creamy ol lady

MEET Linda Bootherstone. Standing at approximately 1.60 metre, the Briton-Australian has clocked about 56,000km crossing continents in her white DR650 Suzuki all alone. To top it all- she’s 60!
“You’re the first person to be polite when asking about my age. Normally they will just ask me directly what my age is,” Bootherstone said in a jest.
Having ridden a motorbike over 40 years, going across the globe is nothing new to the former teacher. She has ridden all over Australia, England and even other European countries as well.
“It’s a great experience going places, meeting people and learning new cultures,” she added.
Bootherstone started her global quest on her bike she fondly refers as ‘Suzi’ in Spain 15 months ago. She rides a BMW back home in Spain, a country she has been residing in for the past decade. She has been in Malaysia for the past month and had just recently conquered Gunung Tahan.
When asked of the dangers travelling alone, Bootherstone was quick to say she’s yet to encounter any difficulties. Instead she painted a different picture altogether.
“People have been very nice to me and there’s nothing to be worried about especially in Asia.
“The Iranians for example for were very welcoming and I didn’t feel like a stranger at all,” she added.
While in India, Bootherstone was invited by a geographical society and several schools to share her global adventure.
“Being a former teacher, it’s good to be able to share my knowledge with the young ones. There’s just so much in the world to discover,” said the musically inclined Bootherstone who is also majored in Anthropology.
The lovely lady, who was met while servicing her faithful machine at Jalan Genting Klang, will apply for a visa to Indonesia today (Monday).
“My stay in Malaysia will depend how long my visa application will be approved. Once that is done I plan to go around the Republic and hopefully make my way to East Timor before going to Australia,”
Bootherstone officially plans to end her trip in Australia. However, deep inside, she plans to carry on her adventure to the South Americas drive up north before ending it in England.
Nevertheless, Bootherstone’s travelling tales has taught her a valuable lesson.
“People are less tolerant about each other. Malaysia is a good example of how people try to overcome their differences. Politics aside, we’re all just one big happy family,” she said with a smile.

-The Man Who Sold The World-

slap on ma face- Part2??

IT has come to my mind that education is no longer an essential tool in Malaysia.
And yes I will stick to that principle until I see changes made towards the national education system, both government and private.
The Abdullah Badawi led government is seeking to obtain more so-called ‘educated people to fill in the brain drain lacuna (as quoted during his visit to London recently) which is happening in Malaysia. For what may I ask?
The Malaysian Higher Learning Education Ministry is introducing soft skills to its graduates in a bid to further strengthen their bid to secure jobs? Again I ask…for what??
The question is, the government claim there are places to be filled within their departments and agencies, but why so many tests, requirements and rigidity?
Question one: Why bother encouraging more and more private universities and colleges to mushroom in the country when half of the courses are not accredited?
Question two: Why does the current policy seem to dash the hopes of the future generations as it may be easy to obtain the degree (via private colleges due to the ridiculously low entry requirements) but the requirements to pass, ie the Certificate of Legal Practice or the recognition given towards engineers (IR) and accountants are so strict?
Question three: Referring to question two, why don’t the local guidelines pay more emphasis towards local universities instead of private colleges?
Question four: Why can local universities accommodate foreign students but not their own locals who are willing to fork out money to earn a Malaysian degree?
Question five: Why must a third party decide on what course should a student would want to study as most of the time it is not the choice of what the student intends to do in the first place despite his or her good qualifications?
Shouldn’t students be given courses which they want (provided they fulfil the qualifications that is) and let them rough it out during their studying years. Instead, our local universities seem to suggest that it’s difficult to enter, but once in, your degree is guaranteed.
It is certainly as baffling as a degree holding policeman which earns an SPM leaver’s pay. Even a call centre telephonist can make triple the amount and requires no degree.
The government is calling for more educated people. Parents are pushing their children towards excelling in education. For what may I ask, when in reality its not how much you know but who you know and how u play your cards well. If the higher learning institution plans to introduce soft skills, don’t forget to include the subject called ‘how to suck up’.
Both the government and employers ought to realise the current academic based education system is damaging the future generation. It may have worked during the 50s and 60s but it’s certainly not working today, what happened then cannot be equated to what is happening today.
I believe it is people like Prof Khoo Kay Khim who truly understands the modern concept of education, not like the ‘hafal and muntah’ attitude coupled with the burdening extra classes and mind u tuition even at pre-tertiary education we’re exposed today.

p/s: When one door closes, there’s always another door waiting to be opened.

-The Man Who Sold The World-

old news still news

Found this old article and wondered how issues of the yester-years are still relevant even till today. Sigh!


MUCH was discussed during the Cabinet Committee on Sports Development meeting last Monday, but yet the fundamental issue of sports was not spoken- the standard of sports at the grassroots.
While Sports Minister Datuk Azalina Othman Said lauded the proposal by the Education Ministry in organising a Malaysian Educational Institutions Sports Meet (Sipma), the minister ought not to be contended with such a proposal.
In fact the rot of sports in the country lies within the ‘confusing’ education system in which the Education Ministry together with the Sports Ministry ought to revamp in order to identify and mould future talents.
Tuition seems to be the numero uno killer in schools sports, where students forgo every school activity for the sake of ‘adding knowledge’. Such an act certainly ridicules the roles played by teachers in schools, giving an impression teachers are not doing their jobs at all.
Arsenal’s assistant community coach coordinator Craig Noble, who was in the country last December as part of the English Premier League outfit community tour, was quoted saying “only kids struggling in subjects have tutors guiding them”, clearly shows students in the nation (UK) who produces world class athletes do not depend on such extra classes.
And the Education Ministry has to look into the scenario of school teachers offering extra classes for a certain fee. Many students agree there are differentiating standards in teaching by the said teachers thus depriving those without enough money for better education.
Thus this leads to weak students focusing their attention towards sports, creating a stigma that sports are only for weak kids.
Maybe it is high time for both ministries to start thinking about the role of teachers in the development of sportsmen. And this must be done without sacrificing the child’s education. The one-session system in schools is good, but what use will it be if students are bogged down with books from the start till the final bell rings.
The Education Ministry ought to make changes by firstly revamping the text books, followed by changing the attitude of teachers in schools. The teaching profession is among the noblest, but it is certainly tarnished by individuals who forgo their obligation to teach and mould talents by selling direct-selling products (Avon, Amway) and ‘kain batik’s’ in the staff rooms.
And maybe the Education Ministry could work hand in hand with the Sports Ministry by encouraging the state education departments to work closely with state sports associations.
The KL Kayaking Association, for one, could adopt schools around the Titiwangsa Lake vicinity for development programmes, which also see teachers learning a thing or two from the professionals.
Even the education department together with sports associations in the sleepy town of Taiping could start making changes by utilising the huge esplanade located beside the Taiping City Council Hall by conducting sporting activities.
And as for Sipma, it will not reap much benefit if the sporting culture is diminished at the schools level itself. Young girls shy away from sports in secondary schools and their sporting habits are hardly seen when they mature to universities and colleges.
Even the current Inter University Games and Inter Colleges Games do not see the full participation of the targeted group, no thanks to their lack of interest which was lost during their schooling days.
There is no point to start constructing walls and a roof if a house has no base below. The Sports Ministry will only get the results they want by starting at the grassroots. And after her trip to Cuba, Azalina ought to know better- sports starts at the schools.

-The Man Who Sold The World-

art in the sky

ISN'T nature breathtaking. This was taken somewhere in Ampang, just as the sun was calling it a day.

That's simply art in the sky...wouldn't you agree?

-The Man Who Sold The World-

the italian job

IT was supposed to be a Capi-Rossi finish but seven-time world champion Valentino Rossi showed his class at the final corner of the 21st lap, leaving Ducati’s Loris Capirossi trailing behind to win round 13 of the MotoGP held at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) over the weekend.
Both Italians were later cheered by pressmen for their exciting showmanship during the heated race, in which both complimented each other for their ‘sporting sprits’ despite having their disagreements in the past.
“It was in 1999 when the race between me and Loris was quite close and thus led to some problems. However after that we’re quite close,” said Rossi.
Capirossi added; “It’s good to have such a relationship. I don’t mind coming in second as it was a good race,”.
Capirossi won last year’s race in Sepang and came out tops during the Czech GP in Brno as well.
And the fans went home as winners as the 250cc and 125cc races were equally entertaining. Sadly, no local rider was able to entertain the 43,000 spectators which filled most parts of the stands.
The last time SIC hosted a local rider in the GP was four years ago. Former premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammed was the brainchild of SIC and the construction of a world renowned track was to also aid the then ailing motorsports industry in the country.
Mahathir’s son Dato’ Mokhzani Mahathir ought to know better as he sits as the chairman of SIC and is an avid motorsports fan himself. He is in charged of bringing in Porsche into Malaysia and is a regular racer in the local series.
However, sadly after having hosted the F1, MotoGP and A1 since 1999, it seems no locals have been able to utilise the track. Those partaking in some of the local series are said to be a ‘bunch of rich old farts trying to be boys’.
The only thing going big at the moment is the underbone or better known as the Cub Prix championship which goes nationwide. SIC cannot be blamed for the high prices as it justifies with the maintenance of a world class circuit.
The Batu Tiga circuit in Shah Alam was a good avenue for budding enthusiasts, but sadly, it is no longer in existence.
Some claim the ‘rempits’ in KL ought to be allowed space in Sepang. This cannot materialise as most come from the lower class of society and thus cannot afford the rent. Also, even if charges are waived the journey all the way to Sepang on their 125cc bikes will tire them easily and it will not be a worthwhile journey.
Putera UMNO is keen of ‘adopting’ this rempits by organising weekly street circuits. Noble it may sound, most of this youngsters are not interested in the hard fast rules of racing, and are only in for the cheap thrills on their small bikes, dubbed pocket bikes by the ‘mat-sallehs’.
The antics of our local lads doing stunts on their machine are a great humour to most especially the tourists. But it can get violent as these riders tend to go overboard, thus giving other decent riders a bad name.
Till today, only people like Rossi or Capirossi will smile whenever they race or conduct winter testing here. The locals will be left out as usual and end up being the foreigners on their own land….if no support is done towards a more Malaysian establishment, it looks like we’ll still be at a lost.
A well executed Italian Job in Sepang.

Pic caption: Rossi on his Yamaha M1 during the Malaysian GP. All Malaysians will ever see is the rear end of a foreigner in Sepang.

-The Man Who Sold The World-