twiceblessedman

Conversation in heaven

2010-04-27T03:34:00.002+08:00

Abd Mubarak was on his way to Mecca when one night he dreamed that he was in heaven and heard two angels having a conversation.
“How many pilgrims came to the holy city this year?” one of them asked.
“Six hundred thousand”, answered the other.
“And how many of them had their pilgrimage accepted?”
“None of them. However, in Baghdad there is a shoemaker called Ali Mufiq who did not make the pilgrimage, but did have his pilgrimage accepted, and his graces benefited the 600,000 pilgrims”.
When he woke up, Abd Mubarak went to Mufiq’s shoe shop and told him his dream.
“At great cost and much sacrifice, I finally managed to get 350 coins together”, the shoemaker said in tears. “But then, when I was ready to go to Mecca I discovered that my neighbors were hungry, so I distributed the money among them and gave up my pilgrimage”.

-Paulo Coelho

One Minute Read

2010-04-15T23:31:00.001+08:00

Khalil Gibran on Friendship:

Your friend is your needs answered.
He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving.
And he is your board and your fireside.
For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace.
When your friend speaks his mind you fear not the “nay” in your own mind, nor do you withhold the “ay.”
And when he is silent your heart ceases not to listen to his heart;
For without words, in friendship, all thoughts, all desires, all expectations are born and shared, with joy that is unacclaimed.
When you part from your friend, you grieve not;
For that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence, as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain.
And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit.
For love that seeks aught but the disclosure of its own mystery is not love but a net cast forth: and only the unprofitable is caught.
And let your best be for your friend.
If he must know the ebb of your tide, let him know its flood also.
For what is your friend that you should seek him with hours to kill?
Seek him always with hours to live.
For it is his to fill your need, but not your emptiness.
And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures.
For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.

House Rules

2010-04-07T02:10:00.003+08:00

Everyone, it seems, has an opinion on autism: celebs, politicians — not to mention the medical community.

But to grasp on a gut level the emotional texture of what it's like to live with Asperger's syndrome (the highest-functioning form of autism) or to love a family member who has it, you need to read Jodi Picoult's powerful new House Rules.

House Rules has a serviceable plot involving a murder trial. Set in Vermont, the novel centers on Emma Hunt and her two teen sons. Older son Jacob, 18, is a high school senior with Asperger's; the younger son is the unimpaired Theo, 15. (People with Asperger's are often highly intelligent and very verbal but have difficulty navigating the world because they cannot interpret social cues correctly.)

Where's Dad? Although he sends his monthly child support, he fled to Silicon Valley when Theo was 6 months old, overwhelmed by the chaos created by a special-needs child.

Everything revolves around Jacob. Picoult brings alive how "Aspies" crave order and fall apart when confronted with change. Jacob's rigid schedule, his clothes, his food become minefields if threatened.

Emma has devoted herself to helping Jacob through endless therapies, supplements, special diets, doctors. She also ceaselessly advocates for accommodations in school for Jacob. He's doing better, but he'll never be self-sufficient. Hers is a heroic but exhausting and isolated life filled with fear about Jacob once she's gone — as well as guilt over Theo. With good reason, he resents how his whole life is dominated by his older brother's disability.

Emma's deepest grief is Jacob's loneliness. To help him, she hires a lovely grad student named Jess to tutor Jacob in how to read social cues. And to learn why he shouldn't drone on about his favorite topic, a CSI-like TV show. Jacob has a Talmudic knowledge of blood splatters, forensics, crime scenes and decomposing bodies.

This fixation makes the police suspicious when Jess turns up dead. Jacob's Asperger behaviors — twitching, little eye contact — only deepen their suspicions. The plot trots along with cops, lawyers, a trial and various twists.

The most impressive and moving chapters are the ones narrated by Jacob. Picoult captures his intelligence and his obsessiveness but also his emotional flatness and self-absorption.

Picoult doesn't whitewash the fact that Jacob experiences the world differently. Not an easy task — and one of the reasons House Rules ranks among her best.

The redemption of love through total surrender

2010-04-07T02:00:00.005+08:00

In »The Winner Stands Alone«, Paulo Coelho is back to the important themes from Eleven minutes and The Zahir. He offers a novel full of suspense, a mirror image of the world we live in, where our commitment to luxury and the success of any cost often prevents us from hearing what the heart actually whispers.

In his new novel »The Winner Stands Alone«, Paulo Coelho takes us to the Cannes Film festival, where the so-called superclass gathers - those who have made it in the dream makers world of fashion and film. Some have even reached the very top and are afraid to lose their lofty position. Money, power and fame are at stake - values for which most people are prepared to do anything, whatever the cost.

At this modern vanity fair meet: Igor, a Russian millionaire; fashion czar Hamid from the Middle East; American actress Gabriella, eager to glean a lead role; ambitious criminal detective Savoy, hoping to resolve the case of his life, and Yasmine on the brink of a successful modelling career.

Who will succeed in identifying his or her own personal dream among the many prefabricated dreams and in making it come true?

Read between the lines

2010-03-21T01:46:00.002+08:00

I have something to tell. Something to share. Something which some of us don't really bother to know. But to begin this one I can only tell you one thing. That respect is to be earned. Have you came across this saying before? Now tell me, how would you feel when you are accused of not paying enough respect in return of the respect you deserve being neglected? If you tell me that you'll be just fine with that, I'll call you an angel, my friend. Cause hell yeah you are! For those who goes the same directions as I do are those who rock! Because such angelic person don't deserve to be on Earth. I don't expect people to treat me with royal treatment or bow to each words I say or lay my walkway with French velvet. The least you could do is respect my feelings. And be gentle with it as you would your own. Then, if I ever did something wrong without realizing it, you could tell it to my face so I can correct it. The same way they expect to be treated. But don't go tell the whole wide world about how much you think I disrespect you or anyone else for that matter. They say life is unfair. But you have to remember, what goes around comes around. You may say that to me today but one fine day, you will also have someone else doing the same shit to you. But forget it, should that happen to you, you'd still blame it on others. Like you would care.
This rambling goes down the drain anyhow!
Bullshit!

[quote of the day]

2010-03-10T01:40:00.000+08:00

"Those who failed me shall not live to see me fail once more. That's why I let you live as I will never ever fail before your eyes again."

-Afiq Shahrim Abdul Rahim

Jabberwocky

2010-03-07T14:40:00.005+08:00

Yes. The Jabberwocky.
I know what it feels like being Jabberwocky.
Not because I once imitated Jabberwocky and was 'killed' by Ms. Alice at Loft. No!
Focus..
I watched Alice In Wonderland yesterday night and there were bunch of kids in the cinema. It was a good show. Plus it was a 3D show. Superbly done. If I had to choose between Avatar and Alice In Wonderland for my favorite 3D movie, I'd say Alice In Wonderland.
So like I was saying, there were bunch of kids. Many I would say for a 12am show.
And the part where Mad Hatter is about to be revealed was the part I turned into Jabberwocky. Two of the kids seated behind me started kicking my seat from the back half way through the movie and they only stopped after I shouted at them. A friend of mine gave them all the curse words you can think of. Well, those are not for the kids mainly. But more for the father. He sat next to them with his 3D glasses on and couldn't be bothered with what was happening. Just because you put the glasses on, the screen isn't the only thing you see. Dumbass. I was very close to killing the father for not doing anything about it and most importantly for taking the kids out at 12am for a movie. I bet those kids don't even understand the bloody movie. Or even know what movie were they actually watching. Why bother buying the tickets? Get the DVD and stay at home. Watch it at 4 am and nobody cares. Your kids can kick any seats they want. If you can't afford a nanny or a babysitter and having kids stops you from going out for midnight movies, then don't have one!

This is the problem with people who simply make babies without knowing anything.
Do you know that growing kids require enough sleep for their mental growth?
And enough means sufficient. And by sufficient I mean at least 10hours of good sleep for kids aged 6 to 9. I don't have kids but I know this. It requires a bit of your extra time to read something more intellectual instead of that imbecilic tabloids that covers the advantages of using leech oil or the one that reports the number of girls Dato X has been dating.
Let me do the math for those who find it difficult to compute.
The kid woke up at 7am when you are still in bed till 10 or 11.
Considering the 10hours of good sleep, the kid now has only 14 hours to spend before he goes to bed again. He has to eat, play, watch cartoons, study and all that jazz within the 14hours.
Which means by 2100hrs, the kid should be in bed again.
Fine... 2100hrs is 9pm.
What time was the movie yesterday? Oh 12am..that's 3hrs past bedtime. What time did the movie end? 2am. Great, now 5 hrs past bedtime. He was probably half way through his LalaLand in there, became restless and started to kick my seat. See? Can you see how this is just a simple and logical thinking that can easily take place if you had considered using the condom when you really can't vicissitude your routine of going out for midnight movies on weekend knowing that you also can't afford a nanny?

Think it through before you screw.

[quote of the day]

2010-03-06T02:18:00.001+08:00

"If you tell me sunshine brings happiness,
you surely have not danced in the rain"

"the dance"

2010-02-21T15:22:00.003+08:00

for a moment you feel that jumping up and down,
doing that Thriller moves,
enjoying your own steps,
to whichever song you like to dance to,
makes you feel alive.
and that's when you were doing the Tango.
maybe next time, you thought.
but then, you knew you lost count.
wrong timing.
missed a step.

with the right person,
catching up the steps become much easier.
if you are a beginner, don't bother dancing with an expert.
find your own league.
else, you will be stepping on her foot most of the time or vice versa.
and that's the last thing anyone would wish to happen on the dancefloor.
remember, your leather sole isn't soft my man!
her heels on your toe isn't a pretty picture either.

know the person you are dancing with.
find the right music.
choose easier steps.
if you can't do the Merengue,
start with 3 steps Salsa.

and still you find that difficult?
stick to jumping up and down.
you can never go wrong that way.
nobody gets stepped on.
choose any song you like,
anytime you want to get groovy.
simply pump up that MJ's tracks.

but no matter what,
always remember to keep dancing.

[quote of the day]

2010-02-18T01:06:00.002+08:00

"You have to treat an aircraft like a lady.
Be gentle, she's fragile. Be rough, and she'll break."

Say It Today!

2010-02-14T04:31:00.003+08:00

Only on this particular day.
Not an ordinary day.
Today is the day we celebrate the existence of love.
Today is the day we express our feelings.
Give cards to each other.
Have nice dinner together.
Exchange gifts.
Say those words of love.
How sweet.What a lovely couple, say those from across the dining area.
Having the same meal, with cards and gifts on their table too.
You know those 3 words you have been hearing almost everytime you end your conversation with your partner over the phone?
Yes that 3 words.
Say it again today.
It becomes more special to say it today.
How superficial one can be standing as a different man all together in front of his lady.
And the best part of all, he stands as the greatest man on Earth for doing that.
For doing things he should be doing everyday.
How pathetic one can be faking those expressions like a bloody hypocrite in front of her man.
Those expressions of love that should come sincerely from the heart.
And be the joy of every single loving day.
Ironic how couples need one special day to show their partner how much they love each other.
To enjoy all the perks they deserve everyday so long they are together.
So what are you waiting for?
Say it now.
Before you run out of time.
After all, you only have one day to say it!

[quote of the day]

2010-02-14T04:26:00.002+08:00

"Talking to her makes me feel like Einstein."

-Afiq Shahrim Abdul Rahim

[quote of the day]

2009-12-30T03:52:00.001+08:00

"Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted"

-Randy Pausch.

[quote of the day]

2009-12-28T05:11:00.003+08:00

"The first step in the acquisition of wisdom is silence, the second listening, the third memory, the fourth practice, the fifth teaching others."

-Solomon Ibn Gabriol

Rebuilding the world

2009-12-28T04:55:00.003+08:00

by Paulo Coelho

A father was trying to read the newspaper, but his little son kept pestering him. Finally, the father grew tired of this and, tearing a page from the newspaper - one that bore a map of the world - he cut it into several pieces and handed them to his son.
'Right, now you've got something to do. I've given you a map of the world and I want to see if you can put it back together correctly.'
He resumed his reading, knowing that the task would keep the child occupied for the rest of the day. However, a quarter of an hour later, the
boy returned with the map.
'Has your mother been teaching you geography?' asked his father in astonishment.
'I don't even know what that is,' replied the boy. 'But there was a photo of a man on the other side of the page, so I put the man back together and found I'd put the world back together too.'

the greatest gift

2009-12-19T00:01:00.002+08:00

they are the greatest gift. and forever they will be. well, when i was born, they say that i was their greatest gift. as for me, i could have been some other couple's greatest gift but instead i was lucky to have them as my parents. so to me they are indeed my greatest gift. couldn't ask for anyone better to replace them. sometimes i wonder if i can ever live without them? thinkin about it brings shiver down my spine. and indeed teary eyes too. will i be able to be the man i am today to face that fact? will i be strong enough? but i know i am strong today, standing as the man i am with them by my side. and i will use the strength i have today, to shower them with the purest love i have embedded in me. they never fail me, they never disappoint me. and i know with the love i share with them for million years, i will be loved by them for million years more. there isn't a single wish that i could utter to express this gratitude, this feeling. only warm hugs and prayers. O Allah bless them with the same amount of love they gave me all my life, give them the strength of iman, reward them with Your rahmah and a long and healthy life so they will be able to pray to You and whisper those words of zikr.May You ease each steps they take along Your path. amiin.

BUENOS AIRES

2009-12-12T04:33:00.002+08:00

itu destinasi impian untuk tahun 2010.
tercapai atau tidak biar Dia tentukan.
tapi aku, macam biasa, tetap akan letak harapan.
tak salah untuk berharap.
cuma dalam masa yang sama kena la usaha untuk dapatkannya.
but this plan not only requires proper planning.
it also requires a lot of money.

checklist sebelum bercuti:
1. brush up my Spanish. Da berkarat.
2. survey accomodations online.
3, get connected and ask around..the best is to ask the locals.
4. confirm entitlement of voucher for free flight ticket from MAS ticketing counter.
5. roughly calculate the amount of cash needed for food per day.
6. list down all the must-go places in Argentina.
7. check the trend of their currency and roughly calculate pocket money needed.
8. familiarize with the roads around city area and their public transport services.
9. know exactly where Malaysian Embassy in Argentina.
10. plan the exact date to fly.
11. find out the weather expected there around that time of the year.
12. obtain the open ticket from ticket counter.

what a checklist and what a plan!
can't wait to execute this one.
tapi nak korek duit mane?
aarghhh....itu tak penting.
yang penting aku plan dulu.
skrg mase untuk survey happening places to visit.

vamos a ir a Buenos Aires!

Rat Pack

2009-12-10T01:23:00.002+08:00

i'm a big fan.
i think they make great records.
i can listen to them everyday and anytime.
be it while studying,
or stuck in a horrible traffic.
basically anytime i need good music
some listen to them to sleep.
but i stay awake listening to them.
not something younger generation would appreciate.
they'd rather be jumping to "Somebody call 911!"
but Rat Pack brought classy yet simple type of music.
they made me listen to each words.
and each lines cries for your attention,
can be very witty at times.
wonderful and meaningful lyrics.
accentuated by their great voices.
which are yet to be replaced by any newcomers.
and only with all that mentioned above
that one can be called a legend.
Rat Pack is indeed a legend.
or at least to me they are!

[quote of the day]

2009-12-10T01:05:00.002+08:00

"Only during that time of the month that they have something to blame on."

-Afiq Shahrim Abdul Rahim.

rambling....

2009-11-28T13:30:00.002+08:00

at times it feels like we are on the same direction.
at times it feels like we are far apart.
at times I could feel the connection.
at times I wonder why did it ever start.

at times it feels like we are on the same page.
at times it feels like we are on different book all together.
at times we speak the same language.
at times we couldn't understand each other.

[quote of the day]

2009-11-24T02:48:00.004+08:00

"I know where I stand
and that's exactly where I will be."

-Afiq Shahrim Abdul Rahim

25 years..

2009-11-21T01:49:00.008+08:00

suku abad. kalau aku sebuah kereta, aku cuma perlu lagi 5tahun untuk dikategorikan sebagai klasik. kalau aku melangkah satu kaki sehari, hari ini cukup 9125 kaki jauh aku melangkah. bersamaan dengan 2829meters @ 2.83kms. tak jauh pun. chenang ke matsirat lagi jauh. banyak aku belajar dalam jangka masa 25 tahun. banyak juga kesilapan yang aku buat sepanjang jalan. berapa banyak aku belajar dari kesilapan-kesilapan itu, aku tak tau. banyak hari-hari yang aku rasa banyak terisi. banyak juga hari-hari yang terbuang macam tu sahaja. but they made the man I am today. and I never regret every bit of it.

so many faces I met along the way. so many faces I love to see everyday. so many faces that are meant to stay. yang mengajar aku erti kawan, yang mengajar aku jadi insan, yang mengajar aku untuk terus berlawan. tiap satu buat aku jadi lebih matang. to learn the meaning of life, to feel the existence of love, to accept rejections, to realize the essence of hatred, to smile whenever in pain, and to cry tears of joy.

aku belajar apa itu cita-cita. aku belajar yang tak semua impian akan jadi kenyataan. I have had cold shoulders, I have had a slap in the face, I have been declined, I have been denied. there's nothing I can do about it but to learn from them. still, like I said, I don't know how much I have learned from them but I know I did.

aku bersyukur dengan apa yang aku ada hari ini. setiap urusan dipermudah, setiap doa dimakbul, mungkin tidak dalam sekelip mata, tapi Dia cukupkan rezeki aku, Dia kurniakan keluarga yang sentiasa ada untuk aku, sahabat-sahabat yang setia dan kekuatan dalam kehidupan yang sempurna untuk terus ingat padaNya.

25tahun satu jangka masa yang lama kalau nak ditunggu. tapi 25 tahun aku, berlalu sangat pantas. mampukah aku melangkah 2.83kms yang akan datang? dan 2.83kms yang seterusnya? dan 2.83kms lagi? semoga setiap langkah yang aku terus ambil selepas ini sentiasa di atas jalanNya for I don't know how many more kilometers will I be walking on His path.

ABNORMAL START

2009-11-20T18:17:00.008+08:00

NON NORMAL CHECKLIST

condition : One or more of the following occur:
(i) have nothin to eat at home;
(ii) woke up feeling hungry;
(iii) woke up too early.
------------------------------------------------------------------
abnormal start recall items.
(confirm the following items)

WAKE UP (time)..................................... (noted)
FAMISH Switch......................................... ON
FAMISH Lights.....................................ILLUMINATE (Bright)
DAY START Switches...............................Guard and Closed
Appetite ...................................................AUTO mode selector
IDEA Light Bulbs................................... ILLUMINATE (Dim)
Crew Members....................................... INFORMED
Options.................................................... EVALUATED

Carry out Non Normal Checklist
_______________________

FAMISH Switch...................................... OFF
Note : if the light remains illuminated, continue with the checklist.

DAY START Switches........................ON
Appetite...........................................MANUAL mode selector
Observe the IDEA Light Bulbs .........ILLUMINATE (Bright)
Options.............................................ANALYZE
(Consider drive thru, call for delivery or eat in by taking into account the time noted initially)

React immediately once options are evaluated and analyzed.

***non normal checklist complete***

[quote of the day]

2009-11-17T11:43:00.002+08:00

"Everyone dreams. But only few work for it."

-Afiq Shahrim Abdul Rahim

stand up!

2009-11-13T15:09:00.003+08:00

ok..no more of those metaphorical shit.
let's freshen up with somethin to ponder upon.
let me ask you this.
when was the last time you watch a stand up comedy?
does not matter if it's a live show at some bars..or on TV.
did you notice the difference and how the quality of stand up comedy
has utterly completely...CHANGED!
the issues they talk about seem to be so shallow
and not somethin that will leave you wondering anymore.
like how it used to be.
or somethin that will make you say to yourself,
"hey it's true. he makes sense"
you know why?
because he did not.
they never make sense anymore.
I don't remember seeing
or maybe have not seen a single comedian NOWADAYS
that do not use fowl languages in their jokes.
like it's funny to use them.
they are muttered to 'spice up' their jokes.
yea..once twice..maybe.
to loosen it up..sure
but if I hear 15 'fucking's in one sentence,
I'll probably be laughin at the fact that
you made a fool of yourself to be standin up there.
not at your jokes anymore.
kalau da takde idea..tak payah nak mengarut dan mencarut byk2.
tak lawak pun.
just say "fucking thank you fuckers" (since you love to insert it in every alternate words you use)
..and sit down.

another loser would like to show us how he curses better than you up next!

[quote of the day]

2009-11-10T23:26:00.000+08:00

"You’re far more liable to die from
dangerous cholesterol levels than
dangerous airspeeds."

-By Glenn R. Stoutt, Jr., MD
Senior Aviation Medical Examiner

Pilots 'have higher skin cancer risk'

2009-11-10T22:53:00.002+08:00

Pilots are at higher risk of skin cancer than the rest of the population, according to research.

It says pilots who fly over several time zones are in the most danger, saying this could be due to the effect of disturbances to the body's biological rhythms.

The health of more than 450 pilots in Iceland was studied, using the Icelandic Cancer Registry. The rates of skin cancer - malignant melanoma - were 10 times higher for all pilots, 15 times higher for those flying international routes and 25 times higher for pilots who flew over five or more time zones.

The study, published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine, also suggested higher rates of cancer in pilots who had more flying hours, which suggests other frequent flyers, including business travellers, may also be at risk.

Dr Vilhjalmur Rafnsson, of the department of preventative medicine at the University of Reykjavik, who led the research, said that the effect of long-haul flights on circadian rhythms needed further investigation.

Long-haul flights are known to interfere with the body's circadian rhythms - the daily biological cycle - which in turn affects levels of melatonin, the hormone responsible for sleep patterns.

Radiation

Other factors potentially involved in higher cancer rates are cosmic radiation, which occurs at greater levels at altitude, and lifestyle, including sunbathing.

The additional annual exposure to radiation, at 1 to 2 milliSieverts, was within accepted occupational levels.

Dr Rafnsson told BBC News Online: "By comparing the group of pilots with the Icelandic cancer register, we found this high rate of skin cancer. It is surprising that it is malignant melanoma that we found and that the rates are so high."

Melanoma accounts for about 10 percent of all skin cancers but causes 75-85 percent of skin cancer deaths. Excessive exposure to harmful sun rays can increase the risk of the disease.

Previous studies have shown higher levels of colon and brain cancer, while one carried out on British Airways pilots claimed a reduced risk of cancer.

Dr Rafnsson added that even frequent flyers would not fit into the top category of more than 5,000 hours flown by very experienced pilots.

But he said in the report: "The excess of malignant melanoma among those flying over five time zones suggests that the importance of disturbance of the circadian rhythm should be taken into consideration in future studies."

Frequent fliers

Farrol Kahn, director of the Aviation Health Institute, said: "One of the main factors would probably be from the radiation because pilots usually sit in the cockpit in short sleeves next to the windows.

"Previous studies have shown that pilots have more cases of leukaemia so it is no surprise to see that skin cancer rates are also high."

He did not believe circadian rhythms were likely to be a significant factor.

He said that he considered frequent fliers other than pilots were at risk from radiation. "In the long term, they should think about cutting down, particularly on long-haul flights," he added.

Source : BBC NEWS

another .. [quote of the day]

2009-11-05T16:16:00.002+08:00

"When you realize you're making a mistake, it's already too late.
All you can do is learn."

-Afiq Shahrim Abdul Rahim

[quote of the day]

2009-11-01T05:34:00.002+08:00

"Her sneakers may look ugly and old,
and you may not want to be in hers,
but you don't know where she has been in those."

-Afiq Shahrim Abdul Rahim

Thank You!

2009-10-30T18:10:00.001+08:00

***this was written way back when I was in Langkawi and I still think it has to be posted, anyhow!***

Thank You.

I don't know if I'm the only one who realize this but those are the two words hardly uttered in most of our daily lives. Like it's an ego cruncher or life destroyer that some people find it difficult to use. Are they shy? Or simply ignorant that it actually means something to some people. As a matter of fact, to everybody. Let's not get to other greetings you could think of. From the minute you wake up, to walking down the block to the store, to jumping on the bus back home and back to your bed. Don't we ever feel the emptiness without a single greetings uttered to show that little appreciation to people around us? They make our day for God's sake. Or maybe we didn't even realize that either. Should I blame it on the norm that is totally in disagreement to a religion called politeness? A simple gesture of appreciation would make a whole world of difference in other's life. I noticed the lackage and it became more and more obvious as days go by. You know when you realize something is wrong and you try to pick on it, it ended up being that dirty blob on a piece of white cloth you easily spot. And it annoys you the more you stare at it.
So here I was walking towards a long queue where a bunch of people waiting for those workers to bring out our dinner. They were running a little late than usual. And the line is growing within just minutes. But not long after that, here she came carrying a huge pot of rice. Trying to make her way out of that small door with such a huge pot to feed a bunch of ungrateful monkeys. She managed to get through that door without a single help from the onlookers who didn't think they should leave their line, or someone else is going to take their spot. Seconds away, few other workers carried out some other foods to be served. The line was filled with people who weren't getting any happier with that 15 minutes-delayed dinner. I could even hear voices of ungrateful hungry bastards talking words of disguise. Yes, so they were 15 minutes late. Not their fault. It was the chef who took entire afternoon figuring out what to serve for dinner. I'm sure he'll tell you "Good food takes longer to prepare". But the fact and matter is he never brings out anything good out of that kitchen. So yes, we shall all blame the chef for the delay. But not a single mouth said 'thank you' to the aunty who struggled her way out of that door, work hard to prepare dinner for them.Not even to those other workers who carried out their food. They looked tired as hell and all they got now is a line full of people who didn't believe that 'thank you' would do any good to their empty tummy that should have been filled 15 minutes ago. And we say that they were cruel for bringing the food out 15 minutes late?
How about that uncle who goes up and down the stairs to every single block every morning and evening, everyday to turn the air conditioning system on for us? People simply pass him by with a look of annoyance. Why? Because he goes up to every floor at every block to turn the air conditioning system off every single morning at 6? Because you have to sleep that extra 4 to 5 hours with only your fan circulating the not-so-cold air in your room? He didn't want to do it! He never wanted having to do that every morning. Waking up at 5am to turn off air conditioning system so everyone can be mad at him and later turn it back on at 8pm, hoping everybody would be nice to him again. He was told to do so. The fucking management told him to do so. Those cheap skate bastards are the one you should be mad at. Not that poor uncle who is just doing his job. Don't give him that look of disguise. What is so wrong with a simple greetings when you bump into him at the hallway? Or at the staircase? A 'thank you' would be very pleasing to his ears as he walks up to every floor to turn the air conditioning system back on. If he doesn't do it, you are not only going to be living the whole afternoon without air conditioning system, but you'll be sleeping without it too tonite.
Like I said, the more I stare at it, the more annoying it gets. The more I see and the more I hear, the more I feel irritated. Aren't we living in a civilized world where politeness takes an upper hand? Now go and say that magic word to everyone who help you make your day. The magic word that could certainly put a smile on our deary aunty's face who slaves herself to cook proper dinner for us. It may not be the best dinner you could ask for but enough to keep you from dying of hunger. Or you could simply take away that tired face of our poor uncle with that two magical words. Sounds too simple for a change but sometimes in life those little things that make a whole world of difference. Only we find it hard to see because we are too busy concentrating on other matters. The unnecessaries.
Thank you.

(untitled)

2009-10-30T18:06:00.002+08:00

Tell me it's a mistake,
Tell me it's stupid,
To fight for somethin' we never can win.
To adore somethin' we know we can't own.
To see things the way we dream it should.
To cry it crumbles right before our eyes.
Only to realize it is wrong.
It is foolish.
Tell me it's unfair,
Tell me it's cruel,
To keep it alive while it sheds blood.
To nurture the feelin' you don't deserve.
To hope for the unthinkables.
To see it kills that one thing you call your own.
Only to find it unjust.
Painful.
Show me how it's sacrilegious.
Show me how it's obnoxious.
When all you swallow is pride.
When all you whisper is prayer.
When all you breathe is hope.
And all you know is her.
Only to crucify your only chance.
That only chance.
And still I walk with a mistake so foolish,
Pave the road of unjust and painful livin',
Sanctify the unforgivable sin.
With dark colors and shabby lanes.
Breathin' the untold chapter.
Scribblin' those torn pages.
Will I win the fight?
Will I own my dreams?
Will I ever live again?

why are you here?

2009-10-28T16:53:00.003+08:00

why am I here?
what am I looking for?
soalan yg aku tak boleh jwb utk korg.
but as far as I'm concern,
you are here to read what's left to be read.
kalau tak, kau takkan bukak tab baru utk sebuah 'blog kosong'.
but really..
why am I here?
what am I looking for?
today is just another day.
another rainy day.
no simulator session was scheduled.
so tinggal aku dgn buku.
bile buku mula jemu dgn aku,
aku cari facebook,
facebook pun mula bosan,
aku cari blogspot.
macam tu ke hidup?
bile takde mutual understanding,
kite akan cari benda baru.
kalau tak baru pun..at least something else.
mungkin bile mula terbang sepenuh masa,
aku akan kurang berfikir pasal benda kecik mcm ni.
skrg byk benda kecik yg nampak sgt besar.
padahal byk lagi benda kena pikir.
itu baru masalah sendiri.
belum lagi sentuh masalah dunia.
what's happening to the world today?
semlm aku lepak sambil siapkan documents.
aku belajar byk pasal seeting up an NGO.
aku rasa aku tak menyumbang apa-apa pada dunia.
so I thought of setting up an NGO to create awareness.
especially among youth.
about child trafficking.
tiap hari kite nampak budak-budak,
datang mintak sedelah.
to give or not to give.
kite tau duit tu akan sampai kat sindiket.
kalau tak bagi,
the kid will go back empty handed and gets punished for that.
so what do we do?
ini yg aku nak tau. ini yg aku nak buat.
it hit me real hard when I realize that i'm responsible for all this.
I fly the plane in and out the country,
without realizing that I'm transporting those criminals.
dieorg kluar masuk negara buat 'business'
bwk masuk innocent kids to be exploited.
itu yg kite nampak. yg kite tak nampak?
yg masuk dgn tongkang? kapal haram?
something needs to be done.
kite kena jadi watchdog.
kena jadi an authorized body to take action.
nak harap polis semata? polis pun makan rasuah.
inshaAllah aku akan guna masa yg aku ade.
utk siapkan paperwork.
besides preparing myself for simulator,
aku cume perlu membaca.
dan bile aku tak membaca, aku bole siapkan paperwork itu.
my target is to get young people to join the cause.
save a child a day.
cukup kan?
setahun 365 kids can be saved.
I think this is why I'm here.
and this is what I'm looking for.
will you help?

Yes!

2009-10-25T22:59:00.002+08:00

it'll be dark from now on.
i thought i like this one better.
more strength in it.

*fine, i'm just bored of plain white blog!

stop child trafficking!

2009-10-24T22:39:00.005+08:00

source : www.sctnow.org

Stop Child Trafficking Now (SCTNow) has studied many organizations and their methods used in addressing child trafficking issues. Almost every organization we’ve encountered is focused on rescuing victims. While we support all worthy endeavors in this cause, research indicates funding efforts to support the deterrence and eliminate the demand fueling this heinous crime is most effective.

Rescuing child victims, while important and essential, does nothing to stem the tide of child trafficking. Economic principals prove that supply is a byproduct of demand. When demand goes up, so too does the supply to meet that demand. Conversely, if the demand goes down, then so too will the supply. As long as these predators buy and exploit children, there will continue to be a market and a demand for them. SCTNow's philosophy is to give its undivided attention to the demand side.

For these reasons, and based upon years of study, research, advice and counsel, SCTNow has chosen to fund a bold, new approach—one that addresses demand—by targeting child predators for prosecution and conviction. The key is in identifying predators to arrest, charge, prosecute and convict. To do this, we must investigate and gather sufficient evidence...then sentencing must be commensurate with the crime after the conviction.

Only a limited number of convictions worldwide have occurred over the last decade. Bringing successful convictions against predators and traffickers will act as a deterrent to, or greatly deter, predators. A persistent focus on perpetrators is the key to Stop Child Trafficking Now!

source : http://www.humantrafficking.org/countries/malaysia

Malaysia

The Situation
Malaysia is primarily a destination but also a source country for human trafficking. The traffickers are reportedly organized crime syndicates.

Source
A small number of Malaysian women and children, primarily of Chinese ethnicity, are trafficked for sexual exploitation in Singapore, Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Australia, Canada, and the United States. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and NGOs estimate that fewer than 100 Malaysian women were trafficked abroad during 2006 and that the number had declined in recent years.

Destination
Malaysia is destination country for a significant number of men women, and children who are trafficked from Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam, Burma, and the People's Republic of China (P.R.C.), India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Pakistan for sexual and labor exploitation. Many victims voluntarily migrate to Malaysia to work in factories, construction and agricultural sectors, or as domestic servants, but are later coerced into debt bondage or involuntary servitude. The Malaysian NGO, Tenaganita reported that 65 percent of the trafficking victims in Malaysia are for forced labor.

The Malaysian Government
The Malaysian Government was placed in Tier 3 in the 2007 U.S. Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons Report for not fully complying with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and not making significant efforts to do so.

There were reports of government officials who are complicit in trafficking; however, none have been prosecuted. In February 2005, officials in the National Registration Department were detained for forging permanent resident identity cards to traffickers.

The Malaysian House of Representatives recently passed an Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act in May 2007. Under the new act, traffickers can face sentences up to 20 years in prison, fines and a whipping. Victims would be placed in half-way shelter houses for three months to two years. The new act is expected to be enacted within three months after May. The Government has been using a variety of laws to prosecute traffickers, such as the Child Act for trafficking of children, the Immigration Act, and the restricted Resident Act to prosecute traffickers. Penalties for traffickers included 15 years in prison, a caning, and fines.

Prosecution
In 2006, there were no prosecutions of traffickers in Malaysia. However, the government prosecuted 35 people for using minors for prostitution, arrested 22 individuals for procuring brothels, and 16 individuals for arranging prostitution.

In a MOU with Indonesia, the Government requires employers who confiscate passports from migrant workers and confine them in their workplace in Malaysia. There have been no prosecutions of these employers for trafficking.

Protection
The Malaysian Government offers shelters and no legal alternatives to repatriation for victims who face hardship or retribution in their country. The majority of trafficking victims were rescued because of requests by foreign embassies. The Indonesian Government houses approximately 1,100 women and children, the majority of whom are thought to be trafficking victims. The Indonesian embassy in Kuala Lumpur holds more than 150 victims of employer abuse and trafficking victims. Malaysia does not adequately identify its trafficking victims; most illegal migrants were deported or imprisoned without identifying any potential trafficking victims.

Prevention
The Malaysian Government has few programs for preventing human trafficking. The Ministry of Women, Family, and Community development held a conference to teach police and immigration officials to identify trafficking victims. The Royal Malaysian Police held a one-day workshop to develop a national strategy.

International Cooperation
The 2005 MOU between the Governments of Indonesia and Malaysia allows Malaysian employers to confiscate passports from its migrant workers. This MOU is widely recognized as facilitating involuntary servitude.

REACT. IT'S TIME.

2009-10-21T07:45:00.000+08:00

CHILD TRAFFICKING The best available estimate is that 1.2 million children are trafficked worldwide every year for exploitation purposes such as forced labor, commercial sexual exploitation, prostitution and servitude, among other forms of slavery.  

BIRTH REGISTRATION Every year over 50 million children begin a life with no access to the most basic human rights. They have no identity; they are invisible.

VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN Worldwide, an estimated 40 million children under the age of 15 suffer from violence, abuse and neglect.

EDUCATION Nearly 115 million children are out of school. Globally, some 54% of the children out of primary school are girls.

HEALTH More than 10 million children under the age of five die each year. Two thirds of both neonatal and young child deaths - every year, over six million of those deaths - can be prevented.

Source: UNICEF

[quote of the day]

2009-10-19T02:06:00.008+08:00

"You have to learn to love yourself
before you can truly love others
or you'll never be truly loved,
for only those who love themselves
will appreciate the meaning of love
and no one can ever love you more
than you do."

-Afiq Shahrim Abdul Rahim

* took me a while to put those words together so they make sense.

Do It..

2009-10-18T14:38:00.002+08:00

Kenape nilai RM10 nampak besar dalam tabung masjid?
Tapi kalau nak beli DVD atau rokok RM10 tu macam takde nilai.

Fly

2009-10-17T04:20:00.002+08:00

Life is just like flying an airplane.
You may think I'm exaggerating.
And I'm telling you I'm not.
In life we need plans.
We've submitted our flight plan to God.
He is our air traffic controller.
Monitoring us from up above.
We checked the weather to see if there's any CB along the way.
Any obstacles that will deter us from getting to our destination.
Find out the en route forecast.
To predict what lies ahead of us.
But we human can only see so far.
Always prepare for diversions.
At least 2 alternate aerodromes.
We never know when emergency will take place.
We never know if problem gets more threatening.
We never know if our plan can be executed.
Everything must now be checked before you take on your load.
Physical checks is compulsory.
Do the walk around to check every parts.
Once you're ready, you let them board.
One by one.
Everyone with different character.
You welcome them in.
Maybe you can get to know them better during the flight later.
Through out your journey. Your life.
Or maybe you will just thank them for flying with you.
For being part of it.
Now you are ready for push back and start.
Getting the motivation you need to fly high.
All geared up.
And you hear the engine roar.
Excited as you are to touch the sky.
Ready for line up and max power you slammed the throttle.
Rolling faster and faster till you know you are ready.
Ready to lift yourself up to reach that cotton candy.
Taking off with one objective.
To reach your destination.
To take those you carry with you safely there.
Smooth cruising.
Enjoying the flight.
Getting to know people.
Those who are friendly and nice to talk to.
There are some who just could not be bothered.
Then come your nightmare.
The sky.Used to be sunny and clear.
No more fluffy white cotton candy around.
All you see is dark clouds with lightnings ready to strike.
Luckily you prepared diversions.
This is when you decide.
Should you fly through the storm?
Or should you divert to a safer area?
Is the storm strong enough to bring you down?
Can you endure it?
Or should you not take the risk and divert?
Or should you save your precious time from diverting?
Those who care will sob.
Those who don't simply give that look of disguise.
But somehow you made it through.
Come rain, hail, thunderstorm or bumpy ride.
You still stand with them all.
And now ready for the approach.
Ready for your attempt to get to the destination.
Your goal. Your aim.
Lives you carried with you.
Are heavier than any load you can ever think off.
We have to land there safely.
And you lower the flaps down.
Gears down.
Bigger wings now.
And you hear them cheering as the gears touched the ground.
A sign that you have landed.
Safely at the destination.
At the place you set on the flight plan you submitted earlier on.
With those souls you carried with you.
Along the way.
You made it. You flew.
You reached where you wanted to be.
He guided you through the dark clouds.
And now you are ready to submit another flight plan to Him.
To guide you back home.

Did I not tell you that life is just like flying an airplane?

Dream flying planes

2009-10-16T01:09:00.002+08:00

Sue and Bob, a pair of tight wads, lived in the mid west, and had been married years.

Bob had always want to go flying. The desire deepen each time a barn stormer flew into town to offer rides.

Bob would ask, and Sue would say, "No way, ten dollars is ten dollars."

The years went pay, and Bob figured he didn't have much longer, so he got Sue out to the show, explaining, it's free to watch, let's at least watch.

And once he got there the feeling become real strong. Sue and Bob started an arguement.

The Pilot, between flights, overheard, listened to they problem, and said, "I'll tell you what, I'll take you up flying, and if you don't say a word the ride is on me, but if you back one sound, you pay ten dollars.

So off they flew. The Pilot doing as many rolls, and dives as he could.

Heading to the ground as fast as the plane could go, and pulling out of the dive at just the very last second. Not a word. Finally he admited defeat and went back the air port.

"I'm surprised, why didn't you say anything?"

"Well I almost said something when Sue fell out, but ten dollars is ten dollars."

Believing In Yourself

2009-10-16T01:03:00.002+08:00

There may be days when you get up in the morning
and things aren't the way you had hoped they would be.
That's when you have to tell yourself that things will get better.
There are times when people disappoint you and let you down.
But those are the times when you must remind yourself
to trust your own judgments and opinions,
to keep your life focused on believing in yourself.

There will be challenges to face and changes to make in your life,
and it is up to you to accept them.

Constantly keep yourself headed in the right direction for you.
It may not be easy at times,
but in those times of struggle
you will find a stronger sense of who you are.

So when the days come that are filled with frustration and unexpected responsibilities,
remember to believe in yourself and all you want your life to be.
Because the challenges and changes will only help you
to find the goals that you know are meant to come true for you.

questions!

2009-10-13T23:49:00.004+08:00

why do I still shiver?
my heart beats faster.
sweat like a pig.
excited to be there.
nervous i might do something stupid.
or shout something lame.
'somebody' might hear it.
having cold feet,everytime!
finding difficult to face it.
why?
it's been so long and yet,
i still shiver.
i'm still excited about it.
why?

why can't you fix the water heater?
i can't do this every morning!!!!!

2009-10-08T01:08:00.002+08:00

As I promised,I will not leave this space empty no more.
I will feed as many post as I can.
Tapi susah.
Susah cari masa.
It has to be stolen.
Bila da dicuri, idea pulak hilang.
Contohnya sekarang.

Maybe something about my simulator session.
Beginning soon.
Can't wait. Get all done and start my solo flying.
Being paid as I should be.
Stress hidup underpaid.
Tiap hari bangun terpaksa terima kenyataan yang aku masih di bawah bumbung yg sama 25thn yg lalu.
Should I be thankful for that?
Or should I feel bad for not having the power to change that fact yet?
InshaAllah by next year.
For once I want my birthday to be celebrated at a place I call my own.
And I will make sure that happens with 26 candles on my cake!
Adakah itu tone seorang yang kufur nikmat?
Atau tone seorang yang mahukan pembaharuan dalam hidup?
Someone answer that for me!

No strings attached

2009-09-14T02:14:00.006+08:00

Like a puppet with strings. Or a dog with a leash. Could anyone imagine themselves being in that position? Well,hell yeah! But imagining it is painful enough. That's how far a relationship could lead to. Or shall I say commitment as it makes our balls shrink even more. When a decision is made and you know at some point you are not ready for such commitment, you will start to picture yourself as the puppet or the dog. Being all tied up, unwillingly. Controlled, attached and manipulated. And it has been that way for a very long period since the existence of time and space. But the funny part is more and more people are falling into this and believing that commitment is what they need. Although it's not their time yet. In other word, getting themselves into trouble. Getting tied up before they know they should be. Well, this may be a little perceptive to some who believe relationship could make us wiser and more mature and that's what grown ups do. But they keep proving themselves wrong. They got involve in a relationship and sure, they live a happy life for a moment and then comes the sucky part where plates start flying across the dining table, books thrown at each other and indeed that potrays the level of maturity a commitment would make out of you. And then they'll tell you that's just the ups and downs of a relationship. Couple fight and make out the next day. That's how it works. But is that reasonable?

It dawned upon me that commitment is just something we define in our own world to conclude the feelings we have for our partner or our life. It is undeniably true with what they say about growing mature out of a commmitment. But it is also about being responsible over matters. I'm not saying that commitment is bad and no one should ever get themselves involved in one. I'm saying that commitment is too wide a definition to be taken so lightly.

Being committed means being responsible over someone or something, that clearly suggests the requirement of an adequate amount of faith, trust and understanding. Fair enough. If you want to be responsible over someone, you have to really know the person you are being responsible for. But in most cases I believe this never existed. How could we possibly be in love and responsible for someone we hardly know? Second name, favorite color, or food, her family background and her nicknames don't count if that's the whole definition of knowing someone. It's what lies inside that matters. Do we really know them personally? Can you tell me what her reaction would be if you tell her that you quit your job today?How she sees both of you in the next 30 yrs?Or how she would like her birthday to be celebrated. If you can tell me exactly the way she would respond, that in the name of commitment, is true relationship. That'll show how much you know a person. You both will share almost everything. Emotionally too. You understand and know exactly what she wants and so does she. And if you start finishing each other's sentences that means you have gone over board and probably watched too much of romantic comedies.

It all boils down to one simple conclusion and it's the time factor. Whether or not we are ready for such a huge change in your lives. Being committed isn't something you decide over night and isn't something you can easily undo using Ctrl+Z. If you have found that someone or that little ktten you know fits that lonely house of yours perfectly well, think of them as responsibility you have to fulfill and not as just an object to fill that emptiness in your life. The sanctity and value of each relationship depends on how far you are willing to take it to. Don't ever let it be 'strings' nor 'leash' between you as they shouldn't be that feeling of being caught up because you know you are not.

(untitled)

2009-09-11T00:52:00.002+08:00

life is too short,
grudges are a waste of perfect happiness,
laugh when you can,
apologize when you should,
and let go of what you can't change,
love deeply and forgive quickly,
take chances,
give everything,
and have no regrets,
life is too short to be unhappy,
you have to take the good with the bad,
smile when you're sad,
love what you got,
and always remember what you had.
always forgive but never forget.
learn from your mistakes,
but never regret them.
holding on makes you strong,
but sometimes letting go makes you stronger.
people change and things go wrong.
but always remember,
life goes on.

the book that reminds me...

2009-08-15T02:45:00.005+08:00

When I heard about it being made into a movie, I was excited for a moment. This great storybook reminds me of my dear friend, Muhammad Ariff. He passed away a year ago. In a plane crash. He introduced me to this book. We exchanged books alot. Luckily we both talk same language when it comes to genre of books. So when I heard about the story being made into a movie, I was very excited.

And suddenly I feel like writing again. Maybe because I heard about the movie and the book reminds me of my friend so much.And the last write up I posted was a year ago.....few days before Ariff flew his last flight.But this book is good enough for me to blog about it and you know I only blog about important things that you need to know about.

The book is The Time Traveler's Wife and it is by Audrey Niffenegger. Have you heard of it?

Apparently they are making this into a movie, which I suppose is a good thing. But it is the detail and complexity that makes this an exceptional story, and this will not come through in the movie. So the movie will just be the romance, without all the angst, the wonder, without all the fear.

OK, back to the novel. Henry DeTamble was born in 1963, and meets his eventual wife (the time traveler's wife), Clare Abshire, when he is 28 years old, in 1991. She is a few years younger. They got married and are very much in love until one of them eventually dies.

Sound kind of boring, I know, but wait, there's more.

He is of a modest background with two artist parents, and she is of a very wealthy background with a father who is a lawyer and a totally neurotic mother. Her family lives in Michigan, in a nice big house in a rural area.

I know,still doesn't sound very interesting. The interesting part is this:

Henry has an unusual disorder that causes him to occasionally travel in time. It is hard for him to predict when it will happen ... he cannot stop it or conjure it, though he learns that certain things make it less or more likely to happen. He feels a bit sick, dizzy, then suddenly he is somewhere else .... and, somwhen else. With nothing. No clothing, no possessions, only his wits.

Fortunately for Henry, many of these sorties into the twilight zone bring him to a quiet meadow in the woods just out of sight of the palatial Michigan home of this cute, smart, and very cool little girl named Clare. This is a meadow in which Clare likes to play alone. The first time the strange 30 or 40 something year old naked man appears out of nowhere in the meadow, she is young enough to not be totally put off. This allows a bit of a relationship to develop. Eventually, they fall in love (well, she falls in love with him, he is already married to her).

Because he travels around in time enough, and is a smart guy, he has figured out most (but not all) of the times he will arrive in the meadow. So Clare has a list of dates and times, and makes sure there is a stash of clothing, food, and drink for her mysterious crush-to-become-lover. The clothing is especially important in the dead of winter.

That's all very interesting, but it gets much more interesting than this. The story is further complicated by the fact that many, perhaps most, of Henry's forays in time are more unexpected and not prepared for in any way. Henry becomes well known to the Chicago police (he lives in, and often time travels to, Chicago) as a strange guy who likes to walk around in alleys with no clothing on. His co-workers in a Chicago atheneum known as The Newberry Library think of him as a strange guy who occasionally disappears (like for a long lunch or something?) but often leaves a pile of clothing behind. Henry learns to steal clothing form clothes lines, pick pockets, defend himself from attackers, break into any sort of locked building. He gets pretty good at this, and actually ends up teaching his young self (whom he occasionally visits) how to do these things.

So, you can see, the story can get quite complicated.

You know, not too far into the book if you are paying attention, that this is not going to end well. You wonder, what happens if these two have a child? You worry about the interactions among friends, coworkers, and especially relatives. There is a moment when you see what looks like something very bad happening to Henry in the future, but you can't be sure what it is. But you never have a sense that Clare and Henry are not going to stay married. That never seems in doubt. 'Till death do they part. Like the song goes: "To all things there is a season, time time time ..." But since Henry is a time traveler, you can imagine that nothing is so certain or simple as even death.

The story explores all the usual questions about time travel, but only briefly. There seems to be a sense of fate ... you can't change the present by messing with the past ... yet you can change what people know about the present (or future) a little. So the DeTamble family gets to skim a little off the stock market, but they don't alter world history. There is no butterfly effect in this book, only a vague sense that there is not much you can do to change the future, but you can make minor adjustments that will not have a large effect no matter what you do.

The suspension of disbelief is easy given the very high quality of the writing. I thought the ending was overcomplicated in the story telling considering how utterly simple the actual events are (compared to the rest of the book) but I sensed the writer wanted to tie up some threads.

I don't know why..but I have a feeling that if Ariff were to be here today...he will be just as excited as I am for the movie. And I really hope the movie will preserve the images of the characters I have created in my head.

If only I could travel to the past and untie that gloomy threads. Thanks Ariff for sharing this wonderful piece.

fly in terengganu

2008-08-06T13:33:00.003+08:00

So here I am in Terengganu. Yes, not Langkawi. For the next one or maybe two months, I'll be flying here and this is the first post from Terengganu. I like it here. Although it is hotter than Langkawi and the people speak much faster than you could possibly imagine. Their slang requires careful attention before you could understand and respond. And pray hard that they understand you when you do. Here, we get to fly for 2 to 4 hours daily. And that's why I said I like it here. Taking Miss D around Batu Rakit or Rusila (the name of the training areas here, which is, of course based on the name of the town itself), enjoying the ride without having to worry about being monitored by the control tower..since there isn't any radar installed here. Or at least not yet. You can always do low level flying over Pulau Kapas and wave at those hotties in their bikinis by the beach, if you're lucky. Or fly super low over the plantation area to see an uncle jumping out of his truck, taking off his hat, staring at Miss D, thinking that he's lucky to witness a plane crash right in front of his eyes but only to find out that the pilot is just fooling around with height and hop back into his truck feeling all frustrated. Sorry pak cik! I managed to find few minutes to type this out. My first post without photo,I thought. I have another one more hour to fly. And it sounded like my dear darling, Miss D, is back. Which means I have to fly the extra one hour I have left for today. Where shall I go today? Pulau Kapas, of course!

Love of My Life

2008-07-12T13:20:00.011+08:00

Here's a story about the love of my life. The one that I dreamt of. Found. Cheated on me. Soon leave me. My newly found love is the perfect title for this post, I thought. But not so new after all since the feeling started to grow about a year plus now. I saw her for the very first time and I quickly looked down. Scared. I wasn't quite sure of what. Until today the feeling is still there. At first, I didn't dare to even look at her. Like I said earlier, my eyeballs quickly find their way to a more comfortable spot. I admire her only from afar. That is how close a man like me could go, I thought. But then she proved me wrong. We started to get to know each other. Although at times I could see her lifting up her you-can-look-but-you-can't-touch sign. She's very different. Totally. The more time you spent with her, the more you want to understand her. Yet the more you don't. I got to know her from my seniors. Everybody talks about her. Hot stuff. She's every man's dream I must say. Soft and beautiful yet strong. If admiring her is the only thing I could do in this life, I guess I'm lucky enough. I couldn't help myself from falling in love with her. A wonderful feeling inside. Thinking of her makes you feel nervous. She can take you on a smooth sailing cruise and frantic wild ride at the same time. Only a year ago, we became very close. So close that when I touch her, it feels like I own the world for that one very moment. She makes me stand tall, brings me high to a place I can only picture in my dreams before this, places I've never been. We have a great relationship between us. Like any others, there's ups and downs. She cheated on me. Once. Twice. Many times. And I know. Saw her with another guy. Different guy every time. Her friends maybe,trying to calm myself. She knows that I know. I play cool. So she doesn't know that I know although she knows that I know that she knows. I'm dating a hot stuff and this is normal, I say quietly in my heart. I know this relationship won't lead us far. Someday somehow we will have to end it. I will soon go back to Kuala Lumpur and she'll stay here. She'll be just fine, that much I know. With so many guys around her. I'll be the one left alone. Again. Now,I'm enjoying the wild ride while I'm still in it. When the day comes for me to say goodbye to her, I'll figure out how to handle it. As for now, I'm taking Miss D to Penang. My flight is at 0800hrs.Take care peeps!

Miss Diamond 40D.
That's not her size people..that's the model.

my space

2008-07-10T14:24:00.001+08:00

Have you given yourself that little room you know you need? Well I'm sure we will never admit that we need the space. But trust me,we all do. It doesn't matter if you're a guy or girl, married or single, young or old. Everyone needs it. We tend to hide the outcry of it. Ego I would say. That space can be found in many forms. Some chill for good coffee, some hangs out alone at park, while some grab good books or even crash a gig with some booze. It differs from one to another. How we pamper ourselves with pleasure. And of course, how we define pleasure itself. One can be very vulnerable when it comes to this. But it all boils down to one conclusion, and that is how we manage the space we have.
Communicate. Talk it over. Get over with it. Solved. It may sound a little too easy to say and type it out in a blog like this. But it's a lot more than that.The space is there to give us the time to understand certain things but what happens next will determine whether or not it works in solving the problem. Confused?Try this.
Imagine having problems you know only time could heal with your girlfriend. You took a time off, so did she. But if things aren't properly laid out over a dinner or lunch together, things will not change. You may have the peace of mind after going through the 'space' that you need. But that peaceful mind won't lead you nowhere if communication doesn't take place.
And now, let's assume communication did take place, and we call it solved as all the issues were laid out, talked over and done. Whether or not the relationship can start fresh all over again depends on the level of honesty we put in the conversation we just had. And it takes two to tango. I guess when they say honesty is the best policy,they really mean it and I couldn't agree more. And by communication I mean those that's exercised verbally, face to face. Not those I-think-I-know-what-she-meant-over-the-phone kinda thing. If you think you know what she really meant, trust me mate, you don't. We think girls are very good in mind-reading. Maybe. But not all the time. Girls think that guys read mind. No, we don't. Even if we do, 99% of the time we end up translating it into languages we don't understand ourselves. So the best way is to be frank and honest to each other. You like it,say it.No point of going around the bushes and waste more time. The whole idea of arguing or in some cases procrastinating is already wasting so much time.
Simple example of this similar case is when a guy wants to make his first move. His gesture is pretty much clear that he's attracted to the girl. The girl starts to notice it and may get the idea that he likes her. Days gone by, he goes out with her few times, trying to be the nicest guy ever lived, and yes, she gets the message but waiting for the guy to say it. But the guy thinks actions speak louder than words. So why bother saying it out. He simply let it be, which is exactly what I call time wasting.
So here is the point that proves my argument I made awhile ago. The girl thinks the guy likes her. A very good mind reader.No doubt. But she demanded for more. Actions. Waiting for the guy to spell it out in front of her.Did the guy actually understand that part? No he didn't. Why? Because he thought she gets the message. In this case, maybe she did get the message but the guy couldn't tell that she wants more out of it.This is the point where communication should have taken place.I'm not saying that the two stop talking to each other.But what I meant when I say communicate is to talk about issues they have in hand.They may be talking and seeing each other everyday but until he sits down and spell it out to her, about how he feels and thinks, relationship can never be built. Be the same person you are, do it with the strength you've got from the space you've given yourself earlier on.
You may end up having the perfect relationship you could ever asked for or in worst case, you might have misinterpreted her thoughts and actions all these while and ended up being rejected. And when this happens, go back to that little space of yours and start all over again. Shit happens in life but they make us wiser. Remember that everything happens for a reason and only time could tell.
Go find that little room of yours, not to weep, but to regain strength. I've found mine!

"As long as we can love each other, and
remember the feeling of love we had, we can die
without ever really going away. All the love you
created is still there. All the memories are still
there. You live on-in the hearts of everyone you
have touched and nurtured while you were here."
-Prof. Morrie Schwartz

life.flying

2008-07-09T19:05:00.000+08:00

I was online the other day when I thought of downloading some TV series and came across a whole list of "Air Crash Investigation" torrents. Knowing that I'm staying at a hostel where I couldn't even find time to scratch my ass, what more to make my way down to the common room to catch Air Crash Investigation on National Geographic. So, I clicked on few torrents and started downloading them. I continued to surf the net for hours and I then realized the downloads are all now completed. One of the miracles a great internet connection can do these days. I clicked on one that says 'Kid In The Cockpit' to start viewing one.

It is surprising to know how much we could learn from just watching this sort of documentaries. Not only that we get to analyze the cause of the crash, we are also able to understand those methods to avoid such mishap, in order to save the aircraft as well as the passengers. Being in this field, I feel that it is my business to sit down and watch this. My ground instructor once said to me, "Learn from mistakes other pilots had done but never ever make any mistakes that would allow others to learn from you.Because you might not be around to tell them your mistake.". We are lucky today that we are able to reconstruct the entire flight and learn from it with the help of the 'magic box' or the black box fitted in all aircrafts. It is called 'magic box' not only because it records the communication that takes place through out the flight and all the flight data, but also because our little black box will remain in one piece even after a disaster turns the entire aircraft into debris. Sometimes I wonder why can't they build the entire aircraft with the same material.(haha..).We can find out the speed the aircraft was flying at before the crash, the power setting of the aircraft, anything,from the black box. You name it. So long those data are from the flight management system (FMS), the black box would be able to give you.

With the advancement of technologies, pilots are no longer required to 'sit' on their rudder and fly the aircraft all the way to the destination. Autopilot system is a very good friend of all commercial airline pilots. But it can also be the cause of fatal accidents. Like the one in this episode of Air Crash Investigation of Flight 593 that belongs to Russian national carrier, Aeroflot bound for Hong Kong. 75 persons on board including crews. Good weather. Brand new aircraft. Fitted with latest technology. Yet it went straight down on frozen Siberian wilderness, killing all on board. It is a shocking discovery that during the chaos of Flight 593 trying to recover from the spin they entered, a 15-year-old boy was behind the control column on the left hand seat. The captain's children, two girls and a boy, were on a short trip to Hong Kong with their father and two of them were brought into the cockpit by the captain's friend.It is, by law, against the regulations as no one is allowed to go into the cockpit unless you wear tight skirt and ready to serve the captain ...a cup of coffee, of course. It became stricter after 9/11. Usually, a secret code will be set among the flight crews before each flight and it'll be used by cabin crews to verify themselves before entering the cockpit. But of course when your father is the captain of the aircraft, I don't see any secret code is required. I bet it is exciting to sit in the cockpit with your father flying the aircraft. And being the father who is, of course, proud to be seen on the left hand seat, he then offered his son to sit on pilot's seat. Only morons would say,'No'. So, he got on to his seat put both of his hands on the control column and was warned by his father not to touch anything else but the control column. So he did just that. Only at one point, he pushed to control column against the direction of the autopilot.

The system of autopilot works by controlling the ailerons, which means it controls the manoeuvrings of the aircraft along the longitudinal axis. Or in layman's term, it turns the aircraft left or right, depending on the preset waypoints on the FMS. If in any circumstances, the control column is forced to go on the opposite direction of the autopilot and held on to that position for more than 30seconds, the autopilot will automatically go off. In other words the aircraft is now in the hand of the pilot entirely. Or at least in the case of Flight 593, in the hand of a 15-year-old boy. The investigators were left wondering ; why isn't there any alarm or warning system that tells the pilot the disengagement of the autopilot system? ...besides the question as to why did the pilot allow his son to take the pilot's seat and fly the aircraft?.. d'oh..When the aircraft started to turn, slowly but progressively into a very steep turn, the dramatic movement of the aircraft begins to push everyone into their seats. Makes it difficult for the co-pilot to grab the control column, and pull it back to recover from the super steep turn. The boy was the only one with both hands fully on the control column and he could only take the most basic orders. He couldn't get up. His body feels twice his normal weight due to the force. With too much bank angle, the aircraft now starts to lose height. A warning system started to sound which signals the complete shut down of the autopilot. The plane is about to stall. The Airbus A310 has a fail-safe system that allows the aircraft to stay flying by lowering the nose. But this time the Airbus entered a steep dive of frightening 40,000 feet per minute. The co-pilot pulls back the control column as hard as he can to bring the Airbus out of the dive. The nose finally comes up and the aircraft begins climbing quickly. He managed to bring the aircraft out of the dive but now it's climbing too fast. During this time, the G-force starts to ease and the captain quickly leaps into action and back to his place that was, all this while, occupied by his 15-year-old son. Not a single commercial aircraft is designed with engines that can take the aircraft almost vertically up. They have now stalled the aircraft because the aircraft is an aircraft not a space shuttle that can be shot right up. It is normal for any aircraft to have its airspeed drops dramatically and experience nose drop when it stalls. This is so that airflow can be regenerated over the wings and lift can be created. Only this time, the Airbus entered a cockscrew dive instead. Chaos builds up even more. The captain kicked the opposite rudder hard to get out of the terrifying spin. Slowly they managed to level off the aircraft but not completely in control of it. But they ran out of time and hit the ground. Search and Rescue (SAR) team started to search for Flight 593 within few nautical miles from the last reported position. It was clear that no one survived the devastating accident.

After a series of investigations, they finally made a conclusion that there is no adequate training in upset situations and extreme flying conditions for the pilots. And by upset I mean the attitude of the aircraft which is beyond the normal flight i.e greater than 20 degrees nose up, greater than 10 degrees nose down, and bank angles greater than 25 degrees. That's because the captain as well as the co-pilot were both new to the aircraft. And apparently this weren't even taught during the training. Then, it came to the simulator system that helps investigators understand the situation better as the flight is reconstructed using it. They discovered that the pilots could have saved the aircraft during the spin they entered by simply letting go of the controls. The aircraft has an inbuilt survival mechanism that won't allow it to stall even at low speed.So simply by letting go the controls, the aircraft will slowly comes out of the dive and regain its attitude and 75 lives could be saved.

It ended just like that leaving me pondering on so many things. It dawned upon me that life is just like flying an aircraft. Sometimes in life, in order to survive, we ought to not only learn how to keep holding on but also learn how to let go. Just like Flight 593 that could be saved by simply letting go of the controls. Though it may sound a lil harsh to some, but if that's what it takes for us to move on, then just let go.