Tuesday, November 28, 2006
EMERGENCY
Hi,
In case of an EMERGENCY
One can never tell when a situation calls one to help in an emergency. When it does call, one has to be brief and lucid. Here are some main points to note:
Remember KISS, keep it so simple.
1. Tell the problem, robbery, heart attack, accident, life threat, assault, fire, suicide, shooting, prowler, thieves, violence, terrorist, whatever the danger is. Help can be better prepared knowing the type and severity of the emergency.
2. Tell where the emergency is, as identifiable as possible, landmarks, well known buildings, favourite spots, the address, which side of the road if one-way street. Help cannot arrive when it does not know where to come to quickly.
3. Tell when it happened, whether it is about to happen, happening, happened a few minutes ago, or hours ago or approximately. Knowing when the problem happened can help to plan the dragnet soonest.
The important factors are what, where and when was or is the problem !
Other useful points to note are:
4. Describe the culprits, how many, clothings, size, height, ethnic colour, hair style, beard, gait, voice, appearance, tattoo, chains, and other distinguishing factors.
5. Describe the vehicle, licence number, car, van, lorry, colour, make, size, and other features.
6. Be calm when reporting. Listen for any question or instructions. You might be advised what to do if the situation is dangerous.
Have a nice day
Ronald
In case of an EMERGENCY
One can never tell when a situation calls one to help in an emergency. When it does call, one has to be brief and lucid. Here are some main points to note:
Remember KISS, keep it so simple.
1. Tell the problem, robbery, heart attack, accident, life threat, assault, fire, suicide, shooting, prowler, thieves, violence, terrorist, whatever the danger is. Help can be better prepared knowing the type and severity of the emergency.
2. Tell where the emergency is, as identifiable as possible, landmarks, well known buildings, favourite spots, the address, which side of the road if one-way street. Help cannot arrive when it does not know where to come to quickly.
3. Tell when it happened, whether it is about to happen, happening, happened a few minutes ago, or hours ago or approximately. Knowing when the problem happened can help to plan the dragnet soonest.
The important factors are what, where and when was or is the problem !
Other useful points to note are:
4. Describe the culprits, how many, clothings, size, height, ethnic colour, hair style, beard, gait, voice, appearance, tattoo, chains, and other distinguishing factors.
5. Describe the vehicle, licence number, car, van, lorry, colour, make, size, and other features.
6. Be calm when reporting. Listen for any question or instructions. You might be advised what to do if the situation is dangerous.
Have a nice day
Ronald
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Sohthorkee
Good morning,
A rice jar that will not go empty.
There is an old woman who is over ninety years old; she is the head of a five generations family. She is a first generation immigrant from China and she has retained some of the traditional practices. Once she told her children that in China people prayed to the God of Heaven and also the Goddess of Mercy, and only people who were very good would receive a gift called Sohthorkee. Anyone who receive this Sohthorkee will never be in want of anything. When this Sohthorkee is in the rice jar, the jar will never go empty, no matter how much rice is taken out from it.
Her story could have been a misnarration by word of mouth from the teaching of the Christian missionaries, because there is a story somewhat like it in the Bible.
Elijah the Tishbite from Tishbe in Gilead, the prophet of God, foretold that there would be no dew or rain for years except at his word. Then God said to him, "Go east and hide in the Wadi Cherith, east of the Jordan. You shall drink of the stream, and I have commanded ravens to feed you there."
Elijah did as God commanded. While he remained by the Wadi Cherith, the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the stream. When the brook ran dry, because no rain had fallen, God said, "Go to Zarephath of Sidon where I have designated a widow there to provide for you."
When Elijah arrived at the entrance of the city, a widow was gathering sticks there. He asked her, "Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink." As she left to get it he called out after her, "Please bring along a bit of bread."
The widow answered, "I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar and a little oil in my jug. Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks, to go in and prepare something for myself and my son; when we have eaten it, we shall die."
Elijah said to her, "Do not be afraid. Go and do as you propose. But first make me a little cake and bring it to me. Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son. For the God of Israel says, 'The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth."
The widow left and did as Elijah had told her. After that, she was able to eat for a year, providing also for her son and Elijah as well. The jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, as the LORD had foretold through Elijah.
People know about cornucopia which they see only in pictures or in art form.
And there are people who have Sohthorkee; they may not know it or realize it.
Have a nice day
Ronald
A rice jar that will not go empty.
There is an old woman who is over ninety years old; she is the head of a five generations family. She is a first generation immigrant from China and she has retained some of the traditional practices. Once she told her children that in China people prayed to the God of Heaven and also the Goddess of Mercy, and only people who were very good would receive a gift called Sohthorkee. Anyone who receive this Sohthorkee will never be in want of anything. When this Sohthorkee is in the rice jar, the jar will never go empty, no matter how much rice is taken out from it.
Her story could have been a misnarration by word of mouth from the teaching of the Christian missionaries, because there is a story somewhat like it in the Bible.
Elijah the Tishbite from Tishbe in Gilead, the prophet of God, foretold that there would be no dew or rain for years except at his word. Then God said to him, "Go east and hide in the Wadi Cherith, east of the Jordan. You shall drink of the stream, and I have commanded ravens to feed you there."
Elijah did as God commanded. While he remained by the Wadi Cherith, the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the stream. When the brook ran dry, because no rain had fallen, God said, "Go to Zarephath of Sidon where I have designated a widow there to provide for you."
When Elijah arrived at the entrance of the city, a widow was gathering sticks there. He asked her, "Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink." As she left to get it he called out after her, "Please bring along a bit of bread."
The widow answered, "I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar and a little oil in my jug. Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks, to go in and prepare something for myself and my son; when we have eaten it, we shall die."
Elijah said to her, "Do not be afraid. Go and do as you propose. But first make me a little cake and bring it to me. Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son. For the God of Israel says, 'The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth."
The widow left and did as Elijah had told her. After that, she was able to eat for a year, providing also for her son and Elijah as well. The jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, as the LORD had foretold through Elijah.
People know about cornucopia which they see only in pictures or in art form.
And there are people who have Sohthorkee; they may not know it or realize it.
Have a nice day
Ronald
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Cost of an accident
Good morning,
Comprehensive insurance and cost of a motor car accident ?
When the motorist banged his car against mine he compensated me with two and a half dollars to have my rear bumper repaired. This was beans if peanuts was trifle, but proportionately it was considerable since the cost of my car when new was over four thousand dollars. That was in the early 1960s.
Today how many new motorists know how much an accident would cause. It is easy not to have thought about it; just get a licence, buy a new car and drive, or drive someone else. What is one hundred thousand dollars for the car, they had just outbid others for the COE anyway, so what !
Since all car owners are insured against third party liability, mostly they have comprehensi ve insurance, some motorists think that they have nothing to worry about. So drive and flash around, do not worry, weave out from behind and cut in, tailgate and intimidate the driver in front to get off his lane, speed and show off. Must have style when driving a car with all the sporty attachments, otherwise why have them. Perhaps these explain how a convoy of vehicles can telescope into each other, or how vehicle accidents can occur along one-way streets.
It is only when an accident occurred that a first time accident driver find out that there are sizable costs he or she has to pay. There is the excess amount for the repair and the loss of NCB or no claim bonus. Up to the limit of the excess amount the driver has to pay regardless when at fault, and this amount will be increased subsequently. The loss in NCB is the reduction in the premium payable; it is completely lost with the next insurance but it would be progressively restored by 10% over about five years. The excess amount could be a thousand dollars while the NCB of 50% of the premium payable on a 10% reducing basis over five years could total about three thousand dollars. Then there is the intangible cost of loss of use of the vehicle and its secondhand value. There is also the stigma in the insurance company records, and a record in the files of the Traffic Police. All these costs are not apparent until the event.
Belum kena belum tahu; sekali kena boleh menangis !
It is doubtful that even hell drivers can bring a car to a safe halt from within a car's length of the car in front from more than 90 kph !
Have a nice day
Ronald
Comprehensive insurance and cost of a motor car accident ?
When the motorist banged his car against mine he compensated me with two and a half dollars to have my rear bumper repaired. This was beans if peanuts was trifle, but proportionately it was considerable since the cost of my car when new was over four thousand dollars. That was in the early 1960s.
Today how many new motorists know how much an accident would cause. It is easy not to have thought about it; just get a licence, buy a new car and drive, or drive someone else. What is one hundred thousand dollars for the car, they had just outbid others for the COE anyway, so what !
Since all car owners are insured against third party liability, mostly they have comprehensi ve insurance, some motorists think that they have nothing to worry about. So drive and flash around, do not worry, weave out from behind and cut in, tailgate and intimidate the driver in front to get off his lane, speed and show off. Must have style when driving a car with all the sporty attachments, otherwise why have them. Perhaps these explain how a convoy of vehicles can telescope into each other, or how vehicle accidents can occur along one-way streets.
It is only when an accident occurred that a first time accident driver find out that there are sizable costs he or she has to pay. There is the excess amount for the repair and the loss of NCB or no claim bonus. Up to the limit of the excess amount the driver has to pay regardless when at fault, and this amount will be increased subsequently. The loss in NCB is the reduction in the premium payable; it is completely lost with the next insurance but it would be progressively restored by 10% over about five years. The excess amount could be a thousand dollars while the NCB of 50% of the premium payable on a 10% reducing basis over five years could total about three thousand dollars. Then there is the intangible cost of loss of use of the vehicle and its secondhand value. There is also the stigma in the insurance company records, and a record in the files of the Traffic Police. All these costs are not apparent until the event.
Belum kena belum tahu; sekali kena boleh menangis !
It is doubtful that even hell drivers can bring a car to a safe halt from within a car's length of the car in front from more than 90 kph !
Have a nice day
Ronald
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Treasure hunt goods
Hello,
Cheap, exotic, rare find ?
What do flea markets and thrift stores have in common ? Interesting goods ! These interesting goods are usually secondhand, some are brand new and unused but nevertheless all are secondhand. What is most interesting is the strange and unknown collection of handed over items. Such a varied display of so called collectors discards at one place has never failed to attract the treasure hunters over the years, and people who visited them would tell about the treasures they discovered and at bargain prices too !
The flea market at the old Sungei Road is still there, albeit on a smaller scale, and the goods are not as varied and interesting as before. So is the one at Club Street, just as unexciting.
On the other hand the thrift store run by The Salvation Army along Serangoon Road is very big. They have a slogan which goes something like this, If anything is too good to throw away give it to us. With Singaporeans being so affluent one can see why their shop is so big. Four dollars for two VCDs or CDs plus a third free entices one to come close and scan the titles. And yesterday one would see some appealing items but today one may not, sold; that is what may happen. And car park is free too. If anybody needs to kill time this is the place to visit.
While The Salvation Army get unwanted items free, there is one company which pay for all these items. It is Cash Converter. People deliver things to them and they pay for them with peanuts. That explains why their goods are lower or low priced too. All the same their shops are like The Salvation Army thrift stores, offering a sort of arena for treasure hunters.
The main difference between The Salvation Army thrift stores and the Cash Converter shops is that the earnings from the former goes to charity while that from the latter do not. Maybe that explains why more people would rather give to The Salvation Army than sell toCash Converter.
Forget the Pasar malam stalls which used to be very popular; their goods though interesting cannot match the prices of the One dollar per item shops anymore. And they seem to be mutating into travelling food stalls which are getting popular with their variety and novelty of food items. That remains the attractive part.
One friend asked another, "Why do you want to buy that lousy old picture for ten dollars ?" The friend replied, "It is true that the picture is old and lousy. But the frame that comes with it would cost me near a hundred dollars; it will suit my 3000 pieces jigsaw puzzle picture perfectly !"
Have a nice day
Ronald
Cheap, exotic, rare find ?
What do flea markets and thrift stores have in common ? Interesting goods ! These interesting goods are usually secondhand, some are brand new and unused but nevertheless all are secondhand. What is most interesting is the strange and unknown collection of handed over items. Such a varied display of so called collectors discards at one place has never failed to attract the treasure hunters over the years, and people who visited them would tell about the treasures they discovered and at bargain prices too !
The flea market at the old Sungei Road is still there, albeit on a smaller scale, and the goods are not as varied and interesting as before. So is the one at Club Street, just as unexciting.
On the other hand the thrift store run by The Salvation Army along Serangoon Road is very big. They have a slogan which goes something like this, If anything is too good to throw away give it to us. With Singaporeans being so affluent one can see why their shop is so big. Four dollars for two VCDs or CDs plus a third free entices one to come close and scan the titles. And yesterday one would see some appealing items but today one may not, sold; that is what may happen. And car park is free too. If anybody needs to kill time this is the place to visit.
While The Salvation Army get unwanted items free, there is one company which pay for all these items. It is Cash Converter. People deliver things to them and they pay for them with peanuts. That explains why their goods are lower or low priced too. All the same their shops are like The Salvation Army thrift stores, offering a sort of arena for treasure hunters.
The main difference between The Salvation Army thrift stores and the Cash Converter shops is that the earnings from the former goes to charity while that from the latter do not. Maybe that explains why more people would rather give to The Salvation Army than sell toCash Converter.
Forget the Pasar malam stalls which used to be very popular; their goods though interesting cannot match the prices of the One dollar per item shops anymore. And they seem to be mutating into travelling food stalls which are getting popular with their variety and novelty of food items. That remains the attractive part.
One friend asked another, "Why do you want to buy that lousy old picture for ten dollars ?" The friend replied, "It is true that the picture is old and lousy. But the frame that comes with it would cost me near a hundred dollars; it will suit my 3000 pieces jigsaw puzzle picture perfectly !"
Have a nice day
Ronald
Saturday, November 18, 2006
"Speak the truth,
do not yield to anger;
give, if thou art asked for little;
by these three steps thou wilt go near the gods."
So said Confucius
Friday, November 17, 2006
"By three methods we may learn wisdom:
First, by reflection, which is noblest;
Second, by imitation, which is easiest;
and third by experience, which is the bitterest."
ConfuciusThursday, November 16, 2006
Die die must help
Good morning,
Helping is a chance, it is not always a capability.
Latief was a poor young Iranian who worked in a building construction site. One day his co-worker Jaafar fell and broke his leg. The next day his young son Rahmat came to work to help the family to survive. Rahmat lacked the physique and messed up the heavy work although Latief was helpful to him. Latief also got into a fight with another worker, partly as a consequence of Rahmat's fault, and as a result, Latief was assigned to work elsewhere while Rahmat took upLatief's easier duties. Rahmat performed well and was praised by all the workers while Latief resented all this and he became very unfriendly to Rahmat.
One day Latief accidentally discovered that Rahmat was a young girl. This changed his feeling for Rahmat completely. He became very helpful and protective over Rahmat. He also spruced up his appearance.
The authorities were vigilant about the employment of Afghan workers. Rahmat was an Afghan and she was working illegally. One day she had a narrow escape and did not return to work. Latief was restless and he went searching for her. He found her among a group of women lugging large stones from the stream, stumbling and falling under the heavy load. He was very sad, yet he could not go near and help her, because of their Iranian culture. So he watched despondently from afar.
Later, Latief pleaded to the point of tears with his boss, Memar, to hand over all his earnings, claiming that it was desperately needed for his very ill sister; he wanted to give it to Jafaar who was still unable to work. He arranged with Jafaar's good friend, Solton, to pass the money as he was embarrassed to hand it over himself. The next day when he went to check withSolton; he was met by Jafaar instead. Jafaar informed him that Solton had returned to Afghanistan. Jafaar also told him that he was unable to take the money Solton had borrowed for him because Solton had more urgent and desperate need of it than himself. He also told Latief that Solton had vowed to repay the lender. Thus, Latief's life saving went astray.
Latief continued to be very upset to see Rahmat suffering and unable to help. Then he bought a pair of crutches, meant for Jafaar, but when he arrived he overheard more plight of Jafaar which included his sister's. Quietly he left the crutches by the door.
When Jafaar came by the work site the next day Latief was happy to see him mobile with the crutches. Jafaar had come to borrow money fromMemar the boss who was his good friend, but he was proud and left without anything because Memar had only what he had in his pockets for him.
With all his earnings and savings gone, and still unable to help, Latief sold his last possession, his passport. With the money he faced Jafaar, saying that the money came fromMemar. He also stated that Memar had more due to him because of his injury. Under the circumstances Jafaar accepted the money, vowing to pay it back totally.
With the money Jafaar quickly arranged and left for home in Afghanistan. As the truck rolled off, Latief could only stand still, with all his feelings bottled up within himself. He had no money left and his girl friend had left. But he was proud of himself, he had done all he could do, to his last capability.
Have a nice day
Ronald
Helping is a chance, it is not always a capability.
Latief was a poor young Iranian who worked in a building construction site. One day his co-worker Jaafar fell and broke his leg. The next day his young son Rahmat came to work to help the family to survive. Rahmat lacked the physique and messed up the heavy work although Latief was helpful to him. Latief also got into a fight with another worker, partly as a consequence of Rahmat's fault, and as a result, Latief was assigned to work elsewhere while Rahmat took upLatief's easier duties. Rahmat performed well and was praised by all the workers while Latief resented all this and he became very unfriendly to Rahmat.
One day Latief accidentally discovered that Rahmat was a young girl. This changed his feeling for Rahmat completely. He became very helpful and protective over Rahmat. He also spruced up his appearance.
The authorities were vigilant about the employment of Afghan workers. Rahmat was an Afghan and she was working illegally. One day she had a narrow escape and did not return to work. Latief was restless and he went searching for her. He found her among a group of women lugging large stones from the stream, stumbling and falling under the heavy load. He was very sad, yet he could not go near and help her, because of their Iranian culture. So he watched despondently from afar.
Later, Latief pleaded to the point of tears with his boss, Memar, to hand over all his earnings, claiming that it was desperately needed for his very ill sister; he wanted to give it to Jafaar who was still unable to work. He arranged with Jafaar's good friend, Solton, to pass the money as he was embarrassed to hand it over himself. The next day when he went to check withSolton; he was met by Jafaar instead. Jafaar informed him that Solton had returned to Afghanistan. Jafaar also told him that he was unable to take the money Solton had borrowed for him because Solton had more urgent and desperate need of it than himself. He also told Latief that Solton had vowed to repay the lender. Thus, Latief's life saving went astray.
Latief continued to be very upset to see Rahmat suffering and unable to help. Then he bought a pair of crutches, meant for Jafaar, but when he arrived he overheard more plight of Jafaar which included his sister's. Quietly he left the crutches by the door.
When Jafaar came by the work site the next day Latief was happy to see him mobile with the crutches. Jafaar had come to borrow money fromMemar the boss who was his good friend, but he was proud and left without anything because Memar had only what he had in his pockets for him.
With all his earnings and savings gone, and still unable to help, Latief sold his last possession, his passport. With the money he faced Jafaar, saying that the money came fromMemar. He also stated that Memar had more due to him because of his injury. Under the circumstances Jafaar accepted the money, vowing to pay it back totally.
With the money Jafaar quickly arranged and left for home in Afghanistan. As the truck rolled off, Latief could only stand still, with all his feelings bottled up within himself. He had no money left and his girl friend had left. But he was proud of himself, he had done all he could do, to his last capability.
Have a nice day
Ronald
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Sharing grief is halving the sorrow, sharing happiness is doubling the joy.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Earn or Spend
Hi,
Lifestyle, the conditioner of our energy.
A colleague once said, "If I do not spend my time making money, I would be spending money. Make hay while the sun shines." He is past seventy years old, and for him the sun is still shining.
A golf kaki of mine asked for early retirement before he turned sixty; he succeeded in a couple of attempts. In conversation he leaked to me that he had close to a million dollars. But a couple of years later he took up a part time job; he said that he had to supplement his lifestyle. Today he works full time.
Another colleague retired on the dot at fifty five years of age. He had never been gainfully employed since. He is not rich and he lives a very simple life. He owns a re-COEed small car and he travels by public transport or by his own car whichever way it suited him. He meets his buddies regularly at lunch and keeps healthy with some casual sports. He goes on trips whenever the opportunity beckoned and there is companionship. One can say that he is healthy in mind and body and comfortable in life. His motto is, "Wealth is not how much I have; it is how I use what I have."
Three retirees with three different look at life.
One can visualise or imagine a stream. When it rains heavily, a huge torrent of water gushes along it, causing havoc, or even turning part of a river into an ox-bow lake. When the weather is normal, the water flowing is casual and calm and peaceful, and the fishes and other living things are not troubled. When there is a drought there is not much water flowing; if the drought prolongs the stream may eventually dry up.
Somehow money is akin to the water in a stream. When one has a lot of money one spends freely, splashes around along one's way. When one earns sufficiently, one spends carefully, there is balance in income and expenditure. When one's earning is inadequate, one has to be very very thrifty; and if one does not earn enough for a long long time one may have to solicit for charity ultimately.
Water in a stream meanders its own way and carves its course; ends in the sea !
Money, it dictates our purposes and moulds our lives, stays behind !
Have a nice day
Ronald
Lifestyle, the conditioner of our energy.
A colleague once said, "If I do not spend my time making money, I would be spending money. Make hay while the sun shines." He is past seventy years old, and for him the sun is still shining.
A golf kaki of mine asked for early retirement before he turned sixty; he succeeded in a couple of attempts. In conversation he leaked to me that he had close to a million dollars. But a couple of years later he took up a part time job; he said that he had to supplement his lifestyle. Today he works full time.
Another colleague retired on the dot at fifty five years of age. He had never been gainfully employed since. He is not rich and he lives a very simple life. He owns a re-COEed small car and he travels by public transport or by his own car whichever way it suited him. He meets his buddies regularly at lunch and keeps healthy with some casual sports. He goes on trips whenever the opportunity beckoned and there is companionship. One can say that he is healthy in mind and body and comfortable in life. His motto is, "Wealth is not how much I have; it is how I use what I have."
Three retirees with three different look at life.
One can visualise or imagine a stream. When it rains heavily, a huge torrent of water gushes along it, causing havoc, or even turning part of a river into an ox-bow lake. When the weather is normal, the water flowing is casual and calm and peaceful, and the fishes and other living things are not troubled. When there is a drought there is not much water flowing; if the drought prolongs the stream may eventually dry up.
Somehow money is akin to the water in a stream. When one has a lot of money one spends freely, splashes around along one's way. When one earns sufficiently, one spends carefully, there is balance in income and expenditure. When one's earning is inadequate, one has to be very very thrifty; and if one does not earn enough for a long long time one may have to solicit for charity ultimately.
Water in a stream meanders its own way and carves its course; ends in the sea !
Money, it dictates our purposes and moulds our lives, stays behind !
Have a nice day
Ronald
Sunday, November 12, 2006
"If you don't learn to laugh at trouble, you won't have anything to laugh at when you are old."
Saturday, November 11, 2006
"When you realize you've made a mistake,
take immediate steps to correct it"
take immediate steps to correct it"
Friday, November 10, 2006
Fish & fishy
Hello,
Why do fish make people cry ?
There is a man who loves fishing, and this love of his ends each time he comes home from fishing. It is not that his wife disapproves of his going fishing nor is it because he does it over the weekend nights; ironically it is when he brings home the catch in the morning. Fish is a wholesome food, and very good for health. So, why is that so ?
By the time he comes home he is too tired and sleepy and his wife cries at the prospect of cleaning the fish, no matter what the catch is. So most times he unloads the catch before he reaches home, in whatever way that is suitable; but not to take it home.
Why does cleaning fish make a person cry ? Those who cry would not tell us why, they just cry. Some fish stings, even when they are dead; the scales of some fish and also the gills, can cut the fingers; and on top of all this it is a bloody, messy, dirty, and tough job.
There is a very good reason why some fish lovers buy only the fillets of fish; these are just meat and meat, no bones nor scales nor anything that is not wanted, except that fillets cost about twice as much.
Normally the fishmongers would do the cursory scaling, gilling, gutting and removal of the unwanted parts of the fish, leaving the buyer to do the rest, the final thorough cleaning, at home. What I do is to first cut off all the stings or spikes including all the fins and tail with a pair of kitchen scissors. After this it is easy to scrape off any remaining scales and also remove the blood under the spine of the fish, and then thoroughly wash the fish. Is that very difficult ?
It is difficult when the fish comes home whole, then all the work has to be done. Anyway, most times I would not want the fishmonger to do anything, I buy the fish whole and take it home intact, this way the fish does not get contaminated and stays as fresh longer while on its way home. And anyway fishmongers would not cut off the head and tail of the fish for us, they all are never boh thaw boh buay, no head no tail, some kind of hand-me-down superstition.
For those who know, good and tasty fish are not the big fish, most of these are the small and assorted fish. And here the tough job is required, the work that make people cry. The important thing is to cut off all the troublesome parts, especially the spikes, first before dealing with the cleaning. To me all these must go anyway, also why cook anything that is not to be eaten !
Local fishermen of old perpetually reminded one and all, in dialect, of the powerful stings of the local venomous fish by ranking them.
In English, these venomous but not deadly fish are:
First comes stingray the king of sting
Second is ugly tiger so aptly named
Slimy and pink this catfish ranks third
Just as bad the fourth is spotted scat
The rabbit fish is not ranked, nor is the black catfish, but do not let that fool us. The sting of these two are very painful and will lasts for many hours. So, one can imagine the venom of the stingray. Although its sting is not fatal the wound and pain will last for many many days, making the victim wish he or she were dead. The stingray's sting is most fearsome to the fishermen.
It has been reported that the famous crocodile hunter Steve Irwin died as a result of his heart being punctured by a stingray. I wondered whether he would have lived if his heart was not punctured, being stung so close to it with so much venom since it was such a big fish. Don't play play with stingray !
Have a nice day
Ronald
Why do fish make people cry ?
There is a man who loves fishing, and this love of his ends each time he comes home from fishing. It is not that his wife disapproves of his going fishing nor is it because he does it over the weekend nights; ironically it is when he brings home the catch in the morning. Fish is a wholesome food, and very good for health. So, why is that so ?
By the time he comes home he is too tired and sleepy and his wife cries at the prospect of cleaning the fish, no matter what the catch is. So most times he unloads the catch before he reaches home, in whatever way that is suitable; but not to take it home.
Why does cleaning fish make a person cry ? Those who cry would not tell us why, they just cry. Some fish stings, even when they are dead; the scales of some fish and also the gills, can cut the fingers; and on top of all this it is a bloody, messy, dirty, and tough job.
There is a very good reason why some fish lovers buy only the fillets of fish; these are just meat and meat, no bones nor scales nor anything that is not wanted, except that fillets cost about twice as much.
Normally the fishmongers would do the cursory scaling, gilling, gutting and removal of the unwanted parts of the fish, leaving the buyer to do the rest, the final thorough cleaning, at home. What I do is to first cut off all the stings or spikes including all the fins and tail with a pair of kitchen scissors. After this it is easy to scrape off any remaining scales and also remove the blood under the spine of the fish, and then thoroughly wash the fish. Is that very difficult ?
It is difficult when the fish comes home whole, then all the work has to be done. Anyway, most times I would not want the fishmonger to do anything, I buy the fish whole and take it home intact, this way the fish does not get contaminated and stays as fresh longer while on its way home. And anyway fishmongers would not cut off the head and tail of the fish for us, they all are never boh thaw boh buay, no head no tail, some kind of hand-me-down superstition.
For those who know, good and tasty fish are not the big fish, most of these are the small and assorted fish. And here the tough job is required, the work that make people cry. The important thing is to cut off all the troublesome parts, especially the spikes, first before dealing with the cleaning. To me all these must go anyway, also why cook anything that is not to be eaten !
Local fishermen of old perpetually reminded one and all, in dialect, of the powerful stings of the local venomous fish by ranking them.
In English, these venomous but not deadly fish are:
First comes stingray the king of sting
Second is ugly tiger so aptly named
Slimy and pink this catfish ranks third
Just as bad the fourth is spotted scat
The rabbit fish is not ranked, nor is the black catfish, but do not let that fool us. The sting of these two are very painful and will lasts for many hours. So, one can imagine the venom of the stingray. Although its sting is not fatal the wound and pain will last for many many days, making the victim wish he or she were dead. The stingray's sting is most fearsome to the fishermen.
It has been reported that the famous crocodile hunter Steve Irwin died as a result of his heart being punctured by a stingray. I wondered whether he would have lived if his heart was not punctured, being stung so close to it with so much venom since it was such a big fish. Don't play play with stingray !
Have a nice day
Ronald
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
The Wealth Divide
Hi,
The rich get richer and the poor become poorer.
On the day I got my first pay packet, oh my heaven, how rich I was ! I had my own money to spend, and I was no longer dependant on anybody. It was a great feeling. People around were equally satisfied and happy, and money was moving: from the pay packet into the hands of the white turban bhai the moneylender, into the Widows and Orphans fund and into the Life endowment policy insurance companies. That was how I came to know about all these money schemes. Then there was the Income tax to be levied from our earnings. All these had their purposes, for the situation, for our dependants, for our old age and for the nation; thus they were well absorbed within our strides.
Those who earned more pay more income tax, it was a very fair system, and our government took care of its citizens. Education was free, it was even compulsory. And there were government facilities for the people to enhance themselves, like the National Library, the National Museum, the Botanic Gardens and other places of interest I cannot remember. People who were very rich also provided enjoyment and care free in other ways, like the Haw Par Villas, the Jade House, and other charitable institutions like the Cheshire Homes, the Red Cross and mission hospitals.
The world must change and people must adjust and adapt; so it was with all of us. Policy changed, we moved along, we moved on; and people busied themselves without paying much attention to the changes over the years. Little bit by little bit the mosaic pattern of our lives transformed, and it went on and on.
Then, one day, about half a century later, someone, a very important person, made a speech. The topic came into the open and there was an awakening and a stocktaking. Visits to most of the places of interest and of educational values are not free, like the Zoological Gardens, the Science Center, the Chinese Gardens, the Japanese Gardens, the aquariums, the butterfly museum. Schools turned into premier institutions and school fees reflect their class. Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten attendance became a necessity to enable the little ones not to lose the equality towards putting a foot into the schools of choice. Employment opportunities are based on meritocracy, so people do not want to lack behind or disadvantaged. Thus they slog and pay by all means.
Also, people who do not earn money also pay tax, particularly the GST, the goods and services tax. Any person living needs goods and services, thus everyone, whether he or she is economically active or not pays this tax. Even those people near the end term of their lives, those on life support, the bed-ridden, those on charity, those in the wombs, the babies, the demanding kids, our pets and anything that lives and are dependant on us pay tax.
In the past, only the bread winner paid tax; I earned I paid.
At present, the whole family pay tax; we live I pay.
The law makers and those in power are concerned about the increasing poor and the increasingly poorer situation.
Is not the GST the major cause of all this?
Have a nice day
Ronald
The rich get richer and the poor become poorer.
On the day I got my first pay packet, oh my heaven, how rich I was ! I had my own money to spend, and I was no longer dependant on anybody. It was a great feeling. People around were equally satisfied and happy, and money was moving: from the pay packet into the hands of the white turban bhai the moneylender, into the Widows and Orphans fund and into the Life endowment policy insurance companies. That was how I came to know about all these money schemes. Then there was the Income tax to be levied from our earnings. All these had their purposes, for the situation, for our dependants, for our old age and for the nation; thus they were well absorbed within our strides.
Those who earned more pay more income tax, it was a very fair system, and our government took care of its citizens. Education was free, it was even compulsory. And there were government facilities for the people to enhance themselves, like the National Library, the National Museum, the Botanic Gardens and other places of interest I cannot remember. People who were very rich also provided enjoyment and care free in other ways, like the Haw Par Villas, the Jade House, and other charitable institutions like the Cheshire Homes, the Red Cross and mission hospitals.
The world must change and people must adjust and adapt; so it was with all of us. Policy changed, we moved along, we moved on; and people busied themselves without paying much attention to the changes over the years. Little bit by little bit the mosaic pattern of our lives transformed, and it went on and on.
Then, one day, about half a century later, someone, a very important person, made a speech. The topic came into the open and there was an awakening and a stocktaking. Visits to most of the places of interest and of educational values are not free, like the Zoological Gardens, the Science Center, the Chinese Gardens, the Japanese Gardens, the aquariums, the butterfly museum. Schools turned into premier institutions and school fees reflect their class. Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten attendance became a necessity to enable the little ones not to lose the equality towards putting a foot into the schools of choice. Employment opportunities are based on meritocracy, so people do not want to lack behind or disadvantaged. Thus they slog and pay by all means.
Also, people who do not earn money also pay tax, particularly the GST, the goods and services tax. Any person living needs goods and services, thus everyone, whether he or she is economically active or not pays this tax. Even those people near the end term of their lives, those on life support, the bed-ridden, those on charity, those in the wombs, the babies, the demanding kids, our pets and anything that lives and are dependant on us pay tax.
In the past, only the bread winner paid tax; I earned I paid.
At present, the whole family pay tax; we live I pay.
The law makers and those in power are concerned about the increasing poor and the increasingly poorer situation.
Is not the GST the major cause of all this?
Have a nice day
Ronald
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Pig in a Poke
"A pig in a poke is a blind purchase, something bought sight unseen;
a poke being a dialectical term for a bag.
It was a common scam in Renaissance times to substitute a cat or other creature of similar size for a suckling pig at market.
To buy a pig in a poke is to not open the bag and check what one is buying.
Various phrases referring to pigs and pokes date to around 1530.
The proverb never buy a pig in a poke dates to 1562."
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Halo Effect
Hi,
To be a beacon a light must shine.
A halo is a luminous ring of light surrounding the head or body of a sacred figure, such as a saint. It is usually seen in religious paintings; it is also called a nimbus.
One can also see the halo above the head of the figure of The Saint, the hero in the series of books by Leslie Charteris. Glory to him or her who has this halo.
In society when we consider a person good in one aspect, we are likely to make a similar evaluation in his other aspects. This phenomenon is called the Halo Effect, and it is quite pervasive in large organizations. Smart employees use this to advantage.
In large organizations, superiors appraise subordinates by what or how they have performed whereas everyone judges himself by what he knows of himself, and talents are often left undiscovered and unused, and frustrations incubated. So the go getters would look out and wait for an opportunity to show himself. All he needs to do is to show his capability once and after that his career path is smooth.
KhawChye was a systems analyst of a team working on a new project. Nobody noticed him much, and his annual performance appraisal was usually satisfactory. One day his team leader was unwell, he lost his voice, on the very day of the presentation of the new system. KhawChye volunteered to take the lead and make the presentation under the supervision of the leader. He did well, he highlighted the costs and benefits, he elaborated on the efficiency and the advantages of the new system, and his presentation so impressed the management that it was happily accepted for implementation, with confidence. That was the opportunity and KhawChye seized it.
After that day KhawChye was a new person, he felt different himself, and he was elevated in the eyes of his peers and colleagues. He was thereafter seen with a halo above his head. A couple of years later he was promoted to team leader himself.
It is not just what one knows, one must show it. A light kept in a box remains dark outside it.
Have a nice day
Ronald
To be a beacon a light must shine.
A halo is a luminous ring of light surrounding the head or body of a sacred figure, such as a saint. It is usually seen in religious paintings; it is also called a nimbus.
One can also see the halo above the head of the figure of The Saint, the hero in the series of books by Leslie Charteris. Glory to him or her who has this halo.
In society when we consider a person good in one aspect, we are likely to make a similar evaluation in his other aspects. This phenomenon is called the Halo Effect, and it is quite pervasive in large organizations. Smart employees use this to advantage.
In large organizations, superiors appraise subordinates by what or how they have performed whereas everyone judges himself by what he knows of himself, and talents are often left undiscovered and unused, and frustrations incubated. So the go getters would look out and wait for an opportunity to show himself. All he needs to do is to show his capability once and after that his career path is smooth.
KhawChye was a systems analyst of a team working on a new project. Nobody noticed him much, and his annual performance appraisal was usually satisfactory. One day his team leader was unwell, he lost his voice, on the very day of the presentation of the new system. KhawChye volunteered to take the lead and make the presentation under the supervision of the leader. He did well, he highlighted the costs and benefits, he elaborated on the efficiency and the advantages of the new system, and his presentation so impressed the management that it was happily accepted for implementation, with confidence. That was the opportunity and KhawChye seized it.
After that day KhawChye was a new person, he felt different himself, and he was elevated in the eyes of his peers and colleagues. He was thereafter seen with a halo above his head. A couple of years later he was promoted to team leader himself.
It is not just what one knows, one must show it. A light kept in a box remains dark outside it.
Have a nice day
Ronald
Let the Cat Out of the Bag
"This phrase meaning to disclose a secret is from an old scam of selling someone a suckling pig at market and then surreptitiously substituting a cat for the pig. If one lets the cat out of the bag, then the secret is revealed and the fraud discovered. The scam dates to at least 1530, but the phrase didn't make its appearance until 1760."
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Suffocatingly rich
Hello,
People want to be very rich but what do billionaires do ?
At certain days of the week at the TOTO booths there are always long queues of people; everyone aiming to be more than a millionaire.
Really, if a survey were to be conducted, would each of these people be able to tell what he or she would do if he or she had won the big pile of money. My guess is that the majority of them would have no exact idea, most of them are likely not to have thought of that at all. And even if they had, they would more likely want to do something like what is sung in the Hokkien song IF I HAD A MILLION, that is, buy house buy car fly by plane to Japan to eat sushi.
I have had the occasion to ask my best friend who bets on the TOTO this question but have as yet to get a thought out answer.
I have only tried the Toto once or twice before, for the novelty, and I would not want to anymore; but if a burdensome sum of money were to be genieed into my hands I would have this idea of what I would want to do with it. I would build a greenhouse, yes a greenhouse, not like what that have been built, not like those fabulous ones in the possession of the rich and famous around the world. You see, I got better style ! The greenhouse I have in mind is gigantic and very unique, one big enough to be zoned and maintained with the different climates of the world, wherein I would have all the fruits trees of my choice. So, the rest is up to any body's imagination as to my enjoyment in all kinds of weather and the fruits I can have at any time in my own greenhouse. Would that not be wonderfully wonderful ? Ha ha ha ha ha !
This is not my dream nor what I would wish for, but just a forced thinking on one way to make use of the billions of dollars that billionaires spend their lives preserving.
What would you do with your billions of dollars ? Please tell us !
Have a nice day
Ronald
People want to be very rich but what do billionaires do ?
At certain days of the week at the TOTO booths there are always long queues of people; everyone aiming to be more than a millionaire.
Really, if a survey were to be conducted, would each of these people be able to tell what he or she would do if he or she had won the big pile of money. My guess is that the majority of them would have no exact idea, most of them are likely not to have thought of that at all. And even if they had, they would more likely want to do something like what is sung in the Hokkien song IF I HAD A MILLION, that is, buy house buy car fly by plane to Japan to eat sushi.
I have had the occasion to ask my best friend who bets on the TOTO this question but have as yet to get a thought out answer.
I have only tried the Toto once or twice before, for the novelty, and I would not want to anymore; but if a burdensome sum of money were to be genieed into my hands I would have this idea of what I would want to do with it. I would build a greenhouse, yes a greenhouse, not like what that have been built, not like those fabulous ones in the possession of the rich and famous around the world. You see, I got better style ! The greenhouse I have in mind is gigantic and very unique, one big enough to be zoned and maintained with the different climates of the world, wherein I would have all the fruits trees of my choice. So, the rest is up to any body's imagination as to my enjoyment in all kinds of weather and the fruits I can have at any time in my own greenhouse. Would that not be wonderfully wonderful ? Ha ha ha ha ha !
This is not my dream nor what I would wish for, but just a forced thinking on one way to make use of the billions of dollars that billionaires spend their lives preserving.
What would you do with your billions of dollars ? Please tell us !
Have a nice day
Ronald
