~Research is OVER!

..alhamdulillah, literally, i've finished my summer research..i just have to prepare for my poster presentation, which is scheduled sometime in Sept..what i've learned thru out my 10 weeks of research are as follows:

1) i learn that to be in any research group is very tough..

2) in research, nothing is better than finding solutions for all encountered problems..

3) there is always answer, which is yet to be discovered, for any questions..

4) don't settle for mediocre..strive for excellence..

5) patience is the last shield in any scenarios..

6) questioning is the only way to explore new knowledge

7) there is no way one can succeed w/o others' help (team work)

8) working hour is just the formality..seeking knowledge happens 24/7

9) never say die

10) money is such marvelous! I LIKE IT! ;)

..now, i need to plan for my Boston trip..it's gonna be my first time traveling by myself..we'll see how fun it could be..i hope everything would be fine thru out the trip..ameen..and also, i'll be back in m'sia in 2-week time..time to feed myself w/ good foods (after tonnes of junk foods)...and also, i want to be a typical "budak kampung" again, when i'm in m'sia...walking around w/ my 'sarung' is such so comfortable and stylish! wateva! ;)

Decisions: each has its own learning significance!

..what's the best lesson one should acquire as (s)he graduates from college? well, if he was an engineering major, it's probably he'd end up working NOT as an engineer..so, all tech. knowledge learned thru out 4 years of study seems worthless..hence, what is the best way of preparing ourselves for our post-graduate lives?? 

life is all about making decisions: either the BIG or the SMALL one, the MOST SIGNIFICANT or the LEAST one, of personal or public interests, and etc..but, it's never been one second left when we aren't entitled to make a decision..if there is any, it means you are no longer a living soul, but the "dead" one!

but, sometimes, some people are afraid of making choices..even, a few, to the extend, prefer to follow instead of taking a lead since the followers are less responsible in making decisions.. 

yet, the question is, how 'perfect' one should be before (s)he could take the lead and make the decision? is it too bad to make the wrong choice?? is it mandatory for each of us to make ONLY the good one?? is there any rooms of learning experience for each decisions we make?? is there any 'proper' ways in making 'better' decisions??

for me, no one is perfect to make the best decision, which caters to all needs..however, it's better to make a wrong choice, instead of making NONE! anyway, life is all about taking chances, right?? so, learning from our mistakes is the best life-lesson in human history..but, don't take it as a 'free' pass to make irresponsible decisions..for that case, it's just unacceptable! to be WRONG is okay, but not to be IRRESPONSIBLE! ;)

My Views

Global Model UN, Kuala Lumpur:

i got a call, around 3am yesterday, from the KL secretariat to confirm that they already received my application..now, i've to wait for their approval..on paper, there is a high probability that i won't be chosen..but, rezeki sape tahu kan? "untung sabut tenggelam, untung manusia siapa tahu?"

Perpaduan Melayu:

i do closely follow this issue..and, currently, there is a huge effort to bring two big Malay-centered parties into a discussion table..i still doubt the sincerity of both parties in making this unity happen..but, for me, instead of uniting the Malays, it's way better to unite the Muslims since the scope is much larger and more inclusive.. so, i guess, we should now work on bringing all the Muslims together..for me, it's okay for us to have different political ideologies..it's okay to choose different paths in fighting for the same cause..so, why should we bother to prove that our ideology is way better than the others..nothing in this world is perfect..we need to accept that.so, let's accept our weaknesses and stay together in implementing the Islamic principles in our country, so that people, from all different races and religions, are guaranteed their rights..

Stress Test:

at first, i was wondering what this "stress test" is all about..but, after doing some basic readings on this related topic, i got to know that this test is very essential as to measure the vulnerability of any financial situations, in any severe economy situation..and if i'm not mistaken, most of the European banks have passed this test w/ flying color..and let's see the outcome of this "successful" results on European economy..are they getting better or not?? can they convince investors to put the money back?

Wise Men!

"when the wise man points to the moon, the foolish looks at the man's finger!"

~ i like the above quote very much..whatever bad things happen to us, we should look them as a chance to make ourselves better..for example, when our ideas are rejected by our faculty, we should see it as a way for us to do more and more research so to convince them to accept ours..we shouldn't feel down, or degraded w/ all the criticisms/rejection since all these feelings won't do any good to us..

"normal people are born, but the great one is created"

~ while i was kid, i always prayed/wished that i could end up being a genius guy, so that i could succeed w/o putting too much effort on it..i envied all those genius people..i tried to imitate their lifestyles, their haircuts (this was so funny), their eating habits,and etc..but, later on, i realized no matter how hard i tried, i was still being me (normal person)..however, as i was growing older, i realized that "being genius" was not really what i wanted..instead, i am now dreaming to be a great guy, who is working very hard to succeed..i'm now so thankful to God, for not making me a genius man, but a hardworking guy..Thank God! ;)

"beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder"

~ while i was in high school, i felt so annoyed whenever my friend reminded me of this quote..well, at that time, i was thinking my friends were so fake..it didn't make sense to not like a beautiful person..well, now i've realized..it's not the beauty that can really cheer me up, but the "friendliness.." it's not the beauty that can tickle my heart, but the "spontaneity!" well, i am glad i know this before i'm make a "big" decision of choosing my life partner.. ;)

"Islam is the best way of life"

~ well, it's worth to remember that we, as Muslims, are born to bring happiness to others..not to nurture hatred among us! ;)

my Wish List:

i need to learn the following languages b4 i graduate:

1) python 

2) Java

3) C++ (refreshed)

also, in these followings:

1) Matlab

2) Adobe Flash CS4 

..i guess i am too ambitious..but, nothing is impossible since the sky is my limit..also, i'm thinking to do my own 'little' project throughout my final year..so far, i am thinking of doing my own circuity that can cater specific purpose (yet to be decided..still looking around to find the best one that can really test of my current knowledge)..

*i really hope i can do this..if i can spend 3 hours out of my 24 hrs/day, insha Allah i can get all these works done by next year!  also, i already bought books for the related topics..now, am so excited to check my mail-box..GRE?? lol..also need to spend sometime on that since i am betting my 20usd w/ my friend..i don't want to lose this time! enough to get lower SAT scores than him before...chaiyok!!!!!!!!!!!!

 "to Allah, i pray!"

The 'Ripple' Effect vs The Inflation

..GDP is so far the best indicator to measure the economy of a country..and as far as i'm concerned, GDP consists of four key factors: private (domestic) consumption (C), gross investment (I), government spending (G), and export/import (Ex-Im)..

..and out of these four factors, Malaysians economy has been largely driven by government spending and export/import..so as a proof, the Ministry of Finance has introduced the RM60bil of stimulus package in the mids of the recession..this is very important for our economy as a response of slow export/import w/ our biggest trade partner, US..

..yet, our economy cannot forever depend on these two factors..Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is proven to be less attractive for the sake of our economic growth..as indicated by our 4th Prime Minister, many of these investors have stopped to bring their capitals into our country..instead, they are using our sources (borrow from our local banks) as to do business here..this, i guess, is not good for our local entrepreneurs, who many of them has limited financial sources, and therefore, depend on the credit from our local banks..meanwhile, many of our local investors have gone to other countries, such as China and Hong Kong to invest their money..the bureaucracy + the slow internet speed are two out of million reasons they are running away from their own countries..

..besides, our domestic consumption is yet to be very strong..as of record, US economy is largely depending on the domestic consumption..yet, our people prefer to do savings instead of spending

..so, the government has to play its role as to stimulate the economy..they create so many "immediate" projects..all these projects are created so to make the money flowing from top to bottom..for example, if there is a project of building a new school, there should be many workers needed..so, the government has created the job for the people..then, the nearby restaurants or warung-warung would be benefited since these workers have to feed their stomaches too..if these warung owners can sustain in their business, all the food suppliers would be happy since they can sell their products..and the effects will continue..this is what we call as the "ripple" effect..

..yet, i'm still worried because many of these workers are foreigners..these foreigners prefer to send their money to their families instead of spending here...so, the flow might be affected slightly..and also, the intention to create jobs for our local people are not achieved..instead of improving the economy of our own people, we are helping our neighbors to solve the unemployment issues in their countries..

..so, i guess, to cut the subsidy as to create more projects, and therefore, improving our economy is something that questionable..for example, if we cut the people subsidy, the market price of certain products would be higher..since, the income of the people are increasing in slower pace as the inflation rate, it would create a "saving" society instead of spending people..also, the purchasing power will drop..this country would then be less attractive to investors to start their business here..so, the domestic consumption + gross investment might be affected..this is not healthy for our countries..

..hence, i guess, we need to implement the minimum basic wage for all sectors, being that private or public, and all workers (regardless of locals or foreigners)..by doing this, foreign workers would be less attractive..so, many companies would be left w/ no options other than hiring local workers..so, we can reduce the number of unemployment..however, it's worth to note that, if our young people are interested to work in construction site or not?? if not, we might have more problems than we might expect..

*disclaimer: i'm not an economic major..so, all these views are based on by personal research..please let me know, if there is a misleading fact included..anyway, this is only my opinions based on my logic and some superficial knowledge in economy

Where are the guys??

..it's very pathetic to see some guys to claim a leadership to be given to men, instead of women, as to follow Islamic teaching..yes, if we look to the Islamic history, there is not a single women, being appointed as the Prophet or the Messenger of Allah..so, is it telling us that Islam has been practicing sort of gender discrimination against the women?? but, it's worth to note that Islam is always being fair to all mankind of different backgrounds, races, and etc..so, what is going on here?? what is the 'real' message here??

..women are not chosen as the Prophet or the Messenger based on the following reasons (based on the views of some scholars, but The ULTIMATE true is beyond our knowledge):

1) women at that time cannot convey part of Allah's message, since they are not strong enough to go thru all the hardships of doing da'wah

2) women at that time is very inferior, in a sense that whatever they say will carry no weigh..

3) because it's Allah choice to select men instead of women

so, to claim that Allah chose men as His Prophets w/ no solid reason is totally garbage/ridiculous..men were chosen, back then because of their qualities..that's the message, i guess..

..but, as we see nowadays, men are getting weaker and weaker..that's the reason why there are so many 'tasks' supposed to suit men's real characteristics are given to women..in small context, how many families, in which wives take charge of all family affairs, while the men are doing nothing?? also in Malaysia, how many men end up being in the street, while their female counterparts are doing well in college?? in Malaysia, how many NGO's, in which their backbones are women instead of men?? the question is: "where are the guys?"

..to see in broader view, in the US itself, the Secretary of State (macam KSN la dkt m'sia) is given to Hillary Clinton, also a woman..in Malaysia, the Governor of Bank Negara is also a woman..and recently, the government of Malaysia has appointed women to be high-ranked judges in Malaysian high court..the question remains the same: "Where are the guys?"

..to answer this, we should look back to our societies by asking following questions:

1) where are the guys, while the women are busy organizing this and that for their own society?

2) where are the guys, when their leadership is really needed to solve problems rooting in society?

3) where are the guys, whenever their kids have problems in school?

4) and many more...

..the trend, of which men prefer to pass their responsibilities to women, is something not unknown in our society..ambil contoh: Family Guy, American Dad, The Simpson, Pak Pandir, and etc..in these cartoons, men are portrayed as stupid creature, who are inferior to women..and this indeed what is happening now..the present men tend to remain in ignorance, instead of "ambil tahu," the men now tend to "lepas tangan" instead of taking responsibility, and etc..

so, for those who claim that they (the men) should be appointed some important tasks, instead of the women, please check yourself first..do you have the qualities needed?? if not, stop complaining that you deserve those titles as to follow Islamic teaching..Islam has never taught us that way, as far as i am concerned!  ;)

Pelaburan

..yes, seperti biasa, kali ini, minat "hangat-hangat" tahi ayam saya byk kepada konsep Pelaburan..al-maklumlah, insha Allah, by next May, tiap2 bulan dh x der org nk bg duit..so, from now on, kene startlah fikir, mcm mana nak sara hidup untuk hari2 awal selepas graduasi..

..melihatkan kepada bank account, mmg rasa takutlah..sbb nombornya semakin lama semakin kecil..jarang dari selalu, angkanya melebihi 4..selalu berada diparas nyawa2 ikan...haha..so, secara realistiknya, tidak mungkin saya dapat menyimpan untuk jumlah yang byk dalam masa kurang dari setahun ini..al-maklumlah, "vacation" plans sudah byk digariskan sempena cuti musim sejuk, "Thanksgiving Day," cuti musim bunga, dan etc..so, secara matematik mudahnya, jika perbelanjaan lagi banyak dari simpanan, maka jurang defisit kewangan akan bertambah..bila defisit bertambah, kene charge "overdraft" la pulak  (hahaha)

..so, selidik punya selidik, dapatlah idea untuk mengambil tahu mengenai dunia pelaburan...asalnya, dulu berniat nk bukak perniagaan sampilan dengan rakan dari m'sia..semua sudah selesai: business plan, and etc..tp, kekangan masa sbg pelajar menyebabkan saya menarik diri di saat akhir kerana khuatir tidak mampu memberikan komitmen yang jitu..maklumlah, berniaga ni bukan seperti "jual goreng pisang." berniaga memerlukan usaha, dan komitmen untuk bekerja siang dan malam, cermin mata yang tebal untuk membaca pasaran dan ekonomi semasa, dan byk lg..bukan x minat, cuma masa tidak mengizinkan..so, terlepas satu peluang untuk mengumpul harta kekayaan untuk bekalah hari2 selepas graduasi nanti..tambahan pula, parents mmg awal2 lagi tidak bersetuju dgn idea untuk saya melibatkan diri dalam bidang perniagaan sewaktu di zaman kolej...kata mereka, "takut yang dikejar x dapat, yang dikendong/didukung berciciran!" ...YOLAH MAK OI, DEN FAHAM! hahaha

..so, business out! so, terfikir lak nk kerja sambilan disini..byk juga hasil dapat..di sini, kebajikan pekerja diambil perhatian...gaji pon boleh tahan even kalo jadi tukang sapu..tp, fikir2 balik, kalo saya kerja 20 hrs seminggu + 10 hrs rehat sbb penat, makanya saya dh abiskan 30 hrs seminggu..sepatutnya 30 hrs, saya habiskan untuk belajar mengenai selok-belok dunia (ekonomi, peluang perniagaan) yang sudah pasti mampu memberikan pulangan yang lebih lumayan di masa hadapan..so, CANCEL plan nk kerja sambilan..hahaha

..so, sekarang option yang tinggal adalah dengan menggiatkan diri untuk belajar mengenai pelaburan..orang kata, kalo nk jadi businessman berjaya, seseorang tue kene jadi "financial genius" dulu..belajar dulu semua selok belok kewangan..mcm mana nk handle cash, macam nk pusing duit supaya instead of berkurang dy jadik bertambah, macam mana nk kurangkan beli liabiliti and tambahkan asset, and etc..benda nielah yang saya dok menghadap setiap malam dalam masa seminggu nie..more to personal research la..haha..so, bile dah faham sume nie, barulah saya akan cari "mutual fund" untuk dilaburkan duit dari penat lelah saya melakukan research selama 10 minggu dekat sini..so, harap2, by the time i graduate, bila seluk poket seluar, adalah duit...x delah segan sangat nk keluar dgn kawan2 nanti..

*semalam, asyik duduk bersembang dengan rakan, tiba2 terbuka topik pelaburan ini..x disangka2 dia pun minat..hampir sejam la duk asik bersembang pasal topik ni..semua teori keluar..padahal teori tu x de pon dalam syllabus economy..semua teori bermula dengan "i'm guessing............." haha..COOL! ;)

Why Islam forbade Riba

..well, it's a long story that finally led me to learn more about shariah-compliant financial system..

1) while i was watching a match between Man Utd and Philly Union this evening, i was wondering, how great it could be if i was the owner of the Devil's club..the benefits are too awesome: sitting at a grand stand, surrounded by "huge" personalities, such as leaders of many countries, multi-billionaires, royal families, and etc (well, i cannot resist myself from dreaming big)

2) then, i was imagining myself of working w/ big a company..well, if that's the case, i won't be able to achieve my dream regardless of how much i cry/long for that..

3) all of a sudden, i was thinking of involving in stock trading..i read a little bit about the wall street before this..and it's clearly to me that the stock market is one of the best places of harvesting big cash (if we are smart and lucky enough)

4) then, dengan bersemangat, i went straight of doing some internet researches..while i was trying to understand the basic of stock trading, something popped up in my mind: "if it was so promising, why there's a downturn of Wall Street before this?" ~ something was not fine w/ this system..and then, i googled on conventional financial system..bacer2 this and that..and suddenly, i was thinking of shariah-compliant financing..

5) and dgn nafsu semakin meluap2 nk tau, i ended up reading few articles and paper works on this finance system..well, now i do understand why this system was standing still, while the conventional one went down during the previous economic crisis..and among all the papers/articles that i read, i wanna share the following..it's very simple, yet really touched my conscience:

http://www.kantakji.com/fiqh/Files/Riba/gabungan.htm

6) and begitulah kisah seorang budak yang sungguh entah ape2..sekejap minat ini, sekejap minat itu..last2, bukak textbook gak sbb nk survive of his academics struggle..later  ;)

Tolehlah Ke Belakang Seketika

..tbh, i don't really like to know bout things, happened in the past..in other words, i just don't really care bout those stuffs..the only things that concern me the most are my present and my future..i wanna make sure i live my present to the fullest, so that i can prepare myself for the future..

..but, lately, i've been talking much w/ one of my friends..yet, idk how could (s)he come to my life..it happened by a chance, i guess..haha..but, don't get me wrong..i don't expect anything from her/him, except a true friendship..

..to make it short, this simple person really made me realized that i have many things to learn bout life..life is not that easy, which i used to believe in..also, i used to believe that i totally "own" my life, so that i can determine what "should" and "shouldn't" happen..but, it just didn't work the way i thought it would..life is much more complicated than that..there are many things could happen beyond one's control..and, i have to accept the fact..

..besides, (s)he reprimanded me for my obsession in taking my past for granted..for her/him, the past will determine who we are now, and in future..at first, i refused to accept her argument since it's my nature to stick w/ my belief whenever it's challenged..but, idk la, this time, i gave the advice some thoughts..and at one point, i realized that i have been hurting too many people in my past life..being that, intentionally or unintentionally..i guess, because of my cowardliness, i tried to forget my past so that i won't be haunted by those mistakes..but, it was not doing good to me either...as i was running away from those mistakes, i actually wasted my chance to learn from them...so, instead of being a better person, i am just being the same person, whom i was used to be.. and thus, i have decided, from now on, i will take a look to my past, and learn from it..i won't be running away anymore..

..and also, (s)he reminded me of a famous words from my idol, Steve Job.."life is all about connecting dots. you can only do that by looking to your past!" that's cool, huh?? 

"Admitting our past mistakes, Learning from them, and thus, Becoming a better person"

Belenggu Minda

sudah lama saya tidak menjengok rakan2 bloggers di dalam blog list saya..bukan tidak ingat, tp sejak kebelakangan ini, minat saya lebih menjurus kepada situasi ekonomi dan politik negara..banyak masa dihabiskan membaca artikel2 yang tidak kurang "mengantukkan." haha..tp, pembacaan terhad pada waktu malam kerana di siang hari, fikiran ini harus tertumpu kepada bahan research saya..

..tp, hari ini terdetik untuk kembali membaca tulisan rakan2 yg lain..mungkin otak sudah tepu dengan fakta dan retorik politik agaknya..oleh itu, saya memerlukan bahan2 laen yang mampu menyegarkan pemikiran dan persepsi saya..

..dalam sibuk membaca blog rakan2, mata dan fikiran saya tertarik dengan penulisan seorang rakan mengenai "persepsi" minda..penulisannya agak sempoi, namun cukup untuk membuatkan saya berfikir mengenainya..

..terus terhinggap di benak fikiran, mungkin ini adalah jawapan kepada masalah pengangguran selama ini..belenggu minda dalam mencari pekerjaan yang bersesuaian dengan status pendidikan menyebabkan ramai anak2 muda kita lebih rela menganggur di rumah dr bekerja di pasar ayam, and etc..

..ya, saya tidak nafikan setiap insan mengidamkan pekerjaan yang lumayan, rumah yang besar, dan keluarga bahagia...namun, berbicara soal pekerjaan, setiap dari kita haruslah menyedari fungsi sebenar pekerjaan..pekerjaan bukanlah semata2 untuk mencari gaji yang lumayan, justeru dapat menikmati hidup yang mewah..pekerjaan bukanlah semata2 hidup di kerusi empuk di bilik berhawa dingin, ia lebih dari itu..pekerjaan lebih kepada proses pembelajaran kepada seseorang individu..ia melatih sikap dan perwatakan seseorang..dan dari sinilah yang akan menjadikan seseorang itu insan berjaya...BERJAYA atau TIDAK seseorang itu bukan bergantung kepada jenis pekerjaan yang diceburinya, TETAPI LEBIH KEPADA SIKAP DAN PERWATAKAN dalam dirinya..masakan tidak, kita dapat melihat ramai hartawan yang lansung tidak berkelulusan kolej...contohnya, Steve Jobs, Syed Mokhtar al-Bukhary, The Late Lim Goh Tong...mereka ini berjaya bukan kerana tahap pendidikan mereka, tetapi komitmen dan jati diri untuk berjaya yang tinggi..

..saya amat berharap agar lebih banyak lagi penulisan sebegini, yang saya rasakan penting dalam membuka belenggu minda anak2 muda kita, khususnya remaja Melayu...

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on different note, i see a great opportunity to set up a business, in regards to this difficulties in finding jobs..

My Motivation:

1) we are expecting to have a second economic downturn sometime in future..so, i am expecting there would be many companies to lay off their permanent workers as to reduce the cost of operation

2) to hire a permanent worker is very costly for many small companies as they have to pay the employee's others benefits

3) yet, these small companies still need enough workers as to continue their operations..they might ask the remaining workers to work extra hours w/o extra money, but they might need to expect the very low productivity..

4) so, to make it simple, they need to hire freelancers as to finish all the jobs

Problems:

1) as the money gets tight, they need to be very careful in hiring freelancers..these freelancers must be qualified to perform several tasks so to worth the money the companies pay to them

2) as far as i am concerned, currently, there is no trusted or proper platform that these companies can look up whenever they need immediate freelancers..

Solutions:

1) am thinking of an idea to set up a virtual company, which serve as a database that collects the profile of each freelancers..

2) so, every time a company asks for a freelancer, we would provide them w/ a short list of freelancers that fulfill the requirements specified by them

3) and then, we will manage all the transactions from the beginning of the hiring process, till the work done..

4) so, we would charge certain amount of money from that transaction

Benefits:

1) we can help the small companies to survive,and to minimize their cost of operations

2) tho, we cannot reduce the number of employment, we manage to get these "yet to be employed" people some extra money for living

3) we can make profit for ourselves

Philosophy:

1) we believe in efficient management thru the implementation of technology..

Estimated Cost:

1) not very high..i guess it would be less than RM10,000 for the starting

Risk:

1) we might need some sort of credibility so that these small companies will trust us..this is the most difficuly part, i guess.. 

Responses:

on Peranan Anak Muda:

..saya ingin memohon maaf jika kritikan saya pada post terdahulu mengenai peranan anak muda ada menyingung sesetengah pihak..tidak sama sekali, saya ingin menghina atau merendahkan sesiapa..saya tidaklah semulia mana bagi melayakkan saya merendahkan sesetengah pihak..namun, ada juga yang memberikan respons yg agak "pessimistic." mereke menyoal kembali saya, jika benar anak2 muda menglibatkan diri secara tidak lansung dalam hal2 negara, adakah pendapat mereka akan di dengar?? tidak kurang juga ada yang melabelkan saya sebagai "idealistic" person..

my reponse: yes, am an idealistic man, who believes in idealistic ideology, and lives in my idealistic state..but, a good thing of being idealistic is that i am becoming an optimist! i'm pretty sure, there is no such way i can guarantee u that our talks will be listened by respective parties..if they do listen, i cannot guarantee you that they would do as we say..but, i believe, for any cases tho, as long as we do care about our country, sometimes in future, we would be able to make our country a better place to live..yet, don't get me wrong..it's not that i'm saying our country now is not doing well..what i really wanna say is the fact that there are a lot of rooms for improvements..and also, for those who have been hurt for what i said, i really apologize for that..it's never been my intention to make others feeling bad..my real intention is to see our people are getting stronger and better..

on Racism:

..many has questioned on my stand towards racial issue..for them, i'm just talking bullshit..at one note, i did speak about racism and diversity! yet, on different note, i did also talk about the ways of improvising the Malays..and also, according to them, many of my posts were just moving around the Malay predicament..

my response: to be honest, i don't like labeling sort of thing..i don't want people to know me as a racial reformist, or whatever it is..i want people to know me for THINGS that i am fighting for..my stand?? yes, i am clearly against any racial discrimination..WHY??? because my religion taught me so! anyway, on the contradictory, i do regret that some of you are confused! let me be clear! i did talk a lot of my Malay race because i am a Malay..so, i know my race very well..i know the problems rooting in my society..for me, it's unfair if i do talk about things, which i am less familiar with..thus, i have decided not to talk much about other races, not because i don't care about them, but i am not familiar w/ their cultures..i hope this one is clear! ;)

on Labeling:

..well, some argue that labeling might be used for good purposes..labeling, for them, can be used to give compliment to others so that they can do better.. (e.g: "budak bijak," "pelajar cemerlang," and etc) 

my response: yes, i do agree on that..but thinking from different perspective, what happens to other students who are not labelled as "budak cemerlang!" are we sure that these people don't feel like being left out??? just think on that..i reserve my opinion on this topic for my later post! ;)

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*anyway, i do really appreciate all those comments and responses..i don't care if they are constructive or destructive one..as long as you are engaged in this discussion, i am more than happy to listen yours! again, TQ...also, i do appreciate all those name-calling given to me, such as "mat poyo," "kaki kencing" and stuffs..yes, i really mean it! TQ also.. ;)

Anak Muda!

..semasa duduk di US ni, jarang2 sekali saya berhubung dgn rakan2 di m'sia..bukan sombong, namun jurang waktu yang berbeza menyukarkan saya mencari masa yang sesuai untuk berborak..namun, sejak kebelakangan ini, saya gagahkan diri berjaga sehingga lewat pagi, hanya untuk berhubung semula dengan rakan2 lama..merapatkan kembali ukhwah yang semakin renggang merupakan salah satu tuntutan agama..namun, tujuan sebenar adalah untuk mengorek serba sedikit kehidupan mereka di tanah air..niat di hati, mahu bertukar2 fikiran lalu mencambahkan idea yang segar dan realistik..maklumlah, duduk di seberang laut, kadang2 saya terbawa2 dengan ideologi kebaratan yang disangkakan sempurna..namun, bila berbincang dengan rakan2 di m'sia, barulah saya sedar tentang kegobrokan serba sedikit ideologi tersebut..

..namun, tidak semua perbincangan kami berkisar tentang hal2 semasa..adat remaja, kadang2 kami berkongsi kisah kehidupan..tetapi, apa yang memeranjatkan apabila sebahagian daripada mereka sibuk bertanyakan saya samada sudah menonton atau tidak video "ariel and luna maya"....kata mereka rugi jika tidak menonton memandangkan "internet speed" yang agak laju disini..

..saya terperanjat pada mulanya..marah? tidak sama sekali...saya bukanlah seorang yang sempurna akhlaknya..lebih2 lagi saya menolak sepenuhnya golongan yang suka menghakimi orang lain..melabel orang dengan pelbagai perkataan merupakan satu sifat yang tidak bertamadun, jauh lagi bersifat intelek..tetapi, saya sedikit kesal..saya tidak mahu menyentuh isu dari soal moral/akhlak..biarlah Tuhan yang menentukan..namun, saya kesal kerana melihat "keutamaaan" yang berada di minda anak2 muda kita..jika keseronokan menjadi keutamaan mereka, harapan untuk memajukan negara itu mungkin menjadi sukar..tapi, saya bukan menolak sepenuhnya hiburan, namun biarlah perkara laen yang lebih penting dijadikan keutamaan..hiburan itu biarlah dijadikan sebagai perkara sampingan..

..kerap kali kita mendengar,"pemuda-pemudi tonggak negara!" apakah rasionalnya di sebalik cogan kata yang acap kali digunakan dalam pelbagai program belia?? jika dilihat dalam sejarah penyebaran Islam itu sendiri, Islam menjadi gah kerana golongan mudanya yang begitu komited dengan perjuangan, golongan mudanya yang sentiasa berada di barisan hadapan dalam menghadapi musuh, golongan remajanya yang kurang berseronok, dan sebagainya..Islam pernah suata masa dahulu kuat kerana anak mudanya begitu hebat..namun, jika dilihat pada generasi muda pada hari ini, ramai yang memilih untuk berhibur dahulu.."biarlah orang2 dewasa (bahasa kasar, orang tua) yang memikul t/jawab memacu negara," kata meraka..tapi kite leka, jika kepimpinan negara diserahkan kepada golangan yang "tua" jiwanya, tidak mungkin negara akan maju..rasionalnya begini:

orang dewasa: telah lama menjalani asam garam kehidupan..oleh itu, banyak pengalaman..mereka lebih bersikap realistik..oleh itu, kebanyakan mereke menolak segala bentuk idea2 yang radikal kerana mereka sedar hakikat sebenar kehidupan

orang muda: jiwanya panas..keputusannya terburu2..ideologinya bersifat idealistik..kurang pengalaman..namun, disebabkan kurang pengalaman, mereka ini berani mencuba idea2 yang radikal kerana mereka begitu ghairah untuk belajar dari kesilapan..mereka pantang dicabar dan sentiasa "positif" dengan segala bentuk perubahan.

..bagi saya, sesebuah negara hanya akan maju jika pemimpinnya bersifat radikal dalam merancang masa depan..tetapi sayang, melihatkan kebanyakan anak2 muda kita, ramai yang sudah bersifat "tua" sebelum masanya..oleh itu, marilah sama2 kita meremajakan jiwa dan pemikiran kita..KITA TONGGAK NEGARA!

Dream

..Dream is the main characteristic of being a man..it defines his clear vision of life, his effort to move forward, and also his determination to give up everything for the sake of his future..man, without dream, is nothing but a soulless human being..

..Dream will bring a man up, whenever he's giving up his life..Dream will always be a reason for a man to keep alive..

..i believe, one of the reasons why many Malays are still comfortable living in their current lives is that they don't really have a dream..well, you can ask some of the college grads in regards to their planning upon their graduations..no one really has clear idea on that (including me)..but why?? simply because we don't really have a dream.."working with a big company" is not really "our" dream..it's a dream predetermined by our society..searching for a dream involves a long process..it requires us to know our potentials, our weaknesses, our interests, and so on...and thus, it's not a second-thought process..so, let's start dreaming for our future..because only those w/ clear dreams can translate them into reality..

"let's do the mind transformation"

Random Thoughts

it surprises me when some of my friends admit that they don't like reading "serious" stuffs..are you kidding me?? is that for real?? what even surprise me more is the fact that these students are supposed to be the "cream of the crop." well, i hope it wasn't real..i really really hope it was mere a joke..so, i don't take it seriously..

still, sometimes, i am wondering why people really like light materials to read?? so, i gave it a try..well, it surprised me to the fact that i, myself, was being addicted to sort of materials for awhile..yes, they were so seductive in a way that they made me felt better about myself..it's the joy of being in my "idle" world that really drove me crazy! ;)

yet, don't get me wrong! it has never been my intention to downgrade such reading materials..for me, all are the same : comics, textbook, and etc..but, to instill/set our mind to read only "easy" materials is not good either..yes, i have no right to condemn people for their interests...but, i am still wishing that one day, our people (the Malaysians) will be serious readers..nowadays, people are making money not thru selling "pisang goreng" or anything similar to that..it's the knowledge that people are selling now! anyway, this reminder is also intended to myself, since i am not perfect either..i hope no one will get offended since, i am pretty sure, we are now more open to criticism that the people were 20 years ago..also, if you are a comic-maniac, it's not that i'm telling you to stop reading the material..it's just to diversify your materials by taking more serious books/mags..i know to lead the mindset change is difficult, but somehow we should start it from now..let's us change for the better..

p/s: i am now addicted to one comic book! i don't know how to stop it..haha..anyway, the book makes me happy for myself! ;)

The MOMENT ~

the moment i was born, i already knew that i'll die sometime soon..

the moment i was able to walk by myself, i already knew that it's the time i have to learn being independent...

the moment i was going to my first formal class (kindergarten), i already knew the struggle i'm gonna face in the future...

the moment i was accepted to boarding school, i already knew, it's indeed the beginning of me, being an adult...

the moment i was going to college, i already knew that i can no longer depend on my parents' money...

the moment i was in the States, i already knew that i have to start dreaming for the better of me and my society...

the moment i was in love w/ someone, i already knew that i have to learn accepting her the way she is...

the moment i was alone, i already knew that the death is coming close

~well, it's a cliche, right? but, how wonderful it could be, if we realize all those moments at the right time or place?? always than never, we knew them only when they were already being our pasts..so, keep on thinking the reasons things happen surround you..maybe, u might find the "wisdom" behind them...keep on searching! ;)

 P1: a beautiful view of lake/river ~ so peaceful!

P2: a small kid play w/ his toys! ~ at home

..well, both pics are so meaningful, yet in their own ways..the first pic is so beautiful and peaceful..yet, for me, it feels so empty..the second one, tho w/ nothing much interesting background, it just tickles my heart and makes me happy..i guess, i like much this pic because of the kid's smile..

well, it's not the "kid" that i want to talk about..it's about the "humane" factor...for me, it's easy..no matter how great/successful you are, or how much money you own, you would feel nothing if you have no one to share w/..it's a lie, if one says that (s)he is happy w/ no people surround him..it's a bullshit when one says (s)he can live happily by owning huge mansion, w/ no one living in. it.it's a pathetic claim that money can buy you happiness..well, i know someone might disagree w/ me, but this is a fact..we were born so that we can connect to each others and make this world better..we were born so that we learn to accept the differences and work on the commons..we were born, and then are brought up w/ different values/morals so that we can share our values w/ our friends..we were born yesterday, or fifty years ago, but somehow we forget that we will die sometime soon..every single second we use to cry for ourselves, is a second we've lost to make someone happy!

Sources:

P1:http://www.bikeirvine.org/assets/pictures/ride-reports/miller-idaho/NiceScenery.jpg


P2: http://www.cbc.ca/news/pointofview/iStock_daycare.jpg

Labeling

it's normal to classify things according to their features, colors, sizes, and etc..but, i wonder why should we label people based on their differences..why there is a title like, "sampah masyarakat,"budak kampung," and etc...what really makes these people are less better than others? who are we to assign titles to people?? are we 'that' perfect so that we call people by their status?? what will happen if one of our family members is labeled w/ such "absurd" things??and, how we become so sure that our future are much better than these people?? 

for me, as long as we stick w/ this sort of "labeling" mindset, we won't do our society any better..those "labeled" people will feel less appreciated and, therefore, are giving up w/ their lives..as a result, they don't mind to do things that can hurt themselves or even public since for them, their lives are meaningless...guys, just imagine you are in their shoes! would you feel better if people call u w/ such vulgar words?? of course NOT, right??so, the key point here is to NOT JUDGING PEOPLE..let Allah decides which person is good or bad! it's not really our task to do so~

Showing Up For Life

showing up for life

 

..we need to show up for life! okay, don't get me wrong..it's not about doing good things in exchange of good names (as many famous people like to do)..showing up here means that we need to actively engaged in doing charity! not for ourselves, but for the betterment of our society..

..so, as i went thru internet, looking for some ideas to write here, i found a very interesting blog..i don't know about the author personally, but he did attract my attention on his blogging activities..he translates articles from malay to english version so that, according to him, he could spread the words of Allah not only to Muslims but also the Nons..well, it's not a big project, yet it somehow touches me..

hence, as a student, who has been given an opportunity to be here, w/ considerably good command in english, i feel like it is indeed my responsibility to work together w/ him in the name of Islam..thus, am thinking, if any of you is interested to join me working on this project..it's not that complicated..just spend one hour from your weekly time to translate any interesting articles from malay to english..anyway, for those who are interested, i'd like to talk w/ u personally..please contact me at sha_k89@yahoo.com.my.......well, i think this is our time to show up for the cause of our religion..

friendship.honesty.

i'm learning from my friend, whom i used to call erin, that to be a true friend is indeed very difficult..i learned that a true friend expects nothing from you, but your actual friendship..a true friend is honest in all his/her deeds to you..tq, for that lesson..tho, it's kinda simple, but i learnt a lot (okay, i just read from her twitter, anyway)... ;)

inter-cultural

while i was doing some internet researches on inter-cultural topics, something popped up in my mind..why we need to think too much about inter-cultural r/ship if we are still having a basic problem in our cultures..believe me or not, of all existing cultures in this world, none is successfully promoting the equality among their own people..there is still difference between the rich and poor, the dumb and the smart, the good and the bad people...why not, we learn to accept other differences..why not the rich eats at the same place as the poor does..why there are so many people are too mindful about their status?? these are issues rooting in all cultures for so many years..yet, no one does really care about it..so, if we could do something about it, it'll make our lives better..please think about it!! ;)

GPA: is it a valid evaluation method??

GPA is an acronym for Grade Point Average..those in school might be familiar w/ it..a good student is always associated w/ having a high GPA..still, many are questioning, especially among the college students, the credibility of this method in measuring one's performance or quality! those who reject this method will come w/ abundant of proofs as to discredit the notion that students w/ high GPA are the true high achievers..simply because of the fact that those w/ high GPA are nothing but text-book oriented! life is much tougher than anything represented in the book! but, for those who support this way of evaluation, they more believe in facts and figures! for them, the scores do matter in a way it will define how much efforts one put for any particular subjects! if (s)he scores high, it implies that (s)he is working hard for that subject! so, (s)he deserves credit!

but, for me, i choose to take no side..but, it doesn't mean i reject all the arguments brought by these two sides! for those who rejects this notion, tell me then how could measure you really one's success if there is no black and white proof? meanwhile, for those who agree, are you really sure that there is no cheating process involved in any exams? if there is a probability, so how measures should you take so that you don't give credit for those undeserved one??? 

hence, based on my understanding, GPA is good, yet is far away from being perfect! i don't mind what kind of ways employed as to evaluate oneself..it's not that important for me..i am more concerned about the process one goes thru, the struggle that one endures, the determination that one builds, the hardships that really test one's characters, and etc! these are what one should learns when (s)he leaving school! it's neither the GPA nor the beautifully made scroll, but it's the process that build one's personality and character! believe me, no one cares about your GPA once you finish your college! yet, they are looking for those who have strong work ethics and inspirational personalities! so, stop crying when you get lower GPA tho you have put your utmost effort on it! as many people say (it has been cliche to me tho), the results don't matter, but the efforts do! till then, adios amigos!

* am gonna have a great super delicious dinner tonite! TQ my buddies for preparing me good foods! it just make my weekend wonderful!*

3M

while we were kids, we were always told to be good in 3M [Membaca, Menulis, Mengira]..so, as good kids, we were trying very hard, days and nights, to acquire these 3 skills..we read everything from signs on highway billboards to subtitles on TV, we wrote on our mom's wall, we counted every single penny we found, and etc.. but, later on, as we got better and older, we forgot to maintain those good attitudes..we're getting more interested to watch movie, play video games, and etc..reading books is no longer our passion, writing is nothing but a wasteful thing to do, manual counting is unnecessary in the presence of electronic calculator, and etc..

but, whether we realize or not, we are not doing ourselves any good either! it's not that i am against technology as to ease our everyday's lives, but i am just worried if we do take those comforts for granted! we are being in complacent situation, in which we are very afraid to accept any challenges dared to us! we feel comfortable enough  as to become ordinary rather than striving for the best! we are content for what we have been doing, with less sense of getting more and better (it's not of being greedy)...we prefer to keep our mouth shut instead of giving our opinions, since we are afraid of responsibilities and tasks...we choose to think simple, as not to burden our minds! we decide not to challenge our understandings, since there would be a lot of works to do as to acquire new knowledge! and etc...these are just few examples of  problems facing by me and many others! so, i guess, we need to become kid again so that we can be once more a person, who is fulled of curious sense! and of course, when we were kids, we never hesitated to make mistakes, and then to learn from it! hence, let's REJUVENATE ourselves!

it's 8pm, but where am i??

LOL..i know no one cares where or what i am doing right now! but, let me tell the story of being a researcher (cewah)! 

..in order to become a good researcher, and therefore to produce a successful paper, one must be able to work at any time..i am learning from my mentor (PHD student)..never say NO, when it comes to work/research! never complains when you have to stay late in the LAB, while others are enjoying their nightlife somewhere in town..never give up, when it comes to solving any problems (believe me, when one problem solved, another comes to existing! it's endless!)..never say NO to question your understanding! and a lot more, which i prefer to keep to myself..LOL..

but, the bottom line, if one says that to become a researcher, one shouldn't have good communication skills, it's not true! tell me, how can you disagree w/ ur professors, if you don't have the right way to do it?? and also, if i am to thank somebody for making our lives better, those people should be all the researchers..if you don't have the experiences working w/ them, you might not know how hardworking they are as to find solutions for our everyday's problems..believe me! it's COOL to be a researcher! but, as of now, i am yet to decide what i am gonna be when i graduate next year..insha Allah, may the best comes to me, and all of you..

haha..okay2! i need to resume my work! hopefully, i can finish earlier tonight! later

..

Racism vs Multiculturalism

Difference between racism and multiculturalism (diversity):

Racism is the belief that race is a primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race (wiki)

Multiculturalism is the acceptance or promotion of multiple ethnic cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place (wiki)

..yet, one of the main concerns of those racial advocates is the survival of their own races..they tend to believe that by absorbing others' cultures, one would lose his/her own..but, i beg to differ by questioning the fundamental principle of this argument, "how does one define 'losing his/her own self?' "  is it by the way one lives his/her life?? is it by the way he/she dresses up?? if those criteria are used to define the word "being oneself," i'm quite sure there is no races still existed in this world..we have to accept the fact that we are now living in an era of boundless world, in which one is exposed to many cultures and lifestyles..yet for me, as to ensure one's race to survive, one must be able to embrace the diversity embedded in his/her society so to improve oneself..it's a false statement, if one claims that his/her race is better than others..i believe, there is no races in this world superior than others..there must be some defects here and there..so, by taking/assimilating here and there, one can truly become a better person..perhaps, we can emulate the Japanese's meticulous working style, Americans' "never-to-say-die" attitude, Malays' politeness, Chinese' strong business mindset, and etc..but, to do so, we must make sure we are not living in any "racial" trap! the keyword is to "ACCEPTING DIVERSITY!"  ;)

Racism.Penan.ThinkTank (RPT)

of racism:

God has created human from different tribes, so that we can know and learn from each other..for me, that's the bottom line in discussing any racial issues! so, i guess, to be fair to everybody, regardless of their differences, is the basic teach in Islam..hence, as a practicing Muslim, i keen to convince myself that Islam has never allowed me to deprive one's rights just because of his/her racial attributes..there is no such "discrimination" in Islam..

but, as a realistic person, i also acknowledge the struggle that we have to face as to establish a very fair and just society..perhaps, i am too pessimistic..yet, it's worth to note that there is no such "absolute" fair in real life..if one claims that there is any, he/she must be lying..if you know math, you surely know that there is no way you could conduct a survey w/ zero bias! IT'S JUST IMPOSSIBLE! so do the seeking of "absolute" fair! but, that's life i guess..you can long/dream for a perfect world, but it just won't happen no matter how much you cry for it...but, it doesn't mean you have to stop working and striving for it! there comes the word, DREAM!

anyway, on racial issue, i think everybody should start working or take it seriously..in case of M'sia, i am still optimistic that we can, one day, truly unite under one sun! but, to do so, each of us should go thru mind transformation so that we do care more about other races rather than our own..it's very sad to know that some of us are fighting only for own races, while neglecting the welfare of others..the Malay should be concerned about the Chinese, the Indian should care about the Malays, the Chinese should fight for Indians, and etc..only then, we can say that we are living in a peaceful and solid multiracial country..for me, the root of current disparity between each races is due to the lack of communication among us..our young Malay kids has been separated from their Indian or Chinese counterparts since they are in primary school..so, tell me, how could you expect these people to care about each others when they grow up?? hence, i am 100% behind the idea of establishing a single school system in M'sia..i don't see any problems in that system..why people are so against it??

Penan Predicament:

am so happy to read the response given by the Chief Police of Sarawak..he has expressed his commitment to go thru the complains/reports made by PSG..yet, it should be good, i guess, if the police could have a small office, located near to Penan's settlement..so, the Penan people can immediately lodge their reports after such incidents happen..furthermore, the police/authority should take seriously the illegal logging activities..i guess, most of the rapists are the illegal loggers w/ no working permit or record..

ThinkTank (TT):

am thinking of establishing a thinktank among our students..so far, we have decided to focus on racism, and human rights! these two issues are very fundamental and core in establishing a fair and just society! anyway, any ideas are welcomed! ;)

IT's OVER!

no more WC, for me! anyway, am very proud of u, the Deutsche! see you again in Brasil! that time, Muller will rock the tournament! to Espana, you r lucky this time! but, i hope the Dutches will beat you up in Final! hahaha..;)

PSG: Gadis Penan terus diperkosa pembalak

..you can read the entire article from the following link:

http://malaysiakini.com/news/136541

..LET'S DO SOMETHING FOR THESE PEOPLE! any idea??

Global Warming!

it has been very HOT since lately..the average temp is around 36 C..sometimes, it can be up to 40! and walking outside is no longer an enjoyable activity to do..and of course, this is not the summer i have longed for, after 4 months of freezing winter! 

anyway, i guess that's the effect of global warming! tbh, i never cared about it before..it was seen to be as an overrated issue chanted by certain public figures as to get the worldly attention..yet, now i do realize how important it is to address this issue..and here i am..i will be giving my best support towards reducing the adverse effects of global warming..and of course, let's start by doing simple tasks that we have always taken them for granted:

1) save electricity. switch off the light, for example whenever we leave our rooms..

2) 3R: Reuse, Recycle, Reduce. put your cans/bottles into appropriate recycle bins..that's not HARD!

3) Use Less Hot Water..okay, now i should reconsider to sing during the bath time. ;)

4) Drive Less and Smart..that's the reason why i don't drive..it's not i don't like it..it just i want to save the WORLD! lol

..if each of us can do the above measures, i am pretty sure we can help making this WORLD colder..it's not that hard to begin with..it's just the self-concern! anyway, GO GREEN! 

*green industry is a highly potential emerging industry..think green!   

Bidaah (Redundancy)

it has been a great debate among the Islamic scholars on this Bidaah (Reduncancy) issue..many has come up w/ their own arguments, and i do highly respect them..but, am wondering how could this such issue bring our Muslim community apart..as far as i am concerned, (w/ limited knowledge) Islam is very strict in fundamental principles such as Faith (Aqidah), but is very flexible in others..i take no position to condemn one or another since i have no right to do so..but, am thinking it would the best if we could forget our differences and work on the commons..everybody has reasons to practice Islam to the best of his/her knowledge, so why should we disrepute his/her ways..as long as he/she doesn't go over certain boundaries fixed by Islam, i guess, it should be fine..yet, it doesn't mean we could take Islam for granted! it's indeed our responsibilities to learn/know Islam in the best way we could..Islam has never made Muslims' lives difficult..it's yet the Muslims has made the Islam hard for them..thus, do search for the only legit Islam in this world, the one brought by our Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h)...so, there is no way "my Islam is better yours" attitude..Islam is for all since it is preaching/advocating justice and peace! and of course, Islam has never stopped development..and Islam is very broad..so, why should we narrow it! and finally, there is a clear line between Islam and Muslim..just to remind so that we have never misused it to defend ourselves..anyway, have a nice week, buddy! May Allah bless us in our journey to our final destination (Hereafter)...    ;)

This & That

Of Jewish, Israel, & Zionist:

i notice that there is a trend in Malaysia to become anti-Jews, or anti-Israel, or anti-Zionist..in my own perspective, it's appropriate for us (as country that champions human rights) to show our anger towards the denial of Palestinians' rights by the Israel state.. i never doubt on this..but, my only concern is the "sesuka hati" term used by some of us might make the conflict even worse, in which later, i believe, would badly affect the Palestinian people at most...so, let's be careful in selecting terms as to speak our minds..there is a different between these three terms i mentioned above.. anyway, i'd like to maintain my position that we should not discriminate these people (by becoming anti-Semitic, or else), yet we should be condemning their brutal actions towards Palestinians..that's a clear line between hating one's actions and the person itself..  ;)

Of Two-State Solutions (Israel & Palestine):

am wondering the effectiveness of this solution...if it was, why there are still conflicts aroused between these two countries! idk, for me, we should think other better solution which could satisfy both parties..God, it's so hard! but, i never lost my hope and am always praying so that Palestinian people could live their lives peacefully and effectively..amiin..

Of Preparing for a Job:

last Saturday, i got a chance to have a lunch w/ a Malaysian guy..this guy is working for Ansell company..he is an experienced guy, who have been working for the company for about 20 years..graduated as CS major, he's now working in management department..talking to him was such a good insight for me, since he seemed like to know lot about business/job opportunity in Malaysia..and therefore i did enjoy the lunch..at the end, he advised me to get as much certification as possible before i graduate..as of my current major, he's suggesting me to acquire some certifications from Cisco, and etc..these certs, according to him, would help me when it comes to job application..insha Allah, i'll take your advices..

Of Rich & Smart:

while i was waiting for the fireworks yesterday (it was for July 4 celebration), i heard my friends were talking about becoming rich & smart..in life, according to them, one can only choose one...that's interesting..sometime in your life journey, you must decide to choose either ways..you can be a smart guy, and therefore looks cool to others..but, your money can sometime be a bit tight (professor is the best example)..for the riches, they might not be as smart as their professor (for example) counterparts, but their pockets are heavily loaded..they have huge mansion, but not so-big-brain..so, for me, i prefer to become a smart guy..money is not really my motivation, but the knowledge is..but why?? if you have knowledge and spread it to others, Allah will grant you with big rewards (in multiplication way)..and of course, i am afraid if i were to have big bucks i would end up being a stingy guy! hehe  ;)

Of Determination:

i used to read an article from my friend's blog..he's a medical student in UK..i know, being a medical major, is  very tough..but, according to him, no matter how difficult it is, he would go thru it since that's the choice he made..when he chose the path, it's not only the success he's looking for but also all the challenges in between..so, keep yourself determined! ;)

Some Thoughts ...

Of Deserving & Taking for Granted:

i did discuss bout this topic in one of my previous posts, if you still remember..still, am interested to talk it again..deserve in its actual context is "to be qualified of ................. because of one's acts/qualities.." see, the keyword is QUALITY/ACT..so, other factors are out of consideration, such as your COLOR, your INHERITANCE, or etc..so, bear that in your mind! you deserve something only because of your own qualities!

okay, let's discuss in a more common way so that you and i (we) can have better picture of this "deserving" topic..the first few words of its meaning, "to be qualified of," is clear i guess..yet, the trick is the last part of the definition...the words qualities and acts are still ambiguous..everybody could interpret/misinterpret based on their knowledge..so, here is my interpretation..am gonna take one common example, which is in a context of deserving scholarship:

many of us (including me) believe that we are deserving scholarships because we have the required qualities of being smart/intelligent/top-scorer..but, i beg to differ on this...for me, being smart is not one's act/qualities..it's a gift indeed granted by God to some chosen people..that's why, it's not everybody can be smart/genius..in my opinion, one's act (the process) to becoming smart is more important..it's the true quality that we should be looking for..so to become a smart person, one should really work hard...the process can be too long and therefore it can really test one's patience..also, there are lot of challenges and pressures that one should be dealing with..the challenges sometimes could really demotivate one's determination..yet, for those with strong and positive mentality, they would eventually go thru all these hardships..thus, for me, these qualities of being determined, positive, consistent, persistent, patient, passion, and etc are the actual qualities that we would go after..

so, i guess instead of granting scholarships to smart people out there (i believe there are many), we should also consider the "hardworking" guys who are sometimes aren't lucky enough to become the top scorer in their schools..and of course, i would like to make my stand clear so that other factors except of one's qualities are totally out of the consideration..so, it's clear i am against any racial quota deployed by the current system in choosing the scholars.. (i know i have been benefited from this system..yet, it's not wrong for me to tell the truth tho it is somehow bitter..to those (including me) who think that they have been granted this opportunity not because of their qualities, it's okay..it's our "rezeki." but, it's never been late for us to change our attitude so to prove that we have the true qualities needed..and because of that, we DESERVE this opportunity!)   ;)

My Snippets!

WC: Germany vs Argentina:

this was the best match ever! the match was thrilling, and less controversial (i hope it was!)...to be true, i never liked Germany before their first match in this WC! idk la, but now, Germany is such a strong team, with excellent team work, interesting game-play, and less media talk! 

anyway, i did enjoy watching this game so much! TQ for my buddies! we had such a great time together..it was very rare for me to watch together w/ them..but. once we got the chance, we never failed to make each other laughing! ;)

Of Others' Success: 

am very happy for one of my friends' achievement..i have yet to know what it is..but, i am guessing that should be a very big news..thank God for answering my prayers! to him/her (you know who u are), you just made my weekend! ;)

NO NO NO:

i've promised myself not to ever check my school's email during this weekend..i know, every time i check it, there must be always some works  for me to do in regards to my research project! these guys (my professors + PHD  students) are very hardworking! replying email like at all time: late at night, early in the morning, and etc..i could say they are working like 24/7..but, am yet to be at their ages..so, i have decided to say NO NO NO on works during weekend! anyway, i've been working more than my max working hrs during the weekdays (more than 35 hrs)! so, i guess i have my rights to enjoy my weekend!  hehe.. ;)

Snippets!

Taking the risk:

life is nothing other than risking your life doing thing you wanna do or you love to do..it's simple..if you really want something, you've to work for it! regardless of how difficult it is, you have to walk thru the challenges..for me, if i do like something/somebody, i'd try my best for it/him/her..loving something/somebody doesn't meant you have to own it/him/her, right?? so, it's okay to risk ur life for something that you really like! love them w/ ur hearts, do care about them so that when you're dead, you won't regret of doing nothing..life is short..so, why bother to make foes instead of friends?? ;)

Time.Money.Health:

..i do believe these three element are very vital in one's life, right?? money would mean nothing w/o good health or free time..too much leisure time means you have nothing to pursue in ur life, which later leads to have no money..also, doesn't work! the same case happens to having good health, but w/ no time or money..

but, always than never, we might not have all of them in one time..if there is any, that person might be the luckiest guy in this world..but, i don't think there is any existed to the best of my knowledge..so, here is my reasonings:

student: as a student, you might worry about having no money..but, you forget the fact that you have lots of time to spend w/ ur buddies, considerably good health to be able to accept any physical challenges dared to u..but, instead of cherish all these two elements, time & health, we are always whining about being in a state of penniless.. so sad!

working guy: hey, when you are still a student, you are always dreaming of your perfect job..i wanna do this and that..i wanna be at the top of my career while i am at this age, and so on..hey, but believe me, once you start working, you might miss your school time very hardly..why? simply because, being a working guy, you might not have too many leisure time..even, many simply find it hard to allocate some time for their own family..believe me, that happens to many of these working guys..tho money is kind of stable, and many are still in a good health, yet they might not enjoy heir lives since they don't have much time to do so..

retiree:  at this age, you might have very very much leisure time, till you might be bored of doing nothing at all time..it happened to my late grandfather..i kept wondering at that time (i was about 10 yrs old) for the fact that my grandfather seemed to enjoy going to his fruit garden..i even asked him, " tok, mama x bagi duit dekat atuk ker?? kenapa atuk kene ke kebun??"  and he never answered my question..i guessed he wanted me to find it by myself when i am already a big boy..and now, i finally found the answer..besides, at this age, many are still having stable financial situation..but, sadly, they are no longer being in a good health condition..so pity.. time + money - health = nothing!

but, that's life, right? ;)

Long Day:

while i was writing this, i just got back from work..i worked 12 hrs today..a bit tired, but i am so happy..being able to do my first experiment..yet, the methodology is yet to be perfect..still, i managed to collect some data..ANALYSIS? i'll do it tomorrow..am too tired to do it now.. anyway, have a good day, buddies ;)