Father/Mother-less

I just finished marking my students’ essays about themselves. Something I always do at the start of a new semester. I ask them to tell me about themselves. It’s always nice to be knowing a bit about your students before the lessons start. The students always manage to surprise me with their essays. One thing that I found from this semester’s essays is that many of the students came from a single parent family. They wrote about how they live in Malacca, for example with the mother while the father is in Terengganu. They wrote about how strong their mothers are for having to care for them and their siblings alone. They wrote about how they missed their father but they can always visit. They sound very casual like it’s the most usual thing to happen. I, on the other hand find it not as casual or normal. Coming from a family where my parents are always together and many siblings to accompany me growing up, I find it quite disturbing. Deep in my heart I pity these students. Maybe I’m wrong to pity them but I can’t help myself. I think there’s something lacking when they came from a single parent family. I don’t know why the parents broke up. I don’t know why the mother or father went away. I don’t know whether the students are truly casual and OK with their situation. However, I do know that by observation I can see more and more students don’t have their mother or father with them. Will this affect their personalities? The way they behave? The way they would react to others? Something must be wrong somewhere.. right?

Wari!

That's an informal way to say SORRY in Japanese actually. At least I gather that much after watching episodes after episodes of BLEACH the anime series. I just couldn't get enough of it! Bleach is one reason why I haven't been updating my blog. That and my apparent lack of idea + laziness to write. I just couldn't get myself to do it.. eheh.. I haven't been able to overcame my laziness yet so for the time being I'll just post this video clip here for you to enjoy. Contemplate this please!

I got this videoclip from their official website www.malaysianartistesforunity.info/ Nice song. It really touched me. Tho, I'm quite confuse as to why Afdlin needs to sound like an American Country music singer at the start of the song. To give it an international flavour, I gues?? Well, apparently they want us to spread the song and videos so just go to their page and download it. It's free.

Ideal World

In an ideal world, Chelsea should still be celebrating now. In an ideal world Cech saved every kick from the devils. In an ideal world, JT should be beaming instead of crying. In an ideal world, Chelsea never buys Nicholas Anelka. In an ideal world, Shevchenko played like he played for AC Milan. In an ideal world, Mourinho and Abramovich are best of friends. In an ideal world, Mourinho is still the manager. But now, in a less-ideal world, I'll have to settle with Grant being sacked! (^_^)

Rock You Like A Hurricane

Have you ever wondered how hurricanes got their names? I always do. Somehow, the hurricanes always got names of people like Katrina, Nargis, Andrew..etc.. Yes, Nargis was actually a name of a very popular Hindi artist around the 1950's and 60's, so I read from the newspapers.

Hurricanes can be devastating. No doubt about it. It bring sadness whenever it pass by. Such is the power of God through nature. Usually there are more than one hurricane in each year. I did a little research and found some information about how hurricanes got their names.

There is actually a committee being set up to name these hurricanes. This commitee is under the World Meteorological Organization. There are lists created for different parts of the world like the Atlantic, Central North pacific and Western North Pacific. In each of the lists, countries in the region usually contribute the names. For examples, in the Western North Pacific, our country Malaysia contributed names like Mawar (It hit the Philipines, I think), Sepat and Jelawat (names of fish), and other countries like Thailand contributes the names Durian, Hanuman and Chaba.

The lists usually will be used according to a 6 year rotation period but it may be changed. However, if a hurricane caused a massive death or costly number, the name that is being used will be omitted from the list. For example the name 'Katrina' that is being used for the hurricane that hit USA in 2005. This name is a 'retired' name in the list and would not be used again.

Well, I managed to get roughly that bit of information on the naming of hurricanes. You can read it for yourselves more about this on these websites.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/retirednames.shtml,

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutnames_text.html,

http://www.ksat.com/hurricanes/16239190/detail.html

Thankful

Just be THANKFUL, people! (^_^)

Twenteen?

Teacher: Ok students, now that we finished marking the exercise let me know your marks. Who got all correct?? Raise up you hand..
~Show of hands
Teacher: Owh very good John, Jane and Frank.. How about you Kim? what did you get?
Kim: 15 upon 20 teacher.
Teacher: That's quite good..and you Julia?
Julia: 11
T: Hmm.. Julia try your best ok? the test is coming soon..
~Julia shrug and grinned
Teacher: And how about you Rose?
Rose: Twenty
Teacher: Owh that's very good Rose! Why didn't you raise up your hand before? You got full marks.
Rose: No teacher.. I got Twenteen.. One.. Two.. (fingers show one and two)
~ Dead silence
T: Rose, there's no twenteen.. one. two. is TWELVE
~Class erupted into laughter.. Teacher led out a big sigh.. and the test was coming nearer..

Current Issues

*** Huhu.. there's a silly mistake that I made for this entry actually. Nargis hit Myanmar actually not Vietnam. My bad.. Thanks for the highlight Shikin! (^_^)


Today I have the luxury to be reading through the newspaper without any interruption. The internet connection is excellent and nobody is around at the office so I can read peacefully (I can't focus on two things happening at the same time) Well, from what I've read, I think these reports from THE STAR are interesting:

a) The government will allocate RM725mil to subsidize the import of rice to help maintain the retail price and ease the burden for us consumers. I think that's timely considering the ever increasing prices of not only our main staple but also everything else.. haih.. In relation to this rice issue, last few days, I went for lunch at our cafe and it's quite dissappointing to see that they used a different type of rice which I'm sure of a lower grade.. The rice tasted weird and it's like eating pulut with 'Tom Yam' (what I ordered that day).. huhu.. Can't really blame the cafe owner since I guess they want to maintain the price without doing any damage to their bussiness though I think it's better to pay a bit more than being served with umm.. pulut rice?

b) Urge for the government to make the report on Lingam's case public. Yes, I myself want to know what the investigation come up with. I mean it's quite interesting to know whether it's true or not that the appointing of judges in Malaysia had been tampered with.

c) There's a spy squad in MCA! I mean a real one. It's really not confirmed yet but from what I read it seems like there was a spy squad allegedly being set up by the president of the party to identify political opponents.. err.. is it Ok to be writing about this..? well you can read more of this here.

d) Mr Karpal Sigh statements regarding the Sultans.. Hmm.. Yes, I know that it's his personal opinion but I guess it's better if he can go directly to the right source if he has issues about the Royal Majesties and talk about it behind close doors. It's a sensitive issue, this.

e) The earthquake in China. It's quite big. 7.8 in Richter scale. Many people died. Devastating. Poor people and this is not a few days after Nargis hit Vietnam. Many people died there to.. haih.. I guess we're approaching the end of the world. Many catastrophe are happening all over the world..

d) Nicol David won at the British Open. Way to go! (^_^) I've always been a big fan of hers. Our Thomas Cup team also won against Korea in Indonesia. Good for them though it's quite shocking to read about the Korean plan to actually lose to Malaysia due to their strategic planning in light with the new format. Well, soothing news anyways to nurse my broken heart because Chelsea did not get the cup in the EPL.. huhu..

I guess that's all.. (^_^)