Greed

Greed was what motivated Gordon Gecko. "Greed is good!", he proclaimed. So did the others, like Ken Lay, Boeski, unscrupulous money and hedge fund traders.

Greed drove the hedge fund traders to buy into crude oil, which they don't use to refine and derive products like petrol, diesel, bitumen, tar and chemicals for the plastic industry. Instead, they keep it to sell at a higher price, that when demand slackens, they end up with a lot of crude oil that needs to be disposed of.

Greed drove those banks to offer security loans for bad debts of risky defaulted home loans in the current sub-prime crisis.

Greed drove the developers of houses on dangerous gradients to keep on building houses that were swept down in landslides. Ditto, the local authorities who approved those projects, knowing full well they get immunity from whatever indemnities and liabilities incurred should God act and give those meeks a landslide that they cannot claim insurance of.

If greed is so good, how come it is one of the seven deadly sins? If greed is good, how come so many bad things come out of it?

Khe Sanh

Been listening regularly to an old favourite song. "Khe Sanh" by Cold Chisel, singer Jimmy Barnes. About how a V-vet who'd come back from war feeling out of place, and jetted back from where he came from, to be at ease at a place he had once reviled but became familiar with.

I guess somehow, sometime we feel that way. We've adapted to the pains that had since innured, rather than taking that one step off that ledge to feel the freedom of flying - Matrix's Neo style - to place ourselves anywhere but here. It's a big step to take, and your mind had been psyched up to know that you'll fall to your death. But in your mind, your imagination, you'll believe that the one step won't kill you physically, but can actually lead you to the road to mental freedom.

But, as the song goes, that place you've left and came back to also could not offer you what - je nais se quoi - you're looking for. Then, the traveller you are, move on to newer climes.

Khe Sanh
Cold Chisel, Jimmy Barnes
(Don Walker)

I left my heart to the sappers round Khe Sanh
And my soul was sold with my cigarettes to the blackmarket man
I've had the Vietnam cold turkey
From the ocean to the Silver City
And it's only other vets could understand

About the long forgotten dockside guarantees
How there were no V-dayheroes in 1973
How we sailed into Sydney Harbour
Saw an old friend but couldn't kiss her
She was lined, and I was home to the lucky land

And she was like so many more from that time on
Their lives were all so empty, till they found their chosen one
And their legs were often open
But their minds were always closed
And their hearts were held in fast suburban chains
And the legal pads were yellow, hours long, paypacket lean
And the telex writers clattered where the gunships once had been
But the car parks made me jumpy
And I never stopped the dreams
Or the growing need for speed and novacaine

So I worked across the country end to end
Tried to find a place to settle down, where my mixed up life could mend
Held a job on an oil-rig
Flying choppers when I could
But the nightlife nearly drove me round the bend

And I've travelled round the world from year to year
And each one found me aimless, one more year the more for wear
And I've been back to South East Asia
But the answer sure ain't there
But I'm drifting north, to check things out again

You know the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone
Only seven flying hours, and I'll be landing in Hong Kong
There ain't nothing like the kisses
From a jaded Chinese princess
I'm gonna hit some Hong Kong mattress all night long

Well the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone
Yeah the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone
And it's really got me worried
I'm goin' nowhere and I'm in a hurry
And the last plane out of Sydney's almost gone

Travel Plan for Raya

I'll take the scenic route back to hometown (Taiping) this Raya. KL - Kuala Selangor - Sg Besar - Lumut (pit stop at Teluk Senangin) - Pantai Remis (buy fresh prawns) - Taiping.

Because, last weekend I went home via NSE PLUS to buka puasa with in-laws in Ipoh and with father in Taiping, and saw the current status of roadworks at the highway.

I reserve my judgment to myself, because 1) I don't want anyone to be influenced (you go see for yourself, try taking a spin and buy juadah berbuka in Tanjong Malim); and 2) I don't want people to crowd my route when I balik Raya nanti.

[Last Chinese New Year, I took that route, but got stuck at Kuala Selangor, because the heavy downpour that morning and the high tide, caused KSelangor to be flooded.]

Driving in My Car - Madness
I've Been Driving In My Car
It's Not Quite A Jaguar
I Bought It At Primrose Hill
From A Bloke From Brazil

It Was Made In Fifty-nine
In A Factory By The Tyne

It Says 'morris' On The Door
The Gpo Owned It Before
I Drive It For My Job
The Guvenor Calls Me A Slob

But I Don't Really Care
Give Me Some Gas And The Open Air

It's A Bit Old But It's Mine
I Mend It In My Spare Time
Just Last Week I Changed The Oil
The Rocker Valves And The Coil
Just Last Week I Changed The Oil

Last Week It Went 'round The Bock
I Also Had A Little Knock
I Dented Someone's Fender
He'll Learn Not To Park On A Bender
Ha Ha Ha

I've Been Driving In My Car
I'm Satisfied It's Got This Far
I Drive It Up Muswell Hill
I've Even Been To Selsey Bill

I Drove Along The A45
I Had Her Up To Fifty-eight
This Copper Stopped Me The Other Day
You're Mistaken What Could I Say?

The Tyres Were A Little Worn
They Were Ok I Could Have Sworn

I Like Driving In My Car
I'm Satisfied I've Got This Far
I Like Driving In My Car
It Don't Look Much But I've Been Far
I Like Driving In My Car
Even With A Flat Tyre
I Like Driving In My Car
It's Not Quite A Jaguar
I Like Driving In My Car
I'm Satisfied I've Got This Far

Overt - Not Underground

Recent events in Myanmar and Putrajaya shows we should no longer cower in fear, but to rise up and show our detest for injustice.

With regards to the "untouchables" in the gommint, perhaps the lawyers can institute a body similar to this one.

Going Underground

Some people might say my life is in a rut,
But I'm quite happy with what I got
People might say that I should strive for more,
But I'm so happy I can't see the point.
Something's happening here today
A show of strength with your boys brigade and,
I'm so happy and you're so kind
You want more money - of course I don't mind
To buy nuclear textbooks for atomic crimes

And the public gets what the public wants
But I want nothing this society's got -
I'm going underground, (going underground)
Well the brass bands play and feet start to pound
Going underground, (going underground)
Well let the boys all sing and the boys all shout for tomorrow

Some people might get some pleasure out of hate
Me, I've enough already on my plate
People might need some tension to relax
[me? ] I'm too busy dodging between the flak

What you see is what you get
You've made your bed, you better lie in it
You choose your leaders and place your trust
As their lies wash you down and their promises rust
You'll see kidney machines replaced by rockets and guns

And the public wants what the public gets
But I don't get what this society wants
I'm going underground, (going underground)
Well the brass bands play and feet start to pound
Going underground, (going underground)
[so] let the boys all sing and the boys all shout for tomorrow

We talk and talk until my head explodes
I turn on the news and my body froze
The braying sheep on my tv screen
Make this boy shout, make this boy scream!

Going underground, I'm going underground!

Between the Wars - Billy Bragg

A poignant reminder of the times we're living in, especially with the gommint buggerup evryting.



I was a miner
I was a docker
I was a railway man
Between the wars
I raised a family
In times of austerity
With sweat at the foundry
Between the wars

I paid the union and as times got harder
I looked to the government to help the working man
And they brought prosperity down at the armoury
"We're arming for peace me boys"
Between the wars

I kept the faith and I kept voting
Not for the iron fist but for the helping hand
For theirs is a land with a wall around it
And mine is a faith in my fellow man
Theirs is a land of hope and glory
Mine is the green field and the factory floor
Theirs are the skies all dark with bombers
And mine is the peace we knew
Between the wars

Call up the craftsmen
Bring me the draughtsmen
Build me a path from cradle to grave
And I'll give my consent
To any government
That does not deny a man a living wage

Go find the young men never to fight again
Bring up the banners from the days gone by
Sweet moderation
Heart of this nation
Desert us not, we are
Between the wars

Billy Bragg on Wiki