THE BOY CRIED "WOLF" PART II

Very happy day to everyone,

It was a great pleasure for me to share this classic story, The boy called "Wolf" which most of us had known since childhood, some may even 78uinkl./at early childhood. However, it is sad to know that many people do not know its adverse implications. Alternatively you may argue that we choose to ignore its lessons.

The tale concerns a shepherd boy who tricks nearby villagers into thinking a wolf is attacking his flock. He repeats this so many times that when the sheep were actually confronted by a wolf, the villagers do not believe his cries for help and the flock is destroyed. The morale at the end of the Greek version is that 'the story shows that this is how liars are rewarded: even if they tell the truth, no one believes them.'^[2] This seems to echo a statement attributed to Aristotle by Diogenes Laërtius in his The lives and opinions of eminent philosophers, where the sage was asked what those who tell lies gained  and he answered 'that when they speak the truth they are not believed'^[3] William Caxton similarly closes his version with the remark that men bileve not lyghtly hym whiche is knowen for a lyer.^[4]

The story dates from Classical times but, since it was recorded only in Greek and not translated into Latin until the 15th century, it only began to gain currency after it appeared in Heinrich Steinhowel's collection of the fables and so spread through the rest of Europe. For this reason, there was no agreed title for the story. Caxton titles it "Of the child whiche kepte the sheep" (1484), Hieronymus Osius "The boy who lied" (De mendace puero, 1574), Francis Barlow "Of the herd boy and the farmers" (De pastoris puero et agricolis, 1687), Roger L'Estrange "A boy and false alarms" (1692), George Fyler Townsend "The shepherd boy and the wolf" (1867). It was under the final title that Edward Hughes set it as the first of ten "Songs from Aesop's fables" for children’s voices and piano, in a poetic version by Peter Westmore (1965).

There are many lessons that can be learnt from it.

First, the phrase "I know it" is a very dangerous sentence to be used. Why I say so? Anyone wants to make a guess before you read further? This may be either due to the liars' ignorance or recklessness. 

Alternatively, you can see so many incidents that affirm this truth. One of them is in regard to the great scientist that discovered the Gravity theory. He truly did not understand why the apples dropped from the trees, whereas the rest at that time appeared to know why the apples dropped from the trees. That's because this boy did not prescribed to the above phrase that led him to seek for the answer. His profound theory of gravity is still applicable and relevant till todate.

 

Coming  back to the above tale, the boy cried wolf, it will be interesting to find the answer what if the boy cried "no wolf" instead of 'Wolf' when wolfs appeared. You may furnish your answer on whether you will go and rescue the boy, through the comment provided below. Thanks for your honest feedbacks and participation.

 

Thanks and seeing you again,

James Oh

Skype me at james.oh18

Publish Post

WORLD'S LARGEST PUZZLE

Hi, Everyone,


Do you know where you can find the world's largest puzzle? To find the answer, please continue to read this article. This ancient Cambodian 'puzzle' three tier temple situated at northwestern Cambodia was reopened to public recently with a grand opening, after a decades long renovation project and described as the world's largest puzzle.

No wonder that the restoration of the 11th-century Baphuon monument was celebrated with a high profile ceremony attended by Cambodia King Norodom Sihamoni and French Prime Minister Francois Fillon. This opening ceremony is a memorable one and being one of the country's largest after Angkor Wat.


Both countries' leaders have words of praise for this restoration work at the inauguration event on July 3 in the northwestern tourist hub of Siem Reap, which drew thousands of Cambodians waving French, Cambodian and Europen Union flags as a mark of well co-operation from these parties that produce this exceptional creation as Fillion put it. These efforts have been well appreciated by the Cambodians exactly conveyed by the King Sihamoni as "profound gratitude to France" for completing the 10 million euros French-funded undertaking.


Fillion said French archaeologists would then turn their attention to the 2.7 million euro restoration of the western Mebon temple in Angkor Park and the rests are history. This Angkor region was the seat of the medieval Khmer empire, which will be its shadow behind this majestic temple.


By now, you may wonder as to why is it being described as the world's largest puzzle, to be more precise as the world's biggest three-dimensional puzzle. This is because the above finished project took the restorers half a century of painstaking efforts to piece the crumbling tower's 300,000 sandstone blocks back together.


Its restoration can be tracked back to 1960s when a French-led team of archaeologists dismantled the pyramidal building because it was falling apart, largely due to its heavy, sand-filled core that was putting pressure on the thin walls. The workers numbered some 300,000 of the sandstone blocks and laid them out in the surrounding jungle.


It had gone through some odds before it can stand up proudly revealing itself in full glory as you see now. The initial effort to rebuild the pyramidal structure was interrupted by the civil war that took place in 1970. It was reported that the records to reassemble Baphuon, including the numbering system, were then destroyed by the hardline communist Khmer Rouge which took power in 1975.

Fortunately that this ruling party had a short life span of 20 years and the area was again safe to begin with the work. Since then it is known as the world's biggest three-dimensional puzzle - was restarted under the leadership of architect Pascal Royere from the Ecole francaise d'Extreme-Orient (EFEO).


The team carefully measured and weighed each block and then relied on archive photos stored in Paris, drawings and the recollections of Cambodian workers to figure out where each part fits.


Royere revealed in his recent interview that his team was facing a three-dimensional puzzle, a 300,000-piece puzzle to which they had lost the picture. And that was the main difficulty of this project. Fortunately that there is no mortar that fills the cracks which mean that each stone has its own place. You will not find two blocks that have the same dimensions.


Finishing the "unique" undertaking was "a collective satisfaction because it was a complicated project," he said.


Built around 1060 by King Udayadityavarman II in honour of the Hindu god Shiva, Baphuon was the country's largest religious building at the time, 35 metres high (114 feet) and measuring 130 by 104 metres (426 x 340 feet).


In the 16th century, a 70-metre long reclining Buddha statue was built into a wall on the second level using stones from the top of the temple.


These two phases of construction, hundreds of years apart, further complicated the restoration, said Royere, and working during the rainy season proved another major challenge.


But those struggles are behind him now and as the Frenchman watched camera-toting tourists amble along the long elevated walkway that leads to the temple, he said he was confident the site would become a top attraction.


Located at the heart of the Angkor Park, it "certainly promises to be a great success," he said.

As such, it makes it a place worth to visit. A memorial of the journey on how it overcomes its odds to gain its former glory - a very good lesson to learn from. This is another good reminder and provides courage to those who are facing adversities in life.


Seeing you again.


James Oh






Skype me at james.oh18

BACK TO SCHOOL FOR A SINGLE MOTHER, MAUREEN STA MARIA

Very happy day to you,

I write to express my heartfelt thanks to you for continuously visiting my blog, which made me feel indebted to you as my blog readers. As such, I decide to share with you the recent article I have read from our local newspapers on the plight of a single mother, Maureen Sta Maria. She can now pursue her passion for knowledge, after years of struggle and sacrifice to raise her children.

It was reported that she, 49, raised her children to believe that education is the only ticket to freedom and success. In this connection, I write to attest that I had prescribed to the same formula to obtain some of my achievement and I never regret for doing so. I must say that that I was very fortunate to have an opportunity to learn from some of my great heroes, who came from families which are very much worse than mine, at my early age of my childhood. Thank God. That made me to say firmly that this is one of the paths you may consider to pursue to achieve your success in life. She revealed in her recent interview that she took up accounting, secretarial and interior design courses to equip herself with additional skills. Her attitude well deserved a praise. I can safely say that she is truly a good model to follow with.

This strong determined lady had overcome all the odds. She got divorced at the age of 27 and was subsequently ostracized by her family. These adversities did not dampen this single mother's spirit to pursue her dream. She took up a sales job to support herself and her two children. In order to see her children become successful, she made a painful decision to migrate to the US four years ago. She then put her whole family in a tiny one-bedroom apartment in California where she worked as interior designer whereas her eldest son worked throughout college to help to pay for his fees.

We are very glad to hear that her age and all the odds have not deter her from seeking knowledge and she has even instilled such a strong spirit in her two children. Well done and big congratulations to Miss Maureen. Your efforts had not been put into waste and we all are very proud of you.

She eventually moved back to Malaysia recently and plans to join a French culinary school to collect another certificate for herself. It was amazingly inspiring to hear that her eldest son was on the National Dean's List, comprising 2% of the country's brightest students in his college. He was also nominated for the 'Man of Distinction' award in 2008, apart from being awarded Fullerton's Student Affairs Outstanding Leadership Award. You really bring glory to Malaysia.

Her youngest daughter, 22, is also following his footstep and currently pursuing a degree in event management in the same university. She too has an ambition to work as an intern in the White House.

I truly read this article with fullness of inspiration and hope that it has similar effect on you.

James Oh

Skype me at james.oh18