The Law of the Garbage Trucks

How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day?

Unless you're the Terminator, for an instant you're probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly she can get back her focus on what's important.

I learned it in the back of a Harare city taxi cab. Here's what happened. I hopped in a taxi and we took off for Westgate. We were driving when all of a sudden a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car's back end by just inches!

Here's what happened next. The driver of the other car, the guy who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and he started yelling bad words at us. How do I know? Ask any Zimbabwean, some words in Harare come with a special face.

Now, here's what blew me away. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was friendly. So, I said, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!"

And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call, "The Law of the Garbage Truck."

Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they'll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally. You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You'll be happy you did. I guarantee it.

So this was it: The "Law of the Garbage Truck." I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people: at work, at home, on the streets? It was that day I said, "I'm not going to do it anymore."

I began to see garbage trucks. Like in the movie "The Sixth Sense," the little boy said, "I see Dead People." Well now "I see Garbage Trucks." I see the load they're carrying. I see them coming to drop it off. And like my Taxi Driver, I don't make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.

One of my favourite football players of all times, Ronaldinho, does this every day on the football field. With a smile he always jumps up as quickly as he hits the ground after being tackled. He never dwells on a hit. Ronaldino is always ready to make the next play his best. Good leaders know they have to be ready for their next meeting. Good parents know that they have to welcome their children home from school with hugs and kisses.

Leaders and parents know that they have to be fully present, and at their best for the people they care about.

The bottom line is that successful people do not let Garbage Trucks take over their day.

What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by? You'll be happier. I guarantee it.

Wonderful people are created by God. Wonderful moments are carefully planned by God. And wonderful friends like you are carefully chosen by God.

Tags: Law of Garbage Trucks, God, Harare, Taxi Driver

Salary of RM3,000 Is Considered Low Income

With the recent high increase in fuel prices and inflation setting into the life of every single person in the world, Malaysians were not spared either.

The Malaysian government still said that inflation rate in Malaysia is less than 5%. But when you go out for a meal or to buy some simple household stuff, prices have shot up more than 10%. What were they measuring? Maybe the government statistic's was comparison made between today and few months back without them telling us which month or year they were using to say that inflation in Malaysia is well under control.

FOMCA has done a survey to see how a salaried man could survive life in the city with just RM3,000 (approx. US$930) in his pocket. He also needs to feed his one wife and four kids.

By looking at the survey results, one could see that he will have more months left after finishing his RM3,000.

If you are earning RM3,000 per month, you are considered a low income earner now as RM3,000 couldn't get you a lifestyle but just living modestly. Yes, you won't die but no luxuries, no entertainment, no mamak, no extras, no holidays or no pampering. Unless you are single and not thinking of getting married, then RM3,000 is more than enough. That also not on excessive spending.

Those with families, the way to survive nowadays is to cut down on excesses, lavish spending, unnecessary purchases and by budget by deleting non-essentials from the list.

Household monthly in come range (Percentage range of families):-
* <> RM 10,000 (4.9%)
Source: Figures presented by Senator Amirsham A Aziz, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, in response to a query in Parliament by Dr Jeyakumar Devaraj, MP for Sungai Siput

From the above statistic, an approximate 57.8% of Malaysians are earning RM3,000 or less. More than half of the nation's population are considered low income earners. My my ........ and the government has time to play around with politics instead of concentrating on improving the economy.

From the last general election, we have heard that some Malaysians voted for the oppositions because the citizens were fed up with the non-sensible stuff that the government was dealing in. The talk was the voters were teaching the government a lesson. Looks like the lesson has not been understood yet.

With the pricing of every single goods and services rising up like mad, soon, the Malaysian citizens will compromise. If the compromise was to have lesser luxuries, that should be alright but I would say that many has compromised to live a life of lower grade.

Kindergarten fees are increasing due to increased expenses. Therefore, parents may forego sending their children to the kindergartens. Maybe one year in kindergarten, at the age of six, will be sufficient for most low income earners. In this way, the low income earners won't die but they have sacrificed their kids' future livelihood.

Cereals and oats are essential for a growing child. Do you think the low income earner will sacrifice this sort of food just to survive? Yes, they will and at the detriment of the child's health this time.

The government has produced the above statistics and knowing that inflation is hitting the nation hard, what are they doing about it?

Reading: Fomca: Help families cope - Star
Reading: Malaysians brace themselves for higher cost of living - Straits Times

Related post - How to Survive With Your Salary?
Tags: RM3,000, Low Income Earner, Low Income, Low Salary, Lifestyle, Inflation, Malaysia, Higher Cost Of Living

Service Tax Issue at Restaurants

The Royal Customs and Excise Department ("Customs") have stated that majority of the restaurants in Malaysia do not need to collect the 5% service tax (on top of the total bill) as the Customs have revised the threshold for tax collection. If the restaurants annual turnover is below RM3.0 million, the restaurants can do away with the 5% service tax and thus reduce the burden on consumers. Thanks to the Customs for their consideration in view of rising cost of living.

But then .............. yeah there's a but. A big BUT actually.

How are we to verify which restaurant's annual turnover is below RM3.0 million?

The Customs have mentioned that only 4,457 restaurants are licensed to collect the 5% service tax and with this new threshold, only 7% of the total number of licensed restaurants have annual turnover exceeding RM3.0 million. With this figure, I would say that those smaller restaurants that me and my friends usually frequent shouldn't be collecting the 5% service tax anymore.

Only last Sunday, I was having dinner at such a small restaurant which still have this 5% service tax in my bill. It didn't strike me there and then. Now, do we ask the restaurant owner for a copy of the service tax licence which permits the restaurant to continue with the collection of the 5% service tax?

How do you think the restaurant owner will react over my query? Probably like this:-

(Waiter hands over the bill with 5% service tax part of the amount to be paid)
Me: Excuse me, why do you still have the 5% service tax in the bill?
Waiter: We have been collecting the 5% service tax for a few years now.
Me: I know that but the Customs Department has mentioned that the 5% service tax has been abolished unless your restaurant's annual turnover is more than RM3.0 million.
Waiter: Yes, our annual turnover is more than RM3.0 million.
Me: Can you prove that?
Waiter: Why do we need to do so?
Me: Because that will verify that your company is authorised to collect the 5% service tax.
Waiter: Only my boss will have those information.
Me: Where's your boss?
Waiter: Not in.
Me: Then how?
Waiter: Pay first and come back to meet my boss another day.

Or it could be like this (after experiencing the first incident with a waiter):-
(Waiter hands over the bill with 5% service tax part of the amount to be paid)
Me: Excuse me, why do you still have the 5% service tax in the bill?
Waiter: It's in the system already. All restaurants do the same.
Me: I don't think so. Where's your boss? (getting smarter)
Waiter: Please wait.
Boss: I understand you have a question on the billing.
Me: Yeah, why do you still have the 5% service tax in the bill?
Boss: The service tax is a standard tax for everyone. No one is exempted.
Me: Didn't you read the newspaper recently that Customs Department has abolished the service tax?
Boss: Really? But we haven't received any notice from them to tell us to stop collecting the service tax.
Me: You don't have to wait. Do you wait for the government to tell you to increase the your food and beverage prices when the petrol price goes up?
Boss: (don't know what to say look)
Me: I need to see your existing service tax licence to show that your restaurant is authorised to collect service tax.
Boss: The licence is not here.
Me: Then I'm not obliged to pay the service tax as according to the Customs Department's ruling which states that licensed restaurant must display their licence in the restaurant.

For your information, lots of restaurants would still be collecting the 5% service tax without the need to remit the amount collected to the Customs as they would be exempted. Where does the money go to then? Into the pockets of the restaurant owners of course!!!!!!

Reading: No service tax at most restaurants - Star
Tags: Royal Customs and Excise Department, Malaysia, Service Tax, Malaysian Restaurant, Service Tax Licence, 5% Service Tax, 5% Government Tax

Fairy Tale

One day,



long, long ago,



there was this woman



who surprisingly,



did not whine,


nag,


and bitch ........?


But this was a long time ago .....?


and it was just



for ONE day
Tags: Jokes, Funny, Humour, Fairy Tale

Did The Roadblocks Served Its Purpose?

On early Monday morning, as early as 7am (I was on the road that early too), I was soooooooo puzzled as to why was the Federal Highway soooooooo empty when I came onto it from Old Klang Road. Where are the rest of the people? Was it a last minute public holiday announcement done on Sunday night which I didn't know about it?

No cars (got lah, less than two dozens of them in front of me) on the way down to city centre.

Not knowing that major traffic jams were occuring at the same time at many other places. When I reached the foodcourt, one by one of my colleagues walked in. Some of their faces were black. Later on in the office, many complained about the stupid roadblocks. Only then many people found out that there were many roadblocks being conducted at the same time which is during the peak hour.

Why were the roadblocks put up? Why weren't the public informed so that they could avoid those roads or come out earlier? Who organised those stupid roadblocks during peak hours?

Time passes by and Malaysia's Home Minister, Syed Hamid Albar, came out to say that he was sorry. Sorry????? Just sorry? After causing a mayhem during peak hours and you are just sorry about it. It caused many people to be late for work, appointments, expensive petrol burning away, tempers rising amongst drivers who were not obeying traffic, queue jumpings, disorder throughout Klang Valley, businesses disrupted ....... and he was just sorry about it.

Definitely, this guy by the name of Ganesh will remember Syed Hamid for the rest of his life. The government's decision to conduct the roadblocks has caused Ganesh to be late for his CLP legal exam. By missing one paper, he has failed the whole examination.

Syed Hamid Albar has every reason to believe that there was to be a major demonstration involving the opposition parties. One probable reason for having the demonstration was due to the fact that the opposition parties tabled the no confidence motion in parliament. The government felt so insecured that they have gotten the police force at full force out on the major roads coming into the city centre.

But Lim Kit Siang and his DAP friends have denied meeting up with PKR and PAS to plan for this so called demonstration.

And it caused this terrible traffic jam. It was human made.

Right after knowing about this unfortunate event, I asked many people from morning till night. Gathered their comments as follows:-

* government is so insecured
* government is so worried
* stupid government
* police got nothing better to do
* trying to frustrate klang valley voters?
* punishing klang valley voters for letting opposition wins 10 of the 11 parliamentary seats in KL
* the public is even more pissed off with the government
* can't they (government in this case) do anything right?
* can't they block nearer the parliament area if demonstrations were to be held there?

I couldn't agree more with the person who posed the last question. Why were the roadblocks conducted throughout KL? Ok, let's say it was for safety reasons and they wanted to prevent the demonstration, did they nab anyone in that process. If nobody was arrested, it meant to say that they can't even detect any single demostrator who intended to demonstrate. If there were none, where did they hear that there was going to be a major demonstration.

What a farce they have made it out to be? The newspapers are out today blaming the opposition parties for causing all this. Come on!!!!!!! The government has made a major blunder for being to pro-active and ended up with nothing. Now, they are playing the blame game, yeah ......... blame others, don't admit.

Many people that I have came to contact with since Monday morning agreed that the government was trying to frustrate the public into believing that demonstrations will bring chaos to the nation. The government was trying to paint the picture that the public will be the one to suffer for the opposition's antics. The opposition parties are nothing and useless and will bring problems to the nation.

Do you know what? The people are now more frustrated / angry with the current government for employing the roadblocks. The plan has backfired. Please note that the people that I have asked for comments are just plain ordinary people trying to make a living.

Reading: The Real Reason For The Roadblocks in KL - Margeemar
Reading: Roadblocks needed to keep order, says Pak Lah - Star
Tags: Roadblocks, Kuala Lumpur, Syed Hamid Albar

Senility

A funeral service is being held for a woman who has just passed away. At the end of the service, the pall bearers are carrying the casket out when they accidentally bump into a wall, jarring the casket . They hear a faint moan. They open the casket and find that the woman is actually alive!

She lives for ten more years, and then dies. Once again, a ceremony is held, and at the end of it, the pall bearers are again carrying out the casket. As they carry the casket towards the door, the husband cries out, 'Watch that wall!'

************ ********* ********* ********* ********
Two elderly ladies had been friends for many decades. Over the years they had shared all kinds of activities and adventures. Lately, their activities had been limited to meeting a few times a week to play cards.

One day they were playing cards when one looked at the other and said, 'Now don't get mad at me .... I know we've been friends for a long time ..... but I just can't think of your name! I've thought and thought, but I can't remember it. Please tell me what your name is.'

Her friend glared at her. For at least three minutes she just stared and glared at her. Finally she said, 'How soon do you need to know?'
Tags: Funny, Humour, Jokes, Senility, Pall Bearers, Casket, Cards

Why Are You Messing With Sudan Now?

Just when I'm arranging to go to Sudan again at month end (should be leaving KL on the night of 27 July), the International Criminal Court ("ICC") based in The Hague has to initiate a prosecution against the President of Sudan, Omar Al-Bashir. The ICC is trying to indite the president for alleged war crimes in the Darfur region, west Sudan.

Few days back, the Sudanese citizens held a major rally showing support for their president. I mean, who wouldn't, if your nation's head has been implicated in a crime that was submitted overseas. What if the current Malaysian Prime Minister has been indicted, will you go out to show your support in a mega rally? hehehehehehehe

Please lah, don't heat up the situation in Sudan. It's already hot enough being situated in the Sahara desert region. You'll never what will happen if such rally goes out of hand.

One fine day in year 2006 (can't remember which day/month), I had just finished a meeting in Kharotum's central business district area. Called my local Sudanese colleague and he said he would come around the corner in fifteen minutes time to pick me up. In the car, was another Malaysian colleague of mine too.

Just when we got into our car and started moving forward, we could see many people running towards our direction and all cars were diverted into this road turning it into one way street even though it was a dual way street. Both of us, Malaysians, told our Sudanese fella to reverse the car immediately. A pick-up truck trying to move fast in front of us just knocked his way through and bang into the left hand side of our car. More cars were forcing their way through. Many scratches by now. We had to think of the human beings behind us too ....... what is this man!!!!

We can't reverse fast enough as there were a few cars behind us too. As reversing was real slow, we told our local colleague to force the car to the side and turn the other way round to flow along with the traffic now. When we managed to squeeze to the side, this local fella wanted to be a superhero instead. He told us that he wanted to see or asked what was happening. We scolded and shouted at him. I told him if you were to leave the car now, I will certainly take over the wheel and drive off without you.

Heart was pumping real fast and anxious to get out from that spot but this local fella had other ideas. Myyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy ........ really gave him a piece of my mind (guessed that my other colleague who may read this blog posting would agree with me).

Only then he came to his senses (if he has one in the first place at that point of time). What was happening at that time was that traffic from two other major roads turned into our road and this local fella wanted to see what was happening. Seeing waves of panicked people would have triggered your mind that everyone was running away from danger in which we found out that a commotion happened between certain parties with the local armies and shots were heard (how true about the shots we don't know but we are not staying to listen to it).

Flowing along with the 'forced' traffic, we drove into another part of the city. We diverted far away from the city centre and went into the outskirt in order to reach the other end of the city to go back to our office. While still stucked in the traffic with everybody trying to move out of the city, we called back to our office to inform the rest not to leave the office.

It took us more than an hour to reach our safe spot. Considered safe in our office as the rest were there ............ hehehehe. I lived to write this story for you to read and I'm going back there again. Anyway, this incident was nothing compared to a major revolt when emergency ruling was enforced for one or two days in August 2005. Unfortunately, I was there too.

Reading: Sudanese rally to support leader - BBC News/Africa
Reading: AU warning over Sudan 'charges' - BBC News/Africa
Tags: Sudan, AU, African Union, ICC, International Criminal Court, Omar Al-Bashir, War Crimes