REMEDIES & CURES FROM THE WWW, READ WITH EXTREME CAUTION!

A few days ago, my sister emailed one of those articles on remedies and cures one finds proliferating on the web.  This one talks about using flour as a remedy for burns caused by hot boiling water or somehow you got burnt by a fire.

It also relates a testimony by the writer who got scalded on the hand by hot boiling water.  He inserted his hand into a bag of flour for ten minutes and voila!  No pain and no blisters!  He further attested that once he burnt his tongue and he put flour on it for ten minutes and as expected, no pain, no blisters.

The writer’s friend, a Vietnam Vet, who introduced him to this remedy, told him how he discovers using flour in for burns.  This happened in Vietnam.  One day, a guy accidentally set himself on fire and his friends in a panic threw a bag of flour all over his burning body.  It not only put out the fire but also the person did not get burnt!

Although I have not personally tried using flour as a remedy and cure, this story sounds not only unbelievable and farfetched but practically impossible.

I wrote a reply to my sister.

DO NOT BELIEVE WHAT YOU READ OR SEE ON THE WEB UNTIL YOU     HAVE VERIFIED ITS AUTHENCITY.

There are lots of information and disinformation out there in the www.  Lots of genuine stuff and truths, yes, but also there are tons of half-truths and outright lies.  Always see and read with discernment and wisdom.  Why do people have so much time on their hands to write these half-truths and lies?  Who can fathom the bizarre, demented and eccentric minds of these lunatics?!


WELL-TESTED AND EFFECTIVE REMEDIES & CURES FOR BURNS & CUTS AND IT IS FREE TOO!

Flour is food.  Why waste flour in these times of food shortage????  Keep a pot or several pots of Aloe Vera plants in your garden.  They grow quite easily in our tropical climate without much attention required.

If you get a cut or burn on your skin, just cut a few stalks.  Wash the stalks and cut the skin to squeeze out the gel-like juice or put the stalks in the blender to get the juice.  Apply on the affected part of the skin.  It will provide relief almost immediately as well as cause the wound to heal very much faster.  If it is a cut, it will stop the bleeding within a short period of time.

There are many research articles written on Aloe Vera and its benefits on the web.  I would not like to go into the scientific and other technical aspects of Aloe Vera here.  If you wish to know more just do a Google search or go to Wikipedia.  My purpose is to let you know some of the benefits from my own personal experience.

KEEP AN OPEN MIND – TRADITIONAL AND HERBAL REMEDIES & CURES CAN BE JUST AS POTENT AND EFFECTIVE!

There are many herbs and plants which are just as effective as modern drugs.  It is just that we have lost touch with a large part of our roots and traditions of which traditional remedies, herbs and medicinal plants are a part of.  As we march forward in modernity, there is a gradual and imperceptible degradation of the knowledge of our forefathers, resulting in every generation losing a little something from the past till it may totally disappear one day.  It is undeniable that some of these remedies and cures are ballyhoo and snake oil but there are many effective ones too that have gone through generations of practical testing.

Furthermore, we have been bombarded by advertisements from drug companies that modern drugs are based on scientific research and years of testing and studies.  An inference, then, that they are more potent and effective than traditional or herbal remedies.  This assertion may be true in some cases but in many others, simple traditional herbal remedies and cures are not only just as effective, they may be cheaper or in some circumstances, are even free.

PEOPLE YOU EMPLOY WILL EITHER MAKE OR BREAK YOUR ORGANISATION…

Since the advent of mobile phones, these days one seems to receive a fair amount of unsolicited calls selling all sorts of stuff from hotel membership to credit cards.  Recently, I received calls from two banks from which I had been their credit card customer.  Both cards I cancelled due to poor customer service.  I relate the conversations that ensue and you be the judge who, if you are the employer, you would employ and be your most valued employee.

Call 1

Telemarketer	Good afternoon, Mr Cheong?
Cheong	Yes…
Telemarketer	I’m calling from HK Bank.  My name is Angela.
Cheong	Yes.  What is it regarding?
Telemarketer	As our Premium Account Holder, we would to offer you our privilege Platinum Credit Card
Cheong	You must be kidding.  I just cancelled your Classic Card about 3   months ago.  Your card service is so bad!  Your customer service is so inefficient.  When I made a complaint, they said they will look into it but even after 3 complaints, nothing got done.
Telemarketer	Mr Cheong, this is different.  It is a privilege card.  We would like to offer you this card.
Cheong	I’ve been your Credit Card Holder for more than 10 years.  Your bank could not even resolve a minor problem and now you want to offer me another card?  It must be a joke!
Telemarketer	Yes, we would still like to offer you this card.
Cheong	I doubt I would like another card from your bank.
Telemarketer	It’s ok, then.  Thank you, sir.

Call 2

Telemarketer	Good afternoon sir.  Are you Mr Cheong?
Cheong	Yes, what is it regarding?
Telemarketer	My name is Ani.  I’m calling from Sity Bank.  We would like to offer you a Sity Bank Platinum Credit Card.  From our records, we noticed that you were once our card holder.
Cheong	I cancelled your card about 6 months ago.  I got fed-up with your bank.  Your customer service is bad.
Telemarketer	What happened, sir?
Cheong	Your bank charged me an insurance premium for insuring the amount in the statement, a service which I did not request for.  I called almost every month when I get the statement.  Your customer service people          promised to resolve the problem but nothing was done.  After the third month I just called to cancel the card.
Telemarketer	I’m sorry to hear about this problem sir but do give us another chance to prove that that was just an isolated incident. Let us offer you this Platinum Card and if our service is again not up to your expectation, I’ll personally help you to cancel it. I’m very sure this would not happen again.
Cheong	I doubt your customer service can improve.  I’ve got more than enough cards.
Telemarketer	Sir, do accept our offer.  This is a Platinum Card and will give you much more benefits and privileges than your previous Classic Card.  We’ll waive the joining fee and also the subscription for the first year.  You’ll not regret it.  I’ll personally resolve any problems you may have.  Just call this number.  We’re sorry for what happened previously.
Cheong	Ok.  I’ll think about it.
	I’ll call you again tomorrow, sir.  Will that be ok? Once again sir, we’re sorry for what happened previously.  Please give us another chance
Telemarketer	Ok.
Cheong	Thank you sir and have a good day.

To the telemarketer of Call 1, she is just doing a job.  She does not try to get the customer to be on her side by displaying empathy for the customer’s previous predicament.  There is no emotion in her selling pitch.  The customer unconsciously feels not only her coldness but also, by extension, that of her employer and responds accordingly. 

This is exactly the opposite in the method employed by the telemarketer of Call 2.  Obviously, it may be wrong for me to call it a “method”.  Based on the balance of probability, the empathy displayed by telemarketer of Call 2 may be genuine as it is not easy to fake an emotion in a fast on-going conversation.  Even though it is done in the course of her selling pitch, the fact that she mentioned she is apologetic over the previous incident would immediately cause an outraged and annoyed customer to balk and cool down.

The second tactic she employed is not to do a hard sell but to suggest that the customer gives another chance to her and by extension also to her employer.  Although it is just a simple phrase, “give us another chance” is an effective approach that appeals to the customer’s sense of choice and control.  This speaks volume of her commitment and of her confidence in her employer.

I need not elaborate further whose card I agreed to try again!

FEAR? FASCINATION?

No words needed to describe this picture.....

POWER OF PRAYER

A RED DRAGONFLY!

Have you been in touch with nature lately? As urbanites, the common living creatures we often have the pleasure of meeting are those we classify as pests. Rats, cockroaches, house lizards and garden pests such as ants and bees. It is therefore very thrilling to be able to see some creatures we seldom have the privilege to come into contact with in an urban environment.

When was the last time you saw a dragonfly in your garden? And have you ever in your life seen a RED dragonfly? I have climbed hills, gone hiking and camping all over the country and have come across all species of creepy crawlies. Yet, the surprise is, this is the first time I have come across a RED dragonfly, and, in my garden at that! I quickly grabbed my camera and these are the photographs of a RED dragonfly taken on Thursday, 21 July 2011, Shah Alam.

THE COLOUR, BLACK

Colour plays a very important role in our lives.  It has great influence and plays with our moods and feelings.  It has tremendous power over our perception of things and how we view the world.  Even our language has used colour to drive home a point or use colour to give a graphic description or emphasis.  Colour affects emotions and plays a big part how people behave and perceive the world.  Generally, colour and its effects cuts across race and culture.

The colour, black, invoke in many of us, especially those who are a generation older than us, a sense of uneasiness and a feeling of foreboding.  We wear black when someone dies.  Black projects and portrays ominous and portentous situations.  When we see black clouds we know a storm is approaching.  It has grim and sinister connotations and this is reflected in how we use the word “black” in idioms to express the negatives in our relationship with the world.  When a black cat crosses our paths we feel a sense of dread.

Milton Friedman, the renowned economist who won the Nobel Prize for Economics postulates that the black market was a way of getting around government controls. It was a way of enabling the free market to work. It was a way of opening up, enabling (empowering) people.

My neighbour has three children.  All, except youngest one, are professionals of high standing in society.  The black sheep of the family values life as a vagabond without the restrictions of being part of the system society imposes.

William Tan, a close friend of mine, took a flight to London with the intention to seek employment without a work visa.  Upon arrival, he was stopped and denied entry at the immigration control counter.  He was kept in a holding area for deportation.  He has been put on a black list and his passport was stamped “BLI” or “Black Listed Immigrant”.

Terence Ng is the Marketing Director for a multi-national company the past ten years.  He worked hard to reach his position.  However, he has a dark secret.  For the past five years he has been receiving kickbacks for some large contracts.  Unfortunately, a colleague has discovered his little secret and has started to blackmail him for a cut of the ill-gotten gain.

Cinderella ran from the house as the wicked and black-hearted witch started to invoke her spells.  In her haste, she lost a shoe without realising it.

Kim is a political satirist and has a knack for seeing through the wiles of dishonest and self-interest politicians.  She used her god given talent to inject some black humour in her caricatures of these high profile politicians.

Tim and his good friend, David loves the outdoors during summer.  Both, at twelve are precocious youngsters who like the rough and tumble games of football and rugby.  After a game, they would come home laughing though suffering black and blue over most of their bodies.

There was an explosion at the power plant supplying electricity to Ipoh City.  As a result, the city experienced a total black-out since two days ago.  The engineers are still trying to fix the problem.

“LITTLE NAPOLEONS”

If you know your history you will know who Napoleon is and why he is iconic in the type of behaviour he has been ascribed and so famous for.

The phrase “Little Napoleons” are frequently used to describe pompous, pretentious and puff-up public officials, who, after being conferred with some delegated power, proceed to take upon themselves to flex their authority and power when carrying out their public duties.

The Little Napoleon and The Grizzly Old Farmer

An inspector from the Ministry of Agriculture pulled up along the road next to the grizzly old farmer’s farm house.  With a look of self-importance and arrogance he flashed his authority card and told the old farmer that he needed to inspect his farm.

The old farmer, pointing towards a field adjacent to his farm house, said, “Ok, but don’t go into that field surrounded by fences painted in red.”

The official, with a disdain stare, replied haughtily, “I have been given the power and the authority by the Government to go and inspect wherever I wish.”

Without saying another word, the old farmer went about his daily chores.

Before long, he heard loud screams and shrieks coming from the direction where he had specifically told the official not to go.  He looked up and saw the man was running and panting furiously towards the fence with the old farmer’s prized bull inches away.  The snorting bull was madder than a disturbed nest of killer bees.   With four legs running at full throttle, the bull is gaining fast on the official for every step taken by him.

Chuckling, the old farmer shouted, “Quick, quick, show him your authority card…”

(A humorous tale that many of us can relate to in our dealings with public officials but in real life endings are seldom happy or humorous.)

“IT AIN’T OVER TILL THE FAT LADY SINGS”

Occasionally, someone blurts out the colloquial expression “It ain’t over till the fat lady sings”or “It isn’t over till the fat lady sings”.  How many have heard of the phrase and wonder what it means.  It is a commonly used expression to denote that an event is not over till the occurrence of another event.

Who is the fat lady?  No one really knows.

How did this phrase come about?  The origin is fuzzy and can only be inferred.  Three unrelated areas seem to have caused the birth of this phrase, German Opera, American Sports and Churches in the Southern States.

The musical opera connection lies in the overly long four-opera Ring Cycle performance of Richard’s Wagner Götterdämmerung which can drag upwards of fourteen hours.  Near the end of the opera performance a well-endowed lady would appear during the last ten minutes to conclude the performance.  The off quoted answer to the frequent question – when will it end? – comes the tired answer of “till the fat lady sings”.

The American side of the connection to this expression comes from a writer and sports commentator who said “the opera ain’t over till the fat lady sings” in a commentary of a televised basketball game in1978.

In the Southern States of the US, “it ain’t over till the fat lady sings the blues” and also “church ain’t out till the fat lady sings” have been reported, the latter recorded in the book “Southern Words and Sayings” in 1976.

Wherever it started or by who seems unimportant, as this expression enriches and adds flavour in our usage of the English Language.

You "Gotta" Love Those Barristers (2)

Q: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8?
A: Yes.
Q: And what were you doing at that time?

Q: She had three children, right?
A: Yes.
Q: How many were boys?
A: None
Q: Were there any girls?


Q: Can you describe the individual?
A: He was about medium height and had a beard.
Q: Was this a male, or a female?

THE REAL WORLD

Some things schools, colleges and universities do not teach our pre-teens, teens and teens in transition to adulthood….

1.    Life is not fair.  It is a fact!  Get used to it.  Not all of us are born equal.  Don’t be discouraged though, nature is a great equaliser.  The ‘Law of Compensation’ applies.  If a person is blind, nature compensates with a keen sense of hearing and smell.  If you are not academically inclined, you would be blessed with a good pair of hands or the gift of the gab.

2.    If you think going to school and university is tough and boring, working life is not a cup of tea as you may imagine, especially when you do not have a diploma or a degree.  When you screw up, your boss will come down on you like a ton of bricks!  Your pride and self-esteem will take a hit and get dented.

3.    It is a rough-and-tumble world out there.  It does not owe you a living.  It does not care or bother how you feel.   An inflated self-esteem and ego will get deflated soon enough.

4.    Dream of making $50,000 a year immediately after getting your diploma or degree with a manager title?  Unless your father owns the business, it is just a fantasy.

5.    Working with your hands or a job that pays peanuts is not beneath your dignity.  In the days of your parents, choices were limited and any job was seen as an opportunity.  It could always lead to something better!  Sitting at home and freeloading on your parents waiting for the right job is downright moronic.

6.    You may hate school but learn to speak and write well to express yourself with clarity and lucidity.  You may be a genius with an IQ of 140 and above but if you are unable to express an idea verbally or in writing, it dies with you.  

7.    Remember all the proclamations you make for your independence?

“I’m old enough to know what I’m doing”

“It’s my life, don’t bother me”

Yes, it is your life.  Many times we forget that the good comes with the bad.  If you screw up, do not blame your parents. It is not their fault. You ask for your independence. Freedom comes with responsibilities.  The responsibility to live your life as an adult.
   
8.    There is no school holiday or a university term or semester break of 8 weeks in your working life.  You are expected to show up daily for work.  A grinding 8 hours a day, 5 days a week from 9 am to 5 pm. Very few jobs foster personal growth and self-actualisation.  It is not a school or a university where you can refresh!

9.    Before you came into this world, your parents had a life and were not “boring” as they seemed to you.  They have morphed into “boring” because they have to pay the bills for your upkeep and your shiny new iPhone, not to mention also clean up after your mess.  Along the way, somehow their lives have become servitude to your life! 

10.    Learned child psychologists and educators preached that winners and losers should be abolished in the school system in order not to hurt any child’s feelings and self-esteem.  Life has no qualms over such niceties!  In the real world, results are just as important as the effort expended.

11.    A television sitcom or a serial Hong Kong soap opera is not real life.  In real life people still have to go to their routine and sometimes mundane job to eke out a living.  People you know also do not behave the way as what you see in the idiot box.

12.    Be nice and courteous to every person you come into contact with, be them jocks, nerds or eggheads for you may one day find yourself working for them.

13.    Smoking may make you look hip and cool.  Advisories from your parents and healthcare providers nag you to stop but in vain.  Remember, you will still have to stop one day either voluntarily or you have been given 9 months of life left to live!

14.    Raging hormones make you feel like superman or superwoman on top of the world.  You are not immortal.  You are still flesh and blood.  Living in the fast lane may cause your premature demise.

15.    Enjoy your youth and the carefree years.  Your parents may be a pain and school is a big bother and life confusing but you will never be able to live this period of your life again.

FAILURE THE MOTHER OF SUCCESS - A CLICHÉ?

What if I have failed?
When it looks like I have failed…
What does it mean or what does it not mean?

Failure does not mean I am a failure.
It does mean I have not yet succeeded.

Failure does not mean I have accomplished nothing.
It does mean I have learned something.
“Something” like not to go down the same path I have just taken.

Failure does not mean I have been a fool to try.
It does mean I have faith in my convictions and the guts to experiment.

Failure does not mean I have been disgraced.
It does mean I dared to try when everyone says it is “impossible”.

Failure does not mean I am wrong.
It does mean I have done it in a different way.

Failure does not mean I am inferior.
It does mean I am not perfect and just as human as the next person.

Failure does not mean I should give up.
It does mean I should try harder and not give up.

All who succeed have tasted failure. Famous personalities like Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein had tasted failure before succeeding. What did they do when they failed? They just shrugged it off and moved on.

Those who have not tasted failure means they have not lived life on the edge. They have not pushed and stretched their god-given capabilities and abilities to the limit. They have yet to discover their hidden innate talents. And not forgetting, it is FUN to fail! Why? We can always reminiscence and laugh over all the silly bloopers we have made. That’s what make us human!

That’s Life!

Nature or Nurture?

The Sober View

How many of you have heard of the great “Nature or Nurture” debate? If you have big beautiful eyes like your mother or jet black hair like your father, science recognised that these physical attributes are hereditary. These are from your genes. However, if you have a voice that take you to the top in “American Idol” or an acting talent that make you a Hollywood star, where did these talents come from? While it is quite established that physical characteristics are hereditary, the genetic footprint gets a bit murky when it comes to a person's behaviour, intelligence and personality.

It is an age-old argument of how much of what we are is shaped by Nature i.e. our DNA and how much is determined by our life experiences or Nurture. Even though scientists agree that nature endows us with inborn abilities and traits; nurture takes these genetic tendencies and molds them as we learn and mature, it seems this debate rages on without respite. You may ask what this fuss is all about.

The implications may be consequential in how we view and understand a person’s behaviour. If there are “behavioural genes” encoded in us, arguments could be put forth that we are not in control of our actions or behaviour. It can be used to justify criminal acts or a pre-disposition to violence and even a person’s sexual orientation. So, the debate continues fiercely – “Were we born that way?”

The Lighter Side

HOW MUCH OF WHAT YOU ARE, ARE SHAPED BY THINGS ONLY A MOM CAN TEACH YOU……….

My Mother taught me about:

ANTICIPATION: "Just wait until your father gets home."

RECEIVING: "You are going to get it when we get home!"

SEX: "How do you think you got here?"

GENETICS: "You're just like your father."

MY ROOTS: "Do you think you were born in a barn?"

WISDOM OF AGE: "When you get to be my age, you will understand."

JUSTICE: "One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you. Then you'll see what it's like."

TIME TRAVEL: "If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

CONTORTIONISM: "Will you *look* at the dirt on the back of your neck!"

STAMINA: "You'll sit there until all that spinach is finished."

WEATHER: "It looks as if a tornado swept through your room."

HYPOCRISY: "If I've told you once, I've told you a million times: Don't Exaggerate!!!"

ENVY: "There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do!"

BEHAVIOUR MODIFICATION: "Stop acting like your father!"

THE SCIENCE OF OSMOSIS: "Shut your mouth and eat your supper!"

My Mother taught me to:

MEET A CHALLENGE: "What were you thinking? Answer me when I talk to you... Don't talk back to me!"

THINK AHEAD: "If you don't pass your spelling test, you'll never get a good job."

My mother taught me:

LOGIC: "Because I said so, that's why."

"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

MEDICAL SCIENCE: "If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way."

ESP: "Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you're cold?"

THE CIRCLE OF LIFE: "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

HUMOUR: "When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

RELIGION: "You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

FORESIGHT: "Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

IRONY: "Keep crying and I'll *give* you something to cry about."

My Mother taught me how to:

BECOME AN ADULT: "If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

SOLVE PHYSICS PROBLEMS: "If I yelled because I saw a meteor coming toward you, would you listen then?

WORDS OF WISDOM ON MARRIAGE FROM ASTUTE AND INSIGHTFUL MEN & WOMEN

To the married folks, you may find this amusing and with a pinch of truth…

To those intending to get married this may be preview of what to expect and some words of wisdom to take note of!

Describing marriage, an ordinary man in the street once told this story. Marriage is like a big mysterious mansion or castle. All those who have not been inside long to enter its gates but those who have entered and are inside find all means to escape.

Read on and be enlightened…..

“When a man steals your wife, there is no better revenge than to let him keep her.”

Sacha Guitry

“After marriage, husband and wife become two sides of a coin; they just can't face each other, but still they stay together.”

Hemant Joshi

“By all means marry. If you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.”

Socrates

“Woman inspires us to great things, and prevents us from achieving them.”

Dumas

“The great question... which I have not been able to answer... is, "What does a woman want?”

Sigmund Freud

“I had some words with my wife, and she had some paragraphs with me.”

Anonymous

"Some people ask the secret of our long marriage. We take time to go to a restaurant two times a week. A little candlelight, dinner, soft music and dancing. She goes Tuesdays, I go Fridays."

Henny Youngman

"I don't worry about terrorism. I was married for two years."

Sam Kinison

"There's a way of transferring funds that is even faster than electronic banking. It's called marriage."

James Holt McGavran

"I've had bad luck with both my wives. The first one left me, and the second one didn't."

Patrick Murray

“Two secrets to keep your marriage brimming

1. Whenever you're wrong, admit it,

2. Whenever you're right, shut up.”

Nash

“The most effective way to remember your wife's birthday is to forget it once...”

Anonymous

“You know what I did before I married? Anything I wanted to.”

Henny Youngman

“My wife and I were happy for twenty years. Then we met.”

Rodney Dangerfield

“A good wife always forgives her husband when she's wrong.”

Milton Berle

“Marriage is the only war where one sleeps with the enemy.”

Anonymous

“A man inserted an 'ad' in the classifieds: "Wife wanted". Next day he received a hundred letters. They all said the same thing: "You can have mine."”

Anonymous

“First Guy (proudly): "My wife's an angel!"

Second Guy: "You're lucky, mine's still alive."”

Anonymous

Imaginative & Ingenious Answers

Students' imaginative answers to a mathematics test: