Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire

Monday, February 27, 2006

:[ Oskar Schindler 1908 - 1974 ]:

[This is probably the longest entry to date.. let loose off ya seatbelts.. a piece of history told]

In the wake of Mr S Rajaratnam, lies another memorial for another hero in the last century in the mind of mattlex~

I had just watch a movie called 'Schindler's List'. During the holocaust in WWII, His story and himself had left mi standing in awe with my mouth open for him. In the darkess hours of the last century, this shrewd german businessman had save over 1100 jews in poland. A country that the germans had occupied. Steven Spielberg depicts the plight of the Jews in the WWII Holocaust era with a frightening amount of detail, and thus ensures that we don't easily forget what they were put through. Mattlex here try to do my best kae.. =D

Oskar Schindler, a shrewd businessman, conman, gambler, womanizer, heavy drinker, chain smoker, arrived in Poland shortly after the Germans had defeated the Poland army during the war. Making use of the war, he has quite a schemeing plan to make a fortune out of it. He gains the favour of some bigwigs german officials and army commanders, softening them up with women and illicit booze. Thru this connections, he landed up with a factory in the land and a big place to stay. He then convinced some wealthy jews to invest money into his factory. Those wealthy jews do not gain a profit from their investment. but rather a name in the factory so Schindler might save them any further harm from the german army. Their wages are pots and pans to be sold in the arising black market. He then employ jewish labourers as they are very cheap. (almost free labour).

The jews~
During the occupation, all the jews around the country, rich or poor, are commanded to gather 2gether and they are all home in the 'ghetto' (a few blocks of ruin flats) There, a small room could sleep 12 adults. They cannot move anywhr and are constantly guarded by german soldiers. Everyone wants to be employ by Schindler. Coz if they are not labeled 'useful', they could be eliminated anytime.

Amon Goeth, commander of the Plasvow camp.
Once his 'death camp' was built up, he calls all the Jews to be brought into the camp. It became more clear of the Jew's certain death. The move from the ghetto to the death camp was called 'liquidation'. The jews were force out of their homes and whuever that causes trouble was mercilessly killed. Many jews hid inside the ghetto. Hiding inbetween walls, under the floor, inside the beds or piano. But the german comb the area a 2nd time. Shooting thru walls and roofs..

Schindler witnessed the liquidation from afar.. The next day, Schindler when into the death camp and spoke with Amon Goeth regarding his workers.. Goeth agreed to release Schindler's workers back for the continue production of his factory. Inside Schindler's factory, even though they work throughout without wages, they were fed and escape death and torture. It became like a heaven in the mist of all this. His accountant, Itzhak Stern, became Amon Goeth accountant. As Schindler grew more n more with compassion for the jews, his accountant, Itszhak Stern (whu became Goeth accountant) plays an important roll for the arrangment for schindler's worker and to give information to Schindler.

Schindler visits the camp often. Everytime he went there, he tried to spare cigarettes, food, valuables for his accountant. He would walk around the camp. As he is a chain smoker, he would light a cigarette, taking in onli 2 puffs and drop the cigarette on the floor. Knowing that the jew prisoners would pick it up after him. He once saw two jewish woman on the ground. He told them to dig a grave to fake the german soldiers. And he told them he will be back for them. a week later, the 2 women tot they had been tricked and the grave was for themselves but Schindler kept to his words and came back to take them away. Schindler grew in comapssion for them.. and for once when he visited Goeth, they were in the mist of toturing the prisoners in train cabin. They were squeezed inside and let there to be steamed or dehydrated by the hot sun. Schindler using his witted tongue, asked if he could play around with them also.. by using the water hose to spray at them.. They gave permission and Schindler on the water hose to the max and shoots the water into each cabin. When the hose could not reach the last few cabins, he when back to his factory to take a longer hose and back.

Amon Goeth was a ruthless beast and he enjoy killings.. He would wake up in the morning standing at the balcony looking down on the death camp. And when he saw someone working slowly, He took out his sniper rifle and hunt them down inbetween cigarette puffs.. The jews had to continue their work even when the one beside him/her was shot down. When a prob arose and he was asking questions among a group of prisoners, He radomly shot them while he talk. And he will do it infront of anyone to see.. He will do it for his enjoyment also. One account was that he line the prisoners up in a row and he radomly let his dogs out to attack and bit him/her to death. A jewish boy whu could not get the stains out of his bath tub had Goeth nails dirtied.. The boy was later snipe down..

The jews live in constant fear of death.. not knowing the day nor wat will happen 2ml. the elders were usualli quicker to be eliminated. The children and todlers in the camps are not let off either.. When it come to their final days (the germans commanded the elimination of all jews) where they are to be 'gased' (poisoned) The kids are the first few to be transported to the chamber. On truck loads they are packed, singing songs and waving goodbye to the adults n their parents. It was a sadden thing to watch as they recount this in the film..

After the jews were gased, they were transported by jews and thrown off a cliff into a hill of burning bodies.. That trigger Schindler final effort to save the jews. He negotiated the salvation of the Jews using all the tools of the devil - bribery, black marketeering and lies. He lied to Goeth that he is has a better business plan and he is making artilleries for the germans now. He paid Goeth for every name he asked for. Bribe other officials and industrialist.. Together with his accountant, Itzhak Stern, They draft out the now infamous list of names that they are gonna save known as Schindler's List. He move his factory to his hometown and transported the jews there.. When the soldiers witheld the children to go, He lied to the soldiers that the children hands are needed to clean the inside of the artillery shells.. When the 2nd train carrying the women and children when to another 'death' place, he bribe and threaten the army transport officer to bring the same people back to him. His factory all made defective artillery shells and he neber intend to let them be use for war.

After 7 months, the german surrendered and the war was over.. And at the factory, Schindler deliver a final speech to his jewish workers..

Schindler: "The unconditional surrender of Germany has just been announced. At midnight tonight, the war is over. Tomorrow, you'll begin the process of looking for survivors of your families. In most cases you won't find them. After six long years of murder, victims are being mourned throughout the world. We've survived. Many of you have come up to me and thanked me. Thank yourselves. Thank your fearless Stern and others among you who worried about you and faced death at every moment."

Schindler: "I'm a member of the Nazi Party. I'm a munitions manufacturer. I'm a profiteer of slave labor. I am a criminal. At midnight, you'll be free and I'll be hunted. I shall remain with you until five minutes after midnight. After which time, and I hope you'll forgive me, I have to flee."

He then turns toward the german guards and convinces them to go home without killing the Jews under their jurisdiction:

Schindler: "I know you've received orders from our Commandant - which he has received from his superiors - to dispose of the population of this camp. Now would be the time to do it. Here they are. They're all here. This is your opportunity. Or...you could leave. And return to your families as men instead of murderers."

And after midnite, as Schindler had to leave, He broked down and apologised to the jewish people for not doing more.. for not saving more.

And so the show was soon over.. But this piece of history is here to stay.. of a conman whu risk everything he got to save the people his country hate. Back home he was considered a traitor for his act. But 2dae he was honoured for his righteous fight.

Total, Schindler had saved 1300 Jews.. He had spend 4 million german dollars in buying them and bribery etc.. for their salvation. He came into poland with the tot of making a fortune and he could have left home with the money but he left without a single cent..

There are fewer than four thousand Jews left alive in Poland today. But there are more than six thousand descendants of the Schindler Jews. They are also known as Schindlerjuden.

'Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire.'

:[The Story of Mattlex]: | 3:22 AM

Thursday, February 23, 2006

:[ Mattlex Music Review 101~ System Of A Down - BYOB ]:

Hehee~ a short late thurs nite entry..

Well juz change mi songs.. This one is a lil hard knocking. Hmm.. Its by System of a Down.
Attractive.. it seems.. the guitar riffs.. =D
Hear it out~! They aint singing about drugs or murder nor violence though. One thing attractive about System of a Down is the singer~ He has some middle eastern blood. Than they are alwaes singing bout political issues. Well juz some intro.. tune in ba~ mattlex current fav for the moment.
No offence though~

"WHY DO THEY ALWAES SEND THE POOR?!"
"WHY DO THEY ALWAES SEND THE POOR?!"

=D

:[The Story of Mattlex]: | 9:23 AM

Monday, February 20, 2006

:[ ORD loh!!! 20th Oct 03 to 19th Feb 06 ]:

ORD loh!!!
(its something all army pepz regardless of age will say when they finish their service in the army.)

Well i had finished my army life!! Wow its a long awaited one.. I gotta give God thanks for my army life indeed. its a testimony to share! Well i had been praying for my army life everyday for bout 3 years.. everytime b4 my meal. [Lord, i pray that You will take care of me when im in the army. I pray that i will be able to take it. And i pray that everything will be easy for me] And i'd seen myself goin thru an army path that not much others had the chance.

17th Feb 06 - As i went back camp to report my last day. The clerk drop my pink IC on the desk. "Wooh~!!" "Wooh~!!" "Wow!" mattlex growl as he saw his pink IC for the first time after 2 years 4 months. Than he told mi to sign this and that.. and i juz sign without much hesitation. my eyes glued to the pink card. I hold the card. Din even wana put into my wallet. And hold it at the bus stop.. kissin it a few times.. xD

I rem that time when i first got unto tekong island.. walking with a lot of enlistees 2gether. holding my sling bag by the side.. than this army guy stop mi on my path and told mi to hand him my pink IC.. And i juz gave him the card without giving it a proper goodbye. Nxt thing i knew.. i was handed a green one with my sulky face on top. its called 11b. 'welcome to army'

So i was in for the ride.. Had a 7 weeks bmt instead of the usual 12 weeks. Coz of my poor eyesight. After that i was posted to a camp called 6DSMB at yishun (near my home) to do 'saikang' or fatique works for 2 months. Those were the times when there are no responsibilities and we juz take a broom and act like we are sweepin the whole day. Every afternoon i will hide inside a tonner vehicle (six wheeler lorry) to sleep.. There are task which are physically tiring though.. like filling and carrying sandbags for two days and building a sentry post with it.

After the 2 months, i was enrolled into OETI (an army techincian training sch) for 6 months to be train as a vehicle mechanic. OETI is a sch where everybody hopes to go.. and not onli that, to stay there for the rest of their army life. Why?? As the sub name of it implies (Only Eat Talk Idle) Yup the famous chicken wing was sold there. And had crispy wedges everyday for 50 cents. played alot of games there. Our instructors there din realli teach well also.. 1 or 2 are even slackier than the trainees. And my batch was the last batch to have the 6 months course. After us, the course was reduce to 3 months.. haha phew~ During that time i was fortunate to remain as a vehicle mechanic.. some of my frenz were changed to tankers mechanics. vehicle mechanics is probably the most useful skill learnt in the army as the stuff learnt could be use after army.. no other vocation is more useful than this.

Than i was posted back to 6DSMB. After a month of tough on-job-training. I was posted to a team known as platoon 2. There, the head was a horrible horrible old man. How horrible?? I witness him scolding a fellow collegue vulgarities etc for hittin his own back.. Got once, a technician even chase him with a scissor in hand. When he got into an accident, pple arnd was asking how come he din die in it.. Thats hw hated he was.. But as i went there, the managment change to a man that i till now had high respect for.. Ravi. This indian man is prob one of the most humble guy i ever met. He is a big size indian man whu has tattoos on his arm. He prob has gone thru some tough army life b4 but as he aged, instead of doin the same, he chooses to be humble and helpful to us NSF whu cant help him much. The 1st few times i saw him in the toilet, he greet mi even b4 i greet him. Thats hw i started to admire him n as time grew by, we had a good relationship. I did other sideline jobs like paintin etc and Ravi n the rest took care of me. Was there for 5 months than i choose to leave for G4 army. They were disappointed that i made the leave and fought to kept mi back. Last min, i wanted to stay but it was too late.. Even though i had left, they still invite n treat mi to a platoon dinner.

At G4 army, paya lebar, I had a good army life in a sense.. ehem.. i wore normal jeans and polo shirts to work. Air condition office. 8.30am start till 6pm. Had lunch at hawker centres to food court to restuarants. Occasionally, we had some good dinner gatherings. But my immediate superiors are terrible creatures. Than i realise i miss 6DSMB & Ravi. Frenz, good collegues and superiors are more important than environment or reputable companies. At G4, i train up on my computer skills and met some good frenz. James whu taught mi some precious guitar techniques. If he din teach mi, i wouldnt know such a technique by now. After 8 months there, i manage to come back to 6DSMB.

At 6DSMB, i was quite paiseh to meet Ravi. Worst still, i was told i was posted to platoon 1. (which has horrible superior too) But i asked Ravi, and he kept mi in platoon 2. By then i had lost all my technical skills but i manage to help out in other areas. Soon i was isolated to do a 'big' project for my superior Sasi. And i was independant to a point that i dun have to report to anybody and nobody knows wat i was doing. but i did my work and sometimes till overtime. mi n sasi develop a good relationship too. And went to his house a few times. He help mi out in my bike prob also. Fetch mi down 10pm at nite to the motorshop to collect my bike. Was working in 6DSMB for 4 months. Than had a long 2 months leave and offs accumulated. The project was did up but the bigger boss did not ask for it though. Phew~
I will make a point to keep a friendship with Ravi n Sasi.. =)

So this was my army life.. A path that kept mi on the move.. And was not like other fellow army frenz i knew.. It was a blessing from superiors to environments to friends to expriences to freedom of will. A path that God directs.. Know anybody that can match to mine?? hehee~ A consistant prayer answered!!

Thank You Jesus!! Thank You Abba!!

:[The Story of Mattlex]: | 5:01 AM

Monday, February 13, 2006

:[ Happie Valentine / Friendship Day ]:

Haha~ I noe some of you are busy.. (especially wenzhi.. alwaes busy on this day XD)

But for the rest of us whu are alil more freed up today and happen to tune into mi blog, Hmm a special song for all..!! Haha~ hope u like it! It took mi some courage to put it up. Gonna be on the blog for these 2 days.. So for all whu tune in frequently.. =D

Not a treat.. but something special~ Enjoy!
Happie Valentine / Friendship Day
May all our circle of frenz widen & true frenz to cross our path~ And we pray also that we may b a blessing to them all!! Amen!!

:[The Story of Mattlex]: | 11:07 AM

:[ CNY - Debbie - Movies ]:

Alrite i gotta blog..! Or it has been such a ghost town. Nope~ mattlex fingers are still ticking and i have loads of updates to share.. juz that i had not been freed-up infront of my comp for a good old two weeks or soo.. So for all my blognatics out there~ Cheer on!! (actualli not much supporters nia) =D

So for this post~ we hit from chinese new year to Debbie to movies kae~?

Yep had a 2 days 'pai nian' of the same-relatives-but-different-places scenario as usual. This year round i told myself i wana hang out more with them to fellowship. But my cousins are drifting apart liaoz.. some came late n some din turn up. But my older generations appreciates this occasion though. Did break my own record. I stayed longer compared to the previous years.. This time round i stayed till after dinner~ =D Than i 'bue ta han' liaoz.. wana leave the place. Met up wif Wenzhi for that 2 nites.. Than rem that we did the same last year! Hmm.. , did we go to river angbao 2gether during our poly days also??

Than my family bought Debbie to 'pai nian'. She instantly became the center on attraction. The rest were excited to see Debb and so was she to see the rest. Hmm she brought much joy and laughter. On the 2nd day, we went to this aunt's place. My aunt has a 3 year old male Shitz Hzu (same breed as Debb) called Bear Bear. Coz he is brown and round. Than when they first saw each other, Bear kept barking at Debb.. Than Debb got alil scared. We wanted to bring her home liaoz.. but my aunt said its like that one.. and they will be alrite after awhile. hmm.. soon Debb got fed up and bark back at Bear.. and Bear became shy. Later both became frenz and stop barking.. So Bear was let out of his cage.. Than he started to chase Debb around and Debb got scared.. (so the whole family was being entertained by them) Than at one point Debb got tired of Bear kept sniffing at her that she turn the situation around.. Barking wif her high pitch and staring back at Bear with her big eyes. Yikes~ Bear move back and wanted to escape from her.. Than this 9 month old Debb kept pouncing on 3 year old Bear. Debb climb herself on Bear and Bear was 'piggy backing' Debb for awhile as he tried to escape. It was hilarious.. In my heart, i was like "yea~ go Debbie go!!"

Yep so princess debbie was blessed during New Year also.. had new clothes, new frenz and photo shoots. And even met her future boyfriend.. hahaha~ wonder if they ever tot of each other so far.. hee~

Than i watch 2 movies for the past month. One of them was Jet Li's fearless.. Hmm i review it as a turn off.. I moderately recommend not to watch.. Jet Li's past 2 kungfu film are not too good. One was 'Hero'.. Mayb it was too artistic. Slow motion, silent sword fights than a big twist at the end of the show was quite disappointing. Than somemore add a 'Great morale' behind the whole story kindof thing.. Hmm i still prefer the good old 'Wong Fei Hung' type.. Than so was Fearless.. His character neber lost a match but he lost his whole family.. Than he went into exile.. came back with enlightenment that he dun wana kill.. But he wana uphold the chinese name! Than in the end he was poisoned in the match. But the good opponent raise him as the winner. The bad guy didnt die and a 'Great Morale' came out again.. Wat ya think?

Than i watched 'Fun with Dick & Jane' 2gether with Jojo, Jer, Phileo, Joel and all.. It was a turn-off that everyone agrees.. Even for myself whu recommended the movie to the rest of the gang. Had alwaes been a fan of Jim Carey and i'd onli missed one of his show so far.. (the cable guy). Even watched his onli non comedy show (Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind) and the love story was amazing! tearily touched! Strongly recommend..! (but i noe jojo sure have doubts) But 'Fun with Dick & Jane' was frankly disappointing. Mayb the jokes are abit for the older cooperate kindof pple. Its about company fraud and Jim's character turns to robbery to support his family. Hmm.. for example, the last part of the movie when one of his ex collegue says he joined a new company.. and the company's name was 'Enron'. It was suppose to be a laughing matter but the average sporean wouldnt catch that. But i dun blame Jim Carey.. It was the plot.. Jim is still my favourite!! =D

Yep~ Hehee a month in the life of mattlex backdated. And my movie reviews again.. k bah~ stay tune for more if ya not bored by it.. =)) phew~
Get well soon emy!!

:[The Story of Mattlex]: | 9:27 AM