The Reader

Photo:Sunny KL

Last weekend I was back in my kampung.It is monsson season and most of the days are gloomy and the sky was full of scary black clouds with heavy showers as music to some ears..

I was back to Bangi last night and today on the way to attend a seminar at Berjaya Times Square Hotel,I saw a stunning sunny day lighted up the KL landscape as shown in this photo.It made me smiles all the way into the congested city...

Portable 8 Band Receiver

This new toy came all the way from Hong Kong.I found it lying on the shelf at the electrical department of a departmental store in KB Mall.On checking the price,I got a shock of my life!How could someone design,manufactured and sold to customers for RM39.90!Yes,it is not RM399 but RM39.90-forty ringgit less 10 sen!If I were to buy the radio components and assembled myself,I don't think I can make it at less than RM40.

However,I have to believe it.These electrical things are made in Hong Kong.May be their supply chain management and low cost manufacturing can do all these for RM20.Anyway,if it lasts 40 days,it is still worth it.By the way,today is my second day of owning this 8 Band Receiver and so far it is still working giving me all the radio stations in Malaysia.I am trying to get BBC.I f I ever get it,then I don't have to search and buy the Sony ICF-SW7600GR that has been eluding me all this while..

My friends will be asking why I suddenly becomes interested in listening to the radio?You shall know by the end of the year whether I pass or not my Amateur Radio Examination conducted by MCMC.

More photos of my hobbies here.

Selamat Tahun Baru Hijrah 1433!

Belut ride

About a week ago my son took my old Trek 3700 MTB back to my kampong.It is for me to ride whenever I am back to see my mother.I hope my son will ride it as well.The bike is about 5 years old but the body is solit and intact.I am very convinced that Trek has a sturdy bike frame and I love it.Before my son took it,I changed its rims and gave it a new pairs of tyres.Now It works as new..Alhamdulilah.

Yesterday,I took it to test ride it.Before hand  I got the news that the road along Padang Melintang(about 2km behind my kampung house) is inundated with water.Only big cars and lorries dared to pass through.I decided to ride this road like I did at Putrajaya Wetland.

Here are two photos that could tell the story better than I do..

 

On the way,I met my old schoolmate Dato' Hilmi Yusof who owns a restorant next to the flooded section of the road.He invited me to have eel soup at his Restoran Padang Melintang.I accepted his invitation and went on cycling for about 2km before I saw a big crowd of my local folks got stuck in their motorcycles and watching  cars being driven along the inundated road.I joined the crowd for a few minutes to snap some photos and left to savour the exotic sup belut[eel] pisang-our local folk's delicacy..

For the record,this is my first time riding my mountain bike passing through padi fields...

On light..

As I came out of my house to go jogging yesterday morning,to my pleasant suprise I saw the flats in front of my house was brigtly lighted by the the rays of light emanating from the rising sun.I rushed back into my house to get my compact Lumix LX5 to snap this shot(as shown on the right).For a few moments,I was mersmerised by the beauty of the lighted blocks of ordinary flats.During normal time,these block of flats are just like ordinary flats-you and me won't look back to appreciate them-just plain ordinary ,period.However,when these objects were beamed by light from the sun,they just glowed from the dark blue sky background.I got stucked in my shoes watching the morning display until a few minutes later,when the sight of these objects went back to normal as the sun rays faded away....may be hidden by the dark moving morning clouds.

Light is a very important factor when and where we see things.Without light,we see nothing.With different intensities of light we can see thing differently but it also depends on the capabilities and abilities of our eyes to see the visuals and the mind's cognitive abilty to understand.Another factor is the source of light...the views will be different if these blocks of flats were lighted by a few flood light powered by electricity.

By now, you know where I am getting you into...Let us leave behind the physical domain and enter into the intellectual and spiritual domains that similar 'lights' may exist in different forms and modes of existence...

Let us explore deeper the meaning of 'lights' as mentioned in the ayat below by referring to various tafsir:

Allah yang menerangi langit dan bumi. Bandingan nur hidayah petunjuk Allah (Kitab Suci Al-Quran) adalah sebagai sebuah "misykaat" yang berisi sebuah lampu; lampu itu dalam geluk kaca (qandil), geluk kaca itu pula (jernih terang) laksana bintang yang bersinar cemerlang; lampu itu dinyalakan dengan minyak dari pokok yang banyak manfaatnya, (iaitu) pokok zaitun yang bukan sahaja disinari matahari semasa naiknya dan bukan sahaja semasa turunnya (tetapi ia sentiasa terdedah kepada matahari); hampir-hampir minyaknya itu - dengan sendirinya - memancarkan cahaya bersinar (kerana jernihnya) walaupun ia tidak disentuh api; (sinaran nur hidayah yang demikian bandingannya adalah sinaran yang berganda-ganda): cahaya berlapis cahaya. Allah memimpin sesiapa yang dikehendakiNya (menurut undang-undang dan peraturanNya) kepada nur hidayahNya itu; dan Allah mengemukakan berbagai-bagai misal perbandingan untuk umat manusia; dan Allah Maha Mengetahui akan tiap-tiap sesuatu. (An-Nuur 24:35) | <Embed> | English Translation 

I am not qualified to explain any further.My job,due to my limited knowledge,is to provoke you to take the journey of discovery on your own.In the above ayat,Allah swt mentioned the word 'nur' five times.My tafsir guru told me it has five meanings..

Most of us are just like the normal blocks of flats...Let us put more efforts to seek the Light from Allah so that we may glow and be enlightened,insyaAllah..

May Allah's nur of guidance be the lights to the path of our travel in seeking His pleasure and acceptance,insyaAllah.I hope this note below will shed some light on this subject matter:-

The Light
Al-Nur (The Light) - Chapter 24: Verse 35 (partial)

"God is the Light of the heavens and the earth."

Scholars, such as the eleventh-century philosopher al-Ghazali understood this "light," or "nur", to be the true quintessential light or the definitive source of all light in the universe. He goes on to explain that to describe God as Light puts Him above everything else in existence and points to His power to create living matter out of dark nothingness. The evidence of God's existence and power is so overwhelming and pervasive in the physical universe as well as in our own everyday lives, that only the ignorant or the arrogant can be blind to it.

Others interpret 'light' as the guidance God infuses into the hearts of believers that gives them the ability to discern right from wrong, good from evil, and gives them a strong belief and confidence in their faith and what they profess to be true.

On closer reflection, the two meanings of the word "nur" will be found to be complementary. As one marvels at the light observed in the physical world, it leads to guidance being imbued inside one's heart, drawing one closer to God. Those who fail to be aware of God and deny or ignore His power and role in the world will be deprived of the privilege of God's Light and guidance, no matter how materially fortunate or advanced or successful they may be.

Compiled From:
"A Thematic Commentary on the Quran" - Muhammad Al-Ghazali, pp. 380, 381

 

Going back to moleskine notebook

Beginning April,2011 I started using QuaVadis notebook for my personal journal.It is a very good quality notebook and now I have a few pages left.Today,I decided to revert to my moleskine notebook just for one reason-the size fits my pocket.So this afternoon I went to Kinokuniya Bookstore to buy a black pocket side.Here is a link if you wish to see what I have done with my moleskine notebook since 2006.

Another morning walk @Taman Saujana Hijau,P11,Putrajaya

Just look at the view.Beautiful isn't it?.One round on the other loop is about 3km.To really sweat,try another round of the inside loop~hilly slope of about 2km.It is just behind the Police Station P11.I bet it is good both for your heart and legs..

Blog | Radioplayer | UK radio in one place.

A quick summary of where we are, one week after launch.  I’ll answer a few of the most commonly-asked questions, reflecting some of the feedback we’re getting.

Having gone live with around 150 stations last week, we put our new ‘on-boarding’ process to the test on Tuesday and added about 50 more.  We welcomed all the stations run by UTV (including talkSPORT), many Bauer stations (including The Hits, Kerrang, and Heat), Fun Kids, Planet Rock, Manx Radio, and Traffic Radio.

Further waves will join next week, hopefully including Bauer stations Kiss and Magic.  There’ll be a short gap over Easter, then the snowball will continue to grow throughout May. Judging from the feedback, there’s a real desire from both users and radio stations to see Radioplayer grow quickly. That’s our top priority.

via www.radioplayer.co.uk

Back then in the 60's in my kampong(village),there was no TV.We only listen to the radio.When I went to UK in the early 70's,I still keep my old habit-listening to the radio.Unlike my friends who enjoyed music with their LP's,I was quite satisfied to listen to the radio for music and news but TV had invaded into our personal lives.In fact,I only studied after watching The Match of The Day.

Fast forward to now(2011),I can't remember how to switch on my TV.I stopped watching The Idiot Box for more than a decade.With what is available online now,I also buy newspapers only on weekend.Now, I spend more time reading online news and communicating with friends on Facebook and BBM with my business associates...

One of my riding buddies introduced me to walkie-talkie.It was great fun to use during our cycling event.A few months ago I bought two sets and my sons used them as communication tools to manage the wedding reception of my second son.

Lately,my interest in radio made me wanted to join the local Hams-Amateur Radio community.To engage in this hobby,I have to to get an amateur radio licence from MCMC.Last weekend I spent the two days attending a course on SOP and basic radio electronics.

I love to listen to the radio again especially on SW.However,I could not get any SW radio to buy in KL,Bangi or Putrajaya.Nowadays,most people prefer FM radios.Today,I discovered this radioplayer.co.uk and look forward to enjoy listening to these UK stations and later may be the whole world.

Smell the flowers...

These are beautiful wakafs located at the top of Taman Canseri at Diplomatic Presint P14 Putrajaya.To enjoy the walk here,one must come early,preferably not later than 7:30am and walk under the shades of trees..It is a bit hilly but it is good for our legs and heart.When you reach the top,you can rest at this wakaf and smell kenanga flowers nearby..

It is a bit isolated and not many people around.Do come with your spouse or friends..

9M2RI aka Alex worldwide

To be prepared for my coming Aamteur Radio Exam on 15th Dec,2011 I have to attend a two-day course at Waves Communication in Sri Gombak today.One of the lecturers that really amazed me is Alex and his callsign is 9M2RI.He got his licence more than 50 years ago.I guess he is 70+.

Today,he gave us a lecture on radio receiver,transmitter and antenna.Even though he graduated in Arts,but his passion made him learn a lot of radio electronics and communication.The way he types his Morse code is faster than I type this blog!The most fascinating thing about him is his DIY radio equipments and he brought along his DIY apparatus to demonstrate the principles of radio.

Below is a shot of his DIY wares..