#Ramadhan Al-Mubarak

Tinggal bebrapa jam sahaja lagi kita akan menerima kunjungan tetamu mulia bernama Ramadan. Namun ada beberapa corak yg dpt diperhatikan setiap kali Ramadan menjelma. 

Dialog yg dikitar semula setiap Ramadan, 

“tak elok buat…..(mcm2-mcm boleh diisi), bulan puasa ni”.

Fikir, elok sangatkah perkara itu dilakukan pada bulan lain?

Mengapa banyak perlakuan sesetengah orang hanya dikhaskan utk bulan Ramadan? Mengapa terdapat perkara yg hanya diberikan tumpuan utk bulan ini sahaja. Sedangkan hukum bagi yg halal dan haram tidak berubah mengikut bulan; kalender hijriah mahupun masehi.

Walaupun ramai bercadang utk meningkatkan amal, ramai juga yg hanya bercadang utk mengambil ‘cuti’ daripada melakukan maksiat. Perbuatan ini boleh diibaratkan sebagai mengambil ‘cuti tidak bergaji’ tanpa sebarang perancangan semasa bercuti dan susulan. Bagi yg merancang utk bercuti, dinasihatkan kepada mereka agar terus berhenti daripada pekerjaan (melakukan maksiat) itu. Hantarlah surat perletakan jawatan kepada diri sendiri. Tidaklah ingin pergi ke tahap melampau dengan melabel sesetengah org menjadi hipokrit di bulan Ramadan. Namun tingkah laku manusia membuatkan agak sukar utk mengelak daripada berfikiran begitu.

Bulan Ramadan ini elok dijadikan sebagai bulan transisi. Dihujung bulan ini sepatutnya kita ada penambahan nilai (value added) kepada diri. Jadikan hari ini, minggu ini, bulan ini, tahun ini, fasa hidup ini lebih baik daripada yang sebelumnya.

Biometrics

Biometric verification involves identifying someone through one of their unique biological traits. Biometric authentication is based on the measurement of a physical or behavioral trait that makes each individual unique. The process of identification relies on a computer-driven system that collects unique biological identifiers like fingerprints, retina scans, or digital photos, digitizes them, and stores them in a central database. Other biological traits includes outline of a hand, ear shape, voice patterns, and even body odor. 

Body odor? I don't even want to know how that works.

A biometric identification system is supposed to make identification more secure by making identity theft more difficult. This argument is used by the EC as their means to get rid of phantom voters.

Proponents list the benefits of biometric includes security, automation and convenience. According to Simeio Solutions, it's not possible to re-engineer a fingerprint if advanced biometric systems such as provided by themselves or BioGuard is used. The system would never hold a picture of biological identifiers, as the image is immediately encoded into binary and the photograph destroyed. Thus making it an unusable junk.

Binary form (0110100001101001)

Apple Got More Cash Than the US Gov

 U.S. is by far the world's largest economy, with estimated GDP of $14.62 trillion in 2010, according to the IMF. However, the US government now has less cash to spend than Apple. According to the US Treasury, the country has an operating cash balance of $73.7bn. This is in comparison to Apple's reserves of $76.4bn according to their latest financial report.

London Olympics Medal - Nike the Goddess

The 2012 London Olympics logo which have been criticized by Iran

The more you know, the more you don't know. True. I never learn about Greek mythology and I've haven't really read about news surrounding the Olympic Games. There are numerous Greek mythology figures, which is unfamiliar to me, except for those which are famous; Zeus, Poseidon, Athena etc. But a particular Greek goddess, unknowingly, is very familiar to me. The goddess referred to here is Nike, the Greek Goddess of Victory. I've been using Nike's sports apparel for decades and this piece of information have successfully dodge me.

The medal that would be presented to the victorious at the London Olympics 2012 have been unveiled. The designer of the medal is British artist David Watkins. This is the news which introduced me to the existence of the goddess Nike.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/jul/27/london-2012-gold-medals-launch

Photograph: LOCOG
 

A little bit about Nike. She would be 'summoned' by people in ancient Greece to assist them to be victorious in everything from athletic contests to business and politics. She is called Victoria by the Roman people. Nike is seen as a beautiful athletic winged woman, usually holding a laurel and a palm branch. 

Nike was very much connected to the Olympics. Legend have it that Zeus would send her to earth to crown the victors of the games. There is a statue of Nike in the Museum of Olympia. Her presence in the Olympic games could still be felt until today. From the year1896 to 2002, Nike has featured on one side of the medal giving to winning athletes.

Past medal which featured Nike

George Soros Closing Hedge Fund

 George Soros

Its not the news that got my attention, but the person in the news.

The man accused by Tun Dr Mahathir to ruin Malaysia's economy with his massive currency speculation (apologized in 2006), would no longer risking other people's money. It emerged that George Soros is to close his hedge fund to outside investors. New regulations that require investment advisers to register with the SEC is said to be the culprit behind his decision. By the end of this year, his Soros Fund Management LLC will have no outside customers for the first time in 42 years. However, the rules exempt funds that are run on behalf of a family, so Mr Soros's firm will manage only his own pot of investments amounting to $25bn from now on.

Sepak Takraw - Toughest Sport On The Planet?

Old - Rattan made                           New - Synthetic rubber

I've played the game back in 1998-99, and for me, the sport is not as overwhelming as it looks. This however depends on the level of experience. Whats for sure; its not the type of game which you could straight away play, though I think the takraw is easier to control with your feet than a football. But it has to be said that the ball is hard.

Each side would have three players. Service guy, feeder, and the crazy acrobatic kung fu-esque SOG. Since i'm not the ultra flexible type, normally my role would be confined as the servicer (tekong) or feeder. But that was a long time ago. I'm even shorter than the net at that time...

In Malaysia the game was once known as sepak raga (basket made out of rattan). I think this is a sport which has been used as a diplomatic game between Malaysia and Thailand back then.

£3billion Yacht a Hoax?

Seems my skepticism is true. Now there are news coming out stating that the reported £3bn yacht purchased by a anon Malaysian businessman is not true. This is not surprising since the news originated from the UK. Some newspaper even went across the line in order to get the latest news (or should I say scandal). News of the World phone-hacking scandal is a prime example.

 Abramovic's Eclipse

The first thing that came to my mind when I first heard the news was how would a £3billion yacht look like? The closest thing that I could find is an artist impression of a £700mn yacht.The biggest yacht known is owned by Chelsea F.C owner, Roman Abramovic. The size of his 'Eclipse' is 557 foot.

Artist impression of a £700mn yacht

Words I Never Said - Partial Lyrics

Hip Hop nowadays is full of crap! Its very frustrating to hear a sick beat being wasted with atrocious lyrics. What a waste!
But I'm glad there are still fresh HH songs with lyrics worthy of listening and digesting.
Here is some of the lyrics of Lupe Fiasco's Words I Never Said (Feat. Skylar Grey). You can google the full lyrics.

[Skylar Grey]
It’s so loud Inside my head
With words that I should have said!
As I drown in my regrets
I can’t take back the words I never said

[Lupe Fiasco]
I really think the war on terror is a bunch of bullshit
Just a poor excuse for you to use up all your bullets
How much money does it take to really make a full clip
9/11 building 7 did they really pull it
Uhh, And a bunch of other cover ups
Your childs future was the first to go with budget cuts
If you think that hurts then, wait here comes the uppercut
The school was garbage in the first place, thats on the up and up
Keep you at the bottom but tease you with the uppercrust
You get it then they move you so you never keeping up enough
If you turn on TV all you see’s a bunch of “what the f-cks”
Dude is dating so and so blabbering bout such and such
And that aint Jersey Shore, homie thats the news
And these the same people that supposed to be telling us the truth
Limbaugh is a racist, Glenn Beck is a racist
Gaza strip was getting bombed, Obama didn’t say shit
Thats why I aint vote for him, next one either
I’ma part of the problem, my problem is I’m peaceful
And I believe in the people.

The Third Series of Malaysian Coins

From BNM:

Starting from early next year, a new series (3rd) of coins would be replacing the current series (2nd) which have been in circulation for two decades. The design embodies the values of our nation. The coins would also be smaller and lighter.

 The New Coins in Comparison to the Old Series

The new 50 sen and 20 sen would be gold in color. So we can pretend to constantly having gold in our possession since the gold price have gone mad. If you're interested on the symbolism of the design, head to the BNM site:

http://www.bnm.gov.my/microsites/2011/coins/index.htm

Malaysia and Australia One-off Deal

Malaysia and Australia is expected to sign an agreement in which Malaysia would take 800 asylum seekers in exchange for the resettlement of 4,000 of Australia's refugees today.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/7/25/nation/9166039&sec=nation

According to BBC News:

"Malaysia is home to tens of thousands of illegal migrants and is not a signatory to UN conventions on refugees."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-14245568

I just found out about this information, so for further elaboration on UN conventions of refugees:

http://www.unhcr.org/pages/49da0e466.html

Penang Assam Laksa - #7 on the 50 Most Delicious Foods List

I think everyone love to eat. But trying to discover something new which is good might be hard. Well CNNgo have produced a list of 50 most delicious food from around the globe. Out of all the food in Malaysia, I didn't think that the Penang assam laksa would make the list, let alone being in the top 10. Sorry, I dont have any picture. But you can check out the actual source.

I'm not so sure of some items on the list. But this is just an opinion.

http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/eat/worlds-50-most-delicious-foods-067535

Israel Jailing Palestinian Children

Palestinians children are jailed under the Israel's military court. Some of them are as young as 12 years old. Most of them were 'convicted' for throwing stones to Israeli soldiers (inside a tank?). The military court accuse these children of being exploited by "terror groups". Well after what Israel have done, there's no need for influence from any terror group to force the children to act this way.

I like this article since it mention a fact often neglected:

"The West Bank and East Jerusalem have been occupied by Israel since 1967."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-14189730

Oslo Bombing Suspect - Anders Behring Breivik - A Far-Right Islamophobe

The suspect

So much to those who easily come to the conclusion that the culprit behind the bombings were Muslim terrorist. Its quite disturbing how many expert analyst can come to this conclusion almost instantly. It turns out the suspect is reported to have had links with right-wing extremists. This should be a reminder to us that every ideology and religion has its dark side.

At least 92 people died in the two separate incident.

The suspect, Anders Behring Breivik, 32, has admitted responsibility to the youth camp massacre and the bombing prior. Police also suspect the existence of an accomplice. The suspect appeared in an anti-Muslim video called Knights Templar 2083, which appeared briefly on YouTube. The suspect is due to appear in court on Monday.

For further details http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14265094

Album Review - Chase ans Status, No More Idols

Albums and movies are reviewed after I digested them thoroughly. So there might be some old stuff reviewed.

I'm not a fan of trance, dubstep or breakbeat music since it tends to be quite repetitive musically and lyrically. And repetitiveness makes me dizzy and bored. However after several listen to this album, the music is very dynamic. There would be a surprise change of pace in the songs. No More Idols is an album made of multiple genre, one that cram together a hundred genres, from trance to breakbeat, hip hop to rock, always keeping the listener on their toes. 

Chase and Status are known for their attention to detail, and No More Idols is no exception. Everything on offer has been polished to pristine condition, and delicately assembled. I really appreciate how they play around the songs composition and keep them interesting. The best song to illustrate the change of pace is "Fool Yourself". The production of this album is massive, and the album is packed with memorable melodies, beats and meaningful repetitive raps.

I would call the album as a successful experiment.  


Songs that manage to creep into my ipod:


No Problem
Blind Faith
Fool Yourself
Let You Go

Quality Service + Low Cost = Concern for Others

Congratulations for Air Asia!

Air Asia is expanding its operation. If the new jv could bring ANA's legendary in flight services together with Air Asia's affordable price tag, it could be a concern for other airline companies. Everyone who had experienced ANA airline inflight services would agree that even in the economy class, they will treat you as if you are flying in business class. I did not expect much since that's normally what you get flying in economy class (EC). However since Ive mentally prepared to fly in EC, un-expecting that kind of services to come my way, I might exaggerate the story a little. The stewardess would attend to you at short intervals, which to an extent felt 'uncomfortable'. But this is not in any way a bad thing. 

The only problem that AirAsia might face in their quest of expansion is how to convince people to chose 'no frills' for longer flight. Its common to see people traveling short distance on budget airlines since the small seating space and the absence of food is tolerated with the reasonable distance and ticket price. However the idea of a longer flight might not be suitable at the time being. Ive met people who travel to destinations which took a 20+ hours flight. All of them agree on one thing; they are willing to pay more to fly at least in the business class. However this view is shared by people 35 years and above and has the means to purchase tickets at a higher price. 

Borders (bookstore) is Closing

It is sad to hear from the Borders CEO, Mike Edwards that:

"Borders will be closing its doors after more than 40 years of igniting the love of reading in generations of customers."

After more than three decades of business, Borders Group Inc. filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy and currently seeks approval to liquidate its assets.

It is sad to see Borders to go out of business. But the inability to find a solution to keep them as a going concern have caused the inevitable fate. However the fate of Borders outside US including in Malaysia is still unclear.

They have started their going out of business sale in the US.

The going-out-of-business sale is still on going as of this date (10/8/2011). Base on the trend set by Tower Records, the sale might continue till the discount reaches 70-80%.

£3billion Yacht: Able to Purchase Manchester United With Half That Money!

I am still skeptical about this news.

The wealthiest businessman (known) in Malaysia is Tan Sri Robert Kuok with an estimated value of US$12.5bn according to Forbes Asia. Translating to £7.7bn. And to spend £3billion for a yacht? He wont be that rich if hes not wise in spending. So who else in Malaysia can afford?

Sounds like a wild accusation since it seems that this type of spending normally linked to people from the Middle East.

 Is that gold on the outside? better watch out for pirates!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2016839/Luxury-yacht-make-Roman-Abramovich-jealous-sells-3bn.html

But nothing is impossible in Malaysia. He might be interested to invest in gold? what do I know... 

For that amount of money, he could easily bought Manchester United Football Club. That might "just" cost him around £1.5bn at most. It would also be a good investment since the club top Forbes list of world's richest football clubs. Valued at £1.13bn and still growing.

I suspect this article from forbes.com has something to do with this news:
http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-40516203

Fake Apple Stores in China!

Before being hypnotized by the price of electronics in China, think twice. They are famous for their grade 'AAA' counterfeit items.

Now there been fake Apple stores spotted in China.  But judging from the appearance of the store, it is very close to the real thing. The store even manage to deceive their own staff which "many of whom were convinced that they were employed by the US electronics firm." The store was spotted in Kunming, Yunnan province.

"Apple never writes 'Apple Store' on its signs" illustrated in the pictures below

 Apple San Francisco

Apple Store Tysons Corner

Here in Malaysia, there is no Apple Store available. So examples from the US are used instead. There are only some Apple's authorized reseller here (Machines, Switch, etc.). So there's no need to worry.

British Museum to stage Hajj exhibition

 

Epic View

*1

One of the five pillars of Islam central to Muslim belief. Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca that every Muslim must make at least once in their lifetime if they can afford it physically and financially.

The British Museum had planned to stage the largest exhibition on the hajj early 2012.

Hopefully, this would help people to understand and learn more about the second largest religion on the planet.

It seems that people are really interested to know more about the hajj and Mecca. As now, National Geographic's inside Mecca is the most downloaded documentary on the internet.