TimeCop:Still Excites

Exciting Memory Lane Stuff

It has been a long while that I went down memory lane.

So, I watched TimeCop starring Claude Van Damme and the pretty Mia Sara.

Directed by Peter Hyams and part produced by Sam Raimi, it is still a great movie with its thrills and spills and exact timing for action sequences; and very precise editing.

I like the concept of the juxtaposition of time that a time traveller cannot occupy the same physical space at any one time with his 'other self'

Exciting movie.

We must have more of these.

Is the Truth Coming Home to Roost At Last?

Under Siege?

Reading the article by Moaz Nair in the Malaysia Chronicle  today titled,  "PAS and PKR Already Replacing UMNO Baru: A New Paradigm in Malays Politics"  is indeed like a soul being bared for all to see.

Is there truthfulness in his assertions?

Is UMNO now chiefly  driven by the nefarious money motive with non-Malay business people participating in the background??   Has UMNO become so bad that his hypothesis may just hold water?

Moonlight Aglimmer?

The truth is somewhere in between, out there possibly not being the dominant culture of UMNO as yet but the wind-vane of politics is pointing that way and at increased speed velocity especially with the exposure of the flammable  NFC debacle, the mysterious Musa Aman-Michael Chia  millions and the almost amusing Nazri episode with the Hummer.

I wonder whether it is UMNO's own undoing that is creating all these problems, slowly unearthing worms in concealed cans thus far?

Graft Busting

While PAS plays the religious card to their advantage and with PKR playing on the corruption issues with such intensity, the scenario may see the propensity of more semi-urban seats falling into the hands of the Opposition,  particularly those allocated to MCA, Gerakan, MIC and PPP.

Even traditional UMNO seats  may fell to PR if they put in strong, capable and trusty second echelon leaders.

I wonder what will be PM Najib's strategy in the face of this possible sea-change if it should come.

Good Feelings,Bad Feelings, Loyalty and Ignorance

The true test of voting strength comes the 13th Ge will be underpinned by 4 main factors.

As they ready themselves to mark an X on the ballot paper,what prevails over them?

Feel good, do good

If it is an immensely good feeling they have over a candidate or its party, then the X will find its mark.

Similarly,if he possessed bad feelings toward a party or that particular candidate, the other guy gets his vote.

Adamant adversarial voter

Then we have the issue of loyalty to consider. For some, they are loyalists through and through. No amount of cajoling or persuasion can work on them on the eve of the election. They are driven and most party are happy with these kind of voters. They are a sure bet!

Mostly blind to any cause

Lastly, we have the ignorant ones. These you can influence as they near the polling station. Once they get a picture in their mind based on the last sliver of information drummed into them, then like sheep to the slaughter, they will just vote for that party or person.

Easiest to sucker in

If we can roughly have a ball-park figure of the voters that can be influenced based on these 4 factors then we can do some particularly close prediction.

Can we do this for the forthcoming 13th GE?

Battle of the Giants in Pekan

Not the Underdog

Hadi Awang has thrown down the gauntlet. He is all mailed up to do challenge on the home-ground of PM Najib in Pekan.

Given all the furor and statements made by  UMNO that Hadi will be a lamb for the sacrifice, the wise Tok Guru of Kelantan has supported PAS's gambit. He is definitely watching to see how UMNO will take this challenge. The Malay has a word for this-Gentar! 

This is equivalent to Bush's 'Shock and Awe!'

The White Robe Challenger

For PR, there is really nothing to really lose  if Hadi can indeed fell goliathic Najib in his own home state and in Pekan for it can only mean the streets to Putrajaya are literally wide open and ready to receive Pakatan Rakyat (PR)  to take over the nation ad rule for the next five years.

On the shorter term, this move could possibly be used as a measure to give PAS an early signal and strategy in the making if they should also take on Muhyideen as well and all the other UMNO leaders in one go, in a blitzkrieg manner.

What is the basis for Hadi's confidence in throwing down the challenge? Is he reading the right political palms? Looking around who could really challenge Najib? None.

Perhaps, Hadi has an even chance, even if it is to the extent to embarrass Najib by taking a meaningful and sufficient chunk of Pekan's voters.

For PR, even if they lose to Najib in Pekan, it is a worthwhile gambit as it  shows how berani dan sanggup the leaders of PR can be-to put their money where their mouth is.

To UMNO detractors-Hadi's futile move could be labeled easily as berani bodoh!

Balrog versus Gandalf

Whatever the remarks and comments, this is one battle royale we must all watch as the 13th GE draws near.

For many, it has been a long while when we last saw the battles of the giants!

Does Re-training Help Jobless Graduates?

Wahlau, Such English!

As usual, the government claims that almost all their students in the SL1M programme got a job on leaving it.

Pray tell, what jobs?

We don't want any mickey mousing? Comprede?

Also, do a transparent tracker study and see how many were retained by their employers.

Wahlau! Such Spelling!

While the government trumpets in cacophony , the private sector are more muted in their responses.

A Malay legal firm tells about poor communication skills, particularly in English, among these graduates and once they do not contribute effectively to the firm, they will be given the walking papers.

How man? No Speak English;No Job!

Again, how many of them will be underemployed, using their lesser certificates to get jobs at fast food joints and 24-hour convenient stores?

Yes, also GLCs may be forced to accept them as national or social service.

I see almost a whole generation who will be English-deficient. Many thanks to the myopic politicians we have.

So,who are we kidding?

SL1M is so slim! So are its possible chances of success.

Verdict: Shockingly sickening!

Home Tuition-Early Signs of Progress

Tuition for Students

I must be having bad to mediocre students.

I could be having undisciplined learners who are difficult to teach.

Or may I am just unlucky to be saddled with lazy bums as my students.

Looking back at my teaching history, there was some joy when I taught voluntarily for the church.

During my Berjaya University College days, I like most of the students because they do try hard.

The Form Four student was an uninterested and disinterested student. She left on her own accord.

My stint at the tuition center at Section 14 was just bad luck since I was saddled with a class more than 40 students which was pretty hard to control.

At Aman Suria, I felt the students being rich spoiled brats, were not there to learn but to socialise.

For my students at home, the first brother and sister pair was just incorrigible as they were rich kids and think that it was the job of their parents to leave them a legacy even if they are poor in their studies. Thankfully they got out on their own.

The second brother and sister pair were again rich kids from an international school and the brother was from a  private school. They possibly wanted me to go to their house to teach. Failing which they got another teacher. Que sera sera.

My current stint with a tuition center is manageable as the classes are small. Only issue-they pay a paltry sum and waste my week-ends.

I had this two sisters who also came to the house for tuition. The first is now in college while the second is still under my tutelage.

I see improvement particularly in her writing skills though she has still  has to improve on her vocabulary.

Abracadabra!

Tender mercies.

Some good feelings at last.

Patent Drafting-Not Everyone's Cup of Tea

Patent Drafting Do's and Don'ts

Once there is novelty in an invention or innovation, protection will be required if it has commercial value.

It is mostly a time-consuming and costly affair if the government or institution does not lend a hand.

While in the past, this will drain an inventor's savings, today the government and institution, understanding the need to protect such R&D outputs for the national good, have started to contribute to its protection not only in the home country but abroad as well.

This year, I was indirectly and inadvertently roped into this business of patent drafting. Not the virgin drafting per se but in the editing of the English to ensure its precision and specificity of claims.

Patent drawing

Patenting could be seen as easy on the outset. However, not everybody can draft.

Two ingredients are required. The scientific knowledge behind the invention and innovation; and two-the command of English to ensure precision of drafting in an expressive manner to ensure no ambiguity of claims.

My experience has shown that though the drafters may have knowledge on the invention or innovation, they stumbled in drafting the patent with precision as they lack  good command of  written English. Poor vocabulary led to the choice of wrong words and poor structuring can cause ambiguity both in description and claims.

My difficulty is not in the English language but more so to appreciate the invention and innovation as the original inventors see it for most unskilled drafters may be describing it too loosely or may even be off the message that the patent intends to carry for the purpose of registration and protection.

No easy thing, this patenting business.