Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Points to Ponder
Pursuits of life:
Believe wisely
Seek the truth
Make use of knowledge
Fame is not always good
Believe wisely
Seek the truth
Make use of knowledge
Fame is not always good
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Fame
Fame: An a priori
A famous institution
will not necessarily make its students famous.
When its students became famous,
that will make the institution famous.
A famous institution
will not necessarily make its students famous.
When its students became famous,
that will make the institution famous.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Delicacies.
Good Sunday morning,
Time for some delicacies.
Bird nests
Swifts are birds. They are about the size of sparrows.
They weave their nests with their saliva. The female
swift regurgitates a strand of saliva from its glands
under its tongue and weaves it onto the wall of the
cave to form a semicircular cup shape nest. These
nests are for them to lay their eggs and nurture their
young.
It takes a swift one month to make its nest. It takes
three weeks for its eggs to hatch. And it takes another
three weeks for its nestlings to grow. After this it does
not need its nest, which can then be harvested.
But if the nest is removed before the eggs are laid, the
female swift will have to make another nest as soon
as possible, in a much shorter time, three weeks.
A third nest will take a still shorter time, two weeks.
A replacement nest puts great pressure on the female
swift, and often blood comes out for it, colouring the
nest.
And people eat these nests ! They are delicacies.
Bee honey
Bees make honey by extracting the nectar of flowers,
processing it and regurgitating it as honey. The honeybee
will fly about 800 km in her working life and produce just
half a teaspoon of honey. To produce one pound of honey,
the bees travel as far as 50,000 miles and visit more than
2,000,000 flowers.
To maximise their production, the bee hives are moved
from site to site to follow the flowering of the plants. As
most plants only flower for a few months in a year, a
beekeeper may move these bees about six to eight times
each year.
The bees gather the nectar and converts it into honey
to fill their hives, and store it as food for the winter.
Sometimes the bees make more honey than they eat.
Commercial beekeepers usually extract all the honey
during autumn and feed the bees with sugar syrup or
corn syrup for their winter needs. This feeding continues
in spring and early summer to give the bees an early start
in their manufacture of honey before the plants flower.
This explains how so much honey can be made by the bees.
And people eat bee honey or drink it ! It is invigorating.
Shark fins
A shark has a total of about eight or nine fins, depending
on the specie. An unlucky shark will be finned. Fining is
the process of cutting off only the fins of the shark and
discarding its whole body.
Sometimes the sharks are dead when they are pulled into
the boats. Often, they are still alive when most of their fins
are cut off with a knife. When they are thrown back into
the ocean the sharks either bleed to death or are drown,
because sharks cannot swim without fins, and they need
to go forward to get oxygen.
And people eat these shark fins ! They are delicacies.
Have a nice day.
Ronald
Time for some delicacies.
Bird nests
Swifts are birds. They are about the size of sparrows.
They weave their nests with their saliva. The female
swift regurgitates a strand of saliva from its glands
under its tongue and weaves it onto the wall of the
cave to form a semicircular cup shape nest. These
nests are for them to lay their eggs and nurture their
young.
It takes a swift one month to make its nest. It takes
three weeks for its eggs to hatch. And it takes another
three weeks for its nestlings to grow. After this it does
not need its nest, which can then be harvested.
But if the nest is removed before the eggs are laid, the
female swift will have to make another nest as soon
as possible, in a much shorter time, three weeks.
A third nest will take a still shorter time, two weeks.
A replacement nest puts great pressure on the female
swift, and often blood comes out for it, colouring the
nest.
And people eat these nests ! They are delicacies.
Bee honey
Bees make honey by extracting the nectar of flowers,
processing it and regurgitating it as honey. The honeybee
will fly about 800 km in her working life and produce just
half a teaspoon of honey. To produce one pound of honey,
the bees travel as far as 50,000 miles and visit more than
2,000,000 flowers.
To maximise their production, the bee hives are moved
from site to site to follow the flowering of the plants. As
most plants only flower for a few months in a year, a
beekeeper may move these bees about six to eight times
each year.
The bees gather the nectar and converts it into honey
to fill their hives, and store it as food for the winter.
Sometimes the bees make more honey than they eat.
Commercial beekeepers usually extract all the honey
during autumn and feed the bees with sugar syrup or
corn syrup for their winter needs. This feeding continues
in spring and early summer to give the bees an early start
in their manufacture of honey before the plants flower.
This explains how so much honey can be made by the bees.
And people eat bee honey or drink it ! It is invigorating.
Shark fins
A shark has a total of about eight or nine fins, depending
on the specie. An unlucky shark will be finned. Fining is
the process of cutting off only the fins of the shark and
discarding its whole body.
Sometimes the sharks are dead when they are pulled into
the boats. Often, they are still alive when most of their fins
are cut off with a knife. When they are thrown back into
the ocean the sharks either bleed to death or are drown,
because sharks cannot swim without fins, and they need
to go forward to get oxygen.
And people eat these shark fins ! They are delicacies.
Have a nice day.
Ronald
Friday, February 24, 2006
Knowledge
Knowing about knowledge
Knowledge is useless
while it remains in the brain.
Knowledge enables man
to achieve wonders when it is applied.
Knowledge is useless
while it remains in the brain.
Knowledge enables man
to achieve wonders when it is applied.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Liauchai
Good morning,
Liauchai or Iauchai, what's in a name?
It never rains but pours. This happened to Liauchai. Just into
his mid thirties in life, he was suckered in a con scam and lost
almost all his savings, got retrenched, lost his wife and his two
children in an accident, and even had his car repossessed .
What more can happened to a man!
For a man who grew up with a silver spoon, Liauchai was not
one who could take all these hard knocks, not in such succession.
Taking whatever cash that he had, he went to the casino. He still
had thousands, hundreds and tens of dollars. By his calculation,
if he double his bet just eight times, his four thousand would roll
into half a million, putting him back on track. He was not insane.
It was that under the situation, that was how his mind worked.
Make good or bust. If bad luck could befall him successively the
turn should be good luck, and eight always mean luck.
He decided on roulette, which excluding the O offers quite an
even chance on colour, black or red. When the wheel was spun,
he was on his way. He let it roll as planned. His pile kept doubling.
One more baby and it would be $512,000. But Lady Luck went out
of steam for him.
He was not sad, what the heck?. That was his plan. Now he had
his next move. As he was climbing up the high bridge, a voice
struck his ears, "Spare me a dinner, sir!" Turning round, he faced
a down and out fellow, one about to collapse through starvation.
"What the heck," he thought, "why not give us both a fine last
dinner?"
He took the man to a restaurant and both had a fine meal. The
dinner was grand, and Liauchai warmed all over watching the
man tucked into the meal and the wine. The man thanked
him volubly. Liauchai reached into his pocket and gave the
man the rest of all his remaining dollars. He did not need these
where he was going.
As they parted after coming out of the restaurant, the man
hugged him and slipped something into his pocket. They bid
each other goodbye and went separate ways, one well fed and
happy, the other indifferent. Somehow Liauchai turned around
to give the man a last look; something in the man reminded him
of himself. His gaze followed the retreating man. A thought came
into his mind; perhaps he could bounce back into life like the
man did. He could get some money from the insurance and .....
Bang, and objects and things flew about amid crashing and other
noises.
Liauchai awoke. He felt strange and painful here and there. He
was puzzled. What had happened and where was he. And as he
surveyed his surrounding, he wondered. He could not move. His
limbs were bandaged and suspended. He was in a hospital bed,
strung up like a spider's victim. He was very perplexed.
He was about to shout when a sweet voice greeted him,
"Good morning, Iauchai, you are awake at last." It was the nurse.
"How am I here?" he asked.
"You had an accident, a drunk driver rammed into you. You
have been here two days", she replied.
"Why am I not dead. I should be dead."
"Why does a rich man like you want to be dead?"
"I am not rich."
"But you are. You had a lottery ticket in your pocket.
Its number matched the first prize yesterday."
"But I never buy lottery tickets."
"Well you had one, and I have kept it safely for you. All you need
to do is get well and go claim your prize"
"Don't kid me ! Why did you not just quietly keep the ticket.
I would never know."
"It is me, that is why. I do not do such things."
"What did you call me just now?"
"Iauchai, that's your name, is it not?", her pronunciation
miss the L in his name. "You have fortune, not lose fortune,"
she stressed.
"Well, I'll be mummified," he murmured,
"Iauchai instead of Liauchai, this is my new name."
Have a nice day.
Ronald
Liauchai or Iauchai, what's in a name?
It never rains but pours. This happened to Liauchai. Just into
his mid thirties in life, he was suckered in a con scam and lost
almost all his savings, got retrenched, lost his wife and his two
children in an accident, and even had his car repossessed .
What more can happened to a man!
For a man who grew up with a silver spoon, Liauchai was not
one who could take all these hard knocks, not in such succession.
Taking whatever cash that he had, he went to the casino. He still
had thousands, hundreds and tens of dollars. By his calculation,
if he double his bet just eight times, his four thousand would roll
into half a million, putting him back on track. He was not insane.
It was that under the situation, that was how his mind worked.
Make good or bust. If bad luck could befall him successively the
turn should be good luck, and eight always mean luck.
He decided on roulette, which excluding the O offers quite an
even chance on colour, black or red. When the wheel was spun,
he was on his way. He let it roll as planned. His pile kept doubling.
One more baby and it would be $512,000. But Lady Luck went out
of steam for him.
He was not sad, what the heck?. That was his plan. Now he had
his next move. As he was climbing up the high bridge, a voice
struck his ears, "Spare me a dinner, sir!" Turning round, he faced
a down and out fellow, one about to collapse through starvation.
"What the heck," he thought, "why not give us both a fine last
dinner?"
He took the man to a restaurant and both had a fine meal. The
dinner was grand, and Liauchai warmed all over watching the
man tucked into the meal and the wine. The man thanked
him volubly. Liauchai reached into his pocket and gave the
man the rest of all his remaining dollars. He did not need these
where he was going.
As they parted after coming out of the restaurant, the man
hugged him and slipped something into his pocket. They bid
each other goodbye and went separate ways, one well fed and
happy, the other indifferent. Somehow Liauchai turned around
to give the man a last look; something in the man reminded him
of himself. His gaze followed the retreating man. A thought came
into his mind; perhaps he could bounce back into life like the
man did. He could get some money from the insurance and .....
Bang, and objects and things flew about amid crashing and other
noises.
Liauchai awoke. He felt strange and painful here and there. He
was puzzled. What had happened and where was he. And as he
surveyed his surrounding, he wondered. He could not move. His
limbs were bandaged and suspended. He was in a hospital bed,
strung up like a spider's victim. He was very perplexed.
He was about to shout when a sweet voice greeted him,
"Good morning, Iauchai, you are awake at last." It was the nurse.
"How am I here?" he asked.
"You had an accident, a drunk driver rammed into you. You
have been here two days", she replied.
"Why am I not dead. I should be dead."
"Why does a rich man like you want to be dead?"
"I am not rich."
"But you are. You had a lottery ticket in your pocket.
Its number matched the first prize yesterday."
"But I never buy lottery tickets."
"Well you had one, and I have kept it safely for you. All you need
to do is get well and go claim your prize"
"Don't kid me ! Why did you not just quietly keep the ticket.
I would never know."
"It is me, that is why. I do not do such things."
"What did you call me just now?"
"Iauchai, that's your name, is it not?", her pronunciation
miss the L in his name. "You have fortune, not lose fortune,"
she stressed.
"Well, I'll be mummified," he murmured,
"Iauchai instead of Liauchai, this is my new name."
Have a nice day.
Ronald
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Belief
A belief in something
is not based on fact.
A belief is the result of reasoning
that something should be so.
is not based on fact.
A belief is the result of reasoning
that something should be so.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Relieving stress
Good morning,
How to relieve stress.
At the HDB MRT Bus Terminal complex
at Toa Payoh Central there is a McDonald
fast food branch. Outside the McDonald
branch within the concourse, there is a
bench with the figure of Ronald McDonald
sitting on it.
A schoolgirl was sitting on this bench,
reading a book. A schoolboy came along.
He flung his bag onto the lap of Ronald
McDonald. He slapped McDonald on the
cheeks a couple of times, on the right cheek
with his left hand and on the left cheek with
his right hand. Then he rubbed McDonald's
face with both his hands and pinched his
nose with his thumb and forefinger, pulling
and shaking it a bit.
After that he picked up his bag and slumped
down beside the girl.
Oh, man!
What a way to relief oneself
of what the day took out of us.
My wife and I could not help
enjoying this kind of thing.
We wished we had a video
camera then !
Have a day like this.
Ronald
How to relieve stress.
At the HDB MRT Bus Terminal complex
at Toa Payoh Central there is a McDonald
fast food branch. Outside the McDonald
branch within the concourse, there is a
bench with the figure of Ronald McDonald
sitting on it.
A schoolgirl was sitting on this bench,
reading a book. A schoolboy came along.
He flung his bag onto the lap of Ronald
McDonald. He slapped McDonald on the
cheeks a couple of times, on the right cheek
with his left hand and on the left cheek with
his right hand. Then he rubbed McDonald's
face with both his hands and pinched his
nose with his thumb and forefinger, pulling
and shaking it a bit.
After that he picked up his bag and slumped
down beside the girl.
Oh, man!
What a way to relief oneself
of what the day took out of us.
My wife and I could not help
enjoying this kind of thing.
We wished we had a video
camera then !
Have a day like this.
Ronald
Saturday, February 18, 2006
True is
Truth is true when ...
If something is true it is not because
someone who is prominent said it.
If something is true it is because it is true,
and the truth was said by that someone.
Have a nice day.
Ronald
If something is true it is not because
someone who is prominent said it.
If something is true it is because it is true,
and the truth was said by that someone.
Have a nice day.
Ronald
Friday, February 17, 2006
Getting Married
Good morning,
Why do you want to marry my daughter ?
A young man went to see his girlfriend's father.
He said, "Uncle, I want to marry your daughter."
The father responded, "That's fine.
Why do you want to marry her ?"
He replied, " I love her. "
"Yes, love. But love does not last, does it ?
Are you CLeaR about your love ?"
"Please elaborate, uncle."
"Are you COMFORTABLE with her all the time?
Do you LIKE her? Do you RESPECT her?"
The young man did not quite expect this.
He thought carefully about the old man's meaning.
A couple of weeks later, he faced the old man again.
"Uncle, I have thought about what you asked,
and my answers are positive.
When I am with her, I feel quite relax and at ease.
I like what she is, her behaviour and her own ways.
And I do respect her"
The father said, "That is very good.
You have a firm basis here.
But are you on AT what will come?
Many years later, can you ACCOMMODATE
her agedness, her loss of youth and beauty,
and any lack of compliance?
Can you TOLERATE all her idiosyncrasies and
inadequacies that may be easily ignored today?"
This poor young man.
He had to be careful in his reply for a second time.
This old man was not one easy to impress in spite
of all his qualities. He had never expected that
getting his consent and blessings was like this.
All along to him was LOVE for her conquers all.
Later, having figured out carefully how to put his
answers across, he faced the old man for a third time.
"Uncle, after due and careful thinking and reflection,
I have come to the conclusion that I will be able to
accommodate and tolerate my wife for as long as
we both live."
The father replied, "This is wonderful. I am all for it.
But does my daughter feel the same way about
all this like you do ? "
He added, " You have my blessings if she does !"
The young man said, "I will have your blessings now.
I have discussed all this with her and she feels the
same about all this."
"God bless you, son."
"God bless you, dad."
Have a nice day.
Ronald
Why do you want to marry my daughter ?
A young man went to see his girlfriend's father.
He said, "Uncle, I want to marry your daughter."
The father responded, "That's fine.
Why do you want to marry her ?"
He replied, " I love her. "
"Yes, love. But love does not last, does it ?
Are you CLeaR about your love ?"
"Please elaborate, uncle."
"Are you COMFORTABLE with her all the time?
Do you LIKE her? Do you RESPECT her?"
The young man did not quite expect this.
He thought carefully about the old man's meaning.
A couple of weeks later, he faced the old man again.
"Uncle, I have thought about what you asked,
and my answers are positive.
When I am with her, I feel quite relax and at ease.
I like what she is, her behaviour and her own ways.
And I do respect her"
The father said, "That is very good.
You have a firm basis here.
But are you on AT what will come?
Many years later, can you ACCOMMODATE
her agedness, her loss of youth and beauty,
and any lack of compliance?
Can you TOLERATE all her idiosyncrasies and
inadequacies that may be easily ignored today?"
This poor young man.
He had to be careful in his reply for a second time.
This old man was not one easy to impress in spite
of all his qualities. He had never expected that
getting his consent and blessings was like this.
All along to him was LOVE for her conquers all.
Later, having figured out carefully how to put his
answers across, he faced the old man for a third time.
"Uncle, after due and careful thinking and reflection,
I have come to the conclusion that I will be able to
accommodate and tolerate my wife for as long as
we both live."
The father replied, "This is wonderful. I am all for it.
But does my daughter feel the same way about
all this like you do ? "
He added, " You have my blessings if she does !"
The young man said, "I will have your blessings now.
I have discussed all this with her and she feels the
same about all this."
"God bless you, son."
"God bless you, dad."
Have a nice day.
Ronald
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Loving Lizards
Hello,
Put on your thinking cap.
Two lizards met each other on a wall.
They fell in love, at first sight.
One lizard said something to the other,
and the other lizard happily agreed.
Then, both lizards fell from the wall.
Why ?
What did the first lizard say to the other lizard ?
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
It said, "Let's have a hug."
Have a nice day.
Ronald
Put on your thinking cap.
Two lizards met each other on a wall.
They fell in love, at first sight.
One lizard said something to the other,
and the other lizard happily agreed.
Then, both lizards fell from the wall.
Why ?
What did the first lizard say to the other lizard ?
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
It said, "Let's have a hug."
Have a nice day.
Ronald
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Free radicals
Hello,
Free radicals and antioxidants.
Free radicals are not so called because they come free.
They are also not so nice when they get into our body,
because they will cost us a lot then, health wise.
Free radicals destroy our body cells. They roam about
in our body, hunting for electrons from the body cells,
creating a vicious cycle in the process. Antioxidants are
their pacifiers, these give them the electrons and stop
their wild act.
Bad food give us the free radicals, while vitamins supply
the antioxidants.
We all love our multiplicity of breakfast fares. From our
multi-racial, multi-cultural, multi-culinery society, we
have yewcharkuey, humchinpeng, butterfly, sesameballs,
currypuffs, chweekuey, peanutcrisps, kropoh, vaidey,
doughnut, chaitowkuey, pietee, not to mention anything
that is not deep fried. These are only the more popular
and common ones.
But alas, some of them are the buses for the free radicals.
So watch out how they are fried, especially the oil that is
used. Oils that go into these food, used and get eaten are
okay; but the oils that are retained and reused are highly
suspect.
I used to love yewcharkuey, sesameballs, kropoh, vaidey
and humchinpeng; but having been advised I now always
take a peek at the colour of the oil that these goodies are
fried in.
We know the colour of coffee; but the colour of the oils
that are being used in frying these goodies, do they look
like that of oil. Most times they look like engine oils due
for a change, urgh ?
The oils used at the hawker stalls, at the pasar malam
and the food courts are open to us to see. Those used in
factories in Singapore, who can tell. Food inspectors
check for hygiene and cleanliness but not quality, grading
them A B C or D. And those oils used in the factories in
our neighbouring countries, we can only guess.
One question for an answer - do the users dump their
used oils; or if they do, how and where do they dump
these spoiled oils ?
Beware of rancid oil always !
Have a nice day.
Ronald
Free radicals and antioxidants.
Free radicals are not so called because they come free.
They are also not so nice when they get into our body,
because they will cost us a lot then, health wise.
Free radicals destroy our body cells. They roam about
in our body, hunting for electrons from the body cells,
creating a vicious cycle in the process. Antioxidants are
their pacifiers, these give them the electrons and stop
their wild act.
Bad food give us the free radicals, while vitamins supply
the antioxidants.
We all love our multiplicity of breakfast fares. From our
multi-racial, multi-cultural, multi-culinery society, we
have yewcharkuey, humchinpeng, butterfly, sesameballs,
currypuffs, chweekuey, peanutcrisps, kropoh, vaidey,
doughnut, chaitowkuey, pietee, not to mention anything
that is not deep fried. These are only the more popular
and common ones.
But alas, some of them are the buses for the free radicals.
So watch out how they are fried, especially the oil that is
used. Oils that go into these food, used and get eaten are
okay; but the oils that are retained and reused are highly
suspect.
I used to love yewcharkuey, sesameballs, kropoh, vaidey
and humchinpeng; but having been advised I now always
take a peek at the colour of the oil that these goodies are
fried in.
We know the colour of coffee; but the colour of the oils
that are being used in frying these goodies, do they look
like that of oil. Most times they look like engine oils due
for a change, urgh ?
The oils used at the hawker stalls, at the pasar malam
and the food courts are open to us to see. Those used in
factories in Singapore, who can tell. Food inspectors
check for hygiene and cleanliness but not quality, grading
them A B C or D. And those oils used in the factories in
our neighbouring countries, we can only guess.
One question for an answer - do the users dump their
used oils; or if they do, how and where do they dump
these spoiled oils ?
Beware of rancid oil always !
Have a nice day.
Ronald
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Teochew Rhyme
Good morning,
A Teochew rhyme, English version.
(Best recited with rap rhythm)
My neighbour LuiAhBee
Businessman so wealthy
One two three Mercedes
Built mansion all glassy
One big house nice to see
Marble floors bright shiny
Big lanterns from the eaves
By the drains pink pansies
Big garden real showy
Ponds with fish all jumpy
Three small dogs all snauzies
Always bark so noisy
Three daughters all cuties
Love flowers named Seesee
One Daisy two Patsy
Three Rosie bit naughty
Changing clothes must looksee
Mother said decency
At breakfast eat muachees
After lunch play gollie
All evening tell story
In the night watch TV
Noise so loud pahduli
Neighbours come they no see
All threaten call police
They not scared got MPs
Neighbours shun LuiAhBee
Now big house no one see
All the Luis unfriendly
No one cares they actcy
One can get hearing and speaking
problems if this goes on !
Have a nice day.
Ronald
A Teochew rhyme, English version.
(Best recited with rap rhythm)
My neighbour LuiAhBee
Businessman so wealthy
One two three Mercedes
Built mansion all glassy
One big house nice to see
Marble floors bright shiny
Big lanterns from the eaves
By the drains pink pansies
Big garden real showy
Ponds with fish all jumpy
Three small dogs all snauzies
Always bark so noisy
Three daughters all cuties
Love flowers named Seesee
One Daisy two Patsy
Three Rosie bit naughty
Changing clothes must looksee
Mother said decency
At breakfast eat muachees
After lunch play gollie
All evening tell story
In the night watch TV
Noise so loud pahduli
Neighbours come they no see
All threaten call police
They not scared got MPs
Neighbours shun LuiAhBee
Now big house no one see
All the Luis unfriendly
No one cares they actcy
One can get hearing and speaking
problems if this goes on !
Have a nice day.
Ronald
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Woman
Why is woman not understood ?
Read and understand man !
Oh woman, oh woman, oh what can she be
Whatever she is, she's necessary
A woman is something both evil and good
But too complicated to be understood
An angel when lovin', a devil when mad
A woman can make you both happy and sad
Oh woman, oh woman, oh what can she be
Whatever she is, she's necessary
Afraid of a cricket, she'll scream at a mouse
But she'll tackle a husband as big as a house
She'll take him for better, she'll take him for worse
She'll bust his head open and then be his nurse
Oh woman, oh woman, oh what can she be
Whatever she is, she's necessary
She's bashful, deceitful, keen sighted and blind
Simple and crafty, and cruel and kind
In the morning she does, in the evening she don't
You're always a thinkin' she will, but she won't
Oh woman, oh woman, oh what can she be
Whatever she is, she's necessary
Is there still any non understanding ?
(Actually a very old song)
Read and understand man !
Oh woman, oh woman, oh what can she be
Whatever she is, she's necessary
A woman is something both evil and good
But too complicated to be understood
An angel when lovin', a devil when mad
A woman can make you both happy and sad
Oh woman, oh woman, oh what can she be
Whatever she is, she's necessary
Afraid of a cricket, she'll scream at a mouse
But she'll tackle a husband as big as a house
She'll take him for better, she'll take him for worse
She'll bust his head open and then be his nurse
Oh woman, oh woman, oh what can she be
Whatever she is, she's necessary
She's bashful, deceitful, keen sighted and blind
Simple and crafty, and cruel and kind
In the morning she does, in the evening she don't
You're always a thinkin' she will, but she won't
Oh woman, oh woman, oh what can she be
Whatever she is, she's necessary
Is there still any non understanding ?
(Actually a very old song)
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Patience
Good morning,
Patience rewards those who do not give up.
When a neighbour relocated to elsewhere, he gave me four pots
of his well loved and carefully tended beautiful phalaenopsis.
I gave two pots to a friend and put the others among my own
phalaenopsis and cattleyas. They have showed their gratefulness
by giving me flowers regularly.
One day, my daughter, who was studying biology, cross pollinated
the red and white flowers. Pods resulted. Then, she experimented
with them in the laboratory. One day she brought home a few
plastic cases containing some young plants growing in jelly. The
leaves of these plants were about an inch long.
I was curious to see the outcome. I potted eight of them in tiny
pots, using chips of brick and charcoal. They grew nicely. Strangely
one day, I found them all messed up, scattered and damaged. The
crows had dug them out to get at the lizard eggs in the big pots in
which they were placed. These crows had the keen sense to detect
such hidden things.
Carefully, I salvaged most of the damaged plants and nursed them
back to a healthy state. It took many months. When the plant's
leaves grew to about two inches long, I put them into larger pots.
The progress was good.
Then, something else happened. This time the leaves were torn
and tattered. It was not the crows; it was the mynahs. The mynahs
are community birds, but when they quarrel and fight, they can
cause quite a raucous. They had used my pots as a battleground
and my plants were trampled, almost done away with. This time,
it took several months for the plants to recover, but no fatality.
After about three years, the plants were in good shape, the leaves
about six inches long. Then again, something happened. The new
leaves and roots were nibbed as they sprouted, eaten; they were
tender and succulent. It was not grasshoppers which I suspected
initially, but something else which as yet I cannot deduce. It could
have been sparrows though.
Without new leaves and roots, how do plants survive? Three
attacks and three setbacks, how daunting!
Well, there is always a solution to a problem. I protected them with
wire netting. And now things look quite fine. There are about eight
leaves in a plant and the leaves are more than nine inches long,
thick, dark and healthy.
A few days ago, I noticed a root of a different colour. It was pale
instead of dark. To-day, I am certain that it is not a root but a new
stalk where the flowers will spring forth.
After about five years, I am beginning to see something fruitful
and satisfying. If there are no further setbacks by a month's time,
I should be able to see the result of over these many years of
patience and tender care.
What is the colour and the size of the flowers of this hybrid ?
This does not matter really, although I am very curious.
What matters is that there is a hybrid which blooms !
Have a nice day.
Ronald
Patience rewards those who do not give up.
When a neighbour relocated to elsewhere, he gave me four pots
of his well loved and carefully tended beautiful phalaenopsis.
I gave two pots to a friend and put the others among my own
phalaenopsis and cattleyas. They have showed their gratefulness
by giving me flowers regularly.
One day, my daughter, who was studying biology, cross pollinated
the red and white flowers. Pods resulted. Then, she experimented
with them in the laboratory. One day she brought home a few
plastic cases containing some young plants growing in jelly. The
leaves of these plants were about an inch long.
I was curious to see the outcome. I potted eight of them in tiny
pots, using chips of brick and charcoal. They grew nicely. Strangely
one day, I found them all messed up, scattered and damaged. The
crows had dug them out to get at the lizard eggs in the big pots in
which they were placed. These crows had the keen sense to detect
such hidden things.
Carefully, I salvaged most of the damaged plants and nursed them
back to a healthy state. It took many months. When the plant's
leaves grew to about two inches long, I put them into larger pots.
The progress was good.
Then, something else happened. This time the leaves were torn
and tattered. It was not the crows; it was the mynahs. The mynahs
are community birds, but when they quarrel and fight, they can
cause quite a raucous. They had used my pots as a battleground
and my plants were trampled, almost done away with. This time,
it took several months for the plants to recover, but no fatality.
After about three years, the plants were in good shape, the leaves
about six inches long. Then again, something happened. The new
leaves and roots were nibbed as they sprouted, eaten; they were
tender and succulent. It was not grasshoppers which I suspected
initially, but something else which as yet I cannot deduce. It could
have been sparrows though.
Without new leaves and roots, how do plants survive? Three
attacks and three setbacks, how daunting!
Well, there is always a solution to a problem. I protected them with
wire netting. And now things look quite fine. There are about eight
leaves in a plant and the leaves are more than nine inches long,
thick, dark and healthy.
A few days ago, I noticed a root of a different colour. It was pale
instead of dark. To-day, I am certain that it is not a root but a new
stalk where the flowers will spring forth.
After about five years, I am beginning to see something fruitful
and satisfying. If there are no further setbacks by a month's time,
I should be able to see the result of over these many years of
patience and tender care.
What is the colour and the size of the flowers of this hybrid ?
This does not matter really, although I am very curious.
What matters is that there is a hybrid which blooms !
Have a nice day.
Ronald
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Heorshe
Hello,
Heorshe, joke or real?
There is a famous old joke about Heorshe searching for
something under the light of a lamppost. A patrolman
noticing it asked, and the following exchange took place.
"What are you doing?"
"I am looking for my ring."
"Did you lose it here?"
"I lost it somewhere."
"Why are you searching for it here?"
"It is brighter here."
Many jokers usually personified Heorshe as an old lady.
But Heorshe really represents many of us, in many spheres
of our lives.
Just look at the matter of human body organs. So much
efforts have been spent on how to help people whose
organs have failed. Laws have been enacted to recover
organs from people about to die, to be grafted to those
whose organs have failed, to enable them to prolong their
lives. Huge amounts of funds have been raised to alleviate
their suffering. Talks on radio, features on television,
articles in newspapers, and great efforts have been exerted,
sometimes dangerously, to raise these funds. All these are
great acts; they are noble acts. But are not doing all these
just like what Heorshe had been doing, looking for a cure
or a replacement instead of looking at what one had and
keeping it safe in the first place.
The serious matter is this. Is organ failure to-day a timely
and normal occurrence? Do organs and glands have to fail
prematurely instead of at their expected old age?
To-day we have scientists, doctors, pharmacologists,
regulatory authorities, government ministers, and all sorts
of experts who are highly positioned to maintain good health
among the people. With all these people around, why are
people having premature organ and gland failures at an ever
increasing rate every year? Why so, surely these people know
why? And if they know, what have they done, and what are
they doing? And if they do not know, why are they there.
There are people who know the cause of all these. There are
people who know how to avoid this; there are also those who
do not know, and there are those who cannot do much about
it. But it is well known that one major cause is our food, or
other things we consumed. This is where we lose our organs,
spoil our glands. This is where our organs and glands
malfunction. This is where we need to look at for our good
health and keep it safe.
Why are we looking for a remedy, or for a replacement instead?
Is it not ugly to wait for someone to die to prolong another life?
Is it not time that the organ and gland failure rate should
reverse, or at least not increase?
Are we all not like Heorshe?
Have a nice day.
Ronald
Heorshe, joke or real?
There is a famous old joke about Heorshe searching for
something under the light of a lamppost. A patrolman
noticing it asked, and the following exchange took place.
"What are you doing?"
"I am looking for my ring."
"Did you lose it here?"
"I lost it somewhere."
"Why are you searching for it here?"
"It is brighter here."
Many jokers usually personified Heorshe as an old lady.
But Heorshe really represents many of us, in many spheres
of our lives.
Just look at the matter of human body organs. So much
efforts have been spent on how to help people whose
organs have failed. Laws have been enacted to recover
organs from people about to die, to be grafted to those
whose organs have failed, to enable them to prolong their
lives. Huge amounts of funds have been raised to alleviate
their suffering. Talks on radio, features on television,
articles in newspapers, and great efforts have been exerted,
sometimes dangerously, to raise these funds. All these are
great acts; they are noble acts. But are not doing all these
just like what Heorshe had been doing, looking for a cure
or a replacement instead of looking at what one had and
keeping it safe in the first place.
The serious matter is this. Is organ failure to-day a timely
and normal occurrence? Do organs and glands have to fail
prematurely instead of at their expected old age?
To-day we have scientists, doctors, pharmacologists,
regulatory authorities, government ministers, and all sorts
of experts who are highly positioned to maintain good health
among the people. With all these people around, why are
people having premature organ and gland failures at an ever
increasing rate every year? Why so, surely these people know
why? And if they know, what have they done, and what are
they doing? And if they do not know, why are they there.
There are people who know the cause of all these. There are
people who know how to avoid this; there are also those who
do not know, and there are those who cannot do much about
it. But it is well known that one major cause is our food, or
other things we consumed. This is where we lose our organs,
spoil our glands. This is where our organs and glands
malfunction. This is where we need to look at for our good
health and keep it safe.
Why are we looking for a remedy, or for a replacement instead?
Is it not ugly to wait for someone to die to prolong another life?
Is it not time that the organ and gland failure rate should
reverse, or at least not increase?
Are we all not like Heorshe?
Have a nice day.
Ronald
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Time & Place
Good morning to all,
Time & Place rule our lives
Time was, is, and will be, anywhere, as long as life exists.
Time tracks life; it is constantly flitting past; it does not wait.
Place waits always; it does not remain constant; it can take
different forms at different times. It can be occupied by
anything, a solid, a liquid, or a gas, any substance, or even
nothing, a vacuum.
Time and place are two very crucial parameters for living.
Being in the right place at the right time is always favourable.
Being in the right place at he wrong time or in the wrong
place at the right time is something else. The consequences
can be very unpredictable, uncomfortable, unfortunate,
dangerous or even fatal.
It will be great fun if there are people who would like to test
it out practically. Here are some suggested ways: Attend a
wedding dinner without prior checking the venue. Go to a
$200 concert one hour late, or one day earlier. Take a dive
into a swimming pool when it is under repair or maintenance.
Drive across a traffic junction when the light is red. Arrive at
the harbour on time when it should be at the airport. Dress
for a funeral, but turn up on time at a wedding instead.
Having enlightened ourselves thus, do we ever wonder how
the heroes always arrive safely on a time warp or time travel
in the fiction movies. Imagine Shwarzennegger landing in
Iraq during the US bombing of it; or arriving at a location
where the cremation furnace is in operation; or landing on
a railway track right in front of a super speeding train, or
landing at the locus where the top of the World Trade Center
in New York was, to-day; imagine him plummeting to, urgh!
But then, fiction from Hollywood is at its best surreal.
Joking aside, there is a time and place for everything we do
every day. What we want to do, or when, or where to go, we
can decide. What others want to do, or when they do what,
may not be timely for us. Some prefer to refer to this as luck.
Just like the guy who jumped the queue over a slower
passenger and missed being the one hundred millionth
tourist by being one too early. Look at the pomp and glory
and the prize he missed. Or the man who let through a
pushy customer from behind and bought the other lottery
ticket which struck the first prize in the big sweep.
Time and place and us are constantly in flux, even when we
choose to stay put, because events will occur, and move us
along. And time and place will rule our lives. We are what we
are to-day because of time and place. And really, we could be
somebody entirely different. It is just that we never could
tell. Who can?
Have a nice day.
Ronald
Time & Place rule our lives
Time was, is, and will be, anywhere, as long as life exists.
Time tracks life; it is constantly flitting past; it does not wait.
Place waits always; it does not remain constant; it can take
different forms at different times. It can be occupied by
anything, a solid, a liquid, or a gas, any substance, or even
nothing, a vacuum.
Time and place are two very crucial parameters for living.
Being in the right place at the right time is always favourable.
Being in the right place at he wrong time or in the wrong
place at the right time is something else. The consequences
can be very unpredictable, uncomfortable, unfortunate,
dangerous or even fatal.
It will be great fun if there are people who would like to test
it out practically. Here are some suggested ways: Attend a
wedding dinner without prior checking the venue. Go to a
$200 concert one hour late, or one day earlier. Take a dive
into a swimming pool when it is under repair or maintenance.
Drive across a traffic junction when the light is red. Arrive at
the harbour on time when it should be at the airport. Dress
for a funeral, but turn up on time at a wedding instead.
Having enlightened ourselves thus, do we ever wonder how
the heroes always arrive safely on a time warp or time travel
in the fiction movies. Imagine Shwarzennegger landing in
Iraq during the US bombing of it; or arriving at a location
where the cremation furnace is in operation; or landing on
a railway track right in front of a super speeding train, or
landing at the locus where the top of the World Trade Center
in New York was, to-day; imagine him plummeting to, urgh!
But then, fiction from Hollywood is at its best surreal.
Joking aside, there is a time and place for everything we do
every day. What we want to do, or when, or where to go, we
can decide. What others want to do, or when they do what,
may not be timely for us. Some prefer to refer to this as luck.
Just like the guy who jumped the queue over a slower
passenger and missed being the one hundred millionth
tourist by being one too early. Look at the pomp and glory
and the prize he missed. Or the man who let through a
pushy customer from behind and bought the other lottery
ticket which struck the first prize in the big sweep.
Time and place and us are constantly in flux, even when we
choose to stay put, because events will occur, and move us
along. And time and place will rule our lives. We are what we
are to-day because of time and place. And really, we could be
somebody entirely different. It is just that we never could
tell. Who can?
Have a nice day.
Ronald
