Of indelible ink or biometric system?

MM: What has hindered the EC from implementing cleaning the electoral roll, reforming postal balloting, use of indelible ink, and minimum 21 days campaigning period?


EC Deputy Chairman:  .... With regards to indelible ink, it is used among countries which have no identification system, such as Africa and India. They have not reached our level yet. We only have 12 million voters. Why should we turn our system backwards when we have reached this level of technological advancement? The reason there is a push for the use of indelible ink is due to fear of double-voting, but we have an adequate system to handle voter identification and it is nearly impossible for people to register twice ....


Full Q&A

Reading this part of the Q&A made me recall an urban legend closely related to the above situation.

At the height of the space race, the Americans and Soviets approached the same problem: how an astronaut (or cosmonaut) could use a pen to write in zero gravity.
As the story goes, the Americans spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on an ambitious, gravity-immune ballpoint pen; they successfully developed such a pen; and this pen went on to become a massive commercial success in the private sector. The Soviets - with the simple elegance their scientists are so rightly famed for - opted instead to use a pencil.

Source: Snopes.com

Ulu Gombak traverse (2011 version)

From Ulu Gombak traverse 22/5/11

Me, Jazlan and Johan had a ride in RRI apparently Ulu Gombak traverse popped-up.  Me & Jazlan wanted to pay a tribute to Kelolo since he rode with us (me, Jazlan and Megat Faiz) in 2008 but had to turned back since we can't get thru those bamboo bushes.  Subsequent ride on 20/4/2008 with Joe Adnan managed to complete the loop via new track (no write-up, just photos).

I had another ride here on 21/6/2008 upon request from fellow friends, in much larger group (at least 10 of us).

This time around, here's my short write-up..

Trailhead that was on rubber plantation (in 2008) was no longer there.  Good reception GPS receiver with spare batteries and this tracklog is a must-have for this trail.  (good reception mobile phone may not works in heavy canopy forest).

Caution from Joe Adnan:

If you plan to ride this trail, please be careful and sensible. It’s a jungle out there. (Heh.) Seriously, the jungle goes all the way to Pahang to the North-East and Negri Sembilan in the South. If you lose your bearings, follow the river downstream*, and it should lead you to the confluence of the Sleh and Klang rivers and thereafter the Klang Gates lake itself.
My recommendation is as follows: Use one of the newer Garmin GPS receivers with an “x” at the end of its name. Print the directions below. Get the recommended map. Use a compass. Keep a look out for the tape.

For safety reason, please inform nearest Police station that your riding this route and your expected time to complete. You are require to acknowledge them once you completed, else they may send a rescue team.

The photos

Ulu Gombak Traverse 22 May 2011 at EveryTrail

The Story by Jazlan Yatim (source: http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=1106074):The ride was made by Dino, Riza, Johan, Nabil & Jazlan out of sheer enthusiasm for nature and mountain biking... and ignorance towards how itchy leech bites can give you for a week or two.
Departed at 8.00am from Masjid Sg Pusu, reached Kemensah 2.30pm.

Sg Pusu > Kem Ketanga, the old trailhead has disappeared by some development work, managed to find it above a small hill to the right up. From there the trails are as good at it gets.

Kem Ketanga > Kem Ulu Sleh are still nice single tracks too.

Kem Ulu Sleh > Kem Sleh - hike bike and river crossings, Riza and Johan trekked their way to reach back to the existing trails, thanks dudes! Thought so before the ride that we'd need rescuing along the way... We missed passing by the old dam.

Kem Sleh > Kemensah, midway trails were rutted with water patches and by motorcross users.

I looked around for it, but only found 1 tree marker made by JoeAdnan in 2008, but it was already on the
ground.... My tracklogs here also include waypoints marked by JoeAdnan. Thanks JoeAdnan for the waypoint reference : http://joeadnan.blogspot.com/2008/07/ulu-gombak-traverse-revisited-again.html

Back on saddle

Been a while I spent a good MTB ride.  FRIM is good but lack of distance.  RRI is just nice for me, a little more distance (26km) and a roller coaster to enjoy not forgetting the fall I had during this ride (pix below).. and those other falls: -
1. First endo (2007)
2. Elbow punched my ribs (2008)
3. Scuffed my ankle (2010)

From RRI on BASH route

It was a nice ride, lead by Jazlany.  We already talking about doing the Ulu Gombak Traverse in near future.