Alam Kekal

RON97 naik 5 sen??

2010-11-03T00:14:00.003+08:00

Apa cerita ni, mak cik gemuk?! Naik harga minyak senyap-senyap! Takut pembangkang jadikan isu dalam pilihan raya kecil DUN Galas dan Parlimen Batu Sapi ke?

Mari kita sama-sama lihat harga barangan asas dan makanan naik ke tak lepas ni. Setahu saya, setakat ni tak ada lagi forwarding trucks yang pakai RON97. Semua pun guna diesel. So sekadar peringatan kepada golongan peniaga, simpan saja alasan terpaksa naikkan harga barang kerana peningkatan kos pengangkutan.

Peniaga pasar malam pun sama. Jangan nak mengada-ngada naikkan harga barangan dengan alasan bawa barang guna kereta (guna petrol dan bukannya diesel). Janganlah gatal pergi guna RON97! Gunalah RON95!

Geram nih!!

Hero kembali mengganas!!

2010-11-01T22:46:00.006+08:00

Salam kepada semua.. kalau la ada yang masih lawati blog ni.

Lama sungguh saya tak update blog ni. Tak, saya belum give up menulis blog lagi. Give up dengan kerja, yes. Dah hampir. Anyway, saya ucapkan selamat kembali menulis kepada diri saya sendiri. Sibuk memang sibuk. Minggu ni saja saya kena deliver 3, saya ulangi, 3 laporan! Tapi time2 sibuk macam ni la rasa seronok sangat nak menulis di blog. Boleh lepas geram.. :P

Banyak benda nak cerita nih. Macam2 kisah. Korang tunggu je. Anggaplah ini seumpama proses reboot sebuah PC. Sebelum ni PC ni jammed dek macam-macam hal. So, saya reboot PC tu. Sekarang bila dah reboot, harap2 PC akan lancar kembali. Oh, korang tak suka analogi reboot PC? Tak nampak apa yang dimaksudkan? Ok, saya bagi analogi lain. Bayangkan reboot blog ni seumpama reboot yang berlaku ke atas franchise Batman. Dua filem terbaru Batman adalah reboot kepada siri yang dah makin merepek. Jadi, pihak berwajib telah re-imagine sehingga ke peringkat asal usul Batman bahkan The Joker pun dilakonkan semula oleh orang lain. Itulah reboot. Kita buka lembaran baru. Same people, new approach.

Terima kasih kerana bersabar.

Lafaz niat puasa sebulan dan sehari di bulan Ramadhan

2010-08-11T00:50:00.005+08:00

Selamat menunaikan rukun Islam yang ketiga kepada semua hamba Allah yang mukallaf. Berikut adalah lafaz niat puasa untuk sehari dan juga lafaz niat puasa untuk sebulan (khusus bagi mereka yang entah macam mana boleh tak terniat untuk berpuasa keesokan harinya dan untuk mereka yang seumur hidupnya perlu berlafaz dahulu barulah menjadi niat...?)

نـَوَيْتُ صَوْمَ غـَدٍ عَـنْ اَدَاءِ فـَرْض شـَهْرِ رَمـَضَانَ هـَذِهِ السَّـنـَةِ لِلـَّهِ تـَعَالىَ

Sahaja aku berpuasa esok hari menunaikan fardhu Ramadhan tahun ini kerana Allah Ta'ala

نـَوَيْتُ صَوْم َ شـَهْرِ رَمـَضَانَ كـُلـِهِ لِلـَّهِ تـَعَالىَ

Sahaja aku berpuasa keseluruhan bulan Ramadhan kerana Allah Ta'ala

Namun sekiranya anda datang dari pelusuk tertentu di Malaysia ini, janganlah sampai terbelit lidah nak lafaz ikut orang Lembah Kelang. Tidaklah menjadi satu kesalahan atau melanggar compliance ISO9002 jika anda melafazkannya mengikut dialek anda, misalnya:

Sahajo ambo poso isuk haghi fardu Ramode tahung ini krno Allah Ta'ala

Itu pun ok, kak. Janji akak niat nak puasa fardu dan ianya kerana Allah.

Malang tak berbau, benda dah nak jadi, dah takdir,.. banyak la songeh parents tu nanti.. bukan dia yang putus jari!

2010-03-28T23:28:00.002+08:00

Hati-hati!! Wabak stupidcow-like parenting kembali mengganas!! A child's hand got stuck in a walkalator (flat, skewed escalator) in Alamanda, Putrajaya, today. The poor child lost a finger or maybe several. I t was horrible. Blood was gushing all over the floor. People were screaming and most were frustrated to what could have been easily evaded had the cow-like parents care a little bit more. Stop fucking around and look after your kids, you stupid cow you!

Depressed!!

Imam Ahmad berasal dari Bangi?

2010-02-22T19:57:00.006+08:00

Hahaha.. bukan le Imam Ahmad bin Hambal pengasas mazhab Hambali tu. Ni Imam Ahmad baru umur 6 tahun. Anak lelaki saya. Kisahnya macam ni. Tengah hari tadi, adik no. 3 tiba-tiba tegur saya kat YM ala-ala kecoh gitu, BUZZ, "abg busy tak? ada berita gempar!". Ingatkan ada apa. Rupanya pagi tadi dia pergi menjengah anak perempuannya, Sofiya di taska yang kebetulan sama dengan anak saya, Ahmad. Dia memang sering pergi jengah Sofiya yang baru nak berjinak-jinak semula dengan sekolah setelah beberapa siri menangis dan panjat grill taska! Tapi kita simpan cerita tu untuk lain hari. Berita gempar yang dia nak sampaikan jugak walaupun saya bagitau saya tengah sibuk ialah, semasa di taska tu, dia nampak anak saya Ahmad menjadi Imam solat sunat Dhuha. Rakan-rakan sekelasnya semua menjadi makmum. Wahhh.. memang berita gempar! Menurut adik saya, ustazah hanya akan menyuruh pelajar yang paling baik bacaan dalam solat untuk menjadi Imam. Alhamdulillah. Syukur. Terasa happy campur bangga campur sebak. Adik saya cadangkan agar saya ajar doa selepas solat kepada Ahmad. InsyaAllah, saya akan ajar. Paling utama ialah memperbetulkan solat fardunya. Lebih utama lagi daripada itu adalah memastikan Ahmad dan kakaknya, Su'ad mengerjakan solat fardu lima waktu. Dan selepas itu, saya akan ajarkan sama doa memohon rahmat, nur dan rezeki yang arwah ayah ajar kepada saya sebelum beliau meninggal dunia 8 tahun dahulu. Semoga bermanfaat untuk Ahmad dan boleh dia ajarkan kepada anaknya pula dan sesiapa saja pada satu hari nanti, insyaAllah.

Hmm.. ini plan jangka panjang. Ya Allah, makbulkanlah.

Daftar Kata Nama Baru

2010-02-18T14:19:00.003+08:00

Menurut Menteri Pertahanan, Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi di sini, kerosakan yang dialami KD Tunku Abdul Rahman adalah kecil dan tidak menjejaskan operasi kapal selam tempur berenjin diesel itu.

Tetapi, jelas beliau lagi, kerosakan itu menyebabkan kapal selam itu tidak boleh menyelam kerana dikhuatiri membahayakan.

Pulak dahh.. berita lanjut boleh dibaca di laman berita tidak berkredibiliti ini.

Oleh itu, seiring dengan dilema yang menimpa KD Tunku Abdul Rahman yang juga merupakan kapal selam pertama negara, saya berasakan kata nama baru patut diwujudkan.

Apakah panggilan yang sewajarnya bagi kapal selam yang tidak boleh menyelam?

Bahasa Melayu: kapal tak selam

Bahasa Inggeris: unsubmarine

Sekian, bahasa jiwa bangsa.

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Tips Memberi Hutang

2010-02-16T23:39:00.001+08:00

Orang ingin berhutang wang dengan anda? Saya nasihatkan anda berhati-hati jika bakal peminjam berjanji akan membayar semula pada sekian hari, sekian tarikh atau sekian waktu. Misalnya, "aku janji akan bayar balik sebulan dari sekarang" atau "dapat gaji bulan depan aku bayar". Berdasarkan pengalaman saya, orang yang berjanji dengan menetapkan masa tidak akan membayar pada masanya dan majoritinya tidak akan menebus semula pun hutang tersebut sampai bila-bila. Sebaliknya, berdasarkan pengalaman saya juga, peminjam yang menyatakan "aku akan bayar bila ada duit" atau "insyaAllah aku akan bayar balik", setakat ini kesemuanya melangsaikan hutang masing-masing dengan sempurna dan adakalanya lebih cepat daripada jangkaan.

Ada pengajaran di situ. Berhati-hatilah.

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Yeah, well.. It didn't happen..

2010-02-16T22:13:00.001+08:00

You know what they say.. "an exodus of attitude is an exodus as well".

No. They didn't say that. :p

Anyway, the champ is staying.

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Berpanas di Kuala Linggi

2010-02-06T16:40:00.001+08:00

Kami kat resort di Kuala Linggi.. Family day opis wife.. Tengah tengok Selat Melaka.. Ombak menghempas bibir pantai bagai menyatakan sesuatu.. Dan bayu laut pun menyapa mesra kulitku yg mulus.. :p

Eh? Itu lanun ke tu?!

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Exodus

2010-01-27T09:37:00.001+08:00

exodus. A, noun. 1, exodus, hegira, hejira. a journey by a large group to escape from a hostile environment

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I am not happy.

2010-01-22T15:43:00.001+08:00

All things considered, I am indeed grateful for all the things I have. All praises be to Allah alone, the most exalted, the most powerful and the sustainer of everything. But, nonetheless..

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How I am spending the night tonight?

2010-01-10T20:55:00.002+08:00

I am helping my daughter with her Arabic homework using the Google Translate application. It is so easy for kids nowadays to learn new words. Google Translate even allows users to type the source word phonetically and it will try to reproduce it in the original script, which in my case is Arabic. I've tried with words like "tufahah" (apple) and "madrasah" (school) and it works!

ps: am drinking fresh nira (sugar palm) from Kedah at the moment.. my brother just got back from kampung.. oh I just can't describe it.. YUMMY!!!

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Idea original untuk telemovie Melayu! Harap jangan ciplak!

2010-01-09T13:03:00.002+08:00

Tema:

Suka duka sebuah kehidupan seorang wanita Melayu di ibu kota.

Watak:

Tish Zakuriyah - teraju utama, protagonis.

Remy Romena - suami Tish, antagonis.

Daniel - cinta baru Tish.

Mak Yam (giler original) - wanita tua jiran Tish yang kononnya banyak giler makan garam dan reti nasihat serba-serbi.

..dan pelbagai watak tak berguna yang lain..

Plot & Sinopsis (yang ni paling original):

Tish dilarang oleh ibunya daripada berkahwin dengan Remy yg budak 5 tahun pun boleh cam sebagai buaya darat. Tish kahwin juga dengan Remy dan berhijrah ke ibu kota. Ini satu kemestian. Everything must end di ibu kota. Namun panas yang disangka hingga ke petang rupanya hujan di tengah hari. Remy buaya darat rupanya (duh..). Tish dan Remy pun bercerai. Oleh kerana selama ni Remy saja yang bekerja, Tish kini merana dalam kesempitan hidup. Tish malu untuk pulang ke kampung dan menghadapi ibunya. Pada masa yang sama tuntutan hidup di ibu kota semakin mendesak. Hanya tinggal satu jalan saja lagi. Setelah difikirkan masak-masak dan berkat nasihat Mak Yam, Tish kemudiannya memulakan karier sebagai GRO di sebuah kelab malam di ibu kota. Mula-mula Tish kekok tapi akhirnya ok ajer. Masyarakat mula memandang hina terhadap Tish. Kaum wanita setempat mengumpat dan mengeji Tish tak kira masa. Para suami kepada kaum wanita setempat tu pula mengumpat dan memuji "servis" Tish setiap masa. Satu hari Tish jatuh cinta dengan salah seorang pelanggannya. Daniel, pelanggan tu baik orangnya (cuma melanggan GRO je..) dan Tish percaya mampu membahagiakannya. Akhirnya mereka pun kahwin dan bahagia selamanya. Daniel tak perlu melanggan GRO lagi dah. It's like having a vending machine at home. Yay.

Nota: jangan ciplak aa..

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Why a job must never be no. 1? (a philosphical work in progress)

2010-01-08T02:13:00.004+08:00

Status: Draft 1, very early impression stage.. bordering rambling or perhaps is already one.. :p

---

If one's job is not at no. 1, than what is the no. 1?

Well, that is entirely up to you. Some might say that family is no. 1. Or kids. Or wive (wives? :p). Or God. Or religion. Or happiness. Or marriage. It can be anything but it can never be what you do for a living. Your job can never and should never be no. 1.

A bold statement, yes, but with reasons.

Hypothesis: Putting a job at no. 1 in one's life will cause one to lose/destroy the existing ideals and contaminate the soul.

Now, the burden is on me to prove that it is as such. In order to do that, I will need to put up examples or cases.

Let us try one. A rather generic one, don't worry.

The positioning of an object of life at the end of an upward spectrum entails the acceptance that the said object is of the highest. Note that, initially, it is the highest of order. Not necessarily the best or the most ideal. That is logical. For example, imagine a vertical line representing your priorities in life (some may ask, why not horizontal? we'll get to that, later.) If there are 5 objects of life that are of immediate concern for you, than logically each of them must have a unique position in that vertical line. Again, why vertical? The answer: it is human nature to prioritize. You prioritize bathing before you put on your clothes as it is the most logical order. If there is no prioritization there, seemingly to argue that both are just as important, would you then bath and putting on your jeans at the same time? You wouldn't. Why? Because it is not within your capacity to do both at the same time. It will definitely wet the jeans. Therefore, you prioritize. Simply put, it is not feasible (or rather mentally stable) to do both actions simultaneously. Likewise, other objects of life do have their own unique places within your vertical line of actuation. I am arguing that, to say that you consider your job is just as important as your kids would mean that you would be giving the same amount of attention and devotion to both! Have you been doing that? If you have, how do you measure that? Based on the amount of time of 8 hours of accompaniment for each? Clearly it is hard to measure since both of them carry elements that are incompatible with one another. Some will argue that it is not fair to compare the two. If so, are they then placed on a horizontal plane and moving forward together with your determination? How do you prove that? How do you prove (most importantly to yourself) that each and every one of the objects of life is of the same calibre? Wouldn't it be more plausible to accept the fact that one object of life is and will always be higher than the other and so on and so forth? If an actuation of actions towards an object of life is being used to measure prioritization, it is rather apparent that we, as humans, do not have the capacity to actuate all of them all at the same time. Therefore, is it acceptable that the degree of actuation of actions of a certain object of life determines its order in the vertical line?

To be continued..

Confiding in others..

2010-01-08T01:51:00.004+08:00

Perhaps it is timely to bring up this matter.

At the moment, I really do need to re-assess my confidants. This should be a hard lesson for me. I cannot just trust anybody these days. Despite the trusting sentiments I might have towards someone, probably out of proximity or suitability.. the truth is.. you'll never know for sure. I will never know for sure.

That is, until it leaks.

The bad news is.. it's confidants. Not confidant. So there is more than one person; which makes it quite hard to locate the loose end.

The good news is.. if anything, I've come to realize and be re-affirmed that the only person I can trust right now is myself. Always have been. Always will be, insyaAllah.

Far be it for me to fall into the same hole twice. I have learnt my lesson indeed.

Bottomline.. people just can't be trusted.

Got published in Kosmo!

2010-01-06T18:08:00.008+08:00

An article authored by me and a colleague was published in both online and print edition of Kosmo! last 23rd December 2009. It was my first Malay article and it focuses on the effects of social networking applications. I guess the Malay title would be "Kesan Aplikasi Sosial Maya". Maybe. Not so sure myself. :p Why don't you Google it up yourself?

Anyway, this one is a freebie from me. Please be very careful with what you write, share or expose in any of the social networking applications that you subscribed to; such as the ubiquitous Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and so forth. I know most of you may already know this but just to be sure, I will say it again - never expose your full bio or background and home or office address anywhere on the Internet! This kind of information are now like commodities and you'll never know where they will land or with whom they'll end up with. One thing for sure, it's most likely for nothing good.

Your Facebook friend wants to know your full name? What the..? Is he really your friend? Did you suffer from a total utilization of silly nicknames all the time during your uni days? And now he wants to know exactly where you live or work? Come on. Think about it. Giving out those kind of information is a serious affair. I once asked the same thing from a girl and that was for my rombongan meminang!

Okay, enough rambling. My point is, first and foremost, make sure whoever you came to know or re-discover through any social networking application is who he or she claims to be. If you're damn sure of it, just text or email the address to him/her. Never post it on your Facebook or MySpace.

Think first. Be smart. Be safe.

Bukan malas laa.. :p

2010-01-06T12:17:00.001+08:00

Ada pengunjung komen kat live chat di sebelah kanan tu dan tanya saya, "..apasal malas sangat ni?"

Bukan malas. Hahaha. Memang tak sempat. Harap-harap tahun baru ni sempat la saya nak menulis semula di blog ni. Banyak benda nak diceritakan dan dikongsi bersama cuma tak berkesempatan.

Selamat tahun baru 2010.

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Merdeka!

2009-11-01T01:45:00.004+08:00

Well.. almost.

To the curious minds out there (as if there are a lot of you), let it be known that I am not celebrating other country's independence nor am I being seriously belated in honoring ours. I am in fact "Merdeka!" since 4 pm this afternoon (31 October 2009). It was my Oral Literacy final exam! Don't be fooled by the name of the subject. There's nothing oral about it. I had to spent 3 hours to answer 2 questions out of a choice of three. And it was an open book exam. To those who are familiar with the open book examination concept will nod in agreement to the fact that being as such, did not at all warrant an easy pass. What a cliche'. It was the same back then when I was an undergraduate. Whenever the lecturer said that there will be an open book test or exam, be rest assured that the answers rarely will be in any of those book or notes you have.

I guess the books are there just to ensure that at least you have some real names to quote from. :p

Anyway.. all in all.. I am a "free man" again. I have finished all of my courses and now it's time to start with my thesis. Others who joined this program around the same time with me (and who are full-time students) are probably in their 3rd or 4th chapter stage. I, on the other hand, am still looking for a suitable supervisor. :p

And until I managed to find one.. I will keep on looking for a topic for my thesis. BAH! Which I also don't really have at the moment!

Subhanallah.. is this "Merdeka"? :|

Simple Tips for a Fulfilling Life

2009-10-21T01:17:00.003+08:00

Bila sampai mana-mana tol, bayar dengan duit kertas yang paling hodoh sekali, yang koyak-koyak, yang comot atau yang reyot tak hengat... atau bayar dengan duit syiling yang paling kotor, paling hitam atau yang sumbing yang tak tergamak anda nak gunakan untuk membayar harga barang di kedai dan tak sanggup nak simpan.

Muahahaha. Jangan risau kerana orang tol takkan tolak walau seteruk sekali pun duit yang anda bagi.

Selamat mencuba!

Nothing can be worse than this..

2009-10-14T10:03:00.002+08:00

Scenario 1

Farting loudly while leading a solat berjemaah.

Scenario 2

Farting loudly while leading a solat berjemaah. And your father-in-law is among the jemaah.

Scenario 3

Farting loudly while leading a solat berjemaah. And your FUTURE father-in-law is among the jemaah.

:p

Konflik Keluarga 5

2009-10-13T23:49:00.006+08:00

A few days after we got back from Batu Pahat for Hari Raya, my daughter Su'ad and my son Ahmad were counting the money they got so far. It was a lot. And to that, she said..

"Kalau ayah dengan mama nak pakai duit, ambillah duit saya. Saya ada banyak."

You are such a sweet child. TT

Anekdot: Kembali Meminati WWE

2009-10-13T23:12:00.004+08:00

Saya dah kembali meminati WWE. Kenapa? Entahlah. Saya pun misteri apa yang menjadi trigger kepada perkembangan ini. Kini, setiap minggu saya akan pindah turun episod terbaru WWE SmackDown dan WWE Raw. Minggu lepas, saya pindah turun WWE Hell in a Cell 2009, PPV (pay per view, WWE punya special event) pertama yang saya tonton sejak entah berapa tahun yang lalu, saya pun lupa. Ramai betul penggusti baru. Ada yang tak pernah dengar langsung sebelum ni macam Dolph Ziggler, Drew McIntyre, Kofi Kingston, Cory Rhodes (anak Dusty Rhodes) dan ramai lagi. Ada juga yang dulu seingat saya macam cap ayam tapi sekarang dah popular macam The Miz dan John Morrison. Team DX (Triple H dan Shawn Michaels) pun masih ada lagi. Biul macam dulu juga. Randy Orton sekarang juara baru WWE selepas kalahkan John Cena. The Undertaker (ada lagi rupanya orang tua nih..) pula juara heavyweight selepas kalahkan CM Punk. Satu perubahan ketara dalam WWE yang saya dapat lihat ialah titantron atau lagu yang berkumandang bila setiap penggusti memasuki arena. Pergh! Semuanya best! Majoriti penggusti WWE sekarang ni gunakan lagu sebenar yang memang wujud di pasaran dan bukannya mix version atau ubahsuai lagu sedia ada. Satu lagu yang paling best bagi saya (buat masa ni) ialah titantron untuk Kofi Kingston, juara US. Saya ni bukanlah minat dengan lagu reggae tapi ini exception yang julung-julung kali. Lagu Collie Buddz - SOS ni memang superb! Dengarlah sendiri. Iramanya tak banyak beza dengan lagu reggae lain tapi kalau dengar betul-betul, ada elemen melankolik pada melodinya yang memang menarik. Bukan sepanjang lagu tapi pada perubahan bait tertentu. Saya memang suka betul lagu yang ada kelainan macam ni. Selamat mendengar.

Forgive me, dear teachers...

2009-10-01T21:16:00.008+08:00

I don't know why.

I was driving back from work earlier tonight and suddenly I thought of all of you. There is nothing I can say that would be enough to convey how much I appreciate our times together. You may not even remember me anymore for you have devoted decades of your lives over the well-being of countless others. And I am but one of them lucky dols. But, I don't mind. But I do remember all of your faces (and most of the names) and I will keep on remembering as long as Allah permits.

Forgive me dear teachers for not celebrating the 16th of May every year. For I have my reasons. And forgive me for not keeping in touch after all these years. And to some of you, especially those from my secondary years.. forgive me for letting you down in the past.

I wish you could see me now. I wish you could see that I've grown into a successful person, in my own right. I have a wife and I have kids now. And they love me. I don't have that many friends but the ones I have, they are always glad to see me. I just wish you would know and be glad for me. For you are the asbab for what I am today.

Many years back, I saw Richard Dreyfuss, the actor, giving an interview for his role as a teacher in a movie or a TV series. He said something like, "I would be a fool if I were to say that I am who I am today have nothing to do with my teachers." At the time, I thought he was just being nice as he was about to play the role of a teacher (and a damn good one!). But now I truly see what he meant back then. Teachers do shape our lives in ways that, sometimes, you will only realize much much later in life.

Yeah, well. Maybe I am being overtly sentimental here. But I do miss my teachers.. a lot. Appropriately, here goes a declaration. Kinda.

Way.. way back in the late 70s, I was a student of Cikgu Maznah and Cikgu Fauziah of Taman Siswa Muda, UKM. Both are still around. Cikgu Maznah is still in Bangi, I think. I will look for her, insyaAllah.

In the early 80s, I was a student of Cikgu Maria (class teacher standard 1), Cikgu Nasir, Cikgu Zulkifli (Math and BM), Cikgu Asmah Muslim (my class teacher in standard 5 and 6), Cikgu Low (English) and many more.

In the late 80s, I was a student of Ustazah Siti Hawa (Arabic), Ustaz Ashaari (Arabic), Ustaz Hamdi (Islamic Studies), Cikgu Hamzah (Literature), Cikgu Nada (History), Cikgu Norhayati (Math), Cikgu Ismail (Science) and many more.

In the early 90s or more specifically for a one-year stint, I was a student of Cikgu Prem (English), Cikgu Norehan (History), arwah Ustaz Ramli (Arabic and Islamic Studies) and a few others.

Towards the mid 90s, I was a student of arwah Pak Dino SS (Literature), arwah Pak A. Samad Ismail (News Reporting), Encik Abdul Jalil Ali (Creative Writing), Prof. Abu Bakar Hamid (Literature) and a few others.

In the mid 90s until 2000, I was a student of Dr. Ray (Raja Abdullah Yaacob), Pak Wong (Wong Tuck Cheong), Ms. Hajibah (English), Puan Fuziah (Indexing & Abstracting), Cik Salmah (Cataloging), Dr. Zohra (Research), Pak Lah (System Analysis & Design, and my thesis supervisor), Encik Sapawi (MIS), Encik Sharif, Puan Rosnah, Encik Zulkarnain (DBMS, Networking) and many more.

And beginning late 2007 until now, I was a student of Dr. Prem (again.. previously Cikgu Prem), Dr. Hazita Azman, Dr. Noraini, Prof. Saran Kaur, Dr. Subakir, Dr. Marlyna, Dr. Supyan, Dr. Norizan and this semester, I am a student of Dr. Siti Hamin and Dr. Thang.

You are all special to me. Keep on teaching, dear teachers. As for me, I promise you I will work harder to be a better man. A better someone. Someone whom you will all be proud to remember as a former student.

Sincerely yours,
Your Student

Pergh.. lama gila tak update blog nih!

2009-09-30T01:42:00.003+08:00

Salam kepada semua. Maaflah pasal dah lama tak tulis apa-apa. :p (Macamlah ramai sangat yang baca blog ni.)

Kepada pembaca berbayar, yuran September anda akan dikembalikan, insyaAllah. Tapi dalam bentuk baucar. Hahaha. Harap maklum.

Sibuk betul saya sepanjang bulan Ramadhan yang lalu. Macam-macam kerja saya buat. Kerja full time pun macam-macam la pulak time2 puasa ni. Pastu kerja part-time yang menimbun-nimbun. Mak aii.. memang hampir tak menang tangan. Sampai tak sempat saya nak server down macam puasa tahun-tahun sudah. Hari minggu je baru saya berpeluang bantai server down sampai tak hengat! Nyaris-nyaris nak terbatal puasa.

Tapi.. hasilnya.. dapat la saya beli handphone baru menjelang hari raya. Hehehe.. kiranya handphone raya laa.. ok la tu.. handphone yang sebelum ni tu pun dah lama saya pakai. Dah lama tak tukar. Usianya dah hampir 7 atau 8 bulan dah. :p

Anyway, saya akan kembali menulis dalam masa terdekat, insyaAllah. Yuran Oktober masih sama macam bulan yang sudah. Jangan segan2 untuk bank-in. :D

Oklah, selamat hari raya. Majulah sukan untuk negara dan semoga BN/UMNO kalah tak hengat di DUN Bagan Pinang Oktober ini. Amin.

ps: Amy Chong, sori pasal tak sempat berbuka dengan you tahun ni.. walaupun hakikatnya you tu tak puasa.. tapi memang saya suka berbuka dengan you.. (pasal you boleh chopkan tempat makan dan jaga meja masa saya pergi solat Maghrib..). Apa-apa hal pun, saya janji saya akan lepak-lepak makan-makan dengan you lepas ni.. aaa.. one of these days.. insyaAllah.

Ahli UMNO = Ahli Neraka

2009-08-23T01:14:00.004+08:00

UMNO Needs You! (Now, more than ever..)

Vote for UMNO and you're on your way to eternal summer in Hell 90210.

Hmm.. that is quite interesting

2009-08-07T00:12:00.003+08:00

Someone posted this to the Intranet at my workplace. Maybe you've already heard about this elsewhere.

It seems that on the 7th of August 2009 (that would be today..), at precisely 12:34:56, the time + the date will become :

12:34:56 07/08/09

which is 1 to 9 (in a way.. if you drop all the colons, the slashes and the zeros)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

I guess this is one of those things that will only happen once in a lifetime. But then again, philosophically speaking, so is everything else in life. :p

Konflik Keluarga 4

2009-08-04T00:56:00.003+08:00

Kat rumah kami ada bibik baru. Namanya Pah. Nama penuh saya tak ingat daa.. tapi kami panggil Ipah atau Pah.

Pada satu hari..

Saya tak jumpa cari baju kegemaran saya. Jadi saya turun ke dapur untuk bertanya kepada Pah. Manalah tahu dia terhantar ke bilik adik atau adik ipar saya. Saya pun ke dapur sambil melaungkan dari jauh..

"Pah,.. oh Pah.. Baju aku mana Pah?", saya bertanya.

Saya memang bahasakan diri "aku" dengan Pah ni pasal ia satu kebiasaan bagi orang Jawa. Bukanlah saya ni orang Jawa. Tapi Pah tu orang Jawa. Dan bukanlah menggunakan "aku" sebagai ganti nama tu sesuatu yang kasar pula tapi bagi sesetengah orang Melayu, ia hanya sesuai untuk digunakan sesama kawan rapat saja. Eh, ke situ pula ceritanya. Bukan pasal "aku" yang saya nak cerita. Kita sambung balik..

Saya terus bertanya kepada Pah yang sedang membasuh pinggan di dapur, "Pah, baju aku mana Pah?"

Tiba-tiba, cik adik intan payung (baca: isteri saya) yang kebetulan ada di dapur, terbahak-bahak ketawa. Saya jadi hairan betul. "Kesiannya isteri aku. Mesti banyak kerja sangat kat opis sampai jadi macam ni. Tak semena-mena ketawa." :p

Lepas tu Pah tanya saya semula, "Baju yang mana, encik?"

Saya pun jawab balik, "Baju biru aku tulah. Mana kau letak, Pah? Mana baju aku, Pah?".

Sekonyong-konyong, makin galak isteri saya ketawa. Wah.. wah.. apa dah jadi ni?

Tiba-tiba isteri saya menyampuk, "Abang tak nak tanya Ipah mana butang baju Melayu?"

Aik???

Lepas tu barulah isteri saya jelaskan bahawa gaya pertanyaan saya tadi tu telah mengingatkannya kepada satu babak lucu di dalam filem Madu Tiga, lakonan P. Ramlee. Nama isteri P. Ramlee (memainkan watak Jamil) dalam filem tu pun ialah Pah. Hahaha.. saya pun terus teringat dan ketawa dengan lebih terbahak-bahak lagi. Bagi yang dah lupa dialog tersebut atau tak pernah tahu pasal filem tu, di bawah ada klip bagi adegan yang saya sebut tadi.

Pah terus confuse tengok kami berdua ketawa. Mungkin dia fikir, "Apa-apaan saja mereka berdua ini.." :p

Escape to Sarawak

2009-07-26T00:51:00.004+08:00

I just got back from Sarawak yesterday. I was there for a 2 days and 1 night trip with my boss and this gal from another agency. We arrived on Thursday noon and came back to Semenanjung on Friday afternoon. It was a very short visit and you can call it a lawatan kerja if you like.

Actually, I've never been to Sarawak before, and.. I am telling you.. it was a blast! Sarawak is such a beautiful state. For such a short period of time, our trip did involved getting to the top of a mountain on a 4WD through a narrow road, whose driver would be SMSing while driving like it's nothing (imagine that!), crossing the lowlands to get to the beach (furnished only with my boss' Google Map enabled BlackBerry - which he should approve one for me very soon!) and getting to the other side of that large river that runs through Kuching, in order to get a taste of Pak Lah Boyan's Mee Kolok (no, it's not that Pak Lah.. :p).

For some reason, I cannot exactly share the what, the why and the where of this trip. Too bad, I know. But believe me, I really can't.

However, I can share with you some of the photos I took with my trusty mobile phone with carefully crafted captions, of course. :p

That would be the Penrissen Mountain. A nearby army camp also carries the same name.

I am pointing to Kalimantan. Mana pergi suma orang Indon nih? Nampak hutan je..

Kalimantan.. without my finger pointing at it. :p

This is the actual border stone. On the side that you see, it says "Malaysia" and the other side says "Indonesia".

I am in between two nations - so to speak!

I do have lots of other photos. I'll see if I can share them here, insyaAllah. But one thing for sure, given the size of it, not even a month will be enough to explore the beauty of Sarawak. Kindly note that I am specifically referring to the nature.. the environment.. the scenery. No Sarawak's beauty. That would be a totally different entity.

It is just another day for the dummies...

2009-07-21T23:45:00.004+08:00

It will haunt you.

Deny it all you like, but Teoh Beng Hock's mysterious and untimely death will eventually creep into your thoughts. Maybe not today, for you couldn't care less for politics; and to you, such death is as meaningless as politic itself. Maybe not today, for you have been raised as and had chosen to be a racist and this is just another Chinese death (and for that, it is okay). Maybe not today, for you worship money day and night and there is no room for anything else save your pitiful needs.

Despite all that, you will come to realize that he is but your average Malaysian; born and bred in this nation of ours; and that he may know not nor even care for anything China for he is a Malaysian. And that he was just like you and me. Somebody's beloved son. Someone's beloved partner. And that he would have been some kid's father.

That kid will come into this world next February (insyaAllah) and in time will learn that his father had died a mysterious and untimely death.

But nooo... you wouldn't worry yourself over such petty things. That stupid picnic must go on. That stupid futsal on every stupid weekday of yours must go on. That stupid laughs you had upon hearing stupid jokes by your stupid friends during your usual time-wasting lepak sessions must prevail.

All hail IGNORANCE - the new false god of the dummies who live their lives on this and this and all those similarly godly issues - at such a testing time to other non-believer Malaysians. Oh, "Tak manis saya buka mulut"? Really? Well.. you're right, I'll give you that. But there are so many uncertainties in life, you know. You could both die horribly in a bloody car accident before you finally realize that it was equally "tak manis" to "buka" other things as well. But your god IGNORANCE must have no problem with that. Oh, you fear that "gosip yang keterlaluan undang kebencian peminat"? Wow.. you sure have been too full of yourself far too long. Here's an update. We hate you without knowing those gossips about you! And we're not even fans! What does that tells you?! Fancy to marry some Dato'? Go on. We'll be hating you just the same.

Die, dummies.

Language Analysis 1

2009-07-20T01:32:00.005+08:00

Teoh Beng Hock was found dead after giving his statement to the MACC, and to this, the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein had said,

I have ordered all involved including the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to be investigated

Let's analyze that statement. At a glance, what he was saying may sounded normal but let me point you to a rather inappropriate use of the preposition "including". Just ask yourselves, how would we normally use "including" in a sentence? In my opinion, "including" that appears after a deliberation is somewhat a marker to revert the attention back to an item that may have otherwise escaped the understanding or the intended meaning; or out of fear that it has been made generic by the deliberation.

Confused? Me too. Okay, let us see some examples.

Example 1:

When I say to Cus (on a get together we're planning), "I have asked everyone to come including En. Karim!", what I was saying is actually - I invited everybody, I even invited the boss (well.. ex-boss i.e. En. Karim). Of course, people don't invite the boss (or ex-bosses) to social meet ups but the idea is that all of us (friends/ex-colleagues) will be there. You see.. you don't expect En. Karim to be there but you should be aware that I've invited him over as well.

Example 2:

Imagine me as a head honcho of a Mafia organization and Amy is the Senior Lead Assassin (?). And when I told her to "Kill everybody at Don Ricardo's mansion including the maid.", I am actually ordering her to kill all and that "including" is to further stress that all in the mansion need to die. The maid was never the main target and an instruction that is devoid of the "including" would still mean the same.

As per the Home Minister's statement:

I have ordered all involved including the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to be investigated

I cannot help but wonder if he was referring to other more prominent parties (involved) and that MACC is just but one of them, instead of primarily the MACC or especially the MACC. There is a big difference, if you just open your eyes. If say, he did not mention the word "including" and everything that trails thereafter, would they be investigating MACC then? If they would, why the need for the "including"? I would have no qualm if he said:

I have ordered all involved including the Plaza Masalam's janitor to be investigated

I have ordered all involved including the fruit sellers near the Plaza Masalam to be investigated

It would be silly but it will show that he is determined to leave no stone unturned in the investigation as he ordered an investigation involving everybody (MACC, PDRM, DAP etc.) including those who are most unlikely to be prime suspects. But to put MACC under "including"? Come on laa..

What say you, readers?

Some changes to the blog

2009-07-20T01:02:00.009+08:00

The most visible one would be the chatroll on the right. Why? It seems like a good idea lah at the time.. I don't know. Let's chat! And I've moved the Selected Video to below it.

Another change that is not visible is that I will no longer use FileDen to host any images, more prominently the blog banner (the one that says Alam Kekal in that cool typewriter font). Now I use ImageShack. FileDen has gone bonkers, I think. It has been inaccessible for the last few days - and many times in the past, not to mention broken links. All the signs of going out of business, I guess -- just like that nasi lemak stall I've been frequenting (ikut suka je bukak.. aku terajang jugak owner dia nanti kang.. opss.. what am I saying.. I mean.. I will politely ask him to be more responsive to his customers' needs..)

Other things that are highly unlikely to change anytime soon -- the ever over-confident, self-righteous and manipulative attitude of the blog writer.. :p

ps: too bad if you've accidentally subscribed to this blog, coz I don't give refunds! hah! you're stuck with me!

New Semester Starts!

2009-07-19T23:02:00.002+08:00

Last week, I am officially a fourth semester student. I'm taking the last 2 courses for the program. I couldn't start with my thesis proper since a part-time student is restricted to 9 units worth of credits each semester; and a thesis would require all 9. Hmm.. UKM gals will be seeing more of me, it seems. Good for them, I know.. :p

This semester is an almost reminiscent of my 2nd one. There's a lecturer who is keen to hear her students argue on any given subject and there's one who also said so, since it is the right thing to say to masters' students (you know.. all the you are no longer undergrads, hence you should be critical bullshit), but seemingly not in the mood for disagreements.

What else is new?

I felt like asking her - Aaa.. you really mean that? Or are you just being politically correct? That PhD you have doesn't make you the Queen of All Knowledge, you know? You can be wrong, you know?

But what the hell.. I can also let her rot with her arrogance.

I think I will go for the latter.

ps: not going to lose any sleep over you..

Planning 101 (a.k.a Planning For Dummies)

2009-07-08T00:55:00.003+08:00

So you are planning on something but you don't know where to start? It's okay. Really. You just need to be aware of a few pointers which I will coyly call "the common criteria of planning". Here is how it goes..

Do not plan for something that has the potential of getting out of your hands. This is very important. For example, you shouldn't plan to play badminton if you are and will be on your own. It will be very difficult and to some, f**king crazy as well. Start planning for a badminton game only when you are sure the other person is there for you and that he or she will be coming.
Do not plan for positions if you don't have the necessary people for it. This is simple. Look at it this way. If you plan to marry someone and you wish to throw in a lavish kenduri/walimah for that someone, please.. please.. make sure that you have all the people you will need for it; for a kenduri kahwin is no small feat. You cannot just plan for 5 dishwashers (actual persons), 5 for dish preparation and 4 ushers and whatnot and all the while, there's only 3 or 4 of you! More importantly, you shouldn't arbitrarily count in all your neighbours without any regards to their commitments. They are not living their lives, standing by for your needs, you know? Of course they will eventually come to the rescue as you're gasping for air in the midst of an uncontrollable workloads.. but don't you think you should've thought of that like IN THE VERY BEGINNING?
Do not plan, period, if you have been facing the problems as per outlined in the first two pointers, time and time again. Apparently, you are no planner. Go and do something else like growing a tree, a hernia or a beard. That would be better for everybody else (but lawyers will say.. "hmm.. that depends..") :p. And please spare others from lines like, "we are all in this together" or "sepakat membawa berkat" unless you can be sure that the contributions will be flowing BACK AND FORTH. A silly example would be like saying, "tolong la sama-sama uruskan kenduri anak saya ni, nanti kami tolong masa kenduri anak awak pula.." to a neighbour who is without heir nor heiress. Kenduri apa? Kenduri arwah? Helping others is not an issue but the argument is and it is such a low class one.

Happy planning! You dummy you..

Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name

2009-07-07T23:56:00.004+08:00

The title of this post is from a lyric to the theme song of the popular sitcom Cheers. If you were born like in the 90s, you may not even aware of the show. But believe me, it was a hit back then. Anyway, that line is probably saying that, familiarity is important to us. Perhaps, not all of the times. But, sometimes, it is. Sometimes, it is canon. I suppose it is a natural urge of people as a social participant wanting to be in a place or a crowd or an environment where they are actually somebody.. or at least, where they are known to others. On top of that, their names are even known to the others. Maybe for some super secured egotistical self-centered jerk, such a thing is as trivial as breathing (or shitting). Unfortunately for the rest of us normal 9 to 5ers, it makes all the difference. If you are a boss (especially if you're a jerky one at that), you should know a thing or two about us 9 to 5ers. These people -- the 9 to 5ers -- they are very much aware of the fact that no amount of hours of work will get them to be a millionaire. They may aspire to be one but they are realistic as well. They come in, they fulfill their duties and they go home -- and after 25 days or so, they get paid. Believe it or not, they are happy. Sure, there's the mounting bills, the demanding wives, the unexplained irrational need for a new car every now and then but those are the accepted ordeals of life and they are willing to see them through. But please don't send them to a place where nobody knows their names. Of course, it is a metaphor. And to feel out of place is one of the worst feelings one can have. People lose people over such triviality, you know?

By the way, I just recalled another line of the lyric. Here is how it goes..

Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name,
And they're always glad you came.

Ziana Zain - Kemelut Di Muara Kasih

2009-06-29T23:53:00.003+08:00

Seandainya dapat kau selam
Sambil mentafsir tasik hatiku
Cuma tenang di permukaan
Dan di dasarnya bergelora
Persoalan demi persoalan
Membelenggu akal dan fikiran
Tidak ku temu jawapan
Seandainya dapat ku lari
Jauh ku pergi membawa diri
Sebenarnya langkah terkunci
Antara kasih dan juga budi
Mengapa kau juga yang ku rindu
Walau sudah ku tahu
Payah bersatu hidup denganmu
Engkau sungguh jujur dan ikhlas
Terhadapku
Tak pernah walau dalam sekalipun
Kau minta ku membalas
Semuanya itu lambang kesetiaanmu
Bukannya mengaburi mata ini
Atau sebaliknya
Kita bagaikan pertaruhan
Pada yang menyaksikan jauh manakah
Kita bertahan
Jika ku tersilap pastinya
Dipandang hina
Terlalu banyak sungguh halangan
Terpaksa ku terjang
Aku pun tidak tahu
Apa yang ingin Tuhan tunjukkan
Adakah ini dugaannya
Hanyalah sekadar untuk menguji
Setiamu
Seandainya hajat tak sampai
Tanah dan badan pasti berkecai
Terkubur harapan di liang cinta
Kasih ini kita semadikan

Nota: Best betul la lagu ni. Don't know about you guys, but in my honest opinion, this is the best number ever from Ziana Zain. There truly is something about her. Her escalating high-pitch beginning at "Mengapa kau juga yang ku rindu.." and later at "Kita bagaikan pertaruhan.." is haunting, justified and perfect. Such a great song. Such a great singer. Too bad terkahwin dengan joemeow mana tah.. :p

It's moving day!

2009-06-26T12:13:00.004+08:00

I just finished packing up my things. We're moving to the next building. Why? I don't know la. I like this one just fine. But maybe the powers that be needed to spend some money to justify the stimulus package we just received. And moving does cost a lot of money -- renovation of the new office, renovation of the old office (for those who will be moving in to our old area -- not all of us are moving, some other departments will stay and expand, I guess..), movers' fee, new equipments, new wiring, new furnitures and finishings etc.

Anyway, I will be on leave this afternoon. Not because of the moving exercise. I don't do any "moving", actually. Heheh. But there's this thing at MidValley this afternoon. My old office is celebrating its 7th anniversary and they're doing this premier screening of some movie.. trans something.. no that popular.. I couldn't recall..

Oh, yes! Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen!!! :p

Yay!

I can't wait to meet up with the old gang. And of course to have the chance to send out SMSs to others with spoilers like, "Bumblebee mati nanti..". :p kehkeh.. sure killer..

Ok, tata. More updates than meets the eye later.

Decepticons! Transform..

You might want to seriously reconsider

2009-06-24T00:42:00.003+08:00

If you're the usual jiwang karatzzz melodramatic sentimental Malaysian like my friends Cus, Amy, Rohaya, Yin Ping, Ahmad Zulhafizuddin, Abdul Hadi and Nadia (Ratu Jiwang Karatzzz), you must have had specific songs for every occassion. However, do not dedicate the wrong songs to the wrong people, especially your loved ones or those who are important to you. Sometimes you think that it's a nice song and you like the melody and you're more than happy to share the number with him/her but unbeknownst to your insensitive self, that particular song is actually poison.

Therefore, be aware. DO NOT DEDICATE:

..."Bawaku Terbang" by The Fabulous Cats to your fiance who recently failed his flight exam.

..."Don't Speak" by No Doubt to your mute friend.

..."Pelamin Anganku Musnah" by Azie to your newly wedded husband.

..."Seribu Tahun Takkan Mungkin" by BPR to your wife right around the time she told you that her new year resolution was to get slimmer.

..."Diriku Tapak Sulaiman" by Elyana to your vindictive insecure lecturer whose father's name is.. you guess!

..."Dancing Queen" by ABBA to your crippled OKU best friend.

..."Mengapa Perpisahan Yang Kau Pinta" by Flybaits to your wife who, after a quarrel, had only said that, "Maybe we should both take some personal time to cool this off." What the..?

..."Sejarah Mungkin Berulang" by New Boyz to your wife after she had forgiven you for cheating on her.

..."Ramalanku Benar Belaka" by Umbrella to your friend after you promised him that you are not going to say "I told you so" to his misfortune.

..."Jerat" by Fitri to your fiancee.

..."Aku Hanya Pendatang" by Francisca Peter to your Indon co-worker. (this one for you guys..)

..."Haruskah Diuji" by Farish to the pawn shop owner right when you handed the gold bracelet to be appraised.

..."Rendang Tak Berbuah" by Hattan to your sterile acquaintance.

..."Di Wajahmu Ku Lihat Bulan" by Hetty Koes Endang to your girlfriend with serious pimple issue.

..."Aku Skandal" by Hujan to your wife around the time she discovered lipstick stains on your shirt.

..."Wasted Years" by Iron Maiden to your wife of 20 years.

..."Teenaga Drama Queen" by Lindsay Lohan to your 15 year old daughter who just got over her tantrums on getting an iPhone.

..."Cinta Adam dan Hawa" by Misha Omar to your friend during double date whose named is Adam, whose ex was actually named Hawa, and all the while his new lover Felicia is sitting right next to him.

..."This Is How I Disappear" by My Chemical Romance to a good friend who had just became a guarantor for your bank loan.

..."Amalan Di Bulan Ramadhan" by Nada Murni to your non-Muslim friend. :p

..."O Sole Mio" by Placido Domingo to your Arab friend, who barely speaks English.

..."Laila Namamu Teratas" by Search to your wife.. and she's not Laila!

..."Balik Kampung" by Sudirman to your family when you just said, "Tahun ni kita raya kat KL ajer. Ayah kena keje."

..."Come and Die" by Therapy and Fatal to patients who just arrived at a hospital. This is much more seriously if you're a doctor or a nurse there.

..."Kekasihku Di Menara" by Ukays to your boyfriend who didn't manage to secure a place in any Uni.

...and finally...

DO NOT DEDICATE the song "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon" by Urge Overkill to your male boss unless you badly need to leave the company. :p

ps: dear readers, add some more in the comment section if you have any other DO NOTs. thanks.

Let us move on with the original plan! (a.k.a. Alhamdulillah)

2009-06-23T10:53:00.005+08:00

Malaysiakini yesterday reported:

Unity gov't: A united 'no' from Pakatan

Pakatan Rakyat's top leadership today unanimously rejected the formation of a unity government with Umno or Barisan Nasional.

MCPX

The PKR, DAP and PAS leaders reiterated their commitment to the opposition coalition with the aim of forming the federal government someday.

This was revealed in a joint statement inked by Opposition Leader and PKR supremo Anwar Ibrahim, DAP's Lim Kit Siang and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang.

"The Pakatan council of leaders has reaffirmed its rejection of the idea of forming a unity government with Umno/BN which is clearly a malicious and desperate attempt to compromise the integrity of the increasingly popular Pakatan Rakyat," read the statement.

The statement was issued after its leaders held a one-hour 40 minute meeting to discuss the matter in one of the meeting rooms in the Parliament building.

This was followed by a six-minutes press conference to announce the decision.

Besides the three main leaders, others present at the meeting were PKR president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, her deputy Syed Husin Ali, vice-presidents Azmin Ali and R Sivarasa.

Others include DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, DAP Cheras MP Tan Kok Wai, PAS secretary-general Mustafa Ali, vice-president Mahfuz Omar and central committee member and Bukit Gantang MP Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin.

Meanwhile, The Pakatan leaders said they were willing to discuss with BN on matters of national interests and had identified several areas.

These include economic recovery, improving the quality of education, restoring the integrity of the judiciary, abolishing the Internal Security Act and the handling of the RM12.5 billion Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ).

Other areas include the blatant abuse of power by the police, increasing crime rate, eradication of corruption, establishment of good governance and the holding of an immediate free and fair election to resolve the Perak crisis.

PAS president Abdul Hadi also assured that differences between party spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat and deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa "will be resolved tonight."

PAS will hold its central committee meeting tonight where this matter, including the unity talks with Umno, are expected to be the main agenda.

Previously, Nik Aziz told Nasharuddin to quit PAS and join Umno in relation to the latter’s support for holding unity talks with Umno.

Commenting on Pakatan's decision, Lim said the opposition coalition has come together to resolve its first crisis.

"This statement shows that we are committed to move forward. It shows that we are different from BN," he added.

I edited my own post! (previously "He may err for he is no prophet (a.k.a PAS bukan parti milik orang Kelantan)")

2009-06-17T23:24:00.009+08:00

A BERNAMA news reported Kelantan Menteri Besar and the Mursyidul Am of PAS as telling the recently re-elected Deputy President of PAS, Nasharuddin Mat Isa to quit as PAS deputy president and Bachok Member of Parliament and join UMNO if he persists with the unity government agenda.

Full BERNAMA story here. Malaysiakini quoted the report here. And later BERNAMA issued a follow-up story here. MSO (as always) covered the news here.

By now, probably most of the political blogs in Malaysia is writing a piece on the matter or perhaps contemplating on how to respond to such a startling development.

I am dumbfounded. :|

It's tiring.

note: just fyi. this post has been edited for reasons known only to me. it used to be much longer. segala kesulitan amat dikesali.. :p

Getting around getting profiled

2009-06-17T00:01:00.004+08:00

Did you know that whenever you visit any website directly from your Internet connection and PC, you are actually leaving behind a trail in the form of IP number? And depending on what script or cookie (from the website) that you allow to communicate with your PC, some websites can even profile your operating system, browser type and geographic location. While such information may sound trivial to some, they are actually very useful to those who wish to study the surfing habits of unsuspecting Internet users. It may even be used for future exploits. This is where an anonymous proxy server is most useful. Try using the abundant proxy servers available freely on the Internet. An example of a popular one would be ShadowSurf and what it really does is covering up your virtual trail as you surf the Internet. You can visit any site you like without leaving any proof that it was you. The trick is to access ShadowSurf first and then type in or paste the URL of the site you wish to visit in the text box located in the middle of the main page; and click the adjacent "Surf anonymously.." button. It is important to note here that accessing a website through a proxy may cost a bit of your surfing speed. Imagine it this way.. you are not directly going to a particular site like from A to B. Instead, you are going to B first and ask B to visit C on your behalf. Therefore, whoever is waiting for your surfing information at C will see that it is B who is visiting the site -- although in reality it was A (you). Hence, you are not getting profiled and C will be getting bogus statistics. Unless.. B is also collecting information of people they helped to get to C anonymously. What a bummer that would be. :p

Ironically.. this is also the most popular way to get around site restriction or blocking; pretty much since the blocking itself is mainly deployed through a proxy. A backfire indeed. I will, however, save this one for another post, insyaAllah.

Happy surfing anonymously!

Go verbatim at your own peril!

2009-06-15T22:48:00.003+08:00

I have been moonlighting for the past two weeks for my old employer. I have had the pleasure of checking the quality of thousands and thousands of translated English>Malay phrases done by some freelancers. Some are very good in transferring the meanings of English utterances into the most appropriate Malay counterparts (and at the same time practical for a machine translation system - which is damn hard to do and another topic by itself!). One must remember that a machine translation system does not aim to replace human translators, but instead it complements their efforts. I myself have been using Citcat's machine translation system all the time and it has greatly reduced the time I had to spent for groundwork translation. How great a reduce, you asked? Well, in most occasions, I managed to finish translating in one afternoon what was supposed to be a 3 nights work. Arguably, most of the choices of words produced by a machine translation system may not satisfy all possible usages but it is (statistically) the best, given their popular real life occurrences (I am referring to the underlying corpus). Yet, one who does a QC over them cannot help but stumbling into some that are just plain tragic. I did mention a particularly shocking one to my supervisor and he said that it would be a great topic for my blog post. So, I am going to share it with you all. Just this one. This is a reminder that such a thing can happen to us all. Translating one or two paragraphs is easy. Try a running list of 5000 phrases. Even the most able translator will lose focus. I would know. I have been there.

This is an example of what I found:

duck breast > buah dada itik

:p

Logically, semantically or even linguistically.. it is not wrong. No. Strike that. It is not wrong, period! So what is the problem, here?

You're right. Appropriateness. Or what language people would refer to as registers or laras bahasa. It is just not an appropriate Malay replacement for breast given the accompanying noun duck. You never see a suckling duck, have you? But the word breast was probably used by the first duck eaters (purely hearsay) just to explain the meat area that is located between the wings; in connotation with what lies between human arms. No problem there should the noun was say.. Amy's, Rohaya's or Yin Ping's. :o (just example lorr.. nobody you know.. it's Amy Lim, Rohaya Kassim and Poon Yin Ping @ Ah Poon.. so don't put up my handsome pic on your dart board just quite yet..).

Anyway, I can only imagine a situation in MidValley LG lunch area where a dark (and somewhat) handsome chap popularly known as Cus tries to stick to his pure linguistic ideals, whenever he can.

Cus: Kak, nasi bungkus satu!
Kak: Lauk apa, dik?
Cus: Aaa.. kasi kuah kari tu. Ayam goreng satu.
Kak: Nak bahagian mana, dik?
Cus: Nyamnyam.. bagi saya buah dada, kak.

PANG!!!

PANG!!! PANG!!! PANG!!! (these are from others in the line..poor Cus..)

DUSH!!! (a rather late flying kick from Kak Nas..)

The world is indeed very cruel towards linguists.

I am 35 (but am I legend?)

2009-05-31T21:20:00.002+08:00

Well.. I guess we'll just have to wait and see about that. Lots of changes are underway. Some are too small to mention here and some are too big to reveal at this time. Hopefully, it will become much clearer. Soon.

Thank you for your kind wishes (you know who you are).

The end of us all..

2009-05-20T23:53:00.002+08:00

Did you come here for comfort?
Comfort is not in today.

Did you come here for tease?
Nothing is worth teasing anymore.

Did you come here for knowledge?
All the knowledge in the world is worthless if the resultants are pain, death and sorrow.

Ya Allah, the most merciful.. please provide the best of rewards and happiness in the afterlife to the would-be mothers, a mother and a child who died at the hands of the evil bastards; cross-bred from the dirtiest sows and satan.

Public Lecture Review: Democracy, Economic Development and Maqasid as-Shariah - Part 1

2009-05-14T21:12:00.005+08:00

Lecturer: Professor Murat Cizakca, Bahcesehir University, Turkey
Location: International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies
Date: 13 May 2009

Democracy

Prof. Murat referred to a criteria set forth and agreed by political scientists James Lee Ray and Per Ahlmark in determining that a country is to be considered as democratic if:

the leaders of the executive and legislative branches of the government are elected in competitive and honest elections;
at least two independent political parties compete in these elections;
at least half of the adult population votes in the elections;
the political party in power has been changed at least once through free elections.

Prof. Murat however do not consider the above to be sufficient enough and therefore added several of his own -- based on the experiences of his homeland, Turkey. On top of the four abovementioned, he considers a country to be democratic:

if the political parties are able to function freely and are not shut down or threatened with being shut down;
if the following preconditions of democracy are fulfilled:

The rule of law must be supreme, entailing equality of all citizens before the law and the obligation of the state to obey the law;
The state must respect property rights;
Judiciary must be independent of the executive and legislative branches;
The legislative should be superior to the executive;
Basic freedoms (freedom of thought, worship, enterprise, etc.) must be respected by the state;
The military must be under the authority of the democratically elected civilian government.

Prof. Murat went on to compare the criteria against a number of countries in the world that claims to be democratic.

The glaring breaches and violations of the above criteria by those other countries did not concern me too much as I was busy mirroring them back to my own -- the one that I'm living in right now. That -- concerns me and should concern you too.

In my opinion, not one nation is perfect. I get it. And from time to time, whenever I quoted about anything and that something happens to be on the contrary to what we practice in Malaysia, I would be all too glad to highlight it in red. Just to prove a point.

But.. seriously.. look again at all those criteria above -- both the original four and the ones added by Prof. Murat. Wouldn't it be silly of me to highlight almost all of them in red save for a few?

READ THEM and understand. How democratic are we?

All the things that Prof. Murat pointed out are old news, really. But sometimes I believe that from time to time we need to re-evaluate our thoughts and what we thought we knew and fully understood, which in this case, on how do we view democracy. We can, of course, keep on kidding ourselves with the half-glass full or better little than none rhetoric. But that is not the case when it involves the well being of the people of a nation. We cannot settle for the next best thing to a jungle democracy out there if it means the future of our beloved fatherland. It is imperative that we realize that the criteria are not based on points. There is no 4 out of 10 democracy or the ideal 8 to 10 out of 10 democracy. Anything not 10 of 10 is not a democracy and is not democratic -- for the ones that we missed may have been the ones that are crucial to the overall health of the democracy itself!

Konflik Keluarga 3

2009-05-14T14:44:00.003+08:00

Pada satu hari, Mama nak marah kat Su'ad pasal apa tah. Mama pun marah..

Mama: Su'ad!! &*^$5@!)8&4&++$#$@%@!!
Su'ad: Kikikikiki.. (tergelak dengan tidak tertahan)

Rupanya Mama tak sedar yang dia marah sambil menggunakan bahasa Jawa sepenuhnya. Su'ad pulak rasa geli hati sangat pasal rasa macam Mama dia tengah buat kelakar dan bukannya marah. :D Maybe Su'ad fikir, "Sounded macam marah, tapi tak tahu laa macam mana nak react. Baik gelak jer.. :p" Last2, Mama pun tak jadi marah.

ps: kehkehkeh.. manalah kami faham bahasa Jawa. Mangan, madang, turu kami tahu ler. Mama cakap la sorang2.. :p

Debriefing Alert: Post Public Lecture

2009-05-13T16:33:00.003+08:00

This morning I went to a public lecture in IAIS. The topic of the lecture was "Democracy, Economic Development and Maqasid as-Shariah" and it was presented by Professor Murat Cizakca, an expert on economic history from Bahcesehir University, Turkey. Boy.. it was indeed an eye opener. The good thing about this session was that he not only lectures but each of the participants received a copy of his academic paper on the subject as well. His delivery was concise, clear, honest and without those unnecessary rhetorics that academicians often throw whenever they themselves are not really sure of what they thought they knew.

Anyway.. I will share what I have learned from the lecture with all of you, insyaAllah.

It was a very interesting topic. The democracy aspect of the lecture may be quite provocative to some minds and it is largely influenced by the ideas put forward by Per Ahlmark.

I am particularly interested in the economic development (system, capitalism etc.) and the Maqasid as-Shariah portion which literally translates to "the goals or purposes of the Shariah". Ever wonder what they are? Of course you must have heard of the word "Shariah" -- that is commonly associated to the laws of Islam, requirements, punishments and such. But believe me.. it is so much more and nothing you have ever read (in shitty mainstream media or otherwise) will prepare you for this.

At all times, one should always, first and foremost, grasp the underlying purposes of a concept before one can rightfully appreciate (or depreciate!) it. Do just to yourself and understand what it is all about.

Maqasid as-Shariah, the goals of the Shariah.

Coming soon.. be patient.. (coz I have to report all this to my boss first.. :p)

Konflik Keluarga 2

2009-05-12T17:40:00.005+08:00

Su'ad came into the library one night while I was surfing the Internet. Oh no, I forgot to hide my cigarette. She saw it next to my laptop.. and all hell broke loose.. well.. it broke loose on me! :p

Su'ad: AYAH! Ayah kata nak berenti hisap rokok!
Hero: Aaa.. aaa..
Su'ad: Ayah nak jadi macam ni ke? Kesian baby ni!

(pointing to the cigarette box, some idiot thought it would be swell to put up nasty pics on cigarette boxes and mine that day showed miscarriage or something.. it's not like I'm pregnant or anything.. but try to explain that to a seven year old!)

Hero: Aaa.. ayah memang nak berenti. Ok.. ok.. lepas ni ayah berenti ok?
Su'ad: Hari tu pun ayah cakap nak berenti! Tak berenti pun!
Hero: Aaa.. aaa..
Su'ad: Kenapa ayah tak baca buku kecik tu? Buku kawan ayah bagi tu! Ayah kena baca barulah boleh berenti!
Hero: ...

Ini Ivan dan Yin Ping punya pasal la nih! Last year they gave me this small book for my birthday present. It was a self-help guide to stop smoking. My wife made my kids aware of the purpose of the book that was designed to look like a cigarette box (but NOT). Ever since then the kids will look for ways to shove it at my face, so to speak. Every time I placed it on the shelves in the library, that damn small book will always find its way to my bedside table, my study table and even the fridge! :p One of these days, I think I'll have to finally concede and just give in to their demands.

What the.. I got published in The Star? Again?

2009-05-12T11:33:00.006+08:00

:p

Ye.. memang poyo, kan? Can't help it, my friend. I am all too jolly today (this and also the Perak thing..). This is a good week!

Check out the Intech section in The Star, today. Somehow, the online version was published on Friday 8 May last week. What gives? Hmm.. and I didn't realize it until an ex-colleague (Chibi M) informed me about it this morning. I sms her (and countless others) earlier today to.. what else.. canangkan pasal artikel ni ler.. :p

Anyway, this would be my second published article. And both of them by The Star's Intech. Let's hope there will be more. Perhaps from other publications as well, insyaAllah.

Of course I cannot say here which particular article was written by me. I have a reason for that. But be on the lookout for anything on "kongsi". :p

Oklah, take care all and remember these words of wisdom.. "if one was decided by the court as the legitimate MB.. then that would make the other MB as.. ?" :D

hamkarchan laaa.. :p

Konflik Keluarga 1

2009-05-10T13:39:00.005+08:00

Di suatu petang minggu lepas, anak saya Su'ad dan Ahmad sedang bermain di ruang tamu kedua kediaman kami bersama Sofiya, sepupu mereka. Tiba-tiba Su'ad berdiri di sebelah Sofiya dan bertanya kepada Ahmad,..

Su'ad: Ahmad, siapa lagi cantik? Saya atau Sofiya?
Ahmad: ...
Sofiya: ...
Su'ad: Awak cakaplah.. siapa lagi cantik? Saya atau Sofiya?
Ahmad: Aaa.. dua-dua cantik. :p
Su'ad: Mana boleh dua-dua! Awak kena pilih satu! Saya atau Sofiya!
Ahmad: Dua-dua cantik.
Su'ad: Hmph!
Sofiya: ...

Saya tergelak berdekah-dekah bila adik cerita kat saya apa yang berlaku. Diplomasi betul Ahmad ni rupanya. Dia tahu kalau buat pilihan, memang akan mendatangkan masalah kepada nya di kemudian hari. Takkan tak nak kata kakak sendiri lebih cantik sedangkan kakak Su'adlah yang sentiasa defend Ahmad kalau Ahmad kena marah dengan mama. Takkan tak nak kata Sofiya lebih cantik sedangkan sepupu tu merangkap kawan baik yang sentiasa menemani Ahmad main game PC atau PS2 dan tak jemu-jemu bersorak, "Go Ahmad go!" setiap kali Ahmad berjuang menentang bomberman lain dalam permainan video Bomberman Racing! Sulit betul kedudukan Ahmad bila ditanya sebegitu. Lantaran, Ahmad ambil jalan tengah yang meskipun tidak benar-benar memuaskan hati Su'ad namun sekurang-kurangnya tidak menaikkan kemarahannya sangat.

Salam, anak derhaka. Ni lagu untuk awak dengar. Dengarlah, hai anak derhaka!

2009-05-09T12:10:00.002+08:00

Just in case awak ni DERHAKA dan juga PEKAK, ni saya sertakan lirik sekali. Manalah tahu awak jenis yang tak boleh tangkap lirik lagu dengan sekadar mendengar. Untuk download lagu yang sangat relevant dengan cara hidup awak tu, sila klik sini.

Ya Ilahi Rabbi.. Sempurnakanlah pekertiku
Sebagaimana Engkau menyempurnakan wajahku
Kurniakanlah rahmat bahagia ibubapaku
Berikan hidayah pada hati yang tertutup

Sebagai rimbunan daun-daun
Seandainya bilangan dosaku
Ya Allah ampunilah daku
Hamba bertaubat

Hai anak yang soleh, beruntunglah ayah dan bonda
Bagai mata air yang mengalir dalam syurga
Hai anak durhaka, pintu taubat masih terbuka
Jangan kau teruskan tingkah laku yang kecewa

Sebagai rimbunan daun-daun
Seandainya bilangan dosamu
Ya Allah ampunilah dia
Yang telah bertaubat

ps: kalau awak nak tahu, dalam keadaan sekarang, hanya ayah dan ibu awak saja yang masih sayang kat awak pun.. semua orang benci dengan awak.. kasih sayang diorang saja yang unconditional, insyaAllah.. selayaknyalah awak kembali kepada mereka.. hai anak derhaka.. (dan kalau tak kena gaya.. si penghuni neraka as well..).. rhymes kan? anak derhaka penghuni neraka.. you like?

pss: oh.. spare me from the stupid rhetorics.. this is no coincidence.. I am in fact referring to you! of course, you can always try to keep a straight face if you see me.. as if you didn't come across this post.. but I know you have.. I know you will..

Alaa.. baru ingat nak rehat.. dah kena outstation lagi..

2009-04-29T14:45:00.006+08:00

For the past two weeks, I was so busy with my part-time study. I had to deliver a courseware, its accompanying extensive manual and a term paper. It was very tiring. And I was thinking of applying for a few days leave next week just to relax.

But last week I was told that I have to go somewhere to attend a meeting from the 7th until the 9th of May. And I had to fly there a day earlier. Oh, no.. what would I do with the time???

Tapi kan..

Nasib baik meeting tu akan diadakan di Pulau Tioman. :p

Hehehe.. don't hate me just because I'm beautiful..

Kalau dah ahli bomba, janganlah cuba nak berlagak doktor pula...

2009-04-29T11:39:00.003+08:00

Begitu juga kalau dah pelakon, berlakon sajalah. Janganlah cuba nak buat kerja orang lain pula. Bukan apa, nanti lebih terserlah kebongokan dalam diri. :p

Pagi tadi saya terbaca artikel dalam mStar Online berkenaan pementasan teater muzikal Mahsuri. Judul artikel tu, "Fauziah Nawi: Saya dapat rasakan 'jelmaan' Mahsuri". Berita merepek penuh ada di sini.

Entahlah. Barangkali betul dia dapat rasakan adanya 'jelmaan' sesuatu. Tapi yang tak tahan dan rasa macam nak terkencing kerana kelakar sangat tu adalah bila 'jelmaan' tu dianggap sebagai Mahsuri. Hehehe.. macam-macam betullah diorang ni. Macamlah diorang tahu sangat rupa Mahsuri tu macam mana. Entah-entah Mahsuri tu pondan. Khunsa yang ada dua jantina ke. Wanita tapi bermisai lebat ke. Siapa yang tahu dengan pasti? Kalau pun betul Mahsuri tu pernah wujud di Langkawi, siapa yang tahu rupanya bagaimana? Dengan andaian bahawa benar ada 'jelmaan', adakah ia mesti Mahsuri? Mungkin juga ia syaitan penunggu dewan teater tu. Mungkin juga ia dari kalangan jin yang meminati teater. Entah-entah peminat Vanida Imran kot. Maklumlah, sama-sama anak seni. :p

Mula-mula, saya sangka ini hanya gimik murahan untuk menarik minat orang ramai terhadap pementasan ni. Tapi Fauziah Nawi siap libatkan cucunya sekali untuk kuatkan dakwaannya bahawa ada 'sesuatu'. Woo hoo hoo.. apakah 'ia'? :p

Anda nilailah sendiri kata-kata 'mutiara' pelakon tua over-acting tu. Antaranya:

"Saya rasa ada orang yang merasa benda-benda (mistik) itu. Ia bukan roh tetapi kita boleh katakan ada ‘kupu-kupu besar'"

You katalah sorang-sorang! Dah merepek-repek, nak guna gantinama "kita" pulak.

'Kupu-kupu besar'??? Mothra raksasa baik yang lawan Godzilla tu ke? Itu memang kupu-kupu besar! Sila lihat sini. Suka hati je mak cik ni buat teori. Mana dia belajar? Kenapa kita tak pernah dengar penerangan macam ni dalam pengajian tafsir atau hadis berkenaan alam ghaib. Hebat betul mak cik ni. Kalau dia berlakon memang memberikan kesan mendalam kepada penonton. Memang berkaliber. Rupa-rupanya ilmu metafizik dan alam ghaib pun dia master!

Lepas tu, mak cik ni merepek lagi:

Tambah Fauziah, awal-awal lagi dia sudah berpesan kepada 64 pelakon dan sesiapa yang terlibat dalam muzikal itu agar membaca ayat-ayat al-Quran sebelum memulakan pementasan.

Haa??? Baca ayat apa? Kenapa? Untuk minta berkat? Supaya Allah berkati pementasan teater Mahsuri? Untuk halau hantu? Untuk halau 'jelmaan' Mahsuri? Kenapa tak marhaban je terus? Jemputlah datang beraya. :p

Bukan ke sebelum mak cik tu juga yang kata:

Apa yang berlaku, pesanan Fauziah, janganlah menganggap mistik ini sebagai suatu yang tidak baik tetapi lebih memahami apa yang ingin disampaikan.

Ayoyo.. amma appa.. "dalam" sungguh statement tu hingga jadi tak faham. Bila baca laporan ni rasa macam baca cerita kelakar. :D Siap ada satu sumber tu menyatakan:

"Mahsuri ada menjelma semasa pementasan ini dilakukan. Dia hanya duduk memerhati dan tidak membuat apa-apa yang boleh menakutkan orang"

Dan yang paling kelakar sekali, ada seorang peminat teater ni pula cakap:

Mahsuri sempat berpesan supaya tenaga produksi membuat muzikal ini dengan baik-baik dan jujur.

Muahahahahahahahaha!

Saya tahu kenapa 'jelmaan' Mahsuri pesan macam tu. Ini mesti kerana dia pun ada melabur beberapa puluh ribu untuk menjayakan produksi teater ni. Entah-entah, dia salah seorang penerbit.

Kenapalah saya buang masa ulas berita sampah macam ni. Sebenarnya, kerana saya nak tunjuk kat korang apa akan berlaku apabila ahli bomba berlagak doktor, pakar bom berlagak tukang masak, peguam berlagak nurse dan sebagainya. Marilah kita bercakap dalam hal yang kita arif saja. Kalau kita paksa-paksa juga untuk membuka mulut, kelak hanya akan memperlihatkan kedangkalan ilmu kita juga. Dan yang lebih malang lagi, orang yang lebih dangkal daripada kita, akan percaya pula.

Kalau dah pelakon tu, berlakon sajalah. Jangan nak berlagak cerdik. Bacalah skrip tu. Janganlah berfikir teruk-teruk kerana itu kerja kami orang-orang sebenar yang saban hari menghadapi masalah manusia sebenar seperti mencari rezeki menyara keluarga, menjaga ibubapa yang sakit tua, mendidik anak-anak dengan ilmu bermanfaat dan sebagainya. Kami tak ada masa untuk buat pementasan teater tentang wanita yang bila kena tikam, keluar darah putih. Kami tak nampak manfaatnya kepada kehidupan kami. Apatah lagi bila ia melibatkan 'kupu-kupu besar' dan nasihat yang bukan-bukan untuk berselawat dan baca ayat pendinding sebelum buat pementasan teater.

ps: sebenarnya tengah ada masa terluang nih.. :p

Word Find Puzzle / Mencari Perkataan Tersembunyi

2009-04-28T01:15:00.006+08:00

The below word find puzzle or mencari perkataan tersembunyi contains 20 words representing news makers of the past few weeks (and even this week!) that can be names of people, places or whatever. Can you stop doing that silly unproductive thing you do for a while and find them all? The words can be in any order -- vertical, horizontal, backwards and even in slanting positions (menyenget).

Kindly post your answers in the comment section. Try it and see if you are current enough. You don't have to get all 20, you know. :)

Clues: What the.. Pangkor Pele? Not bird this time. Ex of Penang. Timbangan beras zaman dulu. We had three this year alone! Revered figure from the East Coast. Everybody hates his wife. I lost but I got to be somebody. I won and yet nothing! They said I shouldn't even recite it. Coming soon on the 31st of May. The police should have just shoot them on their bikes. Bad choice of boyfriend, I guess. The examplary state of the braves. One of the hills. Who the f**k killed me, then? This old fart just won't die. Black sheep no. 1. Black sheep no. 2. The people's champion of the examplary state!

If the image is too small for you old people, just click it and it should be getting bigger. :p

Perakians, just so you know.. what you think don't really matter anymore.

2009-04-27T18:02:00.005+08:00

An excerpt from a Malaysiakini interview with Perak dictator Dr. Zambry Mugabe, who seems to think that he is the MB of Perak:

Zambry also explained why it was unnecessary to let the people of Perak to determine through the ballot boxes on who was the legitimate menteri besar.

He said that the sultan made the ultimate decision on who should form the state government, adding that BN should now be given the 'floor test period' to show that it can govern just as how the Pakatan Rakyat government was given until it lost its majority in the house.

Nasi Arab Cyberjaya - Restoran Saba'

2009-04-27T16:54:00.006+08:00

Minggu lepas, 2 kali saya makan nasi Arab yang dijual di sebuah restoran yang diusahakan oleh seorang warga Arab di Cyberjaya. Nama restorannya Saba'.

Sebelum tu adik-adik saya ada cerita yang nasi Arab situ sedap sangat. Mula-mula saya susah nak percaya. Fikir saya, "Sedap tara mana sangatlah tu. Melampau betul diorang nih." Saya tak nafikan, kalau semua kata sedap, memang sedaplah. Tapi, sedap sangat? Kenapa sangat? Lagi pun, yang mula-mula makan di situ dan komen kata sedap tu saudara saya si Fathi Zaini tu (yang memang terkenal lemah dalam menilai keenakan makanan.. :p). Susah saya nak percaya dengan selera sesetengah orang.

Begitulah skeptiknya saya sehinggalah adik saya belikan nasi Arab Lamb Kabsah untuk saya untuk hidangan makan malam Rabu lepas.

Pergh!!!

Tidak dapat digambarkan dengan kata-kata!!!

Memang sedap sangat!!! Makan nasinya saja pun dah sedap! Apatah lagi dengan kambing yang dimasak bersama nasi tu! Dan dicicah pula dengan sambal istimewa yang dicampur yogurt!

Betul laa.. memang sedap sangat!!! Ditambah pula dengan banana milk shake!

:o waaa.. best!!!

Terus saya promo kat kawan-kawan di pejabat dan dipendekkan cerita, kami bercadang untuk ramai-ramai pergi lunch di sana minggu ni, kemungkinan besar pada hari Rabu. Mula-mula ingat nak pergi sama ada hari ni (Isnin) atau esok tapi bos-bos (yang geng) ada meeting dua hari ni kat PoGH (Palace of the General Hospital.. :p). Dan bos (yang tak geng) yang kami jangka ada urusan luar Rabu ni, khabarnya akan ada di pejabat pula. :( Macam mana ni? Kami bercadang kalau boleh, nak la keluar awal sikit. Kira-kira pukul 12 tengah hari ke. :p Maklumlah.. Cyberjaya tu agak jauh juga dari sini. Kalau dari sini pukul 1 memang tak sempat. Makan pun kelam-kabut je nanti.

Sebagai jalan penyelesaian.. saya bercadang untuk lunch di sana bersama recon team. :p hehehe.. Bukan apa,.. recon team ni berperanan untuk pantau suasana di sana. Selesa ke tak untuk kawan-kawan lain? Jauh ke tak dari pejabat kami? That sort of recon laa. So far, yang dah confirm akan ke sana esok ialah saya, Redy dan Ijam. Ada satu seat lagi untuk recon team tu. Siapa cepat dia dapat laa.

Elok juga ada recon team nih.. in case tak jadi pergi at divisional strength, platoon strength pun jadi la. Asalkan dapat makan nasi Arab Lamb Kabsah.

Yallah, yallah.. ahlan wa sahlan wa marhaban!!!

:p

ps: nantikan laporan penuh misi risikan nasi Arab! berserta foto nyamnyam!

Pesawat - Mirage

2009-04-22T19:01:00.003+08:00

Aaa.. mula-mula saya macam misteri gak.. yang mana satu nama lagu.. yang mana satu nama band?

Belasah!

Tapi lagu ni memang best! Setakat ni, lagu ni kekal dalam playlist kereta saya berbulan-bulan lamanya. Lama lagi kot baru nak boring.

Eh, kejap.. something you wanna ask? Playlist kereta?

Oh, maaf lupa saya nak cerita. Player kereta saya ada USB port. Jadi saya boleh letak beratus-ratus lagu ke dalam thumbdrive 2GB saya ni dan cucuk saja ke port tu bila nak dengar lagu. Burn CD untuk play kat kereta tu a thing of the past laa. Orang tak buat macam tu dah.. :p

Saya tak cerita asalnya tadi pasal ingat player kereta you all pun sure ada USB port juga. (hehehe.. :p)

Ahahaha.. don't hate me because I'm beautiful.. :p

Enjoy the song je laa! Jangan jeles-jeles..

Drama Minggu Ini Di Subuh Hari

2009-04-20T12:23:00.004+08:00

Awal-awal pagi tadi, Ahmad menangis teresak-esak sehingga bercucuran air mata membasahi baju yang sepatutnya dipakai untuk ke sekolah.

Dia peluk mamanya erat-erat dan mendesak-desak, "Mama jangan pergi, mama jangan pergi." Saya lihat isteri saya pun seperti menahan-nahan perasaan sewaktu memujuk Ahmad.

Hmm.. kisahnya begini, isteri saya perlu berangkat ke Vietnam pagi tadi untuk menghadiri persidangan CONSAL tahun ini yang diadakan di sana. Yalah, isteri saya tu kan pustakawan-kawan. :p Memang dia ke sana pun bersama ramai kawan-kawan pustakawannya. :D Banyaknya "w" dalam satu ayat.. :p

Saya cuba untuk pujuk Ahmad dengan menyatakan, "Jangan risau, mama pergi bukannya lama." Tapi langsung tak menjadi kerana Ahmad sudah sedia maklum yang mamanya hanya akan pulang 5 hari lagi. Bukan lama apanya?

Nasib baik Su'ad tak ikut sama merajuk tak benarkan mama dia pergi. Siap dia pula yang pujuk dengan mengingatkan adiknya, "Takpe, Ahmad. Mama pergi ada kerja." Kemudian Su'ad beralih kepada isteri saya pula dan berkata, "Ok, mama nanti jangan lupa belikan mainan untuk Ahmad, ya?".

Terus reda esak tangis Ahmad.

Hmm.. begini rupanya. Kena peers jugak yang pujuk. Baru lebih effective. Pertama sekali, pujukan Su'ad tidak berbaur helah (e.g. "..mama pergi bukannya lama." :p). Su'ad tidak menafikan yang mama pergi mungkin lama. Sebaliknya, Su'ad memilih untuk memfokuskan kepada motif pemergian mama iaitu "Mama pergi ada kerja." Barangkali hujahnya, Ahmad tak perlu sedih, kerana mama bukan suka-suka pergi berpoya-poya dan melancong dan sengaja tak nak bawa kita. Tapi mama pergi atas urusan kerja dan tak ada apa yang seronoknya pun. Kemudian, Su'ad tambah pula dengan ayat power penamat segala kata-kata, "..mama nanti jangan lupa belikan mainan untuk Ahmad, ya?" Pergh!

Heh, dah besar cerdik anak perempuan saya ni rupanya. :) Syukurlah dia ikut perangai saya dari segi ni. :p

Kesudahannya, adik saya tolong hantar Su'ad ke sekolah dan Ahmad dan mak saya ikut saya ke KLIA untuk menghantar isteri saya.

Ya, Ahmad pun turut serta ke KLIA.

Ya, Ahmad cuti lagi!

Minggu lepas semasa Su'ad cuti selama 2 hari akibat demam, dia pun ikut sama cuti. Untuk temankan kakak. :p

Entah perangai siapa la dalam keturunan kami yang dicontohi Ahmad. Suka betul cuti. Lepas tu lepak kat rumah, main game. Ini mesti ikut perangai mama dia! Saya yakin! Bukan sekadar yakin. Saya wisma yakin! :p

Oklah, mama. Selamat bekerja. Kalau tiba-tiba kang terserempak dengan askar Vietcong, mama cakap je, "Die America!" atau pun "Die BN!". InsyaAllah, selamat. :D

ps: mama jangan pulak cakap "kap, kap, sawadikap.." itu bahasa Thai, mama. :p

ps: lagi satu mama.. jangan lupa.. "money is not our god".

Killing Joke - Money Is Not Our God

2009-04-18T15:00:00.004+08:00

To download the song, click here.

Here are the lyrics.

Nine tenths of the law than sic is possession
Life expressed in matter is a blasphemy
Success defined by acquisition stinks
So busy trying to make a living i forget about living
Yes I do
So busy trying to make a living i forget about life
The best things i found in life were my birthright
Green fields mean more to me than a brand new car
Will you swap your hi-fi for a clear blue sky?
Will you cash in all your shares for god's clean air?
Is your answer yes or no to these painful truths?
Is your answer yes or no to these painful truths?
Do you grovel to your master?
Do you beg like a dog?
First things first, repeat to yourself
Money! Money is not our god!
The best things in life are free
I own the beach and the blazing sunset
I own the waves and the fresh air
I drink the milk of the stars in this beautiful moment
Say to yourself
All these things are mine!
Repeat after me
Money is not our god!
Do you grovel to your master?
Do you beg like a dog?
First things first, repeat to yourself
Money!

To download the song, click here.

Killing Joke - Extremities Dirt & Various Repressed Emotions

2009-04-17T22:29:00.007+08:00

It re-visiting good music time! The above title is taken from one of Killing Joke's hit album.

Given the rarity of songs that are worth listening to these days, I was forced to scour the net for numbers from my younger days. And I accidentally came across a band that I almost forgot. A band whose industrial riffs (the most original one by the way) and unique vocals of frontsman Jaz Coleman would dominate my car audio all the way from Bangi to Shah Alam. At the time, I was an undergraduate travelling almost 90km back and forth in my CAD69 Proton Knight; and the refreshing sounds from Killing Joke helped me stay awake in those sleepy morning/night journeys. That was a long time ago. But their music stay the same. I downloaded all their albums today -- and they are just as I left them in the late 90s. Original and superb! I immediately start looking for my favourites out of the numerous folders representing each of their albums that I have now. Right now, as I am writing this, Age of Greed is playing. I had forgotten all about it until I heard the meat advert skit it throws at the first few minutes. Killing Joke is famous for its lengthy songs but you'll enjoy it I'm sure. If you're into post-punk, industrial that is. :p In a way, Killing Joke is just like Paradise Lost -- each album is a new experience. They don't really stick to one sound (although a few of the albums did). And just when new fans are about to categorize Killing Joke as a hardcore punk band after listening to one of their hard-hitting songs like Money Is Not Our God, they will be taken aback with their pop-like Love Like Blood -- which was a mainstream hit, once. Sure there will always be some identifiable riffs but each of them carries a different tone, motive, outlook.. whatever. You just have to listen to this band to know what I'm talking about. Killing Joke is one of those bands that has been influencing all those other famous ones like Ministry, Nirvana, Metallica, Prong, Nine Inch Nails, Soundgarden, Napalm Death and lots more -- but never gain the recognition that it deserves.

Anyway, enjoy the videos. The first one is a live recording of Love Like Blood and the next one is the music video for Money Is Not Our God. See for yourself and compare between the two. :)

The Quest for Delicia Butterscotch

2009-04-16T23:20:00.004+08:00

Felicia Chong, please don't take this the wrong way. This has nothing to do with you. I am talking about this new phenomenon in Malaysia.

Gardenia's Delicia Butterscotch is re-defining the bread industry (and bread eating) even by the time you're reading this. Our mornings will never be the same again.

If you haven't try it yet, I dare to say that -- you have not lived! No lah.. not to that extent lah of course. But it is indeed one of the best bread as far back as I can remember. Butterscotch is great in everything. Imagine its richness of taste in every bite and interspersed with sliced raisins all over the place! Err.. I mean all over the loaf.

Yummy!!! Let me say it again, YUMMY!!!

It so happens that tonight I went out for some Delicia Butterscotch hunting with my mom. We went to two 7-11, a grocery and Mydin -- with no luck. And then I said to my mom, "Let's try this other 7-11 in Section 7 before we go home." I didn't put up any hope but the minute I walked into the premise, I immediately saw two of them on the shelve. As I was about to grab them, this four-eyed samdol placed his greedy hands on both! Damn it, man! And he noticed that I was aiming for the same thing. So he put one back and said, "Eh, you ambil la satu." I was like.. wow.. err.. "Takpe lah" but he insisted. "You ambil satu, saya ambil satu." I took it and I thanked him. At the counter, I told him that I've been looking for Delicia Butterscotch and this was the third 7-11 for me. He laughed and said, "Yeah, my kids love this bread. Whenever I found them, I just grab 2 or 3." "Mine too. They just love it.", I responded with a smile.

No, Felicia, you don't have to remind me. Clearly, I was too quick to judge. The four-eyed moderately handsome bloke deserved them both, I know, yet he put one back so that I can have it.

Well, you know what they say, "One loaf is better than none!". Hmm.. has it ever been otherwise? :p

Anyway, the most important thing for me now is that my kids will be having Delicia Butterscotch tomorrow morning. My mom said that my son Ahmad and my niece Sofia can finish a whole loaf in one sitting.

And as for me, I have a plan of my own. One of the 7-11 clerk told me that a new shipment is due early tomorrow morning.

Guess where I will be heading first on my way to work?

Meeting la la la... (a.k.a Kenapa government kedekut sangat nak sediakan sarapan waktu meeting internal waktu pagi?)

2009-04-15T08:52:00.004+08:00

Takde yang la la la nye, kak. Pagi-pagi lagi dah meeting. Technical evaluation committee meeting yang super penting lak tu.

Saya dah book ada satu meeting room ni sejak Isnin baru ni. Saya book pukul 9:30 pagi hinggalah pukul 1 tengah hari. Harap-harap taklah terlajak ke petang. Penat dah nih. Harap-harap hari ni isu kami tu selesai laa. Barulah saya akan rasa truly la la la. Senangnya hati kalau settle nanti, insyaAllah. Kami memang kena settle kan minggu ni gak pasal bila COO balik dari US nanti, dia nak tengok kami dah capai satu keputusan yang muktamad. Takpelah.. insyaAllah kami akan dapatkan keputusan tu pagi ni. Kami akan argue dan berdebat all out sampai la kami akhirnya agree on one decision. Kenapa kena berdebat teruk-teruk? Kerana ini melibatkan membelanjakan wang rakyat.

Saya berniat kalau everything goes according to plan, ingat nak belanja la semua yang dalam comittee tu nanti. Kami gi la outing lunch kat mana-mana. Tapi time dapat gaji nanti laa. :p

Ok lah.. saya nak sarapan kejap (kat meja saya nih). Lepas tu nak siap-siap pegi meeting.

Adios, amigos. Jangan undi BN.

One for the team! (and for Hero of course..)

2009-04-14T00:30:00.004+08:00

All praise to Allah, I managed to finish this thing I'm doing. What a relief. Now I have something to show to the head of division this coming Friday.

A few weeks ago, I was given the task to develop a system to manage our collection of glossaries. The problem is that there are so many versions and conventions of terms that we are beginning to confuse ourselves on the most appropriate ones (be it in English or Malay) in delivering our "messages". It was clear that something should be in place to classify them all so that we can once and for all detect all the overlaps and weed them out.

Not really clear of what I'm talking about? Good. It was meant to be as ambiguous as possible. :)

Anyway, over the past few weeks (amid numerous other things!), I played around with several technologies and approaches -- and finally settled on PHP running on MySQL and Apache. This package should've been LAMP but Linux is not an option at the moment, therefore I had to go for WAMP :p. I will eventually make a strong case for a Linux box, but that can wait. I just have to produce something solid for this Friday's divisional meeting.

In the end (that would be like an hour ago..), mission accomplished. 1 html page to place the search form, 1 php page to manage the MySQL data (+logins for super users) and 1 php page to display the results (for the rest). Connecting the php pages to MySQL and manipulating the data were easy. The most daunting task for me was to produce a nice table to display the search results. No, daunting is not the word I'm looking for. It was like pulling teeth! Good thing I found some blogs showing the ropes here and there.

In case you're wondering, this thing is not even in my KPI (Key Performance Index). But look at it this way.. if it is not in my KPI and it is proven to be useful to a lot of people, then it will be regarded as bonus points for me and my department. Why my deparment? Well, I included some of them in data entry and unit testing works. :p Nice, eh? At least that is how they do it here. It will not be in vain. Achieving the personal KPI is one thing. To go beyond it (with appropriate planning), will reflect nicely on the team (and yours truly as well).

Go me! :p

I finally got published!

2009-04-13T17:48:00.003+08:00

Yes, you heard (read: read :p) it right, boys and girls! I finally saw my own byline (meaning that it says my name) in a supplement of a very famous daily, last week! Yay! For a man my age, to say, "It is about time, bro!", would really really be an understatement. It was "about time", 10 years ago!

Now I know what it feels like to have an article published in a major daily. I am just sorry I didn't strive for it any sooner. But I do have to start somewhere, don't I?

What article you ask? Which daily? Well, I cannot give it away here. But it was published on the 7th of April.

Oklah.. it was The Star.

Shameless self-promotion, I know.. :p

But you just love the life you're living to even care

2009-04-04T23:21:00.003+08:00

It has been quite some time since I visit this blog, let alone to write anything. Can you imagine? Even the main contributor/owner couldn't care less about it anymore. Well, I was.. until tonight.

I have been very busy with my work, class assignments and other things.

And tonight, while going through the final version of my courseware (one of the requirements of this I class I'm taking), I just feel like writing something. Perhaps due to one of the songs playing on my laptop at the moment. Ordinary World by Duran Duran. It has always been one of my favorites but the lyrics never gave any powerful meanings to me. Not until recently, that is.

If you know the lyrics, perhaps you will know what I am talking about.

Yes.. it relates to all that. All those stuff around us, right now, in Malaysia.

I don't know what to say. We finally managed to destroy ourselves. Our nation. And our future along with it. Our stupidity, cowardliness and greed know no border, it seems.

Evil does triumph over good. In Malaysia, it is a regular thing. It happens everywhere.. all the time.

"But I wont cry for yesterday, there's an ordinary world
Somehow I have to find..
And as I try to make my way, to the ordinary world
I will learn to survive.."

Semoga Almarhum Dirahmati Allah

2009-02-16T23:17:00.004+08:00

Apabila melihat senario politik tanah air pada masa ini, saya tiba-tiba teringat kepada Almarhum Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Alhaj ibni Almarhum Sultan Hishamuddin Alam Shah Alhaj.

Pasti ada yang teringat saat beliau membela nasib penduduk yang perkampungan mereka hendak dirobohkan oleh "kuasa jahat" yang berkuasa di Selangor pada satu ketika dulu. Beberapa masalah rakyat Selangor yang lain seperti isu tanah, perumahan, politik, sosial dan agama dapat diredakan dengan campur tangan pihak istana pada ketika itu. Sifat mesra baginda yang kerap "turun padang" menyebabkan rakyat tanpa mengira taraf dan peringkat umur tidak pernah melepaskan peluang untuk mendekati Seri Paduka setiap kali ada kesempatan.

Namun saya paling teringat sekali kepada beberapa titah baginda yang tertentu. Baca baik-baik ya dan sebarkan. Ini bukan saya cakap, ini Almarhum baginda sultan yang cakap. Titah itu berbunyi begini:

"Tanpa rakyat, tidak akan wujud raja."

"Jauhilah rasuah dan perkara yang boleh menyakitkan hati orang ramai yang sentiasa mengharapkan kerjasama dan bimbingan kita, serta berilah layanan yang sama kepada mereka yang memerlukan perkhidmatan."

"Saya rasa kita tak boleh fikir untuk jadi kaya sahaja. Jangan lupa bersyukur kepada Allah. Anehnya, ada orang sekarang kerjanya nak jadi kaya sahaja."

Kepada orang-orang UMNO bodoh sial gampang, jangan tergesa-gesa tuduh saya penderhaka pula. Saya cuma ulangi kembali apa yang pernah dititah oleh seorang sultan yang disayangi rakyat. Anda nak nafikan kata-kata di atas? Anda penderhaka?

Semoga Allah mencucuri rahmat ke atas Almarhum.

Carian Google Dengan Bergaya Bersama Dr. S (Siri 3)

2009-02-11T23:28:00.004+08:00

Fakta: Anda memang poyo. Anda ingat dengan sekali Google dan melihatkan kepada senarai hasil carian yang dikembalikan, itulah yang terbaik yang boleh anda ikhtiarkan dalam mencari maklumat? Masuk satu istilah dan tekan bebutang Google Search, itu anda rasa dah cukup? Kemudian boleh pula mengeluh - "kenapa entah hapa-hapa results nih?! Aku cari lain, lain pulak yang kuar!".

Patutlah hampir kesemua pengasuh Indon anda dulu pernah cuba nak lemaskan anda di kolam mandian. Memang anda ni poyo! Ok, mungkin mereka buat macam tu bukan kerana anda poyo masa kecil dulu. Barangkali kerana anda kerap sangat terberak-berak dan menyusahkan mereka. Barangkalilah.. mana saya tahu. Saya teka saja. Janganlah pasal saya cakap macam ni anda nak lompat parti pula. Kecil punya hal janganlah cepat sangat merajuk. Nanti nampak makin hodoh.. :p

Oklah, tip Carian Google Dengan Bergaya kali ini akan membantu anda mendapatkan maklumat kadar tukaran matawang dengan menggunakan expression tertentu. Misalnya anda kepingin menghantar uang kepada keluarga sebenar anda nun di Surabaya, Indon sana dan anda ingin tahu kadar tukaran matawang berbanding Ringgit Malaysia? Anda bisa saja gunakan expression seperti berikut dan tekan bebutang Google Search untuk melihat keputusannya:

500 myr in rupiah

Lihatlah hasilnya! Waduh.. waduh! Lebih satu juta rupiah! Pasti kamu berasa senang sekali. Kok gitu?

Anda boleh juga gunakan RM, rm, ringgit, Ringgit, Ringgit Malaysia, ringgit malaysia, malaysian ringgit dan Malaysian Ringgit bagi menggantikan myr atau MYR. MYR dan myr merupakan notasi standard bagi matawang Malaysia namun oleh kerana anda ni poyo, suka hati andalah nak guna pilihan lain seperti yang dinyatakan di atas tu.

Apa? Anda berketurunan Uganda di sebelah bapak? Pulak dahhh.. ok, takpe. Jangan risau. Jangan ribut-ribut. Anda berhajat nak hantar duit kat kerabat sebelah bapak anda di Uganda ya? Tapi tak tahu nama matawang Uganda? Anda boleh saja gunakan expression berikut:

500 ringgit malaysia in currency of uganda

Cari tersebut akan mengembalikan kadar tukaran matawang ringgit Malaysia berbanding matawang Uganda. Nama matawang Uganda pun akan dinyatakan. Kalau sebelum ni anda tak tahu, kini anda dah tahu. Tak apalah. Ini pun ilmu. Bukan negara orang lain. Negara asal anda juga. :p

Tapi sukalah saya ingatkan di sini, bukan semua negara akan mengembalikan kadar tukaran matawang. Negara-negara seperti Togo, Benin, Iceland, Bhutan dan sebagainya buat masa ini tiada dalam perkhidmatan. Too bad la kalau anda ni berketurunan Bhutan dan nak tukar duit balik Bhutan. Maaf, ya?

Dalam senario lain, anda mungkin tak tahu matawang bagi kedua-dua negara yang ingin dibandingkan. Jangan kaget. Gunakan saja expression yang seperti dalam contoh kedua tadi tetapi kali ini dengan memperincikan nama kedua-dua negara. Misalnya:

currency of tanzania in currency of korea

Anda akan dapati carian anda akan mengembalikan kadar tukaran matawang bagi kedua-dua negara. Begitulah seterusnya jika anda ingin membandingkan kadar tukaran bagi lain-lain negara yang anda tidak ketahui nama atau notasi matawangnya.

Mudah, bukan? Oklah, jangan poyo-poyo lagi. Main elok-elok. Jangan gaduh-gaduh. Sehingga ketemu lagi di siri yang akan datang, insyaAllah.

En. Kelawar dan En. Tupai! Janganlah macam tu. Sila bertanding dengan adil!

2009-02-10T23:34:00.006+08:00

Pokok mata kucing saya berbuah lagi! Yay!

Seperti tahun-tahun sudah, kemelut rampasan kuasa dan pertindihan hak berulang kembali. Inilah pergelutan antara 3 jenis makhluk Allah - saya, kelawar dan tupai.

Tapi En. Kelawar tak aci. Dia datang waktu senja untuk makan buah mata kucing tak kira besar atau kecil. Waktu tu saya sedang sibuk untuk solat dan melayan anak-anak. En. Tupai lagi la main tipu. Sepanjang hari datang usha. Siap datang anak beranak. Saya tak mampu nak setekun dia datang menjengah kerana saya kena pergi kerja. Tak, saya tak tuduh En. Tupai secara sembarangan. Janganlah marah dan gigit kain baju saya yang bersidai tu pula. Saya tahu En. Tupai cuma makan buah yang masak saja tapi agak-agak la. Saya pun makan buah mata kucing yang masak saja. Macam awak juga. Yang awak tinggal yang muda-muda tu, apa kes? Bak kata cik Rafidah Ebrahim - "takde maknenyer, cik Tupai..".

Mujurlah cik adik intan payung (yang menyambut hari lahirnya hari ni 10 Februari, happy birthday sayang..) bertindak proaktif dan membungkus beberapa kelompok buah mata kucing pada pokok kedua (kami ada tiga pokok dan pokok kedua yang paling banyak berbuah). Alhamdulillah, nampaknya kali ni kami berpeluang juga untuk makan buah mata kucing yang besar ranum setelah beberapa kali sebelum ni terlepas peluang dan cuma dapat makan yang separa besar saja.

Hmm.. tak sabar rasanya nak tunggu dua minggu lagi. Nyamnyam.. masa tu saya jangkakan dah cukup masak. Sedapnyaaa.. manisnyaaa..

Aaa.. kepada sesiapa yang kenal saya dan biasa datang ke rumah, bulan ni tak datang berziarah pun tak apalah. Pergilah ziarah rumah orang lain pula, ya?

Kepada seorang sultan tu dan kerabatnya.. cis! Lagi la tak dijemput! Kalau datang, saya akan halau dan sesah dengan pelepah pokok pinang fox tail yang ditanam depan rumah. Haa.. berani la datang.

Berikut adalah beberapa foto pokok mata kucing saya yang diambil 2 minggu lepas:

Pokok no. 2 yang banyak mengeluarkan hasil

Adakah En. Tupai ada bersembunyi di situ ketika foto diambil?

Melayut ke bumi lagaknya dek merimbunnya buah

Let us not forget their names

2009-02-06T11:33:00.002+08:00

Taken from Malaysiakini, 6 Feb 2009

"These four people have betrayed the trust of the rakyat. They will have to pay us back for their greed and avarice. It is not vengeance we seek but justice."

John Johnson: It is really disheartening to see that these four reps who were chosen by the people to represent go for monetary gain. Each of them would become instant millionaires, I presume.

These four people who betrayed the trust of the rakyat should feel the full wrath of the people as they are immoral people. Let us not forget their names. It is not vengeance we seek but justice.

They will have to pay us back for their greed and avarice. These four think they can fool the rakyat by saying they want to be independents and work for the people. What kind of story is this?

The people of Perak have been betrayed and these four will never be forgotten. There should now also be a law to prevent party-hopping so that there will be harsh sentences for people like these four.

ACS Ipoh Class of 1975: I am absolutely disgusted with the way BN have wrested power from PR. How can we let three people with dubious intentions decide who should rule Perak?

The only rightful and moral thing to do now is to go back to the people to seek a new mandate. The manner in which the Election Commission decided on the validity of the resignation letters of these three selfish politicians clearly demonstrates how biased the commission is and BN's soiled hands in engineering this decision.

Yesterday, was a very sad day for Perak and Malaysia as a whole. As a citizen of this country, I declare Feb 5, 2009 a day of mourning for Perak.

We will remember this day as the day when the rakyat were cheated by their elected representatives for the sake of money and personal benefits. Shame on you three.

Peter Lim Cheong Thye: I read the above report with disgust, anger and sadness. As a Malaysian, I had hoped that the March 8 election would have spurred a few changes to take place.

I'm afraid to say, we still have a long way to go. Umno has made absolutely zero changes. Only a pretence of changes.

To quote from someone very high up in CIMB - it is not the stimulus but the strategy that is important for the economy. Hear, hear.

It is not the reps who are important, but who they represent - the rakyat - who are important. Don't buy the reps - win over the rakyat.

So all you self-serving reps - please check your compass and get back to the rakyat.
Otherwise, please get out. Hee please take note.

Yuvan: It is outright shocking and disgusting that elected representatives switch their alliance in such a disgraceful manner. Don't they have any conscience at all?

Can they ever sleep peacefully after this episode of cheating the people who trusted and elected them?

Elected representatives (both from the ruling party and from the opposition) should openly apologise to their voters when they decide to switch their political allegiance.

They should also resign from their elected positions. Our politicians are not fit to talk about democracy and democratic processes. Allowing people to elect their representatives is democracy.

But pinching elected reps (especially under very dubious circumstances) to grab power and then talk about democracy is downright shameful.

And Umno has shown once again that it has absolutely no decency or decorum by its whole -hearted acceptance of corrupt leaders and those facing corruption charges.

This proves beyond any doubt that leaders in Umno are willing to do anything to grab power and to remain in power and they don't care a damn about it. It is only fair that the people of Perak are given another chance to elect their new government.

Kaisim: Malaysians have witnessed how Umno leaders used underhanded means to bring down a legitimate state government. Many of us believe that big money is involved.

So politics in Malaysia means the ability to make a good fortune before retirement. Corruption is rampant in politics, business and in the bureaucracy.

Here we have two politicians who have been charged with corruption but are readily accepted by Umno. What is the moral in accepting people with dubious character?

Right or wrong, the international community would not be comfortable with what our government does in the future. Worse still, our leaders could not be trusted.

Umno has never given the Pakatan Rakyat Perak government a chance to run the state properly from day one. They undermined and criticised the PR leaders not mindful that their government is only a few months old.

Umno has been a poor loser all the way. To win by hook or crook does not gain respect from the people. Our politicians have a long way to go. For the nation's sake, don't pawn the country just for the sake of money.

Lim Keat Hoe: The biggest losers are the voters in those constituencies which voted for the PKR and DAP.

Anwar has been beaten in his own game at Perak but it is a very sad day for democratic ideals.

The people's wishes have been horse-traded on the alter of greed and power, even if none other than the PM-in-waiting declares no money was involved.

Every photo with Hee Yit Foong in it shows her with the same demeanour, a picture of a troubled person with a guilty conscience. Unlike all her extremely happy and smiling new boss and new found comrades.

CH Ong: As for Nasarudin Hashim, I suspect he never had any actual intention of defecting.

More likely, his act was part of a scheme leading to the planned collapse of the Perak government so that Najib could rightfully claim that, ‘We did not start this'.

Magnill: The present crisis in the Perak can only be resolved by the ballot box. The following are my reasons for the above stand.

Two of the three independents are currently facing corruption charges in the courts. What if the two facing corruption charges are found guilty and required to vacate their seats?

And if the two are found not guilty, what will be the impression of our judiciary which is already facing accusations of being tainted?

Only the rakyat has the right to choose the government of the day and not a government choose another government.

Fergus: Let's be honest, people. How many of us waited with baited breath as Anwar talked last year about having enough MPs in his hands to force a federal government change?

It's easy for us to condemn the four assembley persons and Najib for what they've orchestrated, but can we seriously say that the moral ground is any higher than Pakatan wanting to pinch democratically elected BN MPs?

I always thought it works like this - you live by the sword, you die by the sword. And our sword should never have been about enticing elected BN people to cross over.

So I urge our leaders in Pakatan to stop playing that game. It will return to haunt you, and it already has.

When the moral sentiment wears off and big money is flung around, you will not survive by it. Let's take this nation democratically. Let's not be like them.

Eternal Optimist: One thing is certain - the way in which BN have apparently regained Perak leaves a bitter taste. Other readers have deliberated this fact exhaustively.

Still, I am left wondering if the same reactions would have been heard if Pakatan had won over a BN state, or even the federal government, in them same manner as DSAI had so boldly championed before this.

I'd like to think that the public would have reacted in a similar manner, even if it appeared as though there was relatively little hue and cry when PR and DSAI first promoted 'party-hopping' as their strategy for gaining power.

Ahmad Kamal: The whole episode scandalises the character of democracy in Malaysia with the Election Commission hands sullied. Its corrupt business as usual as Malaysia's right-minded citizens know.

The EC had supported gerrymandering by delineation of electoral constituencies since Merdeka Day, turned a blind eye to corrupt practices which allowed the BN to rule for so long, made amendments to electoral laws to the convenience of BN.

The EC is nothing more than a machinery for the BN executive.

BN led by Pak Lah/Najib may accuse of Anwar as attempting a back-door approach to power last year but it's well and fine when BN takes the plunge to subvert the voice of the people who had voice their desire to be governed by Pakatan Rakyat in March 2008.

Crooks to the core, Umno does not recognise the sores on themselves. Probably the sores and the souls of these Hadhari Muslims have interfaced.

Malaysians, democrats, human rights defenders and voters must rise to do their utmost to protest this latest scourge in Malaysian politics.

The Silent Saint: A prostitute sells her body for money. What would you call a politician who sells himself/herself for money? Aren't they also prostitutes of a kind?

The three musketeers of Perak must go into the annals of the country as the most despicable people in society. If ever they stood for election again, they should lose their deposits.

The people of Perak should cast them and their families out in every way possible to teach them a lesson.

Akkumaran A Kamalakumaran: I am so disappointed and extremely angry with the ungrateful and corrupted 'frogs'. They are going to learn a big lesson from the rakyat in the next elections.

Najib had a 'devilish' look especially during the press conference on Wednesday. This is the first time that I am starting to dislike our soon-to-be prime minister. God help Malaysia.

Layman Analyst: The crossovers of the ex-PKR duo charged with corruption to BN will backfire on BN.

If the charges are dropped against this duo, the rakyat will believe that the MACC is not independent after all and Abdullah's reforms against corruption were empty promises after all. BN will suffer the next polls.

Many voters who voted for BN in the last general election and thought BN would change will vote for PR in the next election. But PR will need to convince the electorate that their elected representatives will not be enticed by money and crossover to the other side.

I think if PAS was to become more secular and focus on transparency, good governance, etc, and DAP could attract more professional Malays to their elected representatives and Pakatan convince the electorate that their representatives is will not cross over, BN will lose terribly in the next election.

The rakyat is watching closely as to what will happen on Feb 10 and to see if there is a valid trial for the two PKR reps who defected to BN.

MM: This recent episode of the crossover of the three Perak state assembly reps from from PKR and DAP smacks of a travesty of justice and of plain greed and selfish personal gains at the expense of the electorates fervent choice for change.

These individuals have demeaned their status in the eyes of the all freedom-loving citizens of Malaysia. They are a bunch of selfish and mean-spirited individuals out to make hay while the sun shines.

They have lowered the natural standards of fair play and accountability to the lowest level by their deceit and maneuvering for a few ochre.

Gary: We kept hearing from the ruling coalition that it is morally and spiritually wrong to hop from one party to another when Anwar Ibrahim threatened his Sept 16 plan.

Where are all those who mouthed all that moral noise now that the democratically-elected government of Perak has collapsed?

This is a country that isn't going anywhere with elected reps choosing money over the people who voted for them. It is a complete disgrace.

Shame on the DAP woman who even dared smile at a press conference with Najib. Does she not know shame? To me, she has sold out for personal gain.

This DAP woman has betrayed an entire people who voted for the party she represented. If she claimed to be an ‘independent', then why on earth is she even supporting BN and people like Najib?

I rest my case. I have given up hope but I know the next general elections will see Umno ‘close shop' for good.

Corporate Citizen: It is now apparent that Nasarudin Hashim's crossover was just part of the plan. It was only a distraction so that MB Nizar and PR leaders are kept busy priming their feathers while Najib raided the assembly persons.

The crossing over of PR reps is all about money, not principles. These ex-PR reps are now dead politically speaking in return for a one off payment.

They will never be elected again by the rakyat. Certainly Umno or MCA will give them a safe seat to contest in the next election if they are nominated at all.

The high handedness of Najib should be cursed and rejected by the rakyat in total. We should support change in Malaysia.

John Tan: Two of the 'defectors' have corruption charges hanging over them and if they are convicted of the charges, a by-election is inevitable.

The defectors claim to be 'independent' so this means that they should look into the interests of the people they represent and support policies which benefit the people they represent.

Aligning themselves to BN does not reflect their so-called 'independence'

One of the 'defectors' does an about turn and returns to his own party singing a different tune. It is highly likely this was done for personal gain rather than for the benefit of the people he represents.

With the question of his integrity hanging over him, can he be truly trusted to represent the people?

Sabahan: I wish what happened in Sabah in 1994 would not happen in Perak. I'm not sure what other Sabahans feel about 1994, but for me, it was very hurtful.

Why call for a general election if assembly persons can jump here and there after every election?
I feel cheated and heartbroken by these this type of politicians and I don't know what is our future if this is allowed to happen continuously.

I wish the opposition could also learn a lesson from this case. Stop taking assembly persons from BN any more.

Just show your good performance to the people and the people will send BN to the grave in the next election.

If it happens that BN takes over Perak, I hope Perakians will stand up and show the power of people to them.

Ling: While people are talking about BN using undemocratic ways to topple the Pakatan government in Perak, I would like to ask this question: Who started it all first after 8 March last year?

It was Anwar Ibrahim, the leader that you all treat as a hero. He started all this by trying to topple the federal government on Sept 16 last year.

Don't you think that he is a more dangerous leader for doing this at the federal level which would affect the whole country? Don't you think that he is more undemocratic when he asked more than 30 BN MPs to defect?

What would people have said if was indeed successful in claiming the federal government?

Well, I'm sure the people would still naVve enough to say that defections from BN are for the good of the while defections from Pakatan are because of money.

For me, politics is dirty wherever you go. BN is just applying the same tactics to Pakatan. The difference is that BN was successful while Pakatan failed in their earlier attempt.

I do agree that Perak's people have been robbed of their political rights. I just wonder what would these people think if Pakatan succeeded in toppling the federal government.

Ganasan Kailasanathan: I note with deep anger and frustration this drama created by Najib and Umno.

The Perakians have rejected you. Permatang Pauh and Penang have rejected you. And Terengganu, too, has rejected you by democratic means.

Now, you, Najib and Umno have stooped so low in trying to form an undemocratic government in Perak.

TM: How does the common citizen trust elected representatives who can go ‘missing' without explanation and then change manifestos at the drop of a hat?

Yet these are the same elected reps who say that they have the peoples' interests at heart. I will never vote for such a person come the next election.

If such party-hopping is allowed, then there is is no point in voting, because you vote for one platform but your elected rep provides you with another after he or she wins.

Perak Student: This is to remind the reps who crossed over to BN. The Perak citizens voted for Pakatan Rakyat on March 08, 2008.

Not for your face. Bear this in your mind.

Society Manner: The younger voters thought they have sent a loud and clear message to BN in the last general election. BN now tells them what is real politics, or rather, how dirty politics can be.

Many voters will be disappointed as they are still having the feeling that Malaysia's political scenario is changing and the rakyat know what they want, and they will see the changes in the country and have what they want.

The voters will slap BN again in any election that come their way.

Vijaya Kumar Muthiyah: The opposition just had the taste of their own bullet. The ‘hopping' was started by them when their leader claimed that there will be defections to enable Pakatan to form the federal government.

When the Umno assembly person in Perak crossed over to PKR last month, he was accepted. All the opposition leaders said positive thing about it. Nobody at that time called for a by-election or a fresh mandate.

Now, when this game has backfired on them, they are commenting that BN wants to form government by ‘hook or by crook'.

This is the true game of politics. I put my full trust in the Sultan of Perak on his decision whatever it should be.

However, under the current economic situation, a fresh election is just a waste of money. That budget can be part of a third stimulus package which is more critical now.

A stable political situation is required to ensure we go through this economic turmoil successfully.

I see there are some saying that Perak people have been ‘robbed' but wouldn't it be the same if the opposition had taken over the federal government through defections?

Fellow Malaysians, start to look the matter from a different perspective. For the record, I am a neutral person.

Angry Malaysian: I'm consulting my lawyer on whether to sue the EC and the federal government if they can topple the Perak government in this manner.

If that's the case, why bother to hold a general election? Why not you guys (PR and BN0 just toss a coin and see who should rule which state.

After that, just announce your results in the papers. The EC won't have to bother about how many legal voters didn't turn or how many people didn't register to vote.

Why should we care about a general election when it doesn't carry any meaning at all?

Malaysia Boleh: BN now has the majority of the assembly persons to form the next Perak government.

It doesn't matter whether the assemblymen and assemblywoman have no principles, are being charged with corruption, have betrayed their constituents or are untrustworthy etc.

After all, there is no anti-hopping law. Perak people will just have to wait for the next feneral election.

Vijayandhran Valayatham: The recent events in the Perak state government have revealed a critical flaw in the laws of this land. Firstly, an assemblyman (or woman) who resigns is not allowed to stand for elections for five years.

This encourages MPs and state assembly persons to merely ‘defect' rather than seek a fresh mandate under a different banner, which is the right thing to do, since they cannot resign and stand for elections.

Secondly, elected state representatives and members of parliament can switch parties, and in the case of Perak, change the entire state government without a single vote from the public being cast.

To think that an entire state government can change by the action of a handful of individuals is frightening, though not new in Malaysia.

To this end, I urge the lawmakers to amend the law (and constitution if necessary) to firstly mandate a by-election should an assembly person or MP switch parties.

Secondly, allow those who resign to stand for re-elections immediately, even if under a different banner.

To exclude the public from a change in government, even if it's technically legal, should not be allowed. As the saying goes, an unjust law is no law at all.

The right action to take now is to hold fresh elections in the state. This is the only way to respect the people's mandate and if the ‘defectors' are confident that they have the support of the people, then they should have no objections to fresh elections.

Paran Chinniah: Perak, as we all know was being run by the PR government since the last GE.

Now, just because three individuals have decided to make a decision on behalf of thousands who voted for PR, the state will be run by BN again.

Absurd. Millions spent, thousands voted and merely three individuals have changed it.

Vincent Cheah Chee Hoon: It is disheartening to watch that the people of Perak have been robbed by BN of their chance to elect their representatives.

If Umno can grab power by corrupt and immoral ways, why then why hold a general election in the first place?

The people of Perak have rejected BN. It is a disgrace to the power-crazy and corrupt BN to snatch control from the rightful holders.

I challenge Barisan Nasional to dissolve the Perak state assembly and face a snap election. Don't act as a coward but face reality.

BC: It may be all true that the move by BN is underhanded but have you all forgotten that Anwar Ibrahim attempted the very same thing last year?

Among all the views condemning BN, I have not heard a peep about this matter.

Pakatan Rakyat supporters, please don't practise double standards in judging our leaders - no matter which party they are in.

PR is just getting a taste of their own medicine and it looks like they don't like the taste too.

Yogaraj Ramanathan: God bless this country. Our politicians know no limits to how low to stoop in their attempts to consolidate power.

To hell with the citizens and the country.

So the political conglomerate of scoundrels get to taste power again and this time the citizens have no say as decreed by the ruler.

This is truly a great country for the greedy and the corrupt. Malaysia boleh.

Pearl Jam - Black

2009-01-31T00:07:00.003+08:00

Sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay
Were laid spread out before me as her body once did
All five horizons revolved around her soul
As the earth to the sun
Now the air I tasted and breathed has taken a turn
And all I taught her was everything
I know she gave me all that she wore
And now my bitter hands chafe beneath the clouds
Of what was everything
Oh, the pictures have all been washed in black, tattooed everything

I take a walk outside
I'm surrounded by some kids at play
I can feel their laughter, so why do I sear
And twisted thoughts that spin round my head
I'm spinning, oh, I'm spinning
How quick the sun can, drop away
And now my bitter hands cradle broken glass
Of what was everything
All the pictures have all been washed in black, tattooed everything

All the love gone bad turned my world to black
Tattooed all I see, all that I am, all I will be

I know someday you'll have a beautiful life, I know you'll be a star
In somebody else's sky, but why, why, why
Can't it be, can't it be mine

You can download this beautiful song by clicking here.

Carian Google Dengan Bergaya Bersama Dr. S (Siri 2)

2009-01-30T22:39:00.005+08:00

Fakta: Anda memang pemalas. Apabila berhadapan dengan sesuatu perkataan yang sukar dimengerti maksudnya, anda memilih untuk meneka dalam kesamaran dan anda menipu diri sendiri dengan menyifatkannya sebagai satu "educated guess" walhal anda sendiri sedia maklum bahawa sebenarnya anda perlu merujuk kamus, daftar istilah atau glosari tertentu untuk mendapatkan maksud paling tepat.

Mujurlah bagi pemalas macam anda, kini anda tidak perlu lagi terkepoh-kepoh selak kamus yang telah pun anda jadikan penyendal tapak sebelah kiri bahagian depan peti ais anda yang dah senget tu. Kini anda boleh semak maksud bagi apa-apa perkataan di Internet saja dengan merujuk kepada pelbagai kamus dalam talian.

Namun, Google kini tampil bersama teknik yang akan menyebabkan anda terjebak kembali ke lembah kemalasan. Sekarang anda tak perlu lagi terhegeh-hegeh menaip URL kamus dalam talian yang sering anda lupa nak bookmark tu. Bahkan anda tak perlu lagi Google "dictionary" sekadar untuk mendapatkan URL kamus dalam talian.

Tip kali ini akan membantu anda membuat pencarian definisi dengan lebih pantas dan sarat dengan pilihan - sesuai dengan kemalasan anda itu. Mulai hari ini, gunakan operator define untuk mendapatkan maksud yang dicari-cari tu. Misalnya anda ingin mencari maksud bagi perkataan vector. Anda cuma perlu masukkan kata kunci carian anda dengan cara begini:

define:vector

Lihat hits yang anda dapat! Menarik, bukan? Anda akan dapati corak hits Google telah berubah dan bukan sekadar memaparkan occurrences perkataan vector di Internet. Sebaliknya ia mengkhusus terus kepada definisi bagi vector dan disenaraikan dalam format yang sangat menyenangkan.

Apa? Anda belum cuba lagi? Syabas! Anda bukan main-main rupanya bila anda kata anda ni pemalas. Memang pemalas tahap maksimum! Cuba ini pula:

define:indolent

Itulah diri anda.

ps: Apa pendapat anda tentang tip carian Google ni? Bermanfaatkah untuk anda? Sekiranya tidak bermanfaat, saya pun malas nak bagi lagi dah. Kalau suka cakap suka! Susah sangat ke? Bak kata Safura dan Oney dalam lagu Jangan Menangis Sayang - "kalau padi, kata padi, tidak aku tertampi-tampi.. kalau benci, kata benci, tidak aku nanti terus menanti.." :p pergh..

Fellow 1990ers! Are you there?

2009-01-28T23:13:00.010+08:00

It was the early 90s and everything was great.

What was regarded as just another phase among the teens (due to their sudden affection towards a 3-piece grunge band that went by "Nirvana") quickly exploded into an epidemic proportion. It was the era of alternative rock. All the boy bands and glam outfit got sidelined almost instantly. The new sound was the "in" thing. It was the time for Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Mudhoney, Stone Temple Pilots, Smashing Pumpkins, Alice in Chains and lots more.

I was in a matriculation centre at the time and to follow the music scene (no matter of what genre) was pretty hard since there were no downloads or mp3s. Imagine this - the most sophisticated word processing software was WordStar and you can run any PC application without any Windows operating system. Back then, Windows itself was just another application. It was that long ago. Go figure laa. And the Malaysian media was still living in the rock kapak era. So.. for a newly minted alternative fan like me, there's only two options. Wait for the "paperback" (cassette) or go for the "hard-cover" (CDs).

Jusco Bangsar was the nearest to my hostel and it has this superb music store on the lower ground; on the left side of the entrance. You can't miss it. It used to have all these cool foreign releases, EPs and singles and you can test them all day long using the super cool Sony S40 single deck CD players (which later I got one for myself, much to the envy of my room mates). And occassionally, I would ended up spending up to RM120 for the CDs. RM120 = 3 very cool alternative rock CDs! Sometimes, more than a few times a week! You do the math. Before long, my locker was filled with CDs.

Where did I get all that money? Now that, is another story. Haha.. okay, here's the story. I'll make it short. My father loan me his van for me to travel to and fro. However, I "improvised" and let others used it to travel to and fro wherever they like.. for a price of course! Bisnes van sewa ler.. :p Apa la saya ni, kan? I know. But I got a very steady income from this. I managed to reap around RM600 per week. To my friends from the "old days", I hope this would explain to you now why I never run out of pocket money and able to "open table" during most of our outings. Too bad that "Ah Long system" did not cross my mind at the time. :p

Well.. that was a long time ago.

Recently, thanks to Rapidshare, DDL sites, the resurrection of the much simpler client-server download model, broadband Internet connection and an everlasting memory of what good music used to be like, I managed to "get" back all of my favorites. Well.. almost.

And here they are. Each of the songs came from full release albums which influence me the most and left me with longlasting impressions - and I really do hate to admit this. These are what I grew up with. You can download and listen to them if you like. If you used to be an alternative rock fan, you'll be at home in no time. If you're new to this kind of sound, give it a try. If you never even heard of alternative rock, you definitely should give it a try. You will like it, I can almost guarantee.

If you are Rosdi @ Kulup, Mat Pet, Collect, Zam Zam Sulaiman Rasul (real guy, real name), Shahriman (mak orang Sabah, ayah orang Melaka), Sofizol or Nik Mohd. Tarmizi Nik Rashid, this is especially for you. Have a blast from the past! (Bers, Mem, Ucin, Kepap and the rest, aku tak tujukan kat korang pasal kalau tak silap aku, korang tak la suka alternative rock pun)

Alice in Chains - Rain When I Die
[This is the best song.. ever.. just listen to the sound.. can you feel the gloom? You just have to listen to this. Powerful vocals by the late Layne Staley. Superb guitar works by Jerry Cantrell. Hmmm.. time ni pulak tengah berkenan habis kat ada satu orang ni kat matriks tu. Tapi orang tu tak layan, kan? So, layan je la lagu ni. Apa nak buat..:p)

Jane's Addiction - Stop!
[I used to be in a hostel room of 4 where the other 3 don't have early morning classes and I would play this song just to annoy them in their slumber. But over time, they got used to the loud number and it never bothered them anymore. In fact, one of them (Collect) went on to even like this song. Truly defeated the purpose! Hampeh tul.. Grrr..]

Pearl Jam - Garden
[The jiwang karat side of alternative rock]

Screaming Trees - Nearly Lost You
[One of the best, an instant hit]

Smashing Pumpkins - Cherub Rock
[This was one of the most anticipated alternative rock album ever. I got myself both cassette and CD]

Soundgarden - Rusty Cage
[Classic pre-mainstream Soundgarden]

Fishbone - End The Reign
[You will never guess who made up this great band. Listen first to this hard-hitting song and then look them up in Google Image]

The Afghan Whigs - Debonair
[Fronted by the highly talented Greg Dulli]

Stone Temple Pilots - Interstate Love Song
[This song was a hit almost everywhere in the world!]

Rage Against The Machine - Killing In The Name Of
[My favorite number from their debut album. If you must know, the song that plays when Neo in The Matrix flew away from the phone booth was taken from this album]

Kong hee fatt choi! Enjoy!

Carian Google Dengan Bergaya Bersama Dr. S (Siri 1)

2009-01-15T00:29:00.004+08:00

Ya, saya kembali lagi. Setelah ramalan saya tentang kesan kenaikan harga minyak tidak lama dulu jauh tersasar, saya telah menyerahkan kembali PhD dalam bidang ramalan kesan kenaikan harga minyak kepada universiti cap ayam yang berkenaan. Namun saya masih lagi seorang pemegang PhD tetapi kini dalam bidang pencarian maklumat pula. :p

Berikut adalah tips pertama dari saya kepada anda, pengguna Google yang setia.

Sememangnya terdapat terlalu banyak maklumat di Internet dan ianya dalam pelbagai format. pula. Adakalanya, kita hanya ingin menumpukan kepada satu-satu format maklumat semata-mata namun carian Google yang umum akan mengembalikan pelbagai jenis bahan. Sekiranya anda berhajat untuk mencari maklumat di Internet dalam format yang khusus, maka eloklah sekiranya anda belajar menggunakan operator filetype.

Caranya sangat mudah. Fikirkan satu topik yang ingin anda selidiki. Okay, misalnya [kesan kenaikan harga minyak].. ewah ewah.. main kasar nampak. Baiklah, saya tak ambil hati. Di sini kita boleh andaikan betapa banyak hasil carian yang mungkin diperolehi sekiranya kata kunci tersebut digunakan. Anda boleh cuba sendiri. Apa? Anda dah cuba? Kentutlah anda ni. Cepat sangat. Okay, takpe. Anda akan dapati Google mengembalikan kira-kira 218,000 hasil carian. Pastilah bukan itu yang anda mahukan. Melainkan anda sanggup mentelaah kesemua pautan yang disenaraikan itu.

Mari kita andaikan anda ni seorang yang pemalas tahap gaban. Anda kena taip sesuatu berkenaan [kesan kenaikan harga minyak] tapi dek kerana hidup anda bertunjangkan kemalasan yang tidak kunjung padam, maka anda lebih selesa untuk meniru saja bahan-bahan yang telah sedia ada. Nak buat macam mana.. dah anda memang pemalas, kan? Jadi, anda perlukan bahan maklumat dari Internet yang mudah untuk anda tiru. Tapi, bagaimana ya? Dengan carian cara biasa, pelbagai format akan dikembalikan oleh Google termasuklah format yang sukar dicopy paste seperti HTML dan PDF. Anda pula sangat dambakan format MS Word supaya hasil kerja orang lain tu dapat dipindah turun dengan segera sekaligus mempermudahkan kerja-kerja plagiat anda.

Di sinilah operator filetype memainkan peranan yang sangat penting. Anda cuma perlu masukkan kata kunci carian anda dengan cara begini:

kesan kenaikan harga minyak filetype:doc

dan kemudian tekan butang Search, dan lihat sendiri hasil carian yang dikembalikan oleh Google. Pastikan tiada ruang kosong di antara operator filetype, simbol noktah bertindih : dan format. Anda akan dapati enjin carian Google telah menyaring sehingga mengembalikan sekitar 397 hasil carian saja. Dan apa yang lebih menarik lagi, oleh kerana anda telah mengkhususkan format maklumat tersebut di hujung kata kunci di atas, maka hanya maklumat dalam format .doc (MS Word) saja yang dikembalikan. Menarik, bukan? Anda boleh lihat sendiri pada URL (fon hijau) yang disenaraikan. Kesemuanya adalah .doc. Apa lagi yang ditunggu? Nak tunggu anda dapat idea dan mula menulis hasil karya sendiri? Oh, itu adalah mustahil. Maka, segeralah mulakan carian maklumat anda sekarang! Dan yang penting, dengan penuh bergaya! Cuba dapatkan hasil carian bagi format lain pula seperti .pdf, .xls, .txt, .ppt, .mvs, .csv dan bermacam-macam lagi!

Kini, lebih mudahlah kerja-kerja peniruan anda tu. Akhir kata, selamat mencari dan jangan tunggu lama-lama, nanti lama-lama, dia diambil orang. (eh?)

ps: sekiranya sifat kemalasan anda sudah di tahap maksimum, operator filetype juga boleh anda tukar dengan operator ext yang lebih pendek. Operator ext adalah singkatan bagi extension dan berfungsi dengan cara yang sama seperti operator filetype.

Sleepy in Tawau (Part 2)

2009-01-14T23:30:00.009+08:00

Okay, ingat lagi pasal Sasha, gadis Tawau yang saya kata nyanyi lagu Ziana Zain lebih sedap daripada Ziana Zain tu? Haa.. saya dah upload video clip tu ke YouTube. Korang tengok dan nilailah sendiri. Memang superb! Tapi maaflah pasal saya tak sempat rakam dari awal. Awal-awal tu terpegun. :p Lepas tu baru cepat-cepat rakam. Semasa interlude lagu tu, saya pusingkan kamera dan rakam kawan-kawan yang turut sama ke Tawau. Ijam ada cakap something tapi tak berapa dengar. Sebenarnya dia komen yang saya rakam video diorang semua tu supaya isteri saya tak salah sangka dan ingat saya keluar pergi tengok Sasha nyanyi tu sorang-sorang. Dalam erti kata lain, dia nak kata "shared responsibility" la kot. :p Hampeh. Suka-suka je dia berteori. (walhal.. ada kebenaran juga cakap dia tu.. :p)

Kalau tak tahu apakebende yang saya cite nih, sila scroll ke entri Sleepy in Tawau di bawah atau klik saja di sini.

Kalau nak tengok video clip tu, sila pergi ke http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KANKoMF0628 atau klik saja di sini.

Sleepy in Crowne Plaza Mutiara

2009-01-14T15:41:00.002+08:00

Aiyoo.. bila la mamat ni nak habis bercakap. Sekarang ni tengah pembentangan kertas seminar ketujuh. Lepas ni ada satu saja lagi. Nasib baik. Dah tak sanggup dah ni. Peserta pun ramai dah lelap. Ni saya tengah kill time dengan mengemaskini blog menggunakan handphone hebat saya ittewww... :p

Koleksi Jiwang Karat

2009-01-14T01:41:00.009+08:00

Saya tahu ramai pembaca blog ni terdiri daripada peminat lagu-lagu jiwang karatzzz. Tak payah nak mengelak la. Dah terlalu jelas! Demi memenuhi tanggungjawab, saya telah memaksa-maksa diri untuk memenuhi kehendak aneh korang tuh! Huh! Tapi saya usahakan juga.

Haa.. ni ada lagu-lagu jiwang karat SUPER BEST untuk korang suma. Download dan dengar. Memang dijamin best. Bagi yang muda belia sekitar lewat 80an dan awal 90an (macam kak NH, kak Rohaya binti Ngah, kak LT, kak Neomesuff, Yati CSM, Nur Sani @ Cus, Angah @ Aireen, bang Napi, kak May Cheong, Zainal Abidin Rahim, kak A**** dan suami, Bers, Mem, Ucin dan "awak"), pasti tahu sangat lagu-lagu nih. Lagu masa korang bercinta dulu tuuu. :D

Tapi, bagi mereka yang baru reti pakai seluar time tu (macam Rafidah, Ahmad Zulhafizudin, Amy, Felicia, Iwan, Yamin bin Kamis pensyarah UiTM, Ng Yin Ping dan Nadia RJKzzz), mungkin akan terasa asing laa. Kahkahkah! :D

Tapi kalau dah spesies jiwang karatzzz tu, tak ke mana.. mana-mana generasi pun rasanya akan "masuk" juga.

Uh.. Uh.. habis laa.. masuk diari laa..

Ni link dia di bawah tu.

Samudera - Salam Sejahtera

XPDC - Nafisa

Sons of Adam - Memori Duka

Mega - Pasti

BPR - Dendam Cinta Seusia Dunia

Revolvers - Perpisahan

Desire - Bias Cinta

Dwen - Satu Penantian

Febians - Untukmu Sayang

Francessca Peters - Aku Kehilanganmu

"Mama, mana ayah? Bila ayah nak balik?"

2009-01-14T00:24:00.006+08:00

2 weeks ago, I was at Avillion, Port Dickson for a very important brainstorming session,.. which ultimately also included a barbeque, a telematch and lots of good coffee. What a weekend that was. Friday to Sunday. My wife and kids went back home a day earlier to prepare for Su'ad's first day in primary school.

I got a fever (which I found out later was attributed to something else.. but that's another story) and was MC on last week's Monday. I went back to work on Tuesday last week only to prepare for our next trip, on the very next day. This time a meeting in Tawau, Sabah (see previous entry). That one lasted for a tiring 4 days. One day rest last Sunday was just not enough it seems.

I went back to work last Monday only to find that everybody was busy preparing for our international seminar event from Tuesday (yesterday) until this Thursday at the Crowne Plaza Mutiara. Yati and I both had to wear two hats - as participant and secretariat. It was a beneficial seminar (so far..) but I really can't wait for this to end. I was supposed to attend a welcoming dinner tonight but Yati helped me got off the hook. I do owe her big time. Thanks, Yati. And of course, not forgetting my boss, who got me off even bigger hooks - i.e. not having to stay at the hotel during the seminar and attend the AGM. Thank you, boss. I need some healing time and be with my family. My wife is running out of excuses for the kids.

Hmm.. I am owing people all over. Habis laa.. ramai la aku kena belanja.. :p

Anyway, my boss already planned something for our department next week. But no cross-country trip necessary. Yay!

This is a very busy month indeed. However, if we managed to settle everything by end of next week, I plan to take a 3-day leave on the 28th until the 30th. Add them to the Chinese New Year and the weekends, and I'll be getting a whopping 9 days leave. Heheh. That is of course, just a plan (but amin x 10000).

Sleepy in Tawau

2009-01-10T12:36:00.004+08:00

Saya sekarang berada di lounge Hotel Belmont Marco Polo di Tawau, Sabah. Ya. Sabah. Saya tengah bosan menunggu rakan-rakan sekerja yang lain selesai bersiap. Jam 1 tengah hari nanti kami akan ke lapangan terbang Tawau untuk mengambil penerbangan ke Kota Kinabalu dan pada jam 4:30 petang, kami akan ambil penerbangan ke KLIA. Malam tadi bukan main lagi masing-masing. Ok, kita turun pukul 11:30 setengah pagi, check out dan lunch awal then ciao. Sudahnya, saya sorang je check out pukul 11:30 pagi. Pukul 12 saya dah siap lunch tapi masih tak nampak batang hidung diorang. Kemudian cik kak AGC (salah seorang ahli mesyuarat) cakap, "Oh, tadi saya dengan kawan-kawan you tadi. Kami pergi pasar gantung. Tapi diorang tak balik lagi." Mak ai. Shopping la pulak. Pasar gantung? Macam-macam betul orang Sabah ni. Ayam lelek. Nasi lalap. Belasah!

Nasib baik hotel ni ada wi-fi. Terisi juga masa saya. Hotel Belmont Marco Polo ni memang agak corny nama dia, hahaha. Tapi inilah hotel terbaik di Tawau dan memenuhi keperluan mesyuarat kami. Khabarnya King Gustav, Raja Sweden dan Agong kita (tak pasti yang mana) pun pernah menginap di hotel ni. Kira oklah tu kot.

Pekan Tawau ni pekan yang bertenang. Bangunan dan kereta banyak juga tapi tak bising. Takde kesesakan. Semua orang bertenang je. Very laid back. Mungkin kerana mereka banyak sedut bayu laut kot. So masing-masing relaks je. Takde sapa pandu laju-laju atau kalut-kalut. Pukul 6 petang, kebanyakan kedai telah pun ditutup. Bila malam menjelang, yang tinggal cuma kedai-kedai makan dan kedai runcit 24 jam tapi bukan 7-11. Kat Tawau ni saya takde jumpa 7-11 pun.

Malam tadi kami pergi minum di sebuah medan selera di tepi pantai. Memang menarik kerana di tengah-tengah medan selera tu ada pentas untuk sapa-sapa naik berkaraoke. Orang Sabah ni memang suka berkaraoke betul. Tak putus-putus pengunjung medan selera tu naik menyanyi. Kalau ok takpelah.. ini macam.. hmm takpelah. Asalkan diorang bahagia. Nyanyi cemana pun orang tepuk tangan gak. Saya pun tepuk tangan. Haha.Tapi sebelum kami meninggalkan tempat tu, ada sorang yang naik tu memang berbakat sebagai penyanyi. Sedap betul suara dia. DJ yang jaga karaoke tu panggil dia Sasha. Tak tahu la nama betul ke tak. Mula-mula Sasha tu nyanyi lagu Siti Nurhaliza - Jerat Percintaan. Pergh! Memang sedap. Sedap lagi Siti nanyi la tapi Sasha ni pun ok. Kemudian dia nyanyi lagu Ziana Zain (saya lupa nama lagu dia, nanti saya update bila dah tahu). Pergh! Yang ni lain! Memang best! Head of Division saya yang ikut sama dan mengaku hanya minat Harvey Malaiholo dan Sheila Majid saja, kelihatan terpaku. Ijam dan Yati pun. Saya dan Hazimah pula sama-sama bersetuju bahawa Sasha ni nyanyi jauh lebih sedap daripada Ziana Zain! Saya siap rakam guna handphone. Aaa.. nanti saya cari jalan cemana nak upload kat sini bagi korang dengar. Memang best nyanyian budak tu (dan orangnya pun lawa).

Hmm.. sekarang dah pukul 1 tapi diorang tak turun-turun check out gak lagi. Saya nak pergi lepak kat luar la pulak. Tengok-tengok Tawau jap. Tak tahu bila lagi akan sampai ke sini. Selamat tinggal Tawau.

Haa?? Apa?? Kami first time masuk pertandingan Scrabble terus dapat jadi Naib Johan?? Kehkehkeh..

2008-12-19T00:22:00.006+08:00

Hahaha.. minggu lepas pada 13 Disember, saya dan rakan-rakan yang mewakili sebuah agensi kerajaan telah menjadi Naib Johan dalam pertandingan Scrabble Sukan MOSTI. Pergh bangga betul kerana kami dapat kalahkan ramai otai-otai Scrabble dari pelbagai agensi di bawah MOSTI walaupun ini penyertaan kami yang pertama kali. Kat opis, set Scrabble pun kami takde. Berlatih Scrabble pun guna game PC je. Bukan itu saja, salah seorang pemain kami buat lawak pulak tak dapat datang jadi terpaksa digantikan dengan salah seorang rakan sejawat yang hadir bersama keluarga untuk memberikan sokongan. Tak pasal-pasal mamat tu jadi bidan terjun. Sudahnya saya terpaksa bagi dia crash course dalam masa kurang setengah jam tentang Scrabble, taktik dan beberapa perkara lagi. Mamat tu siap datang dengan anak bini. Masa tengah game, anak-anak dia siap panggil-panggil, "Ayah, ayah." Hahaha. Tapi hustler juga rupanya mamat tu. Bayangkan kalau dia dapat pendedahan dan persediaan lebih awal dan rapi. Apa-apa pun di sebalik masalah teknikal tu, pasukan kami tetap menyinar dan dapat mara ke perlawanan akhir menentang entah agensi cap ayam mana tah yang bernasib baik dapat kalahkan dream team kami. Berikut adalah senarai keputusan pada hari pertandingan tu.

Suku Akhir

Kami ratah-ratah MDV (Malaysia Debt Ventures) 2 -1 sehingga bertambah-tambah debt mereka.

Separuh Akhir

Kami sula Remote Sensing (MACRES) 3 - 0 sehingga segala senses mereka tidak berguna lagi.

Akhir

Kami sengaja campakkan kemenangan (guna tangan kiri) kepada SIRIM cap ayam 1 - 2 kerana mereka kelihatan kemaruk sangat nak menang ibarat seorang janda gersang yang dahagakan kasih sayang. :p Amik la kemenangan tu kalau boleh bawak masuk kubur. Amik la. Haa.. amik, amik!

Eh, emo super ek saya ni? Takpe la.. azam kami, tahun depan kami akan "belasah" SIRIM ni cukup-cukup! Geram betul dengan senyuman sinis mamat yang dikatakan "Scrabble Guru" SIRIM tu. Banyak la guru. Guru penyelia petang kot.. :p

rindu betul...

2008-12-17T18:31:00.002+08:00

Rasanya dah berzaman aku tak menulis nih...

Sebenarnya taktau pun apa nak aku tulis, tapi memandangkan dah terlepas kelas pukul 6 terpaksalah tunggu kelas pukul 6.45 nanti. Sambil-sambil menunggu tu...apa lagi, merepeklah sikit kat sini, rindu jugak =P

Berbalik kepada tajuk blogku nih... memangpun aku rasa rindu sangat...

Aku rindu pada... Sarina Ibrahim, teman sekolah rendah & menengahku yang cukup kamceng dengan ku (eh, cam ni ke spell perkataan ni :S, lantaklah bukannya exam pun =P ). Tapi aku kesal... aku tak dapat berhubung dengannya sekarang. Lost contact... =(

Aku rindu pada... Yee Ling, teman sekursus dan sebilik ku waktu belajar kat UM tu... Dia ni cukup periang dan kelakar orangnya, tapi orang Penang, jadi tak dapat berjumpa selalu. Tempat kerja dia tu pulak takleh on mobile phone waktu kerja... Walau bagaimanapun, aku nak ucapkan "Tahniah, si pengantin baru! =) You look especially stunning on your big day! Mmmuack!!

Aku rindu pada... Teresa, 'teman seperjuangan'ku sejak kecil lagi kat SGM. Walaupun, dah lama tak jumpa, tapi aku cukup gembira asalkan dia ni hidup bahagia kat New Zealand. Semoga segala-galanya berjalan lancar di sana.. =) I'm so looking forward to catch up with her when she finally comes back this coming Chinese New Year.

Selain daripada itu, aku juga amat merindui Sinchan, teman sekerja yang paling best dan inspiring seumur hidupku setakat ini! Tabik! Semoga bahagia selalu di samping keluarga tersayang yer!

Ok lah, takda masa dah... Nak gi kelas nih! ;)

A lil'reminder for all who're reading...
Appreciate all those around you. Also, let them know how much they meant for you (if they do). I'm sure they'd love to know that. ;)

Mencari Perkataan Tersembunyi

2008-12-03T13:59:00.001+08:00

Dalam kekotak di bawah tu, terdapat 10 nama haiwan yang tersembunyi. Kalau korang hebat, carilah kesemua 10 haiwan tu. Nama haiwan tu mungkin dieja menegak, melintang, menyenget dan terbalik. Kalau rajin, emelkan jawapan korang ke alamkekal@gmail.com atau bagitau saya kat YM (nick YM saya alamkekal). Ajak la suami, isteri, anak-anak, adik beradik, ipar duai, rakan taulan dan jiran untuk turut serta. Daripada dok beryoga haram tu.. baik cari perkataan tersembunyi. Huhu.

Ubuntu? I lagi buntu! You takpe laa. Pelakon terkenal. I ni pelakon baru tapi dah kena tangkap khalwat! Sib baik tak liwat! :p

2008-12-02T23:15:00.009+08:00

Aaa.. maaf.. ini bukan rentetan kisah Norman dan Memey dan Abby Abadi. Itu boleh baca di blog lain. Personally, saya rasa Memey tu cantik sangat. Tapi, setakat ni, semua perempuan yang saya kenal berpendapat sebaliknya. Aik,.. emo ke? Kenapa sokong Abby sangat? Kenal ke? Demi wanita ke? Ke? :p

Apa-apalah.. mari kita cerita pasal Ubuntu.

Ubuntu adalah merupakan salah satu distro sistem operasi Linux yang paling terkenal pada masa ini. Apa itu Ubuntu? Apa itu sistem operasi? Apa itu Linux?

Hmm.. kalau ada yang tidak maklum dengan jawapan kepada ketiga-tiga persoalan di atas, nampaknya banyaklah yang perlu diterangkan ni. Jangan risau. Jangan berasa buntu. Mari kita bercerita sedikit tentang Ubuntu.

Ok.. pasti anda semua tahu serba sedikit tentang komputer. Jika tidak, bagaimana anda boleh menggunakan Internet sehingga sampai ke blog ini. Sesebuah komputer itu pasti mempunyai sistem operasi (atau OS) untuk menjalankan segala aspek pengendalian sumber, perisian, perkakasan dan persisian; dan sistem operasi yang paling biasa digunakan ialah Windows. Semua orang tahu apa itu Windows yang dihasilkan oleh Microsoft. Kalau korang nak tahu, satu masa dulu pernah timbul isu apabila Microsoft cuba nak dapatkan trademark bagi nama Windows. Ini kerana "Windows" ialah kata nama atau noun yang terlalu generic. Well, in this case, a plural noun. Jadi mana boleh trademark kan sesuatu kata nama yang lumrah. Ini samalah macam menamakan sesebuah kedai makan sebagai "Kedai Makan" dan cuba nak dapatkan hak menggunakan nama itu secara eksklusif. Tak senonoh la kan? Apa-apa pun, Windows tetap maju dan terus dapat survive dengan pelbagai versi seperti Windows 98, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows Vista dan sebagainya.

Tapi kini ramai pengguna PC yang sudah jemu dengan Windows dan pelbagai masalahnya. Setiap versi baru Windows pasti ada saja security vulnerabilities sehinggakan selepas Service Pack ke-2 atau ke-3 (yang memakan masa bertahun-tahun) barulah ia benar-benar agak kukuh. Itu pun masih tidak lekang daripada masalah skrin biru hang. Apa versi Windows pun akan hang kalau dia nak hang. Ada pengguna yang terus bersabar. Ada yang bertukar menggunakan Mac OS yang jauh lebih stabil (bermaksud kena beli PC Mac la juga) dan bagi yang tak sanggup mengeluarkan wang yang banyak untuk beli mana-mana PC Mac, mereka beralih kepada sistem operasi Linux.

Linux adalah sistem operasi sumber terbuka. Maksudnya ia percuma dan kodnya boleh dilihat oleh sesiapa saja. Kita persetankan soal kodnya boleh dilihat oleh sesiapa saja tu. Yang penting, ia percuma. Hanya segelintir kecil saja distro Linux yang berbayar - dan itu pun biasanya merupakan kos DVD/CD bagi satu-satu distro atau pun kos sokongan profesional. Bagi pengguna biasa macam kita ni.. Linux memang benar-benar percuma.

Satu masa dulu, sistem operasi Linux adalah sangat tidak mesra pengguna dan selalunya hanya digunakan oleh mereka yang biasa menggunakan sistem operasi Unix - kerana Linux ni pun asalnya daripada Unix. Pengguna biasa memang tak berminat dan tak reti nak guna kerana ia tiada antaramuka bergrafik sebagaimana Windows dan Mac OS. Namun zaman dah berubah. Linux semakin giat merampas pasaran Windows bagi sistem operasi. Linux telah pun lama menawan segmen pelayan (server) dan kini sedang mengorak langkah menawan pengguna biasa macam kita ni pula. Ada macam-macam distro Linux untuk kita pilih, pasang dan gunakan. Bagi pentadbir sistem yang ingin menjadikan sesebuah PC menjadi router sambungan Internet, mereka boleh gunakan Linux yang paling minimum dari segi fungsinya - tanpa sebarang elemen grafik agar ia lebih pantas. Bagi pembangun sistem, ada versi Linux yang menyediakan antaramuka grafik dan juga elemen pelayan supaya mereka dapat menguji apa yang dihasilkan. Dan bagi pengguna biasa macam kita, ada pelbagai distro Linux yang sangat mesra pengguna. Ada yang semudah Windows untuk dipasang; bahkan ada yang lebih mudah lagi. Kebanyakan distro popular Linux kini menyokong hampir kesemua perkakasan komputer yang ada di pasaran. Jadi, pengguna tidak perlu risau lagi sekiranya ingin menyambungkan cakera keras mudah alih, pencetak atau pengimbas ke komputer yang menggunakan Linux.

Dalam banyak-banyak distro Linux yang ada pada hari ini, distro yang paling terkenal ialah Ubuntu - versi terbarunya ialah 8.10 dan boleh dimuat turun di sini. Apa yang menarik pada Ubuntu ini, selain daripada pemasangannya yang mudah, ialah pengguna mempunyai pilihan untuk tidak membuat partition baru yang khusus untuk Linux. Pengguna tidak perlu melakukan apa-apa ke atas cakera kerasnya kerana Ubuntu boleh dipasang secara terus di dalam Windows. Selepas pemasangan Ubuntu, apabila PC anda dimulakan, akan terdapat dua pilihan - sama ada ingin menggunakan Windows (default) atau pun Ubuntu. Sebarang perubahan data sewaktu menggunakan Ubuntu tidak akan menjejaskan apa-apa fail Windows kerana Ubuntu hanya akan menggunakan ruang cakera keras yang khusus yang pengguna tentukan terlebih dahulu sebelum pemasangan. Penerangan saya mungkin berjela-jela sedikit, tapi sebenarnya pemasangan Ubuntu adalah sangat mudah. Begitu pun, sekiranya pengguna masih sangsi untuk commit memasang sistem operasi Ubuntu, mereka boleh cuba dulu Ubuntu menggunakan konsep Live CD di mana tiada sebarang pengubahsuian berlaku pada sistem komputer anda dan Ubuntu akan dimulakan terus dari memori utama PC (RAM) - dalam erti kata lain, takde save kat mana-mana.. kalau off PC, Ubuntu terus gone. Live CD memang bagus bagi mereka yang sekadar nak try dulu Ubuntu ni dan tak nak commit untuk install apa-apa lagi.

Banyak lagi distro Linux yang menyediakan kemudahan yang sama tapi setakat ni tak ada lagi yang semudah Ubuntu. Cukup setakat ni dulu, korang boleh Google dulu berkenaan Ubuntu dan jika dah bersedia untuk cuba sesuatu yang baru, korang boleh download Ubuntu di sini. Dalam entri yang akan datang, kita akan cerita lebih lanjut tentang pemasangan Ubuntu dalam sebuah PC yang telah sedia menggunakan Windows XP. Memang mudah dan tidak menjejaskan Windows langsung.

The Shield Dah Tamat

2008-11-30T23:57:00.011+08:00

Akhirnya siri polis The Shield tamat juga.

Watak utama The Shield, dari kiri - Claudette, Julian, Shane, Vic, Danny (belakang), Dutch (belakang), Lem dan Acaveda.

Ahli asal Strike Team, dari kiri - Shane, Terry, Vic, Ronnie dan Lem (Terry mati dalam musim pertama kena bunuh dengan Vic, Lem mati dalam musim ke-5 kena bunuh dengan Shane).

Minggu lepas siri ni tamat pada episod ke-13 musim ke-7. Tapi ini tayangan di AS. Kat Malaysia, saya pun tak pasti dah musim ke berapa. Astro masih tayang The Shield lagi ke? Kepada yang tak pernah tengok, The Shield ni mengisahkan suka duka sebuah kehidupan.. hahaha.. ayat standard. Suka duka sebuah kehidupan di sebuah balai polis di Los Angeles. Balai tu digelar The Barn. Fokus utama siri ni ialah kepada beberapa watak polis yang boleh disifatkan sebagai morally ambiguous. Hmm.. kira macam ni lah. Siri ni mengisahkan pasal kehidupan polis jahat. Sekumpulan polis ni sanggup buat apa saja untuk mencapai apa yang diorang nak. Diorang tangkap juga orang jahat. Tapi diorang sendiri pun jahat. Korang kena tengok, barulah tahu apa yang saya maksudkan. Dalam beberapa musim awal, siri ni lebih tertumpu kepada Strike Team - sebuah kumpulan khas di The Barn. Strike Team ni memang hebat dan dapat selesaikan macam-macam kes dadah, jenayah dan jenayah terancang. Jenayah terancang memang bidang kepakaran diorang. Semua gang di LA takut dengan Strike Team ni. Tapi beberapa musim sudah, Strike Team ni dah berpecah. Ada yang mati kena bom (dengan geng sendiri), ada yang kena belasah sampai parah (dengan geng sendiri) dan ada yang terpaksa quit. Sebelum episod penamat minggu lepas, saya dah agak memang The Shield ni tak ada penyudah yang baik. Ini kerana masalah yang watak-watak utamanya alami memang tak dapat nak ditolong lagi. Saya dah agak akhirnya semua kejahatan diorang akan didedahkan. Saya jangkakan akan ada showdown antara Vic n the gang lawan Kapten Claudette n the gang yang menyebabkan semua ahli dan bekas ahli Strike Team mati. Atau semua kena tangkap dan masuk jel. Atau semuanya lari ke Mexico, jadi petani atau jual taco. Tapi.. episod ke-13 last week memang sangat mengejutkan. Memang closure yang tak saya jangkakan. Sakit hati pun ada. Sedih sangat pun ada. Bengangnya dengan pencipta siri ni yang juga penulis skrip untuk episod last ni. Tak guna betul closure dia. Ada ke patut macam ni jadinya.

Ahli Strike Team lepas Lem mati, dari kiri - Shane, Vic, Ronnie, Julian (belakang) dan Kevin. Kevin satu musim je bersama Strike Team. Lepas tu dia berhenti. Julian tetap bersama Strike Team sehinggalah Claudette bubarkan terus.

Tapi.. bila saya fikir-fikirkan balik.. memang tak nampak dah penamat lain bagi setiap watak-watak tu. Semuanya angkara diorang sendiri. Buat jahat dibalas jahat. Tapi ada juga yang tak dibalas jahat dengan sepenuhnya dan ada juga yang tidak berdosa tapi menjadi mangsa. Menyesalnya tengok siri akhir tu. Ada beberapa imej yang tak dapat saya lupakan. Seolah-olah melekat dalam kepala. Tak guna punya Shawn Ryan.

Kepada yang tak kisah dan nak tahu spoiler episod akhir The Shield ni, teruskan membaca. Tak tahu lagi bila akan ditayangkan di Malaysia. Kepada yang follow siri ni menerusi Astro (kalau Astro tayang), baik jangan teruskan membaca.

Keputusan episod ke-13 musim ke-7 The Shield (episod terakhir):

1. Vic dapat immunity daripada Jabatan Kastam pasal setuju tolong diorang tangkap pengedar dadah terbesar dari Mexico. Lepas dah grant immunity tu barulah diorang tahu betapa jahat Vic ni sebenarnya. Dalam pengakuan yang dirakamkan Jabatan Kastam, Vic mengaku dia yang bunuh Terry Crowley (salah sorang geng asal Strike Team) masa musim pertama dulu. Tapi pengakuan dia tu jadi simpanan je la pasal dia dah dapat immunity. Semua dia mengaku dan dirakamkan pasal itu syarat untuk dapat immunity tu. Antaranya, pasal Strike Team yang sebenarnya rompak geng Armenia (hingga menyebabkan berlaku perang antara geng Armenia dan geng Hispanic), pasal bunuh beberapa penjenayah dalam musim-musim dulu (walaupun penjenayah tu dah menyerah) dan pasal penglibatan Vic n the gang dengan beberapa kumpulan gangster dan pengedaran dadah. Walaupun dia tak boleh didakwa di mahkamah tapi at least Jabatan Kastam tu kenakan dia dengan bagi desk job. Bagi Vic, semua tu memang menyeksakan. Tapi saya tetap tak puas hati dia tak kena tangkap!

2. Ronnie (orang kanan Vic) kena tangkap. Kapten Claudette dapat tahu pasal immunity Vic tu dan memang dia frust giler. Oleh kerana Vic tak berjaya dapatkan immunity untuk Ronnie, Claudette n the gang tangkap dia. Vic pun ada masa Ronnie kena tangkap dan Claudette sengaja buat macam tu supaya Vic sakit hati. Ronnie maki-maki Vic pasal lepaskan diri sorang-sorang. Sebelum tu, Vic cakap kat Ronnie, dia tak akan sain immunity papers tu selagi Jabatan Kastam tak include Ronnie. Tapi sebenarnya lepas tu dia sain gak sorang-sorang walaupun tetap berusaha nak include nama Ronnie.

3. Corrine (bekas isteri Vic) bekerjasama dengan Claudette dan Dutch untuk perangkap Vic dalam kes Shane. Walaupun diorang tak berjaya perangkap Vic, Corrine takut Vic akan dapat tahu jadi dia masuk witness protection programme. Vic singgah kejap kat rumah Corrine untuk tengok anak-anak dia. Masa tu diorang tengah breakfast. Vic helo helo kejap je. Dia tak tahu itulah kali terakhir dia akan tengok diorang pasal lepas breakfast tu je, Corrine dan anak-anak dia akan terus lenyap lari ke tempat lain dan dapat identiti baru. Vic bengang giler! Padan muka dia.

4. Shane (bekas Strike Team dan orang kanan Vic) tembak diri dia sendiri masa Kapten Claudette, Dutch dan lain-lain serbu ke rumah dia. Sebelum tu dia racun isterinya Mara (yang tengah sarat mengandung) dan anak lelakinya, Jackson (2 tahun). Inilah part yang paling menyedihkan. Shane dan keluarganya sebelum tu dalam pelarian sejak beberapa episod lepas; selepas rahsia dia cuba nak bunuh Ronnie terdedah. Claudette tak tahu yang Shane buat macam tu sebagai tindak balas lepas Vic dan Ronnie cuba nak bunuh dia dulu (kerana nak balas dendam pasal Shane bunuh Lem, walaupun Shane minta maaf dan cuba jelaskan kenapa). Diorang terpaksa lari sana sini pasal nak elak daripada 2 pihak - pihak pertama, Claudette yang nak tangkap dia untuk siasat dia atas tuduhan bunuh Lem (salah sorang geng Strike Team, kawan baik dia sendiri) dan cubaan bunuh ke atas Ronnie; dan pihak kedua, Vic dan Ronnie yang nak bunuh Shane dan Mara, sebelum Shane dedahkan kepada Claudette pasal kegiatan jenayah diorang semasa dalam Strike Team dulu. Dalam episod last ni, Shane frust sangat dengan hidup dia dan apa yang telah menimpa anak dan isterinya - yang terpaksa turut sama jadi pelarian. Sebelum dia ambil tindakan penamat tu, dia beli bunga untuk Mara, beli kereta mainan untuk Jackson dan beli kertas dan pen. Shane dah tak larat nak lari lagi dah. Dia rasa macam nak give up bila dapat tahu Vic dapat immunity - pasal itu bermakna maklumat yang dia nak dedahkan pasal Vic dah tak berguna lagi. Jadi dia bawa anak isterinya balik ke rumah asal. Jiran dia nampak dan lapor kepada polis. Claudette, Dutch, Julian, Danny n the gang pun rush ke sana. Masa tu Shane tengah mengarang surat dalam bilik air. Masa diorang serbu, Danny ternampak dari luar bilik air yang terbuka, Shane tembak dirinya sendiri di kepala. Sejak dulu lagi Shane memang dah cakap dia tak nak masuk jel. Shane mati serta merta sebelum sempat habiskan surat tu. Lepas tu, diorang masuk bilik tidur dan jumpa Mara dan Jackson terbaring kaku atas katil. Atas dada Mara ada bunga. Atas dada Jackson ada kereta mainan. Kedua-duanya dah mati. Semua polis yang serbu tu tak terkata apa-apa. Semua orang terkejut sangat-sangat. Surat yang Shane karang tu di akhir cerita, Claudette bacakan kepada Vic supaya dia tahu bahawa dialah penyebab semua tragedi tu. Dalam surat tu, antara lain, Shane kata dia dah tak sanggup hidup macam tu. Selama ni dia ikut Vic dan buat apa saja yang Vic arahkan. Dia dah tak sanggup jadi macam tu lagi. Dan dia tak sanggup tengok anak dan isterinya menderita. Dia risau kalau isterinya, Mara akan masuk jel pasal tertembak sorang perempuan sampai mati (dalam episod 12 masa nak selamatkan Shane dari geng dadah). Dia risau anaknya, Jackson akan terabai. Jadi dia bagi diorang minum something. Diorang tak sedar dan mati dalam tidur. Tengoklah solution orang tak ada agama. Sedih betul. :|

Episod terakhir ni memberikan kesan yang mendalam kepada saya hingga ke hari ni. Walaupun ni cerita je tapi rasa macam kenal sangat dengan watak-watak dalam The Shield nih. Barangkali saya rasa macam ni pasal dah follow siri ni sejak episod 1 musim 1 dulu lagi. Bila exactly.. saya pun tak ingat. Sejak akhir 2002 atau awal 2003 dulu. Tak sangka betul macam ni pula kesudahannya. Bodoh betul.

Salam Aidiladha 1429/2008

2008-11-27T10:28:00.002+08:00

Ya, selamat hari raya haji. Kepada yang bakal mengerjakan haji, semoga selamat pergi dan kembali dan semoga mendapat haji mabrur dan semoga apabila kembali tidaklah menjadi haji kontol atau hajah kentut. Hahaha.. saya pun tak tahu macam mana nak define kedua-dua gelaran tu. Kalau korang tahu, tahulah. Kalau tak tahu, biarlah tak tahu. Bukan penting sangat pun. Saya tahu belum raya lagi tapi saya tak pasti nanti sempat tak nak post entri menjelang hari raya haji bulan depan. Sekarang ni agak sibuk dengan macam-macam hal. Blog sendiri pun dah lama tak jengah.

Kepada yang setia menjengah, saya minta maaf.

Setahun yang lalu, saya ada tulis entri berkenaan Aidiladha juga. Klik sini kalau dah lupa. Masa tu saya memang tengah tension. Jadi bahasa pun kesat sangat. Untuk itu pun, saya minta maaf. Mungkin dalam entri tu, saya tak ceritakan dengan jelas. Sebenarnya, pada masa tu saya frust sangat pasal tempat kerja lama saya adakan sambutan Krismas. Hari raya haji tak sambut sikit pun tapi beria-ia pulak nak sambut Krismas walaupun syarikat dimiliki oleh orang Islam dan dalam ramai-ramai staf bukan Islam tu, cuma 2 orang saja yang practising Christian. Yang lain tu eksyen je letak nama Kristian tapi bukan Kristian pun. Kawan-kawan di situ yang bukan beragama Islam atau yang dah lama memandang sepi terhadap Islam barangkali sukar nak faham apa yang saya dan rakan-rakan Muslim lain rasakan. Menyambut perayaan agama lain adalah HARAM di dalam Islam. Ianya jelas dan telah difatwakan. Kenapa? Sekali lagi saya ulangi, kerana ia perayaan agama. Frust betul kerana top management yang rata-ratanya beragama Islam beria-ia menaikkan pokok Krismas, mengarahkan staf beragama Islam menghiasinya dan meminta KESEMUA staf mengamalkan tradisi membuat wish dan membelikan hadiah ala Krismas. Apabila ia haram, bukanlah bermakna Islam dan penganutnya ANTI kepada agama Kristian atau BENCI terhadap perayaan Krismas. Tapi, untuk kamu agama kamu, untuk kami agama kami. Umat Islam makan daging lembu kerana ia tidak diharamkan di dalam Islam dan bukan untuk menaikkan kemarahan penganut agama Hindu yang memuliakan haiwan itu. Dan umat Islam juga tidak mempertikaikan apa-apa dari segi kerasionalan daripada tindakan memuliakan dan tidak memakan lembu itu. Begitu juga penganut Islam tidak bencikan orang bukan Islam yang memakan BABI. Kenapa? Kerana bagi mereka ia tidak haram. Justeru, untuk kamu agama kamu, untuk kami agama kami. Jangan susah-susah dalam urusan agama kami sebagaimana kami tak susah-susah dalam urusan agama kamu. Biarlah kami nak haramkan apa pun asalkan kami tak kenakan ke atas kamu. Kamu makanlah apa binatang pun. Kamu amalkanlah apa senaman pun. Nak tonggeng sampai terkentut, lipat kaki sampai ke dahi, terkangkang terkoyak cuin pun lantaklah. Kamu tidak berhalangan. Tapi bagi kami penganut Islam, persoalan akidah adalah yang PALING PENTING. Ianya tersangat penting sehinggakan apa saja elemen yang memungkinkan atau mampu mengorak jalan ke arah menggugat akidah, adalah wajib kami elakkan sedari awal. Kamu tak faham kenapa? Tak mengapa. Jangan ribut-ribut. Jangan kalut-kalut. Kalau sakit perut, pergi berak. Tak faham pun tak apa. Pasal kamu bukan Islam.

Untuk kamu agama kamu, untuk kami agama kami.

ps: sebelum terima tawaran tempat kerja baru (tempat kerja sekarang), saya tanya bakal bos, "Kat ************* Malaysia ada sambut Krismas atau perayaan agama lain tak?". bakal bos gelak.. hahahahaha.. dan cakap, "Jangan risau, setakat ni takde dan insyaAllah tak akan ada."

The Fabulous Cats - Bawaku Terbang

2008-10-06T22:43:00.004+08:00

Mata ke mata
Ke hati
Hati ke hati
Hati-hati

Bibir ke bibir
Bicara janji
Janji ke janji
Jadi hujan

Rindu ke rindu
Termimpi mimpi
Hari ke hari
Nanti dinanti
Menanti pasti
Pasti di sisi
Sisiku kini
Ternanti-nanti

Bila diceritakan tentang cinta
Segalanya muncul sekelip mata
Semuanya di depan matanya dia
Makan tidur pun tak lena

Dia… cinta
Dia… sayang
Aku… dicinta
Aku… disayang

Kamu yang bawa ku terbang
Kamulah jua yang membawa cinta
Ke jalannya

Kamu yang bawa ku terbang
Ke bintang kejora cinta kita
Kekal untuk selamanya

Kita berdua kian bermesra
Rindu makin membara
Kita berdua bermain kata
Pasang surut tak endah

Dia… cinta
Dia… sayang
Aku… dicinta
Aku… disayang

Kamu yang bawa ku terbang
Kamulah jua yang membawa cinta
Ke jalannya

Kamu yang bawa ku terbang
Ke bintang kejora cinta kita
Kekal untuk selamanya

Mata hati jiwaku
Seluas langkah di
Sebesar cubisan
Namun segitiga bermuda

Ku ganti sungai merah
Dengan darahku
Rinduku meragutkan
Kehangatan cinta kita

Mungkin tidak sehebat mana
Ku di pertikaikan kasih
Ku bukan tempat dua ketiga
Di hati ku cuma kau yang satu
Seterusnya nyatanya hanya
Dirinya jiwanya
Jiwa ku rentas benua
Warna angkasa cinta
Cintalah kamu

Kamu yang bawa ku terbang
Kamulah jua yang membawa cinta
Ke jalannya

Kamu yang bawa ku terbang
Ke bintang kejora cinta kita
Kekal untuk selamanya

This song is possibly the best this year! I'm so sure it'll win something in this year's Juara Lagu. If you don't like this song, there must be something wrong with you! Hahaha! Just kidding. To each his own, I know, I know. But.. what a bad taste you must have for not liking this number. Nyeh! :p

Sembilan Puluh (Episod 3)

2008-09-26T00:12:00.006+08:00

Just in case korang dah lupa jalan cerita, sila klik link berikut sebelum baca episod ketiga yang dah sekian lama tertunggak ni. Terima kasih.

Sembilan Puluh (Episod 1)

Sembilan Puluh (Episod 2)

Kami sama-sama park berdekatan dengan Restoran Dawood Seksyen 6 tu dan berjalan masuk beriringan. Pergh! Beriringan. :p Sumpah memang patron lain kat mamak tu sure sangka kami ni pakwe makwe. :p Best! Nasib baik ada seat kosong. Kami terus duduk dan tak lama lepas tu datang la seorang mamak watak tak penting untuk mengambil pesanan kami. Yan teringin nak cuba tosey paper dan teh tarik. Aku pulak (sekonyong-konyong) teringin benda yang sama la pulak. :p "Eh, kebetulan betul! Saya pun memang suka tosey paper.", ujar aku dengan bersungguh-sungguh. Walhal, ptuii! Sori laa. Bukan macam makanan benda tu. Nipis memang macam paper tu. Tak kenyang langsung! Tapi, demi Yan, kan? Restoran mamak Dawood ni memang terkenal di kalangan warga UiTM. Entahlah kenapa. Nak kata roti canai atau teh tariknya sedap sangat pun, tidaklah jugak. Serupa je. Semua pun ada campur peluh mamak. Nyammm. Pasal itulah agaknya kot. Peluh mamak Dawood lagi sedap kot. Arrgghh! Tak kisahlah tu! Yang penting, hari ni aku akan bersarapan peluh mamak bersama awek cun - dan bukannya dengan kawan-kawan aku yang mengabihkan boreh tu. Sementara menanti pesanan tiba, kami pun berbual-bual kosong. The usual shit. "Ramai jugak orang hari ni.", "Mamak ni mana-mana pun boleh survive, kan?" dan "Diorang ni service memang cepat..bla bla bla", benda-benda macam tu la. Ice breaker la katakan. Sehinggalah, Yan bertanyakan soalan bonus. "Ermm.. Syah.. saya nak tanya sikit boleh?", Yan bertanya sambil mengukir senyuman manis. Hmm.. memang masa tu sebenarnya aku tak peduli sangat soalan dia tu kerana.. aaa.. terpesona dengan senyumannya. :p "Boleh, tanya ler.", aku membalas. "Macam ni..", Yan kelihatan mengatur ayat dan kemudian menyambung, "Boleh saya tahu berapa umur Syah?". Pergh! Aku terdiam seketika dan menjawab sambil tersenyum, "Hujung bulan Mei ni saya masuk 26. Kenapa, Yan?". Hmm.. ini permainan psikologi. Logiknya, pasti Yan akan menyangka aku akan bertanya balik tentang umurnya tapi aku tak akan tanya punya. Biar dia sendiri bagitahu. Tapi aku memang musykil kenapa dia nak tahu umur aku. Yan kelihatan ingin meneruskan dan menjawab pertanyaan balas aku tu tetapi terhenti apabila pesanan kami tiba. "Gampang punya mamak! Aku terajang kang!", marah aku.. di dalam hati. :p Kami biarkan mamak tu letakkan semua makanan dan minuman kami dan berambus dari situ sebelum menyambung perbualan. "Begini..", Yan menyambung sambil aku meneguk air dengan penuh control. Takde sememeh-sememeh punya bila minum time-time macam ni. "Saya tanya umur Syah pasal saya nak make it clear.. for you.. for both of us.", jelas Yan. Hmm.. "Okay.", aku membalas pendek. Aduhh, apahal la ni, aku berfikir di dalam hati dan kemudian bertanya, "Aaa.. Yan tak mau kawan dengan saya ke kalau saya ni lagi tua?". Yan tersenyum.. (sumpah memang manis!) dan berkata, "Tak.. bukan macam tu.. Syah jangan salah faham. On the contrary sebenarnya." Hmm? Aku terpinga-pinga. Bukan buat-buat dan bukan dalam hati. Memang terpinga-pinga. Kemudian Yan menyambung, "Syah ni pangkat adik tau dengan saya ni. Syah baru nak masuk 26. Saya ni dah nak masuk 30 tau." Pergh! I didn't see that coming. Really. Pergh! "Macam mana aku nak react nih?", fikir aku dalam hati. Sebenarnya rasa macam tak percaya pun ada. Pasal aku rasa Yan ni paling kuat pun baru dalam 25. Paling kuat la. Memang muda belia (dan cun!).. tak macam orang yang nak masuk 30. Aaa.. tapi taklah aku bermaksud orang perempuan yang berumur 30 tu tak cun. Jangan salah faham. Tapi aku tahulah macam mana beza orang umur 25 dan orang umur 30. Takdelah sama, kan? Or, boleh jadi sama ke? Arrgghh! Aku compose balik fikiran aku. What the hell, man? Apa yang nak dikira? Kalau 30, so what? Aku tak nak jauh terkehadapan sangat pada masa ni dalam merumuskan apa-apa. Aku harap Yan pun tak macam tu. Tapi yang penting buat masa ni ialah memberikan response kepada kata-kata Yan tadi. Aku tak nak jadi macam sesetengah watak dalam drama Melayu yang for the sake of prolonging the conversation (or the script), tampil dengan soalan balas - "Hmm.. maksud awak?". Pergh! Klise giler! Dan aku bukanlah mat klise! Jadi, aku pun jawab, "Ok, jadi kalau macam tu.. Yan tak boleh kawan dengan saya ke?". Best jawapan balas aku ni.. aku rasa laa. Memang guilt inducing punya! Macam yang aku jangka, Yan cepat-cepat mencelah, "Eh, bukan macam tu, Syah. Syah jangan sangka macam tu." Yan kelihatan sedikit serba-salah dan menyambung, "Saya cuma nak Syah tahu duduk perkara saja. Ok, biar saya berterus terang, ya? Saya ni bukan budak-budak lagi, Syah." Hmm.. cepat-cepat aku memotong, "Saya tak kata Yan budak-budak." sambil tersengih dan jelas membayangkan ketidakmatangan sebenarnya. Yan menyambung kembali, "Ya, betul. Memang Syah tak kata macam tu. Dengar dulu penjelasan saya, ok?". Aduh, malu. Ini memang masalah aku. Tak sabar! "Sori, Yan. Yan habiskan apa Yan nak cakap tadi.", aku memberi laluan. Yan tersenyum dan berkata, "Saya ni bukanlah innocent tak reti apa-apa, Syah. Saya tahu kalau orang lelaki ajak orang perempuan minum, bersarapan macam ni.. walaupun macam tak ada apa-apa.. walaupun cakap tak ada apa-apa.. tapi mesti ada apa-apa, kan? Betul tak?". Aduh.. aku rasa seperti ditelanjangkan! Metaphorically, ye. Aku tak tahu apa nak cakap. Aku cuma mampu tersenyum ke arah Yan - yang memang sedia tersenyum. Malunya aku rasa time tu. Rasa macam exposed sangat-sangat. Rasa macam nak balik je. :p Tapi, Yan kemudiannya menyambung lagi, "Maaflah kalau saya berterus terang sangat. Tapi.. itulah saya cakap tadi.. saya nak make it clear.. saya nak Syah tahu usia orang yang Syah nak kenal ni." Eh? "Jadi ini bukanlah outright rejection?", aku terfikir dalam hati. Apa laa aku ni.. apa yang nak dirisau.. apa yang nak direject! Aduh.. jangan kusut-kusut. "Jadilah jantan sikit!", aku memarahi diri aku sendiri. Aku menyusun ayat dengan berhati-hati dan berkata, "Ok.. saya faham apa yang Yan nak sampaikan.. aaa.. atau patut saya panggil kak Yan ke?". Yan serta-merta tertawa dan menampakkan barisan giginya yang putih dan tersusun rapi. Yes! Aku buat dia gelak! "Eh, janganlah macam tu. Itu bukan nak berkawan. Itu kalau nak jadi adik angkat. Nak jadi adik angkat saya ke?", Yan membalas dalam keadaan menahan tawanya yang semakin reda. Cepat-cepat aku menjawab, "Aaa.. tidak laa. Saya tak nak jadi adik angkat..." Aku tidak menyambung ayat tu. Yan tersenyum. Aku tersenyum. Kami sama-sama tersenyum dan kemudian meminum air masing-masing. "Apa laa kita ni, kan?", Yan bertanya kepada aku. "Hahaha.. memang.. kelakar betul laa..", aku membalas. Kemudian kami sama-sama menikmati makanan masing-masing dalam satu suasana yang aku anggap seperti satu comfortable silence. Hmm.. bagus juga macam ni ya? Regardless of how it ends, masing-masing turn all the cards on the table. Tak payah menyamar-nyamar. Tak payah berteka-teka. Sumpah, memang aku tak pernah lagi jumpa perempuan yang macam ni. Oleh itu, aku buat kesimpulan.. memang Yan ni lebih tua daripada aku. Dia lebih bijak. Ayat-ayat dan helah aku sejak awal tadi sewaktu di rumah pak cik hutang tu, memang dia dah jangka dah. Dia dah berpengalaman. Dia dah pernah jumpa orang macam aku. Hmm.. she has the upper hand, indeed. Dalam pada aku bermonolog tu, terpacul kata-kata, "Saya nak berkawan dengan Yan." Begitu saja aku cakap. Mendatar. Sambil aku merenung ke mukanya. Aku tidak lagi buat-buat tak heran untuk menyembunyikan harapan aku. Pertanyaan secara direct, mendatar berserta renungan itu rasanya sudah cukup untuk Yan tafsirkan sebagai kata-kata seorang yang berharap. Aku exposed! Yan tersenyum dan membalas, "Saya pun nak berkawan dengan Syah." Aku dapat lihat Yan membalasnya dengan hati yang senang. Sama seperti aku juga. Aku 26. Dia 30. Aku nak kawan dengan dia. Dia nak kawan dengan aku. Beres! Aku tak jadi hal dengan usianya. Dia pun tak jadi hal dengan usia aku. Aku rasa laa. Aku harap laa. :| Aku harap kini dia tak jadi hal dengan usia aku sementelahan aku tak jadi hal dengan usia dia. Apa ada pada usia?? Aaa.. kebijaksanaan, kematangan, kemajuan karier, pandangan keluarga.. arrgghh! Cepat-cepat aku buang semua tu dari minda. Live for the moment! Whose to say over what?! Nama pun berkawan! "Jangan serabutkan minda dengan telahan yang tidak rasional.", aku memujuk hati. Dan kalau usia menjadi hal pun, kami bukanlah sebegitu jauh berbeza. 4 tahun je. Dan Yan memang tak kelihatan seperti 30. Sumpah! Kami terus berbual-bual mesra sehingga beberapa jam lamanya. Tahulah Yan kini bahawa aku ni masih seorang pelajar lagi di UiTM Shah Alam. Tahulah juga aku bahawa Yan merupakan seorang graduan UUM dan kini menetap bersama keluarganya di Gombak. Banyak sungguh yang kami bualkan dan segala kemusykilan aku sebelum ini akhirnya terjawab. Yan pada masa ini in between jobs. Baru berhenti dari satu pekerjaan dan sedang berkira-kira untuk mencari pekerjaan lain. Ibu Yan, Hajah Maimunah merupakan seorang usahawan yang berjaya dan memiliki beberapa kilang industri kecil dan sederhana di sekitar Gombak. Dipendekkan cerita, Yan banyak masa terluang dan melihatkan dia duduk goyang kaki saja di rumah, maka ibunya menyuruhnya membantu mengutip hutang yang sudah lama tertunggak daripada beberapa kenalan ibunya. Ada yang berhutang akibat timbal balik urusan perniagaaan dan ada yang berhutang pure hutang. Yan dengan senang hati menuruti permintaan ibunya. Aku kagum betul dengan Yan ni. Dan memang aku nak kenal dia lagi. Kami bersurai pada kira-kira jam 11:30 pagi. Entah berapa liter peluh mamak Dawood kami hirup hari tu, aku pun tak tahu dan aku tak peduli. In cloud nine ke? Entahlah. Tapi aku rasa seronok. Persetan dengan kelas aku tu. Aku dah lupa terus. Takpe. Nanti mesti ada suku sakat yang akan update aku kalau ada apa-apa assignment. Aku tak risau langsung. Aku berjalan bersama Yan menuju ke keretanya sambil bertukar-tukar nombor telefon. Sebelum Yan memasuki keretanya, aku bertanya, "Yan.. aaa.. nanti boleh jumpa lagi?". Yan tersenyum dan menjawab, "Boleh. Awak call la saya bila awak free. Awak tu belajar lagi. Saya ni free ajer." Yan tertawa dengan jawapannya sendiri. Aku pun tertawa (bukan buat-buat, ok?). "Ok.", aku membalas pendek dan Yan pun memasuki kereta. "Pandu cermat jiwa selamat!", aku berpesan. "Ye.. ok.", ujar Yan. Sejurus kemudian aku berkata lagi, "Kalau bukan pasal nak jumpa pun, saya akan call juga.". Yan sekadar tersenyum manis dan mengangguk. Yan mengucapkan salam. Aku menjawabnya dan dia pun berlalu meninggalkan Seksyen 6 mengikut arah stesen Petronas sebagaimana petua yang aku berikan agar dia lebih mudah tiba di bulatan istana untuk keluar ke lebuh raya persekutuan. Aku melihat dari kejauhan sehingga keretanya hilang daripada pandangan. "What a day.", aku berfikir di dalam hati dan tersenyum. Dan hari pun berlalu. Namun dalam pada itu, aku telah pun menelefon Yan sebanyak dua kali. Sekali pada jam 2 petang untuk memastikan Yan selamat tiba di rumah. Kami berbual selama kira-kira 15 minit. Sekali lagi pada jam 8 malam untuk bertanyakan pesanan. Ini memang lawak yang sering aku buat. "Saya nak keluar makan dengan kawan-kawan ni. Awak nak kirim apa-apa?", aku bertanya. Yan tertawa besar dan menjawab, "Saya teringin nak makan tomyam. Awak nak hantar sampai ke Gombak ke?". Kami sama-sama tertawa. Yes! Dan ia berlanjutan selama kira-kira 20 minit pula. Kemudian aku pergi makan malam bersama kawan-kawan di gerai Kelantan di Seksyen 11 Shah Alam. Mereka semua kehairanan apabila malam tu aku open table (belanja). "Taiko happy semacam je. Ada apa-apa ke?", rakan aku TJ bertanya (kawan-kawan di UiTM panggil aku "Taiko". aaa... panjang kisahnya). "Ceh! Dah happy, happy je la. Apa lak happy semacam? Kau nak aku belanja ke tak ni?", aku menempelak TJ dan kami semua tertawa. Biarlah diorang. Sampai ke sudah mereka tak tahu kenapa aku happy malam tu. Sebenarnya betul cakap kau, TJ. Memang aku happy semacam. Tapi aku tak tahu macam mana nak cerita kat korang. Korang makan ajelah. Aku pun nak cepat-cepat makan pasal nak balik dan call Yan. Lagi. Dan.. sebelum terlupa.. "Terima kasih woi pasal tolong sain untuk aku kelas pagi tadi. Sapa yang sainkan?", aku bertanya kepada semua yang sedang makan. "Wei laa, Ko. Aku lupo nok saing! Sori, Ko!", Mat Din Kelate menjawab. Ceh, memang mengabihkan boreh diorang ni. :p

~bersambung

Matta Band - Ketahuan

2008-09-25T21:07:00.003+08:00

Dari awal aku tak pernah
Percaya kata-katamu
Karena ku hanya melihat
Semua dari parasmu

Terakhir kau bilang padaku
Kau tak akan pernah selingkuh
Tetapi ternyata dirimu
Bermain di belakangku

Saat ku melihatmu
Kau sedang bermesraan
Dengan seorang yang ku kenal

Kamu ketahuan pacaran lagi
Dengan dirinya, teman baikku

Tapi tak mengapa, aku tak heran
Karena dirimu cinta sesaatku

Aku ketahuan pacaran lagi
Dengan dirinya teman baikmu
Aku ketahuan pacaran lagi
Dengan dirinya teman baikmu

Best lagu nih! Rasanya korang biasa dengar tapi tak tahu sapa nyanyi, kan? Hmm. Anyway, lagu ni ditujukan khas kepada mereka yang curang atau pernah dicurangi oleh kawan baik sendiri. :p

Alhamdulillah, siap juga akhirnya...

2008-09-20T00:01:00.004+08:00

Semalaman saya tak tidur untuk menyiapkan assignment 1 yang tertunggak tu. Lepas sahur tadi dapat la lena dalam sejam dua. Tapi saya puas. Penat giler. Tapi lega kerana akhirnya siap. Saya rasa macam mimpi je masa pergi kerja pagi tadi. Nasib baik dapat parking dekat dengan main entrance. Kalau tak, pagi-pagi dah berpeluh kena menapak hampir dua kilometer. Petang tadi saya dah deliver assignment 1 tu kat Prof. Senyum je Prof. Saya pun senyum balik. Harap-harap dia berpuas hati dengan hasil tulisan saya tu. Seram juga. Pasal Prof. ni suka pulangkan balik kerja orang dan minta redo sampailah dia puas hati. :p Tapi niatnya baik. Dia nak hasil terbaik pelajar - barulah nanti boleh diberikan markah terbaik. Tak macam sesetengah lecturer yang takde konsep draft nih. Asal terima saja apa yang student submit. Lepas tu bagi markah dengan kejamnyer. :p Hmm.. terima kasih kepada wife saya, "awak" dan Normi pasal bagi semangat untuk siapkan assignment ni. Much appreciated! Nanti kalau korang tertunggak assignment lak, saya bagi semangat, ok? :D Sekarang ni saya tengah buat assignment 1 lain pulak ni. Untuk subject lain. Cadangannya, kalau siap, ingat nak submit esok pagi masa kelas. Kalau sempat siap laa. Kalau tak sempat, terpaksalah minta tangguh lagi. Tapi azam saya ialah untuk siapkan semua assignment yang tertunggak ni sebelum cuti hari raya nanti. Saya nak menyambut hari raya dalam keadaan aman damai. Kawan-kawan Arab saya semuanya nak datang bertandang ke rumah. Best! Kesian diorang. Beraya di perantauan. Ada tiga orang. Seorang warga Jordan dan dua orang lagi warga Yaman. Selasa lepas, salah seorang kawan Yaman ni jemput saya berbuka di rumah sewanya di Jalan Reko, Kajang. Best! Ramainyer orang Arab. Semua pun cakap Arab daa. Ada ceritanya. Hahaha! Tapi itu untuk entri yang akan datang. :p

Sixth Sense - Tanpa

2008-09-18T23:09:00.004+08:00

Resah yang ku
Ubah dalam kata
Melukiskan kesunyian
Tanpa engkau aku tak mengerti

Meski
Pagi itu menatapi
Akan sunyi tanpamu
Menemani aku sepi

Tanpa
Cintamu aku resah
Tanpa
Kasihmu aku hampa
Tanpa
Dirimu aku mati

Kini benar-benarku rasakan
Dalam benuk hatiku tanpamu
Aku tak mengerti
Takut
Takut jauh dari dirimu
Kan kau tinggalkan aku sendiri
Tanpamu ku mati

Resah yang ku
Ubah dalam kata
Melukiskan kesunyian
Tanpa engkau aku tak mengerti

ps: pada pendapat saya inilah lagu Sixth Sense yang paling best. pergh! best giler lagu nih! saya dah pun burn ke CD untuk dengar dalam keta - plus macam-macam lagu lain yang best-best. tima kasih xfresh.fm pasal mainkan lagu best-best jer. :p

Penyelesaian seandainya tengah tension!

2008-09-16T00:16:00.009+08:00

Yes, yes.. lain padang lain belalang. Rambut sama hitam, hati lain-lain. Enggang sama enggang. Udang sama udang. Kudaku lari gagah beraniii... ayuh lariii... Kudaku lari kencang! Rasa hatiku girang!

Eii apa daa saya dah merepek...

Kisahnya begini.

Saya ada assignment yang melambak-lambak untuk disiapkan! Tapi saya tak dapat juga ilham untuk menyiapkan barang satu assignment pun. Prof. saya dah pesan dah kat saya menerusi salah seorang rakan sekelas. Baik je bunyi pesanannya. "Tolong tanya dia bila dia boleh hantar assignment 1." Arrgghh! Assignment 1! Orang lain semua dah tengah buat assignment 3 dah. Saya masih tertinggal di awal cerita! Bila nak siap nih?! Nasib baik la Prof. cakap assignment 2 dan 3 hantar lepas raya! Kehkehkeh! Poyo je korang buat cepat-cepat. Sapa suruh? Bulan ni bulan beristirehat, bukan bulan buat assignment. Apa la korang nih. Nak dapat A+++ ke?? :p

Elok sangat la perangai tu. Ketawakan orang lain yang rajin-rajin. :(

Aduh.. baru tadi baca komen kawan-kawan di post pasal SMS puasa tu. Kelakar betul. Bers jawab dengan panjang lebar (thanks, bro). Nize ajak pekena teh o laici kat Bangsar (en route to solat Jumaat di ISTAC), NH ngaku makin kurus, Fida pulak tak ngaku peluh jurai-jurai, Normi tampil dengan one-liner nyer dan ada orang ngaku dia tu "Akak Cun". Pergh! Sapaaa la tu? Sapa lagi yang saya kenal duduk kat USJ ek? Orang lain yang duduk kat USJ dah reply dah. Hmmm... misteri.

Haiii.. bila la nak sudahkan assignment nih?! Tension!

Sebagai jalan penyelesaiannya.. saya call Is yang tengah on the way balik keje dari Shah Alam dan minta tolong dia belikan burger depan 7-11 Seksyen 4 Bangi tu. Sedapnya. Nyammm. Burger tu memang superb. Dia letak campuran serbuk kari apatah.. memang sedap! Kejap lagi saya akan makan burger tu sambil.. buat assignment?? Oh tidak sama sekali! Saya dah plan dari siang tadi lagi. Malam ni saya nak makan burger sedap sambil menonton filem lama "Escape From The Planet of the Apes"! Yay! Itu barulah best. Apa class malam-malam buat assignment, kak!

Korang tahu ke cite ni? Ini filem yang ketiga selepas filem asal "Planet of the Apes". Cuma dalam filem ketiga ni, suasana dia terbalik. Monyet-monyet tu pulak yang naik pesawat hero dalam filem pertama tu dan pergi ke dunia/zaman kita. So, manusia zaman kita ni terbeliak la tengok monyet boleh bercakap. Sama macam monyet-monyet tu semua terbeliak tengok Charlton Heston boleh bercakap dalam filem pertama dulu. Hmm.. habis lak masa saya ni kang. Oklah, selamat bersahur dan berpuasa kepada semua yang berpuasa. Saya nak tengok filem ni. Esok malam dah plan nak tengok cite "Sinbad" pulak. Cite lama jugak. Ada Sinbad lawan macam-macam monsters. Best! Hmm.. puas hati betul ada akaun premium RapidShare nih. Boleh download macam-macam.

Aaa.. tak habis ngomel lagi! Ok, bye! Tolong jangan ganggu saya! :p

Tahniah Hero! Berpuluh tahun berpuasa dan ia masih menjadi beban!

2008-09-13T23:48:00.007+08:00

Penat sungguh puasa tahun ni. Macam tahun-tahun sudah jugak. Aaa.. dan macam tahun-tahun sebelum tu dan seterusnya.. :p

Bila hari minggu, saya server down. Bila hari kerja, saya curi-curi server down. Pernah sekali tu terkantoi oleh bos. Saya tengah lentok baik je. Tengah mimpi makan. Sekali bos masuk bilik saya. :p

Tapi bos saya tu punyalah baik, dia pulak yang cakap, "Aaa.. sori kacau you tidur. Boleh tak nak jumpa kejap?" Maluuu! :o

Minggu lepas saya balik kampung isteri di Batu Pahat. Ya Allah, lagi la tak tahu nak buat apa. Orang lain ok ajer pasal boleh tolong-tolong mak mentua. Tapi saya ni mana la reti nak buat kerja-kerja rumah ni. Hal-hal jadi driver pergi beli barang kat kedai boleh la. Tapi masalahnya kedai runcit depan rumah mak je. Kedai milik abang ipar lak tu. Boleh order dengan melaung jer. Sudahnya.. di kampung pun saya server down! :p

Hari kedua kat kampung, saya tak tahu lagi dah apa nak buat. Saya drive sana sini sambil menikmati air-cond dalam kereta. Saya round habis keluar masuk kampung orang. Ada kampung yang saya masuk lebih daripada sekali. Pak cik yang tengah menebas tu pun tengok saya dengan penuh suspicion je. Entah-entah dia fikir, "Cari apa laa mamat ni? Pasar ramadhan kat pekan Parit Raja sana tu."

Saya pergi ke pasar ramadhan tu. Saya pergi dengan isteri saya. Habis semua benda saya beli. Saya beli satey, murtabak, kurma, sos pencicah Kelantan (untuk dimakan dengan cekodok putih yang saya minta isteri saya buat untuk berbuka), lauk-pauk, kuih muih dan segala macam lagi. Saya rasa macam dah lama saya spent masa di pasar tu. Tapi bila balik rumah,.. arrgghh! Baru pukul 5:30 petang! Lama lagi tuuu!

Tension! Tekak saya dahaga sangat-sangat. Nak dijadikan cerita, sepanjang minggu pertama asyik hujan ajer. Tapi minggu saya balik ke Johor tu la cuaca tiba-tiba jadi panas terik la pulak. Pergh! Tak sabarnya nak tunggu waktu berbuka - supaya dapat minum air (dan.. shhh.. isap rokok.. itu yang sebenarnya..). :p

Untuk kill time yang lama macam nak giler lagi tu, saya pun SMS kawan-kawan yang berpuasa. Aaa... jap. Tak juga. Biar saya rephrase. Saya pun SMS kawan-kawan yang saya jangkakan berpuasa! :p

Saya guna teks yang sama cuma saya tukar part "saya" kepada "aku" dan "kau" kepada "korang" bersesuaian dengan penerima sms tu. Saya ni kan politically correct. :p Kenalah pastikan gantinama pun betul.

SMS saya berbunyi:

"Aaaaa.. Lambatnya.. Lagi sejam lebih.. Dahaga tak hengat nih.. Aku kat kg kat johor ni.. Tadi gi beli mcm2 kat pasar ramadhan.. Nyamm.. Kau menu apa hari nih?"

Tak lama lepas saya mass SMS diorang, saya pun terima SMS balas yang bertalu-talu. Best! Takde la boring sangat. Saya habiskan masa lepas tu dengan membaca reply diorang. Hahaha! Macam-macam reply yang saya dapat. Ini saya kongsi dengan korang mengikut turutan yang saya terima. :D

Fida a.k.a Fido Dido (salah sorang penulis kat blog ni) - ni tgh dalam tren ni,br lps shpg..menu hr ni bese2 je.. mihun sup n cndol kot. jp lg nk pg bzr. mmg hr ni trbkr lemak2 thp dewa.. <-- terbakar lemak2 tahap dewa? eee.. mesti peluh berjurai-jurai.. :D kahkahkah..

RJ (rakan sejawat kat opis sekarang) - Arini br 1st time gi bazar ramadan, tak tau nk beli apa. Kl arini panas terik lak.

Hadi (rakan sekelas kat UKM) -Sabo2..Arini cuaca panas sket..Aku menu biase je kot.. Nasi goreng ayam.. Tp kurma xpnah mkn lg sejak pose ni.. Kat johor? Fuyyo..Outstation juga pose2 ni ye.. Huhu <-- kesian budak Hadi nih.. kampung dia jauh kat Terengganu.. kalau sapa2 nak bagi kurma kat dia, boleh pass kat saya..

Mahadi (rakan sekelas kat UKM) - Aku kat kg smalam. Ari ni ka gmbk. Tak tau nak buka apa lg ni.. Baru nk gi bazar rmdn nih.

NH (salah sorang penulis kat blog ni) - Seafood kat bagan lalang <-- eleh.. eksyen..

Angah - Ala masak sikit2 je. Kari ikan. Kangkung cili. Beli kuihs. Sham lum pi bazar ramadan. Try hard to diet too. Selamat berpuasa & berbuka. <-- Angah pun diet??? tak perlu kot.. macam NH tu patut ler..

Bos - Kfc. <-- bos kalau jawab sms memang ringkas sokmo.

Kak May- Ha ha.. Slmt berbuka nnt! <-- kak May ni baru launch web biz dia.. Kinda Sweet yang membekalkan macam2 benda scrapbooking, stickers, paper crafting dan macam2 lagi! korang try ler masuk site dia dan tengok sendiri. klik >> sini <<.

Nadia - Apa neh hero komplen bukak posa ada lg sejam? Menu hari ini: rojak, jepuk ude, murtabak jala, dan lauk pauk yg dibeli adik di pasar ramadhan. Iklan: sedia menerima tempahan choc fudge sempena musim perayaan :-D <-- Nad RJKzzz ni amik tempahan choc fudge. memang lazat. kalau sapa2 nak tempah, order je thru blog dia. link ke blog dia ada kat tepi belah kanan tu.

Isteri bos - Mak masak labu masak lemak, sambal tumis udang n kari daging. N**** beli kfc n kuih2 kat giant, gerai yg sedap tu! <-- memang tally dengan reply bos plus more details.. :D

Bang Napi - Waduh.. Mee bandung muar 2.. <-- jangan cakap je Bang Napi! turun laa.. :p

Cus - Aku tgh makan ayam percik ngan air kelape. Memang yumyumyum. <-- hmm.. mamat ni balik Sarawak ke? Atau.. :p

Yazid - Aku buat roti canai hari ni. <-- hebat! mamat drift yang pandai buat roti canai!

Mustaqim - Aku br abih meeting. Chegubard umum bebuka kul 5. Hahaha. aku x tau nak buka apa. Nnti aku paw mamat tu belanja. Dia dah monang ketua bah rembau!

TJ Dave - Saya bru saja brbuka. Hari tu ada beli mutiara? <-- TJ ni kat Sabah.

Nize - Ini random msg atau spam..? delete.. delete.. biasa la org bujang.. mkn biasa2.. cukup makan

Ustad - Ni msti boring thp gabn ni nk tunggu wktu brbuka... hahahaa... Brbuka air tebu.. Ikn pari bkr cicah air asam.. Popia bsh n goreng... Aghhh jd x sbr nk berbuka nie... <-- hahaha. tahap gaban!

Puan Juli - Daging masak lemak, kari ikan, ayam goreng, asparagus belacan.

Buyong - haha.. ntah tak tau la menu ape kat umah. Aku kt bkt bintang layan fish spa. Semlm bukak puasa tamoll aka ustaz ramlang pon ade, haha

Bers - Biasa je.. udang petai, sup tulang dll.. balik bangi malam ni ke?

Ucin - Aku baru nak pegi tgk mak aku masak ape ari ni. :-) <-- Ucin ni pengantin baru. kenapa kau balik makan umah mak kau? :p gurau jer..

Iwan - Haha.. sori x prasan sms kau td.. hr ni menu mcm biasa, 4 jenis kuih n 3 lauk.. best sket beli juadah hr ni sbb x ujan.. bila blk kl? <-- kau la yang reply paling last sekali. malam baru kau reply! :D

Ada juga yang tak balas SMS saya. Entahlah kenapa. Habis kredit? Out of coverage? Server down? Takde mood nak balas? Tak kisahlah. Tapi, begitulah sedikit rentetan peristiwa di bulan Ramadhan. Ahahaha! Selamat berpuasa! :D

ps: kepada yang tak terima SMS tu.. harap jangan ambil hati.. ada yang saya SMS tapi tak lepas2.. asyik deferred je.. entah la pasal apa.. dan ada yang memang saya tak SMS.. atas sebab2 yang anda pun sedia maklum.. :p

Whenever the Education Minister speaks, wisdom flew away...

2008-09-05T21:29:00.007+08:00

Utusan Malaysia reported:

PUTRAJAYA 4 Sept. – Menteri Pelajaran, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein menyifatkan pemberian tanah seluas 400 hektar kepada sembilan buah Sekolah Menengah Persendirian Cina (SMPC) oleh kerajaan Perak pada bulan lalu itu sebagai tindakan populis dan berat sebelah.

Beliau berkata, ini kerana tindakan itu jelas tertumpu kepada satu aliran sekolah sahaja, sedangkan banyak lagi aliran sekolah di negeri tersebut yang mengharapkan bantuan sama.

“Sekiranya sembilan buah SMPC tersebut layak diberi 400 hektar tanah oleh kerajaan negeri, maka sepatutnya ratusan sekolah aliran lain seperti sekolah agama, sekolah kebangsaan (SK), sekolah jenis kebangsaan Cina (SJKC), sekolah jenis kebangsaan Tamil (SJKT) dan sekolah mubaligh di negeri itu juga wajar diberi kelebihan yang sama atau lebih hebat lagi,” katanya.

This kind of statement is so typical of sore losers. The state government of Perak is planning on all sorts of similar support for schools in Perak, and the one given to the private Chinese schools just happened to be the first of many many more to come, but being overly obtrusive to having a say on anything, the Education Minister just had to come up with such remarks - which is as they say in Malay - "seumpama senjata makan tuan". Why, you asked? Because it clearly shows what the BN have not been doing for the schools, no matter what "jenis", for the past five decades or so being in power in Perak. And the new state government led by Datuk Seri Ir. Muhammad Nizar Jamaluddin is not even a year old and it has already paving creative ways to finance those schools. Assisting what school first is not an issue at all.

Look at it this way. If one day I decided to send some "lauk berbuka puasa" to my neighbour on the left, but not on the right (on that particular day), does that mean that I favour the former than the latter? Of course, not! Perhaps, I will be giving some to the neighbour on the right on the next day, and my front neighbour next week. That is my choice! Is it justice then to give to all the very same thing on the very same day? Try to look at it this way then. Is it justice to give the same amount of pocket money to all your children although their age and expenditure differ? No? Exactly - which is why according to Prof. Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas - "justice is the proper placement of things". Is it justice then to give the same amount of land to government schools albeit they don't have any funding problems, as opposed to the nine private Chinese schools that had to share RM30k per year?

Sometimes it is just a matter of turns. And sometimes it is a matters of importance. Government sponsored schools might not be facing the same dire situation as the private ones. They can easily get the funds from the federal government no matter what and hence are not the most crucial for assistance at the moment. The Education Minister should've waited first before getting into the matter with such an argument. It's not like we ever forget how the government and the Education Ministry ignored the Sekolah Agama Rakyat and the traditional pondok schools before. What does he has to say about that? On top of that, not soon after, HarakahDaily did report that:

IPOH, 3 Sep (Hrkh) - Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat Negeri Perak akan mengembalikan semula bantuan berjumlah RM1.3 juta kepada 18 buah sekolah Agama Rakyat di Negeri Perak bagi tahun 2008 ini.

"Bantuan kepada sekolah agama rakyat telah dinafikan oleh kerajaan BN/Umno yang memerintah Perak dahulu sejak pentadbiran Tun Mahathir lagi tetapi kini dibawah pentadbiran Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat, bantuan tersebut telah diberikan semula."

"Bantuan tersebut akan diagih-agihkan dalam bulan Ramadan, sedikit masa lagi," kata Setiausaha Politik kepada Menteri Besar Perak, Ustaz Misbahul Munir bin Masduki.

Menurut beliau, Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat sangat prihatin dan mengambil berat untuk menyelesaikan masalah yang telah dicipta oleh kerajaan BN/Umno sebelum ini.

"Merekalah yang menyekat bantuan kepada Sekolah Agama Rakyat dahulu hingga menimbulkan masalah dan kerumitan kepada sekolah dan juga para guru yang bertugas di Sekolah-Sekolah Rakyat," jelas Misbah.

Beliau melahirkan rasa kesal apabila Umno mahu menunjukan rasa prihatinnya terhadap Sekolah Agama Rakyat yang mana sebelum ini merekalah yang menjadi 'penghalang' dan menindas Sekolah Agama Rakyat dengan menafikan pemberian per kapita tersebut.

All these from a 6 month-old state government? The people of Perak are very lucky indeed. Don't ever go back to the stone age. Ever.

Thanks to an anonymous idiot, comments will now be moderated!

2008-09-05T10:12:00.005+08:00

Being anonymous is OK. To leave a comment anonymously is also OK. You must have had your reasons. However, repeating the same low quality, unsupported argument and baseless allegations over and over again when you've clearly stated your lame case in an earlier comment is NOT OK. It shows idiocy, immaturity and lack of proper reasoning. This sort of anonymous is not welcome in this blog. But being idiot, they will probably not be able to fathom a thing being said above or even understand the fact that they are not wanted here. Therefore, starting from today, all comments will be reviewed and approved by me prior to being published. This move is anticipated to curb such irresponsible anonymous commentators from ever dropping a line ever again, insyaAllah. I am so sorry for this inconvenience. It is a temporary measure, I hope. Please keep on reading and commenting. You know who you are.

Ramadhan mubarak and have a great weekend!

If this is not the most contrasting information from two MPs of the same party, I don't know what is

2008-08-28T11:59:00.001+08:00

Major online news portals reported that there was a heated debate in the Parliament today over the 2nd reading of the highly controversial DNA Identification Bill. Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim did not waste time with flowery opening remarks but instead stood up to attack the proposed bill, which today is in it's second reading. A pass over the third reading this coming December, will put it into action as law. The BN MPs were all for it (except for a particular backbencher MP from Sabah who is rumoured to be one of those most likely to "jump ship" soon) and the PR MPs were unanimously against it and called for the appointment of a special committee of experts to review the flaws in the proposed bill - which of course was rejected by the Home Minister.

Now, here is the funny part.

The Malaysian Insider reported Kimanis MP Datuk Anifah Aman as saying, "according to Clause 24 (of the DNA Identification Bill), DNA analyses would be considered conclusive proof overriding other evidence in court."

Let's just get the juicy excerpt out -- DNA analyses would be considered conclusive proof overriding other evidence in court. That is big, don't you agree? Even a non-messrs like me can imagine how powerful the bill will turn out to be.

Now, read what the Home Minister said about the proposed bill. (by the way, The Sensintrovert calls him "Botak Kodomo Lion" :D)

On the other hand, Malaysiakini reported Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar as saying, "the bill was just a small aspect of the law in respect to evidence."

Is it just me or are those two statements are quite conflicting in nature? I mean, how can a conclusive proof overriding other evidence in court can be considered as a small aspect of the law in respect of evidence? Hmm.. confusing? Well, it appears that the former statement was taken from the bill's draft. And.. what does that say about the latter?

DSAI is in the house! (list.. :p)

2008-08-27T22:09:00.004+08:00

Tinjauan yang dilakukan ke atas laman web Parlimen Malaysia hari ini mendapati nama Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, yang memenangi pilihan raya kecil Parlimen Permatang Pauh, telah pun dimasukkan ke dalam senarai terkini ahli parlimen. Pilihan raya kecil tersebut yang disifatkan ramai pemerhati sebagai yang terbesar dan terpenting pernah diadakan di negara ini, telah menyaksikan Dato' Seri Anwar mengatasi lawannya dari BN dengan majoriti yang besar dan melebihi jumlah yang dicatat oleh penyandang kerusi parlimen tersebut sebelum ini, yang juga merupakan isteri beliau dan bekas ketua pembangkang di Parlimen Malaysia. Masyarakat kini ternanti-nantikan majlis mengangkat sumpah Dato' Seri Anwar sebagai ahli parlimen yang dijadualkan akan berlangsung esok.

~Laporan dipetik dari.. mana lagi.. dari blog ni ler.. aku le yang karang sendiri.. :p

Sumber imej: http://www.parlimen.gov.my/DewRakyat_AhliDewan.php

Bloggers, beware!

2008-08-26T23:18:00.004+08:00

In the excitement of the Permatang Pauh by election, another big news managed to slip into The Malaysian Insider that should be of interest to all bodies who blog or planning to start one (especially after a biased showdown that resulted in favor of the people and one that shows that good will eventually triumph over evil). Wow.. if that doesn't qualify as a discourse marker, I don't know what will.

Anyway, here's the news..

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 Next up: a crackdown on bloggers. This possibility looms large after the government reached a sober assessment that it could all end in tears for the Barisan Nasional at the next general election if tough action is not taken to counter allegations on the Net and hold owners of blogs accountable.

In layman's lingo - the government wants to go after the bloggers for what they write so that BN doesn't lose the next GE.

What? Am I reading this correctly? I am not naive, I don't use Kodomo Lion as a kid and I am well aware that the current government (or what lifespan it has left - there I go again.. discourse marking all over the place.. :p) is BN. But this is just too much. The government acting on behalf of a political party? Yes, some may say that it is a reality as real as the gravity but come on.. to put it in actual words? Where's the fun of reading between the lines in that?

Ok, here's some more..

Government officials noted that some 400,000 new voters are registered each year. Assuming that the next polls are in five years, there would be two million new voters the next time the BN seeks a fresh mandate. A large chunk of these two million voters are likely to obtain their news and information from websites and blogs, and not from the mainstream media.

Hmm.. when we say government officials, do we mean anybody who works with government or the elected/appointed ministers? Or is it both? Man.. they are getting bolder by the minute! And what they failed to mention is that the websites also constitutes credible news media such as Malaysiakini and HarakahDaily - which is in no way delivered or written like some personal blogs, that they are so much worried of these days.

And of course, as always, they will quote Raja Petra the political blogger as an example and left out all the other bloggers who wrote, exposed and debated on lots of national issues sensibly (not that RPK is any less.. well.. perhaps sometimes..). And the way they put it was as if most blogs had been defaming the government like there's no tomorrow. And that is not fair. Bloggers have been quoting and citing their sources these days and whenever it is solely of their own opinion, most of them will even stated so.

I guess the critics were right when they said..

Critics of the government said that instead of focusing on bloggers and the alternative media, they should strive for more accountability and transparency, and remove the shackles on the mainstream media.

Now that, would be the smarter move. Quit whining, accept your losses and just try to be good.

ANWAR IBRAHIM MENANG! BN KALAH! BN LEMAH! BN REBAH!

2008-08-26T21:25:00.008+08:00

Alhamdulillah! Inilah keputusan pilihan raya kecil yang paling best! Keputusan pilihan raya kecil Parlimen Permatang Pauh masih belum dikeluarkan lagi oleh Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya tapi insyaAllah, DSAI sudah menang.

All praises be to God alone! It's not official yet but according to a report by HarakahDaily..

TERKINI! PERMATANG PAUH, 26 Ogos (Hrkh) - Keputusan tidak rasmi yang diterima adalah Ketua Umum KeADILan, Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim menang sebanyak 31,949 undi manakala calon BN mendapat 14,297 undi manakala calon bebas hanya 74 undi. Majoriti undi yang dimenangi Anwar adalah 17,652 undi.

http://www.harakahdaily.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=016661&Itemid=85

..and a report by Malaysiakini said..

LIVE UPDATES 8pm: Unofficial results - Anwar Ibrahim wins with a majority of 16,210 votes. He garnered 26,646 votes while Arif Shah Omar Shah got 10,436. Anwar's wife, Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, won the seat with a 13,388 majority at the March 8 general elections.

http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/88579

But you might have to spend some time to access the full page on Malaysiakini. It has been experiencing excessive bandwidth usage ever since this afternoon and Malaysia Today is not accessible at all last time I checked at 9:34 PM - as opposed to non-credible news sites like Berita Harian, Utusan Malaysia and Agenda Daily which I guess even 56k dial-ups can load the whole page in no time.

Questionable mainstream information sources aside.. the main issue here is.. DSAI had won! And a landslide majority at that! Some "upset" by BN indeed. :D

Everybody I know is so happy and joyous at the moment. This is the beginning of a new era. The might of the people has spoken.

But there is still a considerably long way to go. And PKR must act fast. The shameful charges are still imminent. Hopefully, DSAI already has a plan for that.

Suara KeADILan Online reported that after taking his oath as a member of the parliament, DSAI will meet several BN MPs to have them "jump ship". (full story here)Although "several" is perhaps not what we expected from the "frogs", but then again, as they often say.. "lots of severals is a lot!" well, actually I'm the one who said that.. :p

Man oh man.. I am just so happy that I am willing to help a certain Najis to pack his bags. He probably wanted to join a certain CheDick who is probably already on his way to the Arctic. I just wonder what would be Botak Kodomo Lion's reaction to this historic win.

ps: I got the "Botak Kodomo Lion" nick from The Sensintrovert's blog. Kahkahkah! "Botak Kodomo Lion"! So funny and so cute. Me and my colleagues really had a laugh this afternoon. :D

The Rainbow

2008-08-18T22:45:00.006+08:00

I was reading Amy's nice postings below while listening to my playlist. It plays all the songs in my mp3 folder. Suddenly, it got to this somewhat familiar song. And it was such a sad song. Somehow Media Player's random function managed to skip this number from my ears all this while. The song is called "Pelangi Petang" and it was sung by allahyarham Sudirman. With respect to the national trend these days, I also SWEAR this is the saddest song ever. You just have to listen to it to really appreciate the melancholic theme it carries. And speaking of theme, I remember that it was a theme for a feature film which I couldn't remember at the time. So, I Googled it and found out from YouTube that it was the theme song for "Kami" - an 80s film starring Sudirman and a very talented kid. Again, I SWEAR the movie itself is perhaps the most moving Malay movie I've seen for such a long time. The movie is about the street kids in KL in the 80s. I cannot go into much detail. Find the movie and see it for yourself. Suffice to say that even by watching the YouTube clip, I almost cried thinking that what is portrayed is not at all fiction. Street kids are still everywhere in KL. They may not be Malay or Chinese or Indian anymore but they are kids nonetheless and they are just as hungry and poor and helpless as any kid who is devoid of a caring parent - a warm meal - a clean shirt - and a roof over their heads. I can still remember seeing some of them begging for small change every afternoon at the MidValley KTM station. They are so young and I've seen one as young as my son. How could they even be there in the first place? What are they doing on the streets? Where are the grown-ups? Where are the authorities? What will become of these kids next year? The next five years? Have they eaten? Was the money for them? Will they ever get any education? It is killing me!

... TT

And I, the most selfish and useless of all them commuters.. would walked past them day in and day out.. subconciously hoping that by the time I walked past them, they will be gone. The problem will be gone. The problem and the sight vanishes as I buried myself into my stupid workloads and having a laugh over anything silly with my friends. And we would eat whatever we like in the fanciest joint in MidValley and we laugh and we leave out the things that we don't like in our meals. And tomorrow will be just another day.

... TT

God, save me from becoming a heartless drone.

Just look at those kids in Bersamamu TV3. Have you ever watch it? Those are real kids. Real Malaysian kids who had to eat rice with salt every night and went to school with less than 20 cents in their pocket. Is this Malaysia we're seeing on TV? We sent some stupid fucker to space while still having hungry young mouths all over the country! What are we becoming?!

A few years back, my mother had to pay fidyah (usually in the form of rice) and someone suggested that she pays it to a poor single mother of four children living in Jenderam, not far from our town. She went there with my wife and my sister and deliver the goods to the family. The goods basically consist of several bags of rice, cans of sardines, eggs, powdered milk, flour, biscuits, sugar etc. Later, when they came back, I saw their eyes reddened. I asked my wife why. It appears that they have been crying on their way back. My wife recalled the joyous look on the kids' faces when they saw all the goods. They were especially ecstatic seeing the many types of biscuits and immediately asked my mother if they can open them up there and then. These are the biscuits that are so common to us all and we would throw them away at the slightest notion that they are taking up space in our cupboards or containers. The single mother was speechless and cried. She later told my mother that her kids have not had eggs and sardines for quite some time. Everybody cried. My wife re-told the story to me and she cried. And I cried. This was just a few years back in a nation called Malaysia.

... TT

Time passes and I walked down the stairs of KTM MidValley and I saw the kids. They looked at me. And the selfish side of me thought that RM3 will make it all go away. It never did.

... TT

Forgive me kids for being useless.

Those kids will still be there whether I care to think about it or not. I am forever grateful to God for what I have. But please dear God, do not make me forget about them ever again and do not make this feeling go away.

... TT

Need a bit of help here...

2008-08-18T18:03:00.004+08:00

Aku tak tau lah... masalah ingeris aku ke? Tapi... aku betul-betul tak paham apa yang nak disampaikan oleh penulis papan iklan ni. Hehe... =P taklah tak paham langsung, tapi ada tu yang memang tak boleh paham. Misalnya... "closed expensive price" dan "big responsibility"

Cuba tengok... dan tolong translate/interpret kalo korang paham yer ;-)

Cheap-cheap, same-same, happy-happy holiday!!!

Unexpected welcome by the lil guy

2008-08-18T13:47:00.004+08:00

Despite being a bit discouraged at first (for not being able to secure accommodation for the night) this lil guy cheered me up ;)

Isn't he cute!! ;) I was welcomed by this green lil guy on my first day at Perhentian Island.

But, sorry lil guy...I was actually a bit scared, hence this first appearance of u turned out a bit shaky. I was scared that u'll jump on me anytime ler. Then i'll be screaming & jumping like crazy. Hehe... =P) But after a few shots, I then realised that the lil guy is quite friendly. He actually just sat there quietly, not moving even a bit! (Appreciate that ;-) )

Here's a clearer potrait of my lil fren. :)

Lee Chong Wei memang mantap!

2008-08-16T22:54:00.004+08:00

Best betul perlawanan separuh akhir badminton Olimpik antara Lee Chong Wei lawan pemain Korea. Memang berdebar-debar pasal sama-sama handal! Kebetulan petang tu saya ada kelas dan hampir-hampir missed perlawanan tu yang yang disiarkan secara langsung menerusi TV1. Nasib baik semalam lecturer tak datang dan minta kami tengok video pasal History of English entah merepek apa tah. Habis je tayangan apa lagi. Melompat terus balik! Ramai yang menonton video tu dalam keadaan tak senang pasal teringatkan perlawanan bersejarah tu. Chong Wei sorang je yang tinggal sebagai harapan Malaysia untuk mengutip pingat emas; selepas budak-budak double buat lawak lagi (marah betul jurulatih Rexy Mainaky semasa orang tanya komen dia). :p Anyway, perlawanan semalam tu memang best. Semasa sampai di rumah, wife saya sedang khusyuk menonton sampai tak sedar saya balik. Saya missed set pertama tapi sempat tonton dari awal set kedua hingga tamat. Saya pasti ramai yang frust pasal Chong Wei nampak macam sengaja let go set kedua tu. Saya pun tak tahu apa nak komen pasal saya memang suka game yang melarat hingga ke rubber set. Straight set tak best la. Rubber set tu barulah perlawanan sebenar. Masing-masing dah tak nak reserve tactic dan energy lagi dah. This is THE set. Takkan ada set lain lagi dah melainkan deuce dan bertambah-tambah mata. Tapi ia mesti ditamatkan juga. Masa tu kelihatan kedua-dua pemain punyai peluang yang sama banyak untuk menang. Pemain Korea tu boleh main di net dan kelihatan taktik Chong Wei pun dia dah macam dapat baca. Itu bukanlah mengejutkan pasal masing-masing sure dah study gaya permainan lawan menerusi rakaman video dan arahan jurulatih. Akhirnya cuma tinggal sheer power - whether each can deliver cross-shots or jumping smashes or smashes that are so powerful that the opponent will either:

a. not be able to take it at all (Chong Wei did this once in the rubber set)
b. or able to take it but deliver a weak return (bola tanggung dan kena smashed balik)
c. or able to take it but forced an erroneous return (short or tersasar ler..)

In any case, I was able to see all three in yesterday's match. Both players were so tired after they switched court in rubber set but they were determined to finish each other off. And after a few daring moments, especially when the Korean managed to catch up even though Chong Wei once led 8 to 1, Chong Wei managed to arrive at the penultimate point and soon enough, forced the Korean player to make a mistake. I was so happy that I started to sms everyone in my phone list.

I can't wait for the finals. We really need this gold. At times like this, we really do. Just something to make us happy for a while and forget all the nastiness.

Go for gold!