Rowie's Scribbles

...the library can be a bad sign. The internet connection here is REALLY bad. I couldn't come on for the past 2 weeks (I'm beginning to think it's 3 weeks), & my work is extra-stressful coz I don't have the internet readily available for my research! The library PC's are usually fully occupied since the internet problem is widespread at university. Ugh. I feel like everything is moving so quickly & I still haven't caught up with the pace. Ah woe is me. For good reason. I'll try to update my blog, heaven knows there's so much on my mind but I'll try to post something new! :) Signing out...

Yesterday at Malam Gagasan Budaya 2009, the Orquesta performed a Michael Jackson medley as a tribute to the King of Pop. Due to time constraint we only managed to combine Beat It & Black or White. This Saturday hopefully we'll get to add in more songs & write in parts for other instruments. Thinking about that medley, I proceeded to play some of my favorite MJ hits: 1. Beat It 2. Billie Jean 3. Black or White 4. Heal the World 5. Man in the Mirror 6. Smooth Criminal 7. Thriller 8. Dont' Stop Till You Get Enough By Heal the World , I find myself unable to contain my grief. I weep as I write this. On June 26, Michael Jackson, beloved musician & pop icon, passed away. I will not enter the deets around his death; it is understood that he was working hard to get back into shape for his upcoming tour. Drugs cut that work short.  I remember watching his music videos on TV, singing along indiscriminately (I was too young to know the lyrics back then). Rumors about his strik...

I didn't know I'd had to write about the PPSMI issue again so soon (the last time I wrote about it  was here ). The result is out: the Education Ministry will revert back into Malay (mother tongue for vernacular schools) by 2012.  Damn it.  I laughed out in mostly horror after reading the following statements by our PM, Datuk Seri Najib (taken from TheStar ): 1.  The aim remains the same. There is no change. Only the method in reaching the objective is now different Gimme a break. No change? Now our teachers are gonna take the lazy way out, our youths are gonna take the lazy way out.  Yet we still wonder why the quality of our education remains 2nd-class. 2. He said increasing the time allocated to teaching English, introducing English literature and language laboratories, among others, would be a better method in boosting proficiency in the language than using it to teach Mathematics and Science. Well it sure would help if English was used for Science & Maths in addition t...

A little run through of Rowie's Scribbles through the old & the new: 1. Poll analysis : I confess I'm kinda running out of ideas for the polls on the side bar. Thought-provoking, fun, witty is outta my head for the time being. I appreciate suggestions to provide the platform for deeper analysis.  2. Orator section : I've been toying with the idea of providing an Orator section to put articles related to debate. I've decided it should help organize this blog & encourage better articles related to debating. So the new section is up, folks!  3. Link bar : I've thought of providing links to sites I'm interested in, like the UMPlife forum, OG sites (official website, forum, YouTube channel), Cheresources, etc. I wonder if it'll clear up the clutter or make things worse, hmm... 4. Rowie's Scribble 's Anniversary in 1 month : Yeah you heard me! This blog has been on since October last yr! I'm thinking about doing something special but I'm no...

The last thing I need to rant about is how crazy I am about Pokemon Emerald! I'm not even squealing about the new games (coz I don't have them >. *pinch pinch* Oh NO! Madness has taken over! It's midnight, so crazed am I, that this has to be classified as a Scribbles article! On with the madness! I can't understand why I'm developing this frenzy with Pkmn!  I'm actually checking my PokeNav for match calls & finding trainers to bust. I make it a point to rename every Pkmn with names from gods/godesses. Arrogant, much? I'm also strategizing my troop according to the area that I plan to travel to.  I can almost remember which moves can create the critical hit Oh boy... Manja Princess infected me with it. I knew it. All the hugging was bound to transfer some Pkmn virus. The only thing I'm regretting now is I'm unable to trade online to get more Pkmn.  Trudging along...trudging along...Lalala... So there's the end of my rant. Or teeny breakdown...

The start of a new sem always got me thinking about my goals: 1. What do I want to achieve? 2. Why do I want to achieve (1)? 3. How do I achieve (1)? I have stepped down from the Principal post at the OG; not a choice I made happily, but one that must be taken for progress. I am still participating actively in the group & I naturally have plans for this sem (at least). Some of the ideas churning in my mind now: 1. Organize a more streamlined theory class I was always worried over 1 dilemma; what happens if we have more than just Grade 1, 3 & 5 classes? I estimated 2 hrs per section; even now 9am-1pm on Saturday mornings only gives me 4 hrs; this sem showed that we can do it. How? The theory exam is always in late Aug. New intake (potential students) enter in early July. Organizing classes for Grade 1 can take the stress of Mdm June as she finishes the revision for the exam. This makes it easier for her to take over the Grade 1 students after the exams ...

Another favorite by WB Yeats :) O heart, be at peace, because Nor knave nor dolt can break What's not for their applause, Being for a woman's sake. Enough if the work has seemed, So did she your strength renew, A dream that a lion had dreamed Till the wilderness cried aloud, A secret between you two, Between the proud and the proud. What, still you would have their praise! But here's a haughtier text, The labyrinth of her days That her own strangeness perplexed; And how what her dreaming gave Earned slander, ingratitude, From self-same dolt and knave; Aye, and worse wrong than these. Yet she, singing upon her road, Half lion, half child, is at peace.   I felt homesick today so here's a hint about my mood :)

While we all revel in the vitalities of life, sometimes death comes up & slaps us in the face; tragic news of death & simple obituaries remind us that life is finite & we may never know when the end will come. Hence planning your resting place is a grave decision, you've to decide which method would suit your passing best.  Gruesome topic, eh? But one I'm going touch on nevertheless. Let's have a look at the available choices. Funeral service Usually involves a viewing of the body, a formal funeral service including transportation & burial. The most expensive method. Includes embalment, selection of coffin & tomb stone, purchasing graveyard plot, etc. Cremation Body cremated shortly after death, no need for embalment.  Cremated remains/ashes kept in a container at home/crypt in cemetery/temple or scattered in the deceased's favorite place. A memorial service may be held Besides these 2 main methods, there are other methods/issues to think about: Orga...

Oh well the holidays had to end sooner or later; though I won't say I had much of one (with debating tournaments here & there), I can sympathize with my fellow uni mates groaning as 6th July looms closer...I sympathize even more with the newbies, some of whom may be living out of home for the very 1st time... *recalls arriving at UMP at night after PDPSZA *chuckling as the gang teased the newbies walking out  " Tahan ye, 1 minggu je " (Hang on, just 1 week) *chuckles* Well I completely understand why people would dread returning to university...less than magnificient living quarters, the stress, the people...it may be hard to adjust back to the hectic schedule. However, we must do what we must & coping is the best solution. Let's do a quick & hopefully fun review of what to do to get back in gear: 1. Pace yourself We get that it's tough to juggle so many things at one time but that doesn't mean you've to do work continuo...

I just read this news article ( You go, girl: Plan for women to get 30 pc of top posts ) on the Star's website a couple of minutes ago: Important deets from the article: 1. An action plan is being drawn up by the Women, Family & Community Ministry to ensure that at least 30% of decision-making positions will be held by women in the country. 2. The plan is in the final stages & will be submitted to the Cabinet for approval. It is a gender equality program. 3. The plan covers 6 main sectors: the public sector, judiciary, legislative bodies comprising the Parliament, state executive councils & local councils, Federal ministries & agencies, statutory bodies, & universities. 4. The ministry's sec-gen Tan Sri Faizah Md Tahir said that in the corporate sectors, the number of women holding top posts is still low, but in the public sector, 22% of decision-making posts are held by women. The ministry will not impose any form of penalty should they fail to meet the 30%...

I watched this film twice because despite what most people said, I think the film was great! I'm tossing out ridiculous comments like there are too many robots, etc...Watching it twice is a good sign (for me, at least!), not to mention I'm waiting for the DVD too ^.^ EPIC POSTERS! On to the review! :D The Plot The Autobots & humans join forces forming the NEST unit; their job is to take out Decepticons across the globe. The US government begins to worry if the Decepticons are really only after the Autobots & request the Autobots to leave Earth. During this time, Sam enrols into college & a tiny shard of the Allspark transfers symbols into his mind.  The Decepticons launch an assault from space, stealing the only known remaining piece of the Allspark & using it to revive Megatron from the deep Laurentian Abyss. Megatron returns to the Fallen, his master, who plans to return to Earth to harvest Energon needed for producing Decepticon hatchlings.  It is learned tha...

Time to clear up the polls on the left bar :D Do You Think There's Life in Outer Space? Yes 85% No 14% (Unknown 1%) Analysis: Many people think that there is another form of life out there in the Universe. The question now is, if there is life out there in the Universe, is it like us? Will they breathe in oxygen? Will they need to drink water? Of course, some people think that there's only life on Earth. It's impossible to be the only form of life when the Universe is so vast I personally believe that there is life out there. Let's go a bit deeper into why I believe that; IMO the origin of life is a random collision of molecules that created a sustainable reaction, ie life. I don't believe in God so this answer is enough for me to know where we all came from.  More details explaining this theory from this article , but this makes me believe that a similar set of conditions & chemicals (not necessarily the same) present on other planets in the Universe can...