Rants on Rabies - Stray Dog Killing Issue in Penang

Unless you're staying in a small cabin in the middle of nowhere, you'd probably know what is happening now in Penang.

Lemme summarise. 

1. Rabies cases in Penang (other cases in Kedah and Perlis) 
2. Government declare killing of stray dogs 
3. Dog loving people pissed 
4. Internet war on stray dogs vs human rights (even to the extend of playing politics)

That's about it. 

My two cents? 

Well, I tried to look from both sides of the situation, reading posts and comments from both pov. 

Sad to say, I can't see any solid points for those opposing the killing of strays. 

No Killing Stray People Say

• Pets have rights too
• There's other ways to deal with this
• Gov being cruel to animals
• NGOs had pooled a big sum of money for vaccines
• There's already no cases in Penang 

Killing Stray People Say

• Stray life vs human life
• It's to protect human and home pets
• No funding, budget, or enough TIME to vaccine strays
• Vaccines in shortage, not even enough for home pets
• Better safe than sorry

Looking back at previous epidermic of the Swine Flu or Bird Flu etc, there are not as much opposition as compared to dogs.

I'd say only business owners like those with pig or chicken farms voiced out. 

Even with that, masses after masses of poultry are killed. 

This proved 2 things. 

One, Penangnites have great heart for dog loving, and I respect that (I love dogs too). 

Two, they don't care enough or aren't educated enough to make any opposition. 

(Aaaaand, social media was not as popular back then as compared to now)

On a separate but related case, I saw a video the other day where a female dog owner holding her pet was which was struck by Rabies. 

It was hard to watch... 

The dog was totally out of control - mad, convulsion, twitches, gnarling and salivating everywhere,  not to mention trying to bite the owner, pooping and peeing and just plain aggressive. 

At first, I was very convinced by the video title saying that this owner is very kind to her dog, standing by it when it needed her most. 

BUT, after scrolling through comments, one comment from a vet actually appealed to me. 

The vet was a UK grad, saying that actually, this is not the best way to "help" the dog, instead, it is putting the owner in danger (as the saliva might infect her too)

The best way, according to the professional, is to put the dog in a dark confinement / room, tend to it only if there's protective gear on you. 

And I actually did a quick search on Google to check for the validity of the saying.

Huh... That totally put things in a different perspective. 

Sometimes, it's easy to get carried away by the touching or warmhearted people's words.
They called it the Grapevine effect (people judging or posting based on what somebody else had said)

While I do agree that they are entitled to their POV, I think the government is only trying to do what's best, financial and time wise. 

Many of these 'posts' and 'comments' are plain emotional, without proper reasoning, without proper education / research, and just downright rude. 

However, if NGOs are trying their best to stop the killing, I do hope they can save as much strays as their ability permits, THEN proceed with the next step of finding suitable owners who are willing to take them into good and healthy homes. 

Or else, that would be another new problem in their end. 

But I like to add, opinions are just opinions, like mine, they are not facts. 

Picture taken from freemalaysiatoday.com

UPDATE

Penang runs out of Rabies vaccine

There's a 3rd case of Rabies in Penang 2 days back. 

Now a total of 82 cases of Rabies in Penang, Kedah and Perlis. 

I wish all the best to our beloved Penang. 

For a better tomorrow.

Signing off
JCG

A musical journey

It has been, what, 1 month since I've written?
Yes, and I have a totally legit reason for it.  (^ ^;)
I'm now in KL for a training, GCTP they called it. 
I'm going to be a music teacher!!!... for four year olds. (/◕ヮ◕)/

This is the first actual step for me in my music career.
Knowing I have been putting music aside for the most part of my life, it was definitely a step out of the comfort zone.
I experience new things daily, I was like a katak exploring a much bigger world...
I'd say, my eyes are wide open for most parts of my training (curiousity + sampat)
But it was a great way to upgrade myself. 
I've practised so many pieces and sang so many songs, I've even played on the piano (a bit more skillfully)
I also glad that the teachers here are very experienced and knowledgeable. 
It gave me a whole new level of respect for Yamaha.
Awesome stuff...

I'd say going to this training had made me realize how much more of a musician I can be, will be, should be.
It has been my lifetime dream to be a music teacher, and now I'm on track with my life goals...
which made me very happy. (＾▽＾)///

Chasing goals, chasing dreams...
Yes, I love it when my life is like this.

Le school: Yamaha

Le person: Me!

Prepping for class

Me beside grand piano!

Me beside WHITE grand piano!

JOC concert me

In UM Experimental Hall

Had a fun time there

I've made the decision to partake in next year's Electone festival. 

For me it's like a checkpoint I have to make. 

Hopefully, I got to try that out real soon. 

Have a nice day people!

Peace!

JCG

Would you stand up when the national anthem comes up in the cinema before the movie starts?

Today was a particularly 'racial' day for me.
I've just finished watching this video about 'How racist are Malaysians' - awesome
Plus, I finished another episode of JK News on Black Racism - thought inspiring



So these got me thinking about racism in general.
While I was having a talk with my dad with the 'what would you do' questions, something popped out of my mind.

It happened yesterday when Sheng and I went for a movie together at Queensbay.
We were both sitting together, watching trailers before the movie 'Lucy' started.
Then the screen turned blank and the narrator said 'Please stand up to sing the national anthem' while the translations in BM and BC were displayed on the screen.
I was truly confused and I was looking at Sheng with a confused look, asking him 'Is this for real?'
He shrugged as the familiar tune of 'Negaraku' started playing.

I looked to the left and right (a typical reaction to most people in the cinema), nobody stood up.
I was about to grab a chip from the can Sheng bought earlier when he sprung up all of the sudden and he started to sing the national anthem.
Shocked as I was, I stood up too (so he doesn't look awkward? haha) and I actually knocked off a good portion of the chips...

Standing up, I can see that most people in the cinema was seated, except for another Chinese girl standing a few rows in front of me.
I distinctively heard her guy friend towards her left asking her 'Why did you stand up' in Chinese.
And with a little giggle, she replied 'Cause it's our country ma' (notice the infamous 'ma' in the conversation? Yea, that's how Malaysian we are)
So, the 3 of us stood throughout Negaraku, watching the patriotic images our country along with the different races flashed in front of us.

When it all ends, I sat down, facing Sheng with a questioning look...
"You surprised me when you stood up"
"Yea, why?"
"I didn't expect you to do that... Haha."
"Haha, yea, I may dislike our country's politics, but I am proud of being a Malaysian."
"True, I agree."
"BTW, do you know how common it is for the Thais to stand up for their national anthem? They'll even pull up at the side of the road when the national anthem was aired on the radio!"

So that was my experience with the national anthem and the cinema.
I think people rasa malu nak stand up because it feels weird and awkward.
But I think the national anthem stirs up more than just our country, identity and stuff...
I think it creates this emotion inside reminding us that, 'hey, we had come this far, look at all these things we can cherish', and it does makes sense, in a way.
I think I only realize the impact of it when I went through my uni, meeting so many people, seeing so many faces.
I think it's kinda cool getting to know each other better, we gotto learn something new everyday.
Ahh, memories...

So, would you stand up when the national anthem comes up in the cinema before the movie starts?

News on cinema airing Negaraku for a week here
:)

Signing off
JCG

Watching JK News - Hater's reactions to cops

I'm a big fan of this channel and I've been watching every video they posted about recent news.
These 2 are the ones that caught my attention.

Scenario

Both these news are condemnation to the cop's reaction in the US.

One of them tackling the cop who said 'I will fucking kill you' to the media during the Brown protest;

the other one being the cop which shot at a black dude when the guy provoked the cops. 

After I watched their comments, I scrolled down to the much heated comment section to check out on what people are thinking of their opinions. 

It's no surprise that many of them are very much in defense of their own opinion and at the same time, bashing the JK crew for supporting the cops. 

Afterthought

While I'm no fan of rude cruel words and name calling, I do take their point of view into consideration. 

And after looking at it from both sides, I think people have this weakness of having to prove to everyone how 'right' they are. 

For example, some of the commentators (haters included) would be outraged by saying that the cops are killing innocent lives and they are the ones we're supposed to be trusting, but they failed us by having "out of the order" reactions. 

They may be right when they say that, but they (being the haters) forgot to think of things from the cops' point of view. 

I had more affiliation to these news story as I had similar experiences when I was a prefect back in high school. 

We, being the law enforcers, are easily the target to blame when there's a mishap at school. 

Teachers or students alike would probably point to us for any misconduct or mistakes done. 

But I was wondering, how would these people hating on the cops or JK crew react when they are faced with the same situation...
When your life is in danger, would you act / react 'rationally' or would you just do anything to keep yourself safe? 

Let's say, these normal civilians or law enforcers met with these crooks who are perhaps high on drugs or threatening them or heckling them...

Would they had stayed calm and grab a taser when their lives are clearly threatened?
Would they had used civilized words instead of spiking off vulgarities?
I know I wouldn't.
But I know many would say that 'we react this way because we are only normal human beings!'
Yea, say that to the cops with families to take care of and are trying to make ends meet.

Looking back at those cops, I'm not saying that what they did is right or wrong, but I'm saying that I understand where they came from, why would they react this way and their emotions or feelings associated with the public around them. 

It's not easy having to stand and do the 'right' thing. 

Hater's gonna hate.

Till another rant.

Signing off
JCG