Tuesday, February 24, 2009

To Ahmad Patria Abdullah

Saudara Ahmad Patria should know how much your writing has affected many of us, your fans. I love your writing, very much! I came across your book in a local bookstore back in 1990, the title Permata Aurorius caught my attention. Read the synopsis and immediately bought it. Since I was a primary student and on monthly allowance, I was only able to buy the second book the following week. Until finally, I managed to collect and own DBP's production of all the 6 books. I am also glad to introduce and share Saga Artakusiad with my friends, some of which are also really hooked on the books as well while some would say that I wasn't making any sense when mentioning the names of the places and characters of the series. I just shrugged it off. They don't know what they are missing.

Later on in my teen years, I couldn't find any of Saga Artakusiad installments anymore. There were no internet at the time and I did not have any source to search for any news on the series. A local science magazine was introduced on the news stands rack, I began to follow your short science fiction stories in it, thus I know you were still around.

Tho' it has been 17 years since I first started on Permata Aurorius, I have re-read all the 6 books many times, anytime I feel like reminiscing the good old days of living in the fantasy world of Aurora, the lands, the people, the tribes, the warriors, the dragons, the wizardry and witchcraft and the love story nonetheless. I was restless, intrigued, on the edge, anxious with the storyline, and the romance is rather sweet, I could hardly put the books down.

After the end of the last book, Pedang Aurora, I was always been left with sadness and frustration. The war descends on the fragile allied troops, trapped within the valleys....but the story stalled at the 6th book.

Nevertheless, I have neither lost my interest nor faith. I hope you will keep the faith with the series as well. Looking forward to the new printing of Book 7 and Book 8 by DBP in May 2009. Until then, time for me to begin rereading the Saga Artakusiad once again.

Saga Artakusiad series :
1. Permata Aurorius
2. Kota Arialun
3. Kembar Artakus
4. Petua Azkram
5. Puteri Alindalia
6. Pedang Aurora
7. Lagenda Numerius
8. Putera Tamarodun


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Website : http://www.artakus.my/

Monday, February 23, 2009

Ponder On - viva la vida

I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sleep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own

I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes
Listen as the crowd would sing
"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"

One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain
Once you go there was never
Never an honest word
And that was when I ruled the world

It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let me in
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People couldn't believe what I'd become

Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Good one - Nizar Memalukan orang Melayu

Nizar memalukan orang Melayu

PENDERHAKAAN Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin merupakan satu lagi episod yang amat memalukan orang Melayu. Pengisytiharan "mohon derhaka" secara terbuka, tidak pernah tercatat dalam sejarah Melayu. Sejak perjanjian antara Sang Sapurba dan Demang Lebar Daun di Bukit Siguntang, tidak pernah orang Melayu memohon untuk derhaka.

Menurut beberapa kitab historiografi Melayu, sepanjang zaman feudal, hanya dua kali orang Melayu derhaka. Itu pun tanpa bongkak membuat pengisytiharan terbuka. Sekali oleh Sang Rajuna Tapa di Singapura dan sekali lagi penderhakaan Hang Jebat di Melaka.

Apa pun sebab yang membawa kepada penderhakaan itu, kesannya membawa kepada keruntuhan empayar Melayu. Tindakan Sang Rajuna bersubahat dengan Majapahit menyebabkan kerajaan Temasik runtuh. Sehingga kini, Singapura terus terlepas ke tangan bukan Melayu. Tindakan Hang Jebat pula membawa kepada perpecahan orang Melayu di Melaka sehingga menyebabkan kerajaan menjadi lemah dan akhirnya dijajah Portugis. Peristiwa itu membuka kepada episod penjajahan Barat. Sehingga kini, Melaka kehilangan sultan.

Kini, wujud satu lagi penderhakaan oleh orang Melayu. Alasannya bukan sahaja sangat memalukan, malahan memperlihatkan kerakusan dan ketamakan serta membuktikan Nizar tidak sedar diri. Beliau lupa parti yang diwakilinya menang jumlah kerusi paling sedikit tetapi beliau melaung-laungkan bahawa dirinya mendapat mandat majoriti rakyat?

Jika tidak kerana ehsan Sultan Azlan Shah serta Undang-undang Tubuh Kerajaan Negeri, Nizar tidak akan merasa menjadi Menteri Besar. Sikap Nizar kononnya Pas mendapat sokongan majoriti sangatlah memalukan. Sultan berkuasa untuk melantik Menteri Besar. Jika kabur bahasa undang-undang sekalipun, daripada segi adab, Nizar memberi gambaran betapa biadapnya orang Melayu terhadap Sultan.

Saya yakin, insiden Nizar menderhaka akan terpahat sebagai sesuatu yang sangat memalukan dalam sejarah orang Melayu. Segala ciri kesantunan, kerendahan hati dan tatasusila Melayu yang menjadi kebanggaan bangsa sudah dipalit arang.

Alasan penderhakaan Sang Rajuna dan Hang Jebat kini telah dirasionalkan oleh orang Melayu. Tetapi penderhakaan Nizar tetap tidak akan diterima oleh orang Melayu sehingga akhir zaman.

Sedarlah Nizar, Allah telah mentakdirkan sedemikian. Apabila Allah menarik balik rezeki itu, anggaplah Dia memberi kesempatan untuk bermuhasabah dan jika perlu, bertaubat. Sepanjang 11 bulan berkuasa, Nizar banyak melukakan hati Sultan dan orang Melayu. Beliau terikut-ikut dengan rentak biadab sahabat-sahabat yang tidak berkenaan dengan perjanjian Bukit Siguntang itu.

PENULIS ialah Pensyarah Kanan Fakulti Bahasa Moden dan Komunikasi, UPM

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

my Sanük


mcm kewl tak? :p
tgk betul2...ada circuit design tu...IC, diode, resistor, transistor sumer ader... hehehe

Becareful what you wish for

Many a time I have always thought of how (super) nice it would be if we have always had a 3-day weekend instead of two. Being a typical human being, nothing is ever enough.

Much ado about the rule of attraction. Your interests will project a wave for the universe to pull the things of your interests towards you.

But I have also thought of how (super) nice it would be to suddenly have a 1mil pound sterling. More than a lifetime to live. I don't understand what those super rich people do with multiple millions or billions of pound sterling.

Anyways, back to the top most point, with regard to the world economic downturn which is seriously affecting the electronic industries in the whole world, the company I'm working in has decided to take some cost savings steps and strategies to survive during this economic crisis. Also, with regard to my wish as stated in the top most statement, yes, I will finally have some 3-day weekends in the months of April, May and June with a compulsory 10-day leave measure from the management (not spoken in a joyous tone).

No companies are exempted from the wave of the economic crisis. Tho seems to be quite a drastic measure to implement an unpaid leave 'scheme', contrary to other companies where retrenchment and pay cut seem to be the popular version, I am blessed with the options within the scheme.

While 2 weeks shutdown is not an option as the costs and effort to bring the fab production back up is costlier than the shutdown itself, we are granted with the option of using our gained annual leave for the quarter of April, May and June. That makes up to, 4days of annual leave and 6days of unpaid leave. And instead of having the unpaid leaves within a month, we are given the option of taking the 10days off at our own schedule within the three months. The management felt that the flexibility given to everyone will be a better option.

To leverage on the impact of unpaid leaves on the pockets of my cargo pants, I have decided to average the 6days within the three months' time. That way, the air won't be so thin to breathe in. This is also when I will finally have a 3-day weekend wish on every weekend, in the month of May.

My experience with Streamyx service...c'nue

This is a follow up update with reference to my previous entry in 2006.

Up until now, Streamyx still successfully SUXX biGG time !!

I am constantly disconnected while browsing. Fkn annoying. As opposed to when I get all pumped and excited whenever I think of Fridae night, I am deeply annoyed and appaled whenever I think of (or someone mentioned of) Streamyx.

Sunday, February 01, 2009

She finally drinks !!

Bubbles buat perangai for two days already..since Saturday. She was reluctant to eat, or drink her fav Fernleaf milk.

All she was ever excited with is going outside, smelling the pavement, the lawn and eats grass. I have known that cats eat grass to throw up the furballs they swallowed. So ya, I can tolerate that.











At 3am every morning or rather..night, she'd be awake and running around the bedroom playing cat and mouse with anything that's lying around. Oh my God. The noise! But I have always comforted myself back to sleep telling that Bewls is one healthy active cat, and that is the best news.


Then 5am, she's hungry. Jumped on the bed, started meowing and biting the toes. Alright, alright...dragged myself off the bed, and walked down the stairs eyes half closed, half opened...together with Bewls.

So i pour half a cup of plain water, heat it for 15secs in the microwave and prepare the milk, pour both warm milk and some 30 pieces of kitty crackers into her separate plastic bowls. Bubbles in the meantime, meowing at my feet.

Her 5am meal is ready and placed in front of her nose. She sniffed both bowls, and walked away. "Whadda??" Then my eyes were really wide.

The situation went on from Saturday morning to Sunday. Not just for breakfast, at any meals. Just for the benefit of the doubt, even a dear friend took the liberty of preparing her meals for a few times, but never helped.

Last night, managed to get her to eat some of the crackers...off my palm. An hour later, my patience was running thin. I mean, really, really thin. She's got to drink after the meal, right. And I served her, warm milk, rejected. Cold Dutch Lady chocolate milk, a few licks and that was it. F&N root beer and sirap ros next, tak pandang langsung. arrghhh!!

What is it that you want, Bubbles???!
What can I do to make you drink??

Meanwhile, I have been surfing the net..

My cat does not want to eat. My cat doesn't want to eat or drink.

The results are crazy. I was worried. Couldn't imagine what had triggered her not to eat or drink. Well, I know that she would eat off my palm for once, but that is just too dependent and too much.

So today, I bought a new type of food. Of a different brand and real fish in it. She just licked off the liquid but not chewing on the fish meats. i'm devastated again. Again, she only ate the crackers off my palm.

After the prayers, i started Googling. My cat won't drink water. How much water is enough for a cat. Clicked on a few pages, but hooked on this page. Many responsed with a lot of different yet interesting advice such as, Pick a handful of nect-scruff and watch how soon it settles back into place. The longer it takes, the more hydrated your kitty is.. and I tried most of them.

Take her to the vet - popular answer no doubt.
Dilute the food, Dilute. Dilute. Dilute! - tried a lil dilution.
Get it to drink from running water. - have not, but comtemplating on to.
My cat flushes the toilet by itself and drinks from the toilet bowl. Uhh, wouldn't want to give Bubbles that idea. It's a restricted place for her. But, Witty I'd say.
Get it to lick and ice cube - yes, tried this, and let it diluted with her fish meats.
My cat drank from a cup, like I do, who knows, he thinks he's human too. I know after sometime, your cat will copycat your behaviour, again, for the benefit of the doubt, i poured her drink into her milk cup, she was curious but still doesn't like it.

Last but not least,
Another suggestion would be to try a glass bowl rather than plastic; it doesn't hold old smells as much. Also, it should be a shallow bowl -- a cat's whiskers are sensitive and they often won't stick their head in a bowl if the whiskers brush the sides.

So, I tried this...prepared a new warm milk, poured into a perfect idea of a glass plate which I got for free from an electrical shop. Served it to her. She walked towards the new serving, just as with the rest, I prayed to God...and tadaaa !!


She finally drinks ! Oh, thank God, how glad I am...that she finally drinks.

Noticed the many types of meals prepared for her. Well, the ice cube had actually melted. Lucky, I got two of the same plates from the shop. The other one would be for her food. Tsk, glass plates? Kitty, kitty, kitty...obi wan has thought you well..