Teacher's Day

Yup, it's that time of the year where we as lecturers and teachers look back and ask ourselves, "Am I happy doing what I do?"

Then I came across this quote from Harriet Martineau: "What office is there which involves more responsibility, which requires more qualifications, and which ought, therefore, to be more honorable than teaching?" None, and I know why I am doing what I am doing now.

Happy Teacher's Day to those in the profession!

Sex and the Technology-obssessed

This is a strange survey that was conducted by Meredith Parents Network, Moms and Media 2 and reported by UK’s The Daily Mail on Thursday. It revealed that 12 percent of American moms use their phones during sex – this technology-obsessed behavior comes from mothers between 18 and 35, dubbed 'Millennial moms'.

Interestingly also, the survey showed that 21 percent of moms use their phones while on the toilet.

Carey Witmer, president of Meredith Parents Network, explained: “Today's moms are media omnivores. They are constantly creating new rules about how and when media intermingles with their busy lives.”

Completed last November and December, the survey looked at a 'nationally representative sample' of 1,041 Millennial moms, with children from infants to age 12.

While the scope of this study is fairly limited, the results seem to echo other findings by cellphones.org that an estimated 15 percent of Americans have interrupted sex to answer a cell phone call.

Perhaps sex has lost its appeal!

I haven’t mentioned this but on Sunday, I was at Mayang Plaza in Petaling Jaya to attend my first Tamil Toastmasters meeting and I had to admit that I was clueless most of the time – except for the session where I was involved. I was the Evaluator for one of three speakers and he was the sole person who delivered his CC speech in English – that was when I gave my feedback. I do believe the Anbu Tamil Toastmasters Club could do with lots of improvements but the members must also be willing to learn and apply. I would give this meeting a score of a 2.5 out of a 10 because at least, they gave a more than decent display of enthusiasm.

Liverpool ended a troubled campaign with another defeat as they go down 1-0 to Swansea City in their final game of the domestic season. I have already started looking at the next season.

The Bersih Conspiracy

Check out this video clip on Bersih 3.0! Is it true that the violent maelstrom that followed Bersih 3.0 was actually a well-planned and well-executed strategy by the powers-that-be? You decide for yourself.

Man U is still a Winner!

Everybody's a winner! Including Manchester United!

BN Leaders in Sabah & Sarawak Worry

Sabah and Sarawak BN leaders are suddenly losing sleep over the possibility that the general election may be held later this month or early next month. They felt it would be an inappropriate time as people in both states would be celebrating their traditional festivals of Pesta Kaamatan in Sabah and Gawai Dayak in Sarawak. This was a news report carried in The Sunday Star today on page 24.

Parti Bersatu Sabah information chief Johnny Mositun said the party felt it would be better for the general election to be called later. “We heard that Parliament could be dissolved any time now. But we feel it is better for it to be done after Kaamatan so as not to disrupt the celebrations,” Mositun said.

Actually, if you ask me why they worry so – it is simply because these celebrations will see many Sabahans and Sarawakians returning to their home states – and if GE13 is held at around the same time, it does not bode well for the ruling parties. I say this because the returnees are likely to be anti-UMNO/anti-BN since their eyes have opened and their ears have listened. And if this happens, the so-called local leaders – who have been comfortably ensconced in positions of privilege and power and obviously, benefiting materially – may find themselves at the receiving end of voters’ wrath, meaning, there is a real possibility that they may lose the election and forfeit their seats! When this happens, it won’t be a time of celebration for these perfidious politicians!

Bar EGM Vilifies Police Violence

The Malaysian Bar passed a resolution condemning the police for using “excessive” and “indiscriminate” force to disperse Bersih 3.0 protesters on April 28 at yesterday’s extraordinary general meeting. They also demanded apologies from the home minister and Inspector-General of Police to the public and members of the media over the conduct of the police during the rally. 

The turnout – 1270 members – exceeded the turnout of some 800 members during the Bar’s annual general meeting (AGM) in March and this speaks well of the legal fraternity whose Bersih 3.0 stance is in line with that of the citizenry. 

Residents in Melksham, Wiltshire in south-west England have endured months of delays around the town because of seemingly endless roadworks. 

And so one distressed but good-humoured resident decided to redo a “men at work” road sign into one depicting a contractor sititng down to have a coffee and cigarette break! 

I suppose the message is very clear in expressing what UK locals think of all this inconvenience.

 

Image credit: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4308944/Men-not-at-work-Fed-up-local-changes-sign-after-endless-roadworks.html.

This sign would not have been out of place in Malaysia either. The only difference perhaps is that you will see it all over the place!

And it won't just show one person – but rather a group!  

Sexy Chinese Models

Auto shows are meant to showcase cars, right? Sometimes, they offer much more than that. In the case of the 2012 Beijing Auto Show, attendees were not only attracted to the new models but also the other type of models, meaning, the sexy girls who accessorize the cars. And in Beijing, these gals just love to bare as much as possible – after all, they might have the impression that they were competing with the cars! I suppose it is a great place to be if you wish to exercise your eye muscles. Don’t you just love to ogle?

Liverpool FC have gone back to the future – by replacing their club crest with a Liver bird badge. Their new kit features the emblem, just like it did during the club’s glory days in the 1970s and 80s.

Check out the first official images of Liverpool FC’s brand new kit for the 2012-13 season designed by American sportswear manufacturer Warrior. It has an official launch date of June 01, but can be pre-ordered now.

Kenny Dalglish was king of the Kop when the Liver bird was flying. And Dalglish will be hoping it can put the Reds back on their perch in his second spell as boss.

Tear-gas in Your Eyes

A song dedicated to Malaysians tear-gassed by Najib Razak’s Police:

 

Liverpool humbled Chelsea and at the same time, gained sweet revenge for Saturday's FA Cup final defeat with an emphatic 4-1 win over a lacklustre Chelsea to end the Blues' hopes of a top-four finish.

Chelsea were sloppy throughout and fell behind when in the nineteenth minute, a Blues midfielder deflected Luis Suarez's cross into his own net. Then a neat finish from Jordan Henderson (25) and a header from Daniel Agger (28) gave goals Nos. 2 and 3 to Liverpool. Chelsea pulled a goal back in the fiftieth minute but Jonjo Shelvey's 30-yard shot eleven minutes later gave the Reds the three points. 

Liverpool's win saw them leapfrog Fulham into eighth place on goal difference and they can still finish above Everton if their result at Swansea City on Sunday is better than that achieved by their city rivals at home to Newcastle United.

Derek Ong's Proposal Defense

Colleague Derek Ong has tasked his students (those taking STA2024/ BMB2209 Research Methods) to actually take the plunge – do research and then produce a conference-ready paper. Last Wednesday, the students broke up into groups and did their proposal defense – after having developed their research proposals. I was there with a class of SUBS colleagues to assist Derek. Here at SUBS, it is not just about learning – equally important is the doing.

This morning, in my BMB3303 International Marketing lecture, I had two colleagues undertake a Peer Review Assessment – the purpose was to provide me with feedback on my teaching as part of the performance development process that I am initiating in SUBS’s Department of Marketing and Business. The duo sat in my class for at least an hour to observe me – one is from my own Department (Elizabeth Andrews) and the other is from another Department (i.e. Manjeet Kaur from the Department of Management and Economics).

There was the Money & You Toastmasters meeting yesterday which I attended. Although, there were only fifteen of us – Kitti Chang and gang made sure the meeting was lavished with a vigorous vibrancy that one often associates with this particular club. I would still award this meeting a 7.5 out of a 10 score because I have enjoyed myself.

Scottish Premier League Champions Celtic FC lost 0-1 to Dundee United in their Sunday 06 May match. This was Celtic’s last away match.