Suckers Incorporated

Life sure is strange.

Last few days, I have been running in or getting calls from people I have helped before.

Some rang up just to catch up on old times while others still think that I still have the golden touch to turn straw into gold.

The phone-call I have today takes the cake!

An acquaintance whom I have not seen for some 15 years called up unexpectedly after lunch and wanted to borrow RM5,000. She was incoherent-something about needing RM5,000 to clear cargo at the port and she will pay me three times the amount. I really do not have this kind of money and so I suggested that she get it from the credit card. To this, she said she had maxed out.

Something is not right. Is she a victim of loan sharks or just trying to sucker up on me? I will never know. Reminds me of the Sopranos and how they manhandled those who borrowed from them.

One thing I am sure, if I do loan her the money, I will most possibly be seeing her 30 years down the road.

So I will say my amens to that and hope things of this nature will not pass my way again.

Heartsong

Jaya Grocer-A Responsible Supermarket!

I went shopping at the newly opened Jaya Grocer, PJ33 yesterday afternoon at 4 pm. There was a purchase with purchase offer of 20 eggs (10 sen per egg) per customer for any receipt above 30 ringgits. So after shopping around, we bought RM34 of goods and selected 20 eggs.

At the check-in counter, we were informed that each customer was only entitled to 10 eggs and not 20 eggs as advertised. I was taken aback and felt cheated. It was misrepresentation! I told the store supervisor and she said even though it was advertised as so, they cannot give me the deal!

I paid and went to the suggestion box and wrote a complaint. In my mind, if there is no response in the next few days, I will e-mail a complaint to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs.

They were prompt. By 8.10 pm, a Mr. Ang, the Store Manager called me on my mobile and apologised. He said I was certainly entitled to the 20 eggs as advertised. There was some miscommunication. He suggested I come by the store and he will offer 30 eggs to me at the offer price of 10 sen each. I was happy.

This afternoon, before lunch, I met Mr Ang and got my eggs.

A splendid end to an otherwise unhappy episode. Jaya Grocer-a good and responsible supermarket. I will be there to do more business with it!

Heartsong

Roots Revisited

Spend most of my time watching DVDs the last couple of weeks.

I managed to revisit Roots and Roots-The Next Generation.

In spite of more than 26 years old, Roots continue to thrill.

We are transported back to the times of Kunta Kinte as he is shipped by slavers from the Gambia to Annapolis and sold as a slave. We saw the ordeal of Kizzy and the adventures of Chicken George. Then we experienced the horror KKK days with Tom and Irene, racial discrimination and entrepreneurship with the Palmers, Bertha and Alexander Haley and finally Alex Haley.

Good series. Thoroughly enjoyable!

Heartsong

Free as a Bird!

The final paper for my daughter (Chinese) ended at 4.15 pm today.

Two years of toil ended.

My daughter did a leap of joy in the house to symbolise liberation!

Good for her.

Heartsong

Jumping With Joy!

Today is the last day of the SPM exams for my daughter. She has just completed the first two parts of the final paper in Chinese. The final part is in the afternoon beginning at 2 pm.

After that, it is a forever adios to the SPM, a milestone in any student's journal.

Heartsong

Raymond Full-Moon Dinner for His Daughter

Went to Raymond's do to commemorate his daughter's one month of birth yesterday night in USJ Section 18.

Met a few new guys including a church leader, Mr Lum.

Had a good time talking to Lai Yuen's brother, Ong Kim Eng who talked plenty on Proton, politics, the economy, house prices and inflation.

Food was so-so but the lamb was super A1-melts in your mouth.

Heartsong

THE SOPRANOS

I just went through six seasons of THE SOPRANOS.

A good series reminiscent of the Godfather Trilogy, The Sopranos has its usual share of blood and gore. Spun around a fictitious New Jersey Mafioso family, the comings and goings has its suspenseful moments, angst and senseless killings; with beautiful music thrown in at the end of every episode.

Tony Soprano is the main character. It is a well-developed character and the series shows his intra family relationships with Carmela, his wife, Meadows his daughter and son Anthony Jr. Externally he had relationships with his goon squad as well as with the five mafioso family controlling the greater New York area.

Part of the story is also seen through the private thoughts of Tony as he discusses his fears, the events that took place and his concerns with his psychologist, Dr. Jennifer Melfi.

Good engrossing series. The ending is intriguing. The screen goes blank;there is no music playback as the credit rolls. Does it signify the death of Tony? Some agreed that Tony died while others are of the view that it was intentionally done to allow an option for a screen version of the Sopranos, if there is a need for it in the future.

If you have the time, it is good to watch THE SOPRANOS to see the American psyche through the eyes and minds of the Mafioso. A good series - worth the watching!

Heartsong