Post 140 Existing habits are hard to change
After my retirement I have more free time to go to my club for a swim. It is at the changing room that the English proverb of ‘Old habits die hard’ always comes to my mind. The habits of a few adults are so shockingly annoying that it is hard to believe until you witness them yourself. They will just leave the dressing room with their slippers and towels strewn around thereby causing inconveniences for other users. It is obvious that they have not been properly nurtured to be tidy and considerate. The prestige that goes with the club membership has not added to them the more refined art of behaving in public. As one cannot teach old dog new tricks, the bad habits may most likely be tagging along with them wherever they go.
A person’s manners reflect the background of his family. As bad habits are contagious, children learn them with ease but will find it difficult to get rid of them. Hence good parenting begets children with good character. This explains why in ancient China parents had to find out in great details the family background of a prospective daughter-in-law. They had to make sure that she was from a family of good character. The honour of a family must be preserved as far as possible.
Good habits must be nurtured early before less desirable ones overtake them.-Quote by Ho Nee Yong
17 April 2012
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
"What day is today?"
Post 139 Language learning
When I was in the Chinese primary school in a small town in the 1950s, the first thing my Year 3 English teacher would do when he entered the class was to ritually ask us: “What day is today?” The class would then respond by saying “Today is Monday” or “Today is Friday.” To us his name was “What day is today?”
The environment for learning English in my hometown at that time was at best, very unsatisfactory. It is a totally different scenario now. The state-of-the-art digital technology has made language learning joyful for children through DVDs and other Audio-visual aids inventions. As a learner and speaker of the English language, I wish to convey my thoughts of the importance of English in Malaysia.
English played a vital role in nation-building. Malaysia is what it is today because of our forefathers' ability to use English to negotiate independence from the British, communicate with the international community, acquire knowledge and ideas to move ahead of other neighbouring countries, and attract foreign investments and tourists. However it is a pity that the same cannot be said of the present generation and students as the majority are struggling with English, both spoken and written. They simply lack the competence, confidence, fluency and skills in English. How are they going to lead, run and manage the affairs of the country in the globalised world? English is not to be deliberately denied and ignored. The sooner we know and acknowledge this fact, the better it is for us.
To be monolingual is like a one-eye Jack whose vision is narrow and limited.-Quote by Ho Nee Yong
10 April 2012
When I was in the Chinese primary school in a small town in the 1950s, the first thing my Year 3 English teacher would do when he entered the class was to ritually ask us: “What day is today?” The class would then respond by saying “Today is Monday” or “Today is Friday.” To us his name was “What day is today?”
The environment for learning English in my hometown at that time was at best, very unsatisfactory. It is a totally different scenario now. The state-of-the-art digital technology has made language learning joyful for children through DVDs and other Audio-visual aids inventions. As a learner and speaker of the English language, I wish to convey my thoughts of the importance of English in Malaysia.
English played a vital role in nation-building. Malaysia is what it is today because of our forefathers' ability to use English to negotiate independence from the British, communicate with the international community, acquire knowledge and ideas to move ahead of other neighbouring countries, and attract foreign investments and tourists. However it is a pity that the same cannot be said of the present generation and students as the majority are struggling with English, both spoken and written. They simply lack the competence, confidence, fluency and skills in English. How are they going to lead, run and manage the affairs of the country in the globalised world? English is not to be deliberately denied and ignored. The sooner we know and acknowledge this fact, the better it is for us.
To be monolingual is like a one-eye Jack whose vision is narrow and limited.-Quote by Ho Nee Yong
10 April 2012
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Inflation
Post 138 Costs of living
When I was in the primary school Year one in the 1950s, I could buy a bowl of noodle at the school canteen for 5 cents. When I was in Year 4 it went up to 10 cents as compared to 20 cents a bowl sold in the market. A loaf of Cold Storage bread cost 24 cents. I remember queuing up for one hour at the only cinema in town to buy a 3rd Class ticket for Cheap Matinee shows on Sundays at 20 cents. The normal tickets were sold at 40 cents each. A single storey link house in town in the 1960s could be bought at RM10, 000. My late father bought his brand new Morris Minor for RM4, 000 in the 1950s. The cost of living has gone up tremendously since then. In terms of purchasing power, one practically cannot buy anything for 5 cents now.
The rise in the cost of living means less consumer goods and services can be had with the same amount of money. Therefore if the salary or earning of a person remains the same, he becomes poorer. To him inflation has set in. However in countries with good governance and leaders of integrity, the people will not feel the pressure of high cost of living because the increase in their earnings is more than the increase in inflation rate. In fact with more money in hand, they are able to travel round the world and spend freely.
Inflation is when your children’s starting pay is near your maximum on retirement. –Quote from Ho Nee Yong
3 April 2012
When I was in the primary school Year one in the 1950s, I could buy a bowl of noodle at the school canteen for 5 cents. When I was in Year 4 it went up to 10 cents as compared to 20 cents a bowl sold in the market. A loaf of Cold Storage bread cost 24 cents. I remember queuing up for one hour at the only cinema in town to buy a 3rd Class ticket for Cheap Matinee shows on Sundays at 20 cents. The normal tickets were sold at 40 cents each. A single storey link house in town in the 1960s could be bought at RM10, 000. My late father bought his brand new Morris Minor for RM4, 000 in the 1950s. The cost of living has gone up tremendously since then. In terms of purchasing power, one practically cannot buy anything for 5 cents now.
The rise in the cost of living means less consumer goods and services can be had with the same amount of money. Therefore if the salary or earning of a person remains the same, he becomes poorer. To him inflation has set in. However in countries with good governance and leaders of integrity, the people will not feel the pressure of high cost of living because the increase in their earnings is more than the increase in inflation rate. In fact with more money in hand, they are able to travel round the world and spend freely.
Inflation is when your children’s starting pay is near your maximum on retirement. –Quote from Ho Nee Yong
3 April 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Time- keeping
Post 137 The big drum at the police station
I grew up in Kulim, a small town in the northern state of Kedah. In the 1950s I used to hear the beating sounds from a big drum at night. The sounds came from the police station five shop lots away from our family shop house. I later found out that the sounds were meant to be heard by policemen who were on night duty patrolling the town. When it was 1.00am, there would be one bang on the drum; two bangs would mean 2.00am and three would mean 3.00am. The beating of the drum would stop at 6.00am. To light sleepers staying nearby the police station, it must have been disturbing for them to hear the sound of drum every hour. However whenever I go back to visit my hometown, I would pass by the police station to see if the big drum was still hanging there.
The ancient timing system was based on the law of nature: early to bed and early to rise. In ancient China there was a common career called ‘Dageng’ (打更), with people going round striking at their gongs to inform villagers at regular intervals what time it was at night. There was a lack of accurate time keeping means at that time. More people were engaged to ‘Dageng’ in rural areas where there was no cultural and recreational life at night. However with the popularity of watches and 24-hour TV programmes easily available, time keeping through the beating of gongs and drums has now become legendary.
Clock watchers, who do time-keeping all the time in office, are doing no job. – quote by Ho Nee Yong
27 March 2012
I grew up in Kulim, a small town in the northern state of Kedah. In the 1950s I used to hear the beating sounds from a big drum at night. The sounds came from the police station five shop lots away from our family shop house. I later found out that the sounds were meant to be heard by policemen who were on night duty patrolling the town. When it was 1.00am, there would be one bang on the drum; two bangs would mean 2.00am and three would mean 3.00am. The beating of the drum would stop at 6.00am. To light sleepers staying nearby the police station, it must have been disturbing for them to hear the sound of drum every hour. However whenever I go back to visit my hometown, I would pass by the police station to see if the big drum was still hanging there.
The ancient timing system was based on the law of nature: early to bed and early to rise. In ancient China there was a common career called ‘Dageng’ (打更), with people going round striking at their gongs to inform villagers at regular intervals what time it was at night. There was a lack of accurate time keeping means at that time. More people were engaged to ‘Dageng’ in rural areas where there was no cultural and recreational life at night. However with the popularity of watches and 24-hour TV programmes easily available, time keeping through the beating of gongs and drums has now become legendary.
Clock watchers, who do time-keeping all the time in office, are doing no job. – quote by Ho Nee Yong
27 March 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
History repeats itself
Post 136 The love of money is the root of all evils
A friend of mine migrated to a foreign land with his family a few years ago. We met when he came back for a short trip. It was a gathering of old friends. We exchanged notes and updated one another with our latest developments. We talked on every topic with politics being the core subject. We came to the same conclusion as our high school Chinese literature teacher had told us 50 years ago: If the leaders of a nation are corrupt and without integrity, that nation must fall sooner or later. Otherwise history is wrong.
Our teacher told us that in the 5,000 years of history in China, kingdoms fell due to poor governance and incompetence of officials. Our much respected teacher warned us that under no circumstances should we bring shame to ourselves and to our family members. We also concluded at our meeting place at Kopitiam (meaning coffee café in Hokkien dialect) that our teacher was prophetic. History repeats itself. We see greedy leaders falling into their own traps and bringing shame to themselves. Our friend who is now a foreigner in his former home country added that not many people will learn from history, especially when one is blinded by greed.
Indeed in a multitude of crooked deeds, self-respect and a sense of shame are grossly lacking. To make our society devoid of malpractices, family education is of vital importance. Parents who fail to nurture their children to be people of character are doing injustice to the society they live in.
White-collar thieves and robbers are the manifestations of a failed family education.- Quote by Ho Nee Yong
20 March 2011
A friend of mine migrated to a foreign land with his family a few years ago. We met when he came back for a short trip. It was a gathering of old friends. We exchanged notes and updated one another with our latest developments. We talked on every topic with politics being the core subject. We came to the same conclusion as our high school Chinese literature teacher had told us 50 years ago: If the leaders of a nation are corrupt and without integrity, that nation must fall sooner or later. Otherwise history is wrong.
Our teacher told us that in the 5,000 years of history in China, kingdoms fell due to poor governance and incompetence of officials. Our much respected teacher warned us that under no circumstances should we bring shame to ourselves and to our family members. We also concluded at our meeting place at Kopitiam (meaning coffee café in Hokkien dialect) that our teacher was prophetic. History repeats itself. We see greedy leaders falling into their own traps and bringing shame to themselves. Our friend who is now a foreigner in his former home country added that not many people will learn from history, especially when one is blinded by greed.
Indeed in a multitude of crooked deeds, self-respect and a sense of shame are grossly lacking. To make our society devoid of malpractices, family education is of vital importance. Parents who fail to nurture their children to be people of character are doing injustice to the society they live in.
White-collar thieves and robbers are the manifestations of a failed family education.- Quote by Ho Nee Yong
20 March 2011
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
75% : 25%
Post 135 The four pillars in education
I was in the process of writing a chapter on character building when I suddenly thought of an old friend who is very knowledgeable on this topic. We met at a Kopitiam (a restaurant serving local coffee and food) in town and talked on this topic for two hours while enjoying our meals.
My old friend said that it was a one-way traffic in the West where grown up children are not expected as a matter of fact to look after their aged parents. He lamented that this has become the way of life in increasing measure in the oriental society. The hope of having many children to safeguard the welfares of old parents is now an expectation best not to be desired. In a materialistic world men have become egoistic and less caring. Aging parents who are well taken care of by their children are really blessed.
My old friend then asked me whether I knew of the ‘75%: 25%’ rule in education. He said he came up with this ratio. I told him I did not but that I know of the Pareto principle’s 80–20 rule. It states that, for many events, about 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. He then told me that the UNESCO Task Force on Education for the Twenty-first Century recommended that education throughout life be based upon four pillars: learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together and learning to be.
He finds that out of the four pillars, only one pillar (25%), learning to know, refers to the acquisition of knowledge. The other three pillars (75%) are on character building. The recommendations by the Task Force therefore stress that character building supersedes the accumulation of knowledge.
I chose the 75% and paid the bill.
I was in the process of writing a chapter on character building when I suddenly thought of an old friend who is very knowledgeable on this topic. We met at a Kopitiam (a restaurant serving local coffee and food) in town and talked on this topic for two hours while enjoying our meals.
My old friend said that it was a one-way traffic in the West where grown up children are not expected as a matter of fact to look after their aged parents. He lamented that this has become the way of life in increasing measure in the oriental society. The hope of having many children to safeguard the welfares of old parents is now an expectation best not to be desired. In a materialistic world men have become egoistic and less caring. Aging parents who are well taken care of by their children are really blessed.
My old friend then asked me whether I knew of the ‘75%: 25%’ rule in education. He said he came up with this ratio. I told him I did not but that I know of the Pareto principle’s 80–20 rule. It states that, for many events, about 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. He then told me that the UNESCO Task Force on Education for the Twenty-first Century recommended that education throughout life be based upon four pillars: learning to know, learning to do, learning to live together and learning to be.
He finds that out of the four pillars, only one pillar (25%), learning to know, refers to the acquisition of knowledge. The other three pillars (75%) are on character building. The recommendations by the Task Force therefore stress that character building supersedes the accumulation of knowledge.
I chose the 75% and paid the bill.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
70-year-old equestrian’s Olympic ‘miracle’
Post 134 Character of the highest quality
When I was about to write my blog for today, the headline “70-year-old equestrian’s Olympic ‘miracle’” at Yahoo! Sports caught my eyes. Immediately I decided to make it the topic for my short write-up.
Japanese equestrian Hiroshi Hoketsu has just qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics to eventually become the oldest competitor in London. The oldest Olympian in history was Oscar Swahn, who competed in the 1920 Antwerp Games at the age of 72. When sportsmen and athletes of age 70 + would normally have long retired from stiff competitions or even from life, Hoketsu has displayed himself as a person of sterling character. He said it was a miracle, but I say it is his lifelong dedication to a sport he loves. It is not a matter of winning but of participating.
Hoketsu serves as an icon of what the spirit of sportsmanship is! He enjoys his sport and is a good loser, for he has always been one of the last to be counted in Olympic competition results. Against the much younger competitors, Hoketsu has showcased to them the meaning of self-confidence and perseverance.
Character, not wealth or intellect, makes a person great. – quote by Ho Nee Yong
6 March 2012
When I was about to write my blog for today, the headline “70-year-old equestrian’s Olympic ‘miracle’” at Yahoo! Sports caught my eyes. Immediately I decided to make it the topic for my short write-up.
Japanese equestrian Hiroshi Hoketsu has just qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics to eventually become the oldest competitor in London. The oldest Olympian in history was Oscar Swahn, who competed in the 1920 Antwerp Games at the age of 72. When sportsmen and athletes of age 70 + would normally have long retired from stiff competitions or even from life, Hoketsu has displayed himself as a person of sterling character. He said it was a miracle, but I say it is his lifelong dedication to a sport he loves. It is not a matter of winning but of participating.
Hoketsu serves as an icon of what the spirit of sportsmanship is! He enjoys his sport and is a good loser, for he has always been one of the last to be counted in Olympic competition results. Against the much younger competitors, Hoketsu has showcased to them the meaning of self-confidence and perseverance.
Character, not wealth or intellect, makes a person great. – quote by Ho Nee Yong
6 March 2012
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