Not for me. It’s a bother. We’re told not to bring our cars to the office. All the spaces are to be reserved for the VIP guests.
And how do the big guys propose for their lowly subordinates to come to the office in this rainy season? Are we supposed to use a cab with our meager income? Or try the unreliable not to mention unsafe public transportation – braving the wind, the rain and the floods not to mention the traffics – for a change and still be on time?
I’ve always felt that there’s something wrong in the way we treat our VIPs. We’re treating them like they’re some kind of holy aliens to be protected against all the pains and inconveniences which plague the daily lives of other unfortunate mortals, namely us. And what worse is that I think these VIPs are also expecting that they are to be treated differently, to be given special treatments.
While you and I have to keep reminding ourselves to be patient in the middle of terrible traffic jams, those VIPs would cruise freely, and adding another kilo or two of parking cars in the middle of highways, since we’re forced to let them through.
No wonder the traffic problems have never been solved. I tell you what would speed up the effort to solve it. Let all those VIP drive their expensive cars by themselves (without a driver) and then let them enjoy the lovely and educative experience of driving in Jakarta in the middle of heavy traffic. See how they’ll love that.
How could you hope those powerful people to solve your problems, if they don’t have a clue and never experience those problems themselves?
I really hate VIPs. Well, I guess I don’t hate them personally, what I hate most are those special treatments given them. And the fact that they take it as their due.
What I’m trying to say is that those VIPs don’t have the divine rights to live comfortably when their subjects (you and I) live miserably. And they definitely have no right what so ever to experience all the comforts they enjoy at the costs of their subjects!
If we’re miserable than they have to be as miserable as us. They only deserve to have their comfort after all of us – their subjects and people, live comfortable lives, not vise versa!
Bit of Wisdom:
Leaders are chosen to lead their people into prosperity and out of misery and not achieving them by imposing poverty and hardship.
Good leaders would be ashamed to display any sign of wealth and privileges while their people have no wealth nor dignities/rights to mention about.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Review: The Tiger Prince by Iris Johansen
I don’t think I’ve read her book before and if The Tiger Prince is to be a showcase of her works, it got me hooked big time.
One of the things that I dislike in romance novels is its supporting characters. I have a mountain of disgruntlement had the writers dare to write more extensively on the sub-plots of their love stories. As most of the time all they’ve managed to do was wasting pages and getting me extremely annoyed and bored for being distracted from the main story.
The Tiger Prince is an exception of exceptional proportion. Its two leading characters Ruel MacClaren and Jane Barnaby are ones of the strongest and most steadfast heroes and heroines that I’ve ever encountered. Its supporting characters happen to have the most remarkable and unforgettable quirks and repartees which give you no choice but to love them.
With his extra-ordinary good looks and vengeful nature Ruel MacClaren is perhaps the closest thing to what is often described as fallen angel. Despite his looks, not many people dare to make a mistake of underestimating him, as the result would be deadly.
When he sets his goals there’s no other way for him except going forward to accomplish them even if he has to trample whoever happens to be on his way. His passion for gold had him traveled around the globe to chase the trail of the golden lady and slaved over her.
Jane Barnaby has always had a strong determination. Even when she was eleven, she believed that if you want something bad enough, you could make it happen by the sheer power of will.
She got herself out of a destiny which she didn’t like, leaving everything behind, including a drug addict whore of a mother, bringing with her her beloved pet and best friend Li Sung toward a new beginning in destination unknown. Despite her strong and tough appearances - though physically small, she has a soft, kind and loyal heart.
Her soft heart put her in a difficult and dangerous position when she decided to protect John Kartauk – the self proclaimed greatest goldsmith in that era, against Abdar the crown prince of one of the richest Maharajas in India. It also brings her path to cross with Ruel MacClaren who came to India to materializing his biggest dream. Acquiring Cinnidar, an island of gold.
Despite Ian MacClaren’s warnings – his brother, the Scottish Earl who has big generous heart and great wisdom – Ruel set to use Jane in order to get help from the crown prince.
Having no personal experience with love and so used to putting people at arm length – including Ian himself, who crossed the ocean to take him home after their father’s death – Ruel doesn’t know that ever since the first moment he laid his eyes upon her, his heart was already captured. He mistakenly thought his feelings and emotions for her as lust.
When he saw the love and affection between Jane and Li Sung, and witnessing how close the two really were and experiencing the sudden pain in his heart, he didn’t recognize it as jealousy. When he hurt her and felt hurt instead, he still didn’t know that it was love that caused him to feel her pain as his own. Not even when he felt happy the first time he saw and heard her laugh, and want nothing more than to keep her that way.
I love the fact that Jane never shed a tear during her encounter with Ruel. But what I love most is the fact that we could see how deeply Ruel has fallen in love with Jane without realizing it himself. I love the fact how everybody else around Ruel like Ian and Kartauk can see that his dealing with Jane has changed him, showing what a good person he actually is.
Besides the main characters, I also love its supporting characters. I love Li Sung with his intelligence, tart remarks, pride and pragmatism. I also love Kartauk with his arrogance, perceptiveness, and self-serving nature. The most surprising is that I also love Ian MacClaren! I don’t normally like a good guy either in the novels or movies, since the most they can do is grovel. But I think I’ve fallen in love with Ian MacGregor. I love his good sense and great understanding of human nature. The part that I love most about him was when he asked Kartauk to come to his apartment, and then ask Margaret to leave them to have man to man chat. Gosh… It was so touching. It beautifully conveys how deep his love for Margaret is. It also shows what a great man he is.
I don’t know what else could I write about it without spoiling the reading for you. It’s simply magnificent. Now, I’ll consider Iris Johansen as one of my favourite authors and start looking for her other books. Hopefully they are as good as this one if not even better.
Ps.
I don’t really like the ending though. I didn’t even realize it was the end. I was still turning the page to look for something more…
One of the things that I dislike in romance novels is its supporting characters. I have a mountain of disgruntlement had the writers dare to write more extensively on the sub-plots of their love stories. As most of the time all they’ve managed to do was wasting pages and getting me extremely annoyed and bored for being distracted from the main story.
The Tiger Prince is an exception of exceptional proportion. Its two leading characters Ruel MacClaren and Jane Barnaby are ones of the strongest and most steadfast heroes and heroines that I’ve ever encountered. Its supporting characters happen to have the most remarkable and unforgettable quirks and repartees which give you no choice but to love them.
With his extra-ordinary good looks and vengeful nature Ruel MacClaren is perhaps the closest thing to what is often described as fallen angel. Despite his looks, not many people dare to make a mistake of underestimating him, as the result would be deadly.
When he sets his goals there’s no other way for him except going forward to accomplish them even if he has to trample whoever happens to be on his way. His passion for gold had him traveled around the globe to chase the trail of the golden lady and slaved over her.
Jane Barnaby has always had a strong determination. Even when she was eleven, she believed that if you want something bad enough, you could make it happen by the sheer power of will.
She got herself out of a destiny which she didn’t like, leaving everything behind, including a drug addict whore of a mother, bringing with her her beloved pet and best friend Li Sung toward a new beginning in destination unknown. Despite her strong and tough appearances - though physically small, she has a soft, kind and loyal heart.
Her soft heart put her in a difficult and dangerous position when she decided to protect John Kartauk – the self proclaimed greatest goldsmith in that era, against Abdar the crown prince of one of the richest Maharajas in India. It also brings her path to cross with Ruel MacClaren who came to India to materializing his biggest dream. Acquiring Cinnidar, an island of gold.
Despite Ian MacClaren’s warnings – his brother, the Scottish Earl who has big generous heart and great wisdom – Ruel set to use Jane in order to get help from the crown prince.
Having no personal experience with love and so used to putting people at arm length – including Ian himself, who crossed the ocean to take him home after their father’s death – Ruel doesn’t know that ever since the first moment he laid his eyes upon her, his heart was already captured. He mistakenly thought his feelings and emotions for her as lust.
When he saw the love and affection between Jane and Li Sung, and witnessing how close the two really were and experiencing the sudden pain in his heart, he didn’t recognize it as jealousy. When he hurt her and felt hurt instead, he still didn’t know that it was love that caused him to feel her pain as his own. Not even when he felt happy the first time he saw and heard her laugh, and want nothing more than to keep her that way.
I love the fact that Jane never shed a tear during her encounter with Ruel. But what I love most is the fact that we could see how deeply Ruel has fallen in love with Jane without realizing it himself. I love the fact how everybody else around Ruel like Ian and Kartauk can see that his dealing with Jane has changed him, showing what a good person he actually is.
Besides the main characters, I also love its supporting characters. I love Li Sung with his intelligence, tart remarks, pride and pragmatism. I also love Kartauk with his arrogance, perceptiveness, and self-serving nature. The most surprising is that I also love Ian MacClaren! I don’t normally like a good guy either in the novels or movies, since the most they can do is grovel. But I think I’ve fallen in love with Ian MacGregor. I love his good sense and great understanding of human nature. The part that I love most about him was when he asked Kartauk to come to his apartment, and then ask Margaret to leave them to have man to man chat. Gosh… It was so touching. It beautifully conveys how deep his love for Margaret is. It also shows what a great man he is.
I don’t know what else could I write about it without spoiling the reading for you. It’s simply magnificent. Now, I’ll consider Iris Johansen as one of my favourite authors and start looking for her other books. Hopefully they are as good as this one if not even better.
Ps.
I don’t really like the ending though. I didn’t even realize it was the end. I was still turning the page to look for something more…
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
What Does the Reprinting of Prophet Muhammad’s Cartoons Mean?
It means that there are people out there who strongly feel that they have rights to do what ever they want to do regardless of the consequences of their actions. To say what ever they want to say regardless of the feelings of others who would be hurt or offended by the things they said.
These peoples believe that freedom of speech give them immunity to hurt and offend others. They are extremely proud in flaunting their ability to hurt and offend others and then without same hide behind this powerful new religion called Freedom of Speech.
I think they are basically and inherently mean. These peoples who worship freedom of speech without limit and caution are no different from those fanatics or brainwashed people who do whatever they want to achieve their goals, and then hide behind ideologies or religions. While the plain fact is that they don’t care about others except themselves.
I wouldn’t dream of calling one of my friends “Chinese” with certain intonation here in Indonesia, even though he/she is a Chinese, as I am aware of the hurt that this calling will cause them. I wouldn’t dream of calling one of my friends ‘Nigger’ even though he/she is black, as it might offend them.
Do I have a freedom to say what ever I want to say? Of course I do. But why don’t I try to exercise it? Because, common sense, good heart and good manner will prevent me to offend or hurt others intentionally.
I could only see the reprinting of Prophet Muhammad’s cartoon as an extremely aggressive stance intentionally designed to offend and hurt others (Muslims). The first printing could be accepted and understood as a misinformed decision made without understanding the cultures and believes of others. But to do exactly the same thing twice after seeing how offended and angry most Muslims were, it could only mean one thing. Those people are shouting to the Muslims worldwide:
I DON’T CARE HOW YOU FEEL! I HAVE THE RIGHTS TO SAY WHAT EVER I WANT TO SAY!
It’s simply mean, bad, inflammatory and lack of better judgment.
With such people around, no wonder we live in such violent world. They don’t try to promote peace. They’re more than willing to go a mile to insisting what they believe to be their rights regardless of the costs.
They thrive in promoting hatred and angers when there are other ways, more peaceful, non confrontational, more respectful ways to convey their meanings and goals.
Unless their true goal is not to make a point that they have a freedom of speech but to offend others. Which in this instance I believe is the case.
These peoples believe that freedom of speech give them immunity to hurt and offend others. They are extremely proud in flaunting their ability to hurt and offend others and then without same hide behind this powerful new religion called Freedom of Speech.
I think they are basically and inherently mean. These peoples who worship freedom of speech without limit and caution are no different from those fanatics or brainwashed people who do whatever they want to achieve their goals, and then hide behind ideologies or religions. While the plain fact is that they don’t care about others except themselves.
I wouldn’t dream of calling one of my friends “Chinese” with certain intonation here in Indonesia, even though he/she is a Chinese, as I am aware of the hurt that this calling will cause them. I wouldn’t dream of calling one of my friends ‘Nigger’ even though he/she is black, as it might offend them.
Do I have a freedom to say what ever I want to say? Of course I do. But why don’t I try to exercise it? Because, common sense, good heart and good manner will prevent me to offend or hurt others intentionally.
I could only see the reprinting of Prophet Muhammad’s cartoon as an extremely aggressive stance intentionally designed to offend and hurt others (Muslims). The first printing could be accepted and understood as a misinformed decision made without understanding the cultures and believes of others. But to do exactly the same thing twice after seeing how offended and angry most Muslims were, it could only mean one thing. Those people are shouting to the Muslims worldwide:
I DON’T CARE HOW YOU FEEL! I HAVE THE RIGHTS TO SAY WHAT EVER I WANT TO SAY!
It’s simply mean, bad, inflammatory and lack of better judgment.
With such people around, no wonder we live in such violent world. They don’t try to promote peace. They’re more than willing to go a mile to insisting what they believe to be their rights regardless of the costs.
They thrive in promoting hatred and angers when there are other ways, more peaceful, non confrontational, more respectful ways to convey their meanings and goals.
Unless their true goal is not to make a point that they have a freedom of speech but to offend others. Which in this instance I believe is the case.
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