...Internet Free Speech?

It’s sad to say that the freedom of speech in cyberspace is as limited as trying to buy yourself an ice cream with a penny. No…that didn’t come out right.

Anyway, as mentioned before by I believe it was Newton, “every action has an equal or opposite reaction”. In other words, whatever we do, there are consequences. Though used to explain phenomena in science, the act of blogging suffers the same fate as well.

I’m sure many of you are well aware of the Naked Blogger scandal. Oh my, what a huge ruckus that kicked up. Even the famous blogger Kenny Sia got into hot soup for not only the things he said but also an image he used in his blogsite.

A little closer to home, another blog-related issue came up when a student from was caught defaming a student body through her blog. Yes, she was charged and had to pay pretty dearly for her misdemeanor. This incident really caught my attention and at the same time made me a little angry.

The internet has long been known to be the safe haven for the freedom of expression, speech and imagery all the same. Yes, there still are laws imposed to supervise internet use. But how can there be freedom of expression when something you do in the virtual world brings forth real-world repercussions?

I’m not advocating a lawless cyberspace. All I’m saying is that when someone blogs, sometimes it’s that person’s way of escapism from the real world; a time for one to be uninhibited by the world outside and a chance to freely express oneself. One has the right to say what he or she feels.

That is why I always advise bloggers not to know who their readers are. That kind of information inhibits ones freedom to write. It’s also the reason why a friend of mine refuses to let his mother know where his blog is ;)

So why was I angry when I found out that the student was punished? I honestly believe that something external (the internet) should not spark an incident internally (school). She wanted to express herself outside school. At least she didn’t pass out papers in class or start a rebellion during recess. She chose to do it on the internet, which I personally felt should not have been brought in as a school disciplinary issue.

Take back the internet?

Note: Sometimes it’s not very nice to discuss matters brought up in other people’s blogs. Of course it’s fine if the blogger doesn’t mind.

...Holding the Door?

I think it is part of American culture to hold the door for someone, particularly a stranger, that’s walking behind you. It’s not just swinging the door wider than usual, delaying the door from being completely shut after you pass. I’m talking about actually stopping and actually holding the door for someone approaching for maybe less than a second minimum.

I actually did that for someone at work about two weeks ago. He thanked me and then proceeded to introduce himself and we started up a conversation on the way to my department office. I found out that he was a graduate from Purdue University. It just made me wonder if he had an inkling that I was studying abroad because of my kind gesture earlier. I don’t usually experience people striking up a conversation with me out of the blue.

Americans hate it when they hold the door for someone and the benefactor of the gesture doesn’t show any verbal form of appreciation. Maybe it happens so often that people tend to take it for granted. I don’t know. But it’s happened to me several times here in Malaysia and I understand their displeasure.

Another thing that I’ve wondered about is how far away should you be from the approaching person if you decide to hold the door for him/her? I ask this question not because I’m concerned about how many precious seconds I’ll waste waiting, but I’m considering the potential recipient of the gesture.

This thought stems from the realization that something that’s intended to be good could actually turn out to be an inconvenience for the other person. Lets say you hold the door for someone approaching from 5 meters out. The person feels bad and has to quicken his/her pace so that you won’t have to wait so long. Now what if that person wanted to take a leisurely walk? You’ve just made someone hurry up. So on the flipside of things, was your kind gesture really a good thing?

Now lets view this concept from a gender specific perspective. Apparently there’s a bunch of women out there who consider men opening doors for them as a sexist act. To that strange group of women, it’s an act of “male superiority” and sends out signals which read “Women need men for assistance”. So when a man holds the door for a woman purely out of being a gentleman, these women get offended. What a shame.

So yes, a simple idea such as holding the door for someone can actually spark a pretty interesting discussion don’t you think?

...Driving in Penang (Malaysia)?

Okay okay, now I’ve got the attention of the KL drivers too. Forget about the debate between the drivers from the different states (which ones are more skillful). We’ll leave the bickering for another post. I’ve just decided to post this after the countless of hours spent in my car each week getting to work every morning. Do take note that some of these observations may apply to drivers from other states too.

Firstly, I’ve found driving in Penang to be a rather unpleasant experience in contrast to driving in the United States. In Penang, it always seems like every person on the road is a competitor. Everyone’s vying to get ahead of each other, squeeze into that little gap or make it cross that traffic light before the cars on the other side of the junction start moving.

I have found that even the way the fellow motorist look at you is an issue. The look I get is always an accusing one, as if I’ve done something wrong. And believe me I’ve checked and I was on the left side of the road, as I should be. I just believe that the relationship between motorists should be one of mutual benefits (sharing) and not one competitive in nature.

A pet peeve of mine, driving along the streets of Penang is the motorcyclist. There are tons of them!! I am compelled to liken them to flies, buzzing and zipping around, popping around out of thin air and then disappearing just as mysteriously. You know you cant hit them or you’re in for a lot of trouble, but then sometimes it seems like they’re just begging to be knocked down.

It also totally infuriates me when I’m trying to turn into a junction with heavy oncoming traffic. Then there’s this gap I see coming my way. I know I can make it once that gap approaches the junction, but lo and behold a fly zips along, blocking that gap and totally foils my attempt to turn in. *swat *swat!

The traffic jams in Penang are pretty nasty too. Not as bad as the legendary ones in KL. But still, they don’t make the journey to work any better. I myself, am a little ashamed to admit that I am one of those guys who upon seeing a long queue of cars, decides to ride alongside the line and when the opportunity presents itself, swing into line. Yes, I jump queues. But only when driving, mind you.

When jumping queue like that, one thing that I’ve noticed is that if you want to cut into someone’s line, do it to a person that just committed the crime. Thinking about it in a psychological sense, this person has successfully cut into the line, so when you try to cut in front of him, being in sort of a high from his success, he should allow you in. It has worked out really well for me.

Of course it doesn’t work all the time. There are some really really really kaisu and heartless drivers out there. But this method of cutting in works about eight out of ten times.
It’s really living by the law of the jungle out there. So if the banking on one’s good heart doesn’t work, then there’s the other method; a very risky one. This method involves one question….who loves his/her vehicle more, you or the person you’re trying to cut in to? So just swing your car into a gap, and if that guy loves his car enough not to try and risk hitting you, he’ll yield. Tsk tsk…I’m such a bad influence.

I’m tempted to get back to my thoughts on local motorcyclist, but never mind. I’ll save it for my one to one conversations.

...Mail In Rebates?

For a Tech-Bargain hunter like me, rebates are an awesome way to get stuff at prices lower than the usual market value. Prices get reduced by $10 to even more than $200 in rebates.

Rebates are a great way to save a pretty penny, but at times it’s just a pain in the butt. The best type of rebate is the instant one. The one that lops off a price just by adding a coupon code. That’s pretty much like a store discount so to speak. The traditional rebate is quite the opposite. The wait time can be pretty ridiculous.

Manufacturers offer rebates for items mainly because they cant sell them anymore. As for all technologically related items, they do depreciate with time. As a result, it would be a crime and suicide at the same time for a company to maintain the MRSP after a while. So that’s where rebates come in.

The way that a rebate works is that you buy the item at full price, then you fill up a form which you mail to the manufacturer together with proof of purchase. The application is processed then after a considerable amount of time, you get a check in the mail.

Personally I feel that this rebate thingy is kind of scam. Why go through all the trouble of filling up the form, mailing it and waiting? That’s exactly how the manufacturers want you to feel. They want you to pay full price for the item, and then hopefully forget about filling in the rebate because of the hassle. Would you go through all that trouble just to get $10 back?

Then there’s the other factor like losing the rebate in the mail. Companies can easily claim that the rebate was never received due to the postal service. What can be done then? You’re not going to fork out extra cash for postage with a tracking number are you? With that risk alone, people do tend to shy away from indulging in items with rebates involved.

There are some companies who are really good with rebates though. I’ve had a very positive experience with T-Mobile, and apparently Nikon’s a good boy too. My encounter with Sandisk and Maxtor paint a very different picture. By the time I got my rebates from them, I had already forgotten that I actually was expecting one from them. Yes, that long.

So in the end, instead of guaranteeing that they’ll lose money through instant discounts at the stores, manufacturers introduced the idea of mail-in-rebates (MIR). It’s pretty clever of them don’t you think?

...Misguided Female Youth??

I really feel that there’s a need to school some of the young females in our society today. Just looking around me every single day, I see young women not having the privilege of being educated in some of the “need-to-knows” of womanhood. Really, they are some basic skills every young lady should know. Heck, I’m a bonafide young man, and I do notice some things are amiss. Among the reasons why such education should be made available are:

1) Not Knowing How to Put on Makeup:
I cant imagine telling you how many young ladies try to put on makeup with the honorable intention of beautifying themselves, but only end in doing themselves a huge disservice. There was a Korean girl in one of my classes who came to class every week with eyeshadow as thick as her own eyes. How scary is that?

Other disfavors include the overuse of blush and the choice of shamelessly bright lipstick. I’m no expert in makeup but it doesn’t take a Max Factor stylist to know when you’ve made a big mess with your makeup. It shows, really.

2)Dressing Much Older than They Are:
There’s nothing new about pre-teens dressing up like they’re in their early twenties. Young girls who haven’t even fully developed physically can already be seen in revealing dresses and high heels. Really, why wear a blouse with a plunging neckline when you don’t even have a cleavage to begin with? Pardon my bluntness, but this is a very real issue with youth today. They just grow up in the wrong aspects too fast and too soon.

3)Mismatching Body Size and Clothing Type:
Now here comes the pretty touchy issue. I’m not going to sugar coat the perpetrators by calling them “big boned”. But really, obese, fat, rotund, prosperous-looking, plump young women should really stay away from those tight-fitting or revealing outfits.

Yes, I know “you’re beautiful no matter what they say”, but really, you don’t have to go the extra mile and prove it. I applaud your efforts to show that you can do whatever your slimmer counterparts can do. In terms of abilities, YES! But don’t bring that sort of attitude into the wardrobe. It just doesn’t work that way. For goodness sake, be considerate. There are people who still want 2020 vision.


In Conclusion:
I am very aware that a lot of these misguided youth probably don’t have the privilege of good parental guidance. Maybe they did, but were just too naive to heed their parent’s good advice. Well, someone has to come up with some kind of “School for Women’s Social Education”. Not for Girl Power advocacy and bra-burning, but more to teach the young women of our society to make the right decisions and to be looked upon more favorably in the eyes of the community.


Image credit to modernrenaissanceink.com

...Big Little Shots??

They’re big because they act like they are. Little because that’s what they really are after taking away all the filler on the outside. *Strangle *Strangle!!

I’m sure many of you have encountered these kinds of people. They don’t have much to shout about in terms of personal achievements or accolades so they tend to exert their authority whenever possible....even when it’s absolutely unnecessary. It’s their little moment of triumph to make up for their personal failures. It just kills me every time I bump into one of them.

The Obnoxious Bus Driver
This guy was the one that “inspired” me to write this article. I hopped on the bus and politely asked him if it was the “Northwood” or the “Northwood Express”. You know what he said? “My sign only Northwood only” (in a condescending tone).
Really, that kind of attitude is uncalled for. A simple “This is a Northwood bus” would have sufficed.

The Over-Zealous Policeman
You’ve seen him everywhere especially in Malaysia. He comes to you with the most unreasonable requests, telling you where you’re wrong when it’s something totally trivial. He gets worked up really easily and looses his composure in a flash unlike his more jaded predecessors. The over-zealous policeman struts around in his brand new uniform and almost looks down at you and makes you feel like you’re from another planet even when you’re asking the simplest of things, like where the nearest bathroom is.
Sure, you dropped out of high school. Or maybe your mother got mugged and you swore on her grave that you would give her justice. No matter what excuse you have for being a policeman, you’re dealing with humans every day. Not just criminals. Maybe your lack of education impedes your judgment. Wise up.

The Meany Club Bouncer
Yeah, you big load of protein. I’m talking to you. You’re huge, you can push your weight around effectively to your advantage. But would it kill you to just be nice to someone? Maybe it’s that ice-cold image of yours you’re trying to protect. I don’t blame you. Go have fun with your little few hours of unbridled authority….while it lasts. Before you get fired for being too old and sluggish, then you’ll know what a loser you really are.

The Condescending Receptionist
Okay, you’re tired of working from 9-5. But it’s your job to be nice to people. You need people skills! You’re not being paid to sit pretty and attract flies into your office. So when I need a little assistance, don’t speak to me like I don’t understand English. I do! I’m criticizing you in English aren’t I? It’s downright disrespectful that you choose to speak to Asians in such a condescending tone. At least you could be a little more patient. Didn’t you learn that at Receptionist School? Oh, I forgot. You didn’t even get out of high school. My bad.

The Demanding Fake-Parking Attendant
These guys prowl the streets at night when the municipal council officers are off duty. They look for spots near eateries and demand for as much as $2 for parking around “their turf” when they don’t even own it. And when you refuse to pay them, you return to find your car with some extra decorations along the sides…..coin scratches. So you derive your authority from your threats of vandalizing my vehicle. What a thug. You’re fortunate enough that I don’t report you to the authorities because you’re not even worth my time.

Conclusion:
So what do we do with people like these? I really hope that there’s a special place in the afterlife for them. Yes, I sympathize with them that they weren’t given the same opportunities that I have. But really, when you’ve come from a humble past and you haven’t exactly “made it” yet, it really helps if you’re humble too. Wouldn’t it make this world such a better place?

...Penang Free School?

A School of Scholars, Sportsmen and Gentlemen.....

What has become of my alma mater?

Every year I return for the summer and I get more and more saddening news about Penang Free School, the oldest school in Malaysia. What once was a glorious empire of academic and extra-curricular supremacy has now been reduced to an institution riddled with instability and declining prestige.

I remember the times when I used to be so proud of being a student of the great PFS. But now with all the changes that the school has undergone since I left, there’s really no pride left in that claim. All I have left is the privilege of being part of the school just at the brink of the end of its heyday. PFS is a premier school no more.

Amongst the issues that are related to the school’s decline:

1)Rapid turnover rate for Headmasters:
The biggest mistake made by the State Government was to introduce headmasters that weren’t Old Frees. The new batch of headmasters were basically semi-retired old farts who had no dedication or emotional attachment to the school whatsoever. To make matters worse, the state department changed our headmasters almost every three to four years. So even before any form of attachment could form, they would be transferred.

2)OFA Pulls Funding:
The sorry state of the school and the new administrations unwillingness to cooperate has caused the Old Frees Association to withdraw its financial support for PFS. Imagine that. And Old Boy’s Assoc withdrawing support for the very institution that its existence is based on. This should paint a picture of how adverse the situation has become.

3)Billboards Aplenty:
I was absolutely appalled when I passed by my beloved school only to have my view of the Grand Lady totally obscured by an advertisement for Penang White Coffee. Four or five others line the school fence making the school look more like a cash cow than an educational institution. It was obvious the school was in dire need for funding, especially since OFA had pulled out. But I blame it on poor administration. Pure stupidity I tell you.

4)Decline in Academia:
With many of the older generation of teachers leaving and rather pale in contrast replacements coming in (see previous article), the state of the schools academic performance is taking a nosedive. No longer are we hailed in the newspapers for topping the list of top scorers, nor are we winning any more science or math Olympiads. Our trophy cabinets aren’t being replenished, our list of accolades stagnant.

5)Imbalance in Racial Quota
This may be a rather sensitive issue, but I hope you read it with an open mind. The racial quota for the incoming students of PFS has been severely altered in the past three years. I’ve heard that as little as 20% of the incoming student population are non-Malays. I’ve been told by a friend that there are only 5 non-Malay students in his Form 1 classroom. It’s obvious that the school has lost is rich sense of diversity which made it a breeding ground for unity amongst races. The heavily imbalanced racial quota just dumps our students of today back in the dark ages and further fuels our righteous anger towards the government’s show of favoritism towards the bumiputras.

6)Ridiculously High Security
The last time I went back to visit, the school looked like a maximum security prison. During school hours, all the gates were locked up. There are high fences and a guardhouse at the main gate. The only way to go in and out was through the Main Gate under the watchful eye of the guard. Now, even if you are an Old Free, you have to sign in and leave your IC at the guardhouse before entering the school. Some display of hospitality for someone who’s spent 5 years of his life there. The public cant even use the school field for recreational activities anymore.

There may be more issues at hand, but I cant think of them off the top of my head. But it’s clear that the school is in jeopardy. I don’t see the school returning to its former glory anytime soon. It just reminds me of how something beautiful and great, when placed in the wrong hands, can turn into an absolute abomination.

Fortis Atque Fidelis