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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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?

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...