Women-only coaches

I am all for this move by KTM though I am not a regular user of KTM commuters. I could relate to the uneasiness being in crowded coaches from a few occasions when I had to take the commuter and especially during peak hours..oh my..the sardine packed coaches were simply..beyond words..you have to experience it to know it..lucky those who do not have to depend on such public transportations (not to mention the traffic jam though)... Should try it one of these days..

Kak Mala

Last week I had the opportunity to visit a childhood friend of mine who is actually six years older. Despite the age difference, we could get along well..and way into our forties..of course with keeping silence for quite a while in between... with our own busy lives with family and kids..

This friendship started when I was still in primary school..can't recall exactly when..probably when I was 7 or 8 and she was already 13 or 14 then..

She had just welcomed an additional member of her family..a grand daughter..thus, my visit..

I am happy that we are still friends for I can truly see the real person in her..such a humble person..despite all the worldly things that she has..

The two hours that I spent with her taught me a few things..some of the things she said made me really think hard of life..she made me see things in a new perspective...made me reconsider a few things that I was planning to do...

Life is not a material thing..especially at this age..May Allah bless this friendship..and guide us till the end..

Quintillian

Marcus Fabius Quintilianus (Quintillian) was a theorist whose thoughts thousand years ago were still in practice. He emphasized the science of correct expression. He was concerned with the practice of virtue through speech i.e the science of good speech instead of the art of clever speaking. To him to be a good orator one should be a good man. In addition, one needs to have linguistic expertise which is acquired through a good programme of linguistic studies. A good orator is not only a gifted speaker but also a trained speaker.

Quintillian was of the view that persuasion in itself is not a noble goal. He posited that evil men can persuade more effectively than good men (how true). To him the practice of Rhetoric (a verbal persuasion) could lead to a corrupt educational system, a corrupt society and corrupt leaders. Hence, he emphasized on the importance of acquiring good habits of conduct and good speech in the very earliest years of one's life (this is actually very islamic..Islam emphasizes on this..so, I would say his thoughts were actually based on Islamic values). Any pedagogic programme that survived from the ancient world is said to owe to Quntillian's contributions. Many of his thoughts on pedagogy were still relevant in present context. That I find interesting.