Scavenger Instinct

This photo was introduced to me not long ago. Kevin Carter took this photo and became famous/infamous. A substantial number of people criticized him for photographing instead of helping the Sudanese girl - "The man adjusting his lens to take just the right frame of her suffering might just as well be a predator, another vulture on the scene."

I felt the pain in my heart when I first saw the photo. Perhaps it was the image of a innocent defenseless young child of the same species that was going to be torn apart by the scavenging creature.

I've watched countless of animals documentary. There was one video that I will always remember - and it is the first and only documentary that brought tears to my eyes.

In Brief: It was about the life of two male cheetahs in Africa that grew up together, hunting and looking out for each other. One fine day, one of the brother(Cheetah A) went out early to hunt for food for the both of them, in his course, he ventured too far away and got lost. When his brother (Cheetah B) woke up and realized that his brother (A) was missing, he went out to look for him. Every few metres, he would let out a high pitch sound (or chirping) to try to alert or call out for his brother. He combed many areas, for a few hours, under the hot desert climate. Eventually, all his energy was expended and he(B) took a rest near a tree.


During his rest, he continued to chirp out for his brother. As cliche as it sounds, his brother(A) happened to be nearby and when he heard the chirp, he chirped back and started to walk toward B. But Cheetah (B) chirping also caught the attention of a nearby lion and Cheetah B was attacked from behind by that lion. It turned out that the tree he was resting belonged to the lion and because of his tiredness, he failed to smell the lion's scent. In such a situation, typically, a cheetah can outrun and escape from the lion, but because of his languorous, was attacked and got badly injured.

His brother sensed something amiss, and started to sprint towards his brother's direction. Cheetah B managed to limp away and the lion didn't make further advancement(due to the fact that he wasn't hungry), but after limping a short distance, he collapsed as his hind area was badly injured. He(B) continued to chirp out so as to enable his brother to locate him. When Cheetah A reached him and saw that his brother was badly injured, his expression was painfully sad and confused at the same time. His brother(B-injured), was more of happy to see him, yet at the same time, you can see that he is in great pain.

They rubbed nose for a moment before they licked each other on the cheeks. This was the gesture of farewell. A flock of vultures was flying in circle over his brother. His death was imminent and the brothers knew that. Cheetah A reluctantly walked a few steps away from his brother, glancing back frequently. His injured brother kept looking at his brother, knowing that he will not have the chance to do that again. A few vultures landed near Cheetah B. Cheetah A stopped in his track(about 30metre away from his brother), and laid in such a way that he was looking perpendicularly away from his location. He just wanted to be close to his brother, yet at the same time, he could not bear to watch his painful (and cruel) death. The documentary ended when Cheetah B laid down his head..for the last time.

It was an extremely painful and sad video. The show lasted for an hour and was telecast many years ago. Yet I still remembered the story. I also remembered how much I hate vultures since that day. (And, yes, I knew it wasn't the vulture's fault.)

To be continued...

Are you really happy?

A short post in the midst of my busy schedule.

I was reading this article and come across this term called Duchenne smile, where it purports that you cannot fake a "real" smile. What it basically means is that if you are really happy, your smile will involve and activate the upper portion of the facial muscles (Orbicularis oculi muscle - for the science fanatics) , which is absence in fake pretentious smile.

With this, you may be tempted to analyse people's smile. But then, some people may also know this theory and can fake a real smile. and you can never know the true mix of the people who know or do not know this. So it leaves you wondering, perhaps even more puzzled now, whether the person is really happy or not.

That.. is the danger of knowledge/information. =)

Appreciation to the Unappreciated

A few days ago, I was studying(cum sleeping, reading magazine) in a public library. During one of the short break, when I was about to walk into the gents, out of the corner of my eyes, I saw an old lady sitting at the corner near the toilet, waiting for her next cleaning schedule to kick in. She was hedged by 3 big trash bags and 1 mop. She was, quite obviously(at least in my society context), a cleaner. A sense of sympathy filled me, which was followed by a sense of gratitude.

Let me express my thanks to the following people.

1) The toilet cleaners - without them, I may not even want to take a leak in a public area

2) The people who cleared, cleaned the table in many food outlets - without them, I can eat in no peace.

3) The construction workers - Rain, or shine, day and night, you work just to create buildings for us to live, shop or work.

And many of those people cited in pointer 1 and 2 are old folk that are in my "grandmother/grandfather" category.

I truly appreciated you. Whenever I say "thank you", it is from the bottom of my heart.

Sincerely,
Shengjie

P/S: I know that many of the above mentioned will never get a chance to see this...

The First Cause

Come across an article written and spoken by a famous/infamous philosopher. He was "expressing" himself in front of a crowd on why he believed there is no God/Creator. It was an interesting and stimulating(both are subjective) read - well as least for me.

Before I continue, I would like to make this clear again(even though I have said it many times) - My views do not mean they have to be yours, and by no mean, I represent any organization. Acknowledge does not mean agreeing to it. This is essential as I'm going into a extremely sensitive realm.

[I found this sentence: 'My father taught me that the question "Who made me?" cannot be answered since it immediately suggests the further question, "Who made God?" ' That very simple sentence showed me, as I think, the fallacy in the argument of the First Cause.]

It is true that 'Who made God' is by no mean is a facile question to tackle. In fact, I would rate this question as "mission impossible"(at least during the time on Earth). But that does not mean that this make it one of the final verdict that there is no Creator.

God may be created by another subject and may be govern by another set of rules and regulations(or it may not be such). And the subject may in turn be created by another subject and so on. But this not prove the non-existence of a Creator(of the Earth).

The terms "Creator" and "God" in my opinion represent our belief and they may(can) be a source of conflict(or unity) when used albeit too loosely(or narrowly).

Let take an example, "Our God is the Creator of the Universe". "Our God" is very debatable(and may even ignite/incur/bring-about extreme hostility), otherwise there will be a convergence view. Note: this convergence level is 2nd level from the top(First-> God vs No God. Second-> Which God?).

"Creator of the Universe", at least for me, represent the fundamental crack at the top level. Quite a number of people(very vague and non-statistical term) do not believe in natural design/creator. One interesting thing I would like to point out is that believing in a Creator of the Universe does not necessary mean that the Creator/God is not created by another superlative subject -- because the "universe" is very much define by our definition/imagination/yard-stick and "things" that are outside this realm of thought(or universe) may very well exist and are beyond our comprehension.

Yes, "they" may exist, but well, you may not agree. :)

Paucity Consideration..

Is the natural resources available on Earth limited? Our Earth is (so called) a closed system. Certain resources when used up, will never be replace. There is solely one(unless you considered meteoroids and random "Brownian-tic rocks" that intrude our space) exogenous supplier to our closed system --- SUN, heat/light energy supplier. If the natural resources are used up, what is left for our future generations?

Have you ever consider the consequences of your conveniences?

The car that you drive?? The electricity that you used(or wasted)?

Is there a meaning to "night"? Is the darkness a sign for you to turn in early? Or are you suppose to use/waste the resources to "burn up" a night life? Does the vast piece of land give you the excuse to "feed" that piece of machine so as to move from point to point?

Our society(singular) seem to be constructed in a way to waste resources. Does this please your Creator?(This question may not be applicable to some..)

Then again, how are the natural resources created?

"What" create "what"? And "what" create the former "what"?

Remember your memories? RAM??

Have you ever wonder why you could not recall what happen to you when you were just born into the world, or even the few months before you were born?

You can only know all these when your parents or someone else(who witnessed/or pretend to witness - why?) told you what they remembered. Your "just-existence and maybe a few months pre-existence" were in the memories of others. You knew(not remembered) these from others. Isn't that intriguing? Why do you trust(or do not trust) them? Is that baby photo really you?

Are our memories limited by the physical development(or degeneration) of our brain cells? Can we use that as an excuse(to who?)?

Who knows?? :)

The Purpose Of Money. The Complication.

I'm graduating in a few months time and, for the first time(as far as I can recollect) in my life, I pondered about the meaning of money.

Why?

Most people(maybe a lesser percentage in Less Developed Countries) are working hard to attain a "higher level" educational certificate. It is a paper(possible digital/paperless/biometrical in the future) certificate, and most likely, laminated. I've yet to see/come across a person who studied and did not want any certificate to be awarded to him/her.

A certificate is how the employment world functions. It is a signal to show the companies that you have the required(debatable) knowledge or skills for that particular jobs. Nowadays, outside curriculum testimony is also an important asset to show that not only you have the skills, but perhaps(note: perhaps), possessed the right inner aptitude for that job.

But a certificate may also mean a higher income/pay/remuneration expectation. Yes, Big Money!

Why money? Wrong, it should be - why is there a pursue of "big" money?

Just let me say this... it may be consumerism. The delusion/hallucination that pursuing "transaction-able " assets make a person happier. Happiness may means that you have a "better brand item" than your neighbours (there are various complicated definitions of neighbours). It may means able access or gain something deem inaccessible/unattainable to many normal(very subjective) people. It may means having the power/wealth to bring people under your control.

There is just one complication.... who is the one who determine what(that can be found/made on Earth)belong to who? Why do we have to pay for land space, pay for the resources?? Don't we all have the same rights to access these stuff........

To be continued