Queue Jumping at the Highways

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I read in the news today that the police had been stationed along the highways to summon Q jumpers. In fact beside issuing the drivers with summons they were also delayed for a further 10 minutes as a penalty for driving along the emergency lane. I applaud the move but its not enough to just do it during the long holidays.

Usually when I drive during the weekends or even the wekdays, particularly when there is a heavy traffic on the highways, there will always be these drivers who make it their business to drive along the emergency lane. How I wish that the policemen were stationed there and then.
Look at the picture on the left... fat chance that this is the Malaysian highway... look again, besides the cars are on the wrong side of the road, no cars on the emergency lanes.

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How you dress is not what you are

Last night I frequented my regular capati joint not far from home with my wife and son. Mat, a Bangladeshi, makes one of the best capati I've ever had, its soft and light.
I've known Mat for some time and we can talk about many things just like how friends would do. If I had not visited his stall for sometime, he would fret, thinking that I did not like his capatis and the teh tarik-maker would also enquire about the long absence.
Mat came to Malaysia many years ago to work as a production engineer with a factory but decided to leave and work as a roticanai/capati maker with a stall here, when the factory was right sizing people.
He decided that working at the stall enable him to make more money so that he can send it back home to Bangladesh. Last year he got married.

What happened last night was that, sitting at another table were 2 elderly men, both of whom I guess just got back from the surau, and having their round of teh tarik. One of the man, with his kupiah (skull cap) and his janggut (goatee) and on this account alone you would say this is an orang alim (religious man). But what came out of his mouth and how he sounded was not becoming of him.

He asked Mat about chicken, Bangladesh has no chickens, and the way he sounded was that chicken is somewhat strange to Bangladeshis and Bangladeshis would not have had chicken if they do not venture out of Bangladesh... he sounded patronising and demeaning.

Mat, smiled and said there are plenty of chickens in Bangladesh just like Malaysia, chicken is not something strange or that Bangladeshis are deprived of them.

The elderly gentleman was not to happy with what sounded like a rebuke from Mat to him and said something like Bangladesh is a poor country, many poor people, that's why they leave Bangladesh. (By this time I told my wife, this is the kind of man (the elderly gentleman) that I don't like.... the one who sounded ego driven and everything must be from his point of view).

Mat calmly said to him that yes, just like Malaysia there are poor people in Bangladesh, but there also plenty of rich people... houses with swimming pools and, he pointed to the gentleman's Mercedes Benz 200E (not E200), saying there are many people who drive Mercedes too....

Touche' Mat, the man decided his mouth had confirmed how stupid and obnoxious he was.... if you are not sure if you are stupid just close your mouth, opening your mouth only comfirmed your stupidity.

What saddened me is the fact that the personality of the elderly man, with his kupiah, janggut he looks like a pious man, but when he talked and the way he talked he sounded like a snob, patronising, egoistic... I know fullwell when you are just having a friendly banter (bergurau) but he was not.....

Can't just judge a book by its cover.......
But hey, who am I to judge... I judge you not.

visit my http://www.scribd.com/ - rutz.zainal

Salt Lake City 2

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One of the things that I like about most American cities is the grid or block system of the city design. The grid system allows for better organisation of the buidlings, road names, transportation services. It is also easier to find your way to a certain destination in the city.
Salt Lake City is organised in such a way that most streets in the downtown area is refered as South, West, East, North.

Let me give you an example:
I stayed at a hotel which is at the corner of South 200 West Street. To go to the Salt Palace Convention center, when I asked the reception for direction, besides giving me a map, he said, "You go 4 blocks down (he pointing the way for me) and then 2 blocks on to your right."
I walked 4 blocks and then turned right and walked 2 blocks and there I was standing in front of the Salt Place Convention center.
The same thing when you drive from the hotel, but of course you got to be aware of the one way streets.

Now you tell me how you'd show me the way to Berjaya Time Square from the Pavillion. (Not that you cannot, but what would you say to me?)


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Salt Lake City 1

Salt Lake City, Utah, weather when I arrived was about -2 celcius, with wind it felt more like -12 celcius.
It's large city, but I do believe KL is bigger.
One thing that people must understand, SLC is not a happening city, not in the same mold as LA or even San Francisco... I term this city as "tempat orang-orang beriman" city of the faithful. Why? The Mormon Temple is smack in the middle of the city, it is also the city where the Mormon faith resides, the hometown if you will.

Downtown SLC? Nothing like Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, its virtually dead on a weekend.

They have a good mall though, the Gateway Place Mall, but what can I say about it? Its the only mall in downtown SLC. How many does KL have? Several!


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Flying.. long haul

Its been a while that I posted anything here. So I guess an update is in order.
I recently flew to the US of A on a work assignment. I was adviced of the trip a few week prior. The first thing that came to my mind was not so much about the assignment itself but the flight to and fro.

One thing about me, I don't get jittery or quesy on flights, but its the sitting down for many hours in a confined space that really gets to me.

Let me explain.
I got up at about 4.30 to get ready, and the cab duly arrived to pick me up and transported me to KLIA for my 9.00 a.m flight. I took the Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong. Why to Hong Kong, simply because I wanted to arrive in San Francisco instead of Los Angeles.

About the flight, its a 3 hour trip, which I can stand, its ok, my butt is not hurt. There's the inflight entertainment to while my time, took my nap after the meal served. Uneventful flight altogether... By the way the MAS flight attendants are a wee bit more attractive.

3 hours of sitting down and no cig for the whole trip, now that is a little bit trying but I can manage.

As we landed in Hong Kong, I made sure that I went to the right terminal and found the gate, but prior to being at the gate, found the smoking lounge. Had my dose of cigs and a bit more to prepare me for the 12 hour flight to San Francisco.

By the way, the books in the terminal are far more expensive than the ones found in KLIA.

Boarding the flight to US was a bit of a hassle, we got to remove our shoes, their security people going through my carry on bags, and of all thing, my gastric medicine, in liquid form cannot be taken on board with me... so into the bin it went. But it was ok in KLIA though.

Boarded, aisle seat as requested, at least I need not share one arm rest with the person next to me.

Now its a 12 hour flight, at least, as it was announced earlier.... by the 3rd hour my butt is sore. Used the blanket under my butt, part of the way it was not sufficient. The small pillow went under my butt.

While most passengers were asleep, I can't. Read, watched the movies, walked around the cabin (I was also afraid that the US Airmarshall was on board and observing me...) I am harmless my man, its just my sore butt and swollen legs.. I need to move around.

A wonderful surprise was that Cathay Pacific put this cart of goodies near the galley, peanuts, apples, cookies, soda (including my Light Coke) for your helping...


It was such a relief to have landed in Frisco......

But this was where I was heading.... Another 2 hour of flight and it was delayed by 2 hours because of the storm in San Francisco.. more waiting, more sitting, more whiling.....

Salt Lake City was where I was heading... that will be another story altogether.

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