Extracts from SKY news @ 11/09/08
UuA computer game that encourages its users to slaughter Muslims has been condemned by a leading Muslim youth organisation.
The condemned game, 'Muslim Massacre'
The Ramadhan Foundation expressed its "deep anger" at the release of the game 'Muslim Massacre' on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
It glorifies the killing of Muslims in the Middle East, added the Foundation.
The website incites users to download the game by falsely claiming the United States is at war with Islam.
"The United States of America has declared war on Islam! Take control of the American hero and wipe out the Muslim race with an arsenal of the world's most destructive weapons," it reads.
The game encourages its users to fire a variety of weapons at characters in traditional Islamic dress.
Mr Mohammed Shafiq, Chief Executive of the Foundation said: "Encouraging children and young people in a game to kill Muslims is unacceptable, tasteless and deeply offensive."
He added that video games encourage violence, especially among children. "When kids spend six hours a day on violent games they are more likely to go outside and commit violence."
In respone, the game's designer who calls himself 'Sigvatr', told Sky News:
"To Mr. Mohammed Shafiq I would like to say that if a kid spends six hours a day on violent games, I think that they aren't likely to go outside at all, so he should not be worried."
The 22-year-old, who says he was born "a military hospital to two loving military grunts", now lives in Australia.
His website says he works part time "as a service station attendant serving potato chips, cigarettes and soda to drunken bar hoppers and stoners at three in the morning."
The Ramadhan Foundation has urged internet service providers to take action against websites such as this that incite racial hatred, saying there can be no justification for these games.
"I hope the person who made this game thinks again," added their chief executive.
When I read this in the wee hours of today just before my Fajr prayers, I felt as if I was being stabbed with a dagger piercing through my heart. What is happening? We are supposed to be an exemplary Muslim country but why arent we responding to this? I am sad to see that the moment all we are besotted about is will Anwar Ibrahim make or break Sept 16? Here we are with all these political turmoils going off in our country, it is all mundane compared to this. THIS to me is the real issue we should all be dealing with. THIS is the real threat to our being, our children and most all of most importantly our religion. Please leaders, we have an imminent threat to the freedom of our souls that was promised in Islam by our Rasulullah s.a.w (pbuh) . Please do something.
Ya Allah, I pray to You to protect Islam from destruction. Amin, Amin Ya Rabbal alamin.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Friday, September 5, 2008
Logged on to my facebook account today and what did I find?
All my lovely friends and family ( last piece of puzzle is adding Syirin)- here in Malaysia and there in the UK all in one place - all within reach. Aree,Jo,Chloe,Tun,Geneen, Fairin, even Gary Wood!
I am content.
All my lovely friends and family ( last piece of puzzle is adding Syirin)- here in Malaysia and there in the UK all in one place - all within reach. Aree,Jo,Chloe,Tun,Geneen, Fairin, even Gary Wood!
I am content.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
The I-am-not-making-any-headway kind of day which turned out to be good in the end
Quick jot to just get off my chest. Frustrated .I really felt that yesterday And all because of tiny minute little living things in this world called bacteria. I know I am not supposed to overreact but there you go for I did. I have been for the umpteenth time trying to get my research project off the ground and for the umpteenth time have been faced with challenges. For one, the RM10 grand that is parked for me in IPB for me to use has hit some snags in the form of red-tape. Then my seed-fund project of another measly RM10 grand is also somewhere between the sea and the sky, likewise with my FRGS of RM130 grand (small money, small research only la). I have two MSc students constantly wanting to know when they can start their projects. Finally after so,so,so much patience the initial 10 grand is released.Hurray.
Then the unthinkable happened.
The bacterial strains that I have been asking from Korea for weeks on end: Got an e-mail from Prof Hae-Yong Kim that oh sorry Zarina, we have loads of it here but we are prohibited from sending them across to you. Bummer. The same not two minutes after with Prof.Williams from Nottingham who was symphatetic but could not help either. I think this has got to do with post 9-11.They are scared we were going to make terrorist weapons from these little tiny things.
Fair enough- it is after all a Class 2 pathogen.
So I decided to contact ATCC and HPA in UK to see if they can help. Initially it looked hopeful as they requested for an institution profile to verify my intentions as legitimate for research purposes only. I quickly prepared one..and then..oopss..sorry, we cannot send it to you because...?? no reasons given. I think its probably of laboratory facilities and access policies they are a bit sceptical about.
I could have torn all of my hair out yeterday out of frustration as I took SUCH a long time to prepare the profile. Then I decided to go for a bit of God-searching to try and calm myself down.Truthfully my life these past three weeks is entirely dominated by anxiety due to these darned bugs. And then somehow or rather after the calm, En.Aziz'z face came into my mind. En Aziz is SJMC's Senior MLT and an expert in microbiology.We have been friends since I was in ITM. I rang him up to ask whether it would be possible for him to maintain such a strain in his collection. It really was my last shot and was already expecting him to say..sorrylah Zarina,tak adalah...
But what did I hear?? "Oh..yang purple tu ke? Saya rasa adalah, saya check dulu nanti call saya next week?"
If not for the fact that he was not in front of me I would have hugged him ...regardless of the fact he is alim..hhm..now that I mention it, I might probably never see my bacterial strain if I did that..so good job he wasn't.
Thank God for little things. The thing I want to say is sometimes we are so awed by the strains other depositors have in their respective countries we miss our very own collections right here in ours.
No Post 9-11 problems, no money required. ATCC charges 300USD per ampoule of bacterial strain.En Aziz: Free. But of course when I eventually take it from him I will belanja him makanlah kat someplace nice in Subang, then debit it from my grant. Yes!
Like last week, this week is NOW good. And did I tell you why last week was good? Because my life is surrounded by the people and the things I love and without the people that I don't.
Have managed to do most things this week esp with my Science Fund application. The only thing I need to do is ring Aree as I really owe him a phone call. Aree when you read this know you r on my mind and I WILL ring you okay then we chat ?
Another good week . Syukur alhamdulillah for that.
Then the unthinkable happened.
The bacterial strains that I have been asking from Korea for weeks on end: Got an e-mail from Prof Hae-Yong Kim that oh sorry Zarina, we have loads of it here but we are prohibited from sending them across to you. Bummer. The same not two minutes after with Prof.Williams from Nottingham who was symphatetic but could not help either. I think this has got to do with post 9-11.They are scared we were going to make terrorist weapons from these little tiny things.
Fair enough- it is after all a Class 2 pathogen.
So I decided to contact ATCC and HPA in UK to see if they can help. Initially it looked hopeful as they requested for an institution profile to verify my intentions as legitimate for research purposes only. I quickly prepared one..and then..oopss..sorry, we cannot send it to you because...?? no reasons given. I think its probably of laboratory facilities and access policies they are a bit sceptical about.
I could have torn all of my hair out yeterday out of frustration as I took SUCH a long time to prepare the profile. Then I decided to go for a bit of God-searching to try and calm myself down.Truthfully my life these past three weeks is entirely dominated by anxiety due to these darned bugs. And then somehow or rather after the calm, En.Aziz'z face came into my mind. En Aziz is SJMC's Senior MLT and an expert in microbiology.We have been friends since I was in ITM. I rang him up to ask whether it would be possible for him to maintain such a strain in his collection. It really was my last shot and was already expecting him to say..sorrylah Zarina,tak adalah...
But what did I hear?? "Oh..yang purple tu ke? Saya rasa adalah, saya check dulu nanti call saya next week?"
If not for the fact that he was not in front of me I would have hugged him ...regardless of the fact he is alim..hhm..now that I mention it, I might probably never see my bacterial strain if I did that..so good job he wasn't.
Thank God for little things. The thing I want to say is sometimes we are so awed by the strains other depositors have in their respective countries we miss our very own collections right here in ours.
No Post 9-11 problems, no money required. ATCC charges 300USD per ampoule of bacterial strain.En Aziz: Free. But of course when I eventually take it from him I will belanja him makanlah kat someplace nice in Subang, then debit it from my grant. Yes!
Like last week, this week is NOW good. And did I tell you why last week was good? Because my life is surrounded by the people and the things I love and without the people that I don't.
Have managed to do most things this week esp with my Science Fund application. The only thing I need to do is ring Aree as I really owe him a phone call. Aree when you read this know you r on my mind and I WILL ring you okay then we chat ?
Another good week . Syukur alhamdulillah for that.
Monday, August 25, 2008
What an event!!
Last Thursday 21/08/08 Jun my PPT @ IPB rang me at the office to tell me not to forget to pick up the robe for the UMS' 10th Convocation . I have been invited to attend the 'first sidang' on Saturday 23rd August at 8 am.
When Saturday came, my colleagues and I had such a good time chatting about things ( of course when it is us, our so-called good chats were about the Geneva Innovation competition,IENA, and other boring stuff like that). It was quite a sight to see,us fully clothed in our academic robes making jokes and having fun like schoolchildren!
Now, I have always had it in the back of my mind that we were going to sit somewhere in the front rows just slightly behind the parents.When we were eventually called for the academic procession we all lined up and started walking down the dewan. There were about 50 - 70 of us as we kept on walking down towards the stage and that was when I decided to ask AP Dr Mike the clever question - when are we going to take our seats here ? (referring of course to the very front seats between the stage which was already the very front'est'. Then he casually said..no we are sitting on the stage.Huh?And that was my knees started wobbling.
It was really a nervewrecking experience.Throughout the time I was climbing up the stage witnessed by the whole Dewan I was hoping I was not going to stumble over my robe which was very long.All the same it was a wonderful celebration as we celebrated the success of the students.This was really my first experience attending the convocation.At one point I even asked myself..how did I get here?
The week was good.
When Saturday came, my colleagues and I had such a good time chatting about things ( of course when it is us, our so-called good chats were about the Geneva Innovation competition,IENA, and other boring stuff like that). It was quite a sight to see,us fully clothed in our academic robes making jokes and having fun like schoolchildren!
Now, I have always had it in the back of my mind that we were going to sit somewhere in the front rows just slightly behind the parents.When we were eventually called for the academic procession we all lined up and started walking down the dewan. There were about 50 - 70 of us as we kept on walking down towards the stage and that was when I decided to ask AP Dr Mike the clever question - when are we going to take our seats here ? (referring of course to the very front seats between the stage which was already the very front'est'. Then he casually said..no we are sitting on the stage.Huh?And that was my knees started wobbling.
It was really a nervewrecking experience.Throughout the time I was climbing up the stage witnessed by the whole Dewan I was hoping I was not going to stumble over my robe which was very long.All the same it was a wonderful celebration as we celebrated the success of the students.This was really my first experience attending the convocation.At one point I even asked myself..how did I get here?
The week was good.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Catching up..
We had a grand couple of weeks.For one, Syirin,Tun,Li'l Miss Sunshine, Amon, Rai and Faizal came but the anticlimax was I came down with a darned sore throat. I really wished I could keep them all with me as I was really sad when we eventually sent them to the airport. We had some good times with Rai and Faizal going up Mount Kinabalu and me with the few days off that I had taken took them all to Pulau Sapi for mandi mandi. I just felt bad I could not spend more time with them as I was mainly feeling rubbish all the time.
As for the Anuar Zain concert, I just have one word for it : Brilliant. He is the reason why even after three weeks my throat was still sore and on the brink of septic tonsillitis. Oh yes, the screams of 'I love you Anuar' s did not go unnoticed as he acknowledge my and Amon's presence and said hi to the both of us.
Needless to say, my dearest Prof Ann ( I love her to bits for that!!) took us backstage to meet him amongst the Senate members of the uni, her hubby the VC and her daughter Karina who like us is also besotted with Anuar Zain.
The week after we went back to KL for Ija's wedding. It was a nice one, Ija looked lovely in her wedding dress...and I must say...both she and Izham looked really good with each other and I wish them every happiness.
All the same, the housework was a nightmare. There were so much to do but so few people to do it with. I wondered where all of Endy's cousins disappeared to apart from sittting in front looking pretty. Luckily we had some lovely aunties in the form of Angah,Mak Usu and even Utih who came to help where they can whilst Awa was busy with the arrangements of the hantarans and stuff and some cousins like Aree,Farah, Iwan etc who helped too. There was so much work post wedding to be had between me and Kak Ina that I swore I felt I was in Segamat during the heyday kenduri days with Aruah Mak looking over our shoulders while we were washing 20 kgs of rice , 30 ekor of chicken and copper pots of 50l for people to cook.
All the same we got the job done eventually - kudos to Kak Ina who had relentlessly helped as soon as she arrived at the front door from London. I do have great in laws, I hope Izham is going to be great too.
But the real fun was with Aree my dearest cousin, I tell you he is a laugh a minute and I love him by the hour. Even my own family love him to bits - Amon included.That was really the bonus for my coming home, and seeing Tun, Syirin and Little Miss Sunshine again. Syirin bought me 2 tudungs from this shop at Tmn Tun that makes tudung for the Permaisuri Agung. When I tried it on it fitted perfectly o I decided to try and find time to buy a few more as she said it wasn't too dear. But oh dear, when I got there it was at least 50-120 bucks apiece! Thats when I realized - SYIRIN said it wasn't expensive...( her watch alone on her hand is 5 grand) All the same I so love her for her thoughts and wishes everyone will have friends like I do her. I guess I will be stuck with just those two tudungs for a while until I can find 1000 bucks to buy ten more of different colours (yea right!)
Mum , Bobo, and sisters were also there and it was great seeing everyone.They will be in KL for a while and I think she is happy to be back in Semenanjung for a bit.
Fast forward to the present. Yesterday we met up with an old friend from our uITM days who is in KK Shang Tanjung Aru for a regional sumthing with dealers. This guy was really a dear friend of ours whom I have always secretly wished would be the one to marry makcik instead of the lousy doctor. It was great to see him again, like all our friends in DIC ITM he is also doing very well as a director in LG. I am proud to say that all my Malay friends in ITM that I met so far have all become somebody and that we all heeded ITM' mission and that i to memartabatkan Melayu.Tinia is a Phd Cambridge graduate, Endy likewise Sheffield, Yusof an LG customer service director, Shahrul an engineer in Oman - syukur alhamdulillah. Glad to know Malays are going somewhere; my generation; my friends.
As for the Anuar Zain concert, I just have one word for it : Brilliant. He is the reason why even after three weeks my throat was still sore and on the brink of septic tonsillitis. Oh yes, the screams of 'I love you Anuar' s did not go unnoticed as he acknowledge my and Amon's presence and said hi to the both of us.
Needless to say, my dearest Prof Ann ( I love her to bits for that!!) took us backstage to meet him amongst the Senate members of the uni, her hubby the VC and her daughter Karina who like us is also besotted with Anuar Zain.
The week after we went back to KL for Ija's wedding. It was a nice one, Ija looked lovely in her wedding dress...and I must say...both she and Izham looked really good with each other and I wish them every happiness.
All the same, the housework was a nightmare. There were so much to do but so few people to do it with. I wondered where all of Endy's cousins disappeared to apart from sittting in front looking pretty. Luckily we had some lovely aunties in the form of Angah,Mak Usu and even Utih who came to help where they can whilst Awa was busy with the arrangements of the hantarans and stuff and some cousins like Aree,Farah, Iwan etc who helped too. There was so much work post wedding to be had between me and Kak Ina that I swore I felt I was in Segamat during the heyday kenduri days with Aruah Mak looking over our shoulders while we were washing 20 kgs of rice , 30 ekor of chicken and copper pots of 50l for people to cook.
All the same we got the job done eventually - kudos to Kak Ina who had relentlessly helped as soon as she arrived at the front door from London. I do have great in laws, I hope Izham is going to be great too.
But the real fun was with Aree my dearest cousin, I tell you he is a laugh a minute and I love him by the hour. Even my own family love him to bits - Amon included.That was really the bonus for my coming home, and seeing Tun, Syirin and Little Miss Sunshine again. Syirin bought me 2 tudungs from this shop at Tmn Tun that makes tudung for the Permaisuri Agung. When I tried it on it fitted perfectly o I decided to try and find time to buy a few more as she said it wasn't too dear. But oh dear, when I got there it was at least 50-120 bucks apiece! Thats when I realized - SYIRIN said it wasn't expensive...( her watch alone on her hand is 5 grand) All the same I so love her for her thoughts and wishes everyone will have friends like I do her. I guess I will be stuck with just those two tudungs for a while until I can find 1000 bucks to buy ten more of different colours (yea right!)
Mum , Bobo, and sisters were also there and it was great seeing everyone.They will be in KL for a while and I think she is happy to be back in Semenanjung for a bit.
Fast forward to the present. Yesterday we met up with an old friend from our uITM days who is in KK Shang Tanjung Aru for a regional sumthing with dealers. This guy was really a dear friend of ours whom I have always secretly wished would be the one to marry makcik instead of the lousy doctor. It was great to see him again, like all our friends in DIC ITM he is also doing very well as a director in LG. I am proud to say that all my Malay friends in ITM that I met so far have all become somebody and that we all heeded ITM' mission and that i to memartabatkan Melayu.Tinia is a Phd Cambridge graduate, Endy likewise Sheffield, Yusof an LG customer service director, Shahrul an engineer in Oman - syukur alhamdulillah. Glad to know Malays are going somewhere; my generation; my friends.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Champagne Supernova
Yup, that's exactly how am feeling at the moment; like a star about to burst full of champagne (Kristal haa!). Today is Fri 25th August 2008, my sis that I miss so godamn much is coming back to KK for a visit and will be arriving this afternoon. Then my dearest friends in the whole wide world Tun Ladoni and Syaifa Syirin and their little one Tun Aylin Zaira are also arriving tomorrow afternoon. Like a cherry on top, she rang me yesterday to inform me that her brother Syaiful Fizrai ( that boy is the world!!) and her other brother Syaiful Faizal are also coming with them. OMG, I could just die with happiness!!! Not to mention the Anuar Zain concert that me and Amon are going to tomorrow (FRONT SEATS!!) at the Dewan Canselor.
I have truthfully not felt this 'immense happiness' in a long time.Then it made me realise that actually what makes you happy is not money, stuff but rather around people whom you love and loves you; the chance to be able to spend some time together and do some crazy stuff together.
These friends and my dearest sisters (like I so keep harping in this blog) are the finest this world can find. I have had my share of so-called 'friends' and 'family' whose sole purpose in their lives is just to use you or bleed you dry ;in a way I am glad its happened as it has taught me to choose my friends more carefully.
Oh well no time for animosity now that my sources of happiness by tomorrow will all be in one place in the form of Amon, Tun,Syirin,Rai, my family and kids. Except for my other 3 sisters (4 actually - Ab, Liz, Ain and Yong) in which then champagne supernova will most definitely happen.
Good job,Good life,Good friends, Good family - what more can I ask for?
I have truthfully not felt this 'immense happiness' in a long time.Then it made me realise that actually what makes you happy is not money, stuff but rather around people whom you love and loves you; the chance to be able to spend some time together and do some crazy stuff together.
These friends and my dearest sisters (like I so keep harping in this blog) are the finest this world can find. I have had my share of so-called 'friends' and 'family' whose sole purpose in their lives is just to use you or bleed you dry ;in a way I am glad its happened as it has taught me to choose my friends more carefully.
Oh well no time for animosity now that my sources of happiness by tomorrow will all be in one place in the form of Amon, Tun,Syirin,Rai, my family and kids. Except for my other 3 sisters (4 actually - Ab, Liz, Ain and Yong) in which then champagne supernova will most definitely happen.
Good job,Good life,Good friends, Good family - what more can I ask for?
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Anuar oh Anwar
I had a really good lunch with my colleagues today, courtesy of AP Dr Mike and AP Dr Vijay due to their recent promotions. The menu was 'nasi beriyani gam' cooked by my dearest mum, plus a myriad of other food including fruits and satay. The mangoes Shanty brought from her house was divine and so was the fruit salad that Azian made.
We also had a good chat,Prof Ann,Dr Mike,Dr Vijay,Zaidi and I. Among other things discussed were Anuar Zain's concert in that Prof Ann's daughter who's just come back from Germany has asked her to go together with the 'dulang hantaran meminang' as apparently she is so nuts about him but he met her once and said to her personally, come see me when you are older. Then Shanty broke the secret about me singing with Anuar Zain on Astro ( and I went- come on!malu!!) so everyone had a laugh.
Later we talked about Anwar Ibrahim and the debate last night. I missed it and could have kicked myself for having forgotten, but what to do when you have kids and their tae-kwondo lessons. All the same,no regrets they said on the debate as the Info Minister was rubbish and foaming at the mouth it was so sad to watch (True ka?) Dr.Vijay said the DSAI won the debate hands down.
Anyway, we then talked about how we don't want him as Prime Miniter and all that, and how the Malays should stop taking handouts from Govt and start thinking like our Non-Malay compariots. Quote " How long should the Malays stay on crutches?" Unquote - Exact words of Dr.Vijay. And he cannot be anymore right.
After the hearty meal, I went upstairs to my office.Before continuing with my lectures on " Genetic Engineering (YUCKS!!SUCKS!!) I browsed through the internet a bit to read Utusan Online. That was when I read the bit on Anwar being arrested again by the same modus operandi they used 10 years ago, commandos wth masks and the works.
Oh dear.
I am not sure if it was the food, but then I could not help but feel a pang of sympathy for him as well as for his family.
The Government by this recent action has loudly proclaimed to us all that not only it is flip-flop,it is also unimaginative . This commando crap with masks this time will bear no effect and is a total waste of time in trying to instill the seriousness of the situation as it has "STALE" pasted all over it.
Why la Government you do this kind of things???WHY???Cannot do something a bit more exciting like Incredible Hulk kaa??
And then the Ketua Kelong Pendatang Haram a.k.a Katherine Jackson has demanded Anwar give his DNA samples asap. What rubbish. If there are any DSAI supporters out there, I suggest you tell DSAI to masturbate in front of KJ and give him the samples personally while it is still fresh. Then he has no reason to complain of the validity of his samples. Or that it has been changed as he was right there to receive it.( Sorry younger readers reading this!)
And my dearest PM , if you so criticise the actions of our former PM, why did you replicate his very actions? I believed you have more intelligence than that,epecially after your marriage to this so-called first lady whose names we have to pronounce in French for it to be right.
I am sorely disappointed by this most recent arrest. Although I do not like DSAI, I do not expect for him to be subjected to again a few tumultous years of not being with his family.That is a need. It is also a basic right. Like what Prof Ann said just now and I quote : Why does have to spend years behind bars for something that all the ministers do anyway?Unquote
In order to develop the people in our country fear should not be used as an instrument. The people of Malaysia are not stupid. To me the right thing to do is let him stand for election if he wants and then we the rakyat shall choose . Do not deprive him of what he seeks to do; in so far I have not seen him do anything unlawful. I do not like him yes, but that does not mean we have to be unjust.
Tonight I will pray to Allah to let DSAI be released and for him to go about his own business for the sake of our country. Although I do not support him, the sad fact is we the rakyat need people like him to open the eyes of our ministers who do not care to see. Enough to open, but definitely not win.These are interesting times in our nation and so it must be observed and dealt with properly and justly for the sake of our future generations.That' s my two cents on this matter.
OMG, it MUST be the food.Or have I gone soft?
Naw, I am just saying what I think is right.
All the same,I think the PM at some point should be Mukhriz.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Melancholy all of a sudden.....
To try and take my mind off work, I have got my IPod on me at the moment to try to listen to some music . Instead of making me less stressed out, I start thinking about all the times I was in Sheffield with Ija, Amon, Abalong and Co and then it made me feel a bit sad all of a sudden. A lot of things have changed, and it was not helped by the fact that I was just off the phone with Amon just now and to hear how much her tone of voice has changed since she went to work in KL.So different from her usual, calm self.
I guess it is true that living here in Malaysia does make you change a little bit from the calmer person you were once before; perpetually stressed out in rushing to meet deadlines,do this,do that, etc. I am not saying home isn't great, its brilliant.But sometimes,just sometimes, it can make you feel you have too much on your plate.
I miss my old self- my home at Ecclesfield, and more importantly my life there. It was unhurried and so much calmer. Maybe it was the weather that was never warm so people were rarely hot and bothered to the point they always looked stressed out.
I guess I am still lucky I am in KK where people here are still placcid compared to us Semenanjung lot whose always quick to lose our temper (yours truly included).
All the same, I still miss my house, the snowman I left behind and McArthur Glen.
And McFly..
Oh deary me....Its a good job Amon and Shirin/Tun/Zaira are coming here in 3 weeks.
Its times like this sometimes I will say I can't wait to go to Sydney ASAP , away from Malaysia ; then change my mind in a few ticks and say oh what the fish...home is BEST!!!
My hypocrisy only goes so far...
I guess it is true that living here in Malaysia does make you change a little bit from the calmer person you were once before; perpetually stressed out in rushing to meet deadlines,do this,do that, etc. I am not saying home isn't great, its brilliant.But sometimes,just sometimes, it can make you feel you have too much on your plate.
I miss my old self- my home at Ecclesfield, and more importantly my life there. It was unhurried and so much calmer. Maybe it was the weather that was never warm so people were rarely hot and bothered to the point they always looked stressed out.
I guess I am still lucky I am in KK where people here are still placcid compared to us Semenanjung lot whose always quick to lose our temper (yours truly included).
All the same, I still miss my house, the snowman I left behind and McArthur Glen.
And McFly..
Oh deary me....Its a good job Amon and Shirin/Tun/Zaira are coming here in 3 weeks.
Its times like this sometimes I will say I can't wait to go to Sydney ASAP , away from Malaysia ; then change my mind in a few ticks and say oh what the fish...home is BEST!!!
My hypocrisy only goes so far...
SHINE
It has been five days since I last wrote anything in here.It was not for the lack of trying (seriously) but oh haven't we all been busy. Last week saw UMS welcoming the arrival of the new UMS students, all looking scared and homesick it made me think of the times I entered ITM Shah Alam. That was simply the best times of my life actually, with friends like Shahrul, Hisham,Tinia the way we knew them all back then. And it was also there that I met the love of my life, Andy whom I am now happily married to with two lovely kids ( lovely but notorious nonetheless -what to say)
Coming back to the present, we all congregated at the Dewan Canselor to listen to VC's opening address. The students were all dressed up in blue batik while some of my friends were robed in the academic robe for the Senate Procession. Then after the address we all had a cooffee break prior to proeeding to another congregation to welcome the students at our school level .
This time we were all called to sit on the stage and it was an experience for me, as I vividly recalled my graduation ceremony in Liverpool 'Batman' where I was awed by all the lecturers waiting on stage. There was this sense of deja-vu for me when I realised it is now me on the stage, and felt a rush inside.
I hope I will teach the students as well as my lecturers have taught me.
This week I have been trying to get my lecture notes together and even got the opportunity to meet my MSc student for the first time. She seems keen on the research project I have asked her to do. Good. Then went to see Prof Ann and she has asked me to not dally with the 10,000 ringgit seed money application as she is keen for me to publish three papers this year.
THREE papers.....no big deal, right? To even try to do in the middle of my teahing workload and research and student supervision ( I have two this year ,another one's a lazy bum!!) I'd probably need to die a few times over for that to happen , but hey, when you work at the uni, even while you are sleeping you are most likely to do a spot of sleep 'research writing', and find that you were actually still stuck at your study table and not your bed and that you were not actually sleeping at all.
How's that for encouragement?
I have no energy even to blabber about the darned Anwar and Najib case today.
Maybe I will blabber tomorrow.
Coming back to the present, we all congregated at the Dewan Canselor to listen to VC's opening address. The students were all dressed up in blue batik while some of my friends were robed in the academic robe for the Senate Procession. Then after the address we all had a cooffee break prior to proeeding to another congregation to welcome the students at our school level .
This time we were all called to sit on the stage and it was an experience for me, as I vividly recalled my graduation ceremony in Liverpool 'Batman' where I was awed by all the lecturers waiting on stage. There was this sense of deja-vu for me when I realised it is now me on the stage, and felt a rush inside.
I hope I will teach the students as well as my lecturers have taught me.
This week I have been trying to get my lecture notes together and even got the opportunity to meet my MSc student for the first time. She seems keen on the research project I have asked her to do. Good. Then went to see Prof Ann and she has asked me to not dally with the 10,000 ringgit seed money application as she is keen for me to publish three papers this year.
THREE papers.....no big deal, right? To even try to do in the middle of my teahing workload and research and student supervision ( I have two this year ,another one's a lazy bum!!) I'd probably need to die a few times over for that to happen , but hey, when you work at the uni, even while you are sleeping you are most likely to do a spot of sleep 'research writing', and find that you were actually still stuck at your study table and not your bed and that you were not actually sleeping at all.
How's that for encouragement?
I have no energy even to blabber about the darned Anwar and Najib case today.
Maybe I will blabber tomorrow.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
'ODE' TO DSAI
I DON'T LOVE YOU-MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE
Well, when you go
Don't ever think I'll make you try to stay
And maybe when you get back
I'll be off to find another way
And after all this time that you still owe
You're still the good-for-nothing I don't know
So take your gloves and get out
Better get out
While you can
When you go
Would you even turn to say
I don't love you Like I did Yesterday
Sometimes I cry so hard from pleading
So sick and tired of all the needless beating
But baby when they knock you
Down and out
It's where you oughta stay
And after all the blood that you still owe
Another dollar's just another blow
So fix your eyes and get up
Better get up
While you can
Whoa, whooa
When you go
Would you even turn to say
I don't love youLike I didYesterday
Well come on, come on
When you go
Would you have the guts to say
I don't love you
Like I loved you Yesterday
I don't love you
Like I loved you Yesterday
I don't love youLike I loved you Yesterday
Well, when you go
Don't ever think I'll make you try to stay
And maybe when you get back
I'll be off to find another way
And after all this time that you still owe
You're still the good-for-nothing I don't know
So take your gloves and get out
Better get out
While you can
When you go
Would you even turn to say
I don't love you Like I did Yesterday
Sometimes I cry so hard from pleading
So sick and tired of all the needless beating
But baby when they knock you
Down and out
It's where you oughta stay
And after all the blood that you still owe
Another dollar's just another blow
So fix your eyes and get up
Better get up
While you can
Whoa, whooa
When you go
Would you even turn to say
I don't love youLike I didYesterday
Well come on, come on
When you go
Would you have the guts to say
I don't love you
Like I loved you Yesterday
I don't love you
Like I loved you Yesterday
I don't love youLike I loved you Yesterday
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Brain drained and its not 9 am yet!!!
Its a good thing we subscribe to the Borneo Post. Every morning without fail at 6 am the newspaper will be at our doorstep; fresh and crisp ready for me to open and take in all of todays 'wonderful news'. Living in Sabah although lovely has one definite disadvantage: No STAR or other national papers until after 12pm. I guess I just have to be satisfied with the Borneo Post.
So thats my daily routine, after my Fajr prayers at 5. 45 am (have to be quick coz syuruq here is at 6am beat that!!) I will go downstairs to unlock the gates and door for my helper to come and then get the paper. I was especially excited to read todays' as I couldn't read yesterdays' due to it absoulutely chucking it down with rain yesterday morning and me finding the newspapers soaked to the core I just had to throw it away.
So when I removed the rubber band off the paper what did I see staring back at me on the first page? Nothing else but all this story on DSAI and his second sodomic act. The entire first page was dominated by that with a little corner at the bottom on Datin Rosmah's statement as seen in the news yesterday.
Now guys, I do want to see DSAI put away for again another long time, and I also want to know about the late Ms Sharibuu's case. Nevertheless, I think the media is putting too much spin on other things . Perhaps to steer our concerns away from whats really nagging us : the petrol hike? Only on PAGE 5, beat that, PAGE 5 did I actually see something on the public saying they might consider getting the motorbike as their primary transport to aleviate their fuel-affordability problems.
Spin is a strange thing. In Malaysia it is part and parcel on the mainstream media . When I was living in the UK some years back, a officer at the Daily Mirror and someone at No 10 Downing Street got investigated for an 'alleged'spin story on the Government to digress the people for the cumbersome political issues that were clouding the country then. It resulted in the sacking of both these people when all they were trying to do was save poor Tony Blair's ass.
DSAI although I do not like him has only just voiced his concerns to the US who in turn has issued a statement to the Government.NEVERTHELESS, the media purported it this morning ( at least in the Borneo Post) as a WARNING.
Now I think that's spin.Because nowhere did it mention Tony Casey saying 'we will take military action' or a statement resembling that.
DSAI being DSAI actually is a bloody chicken who likes to throw stones and hide his hands behind -oh no- not his back- but USA's . But as far as me and many others are concerned, having DSAI on the front page isn't going to reduce our petrol prices. He is just another has been who has lost his fangs long,long ago to far far away land of Shrek and Snow White .But thats another story altogether.
The media should be responsible in giving us news thats really important, not someone like Rosmah or DSAI who is TOTALLY irrelevant,at least to me.It is sad to note that in this day and age the big guns that sit on the press board and companies still think that the Malaysians around are still as stupid as before and cannot see what they are up to.They in reporting that many malaysian students that have graduated, be it from local unis and colleges or abroad have completely forgotten to realize that we are thevery same people that make up the pulse of the country. And so we are not STUPID.
The media needs to gain back the credibility that has been lost in journalism that we now see as ass -wiping and politics so that their paper can stay alive. At least I still bother to read the papers, my other half has no time for it, and I think its because where facts are concerned,he thinks his students theses are more reliable.
I thought of the good old days in the UK where we would buy at least 2 newspapers daily, The Mirror for Andy and Amon and the Times for me. It was a daily refreshing exercise of comparing what each paper had to say about a particular issue, very much unlike our country's papers that if you read one you have read them all, even Borneo Post with a circulation of very little compared to our other national dailies.
What is happening to journalism in Malaysia?You know I am curious to know whatever happened to the ever-so-proud (back then we say aksyen-la) uITM Shah Alam mass communications students (back in those days I was student there) that was proud of what they did they saw themselves as the purporter of truth , the best there was, the creme-de-la-creme?
I see one of them once in a while on TV3, on MHI.Looks like his, and other tails, have been clipped. Poor them.
Journalism in Malaysia needs a revival; its dying a slow death. The spin has to stop and the focus has to be on what is really important by asking the right questions.Politicians, if you want our country to develop you must let the journalists ask the right questions.Then you can answer whichever way you want and we will decide for ourselves, who is right and who is the nincompoop.
All this story on DSAI and Rosmah makes stories on the petrol hike go quiet.Perhaps I will wear the white ribbon on me tomorrow.
Then after all that news, I went to shower have my breakfast and all ready for work. The moment I got into my office the first three things I would do without fail everyday is log on to my uniwebmail,read TDM's blog then read Anti*****'s blog. Dispatched comments to the last two but became very boggled at the uni mail to all@ums.edu.my.
Apparently, my opinion on premature promotion of APs and senior lecturers was shared by many,many people at the unversity and has been published uniwide to all staff.Ooohhh..this IS hot stuff. Many academicians are very unhappy at the recent appointment of allegedly undeserving staff when some who actually deserved it were not considered.I have never seen the unimail getting comments as bad as malaysheffield.
Some people are hot under the collar,I bet as this is definitely going to warrant a Senate meeting.
I think its time people put a stop in this unfavourable curry-favour amongst our academicians.And my hope is that our new VC Dato' K will do this. At the end of the day it will only benefit the students if the only deserving people get the promotions. Deadwood needs to be removed and not promoted.But whats happened unfortunately is vice versa.
Like I said, when I started writing it was hardly 9 am but I was already brain drained.So much issues to be mulled over and thought about. But I guess this is a 'cikgu's' job.To think.
Kalau tak macam mana budak budak nak pandai?
So thats my daily routine, after my Fajr prayers at 5. 45 am (have to be quick coz syuruq here is at 6am beat that!!) I will go downstairs to unlock the gates and door for my helper to come and then get the paper. I was especially excited to read todays' as I couldn't read yesterdays' due to it absoulutely chucking it down with rain yesterday morning and me finding the newspapers soaked to the core I just had to throw it away.
So when I removed the rubber band off the paper what did I see staring back at me on the first page? Nothing else but all this story on DSAI and his second sodomic act. The entire first page was dominated by that with a little corner at the bottom on Datin Rosmah's statement as seen in the news yesterday.
Now guys, I do want to see DSAI put away for again another long time, and I also want to know about the late Ms Sharibuu's case. Nevertheless, I think the media is putting too much spin on other things . Perhaps to steer our concerns away from whats really nagging us : the petrol hike? Only on PAGE 5, beat that, PAGE 5 did I actually see something on the public saying they might consider getting the motorbike as their primary transport to aleviate their fuel-affordability problems.
Spin is a strange thing. In Malaysia it is part and parcel on the mainstream media . When I was living in the UK some years back, a officer at the Daily Mirror and someone at No 10 Downing Street got investigated for an 'alleged'spin story on the Government to digress the people for the cumbersome political issues that were clouding the country then. It resulted in the sacking of both these people when all they were trying to do was save poor Tony Blair's ass.
DSAI although I do not like him has only just voiced his concerns to the US who in turn has issued a statement to the Government.NEVERTHELESS, the media purported it this morning ( at least in the Borneo Post) as a WARNING.
Now I think that's spin.Because nowhere did it mention Tony Casey saying 'we will take military action' or a statement resembling that.
DSAI being DSAI actually is a bloody chicken who likes to throw stones and hide his hands behind -oh no- not his back- but USA's . But as far as me and many others are concerned, having DSAI on the front page isn't going to reduce our petrol prices. He is just another has been who has lost his fangs long,long ago to far far away land of Shrek and Snow White .But thats another story altogether.
The media should be responsible in giving us news thats really important, not someone like Rosmah or DSAI who is TOTALLY irrelevant,at least to me.It is sad to note that in this day and age the big guns that sit on the press board and companies still think that the Malaysians around are still as stupid as before and cannot see what they are up to.They in reporting that many malaysian students that have graduated, be it from local unis and colleges or abroad have completely forgotten to realize that we are thevery same people that make up the pulse of the country. And so we are not STUPID.
The media needs to gain back the credibility that has been lost in journalism that we now see as ass -wiping and politics so that their paper can stay alive. At least I still bother to read the papers, my other half has no time for it, and I think its because where facts are concerned,he thinks his students theses are more reliable.
I thought of the good old days in the UK where we would buy at least 2 newspapers daily, The Mirror for Andy and Amon and the Times for me. It was a daily refreshing exercise of comparing what each paper had to say about a particular issue, very much unlike our country's papers that if you read one you have read them all, even Borneo Post with a circulation of very little compared to our other national dailies.
What is happening to journalism in Malaysia?You know I am curious to know whatever happened to the ever-so-proud (back then we say aksyen-la) uITM Shah Alam mass communications students (back in those days I was student there) that was proud of what they did they saw themselves as the purporter of truth , the best there was, the creme-de-la-creme?
I see one of them once in a while on TV3, on MHI.Looks like his, and other tails, have been clipped. Poor them.
Journalism in Malaysia needs a revival; its dying a slow death. The spin has to stop and the focus has to be on what is really important by asking the right questions.Politicians, if you want our country to develop you must let the journalists ask the right questions.Then you can answer whichever way you want and we will decide for ourselves, who is right and who is the nincompoop.
All this story on DSAI and Rosmah makes stories on the petrol hike go quiet.Perhaps I will wear the white ribbon on me tomorrow.
Then after all that news, I went to shower have my breakfast and all ready for work. The moment I got into my office the first three things I would do without fail everyday is log on to my uniwebmail,read TDM's blog then read Anti*****'s blog. Dispatched comments to the last two but became very boggled at the uni mail to all@ums.edu.my.
Apparently, my opinion on premature promotion of APs and senior lecturers was shared by many,many people at the unversity and has been published uniwide to all staff.Ooohhh..this IS hot stuff. Many academicians are very unhappy at the recent appointment of allegedly undeserving staff when some who actually deserved it were not considered.I have never seen the unimail getting comments as bad as malaysheffield.
Some people are hot under the collar,I bet as this is definitely going to warrant a Senate meeting.
I think its time people put a stop in this unfavourable curry-favour amongst our academicians.And my hope is that our new VC Dato' K will do this. At the end of the day it will only benefit the students if the only deserving people get the promotions. Deadwood needs to be removed and not promoted.But whats happened unfortunately is vice versa.
Like I said, when I started writing it was hardly 9 am but I was already brain drained.So much issues to be mulled over and thought about. But I guess this is a 'cikgu's' job.To think.
Kalau tak macam mana budak budak nak pandai?
Friday, June 27, 2008
NOW THIS ONE'S FOR ANDY ( the cursed ring tone for his condemned phones)
MY LOVE - JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE FEATURING T.I
If I wrote you a symphony
Just to say how much you mean to me
What would you do
If I told you you were beautiful
Would you page me on the regular
Tell me would you
Well baby I've been around the world
But I aint seen myself another girl (guy la in this case!!)
Like you
This ring here represents my heart
But there is just one thing I need from you
Saying I do
Because, I can see us holding hands
Walking on the beach our toes in the sand
I can see us in the country side
Sitting in the grass laying side by side
You can be my baby
Gonna make you my lady
Girl you amaze me
Ain't gotta do nothin crazy
See all I want you to do is be my love
My love
My love
And I know no woman that could take your spot
My love
My love
My love
And I know no woman that could take your spot
My love
My looooooooveLooooooove
My loooove
My loooove
Now If I wrote you a love note
And make you smile with every word I wrote
What would you do
Would that make you wanna change your scene
And wanna be the one in my scene
Tell me would you
See what's the point in waiting anymore
Cause girl I've never been more sure
That baby it's you
This ring here represents my heart
And everything that you been waiting for
Just saying I do
Because, I can see us holding hands
Walking on the beach our toes in the sand
I can see us in the country side
Sitting in the grass laying side by side
You can be my baby
Gonna make you my lady
Girl you amaze me
Aint gotta do nothin crazy
See all I want you to do is be my love
My loveMy love
And I know no woman that could take your spot myMy loveMy loveMy loveAnd I know no woman that could take your spot myMy love My loooooooveLooooooveMy loooooveMy loooooove
N/B This song is actually for a girl but it represents Andy in every bit . Just the music prompt and my thought is immediately transported to him. Not to mention he's got this ring tone in all the phones which are condemmned after he puts in this ring tone ..haha..right sayang?
If I wrote you a symphony
Just to say how much you mean to me
What would you do
If I told you you were beautiful
Would you page me on the regular
Tell me would you
Well baby I've been around the world
But I aint seen myself another girl (guy la in this case!!)
Like you
This ring here represents my heart
But there is just one thing I need from you
Saying I do
Because, I can see us holding hands
Walking on the beach our toes in the sand
I can see us in the country side
Sitting in the grass laying side by side
You can be my baby
Gonna make you my lady
Girl you amaze me
Ain't gotta do nothin crazy
See all I want you to do is be my love
My love
My love
And I know no woman that could take your spot
My love
My love
My love
And I know no woman that could take your spot
My love
My looooooooveLooooooove
My loooove
My loooove
Now If I wrote you a love note
And make you smile with every word I wrote
What would you do
Would that make you wanna change your scene
And wanna be the one in my scene
Tell me would you
See what's the point in waiting anymore
Cause girl I've never been more sure
That baby it's you
This ring here represents my heart
And everything that you been waiting for
Just saying I do
Because, I can see us holding hands
Walking on the beach our toes in the sand
I can see us in the country side
Sitting in the grass laying side by side
You can be my baby
Gonna make you my lady
Girl you amaze me
Aint gotta do nothin crazy
See all I want you to do is be my love
My loveMy love
And I know no woman that could take your spot myMy loveMy loveMy loveAnd I know no woman that could take your spot myMy love My loooooooveLooooooveMy loooooveMy loooooove
N/B This song is actually for a girl but it represents Andy in every bit . Just the music prompt and my thought is immediately transported to him. Not to mention he's got this ring tone in all the phones which are condemmned after he puts in this ring tone ..haha..right sayang?
THIS ONE'S FOR MY SISTERS AND MY BRO
ALL FOR LOVE - BRYAN ADAMS, ROD STEWART AND STING
When it's love you give
I'll be your man of good faith
Then in love you live
I'll make a stand I won't break
I'll be the rock you can lean on
Be there when you're old
To have and to hold
When there's love inside
I swear I'll always be strong
And there's a reason why
I'll prove to you we belong
I'll be the wall that protects you
From the wind and the rain
From the hurt and the pain
Let's make it all for one and all for love
Let the one you hold be the one you want
the one you need
Cause when it's all for one it's one for all
When there's someone that you know
then just let your feelings show
and make it all for one and all for love
When it's love you make
I'll be the fire in your night
Then it's love you take
I will defend I will fight
I'll be there when you need me
When honor's at stake
This vow I will make
That it's all for one and all for love
Let the one you hold be the one you want
the one you need
Cause when it's all for one it's one for all
When there's someone that you know
then just let your feelings show
and make it all for one and all for love
Don't lay our love to rest
cause we could stand up to the test
We got everything and more
than we had planned
More than the rivers that run inland
We got it all in our hands
Now it's all for one and all for love
Let the one you hold be the one you want
the one you need
Cause when it's all for one it's one for all
When there's someone that you know
then just let your feelings show
When there's someone that you want
When there's someone that you need
Let's make it all all for one and all for love
LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH
NST Online Paper Clipping 23/06/08
Anuar Zain heads east
(DENNIS CHUA 2008/06/23)
POP king Anuar Zain is set to mesmerise his East Malaysian fans with his greatest hits in Kota Kinabalu and Kuching on July 26 and Aug 23, respectively.
The event, titled Malam Anuar Zain Di Kota Kinabalu Dan Kuching, will be held at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) in Kota Kinabalu and Crowne Plaza Riverside Hotel in Kuching. Anuar, who is best known for his hits Ketentuan Hati and Lelaki Ini, will be joined in both events by Deja Moss, who hails from Sarawak.Tickets are priced at RM100, RM200 and RM300 (Kota Kinabalu) and RM250, RM350 and RM450 (Kuching).
Call 088-252-066, 242-067 or 243-067 (Kota Kinabalu), 03-7983-9006 (Kuala Lumpur) and 082-449-939 or 7983-9006 (Kuching).
(DENNIS CHUA 2008/06/23)
POP king Anuar Zain is set to mesmerise his East Malaysian fans with his greatest hits in Kota Kinabalu and Kuching on July 26 and Aug 23, respectively.
The event, titled Malam Anuar Zain Di Kota Kinabalu Dan Kuching, will be held at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) in Kota Kinabalu and Crowne Plaza Riverside Hotel in Kuching. Anuar, who is best known for his hits Ketentuan Hati and Lelaki Ini, will be joined in both events by Deja Moss, who hails from Sarawak.Tickets are priced at RM100, RM200 and RM300 (Kota Kinabalu) and RM250, RM350 and RM450 (Kuching).
Call 088-252-066, 242-067 or 243-067 (Kota Kinabalu), 03-7983-9006 (Kuala Lumpur) and 082-449-939 or 7983-9006 (Kuching).
Thursday, June 26, 2008
A Foul-Smelling Nancy Drew Mystery?
Did we all get chance to read what's been splashed all over the papers today regarding Datin Rosmah's alleged involvement in Altantuya Sharibuu's murder ?
I tell you, Malaysian politics is getting more and more interesting by the minute.Especially with the so-called involvement of our own PM and his infamous son-in-law Katherine Jackson ( I tell you I think he is a class act!)
I am not sure know much about this matter to start commenting, but I honestly wish there is a way for us to get right to the bottom of this murder case , WITHOUT ANY BIASNESS WHATSOEVER ; as someone, a bloody culprit is responsible for the bloody murder of Ms. Sharibuu.
And he or she must be exposed or our country is not as democratic or safe as our Government want us to believe.There are so many unanswered questions, but I am pretty damn sure that Abdul Razak Baginda is going to be acquitted. Just mark my words.Thats just how it is.
I for one am curious as to how C4 the explosive used to blow Altantuya to smithereens got into their hands of the accused. Black market, maybe? Like those pirated VCDs? Hmm..
I am also curious as to why all of a sudden the highest authorities in our present Government are all making press statements about the same thing at almost the same time. You are not talking about anybody in the Govt.This is the three main players in our Govt: AAB,KJ and NTR.
But then again, this is Malaysia, and because this is Malaysia, ' curiousity kills the cat'.
Or gets blown to smithereens .
Just how far is all these allegation by RPK is true ? I guess only our politicians can tell us.
The good thing is att least now no one can call my dearest Tun Mahathir the Mahazalim anymore, there is one more zalim than he is alleged to be ( as far as I am concerned all this mahazalim crap about Tun is Bollocks with a capital B)
Yes, bollocks just like Anwar Ibrahim and his darned PKR-I hate him with a passion renewed everyday .
Sorry to digress but here we go....
I think he is the actual culprit behind why our politics is so unstable in the first place in 1997 when he became the Deputy PM with all the crap he did to our country.If you ask me, all these efforts in ousting the PATIs in our country should include Anwar Ibrahim and his family.
The only mistake of Tun M in my eyes is to have trusted that two headed snake. Its bitten and still biting. This is another class act, I sometimes wonder if he and KJ are working together??
If so, God help us.
To be honest, I am actually quite okay with our present PM, he may be a bit on the soft side, but still allright. But you know where I stand with his SIL, and I know for a fact I am not the only one. He is brushing his Oxford/Cambridgey-wanna-be-PM-attitude too much in our faces. I don't think he has got it but probably will as he uses his position as the SIL in the best way he can muster, and it looks like he is succeeding.
KJ in my eyes at best can only pass for a Ketua Kelong Pendatang Haram. With all the noise he likes to make, it's definitely too noisy and 'kampung'y' for the educated likes of you and me. And definitely deceives his so-called educated background of Oxford/Cambridge (whereverlah I dun care) but more reflect his Negeri Sembilan safiah-hassan-personality (that bit's for me to know and for you to find out haha..) What a waste of a person's mouth not to mention intelligence.
But of course , I suppose the only reason I think he has not got what it takes to be our next PM is simply because the yardstick I am using for comparison is none other than my beloved Tun M the visionary.
To me,no matter what,he is still 'da man '. The best there is and probably irreplacable.
But then again,thats just me.
I tell you, Malaysian politics is getting more and more interesting by the minute.Especially with the so-called involvement of our own PM and his infamous son-in-law Katherine Jackson ( I tell you I think he is a class act!)
I am not sure know much about this matter to start commenting, but I honestly wish there is a way for us to get right to the bottom of this murder case , WITHOUT ANY BIASNESS WHATSOEVER ; as someone, a bloody culprit is responsible for the bloody murder of Ms. Sharibuu.
And he or she must be exposed or our country is not as democratic or safe as our Government want us to believe.There are so many unanswered questions, but I am pretty damn sure that Abdul Razak Baginda is going to be acquitted. Just mark my words.Thats just how it is.
I for one am curious as to how C4 the explosive used to blow Altantuya to smithereens got into their hands of the accused. Black market, maybe? Like those pirated VCDs? Hmm..
I am also curious as to why all of a sudden the highest authorities in our present Government are all making press statements about the same thing at almost the same time. You are not talking about anybody in the Govt.This is the three main players in our Govt: AAB,KJ and NTR.
But then again, this is Malaysia, and because this is Malaysia, ' curiousity kills the cat'.
Or gets blown to smithereens .
Just how far is all these allegation by RPK is true ? I guess only our politicians can tell us.
The good thing is att least now no one can call my dearest Tun Mahathir the Mahazalim anymore, there is one more zalim than he is alleged to be ( as far as I am concerned all this mahazalim crap about Tun is Bollocks with a capital B)
Yes, bollocks just like Anwar Ibrahim and his darned PKR-I hate him with a passion renewed everyday .
Sorry to digress but here we go....
I think he is the actual culprit behind why our politics is so unstable in the first place in 1997 when he became the Deputy PM with all the crap he did to our country.If you ask me, all these efforts in ousting the PATIs in our country should include Anwar Ibrahim and his family.
The only mistake of Tun M in my eyes is to have trusted that two headed snake. Its bitten and still biting. This is another class act, I sometimes wonder if he and KJ are working together??
If so, God help us.
To be honest, I am actually quite okay with our present PM, he may be a bit on the soft side, but still allright. But you know where I stand with his SIL, and I know for a fact I am not the only one. He is brushing his Oxford/Cambridgey-wanna-be-PM-attitude too much in our faces. I don't think he has got it but probably will as he uses his position as the SIL in the best way he can muster, and it looks like he is succeeding.
KJ in my eyes at best can only pass for a Ketua Kelong Pendatang Haram. With all the noise he likes to make, it's definitely too noisy and 'kampung'y' for the educated likes of you and me. And definitely deceives his so-called educated background of Oxford/Cambridge (whereverlah I dun care) but more reflect his Negeri Sembilan safiah-hassan-personality (that bit's for me to know and for you to find out haha..) What a waste of a person's mouth not to mention intelligence.
But of course , I suppose the only reason I think he has not got what it takes to be our next PM is simply because the yardstick I am using for comparison is none other than my beloved Tun M the visionary.
To me,no matter what,he is still 'da man '. The best there is and probably irreplacable.
But then again,thats just me.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Bulan Jatuh ke Riba for ME!!!
I am so happy I could die.
Last Friday my sis in law who works in Langkawi sent me a Friendster message saying that Anuar Zain will be performing in KK this 26th July. Initially the concert was going to take place at the Magellan Sutera.
And of course, yours truly is beaming with happiness......
Today I received an e-mail saying that the venue has now been changed to UMS Dewan Canselor.
OMG, its like I'd died and gone to heaven.
Called this event management company in Wisma Sabah and they confirmed..yes..they have just received the approval letter from UMS. I have thus booked two tickets at RM300 apiece.
Of course, my dearest hubby is pickin up the tab!!
Bliss....
Last Friday my sis in law who works in Langkawi sent me a Friendster message saying that Anuar Zain will be performing in KK this 26th July. Initially the concert was going to take place at the Magellan Sutera.
And of course, yours truly is beaming with happiness......
Today I received an e-mail saying that the venue has now been changed to UMS Dewan Canselor.
OMG, its like I'd died and gone to heaven.
Called this event management company in Wisma Sabah and they confirmed..yes..they have just received the approval letter from UMS. I have thus booked two tickets at RM300 apiece.
Of course, my dearest hubby is pickin up the tab!!
Bliss....
My two favourite poems - ENJOY!!
The Tiger
TIGER, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?
And what shoulder and what art
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand and what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? What dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears,
And water'd heaven with their tears,
Did He smile His work to see?
Did He who made the lamb make thee?
Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
WILLIAM BLAKE 1757-1827
AND ANOTHER ONE ( THIS IS FOR US THE LADIES)
Shakespeare Sonnet 94
They that have power to hurt and will do none,
That do not do the thing they most do show,
Who, moving others, are themselves as stone,
Unmoved, cold, and to temptation slow,
They rightly do inherit heaven's graces
And husband nature's riches from expense;
They are the lords and owners of their faces,
Others but stewards of their excellence.
The summer's flower is to the summer sweet,
Though to itself it only live and die,
But if that flower with base infection meet,
The basest weed outbraves his dignity:
For sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds;
Lilies that fester smell far worse than weeds.
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
TIGER, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?
And what shoulder and what art
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand and what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? What dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears,
And water'd heaven with their tears,
Did He smile His work to see?
Did He who made the lamb make thee?
Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
WILLIAM BLAKE 1757-1827
AND ANOTHER ONE ( THIS IS FOR US THE LADIES)
Shakespeare Sonnet 94
They that have power to hurt and will do none,
That do not do the thing they most do show,
Who, moving others, are themselves as stone,
Unmoved, cold, and to temptation slow,
They rightly do inherit heaven's graces
And husband nature's riches from expense;
They are the lords and owners of their faces,
Others but stewards of their excellence.
The summer's flower is to the summer sweet,
Though to itself it only live and die,
But if that flower with base infection meet,
The basest weed outbraves his dignity:
For sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds;
Lilies that fester smell far worse than weeds.
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Thursday, June 19, 2008
The Mad Rat Race to Professorship
Last week I was given the news that two of my colleagues have been awarded Associate Professor, not to mention some other senior lecturers we know. I am also happy to learn that one of our good friends is also now a Prof Madya, and we shall be celebrating his success this coming 21st. Looks like our good friends are all going up in their varsity careers and that's really good news as I am so pleased for all of them.
As Endy went over to his colleagues offices to congratulate them ( even he is rumoured to get DS51 soon due to the uni's recent mesyarat Senat- good news for all these PhD folks!!) they all went over Endy to say that his next priority must be to publish as many papers as possible and he will be well on the way to Associate Proffessorship...
Huh?
Now folks dun get me wrong, I am very supportive of my husband's and friends' ambitions . He personally already has five papers to date on microstructural characterisation of glass.And I am sure all my friends and colleagues who has got it definitely earned it.
But what is this rubbish with " if u publish lots of papers you surely can become AP?" Is it just me or shouldn't you have a bit more than just loads of papers to qualify for Professorship? Associate or Full?
As far as I am concerned the title "Prof "is not a title to be taken lightly. Call me old -fashioned, but my perception of a 'Prof' ( as I am sure others as well) is that he is wise. He is generally seen as a point of reference and an expert in his field.Thus he must have the attributes not to mention charisma.Therefore he needs to earn it.
And its not just from a bunch of papers he has published.
Now I am not against those well deserving APs who get them due to their excellent track record of teaching experience and research carried out.
I am against the bunch of academicians who cannot even teach their students properly due to either their lackadaisical attitude towards their responsibility to students or lack of experience but see and use publishing papers as a sure-fire way of getting promotion in their academic status; not to mention pay .
The quality of a researcher is based on the quality of research produced and if these people have their work published in some citation-indexed journals then I am fine with it, in fact I applaud efforts like this.They are the ones that truly deserve the titles as they truly contribute to the body of knowledge.
Unfortunately in this mad rat race, the quantity is seen more as a priority as opposed to the former so it doesnt matter in whatever journal you publish so long as you have a miminum of X papers published.And this is what I do not agree on. What happens to the quality of the research?
It seems to me these lecturers have found a way to abuse the research incentive scheme the Government has given the lecturers.
And I am far from happy.
We have academicians in our faculty presently ( at least in my University) who is rubbish at imparting knowledge to their students but excellent in their politics to go up the ladder of uni admin. These lecturers do not deserve the titles they get but they get it anyway. Some of these APs/Professors have their names in various publications but know nothing of the research undertaken. Strange right? But true, nonetheless, as they 'coerce' collaboration from other reseachers. Then they brag about the X no of papers they have produced they know nothing about.All in the name of getting status and better pay.
Is this the kind of quality we want to achieve in academicians?
And then when they have all achieved what they want or where they want to be, they leave the university to go to another university to either become a full Prof, TNC or even VC.
Its happened, and its very sad.
Whatever it is I hope my academician friends out there will think of their students more than ourselves as it is our responsibilty and we will be asked about how well we have done this after we die.
We should all know by now teaching at the University is not about US but the students.
Proffessorship should come to you , not the other way round.
At least that's what I think.
As Endy went over to his colleagues offices to congratulate them ( even he is rumoured to get DS51 soon due to the uni's recent mesyarat Senat- good news for all these PhD folks!!) they all went over Endy to say that his next priority must be to publish as many papers as possible and he will be well on the way to Associate Proffessorship...
Huh?
Now folks dun get me wrong, I am very supportive of my husband's and friends' ambitions . He personally already has five papers to date on microstructural characterisation of glass.And I am sure all my friends and colleagues who has got it definitely earned it.
But what is this rubbish with " if u publish lots of papers you surely can become AP?" Is it just me or shouldn't you have a bit more than just loads of papers to qualify for Professorship? Associate or Full?
As far as I am concerned the title "Prof "is not a title to be taken lightly. Call me old -fashioned, but my perception of a 'Prof' ( as I am sure others as well) is that he is wise. He is generally seen as a point of reference and an expert in his field.Thus he must have the attributes not to mention charisma.Therefore he needs to earn it.
And its not just from a bunch of papers he has published.
Now I am not against those well deserving APs who get them due to their excellent track record of teaching experience and research carried out.
I am against the bunch of academicians who cannot even teach their students properly due to either their lackadaisical attitude towards their responsibility to students or lack of experience but see and use publishing papers as a sure-fire way of getting promotion in their academic status; not to mention pay .
The quality of a researcher is based on the quality of research produced and if these people have their work published in some citation-indexed journals then I am fine with it, in fact I applaud efforts like this.They are the ones that truly deserve the titles as they truly contribute to the body of knowledge.
Unfortunately in this mad rat race, the quantity is seen more as a priority as opposed to the former so it doesnt matter in whatever journal you publish so long as you have a miminum of X papers published.And this is what I do not agree on. What happens to the quality of the research?
It seems to me these lecturers have found a way to abuse the research incentive scheme the Government has given the lecturers.
And I am far from happy.
We have academicians in our faculty presently ( at least in my University) who is rubbish at imparting knowledge to their students but excellent in their politics to go up the ladder of uni admin. These lecturers do not deserve the titles they get but they get it anyway. Some of these APs/Professors have their names in various publications but know nothing of the research undertaken. Strange right? But true, nonetheless, as they 'coerce' collaboration from other reseachers. Then they brag about the X no of papers they have produced they know nothing about.All in the name of getting status and better pay.
Is this the kind of quality we want to achieve in academicians?
And then when they have all achieved what they want or where they want to be, they leave the university to go to another university to either become a full Prof, TNC or even VC.
Its happened, and its very sad.
Whatever it is I hope my academician friends out there will think of their students more than ourselves as it is our responsibilty and we will be asked about how well we have done this after we die.
We should all know by now teaching at the University is not about US but the students.
Proffessorship should come to you , not the other way round.
At least that's what I think.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Out With The Old, Welcome Prof K our new VC
It was a memorable two days for me and Endy, the new lecturers of UMS.Yesterday we witnessed the departure of our VC Prof Datuk Dr. Mohd Noh Dalimin. It was a sad event, with both him and his wife Prof Maryati being emotional and teary ; and to be honest I felt sad too. Although I have only been here for a few months, I believe much has been done by him for our university.
I managed to catch up with some old friends I have not seen in a while. While Endy was busy talking to his friends Din the new Associate Prof and Abg Shah the new Deputy Dean, I decided to see Prof Noh right to the end when he gets into his car to go with everybody bidding adieu to him. After that was done, I walked by myself up back to the Chancellory foyer .Lost in my thoughts I was suddenly jolted by someone saying " Eh Jid..Sazmal mana?" it was Prof Amran , our dear good friend since 1999 when Endy joined UMS (but a bit scared to be so goodlah now that he is UMS TNC) We then had a chat and I requested that he come join us for karaoke this 21st. He said he knows about it but he will be in Kuching and will try to make it.
We then chatted a bit then suddenly he said that he thinks the best karaoke session we had was when Sidi, Endy, myself,him ,Murnizam and Din went to karaoke the time we were supposed to go to Gunung Emas but due to a landslide went to tengok wayang then karaoke instead. It was then that he said it was the best as he did not know how we managed to turn a siti nurhaliza song into a rock song. It was then I realized that like Prof,we all really miss Sidi, and hope he is doing well.
This morning we left home early to welcome our new VC Lt. Kol.Prof Datuk Dr. Kamaruzzaman Ampon, the first Sabahan to be a VC. I am so pleased for him and Prof Ann, and hope they will both bring UMS to greater heights. Having Prof Ann as my boss has been good, and I hope it will get better,Amin.
Forgot to say that this coming 23rd July I will be claiming my advanced birthday present from Endy in the form of a ticket to see Anuar Zain perform at the Magellan Sutera . I will ask him for the best seat hehe..hope I get it..
I am so excited!!!
I managed to catch up with some old friends I have not seen in a while. While Endy was busy talking to his friends Din the new Associate Prof and Abg Shah the new Deputy Dean, I decided to see Prof Noh right to the end when he gets into his car to go with everybody bidding adieu to him. After that was done, I walked by myself up back to the Chancellory foyer .Lost in my thoughts I was suddenly jolted by someone saying " Eh Jid..Sazmal mana?" it was Prof Amran , our dear good friend since 1999 when Endy joined UMS (but a bit scared to be so goodlah now that he is UMS TNC) We then had a chat and I requested that he come join us for karaoke this 21st. He said he knows about it but he will be in Kuching and will try to make it.
We then chatted a bit then suddenly he said that he thinks the best karaoke session we had was when Sidi, Endy, myself,him ,Murnizam and Din went to karaoke the time we were supposed to go to Gunung Emas but due to a landslide went to tengok wayang then karaoke instead. It was then that he said it was the best as he did not know how we managed to turn a siti nurhaliza song into a rock song. It was then I realized that like Prof,we all really miss Sidi, and hope he is doing well.
This morning we left home early to welcome our new VC Lt. Kol.Prof Datuk Dr. Kamaruzzaman Ampon, the first Sabahan to be a VC. I am so pleased for him and Prof Ann, and hope they will both bring UMS to greater heights. Having Prof Ann as my boss has been good, and I hope it will get better,Amin.
Forgot to say that this coming 23rd July I will be claiming my advanced birthday present from Endy in the form of a ticket to see Anuar Zain perform at the Magellan Sutera . I will ask him for the best seat hehe..hope I get it..
I am so excited!!!
Monday, June 9, 2008
ODE TO MY FAMILY
I had just been off the phone with my youngest sister, who has again told me that in a few hours my two other sisters will come join her at her house that she shares with a friend in Nilai where they will ‘melepak’ or go ‘jalan-jalan’ around KL until the early hours of the morning ( I am sure of it!!), much to my discontent (and jealousy of course as I am stuck here in Kota Kinabalu where the definition of melepak is ‘teh ais’ at Ziemal in Indah Permai) and I wished I was there with all of them.
Since my youngest sis left Kota Kinabalu to work in KL last month, we keep in touch very often at least twice a week if I can manage it. As for my two other sisters I ring them up once in a while but its not for the lack of sisterliness ( I think I am going to get arrested by the grammar police!) between us. I love them all to bits as I am sure they do me no matter where they are or what they do. Even in these trying times where commitments to your work and family normally take up your entire time I am pleased to say that my bond with all my sisters is as tight as a vacuum coffee canister as we always find the time to share a joke every now and then regardless of me being in this small corner of Malaysia.
Everyday I cannot thank God enough for this wonderful gift he has given me : my family. It is grand to learn that all the things that we have done have all finally come together and is embodied in love, understanding and above all harmony. At the moment I still have my mum living with me that even while she is incapacitated still manages to cook me and Andy lunch everyday (this is for my sisters reading this: yesterday guys Mum cooked soto ayam with bergedil..how’s that to make u guys green with envy?).
Then my four wonderful sisters with whom I have shared a lot of good and terrible times . Somehow or rather we have all come out of it not only in one piece but unwavering and stronger in our love for one another. I also have a cherished 19 year old brother that is like all 19 year olds – more bothered about whether they look cool’er’ with an Ipod, Adidas and a Nokia or with an Ipod, Adidas and another Nokia ( I have lost count how many Nokias he has to date)...to go to INDAH PERMAI on a ‘bas berhenti-henti’ that you pay 50 sen per trip. All the same he is a great bro to have as I know that like my other sisters there is not one thing he will not do for me and vice versa.
Then there is my other half – Andy whom I love and cherish to bits and my two kids Arian and Aqeel ( Ayan and Gagi) . Well what can I say about them apart from the fact that they are my centre of the earth apart from my mum, sisters and brother.
I also thank God for having a wonderful mum and father in-law. Since I married Andy, they have been very supportive in everything we did and never tried to be difficult. I really appreciate all the things they have done for me as I know they love me as their own. Also a select few of his extended relatives, mine and last but definitely not least my close friends.
I suppose not everyone is as lucky as I am. And this is what I want to talk about.
I sometimes wonder what on earth goes in the minds of these so called 'family' that never care an ounce about their loved one's feelings but their own. I just spoke to a friend who had been pouring out her heart to me in disappointment regarding her family and it made me so sad for her. This friend of mine has grown up children. She and her husband, for as long as I have known them have done their utmost for their family ; i.e children and sisters that I always pray to God to grant me patience and strength like theirs. Now when they are older it is sad to know that not a lot of their feelings ,thoughts and consideration come into account when it comes to their children. And if that's not enough, this lovely friend of mine has sisters who are caustic and critical in response to every single thing she does its unbelievable.
Now I do not know if any of the family knows me, but for anyone of you out there; let me just say one thing: blood is thicker than water. No matter what do not let other people become priorities over your parents, be it friends, boyfriends,fiancee etc. You can have so many of the latter, but you just have ONE family. True, you may have so called 'jerks' in your family. I do too, and I appreciate that some of them can be SO annoying (narrow minds and empty promises are the ones I unfortunately have to contend with haha) but at the end of the day, the extent of love that you have for one another can only be realized and measured when it is tested in hardship and problems, not when you are comfortable .
For those of you who still have your mum,dad, sisters and brothers, appreciate them while you still can before its too late when they have gone.Show some token of appreciation in kind words, thoughts and especially consideration.There is so much room for love there is no time for animosity and self-centred thought.
I am so glad and thankful to God for having them all still with me and I hope they realize how much they are being appreciated.
Thanks GUYS - love you all to bits...
Since my youngest sis left Kota Kinabalu to work in KL last month, we keep in touch very often at least twice a week if I can manage it. As for my two other sisters I ring them up once in a while but its not for the lack of sisterliness ( I think I am going to get arrested by the grammar police!) between us. I love them all to bits as I am sure they do me no matter where they are or what they do. Even in these trying times where commitments to your work and family normally take up your entire time I am pleased to say that my bond with all my sisters is as tight as a vacuum coffee canister as we always find the time to share a joke every now and then regardless of me being in this small corner of Malaysia.
Everyday I cannot thank God enough for this wonderful gift he has given me : my family. It is grand to learn that all the things that we have done have all finally come together and is embodied in love, understanding and above all harmony. At the moment I still have my mum living with me that even while she is incapacitated still manages to cook me and Andy lunch everyday (this is for my sisters reading this: yesterday guys Mum cooked soto ayam with bergedil..how’s that to make u guys green with envy?).
Then my four wonderful sisters with whom I have shared a lot of good and terrible times . Somehow or rather we have all come out of it not only in one piece but unwavering and stronger in our love for one another. I also have a cherished 19 year old brother that is like all 19 year olds – more bothered about whether they look cool’er’ with an Ipod, Adidas and a Nokia or with an Ipod, Adidas and another Nokia ( I have lost count how many Nokias he has to date)...to go to INDAH PERMAI on a ‘bas berhenti-henti’ that you pay 50 sen per trip. All the same he is a great bro to have as I know that like my other sisters there is not one thing he will not do for me and vice versa.
Then there is my other half – Andy whom I love and cherish to bits and my two kids Arian and Aqeel ( Ayan and Gagi) . Well what can I say about them apart from the fact that they are my centre of the earth apart from my mum, sisters and brother.
I also thank God for having a wonderful mum and father in-law. Since I married Andy, they have been very supportive in everything we did and never tried to be difficult. I really appreciate all the things they have done for me as I know they love me as their own. Also a select few of his extended relatives, mine and last but definitely not least my close friends.
I suppose not everyone is as lucky as I am. And this is what I want to talk about.
I sometimes wonder what on earth goes in the minds of these so called 'family' that never care an ounce about their loved one's feelings but their own. I just spoke to a friend who had been pouring out her heart to me in disappointment regarding her family and it made me so sad for her. This friend of mine has grown up children. She and her husband, for as long as I have known them have done their utmost for their family ; i.e children and sisters that I always pray to God to grant me patience and strength like theirs. Now when they are older it is sad to know that not a lot of their feelings ,thoughts and consideration come into account when it comes to their children. And if that's not enough, this lovely friend of mine has sisters who are caustic and critical in response to every single thing she does its unbelievable.
Now I do not know if any of the family knows me, but for anyone of you out there; let me just say one thing: blood is thicker than water. No matter what do not let other people become priorities over your parents, be it friends, boyfriends,fiancee etc. You can have so many of the latter, but you just have ONE family. True, you may have so called 'jerks' in your family. I do too, and I appreciate that some of them can be SO annoying (narrow minds and empty promises are the ones I unfortunately have to contend with haha) but at the end of the day, the extent of love that you have for one another can only be realized and measured when it is tested in hardship and problems, not when you are comfortable .
For those of you who still have your mum,dad, sisters and brothers, appreciate them while you still can before its too late when they have gone.Show some token of appreciation in kind words, thoughts and especially consideration.There is so much room for love there is no time for animosity and self-centred thought.
I am so glad and thankful to God for having them all still with me and I hope they realize how much they are being appreciated.
Thanks GUYS - love you all to bits...
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Where is the moment when you need it the most??
I had a pre-retreat meeting today, and boy what a meeting it was. Well the good news was I did not present my ill prepared proposal for e-ScienceFund (thank God for that at least) but the bad news is now I have to do THREE ; one I am leading and the other two as collaborator. Sometimes I wonder if the KPT and UMS have gone a bit OTT in trying to inculcate this research culture amongst us lecturers.As if we haven't got enough to do?
I retract back what I said about my job. As of this minute, its CRAP.
With all the hullabaloo about UMS getting three star rating and a new VC announced recently, I expected to come back to work today (had to be off yesterday - maid's got court appearance on her divorce case) feeling a bit less stressed with the celebration mood in the air as the new VC actually is Prof Ann (my pengarah)'s dearest other half. Unfortunately it was entirely the reverse. She's on leave while tomorrow and the meeting was a mind-numbing exercise . Its meetings like this that make you feel you ought to be on ice or something. It started at 9 and did not finish until after 3p.m. And the best part was the talking part took ..I don't know..maybe 2 hours? But the thinking part.......took ages....
In the end we came up with four proposals. The first which I was going to lead in the proposal writing for MOSTI's Science Fund was on B.pseudomallei molecular characerization , second : Microarray analyses, third : Seaweed and Fourth: secondary metabolites.
I don't know how on earth we are going to do this with just the 6 of us but Prof. wants to see them it come rain or shine, so I guess it means we have to.
That's not including my unfinished reports that I mentioned yesterday. And to top it all, tomorrow, I have to spend the whole bleeding day helping Vida our lab assistant with changing the probe of our DNA sequencer, and Friday we have a meeting.
My 1grand is still parked at Bendahari, unclaimed because I still have not done the after-conference report that they want. Even if I can do the report by tomorrow (although there really is no chance of that happening) I will need to wait a coupla months before they can approve it.
So today I want to say that not only am I tired, stressed, I am also bloody skint!!!
To make matters worse what have I been reading in the papers today ?
Petrol hike announcement tonite??? Din't they just announce not too long back it wasn't happening until August??
What the fish????????
Like I feared when I went home at about 6pm I received a text message form my dearest cousin Aree who told me that hikes effective midnite at MYR2.70/litre. What else, Sazmal went straight out in frenzy petrol panic buying, having to wait over one hour for petrol due to the massive queue at Petronas for the Proton, then come back home again to take our Livina out back to Shell because he said they queue at Petronas was horrendous...
Hmm.......
Tun MAHATHIR!!!!!Please come save US!!!!!
As of tomorrow, I am buying all things Giant as I am sure very soon other food stuff price will go up as well. Even electricity's going up July, so maybe buy motorbike-la..Sazmal also said macam kena duduk Tambunan ke, dalam pondok so that electricity tak naik above MYR43.
Nevertheless, I still thank God as we live in KK so the petrol hike is still manageable for us at least for now. My heart goes out to all my friends in KL and Semenanjung whose fates are worse than ours what with the traffic jams and toll...KL's not such a pretty place to live in right now I am sure.I just hope the rakyat won't demonstrate. The good news though is our allowances will surely naik for us who are in the Public Service. Housing allowance definite and hopefully EPW as well.
Anyone wanna come live in Sabah???
I retract back what I said about my job. As of this minute, its CRAP.
With all the hullabaloo about UMS getting three star rating and a new VC announced recently, I expected to come back to work today (had to be off yesterday - maid's got court appearance on her divorce case) feeling a bit less stressed with the celebration mood in the air as the new VC actually is Prof Ann (my pengarah)'s dearest other half. Unfortunately it was entirely the reverse. She's on leave while tomorrow and the meeting was a mind-numbing exercise . Its meetings like this that make you feel you ought to be on ice or something. It started at 9 and did not finish until after 3p.m. And the best part was the talking part took ..I don't know..maybe 2 hours? But the thinking part.......took ages....
In the end we came up with four proposals. The first which I was going to lead in the proposal writing for MOSTI's Science Fund was on B.pseudomallei molecular characerization , second : Microarray analyses, third : Seaweed and Fourth: secondary metabolites.
I don't know how on earth we are going to do this with just the 6 of us but Prof. wants to see them it come rain or shine, so I guess it means we have to.
That's not including my unfinished reports that I mentioned yesterday. And to top it all, tomorrow, I have to spend the whole bleeding day helping Vida our lab assistant with changing the probe of our DNA sequencer, and Friday we have a meeting.
My 1grand is still parked at Bendahari, unclaimed because I still have not done the after-conference report that they want. Even if I can do the report by tomorrow (although there really is no chance of that happening) I will need to wait a coupla months before they can approve it.
So today I want to say that not only am I tired, stressed, I am also bloody skint!!!
To make matters worse what have I been reading in the papers today ?
Petrol hike announcement tonite??? Din't they just announce not too long back it wasn't happening until August??
What the fish????????
Like I feared when I went home at about 6pm I received a text message form my dearest cousin Aree who told me that hikes effective midnite at MYR2.70/litre. What else, Sazmal went straight out in frenzy petrol panic buying, having to wait over one hour for petrol due to the massive queue at Petronas for the Proton, then come back home again to take our Livina out back to Shell because he said they queue at Petronas was horrendous...
Hmm.......
Tun MAHATHIR!!!!!Please come save US!!!!!
As of tomorrow, I am buying all things Giant as I am sure very soon other food stuff price will go up as well. Even electricity's going up July, so maybe buy motorbike-la..Sazmal also said macam kena duduk Tambunan ke, dalam pondok so that electricity tak naik above MYR43.
Nevertheless, I still thank God as we live in KK so the petrol hike is still manageable for us at least for now. My heart goes out to all my friends in KL and Semenanjung whose fates are worse than ours what with the traffic jams and toll...KL's not such a pretty place to live in right now I am sure.I just hope the rakyat won't demonstrate. The good news though is our allowances will surely naik for us who are in the Public Service. Housing allowance definite and hopefully EPW as well.
Anyone wanna come live in Sabah???
Monday, June 2, 2008
Can women in tudung go to clubs?
You know after all these years I have since realised that my interest in dancing still has not waned one tiny bit. Since small I have always loved dancing and in Primary School imagined one day I would be a ballerina. Nevertheless, I was a bit tubby at that time so my dreams were crushed into a million pieces; especially after I had to wear a standard six size uniform at standard 3!!
When I was in Secondary school I really liked the Bharatha Natyam and frequently followed two of my close friends Kamaleswari and Tharani whenever they went practicing. After a few months I decided to ask my mum if after SPM I could enrol in the Ramli Ibrahim academy of arts where I could learn the Bharatha Natyam to my hearts content. But you know what she said??? She stared wide-eyed at me in utter disbelief and was silent for what seemed like eternity until she said "TAK BOLEH"
So that was my next dancing dream shattered.
Then when I was in college my naughty sister Liz and my ever-so-handsome uncle Bull would take me out to clubs (shhh..dun tell mak) where I would dance to my hearts content. It feels great when I do it, like every being of me is liberated and I feel so free.I would dance to tunes like Michael jackson ,Kylie Minogue, Pet Shop Boys(yeah yeah I am an 80s person so what?)
When I got married I stopped going. My dearest other half says he doesn't like dancing. I bet his dancing moves sucked and he's gotten laughed at. Perhaps by an old girlfriend.. Anyway, all my attempts to persuade him was futile and in the end with kids and job responsibility it just never happened.
Then one day in my room (not gonna say which room my office or bedroom) I heard a familiar tune and my toes were suddenly alive!!!! It was then I realized I still liked dancing and thought it would be great to ring a friend to ask if she would like to go to a club with me.
Suddenly....KABBBOOOOINNNGG!!!! It hit me. Fast and Furious. No way Jose, I got tudung lah!!!
Help!!!
When I was in Secondary school I really liked the Bharatha Natyam and frequently followed two of my close friends Kamaleswari and Tharani whenever they went practicing. After a few months I decided to ask my mum if after SPM I could enrol in the Ramli Ibrahim academy of arts where I could learn the Bharatha Natyam to my hearts content. But you know what she said??? She stared wide-eyed at me in utter disbelief and was silent for what seemed like eternity until she said "TAK BOLEH"
So that was my next dancing dream shattered.
Then when I was in college my naughty sister Liz and my ever-so-handsome uncle Bull would take me out to clubs (shhh..dun tell mak) where I would dance to my hearts content. It feels great when I do it, like every being of me is liberated and I feel so free.I would dance to tunes like Michael jackson ,Kylie Minogue, Pet Shop Boys(yeah yeah I am an 80s person so what?)
When I got married I stopped going. My dearest other half says he doesn't like dancing. I bet his dancing moves sucked and he's gotten laughed at. Perhaps by an old girlfriend.. Anyway, all my attempts to persuade him was futile and in the end with kids and job responsibility it just never happened.
Then one day in my room (not gonna say which room my office or bedroom) I heard a familiar tune and my toes were suddenly alive!!!! It was then I realized I still liked dancing and thought it would be great to ring a friend to ask if she would like to go to a club with me.
Suddenly....KABBBOOOOINNNGG!!!! It hit me. Fast and Furious. No way Jose, I got tudung lah!!!
Help!!!
The Malaysia I Love
I have just come back to work today after almost a months' absence (6 days conference/ 2 weeks course). As usual, I would log on to the internet ( we have wireless now at the uni so good) and go straight to read what our revered DrM had to talk about today. I don't know why but since he started his blog a month ago reading reading his blog is the very first thing I have to do prior to doing anything else. With all the political turmoil that is surrounding Malaysia at the moment, reading his blog is like ' a soothing medicine that calms my troubled mind'. Really guys, I am quite concerned at what's going off in our country. I am not in the least surpised he hit the 1 million mark in one month because I think a lot of people feel like me too and seek his blog to alleviate their worries.
I think by now everyone knows whats going off after the GE. I am one of those people that do not and will not support Keadilan but at the same time want some of the ministers in the Govt kicked out (Katherine Jackson especially?) because they are freaking jerks!! At times like these I wish we can reappoint our DrM ( i I still can't call him Tun, not out of disrespect - its just a like my way of calling him 'Dad') as only he will know what to do.
Coincidentally I have just returned from a two week obligatory 'induksi' course for the Public Service Officers. In the two weeks I was there, I learnt loads of things that I had forgotten about, things like history of Malaysia: the formation of Malaysia and the involvement of all races in the pursuit of kemerdekaan from the British way back in 1957. It was good that I attended this course ( although I really dreaded it at first) coz in the time I was away there were so many tings that i forgot. All of a sudden the feel of love to my country and my compariots be it Malays,Indians or Chinese, comes back rushing to me all of sudden..
It just made me realize that no matter how different we are , we are all anak jati bangsa Malaysia and the country needs us to work together for the betterment of everyone.
At the moment there is a lot of 'race' issues being brought up, and at this point , I must quote my Arian's favourite song: WHERE IS THE LOVE
But if you only have love for your own race
Then you only leave space to discriminate
And to discriminate only generates hate
And when you hate then you're bound to get irate
Madness is what you demonstrate
And that's exactly how anger works and operates
Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate to the love -y'all
Think about it GUYS- we just have one MALAYSIA..
I think by now everyone knows whats going off after the GE. I am one of those people that do not and will not support Keadilan but at the same time want some of the ministers in the Govt kicked out (Katherine Jackson especially?) because they are freaking jerks!! At times like these I wish we can reappoint our DrM ( i I still can't call him Tun, not out of disrespect - its just a like my way of calling him 'Dad') as only he will know what to do.
Coincidentally I have just returned from a two week obligatory 'induksi' course for the Public Service Officers. In the two weeks I was there, I learnt loads of things that I had forgotten about, things like history of Malaysia: the formation of Malaysia and the involvement of all races in the pursuit of kemerdekaan from the British way back in 1957. It was good that I attended this course ( although I really dreaded it at first) coz in the time I was away there were so many tings that i forgot. All of a sudden the feel of love to my country and my compariots be it Malays,Indians or Chinese, comes back rushing to me all of sudden..
It just made me realize that no matter how different we are , we are all anak jati bangsa Malaysia and the country needs us to work together for the betterment of everyone.
At the moment there is a lot of 'race' issues being brought up, and at this point , I must quote my Arian's favourite song: WHERE IS THE LOVE
But if you only have love for your own race
Then you only leave space to discriminate
And to discriminate only generates hate
And when you hate then you're bound to get irate
Madness is what you demonstrate
And that's exactly how anger works and operates
Man, you gotta have love just to set it straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate to the love -y'all
Think about it GUYS- we just have one MALAYSIA..
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