braingoboom

Thanks
I give thanks
Not only for
What I have
But also for
What I will
Soon come
To find.

I give thanks
For trials
And tribulations
That have to
Be overcome.

I give thanks
For the test
That must
Be passed.

I give thanks
For happiness
And pain.
No matter the
Emotion - I
Give thanks
Just the same.

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Tuesday, August 04, 2009

i decided that i would compile a list of all the books that i've read since i entered the army and put it up on the blog just so i can see how many books one person can go through in two years. i've been making more frequent trips to the library nowadays. apparently it's improved alot since the last time i went there, which was a really really long time ago. i actually avoided going to the library for i think at least 6 years because i owed them $8 in fines and i didn't want to part with the money. furthermore, there was always the school libraries to go to. (the RJ collection is certainly impressive). also, i had scant interest in reading during my school years, i realised. after reading and reading so many notes, i just didn't feel like digging my nose into anymore books. TV was a much more relaxing alternative...

however, going to the army, i found myself with more time to read, and also because alternative entertainment options were few and far between. hence, my interest in books has been rekindled. i've decided to devote a larger part of my reading to political science/current affairs books, so as to prepare myself for what i envision will be alot of hardcore reading and poring over of notes and books when i eventually enter university. i don't have alot of reading stamina, so what better time to train than when i'm in the army?

i recently finished a book entitled The New Asian Hemisphere - The Irresistible Shift of Global Power to the East by a certain Singaporean author whom i really admire, Kishore Mahbhubani, a former diplomat (Singaporean ambassador to the UN) turned head of the Lee Kwan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS. i was first accquainted with him when i picked up a copy of Can Asians Think, another famous book by him, from the RJ library in J2. it made for very interesting reading. anyway, reading The New Asian Hemisphere, it made me rather bullish about being Asian and where Asia was headed in the next few decades. it first struck me as having a very anti-western tone, and i think maybe this book might not go down well with Western readers. but i guess he did do alot to change my perspective of China, portraying it as a cautious emerging power rather than a ravenous giant bent on revenge for suffering 100 years of humiliation. he also made me feel very positive about India becoming an open society and ASEAN as being a master of diplomacy. it made for very interesting reading.

anyway, on to less serious stuff. i picked up this book called Malaysian Politicians Say The Darndest Things, something i totally agree with and it contains a few mind-boggling quotes from really insensitive Malaysian politicians. they make you scratch your head and wonder what the hell was going through their mind when they made that comment. here are a few of my favourites (do NOT use this for GP!):

"we will shoot on sight" - then-Dep. PM Mahathir Mohamad explaining how the government will deal with the thousands of Vietnamese boat people landing on the Malaysian East Coast.
"macam wanita putus haid (like a woman reaching menopause)" - Badruddin Amiruddin criticising the quality of opposition DAP leader Lim Kit Siang's debate.
"we are organising a beauty pageant for animals. Animals should not lose to man in the race for perfection. we should realise that it is not only humans who are beautiful. animals too have their beauty." - Kedah Chief Minister Sanusi Junid on a method to attract tourists.
"i had to put my feet on the table" - Trade minister Rafidah Aziz describing how she had to end a heated debate at an APEC Ministerial meeting.
"which airport in the world does not have rats? even your own home will have rats. so you should quit tomorrow because you can't take care of your own house" - Transport minister Dr. Ling Liong Sik, replying when asked to resign over the rat problem at the new KL International Airport.
"Badawi (bedouins) in Arabia look after camels and goats but Badawi in Malaysia looks after pigs." (OUCH!) - PAS President Fadzil Noor referring to DPM Abdullah Badawi, tasked with handling the culling of pigs for the JE health crisis.
"toilets are like new brides afer they are completed. after some time, they get a bit spoiled. even if you do not use them frequently, you need someone to clean them every 25minutes." Works Minister Samy Vellu. (wth?)
"the British people accept homosexual ministers but if they ever come here and bring their boyfriends along, we will throw them out" - PM Mahathir, referring to Britain's openly gay Foreign Office Minister Ben Bradshaw.
"who are they (Filipino and Indonesian journalists) to come here and lecture us on press fredom...their countries are like shit. they dream to be like us." - Parl. Sect. Zainuddin Maidin. (MAJOR OUCH)
"put on more lipstick and try not to put on weight" - Wanita MCA leader Ng Yen Yen dishing out advice to wives on how to prevent their husbands from visiting prostitutes (major wth)
"if you cannot fight rape, better lie down and enjoy it" - Roselan Johar Mohamed, claims he was merely quoting a Confucian proverb (ok, this is not my 'favourite', i just marvel at how stupid his comment was)

ok, i'll stop here, but they are seriously alot more outlandish and downright stupid remarks in the book. makes you wonder why don't these people think before they speak. nevertheless, Malaysian politics is a much colourful alternative to the otherwise dull but safe Singaporean political scene.

booking back in tomorrow. it's been a rather good break. everyone needs a break...have physio tomorrow at 9am. my very first physio. wonder how it's going to be like. hopefully i will walk less painfully...

"no one can be really esteemed accomplished, who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with. A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half deserved.''
Caroline Bingley had very high standards for women...

9:36 pm