I Want.

A few days before my birthday, people keep on asking what I wanted for my birthday. I never really know what I wanted, so I made a list and had a few things things in mind.

I already have a personal computer but I have always wanted a netbook. Maybe a Dell netbook as I have always preferred Dell when it comes to laptops.

I was thinking that maybe I can use it for my photo outings and can easily transfer my pictures into the netbook as a backup.

Or...maybe I would want to have a new DSLR body, the Pentax K-7.

Just imagine the possibilities of what I can do with a new body :D

Oh man....I'm such a gadget freak, aren't I ? But to prove to you that I'm not, I have another thing that I would like to have.

I would like Lisa Surihani to sing to me. Though looking at her acting skills, I dont think I should hope for much if I were to get her to sing for me.

So when I had a look at my list,trying to get the best thing as a present for my birthday, I realized that I dont need these things.

I only need my dearest to be with me.

Needs are more important than wants.

Now I Won't Get Lost Anymore.

I have never been good in finding places which I am not familiar with. I once took 2 hours from Shah Alam to Ampang just because I got lost and I could not find my way =_=

I am the type who would have to be around that place for a few times before I could remember the roads. So I was so determined that I would get a GPS for my newly-acquired Nokia 5800 ( well that explains the laziness of me remembering new roads =_= ) so that I wont get lost after this. I have been using my Garmin for mobile on my phone for a few weeks now and I must say that it did a good job. Before I give out my opinions, here are the instructions on how to install Garmin on your Symbian phones. These instructions were taken from the blog of Noktahhitam. All the credit goes to the blog owner of Noktahhitam. Im just sharing here. You can visit the blog here.

Before you do anything, Download the file (80 mb ++) and read all the instructions before hand. It’ll help you to visualize the process.

Download file contains

• GarminMobileXTforSymbianS603rdEdition_50040.exe
• GarminMobileXTFreeBasemap_4xxxx.exe
• GarminMobileXTSupportFiles_4xxxx.exe
• gmapsupp.img (Malaysian Map, with DUKE highway)
• garmin_kgen.exe
• 5800_manual.pdf
• GarminMobile20_GarminMobileXTOwnersManual.pdf

You can skip step 1 if you want. But if you want to do it, just make sure that you do a full back up of your phone.

1. Setting up Apparatus, The Nokia 5800

1. -Back up all data using PC Suite (go to Nokia website).
2. -Soft reset by pressing *#7370#. Should take about 2-3 mins and you lose all your data (except on memory card). But don’t worry, you have back up remember?
3. -On your Nokia 5800, go to Application > Location > Positioning > Positioning Methods. Enable “Assisted GPS” and “Integrated GPS” ONLY. This will ensure you don’t get charge using WAP or 3G network for Internet.
4. -Go to Application > Location > GPS Data > Position > Options > Satellite status. This will show the satellite signals you’re receiving. Be sure you are outdoor in an open area. Balcony doesn’t work well, believe me I’ve tried. Once you’ve got AT LEAST 4 satellite signal, go back indoor, you don’t want people to think you’re crazy, waving your phone around.
5. -Now you’re ready for GarminXT.

2. Installing GarminXT on Nokia 5800.

1. -Once you’ve downloaded, unzip the files to someplace accessible preferably on your desktop. If you haven’t, please download it.
2. -Connect your phone via USB and select ‘Mass storage mode’.
3. -From you PC, double click “GarminMobileXTforSymbianS603rdEdition_50040.exe” to install and wait.
4. -Double click “GarminMobileXTFreeBasemap_4xxxx.exe” to install. Wait..
5. -Double click “GarminMobileXTSupportFiles_4xxxx.exe” to install.
6. -Remove USB connection between PC and phone. When prompted ‘Launch GarminXT’ do not click Yes, just Cancel.
7. -From your phone, go to Menu > Settings > Application Manager > Installation files. There should be GarminXT.sis file. Install it.

3. Cracking GarminXT on Nokia 5800.

1. -Tell yourself and say “Yes, I’m a cheapskate”.
2. -Run GarminXT from your phone at Menu > Application > Garmin. It will prompt you with some settings. Choose your preferable.
3. -Select “Use other device” when it prompts you to buy or trial. You will get a screen, “Where To?” and “View map”
4. -In GarminXT, go to Tools > Settings > About. Jot down “Card ID”, you will need it. Exit GarminXT
5. -On your PC, run “garmin_kgen.exe” and enter the “Card ID” from previous steps.
6. -Generate it and you will get a string of codes. Copy the codes to Notepad and save it as “sw.unl”. *Be sure you don’t save it as sw.unl.txt”*
7. -Connect your phone to PC and select “Mass storage mode”.
8. -Copy “sw.unl” to Garmin folder. Usually located at E:/Garmin.
9. -Copy “gmapsupp.img” from downloaded file to Garmin folder. “gmapsupp.img” is the Malaysian map.
10. -Disconnect your phone from PC.

4. Restore your Nokia 5800

1. -Reconnect your phone via PC Suite.
2. -Restore your settings through back up.

5. Setting up GarminXT on Nokia 5800

1. -You don’t need your PC anymore. Shut down and conserve energy.
2. -Run GarminXT on your phone.
3. -Go to Tools > Settings > System > Remote GPS. Change to “Use Attached GPS” by disabling the “Bluetooth GPS”.
4. -Go to Tools > Manage My Data > Map Sets > MapSource. Make sure all maps are enabled.

6. Toying GarminXT on Nokia 5800.

1. -Switch off your fans and lights. Go out.
2. -Run GarminXT, (duh!).
3. -Select “View Map” and wait for a while. The satellite will find you. It took me 5 mins or so. Just have patience and faith.
4. -Now you’ll see where you are.
5. -Go back and select “Where To?”. If you’re at home and wants GarminXT to store you current location as home, then select “Home”
6. “Where To?” is rather confusing. I usually use “Where To?” > Point of interest. There’s lots of shopping malls, hospitals, banks, ATM machines etc. from there, you’d know where to go.
7. -Pat yourself and say “Well done”. The rest is up to you.

These past few weeks that Ive been using the GPS, I can say that the Garmin GPS is better than the Ovi Map that is supplied by Nokia. Alot of features on Ovi Map need me to use my data connection, which is a no-no for a cheapskate like me.Haha.

The route recalculating on the Garmin is very fast too, it took me less than 5 seconds to recalculate another route while Im on the road. Ive tried installing the Garmin on Nokia 5800, Nokia E75 and Nokia N97. It worked just fine on the 5800 and E75 but somehow it couldnt work on N97 as there are buttons that cant be used on N97. So it is not advisable for you to try to install it on the N97.

There are many questions regarding the step 3 and how to crack it such as this :

1. when i start my garmin on 5800 ( pls refer to your point # 3 iii) where it says “Select “Use other device” when it prompts you to buy or trial. You will get a screen, “Where To?” and “View map” – there is no such option. it gives you four options:
a) purchase and go
b) begin free trial
c) enter product key
d) connect to garmin GPS

pls let me know which option to choose here…

From my experience of cracking the software, there is no such thing as 'use other device', that is why people are confused as to which option to choose. Just make sure that you choose the 'connect to garmin GPS' and proceed to instruction number 4 of step 3 which is

In GarminXT, go to Tools > Settings > About. Jot down “Card ID”, you will need it. Exit GarminXT.

Make sure that once you cracked the software, update the map at malfreemaps. From what I am told, it is updated weekly.

There you have it, I hope you enjoy it as much as I am right now! :D

Men are having it easy.

How many of us know that every 8th of March is the International Women's Day? I guess some of you will be asking, 'Really??'.



What is the purpose of special days like this usually? It is because people want to feel appreciated. It's the same with Teacher's Day where teachers want to feel appreciated and Labour Days where all workers are appreciated. So how about Men's Day? Don't men want to be appreciated too? I guess we are, but there are reasons that there is a Women's Day but not Men's Day.

It's because women are facing a tough time now while men are having it easy.

Let's face it, women nowadays are having a hard time, especially in marriage and education. More women are getting married a bit later compared to 20 to 30 years ago. This situation is also interrelated with the level of education of women nowadays. More women are concentrating on their studies and careers now that they cant simply settle down and put a break on their very fast-paced life. This leads to them getting older and unmarried. When they feel like getting married, most men are too afraid to approach them as their career and education status might be too intimidating. This forces women to 'marry someone who was less educated or with lower qualifications. Some also married men younger than them' like what is reported in this piece of news. Men have egos, alright. Not many men would want to marry someone whose salary is double the amount of what that man gets per month.

I had a look at the list of the 2010 SPM candidates who excelled in their studies. The best student is, yes, you guess it right, a girl,Gladys Tan Yee Kim. While most of the excellent students are girls, I guess there is still a shine of light at the end of the tunnel when SM Sains Seremban is announced as the best school. For those who dont know, it's an all-boys school. You see how competitive it is for the girls to compete now when most of the excellent students are girls too?

Ok, so how is it that I'm saying men are having it easy now? First of all, not many men are really interested to study anymore. That is one of the reason that men are a rare breed in the university and colleges. Some just prefer to work while some prefer to go to the 'college of needles'.



Well, there your future goes, out of the window.

So for those men who are continuing their studies, they can rest assured that the competition in getting a place to universities and getting a job is less compared to the women. Men are in a position to choose now, so for all the men out there, don't worry that there is no Men's Day for us, at least we have something that women dont have, more choices!Haha.

Formal Education: It's More Than That.

I had a look at my blog, it has been 4 weeks since my last entry. Im already working now and it starts to take a toll out of me. Most of the time is spent on working and when Im at home it is spent relaxing after a hard day's work. Being at a working place really helps me to learn alot of things, especially things that are related to education as Im in the education profession.

Formal education is just a ticket to success.

Being in the education line, Ive encountered so many people eager to pursue their studies that is of interest to them. It's not that getting a degree and such is a bad thing.Its a very commendable thing to do. Well, learning never stops, right? Getting diplomas, degrees, masters or even PhD s can open many opportunities for you. But thats what they are, they give you options, opportunities for you to be successful. It doesnt guarantee you anything. The world doesnt owe you success. In order to be successful, you need more than a scroll and a formal education. You got to have the right attitude. I have seen people who didnt really score in their degree can be successful too. They might not have enough aptitude to compete with other workers but they have the right attitude, the will to learn and not giving up. I guess these are the criteria that we can never get from a classroom. It comes from within you. Dont forget social skills. You might be able to score 3.90 for your CGPA but the knowledge that you have comes to nothing if it cant be properly channeled to other people i.e. co-workers. You need social skills, moreover when your profession demands you to deal with other people day in day out as opposed to being in a lab looking at some chemicals. That is what I normally tell people when they are too concerned about their studies like there's no other thing to think about except for exams, exams and more exams. Its not that exams arent important. It is. But some people dont know how to balance things out. I was in the Dean's List for two semesters in a row during my first year degree. But I felt like I wanted more than just mere degree. So I got myself involved in alot of things after that but at the same time not forgetting my priorities in my studies. My principle was and still is, work hard but play harder, as I dont want to be that dull boy sitting at the corner counting numbers while other people are having fun during the recess time. Im still carrying the same principle even when Im teaching. I let my students to give their opinions rather than listening to me blabbering, and telling them stories that are related to the topic in the class, something from my experience. It gets them to think and not just nodding their head in agreement. Enough of producing students who can only score in exams but nil in their character. Formal education is just a ticket to success. Unless we stop producing students who churn out facts without understanding them, formal education is like a ticket to a success that isnt there.

Until My Last Breath.

I had colourful memories of my primary school. There were no reason to worry about important things other than finishing the homework given by the teachers. One of my teachers who like to give me alot of homework is Cikgu Badariah, my Maths teacher when I was at Sekolah Kebangsaan Dato Bandar Rasah (SKDBR). She is very notorious for giving hundreds of Maths homework to her students. Don't even think of not finishing the work given by her as it would usually mean that you would get the hairdryer treatment from her and your ear would most likely be detached from your head as she would pull the ear of the students who do not finish the work given by her,very, very hard.Haha. Everytime I think about the ear-pulling, I am so relieved that at least I scored for my Maths in UPSR. She is so dearly loved by her students even when she 'tortures' the students with loads of homeworks. As one of her students, I love her too for being one part that helped me to be where I am right now. So when I got the news that she already passed away yesterday evening, I was so devastated beyond any description.

I went to her house yesterday evening to read Yassin for her. As I reached the door of her house, I stopped for a while as I remembered my experience being there. It is already more than 10 years since I stepped into her house. She is very famous with her tuition classes and I was one of her students for her Math tuition class.Yeah, as if I didnt get enough torturing at school during her Maths subject, I offered myself to be in her tuition class like offering myself to be eaten by a dragon.Hehe. The sole reason that I went to her tuition class is because of a girl that I had a crush on went to the same tuition. I guess I tried to spend more time with the girl though actually more of it was spent doing hundreds of Maths exercises.Haha.Off I went to the tuition class at Cikgu Badariah's house and luckily I didnt disappoint her and got an A in Maths for my UPSR. So yesterday was a sign of respect for her, for all the good deeds and nagging that she did for us. Being a teacher like her is not an easy job. She is very strict as she doesnt want her students to stray from the path to excellence though her strictness would not win her fans. But she didnt mind that, she's teaching because she wants her students to be successful in life, not because she wants to have fans. But I guess her strictness wins her admirers instead, as I'm one of them. As I was reading the Yassin for her, I shed tears of emptiness as one of my favourite teachers has passed away and would never come back. One part of me, one part of my memories has gone with her demise.

After I finished reading Yassin and tahlil, I listened to her husband as her husband told stories about her. The last few weeks before her death, her husband already asked her to stop teaching tuition as they already have enough money from their pension. But she was very persistent and said that she would continue teaching. Her husband asked her again, then when would she stop teaching the students? She answered,

" Until my last breath."

And as I looked around the house, it's very true. The house that I went to more than 10 years ago is still the same house that I went to yesterday. She leads a very modest life, she didnt do the tuition for the sake of the money, but for the benefit of the students instead. On top of the fan switch box, there is still a whiteboard duster that she would usually use during her tuition classes. I guess the whiteboard duster wont be used anymore after this.

It's hard for me to write about her in past tense as it is very hard for me to accept the fact that she's now gone. I already planned to go to her house during Hari Raya Aidilfiti a few years back but it never materialised. I really regret it now that I didnt get the chance to meet her after I left primary school. I just hope that she knows that her students love her very much and she would always be a part of her students, until the very last breath.

What Is There To a Name?

I studied at a boarding school for 5 years. For those who used to go to a boarding school, it is most likely that you would get a nickname, like I did. I didnt really like my nickname but I never mind about it, it is just a name. I didnt get hurt for whatever name people might want to call me. I am still me, I wont simply transform to something else just because some other people call me differently.

Why am I talking about names now? I guess this is all due to the High Court's decision regarding the use of the word 'Allah' for the Herald magazine for their Bahasa publication. Things, I must admit, have exploded into an unimaginable magnitude. People have been giving their two-sen opinion about this and alot of discussions have been made. Not that I'm trying to preach or anything. I'm just giving my opinion which is absolutely limited and comes from a young man who is yet to experience the world out there.

First of all, let's see this thing from various view here. The word 'Allah', as some people argue, has been used by the Arab Christians for many years and it is used by the Christians in Sarawak and Sabah in the Bahasa translation of their Bible. Why not translate it to Tuhan then, you might ask. They are not publishing it in Arabic, but in Bahasa, you might add. Then why are the Muslims using the word Allah then? It is Arabic, and we are using it in Bahasa too. We can call Allah as Tuhan too, if the argument that is used against the Christians is used against the Muslims. The Muslims are taking the Arabic word and made it as a Bahasa word. So see the similarities here? The problem here is pure semantics. I am yet to see any Christians converting Muslims just because we call our God with the same name. Are we Muslims are so easily duped into converting to other religions? Is our faith that fragile? Ok, so you might want to say, the kids might be confused. Then what about the Christian kids then?Wont they be confused too? Oh,no, you say? Is it because the Christian kids have better faith than the Muslim kids? Are you trying to imply that we dont know how to teach our kids about Islam then? So whose fault is that then? You guess it right. Our fault. If you dare to think that we can simply convert to other religion and that our faith about our religion is so fragile, then it is our fault. Not some kafir.

Now what might be sensitive over here might not be sensitive at all at other places. What might be sensitive for people in Peninsular Malaysia might not be sensitive for the people in Sabah and Sarawak. The level of sensitivities vary according to their places. For example, the KFC advertisement shown at Australia. For the Australians, the advertisement might not be offensive but for the Americans, the advertisement is surely offensive enough for them. So while some people are demonstrating demanding that the use of the word Allah is stopped, some people who could not care less might feel that this is getting out of hand. But what goes out of hand is actually when people started burning churches. Yes, church with -es which denotes plural, more than one. Just in case you dont know, even in wars, Muslims are not allowed to harm people who are taking shelters in churches or any other place of worship, what more actually burning the place of worship. This stupid action actually justifies the fear that people have about Islam like this twisted hater here who keep on damning the Muslims.

My argument is simple, what if we are on their side, our mosque is burned to the ground? Would we retaliate or we simply forgive those who did it? It is not that I'm turning my back on Islam or something like that. I must admit that I'm quite uncomfortable with the court's decision. But we cant act like some medieval savages and do as we like. Jihad, you might say. No Christians are doing any physical harm to the Muslims, at least not in Malaysia, so why must we start burning places of worship? There are better ways to jihad as jihad doesnt mean picking up guns. We can jihad by strengthening our faith, our economy, our education. That is how a modern Muslim should do their jihad. But if there are proofs that the Christians are misusing the word Allah and putting it to some deities, actions should be taken, appropriate actions that are in accordance to law. I just hope that no violence should occur because of this. Come to my house and I can show you a Christian centre in front of my neighbourhood's mosque. No cases of people converting people of other religion as yet here. Like I said before, there is no such thing as a bad religion, only bad followers.

No, It Is Not The End, Yet.

It is a bit ironic that the movie Muallaf is actually shown after Yasmin Ahmad's death as this movie deals alot on death and religion. As usual, Yasmin incorporated the elements that are abundace in her other movies, such as love and interracial relationship. But no, this is not another sappy love movie.

The characters of the movie, Rohana and Rohani are sisters who are very much into theology. They read and quote not just verses from Quran, but also from holy books of other religions too. Rohani, the older sister, even tried to enroll herself into a theology course but she was told that there is no future in that course by the receptionist. I can assume that this is a critique to our education system where the courses that can help you to get a huge paycheck are very much sought after and overemphasized by the colleges thus marginalizing other self improvement courses. Rohana, the younger sister, likes to quote numbers which are actually verses from Quran. If you want to know what the numbers really mean, try to read this. But I would recommend that you watch the movie beforehand though.

Another character that is prevalent throughout the movie is Brian, a teacher at a Catholic school. He is someone who is not really interested about things associated to religion. But that change though when he meets Rohana and Rohani. I would say that the character Brian is like Mitch Albom in his latest book that I have just finished reading, Have a Little Faith. In that book, Mitch is not really interested into religion, even towards his own religion. But that changes when he meets a rabbi and a pastor. In the book, Mitch, a Jew, meets a pastor who changes his perspective towards religion while in the movie Muallaf, Brian, a Christian, meets Rohani and Rohana who are both Muslims. For me, that shows that change can come from places or people that we least expected. But dont expect any conversion done in the movie as there is no concrete scene which shows any conversion even take place.

It baffles me that this movie is being held by the Censorship Board for more than 1 year. I cant see their justification in holding it from viewing for such a long time. Is it because Rohana quoted verses from holy books of other religions too? I dont see the problem as reading holy books of other religions have been done hundred of years ago. Heck, even people who are not even Muslims read Quran and make researches about the verses. I even read how Muslim scholars read holy books of other religions and it just strengthen their faith about Quran and Islam as they know what they believe in. Or is it because that Rohani works at a pub and uses that money? Or is it because Rohani and Rohana's father drinks beer and goes to nightclubs? I have seen many other movies who are even worst than that. Just watch any movies that feature any motorcycle racing in it and most of them would feature scantily clad women in pubs and nightclubs entertaining the rempits. Dont tell me it is because of Rohani's hair was cut by her father until she is bald? Because that is just plain ridiculous.

There are many scenes that would make you to think of your daily life and what you are actually doing with it. One of the scenes is when they ask us to treat our parents with our utmost respect as we would regret it if we dont and they go away without us having any chance of asking for a forgiveness. Not only that, one of the scenes ask us to forgive anyone who might have hurt our feelings and let bygones be bygones which I assume is easier said than done by some of us. I wont say that this is Yasmin's best movie, but this is certainly one of the most stimulating. Being Yasmin's last movie, though that technically would be Talentime, it is one movie that you can never say no to.