Tuesday, September 2, 2008

We are the proud to is Malaysian

Remember the song from the earlier days?


We are proud to be Malaysian

With a leader of great ability

There will always be peace and prosperity

And respect of the world community


With Badawi, Najib, Anwar creating headlines worthy of The Sopranos or The Godfather (Leader of Great Ability, or rather Leaders of Great Abilities, note that they don't say Leader of Great Integrity, which would probably be wrong, but Ability which I largely agree with, actually)...

And random yelling, scratching and hair-pulling recently in Permatang Pauh, with cost of living, oil hikes and Budget issues (Peace and Prosperity)...

With the increasing interest of the FT, Economist and other international newspapers (due to our leaders' love triangle going on), I'm not sure how that is Respect of the World Community, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.

Then Dad sends me this clipping from the NST. Please tell me it's a spoof.


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ADVERTORIAL
New Straits Times
23 August 2008, page 43

HONORARY DEGREE AWARD
7TH CONVOCATION CEREMONY UNIVERSITY TUN HUSSEIN ONN MALAYSIA
TO
YANG AMAT MULIA RAJA ZARITH SOFIAH BINTI ALMARHUM
SULTAN IDRIS AL-MUTAWAKIL ALALLAHI SHAH
D.K.II, S.P.M.J., S.P.C.M.

Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah binti Almarhum Sultan Idris Al-Mutawakil Alallahi Shah has born on 14th of August 1959 in Hospital Batu Gajah, Perak. Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith is a third son to Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Sultan Perak Darul Ridzwan and Duli Yang Maha Mulia Raja Mazuwin binti almarhum Raja Arif Shah.

Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah get early education in Sekolah Rendah Jenis Kebangsaan Datin Khadijah Kuala Kangsar in the state his birthplace namely in Perak. After end of the education in primary school, Yang Amat Mulia continue the education to form one at Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Raja Perempuan Kalsom Kuala Kangsar, Perak.

In the month of September 1972, Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah have set forth to England for further education in Chaltenham Ladies College, Gloucestershire to form six. Then, Yang Amat Mulia continue learning it in Davies College London in September 1977 and his following year in receive enter to Somerville College, London after having passed Oxford Entrance Examination.

After graduated at Oxford University with Bachelor of Art in June 1983 and follow the traditional University of Oxford, Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith will receive Master of Art after three years in 1986. Yang Amat Mulia also is a linguist follow several courses including language Mandarin at the tertiary level, French and Italy language.

As his father, Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah is a person that talented in picture arts. Refinement of soul, Yang Amat Mulia always watching natural beauty environment immortalize in the form photograph and painting to make look and reference. Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith performance become guide to deliver the message education to general public. Yang Amat Mulia concern on women and natural world and it custody aspect in become deep theme in painting.

Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah comply have interest profoundest field documentation. Apart from producing book, Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith doubled up guest writer in the The New Straits Times newspapers and in personal column it “Mind Matters” in The Star newspaper. Besides writing, Yang Amat Mulia comply active presenting a working paper at the conference national level and international.

Education from her father and mother over concern to the people, make Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah likes engaged in voluntary activities about as Deputy President of Majlis Wanita Johor (ROSE), Chief of Persatuan Pandu Puteri Malaysia Johor branch, Chairman of Nationalistic Community Service Red Crescent Malaysia, Patron of Spastic Children School in Johor Bahru, Patron Rotary Club of Tebrau Foundation, Advisor of Traditional Arts School International in London and become Pro Chancellor University Technology Malaysia (UTM) and becomen Royal Felllow Faculty of Language and Linguistic University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

As the appreciation towards her contributions of ideas and efforts in the development of education in Malaysia, Chancellor of University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Duli Yang Amat Mulia Tunku lbrahim lsmail lbni Sultan lskandar, Tunku Mahkota Johor, has approbation to presented the awards to Yang Amat Mulia Raja Zarith Sofiah binti Almarhum Sultan Idris Al-Mutawakil Alallahi Shah the Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy in Education at 7th Convocation Ceremony of University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia in this year. Congratulation from us, University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia members.



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I'm going to count how many mistakes are there in the article. BRB.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

What could be worse....

....than working late most days, and having to trundle back to a treacherous site every morning in a corner of the world where you have no social circles to speak of?


Working late most days, and having to trundle back to a treacherous site every morning in a corner of the world where you have no social circles to speak of, in the goddam rain. Everyday.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Transport for London

No Tube access from my place today.


The bus stops were all full of lots of pissed-off confused people, all peering blearily at bus stop signs, clearly not understanding any part of it. Every gundu in the world was trying to take a bus somewhere, me included.

But my bus took fricking hours, happily chugging around London in traffic jams - too many replacement bus services and too many temporary bus passengers!

My combined trip of bus and Tube took 2 hours. -_-"


Lady peeped out just as I snapped, YES YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRAIN FA CRYING OUT LOUD

Lots of delays due to TWO 'person under train' incidents (this basically means some poor soul has been kabished by one of the trains), so chaos everywhere basically. Lots of BO, bleargh.

I did get a nice day out though...

The O2 in the distance

And ended up in a nice Malaysian restaurant to end the day. :)

Friday, August 15, 2008

Le weekend...


A nice flight home, and vodka cocktails. But nothing more blissful than the advent of le weekend.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Fire alarms are annoying


Wasted an hour trotting down and out of a building, and then back in and back up again. Fire is given so much reverence in the West - must be the burning-in-hell cultural fear thing. I prefer the general South East Asian approach - wait for an actual fire before actually doing anything, then just basically run out yelling at the top of your lungs:

FYYYEEEEE-AAAAAAHHH!!!!

Monday, August 11, 2008

Bloody Monday

This is Monday for me, at 6am. A different kind of depressing.






That, and being mildly amused looking at the cabin crew trying to give a safety demonstration ("to inflate the life jacket, pull the toggle on your right") while trying to maintain their balance when their F1-driver-wannabe pilot swings wildly around the runway.

Friday, August 8, 2008

The laziest post in the world


Irony much?