I know it is difficult to smile during such times. To be honest, I have been very saddened by the recent developments in my country and have not been able to sleep or eat properly. On the brighter side, I shed a pound in just one day doing nothing but blogging and grieving :-(. To cheer myself and to inject some laughter onto cyberspace, I am posting a selection of political jokes. Some of them will certainly be food for thought. The first one is specially dedicated to Nick because of all the bovine excrement that we have been witnessing lately. I have posted it previously but as always, good jokes must be shared again. Take care and have a lovely evening!
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The types of cows
If a communist has two cows, he gives both to the government, and the government sells him some of the milk.
If a Socialist has two cows, he gives both to the government, and the government gives him some of the milk.
If a Nazi has two cows, the government shoots him, and takes both cows.
If a Capitalist has two cows, he sells one and buys a bull.
If a New dealist has two cows, he kills one, milks the other, and throws away the milk.
If a Liberalist has two cows, he sells them to the rich, then taxes them one cow and gives it to the poor.
If a Conservatist has two cows, he locks them up and charges people to look at them.
If an Atheist has two cows, he doesn't believe it.
If a Taoist has two cows, he lets them wander off.
If a Platonist has two cows, he looks for two others to milk.
If a Aristocrat has two cows, he sells them and buys one big one.
If a Pacifist has two cows, they stampede him.
If a government worker has two cows, he can't sell them, fire them, or even label them as cows.
If a Hillary Clinton has two cows, she robs the ranches and gives everyone two cows. If she doesn't have enough, she gives them bull.
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The definition of BTU
Recent confusion about the meaning of the abbreviation BTU has lead to the creation of set definitions that may be used when discussing its meaning.
1. Big Time Unemployment
2. Buy Thermal Underwear
3. Bill's Tax Utopia
4. Being Totally Unfair
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What is one billion?
According to a recent government publication ...
A billion seconds ago Harry Truman was president.
A billion minutes ago was just after the time of Christ.
A billion hours ago man had not yet walked on earth.
A billion dollars ago was late yesterday at the U.S. Treasury.
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AN OLD PROVERB UPDATED
Classic Version
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.
The grasshopper thinks he’s a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.
Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed. The grasshopper has no food or shelter so he dies out in the cold.
Modern Version
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks he’s a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.
Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving.
CBS, NBC and ABC show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food. America is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can it be that, in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?
Then a representative of the NAAGB (National Association of Green Bugs) shows up on Nightline and charges the ant with “green bias,” and makes the case that the grasshopper is the victim of 30 million years of greenism. Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper, and everybody cries when he sings “It’s Not Easy Being Green.”
Bill and Hillary Clinton make a special guest appearance on the CBS Evening News to tell a concerned Dan Rather that they will do everything they can for the grasshopper who has been denied the prosperity he deserves by those who benefited unfairly during the Reagan summers, or as Bill refers to it, the “Temperatures of the 80’s.”
Richard Gephardt exclaims in an interview with Peter Jennings that the ant has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and calls for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his “fair share.” Finally, the EEOC drafts the “Economic Equity and Anti-Greenism Act” retroactive to the beginning of the summer.
The ant fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green bugs and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the government. Hillary Clinton gets her old law firm to represent the grasshopper in a defamation suit against the ant, and the case is tried before a panel of federal judges that Bill appointed from a list of single-parent welfare moms who can only hear cases on Thursday’s between 1:30 and 3pm when there are no talk shows scheduled. The ant loses the case.
The story ends as we see the grasshopper finishing up the last bits of the ant’s food while the government house he’s in, which just happens to Be the ant’s old house, crumbles around him since he doesn’t know how to maintain it.
The ant has disappeared in the snow. And on the TV, which the grasshopper bought by selling most of the ant’s food, they are showing Bill Clinton standing before a wildly applauding group of Democrats announcing that a new era of “fairness” has dawned in America.
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WHAT A JOB!
Can you imagine working at the following Company? It has a little over 500 employees with the following statistics:
29 have been accused of spouse abuse
7 have been arrested for fraud
19 have been accused of writing bad cheques
117 have bankrupted at least two businesses
3 have been arrested for assault
71 cannot get a credit card due to bad credit
14 have been arrested on drug-related charges
8 have been arrested for shop-lifting
21 are current defendants in lawsuits In 1998 alone
84 were stopped for drunk driving
Can you guess which organization this is?
Give up?
It's the 535 members of the United States Congress. The same group that perpetually cranks out hundreds upon hundreds of new laws designed to keep the rest of us in line.
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WHILE OUT JOGGING ONE MORNING
One day George Bush was out jogging and accidentally fell from a ridge into a very cold river. Three boys, playing along the river, saw the accident. Without a second thought, they jumped in the water and dragged the wet president out of the river.
After cleaning up he said, "Boys, you saved the President of the United States today. You deserve a reward. You name it, I'll give it to you."
The first boy said, "Please, I'd like a ticket to Disneyland!"
"I'll personally hand it to you," said Mr. Bush.
"I'd like a pair of Nike Air Turbos," the second boy said.
"I'll buy them myself and give them to you," said the grateful Bush.
"And I'd like a wheelchair with a stereo in it," said the third boy.
"I'll personally ... wait a second, son, you're not handicapped!"
"No -- but I will be when my dad finds out I saved you from drowning."
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ROAD TRIP TO OZ
Former Vice President Dan Quayle, Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, and President Bill Clinton are traveling by car in Kansas. A tornado comes along and whirls them up into the air and tosses them many miles away. They fall into a daze.
When they come to and extract themselves from the vehicle, they realize they're in the fabled Land of Oz. They decide to go see the famous Wizard of Oz, known for granting people their wishes.
Quayle announces: "I'll ask the Wizard for a brain."
Gingrich responds: "I'll ask him for a heart."
Clinton looks around and says: "Where's Dorothy?"
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POLITICS ON THE FARM
Two farmers were discussing politics and the first one says: "I believe in a share and share alike policy. One where we are all equal."
"Well" replied the other farmer "I'm not sure about that. What you mean is that if you have two horses you'd give me one?"
"Of course" says the first.
The second farmer continued: "and of you had two cars, you'd give me one of them too?"
"absolutely"
"So" says the second farmer, "if you had two pigs then you'd give me one of them?"
"ah, now hang on a minute" says the first, "you know I've got two pigs!"
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Have a lovely evening!
In a quaint village, two little boys sat on opposite sides of a river bank starring at one another. Both were about ten or eleven years of age and dressed in dirty shorts and weather-beaten shirts. Old bones of contention were obviously the root of the hatred that filled their eyes.
Occasionally, they would break the stare to look elsewhere only to turn back moments later to continue glaring across at one another with so much anger and despise that one could almost feel the electricity in the air.
An old man who was walking by the nearby path was stunned when he saw them in their cold silence. He stood there watching them for a while and then asked, "Why are you two giving each other such murderous glances? If looks could kill, both of you would have been dead by now. What have you done to one another?"
"My father told me that this is the way to show our unhappiness and anger for the wrong that he did to us," said one of the boys with his arms on his waist.
"My grandfather and father have said that it is the fault of your family," shouted the other boy from the other side of the river bank.
The old man then looks at both of the them with a disappointed look , heaves a loud sigh and questions then with dismay.
"How can the two of you live and work together in the same community if you're chained down by events that occurred in the past that did not even concern you?"
* I adapted and rewrote the above story from a very short version which I posted HERE.
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The situation above could be a microcosm of what may happen in our country. Sometimes, we carry within ourselves prejudices, stereotypes or discriminatory ideas which we learned either directly or indirectly from our past which could influence the way we perceive others and our actions towards them. The time has come for us to let go of prejudices, stereotypes and discrimination and to move on so that we can build a more united country.
A prejudice is a preconceived belief, opinion, or judgment toward a group of people or a single person because of race, social class, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, disability, political beliefs , religion, line of work or other personal characteristics.
It also means a priori beliefs (without knowledge of the facts) and includes "any unreasonable attitude that is unusually resistant to rational influence." Both positive and negative prejudice can exist - when used negatively, "prejudice" implies fear and antipathy toward such a group or person.
A "stereotype" is a generalization about a person or group of persons. We develop stereotypes when we are unable or unwilling to obtain all of the information we would need to make fair judgments about people or situations.
In the absence of the "total picture," stereotypes in many cases allow us to "fill in the blanks." Our society often innocently creates and perpetuates stereotypes, but these stereotypes often lead to unfair discrimination and persecution when the stereotype is unfavorable.
Stereotypes also evolve out of fear of persons from minority groups. For example, many people have the view of a person with mental illness as someone who is violence-prone. This conflicts with statistical data, which indicate that persons with mental illness tend to be no more prone to violence than the general population. Perhaps the few, but well-publicized, isolated cases of mentally ill persons going on rampages have planted the seed of this myth about these persons.
"Discrimination" is a behavior (an action), with reference to unequal treatment of people because they are members of a particular group. There can be discrimination based on gender, race, religion, class, age and so on.
When we judge people and groups based on our prejudices and stereotypes and treat them differently, we are engaging in discrimination. This discrimination can take many forms. We may create subtle or overt pressures which will discourage persons of certain minority groups from living in a neighborhood. Women and minorities have been victimized by discrimination in employment, education, and social services.
Prejudices and stereotypes are usually learnt as facts and regarded as truths at a very young age. We do not test these; neither do we have the opportunity to test them. Later in life, when situations come up, we act out these stereotyped learnings effortlessly or automatically.
Belief systems are learnt more actively. We discuss, evaluate, and decide upon these systems of standards and codes of behavior which are easily re-evaluated but these are not automatically applied. Sometimes, conflicts arise between these two systems of "earlier learning" and "later learning." Situations arise where the earlier learning seems to be an automatic response. Time, attention, and awareness do not provide the opportunity for the later decided belief system to come into use.
Therefore, the behavior seems to be automatic and prejudiced in spite of the non-prejudiced belief system that is held. This type of behavioral conflict between the "later learning" and the "earlier learning" can be regarded as an "unintentional prejudicial response."
We are at an interesting time right now. Many people seem to hold fewer "later learning" prejudicial beliefs or convictions, but they do still have "earlier learning" prejudicial reactions or perceptions. The result is a situation where people report that they are not prejudiced, yet when conditions come up, they often behave in prejudicial ways, based on their "earlier learnings."
Conditions that do not get people’s full attention, or conditions where they are not fully aware of the other person’s group membership, will often result in a prejudicial response from one’s "earlier learning." This is one way of understanding why many people who say they are not prejudiced will, when tested, behave in prejudiced ways.
Whatever the case, the time has come for us to let go of our prejudices, stereotypes and discriminatory practices. We must forget what happened in the past to really move and to look at each other the way God sees us - just as we are...
Perhaps then, we can really talk and dream about ONE MALAYSIA.
Have a nice day, dear reader! Take care and keep safe.
During my Sociology classes, many students would be fascinated with the whole issue of moral panic. In the light of recent developments, I thought it would be good to share some ideas with you about this topic.
It was Stanley Cohen, in his work, Folk Devils and Moral Panics (1987) who first coined the term 'moral panics'. The concept can be defined as a sporadic episode which subjects society to bouts of moral panic - feelings of worry about the values and principles which society upholds which may be in jeopardy.
Cohen describes its characteristics as "a condition, episode, person or group of persons [who] become defined as a threat to societal values and interests." [Cohen, 1987: 9] In his book, Cohen discusses how the mass media fashions these episodes, or stylises them, amplifying the nature of the facts and consequently turning them into a national issue, when the matter could have been contained on a local level.
Due to Cohen's interest in youth culture and its perceived potential threat to social order, Cohen started research in this area of sociology. He discovered that in each era, a group has emerged who 'fits' the criteria, such as the Teddy Boys, Mods and Rockers, Skinheads and Hells' Angels.
As many would know, these groups are associated with certain types of violence, which in turn also provoke public reaction and emotion, as topics in their own right. Football hooliganism, drug abuse, vandalism and political demonstrations, all struck a chord in public opinion, but the impact might not have been on such a large scale, were it not for the part the mass media play in the exposition of the facts.
Cohen's study was mainly about the Mods and Rockers of the 1960's and how they were treated by the public. Truth is, they are perceived as a threat to law and order largely through the way the mass media represented them, in 'control culture'.
This refers to how the media sensationalised an event and then called for a punishment to be set to persecute the offenders. As Eldridge notes "In the process and as part of the dramatic element, scapegoats and folk devils are located and are woven into the narrative." [Eldridge 1997: 61]
In other words, society cannot accept responsibility for its own failures so they look to find someone who can be incriminated.
Through the media, 'amplification' occurs and appeals to the public so that they concur with ready-made opinions about the course of action to be taken. Usually, opinions are sought from the members the 'moral barricade', i.e. bishops, politicians and editors. Together with the opinions of the 'experts', they reach an agreement about how to cope with the situation in hand, and the problem either disappears or at least deteriorates.
These 'panics' can be dealt with in different ways. Sometimes they are issues which have existed in society for time immemorial but a particular event triggered the significance.
Although generally they pass as quickly as they came and are long forgotten, there are occasions when the consequences and repercussions are so long lasting and so much in the public eye that they can affect legal and social policy or as Eldridge puts it, even the way society perceives itself.
CLICK HERE, HERE and HERE if you want to know more about MORAL PANICS.
Doesn't all this sound a little close to home? Whatever the case, let us not panic or worry or spread rumors but let us keep sane, calm, rational, sensible and pray for normalcy to be restored as soon as possible and healing to be upon our land.
Bibliography
Cohen, Stanley (1972): Folk Devils and Moral Panics London: MacGibbon and Kee
Eldridge, John (1997): The Mass Media and Power in Modern Britain Oxford: University Press
I never thought that the second Friday of 2010 would be such an unnerving one. I am still so troubled and upset that I cannot sleep at all even though it is three o'clock in the morning. I just discovered that one of my varsity mates belongs to Metro Tabernacle Church when she sent me a youtube video of her church after it was fire-bombed and you can see it at THIS LINK.
It is difficult enough for me to forget the events I witnessed almost 40 years ago when I was just a little girl and that is why I react more emotionally to recent developments. For a change, I thought I'd focus on inspirational quotations instead of jokes to infuse wisdom, hope and kindness into our spirits as we begin a brand new day. May God bless our nation with peace, harmony and unity and may the Almighty restrain those who want to do evil deeds in our land. I hope you will be inspired by the youtube video clip and this set of quotations. Have a nice day and a great weekend!
The following video is specially dedicated to all my blog readers and friends, especially Antares, Tony, Angela, Edward, Nick, Arthur, Stephen,Romerz, Village Boy, Saudara Hafiz, Huilu, Semuanya Kot ok, antimamak, Cat-in-Sydney, DPP, Ching, Catherine, Pug, Uncle James, Datin Mamasita, Kak Ezza, Kak Teh, Kak Zendra, Andrea, Crankshaft, Chong, Fishfoot,Linda, JournoDOwnUnder, QQ, Kenneth, Ken, Margeemar, Walski, IWC, copycat,and many others including anonymous readers...
I BELIEVE!!!! I BELIEVE THAT THINGS WILL GET BETTER!!!!
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BEAUTIFUL QUOTATIONS OF MOTHER THERESA
Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.
We, the unwilling, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, for so long, with so little, we are now qualified to do anything with nothing.
Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired.
Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.
Even the rich are hungry for love, for being cared for, for being wanted, for having someone to call their own.
Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.
God doesn't require us to succeed; he only requires that you try.
Good works are links that form a chain of love.
I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.
I do not pray for success, I ask for faithfulness.
I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.
I want you to be concerned about your next door neighbor. Do you know your next door neighbor?
If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.
If we want a love message to be heard, it has got to be sent out. To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it.
In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love.
Intense love does not measure, it just gives.
It is a kingly act to assist the fallen.
It is impossible to walk rapidly and be unhappy.
It is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount of love that is put into them that matters.
Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.
Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.
Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.
Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.
Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do... but how much love we put in that action.
Love begins by taking care of the closest ones - the ones at home.
Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand.
If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.
If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
Peace begins with a smile.
Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.
The success of love is in the loving - it is not in the result of loving. Of course it is natural in love to want the best for the other person, but whether it turns out that way or not does not determine the value of what we have done.
There are no great things, only small things with great love. Happy are those.
There is more hunger in the world for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.
We can do no great things, only small things with great love.
We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls.
If you want a love message to be heard, it has got to be sent out. To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it.
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QUOTES BY MARGARET MEAD
Margaret Mead was an American cultural anthropologist. Born in 1901, she died in NYC in 1978. She was both respected and controversial. An adademic, a writer. Here are some of her most popular quotes
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.
There is no greater insight into the future than recognizing...when we save our children, we save ourselves.
Instead of being presented with stereotypes by age, sex, color, class, or religion, children must have the opportunity to learn that within each range, some people are loathsome and some are delightful.
We are continually faced with great opportunities which are brilliantly disguised as unsolvable problems.
Young people are moving away from feeling guilty about sleeping with somebody to feeling guilty if they are *not* sleeping with someone.
Never depend upon institutions or government to solve any problem. All social movements are founded by, guided by, motivated and seen through by the passion of individuals.
You know you love someone when you cannot put into words how they make you feel.
We won't have a society if we destroy the environment.
If the future is to remain open and free, we need people who can tolerate the unknown, who will not need the support of completely worked out systems or traditional blueprints from the past.
Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
I learned to observe the world around me, and to note what I saw.
I was brought up to believe that the only thing worth doing was to add to the sum of accurate information in the world.
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Take care, dear reader, and have a nice day!
