Go to :
http://theowlcritic.blogspot.com/2011/02/punish-tyrants.html
Thanks.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
The Prostitution of Journalism
This posting moved here :
http://theowlcritic.blogspot.com/2011/02/prostitution-of-journalism.html
Thanks.
http://theowlcritic.blogspot.com/2011/02/prostitution-of-journalism.html
Thanks.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Give Palani A Chance!
Some claim that Palani says absolutely nothing.
To these doubters, we would like to point out that this may very well be because he has, .... nothing to say.
When he does have something to say, he may.
Yet more accusingly point out that Palani has done absolutely nothing.
We are not disagreeing with them, but we would like to say, in his defence, that he may be saving his energies for his feud with Samy.
When he is done with that, he will see what he can do.
Unless another internal issue pops up.
We thank you for your patience.
Others wish hastily to conclude that Palanivel is particularly inept.
Well, while this is not something we can argue against, we urge you to look at the bright side.
He is not Samy Vellu.
"But he has done nothing for us" they complain.
"What has he done for us?" the same impertinent caviliers persist.
Why, nothing at all, of course.
Whatever did you expect?
So, vote for BN.
Give Palani a chance!
A chance to rob you blind.
You unstintingly gave it to Samy, after all.
To these doubters, we would like to point out that this may very well be because he has, .... nothing to say.
When he does have something to say, he may.
Yet more accusingly point out that Palani has done absolutely nothing.
We are not disagreeing with them, but we would like to say, in his defence, that he may be saving his energies for his feud with Samy.
When he is done with that, he will see what he can do.
Unless another internal issue pops up.
We thank you for your patience.
Others wish hastily to conclude that Palanivel is particularly inept.
Well, while this is not something we can argue against, we urge you to look at the bright side.
He is not Samy Vellu.
"But he has done nothing for us" they complain.
"What has he done for us?" the same impertinent caviliers persist.
Why, nothing at all, of course.
Whatever did you expect?
So, vote for BN.
Give Palani a chance!
A chance to rob you blind.
You unstintingly gave it to Samy, after all.
BN's Remarkable Achievements For The Indians
Some say the Indian Vote is returning to BN. While most of these worthies appear to support or are members in MIC or BN, we will still, as unbiased observers, take a careful look at their claims.
To make this a scientific exercise, we must be fair and list out BN's achievements since March 2008. So we will examine their top 5 accomplishments :
They have painted Brickfieds in eye-popingly gaudy, garish colors and constructed obscenely ugly arches.
This has succeeded in sharply reducing the apetite of the majority Indian visitors to this area.
Thus reducing their exposure to a variety of lifestyle diseases.
They have brought the Prime Minister of India to this area during his recent visit to Malaysia.
Thus making him quite lose his apetite for the rest of his visit.
This has saved the taxpayers some money as it reduced the government's catering costs.
Such saved monies will of course benefit and be returned to the taxpayers in some form.
Possibly extra Patrol Boats.
Mr.Najib has done a walkabout in Brickfields.
Thus proving that he cares about you.
And that he's the Prime Minister of all Malaysians.
Never mind Utusan.
Mr.Najib has visited Batu Caves for Thaipusam, a first.
Being sentimental fellows, this should make you all feel nice and warm inside.
You will need the warmth for when you are cold-shouldered for scholarships, jobs and loans.
Samy Vellu has, at long last, been got rid off.
You may now look forward to being ignored, lied to, condescended to and having your money parted from you by a different fellow.
And there it is.
Who dares to argue with these accomplishments?
What, a heckler at the back!
Not accomplishments, you say?
Just a bunch of superficial dramas, camera ops and TV moments that neither help you nor mean a thing?
Nitpicker!
To make this a scientific exercise, we must be fair and list out BN's achievements since March 2008. So we will examine their top 5 accomplishments :
They have painted Brickfieds in eye-popingly gaudy, garish colors and constructed obscenely ugly arches.
This has succeeded in sharply reducing the apetite of the majority Indian visitors to this area.
Thus reducing their exposure to a variety of lifestyle diseases.
They have brought the Prime Minister of India to this area during his recent visit to Malaysia.
Thus making him quite lose his apetite for the rest of his visit.
This has saved the taxpayers some money as it reduced the government's catering costs.
Such saved monies will of course benefit and be returned to the taxpayers in some form.
Possibly extra Patrol Boats.
Mr.Najib has done a walkabout in Brickfields.
Thus proving that he cares about you.
And that he's the Prime Minister of all Malaysians.
Never mind Utusan.
Mr.Najib has visited Batu Caves for Thaipusam, a first.
Being sentimental fellows, this should make you all feel nice and warm inside.
You will need the warmth for when you are cold-shouldered for scholarships, jobs and loans.
Samy Vellu has, at long last, been got rid off.
You may now look forward to being ignored, lied to, condescended to and having your money parted from you by a different fellow.
And there it is.
Who dares to argue with these accomplishments?
What, a heckler at the back!
Not accomplishments, you say?
Just a bunch of superficial dramas, camera ops and TV moments that neither help you nor mean a thing?
Nitpicker!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
The Little Temple On The Hill
On weekends, it is a welcome escape from the busy life and stifling traffic of KL and PJ to walk in the green and shady paths of Bukit Gasing. Trees, greenery and wildlife teem here. One can sometimes see silver-backed monkeys leaping in the high branches, monitor lizards, all manner of insects and the occasional snake. It also serves as a critical green lung for local residents beleagured by the threat of overdevelopment. It took 50 years for Bukit Gasing to reach this state after being abandoned as a rubber plantation.
The only real threat to Bukit Gasing has been avaricious developers. And they have been succesful in reducing Bukit Gasing in size. Mostly this has been from the Kuala Lumpur side, aided and abetted by a criminally uncaring DBKL. If there are more sinister reasons why DBKL approved those developments, we have no proof of it.
Yet now Bukit Gasing's fragile ecosystem and shady pathways are under threat from an unexpected new assailant. Cynical politicians. Their 'cause' is a little temple on the hill that has peacefully coexisted with the residents and the environment for as long as we can remember.
The problem started with a Temple Committee that decided to do expansion works on the temple. In cavalier form, they went ahead without seeking the approval of the Public Works Department or the local authority, MPPJ. When their actions started causing lanslides, the authorities stepped in. Work was stopped and the temple closed for safety reasons untill rectification works could be done.
Then, far from the traquility of our little haven, PKR had an election. Some won and some lost and some whined. Thats democracy. Most of us who are not PKR members could care less about their internal quibbles. We are only concerned with the General Elections.
One grotesque fellow however, would not rest. Losing in the elections, passed over for an appointed position and casting about for issues with which to attack his own party leadership, he attempted to exploit the closure of the temple. Pounded with a barrage of proof that the closure was valid, he moved on to the next thing. Of which we are not concerned (and neither it seems, is the PKR leadership. They ignored him and his highly defamatory histrionics. Not even bothering to sue him, a testimony to his insignificance).
And there the matter should have rested.
But a couple of days ago, it flared up again. Mr. Uthayakumar and his associates visited the temple and astoundingly, unilaterally declared it 'open'.
They are not impressed by the reports of PWD engineers who, supported by comprehensive, scientific data, consider it unsafe to open the temple to the public. Nor by MPPJ which concurs. Nor even the Temple Commitee which agrees with the two authorities.
The poisonous nature of race-based politics is glaringly revealed here. The election is coming; they need the attention of their particular race-based constituencies; and they will do whatever it takes, right or wrong, justified or not, to get that attention. They seem uncorncerned that they are exploiting emotive issues. Or that Bukit Gasing is a threatened enviromentally sensitive enclave.Or that visiting unsafe areas in large numbers will endanger lives. There have been so many disasters in hilltop developments that they really should know better.
Let the temple open when rectification and construction works are completed. And it is certified safe by professionals.
Enough of these cynical, exploitative, publicity-seeking spectacles.
And keep all your toxic race-based politickings out of Bukit Gasing.
The only real threat to Bukit Gasing has been avaricious developers. And they have been succesful in reducing Bukit Gasing in size. Mostly this has been from the Kuala Lumpur side, aided and abetted by a criminally uncaring DBKL. If there are more sinister reasons why DBKL approved those developments, we have no proof of it.
Yet now Bukit Gasing's fragile ecosystem and shady pathways are under threat from an unexpected new assailant. Cynical politicians. Their 'cause' is a little temple on the hill that has peacefully coexisted with the residents and the environment for as long as we can remember.
The problem started with a Temple Committee that decided to do expansion works on the temple. In cavalier form, they went ahead without seeking the approval of the Public Works Department or the local authority, MPPJ. When their actions started causing lanslides, the authorities stepped in. Work was stopped and the temple closed for safety reasons untill rectification works could be done.
Then, far from the traquility of our little haven, PKR had an election. Some won and some lost and some whined. Thats democracy. Most of us who are not PKR members could care less about their internal quibbles. We are only concerned with the General Elections.
One grotesque fellow however, would not rest. Losing in the elections, passed over for an appointed position and casting about for issues with which to attack his own party leadership, he attempted to exploit the closure of the temple. Pounded with a barrage of proof that the closure was valid, he moved on to the next thing. Of which we are not concerned (and neither it seems, is the PKR leadership. They ignored him and his highly defamatory histrionics. Not even bothering to sue him, a testimony to his insignificance).
And there the matter should have rested.
But a couple of days ago, it flared up again. Mr. Uthayakumar and his associates visited the temple and astoundingly, unilaterally declared it 'open'.
They are not impressed by the reports of PWD engineers who, supported by comprehensive, scientific data, consider it unsafe to open the temple to the public. Nor by MPPJ which concurs. Nor even the Temple Commitee which agrees with the two authorities.
The poisonous nature of race-based politics is glaringly revealed here. The election is coming; they need the attention of their particular race-based constituencies; and they will do whatever it takes, right or wrong, justified or not, to get that attention. They seem uncorncerned that they are exploiting emotive issues. Or that Bukit Gasing is a threatened enviromentally sensitive enclave.Or that visiting unsafe areas in large numbers will endanger lives. There have been so many disasters in hilltop developments that they really should know better.
Let the temple open when rectification and construction works are completed. And it is certified safe by professionals.
Enough of these cynical, exploitative, publicity-seeking spectacles.
And keep all your toxic race-based politickings out of Bukit Gasing.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
The Circus Comes To Town!
Excitement runs high in the usually quiet city of Kuantan today. The Circus has come to town! Travelling in, of all things, a Cabinet.
This Circus, as it emerges out of its Cabinet, has unusually remarkable performers. And do not be misled by appearances. While many of the performers seem somewhat overweight, and some are of particularly unprepossesing appearance, they can put up quite a show.
There are trapeze artists, who, despite losing their grip, swing miraculously on, much to the surprise of the audience.
Of Clowns, well, perhaps there really are too many for one circus.
They had to retire one recently, as he stopped being funny. But he has managed to revive his clownish career, though forced to limit his performances to India. Now he's agitating to get his son into the show. That way, he can go on and on.
We can't really tell who the Strong Man is, as all the performers claim to be him.
However, there is a Strong Woman. Who in a strength competition, lost to a child. We predict she will avoid The Child in future. For The Child has grown, and if she loses to The Child again; it will spell the end of her circus career.
No shortage of acrobats . And they are particularly thick-skinned fellows, for it bothers them not the least that they often fall flat on their faces. They just get up and unabashedly carry on.
Jugglers too. Some, it is said, who are so skilful that they can juggle several portfolios at one time. Doing an equally bad job on all.
There is no bearded woman in this circus but they make up for it with a Goateed Man, who makes for an equally freakish spectacle.
We can't say we like the ring announcer though, who provides the Information on all the shows. He has a terribly annoying habit of speaking through his teeth. And for some reason, he keeps trying to confiscate our laptops.
There is also The Man Who Used To Own An Island. He lost the Island because he did nothing. Then he joined the circus where we still have no idea what he does.
There are sideshows galore, even if the sideshow performers seem to do little other than try to cosy up to the main players. And quite happy to pay for the privilige, we are told.
In all this excitement, let us not forget the RingMaster. A Grand personage indeed. Few can grandstand like him. As we saw in the Special Performance the Circus put up in honour of the Malaysians returning from Egypt.
A happy day indeed for the people of Kuantan to be treated to this wondrous spectacle.
Though; not that we want to nitpick; but they really should improve the quality of their performances.
Yet who are we to comment, when the RingMaster seems content enough. We know this for a fact, as we have never seen him use his whip. Nor do any of the performers, or should we say non-performers, ever get fired.
We do have one fear however. For some inexplicable reason, the price of petrol usually seems to go up after one of their performances.
We really hope it won't happen this time.
This Circus, as it emerges out of its Cabinet, has unusually remarkable performers. And do not be misled by appearances. While many of the performers seem somewhat overweight, and some are of particularly unprepossesing appearance, they can put up quite a show.
There are trapeze artists, who, despite losing their grip, swing miraculously on, much to the surprise of the audience.
Of Clowns, well, perhaps there really are too many for one circus.
They had to retire one recently, as he stopped being funny. But he has managed to revive his clownish career, though forced to limit his performances to India. Now he's agitating to get his son into the show. That way, he can go on and on.
We can't really tell who the Strong Man is, as all the performers claim to be him.
However, there is a Strong Woman. Who in a strength competition, lost to a child. We predict she will avoid The Child in future. For The Child has grown, and if she loses to The Child again; it will spell the end of her circus career.
No shortage of acrobats . And they are particularly thick-skinned fellows, for it bothers them not the least that they often fall flat on their faces. They just get up and unabashedly carry on.
Jugglers too. Some, it is said, who are so skilful that they can juggle several portfolios at one time. Doing an equally bad job on all.
There is no bearded woman in this circus but they make up for it with a Goateed Man, who makes for an equally freakish spectacle.
We can't say we like the ring announcer though, who provides the Information on all the shows. He has a terribly annoying habit of speaking through his teeth. And for some reason, he keeps trying to confiscate our laptops.
There is also The Man Who Used To Own An Island. He lost the Island because he did nothing. Then he joined the circus where we still have no idea what he does.
There are sideshows galore, even if the sideshow performers seem to do little other than try to cosy up to the main players. And quite happy to pay for the privilige, we are told.
In all this excitement, let us not forget the RingMaster. A Grand personage indeed. Few can grandstand like him. As we saw in the Special Performance the Circus put up in honour of the Malaysians returning from Egypt.
A happy day indeed for the people of Kuantan to be treated to this wondrous spectacle.
Though; not that we want to nitpick; but they really should improve the quality of their performances.
Yet who are we to comment, when the RingMaster seems content enough. We know this for a fact, as we have never seen him use his whip. Nor do any of the performers, or should we say non-performers, ever get fired.
We do have one fear however. For some inexplicable reason, the price of petrol usually seems to go up after one of their performances.
We really hope it won't happen this time.
The Frightened Party
In yesterday's Sun, MIC's president, Mr.G.Palanivel, offered his first public response to the acquittal of A.Kugan's alleged assailant.
MIC, he said, would 'review' the case.
Mr. Palanivel appears to treat A.Kugan's cruel death like the minutes of his last meeting. He will 'review' it.
MIC, would then, he lamely went on, 'write a letter to the IGP'.
And then, let me guess, wait for a return correspondence.
And then, ....write another letter.
Ad nauseam.
A weaker, more tepid or craven response is unimaginable.
He appeared to dismiss the call by some of his underlings for a Royal Commision of Inquiry. No, Mr.Palanivel will not take a stand. He will instead, squirm, slither and slide while trying to wriggle his way out of the situation.Why ruffle feathers, after all. Especially with the election coming.
I may be being too hard on Mr. Palanivel. The poor fellow may only be, as usual, carrying out instructions.
From their president's words, or lack of it, it is patently clear what MIC's response to the vicious, brutal beating and subsuquent death of A.Kugan will be.
They will do precisely nothing. And hope it all goes away.
MIC, he said, would 'review' the case.
Mr. Palanivel appears to treat A.Kugan's cruel death like the minutes of his last meeting. He will 'review' it.
MIC, would then, he lamely went on, 'write a letter to the IGP'.
And then, let me guess, wait for a return correspondence.
And then, ....write another letter.
Ad nauseam.
A weaker, more tepid or craven response is unimaginable.
He appeared to dismiss the call by some of his underlings for a Royal Commision of Inquiry. No, Mr.Palanivel will not take a stand. He will instead, squirm, slither and slide while trying to wriggle his way out of the situation.Why ruffle feathers, after all. Especially with the election coming.
I may be being too hard on Mr. Palanivel. The poor fellow may only be, as usual, carrying out instructions.
From their president's words, or lack of it, it is patently clear what MIC's response to the vicious, brutal beating and subsuquent death of A.Kugan will be.
They will do precisely nothing. And hope it all goes away.
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