Anak Gen-X

Come for the skyline. Stay for the alien rumours!

 

A throwback to more than two decades ago -- a moment with Chris Benoit. I remember him as approachable and genuinely curious, even asking about Malaysia and what life was like on this side of the world. Back then, he was at the peak of his career -- respected, intense, and admired by fans everywhere. But time has a way of reshaping how we remember people. His death in 2007, tied to a deeply tragic and controversial incident involving his family, changed everything. Investigations later pointed to severe brain trauma, similar to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), as a possible factor -- sparking wider conversations about the long-term effects of head injuries in professional wrestling and contact sports. Today, feelings about him are understandably divided -- admiration for the athlete he was, and sorrow and anger over how his story ended. So when I look at this photo now, it’s no longer just a memory. It’s complicated. What about you -- what do you feel when you see this?

  Ungku Abdul Aziz was a visionary thinker who transformed Malaysia’s understanding of poverty, development, and education through bold, people-centered ideas. As the long-serving Vice-Chancellor of University of Malaya , he elevated UM into a leading intellectual hub in the region, shaping generations of scholars and leaders.  He passed away on 15 December 2020 at the age of 98, leaving behind a legacy defined by integrity, intellectual courage, and an unwavering commitment to uplifting the nation through knowledge.

 

Long before apps, online carts, and same-day delivery, folks in Malaya were already getting a taste of “ modern shopping ”. Really! Back in 1957 , Cold Storage in Singapore rolled out a price list that felt pretty futuristic for its time. We’re talking credit accounts, ordering by telephone (yes, telephone), and even home delivery. And get this -- it wasn’t just a Singapore thing. Cold Storage already had branches across Malaya, including Kuala Lumpur , Klang, Malacca and Seremban -- making it a go-to spot for the more “ atas ” crowd of the day. The food? Not your typical kedai runcit selection. They had imported goodies like Scotch kippers, fresh salmon, and Arbroath smokies -- basically atas-level groceries before “atas” was even a word we used. Even their “makan kechil” section sounded fancy: sandwiches, curry puffs , lobster patties … plus some mysteriously named items like “ Angels on Horseback ” and “ Frankfurters in Hospital ” (no one really explained those 😅). Different...