Since Desi endorsed Optimism as a Desideratum (Desired feaure) for success as a Writer or/and Leader, he as incoming GEIC of the Nude Crooked Times will practise the virtue.
Yes, cliche it may be, there is nothing like Leadership by Example.
The Young&Articluates today are no more like in our parents' times (Though we are presumptious speaking on their behalf, but that's just this scribe's premise, not YOURS, so you won't be flamed.) -- "Just follow my instructions, don't question. You may speak, but it won't be heard,": something along such diplomatic lines.
Now, what the hell is this Desi talking about?
Mr and Miss Patience is also Virtuous, okay!
My style of writing includes the perennial rhetorical questiion, but some NaSTy readers still would respond to Desi although minus the tehtarik offer.
To wits1, first I recall from:
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
The NUDE CROOKED TIMES Returns
"The Frontpage reads:
Gov't sacks education minister S-G & D-G,
promises reform to correct depressing state of affairs
Seremban, Tuesday: Just a month into taking over the reins of government, the Cabinet at its fourth meeting yesterday sacked the Secretary-General and Director-General of the Education Ministry for the many failures to check the decline in eduacation standards, especially that of the English standard.
The newly-appointed Education Minister of the Alternative Aces Action FRont noted the dismal failure of the many adhoc measures to overhaul the school system as well as the consistently falling standards of the local universities, chiefly in producing the bulk of graduates who could not write a 100-word letter in simple English.
The Education Minister pulled out an old copy of a Malaysain daily dated 30 January 2007 to cite two examples of(1) the ad hoc measures taken by the former Government contributing to the present state of affairs;(2) Malaysian students today replacing Korean and Thai students having chalked up the honours of graduates with poor English language skills at Australian universities.
The Nude Crooked Times would refrain from paraphrasing the reports referred to by the Honourable Education Minsiter, just reproducing the gist of the issue in question:
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Year One pupils to get 18 English lessons a week, instead of the present eight, under a pilot project with emphasis on getting pupils to understandand be more comfortable with the English language Mathematics and Scienceclasses will be effectively turned into English lessons.
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To wits2, now happily read from one of your fave dailies, The Star, page N25 (that's alos another presumed thought of Desi, so don't prostest!):
Nation Friday February 2, 2007
Teachers refuse to back ministry
PETALING JAYA: The National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) disagrees with the Education Ministry’s intention to increase the number of English sessions for Year One pupils.
Its secretary-general Lok Yim Pheng said the union was not consulted on the matter at all.
“We do not agree with this at all. How will our pupils learn Science or Mathematics if their lessons are turned into English classes?” she said.
Lok said the children should not be turned into guinea pigs under the pilot project.
It was reported on Tuesday that Year One pupils would get 18 lessons on English a week, instead of the present eight.
Education Ministry director-general Datuk Dr Ahamad Sipon had said a pilot project would be carried out in 50 schools.
He said the one-year project to be called Early Literacy Through English programme or ELiTE, would see the Mathematics and Science lessons, of which there are seven and three periods a week respectively, effectively turned into English lessons.
Dr Ahamad said the ministry had selected schools in rural areas, particularly those with poor results in the English language, as it wanted to give pupils a stronger grasp of the language.
DESIDERATA:
Through the decades, every and each new DG at the Ministry would introduce some adhoc initiatives -- Communicative English, Nuffield Science, Bahasa Baku, et cetera, ad nauseum...(PLease note that the last two are NOT among the initiatives!) but years later, anything that had been working ship shape was mostly turned upside down.
Year 6 pupils could NOT master the three Rs of Reading, wRiting and aRithmetic.
Form 5 or 6th Form students cannot write a decent 150-word or 300-word Essay in English.
University graduates have to be re-trained -- too many square pegs to fit the round holes.
You know Who or What is the CHIEF CULPRIT?
(Who, What are two of the five Ws and one H in basic Reporting skills to follow. If you're planning a career in Journalism, contact Desi and I'll give you aMore tutorials. No, freelunch is NOT included!:)
The Education leaders with their EXPERIMENTS using the ppupils and students as GUINEA PIGS. NOT my word -- it's from the horse's mouth of NUTP Secretary-General. BRAVO, Miss Lok Yim Pheng!
"I hope Malaysia springs forth more thinking citizens like thee
It replenishes the spring of Optimism and Hope in Desi
And many of my EsteemedReaders too
That they don't drown in a cesspool of woe."
Yes, this morning I'm OPTIMISTIC there is some hope for NegaraKu yet.
Now just THINKING ALLOWED, THINKING ALOUD before I depart:
Okay, add another W: the Why? Implementing these adhoc projects. PILOT project -- How much does it cost? That's the answer about the Motivation. And of course, maybe an omission in my Optimism today, did the money mainly flow into implementing the Pilot project?
After millions have been thrown down the drain -- I Think Yes, 90% went into the implementation of the projects. We must have faith in our politicians who set good examples in leadership to the civil service, Yes!
OR could it be syphoned off into certain mighty deep pockets? One bold ER from Ipoh whispered into Desi's ears: Remember that 90% of the Computer laboratories could not be used after the contract monies had been speedily paid?
"DEsi, you've got such short memory!" said Whispering Hope full of awe, Raising Helen.
Oh, I forgopt to reproduce a piece of good advice, another Desideratum for Good Leadership under new regime in 2017, the cover-date for the reprised NCT which announced those two news-making sackings:
*The old culture of "fostering sycophancy" shall be replaced by one of "in pursuit of excellence" in all fields of Malaysian endeavour, the Minister stressed.
__________________________________________________________________
PPS: A* Knightly Command!
Now boys and gals,
Go quietly amid the noise and haste
to Yahoo! News and view, for your soul's sake:
Heartfelt 'Idol' moment
A 64-year-old "Idol" hopeful's audition
left Paula Abdul in tears and Simon Cowell silent.»
Relive it
____________________________________________________________________
UPDATEd @5.10PM:
American Idol Season 6 "Have a heart"
Oh Sherman, if only there were more men like you.
I'm glad "American Idol" aired Sherman Pore's audition. Just when I was starting to think the show's execs have no heart, they showed that even they can be touched by love.
Sherman Pore, the 64-year-old man who helped his "lady," as he called her, keep her spirits up through a battle with cancer by petitioning to get on the show, sang "You Belong To Me" and it brought Paula to tears. And for the first time, I didn't even feel the need to mock her for it, because I understood.
He told the story about her battle with cancer, and how his petition had helped smooth her passing. Ironically enough, she died only two days before the audition. So, without offering sympathy, which Sherman said he didn't want, the judges allowed him to sing.
Watching Sherman sing that song, it was like you could almost imagine that he was seeing his lady in front of him as he sang it. Seeing how heartbroken he was, it made me think about whether love like that even exists anymore, and about how lucky Sherman was to have had it.
posted by Eileen Fredes at 9:56 PM on Jan 31, 2007
desiderata said...
thanks eileen for posting this.
this morning, I saw the short clip over Yahoo! News video, it was indeed a wise and exceptional audition waiver to allow 64-year-old Pore's TRIBUTE to his wife. I was like Paula, moved to tears.
PS: Can I reprise your post, Eileen, at Desi's Plcae? (My blog is (N)on-profit, strictly with NO ADs!:)
February 2, 2007 4:12 AM
A SALUTE TO SHERMAN PORE,
an exceptional guy who earned an exceptional audition
HE DID IT FOR THE love OF HIS WIFE:)
You Belong To Me
Patti Page Lyrics |
See the pyramids along the Nile.
Watch the sunrise from a tropic isle.
Just remember, darling, all the while
You belong to me.
See the marketplace in old Algiers.
Send me photographs and souvenirs.
Just remember when a dream appears
You belong to me.
I'll be so alone without you.
Maybe you'll be lonesome, too.
And blue.
Fly the ocean in a silver plane.
See the jungle when it's wet with rain.
Just remember till you're home again
You belong to me.
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