Is it just me?

I noticed that the Internet connection is slow.

Is it just me, or is everyone else experiencing the same? It is frustrating when the connection crawls at a snail's pace.

And this is supposed to be the broadband age. By the time the connection gets better, I would have aged - that's for sure.

Finding the spare time

Six days away from blogging certainly feels like being away for an eternity. Ever since my last entry, I have not been able to update - not that there's nothing to update on. A lot is happening at the moment, in particular on the work front. While this development is good, I have not had that much spare time anymore. Hence, blogging (fortunately or otherwise) has to be relegated to the back seat temporarily. Rest assured though, I will certainly use whatever little opportunity that I may have to upload new entries.

Now, if you'd excuse me, I have to rush to Universiti Malaya for a meeting...

Facial expression

Often, we could actually tell a person's mood by looking at his face. However, I'd think that this is not actually foolproof. Some people may look troubled, and yet in actuality they're not. Others somehow manage to hide their sadness behind a happy face.

Is it a lie if our facial expression doesn't really convey our true feelings? It's like wearing a mask to hide our true emotions. Some of us tend to do that. I admit, I do too. [In my case, it's not that hard to do since most of the times, I look very serious].

Some say, a facial expression can tell a thousand stories. So, what kind of stories does your facial expression tell? Or more importantly, what do we let our facial expression tell? The truth, or a charade?

Innocent victims

It is news like this that makes me question our sanity and strength in the face of life's challenges. When I read the news, I feel upset, sad, disgusted and angry - all at once.

I really wonder what must be going through the father's mind. How could a doting father, in the midst of a divorce, be willing to kill his own flesh and blood, before taking his own life?

While everyone seems to be enthralled by the country's political soap opera, we often miss these real-life episodes that are happening around us. What is happening to our postmodern society? Why are things like this happening? And more importantly, why are we letting these things happen?

The children are innocent and know nothing of the problems of their parents. Why must they lose their lives like that?

My sincere condolences to the family of the deceased children. Al-Fatihah.

Rising inflation

As expected, as a result of the fuel price, the consumer prices rose 7.7 percent as compared to last year. And with that, inflation is set to increase as well. This, according to this Bloomberg Asia report, is the highest inflation rate in the country in 26 years.

I guess some economic adjustments will follow. Let's hope the adjustments are not merely reactionary as most knee-jerk reactions are wont to be. I hope there would be enough foresight on the policy-makers to come up with measures that are long-term. What's happening in the world today is not covered in Economics 101.

Expensive cost-saving measure

Colour me stumped.

When I read that the state of Terengganu purchased 14 Mercedes E200 Compressor cars to replace the Proton Perdana cars used by the state executive councillors, I was somewhat astonished. [The 14 Mercedes E200 Compressor cars cost RM3.43 million while one unit of Proton Perdana, I estimate, costs about RM100,000 - so, do the math].

Talk about bad timing that leaves a bad taste in one's mouth. When the rest of the people are adjusting their lives to the fuel price hike, suddenly we read something like this which certainly would anger a lot of people.

After the news was out, there was a statement to the effect that the measure was to save cost. [Read here].

While I agree that Mercedes is a more reliable brand, is it not also more expensive to maintain? Is it not also a fuel-guzzler? Fine, some people may argue that the Mercedes would be in line with an executive councillor's stature, but come on... what's wrong with moderation and modesty? I think a kampung folk would be happier to see a leader visiting his kampung in a modest locally-made car compared to a luxurious continental car. [Even the Prime Minister's official car is a locally-made Proton].

At the very least, using a Proton is a way to support the local automotive industry. Who best to support the industry but the government (both federal and state) itself? If all state governments as well as the federal government opt for a foreign brand, then no wonder Proton is in bad shape and in need of help.

I was informed that in the last general election, a few candidates lost because they drove into kampungs using luxury SUVs and continental cars. The kampung folks saw that as being snobbish and out-of-touch with the realities of life. And hence, these candidates lost (even in seats where they were tipped to win easily).

At a time when people are finding it difficult to adjust to the current socio-economic scenario, I just hope that these politicians would find it in their hearts to be a lot more in tune to the plight and sensitivities of the people. I just don't see how they can do that in their Mercedes.

Ironically, the government is talking about minimising wastage of funds.

I guess it is something like this that made me lost my interest in politics a while back.

Writing... full time?

Lately I have been giving this one particular thought much attention. How I wish I could be a full time writer.

Unfortunately, much as I would like this to be a reality, I can't... just yet.

In Malaysia, the sale of books and the reading culture have not yet reached a level where a writer could actually make writing a full time profession. While current trend shows that sales are better this past couple of years compared to before, the rising cost of publication would definitely put a damper on this trend. People here, rightly or wrongly, think that the price of books is too high. [Sometimes I wonder why people don't hesitate to waste money on other things - cigarettes, for instance - and yet hesitate when it comes to buying books].

Sure, there are some writers here who are full time writers. But they are either married ladies with husbands who are working, or writing is not their only source of income. One famous full time writer for example gets a lot of invitations for talks and workshops, and I gather that this happens to be his main source of income (and not from writing).

At times, I envy writers in the West. I know it's not easy to get a break in the writing world, but once you have made the cut and your book sells like hot cakes, you'd be able to embark on full time writing. Not to mention the numerous spin-offs and countless adaptations on your books. How I wish I could see that happening here.

Last year, someone from a production house expressed interest to adapt my first novel, Ombak Senja, into a television drama. Unfortunately, the production house changed its mind when they realised that they have to pay a certain percentage in royalty to the publisher of the novel. Another production house spoke to me last month about the same thing, and again they changed their mind when the word "royalty" is mentioned. As far as they are concerned, adapting a novel is too costly. No doubt, if the novel is adapted to television, it would help in increasing the sale of the novel. Alas, this was not to be.

In this country, unless and until one is a famous writer, one's book doesn't really "sell" in the true sense of the word. But I wonder, if indeed you can make a living out of writing, why is it difficult to find a full time writer? A best-selling writer best known for his thriller novels is attached to a television station. Another best-selling writer happens to be a lawyer. Another I know is a quantity surveyor. Yet another best-selling writer is an engineer. In short, almost everyone has a day job - and what a day job they have!

Whether or not I'll be going full time into writing would very much depend on the state of the book industry in Malaysia. If it remains the way it is now, I guess I'll stick to my day job - and writing will remain to be something I do in my spare time [as if I really have that].

Uh, hang on a minute. My day job involves a whole lot of writing as well...

Abbreviation or acronym?

Frankly, I never gave this much thought before. What is the difference between an abbreviation and an acronym? Before this, I thought the two are interchangeable, or in other words, abbreviation and acronym are two words referring to the same thing, or technically speaking, "synonyms."

But I just found out that this is not so.

An abbreviation is the short form of a word. To cite a couple of examples, "Doctor" is abbreviated to "Dr" and Professor is abbreviated to "Prof." Apparently there's a rule (although it's not really enforceable), on the usage of abbreviation. Take the word "Doctor" for instance. It is abbreviated to "Dr" without a full stop at the end of the abbreviation. This is because the abbreviation ends with the last letter of the word. Contrast this to the word "Professor" which is abbreviated to "Prof." where in this case, the full stop must be present because the abbreviation does not end with the actual last letter of the word.

So that explains it. I have often wondered why certain abbreviations have punctuation marks while others don't. Now I know when to use the full stop and when not to use it in my writings (both academic and creative).

An acronym meanwhile refers to a word that combines the initial letters of each word. There are many examples of this that can be found in many different areas. In cybertalk, oft-used acronyms are like rotfl (rolling on the floor laughing), brb (be right back), afk (away from keyboard), lol (laugh out loud) and many more. In science, we have acronyms like stp (standard temperature and pressure), IUPAC (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) and others. I am sure we can think of many other examples of acronyms.

There you have it: The differences between abbreviation and acronym (not that anyone asked me to write on this).

For further reading, I suggest you click on this link.

Which "Hero" are you?

This is one of those "personality test" online to see which "Heroes" character you are. It's not meant to be taken seriously, but if you are Sylar, I would be worried.

I can't say that I am surprised that I am supposed to be much like Mohinder Suresh.


Find out what heroes character are you at LiquidGeneration.com!

So, which character are you?

A simple question

If you have the power to change one thing, what would it be?

This is an often-asked question. And I am pretty sure that each of us has our own answers, although I must admit that I am hard-pressed to find THE one thing that I want to change.

What do you want to change if you have the power to do so?

And the Oscar goes to...

I think I just had the best laugh in years.

I was surfing at my publisher's website, and lo and behold, they have come up with a trailer to promote my second novel, Transgenesis: Bisikan Rimba. I was told by my editor, Mat Jan, when I called him up that the short film was shot last Saturday at Ulu Yam.

I must commend Mat Jan's enthusiasm alongside the guys at PTS for this endeavour that I really, really appreciate. I enjoy their sense of humour in this short film, and I hope you will too.



I may be wrong but I believe this is one of the first, if not the first, such promotion that is being done for a local novel. Thank you again, Mat Jan. You guys certainly deserve an Oscar for creativity and passion.

[P.S. By the way, the mysterious arm that you see stalking "Tracker" is Mat Jan's]

Flip-flop

Lately, in Malaysia, the term "flip-flop" has become rather popular. So, what is flip-flop anyway? Allow me to enlighten everyone.

Flip-flop may be an electronics term. The definition and explanation of which can be found here.

Flip-flop can also be a term in footwear fashion. The definition and explanation can be read here.

Flip-flop is also another term for handspring in gymnastics. Those interested to see a gymnast flip-flopping can see it here.

Flip-Flop is also a Doctor Who audio play. If you are curious about this, you can read about it here.

Flip-Flop, apparently, is also an album's name although I have never heard of it in my life. Those, who may want to know more about the album, can click here.

Flip-flop paint is a type of paint that changes colour depending on the angle in which it is viewed from. More about paint here.

Flip-flop hub meanwhile is a type of hub used in bicycle wheels. Cycling enthusiasts can read about it here.

Flip-flop, believe it or not, is also a biological process involving the enzyme known as flippase. More about flippase that flip-flops here.

Flip/flop is also another biological process involving alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid or AMPA receptor. Feast your mind on this by reading here.

Flip-flop is also a political term. The term is best explained here.

In terms of politics, perhaps one-time Terminator, Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of the greatest proponent of flip-floppers. I don't know whether I am well-versed enough to say whether flip-flopping is good or otherwise. Maybe it is if one is talking about personal principles. Your principles may change as time goes by, brought about by maturity, experience and knowledge.

Flip-flopping may also be good if you are a lemming about to follow the other lemmings jumping off a cliff. Flip-flopping or a change of mind would be good for said lemming.

But if policy-makers flip-flop frequently on policy matters, do you not think that it is bad? Would that not affect public and investors' perceptions? Does that not show incompetency and ineffectiveness? Is that not a sign of ill-advised and poorly planned strategies?

I know I don't like to talk politics. But when politicians and policy-makers flip-flop on decisions and policies, the ramifications go beyond politics. This would definitely affect the public. And when it affects the public, it is no longer just another political issue.

Just my two cents [although I may have to increase this by 40.6% due to the increase in petrol price which would make it roughly 2.812 cents].

Just my 2.812 cents.

Make a list

There was a time when I think I was quite well-organised. I had a "to-do list" for the week. The list may be long, but with it I managed to keep track of the things that need to be done, and ticking off those which had been done.

These days, I don't have a "to-do list." I rely mainly on my memory. And I don't think it's such a good idea. There are occasions that I simply forgot what I needed to do. [Getting old, I guess].

Therefore, the logical conclusion is: I need to make a "to-do list."

And to have a "to-do list" should be at the top of my "to-do list" of the week.

Hectic week

Sorry for the silence this past few days. Things are quite hectic this week.

On Tuesday, I was tied up with the recording of the pilot of a medical programme (with Islamic inputs) to be aired, I believe, in October. I am also involved as researcher for the programme.

Then on Wednesday and yesterday, I was involved in a marathon interview for new staff members for the Yayasan.

Still reeling from the exhaustion actually. Hence, the silence.

I hope to get back on track next week, or sooner if possible.

Facts which fiction is based on

I found out about this from fellow blogger, Shane's blog:


After doing a quick search, I found another interesting video:


And people wonder where I get my ideas for my stories from.

Damned if it's true, damned if it's not

I am pretty sure many are following Malaysia's political developments (?) with great interest. Much have been said in the media (mainstream, underground, blogosphere and what-have-you) about this. And personally, I think too much have been said, so much so that people are now confused, fed-up and bored. [At least, I think the rational ones are].

Personally, I don't have the mood to watch or read the news. While people are trying to cope with the economic challenges, i.e. increased costs for petrol and foodstuff, alongside rising inflation, there are people out there who are more interested in slinging mud at one another. The horrible part is that we get stuck in the middle of the mud fight. [I would have preferred a snow fight, it's much more fun and cleaner].

I personally don't care who's right and who's wrong. My personal views are that these allegations are very serious. They are criminal offences according to the law of the land. They are against the moral standards of the society. They also go against the teachings of the religion. The thing is, no matter who you want to believe or trust, it is now the case of "damned if it's true, damned if it's not." It has now become what the Malays say, "menang jadi abu, kalah jadi arang," which roughly means that you lose either way.

Less than two months ago, I wrote in this blog how I have been disenchanted by politicians and politics. Just look at what's happening now.

I rest my case.

Tired... a wee bit

I have been feeling pretty exhausted these past couple of days. Body aching and fatigue made worse by the throbbing pain on my right arm. [I can't actually lift my right arm properly]. This week has been pretty good workwise, but the aches and pains slowed me down somewhat.

I hope I'll recover soon enough. There is much that needs to be done. And next week will be very hectic.

Student life

Last Sunday, I was in Kuantan sending my now grown-up little sister to register for her undergraduate studies at the Kuantan campus of the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).

All the best, Liyana. Enjoy your student life. Nothing will come close to this experience.

I know I'm missing my undergraduate life already.

And that reminds me... I need to register for the new semester for my PhD.

Mid-year already

Time sure does fly. We are already in the second half of 2008. The first half has been eventful, for me at least. A lot has taken place, and I'm pretty sure more will follow in the second half of the year.

Before you know it, we'll be ushering in 2009. Sometimes it feels like the years are getting shorter. But I think it feels like that because we have so much to do compared to before, making it feels like time is running faster than before. Then again, who knows, maybe time is running faster than before.

I said it before, and I'll say it again.

Time sure does fly.