Boh-Leh Land

"Hujan emas di negeri orang, hujan batu di negeri sendiri, lebih baik di negeri sendiri"

I envy our neighboring country, Singapore.

The city is well planned with excellent infrastructures and efficient management. Some might argue it’s a small country hence it’s easier to manage. But we can’t even govern our ministers and maintain our Parliament what more the country. It is like the Parliament building itself, leaking and in desperate need of repair and upgrading :P

As a tax payer, it saddens me to see how our money has been misused and the worst of it all is we’ve to bare the consequences. For instance, let’s talk about the MRR2 project, taboo? Ya right… boo hoo, good news that it’s finally repaired and it’s now re-opened to public but does anyone knows how much the government has spent on this project alone? Its budget has blown out of proportion like Jordan’s top :P How to cover up the mess? Toll fare hike, petrol hike etc. Do you know KL is the only city I know with the most freaking tolls! Why do we have to pay toll when the roads are built with tax payers’ money?

Oh oh… about incompetent ministers, yes I’m using plural here, I’ll call them the one-whose-name-shall-not-be-mentioned. Why? Nanti gua masuk lokap susah woh, sked lah… like this fella . We have ministers with degree, double degrees, master degree and even PHD but some of them have IQ and common sense of a...

*sendiri paham lah... hehehe (swipe from here)

An Iraqi friend had shared with me how much he likes the peacefulness we have in our country. In Iraq, people are constantly living in fear. Their lives hang on a thin thread, where a matter of making a left turn or right could determine their life and death. Cars by the roadside will suddenly explode and a normal street can turn into a fierce battle field in the blink of an eye. Many children have become orphans, many parents have lost their precious children, and many more are killed everyday.

“The greatest joy is to be able to see the face your love ones everyday because you’ll never know when will that be taken away from you.” taken from an article on the war in Iraq.

Intertwined within this tragic human err, peace and tranquility are like rain in a dessert, scarce but they’re hopeful. Let’s hope things will get better for them.

Even though I have great disdain toward some of the people who run the country, I do love our country. I'm really thankful for the peace and (freedom) we enjoy here. Malaysia is blessed with abundance of natural beauty. We have world renowned islands, pristine beaches, highest mountain in SEA, longest Quartz-rich hill in the world, enchanting forests, and the list goes on. But all these will soon disappear if we don’t make an effort to preserve them. I don’t hope to see Malaysia becoming a country that’s known for its leaking Parliament building, polluted beaches, and stupid baboons (no offence to baboon… you guys are kewl). The apathy attitude must change!

No doubt, every country has its flaws but lately the flaws of our country are rearing its ugly heads… and it’s really fugly.

Let’s fix it OK.

Motto: First world country, first world mentality.

Cheers Malaysia...

p.s. dunno why suddenly so pathetic patriotic :P must be the chicken i had for lunch...

Pisang Awak

Ali: Hi Encik, nampaknya pisang awak sudah masak, boleh saya beli?

Fruit Seller: -_-* Oi! Mau mati kah kamu... berani kamu ni'

A: ?_? eh... Mengapa Encik marah sangat. Pisang awak itu bukan untuk dijual ke?

FS: Cukup dah ni... kalau kamu tanya sekali lagi, aku akan belasah kamu

A: OK... OK... Rileks...

Ali walks over to Mr. Fruit seller and points at the box below him. On top of the box there is a sign with the word 'Pisang Awak' written on it.

FS: Oh itu pisang... lu cakap la awal awal...

*Pisang Awak

During lunch today i told my friends that there's a type of banana called 'Pisang Awak' and some of them tak percaya wor. After lunch, when we passed by this fruits stall at the LRT station, i quickly walked up to the lady and asked her whether they have pisang awak or not. She stared at me like this O_O and then let out a giggle before replying no... hmmph

So i've decided to write about pisang awak for this entry.

‘Pisang Awak’ is one of the hardiest and most widely distributed bananas worldwide. Over 70% of the bananas that are produced in Thailand are of this clone, and it has gained wide acceptance in East Africa due to its use as a beer banana and drought tolerance. In these and other areas, the clone is very susceptible to race 1. - taken from here

Beside pisang awak, there are other bananas that have peculiar names. For example:

Pisang Berangan - Dreaming Banana (a banana that dreams of becoming a banana)

Pisang Lilin - Candle Banana (use this when there's a black out)

Pisang Berlin - Berlin Banana (wah liao... this one from oversea... more krass)

Pisang Udang - Prawn Banana (a sea creature wanna-be banana)

Pisang Nangka - Jack fruit Banana (banana with identity crisis)

Pisang Raja - King Banana (the one that wants to rule them all)

Pisang Kepok - Rice bucket Banana (this banana likes rice)

Pisang William - William's Banana (hu hu hu hu... :P)

Pisang Tanduk - Horn(y) Banana (this one dem jia lat)

Pisang Susu - Milk Banana (calcium + potassium... good for health)

Pisang Putar - Spinning Banana (this is one headache banana)

Pisang Embun - Dew Banana (sounds so wrong in Cantonese :P)

Pisang Kari - Curry Banana (india mari mia)

Pisang Lidi - Coconut vein Banana (aka Anorexic banana)

Pisang Jari Buaya - Crocodile fingers Banana (this one bites... *chomp* *chomp*)

Pisang Batu - Rock Banana (a hardy banana)


Last but not least


Pisang Awak - Your Banana :P
Mau makan pisang awak?

p.s. read more about banana here

Blame It On The Weather

Life is full of decisions.

Sometimes we make the right decisions and sometimes we don't.

When we have made the wrong decision, we are to be accountable for the consequences. We learn from our mistakes, so that we will become wiser and not to repeat the same mistake again.

So a note to our high-maintenance ‘high-calibre’ minister, Dr. Samy :

It's time to stop pointing fingers and start offering solutions!

View eL Bz's map

Taken in (See more photos here)

swipe from el_Bz

Taken from TheSun 25th July 2007

Samy Vellu: Weather change to blame
KUALA LUMPUR (July 24, 2007): Global changes in the weather pattern that resulted in heavier rain is to be blamed for the recent leaks in the Parliament building, said Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu

Commenting on yesterday's incident where Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak was greeted with a leak as he stepped out of Dewan Negara, Samy Vellu said it was due to the spell of heavy rain in the last few days.

Oh betul tu, macam lah ia tak pernah hujan berhari hari dahulu

"Rain is really heavy nowadays, not only here, but throughout the world.

"Like in England, streets are filled with five feet (deep) of water, in (the United States of) America there's also flood," he told reporters after opening a seminar on Technology Management for Enterprises in a hotel here today.

Fuyoh, 'quoting' berita luar negara. Ermmm... apa kena mengena banjir kat London dengan kebocorankat Parlimen?

He said waterproofing works were being done on the Parliament building and the government had just approved a RM12 million allocation for initial study and immediate repair of severe leaks in the building, report's Malaysia's national news agency Bernama.

Eh? kan dah kata kerja 'waterproofing' sudah dilakukan mengapa perlu belanja RM12 juta untuk penyiasatan dan kerja kerja pembentungan lagi?

"Dr Samy... itu you punya banglo dan MERCEDES baru kah? CUNNNN!"

Samy Vellu said as the Parliament building was about 50 years old, the entire roof of the Parliament needed to be waterproofed again, but the cost for the impending renovation had yet to be assessed.

Oh macam tu... eh? Mana itu RM12 juta ya?

"We have to remove the old concrete, and lay new concrete blocks, and carry out waterproofing at the bottom and top layers," he said.

He said two or three engineers would be placed on site to supervise the double waterproofing works as it was being carried out to ensure that it was not done shoddily.

"I will personally visit the location tomorrow (Wednesday) to observe what is being done," he said.

"Hey Dr. Samy... bawa anak anak jurutera kamu pergi makan lunch ke? "

Quiet / Gift

It is now 4:37pm and I'm bored.

My mind is restless, roving aimlessly from one issue to another. My mood swings like a clock's pendulum, swinging from one extreme end to the other.

I'm feeling a little melancholy today. A melancholic day.

23, 24, 25, 26...

Time is slowly ticking away... Precious time.

I'm wasting my time, sitting here, doing nothing and yet i can't bring myself to do anything.

Unproductive. I hate to be unproductive, i don't like to laze around and do nothing.

It's awfully quiet in the office. Cold and quiet. My hands are cold.
____________________________________________________________________

I made a small little 'good luck' card yesterday.

I bought some strawberries and a rose this morning.



swipe from gorjez01


I had put them together and passed it to a friend.

It's now on the way to the North of M'sia.

I'm waiting in anticipation for a reply from the receiver.

A smile forms on my face.

____________________________________________________________________

Thank you for all your concerns and condolences.

Appreciate it very much :)

Father

He was a good and caring brother to his siblings, always made sure their needs were taken care of. He had gone to great ends to support them, financially, physically and also emotionally.

He was a loyal and amiable friend. He had helped many people in his life and because of this, he had gained many close acquaintances. He treated his friends like his family, always willing to help no matter what. He believed that ‘A friend in need is a friend indeed.’

He was a good father to his children. He would check on them at night to make sure there’re alright before going to bed. He loved to make his children happy, telling them funny stories and jokes, bringing them out for a joyride and even jungle tracking. He worked hard so that he could provide the best for his children.

He was a good husband to Erica. He tried starting a business but he was unsuccessful. He didn’t give up trying because all he ever wanted was to give her a good life. He was persistent even until the day he died.

But…

You’re never the above to my mother and me.

I always wonder why you had abandoned me.

I hated you in the past but now I’ve forgiven you.

You will always be the father I never knew.

Now that I’ve made my peace,

I hope you rest in peace.

Pelagia

I'm a fox!

:)

Just came back from a refreshing trip to Fraser's Hill.

Lovely weather.

Warm and friendly people.

I'll definitely go back there again :)

Peace

What do you do when you're angry?

Anger, when it's channeled properly, can be a form of productive energy.

How do you channel it positively?

Many artists, singers, composers and painters, have successfully used this energy to produce some of the world's greatest arts.

Different people have different ways of diffusing their anger. But NEVER EVER direct your anger on living things - be it human, animals or plants. Uncontrolled anger will manifest in the form of violence.

Violence is like a 2 edged sword, it cuts both way. Control your anger or else it will control you.

What do i do when i'm mad?

I exercise. The rewards are a better health and a stronger body.

I listen to music. Music has tremendous effect on one's emotion. Some lift you up, some make you sad and some sooth the mood.

The song below is called 'Bangles' and it's written by Niraj Chag. Even though i don't understand the lyrics, but it makes me feel calm and peaceful every time i listen to it (Another track that i've managed to find on youtube is called 'Khwaab' which is from the same composer). It's simply beautiful :)

Confucious once said:

When anger rises, think of the consequences.

*Bangles


*Khwaab

Sunscreen

What do you do when you’re overwhelmed by life itself?

You’ll start to think.

You’ll start to rationalize.

“What if I didn’t make that decision?”

“What if I took that job?”

“What if I studied a different course?”

So many ‘what if’s.

Mistakes… I’ve made a plenty. Who doesn’t? The point is to learn from your mistakes and be wise enough not to repeat the same mistake.

A perfect life does not necessary equate to a happy life. It is when we’ve chosen to look beyond the imperfections then we’ll see the beauty of life.

Anna Quindlen once said

“The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself.”

I don’t want what my work wants me to be.

I don’t want what my family wants me to be.

I don’t want what my friends want me to be.

I just want to be myself and be…

Loved and accepted ^_^

Who do you see when you look in the mirror?

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Sunscreen by Baz Luhrmann

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’97 If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience… I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked… You’re not as fat as you imagine.

Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing everyday that scares you

Sing

Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss

Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself.

Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch

Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life… the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.

Get plenty of calcium.

Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone.

Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children,maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…what ever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s. Enjoy your body, use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own..

Dance… even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.

Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.

Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for good.

Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund,
maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one
might run out.

Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will
look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who
supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of
fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the
ugly parts and recycling it for more than
it’s worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen

A Song / Sampat Empat

I’ve been singing a song

That no one could hear

Until you came along.

A few broken chords, a simple melody

Nothing spectacular, nothing noteworthy.

Pianissimo, fortissimo,

Gently, & gracefully it flows

Crescendo, marcato,

Boldly, & loudly it proclaims...

Mi Amor… Mi Amor …

Siempre veraz y leal sere…

Nada más… nada menos…

Te daré mi major

Ves mi sueño… mi querido…

Caminemos… sobre mi sueño, junto

Construyamos… un mundo , junto

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Butterfly Lovers





Have always love the music, ever since i watched the movie when i was kid.

The famous Butterfly Lovers' Violin Concerto was written by 2 Chinese composers, Chen Gang & He Zhan Hao in 1959.

The soloist featured in these clips is Mr. Lu Szu Ching from China, who has won the prestigious Paganini Competition in 1987. He is one of the best violinists I've ever heard and his rendition is simply beautiful :)
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Sampat Empat

4 Jobs I've had in my life

1. Sales Assistant at a CD shop

• This was during my Form 3 holiday break. I got to listen to all the latest CDs for free. Wicked!

2. Tuition Teacher

• Was teaching the Queen’s Engrish. Amazing rite... Don’t play play eh :P Last I heard from he mother that her son did quite well in school... Not in Engrish though… this I blame the mother :P

3. Clerk/ Operator/ Office Boy/ IT Assistant

• A short stint right after my form 5 study. It's a construction office and it was just right next door to my old house (shop house). I could sleep until 10 mins before 9am and still got into the office in time. You tell me how to find a job lidat.. :P

4. Mudlogger

• Yup… i organized mud wrestling matches. Anyone wants to try? :P

10Movies I can watch over and over again (why limit to 4 kan…)

1. The Emperor’s New Groove
Aitelyou, dis wan is dem farnee... what?! dun belief kah? Quickly go curi beli 1 copy from Speedy or Tower Records :P

2. Finding Nemo
An interesting storyline, a good script & a bunch of colorful characters... do i need to explain more :)

3. The Sound of Music
Come learn DoReMi, ABC, 123, & how to 'chow lou' (escape) when being chased by Ah Long, ISA & etc. .. so educational... Highly recommended to everybuddies :P

4. Lord of The Rings
SO CHEONG HEI! But i rike...

5. Meet Joe Black
Death experiencing life... ain't that interesting (also the Forlani & Pitt ehemm scene) :P

6. Amelie
Bon jour... Je ma apellé Amelie. An eccentric character in a quirky movie, Funisteresting!

7. Beauty and The Beast
What?! tak boleh kah...

8. The Red Violin
The cursed Stradivius... Expresses one's true desire... greed, lust, envy...

9. Jerry Macguire
i like this very very very very very very *deep breath* very very very very very much .

10. Moulin Rouge
This one can sing lah, dance lah, act lah... got Elton lah, Madonna lah, Kylie lah...

4 Places I've been on Vacation

1. Perth, Australia.
Funtabulous! I wanna migrate to Australia :P

2. Hsin Chu, Tai Nan, Taiwan.
Work + Holiday. Nevertheless, it was a wonderful experience

3. Bangkok.
SHOPPING HAVEN!

4. Singapore
Charming Lil’ country

4 Of my Favorite Dishes

1. Pepperoni Pizza... with extra cheese please

2. Salmon Sashimi… yummy!

3. Char Siew & Siew Yuk rice at Taman Bukit Maluri

4. Any vegetable dishes (I'm a SemiVegan :P)

4 Places I would like to Visit

1. Austrian Alps, Austria

2. Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

3. Jiu Zhai Gou, Sze Chuan, China

4. Sipadan Island, MalaysiaJom CJ ^_^

4 Most overused Words

1. Huh?

2. eeyerr…

3. sure or not

4. What?!

4 TV Shows I love to Watch

1. Ugly Betty

2. CSI

3. Futurama

4. Ally McBeal

*Dah siap En. Nasser... jangan kata i tak buat ye :)

Where Are Your Children?

*smurf's new uniform

What's wrong with the picture above?

It's raining ... ahuh

Cars... ahuh

School children... huh?

It was raining yesterday after work. I couldn't get to my car which was parked across the street. Therefore, I'd to wait out the heavy downpour with other unlucky people who were stranded as well.

While i was standing at the front entrance of my office's lobby, something odd caught my eyes. Small yellow people, happily walking in the rain, was appearing one after another at the park in front of me. First i thought

'Wah... Mini DIGI yellow men'

The thing is they were all primary school students.

What in the world!?

Felt like walking straight to the teachers and gave them a few good smacks on the face.

Hello!

It's raining + Traffic congestion + KL drivers = HAZARD!

What a bunch of reckless teachers. Too bad I didn't manage to get the name of the school. If not I'll definitely call up the school (pretending to be the parent) and give the principle a good sounding.

Parents... Where are your children? Are they safe?