:MY DaY MY WaY:

Saturday, June 23, 2007 It has been a rather busy week. I could do less with some of the news that came my way. It is when a demise happens within the extended family that one acknowledges the value of presentism. I am sufficiently detached to feel less painful than I would, but it gnaws on, thinking that perhaps I could be more human otherwise. It was acute, and came without much warning. In any case, rest in peace. ~ ~ Do treasure the people around us. Do not think too much about saving the best for last, because by the time we get to that false utopia, we are not in our golden ages as propaganda will have us believe. We are declining as we speak, so the only time we can somewhat grasp with more confidence (I hesitate on using "certainty") is the present. Believe me when I say, by the time we get to our last breath, we run out of it. So the only way is up and now. ~ ~ My rant originates from recent news, where I read with initial bemusement about bus captains getting some protection from their companies. Supposedly, this campaign is called Save Our Bus Service-providers (aka s.o.b.s.) I regret (tongue-in-cheek) the callousness of this abbreviation. Indeed, we get bus drivers being beaten up, but do their worst, and it is not likely to involve mortality. Perhaps a black eye suffices as a case study, but that is reserved for someone across the causeway. More personally, I am biased without a shadow of a doubt, therefore I make a (somewhat sweeping, but I do not want to clarify) claim that taxi companies are not doing enough to protect the safety of their drivers, who simply get massacred by the passengers in word and in deed. I take offence, simply because of my bias and care for my kin, and baulk at the apparent disdain these corporations are portraying in their "elite, uncaring faces". I am sure people out there, whose kin/friends are in the taxi industry will share my sentiment that their security can be compromised anywhere, anytime. The bus driver probably has some semblance of eye-witness account/s, but a taxi driver often is left to his own (ill) judgment. Afterall, how bad can someone beat up a bus driver when he is on the bus without risking a major collision, but on the other hand, I have seen a least a couple of deaths involving taxi drivers (caused by criminal intent) in the papers this year alone. ~ When bus companies come out forcefully to address such an issue and are further backed by comments from distinguished person/s, the silence is indeed damning for the other constituent members of the public transport industry. 2 things: It either shows a blatant disdain, since the causal explanation is that it was an act of god, or something as arbitrary as an "isolated incident" (I like the connotation, so someone will purposely beat the bus driver in isolated incidents, so why the need for a campaign for isolated acts). This lack of action must imply that they simply do not care, which the logic is really simple to understand. Therein the second line of reasoning must be monetary, since bus captains getting mobbed is bad publicity, but taxi drivers getting mugged is regarded as being plain unlucky. The drama unfolding seems to be that we spend some money and say that beating up bus drivers is wrong, but we play the blame (heavenly bodies') game in robberies or assaults on taxi drivers. ~ Well, to put up a plausible defence, there is your command station and (questionable) safety devices. How good is any safety device when held at knife-point, restrained by the same seat belt that functions as a likely saviour in accidents and as an accomplice in criminal acts? Nothing in my opinion beats the old metal board surrounding the chauffeur seat. It kills body contact between the driver. I like to think they like less contact if they can, and wouldn't the passenger/s as well? It kills off weird smells from the driver as a byproduct too, in case they have been heavy on durians or garlic or gas. In this way, we hear less of alternative national education and verbal diarrhoea, and the drivers get a little more protection. Girls can't be molested, or neither can they accuse the driver of molest. ~ To conclude, so much so this appears to be a complaint, I would insist this is a perfunctory rant at best and nothing substantial should be drawn out or inferred. ~ ~ On a personal note, I received my timetable and duties for the upcoming semester. I will be handing over control of my classes sooner than expected, which may be a good or bad thing, depending on whoever's viewpoint that is. Personally, I think it will be good to cause less disruptions where possible, so an early handover is essential for the new persons to bed in and develop rapport. In any case, I will still do my work, and make the transition less traumatic. We will see what happens. ~ ~ Lastly best wishes out there to two friends who are tying the knot in July, and I should do up a recount or two, if I happen to be freer, or count on creative expression to back this up. weijie froze in time on 23.6.07

_______________ My Profile .......... Weijie 25 wishlist: _______________ My Friends .......... Brother Jane Florence Phyllis Allan Wai Yeung Yingyi Tianwei Chrismeen Yanni Jiong Teck Caifang Jeslin Joyce Angie Evangeline Joan Rachel Benson Jovin Regent 1-3 blog Regent 1-6 blog Regent 1-9 blog _______________ My Links .......... Friendster _______________ My Tagboard ..........