(Actually, I got back late Sunday evening. My father had appointments on Monday that he almost forgot about.)
So anyway, I get my news straight from the internet via RSS feeds to several websites. I get my national news from the News Straits Times’ local feed.
The reason I do this is that every time I read something that annoys me in a newspaper, I get a definite visceral reaction knowing that it was paid for. Really, I’m not kidding – I get an irritating itch at the back of my neck that only goes away once I forcible push the thought of whatever-it-was-that-annoyed-me out of my mind.
One day, I told myself, “No more! If I’m going to allow masochist-salian to indulge in the sad state of the news, it is at least going to be for free.”
[Enter RSS feeds]
Yesterday, I saw something that pretty much validates my original idea to not pay to be irritated.
Notice how “little boys” get a role model, while “young girls” get doe-eyes?
Alright, so the writer of said summary did say “from X to Y”, which could also imply that little girls get a role model too and that certain young boys can get all gooey over Dr. Such-A-Long-Name.
Is it too much to ask that instead of “little boys”, they write “little children”? (I’d ask if it is too much to ask the “young girls” be changed to “young people” too, but I have a feeling that it is too much for a national newspaper.)
Or maybe some bill been passed making it illegal for young girls to seek out futures in astronomy?
The article itself was alright, it’s just this summary that I had a bone to pick with.
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September 26, 2007 at 10:53 am
This is M’sia.
September 26, 2007 at 1:33 pm
I’ve been hearing that so much this year that it really feels like a weak excuse now.
“That person did something you don’t like? Oh well, it’s Malaysia. Expect it from the country.”
Apparently no individual is responsible for their just own thoughts and actions anymore. No, now every single thing you do is on behalf of a nation of several million people.
September 26, 2007 at 2:08 pm
I puked inside my mouth reading the opening lines of that local daily’s report on “our” very own Cosmonaut. Oh please a Cosmonaut so what? Hmm lemme see how many Malaysians are still living im poverty after 50/44 years of Merdeka?
September 26, 2007 at 2:17 pm
It does seem like a big money sink that could be put to better use, doesn’t it?
But then, if I were an actual scientist, it does give me hope that my options of study in Malaysia is growing wider.
It’s a fine balance the government has to deal with to retain the interest of the “skilled professionals” (I hate that term), while seeing to the needs of those that need help.
I really don’t envy the government – on one hand, you have people calling out to better this and that; on the other, you have people who finished years of higher education leaving to work in other countries because their field of study here is stagnant.
October 11, 2007 at 2:07 pm
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention this. The world’s first Muslim astronaut was:http://www.astronautix.com/astros/alsaud.htm
Instead of wasting tax payer’s money on calling for a conference of Muslim scholars to discuss how Muslims should pray and behave in space, why didn’t they just ring up the Saudi prince instead? Nooooooo, our government knows best.