The State of Malaysian Students

Here are some reasons to show why the teaching profession is so pressurised:-
Tags: Education, English Test, Teaching Profession

My Journey Back to Home Ground

Left Khartoum on Sunday night after a long delay at the airport. My Emirates Airlines plane was supposed to depart at 7.20pm (local time) but the wonderful plane landed just before that and passengers were only alighting from the airplane at 7.20pm.

In such case, I would expect a forty minutes wait for the plane to be cleaned. At 8.05pm, we were boarding our plane but were seated in it till 8.45pm before the captain announced that we will be on our way. My my.

Arrived at Dubai around 1am plus. The colourful wall that you can see here is actually the outer design of a bus. It has not opened its doors yet at that point of time.













Our plane stopped about five minutes away from the main terminal. Peak timing during midnight at Dubai airport.

The plane from Khartoum was packed and this scenario in the bus was just like a public bus. Went straight to the transfer desk to obtain my boarding pass for my connecting flight at 10.20am. That's how crazy it was. Me and my two other colleagues were amongst the first to be at the counter and we were the last to leave the counter. That was way past 2am.

Arrived at Millenium Airport Hotel to be checked in and only managed to drop dead on bed at 3am. By 7.45am, we woke to go over to the airport.

The Dubai city scenery seen from my bedroom. Not facing the city centre where there are lots of towering buildings.

The buildings (two storeys) right in front of me is the Dubai International School which comprise several blocks. Owing to the huge expats found in Dubai, such international schools are really huge.

That's the Dubai Metro railway, under construction to meet the congestive traffic throughout Dubai city.

At 10.20am, it's time for my flight back to home sweet home. The control tower located on the right hand side of the picture.

Human traffic jam while entering the plane. It was a Boeing 777 model.










They were still pumping fuel into my airplane while I was boarding it.















Seated besides me was a beautiful four year old girl (I think) from the Middle Eastern region. I was seated at the aisle seat while she was at my right and her parents were on her right. The mother who was beside her couldn't care less about her. She was poking the TV screen on the seat in front of her.

She was totally excited with that flight. Moving here and there. Kicked my leg unknowingly. I couldn't stand it any longer. When it came to meal time, I threw some sleeping pills into her food without her parent's knowledge.

She knocked out for the rest of the flight. Peace at last!

My beautiful Kuala Lumpur International Airport building. It was just a pretty sight.
Tags: Khartoum, Emirates Airlines, Dubai, Dubai Airports, Millenium Airport Hotel, Dubai International School, Dubai Metro, Boeing 777, Middle East, Kuala Lumpur International Airport

My Blog Mentioned in Wall Street Journal

My blog posting on Beijing Olympics in Jeopardy has drawn the attention of The Wall Street Journal. Unbelievable!
It's such simple thing that motivates me to blog.
Tags: The Wall Street Journal, China Journal, Beijing Olympics

Why Bill Gates Decides to Sell Off Microsoft?

Letter from Banta Singh to Mr. Bill Gates
Subject: Problems with my new computer

Dear Mr. Bill Gates,
We have bought a computer for our home and we have found some problems, which I want to bring to your notice.

1. There is a button 'start' but there is no 'stop' button. We request you to check this.

2. One doubt is whetherany 're-scooter' is available in system? I find only 're-cycle', but I own a scooter at my home.

3. There is 'Find' button but it is not working properly. My wife lost the door key and we tried a lot trace the key with this 'find' button, but was unable to trace. Please rectify this problem.

4. My child learnt 'Microsoft word' now he wants to learn 'Microsoft sentence', so when you will provide that?

5. I bought computer, CPU, mouse and keyboard, but there is only one icon which shows 'My Computer': when you will povide the remaining items?

6. It is surprising that windows says 'My Pictures' but there is not even a single photo of mine. So when will you keep my photo in that.

7. There is 'MICROSOFT OFFICE' what about 'MICROSOFT HOME' since I use the PC at home only.

8. You provided 'My Recent Documents'. When you will provide 'My Past Documents'?

9. You provide 'My Network Places'. For God sake please do not provide 'My Secret Places'. I do not want to let my wife know where I go after my office hours.

Last one to Mr. Bill Gates: Sir, how is it that your name is Gates but you are selling WINDOWS?

Reading: Bill Gates bids a teary farewell to Microsoft -ZDNet
Tags: Microsoft, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Word, Bill Gates, Banta Singh, Software

Empowerment Seminar

Just one week before I left Sudan, my fellow church mates came together for an Empowerment Seminar for the Creative Ministry members. I was in charge of games and as usual must plan torturing games ....... haha

Yeah Yeah, too bad ..... I'm arranging so no choice.

This game started with two persons locking their arms while leaning on each other's back. Next, start to stand up with the arms still locked.

As the pair is able to stand up, they have to look for the next pair who has succeeded. As with this group, there are eight persons trying to stand up together. The moral - the more the easier to stand up together. In tune with the seminar where I was trying to tell them that teamwork is important.
These are the books that were recommended to be read which will empower us in the Creative Ministry.
Group prayers.
How come I wasn't praying then? Curi ayam ke?
Tags: Empowerment Seminar, Creative Ministry

Khartoum Life

The Spanish Ambassador's residence. Really huge. Spain is one of the nine European Commission countries that have an embassy in Sudan.
The city's main bus terminal. Around hundred over buses were sighted.
The new bus terminal being constructed nearby.











Most of the buildings in Khartoum would be in this dull brown colour. The main reason would be due to sandstorm in Khartoum. No point having a good paint as the sandstorm will wreak damages on your paint. By having this brown colour paint, you can't see the dirt.











This was a Hummer that we have noticed on the city streets. In this trip itself, I have seen five Hummers already. The rich are really too rich.

I have only seen one Hummer in Kuala Lumpur thus far.
Tags: Khartoum, Sandstorm, Hummer, Spanish Ambassador, Bus Terminal

Zimbabwe's Growing the Wrong Way

Zimbabwe is growing indeed but it is growing the wrong stuff - inflation!

The latest report is that Zimbabwe's inflation has shot up to 2,200,000%. Bear in mind that this is an official figure from the government itself. Malaysia's official inflation figure is only at 7% but to me it should be much higher also, say between 10% to 20%. I'm sur many Malaysians will agree to that.

Zimbabwe's economy is really nosediving to an abyss, a place with no bottom. It was at one point, one of the richest country in Africa. Now, it's one of the worst in the world.

I followed closely on this situation not because I'm in Africa at the moment but more so of how are the citizens going to maintain their livelihood with such circumstances. It's really beyond everyone's expectation and ability.

To counter the effect of the high inflation, the Zimbabwean government kept issuing higher currency notes. Was it the right way in economic strategy in which case I'm not agreeable with it.

In January 2008 - Zimbabwean $10 million dollar note.
April 2008 - Z$50 million dollar note
May 2008 - Z$100 million, Z$250 million and Z$500 million dollar notes
June 2008 - Z$5 billion, Z$25 billion and Z$50 billion dollar notes

Reason for the issuance of new dollar notes was because prices for everything have risen so fast that in order to pay for those goods or services, you need to carry a suitcase wherever you go in order to get what you want.

So, by issuing larget note denomination, citizens only need to carry lesser monies. Guess how much is Z$500 million? It's only US$2.00.

As inflation shot up to 2,200,000% percentage, the Zimbabwean government has to issue the Z$100 billion to counter it.

Unfortunately, it was not enough fast enough as taking a public bus from the city centre back to home after work would have cost Z$250 billion dollars. One loaf of white bread is already Z$200 billion dollars. How to survive?

How now? The Zimbabwean government came up with a brilliant idea this time. They would issue new notes again but this time they will cancel the multiple zeroes. Effective 1 Aug 2008, Zimbabweans will need to go to the banks to convert their millions or billions of dollars at a rate of Z$10 billion = 1 Zimdollar.

Suddenly, a multi-billionaire could become a normal person overnight.

In Sudan itself, it's almost similar. It was 1,000 Sudanese Dinar = US$5.00. Then they changed by issuing new notes to 2 Sudanese Pound = US$1.00. Such African nations' exchange rates are not recognised internationally. Their currencies are not traded outside of their country therefore they can implement whatever denominations as they like.

This stack of Sudanese pound was equivalent to about US$12,000. It was to pay off certain expenses.
Tags: Zimbabwe, Africa, Inflation, Zimbabwean Dollar, Zimdollar, Sudanese Dinar, Sudanese Pound , Economics