Found: 1928 Austin 7 bearing registration No. B 2405

a picture, that is, taken last year at Merdeka Square, which appeared in New Sunday Times’s Cars, Bikes and Trucks issue on March 16, 2008.

Tried hard to search online without success, so took a picture of the picture instead.
There are many other pictures of Austin 7 made in different years and also one of a model, which I hope to be able to buy – if I cannot afford the real thing, a model will do.

Diecast model car

In the search for other Austin 7, hoping to find one exactly the same as the one that used to by my dad’s, I came across this story:

My First Love THE AUSTIN SEVEN (By, Michael (PJ) Hughes)(10)

The Austin Seven was a lovely car that's what I thought, seeing it was the first car that I ever owned. It was just by chance that I picked it up - I went to the local scrap yard in Middle Wallop, Hampshire, a few miles from the Army Camp where I was stationed in Christchurch. One of my mates had an old Morris Ten and wanted some spare parts to keep it on the road. So I went with him to the scrap yard, then we parked his car on the car park out side the gates of the yard. I went with my mate looking around at the junk all piled up, I thought it was a pity - piling the lovely old cars on top of one an other. They must have been someone's pride and joy once, but now they were only junk, with parts missing or hanging off, such as doors and bonnets with some windows missing or broken.

I had to leave it, it was making me feel sad, seeing all the old timer's pride and joy, just there piled up, looking so forlorn.

Making my way to my mates car and giving him a hand to carry some pieces for his car, we secured them on the roof of the Morris Ten and then sat in the car ready to go back to our barracks. Just then, a chap in an battered old car, parked along side of us. It looked a bit shabby with one mud wing missing, as well as the headlight. I said to my mate, "If he leaves it there for long someone will think it's scrap and start taking parts off it!" The chap got out of the vehicle and started walking toward the office in the scrap yard - he was an old bloke around his sixties and was walking very slow and I think he was talking to himself. I was looking at the car with interest and said to my mate. "I wouldn't mind a little car like that for myself!" We got out of our vehicle and started walking around this interesting little motor.

I walked around the front of this box on wheels, that's what it reminded me of. I noticed, on the radiator a badge, that read, "Austin Seven." It looked so sad with the wing and headlight missing and leaning to one side. It looked as if it was in a battle and had got a black eye. Walking around I noticed it had spoke wheels and was better looking at this side. The running board was slightly damaged where it must have hit a gate post, and around the back of the car, was the spare wheel carrier minus the spare wheel, and some rust on the body work.

Just then the old man returned looking even sadder.

I said, "Nice car."

He looked at me with sad eyes and said, "She was always a good little lady, but her days are numbered! I'm moving up north with my son, so I've got to get rid of her. She would not be able for the trip."

"Are you going to put it in the yard?" I said pointing towards the scrap yard.

"Yes, Its a sad day seeing the old girl go like this," he said, with a tear in his eye.

"How much do you want for her?"

"They only offered me twenty pounds in there," he said, pointing to the office.

I shook my shoulders and pulled a face. (I thought to myself, if only I had twenty pounds. I would give it to him willingly for a beautiful car like that. But twenty pounds is a lot of money - over five weeks pay.)

I put my hand in my pocket and pulled out all the money I had in the world - three half crowns, and a two shilling piece and eight pence three farthing. I held it out in the palm of my hand and said, "This is all the money I own in the world. You don't get much being a National Service Man. I would love it! But, I won't get paid till Wednesday and that is only over three pounds.

He smiled at me and said, "I used to be in the Army once - it a good life. Where are you stationed?" I said, "Christchurch."

He said, "I did not know there were any Camps there!"

I said, "Its a Signal Research Establishment, next to the Air-field"

"Oh."

He started walking around his old car, touching it now and then. Then he placed his hand on the shining radiator top and started to rub it - as if it was a dog! He looked up at me and said. "I tell you what, if you give me ten shilling and promise to look after the old girl - she is yours. He handed over the keys and log book and then shook my hand saying. "Good luck and look after her."

I said, "I will" - rubbing my hand along the top of the car.

"By the way, how are you getting home?"

"I'm alright. There is a bus along in a few minutes, I'd rather do that!" he said, walking away - looking back once and waving to me. I waved back saying - "thank you!"

I now had my first car an 'Austin Seven', 1932 model. I drove it back to our Barracks following my mates car. It was different from what I was used to! as I had only driven land rovers. It was so light, like an dinkey toy. I got back in one piece - but then realised that I had no insurance. I had forgotten that in the excitement of getting the car. I spent a few days doing my car up, with a replaced mud wing and head light. She was looking like her old self, and with a bit of elbow grease she was soon shining again. I had it insured and got it some road tax with a disc on the windscreen. We were ready for the road. But I had to wait for my weekly wage before I could afford the money for some petrol. I drove to here and there trying out my new car, I was very proud of her.

When I had time off, I spent it cleaning my car and painting things on it - the wheels had spokes which were painted silver and the rims black. I touched up the body work with black paint, then the running boards and the spare wheel carrier, which had another spare wheel fitted - painted like the other. The engine compartment, I painted silver, with the engine been aluminium. It polished up shining - like new.

I was in the units running team at the time, so I had lots of spare time on my hands, and I spent a lot of it working on the lady! It was shining so bright I could not do much more in that line. So I started to find out why and how the engine worked! I took the engine out and stripped it down. It was very light. After I disconnected the mounting bolts and the prop shaft, I just lifted it out and placed it on a bench. I then started to take it apart bit by bit. It was off the road for a few weeks while I tried to put it back together. So that's the way I started working on engines!

Later on I got myself a motorbike, an A.J.S. 1,000. I had some close shaves on this! It had a side car and I would drive it along the roads with the side car off the ground. The Police did not like this, so I was pulled over many a time and told off. Then I wrapped it around a lamp post and that quietened me down for a while. I remember months later I had another motorbike and I had two crashes with this. First I broke my ankle and later fractured my shoulder and arm in a crash with two cars. One was turning right and the other turning left and I went in between them! There was not enough room so the bike was written off. ALL PART OF GROWING UP.

(By, Michael (PJ) Hughes)

Unusual reply from a corporation...

very RPKy, but not by him.

Like eye floaters, letters BIP1, MHK2 & OMF3, shall remain to irritate Astro viewers because one ‘orang putih’ got his last laugh on us. Common, Malaysia boleh, surely someone IT savvy could do something about it? I am sure AK can pay big bucks for it.

Here’s what Yap Yok Foo received from Astro for Malaysiakini’s info:

To: yfyap@...
Subject: Re: BIP1, MHK2 & OMF3
From: We Care
Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2008 16:00:36 +0800

Dear Encik Yap Yok Foo,

We refer to your email below and would like to apologise for the inconvenience caused.

We wish to advise that we have noted your comments on the irritation suffered by you on the regular appearance of the letters BIP1, MHK2 & OMF3 on your screen whenever you and your family watch Astro programmes.

Please be advised that the appearance of a 4-digit code on your television screen is part of an on-going audit and tracking procedures undertaken by Astro to improve the safety and security of the smartcard.

Alamak, why am I bull-shitting you?

If you really want to know, when we started the Astro service in this country in 1996 following the launch of the MEASAT-1 satellite, our turn-key contractor and consultant was Brainbox Integrated Production plc, a British hi-tech firm located in Virginia Waters, Surrey in the United Kingdom.

In the early days, we needed to incorporate certain codes to monitor our programmes and for that purpose, three sets of alpha-numeric characters were devised by the then-senior engineer, Mr Merde-Hereford Kingsley.

We do not have records of how or why he chose BIP 1 but we strongly believe this was the initials of the consultant company, Brainbox Integrated Production plc. The second code is obviously the initials of Mr Merde-Hereford Kingsley himself, a bit like the personal appearance of the late Alfred Hitchcock in one of his films.

As for the third set of codes, we have reasons to believe they were his favourite swear words, "Oh, mother f*****" which he would shout aloud in the laboratory whenever he met with a problem. However, we are also led to think that they may well represent the initials of the missionary group of his parents.

You may be interested to know that at a young age, Mr Merde-Hereford Kingsley was sent to Eton (and then later to read physics at Hertford College, Oxford) when his parents, Oliver and Rachel Kingsley volunteered for the China Inland Mission (CIM).

However, due to the turmoil in China occasioned by the struggle between the Kuomintang and the Chinese Communist Party following the end of WWII, many CIM missionaries were unable to go to China to spread the Christian gospel. Many of the volunteer-missionaries were diverted to other Asian countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Malaya and Indonesia. To reflect the change, CIM was renamed OMF for Overseas Missionary Fellowship.

We are fairly certain that the above narrative adequately described the origins of the three codes that you have complained about. As to why they still remain to plague you is yet another story which I have to seek among the old-timers to get at the truth.

Apparently, the Senior Engineer, Mr Merde-Hereford Kingsley, in the course of his work on Astro, met and fell in love with the Secretary to Mr Ananda Krishnan, the CEO of Astro and Measat. This lady by name of Cik Zaleha Omar was a most comely lady who was reputed to speak three languages, Malay , English and Tamil. When the question of marriage cropped up, there was great anguish and anxiety in the Astro organisation that a Christian foreigner would dare cohabit with and marry a local Malay lady of the Islamic faith.

The matters was not resolved until Mr Merde-Hereford Kingsley was given a 24-hour order by the Immigration Department, Ministry of Home Affairs, to leave the country, which he did around midnight 24 October 2002.

We are unable to tell more as Cik Zaleha Omar left the services of Astro shortly after. We are also unable to tell you whether she emigrated to the United Kingdom.

However, we are able to tell you that nobody in Astro know how to switch the codes off. So today and everyday since October 2002, we have to live with the irritating codes of BIP1, MHK2 & OMF3 on your screen.

We trust the above clarifications are in order. Should you need further assistance, kindly contact our Call Centre at 1300-82-3838 which is operational from 8.00 am to 12.00 midnight daily or email to wecare@....

It is our pleasure to be of service to you.

Yours sincerely,

Muhammad Jan Rawi
Correspondence Officer
Customer Service

My comments:

Our house does not have Astro, not even air-conditioners, to save on overheads more than anything else. Not a boycott of anything owned by Ananda Krishnan – I wonder if Raja Petra subscribes to Astro, since he had changed his mobile from Maxis for that reason.

I have to put up with questions like ‘why don’t you do this or that’ as though the latest in modern high-tech facilities and devices are ‘mush haves’ which we cannot live without, or without being labelled as ‘not up-to-date’.

In fact, the main reason for me is not to be a slave to modern technology. It costs very much to be up-to-date with the new features on computers and hand-phones, and also lots more trouble learning them, which really puts me off. Some people thrives on new things to learn while I prefer more routine stuff until I am ready for a change – definitely less stressful.

In the case of Astro, I have heard of people complaining they do not have the time to watch!

For want of a local hero...

the spin continues to justify the huge cost of sending a space traveller glorified as astronaut or cosmonaut.

From YB Lim Kit Siang’s blog:

[Dr. Lee Wei Lim, a Marie Curie Fellow and Malaysian brain scientist in Maastricht University, the Netherlands, has several queries on today’s Star report “Results of space tests out soon” re: Angkasawan Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor.
[Dr. Lee’s comments (in bold) accompanies the Star report viz:]

PENANG: The results of experiments carried out in space by Angkasawan Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor will be released next month.

The experiment was carried out at the International Space Station or in the “Space” ?

The results of various experiments with proteins and the effects of micro-gravity and space radiation on cells and microbes would be shared with international researchers soon, the country’s first cosmonaut said during the closing of Brain Awareness Week 2008 at Universiti Sains Malaysia yesterday.

How can an Orthopaedic surgeon carry out protein research in the field of molecular biology? Why do we have to focus on space radiation on cells and microbes since we are living on the earth? How does this contribute to the science?

“I have spoken to the scientists and researchers involved in the project and they said the results will be published soon – in about a month’s time,” he said, when responding to questions by students attending his talk on Brain in Space: Our New Frontier.

The results will be published in which international peer reviewed journal? What is the significant scientific background of it? His talk on the “Brain in Space”, is he qualified to speak about that? Has he been trainned as a neuroscientist? Does he have strong background on the brain? Please see www.pubmed.com and type in “Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor”, no scientific publication related with the brain!

Asked why the experiments had to be carried out in space, the 35-year-old orthopaedic surgeon said it was because zero gravity allowed the specimens to be studied in their 3D form.

Just because to study the specimens in 3D dimension?? Would it be too costly? First of all, how can an orthopardic surgeon involves in scientific neuroscience research? What is the link between the brain and bone (orthopaedic)? Similarly, would you send a dermatologist to study the brain?

“Zero gravity allows specimens to be studied in 3D form”, why did this study have to be carried out in the “space” or the space station just for the cell 3D form investigation? In fact, on the earth, we have such “vacuum chamber model” to carry out research on the morphology of cells with “confocal microscopy”, “two-photon microscopy” or “electron microscopy” approach, this will give us even a better control view of the cells in terms the cell morphological changes and technical manipulation aspect. And again, how can an orthopaedic surgeon carry out such complicated and high technique on cells manipulation in the “space”? Is he a cellular biologist? Please look at the Harvard University website on Neurobiology.

“If studied on earth under a microscope, the cells would have been flattened slightly because of the effects of gravity. In space, we can view the specimens as if they were in the human body,” he explained, adding that he was keen on returning to medical practice.

And again, the research was carried at the “International Space Station” or in the “Space”, there is a clear distinction between these two!

Cell flattened??? Please see my previous opinion on vacuum chamber model.

What type of cell did he want to study? What is the hypothesis and scientific support for such a huge cost of investment? “In space, we can view the specimens as if they were in the human body,” based on which scientific publication to support this notion of sentence?? If so, how about carry out such experiment in the vacuum chamber (low cost) of zero gravity with better manipulation on the cells and more scientifically grounded?

“I miss seeing my patients and being in the operating theatre. I also hope to one day find the cure for cancer,” he said.

Miss seeing patients? When a person left his medical career for more than 5 years, is he still eligible to perform his clinical works efficiently? May be, he is exemption.

To find cure for cancer? What is the link between his work in space and cancer as well as the brain?

The experiments were conducted while he was on the International Space Station. On Oct 10, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar made history by becoming the first Malaysian to fly to space.

The experiment was conducted at the International Space Station and not in the “Space”? What sort of experiment? Why can’t it be carried out in the scientific laboratory, with lower cost, more reliable internationally-accepted methods for scientific publication? He is an orthopaedic surgeon with no scientific publication in brain and cellular research, how on earth he knew the works of a professional histologist or cell biologist or brain scientist?

My comments:
Don’t worry Kit, treat it as Dr Sheikh providing good publicity for DAP’s rocket symbol.
Our government is even thinking of buying the launcher, or whatever it is called, and it is more ammunition for the next GE.

How about naming after super-heroes?

It’s one for the money, two for the show…

Nades at The Sun, seems to be keeping the pressure on Azalina:

Let the shows begin without our money
Mon, 31 Mar 2008

"The result of the elections was a strong message that I have not moved fast enough in pushing reforms that I had promised to undertake. I thank the Malaysian people for this message. Point made and point taken." - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi

Thank you Sir, for these brave words to give Malaysians comfort that some of the old bad habits of some of the ministries and government departments will be sorted out. I don't want to be called a Prophet of Doom, but what happened on our shores on Thursday set me thinking.

What was reported in the newspapers the following day was: Four teams will make their debut in the second edition of the Champions Youth Cup (CYC) in Malaysia from Aug 2-16.

What has this tournament got to do with the PM's "point taken" stance? Plenty. During the past four years, no one wanted to listen or talk about the Brickendonbury project, which was doomed from Day One. Yet, at the end of the day, we not only had egg splattered on our faces, but also spent a fair bit of money, which I hope the new sports minister will make public. Not only that, even larger amounts were spent under the guise of having our juniors "train with Arsenal". Truth be told, there was no such thing and a few hundred thousand ringgit was spent.

Yet again, the sports ministry is going to use taxpayers' funds to "sponsor" or be associated with the CYC. We are not talking about "rojak money" to quote our former finance minister, but mega bucks running into millions - RM17 million if last year's price tag is any indication.

Of course, there will be no dearth of people saying it is worth paying millions because "they can train our youngsters". This is utter bunkum. The players are here for a holiday, a junket to be exact. They'll be off after two weeks and by the way, our youngsters can't learn anything by watching them in action or gain anything by having a one-off "coaching clinic"!

Remember the coaching clinics in Pengerang, Pekan and Kepala Batas conducted by Everton? Where are the players now? What could they have learnt in a day?

Last year, we spent RM17 million for a tournament which brought no benefits to Malaysia or its people. Yes, we had glittering names like Arsenal, Bayern Munich and AC Milan, but how did it benefit us?

But then, there'll be another school of thought - the government should pay because it is promoting tourism and there's no guessing which ministry it is coming from! Don't laugh at this suggestion. When questioned about last year 's CYC, the (former) sports minister retorted that it was part of Visit Malaysia Year. Did tourists flock by the Jumbo loads to watch? No, there were more officials with tags around their necks than paying spectators! To say the tournament was a complete flop would be an understatement.

Taxpayers' money should not be touched on the CYC. Besides, GLCs should not be compelled to do "national service" by parting with funds. Since this is a commercial undertaking, it should be left to the promoter to balance its books instead of making taxpayers ensure it is a financial success.

Speaking of promoters, Jonathan Price of Gifted Group who is organising the CYC went on record last year saying that RM17 million was the "bidding fee" and that "there were other countries interested in hosting it".

Mr Price, take them to the other countries, we don't want to pay the price (pun intended) for anyone else's well-being or welfare. We don't need to part with our hard-earned money for such extravagance. For that kind of money, we can build rural hospitals and more schools. Perhaps, some are of the view that we Malaysians are suckers for punishment!

Did we not learn our lessons from the debacle last year? Did any thought go into this before the signature was put on the dotted line? One does not need a degree in rocket science to understand all the preparations were done before the new sports minister assumed office and that he has to carry the burden of the past administration.

No point in asking the former minister to explain. She has only a one-line explanation for this - "if you don't like my policies, stand for elections." And if this was directed at you, you could not have answered because the microphone would have been unceremoniously snatched from you!

We should not embark on wasteful projects. We should prevent activities which are meant to line the pockets of a few. I am sure his cabinet colleagues will agree that prudent spending should be the order of the day. So, while the PM admits the shortcomings and acknowledges that he has taken the point, why are others acting like demi-gods? Both the past and present
sports ministers have to give a plausible explanation.

My comment:

I think Azalina’s one-line “if you don’t like my policies, stand for elections” stands out, like her second uncontested parliamentary win, like a sore thumb. Of all persons, the one who ‘happened’ to win uncontested twice, challenged another to stand for elections! As far as I am concerned, she has yet to be tested in a proper campaign and being voted in by the electorate.

If her first uncontested win was accidental, the second coincidental, will she be able to pull a hattrick without creating suspicions?

Lost in transposition, translation and transformation?

Andrea’s take on our kind of jazz, hospitality, politics and music piracy:

There’s only so much you can learn in one place
Tuesday, April 1st, 2008

This line from Madonna’s ‘Jump’ seems so appropriate… and rather strangely, it came on my iTunes Shuffle as I was packing yesterday. I say ‘rather strangely’ because it was exactly the tune I was listening to as I packed to come over here - and because, clearly, it resonated both times:

I’m planning for this to be my last post on Lost In Transposition. Thank you for reading this blog. It’s been an amazing thing, to keep it up (although I think some people who have spammed me could have helped with that issue); and I’ve been so touched by the fact that people are reading it, and by your comments, and even by your lurking. Thank you, lurkers. And thank you B, for the inspiration to do something every day.

I hope you’ll forgive me if I round the whole thing off by talking about what this whole crazy Malaysian shebang has meant to me.

Musically: I have learned for the first time how to truly articulate what I do. How to articulate about jazz. How to teach jazz. How to teach. How to teach men. How to teach men who are older than me. I was only half-kidding when I compared myself to the hero of Footloose: if you thought jazz was a niche market in the West, you should try it out here. Maybe there really are six degrees of Kevin Bacon after all. And I am degree one.

It’s been great to be appreciated by a venue. For the management to love what you’re doing, and to support you to the hilt. It’s so uncommon, and to have the rein and the support to do what you feel is right to do, has felt… well, wonderful. And I will desperately miss the opportunity to make music six nights a week. Because of this, I am, without a shadow of a doubt, a better singer now than when I came. My chops are better, my confidence sky-high. And I realise why yesterday’s experience at the street market, and the previous night’s on the bandstand - especially when we just jammed - meant so much to me. It’s because, feeling that way, I felt like anyone for whom music is a full-time occupation. Like all the people who I’ve seen performing who studied music and so take it for granted that it’s OK to make music like this, who stand up there with fellow musicians like it’s the most natural thing in the world. For the first time truly in my life, I feel that way about making music. And that feels incredibly liberating. It feels amazing. Thank you, thank you, T, for giving me the opportunity to feel this. It’s been a privilege. And a blast .

Culturally, I have come to a place where many values differ from mine. Where it’s taken as read that someone is religious unless you find out otherwise; where the ruling party controls the media; where dissent and protest and real analysis is lurking, and as the recent election proved, becoming ever-more powerful, but is not acknowledged nor encouraged as some sort of right. It has at once opened my eyes and made me realise how sheltered my experience has been up to now; yet also made me appreciate how lucky I am - we are - in so much of what we take for granted in the West.

I have come from a developed nation to a developing nation, and seen some of the differences which that entails. T and I talked just yesterday, for example, about how he just doesn’t have time to think about ‘big things’. He literally spends all his time thinking about his own situation, his own survival - and told me that that is very common here. People are literally trying to survive. Compare and contrast with the West - where the Roman Empire, for example, gave us infrastructure; and was later followed the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, so that Europe went on to produce Michaelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci and Voltaire and Mozart and Beethoven and so on and so on… While South-East Asia was simply trying to survive, let alone go to concerts and eat grapes. It’s really no wonder that even major capitals like Kuala Lumpur and Singapore are relative cultural deserts (and by that I mean lacking in music and arts venues, museums, galleries and such) - or why as a result, why I couldn’t live here permanently. Unlike most ex-pats, it seems, I couldn’t just choose somewhere because of the weather.

And a brief note about music and culture: I’ve realised that the high import taxes on CDs here utterly affects the musical tastes of the nation. Malaysians buy their albums in pirated form, where stall-holders on the street sell the latest CDs for 4 Ringgit (60p); whereas in record stores like Tower Records they cost the same as in the West (ie £8). The result? Everyone listens to the pirated music. Which means that they listen to the music people think it’s worth pirating. The big sellers: Kelly Clarkson. Britney. The Eagles. Michael Sodding Buble. No-one’s going to pirate a copy of Coltrane’s Giant Steps. So nobody in Malaysia is going to get to hear it unless they have money. Result? It’s difficult to get jazz gigs and clubs going. The audience just isn’t there. Because the audience isn’t listening to the music to the first place.

And finally, on the music and culture tip : this experience and this blog has led me to write for the first time about jazz, about the music I make, and as a result write for www.jazz.com. It’s led a heavyweight jazz critic and writer to praise my writing to the skies, and thats’wonderful. As some dead guy once said.

And finally, finally… The personal stuff.

Well. Erm….

I’m glad I came here alone. I think it’s led to all kinds of meetings and experiences that might not have happened otherwise. I’ve said ‘yes’ to just about everything and met all kinds of people I would never meet in London. And I will miss them terribly.

As I’ve explained recently to several people here: my life here isn’t just my life back home but with nice weather. It’s utterly, utterly different. I don’t meet CEOs. I don’t walk downstairs to a swimming pool. I don’t leave my towels on the bathroom floor, only to find them replaced by new ones on my towel rail (not unless some miraculous deal has been struck between my letting agent and my landlady).
I have, I think, managed the depression I’ve been going through. I have come here. I have jumped. I have made friends, made music, met wonderful people, had the utter privilege of doing something I love, night after night. And I’ve been myself throughout. And in the words of the song: That’s all.
Before:

After:

Before:

After?: