The Cow is MOOO-VING!

Yes - The Rabid Cow, after long long years here at blogger is finally thinking of moving his patch of grazing ground... Watch this space for more information!!!

HOPE: IN CAPELLO WE TRUST

True 1Malaysia...

As I was entering office this morning, I was unpleasantly surprised by the manifestation of 1Malaysia...

I have come to the conclusion that Malaysians are united in bad road behaviour and an utter lack of common decency and patience.

As I was trying to park into my allotted space in the office, there was a Chinese "Bengster" in his beat up Perodua blocking the spot. After 5 minutes of testing the extremes of my car horn, he decided to move back a few feet - forcing me to reverse into the spot.

This is when it gets interesting - an impatient Indian old man in his pricey SUV and another Tudung wearing Malay lady decided that it is time, near the conclusion of this saga to move forward, waving hands and showing some 'tulan' face at me, to attempt to pass by the narrowest of space in front of my car - preventing me from actually entering the spot.

Well - this is a remarkable show of UNITY in bad driving, lack of common courtesy and overall total idiocy...


Really, truly...
1Malaysia

And let us all break out our Jalur Gemilangs and start waving it in their pathetic faces attached to the third appendage of the hand!

Being too Defensive...

I was talking to this pakcik when I was in a cab the other day (I was in JB so I did not have my car) and we ended up talking about cars... Of which I brought up Top Gear. Well, I consider Top Gear to be the very best car show currently available and I really enjoy the topsy-turvy no holds barred comedic atmosphere of the show.

However, at the mention of Top Gear, this pakcik's eyes darkened and started ranting about the evilness of western television etc. etc. and that they are out to get the ordinary Malaysians by parodying our cars. I was quite surprised actually - what in the world could this man be so angry with Top Gear?

So I went back home and looked it up on the Internet - and I found this...



It seems that this pakcik has not gotten over the above video, where Jeremy Clarkson destroyed a Kelisa. It was picked up by people in parliament in KL (both opposition members and government backbenchers) - and the house broke out in indignant anger at this slight in Malaysian pride - and created a furious firestorm in Malaysian media. And this furore has propagated to this day (4 years later).

I am actually aghast at this misplaced 'national' pride. Are Malaysians that un-self confident that a small parody on the (2nd) national car can cause such anger? Are we that blinded by the fact that Clarkson may be correct on a few counts that it is not that great a car? The fact of the matter is that Clarkson have blown up many cars before and since (including local British cars) and will continue to do so for its entertainment value. Why must we Malaysians have such a low esteem that we rise up in anger over it? Isn't this a serious case of 'Telinga Ringan'? And why must politicians on both sides rile up the situation so much so that some ordinary Malaysians still harbour ill will to a TV show produced half a world away?

I would want the politicians we elect to focus on our own important local issues than to meddle in the entertainment industry - and as a result made Malaysians the laughing stock of the world (some blogs even started to paint our reaction in a similar vein as Kazakhstan vs Borat). In the end it is a comedy. Period. Our politicians should rather focus in ensuring ordinary Malaysian's ability to continue to afford our Kelisas, our Mamak Food and our livelihood.

It may have been four years since that uproar - and Malaysia has since moved forward in our automotive industry. We now have our own (Britain based) F1 team and I seriously hope that we have matured as well - so much so that Malaysian pride is not so thin a veil that it is so easily injured and torn apart.

I am proud of my country - and no amount of parody can injure it - even though I am not blind to its faults and I am Malaysian - more Malaysian than Mr. "Shit 3 times". And to set the record straight about Top Gear, I look further back and found this...

Full of Shit...

I love the way Ibrahim Ali promotes his view... Three times more shit than necessary for intelligent discussion. But then who says he is intelligent. Pakatan needs to find people of more suitable caliber to stand (even as independents)... since he just seems like an uneducated shit obsessed moron.

I can only think of 1 suitable reply to him - both for the standard of English and his shit obsession...

Great Expectations...

It is not everyday that you gain an insight into what your life to be - an epiphany into your life so to speak. And to get one on Easter weekend is all the more poignant.

One of the things that leap up to me last week was my experience prior to, during and after a fateful April 1st evening. I went with the cell to do 7 stations of the cross - a church-wide event for us to better understand Christ's journey at the very last moments that lead up to the crucifixion. There are 7 stations on the journey - and space and time for us to contemplate each one.

(For those who did not know which are the 7 stations, here is a list :) - Station 1: Jesus washing the disciple's feet, Station 2: The last supper, Station 3: Gethsemane, Station 4: The Arrest, Station 5: The Trial, Station 6: The Way of the Cross & Station 7: The Crucifixion)

I can say that each of the 7 stations spoke to me but one station's recurring theme sets the tone for me this Easter - The Trial. From John 18, we see Jesus being led through a sham trial in front of the High Priest followed by another in front of Pilate. In this trial, he was convicted under the court of popular opinion, the court where the truth is lost in the cacophony of laws and dark whispers.

From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, “If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.” (John 19:12)

Through this station at church, we were brought through a series of questions and challenged to change our answers due to popular opinion. This exercise may seem absurd to some and to be in total futility to others but in my life I believe that what that have taken the place of laws and political intrigue is Expectations. In our relatively free society where the law rarely intrudes, we are now bottled in by expectations - the expectations of our parents, people from church, our friends, that special someone in our lives and even self imposed expectations. One of the most famous lines in our lives (and in mine over the past five days) is that 'we/I expected more of you', 'we/I expected more effort from you' and 'what you have done is below our expectations'. I personally have said to myself many times - "You should have done more - I expect you to be able to do a lot more." But why do we allow the expectation of others to dictate the way we live our life?!? Is it any different from the court of popular opinion that Pilate caved to?

What I have taken away from this weekend, not an easy one, is that we cannot let the expectations of others to rule our lives. They may not like it but their ideas about us to not define us. The standards other people imposes on us are not as important as our own standards - and our standards need to be inspired by God and His word. And by these standards defined to us by God I mean it from the bible - not some trumped up self righteous drivel that we see permeating from some quarters of 'conservatives' worldwide.

And more importantly, our walk with Jesus, our relationship with the living God should be what that defines us, not the expectations of others and of the world. And in this I am comforted by the prayers Jesus made for us in the Garden of Gethsemane (Station 3)...

Unity - Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. (John 17:11)

Protection from the Evil One - I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. (John 17:15)

Sanctity - Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. (John 17:17)

And it is with great relief and agreement that I'd say, "Amen!"

Stupid Cows...

Was reading about the idiot Kepala Lembu protests in Shah Alam...

I just have 1(Malaysia) thing to say about the entire thing. The fault lays on BOTH side of the political divide - on the side of BN and Utusan for formenting this simmering racial tension - on the PR side, PAS for coming up with the ridiculous alcohol issue!

No alcohol in Muslim majority areas? When will it stop? The Cowheads are already saying No Hindu Temple in Muslim Majority Section 23 (or is it 22) of Shah Alam! What is next? No church in muslim majority areas? what else????

Where does it stop? No non-muslims in muslim majority Malaysia?

THIS HAS GOT TO STOP! We are 1 nation, 1 people! As it is being said by 1Malaysia! Time to step up to the plate, O politicians on both sides!

Stop dividing us! Unite Us! or there may be no country left!