masterwordsmith-unplugged

Is it argh?

Or do you prefer aargh?

Some say aaargh or  aaaargh or aaarrgh but I love  aaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrgh best of all!

Aargh , an exclamation or a scream in written form can be an ironic cry or an expression of humorous frustration and usually used in the written rather than the verbal form. Aaaaaaaaaargh is more dramatic because of the added 'a' letters.

Whatever the case, there are probably too many variants of Aargh which are flourishing in its various forms due to the proliferation of the use of emails, online communication and social media.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary,  aargh is an exclamation used as an expression of anguish, horror, rage, or other strong emotion, often with humorous intent: Now they’re talking about putting up taxes—aargh! Apparently, it originated in the late 18th century: lengthened form of ah, expressing a prolonged cry

It seems as though the longer the version, then the longer the scream of the writer, the deeper the frustration. In fact, I use it quite often when I am alone. Somehow, it assuages the pain and frustration when I scream arrrrrrrgh aloud. There is this unexplainable sense of relief and frustration after I expel a loud Aaaaaaaarrrrggggghhhh!!

In fact,  aargh is a very peculiar and unusual word because it is probably the only word that offers us amazing versatility.

Did you know that its spelling varies most commonly in the number of 'A's, and to a lesser extent in the number of 'R's? Strangely, repetition of 'G's and 'H's is less common. Perhaps it is because A and R are more vocal and by the time it comes to G and H, the effect desired has already been attained so the person writing it or screaming Aaarrrgh is tired already :-), I know, it is a silly explanation but what the heck? :-)

There have been many types of Aarggh in movies and TV series. Have you ever heard of the Wilhelm Scream?

Check out THIS LINK to listen to it.

According to Wikipedia:

The Wilhelm scream is a film and television stock sound effect that has been used in more than 200 movies, beginning in 1951 for the film Distant Drums. The scream is often used when someone is shot, falls from a great height, or is thrown from an explosion. 

Apparently voiced by actor and singer Sheb Wooley, the sound is named after Private Wilhelm, a character in The Charge at Feather River, a 1953 western in which the character is shot with an arrow. This was believed to be the third movie to use the sound effect and its first use from the Warner Bros. stock sound library. 

The effect gained new popularity (its use often becoming an in-joke) after it was used in Star Wars, the Indiana Jones series, Disney cartoons and many other blockbuster films as well as television programs and video games.

I guess there is no word that can express frustration as much as  Aaargh

It appears that when written in capitals,  AAAAAARRRRGH - the expression is at a louder volume hence it is a very flexible and somewhat instinctual expression.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrgh clearly has a touch more desperation than Aaarrgh. The use of Aaaaargh is definitely increasing in the 21st century, and in different ways much like the 'Duh' made famous by Homer Simpson.

Interestingly, there are 2, 410, 000 entries if you Google for Aargh and there is even a board game named Aargh!

So the next time you want to say Aargh in frustration or for whatever reason, think for a moment about the many variations and choose the one that best fits your mood and feelings!

Have a lovely evening!

Having done loads of reading and research about social media and also as a once-upon-a-time addict, I would encourage you to seriously think again about using any such form of media.

Some friends regard me as paranoid but I am not. On the contrary, once you read as much as you can on what is actually happening or what COULD happen and HOW it could happen, my advice to all regardless of age, gender or education level is for you to just keep a cameo appearance there without revealing too much of yourself. I want to explore this from a few angles.

1. Personal relationships

Social media has seriously affected the quality, depth and maturity of personal relationships.
Instead of relating on a personal level and having good friends, some are more concerned about the number of friends they have. Regardless of whether one has met them in the real world, the tendency is for some to click with strangers and then pour out their hearts and souls etc. Whilst social media help us to connect to the larger society, it does not mean that casual and easy developments of friendship in such scenarios can be healthy.

Brian Jung wrote about this and quoted Cornell University's Steven Strogatz who said that social media sites can make it make it more difficult for us to distinguish between the meaningful relationships we foster in the real world, and the numerous casual relationships formed through social media. By focusing so much of our time and psychic energy on these less meaningful relationships, our most important connections, he fears, will weaken.

From a sociological viewpoint, I strongly believe that as a result of social media activities, some cannot distinguish between meaningful relationships and casual acquaintances - between genuine friends and hypocrites. In fact, a person may be completely different from the persona that he/she projects in the social media of his/her choice. The true 'person' is revealed only when online friends meet in the real world. Our MSM has reported many cases of how ladies have been hoodwinked by characters they meet in such sites.

Time to break the monotony of words.

Check out Cracked.Com - they have some brilliant art work that illustrate what I have been trying to say.

8 Ways Your Facebook Profile is Like a Serial Killer's Lair

This one is a must-read: 6 Things Social Networking Sites Need to Stop Doing

6 Scientific Reasons Social Networks Are Bad for Society

The World of Tomorrow (If The Internet Disappeared Today)

2. Self-endorsement

To a certain extent, social media feeds the ego of its users in that most users talk about the food the eat, what they want to wear, the most mundane things. When friends 'LIKE' their updates, there is a false sense of security and a certain kind of abandonment of ideals, ethics, values etc in varying degrees. There can be an unhealthy emphasis where one talks about oneself and bares all about what is happening in one's life.

From being an extrovert, the use of social media has turned me into an introvert. Why?

Because I realize that indeed it is a cold, cruel world out there. There can be gossip, slander etc - all kinds of horrible incidents that I witnessed in my friends' lives!

I have not been using my social media for months now as the dread and awareness of its malevolent side increased. Just two nights ago, a girlfriend Vibered me and we had a conversation that lasted for two hours and forty-five minutes where she detailed a certain unpleasant episode. She must have been wondering why I did not partake in the free-for-all or stood up for her so I told her plainly that I just go into my account to check if there is anything I should respond to and that I do not check people's walls etc. In the past, occasionally, I would check the updates of relatives and friends but now - I don't - not even my own family. I did not even write on my husband's wall on his birthday last week. And that does not mean I had forgotten or did not care.

3. Impact on Communication - Vaguebooking

Once upon a time, people kept diaries or journals for their personal writing. Along the way came social media that took over the functions of diaries and hey presto - we witnessed the birth of vaguebooking!

The Urban Dictionary defines Vaguebooking as:

An intentionally vague Facebook status update, that prompts friends to ask what's going on, or is possibly a cry for help.

Mary is: "wondering if it is all worth it"
Mark is: "thinking that was a bad idea"

Example:
"Have you talked to Mark? He's vaguebooking again. I wonder if he's back with Mary..."

Opposite:

Tammy is: "in line at the grocery store"

This can inhibit our personal expression and communication skills, especially if emoticons etc come into the picture and other expressions such as *facepalms* LOL, etc. What happened to good old language in proper sentences?

Not only is it annoying, Vaguebooking encourages people to rant or express their anger publicly and then friends will support them and goad them on - much like mob behaviour in the real world.

4. Cyberbulling/Stalkers/Paedophiles etc.

Social media is fertile ground for deviants such as cyberbullies, stalkers and paedophiles to seek and attack their prey, especially children who lie about their age to join social media. The Sunday Star featured a write-up on hackers and how they could terrorise social media users. Such intimidation or even blackmail is not only messy but can leave very deep scars in a person's life.

5. An Open Book for All and Sundry to See?

Why would anyone want to pose anything or everything about their lives for all to see and know? Many people are not aware of the dangers of posting their personal details e.g. birthdays or family members. Many institutions require the names of family members when resetting passwords or when making confidential enquiries. The worst thing is what we post can remain there indefinitely unless it is customed to 'ONLY ME' or deleted or taken off timeline. Many employers actually check on their staff to see what is happening on their walls or before hiring would-be staff. As such, one must always use an obscure email (not your official email) to register for facebook. Otherwise, anyone can look for you via your email address in the search facility of the social media!

6. It affects our output

For sure, many students and employees spend too much time on social media, even at the work place. Even if the company has a tech facility to block the social media, there are ways to bypass such gatekeepers. Imagine the cumulative value of time lost on social media at the work place or even the amount of homework/revision that students could have undertaken instead of spending precious time on social media.

7. It gives rise to gossip and is fertile ground for all kinds of misbehaviour

All it takes is one wrong comment to spark a war. Or the wrong word to trigger an affair etc. And then the aftermath would be totally unpleasant and unnecessary. Hence, avoid spending so much time on social media. Communicate face to face.

8. It seriously undermines the education system

According to Edudemic:

1. Many students rely on the accessibility of information on social media specifically and the web in general to provide answers. That means a reduced focus on learning and retaining information. 

2. Students who attempt to multi-task, checking social media sites while studying, show reduced academic performance (http://viralms.com/blog/2011/04/how-social-media-affects-students/). Their ability to concentrate on the task at hand is significantly reduced by the distractions that are brought about by YouTube, stumbleupon, Facebook or Twitter. 

3. The more time students spend on social sites, the less time they spend socializing in person. Because of the lack of body signals and other nonverbal cues, like tone and inflection, social networking sites are not an adequate replacement for face-to-face communication. Students who spend a great deal of time on social networking are less able to effectively communicate in person. 

4. The popularity of social media, and the speed at which information is published, has created a lax attitude towards proper spelling and grammar. The reduces a student’s ability to effectively write without relying on a computer’s spell check feature. (source) 

5. The degree to which private information is available online and the anonymity the internet seems to provide has made students forget the need to filter the information they post. Many colleges and potential employers investigate an applicant’s social networking profiles before granting acceptance or interviews. Most students don’t constantly evaluate the content they’re publishing online, which can bring about negative consequences months or years down the road. MORE AT THIS LINK.

Of course it also affects the grammar, spelling and usage of language/expression of students. Then there is the speed at which ONE wrong move/word can have devastating effects on the account holder. Then there is the addiction to games.

9. It paves the way of identity theft and other cyber crimes.

There have been many cases of how users lost control of their accounts which were subsequently used by the hacker for fraud e.g. by pretending to be the accont holder trapped overseas without money and soliciting for aid.

10. Remember social media chats are NOT safe at all. 

Read more HERE and HERE.

 Of course there are many ways in which social media has helped society and these include:

1. networking
2. sharing of ideas
3. marketing
4. ease of communication
5. etc.

One Sunday morning, the pastor noticed little Alex standing in the foyer of the church staring up at a large plaque.

It was covered with names and had small American flags mounted on either side of it.

The six-year old had been staring at the plaque for some time, so the pastor walked up, stood beside the little boy, and said quietly, 'Good morning Alex.'

'Good morning Pastor,' he replied, still focused on the plaque. 'Pastor, what is this? '

The pastor said, 'Well son, it's a memorial to all the young men and women who died in the service.'

Soberly, they just stood together, staring at the large plaque.

Finally, little Alex's voice, barely audible and trembling with fear asked,


Scroll down for his question......




'Which service - the 8:30a.m. or the 11:00a.m. ?'


Have a nice day!!

I was 14, way back in 1974, when I met him. (I know you are calculating my age so I might as well tell you that I will turn a golden 50 this Christmas.) Ronnie was Yong's boyfriend. It is funny how we met. I had opened the back door one afternoon and saw this pretty teen in the back lane giggling away with her sisters after I said "Hi", we became very close friends. It was a glorious time then as my neighbourhood was filled with teenagers including Girlie, Beng, Francis, Pauline, Yong, Lily, Kheng Suan (who passed away last year), Jen etc. And we would cycle together in the middle of the night, get chased by dogs as we tried to help ourselves to rambutans and mangoes, if you get my drift.

One day, Yong (aka Sharon living in UK now) introduced me to Ronnie, her boyfriend. They would meet at my house sometimes and I was completely enthralled by Ronnie's prowess in his guitar skills. By then, I was quite a competent guitarist but as always, was never satisfied with my skills and always wanted to play like the pros. Ronnie was a pro in every sense of the word.

He took me under his wings and taught me much about music. Ronnie was the one introduced me to jazz chords and gave me his own handwritten chord charts which I still have today. Those chord charts showed three of four positions of ONE chord and till now, I cannot believe how patient he was in drafting those diagrams neatly, beautifully and most painstakingly - a true labor of love. Those chord sheets are now yellowed and a bit dog-eared but still in good condition - a real treasure!

Ronnie taught me how to ad lib when improvising and what it meant to just let go and go with the feel of music. As I write this, tears are in my eyes because his friendship was a milestone in my musicianship and my life. Without Ronnie, I would never ever have been able to play the following songs exactly like the original artistes:

* If by Bread - He taught me bar by bar how to pluck the introduction and the whole song and how to play it as hauntingly as David Gates did in the original piece. And he taught me how to embellish my playing via the use of harmonics.

* The Boxer by Simon and Garfunkel - again Ronnie taught me how to play the intro bars and the correct strumming style. Both of us used to sing in two-part harmony and it was simply fantastic that we shared such musically enriching moments together with Yong who had no feelings of jealousy at all!

* I am a Rock by Simon and Garfunkel - again he played exactly like the original and taught me to do the same after which we would be singing our lungs out..."I am a rock...I am an iiiiiis-land"

* Long haired Woman in a Black Dress by The Hollies - Ronnie introduced me to a different genre and I left behind all those sentimental songs once I could play rock songs like this one and also The Air the I breathe

* Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple, Santana's Oye Como Va, Black Magic Woman and many more songs - It is because of Ronnie that I learnt and tried my best to master different genres and explored other possibilities.

And to think that Ronnie taught me free of charge - because of his love for music and because he was my friend.

To me, Penang has lost one of her best musicians - home grown talent indeed because Ronnie was a self-taught musician who sang, taught and played both the piano and guitar beautifully, skilfully and effortlessly so much feeling and depth. As a musician, he showed such passion for what he did or played or sang. When playing or teaching or performing - it was always about MUSIC, not about him showing off cos that was never Ronnie.

A most unassuming man, Ronnie would always try to impart his love for that particular song, his 'feel' and 'groove' for that piece of music. Eyes closed, he would play in oblivion, forgetting the rest of us in the room. Sometimes, he, Yong and I would be sitting on the swing in my garden singing away as he strummed his guitar.

I cannot forget those times when a knock on my backdoor would tell me the two of them would be coming over for the evening or afternoon.

When they broke up a few years later, I was deeply saddened for it was never the same again. We all went our separate ways. Yong left for UK and Ronnie was busy performing and doing his music school and shop with Philip, his dear brother.

Occasionally, we would bump into each other and talk about our spouses, our kids and where we were in our lives, particularly in music. A few months ago, I took my older boy to Art Tune Music Supplies at Kajang Road to buy another guitar pedal. I was so happy when I bumped into him and he showed my son various techniques and we chatted. Indeed he was very happy then that my son is now a music undergrad majoring in violin and minoring in guitar. We chatted happily not knowing what was ahead for us in the future.

Two weeks ago, I picked up a copy of The Star. My husband only buys The Star on public holidays and weekends. As I turned to the Obituary section, my heart sank when I saw the announcement about Ronnie's demise. I held the newspaper in my hands in shock and eyes flooded Much as I was devastated by his passing, I could not bring myself to attend his funeral because since my dad's passing, I have not attended any funerals. It is just too painful. And this has been a particularly BAD year cos every month, someone - a friend or a relative or a friend's relative passed away. I shared my grief with Jen, another old friend who lived two roads away in my old neighbourhood. The last time we spoke was when another old friend - Lim Kheng Suan - passed away.

A few days later, I called Ronnie's brother, Philip, to ask how he passed away. With much grief and sadness, Philip explained how Ronnie, was so busy and committed about developing his business that he never went for a medical checkup even though there were some medical issues.

Ronnie Ng Kah Peng left behind his music in my heart and in the hearts of those who loved him, knew him and enjoyed his music. I feel very sad that not many knew of him. That was Ronnie. He did not hanker after fame, fortune or glamor or bright lines. He could have been so famous but he was contented to just be who he was - playing the music that he loved and money was secondary to him.

I sincerely hope that Philip will produce an album of his songs that his music might live on...

This post is dedicated to the memory of my dear old friend and guitar sifu, Ronnie Ng Kah Peng. Thank you for the music. Thank you for the friendship and thank you so much for teaching me to love music and life. You taught me to always be happy and not to worry. You listened to my teenage angst and made me see that all it takes is the right attitude - in life and in music. I am sorry that I did not take time to touch base with you and to spend some time with you to catch up and now, it is too late. May you always rest in peace and live in our hearts, Ronnie.

Here's a video clip that I http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifjust produced. Pardon my amateur approach. This is my third time making a video clip and I still have lots to learn.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO.

Thanks to Philip who sent me the photograph and mp3 file of this song.

If any of you knew Ronnie, or wish you had known him, please leave a comment. Thanks! May each of us cherish life and take care of our health and spend precious moments with our loved ones and friends. After I learnt of Ronnie's passing, I went for a thorough medical check up an blogged about it HERE. If you have not gone for your check up, please do so. Life is precious. Take care, eat well, live happily and have a lovely day!

For a democratic system to work effectively, elected representatives must govern well and citizens must be reliably informed about policy options. It is imperative that lawmakers are committed to digest and appraise such information and make it available to citizens.

Tengku Razaleigh gave a very interesting speech today at UKEC’s Fourth Malaysian Students Leadership Seminar in Kuala Lumpur which you can read HERE at The Malaysian Insider.

• incompetence
• malpractice
• abuse of power
• fraud
• unethical practices
• low motivation/poor work ethics
• decline in integrity among individuals, organizations and society etc...
  

Born in 1979, Teoh Beng Hock was the third child of Teoh Leong Hwee and Teng Shuw Hor. He was the political aide to Ean Yong Hian Wah, a member of the Selangor state legislative assembly and State Executive Council.


On 15 July 2009, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) took Teoh into custody for questioning about allegations of corruption. Exactly a year ago, Teoh was found dead the next morning on the rooftop of a building adjacent to the MACC offices.

He was engaged to 28-year-old teacher Soh Cher Wei after a two-year courtship and was supposed to register his marriage with her the day following his death. They had also planned a photo shoot on the same day, followed by a honeymoon and wedding reception in October.

A young man's life, cruelly plucked off the face of this earth, all because of what? That question remains unanswered because of many reasons.

Malaysiakini reports HERE that on the eve of Teoh Beng Hock's first-year death anniversary, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in an unusual move expressed its condolence to the grieving family in a three-paragraph statement (available only in Mandarin and I wonder why) sent by email. The report said:

"I represent myself and all members of MACC. We share the same sadness and disappointment with Teoh's family over what happened on July 16, 2009," MACC commissioner Abu Kassim Mohamed (right) said in the statement.

"Although a year has passed since the unfortunate incident, we still feel the pain and sadness. As a father and an elder in the family, I can deeply feel the unbearable pain of losing a family member," he added.

Abu Kassim hoped that Teoh's inquest could come to a decision in the shortest possible time.

"As the commissioner of MACC, I stress that we will abide by the decision of the inquest. MACC will not compromise or shield anyone who is involved in the case."

In another report HERE, Teoh's younger sister Lee Lan said said MACC's chief Abu Kassim Mohamed's statement yesterday, in which he said the commission felt the family's pain, was pure hypocrisy. She said:

"He has been MACC chief for six months. His lawyer had several times tried to stop Thai pathologist Dr Porntip Rojanasunand from testifying through video conferencing.

"If he wants the truth, he should allow Dr Porntip to testify through video conferencing. He was conflicting himself in his statement yesterday. If he is sincere, he will not repeatedly do things that go against what he has said."

Lee Lan reiterated that the family members "will not be cheated by the MACC chief".

According to LKS's blog, there are three memorial services for Teoh Beng Hock.

• Ceramah in Selangor-KL Chinese Assembly Hall. KL 16 July, 8pm (tonight) (map)
• Candle light vigil at Speakers’ Square in Penang, 8.30pm tonight.
• On 17/7/2010 (Sat) 9am – Public Memorial Service in front of Beng Hock’s resting place at the Nirvana Memorial Park, Semenyih, Selangor. (map N3 01.970 E101 52.002)

One young man died leaving behind his widow, his fatherless child and his beloved family members and friends who are still trying to come to terms with the loss. They and the rest of concerned Malaysians are still seeking justice for Teoh Beng Hock and also the others who died under mysterious circumstances.


If you are in Penang, please make your way to the Speakers' Square at Esplanade for the Candle light vigil tonight at 8.30p.m. to remember this unfortunate victim of circumstances whose life ended prematurely, tragically and mysteriously. I'll be there and I hope as many Penangites will be there too. Come, light a candle and let's remember this young man who tragically lost his life...and let us pray for justice.



AT THIS LINK, you can watch the video of the ceremony at Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam this morning where family members of Teoh Beng Hock, Selangor state exco members and politicians gathered to commemorate the first anniversary of the political aide's mysterious death.

I am sure many of you can imagine the volume and magnitude of the pain and sadness of his loved ones. Malaysians will not forget TBH and I pray there will be justice for Teoh Beng Hock! May he rest in peace but how can he if there is no justice and if his murderers are not arrested, charged and punished? May those responsible not rest in peace and may they be convicted to confess their crimes just so to come to terms with their conscience and their Maker. May the Almighty bless his family members and heal their hearts, souls and spirits.