Change the World

If some asked you, "Do you want to change the world?", what would your answer be?

Generally, people would say "Yes, i want to change the world."

Then, what if that someone continued, "How do you change the world?"

At this point, many will start to think twice about their 1st answer. Doubts will creep into their minds. Their inner self whispers to them that they are merely specs of dust in the dessert. There is nothing much you can do. And even if you do, it will not matter much. Because the world around you will not change like you.

In exception for a handful of visionaries and upbeat people with leader material in them, this will probably be the scenario most people come across in life.

Im feeling very motivated to change the world -- thanks to some of the recent happenings in my life. So im spreading the word around. Hoping to ignite a flame of change which will soon spread aorudn the globe. :-D

So...


Will you let the world change you?


Or can you change the world?

But how? Do share you thoughts in the comments.

I would like to hear your ideas that may possibly change the world.

Thanks! =P

I will off light ...

... which loosely translates to i will turn of the lights to support WWF's efforts, through Earth Hour, to make a difference.

However, after being enlightened by mingming, i truly feel this Earth Hour this is getting too overrated. My personal opinion. If you want to save the planet, save the planet. Minus all the fancy mambo jambo that makes the world go round.

Googling, i found this article which i personally felt was extremely ironic. The title read, AN HOUR TO SHOW OUR CONCERN, but the article writes about numerous fun filled activities for the public during the 'blackout period'. Briefly, they are:

"Here are some of the events that you can take part in tomorrow to show your support for the global initiative *:

Cultural performances at Dataran Merdeka, launched by the KL mayor.

Suria KLCC, the first 100 shoppers (with T&C) will be rewarded with a cup of freshly-brewed coffee courtesy of Suria KLCC. 15 lucky avid shoppers who spend a minimum of RM1k will win two grand stand tickets to the Msian F1 GP.

CapSquare will have an eco-bazaar from 10am as well as cheerleading and school band performances, and a charity “Walk of Hope” at 7:30pm. Enjoy low-powered show such as the 18-prosperity drum ensemble, a fire show, tap dance, acoustic performances and celebrity includes Jac Victor, and Jojo Struys.

Mont’Kiara, the finale of the month-long ‘Let’s go Green’ campaign will be celebrated in the dark as students of Mont’Kiara International School will present a sketch and form a moving globe with the creative use of glow sticks.

UCSI University is also organising Dodgeball games for free, themed “Dodge Global Warming” and a free open-air concert featuring live bands. After 8.30pm, a candle light vigil to form a giant number “60” for the 60 minutes blackout. The event is open to the public and is free of charge. (If FOC, tell me who wont be compelled to go?!!)

Starhill Gallery, at Shook! featuring Harith Iskandar, Hans Isaac, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar (oooh, he's a crowd puller!), and young environmentalist and performer Jes Ebrahim, etc. This is by YTL.

i-City, Shah Alam will have a lion dance performance, magic show and cup stacking contest for children as well as other fun activities from 5pm to 9:30pm. Walk in on that day will be chargeable at RM30 per person."

A paraphrased excerpt from An hour to show our concern, The Star Online.

*Does it mean must attend these events only can be said to 'show support for the global initaitive'? =S

Don't get me wrong. Im ALL FOR saving the environment and all that. Im just concerned that this noble cause may be exploited and will lose its main purpose. Then it will be like they say in Malaysia, hot hot chicken shit (hangat hangat tahi ayam -- a Malay idiom meaning immense excitement towards a cause in the beginning, but unsustainable as time passes). Soon, instead of generating and sustaining the awareness, it becomes a publicity stunt for all to enjoy.

Turn off the power for and hour, and then power on for another three hours into the night? Hardly sounds like a good deal to save the planet. =/

Coincidentally, i stumbled upon this article by a reader of The Star. Apparently the reader seems to share my personal sentiment:

"ISN’T participating in WWF’s Earth Hour a bit irresponsible? It’s the perfect example of “slacktivism” - symbolic, with minimal practical effect. Why limit ourselves to turning off the lights for a mere hour every year? Shouldn’t it be our second nature to conserve energy whenever we can?

WWF’s main goal is to raise awareness on climate change. But what message is it sending when Sydney celebrated its Earth Hour with a fireworks show? Tel Aviv, for its part, organised a rock concert, which was powered by pedal generators and falafel oil.

And, one wonders how much energy is wasted in marketing the event throughout the world.

A fellow Malaysian summed it up best: “During the Earth Hour, I’ll turn of my lights then I’ll be driving to the nearby Carrefour. They can’t afford to turn off theirs, can they?”

Rather than switching off the lights for one hour, and then proudly claiming “I did my part”, do what our Government says: ubah gaya hidup (change our lifestyle).

If we’re really serious about minimising our carbon footprint, we should go back to the Stone Age. Then, every hour would be Earth Hour.

AL GORILLA,
Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor."

Copied from See how these campaigns are really done and you'll see the light.

The title has a cycnical ring to it, i must say. :-P

So, what will YOU do from 8.30 - 930 pm on Saturday, the 28th of March 2009? The very day the whole world will experience a worldwide 'blackout'.

Will you uphold this just cause? Are you willing to make a difference?

Get wiser at www.earthhour.org and Earth HourWiki and www.emmagem.com.

I urge you to support this cause because it is the cause. Err, without the frills and thrills please. This would be an excellent time to spend with the family and loved ones, kindling relationships of humanity, probably under candle light, and just look out towards the sky and marvel at the Creator's majesty.

Take this time to find some peace and quite and calm your mind. Take this time to share a prayer with the divine. Take this time to reflect on your life, and how it will be in the times to come. This may well be one of the rare moments in your life. Make the most out of it.

Just my personal advice: for those of you who has never lived a day without power before, I'd highly recommend that you simply take some time to plan ahead for the actual 'blackout'. A little preparation won't hurt, trust me. List out what you can/want to do during that time, and prepare them so that you won't be caught sitting in the dark when the time comes.

That was such a cliche, wasn't it? LOL

Although I will be at a full day business training tomorrow but I'm extremely excited because the organizers will be having a 'session in the dark' too! Just a word of caution, do be careful about the safety of your home and your loved ones. Baddies out there may just be planning a 'visit' during the 'blackout'. Pray that doesn't happen.

So, let's raise the awareness first. Then only we talk about seriously changing our ways to save the planet. Here's to a better tomorrow!

The Bucket List

It's 4.30 am in the morning and i have just cried my heart out.

I have just watched The Bucket List.

This heart warming movie came into my life when my boss needed me to help her download it to be used in a coming business training. I am so moved by it, i can't help but post about it -- at 4.30 am in the morning.

(my eyes are kinda swollen now, so i can't sleep anyway. oh, you know how it is after a cry therapy. =P)

This 2007 movie is a tale of two strangers, diagnosed with cancer and dying, who met in the same hospital ward and later became the bestest buddies who lived what remained of their lives to the very fullest.

Carter (Morgan Freeman), a car mechanic by profession all his life who had been diagnosed with cancer, met Edward (Jack Nicholson) when he too was diagnosed with cancer. Edward was the big boss who owns hospitals after buying them over. They were both warded in the same room, in a hospital that Edward owned.

When the sad news was broken out that each of them had about 6 months to 1 year left to life, both men were devastated. Carter however, being a very knowledgeable man, and one of faith, began to write down a list.

The Bucket List.

It's a list of things for one to do before that person kicks the bucket -- hence the list's name. For the less familiar, kick the bucket also means die; put in the coffin; go to the other world, and things of that sort lah. :-)

Edward was very taken in with the idea of the Bucket List. Being an extremely wealthy man, he sets off with Carter to do the things on THEIR Bucket List. Yeaps -- Edward had some things written on list too!

They wrote things like go skydiving, help a complete stranger for a common good, laugh till i cry, get a tattoo, kiss the most beautiful girl in the world, dot dot dot...

As the movie unfolds, it shows you the true meaning of life and how these two seemingly dying strangers, who later become the best of companions, live their lives to the full. I don't want to spoil the movie here -- you should go download it via uTorrent go watch this spectacular movie to experience its awesomeness hands on.

I'd like to quote from the movie, when Carter asked Edward atop on of the Pyramids of Egypt,

"You know, the ancient Egyptians had a beautiful belief about death. When their souls get to the entrance to heaven, the gods asked them two questions. Their answers determined wheteher they were admitted or not. [...]

#1. Have you found joy in your life?

#2. Has your life brought joy to others? [...]"

So, as you can see, this movie has very strong impact towards how you live you're life while your alive and still able to 'function' as part of the society. I was moved by this very part of the movie, because it just gave me a real reason to truly live. Life isn't really all about you; its a two way thing. It's truly reciprocal.

To top the value ladenness of the movie, both Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson played their part extremely well. Jack was his usual crazy-cynical self, while Morgan was self composed and full of emotion. I swear, Morgan Freeman is one of the best African American (is this term usable? Can someone get back to me on this? I know there must be another more appropriate word to be used in this context =S) that ever existed! I *hearts* Morgan Freeman! XD XD XD

And of course at the end of the movie, i was even more touched. Along the entire movie, it shows you what they wrote in the list and them striking off the ones they have achieved. I thought the moment they stroked out the final item on the list was the most impactful part of the whole movie. I think i cried for the final 3 minutes of the movie. ;,,,,(

You Must You Must YOU MUST!!! Watch it watch it watch it. :-D

YOU! Yesh, you. Go get a pen and write on a paper: #1. Watch The Bucket List. (^^,)

ps. THANK YOU ming ming for this superb video. THANK YOU Shan & Silvia for introducing it into my life. :-P

...


Quickies:
# Streamyx has been really snail speed lately. Its very irritating to blog at such a pace, but bear with me as i am fixing the problem. =/
# Im heading for a full day business training on Saturday and have a wedding dinner to attend on Suday evening. Full weekend. :-)
# I can't wait to get back to play paintball!! XD XD XD
# I could do with more cry therapies in the near future. Any takers? :-D
# I completed and posted this at 5.24 am. It would have been WAAAY earlier if not for my slow moving lappy when resizing the pics. :S
# Of late, i have realized i developed a peculiar habit of blogging at weird hours of the day. I musn't continue. =/

I want a personal domain! =D

I want a personal domain for my blog. Ive been toying with the idea for months now. Good thing i stumbled upon iCalvyn's blog and found out that he was running some FREE domain sponsorship programme. Intrigued, i ventured on.

I was surprised to know that this programme is at its second time around. Only IF i had heard about it sooner, i cud have my own domain by now, God willing. :-)

Anyhow, due to some irresponsible bloggers who apply for it, get selected, and then abondon ship, Calyvn has requested that only SERIOUS bloggers apply this time round. Not necessarily bloggers who look serious and have stares so powerful, it can blot a hole in your shirt. Just those responsible bloggers who take blogging as a passion and do it diligently.

So, quoting from the site,

"If you intent to blog serious, here is a nice program~ Domain & Hosting Sponsorship program

This year, other then iCalvyn.com & MyExHost.com sponsor you domain and hosing, We also invite another new sponsor, PrivateHoster.com to sponsor for us webhosting. Domain & content will fully own by you and you need to achieve the following:

Requirement:
1. You must update your blog at least twice a week.
2. Your must build traffic, maintain at least 100 unique visitor/days at the 6th month and achieve 200 unique visitor/days after 11th month from this sponsorship program (Adjustable depend on performance)
3. You must maintain a sponsor banner and link of sponsor on your blog
4. Write a short story a.k.a review about this sponsorship program on your current blog (Blogspot or wordpress).
5. Your current blog must more then 3 month old, and 5 back link from other blog

Worry to achieve target traffic? Easy like drink water if you follow my tips

Blogger freedom:
1. You can blog any thing, except illegal stuff
2. You can make money with this blog, allow to put ads, write sponsor post. Make money online.
3. You are giving the right control over your domain and hosting control panel.(cPanel) As long fulfill above requirement.

What you get from this sponsorship program:
1. 1 Domain Name(.Com .Net .Org)
2. 1 GB Hosting Space
3. 10 GB Bandwidth
4. 1 MySQL Database (applicant can request to add on)
5. 1 FTP (applicant can request to add on)
6. 1 Mail Account (applicant can request to add on)
7. Cpanel Web Hosting Control Panel

Hopefully the above information make your clear, if you still have any queries, kindly contact me at “ClickMe@iCalvyn.com” with the title “Domain and Hosting Sponsorship Program 2009”

Term and Condition apply
**Sponsorship Agreement will be given to protect your benefit, domain and content ownership.

(Offer valid from 31March 2009 - 31 December 2009)"

Having satisfied the above requirements, i think im in the running to be qualified to be selected for the programme. Since i already polled about my new URL, i guess its only natural that i go for this fantabulous offer! :-D

ps. whats this to do with backlinks ah? I heard about them, but have no idea what animal they are. So if i fail tremendously in this respect, kindly email me to reasses me. Thanks.

LOL

Angels & Demons

I got tagged by ♫╬ Chloe Aldrich ╬♪
(months and months and months and months ago....)

Haha. Sorry, ive been quite busy counting my hair preoccupied with reading lately. Yeaps, you read right... READING! Hey, im surprised myself! LOL

You see, eversince i stumbled upon a FULL PDF VERSION of Dan Brown's 2nd thriller novel, Angels & Demons, which is gonna hit the golden screens soon, ive read at least 7-8 pages of it every night! I don't even remember reading my school books with such intensity last time. :-)

Its just this spellbinding feeling that's hard to describe, but its definitely there. From the whole thing which has 380 pages, im already at page 228. And i started reading just after i got back from Terengganu, which was last Sunday. I started reading on Monday night, to be precise.

Like whoa.. im nearly at the end! NOW i realize some truths when my girl friends tell me they can finish reading Harry Potter or some teen novel in a matter of days. One as such, was my principal's daughter - bright and witty - she finished a 2 inch thick novel in just ONE HALF DAYS. omg. :-)

Sumore, i came across countless new words that ive never seen - let alone pronounce - before in my life!! But it made all the more funn and challenging! At every puzzled word, i Crtl-T and clicked on my bookmarked Miriam Webster Online Dictionary site. I feel a slight incread of my vocabulary already. *bows*

Anyway, its a really nice story, the Angles & Demons. You should really read it. Email me if you're interested for the PDF version, or if you want to save trees and not buy the book. For those really lazy ones small fans of books, wait for the movie then. :-D

It may sound scary - Angels & Demons - but its actually quite thrilling to read. I felt the suspense and even had lip-biting experiences -- all when reading this brilliant novel. Another thing is that all the things, places and people mentioned in the novel, are real in real life! Oh, how i dream to visit Rome one day, and walk in the Path of Illumination myself.. now wouldnt that be a wonder! :-P

All in all, a brilliant novel. From the historical facts to the brilliant plot and how the "then" and the "now" all seems to magically, ingenuously fit together, this novel is a must read! I hope the movie lives up to the expectation too!

Aiyah, see lah. Wanted to quick post a tag wan, now i ter-blabber jabber on about this fantastic novel. haha. Nvm, tag keep for another day then... LOL

ps. to all you ardent readers, updates from Terengganu coming soon yahz.. as soon as i get some V.I.P(ictures) from my boss! :-P

Im back!! XD

Hi all, i just got back from the Kuala Terengganu this afternoon.

More about Sua Rasa TV9 2009 to come, but for now, see what being away from the computer for 5 days is like...

#1. Email:

A whopping 37 unread messages!! Woohoo! poeple out there must realy miss me... nah, not realy, you'll see why below. XD

#2. Blogger:

A modest 2+1 comment which needs moderation. A far cry from the likes of super bloggers like SmashpOp or the like.. :-D

Nevertheless, even ONE COMMENT never fails to cheer my day; it means got people read my blog. Huhuz

#3. Facebook:


Jeng jeng jeng!! We have a WINNER!! With 94 notifications, im sure 3/4 of my 37 unread messages in my inbox came from Facebook! omg. But 9 messages in FB is quite a thrill! XD

#4. Nuffnang:

Last but not least, is my Nuffnang account. Im still at Rm157.20, after cashing out some afew months ago. But my VISITS THIS WEEK has dropped from 500 before i left for Terengganu to about 375 now. Never matter, a few happening posts about Terengganu aughta fix that! LOL

Thank you all for swinging by while i was away. Stay tuned for more about my first time experiences in Terengganu... Bet they'll make you go wuahaha! XD

ps. the order od

NEWSFLASH!!

Newflash! It is now March 2009. XD

#1. THANK YOU ALL for taking time out to do my poll. Out of the many respondents, 40 only in fact, they have voted, in descending rank:

1st - marcusified
2nd - marcustanes
3rd - marcusmania

The rest, although some were personal favorites of some people, didnt fare as well as the top three. Thank you once again, you have all helped me in some way to determine my future URL address. The council shall now deliberate. :-)

#2. My Nokia 6630 fell into a puddle of water last Saturday night, after my super notty cousin hit my right hand with my kendo shinai, minutes away from my front door.

Eager to dry it and get it back on (i had to reply an urgent message), i hair dryer blowed it under the fan and switched it back on in less than 45 mins. It turned on, but says "INSERT SIM CARD". I was devastated!! I so panic, i froze for a while. @_@

I desperately prayed for it to get well. LOL. Fortunately, Reet my paintball friend, told me to blow dry it again and leave it overnight, then power up again. I did so, and THANK GOD its alive again today! *phew*

SORRY for those of you who tried contacting my 012 during the entire ordeal. I assure you, my 012 is back online now. teehee! :-)

#3. I had been feeling kinda hot (no pun intended) lately. Felt feverish and a pain on my lower right jaw. Lethargic oso. Oh, plus the headaches too! T__T

I duno what happened. It MUST be the weather. Its been so hot lately, it feels like ive absorbed the heat!! @_@ My jaw hurt so much i couldnt chew on Saturday night. Swallowing saliva felt like taking a sword down the throat. :S

Been drowning myself with water, herbal tea, coconut juice, fruit juice, 100+ PLUS salt, you name it lar!! My 10 min showers have now been doubled the time. Hayo, i really dont feel good when my mouth is not well. Gaah!!

Now its been 3days since the initial pain. I hope it subsides soon. Pray for me. :-)

#4. My sister's having 1st term exams. And ive been inthe brotherly brother role. That includes being temporary servant at home (lol, joking) and going thru her subjects with her. Heck, im reading Maths, Add Maths, and Chemistry and all for the 1st time in ages, and i went @_@

Then i realized can only help her by showing her how to study smart, note making and all. :-D

#5. I shall be away to Terengganu from Wed - Sun for work. I'll be co-coordinating an event at Dataran Syahbandar, which may or may not appear on TV. Will do my best to update while there. Dont miss me too much! :-D