Aleph's

Aleph's
View from my village...

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Special Post: Khairiah





Please forgive me, I just received these pictures from friend. I don't mean to hurt anyone and I shall remove it if anyone complaint...

These images claimed to be a person of a well-known person (as of now) in Malaysia.

I cannot judge by myself, but then I can't quite compelled to believe it.

Mmmm.. Perhaps, someone who had knowledge about this can share information he/she knew...

Thanks.

My Escape Place III : Majapahit's Red Grass






Spending an evening in Majapahit, and perhaps it was right time when the sun sets from the sky leaving the red trail, I saw these red grasses, had never seen them before. So, I took pictures of them and now am sharing it here.
Hope it is worthwhile!

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Longest Ever Connected to a Network

Longest time ever, connected a PC to a network without put it into shutdown. The only reason I have to shutdown it was because I changed to a new PC. I have been using the old pc like 15 months and keeping it on all the time. Just for few restarts...

Biggest Downloading File Ever


Biggest ever downloading file I had ever attempted.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Bought from eBay - Malaysia 20 Sen 1970






Bought from eBay. It has been quite some time that I have been buying stuff from eBay.

MSC4: 1970 (Total mintage was 1,054,000) (Standard Catalog of Malaysia Singapore & Brunei)

Paid price is RM35 (Inclusive postage).

The seller claimed to be UNC, but I have found it to be XF (Extremely Fine). But still OK, because I am looking for this piece for like a year already.

Completed my set! Malaysia 10 Sen 1971, Malaysia 50 Sen Extra Dot.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

TV Series: Moonlight



I watched a new series on 8TV or Channel 9 (can't quite remember) about a ghostly man, VAMPIRE who'd walked on daylight. Gosh, must be a new variant!

I like this kind of story - where it is not as haunted as watching creepy movie, where you heard sound of nowhere, or "things" coming out from creepy places.

Since I like to watch movie like Van Helsing (and can't remember the two-movies of werewolf and vampire), this new series really caught me up. [Perhaps, the main character Mick St John (Alex O'Loughlin) really cute!]



Alex O'Loughlin as Mick St. John, a private investigator who was turned into a vampire over fifty years before the start of the show's main storyline in 1952 on the night of his wedding by his bride Coraline. He was thirty years old at the time. As a private investigator, he is a shrewd planner and remarkably honorable. Even though he realizes that Beth means quite a bit to him, he is reluctant to continue a romantic relationship with her, knowing that his being a vampire would hinder any sort of normal life.

So, as usual, I kind of getting the whole series (from CBS) and now watching them as I have so much free time!

First episode, kind of telling you what the story about - don't worry, not much violent or scary part. The vampire itself is very nice (and charming). You are going to love him.

There is a website for the series fan at: http://moonlightfans.com

For 1st season, there is only 16 episodes. Hope there will be new season!



I'll write more when I finished watching to the last episode of this season.

Watching? RECOMMENDED!

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Malaya - Queen Elizabeth II (50 Dollars)


Click to enlarge.
This graded Fine banknote cost me for RM600 - a sum that could make me crazy for few days. But, heck - my hobby cost me alot!

This is not easy to find piece and hard to find one good piece at this price.

For comparison, average salary of that time is around 5 to 15 Dollars a month.

Beijing 2008 Olympic Limited Edition Banknote



Click on respective image to enlarge.


Just got this on 7th of August 2008 for my collection.

Twenty Hong Kong Dollars (January 2008)

Commemorative banknote for 29th Olympic Games in Beijing.

Information about this particular banknote has been updated at:

http://www.exonumi.com/?page=publish&id=1.32.BN.81096

Beijing Olympic 2008 Opening Ceremony











The best ever!

Movie Review: Kung Fu Panda (2008)

While have nothing much to-do (while doing little study during bored day of Saturday), I happened to download this movie. Err... It was like that I have missed to watch this movie at the cinema (probably, to tell the truth - I am on "tight" budget [RM8 pun tak mampu!])

Everyone, I mean everyone - as far from Sarawak, to right the person who lies next to me on bed (while watching some other movie) asked me, insistingly to go and watch for this particular movie. But, I keep on saying, "Naa, cartoon is not for me."

It seems that I had mistakenly adopting the idea that cartoon don't do much as it has very straight forward story line and there's no difference as available cartoon on the tv network. I am wrong and eminently should never amissed such great works of art.

Kung Fu Panda was to me, very funny - well developed story line and its drama resemblance part of what I learnt in school.

The is no secret for secret - likewise a teacher told me, there is no secret to success, everything is inside you. If you want to success, put your willing and strength together in order to achieve it. There is no difference from a guy to another - but their willingness to strive and their willingness to look for changes.

It happened to me last year, when somebody from quite well-known company told me that I am going to fail eventually for not following his set of advice for my daring to use different method that he suggested. When he met me early this year, he asked me "Have you re-applied?" Well, I just nodded, and reply with another question "Why should I, when I had already passed?" In sum, doing or being different doesn't mean that you are going to fail. It was just another flavor!

We tend on to look at something and keep on continue doing something that we are familiar with, and afraid of trying something new. Perhaps, that also need to be changed. Dream big and believe the unbelievable.

One quote that I like the most:

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift—that is why they call it the present. - Turtle Master.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Stock Picking!

Click on the image to enlarge.

I don't have much thing to do (new job started on 1st September, and in Malaysia, of course) - I spend my time studying and spending some money to put my leg in the water - trading shares. Life is made simpler with online trading. I just need to sit in front of my laptop, did some survey and research. When ready just with few clicks, my order is being queued. Once matched, I just banked-in cheque for the payment (or use CIMB Clicks). I love my life...

I got helped from Miss Lee Lai Chan (CIMB Investment Bank Bhd, Penang Branch) to fetch information on counters that I am interested. She helped alot, and I mean alot!

My friends came and bantai me that the market is not good, and political situation is not healthy enough for market. Ok point taken, but I have done my research and now is good time to go in, doesn't matter what you say [it is not that I don't want to listen, but I just hope that we can gain more experience before shooting advices]. For long term investment - I have picked-up some counters and looking forward to increase my hold.

My method on picking up is, look at 52-week price history, dividend paid and future hold by the company. Mostly, I am more interested into counters that shows good performance for the past few years and currently price is dropping due to market situation (not because management problem).

Ok investors, let drive up for long term investment! Err, what are you invest into... Kongsi laa...

Islamic Financing Products: Is It For Real?

I went for a meeting today and everyone talks about Islamic Banking (or better, Islamic Financing). I am not against the idea, but it seems the term is being abused from day to day. What makes it really different from other (current or conventional) product?

From Saving Account, Checking (I don’t know why Malaysian call it Current) Account, Home Loan, Auto Loan and other available financing tools are being differed from those available and known as conventional.

To add more, Credit Cards are also given in the options as Islamic Credit Card. As time of this writing, a new Islamic Debit Card being introduced, this adds to more abusive usage of Islamic Financing tools.

When the Islamic Financing became accepted for the world market and Malaysian claims to have the largest Sukuk (or Bond) issued, suddenly Hong Kong wants to follow the trend of operating their own Islamic Banking. In addition, Britain now becoming the first European country to have Islamic Bank (Islamic Bank of Britain), and France wants to follow suit and about to pass a new banking regulations to allow such bank to operate.




Hence, this shows that Islamic Banking is now becoming a money machine that people are looking forward to take advantage on. Thus, this brings on to another level of question: Those Islamic Banking offered and operated by non-Muslim (who of course doesn’t believe in Islam) and servicing those called Moslem, how does this implicate?

I tried to question many people about Islamic Banking, and popular answer contrary to what I believe would be: You are Moslem, hence you MUST use Islamic Financing tools.

When I want to buy an apartment last year, the bank’s agent (who is not a Moslem) asked me, which one do I like to use: Islamic or Conventional loan? Gulped! It made my brain stopped thinking for a while, and I throw this question to her: What’s the different?

Another experience when I wanted to apply for credit card, the agents (two non-Moslems) told me, it is better for me to use Islamic Credit Card. An experience when looking for personal insurance and I came up meeting with non-Moslem agent in USM – she told me that many people preferred Takaful related and that’s the main product that she pushed for everyone, be ones Moslem or not. Likewise my good-buddy who wants me to subscribe for Unit Trust that he is actively selling; he even promoted me Shariah-compliance unit trusts.

Gosh, Moslem are buying Muslim Financing from non-Moslem who knows the product better than them.

So, what is Islamic Financing really? It has created en masse atmosphere that everyone now rushing to sell Islamic related product. I bought a book: READING IN ISLAMIC FINANCIAL SERVICES (Printed by Publication Unit, Kolej Universiti Islam Malaysia, 2007) just to find some in-depth understanding.

What is Islamic Banking, Islamic Financing, Islamic Financial Services or what-ever names given? Basic understanding shows that every service; account, financing, insurance, unit trust are all derived from conventional which only adds some title or given in Arabic word.

And seriously, it is just another make-up with LITTLE changes. I do understand that first Islamic bank (Bank Islam (M) Bhd) established in 1983 (a few moths earlier, before I opened my eyes to set for this world for the first time) and Malaysia regulated dual-banking – now allowed banks to operate as another Islamic identity. Many more products are coming in with more Arabic names.

Please understand that I don’t against Islamic product (because I am Moslem [simply this cause?]), but why Islamic products have to be much expensive than those conventional? Take for instance, Home Loan – Islamic Banking makes more profits that conventional banking.

As Islam means prosper in peace – I do hope that Islamic term can be saved from more abusive marketing technique. Every product is becoming Islamic but people are not!


Mohd Shahirasul

PS: I am not against anyone, nor regulations as my knowledge may be limited. I am not being racist, or I am being chauvinist. But I believe, religion should not be use as a tool to fool people.

PSS: This article is based on personal thought hence it should not reflect or relate to company and/or organisation that I am attached to.