A boy was born to a couple after eleven years of marriage.
They were a loving couple and the boy was the gem of their
eyes. When the boy was around two years old, one morning
the husband saw a medicine bottle open. He was late for
office so he asked his wife to cap the bottle and keep it
in the cupboard. His wife, preoccupied in the kitchen
totally forgot the matter.
The boy saw the bottle and playfully went to the bottle
fascinated by its color and drank it all. It happened to
be a poisonous medicine meant for adults in small dosages.
When the child collapsed the mother hurried him to the
hospital. He died. The mother was stunned. She was terrified
how she was going to face her husband.
When the distraught father came to the hospital and saw the
dead child, he looked at his wife and uttered just five words.
QUESTIONS :
1. What were the five words ?
2. What is the implication of this story?
Scroll down to read....
ANSWER :
The husband just said "I am with you Darling".
The husband's totally unexpected reaction is a proactive
behavior. The child is dead. He can never be brought back
to life. There is no point in finding fault with the mother.
Besides, if only he had taken time to keep the bottle away,
this would not have happened.
No one is to be blamed. She had also lost her only child.
What she needed at that moment was consolation and sympathy
from the husband. That is what he gave her. If everyone can
look at life with this kind of perspective, there would be
much fewer problems in the world. "A journey of a thousand
miles begins with a single step." Take off all your envies,
jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness, and fears. And you
will find things are actually not as difficult as you think.
MORAL OF THE STORY
This story is really worth reading. Sometimes we spend time
in asking who is responsible or whom to blame, whether in a
relationship, in a job or with the people we know. By this
way we miss out some warmth in human relationship.
Sunday, July 30, 2006
U Know U R in Love When ....
I WAS AFRAID TO TALK TO YOU...
WHEN I TALKED TO YOU...
I WAS AFRAID TO HOLD YOU...
WHEN I HOLD YOU...
I WAS QUIET WIF YOU
BECUZ..I LOVE YOU
I WAS AFRAID TO LOVE YOU...
NOW THAT I LOVE YOU ...
I'M AFRAID TO LOSE YOU...
SAD SAD
SOMETIMES LOVE HURTS...
BUT IF IT DOESN'T HURT...
THEN IT ISN'T LOVE...
HOLD ON TO THE PERSON U LOVE...
BEFORE HE/SHE SLIPS AWAY...
AND U CAN NEVER GET HIM/HER BACK..
When you are together with that special someone,
you pretend to ignore that person.
But when that special someone is not around,
you might look around to find them.
At that moment, you are in love.
Although there is someone else who always makes you laugh,
your eyes and attention might go only to that special someone.
Then, you are in love.
Although that special someone was supposed to have called you long back,
to let you know of their safe arrival, your phone is quiet.
You are desperately waiting for the call!
At that moment, you are in love.
If you are much more excited for one short e-mail,
from that special someone than other many long e-mails, you are in love.
WHEN I TALKED TO YOU...
I WAS AFRAID TO HOLD YOU...
WHEN I HOLD YOU...
I WAS QUIET WIF YOU
BECUZ..I LOVE YOU
I WAS AFRAID TO LOVE YOU...
NOW THAT I LOVE YOU ...
I'M AFRAID TO LOSE YOU...
SAD SAD
SOMETIMES LOVE HURTS...
BUT IF IT DOESN'T HURT...
THEN IT ISN'T LOVE...
HOLD ON TO THE PERSON U LOVE...
BEFORE HE/SHE SLIPS AWAY...
AND U CAN NEVER GET HIM/HER BACK..
When you are together with that special someone,
you pretend to ignore that person.
But when that special someone is not around,
you might look around to find them.
At that moment, you are in love.
Although there is someone else who always makes you laugh,
your eyes and attention might go only to that special someone.
Then, you are in love.
Although that special someone was supposed to have called you long back,
to let you know of their safe arrival, your phone is quiet.
You are desperately waiting for the call!
At that moment, you are in love.
If you are much more excited for one short e-mail,
from that special someone than other many long e-mails, you are in love.
Love
No rose, no diamond ring, but if this is not love, what is love?
With enthusiasm, love your life! Love the people around you!
Old Man Crying
The old man sells roast yam for a living. Because he doesn't have a
license, his tools were confiscated and his tricycle was smashed, its
chain cut. All the old man can do is to sit there and cry.
Tomorrow.
Grand Pa's Tear
That day, we found that we were able to attend school.
We were so happy.
But grandpa cried.
Do you understand? The tears of an elderly man...
This semester has been dealt with, what about the next?
Father's Love
The father and his son live in an impoverished hilly area. They demand
nothing but a piece of land to call their own. Perhaps they will not have
a chance to see the outside world all their lives -- they will not know
what a staircase is, they will never ride in a taxi, nor will they ever
step into a movie theater. But the truth is these are the people who offer
us everything our lives depend on, generation after generation. The heaven
and earth have nothing to repay them. Love them!
Together, through Warm and Cold
An Hejie. Market Place, Town of Chifeng, Inner Mongolia
Beyond the northern (Inner Mongolia) frontier, spring has arrived but the
cold weather lingered on. Snow fell on this April morning. Flakes danced
in the sky. A middle-aged man tended to his cart, on which sat a little
boy, wrapped up with blanket used to keep the vegetables from freezing.
From time to time, the father would tuck at the blanket to make sure that
his son was all right. These are the words from the photographer: "Set in
the dark and shadowy background and the dancing snow flakes, the pink
puffy face of the little boy stood out in great contrast to that of the
father which was apparently shaped by the caprices of life. And life was
indeed harsh. Father and son only have each other for support. When the
father yelled out a sales pitch on top of his voice, his facial _expression
was shockingly touching. One cannot help but be moved."
Monday, July 03, 2006
Women's Worth
By the time the Lord made woman, he was into his sixth day of working overtime. An angel appeared and said, "Why are you spending so much time on this one?" And the Lord answered, "Have you seen my spec sheet on her? She has to be completely washable, but not plastic, have over 200 movable parts, all replaceable and able to run on diet coke and leftovers, have a lap that can hold four children at one time, have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart -and she will do everything with only two hands."
The angel was astounded at the requirements. "Only two hands!? No way! And that's just on the standard model? That's too much work for one day. Wait until tomorrow to finish."
But I won't," the Lord protested. "I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart. She already heals herself when she is sick AND can work 18 hour days."
The angel moved closer and touched the woman. "But you have made her so soft, Lord." "She is soft," the Lord agreed, "but I have also made her tough. You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish."
"Will she be able to think?", asked the angel.
The Lord replied, "Not only will she be able to think, she will be able to reason and negotiate."
The angel then noticed something, and reaching out, touched the woman's cheek. "Oops, it looks like you have a leak in this model. I told you that you were trying to put too much into this one."
"That's not a leak," the Lord corrected, "that's a tear!"
"What's the tear for?" the angel asked.
The Lord said, "The tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, her pain, her disappointment, her love, her loneliness, her grief and her pride."
The angel was impressed. "You are a genius, Lord. You thought of everything! Woman is truly amazing."
And she is! Women have strengths that amaze men. They bear hardships and they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy.
They smile when they want to scream. They sing when they want to cry. They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous.
They fight for what they believe in. They stand up to injustice. They don't take "no" for an answer when they believe there is a better solution.
They go without so their family can have. They go to the doctor with a frightened friend. They love unconditionally.
They cry when their children excel and cheer when their friends get awards. They are happy when they hear about a birth or a wedding.
Their hearts break when a friend dies. They grieve at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left.
They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart.
Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors. They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you. The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning.. They bring joy, hope and love. They have compassion and ideals. They give moral support to their family and friends. Women have vital things to say and everything to give.
HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,
IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.
The angel was astounded at the requirements. "Only two hands!? No way! And that's just on the standard model? That's too much work for one day. Wait until tomorrow to finish."
But I won't," the Lord protested. "I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart. She already heals herself when she is sick AND can work 18 hour days."
The angel moved closer and touched the woman. "But you have made her so soft, Lord." "She is soft," the Lord agreed, "but I have also made her tough. You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish."
"Will she be able to think?", asked the angel.
The Lord replied, "Not only will she be able to think, she will be able to reason and negotiate."
The angel then noticed something, and reaching out, touched the woman's cheek. "Oops, it looks like you have a leak in this model. I told you that you were trying to put too much into this one."
"That's not a leak," the Lord corrected, "that's a tear!"
"What's the tear for?" the angel asked.
The Lord said, "The tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, her pain, her disappointment, her love, her loneliness, her grief and her pride."
The angel was impressed. "You are a genius, Lord. You thought of everything! Woman is truly amazing."
And she is! Women have strengths that amaze men. They bear hardships and they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy.
They smile when they want to scream. They sing when they want to cry. They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous.
They fight for what they believe in. They stand up to injustice. They don't take "no" for an answer when they believe there is a better solution.
They go without so their family can have. They go to the doctor with a frightened friend. They love unconditionally.
They cry when their children excel and cheer when their friends get awards. They are happy when they hear about a birth or a wedding.
Their hearts break when a friend dies. They grieve at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left.
They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart.
Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors. They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you. The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning.. They bring joy, hope and love. They have compassion and ideals. They give moral support to their family and friends. Women have vital things to say and everything to give.
HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,
IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.
Friday, June 23, 2006
The Difference Between Rich/Poor People?
One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live.
They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.
On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"
"It was great, Dad."
"Did you see how poor people live?" the father asked.
"Oh yeah," said the son.
"So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father.
The son answered:
"I saw that we have one dog and they had four.
We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.
We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.
Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.
We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.
We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.
We buy our food, but they grow theirs.
We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them."
The boy's father was speechless.
Then his son added, "Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are."
Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have.
They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.
On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"
"It was great, Dad."
"Did you see how poor people live?" the father asked.
"Oh yeah," said the son.
"So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father.
The son answered:
"I saw that we have one dog and they had four.
We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.
We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.
Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.
We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.
We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.
We buy our food, but they grow theirs.
We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them."
The boy's father was speechless.
Then his son added, "Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are."
Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Easy Vs Difficult
Easy is to judge the mistakes of others
Difficult is to recognize our own mistakes
Easy is to talk without thinking
Difficult is to refrain the tongue
Easy is to hurt someone who loves us.
Difficult is to heal the wound...
Easy is to forgive others
Difficult is to ask for forgiveness
Easy is to set rules.
Difficult is to follow them...
Easy is to dream every night.
Difficult is to fight for a dream...
Easy is to show victory.
Difficult is to assume defeat with dignity...
Easy is to admire a full moon.
Difficult to see the other side...
Easy is to stumble with a stone.
Difficult is to get up...
Easy is to enjoy life every day.
Difficult to give its real value...
Easy is to promise something to someone.
Difficult is to fulfill that promise...
Easy is to say we love.
Difficult is to show it every day...
Easy is to criticize others.
Difficult is to improve oneself...
Easy is to make mistakes.
Difficult is to learn from them...
Easy is to weep for a lost love.
Difficult is to take care of it so not to lose it.
Easy is to think about improving.
Difficult is to stop thinking it and put it into action...
Easy is to think bad of others
Difficult is to give them the benefit of the doubt...
Easy is to receive
Difficult is to give
Easy to read this
Difficult to follow
Easy is keep the friendship with words
Difficult is to keep it with meanings
Difficult is to recognize our own mistakes
Easy is to talk without thinking
Difficult is to refrain the tongue
Easy is to hurt someone who loves us.
Difficult is to heal the wound...
Easy is to forgive others
Difficult is to ask for forgiveness
Easy is to set rules.
Difficult is to follow them...
Easy is to dream every night.
Difficult is to fight for a dream...
Easy is to show victory.
Difficult is to assume defeat with dignity...
Easy is to admire a full moon.
Difficult to see the other side...
Easy is to stumble with a stone.
Difficult is to get up...
Easy is to enjoy life every day.
Difficult to give its real value...
Easy is to promise something to someone.
Difficult is to fulfill that promise...
Easy is to say we love.
Difficult is to show it every day...
Easy is to criticize others.
Difficult is to improve oneself...
Easy is to make mistakes.
Difficult is to learn from them...
Easy is to weep for a lost love.
Difficult is to take care of it so not to lose it.
Easy is to think about improving.
Difficult is to stop thinking it and put it into action...
Easy is to think bad of others
Difficult is to give them the benefit of the doubt...
Easy is to receive
Difficult is to give
Easy to read this
Difficult to follow
Easy is keep the friendship with words
Difficult is to keep it with meanings
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
To Realize
To realize
The value of a sister
Ask someone
Who doesn't have one.
To realize
The value of ten years:
Ask a newly
Divorced couple.
To realize
The value of four years:
Ask a graduate.
To realize
The value of one year:
Ask a student who
Has failed a final exam.
To realize
The value of nine months:
Ask a mother who gave birth to a still born.
To realize
The value of one month:
Ask a mother
who has given birth to
A premature baby.
To realize
The value of one week:
Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.
To realize
The value of one hour:
Ask the lovers who are waiting to Meet.
To realize
The value of one minute:
Ask a person
Who has missed the train, bus or plane.
To realize
The value of one-second:
Ask a person
Who has survived an accident...
To realize
The value of one millisecond:
Ask the person who has won a silver medal in the Olympics
Time waits for no one.
Treasure every moment you have.
You will treasure it even more when
you can share it with someone special.
To realize the value of a friend:
Lose one.
The value of a sister
Ask someone
Who doesn't have one.
To realize
The value of ten years:
Ask a newly
Divorced couple.
To realize
The value of four years:
Ask a graduate.
To realize
The value of one year:
Ask a student who
Has failed a final exam.
To realize
The value of nine months:
Ask a mother who gave birth to a still born.
To realize
The value of one month:
Ask a mother
who has given birth to
A premature baby.
To realize
The value of one week:
Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.
To realize
The value of one hour:
Ask the lovers who are waiting to Meet.
To realize
The value of one minute:
Ask a person
Who has missed the train, bus or plane.
To realize
The value of one-second:
Ask a person
Who has survived an accident...
To realize
The value of one millisecond:
Ask the person who has won a silver medal in the Olympics
Time waits for no one.
Treasure every moment you have.
You will treasure it even more when
you can share it with someone special.
To realize the value of a friend:
Lose one.
Hold my hand
A little girl and her father were crossing a bridge. The father was kind of scared so he asked his little daughter, "Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river."
The little girl said, "No, Dad. You please hold my hand."
"What's the difference, darling?", asked the puzzled father.
The little girl replied, "Dad, if I hold your hand and something happens to me, I may let your hand go. But if you hold my hand, no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go."
In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond. So hold the hand of the person whom you love rather than expecting them to hold yours.
The little girl said, "No, Dad. You please hold my hand."
"What's the difference, darling?", asked the puzzled father.
The little girl replied, "Dad, if I hold your hand and something happens to me, I may let your hand go. But if you hold my hand, no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go."
In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond. So hold the hand of the person whom you love rather than expecting them to hold yours.
Friday, April 14, 2006
Petrol Hike - Reader's Reply to Advice
Extracted from Forwarded Mail
Good mail with points to ponder upon
==========================================================================
I refer to the letter by Paul Ooi of Colorado entitled Oil prices in
Malaysia still cheaper. I must say Ooi's comparison of petrol prices in
Malaysia and the US is not logical, to say the least. He implies that we
Malaysians should not be so agitated over the recent hike in petrol
prices because we are paying US$2 per gallon while the Americans,
Japanese and Hong Kongites are paying US$2.35, US$3.50 and US$4.50
respectively.
I am totally surprised that it did not occur to a well-traveled person
like Ooi that Malaysians make much less than the people in the three
places he named. Malaysia has a GDP per capita of US$10,400 while the
United States, Japan and Hong Kong have a GDP per capita of US$41,800,
US$30,400 and US$36,800 respectively. Now, is Ooi actually saying that
someone who makes US$10,000 a year and pays US$2 for each gallon of
petrol is better off than a person who makes US$40,000 a year but pays
US$2.35 (a mere US$0.35 more) for each gallon of petrol? Doesn't make
that much sense, does it?
I'm tired of the usual banner of 'oil prices in Malaysia are still
cheaper when compared to others' every time price hikes take place. The
government must think we Malaysians are a bunch of donkeys. The fact is,
despite the mediocre education the government gives to most of us, we
can actually do simple maths. If the government had really done its job
all these decades, we would not be plagued by corruption and wastage and
would be doing so much better in the income and purchasing power
departments. The issue of oil subsidy would not even arise as we can
then afford to pay for unsubsidised fuel.
The government also launches into elaborate explanations as to why we
need to reduce subsidies for fuel and inject the salvaged money into
'much needed' development. But since the past four or five price hikes,
our development has remained at that -' much needed'. Can anybody
honestly say that the public transportation system in our country has
improved ever so tremendously so as to finally allow us to depend on it
to get to work, to school, to the market, the court, the hospital, for
meetings, etc?
Okay, so we understand the pressing economic need to put our money in
development, money which will otherwise be wasted away in fuel
subsidies. Understanding, however, does not put food on our tables.
Despite our comprehension of the economics of fuel subsidies, we still
cannot make ends meet. I'm not against the idea of development. It's
just that for the past 18 months or so, petrol prices have increased
about 40%, diesel prices about 100% and I have not had 1% of increase in
my pay. How, pray tell, am I supposed to cope with this increase in the
cost of living? The saying goes that by the time you can make ends meet,
they move the ends. In my case, I was not even close to making the ends
meet, and they have already moved the ends.
For the benefit of Ooi, I present the typical monthly expenses of a
middle-income earner in Kuala Lumpur:
Salary: RM2,600 (after EPF and tax deductions)
Minus:
Housing: RM300
Car loan: RM500
Study loan: RM200
Phone and Internet: RM150
Insurance: RM180
Petrol (lives a distance away from KL to take advantage of lower house
rent) - new price: RM600
Toll: RM180
Salary left for food: RM490
No savings, no entertainment budget, no new clothing, not much to give
the family. And when the time is up for car insurance and road tax,
credit card debt is incurred. Please don't tell this person to take
public transport. First of all, public transport does not reach where he
is living. Secondly, I really would not dare to ask him to rely on the
public transport to get to work and meetings on time. If he is a lawyer,
then he definitely does not want to take public transport unless he
doesn't mind his cases being struck out by the court due to his late
appearance.
If that is the life of a middle-income earner, my heart really goes out
to the low-income earner.
I do not think Malaysians are being unreasonable about the hike in fuel
prices. Trying to make ends meet and making sure the family has enough
food is not unreasonable. Feeling desperate and angry when price hikes
takes away the ability to buy enough food for the family is not
unreasonable. Unreasonable is when one complains about having to buy
less Gucci shoes. Unreasonable is when one tells his countrymen to
change their already marginalised lifestyles when he himself is driven
around in luxury cars while living in mansions and having his petrol
paid for by the rakyat's taxmoney. Unreasonable is when one tells people
earning less than RM1,000 a month to tighten their already tight belts
when he himself dines on the finest food in the finest ambience.
Coming back to Ooi, since he had so selflessly offered advice to
spendthrift and inconsiderate petrol-gulping Malaysians to change their
lifestyle, allow me to reciprocate his kindness. My advice to Ooi is to
come back to Malaysia, make Malaysian ringgit and pay US$2 for a gallon
of petrol. Ooi can also practise what he preaches about reviewing 'our
petrol consumption patterns'. In saying this, Ooi joins Noor Yahaya
Hamzah of New Zealand in admonishing Malaysians over their reluctance to
walk or ride a bicycle instead of taking the car.
Notice how these people are always those who live outside Malaysia? They
give their patronising advice from their comfortable homes in First
World countries with First World incomes and comfortable climate. It
would not be so easy to mete out such generous advice if you were living
in a Third World developing nation with your Third World income and
sweltering heat.
Good mail with points to ponder upon
==========================================================================
I refer to the letter by Paul Ooi of Colorado entitled Oil prices in
Malaysia still cheaper. I must say Ooi's comparison of petrol prices in
Malaysia and the US is not logical, to say the least. He implies that we
Malaysians should not be so agitated over the recent hike in petrol
prices because we are paying US$2 per gallon while the Americans,
Japanese and Hong Kongites are paying US$2.35, US$3.50 and US$4.50
respectively.
I am totally surprised that it did not occur to a well-traveled person
like Ooi that Malaysians make much less than the people in the three
places he named. Malaysia has a GDP per capita of US$10,400 while the
United States, Japan and Hong Kong have a GDP per capita of US$41,800,
US$30,400 and US$36,800 respectively. Now, is Ooi actually saying that
someone who makes US$10,000 a year and pays US$2 for each gallon of
petrol is better off than a person who makes US$40,000 a year but pays
US$2.35 (a mere US$0.35 more) for each gallon of petrol? Doesn't make
that much sense, does it?
I'm tired of the usual banner of 'oil prices in Malaysia are still
cheaper when compared to others' every time price hikes take place. The
government must think we Malaysians are a bunch of donkeys. The fact is,
despite the mediocre education the government gives to most of us, we
can actually do simple maths. If the government had really done its job
all these decades, we would not be plagued by corruption and wastage and
would be doing so much better in the income and purchasing power
departments. The issue of oil subsidy would not even arise as we can
then afford to pay for unsubsidised fuel.
The government also launches into elaborate explanations as to why we
need to reduce subsidies for fuel and inject the salvaged money into
'much needed' development. But since the past four or five price hikes,
our development has remained at that -' much needed'. Can anybody
honestly say that the public transportation system in our country has
improved ever so tremendously so as to finally allow us to depend on it
to get to work, to school, to the market, the court, the hospital, for
meetings, etc?
Okay, so we understand the pressing economic need to put our money in
development, money which will otherwise be wasted away in fuel
subsidies. Understanding, however, does not put food on our tables.
Despite our comprehension of the economics of fuel subsidies, we still
cannot make ends meet. I'm not against the idea of development. It's
just that for the past 18 months or so, petrol prices have increased
about 40%, diesel prices about 100% and I have not had 1% of increase in
my pay. How, pray tell, am I supposed to cope with this increase in the
cost of living? The saying goes that by the time you can make ends meet,
they move the ends. In my case, I was not even close to making the ends
meet, and they have already moved the ends.
For the benefit of Ooi, I present the typical monthly expenses of a
middle-income earner in Kuala Lumpur:
Salary: RM2,600 (after EPF and tax deductions)
Minus:
Housing: RM300
Car loan: RM500
Study loan: RM200
Phone and Internet: RM150
Insurance: RM180
Petrol (lives a distance away from KL to take advantage of lower house
rent) - new price: RM600
Toll: RM180
Salary left for food: RM490
No savings, no entertainment budget, no new clothing, not much to give
the family. And when the time is up for car insurance and road tax,
credit card debt is incurred. Please don't tell this person to take
public transport. First of all, public transport does not reach where he
is living. Secondly, I really would not dare to ask him to rely on the
public transport to get to work and meetings on time. If he is a lawyer,
then he definitely does not want to take public transport unless he
doesn't mind his cases being struck out by the court due to his late
appearance.
If that is the life of a middle-income earner, my heart really goes out
to the low-income earner.
I do not think Malaysians are being unreasonable about the hike in fuel
prices. Trying to make ends meet and making sure the family has enough
food is not unreasonable. Feeling desperate and angry when price hikes
takes away the ability to buy enough food for the family is not
unreasonable. Unreasonable is when one complains about having to buy
less Gucci shoes. Unreasonable is when one tells his countrymen to
change their already marginalised lifestyles when he himself is driven
around in luxury cars while living in mansions and having his petrol
paid for by the rakyat's taxmoney. Unreasonable is when one tells people
earning less than RM1,000 a month to tighten their already tight belts
when he himself dines on the finest food in the finest ambience.
Coming back to Ooi, since he had so selflessly offered advice to
spendthrift and inconsiderate petrol-gulping Malaysians to change their
lifestyle, allow me to reciprocate his kindness. My advice to Ooi is to
come back to Malaysia, make Malaysian ringgit and pay US$2 for a gallon
of petrol. Ooi can also practise what he preaches about reviewing 'our
petrol consumption patterns'. In saying this, Ooi joins Noor Yahaya
Hamzah of New Zealand in admonishing Malaysians over their reluctance to
walk or ride a bicycle instead of taking the car.
Notice how these people are always those who live outside Malaysia? They
give their patronising advice from their comfortable homes in First
World countries with First World incomes and comfortable climate. It
would not be so easy to mete out such generous advice if you were living
in a Third World developing nation with your Third World income and
sweltering heat.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Friend Vs Best Friend
Friend: calls your parents by mr. and mrs.
Best friend: calls your parents dad and mom.
Friend: has never seen you cry
Best friend: has always had the best shoulder to cry on
Friend: never asks for anything to eat or drink
Best friend: opens the fridge and makes herself at home
Friend: asks you to write down your number.
Best friend: they ask you for their number (cuz they can't remember it)
Friend: borrows your stuff for a few days then gives it back.
Best friend: has a closet full of your stuff
Friend: only knows a few things about you
Best friend: could write a biography on your life story
Friend: will leave you behind if that is what the crowd is doing
Best friend: will always go with you
Best friend: calls your parents dad and mom.
Friend: has never seen you cry
Best friend: has always had the best shoulder to cry on
Friend: never asks for anything to eat or drink
Best friend: opens the fridge and makes herself at home
Friend: asks you to write down your number.
Best friend: they ask you for their number (cuz they can't remember it)
Friend: borrows your stuff for a few days then gives it back.
Best friend: has a closet full of your stuff
Friend: only knows a few things about you
Best friend: could write a biography on your life story
Friend: will leave you behind if that is what the crowd is doing
Best friend: will always go with you
Love & Marriage
A student asks a teacher, "What is love?"
The teacher said, "in order to answer your question, go to the padi field and choose the biggest padi and come back.
But the rule is: you can go through them only once and cannot turn back to pick."
The student went to the field, go thru first row, he saw one big padi, but he wonders....may be there is a bigger one later.
Then he saw another biggerone... but may be there is a even bigger one waiting for him.
Later, when he finished more than half of the padi field, he start to realize that the padi is not as big as the previous one he saw, he know he has missed the biggest one, and he regretted !!!!
So, he ended up went back to the teacher with empty hand.
The teacher told him, "...this is love... you keep looking for a better one,but when later you realize, you have already miss the person...."
"What is marriage then?" the student asked.
The teacher said, "in order to answer your question, go to the corn field and choose the biggest corn and come back.
But the rule is: you can go through them only once and cannot turn back to pick.
"The student went to the corn field, this time he is careful not to repeat the previous mistake, when he reach the middle of the field, he has picked one medium corn that he feel satisfy, and come back to the teacher.
The teacher told him, "this time you bring back a corn.... you look for one that is just nice, and you have faith and believe this is the best one you get.... this is marriage."
The teacher said, "in order to answer your question, go to the padi field and choose the biggest padi and come back.
But the rule is: you can go through them only once and cannot turn back to pick."
The student went to the field, go thru first row, he saw one big padi, but he wonders....may be there is a bigger one later.
Then he saw another biggerone... but may be there is a even bigger one waiting for him.
Later, when he finished more than half of the padi field, he start to realize that the padi is not as big as the previous one he saw, he know he has missed the biggest one, and he regretted !!!!
So, he ended up went back to the teacher with empty hand.
The teacher told him, "...this is love... you keep looking for a better one,but when later you realize, you have already miss the person...."
"What is marriage then?" the student asked.
The teacher said, "in order to answer your question, go to the corn field and choose the biggest corn and come back.
But the rule is: you can go through them only once and cannot turn back to pick.
"The student went to the corn field, this time he is careful not to repeat the previous mistake, when he reach the middle of the field, he has picked one medium corn that he feel satisfy, and come back to the teacher.
The teacher told him, "this time you bring back a corn.... you look for one that is just nice, and you have faith and believe this is the best one you get.... this is marriage."
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