Guest Column: Kalpana

Now, it is one of our new initiatives to get a hold of local luminaries and/or members of the media to set about writing us a guest column so to speak. The credibility issues unfold both ways. In our first instalment, Ms. Kalpana, host of "Pesuvom" affirms and rebutts points that have already been thrown up in the air, diced with Ginsu knives and pounded in our "ammi"s. Still, late but not too late.

Vanakkam! This is Kalpana from the Talk Show “Pesuvom” which some of you may have seen on Vasantham Central. First of all, I have to thank the good folks of KLK who have given me the opportunity to be a part of this blog. I have to say that I am quite excited and more nervous, as I am not used to writing for many to witness.

When I was thinking about the 1^st topic to write about, many things came to mind but why not start about the much talked about show where the subject matter was blogging.

I read the reviews written by the members of KLKillahs as well as the reviews that the topic generated.

Here are my thoughts.

Personally blogging is a great channel for many to express their thoughts. It is basically an online magazine that is updated everyday. However, I think we need to know the objective of such a blog or magazine. What are we trying to achieve? To be very honest, I am still lost at what is actually achieved by a blog.

1. The articles about the programmes and the personalities. Some of the panellists who appeared on the programme had mentioned that the comments on blogs must have been encouraging and not demeaning. Fair enough! But the moment we take the stage, we must be ready for criticisms, good or bad. If you cannot take the heat, Stay away from the media.

2. As for the criticism of programmes, yes, they have been harsh too. But I think, we as the Media folks have to take it positively and look forward to giving better programmes. I honestly feel it is time for a change. It is time for the “NO GUTS NO GLORY” kind of attitude to come in and completely turn around the Tamil Programmes of Singapore

3. Expletives. Great writers and great speakers reach out to the common man and woman. They stay away from expletives and I believe so should we. What is the point? What are we trying to achieve? It shows a lack of class and a lot more emotional instability. Yes, you have freedom of expression, but why not use it wisely.

4. People writing about themselves. I think it is a good channel to let out some angst. I do not see any other good in it. It is up to the people of course. It is not all about the other people knowing about lives, but about the perception we give them. Most of the tmr, the thoughts that are encouraged in their heads when they read such blogs is: Do we really need to go there? Of course our reply could be, “why do I care?”. The answer is then ”Why do you write if you do not care?”.

Blogging is cool and it reaches out to many. Why not make it positive? We can follow the examples of the National Enquirer, or the E Channel or other gossip magazines, or we can choose to model the better ones. Why do we do this?

For awareness or is it an outlet for us to express ?

Cheers
Kalpana

Every Woman, Every Man

Ghost Particle decides he is the SME [subject matter expert] on gender inequality. And I think this is an "A" essay which oughta be photocopied and analyzed by all GP students. Though, it was written with an Indian woman in mind, it's applicable across the board.

As we stop reflecting an age of war and violence, we look back into our roots and culture. Where do we come from are defined immaculately by who we are, Man and Woman. We have come a long way in terms of what we often hear as gender equality, equal rights and anti-violence against women. Nowadays, everything is summarized into its basics, what a man needs and what a woman needs.

But despite all this, despite the days and ages of going round and round the same matter trying to pin point the problems and defining the mistakes, we did not look to solve the problems. What's prevalent these days are hot issues such as women rights but not the real underlying issue of who wants those 'rights'. What more, in the days of blogs and push button publishing, everyone can put forth a 'slam dunk' post about how men are evil and at the same time push ahead their agenda of looking better in the eyes of the reader. Eyes they may have, front or back, but the problems are not solved.

Maybe a hundred years ago, the mutiny of women was less recognized because the popular press was men dominated, but today the voices of women are heard and understood every second of the day. This is to say, the problems are solving themselves, people are coming to reason and we are gearing towards a human-centric future rather than dominance issues. When they were pushed to fight back, they were sidelined most inhumanly and disgraced. Blame the devils of the men who were our predecessors and ugly ancestors. Blame more on the scriptures and ways of God which carved a highway for men and left a gravel road for women. Recall back and you would understand that even in temples, women throng to praise the Gods of the day, even when they understood that the evil against them came from the pawns and managers of Gods. But among these, before God, there must have been a culture of violence.

So we peered back into days when we were infants in the eyes of time and then and there were no violence of hate or religion against women but lust and envy. Dominance was prevalent and then culture came as a savior. What we can summarize is that we solved problems, in many ways to ensure that no one is left behind or pushed. The history of violence is still present in homes and offices, but then there is a new generation of men and women who are working a way to stop this and eliminating is forever, impossible it may be.

You may hate me or love me for this post, but the reason is simple. The next time you write something called 'why question my ways- I'm a woman' or " why do men always go on an orgasmic dream of violating every woman out there', think again whether you are right or wrong. You may have glanced out of your kitchen window of a husband slapping his wife, you may read the sardonic press going on a pleasure ride describing the rape victims and you may cry in fear at home. But do you feel everything is all right by describing all animals of God out there who are male of being a devil?


Ok, maybe its not as simple as that, not trying to vindicate all things male, not trying to trash all women, but do we really understand what freedom we want? The Women of today are independent, strong and capable. The Women of yesterday were independent, strong and capable and most importantly prolonged and cherished the culture they are born into. Can I safely summarize that some women today, through their actions of demanding 'pop-freedom' are actually devising ways to escape from their roots? Throw away the archaic culture to experience another future of slavery, not from males, but from the burdens of the world?

What freedom do you want? Many single mothers out there need help because of a systematic deficiency in the male brain that triggers them to dump bonds when trouble strikes. We do feel the pain, we do read stories of children working to support a family the father should have done. Then we read stories of the many strong mothers who prevailed and brought up the successful family. Why in these cases we worked together to recognize the help some need and we did work together, men or women to bring them out of rut but when the time comes, its all male bashing? The root of the matter is that people need help, and we must look beyond the gender in giving the helping hand. Can I, safely summarize that some women need help and men can give that help? As is true that some men need help and women can offer that help?

My question is, all this is happening, the needy, the person who needs to see the light of the day, there are people who are sacrificing their lives to safeguard a future for their children, but why don't the warrior princesses ever look at their stories, but go on a ego trip to justify their own bubble universe? We dont have to look far to see the many young women who are independent and bold in the blog land. I can name a few I know, but in danger of leaving out some...please do have a look at my blog roll. The issue is simple, they are rooted, they are grounded and they love life. They dont sensationalize and they don't go on a pointless list orgasm of everything right about females and wrong about men in their writings.

This is a never ending issue, it's not meant to end, let this be a start. When you write your post of anything, of Mothers' day, of your friends, female or male, of a success story, look deep into the real people who make the difference. Don't fall in the same trap as some do out there to glorify a dead issue and to prime a stale story. I hate it when I flip the blogs and find posts of vagabond flavors dominating their blogs when they are wrong. Get it? Dead wrong. Please dont disgrace and detach your brains from the real world where real women have succeeded.

Big Bad Bus Uncle

And again, the KLKillahs always get you the hottest news first. Fingers in every pie. The community's pulse through our veins.

The New Paper, "Call cops & I'll kill you", June 2nd 2007

YOU can call him the Singapore bus uncle.

Like his infamous Hong Kong counterpart, his antics, filmed by a commuter, have been making its rounds on the Internet in the last few months.

The notorious 'bus uncle' tag came about last year after a middle-aged Hong Kong man was filmed scolding a fellow passenger who had tapped him on the shoulder because he had been talking too loudly on his handphone.

In this case, the Singapore bus uncle got into a heated argument with the bus captain after he allegedly did not pay the fare.

The man, shouting vulgarities, threw a punch but hit the wall panel just behind the driver.

During his tirade at the driver, which went on for more than a minute, he even threatened to kill the bus captain.

The man said loudly to the driver: 'You not happy with... or what? Why you do this to us?

'So far when I was young until now, nobody ask me to scan twice, you know. If I don't scan, I put coins, you think what? I don't have coins ah?'

As the man worked himself up, the driver could also be heard in the background using vulgarities, which provoked the passenger further.

The man then shouted at the driver: 'You call police, you call police, you bloody ******. I will kill you, you know.

'He only shout you know, but I will kill you, you want or not? You want a funeral today? You want or not?

'You call the police, you call,' he challenged the driver, as he swung a punch at the wall panel next to the driver.

SECOND ABUSIVE COMMUTER

The unruly passenger was then pulled away by someone believed to be his brother-in-law, but not before the latter too, added to the fray and boasted to the driver,

'I already go prison, I already go prison,' he said.

Meanwhile, this uncle continued: '******, you think what?'

The man's lasts words before he stepped off the bus: 'I tell you, I not satisfied, I will kill you.'

Strangely though, another video clip which was titled 'Part 2' showed the brother-in-law on board the bus.

This time, he hurled abuse at the driver from the back of the bus, as he paced a few steps up and down the aisle.

He could be heard shouting in a mixture of Hokkien vulgarities and Malay: 'You want to see ****** or what? Not scared lah, police you bring, anytime... I never run.'

The bus driver could also be heard in the background retaliating with vulgar words, and threatening to call the police.

Who do you think this is? One of our EZlink Mango Makkehs of course. Men in first and second videos.

Break Time

We've taken a short break to assess the need to tackle rising Kopi-O prices and investigate why curry leaves are given free with every purchase in Tekka [do they really have no value?].

Also, full time work is quite a bitch, especially when you're not equipped with an Internet connection.

We're back as of tomorrow. And we might be announcing new plans. KLKillahs is undergoing a corporate and human resource transformation in line with the 3rd Generation workforce.

Good day now.