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11.11.2007
TIPS TO REMEMBER
QUOTE UNQUOTE
ACTIVE BLOGS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
The following are websites/blogs created by myself that are currently active and constantly updated where the
updates will not be posted in here. Definitely worth a look. Your active participation is encouraged. Thank you.
EPISODIC THOUGHTS
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BLOGS OF SPECIFIC INTERESTS FUNN IN SECOND LIFE [Site-Seeing][CLICK HERE TO READ]
Note : My blog on Second Life from the angle of travel, leisure and fashion as seen through
the eyes of my avatar, Funn Jewell. Mature content & graphics heavy. URL is http://funnjewell.point2e.com
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A new layout and a special panel to highlight what's new that comes with this new look.
I hope you will enjoy these new features & stuff!
You as a reader can now rate the review you're reading! Yes, like we the reviewers rate the production title, you now can rate our review. If
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For those who hates writing full length review and yet wants to comment on a title without having to post it in some other review, you can now
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section under the big green title, SHORT REVIEWS POST HERE.
Check out Funn In Second Life, my avatar, Funn Jewell's own blog on her travels, her fashion mishaps & many more tales from Second Life.
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There was a big uproar of the cover of The New Yorker published in local news yesterday with a caricature of Obama dressing like Osama Bin Laden and his wife the same and the US flag burning behind. The New Yorker said since no one really believes Obama is a closeted radical Muslim posing as a God fearing Apple pie loving Christian, it was meant as a caricature. I believe it is what it is because if it is a caricature it is done in bad taste.
I realise now years before we have segregation by way of skin colour or even gender, now is by religion. Suddenly Muslims are untouchables and certainly with reports in Britain how Muslim community complained about a cute puppy in the police hotline ads certainly they're not endearing themselves to mass population but that is just a small section of community.
What the cover suggests is beyond what it is suggesting. It is perhaps suggesting Obama is a spokesperson of the Al Qaeda perhaps, or like Infernal Affairs, a planted mole to destroy the liberties of America and therefore the world. That all that Obama did, like going to churh, professing his undying loyalty to the Christian God and the church going public is just an act, that deep down he is a radical muslim praying perhaps 5 times a day.
What a load of rubbish. So what if he is a Muslim? Not all Muslims are terrorists or works for Al Qaeda or has blood screaming for "FREDOMMMMMMMMM!" and has a twitching finger everytime he holds a grenade. More so I can say with confidence after reading so much about terrorists and radicals and all, no self professed radical muslim, or even suspected radical muslim would walk into a church and pray for whatever reason whatsoever. Their faith is sacred and their strict observation of the Quran is sacred so no, I don't believe Obama is a radical muslim whatever. Give him pork; see if he eats it. He can say he is vegetarian so give him a pig as a pet. Simplest test of all. Offensive? Well a man must prove a point in anyway he must.
That being said, if I were an American I would vote for John McCain. Why? The world does not need diplomacy anymore which is what Obama is representing. Diplomacy in the face of increasing threat of terrorism of the most extreme kind is like pointless since the other side is beyond listening. What we need is a man who has seen war, who understands the role of a leader in the face of extreme danger and who is not just a PR practice but someone who knows what he is saying. I think McCain has that track record.
I hate to say this and many Americans or the world may not think so but Obama IS winning because of his skin colour. There, I said it! And McCain is losing because of his stand on the Iraq mess. But I like his stand. I don't believe in the nonsense to withdraw troops within certain period of time. Look, if America wants to be the big brother, then they must act like one. I was reading and watching Band Of Brothers and I realised how different it was in WWII compared to now. Back then they call it a moral duty to assist in WWII even if technically the war didn't concern the US since Hitler didn't attack America, never will. The young men draftee and volunteered and they sacrificed their lives for the liberties of the world. Now, we have mothers and fathers complaining about their sons going to war when their sons are career soldiers. The military works on one basis only; strict and 100% compliance of all orders whether you like it or not. To question is the death of military might. In Band Of Brothers however they hated the Germans they admire their militariness and in some way I find that is true. The SS if of course another matter. So if you don't want your son to go to war, tell them to quit. If they won't, let them go and fight. It is their job to fight. And die. And to enter someone's country, take over and then just leave when things become uncontrollable is utterly irresponsible. They now have a moral and perhaps even legal duty to stay and maintain and upkeep and then leave when the new government is stable and prepared to takeover. I am all for the Iraqi war actually for various reasons but that is a moot point since they're already in Iraq. I don't believe it is for oil. Someone once told me "If it is about oil America would have invaded Syria". Well I don't know much about oil and politics but I do not believe Bush should be accused on the same level as Hitler and gang. I believe McCain has a better solution to a problem that can't be solved. To just walk away and leave the mess at it is is not just irresponsible but cruel.
For me the reason to vote or not to vote for someone is whether they have a tangible plan for something or not and not just based on "Oh he's new, he's fresh!" or "Oh he sounds just like the current idiot" or even "change" when seriously change is even more difficult than say "evolve". No change can be done suddenly but people should change perspective. The situation won't change but perspective can and then perhaps we can see things in a new angle.
But then who am I to comment about other people's politics when my own backyard is a jungle.
I realise now why we are losing the war against terrorism.
I read a very interesting news in World News section of The Star Newspaper yesterday entitled "First glimsp of Gitmo ordeal" where a 16 year old is being held at Guantanamo Bay (you know residence of arrested suspected terrorists) and how he was deprived of sleep, medical facilities, and even his mommy when he was crying for her and how this Canadian citizen was hoping Canada would help him to get out and how critics were crying "release him! stop the torture!" etc etc etc. Torture? Hardly. Unless he was punched to a pulp. Look, just because he is 16 doesn't make him any less likely to be a terrorist or aiding the terrorist since he is the son of a known Al Qaeda esteemed member you see. All these nonsensical talk about no torture or human rights on people suspected of terrorising others is actually depriving the majority as a whole their very basic human rights; to live without fear, at least not from some flying planes into the building kind of scenario. And the article screamed torture and all and I was thinking unless his head was dunked into a pail of water for 15 minutes at a time, I don't see no torture. The sleep deprivation tactics are well known; even the police employs them on own citizens in well... any investigations so why spare these suspected international criminals? As I read further on the article which urged the Canadian government to help secure release of what they call a young man and there is a case going on to get the US to release him, it said that he was in there in the first place because he was suspected of throwing a grenade at the troops which killed one and maimed another US soldier. Well US soldier you see, worth nothing in the eyes of the world as opposed to a 16 year old grenade thrower. He was found badly injured himself (probably involved in some intense firing and all) and then arrested. No news whatsoever whether he did throw the grenade or not, just a mention and the rest of the article about how poor mommy's boy was crying for help. Sorry if I sound cynical or even mocking but
1. did he throw the grenade?
2. if he did wouldn't the lives of the US soldiers, probably not much older than him deserve a bit of mention and even find the perpertrator?
If yes and yes, why then must be he released? If no and yes, then why arrest him in the 1st place? If no and no, then Canadian government should help him. The question to the answer about releasing him is not "He is 16 so please have mercy" but rather "did he throw the grenade?". We can't be blinded by his age when the terrorists often employ shameful tactics of using young people to do an cowardly adult's job. And being 16 should be as liable to responsibility towards humanity as any other of any age.
So why are we losing the war on terrorism? Because whilst the terrorists are using hard methods against the ordinary citizens, the supposed good guys (well terrorists would think they're freedom fighters although they don't necessarily come from the side they're fighting for which is really ridiculous) that is the rest of the world are much too concerned about human rights of monsters and forgetting the soldiers at the frontlines are valuable lives of probably the same age range that deserve our protection. We shouldn't dismiss them simply because they're US or UN soldiers. Sometimes we just forget whose side we are on. Human rights is important of course but the day we accord the monsters, killers, rapists, paedophiles, terrorists, murderers, etc the same human rights as any other being you know fair game and all is the day we lose sight of the most important person of all; the victim.
And a bit of sleep deprivation is not torture. Not enough to be classified as torture. And denying someone their mother when they're crying for their mother is of course not considered as torture at all. It's just heartless but heartless isn't torture is it? Heartless is more about feelings and torture is more physical.
Which boils down to my one and only question; did he throw the grenade?
I saw the debate between "the Often Arrested One" and our Information Minister who is well not very well informed I supposed. It was a lively polite debate about oil and stuff and overall interesting because
1. the Often Arrested One is a very good debater
2. the InfoMin is younger than most Ministers and therefore perhaps is from a generation that can string two sentences together without the bridging words "Apa nama itu?" and "Ermmm, ugghh, errrrr, ahhhhh, ehhhhh". He was in fact quite eloquent even if simply not answering the debating topic.
Everybody clapped for a job well done, papers say maybe more debates in future and supposedly all is happy with very first televised debate between minister and opposition leader.
Yeah right.
So what changed? Nothing. So the point of debate? Stimulate the mind? Nothing more stimulating than reading the day after how the Often Arrested One was arrested once again on the same charge which he should have just said "I AM IMPOTENT!" or maybe legalise the very action he was accused of (where is gay parade in Malaysia when you need it?" and of course our InfoMin congratulating himself for a job well done.
Why the Often Arrested One even bother to debate a nobody? Shouldn't the PM step forward? In America you won't see Obama debating against Rice and Bush standing nearby clapping. Obama would probably call Bush a coward for running away from the debate. The Often Arrested One should just say "Sorry InfoMin, either your boss stands there to debate against me OR no debate at all. I am not that cheap you know, debating against any pig, cat and dog".
And the whole debate, with one questioning (guess who?) and another reciting government policy (guess who again?) and nothing more. Felt like a propoganda of whatever their propogating.
And funnily I read an article where local gays are to be given welfare help also. And there I was thinking gays don't exist in Malaysia. The Often Arrested One is most probably the most famous closeted gay if there is one and the rest are well closeted as well. So if the government can identify who is gay and not gay when giving welfare (I wonder how they can do that?) shouldn't all these gays be arrested as well since sodomy is a crime and I can't think of any way a male homosexual can engage in a sexual relationship without ever you know doing the sodomy way? I mean why the Often Arrested One the only one possibly liable for acts of sodomy (whether consensual or otherwise)? If we recognise there are gays in this country (with the exception of lesbians) shouldn't we be arresting them all? By arresting just the Often Arrested One, it just makes the whole exercise seem motivated other than the physical aspect. You know, I know and we all know so let's not be specific because bloggers are now being hunted down as well.
What has become of my beloved country's politics? To shut down a rival by accusations of corruption is a legitimate reason, a lack of moral fibre perhaps as good a reason but selective accusations of an act that is recognised as a fact (answer me this; only gays engage in anal sex??) by someone who is photographed with various government officials is to me silly. Silly of the worst silly.
And then we have the page 10 news or whatever of a big gun minister accused of blowing a woman up with dynamites and what nots and of course a young woman being blown up is not as news worthy as anal sex. Look, get our perspectives right. If a wrong is done, it must be investigated, whether it involves big guns or small guns and no big guns should be spared of investigations of whatever kind.
I must concede in America if a big gun is suspected of blowing someone up as much as involved in a case of tantric sex, they would have offered their resignation or at the very least offer to go on a long holiday pending investigation.
I recognise all ministers and oppositions are human therefore susceptible to lack of moral fibre so an affair or a trip to a prostitute den or taking some money when younger or such that is not close to killing someone or maiming someone is to me a-ok. But the implication in a sensational murder case? Isn't that merit some investigation? Shouldn't that merit a suspended duty?
I don't know. I really don't know. I am getting more and more disillusioned. They may want us to think the bigger issues are something else and therefore pushed aside the more important issues but what they don't realise is we are smarter and more alert than they think we are. Or at least I am.
That is the only conclusion I can come to when I found out, to my utter disappointment Damian Lewis is not nominated for his awesome performance in NBC's Life. I just have this feeling this show may be cancelled with all the strikes looming in the horizon again. Maybe NBC thought nahhhh just another police show. Stupid dumb executives if you ask me. And Emmy? Well traditionally they're traditional. It took them forever to give Hugh Laurie a mention and I don't think he has won yet and Hugh Laurie is beyond awesome. So Damian has to wait but maybe Golden Globes will recognise him. If not the fans will. And by the way, Patrick Dempsey for Grey's Anatomy was nominated and I wonder whyyyyyyy. How can he be better than Damian Lewis? I hope Hugh Laurie wins though but I doubt it. Emmy simply hates thinking out of the box and they wonder why ratings are slipping for their show? Maybe for once let a great actor in a famous series with an equally famous character win that is what the public like may be a good start?
Anyway, my previous post on the Emmys snubbing Life here. Interesting eh? Emmy snubs life?
I hardly talk about politics, well not like every hour and every day. But sometimes I come across some impossible not to comment news not because they're great but most often time because it just defies logic. I read The Star Newspaper everyday for local and world news and Mail Online for some more World News, or rather British news.
Whilst I was going through Mail Online, I came across this headline;
"The desperate Romanian rape victim, 11, who wants a last minute abortion in Britian". Read the news proper and I was just dumbfounded by how stupid the Romanian authorities are. This girl, now 20 weeks pregnant can no longer have a legal abortion in Romania who only allow up to 14 weeks. So she can go to Britain which is max 24 weeks. But she needs permission. In Romania they denied her a latr abortion and now they're considering whether to allow her to go to Britian for an abortion. The fact that they need to consider is stupid. She was raped by her teenage uncle, now on the run. The reason the Romanian authorities need to consider her case instead of a straight yes? "The National Doctors Council, however, said the rights of the foetus should be considered and the pregnancy should go ahead.". Well all the pressure worked because I just checked the news again and the authorities allow her to go to Britain. Finally, after probably days or even weeks of trauma to the poor girl. If they don't allow, I wonder, who will take care of the child? Do you see pro-lifes adopting the kid? I doubt it.
Then I saw this headline; "Schoolboy found hanged after his father confiscated his new Wii". 13 year old described as sensitive, witty and intelligent hanged himself after his father refused to let him play the computer game when he wanted to as his sister was watching the TV. He ran up to his own room, threw a super temper tantrum and then hanged himself with his necktie. His father wanted to scold him only to find him dead. I was watching Saving Private Ryan the other day, watching so many young men die for a good cause, Band of Brothers I saw the concentration camps and Jews hoping just to cling on to hope for survival and here is this 13 year old kid, hanging himself over a computer game or rather the fact his father said NO to him. If like this also cannot tahan, how to tahan the pressures of real life? I mean I have every reason to kill myself then, every single minute. Work, lack of money, high petrol prices, can't afford this and don't even have a Wii console. In fact yesterday Star Newspaper printed the news of a husband of 4 (very young) who killed himself after he bet and lost RM90,000-00 in the Euro Championship game. Now that is a good reason to off yourself isn't it? Owing so much money to Ah Longs. I have little sympathy for him and even less sympathy for this kid. Imagine that!13 year old, dead over a Wii. All year I read about 12 year old, 15 year old hanging themselves over poor school results. Then I read about young people being bullied to their death in England or how one girl killed herself because she was rejected online by a "boy" who turned out to be mother of her schoolmate! What sense can you make of these?
And every year, like clockwork, in Malaysia we will repeat 3 main discussions;
1. why top students who are non Malays could not get a government scholarship or get into local University. Every year.
2. Should we even publish top students' results since this would hurt and discourage the not so high achievers. Re those who killed themselves. Every year also. My answer? Why deny the top achievers their glory?
And
3. Every 6 months or so, discussion why women in Malaysra are raped and how to curb rapists which will inadvertantly lead to ministers or public giving dumb views like "oh the dress causes it!" or "the white sheer quality of the school uniform encouraged it" or now "lipstick and make up is a factor". I want to talk about this.
Yes, the school uniform is sheer white, more so lower income group can't afford good material and uses the same shirt year in year out so imagine how sheer it can be. But we wear pinafores. The sheerness issue is with the Malay baju kurung. Reality check; some girls like to be noticed, which is why they wear pink bras inside without singlets. Some are modest so they wear tan bra plus singlets inside. Another reality check; when I was younger we used to have PE classes in the fields next to the school. That was when we are required to wear white shirt with dark blue ermm jumper is that what you call those pants? Anyway even then I feel kinda exposed. Why white? I agree with some comments about the sheerness issue but again the fault is not with the wearer but school policy and the public who rapes. Anyway there we were exercising and guess what? A bunch of young men (in England they would have been called yobs) stood by the bus stop and just stared at us. Do away with white. Maybe dark grey please? Required uniform must include singlet? I am not saying anything but some of us do openly seek attention, but the problem is we often mistake open disrespectful stares as admiration and adulation. We were too young then. Now that we are older perhaps we can explain that to the young ones. But why is the girl being raped being blamed for it because she was wearing school standard issued white blouse?
And now make up. Oh my god. I love my blusher and lipstick. So am I asking for it? One reader in The Star wrote his unhappiness over the whole why men rape issue under the headline "Stupid excuses touted as cause of rape" (The Star, Views, 27.06.2008). Quite agree with what he wrote up until he wrote this mind blowingly irresponsible opinion; "Rape is caused by a desire due to mental illness or frustration". Sorry if I sound rude but WHAT? Desire? Maybe. Mental illness? Frustration? Can I murder because I am fed up? Don't give these scums a defense. If everything is mental illness, like watching porn, eating meat, raping people are what is crazy, the nut house at Tanjung Rambutan would require an immediate expansion into Tanjung Durian I tell you. Sometimes we can have the right intention but just the dumbest conclusion. Why people rape? Maybe desire but serial rapists are rather compulsion. Maybe you're right to say they can't help it but if you look at a wider scale, people rape to exert control. Usually they have little control in their own mundane daily lives so they rape to show how they are in control. Like those robbers who rob houses and drag the teenaged daughter into the room and rape her. Mental illness? Frustration? Hardly. So Malaysia is now in the forefront trying to answer the age old question, at least in Malaysia. Why men rape? Can we curb it? If yes, how? Well ask Quantico then. Maybe they know. What I do know is some rapists rape children (were they wearing sexy clothes?), old people (make up perhaps?) and classic case of all, a nun. A nun. Tell me, a nun, sexy clothes? Make up? Lingerie? Dumb, stupid, idiotic observations and often perpetrated by our own elected stupid ministers whether government or opposition. And they think dictating how we wear our hair, clothes and make up will curb the men's desire. Why women are blamed? Can't men wear chastity belts as suggested by the reader? Can't men castrate themselves? Buy some chemical and pump it into his genitals when he feels the urge, like they say the desire? Or better yet, can they just hang themselves for the good of mankind? How do you prevent rape? Destroy all porn? Will that help? Be more religious? Whip them more? Death penalty perhaps? I like that idea. Death to those repeat offenders, and I mean child rapists. Life and extra whipping for everybody else. Why not?
Well, this headline from the Star Newspaper world news section is perhaps the stupidest of all news I have read today;
"No death for those who rape children : Sentence is too severe, says US Supreme Court".
In America, where rights of criminals seem to outweighs everybody. First can't torture terrorists, then can't deny rights of criminals, now can even punish child rapists to death because... too severe? They said " In terms of moral depravity and of the injury to the person and to the public, they cannot be compared to murder in their severity and irrevocability". Tell that to Austrian woman trapped for more than 20 years and raped repeatedly by her own father. Tell that to those young children, boys and girls sexually abused by prominent people for decades in the horror house. Tell that to every young children who was raped but of course didn't die. How merciful of these rapists not to kill them eh? The death penalty was under review in the state of Lousiana I suppose filed by the convicted rapists of an 8 year old and 5 year old girls, I think one of them a stepdaughter. Both McCain and Obama opposed this ruling. I am sure general public would too. We are not talking about rape as in rape. I mean rape is already devastating, but on a child as young as 6 and sometimes to babies too, tell me, isn't that devastating AND morally depraved? What possible sexual attraction can one have on a mere child if not the fact that his brain although not insane but is wired differently and is of course a paedophile? How can a rape on a child not be morally depraved? Are we living in such a morally corrupt society that we dare lower down the impact of a child rape? Sometimes murders are justified. That is a fact. Provoked, bullied, self defence, frustration, etc but rape? Since when rape is ever justified? "She made me angry so I rape her?" Didn't you mean slap her? Sometimes violence is justified. I mean "yeung sui" is my standard nowadays. I mean some crime even murder has justification however much you disagree with me but rape is one of the crimes that defies justification. No, I think I shouldn't say defies, I should say does not in any situation justify a justification. Not morally depraved as murder simply because the child lived? How dumb is that. What if he raped the girl to the point she can't have children in future? What if he tortured the girl? What if he raped her repeatedly? What if he did it again and again and again under the nose of the mother who in all classic case didn't know? He will rape again if he is released. Is he whipped? Please do. Life sentence? Usually out in a decade. He goes on to rape again. The child probably need years of therapy. Who will pay? The rapist?
US supreme court is beginning to sound rather annoying to me. Too much rights have been given to prisoners. Cable TV, magazines, books, conjugal visits, shortened sentence, go out and work and then come back to prison! One day, air cond in every cell. Sometimes ordinary people don't even have access to Cable TV and here, a man raped, murdered, robbed, kicked, beaten, cheated, they all have access to Cable TV. The joke is on the innocent public.
What more can I say? The news are getting more like gossips than real news. Opinions are becoming more stupid than being really what matters. A criminal has more rights than ordinary folks.
Oh and guess what? These past fews days I have been reading in Britain how soldiers disfigured or even disabled in the war in Iraq being compensated significantly less (like less than half) than a transgendered soldier whose feeling was hurt by being sidelined or whatever. Tell me, what is the logic when how you feel is worth more than how badly injured physically? It's like saying feelings about physical aspect. People are more scared of being sued for libel and defamation than sayyyyyy knocking down a guy who became disabled because chances are, defamation and libel will cause you more than simply knocking down a guy. So before you consider saying "Funn, you're stupid" or "Funn, you're fat" or better yet, "Funn, you're a fatty stupid moronic idiotic fool of a weaker sex", you might as well run me down than say those things. Because then you need not compensate me millions for hurting my vulnerable feelings and just a few hundred thousands for effectively shutting me up physically.
Mind you, I am very sensitive person. You never know how much your words can hurt me. Oh please don't, I just read a negative comment on my review. I feel so hurt. I want to cry. And I better consult my lawyer now. Oh damn it! I don't live in Britain or America. I should consider migrating since I am such a sensitive soul, I may be the first millionaire by investing in my feelings; that is suing those who dares to hurt me. Let me cry myself a river first.
Not only can this specimen of a perfect being can act, he can sing, he can play the piano and he can convey all these with witty sense of humour and having read one of his articles some time ago, he can also write and express himself with such faultless humour. What more can't Hugh Laurie do? He can box also! I am pretty sure he can also dance. Perfection.
English actors are very well rounded. Most could sing even if they aren't singers and they can act really well. Christian Bale proved that, Damian Lewis also can act, dance AND sing all at the same time, Hugh Grant I am sure can at least sing eventhough dancing maybe not and who else? Daniel Craig can sing, maybe dance a little and can damn well act. Can any of them play musical instruments? Maybe not all but I won't be surprised they can at least play the bongos. Ben Kingsley? Can he do all that? What great talent pool.
And since Dark Knight is coming out next month, my obsession with Christian Bale will start all over again. Right now Daniel Craig is still my obsession, Damian Lewis my current obsession thanks to the series Life and of course Hugh Laurie. House MD season 4 is even better than all previous seasons.
What can this perfect being with perfect blue eyes (which I try to achieve through my avatar, Funn Jewell's eyes (a combination of Hugh Laurie and Daniel Craig's eyes) can't do? TELL ME! I need to know he is NOT perfect!
I am a tad disappointed there's an acute lack of feedback on the layout for FISL except for if my memories serve me right, 1. Kinda put a lot of effort in it and yet I haven't heard of any feedback. I mean not on the contents but the looks, the arrangement. No "wow!" and so far amazingly no "it sucks!". So I am wondering, really no one bothers?
This is scaring me a little. You know I like to please. Now before you go "yeah, right!", it's true when it comes to the look and feel. I am creating a similar concept for this very blog, but instead of pop up windows, I am making it open within this page itself. I have contemplated pop up windows to contain the look of it or even create a separate text based alternative like this present one on top of the new look but it is much too much hassle. I don't want to cut off the 6 people. I am in a dilemma. Is this what artistes feel when they feel they're stuck between what they want to do and what they think everybody else wants them to do?
As for why 6, yesterday a record high. I saw the statistics there, 7 viewing the page, one of whom is me. So instead of 5, now there's 6. That's an improvement for me.
Ridiculous considering we are oil producing nation. I still can't understand the whole thing. I received a very good email with an Excell spreadsheet whatever that will calculate your new petrol cost as opposed the old. But it works only for cars below 2000 cc since any higher than that, as the file says, you can afford it. I am considering buying a motorcycle but I don't want to die a horrible death.
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Petrol, now up by almost 80 cents thus RM2.70 per litre. Still cheap worldwide but shocking increase in Malaysia, starting today. Last night I desperately needed to pump petrol since near Empty and guess what? All petrol station full to the point of massive jam. Had dinner and went out to pump petrol at 9pm and got home around 10pm. If the govt intends to increase whatever, I do hope they give 3 days grace period so that everybody can pump the petrol and not rush like what it was last night. And so the extra subsidies for what I wonder? Water up, electricity up, petrol up up up and salary? SAMEEEEEE. I read subsidies will be diverted to food? Cooking oil? But my God, such a huge increase in petrol charges, surely Roti Canai now is RM1.50 instead of RM1.00? I'd rather subsidy for petrol because that is essential stuff for me. Why is the petrol prices so damn expensive when we are an oil producing country? I just don't get economics.
I also don't get this; I was watching CNN last night showing Barack Obama's speech about being a true friend to Israel and at first the way the words were flashing like "Obama Claims Victory", and people being interviewed, I actually thought the presidential race was over and Obama is now President of USA! It turns out he won the Democratic nomination after like an eternity, and yet the flashed the words Clinton won't concede and then the news that Obama declares himself as the democratic nominee and THEN the words "Presumptive Democratic Nominee Barack Obama". So is he endorsed or not endorsed by the democrats? Is he the nominee or presumptive? Presumptive until when?
And then Hillary Clinton gave her speech and declared herself also a true friend of Israel. Whilst Obama didn't look at his speech notes and gave very personalised account of his life mixed with the troubles of Israel thus making his speech entertaining as well as personal, Clinton was more professional in the sense business is business and she did look at her notes a lot. Some may question Obama's experience in politics and leading a country, I do think John F Kennedy was also not that experience and he proved himself very popular and somewhat an idealist, true? Anyway Obama gives me an impression he is a very good orator but is he a good politician? Does it matter since it is the Secretary Of State that does the real work in the politics in America? I propose and I do think if Obama wins, Clinton will and should be appointed as the Secretary of State. She has the experience and composure and I feel Obama can only benefit from her involvement rather than shooting blindly.
As I watched him talk the talk and Hillary walk the walk, I can't help but question, did his race helped him? Did Hillary's gender impede her? That isn't it as wonderful as it is frustrating that America is ready for a Black president but not a woman president? Isn't it a futile exercise that Barack Obama, as gung ho as he could be will probably never ever balance the budget and will probably be stuck with the Iraq problem as well as everything else? That despite his often repeated assurances, many will still feel he may be a closet Muslim which is nothing to be ashamed of but the implication is he may be the mole like in Infernal Affairs?
For me whoever is the next president will not have an easy ride and will take all the diplomacy to work it out and whatever the plans may be, let's face it, there are higher powers. My sympathies to McCain or Obama, whoever wins.
And if you must know, I do not think of Iraq as the unnecessary war and I do not think Bush is a war criminal akin to Hitler or Pol Pot. I genuinely believe Bush was sincere with Iraq instead about it being about increasing his retirement fund and oil and all that stuff and that Bush should have waited for Saddam to nuke his neighbour before moving in instead of a preemptive strike which was pre-emptive in so many ways. I am in the minority here I suppose and if you ask me, Clinton or Obama? I don't know. Obama or McCain? You will never know, McCain may win. After all Bush is really not as unpopular as you think he is, just because celebrities refuse to endorse him, he did in fact win the re-election despite John Kerry having all the endorsements.
I don't know. But whoever is the next president, I hope he puts a stop to this nonsensical price hike in petrol and food and stuff. If everybody dies of hunger due to these hikes, it really doesn't matter who is president because no one would be alive to be bothered.
It took me sometime to figure out how to do it. I wanted the look of my desktop table but since the real one is really cluttered, that would be impossible. I found a lot of Flash templates that fulfilled the look I want, such as an opened book on a table with pens and other stuff but those cost USD59 at least and frankly I refused to pay. So I searched for tutorials and found some amazing Photoshop tutorials that helped me in my quest. I feel so proud of myself, because to me it looks good. So the following is my proposed new layout of my website, have a look by clicking the thumbnail:-
I will need to put that in a specific pop up window so that the layout won't be screwed up. Then I will have to figure out how to insert the codes. I could do it the Flash way which will be awesome but I won't because I can't because after reading so many tutorials I still don't get it, so in the end it will be the traditional HTML and DHTML and of course iframes and all. That too I have to figure out how. And of course I may change an item or two there, maybe add some crumbled papers, paperclips, some food, water and what nots, then it will look like my desktop. Maybe I'll leave that for my The Storytellers website, now renamed The Author Story because I intend to buy a domain name for it. That one I want an open book, and it would be best if I could flip it but again, ahhhhhh Flash ahhhhh the reason why I can never be a professional web designer.
Anyway look at that beautiful new layout eh? I went mad with the colour burning and stuff. I love the scroll, I love the tape, I love the MP3 player. I wanted even to put in my Sony Ericsson Z610 phone but then I thought no purpose to put that and no use.
Just to show you the definition of customer service.
I wrote an email enquiring about certain stuff and that is intended for Tune Money which I was very interested in. I wrote the email and promptly I received an automatic generated email as follows:-
fromTune Money to"..."
dateSat, May 24, 2008 at 7:34 PM subjectRE: Enquiries
Dear Tune Money Customer, Thank you for your e-mail. This is an automated reply to acknowledge receipt of your e-mail. We will update you on your enquiry within 2 working days. Have a good day! Best Regards, Tune Money Team
It is now 30th of May 2008 and I suppose Tune Money is still close for business because obviously it is more than 2 working days.
This is, ladies and gentleman, the definition of customer service; a service to a customer which requires a respond from the person giving the service, which obviously in this case is not the case. Maybe they're just out of tune?
FYI, still no reply as of today and frankly Tune Money just lose themselves a customer.
I have been reading about working from home and earning side income and from what I read, it is doable, IF you have something to sell. Like one who sells doll dresses to one who sells her own used underwear to perverts. I have neither the talent to make doll dresses nor the inclination to sell my used undergarments to God knows what kind of perverts. So what can I sell? I opened an ebay account recently for the sole purpose to sell my extra DVD copy of All About Eve (the Korean drama series) and I discovered a whole new world of possibilities. But again will people buy what I can sell? Like I am considering selling my entire collection of Snoopy figurines (the ones sold by McDonald's some years back) but will there be anyone who want to buy any of it? How to make sustainable income? How? HOW???
Even my All About Eve I will be selling technically at a loss. The market sells it at RM129-90 and even with discount, RM119-90. I am selling for RM100-00 which includes postage by the way. My sister said no one will buy, because it is RM100-00 and it is considered used product. But I have never watched it, only tested it ONCE using ONE DVD disc only. It is practically a new copy, excellent quality. If no one wants to buy that, what more can I offer? Why is it everybody else finds it so easy to earn money from traffic to websites, selling stuff, etc and I just can't find a thing to sell? What is my talent?
Anyone interested in the All About Eve DVD? I mean will anyone buy it if I say RM100-00, free Pos Laju postage? No one?
I feel very depressed right now. I really need a side income, possibly a new career. I am not young anymore and yet here I am afraid to take the plunge because quite frankly, after reevaluating myself, I discovered I really have no skills nor talent to sell.
Why would someone who has a thriving acting career would want to kill her own credibility by releasing a music album? Problem is really not the songs at all but her really god awful music. She sounds like half baked, karaoke untuned no talent club singer. The worst singing and I can't believe I am saying this; Kate Winslet is a much better singer. And truth is Scarlett Johansson is an overrated actress anyway. Awful music.
You can find more of her songs in Youtube and believe me, everyone of them is as awful as this one. The tuning is not the problem, she is just terrible singer. Maybe she should just be a model. She is beautiful. But singing is really not her strength.
I know it is a bit egoistical of me to do this sometimes but I do have a habit of googling my own name or Point2e. Whilst most points back to my reviews, website and even my own posts in other discussion forums, sometimes I could find comments about my reviews that I have never seen. Of course most of these are a few years back, such as 2 years or so when I was more active in writing reviews. But once in awhile I would stumble into a site that kinda literally shocked me. There are what they call robots scanning the various posts and link them back to some commercial sites, mostly porn sites so yes I do get a bit surprised at seeing my name in a porn site when the series is a TVB series! Today I got a big shocker, and I suppose a good one. I found my name in a wikipedia-like infosite! I was quoted and for someone to even include my review in a dissertation of a movie is quite simply a new high for me. Which will spur me into grammar-proof and spell check which is pretty useless since like some love to say "My Engrish is velee powderful"! The review in question? The one in spcnet.tv, I Not Stupid. I believe it is one of my better written reviews. Since so many visits Spcnet, I am very tempted to re-post my movie reviews there. TV reviews must remain here since they're uniquely mine and if I post them elsewhere and not here, I suppose this site can just close down. I hate to admit it, but my website is becoming more and more like a blog. Kinda getting too personal for me.
I am a fan of It Started With A Kiss in that rather strange way that I shouldn't have been in the usual circumstances. You can read my review in TV > Taiwan/China. So when I found out I could actually download the files for the sequel, They Kiss Again (minus the subtitles for most of the episodes but I shall survive the lehs, ehs and yehs, typical in the modern mandarin speaking youth in Taiwan) I jumped at it, eventhough it had to be one file per 2 hours. Yes, Megaupload has that rule. Anyway I am slowly approaching the target of 20 episodes, except episode 20 is not out yet.
Anyway I am just disturbed by the contents of ISWAK and TKA. I just get this impression however much one loves another, perhaps marriage shouldn't be for those who has yet to embark on theor career. I feel for the character Zhi Shu who in ISWAK gives me an impression that as cold as he may be, he do love Xiangqin but not enough to want to marry her immediately. It is like the trend of modern series in Taiwan lately that one must marry the one loved by that one person immediately. Engagement, waiting a few years, all out of the way. And with marriage comes children. Whilst I feel the character of Xiangqin is genuinely likeable and I do find her absolute awe shucks devotion to Zhishu cute and heart warming most of the time, I just don't see if in real life how can she be a good wife and a capable mother. They're both same age but she seems so immature, her world filled with her idea of utopia and her utopia is of course to please Zhishu. In fact she made it such a way that her entire being is to be devoted to Zhishu, that sometimes I feel sorry for Zhishu not having any space to breath. Marriage for such immature and not ready younglings are to me a huge mistake. More so when Xiangqin dresses in cute pink, her hair tied in such a way usually reserved for 10 year olds going to school and her bedroom just screams "TEENAGER IN LOVE". But of course this series even the sequel I am sure will show they will go through it all and live happily ever after. That somehow Zhishu's cold cold heart will be thawed and Xiangqin hopefully will mature a bit in the end. But the way the previews and comments go, poor Zhishu is often blamed for being cold to Xiangqin. I think I have said this in my review of ISWAK and if I didn't, I shall say it here; Xiangqin seems like a poodle; always eager to please, always in want of love and attention and confirmation of love by Zhishu who is more like a cat; he will come to you on his own terms. Both are as flawed as they're interesting in their own way and I have no doubt in real life, such a union will not work, at least not at such an age. A person as brilliant as Zhishu must be given space to grow, an undisturbed opportunity to seek his own path and Xiangqin, if such a person exists must let him go a little and have faith that he will return to her. But the way the story goes, she goes on to study nursing! Now that is scary. I just have issues with someone's entire being and career choices is dependent on the other person's interest and movements.
When I watch TKA, I hope I will see Zhishu learning to be humble and a better man, Xiangqin finding her own voice and having her own opinion and actually learning to let Zhishu go and for once stop being so crazy about him and yet be very patient and not expecting anything in return like that poodle and most of all, I just wish the casting director finds a guy who looks like a guy and to stop the Zhishu bashing as being cold and aloof to Xiangqin.
However I doubt that will be the case. As always Xiangqin will get her reaffirmation of Zhishu's love, she will probably be a nurse to his doctor. How she can pass is beyond my understanding. And just so you know, your career doesn't become complete when you graduate. That is only the beginning and I can so imagine her killing a patient or two in future with her fumbling all the way and poor Zhishu's professional integrity being questioned when he will have to cover up for her out of love. That could be ONTDIA, the 3rd part as in Oh No! They Did It Again.
I didn't know about this amazingly debatable and entertaining lawsuit until I read a small news about JK Rowling suing one of her biggest fan who operates one of the more famous fansite on Harry Potter to which she herself once heaped praises on for attempting to publish a Harry Potter Lexicon.
I was like what is a lexicon? Checked with an online dictionary and it was "a wordbook or dictionary". Quite like an encyclopedia that JK Rowling has planned to write. She sued because she claims he took her work, word for word and incorporated into this wordbook like an A-Z thing without much comment, credit or discussion. That is not within the scope of fair use and infringes her right or copyright.
What an interesting case. Frankly I also find it difficult to draw the line. Before you thought JK Rowling sued, rather it was perhaps movie studio versus publishing house that commissioned the book and wanted to publish it. It's a murky area as to how much taken from a book is too much? Does it really infringe her rights and if won will open the floodgates of plagarism? Is it even plagarism when the source material is so well known? Why this guy when there are dozens of books and guides on the world of Harry Potter? What makes Potter so special that it is immune from such exploitation rather like sayyyyy LOTR?
Yes I call it exploitation not in a malicious way but rather saying it as it is, whether by fan or no fan. In this day and age, it is very interesting to have a set of original novels and dozens and dozens of other books published about those set of original novels, from commentaries to what ifs to indexes to everything else. So to me what this fan, Steve Vander Ark who by the way is a 50 year old former librarian (and webmaster of Harry Potter Lexicon) is doing is nothing new. But is what he is doing fair use?
I don't know. You tell me. It must have hurt him to hear his idol said his work was sloppy and lazy. It must have hurt even more when fans of Harry Potter, almost all of them unanimously denounced him as a con artiste. From what I read, what he attempted to do was actually reproduce his website's content in print form. No comments, no articles, just indexing the world of Harry Potter for those who could not differentiate between Accio to Wingardium Leviosa. The judge himself even said he find the words gibberish and hinted perhaps a lexicon would be useful. I agree, because not everyone can understand or has the imagination or capacity to understand the vast plot, names, characters, details, spells, theories and description of a world as magical and as complex as Harry Potter. So you naysayers will denounce the books as children's books, and that a lexicon or dictionary or encyclopedia to explain Harry Potter to the masses may be a bit overkill and over compliments in the lights of other great classics of Tolkien and perhaps even the Dune series! I disagree of course since I am a major fan of the books, having read books 1-4 like 15 times each. Yes I disliked Book 5 and 6 and though liked Book 7, I thought the ending, to quote JK Rowling herself "lazy and sloppy". She did tied up the ending and plots and all but the writing became increasingly heavy, repetetive and almost witless. Probably because she had to do it in a rush. And for her to say nothing to those horrible adaptations and endorsements products that I have always commented on, I could only say being possibly the richest author in the world (the 1st billionaire and all) with a themepark coming, this case will not do her any harm at all. She is not seeking publicity I believe and I believe she genuinely is offended by what this fan is doing, taking the thunder from her since she herself has similar plans for a similar book, 3 years in the making perhaps. She also mentioned her fear that her own book may not sell (proceeds for charity), he was trying to profit from her effort and she was so stressed she couldn't and may be discouraged artistically to write any more. And she cried on the stand.
A bit melodramatic but I am sure you get the point how much Harry, a fictional character in a fictional world is how important to her.
I see arguments on both side, but I see more for Steven Vander Ark. Look this case doesn't look good. It is like David vs Goliath and guess who won? Is it fair use? I would think so and it can't be plagarism if everyone knows the source material. It merely indexes the various events and all, maybe an opinion or two thrown in. Maybe no speculative material and the market is big enough to accomodate many lexicons and encyclopedias of the same subject. And frankly if his was sold as RM30-00 and JK Rowling released on at RM60-00 with same approach to the subject matter although hers would be more authoritative in that area, I would buy hers without any doubt. So her worries are not that major. As to her rights infringed, perhaps. But if she is successful, so all those Dummies For Harry Potter would have to question themselves if such and such can be printed and it would require too much paperwork and red tape and may lead to censorship, even if that is not the intention and in the end lifted the literary world into like a pedestal. Like untouchable. The effect can be far reaching. Likewise if he wins, perhaps authors' work may be plundered and yet I can't seem to see that point if we all know the name of the original author. Some even accused JK Rowling of taking ideas from famous works. Well ideas is different from wholesale material. So I can't decide until I read his book but it looks like it won't happen for years. My prediction is, Steve Vander Ark will forever be banned by Potter fans (who can be rabid in their affection, so much so that everything JK Rowling does is god in action which I disagree since idolising someone doesn't mean the idol is always and forever is right), JK Rowling will publish her book and earn billions, big movie studios will continue to sue in the name of copyright infringement of their billion dollar money making machine, fans will move on and guess what? That small publishing house being sued will probably go belly up.
Seriously, would you not buy her encyclopedia if there ever was one?
I do believe a picture speaks a thousand words, so I suppose these 3 pictures speak a gazillion words. What words?
Someone must really really hate her. These pictures are nothing short of unflattering shots, almost silly but mostly does nothing to improve her status as a model of some sort and my desire to buy the products. Maybe they're April Fools' jokes? Or maybe test shots?
You all know I am like mega fan of AFC channel over at ASTRO. I don't know why but I can sit there for hours watching cook shows that don't really teach you how to cook (gone are the days where the presenter says "Now let us repeat the ingredients") but more like show you they're cooking and cooking is easy. I don't really believe that actually except for the show Chef At Home with the host Chef Michael Smith (hmmmm nowadays it seems like Chef is what you call, prefixed in a name like Dr, Dato' and etc) because I admire his kitchen, his simple approach to cooking that can actually work and of course the way he talks like he is teaching English. Then there's Jamie Oliver but that's in another channel. It's not like I love watching Jamie Oliver cook (very messy cook) but I like to watch his quest against school dinners and stuff. Moreover he gives me an impression he is a decent fellow. There are other shows which I kinda like watching but some I absolutely hated like that show where cooks cook as cooks. Unbelievable because 3 dishes in half an hour or so? And why must they always look french with french portion (as in SMALL)?
Now there's the alpha male in cooking shows or rather shows about cooks/food and this alpha male, the big brother, the boss of them all is none other than Chef Gordon Ramsay, or usually people like to prefix his title with another title, the notoriously rude but passionate Chef Gordon Ramsay. I tell you his name can actually get longer when one day he is Sir Gordon Ramsay or does he rather prefer Sir Chef Gordon Ramsay? He looks set to go that way since he already has his OBE. I am sure you know who he is. If there is a chef who is a star, he is the one. I never did see him as a celebrity chef. For me celebrity chefs are those who host cook shows although they're not cooks themselves in real life and is famous for hosting shows about food. He is a bona fide cook, chef, restauranteur and multi millionaire who so happens to be very very famous for all the right and wrong reasons. For one he has the look of someone who can intimidate everyone and that makes for good reality TV as those who bitches behind his back don't seem to do that right in his face. You must have seen him in Hell's Kitchen which I enjoyed the least because he will most likely be at his worst temper there. Moreover the format of the show with the zooming cameras and all seems more like The Apprentice meets America's Top Model, than a proper chef show. And is Beef Wellington that famous a dish?
I know him from Kitchen Nightmares, the UK edition. You see some time before he was truly globally famous, he did some seasons of Kitchen Nightmares where he would go to restaurants in trouble and try to turn things around in I think 7 days? Anyway most of the time all he did was really to make some management changes, boost morale and I must say, as the series went by he was also the therapist, as he tackled some bigger egos, obssession with plates and etc. It was like a documentary, he walks in, curses a lot but manages to convey the message across, owners would flip out and walk away and then come back and try to do it well and in the end revamped themselves. He would then come back for an impromptu visit months later or sometimes a year later to find either things have gone better or back to the way it was, again he had to curse a lot and then get the owners to do things right. Then no more. Of course I would check online and was glad to know these restaurants, pubs are doing pretty well but some do close down and a lot of comments were made that perhaps Gordon Ramsay didn't help things that much. Bullshit if you ask me. These people just never listen properly.
One of my most favourite episode is I still remember about a small restaurant Rococo I think that was run by a former chef who had a Michelin star (not Dunlop, Silverstone, but Michelin, like ratings for restaurants, seen as Oscars for restaurants) who had the look of someone who totally lost hope. So our Chef Ramsay insulted him, got locked out, then came back in and worked together, changed the style, the name and the restaurant now called Maggie's is still up by the way and I have never seen such a big change in the owner than in this restaurant where he looked passionate again about food and his job.
Truly, Kitchen Nightmares (UK ed) is truly inspiring and very interesting to watch because somehow, in all the cursing and fighting and bitching, you just get this impression Chef Ramsay really really want to help and share his knowledge. Maybe his ego dictates that he must make something of these places but I don't know, he seems sincere and with so much effort, I am sure he was sincere. I enjoyed every single episode, through all the bleeping. Sometimes one sentence of 10 words, 8 bleepings. But also thanks to Chef Ramsay, I can now pick and choose which words to hear and to form a sentence proper despite the beepings.
Then I saw Boiling Point which was made years and years ago when he was running his 1st restaurant, when he wasn't travelling around that much and pressure was high. That series kinda cemented his reputation as a bully and a temperamental person. Well he calls his staff fatso, stupid and a whole lot of cursing and stuff like that. But it shows the life of a chef in a quality restaurant and how much pressure that can be. It also shows kitchen, funnily enough can be such a cut throat business and environment where almost all are run with military precision and of course military drill. Scary but intriguing.
One observation here. He always emphasises on clean kitchen. That I agree. Also food presentation. Also agree. But why did I always see them wiping the plates with napkins but before that a quick wetting of the side of the napkins with saliva (of course) before wiping the edge of the plates? Isn't that as unhygienic as dirty kitchen in itself? Did I see it wrong?
I also saw Faking It where he had to train a burger flipper into a fake but believable head chef or we call executive chef. I am sure a whole lot more drama went on which were not shown and poor guy got it bad from Chef Ramsay but in the end he not only won the competition, he fooled all the judges. That was such a great episode and I'd recommend it to everyone to watch.
I also enjoyed The F word as he was more relaxed in there and one favourite segment had to be the cooking showdown between him and some famous personality and when it comes to dessert, he almost always losses. So he is not god of every dish!
However then I started watching Hell's Kitchen (US ed) which I hated watching because he was horrible in it but the contestants were worse and online I watched Kitchen Nightmares (US ed).
I will confess here; I hate Kitchen Nightmares (US ed). It no longer focus on the restaurant or its failing or even the healing process and the effort in trying to help it or even the therapist role he held in the UK edition, it became like any other American reality TV show with the focus being the cursing, the argument, the fights and pan and zoom to shocked faces. It is demeaning and did nothing to enhance Chef Ramsay's reputation but now created perhaps another criticism that perhaps it is all about money, fame and ego. I just wish to could write to him (I never want to meet him! I don't want to die!) and tell him please stop with that nonsense. Go back to the UK ed, do a proper Kitchen Nightmares and get creative control. Stop with all those high drama for the sake of TV stuff. When those people cried, I never believed any of it.
Anyway I have also read his autobiography, Humble Pie which I enjoyed tremendously although the accounts in there were more like our toll system, Touch N Go. But it did provide insight into his well insights. He never really cared about the criticisms about himself but he became very defensive when he is called a bully and a tyrant to his staff. I mean he is isn't he? Calling your waiter fatso, calling your staff stupid or useless or hand in the notice, etc and those poor guys just went along cooking whilst saying "Yes Gordon, No Gordon, Yes Gordon". I wonder are they really listening? They must have since most have been promoted to run restaurants within his group of restaurants.
Reading that book answered that question about his attitude towards his staff. It is no secret his place would be one of the worst places to work at because of the continous insults and taunts. So yeah he is a mean boss, sometime a bully. But look, that's how kitchens are apparently. They're highly pressured individuals trying to get something done within a time limit set to perfection. Everything is like an ochestra, well timed, you can't have the cello playing 2 seconds late and ruined the entire performance. I realised that watching The F Word actually. And from what I gathered, he is no more a bully than others in similar situations, except maybe Jamie Oliver who seems extremely polite to his staff in his restaurant, 15. Maybe all these are young men, 16, 18, 20. I admit it is very hard to watch Gordon Ramsay just keep insulting then but after watching Boiling Point and the majorly biased to the point of insulting More Boiling Point (which actually seems more like criticising him rather than showing things as they are) and reading Humble Pie, I came to the conclusion and I hope I am right, he insults, he taunts and nags. In fact it is more like nagging than anything else, a persistent nag filled with insults and profanity until you get it in your head. He has of course thrown dishes into the bin or on the floor, complete with the cups, etc but I have never read, seen nor heard that he has ever ever ever thrown like the beef wellington onto someone's face or poured a cup of hot soup over someone's head and then expect you to say sorry and continue cooking. That was his earliest training as a young chef and that to me is the ultimate NO and abuse. Insults is ok in the face of such aggression. So really he isn't that bad. Moreover those he insulted over and over and over again actually later on became his right hand man and such. So I suppose if he thinks you're talented, he will insult you more to beat down your ego and strip you bare of any pride so that you can be rebuilt as a stronger character and future commando of the kitchen.
That is what I gather. Moreover, in Humble Pie he said he had a difficult childhood and worse, a bad father and worst of all, a horrible brother, a junkie now awaiting trial in Indonesia I think. And I was thinking don't we all? Whilst you will read how he tried to not think about his brother or wash his hands off him after helping him over the years, you get this feeling he is a sentimental person and at the end of the day blood is thicker than water. He did theorised that perhaps his immense success made his brother feel small and therefore he went bad. Again bullshit. If someone wants to go bad they can have all sort of excuses. I do think Chef Ramsay has every right to feel proud of his success because he truly built himself an empire from absolutely nothing based solely on his talent and of course his luck in finding really loyal friends and staff. I think his ambition is driven by his fear. Perhaps fear of losing it all, I don't know. His persona may be tough, angry, passionate, temperamental, rude, etc. Sometimes he speaks his mind but most of the time I interprete them as speaking without thinking. Let's face it; he is not highly educated. So let's not allude ourselves to the illusion he is a cultured smart bookworm or whatever. He may not be the true gentleman or careful with his words. He is who he is; someone
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