Ken wa Kyouki

Whittle, Turducken, Irate, Hanker, Apoplectic, Brinkmanship, Denouement, Littoral, Notional, Crocheted, Camisole, Cardigan, Broderie Anglaise, Wherewithal, Jaunt, Moot, Auteur, Turpitude, Favela, Souq, Creche, Ingress, Percolate, Dansela, Dilatory, Neoteny, Bohemian, bourgeois, Mawkish, Het, Corpulent.

For quite some time, I have begun each of my entries with a string of words which illicit, as my good friend Peter puts it, "ego bruising" tendencies; often resulting in the usage of precious ATP to grab that otherwise mint condition dictionary.

If you have been doing that since I begun these strings of hardly-used words, congratulations! You have thus improved your vocabulary and with your improved prowess, dazzle the ladies with your vocabulary acrobatics while sharpening your wit and the use of "classy" invective to skewer your rivals silly.

Those strings of words, you see, are new words I have learnt during the week, or words I have previously encountered whose meaning has atrophied due to prolonged disuse.

So if you actually know those words, without having to consult a dictionary; I strongly urge you to either publish your own blog or give me the address of your blog.

Now that I have explained myself, its time to contemplate on current issues.

If you have been a regular reader of my blog, you might have noticed my innate compulsion to pounce on hot issues like Superman on Lois Lane. This however, is not the case with the recently announced move to incorporate firearm training into National Service.

This is because:

• I forgot about the issue every time I log into Blogger;
• Since I had forgotten about it until I logged out, I decided to let the issue play out instead of making immediate updates to my blog.

As the saying goes, good things come to those who wait.

The decision to allow firearm training to (mostly) immature teenagers is a disturbing notion in itself; to actually allow real bullets is a definite invitation to a bloody disaster.

Having gone through the actual training, I can emphatically make myself clear these people aren't prepared for the burden and responsibility of handling an M16.

These people can't even be bothered to form queues without engaging in some sausage-slicing queue cutting; let alone handle a killing machine.

That is the core of the issue: We are teaching our children to kill.

Sure, those who suggested this module have repeatedly tried to convince the public with such cogent anecdotes as "instilling discipline".

Yes, training our children to shoot live bullets using army grade weapons will "instill discipline".

As Hiko Seijuruu said to Himura Kenshin in what I consider the God of all anime, Rurouni Kenshin:
"A sword is a weapon for killing. Kenjutsu is the art of killing. Whatever kinds of pretty words or titles you use, that is the only truth."

I have to admit, given the opportunity, I would learn how to shoot too; just to understand what state sponsored murderers do every day...

The only thing is, I would rather handle an AK-47.

The world is rapidly changing, evolving, or rather, regressing.

According to Discovery News, worldwide immaturity levels are rising!

"People such as academics, teachers, scientists and many other professionals are often strikingly immature outside of their strictly specialist competence in the sense of being unpredictable, unbalanced in priorities, and tending to overreact."

The culprit is said to be, ironically, formal education.

Apparently, the need to increase general, abstract intelligence requires a child-like stance of receptivity to new learning, and cognitive flexibility.

In other words, George W. Bush.

This is a guy about to lead a bunch of selfish, unscrupulous, greedy men into open nuclear war. The clock is ticking, and we are fast approaching the twelfth hour on the clock of doom.

Double standards notwithstanding, I see absolutely no pragmatic reason to forbid Iran access to nuclear technology. Particularly when the United (Terrorists) States of America sees fit to bestow nuclear warheads to Israel, while their apoplectic Arabian neighbours are deprived of the "privilege".

Although wars in the Middle East might seem worlds away, as suggested by chaos theory, everyone will feel its ramifications.

Just take note:
Spoilt brats are running the world today; we all know what they will do if they don't get things their way...

Dead of the Week: 45
Total Dead (Since 12th Jan 2006): 280

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

From Hell to Earth's Hell

I am finally back! It was a blast I tell you, going through National Service.

Seriously, I enjoyed myself.

That however, doesn't mean I hold no criticisms regarding my stint. In fact, in a way, I was proven beyond any reasonable doubt that National Service has failed in its overall objective to instill discipline, integration, and unity between the 300 or so odd trainees in camp.

Of course, that is from my perspective. Anyhow, you can read about my experience yourself when I finish digitizing my offline blog, which I had written during the 84 days in exile.

NOTE: The phrase "offline blog" does not exist. I simply find it a convenient way of describing my diary to people who ask. Whenever someone approaches me in camp asking what I am writing, I answer it is my offline blog, my diary, only it is a diary meant for public viewing.

It has been a frenetic 2 days since my return.

First, I had to complete my revisions.

I immediately started with Numb3rs on AXN which was immediately followed by Being Chen Kaige on Discovery Channel.

What, you didn't actually expect me to read up on Form 6 did you? TV is my life, it powers my intellect. I can feel a significant drop in my ability to conduct or write with my usual wit and vigour as a result of my gamma-ray withdrawal treatment.

Here's a general rundown of what I did after my return:

1. Reintroduced myself to my dog. The son of a bitch (not profanity, but fact) had forgotten me and wanted to take a chunk off my hand;
2. Watched TV;
3. Tended to my bonzais, all of whom had changed and grown significantly;
4. Messaged most of my ex-National Service friends;
5. Walked my dog;
6. The World Cup (England vs Paraguay)
7. Completed my offline blog;
8. The World Cup (Sweden vs Trinidad & Tobago).

The World Cup. The magic begins.

While I mostly read the paper during the England-Paraguay match, my full attention was given to the unlikely combination of Sweden - Trinidad & Tobago.

Magic, I tell you.

Trinidad & Tobago were reduced to 10 men in the second half, which effectively meant they had to last more then 45 minutes worth of attack.

With Henrik Larsson and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in Sweden's attacking lineup, this could easily have been a 4-0 drubbing right then and there.

What followed next was nothing short of a superhuman display by the Trinidad & Tobago goalkeeper, Shaka Hislop, who single handedly stopped shots that would have cratered the doors of a Proton.

His fellow countrymen, also manifested incredible obstinance in their defense, led by none other that Dwight Yorke - who commanded and inspired his teammates in conducting the most incredible defense I have ever seen based solely on the will to never quit.

I didn't need any coffee, although I had only had two-and-a-half-hours sleep in 48 hours. So you could forgive me for giving a small cheer at 0230 on the 11th of June when the final whistle blew.

Back to business as usual then. My TV revision continued with the latest season of all three CSIs, Discovery Channels I Shouldn't be Alive a revisit of Spongebob Squarepants.

In the course of writing this, I realised (imagined me speaking with an Irish lilt) me olde wit is back laddie.

Wow, in two days, I have racked up 21 TV deaths thanks, no doubt, to CSI Supreme Sunday. That's a water tank-load of blood if we could ever squeeze them out of the bodies.

While our highly respected and loved ministers and representatives wish to control the displays of affection in public, they have wisely allowed us all to continue our pursuit for more violence and gore.

Yes, down with love, bring on the blood.

Hey, I have a suggestion for the MPs, why don't you shoot couples holding hands or kissing in the Botanical Gardens on the spot!

You could send a message to all those who would show their love to the world while providing extra entertainment to the public in a local fashion; because we must all support our local film industry no matter how vacuous and frivolous most of them are, right?

Seriously, I think there is something very wrong with our leaders. Especially with the looming threat of hydraulic despotism. We should be focusing on the management of our natural resources and energy needs rather than stunting love.

I leave you with a quote from lesson 1 of the Hacker High School programme:

"Research a topic. Any topic. A current event, perhaps. Use the first source you find as the standard. Find 5 other sources. How do the other sources differ from that standard? What reasons would there be for the difference? Political reasons? Has content been changed to suit a specific audience? Has content been omitted to make an issue or a fact more palatable or marketable? Do subtle wording differences change the interpretation of your standard? When you encounter this question for the first time, you'll find that some of your own bias may influence your answers. As you learn more (not only with computers and security, but in all subjects), come back to this question when researching a topic. You'll find that your broader perspective gives you new insights in to some, if not all, of the answers."

Dead of the Week: 21
Total Dead (Since 12th Jan 2006): 218