Firecrackers and Bull Run Tradition: When money and excitement ruled safety out

Run for survival: Bull runners may experience the greatest joy and excitement

Encierro, that's what the Spanish called it. It involves acts of running and securing oneself from loose-running wild behaving bulls in a small town street of Spanish-style town house. It is wild and dangerous but many claimed that this event is full of excitement, since panicking and surviving danger are what average bull running fans crave for.

I've never been to this kind of festival and I don't think I will. Watching these people in actions really caused my heart throbbing out of my chest particularly when it involves tossing and goring of human flesh by the angry bulls. But from what I observed, although it had claimed lives and injured thousands, it is not as 'extremely dangerous' as many people think. In fact, statistics showed that since 1910 there have only been 15 fatalities compared to 182 fatalities due to auto racing crashes.

No mercy: A runner is being gored by an angry bull

Common eyesight injuries due to firecrackers in India - The Tribune

Firecracker injuries are also common in The Philippines - News Flash

The statistics of the earlier is also much lower compared to the fatalities and injuries due to homemade mercun/fireworks/firecrackers. Whatever the statistics tell, it is clear that they are not a safe game to play. Although mercuns are banned in my country (mercun is a Malay term for firecrackers), they are visible in almost every corner of the village and town. And from what I observed, it is a lot worse than 'Running of The Bull'. Mercuns are not just very noisy and disturbing, they are also damaging to our ears and our properties. Every year a number of children all around the world lost their fingers and eyesight due to mercun mishandling. Shouldn't it be a wake up call? I do blame parents, adult society and authority for this failure. I still believe the authority should be the entity that care. The question is, are we doing enough? If we aren't, that means it's money and excitement that rule! Enough said.

For me, I'm against mercun for now and forever. Mercun is nothing but just another sign of parental and religious breakdown.
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Hayat FM

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The portal of The Official Hayat FM Website

I couldn't remember the first time I listened to this radio station, perhaps, somewhere early 2007. Hayat FM (FM حياة) is an Arabic Radio Station from Jordan, broadcast in FM band at 104.7 MHz. Since Hayat FM is also transmitted via internet, it can be heard outside Jordan, including my country Malaysia.

Why I like to listen to Hayat FM?

1. Hayat FM offers a non-stop Arabic environment for free.
- I'm not an Arab but I love Arabic language and I believe many other Malaysians like it too. It's such a shame that we don't have such Arabic Radio station in Malaysia. What I learned, in order to master such language, we need to have an environment that constantly airs the native style of communication.

2. Hayat FM offers a variety of programs that confined to my Islamic cultures and suit my ears.
- It has Quran, nasheed, Islamic Preaching, daily life discussion, etc. (by the way, their selection of nasheeds is way better than our very own Radio IKIM), which makes Hayat FM one of the best Arabic Radio stations on earth.

3. Hayat FM offers listeners both standard Arabic and Jordanian Arabic
- I used to learn and practice basic Jordanian/Palestinian Arabic when I was doing my post-graduate studies in USM Penang (majority of my Arab friends are Jordanian/Palestinian). I don't want to lose both accents just like that. As a working guy, I don't have time to go to Arabic classes as well. Listening to Hayat FM helps me to at least recall some of the vocabularies.

*I'm aware that some Islamic preaches are delivered in Egyptian accent (because the preachers are Egyptians). Well, it's okay to me.


How to listen to Hayat FM via internet?
(Guidelines for non-Arabic speakers)

Click the link below to go to Hayat FM Website:
http://www.hayat.fm/

Then click the smiley icon with headphone that renders 'Launch Player Application' to pop up on your screen.
mms://wms.joinstream.net/hayat

Click the smiley icon to initiate Hayat FM radio

Launch Application will pop up on your screen

Choose your player and click OK. It will play in your player, as simple as that. Unless you are using proxy, you may have limited access.

I do encourage Arabic learners to listen to Hayat FM. You'll enjoy, inshaAllah.

HAPPY LISTENING TO HAYAT FM

*By the way, I would like to thank my Jordanian brother Khalid Jaber for introducing Hayat FM to me.
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My Perhentian Trip

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Perhentian Islands, consist of Small Island and Big Island, lie approximately 20 km from the coast of North Terengganu

Many of my close friends particularly Arabs went there before me. Their interesting stories and satisfaction were enough to convince me that this should be my next holiday destination. Perhaps canceling my Jordan visit that suppose to take place on early June this year wasn't that bad after all. At least I got my local Perhentian as replacement. The only thing I need was a traveling partner. Thanks to two young mountain hikers, Fahies and Fitri for joining the trip. It so happened that they were the right people at the right time, alhamdulellah.

My traveling partners, Fahies and Fitri during island tracking

Breathtaking scenery from Aur Beach, Perhentian Kecil during sunset

At Paradise Watercolours Resort

Local Besut guy Fahies makes Perhentian trip so easy for us

View of Small Perhentian Island from Water Bus

I'm a non-boater but I do enjoy my boat trip to Perhentian Islands. Love the water taxi ride too. Snorkeling in a crystal clear water... it was such an amazing experience.

Back to the main land...

Only now I realized, District of Besut actually has quite a lot to offer. Friendly local dwellers, beautiful beaches, clear blue waters, etc. If you are looking for nice tasty keropok lekor (Malay kind of fish sausages), Besut does offer some of the best.

Bukit Keluang Beach at Kuala Besut

Rocky cave at Bukit Keluang Beach

My Perhentian Islands trip was a success. I really want to thank my traveling partners, Fahies and Fitry, for being so easy going inside and outside the journey. May Allah bless you guys...
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When MJ Ghost Sighting turns into MJ Ghost Prank... It's hilarious!

MJ died on June 25, 2009. King of Pop, that was the greatest title given to him when he was alive. Almost everything with MJ is sensational, i.e. plastic surgery, nose, skin colour, children, Neverland, his enigma, etc. So many things have been talked about, even in his death. On the negative side, it's scandalous. On the positive side, it renders his fame to be long-lasting.

When MJ ghost sighting turned into an internet sensation, I just shut it off because I don't buy it and I don't believe such crap, sorry. Only a week after his death? Oh come on! I wonder who's behind this. I know there are so many opportunists out there who like to take advantage and make money out of him.

Actually I've seen the footage of MJ ghost sighting in CNN Larry King Show in Youtube. Yes I saw the shadowy human-like figure. Whosoever is behind the curtain, your image manifestation was a success but still far from convincing.

I'm not surprised when the footage was eventually manipulated and reuploaded as MJ ghost prank, i.e. something like freaky scary face that pop up on the screen and spurt terrifying scream at you. I have to admit that I do enjoy watching some of it. The best MJ ghost prank could probably come from this one:

So sweat and hilarious! I almost lost my breath laughing!

Thanks PrincessBlondie34 for posting.

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Salute to Turkish-led Gaza aid flotilla activists

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Turkish Ferry Mavi Marmara leads the fleet of six ships to Gaza

When Gaza aid flotilla sets to sail for Gaza, many of us anticipate anxiously to know whether the international humanitarian activists can break the Israeli blockade, and more importantly whether they can survive the precarious journey to the world's largest open air prison, Gaza.

As expected, Israel will not just not allow aid ships to approach Gaza, instead they will gun down anyone whom they consider 'potential threat' even though they are unarmed and far from lethal. Eventually, on 31 May 2010, 10.30 AM (Malaysian time), the journey turned into another bloody episode. Nine activists were shot dead and more than 60 wounded after a deadly raid by Israeli soldiers. It really burns me up, so don’t ask me why I hate Israel. They are simply inhuman.

[From My Desk: Don’t ask me why I hate Israel]

Here, I would like to offer my condolences over the death of nine Gaza aid flotilla activists. According to Al-Jazeera, eight Turkish and one American were among the dead.

Istanbul Protest: Salute to my Turkish brothers

To all Gaza Flotilla activists, even though your fleets may not reach Gaza, you guys did a very wonderful job. You guys are the new heroes of the world. The most important, Gaza aid flotilla is clearly a media success and will become a morale booster to a more united Muslim world.
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Man vs Food: The Ugly Truth

Airs on Astro Malaysia Channel 707

Man vs Food - I have watched the show, never the entire episodes, but many times still. This makes me wonder since in reality I hate competitive food eating, regardless whether it is a contest or a TV show. The host, Adam Richman may have gained superfluous popularity for being an extraordinary food conqueror of the planet but I doubt whether he feels himself a winner or a loser. It was not because of the popular Adam Richman that drives me to watch the show, in fact my curiosity to know whether he can survive excessive food stuffing challenge was the utmost compelling factor.

Adam Richman is just an enthusiastic eater

Watching him eating doesn't scare me much but I do concern about his competitive eating style, in which in a long run may destroy his health forever. I'm a big fan of The Biggest Loser. I've seen people worked hard to be healthy. It is such a shame to see Man vs Food goes on the contrary. And I pity Adam for the choice he made to be the hungry eater.

I'm aware that he does some exercises for maintaining his health but the question is, is it enough to offset the calorie intake? What say you Adam?

High rating reflects its popularity and people may have fun watching it but still Man vs Food is so unhealthy to watch particularly for those overweight. The TRUTH is competitive eating style is very very unhealthy, not just because it has high possibility to make one overweight, besides there are other risks, i.e. choking and damaging the stomach by stuffing food/junkies beyond its routine capacity.

Man vs. food can make one looks very ugly

Another truth - food can never fight man. It is men who fight among themselves for food.
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White frame glasses: Failed and stugly!

I don't know when it started and I'm not interested to know the history. Crazy fashion fanatics may regard white sunglasses as fashion. Unfortunately it doesn't work for me that way.

As far as I'm concern, fashion is one thing, yet style is another. To be stylish at the same time fashionable does not always end up with something pleasant, you know it.

Kanye West looks like a weirdo to me... This eyewear fashion FAILED !

The same goes to our eyewears. Each one of us has different face shape thus renders eyeglass frame selection a hard task. Wrong selection will make us look unattractive and perhaps older. The issue here is what colour is your frame?

Gold, camel, copper, peach, plum, coral, black and gray are perhaps the most common. Just please don't tell me that you are wearing WHITE !

I'm against those who wear solid white eyeglass frames especially for wearing in the office, wedding or any formal functions. You will end up looking like a moron. Believe me. But if you still wear it, it's your right. I'm not going to stop you, it's just that I'm against it.

I do realize some international celebrities walk on the street in white sunglasses. But they are super celebrities. Super celebrities can introduce a lot of trashy fashions, yet still idolized by their fans. If Lady Gaga, Elton John or Paris Hilton wears white eyeglass frame, who cares? I'm totally not surprised.

We Asians have to think twice. I have a few examples down here and you can make your own judgment (pictures are simply searchable on the net).

White frame Mr Kungfu just came out from the matrix...

Sorry girl, this white frame doesn't suit you at all

Wearing white frame needs a lot of courage and really needs a high degree of perasan (Malay word which means think too good about him/herself). Perhaps I should congratulate those who wear it... NOT!

White eyeglass frame has no difference with white eyeliners and white lips (look at the picture below). It is okay if we are not beautiful (always say alhamdulellah) but don't apply something that will make you look stupid and ugly. Always think before you do...

Japan fashion craze - white eyeliner, white lips and brown skin
This make up really freaks me out... FAILED !