Fun with numbers

Ned Akechi in his blog listed some mathematical wonders. Have a look and I'm pretty sure that you'll be amazed, to say the least.

In any case, I'd like to share a story attributed to Sayyidina 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib, the fourth caliph of the Khulafa' al-Rashidin. It was said that there was an old man who died and left a strange will which was impossible to be carried out.

He had three sons and he also had 17 camels. In his will, he wanted his eldest son to get 1/2 of the camels, his middle son to get 1/3 of the camels, while his youngest son to get 1/9 of the camels.

Everyone was astounded. How could it be possible to divide the camels in such a way? As such, the matter was brought to Sayyidina 'Ali to be decided upon. The caliph gave it some thought, and decided that in order to make things simple, he was willing to give one of his camels, so that the total would now be 18.

And so, the will was thus able to be carried out. The first son got 1/2 of 18, which was 9 camels. The second son got 1/3 of 18, which was 6 camels. The third son got 1/9 of 18, which was 2 camels.

When the camels were distributed accordingly among the sons, there was one camel left (because 9+6+2 = 17). Since the problem had been solved, Sayyidina 'Ali took back his camel.

Fascinating, isn't it?

P.S. For another such story which was blogged many many moons ago, here's the link.

Fanboy fantasy

Okay, I admit I'm a sucker for comic superheroes and fantasies. And when these characters are adapted to the big screen, I anticipate eagerly for the show. That is why I watched the Lord of the Rings trilogy on their opening nights. Likewise, I was also thrilled when the X-Men and Spider-Man movies were shown.

So, for 2007, there's only one movie that I really want to watch, and that is Spider-Man 3. In case anyone hasn't watched its trailer, here's the link. Alternatively, if you prefer YouTube, just click play below.

Enjoy!

Luxury item

This is my third day with a cold. This is the second time this year that I haven't been well. The first time was in February.

This time around, the cold itself isn't too bad, but somehow my body feels very exhausted. Perhaps it's just a way my body is telling me to take things easy and try to get some rest.

Somehow, rest has become a luxury for me these days.

Idiotic drivers

This afternoon, as I was leaving Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital (APSH), a car from the left lane suddenly changed lanes without signalling to go on to the right lane. He drove on to the parking pay booth on the right.

Ok... fine, I said.

Then suddenly when he was already on the right lane and was about a metre away from the pay booth, the car reversed... at full speed. I hit the horn, but then it was useless. The idiot's car hit my car, and there was a crash sound.

Ok... this is not fine...

I got out of the car, fuming. The idiot got out of his car, profusely saying he didn't see.

Didn't see? Where did you put your eyes? Didn't you learn to use your rear glass mirror when reversing? Perhaps, calling him an idiot was an understatement after all.

All my life, I've never fumed in public before. I gave him a piece of my mind. In a way, I was fortunate because my car wasn't badly damaged. There was only a slight dent near the Proton's logo. The idiot's car's back bumper was worse off. It cracked from the top down.

Serves him right, I said.

I then said to the idiot, "Jalan sajalah." I didn't want to keep anyone else waiting, what more it happened in a hospital compound. He drove off, without any apology. I drove off after paying my parking fee, still fuming.

And still cursing that idiot.

Even now.

Family outing

It has been quite a while since I took my family for an outing. In fact, yesterday's outing to the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park was the first since we had our son. An account of my son's excitement at his time at the KL Bird Park can be read at his blog.

It was good to be back at the bird park. The last time I was there was in 1999. The serene surroundings with birds flying certainly was a welcome change from the hustle-and-bustle of city life. For me at least, it was a good way to unwind, and the outing provided an opportunity for me to do a fair amount of walking.

Minor changes

Well, it's Saturday and I'm at the office. Not because there's work to be done, but I have to oversee some contractors finishing off their still uncompleted work. I blogged about this before.

Anyway, I decided to do some minor changes on this blog's sidebar. I have added a link to the Integrated Transport Information System or ITIS website under the heading "Useful Resources" (formerly "Web Resources"). Personally, I find information found on this website to be helpful for people driving around Klang Valley.

I have also added several links under the new heading "All Things Novel." The old heading used to be "E-Novels" but I've decided to incorporate other related links as well. Aside from e-novels, there are also links to novelists' sites as well as critiques of novels.

And I have deleted the heading "Web Discussions." Two of the links under this heading have been redesignated under other more relevant headings while one link has been taken off altogether.

Talk about nothing better to do on a Saturday. *Sigh*

Old newspaper

Something from 2004....

I came upon this as I was doing some Internet search on education. Of course, this is old news but I wasn't aware of it until today.

Apparently, YB Lim Kit Siang, the Head of Opposition in the Parliament issued this media statement way back in 2004. The full text can be read by double-clicking the link provided. But I'd just like to highlight the following:

I had [sic] glad that in the past fortnight, other voices had spoken out who clearly do not agree with Musa’s dismissal of Abdullah’s call for an “education revolution” as a mere “reminder” to the Education Ministry to “continue its present efforts to improve the education system”.

The New Straits Times, for instance, in its “Saturday Forum” on 17^th January 2004 carried as its major item the article entitled “Time for a second education revolution”, by IKIM fellow Shaikh Mohd Saifuddeen, supporting Abdullah’s call for a second education revolution (after the first “education revolution” under Tun Abdul Razak) to “overhaul and revolutionise the education system”.

In the New Sunday Times two days ago, the Vice Chancellor of Universiti Sains Malaysia Prof Datuk Dzulkifli Abdul Razak, referred to Abdullah’s call for an “education revolution” in the context of a process which has still to be undertaken rather than a process which is underway as contended by Musa – although Dzulkifli was writing in support of more “apolitical appointments” into the Cabinet.

The full context of my article can be read here. Most times, I try to avoid commenting on issues played as political rhetorics. But on certain occasions, there are important issues that needed to be touched on. And this - at that particular point in time - was one of them. I believe this issue is still relevant even today.

In any case, I am glad that the Opposition Leader agrees with me. Even though I may not be sharing his political stance or ideology, I am in a way happy that what I wrote was accepted without any political bias.

Snatched!

I was at IKIM this morning for breakfast, and was informed that one of the staff there is a victim of snatch theft. The incident occurred yesterday behind The Mall (near PWTC) after work when she was walking home. She lost important personal documents, ATM cards, a handphone and about RM800 in cash.

Most of us suspect that the thief has been eyeing her for some time. This is because every day she would use the same route to walk home. I suppose this is one lesson for us especially those who walk to and from work. Avoid using the same route everyday, and avoid quiet and dark alleys.

I know that this kind of incident can happen to anyone. That is why it's best to take precautions. While some people may view snatch theft as petty, I believe this crime is serious enough to warrant attention from everyone. We have seen incidents of snatch theft becoming ugly, when its victims went into a commatose state, or even died.

At least, the IKIM's staff was physically unhurt, but I am sure she is traumatised. We know from today's headline in The Star that the police is tackling the problem of organised criminals. Hopefully, the police will also crack down on snatch thieves, who are at best ad hoc criminals.

Housekeeping

For convenience to all visitors to this blog, I have made use of Blogger's labelling feature. For instance, if anyone is looking for all entries pertaining to "organ donation," all you need to do is just click at the label "organ donation."

I know I'm a bit late to jump on the labelling bandwagon, but I suppose, it's better late than never. In a way, this is a housekeeping exercise for this blog. And speaking of housekeeping, I'll be busy clearing up the mess in my office after the renovation that went on.

So not looking forward to that..., but it's something that needs to be done.

Organ donation write-up

It has been quite some time since I last touched on organ donation in my blog. This past month, there have been 2 organ donation-related events which I attended.

The first one was about a month ago, on 7th March, at the Universiti Kuala Lumpur MIAT campus in Sepang where a talk on this issue was given. I was one of the speakers, and the response was good. The write-up on this can be found in today's Berita Harian or alternatively read online here.

The second event took place on 21st March at Subang Sheraton Hotel. This was more of a dinner given in appreciation of the media coverage and publicity given to organ donation and other health-related issues in 2006. This event which is hosted by the Ministry of Health honoured journalists and photographers who have published outstanding articles and/or photographs.

Hopefully, even in this day and age run by the Internet, the conventional media can continue to play a greater role in promoting health awareness to the general public.

Blame it on the garuda

My room at the office is a mess. As stated in my previous blog entry, the office is undergoing some renovation work. The work which is supposed to be completed in 3 days, is still not completed. Worse still, the part that is still not done is the one in my office.

I have not been particularly productive since last Monday because of this renovation. It is difficult to do any work when you have workers coming in and out of your room - hammering, drilling, plastering and welding, and also don't forget - chatting, singing, shouting and smoking.

The Malay idiom, "seperti dilanggar garuda" (loosely translated, "after a garuda's attack") perhaps best describes my room. My room is dusty with furniture lying everywhere. [This is a gross understatement and a polite way of describing the condition of my room, by the way].

Truth be told, I can't go on like this. I hope they'll get the work done today. Or else, someone is going to get it. Then probably they'll know what would happen when a garuda attacks.

One year as a blogger

It's already after midnight, so officially it's already the 28th of March. I would have preferred to have this blogged on the 27th, but alas it was not meant to be. I got tied up with so many things today, and I was in Shah Alam for most of the day that I wasn't able to blog. Even if I was at the office, things were not conducive. The whole office is like a warzone because of the presence of workers doing some renovation work. I just couldn't focus with the noise, smoke and dust.

Anyhow, the 27th of March marks the first anniversary of TeropongSkop the blog. This is the blog's 180th post.

I've gained new friends, renewed friendship with old ones, and most importantly, the blogging experience has enabled me to better myself in more ways than one. Thank you for the support given, and insya-Allah I will continue blogging for as long as possible.

Lost in translation

I found this article online from a magazine called Onzewerld. I gather from the URL's address, the magazine is published in the Netherlands.

I can't understand the language, but can barely make out certain words. I believe this article is on modern Islam or Islam in the modern world; and incorporated interviews with well-known Malaysia columnists Karim Raslan and Farish Noor, and apparently myself. Truth be told, I had no recollection of being interviewed by someone from the Netherlands, but I would really like to know what the article says, in particular, what the article says what I say.

Is there anyone out there who can help with the translation? I would certainly appreciate it a lot.

I would like to thank...

Friday the 23rd of March was historical for me in a way or two. Throughout my entire life, I have entered and participated in many competitions, especially when I was in school. I have won quite a few awards in several competitions. I remember helping my school team to come in second for the whole state of Johor in 1984 in a BM Quiz, and again second for the whole state of Johor in 1985 in an English Quiz. I also remember participating in numerous quizzes when I was in secondary school - either coming in first or runner-up in most of these competitions. The most memorable competition that I entered was perhaps the 1990 English Debating Competition in Sungai Petani, where our school who was defending champion managed to retain the championship, and I was announced as best debater. Truth be told, I never really wanted to enter the debating competition in the first place, but I was instructed to do so by the Principal. I never liked and was never interested in debates, but in retrospect, the experience was indeed beneficial.

All these achievements were stories from my past. Since then, I have not entered any competitions. That is, until 2006. I put up a challenge to myself to participate in a script-writing competition organised by IKIM. I was not eligible to participate when I was a staff there. So, when I left the organisation, I took myself to task in coming up with a script for a television drama. I have written short stories, a novel, countless academic working papers, hundreds of articles for newspapers and magazines, and God knows what else - but I've never penned down a television drama script. It was quite a challenge, but on Friday, I supposed it paid off, literally and figuratively.

As a novice in script-writing, imagine my pleasant surprise that my entry - the first ever (and so far, only) script I've ever written - came in second in the competition. The prizes were given away by the Yang Dipertuan Agong.

Therefore, at the risk of sounding very much like the Academy Awards, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported this endeavour. In particular, I would like to thank my lovely wife, my loveable son and my doting parents for their understanding in my staying up late on most nights which are spent on writing. I would also like to thank IKIM for giving me the exposure needed to comprehend the issues at hand, so much so that I could incorporate them in the script that I wrote. And my thanks to all who have directly or indirectly motivated me to continue writing.

And continue writing, I will... insya-Allah.

Enlightening

Many of us talk about our work and career from time to time. Some are thinking about leaving. Others are not happy with their workplace. That's why when I read this article, I find it to be very true to life.

Have a read, and perhaps you can share this enlightening piece with others (especially the bosses)!

First day of spring

Not that anyone in the country will notice, but today is the first day of spring if we are situated in temperate countries at the northern hemisphere. Flowers blooming, trees greening, people started going to the parks... it is quite a sight to tell you honestly.

But then again, there's no place like home.

100 faces... 100 hopes

Last Sunday was the last day I spent with the 100 students who underwent an intensive Japanese language course. Over the past 10 weeks, I got to know these wonderful, hardworking and energetic students from all over the country. They finished the course with flying colours, having picked up Japanese quite well. If you listen to them speaking Japanese with your eyes closed, you wouldn't think for a second that they have only learnt the language about 2 and a half months ago - and you wouldn't certainly think that the ones speaking Japanese are Malaysians!

It was in a way quite emotional for the students on their last day of the programme. They received their certificates and put up a show for their parents and guardians. I could see it in their eyes that they are all destined for a great future ahead of them. Each of them carries within themselves hopes for a better future for the country.

I wish them all the very best. I'm not sure whether I'll see them again, but I know that the time spent training these students were one of the best times in my life. I have certainly been motivated to better myself. As a matter of fact, I have challenged myself to do something I never thought of before... and that is to learn Japanese.

And for this new challenge I put to myself, I say to these students, arigatogozaimasu.

Welcome to the world

My sister-in-law (my brother's wife) gave birth to a baby girl yesterday afternoon. With this birth, my parents now have 3 grandchildren.

My other sister-in-law (my wife's twin sister) is expected to give birth on the 28th of this month. With that birth, my mother-in-law will have... hmmm, give me a second to count... 18 grandchildren.

In any case, this month my son gets 2 new cousins.

In death we remember life

I know that my previous posts touched quite a bit on death. But let's not forget life as we deal with someone's death. Our lives need to go on. Life and death is part and parcel of all our lives.

While we mourn someone's passing, let us also not forget those who are still fighting to survive. For instance, people like 14-year old Tee Hui Yi who is now waiting for a new heart. She's now using a mechanical heart while waiting for a donor. It is heartwarming to see heart recipient, Fikri, giving her the encouragement and moral support.

You can read this story here, and Fikri's account of the story at his blog here.

Dealing with grief

Life goes on, as they say. But as much as life does go on, we should remember that death is very much a part of life. Dealing with the passing of a loved one or a friend or a colleague is never easy.

So far, I have only dealt with the passing of a small number of people that I know. My paternal grandfather passed away when I was very little, so I don't remember much about it. My paternal grandmother and maternal great grandmother passed away when I was studying in the UK. So, I didn't really go through the experience of having to be there at their funerals, and I managed to cope quite well. Perhaps, the physical distance helped. Both my maternal grandparents passed away before my mother got married, so no real experience there.

The only real and close encounter with having to deal with the passing of a relative was when my aunt passed away about two years ago. My wife and I was at her bedside in the ICU of Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) about half an hour before she drew her last breath. When we left IJN, we got a call from another aunt saying that she was gone. We drove back to IJN, then literally escorted the ambulance to Putrajaya where she was to be buried. The next day was the funeral. My parents came all the way from Kulim. It was quite a family reunion, though everyone was mourning.

Now, I'm dealing with the death of a friend. I feel somewhat strange today. It's as if a part of my past is now missing. Come to think of it, each and everyone whom we meet makes up a little piece of the jigsaw puzzle that we call "life." When that little piece is gone, the picture is no longer perfect.

Grieving is a learning experience as we traverse this life of ours. In our lifetime, we will grief for others. But alas, we have to learn to cope with grief, and get on with our lives. Those who have passed on will always be remembered and cherished in our memories.

In memoriam: Ahmad Faizal Ahmad Fadzil

Truth be told, I only know Ahmad Faizal Ahmad Fadzil at a professional level. He was deputy to my current boss when my boss was serving the State Government of Johor. I think it must be circa 1999 when I first met Faizal. Since then, we would meet now and again whenever IKIM and the Johor State Government co-organised programmes. Then about two years ago, both my boss and Faizal left the state government to lay the groundwork for the establishmen of Yayasan Ilmuwan in Kuala Lumpur. By now, we would meet more frequently as I was also in the midst of leaving IKIM to join this foundation. Faizal was Executive Director of Yayasan Ilmuwan.

When I officially joined Yayasan Ilmuwan on 1st December 2005, our relationship as colleagues brought us closer as friends. But fate would have it that Faizal and my boss parted ways sometime in the middle of last year. Faizal left Yayasan Ilmuwan, and I was asked to fill up his position - something that I felt very reluctant to do. Even after he left the foundation, we still maintained contact although we didn't quite see each other that often anymore.

Today is indeed a sad day as Faizal has left all of us forever. I have always dreaded days like today, for when I have to mourn the passing of a friend. This is a first for me, as this is the first time in my life, a friend has passed on. Even though we were not that close, but because of our good working relationship, I feel somewhat empty with his passing.

I am very sure that those who know him better will miss him very very dearly. I know for a fact that his loved ones - his wife, his children, his parents, his siblings and his relatives - would undoubtedly feel saddened by his sudden and untimely death. I could only imagine how they are feeling at this moment. And I could only sympathise with their loss.

I pray that his family would remain strong. I pray that Allah SWT would place Faizal amongst the souls of the blessed ones and that he would be placed in Paradise.

Although our friendship was brief, I shall dearly miss Ahmad Faizal Ahmad Fadzil.

Al-Fatihah.

Trust your doctor

My work would involve medical practitioners from time to time. I have seen their dedication and passion for their work. I have witnessed how they'd sacrifice their time and energy just to see their patients make it through.

Yesterday was a sombre day for me. A former colleague of mine from Yayasan Ilmuwan, who is only 39 years old, has been warded at one of the local private hospitals. He was in semi-conscious state when I visited him. His breathing was irregular, hence was assisted by a ventilator. He had diabetes which has resulted in a bad gangrenous infection on his legs. This same infection has gone into his blood stream causing his breathing problems.

Apparently, he has been diagnosed with diabetes many years ago. It all started when he had a small cut on his foot. This small cut was not treated properly. I was told that he didn't treat it using modern medicine, instead he went to one of these alternative therapies which applied colour as a form of healing. He felt that things were getting better.

Over the years, his cut on his foot got worse. What began as a small cut was now beginning to spread. He went to see a doctor at Hospital Selayang, who advised him to have his foot amputated for fear of having the infection spreading. He refused. This was earlier this year.

Then, after Chinese New Year, things got worse. The infection have gone all the way up his ankle. When he was warded, the infection was already at his thigh, and seems to be spreading further up. Definitely it would be impossible to amputate at this stage.

The doctors are waiting for his blood test which is supposed to be ready tomorrow. By then, the doctors would know what to do as the next course of action. Unfortunately, they only give him a 20-30% chance of survival.

If only he had gone for his treatment much much earlier. If only he had taken the advice of the doctor at Hospital Selayang. Too many ifs... but all this don't matter much now, as we cannot dwell on what could have been at this point in time.

I know that many of us dread to have parts of our body amputated. If you are not sure, get a second professional opinion, or even a third. If all agree that the same course of action should be taken, then have faith in these doctors. They are trained professionals who are there to save lives, not the other way around.

My former colleague is now fighting for his life. He has 4 young children. He is only 39 years old. As my boss said yesterday, "Too young to go."

Our prayers are with him. I hope yours are too.

UPDATED (11.07 a.m.):
Ahmad Faizal Ahmad Fadzil passed away at 10.45 a.m. today at Subang Jaya Medical Centre. My heartfelt condolences to his family. And may Allah SWT bless his soul.

Al-Fatihah.

New links on the blog

I have added a couple of new links on this blog.

One is a link to a friend's blog, Rabiatul Adawiyah. She's an old friend who is also a novelist. Visit her blog if you're into Malay novels.

Another is an organ donation link. A visitor to this blog has set up a Friendster site called Dare2Donate. Have a visit to this site.

If I could reach higher

Everyone has dreams. Everyone has ambitions. Everyone has their targets in life.

Throughout my relatively short time on this planet, I have set many targets in my life. Some, I have achieved. Others, I have surpassed. A few, I have yet to reach. The rest, however, may not be realised.

Being human, nonetheless, I have never been satisfied with my achievements. I feel that I could do better. I know that I can do more. I feel that I have yet to reach my peak.

Am I being ambitious if I set targets that others may deem unrealistic? Am I being dreamy for trying to do things that people may think ridiculous?

I do things because I want to do them. I do things because I know that I can accomplish them. I do things, for the most part, to challenge myself to be a better person.

The year 2007 has so far been pretty good, alhamdulillah. I have set in motion many things that I have set to accomplish by the year's end. In fact, I have achieved some of them already. All I need to do now is to work towards the achievements of these goals.

Some of these goals are very personal, as such they cannot be made public. But there are others that are not, and these will be blogged here from time to time. Whatever these goals may be, I pray to Allah SWT that I'll be given the strength, energy, good health and wisdom to realise them.

Of course, just like everyone else, ultimately, my goal is to attain happiness in this world and the hereafter. And truth be told, no other target or ambition is higher than this.

Childhood innocence

Earlier today, as I was walking back from breakfast, I passed by two girls, probably about 6 or 7 years of age, chatting in front of a clinic. The following is their dialogue:

Girl 1: Ayah kita garang, tapi mak kita baik.
Girl 2: Mak kita lagi baik.
Girl 1: Kalau kita minta apa-apa dengan mak kita, dia kasi apa yang kita minta.
Girl 2: Ye ke?
Girl 1: Yer laaa... tapi dia kasi sikit saja.
Girl 2: Mak kita kasi semua yang kita minta tau!

I didn't know how the conversation ended because I had passed them by that time. In any case, I managed to smile at their little conversation because it reminded me of the innocence of children.

Now that we're older, I wonder: Where has the innocence gone?

Tumbling down

Economics has never been my strong point. Sure, I did my MBA way back in 1995, and one of the subjects was economics. But to be frank, the subject is too subjective for someone who is used to handling chemicals, test tubes and the Bunsen burner in laboratories. Give me organic chemistry anytime.

Anyway, this past few weeks, our media has been running a lot of stories on Malaysia's impressive economic showing. There were people who are happy with these indicators. This is because Jack and Jill were both going up the hill. Nonetheless, there are detractors here and there in the blogosphere mainly who refute these claims as not painting the full picture. Sure, Jack and Jill went up the hill, but is there water on the hill that they can actually fetch?

However, I am no expert in economics. So, I take the figures as they are - simply, figures. For the figures to matter to the man on the street like me, they have to be translated into something that I can derive direct benefit from. For instance, my buying power, my income, my expenses, etc. So far, I have yet to "derive" any direct benefit from the figures that has been released periodically saying that the economy is good.

And of course, when the Chinese stock market tumbled as reported everywhere today, the regional economies feel its impact. Malaysian stock market also came tumbling down. Just asJack fell down, Jill also came tumbling after. It could have been worse if not for the institutional buying at the eleventh hour. While many people see this as worrisome, I for one am at least grateful that I wasn't affected directly because I am not an investor per se. But I do worry if this is a sign of worse things to come.

Things have been pretty much fluid and unpredictable these days. I hope that the powers-that-be know what they're doing because if the economy is run by Jack and Jill who only know Economics 101, then we're in trouble as things would surely come tumbling down.

But then again, who am I to comment. Like I said, I'm no economic expert.

Dilbert... the blog

One of my personal favourite comic strips is Dilbert. Its take on office politics and the corporate world is spot on. One can't help but giggle at the humour and sarcasm.

I chanced upon Scott Adams' blog the other day, and find it equally entertaining and thought-provoking. Scott Adams is Dilbert's creator. And if you like Dilbert, you'll enjoy Dilbert's blog.

10 years ago today...

...Dolly was born.

Dolly who? No, not Dolly Parton, though Dolly the cloned sheep was named after Dolly Parton (just in case no one knows).

Anyway, today marks the tenth anniversary of the birth of Dolly the cloned sheep. Read this article for further enlightenment on how this landmark in science brought out many a thorny ethical dilemmas and issues.

The very thought of cloning humans just give me the chills.

Back from the wild

I know... I know. I have been gone for almost 10 days without updating this blog. For those not in the know, I was away at a jungle camp with about 100 Japan-bound Malaysian students somewhere at the foot of Gunung Pulai in Johor. It was refreshing for me as the 3-day programme allowed me to get away for a while from civilisation and get up close with what nature has to offer. We left on Saturday morning and came back last Monday evening. It was tiring but fun and satisfying, to say the least.

Too bad no one remembered to bring the camera. Talk about getting away from it all. *Sigh*

Surreal day

Yesterday was surreal. When out of the blue, people from your past visit your present, it certainly brings about a difficult-to-picture feeling.

It all began yesterday afternoon when a former housemate who is now working in Kerteh dropped by to say hi. It was nice to see Azizi again after all these years. The last time I met him was in Kerteh many many years ago when I had a programme there.

Then hours later, things even got weirder. A reunion of sorts was planned at KLCC. My wife, my son and I went to KLCC to meet up with friends from days past. To be more precise, our school buddies, some of whom we haven't seen since 1991.

It felt as if suddenly our time from school suddenly collided with our lives today. It was an odd, but wonderful, feeling. Too bad it was only for a short while. At least, in that brief period of time, we managed to catch up, and of course, do the obligatory namecard exchange routine.

Time sure flies. I'm not sure how long it'd be before I bump into them again.

Musical interlude

Music is part and parcel of our lives. It livens our day. It colours our mood. It reflects our emotions. We can tell what someone is feeling from the music he or she plays frequently. Such is the power of music.

I find it hard to find songs that I like. For me a good song has to have a powerful melody and a meaningful lyric. I am sure that you'll agree if I say that there are not many good songs out there.

Back during my teenage years and student days, I used to like to listen to songs that somehow I could relate to. These songs somehow manage to pull my heart strings. But this was years ago.

Of late, I begin to listen to music again. I notice that good music would spark my creative juice (for writing). Like I said earlier, a good song has to have a powerful melody and a meaningful lyric. Currently Adibah Noor's "Terlalu Istimewa" and Samsons' "Kenangan Terindah" top my favourites list.

I am also trying to rekindle memories of yesteryear by trying to recall the songs I used to listen to when I was a student in the UK.

What are your favourites?

Update: Zetty suggested Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up" and Muse's "Starlight". I had a listen to "You Raise Me Up" and realised it is one of my favourites from my past, only being sung by a new singer. Anyhow, I got this at YouTube.com and hope you all will enjoy this rendition.

It's out

I just received a call from my editor informing me that "Ombak Senja" - the novel I wrote - has been published and will be in the market very soon. Keep your eyes peeled for it.

Sedated view

Still down with the fever, cold and cough - but by no means am I out.

I just realised that for the past couple of weeks or so, I haven't been following much of the news. Sure, I read the newspapers, both the print and the online versions. Sure, I watch the news on tv whenever I'm at home at that time. But that's just about it. If I read the news, it's more like browsing and glancing, rather than actually reading, thinking and analysing. If I watch the news, it's more like waiting for the advertisements to come in, rather than focusing on what's going on in the world. This explains why my blog entries of late have not touched too much on current issues.

Indifference? Apathy? I don't know.

I feel that I am tired of the "same old, same old" stuff on tv. Watching or reading the news these days feels like following an elaborated Latin American soap opera which is scripted and predictable. For example, on the local front, you could guess what the authorities response would be when faced with criticisms. On the international front meanwhile, you could guess what Dubya would say about Iraq or Iran.

Of course, some would say that we now have the new media. For the uninitiated, this refers to the news carried by bloggers. I must admit I do follow some of these blogs, though not religiously. The difficulty I have with blogs are trying to differentiate between factual postings and emotional postings. Another problem I have with blogs is not the blog postings or the bloggers, but the comments from visitors who can be quite immature, emotional and irrational. But then people would argue, that's what free speech is all about. I would beg to differ a little however. While I am all for freedom of speech, I am also a believer in wisdom of speech. The freedom should be coupled with wisdom so that we would not be immersed in emotions and rhetorics.

Oh, well. Enough ramblings for today. Apologies for the rather different flavour in my musings today. As I am a bit sedated at the moment, I'll blame today's entry on my medication.

Bugged

Can't recall the last time I wasn't well. For the past few days, I have fever, cough and cold - which is really bugging me. It's difficult to stay focused because of the effects of medication.

Having said that, I can't afford to slow down. A lot of things need to be settled by the weekend. I have several meetings and discussions to attend, a talk to give on Friday, a course to coordinate on Sunday, and as blogged yesterday, a big decision to be made.

Funny thing is, when faced with a barrage of things to do, even this concoction of fever, cough and cold isn't slowing me down.

Diverging paths

Funny sometimes when you think about life. The unexpected twists and turns that you have to go through will usually leave you unprepared for what's coming next. No matter how much you plan your future, you'll find that you have to deal with the unexpected.

I am now standing at a diverging path. Should I continue the path I am on now? Or should I take the road less travelled?

I did not seek to be at this juncture. It literally just appeared. And what happens next will entirely depend on my decision.

Seven years ago today

It was 7 years ago today that I tied the knot with my lovely wife, Norhana. We have been blessed with a happy marriage and our lives have been made that much more interesting with the birth of our son in 2005. For this, I am very grateful, and I look forward to the years ahead.

Lavender wedding

Last Saturday, my wife and I attended a wedding reception. We received the invitation from En. Ibrahim Apandi (my student advisor in UK). His son was tying the knot, and the reception was held Dewan Perdana Felda.

Naturally, as En. Ibrahim is a manager in Petronas, I would bump into my friends from my Glasgow days. It was nice to see these familiar faces again. Hakimi and his wife Dr Eytaa, Hakim and his wife Dem, the ever-eloquent Taufik a.k.a. Boonz, Dr. Reezal and his wife Nira, and Dr. Aida Harlina. These were all my contemporaries in Glasgow. Some, like Dr. Reezal and Nira, I haven't seen since their wedding many years ago.

It struck me that these days it's getting more difficult to meet people from this particular era of my life. When I chatted with Taufik who was seated next to me, it dawned on me that I've basically lost track of many of my friends who were with me in Glasgow. I do occassionally bump into them from time to time, either at KLCC or functions such as weddings. Truth be told though, these days weddings are getting few and far between.

It was fun catching up with these friends of mine, albeit the time spent was brief. While enjoying the food, we took the opportunity reminiscing and laughing at the past.

All in all, I had a good time at the wedding. The theme was lavender. The atmosphere was grand. All these, in the company of old friends.

To the newlyweds, Switzwan and Marzuin, congratulations.

And to my old friends, don't be a stranger.

Miscellaneous post

It's really true when people say that time flies when you're having fun. In my case, perhaps it's more accurate to say that time flies when you're busy.

I've been occupied with many things this past week which didn't allow me to blog. Not that I wasn't online, but rather I was too cooked up with my responsibilities that subconsciously, blogging came last in the priority list.

I didn't realise that the last time I blogged was a week ago. It wasn't until Zetty pointed this out that I came to realise this fact. I suppose when you blog on an almost daily basis, people would notice when you stopped blogging.

Truth be told, a lot has happened this past week or so. But alas, these developments are not for blogging today. Insya-Allah, when the time comes, I will share some of the things that have taken place.

And a special note to blogger Zetty... welcome back to the blogosphere. As I mentioned in one of my previous postings, she was one of the victims of the flood in Johor recently. I hope things are better now for Zetty and her family, as well as the thousands of victims of the flood.

Until next time, let us all pray that we will continue to things will continue to prosper and improve for the better.

Forget-me-not

I can't believe that I totally forgot to read the news today. I'll make a quick dash on the Internet afterwards to find out what happened in the last 24 hours or so.

Actually, this was not the only thing I forgot today. This morning at about 7.30 a.m., I received a text message from my radio producer reminding me that I have a slot to fill this morning over at IKIM.fm. I rushed to the office, prepared some material and then dashed off to IKIM at Jalan Duta for the programme which is aired live at 10.30 a.m.

It has been a long but productive day today. I left the office relatively early today at 9.30 p.m. But when I got down from the office, I forgot where I parked my car!

It almost became an unsolved mystery. Talk about a bad case of forgetfulness.

N is for Novel

Alhamdulillah, another one of my resolutions is coming to fruition. I just received the cover for my first novel. It looks quite good from my point of view. The editor has informed me that the novel will be printed soon. Let me know what you think of the cover. By the way, the pen name I'm using for creative writing purposes is Amir Husaini - which happens to be my son's name. Apparently, my son's name has more commercial value than my own name. *lol*
So, not bad for the first 3 weeks of 2007.

Scientist. Student of Aikido. Novelist.

A is for Aikido

This new year, I am pushing myself to the limit. I have actually lined up an A to Z list of resolutions. Most of these include those that I'd never imagine partaking before. Never imagined, but not impossible. One of them has to do with learning martial arts. This is the 'A' on my list of resolutions.

Ask any friends of mine, they will attest that I am not the fit physical type. I've not been known to be involved in any form of physical sports nor martial arts. Sure, I play bowling when I have the time. And I do a bit of gardening at home. But these are not really the type of activities one would associate with physical fitness.

Towards the end of my tenure in IKIM, I was made chairman of its welfare club. One of the things that I started was an Aikido training session for the staff. Unfortunately, due to my tight schedule, I wasn't able to partake in its classes, conducted by my colleague then, Suzalie. [Suzalie is the Deputy President of the Aikikai Association in Malaysia].

Now, it seems that I have finally got the chance to learn Aikido. I am enjoying its lessons. It allows me to be physically fitter, increases my stamina, and rids myself of the stiffness on my back that has been nagging me for ages. I am really looking forward to future lessons.

As I stated in my previous post, one of my new year's resolutions was put to test last Saturday. I had challenged myself to pick up Aikido. And on the first day of 1428 Hijrah, I have succeeded in doing so. And I resolve to continue learning this Japanese martial art.

If you have a hard time imagining me with a lab coat on, try imagining me with an aikidogi on.

150th post: Call of hijrah

Just 20 days after people around the world celebrated the beginning of the solar new year of 2007, it is now time to commemorate the beginning of the Hijriyyah new year. Muslims all over the world remember that the "Hijrah" of the Prophet Muhammad SAW from Makkah al-Mukaramah to Madinah al-Munawarah as the beginning of a new chapter in the life of the Prophet SAW as well as a new dawn for Islam and the Muslims as a whole. All this can of course be read in the history books.

For the Muslims of the present day, there lies a challenge to emulate the spirit of hijrah. In essence, hijrah is a call for the betterment of one's self and from thereon, the betterment of the community. This is not unlike the new year resolutions made every time people step into the new year. You can dub it whatever you want - new year resolutions or call of hijrah - what is important is that we persevere in ensuring whatever we resolve to realise and improve will not merely remain empty talk.

Lest we forget, we should walk the talk, and not just give lip service. We should also not be like those who just say what people want to hear, and yet are unable to deliver the goods. Herein lies the challenge of turning our resolutions into reality.

On a personal note, I have set forth my own resolutions for both 2007 AD and 1428 H. Aptly enough, one of these resolutions will be put to test on the 1st of Muharram which is the first day of the new Muslim lunar year. In any case, I will report in this blog as to whether this particular resolution will come to fruition or just be wishful thinking.

On the dawn of the new Hijriyyah year, and in conjunction with this blog's 150th post, I wish all visitors of this blog, a prosperous and productive year ahead, insya-Allah.

And in the news today...

One of my daily habits is reading the newspapers in the morning. That would occupy about 30 minutes of my morning. As time is precious, I'd only speed-read most of the news items unless there is something that really attracts my eyes. For some, like Dato' Dr. Fadzilah Kamsah, reading newspapers is done only at night. He explained to me that he does this primarily because he doesn't want his day spoilt by depressing news. To a certain extent, I tend to agree that most news items in the newspapers are quite depressing. But someone like me cannot afford to read the news later in the evening. My line of work requires that I be ever vigilant to current affairs, which is why I also make it a habit to browse online news at night.

Something featured in today's newspapers made me think. The Star and Utusan Malaysia, for instance, carry the news of the transfer of the Sabak Bernam District Council president who overlooked the abuse of entertainment permits. It is good that the state government "is seen" taking action on ineffective heads. But at the same time I wonder, is this case in Sekinchan an isolated one?

Only yesterday I was talking to my boss on how certain licensed health centres are used as a front for people to solicit services of prostitutes - both straight and gay. This is common knowledge to many. Minor exposures have been made on certain television programmes such as '999' and 'Edisi Siasat' on this matter. However, it seems that the problem still persists.

I am quite sure that if a layman like me knows about this, then the council officers and president would also be aware. I know I am making an assumption here, but unless these people are living in the Stone Age, they'd know what most people already know. After all, this is not privileged information. This info is in the public domain - one that could easily be accessed from the Internet.

Since "justice has been served" to the Sabak Bernam District Council president, would the same brand of justice be meted out to the other "sleeping" council heads for overlooking, or perhaps closing one eye, to the existence of these vice dens operating under the guise of health centres? Or, are we to say that since the Sabak Bernam District Council president has been punished, then the public would be happy and forget about the others?

I hope that the other council heads would learn a lesson or two from the Sabak Bernam case. City and district councils need to be proactive, efficient and transparent. They are there to ensure the best for the people they serve. They are there to work diligently, and not to just wait for the paycheck at the end of the month.

Unfortunately, in Malaysia, we have a habit of passing the buck. At the end of the day, the fault will be borne by a lower-ranking (read: dispensible) officer. I long to see the day when a high-ranking officer or politician resign as a result of his/her ineptitude without having to be removed by his/her boss.

It would certainly make quite a headline in the news when someone resigns because of his/her own incompetence. I'm not sure whether this kind of news would be regarded as depressing or not to the masses. In any case, I'll certainly have my eyes glued to the papers should this happen. But then again, that's what I do every morning anyway.

Rain

I received an e-mail yesterday from a school friend saying that Rain is coming to Malaysia. My immediate response upon reading the e-mail was, "Hang on, isn't rain here already? In fact, isn't Johor flooded because of excessive rain?" Then I read the e-mail again, and I realised she was talking about Rain a.k.a. Jeong Ji-Hoon, the Korean entertainer. That brought a smile on my face, albeit briefly. These past few weeks, news of heavy rain have literally flooded the news in the country. Truth be told, I never thought that I'd see floods like the ones in Johor, Pahang and Sabah ever happening in Malaysia.

It is indeed depressing to read and watch the news on the floods. While help is coming from all fronts, I find that not much can be done to console the displaced victims. They have lost their homes and some, their livelihood. Sure, we can extend our assistance in the form of monetary aid, but it will take them a while to rebuild their lives.

How I wish, at this point in time, the nation could prioritise. Why not channel part of the budget (emphasis on the word "part") for the as-yet-to-be-built Wilayah Pembangunan Iskandar (WPI) towards rebuilding the lives of those affected by the floods? I don't see the point of having a 221,634.1 hectares of a "new region" when many parts of the state has been flooded - unless of course you want to relocate everybody to this new growth area.

Oh, another bit of depressing news, perhaps on the other end of the spectrum if compared to the flood news. The Klang Valley is expected to experience drought from February till August as a result of El Nino. While those down south are experiencing excess rainfall, we in the Klang Valley will face severe lack of rain. So, for those of us in the Klang Valley, start stocking up on water.

I mentioned to a friend just before I blogged this entry that El Nino is coming to Malaysia. His immediate reply was, "Yes. I know. I bought tickets already."

I was flabbergasted for a while. Then I realised. He was talking about Il Divo.

*Sigh*

Destination Japan

Reading the title of this entry, one could easily jump to a conclusion that I'll be going to Japan. Not really, actually. Instead, I was away since Thursday conducting a motivational course for a group of Japan-bound students. The group of 100 students that my team is handling is a great bunch. They have been participative and pleasant. What else do you expect from straight A's students? At the moment, they're undergoing an intensive language course on weekdays.

While they undergo the language crash course, for the next 9 weekends my team will provide them with the physical, mental, psychological and spiritual inputs - mainly in outdoor settings. So, if anyone is looking for me on weekends, try finding me at a place called Perepat!

In case you're wondering where Perepat is, here's a clue:

It's not in Japan!

Been a while

I have seemingly disappeared from the blogosphere for almost one week. My usually one blog entry a day apparently was missing, and as such, I received quite a few messages from friends asking me where I am, whether I am well or if everything is okay. I am touched by the concerns of friends. But worry not, because the simple answer to my relatively long silence is that I have been very very busy with work.

You see, last Friday, my firm/company/organisation landed a consulting project, which will keep us busy until March. As the first phase of the project will take off in a few hours time, there were a lot of things that needed to be done. I was basically working from 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. at the office, while continuing until 3 a.m. at home, before catching a couple of hours sleep. There were no weekends for me as I was at the office. Simply put, I had not the opportunity to blog.

For that, I apologise. Nonetheless, as was blogged in my previous post, things are looking up and 2007 has started on the right footing. The first 10 days of 2007 have virtually been the most exciting, promising and productive days in my life.

I am not sure how frequent or how often will I be able to blog. It all very much depends on how much time and energy I have left. With the consulting project, and some more to come; with the books I am writing; with my family responsibilities; with the possibility of starting a lab-based research - surely something will have to make way.

But fret not, for I will most certainly try my level best to blog as often as is permitted.

P.S. I will be away from KL beginning today till the weekend. If I manage to find an Internet connection at the place I'll be, I will try to blog down an entry or two, insya-Allah.

Return of the scientist?

We're only into the first week of the new year. Alhamdulillah, I am very pleased that so far, 2007 has been positively and encouragingly productive and full of promises ahead. But, there is a very unexpected but very interesting personal development that is brewing.

After a 12-year hiatus, there is a pretty good chance that I'll put on my lab coat again!

All these years, it never occured at all to me that there is even a remote possibility that I'd return to the science lab to do scientific research. It all began in the closing days of 2006 when an innocent conversation with my boss led to a possible research project. This led to another discussion with a professor in pharmacy which then led to yet another discussion on Wednesday, this time with a professor in biomedicine.

After discussing all the possibilities and especially the potential benefits of this research - and after giving it much thought - I have more or less decided that the time is right for me to go back to my "true calling," so to speak. My school friends would probably remember that my strength has always been in pure science, especially chemistry and biology. That is why I went on to do chemistry for my degree. After nearly 12 years dabbling in the fringes of science - particularly philosophy, ethics, history and policy of science - perhaps it is high time for me to return to my roots.

I am not yet at liberty to disclose this research that I'll be doing. Suffice to say that the general area of research is biomedicine and the focus of the research will be to develop a new bio-based material to be used in medicine.

Intriguing? It certainly is. I just hope that I can relearn the things that I need to know. This will certainly add spice to my life for the next 3 years or so.

Return of the scientist? Let's just hope it's not the making of a mad scientist.

Two-double-oh-seven

First post of 2007!

Another year has gone, and a new year begins. As promised, I will take a look back at 2006. Overall, for me, it has been a year of mixed fortunes. The year was perhaps the most testing and toughest since I started working in 1996. Some days I felt worn out and wanted to just give up. But when I looked around, amidst the trials and tribulations that life threw at me, I became thankful for a number of reasons.

I am thankful to Allah SWT for giving me the strength and good health to go on, and on, and on. People may judge me to be a workaholic. Maybe they are correct to a certain extent, but at this point in time, work keeps me going. I worry when I don't have anything to do. That is why I am thankful for the blessings given by Allah SWT in the form of strength and health. Interestingly, for the first time in my working life, I never called in sick even for a day in 2006. For that matter, I didn't take a day off at all last year.

I am also thankful to my family for just being there. My lovely wife, my loveable son and my loving parents are my pillars of strength. It is them who kept me going. Even during the most difficult of days in 2006, I find comfort in my family.

I am equally thankful to my friends. It is said that you will know who your true friends are during your hardest times. I found out in 2006 that this is very true. True friends stick around and would offer a helping hand when you are down and out. These are friends who treat you for who you are and not for what you have become. I will always treasure true friendship till my last breath.

Of course, there were a few achievements in 2006 that I am quite proud of. But at the end of the day, these achievements are just life's little milestones. No point basking in the glory of your achievements if you can't better yourself in the days, weeks, months and years to come.

So, let us bid adieu to 2006, and welcome 2007.

End of another year

How fast time flies. Already we are at the tail end of 2006. The new year is just around the corner. How did 2006 fare for me? I'll blog about this after we begin the new year, insya-Allah.

As for my hope and resolution for 2007, I try to be realistic. I hope things will become better (in all sense of the word) and whatever that is that I can change for the better, I resolve to do it.

Too vague? Doesn't matter. What matters is that we strive to make today better than yesterday, and tomorrow better than today.

Muslims will also be celebrating Eid ul-Adha (Hari Raya Haji a.k.a. Hari Raya Korban). I will be driving up north for this Eid. Although this year I'm not participating in any sacrifice, I pray that the spirit of al-qurbaan will not escape me.

So, to everyone, a happy new year and to all Muslims, Eid Mubarak.

P.S. I'll most probably be offline until Wednesday. Time for me to take a short break.

Broken link

The 7.1 magnitude on the Richter scale earthquake that hit Taiwan really shook many parts of the world, though not literally. Perhaps for the first time in the relatively brief history of the Internet, many people experienced the inability to access it. All because the earthquake damaged the undersea cabling system needed to get connected. Details on this here, here and here.

For me personally, it was an annoying experience. Fortunately though, I could still send files through the e-mail system although the free web-based e-mails are mostly inaccessible. In any case, yesterday's experience certainly draws out an important and salient point. We have become very dependent on technologies such as the Internet, and when it fails to deliver, we find ourselves panicking.

On the bright side, I managed to finish another chapter of my second novel because of the inability to use the Internet. This makes me wonder however. If there was no Internet, could I have gotten more writing done? Hmmm...

Beyond 2000

It looks like my blog has hit the 2,000 visitor mark. And now that 2007 is just around the corner, what do I have in store? Frankly I'm not sure what to expect for the coming year. But in terms of blogging, I will definitely continue to do so. For some reason, I find it comforting when I put down my thoughts on the blog - probably just about the only thing (or one of the very few things) that keeps me sane with all the insanity going around us these days.

Preserving the delicate balance

Today marks the second anniversary of the tsunami that devastated much of Southeast Asia, South Asia and parts of Africa. Malaysia was not spared as parts of the west coast of the Peninsular was hit as well. Perhaps, in modern history, the country has never seen such a devastation.

On this second anniversary of the tsunami, Malaysia - especially the southern part of the Peninsular - is still reeling from the aftermath of the big floods. As people are taking stock of their losses, more floods are forecasted unfortunately. While floods are almost the norm during the monsoon season especially in the east coast, this year's floods are extraordinary and caught many people unprepared. Many people are saying that the floods are a result of global warming. For instance, Martin Khor's piece in The Star certainly hit the nail on its head.

I, for one, am inclined to believe that whatever that is happening (not just in Malaysia, by the way), is our own doing, albeit indirectly. Just look at the problems around the world such as the floods and landslides in Indonesia, and the thick fog in London, just citing a couple of examples. The climate imbalance may not just be in the form of catastrophes, but also welcome changes in the weather. My former lecturer in Glasgow, John Galloway, wrote to me saying that this year's winter in Scotland has been pretty warm, which is much to the liking of the Scots.

It would probably be somewhat morbid to assume that more catastrophes as a result of global warming are on the way. Like it or not, we have to be ready for the worst. Everything in this world has been created in perfect balance and harmony by the Almighty Creator. Upset this delicate balance, and we'll end up at the receiving end of nature's wrath. What is happening now may well be the result of our own doing for the past many decades.

I believe the following excerpt from an article I wrote which appeared in the book, New Knowledge: Research and Development in the Muslim World (2004) would best conclude this blog's entry as a reminder to us all:

All natural resources and creations of God on this planet are made for mankind to utilise and develop for the betterment of this world... Man is capable of free action to utilise all resources that may achieve individual and collective perfectness... However, Islam underlines the importance of utilising technology with great care and caution so as to avoid destruction, as stated in the following verse (Surah al-Rum: 41), to the effect that: 'Mischief has appeared on land and sea because of (the meed) that the hands of men have earned, that (God) may give them a taste of some of their deeds, in order that they may turn back (from evil).'

[pg. 161]

Friday ramblings

It's Friday. And I am exhausted. Anyway, just a few updates that I'd like to share here.

Blog links
I have updated the links on my sidebar yet again. I think this is the third time this week. I have added links to Dean Arif's blog, and another to Lana Alesha's blog (if you believe a baby could blog, that is). I have also removed the long list of links to universities and replaced them with a simplified one, by - duh - linking to the Ministry of Higher Education's website. And more importantly, due to overwhelming requests by friends (both cyber and real), I have added a new category of links called "Organ donation info" for links to - you got it - organ donation info.

And speaking of organ donation...
Insya-Allah, tomorrow (Saturday) marks the debut of the infomercial on organ donation I blogged about last week. It will be aired almost every day for a month on TV3. Tomorrow's slots will be during Panggung Sabtu (beginning 2.30 p.m.) and X-Mas Movie Special (beginning 12.30 a.m.). On Sunday, it would be on during Pesona 3 (beginning 3.00 p.m.) and X-Mas Movie Special (beginning 10.00 p.m.). As I mentioned, the airings will go on at other times until the 20th of January.

Much needed break
I am aware that many people will be on leave from this weekend. So, to all my friends and blog visitors, please, please, please drive safely. Enjoy your long holiday break, and come back refreshed for a new beginning and a new year. As for me, being the self-confessed workaholic that I am, I won't be taking any days off aside from the compulsory weekends and public holidays. I'll be driving back to Kulim for Aidiladha next Saturday and will come back to KL on Monday, insya-Allah. It's a short break, I know, but this is the time of the year that I could get a lot of things done because there are not that many distractions, as people are away! But I plan to take a long break some time in the first quarter of 2007 - to unwind, recharge and replenish my depleted energies.

Finally...
As I always say, keep on coming and I'll keep on blogging.

Flooded

The southern part of the country is experiencing the worst floods in 100 years with 45,000 people already evacuated, as reported in The Star. Floods are usually common in the east coast at this time of the year. Unfortunately, while the east coast states are prepared, the southern states are taken completely off guard. This havoc has been blamed on Typhoon Utor. More on Typhoon Utor here.

A blogger friend staying in Johor Bahru, Zetty, called me up last night and told me that her house was flooded. Her family had just returned from Bangkok after a holiday, and the next day, her whole house was immersed in water. She and her family lost almost everything in the house, including her father's wedding presents. [Her father just recently re-married]. Her sister, who is also a blogger, was pushed away by the strong current of the rising tide of water. The flood, at its worst, was neck-high.

Hearing Zetty's story, I am sure that it must have been a terrifying experience. I offer my sympathies to Zetty and her family, as well as to other flood victims. It is a test from Allah SWT and we must all persevere and be patient.

Tomyam domino effect

I don't comment, analyse or write a lot on economic and financial issues. Simply put, I'm not much of an economics guy, but more of a science guy. When you learn science, among others, you learn about the Newton Laws of Motion. But strangely enough, you can actually apply these laws to the economic and financial scenario of the moment.

Newton's first law states that:

Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it.

Now, let's apply this to the stock market situation in the region. The Malaysian stock market was enjoying a good run these past few weeks. The upward trend shows a "uniform motion" indicating that the stock market would touch the 1,100 level. Suddenly, an "external force" is applied in the form of yesterday's crashing Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET). As a result, the Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) fell by 1.96%. Other stock markets also plunged, which include India, Pakistan, Indonesia and even Singapore. More on this can be read here.

Now, the knee-jerk reaction to the situation in Thailand is very much in line with Newton's third law, which states:

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

When Thailand announced its capital control measures, people panicked and started selling their stocks. This resulted in the KLCI (and other stock market indexes) to plummet. KLCI suffered its biggest drop in 5 years. Details on this can be read here.

What about Newton's second law, you may ask. The second law stipulates that:

The relationship between an object's mass m, its acceleration a, and the applied force F is such that F = ma.

The heavier the mass, the more force is needed. The stronger the force, the faster the acceleration. Let's assume that m is a country's economic fundamentals, a is the rate in which the economy rises or drops, and F is the external forces at work. If an economy's fundamental is strong and sound, the external force that is needed to bring the economy down would have to be bigger, hence any negative effects on the overall economy would be minimal. Conversely, if the economy's fundamental is weak, it'd be easier for external forces to influence the economy, more often than not, in a negative way.

Anyway, before I start to blabber some more about physics, let's go back to the issue at hand. It is understandable that people are worried because the memories of the 1997 crash are still fresh. What began in Thailand yesterday has a sense of deja-vu. If it has the same domino effect as it did in 1997, then the region will be in for another round of economic turmoil.

Way back in 1999 while writing an article for my column in The Star, I dubbed this the "tomyam domino effect" because it began in Thailand. You can be assured that if we're in for the worst, it'll be hot and spicy.

Upgraded

Blogger users are aware that Blogger has been upgraded. This new version has some interesting features that allow for a better blogging experience.

After hesitating about it for a while, all my blogs have been upgraded to this new Blogger version. I have yet to familiarise myself with all of Blogger's new tools and features, but so far it looks good and seems to be user-friendly. I have also changed my son's blog template. Other than that, I haven't made any other changes, but who knows. Only time will tell.

Meeting of the menace and the moron

It feels like yesterday when then-Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad called George Soros "a moron" and Soros calling Dr. Mahathir "a menace." So, what happens when these two meet 10 years on?

Apparently, it seems that all may have been forgiven. As Jeff Ooi noted, "there's no permanent friends, and there's no permanent enemies." The meeting focused more on the importance of global peace. And it is interesting to note that the two have something in common --- their critical opinions of George W. Bush's foreign policy.

The two agreed that Bush's policy of waging wars would not help in bringing about global peace. But perhaps, Tun Dr. Mahathir and George Soros stopped short of calling George W. Bush a "menacing moron" or a "moronic menace."

How apt would that be then?

Important take home message

I was in Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan the whole of Saturday, chairing 2 sessions of motivational talk given by the ever-popular Dato' Dr. Fadzilah Kamsah. The first session was targeted for secondary school students, while the second session's audience were their parents. Of course, as with many other motivational programmes, there were many tips and encouragement given by the speaker.

But if there is at least ONE message that I took home from the programme, it would be this question: Have you thanked your mother for giving birth to you?

That one question hit the nail on its head. We may have thanked our mother many times before for a lot of things, but I doubt that we have actually thanked her for carrying us for 9 months and then enduring the pains of childbirth to give birth to us. Imagine if we thank our mother for this, it'll surely touch her heart and would strengthen the bond of mother and child.

So, have you thanked your mother for giving birth to you?

Blog notes

Just a note to say that I have added a new link to another blog. The blog belongs to Azhan and family. Azhan is my close friend who is 2 years my junior. He came to Glasgow in 1993 before pursuing his degree in Surrey. We have been close from day one. Heck, he was even my best man when I tied the knot. Anyway, he is now in Switzerland, and this blog chronicles his adventures in Switzerland and Europe.

Also, I am pleased to see many people reading my entry on Fikri. After I posted this entry on Friday, the number of visitors for Friday shot up to a level I've never seen before. There were 27 visitors on Friday alone, which is the highest number of visitors in a day since I started this blog. For the weekend, there were also new records. There were 17 visitors on Saturday (the highest for a weekend) and 11 for Sunday (the highest for Sunday). The average has also shot up to 19 visitors a day from 16 in a span of 4 days.

Not bad for a blog with no gossips.

From deep inside my heart

Tomorrow is the 16th of December. To most of us, it is just another day in the last month of the year. Many people would probably be looking forward to the long holidays coming up soon. But to Muhammad Fikri bin Norazmi, 16, tomorrow is a very important day. Last year, on this date, Fikri received a heart transplant. It marks the beginning of his "new" lease of life. He has been very thankful. I asked him today how he felt. And he replied, "Good. Very good."

For those who may not be aware, before Fikri received his "new" heart, he has made medical history as the first patient in Southeast Asia to receive a mechanical heart, technically known as the Implantable Ventricular Assist Device or IVAD. Fikri's story can be read here and here, among others. You can also visit his personal blog here.

The following is an account on Fikri from my own personal perspective:

I first met him last year when I was at IJN to deliver a talk on organ donation. It was just after he was fitted with the mechanical heart. I was brought to see him at his ward. I can still remember how he was - quite frail and weak from his condition and surgeries. Since then, I have been keeping tabs on his condition. On 15th December 2005, I was in a meeting at the Health Ministry in Putrajaya discussing a research project on organ donation. While we were discussing, Dr. Lela's handphone rang. Dr. Lela Yasmin Mansor is the co-ordinator of the National Transplant Resource Centre (NTRC). She excused herself to answer her phone, and came back in telling us that they have a potential donor. Deep inside, I prayed hoping that Fikri's long wait for a heart will now come to an end.

Indeed, it did. Not only did Fikri get a new heart, but other patients also benefited from the donor, including a policeman who got a lung (the first lung transplant in Malaysia). This past few months, I've been communicating quite regularly with Fikri using YM.

Frankly, knowing Fikri has left a huge impact on my life. I've been involved with organ donation campaigns for the past 8 years or so, but it has always been something "academic" to me. Not until I met Fikri did I realise how serious it is for us to come forward as organ pledgers and hopefully, donors. Now, whenever I speak on this issue, it comes from deep inside my heart, not just from the top of my head.

Since Fikri got his new heart, I've not seen him in person, that is, until last Wednesday when we shot the infomercial on organ donation to be aired over TV3 soon. It's indeed heartwarming to see Fikri doing very well. And I pray that he will continuously be healthy and would live life to the fullest. I wish him all the best of health and the best in his future undertakings.

Happy 1st anniversary, Fikri!

Right here waiting

I used to listen to "Right Here Waiting" when I was in the UK. For those not in the know, this is the title of Richard Marx's hit ballad. Somehow this song strikes a chord in my heart. Don't ask me why though. I have no answer to it. Besides, that's not really what I want to blog on.

Anyway, today I am feeling very happy - and relieved - as I've signed the contract with the publisher of my very first novel. You can read more about it here. Basically, all I need to do right now is just wait for the novel to come out in the market, most probably in January.

So, I'll be right here waiting, and I hope you all will too.

Increased traffic

These past few weeks, this humble blog of mine has seen an increased number of visitors. Some are of course my friends who already know that I have a blog and would therefore drop in from time to time. Others are also friends who are not aware that I have a blog, but chanced upon it after doing an Internet search on things like organ donation. There are also strangers who accidentally stumble over this blog.
Since I started blogging in March, the highest number of visitors is November. There is a good chance the number will increase for December. The average number of visitors have increased from about 5 a day in October to 16 a day today. On a week day, the number of visitors is between 20 to 23 people. On a weekend, the number is around 5 to 8. These figures may be low, but to me, they are respectable, because this blog doesn't play on sensational issues or gossips and the blogger is not a celebrity.

Whoever the visitors to this blog may be, all are welcomed. I truly appreciate the continuing presence of friends here.

And as I always say, keep on coming and I'll keep on blogging.

Meeting on the cards

Way back during the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s, I used to cringe every time the then-Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad criticised George Soros. The reason was that I feared that things would only get worse with every criticism uttered by Dr. Mahathir. When Dr. Mahathir pegged the nation's currency at RM3.80 to the US dollar, things seemingly improved. While this move initially was met with cynicism and labelled as "unconventional," it has proven to be the bitter medicine that the country required at that point in time.

Ten years on, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad is no longer the Prime Minister. The ringgit peg is a thing of the past. The Asian financial crisis is now a case study in the textbooks. And George Soros is... coming to Malaysia.

Apparently, Soros will be delivering an address at the Ritz Carlton Hotel as well as promoting his book Challenges to Promoting a Global Open Society. On top of this, a meeting is being arranged for Soros to meet Dr. Mahathir. More on this here.

Should the meeting materialise, it would be interesting to see its outcome. Who would have thought it possible to see Dr. Mahathir sitting down with Soros. This will definitely be one for the history books.

Public service infomercial

This is a first for me.

I got a call from the National Transplant Resource Centre (NTRC) at Hospital Kuala Lumpur earlier today. They're shooting an infomercial on organ donation and transplantation in co-operation with TV3 this coming Wednesday. In the 40-second infomercial, they'll have several people talking on the subject matter.

I've been asked to represent the view of Islam. The others include Datin Dr. Lela Yasmin Mansor of NTRC, Fikri (a heart recipient), an organ donor's family member and Anita Sarawak (an organ pledger). I've met and I know everyone who will appear, except for Anita Sarawak of course. And speaking of Fikri, he now has his own blog. Feel free to visit and leave him a note from time to time.

While I've never been comfortable with media exposure, I agree to appear because the way I see it, television infomercial is effective in getting the message across. Who would've ever thought it possible in a million years... Anita Sarawak sharing airtime with me? Or is it the other way around? Hmmm...

Somebody pinch me.

The Last Standing Ovation

I once stated that "my weird habits were weirder than some people but not as weird as others." Apparently I wrote this in Pinky's autograph book way back in 1991. I suppose this is still true. My sense of humour can be really really crude, odd and weird - as evident from this explanation that I blogged over half a year ago.

So, would it be a surprise if I find this one particular clip funny? Close friends know that I love reading comics in spite of my somewhat academic outward experience. I especially like to follow the adventures and tales of fictional superheroes. I may not read that many comics anymore, but I still follow their stories through many websites on comics. Call it escapism, if you like.

Therefore, allow me to share the following clip which I find quite outrageous. Those who have watched the X-Men trilogy would probably be able to appreciate this more. This is one of the "weird stuff" that tickles my funny bone. Enjoy!

Something "different" to look forward to

I just got back from Utusan Publications and Distributors at Taman Shamelin Perkasa. I was there to pick up the second proof of my first novel. More info on that here.

Anyway, the sight of the proof managed to boost my enthusiasm to continue writing. I cannot wait to do the proofreading over the weekend. The 339-page Malay novel is slated to hit the market in January 2007. The publisher is UP&D's subsidiary known as Tintarona. I will share more info on this as they come in.

After having 14 academic books to my name, it's a welcome change to publish a non-academic book, even though I will be using a yet-to-be-determined pen-name. This is indeed something that I look forward to come 2007.

It's a Durian weather

Everyone loves durians --- well, almost everyone. I used to love durians as well, way back during my school days. But now, I can't seem to be able to consume this king of fruits. Apparently, when I started my university days back in 1993, I have become somewhat "allergic" to a few types of food, if consumed, would trigger a very serious problem called "migraine."

Anyway, I am not about to blog about the king of fruits or allergy or migraine. Rather, I'd like to touch on the weather we're having in the country lately.

Everyone knows that it has been raining incessantly almost every afternoon and evening these past few months. This is all well and good because it helps to wash away the dreadful haze choking our country. But in the past several days, there was no rain, instead there was an intensed hot weather especially in the afternoon. It is around this time that our neighbour, the Philippines experience the attack of Typhoon Durian. The typhoon began on 26 November and claimed over 400 lives in the Philippines.

Typhoon Durian has since moved towards Vietnam and the Gulf of Thailand. Malaysia's Meteorological Department has issued warnings that the typhoon, which has now been downgraded, will cause strong winds and heavy rain in Terengganu, Kelantan, Perlis, Kedah and Pulau Pinang.

While the weather system may cause some worries in the northern and eastern states of the country, people in the Klang Valley are also experiencing some strange weather pattern. Take yesterday, for instance. Around 5.30 p.m., the sky became dark and you could see lightning striking a couple of times. Apparently, at that time there was a thunderstorm at several places in Kuala Lumpur, Shah Alam, Petaling Jaya and Subang. It rained throughout the evening and most of the night, and flooded several low-lying areas, including Shah Alam.

I only got to know this from a friend, En. Mazilan, who works in Jalan Duta and lives in Shah Alam. As for people like me, who live and work in Hulu Kelang, we saw the dark clouds and the lightning, but there was no rain. It was dry and incredibly humid and hot. This is fascinating for me, simply because it's only 15 km from Hulu Kelang to Jalan Duta, and yet, we experienced contrastingly different sets of weather.

These days, the weather is getting more and more unpredictable. Even the durian season is unpredictable and quite random these days.

A reunion of sorts

I just got back from attending the 2006 Multaqa Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah at the Shah Alam Concorde Hotel. I was invited to attend this annual conference by my friend who was my colleague and boss at IKIM, En. Mazilan Musa. He is now the Director of the Socio-Cultural Sector at the Malaysian Institute of Integrity or IIM for short.

Interestingly, it was a reunion of sorts for us who had at one time or another worked at IKIM. Aside from En. Mazilan and myself, Shahriza was also there. He started work at IKIM as the Assistant Programme Manager, and later upon obtaining his degree, he was promoted to the post of Research Officer at the Centre for Economics and Social Studies, which En. Mazilan headed until the end of 2004.

En. Mazilan then joined IIM and has been there since end of 2004. I was briefly under En. Mazilan when I was Fellow at the then Centre for Economics, Social Studies and Technology, before it was reorganised into 2 centres namely the aforementioned Centre for Economics and Social Studies, and Centre for Science and Technology. When it was reorganised, I was reassigned to the Centre for Science and Technology as Senior Fellow.

Since then, I left for Yayasan Ilmuwan in December of 2005 while Shahriza left for SMIDEC about a month later. While the three of us have been apart in terms of organisations, we still get in touch with one another. The rare opportunity to meet up at the conference was indeed a pleasant one, what more with the presence of 2 colleagues from IKIM, Puan Siti Fatimah and Azrina.

It was a good opportunity to catch up with old friends talking about old times, although the time spent may have been brief.

That time of year again

It's the school holidays. It's also the time for weddings. I've been getting a number of invitations, and attended two weddings yesterday.

But I do notice a trend when it comes to wedding invitations.

When we graduate, we receive a lot of wedding invitations from our friends. When we begin our career, we start receiving wedding invitations from colleagues. When we reach the age of 30, we start attending weddings of children of our bosses. When we're in our 40s, we will begin to attend weddings of our friends' children.

And as a friend realistically put it, around that time, we should prepare ourselves for funerals as well.

Suddenly I'm beginning to recall scenes from "Four Weddings and a Funeral."

Did anyone feel it?

Bernama reported that northern Sumatera was hit by an earthquake. Some parts of KL, PJ and Penang felt the tremor around mid-day today. Anyone felt the tremor? I must have been submerged in my work that I didn't notice it until I read the news report after the Friday prayers.

Fortunately, no tsunami is expected out of this 6.6 on the Richter magnitude scale tremor.