Aleph's

Aleph's
View from my village...

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Latest Pic


Latest pic, selepas dapat kurangkan berat badan 2 1/2 kilo.. Huhu.. Akan aku berusaha lagi!

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Never Regret!


Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets.
So love the people who treat you right
and forget about the ones who don't
and believe that everything happens for a reason.

If you get a chance, take it.
If it changes your life, let it.
Nobody said that it would be easy,
they just promised it would be worth it.


M. Shahirasul

Wrist Watch: CATERPILLAR

My new wrist-watch. Err... Can't help myself when I come across a fine nice watch.. CAT (Caterpillar).
Is it look nice and sporty? I don't know - my first time to have relatively huge-face watch.
Mati la, asyik dok riak dgn jam baru kaedahnya.... Packaging box pun cantik.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Malaysia RM1 - Unissued

This is the normal RM1 which can be easily found circulated in the market. Signed by Gabenor Bank Negara, Tan Sri Dato' Seri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz.

This one is claimed to be unissued, but somehow the Central Bank's mistake to release it into the circulation. I can't be quite sure about this and still looking for valid confirmation. This piece was signed by Tan Sri Ali Abul Hassan.

Ok, this is one piece somebody's trying to sell on the eBay. Look at the price, and mind you the quality of the note is not more than Very Good (VG-grade).


Bank Negara Malaysia is reintroducing the new RM1 note, the sixth denomination issued in the new design Malaysian currency notes series (3rd series). The new RM1 bears the signature of the present Governor, Tan Sri Dato' Sri Dr. Zeti Akhtar Aziz, who assumed office on 1 May 2000. The new RM1 note printed earlier bears the signature of the Immediate Past Governor Tan Sri Dato' Seri Ali Abul Hassan bin Sulaiman. The new RM 1 note will incorporate the latest security features to deter counterfeiting.

The theme of the new series, "Wawasan 2020" reflects Malaysia's economic development and accomplishment towards achieving the status of a fully developed country. The main focus reflected in the background motif is the tourism sector. This is depicted with an illustration of a Malaysian kite, the beach, Mount Kinabalu and the pinnacles of Gunung Api located in Mulu National Park. This motif also reflects some off the popular tourist destinations in the country. As with the other denominations of the same series, the new RM1 note will also bear RM as the currency symbol for the Malaysian Ringgit.

The one signed by Tan Sri Ali Abul Hassan only has the prefix started by CR. The market price would be around RM750 for uncirculated, while circulated (in the conditions of good to very good) can take the price around RM300 to RM450.

So, the next time you receive RM1, do check the signature! Who knows you might have chance to make some profit of 350% from the face value.

The one I bought cost me RM350.00

Friday, July 18, 2008

Spotted!


Seeing is believing,

Doing is fun.

Have a safe sex.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Stupid Cupid



"Stupid Cupid"

Stupid Cupid you're a real mean guy,
I'd like to clip your wings off so you can't fly.
I am in love and it's crying shame
& I know that you're the one to blame!
Hey hey, set me free
Stupid Cupid, stop picking on me.

I can't do my homework and I can't think straight
I meet him every morning, 'bout a half past eight.
I'm actin' like a lovesick fool.
You even got me carryin' his books to school
hey hey, set me free
Stupid Cupid, stop picking on me.
You mixed me up for good right from the very start.
Hey, go play Robin Hood, with somebody else's heart.

You've got me jumpin' like a crazy clown,
and I don't feature what you're putting down.
Since I kissed his loving lips of wine,
the thing that bothers me is that I like it fine
hey hey, set me free.
Stupid Cupid, stop picking on me.

You've got me jumpin' like a crazy clown,
and I don't feature what you're putting down.
Since I kissed his loving lips of wine,
The thing that bothers me is that I like it fine.
Hey, hey. Set me free
Stupid cupid stop picking on me.
Hey hey, Set me free
Stupid cupid, stop picking on me.

Stupid Cupid [8x, spoken]



My love for you is not stupid! :-)

Eid Mubarak 2006 (1427)

(Click to enlarge to wallpaper size: 1024x768)


I dig through my picture collection and found this digital greeting card that I made for Eid ul Fitr 2006. It was two years ago. Time was very quick this time around. Next month is fasting period already, and we are going to celebrate another Raya.

I shall release new digital greeting card, and for the "speech" - I have to find some time to write it, or else someone will come and tell me how my English has deteriorated ;-)

On the card, it reads:

Eid Mubarak Syawal 1427

Like the human heart the world points
beyond itself to something greater
and more beautiful than its present condition.
That something attracts us all, in different ways,
and leads many of us to seek transformation.
It becomes more and more evident that our own
well-being is indissolubly linked to the health
of society and our environement. It is possible, now,
more thatn ever before, to see that our own growth
is rooted in, and furthers, the whole world's advance.

Happy Celebrating Eid Mubarak 1427



Re-elected for Second Term in techBiz Penang


Pose before the Annual Grand Meeting.

New Committee Members for term 2008/2009.
From left: Me, En Jafyusri, En Jeffryzal, Dato Mohd Noor, Dato Md Aris, En Ansari, En Azmi, Pn Rashidah, En Nasir.
(Click to enlarge)


Time-out with coffee bean and shackle.


Glad that I am re-elected for the second term for techBiz Penang committee for the term 2008/2009. I hope that I can learn more and benefit from it as well as contribute useful idea or energy into bringing cluster at another higher point.

For more information on techBiz Penang, kindly visit our website at:
http://www.investpenang.gov.my/techbiz.php

Thank you.

I would never give up!

Don't give up.
It's just the weight of the world.
When your heart's heavy, I will lift it for you.


Don't give up.
Because you want to be heard.
If silence keeps you, I will break it for you.


Don't give up.
It's just the hurt that you hide.
When you lost inside, I will be there to find you.



Fly free my fellow friends... Shahirasul.


And to you, nothing else may seems matter. But can what we build today takes us for tomorrow?

Saturday, July 12, 2008

Movie Review: Giorni (also know as Days)



Claudio lives by a tight schedule. Upon waking, he showers, shaves, puts on a perfect tie, walks to work, drinks soda water, and takes his pills the second after his wrist-watch alerts him to do so. Claudio is HIV positive. Something he didn’t quite pencil in.



As Giorni opens, we see two men making out in the back of a car. We don’t know who they are, but we soon learn the powerful connection one made to the other. We also learn that Claudio is one of those men, upset and ashamed at his actions for he is moving to Milan with his longtime partner Dario.

But something happened to Claudio something that even he is unable to completely understand. By chance, Claudio runs into Andrea a cute younger employed waiter who also just happens to be the other guy that was in that car. Andrea has taken instantly to Claudio and wants to be a part of his life for one reason and only one reason - he’s in love.

At first Claudio tries to forget Andrea. Claudio sees him as too young and foolish to know what he wants. But at the same time he has to listen to his partner Dario making plans for the two of them for years to come when Claudio believes he doesn’t have years to come.

Andrea doesn’t care about years he cares about life now, even if that means making love to Claudio without protection with full knowledge that Claudio is HIV positive. He loves Claudio so much he doesn’t want protection to ruin the moment.

Giorni is perhaps one of the intense romantic yet disturbing films I’ve seen in a while. Through the excellent performances from Thomas Trabacchi (Claudio) and Riccardo Salerno (Andrea) you can really get the sense that their characters deeply care for one another - yet at the same time you cannot quite forgive the actions or the lack to stop actions from HIV positive Claudio. Giorni is one of those movies that get you so enthralled with the characters that you find yourself understanding them even in the mists of them making such horrible choices such as knowingly having unprotected sex with someone cursed with an incurable disease.

It would be easy to not understand Andrea and his careless passion towards Claudio. It seemed at times he may have had a death wish or was just confident that he couldn’t get sick. And it was equally hard to understand Claudio who knew he was sick, who had to deal with it day in and day out from his mother and sister to his doctor who prescribes him pill after countless pill. But throughout the movie it felt like Claudio and Andrea were inseparable, throughout life and perhaps even in death.

Giorni accomplishes what few films do. The movie got us involved and made us think. This is not a movie for homophobe’s to watch although I doubt they would get past the DVD’s cover of two men happily cuddling with each other in bed. And, Giorni is not a movie to watch if you think the movie is going to be a happy tale because the cover has two men happily cuddling with each other in bed. There is a lot of serious talk in Giorni and a lot of serious outcomes.

Giorni is both beautiful and sad and at times painful to watch. Yet it is an important film. Not because I feel that the gay population needs to see it and certainly not because the film is something you don’t normally see, but because the thoughts and more importantly the lifestyle has to exist in our real world. Perhaps to be judged, perhaps to be discovered, perhaps to be examined. That is what film does, it is meant to represent life not to hide it.



A really moving and tendered Italian movie that really need examination from many perspective. I would rate it 5/5.

Another JOB Interview

From: Human Resources (Recruitment & Selections)
Date: 12 July 2008

RE : PRICING ANALYST
=======================================

This is to inform that you are invited to attend an interview for Pricing Analyst as below details :-

Date : 17 July 2008 (Thursday)
Time : 0930 hrs
Venue: HR Interview Room
Ground Floor, Admin Building 4
MAS Complex B,
Subang Airport,
Selangor

Document required (to bring);-
1) Original and photocopy of Certificates
2) Original and photocopy of IC
3) 01 photo - Passport size
4) Original and photocopy of pay slip if you are currently working
5) Dress code : formal/ office attire (no t-shirt and jeans).

Please be at the interview venue at least 10 minutes before the time stated above and kindly confirm your attendence.

Please do not hesitate to call me, Pn. Azxxxx 03-7840xxxx or Pn. Maxxxx 03- 7840xxxx if have any queries.

Thank you

Azxxxx Haxxxx
HR Recruitment
MALAYSIA AIRLINES
Tel No : 03-7840xxxx



God always give me chances, new chances when I am in grieve matter. When I decided to quit my well-paid job and start over looking for new job, I tried my best to contact HR or recruitment. But only to find that person next to me will offer me a job, and I shall have to refuse other offers.

The first time it happened was in April 2007, I got 4 interviews calls, and 9 jobs confirmed (which I have to refuse one after another) when I already worked as software programmer. This year, I got two major calls, and again I have to refuse. I don't know if I am not thankfully enough to work for big corporation company, but I think whatever reason God put me to go through this, to receive offer from relatively small-size company, and refuse to go for big corp for big job - God must have some other plan for me.

God, give me the strength so I can be better!

Sedim Streams River - Sabbath Day

Yesterday, I got back to Penang early and called two friends to get to go to Sedim streams. Just want to relax and rest my body. My life was quite hectic and I really need a time off. I need something different than normal daily life, no computer, no internet, no busy road, no mortar-bricks building.

Sedim offers that. All it has, big stones with cold water running from top of Gunung Inas, the green scenery and another atmosphere.



When, I said another atmosphere - I mean a lot more of than I have everyday. People talk about business, money and plan for whatever reason. Here, the atmosphere filled with happy and daring action. From the picture above, the boy didn't try to fly away, he is just jumping from 5 meters bridge into the water. While the picture below, 7-year-old kid happily jumping over to his mother.

And another atmosphere for me... To swim around and cold my body in the water, and I mean the whole body... It's not a photo trick, this picture really took with a camera brought into the water (err... still need the technology though I want to get away from them for one day)



Got back from Sedim, we caught ourselves buying durian from road side... Very cheap... And see my friend's smile over his "interest."

Tired, but happy day!

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Book Review: I AM MUSLIM by DINA ZAMAN

Book Cover

I have always loved to read, and really I don’t mind spending on it. Walking about in Borders (Queensbay), I stumped onto Dina Zaman’s I AM MUSLIM. First glance doesn’t really beat, but when I skim through few pages, I have to admit myself “The content isn’t like other contemporary book, this one is different – she is dare enough!”

It took me nearly two weeks to finish reading it (with pen to mark paragraphs which I think interesting) while absorbing, thinking and comparing to the “Islamic world” that I knew (and I grew with). Well, I myself caught busy with few things and can only spend an hour or two before sleep to read through few pages.

Dina was daring enough to challenge some issues that no other writer wants to write about. I have been reading many books on Islamic issues (and I also subscribe to monthly magazine, namely majalah-i), but none wanted to put in the issues of gay in Islam, Malay-Muslim or Muslim-Malay and many other.

Interestingly to quote,

"Sister, you Malaysian always ask the same thing,” she smiled, “Islam is international, and your sisters come in all colours. The important thing is that we pray to the same God. Why are our styles of praying, clothing, hijab, ablution so important to you?” (Page 53)

“…Look, I’m not like some straight men who marry women even though they are either impotent or unable to have sex with their wives. I don’t lie. I don’t do all the bad things.” (Page
107)

“We’re so concerned about Hell, we’ve forgotten Heaven.” (Page 181)

“For as long as I have God and my prayers, I know that one day, we will be together.” (Page 198)

“The trouble with us Malays… we have too many traditions and adapt. We can’t do this, we’re Malays, we must do that, we’re Malays. Oh, we pray better than everyone else. We’re better than the Arabs, the Chinese Muslims, we’re Malaysia Boleh! Islam is not a difficult religion to
practice. But our imams! They make it harder for us to go on with our lives.” (Page 201)


People keep on asking me not to read this kind of book, for I might astray from the “true path”. I think the Malay still have the mentality of “Don’t ask” and the “I am better than you” attitude.

When we do something, then this Malay (who looks and acts piously) will condemned at first hand. “Oh that is bad”, “That is rugi laa”, and many other negative views. Been there, breathe those words!

I am not saying that we need to change, but we need to progress Muslim to another level, that we don’t have to put label or branding too much in our lives. Since Islam is about good things and peace – I don’t think we need specific things only for Muslim. Why don’t we have one brand that says fit for Muslim and even non-Muslim and don’t segregate too much – otherwise it all becoming Adat & Budaya (local cultures and traditions).
I don’t want to say that we change drastically, but give chance for us to open our Muslim mind to look broader, instead of tiny things to deal with. Be dare to ask and be dare to respect opinions.

If you haven’t read this book, rush to your nearest book store and secure one. Kak Dina, your book really has an impression on me and yes, I am passive Muslim who lives in the world of don’t-ask-but-follow-only. Thank you for a great writing and may Allah gives you His blessing. Amen…

Eternity Friendship

I received this sometimes in March 2002 (way 6 years back). Thank you so much!

Sunday, July 6, 2008

My Escape: Dusk at Majapahit






Another set of dusk. It made me realised, that pain was something that I need to adhere, and it will (in time) heals.

Click on respective image to enlarge.

Movie Review: The Trip (2002)




A love story spanning two decades between two men who are at the opposite ends of the political spectrum during the 1970s and 1980s. In 1973, Alan Oakley lives as a straight, uptight Young Republican working for an establishment newspaper--until he meets Tommy Ballenger, a Texas teenager who has moved to Los Angeles to work for gay rights. When Alan first meets him at a party organized by Peter Baxter, an older entertainment lawyer, Alan sees Tommy as a potential interview subject for his book, a conservative attack on gay rights that he plans to call The Straight Truth. Before he knows quite what has happened, Alan finds himself in bed and falling for Tommy. Alan and Tommy soon become the perfect couple, which rouses the envy of Peter, who promptly devises a cunning plan to break them up that includes publishing Alan''s long-abandoned, long-repudiated manuscript anonymously.

Runtime: 95 min
Country: USA
Language: English
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance





Not every love has the best ending the world, nor they will live happily ever after. Those we had experienced, will be our best that we can keep. "The best of your writing does not come from your head, but from you heart!" "It was just another negative view and people hate what they seem don't understand."

With the settings from the year 1975 until 1984, but the contents valid at any point of year... A great movie...

A must watch! I would rate 4.5/5

My Escape: Dawn at Majapahit










It was very beautiful and it was amazing... It made me regret of not appreciate it much earlier... But, I still thanked God for giving me the chance of being there, and great opportunity to feel that I am alive!


To view higher resolution, click on respective image.

RM500 Malaysia Banknotes

Ever see this RM500 note? Damn!