seemed like he would need the vet's help in the end. But he was also so very sure that the vet really wanted to take his dog away from him. And, what would the little boy say to the passers-by and his dog if he found out his fears had no basis?


What do you think the end of the story is? Honestly, I don't know either.
I've attempted a simple analogy from my readings in the past 4 days. Work has begun and one of the largest natural disasters since the tsunami has just struck. And could it have hit a less open country? I doubt so.

Cyclone Nargis is, as of today, estimated to claim 100,000 lives and leave over 1 million homeless. This is before taking into account losses from disease and famine (the area struck was once called Asia's ricebowl). And if not death, then think of the remnants of these largely agricultural lives. Most of their homes are still underwater.

All we can do at this point is hope that the Myanmar government will allow international aid to enter the country. The longer they delay it, the more people will suffer from hunger and disease. And help is literally just waiting at their doorstep.

Politics is possibly the most exasperating thing about our world.

Happy People = Good Things

I love how my high school friends still teach me important(?) things.

Headline 1: 'Sex pest' seal attacks penguin
A seal who has obviously not been getting some was seen squashing a penguin of undetermined sex and thrusting upon the poor creature for 45 minutes in an unsuccessful attempt to mate. It is the first documented incident of cross-species rape although it is quite common for animals to coerce females into sex.

Conclusion: It seems that aggressive (and disloyal, if you read the whole article) male animals are more prone to raping. Aiyer.

Headline 2: Japan worker in 780,000 porn hits
A local council employee in Japan was demoted after he sent his computer in to fix a virus and, upon checking his browser history, it appeared that he had accessed over 750,000 pornographic websites in 9 months. His addiction was at its peak in July when he surfed for porn over 177,000 times during office hours. That means:

• almost 10 000 pages a day
• more than 20 pages each minute at his desk

Conclusion: Unmonitored employees with high speed connection can be up to naughty things. Eeee...

There you go. Men seem to be up to no good when they are just not getting any. Therefore, i implore all loyal girlfriends (or boyfriends, whatever floats your boat). Make sure your men are getting some! Sexually frustrated males go around raping poor penguins or surfing for porn at work. Oh my. Too much!
Happy people = Good things

The moral of the story is, all you need is love.

A moon's worth of mumblings

Alright, I'm sorry.
If my blog were a child, I wouldn't blame you for thinking it was an orphan.
Anyway, I'm (sort of) back! There really hasn't been that much to update on.
What have I been doing?

• Rediscovering books. Thank you book sales. =) And Da bian. I liked 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time'. =) Insightful read.
  
• Sketching out ideas for decorating the new house. My new room is going to be some sort of cross between hippie and Moroccan harem. Always a good combination. :S
• Becoming a family driver. Anywhere. I will drive. And as a consequence i've become a pretty aggressive driver. In a good-for-KL way.
  
• Going to the gym. Not so regularly. Not so unregularly. I ache occassionally so I take it as a good sign. And I'm trying to go for weekly badminton. Also a good sort of pain.
• I got a job! Big yay! I'm not one of the 'unemployed youth' that keeps getting talked about. Work starts Monday so more about that as I go along.
• And... the big unveiling!

Jeannie from this morning says *gasp* (and she's wearing clothes)

Haha.. well.. I was talking about it for a while and I needed some excitement in my life so I chopped off my hair. Chopped. I was a bit disappointed cos it wasn't a mountain of hair on the salon floor so I didn't snap a picture of it. And it kinda looks like me with my hair tied. But yeah. It's shorter, dries faster and is great for Msian weather!
Secretly Veron, it's an ode to you.

So yeah, you're all up to date with my life. In a nutshell.
I apologise for the absence but there was just nothing interesting to tell.
But nothing works better at revamping a blog than having routine to procrastinate from! So yeah, watch this space.

Children - to work or not?

I read in the papers that Malaysia is planning to impose a tax on all of its foreign workers.
Rm9 a month or Rm 100 a year for each worker.
Why? So that the government can do more to boost local youth employment.

In effect, foreign workers would be paying to lose their jobs.

Well, that sounds like it's the basis of a hugely popular edict.

In a bid to sound like a newspaper columnist, I shall expound my thoughts on why I think this may not work and what I believe could help instead.

Why this may not work:
1) People generally don't fancy paying anything, what more paying to end up jobless.
2) I dread to think what plan they would put into place. Funding the ever-successful Rakan Muda, perhaps? Job training?
3) Most of the jobs taken by foreign workers are menial - maids, mamak, janitor. We train our youths for that?

What could help instead:

As a jobless person, I feel qualified to say. I think, the best thing for youth unemployment would be to change the mindset of the youth.
Maybe i speak for myself, but as I was growing up, the last thing on my mind was getting a job. I've lived in UK and in Australia, I've known people who work as soon as they're 17, because it was natural to them.
What i knew was that my job in school was to study.
Come home from school? Tuition.
Free time? Piano class, sports, extra stuff that looks great on your CV.

I was under the impression that when families had kids that worked, it was like sweatshop workers. Or extreme poverty!
But noone mentioned anything about responsibility, contribution, motivation... all those things you supposedly get when you work.

vs.

Old-fashioned perceptions, maybe.

And noone also said that it helps to have experience when you are a jobless graduate.
Haha.. I don't deny that it's also me being fussy.

Anyhoo, I know lots of people think I'm a spoilt brat. The people who can talk about 'doing what I like' and question 'why you're living such a boring, ordinary life' generally are.
Cos i've never really struggled for anything in my life.

I'm sure people have some opinion on it:
Yeah, you private school spoilt kid; No, I felt the same way too (please?). Kids shouldn't have to work...
I'm willing to take any shot you have. Opinions more than welcome.

Cos KT just seems cooler than Katie...

It's KT Tunstall night in Singapore.

She looks so pretty in this picture! Scottish/Chinese+Irish hotness.
*drool* she and Paolo Nutini should have babies. =)

So near yet so far.
7 hours drive and noone to take the drive with.
Even Chary in Singapore has abandoned me. (where are you, dear? In HK living it up, i hope!)
Anyhoos, in tribute to the concert I am missing, this is why KT is such a great performer.

Yes, Kenny. I remember and I thank you for introducing her to me.

And here is a song that I really really like off her new album, Drastic Fantastic.

Hopeless - acoustic version

Just one more for the road, cos i think her voice is just so versatile. This is a fave pick-me-up song.

Under the Weather. Feels like a rainy day standing out in yellow wellies and a raincoat holding the hand of someone you love. =)

May the KT loving spread! And can I recommend her Acoustic Extravaganza album. Awesomeness in a teacup. =)

Easter Cheer

Because in my world adulterous bunnies are pink and blue and fluffy.
Joblessness is good for my creative side.

Sunburst Music Festness!

I've been a tad complacent in the last week (and with no excuse, i am still unemployed!) but that doesn't mean plenty has not been a-happening!
This post is nearly a week late and 'tis where i relate my brush with star - no, superstardom!
I noticed in the papers that the Sunburst Music fest was going to be in town and more importantly, a very sexy Mr. John Legend with it, and pre-empted my brother's surprise of tickets to the show! At RM 200 a piece, 'twas a very lovely surprise indeed...

So, deciding that since fabled Mr. Legend would only play at 10 pm and that my brother is a bit of an old fogey at this stage, we decided 12 hours of rocking was a little bit much. A good thing too because going late meant that we were not RAINED ON. (Ironically, the rain began as soon as rocker band Hujan* came on stage).

THE VENUE
So, after dinner we trooped over, parking at the extortion-rate PUBLIC parking at the science centre, walking past the very very creepy historical dinosaur garden (that can NOT be for children...) passing by the slightly disgruntled horses and Voila! Amidst the shining baubles of Tuborg light, we are in the giant field that is home to the first ever Sunburst Music Festival!


The rain was actually wonderful, making the weather a pleasant cooling temperature and admittedly, i had not hoped for much but was very impressed by the four large stages placed around the field, surrounding the oasis of a bar right in the centre.

i was very chuffed with the fact that this is a temporary bar.. but it looks so FUNKY.

Even in the open space, the acoustics were pretty darn good.

pretty pretty stage...

THE DRINK

The beer of the night - Tuborg. So i would swear by my Corona's and the Tassie trip made me a Boag's fan (right, Kai?) but I have to say, Tuborg is pretty darn drinkable. Light and not at all nastily bitter like the awful awful VB, it goes down really smooth and I was surprised to see that it's still full strength at 5%! So Carlsberg is not usually my beer of choice (oh my! Blasphemy of a Liverpool fan!) but, seeing as they sponsor my football club, let me touch Brandon Boyd and gave me a taste of paparazzi-dom, i'd probably be more inclined to the green bottle. But Tuborg over the normal Carlsberg stuff any day. (not really a fan of the bitter beers)

Perfect accompaniment to some great music

I feel a festival is only as great as it's amenities and there were PLENTY of loos on offer at the Sunburst fest. I, however, am a coward and I didn't venture close to them (except to take this picture). So was it worth holding all that beer in for 5 hours? Well, some rather reliable informants tell me a very loud and disgusting YES. Quantity? Check. Quality? Maybe next time...

Don't worry... is only pretending.

Despite my fears, there were no screaming mobs, no super rocker people pushing about and, all in all, a very civilised crowd. It seems the RM 200 price tag is enough to screen out the trashy crowd but enough to bring in a decent-sized one.

THE MUSIC
Enough descriptions, I sound like I'm selling the thing, on to the meaty stuff. I am a newly-inducted fan of The Roots. I was very very impressed and dancing away listening to the funky sounds of the large tuba-like instrument (it's got a weird name...) and the bass and in awe of the awesome jazz funk drummer. In fact, contemplating a return to the world of drumming. Anyhoos, beside the point.

Talk about funky cool. Big screens and great musicians. Poser sial

Just as jazz band Incognito are about to take the stage, I rush off to grab a Meet and Greet pass. Unexpected surprise (i would've dressed rockier, in retrospect), but I, a lucky me, was given the chance to bask in the hotness that is Incubus.
I know she doesn't read this, but if ever... SHA... I TOUCHED BRANDON BOYD.
the following is *gloat gloat gloat gloat*:

THE GLOAT

this is me going... what do i do now?

and then we shared a special moment... well, i think he said bye (good riddance)

Well, truth be told I was thinking of the bits of the John Legend concert i was missing at the time! To jumping up and down status.
Okay okay, so the meet and greet was sort of a wait for half an hour, meet for 5 minutes affair, but i still touched Incubus.

THE NAUGHTINESS
THEN, the real fun began! You see, there are levels of passes that get you different places. Meet and greet pass, gets you in the media tent. A green Paparazzi pass, gets you anywhere IN the media area. This also HAPPENS to include the area right in front of the stage.
Did i mention John Legend was on stage at the time?
Heehee... I want to be a celebrity blogger if it gets me Press passes.
John Legend literally 5 meters in front of me. *drool*
and his voice is GORGEOUS. hang on... he's gorgeous too.
Evidence:

THE LEGEND

such a poser....

John Legend out on a very sexy performance where a very lucky lady in the front audience (while I, dying to volunteer but trying to put on my cool Press person facade had to restrain from too much screaming) got to dance with his very sexy person. Haha.. slow dancing lagi. JEALOUS.

So, after that, I went for a much more chilled out session at the beer garden with my brother and friend. I have to admit the fact i could sit back and enjoy the music was very very nice. With a beer nonetheless. Ah. Such is Life.

I think noone really made it to the end of my long long music post. Tis not very interesting except

• i touched Brandon Boyd
• i snuck into the front of the stage
• i posed as paparazzi brazenly standing in front of security
• i was 5 metres away from John Legend
• the music fest was, in my eyes, a HUGE success and i'd go again!

Oh, and Brandon Boyd has a gorgeous voice and is a sexy man!

FURTHER SEXINESS

Aren't I right, Sha?

*for the very very very rare non-Malay readers, Hujan is rain in Malay.

Adulthood After Job-Hunting

Whee! I'm 21!
Thanks for the wishes. I'm convinced that is possibly one of the most ego-expanding properties of Facebook. Feels like everyone remembered your birthday!
I am off to the land down under for my cousin's wedding, but am more excited about the return to Melbourne!
But special kudos to Sujen because otherwise I wouldn't have done anything out of the ordinary on my birthday! (21st what more) I love you Sujen!
And i like Skybar..
I'll see you all soon!
[my Aus number is the same]

So sometimes I cut and paste. Baa..

Sitting in the waiting room after a pain-relieving massage, I picked up a magazine and found this joke. CON-sultancy for me, you think?

A shepherd was herding his flock in a remote pasture when suddenly a brand-new BMW advanced out of the dust cloud towards him. The driver, a young man in a Broni suit, Gucci shoes, Ray Ban sunglasses and YSL tie, leaned out the window and asked the shepherd... "If I tell you exactly how many sheep you have in your flock, will you give me one?" The shepherd looked at the man, obviously a yuppie, then looked at his peacefully grazing flock and calmly answered "sure".

The yuppie parked his car, whipped out his IBM ThinkPad and connected it to a cell phone, then he surfed to a NASA page on the internet where he called up a GPS satellite navigation system, scanned the area, and then opened up a database and an Excel spreadsheet with complex formulas. He sent an email on his Blackberry and, after a few minutes, received a response. Finally, he prints out a 130-page report on his miniaturized printer then turns to the shepherd and says, "You have exactly 1586 sheep. "That is correct; take one of the sheep." said the shepherd. He watches the young man select one of the animals and bundle it into his car.

Then the shepherd says: "If I can tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me back my animal?", "OK, why not." answered the young man. "Clearly, you are a consultant." said the shepherd. "That's correct." says the yuppie, "but how did you guess that?" "No guessing required." answers the shepherd. "You turned up here although nobody called you. You want to get paid for an answer I already knew, to a question I never asked, and you don't know crap about my business...... Now give me back my dog."

There is Weird and There is Homer.

Finally! The long awaited unveiling!
My soon-to-be puppy whom I have fallen in love with simply because he is WEIRD.
Much like his soon-to-be owner?

This is him at about 1 month
The way he flops on his back.... perhaps just a little humanoid. But i think he couldn't sleep on his belly cos he was too full.


And a little older, 1 and a half monthsWah! Super cute right? (girls and puppies... *sigh*)
Anyhoos, looking forward to having another little presence around the house. Yes, you can start telling me how adorable he is. =)

At a point in my life...

This would most aptly describe where I am at now.
A delayed decision from months ago.

Friends pulling on one side.

Tanah airku on another.

Plus the sinking feeling that things don't generally tend to get better. No wonder people always look back fondly on their uni days.

Those with insight are more than welcome to offer guidance.
It's a bit hard to drive when you don't have a roadmap...

Head Shaking All Around

For the scary reality that is Malaysian nightlife [echoes of dush dush dush and head bobbing by beng-like hopefuls]

For being abandoned by the birthday girl at her own party [but it's her birthday, she can leave if she wants to]

For everyday that goes by that makes me want to be back in Melbourne just a little bit more

For the extreme disappointment that comes from too soon celebrating a Barnsley draw. And then being beaten.

Of Naked, Winged Children and their Weapons

It is two and a half hours into the American greeting card company-made occassion that is Valentine's Day and usually, i would be bitter.

From the brilliant people at xkcd

But today [let me indulge in a bout of mushy girlfriend-ness] i am all alone but beaming from ear to ear.
Yes. I have been struck by myboyfriendisthebestintheworld-itis and it seems there is no cure. Can i gloat? Please? It's my blog, right?
He of impeccable timing did get his mail to arrive on the 13th, and while I was out of the house nonetheless, so that really, I received it an hour before midnight. Impeccable! I, on the other hand, failed miserably, a preemie of a thing arriving no less than ONE WEEK earlier! Disgraceful.
And can i also add that i love the gift for the thought and the time (on top of that house hunting AND uni work). I promise I'm not just saying it because it's supposedly my sacred duty!

Because the people at Someecards are brilliant

Alright, i'm done gloating. Those who cringe at mushiness can start reading again.
My plans for Valentine's Day. I am spending it with Jason who is visiting. Haha.. Romantic, yes?

Anyhoos, I am all in romantique mood after watching many DVDs in my brother's place.
For any Beatles fan (and i think that covers half the world, no? I believe you are either a Beatles fan or someone who has yet to listen to the Beatles), may i highly recommend the movie Across the Universe. I have fallen completely for the music that is old Beatles records resung by the cast of the movie. And very well too, may I add. Makes you realise how versatile the songs are to fit many situations. Alright there were druggy bits in the middle, but still... So good.
As is my custom, I have ripped off clips from Youtube to post here. Check out some of my fave songs from the movie!

All You Need is Love (and why not this song on Valentine's Day?) by Jim Sturgess


Hey Jude by Joe Andersen

Okay. So maybe I'm a Beatles fan and also because I find the two of them incredibly cute (with amazing voices to boot) but yeah. That's enough for swooning girls, right? [Look at me talking about other boys on Valentine's]

Anyhoos, all this Beatles music makes me happy. Oh, Valentine's presents make me happy too. Ah well. In the immortal words of Rod Stewart (although i'm positive this is a cover)

I'm in the mood for love...

and anyone who can't take it can shoot me (metaphorically, of course)

Huat is for Good Fortune!

Gong Hei Fatt Choy!
Today was eventful.. i had my first corporate interview which was pretty... intense!
Do most interviews last for an hour? It wasn't even petty banter, just me being extremely talkative (probably to my detriment) but I didn't really feel intimidated. That's the main thing, right?
Fingers crossed but I'm not EXCESSIVELY bothered either way. I'm also not excessively sure, so we'll see how it goes.

It is... Chinese New Year Eve! For the first time, I am having dinner in KL as opposed to the usual extended family dinner in Ipoh. mmm.. can only hope it will not be too jammed on the way home tomorrow.
But anyway, for those who could not come home to have the customary family reunion, there was always each other (the Lonely Hearts Club as I like to call it) and ironically enough, after all those years living together, i also felt i was missing out on a 'family reunion' of sorts. (Naturally I had to call them, I can't be too left out!) I MISS YOU ALL! CC, SING, DAMIEN, AARON (of course, right?), JOE JOE, JIT!! ( i didn't talk to the rest of you.. pooh pooh... but veron and ck, i miss you guys too!)

*sigh* but i can't really complain. family dinners in the small family (parents and brothers) are usually jovial affairs, as evidenced by my brother's collapsing on the floor in tears as the rest of us laughed for 5 minutes straight.
And despite warning, he laughed out his food onto us again. Yuck.
He did that with curry just last week. Possibly the most disgusting food to be spat out onto someone.

Sorry if i just killed some appetites. Anyhoos, the main gist of this post (or the intended gist initially) was to wish everyone Gong Hei Fatt Choy and Happy Year of the Rat! As an attendee of the Joey Yap Feng Shui talk, I must tell you that it is VERY difficult to have bad luck (too many conditions to fulfil) so... You make your own fortune and future!
Here is a cute fella saying gong xi gong xi.


As with all my images, i googled it. I'm sure that Thomas, who, coincidentally I know (haha.. his image is first for gong xi baby.. nice), will not mind me commandeering it. Thanks dude! Small world..

Alrighty... Driving tomorrow beckons, therefore.. early night for me!
Year year got fish; have more food (sheesh, i feel fatter already), Good fortune good health and all that jazz, okay?

Environmental Enlightenment: Ice Block Air Conds

I just learnt about it too.
Did you know that in place of air-conditioning units, some commercial buildings have begun using an ice block cooling system? This is actually VERY environmentally-friendly, saves power and also saves money for the corporation 'cos it uses off-peak electricity! (tick tick and tick?)
How does it work? (from what i understand anyway)

Big rooms are set aside most likely at the bottom of the building and filled with LOTS of water. This is then allowed to freeze overnight with the aid of coolants and cheaper power (off peak!). Also, in places with colder evening climates, this process is even quicker!

Throughout the day, the melting cold water can be piped around the buildings, thereby cooling it much like water heating systems do. Alternately, just circulating the cool air through the use of an air-conditioner is also more environmentally friendly.

At night, when all the ice has melted, repeat!

ooo.... lookie the pretty ice from the Arctic!

Unfortunately, you can't really use this in a small house because it just wouldn't make economical sense.. But hey, if big companies thought about it, if it also saves them money why not, right?

Learn more about it at howstuffworks

And no, i'm not becoming a hard core environmental crusader. Just have nothing much more meaningful at the moment.

p.s: things that bug me at the moment:

• dong dong dong chiang (sorry veron)
• all the valentine-ness everywhere.... *sigh*
• unemployment and potential employment. all at once! (how?)
  

The sad truth of a long-term holiday

How quickly... or slowly time has passed.
I realise it has been exactly a month since i arrived in Malaysia.
Or left Melbourne.. whichever one comforts me more.
So it's exactly a month since i took this picture. (which i think bears an eerie resemblance to the one on veron's blog)
Today was Thaipusam, a public holiday. (which meant absolutely nothing to me. everyday is a holiday) Today was when they found Heath Ledger dead.
Today is when I spent the whole day at home and realised it was like slowly dying.
Employment beckons! How else to get that bar running in 10 years?
Well, here's an inspirational video i stumbled upon on Facebook of all things.
It got me to click so there's good advertising for you.
Other than that, i am sad to report, that absolutely nothing is going on in my life. :(

Pet Peeve #46: Why do people put plastic bags in plastic bags?

If there's one thing that has frustrated me in this country it is the extreme disregard for matters of environmental concern.
Coming from a city where the use of Green Bags is exceedingly common and really, a way of life in the last 3 years, I have had to consciously restrain myself at checkout counters. Heck, even with my mother. (she hasn't heard the end of my complaining)
Example of the mentality:

Mum: Look dear, I'm using the recyclable bags now because you told me to.
Me: Oh great, mum!

~ watches as she takes a plastic container of jackfruit, already packed into another plastic bag by the market lady, brings it to the counter to be put in a plastic bag with the grapes, and then she puts it into the recyclable bag ~

Mum: There look. It's all in the bag.
Me: ....

The whole city is mad. At the checkout counter today the dude packed as if he was shitting out plastic bags.
1 5-pack of noodles. Seal the bag. (they have this sticky label thing to make sure you're not stealing... like that works)
2 pieces of vegetable. Seal the bag.
1 pack of biscuits and 2 sticks of butter. Seal the bag.

I seriously wanted to whack him out of the way and pack the bags myself. Bad enough you're using plastic bags [Mum: i'm running out of bin-liners already] but WHY? Why pack so little into one?
My latest theory is that there's some sort of plastic bag manufacturing monopoly in this city. There's too much money in it for the government to shut it down. AAaaaRRRggHhH!!!
[haha! proven! Australian Bureau Statistics show that Malaysia, with 20% of the share, is Australia's 3rd largest plastic importer!]
Oh yeah, and Malaysians just don't care.
(why save plastic bag? Supermarkets give free wat.. Take more!)

Well, think about this. In Ireland, shoppers are required to pay for plastic bags and this has reduced consumption by 90%!! The Plastax, explained exceptionally well in this article by Reusable Bags website (yes, i know they're in it for the money too) , has saved 18, 000 000 liters of oil! Less animals choking on the stray plastic bags. Less oil being used. More to hand over to your children, childrens' children, yada yada yada.
You catch my drift.

And here's something i didn't know either. Plastic bags CAN be recycled. And they're made into:

• bags
• railway ties
• traffic cones
• decking
• patio furniture
• and even PLASTIC WOOD
  

How about that? I am doubtful Malaysia does or has the facilities, most of the websites i've looked up only make industrial type plastic and resins. Recycling's recycling though. Maybe recycled traffic cones are coming?

Anyway, here are the cinchers.
The case for NOT using plastic bags. (in point form)

• They don't break down quickly. When they do, the chemicals just become smaller units but they still pollute the land/water they're in.
• Up to (and probably over) 100 000 marine animals are killed every year as a result of plastic bags. Some think the bags are jellyfish and ingest them (thereby choking if not strangling their internal organs for a slow painful death). Others get entangled in them and suffocate or starve.

• Plastic bags clogging drains have been known to cause floods, leading to loss of life in extreme cases. (e.g in Bangladesh)
• The world is round. The plastic bags you throw away on your street may end up off the coast of China, causing unthinkable environmental damage all along the way.
• Bags littered everywhere are just an eyesore.

Next time you shop, try to remember to bring a bag along. If you really don't think it's worth forking out the AUD 2 or RM 1, I will sponsor your bag. And please spread the word.

First Job Interview in the Bag

One job interview done.
I don't think ANY of you reading have been through anything like that.
So i finally get to Sri Pentas and find the place (sneakily hidden in the Engineering department - who would've thought?) and ready myself for an interview. Where you from? Why should we hire you? La dee da.
I get ushered into a room where there are 2 other interviewees and this girl hands out creative briefs (a writeup of what a client wants in an ad, what the product is, etc) and she says. Alright, you guys have to create an ad. Any questions?
In my head, i'm thinking. What? Create ad? Huh?
So... here's the deal. 15 minutes. One in Malay AND one in English. Radio ad for HOT fm and Fly fm. (but they stressed the HOT fm bit..which is Malay)
It's a 30 second ad for fruity shower gel.

So there you go... My first taste of an advertising agency job interview.
Somehow, i managed to squeeze in singing as well. (it's radio, right?)
Naturally, I was the first person to have to present and i think i had a pretty solid concept but they thought my malay was shoddy. (really? whatever gave you that idea?) I think i convinced them i have excellent English though.
Had to do another ad in Malay as I watched all the other interviewees troop in and then go out again (Why? Why me special? Super retarded?) I have a feeling their Malay didn't have to be checked again. =(

At the end of my 2nd presentation they were all smiles and everything. (was that a *grin* don't call me we'll call you kind of thing?) Like Kee Hong, i DID forget to ask for my gaji. (aiya... dare to say he's silly somemore.. oops!). They're interviewing more people this week, I'll hear from them either the end of the week or next week.

Mmm... so what interview tips do I have?

• be prepared for anything. Like a 15 minute ad creation
• be courteous and smile to everyone. can't hurt right?
• try to pee before going into the room cos you never know when you'll end up stuck there for 2 hours.. (learnt this the hard way)
• bring a bottle of water because sometimes they don't offer you any (learnt this the hard way too)
  
• bring a pen (haha! I did this right!)
• drive there early because you may have to park in the hotel next door (haha! did this right too!)
• don't stress too much about it. A job's a job. Make sure you'll be happy there! (don't sell yourself short)

Going to work on a portfolio so i can dazzle any other potential employers. Haha. Who would've known this is what I'd do after an Arts degree? Not even me!
*sigh*
I miss Melbourne terribly. Especially the people.

And so Phase 2 begins...

So i have my first job interview.
A proper one - not like the internship where i was given the security tag as soon as i sat down. (although that was pretty sweet)
it's on Monday and at Sri Pentas - yeah.. where TV3 is in 1U.
Excited? I guess so. I'm entering the next phase!
Right now I am job-surfing though and it's all quite... mmm.. not daunting. not exciting. more like... overwhelming!
So many jobs! But only one me...
Anyway, it spurs somewhat existential questions.
How will i stand out? What will make me different? How do i get noticed?
haha... job hunting and resume submission definitely not for those suffering from self-worth issues.
Anyhoos, my latest job of the moment - writer/photojournalist for a Malaysian tourism website.
Isn't that what i said i'd like oh so many blog posts ago? wow.. i didn't even mean that one. i was thinking of this one instead.
So i already had some inkling of staying in Melbourne and writing for a living. All the way back in first year.
Cool.
Perhaps after Monday I shall write a useful post for once in a long time. Interview tips and Worst case scenarios? Keep your eyes and ears posted. =)

Resolutions mean resolving the rift in yourself

It took me a whole week into the new year to write again?
Man, losing the routine of uni has even been bad to my blog!
So, it's 2008. if anyone comes here to check up on me, the biggest question mark is

What is in store for 2008?

And i suppose i answer the way i always do. That's a very good question.

I don't think that answer works anymore. You know the 5 year plan and the 10 year plan and Jeannie's attitude of pooh-poohing it all. Well, i think it's all catching up to me.
Stocktake.
At the beginning of the year, i have:

• 1 home in KL. Food, utility bills, car and parents included.
• 1 long distance relationship.
  
• 0 employment.
• at least 5 industries i am interested in: (radio, advertising, management, consulting, events, marketing, hospitality)
• 1 (maybe) social group [1 thing checked off the get-off-your-ass-and-do-something list; i joined the KL Young Singers choir... but now thinking whether to stay]
• 1 expiring student Visa for Australia (i have til March)
• Many many books on the reading list
• 0 travel plans.
• 0 idea if this is where i want to be
  

It's times like these i wish life came with a sensor. Sort of like a tuning fork. Imagine if you can dip your feet into the water, or i suppose in this case, just poke around 1 direction in life and there is this beepy thing that tells you if you're supposed to head that way. Or maybe a little litmus paper thing that turns a certain colour if you're going the right direction.
Remember, this is life. It's never that easy. Or straightforward.
And i guess that would spoil half the fun.

Maybe it's a soul-searching time for me. A risk-taking time.
Bartending. Ad company. Magazine. Radio. THROW IT ALL AT ME!
i just need to stop living in melbourne..... *sigh*