Apa ada pada nama?

Last month, I went to Alor Setar to attend my cousin's wedding. It was my 1st time there. Upon paying the toll at the South Alor Setar Exit, I saw this signboard...

Wallahey!!! It's either me or the developer watch TV too much...

Dragon

Dragon is perhaps the most famous legendary creature in almost every culture.

It is often depicted with serpentine/reptilian traits.

In eastern culture (especially chinese) dragon (loong) is a symbol of good, wisdom & benevolent. It is often associated with auspicious power & sometimes able to grant wishes.

While in the west, it is usually a malevolent, evil & feared creature. Those who are able to slay a dragon are acclaimed as heroes.

A dragon also usually depicted with fiery & smoky breath.

And being a legendary creature, nobody ever able to witnessed it. Neither even come out with archeological or photographic evidence - genuine at least...

But this blog entry will break that tradition...

Yes! I've seen a living breathing dragon & able to provide you with genuine photographic evidence!







Moral: Who says smoking kills huh? Who? This is a living evidence!

Heroes

Who are heroes?

Historical figures?

Fictional figures?

A bunch of guy who wear tight spandex & fight crimes?

A lead protagonist?

Hiro Nakamura?

Or simply an "urang gila"?!

According to wikipedia:

Hero (male) and heroine (female) came to refer to characters (fictional or historical) that, in the face of danger and adversity or from a position of weakness, display courage and the will for self sacrifice – that is, heroism – for some greater good, originally of martial courage or excellence but extended to more general moral excellence.

As a simple example:

Warga emas mati selamatkan pembantu rumah daripada diperkosa

MARINA yang cedera di muka terselamat dari diperkosa penyamun setelah majikannya, Loh Koon Eng (gambar kecil) sanggup bergelut dengan mereka.

TELUK INTAN 13 April - Tindakan nekad seorang nenek berusia 81 tahun bergelut dengan tiga penyamun berjaya menyelamatkan pembantu rumahnya, seorang warga Indonesia, daripada diperkosa penjenayah terbabit, awal pagi ini.

Bagaimanapun, Loh Koon Eng meninggal dunia dipercayai akibat diserang sakit jantung sebaik ketiga-tiga suspek terbabit melarikan diri dari rumahnya di Jalan Laksamana, kira-kira pukul 3 pagi.

Warga emas berkenaan dipercayai diserang sakit jantung kerana terlalu letih bergelut dengan suspek-suspek itu bagi memastikan pembantu rumahnya, Marina Andrajani, 23, tidak diapa-apakan.

(Taken from Utusan Malaysia Online, 14th April 2009)

amirmukhtar salutes all our unsung heroes.

Virginia Tech Massacre

2 years ago, a school shooting/massacre/mass murder/murder-suicide took place on the campus of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in USA.

It was the deadliest shooting incident in the history of US, that makes the world. Total body count was 33 including the perpetrator himself who committed suicide later.

The shooter was 23-year-old Seung-Hui Cho, a Korean undergrad at the university. He had been diagnosed with & was treated for anxiety disorder for years.

Approximately 2 hours before the killings, Cho mailed some writings & video recordings to NBC News. The package also contained a few photos of him:

I can't imagine but his action in the photo reminds me of these:

Moral: Don't play video games & watch movies too much!

Belajar Bercakap Loghat Kelantan (Blajar Kkecek Kelate) 5

Huruf-huruf Dalam Kkecek Kelate

1. Huruf "r" digantikan dgn sebutan "gh" (sebut mcm huruf 'ghain' dlm Bahasa Arab).

Ghoti = Roti

2. Huruf "l", "r", "u" pada penghujung perkataan dimansuhkan.

Basika = Basikal
Tuka = Tukar
Tunga = Tungau

3. Huruf "a" pada sukuan akhir perkataan dibaca "o".

Singo = Singa
Meghoh = Merah
Maghoh = Marah
Ghumoh = Rumah

4. Huruf "i" pada sukuan akhir perkataan disebut "ing". Tapi tak semestinya semua yg berakhir dgn "ing" adalah berakihr dgn "i" dalam Bahasa Melayu standard.

Ming = Mi
Bbunying = Berbunyi

5. Huruf "s" pada hujung perkataan disebut "h".

Bah = Bas
Tebah = Tebas
Lepah = Lepas

6. Huruf "t" pada hujung perkataan disebut "k".

Sakik = Sakit

7. Nanti cek lg, banyak rupanya...

Why So Serious?

Last week, a non-Muslim politician created some stir when he quoted a few verses from the Holy Quran during an election campaign.

Of course, being a politician in Malaysia means that everything you do will be backed up by your allies & heavily despised by your enemies.

Some quickly claimed that what the politician did was insulting Islam.

Personally, I think it is a development in our dakwah. It proved that the Holy Book itself is being studied by non-Muslims. And if a fierce person like Umar al-Khattab could embrace Islam after he recited a few verses why not our own friendly Malaysians.

Maybe an event during the Treaty of Hudaibiyah could refresh our memories.

Narrated Al-Bara bin 'Azib:

When Allah's Apostle concluded a peace treaty with the people of Hudaibiya, Ali bin Abu Talib wrote the document and he mentioned in it, "Muhammad, Allah's Apostle ." The pagans said, "Don't write: 'Muhammad, Allah's Apostle', for if you were an apostle we would not fight with you." Allah's Apostle asked Ali to rub it out, but Ali said, "I will not be the person to rub it out." Allah's Apostle rubbed it out and made peace with them on the condition that the Prophet and his companions would enter Mecca and stay there for three days, and that they would enter with their weapons in cases.

(Translation from Sahih Bukhari)

For those who professed themselves as protectors of Islam, my personal comment is:

Just some thoughts

Last Friday, I took off down south to attend a friend's wedding.

I took the opportunity to visit my previous company's office only to be greeted cheerfully by my ex-officemates as I was still one of them. We had the most wonderful time ever.

I felt I'm more welcomed there than here at my current workplace.

1 & 1/2 year ago, I left my first company (after graduation) hoping I would be closer to reach my dreams.

However I found out that my first job was far more enjoyable & zero-stress compare to my current job.

Crap!

Was it the correct move?

Did I miscalculated?

How could I was so careless?

What have I done?

Is this a test for me? Or is it a punishment? Or a salvation?

I think the answers are both yes & no.

I believe that God has something more for me.

I believe that our path is not meant to be straight-forward & lame.

I believe in the Law of Attraction.

Hey, can we savour the tasty durian flesh without going through all the torns?

April Fools

Delayed for 1 day but hey, Iranians play pranks on the 13th day of the Persian new year - falls on 1st or 2nd April. So not really delayed.

Do you know?

1) On 1st April 1946, 165 people killed in Hawaii & Alaska due to a tsunami. Most of them drown because they assumed that the tsunami warning was a joke. Poor bastards!

2) April Fool was the code name of an American agent who allegedly provided false intel to Saddam Hussein's military and led to the downfall of Saddam's government in 2003. Those damn dirty (but smart) Americans!

3) April Fools also did hit our nations important figure, Sir James Brooke,
the 1st White Rajah of Sarawak was forced to run butt-naked circling Padang Merdeka, Kuching
on 1st April 1865 after being tricked in a poker game by his future successor (also his nephew), Charles Brooke. It was witnessed by hundreds of local people & a few Iban children even managed to sumpit the White Rajah resulting in at least 3 blow darts stuck on his ass (haha!). This event was recorded in the book History of The White Rajahs (1960) by Nicholas Monsarrat - no photos however, only illustrations. I found this book in an antique bookshop located at LG of Sarawak Plaza.

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Forgive me, only No 1 & 2 are true facts. No 3 was completely fabricated by yours truly...