Hereby is the compulsory second part of the end year reflection on the year gone by and what is hoped for in 2009. Let's come back some 12 months later and see how much things have changed or not at all and have a good laugh at this resolution malarkey.
We all have aspirations for the nation to achieve in the next year and years after but in short term I would like to see some improvements on the bread-and-butter stuff, such as
1. Increased efficiency of the public transport
The reason why people drive their cars and create more jams when it is already jammed beyond jammed jammed is because the public transport can't be relied on to bring them where they want to go. Many reasons for that being that either they are not on time, are of too low of capacity to serve rush hour traffic as well as not going anywhere people want to go.
The first reason is simple enough as it is well known of over here and even in developed nations like Britain as well - I frequent RAWK, a predominantly British site of people there complaining about the bus system there that is sh****. I suppose sh*** is better than over here since as Malaysians we have that prenatural instinct to laud anything overseas, but it's just about similar just somewhat better. There's an old joke about London busses - you wait for ages and suddenly three comes by. Why not drive the car where I can dictate when I leave and arrive?
The second reason is because nobody likes to get up close and personal with a stranger unless they're physically attractive and don't smell like camels after a day's work. Why not drive the car where I have a big space for myself in the airconditioner?
The final reason is more of a planning problem as you can't expect people to drive kilometres just to take the bus or the train to work, it's ridiculous. Furthermore with the jam in between transit to the station, you have to fight for parking space as well. Why not drive the car straight to where I want to go?
And all three reasons of why we don't just drive the car brings about that endless cycle of jam - unsatisfactory public transport system --> people drive car --> create jams --> impacts unsatisfactory public transport system --> more people drive car --> create more jams ... repeat ad nauseum.
To be more specific - a transport system that arrives would be a good start - if it arrives 5 minutes late is still somewhat acceptable, just not when it doesn't arrive at all.
Otherwise higher frequency would be a good idea as well so that we don't have to squeeze in with everybody else as well as reduce the number of people jostling to get into the train because they don't come frequently enough.
In short, it can be better - if the price of petrol skyrockets again there won't be a sudden shock to the public transport system that it struggles to cope like it did in the past five months as most people are already taking the bus, train, monorail etc.
2. Less politicking, more work done
There's this thing about getting elected to Parliament that appeals to certain people that it affords a high profile exposure to the nation either via the press or media or from making ridiculous statements without first engaging the grey matter.
The problem with being a national figure is that whatever you say and do end up on the papers, especially on national policies or comments on whatever is happening in the nation. Nowhere is a debate more important than at the august that is our Dewan Rakyat where the elected representatives debate on national issues and enact laws & ordinances.
Now that is how it is supposed to and yet with the world watching via the live telecasts of the parliamentary sittings, the MPs from either side are content on indulging in the practice of name calling, be it bigfoot, monyet, kayu or bodoh. Over and over.
If this is how it is like in the highest lawmaking house of the nation you have to wonder why the younger generation simply don't care about politics anymore - much grief to the Speaker of the house for trying the calm a bunch of schoolchildren. No doubt the issues are important (or appear to be important) but certain MPs seemed to feel that just appearing and picking a fight (or four) whilst doing nothing substantial to the sitting is all they were elected to do.
"Hey, I'm the ruling party you listen to what I say or I'd do your head in."
"Who cares, I'm the opposition and my job is to oppose what you say even if it makes sense".
If you have the time and the Internet connection, try searching around for C-Span telecasts online - the US channel that broadcasts national lawmaking and executive events such as Congressional or Senatorial debates - those monyet in Dewan Rakyat pales in comparison to these well researched and substantiated debates. Rebuttals, if any are made with equally well made arguments. And the Republican senator might vote for a bill that is presented by a Democrat as well as the other way round if it is good.
Try the British Parliament as well - in their exquisite accents, the MPs make good use of flair in their speeches about debates on national issues. If there were counter-arguments that border on sensitive matters (read: racial) they're made properly and with reason without resorting to cheap shots and scoring political points.
We're not far away from that level of debate actually, it's just whether they want to do it or not. The increase in Opposition numbers in Parliament did help somewhat as most of them are made up of professionals who know their stuff, so the ruling party will have to debate at the same level or end up looking to be stuck in the old era of debating something they don't know about.
3. Stop the sale of cars with broken signal lights.
It's quite funny to know considering that the Mercedes, Camry, Alfa Rome, Accord as well as our (own Proton & Perodua) imported into the country are fitted with substandard signal lights that works sometimes but nowhere are they more apparent in those popular but more expensive versions. I'm sure the drivers who flick on their signal lights aren't aware that the high premium they pay for their cars does not seem to guarantee working signal lights. It seems like the expensive and high-tech parts that make up the car are engineered to work well in all road conditions, with the exception of the signal light.
It's not a certain occurence as in they stop working every single time but regularly enough to warrant a comment. The more interesting part is that a lot of these cars are from the more expensive variety of the imported vehicles as mentioned above including those Peugeot, VW etc. Why do they skim on signal lights? Does the material burn out after the 10th flick of the switch? I'm sure the on/off mechanism used to control it is not that difficult to do - I remember we're taught how to wire a few LEDs to a circuit and make it blink with a switch.
Perhaps in Europe or Japan they're way advanced when it comes to mental capacity that they have developed telepathy or ESP to tell the other guy on the road that they want to make a right turn, they just slow down and make the proper adjustments hence eliminating the need for signal lights?
Soon maybe even the headlight will no longer needed in the future as we can all 'sense' the presence of another car from which direction and at what speed in the darkness of night.
Until all that happens, I ask for the government to disallow sale of cars with subpar signal lights to the people.
There's a part on people and how they should realise that the world is bigger than their backyard and different people think differently and there is no black or white in life but I'll write that as part of a story itself.
31 December 2008
28 December 2008
Hopes For 2009: Personal
Hereby is the compulsory first part of the end year reflection on the year gone by and what is hoped for in 2009. Let's come back some 12 months later and see how much things have changed or not at all and have a good laugh at this resolution malarkey.
Yeah, it's that time of the year again. Everybody stands proud, looking at the dawn of a new year and make resolutions of what to achieve and what is hoped for.
1. Change the car.
The idea is already there since September last year as my curent 'old' Saga, the last of its kind released before the people at Proton decided to unleash another that is fundamentally better looking and well-improved to the masses. To be honest my first feeling when I saw the new slick saga was that of betrayal - why didn't they release this in so much earlier?
Still, back then the feeling for a change was due to the dramatic increase in oil prices worldwide, driving petrol prices up, making smaller compact cars the one en vogue. Now that even petrol going down even further than the pre-price-spike era, I still think it would be worth it to be able to save even more.
I take the train to work nowadays but would still have to drive to site if there's work to be done at client's side but that does not happen on a daily basis. So why change the car you ask?
First, I got tired of switching gears. Yes, this coming from one guy who makes fun of cars with automatic transmission. After driving my brother's Picanto and the company's Myvi (all automatic), I felt the need to delegate the shifting duties to the torque converter and really enjoy the driving.
Secondly, this current car is at the end of the line which means that parts and sorts will get reduced bit by bit as Proton increases support for the newer models. It still worked fine of course, but I got tired of getting the starter changed (second one in one year) when it does not respond after the first turn of the key. Then the internal light gave up on me as well as the damage to the bumper that I still haven't fixed after almost five years because it works fine. I predict expensive problems in the future and I plan not to become part of that future.
So which car do I have in mind now? As of today, I'm still set on the Myvi as the car seems to have the least amount of complaints (if any) compared to our friends from Proton and is also fuel economic - lower fuel prices doesn't mean it's time to splurge; I'm like my dad, save everything you can, trouble can rear its head at any time. Also, I'm not rich, mind you so don't bother telling me about the Honda's, the Toyota's and the Suzuki's.
2. Call home at least once a month.
I admit I have been quite the naughty son when it comes to calling home to talk. I'm pretty sure Mother must've muttered in her breath once in a while about me not calling home to tell everybody how I was doing over here etc.
The thing is that I am of the 'no news is good news' camp in which I don't find the reason to talk to people about something unless its significantly important but yet Brother made a good point about just calling home to re-establish that tie.
Earlier this month I just topped up the SIM card, finding some RM37.90 left, meaning that I haven't actually made many calls since the last reload. Now I have RM 97.90 for whatever calls and probably more when I go back for CNY later.
Makes sense? Yes.
3. Visit a(nother) foreign country
Strange enough but from this 29-years of life I have only been overseas twice and both occassions were adjacent countries. The first was to Brunei Darussalam during the times when I were still a wee lad when visiting Brunei was as easy as driving for two hours down the Miri-Brunei road. Otherwise it were the prefectorial camp or for whatever reason that the family wanted to. The other happened just this August when I went with my supervisor to Singapore for a study visit.
To be honest the biggest problem with me is the expectation of going for such trips. I'd like the 6-hours trip down the highway to actually be worth something than just visiting shopping malls and looking at babes from another country. I'm not one to visit some place just to check out the buildings or food as I find all of that available in my own country as well.
"Noooo, it's different!", I hear the choruses of protest from you.
To me, time is 'short' in the sense that it passes by quickly when I'm on leisure and within those hours I'd like to have something memorable enough for me to talk about once I get back. My previous excursion was some two years ago to Langkawi with my ex-colleagues and we had a great time because there were so much to do during the whole trip and came back with plenty of mementos.
So if a trip to Phuket is all about sitting at the beach doing nothing, fine with me but don't tell me it's just to taste the seafood.
The other problem of course is financial - I happen to use cash all the time for everything I can so naturally I don't have any credit cards. I'm one of those people who believe in spending only what I have in oppose to what I will have as I am pretty reluctant to hedge the future seeing that all sorts of unpredictability can just happen on the spot. Liquid cash is what I like and as my friends normally tease - real money is the real marker of one's wealth.
Still, with the car to come, I don't think it's gonna be lavish.
4. Get (only) one credit card
Huh?
In opposition to what I have mentioned above, yes I do need a card and for a few proper reasons as well, the most important one being to pay for things I need without using cash. One such instance are the yearly Chinese New Year airplane ticket frenzy at Air Asia's ticket website. Would be proper to be able to book it myself and have the control in my own hands than to rely on someone else who might be asleep (it gets snapped up at midnight) or busy. Sometimes in the period of waiting I knew I could've done so by myself, quicker and with less hassle. After that there's the thing about paying back.
Other possible reasons include petrol in which paying with the card can be a good idea seeing that I can get reward points for every cent I spend. Accumulate and I might just get something good for free.
I would also want to get a National Geographic subscription for the year of which the easiest way to do so is online without the hassle of postal order etc.
The important part though, is to be disciplined in my spending - pay them back as soon as you spend - which is easier said than done. I have many friends who got burnt and swore off credit cards because they thought they could to control themselves.
I also have this interest of getting a Core2 processor, the iPod Touch (and iPhone 3G if they ever bring it in to Malaysia), Nvidia etc etc ...
Can I? We'll see.
-
Four to start with is fine - I don't oversell my abilities.
For some interesting hopes, have a look at the non-specific ones below either for a laugh or to lend a hand...
Non-specific #1 : The first of which I cannot predict, depending on the scenario is to improve my knowledge further in the realm of networking and Linux operations. I found that in the last two months or so of my dalliance with the Open Sourced operating system that many things that is done on Linux is a lot simpler to do on it than on Windows. Furthermore, the customisability of the system is at such great variety that Windows actually looked outdated. Whilst in the process of learning all this I also garnered some information on how to work on the machine using the Unix terminal. The similarity between this and that of the networking appliances I work with at the office seems to (as the operation manager likes to say) 'jive' along well - you learn one part, it seems to correspond in some way if not whole to the other.
Non-specific #2: Have my status changed from 'available' to 'unavailable'.
Whoa, the single and desperate guy.
No I'm not - if I were I'd settle for just about anybody out there just so that I have someone.
I'd probably do this on a more indirect manner in which make more female friends and change ratio of 'success' from 0.00012 to 0.003 for example. One to not expect anything to happen unless it should, expect me to become clueless for just about most of the time but probably get the 'sign' right once somehow.
Friends would be the my favourite group of people to choose from - friends know one another's good, bad and ugly and friends accept one another's good, bad and ugly. In short, they don't pretend with one another. If you like each other regardless of the good, bad and ugly, then chances are your love is honest and very likely to stay with one another regardless of the good, bad and ugly.
Ask your friends and see how many of those previously unseen good, bad and ugly seem to appear or disappear when the chase is done ie. they turn into completely different people. I put that at the same bracket as 'cheating' by selling something you are not.
Hence I dislike making moves on that cutie I hardly know - Adibah Amin's immortal words ring true 'tak kenal maka tak cinta'.
A few friends told to 'just go out and do it'. I know it's thateasy but not many understood that I look for a meaningful companionship rather than just having somebody. If it were so that I can tell everyone (including my folks) that I have a girlfriend, then I might as well be single - fine with me; I get all the free time I want and whatever I want to myself - hardly a loser am I? If anything I have strong resistance to loneliness and peer pressure. I'd rather have 10 more female friends than 1 special person.
So far nobody seem to interest me that much to actually cause some of that 'ache' to develop in the heart yet but who knows 2009 might be the year but don't count on it. It's not the same as going to the market to buy cabbage - pick and choose the one you like, pay and go. This 'cabbage' can and will choose who the buyer is too.
Either way, I'm not waiting for 'Miss Right' - she does not exist.
Yeah, it's that time of the year again. Everybody stands proud, looking at the dawn of a new year and make resolutions of what to achieve and what is hoped for.
1. Change the car.
The idea is already there since September last year as my curent 'old' Saga, the last of its kind released before the people at Proton decided to unleash another that is fundamentally better looking and well-improved to the masses. To be honest my first feeling when I saw the new slick saga was that of betrayal - why didn't they release this in so much earlier?
Still, back then the feeling for a change was due to the dramatic increase in oil prices worldwide, driving petrol prices up, making smaller compact cars the one en vogue. Now that even petrol going down even further than the pre-price-spike era, I still think it would be worth it to be able to save even more.
I take the train to work nowadays but would still have to drive to site if there's work to be done at client's side but that does not happen on a daily basis. So why change the car you ask?
First, I got tired of switching gears. Yes, this coming from one guy who makes fun of cars with automatic transmission. After driving my brother's Picanto and the company's Myvi (all automatic), I felt the need to delegate the shifting duties to the torque converter and really enjoy the driving.
Secondly, this current car is at the end of the line which means that parts and sorts will get reduced bit by bit as Proton increases support for the newer models. It still worked fine of course, but I got tired of getting the starter changed (second one in one year) when it does not respond after the first turn of the key. Then the internal light gave up on me as well as the damage to the bumper that I still haven't fixed after almost five years because it works fine. I predict expensive problems in the future and I plan not to become part of that future.
So which car do I have in mind now? As of today, I'm still set on the Myvi as the car seems to have the least amount of complaints (if any) compared to our friends from Proton and is also fuel economic - lower fuel prices doesn't mean it's time to splurge; I'm like my dad, save everything you can, trouble can rear its head at any time. Also, I'm not rich, mind you so don't bother telling me about the Honda's, the Toyota's and the Suzuki's.
2. Call home at least once a month.
I admit I have been quite the naughty son when it comes to calling home to talk. I'm pretty sure Mother must've muttered in her breath once in a while about me not calling home to tell everybody how I was doing over here etc.
The thing is that I am of the 'no news is good news' camp in which I don't find the reason to talk to people about something unless its significantly important but yet Brother made a good point about just calling home to re-establish that tie.
Earlier this month I just topped up the SIM card, finding some RM37.90 left, meaning that I haven't actually made many calls since the last reload. Now I have RM 97.90 for whatever calls and probably more when I go back for CNY later.
Makes sense? Yes.
3. Visit a(nother) foreign country
Strange enough but from this 29-years of life I have only been overseas twice and both occassions were adjacent countries. The first was to Brunei Darussalam during the times when I were still a wee lad when visiting Brunei was as easy as driving for two hours down the Miri-Brunei road. Otherwise it were the prefectorial camp or for whatever reason that the family wanted to. The other happened just this August when I went with my supervisor to Singapore for a study visit.
To be honest the biggest problem with me is the expectation of going for such trips. I'd like the 6-hours trip down the highway to actually be worth something than just visiting shopping malls and looking at babes from another country. I'm not one to visit some place just to check out the buildings or food as I find all of that available in my own country as well.
"Noooo, it's different!", I hear the choruses of protest from you.
To me, time is 'short' in the sense that it passes by quickly when I'm on leisure and within those hours I'd like to have something memorable enough for me to talk about once I get back. My previous excursion was some two years ago to Langkawi with my ex-colleagues and we had a great time because there were so much to do during the whole trip and came back with plenty of mementos.
So if a trip to Phuket is all about sitting at the beach doing nothing, fine with me but don't tell me it's just to taste the seafood.
The other problem of course is financial - I happen to use cash all the time for everything I can so naturally I don't have any credit cards. I'm one of those people who believe in spending only what I have in oppose to what I will have as I am pretty reluctant to hedge the future seeing that all sorts of unpredictability can just happen on the spot. Liquid cash is what I like and as my friends normally tease - real money is the real marker of one's wealth.
Still, with the car to come, I don't think it's gonna be lavish.
4. Get (only) one credit card
Huh?
In opposition to what I have mentioned above, yes I do need a card and for a few proper reasons as well, the most important one being to pay for things I need without using cash. One such instance are the yearly Chinese New Year airplane ticket frenzy at Air Asia's ticket website. Would be proper to be able to book it myself and have the control in my own hands than to rely on someone else who might be asleep (it gets snapped up at midnight) or busy. Sometimes in the period of waiting I knew I could've done so by myself, quicker and with less hassle. After that there's the thing about paying back.
Other possible reasons include petrol in which paying with the card can be a good idea seeing that I can get reward points for every cent I spend. Accumulate and I might just get something good for free.
I would also want to get a National Geographic subscription for the year of which the easiest way to do so is online without the hassle of postal order etc.
The important part though, is to be disciplined in my spending - pay them back as soon as you spend - which is easier said than done. I have many friends who got burnt and swore off credit cards because they thought they could to control themselves.
I also have this interest of getting a Core2 processor, the iPod Touch (and iPhone 3G if they ever bring it in to Malaysia), Nvidia etc etc ...
Can I? We'll see.
-
Four to start with is fine - I don't oversell my abilities.
For some interesting hopes, have a look at the non-specific ones below either for a laugh or to lend a hand...
Non-specific #1 : The first of which I cannot predict, depending on the scenario is to improve my knowledge further in the realm of networking and Linux operations. I found that in the last two months or so of my dalliance with the Open Sourced operating system that many things that is done on Linux is a lot simpler to do on it than on Windows. Furthermore, the customisability of the system is at such great variety that Windows actually looked outdated. Whilst in the process of learning all this I also garnered some information on how to work on the machine using the Unix terminal. The similarity between this and that of the networking appliances I work with at the office seems to (as the operation manager likes to say) 'jive' along well - you learn one part, it seems to correspond in some way if not whole to the other.
Non-specific #2: Have my status changed from 'available' to 'unavailable'.
Whoa, the single and desperate guy.
No I'm not - if I were I'd settle for just about anybody out there just so that I have someone.
I'd probably do this on a more indirect manner in which make more female friends and change ratio of 'success' from 0.00012 to 0.003 for example. One to not expect anything to happen unless it should, expect me to become clueless for just about most of the time but probably get the 'sign' right once somehow.
Friends would be the my favourite group of people to choose from - friends know one another's good, bad and ugly and friends accept one another's good, bad and ugly. In short, they don't pretend with one another. If you like each other regardless of the good, bad and ugly, then chances are your love is honest and very likely to stay with one another regardless of the good, bad and ugly.
Ask your friends and see how many of those previously unseen good, bad and ugly seem to appear or disappear when the chase is done ie. they turn into completely different people. I put that at the same bracket as 'cheating' by selling something you are not.
Hence I dislike making moves on that cutie I hardly know - Adibah Amin's immortal words ring true 'tak kenal maka tak cinta'.
A few friends told to 'just go out and do it'. I know it's that
So far nobody seem to interest me that much to actually cause some of that 'ache' to develop in the heart yet but who knows 2009 might be the year but don't count on it. It's not the same as going to the market to buy cabbage - pick and choose the one you like, pay and go. This 'cabbage' can and will choose who the buyer is too.
Either way, I'm not waiting for 'Miss Right' - she does not exist.
16 December 2008
Kindness To Strangers Part II
A fellow RAWKite posted about turning in a wallet belonging to a Polish man to the police yesterday and I took some interest in it for just the reason of finding out what the bunch of (good hearted) jokers on the forum's could comments be. Knowing them they won't wish anything will on another but would take the mickey on the situation by putting in hillarious answers.
Those that I do mind reading though are the ones who seriously believe in profiting from another's misfortune and believe me, there are. At times I do feel like giving these people a slap in the head and steal their wallet to see how they would feel, but sometimes you have to wonder if the reason for such a mentality would have anything to do with environmental influence.
It's a commonly agreed idea that poverty is the root of all crimes - games such as the famous Sim City series attribute crime waves in the city to poverty. When one is under financial pressure to survive, people resort to doing things that are illegal by law of the land but legal by the law of the jungle - what good is turning in a wallet if you're hungry?
True, in the extent that one's will to survive will override all when one has to choose.
Yet, pretty often it has rarely gone to that point (if ever). Most people who do commit these petty crimes are often those who are motivated by greed - the desire to have more than they have now without lifting an additional finger.
I have met many people who are less well to do than me - that speaks a lot seeing that I'm nowhere near rich - who are simply the kindest people I know. They range from farmers who toil their farms from 6am in the morning, who are more likely to give you things than to accept them from you.
To me, kindness is something I would like to get from others. Note that I said 'would like to' instead of 'expected to'. This signifies that I accept my fair shair of misfortune, sometimes due to my own carelessness or simply because it's out of my control.
In such a large and impersonal city like this, being kind would often be viewed by suspicion as everybody is expected to just go about their business and be very jealous with all that they have. In the process, nobody would remember you and even if they do, you won't get anything as they're just as selfish.
True, it is hard to disagree.
But then again, I try to be kind to others not to ask for favours or to expect anything in return. What I do hope is for that person to remember the next time somebody else was in his or her shoes, to lend a hand to the other guy who is in need. It's like the concept of 'pay it forward' from the eponymous movie starring Haley Joel Osment.
Even if one out of ten remembers and are moved to do the same, I would've been satisfied - eventhough the number should ideally be all ten. You can't repay kindness with kindness; it's not arithmetics as in 1 = 1. In a cynical world, sometimes one thing out of the ordinary that can even just stir a little part of the heart is sometimes all that differentiates whether the person chooses to tell the person waiting for the train that his car's headlight is left on or just walk by thinking that it's their own fault.
I'm a strong believer in action as the proof of faith - if I were to call myself a Christian, I must try my best to live like one. It's not about getting into God's good books by being good to others, it's about doing what you preach. Think about it in the analogy of a lightbulb - turn it on and not only does it glow with light; the entire room will be lit as well, regardless of how dim it is.
That's the key phrase - 'regardless of how dim it is'.
Am I stupid?
Maybe, but as long as it doesn't endanger my being and is absolutely free - why not. Give the seat to the elderly lady on the train - why not. Let a pregnant woman stand ahead in the queue at the post office - why not. Give the 20 cents in the pocket to a guy who is having problems getting small money out to pay for his stuff - why not.
Most importantly, if I know I can help and I am in the area to help - I will try to. If misfortune claims a life because I didn't lend my hand when I could have helped to prevent it, then I would just be as responsible for ignoring it.
I won't try to be Superman - no. My limits as a human are real. If I tried and it didn't help, then at least I tried. Sometimes failure is out of your hands.
But simple kindnes? Why not.
Those that I do mind reading though are the ones who seriously believe in profiting from another's misfortune and believe me, there are. At times I do feel like giving these people a slap in the head and steal their wallet to see how they would feel, but sometimes you have to wonder if the reason for such a mentality would have anything to do with environmental influence.
It's a commonly agreed idea that poverty is the root of all crimes - games such as the famous Sim City series attribute crime waves in the city to poverty. When one is under financial pressure to survive, people resort to doing things that are illegal by law of the land but legal by the law of the jungle - what good is turning in a wallet if you're hungry?
True, in the extent that one's will to survive will override all when one has to choose.
Yet, pretty often it has rarely gone to that point (if ever). Most people who do commit these petty crimes are often those who are motivated by greed - the desire to have more than they have now without lifting an additional finger.
I have met many people who are less well to do than me - that speaks a lot seeing that I'm nowhere near rich - who are simply the kindest people I know. They range from farmers who toil their farms from 6am in the morning, who are more likely to give you things than to accept them from you.
To me, kindness is something I would like to get from others. Note that I said 'would like to' instead of 'expected to'. This signifies that I accept my fair shair of misfortune, sometimes due to my own carelessness or simply because it's out of my control.
In such a large and impersonal city like this, being kind would often be viewed by suspicion as everybody is expected to just go about their business and be very jealous with all that they have. In the process, nobody would remember you and even if they do, you won't get anything as they're just as selfish.
True, it is hard to disagree.
But then again, I try to be kind to others not to ask for favours or to expect anything in return. What I do hope is for that person to remember the next time somebody else was in his or her shoes, to lend a hand to the other guy who is in need. It's like the concept of 'pay it forward' from the eponymous movie starring Haley Joel Osment.
Even if one out of ten remembers and are moved to do the same, I would've been satisfied - eventhough the number should ideally be all ten. You can't repay kindness with kindness; it's not arithmetics as in 1 = 1. In a cynical world, sometimes one thing out of the ordinary that can even just stir a little part of the heart is sometimes all that differentiates whether the person chooses to tell the person waiting for the train that his car's headlight is left on or just walk by thinking that it's their own fault.
I'm a strong believer in action as the proof of faith - if I were to call myself a Christian, I must try my best to live like one. It's not about getting into God's good books by being good to others, it's about doing what you preach. Think about it in the analogy of a lightbulb - turn it on and not only does it glow with light; the entire room will be lit as well, regardless of how dim it is.
That's the key phrase - 'regardless of how dim it is'.
Am I stupid?
Maybe, but as long as it doesn't endanger my being and is absolutely free - why not. Give the seat to the elderly lady on the train - why not. Let a pregnant woman stand ahead in the queue at the post office - why not. Give the 20 cents in the pocket to a guy who is having problems getting small money out to pay for his stuff - why not.
Most importantly, if I know I can help and I am in the area to help - I will try to. If misfortune claims a life because I didn't lend my hand when I could have helped to prevent it, then I would just be as responsible for ignoring it.
I won't try to be Superman - no. My limits as a human are real. If I tried and it didn't help, then at least I tried. Sometimes failure is out of your hands.
But simple kindnes? Why not.
17 November 2008
Finest Malaysian Of All Time
Ever since the March 8 elections we've been bombarded with the resumption of service in the aspect of politics as the ruling coalition and the opposition carried on where they left of before that date. All sorts of bickering, name throwing, fault-finding etc fill the pages every day to the point that I no longer really care about what either side is saying anymore.
Besides, whoever wins in Parliament I am still going to be earning what I am doing now or more, depending on my performance as well as waiting for the train at the station at 7:40am every workday.
Part of the soul-searching by the badly mauled government brought about certain politician who just had to resort to the old chestnut of racial politics although the previous damage done to the grip of the ruling party was that of the majority of the people in the country rejecting the concept as being outdated. Obama's recent victory as the first ever African American to lead the most powerful nation on Earth put further pressure for reforms in the situation of 'adapt or die'.
Strange enough, I am not here to become a Jeff Ooi MKII or something but rather to look back in time when the country wasn't even formed yet. This was the time when a certain Teuku Zakaria bin Teuku Nyak Putih was born (precisely in the year 1929).
If that name sounds familiar than you've went through the same period of growing as I did, or schooled your own children to his movies and music. Timeless movies such as Tiga Abdul, Madu Tiga, Sarjan Hassan, Labu Labi series and the famous Ibu Mertuaku is sure to light up the eyes of those who grew up watching his shows.
I was very, very young when I first saw his movie when the family sat in front of the telly to watch this exceptional man direct, act and sing in his productions. You'd imagine that a Chinese family like mine would be watching the Legend of the Condor Heroes or something, in which we did (they did, not me though) but there is always time for this man's movies. Add Saloma's lovely voice to the picture and not to mention the wacky plot devices and you have a winnner.
There were times when I would visit another Chinese friend's house to watch Labu Labi together and such were his influence to my generation (and the ones before) that we even apply some of the dialogues from his movies for daily usage until today; "Aku lesiiiiinnng karang!" as a response to a bad joke or the famous, "INI TIDAK ADIL!" normally to poke fun at various situations when we're at a disadvantage. One of my ex-colleague's favourite phrase was "Lobang hidung engkau tatap manjadi po-jaan hatiku".
Still no idea?
Then I feel really sorry for you for this man is pretty much the best example of the finest Malaysian ever.
As Sheila sang in possibly her magnum opus,
Patah tak tumbuh lagi
Hilang belum berganti
Kerana kau tersendiri
is the truth.
Tell me of any seniman nowadays who dare to claim to be a better actor-cum-director-singer as this man.
Tan Sri P Ramlee may be dead but he's immortalised in history.
Image taken from http://seniman-pramlee.tripod.com/
Besides, whoever wins in Parliament I am still going to be earning what I am doing now or more, depending on my performance as well as waiting for the train at the station at 7:40am every workday.
Part of the soul-searching by the badly mauled government brought about certain politician who just had to resort to the old chestnut of racial politics although the previous damage done to the grip of the ruling party was that of the majority of the people in the country rejecting the concept as being outdated. Obama's recent victory as the first ever African American to lead the most powerful nation on Earth put further pressure for reforms in the situation of 'adapt or die'.
Strange enough, I am not here to become a Jeff Ooi MKII or something but rather to look back in time when the country wasn't even formed yet. This was the time when a certain Teuku Zakaria bin Teuku Nyak Putih was born (precisely in the year 1929).
If that name sounds familiar than you've went through the same period of growing as I did, or schooled your own children to his movies and music. Timeless movies such as Tiga Abdul, Madu Tiga, Sarjan Hassan, Labu Labi series and the famous Ibu Mertuaku is sure to light up the eyes of those who grew up watching his shows.
I was very, very young when I first saw his movie when the family sat in front of the telly to watch this exceptional man direct, act and sing in his productions. You'd imagine that a Chinese family like mine would be watching the Legend of the Condor Heroes or something, in which we did (they did, not me though) but there is always time for this man's movies. Add Saloma's lovely voice to the picture and not to mention the wacky plot devices and you have a winnner.
There were times when I would visit another Chinese friend's house to watch Labu Labi together and such were his influence to my generation (and the ones before) that we even apply some of the dialogues from his movies for daily usage until today; "Aku lesiiiiinnng karang!" as a response to a bad joke or the famous, "INI TIDAK ADIL!" normally to poke fun at various situations when we're at a disadvantage. One of my ex-colleague's favourite phrase was "Lobang hidung engkau tatap manjadi po-jaan hatiku".
Still no idea?
Then I feel really sorry for you for this man is pretty much the best example of the finest Malaysian ever.
As Sheila sang in possibly her magnum opus,
Patah tak tumbuh lagi
Hilang belum berganti
Kerana kau tersendiri
is the truth.
Tell me of any seniman nowadays who dare to claim to be a better actor-cum-director-singer as this man.
Tan Sri P Ramlee may be dead but he's immortalised in history.
Image taken from http://seniman-pramlee.tripod.com/25 September 2008
Certain Things In Life That Are Not
There are certain things in life such as taxes and death but definitely not the arrival time of the KTM trains. I'm typing this entry from the comfort of my home because this morning's train service had a major disruption that caused only one single train from Sentul to Port Klang and one from Port Klang to Sentul, meaning that there only be one to each destination for the next one hour or so from end to end.
This is not the first time. In fact the disruptions before were much less severe this. Earlier last month there was a disruption to the power line at Pantai Dalam causing the track towards Port Klang to be unusable but the response was quick enough by diverting them to the next track with all trains going in one direction. As most people are actually going towards KL to work rather than the opposite, I suppose 3/4 of the passengers managed to arrive just slightly before 9. I feel sorry for those going to Port Klang though - they were definitely late to work that morning.
At the end I decided to go to *TPM by myself to help my colleague out with his presentation today because the scheduled time was at 10.00 am and it will be quite impossible to arrive at office by 9.30 am, the latest when we have to leave.
*Had a call from him been told that the meeting place had been moved to God knows where.
As I walked away to my car shaking my head, the number of people waiting increased three-folds, so you can imagine how these people would try to get in to the already jammed packed train from the previous stations. I decided it was not worth the wait even when it was supposed to arrive in 5 minutes by the time I reach the turnstiles, as the next one would be there in probably an hour should I miss it.
These are such things that make people vote for the opposition regardless of who they are as the discontent with the present government gets magnified by daily essentials getting disrupted. I said it many times to my friends and colleagues that I don't really care who the Prime Minister is as long as the KTM arrives and departs on time as I partially depend on it to get to work. The hike in fuel prices is already bad enough as it is and here we have the the public transport working in sketchy condition.
In short the KTM deserved all the bad reputation it is having.
Just a couple of weeks ago I had a colleague from Singapore who took the train with me from Subang to KL Sentral, taking the 1:36 pm train. I told him that ever since the price hike the trains had 'miraculously' arrived on time (subjectively 'on time' meant no more than 5 - 30 minutes that is previously was notorious for). Well what do you know, it came almost 9 minutes later. I told him that such things are still expected as the consortium is currently having its train sets upgraded.
To be honest with all of you, I am not sure if I actually believe that anymore.
Old facilities and equipment? That is no excuse as the KTM Berhad is under the jurisdiction of Prasarana Nasional which is in control of the Ministry of Finance. Let me repeat that slowly: Ministry-of-Finance.
Surely they don't transport Bank Negara notes on KTM?
The Prime Minister himself just took a ride and saw for himself how 'amazing' the whole experience of the train ride to work the morning was and I could only wonder if the service would improve if more big wigs are forced to take it work daily. The scenario is endless. The only reason why things remain as it is because the consortium had no reason to since people depend on it and there are no competitors - "What will you do if you don't take the KTM eh? Drive or take the bus then". If another private train system were plying the same route you'd imagine KTM Bhd bosses sweating to see people no longer lining up to wait for their trains and having the ministers breathing down their necks to explain the red figures in the accounting books.
I don't blame the Prime Minister, his Deputy or the Minister of Finance or Minister of Transport. The daily operations of the KTM train service has been delegated as per required to the people who actually run the service. The ministers have no time to go down and ask if the coupling at Stesen Serdang is working or if the toilets are in good condition at KL Sentral or to check if train arrived on time this morning at Rawang.
BN kah, PR kah, Anwar ka, Badawi ka - who the hell cares - where is the damned train?
Blame the people who run the operations.
Why are there technical problems?
Where are the backups?
What will KTM do to ensure this doesn't happen in the future?
Yeah yeah, Murphy's Law and all that, even Singapore's famed MRT services experience disruptions once in a while (yes, my Singaporean friend told me - I didn't make that up) but the difference in terms of the punctuality and the amount of disruptions is incomparable.
I'd be embarrassed if I were the person in charge.
The first heads to roll should be those who manage the operations as stated above.
Even the public announcement this morning had problems (not grammatical as mine isn't perfect either):
"Due to technical difficulties at Sentul Station, the train service to all destinations had experienced delays. KTM Berhad would like to apologise for any inconvenience cause".
It should have been:
"Due to technical difficulties at Sentul Station, the train service to all destinations had experienced delays. KTM Berhad would like to apologise for all inconveniences cause".
Don't spam me with the rakyat this rakyat that malarkey as the MPs and ADUN from both sides don't take the public transport themselves to the assemblies or Parliament.
This is not the first time. In fact the disruptions before were much less severe this. Earlier last month there was a disruption to the power line at Pantai Dalam causing the track towards Port Klang to be unusable but the response was quick enough by diverting them to the next track with all trains going in one direction. As most people are actually going towards KL to work rather than the opposite, I suppose 3/4 of the passengers managed to arrive just slightly before 9. I feel sorry for those going to Port Klang though - they were definitely late to work that morning.
At the end I decided to go to *TPM by myself to help my colleague out with his presentation today because the scheduled time was at 10.00 am and it will be quite impossible to arrive at office by 9.30 am, the latest when we have to leave.
*Had a call from him been told that the meeting place had been moved to God knows where.
As I walked away to my car shaking my head, the number of people waiting increased three-folds, so you can imagine how these people would try to get in to the already jammed packed train from the previous stations. I decided it was not worth the wait even when it was supposed to arrive in 5 minutes by the time I reach the turnstiles, as the next one would be there in probably an hour should I miss it.
These are such things that make people vote for the opposition regardless of who they are as the discontent with the present government gets magnified by daily essentials getting disrupted. I said it many times to my friends and colleagues that I don't really care who the Prime Minister is as long as the KTM arrives and departs on time as I partially depend on it to get to work. The hike in fuel prices is already bad enough as it is and here we have the the public transport working in sketchy condition.
In short the KTM deserved all the bad reputation it is having.
Just a couple of weeks ago I had a colleague from Singapore who took the train with me from Subang to KL Sentral, taking the 1:36 pm train. I told him that ever since the price hike the trains had 'miraculously' arrived on time (subjectively 'on time' meant no more than 5 - 30 minutes that is previously was notorious for). Well what do you know, it came almost 9 minutes later. I told him that such things are still expected as the consortium is currently having its train sets upgraded.
To be honest with all of you, I am not sure if I actually believe that anymore.
Old facilities and equipment? That is no excuse as the KTM Berhad is under the jurisdiction of Prasarana Nasional which is in control of the Ministry of Finance. Let me repeat that slowly: Ministry-of-Finance.
Surely they don't transport Bank Negara notes on KTM?
The Prime Minister himself just took a ride and saw for himself how 'amazing' the whole experience of the train ride to work the morning was and I could only wonder if the service would improve if more big wigs are forced to take it work daily. The scenario is endless. The only reason why things remain as it is because the consortium had no reason to since people depend on it and there are no competitors - "What will you do if you don't take the KTM eh? Drive or take the bus then". If another private train system were plying the same route you'd imagine KTM Bhd bosses sweating to see people no longer lining up to wait for their trains and having the ministers breathing down their necks to explain the red figures in the accounting books.
I don't blame the Prime Minister, his Deputy or the Minister of Finance or Minister of Transport. The daily operations of the KTM train service has been delegated as per required to the people who actually run the service. The ministers have no time to go down and ask if the coupling at Stesen Serdang is working or if the toilets are in good condition at KL Sentral or to check if train arrived on time this morning at Rawang.
BN kah, PR kah, Anwar ka, Badawi ka - who the hell cares - where is the damned train?
Blame the people who run the operations.
Why are there technical problems?
Where are the backups?
What will KTM do to ensure this doesn't happen in the future?
Yeah yeah, Murphy's Law and all that, even Singapore's famed MRT services experience disruptions once in a while (yes, my Singaporean friend told me - I didn't make that up) but the difference in terms of the punctuality and the amount of disruptions is incomparable.
I'd be embarrassed if I were the person in charge.
The first heads to roll should be those who manage the operations as stated above.
Even the public announcement this morning had problems (not grammatical as mine isn't perfect either):
"Due to technical difficulties at Sentul Station, the train service to all destinations had experienced delays. KTM Berhad would like to apologise for any inconvenience cause".
It should have been:
"Due to technical difficulties at Sentul Station, the train service to all destinations had experienced delays. KTM Berhad would like to apologise for all inconveniences cause".
Don't spam me with the rakyat this rakyat that malarkey as the MPs and ADUN from both sides don't take the public transport themselves to the assemblies or Parliament.
21 July 2008
More KTM Stuff
If I were to note down everything there is to say about KTM Berhad this place would be called the KTM Blog instead of the sumptuous noodles that I am currently craving so much for (note to self : get some this coming Saturday). Besides, being new to the whole environment - I began taking the train two months before the fuel hike - there's bound to be new things to write about until I get bored of it eventually.
I already am considering that I am taking it on a daily basis to work so my input on the matter is just as valuable as the veterans and newbies alike who squeeze in and become part of the proverbial sardine community every day.
Canned Sardines
There's something about Friday that makes causes an unexplainable surges in the number of passengers who try to board the train home. On normal days, by 7:00 pm the rows of people who wait for the train at the KL Sentral platform would normally thin down to two until eight. On Fridays however, it stays at four until 8:30 pm.
One feasible explaination that I can think of is possibly the coming of the weekend. Nobody is in a hurry to get back so everybody decided to arrive around 6:00 pm or so.
I was caught in one of those last Friday and sufficed to say the word 'packed' doesn't do justice to the situation in the train. People kept pushing in when there is already space so much so that I could actually hold on to nothing and not fall forward/backwards when the train stops. Everybody is caught in the 'wave', especially those in the centre without support so when the train stops, everybody become everybody's cushion.
It came to mind that I pity the ladies on trains of such. There is pretty much no protection for them from men who think of taking advantage as they have little choice but get squeezed to the person in front, beside or behind them. Of course there are guys who only care about getting off at their destinations but I could only imagine the risks the women are taking when they get on the train as such.
In Japan they have women-only coaches to help reduce the number of incidents and better protect them and I do feel like such coaches would be useful here considering how much more conservative we are in this country.
And then you have women who either enjoys it e.g they push closer - yes, I was the 'victim' a couple of times, considering there is actually space for them to stand away from me; or they really don't bother and use taller guys as their 'pillar of support' by leaning in.
As a normal heterosexual guy, I would be expected to enjoy this but there's just this little voice inside that appeals to the gentleman in me, so I try to always have a bit of a space between me and the women in front of me (sorry about those at the back and the sides - you are the one(s) pushing me around).
Hard to believe I know, yeah, like what Roy of the IT Crowd bellows into the phone, I am from the past. I can only imagine the thoughts going through the heads of their parents or husbands.
The ride home was pretty bad but being a Friday evening, everybody were in a good mood as perfect strangers were actually joking with one another. The loose cannon was a KTM Officer who was hitching a ride to Pantai Dalam, making fun of the situation. The first stop at Angkasapuri had him joking about it being the stop for future artistes and the second at Pantai Dalam being the destination of future Prime Ministers.
Then it was all up close and personal all the way to where I got off. It was so 'up close and personal' that half of the train would probably be certified married by the time it reaches Subang.
At least the air-conditioner was strong though as the heat generated from the masses of sweaty bodies and breath would have caused it difficult to breathe.
Got off 30 minutes later and the number of passengers thinned down by almost half, giving much respite to those on their way to Port Klang.
You could almost hear the collective sighs of relief when the door opened.
Scatological Stories
... is but a scientific term to describe topics related to... solid toilet by-product.
One advice to prospective commuters: make sure your bowels are not acting, in the process off or not well dealt with before hop onto the next ride to wherever you are going.
Imagine having something threatening to push out from your backside, coupled with being squeezed from every direction and the knowledge that a proper toilet is still 15 minutes away - you will literally feel like the weakest person on earth hoping for deliverance to come. The train would also stop at times to allow another one on the same path to leave, so that few minutes of waiting will make the most atheist of us a believer.
It happens to me (to everybody, in that matter) once in a while, thanks to my 'toilet training' that seems to pretty accurately have... things... waiting to be expelled around the period of 7:00 - 7:30 am and 9:00 - 9:30 am.
Sounds amazing that you can actually control and tell you bowels when to act up, but it is true. Even if you don't feel like going at all, try going to the loo, sit on the throne or squat, try to ... push. At first it would be ridiculous to be doing so without nothing coming out, but in time your body will start to adjust itself and become regular.
Enough of this crap.
Thank You
... is still pretty regularly heard nowadays in these times no thanks to the advent of political correctness, but how many of them actually comes from the heart rather than from the head (of the departments) ?
Imagine my surprise and amusement (in the good way) of being greeted with a thank you by an attendant of KTM at KL Sentral this morning after touching the TnG card to the reader. He seems to be in a good mood and thank every single person who presented him with the ticket.
I don't know whether it all came from his heart or head, but to do so will need more than an instruction from the departmental leads to keep doing amidst hundreds of people passing through.
I salute you sir.
I already am considering that I am taking it on a daily basis to work so my input on the matter is just as valuable as the veterans and newbies alike who squeeze in and become part of the proverbial sardine community every day.
Canned Sardines
There's something about Friday that makes causes an unexplainable surges in the number of passengers who try to board the train home. On normal days, by 7:00 pm the rows of people who wait for the train at the KL Sentral platform would normally thin down to two until eight. On Fridays however, it stays at four until 8:30 pm.
One feasible explaination that I can think of is possibly the coming of the weekend. Nobody is in a hurry to get back so everybody decided to arrive around 6:00 pm or so.
I was caught in one of those last Friday and sufficed to say the word 'packed' doesn't do justice to the situation in the train. People kept pushing in when there is already space so much so that I could actually hold on to nothing and not fall forward/backwards when the train stops. Everybody is caught in the 'wave', especially those in the centre without support so when the train stops, everybody become everybody's cushion.
It came to mind that I pity the ladies on trains of such. There is pretty much no protection for them from men who think of taking advantage as they have little choice but get squeezed to the person in front, beside or behind them. Of course there are guys who only care about getting off at their destinations but I could only imagine the risks the women are taking when they get on the train as such.
In Japan they have women-only coaches to help reduce the number of incidents and better protect them and I do feel like such coaches would be useful here considering how much more conservative we are in this country.
And then you have women who either enjoys it e.g they push closer - yes, I was the 'victim' a couple of times, considering there is actually space for them to stand away from me; or they really don't bother and use taller guys as their 'pillar of support' by leaning in.
As a normal heterosexual guy, I would be expected to enjoy this but there's just this little voice inside that appeals to the gentleman in me, so I try to always have a bit of a space between me and the women in front of me (sorry about those at the back and the sides - you are the one(s) pushing me around).
Hard to believe I know, yeah, like what Roy of the IT Crowd bellows into the phone, I am from the past. I can only imagine the thoughts going through the heads of their parents or husbands.
The ride home was pretty bad but being a Friday evening, everybody were in a good mood as perfect strangers were actually joking with one another. The loose cannon was a KTM Officer who was hitching a ride to Pantai Dalam, making fun of the situation. The first stop at Angkasapuri had him joking about it being the stop for future artistes and the second at Pantai Dalam being the destination of future Prime Ministers.
Then it was all up close and personal all the way to where I got off. It was so 'up close and personal' that half of the train would probably be certified married by the time it reaches Subang.
At least the air-conditioner was strong though as the heat generated from the masses of sweaty bodies and breath would have caused it difficult to breathe.
Got off 30 minutes later and the number of passengers thinned down by almost half, giving much respite to those on their way to Port Klang.
You could almost hear the collective sighs of relief when the door opened.
Scatological Stories
... is but a scientific term to describe topics related to... solid toilet by-product.
One advice to prospective commuters: make sure your bowels are not acting, in the process off or not well dealt with before hop onto the next ride to wherever you are going.
Imagine having something threatening to push out from your backside, coupled with being squeezed from every direction and the knowledge that a proper toilet is still 15 minutes away - you will literally feel like the weakest person on earth hoping for deliverance to come. The train would also stop at times to allow another one on the same path to leave, so that few minutes of waiting will make the most atheist of us a believer.
It happens to me (to everybody, in that matter) once in a while, thanks to my 'toilet training' that seems to pretty accurately have... things... waiting to be expelled around the period of 7:00 - 7:30 am and 9:00 - 9:30 am.
Sounds amazing that you can actually control and tell you bowels when to act up, but it is true. Even if you don't feel like going at all, try going to the loo, sit on the throne or squat, try to ... push. At first it would be ridiculous to be doing so without nothing coming out, but in time your body will start to adjust itself and become regular.
Enough of this crap.
Thank You
... is still pretty regularly heard nowadays in these times no thanks to the advent of political correctness, but how many of them actually comes from the heart rather than from the head (of the departments) ?
Imagine my surprise and amusement (in the good way) of being greeted with a thank you by an attendant of KTM at KL Sentral this morning after touching the TnG card to the reader. He seems to be in a good mood and thank every single person who presented him with the ticket.
I don't know whether it all came from his heart or head, but to do so will need more than an instruction from the departmental leads to keep doing amidst hundreds of people passing through.
I salute you sir.
11 July 2008
Anomalous Materials
Quoting from Half Life might not be the right thing but the second installment of the HL universe began with a train ride that was heading towards City 17 with nobody but you (Gordon) and two guys, all three presumably on their way to becoming thralls to the Combine overlords.
Anyway, this morning was somewhat weird in itself that the KTM train that arrived at Subang looked almost like that. Well, an exaggeration that seeing that KL is nowhere near as bad as City 17 and we are only becoming thralls to our careers.
I missed the 7:37am train thanks to my tummy that has been trained to let go at that kind of time in the morning, so I sat down and waited for the next one that will arrive in 20 minutes' time. In between waiting I read the Malaysian edition of *The Sun left by somebody (I left it to the next lad or lass to read when the train arrived).
* Lest I am branded a clueless Red by my fellow Kopites - the publisher for this one have no connections to the UK version bar the publication name and I don't really like it anyway.
As usual, the commendable improvement in KTM's delivery saw the arrival of the train right on time (or slightly late - as Capt Price of Call of Duty 4 said, "It's not hard to improve on garbage"), I stood up and waited for the door to open and suprise surprise - it was almost empty. Of the 6 x 9 rows of seats, an average of two are filled per row meaning that to some of us regular commuters God decided to throw some sunshine to our morning.
Took my seat uncustomarily, wondering what was going on as the train would normally be some 75 - 85% filled up by the time it reaches Subang station and that wasn't the end of it.
It arrived at Setia Jaya, another one of the busy stations along the way and only three to four came on - into the coach that I was on.
Huh?
Seri Setia, maybe two to three.
Hmmm.
Kampung Dato Harun, same amount of passengers like Setia Jaya - NONE.
Hmmmmm.
Jalan Templer, a little more than Setia Jaya - NONE.
Petaling, same as Jalan Templer - three or four.
Pantai Dalam - six to seven. For the first time every single one of the passengers there managed to get on, and sit down.
Angkasapuri - as usual NONE.
So what's going on today?
* Fuel prices fell dramatically thanks to the kindness and generosity of OPEC and G8 members that people decided that it's cheaper to drive than to take the public transport? (Hahaha, that was funny. Come on give us another one).
The PM announced a holiday at 3.12 am this morning?
(He may have to work like a bull as the Prime Minister but that will be ridiculous as nobody watches TV at that hour of the day).
Half of the working population taking MC or going to an Opposition sponsored rally?
(I wonder what will they take off this time).
Alien motherships hovering over the Petronas Twin Towers? (I wonder over which one as there are two).
Answers on a postcard.
Anyway, this morning was somewhat weird in itself that the KTM train that arrived at Subang looked almost like that. Well, an exaggeration that seeing that KL is nowhere near as bad as City 17 and we are only becoming thralls to our careers.
I missed the 7:37am train thanks to my tummy that has been trained to let go at that kind of time in the morning, so I sat down and waited for the next one that will arrive in 20 minutes' time. In between waiting I read the Malaysian edition of *The Sun left by somebody (I left it to the next lad or lass to read when the train arrived).
* Lest I am branded a clueless Red by my fellow Kopites - the publisher for this one have no connections to the UK version bar the publication name and I don't really like it anyway.
As usual, the commendable improvement in KTM's delivery saw the arrival of the train right on time (or slightly late - as Capt Price of Call of Duty 4 said, "It's not hard to improve on garbage"), I stood up and waited for the door to open and suprise surprise - it was almost empty. Of the 6 x 9 rows of seats, an average of two are filled per row meaning that to some of us regular commuters God decided to throw some sunshine to our morning.
Took my seat uncustomarily, wondering what was going on as the train would normally be some 75 - 85% filled up by the time it reaches Subang station and that wasn't the end of it.
It arrived at Setia Jaya, another one of the busy stations along the way and only three to four came on - into the coach that I was on.
Huh?
Seri Setia, maybe two to three.
Hmmm.
Kampung Dato Harun, same amount of passengers like Setia Jaya - NONE.
Hmmmmm.
Jalan Templer, a little more than Setia Jaya - NONE.
Petaling, same as Jalan Templer - three or four.
Pantai Dalam - six to seven. For the first time every single one of the passengers there managed to get on, and sit down.
Angkasapuri - as usual NONE.
So what's going on today?
* Fuel prices fell dramatically thanks to the kindness and generosity of OPEC and G8 members that people decided that it's cheaper to drive than to take the public transport? (Hahaha, that was funny. Come on give us another one).
The PM announced a holiday at 3.12 am this morning?
(He may have to work like a bull as the Prime Minister but that will be ridiculous as nobody watches TV at that hour of the day).
Half of the working population taking MC or going to an Opposition sponsored rally?
(I wonder what will they take off this time).
Alien motherships hovering over the Petronas Twin Towers? (I wonder over which one as there are two).
Answers on a postcard.
4 July 2008
One Thing After Another
I was off work yesterday for the reason that I woke up with a splitting headache. The feeling was that of a post-migraine attack (they are known to happen sometimes when one is sleeping), the throbbing pain at one side of the head that moves from one point to another. It felt like having little people in the head hammering at the wall of the skull whilst the eyeball felt like it was threatening to explode - sleeping does little to alleviate the problem as you can hardly sleep with the pain!
Got an MC and some painkillers from the doctor, took some and eventually managed to get some rest at around 10:00 am, waking up some six hours later feeling like I've never went to nap.
And thanks to this sleeping stint I stayed awake until 2:30 am or so, making waking up this morning at 6:40am a gargantuan task to undertake. Nevertheless I managed to drag my carcass off the bed and prepared myself for work, knowing that it won't be longer before I get to rest again for the weekend.
Went to the station early I normally do with the increasing number of people taking up parking space ever since the fuel hike, visiting the toilet in the process as I had a rather big dinner the night before due to skipping lunch. Timing it right, I was ready to leave to take the train only to find the (most elementary) bidet to loosen its grip on the water pipe.
Voila, water splashing to my feet resulting in soaked socks and shoe.
Things couldn't get any worst eh? Well, I missed the train by mere minutes. The next thing you know my belt gave way again as I walked to the office from KL Sentral and it began to rain (albeit droplets). Oh, did I mention that I forgot to bring my MC and claim slip too? Ah yes, I also forgot to bring my TnG card.
Stopped by the GME Factory outlet to get three pair combo of socks to change with the wet one that I took off at the station (so I rode the train without socks - how funny that would look).
Ah, what a nice start to the morning.
Note to self - secure rubber hose to pipe before using.
Got an MC and some painkillers from the doctor, took some and eventually managed to get some rest at around 10:00 am, waking up some six hours later feeling like I've never went to nap.
And thanks to this sleeping stint I stayed awake until 2:30 am or so, making waking up this morning at 6:40am a gargantuan task to undertake. Nevertheless I managed to drag my carcass off the bed and prepared myself for work, knowing that it won't be longer before I get to rest again for the weekend.
Went to the station early I normally do with the increasing number of people taking up parking space ever since the fuel hike, visiting the toilet in the process as I had a rather big dinner the night before due to skipping lunch. Timing it right, I was ready to leave to take the train only to find the (most elementary) bidet to loosen its grip on the water pipe.
Voila, water splashing to my feet resulting in soaked socks and shoe.
Things couldn't get any worst eh? Well, I missed the train by mere minutes. The next thing you know my belt gave way again as I walked to the office from KL Sentral and it began to rain (albeit droplets). Oh, did I mention that I forgot to bring my MC and claim slip too? Ah yes, I also forgot to bring my TnG card.
Stopped by the GME Factory outlet to get three pair combo of socks to change with the wet one that I took off at the station (so I rode the train without socks - how funny that would look).
Ah, what a nice start to the morning.
Note to self - secure rubber hose to pipe before using.
30 June 2008
Kindess To Strangers
This morning I took the train like any other workday, pushed between people but it isn't as bad as the later train that I normally take as many people have probably just left their homes or woke up. There was space all the way until Pantai Dalam when it really becomes full but that is not what I am writing today about.
An unusual number of people embarked the train from the Petaling Station which would normally add less than three or so per coach. The shuffle in positions meant that I ended up two places deeper into the coach though for the better as I can now breath easier without the need to actively keep a space between me and the young lady in front of me who seem to have no problems falling into a guy, hence not holding to any of the bars.
Anyway, a middle-aged man came on and eventually stood behind me in which he tapped gently on the my shoulder. I turned to look at him and took off my right earphone which was nearest to him*. He spoke gently asking about where to take the train to Nilai. I answered him a short 'KL Sentral' of which he ahh-ed in understanding, saying that there is where he should take the next train. I nodded and he thanked me.
Now, perhaps that is nothing new to all of you but somehow I felt like I was being impolite to the man for just giving him a short 'KL Sentral' answer without telling him which way would the train be going.
Throughout the rest of the trip, I wrestled with the thought that perhaps I have been pretty aloof and decided to explain to him better once we get off the train. It eventually arrived at KL Sentral of which he asked where are we of which I answered him again, 'KL Sentral'. This time I pointed to him that he should take the train going towards Mid Valley and Seremban, whilst we waited for the stuck door to open (everybody ended up going out using the next door).
As I walked up the stairs, I couldn't but help to look back and search for him. The man stood at Platform 4, probably waiting for the train which would bring him to Rawang instead or for the mob to go up the escalator before taking it. Either way, I stopped at the stairs, beckoned to him to go to the other side of the platform where 5 and 6 were, of which the latter would go to Seremban, hence the direction he was heading to. He seemed to have nodded though the look on his face seems to be somewhat slow in registering.
As I queued to touch my TnG card to exit the platforms, I heard the announcement that of the arrival of the train to Seremban and I wondered if he managed to get on it.
To many of you, perhaps this story is nothing but a boast of my supposed 'kindness' but every time I think about it, perhaps it's the least that I could do to pay my 'debt' to people whom had been kind to me in the past.
Or perhaps the following verse in the New Testament was what that prompted me to care if he got on his way to Nilai or not:
No one knows for sure in this cynical and impersonal world of ours but personally, I would like others to show me the same kind of consideration should be in the same shoes.
It's not about trying to get Brownie points from the Big Man Upstairs, either.
Somehow I just felt like doing it.
An unusual number of people embarked the train from the Petaling Station which would normally add less than three or so per coach. The shuffle in positions meant that I ended up two places deeper into the coach though for the better as I can now breath easier without the need to actively keep a space between me and the young lady in front of me who seem to have no problems falling into a guy, hence not holding to any of the bars.
Anyway, a middle-aged man came on and eventually stood behind me in which he tapped gently on the my shoulder. I turned to look at him and took off my right earphone which was nearest to him*. He spoke gently asking about where to take the train to Nilai. I answered him a short 'KL Sentral' of which he ahh-ed in understanding, saying that there is where he should take the next train. I nodded and he thanked me.
Now, perhaps that is nothing new to all of you but somehow I felt like I was being impolite to the man for just giving him a short 'KL Sentral' answer without telling him which way would the train be going.
Throughout the rest of the trip, I wrestled with the thought that perhaps I have been pretty aloof and decided to explain to him better once we get off the train. It eventually arrived at KL Sentral of which he asked where are we of which I answered him again, 'KL Sentral'. This time I pointed to him that he should take the train going towards Mid Valley and Seremban, whilst we waited for the stuck door to open (everybody ended up going out using the next door).
As I walked up the stairs, I couldn't but help to look back and search for him. The man stood at Platform 4, probably waiting for the train which would bring him to Rawang instead or for the mob to go up the escalator before taking it. Either way, I stopped at the stairs, beckoned to him to go to the other side of the platform where 5 and 6 were, of which the latter would go to Seremban, hence the direction he was heading to. He seemed to have nodded though the look on his face seems to be somewhat slow in registering.
As I queued to touch my TnG card to exit the platforms, I heard the announcement that of the arrival of the train to Seremban and I wondered if he managed to get on it.
To many of you, perhaps this story is nothing but a boast of my supposed 'kindness' but every time I think about it, perhaps it's the least that I could do to pay my 'debt' to people whom had been kind to me in the past.
Or perhaps the following verse in the New Testament was what that prompted me to care if he got on his way to Nilai or not:
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it (Hebrews 13:2).
No one knows for sure in this cynical and impersonal world of ours but personally, I would like others to show me the same kind of consideration should be in the same shoes.
It's not about trying to get Brownie points from the Big Man Upstairs, either.
Somehow I just felt like doing it.
13 June 2008
Who Dares Wins
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warefare brought my attention the above motto from the British Special Air Service regiment (SAS). Playing as a British SAS operative in this excellent game that I rate above Crysis, I became somewhat enamoured by the team's efficiency and organisation that I began reading up on them. Apparently the SAS was formed during the WW2 under the directive of then then Prime Minister Churchill for special operations behind enemy lines. They were so succesful that Hitler once commented that the SAS must be destroyed in order to tip the balance.
The motto came from a Latin origin, [i]qui audet adipiscitur[/i] and was first used by the SAS. I suppose what it meant is that being special operations in nature, the SAS are required to do unconventional work in enemy territory which I'd imagine would be important enough. I'd imagine if they don't [i]dare[/i], then nobody wins.
A good motto to live in life with but it has to be applied at the right times of course. Hardly proper if you're up against odds that you know is impossible to beat - I'm pretty sure the SAS would fallback and try to formulate something else if they get overwhelmed in numbers. Getting killed in the line of duty due to stupidity and foolish bravura is not an option.
In life I'd imagine it'll also mean fighting for your rights. As is going in the country now, if nobody dares to speak up on the petrol hike, we all lose. Perhaps it resulted in the weird punctuality of the KTM trains in the past five days. Took the train three days this week (more on that later) and in five times so far, they arrived right on the dot or just a minute or two later.
Amazing stuff considering that the KTM is notorious for being overcrowded and rarely on schedule. We'll just see what happens in the next few weeks. Occurences of more than 6/10 will be a remarkable improvement.
As for the other two days, took the LRT thanks to another stupid puncture on my left back tyre.
Now I'm quite sure some pothole or somewhere are nails to catch the unsuspecting. It was fine when I took the car on Wednesday but was flat on Thursday morning, so it's probably the KTM station parking area. But that doesn't seem to explain how I got two front flats the first time though.
Anyway, gotta get it fixed on Saturday morning.
Still, sometimes you dare, but lose. It's a part of life really as nobody wins forever. Going into a fight expecting to win doesn't justify the motto though, just that only those who dare, will have a chance to win. Those who don't dare will lose for sure. Sometimes you gotta stop dreaming and start trying to make it real, otherwise you won't know if it's a dream or a reality.
Who Dares Wins.
My favourite new motto after '
The motto came from a Latin origin, [i]qui audet adipiscitur[/i] and was first used by the SAS. I suppose what it meant is that being special operations in nature, the SAS are required to do unconventional work in enemy territory which I'd imagine would be important enough. I'd imagine if they don't [i]dare[/i], then nobody wins.
A good motto to live in life with but it has to be applied at the right times of course. Hardly proper if you're up against odds that you know is impossible to beat - I'm pretty sure the SAS would fallback and try to formulate something else if they get overwhelmed in numbers. Getting killed in the line of duty due to stupidity and foolish bravura is not an option.
In life I'd imagine it'll also mean fighting for your rights. As is going in the country now, if nobody dares to speak up on the petrol hike, we all lose. Perhaps it resulted in the weird punctuality of the KTM trains in the past five days. Took the train three days this week (more on that later) and in five times so far, they arrived right on the dot or just a minute or two later.
Amazing stuff considering that the KTM is notorious for being overcrowded and rarely on schedule. We'll just see what happens in the next few weeks. Occurences of more than 6/10 will be a remarkable improvement.
As for the other two days, took the LRT thanks to another stupid puncture on my left back tyre.
Now I'm quite sure some pothole or somewhere are nails to catch the unsuspecting. It was fine when I took the car on Wednesday but was flat on Thursday morning, so it's probably the KTM station parking area. But that doesn't seem to explain how I got two front flats the first time though.
Anyway, gotta get it fixed on Saturday morning.
Still, sometimes you dare, but lose. It's a part of life really as nobody wins forever. Going into a fight expecting to win doesn't justify the motto though, just that only those who dare, will have a chance to win. Those who don't dare will lose for sure. Sometimes you gotta stop dreaming and start trying to make it real, otherwise you won't know if it's a dream or a reality.
Who Dares Wins.
My favourite new motto after '
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