Lost and found
Thursday, May 18, 2006
In this week of Time Magazine publication, they are continuing the saga of the Top xxx...but this week is the Best of Asia. One of the rated article for "Best for the Soul" caught my attention is the cynicism cure. Here it goes...
In Tokyo, Japan, they have a highest return rate for lost property. Some example to prove this.
1) Of the 255,844 wallets reported mislaid in Tokyo in 2005 a heart warming of 194,139 were handed in to the Police Lost and Found Center in intac.t
2) About 95,000 of the 100,247 cell phones reported lost were also brought in to the police lost and found.
3) This is regarding to an editor in tokyo magazine, she losted her wallet 5 times in the last 14 years, and it has always been returned to her complete with credit cards, identification cards and cash intact.
Unbelievable? I would say this goes to the virtues to teaching their children to hand in lost items. Imagine you lost your previous item, you would be missing it and hoping that one day a kind soul will find it and return it to you some day. Stepping into their shoe, I guess that might be why they can return the lost items to the owner with high success rate.
I can't image in Singapore this high success rate. Of course there are some good kind soulds out there, but to compare to the above yield high results, it's insignificant. The signifance would probably be hopeful that one day Singapore or the world would become such a graceful society.
Of the lost and return cases that I heard locally, some will pickup the wallet and take out all the monies. After which they will put it in an envelop and drop it into the mailbox, and let it become the responsilibilities of the mail/post center to sort it out to return to the owner. Such act compromise the integrity of the signifance of return lost item. Although the wallet got returned, the person is actually expecting a fee for it and this act is actually an act of theft.
In the case of lost cell phones in Singapore, I think most people can forget the hope about getting it back. It would most likely become's another person's new toy or sold to second hand shop. Nowadays seems like Singaporean are quite loaded, can afford to change or buy new handphone when it's lost. Still to me the agonies would be the lost of contact, addresses book and information which is no amount of money can be bought with.
The act of return lost property and not keeping it to oneself reminded me of a Chinese teaching - "路不拾遗". The chinese characters in there aptly describe the meaning of it. Yup, we were taught to return lost items to owner, or at least report it to the police. However how many of us actually practice this virtue?
Author: sins » Comments:
The Da Vinci Code
Ever since the book "The Da Vinci Code" is published and filmed, there have been many news article about it. Especially so when it was filmed into a movie, and I'm going to watch it this Friday. Some interesting stuffs that people do around the world to stop the movie from screening...
1) Legal Action: Top Vatican official said the film's insult to the faith may merit legal action to stops its dissemination. Previously i read in the papers also some top vatican official to the Pope ask people for their support to not watch the movie.
2) Counterprogram: In Sydney Australia, the theaters will show a brief Anglican Church video challenging the film, as a effort to get 10% of the city's populatioin to become church-goers.
3) Preach: More than half US pastors polled by Leadership (a Christian magazine) said they planned sermons, classes or seminar to discuss biblical and theological issues raised by the film.
4) Yes, Singapore has rate the film to be NC16, as it challenges the norm radical and might mislead the underage of the twisted facts.
Above are the many different actions that some tried to resist the screening, while some are taking constructive action to reform the negativeness of the show to something positive.
Personally I am not a church-goer, but the base foundation that I believe in is to be open to all possiblities. The book Da Vinci book/novel was the first english novel ever since I read in the past few years. I wanted to read more about it before watching the movie.
Many church believes that the film/book tarnish the church image, as it contains twisted facts. They are fearful that those non-believers will believe the film fiction. The television effect has mislead children with altered stories line in history, thus their concern is not groundless.
However I am more supportive in the fact that the mature adult should seek truth contradicting to believing everything from the show movie or holy scriptures or book. To believe blindly is akin to an act of copying or imitation. To seek the truth, learn it and practise is what make a faith more convincing to believe in.
Anyway regardless of the oppositions, I am still going to watch and enjoy the show as I enjoyed the book.
Author: sins » Comments:
Blessing to all
Sunday, May 07, 2006
The month of May passed by so fast, and this is the end of the first week. The election came and go, much as expected with the result. And in my area, I am not required to vote. Actually I was hoping for some contestants so as to have the chance to vote. It seems fun though, but of course the decision to cast for which party definitely is not child's play.
The last few weeks have been seeing a lot of things happening. For those who are in the tunnel, there be light at the end of the tunnel. Somethings are just meant to be passer by, let go and you be off to the next destination. For those who are feeling sick or so (as I write, my pa is not feeling too well at the moment) may the healthy cells trumph over the invading virus, wish them good health all.
And also am happy for friends who have found new job, bless them have a good working environment and hope that they found a better pasture to chew upon. As for myself, I feel like I am lost in this big illusionary world, or more likely to be running away from my responsibilities as the elder of the family. I find things nowadays are so taxing, there are endless of things that if you got on to it, you have to pay off with your lifetime or so. I hate this feeling especially. Waiting for the day where maybe I would then be contented with this short break that I have and then carried on with the journey.
Author: sins » Comments:
