Dangers of flying lanterns

[sfliew]

Export the flying lanterns to Iraq as it might be able help to bring down the US fighter jets in the now fly zones. May be able to misguild the heat seeking missiles. US might think it is UFO? This 5000 years thing is a threat of airplanes.

[saml]

One of our stupid ministers have claimed credit for introducing this lantern to our country and he talks like he is so damn proud of it saying that we should learn from putting up a lantern to fly. I think it takes a really stupid person to make comments like that. Maybe he was trying to make into law, all lanterns must be made by his son's company otherwise it would be shot down (like the speed controllers in heavy vehicles?). He will threaten the illegal lantern fliers with george bush's missiles.

[pcyeoh]

Dato Seri Ling was caught with his pants down when he started to brag about the lantern at the Press conference. I believed he said all that because earlier Pak Lah did mention that the Govt will not fully ban it inspite of the danger it poses. I think Pak Lah was never told the real danger until somebody opened his eyes. There was a change in decision but our friend went ahead and started to talk cock and was caught at his balls when Pak Lah ruled out any compromise. I totally agree with the ban. Don't even give concession as you know people with tidak apa attitude will not comply. Inspite of the ban, crackers were let off even at 2.30 in the morning. Please lah, have brains. Babies are asleep.

I never know how big and dangerous this lantern is until I faced one last Saturday. I had the privilege to assist my brother in law to launch one at 2am when his neighbour an importer gave one to him. Just like the space shuttle, the first 5 minutes of the launch and landing are crucial and you should see.......er er no, you can't see but can feel my balls shrinking when the lantern started to sway away from its "flight path" and headed straight on to a block of flats with cars parks below. The next morning, I started to compose "Letter to the Editor" to clamour for a total ban and I was too premature. The rest is history.

[jeffooi]

Look, what Ling Liong Sik just said:

<blockquote>THE STAR
Thursday, February 13, 2003

<FONT SIZE="+1">Ling: Kong Ming lanterns can nurture strategic thinking</FONT>

SEREMBAN: The tradition of releasing Kong Ming lanterns into the air should be preserved as it encourages people to be strategic thinkers, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Ling Liong Sik said.</blockquote>

A unit of the Kong Ming lantern was RM20 on the 8th day of
Lunar New Year, Butterworth price. (PC Yeoh got it for free! :D )

Had Ling said this in 1995, I would have saved RM45,980 (almost one Proton Wira) - and lots of dead brain cells - trying to study
for my MBA in Strategic Management.

Damn you!

:cool:

[jeffooi]

MALAYSIAKINI.COM
5:20pm Thu Feb 13th, 2003

<FONT SIZE="+1">Egoist, opportunist reaping of glory and fame</FONT>
Qin Shi Huang

I support the decision to ban the release of Kong Ming lanterns in our country. The danger it poses is not only to the air traffic, but to houses, particularly in the villages where the houses have attap roofs. Furthermore it has never been a part of the culture of the Chinese in Malaysia. It is only in recent years that we see people catch on to the idea of releasing these lanterns.

I would also like to call for the resignation of Dr Ling Liong Sik who claims that by releasing these lanterns, one will learn how to be a strategist. It is totally absurd. Strategic thinking can only be taught through education. If Dr Ling is sincere in his quest to empower all Malaysians with this knowledge, he should bring it up in the cabinet, start a committee to study ways of incorporating strategic thinking ideas into our education system and launch a nation-wide campaign to educate the public.

The public should realise that the releasing Kong Ming lanterns would only profit the makers and sellers of this contraption. Do we need to pay for education? Do we need to enrich other people’s pocket in order to learn about strategic thinking? I say that the real strategists in this case are the makers and sellers who profit from this nationwide obsession.

Who is profiting from the sales of these lanterns? What company is producing them? We should learn to ask these questions so that our politicians will not trick us again.

Dr Ling claims that he is the one who thought of the idea of introducing this activity here in Malaysia, after he visited Yunnan a few years back. I don’t doubt his claim because it really befits the claim made by someone who is stupid and at the same time, an egoist.

What our country needs are sincere politicians who have the people’s welfare in their hearts and minds in everything they do. And if our present politicians do not have these qualities, then they should step down and allow other people to take over.

Happy Chinese New Year to all.


SOURCE:
http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/200302130033874.php

[lady-o-leisure]

Each year when CNY approaches, I get stressed out. Being in Taiwan, there's no way one can avoid the blasts of the firecrackers, which go on occasionally for 2 weeks. What's worse is living in a city where the buildings are so close together. The sounds are echoing off every wall. Just when you think it's a good time to sleep, some idiot blasts off some more firecrackers and you jump out of your skin. Hence my migraines in the morning. They do that at the crack of dawn too, along with burning of spirit money. Don't even think of opening the windows to let in the new year luck. All you'll get is smoke-filled air. I think with some people in Malaysia trying to get more 'chinese', they might start imitating the practises of Taiwan and China. Please!! Don't even think about it. This year the govt put up announcements on tv stating that anyone who insist on blasting firecrackers, will hv to sweep up all the debris or be slapped with a fine, otherwise they can get a cassette recording of firecrackers going off, from city hall. Funny huh? LOL.. I really can't imagine any of my neighbors playing that cassette at full volume on CNY day. As for those flying lanterns, they're still being flown every year, and this year the President here was even part of the festivites. Maybe i should send him a copy of this forum via email. I have never lit one of those lanterns myself, I don't see what the good it does anyone or to the environment anyway. Sigh.... tomorrow's the 15th.. more papers burning.