03 May 2009
Swine Flu and Winnie the Pooh
Another forwarded mail. Thought it was really funny.
On a more serious note, the Swine Flu is one in the long list of the diseases which have jumped to humans from animals - AIDs, Mad cow disease, Foot-and-mouth, Chicken flu and now Swine flu.
Apart from AIDs, apparently all the diseases are from domesticated animals reared as food. Maybe we should all go vegetarian.
On a more serious note, the Swine Flu is one in the long list of the diseases which have jumped to humans from animals - AIDs, Mad cow disease, Foot-and-mouth, Chicken flu and now Swine flu.
Apart from AIDs, apparently all the diseases are from domesticated animals reared as food. Maybe we should all go vegetarian.
19 April 2009
Azaleas brightening up my garden
The small garden in front of my house was looking a little dull and I found the perfect flower to brighten it up - dark pink Azaleas (Rhododendron sp.).
Bought these flowering shrubs at the green grocer near our house. I have no idea about the variety or the species of Azaleas. Don't they look lovely?
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Bought these flowering shrubs at the green grocer near our house. I have no idea about the variety or the species of Azaleas. Don't they look lovely?
Join
Do visit As the Garden Grows for more information.
First Commentator
Susanne
Susanne
15 April 2009
In defence of Pak Lah
Tun Abdullah bin Haji Ahmad Badawi stepped down as Prime Minister of Malaysia two weeks ago and people already seem to have forgotten him. I am quite disappointed that nobody seems to have anything nice to say about this man.
Nearing the end of his tenure, it seemed like almost everyone was after him. I heard a number of Malays complaining that he had weakened the position of the Malays. On the other hand, the Chinese and the Indians were unsatisfied with him as well.
I guess the problem was that when he was made the Prime Minister, Malaysians expected great - almost impossible things from him. They expected him to wipe out corruption from the country, increase transparency, improve human rights, freedom of the press, etc. etc.
The fact is that he did. The press in Malaysia has never been this freer. He also initiated several campaigns to reduce corruption including the "Saya Anti-Rasuah" campaign. Whether these were successful or not is debatable.
Almost anyone who had to deal with Government agencies will tell you that the level of service quality had improved tremendously as compared to the previous Mahathir era. Of course certain departments have a long way to go before they achieve Bersih, Cekap, Amanah dan Toleransi (Clean, Efficient, Trustworthy and Tolerant).
One of the main reasons I have a soft spot was because I once was in huge trouble and I wrote to him directly as a last resort when all my efforts to solve it were in vain. I was really amazed when he (or his secretary) actually directed the Government officials involved to solve my problem with a letter copied to me as well. All this happened within two weeks. I had actually sent letters to other officials as well but no reply till date.
So what went wrong?
People suddenly realised that they could voice out what they felt and I guess the blogosphere had a role in this. This is illustrated by the fact that a few prominent bloggers were elected to the Malaysian Parliament. It suddenly seemed like Malaysia was filled with corruption and scandals. While the fact is that these had been happening from before, only that these were just rumours that went around via word-of-mouth and rarely read and analysed by so many people - common citizens. So opening up the media might have done him a lot of harm and he couldn't put a lid on it after people had tasted the fruits of freedom of speech.
Another thing that really hurt Pak Lah was the strained relations with the former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad. There are several reasons and I wouldn't want to go into it. Tun Mahathir has a lot of admirers in Malaysia and even outside (including myself) and you can imagine the impact of every word against his successor.
Most people also blame Pak Lah's son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin for pulling him down. I have not seen any proof that Khairy was ever involved in any wrong doing but I guess a lot of the older politicians were wary of his rapid rise in influence.
Last of all, I blame his PR people for failing him. They totally ignored the blogosphere as well. Pak Lah certainly had a image problem. I am sure everyone has received a forwarded email with a picture of him falling asleep at some event or the other. In the end, everyone got the impression of a PM that didn't care. I wonder why his people never did anything about this. I know of a couple of brilliant old professors who have the same problem and used to fall asleep at all the academic meetings. All the people around knew their problem but just ignored it because they were aware how brilliant they were. However, it's different in the case of a politician, more so the Prime Minister of the country. For them, image is everything.
I guess I could go on and on but I am sure there are a lot of others like me who are sad to see Pak Lah go.
Nearing the end of his tenure, it seemed like almost everyone was after him. I heard a number of Malays complaining that he had weakened the position of the Malays. On the other hand, the Chinese and the Indians were unsatisfied with him as well.
I guess the problem was that when he was made the Prime Minister, Malaysians expected great - almost impossible things from him. They expected him to wipe out corruption from the country, increase transparency, improve human rights, freedom of the press, etc. etc.
The fact is that he did. The press in Malaysia has never been this freer. He also initiated several campaigns to reduce corruption including the "Saya Anti-Rasuah" campaign. Whether these were successful or not is debatable.
Almost anyone who had to deal with Government agencies will tell you that the level of service quality had improved tremendously as compared to the previous Mahathir era. Of course certain departments have a long way to go before they achieve Bersih, Cekap, Amanah dan Toleransi (Clean, Efficient, Trustworthy and Tolerant).
One of the main reasons I have a soft spot was because I once was in huge trouble and I wrote to him directly as a last resort when all my efforts to solve it were in vain. I was really amazed when he (or his secretary) actually directed the Government officials involved to solve my problem with a letter copied to me as well. All this happened within two weeks. I had actually sent letters to other officials as well but no reply till date.
So what went wrong?
People suddenly realised that they could voice out what they felt and I guess the blogosphere had a role in this. This is illustrated by the fact that a few prominent bloggers were elected to the Malaysian Parliament. It suddenly seemed like Malaysia was filled with corruption and scandals. While the fact is that these had been happening from before, only that these were just rumours that went around via word-of-mouth and rarely read and analysed by so many people - common citizens. So opening up the media might have done him a lot of harm and he couldn't put a lid on it after people had tasted the fruits of freedom of speech.
Another thing that really hurt Pak Lah was the strained relations with the former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad. There are several reasons and I wouldn't want to go into it. Tun Mahathir has a lot of admirers in Malaysia and even outside (including myself) and you can imagine the impact of every word against his successor.
Most people also blame Pak Lah's son-in-law, Khairy Jamaluddin for pulling him down. I have not seen any proof that Khairy was ever involved in any wrong doing but I guess a lot of the older politicians were wary of his rapid rise in influence.
Last of all, I blame his PR people for failing him. They totally ignored the blogosphere as well. Pak Lah certainly had a image problem. I am sure everyone has received a forwarded email with a picture of him falling asleep at some event or the other. In the end, everyone got the impression of a PM that didn't care. I wonder why his people never did anything about this. I know of a couple of brilliant old professors who have the same problem and used to fall asleep at all the academic meetings. All the people around knew their problem but just ignored it because they were aware how brilliant they were. However, it's different in the case of a politician, more so the Prime Minister of the country. For them, image is everything.
I guess I could go on and on but I am sure there are a lot of others like me who are sad to see Pak Lah go.
11 April 2009
Vist to the West Midland Safari Park
Writing about the 'Great places for a day out with the family in the Midlands', I sudddenly realised that I had not blogged about our visit to the West Midland Safari Park. The park is just an hours drive from our place but we had never visited it until my wife's cousin visited us last June.
It was an amazing experience. I mean have you ever had a giraffe come to your car.
Remember to grab a packet of the special diet animal food available at the ticket stalls. Several of the animals come right up to your window and you are allowed to feed them.
Water buffaloes cooling off
Cheetah
Lions lazying around
Some face painting
We really enjoyed the Sea Lion Encounter at the Seal Island Exhibit Pool as well. Forgot to take pics.
I great day with the family and the kids really loved it. Will definitely be going there again.
It was an amazing experience. I mean have you ever had a giraffe come to your car.
Remember to grab a packet of the special diet animal food available at the ticket stalls. Several of the animals come right up to your window and you are allowed to feed them.
Water buffaloes cooling off
Cheetah
Lions lazying around
Some face painting
We really enjoyed the Sea Lion Encounter at the Seal Island Exhibit Pool as well. Forgot to take pics.
I great day with the family and the kids really loved it. Will definitely be going there again.
06 April 2009
Spring is here when daffodils bloom
I haven't done a Green Thumb Sunday post for quite sometime because I haven't been doing any gardening at all.
Anyway, the first flowers to bloom were the narcissus. They look lovely.
Over here, the yellow daffodils flowering everywhere signal that spring has arrived.
My daughter's daffodils which she planted from bulbs also started flowering and I helped her transfer from the pot to the ground.
I WANDERED LONELY AS A CLOUD by William Wordsworth (1804)
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
and twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretched in never-ending line
along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
in such a jocund company:
I gazed - and gazed - but little thought
what wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
Join
Do visit As the Garden Grows for more information.
Anyway, the first flowers to bloom were the narcissus. They look lovely.
Over here, the yellow daffodils flowering everywhere signal that spring has arrived.
My daughter's daffodils which she planted from bulbs also started flowering and I helped her transfer from the pot to the ground.
I WANDERED LONELY AS A CLOUD by William Wordsworth (1804)
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
and twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretched in never-ending line
along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
in such a jocund company:
I gazed - and gazed - but little thought
what wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
Join
Do visit As the Garden Grows for more information.
03 April 2009
Timex wathces
While browsing through the watches in one of the shops in the city, I came across some Timex watches and it brought back some memories. I suddenly thought of the day in school during my teenage years when one of my friends came to school with this chunky watch and he showed us how it glowed through the dial as compared to ours which had small lights from our sides - it was a Timex watch. I was crazy about gadgets back then as well and that was my objects of desire. Funnily enough I never got to own one though.
Anyway, I was thinking that I should probably get a new watch and of course I thought of Timex watches. Looking for reviews, I found several Timex watch offers on various sites but the best were on Amazon. I found the customer reviews really useful and I like the fact that the site does not hide the negative reviews about the products.
I am not really looking for something "geeky" with a lot of buttons and loads of functions - just a simple looking watch. Going through the various designs and reviews, I kind of like the Timex Expedition Traditional Leather and the price is not that bad at all.
First Commentator
Rani
Anyway, I was thinking that I should probably get a new watch and of course I thought of Timex watches. Looking for reviews, I found several Timex watch offers on various sites but the best were on Amazon. I found the customer reviews really useful and I like the fact that the site does not hide the negative reviews about the products.
I am not really looking for something "geeky" with a lot of buttons and loads of functions - just a simple looking watch. Going through the various designs and reviews, I kind of like the Timex Expedition Traditional Leather and the price is not that bad at all.
First Commentator
Rani
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