Why children should not be MPs

Just returned from a 3 and half days review of the Money & You seminar which was held at the Subang Holiday Villa over the weekend. More on that at another appropriate time.

Meanwhile, I came across Intan Mastura's opinion piece as I skimmed The Star this morning, trying to catch up on the news. I thought Intan described very well the few reasons why children should not be MPs.

One, they are emotionally immature.

Two, children have a tendency to tell tales on their friends, classmates and other members of their playgroup.

Three, they are not able to distinguish fact from fiction.

Four, children have problems accepting authority.

And five, they fall asleep in class.

Hold a minute, did she say children?

Risking

Two seeds lay side by side in the fertile spring soil.

The First Seed said, "I want to grow! I want to send my roots deep into the soil beneath me, and thrust my sprouts through the earth's crust above me . . . I want to unfurl my tender buds like banners to announce the arrival of Spring. I want to feel the warmth of the sun on my face and the blessing of the morning dew on my petals!"

And so she grew.

The Second Seed said, "I am afraid! If I send my roots into the ground below, I don't know what I will encounter in the dark. If I push my way through the hard soil above me I may damage my delicate sprouts . . . what if I let my buds open and a snail tries to eat them? And if I were to open my blossoms, a small child may pull me from the ground. No, it is much better for me to wait until it is safe."

And so she waited.

A yard hen, scratching around for food in the early Spring ground, found the waiting seed and promptly ate it.

By Patty Hansen

MORAL OF THE STORY - Those who refuse to risk and grow get swallowed up by life.

Good turnout to dialogue with police

I suppose the organisers should be happy with the turnout to this dialogue with the police despite the adverse weather. The auditorium was filled up by the time we started at about 2.45pm. Many late comers were happy to just stand and sit along the aisles.

Syabas to you all and thank you for making this event a success. More to come, I am made to understand.

More on this in usj.com.my.

Meanwhile, the Deputy IGP outlines five-year target to improve the efficiency of the police. This couldn't have come at a better time.

Let's give it a chance to work, starting with Subang Jaya.

The Little Soul and the Sun

This parable - which first appeared in a slightly different form in Neale Donald Walsch's best-selling book Conversations with God Book 1 - will make a lasting impression on all children aged 1-100!

You might find it gives lovely, positive answers to many difficult questions, freeing us from the need to judge ourselves and others, and helping us towards a lighter, more playful attitude to life, even in life's trickier moments.

It gives us a new way of looking at why 'bad' things sometimes happen, and a new way of dealing with those things when they occur. It also shows that everyone is loved by God in the same way, and that even people we may not consider to be our friends may be God's angels in disguise.

An excerpt here.

Ethnic Dis-relation

If what has been reported in the press is true, then Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed certainly has alot to catch up on relationships! Just because he isn't getting any smarter doesn't mean the rest of us aren't.

You just cannot build any relationship with anyone if you start by distorting and telling half truths, Sir.

Star, 19 Jul 2006 - UPM guide for lecturers stays
Star, 19 Jul 2006 - Don: Be careful in ethnic relations
Star, 19 Jul 2006 - Mustapa’s reply on Kg Medan riots irks MPs
Star, 19 Jul 2006 - Ong: Textbooks should consider sensitive issues
NST, 19 Jul 2006 - Continuing furore over guidebook
NST, 19 Jul 2006 - Universiti Malaya leads in racial unity courses
Star, 18 Jul 2006 - Nazri: UPM book is seditious

Laughable

Want to know why Malaysians are still reading only two books per year?

One laughable reason is the National Library’s Director-General, Dr Haji Wan Ali Wan Mamat. See his interview in the Sunday Star, reproduced verbatim below;

How do you feel about the new reading campaign lasting five years?

I am very happy. Continuous efforts are needed to change the reading habits of a society. We need time to implement changes, for example the price of books, and to increase the number of libraries and local writers.

Was last year’s reading campaign a success?

Yes, I think it was a success. It was ... not bad.

How did you measure its success?

We did not measure.

So what makes you say that it was a success?

I guess, you could say because the use of libraries increased. Book sales also maybe increased.

Do you have data on the increase of library use and book sales?

No, we do not have any data yet. It is my impression that the campaign was a success.

What do you base your impression on?

For example ... there are not enough seats in the library on Saturdays nowadays. This is partly thanks to our new wing with more books.

How many books are in the new wing?

I am not sure. More books ... maybe three times the number in the old area.

You also have a nice new roof! How much did it cost?

More than RM5mil.

How much did the new books in the new wing cost?

I’m not sure, but very much more than what we spent the year before.

Sorry to say this but I think a monkey will make a better chief. Cheaper also.

The Little Boy

Once a little boy went to school.
He was quite a little boy
And it was quite a big school.
But when the little boy
Found that he could go to his room
By walking right in from the door outside
He was happy;
And the school did not seem
Quite so big anymore.

One morning
When the little boy had been in school awhile,
The teacher said:
"Today we are going to make a picture."
"Good!" thought the little boy.
He liked to make all kinds;
Lions and tigers,
Chickens and cows,
Trains and boats;
And he took out his box of crayons
And began to draw.

But the teacher said, "Wait!"
"It is not time to begin!"
And she waited until everyone looked ready.
"Now," said the teacher,
"We are going to make flowers."
"Good!" thought the little boy,
He liked to make beautiful ones
With his pink and orange and blue crayons.
But the teacher said "Wait!"
"And I will show you how."
And it was red, with a green stem.
"There," said the teacher,
"Now you may begin."

The little boy looked at his teacher's flower
Then he looked at his own flower.
He liked his flower better than the teacher's
But he did not say this.
He just turned his paper over,
And made a flower like the teacher's.
It was red, with a green stem.

On another day
When the little boy had opened
The door from the outside all by himself,
The teacher said:
"Today we are going to make something with clay."
"Good!" thought the little boy;
He liked clay.
He could make all kinds of things with clay:
Snakes and snowmen,
Elephants and mice,
Cars and trucks
And he began to pull and pinch
His ball of clay.

But the teacher said, "Wait!"
"It is not time to begin!
"And she waited until everyone looked ready.
"Now," said the teacher,
"We are going to make a dish."
"Good!" thought the little boy,
He liked to make dishes.
And he began to make some
That were all shapes and sizes.

But the teacher said "Wait!"
"And I will show you how."
And she showed everyone how to make
One deep dish.
"There," said the teacher,
"Now you may begin."

The little boy looked at the teacher's dish;
Then he looked at his own.
He liked his better than the teacher's
But he did not say this.
He just rolled his clay into a big ball again
And made a dish like the teacher's.
It was a deep dish.

And pretty soon
The little boy learned to wait,
And to watch
And to make things just like the teacher.
And pretty soon
He didn't make things of his own anymore.

Then it happened
That the little boy and his family
Moved to another house,
In another city,
And the little boy
Had to go to another school.

This school was even bigger
Than the other one.
And there was no door from the outside
Into his room.
He had to go up some big steps
And walk down a long hall
To get to his room.

And the very first day
He was there,
The teacher said:
"Today we are going to make a picture."

"Good!" thought the little boy.
And he waited for the teacher
To tell what to do.
But the teacher didn't say anything.
She just walked around the room.

When she came to the little boy
She asked, "Don't you want to make a picture?"
"Yes," said the lttle boy.
"What are we going to make?"
"I don't know until you make it," said the teacher.
"How shall I make it?" asked the little boy.
"Why, anyway you like," said the teacher.
"And any color?" asked the little boy.
"Any color," said the teacher.
"If everyone made the same picture,
And used the same colors,
How would I know who made what,
And which was which?"
"I don't know," said the little boy.
And he began to make a red flower with a green stem.

By Helen E. Buckley

Super-M Returns

Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Johari Baharum must be on dope to dare suggest Rafidah as a mediator to the ongoing Clash of the Titans. What lah, you!

"Johari proposed that senior ministers who once served in Dr Mahathir’s Cabinet could act as mediators. Among the names he suggested were Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik and International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz."

Meanwhile, when Super-M returns .....

... how would you expect him to respond to this disclosure?

Brace your seat belts, countrymen.

Dialogue with Police

The USJ Residents Association is organising a dialogue with the police on:

Date: 23 July 2006, Sunday

Time: 2.30pm to 5.00pm

Venue: MPSJ Theatrette, MPSJ Building, USJ 5

ADUN Subang Jaya Dato' Lee Hwa Beng and Subang Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Muhammad Fuad Talib will be in attendance.

People of USJ, if you have any issues to bring up, this is your opportunity to speak up.

Tobacco May Kill 1 Billion This Century

Tobacco kills.

Tobacco alone is predicted to kill a billion people this century, 10 times the toll it took in the 20th century, if current trends hold.

If that is so, why isn't more done to curb tobacco usage. Why isn't steps taken to eliminate some of the most common risk factors for cancer that could save millions of lives over the next few decades?

Is it because the benefits outweigh the risks?

Or is it because the much hated smokers are being exterminated?

Heck, I don't intend to be part of the 1B statistics.

I QUIT. I QUIT. I QUIT. Effective NOW!

Sportsmanship

A gem of a joke from Eddie Fong to the Edwardian newsgroup.

Out on her royal yacht the queen was enjoying the sea air when she spied a man in the water off the port bow - clearly being menaced by a very large shark. Through her binoculars she could see it was Cristiano Ronaldo, struggling frantically to free himself from the jaws of a 20 foot shark!

The queen ordered the captain to change course to try and save the poor man, but she knew the yacht's top speed would never get them there in time.

At that exact moment a speedboat containing three men wearing white England shirts sped into view. One of the men took aim at the shark and fired a harpoon into its ribs, immobilising it instantly. The other two reached out and pulled Ronaldo from the water and, using long clubs, beat the shark to death.
They bundled the bleeding, semi-conscious Ronaldo into the speedboat along with the dead shark and prepared for a hasty retreat, when they heard frantic calling .......

It was the Queen calling them to the yacht.

On reaching yacht the Queen went into raptures about the rescue and said to Beckham, Rooney and Gerrard (for it was they), "I will give you a knighthood for your brave actions. I thought the England team would hate Ronaldo after the world cup, but I see that my England team are true heroes and should serve as a model for sportsmanship to other countries."

She knighted them there and then, and proceeded to sail away.

As she departed, Rooney asked the others, "Who was that?!"

"That," Beckham answered, "was our Queen. She rules the Commonwealth and knows everything an all that about our country."

"Well," Rooney replied, "she definitely knows F*ck-all about shark fishing. How's the bait holding up?"

Zen Stories

A Zen story on the Useless Life, to share.

A farmer got so old that he couldn't work the fields anymore. So he would spend the day just sitting on the porch. His son, still working the farm, would look up from time to time and see his father sitting there.

"He's of no use any more," the son thought to himself, "he doesn't do anything!"

One day the son got so frustrated by this, that he built a wood coffin, dragged it over to the porch, and told his father to get in. Without saying anything, the father climbed inside. After closing the lid, the son dragged the coffin to the edge of the farm where there was a high cliff.

As he approached the drop, he heard a light tapping on the lid from inside the coffin. He opened it up. Still lying there peacefully, the father looked up at his son.

I know you are going to throw me over the cliff, but before you do, may I suggest something?"

"What is it?" replied the son.

"Throw me over the cliff, if you like," said the father, "but save this good wood coffin. Your children might need to use it."

More Zen stories here.

To make sure that you do not fall asleep while reading, concentrate on your mind.

18 more ministers among 'elite' speedsters

If only our ministers can deliver as fast as they drive.

Exclusive from Malaysiakini: 18 more ministers among 'elite' speedsters.

"More than half of the 32 ministers in the cabinet have become part of the 'elite club' of VIP traffic offenders with outstanding fines amounting to at least RM115,680.

Based on a check of online traffic user search site rilek.com.my, malaysiakini discovered that 18 ministers have accumulated a total of 918 unpaid summons among them over several years, mainly for speeding. Four of them account for 472 of the summons."

Natural-born Liars

40% of 3-year-olds who have just learned to speak lie. 100% of 5-year-olds lie. 83-90% of adults lie.

Women are much better at detecting a lie with emotional material and men with factual material.

That makes almost everyone one of us a natural-born liar.

Interesting article from theSun, 10 July 2006.

Bridge over troubled water

Be a bridge over troubled water.

Never fail to be a friend indeed when you see a friend in need. Often the bridge you build over troubled water is the very bridge you yourself may need to cross.

The story is told of a young man hiking through the mountains, when a sudden blinding storm struck. The entire area was covered with deep snow. Before long, the hiker's hands and feet grew numb as he wandered through the storm and snow in search of shelter.

Just then he came upon an older man who had collapsed in the snow. "Are you OK?" asked the hiker.

"I'm so cold and so tired," the weary man stammered. "My legs are numb, and I don't think I have the strength to go any further."

The hiker responded: "Let me help you." He then removed his gloves and began rubbing the man's arms and legs. After several minutes of this gentle massage, the man felt strong enough to stand on his feet.

The two men, supporting each other, made their way through the storm.

Once they reached safety and shelter, the younger man thanked the other for all his help.

"Thank me?" said the older man. "I never would have made it out of there if it wasn't for you. I owe you my life," he said.

"No, you don't understand," responded the younger man. "I was tired, cold, and ready to give up. Helping you gave me the strength and determination to carry on. I owe you everything."

By VICTOR M. PARACHIN

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari is one of Robin Sharma's most successful books. It is being made into a motion picture due for release in 2007. Sharma is acting in it, as well.

This book centers around the character of Julian Mantle, a superstar lawyer who collapsed right in the middle of a packed coutroom.

It is a fable about a spiritual journey, littered with powerful life lessons that teach us how to embrace destiny, live life to the full and discover joy.

I would strongly recommend this great book to everyone. Especially to all the workoholics out there because there is more to life than the 6' x 8' cubicles you are holed into. Julian should know because he has been there before, so please hear him out.

"And please never, ever forget the gift of family. Live your children's childhood. Few things are as meaningful as being a part of your children's childhood. What is the point of climbing the steps of success if you have missed the first steps of your own kids? What good is owning the biggest house on your block if you have not taken the time to create a home? What is the used of being known across the country as a red-hot trial lawyer if your kids don't even know their father?" Julian offered, his voice now quivering with emotion.

After his near-fatal heart attack, Julian, aged 53, was given this choice by his doctors: your life or your career. He chose the former and sold off his mansion, his plane, private island and even his ferrari to embark on a journey in the mystical land of India, obviously in search of answers.

Thus begins his journey of self discovery, which took him 3 years.

The more he explored, the more he heard of Indian monks who had lived beyond the age of a hundred, monks who despite their advanced years maintained youthful, energetic and vital lives. The more he travelled, the more he learned of ageless yogis who had mastered the art of mind-control and spiritual awakening. And the more he saw, the more he longed to understand the dynamics behind these miracles of human nature, hoping to apply their philosopies to his own life.

It was while he was in Kashmir that he had the good fortune to meet Yogi Krishnan who told him about the Great Sages of Sivana. Julian set off again to search for this lost land of Sivana.

He travelled into the rarified regions of the Himalayas. Along the way, he met Yogi Raman, one of the sages who went on to become his mentor. From the sages, he learned, among others, about the seven virtues for a life overflowing with inner peace, joy and a wealth of spiritual gifts. All contained within an imaginative mystical fable which has the essence of it all.

"You are sitting in the middle of a magnificent, lush, green garden. This garden is filled with the most spectacular flowers you have ever seen. The environment is supremely tranquil and silent. Savor the sensual delights of this garden and feel as if you have all the time in the world to enjoy this natural oasis. As you look around you see that in the center of this magical garden stands a towering, red lighthouse, six stories high. Suddenly, the silence of the garden is disturbed by a loud creaking as the door at the base of the lighthouse opens. Out stumbles a nine-foot-tall, nine-hundred-pound Japanese sumo wrestler who casually wanders into the center of the garden.

As this sumo wrestler starts to move around the garden, he finds a shiny gold stopwatch which someone had left behind many years earlier. He slips it on, and falls to the ground with an enormous thud. The sumo wrestler is rendered unconscious and lies there, silent and still. Just when you think he has taken his last breath, the wrestler awakens, perhaps stirred by the fragrance of some fresh yellow roses blooming nearby. Energized, the wrestler jumps swiftly to his feet and intuitively looks to his left. He is startled at what he sees. Through the bushes at the very edge of the garden he observes a long winding path covered by millions of sparkling diamonds.

Something seems to instruct the wrestler to take the path, and to his credit, he does. This path leads him down the road of everlasting joy and eternal bliss."

If you wish to know more about the sages' secret to the Seven Timeless Virtues of Enlightened Living, which Julian promised to spread to the world, go get yourself this book.

Who doesn't want a Merc?

One eye Jasin wanted a Merc. A one eye Merc, I think. He could not get one. And threw a tantrum.

A former resident of USJ 18, let's call him Tua Pow Sian. He also wanted a Merc. But he claimed that Naza doesn't have any stock for him. That was 2 years ago. He drives a Kenari now.

Me? Heck, who doesn't want a Merc? But I got no money yet. So how?

Cans of Worms

The spirit of the worm was invoked by a very powerful shaman not too long ago.

Thereafter, worms begin to appear in every nook and corner. They crawl out by the cans every other day.

And this latest can must contain the biggest worms of all.

Getting very scary now. Scarier than a horror movie.

The ancient sages did warn us to be careful of what we wish for, didn't they?

Malaysia, oh Malaysia!

Life is Great

Life is great.

First, a sore arse. Setback close to RM5,000.

Then my pc. The motherboard and power supply unit died on me on the same day. Another RM450.

Ain't life great?

U.S. doctors' warning: Don't pass the salt

Food industry could help 80 million Americans with high blood pressure if they cut salt use by 50 per cent, they say.

July 2, 2006 ALTIMORE - SALT can be hazardous to your health. That is the message American doctors want sent out.

Worried by the high salt content in processed foods and restaurant meals, the American Medical Association (AMA) has adopted several recommendationsto help consumers.

These include persuading the Food and Drug Administration to revoke salt's status as a food 'generally recognised as safe', opening the door to regulation.

It is also calling for new public-education efforts and a new label - a red salt shaker - to warn consumers when food portions are high in salt.

It also hopes to work with the food industry to cut the salt in processed, take-out and restaurant food by at least 50 per cent gradually, over 10 years.

The reason: An estimated 80 million Americans have high blood pressure, which can be worsened by high-salt diets, leading to increased risks for cardiovascular disease and death.

'That's almost half the population that has a condition that can be helped by industry doing things that are right, like letting consumers know how much of a potentially harmful substance is in the food they're consuming,' said Dr James Rohack, cardiologist and immediate past chairman of the AMA's board of trustees.

The Salt Institute, representing the salt industry, disagrees. It says there is no scientific evidence that cutting everyone's salt intake will reduce overall mortality from cardiovascular disease.

'Following the AMA recommendation is scientifically unjustified and a waste of time and money,' said the institute's president Richard Hanneman.

Some salt is essential for health. Author Mark Kurlansky of Salt: A World History says it is vital for nerve and muscle function, digestion and bloodpressure.

Humans have used it as a food preservative, flavouring and even as currency. It also tastes good.

Based on clinical studies, the federal government recommends that adults consume less than 2,300mg of sodium per day.

That's the sodium in just 6g of salt, chemically known as sodium chloride.

Although the AMA report suggests reducing sodium intake to 1,500mg per day, most American men aged 31 to 50 - and three-quarters of the women - consume more than 2,300mg, the AMA said.

Some 80 per cent of Americans' salt intake comes from processed foods, take-out and restaurant food, Dr Rohack said.

As the salt enters the bloodstream, the body retains water in order to maintain a proper salt/water balance.

A high-salt diet 'overloads the kidneys' ability to filter and get rid of the extra water', he said.

The water increases blood volume, which increases blood pressure. High salt intake is bad news in congestive heart failure, the No. 1 diagnosis among hospitalised Medicare patients.

It is a weakening of the heart muscle and retention of fluids that can cause breathing difficulties.

Although there are many risk factors to address - smoking, inactivity and obesity - Dr Rohack says cutting salt intake gets results and patients needless medication to control their condition.

That's why the AMA wants to enlist government and the food industry to gradually cut the salt in prepared foods.

But Dr Michael Alderman, a professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York and president of the International Society of Hypertension, thinks otherwise.

Although it is clear that lowering salt intake will lower blood pressure, he argues, it doesn't prove that cutting salt intake will, on the whole, save lives.

In a review of 13 studies of the effect of salt reduction on patient mortality published in March by the American Journal of Medicine, DrAlderman and three colleagues found no clear consensus.

The Salt Institute, which has engaged Dr Alderman as an unpaid consultant and referred to his work in responding to AMA, wants more study of the issue.

AMA's Dr Rohack is undeterred. 'To ask the FDA to focus on something that potentially can cause a lot of harm in a lot of individuals,' he insisted, 'is the right thing to do at this time in our country.' -- Los Angeles Times

Aiyoh, when the experts disagree, we all how ah? Moderation ... for me and my family.

Presbyopia

If you are past middle age and you find it difficult to focus on printed material in front of you, you may be suffering from presbyopia.

Try reading from the chart below. If you need to be at a distance away to make out the text, you better hurry and get yourself treated before you go blind!