Donation Needed

Pondok Tahfiz Kampung Padang Bongor, Tanah Merah, Kelantan is in need of donation to finish their buildings. Those who would like to know more about the pondok can surf their blog / website or contact these numbers:

019-9244157
013-9714109
019-9634478

e-mails: nasharuddin_alazmi@yahoo.com / adkabe83@yahoo.com


All donations can be deposited in these bank accounts:

03054010020678 (Bank Islam)
553056007684 (Maybank)
171001080811073 (Al-Rajhi Bank)


Remember that the rewards for your donations and charity will not stop even after your death (al-hadith)

SELECTION FOR SMKCE CHESS PLAYERS

This Saturday (30th January 2010) there will be a selection for SMKCE students who want to represent their school in this year's competition. I don't know whether there will be a good turnout, but I will train only those who are willing to sacrifice their time. I am told that last year's representative already finished his study, so I have to find new talents. The format of the selection will be chosen according to the number of students.

Details:

Date: 30th January 2010 (Saturday)
Time: 10.00 a.m.
Venue: To' Beta Hall, SMKCE

Did Micheal Jackson Sing 'Give Thanks to Allah'?

I was fooled all this while. But you will be too when you listen to the song. The voice is so similar that you will not think twice and believe that a certain Micheal Jackson (picture left) sings the song. However, it did perplexed me because the pronunciation of the Arabic words was so perfect along with the correct makhraj that it is nearly impossible that a convert can say it very well.

The real singer is Zain Bhikha (picture right) in an album 'Towards the Light'.

The lyrics:

Give thanks to Allah,
for the moon and the stars
praise Him all day for
what is and what was.
Take hold of your imaan
don't give in to shaitan
oh you who believe please give thanks to Allah.
Allahu Ghafur Allahu Rahim Allahu yuhibu al Mohsinin, huwa Khalikhuna huwa Razikhuna wa hua ala kulli shaiin qadir
Allah is Ghafur Allah is Rahim Allah is the one who loves the Muhsinin,
He is our Creator, He is our Sustainer and He is the one who has power over all.

Give thanks to Allah,
for the moon and the stars
praise Him all day for
what is and what was.
take hold of your imaan
don't give in to shaitan
oh you who believe please give thanks to Allah.
Allahu Ghafur Allahu Rahim Allahu yuhibu al Mohsinin, huwa Khalikhuna huwa Razikhuna wa hua ala kulli shaiin qadir

Allah is Ghafur Allah is Rahim Allah is the one who loves the Muhsinin,
He is our Creator, He is our Sustainer and He is the one who has power over all.

Singer: Zain Bhikha
www.zainbhikha.com

Sadness in My Heart

I am human after all. Tears rolled down my cheeks throughout my driving from my in-laws at Tanah Merah to my house at Kota Bharu. I've never been this sad all my life; I scarcely remember when I last felt this feeling. Listening to his cry when I was about to leave him made me want to burst out crying myself. I will surely miss our day together; playing football, pushing toy cars, and taking him for a drive in my Avanza. It is hard living life like this, but I must accept it for now. Hopefully we will be together in the future, my son, insha Allah.

New Literature Materials

This year, we will have new materials for literature. Form 4 students this year will study 2 poems:

In the Midst of Hardship by Latiff Mohidin
He Had Such Quiet Eyes by Bibsy Soenharjo

They also have to read 2 short stories:

QWERTYUIOP by Vivien Alcock
The Fruitcake Special by Frank Brennan

A drama with the title 'Gulp and Gasp' by John Townsend

A novel 'Catch Us if You Can' is meant for Form 5 students

They also have to study 2 poems:

Nature by H. D. Carberry
Are You Still Playing Your Flute by Zurinah Hassan

SMKCE Song

Indah berseri panorama
Sekolah kebanggaan kita
Berlajar bermain bersama
Sekata mencapai cita

Bersepadu semaikan budaya
Disiplin jati diri
Patuhi para pendidik
Berkat sepanjang masa

Hormatilah ibu bapa
Taat agama setia bangsa
Janji mestilah dikota
Menjadi pelajar terbilang

SMK Chabang Empat
Tonggak kecemerlangan kita
Menuju puncak dunia
Warisi gemilang Negara

Berilmu beramal berjasa
Amalan kita bersama
Pembentuk generasi perkasa
Teguh tekad kita jayakan
Teguh tekad kita jayakan

Song & lyrics: Mohd Azmi b Awang
Music: Khairi Kerbak

New Year, New School, New Resolutions

I will start the year at my new school, SMK Chabang Empat, Tumpat, being an exemplary English teacher for form 4 and 5 students.

I will upgrade my daily usage of English.

I will try to improve my chess knowledge in order to become a better coach.

I will shed some kilos (hopefully 1okgs) by the year end.

More important of all, I will better my devotions to the Almighty.

May Allah grants me the strength, Insha Allah.

An Unbelievable Ending!

Last night I played an incredible ending in a fabulous game of Scrabble with an online opponent, Dina. She was leading me all the way from the start and it became worse when I made 3 tile changes during the course of the game because of ugly tiles on my rack. We finally arrived at this position when I need at least 57 points to overtake her (diagram):


I shuffled my rack and found ENIGMAS, but there was no obvious place to put the bingo away. Coupled with damning computer freezing making it hard to validate words for possible hook, I was only focused on putting something on the Triple Letter square at the bottom right of the board. I tried many other words because ENIGMASER is not a valid word, but nothing was successful. Placing something other than a bingo would hand her the move and possibly the game. Suddenly, after restarting the Firefox thrice, I found a hook at the bottom left of the board, placing A to BUTS with ABUTS being a valid word. I slammed ENIGMAS for 81 points to win the game.



Here is the whole game for your pleasure:

Dina (D) vs Yours Truly (Y)

D: DIVE 16pts
Y: TI, WAIT, ID 16pts

D: AYE, WE 23pts
Y: YE, WEY 22pts

D: YES, QUIDS 33pts
Y: YOK, OYES 26pts

D: DIVER, RUG 14pts
Y: ZING 34pts

D: IF, ZO, ROOF 30pts
Y: exchange 3 tiles

D: SPIN, ZINGS 25pts
Y: SPINE, DEALING 77pts

D: HUED, SPINED, DE 36pts
Y: MAGS 24pts

D: WARM 18pts
Y: AH, JA 30pts

D: AVE, EQUIDS 27pts
Y: exchange 2 tiles

D: FAVE, FED 21pts
Y: ED, RERAN, NOYES, RE 17pts

D: REP, BAP 19pts
Y: TA, AW, ER, PRATE 23pts

D: ZOO, RE, OX, EXO 45pts
Y: exchange 3 tiles

D: TIC, TRUG 12pts
Y: ODE, LAH, LOON 18pts

D: BUTS, TICS 18pts
Y: REN, OXO, LINO 21pts

D: DIVERT, CHIT 27pts
Y: ABUTS, ENIGMAS 81pts

adjustment 7

From Gua Musang to Tumpat

Today I went to my would-be new school SMK Chabang Empat, Tumpat. It is a big school housing more than 2000 pupils with two sessions of schooling; morning session starts at 7.30 a.m. and evening session starts at 1.00 p.m. I reported myself to the headmistress, Mrs Nik Hasnah, who expressed her gratitude of receiving an English teacher. She hoped that the new environment will not deter me from working with integrity and sincerity.

Tambun (Again!)

This time I brought my in-laws to the water park. Initially, I was anxious of the ever-changing wheather, and was wildly wondering whether the weather is where the weather should be. Leaving the Tanah Merah house at 5 a.m., we travelled through Gerik and arrived to find the sunny weather at Tambun at noon. We checked in Sun Inns at 5 p.m. after playing our hearts out at the park and head for Cameron Highlands the next day. It was an enjoyable experience, hopefully to be repeated in the near future.

Time for pics:

My Student's Best Effort

This is my student's best effort for her English lesson. Try to understand the essay, it's enjoyable, really. Plus, it is really rare to find a student at the school who will write this long.

Last school holiday, I and family opportunity finish time altogether grandfather and grandmother at village. We village place at Kota Bharu Kelantan. Reason we related return village have for to visit grandfather and grandmother who rich far from we. Beside that also, we agong to visit sibling advance who complete old no encounter.

Arrive at there, grandfather and grandmother welcome return we related. With smile who sweet we shake hand with grandfather and grandmother. At there we earn looking scenery what intensely see and interesting. Foresee paddy-field who spread out broad at there shere amaze with scenery who see. We also earn looking will raillery who green encompass village we.

At cleave afternoon, grandfather bring we orchard fruit. Correct at break never this season fruit at village we. Diverse fruit who looking cook see fruit watermelon, fruit mango, fruit durian and fruit mangosteen. Free cite fruit we altogether return at house and rest.

At tomorrow morning, I, brother and sister go at river akin friend who dissimilar see zuki, aiman, siti and mira for angle fish. We also agong finish time akin they because we guess diaphanous encounter already old omit at Kuala Lumpur. For add anew happiness we, we catch finish with applied net and casting-net. Looking many fish who hung at net we see catfish.

At time afternoon again, grandfather bring we encompass village while looking area livestock animals see cow, goat, bird and rabbit. We earn looking see animal at there. Brother catch photo bird camel and bird peacock for at become memory when we return at Kuala Lumpur bide.

Already one week we leave at there, nowadays arrive time for we return at Kuala Lumpur for back to school. Feel happy convert become sorrow looking at to mak smooth or fine lineament grandfather and grandmother before we family omit. We so very happy when rich at village although happen assume it one memory who sweet and no earn we forget. - Anonymous

Timing Chain or Timing Belt?

I am driving a Toyota Avanza 1.3 Manual transmission with a mileage of 87+++ and I am concern about changing the timing belt. But after reading through several articles, I found that my Avanza does not use a timing belt, instead it uses a timing chain. The timing chain, however, does not need regular change (1) and has an almost infinite operating life (2). The only time to change the chain is when the mechanics found it to have been worn out (3). Luckily, the VVT-i technology lessen my worry. It varies the timing and applies oil automatically to the chain (4), resulting in extending its lifespan.

Learn From Nature

It is out of His Mercy that He has put for you night and day, that you may rest therein (i.e. during the night) and that you may seek of His Bounty (i.e. during the day), and in order that you may be grateful. - Al-Qasas : 73

Guess How Much is This Doughnut?

Last week I went to Pekan Kedai Lalat to accompany my mother buying some breakfast. It was the same as always - full of people, especially on Fridays - because the merchandise there are quite cheap, in my opinion. I was surprise when I asked for the price of the doughnuts, as big as my palm, which was sold at 4 pieces for RM1. That amounts to RM0.25 for each, and I bet you will not find doughnuts that big anywhere, which should cost RM0.50 each elsewhere.

Good Luck in Your Exams, PMRians!

Today the PMR exam starts. This is the time to test whether the knowledge you have for the past years still with you or lost when you were 'rempit'ing, or 'lepak'ing etc. There will be no turning back, answer the questions, and hope for the best. Adding some prayers to that will surely help you, no doubt about that.

Why Internet in Malaysia is So Slow?

This is because of our low broadband quality, according to a study by Oxford University. Malaysians always waste their time waiting for the clicked pages to appear before the screen. Imagine that if we wait for a page for 5 seconds, we will waste 1 minute of our precious time to click 60 pages. And if you are a hardcore Facebook user, for example, you will waste more valuable time, as you do not click less than that, for sure. I hope that the appropriate Ministry will rectify this situation, or we will be left behind in the upcoming global wave.

Another Torres' Hattrick

No comment. The best striker in the world right now. Watch out Chelsea. For all the fans out there, refresh your mind with all the goals. The first is my best, nutmegging a bunch of defenders and beating the goalkeeper at the far post. Truly genius.

Saudi Prince Wants LFC Investment

An Arabic newspaper reported their interview with a prince who wanted to buy 50% of LFC stakes worth around 200 - 35o million pounds. Saudi Arabia's Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdullah said:

"We are looking at the present time to acquire a 50% stake in the club, which is currently suffering from debts of up to £245 million. The value of the deal, which will be finalized soon, is around £200 million to £350 million pounds".

source: http://www.alriyadh.com

One of My Favourite Toy of All Time

The Rubik's Cube is still my favourite toy ever since I was small until now. I still remember the sleepless nights of trying to solve the puzzle, which was at that Internet-less time proven to be quite impossible, except to use the guidance given with the box. I memorized the algorithm then, but failed to summon it up when I tried my sister-in-law's Rubik's cube. A browse in the Internet followed, and here is the solution I found to solve this evergreen puzzle (I'm not going to waste Raya holidays just for solving the cube, hehe).

Torres Fires Liverpool FC to Glory

Last night I watched Torres destroyed West Ham's defense mercilessly. Here are the two goals which sinks the Hammers. The first one is reminiscent of his debut BPL goal against Chelsea, while the second is a powerful striker's header, right at the bottom corner. Enjoy!