Saturday, November 13, 2010
Sex Education in Bolehland
By Agence France-Presse, Updated: 11/11/2010 Malaysian schools to introduce sex education Malaysia's deputy education minister said Thursday sex education would be taught in schools across the conservative Muslim-majority country next year, to tackle an epidemic of "baby-dumping". As it is still not resolved in the "1 Malaysia" concept, there are two Gods in Bolehland....Allah for the Muslims (and East Malaysia) and Tuhan for the Non-Muslim (and those in Peninsular Malaysia), one will not be surprised if there are two separate syalluses for such an important subject in the Malaysian schools. One for the Potongs and the other for the Tak Potongs???
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Ketuanan Melayu or Malay Supremacy
Malay Supremacy?
Since the debate started many years ago, I still have not got the true meaning of such a claim.
Would people who are behind this claim feel proud and dignified over such a claim?
How do you measure supremacy of a race? Excellence in human achievements, intelligence and innovativeness; social behaviour, socio-economical achievements, academia and cultural influences etc.?
Or is it merely based on the capacity to hold on to political dominance, from the protection of the Constitution and by not protecting the rights of the other races as stipulated in the same Constitution particularly in the area of equal opportunities for education and public employment?
Is this a Supremacy through suppression or arrongantly holding on to the crutches?
How would this status of supremacy rank in the global communities and economies?
The "White Supremacy" (the last blantant suppression of the majority in terms of Apartheid in South Africa) has disappeared.
How long will this Malay Supremacy last?
Since the debate started many years ago, I still have not got the true meaning of such a claim.
Would people who are behind this claim feel proud and dignified over such a claim?
How do you measure supremacy of a race? Excellence in human achievements, intelligence and innovativeness; social behaviour, socio-economical achievements, academia and cultural influences etc.?
Or is it merely based on the capacity to hold on to political dominance, from the protection of the Constitution and by not protecting the rights of the other races as stipulated in the same Constitution particularly in the area of equal opportunities for education and public employment?
Is this a Supremacy through suppression or arrongantly holding on to the crutches?
How would this status of supremacy rank in the global communities and economies?
The "White Supremacy" (the last blantant suppression of the majority in terms of Apartheid in South Africa) has disappeared.
How long will this Malay Supremacy last?
Monday, September 20, 2010
The Pope and The Queen
It is not out of disrespect that I ask myself these questions:
Why is that the two words that are often associated with the Pope in media reports always have been "controversies" and "security"?
Isn't he a holy man of God, with an earthly title of the highest order representing the Roman (Catholic) Church globally?
Why is that there are thousands who rush to greet him, as if they are worshipping him instead of worshipping the God he represents? Why is his security a major issue? Specially designed bullet proof motorcade guided by bodyguards?
The attention and honour given to this Catholic church leader far over-exceed the humble entry of our Lord Jesus into Jerusalem over 2000 years ago. What a difference.
The Pope, now without the political and secular authority of those glorious Roman Empire days and the Queen of England, too now hanging on to the title of the Head of the British Commonwealth (a loose organisation of ex British colonies), seem to be rather irrelevant in their roles in the 21st Century.
This entry is inspired by the recent visit by the Pope to Scotland and England. They both must be quite expensive to up keep for the followers.....
Why is that the two words that are often associated with the Pope in media reports always have been "controversies" and "security"?
Isn't he a holy man of God, with an earthly title of the highest order representing the Roman (Catholic) Church globally?
Why is that there are thousands who rush to greet him, as if they are worshipping him instead of worshipping the God he represents? Why is his security a major issue? Specially designed bullet proof motorcade guided by bodyguards?
The attention and honour given to this Catholic church leader far over-exceed the humble entry of our Lord Jesus into Jerusalem over 2000 years ago. What a difference.
The Pope, now without the political and secular authority of those glorious Roman Empire days and the Queen of England, too now hanging on to the title of the Head of the British Commonwealth (a loose organisation of ex British colonies), seem to be rather irrelevant in their roles in the 21st Century.
This entry is inspired by the recent visit by the Pope to Scotland and England. They both must be quite expensive to up keep for the followers.....
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Coffee News
It is simply a one-sheet A3 newsletter. It is free. It is weekly. It is easy reading yet informative. It is a joy and something to look forward to by many.
As a distributor of Coffee News since March 2010, the weekly routines have brought back some work satisfaction in terms of planning, execution and monitoring. It comes with some pocket money and it is sometimes hard work, particularly when the weather is challenging. However, the rewards are worth it, in seeing happy faces of those who receive it directly from me (in the so-called Business run delivery to all business outlets). The genuine "thank you"s from many recipients (Asians are typically not appreciative verbally though) would often make my day.
Display outlets are mainly confined to cafes, restaurants, retirement homes and sport complexes etc. The runs have taken me to many places I would normally would not have explored. The customer profiles in the various outlets are variable too and so are the receptiveness of such a light-reading newsletter. Weekly runs also give a sense of economic activities in and around the suburbs.... some outlets are thriving while some struggling and with some turnover of ownership along the way. Cafe business is very much weather-determined.... dry and sunny days, the coffee machines would be busy brewing away...
A cheerful deliverer often is rewarded with non-monetary appreciative gestures... that, would be sufficient motivation in themselves. It is also a chance to meet people without being intimidated and it is at my own choice and will. Wearing out my shoes faster than usual but that means the body has got some desirable exercises every week.
Run while I still can.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
New Villages 1Malaysia
"KUALA LUMPUR 8 Sept 2010: A gated neighbourhood can only be set up with the approval of 51% of the residents, said Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung."
Gated neighbourhood has been initiated since the last couple of years, particularly in the urban housing estates throughout Malaysia. There have been many debates on the legality and "environmental safety issues" and protests against this from certain quarters but mainly the residents are frustrated with the frequent occurrences of snatch thief and house break-in. Often these happened in broad day light.
Security is a paramount concern and the residents are desperate for measures to protect their properties and personal safety. Thus, a trend for local resident initiatives to set up their own vigilant committee to build fences and road blocks and guarded security gates, funded by the communities. Of course some are not willing to pay for this extra expenditure for whatever reasons, and so there are protest voices.
This Government response is after years of complaints from residents, who are now turning all the urban housing estates to modern day "New Villages" as they were set up by the British during the Malayan Emergency period in the mid-1950, to prevent insurgence from the communists and support of them from the communities, mainly Chinese.
It ironic that those 450 New Villages of those days (with about 500,ooo people) have now removed their gates and expanded to modern living towns of over 1.2m people, we are seeing the growth of more modern New Villages in the major towns and cities in Bolehland.
With the new IGP being in place from 13 Sept 2010, would the security of the population be improved?
Gated neighbourhood has been initiated since the last couple of years, particularly in the urban housing estates throughout Malaysia. There have been many debates on the legality and "environmental safety issues" and protests against this from certain quarters but mainly the residents are frustrated with the frequent occurrences of snatch thief and house break-in. Often these happened in broad day light.
Security is a paramount concern and the residents are desperate for measures to protect their properties and personal safety. Thus, a trend for local resident initiatives to set up their own vigilant committee to build fences and road blocks and guarded security gates, funded by the communities. Of course some are not willing to pay for this extra expenditure for whatever reasons, and so there are protest voices.
This Government response is after years of complaints from residents, who are now turning all the urban housing estates to modern day "New Villages" as they were set up by the British during the Malayan Emergency period in the mid-1950, to prevent insurgence from the communists and support of them from the communities, mainly Chinese.
It ironic that those 450 New Villages of those days (with about 500,ooo people) have now removed their gates and expanded to modern living towns of over 1.2m people, we are seeing the growth of more modern New Villages in the major towns and cities in Bolehland.
With the new IGP being in place from 13 Sept 2010, would the security of the population be improved?
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Land of Milk and Honey
The term "Land flowing with milk and honey" was first promised by God and mentioned by Moses in the Bible (Exodus 3:8). This land refers to Israel.
Today there are many lands with plenty of milk and honey... one of them is NZ.. however their milk and honey are expensive comparably. Milk at $4.59/2L is more expensive than in the US at $2.84/2L as the Weekend Herald survey shows. It is also more expensive than Australia and Britain. And NZ is reputed to be the biggest dairy products exporter in the world and Fonterra of NZ is the 5th largest dairy company in the world.
In terms of milk and dairy production, NZ annual production is around 17 m tonnes, compared to India (world largest producer) with 114 m tonnes but the Western World would specifically mention that the European Union as a unit is the world biggest producer with a combined 143m tonnes.
China's annual dairy production is currently in the region of 33m tonnes but it is the largest honey producer in the world with an annual tonnage of 298,000 or 21.5% of the gobal honey. New Zealand, known for its expensive manuka honey, manages an annual production figure of about 10,000 tes.
The emerging new Land of Milk and Honey is going to be China. No wonder when the Chinese seek to buy up 16 Crafar dairy farms (totalling about 8000 ha), which are under receivership, there has been a nation-wide protest from the Kiwis against such foreign ownership of their dairy land, saying New Zealanders would not like to be tenants in their own land. This 8000 ha represents about 0.5% of the total 1.52m ha of dairy farmland in the country. The NZ Minister of Land Information Mr Maurice Williamson recently highlighted this fact that if the potential buyers for Crafar farms are from Scotland, then there are not "foreigners" as "they do not look different from us", He was accused of being a racist!
Also, the total area of Crafar farmland is but a fraction of the 24,700 ha of farmland in Wanaka (South Island) bought up by Ms Shania Twain, the pop star from Canada in 2004. Canadians were not considered as "foreigners"?
An extract from the leading newspaper in New Zealand, NZ Herald, in an editorial of 7th September, 2010:
"The issue has stirred up a wave of xenophobic scaremongering over China's intentions for the dairying industry. Among other things, a group called Save the Farms has sprung into being. It wants the Government to stop any sales until the country has had a robust public debate.
The group says it is "not a xenophobic organisation". If so, why was it silent last week when an American billionaire, William P. Foley II, was cleared by the Overseas Investment Office to buy Wharekauhau, an exclusive 2023ha Wairarapa country estate and farming business?
And why did its organisers say nothing as Britons, Italians, Americans, Israelis and Australians bought the bulk of more than 150,000 hectares of New Zealand farm land - almost the size of Stewart Island - over the past five years? During that period, China hardly registered as a source of foreign investment.
Now, however, its first major foray has hit a wave of resistance.
Those who have been buying the vast majority of New Zealand's farm land are distinguished by two characteristics. They are English-speaking and they are non-Asian. As Mr Williamson noted, "if you look different, you're a foreigner but if you come from the other side of the world, from Scotland, then you're not".
The sale of the Crafar farms to the Chinese investors is still pending official approval by the Overseas Investment Office. Local corporations have tried to outbid the Chinese but lack the financial ability to do so.
The Crafar dairy farms sale, if it materialises, is not going to turn China into the biggest land of Milk and Honey, overnight, but it certainly is a start.
Today there are many lands with plenty of milk and honey... one of them is NZ.. however their milk and honey are expensive comparably. Milk at $4.59/2L is more expensive than in the US at $2.84/2L as the Weekend Herald survey shows. It is also more expensive than Australia and Britain. And NZ is reputed to be the biggest dairy products exporter in the world and Fonterra of NZ is the 5th largest dairy company in the world.
In terms of milk and dairy production, NZ annual production is around 17 m tonnes, compared to India (world largest producer) with 114 m tonnes but the Western World would specifically mention that the European Union as a unit is the world biggest producer with a combined 143m tonnes.
China's annual dairy production is currently in the region of 33m tonnes but it is the largest honey producer in the world with an annual tonnage of 298,000 or 21.5% of the gobal honey. New Zealand, known for its expensive manuka honey, manages an annual production figure of about 10,000 tes.
The emerging new Land of Milk and Honey is going to be China. No wonder when the Chinese seek to buy up 16 Crafar dairy farms (totalling about 8000 ha), which are under receivership, there has been a nation-wide protest from the Kiwis against such foreign ownership of their dairy land, saying New Zealanders would not like to be tenants in their own land. This 8000 ha represents about 0.5% of the total 1.52m ha of dairy farmland in the country. The NZ Minister of Land Information Mr Maurice Williamson recently highlighted this fact that if the potential buyers for Crafar farms are from Scotland, then there are not "foreigners" as "they do not look different from us", He was accused of being a racist!
Also, the total area of Crafar farmland is but a fraction of the 24,700 ha of farmland in Wanaka (South Island) bought up by Ms Shania Twain, the pop star from Canada in 2004. Canadians were not considered as "foreigners"?
An extract from the leading newspaper in New Zealand, NZ Herald, in an editorial of 7th September, 2010:
"The issue has stirred up a wave of xenophobic scaremongering over China's intentions for the dairying industry. Among other things, a group called Save the Farms has sprung into being. It wants the Government to stop any sales until the country has had a robust public debate.
The group says it is "not a xenophobic organisation". If so, why was it silent last week when an American billionaire, William P. Foley II, was cleared by the Overseas Investment Office to buy Wharekauhau, an exclusive 2023ha Wairarapa country estate and farming business?
And why did its organisers say nothing as Britons, Italians, Americans, Israelis and Australians bought the bulk of more than 150,000 hectares of New Zealand farm land - almost the size of Stewart Island - over the past five years? During that period, China hardly registered as a source of foreign investment.
Now, however, its first major foray has hit a wave of resistance.
Those who have been buying the vast majority of New Zealand's farm land are distinguished by two characteristics. They are English-speaking and they are non-Asian. As Mr Williamson noted, "if you look different, you're a foreigner but if you come from the other side of the world, from Scotland, then you're not".
The sale of the Crafar farms to the Chinese investors is still pending official approval by the Overseas Investment Office. Local corporations have tried to outbid the Chinese but lack the financial ability to do so.
The Crafar dairy farms sale, if it materialises, is not going to turn China into the biggest land of Milk and Honey, overnight, but it certainly is a start.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Australians can count... but s l o w l y
The Australian General Elections held on the 21 August, 2010 would not have the complete results, probably in weeks, according to political analysts. As at noon 23rd, August, the Australian Elections Commission has confirmed that Labour and the Liberal Coalition each had won 71 seats; 4 other seats were won by 3 independents and one Green party. There were still 4 seats undecided as counting was still on going as only 79% of the total votes have been counted, after more than 72 hours.
No wonder Paul Henry, the anchor of Breakfast NZ asked, "Is Australia a 3rd world country?"
14 million Australians have registered to vote (compulsory in Australia) for the 1198 candidates from 25 parties to the 150 Parliament seats.
Australians must have thought the May UK elections which produced a Hung Parliament was a fanciful thing to emulate down under too!?
In the last Parliament, Labour had 83 seats whilst the Liberal Coalition, 59.
The Elections were called by Julia Gillard, the current Prime Minister from Labour, who had earlier outsted Kevin Rudd as the PM through an internal party struggle.
Australian Governor General, Ms Quentin Bryce who has a very boring constitutional and ceremonial role, was recently becoming a little bit high profile in the "official sacking" of Kevin Rudd and the swelling-in of Julia Gillard. The lastest high profile news on her is that she is seeking legal advice on her role in the formation of the coming Government as her daughter is married to a winning Labour candidate in Victoria. Life must be a little bit exciting in the comfort of her Admiralty House in Sydney.
In the meantime, the Australian sun continues to rise and the miners are busy mining away!
p/s as at 26th August, it all boils down to Tony,Tony, Rob, Bob & Julia.
No wonder Paul Henry, the anchor of Breakfast NZ asked, "Is Australia a 3rd world country?"
14 million Australians have registered to vote (compulsory in Australia) for the 1198 candidates from 25 parties to the 150 Parliament seats.
Australians must have thought the May UK elections which produced a Hung Parliament was a fanciful thing to emulate down under too!?
In the last Parliament, Labour had 83 seats whilst the Liberal Coalition, 59.
The Elections were called by Julia Gillard, the current Prime Minister from Labour, who had earlier outsted Kevin Rudd as the PM through an internal party struggle.
Australian Governor General, Ms Quentin Bryce who has a very boring constitutional and ceremonial role, was recently becoming a little bit high profile in the "official sacking" of Kevin Rudd and the swelling-in of Julia Gillard. The lastest high profile news on her is that she is seeking legal advice on her role in the formation of the coming Government as her daughter is married to a winning Labour candidate in Victoria. Life must be a little bit exciting in the comfort of her Admiralty House in Sydney.
In the meantime, the Australian sun continues to rise and the miners are busy mining away!
p/s as at 26th August, it all boils down to Tony,Tony, Rob, Bob & Julia.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Land of Opportunities
Indeed USA is a land of opportunities. There are many many who have achieved their American Dream of being rich and powerful, in the old-fashion way - they have earned it. The list is impressive although post Enron, WorldCom and the sub-prime induced recession, their asset value may be slightly reduced.
According to Forbes Magazine, currently there are about 1011 billionaires globally, of which 403 are in the USA followed by a distant second place, China with 66. China's top 10 billionaires total asset is just over US$46b, which does not even match one Warren Buffett. In time to come, there will be more emerging billionaires from China joining the top rank, considering the exponential growth in the Middle Kingdom of the 21st Century.
The 2010 list of top billionaires in the US includes
Bill Gates III ($53b); Warren Buffett ($47b); Sheldo Adelson ($26b); Lary Ellison ($25b); Larry Page ($19B); Sergey Brin ($19b); Michael Dell ($17b).....
Most of these billionaires are businessmen and entreprenuers. They may not be saints but they have complied with the law of making money. Along the way, they may have caused pain to their competitors and staff alike. Of course, the cynics and critics would still say that they maybe lucky to have escaped the long arm of the law.
There could be more billionaires spending their time in the Chinese prison in future, if some of them do not learn the hard lessons from the West or from those who have been executed for corrupt practices in the One-party state. Watch out the two evils - greed and temptations!
According to Forbes Magazine, currently there are about 1011 billionaires globally, of which 403 are in the USA followed by a distant second place, China with 66. China's top 10 billionaires total asset is just over US$46b, which does not even match one Warren Buffett. In time to come, there will be more emerging billionaires from China joining the top rank, considering the exponential growth in the Middle Kingdom of the 21st Century.
The 2010 list of top billionaires in the US includes
Bill Gates III ($53b); Warren Buffett ($47b); Sheldo Adelson ($26b); Lary Ellison ($25b); Larry Page ($19B); Sergey Brin ($19b); Michael Dell ($17b).....
Most of these billionaires are businessmen and entreprenuers. They may not be saints but they have complied with the law of making money. Along the way, they may have caused pain to their competitors and staff alike. Of course, the cynics and critics would still say that they maybe lucky to have escaped the long arm of the law.
There could be more billionaires spending their time in the Chinese prison in future, if some of them do not learn the hard lessons from the West or from those who have been executed for corrupt practices in the One-party state. Watch out the two evils - greed and temptations!
Naming Kittens
The pregnant mother cat named Nabe, belonging to the neighbour, chose to be residing at Josh and Abby's house some time in January 2010. She was warmly welcomed and was renamed Keba who later gave birth to 7 kittens on the 5th February.Abigail named all of them, based on their faces and fur colours:
Brown Sugar; Ginger; Bear Face; Zebra; Snow Leopard; Tinsel and Midnight.
Only Ginger the male kitten and Brown Sugar the female kitten were retained whilst the rest were given away to friends. Kiba has since moved on to other neighbourhood to start her life anew.
Josh gave the following reasons for having cats instead of dogs as pet:
Cats don't bark at you and lick you all over
Cats do their poo and bury it themselves
Cats do not need to you to bathe them, they groom themselves clean
Cats do not over-eat
Cats can fit into any car
Y Poh would not feel easy with these furry animals in the house.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
The Land of Opportunists?
The land of opportunities really. It is a place where dreams come through. They call it the American Dream.
What is The American Dream?
It is freedom for every individual to be creative and to achieve his ultimate potentials and goals.
A black African-American can accend to the highest office in the land as the President, testifies to the fact that that Dream is possible. Many other talents in entertainment and sports have also achieved their goals in the highest level. Goals in terms of wealth, fame and power!
Some have gone all the way to attain this status of being rich and famous by hooks or by crooks, bending every rule along the way.
The list of convicted white-collared crimes in recent years include the once rich and powerful people like
Ken Lay, Jeffrey Skilling, Andrew Fastow, Michael Kopper of Enron; Scott Sullivan and Bernard Ebbers of WorldCom; Bernard Madoff of Madoff Ponzi Scheme; Dennis Kozlowski of Tyco; Gary Winnick of Global Crossing and Joseph Beradino of Arthur Anderson.
Personal integrity and moral values have been overtaken by greed and temptations.
The saving grace is that at least the US Justice Department has promptly put those in fraud and public breach of trust, to justice.
In another land of "Yes We Can" or popularly known as "Bolehland", you hardly can get a list of convicted prominent rich and famous who are involved in gross criminal breach of trust. No corruption there? No corrupt persuaders? No Justice Department?
"Americans only learn from catastrohies and not from experience" (Teddy Roosevelt) and in the case of Bolehland, "Rakyat senang lupa" (Dr M).
What is The American Dream?
It is freedom for every individual to be creative and to achieve his ultimate potentials and goals.
A black African-American can accend to the highest office in the land as the President, testifies to the fact that that Dream is possible. Many other talents in entertainment and sports have also achieved their goals in the highest level. Goals in terms of wealth, fame and power!
Some have gone all the way to attain this status of being rich and famous by hooks or by crooks, bending every rule along the way.
The list of convicted white-collared crimes in recent years include the once rich and powerful people like
Ken Lay, Jeffrey Skilling, Andrew Fastow, Michael Kopper of Enron; Scott Sullivan and Bernard Ebbers of WorldCom; Bernard Madoff of Madoff Ponzi Scheme; Dennis Kozlowski of Tyco; Gary Winnick of Global Crossing and Joseph Beradino of Arthur Anderson.
Personal integrity and moral values have been overtaken by greed and temptations.
The saving grace is that at least the US Justice Department has promptly put those in fraud and public breach of trust, to justice.
In another land of "Yes We Can" or popularly known as "Bolehland", you hardly can get a list of convicted prominent rich and famous who are involved in gross criminal breach of trust. No corruption there? No corrupt persuaders? No Justice Department?
"Americans only learn from catastrohies and not from experience" (Teddy Roosevelt) and in the case of Bolehland, "Rakyat senang lupa" (Dr M).
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Stolen Prayer
The Weiling Wall in Old Jerusalem City, which I had the privilege of visiting in 2007, is full of pieces of papers containing prayers of worshippers of God, irrespective of their religion but mainly from the Jews. These private prayers are collected periodically and are buried in the Mount of Olives.
One such paper did not make it to Mount of Olive. It was stolen from the Western Wall in July 2008 and was published by a local Israelist newspaper, which contains the following prayer:
"Lord - Protect my family and me. Forgive me my sins, and help me guard against pride and despair. Give me the wisdom to do what is right and just. And make me an instrument of your will.
The writer of this piece of paper is Barack Obama, now the 44th President of the United States of America.
There was no official protest from Obama or his political team at the time of its publication, as he was the Democratic nominee for the Presidency. Was this intended as a public prayer for public office?
One such paper did not make it to Mount of Olive. It was stolen from the Western Wall in July 2008 and was published by a local Israelist newspaper, which contains the following prayer:
"Lord - Protect my family and me. Forgive me my sins, and help me guard against pride and despair. Give me the wisdom to do what is right and just. And make me an instrument of your will.
The writer of this piece of paper is Barack Obama, now the 44th President of the United States of America.
There was no official protest from Obama or his political team at the time of its publication, as he was the Democratic nominee for the Presidency. Was this intended as a public prayer for public office?
Monday, July 26, 2010
Made For Bigger Things
When I was climbing up the corporate ladder, particularly beginning the late 1980s culmulating in the early 2000s, I had this infamous phrase which was known to all my colleagues and bosses... "I am made for bigger things".
Indeed, that spurred me on and I was lucky to have encoutered the opportunities to expand my roles until attaining the pinnacle of my career, as the expat MD of a MNC based in Thailand.
"Made for bigger things" meant the accomplishments of bigger roles, which came with the commensurate bigger power, rewards and recognition. Along the way, and over the years, I must have impacted some positive influence on many young people's career development and enhancement.
Post retirement, I have come across two more quality phrases...."Made for Significance" by Dr Randolph Walters and "Made for Goodness" by Desmond Mpilo Tutu, the Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1984 from South Africa.
Dr Randolph defines "Success without significance is empty self-centredness." Significance suggests value and it connects ourselves with the sense of our humanity.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu says, "Goodness changes the way we see the world, the way we see others, and, most importantly, the way we see ourselves. It affects how we treat people. It affects the quality of life for each and all of us. This quality is the sum total of our daily interactions. Each kindness enhances the quality of life. Each cruelty diminishes it."
As long as you are still granted the time to walk this planet, there are still opportunities to make a difference, to be made of significance and of goodness.
In layman terms, money and success can buy you luxuries but cannot buy you Class!
Indeed, that spurred me on and I was lucky to have encoutered the opportunities to expand my roles until attaining the pinnacle of my career, as the expat MD of a MNC based in Thailand.
"Made for bigger things" meant the accomplishments of bigger roles, which came with the commensurate bigger power, rewards and recognition. Along the way, and over the years, I must have impacted some positive influence on many young people's career development and enhancement.
Post retirement, I have come across two more quality phrases...."Made for Significance" by Dr Randolph Walters and "Made for Goodness" by Desmond Mpilo Tutu, the Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1984 from South Africa.
Dr Randolph defines "Success without significance is empty self-centredness." Significance suggests value and it connects ourselves with the sense of our humanity.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu says, "Goodness changes the way we see the world, the way we see others, and, most importantly, the way we see ourselves. It affects how we treat people. It affects the quality of life for each and all of us. This quality is the sum total of our daily interactions. Each kindness enhances the quality of life. Each cruelty diminishes it."
As long as you are still granted the time to walk this planet, there are still opportunities to make a difference, to be made of significance and of goodness.
In layman terms, money and success can buy you luxuries but cannot buy you Class!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
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Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Revelation 1: 13-16 基督的荣耀
A succint summary of the Glory of Christianity based on Chapter 1 of this last book in the Bible, as presented by this pastor from Singapore, who is in his 80s and partially blind:
基督的荣耀
麦希真 牧师 @ 27/5/10 Auckland Baptist Tabernacle Church
启示录 1：13-16
好像人子 (Like a son of man) = 神子
身穿长衣 (dressed in a robe) = 真贵
胸束全带 (a golden sash round his waist) = 荣耀
头发雪白 (head and hair were white as wool, as white as snow) = 圣洁
眼目如火 (eyes were like blazing fire) = 智慧
双脚如铜 (feet were like bronze) = 审判有公正
声音如水 (voice was like sound of rushing waters) = 命令能力
手拿七星 (in his right hand he held seven stars) = 管理教会
口出利剑 (out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword) = 最高判断
面如烈日 (his face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance) = 公义永恒
基督的荣耀
麦希真 牧师 @ 27/5/10 Auckland Baptist Tabernacle Church
启示录 1：13-16
好像人子 (Like a son of man) = 神子
身穿长衣 (dressed in a robe) = 真贵
胸束全带 (a golden sash round his waist) = 荣耀
头发雪白 (head and hair were white as wool, as white as snow) = 圣洁
眼目如火 (eyes were like blazing fire) = 智慧
双脚如铜 (feet were like bronze) = 审判有公正
声音如水 (voice was like sound of rushing waters) = 命令能力
手拿七星 (in his right hand he held seven stars) = 管理教会
口出利剑 (out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword) = 最高判断
面如烈日 (his face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance) = 公义永恒
59 going on 60
All the tigers and tigresses of my Class of '68 have or would be celebrating our 60th birthday in 2010.
I have "composed" a song to commemorate this turning point of our existence (adapted from the musical classic, The Sound of Music)..... sing along..
You are 59 going on 60
Baby it is time to think
Better beware
Be healthy and careful
Baby you are on the brink
Totally unprepared are you
To face the world of the aged
Tired and spent and scared are you
Of things beyond your ken?
You need someone
Greater and wiser
Guiding you what to do
My Lord is living and eternal
He will take care of you...
I have "composed" a song to commemorate this turning point of our existence (adapted from the musical classic, The Sound of Music)..... sing along..
You are 59 going on 60
Baby it is time to think
Better beware
Be healthy and careful
Baby you are on the brink
Totally unprepared are you
To face the world of the aged
Tired and spent and scared are you
Of things beyond your ken?
You need someone
Greater and wiser
Guiding you what to do
My Lord is living and eternal
He will take care of you...
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Flush toilet and Modernity
Professor Kishore Mahbubani, Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, NUS in his book "The New Asian Hemisphere" said, "And if I were asked to name the date when my life entered the modern world, I would date it to the arrival of the flush toilet, when I was about 10 years old (in late 1950s)"
Many people of my age group from Bolehland and The Little Red Dot, can really relate to this, from personal experience. People in the West probably will not except for some Blacks in USA. The people in Asian like India and China are still experiencing this "metal bin or rubber bin" night soil system - sometimes only replaced on a weekly basis!!
My children born in the late 1970s in Bolehland and my grandchildren born in the early 2000s in Kiwiland would never understand nor appreciate this transition from pre modern to modern day living.
Like Professor Kishore, after the arrival of the flush toilet, the other modern day conveniences were added to our home, like TV, refrigerator, gas cooker (transition from the wood fire/charcoal stove)..... For me, all these were as recent as the late 60s!!
Today the modern world has leaped to another level of technological advancement in terms of electronics and integrated circuits which bring along computers, mobile phones, ipods and other luxury "want" items.
Although the mobile phones are generally affordable and available to many poor in Asia today (there is a need for more effective communication and information), many of these in the developing countries are still without the basic flush toilet, which very much depends on the respective government emphasis on public infrastructures.
Lest some of my generation forget, this entry serves to remind us not to take things for granted. And be thankful and grateful always.
Many people of my age group from Bolehland and The Little Red Dot, can really relate to this, from personal experience. People in the West probably will not except for some Blacks in USA. The people in Asian like India and China are still experiencing this "metal bin or rubber bin" night soil system - sometimes only replaced on a weekly basis!!
My children born in the late 1970s in Bolehland and my grandchildren born in the early 2000s in Kiwiland would never understand nor appreciate this transition from pre modern to modern day living.
Like Professor Kishore, after the arrival of the flush toilet, the other modern day conveniences were added to our home, like TV, refrigerator, gas cooker (transition from the wood fire/charcoal stove)..... For me, all these were as recent as the late 60s!!
Today the modern world has leaped to another level of technological advancement in terms of electronics and integrated circuits which bring along computers, mobile phones, ipods and other luxury "want" items.
Although the mobile phones are generally affordable and available to many poor in Asia today (there is a need for more effective communication and information), many of these in the developing countries are still without the basic flush toilet, which very much depends on the respective government emphasis on public infrastructures.
Lest some of my generation forget, this entry serves to remind us not to take things for granted. And be thankful and grateful always.
It is not about you
Sharing a true story which happened in 2005. I have just read from this book by Jeffery L Sheler "Prophet of Purpose - The life of Rick Warren".
"The Purpose Driven Life" is written by Rick Warren, the evangelist pastor who delivered the invocation prayer at President Obama's inauguration on 20 Jan 2009. This book, first published in 2002, must have sold millions of copies to make Rick Warren a multi-millionaire many times over (He gave back 90% to the community!).
One unexpected global publicity of this book came from an incident in Atlanta in 2005. A fugitive Brian Nichols had kept a widow, Ashley Smith, in captivity, after killing 4 people after a courthouse escape. During the 7 hours held as a hostage, Smith asked Nichols if she could read something to him. She happened to pick up this book "The Purpose Driven Life" and started to read the chapter that she had planned to read for the day... chapter 32 "Using What God Gave You".
Smith read the opening section and was about to turn the page when Nichols interrupted her, asking her to read it over again... She reads, "God deserves your best. He shaped you for a purpose, and he expects you to make the most of what you have been given. He doesn't want you to worry about or covert abilities you don't have. Instead he wants you to focus on talents he has given to you to use...."
They talked about purpose and Nichols asked Smith, "What do you think mine is?" To which Smith suggested that "maybe it's to minister to people in prison," and urged him to turn himself in so that no one else would be hurt. "Maybe that's what God wants you to do, and he brought you here to my apartment so that you could know that."
The next morning, Smith was let go. Nichols surrendered to the police and he is now serving life sentences for his crimes.
"The Purpose Driven Life" is based on 2 famous teachings of Christ viz. the Great Commandment (Matthew22:37-40) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28;19-20).
On the success of this book, Rick Warren humbly said, "There's nothing new in 'The Purpose Driven Life' that hasn't already been stated in classic Christian faith over the past two thousand years. I happened to interpret it in a simple way for the 21st century."
"What you are is God's gift to you; what you do with yourself is your gift to God." - Danish Proverb
"The Purpose Driven Life" is written by Rick Warren, the evangelist pastor who delivered the invocation prayer at President Obama's inauguration on 20 Jan 2009. This book, first published in 2002, must have sold millions of copies to make Rick Warren a multi-millionaire many times over (He gave back 90% to the community!).
One unexpected global publicity of this book came from an incident in Atlanta in 2005. A fugitive Brian Nichols had kept a widow, Ashley Smith, in captivity, after killing 4 people after a courthouse escape. During the 7 hours held as a hostage, Smith asked Nichols if she could read something to him. She happened to pick up this book "The Purpose Driven Life" and started to read the chapter that she had planned to read for the day... chapter 32 "Using What God Gave You".
Smith read the opening section and was about to turn the page when Nichols interrupted her, asking her to read it over again... She reads, "God deserves your best. He shaped you for a purpose, and he expects you to make the most of what you have been given. He doesn't want you to worry about or covert abilities you don't have. Instead he wants you to focus on talents he has given to you to use...."
They talked about purpose and Nichols asked Smith, "What do you think mine is?" To which Smith suggested that "maybe it's to minister to people in prison," and urged him to turn himself in so that no one else would be hurt. "Maybe that's what God wants you to do, and he brought you here to my apartment so that you could know that."
The next morning, Smith was let go. Nichols surrendered to the police and he is now serving life sentences for his crimes.
"The Purpose Driven Life" is based on 2 famous teachings of Christ viz. the Great Commandment (Matthew22:37-40) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28;19-20).
On the success of this book, Rick Warren humbly said, "There's nothing new in 'The Purpose Driven Life' that hasn't already been stated in classic Christian faith over the past two thousand years. I happened to interpret it in a simple way for the 21st century."
"What you are is God's gift to you; what you do with yourself is your gift to God." - Danish Proverb
The Bible in China
This good book which was banned during the Mao's era and the Cultural Revolution period, is the most popular book being sought after in China today . Yes, The Bible.
Amity Printing Company (APC) in Nanjing, the only state-approved Christian publisher in China, has upgraded its facilities since May 2008 with the capacity to print 12 million copies/year (in Mandarin and 8 other minor languages) or 2900 Bibles per hour! Started printing since 1987 with about 600,000 copies per year, APC celebrated its 50th millionneth copy end of 2007. APC is now one of the largest Bible printing presses in the world.
The Chinese Government official estimate of the Christian population in China is in the region of 50 million; an unofficial church survey says 80 millions and according to one Communist Party internal document, the number can be as big as 140 million currently. The number is growing fast each day as the Government circle has unofficially relaxed this aspect of freedom to worship.
If The Bible is a book for all people, it is reasonable to find China at least mentioned in it. Indeed, it was mentioned in the Old Testament, in the book of Isaiah (written around 700 BC), on the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel: "Surely these shall come from afar; Look, those from the north and the west; And these from the land of Sinim" (Isaiah 49:12).
For a better explanation, I attach an extract from a book "God and the Ancient Chinese" by Samuel Wang & Ethel R Nelson:
One of the most powerful, yet often neglected, Bible prophecies that might bring conviction to the Chinese, as well as the world, is the prophecy of China written by Isaiah (720 - 680 B.C.).
The Land of Sinim
The ancient Dead Sea Scrolls, found in 1947, include the book of Isaiah, and once again confirm that today’s Bible is accurate and reliable. This verse in Isaiah is thought to refer to China:
Surely these shall come from afar; Look, those from the north and the west; And these from the land of Sinim. (Isaiah 49: 12).
You may wonder what the word “Sinim” means. Where is this land of Sinim, mentioned by Isaiah before his service was terminated in 680 B.C.? According to Strong’s Concordance, “Sinim is a distant Oriental region." Young’s Concordance reports, “Sinim is a people in the far east; the Chinese?”
However, the meaning is still not quite clear. Let us now check an English dictionary for help: “‘Sino’ indicates Chinese; for example, Sinophile. [French, from Late Latin ‘Sinae;’ the Chinese, from Greek ‘Sinai;’ from Arabic ‘Sin;’ China, from Chinese (Mandarin) ‘Ch’in’ [Qin], dynastic name of the country.]”
Now it is clear that the Hebrew word “Sinim” means China, as can be seen, for example, in the word “sinology”—a study of things Chinese. As we mentioned earlier, all Chinese roots meet in the Qin dynasty. However, the Hebrew alphabet does not have the equivalent of “ch” in English and “Q” in Chinese. Thus “Qin” has been phonetically translated as “Sinim.”
Amity Printing Company (APC) in Nanjing, the only state-approved Christian publisher in China, has upgraded its facilities since May 2008 with the capacity to print 12 million copies/year (in Mandarin and 8 other minor languages) or 2900 Bibles per hour! Started printing since 1987 with about 600,000 copies per year, APC celebrated its 50th millionneth copy end of 2007. APC is now one of the largest Bible printing presses in the world.
The Chinese Government official estimate of the Christian population in China is in the region of 50 million; an unofficial church survey says 80 millions and according to one Communist Party internal document, the number can be as big as 140 million currently. The number is growing fast each day as the Government circle has unofficially relaxed this aspect of freedom to worship.
If The Bible is a book for all people, it is reasonable to find China at least mentioned in it. Indeed, it was mentioned in the Old Testament, in the book of Isaiah (written around 700 BC), on the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel: "Surely these shall come from afar; Look, those from the north and the west; And these from the land of Sinim" (Isaiah 49:12).
For a better explanation, I attach an extract from a book "God and the Ancient Chinese" by Samuel Wang & Ethel R Nelson:
One of the most powerful, yet often neglected, Bible prophecies that might bring conviction to the Chinese, as well as the world, is the prophecy of China written by Isaiah (720 - 680 B.C.).
The Land of Sinim
The ancient Dead Sea Scrolls, found in 1947, include the book of Isaiah, and once again confirm that today’s Bible is accurate and reliable. This verse in Isaiah is thought to refer to China:
Surely these shall come from afar; Look, those from the north and the west; And these from the land of Sinim. (Isaiah 49: 12).
You may wonder what the word “Sinim” means. Where is this land of Sinim, mentioned by Isaiah before his service was terminated in 680 B.C.? According to Strong’s Concordance, “Sinim is a distant Oriental region." Young’s Concordance reports, “Sinim is a people in the far east; the Chinese?”
However, the meaning is still not quite clear. Let us now check an English dictionary for help: “‘Sino’ indicates Chinese; for example, Sinophile. [French, from Late Latin ‘Sinae;’ the Chinese, from Greek ‘Sinai;’ from Arabic ‘Sin;’ China, from Chinese (Mandarin) ‘Ch’in’ [Qin], dynastic name of the country.]”
Now it is clear that the Hebrew word “Sinim” means China, as can be seen, for example, in the word “sinology”—a study of things Chinese. As we mentioned earlier, all Chinese roots meet in the Qin dynasty. However, the Hebrew alphabet does not have the equivalent of “ch” in English and “Q” in Chinese. Thus “Qin” has been phonetically translated as “Sinim.”
Thursday, July 15, 2010
New Zealand - the LAND to live and die
NZ Herald (15 July 2010) added another 'Selling point' to live and die in NZ, in addition to the two earlier accolades:
1. NZ ranked the 3rd BEST country to die (after UK and Australia) - reference: Lien Foundation Singapore
2. NZ ranked the No 1 PEACEFUL country in the world - reference: Institue for Peace and Economics UK
3. NZ ranked 8th HAPPIEST country in the world (after Denmark, Finland, Norway, Netherland, Costa Rica, Canada and Switzerland) - reference: OECD Paris
What else more can one be asking for???? Live and let die!!
Meanwhile, the petrol price is going up; ETS means energy prices going up and comes October 2010, GST going up to 15% ....
1. NZ ranked the 3rd BEST country to die (after UK and Australia) - reference: Lien Foundation Singapore
2. NZ ranked the No 1 PEACEFUL country in the world - reference: Institue for Peace and Economics UK
3. NZ ranked 8th HAPPIEST country in the world (after Denmark, Finland, Norway, Netherland, Costa Rica, Canada and Switzerland) - reference: OECD Paris
What else more can one be asking for???? Live and let die!!
Meanwhile, the petrol price is going up; ETS means energy prices going up and comes October 2010, GST going up to 15% ....
Waha Waha Soccer World Cup 2010
My summary of highlights of this year's World Cup soccer in South Africa:
1. Vuvuzela - the South African blow job.
2. Spain the worthy winner with excellent ball possession skills.
3. Paul, the damn right octopus.
4. Shakira's Waka Waka dance.
5. Auckland 2 am Winter live matches.
6. All Whites - the only team without a loss (or a win!) - from a very peaceful country.
7. FIFA - the recession-proof money making machine.
Do you know why each competiting team has 12 reserve players to the first-choice 11 ????
This is FIFA's insurance policy that the show must go on in case at any one time if a team were to receive 11 yellow cards or up to 11 red cards!!!
Netherlands in the Finals, went all out trying to prove that this insurance policy works!
1. Vuvuzela - the South African blow job.
2. Spain the worthy winner with excellent ball possession skills.
3. Paul, the damn right octopus.
4. Shakira's Waka Waka dance.
5. Auckland 2 am Winter live matches.
6. All Whites - the only team without a loss (or a win!) - from a very peaceful country.
7. FIFA - the recession-proof money making machine.
Do you know why each competiting team has 12 reserve players to the first-choice 11 ????
This is FIFA's insurance policy that the show must go on in case at any one time if a team were to receive 11 yellow cards or up to 11 red cards!!!
Netherlands in the Finals, went all out trying to prove that this insurance policy works!
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Queen's Speech
The British Monarch officially opened the 59th session of the UK Parliament during her reign, on 25th May 2010.
This ceremonial ritual dates back to the 16th Century.
Wonder how much the 5-minute Queen's Speech (actually prepared for her by the new Government) and the entire pomp and pegeantry show, would cost the British people? Maybe close to a million pound?
The only cost-saving in the entire procedure, in the 21st Century context, was the non-use of fossil fuel for the Queen's journey from Buckingham Palace to the Parliament House, a distance of about 5 km. However, the horse-drawn coach must be costing the people more in terms of horse-power and man-power for that 15 minutes journey. Just look at the number of people (and horses) dressed ceremonially and in uniform, involved in the entire ceremony!
The House of the Lords was packed to capacity - 1ooo strong? So much so that the members from the House of Commons, led by the Speaker and Prime Minister have to be squeezed standing at the back of the Lords Chamber to listen to the speech they had prepared for the Queen.
No wonder the British Government is having a huge current deficit of 156b pounds - there are more lords than servants in the UK!!
This ceremonial ritual dates back to the 16th Century.
Wonder how much the 5-minute Queen's Speech (actually prepared for her by the new Government) and the entire pomp and pegeantry show, would cost the British people? Maybe close to a million pound?
The only cost-saving in the entire procedure, in the 21st Century context, was the non-use of fossil fuel for the Queen's journey from Buckingham Palace to the Parliament House, a distance of about 5 km. However, the horse-drawn coach must be costing the people more in terms of horse-power and man-power for that 15 minutes journey. Just look at the number of people (and horses) dressed ceremonially and in uniform, involved in the entire ceremony!
The House of the Lords was packed to capacity - 1ooo strong? So much so that the members from the House of Commons, led by the Speaker and Prime Minister have to be squeezed standing at the back of the Lords Chamber to listen to the speech they had prepared for the Queen.
No wonder the British Government is having a huge current deficit of 156b pounds - there are more lords than servants in the UK!!
Deal or No Deal?
This "Deal or No Deal" TV reality show must be one of the favourites of the Malaysian PM. Watching his Sibu by-election campaign video at Sibu Rejang Park on 15th May, 2010 has convinced me that this is true.
Najib was playing this "Deal or No Deal" game live with the people in Rejang Park by saying that if you return the BN candidate Robert Lau on Sunday, he would instruct on the following Monday, that a cheque of RM 5m (up from initial RM3m request, whilst he was speaking), be presented to the people, to help solve the flood problems in Sibu.
He even quoted his "deal" of RM3m to a Chinese school in the Hulu Selangor which he subsequently won BN the by election there several weeks earlier.
Unfortunately, for BN, they lost the Sibu by election by a small margin. Maybe RM5m was just a bit short.
The MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission), pressured by public uproar, has opened a file on this case in Sibu and may call on the PM in its corruption investigations.
Najib's recent retreat in Singapore has resulted in another big "deal" with the Singapore Government on the KTM land parcels at Tanjung Pagar, Kranji and Woodlands. KTM will move it terminal (and the immigration point) to Woodlands by July 1, 2011. The official deal will be pursued vigorously by the two countries' officials within the next 12 months...
Of course the public will not know how the game of "Deal or No Deal" was played behind closed doors cumulating in the press conference announcement of the "Deal" on 25th May 2010.
That is how 1Bolehland is being run.... deal or no deal?
Najib was playing this "Deal or No Deal" game live with the people in Rejang Park by saying that if you return the BN candidate Robert Lau on Sunday, he would instruct on the following Monday, that a cheque of RM 5m (up from initial RM3m request, whilst he was speaking), be presented to the people, to help solve the flood problems in Sibu.
He even quoted his "deal" of RM3m to a Chinese school in the Hulu Selangor which he subsequently won BN the by election there several weeks earlier.
Unfortunately, for BN, they lost the Sibu by election by a small margin. Maybe RM5m was just a bit short.
The MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission), pressured by public uproar, has opened a file on this case in Sibu and may call on the PM in its corruption investigations.
Najib's recent retreat in Singapore has resulted in another big "deal" with the Singapore Government on the KTM land parcels at Tanjung Pagar, Kranji and Woodlands. KTM will move it terminal (and the immigration point) to Woodlands by July 1, 2011. The official deal will be pursued vigorously by the two countries' officials within the next 12 months...
Of course the public will not know how the game of "Deal or No Deal" was played behind closed doors cumulating in the press conference announcement of the "Deal" on 25th May 2010.
That is how 1Bolehland is being run.... deal or no deal?
Saturday, May 15, 2010
God's answers to Prophet Habukkuk
Habukkuk was the questioning prophet in the 600BC. Observing all the chaos and evils in his time, he complained to God and asked two questions:
Question 1: How come God allows evils, wickedness, violence and injustice to prevail? And apparently indifferent to my cries for help? (Habukkuk 1: 1-4)
Answer 1: I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe even if you were told... raising up the Babylonians to execute my judgement; using an aggressive nation that thinks it is serving his own god and purpose (Habukkuk 1: 5)
Question 2: How can a holy God employ such an impure and godless nation to destroy another nation of evil? (Habukkuk 1: 12-17)
Answer 2: Part I: I will judge the proud (Habukkuk 2: 5-8); those who build empire through cruelty and godless gain ( Habukkuk 2: 9-11); those who build cities with bloodshed (Habukkuk 2: 12-14); those with cruelty in their judgement of those they conquered (Habukkuk 2:15-17) and those who given over to idolatry (Habukkuk 2:18-20).
Part II: The righteous and faithful will live and prevail (Habukkuk 2:4)
In today's context on Answer 2 Part I:
The 2003 Iraq invasion by allied forces led by the US and UK, was on the pretext of destroying a dictatorship in Saddam Hussein and an evil country with weapons of mass destruction. President George W Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair worked hand in hand to justify such invasion, defying the UN, in doing so.... Iraqi's oil resource must be one key factor in the use of force. Yes, Saddam has been removed and executed but Iraq is in chaos..
However, the evil aggressors are not spared by God as promised .... 2008/2009 subprime mortgage collapse and the worst economic recession hit the USA and UK, together with many natural and man-made disasters challenging the two countries namely, Typhoon Katrina; California bush fire; Iceland volcanic eruption ashes forcing the non-fly decisions of UK and European airlines; BP oil spill off the Gulf coast states etc.... God is progressively displaying his just judgement onto the wicked , the bully , the greedy and the proud?
Question 1: How come God allows evils, wickedness, violence and injustice to prevail? And apparently indifferent to my cries for help? (Habukkuk 1: 1-4)
Answer 1: I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe even if you were told... raising up the Babylonians to execute my judgement; using an aggressive nation that thinks it is serving his own god and purpose (Habukkuk 1: 5)
Question 2: How can a holy God employ such an impure and godless nation to destroy another nation of evil? (Habukkuk 1: 12-17)
Answer 2: Part I: I will judge the proud (Habukkuk 2: 5-8); those who build empire through cruelty and godless gain ( Habukkuk 2: 9-11); those who build cities with bloodshed (Habukkuk 2: 12-14); those with cruelty in their judgement of those they conquered (Habukkuk 2:15-17) and those who given over to idolatry (Habukkuk 2:18-20).
Part II: The righteous and faithful will live and prevail (Habukkuk 2:4)
In today's context on Answer 2 Part I:
The 2003 Iraq invasion by allied forces led by the US and UK, was on the pretext of destroying a dictatorship in Saddam Hussein and an evil country with weapons of mass destruction. President George W Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair worked hand in hand to justify such invasion, defying the UN, in doing so.... Iraqi's oil resource must be one key factor in the use of force. Yes, Saddam has been removed and executed but Iraq is in chaos..
However, the evil aggressors are not spared by God as promised .... 2008/2009 subprime mortgage collapse and the worst economic recession hit the USA and UK, together with many natural and man-made disasters challenging the two countries namely, Typhoon Katrina; California bush fire; Iceland volcanic eruption ashes forcing the non-fly decisions of UK and European airlines; BP oil spill off the Gulf coast states etc.... God is progressively displaying his just judgement onto the wicked , the bully , the greedy and the proud?
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Growing old in Kiwiland
If you are retired and healthy, and living in Kiwiland, you would have several options to plan your ageing living lifestyle... Your Own Home, Retirement Village, Retirement Home, Council Housing/Pensioner Unit or Rest Home (if you are elderly and needing long-term care).
Should you get sick and disable, you could then apply for Residential (General) Care or Home Support Services and even Palliative Care. The Government will subsidise the costs, fully or partially dependent on assessment of your Asset Threshold (currently 2010, it stands at $200,000 and if you are above 65 years old).
In addition to the above, there are other specialised care services like Respite Care, Convalescence Care, Dementia Care, Psychogeriatic Care, Specialised High Dependency Care and Home Support Services.
Financial support would be subject to referral by the District Health Board services.
In addition, the NZ Government provides a series of financial assistance to the senior population, depending on eligibility and needs. These include:
Accomodation supplement (variable dependent on individual situation)
Community services card (for reduced medication)
Disability allowance (up to $55.88 a week)
Funeral grant (currently up to $1800)
Living alone payment
NZ Super card (free public transport)
Specialised needs grant (eg hearing aids, dentures etc)
Councial rate rebates (up to $550 for annual income less than $21910)
National travel assistance scheme
Those who qualify for full subsidy to stay in a Rest Home would additionally receive a weekly sundries allowance of $35 and an annual clothing allowance of $246.00.
Abbey Heights Rest Home at Waitakere for example has acccomodation for 24 senior citizens, currently mainly of Asian ethnicities.
For those who can afford a retirement home lifestyle, there are many choices of leasing or owning a home in the Retirement Village, mainly run by profit-making private enterprises. In the Greater Auckland region (with the current population of about 1.4 million), there are at least 50 such villages with size ranges from a dozen units to over 350 units.
Vision Waitakere Gardens Retirement Village is one example where currently a 3-bedroom unit would cost $450,000 (car park additional $18,000 one off). You enter an Occupational Right Agreement with the Management which essentially allows you to live there as long as you are able or willing. You can decide to sell back the unit anytime but the outstanding amount the Management will pay back to you would be as follow:
Year 1 less 7.5% of entry fee (of $450,000) or $333,000
Year 2 less 15% or $306,000
Year 3 less 22.5% or 279,000
Year 4 less 30% or $252,000
Year 5 and beyond $252,000
The unit is not transferrable to any 3rd pary but if one of the occupants dies before the other, then the one remaining can opt to stay on...
There is a monthly service charge of $97.80 for 1 person or $127.40 for 2 persons (current rate subject to change, in consultation with the residents). This service charge covers rates, external building maintenance, building insurance, landscaping and amenities, rubbish disposal, common areas lighting, emergency call systems, staffing and admin & management fees.
You are allowed to have visitors staying with you, normally not more than 30 days at any one time, extension will be subject to Management's approval.
The elderly in NZ are also taken care by the Government under a scheme called NZ Super, which is an entitlement to all NZ residents from age 65 (and having lived in NZ for 3650 days, half of those days since age 50) until death. The current weekly payment (since 1 April 2010) are as follow (maximum after-tax):
Single (living alone) $318.12
Single (sharing) $293.65
Married (both qualify) $489.42
Married (only one qualifies) $244.77
NZ , with a $10.1b defecit, is currently borrowing about $240 million a week for the next 4 years, to support the Social Welfare Benefits Scheme. The Government is now looking at checking any loophole and abuses of the Scheme.
Some statistics of expenditure for the 2008/2009 period (totalled $3.989m) :
Domestic Purpose (97000 recipients) $1.53m
Unemployment (64,000 recipients) $0.586m
Sickness (58,000 recipients) $0.613m
Invalids (85,000 recipients) $1.26m
In order to sustain this scheme, the country must continue to prosper and to attract more young people to contribute to the economic development. Currently, the emigration of young skilled workers to Australia is at its height of 3000 long-term departures in 12 months. Before the global recession in 2008 the average monthly long-term departures was 4200, and it was down to about 2100 in 2009.
Should you get sick and disable, you could then apply for Residential (General) Care or Home Support Services and even Palliative Care. The Government will subsidise the costs, fully or partially dependent on assessment of your Asset Threshold (currently 2010, it stands at $200,000 and if you are above 65 years old).
In addition to the above, there are other specialised care services like Respite Care, Convalescence Care, Dementia Care, Psychogeriatic Care, Specialised High Dependency Care and Home Support Services.
Financial support would be subject to referral by the District Health Board services.
In addition, the NZ Government provides a series of financial assistance to the senior population, depending on eligibility and needs. These include:
Accomodation supplement (variable dependent on individual situation)
Community services card (for reduced medication)
Disability allowance (up to $55.88 a week)
Funeral grant (currently up to $1800)
Living alone payment
NZ Super card (free public transport)
Specialised needs grant (eg hearing aids, dentures etc)
Councial rate rebates (up to $550 for annual income less than $21910)
National travel assistance scheme
Those who qualify for full subsidy to stay in a Rest Home would additionally receive a weekly sundries allowance of $35 and an annual clothing allowance of $246.00.
Abbey Heights Rest Home at Waitakere for example has acccomodation for 24 senior citizens, currently mainly of Asian ethnicities.
For those who can afford a retirement home lifestyle, there are many choices of leasing or owning a home in the Retirement Village, mainly run by profit-making private enterprises. In the Greater Auckland region (with the current population of about 1.4 million), there are at least 50 such villages with size ranges from a dozen units to over 350 units.
Vision Waitakere Gardens Retirement Village is one example where currently a 3-bedroom unit would cost $450,000 (car park additional $18,000 one off). You enter an Occupational Right Agreement with the Management which essentially allows you to live there as long as you are able or willing. You can decide to sell back the unit anytime but the outstanding amount the Management will pay back to you would be as follow:
Year 1 less 7.5% of entry fee (of $450,000) or $333,000
Year 2 less 15% or $306,000
Year 3 less 22.5% or 279,000
Year 4 less 30% or $252,000
Year 5 and beyond $252,000
The unit is not transferrable to any 3rd pary but if one of the occupants dies before the other, then the one remaining can opt to stay on...
There is a monthly service charge of $97.80 for 1 person or $127.40 for 2 persons (current rate subject to change, in consultation with the residents). This service charge covers rates, external building maintenance, building insurance, landscaping and amenities, rubbish disposal, common areas lighting, emergency call systems, staffing and admin & management fees.
You are allowed to have visitors staying with you, normally not more than 30 days at any one time, extension will be subject to Management's approval.
The elderly in NZ are also taken care by the Government under a scheme called NZ Super, which is an entitlement to all NZ residents from age 65 (and having lived in NZ for 3650 days, half of those days since age 50) until death. The current weekly payment (since 1 April 2010) are as follow (maximum after-tax):
Single (living alone) $318.12
Single (sharing) $293.65
Married (both qualify) $489.42
Married (only one qualifies) $244.77
NZ , with a $10.1b defecit, is currently borrowing about $240 million a week for the next 4 years, to support the Social Welfare Benefits Scheme. The Government is now looking at checking any loophole and abuses of the Scheme.
Some statistics of expenditure for the 2008/2009 period (totalled $3.989m) :
Domestic Purpose (97000 recipients) $1.53m
Unemployment (64,000 recipients) $0.586m
Sickness (58,000 recipients) $0.613m
Invalids (85,000 recipients) $1.26m
In order to sustain this scheme, the country must continue to prosper and to attract more young people to contribute to the economic development. Currently, the emigration of young skilled workers to Australia is at its height of 3000 long-term departures in 12 months. Before the global recession in 2008 the average monthly long-term departures was 4200, and it was down to about 2100 in 2009.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Hair Cut 2010 Auckland
A normal no-frill hair cut for men would cost between $12 to $35 in Auckland in the Year of the Tiger (2010), much depending on the location of the barber shop.
A friend introduced his best kept secret recently...
A Shanghainess barber...
Clean, articulate and professional, Experienced and friendly. Speaks Mandarin mainly. It is called Tian Tian (Everyday) and service is available in a home environment. And it is value for money - only $5 per hair cut.
Address: 42 Sanft Avenue, Mt Roskill, Telephone: 6209826
Lest some of my friends may think that this is a ChinaDoll like those roaming in Bolehland, let me kill their imagination right now.
Call up to make an appointment -
he is Mr Foong, 76 years old.
After sharing this piece of information..... one of my friends mentioned that not too long ago, he had also got a $5 hair cut and in addition, was asked by the barber to pick vegetables for free from his garden. Obviously when words went round the town, the garden was quickly reduced to empty vegetable plots!!
A friend introduced his best kept secret recently...
A Shanghainess barber...
Clean, articulate and professional, Experienced and friendly. Speaks Mandarin mainly. It is called Tian Tian (Everyday) and service is available in a home environment. And it is value for money - only $5 per hair cut.
Address: 42 Sanft Avenue, Mt Roskill, Telephone: 6209826
Lest some of my friends may think that this is a ChinaDoll like those roaming in Bolehland, let me kill their imagination right now.
Call up to make an appointment -
he is Mr Foong, 76 years old.
After sharing this piece of information..... one of my friends mentioned that not too long ago, he had also got a $5 hair cut and in addition, was asked by the barber to pick vegetables for free from his garden. Obviously when words went round the town, the garden was quickly reduced to empty vegetable plots!!
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Friendship - fitting last words
If when you give, you expect the same (in equal quantum or more) in return, then you will probably be disappointed most of the time .... particularly in a human relationship called friendship. You can never get the equivalent reciprocity... as you would have hoped to expect in a business relationship - you scratch my back, I scratch yours... with ulterior motives and hidden favours.... Such foundation of any friendship will not last.
One recent example:
maybe you should think back how i treated you & how i tried ?
whatever you proposed & organised - i supported whenever i can..
so what's your " special " offer now !?
My response:
Sorry, no special offer. Can't be what I am not. Just as I am.
We have to learn to accept and be accepted in a diversed group of people... meaning to be congenial (without compromising on your basic principles), be patient and be understanding..
You just don't always walk away from anything or anywhere whenever you cannot have it your way.... Learn to focus less and less on yourself and you will see more and more good of others and life will be less stressful.
Of course we have the freewill choice to walk away from something so intolerable sometimes.
You are observing and evaluating others and similarly at the same time, others are doing just that too. It works both ways. "Take a good look at yourself and then you can look at others differently.."
One recent example:
maybe you should think back how i treated you & how i tried ?
whatever you proposed & organised - i supported whenever i can..
so what's your " special " offer now !?
My response:
Sorry, no special offer. Can't be what I am not. Just as I am.
We have to learn to accept and be accepted in a diversed group of people... meaning to be congenial (without compromising on your basic principles), be patient and be understanding..
You just don't always walk away from anything or anywhere whenever you cannot have it your way.... Learn to focus less and less on yourself and you will see more and more good of others and life will be less stressful.
Of course we have the freewill choice to walk away from something so intolerable sometimes.
You are observing and evaluating others and similarly at the same time, others are doing just that too. It works both ways. "Take a good look at yourself and then you can look at others differently.."
Honour Your Parents?
The Bible ordains children to honour their parents (e.g Exodus 20:2, Deuteronomy 5;16 and Ephesian 6:10). In every day living, there are many guides on how to bringing up children but rarely books on how to honour parents.... to be courteous and to provide assistance when they are in need, perhaps. For the Chinese, filial piety is one of the virtues expected of each generation. With globalisation and cross cultural interactions, this tradition is no more a guaranteed virtue.
Parents are never perfect and even though their love for the offsprings is often unconditional but sometimes misguided or overwhelmed. Over the generations, love always overflows downwards.... seldom upwards.
How do you expect in the case of Chip St. Clair, who as a child was constantly abused by his parents, who were fugitives (without his knowledge for over 17 years) of serious crimes? Chip's father, Michael Dean Grant was a child murderer of several counts. In fact, Chip was nearly killed by his father - when he was 8 years old, was thrown out of the rowboat into the ice-cold water of Lake Michigan, to swim few hundred metres onto the shore, whilst his father rowed the boat ashore; and on another occasion of being forced by his father to stand on the balcony of his 28th floor apartment, pretending to commit suicide, to shock his mother. The fears and mental torture on this growing child must be beyond the imagination of other children with seemingly normal childhood.
The book, The Butterfly Garden (2007) by Chip St. Clair detailed his ordeals as a child and how he survived living with his dysfunction parents. He found solice and inspiration from this poem by William Ernest Henley (1849-1902):
Out of the night that covers me
Black as the Pit from pole to pole
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud
Under the bludgeionings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the horror of the shade
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me , unafraid
It matters not how strait the gate
How charged with punishment the scroll
I am the master of my fate
I am the captain of my soul
Chip is now the Regional Director of the Justice for Children (Michigan Chapter), a NGO set up to help abused and neglected children. Chip had found support from his love, his friend and his wife in Lisa, who helped him to overcome his unpleasant childhood and turn it into a strength.
Quoting Chip, "To open up to another to make yourself vulnerable, is the beginning of introspection, the transformation into a butterfly... a butterfly which brings forth our colours from within, not hide them from the world - for they are part of our very being - the pelette of our life's experiences. We must not be afraid to reveal the rainbow buried deep within us to spread our wings and help make the world flourish."
Parents are never perfect and even though their love for the offsprings is often unconditional but sometimes misguided or overwhelmed. Over the generations, love always overflows downwards.... seldom upwards.
How do you expect in the case of Chip St. Clair, who as a child was constantly abused by his parents, who were fugitives (without his knowledge for over 17 years) of serious crimes? Chip's father, Michael Dean Grant was a child murderer of several counts. In fact, Chip was nearly killed by his father - when he was 8 years old, was thrown out of the rowboat into the ice-cold water of Lake Michigan, to swim few hundred metres onto the shore, whilst his father rowed the boat ashore; and on another occasion of being forced by his father to stand on the balcony of his 28th floor apartment, pretending to commit suicide, to shock his mother. The fears and mental torture on this growing child must be beyond the imagination of other children with seemingly normal childhood.
The book, The Butterfly Garden (2007) by Chip St. Clair detailed his ordeals as a child and how he survived living with his dysfunction parents. He found solice and inspiration from this poem by William Ernest Henley (1849-1902):
Out of the night that covers me
Black as the Pit from pole to pole
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud
Under the bludgeionings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the horror of the shade
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me , unafraid
It matters not how strait the gate
How charged with punishment the scroll
I am the master of my fate
I am the captain of my soul
Chip is now the Regional Director of the Justice for Children (Michigan Chapter), a NGO set up to help abused and neglected children. Chip had found support from his love, his friend and his wife in Lisa, who helped him to overcome his unpleasant childhood and turn it into a strength.
Quoting Chip, "To open up to another to make yourself vulnerable, is the beginning of introspection, the transformation into a butterfly... a butterfly which brings forth our colours from within, not hide them from the world - for they are part of our very being - the pelette of our life's experiences. We must not be afraid to reveal the rainbow buried deep within us to spread our wings and help make the world flourish."
Friday, April 9, 2010
The JM Collection - a preview
Josh and his sister, Abby came over to sleepover at Somerton Rise...
Can't help but capture this series of books being penned by this 8 year old writer.... they will one day be published. This is a sampling preview:
Savers 3 - The Birth of Versa - Will Droy Finally Have An Army?
Recently... Zegbar has managed to steal Droy's plory card, which has his plans. His Master, Greva has been killed, and so it is 3 against 1, until now..
Chapter 1 - Cops and Robbers
"Draket, stay here. I need to get Zegbar," Droy told Draket. He started walking to the transport baty.Droy climbed into a small delivery jet. He decided that even if the Savers 3 could detect him, they won't care about a small delivery jet. Zegbar had stolen Droy's plory card, which had his future plans. "If he finds out about Versa, I am going down, "Droy thought to himself. He opened the transport bay doors, and flew out . Droy flew to the Savers 3's HQ, where he had locked up Vezer and Jaeper, in his invisible mobile prison cell.
Beep! Beep!Beep! Zegbar stopped what he was doing and looked through the camera, "A little delivery jet? Has master Dranger given us another toy?" Zegbar said to himself. He walked closer to a control panel. There was a bright red button labelled, "Transport bay - Open/Close." Zegbar pressed it. Instantly, the doors opened and the jet flew in and landed on the landing pad. Suddenly, Droy forward flipped out of his jet and kicked Zegbar in the face. He fell down unconscious. When his body hit the ground, Zegbar lost grip of the plory card and it was sent flying up into the air. Droy jumped up and caught it .
Suddenly, Vezer and Jaeper came out of nowhere, and instantly attacked Droy. But Droy was ready for them. Just as Jaeper fired a high powered laser at him, Droy jumped out of the way. The laser hit the jet's window which reflected of it, and came back at Jaeper. "AAAGGGHHH!" he shouted. He fell down unconscious.
Droy turned and jumped into his jet's cockpit, "Oh no, you don't," Vezer shouted. But it was too late, Droy flew the jet back to his HQ...
Other titles in the JM Collection on Savers 3 series:
1. The Power Force Battle
2. Droy's Revenge
3. Zegbar's Success
4. The Birth of Versa
5. Dranger's Death
6. Peace At Last
Can't help but capture this series of books being penned by this 8 year old writer.... they will one day be published. This is a sampling preview:
Savers 3 - The Birth of Versa - Will Droy Finally Have An Army?
Recently... Zegbar has managed to steal Droy's plory card, which has his plans. His Master, Greva has been killed, and so it is 3 against 1, until now..
Chapter 1 - Cops and Robbers
"Draket, stay here. I need to get Zegbar," Droy told Draket. He started walking to the transport baty.Droy climbed into a small delivery jet. He decided that even if the Savers 3 could detect him, they won't care about a small delivery jet. Zegbar had stolen Droy's plory card, which had his future plans. "If he finds out about Versa, I am going down, "Droy thought to himself. He opened the transport bay doors, and flew out . Droy flew to the Savers 3's HQ, where he had locked up Vezer and Jaeper, in his invisible mobile prison cell.
Beep! Beep!Beep! Zegbar stopped what he was doing and looked through the camera, "A little delivery jet? Has master Dranger given us another toy?" Zegbar said to himself. He walked closer to a control panel. There was a bright red button labelled, "Transport bay - Open/Close." Zegbar pressed it. Instantly, the doors opened and the jet flew in and landed on the landing pad. Suddenly, Droy forward flipped out of his jet and kicked Zegbar in the face. He fell down unconscious. When his body hit the ground, Zegbar lost grip of the plory card and it was sent flying up into the air. Droy jumped up and caught it .
Suddenly, Vezer and Jaeper came out of nowhere, and instantly attacked Droy. But Droy was ready for them. Just as Jaeper fired a high powered laser at him, Droy jumped out of the way. The laser hit the jet's window which reflected of it, and came back at Jaeper. "AAAGGGHHH!" he shouted. He fell down unconscious.
Droy turned and jumped into his jet's cockpit, "Oh no, you don't," Vezer shouted. But it was too late, Droy flew the jet back to his HQ...
Other titles in the JM Collection on Savers 3 series:
1. The Power Force Battle
2. Droy's Revenge
3. Zegbar's Success
4. The Birth of Versa
5. Dranger's Death
6. Peace At Last
Thursday, April 8, 2010
1988 Personality Profile
This was conducted by the Company in 1988 in an organisational renewal exercise.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicators using the following 8 characteristics - Extraversion(E), Sensing(S), Thinking (T), Judging(J), Introversion(I), iNtuition(N), Feeling(F) and Perceptive(P)
Categorised under a "ESTJ" type which, according to the experts, has the following description:- Practical, realistic, matter-of-fact, with a natural head for business or mechanics. Not interested in subjects they see no use for, but can apply themselves when necessary. Like to organize and run activities. May make good administrators, especially if they remember to consider others' feelings and points of view.
It will be interesting to revisit the similar test done in 1988 to see whether these have changed now, after all these years? Probably - retired and tired?
Myers-Briggs Type Indicators using the following 8 characteristics - Extraversion(E), Sensing(S), Thinking (T), Judging(J), Introversion(I), iNtuition(N), Feeling(F) and Perceptive(P)
Categorised under a "ESTJ" type which, according to the experts, has the following description:- Practical, realistic, matter-of-fact, with a natural head for business or mechanics. Not interested in subjects they see no use for, but can apply themselves when necessary. Like to organize and run activities. May make good administrators, especially if they remember to consider others' feelings and points of view.
It will be interesting to revisit the similar test done in 1988 to see whether these have changed now, after all these years? Probably - retired and tired?
Monday, April 5, 2010
OSA - a first-hand experience
OSA in this case is not Official Secrets Act but instead it stands for Obstrustive Sleep Apnea, a serious sleeping disorder. Severe prolonged OSA can lead to high blood pressure and heart failure.
My friend, Tapora AK has been suffering from this disorder for years without realising it, as he has thought his sleeping was merely affected by his sinus problem, And for more than 10 years, he has lost his sense of smell...
One day he was asked to do a clinical monitoring of his sleeping pattern - a technician came over to his house at night to set up the monitoring probes on his body (polysomnography). After 5 hours of sleep, the monitor revealed to him that he in fact had more than 200 lapses of breathing or cessation of airflow into his lung/body. The pulses of cessation of air intake ranged from 12 seconds to 72 seconds. He is categorised under the severe category (>30 cessations per hour) as opposed to the normal category of <5 cessations per hour. This test cost him RM600.
He was recommended for a surgical procedure to remove his extended growths in the tonsils and turbinate bones. Post operation, his sinus problem is gone and he is now sleeping well with normal air flow into his system.
"It is so good to be able to smell again.....even my own shit!!" said Tapora AK.
My friend, Tapora AK has been suffering from this disorder for years without realising it, as he has thought his sleeping was merely affected by his sinus problem, And for more than 10 years, he has lost his sense of smell...
One day he was asked to do a clinical monitoring of his sleeping pattern - a technician came over to his house at night to set up the monitoring probes on his body (polysomnography). After 5 hours of sleep, the monitor revealed to him that he in fact had more than 200 lapses of breathing or cessation of airflow into his lung/body. The pulses of cessation of air intake ranged from 12 seconds to 72 seconds. He is categorised under the severe category (>30 cessations per hour) as opposed to the normal category of <5 cessations per hour. This test cost him RM600.
He was recommended for a surgical procedure to remove his extended growths in the tonsils and turbinate bones. Post operation, his sinus problem is gone and he is now sleeping well with normal air flow into his system.
"It is so good to be able to smell again.....even my own shit!!" said Tapora AK.
FAQ Christianity
This Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) by intellectuals, as answered by Henry F Schaefer (Professor in computational chemistry, U of Georgia) attracted my attention:
Q: Why are there many hypocrites in the church?
A: Yes, there are people in the church who do not live a life as they profess. God hates such pretense as much as you do. But in businesses, social clubs and other religions all have their hypocrites as well.Christainity stands or falls on the life of Jesus Christ and not on the performance of His followers.Anything in life that is genuine will inspire counterfeits.Don't miss out knowing Jesus because of someone else's failure.
Some reactions from my sharing with my golfing group:
GOD also can hate? I thought he loves everyone including his enemy? For if he can harbour hatred, he is no difference from you and me.
And if he hate hypocrites, then he hates everyone of us. For we are all hypocrites to some degree. Anyone who think he is not hypocrite at all, or has never been a hypocrite all his live. PLS stand up and be counted!!!
I think your response to the FAQ answer is fairly universal amongst imperfect mortals like us. In fact your challenge to stand up is exactly what Jesus asked the crowd when the teachers of the law and Pharisees were putting a woman caught in adultery on trial.
"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone" (John 8:7)
The need to correct our human failings and to repent is in-built in our conscience... it is up to individuals to work on it, I guess.
Since I started the sharing, let me try to close it by saying that As a simple man I would never attempt to fully understand God;I am sure He does not expect me, being a mere mortal, to be able to explain to others all His actions or "in-actions".
I believe we can make our prayer requests (and not demands) and accept His answers,which could be YES, NO or NOT YET.I believe He is a faithful and a just God.God is not all love and smiling at us all the times... He punishes if we rebel against Him.I will need to try to do my part to live an obedient life.... but admittedly falling and getting lost along the paths of life..
In John 8:11 when all the crowd dispersed without anyone throwing a stone at the adulterous woman, Jesus declared, "Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin." This is one example of God not ignoring or condone her sin, but ready to forgive the sinner.
Don't let human's failures prevent you from knowing Jesus.
Q: Why are there many hypocrites in the church?
A: Yes, there are people in the church who do not live a life as they profess. God hates such pretense as much as you do. But in businesses, social clubs and other religions all have their hypocrites as well.Christainity stands or falls on the life of Jesus Christ and not on the performance of His followers.Anything in life that is genuine will inspire counterfeits.Don't miss out knowing Jesus because of someone else's failure.
Some reactions from my sharing with my golfing group:
GOD also can hate? I thought he loves everyone including his enemy? For if he can harbour hatred, he is no difference from you and me.
And if he hate hypocrites, then he hates everyone of us. For we are all hypocrites to some degree. Anyone who think he is not hypocrite at all, or has never been a hypocrite all his live. PLS stand up and be counted!!!
I think your response to the FAQ answer is fairly universal amongst imperfect mortals like us. In fact your challenge to stand up is exactly what Jesus asked the crowd when the teachers of the law and Pharisees were putting a woman caught in adultery on trial.
"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone" (John 8:7)
The need to correct our human failings and to repent is in-built in our conscience... it is up to individuals to work on it, I guess.
Since I started the sharing, let me try to close it by saying that As a simple man I would never attempt to fully understand God;I am sure He does not expect me, being a mere mortal, to be able to explain to others all His actions or "in-actions".
I believe we can make our prayer requests (and not demands) and accept His answers,which could be YES, NO or NOT YET.I believe He is a faithful and a just God.God is not all love and smiling at us all the times... He punishes if we rebel against Him.I will need to try to do my part to live an obedient life.... but admittedly falling and getting lost along the paths of life..
In John 8:11 when all the crowd dispersed without anyone throwing a stone at the adulterous woman, Jesus declared, "Then neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin." This is one example of God not ignoring or condone her sin, but ready to forgive the sinner.
Don't let human's failures prevent you from knowing Jesus.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Money and Christians
This is to verbalise my thoughts after a week of being exposed to the sermons and messages conveyed by the FGBMF (Full Gospel BusinessMen Fellowship) ... so-called Ministry of Giving, by some multi-millionaires or Financial Kings from Malaysia.
The Bible is full of guidance against the love of money ... but on the converse, there are many verses on the need to work hard in order to serve God and for the furtherance of His Kingdom. The Bussinessmen are in business to make a profit and if that profit is being shovelled towards the expansion of God's kingdom, that is acceptable and noble. It is also mentioned that God wants to enrich his people and bless them with wealth and abundance of life.
There are some statements which are factual and realistically acceptable by all Christians walking this Worldly sojourn...
1. Money is neutral; possess it but don't let it possess you.
2. Rich or Poor, we are all slaves to money, as money is important to sustain daily living
3. Preaching on wealth creation is the obligation of all churches to motivate and encourage their followers to give affirmative testimonies of God's richness and blessings.
4. Blessed churches would attract more followers and believers.
5. Piousness does not necessarily mean poverty.
6. God owns the whole earth and universe and we ought to be His responsible stewards of his wealth.
7. In the Biblical era, there were many multi-millionaires too, like King Solomons, Kind David, Joseph, Isaac, Abraham etc. Why not now?
8. Some have the gifts of managing wealth on behalf of God, some have other giftings. So not everyone can be Financial King.
In all decison making, including money, first seek God's guidance by prayers; by internalising his Word (read the Bible, listen to sermons) and then listen accurately to God's promptings and signs. If you are totally faithful in your prayers, and if there is peace of mind in making the decision, that must be God's will?
The Bible is full of guidance against the love of money ... but on the converse, there are many verses on the need to work hard in order to serve God and for the furtherance of His Kingdom. The Bussinessmen are in business to make a profit and if that profit is being shovelled towards the expansion of God's kingdom, that is acceptable and noble. It is also mentioned that God wants to enrich his people and bless them with wealth and abundance of life.
There are some statements which are factual and realistically acceptable by all Christians walking this Worldly sojourn...
1. Money is neutral; possess it but don't let it possess you.
2. Rich or Poor, we are all slaves to money, as money is important to sustain daily living
3. Preaching on wealth creation is the obligation of all churches to motivate and encourage their followers to give affirmative testimonies of God's richness and blessings.
4. Blessed churches would attract more followers and believers.
5. Piousness does not necessarily mean poverty.
6. God owns the whole earth and universe and we ought to be His responsible stewards of his wealth.
7. In the Biblical era, there were many multi-millionaires too, like King Solomons, Kind David, Joseph, Isaac, Abraham etc. Why not now?
8. Some have the gifts of managing wealth on behalf of God, some have other giftings. So not everyone can be Financial King.
In all decison making, including money, first seek God's guidance by prayers; by internalising his Word (read the Bible, listen to sermons) and then listen accurately to God's promptings and signs. If you are totally faithful in your prayers, and if there is peace of mind in making the decision, that must be God's will?
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Be Nice, my friends
We meet difficult, unhappy, grumpy, unfriendly and disagreeable people everyday... because often we are one of them!!
But we know deep down inside, we are not nasty people... just that sometimes because of some hurts inside us, we tend to express them outwardly.Very often being nice to the other person can be a relationship risk too. People may think that we have some ulterior motives....
Our initiative to be nice and overtures may get a snub or negative response from the other party. So what do we do? Men are social animals... we just cannot self-isolate ourselves...
To me, if I am genuine and sincere of being nice, I will not worry about what others may think or do or don't do.. that would impact on me.... life will move on happily or leisurely if only we all can let go our own ego..
Proverbs (from the Bible) 18:1 says " An unfriendly man pursues selfish ends; he defies all sound judgement."
But we know deep down inside, we are not nasty people... just that sometimes because of some hurts inside us, we tend to express them outwardly.Very often being nice to the other person can be a relationship risk too. People may think that we have some ulterior motives....
Our initiative to be nice and overtures may get a snub or negative response from the other party. So what do we do? Men are social animals... we just cannot self-isolate ourselves...
To me, if I am genuine and sincere of being nice, I will not worry about what others may think or do or don't do.. that would impact on me.... life will move on happily or leisurely if only we all can let go our own ego..
Proverbs (from the Bible) 18:1 says " An unfriendly man pursues selfish ends; he defies all sound judgement."
Mauao, Bay of Plenty NZ
.JPG)
Mauao, this Mount at the edge of the Mt Maunganui promontory, is only 232 m in altitude, with a base circumference of 3.4km.
I made it the summit on the 5th March 2010 on my first attempt and I found this small mountain an interesting tracking ground as there are many permutations of tracking routes you can take up and down... some easy; some require moderate to excellent fitness.... there was never a dull moment up and down, if you open your eyes and ears....
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Hot Water Beach New Zealand
.JPG)
Normal people would go visit the Hot Water Beach and create their own spa pools in the afternoon low tide. I joined them on 4th March 2010 at about 6pm (low tide 5pm - and the best time to get the hot spring is 2 hours either side of the low-tide) - see photos.
The next day, totally unplanned, I woke up early and dared to be different (or you may say crazy) to catch the dawn low tide at 5am! I had the Hot Water Beach to myself from 4am to 5.30am on 5th March, under the bright moonlit and starry sky... it was a bit scarry when the moon was hidden by the clouds once a while - the song "bad moon rising" rang in my ears...I was prepared for any intruder by arming myself with a shovel (from the motel I was staying) and simply naked waist up (with nothing valuable to attract any robber). When I was in the private spa beach..... only the moon could see my entire nakedness....and later it was thrilled to have a shower at the open public shower station at the Hahei car park at 5.45am - carefree, everything hanging loose, cool and refreshing.....
For those who have not been to the Hot Water Beach... there are 2 hot springs about 10 metres apart at the beach which come up from a hot water reservoir some 2 km down in the earth surface, resultant of some volcanic activities some 5-8 million years ago. The spring water temperature can be high as 65 degree C (it actually burns the skin)... a combination of hot spring and cold sea water was a good spa mixture. This is unique to NZ.
Hot Water Beach is situated on the east coast of The Coromandel Peninsula, near a town called Whitianga, about 2 hours drive from Auckland. You can drive all the way to Hahei Beach or you can take a ferry from Whitinga ($4 return for a 20 mins journey) to Ferry Landing, from which you can catch a taxi for another 15 km to the Hot Water Beach.
Go try it. Try it my way?
Monday, February 15, 2010
Million Dollar View Sunrise
.JPG)
Howick Golf Glub, one with the Million Dollar View....at dawn, 0631hrs 12 Feb 2010
A scarry vision
songtimentally...
A day in the life... a Solitaire... a Desperado... walking Positively 4th Street ...Like a rolling stone... in the Streets of London...When I am 64?
Say you need to say
Say you need to say
Stand by me?
A day in the life... a Solitaire... a Desperado... walking Positively 4th Street ...Like a rolling stone... in the Streets of London...When I am 64?
Say you need to say
Say you need to say
Stand by me?
And I Love You So
I am in one of those "songtimental" moods....singing the lyrics of this song popularised by Perry Como/Don Mclean and Elvis Presley.
And I love you* so
People ask me how
How I live til now
I tell them I don't know
I guess they understand
How lonly life has been
But life began again
The day you took my hand
The book of life is brief
And once a page is read
All but love is dead
That is my belief
*God
"Life is short", "Life is a gift".... we say these quite often and it has become almost rhetorical. What are we going to do about it?
Tropicanna Golf and Country Club members would remember the club's tagline - "Life is to be enjoyed"... but how?
Enjoy yourselves irregardless of everything else; people around you; others' feelings; just strictly self-gratifications?
Happiness which depends on someone, on something will be temporary....Joy is lasting and it is a positive relationship with God and your loved ones!
We all still have a fair chance to leave a positive legacy until the time has come for us to go.
And I love you* so
People ask me how
How I live til now
I tell them I don't know
I guess they understand
How lonly life has been
But life began again
The day you took my hand
The book of life is brief
And once a page is read
All but love is dead
That is my belief
*God
"Life is short", "Life is a gift".... we say these quite often and it has become almost rhetorical. What are we going to do about it?
Tropicanna Golf and Country Club members would remember the club's tagline - "Life is to be enjoyed"... but how?
Enjoy yourselves irregardless of everything else; people around you; others' feelings; just strictly self-gratifications?
Happiness which depends on someone, on something will be temporary....Joy is lasting and it is a positive relationship with God and your loved ones!
We all still have a fair chance to leave a positive legacy until the time has come for us to go.
Friendship - a short note
This short note (some complained too long) was written for my golfing buddies in NZ...
Most of us here are enjoying the sunset of our lives in this "Land of the long white clouds"..... some of us have achieved great things (and acquired great wealth); some of us have survived all the big mistakes in our walk on this earth; some of us are still trying to achieve greater heights. Wherever you are, be thankful for who you are and all the blessings.
We are from different background but are here in NZ for various different reasons and we choose to share our times whenever we can get together.
Friendship, to me, is vital in our daily living. The relation between friends must be mutually contributing and mutually respecting with sincerity and genunity to accept/tolerate each other's strengths and flaws.
Communication and clarification of any miscommunication is key. People must be prepared to take time and effort to approach the other party DIRECTLY and if there are really insurmountable fundamental differences, then the relationship can take a more superficial level without having to force any major change of behaviour from either party. We demand the government to be fair and transparent.....let's start with ourselves, with no hidden agendas.
Even in the harsh world of politics, there was a special bond between President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill during those World War days... they knew one another's strengths and flaws, and at times, they made fairly cutting remarks and were critical of each other. They were there for each other in times of dire need and were able to prevail and shape the world's destiny during their time in power.
We are in the twilight of our lives and my philosophy is to take the days as they come as blessings to share them with our loves ones and our friends, without intimidation or obligation or being patronizing.
I enjoy taking and sharing photos to all the MMC and as usual most of the time very few actually expressed your thanks and appreciation in the email. No worries. I think all of you do (but quietly, Chinese style).
I will continue to take photos and share them (as long as they do not offend/embarrass any individual in particular - no malice but just for fun in some cases), the intention is to share the moments and as my personal diary of things I do with my friends (even though my face rarely featured - it does not add value, I know). If you specifically do not want to be captured in my camera, please tell me direct too.
Friendship cannot be forced and cannot be on equal status all across the board. To me, a small group of mutually congenial friendship with depth and quality is more valuable. The breadth of friendship without quality is not worth pursuing.
p/s: as I told you guys before, getting old has got me more and more philosophical (and busy-body giving unsolicited grandfatherly advice). Delete it or take this in a positive note, can?
Most of us here are enjoying the sunset of our lives in this "Land of the long white clouds"..... some of us have achieved great things (and acquired great wealth); some of us have survived all the big mistakes in our walk on this earth; some of us are still trying to achieve greater heights. Wherever you are, be thankful for who you are and all the blessings.
We are from different background but are here in NZ for various different reasons and we choose to share our times whenever we can get together.
Friendship, to me, is vital in our daily living. The relation between friends must be mutually contributing and mutually respecting with sincerity and genunity to accept/tolerate each other's strengths and flaws.
Communication and clarification of any miscommunication is key. People must be prepared to take time and effort to approach the other party DIRECTLY and if there are really insurmountable fundamental differences, then the relationship can take a more superficial level without having to force any major change of behaviour from either party. We demand the government to be fair and transparent.....let's start with ourselves, with no hidden agendas.
Even in the harsh world of politics, there was a special bond between President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill during those World War days... they knew one another's strengths and flaws, and at times, they made fairly cutting remarks and were critical of each other. They were there for each other in times of dire need and were able to prevail and shape the world's destiny during their time in power.
We are in the twilight of our lives and my philosophy is to take the days as they come as blessings to share them with our loves ones and our friends, without intimidation or obligation or being patronizing.
I enjoy taking and sharing photos to all the MMC and as usual most of the time very few actually expressed your thanks and appreciation in the email. No worries. I think all of you do (but quietly, Chinese style).
I will continue to take photos and share them (as long as they do not offend/embarrass any individual in particular - no malice but just for fun in some cases), the intention is to share the moments and as my personal diary of things I do with my friends (even though my face rarely featured - it does not add value, I know). If you specifically do not want to be captured in my camera, please tell me direct too.
Friendship cannot be forced and cannot be on equal status all across the board. To me, a small group of mutually congenial friendship with depth and quality is more valuable. The breadth of friendship without quality is not worth pursuing.
p/s: as I told you guys before, getting old has got me more and more philosophical (and busy-body giving unsolicited grandfatherly advice). Delete it or take this in a positive note, can?
Be Yourself
Getting a bit philosophical today.....
I have added an asterik (*) and some song titles in parentheses to the following famous aphorism:
Always be yourself* because the people that matter don't mind, and the ones who mind, don't matter.
*
be different but don't be a (Stupid cupid)
be kind and (Don't be cruel)
be creative and (Never say never)
be supportive and (That's what friends are for)
be grateful and (Let it be)
be humble and be a (Better man)
I have added an asterik (*) and some song titles in parentheses to the following famous aphorism:
Always be yourself* because the people that matter don't mind, and the ones who mind, don't matter.
*
be different but don't be a (Stupid cupid)
be kind and (Don't be cruel)
be creative and (Never say never)
be supportive and (That's what friends are for)
be grateful and (Let it be)
be humble and be a (Better man)
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Loving What Is
Read this book by Byron Katie (2002).
There are only 3 kinds of business in this universe - mine, yours and God's.
Anything that's out of my control, your control and everyone else's control, that is God's business. It is also called "Reality".
When I think "you need a job"; "I want you to be happy"; "You should be on time"; "You need to take better care of yourself" ---- I am in your business!
When I am worried about earthquakes, floods, wars and when will I die ------ I am in God's business!
To think that I know what is best for anyone else is to be out of my business. Even in the name of love, it is pure arrogance and the result is tension, anxiety and fear.
Do I know what is best for me? This is my only business.
Accept reality and deal with it.
Which is more enpowering? "I wish I hadn't lost my job" versus "I lost my job ; what can I do now?"
The only time we suffer is when we believe a thought that argues with what is, the reality. It is hopeless.
If you want reality to be different than it is, you might as well try to teach a cat to bark. You try and try and finally, the cat will look up to you and say "Meow"!
What about "loving thy neighbouras thyself"? a friend of mine asked.
I had thought about that too .... if everybody minds his own business and be self-centred, then this world is not a good place to be in.
I cannot find any specific answer from the book, to that question. But having read the book, let me TRY to rationalise...
I think loving my neigbours and all the people around me, is within my control. It is my business. However if I were to expect my neighbour to love me or care for me in certain ways that I think appropriate, then I will going into his business of behaviour or action (which is not within my control). Sometimes what I think or like others to do like "I want him to.." , "I need him to.."; "he shouldn't have.."; "he should have.."; "I am angry with him because..." etc...... these phrases if repeated over my mind, would eventually become a basis for "judging thy neighbour".
This book challenges us to ask the following 4 questions (she calls it The Work) whenever we are "out of bound" and have gone into "others' business" :
1. Is it true?
2. Can you absolutely know that it's true?
3. How do you react when you think that thought?
4. Who would you b without the thoughts?
and
Turn it around
The Work, she claims has worked for many people in all kinds of situations ..couples and family life; work and money; self-judgement; with children; body and addictions; making friends with the worst that can happen ....
I suppose one has to read the book and work the worksheet to gain the real insight.
So, my short answer to my friend's question is: Yes, by all means love thy neighbour but not judge thy neighbour.
The latter, often is very hard to do!!!
"A thought is harmless unless we believe it. It's not thoughts, but the attachment to our thoughts, that cause suffering. Attaching to a thought means believing that it's true, without enquiring."
In conclusion, mind you own business well first before you mind others' business that you consider as your business as well, because you care.
There are only 3 kinds of business in this universe - mine, yours and God's.
Anything that's out of my control, your control and everyone else's control, that is God's business. It is also called "Reality".
When I think "you need a job"; "I want you to be happy"; "You should be on time"; "You need to take better care of yourself" ---- I am in your business!
When I am worried about earthquakes, floods, wars and when will I die ------ I am in God's business!
To think that I know what is best for anyone else is to be out of my business. Even in the name of love, it is pure arrogance and the result is tension, anxiety and fear.
Do I know what is best for me? This is my only business.
Accept reality and deal with it.
Which is more enpowering? "I wish I hadn't lost my job" versus "I lost my job ; what can I do now?"
The only time we suffer is when we believe a thought that argues with what is, the reality. It is hopeless.
If you want reality to be different than it is, you might as well try to teach a cat to bark. You try and try and finally, the cat will look up to you and say "Meow"!
What about "loving thy neighbouras thyself"? a friend of mine asked.
I had thought about that too .... if everybody minds his own business and be self-centred, then this world is not a good place to be in.
I cannot find any specific answer from the book, to that question. But having read the book, let me TRY to rationalise...
I think loving my neigbours and all the people around me, is within my control. It is my business. However if I were to expect my neighbour to love me or care for me in certain ways that I think appropriate, then I will going into his business of behaviour or action (which is not within my control). Sometimes what I think or like others to do like "I want him to.." , "I need him to.."; "he shouldn't have.."; "he should have.."; "I am angry with him because..." etc...... these phrases if repeated over my mind, would eventually become a basis for "judging thy neighbour".
This book challenges us to ask the following 4 questions (she calls it The Work) whenever we are "out of bound" and have gone into "others' business" :
1. Is it true?
2. Can you absolutely know that it's true?
3. How do you react when you think that thought?
4. Who would you b without the thoughts?
and
Turn it around
The Work, she claims has worked for many people in all kinds of situations ..couples and family life; work and money; self-judgement; with children; body and addictions; making friends with the worst that can happen ....
I suppose one has to read the book and work the worksheet to gain the real insight.
So, my short answer to my friend's question is: Yes, by all means love thy neighbour but not judge thy neighbour.
The latter, often is very hard to do!!!
"A thought is harmless unless we believe it. It's not thoughts, but the attachment to our thoughts, that cause suffering. Attaching to a thought means believing that it's true, without enquiring."
In conclusion, mind you own business well first before you mind others' business that you consider as your business as well, because you care.
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