I recall a fellow Malaysian student at Nagoya University who took pride in saying that he is, well, the KOCSM...
I will not challenge him for the crown, but yesterday, I moved in lightning fast speed to organize a birthday lunch for my aging, ailing, and wheel-chaired bound mother…
As I walked into the restaurant, I was perplexed to see a handful of young kids, sitting at the table reserved for us…
I was like, hey, what’s this…
Then, it dawn upon me that they are the daughters and sons of my nieces…
Which makes me a, what… grand-uncle? No?
Minutes later, the familiar faces of my nieces and nephews surfaced…
Some of the unmarried but about to be married ones look really smart…
Chic… pretty… attractive…
I don’t get much opportunity to see them…
The obvious reasons being, communication problem…
I can’t speak Mandarin… poor me…
And they cannot really speak English…
Our dialects are different too…
So there I was, tongue tied and struggling as to what to say to them…
Which got me into thinking that I should really, really be picking up Mandarin…
Gardening, photography, food, fishing, traveling, scuba diving, life in Japan, plus of course, news and views of being away from home...
Monday, December 25, 2006
Saturday, December 23, 2006
BACK HOME AGAIN
Am now back in Alok Stak again…
The winds were really cool and pleasant this morning…
But by noon, the heat… oooohh…
Shall be spending about 16 days in Malaysia…
First week is reserved for family…
Then, on 29th December, am attending the reunion of my school mates…
Thirty years ago, we were but seventeen year olds…
And on 30th December, we shall head to Roach Reefs for a few days of scuba diving…
Yeeeeee…
Last night, went hunting for what else, but that thorny-thorny fruit…
Had a kampong fruit from Tapah, Perak…
Seven ringgit, and twenty five seeds…
Not too bad lah, considering that this is not the season…
The winds were really cool and pleasant this morning…
But by noon, the heat… oooohh…
Shall be spending about 16 days in Malaysia…
First week is reserved for family…
Then, on 29th December, am attending the reunion of my school mates…
Thirty years ago, we were but seventeen year olds…
And on 30th December, we shall head to Roach Reefs for a few days of scuba diving…
Yeeeeee…
Last night, went hunting for what else, but that thorny-thorny fruit…
Had a kampong fruit from Tapah, Perak…
Seven ringgit, and twenty five seeds…
Not too bad lah, considering that this is not the season…
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
GO FOR WHAT YOU ENJOY, THE REWARDS WILL FOLLOW
Ok folks; let us take a break from whining...
Well, many of us have heard of the above phrase in one form or another...
Yeap... do what you love and the honor, reward, money, etcetera will fall into place...
I am finding out that it is true...
I love what I am doing now, but this is not to say that I have had my plans all laid out well ahead in time...
A reader, shaffiq ahmad, said, 'i must say that u're having a very interesting career'...
I responded that 'it just happened... I see myself as a coconut floating on the ocean, and wherever the waves bring me, I sail along and try to have a good time'.
So, this post is a little about rewards that follow from doing what I love to do...
Last week, the local Lions Club which I had been collaborating with regards to 'international' events, invited me for dinner at a wonderful Korean restaurant...
Hmmm, the thought of the delicious kimchi and the spicy soups is making my mouth water...
Anyway, the function was to congratulate me for my promotion...
And woaaah... they are recommending me to be an honorary member of their club...
They acknowledge that I have the expertise they need for their club...
My name will be registered in the official Lions Club registrar...
Poooh...
And two days ago, the President of my university called me up personally to request me to interpret for the Ambassador of a certain nation who shall be making a little keynote speech here in January...
Although I am not sure if I can do a good job at this, I see it as an honor...
However when I conveyed this news to my missus, she didn't seem happy...
Reason is, she says, the President does not know how lousy my Japanese is...
And I am afraid she might just be right on... especially if the interpretation is from English to Japanese...
Got up at past 2 am that night to pee...
And my mind somehow wandered to what transpired a few hours ago...
I laid open-eyed for the rest of the night, thinking about what to do...
Next morning, weary eyed from lack of sleep, I found the answer...
I am going to scream for help with this interpretation thingy!!
Well, many of us have heard of the above phrase in one form or another...
Yeap... do what you love and the honor, reward, money, etcetera will fall into place...
I am finding out that it is true...
I love what I am doing now, but this is not to say that I have had my plans all laid out well ahead in time...
A reader, shaffiq ahmad, said, 'i must say that u're having a very interesting career'...
I responded that 'it just happened... I see myself as a coconut floating on the ocean, and wherever the waves bring me, I sail along and try to have a good time'.
So, this post is a little about rewards that follow from doing what I love to do...
Last week, the local Lions Club which I had been collaborating with regards to 'international' events, invited me for dinner at a wonderful Korean restaurant...
Hmmm, the thought of the delicious kimchi and the spicy soups is making my mouth water...
Anyway, the function was to congratulate me for my promotion...
And woaaah... they are recommending me to be an honorary member of their club...
They acknowledge that I have the expertise they need for their club...
My name will be registered in the official Lions Club registrar...
Poooh...
And two days ago, the President of my university called me up personally to request me to interpret for the Ambassador of a certain nation who shall be making a little keynote speech here in January...
Although I am not sure if I can do a good job at this, I see it as an honor...
However when I conveyed this news to my missus, she didn't seem happy...
Reason is, she says, the President does not know how lousy my Japanese is...
And I am afraid she might just be right on... especially if the interpretation is from English to Japanese...
Got up at past 2 am that night to pee...
And my mind somehow wandered to what transpired a few hours ago...
I laid open-eyed for the rest of the night, thinking about what to do...
Next morning, weary eyed from lack of sleep, I found the answer...
I am going to scream for help with this interpretation thingy!!
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
'WORLD-CLASS' MALAYSIAN UNIVERSITY IN ACTION?
Had a ball of a time at Bangkok attending the conference...
Didn't expect to meet any people I know...
But, was surprised (really?) to see quite a few familiar faces...
Also made many new friends as well... friends from all over...
Among the new friends were a bunch of folks from Malaysia...
There were three guys (Let's call them A, C, and M) who are working in Australian universities... and a lady, Y, who is working in a Singaporean university...
Two of them, A and C, I know from my literature readings...
'Terror' scholars they are, I must say...
So, it was an honor to meet these well-known yet humble and down-to-earth guys...
A's presentation was a delight to hear... clear and pretty robust...
C's presentation and mine unfortunately ran parallel, so I could not attend his...
M's presentation was like a puzzle, titillating the senses with questions and more questions, and prodding the audience to think over the issues raised...
Then, there was a lady I know, J, who is working in a Malaysian university...
I could not recognize her even when she sat beside me during the opening keynote session... (How could you peep sideways when a lady sits beside you, eh?)
She calmly said: 'You are Lim, aren't you?'
My response: 'Woooaah'...
She too, is a 'terror' scholar, as I know from literature...
I even learned quite a bit about the ropes of presentation during her session...
Don't prepare too many slides, that is...
A Malaysian guy L, runs his own company in Malaysia...
Although I didn't hear his presentation, he was a pleasant conversation partner...
My presentation was actually one of the first to be slated...
I thus had all the remaining time to cruise around, picking and choosing the sessions I wanted to hear...
Among them were two presentations, back to back, by the same author S, from a Malaysian university specifically designed for that one single 'superior' race...
Now, question... which Malaysian university could I possibly be referring to here?
No prizes for correct answers here... heheheee...
She started off lethargically, soft, and barely audible...
A mat salleh listener instantly cut in and asked the chairman to instruct her to use the microphone...
Her subject dealt with the perception of quality in that particular university, I would suppose...
Frankly speaking, I was not sure if I understood her presentation at all...
It is not for her lack of English skills, but rather the content and thrust of the presentation...
After the presentation, a few questions popped up which had me shaking my head... wondering why she was not answering the questions...
As she was preparing to present her next paper, a couple of people walked out...
Yours truly, tongue dangling, was one of them...
I was not prepared to risk my precious time on another dreary episode by that same languid, unenthusiastic presenter...
No way, Maria...
Outside, I chatted with the two mat salleh fellow 'fugitives' over coffee...
She didn't answer my question, said one...
He continued mentioning about some specifics and said, 'I was not planning to highlight to the lady about this and embarrass her in the session'...
My response: Adoooi...
Over the conference dinner, I talked with C, who was also at the session...
I said, 'this is not a question of quality in education per se... it is more a political question... until that question is solved in its rightful context, this quality perception stuff is all crap'...
And C: 'She criticized Australian universities for accepting students without bachelor degrees into the master programs'...
'She doesn't know much about Australian universities, lamented a head-shaking C, who is a professor there'...
My response: Woooooh... sakit....
I added that in fact, some Japanese universities do accept students without bachelor degrees into their master programs...
Ok, now back to the Malaysian university in question...
This is one Malaysian university that proudly proclaims to be 'A WORLD-CLASS SOCIO-ECONOMIC ACHIEVEMENT', in original capital letters, mind you...
I am just wondering why such a world-class university is not opening up her doors to Malaysian folks with a different color configuration...
(I know, I know... they are 'opening' up a few token seats to those wretched 'marginalized' folks...)
For one general outcome of that contentious, warped, over-bearing, you-know-what-I-am-talking-about policy is here... yes, another teeny-weeny case of that cliched brain drain phenomenon...
Of course, this is not to say that yours truly nor the other scholars have had dreams in their younger years to school at that university in the first place...
Anyway, there we were, Malaysians, or former Malaysians (?) if you wish... five 'overseas' academicians gathered in an international business conference, strutting their stuff not in the name of Malaysian but Australian, Singaporean, and Japanese universities...
And the world goes on...
Stay tuned for Part 2...
Didn't expect to meet any people I know...
But, was surprised (really?) to see quite a few familiar faces...
Also made many new friends as well... friends from all over...
Among the new friends were a bunch of folks from Malaysia...
There were three guys (Let's call them A, C, and M) who are working in Australian universities... and a lady, Y, who is working in a Singaporean university...
Two of them, A and C, I know from my literature readings...
'Terror' scholars they are, I must say...
So, it was an honor to meet these well-known yet humble and down-to-earth guys...
A's presentation was a delight to hear... clear and pretty robust...
C's presentation and mine unfortunately ran parallel, so I could not attend his...
M's presentation was like a puzzle, titillating the senses with questions and more questions, and prodding the audience to think over the issues raised...
Then, there was a lady I know, J, who is working in a Malaysian university...
I could not recognize her even when she sat beside me during the opening keynote session... (How could you peep sideways when a lady sits beside you, eh?)
She calmly said: 'You are Lim, aren't you?'
My response: 'Woooaah'...
She too, is a 'terror' scholar, as I know from literature...
I even learned quite a bit about the ropes of presentation during her session...
Don't prepare too many slides, that is...
A Malaysian guy L, runs his own company in Malaysia...
Although I didn't hear his presentation, he was a pleasant conversation partner...
My presentation was actually one of the first to be slated...
I thus had all the remaining time to cruise around, picking and choosing the sessions I wanted to hear...
Among them were two presentations, back to back, by the same author S, from a Malaysian university specifically designed for that one single 'superior' race...
Now, question... which Malaysian university could I possibly be referring to here?
No prizes for correct answers here... heheheee...
She started off lethargically, soft, and barely audible...
A mat salleh listener instantly cut in and asked the chairman to instruct her to use the microphone...
Her subject dealt with the perception of quality in that particular university, I would suppose...
Frankly speaking, I was not sure if I understood her presentation at all...
It is not for her lack of English skills, but rather the content and thrust of the presentation...
After the presentation, a few questions popped up which had me shaking my head... wondering why she was not answering the questions...
As she was preparing to present her next paper, a couple of people walked out...
Yours truly, tongue dangling, was one of them...
I was not prepared to risk my precious time on another dreary episode by that same languid, unenthusiastic presenter...
No way, Maria...
Outside, I chatted with the two mat salleh fellow 'fugitives' over coffee...
She didn't answer my question, said one...
He continued mentioning about some specifics and said, 'I was not planning to highlight to the lady about this and embarrass her in the session'...
My response: Adoooi...
Over the conference dinner, I talked with C, who was also at the session...
I said, 'this is not a question of quality in education per se... it is more a political question... until that question is solved in its rightful context, this quality perception stuff is all crap'...
And C: 'She criticized Australian universities for accepting students without bachelor degrees into the master programs'...
'She doesn't know much about Australian universities, lamented a head-shaking C, who is a professor there'...
My response: Woooooh... sakit....
I added that in fact, some Japanese universities do accept students without bachelor degrees into their master programs...
Ok, now back to the Malaysian university in question...
This is one Malaysian university that proudly proclaims to be 'A WORLD-CLASS SOCIO-ECONOMIC ACHIEVEMENT', in original capital letters, mind you...
I am just wondering why such a world-class university is not opening up her doors to Malaysian folks with a different color configuration...
(I know, I know... they are 'opening' up a few token seats to those wretched 'marginalized' folks...)
For one general outcome of that contentious, warped, over-bearing, you-know-what-I-am-talking-about policy is here... yes, another teeny-weeny case of that cliched brain drain phenomenon...
Of course, this is not to say that yours truly nor the other scholars have had dreams in their younger years to school at that university in the first place...
Anyway, there we were, Malaysians, or former Malaysians (?) if you wish... five 'overseas' academicians gathered in an international business conference, strutting their stuff not in the name of Malaysian but Australian, Singaporean, and Japanese universities...
And the world goes on...
Stay tuned for Part 2...
Monday, December 04, 2006
THE GREEN PADI FIELDS OF HOME
Am back in my home town, Alor Star, for the past two days...
Feels really great to be around this territory...
The skies are so blue and every where I gaze, green padi fields seem to greet me...
I am back here for some family business, something personal that I may decide to blog about later...
Meantime, I shall try my best to be a good son and leave things to fate...
Anyway, on another front, the local food is as irresistable as ever...
* Now we are talking... *
My Penangite buddies like to brag about their char koew teow and laksa while the Ipohan fellas, hor fun...
Kedahans may be lousy at PR-ing their local delights....
Nonetheless, we are certainly not short of equally deliciously local fare...
Was even lucky enough to come across a durian seller last night...
The season has yet to kick off, but the taste was not too bad either...
Feels really great to be around this territory...
The skies are so blue and every where I gaze, green padi fields seem to greet me...
I am back here for some family business, something personal that I may decide to blog about later...
Meantime, I shall try my best to be a good son and leave things to fate...
Anyway, on another front, the local food is as irresistable as ever...
* Now we are talking... *
My Penangite buddies like to brag about their char koew teow and laksa while the Ipohan fellas, hor fun...
Kedahans may be lousy at PR-ing their local delights....
Nonetheless, we are certainly not short of equally deliciously local fare...
Was even lucky enough to come across a durian seller last night...
The season has yet to kick off, but the taste was not too bad either...
Saturday, December 02, 2006
KANSAI INTERNATIONAL AT MIDNIGHT
Am presently at the Kansai International Airport...
It is just past midnight and my body feels like tofu...
'Normal' bedtime for me is about 9:30 to 10:00 pm...
So, what am I doing at this ungodly hour...
Anyway, the airport is so quiet and devoid of people...
And I am traveling with just one carry-on bag...
Nice...
Departure time is 1:25 am...
Oh god... I need to snore...
Right away!
It is just past midnight and my body feels like tofu...
'Normal' bedtime for me is about 9:30 to 10:00 pm...
So, what am I doing at this ungodly hour...
Anyway, the airport is so quiet and devoid of people...
And I am traveling with just one carry-on bag...
Nice...
Departure time is 1:25 am...
Oh god... I need to snore...
Right away!
Friday, December 01, 2006
BANGKOK BOUND
Am shooting off to Bangkok late tonight...
Flying Thai International after so may years...
Main intention is to present a conference paper at Bangkok...
Side-intention is not to crawl the pubs nor hunt for massage parlours...
But to return to the kampong to attend to family matters...
So, flying from Bangkok to Penang, then hop over to Alor Star, and then the reverse return route...
Shall be back in my cave here in Japan on 10th December...
Have a lot to blog about but, oh god, so little time...
Porgib me, my dear friends...
Flying Thai International after so may years...
Main intention is to present a conference paper at Bangkok...
Side-intention is not to crawl the pubs nor hunt for massage parlours...
But to return to the kampong to attend to family matters...
So, flying from Bangkok to Penang, then hop over to Alor Star, and then the reverse return route...
Shall be back in my cave here in Japan on 10th December...
Have a lot to blog about but, oh god, so little time...
Porgib me, my dear friends...
Thursday, November 23, 2006
KIDOH III...
Man, am continuing to be inundated with work these days...
Could this be a punishment for the promotion, I wonder...
Anyway, am really appalled by the recent happenings in my beloved country Malaysia...
I am of course referring to what is described by some as the illegal annual gathering of the main component of the ruling party, UMNO...
We could call that uncouth sword-kissing act by that dishonorable minister of education, KIDOH III...
Yes, KIDOH... short for Kita Bodoh... (see also here and here...)
And, threats by those ruling politicians of running amok and calls for drawing blood if tested to the limits...
As one blogger wrote, the filth within UMNO has to reach critical level...
Only then can we see a change coming from within the ranks of the Malays...
Till then, as Michael Backman says on the Age, non-players like us could lay back and 'enjoy' those idiotic antics until the end of time...
Really, Malaysia seems to be getting bodoher (stupider) by the day...
Could this be a punishment for the promotion, I wonder...
Anyway, am really appalled by the recent happenings in my beloved country Malaysia...
I am of course referring to what is described by some as the illegal annual gathering of the main component of the ruling party, UMNO...
We could call that uncouth sword-kissing act by that dishonorable minister of education, KIDOH III...
Yes, KIDOH... short for Kita Bodoh... (see also here and here...)
And, threats by those ruling politicians of running amok and calls for drawing blood if tested to the limits...
As one blogger wrote, the filth within UMNO has to reach critical level...
Only then can we see a change coming from within the ranks of the Malays...
Till then, as Michael Backman says on the Age, non-players like us could lay back and 'enjoy' those idiotic antics until the end of time...
Really, Malaysia seems to be getting bodoher (stupider) by the day...
Saturday, November 04, 2006
UNIVERSITY FESTIVAL & CLASS REUNION
Yeap, it is that time of the year when we are celebrating our University Festival...
I like it... mainly because we get a few days off without having to do anything...
But still, here I am at my office... tapping away at the keys and listening to horrid 'music' by the students...
The male singers are a little tolerable...
But when the girls take over the stage, oooh... their screams make them sound like they are being strangled alive or something... real yakky...
On another front, just received notice of a huge reunion being planned for our Class of 1976...
As they say, every doggo has its day... we were young and clueless...
Now, 30 years down the road, who in their right sense of mind would want to miss such a promising event?
I for one, would love to compare my remaining precious few strands of 'hair' with the guys'...
And of course, to see whose belly is the most bulging of them all...
Would also certainly be prowling around to see what damage father time has done to those lovely, petite girls who hypnotized us into tripping over ourselves silly...
Yeap, thirty years ago... when we were but open-jawed and wide-eyed...
Man... life is fun...
I like it... mainly because we get a few days off without having to do anything...
But still, here I am at my office... tapping away at the keys and listening to horrid 'music' by the students...
The male singers are a little tolerable...
But when the girls take over the stage, oooh... their screams make them sound like they are being strangled alive or something... real yakky...
On another front, just received notice of a huge reunion being planned for our Class of 1976...
As they say, every doggo has its day... we were young and clueless...
Now, 30 years down the road, who in their right sense of mind would want to miss such a promising event?
I for one, would love to compare my remaining precious few strands of 'hair' with the guys'...
And of course, to see whose belly is the most bulging of them all...
Would also certainly be prowling around to see what damage father time has done to those lovely, petite girls who hypnotized us into tripping over ourselves silly...
Yeap, thirty years ago... when we were but open-jawed and wide-eyed...
Man... life is fun...
Friday, October 27, 2006
GROWLING AND HISSING
Hmmm... these days, yours truly is busy like a bee, yet hungry like a ghost...
Been inundated with loads of work...
The list of 'to do' items don't seem to taper off...
On another front, went for a curry lunch today...
Those familiar with Japanese curry would know that it is not really the 'real' stuff...
Anyway, ordered an extra large portion...
When the plate came, the volume looked so ordinary that I had to confirm with the waitress...
Yes, that is extra large, she said...
But after gulping down that plateful, my stomach was still growling...
Hmmm... what now?
Stopped by a noodle shop and devoured a bowlful...
Now, that feels more like it, my stomach seemed to hiss...
I know, I know...
As man ages, he should pay more attention to the consumption volume...
Otherwise, the stomach would burst out, bulging in no time...
Hmmm... if not for the heaps of work, it'd be nice to sneak off for a little 'python' snore eh...
Been inundated with loads of work...
The list of 'to do' items don't seem to taper off...
On another front, went for a curry lunch today...
Those familiar with Japanese curry would know that it is not really the 'real' stuff...
Anyway, ordered an extra large portion...
When the plate came, the volume looked so ordinary that I had to confirm with the waitress...
Yes, that is extra large, she said...
But after gulping down that plateful, my stomach was still growling...
Hmmm... what now?
Stopped by a noodle shop and devoured a bowlful...
Now, that feels more like it, my stomach seemed to hiss...
I know, I know...
As man ages, he should pay more attention to the consumption volume...
Otherwise, the stomach would burst out, bulging in no time...
Hmmm... if not for the heaps of work, it'd be nice to sneak off for a little 'python' snore eh...
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
ON-THE-JOB TRAINING, STILL...
No kidding...
Took me ten years to come out of the classroom with a feeling that I have done a pretty good job 'teaching'...
I cherish walking right up to the students' faces, prodding and nudging them with questions...
I derive much pleasure from this interactive mode of 'teasing' the students...
Well, self-satisfaction, you could say...
But looking at the almost instant response from a rather large group of students remaining after the class to ask questions, yours truly couldn't help grinning from ear to ear yesterday...
Job satisfaction, I'd say?
The topic... Migration into Japan: its possibility and problems...
The class is big... almost 150 students and some latecomers had to sit on chairs taken in from classrooms...
My thoughts are thrown back to an interview I conducted with a company man while a doctorate student...
I asked the man how many years it would take for him to be considered a skilled worker...
His response... 15 years...
Man, I still have five more years to grind before I can scrape past that hurdle?
Took me ten years to come out of the classroom with a feeling that I have done a pretty good job 'teaching'...
I cherish walking right up to the students' faces, prodding and nudging them with questions...
I derive much pleasure from this interactive mode of 'teasing' the students...
Well, self-satisfaction, you could say...
But looking at the almost instant response from a rather large group of students remaining after the class to ask questions, yours truly couldn't help grinning from ear to ear yesterday...
Job satisfaction, I'd say?
The topic... Migration into Japan: its possibility and problems...
The class is big... almost 150 students and some latecomers had to sit on chairs taken in from classrooms...
My thoughts are thrown back to an interview I conducted with a company man while a doctorate student...
I asked the man how many years it would take for him to be considered a skilled worker...
His response... 15 years...
Man, I still have five more years to grind before I can scrape past that hurdle?
Friday, October 13, 2006
MAKING HISTORY IN JAPAN?
While holidaying in Malaysia last month, was asked by Kagawa Prefecture through the email if I could assist them to hold a meeting...
Without going into the finer details, I said ok... (it was terrible to read Japanese in romaji text...)
Turned out to be quite a high profile meeting with the purpose of discussing how to make Kagawa Prefecture 'a more livable place' for foreigners...
'Assisting to hold a meeting' turned out to be 'my consent to be chairman of the meeting'...
Hey, I didn't read that part!!
Anyway, first time to chair such a meeting with the top guns of the prefecture attending...
Learnt later that yours truly is the first foreigner to chair such a high level meeting in the prefecture...
Weeeehh... I am making history?
But... there's always a but...
The Japanese are understandably not really keen to take in foreigners into their shores...
They have been so for the past hundreds of years...
So, the proposals are more like limp, ad hoc measures... stopgap devices that are tuned more towards short-term stayers...
While short-term residents can be quite a problem (they don't know how to separate the rubbish... they party too late into the nights... they use too much oil to cook... the spices they use are too smelly... they commit too much crime...), the focus on long-term residents is somewhat superficial...
Anyway, we are due to meet two more times to thrash the proposals out...
Am looking forward to seeing more 'fire' in the discussions between the local and foreign members of the meeting...
Without going into the finer details, I said ok... (it was terrible to read Japanese in romaji text...)
Turned out to be quite a high profile meeting with the purpose of discussing how to make Kagawa Prefecture 'a more livable place' for foreigners...
'Assisting to hold a meeting' turned out to be 'my consent to be chairman of the meeting'...
Hey, I didn't read that part!!
Anyway, first time to chair such a meeting with the top guns of the prefecture attending...
Learnt later that yours truly is the first foreigner to chair such a high level meeting in the prefecture...
Weeeehh... I am making history?
But... there's always a but...
The Japanese are understandably not really keen to take in foreigners into their shores...
They have been so for the past hundreds of years...
So, the proposals are more like limp, ad hoc measures... stopgap devices that are tuned more towards short-term stayers...
While short-term residents can be quite a problem (they don't know how to separate the rubbish... they party too late into the nights... they use too much oil to cook... the spices they use are too smelly... they commit too much crime...), the focus on long-term residents is somewhat superficial...
Anyway, we are due to meet two more times to thrash the proposals out...
Am looking forward to seeing more 'fire' in the discussions between the local and foreign members of the meeting...
Thursday, October 12, 2006
PROUD TO BE A 'LIM' TODAY
Malaysian affairs has been and is still graced by quite a few of the 'Lim' clansmen...
Lim Chong Eu, Lim Keng Yaik, Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng, Lim Ah Lek are some of the prominent ones...
If I am not mistaken, Ling Liong Sik also shares the same Chinese surname... no?
Sometimes of course, I feel embarrassed to be 'associated' with them, especially those in the ruling coalition...
Times when they appear so weak and patronizing to you-know-who...
But today, I feel proud...
Dr. Dr Lim Teck Ghee has quit ASLI...
That's integrity for you...
I am proud that my 'braddaaa' is standing by his work and telling the concerned parties to go and rot...
Says he, 'It is the fundamental right of the Malaysian public to question all government statistics and policies, more so when these are not transparent or defensible.'
I salute you, brother...
Lim Chong Eu, Lim Keng Yaik, Lim Kit Siang, Lim Guan Eng, Lim Ah Lek are some of the prominent ones...
If I am not mistaken, Ling Liong Sik also shares the same Chinese surname... no?
Sometimes of course, I feel embarrassed to be 'associated' with them, especially those in the ruling coalition...
Times when they appear so weak and patronizing to you-know-who...
But today, I feel proud...
Dr. Dr Lim Teck Ghee has quit ASLI...
That's integrity for you...
I am proud that my 'braddaaa' is standing by his work and telling the concerned parties to go and rot...
Says he, 'It is the fundamental right of the Malaysian public to question all government statistics and policies, more so when these are not transparent or defensible.'
I salute you, brother...
Friday, October 06, 2006
PUBLIC SCRUTINY IN MALAYSIAN AFFAIRS
'Scrutiny' to the Malaysian government is something like sunlight to Count Dracula...
* Am I getting overly influenced by movies or what? *
From 10 a.m. this morning, I have been listening to the live parliamentary broadcast on Japanese national radio...
Makiko Tanaka, daughter of the (in)famous former Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka, was dueling with the newly minted Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on his dream to make Japan a 'beautiful' country (utsukushii Nippon)...
Fallen 'Prince' Katsuya Okada followed the assault, scrutinizing Abe on words he spoke years ago on social security at some campaign...
And there's Abe, responding immediately for all to hear and judge...
Back home in Malaysia, I wonder when is the soon-to-be-advanced government going to broadcast the parliamentary debates...
Presently, we have the Prime Minister accusing the ASLI findings as being baseless...
And what argument does he offer to back up his accusation?
Jeeeloh...
Boy... the credibility of this government (and even the previous ones for that matter) has gone to the dogs...
Assume that I choose to refute someone's claim that the moon is roundish...
Man, I better come up with some reasonable arguments to show that the moon is in fact squarish...
Otherwise, what image of myself am I projecting to the other party?
A bloody pain in the butt, and an idiot who cannot talk sense, no less...
As in this refutation by the Prime Minister on ASLI's findings...
There is a very interesting debate in Malaysiakini at the moment...
If ASLI's findings are indeed true, Khoo Kay Peng proposes that 'the government may be facing a difficult time in trying to explain to the truly marginalised segment of the society, which consists of largely the bumiputera community, why the 45% of wealth ownership did not help to alleviate their living conditions.'
There! Think about it...
As I mumbled somewhere before, 'you can run but you can't hide'...
The day the Malaysian government can stand up to PUBLIC SCRUTINY... and there are mountains of urgent issues waiting to be scrutinized... that will be the day when Malaysians can truly rejoice...
Till then my friends, I shall continue to enjoy scuba diving in my backyard here at Aji town...
* Am I getting overly influenced by movies or what? *
From 10 a.m. this morning, I have been listening to the live parliamentary broadcast on Japanese national radio...
Makiko Tanaka, daughter of the (in)famous former Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka, was dueling with the newly minted Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on his dream to make Japan a 'beautiful' country (utsukushii Nippon)...
Fallen 'Prince' Katsuya Okada followed the assault, scrutinizing Abe on words he spoke years ago on social security at some campaign...
And there's Abe, responding immediately for all to hear and judge...
Back home in Malaysia, I wonder when is the soon-to-be-advanced government going to broadcast the parliamentary debates...
Presently, we have the Prime Minister accusing the ASLI findings as being baseless...
And what argument does he offer to back up his accusation?
Jeeeloh...
Boy... the credibility of this government (and even the previous ones for that matter) has gone to the dogs...
Assume that I choose to refute someone's claim that the moon is roundish...
Man, I better come up with some reasonable arguments to show that the moon is in fact squarish...
Otherwise, what image of myself am I projecting to the other party?
A bloody pain in the butt, and an idiot who cannot talk sense, no less...
As in this refutation by the Prime Minister on ASLI's findings...
There is a very interesting debate in Malaysiakini at the moment...
If ASLI's findings are indeed true, Khoo Kay Peng proposes that 'the government may be facing a difficult time in trying to explain to the truly marginalised segment of the society, which consists of largely the bumiputera community, why the 45% of wealth ownership did not help to alleviate their living conditions.'
There! Think about it...
As I mumbled somewhere before, 'you can run but you can't hide'...
The day the Malaysian government can stand up to PUBLIC SCRUTINY... and there are mountains of urgent issues waiting to be scrutinized... that will be the day when Malaysians can truly rejoice...
Till then my friends, I shall continue to enjoy scuba diving in my backyard here at Aji town...
Monday, October 02, 2006
JAPAN INLAND SEA, SCUBA DIVED...
Finally, scuba dived at our back yard...
Last Saturday morning, after the usual full breakfast, we geared up and descended into the sea...
We wanted to test our new regulator and buoyancy control device that we just bought from Malaysia...
Man, was the sea gloomy or what...
Visibility was, let's say, a meter...
Water temperature was 26 to 27 degrees...
Our first dive lasted 29 minutes...
Maximum depth, 7.3 meters...
So, what did we see?
At seven meters, nothing but gray matter...
The sunrays could not even reach this depth...
At one spot, I could not even see the readings on my computer...
Ascended to about three to four meters; a couple of starfish, little gobies that are not that colorful and some baby kelpfish come to view...
After a short surface break, we went for the second dive using the same tank...
Three minutes into the dive, my buddy signaled me...
Her regulator was sending her air even as she was not demanding it...
She switched to the octopus as we watched the regulator free-flowed a few seconds...
Nevertheless, this dive was a little better...
We saw some rocks with seaweed and fishes hiding in the cracks...
'Interesting' sea life included a twenty-centimeter puffer, a starfish bigger than my stretched palm, some fishes that quickly darted away upon seeing my torch...
We ascended after 27 minutes...
I am game to go again but my buddy says 'no more diving here'...
Hmmm... I shall have to think of ways to 'con' her into diving the 'interesting' Japan Inland Sea again...
Last Saturday morning, after the usual full breakfast, we geared up and descended into the sea...
We wanted to test our new regulator and buoyancy control device that we just bought from Malaysia...
Man, was the sea gloomy or what...
Visibility was, let's say, a meter...
Water temperature was 26 to 27 degrees...
Our first dive lasted 29 minutes...
Maximum depth, 7.3 meters...
So, what did we see?
At seven meters, nothing but gray matter...
The sunrays could not even reach this depth...
At one spot, I could not even see the readings on my computer...
Ascended to about three to four meters; a couple of starfish, little gobies that are not that colorful and some baby kelpfish come to view...
After a short surface break, we went for the second dive using the same tank...
Three minutes into the dive, my buddy signaled me...
Her regulator was sending her air even as she was not demanding it...
She switched to the octopus as we watched the regulator free-flowed a few seconds...
Nevertheless, this dive was a little better...
We saw some rocks with seaweed and fishes hiding in the cracks...
'Interesting' sea life included a twenty-centimeter puffer, a starfish bigger than my stretched palm, some fishes that quickly darted away upon seeing my torch...
We ascended after 27 minutes...
I am game to go again but my buddy says 'no more diving here'...
Hmmm... I shall have to think of ways to 'con' her into diving the 'interesting' Japan Inland Sea again...
Friday, September 29, 2006
AUTUMN DAYS IN JAPAN
Aaaah, early autumn in Japan...
I just love it...
The skies, so cloudless and blue...
The air, pleasantly dry and cool...
And the seas, so calm and glass-like...
I feel high... pretty high I must say... to have sailed this way...
The last time I felt so consistently high was in 1996... ten years ago...
That was when I successfully 'defended' my doctorate thesis...
Haaaa... could have 'died' halfway through the program...
Plus, I got a job at my current university that year...
Then, ten years before that in 1986...
I went through a similar high getting balled-and-chained to my sweeto-haato while swearing in front of a Texas County Judge with my closest pals standing in as witnesses...
The floating-floating feeling continued till I graduated from Texas Tech University a month later...
Hmmm, now I wonder... what awaits me in 2006-plus-ten years from today...
I just love it...
The skies, so cloudless and blue...
The air, pleasantly dry and cool...
And the seas, so calm and glass-like...
I feel high... pretty high I must say... to have sailed this way...
The last time I felt so consistently high was in 1996... ten years ago...
That was when I successfully 'defended' my doctorate thesis...
Haaaa... could have 'died' halfway through the program...
Plus, I got a job at my current university that year...
Then, ten years before that in 1986...
I went through a similar high getting balled-and-chained to my sweeto-haato while swearing in front of a Texas County Judge with my closest pals standing in as witnesses...
The floating-floating feeling continued till I graduated from Texas Tech University a month later...
Hmmm, now I wonder... what awaits me in 2006-plus-ten years from today...
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
HOMECOMING, AFTER 22 YEARS OF GOOFING OFF
Just received a note from a good pal...
Said he, 'I'm planning a trip home end of this year after 22 years....'
Wow!!
***** ***** *****
In early January 1980, yours truly set out from his kampong with a borrowed shirt on his back...
Destination: Singapore...
Reason: Was hired by Singapore Airlines to train as Cadet Pilot...
As if I was not lucky enough, Singapore Airlines decided to send me (and a bunch of goondoos) to Manila for the training...
But that's another story for another time...
Each day, we walked through the hallways at the Philippine Airline Aviator School...
An overhanging plate said something to the effect...
'Along these hallways walk the fine airmen of tomorrow'...
Anyway, we trained and managed to qualify (?) as commercial pilots with instrument rating...
However, fate was not to be...
The 1981 oil shock put a stop to the expansion plans of Singapore Airlines...
The company offered us a choice to return to our kampong to wait for the recall...
Or we could choose to work in the cabin crew department and wait for the opening in the cockpit...
All of us, over twenty guys, chose the later...
We had a ball of a time flying as flight stewards...
What more... we got to know what the heck hors d'ouvre meant...
We got to taste 'leftover' Dom Perignon before we poured them away into the sink...
Meanwhile, months passed... years passed...
The company could not go on making unfulfilled promises...
So we were offered student loans to study in the university...
We were to return to the airline after graduation...
Most of us took the study loans and headed to the US...
We graduated but only a handful chose to return to the cockpit...
Most remained in the US, with one each in Japan, UK, and Australia...
Needless to say, the colors of the passports changed as the umbilical cords with the mother country got severed one by one...
And then, this notice from my pal about returning home after an 'exile' of 22 years...
(Notice he mentioned 'home'...)
I made a trip home after a continuous absence of three years (was studying in the US)...
That was in 1986...
I could not recognized my home in Alor Star then...
Imagine the images that will run through my pal's mind when he hits 'home' (aka Kulim)...
Woaaaahh... 22 continuous donkheey years away...
Said he, 'I'm planning a trip home end of this year after 22 years....'
Wow!!
***** ***** *****
In early January 1980, yours truly set out from his kampong with a borrowed shirt on his back...
Destination: Singapore...
Reason: Was hired by Singapore Airlines to train as Cadet Pilot...
As if I was not lucky enough, Singapore Airlines decided to send me (and a bunch of goondoos) to Manila for the training...
But that's another story for another time...
Each day, we walked through the hallways at the Philippine Airline Aviator School...
An overhanging plate said something to the effect...
'Along these hallways walk the fine airmen of tomorrow'...
Anyway, we trained and managed to qualify (?) as commercial pilots with instrument rating...
However, fate was not to be...
The 1981 oil shock put a stop to the expansion plans of Singapore Airlines...
The company offered us a choice to return to our kampong to wait for the recall...
Or we could choose to work in the cabin crew department and wait for the opening in the cockpit...
All of us, over twenty guys, chose the later...
We had a ball of a time flying as flight stewards...
What more... we got to know what the heck hors d'ouvre meant...
We got to taste 'leftover' Dom Perignon before we poured them away into the sink...
Meanwhile, months passed... years passed...
The company could not go on making unfulfilled promises...
So we were offered student loans to study in the university...
We were to return to the airline after graduation...
Most of us took the study loans and headed to the US...
We graduated but only a handful chose to return to the cockpit...
Most remained in the US, with one each in Japan, UK, and Australia...
Needless to say, the colors of the passports changed as the umbilical cords with the mother country got severed one by one...
And then, this notice from my pal about returning home after an 'exile' of 22 years...
(Notice he mentioned 'home'...)
I made a trip home after a continuous absence of three years (was studying in the US)...
That was in 1986...
I could not recognized my home in Alor Star then...
Imagine the images that will run through my pal's mind when he hits 'home' (aka Kulim)...
Woaaaahh... 22 continuous donkheey years away...
Friday, September 22, 2006
SCUBA DIVING IN MY BACKYARD?
Took me over two months to negotiate with the local fisherman's union...
We plan to scuba dive the waters around Aji Peninsula, where we live...
We have heard that the fisherman's unions in Japan are pretty tetchy when it comes to scuba diving by 'outsiders' in their territory...
The reason is, there have been many cases of 'outsiders' pouching the fish and shells, thus affecting the livelihood of the fishermen...
We are recreational divers and we have no intentions of pouching...
Anyway, was lucky to have a good friend who could introduced me to the union chief...
And what luck, her husband came along and it turned out that his grandfather was the union chief some years ago...
The union chief said there would be no problem as long as we alert them before we dive...
More than one month passed...
Then, a phone call came...
The fishermen will take us to some uninhabited islands to dive...
We would have to pay them 5000 yen each (almost US$50) for the boat ride...
There would be no dive guide, and we have to source everything by ourselves...
I rejected the offer and countered that we only plan to do beach entries rather than boat diving...
Another month passed by...
The response this time was, fortunately, positive...
However, we are only to dive in one site dictated by the union...
For the time being, I said, ok...
On our last trip back home, we finally bought our BCDs (Buoyancy Control Devices) and Regulators...
We are ready to scuba dive this weekend to check out our new equipment...
Rented two aluminum tanks yesterday from a local dive shop...
Imagine, 4000 yen (almost US$40) for merely two tanks and nothing else...
Talked to the boss of the shop who gave me some good hints...
So, instead of Aji peninsula, we shall head to Naruto area in Tokushima prefecture, which is about an hour's drive away...
Apparently, the visibility there is much better... perhaps four to five meters compared to the one meter at Aji...
If we are lucky, we could see some pelagics...
But, we are shallow divers...
And, we prefer the little critters like gobies and nudibranches...
Wooh... can't wait to sink into the ocean...
We plan to scuba dive the waters around Aji Peninsula, where we live...
We have heard that the fisherman's unions in Japan are pretty tetchy when it comes to scuba diving by 'outsiders' in their territory...
The reason is, there have been many cases of 'outsiders' pouching the fish and shells, thus affecting the livelihood of the fishermen...
We are recreational divers and we have no intentions of pouching...
Anyway, was lucky to have a good friend who could introduced me to the union chief...
And what luck, her husband came along and it turned out that his grandfather was the union chief some years ago...
The union chief said there would be no problem as long as we alert them before we dive...
More than one month passed...
Then, a phone call came...
The fishermen will take us to some uninhabited islands to dive...
We would have to pay them 5000 yen each (almost US$50) for the boat ride...
There would be no dive guide, and we have to source everything by ourselves...
I rejected the offer and countered that we only plan to do beach entries rather than boat diving...
Another month passed by...
The response this time was, fortunately, positive...
However, we are only to dive in one site dictated by the union...
For the time being, I said, ok...
On our last trip back home, we finally bought our BCDs (Buoyancy Control Devices) and Regulators...
We are ready to scuba dive this weekend to check out our new equipment...
Rented two aluminum tanks yesterday from a local dive shop...
Imagine, 4000 yen (almost US$40) for merely two tanks and nothing else...
Talked to the boss of the shop who gave me some good hints...
So, instead of Aji peninsula, we shall head to Naruto area in Tokushima prefecture, which is about an hour's drive away...
Apparently, the visibility there is much better... perhaps four to five meters compared to the one meter at Aji...
If we are lucky, we could see some pelagics...
But, we are shallow divers...
And, we prefer the little critters like gobies and nudibranches...
Wooh... can't wait to sink into the ocean...
Thursday, September 21, 2006
LeProfesseur LeRong
Back in April 1996, I sat on my office chair, excitedly cherishing the first moments of landing a job as assistant professor at my current university...
I had never dreamt of getting a job in Japan, what more a teaching job in a Japanese national university...
Fast-forward ten years to this fateful twenty-first day of the year two-zero-zero-six...
I sit on my office chair... quietly cherishing the very first moments of my promotion from associate professor to a full, tenured professor this morning...
Officially, my promotion takes effect from 1st October 2006...
The road has not been pretty at times...
Hard work, of course, comes first... perseverance, that is...
Then, naturally, there is luck... we need it, really...
Plus, the tears... yes, tears, my dear friends...
One occasion was when my supervisor-professor threw out my paper while a doctoral student...
The second time was when the business faculty decided to reject my bid to become associate professor in 1997...
Ahhh, it is quite sweet, I must say, to be able to sit back, reflect, and smile at those times...
But then, nothing's really changed...
First and foremost, I remain humbled but honored as always, to be treated as such...
And like you, I'd still fart and burp after gulping down some of those delectable durians during my trips home...
I would certainly still snore when I hit the sack at night...
For I am, but the same old yours truly... a bit corny, sometimes unfunny, and occasionally grouchy (my missus will attest to this)...
Still, for the time being, I remain on cloud nine...
Oops, time to report to my missus...
We'll probably have red wine in the evening to celebrate this wonderful turn of events...
I had never dreamt of getting a job in Japan, what more a teaching job in a Japanese national university...
Fast-forward ten years to this fateful twenty-first day of the year two-zero-zero-six...
I sit on my office chair... quietly cherishing the very first moments of my promotion from associate professor to a full, tenured professor this morning...
Officially, my promotion takes effect from 1st October 2006...
The road has not been pretty at times...
Hard work, of course, comes first... perseverance, that is...
Then, naturally, there is luck... we need it, really...
Plus, the tears... yes, tears, my dear friends...
One occasion was when my supervisor-professor threw out my paper while a doctoral student...
The second time was when the business faculty decided to reject my bid to become associate professor in 1997...
Ahhh, it is quite sweet, I must say, to be able to sit back, reflect, and smile at those times...
But then, nothing's really changed...
First and foremost, I remain humbled but honored as always, to be treated as such...
And like you, I'd still fart and burp after gulping down some of those delectable durians during my trips home...
I would certainly still snore when I hit the sack at night...
For I am, but the same old yours truly... a bit corny, sometimes unfunny, and occasionally grouchy (my missus will attest to this)...
Still, for the time being, I remain on cloud nine...
Oops, time to report to my missus...
We'll probably have red wine in the evening to celebrate this wonderful turn of events...
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
BACK FROM A 3-WEEK HAITUS
Just got back to Japan yesterday after a three-week vacation in Malaysia...
Was at Pulau Perhentian from 31st August to 5th September...
My, the crowd there... dinner time was like a fish market...
Stayed a pretty nice resort and enjoyed 15 dives around the islands...
The highlight of the dives was without doubt, the large school of buffalo fish...
They really looked so graceful, chomping off the corals and stirring up the sediments...
Then, spent about ten days in my kampong in Kedah...
Mother is about 85 years old, and weakening although she still eats well...
Each time I leave my kampong, I have to tell myself that this could the last time I see her...
Anyway, when the time comes, each and everyone of us has to go...
Food in Kedah is always superb to me...
By this, I mean the nasi lemak and mee rebus... they are not quite like the ones you get elsewhere...
Finally, spent three nights in a hotel in KL...
This place... I have never developed a liking for it...
Crowded, jammed up roads...
Except for some (scuba gear) shopping and looking up my school friends who have migrated here, I would have given it a pass...
Anyway, it rained everyday when we were there...
Must admit one good thing, however... which was, we enjoyed the wonderful masala and rawa tosai breakfasts in a shop just outisde the hotel...
This trip is 'unusual' in that, both my missus and I were inflicted with cough just before our return...
Our flight home was pretty bumpy due to the winds from Typhoon Number 13...
From today, it is back to my routine at the university...
Ahh... should have gorged in one more mouthful of that wonderful masala tosai...
Was at Pulau Perhentian from 31st August to 5th September...
My, the crowd there... dinner time was like a fish market...
Stayed a pretty nice resort and enjoyed 15 dives around the islands...
The highlight of the dives was without doubt, the large school of buffalo fish...
They really looked so graceful, chomping off the corals and stirring up the sediments...
Then, spent about ten days in my kampong in Kedah...
Mother is about 85 years old, and weakening although she still eats well...
Each time I leave my kampong, I have to tell myself that this could the last time I see her...
Anyway, when the time comes, each and everyone of us has to go...
Food in Kedah is always superb to me...
By this, I mean the nasi lemak and mee rebus... they are not quite like the ones you get elsewhere...
Finally, spent three nights in a hotel in KL...
This place... I have never developed a liking for it...
Crowded, jammed up roads...
Except for some (scuba gear) shopping and looking up my school friends who have migrated here, I would have given it a pass...
Anyway, it rained everyday when we were there...
Must admit one good thing, however... which was, we enjoyed the wonderful masala and rawa tosai breakfasts in a shop just outisde the hotel...
This trip is 'unusual' in that, both my missus and I were inflicted with cough just before our return...
Our flight home was pretty bumpy due to the winds from Typhoon Number 13...
From today, it is back to my routine at the university...
Ahh... should have gorged in one more mouthful of that wonderful masala tosai...
Saturday, August 26, 2006
SCOMI INNOCENT ON NUCLEAR BLACK MARKET DEALINGS?
Malaysians may recall the episode when Scomi (controlled by PM Abdullah's son) was investigated for allegedly supplying Libya's nuclear weapons programme.
See BBC: Malaysia PM's son in nuclear link and CNN: Paper trail shows Malaysia ties
Apparently, Malaysian police cleared Scomi of allegations that Scomi knew the parts were bound for Libya and were intended for use in its nuclear weapons program.
The company claimed it thought the devices would be used in the oil and gas industry in Dubai.
Well, what else to expect but a skin-deep 'investigation' from our super-efficient Malaysian police force that was probably more inclined to swiftly put a lid on that episode and hope the rain will wash it away...
Hard luck, my friends...
Yesterday, Tokyo police arrested the president and four other employees of precision instrument maker Mitutoyo Corp. for allegedly exporting equipment with atomic weapons applications to a Malaysian firm that is suspected of dealing in the nuclear black market, officials said Friday.
Now, the ball bounces back again to the foot of the Malaysian prime minister...
As they say, you can run but you can't hide...
And, if Japan can arrest the top executives of the originating exporting firm Mitutoyo, are we to assume that Malaysia is not able to do likewise to the top executives of the middleman firm Scomi involved in the same illegal nuclear trade?
Enjoy the rest of the Japan Times article and judge for yourselves...
See BBC: Malaysia PM's son in nuclear link and CNN: Paper trail shows Malaysia ties
Apparently, Malaysian police cleared Scomi of allegations that Scomi knew the parts were bound for Libya and were intended for use in its nuclear weapons program.
The company claimed it thought the devices would be used in the oil and gas industry in Dubai.
Well, what else to expect but a skin-deep 'investigation' from our super-efficient Malaysian police force that was probably more inclined to swiftly put a lid on that episode and hope the rain will wash it away...
Hard luck, my friends...
Yesterday, Tokyo police arrested the president and four other employees of precision instrument maker Mitutoyo Corp. for allegedly exporting equipment with atomic weapons applications to a Malaysian firm that is suspected of dealing in the nuclear black market, officials said Friday.
Now, the ball bounces back again to the foot of the Malaysian prime minister...
As they say, you can run but you can't hide...
And, if Japan can arrest the top executives of the originating exporting firm Mitutoyo, are we to assume that Malaysia is not able to do likewise to the top executives of the middleman firm Scomi involved in the same illegal nuclear trade?
Enjoy the rest of the Japan Times article and judge for yourselves...
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
TEACHING JAPANESE TO A GROUP OF FUTURE DOCTORS
Am currently hosting 22 students from a university in China that has an exchange agreement with our university.
All future doctors... young, and all bright-eyed...
However, I had to crack my head on how to conduct an interesting-enough Japanese class for them...
Their foreign language skills lie in the English realm... so, their Japanese Language level is so-so...
Just before classes began, it hit me... why not use a song?
So, yesterday, yours truly had the first experience ever, to teach Japanese Language through a song...
It turned out to be quite fun...
The choice of song... My Grandfather's Clock... Japanese version...
Incidentally, in the original English version, written by American Henry Clay Work in 1876, the clock stood for 90 years before it conked out with the owner...
However, in the Japanese version, the clock's life span extended to 100 years...
Hmmm...
The Japanese (world's longest) life span effect even spills over onto lyrics...
All future doctors... young, and all bright-eyed...
However, I had to crack my head on how to conduct an interesting-enough Japanese class for them...
Their foreign language skills lie in the English realm... so, their Japanese Language level is so-so...
Just before classes began, it hit me... why not use a song?
So, yesterday, yours truly had the first experience ever, to teach Japanese Language through a song...
It turned out to be quite fun...
The choice of song... My Grandfather's Clock... Japanese version...
Incidentally, in the original English version, written by American Henry Clay Work in 1876, the clock stood for 90 years before it conked out with the owner...
However, in the Japanese version, the clock's life span extended to 100 years...
Hmmm...
The Japanese (world's longest) life span effect even spills over onto lyrics...
Friday, August 18, 2006
KEDAH TO BE 'MAJU' BY 2010?
Man, my eyeballs almost popped out of their sockets when I read this...
(See No plan to extend Kedah Maju deadline)
My kampong is near Tokai, not far from Gunung Jerai (Kedah Peak)...
Each year on my return to the kampong for vacation, I see the same scenes...
The longkangs are perennially stuck... the public telephone booths savaged...
The Malay kampongs in the vicinity remain in the same decrepit state...
Even in Alor Star the so-called 'city', every where I look, I see no signs that can give me the slightest hint of a soon-to-be 'developed' state...
I am not complaining about Kedah, though...
I love this place, as it is... and forever I shall remain 'anak Kedah'...
Just that, these people are lying through their teeth about their ability to develop Kedah in four years...
What a load of BS... to say the least...
(See No plan to extend Kedah Maju deadline)
My kampong is near Tokai, not far from Gunung Jerai (Kedah Peak)...
Each year on my return to the kampong for vacation, I see the same scenes...
The longkangs are perennially stuck... the public telephone booths savaged...
The Malay kampongs in the vicinity remain in the same decrepit state...
Even in Alor Star the so-called 'city', every where I look, I see no signs that can give me the slightest hint of a soon-to-be 'developed' state...
I am not complaining about Kedah, though...
I love this place, as it is... and forever I shall remain 'anak Kedah'...
Just that, these people are lying through their teeth about their ability to develop Kedah in four years...
What a load of BS... to say the least...
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
BICYCLING IN THE HEAT OF SUMMER
Been cycling to work continuously, everyday... for the past two weeks or so...
My 'policy' is, as long as there is no rain, I shall be cycling and not driving...
However, bicycling 20 kilometers per way in the heat of the Japanese summer is not really a joke, as I am discovering now...
At about midway, I have to pause to take a drink to avoid dehydration...
As well as to give my bum a break from the not-very-comfy bike seat...
In this heat, it doesn't take me ten minutes of cycling to start sweating...
When I reach my office an hour and fifteen minutes later, my clothes are all soaked...
Man, I could be mistaken for wearing a wet suit...
Once in the office, the door gets locked as I slowly chill down before changing to a fresh set of clothes....
Then, it's work, and work...
On the return trip, I change back to the dried-up-by-now 'wet-suit'...
Upon reaching home about an hour later, pooh... maximum sweat...
Might just consider purchasing a Honda 125 Liter off-road motorbike...
But then, if I decide to commute by motorbike, I lose out on the cycling exercise...
Hmmm...
My 'policy' is, as long as there is no rain, I shall be cycling and not driving...
However, bicycling 20 kilometers per way in the heat of the Japanese summer is not really a joke, as I am discovering now...
At about midway, I have to pause to take a drink to avoid dehydration...
As well as to give my bum a break from the not-very-comfy bike seat...
In this heat, it doesn't take me ten minutes of cycling to start sweating...
When I reach my office an hour and fifteen minutes later, my clothes are all soaked...
Man, I could be mistaken for wearing a wet suit...
Once in the office, the door gets locked as I slowly chill down before changing to a fresh set of clothes....
Then, it's work, and work...
On the return trip, I change back to the dried-up-by-now 'wet-suit'...
Upon reaching home about an hour later, pooh... maximum sweat...
Might just consider purchasing a Honda 125 Liter off-road motorbike...
But then, if I decide to commute by motorbike, I lose out on the cycling exercise...
Hmmm...
Monday, August 14, 2006
WEEKEND IN EARLY AUGUST
The Ko-aka goldfish are getting bigger...
They were about 4 to 5 centimeters when I bought them, now they are about 10 centimeters...
Initially, there were three of them but I now see only two...
Apparently a snake had eaten one of them...
Added two Comet and two Shubunkin goldfishes into pond last weekend...
To see the six goldfishes swimming and darting in the pond, in unison...
Ahh, blissful...
I have never bought any fish food from the store for them...
There are on their own to find food in the pond...
The Ko-akas were privileged to chew on tadpoles...
A few days ago, a thought hit me...
Why not try to feed them with the pests from the garden...
To my pleasant surprise, the goldfishes ate them with gusto...
Over the weekend, I fed them with numerous types of worms, flies, maggots, etc...
Hmmm... now I go looking for those pest eagerly...
As they say, 'killing two birds with one stone' eh...
Meanwhile, took a break from weekend gardening to go swimming for the first time this season at the beach near my house...
Water temperature was about 20 degrees Celsius...
What to do, but this is the Japan Inland Sea...
It was a little cold but very nice...
They were about 4 to 5 centimeters when I bought them, now they are about 10 centimeters...
Initially, there were three of them but I now see only two...
Apparently a snake had eaten one of them...
Added two Comet and two Shubunkin goldfishes into pond last weekend...
To see the six goldfishes swimming and darting in the pond, in unison...
Ahh, blissful...
I have never bought any fish food from the store for them...
There are on their own to find food in the pond...
The Ko-akas were privileged to chew on tadpoles...
A few days ago, a thought hit me...
Why not try to feed them with the pests from the garden...
To my pleasant surprise, the goldfishes ate them with gusto...
Over the weekend, I fed them with numerous types of worms, flies, maggots, etc...
Hmmm... now I go looking for those pest eagerly...
As they say, 'killing two birds with one stone' eh...
Meanwhile, took a break from weekend gardening to go swimming for the first time this season at the beach near my house...
Water temperature was about 20 degrees Celsius...
What to do, but this is the Japan Inland Sea...
It was a little cold but very nice...
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
KISS ME SAYONARA
Before going off to Beppu last week, had quite a shock upon hearing the resignation of my boss as the University Vice President...
What a waste, as he is such a nice guy... friendly, approachable, jovial, and most of all, humorous...
I was actually looking forward to working with him for a prolonged period of time...
Reason for the hara-kiri?
He took responsibility for the academic harassment case that happened while he was the Dean of the Education Faculty some time ago...
Apparently, professors attached to the arts and ceramics department at the Education Faculty refused to admit a couple of foreign students into their classes...
The case had been brewing for about a year and a half as the Education Faculty unsuccessfully tried to cover up the case...
The group of errant professors received various punishments ranging from severe warnings to salary cuts.
Some were told not to report for work for several months.
*** *** *** *** ***
After coming back from Beppu, had another shock...
This time, a professor from the Medical Faculty was axed for sexual harassment... (again?)
He purportedly asked a female student to come to his office...
Once inside his office, he forced himself onto her, demanding for a kiss...
He is 52, and she is like, perhaps 21...
This case too, was brewing for more than a year...
As in the academic harassment case, the Medical Faculty tried in vain to conceal the case...
Hmm... after such an incident, I wonder what remains in life for the perpetrator...
Assuming he succeeded, that's just a few seconds of bliss, licking a young lady's mouth...
This, followed by a lifetime of...
Shame? Joblessness? Guilt?
Oooh, what a waste, don't you think?
What a waste, as he is such a nice guy... friendly, approachable, jovial, and most of all, humorous...
I was actually looking forward to working with him for a prolonged period of time...
Reason for the hara-kiri?
He took responsibility for the academic harassment case that happened while he was the Dean of the Education Faculty some time ago...
Apparently, professors attached to the arts and ceramics department at the Education Faculty refused to admit a couple of foreign students into their classes...
The case had been brewing for about a year and a half as the Education Faculty unsuccessfully tried to cover up the case...
The group of errant professors received various punishments ranging from severe warnings to salary cuts.
Some were told not to report for work for several months.
*** *** *** *** ***
After coming back from Beppu, had another shock...
This time, a professor from the Medical Faculty was axed for sexual harassment... (again?)
He purportedly asked a female student to come to his office...
Once inside his office, he forced himself onto her, demanding for a kiss...
He is 52, and she is like, perhaps 21...
This case too, was brewing for more than a year...
As in the academic harassment case, the Medical Faculty tried in vain to conceal the case...
Hmm... after such an incident, I wonder what remains in life for the perpetrator...
Assuming he succeeded, that's just a few seconds of bliss, licking a young lady's mouth...
This, followed by a lifetime of...
Shame? Joblessness? Guilt?
Oooh, what a waste, don't you think?
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
SUPER BUSY
Been really busy these days...
Much work remains to be done even as I mount my bike to fly back to my nest...
Not that I am complaining...
To be able to work is wonderful...
Am taking the first bus out of my hamlet tomorrow...
Heading to Beppu the Land of the Hot Springs...
Primary aim is to attend a seminar...
And to soak myself in the hot springs as well...
Much work remains to be done even as I mount my bike to fly back to my nest...
Not that I am complaining...
To be able to work is wonderful...
Am taking the first bus out of my hamlet tomorrow...
Heading to Beppu the Land of the Hot Springs...
Primary aim is to attend a seminar...
And to soak myself in the hot springs as well...
Friday, July 21, 2006
NEW TOY
Just bought a new gadget...
A blood-red, four cycle Honda 25 cc engine grass cutter...
Those bamboo-like grasses at the slopes... they spread like wildfire...
But, didn't want to use chemicals to kill them...
Like the hair in my receding forehead, the grass in the slopes needs some occasional 'haircut'...
So, yours truly shall be busy cutting the grass perhaps once in two weeks...
Hard work, that is...
Meanwhile in the garden, the calabash (actually, just looked this word up in the dictionary) aka bottle gourds are forming beautifully...
The cucumbers are crunchy and the mini tomatoes, plentiful and sweet...
The loofah (again, just looked this one up in the dictionary too) aka sponge gourds dangle from the bamboo poles but the basil plants (my favorite spice) are still rather small...
The carpenters just fixed our new oriel (again, this one too) or bay window that protrudes outwards from the wall...
We look forward to enjoying the views of the sea from this window soon...
Weather-wise, the continuous heavy rains filled up our pond to the brim...
Hope the goldfishes will not jump out of the pond and commit suicide...
A blood-red, four cycle Honda 25 cc engine grass cutter...
Those bamboo-like grasses at the slopes... they spread like wildfire...
But, didn't want to use chemicals to kill them...
Like the hair in my receding forehead, the grass in the slopes needs some occasional 'haircut'...
So, yours truly shall be busy cutting the grass perhaps once in two weeks...
Hard work, that is...
Meanwhile in the garden, the calabash (actually, just looked this word up in the dictionary) aka bottle gourds are forming beautifully...
The cucumbers are crunchy and the mini tomatoes, plentiful and sweet...
The loofah (again, just looked this one up in the dictionary too) aka sponge gourds dangle from the bamboo poles but the basil plants (my favorite spice) are still rather small...
The carpenters just fixed our new oriel (again, this one too) or bay window that protrudes outwards from the wall...
We look forward to enjoying the views of the sea from this window soon...
Weather-wise, the continuous heavy rains filled up our pond to the brim...
Hope the goldfishes will not jump out of the pond and commit suicide...
Saturday, July 15, 2006
FEELING WONDERFUL
Feeling at ease and at peace with myself...
Life is wonderful...
The temperatures shot up to 34 degrees today...
And I thought it was only yesterday that I was shivering in the cold, cycling home from work...
Japanese universities throughout the country are in the midst of experimenting a simultaneous one-week holiday in mid August...
Japanese folks are not inclined to take 'long' holidays, so the universities are like, forcing them to stay away from the work place, at least for one week...
Mid August is O-bon season, a time when the local folks return to their ancestral homes to pay respect to their ancestors...
This experiment could only mean more traffic jams during the O-bon...
Now, I would be locked out of the university for one week as well... and what should I be doing then?
I suppose, swimming and frolicking at the beach near our house...
And, perhaps, even some fishing... heeeeeaaaa...
Life is wonderful...
The temperatures shot up to 34 degrees today...
And I thought it was only yesterday that I was shivering in the cold, cycling home from work...
Japanese universities throughout the country are in the midst of experimenting a simultaneous one-week holiday in mid August...
Japanese folks are not inclined to take 'long' holidays, so the universities are like, forcing them to stay away from the work place, at least for one week...
Mid August is O-bon season, a time when the local folks return to their ancestral homes to pay respect to their ancestors...
This experiment could only mean more traffic jams during the O-bon...
Now, I would be locked out of the university for one week as well... and what should I be doing then?
I suppose, swimming and frolicking at the beach near our house...
And, perhaps, even some fishing... heeeeeaaaa...
Thursday, July 13, 2006
EATING GOLD
Yeap, literally... that is...
Was offered this bowl of 'kinpaku udon' by a close friend at a local festival the other day...
Kimpaku as in gold flakes... udon as in noodles...
The taste?
Excellent, no doubt...
Saturday, July 08, 2006
THE OTHER SIDE OF 'PARADISE'
One of the most enjoyable dives I have ever had were at the house reefs of the Sipadan Water Village in Mabul Island...
The two house reefs were aptly called Paradise One and Paradise Two...
In the tongue of the fellow Japanese divers, ParaOne and ParaTwo...
The morning dives opened the window to sleepy and lethargic fishes... excellent for photo shoots...
The evening dives lent the opportunity to witness the exquisite Mandarinfish...
***** ***** *****
Way back one weekend in the summer of 1987, I was laying on my futon as the morning Hiroshima sun shone on my face...
I didn't have the urge to crawl out from my warm futon...
Why, when it was the illustrious Eighth of July... my B-;-day... hehehe...
Just then, I felt something crawled on my neck...
I practically rocketed myself out of the futon when I realized that it was a centipede...
Immediately, I used my pillow to clamp it down...
With the Swiss knife nearby, I killed that fellow without a second thought...
It was about 10 centimeters long...
After a while, an odd feeling crept onto me: perhaps one of my ancestors came to wish me 'yappy b-day'?
But no, my ancestors cannot be that stupid to come in the form of a 'killer' centipede...
I put out the challenge, verbally, that if it was really one of my ancestors, please come in another less threatening form...
Moments later, I saw a baby mantis crawling on the window pane...
My eyes widened and my jaw dropped...
***** ***** *****
Fast-forward nineteen years to two-zero-zero-six...
Location: Aji-town... Takamatsu city... Kagawa prefecture... Nipponland...
About two months ago, moments after I laid on my futon to snore, I felt something gnawing at my thinning scalp...
I slapped my scalp, and just in case, I put on the lights...
Man, a centipede!
I immediately got hold of the guy, have it put inside a plastic bag and disposed it in the hills the following day...
Some nights later, it was the turn of my missus to be 'attacked'...
We wondered how in the world those centipedes could find their way into our second floor bedroom...
And two nights ago, as I closed the window before hitting the sack, I saw another centipede two meters away from my futon...
Yeeeaaaarrrggghh...
Could it be that my 'ancestors' are really that persistent and dim-witted?
'Paradise', our place might be...
But poisonous snakes and venomous centipedes there are... to keep our nerves on ends...
Anyway, it feels great to turn Portee-Eight years young todaaay...
Heeeeaaa...
The two house reefs were aptly called Paradise One and Paradise Two...
In the tongue of the fellow Japanese divers, ParaOne and ParaTwo...
The morning dives opened the window to sleepy and lethargic fishes... excellent for photo shoots...
The evening dives lent the opportunity to witness the exquisite Mandarinfish...
***** ***** *****
Way back one weekend in the summer of 1987, I was laying on my futon as the morning Hiroshima sun shone on my face...
I didn't have the urge to crawl out from my warm futon...
Why, when it was the illustrious Eighth of July... my B-;-day... hehehe...
Just then, I felt something crawled on my neck...
I practically rocketed myself out of the futon when I realized that it was a centipede...
Immediately, I used my pillow to clamp it down...
With the Swiss knife nearby, I killed that fellow without a second thought...
It was about 10 centimeters long...
After a while, an odd feeling crept onto me: perhaps one of my ancestors came to wish me 'yappy b-day'?
But no, my ancestors cannot be that stupid to come in the form of a 'killer' centipede...
I put out the challenge, verbally, that if it was really one of my ancestors, please come in another less threatening form...
Moments later, I saw a baby mantis crawling on the window pane...
My eyes widened and my jaw dropped...
***** ***** *****
Fast-forward nineteen years to two-zero-zero-six...
Location: Aji-town... Takamatsu city... Kagawa prefecture... Nipponland...
About two months ago, moments after I laid on my futon to snore, I felt something gnawing at my thinning scalp...
I slapped my scalp, and just in case, I put on the lights...
Man, a centipede!
I immediately got hold of the guy, have it put inside a plastic bag and disposed it in the hills the following day...
Some nights later, it was the turn of my missus to be 'attacked'...
We wondered how in the world those centipedes could find their way into our second floor bedroom...
And two nights ago, as I closed the window before hitting the sack, I saw another centipede two meters away from my futon...
Yeeeaaaarrrggghh...
Could it be that my 'ancestors' are really that persistent and dim-witted?
'Paradise', our place might be...
But poisonous snakes and venomous centipedes there are... to keep our nerves on ends...
Anyway, it feels great to turn Portee-Eight years young todaaay...
Heeeeaaa...
Friday, July 07, 2006
KERMITS GALORE, GOLDFISHES EATEN?
What a pleasure to see the little green kermits, with their equally little 'coattails', come out of the water to sit on top of the water lily leaves...
They rest on the leaftops for a while, acclimatizing themselves to the new 'air' environment...
Before long, they go a-hopping around the garden...
Meanwhile, my missus reported to me that she has seen snakes prowling in our pond...
Four different occasions on four different days...
And, usually around three in the afternoon...
By her description of their lengths and sizes, there is more than one...
The patterns on the snakes apparently suggest that they are 'mamushi' (Japanese Copperhead)...
Poisonous snakes, that is...
Yeeee...
And, for the past few days, we have not seen our three goldfishes...
Oh dear... have the copperheads had them for snacks?
Oh... my kawaii kingyo-chan...
Where are you??
They rest on the leaftops for a while, acclimatizing themselves to the new 'air' environment...
Before long, they go a-hopping around the garden...
Meanwhile, my missus reported to me that she has seen snakes prowling in our pond...
Four different occasions on four different days...
And, usually around three in the afternoon...
By her description of their lengths and sizes, there is more than one...
The patterns on the snakes apparently suggest that they are 'mamushi' (Japanese Copperhead)...
Poisonous snakes, that is...
Yeeee...
And, for the past few days, we have not seen our three goldfishes...
Oh dear... have the copperheads had them for snacks?
Oh... my kawaii kingyo-chan...
Where are you??
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
SOME HICCUPS, BUT ALL SYSTEMS GO
Took the 'ningen-doc' medical examination for the eleventh straight year...
Thank the graceful god... almost all indicators showed the green light...
Of course, barring the perennially weakening eye power which is surely going out through the window...
The blood composition indexes (still can't understand those unreadable jargons) remain a little haywire, as have been for as long as I started the medical examinations...
For one thing, I remain a little short of that 'Fe' iron thingy... somewhat anemic, that is... must up my consumption of spinach?
My height also shrunk by 0.6 centimeters, to the current 175.4 centimeters... should I take up high jump, I wonder...
Blood pressure ranges from a low of 62 to a high of 102... not too bad...
And, phew... body fat declined from last year's 16.5% to 14.7%... (Recommended range for men is from 14% to 23%)...
Must be due to the rather heavy duty cycling over the hills to work...
Thank the graceful god... almost all indicators showed the green light...
Of course, barring the perennially weakening eye power which is surely going out through the window...
The blood composition indexes (still can't understand those unreadable jargons) remain a little haywire, as have been for as long as I started the medical examinations...
For one thing, I remain a little short of that 'Fe' iron thingy... somewhat anemic, that is... must up my consumption of spinach?
My height also shrunk by 0.6 centimeters, to the current 175.4 centimeters... should I take up high jump, I wonder...
Blood pressure ranges from a low of 62 to a high of 102... not too bad...
And, phew... body fat declined from last year's 16.5% to 14.7%... (Recommended range for men is from 14% to 23%)...
Must be due to the rather heavy duty cycling over the hills to work...
Monday, June 26, 2006
THE PLUM RAINS IN NIPPON
I just love the rains...
We are in the midst of the 'tsuyu' or 'baiyu' season...
Literally, the season of the plum rains...
Picked up about 15 large plums which were probably thrown down by the winds yesterday...
Asked my suweeto haato to make some plum wine out of it...
***** ***** *****
Welcomed six students from two Korean universities last Saturday...
Five girls and one guy...
For the next two weeks, shall be conducting our third short-term Japanese Language Course...
(See related posts, HEADACHES ON THE JOB and ARE YOU MAN ENOUGH TO WEEP?)
I trust it will be yet another fun session...
***** ***** *****
Meanwhile, the water lily is about to flower...
Can't wait to see the bloom...
And, just received several dwarf lotus plants from an elderly Japanese friend...
Ahh... lotuses and water lilies swaying gently in the pond...
Goldfishes darting back and forth...
Another dream come true...
We are in the midst of the 'tsuyu' or 'baiyu' season...
Literally, the season of the plum rains...
Picked up about 15 large plums which were probably thrown down by the winds yesterday...
Asked my suweeto haato to make some plum wine out of it...
***** ***** *****
Welcomed six students from two Korean universities last Saturday...
Five girls and one guy...
For the next two weeks, shall be conducting our third short-term Japanese Language Course...
(See related posts, HEADACHES ON THE JOB and ARE YOU MAN ENOUGH TO WEEP?)
I trust it will be yet another fun session...
***** ***** *****
Meanwhile, the water lily is about to flower...
Can't wait to see the bloom...
And, just received several dwarf lotus plants from an elderly Japanese friend...
Ahh... lotuses and water lilies swaying gently in the pond...
Goldfishes darting back and forth...
Another dream come true...
Thursday, June 22, 2006
HIGHWAY BUS TO KOBE
Throughout my time at Sultan Abdul Hamid College (oh no, not S.A.H.C. again), I particularly enjoyed the 'Physical Geography' class...
I somehow found excitement, reading and getting to know places far away from home...
Tucked in between the pages of the 'Japan' chapter was a photograph of the metallic-structured dockyards of Kobe port...
That image still lingers on in my memory cells...
*** *** ***
Had an opportunity to ride the highway bus from Takamatsu to Kobe some time ago for a seminar on international terrorism...
I found out that each time I take the highway bus here in Japan, I usually come away as impressed as I could bother to remember.
First and foremost, their punctuality...
Buses almost always arrive at the dot of time...
On occasions when they do arrive late due to traffic conditions or whatever, the driver normally apologizes profusely...
The overall condition of the bus, the windows, the aisles, etc... are pooh, so squeakily spotless...and the seats, almost crisp...
The seat belts are neatly in place, ever ready to be worn by passengers...
Plus, unlike most restaurants in Japan, strictly no smoking... (Heavenly!)
Announcements pervade much of life in Japan...
And buses, the highway types or not, are no exceptions...
The announcements regularly let passengers know what is happening...
But they do become too intrusive at times...
For example, each time a passenger embarks, the standard 'domo arigato' message...
Each time a passenger disembarks, another set of familiar 'otsukare sama deshita' recording...
When you thought this might be the end of it, the driver adds in his 'live' rendition of 'maido... '...
While all these are going on, the television monitor in the front area flashes messages urging passengers not to use hand phones onboard... to take care of their own valuables when they go to the washroom... and not to forget their umbrellas and belongings when they disembark...
Awww man...
Still, rides on the highway buses are generally smooth as fellow passengers are well behaved, minus the occasional loud-mouthed passenger on the hand phone...
As usual, that trip to and from Kobe turned out to be quite a breeze...
Impressed I remain, even after 19 years of continuous residence here in Nipponland...
I somehow found excitement, reading and getting to know places far away from home...
Tucked in between the pages of the 'Japan' chapter was a photograph of the metallic-structured dockyards of Kobe port...
That image still lingers on in my memory cells...
*** *** ***
Had an opportunity to ride the highway bus from Takamatsu to Kobe some time ago for a seminar on international terrorism...
I found out that each time I take the highway bus here in Japan, I usually come away as impressed as I could bother to remember.
First and foremost, their punctuality...
Buses almost always arrive at the dot of time...
On occasions when they do arrive late due to traffic conditions or whatever, the driver normally apologizes profusely...
The overall condition of the bus, the windows, the aisles, etc... are pooh, so squeakily spotless...and the seats, almost crisp...
The seat belts are neatly in place, ever ready to be worn by passengers...
Plus, unlike most restaurants in Japan, strictly no smoking... (Heavenly!)
Announcements pervade much of life in Japan...
And buses, the highway types or not, are no exceptions...
The announcements regularly let passengers know what is happening...
But they do become too intrusive at times...
For example, each time a passenger embarks, the standard 'domo arigato' message...
Each time a passenger disembarks, another set of familiar 'otsukare sama deshita' recording...
When you thought this might be the end of it, the driver adds in his 'live' rendition of 'maido... '...
While all these are going on, the television monitor in the front area flashes messages urging passengers not to use hand phones onboard... to take care of their own valuables when they go to the washroom... and not to forget their umbrellas and belongings when they disembark...
Awww man...
Still, rides on the highway buses are generally smooth as fellow passengers are well behaved, minus the occasional loud-mouthed passenger on the hand phone...
As usual, that trip to and from Kobe turned out to be quite a breeze...
Impressed I remain, even after 19 years of continuous residence here in Nipponland...
Saturday, June 17, 2006
HOUSE RENOVATION
Renovations on our second floor began this week...
That place of ours was very cold last winter...
We are 'collapsing' the two tatami-mat Japanese styled rooms upstairs to just one single large room...
Out goes the tatami mat, and in comes the hardwood flooring...
Pinewood walls on the east and west sides, tile walls on the north and south sides...
The ceiling... washi paper (Japanese paper...)
Will insulate all the walls to keep the room cool in summer and warm in winter...
Plus, double glass windows on the north and south sides...
A new washbasin and toilet...
A mini-kitchen for use in winter...
And a large hardwood sundeck to view the magnificent hills and the sea...
In my eyes, I see us enjoying our meals on the deck... (when conditions are right, that is)
Wheeee....
Oh yes... am surely looking forward to the renovation completion in about two to three months...
That place of ours was very cold last winter...
We are 'collapsing' the two tatami-mat Japanese styled rooms upstairs to just one single large room...
Out goes the tatami mat, and in comes the hardwood flooring...
Pinewood walls on the east and west sides, tile walls on the north and south sides...
The ceiling... washi paper (Japanese paper...)
Will insulate all the walls to keep the room cool in summer and warm in winter...
Plus, double glass windows on the north and south sides...
A new washbasin and toilet...
A mini-kitchen for use in winter...
And a large hardwood sundeck to view the magnificent hills and the sea...
In my eyes, I see us enjoying our meals on the deck... (when conditions are right, that is)
Wheeee....
Oh yes... am surely looking forward to the renovation completion in about two to three months...
Monday, June 12, 2006
GOLDFISH IN THE POND
Last weekend, decided to buy some goldfishes...
Went to the local DIY and bought three Ko-aka goldfish... literally 'Little Red' goldfish...
Size... about 4 centimeters from head to tail...
Had planned to get the fast swimming, elegant Comet or the pretty but hardy Shubunkin...
But chose the Ko-aka because they were the cheapest (ahahaahaaa... Lrong the el-cheapo!)...
The water in the pond was rather cool, so I took time to orientate them to the temperature before releasing them into the water...
They seemed so thrilled... darting and swimming around the pond...
Wooh... another aspect of joy to look forward to each day...
Meanwhile, the water in the unlined pond is getting clearer...
Initially the color of milk tea, we now have what looks a bit like 'lemonade'...
In other words, the pond is becoming more translucent and pretty (?)
The tadpoles are becoming fatter...
I feed them nothing, so they must be consuming some minute organisms that found their way into the pond...
I had added in a patch of water plants and the baby kermits seem to enjoy chewing on the moss that gathers around the plant leaves...
Yeeeee...
Went to the local DIY and bought three Ko-aka goldfish... literally 'Little Red' goldfish...
Size... about 4 centimeters from head to tail...
Had planned to get the fast swimming, elegant Comet or the pretty but hardy Shubunkin...
But chose the Ko-aka because they were the cheapest (ahahaahaaa... Lrong the el-cheapo!)...
The water in the pond was rather cool, so I took time to orientate them to the temperature before releasing them into the water...
They seemed so thrilled... darting and swimming around the pond...
Wooh... another aspect of joy to look forward to each day...
Meanwhile, the water in the unlined pond is getting clearer...
Initially the color of milk tea, we now have what looks a bit like 'lemonade'...
In other words, the pond is becoming more translucent and pretty (?)
The tadpoles are becoming fatter...
I feed them nothing, so they must be consuming some minute organisms that found their way into the pond...
I had added in a patch of water plants and the baby kermits seem to enjoy chewing on the moss that gathers around the plant leaves...
Yeeeee...
Friday, June 09, 2006
F.F.G.G... Fat, Forty-ish, Grey and Glasses
Way back in April 1987, yours truly found himself in Hiroshima University attending a very exhilarating six-month intensive Japanese Language course...
We were 23 students, mainly from 'developing' countries...
Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia on this side of the world, and Uruguay, Mexico, Panama, Ecuador on the other side of the world...did I miss any?
It was a lovely period of my life, I'd say, spending loads of time yakking and picnicking with those buddies at Hiroshima Peace Park...
Those memories will stay on... I am sure...
Of the 22, two of them do keep contact with me... ladies, both of them... luckheee!
Recently, one of them dropped me an email...
Said the lady...
'Lrong, I checked your pix (blog). Beautiful. Not you, but the homestead. Truly beautiful. And you fraud, you haven't changed a bit. Don't suppose 'P' (the other lady, that is) has either. So I'll be the only one who is F&F/G&G. Didn't know you were a fisherman. Always thought you were a farmer.'
F.F.G.G... Fat, Forty-ish, Grey and Glasses, that is...
Hahaahaaaa... actually, me too... FFGG... and soon, although still an 'F', I will graduate into the Fifties...
She is right that I was always a farmer, at least in my soul... only that I am also an occasional fisherman these days... heeee....
And oh, if you allow me to brag a little bit, one of the Hiroshima-23 is now an ambassador of his country...
Woooh... now, what am I doing here in a university?
We were 23 students, mainly from 'developing' countries...
Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia on this side of the world, and Uruguay, Mexico, Panama, Ecuador on the other side of the world...did I miss any?
It was a lovely period of my life, I'd say, spending loads of time yakking and picnicking with those buddies at Hiroshima Peace Park...
Those memories will stay on... I am sure...
Of the 22, two of them do keep contact with me... ladies, both of them... luckheee!
Recently, one of them dropped me an email...
Said the lady...
'Lrong, I checked your pix (blog). Beautiful. Not you, but the homestead. Truly beautiful. And you fraud, you haven't changed a bit. Don't suppose 'P' (the other lady, that is) has either. So I'll be the only one who is F&F/G&G. Didn't know you were a fisherman. Always thought you were a farmer.'
F.F.G.G... Fat, Forty-ish, Grey and Glasses, that is...
Hahaahaaaa... actually, me too... FFGG... and soon, although still an 'F', I will graduate into the Fifties...
She is right that I was always a farmer, at least in my soul... only that I am also an occasional fisherman these days... heeee....
And oh, if you allow me to brag a little bit, one of the Hiroshima-23 is now an ambassador of his country...
Woooh... now, what am I doing here in a university?
Thursday, June 08, 2006
THE MARK OF A TRUE STATESMAN?
Very 'enlightening' indeed to read about the 'confessions' of Dr. Mahathir...
And very interesting to observe mousedeers caught in the crossfire, scrambling to grasp at straws while pleading for 'ceasefire' and 'stability'...
Growled the man on the present prime minister...
"I chose him and expected a degree of gratefulness. But I was told I had been involved in mega projects and had finished the (government's) money.'
Elections? We have elections in Malaysia, you say??
And 'conceding he had made mistakes in supporting people who later stabbed him in the back, he said: "I have a habit of choosing the wrong people".'
This?? After warming his butt on the throne for 22 years?
On the shelving of his pet projects, he sneered...
'The government claims it has no money to continue. That is why they stopped so many projects in Putrajaya. They have stopped the mosque, the monorail has been shelved. My contention is the government has lots of money and Putrajaya is built largely with Petronas funds. Petronas made a profit of RM50 billion last year and this year RM80 billion. Petronas has a lot of money. Petronas can build if you want them to.'
There!!! Ungratefulness... backstabbing... and if you may, plundering the nation's coffers to build dubious projects...
For 22 years, we had nothing short of a dictator... now; we have what many would consider a weakling...
Still, we have jesters on our payroll reminding us, 'Malaysia Boleh'...
Hmmmm... simply marvelous...
And very interesting to observe mousedeers caught in the crossfire, scrambling to grasp at straws while pleading for 'ceasefire' and 'stability'...
Growled the man on the present prime minister...
"I chose him and expected a degree of gratefulness. But I was told I had been involved in mega projects and had finished the (government's) money.'
Elections? We have elections in Malaysia, you say??
And 'conceding he had made mistakes in supporting people who later stabbed him in the back, he said: "I have a habit of choosing the wrong people".'
This?? After warming his butt on the throne for 22 years?
On the shelving of his pet projects, he sneered...
'The government claims it has no money to continue. That is why they stopped so many projects in Putrajaya. They have stopped the mosque, the monorail has been shelved. My contention is the government has lots of money and Putrajaya is built largely with Petronas funds. Petronas made a profit of RM50 billion last year and this year RM80 billion. Petronas has a lot of money. Petronas can build if you want them to.'
There!!! Ungratefulness... backstabbing... and if you may, plundering the nation's coffers to build dubious projects...
For 22 years, we had nothing short of a dictator... now; we have what many would consider a weakling...
Still, we have jesters on our payroll reminding us, 'Malaysia Boleh'...
Hmmmm... simply marvelous...
Monday, June 05, 2006
BLOODY SUNDAY KEEPING US AWAY
It's been a while since I let go some steam in the press.
While a student at SAHC, Sultan Abdul Hamid College in Kedah, that is, we read a book called Cry, The Beloved Country in the Literature class.
Now, I am not about to cry for my beloved country, Malaysia, as yet... although she seems to be increasingly run by a bunch of inepts...
Read my letter to Malaysiakini...
Bloody Sunday keeping us away
Kedahan-Malaysian in Japan Jun 2, 06 5:23pm
'Despicable' is the one word to describe the unnecessary and shameful police behaviour at the recent peaceful anti-price hike demonstration in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.
Considering the claims by the 'leaders' about Malaysia being a so-called progressive nation, I find it appalling to observe the unwillingness and/or inability of the police to ensure the prevalence of peace and order.
Who do the police think they are? They are merely civil servants, whose job is to serve and protect the citizens, not to stand in the way of citizens when they 'speak' albeit through a peaceful demonstration.
Attempts at rationalising the crude and barbaric handling of the demonstrators sound like a broken record. To start off, what was the police’s game plan at the demonstration? Was it to maintain safety and order of the citizen-demonstrators, or was it to break up the demonstration in the shortest time possible?
Of course, we have individuals saying that the demonstrators have no 'permit' to demonstrate. If we are such a democratic country as claimed, citizens do not need permits to voice their displeasure at laws or rules that are deemed unjust.
I close by proposing that this distressing state of affairs is one of the many negatives that continue to keep Malaysian professionals abroad from returning home.
Yet we see 'leaders' continuing to talk of inconsequential 'sweeteners' such as enhancing the perks or increasing the monetary rewards to entice returnees.
To me, it is next to impossible to return to a police state.
While a student at SAHC, Sultan Abdul Hamid College in Kedah, that is, we read a book called Cry, The Beloved Country in the Literature class.
Now, I am not about to cry for my beloved country, Malaysia, as yet... although she seems to be increasingly run by a bunch of inepts...
Read my letter to Malaysiakini...
Bloody Sunday keeping us away
Kedahan-Malaysian in Japan Jun 2, 06 5:23pm
'Despicable' is the one word to describe the unnecessary and shameful police behaviour at the recent peaceful anti-price hike demonstration in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.
Considering the claims by the 'leaders' about Malaysia being a so-called progressive nation, I find it appalling to observe the unwillingness and/or inability of the police to ensure the prevalence of peace and order.
Who do the police think they are? They are merely civil servants, whose job is to serve and protect the citizens, not to stand in the way of citizens when they 'speak' albeit through a peaceful demonstration.
Attempts at rationalising the crude and barbaric handling of the demonstrators sound like a broken record. To start off, what was the police’s game plan at the demonstration? Was it to maintain safety and order of the citizen-demonstrators, or was it to break up the demonstration in the shortest time possible?
Of course, we have individuals saying that the demonstrators have no 'permit' to demonstrate. If we are such a democratic country as claimed, citizens do not need permits to voice their displeasure at laws or rules that are deemed unjust.
I close by proposing that this distressing state of affairs is one of the many negatives that continue to keep Malaysian professionals abroad from returning home.
Yet we see 'leaders' continuing to talk of inconsequential 'sweeteners' such as enhancing the perks or increasing the monetary rewards to entice returnees.
To me, it is next to impossible to return to a police state.
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
TADPOLES IN THE POND
Yeap, tadpoles, countless of them... in the pond...
And it had to be our neighbor to discover that for us...heeeh...
The creatures are still very minute... visible only with concentration in the rather light-chocolate colored pond...
Had been wondering why the croaking suddenly stopped some nights ago...
Nature apparently had it planned all along...
Like the nasturtiums wilting away once they flowered and seeded, the frogs stopped their love-croaking once they goaled-in with each other...
They is no further need to waste energy crooning in the dark...
Smart, eh...
By the way, to keep the nasturtiums flowering, we pick the flowers for our salads...
They look marvelous sitting on the greens and they taste pretty good too, I must say...
And it had to be our neighbor to discover that for us...heeeh...
The creatures are still very minute... visible only with concentration in the rather light-chocolate colored pond...
Had been wondering why the croaking suddenly stopped some nights ago...
Nature apparently had it planned all along...
Like the nasturtiums wilting away once they flowered and seeded, the frogs stopped their love-croaking once they goaled-in with each other...
They is no further need to waste energy crooning in the dark...
Smart, eh...
By the way, to keep the nasturtiums flowering, we pick the flowers for our salads...
They look marvelous sitting on the greens and they taste pretty good too, I must say...
Sunday, May 28, 2006
FROGS IN THE POND
Wheeeee... finally got the pond dug up...
But, should I or should I not line the pond...
That is the question...
Bought a water lily plant...
Looks perfect on the pond, I must say...
Plan to germinate some lotus seeds, too...
The rains keep on falling these days...
Like the green frogs who found paradise in the pond
I love the rain...
Why not... being a farmer's son myself...
Meanwhile...
The frogs croak on nightly... as I snore away...
But, should I or should I not line the pond...
That is the question...
Bought a water lily plant...
Looks perfect on the pond, I must say...
Plan to germinate some lotus seeds, too...
The rains keep on falling these days...
Like the green frogs who found paradise in the pond
I love the rain...
Why not... being a farmer's son myself...
Meanwhile...
The frogs croak on nightly... as I snore away...
Saturday, May 13, 2006
ITCHING TO DIVE
Been out of water since since last September...
Aaarrrgggghhh...
Need to top up my nitrogen level... soon!!
Or else, I am going to die!!!
Picture above taken at Pulau Tioman as yours truly was gearing up for a night dive...
Witnessed in full action, a squid zooming in to attack a fish prey...
Aaarrrggghh...
Sunday, May 07, 2006
CROP ROTATION
Spent a few blissful days tending the garden...
My 'suweeto-haato' is into roses and herbs... fragrances and colors...
Yours truly is more of a 'cookie monster', delving into 'chewables' like vegetables and fruits...
Just added two mulberry trees to my fruit tree collection...
The mulberries are sweet and sourish... goes very well with my daily breakfast yoghurt...
But still, my gardening failures overwhelm my successes...
Least of all excuses are the 'spoilers' such as slugs, caterpillars, aphids, and cutworms that completely 'cut' off the seedling trunks...
Grrrrr....
Whenever I got hold of any cutworm, I feed them to the ants and watch them wriggle in agony as the ants take them on... * evil, evil Lrong... heh heh heh *
Shall try to up my success rate this season... so, I am experimenting with crop rotation hoping to reduce the likelihood of diseases...
First, 'sliced' up my mini vegetable plot into six segments, labeled CCPPST...
Now, how to remember this strange label...
So, I came up with the following 'smart' hint...
'CCP' pronounced as SeaSeaPea, comes from the nickname of a dear friend, ChowCheePuet...
The 'P' means just that: Pee forever by the roadside...
'ST' is the nick of another dear friend, 'STooi' (not to be confused with 'STool' if you know what I mean...).
Ok, back to the plot... we have 'families' of Carrots, Cabbage, Peas, Squash, and Tomatoes...
And the Perennials...
Each season, the Carrots, Cabbage, Peas, Squash, and Tomatoes rotate around the plot segments, but not the Perennials as they perennially stand by the roadside and Pee...
Carrots click well with 'companions' such as onions, chives, leeks, etc, which help to ward off carrot pests...
The cabbage clan includes stuff like turnips, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and they nurture well with dill, fennel, etc...
Peas such as snow peas or soybeans may be planted with potatoes or sweet potatoes... peas and beans are soil-builders or 'enrichers' as opposed to tomatoes and peppers, which are more like nutrient 'guzzlers'...
The Squash family consists of folks like zucchinis, melons, and cucumbers... they are to be planted with corn, which allows long beans to cling on to their trunks... together, the squash, corn, and beans form the 'three sisters'...
Tomatoes tango well with cousins like eggplants, peppers, and chilies as they are prone to the same diseases... their best 'companion-friend' is the basil, which helps to repel unwanted pests...
For my Perennials... strawberries, asparagus, borage, thyme, etc...
Uncovered soil invites weeds... so I may sow seeds of marigold, zinnias, and calendulas to accompany the edibles... or, perhaps even some leafy vegetable seeds to fill up the open spaces...
This mixing of vegetables, herbs, and flowers technique is called companion planting, which ostensibly confuses pests, thus further suppressing damage to the plants...
Now, after a few moons, let's see how (un)successful the vegetable plot is...
Heh heh heh...
My 'suweeto-haato' is into roses and herbs... fragrances and colors...
Yours truly is more of a 'cookie monster', delving into 'chewables' like vegetables and fruits...
Just added two mulberry trees to my fruit tree collection...
The mulberries are sweet and sourish... goes very well with my daily breakfast yoghurt...
But still, my gardening failures overwhelm my successes...
Least of all excuses are the 'spoilers' such as slugs, caterpillars, aphids, and cutworms that completely 'cut' off the seedling trunks...
Grrrrr....
Whenever I got hold of any cutworm, I feed them to the ants and watch them wriggle in agony as the ants take them on... * evil, evil Lrong... heh heh heh *
Shall try to up my success rate this season... so, I am experimenting with crop rotation hoping to reduce the likelihood of diseases...
First, 'sliced' up my mini vegetable plot into six segments, labeled CCPPST...
Now, how to remember this strange label...
So, I came up with the following 'smart' hint...
'CCP' pronounced as SeaSeaPea, comes from the nickname of a dear friend, ChowCheePuet...
The 'P' means just that: Pee forever by the roadside...
'ST' is the nick of another dear friend, 'STooi' (not to be confused with 'STool' if you know what I mean...).
Ok, back to the plot... we have 'families' of Carrots, Cabbage, Peas, Squash, and Tomatoes...
And the Perennials...
Each season, the Carrots, Cabbage, Peas, Squash, and Tomatoes rotate around the plot segments, but not the Perennials as they perennially stand by the roadside and Pee...
Carrots click well with 'companions' such as onions, chives, leeks, etc, which help to ward off carrot pests...
The cabbage clan includes stuff like turnips, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and they nurture well with dill, fennel, etc...
Peas such as snow peas or soybeans may be planted with potatoes or sweet potatoes... peas and beans are soil-builders or 'enrichers' as opposed to tomatoes and peppers, which are more like nutrient 'guzzlers'...
The Squash family consists of folks like zucchinis, melons, and cucumbers... they are to be planted with corn, which allows long beans to cling on to their trunks... together, the squash, corn, and beans form the 'three sisters'...
Tomatoes tango well with cousins like eggplants, peppers, and chilies as they are prone to the same diseases... their best 'companion-friend' is the basil, which helps to repel unwanted pests...
For my Perennials... strawberries, asparagus, borage, thyme, etc...
Uncovered soil invites weeds... so I may sow seeds of marigold, zinnias, and calendulas to accompany the edibles... or, perhaps even some leafy vegetable seeds to fill up the open spaces...
This mixing of vegetables, herbs, and flowers technique is called companion planting, which ostensibly confuses pests, thus further suppressing damage to the plants...
Now, after a few moons, let's see how (un)successful the vegetable plot is...
Heh heh heh...
Monday, May 01, 2006
SEAWEED FROM THE SHORES
Today's the first of May...
Called my mum early this morning before cycling to work...
Her loud voice emitting from the telephone startled my missus...
She is 83 and still sounds so strong eh... murmured my wifey afterward...
On the other side of the line, back in my kampong, my sis-in-law wondered why I am working on first of May...
But this is Japan, I replied...
*** *** ***
While all of Japan goes wild traveling here and there and getting caught up in traffic jams during this holiday season called 'golden week', we decided to stay home and tend the garden...
Just watching at the plants grow and listening to the birds chirping and the frog croaking is heavenly enough...
Hosted a large group of friends last Saturday...
Most of them are respected senior citizens in the local community...
My missus was initially worried about our 'spartan' facilities...
We have but a few chairs, not too much crockery, an insufficient number of glasses and cups...
But luckily, all worked out well...
What more, we did not have to prepare much food as they brought them all...
One even set up shop in our garden, much to our surprise, and began to fry tempura from fresh bamboo shoots and wild vegetables...
Everyone wooh-ed and waah-ed at the fragrance and then, the taste...
*** *** ***
On Sunday, we went to harvest seaweed from the shores...
Almost four big bags we harvested...
We (my missus, actually) have to boil them, and then dry them under the sun for safekeeping...
Had a meal full of freshly harvested seaweed for dinner...
Red miso soup with seaweed, vinegar-ed cucumber and seaweed, braised fresh bamboo shoots and seaweed...
The taste was, I'd say, ooh laa laa... excellento... sooo crunchy and absolutely delicious...
Called my mum early this morning before cycling to work...
Her loud voice emitting from the telephone startled my missus...
She is 83 and still sounds so strong eh... murmured my wifey afterward...
On the other side of the line, back in my kampong, my sis-in-law wondered why I am working on first of May...
But this is Japan, I replied...
*** *** ***
While all of Japan goes wild traveling here and there and getting caught up in traffic jams during this holiday season called 'golden week', we decided to stay home and tend the garden...
Just watching at the plants grow and listening to the birds chirping and the frog croaking is heavenly enough...
Hosted a large group of friends last Saturday...
Most of them are respected senior citizens in the local community...
My missus was initially worried about our 'spartan' facilities...
We have but a few chairs, not too much crockery, an insufficient number of glasses and cups...
But luckily, all worked out well...
What more, we did not have to prepare much food as they brought them all...
One even set up shop in our garden, much to our surprise, and began to fry tempura from fresh bamboo shoots and wild vegetables...
Everyone wooh-ed and waah-ed at the fragrance and then, the taste...
*** *** ***
On Sunday, we went to harvest seaweed from the shores...
Almost four big bags we harvested...
We (my missus, actually) have to boil them, and then dry them under the sun for safekeeping...
Had a meal full of freshly harvested seaweed for dinner...
Red miso soup with seaweed, vinegar-ed cucumber and seaweed, braised fresh bamboo shoots and seaweed...
The taste was, I'd say, ooh laa laa... excellento... sooo crunchy and absolutely delicious...
Friday, April 28, 2006
HOUSE FROM THE EAST SIDE
Here is a shot taken from the east side of the house...
Notice the three levels of roofs?
The lowest roof is where the Japanese Tea Room is...
We are planning to rip off the roof and put a terrace there...
That's the spot where the early morning sun shines and we want to be there... gazing out at the hills and the sea...
Hopefully, we can have breakfast there soon...
See that chimney?
Don't know why, but it is just a decor...
Monday, April 24, 2006
OWN GOAL
During the New Year, the Japanese folks in my community take pleasure in showing foreigners how to 'mochi-tsuki', literally, how to pound glutinous rice cake.
The glutinous rice is first steamed and the trick is to pound it swiftly, finely, and evenly while it is hot.
Otherwise the glutinous rice gets cold and becomes hardened.
Result is, 'han-goroshi mochi'... literally, 'half-killed' or figuratively, 'half-baked' rice cake.
Like half cooked rice, the taste and quality leaves much to be desired.
Meanwhile at Bolehland, my gut feeling is that, a majority of Malaysians prefer to have that silly Causeway Bridge plan locked inside a stainless steel coffin and dumped into the ocean deeps, never to see light again.
However, there seems to be quite a few Malaysians who are rather unhappy with our own decision to cancel the project.
Yes, Singapore is a tough nut to crack...
And these Malaysians blame Singapore for being a tough negotiator.
I say to these folks, instead of pointing the finger at others, blame our own selves.
We are the ones who put the present 'han-goroshi' politikusians to run, or someone said ruin, the country for us.
A little while ago here in Japan, lawmaker Hisayasu Nagata of the Democratic Party of Japan falsely accused a son of Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Tsutomu Takebe of illegally pocketing 30 million yen from Takafumi Horie, the disgraced ex-president of Livedoor,
Nagata's basis was an email he received from an unidentified source.
The Liberal Democratic Party strongly protested and challenged Nagata to reveal the source.
Nagata refused.
All of Japan was plugged into this drama as the LDP pressured Nagata to resign as lawmaker.
He refused, and refused.
Then Democratic Party of Japan leader Seiji Maehara, resigned to take blame for this fiasco.
This made Nagata's position untenable and almost immediately, he resigned.
Now back to our han-goroshi politicians in bolehland.
They kicked the ball... Singapore deflected...
They dunked... Singapore ducked...
They hit again... Singapore bounced the ball...
Just then, our han-goroshi politikusians who did not do their homework, fumbled clumsily, and in the event, scored our own goal.
As far I can see, Singapore was never interested in replacing the Causeway.
Malaysia went ahead unilaterally with the plan years ago, and slowly but surely screwed up real bad.
Now, if there is something our reckless politikusians big and small, can learn from the so-called, probably dead by now, Look East Policy, they should quietly evaporate from the scene, just as Maehara and Nagata did.
Oh, I wonder if Malaysians recall that infamous incident whereby Columbian national footballer Andres Escobar accidentally no doubt, scored an own goal in a match with the United States in the 1994 World Cup.
The United States won and poor Andres Escobar was murdered days after he returned home.
The glutinous rice is first steamed and the trick is to pound it swiftly, finely, and evenly while it is hot.
Otherwise the glutinous rice gets cold and becomes hardened.
Result is, 'han-goroshi mochi'... literally, 'half-killed' or figuratively, 'half-baked' rice cake.
Like half cooked rice, the taste and quality leaves much to be desired.
Meanwhile at Bolehland, my gut feeling is that, a majority of Malaysians prefer to have that silly Causeway Bridge plan locked inside a stainless steel coffin and dumped into the ocean deeps, never to see light again.
However, there seems to be quite a few Malaysians who are rather unhappy with our own decision to cancel the project.
Yes, Singapore is a tough nut to crack...
And these Malaysians blame Singapore for being a tough negotiator.
I say to these folks, instead of pointing the finger at others, blame our own selves.
We are the ones who put the present 'han-goroshi' politikusians to run, or someone said ruin, the country for us.
A little while ago here in Japan, lawmaker Hisayasu Nagata of the Democratic Party of Japan falsely accused a son of Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Tsutomu Takebe of illegally pocketing 30 million yen from Takafumi Horie, the disgraced ex-president of Livedoor,
Nagata's basis was an email he received from an unidentified source.
The Liberal Democratic Party strongly protested and challenged Nagata to reveal the source.
Nagata refused.
All of Japan was plugged into this drama as the LDP pressured Nagata to resign as lawmaker.
He refused, and refused.
Then Democratic Party of Japan leader Seiji Maehara, resigned to take blame for this fiasco.
This made Nagata's position untenable and almost immediately, he resigned.
Now back to our han-goroshi politicians in bolehland.
They kicked the ball... Singapore deflected...
They dunked... Singapore ducked...
They hit again... Singapore bounced the ball...
Just then, our han-goroshi politikusians who did not do their homework, fumbled clumsily, and in the event, scored our own goal.
As far I can see, Singapore was never interested in replacing the Causeway.
Malaysia went ahead unilaterally with the plan years ago, and slowly but surely screwed up real bad.
Now, if there is something our reckless politikusians big and small, can learn from the so-called, probably dead by now, Look East Policy, they should quietly evaporate from the scene, just as Maehara and Nagata did.
Oh, I wonder if Malaysians recall that infamous incident whereby Columbian national footballer Andres Escobar accidentally no doubt, scored an own goal in a match with the United States in the 1994 World Cup.
The United States won and poor Andres Escobar was murdered days after he returned home.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
HOUSE WITH FULL BLOOM SAKURA
Here is a picture taken from a low perpective, as opposed to this one which was shot from high up the slopes...
That somei-yoshino sakura tree is in our garden...
Lovely...
Some mornings, birds flocked to the tree to sip the 'juice' from the flowers...
Been planting some fruit trees on the slopes around the sakura tree...
Stuff like figs, sakuranbo (cherries), gumi (some kind of berry), apples, blueberries...
Stay tuned for more pics...
That somei-yoshino sakura tree is in our garden...
Lovely...
Some mornings, birds flocked to the tree to sip the 'juice' from the flowers...
Been planting some fruit trees on the slopes around the sakura tree...
Stuff like figs, sakuranbo (cherries), gumi (some kind of berry), apples, blueberries...
Stay tuned for more pics...
AJI HOUSE, FROM THE SOUTH-SIDE LOWS
Shot from a low viewpoint, from the south-side just as in this shot...
Weather condition, cloudy with intermittent blue skies...
Time of the year, mid-April...
Somei-yoshino in full bloom... wooh...
Frontview is Lrong, I mean, Sasao Pond...
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
GLOOMY SKIES OVER THE WEEKEND
Weather over the past few days was pretty unpredictable...
Strong winds, rains, and most of all, hazy skies...
Which means, not too good for my kind of photography...
Was planning to upload a shot of my 'habitat' with the flowers...
But, with grey skies and all...
Can't believe that they are actually caused by yellow sand particles blown over from as far as the Gobi Desert...
Visibility reduced to about 4 kilometers in parts of the city...
Hmmm, not too pretty... and not too good for the eyes too...
Our cherries are just about 50% to full bloom...
Hope they will last till this weekend for my photo shoot...
Plus of course, blue skies...
Meantime, here is a shot of my 'cave' from high up on the slopes...
Strong winds, rains, and most of all, hazy skies...
Which means, not too good for my kind of photography...
Was planning to upload a shot of my 'habitat' with the flowers...
But, with grey skies and all...
Can't believe that they are actually caused by yellow sand particles blown over from as far as the Gobi Desert...
Visibility reduced to about 4 kilometers in parts of the city...
Hmmm, not too pretty... and not too good for the eyes too...
Our cherries are just about 50% to full bloom...
Hope they will last till this weekend for my photo shoot...
Plus of course, blue skies...
Meantime, here is a shot of my 'cave' from high up on the slopes...
HUMBLE, RED TILE ROOFED HOUSE IN AJI-TOWN
Here is the 'cave' that yours truly have been hiding in since September 2005...
Picture taken while strolling in the hills on 2nd April 2006...
The Japan Inland Sea is on the north side of the house...
Weather condition, very windy... seas, almost choppy...
Part of the beach (Sasao Beach) can be seen on right side of photo...
Car park on left side of house...
Right side with the grey roof, partially hidden by the cedar tree, is the Japanese tearoom...
Central area is the lounge... kitchen... etc...
Japanese styled (tatami) bedrooms in second floor...
Monday, April 03, 2006
YAPPEE ANNIVERSARY
Yeeee... how time flies...
Nineteen years ago, on that third day of April, yours truly stepped foot on Japanese soil, and immediately headed towards Hiroshima University...
The stint was supposed to last two years.
It became three after I succeeded to sideslip into the Master's program.
And six, when I managed to sneak into the doctorate course...
Six became seven as I precariously hanged on to the doctorate-program cliff for an extra year, waiting for the Research Associate job opening my supervisor promised...
That position took me to nine years...
On top of this pile, ten years zoomed past me as I continue to sit on my revolving chair in the research room here in this university...
Incidentally, twenty-four years ago, on that very same third day of April, yours truly was accidentally introduced to a young lady in Hong Kong...
Four years after that fateful shoulder-rubbing event, on that very same third day of April, once again, this time by design no doubt, yours truly found himself swearing in front of a county judge in the semi-arid, cowboy town of Lubbock, Texas, that he will cherish, protect, and adore his bride in good times as well as in not-so-good times...
Woooh... what a cruise it is turning out to be...
So, on this unforgettable day when Bolehland continues to struggle and stagger towards her dead-set goal of achieving 'developed nation' status by 2020...
I wish my 'suweeto haato'... yappeee anniversary...
Nineteen years ago, on that third day of April, yours truly stepped foot on Japanese soil, and immediately headed towards Hiroshima University...
The stint was supposed to last two years.
It became three after I succeeded to sideslip into the Master's program.
And six, when I managed to sneak into the doctorate course...
Six became seven as I precariously hanged on to the doctorate-program cliff for an extra year, waiting for the Research Associate job opening my supervisor promised...
That position took me to nine years...
On top of this pile, ten years zoomed past me as I continue to sit on my revolving chair in the research room here in this university...
Incidentally, twenty-four years ago, on that very same third day of April, yours truly was accidentally introduced to a young lady in Hong Kong...
Four years after that fateful shoulder-rubbing event, on that very same third day of April, once again, this time by design no doubt, yours truly found himself swearing in front of a county judge in the semi-arid, cowboy town of Lubbock, Texas, that he will cherish, protect, and adore his bride in good times as well as in not-so-good times...
Woooh... what a cruise it is turning out to be...
So, on this unforgettable day when Bolehland continues to struggle and stagger towards her dead-set goal of achieving 'developed nation' status by 2020...
I wish my 'suweeto haato'... yappeee anniversary...
Thursday, March 30, 2006
ON WORKING IN JAPAN...
Received an email from a young Malaysian lady asking for advice about work in Japan.
She is planning on becoming an English teacher in Japan and I am quite impressed that tender as she is, she is already putting herself on track by gunning for the required qualifications...
Well, am not sure on how to 'advise' on this matter, except to yak about my mundane experiences as a teacher in the university...
One thing I can say is, foreigners probably need to be quite fluent in Japanese as well.
Perhaps becoming an English teacher in say, Australia is not so problematic because one can use English to converse with colleagues, in planning the work, etc...
But in Japan, even English teachers have to coordinate with Japanese colleagues in Japanese...
And we need to chat with our neighbors and shop for our milk in Nihongo too...
(Read the experience of auyongtc here...)
There are no two ways about this except to speak their tongue...
Incidentally, at Asia Pacific University the other day, a Singaporean academic curiously asked me about life in Japan.
My reflex answer was... life here is almost stress-free...
Japanese politics doesn't bog me down, and that is one big load off the shoulders...
(Still, I think Koizumi-san should pray at the peaceful Heian Shrine in Kyoto rather than at the contentious Yasukuni Shrine...)
Imagine if I were in Malaysia, I'd be gnashing and shortening my teeth (although I try not to) pretty frequently to hear those so-called 'honorable' politicians babbling statements that usually make little sense...
Of course there is discrimination and inconveniences (yes, even of the institutional type) here, but I don't lose sleep over those stuff...
I get respect, mutual that is, from the local community probably many times over from what I could ever dream of if I were to work as a faculty member in a Malaysian university...
For that, I normally get to snore away every night with a little smile on my contorting face...
Heeeeh...
By the way, the sakuras are still refusing to pop...
Chotto matte kudasai, neh...
Heeheeheee...
She is planning on becoming an English teacher in Japan and I am quite impressed that tender as she is, she is already putting herself on track by gunning for the required qualifications...
Well, am not sure on how to 'advise' on this matter, except to yak about my mundane experiences as a teacher in the university...
One thing I can say is, foreigners probably need to be quite fluent in Japanese as well.
Perhaps becoming an English teacher in say, Australia is not so problematic because one can use English to converse with colleagues, in planning the work, etc...
But in Japan, even English teachers have to coordinate with Japanese colleagues in Japanese...
And we need to chat with our neighbors and shop for our milk in Nihongo too...
(Read the experience of auyongtc here...)
There are no two ways about this except to speak their tongue...
Incidentally, at Asia Pacific University the other day, a Singaporean academic curiously asked me about life in Japan.
My reflex answer was... life here is almost stress-free...
Japanese politics doesn't bog me down, and that is one big load off the shoulders...
(Still, I think Koizumi-san should pray at the peaceful Heian Shrine in Kyoto rather than at the contentious Yasukuni Shrine...)
Imagine if I were in Malaysia, I'd be gnashing and shortening my teeth (although I try not to) pretty frequently to hear those so-called 'honorable' politicians babbling statements that usually make little sense...
Of course there is discrimination and inconveniences (yes, even of the institutional type) here, but I don't lose sleep over those stuff...
I get respect, mutual that is, from the local community probably many times over from what I could ever dream of if I were to work as a faculty member in a Malaysian university...
For that, I normally get to snore away every night with a little smile on my contorting face...
Heeeeh...
By the way, the sakuras are still refusing to pop...
Chotto matte kudasai, neh...
Heeheeheee...
Thursday, March 23, 2006
DRUNK WITH ANTICIPATION
Japan is intoxicated with anticipation on the looming sakura blooms...
This year, sakuras seem to bloom about a week or two earlier than 'normal' years...
Another indication of global warming... the 'experts' say...
The Japanese keep tag on what they call 'sakura zensen' (sakura 'front' as in a weather front)...
Okinawa of course will normally be the first to hit the front due to her southernmost location...
The front unmistakably moves northwards as the warm weather forces the sakuras to explode...
This year is very special to us because of the huge Somei-yoshino sakura tree in our garden...
It will mark the first time in our lives that we get to relish the sakuras in our very own space...
Yeeeeh...
I certainly need not go to the parks to photograph the sakuras from now...
The buds are getting pumped up, looking very plump and even juicy as I observed this morning...
There are also two more sakuras of the Sidare type in the garden...
These are willowy, with flowers flowing downward reminding me of a frail, pretty lady...
In addition, there are two yama-zakura or 'mountain-specie' sakuras, sort of like, wild sakuras...
Their flowers are smaller and by itself, not so 'enchanting' as the Sidare or the Somei-yoshino types...
However, as our neighbors tell us, the flamboyance of the yama-zakura rests on the hillsides, which literally turn pinkish when the wild sakuras start to bloom...
We are, you could say, getting dizzy with anticipation...
This year, sakuras seem to bloom about a week or two earlier than 'normal' years...
Another indication of global warming... the 'experts' say...
The Japanese keep tag on what they call 'sakura zensen' (sakura 'front' as in a weather front)...
Okinawa of course will normally be the first to hit the front due to her southernmost location...
The front unmistakably moves northwards as the warm weather forces the sakuras to explode...
This year is very special to us because of the huge Somei-yoshino sakura tree in our garden...
It will mark the first time in our lives that we get to relish the sakuras in our very own space...
Yeeeeh...
I certainly need not go to the parks to photograph the sakuras from now...
The buds are getting pumped up, looking very plump and even juicy as I observed this morning...
There are also two more sakuras of the Sidare type in the garden...
These are willowy, with flowers flowing downward reminding me of a frail, pretty lady...
In addition, there are two yama-zakura or 'mountain-specie' sakuras, sort of like, wild sakuras...
Their flowers are smaller and by itself, not so 'enchanting' as the Sidare or the Somei-yoshino types...
However, as our neighbors tell us, the flamboyance of the yama-zakura rests on the hillsides, which literally turn pinkish when the wild sakuras start to bloom...
We are, you could say, getting dizzy with anticipation...
Monday, March 13, 2006
SCUBA DIVING LIFE JACKETS?
Been enjoying the conference at APU...
The presentations dealing with actual cases of Japanese universities sending students overseas are particularly beneficial...
But some, like the ones being presented now, are quite irrelevant...
So, escaped to blog...
Heh heh heh...
As usual, it is a joy to make new friends and renew old acquaintances...
Also got time to read some news on Redang's coral destruction...
And what's this?
'Touching on the safety, Abdul Rahim said divers should be made to wear life jackets. He said the marine park centre at Pulau Pinang, an island off Pulau Redang, had made this a requirement.'
Hmmm... divers to wear life jackets??
Huh?
The presentations dealing with actual cases of Japanese universities sending students overseas are particularly beneficial...
But some, like the ones being presented now, are quite irrelevant...
So, escaped to blog...
Heh heh heh...
As usual, it is a joy to make new friends and renew old acquaintances...
Also got time to read some news on Redang's coral destruction...
And what's this?
'Touching on the safety, Abdul Rahim said divers should be made to wear life jackets. He said the marine park centre at Pulau Pinang, an island off Pulau Redang, had made this a requirement.'
Hmmm... divers to wear life jackets??
Huh?
Saturday, March 11, 2006
HOT SPRINGS OF BEPPU
Heading to Beppu tomorrow to attend a seminar at Asia Pacific University (APU)...
Malaysians may be familiar with the one-village one-product movement...
The prime mover of this movement is Oita Prefecture, which encompasses Beppu city, a well-known hot springs territory...
Malaysia under Dr. Mahathir tried to learn this one-village one-product thingy from Oita...
But how successful are we... we never know...
Because as in most or all the projects in Malaysia, there never seems to be a follow-up on the progress...
There is no tail, so to say...
APU is part of the highly regarded, privately run Ritsumeikan University of Kyoto...
APU's claim to fame is that, it is a 'bilingual' university with half of the staff and students coming from abroad...
I salute such universities, of which the graduate level International University of Japan (IUJ) in snow country Niigata is another one...
They are, no doubt, universities with fine ideas and noble aspirations...
The President of APU is a Sri Lankan gentleman whom I met long time ago at Nagoya..
He used to be with the United Nations...
Would be a delight to meet him again...
It will also be about 19 years since I last step foot on Beppu soil...
I came to Hiroshima in April 1987...
After studying for four months, I took a solo trip by ferry from Hiroshima to Beppu, armed only with broken Japanese and a backpack...
I look forward to 'boiling' myself in Beppu's renowned hot springs tomorrow...
Yeeeeee... we go alreadeaaa...
Malaysians may be familiar with the one-village one-product movement...
The prime mover of this movement is Oita Prefecture, which encompasses Beppu city, a well-known hot springs territory...
Malaysia under Dr. Mahathir tried to learn this one-village one-product thingy from Oita...
But how successful are we... we never know...
Because as in most or all the projects in Malaysia, there never seems to be a follow-up on the progress...
There is no tail, so to say...
APU is part of the highly regarded, privately run Ritsumeikan University of Kyoto...
APU's claim to fame is that, it is a 'bilingual' university with half of the staff and students coming from abroad...
I salute such universities, of which the graduate level International University of Japan (IUJ) in snow country Niigata is another one...
They are, no doubt, universities with fine ideas and noble aspirations...
The President of APU is a Sri Lankan gentleman whom I met long time ago at Nagoya..
He used to be with the United Nations...
Would be a delight to meet him again...
It will also be about 19 years since I last step foot on Beppu soil...
I came to Hiroshima in April 1987...
After studying for four months, I took a solo trip by ferry from Hiroshima to Beppu, armed only with broken Japanese and a backpack...
I look forward to 'boiling' myself in Beppu's renowned hot springs tomorrow...
Yeeeeee... we go alreadeaaa...
Thursday, March 09, 2006
WHITE PLUM FLOWERS
Before the advent of the sakuras...
The plum flowers take the center stage...
There are three plum trees in the garden...
Two white and one red...
See related story here...
CRUISING THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Cycled to work today again...
Oooh my eyes... teary teary... and my nose... running non-stop...
It is the season of hay fever!! Archuuung!!!
Last Sunday was the first time that I managed to take time off to check out the neighborhood.
It was a lovely day... almost no wind, the skies... so blue, the seas, calm, and the waters so clear...
I felt good to be reminded that the sea, the beach, is merely a five-minute walk from my home...
When the temperatures rise, I shall be at the beach, frolicking for sure...
Had a good look at the surrounding (rather grand) houses built mainly for holiday-making...
Big terraces overlooking the sea... wide glass windows...
Neat gardens of vegetables and flowers...
Very pretty indeed...
Nearby was a mansion on top of a hill perched out into the sea... for sale at just about 3 million dollars?
We cycled through the quaint little farm roads, passing by streams trickling with precious little water... birds a-singing...
And gazed at pleasure boats and ferries plying the routes...
Back home, I pruned the two totally leaf-less persimmon trees...
Inadvertently discovered two average-sized sakura trees amidest some other 'less-precious' trees...
Over-pruned one healthy, green tree (called 'nezumi no mochi no ki' or rat's glutinous rice tree) as the night fell...
Next day at work, got a call from my better half...
She had a big shock upon seeing the naked branches of that once healthy and green rat's glutinous rice tree...
She lost her apetite for lunch that day...
Regret, regret...
Pray that the nezumi tree will soon sprout new branches and leaves as I originally expected...
Took some pictures of the blooming red and white plum flowers in the garden...
The vegetables and rape flowers as well...
To think that just about half a year ago, we lived, cramped and cluttered in a pigeonhole...
I intend to cherish life, my dear friends...
Oooh my eyes... teary teary... and my nose... running non-stop...
It is the season of hay fever!! Archuuung!!!
Last Sunday was the first time that I managed to take time off to check out the neighborhood.
It was a lovely day... almost no wind, the skies... so blue, the seas, calm, and the waters so clear...
I felt good to be reminded that the sea, the beach, is merely a five-minute walk from my home...
When the temperatures rise, I shall be at the beach, frolicking for sure...
Had a good look at the surrounding (rather grand) houses built mainly for holiday-making...
Big terraces overlooking the sea... wide glass windows...
Neat gardens of vegetables and flowers...
Very pretty indeed...
Nearby was a mansion on top of a hill perched out into the sea... for sale at just about 3 million dollars?
We cycled through the quaint little farm roads, passing by streams trickling with precious little water... birds a-singing...
And gazed at pleasure boats and ferries plying the routes...
Back home, I pruned the two totally leaf-less persimmon trees...
Inadvertently discovered two average-sized sakura trees amidest some other 'less-precious' trees...
Over-pruned one healthy, green tree (called 'nezumi no mochi no ki' or rat's glutinous rice tree) as the night fell...
Next day at work, got a call from my better half...
She had a big shock upon seeing the naked branches of that once healthy and green rat's glutinous rice tree...
She lost her apetite for lunch that day...
Regret, regret...
Pray that the nezumi tree will soon sprout new branches and leaves as I originally expected...
Took some pictures of the blooming red and white plum flowers in the garden...
The vegetables and rape flowers as well...
To think that just about half a year ago, we lived, cramped and cluttered in a pigeonhole...
I intend to cherish life, my dear friends...
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
SWITCH OFF THE LIGHTS, YOU HEAR?
Picture the head of government having to tell the citizens that they 'should not switch on the lights of the whole floor just to use a room'.
Boyish... I'd say...
Juvenile...
This quality of government we have...
Hmmm... my beloved country... where are you heading?
Boyish... I'd say...
Juvenile...
This quality of government we have...
Hmmm... my beloved country... where are you heading?
Saturday, March 04, 2006
ELEPHANTS IN LANGKAWI & BICYCLING IN BOLEHLAND
Huh? No more MAS international flights into Langkawi?
Thought it was only yesterday when MAS had that big huha announcing their maiden direct Langkawi-London flight... or, was I just imagining things?
Anyway, has anyone visited Langkawi lately?
Passed by there a few years ago on our way back to Alok Setak from Japan.
As expected, after the initial euphoria of free port status, the white elephants win again…
Book Village, Water Park, Galeri Perdana... they all looked pretty devoid of patrons so expected...
And the rundown Duty Free shop... dilapidated, uncompleted, ugly hotel structures... ferries that are rapidly becoming crappy...
It is still very much a kampong (which I like), left mutilated as it is...
Meanwhile, had quite a roar upon seeing the deputy PeeAm being bashed by citizens for his remarks urging Bolehlanders to change their lifestyle to match the increase in oil prices.
A letter in Malaysiakini, urging Bolehlanders to make more use of bicycles also caught my eye.
And then, we have the Perlis MB telling civil servants to cycle to work.
Hey, isn't he the guy who has a penchant for suggesting oddballs like, asking thugs to assist the government to collect overdue fees or something?
Anyway, my missus had been keeping an eye on the number of days I cycled to work in February...
Bicycle - 6 days, car - 21 days...
Hmmm... a rather pathetic record... especially in the era of skyrocketing petrol prices...
But wait... I have excuses...
The 21 days when I don't cycle, there was either rain or strong winds blowing... or I had to teach evening classes... and they were quite a few in February...
Am sure that nobody wants to see yours truly crashing his bike into a ravine at pitch-dark 10:30 pm, after a blistering session of lecturing…
But still, six measly days of cycling in one month...
Personally I would second the proposition that Bolehlanders cycle more... rising petrol price or not...
When I cycle to work, I do 20 kilometers one-way, 40 both ways...
On the way there, I take about one hour 10 minutes... the return trip takes about one hour...
Besides the benefits I get from the exercise, I just love this almost stress-free mode of commuting...
* Stress free, until you see a herd of teenage school kids monopolizing the whole bicycle path, and you go grrrr... *
A Philippine friend once remarked... you never learn how to swear until you learned how to drive a car... * or sometimes, even a bicycle? *
But cycling to work in Bolehland is a different ball game, I'd think...
Rather than the steamy weather, it is the road condition...
Even here in Japan, the cyclist in me takes quite a beating when riding on roads that have the slightest bumps... my bike just 'jumps' up... my bony bum takes the hit and I lunge forward, blurting out a wooooh!
There are generally good paths for bicycles although cyclists have to be really careful because pedestrians use the same paths...
But Bolehland roads?
When that Semi-Value of a minister built those roads, had he ever thought about 'bicycles'?
I am not even going to mention about those deadly potholes as yet...
Yeap, the government was gung-ho blind in chasing the automobile sector...
So, go curse that dead horse...
Roads in Bolehland are simply not made for cycling. Period.
And that jester of a man who prodded civil servants to cycle should at once mount a bike and cycle to work himself to start the engine rolling...
For if I were the man, I would first refurnish the roads, line them up with trees and make them bicycle friendly... the weather will take care of itself...
I am imagining things... am I not?
Yes?
Thought it was only yesterday when MAS had that big huha announcing their maiden direct Langkawi-London flight... or, was I just imagining things?
Anyway, has anyone visited Langkawi lately?
Passed by there a few years ago on our way back to Alok Setak from Japan.
As expected, after the initial euphoria of free port status, the white elephants win again…
Book Village, Water Park, Galeri Perdana... they all looked pretty devoid of patrons so expected...
And the rundown Duty Free shop... dilapidated, uncompleted, ugly hotel structures... ferries that are rapidly becoming crappy...
It is still very much a kampong (which I like), left mutilated as it is...
Meanwhile, had quite a roar upon seeing the deputy PeeAm being bashed by citizens for his remarks urging Bolehlanders to change their lifestyle to match the increase in oil prices.
A letter in Malaysiakini, urging Bolehlanders to make more use of bicycles also caught my eye.
And then, we have the Perlis MB telling civil servants to cycle to work.
Hey, isn't he the guy who has a penchant for suggesting oddballs like, asking thugs to assist the government to collect overdue fees or something?
Anyway, my missus had been keeping an eye on the number of days I cycled to work in February...
Bicycle - 6 days, car - 21 days...
Hmmm... a rather pathetic record... especially in the era of skyrocketing petrol prices...
But wait... I have excuses...
The 21 days when I don't cycle, there was either rain or strong winds blowing... or I had to teach evening classes... and they were quite a few in February...
Am sure that nobody wants to see yours truly crashing his bike into a ravine at pitch-dark 10:30 pm, after a blistering session of lecturing…
But still, six measly days of cycling in one month...
Personally I would second the proposition that Bolehlanders cycle more... rising petrol price or not...
When I cycle to work, I do 20 kilometers one-way, 40 both ways...
On the way there, I take about one hour 10 minutes... the return trip takes about one hour...
Besides the benefits I get from the exercise, I just love this almost stress-free mode of commuting...
* Stress free, until you see a herd of teenage school kids monopolizing the whole bicycle path, and you go grrrr... *
A Philippine friend once remarked... you never learn how to swear until you learned how to drive a car... * or sometimes, even a bicycle? *
But cycling to work in Bolehland is a different ball game, I'd think...
Rather than the steamy weather, it is the road condition...
Even here in Japan, the cyclist in me takes quite a beating when riding on roads that have the slightest bumps... my bike just 'jumps' up... my bony bum takes the hit and I lunge forward, blurting out a wooooh!
There are generally good paths for bicycles although cyclists have to be really careful because pedestrians use the same paths...
But Bolehland roads?
When that Semi-Value of a minister built those roads, had he ever thought about 'bicycles'?
I am not even going to mention about those deadly potholes as yet...
Yeap, the government was gung-ho blind in chasing the automobile sector...
So, go curse that dead horse...
Roads in Bolehland are simply not made for cycling. Period.
And that jester of a man who prodded civil servants to cycle should at once mount a bike and cycle to work himself to start the engine rolling...
For if I were the man, I would first refurnish the roads, line them up with trees and make them bicycle friendly... the weather will take care of itself...
I am imagining things... am I not?
Yes?
Friday, March 03, 2006
HINA-NINGYO FESTIVAL
The Chinese are sometimes deep into stuff like 88...
Our Japanese friends have this affinity with 11, 22, 33, etc...
11 is wan-wan... the sound of dog bark... so we have the day of the dogs...
22 is nyan-nyan... the meow of cats... so, the day of cats...
33 is well, the Doll Festival... don't ask me why...
Took the above picture, among those of other 'kawaii' dolls, at Ritsurin Park...
They call it, 'Kitsune no Yome iri'...
Literally, the Coming of the Fox Bride...
The character in the background... yeap, you got it, he's the lucky guy...
I understand that 'Kitsune no Yome iri' is taken to mean some rather weird phenomenon...
As in, rain while the sun is shining... which sometimes does occur...
Come to think of it, hmmm...
The Fox Bride... pretty weird...
No?
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
SIPPING TEA IN A JAPANESE BATH IN SPRING
Calendar-wise, it is spring...
But the weather, frigid it remains...
Flowering, are the pink and white plums...
The shy nightingales, a-singing...
Been enjoying the Japanese bath since we moved into our place...
The body gets warmed up to the bones and it feels super good...
And what more, the cold rash that inflict me every winter...
Is magically banished...
Last night, we experimented with putting dried lemon grass into the bath...
Wooohh... the fragrance... super nice...
Had thought that lemon grass was only for fish curries and asam laksa...
Until a Japanese friend introduced us to lemon grass tea some time ago...
As with other beverages, we took it plain... without sugar...
Wooohh... nice...
Tried drinking turmeric tea once while on a trip to Okinawa...
Wooooohh... horrid...
Last summer, had a lot of bitter gourd plants...
Not much fruits but plenty of leaves...
So, harvested the leaves, sun-dried them...
And made bitter gourd tea out of them...
Wooohh... terror-bitter... but very pleasant after-taste...
But the weather, frigid it remains...
Flowering, are the pink and white plums...
The shy nightingales, a-singing...
Been enjoying the Japanese bath since we moved into our place...
The body gets warmed up to the bones and it feels super good...
And what more, the cold rash that inflict me every winter...
Is magically banished...
Last night, we experimented with putting dried lemon grass into the bath...
Wooohh... the fragrance... super nice...
Had thought that lemon grass was only for fish curries and asam laksa...
Until a Japanese friend introduced us to lemon grass tea some time ago...
As with other beverages, we took it plain... without sugar...
Wooohh... nice...
Tried drinking turmeric tea once while on a trip to Okinawa...
Wooooohh... horrid...
Last summer, had a lot of bitter gourd plants...
Not much fruits but plenty of leaves...
So, harvested the leaves, sun-dried them...
And made bitter gourd tea out of them...
Wooohh... terror-bitter... but very pleasant after-taste...
Friday, February 24, 2006
NICE SHOT...
I continue to be quite hopelessly hooked...
B-Comedy...
Funny and moreover, free of charge...
Hmmm... let’s see...
PM accepts apology, no action against NST...
Heheheeeheheee...
Ok, I trust that many of you folks, like yours truly here, are jumping up and down the roof gleefully, feeling uncontrollably excited with yet another of these truly 'impressive gems' from Mr. Nice Guy...
No?
Honto?
B-Comedy...
Funny and moreover, free of charge...
Hmmm... let’s see...
PM accepts apology, no action against NST...
Heheheeeheheee...
Ok, I trust that many of you folks, like yours truly here, are jumping up and down the roof gleefully, feeling uncontrollably excited with yet another of these truly 'impressive gems' from Mr. Nice Guy...
No?
Honto?
Monday, February 20, 2006
ADDICTED TO B-COMEDY
Been very busy with hosting a group of Korean and Taiwanese students in our two-week Japanese Language and Culture Program.
Just sent off the last student today... so, can lay back and enjoy some good ole bolehland comedy... something that I am undoubtedly addicted to...
And, woaaaahh... what comedy can be more 'timely' and interesting than the one found in 'Billions wasted'... (see below)
Only that, why is our man telling the goondoo-rakyat what they have known and have been tolerating since the Malaysian clock began to tick?
And more hilarious is the 'immediate response' aka bodek-talk by our man snoring in the JKR barracks...
Says he...'the ministry was prepared to engage itself in a different format to upgrade roads and public amenities'
Hmmm... 'engage itself'??
Does he mean, 'play with himself'?
I think in some societies, they call this 'playing with Mrs. Palmer'...
Why engage itself when it should be engaging the users, the rakyat?
And another jewel to scratch our ding-dongs over...
'I request that all MPs write to me directly and their complaints will be forwarded to a separate department within JKR so that they will be attended to immediately'
Huh? All MPs?
And 'complaints forwarded to a separate department within JKR'?
Is this what they call beating around the bush?
If so, it would be really entertaining to have a really disturbed, furious snake shoot out from the bush, poisonous fangs showing, and heading for the JKR man's ding-dongs...
Heheheee...
The Star, 20 Feb 2006
Billions wasted
BY JACK WONG
KUCHING: Billions of ringgit have been wasted in repairing public buildings and amenities due to Malaysia’s poor maintenance culture, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.
The money, he said, could have been better used to provide new amenities for the people.
“Due to poor maintenance of buildings and amenities, we have to allocate big sums of money for repairs. This is a loss,” he said.
PM: Due to poor maintenance of buildings and amenities, we have to allocate big sums of money for repairs. He told MPs and assemblymen to report defects in such facilities, like suraus, schools and community halls, when they visit their constituencies.
If minor defects were spotted early and rectified, they would not develop into big problems and cost more money when the services of contractors had to be engaged, he said.
“A stitch in time saves nine,” he said at the closing ceremony of the Backbenchers Club annual retreat at SM Agama Sheikh Haji Othman Abdul Wabah in Matang near here yesterday.
He also suggested that schools assign teachers to take charge of the management and maintenance of buildings and other facilities, adding that owners of other public buildings and amenities should also do the same.
Serious attention, he said, should also be given to maintaining school computers and other equipment.
Speaking to reporters later, Abdullah said while there were weaknesses in the management and maintenance of public facilities, users should also be blamed for not taking care of them.
He cited examples like damaged public telephones, dirty and malfunctioning public toilets.
In an immediate response, Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, welcomed Abdullah’s remarks, saying that the ministry was prepared to engage itself in a different format to upgrade roads and public amenities, reports A. LETCHUMANAN.
“I request that all MPs write to me directly and their complaints will be forwarded to a separate department within JKR so that they will be attended to immediately,” he said.
Just sent off the last student today... so, can lay back and enjoy some good ole bolehland comedy... something that I am undoubtedly addicted to...
And, woaaaahh... what comedy can be more 'timely' and interesting than the one found in 'Billions wasted'... (see below)
Only that, why is our man telling the goondoo-rakyat what they have known and have been tolerating since the Malaysian clock began to tick?
And more hilarious is the 'immediate response' aka bodek-talk by our man snoring in the JKR barracks...
Says he...'the ministry was prepared to engage itself in a different format to upgrade roads and public amenities'
Hmmm... 'engage itself'??
Does he mean, 'play with himself'?
I think in some societies, they call this 'playing with Mrs. Palmer'...
Why engage itself when it should be engaging the users, the rakyat?
And another jewel to scratch our ding-dongs over...
'I request that all MPs write to me directly and their complaints will be forwarded to a separate department within JKR so that they will be attended to immediately'
Huh? All MPs?
And 'complaints forwarded to a separate department within JKR'?
Is this what they call beating around the bush?
If so, it would be really entertaining to have a really disturbed, furious snake shoot out from the bush, poisonous fangs showing, and heading for the JKR man's ding-dongs...
Heheheee...
The Star, 20 Feb 2006
Billions wasted
BY JACK WONG
KUCHING: Billions of ringgit have been wasted in repairing public buildings and amenities due to Malaysia’s poor maintenance culture, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said.
The money, he said, could have been better used to provide new amenities for the people.
“Due to poor maintenance of buildings and amenities, we have to allocate big sums of money for repairs. This is a loss,” he said.
PM: Due to poor maintenance of buildings and amenities, we have to allocate big sums of money for repairs. He told MPs and assemblymen to report defects in such facilities, like suraus, schools and community halls, when they visit their constituencies.
If minor defects were spotted early and rectified, they would not develop into big problems and cost more money when the services of contractors had to be engaged, he said.
“A stitch in time saves nine,” he said at the closing ceremony of the Backbenchers Club annual retreat at SM Agama Sheikh Haji Othman Abdul Wabah in Matang near here yesterday.
He also suggested that schools assign teachers to take charge of the management and maintenance of buildings and other facilities, adding that owners of other public buildings and amenities should also do the same.
Serious attention, he said, should also be given to maintaining school computers and other equipment.
Speaking to reporters later, Abdullah said while there were weaknesses in the management and maintenance of public facilities, users should also be blamed for not taking care of them.
He cited examples like damaged public telephones, dirty and malfunctioning public toilets.
In an immediate response, Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, welcomed Abdullah’s remarks, saying that the ministry was prepared to engage itself in a different format to upgrade roads and public amenities, reports A. LETCHUMANAN.
“I request that all MPs write to me directly and their complaints will be forwarded to a separate department within JKR so that they will be attended to immediately,” he said.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)