"Bilik-Bilik" di dalam Al-Quran

بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم

Dengan nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah lagi Maha Penyayang

Wahai manusia, 

marilah kita bersyukur di atas nikmat percakapan yang dikurniakan Tuhan sekalian alam kepada kita. Kerana tidak semua manusia mampu bertutur dengan petah. Dan dalam kalangan masyarakat manusia, ada yang diuji Allah dengan ketiadaan percakapan. Subhanallah, hanya golongan itu sahaja yang benar-benar kuat imannya untuk memiliki lidah yang tidak berlisan, maka kerana itu jualah Allah Taala memilih mereka untuk mengharungi ujian tersebut, kerana firman Allah Yang Maha Tinggi lagi Maha Terpuji di dalam kitab-Nya (mafhum):

"Allah tidak memberati manusia melainkan sesuai dengan kesanggupannya." (Al-Baqarah: 286)

Maka golongan yang berupaya berkata-kata ini, janganlah kita menyangka pemilik lisan tidak diuji. Bahkan, jika difikirkan dengan akal yang sihat, Allah telah memelihara hamba-Nya yang bisu daripada pelbagai dosa yang tidak putus! Lupakah kita kepada dosa mengumpat, mencaci, memaki, dan memfitnah? Astaghfirullah al-`Azim...sebenarnya, siapakah yang benar-benar disayangi Allah di sini?

Wahai pembaca yang budiman,

Gusar hati ini, sakit kepala ini...memikirkan, dan merasakan, betapa dunia yang kita diami pada hari ini...penuh fitnah.

Satu-satunya ubat kepada penyakit hati ini, yang saya temui, yang saya percayai, yang saya yakini dan pegang dengan sepenuh hati, hanyalah kitab Allah, Al-Quran.

Bukankah pencipta kereta paling arif tentang kereta ciptaannya?

Arkitek KLCC paling arif tentang kekuatan dan kelemahannya?

Jurutera roket NASA paling faham akan prinsip fizik yang memacu kuasanya?

Maka bagaimanakah pendapat anda terhadap pencipta seluruh cakerawala yang dapat dicerap, serta pemilik alam yang ghaib?

Subhanallah, tidakkah kita meyakini kebenaran Al-Quran adalah daripada pencipta kita?

Apa yang sampai ke cuping telinga ini...membuatkanku terdiam. Perlahan-lahan, ia menyesakkan dadaku. Kerana aku teringat akan pesanan Nabi Muhammad saw, bahawa dunia akhir zaman ialah dunia yang penuh dengan fitnah. Aku...tidak dapat menerima hakikat, bahawa aku ialah manusia akhir zaman.

Apabila dunia tidak dapat menggembirakanku,

Apabila dunia membuatku hiba,

Aku berpaling daripadanya,

Dan kembali kepada Al-Quran yang selayaknya.

Kerana hanya kalimah Tuhanku,

ubat penenang hatiku.

Para sahabatku yang dikasihi Allah,

Pada saat-saat fitnah bertebaran di bumi Allah, marilah kita bersama-sama kembali kepada pesanan pemilik bumi ini:

"Wahai orang-orang yang beriman! Jika datang kepadamu orang fasiq membawa berita, hendaklah kamu periksa kebenarannya, (kerana takut) jika kamu menimpakan suatu musibah kepada suatu kaum tanpa pengetahuan, lalu kamu menyesal atas perbuatanmu." (maksud surah Al-Hujurat: 6)

Khutbah Rasulullah Menjelang Ramadhan

بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم

Dengan nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah lagi Maha Penyayang

Dengan lafaz bismillah, saya mulakan.

'Menghidupkan' kembali catatan maya yang usang.

Dengan lafaz alhamdulillah, ku panjatkan kesyukuran.

Kerana nafas masih menderu, nadi tetap berdenyut, dengan izin Tuhan.

Dengan lafaz assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh, ku sambut sahabat dan teman

Yang sudi berkunjung ke ruang mayaku ini, di ambang Ramadhan.

Wahai ikhwan dan akhawat,

Mungkin pada Ramadhan yang lalu, kata-kata ini pernah menyapa telinga kita. (Tersenyum) Benar, seolah-olah hanya itulah yang dilakukannya terhadap kita; sekadar menyapa. Buat diriku, seperti itulah yang berlaku.

Seolah-olah belum pernah kudengari bait-bait kata yang mewangi itu sebelum ini.
Kata-kata dari hati yang paling bersih dan ikhlas, tidak akan ditemui lagi sinaran cahaya seperti itu di atas, di permukaan bumi ini.

Kerana pemilik hati itu telah lama pergi...jasadnya tidak lagi bergerak..bumi sunyi daripada derap sandalnya yang dirindui...bukankah benar ku katakan, sinarannya tidak lagi wujud di atas bumi ini?

Kata-kata yang tidak dapat kucapai melalui mimpi sekalipun..bagaimana mungkin? Mataku tidak pernah bertentang dengan matanya...wajahku tidak pernah bertemu wajahnya. Takdir kami tidak bersimpang di bumi nyata. Namun Ya Allah, kesempatan yang tidak dikurniakan kepadaku, kuharap dan kupanjatkan doa, semoga Engkau dengan rahmat dan kurnia-Mu, menyimpan peluang itu...pada Hari yang tiada tempat lari bagi manusia. Pada Hari manusia semuanya menggigil ketakutan..sepi..tidak kedengaran suara melainkan bisikan..Pada Hari seorang anak tidak dapat menolong bapanya..seorang bapa tidak dapat membantu anaknya..Pada Hari manusia itu dapat memberi pertolongan kepada umatnya..maka, Ya Allah Taala, pertemukan kami di persimpangan itu. Pertemukan kami pada permulaan kehidupan abadi Ya Allah. Izinkanlah syafaat baginda Muhammad ibni Abdullah saw ke atasku, keluargaku, para guru, sahabat-sahabatku, kenalan-kenalanku. Amin, perkenankanlah wahai Rabbul `Alamin.

Walaupun tidak berkesempatan untuk duduk bersama-sama muslimin-muslimat pada zaman itu, untuk bersama-sama mendengar pesanan Rasul utusan Allah acap kali menjelang Ramadhan, syukur alhamdulillah, Allah mengurniakan kesempatan ini untuk kita pula, bersama-sama menghayati pesanan baginda. Subhanallah, dengan kemajuan teknologi berbekalkan akal kurniaan Tuhan, kita mendapat kesempatan yang tidak pernah dibayangkan oleh generasi terdahulu, untuk tetap bersama-sama mendengar pesanan Rasulullah saw, walaupun jasad kita berada di lokasi yang berlainan, walaupun jasad kita bertaburan di seluruh dunia...teknologi telah memadamkan sempadan lautan dan benua, antara negara, dan dalam negeri. Marilah bersama memanfaatkan inovasi jaringan internet untuk 'mendengar' khutbah Rasul saw...di ambang Ramadhan...

Mimbar Masjid Nabawi

Mensyukuri Musibah

بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم

Dengan nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah lagi Maha Penyayang

"Mensyukuri musibah".

Tsunami yang melanda Jepun tahun ini (susulan gempa bumi hampir 9 Richter)

Hmm, seperti ada yang tidak kena dengan gandingan itu? (tersenyum)

(mengangguk-angguk) Ya, mungkin. Syukur itu pasangan nikmat. Bagaimana pula antonim nikmat dapat bergandingan dengan ungkapan pujian kepada ilah? Ish, tak sesuai langsung!

Kronologi Sejarah Palestin

edited on April 26, 2011.

بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم

Dengan nama Allah Yang Maha Pemurah lagi Maha Penyayang

Sejarah.

"Sejarah hanya bermakna kepada Ulil Albab" 

kata Ustaz Syaari.

Allergikkah kita dengan perkataan itu?

Wahai sahabat2ku sekalian,

History doesn't have to be boring. History IS NOT boring..for those who seek to find the meaning behind the story.

Sejarah ialah kisah. 

Kisah2 para Nabi alahis solatu wassalam di dalam Al-Quran yg kita baca dan tadabbur (fahami) setiap hari, ialah sejarah! Mengapakah Allah Taala menceritakan kisah2 itu kepada sekalian manusia? 

"Pada kisah2 mereka itu terdapat pengajaran untuk mereka yang sempurna dan tajam akal fikirannya. Kisah itu bukanlah bicara yang direka-reka, bahkan kenyataan yang mengesahkan apa yang tersebut di dalam kitab2 yang terdahulu daripadanya. Kisah itu juga keterangan yang menjelaskan setiap perkara, serta menjadi petunjuk dan rahmat bagi kaum yang mahu beriman." 
(Surah Yusuf, ayat 111)

petikan drpd buku "Kuasa kepemimpinan al-Fateh" karangan Muhammad Syaari Abdul Rahman.

Sebagai pengajaran.

Sebagai keterangan.

Sebagai petunjuk dan rahmat bagi mereka yang mahu beriman...

Kronologi Sejarah Palestin

Technology Paralysis

Monday, June 21, 2010.

Paralysis. Is a word. That helps makes a sentence.

And so allows my never ending silliness to roam about this blog playland of mine.

Assalamualaikum everyone.

Paralysis is in fact a condition.

In medical terms, I think it can be defined as being physically unable to move the body, due to damage to the nervous system, a.k.a. the spinal cord and brain. The extent of the damage reflects the extent of the paralysis. Partial paralysis means the human is unable to move certain parts of his body, while other parts of the body can still be controlled. Meanwhile total paralysis, which, as the word "total" suggests means that the human is 100% physically incapable of controlling his body's motions. Sometimes, if the damage is so bad, even speech is impossible. Thus, he is alive and breathing but, stuck, literally, on a hospital bed.

However today I'm not going to blabber about medical paralysis. Instead, I'm going to let my dear readers enjoy my own version of paralysis; a technological one.

???

Perhaps your question marks are more than that..(laughs)

I thank Allah Taala for the continuous health that he has given me, for alhamdulillah, I have never been in an accident, nor have I ever experienced paralysis. For those who have lost that cherished ability of walking and even running, even speaking..I simply could not imagine your loss. That is why I continue to say "alhamdulillahi rabbil `alamin". Let's all thank Allah Taala.

alhamdulillahi rabbil `alamin.alhamdulillahi rabbil `alamin.alhamdulillahi rabbil `alamin.
Now, on with my ramblings for today.

You know, I might be lucky, still am lucky, that I never needed to go through the pain of paralyzed people. It's not just the physical pain, I think it's more of an emotional one. Can you imagine, being looked down upon, because you're suddenly different?

A while ago..maybe just a couple months earlier, we were running, playing football, surfing big waves..dancing..and then. That accident. And then, this. What is this? Why are my legs limp? "Move you idiot legs!"

Frustration.

Anger.

Tears.

Pain.

Emotional pain.

Thus, I understand perfectly well, that my frustration yesternight ( a new word haha) was n.o.t.h.i.n.g compared to them.

Still, it was frustration. There's no mistaking that feeling. Oh, you just want to throw that piece of gizmo to the floor!

You raise your hand high..and..fuuh!

No, that's not a smashing sound. (fuuh sounds pretty soft, dont you think so? . chuckles)

I exhaled. Inhaled. Exhaled. A few more times.

Allright I'm gonna make it short. (haha)

Thank goodness, Allah stopped me. Because patience does not come from you. It comes from Allah. From Allah's help. (Tidaklah kamu bersabar melainkan dgn pertolongan Allah - kalau tak silap ini ayat al-Quran. wallahualam.)(If I'm not mistaken, this is from the Quran. Allah knows best.)

Yeah, that techie that I rely upon to call, message people, in short; stay connected. That techie almost lost its life yesternight. Allright2, yesterday night. But had I 'ended' its life, my life would 'end' too.

And why not? I practically depend on it to remember the phone numbers of my peers, family, even my OWN (haha), when before, I have a book to jot everything down, which, by the way, is safe, even when the phone is making a problem.

I inserted important dates and plans in the digital calendar.

Important, VI memos are also stored inside it, reminders, etc.

Like I said, my life practically depended on a piece of technology the size of my palm.
So, imagine..come on, just try to imagine, the..uh frustration, when you can't access it?? Yes, my phone didn't break down, sizzle or simply can't be turned on. Yes, it was on, I can see the front screen. But something worst happened.

What could possibly be worse than your phone blacking out?

Aha..haha. THERE IS ANOTHER, much WORSE scenario. Aha..haha. you see, I'm still recovering from the shock. Aha..haha.

The worst thing that can happen to one particular type of handphone..an ironic one.

Touch screen not responding.

Yeah, well, I did say it was one particular type of phone.

Well, now you all know that it was a touch screen hp that almost met its end, and mine. (haha)

What? It IS really frustrating, when you got a message in the middle of the night, and you can't open it no matter how much you touch it.

Ironic isn't it? You can see that cute little envelope icon on the front screen, yet it just won't go away. It's there to annoy you the rest of the night, because you can't open the inbox, and hence you can't make it go away. (hahaha..tension aku dibuatnye)

What's even more annoying is that you can't vent (lepaskan) your frustration on the phone itself, because the touch screen is just too soft. Ugh..if your hp still has the standard keyboard, then please, I'm begging you..don't ever change it. Please..pleaase don't switch to a touch screen handphone. Cause you're gonna end up being half hysterical (like me), because you can't get off your anger, and because nothing changes, no matter how much you touch it. Aha..haha..I'm still not quite over it.. aha..haha.

Well, that is if and when your touch screen decides to ignore your soft and delicate touches..aha..haha.

Phew! Luckily, my parents were around, so I could borrow one of them's hp (I think the grammar is very wrong :) ) to text back my friend, asking about what she messaged to me. And another lucky thing; I just happen to call her that evening earlier, so her number appeared on the 1st line of my call list, which is still accessible somehow. That's why I knew her number, even though I could not access the DIGITAL phonebook. (long sigh..astaghfirullah al azim..to sigh is not a good thing actually)

And that, my friends, was the story, of my technological paralysis.

Every story, however simple, must have its own values, right. So, can anybody tell me, the values/lessons of THIS story? Anyone?

Me me! (Duh..sendiri tanya sendiri jawab..apa daa..)

Friends,
please, please, do not depend 100% on technology. If you have a hard time convincing yourself, just remember my story, k?

No, really, think about it.

I'm not saying technology is b.a.d. On the contrary, it is good.

It has helped doctors save more lives than before.

It has helped man build more sophisticated buildings.

It's helping me connect with you, right now. Without tech, you and I wouldn't be having this conversation right now. (Not technically, but figuratively. whatever that means. :) )

But, can you imagine, how our lives are going to change if one day, technology collapses?

Impossible you say?

My dear friends, a thousand years ago, people never would have thought that the black oil can make men travel across the globe, in cars, ships and planes.

Then came our time. We made that happen. We traveled far to our favourite vacation spots using the impossible thoughts of the generation before us. And today, this very time, our oil supply is running out. What with the oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, drilling for oil will be treaded cautiously after this. In fact, as President Obama stresses, it is because oil sites are running out, that companies took to the sea to look for oil reserves. And look what has happened. There's just too much risks involved when drilling offshore.

So, what will our children depend on? Certainly not the black gold that we did. No, they are going to have to look for other sources to power our vehicles, or perhaps invent other travelling methods. Go back to the old ways, like horse and carriage perhaps?

Friends, we thought it was impossible for oil to run out. But NOW, it is. It IS happening. In the future, people are going to refer to it as "has/had happened". Surely, we're not going to wait until "has happened" happened?

I don't know. Maybe it's just a hunch (perasaan/firasat). But, what if the very power that powers our laptops, our handphones, our homes, RUN OUT?

What if, one day, electricity runs out?

What will we do then? Slowly but surely, power generators will eventually run out of power too. And then what will happen to the technology that we adore and depend on so much?

The technology that regulates road traffic.

The technology that powers life support systems and dialysis machines in hospitals.

The technology that keeps people connected with friends and news around the globe.

The tech that subsequently depend on electricity itself?

Paralysed people, paralysed.

Which is a cover word for "doomed".

Bumi Mengamuk!

Isnin, Mei 31, 2010.

Alamak! Jaga2 semua, bumi mengamuk di alaf 21 ini!!

Wahai penghuni bumi sekalian, bumi tempat kita menghuni ini semakin menampakkan usianya..kemarahannya terhadap manusia semakin terserlah nyata..

Manusia yang unsur tanahnya berasal drpd bumi..

Patutlah bumi dulu begitu enggan memberikan sebahagian dirinya walaupun dengan perintah Allah Taala..kerana ia tahu, kerana bumi telah tahu..perangai durjana cucu-cicit manusia kelak..iaitu generasi manusia pada hari ini.

Hanya apabila Allah Taala menghantar Izrael a.s dgn kebengisannya, barulah bumi beralah dan memberikan tanah seperti yg diperintahkan Allah Taala. (cerita ini perlukan source citation..tidak pasti kesahihannya, maaf )

Ya ayyuhann naas! (wahai sekalian manusia)

Tidak perlu saya yang berbicara, biarlah gambar2 ini yg menceritakan segala2nya..

Biarlah gambar2 ini yg outline the earth's anger to us humans...

Iceland's volcanic eruption - eyjafjallajokull volcano

Bumi memuntahkan amarahnya...melalui eyjafjallajokull

Abu dan debu hitam dari perut bumi..menyelubungi langit Eropah sehingga membantutkan penerbangan2 antarabangsa

US Gulf oil spill - the worst spill in US history

Video di bawah laut, di telaga minyak yang pecah di Gulf of Mexico, America..terus menerus mengeluarkan emas hitam dari perut bumi..hingga saat ini

Perairan Gulf of Mexico..jalur2 minyak yg seperti dicat atas kanvas - cuma ianya bukan cat minyak, tapi benar2 minyak mentah yang masih sedang mengalir di dasar laut..

Seorang pekerja menyedok minyak mentah di persisiran pantai yang tercemar akibat Gulf oil spill

Penyu malang terdampar di pantai berhampiran oil spill itu..

Tropical storm Agatha hits Guatemala, Central America

Rakaman paras air sungai yang naik mendadak serta arusnya yg deras..selepas ribut tropika yg dinamakan "Agatha" melanda Guatemala dan Central America

Rakaman satelit cuaca, menggambarkan ribut Agatha mengganas..

Akibat ribut Agatha...

Ribuan penduduk bersesak hendak keluar..

Hunza Lake, Pakistan floods

Penduduk di kawasan Hunza, Pakistan terpaksa dipindahkan ekoran empangan Tasik Hunza beransur-ansur pecah..(sebabnya tidak pasti)

Tasik Hunza menenggelamkan perkampungan2 di sekitar Hunza

Apakah ini amarah bumi kepada manusia yang tamak dan rakus..?

Sampai bilakah manusia dapat bertahan dengan kemarahan bumi..?

Bumi juga menampakkan usianya yang teramat lanjut..

Pengakhiran semakin hampir..

Akhirat semakin hampir..

Kiamat semakin hampir..

Namun, persoalan yang patut ditanya kpd diri masing2 ialah..

bukan BILA..

bukan juga BAGAIMANA..

Tapi adakah kita telah BERSEDIA?

Saat ITU makin menghampiri..tapi adakah kita makin menghampiri PENCIPTA?

Atau sebaliknya?

Ambillah iktibar. Wallahu`alam.

Breaking News Around the World

Thursday, May 6, 2010.

Assalamualaikum.

My, what a cold morning..oh wait. The fan. It's static. (aiyaa..)

Just a sec..

There. I've pushed the 'button'? You know, the button on top of the fan, where it makes the head move again..no wonder "it's such a cold morning"..(hahaha)

Huaargh..oops. Sorry. I'm still a bit sleepy..can you believe it? It's almost 9 in the morning and I'm still sleepy..sheesh..

Anyway. The news.

In the last few days, I've been watching al-jazeera at astro 513. Well..actually I only started it yesterday. But I find it is quite a nice way to make you wake up in the morning. What? Don't I get bored?

At first, yes. I don't like listening to the news. The local TV news at least. You all know how I'm "allergic" to politics right? That's why I find our local news soooo bo.ring. PKR...this3x. BN that3x. PAS bla3x. IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT POLITICS. But lately, because of the Thomas and Uber cup for the badminton, and there's also World Cup in South Africa, I guess there's a bit more spice and colour to the news. But, other than that, it's a load of rubbish. Well, other than the politics is fine. But when there's even a tinie-weenie bit of election....OMG. I'd rather watch Ben 10. (It's a cartoon..:) ) Cause if not, my eyes would be rolling about in their sockets 24-7. And I can't get them to stop. (smiles)

But Al-Jazeera. It's good stuff. Anybody with astro should watch it. Channel 513. You will get the latest update, and I think their journalism approach is pretty good and fair. Unlike what you see in Malaysia. (Woaa..talk about disloyalty to me own country)

What? I'm just saying my point of view. Don't I have freedom of speech? Haha. And that's another thing. "Freedom of speech"? Oh, don't get me started on that. Then I'll get all emo (emotional) and I'll NEVER get to the point today.

Allright. (clears throat). Today's point is...(datdadada!) "Breaking News Around the World."

(clears throat again). Ehem. Reporting live from the blue couch, my house, in Maalizia (that's Malaysia in Arabic), 4 minutes to 9.

6 breaking news for you folks, wherever you may be, whatever you may do, I hope you'll have some time to check these latest news...

Actually it's 4 "breaking" news and 2 not so breaking..because they're a bit old (laughs)..

1. Nigeria's president Yar'adua dead

Ouch. That sounds a little harsh, don't you think? Hey, don't blame me, I don't make up the titles here. (smiles) Perhaps the title on Al-Jazeera is so because Mr. Yar'adua already passed away on last Wednesday..em that's..yesterday. (haha..what planet am I on?). Okey, no joking.

It is said that he passed away at 9.00 pm, in which the time I have no idea where, perhaps Nigeria's, just four hours ago, according to the live news just now. He is a muslim, so any muslims out there can recite al-Fatihah, from a muslim to the arwah (in memory of) Umaru Yar'adua.

A sad thing really. For who? For me, and for him. The truth is, this is the first and unfortunately, the last time I'll know this name; Umaru Yar'adua. Yes, I am the youth, well young adults of today. So ignorant of what's going on beyond the borders of Maalizia. Luckily, I have Al-Jazeera to thank for, for breaking my mental walls. That there are actually more things, a lot more things happening around the globe, even as I'm writing.

A little info on President Umaru Yar'adua. He is the first university educated Nigerian president. He is..em, soft-spoken, and clean president. Clean in the sense that he declared his assets before he took office as president, kind of like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the current president of Iran, I suppose. Declaring assets would mean you have to make a statement of how much wealth or treasure? you have. Your own money in the bank, how many cars you own, how much your house is worth, etc. And this is not the normal practice of politicians in Nigeria. So, I guess this dead man that I just knew this morning, is a good man. Good man.

It's funny really. I think it was yesterday (wednesday) that my dad asked,

"Do you know who died today?"

He asked that because I was watching Ben 10: Alien Force at the time when he usually watches edisi7 (the local news channel). Well, I was kind of taking his TV time. (hehe..what? Allright, I DO watch Ben 10. So, what's the deal? What, I don't have freedom of watching TV now? haha..). Ok, the point is, he was testing how much general knowledge I have, because he knows I hate the news. I said, "Dunno (don't know). Who?" But, he as usual would answer a question with another question, "Waa, that one pun you donno ka? (Wau, you don't even know that?)?"

Never mind. I got the answer today. Just felt a little sad though. Because his picture looked like he was really a nice person. I wish I had known him sooner.

2. Greece in Debt - 3 dead in fire at bank.

Well, THIS TITLE I made it myself, so it is not original. (haha).

Perhaps many of us are unaware of this. (yes. we are the adults. of. today. yes. yes. we. dont. know. ANYTHING.- robotic)

Anyway, the last time the world economy spiraled out of control (was it spiraling upwards or downwards?), I think it had something to do with oil prices sky rocketing out of control, and then suddenly became very cheap and kept going down. Well, I'm not really sure of the effect it had on the world's populace, but what we all knew was that a lot of people became jobless, and it was really hard to maintain your job, let alone hunt for a new one.

Then, late last year, most countries world wide announced that the economy is stabilizing bla3. Malaysia's economy looked okay. But hey, what do I know about economy anyway?

But then.

What's this?

"Greece in Debt- ******* billion dollars..bla3.." (the headline was something like this)

GREECE IN DEBT?

I don't believe it. They were saying that we are going to be ok, and HERE was a contradiction. I thought Greece was a rich European city? Well, my info is never that accurate, to be sure. But, GREECE is..just the last place I thought would be..IN DEBT. Why not India, or those other poor countries in Africa? (No offense, Africans and Indians) And thier debt is just in billions of dollars. Hmm..just gets you thinking doesn't it?

Just yesterday, I saw groups of demonstrators on TV, courtesy of Al-Jazeera, in Athens, capital of Greece, I think. Correct me if Im wrong. One of them said something like this,

"We are paying more and more and we don't know where our money went. The money doesn't go to education. The money doesn't go to health care. The money doesn't go to retirement (plans). Hey, I don't know if we're even going to have retirement (plans). "

The society there are marching, protesting that they have to pay more and more, taxes I guess, but the government doesn't seem to "give back" their money, you know? They just could not see where all that money is spent on. And so they march...

And today, a devastating event occurred; a bank in Athens was BURNT, AND 3 PEOPLE DIED IN THE FIRE.

Greece's president, George Parpanderou calls it "murder". Read or watch more about it on al-Jazeera..

3. Oil Spill in Gulf of Mexico

I think this is an even not so breaking news, but I just feel it's important to share. In brief, fishermen who live along the coast of the gulf (teluk) are devastated and they say will hurt this year's income. Because this is the season when the get their INCOME FOR THE YEAR. The "harvest of shrimps and other crustaceans" will be so big at this time of year, the sell of the catch usually hauls in the biggest profits of the year for them.

But now that this oill spill happened (by oil company BP), it will hurt this year's income, they say. And a marine scientist, who I forgot his name, said he worries for the long term effects of the spill and the future of sea creatures in the area. It will surely affect the fishermen's living in many years to come.

BP is sending down a 100 tonne container into the gulf's sea, which is said will contain the spill from further spreading away..however, the need around 24-48 hours to rightly "install" the container. So, residents along the shoreline will have to wait for at least 2 days before the action takes place. Meanwhile, the oil continues to spread..endangering thousands of marine species, and the fishermen's source of income.

4. UK Elections - just hours away

Hey presto! POLITICS AGAIN...but it will be interesting to watch, while my eyeballs get some exercise..oh no! They've already start rolling..and round and round they go...(laughs)

Analysts say it will be a close match between three parties; Conservative Party, Labour Party and Democrats Party. Some say Conservatives will win the most seats, but not enough for a majority, or something. The voting is just hours away now..and the candidates are still doing all those things politician do and I quote

"shaking hands, kissing babies, all that politician stuff"

(laughs..) Oh, I love this line..hehe kissing babies..poor babies..

5. US Open talks with Israel

Well, this is HARDLY BREAKING NEWS. Talk3x. Discuss3x. Go ahead, Waste your time on that round table,when Israeli contractors continue to build away all those so called "settlements" while you politicians babble away. Take your time. Really. Because those contractors will take theirs too.

This is precisely WHY I HATE POLITICS. and anything that has the name of it. Conclusion? I HATE POLITICIANS.

I'm telling the truth. The painful truth. Yesterday, i saw on TV, Al-Jazeera interviewed one of the contractors building the settlements, and they say,

"They ('leaders') can talk all they want, but the fact is I'm going to build these settlements anyway." (Not the exact words, but I'm quite sure it bears almost the same meaning).

Whether those contractors are government-linked or not, they are serious about building the settlements.

An Al-Jazeera reporter was standing at one of the sites and she pointed out that there was already some sort of basic structure for a house, and what's even more alarming is that there was already a piping system, and an electrical system and telephone poles and all other infrastructures of a house. There's your proof.

'Peace' talks are just starting. AGAIN. And all this while, the contractors are as busy as bees, erecting more and more settlements as we are..discussing this fact. Fact. Not lies.

I mean, it's just so ironic that one of Al-Jazeera's headlines TODAY is "US Peace Talks in Israel". But YESTERDAY'S news featured a busy construction site, complete with all those machinery, cranes and all those construction materials. I mean..it's just TOO IRONIC for me.

6. Thailand Red Shirt Protesters - Is There an End in Sight?

Okey. I claim credit for this title! (haha).

Anyway, the point is, I really don't know since when these clashes started, but, for me, the only end the Red Shirts are going to accept is when a Red Shirt Leader is on top of Thai's government.

I .. really don't know what it is that drives them? In simpler words; what is their motive? Yes, of course, they want to rule Thailand for themselves, but..I don't know. Feels like some bigger motive is driving them. I think it's not inappropriate to say that, They're CRAZY.

Why won't they give Abhisit a chance? He seems like a nice leader, well, decent than most. I mean, the last riot was when they elected Abhisit as leader right? Unless, it's only the choice of ONE POLITICAL party only. Then, other parties are not satisfied and so, want their own leader to be up there, in power.

And then, ANOTHER POLITICAL party won't be satisfied, and they will want THEIR leader in power..

Hello? Doesn't anyone realize this is a merry go round??

(sighs)

Except that it's not merry at all. I wonder..how far are The Red Shirts willing to go, to achieve their goals? And what exactly are their goals?

How many Thais will be killed, in a bid for democracy?

Well, that's 6 breaking news for you.

A food for thought; for Malaysians especially; whether you're in the country, or out there somewhere, what are the odds of 'Red Shirt' protesters coming to Malaysia? Not Thais of course, but people of the same goal, perhaps Malaysians themselves, creating havoc inside the country, as part of a bigger picture? We are neighbours after all. It will be kacang (easy) to create havoc here too..

huhuhu..(like an owl)...hoohoo

source:http://english.aljazeera.net/