thin king

Which is worse :
Regretting not having accepted a free trip on a cruise,
or having not helped a friend who was desperately in need of help ?

Good morning,

A story of a village champion against injustice

In Teochew operatic skits there is a character named Hay Houh Lai, meaning Summer Rain Come interpreted word for word. HouhLai also means fox by the same sound. HouhLai is a gifted scholar and he is a kind of folklore hero, one who champions the abused, the mistreated and restores justice in his own way, which could end up quite drastically.

There was a time when a beggar sought charity from a tailor. This skinflint tailor not only rejected him but also abused and kicked the poor tattered beggar out of his shop. HouhLai witnessed the incident. He took the beggar to a secluded corner and gave him the trousers he was wearing; his half nakedness was not noticeable because of the outer gown. Then he went to the tailor shop. The tailor welcomed him gleefully and brought out five pairs of expensive trousers for him to try. HouhLai found them unsuitable and returned them.

The tailor was quick to notice that one pair was not returned and pointed to the one HouhLai was wearing, and he accused HouhLai of stealing the trousers. An argument arose and the two decided to take the case to the magistrate.

At the magistracy the tailor accused HouhLai of stealing his pair of fine trousers of superb quality and workmanship, whereas HouhLai suggested that the tailor being in the business could easily notice such good characteristics, and he maintained that it was one he was wearing all the time, and he even pointed out the particulars and unique features of the trousers. A check was made and it was found that the trousers fitted exactly what HouhLai had described. The distressed tailor was given some strokes of the paddle as punishment and ordered to recompense HouhLai with three taels of silver. HouhLai showed the silver he received to the magistrate and the two left the magistracy, the tailor whimpering and HouhLai laughing.

As soon as they were out of the magistracy, HouhLai gave the silver back to the tailor and advised him to be kind in future. The tailor accepted the silver happily. Thereupon HouhLai ran back into the magistracy shouting, and he informed the magistrate that the tailor had snatched the silver from him. Under such circumstances and with such prejudice the tailor was severely reprimanded again by the magistrate, and he was given more strokes of the paddle.

Then as the two came out of the magistracy HouhLai asked the tailor whether he wished to have his silver back. The miserable tailor was in no mood with all the misfortune he just had as to have anything more to do with HouhLai; he just hobbled away whimpering back to his shop. Meanwhile HouhLai gave the silver to the beggar who praised him all the more, saying that he was really a very good man.

Have a nice day.
Ronald

Good morning,

Why do lakes not get frozen completely ?

Why is it that lakes freeze at the surface in winter to a certain thickness only and not completely ? In some places on earth the weather can be very very cold, yet the rivers and lakes would not be frozen right to their bottom !

Would we ever have a case when it does or it will happen ? The answer is that it will not happen, unless the world goes cuckoo, which it will not !

Imagine if ever the whole lake were to get frozen then what would become of all the living things therein; it would be one whole solid block of ice, a magnificent showpiece of preservation.

Nature has it way of preventing this. Water has a very unique characteristic, its anomalous behaviour. When water is at about four degrees Celsius, it is at it densest, that is, it is heaviest relative to the same volume; and being heaviest, that part of the water will sink towards the bottom. As it sinks it gets warmer in contact with the warmer water or the lake bottom. It will thus rise, and this circulation goes on continuously. So, while the water at or near the surface of the lake will eventually be cooled to zero degrees and get frozen, that at the lower part or at the bottom will not get frozen. Also, once the layer of ice is formed at the surface, it acts as a barrier against the lake getting colder; so there is no chance of the whole lake getting frozen.

Of course a very very shallow pond can get completely frozen. And theoretically, the whole lake can get frozen if the whole lake is cooled to zero degrees !

Now, why is water densest at four degrees Celsius, and not at zero degrees, since zero degrees is colder than four degrees ? Or why does ice being at zero degrees float in water which is above zero degrees ?

Scientists can explain how water becomes densest at four degrees, and frozen water which is ice, floats, but only God has the reason and the answer to the why of all these !

Have a nice day
Ronald

Good morning,

Is there any defence against an abusive employer ?

Initially, it sounded like two men talking. They were very loud amid the thundering drilling going on in the next house, although there was a fabric hoarding at the fence. The house next door was being knocked down somewhat for alteration and renovation. It went on for some time, and at times it sounded like they were quarrelling. This was none of my business as the situation appeared to be unlikely to develop to something dangerous. People can always quarrel.

Later, the owner of the house came by on his regular visit. And as usual we chatted at the gate as the whole place was a mess, with all the various activities going on. Suddenly some very loud shouting came from the inside of the building where the floor was being removed. It occurred to me that violence might erupt as the supervisor was quite a slave driver. I spoke to my friend about this. He got my meaning; he turned and walked towards the house. He had barely reached the main door when he stopped and turned back towards me. Some fierce scolding was still going on. Smiling, he said, "It's alright, nothing to worry about ! The supervisor is just scolding his worker. The wretched foreign worker just grinned away as he was being berated."

My oh my, what an effortless way ! Talent !

If ever there was a good defence against an abusive employer, this one was great !
Yes, just grin away and let the torrent of abuse belch out.

Have a nice day
Ronald

Good morning,

One microscopic needle and a little bit of juice


Island country green city
Grow flowers plant big trees
Do your part claim relief
Income tax make easy

Come Aedes bring dengue
High fever so deadly
Prevention way to see
No rainwater Aedes free

Flower pots estates HDB
Hold water breed plenty
First warning then penalty
Repeat act one grand see

Fog garden check all vessels
Chase bushes scare the toads
Every nook same old thing
No new ideas pest continue

Clean city litter free
Cover drains neat and tidy
Aedes come no entry
Sleep peaceful no worry

New nursery breeds Aedes
Construction sites so many
Multiply fast no one see
Then dengue epidemic

Now big hunt for Aedes
Flower pots roof gutters
Inside houses building sites
Covered drains big culprit

Minister walks big effort
More breeding drains uncovered
Sight ugly drains all choked
Aedes breed thousand hundreds

Minister sweeps all drains clean
Dengue stay Aedes reign
Problem triumph no end found
Rate contained within bounds

Building laws quickly passed
Now gutters no more required
More research Aedes to curb
Plenty spent pests remain

All and sundry penalised
Contractors pay hefty fines
But Environment Minister
Walks and talks with cutie smile

Great island around all sea
No jungle all buildings
Air salty exhaust gas
One wonders this Aedes thing


Have a nice day
Ronald

Good morning,

Do dreams carry any message ?

Boh Chian awoke suddenly. He realised quickly that he had just woken as a result of a dream in the early hours of the morning. It was not a nightmare or a very bad dream, yet it was a very strange one.

Boh Chian had arrived at the Celestial Gates, above the very beautiful comfortable snowy white clouds. Where he stood was a very dazzling transparent screen that stretches in front of his whole vision. He could not see anything in particular, yet everything he saw was indeed very gloriously majestic, impossible to describe. But there was no Saint Peter or Moses or Elijah guarding this gate.

Instead a very pleasant voice reached him, "Who are you ?"
"I am Wah Boh Chian", he replied.
"What is your wish ?"
"I wish to enter."
"Have your life been good to deserve it ?"
"Oh yes, I have worked very hard and I have acquired the five Cs."
"What have you brought with you to show ?"
Suddenly Boh Chian felt very light, like in a vacuum. He said, "I have left everything at home."

Having said that Boh Chian felt very empty, not having anything at all. A sudden flash burst out in his mind that he had lost everything he had. He felt very naked and worthless. He was in instant panic; and that was what woke him.

As Boh Chian lay awake after having relived his dream he smiled. He had nothing to lose in the first place. He had been a happy-go-lucky fellow, living simply as a clerical officer, and having never aspired to own the five Cs. He spent his free time fishing with his buddies or playing table tennis or majong; and he was quite contented with his lot.

Now he wondered why he should have such a dream. What was the meaning of this dream ? Was there a message ? Had he been negligently complacent in life ? Should he change his attitude ? He pondered over these for some time.

Then he talked to me; and this was the tale told by Wah Boh Chian.

Have a nice day
Ronald

Hello,

Yes and No & Reality Unfolds

When a diplomat says Yes he means Maybe
When a diplomat says Maybe he means No
When a diplomat says No he is no diplomat.

When a lady says No she means Maybe
When a lady says Maybe she means Yes
When a lady says Yes she is no lady.

When both of them say Maybe it is spoken uncertainty
Yet when both of them say Yes only fools may rush in
And if both of them say No does it amount to anything ?

Now if the diplomat and the lady were to agree
One will say more than Yes and the other say Maybe
Yet if one say Yes and the other say No it is agreed may be
Thus by their own intent it is hardly they will ever meet ?

A woman is as old as she looks;
A man is old when he stops looking.

For a woman with foundation makeup add 20% years
For a man who looks more than once less 20% years.

And for a woman with dyed hair add 50% years
And for a man who cannot stop looking less 50% years.

If a man cannot stop looking at a woman with dyed hair.
It just shows that looks can fool and fools will look.


Have a nice day
Ronald

Good morning,

A highlight of some Bible personalities

The Gospels of the New Testament, four separate versions, were written by four persons, two of whom were not apostles, who were they ?
Answer: St. Luke and St. Mark

Jesus himself selected 12 special disciples to carry on his ministry after him. They were called the 12 apostles, namely Andrew, Bartholomew, James the Less , James and John, sons of Zebedee, Judas Iscariot, Judas Thaddeus, Matthew, Philip, Simon Peter, Simon the Zealot, and Thomas. Judas Iscariot fell out, so who replaced him as the twelfth ?
Answer: St. Matthias, selected by the remaining eleven.

Of all the 12 apostles, only one was not martyred, who was he ?
Answer: St. John

Which apostle was the first to be martyred ?
Answer: St. James, the older brother of St. John

There was one very ardent missionary who testified most, although he himself was not a witness of Jesus. Who was he ?
Answer: St. Paul

One apostle, when he was crucified, requested it to be done upside down unlike Jesus, who was he ?
Answer: St. Peter

Which of Jesus's missionaries would rather remained in prison by claiming that he was a Roman citizen ?
Answer: St. Paul

Which of Jesus's followers wrote the most letters which form part of the Bible ?
Answer: St. Paul

Which apostle claimed that Jesus loved him most ?
Answer: St John

Who was a partisan of the mob which stoned St. Stephen to death but later became a very ardent missionary himself ?
Answer: Saul of Tarsus, better known as St. Paul.

St. Paul was often linked to St. Peter, such as St Peter and St. Paul Church, etc. Was there any connection ?
Answer: They were both martyred in Rome by Emperor Nero.

St. Paul was not called an apostle; he was not a personal witness of Jesus.
He was an extraordinary missionary; he was in effect a replacement of Judas !

Have a nice day,
Ronald

Hello,

Turning simple things into great instruments

He carries a hose and a string in a dirty battered pail. He moves as he works. He makes sure that the line is straight or the floor slopes at the right gradient. He bends and squats, checks and adjusts, and finally he is satisfied that all measurements are in place. And all the while the instruments he uses are just a length of transparent narrow plastic fish tank hose and a coil of string.

Who or what is he ? Is he a carpenter, a mason or a tiler ? He is really any one of these three workmen. Such cheap and simple things in their hands become great instruments, amazingly remarkable and admirably laudable.

I have always wondered how workmen can raise buildings vertically upright into the sky, how walls are raised vertically and floors are made horizontally flat, how rafters are nailed at the same distances apart and cut to the same level edge, and how tiles are laid to the exact pattern with all the cuts and fits.

Or in specific terms, how does one build a brick pillar four metres high vertically, draw a straight line ten metres long, or make one end of the toilet floor two inches higher than another around a corner out of sight, or lay the tiles in parallel in both directions from wall to wall thirty metres apart ? One can be sure that these things would be of as much use as expensive and sophisticated instruments like theodolites and spirit levels under the same situations.

So, how do these workmen employed these fine instruments ?
When the hose is filled with water, this water will rise to the same level at both its ends. These two ends can be taken to any two different places, and any relative difference in height can be marked accordingly. When a string is plumbed from a height to a lower level, this string is the vertical line between these two points, seen from any direction. This string can be nailed and fixed in place as desired. When a string is coated with ink and held at both its ends on the intended line and plucked at some point and let go, this string will imprint the straight lie required.
Are these not ingenious know-how ?

Simple people use simple equipment but do great work !

Have a nice day
Ronald

Good morning,

Adulteration can be so Subtle !

When one sees a man peddling fresh milk, somehow adulteration comes to mind. This is because adulterating fresh milk is as easy as adding water, which is the process. Adulteration is the art of diluting a product with something cheaper and selling it for more gain. Movies from Bollyhood will remind us that this is still being done. Adulteration is tempting and easy to do. Coffee powder used to be adulterated with maize. Adulteration of fresh milk and coffee powder are well known and easy to detect. There are other types of adulteration which are subtle and escape notice easily. These processes use sugar or salt, yes, condiments which are common in the kitchen.

Long ago, when we drank our beverages we had to add milk and sugar. Then some smart marketeers premixed these with sugar, and we love it; it was handy and labour saving. Sugar is simply much cheaper, a fraction of the cost of the beverage itself; and that was not adulteration ! Over the years the percentage of sugar increased, and who cared.

Lets look at some seafood. There were those delicious little squids, the ones about two inches long, cooked in the kelongs and brought to the markets in the early morning. How tasty they were; one could eat a full meal of these alone. Nowadays, how many can one eat without getting dehydrated; they are almost as salty as the salted squids that are sold in bottles. And the tiny little one inch long silver fish that babies and toothless grandmothers love. One kilogram of silver fish costs more than $20, how much does salt cost ? Salt added to this fish becomes over $20 per kilogram. People with high blood pressure will know how much salt there is in these things when they partake them; they would thus not touch them.

It is right to say that adding sugar and salt is adulteration, but can it come to a prohibition ? There is no law against this right now, and this is spreading to many other products. And somehow more sugar or salt are being added to food that are costly; it is very easy to increase profit this way.

Have a nice day
Ronald

Hello hello,

What is Life ?

Life is basically a continuous feeling, from conception to termination, from womb to tomb, from birth to death, from cradle to grave, or whatever phrases people have coined. What else is life doing ?

In the Peanuts comics by Charles M Schulz, there was once a two full page centerfold: the first page on the left with a depiction of Charlie Brown's face and the caption
THERE IS NO PROBLEM SO DIFFICULT OR GREAT ..........
and the second page on the right with another face of Charlie Brown and the caption .......... THAT YOU CANNOT RUN AWAY FROM !

Ha ha ha ! That was the Great Charlie Brown ! He taught me something that day !
Feelings are conditioned by situations; but situations are not always beyond our control. So, change the situation, or adjust to them, and then enjoy the feeling, unless the feeling goes haywire beyond the threshold of endurance. Ah, this sounds so basic and simple and easy, or is it ?

There is a little red book somewhere that says:
"When you can attack, attack.
When you cannot attack, defend.
When you cannot defend, retreat."
This was a battle tactic handed down by the well known MaoTseTung .

Under other situations, one can say:
When you have, enjoy.
When you lack, ask.
When there is none, move.
When unwilling to move, suffer.
When unable to suffer, pray.
When prayer does not work,
one becomes a dead duck !

In Teochew comic folk songs there is one which begins,
"Where there is cool, there sit,
Where there is money, there carry ....."
Yes, carry balls, that is !
One of my friends like this song very much.

While this is just jest, it hits home at man's natural inclination towards the state of that desired feeling, be it comfort, euphoria, nirvana, or heaven ?

Contrarily, man will move away from unpleasantness, burden, suffering or hell.
So, Charlie Brown tells us:
THERE IS NO PROBLEM SO DIFFICULT OR GREAT ..........
.......... THAT YOU CANNOT RUN AWAY FROM !
A choice from the devil is the deep blue sea, ha ha ha !

Have a nice day
Ronald