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 Alwyn Lau
Alwyn Lau
Bookworm. Contrarian. Proud Malaysian. Or thereabouts. Tweets at @alwyn_lau
 

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There are still many areas immune to AI use. — AFP pic

Has AI destroyed formal education?

The author suggests post-SPM students challenge themselves with something bold and different before or during college, diploma, or degree to add to their life experiences and skills set. — South_agency/Getty Images/ETX Studio pic

A different ‘next’ after SPM?

Norwegian chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen arrives at the 9th Annual Breakthrough Prize Ceremony in Los Angeles April 15, 2023. — Reuters pic

Magnus Carlsen: Beyond #1

Kevin Kelly presenting a TED Talk. — Picture courtesy of kk.org

Stumbling upon wisdom while stuck on an airplane

Shoppers browse through clothing items ahead of the upcoming Chinese New Year in Kuala Lumpur. January 26, 2024.— Picture By Raymond Manuel

Shrinkflation: When everything (except price) drops

Fast forward (pun intended) 2025, with 12 new RFID lanes added to the North-South Expressway in 2023 we should’ve been zooming past tolls; instead we’re perfecting the art of reversing at 2kph while praying the car behind doesn’t ram us. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Why don’t we just terminate the RFID lane at tolls?

The plot, storyline and concepts of ‘Ne Zha 2’ are literally out of this world and it’s like nothing Hollywood.

‘Ne Zha 2’: A song of fire, ice, demons, dragons and… (I give up)

More than lectures, it’s about lifting students up, the columnist argues. — Pexels pic

Lecturers as the unsung caregivers for their students

Penang Island City Council (MBPP) has implemented a 50 per cent increase in parking fees, effective this month. — Bernama pic

Will raising parking costs lower traffic congestion?

A YouTube screenshot of a scene from the trailer of Korean movie ‘Dark Nuns’.

Navigating the unseen? Korean shamanism and the real world

India’s grandmaster Gukesh Dommaraju competing against China’s chess grandmaster Ding Liren in game 14 of the 2024 FIDE World Championship in Singapore. — AFP pic

Is freestyle chess improving or impairing the game?

Aunts and uncles, once held in awe for their godlike ‘mah jong’ prowess, are now more likely to be seen swiping through reels than strategising how to best exploit their panda and bamboo tiles. — Pexels.com pic

Chinese New Year and our phones

A file photograph shows traffic on the KL Karak Expressway on February 9, 2024. — Picture by Hari Anggara.

On snaking along the highway this Chinese New Year

With the Singapore MRT urinating cases, I’m sure I’m not the only one surprised at the fact that these incidents could happen at all. — Picture from Facebook/SMRT

Singapore’s public urination cases and the broken windows theory

In between walking on a crane hanging from a skyscraper, fasting for four days and climbing up a 100-foot rope in the middle of Australia’s Blue Mountains, Chris Hemsworth shared his desire and strategies to avoid diseases and stay alive until a very old age. — Reuters pic

From Chris Hemsworth to Bryan Johnson: The on-going quest for longevity

Magnus Carlsen is a five-time world chess champion, winning consecutive FIDE competitions from 2013 to 2021. — Picture from Instagram/Magnus Carlsen

When jeans clash with chess

A screengrab of Donnie Yen in action in a scene from ‘The Prosecutor’.

Donnie Yen’s ‘The Prosecutor’ triumphs 

Lily Phillips is a 23-year-old OnlyFans creator who had sex with 100 men in 24 hours.

Empowerment or exploitation? The Lily Phillips story

India's grandmaster Gukesh Dommaraju (left) competes against China's chess grandmaster Ding Liren in game 14 of the 2024 FIDE World Championship in Singapore on December 12, 2024. — AFP pic

The 18-year-old 18th World Chess Champion

Primary school students return to school at Sekolah Kebangsaan Syed Idrus Chemor in Perak March 21, 2022. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Farhan Najibnn

The (cautious) case against mask mandates

A man smokes outside an eatery in Petaling Jaya January 1, 2019. u00e2u20acu2022 Picture by Miera Zulyana

Why a smoking ban probably won’t help

A man walks past a shuttered bar/night club with a u00e2u20acu02dcFor Rentu00e2u20acu2122 sign in Kuala Lumpur during the Covid 19 pandemic October 18, 2020. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri

So what really is the problem with nightclubs?

A customer counts how much change was given back after buying some groceries at a wet market in Kuala Lumpur. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Saw Siow Feng

Why are we worth more dead than alive?

The Employeesu00e2u20acu2122 Provident Fund  logo is seen at its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur March 2, 2022. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Miera Zulyanan

Three groups who welcome the RM10,000 EPF withdrawal

Form Five students get ready to sit for their SPM examination at SMK Seksyen 7 in Shah Alam March 2, 2022. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Should Malaysian students do a gap year?

Sekolah Kebangsaan Section 7 students on their first day back at school in Shah Alam July 22, 2020. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Could e-textbooks be the solution to heavy school bags?

Election Commission officials get the polling station at Dewan Badminton Kompleks Perumahan Polis Tabuan Jaya ready ahead of early voting in Kuching December 13, 2021. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Are Covid-19 cases being artificially boosted ahead of Johor polls?

The Lim clan having their reunion dinner at Lim Jetty, Weld Quay on January 31, 2022. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

Playing ‘20 Questions’ at Chinese New Year

Rex Lee Kok Hong, 36, displays his angpow collection at his home in Sungai Dua February 13, 2018. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

Chinese New Year and e-’ang pows’

BAM should revoke Goh Jin Wei’s ban too

A general view of traffic on the Federal Highway in Kuala Lumpur June 1, 2021. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Alternative to holiday traffic jams

Students resume classes at Sekolah Kebangsaan Meru Klang in Klang January 10, 2022. u00e2u20acu201d Bernama pic

Why hasn’t ‘Pendidikan Moral’ been scrapped yet?

People receive their Covid-19 booster shot at the KL Gateway Mall in Kuala Lumpur January 5, 2022. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Ahmad Zamzahuri

Boosters: Allow walk-ins at PPVs by disabled

People wait to receive their Covid-19 vaccines at the Covid-19 vaccination centre in the Mines International Exhibition and Convention Centre, Seri Kembangan, June 17, 2021. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

Notes from a PPV volunteer

A general view of traffic on the Federal Highway in Kuala Lumpur June 1, 2021. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

Three pointers on how to be safer behind the wheels

As the country slowly reopens, the temporary traffic respite will gradually come to an end. u00e2u20acu2022 Picture by Yusof Mat Isan

So far, yet so near: Are you a super-commuter?

Choong has spent more than 30 years zipping around the world visiting archeological dig sites and even excavating in some. u00e2u20acu201d Picture via Facebook

A conversation with Malaysia’s own Indiana Jones

The release of u00e2u20acu02dcJames Bond: No Time to Dieu00e2u20acu2122 for Malaysian cinemas has been from September 30 to November 25. u00e2u20acu201d Picture courtesy of United International Pictures Malaysia

James Bond: From fantasy to reality

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