Red Hawk Author

10 things you must try before you reach 60

2012-01-28T04:43:00.000-08:00

Why 60 ? Well, because I'm trying to suggest you things that are best enjoyed before you turn 60. You need a strong heart and move around a lot, you know? I'm not saying you can't enjoy if you're in your 70, but I'm just suggesting.

For example, one of them is kissing a celebrity. Who knows what would happen after that? The bodyguards punch you on the face - so, it's best to get the punch when you're still young, see? #LOL

1. Swimming with the sharks

Image via

At the mention of sharks, the image of these sharks having us for dinner just couldn't escape us, right? Well, according to "experts", sharks are often misunderstood. Actually there are not violent, you know? But hey, the experts said that - not me.

2. Paragliding

Image via

To feel the air going past your face, ahh man, you'll never feel old again!
I've always wanted to try this out - but still unable to due to lack of financial means. But before 60, must give it a go! And I want to do it among the mountains like the picture above.

Have you guys ever tried this stunt? Tell me about it, please!

3. Spend a night in the Amazon forest

Image via

Amazon forest - where leopards, anaconda and many other legendary animals, insects live - yeah, so why don't we spend a night in the amazon forest? I'm not really a forest-type of man, but heck, if I have enough experience people to accompany me with, I might give it a go, you know?

And a shotgun is my must-bring item. Sorry for being so pessimistic.

4. Underwater museum in Mexico

Image via

This underwater museum is so freakin' cool! I was thinking this would be a very cool place for honeymoon, you know? You'll see all these awesome statues and beautiful fishes swimming around you.

Must go!

5. North Korea!

Image via Washington Post

We've heard of North Korea a lot of times on the news, don't we? And the way the tabloids tell 'em makes the place so scary and to avoid it at all times. But is it though?

So, before 60, we should at least visit the country once. At least, once.

6. Space tourist

Image via

Well, when I was small, I have always wanted to be an astronaut. But I know it's too late for me now, realistically speaking.

But fret not, there's still one opportunity for me to do that - through Virgin Atlantic!
The only problem is, it is going to be freakin' expensive! But matters not, when there's a will, there's a way!
Come on guys, let's go to the space!

7. Kiss a celebrity on the lips

I know this one is a little bit weird, but life will be more exciting if we list stupid but fun things on our to-do-list!

Take your pick and plan well - how do we do it? Good luck!

Think about it, by the time you're 60, the celebrity you are planning to kiss is already an old woman! So, they should feel lucky instead that someone is still willing to kiss them. #LOL

Image via

I wonder how Scarlett would look like 40 years from now...hmm...

8. Scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef

Image via

ahhh...the Great Barrier Reef. It's so awesome. The pictures that I've seen across the internet are amazingly beautiful! It is the world's largest coral reef system!

You guys should put this on the list before you hit 60! I know I am. Cannot miss this opportunity to be with mother nature. :)

9. Spend a week with you and your wife on an island

Image via

I always like to imagine I'm stuck on an online with a woman. I know, weird, huh? Well, to make it legit, so that's why I put there with your wife, people!

Just for a week. A week! It would be awesome. Have to make our own shelters, find our own foods and with the blue ocean surrounding the two of you, that would be so cool!

Image via

And this little idea is inspired by the movie Cast Away where Tom Hanks was struggling to survive on the island, but after many years surviving alone, became expert. Totally love that movie! A+!

and

10. sing in front of thousands of people

Image via

It would be fun to wrap up your awesome years just before you turn 60. It doesn't matter whether you have sexy voice like Michael Buble' or high-pitch like Mariah Carey or so bad no one can stand them - just sing!

The embarrassment only last for a few hours, but it stays in your head until the day you die. :)

Anyway, that's all for me this time. I hope you enjoy reading the 10 things you must try before you reach 60!

What else can I say, but good luck and be well, ladies and gents!

Learn an old trick: Your vocabulary = You

2012-01-27T08:05:00.000-08:00

Have you noticed when you said, I'm feeling happy today and you will feel much better after that? But do that with a smile - meaning to say, mean what you say. So, although you are feeling sad or down inside, your choice of words, which in this case, is happy, would help to lift your spirit. Come on, try now.

The type of vocabulary that we use as we speak can really help.

And thus, there is also a saying that says, if you want to be good in something, some subjects, expand your vocabulary that suits that particular something.

Now, it doesn't matter if you don't understand it at first.

But in time you will know.

For example, if you are trading stocks, if you don't know what options mean, now that's not good, isn't it?

Whether it has got to do with your emotions, or mastering a subject, our choice of words and the effort to expand our collection of words that we know of are two very important thing, if of course, you want to be successful in your mind.

So, now I want you guys to do this:

A. If you're feeling sad, say I'm feeling happy now!

B. If you're feeling great, say I'm feeling great now!

C. If you're nervous and scared, say I'm not scared. I can do this!

And it is important that you say all these things out loud. It will help a lot. Trust me on this.

It's okay if it makes you sound hypocrite at first, but in time you will learn to channel what you're saying out loud to counter the negativity you're feeling inside.

Then, after you are through with the first stage, secondly is to learn a new word every week that suits your field.

Eventually, we would have:

saying out loud + vocabulary = higher chance to succeed!

Try it, and if you may, share the results with me, okay?

Be well, ladies and gents!

Dear Clive

2012-01-26T02:43:00.000-08:00

Hi guys. Well, I have something for you guys. Have you guys heard that it is better to give than receive? The more we are helping out others with their lives, the happier will become? I am hoping to do just that.

A few months back, I've posted an article on my experience regarding the Shell Recruitment Day (SRD) and surprisingly enough, I've received lots of emails from strangers coming from other countries, asking for help and what happened on that day, more in-depth.

And although I might not be able to answer everyone's questions, but I tried my best to reply to the emails whenever I can.

So, inspired by the success of those events, I'm thinking of adding a place, if any of you guys out there are seeking advice on anything.If I don't know about something, I'll ask around and get back to you! :)

Till then,

Be well, ladies and gents

My email: clive88einstein@gmail.com

Beer & Wine served at Starbucks

2012-01-24T23:29:00.000-08:00

And no, not all Starbucks outlets, rest assured on that, ladies and gents.
They are doing it over there at Starbucks's home country:

such as Atlanta, Chicago, Southern California and a few other places.

So, they are planning to bring in the beers and wines at the year end.
Actually they are already testing putting the menu at their outlets in Seattle.
They are offering $5 for beers and $7 for wine.

But not everyone is happy with them doing that though. One customer said she's not coming to Starbucks for beers. If she had wanted to, she'd go to the bars.

Another one said, when he thought of Starbucks, he definitely would have never thought of beers.

But Starbucks is doing this to aim at the happy hour audience, as they want to expand the crowd. Well, can see that angle - to expand the crowd, expand profits.

They are already in the market for the morning hours - and then, afternoon hours, so it's now happy hours.

Well, we'll see how it goes.
But of course, I'd have to buy an airplane ticket to go there.

Be well, ladies and gents.

Image & News source via Los Angeles Times.

Iran vs America and its allies

2012-01-23T11:20:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post entitled, a christian living among the Muslims. In that letter, I placed great emphasis on understanding and the willingness to understand other people's cultures, beliefs and customs. We cannot expect everyone to be the same like us. No, we cannot.

In the case of America and her allies versus Iran, both sides just don't like one another. As simple as that.

So, we know that there's a fight going on - Iran is still being stubborn and going ahead with its nuclear program while America and its allies are building the pressures on the country.

What's going on at the moment?

Well, the big boys in the playground are saying Iran is suspiciously building its nuclear program for the wrong reasons, while Iran at the same, is not going to be bullied around and going ahead with that program.

To pile the pressures on the Islamic Republic, European Union have adopted the approach of banning the purchase of oil from Iran. Iran, in retaliation, wants to close the Strait of Hormuz. (This is where a fifth of the world's crude is transported)

The EU wants to pile the pressure on Iran to get them to discuss and negotiate again regarding their Nuclear program. It's like, we are going to continue pressuring Iran until the Islamic Republic is ready to talk again...meh, sounds familiar guys? this is just classic bullying.

But Iran, on the other hand, has been playing it cool though - saying, the world is in need of energy and yeah, we have loads of oil we know you must need! So, that's why, to return the slap by the EU, Iran threatened to close the strait.

And then, of course, US and Britain have warned Iran not to close the strait. What happens when it is not available - the strait I mean. Well, for one the prices of oil would shoot up because of disruption of supply caused by the closing of the strait.

Image via BBC News

So what happens next? Military strike on Iran?

You know what, just like in any standard bullying scenario, any person who has the greater resources would wield them to intimidate the inferiors. But Iran, being stubborn, would not be bullied around.

Now this is what we seeing, both parties are unwilling to cooperate with one another and the world just let a few leaders from the two sides bickering and accusing one another. Yeah, I don't think the American or Iranian people would support any military acts.

The Iranian's economic performance isn't doing well. So, if there's any military confrontation, would it bring any good results? aha, right...I don't think so.

The American's economic isn't doing much better as well. What with the debt they are facing, to enter into another battlefield like Iraq is such a stupid move to take.

This is what's happening - we simply let the fate of our world, past present future - be determined by a few selected people from the government and the people, in return, would suffer in the end. Is that fair? yeah right...

Too much ego. Too much stubbornness.

Sources via:
Foreign Policy
Sidney Morning Herald
BBC News

How did the Egyptians build the Pyramids?

2012-01-22T08:30:00.000-08:00

We humans do have a knack of surprising ourselves, don't we? We've built very tall buildings. We've built very complicated machines to perform experiments. We've landed on the moon. And many other great achievements. But modern accomplishments are clear, are they not? Simply because we can see through videos or in front of our own eyes how our fellow humans are building them.

View of the CMS Detector before closure, on August 17th, 2008. (Maximilien Brice; Michael Hoch; Joseph Gobin, © CERN) #

But I like to share, and together we wonder, how the hell did our ancestors built some of the great achievements in the past?

I mean, there were no sophisticated machines to help them with. Some of the things seemed impossible, even!

What are they?

Well, since there are a lot of them, I am just going for the Pyramid of Giza that still hold me in awe for so many years!

So, as a curious being, I am, I've started to do some serious readings on the pyramid. One of the things that often came up during that session was that, some claimed the pyramid was built by aliens.

I mean, seriously? I dunno. I've often taken the stance of seeing is believing and there are some things I could believe in, like the concept of religion but aliens building the pyramid around 4 thousand years ago, hmm, that seems very unlikely.

These alien believers are lunatics. Obsessed with the presence from outer space and coming down all the here to earth to build a freaking pyramid? yeah right.

I'm definitely dismissing the aliens theory.

I guess, one who did come up with the theory of aliens who had built the pyramid, concluding to such a conclusion because humans did not have the technology and knowledge to build such a building.

And the famous perspective, who tend to go for the alien theory is,

Did humans really build the Pyramids?
If you answer yes, please explain how they could have moved stones that weigh over 40 tons to the top?

via yahoo answer

From my readings, I can conclude some of the following ways and methods the Egyptians took to build the pyramids, especially Pyramid of Giza - and hopefully this might get you thinking...I will only provide three though.

They have thousands of slaves working on the pyramids

More than 20,000 - 30,000 slaves worked on building the pyramids. And mind you, these men were not as weak as men generally today who have big belly and fat. They were all big and muscular.

2. How they moved the stones to fall in place until the top?

Ramps were built to get them into place on the pyramid and these ramps were built made of mud brick and coated with chips of plaster to harder the surface.

3. Before the stones reached the construction site...

The Egyptians used teams of oxen or manpower to drag the stones to the construction site.

Now, there are those who said the pyramids couldn't possibly have been built by humans because of, well it's pyramid and it would be impossible for them to build them without the proper technology and knowledge. They added further that there's no way we can build a pyramid like that today - without using the present-day technology.

But to these people who seemed so naive and seriously misinformed, let's look back and forth.

Firstly, the Egyptians invented many things that are still used even today. Want to hear some of them?

papers, eye-make up, pens, high-heel shoes

So my point during that era where the Egyptians seemed to have been very innovative and creative, who's to say they are no knowledgeable to calculate and consider every aspect involve in building the pyramids?

Secondly, we can build the pyramid today but we don't have the resources we need to build them.

What kind of resources?

Well, as I've mentioned above, the pharaohs needed thousands of people to build the pyramid and mind you, lots of money were involved in building these freaking pyramids. And do we still need a pyramid today? I don't think so. Because it just doesn't fit the purpose. We have to know well why they built the pyramids in the first place.

So, instead of building a pyramid today, we build very long bridge, very tall buildings, we landed on moons.

Well, that should wrap up for this time. I hope you find this article entertaining as I had fun learning about them! :)

Sources via:

5 things a fresh graduate must know!

2012-01-20T23:43:00.000-08:00

Why do we have to be picky when it comes to our jobs selection?

You read it right. It is said, fresh graduates, don't be picky when we are deciding which job and company to pursue as our first job and after that. I think for every graduate out there who have just graduated and thinking about your first job, these are the 5 reasons you want to be very picky and not going for a company just because of the pay alone.

1. because you're going to wake up every morning and sleep every night...

and you don't want to wake up with a grumpy face and bring that to the office. have you ever noticed that, when you're not in the mood, you can't really do anything and you are easily irritated? That's why when you are deciding which company and the kind of jobs you are applying for - it's a serious matter. please don't take something just for the sake of the money. I've met many friends of mine who are earning serious amount of money but just hate their jobs and it takes a huge determination to wake up every morning and force themselves into their cars to drive to the office.

and you don't want to go to bed, cursing either. Feel bitter all the time.

It might not affect you that much now, but you'll see it in a few years time.

2. because what you do today will seriously affect what you will become in the future

If you have the dream of becoming an entrepreneur and your own boss, then go for the jobs that can train you with the type of skills you might need in your business later!

If you have the dream of becoming the CEO, then you have to love what you're doing at your job now so you will want to learn every aspect of the business and industry, by which time when you might get your chance at becoming the head, it will be a breeze!

3. if you have career advancement in your head

Well, no matter how much you try to hide it, your mood can seriously show themselves on your performance, the jobs you've submitted and this can only limit your capabilities at work. Do you think your superior might not have noticed this?

4. you want to live life to the fullest

The more you are angry at what you do and feel bitter every minute of your pathetic life, the more you are living the life you hate. Even if you reach old ages and die at the age of 100, you will still regret what you did in your life, thinking back it might be good if and only if you have chosen what you heart told you.

I've seen people who are in love with their works, they don't really see it as working. It's more of doing something they love but getting paid doing it.

Make sure you find yours and don't stop until you find one!

5. because you are an asset!

Simply because you are unique and you deserve a better life, my friend. Why make yourself suffer every morning and night in such an angry state when you can be happy if you have picked another job that might cheer you up every day?

We are not always young, so make sure when we have the strength to do whatever it is our hearts want to do today, don't throw it away.

So, the moment when we are finally at the final chapter of our respective lives, we would not regret our past but looking back at it, with a smile and as a bed time story for our grandchildren.

Clive

If you are being mugged, what would you do?

2012-01-19T03:08:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, I got the news of my friend's place got robbed while they were sleeping. He told me they(the robbers) had knives and then,later tied all of them so that they could do their business. Well, naturally, we asked, did you think of fighting back at the time?

He then told me he was somewhat petrified at the time.

which of course, makes sense.

We can all have these images of us fighting back like Jet-Li or Jackie Chan. But what will happen though - most of the time, we are so stunned at what's happening that we would up doing nothing.

Furthermore, if a guy is pointing a gun at you, why would you ever risk your dear life for the sake of your i-phone? or whatever belongings you have with you at the time.

It is always best, when we are asked of our money, belongings - forcefully - or in other word, mugged, just give them. Don't fight. It will only invite unnecessary problems.

So, back to my earlier story. What made it even worse, if my friend had decided to fight back, his family could get hurt IF he didn't make it. Well, it sure is going to invite more violence after that, isn't it?

Mark Wahlberg - the actor was being rather disrespectful when he said he could single-handedly prevented one of the doomed planes during 9/11. You read, I'll add further comment after that.

HOLLYWOOD star Mark Wahlberg has been blasted by the wife of a 9/11 hero for claiming he could have single-handedly prevented one of the doomed planes crashing.

The Boogie Nights star, 40, was booked on the United Airlines Flight 93 plane which was hijacked by terrorists — but didn't get the flight.

The passengers overpowered the al-Qaeda terrorists and forced the jet to crash in Pennsylvania – but Mark claimed the outcome would have been better if he was on board.
The action hero said: "If I was on that plane with my kids, it wouldn't have went down like it did.

"There would have been a lot of blood in that first-class cabin and then me saying: 'OK, we're going to land somewhere safely, don't worry.'
"We certainly would have tried to do something to fight. I've had probably over 50 dreams about it." via TheSun.co.uk

My only say for what he said, Mr Wahlberg, THIS - IS - NOT - HOLLYWOOD.

Then again, what would you do if you are facing a situation like my friend there who got robbed?Would you fight?

SOPA Update: Wikipedia has started.Others are following soon.

2012-01-17T22:19:00.000-08:00

The protest has started. Wikipedia, Reddit an a few other big names are already showing their disagreement towards the stop internet piracy legislation that is currently being considered by Congress in the United States.

While Wikipedia has already shown the digital banner with a message to rally its users, Reddit is going to follow suit in 6 hours, (at the moment the time is 2.16pm, Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur).

Quoted from Wall Street Journal,

"The online encyclopedia, the tenth most popular website in the U.S., shut down most of its English-language services and replaced its familiar white and gray design with a black homepage featuring information about the bills. Known as the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the Protect IP Act (PIPA), the legislation—backed by major American media companies—would allow the Justice Department to seek a court order requiring U.S. search ..."

Well, I'll be updating in a few hours time on the protest progress.Stay tuned!

RP: When Did Americans Lose Their British Accents?

2012-01-17T14:58:00.000-08:00

Revolutionary War Reenactment Image via Shutterstock

First, let’s be clear: the terms “British accent” and “American accent” are gross oversimplifications. There were, and still are, many, many constantly evolving regional British and American accents.

What a lot of Americans think of as the typical “British accent” is what’s called standardized Received Pronunciation (RP), also known as Public School English or BBC English.

What most people think of as an “American accent,” or most Americans think of as “no accent,” is the General American (GenAm) accent, sometimes called a ”newscaster accent” or “Network English.” Because this is a blog post and not a book, we’ll focus on these two general sounds for now and leave the regional accents for another time.

English colonists established their first permanent settlement in the New World at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607, sounding very much like their countrymen back home. By the time we had recordings of both Americans and Brits some three centuries later (the first audio recording of a human voice was made in 1860), the sounds of English as spoken in the Old World and New World were very different.

We’re looking at a silent gap of some 300 years, so we can’t say exactly when Americans first started to sound noticeably different from the British.

As for the “why,” though, one big factor in the divergence of the accents is rhotacism. The General American accent is rhotic and speakers pronounce the r in words such as hard. The BBC-type British accent is non-rhotic, and speakers don’t pronounce the r, leaving hard sounding more like hahd.

Before and during the American Revolution, the English, both in England and in the colonies, mostly spoke with a rhotic accent. We don’t know much more about said accent, though. Various claims about the accents of the Appalachian Mountains, the Outer Banks, the Tidewater region and Virginia’s Tangier Island sounding like an uncorrupted Elizabethan-era English accent have been busted as myths by linguists.

Talk This Way

Around the turn of the ~~18th~~ 19th century, not long after the revolution, non-rhotic speech took off in southern England, especially among the upper and upper-middle classes. It was a signifier of class and status. This posh accent was standardized as Received Pronunciation and taught widely by pronunciation tutors to people who wanted to learn to speak fashionably.

Because the Received Pronunciation accent was regionally “neutral” and easy to understand, it spread across England and the empire through the armed forces, the civil service and, later, the BBC.

Across the pond, many former colonists also adopted and imitated Received Pronunciation to show off their status. This happened especially in the port cities that still had close trading ties with England — Boston, Richmond, Charleston, and Savannah. From the Southeastern coast, the RP sound spread through much of the South along with plantation culture and wealth.

After industrialization and the Civil War and well into the 20th century, political and economic power largely passed from the port cities and cotton regions to the manufacturing hubs of the Mid Atlantic and Midwest — New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit, etc.

The British elite had much less cultural and linguistic influence in these places, which were mostly populated by the Scots-Irish and other settlers from Northern Britain, and rhotic English was still spoken there. As industrialists in these cities became the self-made economic and political elites of the Industrial Era, Received Pronunciation lost its status and fizzled out in the U.S.

The prevalent accent in the Rust Belt, though, got dubbed General American and spread across the states just as RP had in Britain.

Of course, with the speed that language changes, a General American accent is now hard to find in much of this region, with New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Chicago developing their own unique accents, and GenAm now considered generally confined to a small section of the Midwest.

As mentioned above, there are regional exceptions to both these general American and British sounds. Some of the accents of southeastern England, plus the accents of Scotland and Ireland, are rhotic. Some areas of the American Southeast, plus Boston, are non-rhotic.

Article source via Mental Floss
RP is for repost

Check out Facebook's Office!

2012-01-16T08:36:00.000-08:00

Hello all of you who are addicted to Facebook!

I have something to share with you today, which is the Facebook Office.The place where the magic is made. Literally made,mind you.

Located at Menlo Park, California - this office looks totally awesome!

(Reuters / ROBERT GALBRAITH)

Exhibit A: This is the international user area. And it's the Malaysia flag there! woohoo!
(Reuters / ROBERT GALBRAITH)

Exhibit B: A large "LIKE" sign outside of the office. Seriously cool!
(Reuters / ROBERT GALBRAITH)

Exhibit C: The cafe, where the facebook magicians are having their stomachs filled!
(Reuters / ROBERT GALBRAITH)

Exhibit D: the IT area. It looks relaxing, isn't it?

(Reuters / ROBERT GALBRAITH)

Exhibit E: an Employee of Facebook is sitting on the couch while working.
Perhaps thinking of a new feature for Facebook?
(Reuters / ROBERT GALBRAITH)

Exhibit F: the Facebook Wall in real life. Beat that!
(Reuters / ROBERT GALBRAITH)

Exhibit G: how the office looks from outside.
(Reuters / ROBERT GALBRAITH)

Exhibit H: so, an employee can choose to either sit down or standing while working.
(Reuters / ROBERT GALBRAITH)

Exhibit I: another IT area. yeah, no wonder they can produce magic. Take a look at that! It's as if they're not going to work but just hanging out while performing magic.
(Reuters / ROBERT GALBRAITH)

Exhibit J: They have an art board for the magicians of Facebook. seriously drooling now...
(Reuters / ROBERT GALBRAITH)

This office was formerly of Sun Microsystem. It is currently work spaces for almost 2000 employees. I love these pictures. I love how the office looks like.

News source via BuzzFeed

Tech Talk: I'm a Programmer.

2012-01-16T08:02:00.000-08:00

I'm a programmer. I used to hate that. Makes me sound like a douchebag. Ironically enough, I took Computer Science during my years at the varsity. But no matter, no matter. Programming is the very thing I have been avoiding for so long where I made myself to swear last time that after graduation, I would never NEVER look for any IT-related jobs.

And what happened then?

Yeah, aha, I was offered to work with a company as a programmer and not just any programming language but COBOL programming. To those of you out there who are not familiar with what's cobol, let's say it is a very ancient programming language. So, there you have it - the very thing I promised myself I would not be taking, but the very thing I am working on now. Life is weird. Indeed.

So, why don't you take a look at what I have to play with everyday?

Exhibit A.

Exhibit B.

Exhibit C.

I think that's enough. You get the picture, right?

But anyway, weird enough - again - I have begun to develop a "healthy" relationship with programming though. Yeah, you heard that right. I don't believe it myself but I am actually looking forward to go to work everyday, to start with the Cobol programming.

So, I've been going through videos on Youtube religiously to learn more about Cobol.

But while I was searching for source to learn about the subject, I came across another website that teaches programming for free. However, it's not Cobol though. It's Java. (for those of you who are unfamiliar with programming) but Java is a rather newer language. You can call it the modern version. :)

Anyway, back to my discovery!

OMG! I am so excited already. I am so excited to show you how it looks like!

So, this site teaches you how to code step-by-step, with a very friendly look of the whole site, I highly recommend you guys to try this one out! Highly extremely recommended. I wish I had this one back at school, it would have been much easier!

Seriously.

Click here if you want to check it out.

See - so here, you will have a very good guide next to you on the left side of the screen. And what's more - you get to collect points too! How fun is that!?

Anyway, I personally feel this is a better place to spend your time rather than at Facebook. At least, you can learn how to code. And who knows - you might be freakin' good with it? Who knows huh?

Well, that's all for tech talk this time.

Why don't you share with me what other website worth sharing? You know where to share - in the comment section!

Image of Cobol via:

Mainframes360.com

Anewspring.com

A Christian living among the Muslims

2012-01-15T10:15:00.000-08:00

I'm a Christian living among the Muslims. My housemates are Muslims.
My best friends are Muslims (notice the s ?). My varsity mates are Muslims. My football team members are Muslims. It has been 7 years since I live here in Kuala Lumpur and what has happened to me? I am perfectly safe, every part of my body is still with me and I am fine, completely at peace. There has been no violence acted upon me.

The reason I'm coming up with this post is to address the problem with the so-called Islamophobia. By using the term Islamophobia alone, I think you are clear enough where it means we fear the Muslims for them being violent and high tendency to blow bombs. It is an irrational fear or prejudice towards Islam and Muslims as a whole.

A decade has passed since 9th September 2001 when two airplanes struck the World Trade Centre and and another into Pentagon but the lingering fear towards the Muslims still live on.

Terrorist attacks reported on the news. The first thing that jump to the head, It must be the Muslims!

Without taking into consideration what's the attack all about and not a single investigation has been done.

via

I always believe in taking the effort to understand other people's cultures, beliefs and customs and without which, the trend of Islamophobia will continue to haunt us.

There was a time when SIFE (Student in Free Enterprise) held its SIFE World Cup in Los Angeles, California and a friend of mine who happened to be a Muslim with the name Muhammad as his name, tried to apply for a visa but got rejected. Why? There's Muhammad in the name.

Thus, I always feel it is my responsibility, as a Christian but who also happen to be living among the Muslims to provide the right picture to others who are non-Muslim, regardless whether they are of other religions, not excluding the atheists.

During the Eid Celebration this one time in 2009, I stayed for a week at my friend's village to join the celebration. It was fun. I had even worn the traditional Malay costume for men and was given a name Arief by my friend's family during my brief stay. I was deeply moved.

And the following year, I stayed again for a week during the Eid Celebration.

The fact of the matter is, the more efforts I had taken and will continue to take in understanding Islam, the more it make sense that the religion loves peace. But have my faith in Christianity wavered? No. In fact, it has strengthened but at the same time, I also have deeper understanding towards Islam.

How they pray

What are the terms they commonly used, one of them is Insha'Allah

And I even participated with the fasting month as well.

Without proper understanding of something, we would never be able to comprehend completely what we are facing and what we are facing at the moment - on the basis of Islamophobia - is not threat. They are not the enemies. They are friends. They are our brothers and sisters. They protected me when I am weak and I'm not writing this because I fear for my safety if I say otherwise, but I have complete faith in our bond, in our friendship with one another and thus why, I have no reason to feel threatened.

And in return, I am also teaching them what is Christianity and what I believe in. If you must know, Islam and Christian have different views towards Christ, but does that mean it would become a barrier for me to befriend them? A barrier for me to call them my brothers? my sisters?

No.

It should become valued. It makes it much more interesting because of the differences. Recently, I have also organized a Christmas dinner at home and interestingly enough, I was the only Christian at home while the rest were Muslims. But did that make it less fun? On the contrary, it was really fun!

I even gave them presents!

myself and my housemates

But after I have done all these, have they converted? Have their faith in Islam weakened? No. They have strengthened but in return, they gain more understanding which would make the relationship between us that much more sincere and fun!

Well, I'm ending my letter, hoping that if each everyone of us take the time and a little effort to understand one another, perhaps we can actually see much better progress in this world - Peace and harmony. It doesn't need billions of dollars of budget, it only takes sincerity, time and the willingness to learn.

Miss America 2012

2012-01-15T05:32:00.000-08:00

I have always loved watching Miss-shows, miss World, miss Malaysia, Miss America and every other show that has a Miss in front. Why? Well, for the hot chicks that are contesting of course!

So, recently Miss America competition has just announced their Miss America for 2012 and the winner comes all the way from Wisconsin. She won the pageant at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas.

What's the name of the beautiful who beat her other competitors? It's Laura Kaepperler! Now that's a name we don't hear every day. And she was announced as winner on Saturday night, where she was also asked a question whether beauty queens should declare their politics and she replied,

" Miss America represents everyone, so I think the message to political candidates is that they represent everyone as well. And so in these economic times, we need to be looking forward to what America needs and I think Miss America needs to represent all.

She even impressed the audience with her opera singing skills that night! Talking about a super awesome woman!

Well then, what will Miss America be doing this year? Take a look,

"Kaeppeler wins a $ 50,000 scholarship and gets the title for one year. Her platform during the competition was supporting and mentoring children of incarcerated parents. Kaeppeler was chosen as the winner by a panel of seven judges during a live telecast on ABC. The event was the culmination of a week of preliminary competitions and months of preparations for the titleholders from all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The new Miss America will spend the next year touring the country to speak to different groups and raising money for the Children’s Miracle Network, the Miss America Organization’s official charity."

Source via: SFLuxe

So, you guys think Miss America's winner is all about looks? Check out a little bit about her here.

Laura Kaeppeler was named Miss America 2012 on the night of January 14, 2012. Laura Kaeppeler is a Wisconsin native who attended St. Joseph High School and then graduated in 2010 from Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, with a degree in Music and an emphasis in Vocal Performance. She began working as Director of Music Ministries for Northside Bible Church in Kenosha while teaching music privately, and in June of 2011 she entered and won the Miss Wisconsin pageant. In January 2012 she went to the national pageant in Las Vegas, where she performed an operatic aria to “Il Bacio” as her talent and did the usual wearing of bathing suits and evening gowns. It worked: she was named Miss America 2012. She succeeded Miss America 2011, Teresa Scanlan.

Extra credit:

Laura Kaeppeler has plans to "pursue a master’s degree in Speech and Language Pathology," according to the Miss Wisconsin website. The same site says that Kaeppeler "is a life-long suffering Cubs fan" and is a "coffee junkie" whose favorite movie is White Christmas.

Source via WHO2 Biography

The Miss America Organization touts itself as the world’s largest giver of scholarships to women, with about $ 350,000 to be given this year at the national level. -SFLuxe

Pretty cool huh? Exciting.

News and Images source via:
WHO2 Biography
SFLuxe
Washington Post

Valentine's Day Give-Away competition

2012-01-14T17:07:00.000-08:00

Ahoi there everyone!

Well, February is fast approaching and that also means Valentine's Day is coming! It's that time of the year where you are able to celebrate your love for your loved ones, to your girlfriend - boyfriend - mummy - daddy - children, whoever you think you love!

So, in the spirit of the 14th February, I am organizing a contest for everyone who think they have what it takes to win very special prizes from me! This contest is open to everyone around the world. I don't care who you are, where you are, as long as you are real!

So, what are you waiting for? Check out the prizes that are waiting for you!

First Prize:

huge teddy bear for you worth at least more than $40.00!

I can show you the receipt if you insist that I'm telling you guys the truth.

Image source via Delves Wood Bears

Second Prize:

The Novel "A walk to remember" written by Nicholas Sparks.

This amazingly romantic novel written by Mr. Sparks would definitely

make your valentine's day that much more meaningful!

Image source via blogger Between the Pages

But sadly, there will only be 2 winners that will be selected for this contest. So, do your best and try to strike 'em okay?

Well then, what do we have to do - you ask? Please check out the details below. =)

There are 3 things that you have to do to win this. It's pretty simple and I would not make it difficult for you guys out there.

A. A picture of you and the person you love and share your story about that person.

Sounds straight forward, isn't it? Yeah, you read it right - a picture and a little story to share. Just a picture of you and the person you love, whoever it might be. I would not be judging on your grammar (I'm not a grammar Nazi) but at least, make it understandable for everyone to read!

B. Tell me what you like most about The Red Hawk Blog in less than 25 words.

What I like most about Red Hawk Blog is ....

Now, where do you submit? I want to make it simple and transparent as much as possible! So, just write them down in the comment section below!

Start by, providing me your,

Name:

Email: (so I can contact you!)

Blog address: (if you have...)

Your poem:

Your answer:

What I like most about Red Hawk Blog is ....

C. Follow me on Twitter (click here) and Follow this Blog!

Well, that's it then. Like I said, it's very easy! And remember, write this down - the due date is the 15th February 2012! So make sure you submit before then! Any submission after the date will not be accepted. I'm sorry to end it until after the 14th.

*******************************************************************************

Terms & Conditions:

1. The bear offered as the prize might not be the same as shown in the picture. It will be depending on the availability. Should the teddy bear in question becomes unavailable, I will replace it with another teddy but still, above $40!

2. If a winner is selected from abroad, United States of America per se, please allow for a one month duration for your prize to be shipped. I am opting for the lowest shipping rate, after all. =)

3. My decision is final. I'm sorry I cannot make everyone a winner, but I am after all, working on a personal budget just to make my blogging experience much more fun by enjoying it with you guys!

4. After the 2 winners have been selected and announced, I will have to request for a follow up on details and personal information that are related for the shipping process only. The communication will only be done through email.

5. No google image photo please! It must be yours and original!

6. You must have fun when entering this contest. If you're not, you're not welcome! haha

Okay then, all the best!

RP: Bill Gates Has Given Away $28 Billion Since 2007, Saving 6 Million Lives

2012-01-14T12:33:00.000-08:00

Well, who says Capitalists are evil?And who says the super rich are merely in the game for the money? Some of these super mega rich are donating and contributing their wealth to social cause - in billions $$! There's the saying, the more you give, the more you shall receive. I guess that's the biggest secret to Gates's secret of success. I am very impressed at these hugely successful people and the way they have helped. And even more interesting is the type of causes they are helping out and if you click on the image below, you'll see that these problems are some of the very serious issues that our modern world faces today. I hope more and more rich and mega rich people out there pursuing these types of approach to life, the way that Gates and his wife have been taking for many years. But I also know a lot of rich people in other parts of the world - not least, my own country, Malaysia are doing their parts to help support social causes. +1 for them and may God bless their souls!

Source: frugaldad.com

Image source via Frugal Dad & Business Insider
RP: Repost

Who wants to buy iPad 3? Here's good news!

2012-01-14T06:42:00.000-08:00

Well, well, to all those Apple freaks out there, there's something that should stir your interest now! So, what now from Apple? I don't have to say it out loud anymore, but you guys who are all over about iPad, there's words that it's expected to go on sale this March!

So, what's special about the upcoming iPad then? Based on Bloomberg, it will:

sport a high-definition screen
run a faster processor
work with next-generation wireless networks
will use a quad-core chip which would enable you iPad hardcore users to jump more quickly
between applications! No LAG!

Apple's partner in Asia that manufactures the hugely popular iPad has started ramping up production this month and plan to reach full volumes by February. But apparently, the people who said this doesn't want his name to be announced because the details not supposed to go out on public.

And because more and more companies are producing iPad-like products, Tim Cook hopes the new model iPad to ward off other competitors.

Hmm...this should be interesting. Hopefully with the released of iPad 3, the price for iPad 2 will go down and become cheaper! I have been saving some money to buy the iPad but cannot buy because it's quite expensive.

Anyway, just a quick fact - did you know that Apple has sold more than 40 million iPads, generating at least $25.3 billion in sales for them! Billions! my God!

News source via: Bloomberg

Image source: EnGadget

Cry, Koreans! Cry!

2012-01-13T12:49:00.000-08:00

Red Hawk's Commentary:

A while ago, I wrote about North Korea. The post was regarding the funeral of Kim Jong II and how the North Koreans cried, and I mean seriously crying. It got me thinking, wow, they seriously loved Kim. One who is not living in the country bound to wonder, why? Why - because of so many stories told of how the country is being run and the people are living in poverty, you can't blame me for being a skeptic, can you? And then, I came across another post that covered the story on the funeral and it became much more interesting after that!

The news:

Image source: Huffingtonpost

You'd better watch out, you'd better cry. You'd better pout, I'm telling you why: North Korea's punishing insincere mourners, according to the Daily NK.

An anonymous source tells the Daily NK, a South Korea-based publication in opposition of the North Korean regime, that "authorities are handing down at least six months in a labor-training camp to anybody who didn't participate in the organized gatherings" to mourn the death of Supreme Leader Kim Jong Il, and to those "who did participate but didn't cry and didn't seem genuine."

Newser reports that mourners who came off as insincere have already been sent to join the 200,000 other North Koreans already in labor camps. An Amnesty International report published in May 2011 paints a dark picture of what's in store at those camps -- estimates suggest that 40 percent of inmates die of malnutrition.

The exact number of those to be sent to camps is unclear, reports the Daily Mail, but the paper estimates it could be in the thousands.

Image source: Mirror.co.uk

Continue with the commentary:

Come to think of it, who wouldn't cry and I mean seriously cry if otherwise you would be sent to labor camps as punishment?Now that's taking the drama to a whole different level! Can it be that they were crying not because of Kim Jong but for the sake of their lives? It's not impossible, right?

Let's take a look at the picture above. Who didn't cry sincerely?? Report them!

News Source: via HuffingtonPost

What does it mean to be Christian in today's world?

2012-01-13T10:45:00.000-08:00

Every time I read a page of the bible, memories of guilt and sins come pouring in and effectively making me feel i'm definitely wouldn't make it to heaven. Another way of saying it - and perhaps, my understanding of the religion is somewhat flawed, in addition to my being sinful as it is.

The funny thing is, on Sunday I could be praying for forgiveness and admit that I sinned. But the following Monday and the days that follow until Sunday, I would do again the very thing that I prayed for on Sunday. So, when I'm saying my prayer at night before I'm off to sleep, I could not hide feeling guilty and "dirty". It takes constant reminding of what I promised Him and the prayers that I said the night before that could at least keep me not too far off the "right" path in life.

As my work require me to work with people, communicate and in relationship - professionally and unprofessionally, it does make the whole thing much more difficult and I couldn't keep track the number of times I hated myself for breaking the promises. Filthy hypocrite! Yes, I am.

So, what does it mean to be a Christian today?

When work require us to work with people and the more people we meet, the higher the chances that we might hate somebody, say nasty things and make up story about them, it makes the whole thing much more frustrating, huh? It happened.

And with our lives today are so entwined with money, there are extra challenges we have to cope with. That we have to keep ourselves far away from,

Broken Promises

'Destroying' Competitors

Lies

Revenge

Proud

Gambling

These are the things that are often reminded to us by Him not to pursue but these are the things that I couldn't keep myself away from most of the time. Sometimes, it just felt much easier to take the easy road, keeping in mind, I have tonight and Church on Sunday to repent.

And what do we do when our friends, or members of our family start talking about

being drunk in clubs is the best thing in the world

women's boobs are "delicious!"

I don't deny that I enjoy these type of conversations. Truthfully speaking, I love talking about it.

So, what does it mean to be a Christian today?

The more I look at it, the more hypocrite I sound.

Well, I suppose the best way is to take the hard road of reminding ourselves - myself of my promises and to remain on realistic ground as well. I think of women too much today and about sex too, but to drastically stop myself from thinking about it overnight? I might be able to survive for a week at most, but a month? a year?

And what happens when the people close to us in our lives start doing things we felt not right? There are things that I believe, couldn't be changed too drastically. My life is filled with sins and sinful acts, the poison couldn't be taken away from me so quickly. As with cigarette, the moment you stop by taking the "cold-turkey" method, your body would sort of be in shock and actually, it's quite dangerous in a way.

I guess it's a constant struggle against sins as I live. But then again, everyone has their respective lives to live and different path which they take. So, what about you?

What's your take as being a Christian in the modern world?

or even if you're not of the faith, and of other religion - what's your take?

The US Marines pee on the dead Afghans

2012-01-12T09:31:00.000-08:00

Red Hawk's Commentary:

Well, sadly this doesn't really help to improve America's image abroad. With all the already bad relationships with the Middle east especially among the Muslim communities around the world, this incident would definitely not do any good. If there's one thing I know so well is today, people do seem to have the habit of an eye for an eye. And we wonder why the Palestinians - Israelis conflict never stop to fill our morning newspapers?

The News:

US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta says a video which appears to show US Marines urinating on the corpses of Afghans is "utterly deplorable".

Those who had taken part in the incident would be held accountable "to the fullest extent", he said.

The video, which was posted online, purports to show four US Marines standing over the bodies of several Taliban fighters, at least one of whom is covered in blood.

The origin of the video is not known.

Mr Panetta has ordered the commander of US and Nato forces in Afghanistan, General John Allen, to investigate the incident.

In a statement, Mr Panetta said he had seen the footage.

"I find the behaviour depicted in it utterly deplorable. This conduct is entirely inappropriate for members of the United States military."

The defence secretary's statement is the latest in a round of denunciations since the video emerged.

The Pentagon says it is checking the authenticity of the video, but there is nothing to indicate that the film is not genuine.

Mr Panetta did not dispute the authenticity.

Watch the video here.
Source: via BBC

RP: The gorgeous girlfriend of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich

2012-01-12T08:31:00.000-08:00

Red Hawk's Commentary:

Well, money seem to have it all. The Russian billionaire and also, I'm sure you guys know about it - the Chelsea FC owner has a rich girlfriend. But it's not some old rich women - it's the daughter of a Russian oligarch. In case you guys forgot, oligarch is a form of a government. And what's more - the girlfriend is also an entrepreneur! Wow - now, that's a life normal people cannot imagine. By normal I mean, those who do not have millions or billions written on their bank statement.

The news:

Dasha Zhukova appears to have it all.

The gorgeous girlfriend of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich and the daughter of another prominent Russian oligarch, it would be easy for her sit back and enjoy all the riches life has handed her.

But Zhukova, 30, is not just another extraordinarily rich girl. She's an entrepreneur with an eye for fashion and art.

Her latest project, a fashion rag called Garage, is slated to hit newsstands next month (in time for Fashion Week) and has the art and editorial worlds abuzz.

One of three covers of the inaugural issue features a NSFW photo of a woman's privates tattooed with a Damien Hirst-designed butterfly, and the content is also provocative and strange. Readers of issue #1 will be treated to a veggie-themed fashion spread, for example.

The New York Times explains:

In a newsstand environment dominated by digital perfection, Garage stands out because it looks almost handmade. The type is an amalgam of fonts, set to appear randomly. Some pages are pure mystery, like a spread that shows a dress called “Lettuce by Alexander McQueen.” It appears to be made of romaine, a creation by Ms. Battaglia and the photographer Fulvio Bonavia. Also included is a Prada dress made of citrus and a Moncler coat of anchovies.

Of course, it's not all work and no play for Zhukova. She leads one of the most fabulous lives imaginable.

Source: Via Business Insider
RP: Repost

RP: 23 Successful People Who Wake Up Really Early

2012-01-11T09:40:00.000-08:00

Red Hawk's Commentary:

Now anyone of you wishes to be a CEO of a multinational company? Can I see anyone raising there hands please? For those of you who did raise your hands, well done. You are ambitious indeed! But before that, why don't we take a look at the 23 successful people who wake up really early to start their days.

But is successful a term suitable for these workaholics? It depends on how one defines success, isn't it? However one look at it, every one is different and these corporate figures know what they are pursuing in their lives.

Let's take a look, shall we?

Apple CEO Tim Cook

Note:

Cook is known for getting up and sending out company emails at 4:30 in the morning, according to Gawker's Ryan Tate. By 5 AM he can be found in the gym. And he works late too, priding himself on being the first in the office and the last out.

Avon Products CEO Andrea Jung

Note:

Jung wakes up at 5 in the morning and goes to the gym before getting to her desk at 8, says Forbes.

Disney CEO Robert Iger

Note:

Iger told the New York Times he gets up at "4:30 every morning." He takes the quiet time to do a number of things, claiming to read the papers, exercise, listen to music, look at email and watch TV all at once. Even though it's quiet time, he's "already multitasking."

Former Presidents - George HW Bush & George W. Bush

Note:

The first Bush would get up at 4 a.m., go running, be in the office by 6 a.m. and stay up until 2 a.m. "He was a horror," said a former White House nurse who had to try to keep up with him.

The second Bush kept a similar schedule, going to the office by 6:45 a.m. and often holding meetings at this ripe hour, according to The NYT.

So did W. Bush's cabinet. Colin Powell put in "perfectly appalling" hours, arriving to the office at 6 a.m., and not leaving until after 7 p.m., according to his former students. Condoleeza Rice woke up every day at 4:30 in the morning in order to get to the gym before work.

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz

Note:

Schultz starts his day with a workout, which is usually a bike ride with his wife, but still gets to the office by 6 a.m., according to Portfolio.com.

There must be something about Starbucks that makes people want to do this, as president Michelle Gass wakes up at 4:30 every morning to go running, and has done so for 15 years.

Must be all the coffee.

RP: Repost

Source: via Business Insider

To read more on who are the other 18 successful people, click here!

Rp: Bag-pipes were invented in Persia, not Scotland

2012-01-11T07:44:00.000-08:00

"It was most likely a rather crude instrument comprised of reeds stuck into a goatskin bag. As civilization spread throughout the Middle East and into the Mediterranean lands, the people brought along their music."

RP: Repost
Original Source: BuzzFeed

The Giant among the North Koreans. Beware!

2012-01-11T02:35:00.000-08:00

This one is a little bit outdated. But I was doing some reading when I spotted a post featured in Huffington Post about a giant man in the North Korean army. According to the article, this discovery was contributed by a contributor at Reddit.

Let's take a closer look.

This photo was taken during the Kim Jong II funeral procession and if you look at the picture, that freakishly tall dude is twice the size of his comrades!

And the second awesome thing is how the hell did the Redditor was able to spot him in the picture? Now that deserves some credit, don't you think so guys?

So, for any country who wish to mess with the North Koreans, you can expect a giant who will battle you guys on the battlefield! LOL.

News source: HuffingtonPost

RP: I can afford this phone for sure!

2012-01-10T21:56:00.000-08:00

Specs:

GENERAL	2G Network	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
	3G Network	HSDPA 2100
	Announced	2011, Q2
	Status	Available. Released 2011, July

BODY	Dimensions	111 x 58 x 13.5 mm
	Weight	85 g
		- Touch-sensitive controls

DISPLAY	Type	TFT capacitive touchscreen, 256K colors
	Size	320 x 480 pixels, 3.2 inches (~180 ppi pixel density)
	Multitouch	Yes

SOUND	Alert types	Vibration, Polyphonic(64), MP3 ringtones
	Loudspeaker	Yes
	3.5mm jack	Yes

MEMORY	Card slot	microSD, up to 32GB, buy memory
MEMORY	Internal	160 MB storage, 256 MB RAM

DATA	GPRS	Yes
	EDGE	Yes
	Speed	HSDPA, 7.2 Mbps
	WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, Wi-Fi hotspot
	Bluetooth	Yes, v2.1 with A2DP
	USB	Yes, microUSB v2.0

CAMERA	Primary	5 MP, 2592х1944 pixels, autofocus
	Video	Yes
	Secondary	Yes, VGA

FEATURES	OS	Android OS, v2.2 (Froyo)
	CPU	600 MHz ARM 11
	GPU	Adreno 200
	Sensors	Accelerometer, proximity, compass
	Messaging	SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Email, IM
	Browser	WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML
	Radio	FM radio
	GPS	Yes, with A-GPS support
	Java	Yes, via Java MIDP emulator
	Colors	Cocoa Brown
		- SNS applications - MP3/WAV/AAC player - MP4/H.263 player - Organizer - Image/video editor - Document editor (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF) - Google Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Calendar, Google Talk, Picasa integration - Voice memo - Predictive text input

BATTERY		Standard battery, Li-Ion 1450 mAh
	Stand-by	Up to 168 h
	Talk time	Up to 4 h

RP: Repost
Source: Karthik's

[R-P] How to start your day like a ROCKSTAR

2012-01-10T10:25:00.000-08:00

HOW TO START YOUR DAY LIKE A ROCKSTAR

I believe in beginnings and endings. Of course I believe in the middle bit too, but I believe the way you begin something and the way you end something can say a lot about what you fill the inside with. One day I will talk to you about endings and the middle parts, but today, I am going to talk about beginnings.

I believe the beginning of anything is important. The beginnings always set the tone for what is to follow. I believe in the first day of the new year. I believe in making the first words you speak to a loved one positive. I believe that how you approach an contentious topic with your partner reveals a lot about how you will walk away from it when the argument has simmered. I believe in the first day of school and first dates.

How do you begin your day? Do you stumble out of bed and stumble into your life? Do you wake up and feel the impending sense of whether it’s going to be a “good day” or a “bad day” before your feet have even hit the floor?

How you spend the first half an hour of consciousness after you wake up to your brand new day, really sets the energy for how the rest of your day will flow. Start your day off right.

Whether you are a self proclaimed “morning person” or not, joyful morning routines are as important as a joyful day.

When you wake up, wake up.

1. Don’t rush

Give yourself time to open up. Don’t lose your mornings by rushing through them. Wake up earlier if you have to. Even 15 minutes earlier can make a difference. 30 minutes can make a bigger difference and so on and so forth.

Sometimes it’s nice to wake up before anybody else. It gives you a little pocket of time for yourself. It’s nice to start the day on your own terms.

2. Take the time to do something you enjoy doing in the morning

Just something. For some it may be a morning jog, journaling, your yoga practice, painting, preparing an exquisitely delicious breakfast, reading the paper, doing a crossword puzzle, reading or just taking some extra time to get ready (picking a nice outfit, doing your hair and make up – and “men stuff” for men because I don’t know what ya’ll do).

I personally love my morning coffee time. Ahhh, I love it. Warm coffee on a cool winter morning, and gentle conversation with my roommate. I always resented having to rush my morning coffee time, before I decided to make my morning routine a priority.

Whatever it is for you, do it! It doesn’t have to take long, maybe even just 15-30 minutes, but enjoy the slowness, the gentleness, and the freshness of being completely present.

3. Set an intention for the day

Every day is different, bringing us a wide array of different priorities and focuses. Some days are “work” days but some days are not. Be flexible. We may have to work from Monday to Friday but that does not necessarily mean that the focus of every monday to friday must be a “work” day. We have different kinds of “work” to work on as well.

When you wake up, and go through your morning routine, take the time to set your intention for the day. What kind of day do you want to have today? A fun day? A relaxed day? A productive day? A cleaning day? A loving day? A happy day? A sociable day? A “Me” day?

Today I am going to have FUN.

Today I am going to be super productive.

Today I am going to connect with lots of people.

Today I am going to treat myself and relax completely.

Set your intention.

4. Meditate

Morning meditations is where the party is at. Take a moment (or a few moments) to quiet your mind and meditate. Meditation helps clear your mind and open you up for your day. In the mornings you open you chakras, leaving you spiritually grounded and open to whatever you may face in your day. In the evenings you meditate to cleanse and close your chakras, which prepares you for a restful and healing night sleep.

Simply sit comfortably and beautifully. Close your eyes. Count down from 100 to 0. And then experience the quietness and stillness. I love to do stillness meditations in the morning, because my mind isn’t yet fully awake, and so it becomes easier to dismiss thoughts. Imagine a beautiful white light inside of you, warming you up, and surrounding you, opening and protecting you simultaneously.

Set your intentions during your meditation – that you will have a good day. That today, you are loved. That today, is the beginning of something great.

5. Review your 3 most important tasks of the day

As part of your night-time routine, it’s a good idea to write down your three biggest priorities or “to-do’s” for tomorrow. What are the three most important things that you need to get done tomorrow? Completing this the night before, allows to wake up to your day stress free. You don’t have to wake up feeling unsure of what is in store today, because you will already know. You know what you have to do. It’s all organized and planned already. All you have to do is review it. Look at your list.

You then must try to make it your priority to complete these three tasks as fast as you can. If they can be the first three things you do after you wake up, do it! If not, schedule them – but make sure they are done.

—

I like to keep my morning routines more flexible but productive, because that is the kind of energy I feel during my time in the mornings. My evening routines tend to be more rigorous (but more about that another time!).

Of course there are many other productive and joyful things you can do in the morning, but I didn’t want to go into too much detail, and instead let you create a routine for yourself. Let these 5 points be the backbone to your morning routine. Fill it with something fun, peaceful and productive – but don’t for get the fundamentals.

Remember to start your day consciously. That doesn’t necessarily mean that every day is going to be a great day, but it does mean that you will always put yourself in the best position to make the most out of whatever comes your way.

Have a great day!

[R-P]: Repost

This article was written by Malavika.

Who to vote in the upcoming General Election 2012?

2012-01-09T23:43:00.000-08:00

Different when compared to the United States - the people get to pick their Presidents. Thus why, it is called as the Presidential Election. Whereas in Malaysia, it's known as the General Election, we are choosing which party would be in power and the party members in return would pick the Prime Minister who would lead the government.

Back in 2008, March - the Malaysian opposition led by Anwar Ibrahim gave a real hard slap on the government when they won so many seats that was never witnessed before. For once, the opposition is presenting a credible threat to dethrone them.

The government, led by D.S. Najib Razak has tried very hard to counter the opposition with new projects, improving performance and take the people's voices into consideration much more seriously.

The opposition, on the other hand, has been pictured very badly on mainstream media. They seem to be performing badly and every little mistake that had been committed seemed to be magnified a 100 times over. But it's no surprise - it's not news. There's internet and thank God there's internet we can now gain more insight into what these politicians have been performing.

Roughly, if I were to join forums or read online newspapers, the audiences are pro-opposition, but looking at the non-virtual world, the current government has much of their support coming from rural folks and of course, Sabah and Sarawak.

But judging from the last state election that took place in Sarawak, it was evident once more that the urban folks seemed to incline towards the opposition while in the rural, they stood no chance competing against the state government.

So, the question is, who to vote in the upcoming general election?

The best we could do is to judge and make our decision based on facts, figures and performance.

In the run-in towards the election, I will be presenting what the government has done since 2008 as well as the opposition's achievement. Both sides deserve to be judged fairly.

So, stay tuned for more updates!

Invited to speak in a show with Astro

2012-01-09T22:57:00.000-08:00

So, 2012 started off pretty exciting for me. I received a message from an old friend who share the same passion as me in developing the youth, Michael Teoh.

"Just the perfect timing! I was wondering if i can introduce you to a friend of mine in Astro.

Astro is launching a new programme called Vantage Point in which they are going to tour each state in Malaysia to interview 3 youths, just regular youths like you all with no political aspirations or affiliations, frank comments about the country.

With your permission, they have asked me to propose 3 of these youths from each state where you will appear on a half hour talk show commenting about issues dear to your heart and sending a message to government about what they can improve and what they are doing right.

They are looking for some with matured views from Sarawak and of course, i thought of you.

They wanted youths whom are active in social work and have the heart to contribute towards the country or have done so in the past...

Can i propose your name? If so, can i have your latest and most active phone number so that they can contact you? The host - Cynthia Ng will be contacting you personally.

Do let me know!"

Well, not bad. I'm not really a fan of appearing on tv because believe it or not, I'm a shy person.

But this also means I get to share my views on what I feel should be said to the leaders about how the government can better improve things, here and there.

So, I sent out an email to Cynthia, confirming my interest.

And part of her reply was,

Just to give you a brief idea on the show.

It's called Vantage Point PRU, a 30 minute English language programme focusing on election issues from the perspective of young voters.
I will be producing & anchoring the show, alongside my colleague, Nadia Azmi and will feature 2-3 guests aged 33 and below.
Below are some of the issues that we will be discussing:

1. Education (quality of edu, brain drain)

2. Bridging the rural & urban gap
3. Migration of youths to cities
4. Coping with urbanisation & rising cost of living (wages, employment)
5. Better governance & transparency (what kind of government does the younger generation want?)
6. Young voter's ideal political candidates
7. Third force in the political sphere (NGOs, civil movement, old politics Vs new politics)

ouch. those are tough subjects to talk about - especially on the subject of migration of youths to cities.I myself migrated from Sarawak to Kuala Lumpur and to speak on that subject would definitely make me look like a hypocrite.

But no matter, just give it a shot.

More will come! Stay tuned -

[R-P] Arsenal and Manchester United heroes Thierry Henry and Paul Scholes are taking a gamble with their reputations

2012-01-09T22:01:00.000-08:00

Im back!

WHILE the maxim which musicians are contractually obliged to live by is the Bob Dylan-endorsed don’t look back, the one footballers are meant to have sworn to obey is don’t go back.

But footballers, like musicians, are emotive beings and are often easily drawn to places where they once could rely on adoration.

It’s a human response to want to go back, to want to return to when everything came easier and the limbs were younger. Both Thierry Henry and Paul Scholes are the latest to follow their hearts rather than listen to the nagging fears in their heads. Physically, they don’t claim to be anything other than diminished forces but then class, as Henry proved last night within ten minutes of opening his second chapter at Arsenal, is permanent. Neither clearly believe that they are in danger of wrecking their legacies – and Henry, whose remarkable winner against Leeds United was his 227th goal for the club, could well be right.

one more time.one last time

It’s a dilemma many face. Football loves a returning-hero story and the fans relish the idea – until it goes wrong. The game is littered with those who succumbed to the lure of going home. They are often horrified to discover that while home might not have changed their bodies have. Just ask Motherwell fans who looked on aghast as Brian McClair threatened to demolish his reputation in 13 goal-less games following his return to the club where he started his career. The trouble was he had suddenly turned into a 34 year-old player whose best years were behind him.

Fortunately, second stints are sometimes so underwhelming that few are able to recall them.

Written by Allan

[R-P] : RePost

Have you said I love you today? Then, watch this!

2012-01-09T21:17:00.000-08:00

A day at the Racing track

2012-01-09T10:03:00.000-08:00

Well, I spent a day at the Sepang International Circuit watching a race last weekend.
How was it?
IT WAS FUN!

It was my first experience watching live races, and I must admit, it was really making me excited watching the cars driving so fast it was so loud to hear!

The Malaysian team!

The Ferrari behind me. I love the sound that freakin' car made!

As I had a special pass on, I was allowed to go to the track and see the car up-close! Cool! Seriously cool!

This one looks like a F1 race car. But Ferrari was wayyy in front when the race was on.

The Ferrari won. It was miles away from the other cars. How did the Italian able to invent such cars?

I love this car's design because it's black.

Well, sorry for my unprofessional commentary on the race and sports cars in general. I don't know much about them anyway. I was invited by my friend to attend the race. I had to grab the opportunity to watch the race myself and I'm glad I did. It was worth it!

Picture of the week

2012-01-09T06:13:00.000-08:00

A Malaysian court acquitted opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim of sodomy charges Monday, a surprise ruling that could accelerate the political comeback of one of Asia’s most celebrated reformers ahead of an expected election this year.

“Justice has been done. I am vindicated,” Anwar told thousands of supporters outside Kuala Lumpur’s High Court at the end of the two-year trial that captivated the Muslim-majority nation since a former aide made the accusations in 2008. Some shouted “God is Great” and “reformasi” (reform).

Quote & Image source: news.nationalpost.com

[R-P] Won $128.8 Million Mega Millions! Jammy Bastard!

2012-01-09T06:11:00.000-08:00

Just the other day, I posted about I don't have luck with lotteries. And here we go again, another jammy bastard. What the - ?

Firstly, they won they checked the ticket on Christmas Day. What a freakin' cool Christmas present!

Secondly, it's worth 128.8 million! Mother of God!

Thirdly, they are giving some to charity. God bless them.

Fourthly, the owner of the Wesley's Restaurant must be furious he didn't buy the ticket! LOL

Anyway, this is an R-P post. This is something worth sharing.

An impulse buy turned into a big winner for a Pennsylvania couple on Christmas Eve. While getting beer on Christmas Eve at Wesley’s in Elkton, a Pennsylvania man bought 2 Powerball tickets since the drawing was that night. On Christmas Day he checked the tickets to find he was a winner – of $128.8-million – the second highest jackpot prize won in Maryland. The largest prize was a $183-million Mega Millions prize in 2003. The Pennsylvania couple, who want to remain anonymous, had the only winning ticket on Christmas Eve, but haven’t yet decided if they’ll take the annuity or the cash option. Wesley’s Restaurant will receive $25,000 commission for selling the winning ticket.

________________________________________________

(Baltimore) – An excited Pennsylvania couple arrived at Lottery Headquarters today, accompanied by legal counsel, to claim their $128.8 million Powerball prize. The elated twosome, who chose to remain anonymous, had the only winning ticket for the Christmas Eve drawing. The couple’s Quick Pick Powerball numbers of 14, 16, 30, 51, 52 and Power Ball 19, matched all five white balls and the red Power Ball to win the second-largest jackpot ever hit in Maryland. A Baltimore County woman holds the record for the largest jackpot prize in the state with a $183 million Mega Millions win in 2003.

The lucky Lottery player walked into Wesley’s, a restaurant in Elkton, on Christmas Eve to purchase a case of beer and on his way out happened to see the Mega Millions and Powerball signs. “The Mega Millions jackpot was larger, but the drawing for Powerball was that evening, so I bought two tickets for that drawing,” said the nervous winner. His spur-of-the-moment purchase made for a-once-in-a-lifetime holiday season.

“I checked my tickets on Christmas day,” said the winner. “When I saw the numbers, I started stomping on the floor and shouted to my wife to come upstairs.” Thinking her husband had dropped something, she quickly ran upstairs to find the Powerball ticket in her husband’s shaking hands. “We were in shock,” she said. “At first, we thought we’d won $20 million. To discover it was over $125 million was unreal.”

The couple has not yet decided whether to take the $128.8 million annuity or the cash option of approximately $81 million. They intend to use some of the prize money to pay off their debts and give to charity. The ticket was purchased at Wesley’s, located at 3700 Telegraph Rd. in Elkton. Wesley’s will receive $25,000 commission for selling the winning ticket.

Maryland joined Powerball two years ago and has produced two jackpot winners. The first Powerball jackpot won in Maryland was for $108.8 million and was claimed by an Abingdon couple in September 2011. There have also been 21 second-tier $200,000 Powerball winners since its arrival to the state. Three of these second-tier wins turned into $1 million prizes as a result of the Power Play option.

Beginning Sunday, January 15, 2012, the multi-state jackpot game will double its starting jackpot from $20 million to $40 million. In addition, the second-tier prize will rise from the current $200,000 to $1 million. If a player adds the Power Play option, the second-tier prize automatically doubles to $2 million. The ticket price also changes, moving from $1 to $2 for a single Powerball ticket. The first Powerball drawing under the new game structure will take place on Wednesday, January 18.
The multi-state Powerball game is played in 44 states and jurisdictions. Powerball drawings can be seen locally on Wednesday and Saturday evenings at 11:22 pm on WBAL-TV, Channel 11. Additionally, results can always be found on mdlottery.com.

Since its inception in 1973, the Maryland Lottery has awarded more than $18.73 billion in prizes to players and $12.2 billion in revenue to the State of Maryland. One of Maryland’s largest revenue sources, the Lottery supports important state programs and services including education, public safety and health, human resources and the environment. For more information, go to mdlottery.com.

This article was written by Mari Lou

[R-P] Repost article. stories worth sharing.

A special video I made for my readers!

2012-01-09T04:58:00.001-08:00

Aha,there will come a time when I couldn't help myself. And this is one of them.Enjoy!

And I tag the video under "hollywood". Enjoy!

[R-P] North Korean Precision Manufacturing Develops Computer Numerical Control (CNC)

2012-01-09T04:48:00.000-08:00

Welcome again to [R-P] section. Take note, R-P stands for RePost. And in the R-P section things that are worth sharing shared. Credit to the original author of the article posted in R-P.

SEOUL, KOREA — In its 2011 New Year editorial, North Korea emphasizes the need to become a powerhouse of science, technology, knowledge, and economy. Kim Jong-eun, the designated successor to Kim Jong-il, is reputed to be a computer expert. It is said that based on CNC (Computer Numerical Control), presented as a great achievement of Kim Jong-eun, North Korea expects great progress in science and globalization.

In general, CNC is one of the most advanced disciplines in contemporary science and technology. CNC in machine tools is often referred to as "the mother of machinery". It is a highly advanced, proprietary technology that only a few countries in the world such as Germany (Siemens) and Japan (Mazak, Fanuc) master. Despite this, the North Korean government openly maintains that "our CNC technology has solidly reached the world’s highest level". Although North Korea tends to hyperbole, it is not an exaggeration given North Korea has launched satellites, indicating North Korean CNC technology is already highly advanced.

1. Status of North Korean Machine Tools

The term, machine tools for CNC, appeared in North Korea for the first time when Kim Jong-il found it on a trip for onsite training on April 29, 1995 and titled it "Ryonha Machinery". Later, "Ryonha Machinery" became a representative term that covers various advanced machine tools manufactured in North Korea. The reports revealing North Korea's current capacity to process machine tools for CNC include "the development of two-four axis standard machine tools for CNC in the 1990s, five-axis center lathe in the 2000s, and high-performance eight-nine axis machine tools for CNC" and "the development of nine-axis turning center lathe as the most advanced machine tool for CNC by Ryonha Machinery", presented by the Korean Central News Agency of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea on September 11, 2010.

This means that North Korea has achieved complete independence in developing eight or nine-axis machine tools as well as five-axis tools that are already universal among advanced countries.

As of yet, no accurate materials on the current status of precision of North Korean machine tools for CNC are available in South Korea. However, an article entitled "CNC technology" on the N. Korean newspaper Tongil Sinbo from January 2010 reports that

While a precision of up to 5nm is required for high-resolution electro-optical cameras used in satellites, given N. Korea's two satellite launches in the 1980s mean its processing capacity for 100nm, North Korean machine tools has reached the world’s best that can compete with Germany and Japan.

This assumption can be confirmed from the fact that the USA selected the factory at Ryonha Machinery as a subject of sanctions. The USA has been aware of the power and level of North Korean technology for CNC for a long time. On October 21, 2005, the country selected the factory (Korea Ryonha Machinery Joint Venture Corporation) as a subject of sanctions so that North Korean machine tools could not be exported overseas and this sanction is still available.

2. The significance of North Korean technology for CNC

As mentioned previously, CNC technology is divided into mechanical processing and automatic control technologies. It is said that currently, North Korea applies CNC technology to machinery factories such as Pyongyang Textile Machine Factory, Guseong Machine Tool Factory, Ganggye Tractor Factory, Yongseong Machine Complex, and Taean Heavy Machine Complex.

Additionally, CNC technology for automatic control has been introduced to sweets and food manufacturing bases such as Pyongyang Goksan Factory and Pyongyang Flour Processing Factory. This has removed manual labor and many companies have realized the potential of CNC processing to increase production. Chollima Steel Complex realized CNC application reaching 10,000 tons in press.

The significance lies in that North Korea has represented CNC technology as a symbol to break free from US economic sanctions, and as a hope for independent rehabilitation. North Korea, the subject of US economic sanctions for several decades, has independently developed the world’s most advanced technology in defiance of such sanctions and is now seeking practical gains to contribute to the improvement of its people by introducing advanced technologies to overall industries. North Korea aims to break away from US economic sanctions and become an economically sound country, as it aims to become a "powerful country" in 2012, at the100th anniversary of Kim Il-sung. The significance of development of CNC technology is that North Korean power production is gradually stabilized.

As for machine tools, the precision level of machines is important but power shall be steadily supplied for precise processing. Documentation released by the Ministry of Unification tell that North Korea has developed ‘about 1,000 small and medium-sized power plants in 1999, 130 in 2000, 80 in 2001, 40 in 2002 and several tens in 2003. The urge to build various small and medium-sized power plants for power supply seems to have contributed to solving the power shortage, leading to stable power supply sustaining the processing of machine tools. (Of course, stable power supply does not mean that the power status has changed to provide power to all areas of its society and economy sufficiently. The fact that North Korea aims to construct a light-water reactor via uranium enrichment technology implies that it has not solved the power problem fundamentally as well as its potential demand.)

The development of CNC technology also provides an aspect of the future society promoted by North Korea. In North Korea, companies try to secure CNC as can be seen from the examples such as CNC application to super-large machine tools at Taean Heavy Machine Complex and CNC application to Vinalon-manufacture processes at 2.8 Vinalon Complex. The ultimate aim is to integrate and automate all manufacturing processes, reduce physical labor, and finally accomplish unmanned manufacturing.

Hence, North Korean technology for CNC has reached the world-class level and is applied to its light industry and agriculture. North Korea says "we will revive our economy neoterically based on the most advanced science and technology rather than patching up insufficiency." How North Korean economy will change via the advanced science and technology and what roles North Korean CNC technology will play in the process deserve our attention.

This article was written by Choi Sung.

Source: www.koreaittimes.com

Do you wanna dance?

2012-01-09T03:50:00.001-08:00

Am I getting old for spending my time listening to this song?I dunno, I just find it very catchy!You guys should try listenin' to it.So - do you wanna dance?Music! Lights! Camera!Dance!

How to make money by blogging?

2012-01-09T03:16:00.000-08:00

I've blogged for almost 7 years, if I were to take into account 2012. Wow, it has been that long,eh?

But during that time, I have not really been doing blogging professionally and instead, merely as a place where I mostly write about - me. Yes, most amateur bloggers start off treating their blogs as somewhat their online diaries - and I was included.

But I've changed it a little bit - producing more matured contents and with variety. But I do enjoy engage my readers on the subject of politics (my favorite), relationship and entertainment.

However, as I blog, I never really made serious money from blogging. I've seen professional bloggers who made quite decent income by blogging, which I must admit, I envy. Why wouldn't I? For doing something they love, they managed to get decent return from doing 'em.

So, I started to find ways to make income as well from blogging - and I'm not expecting much, just enough to support the cost to provide more valuable contents into this site.

There's a really simple way of looking at it you know: if you are doing it professionally and see blogging as more than just a hobby but a professional work, you'll be more serious doing it. So I have started doing just that.

Last december, I made just about $300 from blogging, which was enough for me to plan ahead for the content-planning this year.

Anyway, the money I made last month was mainly from local internet advertiser and also, providing adverts indirectly for other people who used my blog as a platform. And I said, okay. Sounds good enough.

But it's not serious yet. So I had reserve some time everyday to pursue more effective ways to blog professionally while having money streaming into the pocket as well.

And I found this site, which provided me with very good ideas.

Make Money Blogging
Do you want to make money blogging? If you do – you’re not alone. More and more bloggers are finding that blogging is a profitable medium. Whether it be to earn a few extra dollars a week to feed their coffee habit, or making enough money to stop them having to get a part time job to get through college, or whether they’ve got it to a point where they are able to make a full time living from their blogging – there are tens of thousands of bloggers who make money blogging.

I recommend you guys read the site. It's a really good read and worthwhile, so I don't waste to your time and I KNOW your time is precious enough without me wasting it away.

I guess that's the destination, us who think alike, aspire to pursue, eh?

So, good luck and enjoy your blogging experience! :)

Men Vs Women

2012-01-08T12:14:00.000-08:00

Well, it's not actually men versus women. No, it's actually about the differing opinion as to,

most valued attributes men want in
women as their wives

&

most attributes women want in
men as their husbands

Now, as in colleges these days (and I think since the past), women would most probably go for men with cars, good looking and deep wallet - although they (the women) will probably say, no we actually are looking for men who cares about us. Since metrosexual today is a hot trend, it's little wonder the youngs are pursuing people who resemble the hot stars on tv, is it not?

I got an interesting survey I want to share with you guys. Take a look, here.

Wow, that's really interesting isn't it? Female respondents answered listens to what I say as the highest picked.

But then again, at the end of the article, here's interesting (i seem to be using a lot of "interesting" in this post. ) paragraph. Take a look again.

Tanya Jackson, corporate affairs manager at the building society, said: ‘A lot of women used to think they wanted a metrosexual man.

‘But then they realised they were fed up with a man who spent longer in the bathroom than they did.

‘Many women now feel they actually want a hunter-gatherer and they will look after their man in return.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1050094/Men-want-women-traditional--women-HAPPY-housewife.html#ixzz1gv5S4H8A

Well, what do you guys think about that? Is it true?
But if it was me, personally I prefer the stay-at-home wife rather than work. I'm not saying women are not capable of working, but if I have kids at home, it's a very big responsibility at home to raise them while the husband go out looking for the money to pay for everything at the end of the month.

I have always been inclined towards the more traditional side of women.
But of course today, more women are looking out to prove that they too can contribute directly to the economy by working and perform even better than men.

However,

I do not think that there is anything to prove. They always have. Even more so, I believe a woman (in my eyes) is even greater when they can raise children at home to be of good use to the society at the end of the day. Don't you think that's a heavy task as it is?

The ideal couple, that I feel is a great example to learn from, is depicted in the movie, Cinderella Man. If you guys have not watched it, I urge you to! :)

Children are wonderful gifts that should be treated with care, love and a great deal of attention. And it starts at home.

Happy Christmas!

It's either you're in or you're not part of us

2012-01-08T07:30:00.001-08:00

I am currently attending a job training as part of work task to become a Cobol programmer. The training will be 3 months on programming skills as well as to train and teach me how to be accepted among the working world. And then another 5 months will be on-the-job training with a bank. Pretty exciting, huh?

I hope so.

But moving on, during the training, I had taken the time to ponder, what it means to be accepted in the working world - to be a corporate figure? Well, one of the facilitators replied, Nothing is real in this world. Whether you like a person or not whom you are forced to work with, you would just have to hide your dislike towards that someone and pretend all is good. Well, 1st strike. Hypocrisy.

Secondly, there is another trainee in my class - who had just graduated from a varsity in Australia. This dude here, urm...quite eccentric. He was even described as so by the facilitator. And she told this dude here to try as best as he could his eccentricity. The bosses will not like him appearing like that. 2nd strike. Hypocrisy.

Thirdly, you have to blend in to be part of the group - the group is the working people in the corporate world. You have to watch how you talk, what type of clothes you wear to the office, the vocabulary you use in the meeting room, so and so. 3rd strike, Hypocrisy.

I was very active with SIFE when I was studying. And back then, had been exposed to the styles of the corporate world. There seems to be a standard for everything - the way you walk, the way you talk, the way you present, the way you do things, the way you eat, the way you breathe, the things you wear to office - all of these, matters. I understand the need to be presentable, but it does seem to be killing you from the inside-out. I guess, this is what is meant by building you to be professional, from their perspective.

I'm not saying it's a bad thing, but as an individual, I always believe in individualism. You guys should try study the concept of individualism, it is, I believe, the essence of human civilization. To be too egoistic with what one is capable of and possess, my view upon individualism is not that strict that it could hinder my development. There are things I would accept and change for the better, but there are a few areas I would not change for anyone or anything. This is part of being entrepreneurial. If I start doing what everyone sees as norm and acceptable and anything other than that is unacceptable - I could and never will accept.

It's up to you, but as for me, no. I would conquer the world, my way.

The Greatest Team = The Greatest Cheaters

2012-01-08T03:57:00.001-08:00

Well, isn't that interesting to see - the so-called the greatest team in the world, FC Barcelona can also be known as the world's greatest cheaters.There's a joke, you know - about Barcelona.They have plan A & B. Plan A.Pass,pass,pass - and score.Plan B.If Plan A doesn't work, dive or fake injuries. Once opponent loses a player, return to Plan A.pui!Watch this video.

[R-P] Thierry Henry completes Arsenal LOAN deal

2012-01-06T05:35:00.000-08:00

Thierry Henry revealed his joy after completing his return to Arsenal.
The Gunners legend has agreed a two-month loan switch from US side New York Red Bulls.

He said: 'It is unreal to be honest. But when it comes to Arsenal my heart will always do the talking.

'Once I knew the plan behind it I wasOK with it. I am not coming here to be a hero or prove anything. I am just coming here to help. People have to understand that.

'Marouane and Gervinho are going to the Africa Cup of Nations, so I was asked to fill in the gap. It is a loan deal and I’ll be on the bench most of the time. If I can make the bench that is!

'The boss has a team here already who are doing something good. I am just going to be part of the squad.

'I want to send a message to the fansof New York Red Bulls as well. I always said I would not play in Europeagain. But it is hard for me when it comes to Arsenal.

I am not coming here for the whole season, I will be back and I want to win the MLS Cup with the Red Bulls.I hope it is win-win situation where I can help Arsenal and come back fit for the MLS season.'

Boss Arsene Wenger said: 'I am very happy. It was my desire and Thierry’s desire. We will have Thierry for January and in February. Then he will go back to the United States.

'I am sure during these two months hewill be a massive asset to the team in the dressing room and on the pitch. He can be relaxed, not under too much pressure and be a tremendous help to the team.'

The switch was held up over negotiations over his insurance package but it has now been agreed.

The loan deal has been signed until February 16, although Arsenal have the option of a further 10 days.

The deal had to be completed by midday on Friday if they wanted him to be available for the FA Cup third-round clash with Leeds on Monday.
Arsenal host Championship side Leeds at the Emirates and Henry is expected to play a role in the game.
He has a spectacular scoring record of 11 goals in as many games against Leeds.
A picture of Henry in the latest Arsenal shirt was accidently posted on the club's official website last week.
The image at first appeared in a story in which current star striker Robin van Persie heaped praise on the new arrival, before it was replaced by a previously released image of Henry in training.

[R-P]: Repost
Written by Sportsmail Reporter
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2083094/Thierry-Henry-completes-Arsenal-loan-deal.html#ixzz1igWGbCC5

[R-P] Women are a mystery to Stephen Hawking

2012-01-06T03:05:00.000-08:00

Washington: Stephen Hawking, who has decoded some of the most puzzling secrets of the universe, has revealed that for him women are the only enduring mystery of the universe he has found impossible to crack.

This is what the cosmologist said during an interview with New Scientist magazine for his upcoming 70th birthday, when asked what he thinks about the most during the day.

“They are a complete mystery to me,” CBS News quoted him as saying.

As for the world, the 69-year-old has left one mystery to be solved –how he managed to survive so long with such a crippling disease.

The physicist was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease when he was a 21-year-old student at Cambridge University. Most people die within a few years of the diagnosis, called motor neurone disease in the U.K. On Sunday, Hawking will turn 70.

Lou Gehrig's disease, also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, attacks motor neurons, cells that control the muscles. Patients typically suffer muscle weakness and wasting, become paralyzed and have problems talking, swallowing and breathing. Only about 10 percent of patients live longer than a decade.

People who are stricken at a young age, as Hawking was, generally have a better chance of surviving longer. Most people are diagnosed between 50 and 70. Life expectancy generally ranges from two to five years after symptoms like slurred speech, difficulty swallowing and muscle weakness set in.

For some reason, the disease has progressed more slowly in Hawking than in most.

“I don’t know of anyone who’s survived this long,” Ammar Al-Chalabi, director of the Motor Neurone Disease Care and Research Centre at King’s College London, said.

To mark his birthday on Sunday, Cambridge University is holding a public symposium on “The State of the Universe”, featuring talks from 27 leading scientists, including Hawking himself.

[R-P] : Repost

Article Source:

http://zeenews.india.com/news/space/women-are-a-mystery-to-stephen-hawking_750782.html

simply Proton Alza

2012-01-05T14:54:00.000-08:00

Hi guys, well, new year has just passed. How was your celebration? Hope it was a good one.
So, as with all new year celebration, have you all made yourself your own new year resolutions?
Well, if you have, the only thing I have to say is, good luck and Godspeed!

Anyway, one of the thing that I'm planning to treat myself by the first quarter of this year is to get myself a car!

Why?

It's very hard for me to move around.
It helps me to achieve my goal this year (at least I hope so!): get a girl!
Road-trip
When my family comes for a visit to Kuala Lumpur, I can drive them around. =)

Are these reasons strong enough?

Okay, even if those reasons are not strong enough, am still getting a car. So, I've gone through some of the cars in the market at the moment, and one that appeal to me most is:

Perodua Alza!

Here, take a look.

So, what do you guys think? This is a locally-manufactured car and I'm opting for a local car because it's much cheaper than buying imported ones. Of course, I want to go for something like

But at the moment, cars like these are not feasible choices. So, have to knock them off the choice-list.

Anyway, the main question would be: why do I go for MPV's?

Here are the reasons:

It's more spacious, albeit the higher price.
I'm buying it now so that when I get married later (ONLY GOD KNOWS WHEN) I don't have to go to all the hassle of having to buy a bigger car again.
Easy for road-trips!
I'm a sucker for bigger cars. Doesn't have to be fancy, just bigger

Well that's that, by hook or crook, I want Alza by March or April. Can I achieve that? Let's wait and see. =)

we'll see...

Occupy Wall Street 101

2012-01-05T04:28:00.000-08:00

1.If you had been on the internet last year, you would have heard of Occupy Wall Street. But heard of it is not the same as knowing what the hell it is.

Now, let's say you are interested, so the basic question you will be asking is, what is Occupy Wall Street?

2. Put it simply, it's a movement. Now like every movement, the goal is working to make sure their voices are heard about a cause.

3. Just as during the Egyptian revolution that took place last year in Egypt when the people of Egypt ousted President Mubarak from office, it started with a small movement which eventually grew so big, they were victorious in ending Mubarak's presidency by force.

Inspired by the victory of the Egyptians, Occupy Wall Street launched itself by modeled their movement.

The protests are against social and economic inequality, high unemployment, greed, as well as corruption, and the undue influence of corporations—particularly from the financial services sector—on government. The protesters' slogan We are the 99% refers to the growing income and wealth inequality in the U.S. between the wealthiest 1% and the rest of the population.- Wikipedia

The Americans who participated in the movement believe that,

... money has become the driving force behind all policy making. They say that powerful corporate lobbyists are behind a lot of the political gridlock that is keeping Washington lawmakers from making large scale change and they want it stopped. - Glen Craig

4. So, from there, the movement has then,

has spread to over 100 cities in the United States and actions in over 1,500 cities globally. occupywallst.org

In fact, here in my country - Malaysia, a movement inspired by Occupy Wall Street has also began to bloom by calling itself as Occupy Dataran.

The Malaysian Insider reported that Occupy Dataran were an offshoot of Occupy Wall Street. The online news portal also reported that the Malaysian protesters were expressing solidarity with the New York protest movement as part of the 15 October 2011 global protests. - Wikipedia

Although each movement in different country might be different in terms of struggles and causes, but they are essentially inspired by one another to have their voices heard. For example, for Occupy Dataran,

The movement says that it aims to "redefine democratic participation beyond representative democracy, and imagine a new political culture beyond race, ideology and political affiliation".

But A question would hover on your head now, (I assume)

Where are we going with this? If we were to emulate the Egyptians and their results, can it actually be ACHIEVED else where other than Cairo?

I found an answer for that as I go on with my reading.

I think their end game is to try to steer attention to this problem.

- a commentor of freefrombroke.com

While they may be "small" at the moment, but it's not impossible that these type of movements could actually achieve what they set out to achieve - CHANGE.

Well, I suppose that's enough basic explanation I think. Come, scroll below and see a few pictures that might stir your interest a little bit more.

Images source: BuzzFeed

[R-P] Occupy Wall Street's Next Big Move

2012-01-05T03:24:00.000-08:00

After ringing in the New Year with a bang, New York protesters are currently working on plans for Martin Luther King Day, said protester Phil Arnone, who has been with Occupy Wall Street since the early protestors started meeting in July.

"I think next big one is going to be for MLK day," Arnone said in an email.

The group has sought to associate itself with the civil rights movement of the 1960's since its inception, regularly calling for non-violent occupation. In November, a group of two dozen protesters marched from Manhattan to Washington to protest Congress. It was inspired by Martin Luther King's march from Selma, Alabama to Montgomery, Arnone told TheStreet earlier this year.

On Christmas, protesters also celebrated in part, by reading King's speech "Beyond Vietnam." Christmas also marked the 100th day of the protest.

Meanwhile, the park reopened Tuesday after it was closed following the events on New Year's Eve when dozens of protesters stormed Zuccotti Park, attempting to remove the barricades surrounding the park.

[R-P] : Repost

Article was written by Michelle Cerone.

Image source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

[R-P] Nick Cannon suffered “mild kidney failure”

2012-01-04T21:04:00.000-08:00

It’s a sad period for singer Mariah Carey who announced her fans on Twitter that her husband, Nick Cannon suffered a “mild kidney failure” on Wednesday morning. Carey is now at a hospital in Aspen, Colorado doing her best to help Cannon recover.

The Twitter post was accompanied by a photo showing the 41-year-old singer lying at her husband’s side and helping him drink liquids. According to her declarations, the doctors tried to remove her from Cannon’s room, but they did not succeed. The singer is determined to stay by her hubby’s side no matter what.

She wrote on her official website that they are doing their best to remain festive, despite the current situation. She asked her fans to pray for Cannon and keep him in their thoughts because he is going through a very painful and difficult treatment.

She then added that they were forced to remain in Aspen because Cannon’s health condition worsened unexpectedly. Although the singer is in a reputable hospital in Aspen, she still wishes she were in her home town. In the end, she told fans that as long as they are together nothing bad should happen to her or her husband.

Dr. Bryan Becker explained in a People interview what kidney failure means and how it will affect the health of the “America’s Got Talent” host. The doctor told reporters that “mild kidney failure” is medically known as acute kidney injury. The diagnosis is established through a serum creatinine test. If the kidney is sick, the creatinine is elevated, whereas the kidney function decreases.

There are many factors that may lead to a kidney injury. According to Becker, Cannon might have suffered from a specific illness, he might have taken excessive medication like Advil or Motrin or he could have become dehydrated. The recovery period is directly related to the factor that caused the injury. If it’s just dehydration, Cannon will recover very soon, whereas kidney illnesses need time to ameliorate.

Becker ended his interview with good news for Mariah Carey and her fans. Acute kidney injury tends to get better, so there are very few chances for the disease to relapse in the future.

[R-P] : Repost
This article was written by Lucienne Molnar Lucienne Molnar
Image source: www.eonline.com/celebs

EPL Goal of the Season

2012-01-04T20:38:00.001-08:00

Can this be the goal of the season for you?Check this out by Tim Howard, the American goal keeper for EVERTON FC! Beat that, Beckham!

[R-P] : Apple Likely to Ship iPhone 5 in September Quarter

2012-01-04T11:09:00.000-08:00

Apple iPhone 5 rumors have been continuously circulating on the Internet, with the most recent one, fro Barclays Capital, stating the iPhone is Apple's largest and most profitable product line.

The firm still believes Apple Inc. will ship the iPhone 5 in the second half of the calendar 2012, most likely in the September quarter.

"This iPhone 5 should boast a new design, fast 4G LTE capabilities, a faster processor, a larger screen, a better camera, Siri and more features that could even include NFC capabilities. In short, this iPhone cycle should be the big one," said Ben Reitzes, an analyst at Barclays Capital.

Reitzes believes this new product line could drive more excitement around the stock and make his iPhone estimates for the calendar second half of 2012 conservative. Additionally, it is increasingly clear to Reitzes that Apple is popular in China. However, the company only distributes the iPhone with China Unicom and not China Telecom or China Mobile.

Reitzes believes Apple is working to get the iPhone 4S shipping with China Unicom but is also working on getting another carrier's help in the region.
"There are already about 10 million units of iPhone on the China Mobile network, which have been jail broken, and don't work at speeds we are used to in the U.S.," said Reitzes.
He believes China could be a major driver of upside to iPhone estimates in calendar 2012, with his estimate for worldwide unit sales of 135.8 million units still viewed as conservative.

** R-P stands for Re-Post

This article was written by Balasubramanyam Seshan.