Expected, Yet Unprepared

Esoteric, Iambic Pentameter.

Once again, physical and metaphysical limitations have prevented me from updating this blog on time.

I had a nasty piece of homework from my math teacher; an entire exercise section that took me THREE HOURS to complete. At the same time, my sister has decided to switch her Internet surfing hours to Sunday evening from her usual slot of Saturday night.

Both these factors have resulted in this late entry, and I apologize if anyone died as a result of my tardiness.

The 6 Form institution which I have participated in is living up to its billing as being the most sadistic and torturous tertiary education in Malaysia. Expected, since it is after all rated as the fifth hardest examination (STPM) in the world by Unesco.

It is the fifth hardest for a very simple reason: the streaming system.

According to one of my teachers, streaming the students supossedly enables a teacher to teach all the students in his or her classes easily in one shot. No fuss, no hassles, unless you happen to be the student!

Take me, for example.

I loath Maths, and I am very weak in Chemistry. During my high school years, I have always been consistent in my Additional Maths and Chemistry results.

Consistently bad that is.

It is therefore quite perplexing that our nations education system has once again forced me to study both Math and Chemistry, which at the first opportunity, I would drop like 5-year-old cow dung, if I could without jeopardizing my marks.

Some of my friends have asked me to consider the college option; and frankly speaking, I have had considerable discussions on this option, with myself, and I have come to the conclusion that the university course I wish to pursue is not only easily attainable, it is also at a local university, so college won't be an economical option for me; seeing as I come from a middle-income family and my business endeavour is not profitably stable yet.

Besides, commuting to college will be hell; as I live in an area particularly distant from any affordable college institution.

As a wrap up, I expect to fail every single time in my school's internal examinations this year for the stated subjects. I have little choice but to tough it out until I get my chance to study Forestry at UPM.

My first week back has proven to be quite eventful.

Tun Dr. Mahathir and his successor Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, in their "altercations", may change the face of Malaysian free speech as we know it.

Let's look beyond the issues raised and see the ripples and reactions it has explosively resulted in.

First, were the calls from various parties and individuals for Mahathir to shut up. Then there were calls from others to allow the former Prime Minister of Malaysia to speak his mind. After that, there were the almost comical pledges by various ministers to stick by Badawi no matter what "others" may say.

Matthias Chong however, takes the cake by swearing on ALL the known holy books about his integrity and honesty and all the other political mileage stuff in front of the foreign press and national Chinese papers.

Let's not forget the highly unnecessary incident where the National Fatwa Council asked the government to re-examine the open-house practice; something uniquely Malaysian and only found in Malaysia.

Apparently, the activity of getting to know your neighbours and friends of different religious backgrounds and skin tones will shake your belief in Islam.

So let me get this straight: Terrorists killing thousands in the name of Islam unites all Muslims; eating a multi-cultural meal with friends with different beliefs weaken's Muslims?

Being an atheist, I am probably the most qualified person to give opinion on the matter. Frankly, these stupid, parochial, invidious, individuals seem to act and create unnecessary issues which are, at the same time, unwisely encouraged by the people and the media.

To put it in perspective, these people would rather discuss how much skin you are allowed to show and the "immorality" of couples in love holding hands than whether or not Malaysia's human capital, particularly the Malays, are marketable in this global era.

There is a silver lining though.

As cynical as this may sound, these frank and open discussions, no matter how ridiculous, will serve as a stepping stone to more open discussions regarding wider, more sensitive issues.

It's like the Salem witch hunts - kill a certain number of people and eventually you will question the wisdom of your actions, and the wisdom of your peers.

Today, that would mean going to war for a shady, uncertain reason.

For the readers out there who have been watching the 2000hrs news on TV3, the Reopen 9/11 documentaries are sure to have caught your eye.

At first glance, the claims these people made, e.g., the World Trade Center was demolished by bombs, not brought down by planes, seem crazy and illogical; until you view the video evidence...

As incredible as it may sound, evidence hints that explosive-demolition bombs were used to bring down the WTC; the plane that alledgedly crashed into the Pentagon never existed, and many more.

The ramifications will be felt worldwide if these allegations are proven to be true. So much so that I believe those happy-go-lucky teenagers who live on a staple diet of The Simple Life and Akademi Fantasia will actually start watching the news.

The ultimate conspiracy designed to give America a huge reserve of oil, or mentally stressed lunatics who should be sent to Arkham Asylum immediately?

You decide.

Reopen 9/11

Dead of the Week: 17
Total Dead (Since 12th Jan 2006): 235