Thursday, March 8, 2012

As China prepare their young for the world stage

The following two videos are just samples of the CCTV English presentation programme which is held annually to test the English-speaking skill of China's university students.


The format is:
1. A debate between two opposing sides.
2. Delivering a speech from a topic selected by the panel of judges, and
3. Responding to questions posed by the judges comprising of both local and international English language experts.  This is the part where contestants are also required to demonstrate their knowledge on current affairs both at home and abroad.





China is preparing the next generation to take on the world, but are we?
Is this the best our students can offer?


DAP launches 7-day online fundraising campaign for disabled farmer Frusis Lebi


DAP launches 7-day online fundraising campaign for disabled farmer Frusis Lebi
Assistant Minister of Agriculture (Research and Marketing) Mong Dagang’s order to revoke aid to a disabled man in Sarawak simply because the latter supports the Opposition is inhumane and totally unacceptable.
Mong has no basis to instruct two government departments to revoke government-extended subsidiaries and welfare aid to a disabled man because he was reported to have flown an opposition party’s flag and allowed for his house to be used as an operations room in the 2011 state election. This is a clear case of blatant discrimination based on a person’s political affiliation. Mong obviously has forgotten his duty as a Minister to take care of all Sarawakians. Mong indeed is no longer fit for the position.
Our sympathies are with Frusis Lebi, a farmer who has had his agriculture and disability aid discontinued for supporting the opposition. In the past few days, I have received numerous calls and messages from supporters asking how they can channel financial assistance to Frusis Lebi. It appears that there are many Malaysians out there who wish to show their support for Frusis Lebi.
Any amount is welcome, it's for Frusis
As such, we have decided to undertake a 7-day online fundraising campaign for Frusis Lebi. From today until March 14, 2012, the general public can bank in their donations to this bank account stated below. We undertake to publish the statement of accounts between the said periods at the end of campaign.
Thereafter, DAP Sarawak will be in charge of channelling the funds raised to Frusis Lebi to ensure that the livelihood of his family will not be jeopardised by the unfair and unjust decision of the Sarawak Government.
Name: CAWANGAN DAP KAJANG PRIMA
Bank: RHB
Account Number: 212022-0012-7570
Any amount of donation is welcome, whether it is RM100 or even RM1. It is time to show Mong Dagang and his fellow colleagues that we Malaysians are more compassionate and caring when it comes to helping out the poor and needy.
The directive by the state government to cut aid to a disabled man has sparked outrage in the public sphere. It’s appropriate that we transform that emotion into concrete action and do something for a fellow Malaysian and his family.
[TEO NIE CHING is the DAP Assistant National Publicity Secretary-cum-Serdang MP]

Monday, March 5, 2012

Ten reasons why Najib won't debate


The prime minister may make light of the survey findings which indicate that most Malaysians want him to debate with Anwar Ibrahim but the sad fact is that this man has too many skeletons and question marks next to his name to risk a debate even with Jelapang Hu.

Therefore the best he can do via his blog (again a safe option so he will not have to answer tough questions from the alternative media) is to talk about only debating with responsible leaders and not those prone to conspiracy theories.
This is diversion 101: when you are stuck, blame the other party. In truth, Najib Razak will not debate with anyone and these are the reasons:
1) He will be asked questions about his deafening silence in the wake of the campaign of violence by his party and their storm troopers Perkasa against the Opposition.
2) He will be asked about the ballooning national debt and the irresponsible manner in which his government is spending money to buy votes.
3) He will be asked to justify the unholy haste in which the government is pushing through the listing of Felda.
4) He will be asked to answer questions on the death of Mongolian model Altantuya Shariibuu, the infamous sms exchange between him and lawyer Shafee Abdullah and the hefty commission paid to a company linked to his confidant in relation to the submarine deal.
5) He will be asked to define his moving 1 Malaysia concept in the wake of his adoption of Perkasa’s Ibrahim Ali, Zulkifli Noordin and Hasan Ali.
6) He will be asked to debate the NEP and its love affair with cronies.
7) He will have to discuss the foot-dragging surrounding the National Feedlot Corporation and the reluctance to investigate the Attorney-General Gani Patail over a box full of serious allegations, not to mention the settlement with Tajuddin Ramli.
8) He will have to talk about the government’s embarrassing use of taxpayers money to pay FBC Media and buy good publicity abroad.
9) He will have to talk about his half-baked apology for the past sins of Umno.
10) He will have to talk about Sodomy II.
A debate will be too onerous for Najib and that is why he will not share the stage with Anwar Ibrahim or anyone. That is the plain truth and it hurts.
[Source: The MI]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In The Malaysian Insider reported yesterday, Najib expressed his readiness to participate in a debate but stressed his opponent must be 'responsible' and not prone to raising 'conspiracy theories' to win an argument. Well, if he does not agree with the points raised by Anwar, there is a thing called "rebuttal", and this is what a debate is all about.  Come on, stop giving excuses.  In other words, he is looking for a loophole to get out of this bind.  In other words ......


An open tender for one unit of photocopier


The above is an advertisement placed by the the Marsa Local Council, Malta where even a purchase of one unit of photocopier is subject to an open tender.  What's more if it involves multi billion ringgit worth of procurement or projects like in Malaysia.  Don't you think an open tender is even more imperative to demonstrate transparency and nip corruption at its bud.

The advertisement is illustrative of the openness which provides little prospects of rigging or messing around with the procurement process.  There is no such thing as closed or negotiated tenders and every bid is scrutinised by the authorities.  Any slight deviation means nothing short of being sent to prison.

Will UMNO be able to follow suit?

Monday Humour


Management Course in 3 minutes ….
Lesson 1:
A man is getting into the shower just as his wife is finishing 
up her shower, when the doorbell rings.
The wife quickly wraps herself in a towel and runs downstairs.
When she opens the door, there stands Bob, the next-door neighbor.
Before she says a word, Bob says, 'I'll give you $800 to drop that towel..'
After thinking for a moment, the woman drops her towel and stands 
naked in front of Bob, after a few seconds, 
Bob hands her $800 and leaves.
The woman wraps back up in the towel and goes back upstairs.
When she gets to the bathroom, her husband asks, 'Who was that?'
'It was Bob the next door neighbor,' she replies.
'Great,' the husband says, 'did he say anything about the 
$800 he owes me?'
Moral of the story:
 If you share critical information pertaining to credit and risk with your 
shareholders in time, you may be in a position to prevent avoidable exposure.
Lesson 2:
A sales rep, an administration clerk, and the manager are walking to lunch 
when they find an antique oil lamp.
They rub it and a Genie comes out.
The Genie says, 'I'll give each of you just one wish.'
'Me first! Me first!' says the admin clerk. 'I want to be in the Bahamas, 
driving a speedboat, without a care in the world.'

Puff! She's gone.
'Me next! Me next!' says the sales rep. 'I want to be in Hawaii , relaxing on 
the beach with my personal masseuse, an endless supply of Pina Coladas and 
the love of my life.'
Puff! He's gone.
'OK, you're up,' the Genie says to the manager.
The manager says, 'I want those two back in the office after
lunch...’
Moral of the story:
Always let your boss have the first say.
Lesson 3
An eagle was sitting on a tree resting, doing nothing.
A small rabbit saw the eagle and asked him, 'Can I also sit like you and do nothing?'
The eagle answered: 'Sure, why not.'
So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the eagle and rested. All of a sudden, 
a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.
Moral of the story:
To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very, very high up.
Lesson 4
A turkey was chatting with a bull.
'I would love to be able to get to the top of that tree' sighed the turkey,
'but I haven't got the energy..'
'Well, why don't you nibble on some of my droppings?' replied the bull. 
They're packed with nutrients..'
The turkey pecked at a lump of dung, and found it actually gave him enough
 strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree.
The next day, after eating some more dung, he reached the second branch.
Finally after a fourth night, the turkey was proudly perched at the top of the tree.
He was promptly spotted by a farmer, who shot him out of the tree.
Moral of the story:
Bull Shit might get you to the top, but it won't keep you there....
THUS ENDS THE THREE-MINUTE MANAGEMENT COURSE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Haircut

A teenage boy had just passed his driving test and inquired of his father
as to when they could discuss his use of the car.
His father said he'd make a deal with his son, "You bring your grades up
from a C to a B average, study your Bible a little, and get your hair cut.
Then we'll talk about the car."

The boy thought about that for a moment, decided he'd settle for the offer,
and they agreed on it.

After about six weeks his father said, "Son, you've brought your grades up
and I've observed that you have been studying your Bible, but I'm
disappointed you haven't had your hair cut."The boy said, "You know, Dad,
I've been thinking about that, and I've noticed in my studies of the Bible 
that Samson had long hair, John the Baptist had long hair, Moses had
long hair, and there's even strong evidence that Jesus had long hair."


(You're going to love the Dad's reply!)

 v
 v
 v
 v

"Did you also notice they all walked everywhere they went?"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nursery Rhymes, as I remember them???

Mary had a little pig,
She kept it fat and plastered;
And when the price of pork went up,
She shot the little bastard.*
********************
Mary had a little lamb.
Her father shot it dead.
Now it goes to school with her,
Between two * *chunks of bread.*
********************
Jack and Jill went up the hill
To have a little fun.
Stupid Jill forgot the pill
And now they have a son.*
********************
Simple Simon met a pie man going to the fair.
Said Simple Simon to the pie man,
'What have you got there?'
Said the pie man unto Simon,
'Pies, you dumb ass' !!*
********************
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the kings' horses,
And all the kings' men.
Had scrambled eggs,
For breakfast again.*
********************
Hey diddle, diddle, the cat took a piddle,
All over the bedside clock.
The little dog laughed to see such fun.
Then died of electric shock.*
********************
Georgie Porgy pudding and pie,
Kissed the girls and made them cry.
And when the boys came out to play,
He kissed them too 'cause he was gay.*
********************
There was a little girl who had a little curl
Right in the middle of her forehead.
When she was good, she was very, very good.
But when she was bad........
She got a fur coat, jewels, a waterfront condo, and a sports car.*
******************************************************

*
You have to be old enough to appreciate this.
If you don't understand, it is because you are**
**Too young.*****

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sensitive Aussies

Three Aussie blokes working up on an outback  mobile phone
tower:Mongrel, Coot and Bluey. 
As they start their descent, Coot slips, falls off the 
tower and is killed instantly..
As the ambulance takes the body away,
Bluey says, 'Well, bugger me, someone's gotta go and 
tell Coot's wife.
 
Mongrel says, 'OK, I'm pretty good at that sensitive stuff, 
I'll do it.'
Two hours later, he comes back carrying a case of Beer.
 
Bluey says, 'Where'd you get the grog, Mongrel?'
'Coot's wife gave it to me,' Mongrel replies.
'That's unbelievable, you told the Missus her husband was 
dead and she gave you a case of beer?'
 
'Well, not exactly', Mongrel says.
'When she answered the door,  I said to her, 
"You must be Coot's widow."
She said, 'You must be mistaken..  I'm not a 
widow.'
Then I said,
'I'll betcha a case of beer you are..'
 
Aussies are good at that sensitive stuff.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Our Sunday Girl - REBECCA



This song was recorded by Albert Hammond and it came from his album, "Free Electric Band".  His earlier hit included "It never rained in Southern California".

Previous features :
Deborah
Susan
Anna 
Marie
Judy
Mandy
Cecilia