Any one who is NOT tired?

There seems to be a co-relation between the mainstream press and what's happening in the country. I used to be an avid reader of newspapers. This started from the time that we (students my age) were encouraged to read newspapers as a way of improving your language, be it BM or English. We would read Berita Harian or Utusan Malaysia, plus The Star or New Straits Times.
My father had a subscription to NST, which is why I read it more than other papers. I have stopped reading NST, unless I have too much time (very seldom) or the paper just happens to be near me while I'm waiting (in a queue or whatever).
I started noticing the difference between NST and the other English papers. For some reason, it was expressing views that contradicted the others. Maybe Tun Mahathir is right. NST was the spin-doctor for BN's government.
When Teresa Kok sued Utusan, I was curious. This was a newspaper I had read in my teens. That had educated me and helped me get an A in BM. What had changed?
I took one look at it's front page last week. No, not good. I did not see a unbiased or balanced view in their articles.
It seems that these publications controlled in one way or another by the government had their personal agenda against anyone who is not pro-BN.
My question is this, at what price do you put the efforts of bringing down your opponent via the media? At WHAT PRICE?
At the price of RACIAL TENSIONS?
Somehow, these publications don't get their licenses revoked.
I started this blog because I am tired of standing by quietly while self-important people tear into others for their greed.
At one point, I liked it when Gordon Gekko said,"Greed is GOOD".
At this time, GREED is tearing this country apart.
I am happy the Prime Minister took my advice and delayed the decision to purchase the helis.
This is the time to stop greed.
This is the time to stop hate.
This is the time to stop making everyone weary of the country's situation.
I am tired, but I'm not sitting down.
This time, I'm ready to help save my country.

Madness

Just read in the papers that the KL Mayor spent RM1.5 million on 11 overseas trips in the past year. The most extravagant was RM370k for trips to 3 countries, and this amount was excluding his allowance.
Most companies I know have a claims policy, that either you claim for your meals / expenditures or you claim your travelling allowance.
What is DBKL's policy? Can anyone clarify?
RM1.5 million can be used to clean up the Selayang market, which has been feeding recycled vegetables to the residents there for years.
RM1.5 million can pay the salaries of how many DBKL employees? Hello DBKL employees, your boss very good at spending the money, ah? What if it went to your increment? Or as part of your bonus? Would you like that?
I'm not saying our KL mayor should stay in KL and mop up after the weekly floods. There should be some kind of limit or audit on how much is spent on what and so on. How about asking him to travel on his own money, since he said he was invited? People invite, you can always say no. Say lah, I want to keep my job, if I spend too much money, people will notice.
How about some sense? Seems it's not so common anymore.

Is our country matured enough?

Had a discussion during dinner last night. On my right, was a group of businessmen aligned to Pakatan Rakyat. To my left, was another group who believes there is no need to change the government.
I asked everyone at the table, why did you vote? Was it a protest vote? Or because you BELIEVED that you could make a change.
How did you feel the night of March 08, 2008, as the TV news ticker relayed the results out?
Did you feel, "Hey, I only wanted to reduce the majority, what happened?" or "Yes, we have given PR a chance to show us what they can do!" ?
Did you feel, "I think I went a step too far" or "Now, we have a few states to gauge the difference in governments" ?
I had a Hongky friend visit me the week before the elections. He asked how's the situation. I said, it's time for change. So he asked, will PR take 1 or 2 states? I said they'll take FIVE. This was on March 02.
Why I said that is because everyone I asked, they said I'll vote for PR. This happened in the 3 months preceding March 08. So, the winds of change was obviously blowing in already.
So, what the BN has to learn to do is to serve properly if they want to stay in power. No more nonsense of buying Benzes instead of the local car. You take 25% of my income as tax and you blow RM2.3 billion on helicopters? Why?
Without helicopters, the government cannot run, issit? There are homeless and starving people on the streets and somehow, I see that the government is unable to differentiate what is important and what should be prioritised.
If this continues, PR doesn't really have to do anything other than serve the people properly in the states they were given. BN is already committing political suicide. You can get ready to say bye bye to them in 2012.
Remember, Mr. V said, "The government should be afraid of the people, and the people should not be afraid of the government".
It is us, the people of Malaysia, who put you there in the first place.

The 1 and 5 formulae

It seems the world is in financial trouble. Very easy to ask why. Why?
Because almost everyone is living beyond their means. I've come up with a simple formula to gauge if you are living within your means. This applies mainly to people between the ages of 25 - 40.
It's called the 1 and 5 formula.
Basically, you should only buy a car that is 1 year's worth of your monthly salary, and owning a house that is not more than 5 years of your salary.
For instance, an example would be a person earning approximately 5k a month (gross basic). That means he should be driving a car worth about 60k, and paying for a house worth about 300k on the market.
If the person is using a nicer car than that, or staying in a house that's worth more than that, then he's living beyond his means. Either that or he has a very nice undeclared tax-free income on the side.
The only ironic part is that economic growth depends on people spending more than they did in the corresponding period. So there.

Time and time

Watched Eagle Eye. Catchy line from the end, "Steps taken to protect the people's liberty become a threat to liberty itself."
How true not only in the States, but around the world too.
Running short of time again. Seems things always happen to fill up your time.

Before I forget, again.....

Yes, I'm also the guy who did "30 things to know before you're 30". Almost was done with it before the blog was wiped out by that darn server and my PC got stolen. This is a self-reminder for me to finish what I started.

Blog = Bob's Log

Title almost sounds like I invented blogging.

Anyway, blogged once 3 years ago but lost the time for it.

These times call for more voicing out of people and blogging's one way to do it.

I find that the thoughts resounding in my head while I'm driving are best put into words so that I can remember them better.

Now, let's get this show on the road.