Incensed

 Found this new (for me) word  when I was reading the news from UK this morning.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/index.html

The headlines read:

Headline from the Daily Mail.

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/aug/13/plymouth-shootings-may-be-a-sign-the-incel-culture-is-spreading

INCEL.  That's the new word.  This septuagenarian has been bombarded by so many new fangled  words, acronyms and terminologies from techno-language, from msg (not mono-sodium glutamate) lingo and even smiley speech, so this one is just another stopover on my learning curve.

So off I went to the Internet because it would be futile to search in my reliable 1960 OED dictionary unless I have the January 2021 edition!

INCEL.  It means ....

From Merriam-Webster

From the Cambridge Dictionary

Well, it has to do with that crotchety obsession of the the 21st century - Sex!!  And it has its very own cultural connotations like the word woke.

Now, what would my lovely Macik Ayik ask me if she was still here today. 

Sex tu apa 'nak?

[ In the late 1950s my Emak would despatch me to Macik Ayik and Pacik Mat's house in Kampung Bukit Panjang for the December school holidays.  They had no children and I loved being with them because Macik Ayik especially, pampered me no end.  On December 25 1956, I was sitting on the amben and chatting with Macik Ayik and I said to her .

"Macik, hari 'ni Hari Christmas"

She gave me an indulgent smile and asked. "Christmas tu apa 'nak?" ]

'Nuff said.

Looking at the political culture that has been breeding in my Tanah Air, (especially during the pandemic) and the the bog-standard quality of our political leaders and leadership ......

....... and the cretinous reputation of our MPs in our revered Parliament recently ......

...... this news today is to be expected.

Today's headlines.

I reckon there are some or maybe all parts of our politicians that cannot be reached - it's like sloshing in a bottomless pit of  the seven deadly sins:  of pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth!

Maybe it is time for this septuagenarian to contribute another word close enough to INCEL relevant to our particular political culture.

I do fancy this word - INPOLIMP - which refers to those who are are stricken with the  Involuntary Politically Impotent virus - a neurotic obsession about political impotence.

I shall borrow the Merriam-Webster template to define INPOLIMP which includes :

(a) ...... extreme resentment and hostility towards those who are sexually (politically) active.

(b) ....lack of sexual (political) power - many of them placing the blame on women ( the incumbent government).

(c) ...... who express rage at women (the ruling and other political parties) for denying them sex (perks to plunder plus the Premiership) and who frequently fantasize about violence (statutory declarations) and celebrate mass shooters ( votes of no confidence and party-hopping).

INPOLIMP  brings with it a waft of self-righteousness  and victimhood disguised as a fragrant incense supposedly to  give  power  and consent back to the Rakyat.

But why is AsH so incensed?  Aren't you??

 

Malaysia's Parliament - Our very own Bunkum and Blarney (apologies to Barnum and Bailey) Circus ......

 ...... but to compare the antics of the MPs to the  professional, competent, intelligent and skilful acrobats,  jugglers, fire-eaters, weightlifters and clowns is an insult to them and the Circus industry.  This I write on the premise that animals are banned from performing at all Circuses ....

...... which reminds me of one my favourite songs from the 70s.  It was my late brother Akim who blasted this song every Sunday morning on his super-duper hifi set and his staid school-mistress Kakak just fell for it.

Years and years after his passing I looked for the song on YouTube. The video was just stunning.  So I shall use this video to illustrate my frustrations, anger and my sense of  hopelessness and helplessness at the state of my Tanah Air.

Keep a lookout for the greedy toff, the clown struggling with the plastic chicken (he is actually a professional clown) and the raunchy-looking lass.

"Stuck in the middle with you" by the group Stealers Wheel was written by Gerry Rafferty, my favourite 1970s singer-songwriter and Scotsman. Ssshh, don't mention this to my official Scotsman-spouse.

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STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU - Stealers Wheel

Here are the lyrics (in blue), with a sprinkling of  various pertinent images. 

Well I don't know why I came here tonight.

Showdown at the OK Corral

I've got the feeling that something ain't right.

The Grand Solution and Solvers??

I'm so scared in case I fall off my chair.

Pioneers of Selamkan Malaysia

And I'm wondering how I'll get down the stairs.

Clowns to the left of me!

Malaysia's Future.

Jokers to the right!

Harapan Bangsa!

Here I am stuck in the middle with you.

Keluhan Bangsa

Yes I'm stuck in the middle with you.

And I'm wondering what it is I should do.

The House - of the Rising Sun. Check this song by The Animals.

It's so hard to keep this smile from my face.

"For men may come and men may go / But I go on forever" - from Alfred Lord Tennyson "The Brook".  AsH, stop being a nitwit!  Tennyson was writing about a clean-flowing river!

Losing control and running all over the place.

The Great and Good Saviours of Malaysia.  Do I see Osman, our road-sweeper somewhere in that line-up? 

Clowns to the left of me!

Playing up the numbers. With the aid of a state of the art abacus perhaps?

Jokers to the right!

For the Malaysian Opposition, "I get by with a little help from my friends" - who are good at additional mathematics.  Ash had to give up the Additional Mathematics Paper when she was in Form Five at Crescent Girls' School - I guess I was not as smart and as canny as the millenials.  Note the FCs and FA attached to each Party, I didn't realise that MPs and their Parties are part of a Football Club/Association.  I understand that footballers  are very highly paid just for chasing and kicking one ball into a net!  But then what do we post-war boomers know! But do check that song "Great Balls of Fire".

Here I am stuck in the middle with you.

Those two earlier images (clowns and jokers) are  examples of our social media thinkers: (a) their self-image (after Rodin's The Thinker); (b) the reality (after a picture on a T-shirt).

When you started off with nothing

Read the small print at the top of the image, that is a typical advice from lawyers .  Look up Shirley Bassey's "I who have nothing".

And you're proud that you're a self-made man.

Beware of self-made men. Also self-serving and self-regarding men AND women.  By the way, Ash is aware of the tenets of PC-ism.

Oooooo-ooo-ooooooh

And your friends they all come crawling.

Aaah!  Where would we be without our heroes and mentors and sifus and gurus?

Slap you on the back and say

What a kind and touching comment.  I used to write quite a number of  such testimonials for my former students.  In fact we teachers had to do this for each and everyone of our school leavers in their School Leaving Certificates.  I must have done hundreds.  

 

Please ...

Please ...

Trying to make some sense of it all.

Who will give them a testimonial?

But I see it makes no sense at all

.

......or maybe a Datin or Tan Sri?  But titles cannot ease their exhaustion or compensate for the lost family-time. 

Is it cool to go to sleep on the floor?

These people (civil servants and other public servants like the police and Armed Forces) just eat and sleep.  Such criticisms have been thrown at them  during the last government - that their numbers should be drastically reduced.  Thank you whoever you are (in that image above) for your dedication and steadfastness.  You make a truly magnificent Bangsa Malaysia. People like you deserve a place in our History textbooks.

I don't think that I can take anymore.

You have the nation's eternal gratitude.  You are the nation's only inspiration and hope.

Clowns to the left of me!

Where are the good capitalists?

Jokers to the right!

You seek them here/You seek them there - where are the good capitalists?  

Here I am stuck in the middle with you.

It's a thankless job.  Come rain or shine,  you diligently carry on with your duties.  You help to maintain a semblance of normality and sanity by keeping our streets clean and healthy. You deserve the title Tokoh Anak Malaysia!

When you started off with nothing.

The mother of all reconciliations or just opportunism???

And you're proud that you're a self-made man.

Or maybe 122+1 cheers for the next Ayam yang berkokok.  I wrote that in 2016!

Ooooo-ooo-oooooh

And your friends they all come crawling.

Slap you on the back and say

Please ...

Please ...

Well I don't know why I came here tonight.

The Dewan Rakyat had been touched by Covid 19!  Mind you, it's a conspiracy by the DG and the incumbent PM.

I've got the feeling that something ain't right.

It's the Government's fault. The Government failed to "improve the standard of ventilation" in our hallowed hall of horror!!  Kerajaan Gagal!!!!!

I'm so scared in case I fall off my chair.

And I'm wondering how I'll get down the stairs.

Clowns to the left of me!

Our Gallery of ___________ . Fill in the blank space yourself .

Jokers to the right!

Kerajaan Gagal!!!  Bring on the Corporate Cavalry and pressurize the Government for more subsidies "or else the economy will collapse".  Where are the caring and patriotic Capitalists?

Here I am stuck in the middle with you.

This is Anak/Bangsa Malaysia Baru 2021.

Yes I'm stuck in the middle with you.

The faces of Anak/Bangsa Malaysia Baru.

Yes I'm stuck in the middle with you ...

A continuation of the image above.

Yes I'm stuck in the middle with you ...

AsH  wrote this in 2018.  She is a belacan Malay.

Yes I'm stuck in the middle with you ...

LAST CALL - Will  the last anak Melayu to leave the room, please switch off the light!

Source of Lyrics: Musixmatch

Two reasons to be ludicrously happy - Irene and Lely

 Borrowed from The Turtles ""Elenore" - with thanks.

Elenore (Irene and Lely) gee I think you're swell,

And you really do me well,

You're my pride and joy et cetera.

Lely and Irene  are my two lovely ex-students whose friendship with me (and later with my spouse, since 1986) has lasted yonks, since they were two scruffy, tetchy teenagers in 1976.

We have walked and shared many miles together, some sad and painful like losing our loved ones, some traumatic illnesses like stroke and cancer, and how these two girls survived with their heads held high and their hearts and spirits ever joyful and positive.  Iain and I have a lot to learn from them.

Years ago when I was in Sixth Form at RGS, I came across this poem Invictus by W E Henley.  It  never failed to inspire when life threw its brickbats at me.  And this second verse I believe ....

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed. 

...... was specially written for them two ex-tetchy teenagers!

From her school days, Irene has always excelled in Art and English.  But she sings and plays the guitar too.  That hobby of hers has been keeping her busy and happy ever since she touched the half-century mark some years ago.

A few days ago Lely sent me a video of "Irene at play".  I thoroughly enjoyed it as it brought such a ray of sunshine and hope in these dark Lockdown Covid 19 days.  Furthermore I do like the Turtles, especially the song "Elenore".  

I contacted Irene if she could send me this video which I could easily transfer to my blog.  Here it is, "Happy Together" sung by Irene.

Thank you girls. And here is my collage of some of our "Happy (days) Together " 

Clockwise from top left: Norfolk 2008, Singapore 2010, Boon Lay Singapore 1993, Kuala Lumpur 2009.

Lely and Irene :

You are my pride and joy et cetera.

LOCKDOWN lotto

 This song "Mengapa" sung by Rien is from the 1957 Indonesian movie "Delapan Pendjuru Angin".  Our whole family went to see the film at Starlight Cinema, Pasir Panjang Road sometime in 1958.  It was a wonderful love story with such beautiful songs that absolutely took over the mind of this 13 year-old budding teenager.  

Years and years later, sometime in the late 1980s, while wandering around Arab Street with the spouse, we discovered this shop selling Indonesian 10 inch long-playing records - for SGD5  each - and we bought the lot. Actually there were ony 3 copies of each album!

It was the late 80s and all I could do was to transfer these songs to a cassette because the vinyls were not in good condition - marked with bubbles, due to age and the heat maybe.

In 2003 or thereabouts, after CDs came on the scene and cassette tapes were getting redundant, I decided to transfer my Indonesian tapes - which were getting a little frayed -  to a video using my little camera - all very unprofessional and lacking in audio perfection.  But it did the trick and I can still sit back and relive those 'romantic' teenage years!

All this hi-tech reproduction was conducted in my study in our house in Leicester.   It was a cold winter's day.    Outside my window, the scene was grey, with people wrapped in overcoats and bent against the wind.   What lovely memories -  to listen to this once again in hot and sunny Kuala Lumpur during a Covid 19 Lockdown!!

With regards to the video above, please note this.

Thank you.

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But, in the midst of this nostalgic bliss, reality came a-creeping.

While we were still reeling from the surge of Covid 19 cases in Malaysia , our politicians have also been carrying on with their own personal 'surges' for power.  For the past 2 or 3 days we were once again seeing the spectacle of our great parliamentarians making a bee-line for the Istana.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who is the prettiest of them all?"

This time, what have we got?   Surprise, surprise.  We have got the same drama kings, the same salesmen and fortune tellers.

You might have noticed I arranged the images of these alpha males, these PM hopefuls (and incumbent PM)), and their movers and shakers in alphabetical order, not according to the size of their clout or their ego. 

What are they offering us - in concrete practical language - the Rakyat,  this time.

Aaaahh, democracy!!!!

However, our Parliament is NOT an "assembly of ONE nation with ONE interest".  It is a web of "different and hostile interests", empowered by a great deal of horse-trading (inside and outside Parliament) to determine the direction and future of the nation.

Just to bring a touch of levity to this fiasco in Malaysia, I shall escape into the lyrics of my romantic  song by Rien to get an insight into what will be in store for us, Covid 19 or no Covid 19!

M.  Habis ni, kita pergi saja dari sini. Kita naik mobil ..........

F.  Kemana?

M. Ke langit! ke bulan! ke bintang!

Aaaah, promises, promises, very like what's coming from our movers and shakers and politicians.

F.  Kau nakal Seth. 

M.  Kenapa?

F.  Kau berbuat aku lemah, seperti hilang tenaga melawan.

Yeeess, yeeesss, yeeess!  All this political jiggery pokery, MCOs, Covid 19, SOPs - we are absolutely at your mercy!!!!

There!  When we get over Covid 19, someone should write a play about Malaysia's political saga during this pandemic and our hero will be Lord Buckethead or Tun/ Tan Sri/Datuk/ Dato Seri  (just insert the right honorific title here) Kepala Baldi.

It will be cheap to produce.  You can stuff any idiot into this outfit.

The future of this nation is like a game of lotto.  You are free to pick a number, any number or numbers.  But the certainty of picking the right one, the winner for Malaysia; is almost zilch at these present times, with this political scenario.

We are used to acronyms like PKP, PPKP, PKR, DAP, UMNO, PAS, EMCO, SOPs and MAGERAN (NOC 2).  

We might as well add SRRS to our list - Shifty Rogues, Rascals and Scalawags. 

So, I am no Optimist. And I have not as yet, gone to the edge to be a Pessimist.

Maybe a Pesseptomist.  Maybe I can still make a journey up to the Sky, the Moon and the Stars!

Maybe I shall just seek comfort in this dream ......

..... and maybe on 29 June, I will be able to go out for my tosay breakfast.