Kira-Nemesis of the Stars!

Just before the dawn of the Chinese New Year of the Water rat, Kira strikes! An initial slew of video pictures of famous actresses in compromising positions with Edison Chen surfaced on the Internet. Emperor Entertainment Group immediately announced that they were fakes!

Then Kira did one better. He released more racy pictures and this time there were less doubts all round that the picture could be genuine. The police sprung into action. More than 8 people were arrested for possession of the racy pictures.

To taunt police action, Kira released some 465 pictures; mostly on Gillian (See picture above) and Cecilia. The ones on Joey Yung and Jolin Tsai proved to be fakes! Vincy Yeung's bathing pictures were validated, though.

Netizens readied to pounce on the video of the Edison-Gillian love act but to date, it has not been forthcoming. Kira, however, decided he may for the moment, release more pictures instead.

It all started when Edison foolishly sent his laptop containing those torrid pictures for repairs. The technician initially downloaded the pictures for his own personal use. While at a house function, he showed his friends the pictures and they encouraged him to post it on the internet. With that, careers went careening off the cliff in Hong-Kong and the whole Chinese movie world.

We may likely see the last of Gillian and Cecilia in Hong-Kong movies. But Paris Hilton, Pamela Anderson and Vanessa Anne Hudgens has shown the world that there is life after internet exposure. Gillian and Cecilia should head for the west. No publicity is needed any more as they are now global icons!

Heartsong

A Subtle Confession!

Gillian Chung made her subtle confession today at a special Chinese New Year press conference in Hong-Kong. Without touching on the racy pictures, she said she was naive then and she is now much more mellow.

Gillian is a beautiful face, a star suddenly being eclipsed by events beyond her control. The skeletons in a laptop fell out and buried her future forever. She is at once more famous than she ever bargained for.

And so we bade farewell to this fair, dainty lady and wish her well.

Heartsong

Familiarity,Latent Feelings and Attachment!

The pictures of the beautiful actresses and singers in the buff coming onto the newspapers in Hong-Kong, whether real or doctored, has touched the nerves of many. Were they pixelated to be real-like? Anything is possible in this internet age of IT software.

For stars like the Twins (Gillian Chung and Cecilia) and other hot singers like Joey Yung, this could be really a shameful exposure of their private affairs if the public should believe those pictures. Movie offers will just disappear and you would just have to disappear from the public eye.

A sad affair indeed, even if it is not true.

Familiarity, latent feelings and temporary attachments while acting on a show can bring about lust and then there is no stopping. ..The feelings get the better of you!

It is make-believe becoming real...........

Heartsong

Fear, Greed and Investing

And that is life. You put your money into stocks and mutual funds when you hear your friends and colleagues making it. Was it the fear that you would be left out if you do not get into the game? Was it greed to make as much as possible which spurs you to put money on a particular stock on in mutual funds?

Lately investment banks were making bundles by launching mutual funds with access to foreign markets particularly China. Many ignoramuses have been running to take out their fixed deposits to play this so-called ''cannot lose'' game. To them the China game is a winner. Get in and once you get your expected returns, sell out. As easy as taking candy from a baby!

However, those who made money in the stocks and the mutual funds came in early, sometime in 2006 before the sub-prime melt-down started in July 2007. They have got their money and have run. New lambs are now drawn in. Will they make it or will they be led to the slaughterhouse?

The feng-shui masters believe that the rat, the monkey and the dragons will make it big this year. Others should remain neutral to new investments this year to avoid losses.

Heartsong

The Edison Exposure

Are those torrid pictures on the web fakes ?

If so, then, it is a relief. If not, then many careers in Hong-kong and Taiwan are going down the tube.

But then, that is life, as these stars fell, many new starlets will naturally take their place and the circle of stardom will come again.

It may be a long climb for these newbies but this they must take while the window of opportunity presents itself.

Heartsong

Meeting Jo Yi

We had a Chinese New Meet at my sister's place in OUG. I brought along my sister, Shaline, my son and daughter. Mum could not come;possibly because of arthritic pains. Jimmy and family came by. Alan came with his family too. Met his daughter, Jo Yi - my grand niece for the first time;cherubic and with such beautiful eyes! Gave her an ang-pow!

Lunch - smaller affair of big fat noodles,chicken drumsticks,curry, french beans and soup. This was followed by the usual chatting. Had a talk with brother Jimmy and we talked about the usual things-family affairs. He told me Alan will be promoted soon but his other two sons are at cross-roads in their career paths.

We left my sister's place for home at 2.30 pm.

Good to meet the clan once a year!

Heartsong

Charlie's Private War?

This is another spoof on the American Congress and how they inadvertently financed the CIA war effort by supporting the Mujahideen to oust the Russians from Afghanistan which also finally caused the fall of the Berlin Wall.

A much older, duller Tom Hanks, as if is on a regime of Botox injections, meanders zombie-like throughout the movie listlessly and no-longer-sexy Julia Roberts is no help either to the film with her coy grin and dog squad!

The story may be true on how Congress was hoodwinked by procedural inadequacies to purchase RPGs and other heavy duty ground to air missiles. But who is to tell?

A light-hearted movie, it is only good for those who wants a reprieve away from a busy day. Otherwise, stay at home and have a good sleep.

Heartsong

The Hunting Party

Another movie, poking fun at the CIA using journalists as the players.

A loose yarn spun around three silly journalists as they traveled the back roads of Bosnia in search of the Fox,the man who single-handedly ethnically-cleansed the Muslims from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The protagonists, a down-and-out journalist, Simon Hunt played by Richard Gere and Duck, his former photographer side-kick (Terence Howard) together with a young novice found themselves in various odd situations as they con themselves in pursuit of the Fox. A lot of hits and misses!

Nothing great about this movie. Only one redeeming thing-you can see beautiful Bosnia after the civil war as it is today.

Altogether a dull movie with a feeble plot!

Heartsong

Elizabeth-The Reluctant Virgin Queen

It is the 16th Century.

With Mary, Queen of Scots and her Catholic loyalists plotting to overthrow her and King Philip II waiting for an excuse to invade England with the Armada, the Protestant Queen Elizabeth was indeed vulnerable. Then there are the gender issues. She has also been mocked as a virgin and a queer! The only person she could trust was Francis Walsingham, equivalent to the current day CIA operative.

The grand scenes of the movies included the failed assassination scene in church, the beheading of Mary, the Catholic Queen of Scots, the rallying of the ground forces and the burning of the Spanish Armada.

Watchable fare especially from Cate Blanchett, Samantha Morton and Clive Owens.

Heartsong

The Silly Legend of the Notorious Jesse James

This movie departs from the so-called celebrant and legendary treatment given to cowboy crooks of yesteryears; the likes of Billy the Kid and Jesse James. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward, Robert Ford documents the cold, harsh realities of cowboy bandit life much the same way Clint Eastwood perceived cowboy life in The Unforgiven.

This dog-bite-dog; shoot-in-the back style of the anti-heroes is real. No drama, here. The west was full of cowards those days! In this movie, you can see how Jesse James, in his maniacal fit and fear, intends to annihilate all the members of his gang, one after another, just on plain suspicion and loose talk.

I felt the movie was absolutely verbose and drags. A wee-bit too long. It should have stopped when Jesse was killed. But no! It had to go on further until another silly killing - that of Robert Ford which is the biggest bungle in this silly freeze-dried movie.

Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck in the titular leads, are dull at best. See how they gloat! Cheeky too! Then, there are just too many supporting cast of the gang, to make the movie lose its focus.

This is not a really good movie to recommend unless you want to know the minute details leading to the demise of Jesse. Jesse was just one hard-core opportunist of a bandit and he was shot like a dog.No assassination,here.

Heartsong

Rendition-Another CIA Farce

Another movie as sombre as Syriana and Babel.

Rendition is an euphemism for obtaining information via torture using CIA stations overseas.

The plot is nothing to shout about. Very run of the mill. We have the usual jahidis blowing themselves up and CIA operatives getting killed! Then there is the usual graphic brutal torture scenes showing the rendition process on Muslim suspects.

Reese Witherspoon's, Meryl Streep's and Jake Gyllenhaal's roles in the movie are however, muted and dull.

No great movie,this. Watch it if you got time and money to spare.

Heartsong

Bitterness, Hopelessness and Acceptance

“Away from Her” is based on Alice Munro’s short story “The Bear Came Over theMountain”. It is a love story about a loving couple whose lives were suddenly shattered when Fiona contracts the wretched Alzheimer’s disease.

The pains, trials and tribulations of Gordon Pinsent's Grant Anderson, the husband, was felt in most parts of the film especially his pent-up bitterness at his estranged wife’s relationship with another patient at a care facility and his helplessness to do anything about it.

The film closes when Julie Christie’s Fiona Anderson starts to recall old memories and Grant finds hope and happiness once more.

An exceptionally beautiful movie accompanied by a deeply haunting music and the vast, beautiful, snowy scenery of the Canadian landscape.

Good movie.

Heartsong

One Whirlwind Romance

Chai Looi's second daughter, a marketing executive, will marry Alex, a Pastor on March 2nd.

Just perused their web-page. The web is certainly an interesting way to promote their forthcoming wedding by informing the readers about their romance, the "shell-shocked" wedding proposal and the wondrous journey that they are taking to the blessed altar.

I have informed them that we will be attending their wedding dinner at the Prince Hotel in KL.

Will see them on 2nd March 2008.

Heartsong

Chinese New Year Day 2008

A late night after the eve midnight whisky and walk. So got up,sleepy-headed at almost 10 am. Spent a quiet day at home. The family spent their time glued to the TV set!

Went to the the nearby 7-11 and Shell Station to get a newspaper but managed to get the last copy of the Malay Mail-more a toilet paper but has to do this day! The STAR and NST was completely sold out.

Answered SMS greetings and emails. Phoned Daddy to wished him Happy and Blessed CNY and informed him that I will not be home this year for the celebration but elder brother, Jimmy, youngest sister Iriene and brother Edwin will by home to represent the siblings on the second day.


Also phoned Jimmy, Iriene, Elder Sister and Edwin to wish them the very best of the new year of the rat!

Stayed home and watched some videos to while away the time. Saw Atonement, Rendition, The Hunting Party, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward, Robert Ford. Atonement was a wonderful movie, gripping and suspenseful!

Heartsong

Ushering in the year of the Rat

The spread was enormous by any standards. My sister-in-law has prepared a meal fit for a king! It was steam-boat at its max!

I was introduced to her uncle and aunt. The uncle and aunt were both university lecturers who are fully retired. The uncle was a socio-anthropology lecturer at UKM while his wife was a Chinese language lecturer at Universiti Malaya. We made small conversation and they left early since they are Dubai-bound the next day to visit their daughter, married to a Malay working with Standard-Chartered in Dubai.

After they huge dinner, we walked around Setia-EcoPark as fire-crackers and fireworks loudly rang in the new year of the water rat.

We then dropped by for a midnight drink at Valarie's place for a whisky and some bak kua. After a bout of friendly banter, we left for home.

Reflecting on it, it sure was a special way to bring in the auspicious day!

Heartsong

Pre Chinese New Year Clean-up!

The usual ritual. The usual routine.

All Chinese homes but be spick and span to welcome the new year. Then, we must not forget the cheeky Kitchen God who comes around to do the reporting. So keep his mouth buttoned up by serving him the sticky brown neekueh!

So the day included window cleaning, vacuuming and sweeping and finally mopping the floor.

We had a sumptious Chinese New Year lunch of curry chicken, juhu char and lobak.

By 3.00 every one was dog-tired.

Heartsong

Reminiscing 6th February 2008

The sky was still dark this morning as I made my way myself to the office. The street lights has just been switched off by the highway operator and I can see stars twinkling up high. Cold morning, this!

We will be celebrating Chinese New Year eve dinner with the Yews at Setia-Echo Park in Shah Alam. My family be leaving first and I will follow later after work.

I clocked out at 4.30 pm and headed home under cloudy skies. I was surprised to find my family members were still at home!

This is one rare occasion where I will celebrate an eve dinner at someone's house though we had new year's eve dinner with the Yews last year at a restaurant. Too much hassle-so the Yews choose the comfort of their new home this year to have a dinner organised for themselves and nearby relatives.

Hope it will be fun!

Heartsong

Significant and Auspicious Day!

Today is the eve of the Chinese New Year.

In many respect, it is one great red letter day. Firstly, it is the missus' birthday. Turned 50. Secondly, a good friend retires today. Not officially but he goes on leave prior to retirement. Well, a good rest awaits him before he decides on a new page to write upon.

As the Dow plunges, we do not know how Bursa will fare. Likely to go south now that European markets followed the Dow closely. Asian markets will turn red just like the colour of prosperity that ushers in the New Year of the Rat!

So let me wish Happy Birthday to the missus; Happy retirement to my buddy and to one and all, a happy and blessed Chinese New Year 2008!

Heartsong

Monsters!

I am sure we have our share of monsters. These are monsters not from the movies like Gollum above nor those things that goes spooking children in the night. No Halloween's Jack O'Lantern too!

I am talking about real people monsters. People who behave like monsters. These people cannot be good. They are the embodiment of what that is not desirable in a human. They exhibit extreme behaviours and continue to do bad until they meet the Creator.

Unfortunately, I had my share of them. The first one was a lady boss. She spill venom wherever she went. I was told recently she finally met the Creator! The verdict-let us wait for Judgment Day.

The other guy is one nasty racist that is supposed to be intellectually progressive but exhibit vicious tendencies as a full-blown bigot! Another evil doer. Lacks spiritual and cultural values. To me, he has no redeeming quality I can speak of. I leave him to the Lord as well.

The third chap is a fat slob of an ex-Minister who thinks that only he should inherit the world. For him, everything is Me First! When he fell from political grace, I overhead an office boy in a lift called him a taukeh babi! I will leave him alone.

I am sure you have your share of such monsters when you reflect back. Some who may have negatively impacted upon your career and life. But let it be! They will get their due desserts in time!

Heartsong

Handling Disappointments!

Sometimes when you think you have got it nailed down pat, it isn't so.

So, when our assignments comes back totally rejected-tak boleh pakai langsung, we experienced that sinking feeling. We feel worthless! We feel we have let the other party down;that we have done wrong to the other party.

But is that so?

Believe me-it is our reaction-an immediate one in most cases. No doubt, it will bruise our ego. We may feel that we are on the verge of receiving something unsavoury. But it may not be the same for all cases. In most cases, communication problems can cause things to go awry.

For many,it may be ominous too! Maybe things are not meant to be between the parties. That we have to see! We will bring it up to the Lord in prayer and do some sensing!

We should hope for the best but prepare for the worse!

Heartsong

The Kumar Cuci Kereta Boys!

So I took my car for a wash today at the Seapark Shopping Complex.

As usual, Murphy came in to play with me. Before my car could be washed, there was this Honda Stream and its fussy old man of a owner. He kept on insisting that the poor Indian boy wash the roof of his car over and over again. That went on and on until he was satisfied and then he shut his gab! By then it was almost 30 minutes.

The cuci kereta boys seems to come from one family that lived originally at the squatter settlements in Paramount Gardens which has now been torn down. They are now housed in the Paramount Garden low-cost flats. I called them the Kumar boys because one of the boys is called Kumar. I believe all of them have left school at the primary school level.

There is little professionalism in the way they do their work. They cannot communicate well and oftentimes get the customers' instructions mixed up. Is it a wash, a wash and a vacuum or only a vacuum? Then they forget the wash the rubber mats and also to vacuum the boot!

To make matters worse, they charged you a hefty RM10.00 for a car wash and vacuum and still ask for an angpow!

Heartsong

Dinner with Helen

Helen came back to Malaysia from Toronto for a visit. Manlin suggested we organise a dinner while she is here. So we had our dinner yesterday night at the Golden Dragon City Seafood Restaurant in Paramount Garden,PJ. KM Tan kindly consented to sponsor the dinner and so we had a gala of a time having a pre-Chinese New Year makan.

As usual, we had the yeesang and everyone lohei as high as possible to bring in prosperity! Next came to traditional shark fin soup with crab meat. Quite nice, after not having it for sometime! Suckling pig was served and everyone had their bite of the nice skin and tender meat! The pomfret in soy sauce,though small was good. Oysters,abalone and Chinese mushrooms was okay though the abalone seems to have lost its sweet fragrant and taste. Deep fried butter prawns was pretty tasty. I had one. This was followed by seasoned meat (liver sausage,meat sausage and dried duck) glutinous rice. Good one! We ended with pan-fried cakes and round dumpling balls!

The bill came to RM600+ and we thanked KM Tan for sponsoring it. We also wished him belated happy birthday as his birthday was 2 February.

Helen hope that we all keep in mind that Esther, Manlin and herself will be coming back in December 2008 and we should all get together for one gala occasion then ! The response was unanimous!

Heartsong

Farewell to Tua Pek

Went to to pay my respects at the wake of Tua Pek, Toh Kok Liong yesterday night at the Guan Ying Funeral Parlour. He passed on at about midnight on Friday 1 February. Said my condolences to Lily and met up with Kok Boon and Kheng Leng.

Apparently he died of system failure as his organs shut down starting from prostrate problems. They rushed him to the University Hospital but he was already dead on arrival. Thank God, the children, Lily and Eugene, are big and able to handle themselves. Must be terribly sad for them to lose their mother, Pok Kim from breast cancer and then now, their father. May their souls rest in peace!

Came home in the rain and scrapped the car undercarriage on a road divider. Sheesh!

Heartsong

Chinese New Year Shopping

As Giant in Kelana Mall extended shopping hours to 12.00 midnight, the wife and I went out to do some last minute shopping. Top on our list was our son's request that we buy him JollyShandy which was on offer at an incredibly low RM18.88 for 24 cans.

As usual, we bought other items as well. Giant was jam-packed at this hour of the night and there was difficulty to find parking space.

Ended up spending RM125.00.

The credit card expenditure is going to be real serious for the month of February,I am sure.

Anyway, we have bought what is required and are now ready to welcome in the year of the water rat!

Heartsong

A Second Opinion at Gleneagles

Just spoke to my sister. She felt some sensation again around the upper thoracic and took the advice of her family doctor to see a heart specialist on 29 January 2008. At Gleneagles, they conducted two procedures to ascertain her health in two areas-the cardiac and the gastro.

Thank God, both procedures confirmed that the heart and the gastro tract are in good shape and she can stop all those unnecessary medication.

She stayed a night for rest and told me she was satisfied by the treatment at Gleneagles.

So it's one up for Gleneagles!

Heartsong

Developing a Teaching English Curiculum

The very thought of developing a teaching curricula brings out unknown latent fears. A gigantic task too many will shun; a challenge few will take on;especially the uninitiated! When this task was first brought to me by Bob, I shuddered.

Onerous as it may seems, after scanning the University of Cambridge website,my fears slowly dissipated. There are 5 levels from KET to CPE and all I needed to do was to look at them and evaluate the contents taught at each level for its relevancy to my remit.

Once, it can be decided what should be taught at the various levels that we would be developing; then the evaluation tests can be developed as well as the lesson plans.

It is not as easy as it seems and it will take some planning time and putting on thinking caps to handle the task satisfactorily.

As they say, "How do you eat an elephant?" The short answer: Piece by piece!

Heartsong

As I was Passing......

My Sundays always start with a walk to the morning open air market in SS2. So yesterday, I was there too. Nearing the park, my wife and I heard a blaring horn signaling some community activities going on. A PJ Lions run was on and so was a bone density testing. I registered myself for the latter. The wife got a clean bill of health. The machine reader saw the reading ''2.2" and retorted,"Good bones". Then, it was my turn. She looked at the reading and handed me the result slip without a word. As it turned out, I was in the first portion (-2.7) of the red zone of potential osteoporosis victims. The man,selling alternative medicine told me, better take his calcium milk tablets called Moo, 5 per day and lots of exercises if I want to get better bones! Told me it was RM85 per bottle.

A walk through the market and I overhead this conversation. The yau char kueh lady, frying her stuff in a big wok was talking to a Malay lady in a tudung.

"Semua barang naik. Saya paksa buat juga. Sekarang banyak susah mahu hidup. Oleh sebab itu, kerap kali dengar kes curi samun!" The Malay lady nodded in agreement as the country was experiencing a massive almost no-one-is-spared all-round runaway inflation. There is just no brakes to this one,my friend! Everything seems to be up 20% overnight and it is definitely not because of profiteering during this Chinese New Year holidays.

Everyone, except the rich and the politicians in government are quietly suffering. The worse are the pensioners followed by the salaried workers. Students in KL/PJ are also getting the brunt of this inflation. Woe betide us if the government should remove petrol subsidies this year after the possible elections!

Heartsong

Put on a Stipend

A friend of mine, recently retired wanted to rest for a while but then he was offered a monthly stipend beginning today to draw up a course proposal for a language teaching framework. So, he has to put on his thinking cap once more to do battle with concepts and proposal writing.

He talked to me about this project and the other offers that he has been sounded. The first one was to be an administrator in a trust company. He believes the company wanted him to capitalise upon his network which they thought was a mother lode. The second offer was to run a Training for Trainers Course for a recruitment and student placement agency. Both the latter offers did not sound solid and may take time to gel.

So he took on this job which they will be paying him a stipend until the real job comes along sometime in August.

Well, at least that will keep him gainfully occupied.

Heartsong

Doing the LCCI Book Keeping Course

Took my daughter to a local institute nearby for her to enroll in a book-keeping class. Paid some RM380 for fees and registration. Hopefully by getting involved in this course, my daughter's long waiting time for the SPM results is put to good use. Never know she may find her El Dorado in Accountancy.

Interestingly she met her tuition mate pursuing the same course at that institute.

If she should find her calling in Accountancy, there is always the CAT route or we may just allow her to take an Accountancy course at Sunway.

Heartsong

An Old Face from Years Gone by............

I was shopping at the pasar malam in Section 17 this evening for fruits and vegetables when I chanced upon a vaguely familiar face of days gone by. For a moment our eyes locked and then I turned away.

There was no great benefit in feigning friendship again because there never was one with people such as these from the very start. They were the high and mighty of yesteryear dictating their narrow personal values on others. Promotion came easy to these bigots as Peter would have it, he was promoted duly to the level of his utmost inefficiency.

This time he was sitting on a sensitive post. It did not last long. His own people saw through him and got rid of him pronto. I guessed from his looks and attire, he is a pensioner and just like me,with the grace of God, eking and scratching out a normal layman living with each waking day.

Heartsong

A Discharge from the National Service

We braved the torrential rain from Kajang to Beranang in our 15-year old Proton Satria to bring our daughter back from Kem Khidmat Negara Millenium yesterday evening. Apparently the managers of the national service got cold sweet and cold feet over health issues and decided that those having asthma or even childhood asthma should be discharged soonest.

My daughter had this condition and so along with 20 other participants they were sent home pronto. So she bade farewell to her new found friends, took a couple of photos and we went on our way.

I need to contact the national service hq to have an exemption given so that my daughter will no longer be called again for such programmes in the future.

Looks like there is more thinking to be done by the planners of the national service programme to prevent such hiccups in future.

Heartsong

Every one needs a break!

Life is rather strange. Just when you think things are within grasp, it flits away and when things that cannot happen,happens-you wonder why and such things continue to have its reverberations long after the initial benefactor has had his just dues.

Case in point. A certain dean of a faculty suddenly became the fancy of a premier of a country. He was made a minister after being sworn in as a senator. When the time came for the appointment of his former alma mater's new VC, he chose his favourite student. The premier and the minister are no longer in office but the VC remains so to this day. Imagine how the wheels of fortune turns and how heaven favours some people. Bully to them!

So these days, I am no longer that adamant or skeptical about worldly impossibilities. Anything can happen and does happen!

Heartsong

The Denial Syndrome

What a wonderful photo to illustrate the phenomenon called the Denial Syndrome.

Believe me, that has always been a problem with Malaysian society. When there is a problem, they will deny it at the first instance except for that brave man, Chua Soi Lek! Politicians, community leaders and those in positions of authority all suffer from this syndrome.

When can Malaysia mature into a truly civil society that our descendants can really be proud of? Another generation?

Heartsong

The Star-Spangled Banner

Interestingly,watching many American movies, we tend to see the patriotism and compassion in the eyes and demeanor of the American audience as they responded in homage and respect to their national anthem.

I sometimes wonder what is so special about the Star-Spangled Banner compared to our Negara Ku.

Let us look at the lyrics and perhaps you may see some difference.

Oh, say! can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming;
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there:
Oh, say! does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In fully glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution!
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Oh, thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust":
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Heartsong

Start the Sacrifice!

Well, it's 11 days into the new year and consumers are bracing for more price increases! This imbroglio has been brought about by the relentless across the board world price increase of commodities. The culprit is the phenomenal crude oil price rise throughout 2007. Meanwhile a drought in Australia has brought up the prices of dairy products due chiefly to the imports of animal feed.

On the home front, it is indeed frightening!

Yesterday, we went to patronise our favourite curry mee in Restoran OK in SS2. Lo and behold! The price of a small bowl of the delicacy has shot up by 30 sen. It is now RM3.80 for a bowl! Looks like it is beyond our financial capacity to continue to patronise this stall for a long, long while.

Meanwhile the stall will continue to prosper at the new price because people will somehow get used to it and pay through their noses!

Expect more dizzying price increases after the elections are over!

Heartsong

First Visit to Kem Millenium, Beranang

We hopped into our car at 11 am on 6 th January and rolled down the KESAS Highway towards Cheras and then onto the SILK Highway towards Semenyih. Believe me, it was tolls galore in all directions,no thanks to Samy Vellu. Ridiculous number of Touch and Go tapping before we finally arrived in Beranang. As usual, signage are bad and we did not make to camp on the first try.

After 1 hour and 22 minutes we arrived in the Visitors' carpark and made our way into the camp. I surrendered my IC and there was a bag check of things we brought. We finally got to meet our daughter all togged up in National Service attire, with a beret atop her head. My son remarked reactively that his sister has shrunk! "Not so," I replied as the attire she had on somehow has a "big"look about it.

Mother and daughter hugged and there were tears of happiness shed. After dispensing with the greetings, we got down to business. My wife told my daughter what were the things that we have brought her. Stories were exchanged.We then wandered around the dining hall, watching other parents and their children. It rained.

We then left at 3.30 pm. We reached PJ safely at 6.00 pm and went straight away for dinner. Then I received an SMS from my daughter informing me that I have left my IC at Kem Millenium. The authorities have given it to her for safe-keeping.

The next hour was spent at the SEAPARK Police Station in making a covering report of what transpired regarding my IC.

What a day!

Heartsong

A New Year's Wedding

On the first day of 2008, we went to a Malay wedding lunch. My good friend, Mutalib's daughter got married to a Peruvian man. Mutalib looked good. His daughter is a doctor by training. Food was good. The mutton spare-ribs tasted wonderful. My wife said this was the best Malay wedding luncheon fare thus far.

Met Siok Eng, Dr. Thiru and Sharifah Khamseah. As usual we exchanged stories and relived the bygone times.

We agreed to meet again soon. Wonder if this will really take place especially if no one will volunteer to organise it.

Heartsong

The Fall of Chua Soi Lek!

Never will he forget his 2008 New Year present!

What you do in the past may come back to haunt you and it did so for this man. A DVD video filmed without his knowledge of his tryst in a Batu Pahat hotel room started circulating in the dying days of 2007. No doubt it was not graphically clear who the lovers were, this man bravely came forward to declare and admit he was the one! So like a boulder, this Minister of the Malaysian cabinet dropped.

The future is bleak for him, a psychologist by training. He did have a great political career spanning many decades. And he was one great Minister of Health. All the three MCA ministers rolled into one cannot even hold a candle to him!

That is the price we all pay for the mistakes we make! The higher you are, the harder you fall! Dr. Chua's notoriety is forever etched in the minds of all Malaysians who have watched the dastardly video! What a way to make an exit!

And so we bade farewell to one extra efficient minister.

Adios muchachos!

Heartsong

Dinner at Dato's Place

And so we got together to have dinner at Dato's place. Bernard picked me up at 7.30pm and we were on our way. After some periperi chicken, pita bread, Kentucky Fried chicken and hot buns, we had some red wine.

Since, it has been a rather long time since we last met, there were plenty of stories to trade. The Tohs came in followed by our Moses Lee and finally our Hongkong Shanghai Bank Yeoh.

We had pretzels, kacangs, dried sotong and an assortment of fruits to go along with the wine. Good time but even good things have to end as some had to go to work the next day.

So we decided to meet for dinner after the forthcoming 15-day Chinese New Year celebration.

Heartsong

Happy New Year 2008

2007 left and now we are in 2008.

As the seconds ticked away, we bade farewell to 2007 yesterday night. My friend M came by. We did the countdown and opened a bottle of red wine to celebrate the coming of the new year. A red wine from the vineyards of New Zealand circa 1999. Not bad - a full bodied wine with a slightly refreshing aroma and taste.

After a few glasses; with ground-nuts, we said our good-nights and went straight for our pillows.

May God bless us all in 2008

Heartsong