TAKE ME BACK TO THE SIXTIES

As many of you know, I am a baby-boomer born in the 1960's. I loved my childhood and I grew up with Cliff Richard, The Beatles, Elvis, Nat King Cole, The Black and White Minstrel Show, Andy Williams, Flintstones, Bee Gees and many other unforgettable artistes and movies.

At every family gathering, I let my hair down with my cousins and we would gyrate our hips and do the Twist or the a-go-go dances with our heads shaking to the left and right, hands moving up and down in a most rhythmic fashion. Such glorious days!

I remember how as a four year-old I was singing "Yellow Submarine" this way:

eee ol ladeee yellow submarine instead of We all live in a yellow submarine!!!

It was when I learnt how to read that I realized what utter nonsense I had been crooning and the best part was - everyone sang the same mumbo jumbo.

More importantly, I was so young when May 13, 1969 happened. The only thing I remember was my mom coming to school to take me home and how I rejoiced because all the cousins were at home and we made such a racket until we heard the sirens and saw the truckloads of soldiers in front of my grandmother's house. Silence. Then we knew what it was all about and our hearts were filled with fear. Such innocence gone in the twinkling of an eye.

After the storm, I remember how we were all so patriotic and sang "Berjaya" and "Negara-ku" with so much gusto and the schools and media pumped us with so much propoganda.

Fast forward forty years later. We may be more developed but are we really one nation now? I cannot believe that this nation has grown 40 years older but we seem to be more backward in mentality than what we were then back in the 1960's.

My uncle was Tunku Abdul Rahman's very close friend and I remember how I was filled with so much awe and respect when I went to his home as a young girl. His presence seemed to fill the whole room and his calm and serene demeanour complimented his princely air and yet, there was this humane and humble note about him. Great men have such characteristics indeed. I still have the handwritten testimonial that Tunku wrote for me in 1983 - a real treasure indeed.

I believe that what made the sixties special was not so much the music or movies or that black and white television was introduced. It was because then - we had a Prime Minister who truly loved the people. He was a Prince and yet so much a man who could relate to the rakyat, a leader who led without imposing on others, a politician who exuded integrity and fairness in all that he said and wrote. It was truly leadership by example and he commanded the respect of the masses.

Did you know that in 1977, having acquired substantial shares in The Star, a Penang-based newspaper, Tunku Abdul Rahman became the newspaper's Chairman? His columns, "Looking Back" and "As I See It", were critical of the government. In 1987, we all know The Star was banned by a certain leader.

I doubt we can ever have a leader like Tunku Abdul Rahman...Of course I hope that there will rise from amongst us one with his wisdom, stature and perspective ...Is that idealistic me speaking?

The 60's and 70's ...such wondrous years for Malaysia....

Anyway, if you want a more international flashback of the 60's, please click on THIS LINK which Angela sent me today. It will take you down memory lane and give you a summary of important events, music and icons.

I will be changing the template of this blog soon. I hope that my dear readers will not react negatively to the new template. The truth is, I am quite sick of the sweet pink template with hearts which does not really gel with the content that I post these days.

So this is advance warning that this pink template will change into something else soon.:-)

Please bear with me and stay with me, dear reader. Thanks!

Here's wishing you a lovely evening!

MIDDAY MADNESS (JOKES)

Cinderella was now 75 years old. After a fulfilling life with the now dead Prince, she happily sat upon her rocking chair, watching the world go by from her front porch, with a cat called Alan for companionship.

One sunny afternoon, out of nowhere, appeared the Fairy Godmother.

Cinderella said "Fairy Godmother, what are you doing here after all these years?"

The Fairy Godmother replied "Well Cinderella, since you have lived a good, wholesome life since we last met, I have decided to grant you 3 wishes. Is there anything for which your heart still yearns?"

Cinderella is taken aback, overjoyed and after some thoughtful consideration and almost under her breath she uttered her first wish: "I wish I was wealthy beyond comprehension."

Instantly, her rocking chair was turned into solid gold. Cinderella was stunned. Alan, her old faithful cat, jumped off her lap and scampered to the edge of the porch, quivering with fear.

Cinderella said "Oh thank you, Fairy Godmother".

The Fairy Godmother replied "It is the least I can do. What does your heart wish for your second wish?"

Cinderella looked down at her frail body, and said: "I wish I was young and full of the beauty of youth again".

At once, her wish having been desired, became reality, and her beautiful youthful visage had returned. Cinderella felt stirrings inside her that had been dormant for years and long forgotten vigor and vitality began to course through her very soul.

Then the Fairy Godmother again spoke "You have one more wish, what shall you have?"

Cinderella looked over to the frightened cat in the corner and said: "I wish you to transform Alan my old cat into a beautiful and handsome young man".

Magically, Alan suddenly underwent so fundamental a change in his biological make-up, that when complete he stood before her, a boy, so beautiful the like of which she nor the world had ever seen, so fair indeed that birds begun to fall from the sky at his feet.

The Fairy Godmother again spoke: "Congratulations, Cinderella. Enjoy your new life." And, with a blazing shock of bright blue electricity, she was gone.

For a few eerie moments, Alan and Cinderella looked into each other's eyes. Cinderella sat, breathless, gazing at the most stunningly perfect boy she had ever seen.

Then Alan walked over to Cinderella, who sat transfixed in her rocking chair, and held her close in his young muscular arms.

He moved close to her ear, and into her ear breathed as much as whispered, blowing her golden hair with his warm breath, "I bet you regret having me neutered now, don't you?"

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Bill's all excited about his new rifle. So, he goes bear hunting in Alaska. The first bear he sees is a little brown bear, and he kills it with his first shot. There is a tap on his shoulder, and he turns around to see a big black bear.

The black bear says "You've got 2 choices. One, I maul you to death or Two, we have sex."

Bill bends over for the bear. He's sore for 2 days, but he recovers and vows revenge.

Bill heads out on another trip to Alaska and he finds the black bear and kills him. At that moment there is a tap on his shoulder. A huge grizzly is standing right behind him.

The grizzly says, "That was a big mistake. You've got 2 choices, "Either I maul you to death or we have sex."

Bill bends over. He survives, but he's really hurting and takes quite a bit of time to recover, and, he's outraged. Sure enough, he heads back to Alaska and finds the grizzly and shoots him at point blank range.

There's a tap on his shoulder. He turns around to find an enormous polar bear, and the polar bear says, "You don't really come here for the hunting, do you?"
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A young man saw an elderly couple sitting down to lunch at Burger King. He noticed that they ordered one meal, and an extra drink cup. As he watched, the gentleman carefully divided the hamburger in half, then counted out the fries. One for him, one for her, until each had half of them.

Then he poured half of the soft drink into the extra cup, and set it in front of his wife. The old man began to eat, and his wife sat watching, with her hands folded in her lap.

The young man decided to ask if they would allow him to purchase another meal for them so that they didn't have to split theirs.

The old gentleman said, "Oh, no. We've been married 50 years, and everything has always been and will always be shared, 50/50."

The young man than asked the wife if she was going to eat, and she replied, "Not yet. It's his turn using the teeth."

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Goodbye Mother

A young man was walking through a supermarket to pick up a few things when he noticed an old lady following him around. Thinking nothing of it, he ignored her and continued on. Finally he went to the checkout line, but she got in front of him.

"Pardon me," she said, "I'm sorry if my staring at you has made you feel uncomfortable. It's just that you look just like my son, who just died recently."

"I'm very sorry," replied the young man, "is there anything I can do for you?"

"Yes," she said, "As I'm leaving, can you say 'Good bye, Mother'? It would make me feel so much better."

"Sure," answered the young man.

As the old woman was leaving, he called out, "Goodbye, Mother!" As he stepped up to the checkout counter, he saw that his total was £127.50.

"How can that be?" He asked, "I only purchased a few things!"

"Your mother said that you would pay for her," said the clerk.

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All The Thanks I Need

A married couple was in a terrible accident where the woman's face was severely burned.

The doctor told the husband that they couldn't graft any skin from her body because she was too skinny, so the husband offered to donate some of his own skin.

However, the only skin on his body that the doctor felt was suitable would have to come from his buttocks. The husband and wife agreed that they would tell no one about where the skin came from, and requested that the doctor also honor their secret. After all, this was a very delicate matter.

After the surgery was completed, everyone was astounded at the woman's new beauty. She looked more beautiful than she ever had before! All her friends and relatives just went on and on about her youthful beauty!

One day, she was alone with her husband, and she was overcome with emotion at his sacrifice. She said, "Dear, I just want to thank you for everything you did for me. There is no way I could ever repay you."

"My darling," he replied, "I get all the thanks I need every time I see your mother kiss you on the cheek."
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Have a lovely day!!

A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY INDEED

Newly launched Free Malaysia Today carried an article on PKR won't lose sleep over RPK's warning which reinforced my suspicion that this party is heading for troubled waters.

I find it absolutely ridiculous for Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) strategy director Chua Tian Chang to oversimplify things and claim that "Pakatan Rakyat (PR) assemblymen in Selangor should just focus on raising their performance and the people’s standard of living, and not be too distracted by Raja Petra Kamarudin’s warning that the state government could be toppled by Barisan Nasional (BN) next January."

Honestly, I expect a Strategy Director of any political party to exhibit sharp thinking skills and prowess in strategy to counter any real or imagined threat to a party but such a light-hearted response to a very real warning from Raja Petra Kamarudin reveals Tian Chua's deficiency in combat skills to play the game of politics!

His argument that "UMNO chief Najib Razak and other BN leaders had always had it in them to abuse their powers–like using the ISA or MACC–to frustrate the opposition" reflects his immaturity in his understanding of key issues at hand.

To add insult to injury would be Tian Chua's lackadaisical statements :

“But I won’t want to spend more than a minute over such a possibility,” he said.

“PKR wakil rakyat need to concentrate on doing our job, that is, governing Selangor well,” was Tian’s central message in responding to Raja Petra, also known as RPK.

I wonder if Tian Chua actually read the article at all. The fact that he even refused to spend more than SIXTY SECONDS over the possibility shows his lack of respect for a highly seasoned, experienced and most respected icon in blogosphere who has such a large following of readers who love Malaysia.

In his Nov. 3 posting “Will Selangor Fall in January,” RPK had said that he warned PR leader Anwar Ibrahim that Perak would fall, and it did two weeks afterwards. Is this not enough proof to Tian Chua that RPK knows his stuff whilst he himself is resting in blissful ignorance and idealism that all is well as long as PKR improve their delivery of services?

Can you imagine how other readers would react to Tian Chua's arrogant and high-handed response to a very passionate post written by someone who has nothing but the welfare of the country in his heart, someone who has paid a very heavy price for his stand oh issues to the extent that he and his family have had to leave the country in a self-imposed exile? Would Tian Chua be ready to stick his neck out the way RPK has done for Malaysia?

Those of us who read Malaysia Today and many other news portals or blogs are well aware of the goings-on in PKR. Almost daily we read of absurd statements that reflect irrational thinking and rash claims that are made to protect oneself and to dent the party image. A good example would be the Zulkifli-Sivarasa spat which you can read over HERE and Anwar's reaction to that spectacle OVER HERE.

Is governance of the state which is akin to the crown jewels as simple as what he claims?

He said the PR government’s job was to improve on the state’s delivery of services to the people and implementing more welfare programmes for the needy.

Tian stressed that party members and supporters must not be distracted by unnecessary worries but focus on building up the party by doing the right and important things.

Yea right! We were all born yesterday without the ability to read, think and analyze. How do you expect us to react when we read disconcerting reports about members of PR such as over HERE?

Most foolishly, Tian Chua claims that “At the end of the day, the voters will decide in elections, which must be held even after a state government has been overthrown; so the final power is still in the hands of the electorate.”

He is totally resting on his laurels and viewing Selangor through PKR-tinted lenses so to speak. Does he not know that even though the rakyat have power vai the polling box, at the end of the day, we have to see who is really running Selangor - PKR or UMNO.

Indeed Tian Chua is enjoying a false sense of security because PR ’s control of the Selangor State Assembly does not mean that it is in control of the state government. Blind idealism and delusional thinking are strong forces that can undermine any political party.

The following is extracted from Will Selangor Fall in January?

“Many within the Selangor state agencies and government departments are Umno loyalists. They were in fact placed there and promoted because of their links with Umno. So, while Pakatan Rakyat may control the top, it will never be able to control the bottom. …

“And the first thing that Khir Toyo did when Selangor fell to the opposition (other than to shred all the evidence of wrongdoing) was to instruct the Selangor state agencies and government departments to sabotage the Pakatan Rakyat government. And this is what they are doing, every day of the week. Thus the ‘funny things’ that are happening in Selangor, including the beer issue and the arrest of the ex-Perlis Mufti and the temple demolitions and what not.”

If Tian Chua's statement/reaction is a representative of many leaders within PR, then it is a clear indication that their confidence and complacence will be their undoing!

Is he out of his mind? His own case for biting the policeman is enough evidence that trouble is brewing in the cauldron of deceitful plots to bring down the Selangor government. Why can't he be gracious enough to accept the warnings from a seasoned and experienced political activist and take the necessary steps to ward off any potential attack from the other side?

Perhaps he is living in another realm of existence.

Judging from his pompous statement, reinforcing the home base is the last thing on his mind and I am sure the enemy is clapping gleefully that there exists one character like Tian Chua in the enemy camp who is preparing the way for their assault with his sheer ignorance and arrogance!!!

The Pakatan Rakyat government in Selangor needs to take the warnings most seriously and take immediate action to consolidate their position. This should include:

* Cold storage of all unfriendly PR officials, best to fire some. Set an example. Let these officials cry all the way to UMNO and let real people serve Selangor., not robotic retards that move to the rhythm of UMNO warlords.

* State government department heads must be replaced with PR friendly civil servants. to ensure that moles cannot instigate disloyalty.

* Get all component parties together to think hard on how to counteract BN and to sniff out their traps.