The least one could do is request...
Request for it to be removed altogether...
From the support team...
Well, it never crossed my mind either...
So I don't blame anyone, how could I...
Just that, actually, it is as simple as that...
What? ...
Google my full name...
It still appears in the result list...
But much to my relief, the dirty entry is no longer there...
Thanks to Fotopages support...
Thank God!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Reminisce about a Sweet Birthday Treat
Nothing else is more special than this in this month. Great! Awesome! Thanks to all. A happy start to being 30, right?!! This post is a backdated one, hence the title :)
Ice cream cake bought by Jijah
Farrah & I & Lond
Ice cream cake bought by Jijah
Farrah & I & Lond
Birthday treat dari Trex, yeke Trex? Thank you very much :)) And congratulation for the award.. award apa ye, hehehe :P
And banyak lagi gambar surprise masa kat office... kat office la tapi gambar gambarnya. Malu ;)) ihik hik
Oh ye.. dan pada hari ini juga, aku dapat anak sedara baru. Anak Abang aku. Anak dia yang nombor empat. Baby girl... comel saaaangat!!! Nurul something, hehehe...
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Is weight discrimination a problem?
These few days, I have been dealing with my inner self. Of course shame and self-loathing are the factors. I got so disturbed I don't want to talk about it, I never wanted to, but it keeps bothering me. Today this newsletter popped up in my mailbox: "Weighing In on 'Fatism' ". I went through the article and read all the comments posted and couldn't help but feel incensedly related to it. Like some of the readers, I too have similar problem. When I was younger and up to 10 years old, I was skinny. Then illness grabbed me by the throat. Medication and that severe illness caused my body not to process carbs and simply store them as fat. Since then I weighed pounds over normal weight and never get back in shape.
See what these readers had to say about it. I copied some from the comments, 'cause I don't want to write it myself. I'd rather let you MY FRIENDS - read what others like me feel. The best is this reader who thinks that others--who have no idea what it's like to be overweight or obese--shouldn't feel as if they have the right to judge anyone for what their weight is. It's easy to point fingers and say degrading things about someone's weight. But it's quite another to befriend that person and try to share with them some real knowledge about how to lose weight. Then and only then, after you've learned about who they are...and have stopped judging them for how they look--should you feel entitled to that low opinion...of someone you now KNOW.
Read on!
April 13, 2008 7:41 PM
Lauren said:
Weight Discrimination is Definitely a Huge Problem in our society. People are Shallow and Cruel, to judge a Human Being by how much they weigh is Ridiculous and should not be allowed to happen. When I was at my heaviest weight of 238 lbs after having a baby people where very cruel to me even going so far as to try to break up my family. Why because they thought they could because they were skinny and I was fat. I also felt invisible no one ever said Hi, Bye, Can I help you, anything, and they rarely made eye contact. I took control of my weight and lost 111 lbs in 10 months, I went from a Size 17 in Womens pants to a Size 7 in Juniors. Guess What those people who were so mean suddenly got nice, and all sorts of people want to talk to me now.
I call SHALLOW there is NO WAY I would ever be friends with anyone who judged or judges a person on how much they weigh. My mom raised me to believe that beauty is skin deep, that saying is the truth. I believe that you can have a weight problem and be Beautiful, I also believe you can be thin and be hideous. In the end we are all exposed for exactly what and who we are. There are bigger people out there in the process of trying to lose weight and better themselves and our society as a majority is going to treat them like they are cows while they are in that process, but the instant that their weight is all gone society as a majority is going to be accepting and try to be friends with these people. WAKE UP people the skinny people they turn into are the same people they were when they were big. I think society needs to Stop judging people on their outward appearances and really try to treat people as human being as we all are.They wouldn't like it if they were on the receiving end and mark my words what goes around comes around.
April 8, 2008 5:57 PM
beth said:
I am one of the "FEW" that actually have reasons for my weight. And yet, regardless of the facts I am told frequently that my problem is eating too much, not exercising, I am attractive and have a great personality, but I am fat. Although there may be a medical reason for the weight, people still do not care. For some reason, society has this feeling of right to tell people that they are fat and that this is the solution. I do not walk around telling skinny people that they are ugly and should eat more or those with large noses to go get a nose job. Why should they feel that their right is to walk around and tell me that their solution would "Fix" me? Just something to think about.
April 8, 2008 10:51 AM
Sarah said:
Society has made it illegal to "discriminate" against people for things which have been points of discrimination for as long as there has been human life. That is just a fact.
Thus, as we are genetically programmed to establish "pecking order" then some criteria for socially-sanctioned discrimination must take the place of the outlawed areas of previous bias against a person. Merely another fact.
The question becomes; Can we overcome our genetic predisposition to "pick-on" another human being for self-serving reasons--ie..to reassure oneself that one is better than another--based on trivialities? When can we learn to judge another based on character, achievements, established positive traits???etc..?????
The scientists and doctors have been telling us for YEARS and YEARS about the damage that stress does to our bodies. Weight gain is one of the very NATURAL responses to being unable to take "flight or fight"--also disapproved of by "society."
Here the upper eschelon of profit-motivated corporations are so entrenched in WORK COMES FIRST that we are regularly cheated out of even ONE week a year for a vacation. We are not working to live--we are living to work--which is INSANE!--so get thee to a nut-ward! for a well-deserved rest.
OR---expect that you too will one day have more girth than you would like to have. Or if you don't then the stress WILL--and I do mean absolutely positively WILL be expressed otherwise--it MUST come out somehow--its up to you.
Nuzai, you being my closest friend, tell them my abstinence practice. I'm scared of food! But not up to that anorexic level, how could I not eat at all? I'm a human being for God's sake. How could a friend say such... oufh! I can't tell who among you are my friend. I don't ask you to love me. I don't even ask you to accept me, to befriend me. I just appreciate that I had known you. Wishing that it was the person I am that made us friends, not how I look.
See what these readers had to say about it. I copied some from the comments, 'cause I don't want to write it myself. I'd rather let you MY FRIENDS - read what others like me feel. The best is this reader who thinks that others--who have no idea what it's like to be overweight or obese--shouldn't feel as if they have the right to judge anyone for what their weight is. It's easy to point fingers and say degrading things about someone's weight. But it's quite another to befriend that person and try to share with them some real knowledge about how to lose weight. Then and only then, after you've learned about who they are...and have stopped judging them for how they look--should you feel entitled to that low opinion...of someone you now KNOW.
Read on!
April 13, 2008 7:41 PM
Lauren said:
Weight Discrimination is Definitely a Huge Problem in our society. People are Shallow and Cruel, to judge a Human Being by how much they weigh is Ridiculous and should not be allowed to happen. When I was at my heaviest weight of 238 lbs after having a baby people where very cruel to me even going so far as to try to break up my family. Why because they thought they could because they were skinny and I was fat. I also felt invisible no one ever said Hi, Bye, Can I help you, anything, and they rarely made eye contact. I took control of my weight and lost 111 lbs in 10 months, I went from a Size 17 in Womens pants to a Size 7 in Juniors. Guess What those people who were so mean suddenly got nice, and all sorts of people want to talk to me now.
I call SHALLOW there is NO WAY I would ever be friends with anyone who judged or judges a person on how much they weigh. My mom raised me to believe that beauty is skin deep, that saying is the truth. I believe that you can have a weight problem and be Beautiful, I also believe you can be thin and be hideous. In the end we are all exposed for exactly what and who we are. There are bigger people out there in the process of trying to lose weight and better themselves and our society as a majority is going to treat them like they are cows while they are in that process, but the instant that their weight is all gone society as a majority is going to be accepting and try to be friends with these people. WAKE UP people the skinny people they turn into are the same people they were when they were big. I think society needs to Stop judging people on their outward appearances and really try to treat people as human being as we all are.They wouldn't like it if they were on the receiving end and mark my words what goes around comes around.
April 8, 2008 5:57 PM
beth said:
I am one of the "FEW" that actually have reasons for my weight. And yet, regardless of the facts I am told frequently that my problem is eating too much, not exercising, I am attractive and have a great personality, but I am fat. Although there may be a medical reason for the weight, people still do not care. For some reason, society has this feeling of right to tell people that they are fat and that this is the solution. I do not walk around telling skinny people that they are ugly and should eat more or those with large noses to go get a nose job. Why should they feel that their right is to walk around and tell me that their solution would "Fix" me? Just something to think about.
April 8, 2008 10:51 AM
Sarah said:
Society has made it illegal to "discriminate" against people for things which have been points of discrimination for as long as there has been human life. That is just a fact.
Thus, as we are genetically programmed to establish "pecking order" then some criteria for socially-sanctioned discrimination must take the place of the outlawed areas of previous bias against a person. Merely another fact.
The question becomes; Can we overcome our genetic predisposition to "pick-on" another human being for self-serving reasons--ie..to reassure oneself that one is better than another--based on trivialities? When can we learn to judge another based on character, achievements, established positive traits???etc..?????
The scientists and doctors have been telling us for YEARS and YEARS about the damage that stress does to our bodies. Weight gain is one of the very NATURAL responses to being unable to take "flight or fight"--also disapproved of by "society."
Here the upper eschelon of profit-motivated corporations are so entrenched in WORK COMES FIRST that we are regularly cheated out of even ONE week a year for a vacation. We are not working to live--we are living to work--which is INSANE!--so get thee to a nut-ward! for a well-deserved rest.
OR---expect that you too will one day have more girth than you would like to have. Or if you don't then the stress WILL--and I do mean absolutely positively WILL be expressed otherwise--it MUST come out somehow--its up to you.
Nuzai, you being my closest friend, tell them my abstinence practice. I'm scared of food! But not up to that anorexic level, how could I not eat at all? I'm a human being for God's sake. How could a friend say such... oufh! I can't tell who among you are my friend. I don't ask you to love me. I don't even ask you to accept me, to befriend me. I just appreciate that I had known you. Wishing that it was the person I am that made us friends, not how I look.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
I'd go anywhere for you
Anywhere you asked me to
I'd do anything for you
Anything you want me to
uhuhuhuhu rinduuu...
ni baru dua minggu kamu takde,
lagi seminggu kursus, jauhnya wei, johor sana
camane sok kalo kamu dah kawen Jah?
eee, kalau dia tau ni malu! syyh, jgn cakap kat dia
ala, dulu masa aku gi UK, aku sendiri tak tau
dah balik sini, masa gi konvo dia, baru tau
masa tu dia kenalkan aku kat kengkawan dia
pastu sorang kawan dia kata "oh inilah kakak awk yg gi UK tu,
dua minggu jijah bengkak bengkak mata lepas akak pegi..."
abih aku sok...
Anywhere you asked me to
I'd do anything for you
Anything you want me to
uhuhuhuhu rinduuu...
ni baru dua minggu kamu takde,
lagi seminggu kursus, jauhnya wei, johor sana
camane sok kalo kamu dah kawen Jah?
eee, kalau dia tau ni malu! syyh, jgn cakap kat dia
ala, dulu masa aku gi UK, aku sendiri tak tau
dah balik sini, masa gi konvo dia, baru tau
masa tu dia kenalkan aku kat kengkawan dia
pastu sorang kawan dia kata "oh inilah kakak awk yg gi UK tu,
dua minggu jijah bengkak bengkak mata lepas akak pegi..."
abih aku sok...
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Photography isn't easy...
Nak ambik gambar kucing ni bukannya senang beb. Dah la aku tak reti ngan setting kamera ni. Kucing ni pulak malas nak posing. Aku tunggu je bila dia nak ada mood. Asyik jilat kuku je. Dia buat dek je kat aku. Aku baru beli 5in1 disc reflector kat ebay. Oooh! Dah kembali addicted mengebid. Perasan tak sunlight kat belakang kucing tu? Disc reflector kat depan. Aku guna silver reflector. Tapi matahari pagi tak berapa nak kuat. Nak ambik shot power power tak dapek la. Takat ini je mampu. Kelmarin pergi Genting sekali lagi. Shot shot aku semuanya mengecewakan. Nantilah Nuzai aku upload. Pening semalam tak abis lagi, tengok gambar gambar tu lagi tambah pening. Apasal ek? Aku dah takde mood la, kebelakangan ni semuanya serba tak kena. Masih recovering... Aaaaaa, cannot let go!!
Genting Experience
Continue dengan Genting punya experience. Whoahohoho... horror beb naik skyway tengah tengah malam. Macam dalam seakers lah. Sebelum kita naik kereta kabel tu, hujan lebat, masa tu dalam 10:15pm. Masa kitorang naik, hujan dah berenti. Lima belas minit debor dalam gondola tu. Seram beb! Elok je kitorang step out, tiba tiba it's raining cats and dogs. Sib baik... syukur Alhamdulillah selamat balik kat Hotel Seri Malaysia malam tu. Actuallynya tumpang Jijah punya bilik. Dia ada kursus induksi dua minggu kat situ.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Ponder on death
Narrated Abu Hurairah r.a. : Allah’s Messenger p.b.u.h. said, “None of you should wish for death. If he is a righteous man, perhaps he may add to (his) good works, and if he is a sinner, possibly he may be repentant (in case he is given a longer life).”
(Al-Bukhari)
Already I have had another two protections, life insurance and 36 illnesses, haven't counted in the medical coverage by company yet. Lump them up together now with EPF, a sum of over Three Hundred Thousands Ringgit Malaysia is to be paid unto my said heir after my decease. Oh very unlikely I could own that much wealth even if I work my butt off entire life. It occurred to me that this is the most appropriate time for me to get hit by ...nauzubillahiminzaalik. Not that I wish for that... Astaghfirullah al'azim... no, no. It just made me ponder on death a lot, though this isn't the correct way, you know... we should be well aware and prepared, not imagining things as such! Well, like I said, I can't help it. (Why bother buying insurance if I ain't gonna enjoy it... cause I wouldn't know if I'd just be gone or would suffer permanent disability. Besides, I love the ones I'd leave behind, let them not be burdened by my debts.)
No doubt I still have many purposes to serve. I'm not gonna quit even though I realized I've been fretting over continuing my life (despite having learnt so many lessons... yeah I know). Come on, have I been diagnosed cancer or what!? Well, no right? No iffy... no! Umm, but neither have I been diagnosed cancer free. The potential is there.
In fact every second I sit behind my wheels, cruising on the road, maneuvering through traffic, be it heavy or smooth... hazard may await. I'm scared. Truth be told, I am scared! But as believers, we must remember that the world, life of this, is nothing but play and amusement, a deceiving enjoyment. [Quran V.6:32; 29:64; 47:36; 57:20] Little is the enjoyment of the world than the Hereafter. [9:38; 13:26; 28:60] The righteous person will be glad to meet Him. But I have no good deeds to present. I beg Your Mercy, ya Wasi'ăl-Karŏmi.
God, when You take me, when it's time to return, take me bi husnil khaatimah. Please, please Allah, do not take me bi su'il khaatimah.
You guys, shouldn't we contemplate on death a lot? Let's seek guidance together for I'm not the wise guy to give tazkirah here. Fear our Lord, shiver from it when Quran is recited and be heard, fall prostrate and weep. [39:2; 19:58] But despair not of the Mercy of Allah. [39:23; 12:87] Hasten on to do good deeds. Do not procrastinate. The hour is close.
Guys, forgive me if I have wronged you. And do guide me for I have made so many mistakes in life.
** Warning: Today, technology is helping bring Islam into the homes of millions of people, Muslim and otherwise. There is a blessing in all this of course, but there is a real danger that Muslims will fall under the impression that owning a book or having a database is equivalent to being a scholar of Islam. This is a great fallacy. Therefore, be aware that the technology is merely a tool, and not a substitute for learning, much less scholarship in Islam.
[As stated by University of Southern California
MSA Compendium of Muslim Texts]
Thursday, January 24, 2008
PhD... does it sound fantasy?
With Farrah's consent, I wrote this post to wake myself up, this is for real! Apa keje la Kak Fidah ni pegi publish email Farrah kat sini ek. Ala Farrah, bukan ada orang baca pun blog akak ;)
Akak sangat2 excited dengan Farrahnyer progress. Bestnya! Akak tak tau mana pergi my determination. Tak taulah apa yang hinder me from making it happen. Keje ke? Nak kata ambitious-tak pun, main2 je keje. Responsibility? Hmm, saperlah yang depending no kat aku ni kan, ada tak ada pun seruper je. Don't know what, yang aku tau there is something... takpe, forget it.
Farrah ni expert dalam Remote Sensing (akak silap, ingatkan Geoinformatics, kekeke, lain eh). Dia ni graduate first class masa kat UTM dulu, mana ada orang senang senang leh grad first class kat sana. Memang genius. Seronok akak tau bila awak share share ngan akak. Dulu kata nak apply Minnesota, tapi macam nak ke Texas lak ni eh? Colorado tu sounds good jugak. Nevermind, comes what may, you've got a husband as your best companion. (Takleh la aku nyibuk, hehehe)
Diana, aku tak rasa aku lama kat Toyota, tu pasal la aku tak berani nak commit to any long-term loans ngn company ni. Tu pasal la jugak aku 'password-protect'kan blog ni. Kang boss aku baca, uhuhuhu....
There were times I thought this would not be just a dream... hmm do you sense an Antarctic-sized "but" coming along.
PhD... why does it sound fantasy, 'cause it ain't no easy!
_________________________________________________________________________
From: Farrah Melissa Muharam [mailto:farrahmelissa@gmail.com]
Sent: Mon 1/7/2008 6:43 PM
To: smaas@lbk.usda.ars.gov; Maas, Stephen
Subject: PhD Opportunity - Initial Discussion
Dear Prof. Stephan J. Maas,
First and foremost, I would like to thank you for allocating a few minutes of your time to entertain this email.
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Farrah Melissa and I am a Malaysian citizen. Currently, I am a tutor at the University Putra Malaysia, one of the public universities in my country. I am attached to the Department of Agricultural Technology and a member of the Precision Agriculture research interest group. The reason I write you is to discuss any possibility for me to be attached as a PhD candidate at your institution and to have you as my supervisor for my PhD study. I came to know about you through your extensive publications on Remote Sensing related studies during my research background study.
As for my academic background, I was awarded a BSc. (Remote Sensing) from a local university and an M.Sc. (Remote Sensing) from the University College of London (UCL), United Kingdom in 2005. After graduating from UCL, I exposed myself to the palm oil plantation industry for 2 years, researching on yield monitoring and nutrient assessment using Remote Sensing and GIS technologies before I made the decision to contribute and to expand my skill sets by joining the academic world.
My area of interest is to apply Remote Sensing and GIS for crop monitoring/crop yield mapping/crop yield estimation and crop nutrient assessment/management. I am also interested in implementing Remote Sensing Image Processing for vegetation information extraction. Attached is my resume for your further reference.
It will be my great pleasure if you can consider my application to pursue my PhD project under your reputable supervision and thus allowing me to gain precious experiences while working together with your research team. I hope that we can further discuss this matter.
Your kind attention is highly appreciated. I am looking forward for your respond.
Thank you.
Best Regards,
Farrah Melissa
From: Maas, Stephen
Date: 9 Jan 2008 03:12
Subject: RE: PhD Opportunity - Initial Discussion
To: Farrah Melissa Muharam
Ms. Muharam-
Thank you for inquiring about a PhD program at Texas Tech University. I am very impressed with the information you provided in your resume. Please allow me to review your material over the next few days to assess how well you might fit into the program here, and to determine if funds would be available for an assistantship to support you. When were you thinking about starting a PhD program--in the summer or fall of this year, or the spring of next year?
-Steve Maas
From: Farrah Melissa Muharam
Date: 9 Jan 2008 08:42
Subject: Re: PhD Opportunity - Initial Discussion
To: "Maas, Stephen"
Dear Prof. Maas,
Firstly, I would like to thank you for your reply and concern. It is my pleasure to inform you that I will be awarded a funding assistantship from Malaysian Education Ministry if my application is successful. The assistantship will include tuition fees, personal allowances, equipment allowance and health insurance. Yet, this excludes research activities expenses such as traveling and data collection. I have in mind to start the PhD program within this year, if possible. Again, many thanks for your kind response and I hope to further discuss on this opportunity.
Thank you
Best regards
Farrah Melissa
From: Maas, Stephen
Date: 10 Jan 2008 02:47
Subject: RE: PhD Opportunity - Initial Discussion
To: Farrah Melissa Muharam
Ms. Muharam-
Thanks for your reply. If you have funding through your own assistantship, that would make it easier for you to join my program here at Texas Tech and study whatever topic you were interested in. I am checking with the University administrators regarding how we could handle your situation, particularly with regard to whether you would qualify for "in-state" tuition (which is much less than the tuition normally paid by foreign students). I hope to have this information tomorrow.
If you were to start in the fall of this year, there are also some university fellowships that you can apply for here at Texas Tech that could help pay your costs here.
Can you email to me a copy of your college transcripts showing what courses you took in your undergraduate and Master's programs? This would not have to be an "official" copy from the universities (a scanned photocopy will do). This will help me decide if you might be a good candidate for my program here.
I will contact you again when I've heard from my university administrators.
-S. Maas
_________________________________________________________________________
From: Maas, Stephen
Date: 12 Jan 2008 06:13
Subject: RE: PhD Opportunity - Initial Discussion
To: Farrah Melissa Muharam
Ms. Muharam-
I have found out that, since you would have an assistantship from your Education Ministry, you would qualify for in-state tuition at Texas Tech. In-state tuition is significantly less than out-of-state tuition.
I am curious about how the assistantship from your Education Ministry would be handled. Will they pay you a fixed amount (like a monthly salary), or will they pay you back for expenses (like tuition and insurance) that you incur? As you probably would guess, the cost of living in the United States is rather high. Typically, my Ph.D. students receive around 1500 to 1800 $US per month from the research assistantships that they have from me. This should give you an idea of what it costs to live and go to school here. Here at Texas Tech, we are very concerned that foreign students have sufficient funds to be able to live a reasonable life while they are here in the U.S.
Please remember to get me those copies of your transcripts.
Have a good day!
-S. Maas
From: R. Khosla
Date: 20 Jan 2008 11:00
Subject: Re: Malaysian PhD student
To: Farrah Melissa Muharam
Cc: "Nelson,Carissa"
Dear Farrah Melissa:
Greetings! My apologies for not responding to you sooner. You may have seen my auto-generated email that I am traveling overseas for my sabbatical. I have intermittent and limited email access during my travels.
Thank you for your email and interest in graduate program in Precision Agriculture at Colorado State University (CSU). Congratulations on earning a scholarship from your government for Ph.D. degree program. Indeed, your academic background, preparation and credentials are quite impressive.
CSU has a strong graduate program in the area of your interests, spanning from site-specific nutrient management using a suite of active remote-sensors (hand-held, air-borne, and satellite based) to site-specific precision manure management, weed management, integrated pest and disease management, etc, using a suite of precision technologies. I have several graduate students and one of my recent Ph.D. graduate students did extensive crop monitoring using hand-held active remote sensors and satellite imagery for yield estimation, he recently finished his graduate degree and is now working for Natural Renewable Energy Lab. You may choose to continue his work further if you would like. Alternatively, we tailor make the graduate degree program for each and every graduate student to best meet their need and area of research interest.
I realize you have a scholarship from your government, however, in addition, we may be able to offer you a "recruitment scholarship" based on your credentials. You would be a very competitive for that scholarship as well. When do you plan to start on your Ph.D. graduate program? Have you had a chance to write your TOEFL and GRE exams? Please let me know and we can send you the application material or you can apply online as well.
Thanking you for your interest and looking forward to hearing from you.
SIncerely,
Raj Khosla
--------------
Dr. R. Khosla
Associate Professor, Precision Agriculture
Associate Editor, Soil Science Society of America Journal
Chair, International Precision Agriculture Conference 2008-2010
Department of Soil and Crop Sciences
C13 Plant Sciences Building
Colorado State University
Ft. Collins, CO 80523
Voice: (970) 491-1920
Fax: (970) 491-2758
www.precisionag.colostate.edu
Akak sangat2 excited dengan Farrahnyer progress. Bestnya! Akak tak tau mana pergi my determination. Tak taulah apa yang hinder me from making it happen. Keje ke? Nak kata ambitious-tak pun, main2 je keje. Responsibility? Hmm, saperlah yang depending no kat aku ni kan, ada tak ada pun seruper je. Don't know what, yang aku tau there is something... takpe, forget it.
Farrah ni expert dalam Remote Sensing (akak silap, ingatkan Geoinformatics, kekeke, lain eh). Dia ni graduate first class masa kat UTM dulu, mana ada orang senang senang leh grad first class kat sana. Memang genius. Seronok akak tau bila awak share share ngan akak. Dulu kata nak apply Minnesota, tapi macam nak ke Texas lak ni eh? Colorado tu sounds good jugak. Nevermind, comes what may, you've got a husband as your best companion. (Takleh la aku nyibuk, hehehe)
Diana, aku tak rasa aku lama kat Toyota, tu pasal la aku tak berani nak commit to any long-term loans ngn company ni. Tu pasal la jugak aku 'password-protect'kan blog ni. Kang boss aku baca, uhuhuhu....
There were times I thought this would not be just a dream... hmm do you sense an Antarctic-sized "but" coming along.
PhD... why does it sound fantasy, 'cause it ain't no easy!
_________________________________________________________________________
From: Farrah Melissa Muharam [mailto:farrahmelissa@gmail.com]
Sent: Mon 1/7/2008 6:43 PM
To: smaas@lbk.usda.ars.gov; Maas, Stephen
Subject: PhD Opportunity - Initial Discussion
Dear Prof. Stephan J. Maas,
First and foremost, I would like to thank you for allocating a few minutes of your time to entertain this email.
Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Farrah Melissa and I am a Malaysian citizen. Currently, I am a tutor at the University Putra Malaysia, one of the public universities in my country. I am attached to the Department of Agricultural Technology and a member of the Precision Agriculture research interest group. The reason I write you is to discuss any possibility for me to be attached as a PhD candidate at your institution and to have you as my supervisor for my PhD study. I came to know about you through your extensive publications on Remote Sensing related studies during my research background study.
As for my academic background, I was awarded a BSc. (Remote Sensing) from a local university and an M.Sc. (Remote Sensing) from the University College of London (UCL), United Kingdom in 2005. After graduating from UCL, I exposed myself to the palm oil plantation industry for 2 years, researching on yield monitoring and nutrient assessment using Remote Sensing and GIS technologies before I made the decision to contribute and to expand my skill sets by joining the academic world.
My area of interest is to apply Remote Sensing and GIS for crop monitoring/crop yield mapping/crop yield estimation and crop nutrient assessment/management. I am also interested in implementing Remote Sensing Image Processing for vegetation information extraction. Attached is my resume for your further reference.
It will be my great pleasure if you can consider my application to pursue my PhD project under your reputable supervision and thus allowing me to gain precious experiences while working together with your research team. I hope that we can further discuss this matter.
Your kind attention is highly appreciated. I am looking forward for your respond.
Thank you.
Best Regards,
Farrah Melissa
From: Maas, Stephen
Date: 9 Jan 2008 03:12
Subject: RE: PhD Opportunity - Initial Discussion
To: Farrah Melissa Muharam
Ms. Muharam-
Thank you for inquiring about a PhD program at Texas Tech University. I am very impressed with the information you provided in your resume. Please allow me to review your material over the next few days to assess how well you might fit into the program here, and to determine if funds would be available for an assistantship to support you. When were you thinking about starting a PhD program--in the summer or fall of this year, or the spring of next year?
-Steve Maas
From: Farrah Melissa Muharam
Date: 9 Jan 2008 08:42
Subject: Re: PhD Opportunity - Initial Discussion
To: "Maas, Stephen"
Dear Prof. Maas,
Firstly, I would like to thank you for your reply and concern. It is my pleasure to inform you that I will be awarded a funding assistantship from Malaysian Education Ministry if my application is successful. The assistantship will include tuition fees, personal allowances, equipment allowance and health insurance. Yet, this excludes research activities expenses such as traveling and data collection. I have in mind to start the PhD program within this year, if possible. Again, many thanks for your kind response and I hope to further discuss on this opportunity.
Thank you
Best regards
Farrah Melissa
From: Maas, Stephen
Date: 10 Jan 2008 02:47
Subject: RE: PhD Opportunity - Initial Discussion
To: Farrah Melissa Muharam
Ms. Muharam-
Thanks for your reply. If you have funding through your own assistantship, that would make it easier for you to join my program here at Texas Tech and study whatever topic you were interested in. I am checking with the University administrators regarding how we could handle your situation, particularly with regard to whether you would qualify for "in-state" tuition (which is much less than the tuition normally paid by foreign students). I hope to have this information tomorrow.
If you were to start in the fall of this year, there are also some university fellowships that you can apply for here at Texas Tech that could help pay your costs here.
Can you email to me a copy of your college transcripts showing what courses you took in your undergraduate and Master's programs? This would not have to be an "official" copy from the universities (a scanned photocopy will do). This will help me decide if you might be a good candidate for my program here.
I will contact you again when I've heard from my university administrators.
-S. Maas
_________________________________________________________________________
From: Maas, Stephen
Date: 12 Jan 2008 06:13
Subject: RE: PhD Opportunity - Initial Discussion
To: Farrah Melissa Muharam
Ms. Muharam-
I have found out that, since you would have an assistantship from your Education Ministry, you would qualify for in-state tuition at Texas Tech. In-state tuition is significantly less than out-of-state tuition.
I am curious about how the assistantship from your Education Ministry would be handled. Will they pay you a fixed amount (like a monthly salary), or will they pay you back for expenses (like tuition and insurance) that you incur? As you probably would guess, the cost of living in the United States is rather high. Typically, my Ph.D. students receive around 1500 to 1800 $US per month from the research assistantships that they have from me. This should give you an idea of what it costs to live and go to school here. Here at Texas Tech, we are very concerned that foreign students have sufficient funds to be able to live a reasonable life while they are here in the U.S.
Please remember to get me those copies of your transcripts.
Have a good day!
-S. Maas
From: R. Khosla
Date: 20 Jan 2008 11:00
Subject: Re: Malaysian PhD student
To: Farrah Melissa Muharam
Cc: "Nelson,Carissa"
Dear Farrah Melissa:
Greetings! My apologies for not responding to you sooner. You may have seen my auto-generated email that I am traveling overseas for my sabbatical. I have intermittent and limited email access during my travels.
Thank you for your email and interest in graduate program in Precision Agriculture at Colorado State University (CSU). Congratulations on earning a scholarship from your government for Ph.D. degree program. Indeed, your academic background, preparation and credentials are quite impressive.
CSU has a strong graduate program in the area of your interests, spanning from site-specific nutrient management using a suite of active remote-sensors (hand-held, air-borne, and satellite based) to site-specific precision manure management, weed management, integrated pest and disease management, etc, using a suite of precision technologies. I have several graduate students and one of my recent Ph.D. graduate students did extensive crop monitoring using hand-held active remote sensors and satellite imagery for yield estimation, he recently finished his graduate degree and is now working for Natural Renewable Energy Lab. You may choose to continue his work further if you would like. Alternatively, we tailor make the graduate degree program for each and every graduate student to best meet their need and area of research interest.
I realize you have a scholarship from your government, however, in addition, we may be able to offer you a "recruitment scholarship" based on your credentials. You would be a very competitive for that scholarship as well. When do you plan to start on your Ph.D. graduate program? Have you had a chance to write your TOEFL and GRE exams? Please let me know and we can send you the application material or you can apply online as well.
Thanking you for your interest and looking forward to hearing from you.
SIncerely,
Raj Khosla
--------------
Dr. R. Khosla
Associate Professor, Precision Agriculture
Associate Editor, Soil Science Society of America Journal
Chair, International Precision Agriculture Conference 2008-2010
Department of Soil and Crop Sciences
C13 Plant Sciences Building
Colorado State University
Ft. Collins, CO 80523
Voice: (970) 491-1920
Fax: (970) 491-2758
www.precisionag.colostate.edu
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
The Cracked Pot
From a cousin of mine, who knew what I've been through
When I slipped down a steep incline, nearly lost hold of grounding truth
There he rose steadily out from the murky haze
Pulled me solemnly then told straight to my face
Though not in our favour the circumstances behave
Devotedly in humility must we seek His Grace
Here how the story goes...
When I slipped down a steep incline, nearly lost hold of grounding truth
There he rose steadily out from the murky haze
Pulled me solemnly then told straight to my face
Though not in our favour the circumstances behave
Devotedly in humility must we seek His Grace
Here how the story goes...
An elderly chinese woman had two large pots
each hung on the ends of pole
which she carried across her neck
One of the pots had a crack in it
while the other pot was perfect and always
delivered a full portion of water
At the end of the long walk
from the stream to the house
the cracked pot arrived with only half full
For full two years this went on daily
with the woman bringing home
only one and a half pots of water
Of course the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments
but the poor cracked pot was ashamed
of its own imperfection and miserable
that it could only do half of what it had been made to do
After two years of it perceived to be bitter failure
it spoke to the woman one day by the stream
"I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in
my side causes water to leak out
all the way back to your house"
The old woman smiled
"Did you notice that there are flowers
on your side of the path
but not on the other pot's side?"
"That's because I've always known about your flaw.
So I planted flower seeds on your side of the path,
and every day while we walk back, you water them."
"For two years I have been able to pick these
beautiful flowers to decorate the table.
Without you being just the way you are
there would not be this beauty to grace the house."
Each of us have own unique flaw.
But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make
our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.
You've just got to take each person for what they are
and look the good in them.
* * *
AL-MUDHHEEK / AL-MUBKI
He Who Brings about both Laughter and Tears
"And that it is He Who makes (whom He wills) laugh, and makes (whom He wills) weep. "( An-Najm, 53:43)
Believers know that Allah creates whatever they experience and thus are pleased with Him in all circumstances, no matter how difficult. Knowing that mundane things are transitory, they do not grieve over any loss, for they know that their moral excellence will be fully rewarded in the Hereafter. Moreover, Allah promises believers the best life in this world.
~ HarunYahya.com
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Inartistic touch from the hand of...
My passion for art never fades away though I'm lack of proper lesson. These are some digital reproduction of the illustrations I made a while ago. Two of my most precious drawings had been submitted to Faculty of Built Environment UTM in preparation for admission to the Department of Architecture. Back then, I wasn't given freedom to choose my own path. But I have faith that every creature on earth has provision guaranteed by God.
I ended up being an architect after all—a computer system architect.
I ended up being an architect after all—a computer system architect.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Lepaskan Kembali Aku Ke Laut
"... Tidak jauh rupanya semua tempat dariku. Segala-gala di bawah langit ini ada kaitan sesama sendiri dan semua manusia seperti saudara dan jiran tetangga sahaja. Hairan, kenapa tidak aku sedari tentang dekatnya dunia ini dengan diriku?"
Dari mimpi Leftenan Muda Usmal
... Tidak lama kemudian, Puan MacGillivray, setelah cukup lama bermesra dengan tetamu-tetamu di kumpulannya, meminta diri, dan bergerak pula ke kumpulan suaminya yang ketika itu sedang berbincang darihal bendera baru Persekutuan Tanah Melayu.
"Kenapa diikutinya rupa bendera Amerika Syarikat?" tanya Puan Bourne, "kenapa tidak diikutnya rupa Union Jack?" Tanya balik Jeneral Bourne kepada isterinya "jika diikuti Union Jack, soal pula orang, kenapa diikutinya Union Jack?"
"Negara ini ada kaitannya dengan Britain, tetapi tidak ada sedemikian kaitannya dengan Amerika Syarikat, bukankah bendera Australia dan bendera New Zealand berasaskan Union Jack?"
"Bendera hanya lambang. Mungkin kepada orang-orang di sini rupa bendera baru itu membawa pengertian yang penting kepada mereka. Mungkin semangat kemerdekaan yang ada pada orang-orang Amerika dahulu terdapat pada bendera itu. Lagipun apa sebab nak diikutinya Union Jack, orang-orang Tanah Melayu pada ketika ini sudah hilang cintanya terhadap Britain."
Dari perbualan Pegawai-pegawai British di King's House, 11 Julai 1954
Novel oleh Shaari Isa ini menggambarkan masyarakat Tanah Melayu di sekitar tahun 1954 hingga 1957 iaitu suasana ketika negara hampir mencapai kemerdekaan. Corak kehidupan lima golongan anggota masyarakat waktu itu diceritakan dengan amat teliti. Golongan tersebut adalah pentadbiran British, pejuang kemerdekaan, anggota tentera, rakyat jelata dan pengganas komunis.
Gambaran kehidupan rakyat ketika itu dengan jelas dapat saya rasai apatah lagi latarbelakang cerita adalah sekitar Kampung Bharu, tempat saya membesar dan bersekolah. Padang Kelab Sultan Sulaiman adalah betul betul di hadapan sekolah saya, Sekolah Menengah Puteri Wilayah. Saya mula mengenali novel ini lama dulu, sebaik habis persekolahan, kalaulah saya baca dari awal, tentu saya cemerlang dalam matapelajaran sejarah. Menduduki SPM di KISAS, saya cuma lulus sejarah dengan P7. Sekarang baru ada rasa patriotik.
Sangat digalakkan sebagai bahan bacaan untuk remaja di alam persekolahan.
Kenapa tiba tiba nak tulis pasal novel ni? Sebab masa tengah tengok berita kat RTM1 tadi, ada sedutan drama adaptasi novel ni. Jadi, terus tulis....
Friday, December 28, 2007
First shots
Yang potret tu guna 14-42mm lens, yang kucing kucing tu guna 40-150mm lens.
Lokasi: Pak Li Kopitiam seksyen 7, Helpdesk Room, laman belakang rumah
Subjek: Eila, Dayah, Azah, Aida, Fidah, Helpdesk team, Si Adik & Si Itam Kabam
Lokasi: Pak Li Kopitiam seksyen 7, Helpdesk Room, laman belakang rumah
Subjek: Eila, Dayah, Azah, Aida, Fidah, Helpdesk team, Si Adik & Si Itam Kabam
Sunday, December 23, 2007
OLYMPUS EVOLT E-510 2 LENS KIT
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Angkasawan negara tiba di ISS
Expedition 16 Arrives at International Space Station
"Expedition 16 Commander Peggy Whitson, Flight Engineer Yuri Malenchenko and spaceflight participant Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor have arrived at the International Space Station.
"Expedition 16 Commander Peggy Whitson, Flight Engineer Yuri Malenchenko and spaceflight participant Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor have arrived at the International Space Station.
Their Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft docked to the Earth-facing port of the station's Zarya module at 10:50 a.m. EDT Friday.
The station's new residents and their Malaysian guest launched at 9:22 a.m. EDT Wednesday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Expedition 15 Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Flight Engineers Oleg Kotov and Clay Anderson welcomed the new crew aboard the station when the hatches were opened at 12:22 p.m. Both crews will work together for about nine days before Yurchikhin, Kotov and Shukor depart in their Soyuz TMA-10 spacecraft.
Anderson will remain onboard with Expedition 16 and return to Earth next month aboard Discovery on its STS-120 mission. "
Russian capsule docks with ISS
Oct 13 - A Russian capsule carrying a new crew for the International Space Station docks 357 km above Earth.
Spacefaring Trio Rendezvous With ISS
By Steve Gutterman
AP
10/15/07 8:35 AM PT
Peggy Whitson, Yuri Malenchenko and Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor stepped aboard the international space station Friday. Whitson is scheduled to officially take command of the station later this week, becoming the first female to ever hold the position. The trio arrived at the ISS aboard a Russian craft.
An American astronaut climbed aboard the international space station Friday for a stint as its first female commander after a two-day trip from Earth and a textbook docking.
Peggy Whitson, cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and Malaysian physician Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor scooted through hatches linking the station with the Soyuz TMA-11 craft they rode into orbit from Russia's launch facility in Kazakhstan.
Good Connection
The Soyuz docked on schedule at 10:50 a.m. EDT after catching up with the station and firing thrusters to get into position, said Valery Lyndin, chief spokesperson for Russian Mission Control outside Moscow.
"Everything is great," Malenchenko told Mission Control shortly after the ship locked onto the station about 220 miles over Central Asia. A commentator with the U.S. space agency NASA called the docking "flawless."
Whitson and her crewmates clambered through the hatches about 90 minutes later and joined the station's current crew, cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Oleg Kotov, and astronaut Clayton Anderson. The newcomers traded their bulky gear for more comfortable jumpsuits and spoke to well-wishers at Mission Control via a video link.
"The fun is just about to begin," Yurchikhin said.
Microgravity Experiments
Sheikh Muszaphar, a 35-year-old orthopedic surgeon fulfilling his own dream of space travel and his country's, was already having fun.
"I feel very well," he said in Russian, grinning as his body shifted in the zero gravity. In English, he said, "I'm having a very good time here with my friends from Russia and America -- and my love to all Malaysians out there."
Sheikh Muszapar will perform experiments involving diseases and the effects of microgravity and space radiation on cells and genes. The US$25 million agreement for a Malaysian astronaut to fly to space was negotiated in 2003 along with a $900 million deal for Malaysia to buy 18 Russian fighter jets.
The ninth Muslim in space, he has said his roughly 10-day stay on the station should inspire his homeland and Muslims all over the world.
Crew Changeover
Whitson, a 47-year-old biochemist from Beaconsfield, Iowa, was selected as an astronaut in 1996 and spent six months on the international space station in 2002. She will formally assume command from Yurchikhin on Oct. 19, Lyndin said.
Showing her space legs, she leaned effortlessly on her elbow despite the zero gravity as she and the others accepted congratulations from Russian and American space officials on Earth.
Whitson and Malenchenko will replace Yurchikhin and Kotov, who are slated to return to Earth along with Sheikh Muszaphar on Oct. 21 in a Soyuz capsule.
Malenchenko, 45, traveled to the international space station on the shuttle Atlantis in 2000 and returned for a six-month stint as its commander in 2003. He spent time on Russia's space station, Mir, more than a decade ago.
He and Whitson are to be joined this month by U.S. astronaut Daniel Tani, who is scheduled to arrive on the shuttle Discovery. Tani will replace Anderson, who has been at the station since June.
Football in Space
Anderson, a fan of the University of Nebraska football team, tossed a football in zero gravity as the crew prepared to open the hatches, NASA footage showed.
After Tani's arrival, the station's crew -- known as Expedition 16 -- will prepare for the expansion of the station, which is set to add European and Japanese modules in coming months.
Discovery will bring up a connecting mode called Harmony, and the station's crew will perform space walks to put it in place for a December shuttle docking and the arrival of the European Space Agency module, Columbus, NASA's space operations chief Bill Gerstenmaier told reporters at Mission Control after the docking.
"This is Gerst ... it's great to see you guys in orbit," he told the newly arrived crew. "Have some fun and do a lot of great work."
By Steve Gutterman
AP
10/15/07 8:35 AM PT
Peggy Whitson, Yuri Malenchenko and Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor stepped aboard the international space station Friday. Whitson is scheduled to officially take command of the station later this week, becoming the first female to ever hold the position. The trio arrived at the ISS aboard a Russian craft.
An American astronaut climbed aboard the international space station Friday for a stint as its first female commander after a two-day trip from Earth and a textbook docking.
Peggy Whitson, cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and Malaysian physician Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor scooted through hatches linking the station with the Soyuz TMA-11 craft they rode into orbit from Russia's launch facility in Kazakhstan.
Good Connection
The Soyuz docked on schedule at 10:50 a.m. EDT after catching up with the station and firing thrusters to get into position, said Valery Lyndin, chief spokesperson for Russian Mission Control outside Moscow.
"Everything is great," Malenchenko told Mission Control shortly after the ship locked onto the station about 220 miles over Central Asia. A commentator with the U.S. space agency NASA called the docking "flawless."
Whitson and her crewmates clambered through the hatches about 90 minutes later and joined the station's current crew, cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Oleg Kotov, and astronaut Clayton Anderson. The newcomers traded their bulky gear for more comfortable jumpsuits and spoke to well-wishers at Mission Control via a video link.
"The fun is just about to begin," Yurchikhin said.
Microgravity Experiments
Sheikh Muszaphar, a 35-year-old orthopedic surgeon fulfilling his own dream of space travel and his country's, was already having fun.
"I feel very well," he said in Russian, grinning as his body shifted in the zero gravity. In English, he said, "I'm having a very good time here with my friends from Russia and America -- and my love to all Malaysians out there."
Sheikh Muszapar will perform experiments involving diseases and the effects of microgravity and space radiation on cells and genes. The US$25 million agreement for a Malaysian astronaut to fly to space was negotiated in 2003 along with a $900 million deal for Malaysia to buy 18 Russian fighter jets.
The ninth Muslim in space, he has said his roughly 10-day stay on the station should inspire his homeland and Muslims all over the world.
Crew Changeover
Whitson, a 47-year-old biochemist from Beaconsfield, Iowa, was selected as an astronaut in 1996 and spent six months on the international space station in 2002. She will formally assume command from Yurchikhin on Oct. 19, Lyndin said.
Showing her space legs, she leaned effortlessly on her elbow despite the zero gravity as she and the others accepted congratulations from Russian and American space officials on Earth.
Whitson and Malenchenko will replace Yurchikhin and Kotov, who are slated to return to Earth along with Sheikh Muszaphar on Oct. 21 in a Soyuz capsule.
Malenchenko, 45, traveled to the international space station on the shuttle Atlantis in 2000 and returned for a six-month stint as its commander in 2003. He spent time on Russia's space station, Mir, more than a decade ago.
He and Whitson are to be joined this month by U.S. astronaut Daniel Tani, who is scheduled to arrive on the shuttle Discovery. Tani will replace Anderson, who has been at the station since June.
Football in Space
Anderson, a fan of the University of Nebraska football team, tossed a football in zero gravity as the crew prepared to open the hatches, NASA footage showed.
After Tani's arrival, the station's crew -- known as Expedition 16 -- will prepare for the expansion of the station, which is set to add European and Japanese modules in coming months.
Discovery will bring up a connecting mode called Harmony, and the station's crew will perform space walks to put it in place for a December shuttle docking and the arrival of the European Space Agency module, Columbus, NASA's space operations chief Bill Gerstenmaier told reporters at Mission Control after the docking.
"This is Gerst ... it's great to see you guys in orbit," he told the newly arrived crew. "Have some fun and do a lot of great work."
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Angkasawan negara, semasa pelancaran...
 |  |
Biographies of International Astronauts Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Al Masrie |  |
Soyuz rocket launches crew for ISS
A Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft carrying Malaysia's first astronaut Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor
International coverage
Soyuz rocket lifts off on space station mission
A Russian spacecraft soared from the Kazakh steppe on Wednesday with a crew of three headed for the international space station, including Malaysia's first man in space ...
Doctor To Honor Ramadan Rituals In Space
Malaysian Doctor Who Will Spend Part Of Ramadan In Space Vows To Follow Rituals Of His Faith
Landmark lift-off for space crew
A Russian spacecraft heading to the International Space Station (ISS) has blasted off from Baikonur, Kazakhstan.
Soyuz rocket carries American woman, Malaysian, Russian to space station
A Russian spacecraft soared from the Kazakh steppe toward the international space station Wednesday, carrying a Malaysian, a Russian, and Peggy Whitson...
Russian rocket blasts off to space station
Whitson and Malenchenko are accompanied aboard the Soyuz by Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor , Malaysia's first astronaut.
Astronauts Ponder State of Space Exploration
Fifty years ago today, a small satellite — the world's first built and launched by humans — rocketed into orbit, beaming down a series of beeps that heralded the coming Space Age to anyone listening on Earth
Malaysian Astronaut Set to Go Into Space
A crew that includes Malaysia's first astronaut and an American who will become the first woman to command the international space station prepared Monday for blastoff later this week.
Soyuz TMA-11 launches carrying Expedition 16
NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, Soyuz commander Yuri Malenchenko and Malaysian physician Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor are on their way to the International Space Station (ISS) via their Soyuz TMA-11 launch vehicle Wednesday morning.
Saturday, October 06, 2007
Angkasawan negara, sebelum...
FoxNews.comRepublished. Copied from here.
Malaysian Astronaut, Next ISS Crew Aim for Orbit
WASHINGTON — Malaysia's debut spaceflyer, the first female commander of the International Space Station and a veteran Russian cosmonaut are gearing up for their orbital mission this fall.
WASHINGTON — Malaysia's debut spaceflyer, the first female commander of the International Space Station and a veteran Russian cosmonaut are gearing up for their orbital mission this fall.
Malaysian orthopedic surgeon Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, 34, is training for a planned Oct. 10 launch towards the ISS with veteran NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson and cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko to kick off the 16th expedition to the orbital laboratory. "It's really important to me to spur interest among all the Malaysian people," Shukor told reporters during a Monday press briefing at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. "But my focus has always been on schoolchildren."
Chosen from a competitive field of 11,000, Shukor said he is proud to represent Malaysia in space as its first astronaut, or "angkasawan." Whitson, the space station's first female commander, and Malenchenko are both veteran ISS flyers. Whitson flew in 2002 as an Expedition 5 flight engineer and NASA's first ISS science officer, while Malenchenko commanded Expedition 7 in 2003. "It is going to be a very complicated and aggressive mission," said Whitson, adding that she hopes her role as commander will encourage young women to embrace science and mathematics. "But I think I've got a great team."
Malaysian Astronaut Won't Ignore Faith
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
STAR CITY, Russia — Among the things Malaysia's first astronaut will be worrying about next month: How does an observant Muslim pray toward Mecca while soaring hundreds of miles above the Earth?
Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor will blast off aboard a Russian-built Soyuz space craft en route to the international space station along with Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and U.S. astronaut Peggy Whitson. They blast off from the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Oct. 10. Speaking at a news conference Thursday at Russia's cosmonaut training center in Star City, on Moscow's outskirts, Shukor said during his 10 days in space, he hoped to perform life science and other research, but said he would not ignore the responsibilities of his faith. "I do agree that I am a Muslim, I am Islamic, but my main priority is more of conducting experiments," the 35-year-old astronaut said. "As a Muslim, I do hope to do my responsibilities, I do hope to fast in space." After months of discussion and two international conferences, the Islamic National Fatwa Council came up with guidelines as to how Muslim astronauts should observe daily rituals. The rules were published in 12-page booklet titled "Muslim Obligations in the International Space Station."
Observant Muslims are required to turn toward Mecca located in Saudi Arabia and kneel and pray five times a day. However, with the space station circling the Earth 16 times a day, kneeling in zero gravity to pray or facing toward Mecca for that matter makes fulfilling those religious obligations difficult. Malaysia's National Fatwa Council ruled that Muslim astronauts will not be required to kneel to pray if the absence of gravity makes it too hard. Facing Mecca while praying will be left to the "best abilities" of the astronaut, the council said.
Adding to the difficulties is the fact that the launch coincides with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan when Muslims are expected to fast from dawn until dusk. The fatwa decided the fasting may be postponed until returning to Earth. Other exceptions include allowing simple silent prayer if performing physical rituals is impossible. Shukor will return to Earth Oct. 20 along with two members of the station's current crew cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Oleg Kotov.
Observant Muslims are required to turn toward Mecca located in Saudi Arabia and kneel and pray five times a day. However, with the space station circling the Earth 16 times a day, kneeling in zero gravity to pray or facing toward Mecca for that matter makes fulfilling those religious obligations difficult. Malaysia's National Fatwa Council ruled that Muslim astronauts will not be required to kneel to pray if the absence of gravity makes it too hard. Facing Mecca while praying will be left to the "best abilities" of the astronaut, the council said.
Adding to the difficulties is the fact that the launch coincides with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan when Muslims are expected to fast from dawn until dusk. The fatwa decided the fasting may be postponed until returning to Earth. Other exceptions include allowing simple silent prayer if performing physical rituals is impossible. Shukor will return to Earth Oct. 20 along with two members of the station's current crew cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Oleg Kotov.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Komuniti Muslim di Britain: Islam tetap di hati
Sesuatu yang menarik bila terbaca artikel oleh Jon Snow di TimesOnline "Muslim integration has come to a halt". Snow menjelajah Britain mencari bahan untuk filemnya mengenai kontroversi yang dihadapi Britain hari ini: to what extent do Muslims pose a threat to Britain and its values?
Rupa-rupanya komuniti Muslim di Britain masih kuat berpegang pada ajaran Islam. Kalau biasanya orang ingat, bila dah jadi pendatang di UK, generasi kedua dan seterusnya cenderung untuk jadi sekular, kajian Snow menunjukkan sebaliknya. Generasi Muslim di Britain sekarang lebih kental rasa Islamnya dan makin kurang sikap keterbukaannya terhadap perkara perkara yang menyentuh sensitiviti Islam.
Snow membandingkan kajiannya dengan penyelidikan awal yang dijalankan Profesor Tariq Modood dari University of Bristol sebagai bukti bahawa Muslim di Britain semakin terpisah daripada kelompok bukan Muslim. Bahkan Modood menyangkal bahawa orang yang berpegang teguh pada agama hanya datang daripada kawasan terpencil, kurang pendidikan dan berfikiran sempit. Snow dalam artikel ini menyatakan Modood ada fakta yang menunjukkan pelajar pelajar universiti dan mereka yang berpendidikan tinggi berfikiran sama. Mereka memanfaatkan pendidikan bertaraf dunia dari universiti universiti terkenal Britain dan dalam masa yang sama kekal berpegang pada fahaman Islam.
Sejumlah besar pemuda Muslim di Britain, sambung Snow, tidak menerima kebebasan bersuara yang sampai menghina agama Islam. Mereka memilih hidup berlandaskan undang-undang syariah dan garis panduan yang ditetapkan Al-Quran. Salah seorang Muslim yang ditemui Snow mengatakan demokrasi bukan suatu sistem yang berkesan. Katanya undang-undang ciptaan manusia bukanlah jawapan kepada sistem yang adil.
Snow dalam kesimpulannya tidak melabelkan kelompok Muslim yang ditemuinya sebagai pelampau agama. Dia melihat Muslim di Britain lebih cenderung kepada pengasingan akibat kesan yang menimpa saudara seagama di timur tengah. Melihat pembunuhan kejam ke atas mangsa perang yang menyayat hati, Muslim diseluruh dunia berpendapat kerajaan British bersekongkol menyisih dan memberi layanan buruk kepada umat Islam.
Artikel Snow di atas sangat relevan dengan perasaan saya semasa menulis tentang pengalaman tragedi 7 Julai di London. (Cuba baca keseluruhan artikel beliau). Posting saya yang sebelum ini ialah perasaan seorang awam yang seumur hidupnya tidak pernah terancam. Saya tak sepenuhnya menyalahkan attackers. Macam Snow kata... "In our sample, almost one in four said the July 7 bombings were justified in the light of Britain’s support for the war on terror". Bukan juga saya nak berkongsi dengan musuh Islam remembering something significant to them. Sebenarnya seronok merasa pengalaman macam tu. Berapa ramai yang berpeluang kan?
Ia mengingatkan saya untuk cuba gambarkan perasaan penduduk Iraq dan Palestin yang setiap masa berdepan ancaman bom. Kenapa ujian Allah buat mereka sangat berat. We, who live on the other side of the world or wherever we do are not more deserving than them.
Kalau dapat join MERCY bagus kan. Macam yang saya dengar, classmate form five saya
Dr Munawwar Mohamed Hatta ada joined sometimes back (ye ke? ye kot). Adik saya ada terfikir nak apply. Itu baru betul betul strong. Kena kuat tu nak tinggal kat medan perang.
* * *
Hmmm....
Komuniti muslim di Britain...
boleh dipertimbangkan ni, untuk settle kat sana.
Rupa-rupanya komuniti Muslim di Britain masih kuat berpegang pada ajaran Islam. Kalau biasanya orang ingat, bila dah jadi pendatang di UK, generasi kedua dan seterusnya cenderung untuk jadi sekular, kajian Snow menunjukkan sebaliknya. Generasi Muslim di Britain sekarang lebih kental rasa Islamnya dan makin kurang sikap keterbukaannya terhadap perkara perkara yang menyentuh sensitiviti Islam.
Snow membandingkan kajiannya dengan penyelidikan awal yang dijalankan Profesor Tariq Modood dari University of Bristol sebagai bukti bahawa Muslim di Britain semakin terpisah daripada kelompok bukan Muslim. Bahkan Modood menyangkal bahawa orang yang berpegang teguh pada agama hanya datang daripada kawasan terpencil, kurang pendidikan dan berfikiran sempit. Snow dalam artikel ini menyatakan Modood ada fakta yang menunjukkan pelajar pelajar universiti dan mereka yang berpendidikan tinggi berfikiran sama. Mereka memanfaatkan pendidikan bertaraf dunia dari universiti universiti terkenal Britain dan dalam masa yang sama kekal berpegang pada fahaman Islam.
Sejumlah besar pemuda Muslim di Britain, sambung Snow, tidak menerima kebebasan bersuara yang sampai menghina agama Islam. Mereka memilih hidup berlandaskan undang-undang syariah dan garis panduan yang ditetapkan Al-Quran. Salah seorang Muslim yang ditemui Snow mengatakan demokrasi bukan suatu sistem yang berkesan. Katanya undang-undang ciptaan manusia bukanlah jawapan kepada sistem yang adil.
Snow dalam kesimpulannya tidak melabelkan kelompok Muslim yang ditemuinya sebagai pelampau agama. Dia melihat Muslim di Britain lebih cenderung kepada pengasingan akibat kesan yang menimpa saudara seagama di timur tengah. Melihat pembunuhan kejam ke atas mangsa perang yang menyayat hati, Muslim diseluruh dunia berpendapat kerajaan British bersekongkol menyisih dan memberi layanan buruk kepada umat Islam.
Artikel Snow di atas sangat relevan dengan perasaan saya semasa menulis tentang pengalaman tragedi 7 Julai di London. (Cuba baca keseluruhan artikel beliau). Posting saya yang sebelum ini ialah perasaan seorang awam yang seumur hidupnya tidak pernah terancam. Saya tak sepenuhnya menyalahkan attackers. Macam Snow kata... "In our sample, almost one in four said the July 7 bombings were justified in the light of Britain’s support for the war on terror". Bukan juga saya nak berkongsi dengan musuh Islam remembering something significant to them. Sebenarnya seronok merasa pengalaman macam tu. Berapa ramai yang berpeluang kan?
Ia mengingatkan saya untuk cuba gambarkan perasaan penduduk Iraq dan Palestin yang setiap masa berdepan ancaman bom. Kenapa ujian Allah buat mereka sangat berat. We, who live on the other side of the world or wherever we do are not more deserving than them.
Kalau dapat join MERCY bagus kan. Macam yang saya dengar, classmate form five saya
Dr Munawwar Mohamed Hatta ada joined sometimes back (ye ke? ye kot). Adik saya ada terfikir nak apply. Itu baru betul betul strong. Kena kuat tu nak tinggal kat medan perang.
* * *
Hmmm....
Komuniti muslim di Britain...
boleh dipertimbangkan ni, untuk settle kat sana.
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Remembering London July 7 bombings
On this day, two years ago I was in Paris, happily enjoying my tour without a bit concern as to what was happening in London. Who would have thought there could be such terrible event near you.
I wasn't in London that morning when four suicide bombers attacked three tube trains and a bus. But I was heading back to Guildford around 8:00pm, when I read a notice at the Gare du Nord station in central Paris saying that all London subway systems were shut down due to a serious national security threat. We got stuck at the train station but were able to depart. Still I wasn't aware what was happening at that time.
I had a feeling that people sure put a blame on Muslims. Lucky all the white people in the Eurostar didn't treat us badly though they knew we're Muslims. All I could tell, those people, they took it calmly. We were the ones who freaked out. We speculated among us and we were right, not long after we were in, I got an SMS from Rosediana, that was how I came to know that there were bombings in London. After two and a half hours, the train were approaching Waterloo, it didn't get to enter the central station so easily, we were stuck for quite sometimes.
We did discuss on how to get home safely. Farrah told me to head to Guildford straight, she'd rather I'd be safe than stuck in London. Furthermore, their home was close enough to the event occurred that morning (Edgware Rd). Called up Linda and Trex, they confirmed would be waiting for me at Guildford train station.
I managed to catch a train, that was around 12:30am. My heart beat so fast, I was so scared, I felt like there were bombs all over the train. Why on earth would I want to be here when I was supposed to be sitting in my room at Battersea watching the news... be safe and sound. I couldn't tell more how I felt. I just prayed to God to let me pass that moment.
There was a middle-aged white man in that coach looked like a manager or high exec, he smiled at me. I wore hoodie so I just kept my face down. Reached Guildford half an hour later and first thing I did was called up my mother to tell that I was safe. I knew she couldn't have been more grateful than to hear my voice. I love you mak.
~ whoever did that attacks, whatever reason, they don't have the rights to harm innocent people. Islam does not teach muslims to blow things up. Islam is peace.
Syukur Alhamdulillah, today I'm writing this at home, breathing, alive, with my family around...
I wasn't in London that morning when four suicide bombers attacked three tube trains and a bus. But I was heading back to Guildford around 8:00pm, when I read a notice at the Gare du Nord station in central Paris saying that all London subway systems were shut down due to a serious national security threat. We got stuck at the train station but were able to depart. Still I wasn't aware what was happening at that time.
I had a feeling that people sure put a blame on Muslims. Lucky all the white people in the Eurostar didn't treat us badly though they knew we're Muslims. All I could tell, those people, they took it calmly. We were the ones who freaked out. We speculated among us and we were right, not long after we were in, I got an SMS from Rosediana, that was how I came to know that there were bombings in London. After two and a half hours, the train were approaching Waterloo, it didn't get to enter the central station so easily, we were stuck for quite sometimes.
We did discuss on how to get home safely. Farrah told me to head to Guildford straight, she'd rather I'd be safe than stuck in London. Furthermore, their home was close enough to the event occurred that morning (Edgware Rd). Called up Linda and Trex, they confirmed would be waiting for me at Guildford train station.
I managed to catch a train, that was around 12:30am. My heart beat so fast, I was so scared, I felt like there were bombs all over the train. Why on earth would I want to be here when I was supposed to be sitting in my room at Battersea watching the news... be safe and sound. I couldn't tell more how I felt. I just prayed to God to let me pass that moment.
There was a middle-aged white man in that coach looked like a manager or high exec, he smiled at me. I wore hoodie so I just kept my face down. Reached Guildford half an hour later and first thing I did was called up my mother to tell that I was safe. I knew she couldn't have been more grateful than to hear my voice. I love you mak.
~ whoever did that attacks, whatever reason, they don't have the rights to harm innocent people. Islam does not teach muslims to blow things up. Islam is peace.
Syukur Alhamdulillah, today I'm writing this at home, breathing, alive, with my family around...
Sunday, June 10, 2007
The Amazing Toyota Race
10th June 2007
6:45am
Gathered at HQ Altis Room for briefing from Timeout Solution on the route and strategies on how to win the race. We were then given one day pass ride on RapidKL and LRT.
Each team consisted of four members. My team members were LC, Chong Wei Yap, Ken Yee and me. Altogeher there were 92 teams if I'm not mistaken.
8:00am
Scavenger Hunt
Searched for three natural items that start with U, M and W.
Our answers: U - Uban, M - Mud, W - Water.
For natural items - 2 points, for processed items - 1 point each.
Creative answers [Udang, Upih pinang, Ubi Kentang, Udara, Milk, Minyak, Wood, Wood's peppermint]
Handed the answers to Marshall at Kelana Jaya LRT station. Been given the next challenge sheets.
Given some clues to take two treasures to Marshall at the end point.
Based on clues, we bought Mister Potato and Luxury biscuits. [We thought Lexus and Camry meant for luxury, but ended up wrong, answer was something else].
9:30am
Challenge 1
Named the old models of Toyota Car, then current models of some new Toyota cars.
Solved a puzzle based on the Toyota tagline: Toyota Moving Forward.
Answer: "Meet us at the Menara KL Car Park".
So headed to KL Tower from KJ station, the next stop was Dang Wangi. [Lucky that I used to work there, so shouldn't be lost]. Climbed up, was so exhausting. Some teams were cheating, they took cab to the top there. Cheh :P
10:05am
First Leg
One member was to perform the physical challenge, that was the flying fox ride. Wei Yap performed for us while we named the Spiderman pictures to the series they belong. [Since Toyota is one of the top co that give promotions for Spiderman 3 show]
Next, solved a simple shape puzzle. Very very easy, split second only finished.
Handed the answers to Marshall, proceeded to the first leg of the race.
10:10am
Second Leg
Walk Hunt to golden triangle.
Answered 10 questions based on observations. We missed one answer and the other was slightly not accurate. The first question was "Made is a US answer but Austrian actually" - Amadeus. The second that was inaccurate was "Kuala Lumpur and Nottingham soccer team." - City Forest signposted at Jalan Raja Chulan.
11:00am
Third Leg
Walk Hunt from Monorail station Maharajalela to Masjid Jamek.
Answered separate 3 sets of questions of 5, 3, and 2. Got all correct. Well done!
But God it was tiring. Some more hot giloss, hehe!
12:30pm
End Point
Handed over the answer sheets to Marshall and the two treasures.
Had lunch at Burger King. [Tiba tiba teringat kat UK dulu how much we longed for KFC, setahun tak makan KFC macam hapa je.. kehkeh]
Headed back to Toyota from Masjid Jamek LRT station.
2:00pm
Gathered at HQ
Solat Zohor. Refreshment at HQ Lobby. Couldn't eat lah, rugi! Too full, there were Satay, Nasi Himpit, Roti Jala, Meehoon, Cucur Udang, dessert like cakes and puddings plus fruits :(
Takpelah Burger King tadi sedap aper [very]
Oh ya I won a lucky draw. But only hampers, shall share them with the other members.
2:45pm
Closing ceremony.
Speech by Boss from Japan [Mr T.Hibi] and HR.
Lucky draw again for the rest, none of my friends won the grand prize - Samsung TV 29" Flat Screen.
Solutions presentation by Timeout - that was how we came to know where were we [in winning the race]. We thought we were lucky enough to be top 10. That actually was Wei Yap thought. I think we might be lucky to be top 20. We never thought we were top three. So the MC announced, second place [to bring home cash prize of RM800.00]
Team "Just For Fun" - that's us :D
The Japan boss asked me whether we called Tan Li Li [Head of department] for those answers. Hahaha, yeah we did!!! [Well he's kidding]
Kehkehekeh... hopefully we will be the next star of the month. Hahahhaahahhahah!
5:00pm
Home
safely, soundly... Alhamdulillah
The Cash Prize - given to Ayahanda, Father's Day Apak, love you!
6:45am
Gathered at HQ Altis Room for briefing from Timeout Solution on the route and strategies on how to win the race. We were then given one day pass ride on RapidKL and LRT.
Each team consisted of four members. My team members were LC, Chong Wei Yap, Ken Yee and me. Altogeher there were 92 teams if I'm not mistaken.
8:00am
Scavenger Hunt
Searched for three natural items that start with U, M and W.
Our answers: U - Uban, M - Mud, W - Water.
For natural items - 2 points, for processed items - 1 point each.
Creative answers [Udang, Upih pinang, Ubi Kentang, Udara, Milk, Minyak, Wood, Wood's peppermint]
Handed the answers to Marshall at Kelana Jaya LRT station. Been given the next challenge sheets.
Given some clues to take two treasures to Marshall at the end point.
Based on clues, we bought Mister Potato and Luxury biscuits. [We thought Lexus and Camry meant for luxury, but ended up wrong, answer was something else].
9:30am
Challenge 1
Named the old models of Toyota Car, then current models of some new Toyota cars.
Solved a puzzle based on the Toyota tagline: Toyota Moving Forward.
Answer: "Meet us at the Menara KL Car Park".
So headed to KL Tower from KJ station, the next stop was Dang Wangi. [Lucky that I used to work there, so shouldn't be lost]. Climbed up, was so exhausting. Some teams were cheating, they took cab to the top there. Cheh :P
10:05am
First Leg
One member was to perform the physical challenge, that was the flying fox ride. Wei Yap performed for us while we named the Spiderman pictures to the series they belong. [Since Toyota is one of the top co that give promotions for Spiderman 3 show]
Next, solved a simple shape puzzle. Very very easy, split second only finished.
Handed the answers to Marshall, proceeded to the first leg of the race.
10:10am
Second Leg
Walk Hunt to golden triangle.
Answered 10 questions based on observations. We missed one answer and the other was slightly not accurate. The first question was "Made is a US answer but Austrian actually" - Amadeus. The second that was inaccurate was "Kuala Lumpur and Nottingham soccer team." - City Forest signposted at Jalan Raja Chulan.
11:00am
Third Leg
Walk Hunt from Monorail station Maharajalela to Masjid Jamek.
Answered separate 3 sets of questions of 5, 3, and 2. Got all correct. Well done!
But God it was tiring. Some more hot giloss, hehe!
12:30pm
End Point
Handed over the answer sheets to Marshall and the two treasures.
Had lunch at Burger King. [Tiba tiba teringat kat UK dulu how much we longed for KFC, setahun tak makan KFC macam hapa je.. kehkeh]
Headed back to Toyota from Masjid Jamek LRT station.
2:00pm
Gathered at HQ
Solat Zohor. Refreshment at HQ Lobby. Couldn't eat lah, rugi! Too full, there were Satay, Nasi Himpit, Roti Jala, Meehoon, Cucur Udang, dessert like cakes and puddings plus fruits :(
Takpelah Burger King tadi sedap aper [very]
Oh ya I won a lucky draw. But only hampers, shall share them with the other members.
2:45pm
Closing ceremony.
Speech by Boss from Japan [Mr T.Hibi] and HR.
Lucky draw again for the rest, none of my friends won the grand prize - Samsung TV 29" Flat Screen.
Solutions presentation by Timeout - that was how we came to know where were we [in winning the race]. We thought we were lucky enough to be top 10. That actually was Wei Yap thought. I think we might be lucky to be top 20. We never thought we were top three. So the MC announced, second place [to bring home cash prize of RM800.00]
Team "Just For Fun" - that's us :D
The Japan boss asked me whether we called Tan Li Li [Head of department] for those answers. Hahaha, yeah we did!!! [Well he's kidding]
Kehkehekeh... hopefully we will be the next star of the month. Hahahhaahahhahah!
5:00pm
Home
safely, soundly... Alhamdulillah
The Cash Prize - given to Ayahanda, Father's Day Apak, love you!
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