Tears of a clown

What has the world come to when those funny little men (or women) in delightfully colourful makeup get themselves pumped with lead? News coming to us from Colombia confirms that the clowning arts must also be included into the category of risky jobs which could attract violence.

Comedians could also find themselves at risk. Insurance companies take note.

Apocalypse now?

"And Caesar's spirit ranging for revenge, With Ate by his side come hot from hell, Shall in these confines with a monarch's voice Cry 'Havoc,' and let slip the dogs of war; That this foul deed shall smell above the earth, With carrion men groaning for buriel."
Shakespeare from Julius Caesar.

Ask Mahathir, and he says "Melayu mudah lupa" (translation: "Malays easily forget"). Unfortunately, selective amnesia is not a trait exclusive only to the Malays.

At the cusp of this new millenium, we are witnessing again and again the wicked transgressions of men. How often have we read, heard and seen abominations occurring on a daily basis befalling other fellow human beings. I hate the fact that we have gotten so used to hearing multiple deaths in the news from faraway lands. Our senses have come near to the point of saturation - numbed - that we subconsciously stop feeling for members of our own species. Will you now tell me that the value of a person is less in subsaharan Africa when compared to a money-mover in Wall Street?

The senseless nihilism of the haves - increased suicide rates, rampant alcoholism/drugism - and the haplessness of the have-nots are but polar extremes in a world where justice is seen only to serve the chosen few.

And as I look into the eyes of my three-year old daughter, I shudder to think the sort of world that I am leaving her with.

Physician heal thyself

I felt sick as a dog earlier today. There is obviously a bug going around and I am unwillingly hosting copies of it in my body. It is certainly most disheartening having to review patients in the condition that I was in.

However, duty came above self and I empathised as best as I could. My nurses were sympathetic to my plight and plied me with an expectorant which in itself is not therapeutic. It is psychological, I told myself. I shall overcome this affliction with sheer will power, and soon I will be right as rain again.

Lord, Thou Great Physician, I kneel before Thee. Since every good and perfect gift must come from Thee:

I Pray

Give skill to my hand, clear vision to my mind, kindness and sympathy to my heart. Give me singleness of purpose, strength to lift at least a part of the burden of my suffering fellow men, and a true realization of the rare privilege that is mine. Take from my heart all guile and worldliness, that with the simple faith of a child I may rely on Thee.

Amen

Author Unknown

Antipathy to "tidakapathy"

Blogging actually matters in Malaysia.

Just ask the four plaintiffs who are suing two reknowned Malaysian bloggers for defamation in a civil suit as we speak. The emergence of popular politically-inclined blogs have been a godsend to the people, although it is proving to be an anathema to the present government. The development is not altogether surprising as governments as a rule, do not like entities that they can't control.

As a consequence, the internet, and blogs in particular, have become a powerful tool in the dissemination of ideas and free speech. For a developing nation like Malaysia, this is turning out to be a "revolution" of sorts, hampered only by the degree of internet penetration and the fact that the best commentaries are written in the language preferred by the intelligentsia, English.

Unfortunately, this amounts to a handicap which is proving to be a huge one, due to an unseen, but palpable, polarisation in society. A perceived inequity in education and persistent state-sponsored indoctrination has made the typical Malaysian averse to changes in the status quo. They may congregate in local watering-holes (read: warungs or kopitiams) and voice their disagreements in secret, but the herd mentality remain difficult to break.

Therefore, to affect any degree of actual change, we must first of all bring change to the grassroot level. To be rid of the mawkish yoke of elitism, just as what Ghandi-ji had achieved in India. But how many of us are willing and able in this respect?

These and many other questions are beyond the remit of this blog. However, with reference to the cases involving Jeff and Rocky, we are seeing evolution take place. And as it is, change in whatever shape or form, will ultimately be irreversible.

This is the defining moment where blogging comes of age in Malaysia. Watch this space.

Chansons

Music! I am an oddball when it comes to my listening tastes (as evidenced by the protestations of my more contemporary-inclined wife). Am I the only one wondering why there's no bigger recognition for Dato' Shake or his exploits in the francophone world? Except for his official website, there is precious little out there. Also try clicking here (French), here (French) and here (Dutch).

An excerpt from his bio:

He bid goodbye to his family and headed to London where he studied vocal class for a year. Then he was offered to go to Paris France, within months, he had secured a label and his first single was released, entitle,"tu sais je t'aime" (You know I love you). Plus, he did indeed shake up the music scene and became the first Asian singer who sang in French. The single sprinted up the charts, followed by half a dozen other gold and platinum singles and albums. Concert appearances and television specials followed swiftly as Shake quickly became the toast of Europe. He became popular in all the countries where French is spoken - he was for instance, fifteen weeks at the top of the charts in Canada: he became enormously popular in North African countries and the cosmopolitan areas of Africa - such as the Ivory Coast and Senegal.

After watching Johnny Hallyday on a french version of Idol in a parisian hotel the other day, I felt he could have been up there too. Time for a revival perhaps, Dato'?

Passions (Part un)

I possess several passions in life. The first two of them are probably stuck in traffic on their way to their respective destinations for the day. Mummy: workplace, Kid: creche. The kid (refer to the post below) is probably watching Spongebob on her portable DVD player and mum is busy negotiating the M50, also known as "The World's Largest Carpark" for the wrong reasons.

A workaholic by my own volition, I juggle two jobs; a private hospital and a convalescent home. Hopefully, something in the pipeline would also come to fruition. If there was a machine that could split myself into several functional pieces (preferably without pain) I would probably be first in the queue. Time has never been so envious of me. The days I spent lazing about in medical school are all but a hazy memory.

You may think its cliché, but I love my job. I love the camaraderie that I have with colleagues, nurses and patients. Of course I get the difficult ones, but I deal with them as best as one can. I have had valuable interactions with people from all walks of life; from spunky, unassuming nonagenarians down to celebrities Anne McCaffrey, Ronan Keating, Sinead O'Connor, Ray D'Arcy to name but a few. I treat them all with the same degree of professionalism to which I was instructed in.

I am also enamoured with the ancient metal of kings, Gold. Why have I become so? I don't really know. I think Gold came into vogue only about 5 years ago, to which I am a late entrant into the scheme of things. By the way, I am not talking about gold jewellery either. This is the real thing, bullions to be exact. Click the ad at the very bottom of this page for an easy way of owning some. (Plug plug... wink wink...)

A keen observer of the economy, thanks in part also to this great site, which I refer to on a daily basis. As I am one of those people who are paying off a hefty mortgage, it pays to be aware of these things. And I suggest that you, my dear reader, take the first step in gaining control of your finance by reading this.

A close friend, confidante and father-figure to me, mentioned in passing, "Work hard while you're still young, the payoff will come someday you'll see. You see me now living comfortably, but did anybody notice I was striving hard as a younger man?". Unfortunately, nothing comes easy in life, and very few things come free either.

So enough proselytising. I'm actually off this morning, need to go get some breakie and do some house chores. A bit of hoovering could be therapeutic, no?

A kid's letter

Salam unca and aunty

Daddy's too busy working, so sorry he couldn't reply to your email. Things are good, I am in a creche now (mummy says it is costing her a "bomb"). Mummy is working in a civil engineering firm near where my creche is. She has her masters all wrapped up and am putting pressure on poor ol' dad to finish his MRCP. Dad just sighs a lot and shrugs his shoulders.

Dad says that house prices are "stagnating" here in Dublin. I dunno what that means. Has it been windy at your place unca? I like the wind but daddy always calls me indoors or into the car. I think he is just a fusspot.

Do come over to visit us when you can. You must call daddy first though because he says he is a "workaholic". Maybe if you come then daddy can stay home too instead of going to the hospital.

There are people there called "nurses", and they like to hug me and pinch my cheeks so I don't like it anymore. But daddy brings me around to the shop and I can get some chocolate buttons. Mmmmm.. I think daddy just likes to show me off.

OK unca, I have to go now. See you soon. Bye-bye.

Love,
A