Aizuddin Danian's contention that principles are just something nice to look at, and that being 'practical' is the way to go, is indeed sad. Sounds like the kind of advice o­ne dishes out to the children of the lesser God.

It reminds me of a scene in a well-known gangster movie, where a Mafia chief after putting out a contract for a million dollars o­n the life of a police officer, informs the officer's son that since the father's killing is a foregone conclusion, the son might as well accept the contract of the million dollars to kill his own father. At least, his widowed mother will have a million dollars to take care of her growing family!

Practical? Well, that's how the mighty and crooked remain powerful, and the short-sighted remain groping in the dark for ever and ever. To some, principles seem so burdensome when there are cheap scraps of handouts floating around.

Sure it's a tough call, but o­ne's choices must always be consistent with o­ne's ideals in life. In the words of the wise; ideals are like the stars, we may never reach them but we will always be guided by them.

But then, again, that perspective would require too much thinking for some. Just take the money, Aizuddin!