The World Cup romance continues. The defending champions and runners-up bit the dust and meekly surrendered their titles. Reputation and pedigree counts for nothing. Expect more shockers. A continent away, another monumental performance unfolded when a tennis match between two relative but unrelated unknowns at Wimbledon ended after 11 hours over three days, setting all kinds of tennis records. Life's full of mind benders. Let's celebrate them. This week's picks:
1. That Italy and France wimped out with a whimper is hardly a surprise. For France, it's poetic justice of sorts. They got the World Cup ticket on the back of a non-goal against Ireland 'scored' with Henry's hand. The Irish would have been a more worthy competitor. As for Italy, they're living in the past. The players were burnt-out and well past their expiry date, strutting around more like Milanese male models than world beaters. Good riddance.
2. Another flip-flop is well in the offing when the Ministry of Education floated a proposal to scrap UPSR and PMR. I'm not an expert in education and the way things are going neither is the ministry. You're still sore about the volte-face in the teaching of science in English. And if you're still struggling to understand the cluster schools concept, don't bother, because it's just been replaced by the high-performing schools concept. The reason given for the no-exam learning is that exams inhibit thinking skills. Whose thinking skills? The ministry's? And no exams also means millions of RM saved, the thinking minister claimed. This one doesn't add up. If we want to save, the better option is do away with schools, students, teachers and, you 're right, the ministry. What's more, this option also promotes thinking skills. Your thinking skills. Because now you have to think of ways to educate your children.
3. "Cops score against illegal bookies", screamed the headlines, almost daily now with the World Cup in progress. Illegal betting syndicates around the country are being hounded and rounded up like common criminals by the police. What an irony. No other commercial transactions in the world embrace the free market and 'the willing buyer, willing seller' principle more ardently than gambling and betting. Betting is based on an informed and unforced decision, unlike buying Proton cars. The crackdown apparently was part of an effort to stamp out the spread of social ills and promote wholesome values. I've never realised that I'm actually morally and socially sound because I don't bet. No, I'm not arguing for legalising betting. It's just that, on the priority axes of 'urgent' and 'important' for police action, illegal betting should be right at the very bottom corner, next to illegal parking. At the top should be reckless driving, followed by the rest (you know them all), which are more urgent and important than illegal betting (and illegal parking). Taking my youngest to school every morning I've to pass no less than five mistimed traffic lights, which have been the source of massive jams, accidents and obscenities. Every time I'm stuck at a traffic light, I wish the police were here instead of bagging the bookies.
4. This one is cute. On her rare descent on Wimbledon, the Queen was greeted by a number of tennis greats, including Martina Navratilova, a nine-time Wimbledon champion. Holding Martina's hands, the Queen enquired whether Martina had played at Wimbledon often.
1. That Italy and France wimped out with a whimper is hardly a surprise. For France, it's poetic justice of sorts. They got the World Cup ticket on the back of a non-goal against Ireland 'scored' with Henry's hand. The Irish would have been a more worthy competitor. As for Italy, they're living in the past. The players were burnt-out and well past their expiry date, strutting around more like Milanese male models than world beaters. Good riddance.
2. Another flip-flop is well in the offing when the Ministry of Education floated a proposal to scrap UPSR and PMR. I'm not an expert in education and the way things are going neither is the ministry. You're still sore about the volte-face in the teaching of science in English. And if you're still struggling to understand the cluster schools concept, don't bother, because it's just been replaced by the high-performing schools concept. The reason given for the no-exam learning is that exams inhibit thinking skills. Whose thinking skills? The ministry's? And no exams also means millions of RM saved, the thinking minister claimed. This one doesn't add up. If we want to save, the better option is do away with schools, students, teachers and, you 're right, the ministry. What's more, this option also promotes thinking skills. Your thinking skills. Because now you have to think of ways to educate your children.
3. "Cops score against illegal bookies", screamed the headlines, almost daily now with the World Cup in progress. Illegal betting syndicates around the country are being hounded and rounded up like common criminals by the police. What an irony. No other commercial transactions in the world embrace the free market and 'the willing buyer, willing seller' principle more ardently than gambling and betting. Betting is based on an informed and unforced decision, unlike buying Proton cars. The crackdown apparently was part of an effort to stamp out the spread of social ills and promote wholesome values. I've never realised that I'm actually morally and socially sound because I don't bet. No, I'm not arguing for legalising betting. It's just that, on the priority axes of 'urgent' and 'important' for police action, illegal betting should be right at the very bottom corner, next to illegal parking. At the top should be reckless driving, followed by the rest (you know them all), which are more urgent and important than illegal betting (and illegal parking). Taking my youngest to school every morning I've to pass no less than five mistimed traffic lights, which have been the source of massive jams, accidents and obscenities. Every time I'm stuck at a traffic light, I wish the police were here instead of bagging the bookies.
4. This one is cute. On her rare descent on Wimbledon, the Queen was greeted by a number of tennis greats, including Martina Navratilova, a nine-time Wimbledon champion. Holding Martina's hands, the Queen enquired whether Martina had played at Wimbledon often.
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