Picatho's causeries

Putrajaya Nov 01: Road safety campaigns are now sending out positive messages about courtesy and good habits on the road, instead of showing gory images of dead scenes.

It is irreligious. Because the tendency to 'race to win' and assume unnecessary risks is a basic human trait. Entertainment and ego appear to be some of the motivations for such tendency.

Road users' decisions are often affected by irrelevant trait of greediness. They just want to be ahead the others or they simply want to bid for a wining pleasure. When their brains get framed, they often take mental shortcuts resulting to their greedy or fun acts.

Body, threat, price of life and regret show that road risk takers often face serious conflict of 'to overtake' or 'not to overtake'. They also face cognitive bias and cultural bias.

Actually road travelers are risk takers. The risk here is theorized bases on the Malaysian boleh No. 1 fatal accident rate. It means that we got to take risk when using the road. Elements such as poor transport system, road condition, vehicle condition, weather condition, mental desire and enforcement propel the risk.

Therefore teaching on how to take risk on the road is fundamental. For example, a message of "knows your car's performance, knows your physical condition, knows your situation, before you negotiate to overtake" is more practical.

Moral or ethics teaching is insignificantly perceivable. It should be prompted into the mental compartments starting from the young age. Caretaker is tended to be responsible. A better prompted child will know how to cross the road better. This serves as a starting point.

It's most immoral for a caretaker sharing his/her joy with children for his/her dangerous driving experiences. Inevitably, thousand words of persuasion would not deter these children when they've grown up. I have seen with my own eyes, a car of family members were so cheerful that when their father (driver) had successfully zoomed (jumped) the queue at a terminal.

If the said elements of risk are set to improve for the minimization of risk. Then the disjunction effect on the tendency for people doesn’t want to wait patiently to make decision will be gentle.

Things are not always 100% right. For those people who tend to place their life to bid for a short moment of joy. The only lessen which can be taught to them is experience. "by not seeing coffin, no tears" is the kind.

There is a human tendency to feel the pain of regret at having made errors. Until one day, he got to "kicks himself" at having done something foolish, then he may alter his behavior. But sometimes it is too late to be experienced. Perhaps it serves as a lesson to others.

I remember. Few years back, I was introduced by my college professor to speak on how to initiate our project paper. I was chosen because I was one of the only three grandfather grade students in the class.

So I stepped up to the podium with little embarrassed and said, "Ladies & gentlemen, I'm sorry. I've been using keyboard rather then pen for decades. What I know is Internet Kongfu of which is a search then cut & paste act."

As all of the class laughed I continued, "But my topic of 'Does the CDTP introduced by SSM Malaysia increase the value of corporate governance?' is unfortunately found with zero search as my project is a first ever survey of the kind I think, therefore I can't demonstrate my Internet Kongfu!" The professor laughed with touching head and noted me 'idiot'.

At the end, I got less marks then those who'd used Internet Kongfu to write their projects. Because the stupid matsaleh examiner didn't understand the culture of Malaysian.

For the rest of you, the demonstration of Internet Kongfu is trying out hereof.

According to a poll conducted by Taiwan UDN Daily today, 91% of Taipei's students process PC, out of which 82% are connected to Internet.

There was a standard V pupil called Teoh Siau Mei who has 2 PCs at home. One of which is her specified PC. During this summer holiday, she was assigned with several homework, including which has a title of "Sending e-mail to schoolmate"; "Which flowers are blossoming in July?" and "Study the July's horoscope".

Her first reaction was "It's so easy!". She had a Yahoo as well as her school e-mail accounts. She used to MSN with schoolmates for pastime. Nevertheless, her finished projects had come out with fine wordings accomplished with graphics thanked to her parent's newly bought color printer.

The survey finding indicates that many students are more expert in Internet kongfu then teachers!

The world's rating of Internet usage for Taiwan is pretty high. The survey shows that 67% of children aged below 12 have had experienced with PC; 63% being to net; 62% almost connected to net daily.

You see! Teachers, you may be left behind those kids who know Internet Kongfu!

Sometimes, closing one eye is better then opening both eyes to perceive the situation when looking at things. Occasionally, "mou gan thai" (closing both eyes) even provides better general state of things.

"Closing one eye" does have 2 conveyances. One is by closing one eye to look at thing, you'll definitely get a sharper focus and special emphasis attached to it. Just like the moment, when an aged person is supposed to pass a thread through the needle's hole; a shooter is aiming towards an object. Usually, they would close one eye to perform the job.

Another one is, appearing to be perceived with a fussy situation by closing one eye to look at thing. So that one may simply take a well chosen answer with "I don't know" when being asked for that particular thing. It does also have an implication of corruption when the term is used in political compositions.

The act of "closing one eye" is now largely exercised by many people as well as caretakers upon social services. Regardless of others, I am finding myself to be fond of closing one eye too!

It was a Monday blue this morning. Having been waken up early in the morning by the body clock, I could only manage to open one eye (in sleepy eyed) to throw a glance at the clock. Yet it was so reluctant to jump out from the bed....

A quick taking on the Guang Ming Daily enlightened me that 54% of Taiwanese didn't believe Ah Pian's "obscure" claim over the burgeoning corruption scandal. The scandal involving the Kaohsiung MRT project, according to an opinion poll made by UDN news in Taiwan. Otherwise stated that Ah Pian was all the while "closing one eye" on the issue. It provoked me to leer at the headline by using one eye (dubiously)!

When I supposed to bank, I found that it was a chaotic noon at Sbg. Jaya as where the order of parking had turned awry. And curiously, the seasoning blue-shirted summoners were not visible. My immediate assumption was that they might be "closing one eye" in favor of coming festivals. So I also "closed one eye" (regardlessly) parked my car elsewhere.

Bulging from the office, I was flopping with sleepiness and a sudden yawning had irritated one of my eyes with tear secretion that caused me unable to open my both eyes.

Back at home, Ping Pang Ping Pang, there was another "closing one eye" even for the availability of firecrackers.

Perhaps, It was an out of the blue "closing one eye" day!

I was having a trek with my old partner this morning with good grace at Hutan Lipur Sungai Sedim.

A 40 minute driving from Kulim High Tech Park, heading north to Mahang, then turning left to Sedim took me to the destination.

It is a rustic recreation park covers over hundred of acres. The natural forest and stream remains unscarred. It is a thriving tourist destination, especially for family picnickers, hikers and back-packers, where visitors will be charmed by the natural body of running water flowing on and on; and the natural jungle.

Ideal for camping or just eating alfresco beside the stream offer complete exaggerated feeling of well-being amid the fore landscape. Desire of watery is just a foot way. Shady trees that shelter the park make it an idyllic spot for couple.

For an activity of exerting yourself, there are many small mountains for you to trek on. On top of that, night safari is also available for expedition too.

Pic 1 - my car parked at the core area (car park) of the recreation park.

Pic 2 - the "tree top walk" high ways offers a “jalan kaki" in the air.

Pic 3 - one of the spots of flowing water.

Pic 4 - one of the campsites.

We had sweat and senang-senang until sunset. Then in between the returning journey, we stopped at Hutan Lipur Ulu Paip (just located near Kg Karangan) where there is a lakeview seafood restaurant, we took our seafood dinner there. One deep fried fresh water fish + a plate of vagi + a plate of steam cooked fresh water tortoise = RM35.50 inclusive rice & drinks. Seronok!

This morning I met a writer, Mr Wong Hoey Yeam, the former Youth Secretary General of the Malaysian Federation of Chinese Assembly Halls, who is now a regular columnist for Nanyang Press.

We had a very good exchange of views on cultures, politics, peoples and renowned writers. I learnt that he used to read an average of 4 to 5 books a month, the ability of which is my inept at reading.

We were uttering from west to east and finally we'd descended our foci onto Li Ao.

Ong having acquainted with Li Ao since his social visits to Li Ao during the last Chinese Eighth Moon festival. Ong is also a devoted reader of Li Ao and has collected over 90 books of Li Ao.

Base on Ong's descriptions, I'd gained the diorama of Li Ao and had come to know more about the another aspect of Li Ao as follow:-

Li Ao (born April 25, 1935), who is a writer, social commentator, politician in Taiwan, satirist, scholar, former political prisoner, and is also a member of Taiwan's legislature.

He’s just returned from China for his 10-day cultural trip on Sep 19, 2005. Li Ao strongly supports the idea of "one country, two systems" proposed by Deng Siaoping. He believes that the unification of China would bring more beneficial for Taiwan.

Most people consider Li Ao as a writer of ladida, solitary, horse-shitted, goofy and lofty. But he hasn't regarded himself as a writer because his name is not listed into the 900 over pages of Taiwanese Writers Records Book which has been registered with 706 writers so far. Therefore he opts to become a social commentator cum actor.

Li Ao's life is full of fluctuations between hope and despair. He seldom weeps over his own unhappiness but he'll weep for the misfortunes of friend and love affairs.

During 2003 & 2004, he suffered a great dismay. First was the departure of his beloved mother that had stimulated his feelings of being old shaped and had influenced him to retire from the screening of "Li Ao Tai Ko Tai" TV programs. But somehow he'd later on resumed his TV show as a host of "Li Ao has word to say".

Another incident was his operation of prostate cancer. Being a historian, his first astonishment was a self questioning of "shall I purportedly become the second Sima Qian?" (1st major Chinese historian who was castrated and jailed by Emperor Han Wudi. At the mere sight of his underlings he was seized with terror...).

His political inclinations are more controversial; he is an outspoken Pan-Blue supporter given much media exposure thanks to his popularity as a writer. Todays, he has found his own political dissidents from being a famous TV speaker.

Li Ao is interestingly known for generally appearing in public wearing a Fred Rogers-like cardigan sweater.

Li Ao also has a habitual usage of affixing his talks with numeral quotes such as Gandhi's "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others"; Vladimir Lenin's "An unfaithful friend, is an enemy"; and one of his own quotes "Everyone does have weak point cum good point, my weak point is - I like to tell the truth; my bad point is - I'm becoming more joyful upon my weak point".

My abstract: His bitterly speeches against other Ah-Bian's followers has received much international attention and accolade from the papers as well as the peoples of China. Although Li is a dissident writer and popular cultural figure equipped with historical talent, he's inevitably not a good husband!

Companies must be equipped with suitable people in order to function his/her jobs effectively.

What if an enquiry was putting into a dilemma of - Please hold on ... music ... hallows, please hold on ... music ... Mr Chin is not in ... hold on ... don't know where he's going ... hold on ... Mr Yong also not in ... hold on ... also don't know where he's going ... I've no idea on your case. In such a case, certainly the inquirer will be encountered with jagged teeth.

This happened to me this morning when I was calling a developer (whose logo is embossed with "Superbrands") in order to get my property be transferred quickly from procrastination.

After being juggled around, my anger was suddenly erupted. I then told the girl that although you're the innocent one but I still have to censure out my accusation.

I told her that since you all people didn't understand polite English, I'd no choice but to speak "vul-glish" (vulgar English) with you.

So I blurt out: "you pukima had to wait and see to tell whether your manager was in or not, what's the hell you all people are doing, go ask your motherfucking manager to call me back".

Few minutes later. The "vul-glish" was successfully comprehended with a fast returned call from the said manager.

Once I picked up the call and before he could make any answer, I immediately threw him another "vul-lish": "kanlineh, you wrote to my lawyer that the transfer couldn't be effective without any supportive reason. As far as what I knew, Strata Title had been given out many years ago yet you're defaulting Strata Title Acts, some more you'd collected consent fees from me, you thought you're a crocodile hak!"

"Sorry Mr Tan, because .......", he eventually explained.

Perhaps, that's the Malaysian ways of corporate (where white rats are reared) answering system.

Ba Jin (Li Feiren), who born in Nov 25 1904 in Chengdu, China, has died on 19-10-05 at the age of 101.

He was honored as "the conscience of the Chinese people in the 20th Century" by The Sichuan Daily of Chengdu.

Ba Jin, was quoted as a writer who had engaged in a crusade for justice, freedom and quality as reflected in his masterly works "Family", "Spring" and "Autumn" and his "The Trilogy of Love" which were set against the background of oppressive feudalism.

The philosophy of his seeking neither money nor fame in his lifetime is what I'm looking up to. Together with Lu Zun (1881-1936), whose philosophizes about the study of the nature and meaning of existence, reality, knowledge, goodness and literary criticism etc., are profoundly delighted and grateful.

Lu Xun chose to begin writing the way people talk. Any scholar worth his salt would have written in this literary style. I'd read Lu Zun's The "True Story of Ah Q" sometimes 35 years ago and we, schoolmates, at that time, were almost practicing the spirits of Ah Q.

One of the spirits is "don't afraid of no-money, if you just have a justifiable heart". But this remark is not longer applicable in today's society. Now is - no money no talk world, where if you don't have money, you better walk into a side street. If you're still reckoning on "you're right-human right", you might be subsequently treated as a dog! Or else a chauffeur would simply run over you!

Another one is "once people spits on your face, never-mine, just rub it off and pretend that nothing has happened". I don't think now I have this kind of "small people" (belittled) Ah Q spirit. I would certainly fucking back for my self-regard against those shammed assaults.

The most reality one, is one of the revolutionary theories of Mao Zedong (1893-1976, former chair of Communist Party of China). It was quoted as “fills your stomach first, then talk about revolution".

So what? Find the salt to feed your stomach first before you could do anything!

Any man worth his salt will stick up for what he believes right, but it takes a slightly better man to acknowledge instantly and without reservation that he is in error. - Andrew Jackson