UNIMAS Photo Slides

These were photos taken during a recent trip to UNIMAS (Universiti Malaysia Sarawak), a Malaysian university based in Kota Samarahan, Sarawak.

Just click on the play button to start the slide show.

Picasa Slideshow. Theme: Flowers

Here are some bouquet pictures that I took nearly 8 months ago.



I just thought of giving Picasa's embedded slideshow a test run. I wanted to give my photos the extra 'ooomph'!

LionelLam.com is back! :-)

Whoa!

What happened here?

I woke up on a sunny Tuesday afternoon soaked in my own sweat.

Whew!

I just woke up from a nightmare, and if that was bad, I thought I would feel better if I did a round of checks on my blog, and to do some editing as well. Lo and behold! I was totally shocked by what I saw: pictures of blue, red and white splashed across my site’s homepage in a grid-like fashion.

I was shocked. I was surprised. I was a little dazzled….and of course, a little groggy.

I thought my site was hacked. Still reeling from the ‘shock’, I decided that there was something with those funny pictures. Upon closer inspection, I saw the words:

“Upgrade to Pro today!”

“Bandwidth Exceeded”

“Photobucket”

Whoa! Photobucket! What the heck…

I should have known that this was coming. I actually anticipated that something like would happen one day, but I never thought that ‘one day’ would be ‘today’. The bandwidth usage of the theme designer’s hosting account on Photobucket had just hit the ceiling and I’m pretty sure sites around the world using this theme would be crying for more server juice, and looking like you-know-what…

I decided that one day of ‘downtime’ would be enough. My friends joked that my site had just received a facelift. More of a ‘face off’ if you ask me. Final year project aside. It’s time to save my ego…

I immediately went on a prowl for a solution. I decided that if the pictures were missing, it had something to do with a URL (Uniform Resource Locater, the jargon that fills your browser’s address bar, if you’re not exactly the tech-savvy kind…) pointing to an image that no longer exists. I went under the hood and voila! I made some changes to the CSS (Cascading Style Sheets, for more info, just do a Google search) and pointed the scripts to the theme images hosted on my Photobucket account.  It’s a good thing the theme’s designers included the pictures in the download package.

It’s simple really, I just changed the designated address in the CSS script and had the blog point to the images hosted on a Photobucket account under a different username.

Ah…and it has all ended well for me tonight.

Heyho!…heyho! It’s back to work I go!

==END==

Working 24-7

I used to wonder, and I am still wondering even today, how long can you keep a computer running without switching it off. It’s not difficult to imagine how much we use computers today, with the advent of the internet as the ‘in’ thing. Computer addiction is a real problem these days, with kids spending more time in front of the monitor than they see daylight. I’m a seasoned (and hopeless) addict; I’ve been there, done that.

Tsk tsk! Messy right? I know I know…

You don’t have to tell that I’m seriously low on desktop real estate. Look at the top right corner.

Yup, my computer has been working (and it’s still working, otherwise you won’t be reading this post…chuckles…) harder than a bank’s server. I’ve also got that stupid final year project to do, so what can I do? I think it’s going to be up for another 24 hours.

 

Needless to say, here’s the culprit…

Moan…the facade of iniquity. The unnecessary pain and suffering. The nemesis that is keeping me awake, buried in miles of jargon and code. But I can’t sleep. I just had coffee…damn.

Goodnight to you all anyway, looks like I’ll be alone again. Sigh….

‘lah’ – Manglish at it’s Best

“Don’t be like that la!”

“Why you like that la!”

“I’m a good guy la, don’t get angry…”

“What I want for lunch? Whatever la…anything la…”

“Terrible la you, go fly kite!”

 

______________________________________________________________________________________

Have you heard people speaking English in this way? If you have, welcome to Malaysia!

Manglish = ‘Mangled English’?

To the typical foreigner who is unfamiliar with Malaysian customs and traditions, may I have the honour of introducing to you one of the world’s most peculiar quirks in the field of language development.

Manglish = Malaysian English/ English (Malaysia)/ Malicious English (I made this one up)

According to Wikipedia, ‘Manglish’ is the slang term used to describe the version of English that is colloquially spoken in most parts of Malaysia. (You can check it out here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manglish). Thanks to the ethnic and cultural diversity of Malaysia’s population, Manglish has been further enriched with a wealth of languages and dialects such as English, Hokkien (a Southern Chinese dialect), Mandarin, Cantonese and Tamil. If there’s one thing that we Malaysians can truly be proud of, the culmination of blood and sweat (I’m beginning to think that’s an exaggeration…), it’s the creation of Manglish, one language (unofficially), one nation, one dream. If by now you’re wondering why Manglish was never adopted (and NEVER will be) as an official language, just read on!

Let’s Learn Manglish!

The truth is, with a bit of practice and commitment, Manglish is not difficult to learn, or at least, identify. Please see below for a list of well known particles and components of Manglish.  Let the lessons begin!

Word	Meaning	Example
lah	Used to affirm a statement (similar to "of course"). Frequently used at the end of sentences and usually ends with an exclamation mark (!). It is derived from and has the same meaning as the Chinese expression "啦".	Don't be an idiot lah!
nah	Used when giving something to another person, often in a rude or impolite way.	Nah, take this!
meh	Used when asking questions, especially when a person is skeptical of something. Derived from the Chinese expression "咩".	Really meh? Cannot meh?
liao	Means "already" Derived from the Chinese expression "了".	No stock liao.
ah	Derived from the Chinese expression "啊". Used at the end of sentences, unlike meh the question is rhetorical. Also used when asking a genuine question. Besides that, some people use it when referring to a subject before making a (usually negative) comment.	Why is he like that ah? Is that true ah? My brother ah, always disturbs me!
lor	Used when explaining something. Derived from the Chinese expression "囉".	Like that lor!
d/dy/ady/edy/ridy	Derived from the word "already". Often used in online chatroom by the youth in Malaysia, although in speech, speakers will often pronounce as 'ridy'	I eat 'd' 'loh', I eat 'ridy'
le	Used to soften an order, thus making it less harsh. Derived from the Chinese expression "了".	Give me that le.
one/wan	Used as an emphasis at the end of a sentence. It is believed to derive from the Chinese way of suffixing "的" at sentences.	Why is he so naughty one ah?
what	Unlike British/American English, the word 'what' is often used as an exclamation mark, not just to ask a question.	What! How could you do that? I didn't take it what.
got/have	Used as a literal translation from the Malay word 'ada'. The arrangement of words is often also literally translated. The use of this particular particle is widespread in Manglish, where 'got' is substituted for every tense of the verb 'to have'.	You got/have anything to do? (Kamu ada apa-apa untuk buat?) I got already/got/will get my car from the garage. Got or not? (Really?) Where got? (To deny something, as in Malay "Mana ada?", and also in Chinese "Nali you?" as spoken in Malaysia)

Source: http://www.wikipedia.org

See? Isn’t Manglish easy to learn? Now that you have some idea of what Manglish is all about, let us move on the next section.

Okay Kids, the Word for Today is ‘Lah’…’L-A-H’, ‘Lah’…

Nobody knows where Manglish came from. It was just there, and everywhere. It became obvious that a ‘language’ such as Manglish, so lovingly embraced as the ‘mother tongue’ of Malaysians, must surely be included as a subject in schools. After all, language development takes place best in the early years of childhood right? Logical? Rational? Unlikely.

You may have noticed from the article in Wikipedia, that Manglish is also famous for it’s richness in cross-cultural profanity. Not only did Malaysians have the benefit of learning the words and phrases of other languages (Manglish is a blend of several languages, right?), but they also had the privilege, handed out in a golden platter, if you wish to put it that way, of learning each other’s forbidden grammar. I won’t risk putting those word and phrases here, for risk of my blog eventually mobilizing the teacher’s union and education ministry, or even becoming a lawsuit magnet. For the curious handful of you, you can start looking here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manglish#Nouns

And the King is….LAH….

Yes, in terms of dominance and popularity, no other word in the Manglish vocabulary can stand up to the word ‘lah’. As the old adage goes, if you’re Malaysian, say ‘lah’. As Wikipedia puts it, “The ubiquitous word lah (/lɑ́/ or /lɑ̂/), used at the end of a sentence, can also be described as a particle that simultaneously asserts a position and entices solidarity.”. Don’t get it? Don’t worry la…neither do I. I only know how to use the word. Simple, straightforward, plain Manglish.

Love Thy Neighbour

A little love does indeed go a long way. Long was it goes, from a time perspective. Ever wondered where Singlish (Singapore English, oh no, not again…)came from? Singlish is supposed to be similar in many respects to Manglish, but there are some syntactical differences, so a Singaporean friend of mine claims. I could cover a bit about Singlish, but that would be out of the scope of this article. Want to know more about Singlish? Do your homework la! Go Google…

==END==

Would You Dare to Write This?

They say this was written by a real person, a real letter by an applicant for university. Whoever this 'Hugh Gallagher' person really is, I like his writing style, laced with a tinge of sarcasm and interweaved with sporadic humour. Imagine writing something like this during a job application.

-Lionel.

This is an actual essay written by a college applicant. The author,
Hugh Gallagher, now attends NYU.
3A. ESSAY: IN ORDER FOR THE ADMISSIONS STAFF OF OUR COLLEGE TO GET TO
KNOW YOU, THE APPLICANT, BETTER, WE ASK THAT YOU ANSWER THE FOLLOWING
QUESTION: ARE THERE ANY SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCES YOU HAVE HAD, OR
ACCOMPLISHMENTS YOU HAVE REALIZED, THAT HAVE HELPED TO DEFINE YOU AS A
PERSON?

__________________________________________________________________________________
I am a dynamic figure, often seen scaling walls and crushing ice. I
have been known to remodel train stations on my lunch breaks, making
them more efficient in the area of heat retention. I translate ethnic
slurs for Cuban refugees, I write award-winning operas, I manage time
efficiently. Occasionally, I tread water for three days in a row.

I woo women with my sensuous and godlike trombone playing, I can pilot
bicycles up severe inclines with unflagging speed, and I cook
Thirty-Minute Brownies in twenty minutes. I am an expert in stucco, a
veteran in love, and an outlaw in Peru.

Using only a hoe and a large glass of water, I once single-handedly
defended a small village in the Amazon Basin from a horde of ferocious
army ants. I play bluegrass cello, I was scouted by the Mets, I am the
subject of numerous documentaries. When I'm bored, I build large
suspension bridges in my yard. I enjoy urban hang gliding. On
Wednesdays, after school, I repair electrical appliances free of
charge.

I am an abstract artist, a concrete analyst, and a ruthless bookie.
Critics worldwide swoon over my original line of corduroy evening wear.
I don't perspire. I am a private citizen, yet I receive fan mail. I
have been caller number nine and have won the weekend passes. Last
summer I toured New Jersey with a traveling centrifugal-force
demonstration. I bat .400. My deft floral arrangements have earned me
fame in international botany circles. Children trust me.

I can hurl tennis rackets at small moving objects with deadly accuracy.
I once read Paradise Lost, Moby Dick, and David Copperfield in one day
and still had time to refurbish an entire dining room that evening. I
know the exact location of every food item in the supermarket. I have
performed several covert operations for the CIA. I sleep once a week;
when I do sleep, I sleep in a chair. While on vacation in Canada, I
successfully negotiated with a group of terrorists who had seized a
small bakery. The laws of physics do not apply to me.

I balance, I weave, I dodge, I frolic, and my bills are all paid. On
weekends, to let off steam, I participate in full-contact origami.
Years ago I discovered the meaning of life but forgot to write it down.
I have made extraordinary four course meals using only a mouli and a
toaster oven. I breed prizewinning clams. I have won bullfights in San
Juan, cliff-diving competitions in Sri Lanka, and spelling bees at the
Kremlin. I have played Hamlet, I have performed open-heart surgery, and
I have spoken with Elvis.

But I have not yet gone to college.

Lionel’s Photo Gallery

Welcome to my photo corner! I am very passionate about photography, and I would post some photos which I would like to share with you on this page. You are free to download these photos so long as the intended purpose is not commercial in nature.

Mushrooms Growing on Log

Golden Retriever Dog

Bird’s Nest Fern

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

The Chinese Hibiscus

The Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur

Youth Malaysia 2009 - NYEC

"You don't have to be born an entrepreneur to be one."

"Become part of an entrepreneur-based network, then only you will eventually become one."

"I dropped out of university."


I was privileged enough to attend the 2nd National Youth Entrepreneur Convention, held at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur on 10th January 2009 (thanks to HSBC for the complimentary passes), and these were the words uttered my some of Malaysia's best youth entrepreneurs.

It was an experience well worth attending, my only regret having wished I had been more vocal during the convention. I wished I had asked more questions during the Q&A session. I nevertheless had the chance to ask Ganesh Kumar, Henry Goh, Jeffrey Ong as well as the rest some questions such as:

1. Is becoming an entrepreneur something you have to be 'born-into', or is it a skill that can be nurtured?

2. If anyone can become an entrepreneur, why is that so many business people still fail?

These and many other questions were thrown at the speakers during the 9-hour long convention. While most questions were rather specific in nature, depending on the lens from which you are viewing this scenario, most questions were more general in nature, questions concerning the qualms and headaches of entrepreneurship.

They certainly made things look so easy.

Easy right?

Wrong.

I won't be covering these topics in my blog as these would be way out of scope, for now, but I'll be covering a little on the series of events that unfolded on that day. Read on to find out.

The stage area.

The minister delivering his speech.

At about 9.30am, the Minister of Youth and Sports, YB Dato' Sri Ismail Sabri bin Yaakob delivered the opening speech followed by the opening ceremony, which comprised of 3 beats to the gong and a presentation of a souvenir to the minister by Joel Neoh, founder of Youth Malaysia. Time was quite pressing, so unfortunately, Joel was not able to deliver his opening speech during the first half of the opening ceremony.

For the first half of the day, the convention was moderated by chief moderator Chris Tan, who skilfully, with his amazing sense of humour, kept us constantly roaring with laughter. Never a dull moment with him at the helm.

 

Perhaps the most impressive part concerning the speakers was that none of them are actually older than 30 years of age, with some exceptions (I think Chris Tan and Ganesh just turned 30).

The convention was composed of three sessions:

1. Technopreneurship Session
2. Media Entrepreneurship Session
3. Lifestyle Entrepreneurship Session

Technopreneurship Session

The technopreneurship, or technology entrepreneurship session gave us an insight into what tech-savvy entrepreneurs such as Henry Goh, Dato’ Ricky Wong, Ganesh Kumar and the rest did for a living.  :-)

Complete list of entrepreneurs in this category:

1. Dato' Ricky Wong Shee Kai - Founder & CEO of Asia Media Sdn. Bhd.
2. Mr. Henry Goh Chee Heng - Co-founder and COO of Makro Kiosk Bhd.
3. Mr. Ganesh Kumar Bangah - CEO of MOL Access Bhd.
4. Mr. Aidan Aquinas Chew - Director of Traffixed.
5. Mr. Ng Khai Lee - Co-founder of YouthSays.com.
6. Mr. Jeffrey Ong - Director of Markentsia.

Media Entrepreneurship Session

Entrepreneurs in this category:

1. Mr. Aimann  Faiz - Co-Founder of Don't Panic.
2. Ms Joyce Wong - Blogger, KinkyBlueFairy.net, also founder of TongueInChic.com.
3. Mr. Joel Neoh - Founder of YouthMalaysia.com.

Lifestyle Entrepreneurship Session

Entrepreneurs in this category:

1. Ms. Ninie Ahmad – Founder of Be Yoga Sanctuary.
2. Ms. Fiona Jane Gomez – Founder of Talent Hub.
3. Ms. Anna Rina Rahim – Photography Entrepreneur.
4. Ms. Shan Tan – Founder of Rockin’ Reptiles Sdn. Bhd.
5. Mr. Joe Flizzow – Founder of Kartel Records.

In a nutshell…

Overall the convention was quite good, apart from some minor hiccups. It ended a little behind schedule, ending approximately 6.45pm. It was an event well worth the trouble of travelling all the way to Kuala Lumpur from Johor.

Chinese Short Stories and Fables

A Dissertation Upon Roast Pig

by Charles Lamb (1775-1834)

Mankind, says a Chinese manuscript, which my friend M. was obliging enough to read and explain to me, for the first seventy thousand ages ate their meat raw, clawing or biting it from the living animal, just as they do in Abyssinia to this day. This period is not obscurely hinted at by their great Confucius in the second chapter of his Mundane Mutations, where he designates a kind of golden age by the term Cho-fang, literally the Cook's holiday. The manuscript goes on to say, that the art of roasting, or rather broiling (which I take to be the elder brother) was accidentally discovered in the manner following.

The swine-herd, Ho-ti, having gone out into the woods one morning, as his manner was, to collect mast for his hogs, left his cottage in the care of his eldest son Bo-bo, a great lubberly boy, who being fond of playing with fire, as younkers of his age commonly are, let some sparks escape into a bundle of straw, which kindling quickly, spread the conflagration over every part of their poor mansion, till it was reduced to ashes. Together with the cottage (a sorry antediluvian makeshift of a building, you may think it), what was of much more importance, a fine litter of new-farrowed pigs, no less than nine in number, perished.

China pigs have been esteemed a luxury all over the East from the remotest periods that we read of. Bo-bo was in utmost consternation, as you may think, not so much for the sake of the tenement, which his father and he could easily build up again with a few dry branches, and the labour of an hour or two, at any time, as for the loss of the pigs. While he was thinking what he should say to his father, and wringing his hands over the smoking remnants of one of those untimely sufferers, an odour assailed his nostrils, unlike any scent which he had before experienced. What could it proceed from?--not from the burnt cottage--he had smelt that smell before--indeed this was by no means the first accident of the kind which had occurred through the negligence of this unlucky young fire-brand. Much less did it resemble that of any known herb, weed, or flower. A premonitory moistening at the same time overflowed his nether lip. He knew not what to think. He next stooped down to feel the pig, if there were any signs of life in it. He burnt his fingers, and to cool them he applied them in his booby fashion to his mouth. Some of the crumbs of the scorched skin had come away with his fingers, and for the first time in his life (in the world's life indeed, for before him no man had known it) he tasted--crackling! Again he felt and fumbled at the pig. It did not burn him so much now, still he licked his fingers from a sort of habit. The truth at length broke into his slow understanding, that it was the pig that smelt so, and the pig that tasted so delicious; and, surrendering himself up to the new-born pleasure, he fell to tearing up whole handfuls of the scorched skin with the flesh next it, and was cramming it down his throat in his beastly fashion, when his sire entered amid the smoking rafters, armed with retributory cudgel, and finding how affairs stood, began to rain blows upon the young rogue's shoulders, as thick as hailstones, which Bo-bo heeded not any more than if they had been flies. The tickling pleasure, which he experienced in his lower regions, had rendered him quite callous to any inconveniences he might feel in those remote quarters. His father might lay on, but he could not beat him from his pig, till he had fairly made an end of it, when, becoming a little more sensible of his situation, something like the following dialogue ensued.

"You graceless whelp, what have you got there devouring? Is it not enough that you have burnt me down three houses with your dog's tricks, and be hanged to you, but you must be eating fire, and I know not what--what have you got there, I say?"

"O, father, the pig, the pig, do come and taste how nice the burnt pig eats."

The ears of Ho-ti tingled with horror. He cursed his son, and he cursed himself that ever he should beget a son that should eat burnt pig.

Bo-bo, whose scent was wonderfully sharpened since morning, soon raked out another pig, and fairly rending it asunder, thrust the lesser half by main force into the fists of Ho-ti, still shouting out "Eat, eat, eat the burnt pig, father, only taste--O Lord,"--with such-like barbarous ejaculations, cramming all the while as if he would choke.

Ho-ti trembled in every joint while he grasped the abominable thing, wavering whether he should not put his son to death for an unnatural young monster, when the crackling scorching his fingers, as it had done his son's, and applying the same remedy to them, he in his turn tasted some of its flavour, which, make what sour mouths he would for a pretence, proved not altogether displeasing to him. In conclusion (for the manuscript here is a little tedious) both father and son fairly sat down to the mess, and never left off till they had dispatched all that remained of the litter.

Bo-bo was strictly enjoined not to let the secret escape, for the neighbours would certainly have stoned them for a couple of abominable wretches, who could think of improving upon the good meat which God had sent them. Nevertheless, strange stories got about. It was observed that Ho-ti's cottage was burnt down now more frequently than ever. Nothing but fires from this time forward. Some would break out in broad day, other in the nighttime. As often as the sow farrowed, so sure was the house of Ho-ti to be in a blaze; and Ho-ti himself, which was the more remarkable, instead of chastising his son, seemed to grow more indulgent to him than ever. At length they were watched, the terrible mystery discovered, and father and son summoned to take their trial at Peking, than an inconsiderable assize town. Evidence was given, the obnoxious food itself produced in court, and verdict about to be pronounced, when the foreman of the jury begged that some of the burnt pig, of which culprits stood accused, might be handed into the box. He handled it, and they all handled it, and burning their fingers, as Bo-bo and his father had done before them, and nature prompting to each of them the same remedy, against the face of all the facts, and the clearest charge which judge had ever given,--to the surprise of the whole court, townsfolk, strangers, reporters, and all present--without leaving the box, or any manner of consultation whatever, they brought in a simultaneous verdict of Not Guilty.

The judge, who was a shrewd fellow, winked at the manifest iniquity of the decision; and, when the court was dismissed, went privily, and bought up all the pigs that could be had for love or money. In a few days his Lordships' town house was observed to be on fire. The thing took wing, and now there was nothing to be seen but fires in every direction. Fuel and pigs grew enormously dear all over the district. The insurance offices one and all shut up shop. People built slighter and slighter every day, until it was feared that the very science of architecture would in no long time be lost to the world. Thus this custom of firing houses continued, till in process of time, says my manuscript, a sage arose, like our Locke, who made a discovery, that the flesh of swine, or indeed of any other animal, might be cooked (burnt, as they called it) without the necessity of consuming a whole house to dress it. Then first began the rude form of a gridiron. Roasting by the string, or spit, came in a century or two later, I forget in whose dynasty. By such slow degrees, concludes the manuscript, do the most useful, and seemingly the most obvious arts, make their way among mankind.

Mark the Boat for a Dropped Sword

Long, long ago, in Chunqu Dynasty of ancient China, a man from Chu state dropped his beautiful well-set sword into the water because of the shake from the boat while he was in the middle of the river ."Oh, God." He cried in dear pity. "What can I do ?" On hearing that, the boatman replied calmly "It doesn't matter. I'm coming to dive for it." But the man from Chu hesitated for a while and said "We can't do that because the water is rapid and deep. But I have a marvelous idea." With these words, he took out his knife and made a mark on one side of the boat where his sword was dropped. "Well, everything is done! " When the boat stopped at the opposite bank, the man undressed himself immediately and dove into the water for his sword from the very place where he had made the mark. Of course, he got nothing. Finally he appeared in the water and murmured: "What's happening? why can't I find my sword from the water just under the mark? " Laughter burst from the passengers.

Well, let's end the story with the conclusion: Man should not stick stubbornly to his own opinion, instead he should make changes according to specific conditions. 

A Willing Victim Letting Himself be Caught

"Taigong Diaoyu, Yuanzhe Shanggou" is a famous Chinese idiom about a willing victim letting himself be caught. The idiom comes from the following story.

Jiang Ziya lived near the Weishui River about 3,000 years ago. The area was the feudal estate of Count Ji Chang. Jiang Ziya knew Ji Chang was very ambitious so he hoped to get Ji's attention.

He often went fishing at the Weishui River, but he would fish in an unusual way. He hung a straight fishhook, without bait, three feet above the water. He often said to himself, "Fish, if you don't want to live any more, come and swallow the hook yourself."

Soon his strange way of fishing was reported to Ji Chang. Ji sent a soldier to fetch him. Jiang saw the soldier coming, but ignored him. Jiang just went on with his fishing, and was saying to himself, "Fishing, fishing, no fish has been hooked. A shrimp is up to mischief." The soldier reported this back to Ji Chang, who became more interested in Jiang.

Ji sent an official to invite Jiang this time. But Jiang again ignored the invitation. He just carried on fishing, and was saying, "Fishing, fishing, the big fish has not been hooked. A small one is up to mischief."

Then Ji Chang realized Jiang may be a great talent so he went to invite Jiang himself and brought many generous gifts with him. Jiang saw his sincere desire so decided to work for him.

Jiang helped Ji Chang and his son turn over the Shang Dynasty and establish the Zhou Dynasty. Jiang was given the title of Taigong so people called him Jiang Taigong.

In this idiom, Diaoyu means "fishing," Yuanzhe means "a person willing to" and Shanggou means get hooked. Today, people use this old idiom to describe someone who willingly falls in a trap or does something regardless of the result. For example, if someone sells something at a price of 10 times its real value, and he does not care if it can be sold, his situation could be described with this idiom. 

The tiger of Chao-Cheng

At Chao-cheng there lived an old woman more than seventy years of age, who had an only son. One day he went up to the hills and was eaten by a tiger, at which his mother was so overwhelmed with grief that she hardly wished to live.

With tears and lamentations she ran and told her story to the magistrate of the place, who laughed and asked her how she thought the law could be brought to bear on a tiger. But the old woman would not be comforted, and at length the magistrate lost his temper and bade her begone. Of this, however, she took no notice; and then the magistrate, in compassion for her great age and unwilling to resort to extremities, promised her that he would have the tiger arrested. Even then she would not go until the warrant had been actually issued; so the magistrate, at a loss what to do, asked his attendants which of them would undertake the job. Upon this one of them, Li Neng, who happened to be gloriously drunk, stepped forward and said that he would; where- upon the warrant was immediately issued and the old woman went away.

When our friend, Li Neng, got sober, he was sorry for what he had done; but reflecting that the whole thing was a mere trick of his master's to get rid of the old woman's importunities, did not trouble himself much about it, handing in the warrant as if the arrest had been made. "Not so," cried the magistrate, "you said you could do this, and now I shall not let you off." Li Neng was at his wits' end, and begged that he might be allowed to impress the hunters of the district. This was conceded; so collecting together these men, he proceeded to spend day and night among the hills in the hope of catching a tiger, and thus making a show of having fulfilled his duty.

A month passed away, during which he received several hundred blows with the bamboo, and at length, in despair, he betook himself to the Cheng-huang temple in the eastern suburb, where, falling on his knees, he prayed and wept by turns. By-and-by a tiger walked in, and Li Neng, in a great fright, thought he was going to be eaten alive. But the tiger took no notice of anything, remaining seated in the doorway. Li Neng then addressed the animal as follows: "O tiger, if thou didst slay that old woman's son, suffer me to bind thee with this cord;" and, drawing a rope from his pocket, threw it over the animal's neck. The tiger drooped its ears, and, allowing itself to be bound, followed Li Neng to the magistrate's office. The latter than asked it, "Did you eat the old woman's son?" to which the tiger replied by nodding his head; whereupon the magistrate rejoined, "That murderers should suffer death has ever been the law. Besides, this old woman had but one son, and by killing him you took from her the sole support of her declining years. But if now you will be as a son to her, your crime shall be pardoned." The tiger again nodded assent, and accordingly the magistrate gave orders that he should be released, at which the old woman was highly incensed, thinking that the tiger ought to have paid with its life for the destruction of her son.

Next morning, however, when she opened the door of her cottage, there lay a dead deer before it; and the old woman, by selling the flesh and skin, was able to purchase food. From that day this became a common event, and sometimes the tiger would even bring her money and valuables, so that she became quite rich, and was much better cared for than she had been even by her own son. Consequently, she became very well-disposed to the tiger, which often came and slept in the verandah, remaining for a whole day at a time, and giving no cause of fear either to man or beast. In a few years the old woman died, upon which the tiger walked in and roared its lamentations in the hall. However, with all the money she had saved, she was able to have a splendid funeral; and while her relatives were standing round the grave, out rushed a tiger, and sent them all running away in fear. But the tiger merely went up to the mound, and, after roaring like a thunder-peal, disappeared again. Then the people of that place built a shrine in honor of the Faithful Tiger, and it remains there to this day. 

===END===