I've always heard that if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything. Ergo, I'll cut/censor this part away from public.
To put it frankly, "Die, Opposition leader, DIE!!" But after putting some thought into the matter, I realised that his statement was just great!! No, don't get me wrong. Nobody put any funny liquid into my head while I wasn't thinking. In fact, if you look at another perspective, you would find that:
1. BN is the Federal Government.
2. BN hates Anwar.
3. BN ALWAYS opposes EVERYTHING that Anwar says.
Therefore, we can safely deduce that if Anwar makes that statement, BN would readily oppose it. And because BN is the Federal Government, it would mean that Maths and Science would continue to be taught in English. *Grins*
See the irony of the situation? The Star newspaper probably put it up there as one of its "provoking" articles so as to make the public hate Pakatan (and its plan is to be foiled by me!!). But then again, Anwar could have very well made a ploy to shift BN's mind...
Oh, speaking of articles, (this is to Cas and Zi Ying), I DID send the amateur article to Star already. (If you're clicking on the link, note that you would have to scroll down a bit once you're at the post). But just as I had predicted, they wouldn't publish it. Instead, if you looked at some of the previous articles, they put up MORE articles about people going against the teaching of Maths and Science in English (exactly why I believe Star is "sabotaged").
As for school, results and positions are out. This time, its my KH teacher to be shocked into congratulating me for the stunted position of mine. All this while I've been cursing the exams because I was, to put it casually, both unable and not in the mood to study. I was more intent on other non-academic stuffs. But when the papers came out and I got the same position as last term (which was 2nd last from the back =D geddit?), I was just purely freaked. I thought it was possible for me to drastically cascade out of top 10, seeing how people were studying. Most stayed up to 4 am to prepare. Me? Err....let's not focus on that matter now, shall we?
Anyway, Pn Soo was surprised when she knew I got 2nd, since she didn't exactly ask for our positions during 1st term. Pn Nomi had a similar reaction, but far more exaggerated.
Oh, Pn Nomi didn't come on Open Day, which is clearly the most important day along this time, as it's the last school exam before trials. A few parents speculated that she was "afraid to see the parents". =D That's what my mother said too!
*Ahem* I do not wish to dwell on matters related somehow to Pn Nomi. Now, take a little time to study the post title. Honestly, what can you make of the title? (Yes, it also refers to Anwar's statement because I like the paradox of it). Apart form that, what I intend to write about today is something I found in a book about leadership, which I promptly picked up for fun in the bookstore just the other day. This was a famous statement made by a famous Japanese swordsman Musashi in the 16th century.
For a little background information before I reveal the adage of the day, I will now introduce Miyamoto Musashi. He was also known as Shinmen Takezo, Miyamoto Bennosuke or by his Buddhist name, Niten Doraku. He was a Japanese swordsman famed for his duels and distinctive styles. Musashi, as he was often simply known, became renowned through stories of his excellent swordsmanship in numerous duels, even from a very young age. He was the founder of the Hyōhō Niten Ichi-ryū or Niten-ryū style of swordsmanship and the author of The Book of Five Rings (五輪書, Go Rin No Sho), a book on strategy, tactics, and philosophy that is still studied today.
I have trained in the way of strategy since my youth, and at the age of thirteen I fought a duel for the first time. My opponent was called Arima Kihei, a sword adept of the Shinto ryu, and I defeated him. At the age of sixteen I defeated a powerful adept by the name of Akiyama, who came from Tajima Province. At the age of twenty-one I went up to Kyoto and fought duels with several adepts of the sword from famous schools, but I never lost.
—Miyamoto Musashi, Go Rin No Sho-
According to the introduction of The Book of Five Rings, Musashi states that his first successful duel was at the age of thirteen, against a samurai named Arima Kihei who fought using the Kashima Shintō-ryū style, founded by Tsukahara Bokuden (b. 1489, d. 1571). The main source of the duel is the Hyoho senshi denki ("Anecdotes about the Deceased Master"). Summarized, its account goes as follows:
In 1596, Musashi was 13, and Arima Kihei, who was traveling to hone his art, posted a public challenge in Hirafuku-mura. Musashi wrote his name on the challenge. A messenger came to Dorin's temple, where Musashi was staying, to inform Musashi that his duel had been accepted by Kihei. Dorin, Musashi's uncle, was shocked by this, and tried to beg off the duel in Musashi's name, based on his nephew's age. Kihei was adamant that the only way his honor could be cleared was if Musashi apologized to him when the duel was scheduled. So when the time set for the duel arrived, Dorin began apologizing for Musashi, who merely charged at Kihei with a six-foot quarterstaff, shouting a challenge to Kihei. Kihei attacked with a wakizashi, but Musashi threw Kihei on the floor, and while Kihei tried to get up, Musashi struck Arima between the eyes and then beat him to death. Arima was said to have been arrogant, overly eager to fight, and not a terribly talented swordsman.
—William Scott Wilson, The Lone Samurai[10]-
The duel is odd for a number of reasons, not least of which is why Musashi was permitted to duel Arima, whether the apology was a ruse, and why Arima was there in the first place.
In April 13, 1612, Musashi (aged about 30) fought his most famous duel, with Sasaki Kojirō, who wielded a nodachi (some weapon which is not as effective as the naginata or nagamaki. It is not a cutting sword, instead used to fold the opponent under its rapidly moving weight). Musashi came late and unkempt to the appointed place — the remote island of Funajima, north of Kokura. The duel was short. Musashi killed his opponent with a bokken that he had carved from an oar while traveling to the island. Musashi fashioned it to be longer than the nodachi, making it closer to a modern suburito.
I'm impressed you came up to this point without exiting my blog due to boredom. After all that useful information (or crappy rubbish) about his status, you may now prepare yourself for the juicy bit, that one-sentence adage from Musashi I will use to avoid doing homework in the future.....
Yes, sensei Musashi. I will carry on your legacy like a fervent worshipper. The students of the 21st century will uphold your belief and spread it like wildfire. No student shall ever waste anymore paper to complete useless, time-consuming projects which most students can read and plagiarise from the Internet. Our efforts will never again be spent focusing on baseless homeworks given just for the sake of completing it, which bind us to stress and chain our necks to adamant walls of academic policy. No longer will we accept stupid examination marking schemes, which make the dumb seem smarter or the smart seem dumber.
Go on, Musashi. You can say that again.
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