orangmuar

Antara ucapan terimakaseh dan maaf....

2011-04-06T16:45:00.003+08:00

Tak lama dahulu, ada kenalan bercerita tentang teman dia. Aku hanya menulis apa yg aku dengar, bukan menambah perisa atau pewarna tiruan. Begini kisahnya, kisah biasa yang rasanya kita biasa dengar atau saksikan.. Teman itu menaiki kenderaan awam. Dan pada masa itu adalah waktu puncak, seperti biasa tiada tempat duduk kosong, penumpang bersesak2 di dalam keadaan tidak menyelesakan. Teman ini bernasib baik kerana mendapat tempat duduk.

Kerana kasihankan seorang makcik yg agak berumur, teman ini menawarkan tempat duduknya. Tanpa ucapan terimakaseh atau senyuman tawar, makcik itu terus duduk.... teman itu dgn nada agak kesal berkata dalam hatinya...."berat sangat ke nak ucap terimakaseh?, terus duduk je.."

Sekali imbas, memang rasanya agak wajar makcik itu mengucapkan terimakseh terhadap teman itu, kerana menganugerahkan singgahsananya, diwaktu kesesakan puncak.. dan ditambah kemungkinan penghawa dingin kurang berfungsi (ini aku tambah sikit kesannya). Tak patut betul rasanya makcik itu tidak mengucapkan terimakaseh ... kan?

Cuba kita lihat pula dari sudut yang berbeda... sudut keutamaan dan hak. Adakah wajar teman itu duduk bersenang2, sedangkan ada orang yg lebih utama mendapatkan tempat duduk tersebut, seperti orang tua, kanak2, orang kurang upaya dll....Siapa yg lebih utama mendapatkan tempat duduk itu, antara makcik yg tua yang pasti kakinya sudah tidak kuat dan sakit untuk berdiri lama.... atau teman ini, yang maseh muda dan kuat... semata2 mendapat tempat duduk, tersebut atas sebab mungkin kerana dia masuk lebih awal di perhentian yg terdahulu....

Persoalannya sekarang... haruskah makcik tua ini memberikan ucapan terimakaseh dan mengukir senyuman manis, atas sebab dia mendapatkan hak dan keutamaannya kembali.....

atau sang teman muda ini, mengucapkan kata2 maaf lalu menghulur tempat duduk tersebut atas sebab logik... kerana telah mengambil hak makcik tersebut.

Benar, ada tempat duduk khusus untuk golongan seperti ini, dan aku tak menulis persoalan begini, kalau teman ini menawarkan tempat duduk khusus... dan mengharapkan ucapan terimakseh.. memang nak kena pelempang

Ini suatu contoh yang mudah. Dalam kehidupan kita seharian, berapa banyak kita telah memakan, meminum, memakai, mengambil dan menggunakan, hak dan keutamaan golongan yg lebih berhak, secara sengaja atau tidak sengaja..... dan pabila kita mengembalikan hak mereka....kita tanpa rasa malu dan segan, menagih ucapan terimakaseh dan senyuman ikhlas....

Untuk teman yg tersebut... janganlah bimbang dan marah, tidak lama lagi mungkin dalam 10 tahun lagi, giliran anda pula untuk tidak mengucapkan terimakaseh, pabila ditawarkan tempat duduk di dalam kenderaan awam oleh orang yg lebih muda dan kuat...

Dan anda boleh berkata dalam hati ketika itu..."Orang muda ni, susah sangat ke nak mintak maaf, kerana mengambil tempat duduk aku, dahla aku tua".......

Waking up after long hibernation....

2011-04-06T15:32:00.002+08:00

My fingers were just frozen dry for the past few month, my head and mind is full of ideas, but my heart and spirit just becoming lazy and lazier.. I have no inspiration nor mood to jot anything down, not even updating photos, which is the past time that I loved.

For the past few months many interesting happened, either for my liking or not. Many miles I have walk, flews and walk again....but the the motivation is just not with me. Perhaps I leaved it somewhere among my old thing in the closet or it lost its way in following me.

This is not like working or thing you do for your living... if you follow your motivation or mood to go to work, then you end up with nothing on your dinner table. That's what most us do nowadays... correct me if I am wrong.

My blogging is free of charge, I get no monetary return... just as a side distraction from everyday dull life.. I don't know, I just don't get the satisfaction nor the pleasure after completing one or two input. Perhaps I have to fight and educate my motivation... not just simply it govern my mood.

Okay, that's enough... With God will, I will start writing again.. and posting photo.... not for admiration or favorable return, but for me to fight and have control on my motivation....

of an owl and a cat and me...

2010-11-22T16:28:00.005+08:00

Dear readers, these are actually the main reason I have to step up to DSLR. The owl sitting high on a durian tree in front of my kampung house seem taunting me every morning. Initially I used my old FZ28 to capture the image, but the result was not good. What do you expect from a bridge camera.

And finally I decided, this is it, DSLR is the tool that I need.

The above photo was taken with Sony Alpha A33 with SAL kit lense 55-200mm, Aperture priority.

Sony Alfa...

2010-11-22T15:20:00.005+08:00

Dan akhirnya aku beralih jugak ke DSLR setelah bertahun2 menahan kemahuan dan mempertahan kedegilan menggunakan Compact dan Bridge camera. Mungkin ramai kawan dan lawan akan bertanya, kenapa kau tak beli Nikon atau Canon? sepertimana dipakai oleh pengguna lain....

Well, lain padang lain belalang, lain manusia lain kehendak, dan lain isi poket, lainla kemampuan. Hajat hati nak peluk gunung, apa kan daya nak panjat gunung pun dah tak larat.

Aku punya spec mudah saja

Kamera ni mesti entry level DSLR. Faktor kos mempengaruhi nafsu aku.
Kamera ini mesti mempunyai kelajuan yg tinggi, kalau boleh 10 fps dgn resolusi tinggi. Ini penting sebab aku dah start berminat nak tangkap foto action dan pergerakan laju. Aku dah mula bosan tangkap foto pemandangan dan macro. Kamera Lumix LX3 aku dah cukup bagus kalau nak tangkap foto makro atau pemandangan. Kecik tapi padu.
Dan kalau boleh, kamera ni bolehlah tangkap Full HD video. Tak payahla aku beli handycam.
Satu lagi, aku nak yg LCD screen kat belakang tu boleh swivel atau dipusing2kan ikut posisi yg kita nak. Dulu aku rasa tak penting, tapi bila aku nak ambil foto pelumba basikal di LTDL yg diadakan di KL, aku kena hampir baring sebab nak dapatkan sudut rendah.

Maka aku pun mulalah surf net, baca review, tengok youtube dan mula2nya yg tersenarai adalah 550D dan D3100 yg agak baru. Antara dua tu aku dah terpikat dgn D31000 sebab faktor harga, dan ia adalah produk baru dgn teknologi yg terkini. Sony ni tak masuk list aku pun pada mula2nya walaupun apa yg aku nak, ada pada produk ni.

So berjalan la aku ke Low Yat, Pertama survey harga. Aku dah boleh terima si D3100 walaupun dia takde ciri yg aku nak...janji kualiti dia bagus.

Kemudian aku balik kampung sebab Iddul Adha, ronda2 sikit bandar Muar sambil nak pekena mee bandung + air batu bandung + rojak petis + apam balik. Aku pun singgahla kedai yg dulu aku beli Fz28 aku dulu, tanya2 pasal kamera. Kat kedai tu ada jual D3100, 550D, D90, 60D dan macam2 la..... adalah kat hujung tu Alpha, yang langsung tak menarik perhatian aku.

Tanya tokay tu, apakah kamera DSLR yg sesuai dengan bajet sebegini.. dia syorkan 1000D, D3100 dan A33. Dan dia cakap A33 ni hot item la... banyak terjual. Aku tanya, dia ada ke ciri2 yg aku nak?.... aku rasa tak payah tulis sini, aku balik rumah,... 2 hari surf net cari review, comparison dll.

Dan akhirnya aku beli SLT Alpha A33 sebab ciri2 di atas yg aku nak. Dr segi harga, dia sebanding D3100 tapi murah dr 550D. Nak cari flash third party dia agak susah, sbb dia punya hot shoe agak pelik, kena pakai adapter. Buat masa ni aku pakai internal aje la.

Dia tak ada OVF, cuma ada EVF.. so kalau sesiapa suka OVF, kamera ini tak sesuai utk anda.

Ciri tambahan yg dia ada

Kamera ni ada autoHDR. Biasanya kita kalau nak buat HDR akan ambil continuous shot biasanya 3 kali dgn exposure berbeza, underexpose, normal dan overexpose. Hasilnya kita akan gabung di software PC. Dgn kamera ni, dia dah ada built in AutoHDR dan dia akan create HDR automatik.
Kamera ni ada Twilight shot. Biasanya kalau kita nak ambil shot dlm keadaan cahaya rendah, kita akan pakai tripod atau tangan kita mantap mcm Transformer. Dgn feature ini, kamera ni akan ambil multiple shot... 6 imej kut... kemudian dia akan superimpose masing2 utk hasilkan imej dgn noise yg rendah.
Ada panorama... ini pun biasanya kita pakai software utk efek ini. Kamera ni, kita just select panorama, tekan button, dia akan ambil multiple shot sambil kita gerakkan kamera ikut arah seperti dlm LCD. Bila siap, dia akan proses dan hasilnya, panorama foto.

Sebenarnya ada satu sebab utama kenapa aku kene bertukar ke DSLR.... sebab tu duduk kat pokok durian depan rumah aku....akan ku tulis dlm blog seterusnya...

...of half empty glass...

2010-11-11T14:05:00.003+08:00

Is the glass half empty or half full? I think this is a most common and popular rhetoric expression to point out how a person perceived a situation, being optimist or pessimist. I won’t go to the details as I believe all of you know which portion of the glass referred to.

During my younger day, when I first came across this idiom, I was astounded to the simplicity and exactness of the philosophical question. Usually they used it in motivational talk or workshop in order to motivate and gather positive energy in achieving the goal. Simple as it is, whoever seeing the half full regarded as optimist and considered as having positive attitude. While whoever seeing the half empty regarded the opposite,…being pessimist and blocker.

Then as I get older, I realized that thing is not always easy to be classified as half full or empty. We are taught and conditioned since early age that, seeing half full glass is good, positive, optimist and so on. We were told story how successful inventor such as Thomas Edison succeed in inventing light bulb due to tireless effort and persistent determination, which attribute to half-full glass comparison. We also told on how successful entrepreneur or billionaires make fortune by taking risk in business ventures, which is not yet, explore by other people.

Yes, success story is nice to be told and heard, especially to naive young audience. But have we heard the other side of the coin, stories of failure, disappointment or even disaster that due to the optimist half-full thinking. Up to only few months ago, thanks to Discovery Channel, I get to know of "War of Currents" era (sometimes, "War of the Currents" or "Battle of Currents") in the late 1880s, George Westinghouse and Thomas Edison became adversaries due to Edison's promotion of direct current (DC) for electric power distribution over alternating current (AC) advocated by Westinghouse and Nikola Tesla.

As we know, Westinghouse won or otherwise we’ll have DC power socket at our house. It’s good to have persistence and perseverance attitude, but when all the evidence shown in front you to stand down and accept a better solution… and we continue to be persistent, for me this is arrogantly stubborn.

This way of thinking, probably lead to a recent oil spill in Gulf of Mexico. Even after all the evidence and study show the real high-risk of deep-sea drilling, some people who’re having the optimist idea, go on with the project. For them the huge profits outweigh the hidden risk. And the environment, local fisherman, fauna and flora pay the “half full glass” approach.

If we are given opportunity with risk attached, it’s wise to asses the risk rather than go straight ahead into the unknown.

Being pessimist or optimist when the gain versus the loss is almost equal is not a wrong standing. Neither is wrong nor right.

But being optimist when we see the drawback is more than the gain is definitely not a right way of perceiving a situation.

Blessing in disguise...taking back and giving more..

2010-11-11T11:27:00.004+08:00

A friend of mine recently was lay off from the company he’s been working for about three years. The decision was quick, swift but unexpected by him. I can saw him totally felt less motivated and can’t focus on continuing the remaining working period.

He mentioned to me afterward, that he did feel somehow humiliated and unappreciated by the employer, for all the work and effort that he has thrown in. Perhaps if the quantum is substantial, he won’t mind. Like my other colleague whose keep on smiling everyday, even after getting bashed by customer in meeting. I heard that this other guy receiving substantial amount of cash.

My advise to him, be patient and relax. Do not feel stress and take this thing easy, otherwise you’ll feel more pressure. He’s still young and can afford making mistake and hurdles in life. There’s time for him to make choices and yet mistake, and there’s enough time for him to recover and undo the mistake. Mourn your unhappiness for day or two, but get back to your feet and start strategizing your future.

Life is about making choices, eventually the right choices after you stumble with the wrong options. I am saying this because, if life is only making the right choices every time, then there’s no hope or alternative for people who have made less right choices. They are condemned without the chance of repent or better themselves. I am not proud to say that I am one of them, with countless of wrong choices I’ve made.

Recently I heard that he’s contemplating in making choices which offer he going to take. He received two offers with even better pay.

I said to him, “God take back from you less, but He gave back to you more”. Be grateful my friend.

And suddenly I remember Surah Ar-Rahman (The Most Gracious) verses as below which struck my ungrateful me…

"Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both (jinns and men) deny?"

Dan dia datang lagi......

2010-10-30T14:22:00.006+08:00

Foto burung helang laut yg aku tangkap dengan multiple shot.. resolusi imej jatuh ke 3 Mgp je

Rasanya lebar sayap 2m ni..

Baru pagi tadi, seperti rutin biasa kalau aku pulang ke kampung, aku akan ke Pantai Leka, Parit Jawa di awal pagi. Sebelum aku memilih dan membeli ikan segar di pasar, atau sebelum sarapan pagi nasi panas dengan ikan asam rebus , aku akan bersantai di tepian Pantai Leka.

Kadang2 aku terleka melihat burung botak, burung bangau, burung2 kecik yg aku tak tahu spesis apa dan ikan belacak. Dan pagi ini, ada tetamu yg menarik, garang dan pantas turun dari langit, dgn kuku tajam mencari mangsa...si helang laut.

Susah betul nak memfokus dan mengambil foto si helang dgn FZ28 aku. Aku cuba gunakan multiple shot, tapi resolusi jatuh dari 9.5 Mgp ke 3 Mgp. Imej tak cukup jelas dan tajam. Aku perlukan kamera yg boleh multiple shot dan maintain resolusi.

Dan Fz100 telah datang dengan ciri2 yg aku mahukan:

Multiple shot 11 fps dgn resolusi 14 Mgp, 5 Fps kalau dengan AF. Ciri ni penting untuk mengambil foto seperti burung terbang, aksi yg pantas seperti sukan dll.
Superzoom sampai 24 kali optikal. Ini semua orang tahu, dengan ciri zoom yg tinggi, objek yg jauh boleh kita tangkap.
Swivel LCD skrin. Ini penting kalau nak tangkap imej dari sudut yg janggal. Contohnya nak menangkap imej dari sudut yg tinggi atau rendah. Aku pernah nak tangkap imej pelumba basikal masa Le Tour de Langkawi dari sudut rendah, terpaksa berbaring sikit.
Horse shoe untuk external flash. Kita boleh pakai third party punya flash. Internal flash dia tak cukup power. Bolehla pakai flash dgn diffuser utk dapatkan imej yg tak terlalu cerah,
Full HD video recording. Tak payah beli handycam.

Semua ciri2 di atas memang aku cari. Dan yang pentingnya, aku maseh nak menggunakan kamera Digital Superzoom bukan DSLR. Aku rasa belum masanya aku nak bertukar ke DSLR memandangkan kos dan juga agak susah nak menukar lensa dari macro dan wide angle ke superzoom. Aku perlukan kamera yg kecil, ringan, kos yg berpatutan dan tak memerlukan menukar2 lensa. Memanglah ia tak setanding DSLR dari segi kualiti imej, bak kata org putih "Good at everything, but an expert at nothing". Tapi tak apalah, aku boleh menerima kekurangannya dan mempergunakan sebaiknya kelebihannya.

Nampaknya, Fz28 aku kene masuk Mudah.com kut.....

Blog tentang Excel Spreadsheet...

2010-10-30T13:43:00.003+08:00

Aku ada terfikir, kalau aku boleh berkongsi dengan sesiapa sahaja yang membaca blog aku, tentang Excel spreadsheet. Bukan niat aku nak menunjuk aku bijak atau bagus. Tapi kerna mungkin kerja aku ni yang hampir tiap hari bergelumang dgn Excel spreadsheet, mungkin adalah satu atau dua yg berguna untuk dikongsikan bersama.

Aku maseh ingat, betapa susahnya aku nak mendapatkan spreadsheet2 yg tertentu. Buat rumus2 sampai mata pun jadi kotak2 mcm cell dlm Excel. Bila search dlm Google, rupa2nya ada orang yg telah membuat rumus tersebut, dan lebih baik dan mudah pula. Cuma aku perlu customize beberapa tempat utk menepati kehendak aku. Bila cerita search dlm Google pun, bukannya senang nak mencari rumus2 tersebut.

Tapi niat aku ni mungkin tak jadi kut... tak boleh buat attachmnet file di sini. Macamana aku nak letak sample2 spreadsheet.

Lama tak memblog...

2010-10-30T12:28:00.002+08:00

..Dah berapa lama agaknya aku tak "memblog". Sejak bulai Mei rasanya, kalau dilihat dari blog terakhir aku. Aku bukannya tiada idea atau cerita nak dicoretkan... cuma aku M A L A S. Itulah jawapan yg tepat, nak disalahkan tak punya masa, aku ada banyak masa, takde layan Internet, ada Broadband 3G walaupun kekadang perkhidmatannya agak mendukacitakan.

Aku sudah jadi malas, itu yg aku boleh katakan. Banyak benda yg nak aku coretkan dalam tempoh tersebut, kalau aku tuliskan sekarang.. akan jadi cerita basi dan hilang kehangatannya. Dan susah jugak nak menulis kembali, sebab emosi, perasaan, dan "bau" cerita tersebut dan lenyap.

Pengajarannya, kalau anda sedang bersemangat dan berselera utk menulis, tulis segera, jangan tangguh2... nanti hilang kehangatannya. Macam orang bercinta jugak kut, kalau sedang hangat bercinta, luahkanlah perasaan walaupun hanya perasan... kerna nanti bila kehangatan dah berlalu, feel utk menyatakan sesuatu sudah sejuk.

Up in the Air....

2010-05-01T23:41:00.011+08:00

I nearly missed the flight that morning. Perhaps due to staying late, packing all the stuff and leaving behind anything less useful...Want to travel light. That morning, when I woke up late at 10:30, the panic attack struck me... just frozen don't know what to do first. I want to do everything as fast as possible, ended up nothing done. My heart beating fast and I running around here and there... Luckily, I have packed most of thing earlier. My experience told me, if you ever been hit by panic attack, just relaxed, take deep breath, Istighfar and cool shower...You'll gradually get hold of yourself. And when you don't feel sure you have packed everything and felt something missing... you did leave something. My tiny mobile simcard become Athens permanent resident....Parakalo

I was relieved, I had plenty of time when I reached Eleftherios Venizelos, Athens International Airport. Bought some last minute inexpensive souvenir....

The flight would take about three hours to Doha then another 12 hour to KLIA. Killing the time in between, I open the entertainment display and started playing Sudoku... till I reached level that I couldn't complete... and the touch display was quite irritating...too many people playing with Sudoku probably...

Went through the movie list that was not so latest.... I try "Up in the Air" probably because it's played by George Clooney...Most of you I guessed have watched this movie before and know the story all about... For me, it's the right choice of movie during that moment, even though the headphone does not work very well and jet engine sound most of the time, just overwhelmed the dialog..

A story about Ryan, a professional living his life in suitcase and laptop, flying across US and spend most of his time on air....his job with a resource consultancy company is basically to fire people out of job and deliver the separation package... this movies most likely portraying the current economic situation and job uncertainty in US... You can be working for 10-20 years, hardworking, loyal, productive during your productive age, never commit any misconduct,.. but when the management decide to lay off due low turnover of whatever reason... they will do it, with the shortest notice and hiring consultancy company to convey the execution decree, with professional way of course...

Ryan job in dealing with the peoples the company gonna lay off require him to be calm, professional, in control, empathetic and compassionate... And the two last skills, he need to do it skillfully false...Basically he's interest is only his jet-setter lifestyle, single, non-commitment and air travel mileage prize...And when a young executive try introducing on-line video conferencing method in doing the job, Ryan felt his lifestyle will be threatened...no more air travel mileage and luxury hotel life....So he decide to coach and train the young executive, Natalie, on how things was done in real world.. I don't want to elaborate further.. you can catch up on wiki or just watch the movie...

When we do thing or say thing with false compassion and fake empathetic..... then wait when then will come a time, for retribution to teach you a lesson....

And sadly for Ryan, he has to compassion himself when he found out that the lady he's meeting all this while, is someone not too far different from himself, in term of falsify the perception of others feeling....what goes around will come around...

and after that, Ryan becoming a better man,..less selfish, give thing he want the most to people who really deserved, write good recommendation for his colleague... and still up in the air, but probably with different perspective...

As said earlier, this movies is about the current job uncertainty in US..... and probably want to shed some positive light and enlighten the spectator, so we can better understand and show genuine empathy to anyone who has been unfortunately taken back from their livelihood....

I really don't like the dialog "I am sorry to inform you that your current position is no longer available in this company..."

I prefer (taken from wiki)

"Tonight most people will be welcomed home by jumping dogs & squealing kids. Their spouses will ask about their day. Tonight they'll sleep. The stars will wield forth from their daytime hiding places, and one of those lights, slightly brighter than the rest, will be my wingtip passing over."

Mogok umum sistem pengangkutan esok ...27/4/10

2010-04-27T03:18:00.002+08:00

Hari aku pulang lewat sikit sebab ada banyak yang perlu diselesaikan. Setiba di hotel, masuk pintu yg berpusing2, Mr security say hello. Waktu di dalam lif yg kecil, rasanya muat orang sebesar aku cuma 3 orang, terpampang nota bertulis "Mogok umum sistem pengangkutan di Athens pada hari Selasa 27/4, bermula jam 11 dan berakhir jam 17". Gawat ni, sebelum ni ada jugak mogok, tetapi hanya melibatkan pemandu taksi. Aku tak naik sangat taksi, sebab tambangnya agak mahal... kalau naik hari2.. boleh bankrap aku.

Sewaktu pulang dari Carrefour yg tak jauh dr Hotel, aku bertanya dengan pekerja Hotel, mogok ni akan melibatkan sistem Metro tak (mcm LRT dan Komuter la)? Dia menjawab, mogok ini akan melibatkan semua sistem pengangkutan. Aduh, kacau.... setiap hari aku harus menaiki 3 metro untuk sampai ke ibupejabat pelanggan... Omonia ke Monastiraki... kemudian tukar ke Metro line 2, Monastiraki ke Dukissis Plankentisis... dari situ tukar naik urban railway (yang seperti KLIA rail) ke Kiffisias... dan seterusnya berjalan dlm 200m ke opis customer. Perjalanan mengambil masa 45 minit hingga ke 1 jam. Nampak gaya, aku kene turun awal esok... jam 7 lebih dah kena keluar rasanya. Dan waktu pulang, pasti padat macam sardin.

Minggu lepas waktu aku ke Syntagma (salah satu stesen Metro yg terbesar) ada kesan2 demo dan pendemo yg berkhemah di situ... berhadapan bangunan parlimen. Ekonomi negara ini semakin parah. Dan dengar khabar, pemerintah minta bantuan IMF... dan seperti biasa, IMF akan kenakan pelbagai syarat yg menyusahkan rakyat.....menaikkan kadar cukai, kerja lebih masa, pengurangan perbelanjaan, pemotongan subsidi dan bantuan tertentu.... Rakyat di sini marah kerana pemerintah yg terdahulu berbelanja terlampau boros dan banyak berlaku korupsi, terutama sewaktu projek Olimpik Athens. Wang pinjaman digunakan sewenang2nya dan akhirnya akibat kerajaan yg tak cekap dan amanah, rakyat yg terpaksa menderita. Hutang belanja olimpik sampai sekarang belum selesai.

Jurang antara yg kaya dan miskin keterlaluan... sikaya minum di cafe2 mewah, naik kereta mewah, .. si miskin meminta sedekah di sana sini. Penagih dadah dan org yg tiada rumah ramai... tidur di pinggir2 jalan, di kaki lima bangunan... di malam yg sangat sejuk dan berangin begini. Agaknya kalau Aristotle atau Socrates boleh melihat ini semua, pasti mereka akan sedih.....

Bila aku berbicara dgn org tempatan di sini , mereka sudah cukup muak dan tak ambil kisah lagi tentang siapa nak mentadbir negara......sistem pendidikan mereka merosot, graduan yg keluar tidak mendapat kerja....

Dan esok sistem pengangkutan awam akan mogok... mungkin kerana membantah kenaikan cukai atau pemotongan faedah. Baru2 ini di ibupejabat pelanggan, mereka mengedarkan flyer dr kesatuan... diberi aku ambil, walaupun sepatah haram aku tak faham tulisan berformula matematik. Ada taklimat dari kesatuan, aku dok situ buat2 macam faham, sebab dah tak ada tempat lain. Isikandungannya, majikan akan memotong bonus sebulan sempena Krismas dan sebulan lagi untuk Easter. Lazimnya mereka akan mendapat 12+2 bulan gaji setahun.

Bila memikirkan ini, aku risau... pabila telaga minyak di tanahair kering nanti....

...Foto diperbesarkan dr posting sebelum ini...

2010-04-27T02:41:00.002+08:00

Foto ini aku perbesarkan dr posting sebelum ini, nampak jelas anjing putih tu duduk atas tangga, seperti ada kecurigaan terhadap 2 orang asing ni...

Anjing penjaga batu

2010-04-12T04:04:00.005+08:00

Salam semua, ... sudah terlalu lama aku tak mencoretkan apa2 di dalam ruangan ini. Seakan2 sudah mati, hilang punca dan kering idea. Sebenarnya, waktu aku ke Vietnam kali kedua tempohari, aku berniat nak menulis.. tapi hangat2 tahi ayam... atau mungkin tanggungjawab tugasan lebih menuntut tumpuan...

Aku sekarang berada di bumi Yunani, kira2 sudah 3 minggu. InsyaAllah hujung bulan ini, aku pulang. Orang kata menarik di sini, memang benar kalau untuk maksima 2 minggu pertama... dan kalau datang untuk hanya melancung atau untuk seronok2. Datang kerana untuk melaksanakan tugasan... ada pahit dan manisnya. Sementara aku kat sini, baik juga guna peluang hari minggu untuk melihat2 bumi yg terkenal hebat dengan mitos dan dongeng dewa-dewa, dan sejarah awal tamaddun manusia.

Hari Sabtu lepas, teman sekerja aku dr UK, mengajak aku untuk jalan2 ke pantai Voula A'. Aku pun tak tahu buat apa kalau hari minggu, asyik jalan ke Plaka je, bosan.. penuh pelancung. Kami pun bertemu jam 10.30 am di stesyen Syntagma.. dari situ kami menaiki tram ke perhentian terakhir... dan harus berjalan kaki lagi sekitar 10 minit utk sampai ke pantai tersebut. Komen aku tentang pengankutan tram ni... ia suatu pengangkutan awam yg sangat bagus, mungkin kurang cepat dari keretapi bawah tanah, tapi cekap dan mampu membawa muatan yg banyak. Kenapa Malaysia tak perkenalkan sistem tram ni? tak perlu buat rel terowong bawah tanah, tak perlu buat rel atas jejambat mcm LRT... tapi menggunakan rel di sebelah jalan biasa. Aku rasa belanja untuk bina sistem tram ni lebih murah dari sistem macam LRT.

Pantainya berbatu2, tak banyak berpasir macam pantai kat tempat kita.... airnya jerneh sekali. Kalau bukan kerana cuaca dingin dan berangin, nak jugak aku mandi sekejap. Ada jugak orang tempatan yg mandi, tapi tak ramai. Mungkin musim panas nanti, ramai la ikan duyung kut.

Masa aku nak turun tangga ke arah satu pantai di mana kawan aku berada, ada seekor anjing putih besar... menaiki tangga dr arah pantai. Aku bagi laluan kat dia, manalah tahu nanti dia nak gesel2 kat kaki aku, kes naya. Aku tengok di mulutnya, ada sebiji batu agak besar. Anjing ni rupanya menggonggong sebijik batu, dan dibawa ke atas. Aku turun bawah, berjumpa kawan aku... dan dia tengah sibuk mencari2 batu yg menarik. Katanya dia nak bawa balik ke UK.

Dia minta aku mengambil fotonya... sementara di duduk di tangga, aku keluarkan kamera dan terus tangkap gambar berlatarkan pemandangan yg cantek....dan ada seekor anjing putih di belakang, merenung kami. Aku rasa anjing tu syak kawan aku curi batu kat pantai tu. Kami beredar menuju ke arah lain. Dan dari jauh, aku lihat anjing putih tadi mencari2 sesuatu di dalam air... dia cari batu yg kawan aku ambil mungkin.

Fishes on treadmill...

2009-10-17T17:00:00.009+08:00

Started last few week, I need to get back doing some exercises, especially on weekend. Reason being, I was unfit to donate blood. Perhaps due to moral obligation, I need to give back what the society had given me last time. I had anemia problem when I was a kid, and the doctor ran blood transfusion.

While jogging, walking, jogging, stop and walking again, I stopped by a bridge running across the huge monsoon drain. Catching breath, I snapped the photo above.

I was wondering why the fishes avoid the deeper water and prefer staying on the shallow water, where the water is running fast. Perhaps they are avoiding being carried away by the current and have to stay in the lake, where's the predator lurking. I saw most of the fishes feed on the grass.

Or perhaps they enjoy swimming while in static position, braving the rapid water stream, just letting their gills open for diluted oxygen....

The way I see it, they were just exercising on treadmill..........

Patience...

2009-10-14T17:41:00.009+08:00

I spelled wrongly the title with 'patient'. This is what happen if you relying too much on the check spelling function of current word processor... Some of our intelligence brain function being taken over by machine.

A friend of mine recently professed, that among all the things that has taught him through life experience, formally or informal... he's still fail to undertake patience. For him, thing he want now, he really meant now or probably a bit later, but not so late. He can't bear waiting or just being patience, and he's not so smart in hiding it. His expression of dissatisfaction or impatience is written all over his face.

He's mentioned, that I am fairly have certain level of patience....

Me, patience..... Are you sure? you are knocking on the wrong door my friend. The recognition just struck me. Is he just pulling my leg, or I am actually reached that level of virtue. Or perhaps I am getting older, slow in response and retaliation, less sudden surge of energy to shout or being vocal... making this inferior to become good moral value, p a t i e n c e.

Since he's insisted, I just told him that patience is something that cannot be learned easily. Life experience, hardship, good example from other people and time will only expedite the learning process.

Most good moral values require us to take action either verbal or physical. Such as generosity, we need to take action by making contribution either material or moral. And kindness, we need to show or kindness by being polite, smile a lot, talk nicely etc. In short, our muscle need to be in motion, in order to generate good moral action.

Patience is totally different game. Being patience, means abstain yourself from making any action, physically or verbally, against misfortune, pain, hardship, annoyance, intimidation, unfairness, criticism, mistreatment and all other negative thing.....

For me, real patience is more than that. It's something to do with inner strength and virtue for abstaining or refraining yourself in taking action or retaliation to the inflicting subject, while you are in power or highly capable in defeating the subject.

But normally we use the term patience, when we know we're losing, or incapable of doing anything. That's not patience, but a kind of terminology to make ourselves feel better....

..... and about my friend, I think he need to talk to wiser people......

TUDM open day...and Thunderbird air show

2009-10-13T21:34:00.005+08:00

Two week ago I managed to witness the performance of the famous US Air force acrobatic team, the Thunderbird. This event was in conjunction with TUDM open day at Subang air base. Since the opening of KLIA and LCCT, I have never been to Subang airport. KLIA has taken over the function of the main airport while LCCT has played as budget airline airport.

And to my surprise, Subang airport has been renovated and look quite nice from the outside. I pass through the place as I headed to TUDM air base .

The air show began with TUDM Sukhoi Su-30 solo air show. I was amazed with the boldness yet highly skillful maneuver performed by TUDM pilot , especially when the jet plane take almost vertical climb then dive sharply toward the landing area. It's just seem the plane would crash and couldn't pick up the altitude.

And I have to admit, fighter pilot are different breed of human, perhaps due to their training, high discipline and professionalism.

The show continue with Thunderbird showing their skill, maneuver and formation. All the stunt and formation precisely choreograph. It's like watching ballet or circus show. The 1 hour air show, seem like 15 minutes.

Even though the weather is not so hot that day, the heat is almost unbearable, probably due to the crowds and open concrete landing strips.

The spokesperson for the team give information on the formation names and the skill level involved, with their loudspeaker. Some information on the history and the pilots involved was also told.

And not forgotten, the US propaganda in maintaining the so called world peace.
The sound of the jet engines, the sight of jet plane flying over your heads and the incredible air stunt maneuver, transform me back to a little boy.

early morning sun....

2009-10-13T21:01:00.006+08:00

It's has been quite some time, I haven't write anything on this blog... probably I still 'mabuk ketupat' and 'lodeh'. Took a week long break for Hari Raya Aidil Fitri back in Muar. Perhaps when our mind and time preoccupied with thing or person we are concerned, everything else became less significant.

This photo was taken in the morning, around 7:15am, 2 days ago. As I prepare to go to work, I saw the sun was rising on the horizon. Get back inside the house and took some shot. The red/orange color of the sky probably indication of unhealthy level of air quality, which getting worst gradually.

SE W995...

2009-08-25T14:24:00.009+08:00

I received my new hand phone a few weeks ago. It's a SE W995, it has been quite some time that I use Ericsson hand phone. My first ericsson mobile phone was during the analog ART900 service, and I can't remember what model it is.

I lost my N95 during my tour of duty in Hanoi, .... N95 missing in action. It was a very good hand phone,.. I really like the Carl Zeiss lens camera, either for taking photo or short video clip. The GPS functionality also not disappointing.

Nevertheless, there are a a few let down such as short battery life... one full charge wouldn't last a day or probably my battery has gone bad. And the other thing is the casing, why they didn't make the back cover casing from sturdier material, stainless steel or aluminium....

I am glad, W995 address both issues... but I am not quite happy with the camera quality. N95 image quality is better.

The accelerometer function, which are now very popular with the new mobile phone... introduce by IPhone... provide lots of fun, especially with motion game. Bowling is my favourite game, although till now, I haven't finish the gold cup level...

The Walkman functionality is just amazing... you can increase the volume by moving the unit toward you, or decrease by moving the unit away from you. You need to press the Walkman button while doing this. In addition, you can shuffle the track by shaking the unit...

Ramadhan... 3rd day

2009-08-24T13:15:00.006+08:00

Salam,

Hari ini adalah hari ketiga dalam bulan suci Ramadhan. Alhamdulillah aku maseh diberi kesempatan dan nikmat kesehatan dariNya untuk menjalani ibadah puasa. Antara bulan dan masa yg aku paling suka adalah bulan Ramadhan. Mungkin kerna setiap muslim pada bulan ini menjaga diri masing2 dari melakukan dosa dan banyak bersabar. Suasana jadi tenang dan jiwa tambah tenteram.

Tapi ada juga golongan manusia yg terang2an muslim, bercakap Melayu, kulit sawo matang... tidak berpuasa di khalayak ramai. Apa yg dia nak buktikan agaknya.. keegoannya, keberanian dan kemachoan sesama manusia... atau angkuh mencabar perintah Allah. Semalam aku baru terjumpa spesis ni sorang, beratur nak beli tiket... berkepul2 asap rokok dari jari dia... cakap bahasa Melayu, muka memanglah Melayu.. aku tenung je, kalau dia berlagak dengan aku, memang aku belasah dia on the spot....

Waktu aku dlm perjalan pulang aku terfikir, patutla H1N1 datang.. untuk memberi peluang org yg berfikir untuk berfikir... untuk org yg angkuh dan tidak berfikir, datanglah bala sehebat mana pun.... ada saja alasan logik untuk mentakrifkannya.

Aku maseh teringat dulu waktu bekerja di negara jiran, kalau ada kesempatan dan tak malas, masjid Rahman di celah-celah rumah dan kedai di karet Pedurenan lah tempat solat terawih. Antara jemaah2 sekalian yg memakai baju koko, ada sesat seorang jemaah pakai baju Melayu...

Semoga Bonda cepat sembuh...

2009-08-20T00:30:00.020+08:00

Early this week, my older sister and I send our mother for medical checkup in a private hospital. She's being dry coughing for the past few months. Before I left for Vietnam 6 months ago, I was the one who's coughing profusely.... luckily during that time, H1N1 is not as serious as now. If not, I will be surely lock down, quarantined somewhere in Hanoi medical detention facility.

The day before that, we visit the hospital but the specialist wasn't in. We were very worried about her health.. coughing, lethargic, and no appetite...When I meet her and kiss her hand, I could felt that she's losing weight, and weak.

Seeing current H1N1 pandemic, I am really concerned on her condition , though several time she's as usual replied, "It's just a normal cough, I am OK...no need to worry"

The doctor conducted the checkup thoroughly, asking lots of questions, asking on her current medication... checking the x-ray, that we have done earlier. My mother is on regular medication for hypertension. According to the doctor, some high blood pressure medication has some side effect.

In her case, Linospril is known to cause nausea, dry coughing, loss of appetite etc... The doctor advise her to stop taking the medicine containing Linospril and wait the for the progress.

It's really heartbreaking seeing and knowing your love one, suffering from illness, tirelessly coughing without knowing the reason and the right medication.....

Alhamdulillah, last few days I called her, she's getting better, the serious coughing has subside and her appetite improving... I pray for her quick recovery...

After the medical checkup, my sister send her home.... and due to hastily want to get home, I regret that I forgotten to hug and kiss her, like I usually do.....

Each of us may have one or more lovers, wives, husbands and children...through romance, marriage, divorce, remarriage, death, etc....... But each of us can only have one and only ireplacebale biological mother......

H one End one

2009-08-09T01:26:00.016+08:00

Last Friday, before the Friday prayer, the muezzin remind the congregation that there will be a 'solat hajat' after the Friday prayer. The purpose is to seek help and assistance from the Almighty in this time of desperation and calamity, due to H1N1 widespread epidemic. On that day, 14 people have died......

A few month ago, perhaps all of us civilian would think, this is just a normal short term outbreak, localized in far country, and won't hurt us or our family. The government issue instruction on media, on how to minimise the risk of getting infection, such as wearing mask, washing hands, stay away from large crowd etc...

Perhaps the best course of action taken is, conduct the root cause analysis of the pandemic or epidemic..... the major culprit is no other than swine. Since the Nipah virus outbreak a few years ago, the major vector or breeding ground for the virus is the swine. That does not count with JE, which also closely related with swine.

One of the main reason why the first outbreak start in Mexico, is because there are many large industrial type pig farming in the country. Mostly operate and invested by giant American company, for the purpose of exporting pork for their own consumption..... not so different from our country, instead of north, the major consumer is in the south.

I watched Natgeo documentary on Nipah virus outbreak not so long ago... scientist found out that the virus spread from the infected fruit bat to the swine (via the fruits they eat) then to human. Once it's jump to human, it began spreading within human. They also found out that the virus have been within the fruit bat for long time, and seem the fruit bat have the ability to suppress the virus. Same case with H1N1, it's a concoction of bird flu virus, human flu and swine flu... all brewed inside swine biological lab.

Swine and human share some common biological system.... any pathogen, virus, bacteria which can infect swine and adapt to the biological system..... have high probability to jump and infect human. In other word, swine is a perfect training ground for these organism to invade human. And swine is bridgging all the sickness or virus which so far limited to other species, with human. Who knows what else lurking, breeding and staying dormant in other animals... just waiting the right time to make contact with the swine, and start other infectious diseases.

People may say, human have consume pig since the beginning of time, why the outbreak just start now. Perhaps they need to read history, there were several outbreak related to swine, but probably during that time the scientist don't have the technology like now, in detecting the virus. And before this pig farming was done traditionally ... not like nowadays, hundred of acres of area for industrial pig farming for the purpose of shareholder profit.

People also may say, this is the good time for us to say that why pork consumption is forbidden in Islam, even touching it. H1N1 outbreak show clearly why pork is haram. And there are many scientific justification I read in the Internet in supporting the above.

I don't agree with this and why...... let say in not so far future, scientist created genetically modified pig, which stop any pathogen transmigration to human, which are very clean and does not produce high toxic waste, which does not have tape worm or any parasite..... Is it during that time pig is OK for us to consume... due to our earlier reasoning is being totally squashed.

Why don't we just said "It's against Islam and God forbid it"..... full stop. No need for justification or scientific proof.... There are always human who like eating pork,... even if their close friend or family died of H1N1 or Nipah.....

Once, my Vietnamese friend asked me, "So you Muslim don't eat pork, because of H1N1".... I answered, "No, I don't eat pork because it's against Muslim religion and God forbid it"..... he silent, and then ask me again "What is God?'......This time, I am the one who silent.. I forgot that most of the population are non believer and don't have any religion....

aliens among us...

2009-08-03T16:09:00.007+08:00

Recently I had quite a long telephone conversation with a close friend. Many thing were spoken and discuss, some with certain level of seriousness while others.. are just plain jokes.

He did mention, before this he just thought that all of us human are merely the same, although not exactly similar, but the difference or delta in the level of attitude and behaviour almost the same. But now he realized, after turning to the age of wisdom and point of no return.... there are too many kind of people, in term of behaviour, attitude, characters etc.

In short, there are many so called aliens living among us, either we realized, accept or not. We do not need a warp drive spacecraft like the Enterprise to take us million of light years away, to far side galaxy for us to make contact and interact with aliens. Open our door each morning and we'll meet them on the road, office, supermarket, kedai makan and so on...

When Gene Roddenberry created Star Trek, probably his intention is to reflect mirror image of human character in the form of space aliens from other galaxy. The infamous Klingon species with their sole purpose to expand the empire with whatever means, and uphold their honour and respect. For them, other species is insignificant and not brave enough to govern anything.

What about a few of us, or probably a part of us who share the same idea and attitude... thinking other peoples who's not at par with our standard and academic level, not qualify enough to handle their responsibilty, or worst, giving their opinion...

The Vulcan and Romulan once come from the same root, separated and become rival due to different idea on dealing with emotion. One side believe in emotion suppression and control, following logic... while the later believe in total freedom of emotion.... Both are not so different from us....

And what about the Borg, who's objective to create higher level of perfection, according to their perception, and assimilate others who's they see fit.... with or without their subject consent. Objection is irrelevant....for them, their idea, ther perception and their way, is the upmost correct way.

I could sense a few Borg among us, who's disregard other opinion and shut the door for any negotiation... for them, resistance is futile....

happy people and unhappy people...

2009-07-24T10:29:00.008+08:00

Sometime why is it so hard for some people to admit their mistakes and ask for forgiveness. Probably for them, talking nicely and sweetly to the person involved, is enough as a representation of their acceptance for their mistake. Adding more effortless lies and misleading information eventhough the sign of retribution is visible must be less ardous task than expressing for simple apology.

Maybe now we are living in the world of deception and secrecy, where almost everything we see and hear, is not totally what it seem to be. Truth become a very alien word,... invaluable for person who's seeking for it... but become mocekry and joke, for people use lie to cover other lie...

Secret, if it does not carry the weight of death or faith, should only be burdened on the adult who's conducting the deed not to other innocent soul.

Wise man say, "happy people happy when they see other people happy, and they are unhappy when other people unhappy. On the contrary, unhappy people happy seeing other people unhappy and unhappy when seeing other people happy".

so choose who we are....

happily everafter.... or unhappily everafter......

Happy father day.....

2009-06-22T07:45:00.008+08:00

A few days ago my FB friend posted a link on this song, "Father and Son" by Yusuf Islam......

Father
It's not time to make a change,
Just relax, take it easy.
You're still young, that's your fault,
There's so much you have to know.
Find a girl, settle down,
If you want you can marry.
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy.

I was once like you are now, and I know that it's not easy,
To be calm when you've found something going on.
But take your time, think a lot,
Why, think of everything you've got.
For you will still be here tomorrow, but your dreams may not.

Son
How can I try to explain, when I do he turns away again.
It's always been the same, same old story.
From the moment I could talk I was ordered to listen.
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away.
I know I have to go.

Father
It's not time to make a change,
Just sit down, take it slowly.
You're still young, that's your fault,
There's so much you have to go through.
Find a girl, settle down,
if you want you can marry.
Look at me, I am old, but I'm happy.
(Son-- Away Away Away, I know I have to
Make this decision alone - no)

Son
All the times that I cried, keeping all the things I knew inside,
It's hard, but it's harder to ignore it.
If they were right, I'd agree, but it's them They know not me.
Now there's a way and I know that I have to go away.
I know I have to go.
(Father-- Stay Stay Stay, Why must you go and
make this decision alone?)

For me, this is truly a strong and full of message song, although I am not a regular music listener. Make me thinking,...... sometime the hardest person you want to communicate and uderstand, is with the person you love most, either your father or your son.

We normally have this kind of feeling, that our closest person have the most understanding of ourselves. But in contrast, we also tend to have the feeling that he is the last person who could understand our dream or ambition.

And most of the time, both of them failed to communicate their heart in bridging this paradox feeling. Deep in our heart, we undeniably love each other, but perhaps male communicate this way between male, especially when certain issue arise.

Communication doesn't always mean a transfer of information via vocal or writing. Silent and gesture, sometime can be a powerful and lasting message. It's not easy being a son, and it's not less harder being a father.

Happy Father Day, though this message come late.....

I miss my late father, and far away son.

Rain, Sickle and Hammer....

2009-06-20T11:43:00.006+08:00

I was quite naughty when I was a boy. My mother had to keep up with me and my 4 small brothers and sisters. It was a hard time, earning daily income as smallholder rubber tapper and raising 5 children. Whenever it's raining, we were very happy, playing around and I could not understand during that time why my parent look worry, sitting down in the house front. For us, it's extra playing activities, when the grass was wet and soft, but for our parent, it's extra day of lost income......

Though I understood after that...., most of the time I still complain when it's raining, which cause coming late to work or back, traffic jam etc... but at the and of the month, no extra lost income day due to rain...

And, I can still remember my mother always scolding and reminding me "don't be a bad and naughty boy, else communist guy would come in and take you away"... normally I become obedience after that ... scared probably. During that that time, communist is the numero uono bad company, probably second ranking after the devil. There's no Decepticon, JE, H1N1, bird flue, Mat Rempit, Venom, Darth Vader etc.....and the list goes on

And look where I am, in the middle of Sosialist Republic communist nation with close link to sickle and hammer founder, Lenin. Whenever I talk to my local friend on this thing, they laughed... and they really laugh loud. Afterall, it isn't so bad living in this country, minus the halal food la. I will write later on that....

In the end, my mother was right, Communist guy and company did really take me away... to do their job.

this is the punishment for being disobedient boy......

.. stay on on track please....

2009-05-24T13:28:00.005+08:00

.. for the past few posting, I think I have probably swayed from my original purpose of writting this blog. Probably due to lacking of ideas, passion, no materials.. or just plain lazy... I think the later best explain my sudden full of picture posting.

I should post it in my "fotografi blog", but I just need to put something or anyhting that kept the monthly or weekly posting, alive.....

I just forgot what is the main reason for me going blogging,.. get distracted, and of track. Well perhaps, this is the idea of blogging... just write whatever you feel to, put posting whatever you like..publish your ideas and experiences or non experience, .. not for others to read or comment, but for your own satisfaction of writing... or posting...

Nonetheless, I do believe in sensitivity and manners in posting...

Menyusui Tam Coc bersama LUMIX FZ-28, bahagian 4

2009-05-11T13:01:00.005+08:00

Cruising Tam Coc with LUMIX FZ-28, part 3

2009-05-11T12:59:00.007+08:00

You can take daily visit to this beatiful place from Hanoi. It cost around USD18 per person, depature from Hanoi by tour minibus at 8:00 am. Took around 2 hours journey. At by 5:00 pm you'll arrived back in Hanoi.

Cruising Tam Coc with LUMIX FZ-28, part 2

2009-05-11T12:56:00.005+08:00

Cruising waterway and limestone grotto at Tam Coc, Ninh Binh with my FZ28...

2009-05-08T21:38:00.007+08:00

These are a few pictures that I took using my Panasonic LUMIX FZ28 camera during my visit to Tam Coc, Ninh Binh Province, Vietnam. Some people relate this beautiful place as "Halong Bay on land", probably due to the almost similar stunning scenery, with water and limestone grotto.

This posting is a copy of my posting in my fotografi blog.

.. I badly need Polarizer/Filter for my Lumix FZ28...

2009-05-08T17:59:00.003+08:00

I took these two photos while visiting Tam Coc, in Ninh Binh province, about 2 hours drive from Hanoi. It was a sunny day, and when I arrived, it's already about 11:30am... the sun shine brightly.
This what happened if you don't have polarizer for your camera. The sun glare and reflection just overexposed your image. I definitely need a polarizer for my Lumix FZ28. These two photos was taken using my polarized sunglass as the improvised polarizer. I put it in front of my len, and snapped.

Look how the depth and the clarity of the photos improved. And the most important, the sun glare or reflection was significantly cancelled, when I shot the river plants under the boat.

People say, Circular Polarizer (CPL), instead of Plane Polarizer is more suited for autofocus digital camera like my FZ28. I do not know the science behind it, but I need to grab one of those.

Else, I have to buy larger polarized sunglasses.

Convert and compress document to PDF...

2009-05-07T17:16:00.005+08:00

I always facing problem when converting documents (word, excel, etc...) to PDF format, especially if the original file is big and full of images. I normally use CutePDF , because it's free and easy to use. But it does not support compression, so file as big as 50MB would end up 45-50MB in PDF format.... File this big won't pass my email... either for sending or receiving.

Then I found this amazing free software; primoPDF. It is like CutePDF, but it do more by putting additional feature, ... data compression. This is the file converter that I been looking, first it's free and downloadble from the Internet... and second, it can compress document.... to quarter of it's size... depending on the quality setting you want.

I having trouble when receiving report document, prepared with 140MB file size. I need to send it across the street or province or across the continent... I need more manageable small size file.

And primoPDF can do it, easily and free....

... Reunification Day...

2009-04-29T16:17:00.005+08:00

It's raining this morning, and unlike the usual, the traffic is quite smooth. Probably many of the city folks have taken the opportunity of long weekend to head home or take some vacation.

Tomorrow, 30th April is a public holiday here, to commemorate The Libertion Day, or The Reunification Day between the late North and South Vietnam.

I captured this text from other site;

On 30th April, 1975 the Vietnam People’s Army (NVA) captured Saigon, the South Vietnamese Capital. This day marked the end of the Vietnam War (Khang chien chong My), commonly known as the “American War”. It resulted in the reunification of Vietnam under Communist rule and Saigon was renamed Ho Chin Minh City. Those who supported the war remember it as the liberation of Saigon. Vietnam celebrates this day every year as Vietnam’s Liberation Day.

The Vietnamese name for it is Ngay Giai Phong. Today it is one of the Major Vietnam Festivals & Events. It is also called the Victory Day or the Reunification Day and Vietnam celebrates it every year declaring it a public holiday. This day initiated the process of reunification of North Vietnam and South Vietnam. The reunification took place on 2nd July, 1976.

To the exiled Vietnamese who are settled abroad and the supporters of the Southern government Vietnam’s Liberation Day is the Ngay Quoc Han (National Day of Infamy) or the Fall of Saigon. In present day Vietnam, supporting the cause of the then southern government is regarded as betrayal to the nation and is punishable by imprisonment. For the Vietnamese who served the country and were in the process hurt and exiled overseas the Liberation Day in Vietnam is a day of remembrance.

.. And for me... I don't know where to go tomorrow, surely all the nice vacation spots thronged with hundreds of visitors...

... KL, a lonely city....

2009-04-23T19:30:00.003+08:00

……”Sometime KL city, with all the hustling, bustling city dwellers and relentless traffic, still a lonely city” .. I couldn’t agree more when one of my close friends said this to me. The message was clear and you can comprehend it straight away, without needing any mental digestion, if you’re in similar situation.

Nowadays, we seldom say hi or salam to old and new friends, asking how they are doing, without associating to one’s profession. We normally ask how things are going with our friends’ business or job. Or worst, we only communicate to our long lost friend if we are looking for business or opportunity for job. We are more likely to associate people with their profession or how much money they earned, or how much they can give opportunity to us… Perhaps we see other peoples, especially our friends, like merchandise paraded on the shelf of hypermarket, with label and packaging. The branded, imported and expensive item, normally nicely packaged and displayed with their own class, while the rest, group in their own class…. Socially and demographically, separated.

Almost no more unconditional greeting or salam or hi or out of the blue message or call, asking how are you truly…. without associating with jobs, business, job contract or money.

When a friend of mine mentioned the above, I was quite surprised…. hearing a confession from married person with family. I always thought loneliness is the effect of being alone…. Like the word cleanliness from the word clean. I’m wrong and I need to understand from the psychological human behavior, not from English 122.

I thought I was the only one lonely from being alone, not only here or previous places that I have been, but also in my beloved home city… The only place where I felt lonely is an alien word, is my kampong. The almost 3 km square of space is all that I need, for me to feel connection to other people not just for their job, money or business….. rather than this vast land of busy city but lonely greeting.

Maybe this is one of the reason why people who felt he/she not as good as their siblings or their friends, felt self intimidation, not just from how much money you earned, or what type of car you drive…. But also from the life you lived and how happy your life is.

The feeling of inferiority and lacking, will lead to seclusion…

It’s a paradox for someone who’s job planning technology for peoples in far countries, to enjoy mobile communication and connection,… but he himself felt less connected to others. It’s like chef, whose job preparing the good food for major grand banquet, but at the end of the day…. had his meal, alone.

So pick up the phone, start calling your friends asking how they are doing. Wrote emails or sms… saying unconditional salam or hi. I would like to believe this action will improve the life of others, but in reality, it takes more than this effort to uplift human spirit………

At least we’ll not make KL, a lonely city...for someone…..

Finding North using watch..

2009-04-13T13:20:00.008+08:00

Actually we can use our watch and sun to find the North direction. I saw Bear Gryll use this methods a few time whenever he find direction in the wilderness. That's why if you noticed, some chronograph watch have this North face bezel that can be rotated.

There 2 simple methods, depending on which hemisphere you are living... Northern or Southern hemisphere. Malaysia fall under Northern hemisphere even though we are just nearby the equator. This method is more accurate if you are further away from the equator.

First method: Northern hemisphere... Align your watch with the hour needle pointing to the Sun. Keep your watch steady... and look at the 12 O'clock position. Look at the the closest path between the hour needle and 12 o'clock position. The halfway position in between hour needle and 12 o'clock is South direction. The North is the opposite end.

Second method: Southern hemisphere... This time you align the 12 o'clock position to the sun. Fixed your watch, and look at the closest path between the 12 position and the hour needle. The halfway position in between that, is the North direction.

You may also use digital watch. Just draw on paper the position of the hour needle and the 12 o'clock position.. and follow the above procedure.

Condition:
* the watch must be in working condition and show the actual time.
* this procedure will only work with normal analog watch. It may not work with Franck Muller Crazy Hour, or 24 hour watch or anticlockwise watch.

Local Sholat time.... Qibla direction... and info on local Mosque and halal restaurant...

2009-04-11T10:24:00.006+08:00

Most of the time when we are travelling away, we find it's hard in getting information on the local sholat time, Qibla direction and any mosque or halal restaurant nearby.

My friend show this very helpful site, www.islamicfinder.org to me, and it's really a big help.

I would log in to this site most of the time to get the local updated sholat time. So my dear readers, please log in into this site if you should go on travel and don't forget bring your compass.

Today menu... Fish tomyam...

2009-04-08T22:31:00.009+08:00

...I was starving, my stomach ache and making terrible sound effect as I step outside the office. The KFC Combo Tom I had for lunch is not enough... I need a real, solid dinner.... and unfortunately, I am cooking...

After reaching home, I straight went to Citimart, bought some cilipadi, zuccini, Onion, limes etc... Zing the cashier, smile as usual seeing me bought kitchen food stuff.... I don't see Ngguapp today. Perhaps it's funny seeing men buying kitchen food stuff here... alone.

I had a few pieces of fish, left over from last week... freshly frozen... cut into pieces and stored in fridge.... Cut some onion, crush few garlics, put the them all inside cooking pot, with some water... boil with Thai Tomyam paste.... put the fish inside... let it cook slowly.

Finally, squeeze fresh lime for the sour and tasty juice....

Dinner is ready sir...

...." I forget to tell you the story happy ending..... it's you"...

2009-04-05T23:57:00.016+08:00

Perhaps this is the best line taken from the film "Definitely, Maybe"....

Definitely, Maybe is a 2008 romantic comedy film from Universal Pictures, directed by Adam Brooks, that stars Ryan Reynolds, Rachel Weisz, Elizabeth Banks, Isla Fisher, and Abigail Breslin.

Story about a father who's in the process of divorce and at the same time, his 10 years daughter anxiously asking question on who her mother is. Although he reluctant, finally he agreed with a condition .....that he will tell it like a story and most of details and names changed. I don't want to write summary of the whole story, as you may get it in more details in wikipedia or other sources.

This film intrigue me perhaps, because of the 90's background.... Bill Clinton running for president and Kurt Cobain song "come as you were". It is like a must song in radios and for youngsters that time...

As the story goes, the daughter finally discovered her mother identity from the story. She's so excited in meeting her after all this while, and at the same time hoping her mother and father can get back together again. 3 of them met in a park, and the parent discussing their separation. Her hope for reconciliation dashed and as the father about to leave, she ran back to him, crying and said, "what is the point all of this, if both of you getting divorce....."

The father gently stood on his knees, holding her arm and said calmly... "I forget to tell you the story happy ending... It's you".....

Each one of us maybe a father or mother to someone else, but we are definitely a daughter or son to somebody. We are the story happy ending...

And whatever happen between parent... don't let it impair and waste the children....

7 pounds.....

2009-04-04T10:25:00.012+08:00

A few week ago, I watched the film "7 Pounds",... played and co produced by Will Smith. Perhaps due to the first impression on the title, the actor and the team who also bring "The Pursuit of Happiness".. I bought the DVD and bring it home.

"7 Pounds" probably referred to Shakespeare's classic "The Merchant of Venice", where Shylock, the creditor or banker demanded repayment in pound of flesh from Antonnio, one of his debtor....regardless the pain inflicted.

The plot is really good but may have moral issue here on taking our life, even for the purpose of others good... Tim Harris was a succesful technology entreprenaur, until he involved in a road accident which killed 7 peoples including his fiance. Feeling the heavy burden of guilt and responsibility, he become an introvert and very quiet person. A total opposite of the man he was, before.

Drive by the guilt feeling and morally in debt with the victims he may caused, he gone into a journey of finding 7 peoples (6 were strangers) who's worthwile receiving his gifts... 7 pounds of his flesh.

Although I have read the synopsis and critics before watching the film, ... I am amazed by the story, .. The story was creatively told and played. It's like you already knew the answers of the questions, but yet you're still looking and enjoy discovering it within the questions. It's not the answer, but the question itself which matter.

This what separate between good and mediocre story. In the later, once you got the answer, the thrill gone. But not for this story.

taxi ride...

2009-03-31T23:49:00.006+08:00

... "kawan dari Malay ke?"... the taxi drive ask me, as I returning from the office. I am quite surprised, but not too surprised since in my kampung, we have about 20 Vietnamesse living and working at the nearby factory. I asked him ... "boleh cakap bahasa Malaysia ke? dulu duduk mana?". He replied with a smile "boleh sikit2... dulu kerja di Nilai, Pontian ... dah jalan2 Terengganu, Johor, Kuala Lumpur"...So we chat till I reached my destination, in bahasa Melayu of course.

I would recommend anyone coming here to use Mai Linh taxi service (green color logo).... they have good taxi (Vios, Innova, cherry) and honest drivers... Please bring map showing the destination and name of the street... Our pronounciation is different from theirs, so for backup, bring the city map.

In Jakarta, I would recommend Bluebird taxi company (light blue in color)... If you cannot find Bluebird, Gamya or Ekspress Taxi service should also be OK... honest and good services.

In Malaysia, I could recommend one Malay taxi driver in Johor Bharu... charged me by meter, and even pay for my lunch....

In KL, there's a Chinese old man who drive the cab with good manner and charged me base on meter reading, no more and no less. And in Shah Alam, I normally called this Indian taxi driver who never overcharged me and very polite. Three of these guys, because of their honesty, politeness and good manners, make me forget temporarily my others bad experiences with my home country taxi services...

May your honesty and kindness repay by God the merciful.....I might forgotten your names, but I will never forget your good deed and excellent job....

The rest... let me check my memory.... scanning... scanning... scanning..

...hmmm.... I cannot recall many good experinces that I wanna write here......and I don't keep track on the negative ecounters.....

move to level 20.... ikan masak kari....

2009-03-30T00:18:00.008+08:00

Last weekend I moved to level 20 from level 10... so it's consider as level UPgrade.... if calculate from the mathematical aspect. The nominal is 10, and the new is 20... 10 level UPgrade.... I need to kill lot of rival gangsters head if I want to reach that level in Facebook Mafia War...

I was so bored, probably due to the killing loneliness and mega boredom... (my appology if there's lot of mistake in my vocabulary,... I the spellchecking only work in Vietnam..).

Luckily, two of friends pay a visit and ask me to cook fish curry. I only had a frozen like stone mackerel fish, bought last 2 week. Amazingly, the cooking and the fish taste very good... probably due to the cold weather, longing hunger for curry, the Babas curry powder itself... or 3 of us just straving. The rice not enough... since I normally cook for myself here, not expecting visitor....

Probably next weekend, sup daging style orang jawa... with sambal kicap......

Planet of the Apes... and speed of light...

2009-03-27T19:12:00.008+08:00

This is a continuum from previous writing.....perhaps too much working with RF path analysis make my brain thinking of weird things...

In Planet of the Apes film, the hero astronout (what his name is....Mark Whalberg) got trapped in time vortex anomaly deep in space, while chasing his estranged space monkey.... they were both riding small capsule spaceship each. Both creatures trapped continously, frozen in time for maybe thousand of years.

Then one day suddenly this guy escape from the anomaly, thrown into orbit and landing on planet quite similar to Earth.. not knowing that he's been away for generation. For him, it's just a few minutes or hours passing by.

As the story told, the research mothership crash landed on the planet thousands years ago due to some problem. The human colony try adapting to new environment, together with their space chimps and apes. As time goes by, these apes began revolting and showing aggressive behaviour toward human, probably due to their intelligence evolution or mankind become more stupid... I agree on the second, as we witness now. The apes lead by Seymour the chimpanzee I think began enslaving the mankind.....

And then this captain came in, held captive, escape and lead mankind to fight for freedom...

That second part of the story probably more toward biology, genetic, pschology, politic or behavioural science... I am more interested in the first part... the physic part.

Theoritically, if you travel fast enough nearing or achieve the speed of light, time slow down and finally standstill for us. One hour or one minute of our time pass by, probably hundreds or thousand of year have gone by. It's like we are trapped and frozen in time, but still living.

Space station cosmonaut, when they come back to earth, their body cell sample was taken and put under microscope, for measuring sign of aging. And it's found out that, they aging was on slower pace than normal human living on earth. The reason is, they are living inside space station which travel very very fast, orbiting the earth almost 16 times a day.

From Physic theory, this is possible,... but in reality, it's impossible, cause no living things can survive travelling to speed of light, even if we have the vehicle manage to do that... our body will just disintegrate... due to mainly our cell was bonded with forces or particles that travel with speed of light... when we reach reach the speed of light, the forces that binded us is no more effective.,.... we just disintegrate....no more glue to lock our body together....

On earth, speed also effect our age.... in reverse.....shortening it every time our leg press the gas pedal....or our hand squezzing the throttle... So if you want stay young, or old... go straight for the speed of light, not 180 or 220 km/h.... in space offcourse, where collission possibility is minimal....

Misconception on space station 'no gravity' condition...

2009-03-26T20:28:00.008+08:00

When our first cosmonaut blasted to space and stay in the famous space station, almost everybody backhome (including me) astonished and amazed by the experience and condition in space. Cosmonauts and their things just floating around, defying the gravity that nail us to the Earth.

Some people say, this is due to the no gravity effecting the space station and the occupants. I also believed this is the explanation, until someone ask me...

"If there's no gravity, and the cosmonauts floating around... then why the spacestation does not float around also??''..... hmmmm.. there's logic in the question...

So, as usual.. I googled for the explanation...

And I need to read the explanation a few times before my brain unfreeze and understood.

Basically the space station is orbiting the Earth hundreds km above our head, and our Mother Earth gravity does have effect on it. Otherwise, it will just flown away out of orbit and into space.

The Earth gravity force pulling the body, keep the space station in orbit.

Then why the cosmonauts and all the things inside floating around? If the gravity pulling the space station, the logic is, the force is also pulling the occupant. So why are they floating around??

The explanation is, since the space station always moving in circle, orbiting the Earth almost 16 times a day... the occupants may it be human, monkey or things will always be in constant free fall condition. They are constantly in state of free fall, not "no gravity". No gravity if you flown out into space..... what they experience is microgravity....

It's like being inside a lift... and the cable snapped and keep falling down, till terminal velocity.... everbody inside will experience weightlessness...

space and time... and movie...

2009-03-25T19:13:00.007+08:00

Last weekend, I actually planned to visit the Museum of Literature or maybe the infamous Prison during the French colonization, but was cancel as I hooked to the idiot box, showing movie ... The Groundhog Day... and later .. Planet of the Apes...

I can remember last time, when I took the subject of Quantum Mechanics as one the subject for Physics... I didn't have any clue. Total clueless. Most of the time during the lecture, I wrote down the lectures and formulas without knowing... and don't ask me about the application.

I don't know is it just me or my other fellow friends also face these problems... I am just writing down, and try memorizing the weird formula in my head and hopefully with Mathemathical knowledge I could answer the exam. That's the only reason I memorize the funny and weird looking formulas.

Just memorize a few of Shroedinger equations and hopefully they come out during exam. And as expected, my result was ... a failure. I didn't put much hope anyway, it's better for me to focus on potential subjects.

I just couldn't grasp the idea, when the lecturer said that we're now living with 4 dimension... not 3 dimension. Where's the 4th come from? I only know 1 is X, 2 is Y and 3 is Z.. the xyz dimension that can easily be plotted on graph. Perhaps I am not paying attention or he failed to give simple example, i failed to understand why time is the 4th dimension. Time is just unit measurement ....a mean to measure event from A to B. What time got anything to do with xyz (space)??

I had all almost all the weird formulas, memorize it (for the exam of course...) but i still fail to relate Time and Space.

Then, after I watched a movie.. can't remember the title... but definitely long after finishing my study... I got revealation... finally my brain understood...

The example given is easy and very practical... the example is us, human.. we start from baby, grow up to children, then teenage, adult.. and finally old .. before the ultimate death.

As we grow, our body expand and grow in xyz axis (depth, length, width)... and that is space dimension. Meaning we have some event in space dimension.. the 3 dimension side.

And we also grow from baby to adult to old .... this is time dimension... only time can measure this event, not space.... and this is the mysterious 4th dimension.... xyz cannot measure when we are young, old, birthday or any time related event.

For me, this is a simple enough example of space and time continum... And I cannot imagine living in world with only 3 dimension, where time just standstill... or probably time move, but we only have xy, yz, or xz dimension.....

Next I will be writing on the usual misconception of 'no gravity' in the space station condition ... like experienced by Sheikh Muzaffar...

Ha Long Bay ... series 2...

2009-03-01T13:09:00.004+08:00

Hạ Long Bay (literally: Descending Dragon bay; Vietnamese: Vịnh Hạ Long) is a UNESCOWorld Heritage site located in Quảng Ninh province, Vietnam. The bay features thousands of limestone karsts and isles in various sizes and shapes.

Perhaps this photos justify why this location was chosen by UNESCO as one of the 7th Nature World Wonder....

Congregation of tour boat, slowly entering the secluded, hidden local floating fishing village....
It's just like discovering new civilization....
The local floating fish farm....you could buy the seafood here and cook on the boat... but the price quite premium...
the boat goes deeper into the bay....

Ha Long Bay....

2009-03-01T12:47:00.006+08:00

A fews weeks ago, my friends and I managed to visit Ha Long Bay... famous natural tourist attraction not so far away from Ha Noi... And since every nature wonder have their own local legend... I just attached the information from Wikipedia.

Local legend has it that long ago, when the Vietnamese were fighting Chinese invaders, the gods sent a family of dragons to help defend the land. This family of dragons began spitting out jewels and jade. These jewels turned into the islands and islets dotting the bay, linking together to form a great wall against the invaders. The people kept their land safe and formed what later became the country of Vietnam. After that, dragons were interested in peaceful sightseeing of the Earth and decided to live here then. The place where Mother Dragon flew down was named Hạ Long, the place where the dragon children attended upon their mother was called Bái Tử Long island (Bái: attend upon, Tử: children, Long: dragon), and the place where the dragon children wriggled their tails violently was called Bạch Long Vỹ island (Bạch: white- colour of the foam made when Children Dragon wriggle, Long: dragon, Vỹ: tail).

Bird of prey....
Captain and boat crew....
Nearing the location...
We are at the entrance of the fishing village..

Friday night traffic chaos + nice local house....

2009-02-21T10:20:00.004+08:00

This photos was taken from my office building, on Friday night recently. This among teh main junction in the city and there are traffic lights.... but the traffic just chaotic....
Just imagine yourself driving or riding bike or ... taking chance crossing the road. I saw there are two traffic police officer manning the traffic... but the traffic just seem uncontrollable... probably in our outsider eyes... For the local, it's normal day as usual....
Police traffic here has such a magic power when controlling the traffic... probably the obedience of the peoples or the harsh punishment if you disobey...
We visit a few sites today, and I was quite amazed with the nice houses in this area.. the design probably influenced by the French... I could saw they have small fruits orchard, vegetable gardens and reared a few chickens... Even rich people here reared chickens...
Most of the house have the national flag... perhaps belong to important party member.....

Halal restaurant in Hanoi....

2009-02-14T15:55:00.005+08:00

As far as I know, this is the only halal restaurant in Ha Noi... although there's 1-2 more restaurants claimed they are halal... their defination of halal is unconvincing...

Nisa restaurant is operated by uncle Ben Taat, a Malaysian who has been living here for quite a long time... The above picture is the local gift shops nearby the restaurant... since I have problem with my upload here... I just keep it there...
The menu comprising local Malay, Indian and Western dishes... and they are delicious... the portions is generous ... and the pricing if you compare to Malaysia is quite high, but if you compare to the local dishes here.... it's reasonable... about RM20 per person.

I was amazed to see the owner collections of photos, from the photos of him with the famous public figures.. such as presidents, ministers, politician, artist..... to photos of his involvement in Sepaktakraw game in various countries....
This is the restaurant name card... keep it with you as you need it when you want to direct the taxi driver to the location... they don't speak English here..... so a card with local address really helpfull..

the ambience inside is quite cosy and relaxing... place for Malaysian use to hang out for tea tarik and chat.... the usual patrons are Malaysian, Indonesian, Singaporean... and foreigner who loved the food....
front view of the restaurant.....

It's blogging again...

2009-02-14T11:34:00.007+08:00

I have to appologise to my fellow friends who's been asking me on my update... I don't know why, I gradually felt like not writing... perhaps thinking of my new job in Hanoi.. after relaxing for almost 3 months back in Muar.

So now, I have been staying in Ha Noi for more than a week... trying adapting to the local culture, trafiic, non english speaking peoples, hard to find halal food, and quite unwelcome weather... cold and dusty...
This photo were taken at the famous local and tourist spot, nearby Hoa Kiem Lake.... normally after office, me and my friend take a cab to the only halal restaurant .. have decent dinner.. and walk to this place... just watching the local enjoying the night...
Vietnamesse like to going out at night, they just travelling in their scooters and motorcycles.. going from places to places... hanging out in hundreds of street side cafe... perhaps because of the French influence...
This is the lake near the Ha Noi Zoological Garden... I don't know the name but I need to go there early in the morning to capture the sight of unpertubated lake... later, and the perfect reflection would be lost...

sunset.. sunrise... and no sun

2009-01-13T14:07:00.002+08:00

This sunset photo was taken at my usual favourite spot... Parit Jawa, Muar fisherman port. The water was calm that day due to no tide... giving mirror reflection effect of the old jetty. Normally we can see water ripple on the surface ....caused by tide or boat movement...
Sunrise photo shot taken on the early morning as I'm preparing to buy some fish from the local market. The huge kampung durian tree give special visual effect....
Moon over my kampung house... photo taken using 15 second exposure, tripod and night scene setting. To get a steady night shot, use the timer.... in addition of using tripod, use timer to activate the photo snap... this is because, if you snap manually, there's a minute movement of the camera which will effect the photo quality... so use timer or remote control. My camera does not have remote control...

cat story....

2009-01-13T10:08:00.013+08:00

Since currently I am free and bored... and I don't know what to write... probably I just told a short story about cats that live within my vicinity....
This is Pontelan.... fat, heavyweight, cuddly feline... belong to my brother, whose living next door. I caught her last time, whey she try stealing Whiskas which I kept for my cat.... She's very quite, doesn't meow much and sneaking like fat ninja from the Kitchen windows.... making her way undetectable barely, trying to climb the cupboard.. reaching for the purple packages of Whiskas...

As I caught her red pawed... she's in her typical expressionless face... trying to look cute.. and managed to pose for my photo shot... and walk away without shame nor remorse...
This is Pontelan trying to pick fight with my scared to the bone cat... Misai (her other name was Macan Tutul).. I am sure Pontelan is just trying to make friend and play .. but this paranoid, nervous and low self esteemed Misai just scream and defence herself without reason...

The statistic would say, she's will definitely lose to the heavyweight Pontelan.... but yet no sign of surrender nor social negotiation initiated by Misai... a very disturbed and not smart cat...

My mother have other theory.. perhaps Pontelan is feeling resentful for our cat and want to get rid of them... so she can monopolize the Whiskas for herself...
Misai is not just fearful with Pontelan, she's totally paranoid with people she's doesn't know... especially me... the person who supply the Food Aid.... ungrateful creature.....

Waitlah, when I am gone and start living away again... don't dream to have crunchy Whiskas.... back to left over fish and rice....

2009 yang muram...

2009-01-09T09:40:00.004+08:00

Akhir tahun lepas, kira2 2 minggu sebelum 2009, aku terpaksa hantar anak aku ke kota.... utk bersama ibunya...Luqman akan tinggal di sana dan memulakan sessi baru persekolahan di sekolah baru.

Tiba-tiba aja aku jadi malas dan hilang punca semangat. Hampir sepanjang cuti sekolah hujung tahun, dia jadi teman tidur sebelah aku... teman jalan2 aku.... teman aku ambil foto... Kini bila dia dah berpindah, suatu kekosongan jiwa betul2 terasa dalam diri aku. Mungkin inilah yg dirasakan oleh ibu dan arwah ayah aku pabila anak2nya seorang demi seorang meninggalkan mereka...

Sepanjang dia duduk dgn aku, aku yakin mempunyai tujuan dan harus dilaksanakan. Sekarang, aku jadi slow, lembab, kurang berdaya maju dan malas....

Semoga dia happy bersama ibunya dan persekitaran baru.... dan aku tak ada kawan nak buat puzzle atau model kapalterbang.

Sunset.... Tanjung Mas Muar....

2008-12-21T16:57:00.006+08:00

After waiting several days for the right sunset view, I finally hit the jackpot....that day the weather was hot and the sky was very clear, with only a few patches of clouds with background of beautiful blue sky....

I always love blue sky ... and I noticed that I witnessed more blue sky last time when I am a boy than now. Perhaps the global climate change and pollution, increased the volume of airborne particles then formed clouds....and haze...

My son with some newly meet kids and their parent, enjoying the sunset and staring at jellyfish trapped between the rocks in the shallow water...
I can't identify if the fisherman boat was making way for the sea or coming home..... but definitely the sun was leaving this part of the longitude to enlighten other part of the world... It's Maghrib time...
My faithful company and model.....busy looking for mud skipper, crabs, jellyfish etc.....but I hate to say, we found more human garbage on the shore than God beautiful creatures....
The combination of sun ray, reflection on the water surface and rocks, gentle tide, mangrove trees and clear sky.. bring harmony and tranqulity feeling during that very moment.....

evening cloud formation......

2008-12-18T13:53:00.009+08:00

As usual, almost every evening if the weather is permissible, I would go to this place after sending my son for his evening playground routine...

I am wishing for a beautiful sunset even though the current weather is quite unpredictable... Nevertheless I am not so disappointed... the cloud formation that evening was magnificent...

The sky was quite clear for most of it.... only on the horizon, it's seem to be hazy with dark cloud formation..... that's probably the reason why the price of fishes going up recently... our fishermen reluctant to go the sea due to bad weather in the middle of the sea.. in my case Straits of Malacca....

The sun just vanished away under the curtain of dark hazy cloud on the horizon... if not, it will surely be, a beautiful sunset... like at Bikini Bottom...

almost full moon on 14 Zulhijjah...

2008-12-16T13:23:00.008+08:00

Each time I went back to Muar, I never felt bored nor tired to snap photo of Muar Jame' Mosque the II.... perhaps I am living on this side of the river ... If I stay on the Tanjung Agas side, perhaps I will be snapping the original Muar Mosque photo...

Ever since I had camera, the Mosque is among my photography obsession... Each photo or moment i captured doesn't seem satisfied me...
This almost full moon image was taken on 14 Zulhijjah recently.... I was heading home with my son, and I saw the moon almost full... I said to myself, this the perfect time for me to snap the photo since the shadowy side of the moon clearly revealed the craters....

By tomorrow, 15 Zulhijjah... the moon will be totally full and brightly lit... I won't be able to capture the craters image...

I stop at the roadside, took out my camera, put it under 4 Mega pixel resolution so I can have better zoom of 23x... snapped several shots... If I put it under full resolution, 10MP.... I only have zoom of 18x.

I need to adjust a bit on the result using Irfanview...

My bridge camera ... Panasonic Lumix FZ28

2008-12-12T16:04:00.008+08:00

I finally bought a bridge camera... and currently still around 2 weeks old. The 4 GB SD memory card still have many empty space. With the presence of this new gadget or shall I say toy, I am transform back in time, perhaps 30 years back.... like a small boy experimenting with his new toy.

I need to upgrade to a better camera, since my compact camera have many limitation, not enough zoom, slow in auto focusing and image capture, no enough wide angle.. just to name a few.

I need a camera with quite a powerful zoom so that I can capture moment..... with normal compact, you have to be so closed to the subject to capture the photo.... which will make the moment less natural or worst, gone... due to disturbance of serenity or harmony.. such as if you want to snap photo of bee or butterfly on flowers.. Or capture human expression...

The camera come with adequate wide angle although still not comparable with DSLR but better than my compact camera...the above photo show the advantage of wide angle lens.This is Pontelan, the bad cat belong to my brother living next to my kampung house.... I don't know why she kept coming in and pick up fight with our cats, Minciku and Macan Tutul....She's quite heavyweight in size....

My son looking hermit crab among the rocks at Tanjung Mas Muar.

Perhaps the main reason I choose Panasonix Lumix FZ28, is the price... RM1460. You can get it cheaper in lelong.com.my, but I have more trust on the old face to face commerce style...especially if you are dealing with merchandise worth more than RM500.

I read through the comments from users, amateur and pro, most of them give high rating for this camera... This camera is meant for people who want most of the features of the DSLR, lightweight, compact, quite high quality image, wide angle lens with macro to telephoto... without need to exchange the lenses... and capture video...

For me, this camera is good enough for me.... although a few reviews said the image is not as sharp as DSLR.... bridge camera cannot be as good as DSLR. One of the main reasons is, the photo sensor is switched on all the time and exposed to light during the camera operation.... If you remember from the Physics lecture, this will saturate the photosensor and create noise ....

In DSLR, since you are viewing using the viewfinder, the photo sensor only exposed to light in microsecond during the button snapped to capture image.

Furthermore, the photo sensor in bridge camera is much smaller compare to DSLR... Bigger is better ma....

Anyway, this camera is a compromise between function, agility, quality ...and pricing...

The last factor is the main factor for me....

* Note: Review on the camera http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/read_opinions.asp?prodkey=panasonic_dmcfz28

Visit to Parit Jawa small fish landing port....and mud skippers

2008-12-12T15:04:00.010+08:00

Early this week I took my son to watch with own eyes the mud skipper fish ...ikan belacak...ikan tembakul... or ikan belodok. Beside from reading books and watching Natgeo, he never seen mud skipper fish live.

The location was, Parit Jawa fish landing port... this type of creature dwell in muddy river mouth. Normally the fishes will come out from their burrow in the morning.. perhaps to avoid the scorching heat of the sun during noon...

I had hard time waking him up, early in the morning .. since it's school holiday.. After strong persuasion, we finally of to the site.

According to the Jeff Corwin, the mud skipper kept some amount water in their mouth so that their gills can conduct respiration... it's just like us when we do scuba diving, we bring along the compressed air tank.. so we can breathe through our lungs...

I remembered last time when I took scuba diving for the first time in Bali, my compressed air tank... nearly emptied, perhaps due to excitement and wrong breathing technique underwater....The instructor had to gave me his breathing apparatus so I could continue breathing while we ascending to the surface... luckily it's only a 5m deep dive.. If the depth more then that, perhaps I would be another sea creature meals...

Looking at the mud skipper face I remembered the Gungan ... the alien creature in Star Wars...with it famous character, Jar Jar Binks....

the beauty of raindrops....

2008-12-05T14:50:00.013+08:00

" Tears from Heaven"....

Yesterday, after 3 long hot and humid days.... rainfall finally pay a visit. I really enjoy each time it's rain in my kampung, although some of the villager may have different feeling... since they can't go rubber tapping the next day... Since the price of palm oil go down badly, some of the villagers resort to rubber tapping... just to meet the end.

The rain started around 3 pm, as anticipated due to heavy dark cloud since in the morning.....

I sat down in front of the house, enjoying and feeling the cool air and thumping sound as the raindrop hits the zinc roof.... without realizing I dozed off for a few minutes, while Luqman reading book beside me...

The rain subsided late that day, and as the volume of the raindrops decreasing...... I managed to snapped a few shots....

The clear and transparent droplets of water falling from the sky, hit the zinc roof and flow down to the earth.... frozen in time captured by photo sensor.....

It's just like diamond ....glittering.....in purest form.. just like " Tears from Heaven".....

Flight to Yogyakarta and Quantum of Solace.....

2008-11-16T22:38:00.018+08:00

Last week I went for "jalan-jalan" to Yogyakarta in Central Java. The flight from Jakarta would only take about 1 hour.......

I could hardly remember when was the last time I managed to sleep soundly, as soon as I buckled my seat belts ... and only to be disturb by the stewardess asking for my dining menu selection... during that time, we can opted for variety of food selection, even in domestic flight....The time when oil price was still cheap and I don't have to pay for my ticket flight with my own money (hehehe...)...

Flight was consider among the safest transport for me... Until I watched the documentaries on aircraft disaster, the reason, the stupid mistake by the pilots, ground staff, the plane condition... and the weather itself... Thanks a lots Natgeo.... before that, taking a flight is like taking express bus at Puduraya for me....

The weather was not on our side that day... When the Captain mentioned we'll be facing turbulence due to the heavy rain and bad weathers above Adisucipto airport... my heart just seem stopped momentarily, my hand getting cold, and I just stared down the floor.... A typical sign of people expecting terrifying situation. To calm my anxiousness, I took the flight complimentary magazine... read the content with my mind unfocused....The passengers whose before this talking and laughing,... silent.....

I found short article on Bond latest movie "Quantum of Solace".. It's written here.....

What is a quantum of solace?....

It's actually mentioned in Ian Fleming's For Your Eyes Only. It's a debate Bond had with an ambassador at a party about relationships and when they break down and what moment there's no hope. Once that hope is gone there's nothing left. The quantum of solace is that last little bit of comfort when even at the darkest time in a relationship, you look at the other person and say you still love each other. For Bond in the last movie he never had that. So this new movie is partly about him trying to find that.

Actually in the movie, Quantum is the secret organization head by Dominic Greene...I do not know what's the relation with the title...

The plane had to hover 15 minutes above the airport, to wait for better weather condition... Once the plane ready for landing.... I just prayed with all the passengers... probably one of my sincere and deep plead to the Almighty.....There's no need for me to describe the turbulence and plane rocking sideways..... sudden increase and drop of altitude... heavy rain.....

The plane finally touched down, and the reversed thrust activated immediately to slow down the momentum... the strip was known for it's short length....

When the air steward announced we have safely landed .... that's moment is my Quantum of Solace.....A moment of feeling grateful and joy for being safe and sound....Alhamdulillah...

Surau kedua Parit Amal Darat Muar Johor....

2008-11-12T10:22:00.019+08:00

Salam sejahtera tuan-tuan, puan-puan dan saudara-saudariku sekalian. Syukur ke hardrat Illahi, atas izinNya dan sumbangan derma ikhlas dari para dermawan dan peluh keringat sukarelawan, Surau Kampung Parit Amal Darat, Muar, Johor telah selamat siap dibina..... kira2 90% siap.

Alhamdulillah, setelah hampir 10 bulan dari tarikh permulaan (awal November 2007) kerja-kerja pembongkaran surau lama, yg diperbuat dari papan dan kayu.... Surau baru yg dibina dari konkrit dan simen selamat menerima jemaah pertama untuk Solat Terawih pada Ramadhan 1429H.

Menurut AJK Surau, dana yg terkumpul adalah sekitar RM80,000+, dan perbelanjaan utk kerja-kerja berkaitan pembinaan menelan belanja kira-kira RM75,ooo+.

Menurut beliau, banyak sumbangan yg diterima dari penderma-penderma yg tidak dikenali.

Sumbangan material yang terdiri dari bahan-bahan binaan dari para dermawan memberikan impak yg besar terhadap terdirinya bangunan ini. Pada hari ucapan perasmian pembukaan, Imam surau sangat terharu.... menangis tak dapat meneruskan ucapan kerana terharu dgn kerjasama dan sumbangan yg diterima.

Tidak lupa setinggi-tinggi terma kaseh atas sumbangan keringat dan tenaga kerja sukarelawan, dari sekecil-sekecil mengangkat papan atau batu, sehingga sebesar-besar mengendalikan JCB... dari yang tiada kepakaran (mcm saya) membina sehingga kepada tukang kayu dan pandai rumah, dgn kepakaran mereka membina surau ini.

Di sini saya ingin mewakili kariah dan penduduk Kampung Parit Amal Darat, Muar, Johor... merakamkan setinggi-tinggi ucapan terima kaseh dan terharu di atas sumbangan ikhlas tuan-tuan, puan-puan dan saudara-saudari sekalian.... sama ada dari segi sumbangan kewangan, material atau tenaga kerja....

Semoga sumbangan dan jasa baik ini diterima Allah sebagai amalan soleh/solehah dan mendapat imbalan yg setimpal sama ada di dunia atau akhirat....

Jasa baik tuan-tuan, puan-puan dan saudara-saudari sekalian tidak dapat kami balas.

Nota: buat masa ini, Surau ini maseh memerlukan sumbangan utk sistem pembesar suara. Kepada tuan-puan yg berhasrat utk memberi sumbangan, sila hubungi saya.

Homemade Rozelle Syrup....

2008-11-06T23:18:00.008+08:00

Last week I went to my kampung in Muar... and as usual I must pay a visit to the local market Pasar Parit Jawa, located about 8km from my house. Living in city like Jakarta or Kuala Lumpur, the meaning of sweet fresh fish or seafood is seem non existence... although there's a few places here where you can get decent fresh seafood supply.... Actually I am quite sceptical on the freshness, is it really fresh..... or any additional substances added ...such as formalin....

I was looking for ikan mayong, a not so far cousin of seawater catfish... For me and most Muar people, this is one of the best fish for asam pedas Muar style.... although some people may say, ikan pari (stingray) or ikan parang is better.... for me, ikan mayong is among the best....(almost same ranking with ikan sembilang).... especially the fish head....deliciously succulent, combined with the aroma and smooth taste of daum kesum...(Vietnamese coriander)

I remember when I was little boy, my late father used to buy ikan mayong as our routine source of protein.... that time the size was generous, almost half of my height...whenever we had fish dishes, 80% would be the mayong. Until there were times we all could not bear the taste. I did asked my mother about this.. why this fish became our family main menu... the answer was simple... mayong fish was among the cheapest during that time. Now I understand, to raise and feed 9 children's with income as rubber tapper....taste was non priority....

But don't be surprise today if you couldn't buy the fish at the local market..... the asam pedas restaurant and food stall have already book the fish,.... in fulfilling the local and outsider taste....And the price is not cheap now....

While looking for the fish, I noticed a stalls selling buah ribena (Rozelle) .... and the stall owner advertised that this Rozelle is good for syrup making.. I bought a few kilos.

We firstly clean the Rozelle's fruits or flowers. Soaked in clean water and washed a few times..... separates the petals and the seed inside.....boiled together with water over a medium slow flame and add sugar slowly to add sweet taste. The raw taste is pure sour.......Boil until the syrup thicken and the taste is balanced, between sour and sweet. Put off the flame, and let it cool down. Sift the syrup and store the liquid inside bottle or any container..... the petals can be eaten directly and taste like preserved fruit....

Not much story about Rozelle syrup.... more story about mayong.....

It's raining again... Alhamdulillah

2008-10-30T17:00:00.003+08:00

It's starting raining again here since last week, Alhamdulillah. The cooling effect, temporary fresh air and bright sky after the rain, remind me of my kampung. Before this, the weather was just dry, hot and you felt very stuffy and stale air due to the high pollution level. Most of the time the air quality is so bad, you throat felt dry and sore, your hair get hardened due to the gratis air pollutant hair gel.....

At least my office is in the south of the city... the effect is lesser. This part of the city is consider the 'the green lung' of the city, lots of trees and a few public park. In spite of that, what i am seeing now, each corner, each patch of vacant land that was previously green and fresh... now explored, building for new mall and apartment...for the sake of development. Good example is the empty lot behind my office is becoming Bakrie Imperium, high profile apartment and mall.... I don't know the name for another new city under development at Mega Kuningan... Last time i used to fly paper plane from the apartment level 20+ to that open field. The best design was the Paperang glider... it's just glide....like eagle....

Probably, 10-20 years from now, if I return to this city... there's no more empty space of land....becoming mall city. Even today, there are too many malls and ICT.... only a few area gazetted as open air public park such as Taman Menteng or some people called it Taman Kodok (I don't see many kodok there...). Located not far from my office... but unfortunately I seldom go there...

Today evening, probably it will rain or probably not... People will normally associate rain with macet (traffic jam), wet, going home late or early, slow work progress, network availability compromise... etc.. Let's just see from the positive side, how many disaster happen due to rain. Statistically very few, compare to the rainfall we encounter through our lifetime. Unlike rain,..... ....earthquake or volcano eruption or tsunami, is a sure disaster.

So next time rain falling on our head, be cool and calm like Peter Parker in Spider man 2..... and don't be like Milli Vanilli which only blame it on the rain....

Books for my son

2008-10-30T12:50:00.002+08:00

Last night I bought some books for my son.. his birthday is middle of next month. Try to find a decent and educational books, with lots of picture and good story. A few days ago I called him and asked, what he want for his birthday, he simply answered " Luqman nak buku ".

I went to a nearby mall and went up to Gramedia bookstore, searching for books that's is suitable with his age... hmmm..... There's quite a number of children Islamic book, but I do not prefer them so much, because the book depicted the image of our Prophets in most of the " Kisah-kisah para Nabi " books, although there's no depiction of Prophet Muhammad pbuh.

The price of local published books here is acceptable.... but imported books is expensive... I managed to buy ' The adventure of Tin -Tin ' books (3 copies) in Bahasa Indonesia. The original books in English, is expensive... 4 times the local price. I also bought books about pirates with 3D diagram, from a local kid store downstairs. Previously I also bought 3D books about Dinosaur and Jungle animals. It's seem I'm the only person buying books from that kid store.

Probably he will enjoy reading the books, viewing the pictures and learn some Bahasa Indonesia....

It is that time again.....and my memory as Tutor Pusat Asasi Sains UM 93

2008-10-29T11:08:00.008+08:00

Dear readers...

I can still remember my first job as part time tutor and lab demonstrator in a local University, back then. My salary was base on hours and each end of the month, I have to submit worksheet for approval to the supervisor or lecturer. On top of that, we also get paid on the numbers of lab report paper we checked.... to be fair, we among the tutors, distribute fairly the paper among us...

The salary was not much and not less.. it's enough for single person like me during that time... just graduated in 1993, where you can still fill a full tank of kapchai with RM2.50... where the price of daily acceptably good breakfast, lunch and dinner, does not cross RM10 line.... Most of us were just graduated and work temporally, only a few otais were the permanent . Basically I took this job because I have no job at that time..... jobless and living in KL..... I need to pay for the house rent and utility bills also...

After many job seeking, hundreds of application letter, several work interviews...finally one telco contractor company in PJ accepted me. There's no online job application such as jobstreet, jobsdb, jobserve etc like today. Post office during time, is really a post office by function... not like now, where they only busy during festive season handling greeting cards.. and most the people going there now, to settle utilities bill.

It take quite a courage and nerve to meet my supervisor, saying that I need to resign.. after working there for about 7-8 months. This was my first resignation tender. He understood and give some encouragement on my future career, though I can sense there's a regret tone in his voice.

After that, I have changed job but not career, many times.. many application.. and many resignation. The longest period job I held was for 9 years....despite the figures, I was never prepared to resign or at least to meet my boss, saying I want to quit.

Once my close friend advise me.... don't get sentimental with your job, love yourself more. People who's sentimental with their job, will have personal feeling affection... they will claimed this were their project, their baby, their hand print were all over, and sometime denying other people contributions... and worst, they feel their jobs and the division he/she leads is theirs... creating a sub domain.. a company within a company. And they think they are the boss, creating their own policy and set new rules.... beside the larger company policy itself.

My current job does not require me to resign.... I will be terminated once the period expire...Once I enter the job, I am prepared for resignation in 6 - 10 months ahead....Furthermore, I contribute to this planet for not wasting a few pages of resignation letter paper....

Nevertheless, I am half prepared...

Why I choose Physics...

2008-10-28T15:34:00.011+08:00

"Your grade in Geology is good.. even your Maths grade is quite good.. I don't see any good reason why you need to choose Physics as your major.....you have potential in Geology subject". I can still remember my good lecturer advise me on what Major subject I should take for my 3rd and final year. Its was 1991, ... location Dataran Kimia at Science faculty , or what it is so called with... my friends and I used to 'study maut' there, especially when the final term exam was just around the corner....

During that time, and probably still now, Science student need to take 4 subjects for their 1st and 2nd year course. My choice were.... Geology, Math, Physics and Philosophy of Science. The later is a compulsory subject until the final year. Only during 3rd year and above you are going for Major course... and if you smart enough you can go for double major... for me double trouble. The basis of selection can be from academic factors such as limited numbers of space for popular subject, prospect for future job, opportunity for further study ... to very much non to do with the academic .. following friends or girl friends, cost comparison, or just dumb clueless on what subject to undertake...

Despite her advice and disapproval, I chooses Physics as my major subject, not because I dislike Geology... (i have to admit i don't like math.. higher level of math I mean...). I enjoy Geology subject.. and who doesn't... we are studying about the Earth history, learn about dinosaur, precious minerals, Earth formation... and the field trip was entertaining beside educational. My son have hard time believing when he asked me with his eyes wide open "Ayah belajar pasal dinosaur... dia makan orang tak?". Geology is not just a subject, but an adventurous field of study for me that time...

But due to my budget limitation, I have to choose major subject which was cost friendly at that time, despite my interest and capability.....

I go for Physics. At my time, Geology student have to spend at least around RM1,000 for their final year project... this cost include the field trip cost, mineral slide preparation, map etc... I do not have that amount of money. My loan was just enough (with most of the time deficit...) to cover my daily expenses, acceptable meals, house rental, decent clothing..... on top of the compulsory course fee, examination fee, lab fee etc....RM1,000 nowadays, is just the value of most student hand phone.

Sometime in life we have to make decision and choose not base on our liking or our ability... but on knowing our limitation... only Allah swt knows better.

I didn't regret of my choice and I am grateful... for which I choose my path, otherwise I would have different career and I might know and meet different peoples in life... and at that time you may perhaps read my blog and know me for just any other stranger...not as friends...Or worth case scenario, I won't be able to complete the course due to insufficient monetary fund

Things happen for reason.... but we can make reason for thing to happens....

SMS Muar batch 86....

2008-10-28T14:49:00.003+08:00

Dear readers,

I just viewed my friend Facebook, and he just uploaded a few photos of our Sekolah Menengah Sains Muar batch 1986. They had a informal reunion and meeting up session last week, I regret I can't joint in with you guys....

From the photos, I could see most of us have changed physically... people always say, if thing can't grow taller, they will expand larger.. heheh... But I was astonish to see a few of us maintain the bodily proportion... Cayalah beb...

Our bath is probably one of the oldest SMS Muar batch (2nd batch of form 4 intake in 1985), correct me if i am wrong. But after seeing all my good old friend in the photos, I thought it's only yesterday when we ran to Dewan Makan together after the prep bell rang, we play football together on field nearby cemetery, sunshine or rainy day.... we fight and quarrelled among us.... have crushed on the other girls from different or same class...

Lots of memory that make me as what I am today... Each time when I go back to my Kampung, I would take a left glance when I passed my old school, looking back at the memory, bitter or sweet... and wish my son could have a good experience in his life also...

Inferiority in the making....

2008-10-27T17:52:00.009+08:00

It was during Physics subject lab class, when suddenly the teacher asked 9 students to stepped forward (5 boys and 4 girls). I couldn't remember exactly the number of students, but I am very sure the total number of the boys is more than 1 compare to the girls. I was one of the unlucky students to be called forward, and soon enough I know that this so called physics educational charade was for me....

The teacher, with his typical smile, make a scenario ...."let's say, during one of the preparatory study (prep) at night, one of you (he addressed to the girls) have sudden urge to go the toilet... the toilet is located far away... and you are the only girl student that night... who would you choose among the boy to escort you to the toilet...remember it's a dark and scary night... you could only choose 1 boy who you really trust".... We were all quite puzzled, because he's quite a strict teacher and does not share any jokes with us before this....

I don't know perhaps he got this 'education's game idea' from reading magazine or book.... or after watching some stupid TV programme... Remember, this thing happened on 1985, Leo Burnett haven't come up with idea for reality TV show such as Survivor or The Apprentice... If this thing happen now, I won't be surprise.. probably the teacher is addicted to reality TV show, and want to implement this on us...Or perhaps, Mr Burnett got the idea from this teacher...

So the game begun... one by one, the girls chooses the boy they taught can be trusted most.... during that time I am sure enough I would be choose by the second or 3rd turn... but I was so wrong...

The finale.....the finalist were, my friend, the last girl and me... that teacher reminded again the last girl on the scenario.. on the dark scary night, rainy, thunderstorm... whatever... I think if he want this 'reality show' to be more real, he should bring the audio visual sound effect.. or employed some people to intimidate us more...I can still remember the look of intimidation portray on his face....At this point of time, I am still confident, I would be the chosen one... "just look at my advantage"... I said to myself...

And the game ended... without hesitation, the last hope of mine, the last girl pointed her finger toward my friend over me.....I was left standing there, alone in front of all the students....With a cynically smile the teacher start lecturing me... on what's wrong with me, why I was not selected, why people don't trust me, .... He's start lecturing me.....on the stupid game that he started and give no option to the poor last girl... he's lecturing me on the future guilt and unforeseen bad behaviour that was not done by me yet..... I was proven guilty.. not because of my current or past wrongdoing.. but by future me...

The laughter by the rest of my classmate suddenly stopped... maybe they feel sorry or bad toward me.. or the "educational stupid joke" by this teacher ended..... I still remember on the other incident, when I was isolated during the Physics subject lab class... I was directed to seat alone, without lab partner, at the corner back of the lab.....that's another story....

You can punished or advice student who's misbehaved, but you can't at anytime......isolate or block educational access to misbehaved student.... This is why the government set up Sekolah Henry Gurney....so they also can get education though they're found guilty by law....

If his intention to humour us, then he failed, only a few of us laughed and suddenly stopped..... if he wanted to educate us with his sudden psychological skill, he also failed badly,... if he want me to feel inferior, I have to say sorry... he missed by a mile. So what was his purpose, what was he's trying to achieve ...

Since he asked me to think of my gulit, I kept on thinking... for about 1 week, 2 weeks.. then I just forget and forgive... though he did ask me after that in another session which was more personal...There's a longer version of the story and the sequel, but I don't see any benefit in writing that...

If any of you or any person you know, a teacher, lecturer, superior, father, mother, older sibling... please don't try this at your classroom, your children, your younger sibling or your domain.

I am writing this not because I have personal grudge or unsettled business with whoever.... or I have been psychologically affected that my view toward life somehow distorted..... or I have inferiority complex spawned by the incident....

I writing this.. because for me, this is a very-very wrong thing in education..... You cannot simply just implement or instill the feeling of guilt and inferior to anyone or any being.... for the thing that hasn't been committed yet. Even in the court of law, you're innocent until proven guilty.

9 years later, among all my ex classmate, I was graduated with Bachelor of Science in Physics from a local University.....not because of the 'psychological educational reality show'... but because of the love of that subject... and the lower study cost...

I still don't know till now, on what was the motive and what he's trying to achieve....clueless and unexplained.... Perhaps if I asked Chris Carter... he probably reply "the truth is out there".....

When the purse value is more expensive than the money inside...

2008-10-27T00:06:00.006+08:00

Today, I went to Blok M to do some air pistol shooting... first few shots, the result was not so convincing, perhaps it's has been 2 or 3 weeks I haven't went there. Second target shooting, the result is quite good... maybe I got back my hand, eyes and finger coordination... and 3rd target shooting, the result went back as the first...

So inconsistent performance.. hahaha... I maybe should blamed my tiring hand and my impatience urge to just shoot the 10m away target... I remember the owner said "Pak, posisi kaki harus tetap, perasaan harus tenang, koordinasi mata, tangan dan jari harus tepat.... jangan tunggu terlalu lama utk memencit trigger.. nanti tangan jadi cape kerna pistolnya agak berat... tapi harus tenang dan sabar.. jangan buru-buru".... and he's a good shooter, I recalled last time when he demonstrate to me....I will surely miss this activity when I return back...

After that I went to Pacific Place to check out something... my friend asked me to survey LV items price... When the sale promoter politely say... 9 to 11 million Rupiah for LV purse... I either want to faint or just keep cool... that's a month salary for average executive in Malaysia... I just don't understand why woman crazy want to buy this thing.... by hard earned cash or credit... Perhaps if you have this LV purse, you have to have at least RM1000 cash money inside the purse at anytime..... just to give the thing, it's luxurious effect and purpose... any cash amount below that, does not belong inside...

I took taxi and went to Plaza Indonesia.. just to jalan-jalan.... and watch movie..

Segregation base on grade and the long term effect... E1

2008-10-24T18:44:00.013+08:00

Last time, during my primary schooling years, there's an English language learning system where group of students were segregated according to their English skill. We gone through assessment test and the result will determine where's our group or set... Set 1, set 2,.. up to set 5. Each time during English class, we will go to our determined Set, in different classroom.. mine in Physics lab.

After schooling years, I was lucky enough to enter science preparatory program in one of the local University. First thing after register, we had to take English assessment test, and students were segregated to classes according to the result.. Class A1, A2, A3.. to F1 in my time.

Perhaps the idea is,..... it's easier to teach English lesson this way, where's the teacher/lecturer can have different teaching method for each class. True, it's successful in some extend and I am not against the good intention of the system to improve the student English language skill. What I am concern is.... the segregation effect which are base on grade.

We may solved the English language education, even not fully. While on the hand, we may create other long term, more permanent psychological effect. Such as feeling of inferiority, feel not as good as, not good enough, ... and pressure. Student, or ex student from lesser skill in English will feel inferior with their friends from the upper group... and student or ex student from the so called higher skill in English feel pressure to maintain performance. It's can't be denied, a small or manageable pressure is good to maintain or improved performance... but too much can be damaging. When i mentioned about ex student... I meant ex student.. because till now, there's some of our friends out there felt inferior to others, due to this system....

Why don't we classify or segregate the students base on non hierarchical groups..... such as colors... Merah, Kuning, Hijau,... Kelabu... or any names that does not carry any caste, hierarchical position or comparison. People will surely know, 1 is better than 2... A is better than B... and or t the way around (in my case.. the F is the English smart group)..

People may just say, what a 2-3 years period of English classes base on grade, would have any psychological effect on later life. Adolescent period is a period of our life's where we are searching for our own identity. We perhaps done many stupid things during this periods, caring less about the consequences and the risk, just for us to have our own identity (I still remember the stupid things I have done... kerja2 bodoh). It's very unfortunate if during this fragile period, we introduce the inferiority. Different people have different level of tolerance, many would just go on, forget and forgive. But some of them ... still dealing with the inferiority feeling.

Then again, the reason why the system implemented.... perhaps "the good of the many outweigh the good of the few"... as always dictate by Commander Tuvok in Stark Trek Voyager, in situation where the crews in dilemma.. either to abort the mission and save the team at the expense of the mission..... or carry on with the mission although it's meant their life in danger..

But I do not agree with him..... if the system will make some of our next generation... carry inferiority complex....

Laskar Pelangi... renungan buatku

2008-10-20T15:09:00.005+08:00

Aku maseh seolah2 terkesan dari filem Laskar Pelangi... kisah perjuangan anak2 sekolah rendah di sekolah yg cukup dhaif.. kisah kecekalan dan kesabaran guru2nya.... kisah kemiskinan... kisah kejujuran ... dan kisah ketidakadilan

Mungkin kerna kisah ini berlatarbelakangkan tahun 70an.. ia begitu memicu memoriku utk mengenangi zaman sekolah ku sekitar tahun 70an... Zaman abang2 ku berkasut tumit tinggi, berseluar bell bottom... dan baju kemeja dgn kolar sebesar saputangan.. mungkin itu ideanya dulu, tak payah lap mulut pakai sapu tangan, cukup hanya lap dgn kolar baju... Lagu2 Melayu-Deli selalu berkumandang di radio ... dgn baterinya yg sudah lemah dijemur.. supaya tambah power.

Kisah Harun dan Lintang, membuat aku betul2 terfikir... mungkin kejayaan kita dlm bidang akademik selama ini.. masuk asrama.. SPM pangkat satu... masuk U.. pergi oversea... bukan semata2 hanya bergantung atas kecerdasan kita sahaja.. mungkin kerna ada insan2 seperti Lintang dan Harun, yg secara tidak langsung atau langsung.... menyumbang ke arah kejayaan akademik yg kita kecapi... adalah terlalu sombong kalau kita mendabik dada mengatakan kejayaan akademik yg kita capai.. hasil 100% usaha kita... Lantas kita terlupakan teman2 seperti Harun dan Lintang...

Sebab itu, orang yg kaya ada berhutang dgn org yg miskin dlm bentuk zakat.. dan begitu juga org yg pintar dan bernasib baik... mempunyai 'hutang' dan tanggungjawab sosial ke atas org2 yg kurang pintar dari segi akademik...

Mereka yg kurang pintar dr segi akademik.. bukan kerana mereka tidak pintar.. tapi mungkin kerna mereka tidak berkemampuan, terpaksa berhenti mengejar cita2, tiada peluang, disisihkan oleh sistem yg tidak adil........ Dan juga membuka peluang untuk kita menjadi pintar....

Laskar Pelangi... Terima kasih cikgu dan rakanku...

2008-10-19T22:12:00.009+08:00

Akhirnya aku dapat nonton juga filem yg begitu popular di sini buat masa ini.... Laskar Pelangi. Sebuah filem adaptasi dari novel terkenal sekitar 2005, karya Anrdrea Hirata. Filem ini dah ditayangkan sekitar 25 November, tapi mungkin kerana terlalu ngetop... susah nak dapat tiket kalau hari minggu. Tadi aku dapat tiket pun, kira last seat... ada tinggal 3 seat kosong.

Orang Jakarta nih, kalau filem yg bagus, mereka akan menonton berkali2... ada teman aku cakap " pakcik, aku udah nonton kali ke 4... mau lagi ke 5".. aduh gawat.. kalau 30% penonton mengulang nonton 3-4 kali, gi mana aku mau dapet karcisnya (tiket). Dan filem ini temanya sesuai benar utk ditonton seisi keluarga, so kalau famili, mereka akan bawakla anak2 mereka....penuh panggung...dgn anak2..... ibubapa.. remaja dan org dewasa...

Antara tarikan kuat aku nak menonton filem ini adalah, berdasarkan cuplikan (sedutan) di TV, bahasa yg dipakai dalam movie ini adalah bahasa Melayu Sumatera Selatan... so sebutan 'kenapa jadi kenape... kecewa jadi kecewe....dia jadi die.....kita jadi kite'. Dan ada lagu "Seroja" yg dipopularkan oleh Jamal Abdillah dan Mawi... dibawa oleh pelakon2 cilik.

Filem ini berdasarkan pengalaman peribadi sang penulis, berkenaan perjuangan kehidupan 10 anak dari keluarga miskin yg bersekolah SD dan SMP (SD tu mcm sekolah rendah... SMP itu dari form 1-3), di sebuah sekolah Yayasan Muhamadiyyah di Kabupaten Gantong, Pulau Belitung yang penuh kekurangan, kedaifan dan keterbatasan.... berdekatan propinsi Bangka. Ketua guru Pak Harfan, para guru2 Ibu Muslimah, Pak Bakri (yang akhirnya meninggalkan sekolah itu kerana mendapat tawaran di sekolah lebih bagus)... anak2 murid terdiri dari Ikal, Lintang, Sahara, Mahar, A Kiong, Syahdan, Kucai, Borek, Trapani dan Harun ( si anak cacat)

Kisah dimulai bagaimana sekolah yg daif ini diancam akan ditutup oleh departmen pendidikan negeri, sekiranya gagal mendaftarkan sekurang2nya 10 pelajar pada sesi baru sekitar tahun 70an. Bagaimana ketika Pak Harfan membuat ucapan utk menutup sekolah itu di hadapan 9 anak murid dan ibubapa, dan ketika Bu Muslimah berlari keluar utk mencari juga murid yg ke 10 setelah menanti hampir setengah hari... muncul ibu dan Harun, si anak yg kurang dr fizikal dan pemikiran... menjadi penyelamat keberlansungan sekolah daif itu.. utk sekitar 8-9 tahun lagi...

Mulai dari itu... maka bermulala kisah sebuah persahabatan, perjuangan, pendidikan formal dan tidak formal... bagaimana sekolah yg daif dr segala segi... boleh melahirkan anak2 murid yg hebat, manusiawi... dan menjadi dewasa.

Dikisahkan si Lintang, anak yg genius dr segi mental arithmetik, anak sulung nelayan yg miskin (lakonan Alex Komang) yang kematian ibu.... terpaksa naik basikal ke sekolah sekitar 40km... so total 80km pergi balik. Dan dia setiap hari terpaksa berhenti di tengah perjalanan... kerana memberi lalu buaya yg bersarang di kubang di pinggir laluan dia ke sekolah... selepas buaya berlalu dan berendam dalam kubang, barulah dia meneruskan perjalanan... Aku dulu pergi keje dr Shah Alam ke KL... naik motor bukan basikal... lalu laluan motor... takde buaya pun duduk kubang tepi jalan... dapat gaji lagi tiap bulan... maseh bersungut. Bagaimana dia kehilangan ayahnya ...di tengah lautan... tatakala dia menang kuiz antara sekolah... Akhirnya dia terpaksa berhenti sekolah utk menyara adik2nya yg maseh kecik... sebab dia anak sulung, dia terpaksa meneruskan hidup dan menjadi nelayan seperti ayahnya.... Anak yg paling pintar, dan yg paling bersemangat utk bersekolah, dan coba datang paling awal... tapi akhirnya menjadi murid yg pertama terpaksa berhenti sekolah.. akibat desakan hidup...

Kisah cinta pertama antara Ikal (penulis) dan A Ling, sepupu A Kiong... A Ling anak tokay kedai Cina kat kampung... kali pertama Ikal ternampak jari A Ling, ketika beli kapur tulis sekolah.... selepas itu dia menawarkan diri utk beli kapur tulis....siap menulis puisi cinta utk A Ling.

Kisah Mahar, si anak kecil yg memiliki bakat istimewa ... dalam bidang seni, dan sentiasa ada radio bergantung di lehernya.... bukan radio kecik.. radio transistor yg besar zaman 70an. Setiap kali baterinya lemah..... dia jemur atas bumbung rumah.... taktik sama aku guna dulu utk panjangkan hayat bateri... maklumla.. dulu mana ada duit nak beli bateri. Mahar ini la yg menyanyi lagi Seroja.... aku pun baru tahu lagu ni dulu dibawa oleh Said Effendi, penyanyi50-an kelahiran Besuki, Jawa Timur. Tapi anehnya, dalam panggung tu.. aku rasa aku sorg kut yg menyanyi ikut lirik lagu tuh.... penonton lain macam terdiam dengar lagu tu... tapi jadi gamat bila lagu Rhoma Irama.. Malam Minggu.. berkumandang... waktu bila Ikal nak dating dgn A Ling, dgn bantuan A Kiong.... kelakar tengok.

Kisah Kucai, ketua kelas, yang tak tahan dgn perangai rakan sekelasnya yang digambarkan macam setan... dan mahu berhenti jadi monitor kelas.... dgn nasihat Bu Muslimah, dia tetap menjadi monitor....

Bagaimana waktu musim cuti sekolah panjang.. si Lintang menjadi nelayan membantu ayahnya, si Kucai membantu ayahnya yg kerja di lombong timah, si A Kiong tolong jaga kedai runcit.... Cuti sekolah, budak2 ini bekerja membantu keluarga... bukan relaks mcm sekrg...

Watak Bu Muslimah seorang guru wanita yg cantik, single, muda... tapi sanggup bersusah payah utk mengajar di sekolah yg sangat daif dgn segala kekurangan.... seorang guru yg pintar dan kreatif, bagaimana waktu sekolah lain menggunakan kalkulator utk menghitung... dia mengajarkan anak murid menggunakan batang lidi utk mengira.... kerna ketidakmampuan sekolah... seorang guru yg mengajar kerna tanggungjawab, mungkin kerana sekolah itu diasaskan oleh arwah ayahnya... dan satu2nya sekolah Islam di Belitung.

Watak Pak Harfan, sekolah ketua sekolah.. yang sangat luarbiasa ketenangannya... sabar... sangat dedikasi dgn kerjayanya... bagaimana dia waktu berhujah dgn sahabat lamanya yg bertanya kenapa maseh bertahan di sekolah yg usang dan hampir tiada murid... dia menjawab... sekolah ini mengajarkan pelajarnya dgn hati... bukan materi... dan sahabatnya akur.. kerana mereka dari pendidikan sekolah Muhamadiyyah. Pak Harfan terus mendidik sehingga ke akhir hayatnya... tersungkur di meja usangnya....

Terlalu banyak pengajaran dari filem ini... ramai orang yg menonton filem adaptasi novel, adalah datang semata2 utk membandingkan dgn novel atau sekurang2nya mencari2 kekurangan filem berbanding gambaran minda yg sudah tertulis setelah membaca novel.... kalau itu tujuannya.. akan hilang manisnya sesuatu filem itu.... kita akan menjadi pengkritik filem yg tak digaji... Ini terjadi pada aku apabila menonton filem Da Vincci Code setelah membaca novelnya... itu aku dah baca sekitar setahun kut... baru filem keluar... Pengajarannya, aku tak akan baca novel, kalau aku dah nonton filem.. atau aku akan baca novel, dah tak akan nonton filem...... atau aku tak akan buat kedua2nya.. kalau cerita tak sedap... nak buat apa buang masa...hehehe

Filem ini mengikut pandangan aku... selain dari penulis mahu menceritakan perjuangan dari sudut pendidikan dia dan teman2nya... dia mahu melahirkan rasa terima kaseh dan terhutang budi... dgn guru2nya yg hebat... Bu Muslimah... Pak Harfan... dan sahabat2nya... Kalau bukan Harun mendaftar sebagai pelajar ke 10, mungkin penulis tidak akan bersekolah, kerana ketiadaan sekolah utk anak miskin... Kalau bukan Lintang yg terus datang ke sekolah dan memberi semangat kepadanya selepas kematian Pak Harfan dan Bu Muslimah putus semangat, dia mungkin tak pergi sejauh Sorbone, Perancis utk melanjutkan pelajaran...

Dan penulis juga menyindir pemerintah yg tidak mempedulikan pendidikan org miskin, apabila mereka ... anak2 org tak kemampuan, terpaksa bersekolah di sekolah yg dhaif dan miskin.. di salah sebuah pulau yg paling kaya di Indonesia... kaya dgn hasilbumi timah. Bukan tidak ada sekolah di sana, tapi sekolah yg ada memakan biaya yg sangat besar... sehingga tidak termampu oleh ibubapa si Ikal, Lintang, Kucai dsbnya.... disebabkan desakan hidup, ramai yg tidak menghantar anak ke sekolah dan rela membiarkan anak2 mereka menjadi kuli di lombong timah... untuk membantu keluarga....

For me... this is a good film, highly recommended... utk tontonton sendiri, bersama keluarga atau sama pacar...

http://www.laskarpelangithemovie.com/

Demam Kepialu.. Typhoid fever

2008-10-17T17:04:00.007+08:00

Ma assalam sahabat...

Ini sekedar information sharing berdasarkan pengalaman aku sewaktu aku diserang demam kepialu di sini pada tahun 2006 dahulu. Kalau ada teman2 yg dari bhg perubatan, silalah komen. Mungkin pada waktu itu, aku baru start keje keluar ... aku expect semue sama mcm kat negara kita. Makan kat warung2 pinggir jalan kira biasalah... ditambah minum air es. Sedap jugak makanan pinggir2 jalan kat sini.

Walaupun ada kawan dah nasehat awal2, hati2 makan.. aku belasah je.. sedap punya pasal. Akibatnya aku kena penyakit yg sebelum ini jarang kita dengar kat sana... demam kepialu atau tifus dlm bahasa sini.

Simptomnya yg paling ketara, ceret-beret tak henti2.. berlarutan sampai seminggu... nasib baik aku byk keje kat kantor buat planning.. kalau ke site.. naya aku. Kalau ceret-beret biasa, dlm sehari dua apabila toksin yg ada dlm perut hilang, dia akan sembuh sendiri. Yang ini aneh... tak henti2... puas minum Pocari Sweat (kira mcm 100 Plus la) utk kembalikan body fluid yg hilang. Keduanya, demam panas.... disertai sakit kepala... Aku rasa pelik, sakit apa nih, ceret beret + demam + sakit kepala.. demam dia pun kira macam turun naik.. siang OK.. malam demam.. menggigil. Dan ada titik2 merah timbul kat tangan dan lengan. Sah kene denggi ni... pada fikiran aku la. Aku tanya kawan aku, dia pun syaki denggi gak.

Tubuh aku semakin lemah,.. sehari boleh dekat 10 kali ceret beret... aku makan Chi Kit Teck Aun, tak jalan.... makan Imodium, tak jalan... makan arang hitam, tak jalan gak. Parah ni...last2 aku ke salah satu hospital swasta di sini... dahlah mahal, bagi obat macam2 .. satu karung plastik beso... tak mujarab pulak tu.

Kebetulan aku kene perbaharui Visa, .... dlm flight pun perut meragam semacam je... masa beratur kat Embassy kat KL utk proses Visa, aku nyaris pengsan... tak jadi aku buat Visa. Aku tahan taxi, terus ke Pantai Medical Center. Doktor check aku... tanya aku keje mana... dia suspek demam kepialu... dia bagi aku ubat antibiotik yg power.. full spectrum antibiotic Ciprobay fr Bayers... dia akan bunuh semue bakteria yang ada.. tapi ada side effect... selepas makan akan rasa pening dan hilang balance. Betul, aku makan kat situ gak... bila waktu nak balik ke hotel, kat lobi hospital tu gak aku rasa high satu macam... tak larat jalan, aku duduk je kat kerusi dari jam 11am sampai petang.... Power ubat nih. Aku kira dah okay la...

Apabila sampai hotel, malam tu.. perut aku buat hal lagi... ceret beret byk kali sampai pagi...dalam hati aku, apa punya rawatan ni... tak berkesan pun... Mujur aku teringat, aku pernah ke Hospital Pakar Shah Alam dulu, sebab aku sakit di bhg dlm hidung, terutamanya setiap kali sujud.. mcm nak tercabut mata. Aku pernah jumpa Doktor Pakar apa nama dia.. aku lupa pulak... dia diagnose... bagi ubat sikit je.. suruh aku spray dlm hidung aku. Alhamdulillah, dlm tempoh 2 hari dah kurang, 3 hari terus pulih. Doktor tu bilang, ada jangkitan di bhg rongga hidung aku, so ada lebihan bendalir dlm tu... tu yg bila sujud sakit.. sbb dia bertakung di bwh. Maklumla, hidung kita ni.. semue mcm udara punya kualiti dia sedut.

Berbalik ke sakit aku tadi... hospital ni ada rekod aku, so nurse tu tanya nak jumpa doktor pakar tu balik tak.. aku jawab, yes. Banyak gak pesakit, so selepas tunggu dekat 1 jam lebih.. aku masuk. Doktor tu tanya aku ada ke mana2 ke dlm 2-3 hari lepas... aku jwbla aku keje sini. Dia run check, tengok simptom.. and dia saspek 3 penjahat... Denggi (sbb demam dan ada spot2 merah kut, Malaria and Kepialu. Utk kepastian kene run blood test. Aku ckp, aku dah ke hospital semalam, tapi tak run blood test la. Dia ckp dia tak akan run Typhoid test, sebab mahal... Sebelum ni aku dah cakap.. rawatan ini aku bayar sendiri.. so dia faham2la. Maka, lengan aku dicucuk la, diambil sampel darah.. dah lama gak takde jarum beso cucuk lengan aku... ngeri gak.. nasib baik nurse yg buat, muda.. cun pulak.. heheheh.

Selepas dlm sejam kut... keputusan test darah keluar... hasilnya, negative for dengue and negative for malaria. So doktor ni saspek, takde penjahat lain... kepialu.. dia bagi antibiotik full spectrum Ciprobay... and dia kata obat ini mahal.. so dia akan bagi sikit je.. tengok keputusan after 1-2 hari.. kalau maseh takde kesan positive.. aku mungkin kene masuk wad. Obat ni dia bunuh semue bakteria, dgn sasaran penjahat utama Salmonella. Aku balik hotel, dgn rasa yg lebih konfiden... malam itu aku makan obat tu... terus rasa high... esok pagi maseh ada ceret beret sikit.. makan lagi ikut dos yg disarankan.. high lagi.. Alhamdulillah.. hari kedua, aku dah pulih... berbotol2 air 100 Plus aku minum. The next day aku buat Visa.

Dan utk pengetahuan, kos rawatan aku dgn doktor pakar Shah Alam tu, dengan blood test, obat... 1/3 dari kos rawatan aku kat sini.. dahla doktor biasa.. tak berkesan pulak tu.

Demam Kepialu disebabkan oleh bakteria Salmonella enterica. Penyakit ini boleh ditemui di seluruh dunia dan berjangkit melalui makanan dan minuman yg tercemar oleh najis.

Berikut adalah simptomnya:

Demam tinggi yg meningkat secara perlahan (39 - 40 Degree Celcius)
Tubuh menggigil
Ceret beret yg berterusan
Sakit kepala
sendi2 rasa sakit
tubuh terasa lemah
dlm kes tertentu, timbul tanda2 bintik merah di tubuh

Berikut adalah saranan utk menghindari sakit ini:

Elakkan makan dan minum di warung2 atau kedai2 makan yg tidak bersih
Elakkan minum air ais. Kalau nak minum minuman dingin, mintak air botol yg memang dah dingin. Kerana kerbersihan aisnya tak terjamin.
Elakkan minum air paip, di negara yg berisiko.. walaupun dimasak. Minum air minuman botol.
Selalu mencuci tangan dgn sabun selepas ke tandas.
Bacala doa banyak2 sebelum makan....

macam tuan doktor pulak aku

Air pistol shooting....

2008-10-17T07:55:00.000+08:00

It was last weekend, since I don't have anything to do... I went for air pistol shooting at Blok M, Jakarta Selatan. Actually before Ramadhan, I would went there for shooting session about twice a month. But since Ramadhan, maybe due to puasa, I only went there once. So this time, it's about a month plus, my finger haven't touch the trigger.

After saying Lebaran greeting and pay the fee (Rph 25k, for 25 bullets/pellets), I went on trying my skill. Not many people that day, perhaps the usual patrons still on Lebaran mood.

Not a bad shooting at all, considering it's had been more than a month I haven't try it. Perhaps due to not many people and the compressed gas still full, because I could felt the shot was quite powerful. For the information, the bull eye target size is the same size as the bullets, and the target is 10m away (Olympic air pistol target standard)... In Olympic game, normally the shooter hit target within the first 2 ring away from the bull eye.

Like the trainer over here said last time, shooting is a game about consistency, patience, high focus, good corrdination between eyes, hand and trigger finger. And you have to control your breathing, to avoid your hand shaking each time your finger press the trigger. Once you shoot, you would know, if you manage to hit the target.... without pulling the target paper.

I admit, I felt quite relaxed after shooting session...........

New Blog for Photography.. tips, story, nonprofessional review

2008-10-15T15:55:00.007+08:00

Dear friends...

I am thinking of making another blog just talking about photography from the perspective of nonprofessional, less than amateur user, people like me.

This orang-muar blog will kept like the original, talking about all the stuff, sometime intelligence and most of the time just ... writing...

See you in the fotografi blog...

6 Degree of Separation

2008-10-14T12:02:00.006+08:00

Dear readers....

When Hungarian author, Frigyes Karinthy wrote on on the idea that every person in this planet Earth can be connected to anybody else, perhaps he didn't realize the impact on our social life today. He hypothesise that any two individuals can be connected through at most 5 acquaintances.

As our life get more modern and complicated, actually our world get smaller due to technological advancement especially in telecommunication industry. The 6 degree of separation theory, became the basis of several famous social networking application such as Facebook, Linkedin, etc. In fact, Facebook which has 4.5 million users (as of April 2007, and counting.. cause I just joined in), calculate that the average separation of their users is 5.73 degrees, with the farthest separation is 12.

Several high rating TV series adopt this idea, such as LOST, Six Degrees, Lonely Planet Six Degrees. in LOST, all the characters are link and connected to each other in connection that they don't realized or understood. International award-winning and local film also embrace this sociological idea, such as Crash, Babel.. and CINTA..

So perhaps, if one day I meet you on the street, restaurant, bus station, or anywhere else...just remember, we are no stranger... we are friends within 5 steps away or less.

By the way, we are all son of Adam (A.S.) and Eve.

Krisis ekonomi... The Greed Game

2008-10-13T15:25:00.004+08:00

Para pembaca yg dihormati...

Berikut adalah link2 yg bagus kita baca dan lihat... sekurang2nya kita ada kefahaman sikit atas apa yg berlaku dgn ekonomi sekarang... jgn hanya masuk youtube nak tgk video clip lagu terbaru.. atau nak tgk kucing buat perkara pelik.. ini macam aku lah

Ini laman web Ustaz Zaharuddin.. banyak kupasan berguna ttg ekonomi Islam dan masalah ekonomi sekrg...

http://www.zaharuddin.net/

yang ini dokumentari dari BBC.... sngat bagus utk org yg malas membaca.. macam aku.. heheh...

ada 6 cuplikan... tonton satu per satu..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS92xfN4PKg

Krisis Ekonomi.. suatu kupasan ringkas

2008-10-13T12:36:00.006+08:00

Ma assalam sahabat2...

Semalam hari minggu.. aku terfikir nak beli kasut sukan and jogging track bottom, memandangkan badan aku pun dah bertambah comel... gara2 terlebih makan lemang, ketupat, lodeh, asam pedas, rendang, ayam masak ungkep dan lain2 yg sewaktu dengannya...

Dalam malas2 tu aku bukak web site Ustaz Zaharuddin... pakar ekonomi Islam Malaysia yang sekarang melanjutkan pelajaran di UK.. aku selalu jugak follow up artikel2 dan pandangan beliau....Tujuan aku kali ini, nak tahu, apa cerita sebenarnya tentang masalah krisis ekonomi yg melanda dunia, bermula dari krisis kredit perumahan di US.... Aku cuba gak tgk2 dlm al Jazeera dan BBC (CNN malas aku nak tengok, balik2 citer Bush, Obama, McCain... and terbaru Palin).. tapi news ni banyak menceritakan kesan dan akibatnya krisis ini.. dan apa yg akan jadi akan datang.. diaorg tak cerita sangat apa punca utama.. dlm bahasa yg aku fahami (kalau bahasa ekonomi aku tak faham la)...

Alhamdulillah, info yg aku cari aku temui... baca punya baca, sampai nak keluar beli kasut dgn track bottom pun macam nak tergendala... berikut adalah kupasan ringkas dari aku.. mengikut kefahaman aku yg terbatas... kalau sahabat2 ada pandangan yg lebih tepat.. sila betulkan..

Krisis ni bermula ....... setelah tragedi September 11, pasaran NYSE merudum teruk disebabkan pelabur2 panik dan menarik balik pelaburan... pakcik Alan Greenspan (penasihat ekonomi US pada waktu itu) menurunkan kadar faedah kewangan di US.... untuk merangsangkan ekonomi US.. disebabkan kadar faedah yg sangat rendah... pelabur2 melihat ini adalah peluang besar utk membuat keutungan... pelabur2 ni termasuk Hegde Fund Manager2 .. yg memperdagangkan wang org lain utk keuntungan yg gila2 banyak..

Hedge Fund manager ni... kerja dia membuat pelaburan base on leveragging.. artinya membuat investment dgn duit pinjaman... dgn mengenakan service caj sekitar 2-3% atas jumlah pelaburan... dan mendapat bonus sekitar 20% atas keuntungan pelaburan... tanpa menerima risiko.. kalau pelaburan untung... dapat bonus 20% (in term of money, dlm berjuta2 USD dlm sekali big deal ) on top of the service caj.... kalau pelaburan rugi, diorg just bagi alasan, salah market atau politik... (best kan keje mcm ni.. kalau untung.. untung gila.. kalau rugi.. untung juga... tapi sikitla).... disebabkan nature keje hegde fund manager yg berisiko terlalu tinggi (risiko terhadap pelabur, bukan hedge fund manager), disebabkan melabur wang berjuta hingga berbillion USD.. mereka tahu, mereka akan sentiasa diselamatkan oleh pihak kerajaan sekiranya mereka pelaburan mereka collapse.. sebab kalau mereka didakwa... dampak ekonomi lebih parah jadinya... (ini lagi best keje mcm ni.. dahlah takde rugi.. untung.. untung.. untung... takde risiko lagi... risiko mati je kut)...

Disebabkan kadar faedah yg sgt rendah di US, maka byklah pelabur membuat pinjaman utk pelaburan... melalui hegde fund manager... dlm tempoh yg singkat je... muncullah berdozen2 jutawan baru... the new super rich... bukan atas usaha mereka atau kepintaran mereka... tapi atas wang pinjaman... kalau dulu super rich adalah hasil usaha, industri dan kepintaran mcm Bill Gates, Steve Jobb, Rokefeller, Lim Goh Tong dll... zaman pasca 7/11, super rich adalah terdiri dari hedge fund manager, yg mendapat durian runtuh hasil wang pinjaman...

Apabila terlalu banyak pelabur membuat pinjaman, bank2 di US kekurangan duit... dah semue org datang buat kredit... maka peningla bank2 ni mcmana nak dptkan hasil lagi... So dgn kepintaran dan kelicikan bank2 di US.. mereka membuat skim pinjaman perumahan utk golongan yg tak berkemampuan (subprime mortgage plan)... mereka melihat pinjaman perumahan utk golongan yg mampu (prime mortgage plan) adalah plan yg sangat bagus dlm menjana modal utk bank2.. so mereka pun membuat plan terbaru ini dgn mengandaikan pulangan yg sama... masalahnya.. golongan subprime ni..adalah golongan yg memang tak mampu membuat pinjaman perumahan... ex convict, jobless, bad credit defaulter dll..

Tapi disebabkan sifat ketamakan dan kerakusan bank untuk menjana modal.. untuk diberi ke hedge fund manager... skim ini berjalan juga... walaupun mendapat tentangan hebat dari pakar2 ekonomi US... Punyala senang nak dapat kredit perumahan di US waktu itu, tanpa tax statement, tanpa salary statement, tanpa downpayment, tanpa collateral, tanpa penjamin.. cume kene ada tangan utk sign agreement je... bank2 akan mencari org utk diberi pinjaman perumahan... tanpa check secara detail latarbelakang peminjam... berbondong2lah org US buat pinjaman, kira mcm skim cepat kaya kat Malaysia la.. dan banyak yg tidak tahu bahawa interest yg dikenakan adalah variable... bukan fix + BLR,... tapi berkadar meningkat mengikut masa...

Pintarnya golongan bank ini, mereka menjual hutang2 subprime ini dan menjadikannya sebagai suatu bentuk pelabuaran lagi... bank credit perumahan menjual hutang kepada bank investment... bank inverstment menjual pulak kepada bank inverstment yg lagi beso.. mcm Lehman brother, Barclay, Hypo, Morgan Stanley, Merril Lynch etc...

Aneh kan, kita biasanya melabur atas sesuatu yg jelas dan tangebile la.. mcm melabur atas kelapa sawit ke, kambing ke, minyak ke, ... ini melabur atas hutang org... kalau org tu tak bayar, boleh ambik ke org tu?

Analoginya macam ini la... A berhutang atas B sebanyak 1 juta dan wajib byr sebanyak 1.5 juta dlm masa 5 tahun kut... disebabkan B nak duit cash segera.. B jual hutang A ke C... dgn 1.2 juta... so B dpt duit cash 1.2 juta...and C akan dapat untung 0.3 juta dlm masa 5 tahun.. C pulak menjual kepada D, E, F.. mengikut tahap risiko yg mereka sanggup terima...

katakan la

mamat D; dia jenis nak no risk.. so dia dpt pulangan rendah tapi terjamin

mamat E; dia jenis nak medium... so dia dpt pertengahan pulangan dan risk

minah F; dia jenis high risk.. dia dpt high gain.. tapi highest risk...

D,E dan F ini... kira mcm bank2 jatuhla sekrg, Merril Lynch, Barclay, Bank kat Iceland, Lehman Brother etc....

untuk sistem ini berjaya... A mesti sentiasa bayar hutang... dan bunga yg dikenakan mestila tinggi... Kalau A tak bayar hutang... sistem akan runtuh...

Ini yg terjadi kat US sekarang.. para peminjam subprime mortgage plan gagal bayar hutang, iyala.. dr awal2 mereka kan memang org yg tak layak.. and secondly.. bunga yg dikenekan variable.. naik setiap tahun... apabila ramai yg default... maka investment jadi runtuh... bank jadi takut utk berikan pinjaman sesama bank.. sebab mereka pun takut bank itu menjalankan skim investment ini...

Dan pelabur2 jadi panic... keluarkan duit dr bank... labur ke tempat yg selamat... emas dan perak... Itula, manusia bila dah terdesak akan kembali kepada Allah..Macam org sakit nak mati... ada dia teriak biniku, keretaku, PS3 ku, sahamku.. dia akan teriak Allah.. atau Tuhan....

Emas dan Perak adalah bentuk pelaburan paling stabil, tidak dipengaruhi politik, masalah kewangan, dan paling mudah ditukar bentuk ke wang ... ckp je nak jual emas.. pasti ada org nak beli... ckp nak jual rumah, org akan tanya.. rumah kat mana, status freehold ke tak, dekat kilang atau kubur tak, ada security tak dan seribu mcm pertanyaan.....

Dan apabila keadaan dah jadi gawat mcm ni.. apa kerajaan US buat.. diorg buatla plan bailout... utk selamatkan industri kewangan dr terus jatuh, dengan menyuntik lebih banyak wang... dan bagaimana US dpt byk wang, kerajaan dia cetak lebih banyak wangla... bila wang lebih banyak berkitar dlm pasaran... inflasi akan berlaku... ini yg berlaku..

Harga minyak jatuh sekarang pun.. dampak dari krisis ekonomi ini.. kekurangan permintaan... faktor yg menentukan harga sesuatu komoditi... Supply and demand.. bila supply berlebih (sbb pump byk sgt baru2 ni sbb harga tinggi) dan demand kurang... automatic harga jatuh...

Yang jadi mangsanya siapa... rakyat biasa yg membayar cukai... sbb wang rakyat digunakan pemerintah untuk bailout syarikat2 besar... dahlah kene dampak kegawatan ekonomi, minyak harga naik, makanan mahal, interest naik.. wang cukai dirompak utk selamatkan syarikat besar....

Dan apa jadi dgn kawan kita si hedge fund manager......

diorg tak kene apa2 pun... satu habuk dampak krisis ekonomi pun tak melekat kat muke diorg... malah diorg sekrg jobless, duduk, and tengah fikir nak habiskan duit yg berguni2 banyak diorg kumpul waktu ekonomi booming... dengar cerita... semue resort kat Bahamas, Canary, Carribean, hampir penuh sekarang.. sbb si hedge fund manager ni dok sana... jobless... sambil memikirkan apa lagi barang mewah diorg nak beli... and waiting list utk kereta Bugatti makin bertambah, begitu juga kete Roll Royce terbaru... Pasaran barang2 mewah maseh seperti biasa.. malah lebih aktif.,...

And latest news, kerajaan US nak turunkan interest rate lagi... bukan ke ini akan start the cycle again... The super rich get richer.... the poor get poorer...

Mula kerja.. after cuti Raya 1429H

2008-10-09T13:42:00.007+08:00

Ma assalam sahabat2...

Hari ini aku baru mula masuk kantor.. selepas bercuti kira2 10 hari kut.. kalau nak kira cuti panjang memangla lama.. tapi mcm tak cukup pulak..

Bangun pagi ni bukak TV.... harap2 la Selamat Pagi Malaysia atau MHI ke... tapi kecewa .. Berita TVOne... tukar2 channel RCTI, TPI, Global.... terpaksala terima hakikat aku dah sampai sini dan kene start gi keje walaupun hati dan perasaan kat Muar, Johor.

Waktu naik ojek ke kantor, terasa agak kelainan.. sebab udara di sini berseh.. tak mcm selalu.. maybe org kota belum pulang sepenuhnya... tunggu ajela hari Senin depan nih... kualiti udara pasti akan menurun dengan mendadak macam pasaran saham dunia sekarang... Punyala teruk kualiti udara.. sampai tekak pun boleh jadi sakit dan perit... so dinasihatkan minum air kosong banyak2.

Masjid Jame' Muar

2008-09-30T15:32:00.004+08:00

Ma assallam sahabat..

Semalam aku ke Masjid Jame' Muar, utk membayar zakat.. untuk diriku dan anak aku...

foto ini aku snap di dlm ruangan wudhu di bhg belakang... rasa nak minum je air dingin dr kolah tu....

Guide for Qibla direction

2008-09-28T01:00:00.010+08:00

Ma assallam...

I got into this problem last time when I want to check the direction of qibla from inside my room.. The typical qibla compass that i have seem does not work properly, the needle not pointing to the same position, when i move around... Perhaps the room is built with too much steel rods inside the wall.. or interference from any electromagnetic source, which I am sure not strong enough to cause any wrong pointing of the compass needle.. ..

Or simply the room is haunted.. hehehe.. I watch Discovery channel they said that supernatural beings emit electromagnetic radiation.. sort of ectoplasma in "Ghostbuster"... good job Dr Egone..

So as usual,.. i refer to the most trusted.. and can be untrusted... source.. WWW.. so far this is the most useful site http://www.qiblalocator.com/#

The website help us in finding the direction of Qibla, without using compass.. but if you have compass it's better because you can compare with the result bearing.

Just type in your address.. place.. it will overlay a direction to Makkah on top of the map (Google Map).. You can put the cross hair on top of your house, office, etc.. and the red line will show the Qibla direction. Since the line will cross structure that's familiar (like tall building, funny looking tower, strange tree) to you in your area.. you can use that structure as guide for your Qibla direction ...from your cross hair position...

For me, it's a very useful application,... May Allah bless the creator

You need to be patient, since sometime the application does not recognise your location...

I try checking the important Mosque in Malaysia.. and at my kampung... they pointed correctly....

Cat name 'Macan Tutul'.... aka my kitten

2008-09-26T04:02:00.002+08:00

Dear friends,
This is the photo of my kitten back home in Muar. At first we don't have any idea to name it. After watching "Kungfu panda", Luqman and I agreed to give the name... Macan Tutul... this is after the character "Tai Lung".. which is a Leopard... Leopard in Indonesian is Macan Tutul or Macan Terotol.. We just give that name because the kitten is so fierce, especially to Luqman..I also have hard time to take this photo....

Najihah (Luqman niece) call it "misai".. cause of the black patch under the nose.

Luckily we don't have to register the name of our pet, especially cat,.. if not, I cannot imagine the headache of the Registration Department staff.... "hello miss, i want to register my cat name... M A C A N... T E R U T U L... alias.... M I S A I... alias .... M A C A N ... T E R O T O L.... alias.... ...the list go on....

Anyway, the cat mum just call the kitten... "Miauwww...."... to all her kittens....

Loose Tips untuk melawat Indonesia.... siri 1

2008-09-25T16:04:00.009+08:00

Ma assallam...

Ada beberapa orang teman yang mencadangkan aku tulis tip2 yg mudah kalau ingin ke Indonesia, sama ada untuk melancung, shopping, ziarah atau terpaksa.. sebab kerja.. heheh..

Panduan ini hanyala loose tips, bermakna ia hanyala berdasarkan pengalaman aku yg terbatas... dan byk kekurangan... terserah kepada pembaca sama ada nak ikut atau tak ikut..

Yang pertama sekali, wang... Kalau boleh tukar ke matawang Rupiah dulu di sana, sebab money exchange kat sini tak banyak dan rate dia kurang menarik. Kalau nak keluarkan duit pakai ATM, ingat mcm Maybank caj RM15 setiap kali transaction kat luar negara. Kalau sesiapa ada HSBC, lagi bagus, sebab sini byk ATM HSBC, dia caj dlm RM2 kut.. aku tak sure. Ada orang kata, tukar dulu ke USD, then tukar ke Rupiah kat sini.. aku rasa kita akan rugi 2 kali...lainlah masa kita tukar USD.. RM Kukuh... then bila kita tukar Rupiah.. USD jatuh....tak payah la.. buat pening kepala je.

Sebut pasal money exchange rate ni... kalau sesiapa ada Handphone yg pakai Symbian... install application ni http://www.mobimate.com/. Pakai yg free version je.. dia boleh update currency exchange rate tiap hari pakai GPRS. Senangla kalau sesiapa yg nak shopping sana and selalu dok bandingkan dgn RM....

Ok.. ini pulak istilah2 yg selalu akan dipakai ... yg lain2 tu kalau nak dok lama sini la

WC... ini mungkin perkataan yg paling penting and selalu di guna... WC ( sebutan; weh say)... bermaksud bilik air.. asalnya dr perkataan Belanda , Wastafel
Antri ... itu maknanya beratur... atau que
Macet....jem
Bandara ... airport.. dari perkataan Bandar Udara........ Pesawat... kapalterbang
Gampang ... mudah
Kantor... pejabat
Pemerintah ... Kerajaan.. sebab kat sini takde Raja yg memerintah
Mobil ... kereta
Bensen ... minyak petrol..... SPBU (sebutan, es peh bay uh) Sarana pompa bensen umum... petrol pump la
Mukena ... telekung
Rumah makan .... kedai makan
Toko ... kedai
nanti aku tambah lagi la

Pengangkutan... kalau boleh naik taxi Bluebird, Express atau Gamya je... sebab taxi ini jalan ikut meter (sini sebut Argo) dan for our own safety la... taxi Bluebird highly recommended... tambang pun murah je.. tak macam driver and tambang kat sana.. kereta taxi sini baru2...boleh la naik Vios baru... kalau dah biasa kat sini, boleh la naik ojek .. taxi motor... tapi kalau utk keselamatan dan ramai naik... pakailah taxi

Timing... sebab kat sini, terutamanya Jakarta jem teruk.. hari2....so kalau nak ke mana2... rancangla betul.. in advance. Paling satu hari, boleh pergi 2 shopping mall je.. sebab jem teruk...

Kesehatan... digalakkan kalau nak ke sini, bawakla bekalan pil Chi Kit Teck Aun ke... minyak angin.. Imodium... Panadol actifast. Di sini, kadar polusi sangat tinggi (terutamanya Jakarta).. so keracunan makanan tu perkara biasa... kene cirit birit tu biasa, especially kalau tak jaga makan... aku dulu pernah kene Typhoid (demam kepialu).. aku akan ceritakan dlm posting akan datang...InsyaAllah

Makan minum... makanlah di rumah makan yg jelas berseh dan halal. Fast food pun banyak sini... minum hanya air botol mcm Aqua atau mineral water lain. Air paip sini tak selamat diminum, kerana diorg pakai air telaga bwh tanah... kalau ke rumah makan.. minumla air dingin yg dlm botol.. jgn pakai ais.. sebab kebersihan ais tak dijamin

And,... hormatilah orang sini... jangan sangka mereka semua mcm buruh atau pembantu kat sana... tak rugi hormati dan bersopan dgn org lain... org yg sangat kaya di sini.. jauh lebih banyak dr di sana...

... nanti aku sambung lagi....

Cat ...

2008-09-24T14:42:00.012+08:00

... I have been thinking for some time to write something about cat. There are may saying, in many cultures that relates cat with intelligence, bad, cunning, unpredictable behaviour, and the list go on... but we human can't just live without them,.. or ignore them...

From being worshipped as god during Pharaoh ruling..... to being massacred by European during dark ages.... believed to be partner of devil and witches.. This action actually worsened the black death plagued, because without the cat, the population of the rats (the plague carrier) increase...

Cat has been living with us, inside our houses.. on the roof top... just outside the windows.. they never been far from us.. either we like or dislike them...

"In a cat's eye, all things belong to cats." - English proverb
"Curiosity killed the cat, Satisfaction brought it back!" - English Proverb
"Thousands of years ago, cats were worshipped as gods. Cats have never forgotten this." - Anonymous
A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not. - Ernest Hemingway
If you want to write, keep cats. - Aldous Huxley
"No matter how much cats fight, there always seems to be plenty of kittens." -Abraham Lincoln
You see, wire telegraph is a kind of a very, very long cat. You pull his tail in New York and his head is meowing in Los Angeles. Do you understand this? And radio operates exactly the same way: you send signals here, they receive them there. The only difference is that there is no cat. - Albert Einstein, when asked to describe radio
"As every cat owner knows, nobody owns a cat." - Ellen Perry Berkeley

The following youtube link show that cat, ... is beyond our comprehension...and make us laugh...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONmhQJy1ViA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JynBEX_kg8&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvBiSW5QFKY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdvLEiWzEvQ&feature=related

Note: the photo is my late cat... actually i found them (2 kittens) last year, on the 1st Ramadan 1428H... in front of my kampung house., hiding among the bushes...I guess the kittens is abandoned or unwanted.... Since then, the cats have been living with us... and we like them.. a few month ago, when I call my mother back home, she mentioned that the male cat has died, run over by lorry in front of the house.

.... Luqman and I been fighting what's the best name for the male cat.. we call him.. "Jerboa".. referring to the new species of desert mouselike animal found in Africa during that time.. we also call him.. "Hemo-Hemo" after the cat character in famous children Ninja cartoon series... and we also call him.. Polar bear.. due to his look... My mother simply name him... Ujang..

Sempena Ramadhan... Lagu religi dr sini

2008-09-24T04:23:00.005+08:00

Massalam sahabat....

Berikut ni adalah lagu2 sempena Ramadhan di sini... Lagu dari Ungu best jugak.. Dan dengan Nafasmu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4hqYis0isk&feature=related

Lagu dari Opick ini mungkin dah lama.. tapi sungguh memberi kesan... Bila Waktu Telah Terhenti...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU7RcrpZTKg&feature=related

Cahaya Hati... by Opick

2008-09-24T03:21:00.005+08:00

Ma assalam saudaraku...

Hati jadi sangat syahdu dan terharu bila mendengar lagu ini.....

Ya Allah, Engkau Maha Besar....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujDmkAmGbGs

Paper plane...

2008-09-23T15:01:00.008+08:00

Last year, during the long,.... year end school holiday, I took my son to his grandmother house in Muar. Since I am in between job (in other word, jobless), I have plenty of time to spend with Luqman. Normally, when it come to November, December.. the weather won't be so kind ... rainy all day long. But lately, the weather have been drifting and more unpredictable, probably due to global warming, ozone layer, etc..

The weather was windy and the sky was clear. I ask Luqman, what he want to do.... cause I don't want him to spend too much time in front of TV. (what a hypocrites, the father is building a new digital TV system (DVB-H) abroad, and yet.. he disapproved his son watching TV too much... well job is job... life is life.....I bet Astro guys also doing the same ). So I browse the WWW (using 56k dial up jaring service,...... crawling.....), searching anything that can give me idea... I found paper plane.... Eureka.. yes... cheap, simple outdoor activity...

There are many sites on paper plane, but i think Joseph Palmer (http://www.josephpalmer.com/planes/Airplane.shtml) site is probably among the best, cause the design is not so complicated and doable. Well,..... I have to show to him that I can make the plane fly, as mentioned....

My chosen design is the second, PL-3 Squarenose... the designer mention the design base on Ken Blackburn world recordbreaking paper plane.

If you want to spend your time with your kid, at almost no cost... try this.. your kid won't be dissapointed.. and so do you... but better clean up after that... or other people wont be happy.

You may think your current paper plane design is OK,.. no harm trying new thing. There is one site that has a good design, but I think due to copyright issue, i'm not putting the link.