Taylor Thrash - Broken

Taylor Thrash - Broken

This is me defeated
Here's my final plea
I'm standing at your front door
Please (just) look at me

I never meant to build up
You wasn't what I need
I took this time to show her
Show you I'm trying

Cuz you know I'm broken
Feels like I've stolen
All you have to give... to me
And now I'm saying sorry
Falling down on one knee
I'm begging you, just please
Please don't leave
Coz without you I'm not me

And this time I'll be honest
I guess that's hard to believe
I love you, that's my promise
My heartache you can see
That every time your phone ring
Sorry it was me
Remembered all my mistakes
Couldn't stop crying

Cuz you know I'm broken
Feels like I've stolen
All you have to give... to me
And now I'm saying sorry
Falling down on one knee
I'm begging you, just please
Please don't leave
coz without you I'm not.. me

And I'm so afraid
Of being alone
And I couldn't sleep
Without you to hold
And I hurt you too much
Believe me I know
But I'll try to put this right and,
Put my life on hold

Cuz you know I'm broken
Feels like I've stolen
All you have to give... to me
And now I'm saying sorry
Falling down on one knee
I'm begging you, just please
Please don't leave

-Cuz you know I'm broken
Feels like I've stolen
All you have to give... it's to me
And now I'm saying sorry
Falling down on one knee
I'm begging you, just please
Please don't leave
Coz without you I'm not me

"Best song, from him, so far :)" S.Y.

Check out the lyrics video that I did @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpDCiVvVsT0

Taylor Thrash - Slippin'

Taylor Thrash - Slippin'

It's hard to hear you through the awkward silence, cuz
It's doesn't happen often
Guess you're busy everyday
I woke up feeling sick about the way we've been for days
I guess things changed
I guess we've changed

I feel you slippin'
See you drifting
You are slipping... away
...
And I cannot make you stay

I hate to think that I'm the one to blame
You have to see the ugly face
I make before I start to cry
You need me to grow up
I guess that's more than fair enough
If I just try my best
Will these all disappear

I feel you slippin'
See you drifting
You are slipping... away

I feel you slippin'
See you drifting
You are slipping... away
...
And I cannot make you

Quietly.. you say it all when your eyes speak
Telling me to leave silently
And my heart will break
When little things start to go wrong
Said you've questioned love too long
Baby now you know why I write sad songs
(That's) all I can sing

I feel you slippin
See you drifting
You are slipping... away

I feel you slippin
See you drifting
You are slipping... away

And I cannot make you stay

"A new singer that's I've found on Youtube. Serious, the big Y is a treasure trove of music :)" S.Y.

Do check out the lyrics video that I did @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZLLhF4krXU

Movie Review: Total Recall 2012

Considering that I've read the story Total Recall (forgot what year liao) and that I've watched Total Recall 1990 movie, Total Recall 2012 has cooler action and graphics (environs-wise mainly - love the levels of cities... like in Deus Ex =)) but certain parts of the story isn't as good as the previous movie or the story (-book) IMHO - it's missing a vital part where the Cohaagen showed him a video of himself (the old, ruthless Hauser) confessing that he and Cohaagen planned the whole demise of The Resistance and some other parts - like explaining how 'Rekall' works etc etc. That's the catch for me when I watched Total Recall 1990/read the story.

Well, at least the 2012 version doesn't use the 'Mars' bit - that's originality, sorta~ :P 

The best part tho is 'the best double agent is one who doesn't know he's a double agent' line lol. Guess that plan backfired on you, Cohaagen, eh? ;)

Copied from my fb status update~ =)

The Complete and Utter Idiot’s Guide to Making Banana Fritters

The Complete and Utter Idiot’s Guide to Making Banana Fritters

Hello! Welcome to The Complete and Utter Idiot’s Guide to Making Banana Fritters. Are you ready? Good! Let’s start, shall we?

We’re going to begin our journey by assuming that you already have each of the ingredients and cooking items you’ll be needing to make these banana fritters. I know, it may be a bit of a stretch but we really don’t have time to take you shopping without, of course, The Complete and Utter Idiot’s Guide to Shopping.

So, first of all, we’ll need a bowl for you to mix the flour in. My suggestion would be a bowl as wide, in diameter, as your head. So reach into your cupboard and grab a bowl. Any will do. No, that’s a plate. A bowl should be round but not flat…yes, the plate is round but it is not shaped like a dome is it? Right, that’s a bowl. Now, be careful with it so you won’t break it. OK, put it down.

On the counter, not the floor, you…

Right. Much better. At least you know what a ‘counter’ is. Alright, you are ready to start, finally. You need flour.

            Personally, I prefer either whole wheat flour, all-purpose wheat flour or instant wheat flour as amaranth, rye, teff, atta and peasemeal flour would taste horrible with… why you are staring at me like that? What do you mean you are running low on wheat flour? How can you possibly make banana fritters without flour? Arggh! What kind of flour do you have? Besides wheat, I mean.

            Corn? Fine, that’ll do.

OK. Mix both of the flour in the bowl. Don’t dump the whole unopened packet into the bowl! You have to cut open the packet first!

            Put the packet back to the counter. Get a pair of scissors. It’s something like a… Right! That’s scissors. I must have underestimated you after all.

            Alright. Now, cut open the packet. What do you mean using what? Of course, you use the scissors! And, oh, I think I’ll take back that compliment.

            Good! Now pour the flour into the bowl. Perfect! Pour a cup of water, drinking water, mind you, into the bowl. Use that Mickey Mouse cup, it will be fine. Nice…you can mix the flour now.

            NO! No, no, no! People don’t use their HANDS to mix it! Oh, god! Go and clean you hands. And don’t tell me how to wash your hands! See? You have ruined everything! I bet your dough is full of dust and germs now.

            Ugh! Never mind! It’s not like you’ll be living for a long time at this rate anyway! Right! Now, grab a wooden spoon or just… any spoon from the drawers. Hey! What the Hell are you doing with that scissors? Put it down before you hurt somebody… and, yes, that’s not a spoon, dunderhead. There! On your left! No, that’s not ‘left’! That’s ‘right’! I mean, look the other side!

            That’s a fork. Oh, never mind! Just put it into the muck in the bowl and stir!

            It doesn’t matter if it is clockwise or anticlockwise! You are not brewing a potion! Just stir until it looks smooth enough!

            OK. Now, do you have a bunch of bananas? You have only three? Sigh. Fine. We’ll just have to use what we have then!

            Get a knife. Not those blunt ones, a knife has a sharp blade. Yes, that’s a knife… what are you… no, no, NO! Don’t test it to see! Just put it down at the counter! And don’t drop it! I wouldn’t dare to see what’ll happen if you do.

            There you go! Now, peel the bananas. Not too hard, mind you, or you’ll break the banana.

            Harder than that. You have to a least touch the skin of the banana to peel it.

            Nice! Now do the other bananas. Perfect! You are a natural monkey, no?

            It is a relative of your ancestor, the ape… never mind!

            Now, use the knife… BY GRABBING THE WOODEN END, dimwit! Oh, god! Alright, calm down… Now, slice the bananas into halves. You’re scratching your head. OK, let’s make it simpler, shall we? Cut the banana into two pieces. Two. More than one? Less than three? You understand? Good! Now, cut it! What are you waiting for?

            Just jam it in the banana and don’t worry about hurting it! For god’s sake! Just slice the damn thing into half!

            Very good! You can cut the rest of the bananas into halves. Perfect. You’re getting good with the knife. God help us all.

            OK. You are ready to fry it. Quit giggling and don’t play with the knife! Just put it down on the counter and don’t give me that mournful face of yours. Right, let’s proceed to the frying. Turn the knob to light the stove and put a frying pan on it. What do you mean it won’t turn? Twist the knob the other direction. There you go.

            Now, place the frying pan -it is the thingy with the plastic handle beside your stove- on the stove. Don’t be afraid of the fire, just put the pan on… alright, be afraid of the fire and use the frying pan to block out the fire. Right! While waiting for the pan to heat up, you can prepare a plate to put the fritters on. Remember? It is the round, flat thing in your cupboard.

            Very good! You’ll need some kitchen tissue to absorb the excess oil when you have fried the bananas. Hey! Where are you going? What do you mean you want to get the tissue? The tissue is in here! In the kitchen! Hey!

            Well, you are pretty quick. Where’s that tissue of yours? That’s toilet tissue! I did say you need KITCHEN TISSUE, did I? Well, you cannot use toilet tissue.

            Because I said so!!! Anyway, it is unhygienic.

            Right! Let’s just forget it, okay? We’ll just use the plate. Put the toilet roll away. Put it away! Don’t look at me like that, put the toilet tissue away!

            Alright! You’re almost there! Now, you can test whether the pan is hot enough or not…I think it is most probably nicely heated up now and…STOP! Don’t touch the pan to test the heat! God! Just put your hand above the pan. If you cannot put it there for more than 30 seconds without suffering from intense pain, then it is hot.

            It is hot? Good! Let’s proceed. I said stop giggling.

            Dip the banana into the dough. Make sure it is fully covered by the dough. Okay, now place the banana, slowly… and don’t throw it, into the pan. I’m sorry, are you getting dizzy? It can happen, get use to it. Repeat the steps again for the rest of the bananas. One by one. Don’t just throw them all into the pan.

The dough is changing colour? OK, don’t panic. It just means that it is cooked. Now, put the cooked ones onto the plate.

            After you have finished frying the bananas, turn the stove off. The other direction. Do I have to tell you every time you need to turn on or off the stove?

            OK. Let the banana fritters cool down before eating it. See, you didn’t pay attention to my instructions and now you have burnt your tongue. Hey, I did warn you, didn’t I?

            Congratulations. You’ve made banana fritters! Bonehead.

By Toh Saw Yi

           

 "Absolutely the most hilarious kind of essay to write! I just love writing these sort of stuff + I get to find and learn synonyms for the word 'stupid' lol~" S.Y.

A Story within a Story

            The young and handsome captain, Captain Apollo, son of the battlestar’s commander, shook off the last of his admirers from the bridge where he had been congratulated amidst the cheers of the battlestar crew and headed back to his quarters. He had pulled off a historic heroic exploit to destroy the pulse weapon that the Yulkans had built on their outpost which is endangering the Galactic Federations’ planets nearby and, not to mention, the large trade crafts and battlestars passing that way.

When he entered his room, he saw a small boy of 10-years in age who was sitting patiently on his bed.

The boy looked up when Captain Apollo came in and shouted, “Brother, you’re safe!”, before jumping into his big brother’s waiting hands.

“My little cute bro, are you okay?” Captain Apollo asked when they broke from their brotherly embrace.

“Sure I’m not okay! I’ve been stuck here for like ages! Can you tell me about your adventure?” The boy asked. “Dad won’t tell me. He said it is ‘adult’ stuff that little children shouldn’t be meddling in.” He said, making a sour face.

Captain Apollo looked thoughtful for a moment before breaking into a full grin.

“Sure, why not? I’ve got plenty of time before my next mission, not counting the emergencies, of course.”

“Alright!” The boy shouted enthusiastically. He jumped onto Apollo’s lap after Apollo sat down on his bed.

“Okay, where should I start? Oh, right. Do you know the mission objective?” Apollo said while trying to tickle the boy. The boy gave a playful giggle and dodged his finger before replying, “I think so. It’s quite widely publicised around here even though it was supposed to be classified.”

“That’s good and I needn’t waste more time explaining it. Alright, my story started like this…”

“I was launched from the battlestar with two escort space fighters.” Captain Apollo said, “And we head for the movable ice planet which the Yulkons had tried to make it invisible from us. This is supposed to be a solo mission, you see, so you can say that I’m nervous as Hell. The success of this mission depends on me and I don’t want to disappoint everyone, especially father who had a reputation to uphold.”

“I understand that.” The boy who was sitting quietly on his lap said solemnly.

Apollo gave him a grateful look before continuing, “I was supposed to launch from an escape pod through the ‘hole’ which our engineers had penetrated on their defence and camouflage shield. I mean, this is ridiculous right? Those Yulkons, if they had detected the presence of a Federation escape pod entering their precious outpost, will certainly shoot me down. As an escape pod doesn’t have any weaponry, I will be as helpless as a newborn baby in hostile lands. Our engineers were pretty sure they had done all they were supposed to do correctly, so what choice do I have but to trust them. Anyway having second thoughts when you are about to undertake a mission is definitely not going to help you to rise your spirits.”

The boy chuckled. Captain Apollo ruffled the boy’s hair and continued, “Anyway, I was launched according to plan and I was equipped with an assortment of weaponries ranging from explosive weapons a.k.a. demolition devices to smaller hand-held laser guns. The good thing is that they had given me a laser sniper gun of the best quality. I was ecstatic - sniping enemies is my favourite hobby, you see.”

The boy shifted a little on Apollo’s lap and urged Apollo to return to the story.

“Okay, okay. As I was saying, I had landed on the planet and, so far, was not detected by their radar. According to my training in the Academy, I sniped off those soldiers who were stationed at the cliffs near to the humongous pulse gun of theirs before going there. The cliffs are the best spot for any sniping activity as it gives a very good and, sometimes, pretty view of the ground, you see. From there I sniped off all the soldiers guarding the pulse gun before they could reach for their alarm button.”

“What happened then?” The boy asked.

“Well, I had to carry out my mission to demolish the gun even though I longed to stay at the cliffs to take out more soldiers. I sneaked into their base inside the mountain which housed the gigantic pulse gun through a secret pathway that I had found when I scanned the surface at the cliffs.”

“That’s very lucky of you to find that path.” The boy said.

“Yeah, well, you can say that my lucky star or my fairy godmother had worked overtime to look after me on that day.”

“Or maybe it is the god who helps those who undertake very risky and suicidal missions.” The boy said with a giggle.

“Yeah, maybe it was him.” Captain Apollo said, smiling kindly at the apple of his eye.

“Anyway, I had managed to sneak in without anyone noticing me and I took the stairs up to the gun emplacement on top of the mountain.”

“Why don’t you take the elevator? It’s easier. I’m sure those Yulkons have them too in their base of operations.” The boy asked curiously.

“I had thought of that before but had decided against it as, you see, you might accidentally meet some aliens before you can reach the top of the mountain. They have lots of levels there, you know.”

“Then, won’t running up the stairs be a little too tiring?”

“It was tiring, but I managed to overcome my fatigue. It was also lucky of me to not encounter any unwanted beings there. I must be incredibly lucky that time.”

The boy nodded, showing that he thought so too.

“Okay, continuing to my story, I dashed up the stairs, hoping to take the aliens by surprise before any of them found the dead bodies of the aliens that I had sniped. Again, I was lucky. When I opened the door from the stairway, I found myself in a deserted corridor of magnificent blue colour. At the each end of the corridor stood a door, but the door in front of me is made from a type of brilliant purple-coloured metal.”

“Where does the door leads to then, brother?” The young boy interrupted.

“Wait, be patient. I’m just getting to that.”

“Naturally, like you, I’m curious about that door. It is, obviously, a more ornate one, which most probably means that something of value is behind the door; if not, it may be the office of someone who holds a pretty high rank among the Yulkon Military Department. I prepared my laser gun by setting it to stun, then I opened the door.”

“What happened? What happened then?” The boy asked. He jumped excitedly on the bed until the springs beneath the bed groaned in effort to support the jumping boy’s and Apollo’s weight.

“Sit down, little brother. I don’t want you to make a wreck of my bed.”

The boy made a face but he sat down beside his brother, imitating his brother by crossing one leg over the other.

“Alright, I opened the door and saw a narrow stairway which was spiralling upwards. This peculiar stairway does interest me, but pity that I don’t have enough time to inspect it. Cautiously, I ascended the stairs. The stairs lead to another door - a normal looking, metallic one. That’s when I started to become suspicious.”

“Why, brother?”

“This is too easy, that’s why. I changed my setting to acid and burnt a pin-sized hole on the door before peeking out using a robotic eye aid. My suspicions had been confirmed - there were about 10 Yulkon soldiers, who were wearing the red band showing that they are one of the elite operation teams. I’m in for big time if I had not checked for any ambush.”

“Lucky you.” The boy commented.

“Yeah. I used a silent bomb to take care of them. Blast them to pieces, I did, and I asure you, it was not a beautiful sight. Purple blood was spattered everywhere. I was thoroughly shaken. Suddenly, I had half a mind to abandon mission and call for my escape craft which was waiting for my call right above the atmospheric layer of the planet.”

“But you didn’t call for them, do you? It’s pretty obvious as you had managed to complete the mission.” The boy said in a matter-of-in-fact tone. Apollo gave him an exasperated glance and argued that he was trying to make the story more interesting. The boy waved his arguments away and said, “Go on, brother. I’m anxious to know what will happen next and I don’t want us to have a dispute over something silly.”

“Anyhow, I pulled myself together and advanced stealthily towards the gun emplacement that was, now, right in front of me. Luckily I had finished off all those Yulkons guarding the gun or I’ll definitely have more trouble. I rigged the demolition devices to the gun and call for my escape craft to land on a small piece of flat land on the mountain to get me well away from the gun when it exploded.”

Apollo cleared his throat and helped himself to a cup of water before continuing, “My plan almost succeed but only I had forgotten that the rest of the Yulkons who were patrolling the base of the mountain will be able to see the craft landing in plain view. I was shocked when I saw laser blasts shooting at my escape craft - that’s when I had realised my first major mistake.”

The boy looked thoughtful for a moment and asked, “If your craft is destroyed, won’t you be stranded on the planet?”

“Yes, that’s exactly my thought when I saw my mistake. However, luck must be holding, strongly, onto me, because I not only managed to get on board the craft unscathed but I also managed to pilot the craft away manually so I can avoid as many laser blasts as possible. When I’m at a safe distance away from the pulse gun, I activated the bomb. With a tremendous boom, the mountain had lost its top and the soldiers at the base scrambled fro safety as the blast had triggered a huge landslide.”

“Wow! That’s amazing! You surely had showed them all!”

“But,” Captain Apollo said, lowering his voice for a more dramatic effect, “While I was struggling with the ground troopers, the Yulkons Space Army launched their own crafts to chase after me and to bring my plane down as a ball of flame. Nevertheless, I managed to escape from the planet with an armada of space fighters behind my tail.”

Suddenly, a siren sounded.

“Battle stations everyone! On the double! Go!”

Apollo was surprised as he jumped to his feet, ready for action - a reflex that he had posses ever since he had been sent to the frontline of the Federation’s territory fresh from the Military Space Academy.

“Well, the Yulkans seemed to be attacking us. No doubt of it.” Apollo said.

“But you haven’t finished your story!” The boy protested as Apollo started for the door.

“Well, you can guess the ending, couldn’t you? As you can see now, I had survived besides completing my mission.” Apollo said, smiling gently. With a quick two fingered salute, Apollo marched off to the bridge leaving an awestruck little brother behind.

"As usual, no plagiarism~ ask me first if you want to use my materials or quote me." S.Y.

Book Review: The Sky is Crazy: Tales from a Trolley Dolly

The Sky is Crazy: Tales from a Trolley Dolly

By Yvonne Lee

Review by Toh Saw Yi

I rarely travel by plane, but author Yvonne Lee made me feel as though I am a regular visitor to the airport and on the plane. Through this book, Yvonne shows you a wild kaleidoscope of tales trawled from a crazy sky where some people unleashed their Mr Hyde within when they thought nobody would care at a height of 35,000 or so feet. This is a story of her extensive experience; she remembers exactly what it was like to be a trolley dolly a.k.a. air stewardess. I know, everyone has a plane story to share, but no one tells it better than the one who sings the “chicken-or-beef, sir?” rhapsody.

The humorous way in which Yvonne had used is the main reason I loved this book. Her anecdotes are peppered with hundreds of laugh-till-you-drop jokes (some of them are rather snide) and her own humorous opinion.  

There is a lot more then just being an air stewardess cum waitress. As Yvonne puts it, she had written that, ‘I saw how many my role encompassesed more than just serving meals and smiles. It also came with many other improvised tasks. I would also be birth attendant, seat changer negotiator, babysitter, weather forecaster and bartender. Let’s not forget bomb searcher, firefighter and first aid giver’. Besides, she is also a ‘dietician, wordsmith, negotiator, professional salesperson, PRO, gastronomic literature ‘regurgitator’’ and etc (If you really want to find out - just READ IT!).

The absurd, yet hilarious, stories of the antics of people cooped up in a cylindrical metal machine are just one of the reasons you want to keep turning the pages. In her book, Yvonne had listed out a few types of flyers who are commonly found on a plane. Some of them are ‘The M16 Speed Chatter’, ‘The Drooling Sleeper’, ‘The Noisy Snorer’, ‘The Shoes-off Flyer’, ‘The Terrible Tots’, ‘The Nose Picker’, ‘The Toothpick User’ and etc (Let’s leave it for you to find it out yourself, shall we?).

But wait! Yvonne does not stop at just introducing a couple of types of flyers; she also listed out the various types of cabin crew that you might meet if you are a stewardess (or if you plan to be). For example, ‘The Joy Luck Club Girls’ who epitomise Madonna’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” and The Big Bully, who loves to torment any newcomers. Of course there’s much more than this but I would not want to spoil the surprise for you. You’ll just have to read the book then!

The main theme of this book is that Yvonne’s job as a stewardess has given her access to priceless sights and sounds, allowed her to see colours and cultures (both good and bad) of this complex yet beautiful world. And the best thing is that she would like to share her experience with other people.

Abre los ojos (Meaning ‘Open your eyes’).We should open our eyes wider, and see the world. You will definitely find the variation in every person who makes each of them unique - they are every inch different from us - and, sometimes, it is pretty funny to know how they are different from us.

            If you’re game for a quick laugh (and lots of awesome vocabulary from the ‘trolley dolly’), this book is just the right thing for you!

My High School Graduation Speech

I had the honours to deliver the graduation speech during my last year at high school. This is what I've written and delivered. Enjoy! =)

A very good morning, I would like to wish, to the *VIPs*, the principal of our school, Mr Khor Bean Tay, my dear teachers and fellow friends.

Time, it seems, does not creep in the ‘petty pace from day to day’ as it is said in the poem Life’s Brief Candle by Shakespeare. In a blink of the eye, our brilliant time in Chung Hwa is quickly coming to an end. So, we do not have much of a choice but to let this occasion be filled with hopes for the future instead of tears.

Life as a secondary student is not as utopian as I had imagined when I was just a small, innocent kid. It is not without shedding countless tears and sweat, yet we still can find blissful moments among these ‘bitter storms’ - and these moments are brought on by our friends. Have you noticed yet? It is them who brought the rays of laughter into our lives, making our lives meaningful.

With the right friends, we will be able to be more than what we can be. Value your friends as they are your benefactors. Value them as you value yourself. These life-long friends are the ones who had and will help you to tackle the turmoils of life.

Besides, I would like to thank my lucky stars for having such great school administrators. The old library that I could still remember on the first day of my secondary school life was transferred to the ground floor with air-conditioning. The water-vending machine, the stone benches in front of the skating ring, and the new auditorium are also a few of the many facilities introduced. The school administrators have made Chung Hwa a much better place for us. In their effort, they have asked for nothing in return, except our cooperation.

What is a school if there are no teachers? These light-bringers have and will, always, guide us through the endless challenges of our life, if, of course, you look closely enough. You will see them hunched over mountains of exercise books in the staff room, racing against the pitiless time to get it all marked before the next school day. They have enlightened our ignorant minds since the first day we stepped into this school. They have shaped us into who we are right now. It is these people who very much deserve the Nobel Prize. Their dedication to their jobs is I something that I have always admired. That’s why, I would like to take this opportunity to thank them from the deepest recesses of my heart for being the One when we needed you the most. Thank you.

We may be a little bit naughty sometimes… okay, that’s a white lie… we are very naughty often and also boneheaded. We may be born in the Year of the Snake or Horse but we bounced around the school as though we are born in the Year of the Monkey. For all troubles and problems we may have caused during our ‘stay’ in Chung Hwa, we really hope that we can be forgiven for our past mistakes and silly antics. Your pardon will definitely soothe our souls before we leave this beloved school.

It seems that time is very much envious of me; I have no choice but to end this speech but before I take my leave, please enjoy this poem written by an unknown author,

There are no words to match my gratitude,

However much like Shakespeare I might write.

Above all else, you've shaped our attitudes,

Nurturing us with discipline and light.

Knowledge is the least of what you taught,

Yet that least at least prepared our heads.

Out of your heart we've learnt the things we ought,

Underscoring words you never said.

            Thank you and farewell.

Song Review: 'Try’ by Hayden Panettiere

Link to my slides are provided foc here. :) Enjoy!

Song review

            The song lyric ‘Try’ by Hayden Panettiere is truly motivational, especially when the reader has a dream that he or she would like to achieve in this life. To quote Victor Hugo, ‘There is nothing like a dream to create the future’, this song mainly revolves around your dreams and ways to make your dream into reality, into your future.

            This song is actually for everybody and not only aspiring teenagers or young adults. The song insists that every person has to try to achieve their own dreams, may it be their dream job or car, and not let it remain as one of their cherished desire. You will never know until you have tried, would you? Dreams and hopes always tend to be nearer to you than you think. You may say, ‘It’s just impossible’, but remember that is only in your head - be the master of your mind - nothing can hold you back if you really set your mind on something - except, maybe, yourself. As Steven Covey had said, ‘We have met the enemy and he is us.’

People should, too, believe in themselves and do not be afraid to dream. By fearing to attempt, to dream, we often lose the good we might win if we ‘try’ and believe in our own abilities. From Robert Stevenson’s famous poem, The Road Less Travelled, he wrote that ‘Two roads diverged in a wood and I took the one less travelled by and that has made all the difference’.  What is the matter if the path you chose is covered in thickets, the main thing is that you must be willing to cut through all of that to get a glimpse of your ‘El Dorado’. ‘Take control and make the future what you want it to be’.

Through this song, the singer also implores people not to give up their dreams too easily because of challenges, such as fear, doubts and failure, which they will meet when they are chasing after their dream. If they really failed, ‘it’s not the end’, you will have to get back up on your feet and start again. Quoting Steven Covey, ‘Winning is nothing more than rising each time you fall’. Do not cage yourself in your endless prison of failure - break away, fly free. As Robert Collier had said, ‘All of us have failure and success. The man who persists through the failure - who keeps right on going - is the man who is there when the success comes - and is ready to receive it.’

            In a nutshell, I think that this song is very well written for the younger generations who still have their whole stretch of life in front of them and it is them who really need to hear and understand this song.

            Another wonderful plus point of this song is the way it is presented to the listeners and that I have only the singer, Hayden Panettiere, to thank. From having a hint of sadness in her voice in the beginning of the song to her fantastic and energetic chorus, she is trying to evoke the feeling of I-can-really-do-anything throughout this song. (However, I do think that different people would have a different interpretation of her singing, so I would like to stress that all of these is seen from my point of view.) I do think that Hayden, as a teen star, understands what it is like to be a teenager hoping to become a singer only to face criticism from all sides. In my opinion, it is this experience of hers that had helped her, by imparting her feelings at that important moment of her life, to make this song such a masterpiece of its kind.

            Let me tell you a little bit about my ‘encounter’ with this song. It was a Sunday evening when my father called my brother and I to watch a movie - Bridge to Terabithia, together, so we could spend some family quality time. Little did I know that that day is the turning point of my teenage life. After an absolutely touching movie, I was not very much stunned to hear some awesome soundtracks that were played during the credits. (For a very good movie, there must be at least one great soundtrack, you know.) One particular soundtrack, ‘Try’, had totally caught me in its mesmerising grasp. Its tune is attractive and, not to mention, Hayden’s beautiful voice that has enhanced the pleasantness of the song. The ‘trap’ was set - I have got to get that song and, of course, its lyrics.

            Now, I am prompted by this song to do my best in my coming, not that I am welcoming it, SPM trial examination and the real, one and only SPM examination at November this year. With, hopefully, good results especially in English and the 1119 paper, I may be able to achieve my wildest dream ever since I have read my first ABC book that is to be an author! Dreams are indeed dreams, aren’t they? They always seemed to be so far away, so much further than your fingers could reach.

            Oh, ‘dreams are possible’ all right, Hayden Panettiere certainly believes so as she had managed to become what she aspire to be when she was a few years younger and now she hopes to share this with other people facing the same problems as she did a few years ago. I do think that this song has helped me to mentally prepare myself for the long gruelling studying hours ahead and the extreme stress that I will certainly face and, now, I will want to share this song lyric to you instead. This song is really worthwhile to have your attention and, who knows, it may help you as much as it had helped me!

By Toh Saw Yi             5S1

 ‘What you need to know about the past is that no matter what has happened, it has all worked together to bring you to this very moment. And this is the moment you can choose to make everything new. Right now.’

The PowerPoint Slides

Hayden Panettiere - Try - Song Review Slides by Aveyn Toh

Poem - for teacher's day

Just Thought You Ought To Know

Just thought you ought to know

You are our best teacher

Dedicated to what you do

You’ve enlightened our ignorant selves

Showered us with your vast knowledge

Surprised us with your treasured experience

You’ve gave us all you’ve got

And, of course, there’s still the extras

The ‘little’ help you gave to push up our grades

The amiable smile you gave when you said: ‘Cabut lari’

The laughable moments you gave when you cracked a bio-joke

The funny times you gave when you -opps- ‘mis-drew’ a diagram

The exciting experiments you gave, will always make us cheer

- but no reports, please -

These moments of joy, excitement, fun and laughter

Will reside in our memories forever and ever

Just thought you ought to know

You are our best teacher

We will never forget you, my friend-teacher

Till our lives extinguished

Till the world ends

You will always remain in our hearts

Just thought you ought to know

For all the gratitude we have

Can be expressed in just three letters

Thank you, teacher

And have a Happy Teachers’ Day!!!

"Wrote this for my class teacher (who taught us biology). But I think I didn't gave her this poem in the end... what a pity~" S.Y.

How to read and enjoy a good storybook

How to read and enjoy a good storybook

            How hard, is it, to read a book, you may wonder. Just open that book and read it. It’s just so simple - any idiot could do that. But, may I ask you, have you ever enjoyed a really good book from the front to the back and it leaves you hungering for more?

            Unknown to many, most people in this world find it hard just to open a book and read it. They would rather surf the net or send SMS to their friends. They think that reading is an old-fashioned and ‘out’ hobby – they would not be caught dead holding on to a book! This usually happen after they had tested reading - with the wrong technique- and, now I’m going to show you how to read and enjoy a storybook to its fullest and become a true reader.

            Firstly, pick the right book for you. Most people would prefer a thin book as it is ‘thinner’ so there is less to read or because it should be easier to read. However, this is not the case when you are choosing a book. The main thing is that you must choose a book which you have interest in. There are many types of storybooks which you can choose from – e.g. adventure, horror, mystery, legends, recollections of wars and battles etc. For example, if you are interested in magical, alternate worlds, then you might want to try the Pendragon series, Harry Potter series or Narnia. You can find the right type of books by reading the short summary that most books have on their back cover and not by the title as the title may sometimes be misleading. The author’s style of writing should also be considered when you are choosing a storybook. Usually, the more humour the author expresses in the book, the more likeable it would be. The next thing is you have to find a book which has the suitable thickness and font size. It totally not good to start off by reading a great, thick book with the fonts as small as ants. It will break your determination to read, making you wary for anymore books that might be coming your way and that we don’t want.

            Having the right material is not enough to develop a liking for books. You will need to have the suitable environment to read your storybook. A quiet living room or your own private room would be nice. Make sure that your room is well lit and ventilated – you don’t want to feel stuffy and dark when you’re half-way through the book though some bookworms might continue on reading even if a bomb exploded in front of their yard. It would be better to sitting in a sofa instead of a wooden chair but it is not advisable to be reading while you are lying on your bed – it will spoil your eyes! You may, too, choose to have some tit-bits when you are reading. When you feel comfortable enough with your surroundings, you can start reading.

            There also some good ways to read but I would recommend using this – your imagination. When you are reading, you will have to imagine the whole set-up in your mind. It doesn’t have to be in details. Remember to insert the characters in before immersing yourself into the world of fantasy and adventure. This would be harder for people who lack imagination but this step is essential to enable to feel the core of the story and not just the words. Some books may have pictures to help you imagine but it is best if you could do it on your own as this skill will be useful when you advance to more difficult books. You may try to imagine the story with three ways – you may become the hero or heroin yourself, become the hero’s faithful companion or just become a viewer or the narrator of the story.

            If you are used to being read to, I would suggest that you read out loud in your head when you are reading. This would help you to get accustomed to the fact that there is no reader who is reading this story to you.

            Besides this, you can also try role-playing. This skill, too, require sufficient amount of imagination. You can start role-playing by asking ‘what if’ questions to yourself. For example, what if Henry decides to confess his crimes earlier or what if Jack decides to kill the traitor? After asking, you will have to answer them yourself with your imagination. This is much more fun than simply imagining something as you have the free of will to think but, of course; you should try to think as logically, in the context of the story, as you can.

            By just following these simple steps, you will obtain satisfaction from the book that you are reading. However, if you want to actually learn something from the book, it is better that you read it the second time 3 to 4 months later.

            When you are reading for the second time, I would suggest that you prepare a notebook and name it as your Vocabulary Notebook. This notebook is for you to jot down the difficult words that you may have encountered when you are reading. Instead of skipping over the difficult words or guessing the meaning of the difficult words when you are reading it for the first time, you should be jotting it down into your notebook. Then, you can look up these words in the dictionary.

            After reading a lot of storybooks, you will eventually develop a ‘feeling’, a sixth sense or an intuition on English grammar if, of course, you are reading English storybooks . When you are writing or reading, you will have a feeling as though a sentence doesn’t ‘sound’ right. Even though this ‘sixth sense’ is usually correct, but it is better if you do not depend on it much. If possible, you should read books that are checked through by a panel of editors so you will develop a more accurate intuition.

            If you follow these steps, I’m sure that, soon, you will develop a hunger for storybooks – a thirst for storybooks that is very difficult to quench (The power of reading is very strong, indeed). This is what I call the bookworm syndrome (or, to some, addiction to storybooks) and it is not, exactly, a good thing, if you cannot control it. Some people with this syndrome would read without stopping. They just have to finish the book before they could do anything else and this includes eating and sleeping. You have to find a way to control your new-found need to read – each person has to find their own way to control it, so, no short-cuts for you, it seems.

            If you are able to do all the above, I would like to congratulate you – you have achieve the status of a true reader and the road leading there is not without sweat, tears, suffering and will-power (Okay, okay, I’ve exaggerated, so what?). Now, you can try non-fiction books instead or higher level of books and by saying this, I mean those books which are thick and the much more difficult words have small font size. If you are feeling a bit adventurous, you may try out those more dusty storybooks - the ones that people mostly pass over. Don’t be fooled by the sight of their old, musty covers! They may contain a story that will be able to inspire you to greater heights.

            But, of course, we should keep in mind that we are living in the modern era. So, we should make use of what technology has to offer. If you are easily accessed to the internet, you can check out some websites which allow you to download free online storybooks. This type of books are better than paperbacks as they can be easily stored, but most people would still prefer paperbacks so they could smell the nice forest-y scent that new books have and listen to the rustling of the papers as they flip the page.

"Wrote this for my school's graduation book but it didn't made it... sigh. I knew I should have written a story instead~ silly me~ but that time I have no idea what I want to write lol~" S.Y.

WARNING

Oh and as usual, no plagiarism allowed. Ask me first if you want to use my essays or quote me. A link to the original blog post in the reference would be great too.

Books that I've written - My first gamebook :P

Quite a lot actually but I didn't managed to finish most of them LOL~

Anyway, here's a preview of a gamebook that my brother and I designed and written. Enjoy!
(If you want to read the rest of the book, you can contact me and we'll see where this goes :P)

Introduction

As the eldest son from a poor family, you have no choice but to work for money. You worked at an inn as the slave boy. One day, when you are taking out the trash through the back door of the inn, a drunken old man walked towards you.

      “You, boy. You must believe me…there’s treasure on the dry lands of Alkhan, ” he rasped by your ear. The man is about fifty with a beard and a mustache. He wears filthy ragged clothes.

      Reaching into his pockets, he pulled out a battered scroll and stuffs it into your hands, “Here, take this…Find the treasure for me…For yourself…”

      Bewildered, you pushed the old man away. He stumbled a little and walked away singing rude songs loudly. You quickly entered the inn. Under a dim light, you noticed the scroll is a map! Yet it is not just any normal map – it is a treasure map! The problem is that there is no big, red X on it to mark the spot.

There are even writings behind the map. It says ‘Find Athan, he holds the key to the treasure.’

      After a whole night considering the old man’s words, you decided to trust the old man and find the treasure. Your parents did not object your decision as you had shown great courage and will since you are a very little boy. Your father gave you the family’s ancestral sword and 30 Gold for your use, while your mother prepared 3 provisions for you with a bottle of water (Note the bottle of water in the Inventories Box). Your little sister, who was 10 years old, gave you 2 herbal medicine (Heals 4 Life each bottle). You brought your favorite dagger, all your savings (20 Gold), the map and a cloth bag (Can keep up to 15 items in it besides the provisions) to keep all of your inventories except the sword and dagger, which you hung by your belt. You set off on your quest.

Essay writing competition: My Country - My Dream

My Country - My Dream

            

Nowadays, teenagers are starting to get less patriotic. Some of my teenage friends do not care much about their country, but I do. My country, Malaysia, is such a wonderful place to live, I am proud of my country. How can some people not love it? With its beautiful, sandy beaches, amazing rain forests with its rare flora and fauna, famous and ancient buildings, statues and monuments and unique cultures, Malaysia is also an irresistible attraction for tourists. Some of the rarest floras and faunas can be found in Malaysia, such as, hornbill, elephant, ox, sun bear, tiger, turtle, leopard, orang-utan, rhinoceros, wild pig, pheasant, wood pecker, rafflesia, coral reefs, gibbon, bay cat, golden cat and many more.

Not only that, Malaysia is a land that is rich with natural resources. There are about 30 types of natural resources found here, such as, hydrocarbon fuels, that is the offshore petroleum and natural gas deposits; abundant minerals, that is iron ore, copper, gold, bauxite, tin, chalk, coal, bronze, kaolin, marble, and more; forest resources, such as, different kinds of timber (Cengal, meranti, merbau, nyatoh, plywood, pulp and more), herbs, ‘rotan’ and sea resources, like, pearls, fishes, prawns, clams, crabs and oysters. Malaysia is one of the world’s leading suppliers of tin, even though its production had decreased greatly from year to year.

Malaysia is also known as an agricultural country. Some of the agriculture products are rubber, palm oil, sugar cane, tea, pepper, pineapple, copra, and cocoa plantations, but the most important agriculture is farming. The crops that are harvest will be process to fill our own stomachs and, even, other country’s citizens. Malaysia produces half the world’s palm oil, ranks third in the rubber production and ranks fourth in the cocoa production. This makes Malaysia a renowned country in the world.

In the new millennium, my country is fast becoming an industrialized country. The government establishes different kinds of industrial zones for companies to invest in our country. This policy will help my country to improve its economy, thus enabling it to become more stable. These industrial factories mostly produce foodstuff, machineries, microchips, electronic components, textiles manufacture, chemicals, processed rubber, tin, petroleum and semiconductors.

Malaysia is well known as a peace loving country. From our country’s history, we can see that we gain independence without blood shed. All thanks to our intelligent and brave prime minister. The ‘Malaysian for Peace’ organization was established as an example for anti-war movement all around the world. This shows that we are peace loving.

Malaysia too, is famous for its many unique cultures, as it is a multiracial country. There are different traditional games, dances, music, festivals and traditions for every different race. For example, the Malays have its famous ‘congkak’ and ‘gasing’ games, and its silat, Mak Yong and datun julud dances. The Indians have their Deepavali festival and the Chinese have their Lion Dance. Even though, there are many different races staying together, they have cooperated with each other in all aspects. Unlike some of the other countries, our races do not speak ill of other races’ traditions and culture. Each race even learns other races’ traditional games, dances and music. This improved their relationships between us.

Tourists marked Malaysia as an interesting place to visit. They poured in from many different countries, especially from the European countries, to Malaysia. This is because they love the hot sun and the climate in Malaysia. Therefore, increasing my country’s income for supplying the needs of the country. This means that the country and the tourists gain benefits when the tourists come to Malaysia; the tourists learn new cultures while my country increases its income. Local tourists play an important role too. They travel to other states to explore other states’ own specialty. This help to foster good will and understanding among ourselves.

Malaysia has its own vision that is the ‘Wawasan 2020’. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammad created this vision so that Malaysia can achieve the status as an industrialized country by the year 2020. Thus, giving fame to our country. His vision also gives an aim to my country’s citizens to work harder. To achieve this vision is one of my dreams for my country.

The government had done much to achieve this vision, such as the launching of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC), the building of the cybercities in Putrajaya and in Penang. They also provide scholarships for students with good results to further their studies. In the process, they have given the chance for those students to get good jobs and increase the production of the country. The government has given quite a lot of efforts in achieving this vision, but there are still many challenges to face before reaching the goal. Everyone must face these challenges, so that ‘Wawasan 2020’ can be realized.

This vision can be achieved in many different ways. For example, by improving our country’s technology and science, changing the citizen’s attitude and to work harder.

I applaud the government’s decision to provide computers to every school. My dream is that students can bring their own affordable notebook computers to school. This action can help the students to be more interested in their studies while improving the students’ knowledge about technology and computers.

The citizens have to be supportive of the government because the majority of the people chose them. They should not vote for the government for fun as this concerns their country. They lacked support, especially when the government set up a new programme, such as, the ‘Program Latihan Khidmat Negara’ (PLKN) or better known as the National Service. The teenagers must be supportive too, as they are the future generations of the country.

I have said much about other people’s role and I have not said any of mine. I think that you will wonder what my roles are. My role in achieving my country’s vision and my dream is to invent new things, new machinery and processes to help in my country’s ‘growth’ and to make life better for Malaysians, as my ambition is to be a scientist. I should also support the government when they need it. I hope to do my best in achieving my ambition to repay my country for all it had sacrificed and to give my parents a reason to be proud of me.                          

                                                                                                                                                            (1042 Words)

'Written this for a competition to win a trip to Ireland I think. But well, unsurprisingly, hehe, I didn't get it :P' S.Y.

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For more written works by me - essays, short stories, and proses/poems, you can go to my new Scribd account at http://www.scribd.com/AveynToh. :) I'll be putting up more stuff there and, once I've written a summary for each of my essays/ short stories, I'll be replacing the 'cover page' image with the summary, so it's fair to the buyers :)

Honestly speaking, I don't mind sharing my stuff for free, but then I'm currently facing some financial crisis due to having to self-fund my postgraduate studies at the moment... I'm really hoping that I can get at least one of the many scholarships that I've applied for. However, at the moment, I have no income whatsoever and have to pay for my hefty tuition fees and daily expenses. If you could help out in any way, I will be very grateful. P/S: I'm not asking for a hand-out, I just hope you could go and see my stuff and perhaps you might like it so much that you decide to purchase it. Do comment as well! - Like any aspiring author/poet, I crave attention and acknowledgement for my work hehe ;) Thank you.

Also, I'll also be accepting requests from readers on topics to write on. Post them in the comments below and I'll get right back to ya! ;)

Cara mengatasi masalah jenayah dalam kalangan remaja

Dikarang oleh Aveyn Toh

Kebelakangan ini, masyarakat kita sering dikejutkan dengan berita-berita kejadian jenayah dalam kalangan remaja. Kebanyakan kes jenayah, seperti merompak, meragut, memeras ugut, merogol, mengedar dadah dan juga membunuh, melibatkan pemuda pemudi yang merupakan harapan negara. Pembabitan remaja dalam kegiatan jenayah dapat diibaratkan seperti duri dalam daging. Sebelum luka menjadi parah, sebelum retak menjadi belah, beberapa langkah yang proaktif harus diambil untuk menangani masalah ini.

            Masalah kegiatan jenayah oleh remaja dapat dibendung jike ibu bapa dapat meluangkan masa untuk memberikan didikan kepada anak-anak. Generasi muda perlu diberi bimbingan yang dilengkap oleh ibu bapa sejak kecil lagi seperti peribahasa Melayu, melentur aur biarlah dari waktu rebungnya. Minda kanak-kanak yang parasnya sesuci Nabi mudah diasuh supaya menjauhi kegiatan jenayah. Ibu bapa sendiri haruslah menunjukkan teladan yang baik kepada anak kerana bapa borek, anak merintik. Janganlah seperti ketam menyuruh anaknya berjalan dengan betul. Salah satu cara ibu bapa dapat mengurangkan penglibatan remaja dalam kegiatan jenayah adalah dengan mengawasi dan memantau perilaku dan gerak-geri anak mereka. Hal ini harus dititikberatkan kerana pendidikan bermula dari rumah. Oleh itu, terbuktilah bahawa peranan ibu bapa dalam usaha membendung kes jenayah yang melibatkan remaja sangat penting.

            Penekanan terhadap pendidikan agama dan nilai-nilai murni harus diberi keutamaan kerana pendidikan agama yang kukuh dapat dijadikan perisai untuk melindungi remaja daripada dipengaruhi oleh unsur negatif. Seseorang yang menjadikan agama sebagai landasan pembina akidah yang mantap, dapat menangkis ancaman kemasukan gejala yang tidak sihat lalu mampu mengelakkan diri daripada terjerumus dalam kegiatan jenayah. Contohnya, seseorang remaja akan mempunyai kesedaran sivik yang tinggi jika diberi pendidikan agama yang secukupnya. Dengan ini, remaja itu tidak akan terbabit dalam kes jenayah.

            Selain itu, remaja haruslah pandai memilih rakan-rakan sebaya. Hal ini demikian kerana rakan sebaya penting untuk mempengaruhi seseorang remaja. Jika mereka tersalah pilih rakan, mereka pastinya terikut-ikut dengan kelakuan yang buruk lalu terjebak ke jalan yang sesat. Rasulullah pernah bersabda, “Seandainya seseorang berkawan dengan penjual minyak wangi, dia akan turut berbau wangi tetapi jika berkawan dengan tukang besi, badannya turut berbau hangit.” Natijahnya, memilih rakan sebaya yang baik amatlah penting bagi mengatasi masalah jenayah dalam kalangan remaja.

            Kesimpulannya, kegiatan jenayah haruslah dibendung dengan segera supaya masalah ini tidak melarat, ibarat kudis menjadi tokak. Saya menyarankan supaya semua pihak bekerjasama untuk menangani masalah ini kerana tepuk sebelah tangan tidak akan berbunyi. Mudah-mudahan, langkah-langkah yang dikemukakan tadi dipraktikkan dan bukan tinggal angan-angan Mat Jenin sahaja. Lantaran itu, saya berpendapat bahwa semua rakyat harus berganding bahu untuk menyelamatkan remaja yang merupakan nadi penggerak wawasan negara, daripada kancah jenayah. Akhir kata, hayatilah serangkap pantun yang berbunyi,

Tak tumbuh tak melata,

Tak sungguh orang tak berkata;

Jika kes jenayah bermaharajalela,

Terbantutlah pembangunan negara kita.

Dikarang oleh

Aveyn Toh

"Rmb!! No plagiarism~ if want to use my materials, ask me first... Oh and I scored an A in BM for my SPM :) Thanks to my great and inspirational BM teacher who retired early to pursue his new career as a poet." S.Y.

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Check out my review on his collection of poems here - trust me, it's really good: http://aveyntoh-blog.blogspot.com/2013/07/to-rime-and-to-rhyme.html

Buy his poems without even looking at the review here (you're awesome! xD but seriously, go read the review first before deciding): http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/4sati

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For more written works by me - essays, short stories, and proses/poems (mostly English), you can go to my new Scribd account at http://www.scribd.com/AveynToh. :) I'll be putting up more stuff there and, once I've written a summary for each of my essays/ short stories, I'll be replacing the 'cover page' image with the summary, so it's fair to the buyers :)

P/S: I'm so overdue on my summary :P I'll get it up ASAP... which in my case is like 100 years later :P Anyway, do leave a comment as well! - Like any aspiring author/poet/ a writer of anything, I crave attention and acknowledgement for my work. ;) Thank you.

(wow, you read all of the wall of text above? Kudos! Give yourself a pat on the back ;) )

Mat Rempit - a discussion (dialogue form)

Mat Rempits, the illegal bikers
Saw Yi met Amelia at the Starbuck’s café.
TSY	Terrible, really terrible. This might as well been the worst day in my life.
Amelia	What’s up?
TSY	I’ve gotten into a clash with one of those Mat Rempits. They took off after scratching my brand new Mercedes!!
Amelia	I feel sorry for you, Saw Yi. Actually, do you know that we should not use the word Mat Rempit?
Saw Yi	Why, Amelia?
Amelia	Mat Rempit is a street lingo for motorcyclists, normally on small powered motorcycles, who go buzzing in and out of traffic completely disregarding traffic rules and other vehicles and pedestrians on the road. Sometimes, they’d congregate on some pre-determined roads somewhere and race illegally.
Saw Yi	What should we call them then?
Amelia	According to Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi, we should call them Mat Cemerlang because he said the government is finding a proper direction for them. He said that the government could not stop them to continue with their interests but we can guide them to find a direction. He quoted that, ‘If we cannot stop them, we join them. We try to understand them because they are our youths.’
Saw Yi	What!!  Seriously, I think that giving those illegal bikers a name (Mat Rempit) is actually not helping the situation. It is as if giving them recognition for their action in the country. There are architects, doctors, lawyers, and today we have `mat rempit'? Why give them such recognition and of all we know they're right behind there laughing in pride when the authorities call them by that. Why not just call them, traffic offenders, criminals? However we might think this is damaging to their pride and as much as we want to see these youths as hope of the nation, we don't call robbers `robin hood', we don't call assassins `terminators' do we?
Amelia	Saw Yi, we can't help it that they are called and known locally as Mat Rempit. What we can do is maintain that label and increase enforcement from all sides. Lastly we can also educate the younger ones in school - let them know the 'why', 'how' and 'what'. Then they can decide for themselves what is good; to be a crazed road maniac or not. By the way, calling them "Mat Gila" won't work either - they'll get more aggressive and cause more damage; besides they aren't crazy, their actions are.
Saw Yi	Well, I do agree that those illegal bikers’ actions are crazy but I oppose the actions that the government had taken to solve this problem. They actually suggested building a racing track for those illegal bikers and legitimize their so-called ‘sports’. From what I had known, some of the articles posted on the net actually tell us to ‘support’ them by giving them an ear. This is ridiculous! They are actually endangering other people’s lives by racing illegally and some people stood up for them? Come on!
Amelia	Following the long list of complaints by the public, one Mat Rempit was quoted as saying that existing tracks were inaccessible because they were not affordable, and as for organized races, the competition was too tough. However, I agree that the action suggested by the government is not suitable to curb this problem. The suggestion of making them a tourist attraction is a joke, and it might end up being a tourist repellent. I say we have tolerated them enough and should put an end to all this.
Saw Yi	Honestly, the Government has tried to help this bunch of people, but it seems they bite the hand that feeds them. We can’t be easy with them or we’ll be putting the future of our country on the edge. In short, not only do I support the No Notion, I would support a Down With Them Notion for being so brazen even with some educated minds amongst them.
Amelia	Oh, I’m late for my meeting already. Sorry, Saw Yi. I would like to stay and talk longer but I really gotta rush. Bye.
Saw Yi	Bye.