a fleeting stay ...

Experts say parents are a child's primary role models but teachers are equally influential. Sadly, educators tainted with scandal have cast a shadow over people's high expectations of the teaching profession long before this website began posting reports of misbehaving instructors. There must be some way to improve the situation.

It is reasonable to assume that Malaysians are familiar with these individuals who were aspiring politicians in their younger days. Today they often court controversy; there's never a dull moment when they open their mouths. "I am not young enough to know everything," says the great cynic Oscar Wilde with heavy sarcasm. Did these political figures think they knew everything when these photos were taken? Malaysia has the answers.This photographic montage is courtesy of Curi-Curi Wang Malaysia.

I saw the following article on Facebook. Is this for real or a satire on existing sentiments? An Islamic city council in the Indonesian province of Aceh, which follows Sharia, has banned female citizens from passing gas. Sayyid Yahia, mayor of the city, told media that a ban was needed, as farting does not go well with the Islamic values of modesty. “Muslim women are not allowed to fart with sound, it’s against Islamic teachings,” he said. Meanwhile, the Indonesian Feminists Association told local media they will attempt to block the smelly law as they deem it discriminatory. Click here for the full story.

I will not reveal the location of Pasar Karat -- the market for tacky and not-so-tacky trash. Until this morning I wasn't aware of its existence. Many people know about it but the street vendors don't want any publicity. I promised these hard-working individuals -- both locals and foreigners -- that I would not make trouble for them. They readily admit that they are unlicensed traders. Kuala Lumpur City Hall has denied them business permits despite repeated pleas. But the mart has been around for nearly 50 years, according to some old-timers, and 35 to others. Meanwhile, real bargain hunters join the throng in narrow alleys and pavements regularly. Somehow they are able to separate the worthless items from the valuable ones. The less discerning consumers visit the bustling bazaar to get cheap things. As I discovered during this morning's walkabout, there is something for everyone here. Daily trading begins at 5.30am and ends before 10am when entrepreneurs in the area sta...

Niiya celebrated New Year's Day with a sense of foreboding that 2013 would be a sad time for her. And the tragic events of the first three months indicated that her misgivings were justified. First, she lost her beloved sister to cancer. Then, her sister-in-law had to undergo an operation to save her spine. Later, she learned that her former superior had battled cancer for four years before succumbing to the dreaded disease last week. A beloved cousin brought news that her husband has third stage liver cancer. Death seems inevitable. Who's next? Nobody could predict death. People joke about it, pass cynical comments and offer views on the subject. The only certainty is that sooner or later it will come for us. The following passage puts it aptly: “It is a curious thing, the death of a loved one. We all know that our time in this world is limited, and that eventually all of us will end up underneath some sheet, never to wake up. And yet it is always a surprise when it h...

Guest blogger and journalist Jehan Mohd contemplates a misunderstood genre of literary delights   My love affair with comics began at a tender age — so young that I cannot recall exactly when I picked up my first comic book.  I do, however, remember what it started with — Archie Comics .   Archie Comics played a strong role in my growing up years and continue to be a dear friend.   My two elder sisters were also fans of the series and a trip to the bookshop or a book fair would usually include the purchase of a comic book (or two, or three). I also read other comic titles such as Bananaman , Garfield , Asterix , Tintin , Beano — later Calvin and Hobbes , which also became a firm favourite — and whatever comic strips were in the newspapers but I still ended up going back to Archie at the end of the day. As an adult, however, the affair with the comic book world became more of a guilty pleasure because, after all, “it’s kiddie stuff”. ...

I am posting more pictures of my trip to Sri Lanka as promised. Enjoy! The Red Mosque, Pettah, Colombo. One of the entrances to the Red Mosque. A petrol station in Colombo. The homeless in Colombo. Sri Lanka is a paradise for those who love gems. I love the strong aura of the past in this part of Colombo. See pictures below. I was curious about the Malays in Sri Lanka. Click here . A market on Malay Street. A Sri Lankan Malay with his son. You can find nice cotton materials in Colombo. Historic buildings , such as this one, will appeal to those who study the past. Young women in uniform. I don't know if they are policewomen. A kiosk that sells lottery tickets. A tea plantation in Nuwara Eliya . Click here for more on the tea industry. Tea and cake. It was the perfect ending to the perfect stay in Nuwara Eliya.

SRI LANKA wants YOU! Yes, YOU ... the traveller. And the longer you stay on the island, the better it would be for the country's fledgling tourism industry. The end of the 30-year-old civil war in the country in May 2009 resulted in more tourist arrivals to Serendib (the origin of the word "serendipity"), as the Arabs called it in the ancient past.When the Portuguese arrived in 1505, they named it Ceilao , which was transliterated into English as Ceylon. Tourism officials predict high numbers of visitors from abroad, notably India and China, in the future. Tourist arrivals reportedly "grew by an impressive 50 per cent or an increase to 160,000 from 106,000 visitors in the first quarter of 2010, compared to 2009". The downside of rising/increased tourism has generated debate as this website indicates. The concerns are valid. The rights of locals and proper care of the environment must be high on the list of priorities when tourism officials plan for t...

I hit a mental block recently and found myself unable to produce a decent post. As you can see my last piece was published on May 3, this year. A conversation with a good friend, who is also a journalist, compelled me to rethink my situation. Until our discussion on the times when we were unable to produce original work, I was quite happy to let 2012 pass without writing anything for this blog. But Suzanna Pillay would not allow me to dwell on my current lack of enthusiasm for writing. She goaded me into action and here I am. Thank you SP! The best place to start is to read about other people's experiences in overcoming mental blocks. I chanced upon these two websites ( see below ) which offer tips to those who often find themselves stuck. 1. 10 ways to overcome mental blocks and boost creativity 2. Do you recognise these 10 mental blocks to creative thinking?

Kidnapped boy, Nayati Shamelin Moodliar, is back with his family. It was an emotional reunion after seven days of sleepless nights. Click here for more. See also this report .