Malaysia’s 11th Election, 21st March 2004 – The Preliminary Result
The preliminary result of Malaysia’s 11th General Election has been released, and I have to say that I am shocked to say the least. BN looks like heading for another historic landslide victory, with even Kelantan and Terengganu not being spared. I still find it hard to believe the news. I was in Terengganu for the past 3 days, and taking the general sentiment of the locals there, you wouldn’t count against Pas making another clean sweep as they did in the 1999 general election. Instead, when the result was released just recently, the former Terengganu Menteri Besar Hj Abdul Hadi is reported to have lost his state seat in Marang by a majority of thousands. We’re not talking about a small fry leader here. He is revered and so well respected by the locals there. Believe me, my feeling is that the locals of Marang where he contested would wake up tomorrow wondering what actually happened on election day. And who would have expected Pas to lose that many seats in Kelantan? No offense to the BN in Kelantan, but they look more disunited and in shambles if compared to Pas over there. Don’t know whether I should expect any shocking news tomorrow when they do the recount. It’d be interesting to see what will come out in the news in the next few days post-election.
The only good thing I can think of from the election result is that the government might announce tomorrow a public holiday in celebration of another landslide victory. Honestly if you ask me, I can’t help smelling a grand scam behind the general election this time around. Again, the media will have a field day for the whole of next week at least covering on the subject.
Sunday, March 21, 2004
Saturday, March 13, 2004
If Only Women Knew...
If Only Women Knew...
A friend of mine forwarded me this through e-mail recently. An insight into the male’s mind that women very rarely give a thought about. How true. The subject is titled in Malay, “If only women knew...”, it describes the feeling and psychology of the male’s mind that the opposite sex usually takes for granted. Perhaps the males out there reading this can confirm whether or not the following statements are true. It would be a joy to read the responses from the females. : - ) Enjoy!
Andainya perempuan tahu.......................>
* Lelaki juga boleh menjadi seseorang yang begitu sensitif dan mengambil berat (prihatin)
* Jika seseorang lelaki meminati wanita, wanita itu tak semestinya cantik. Cukup dengan budi bahasa dan kesopanan yang tinggi. Malah lelaki boleh menyukai wanita yang mempunyai banyak persamaan dengannya samada dari segi pemikiran atau minat. Oleh itu, banyak yang boleh dibualkan atau dikongsi bersama.
* Kebanyakan masa, lelaki sebenarnya tidak mengetahui perasaan sebenar yang dirasakan oleh seorang wanita.
* Lelaki boleh menerima penolakan dengan baik.
* Lelaki cuba menonjolkan sikap kelakiannya untuk menambat hati wanita...
* Lelaki memang dilahirkan dgn perasaan yg kuat terhadap wanita..sebab itu mereka suka melihat wanita, menjeling wanita dan menonton Baywatch! Atau mencuci mata di tepi pantai atau swimming pool.
* Kebanyakan lelaki resah bila berhadapan dengan situasi ingin mengajak wanita keluar kali pertama!
* Lelaki cuba meniru gaya selebriti atau berlagak macho hanya kerana ingin memikat hati wanita.
* Bila lelaki cakap.."Emm. tengoklah dulu"..itu seringkali bermaksud dia berkata tidak atau kurang setuju.
* Bila lelaki cakap direct to the point dalam sesuatu hal, dia sebenarnya ingin bersikap jujur dan berterus-terang dan mengharapkan wanita memahami maksudnya.
* Kebanyakan lelaki yang nampak 'desperate', datang dari sekolah all boys!
* Adalah biasa lelaki cemburu terutamanya apabila perempuan asyik menyebut nama lelaki lain.
* Lelaki tak boleh belajar kesemuanya pasal perempuan dari library atau
buku semata2. Oleh itu mereka selalu keliru dengan sikap perempuan..dan
tak faham kenapa perempuan bersikap begitu begini...
*Kadang2 lelaki perlu mengetahui lebih mendalam tentang bagaimana berhadapan dengan perempuan supaya hubungan dapat berjalan dengan lebih baik.
* Betapa hebatnya lelaki itu bersikap romeo dan 'flirting' dengan ramai wanita..dia tetap hanya ada seorang teman wanita yang istimewa...yang lain hanya kawan..:)
* Bila lelaki tertengok dada wanita dan wanita itu menyedari...maafkan saja. Kebanyakan lelaki tak sengaja....Mereka merasakan kejadian wanita itu begitu indah!
* Bila sesuatu hubungan putus di tengah jalan, lelaki juga rasa bersedih..cuma dia tak menunjukkannya kesedihannya di depan orang.
* Bila seorang perempuan meminati seorang lelaki, perempuan itu patut bagi hint! Mana tau lelaki itu juga menaruh minat. Senang usahanya nanti...
* Adalah memalukan bagi lelaki jika tak berupaya menolong wanita.
* Kebanyakan lelaki cukup lemah dgn air mata perempuan. Mereka lebih tewas sekiranya air mata itu mengalir dari perempuan yg dikasihi. Sebab itu dikatakan air mata senjata perempuan.
*Lelaki bukanlah sempurna 100%, walau bagaimanapun rupanya atau pandangan luarannya. Jadi, perempuan janganlah mengharapkan semua yang hebat dari lelaki! Mereka juga normal dan mempunyai kelemahan!
A friend of mine forwarded me this through e-mail recently. An insight into the male’s mind that women very rarely give a thought about. How true. The subject is titled in Malay, “If only women knew...”, it describes the feeling and psychology of the male’s mind that the opposite sex usually takes for granted. Perhaps the males out there reading this can confirm whether or not the following statements are true. It would be a joy to read the responses from the females. : - ) Enjoy!
Andainya perempuan tahu.......................>
* Lelaki juga boleh menjadi seseorang yang begitu sensitif dan mengambil berat (prihatin)
* Jika seseorang lelaki meminati wanita, wanita itu tak semestinya cantik. Cukup dengan budi bahasa dan kesopanan yang tinggi. Malah lelaki boleh menyukai wanita yang mempunyai banyak persamaan dengannya samada dari segi pemikiran atau minat. Oleh itu, banyak yang boleh dibualkan atau dikongsi bersama.
* Kebanyakan masa, lelaki sebenarnya tidak mengetahui perasaan sebenar yang dirasakan oleh seorang wanita.
* Lelaki boleh menerima penolakan dengan baik.
* Lelaki cuba menonjolkan sikap kelakiannya untuk menambat hati wanita...
* Lelaki memang dilahirkan dgn perasaan yg kuat terhadap wanita..sebab itu mereka suka melihat wanita, menjeling wanita dan menonton Baywatch! Atau mencuci mata di tepi pantai atau swimming pool.
* Kebanyakan lelaki resah bila berhadapan dengan situasi ingin mengajak wanita keluar kali pertama!
* Lelaki cuba meniru gaya selebriti atau berlagak macho hanya kerana ingin memikat hati wanita.
* Bila lelaki cakap.."Emm. tengoklah dulu"..itu seringkali bermaksud dia berkata tidak atau kurang setuju.
* Bila lelaki cakap direct to the point dalam sesuatu hal, dia sebenarnya ingin bersikap jujur dan berterus-terang dan mengharapkan wanita memahami maksudnya.
* Kebanyakan lelaki yang nampak 'desperate', datang dari sekolah all boys!
* Adalah biasa lelaki cemburu terutamanya apabila perempuan asyik menyebut nama lelaki lain.
* Lelaki tak boleh belajar kesemuanya pasal perempuan dari library atau
buku semata2. Oleh itu mereka selalu keliru dengan sikap perempuan..dan
tak faham kenapa perempuan bersikap begitu begini...
*Kadang2 lelaki perlu mengetahui lebih mendalam tentang bagaimana berhadapan dengan perempuan supaya hubungan dapat berjalan dengan lebih baik.
* Betapa hebatnya lelaki itu bersikap romeo dan 'flirting' dengan ramai wanita..dia tetap hanya ada seorang teman wanita yang istimewa...yang lain hanya kawan..:)
* Bila lelaki tertengok dada wanita dan wanita itu menyedari...maafkan saja. Kebanyakan lelaki tak sengaja....Mereka merasakan kejadian wanita itu begitu indah!
* Bila sesuatu hubungan putus di tengah jalan, lelaki juga rasa bersedih..cuma dia tak menunjukkannya kesedihannya di depan orang.
* Bila seorang perempuan meminati seorang lelaki, perempuan itu patut bagi hint! Mana tau lelaki itu juga menaruh minat. Senang usahanya nanti...
* Adalah memalukan bagi lelaki jika tak berupaya menolong wanita.
* Kebanyakan lelaki cukup lemah dgn air mata perempuan. Mereka lebih tewas sekiranya air mata itu mengalir dari perempuan yg dikasihi. Sebab itu dikatakan air mata senjata perempuan.
*Lelaki bukanlah sempurna 100%, walau bagaimanapun rupanya atau pandangan luarannya. Jadi, perempuan janganlah mengharapkan semua yang hebat dari lelaki! Mereka juga normal dan mempunyai kelemahan!
Friday, March 12, 2004
Peak Season at Work and The Paranormal
Peak Season at Work and The Paranormal
Guess where I am? I am still in the office! Though my brain has surrendered any capability to think of work at this point of time, I am here waiting for my fiancee to finish her bit of work. It is that time of year again (it seems to come around faster by the year), when we close our accounts for the year and brace ourselves for the avalanche of reports, questions, and consolidation that comes with it. Our auditors are coming in next week, and there are still a few things that need to be done. Looks like its going to be a working weekend for me.
Was in Melaka yesterday for a plant familiarisation visit. Familiarisation. Such a mouthful word. Kept having to repeat it yesterday and Wednesday when people asked me what I was doing in Melaka. Got lost for over an hour trying to find the hotel from the Simpang Ampat exit. Pusing sana, pusing sini. The route I was on was getting deserted by the minute that at some points I began to suspect if I had actually been diverted by some unseen forces. Which reminded me of a scene in the Mothman Prophecies when Richard Gere set on his way driving to Richmond which is in the south of the USA but ended up finding himself mysteriously in Point Pleasant which is way up north of the USA.
In fact, we (I was travelling with my colleague, whom conveniently is my fiancee... hehe) did come across something suspicious along the way. While I was driving along this secluded road, which turned out to lead towards Kem Askar Terendak, there appeared to be some road works on one part of the road. They closed one of the lanes on that 2-way road, and there was a tractor or something digging up a hole on the closed part of the lane. We were stopped by one of the workers looking after the traffic to allow the tractor to move to the other side of the road to pile up the soil from the dug road. There wasn't any other car on that road at that time. The time was around 10 pm.
When we were allowed to pass, I could not have driven more than a kilometre away when we came to the entrance of Kem Askar Terendak and realised that there was no way through. I asked the guard at the entrance which way to Riviera Hotel, and was told to drive a few kilometres back where we came from and take a particular turn at the junction we had passed. On our way back to the junction, I was driving slowly in anticipation of the road works that we had passed not more than 5 minutes ago. I kept on driving, and to my surprise the road works which had only been there a few minutes ago had DISAPPEARED! There was no tractor, no heap of soils on either side of the road, gone were the bright spot lights they had in the area for the works, and more significantly there were no signs that any road works had taken place there in the most recent time. It was all dark and quiet.
I looked at my fiancee and asked her whether she had seen it on our way back, and she just looked back at me silently, indicating that we do not talk about it until we were completely out of the area. It wasn't a great help either that the next 5 kilometres stretch of the road had no street lights along it and either side of the road was pitch dark. I just sped my car out of the area and was more than relieved when we finally came to the end of that dark road and back on the main road to Kota Melaka.
Moral of the story: Don't travel too late at night to places you're not familiar with. Though neither of us were significantly affected by the experience, the thought of getting lost further was beginning to worry me a little bit.
Anyhoo... looks like my fiancee's work is done. My tummy is making growling sounds already. Feel like having mee rebus tonight at Plaza Damas. Nyum.. nyumm...
Guess where I am? I am still in the office! Though my brain has surrendered any capability to think of work at this point of time, I am here waiting for my fiancee to finish her bit of work. It is that time of year again (it seems to come around faster by the year), when we close our accounts for the year and brace ourselves for the avalanche of reports, questions, and consolidation that comes with it. Our auditors are coming in next week, and there are still a few things that need to be done. Looks like its going to be a working weekend for me.
Was in Melaka yesterday for a plant familiarisation visit. Familiarisation. Such a mouthful word. Kept having to repeat it yesterday and Wednesday when people asked me what I was doing in Melaka. Got lost for over an hour trying to find the hotel from the Simpang Ampat exit. Pusing sana, pusing sini. The route I was on was getting deserted by the minute that at some points I began to suspect if I had actually been diverted by some unseen forces. Which reminded me of a scene in the Mothman Prophecies when Richard Gere set on his way driving to Richmond which is in the south of the USA but ended up finding himself mysteriously in Point Pleasant which is way up north of the USA.
In fact, we (I was travelling with my colleague, whom conveniently is my fiancee... hehe) did come across something suspicious along the way. While I was driving along this secluded road, which turned out to lead towards Kem Askar Terendak, there appeared to be some road works on one part of the road. They closed one of the lanes on that 2-way road, and there was a tractor or something digging up a hole on the closed part of the lane. We were stopped by one of the workers looking after the traffic to allow the tractor to move to the other side of the road to pile up the soil from the dug road. There wasn't any other car on that road at that time. The time was around 10 pm.
When we were allowed to pass, I could not have driven more than a kilometre away when we came to the entrance of Kem Askar Terendak and realised that there was no way through. I asked the guard at the entrance which way to Riviera Hotel, and was told to drive a few kilometres back where we came from and take a particular turn at the junction we had passed. On our way back to the junction, I was driving slowly in anticipation of the road works that we had passed not more than 5 minutes ago. I kept on driving, and to my surprise the road works which had only been there a few minutes ago had DISAPPEARED! There was no tractor, no heap of soils on either side of the road, gone were the bright spot lights they had in the area for the works, and more significantly there were no signs that any road works had taken place there in the most recent time. It was all dark and quiet.
I looked at my fiancee and asked her whether she had seen it on our way back, and she just looked back at me silently, indicating that we do not talk about it until we were completely out of the area. It wasn't a great help either that the next 5 kilometres stretch of the road had no street lights along it and either side of the road was pitch dark. I just sped my car out of the area and was more than relieved when we finally came to the end of that dark road and back on the main road to Kota Melaka.
Moral of the story: Don't travel too late at night to places you're not familiar with. Though neither of us were significantly affected by the experience, the thought of getting lost further was beginning to worry me a little bit.
Anyhoo... looks like my fiancee's work is done. My tummy is making growling sounds already. Feel like having mee rebus tonight at Plaza Damas. Nyum.. nyumm...
Tuesday, March 09, 2004
Kursus Perkahwinan
Kursus Perkahwinan
Over the weekend, my fiancée and I attended the compulsory course for every Muslim to attend before marriage. Kursus Perkahwinan Islam. The course was held over 2 days, beginning from Saturday afternoon and ends in the early evening on Sunday. I didn’t quite know what to expect of the course to begin with, but I have to admit it turned out to be a refreshing eye opener in some aspects for me.
The course was held in Bangsar Utama, near the Bangsar LRT station, and Dataran Maybank. One distinctive feature that you would notice almost immediately once you arrive at the place is of the many pictures of artists and celebrities that have attended the course in the center in the past. But I have to say that the place where the lectures are held look rather shoddy however. It made me think how could such a place attract such celebrities? Ruhil Amani, Fauziah Latiff, Tun Mahathir’s son (Mokhzani), Tan Sri Halim Saad, and Norman Hakim and Abby Abadi were clients here, just to name a few. The place basically has a list of who’s who in their list of past clients. And I was about to join this distinguished list… (cewah).
The lectures were ok, the syllabus a mixture of religious studies, some tips on marriage psychology, and some tips that would definitely come in useful after marriage. They also gave us directions on what forms need to be filled up and where we could get them from. One of the things I’ve learned while attending the course is that marriage requires so much paper work. Phew… and different states in Malaysia would require you to fill up different forms and to follow different procedures. So they had to separate our forms according to the states you’re from, and the states where you’d be getting married in. Another interesting feature about the course is that they have cameras fitted in the lecture rooms to monitor the participants, to make sure that none of us disappear after registration. Whoa… big brother’s watching you!
Being there with all the other participants made me feel how collective we were. You could sense the commitment in everyone. From the way they look, these people knew why they were there. When I checked the participants’ registry, I saw that the age of the male participants range from 21 to 36. And there were people from all background. There was this guy (who looked like he could not be any older than 23) who told me the woman he’s going to marry is a divorcee with a child. And apparently the woman’s ex-husband is thinking about taking her back, and thus is not about to give her up so easily. And from rumors that I heard, there was also a female participant who was already pregnant. The procedure that she would have to go through would therefore be different from the rest of us. There were people from all sorts of background and circumstances, but we were all there for the same purpose.
At the end of the 2 day course, I learnt more than what I bargained for. Though the certificate is what matters most, I’ve also learnt that I am very much luckier than most people are. And that I’m very thankful for. Alhamdulillah.
To those out day who are getting married soon, I would recommend this place to you. You can even register online here.
Over the weekend, my fiancée and I attended the compulsory course for every Muslim to attend before marriage. Kursus Perkahwinan Islam. The course was held over 2 days, beginning from Saturday afternoon and ends in the early evening on Sunday. I didn’t quite know what to expect of the course to begin with, but I have to admit it turned out to be a refreshing eye opener in some aspects for me.
The course was held in Bangsar Utama, near the Bangsar LRT station, and Dataran Maybank. One distinctive feature that you would notice almost immediately once you arrive at the place is of the many pictures of artists and celebrities that have attended the course in the center in the past. But I have to say that the place where the lectures are held look rather shoddy however. It made me think how could such a place attract such celebrities? Ruhil Amani, Fauziah Latiff, Tun Mahathir’s son (Mokhzani), Tan Sri Halim Saad, and Norman Hakim and Abby Abadi were clients here, just to name a few. The place basically has a list of who’s who in their list of past clients. And I was about to join this distinguished list… (cewah).
The lectures were ok, the syllabus a mixture of religious studies, some tips on marriage psychology, and some tips that would definitely come in useful after marriage. They also gave us directions on what forms need to be filled up and where we could get them from. One of the things I’ve learned while attending the course is that marriage requires so much paper work. Phew… and different states in Malaysia would require you to fill up different forms and to follow different procedures. So they had to separate our forms according to the states you’re from, and the states where you’d be getting married in. Another interesting feature about the course is that they have cameras fitted in the lecture rooms to monitor the participants, to make sure that none of us disappear after registration. Whoa… big brother’s watching you!
Being there with all the other participants made me feel how collective we were. You could sense the commitment in everyone. From the way they look, these people knew why they were there. When I checked the participants’ registry, I saw that the age of the male participants range from 21 to 36. And there were people from all background. There was this guy (who looked like he could not be any older than 23) who told me the woman he’s going to marry is a divorcee with a child. And apparently the woman’s ex-husband is thinking about taking her back, and thus is not about to give her up so easily. And from rumors that I heard, there was also a female participant who was already pregnant. The procedure that she would have to go through would therefore be different from the rest of us. There were people from all sorts of background and circumstances, but we were all there for the same purpose.
At the end of the 2 day course, I learnt more than what I bargained for. Though the certificate is what matters most, I’ve also learnt that I am very much luckier than most people are. And that I’m very thankful for. Alhamdulillah.
To those out day who are getting married soon, I would recommend this place to you. You can even register online here.
Friday, January 23, 2004
Of Games and Life on Mars
Another late night for me. Didn't get to do much today. I woke up almost noon time, took my bath and after my Zuhur prayers, spent almost the whole day in front of the computer playing games. There are moments when I could spend hours and hours in front of the computer playing games. I know it's not really the most productive thing to do, but it is the easiest thing to direct my currently mindless mind to do. There's a saying that mindless minds engage in games, while an active one engages in ideas. I need ideas... ideas... that should be another resolution of mine for the new year. To engage myself in ideas.
Received an e-mail from one of my mailing groups today on pictures taken on Mars recently by what's-its-name probe sent by NASA to the red planet recently. Looking at the pictures alone, you could have easily mistaken it for pictures taken on one of the deserts on earth (I wish I knew how to paste pictures on my blog!). The interesting question that always pops up when Mars is in discussion is always the inevitable: "Are we alone?". Makes me wonder as well. Maybe Mars really is inhabited by living beings, which chooses to hide when they see our space probes coming into their air space. Or maybe Mars is inhabited by spirits (!), which if you think of it is rather plausible. Perhaps the 'aliens' in space that we always talk about are not exactly physically like us, rather more in a form that can't be seen with the naked eye. Hmmm... in that case, maybe they should send the bomohs there to check out if spirits do roam the place!
Checking out. Time to hit the sack...
Another late night for me. Didn't get to do much today. I woke up almost noon time, took my bath and after my Zuhur prayers, spent almost the whole day in front of the computer playing games. There are moments when I could spend hours and hours in front of the computer playing games. I know it's not really the most productive thing to do, but it is the easiest thing to direct my currently mindless mind to do. There's a saying that mindless minds engage in games, while an active one engages in ideas. I need ideas... ideas... that should be another resolution of mine for the new year. To engage myself in ideas.
Received an e-mail from one of my mailing groups today on pictures taken on Mars recently by what's-its-name probe sent by NASA to the red planet recently. Looking at the pictures alone, you could have easily mistaken it for pictures taken on one of the deserts on earth (I wish I knew how to paste pictures on my blog!). The interesting question that always pops up when Mars is in discussion is always the inevitable: "Are we alone?". Makes me wonder as well. Maybe Mars really is inhabited by living beings, which chooses to hide when they see our space probes coming into their air space. Or maybe Mars is inhabited by spirits (!), which if you think of it is rather plausible. Perhaps the 'aliens' in space that we always talk about are not exactly physically like us, rather more in a form that can't be seen with the naked eye. Hmmm... in that case, maybe they should send the bomohs there to check out if spirits do roam the place!
Checking out. Time to hit the sack...
Thursday, January 22, 2004
A Blues Filled Night
It is the night before Chinese New Year. Though I felt like sleeping the whole day while in the office today, strangely I don't quite feel tired when it comes to the night. Watched Desperado on Astro, and The Fast and The Furious after that. Been at the computer ever since playing Championship Manager as usual. My team in the game, Arsenal, is doing too well that it defies belief. Scoring at a rate of 5 goals a game, it is moving inevitably towards the brink of bankruptcy as a result of the galacticos of star players that I bought for the team in the game. Imagine Ronaldo, Zidane, and Tudor playing for Arsenal. And yeah, imagine Henry and Ronaldo pairing up front. Would send shivers down anyone's spine. Those avid players of the game out there should know what I'm talking about.
At this moment, am writing with Hasnol's song, Laguku Untukmu playing in the background. It gives me the blues listening to the song, at this time of night. It brings a sense of nostalgia of my past; the moments when I was in secondary school (when the song first came out); moments when I went through my crash and burns, singing my blues with the song. It's been a while since I entertained such thoughts, or like the saying in malay, layan blues. Hehe..
We're almost coming to the end of the first month of the new year. I've not actually written down my resolution for the new year. In fact, some of my resolutions for year 2003 are still outstanding. Generally, I would really love to see the following to happen in year 2004.
1. To get rid of my pot belly. This has been a brought forward resolution for years and years. The belly has been there for too long, that it is in danger of obtaining a permanent resident there. Year 2004 shall see its banishment! I am as hopeful as ever...
2. To find an alternative source of income to my 9 to 5 job. Having been in the office desk job for over 3 years now, I don't see achieving my long term goal of financial independence becoming a reality, unless I start looking for other alternatives. A few alternatives have come to mind. A small business? Multi-level marketing? Hmmm...
3. To be more organised. This one's a permanent feature in my yearly resolution. It keeps get pushed down the priority ladder as the year progresses.
4. More regular updates to my blog. This one should be challenging. Have to thank Riz for his regular visits here. You're the man!
I guess that's about all I can think of at the moment. Should anything good come to my mind in the course of the year, I might just add it up to the list above.
*Yawn*... I guess I had better hit the sack.
It is the night before Chinese New Year. Though I felt like sleeping the whole day while in the office today, strangely I don't quite feel tired when it comes to the night. Watched Desperado on Astro, and The Fast and The Furious after that. Been at the computer ever since playing Championship Manager as usual. My team in the game, Arsenal, is doing too well that it defies belief. Scoring at a rate of 5 goals a game, it is moving inevitably towards the brink of bankruptcy as a result of the galacticos of star players that I bought for the team in the game. Imagine Ronaldo, Zidane, and Tudor playing for Arsenal. And yeah, imagine Henry and Ronaldo pairing up front. Would send shivers down anyone's spine. Those avid players of the game out there should know what I'm talking about.
At this moment, am writing with Hasnol's song, Laguku Untukmu playing in the background. It gives me the blues listening to the song, at this time of night. It brings a sense of nostalgia of my past; the moments when I was in secondary school (when the song first came out); moments when I went through my crash and burns, singing my blues with the song. It's been a while since I entertained such thoughts, or like the saying in malay, layan blues. Hehe..
We're almost coming to the end of the first month of the new year. I've not actually written down my resolution for the new year. In fact, some of my resolutions for year 2003 are still outstanding. Generally, I would really love to see the following to happen in year 2004.
1. To get rid of my pot belly. This has been a brought forward resolution for years and years. The belly has been there for too long, that it is in danger of obtaining a permanent resident there. Year 2004 shall see its banishment! I am as hopeful as ever...
2. To find an alternative source of income to my 9 to 5 job. Having been in the office desk job for over 3 years now, I don't see achieving my long term goal of financial independence becoming a reality, unless I start looking for other alternatives. A few alternatives have come to mind. A small business? Multi-level marketing? Hmmm...
3. To be more organised. This one's a permanent feature in my yearly resolution. It keeps get pushed down the priority ladder as the year progresses.
4. More regular updates to my blog. This one should be challenging. Have to thank Riz for his regular visits here. You're the man!
I guess that's about all I can think of at the moment. Should anything good come to my mind in the course of the year, I might just add it up to the list above.
*Yawn*... I guess I had better hit the sack.
Saturday, December 27, 2003
Hello Again
Hello world. Goodness, it has been ages once again since I posted an entry in this blog. Blame the loads of work in the office.. haha! I would like to thank those who still came by to check on updates however in those times when I’ve been missing. Really, I can’t really express how much I appreciate your visit. I wish I could have updated more than I have, but I find it so difficult to get inspired to write anything worthwhile. I am hopeful somehow that you guys would come by to visit again, and perhaps by then I should have regular entries enough to entertain any visitor. Talk about having a writer’s block even when I’ve not even written much.. a good start to my writing aspirations eh?
I have not been up to much of late. Am thinking of going to watch the 3rd instalment of the Lord of The Rings movie, The Return of The King. I was going to watch it last Wednesday on Christmas Eve, booked a ticket through my phone’s Easy Access. And what do you know, after queuing for almost an hour on that day to collect my ticket I was told by the person over the counter that the computer system had screwed up and my reservation was recorded for Friday instead. Since I already had plans for Friday, I had to cancel. Went to a ‘kenduri’ today and someone accidentally told me of what happened in the Return of The King. Doesn’t it annoy you when someone asks you whether you’ve watched a movie yet, and then proceeds to tell you what happened in the movie without waiting for you to reply? For instance, “Have you watched Return of The King yet?” And before you could even swallow the chicken you are munching on to answer, the excited fellow continues, “Smeagol dies in the movie. It’s so sad.” By this time I would have told the other person I had not watched it yet and he would say, “Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t know. But don’t worry, at least Smeagol died happy”. Argghh… Sorry if I’ve spoilt it for those out there who has not watched it as well. It is partly intended. Hehe…
Hope to be back more regularly this time to update. Pray with me for it will ya..
Hello world. Goodness, it has been ages once again since I posted an entry in this blog. Blame the loads of work in the office.. haha! I would like to thank those who still came by to check on updates however in those times when I’ve been missing. Really, I can’t really express how much I appreciate your visit. I wish I could have updated more than I have, but I find it so difficult to get inspired to write anything worthwhile. I am hopeful somehow that you guys would come by to visit again, and perhaps by then I should have regular entries enough to entertain any visitor. Talk about having a writer’s block even when I’ve not even written much.. a good start to my writing aspirations eh?
I have not been up to much of late. Am thinking of going to watch the 3rd instalment of the Lord of The Rings movie, The Return of The King. I was going to watch it last Wednesday on Christmas Eve, booked a ticket through my phone’s Easy Access. And what do you know, after queuing for almost an hour on that day to collect my ticket I was told by the person over the counter that the computer system had screwed up and my reservation was recorded for Friday instead. Since I already had plans for Friday, I had to cancel. Went to a ‘kenduri’ today and someone accidentally told me of what happened in the Return of The King. Doesn’t it annoy you when someone asks you whether you’ve watched a movie yet, and then proceeds to tell you what happened in the movie without waiting for you to reply? For instance, “Have you watched Return of The King yet?” And before you could even swallow the chicken you are munching on to answer, the excited fellow continues, “Smeagol dies in the movie. It’s so sad.” By this time I would have told the other person I had not watched it yet and he would say, “Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t know. But don’t worry, at least Smeagol died happy”. Argghh… Sorry if I’ve spoilt it for those out there who has not watched it as well. It is partly intended. Hehe…
Hope to be back more regularly this time to update. Pray with me for it will ya..
Tuesday, October 14, 2003
Interesting Article
Someone forwarded me this article written by our former deputy prime minister today through e-mail which I find interesting. Honestly, the views presented in the article cannot exactly be considered as original or new. But still, in a time where people's memories are short, it serves as a good reminder or an occassional nudge on our shoulders of the reality of the state of the Islamic society today. And even more importantly, suggestions of what needs to be done in the face of that reality.
Happy reading.
We Muslims Must Reform Our Own Politics
By Anwar Ibrahim
(From THE ASIAN WALL STREET JOURNAL)
(Editor's Note: Mr. Anwar, a former deputy prime minister of Malaysia, has been in jail since 1999. He is currently appealing his conviction by a Malaysian court on charges of corruption and sodomy.)
Affirmations of brotherhood and lamentations over the elusiveness of a long-sought fraternity are two perennial themes of modern Muslim rhetoric. It seems that no summit or conference would be worthy of the name unless displays of such sentiments were somehow woven into the agenda. The 10th summit of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to be held outside Kuala
Lumpur from Oct. 16-18, will probably be no different.
Few will be surprised if the opulence of the conference venue is matched by an appalling poverty of ideas on how to cure the Muslim malady - poor governance,
the economic deprivation of millions, political restiveness among citizens, and, of course, the bad press the community has been receiving. Sure, the delegates will be vociferous in condemning terrorism. They will also
express disgust with the U.S. for its imperialistic designs. And they will launch diatribes against the World Trade Organization, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund for their failure to address the concerns
of developing countries.
No doubt, these groups are all culpable in some way, but ranting about insidious neocolonialism and issuing pious platitudes about the superiority of the Islamic approach are no substitute for a workable plan to address
the depressing state of the Muslim community. And their Muslim audiences are not likely to miss the irony of living under virtual one-party systems.
The Palestinian question will continue to be the dominant issue at the conference. Israeli state terrorism must be condemned before there can be any effective check against the desperate and retaliatory acts of terror
that the dispossessed Palestinians resort to. Many Muslims see the U.S. stance in this conflict as diabolical, and the outrage has been aggravated by the occupation
of Afghanistan and Iraq.
But concerned Muslims are asking where this Muslim outrage was when the Taliban insulted the Islamic tradition of respect for other religions in their destruction of the two statues of Buddha at Bamiyan? And why was there damning silence for decades in the face of Saddam Hussein's atrocities against the Kurds, Marsh Arabs and Shiites; and what about his war against Iran and
conquest of Kuwait? Indeed, when the body count is tallied, Muslims will find that more of their brothers and sisters have been butchered by their own leaders than by non-Muslims. Even now, Muslim governments have expended little or no effort in the quest for a just and peaceful resolution to the conflicts in Chechnya, Kashmir and Aceh.
Thus one can appreciate the widespread cynicism among ordinary Muslims about the OIC. They see it as a body too frail to champion Muslim causes and a loose ensemble operating on ideas out of tune with the tenor of the times. One testimony to their ineffectuality is the Islamic News Agency. Formed in the early days of the conference, it was, on the face of it, a noble idea. Its role was to correct an imbalance in international news coverage due to the perceived biases of Western news agencies.
But it was doomed at its very inception because it was not to be an agency selling uncensored news and featuring vigorous reporting and critical commentary. Its creators meant, instead, for it to be a recorder of
official views and a peddler of reports on national development and successes. In short, it was to be an internationalized propaganda agent. It is not
surprising, then, that al Jazeera, hailed as a new voice of independent journalism in the Middle East, is viewed with apprehension by many Arab governments, even as it irks the U.S.
Paradoxically, though, the controlled national media have been parroting the most naive utterances, perpetuating stereotypes of Islam and Muslims. Thus the ruthless and secular Saddam Hussein has been styled an "Islamic
dictator,"the perverse policies of the Taliban equated with the Shariah, terrorism ascribed to Wahhabi teachings and the Shia community characterized as people with a propensity to violence. And then, it is a simple matter of sticking the label Taliban, Wahhabi or Shia on dissenters and political opponents before
eventually arresting them under draconian laws allowing detention without trial.
Many developing countries welcome the wind of democratic change sweeping across the globe, embracing reform to ensure the enlargement of democratic space, the entrenchment of fundamental liberties and the promotion of economic growth. But a large section of the Muslim belt remains stuck in political systems that are anathema to freedom. And, as a cultural group, Muslims
appear to be the most resistant to democracy. Their economies, straining under dirigiste systems, are slumping the fastest. Western academics observe
that the few Muslim majority countries that can claim some measure of economic success have done so because of secularism and democracy, as in Turkey,
or the presence of industrious Chinese, as in Malaysia and to some extent Indonesia. To them, the dynamics of Islam have no relevance.
Yet after half a century of independence, we hear the standard sermon of the self-serving Muslim autocrats that their subjects are incapable of participating in a democracy. Who in his or her right mind does not
want to be free to exercise choice? Could there be morality without freedom? These are questions that should be hurled at the enemies of democracy. They have
to be reminded that the notion of choice is deeply embedded in Islamic theology.
It is a moral imperative for Muslims to make the leap to responsible government, departing from oppressive and corrupt policies. Having been embittered by the Central Intelligence Agency and Mossad, as they claim, Muslim leaders should know better than to use intelligence apparatus such as Saddam's Mukhabarat or the Special Branch in Malaysia to harass or terrorize citizens.
Instead of denigrating the Shariah and demonizing Ulama, the Islamic council of wise men, Muslim leaders should ponder the reasons why an increasing number
of Muslims, including young professionals, see the Shariah as a viable alternative to the current systems in their countries, where the rule of man has supplanted the rule of law and the institutions of justice have been
all but physically destroyed. A legitimate and presentative government, with adequate constitutional safeguards is the best insurance of peace and harmony, and economic
progress. And while it would have clearly defined parameters against threats to stability, it would have the flexibility and latitude to engage those leaning toward extremism.
To be relevant to our times, those claiming to represent Muslims cannot afford to gloss over these burning issues. Most of all, they must accept the inevitability of a predominantly democratic and pluralistic world. The
Muslim world must navigate its way toward freedom and justice, which, after all, were integral components of the Prophet Muhammad's mission. What path it should
take is secondary, but the commitment is indispensable.
Someone forwarded me this article written by our former deputy prime minister today through e-mail which I find interesting. Honestly, the views presented in the article cannot exactly be considered as original or new. But still, in a time where people's memories are short, it serves as a good reminder or an occassional nudge on our shoulders of the reality of the state of the Islamic society today. And even more importantly, suggestions of what needs to be done in the face of that reality.
Happy reading.
We Muslims Must Reform Our Own Politics
By Anwar Ibrahim
(From THE ASIAN WALL STREET JOURNAL)
(Editor's Note: Mr. Anwar, a former deputy prime minister of Malaysia, has been in jail since 1999. He is currently appealing his conviction by a Malaysian court on charges of corruption and sodomy.)
Affirmations of brotherhood and lamentations over the elusiveness of a long-sought fraternity are two perennial themes of modern Muslim rhetoric. It seems that no summit or conference would be worthy of the name unless displays of such sentiments were somehow woven into the agenda. The 10th summit of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to be held outside Kuala
Lumpur from Oct. 16-18, will probably be no different.
Few will be surprised if the opulence of the conference venue is matched by an appalling poverty of ideas on how to cure the Muslim malady - poor governance,
the economic deprivation of millions, political restiveness among citizens, and, of course, the bad press the community has been receiving. Sure, the delegates will be vociferous in condemning terrorism. They will also
express disgust with the U.S. for its imperialistic designs. And they will launch diatribes against the World Trade Organization, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund for their failure to address the concerns
of developing countries.
No doubt, these groups are all culpable in some way, but ranting about insidious neocolonialism and issuing pious platitudes about the superiority of the Islamic approach are no substitute for a workable plan to address
the depressing state of the Muslim community. And their Muslim audiences are not likely to miss the irony of living under virtual one-party systems.
The Palestinian question will continue to be the dominant issue at the conference. Israeli state terrorism must be condemned before there can be any effective check against the desperate and retaliatory acts of terror
that the dispossessed Palestinians resort to. Many Muslims see the U.S. stance in this conflict as diabolical, and the outrage has been aggravated by the occupation
of Afghanistan and Iraq.
But concerned Muslims are asking where this Muslim outrage was when the Taliban insulted the Islamic tradition of respect for other religions in their destruction of the two statues of Buddha at Bamiyan? And why was there damning silence for decades in the face of Saddam Hussein's atrocities against the Kurds, Marsh Arabs and Shiites; and what about his war against Iran and
conquest of Kuwait? Indeed, when the body count is tallied, Muslims will find that more of their brothers and sisters have been butchered by their own leaders than by non-Muslims. Even now, Muslim governments have expended little or no effort in the quest for a just and peaceful resolution to the conflicts in Chechnya, Kashmir and Aceh.
Thus one can appreciate the widespread cynicism among ordinary Muslims about the OIC. They see it as a body too frail to champion Muslim causes and a loose ensemble operating on ideas out of tune with the tenor of the times. One testimony to their ineffectuality is the Islamic News Agency. Formed in the early days of the conference, it was, on the face of it, a noble idea. Its role was to correct an imbalance in international news coverage due to the perceived biases of Western news agencies.
But it was doomed at its very inception because it was not to be an agency selling uncensored news and featuring vigorous reporting and critical commentary. Its creators meant, instead, for it to be a recorder of
official views and a peddler of reports on national development and successes. In short, it was to be an internationalized propaganda agent. It is not
surprising, then, that al Jazeera, hailed as a new voice of independent journalism in the Middle East, is viewed with apprehension by many Arab governments, even as it irks the U.S.
Paradoxically, though, the controlled national media have been parroting the most naive utterances, perpetuating stereotypes of Islam and Muslims. Thus the ruthless and secular Saddam Hussein has been styled an "Islamic
dictator,"the perverse policies of the Taliban equated with the Shariah, terrorism ascribed to Wahhabi teachings and the Shia community characterized as people with a propensity to violence. And then, it is a simple matter of sticking the label Taliban, Wahhabi or Shia on dissenters and political opponents before
eventually arresting them under draconian laws allowing detention without trial.
Many developing countries welcome the wind of democratic change sweeping across the globe, embracing reform to ensure the enlargement of democratic space, the entrenchment of fundamental liberties and the promotion of economic growth. But a large section of the Muslim belt remains stuck in political systems that are anathema to freedom. And, as a cultural group, Muslims
appear to be the most resistant to democracy. Their economies, straining under dirigiste systems, are slumping the fastest. Western academics observe
that the few Muslim majority countries that can claim some measure of economic success have done so because of secularism and democracy, as in Turkey,
or the presence of industrious Chinese, as in Malaysia and to some extent Indonesia. To them, the dynamics of Islam have no relevance.
Yet after half a century of independence, we hear the standard sermon of the self-serving Muslim autocrats that their subjects are incapable of participating in a democracy. Who in his or her right mind does not
want to be free to exercise choice? Could there be morality without freedom? These are questions that should be hurled at the enemies of democracy. They have
to be reminded that the notion of choice is deeply embedded in Islamic theology.
It is a moral imperative for Muslims to make the leap to responsible government, departing from oppressive and corrupt policies. Having been embittered by the Central Intelligence Agency and Mossad, as they claim, Muslim leaders should know better than to use intelligence apparatus such as Saddam's Mukhabarat or the Special Branch in Malaysia to harass or terrorize citizens.
Instead of denigrating the Shariah and demonizing Ulama, the Islamic council of wise men, Muslim leaders should ponder the reasons why an increasing number
of Muslims, including young professionals, see the Shariah as a viable alternative to the current systems in their countries, where the rule of man has supplanted the rule of law and the institutions of justice have been
all but physically destroyed. A legitimate and presentative government, with adequate constitutional safeguards is the best insurance of peace and harmony, and economic
progress. And while it would have clearly defined parameters against threats to stability, it would have the flexibility and latitude to engage those leaning toward extremism.
To be relevant to our times, those claiming to represent Muslims cannot afford to gloss over these burning issues. Most of all, they must accept the inevitability of a predominantly democratic and pluralistic world. The
Muslim world must navigate its way toward freedom and justice, which, after all, were integral components of the Prophet Muhammad's mission. What path it should
take is secondary, but the commitment is indispensable.
Sunday, October 12, 2003
The Week That Was
It is past midnight and it is now Sunday. It has been a rather eventful week. Work is murder as always, and I am going to the office tomorrow (or today rather). Was thinking of going today, but my mind and body just rejected the idea. All work and no play makes Izwan an unhappy boy.. hehe.. So I went to accompany my parents and my sister with her hubby and 2 nieces for shopping. The traffic on Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman was horrendous. It made me realize it has been a long while since I went there for shopping. Was it last year’s Raya? Hmm… can’t remember.
Been doing some surfing of other fellow bloggers’ sites. It has been an eye-opening experience. The blog that caught my attention the most is Nisa_rk’s. I have to say that her banner is rather daring, and she has some interesting items as well in her entries. The one about the footballer’s penis showing out of his towel while he’s celebrating his team’s victory in a picture on a national newspaper is something that you don’t get to see happening everyday. The picture was published in Singapore’s Berita Harian. For those who wish to take a peek (of the picture, not the penis… well, what’s the difference..), you can click here for direct access to Nisa_rk’s site and the story which was posted in her blog on the 29th September 2003.
Another fellow blogger is a lecturer in UTP. She is still young, in the age range of 21-25. It is kinda interesting reading her related experiences of teaching, and the sort of things that she has to deal with as a young lecturer. An entry that she made on a poem by Robert Frost titled ‘The Road Not Taken' is of particular interest. It is a favourite poem of mine too… An excerpt of the poem (and arguably the most famous of the poem too) is as follows:
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
Imagine giving someone advice on a better way to do something and adding this bit of the poem to that advice. Whoa.. won't that make you look good. Coincidentally I was going to put the poem up on my blog too, but she beat me to it! For more interesting musings of a UTP lecturer, you can click here for direct access to Ain's blog.
Watched a movie this week titled The Roman Springs of Mrs Stone. I didn’t quite get to watch the whole of the movie, but a quote in the movie caught my attention. ‘When you’re in love, never listen to the things that he/she says out of anger, but just look in his/her eyes and see the love’. Kinda catchy I thought.
Well off to bed for me for now. The office awaits tomorrow… boo hoo!
It is past midnight and it is now Sunday. It has been a rather eventful week. Work is murder as always, and I am going to the office tomorrow (or today rather). Was thinking of going today, but my mind and body just rejected the idea. All work and no play makes Izwan an unhappy boy.. hehe.. So I went to accompany my parents and my sister with her hubby and 2 nieces for shopping. The traffic on Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman was horrendous. It made me realize it has been a long while since I went there for shopping. Was it last year’s Raya? Hmm… can’t remember.
Been doing some surfing of other fellow bloggers’ sites. It has been an eye-opening experience. The blog that caught my attention the most is Nisa_rk’s. I have to say that her banner is rather daring, and she has some interesting items as well in her entries. The one about the footballer’s penis showing out of his towel while he’s celebrating his team’s victory in a picture on a national newspaper is something that you don’t get to see happening everyday. The picture was published in Singapore’s Berita Harian. For those who wish to take a peek (of the picture, not the penis… well, what’s the difference..), you can click here for direct access to Nisa_rk’s site and the story which was posted in her blog on the 29th September 2003.
Another fellow blogger is a lecturer in UTP. She is still young, in the age range of 21-25. It is kinda interesting reading her related experiences of teaching, and the sort of things that she has to deal with as a young lecturer. An entry that she made on a poem by Robert Frost titled ‘The Road Not Taken' is of particular interest. It is a favourite poem of mine too… An excerpt of the poem (and arguably the most famous of the poem too) is as follows:
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
Imagine giving someone advice on a better way to do something and adding this bit of the poem to that advice. Whoa.. won't that make you look good. Coincidentally I was going to put the poem up on my blog too, but she beat me to it! For more interesting musings of a UTP lecturer, you can click here for direct access to Ain's blog.
Watched a movie this week titled The Roman Springs of Mrs Stone. I didn’t quite get to watch the whole of the movie, but a quote in the movie caught my attention. ‘When you’re in love, never listen to the things that he/she says out of anger, but just look in his/her eyes and see the love’. Kinda catchy I thought.
Well off to bed for me for now. The office awaits tomorrow… boo hoo!
Tuesday, October 07, 2003
The EPL is back!
Well, this might sound like 8 games overdue (with my snail pace blog updates and all) but the English Premiership season is back yet again! And my team Arsenal is making a good start to their season too, despite not being able to strengthen their squad like the other favourite teams to the League title. The odds might be against them this time around to finish the season triumphant as champions but as a loyal fan, I have faith that they’ll do fine to the end. Over the weekend, Arsenal maintained their position at the top of the league with a hard fought 2-1 win over Liverpool, with Chelsea very hot at their heels with a win over Middlesbrough which ended with the same scoreline.
For the record, I’ve been a Gunners fan since 1987, back when I was 10. The story behind the beginning of my support for the red and white team is rather unique (at least I think so!) It was the 1987 FA Cup final and Arsenal were playing Luton Town that year. And in those days, my brother and I just loved to placed ‘empty’ bets on who would win games at final. Empty meaning we would place big bets such as a million dollars or so with the idea that one of us who loses the bet would pay the other much later in our lives. Or the bet would be nett off if the one who wins the bet this time loses the next one (I know, it’s kid stuff :-p) And on a hunch I chose Arsenal, probably because the name sounded groovier then just a Towner team. Well, Arsenal lost the final that year and I lost a million dollar bet to my younger brother (which would have made him the youngest millionaire ever, had I had the money…). But my allegiance with the Gunners had begun, and I’ve become a loyal fan since. It helped that Arsenal won the League title the year after (1989) and another in 1991, when Man U were still scraping in the mid table. In a space of 16 years, Arsenal are still there among the teams chasing for the title. I could have done worse and chose Luton Town in that historic moment in 1987, and God knows where they are now. And what about my brother? He’s now a Gunners too!
Well, I think every guy would celebrate the return of the English football season. To those who are single, there is now something to look forward to during the weekends. And to those who are not single, it’s time to look up the internet or survival kits on how to make up excuses to your spouses to avoid making arrangements on football nights. Who’s your pick to win the EPL this time? Will it be Man U again? Will Arsene Wenger’s men be determined enough to win it back from Man U after last year’s fall at the last hurdle? Will it be only one season for the Roman army that is Chelsea to build the beginning of their new empire in English football? Or will it be Liverpool’s year to end a drought that has lasted 13 years now since they last won the League? The drama and suspense will unfold come May 2004.
Go Gunners!
Well, this might sound like 8 games overdue (with my snail pace blog updates and all) but the English Premiership season is back yet again! And my team Arsenal is making a good start to their season too, despite not being able to strengthen their squad like the other favourite teams to the League title. The odds might be against them this time around to finish the season triumphant as champions but as a loyal fan, I have faith that they’ll do fine to the end. Over the weekend, Arsenal maintained their position at the top of the league with a hard fought 2-1 win over Liverpool, with Chelsea very hot at their heels with a win over Middlesbrough which ended with the same scoreline.
For the record, I’ve been a Gunners fan since 1987, back when I was 10. The story behind the beginning of my support for the red and white team is rather unique (at least I think so!) It was the 1987 FA Cup final and Arsenal were playing Luton Town that year. And in those days, my brother and I just loved to placed ‘empty’ bets on who would win games at final. Empty meaning we would place big bets such as a million dollars or so with the idea that one of us who loses the bet would pay the other much later in our lives. Or the bet would be nett off if the one who wins the bet this time loses the next one (I know, it’s kid stuff :-p) And on a hunch I chose Arsenal, probably because the name sounded groovier then just a Towner team. Well, Arsenal lost the final that year and I lost a million dollar bet to my younger brother (which would have made him the youngest millionaire ever, had I had the money…). But my allegiance with the Gunners had begun, and I’ve become a loyal fan since. It helped that Arsenal won the League title the year after (1989) and another in 1991, when Man U were still scraping in the mid table. In a space of 16 years, Arsenal are still there among the teams chasing for the title. I could have done worse and chose Luton Town in that historic moment in 1987, and God knows where they are now. And what about my brother? He’s now a Gunners too!
Well, I think every guy would celebrate the return of the English football season. To those who are single, there is now something to look forward to during the weekends. And to those who are not single, it’s time to look up the internet or survival kits on how to make up excuses to your spouses to avoid making arrangements on football nights. Who’s your pick to win the EPL this time? Will it be Man U again? Will Arsene Wenger’s men be determined enough to win it back from Man U after last year’s fall at the last hurdle? Will it be only one season for the Roman army that is Chelsea to build the beginning of their new empire in English football? Or will it be Liverpool’s year to end a drought that has lasted 13 years now since they last won the League? The drama and suspense will unfold come May 2004.
Go Gunners!
Sunday, October 05, 2003
Another weekend at the office
My.. how time flies. It felt like only yesterday that I made my last posting here, when in actual fact it has been 4 months. Pheww... and how so many things have happened in that same time. I remember when I did my last posting about my toilet extravaganza, I just sat for my ACCA exams. Which probably explains why I was in a such literary mood at that time. I guess studying in your spare time does that to you. I know I've been so quiet since that it's a wonder that I still have hits coming into September. Well, perhaps it wouldn't come too much of a surprise if you realise that I've got a strong backing for visitors with my site being generously listed in Sarini's blog. I could not thank you enough Sarini. You tips and pointers on blogging will come in useful.
At the moment, it is another busy season for me at work. I was in the office yesterday, and nearly went again today if not for a family engagement that my mother insists I could not skip (among the things mothers will say to corner you into submission). September being the half-year of my company's financial period, it is the time of half year audit and performance reporting to the company board. What will make it more interesting this time is that for the first time, I would have to be at the forefront of all the action, since my senior colleague, who's been the person in charge all this while, will be going on maternity leave. I am feeling kinda anxious about the prospect of being passed the reins completely. Of course, I've never backed from a challenge and would relish the prospect. I do feel it is high time for me to be given something meatier at work. Hey, you would never know how tough you are until you scale a real challenge right? When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.. hehe.. which means regular attendance for me at the office over weekends for the next few weeks. With a life like this, who needs a social life right? Haha.. I'm talking from my backside again.
I hope to post more interesting stuffs here more regularly from now on. Sorry my blog environment is rather bland. I'm either too IT illiterate to put some extras to my blog make-up, or just too cheapskate to spend on the means that would allow me to do so. Any suggestion out there on how I could improve the make-up of my blog? Don't expect any free gifts for great suggestions though.. : - )
My.. how time flies. It felt like only yesterday that I made my last posting here, when in actual fact it has been 4 months. Pheww... and how so many things have happened in that same time. I remember when I did my last posting about my toilet extravaganza, I just sat for my ACCA exams. Which probably explains why I was in a such literary mood at that time. I guess studying in your spare time does that to you. I know I've been so quiet since that it's a wonder that I still have hits coming into September. Well, perhaps it wouldn't come too much of a surprise if you realise that I've got a strong backing for visitors with my site being generously listed in Sarini's blog. I could not thank you enough Sarini. You tips and pointers on blogging will come in useful.
At the moment, it is another busy season for me at work. I was in the office yesterday, and nearly went again today if not for a family engagement that my mother insists I could not skip (among the things mothers will say to corner you into submission). September being the half-year of my company's financial period, it is the time of half year audit and performance reporting to the company board. What will make it more interesting this time is that for the first time, I would have to be at the forefront of all the action, since my senior colleague, who's been the person in charge all this while, will be going on maternity leave. I am feeling kinda anxious about the prospect of being passed the reins completely. Of course, I've never backed from a challenge and would relish the prospect. I do feel it is high time for me to be given something meatier at work. Hey, you would never know how tough you are until you scale a real challenge right? When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.. hehe.. which means regular attendance for me at the office over weekends for the next few weeks. With a life like this, who needs a social life right? Haha.. I'm talking from my backside again.
I hope to post more interesting stuffs here more regularly from now on. Sorry my blog environment is rather bland. I'm either too IT illiterate to put some extras to my blog make-up, or just too cheapskate to spend on the means that would allow me to do so. Any suggestion out there on how I could improve the make-up of my blog? Don't expect any free gifts for great suggestions though.. : - )
Monday, June 09, 2003
Of Faulty Toilets And Critical Moments
I was in a very critical situation today. The slightest movement that I made could have made the difference between disaster and safety. I was experienced however, the same situation had happened to me a number of times before. Therefore, I was patient, and I was calm. I knew the slightest mistake could make this entrapment into a bloody mess. I stood still without moving a muscle, and after what felt like forever, the water level in the toilet bowl with the automatic flush ebbed, just enough to allow me to make an escape before the predatory toilet would flush again.
I wonder how many others had had the same experience before? It is kinda sad when technology meant to make things easier for you could potentially make you a victim of faulty technology. The first time it happened to me, I wasn't too lucky. I was kinda naive back then, and when the water level rushed to the tip of the bowl, I panicked and moved too much (what anybody who is trying to put his pants on would do, even more so in such a critical moment). I ended up spending an extra 30 minutes or so washing up my feet and slippers from the incident. The second time it happened, my reaction was faster however. As the water level rushed up menacingly once again, thinking more of avoiding the 'excretes' of over 20-30 people on that floor sticking to my feet, I just ran out from the cubicle in my own natural state. Lucky for me, in that exact moment I made the escape, the toilet was empty. Had it not been, I guess I would have been remembered for eternity by people (and if I'm even more unfortunate, staffs of the future) on the floor for my commando appearance. Believe me, it's not really funny when it happens to you. You'll have to wait for at least 5 minutes, in the state that you are when water level had risen, before you could make any move. And that is if the toilet block is not so bad. The reason why I ran out the cubicle the second time was because I had been in there for more than 15 minutes, and I was ready to take the risk of my escape. Of course, I took my cue from the sounds of people coming in and out of the toilet.
Tips for anyone out there if you ever face the same predicament:
1. Stand up and stand still, and hold onto your belongings, pants etc. There is a sensor near the toilet bowl that would sense any movements before it flushes once again. Remember, any sort of movement is dangerous. Do not underestimate the tolet bowl sensor.
2. Be prepared for the inevitable, and rush out from the cubicle. Weigh your options. Listen for the movements in the toilet for your escape, and make sure you move swiftly (if you are not wearing anything especially) to the next cubicle before anyone comes in. Some practice from running around cones would be a useful exercise for this purpose.
3. If you are still in the cubicle, standing still waiting for the water to ebb, wait until the water has at least dropped to less than half of the bowl. Then do what you have to do, put on your pants, open the door and make for it. You would have one flush and a half to make your exit without getting stained with 'brownies'.
Good luck trying (though I hope you won't ever have to!). Indiana Jones would have been proud...
I was in a very critical situation today. The slightest movement that I made could have made the difference between disaster and safety. I was experienced however, the same situation had happened to me a number of times before. Therefore, I was patient, and I was calm. I knew the slightest mistake could make this entrapment into a bloody mess. I stood still without moving a muscle, and after what felt like forever, the water level in the toilet bowl with the automatic flush ebbed, just enough to allow me to make an escape before the predatory toilet would flush again.
I wonder how many others had had the same experience before? It is kinda sad when technology meant to make things easier for you could potentially make you a victim of faulty technology. The first time it happened to me, I wasn't too lucky. I was kinda naive back then, and when the water level rushed to the tip of the bowl, I panicked and moved too much (what anybody who is trying to put his pants on would do, even more so in such a critical moment). I ended up spending an extra 30 minutes or so washing up my feet and slippers from the incident. The second time it happened, my reaction was faster however. As the water level rushed up menacingly once again, thinking more of avoiding the 'excretes' of over 20-30 people on that floor sticking to my feet, I just ran out from the cubicle in my own natural state. Lucky for me, in that exact moment I made the escape, the toilet was empty. Had it not been, I guess I would have been remembered for eternity by people (and if I'm even more unfortunate, staffs of the future) on the floor for my commando appearance. Believe me, it's not really funny when it happens to you. You'll have to wait for at least 5 minutes, in the state that you are when water level had risen, before you could make any move. And that is if the toilet block is not so bad. The reason why I ran out the cubicle the second time was because I had been in there for more than 15 minutes, and I was ready to take the risk of my escape. Of course, I took my cue from the sounds of people coming in and out of the toilet.
Tips for anyone out there if you ever face the same predicament:
1. Stand up and stand still, and hold onto your belongings, pants etc. There is a sensor near the toilet bowl that would sense any movements before it flushes once again. Remember, any sort of movement is dangerous. Do not underestimate the tolet bowl sensor.
2. Be prepared for the inevitable, and rush out from the cubicle. Weigh your options. Listen for the movements in the toilet for your escape, and make sure you move swiftly (if you are not wearing anything especially) to the next cubicle before anyone comes in. Some practice from running around cones would be a useful exercise for this purpose.
3. If you are still in the cubicle, standing still waiting for the water to ebb, wait until the water has at least dropped to less than half of the bowl. Then do what you have to do, put on your pants, open the door and make for it. You would have one flush and a half to make your exit without getting stained with 'brownies'.
Good luck trying (though I hope you won't ever have to!). Indiana Jones would have been proud...
Sunday, May 11, 2003
Movie Watch: "AI: Artificial Intelligence"
Being in the midst of a very busy season in the accounting field, I have not been able to find the decent time to write recently. Thank goodness I have a good friend who's been kind enough to assist me in improvising the looks of my Blog while I was away. The Blog could have been in danger of being listed as a museum item without your help Sarini. Thanks... :-)
Among the things I will be writing in my blog would be my review of the movies that I've recently watched. Hopefully, this will become a permanent feature in my postings, and I would be more than happy to receive feedbacks on my reviews from others.
I watched AI : Artificial Intelligence on HBO last night, and I have to say it was the most moving story that I've read or seen in a long time. Before I watched the movie, I had heard people reviewing the movie as the 'modern day Pinocchio'. To be honest, that does not give a fair impression of what the movie is really about. In synopsis, in the not-so-far future the polar ice caps of earth have melted and the resulting raise of the ocean waters has drowned all the coastal cities of the world. Withdrawn to the interior of the continents, the human race keeps advancing, reaching to the point of creating realistic robots (called mechas) to serve him. One of the mecha-producing companies builds David (starring Haley Joel Osment), an artificial kid which is the first to have real feelings, especially a never-ending love for his "mother", Monica. Monica is the woman who adopted him as a substitute for her real son, who remains in cryo-stasis, stricken by an incurable disease. David is living happily with Monica and her husband, but when their real son (Martin) returns home after a cure is discovered, his life changes dramatically.
The drama is set when the mecha David, having a particular software downloaded into him by his 'mother' Monica to enable him to love like a real human, finds that he can't compete for Monica's love with her real son Martin. As a result of this, to add to the result of 'sibling' jealousy from Martin, David increasingly becomes a liability to the family and was eventually dumped away by the family. And so began David's journey to find the Blue Fairy (the fairy that turns Pinocchio into a real boy in the fairy tale) with the hope that he could also be turned into a real boy, and win back the love of his 'mother'.
The most touching aspect of the movie is the undying love that David has for Monica that lives with him for eternity. The childlike belief that there is a real Blue Fairy that could turn him into a real boy, and fulfill his wishes to win back the love of a 'mother' who dumped him, and the perilous journey that he took to find the Blue Fairy. What would you do if you actually met David and he asked you where could he find the Blue Fairy so that he could be turned into a real boy so that his mother could love him again? What happened at the end of the movie was enough to bring lumps to my throat and made me struggle to hold back tears. And to think, I’d usually laugh at my sister when her pipe works keep bursting in the midst of Hindustan movies.
Some good messages that can be taken from the movie:
1. Loving and making someone to love you is a very big responsibility. Love is perhaps the most difficult, if not impossible, feeling to erase, and once you have loved, that feeling will stay with you forever. Unrequited love will leave behind scars that will remain with one till death. So be careful when you sow the seeds of love with someone. Someone once made an analogy about love with fishing. Once a fish has taken bait, the scar from biting the bait will stay with it forever. Even if you throw the fish back into the water, it will live the rest of its life in pain as a result of that scar. And so will someone who has been loved and unloved.
2. True friends will stick by you even under the direst circumstance. There is nothing as reassuring than to know that there’s always someone there to hold your hand and walk with you when you’re down in the dumps. Someone who is always there to tell you that you’re never alone, that I’ll always be here with you. A teddy can surprisingly be more reassuring than you would think. :-)
3. Nothing is as pure as an innocent child’s love for his mother. And vice versa. I wonder if it was a coincidence that the movie was shown on Mother’s Day.
And then, some interesting facts about the movie that you might not have known:
1. When work began on the movie in 1993, Joseph Mazzello, who was the kid who starred in Jurassic Park in 1993, was cast as David.
2. Spielberg used the water-filled set from Perfect Storm, The (2000) for the flooded world of the future in this movie.
3. One of the reasons for Kubrick waiting so long to make the film, is that he wanted David (Haley Joel Osment's character) to be played by a robot.
4. The movie was originally to be titled A.I., but after a survey it was revealed that too many people thought it was A1. The title was changed to A.I. Artificial Intelligence to prevent people from thinking it was about steak sauce.
5. The film shows the World Trade Center towers standing 2,000 years in the future.
That's Pinocchio for you...
Being in the midst of a very busy season in the accounting field, I have not been able to find the decent time to write recently. Thank goodness I have a good friend who's been kind enough to assist me in improvising the looks of my Blog while I was away. The Blog could have been in danger of being listed as a museum item without your help Sarini. Thanks... :-)
Among the things I will be writing in my blog would be my review of the movies that I've recently watched. Hopefully, this will become a permanent feature in my postings, and I would be more than happy to receive feedbacks on my reviews from others.
I watched AI : Artificial Intelligence on HBO last night, and I have to say it was the most moving story that I've read or seen in a long time. Before I watched the movie, I had heard people reviewing the movie as the 'modern day Pinocchio'. To be honest, that does not give a fair impression of what the movie is really about. In synopsis, in the not-so-far future the polar ice caps of earth have melted and the resulting raise of the ocean waters has drowned all the coastal cities of the world. Withdrawn to the interior of the continents, the human race keeps advancing, reaching to the point of creating realistic robots (called mechas) to serve him. One of the mecha-producing companies builds David (starring Haley Joel Osment), an artificial kid which is the first to have real feelings, especially a never-ending love for his "mother", Monica. Monica is the woman who adopted him as a substitute for her real son, who remains in cryo-stasis, stricken by an incurable disease. David is living happily with Monica and her husband, but when their real son (Martin) returns home after a cure is discovered, his life changes dramatically.
The drama is set when the mecha David, having a particular software downloaded into him by his 'mother' Monica to enable him to love like a real human, finds that he can't compete for Monica's love with her real son Martin. As a result of this, to add to the result of 'sibling' jealousy from Martin, David increasingly becomes a liability to the family and was eventually dumped away by the family. And so began David's journey to find the Blue Fairy (the fairy that turns Pinocchio into a real boy in the fairy tale) with the hope that he could also be turned into a real boy, and win back the love of his 'mother'.
The most touching aspect of the movie is the undying love that David has for Monica that lives with him for eternity. The childlike belief that there is a real Blue Fairy that could turn him into a real boy, and fulfill his wishes to win back the love of a 'mother' who dumped him, and the perilous journey that he took to find the Blue Fairy. What would you do if you actually met David and he asked you where could he find the Blue Fairy so that he could be turned into a real boy so that his mother could love him again? What happened at the end of the movie was enough to bring lumps to my throat and made me struggle to hold back tears. And to think, I’d usually laugh at my sister when her pipe works keep bursting in the midst of Hindustan movies.
Some good messages that can be taken from the movie:
1. Loving and making someone to love you is a very big responsibility. Love is perhaps the most difficult, if not impossible, feeling to erase, and once you have loved, that feeling will stay with you forever. Unrequited love will leave behind scars that will remain with one till death. So be careful when you sow the seeds of love with someone. Someone once made an analogy about love with fishing. Once a fish has taken bait, the scar from biting the bait will stay with it forever. Even if you throw the fish back into the water, it will live the rest of its life in pain as a result of that scar. And so will someone who has been loved and unloved.
2. True friends will stick by you even under the direst circumstance. There is nothing as reassuring than to know that there’s always someone there to hold your hand and walk with you when you’re down in the dumps. Someone who is always there to tell you that you’re never alone, that I’ll always be here with you. A teddy can surprisingly be more reassuring than you would think. :-)
3. Nothing is as pure as an innocent child’s love for his mother. And vice versa. I wonder if it was a coincidence that the movie was shown on Mother’s Day.
And then, some interesting facts about the movie that you might not have known:
1. When work began on the movie in 1993, Joseph Mazzello, who was the kid who starred in Jurassic Park in 1993, was cast as David.
2. Spielberg used the water-filled set from Perfect Storm, The (2000) for the flooded world of the future in this movie.
3. One of the reasons for Kubrick waiting so long to make the film, is that he wanted David (Haley Joel Osment's character) to be played by a robot.
4. The movie was originally to be titled A.I., but after a survey it was revealed that too many people thought it was A1. The title was changed to A.I. Artificial Intelligence to prevent people from thinking it was about steak sauce.
5. The film shows the World Trade Center towers standing 2,000 years in the future.
That's Pinocchio for you...
Thursday, May 08, 2003
Friday, April 18, 2003
The Blog's 1st Day
It's been a rather uneventful first day for the blog. There is so much to do in terms of facial construction. Feels like a person who's just moved to a new house with no furnitures. I have managed to get the services of a professional to help me with designing the make up of my blog. So she's gonna be like an interior designer to my blog before I would dare to commercialise it and invite more people to my blog warming. I managed to get her to put up a comment engine on my blog today, so feel free anyone to drop a comment or 2. Promised my consultant that she'll get free advertisement rights and perhaps a trip or two to the local Baskin Robbins for her services. That's the price I pay for having a female consultant. Oh well, it could have been worse. Hehe!
Thanks a lot Sarini. :-)
It's been a rather uneventful first day for the blog. There is so much to do in terms of facial construction. Feels like a person who's just moved to a new house with no furnitures. I have managed to get the services of a professional to help me with designing the make up of my blog. So she's gonna be like an interior designer to my blog before I would dare to commercialise it and invite more people to my blog warming. I managed to get her to put up a comment engine on my blog today, so feel free anyone to drop a comment or 2. Promised my consultant that she'll get free advertisement rights and perhaps a trip or two to the local Baskin Robbins for her services. That's the price I pay for having a female consultant. Oh well, it could have been worse. Hehe!
Thanks a lot Sarini. :-)
Thursday, April 17, 2003
The Birth of Izwan's Blog
Hello everyone out there! If there's anyone out there that is. Am finally trying out the blog world, having browsed around a few blogs on the net that inspired me enough to create one of my own. Well, as a new born blog, I guess it is only natural that the blog is filled with enthusiasm (either that, or it was something that I had for dinner tonight). The running commentaries in my head have always made me itch to write my mind out, but really I've never really found the proper avenue for me to do so. Recently, a friend mine started her own blog space, and I have to say I'm inspired by the idea (after initially dismissing it!). Hopefully the running commentary in my head will be consistent enough for me to provide updates to this blog, and that I would have enough hits to motivate me enough to continue (hey, everyone has to have the motivation to continue living). Since I really am an IT illiterate by today's standard, you'll have to bear with me with the limitations of this blog's appearance. So many ideas but very little know-how. It is rather frustrating. Then again I guess, just like a new born, you don't get to walk and run immediately. Bad excuse for an IT illiterate eh? Hehe... I am trying here.
Hopefully this blog won't just die off like another statistic of infant mortality (hangat2 taik ayam le tuh!). I guess the best part of the internet community is that you get to die off quietly without even getting noticed (apart from to close friends whom you've been commercialising your blog to). So it seems that I've got not much to lose. We'll see where it goes from here....
Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to Izwan's Blog!
Hello everyone out there! If there's anyone out there that is. Am finally trying out the blog world, having browsed around a few blogs on the net that inspired me enough to create one of my own. Well, as a new born blog, I guess it is only natural that the blog is filled with enthusiasm (either that, or it was something that I had for dinner tonight). The running commentaries in my head have always made me itch to write my mind out, but really I've never really found the proper avenue for me to do so. Recently, a friend mine started her own blog space, and I have to say I'm inspired by the idea (after initially dismissing it!). Hopefully the running commentary in my head will be consistent enough for me to provide updates to this blog, and that I would have enough hits to motivate me enough to continue (hey, everyone has to have the motivation to continue living). Since I really am an IT illiterate by today's standard, you'll have to bear with me with the limitations of this blog's appearance. So many ideas but very little know-how. It is rather frustrating. Then again I guess, just like a new born, you don't get to walk and run immediately. Bad excuse for an IT illiterate eh? Hehe... I am trying here.
Hopefully this blog won't just die off like another statistic of infant mortality (hangat2 taik ayam le tuh!). I guess the best part of the internet community is that you get to die off quietly without even getting noticed (apart from to close friends whom you've been commercialising your blog to). So it seems that I've got not much to lose. We'll see where it goes from here....
Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to Izwan's Blog!
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