this is so hillarious! :P

I have a good laugh yesterday, it lighted up my otherwise boring afternoon!

I have learned a lesson from a security guard

i was walking to the cyber cafe last saturday night. i parked my car quite far, so i have to walk pass this corner shoplot. there's a guard sitting in front of the shop. it was quite late, about 10pm, so the shop was already closed. i didn't take note what kind of shop is that, how come they have a guard for overnight... must be some big company huh... but, that's not my point. i saw this guard was holding a book and read. on closer look, he does not look local - not chinese, not malay, and not indian too... more like a mix Nepal-Bangladeshi kinda man. and again... that's not my point. my point is the book that he was reading... one glance, i gotta know already, it's a dictionary that he was holding!!! YES, a dictionary! an English-Malay dictionary!!

now, the moral of the story... we always have some stereotypic perception about these foreign workers that they are (sorry if my language is going to be inappropriate!!) lazy, not intelligent, criminal, uncivilized.... well, sorta, and we seldom see the other sides of them. that night, i have the pleasure to witness this - a man, searching for knowledge. he came to faraway land to seek fortune, or some are here simply to survive. they have a tough life back in their motherlands, they do not have the opportunity for good education, let alone comfortable life. yet, this guard that i saw, not only he is not lazy, he grabs whatever chances he got to improve himself.

i was standing there, stunned and somehow motivated!! --- i can do my PhD -- no problem at all!! i can get my resources much easier than the guard, i'm earning much better than the guard, i have my family and frens to support me, i got all the privilleges that the guard would never have... so what am i complaining about my life?? it seems that most of the time, the person/thing that hampers us is ourselves!!

i have learned a life lesson from a guard i met. have you?

Click my life away

Have heard about how good the show is from my students... so when i went in to the cinema, i have had high expectation. ok ok, maybe not high expectation lah... afterall, the students are just youngsters who got excited over small things (haha), and Adam Sandler does not get me go hoo-haa too (btw, i purposely missed the Waterboy so what do u expect huh?), so i was a bit cynical at the beginning. but i do have expectation lah. :P



Half way down the movie, i was really entertained. Sandler holds his forte well, the comedies are fresh and fun, although it could be a bit too "sexual"... but hell, this movies are not for children anyway. i like sundance humping a duck, hillarious! but still until this point of the movie, it is still a commercial film as far as i concerned.

it's only when the remote control went uncontrol, or rather the remote control started to get control, the movie takes a quick turn - plot and style wise - into something not fun anymore. the pace is slow, the characters are sad, the plot are becoming unbearable, the message becomes heavy -- that's the time i started to think about the real message. it is truly about living "now". it's just like a extended version of public service announcement, but it's more fun.



i believe a lot of viewers after watching the film, must have thought about the importance of family, friends and true meaning of "living"... it's not about making more money but at the end of the day have no one to share with, and worse, loosing everything you love and important to get money.

but i also believe that after we walk out from the cinema, and walk back into the busy work life, where the pace is just too fast, where everything cost you money, where everyone around you set target and expectation to you, how many of us still care what message the movie send??

a lot of people think that the movie got huge impact on audience, but in this case, the reality still win! nothing changes really, people still busy chasing money, sacrificing a lot to get promoted. everything changes, yet nothing changes, life goes on!

It got me thinking too, we use remote control to change TV programmes... and while we sit on the sofa and watch them... we are actually clicking our life away... maybe it's time for us to have some real activities to be with our family, friends, and loved ones. :)

my rating: 7.5/10

Vain i know.... hahahahaha! but it's fun!

the first time i disagree with Paul Moss

Yesterday night, i was watching one of my favorite show One In A Million. i followed the programme faithfully because

1. i love watching Dayang's steady performance - it's a total pleasure enjoying the vocal expression of an artist without having to worry about the fundamental technical flaws (pitching, tempo, etc) that always happen to amateurs.

2. i love watching Suki's sweet smile and feeling proud of the ONLY* chinese who make it through. she got a powerful voice and potential image to be a superstar - but she is too nice and perhaps even lack of enthusiasm. her form is getting worse every week - it's worrying.

3. i love watching Faizal's creative approach to songs and performances. his voice is simply amazing, his attitude is so positive... and i was so shocked to find out yesterday that not only is he married, he has got a son!!! BIG plus point. i would be very happy if he actually win the million bucks!

4. i love watching Azfar's outdated style and criticize him "kao-kao" after each performances of him... and yet there are people in the audience who supported him so much! that's so funny... and worthed watching! i can't wait for him to be voted out. and if he really has, you all can be sure that i've contributed enough OUT votes to kick him out!!! hehe...

oh, by the way, i love the show because finally this time they have the OUT vote system... although the system is not really transparent. but can't deny, it's just another way to make more money. and if it's abused, it could actually encourage "hate" culture among viewers - worried!

yesterday, for the 1st time Faizal sang a slow number. and i was touched the 1st part, then he became too technical in the 2nd part, so the genuity was lost... but still i like him and his style. then after singing, he was asked the lame question as of what artists can do the society. this young man said artist are role model and educator, they have to set good example and educate the fans. I was all hands and legs, can't agree more.

Then.... out of the sudden, our beloved Paul Moss yawned... "boring... how about those artists who are so popular but doing all the bad things... (something like that lah)"....

all this while, i have my respect to mr. Paul because of his genuine comments... unlike Syafinaz and worse Fauziah Latiff's fakeness... but this time i just CANNOT agree with Paul... come one... artists are watched by millions billions of youngsters, and they do not have to EDUCATE the crowds, but at least please don't set BAD example and influences to them!!! who said positive message things cannot be entertaining?? it's the matter of ETHIC!!! and don't we dare forget about it!! SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY!!!

any of you disagree with what i said, i'm very worried!! i seriously am!

...to be continued!

* i hate to highlight this, but i really like Ching - the rock&roll barbie who got kicked out during the 2nd chance round. i think the judges (or THE judge) were biased!! No doubt, Zai got big voice, but Ching got the whole package, a totally new brand that will sell!!! the judge(s) was totally blind by their own perception. sad sad sad.

i still remember Syafinaz said she couldn't understand why Ching dress up like a princess / barbie doll, but rock on stage!!! i felt like wanted to shake this lady (syafinaz) to wake her up... come on, please don't continue to be an ethnocentric person... go look at Japanese rock chicks... it's HAPPENING to dress up cute but still ROCK!!! *geram betul*

Please support!!! everyone!!!

文良港 (特别是 wangsa maju 区)治安严重亮红灯，上述地点已被列入黑区。
前阵子发生了多宗撩夺案，地方官员也受促加强保安，可是到目前为止，究竟治安改善了多少？为
何罪案还是不停的上演？凶手还在逍遥法外？
身为一名好公民，我们是否应该挺身而出，为了我们亲爱的家人与朋友的安全发挥小小的绵力，
一起推举这项 万人网上签名请愿活动，促请有关当局做出以下几点：http://%20www.you-zi.net/AskForPeace

Respect or ?

there are a lot of different kind of educators actually. well, i used to be student, and now that i myself am an educator, maybe i shall reflect on this matter. there are lecturers/teachers that we respect, or dislike. so what kind of teachers will gain our recognition, while what kind of teachers will be hated?

generally (thru my observation) there are few categories as listed below:

1. those who treat lecturing/teaching as merely a job. this kinda teacher just treat job as a way to earn money to survive. hence, they normally just do what is required of, and they will do just enough... i will see them as just another normal human being. i respect them for their responsibility.

2. those who treat lecturing/teaching seriously and think they have an obligation to educate the students. this kinda teacher apart from teaching knowledge, they like to develop the students to be a useful person. hence they mix around with student in hope of raising them up. i respect them as they are wiser, i respect like an elder, a friend.

3. those who treat lecturing/teaching as a career. they constantly push education to a higher ground. they raise their expectation from time to time, to themselves and to students. it's very stressful to attend their class, as the students are always behind. i respect them for their passion in searching for knowledge.

4. those who treat lecturing/teaching as a... errr.... joke. these are the people who think education is a business, and students as customers. as long as the students are entertained, and satisfied. as long as telling jokes still work to enliven the class, they don't really care whether they have help the students academically or even personally... these kinda lecturers are lazy and always taking an easy approach to teaching. these people i shall disparage.


there are still a lot of hybrids to the above category. but i think i would like to be the mixture of no. 2 & 3, and i'm working towards achieving them. :)

A sincere message from me to all of my students

To all students:

Thanks for all your presence for the talk, it was indeed a wonderful experience to have Ping. he is a friendly guy, but of course you all should have seen him work - he can be very domineering at time, in fact i think if you ask him, he will admit it.

but by saying that, i'm still kind of disappointed that you all did not show much passions during the talk. you all can be very tired, but at least wipe off the boring faces, and start reciprocating with the speaker! i was particularly annoyed when he asked "how many of you have written script before?" and none of you raised your hand although ALL of you UAMB2023 students have already passed up your scripts!!

one thing Ping asked me during our tea was why there's lack of enthusiasm in the class, i practically told him the students are shy and perhaps lack of confidence... and as a supportive friend, he said he has seen worse during other talks else where... but i know he didn't mean that.

i mean, come on, i got you all one of the best director in Malaysia, and you all just being shy about it? as a broadcaster, we CANNOT be shy. i must have told you a million zillion times about it, you all should have a say, an opinion, a perspective about basically everything... talk!! communicate!! or else you can never go far in this industry.

some of you are going to do your industrial training next year, and hopefully all of you will start thinking what area of broadcasting that you are interested in, and work towards achieving it. Ping doesn't mind having you all working for him, afterall you all are cheap labours (sorry about this truth). but please don't be mislead by the joking tone, you all NEED this opportunity to prove that you are worthed the permanent job!! so you all really have to be passionate, and work hard to achieve it. there's no free lunch, and there's no gain without pain. you just have to DO IT! and please start training yourself up in university. don't be lazy... be focused!

a lot of people will tell you, you should have fun in university, because when you come out to work there will be no more fun... what full of craps!! of course we have fun during university, but while we have fun, we work harder. there's time to work, and when we work, we are damn serious about it. and then come the time to have fun, and we really have fun! that's the correct way...

the wrong way is putting fun as your priority... then in that case you don't work as hard as you play... you learn nothing, and you got a crappy job... ok, you might get jobs, good jobs sometimes, but you will need to work extra hard to catch up with your incompetency -- then of course working life is no fun anymore.

imagine, if you work hard (while play hard) in university, those works outside are made easier, so you can actually have time and the state of mind to relax and have fun too... it's the matter of the balancing act we are talking about here.

ok, i don't know how many of you actually read this post, and make it till this point of the lengthy essay... hahaha!! but that is truly what i want to say to all of you.

so good luck in your final exam, and work hard if you have a dream.

mr. beh.


ps... i didn't quit the industry because i couldn't get used to the pace and the stress... like what Ping jokingly said. hahaha. we pull each other legs sometimes... we always say he is very authoritative too... hahaha!!! but i quit the industry for many other reasons that accumulated and after much thoughts about it... i just want to clarify this thing before some of you think that he's serious about it... and think that lecturing is an easy way out for me. hahaha. but thinking about it, you all better start improving, of else i would just go back to the industry because teaching does not mean anything to me without you all really appreciating it. :)

正面与负面

人的情绪是很微妙的东西。

正面的情绪 - 比如欢愉，知足，乐观，平静，总能开拓视野，看到机会，并能感染身边的人。
而负面的情绪 - 比如消极，悲愤，哀伤，劳累，却会蒙蔽双眼，裹足不前，更能散发不好的磁场。

许多与生俱来的情绪，好比年少的叛逆轻狂，总要经历岁月的洗礼，菱角方能磨平。我们常说要学懂控制情绪，更有人高喊EQ万岁，但真正能把情绪收放自如的又有多少人？

多少憾事，还不是在后悔那一刻的情绪失控？
多少不悦，还不是情绪在作祟？看清事实的真相后，少不免嘲笑当时的小题大做。

在探讨情绪的话题，不妨也谈谈是什么引发某些情绪。我本身还是认为就是“正面及负面”在作怪！

当一个人的脑子充满了负面的想法时，他就
1. 只会注意到不好的事情，因此引发不满的情绪
2. 猜测别人背后的意图不傀，因此搞得自己疑神疑鬼
3. 语气及言语上都不会太好，因此身边的朋友不是受他影响，就是不敢吭声

反之，若一个人心里总是正面的，他就
1. 对一切从容面对，因而得以平静
2. 会看到身边美好的人事物，因而心生喜悦
3. 常善待他人不妄语，因而朋友都乐于亲近

正面及负面说来禅味十足，其实不难了解，但却也做来不易。谁不懂心存正念，但污浊的社会和人群总是每分钟不断的试探及诱引我们跌入负面的情绪及想法。但我还是要相信人性本善，只要我们先明白这些道理，才可能鞭策自己善待自己及他人。我们都要加油！

ps. 今天我相信与友人因误会而在口角上发生了一些争执，双方都不肯退一步。老实说伤了和气，也让我自己的情绪变得相当负面。若你读到了，先说对不起。我突然想到证严法师说过的，对朋友要如同君子之交，我们可能都太熟了，而导致言语上没有忌禅，若真这样而让友情蒙上阴影岂不可惜。

安全走影地带 - 8月份电影欣赏会

从南洋周刊看到这影展的消息，贴上来让更多人知道。
Have read about this film screening info from Nanyang... and think they are good films.... mmm... better than the ones in Japan Foundation one.... hahahahaha!!! so hopefully those interested can go check them out.

movie电影：《昨天》(Yesterday)(2004 南非)
date日期： 19/8/06 （星期六）7.30pm
venue地点： 雪华堂
电影导读： 吉隆坡爱滋支援服务社义工和医生，AiFM《安全考古地带》DJ 张吉安


movie电影：《隐藏摄影机》(Cache)(2005 法国)
date日期： 26/8/06 （星期六）7.30pm
venue地点： 雪华堂
电影导读： 马来西亚注册心理辅导员李志祥，AiFM《安全考古地带》DJ 张吉安


the first film is about AIDS which was nominated for best foreign film in Oscar. i supposed it will be a heart-warming drama, and definitely worthed watching. mmm... this saturday... maybe!

the second film is called "Cache" means "hidden". it talks about voyeurism - well, from france mah - what else can they talk about?? but with Juliette Binoche, it still worthed watching lah!

Mohamed - the undergrad with 1 leg

the second video is about this guy who studies in UUM. he is born with 1 leg, but this doesn't stop him from being happy and achieving things.

now, GuangMing Hero Award is not about great great achievers... the recipients are just ordinary ppl like you and me, but they possess certain extraordinary spirit and determination, gone through some ups and downs, and they show us great humanity... so they are GREAT in some ways!

I have written about him here!

王荣民 - 竞走英雄

This is one of the minidocumentaries that i produced last year for GuangMing Daily's "GuangMing Hero Award". although these videos were produced in a rush, but i watch them from time to time to remind myself of either how lucky i am, i shall not be lazy, everybody should have dream and work hard to achieve it... etc... in short to motivate myself!! just look at the spirits of these people, then we will know that we have not done enough for ourselves, for the society.

so here, i would like to share with you all these videos... starting from this old man. he was 91yo last year, he still very much into jogging and joining walkathons. i cannot imagine myself being as fit as him when i'm his age. and what's more, the prizes and money he won from these runs, he would donate them to charity -- mainly to chinese private schools for their fund... mmm... how noble!!

PhD - think!!!

Met up with a fren this week... she is currently doing her PhD in Japan. and yup, for those who knew me for a long time might still remember that i applied for the Japanese scholarship last year but failed... no no no, i don't mean i want to apply for that scholarship again, in fact i've lost interest in that. but what i want to know is the PhD itself? what is it? what do i need to do?

this girl told me it's hard to do PhD in Japan, a GOOD candidate will normally spends 5 years doing it, and rarely, with an exphasis, they finish it in 3 years.... and they are normally required to attend seminars and workshop worldwide, do lectures and publications are big plus! mmm...

then, another fren who is currently teaching KTAR has already registered his PhD in USM... so i called him while meeting this girl 2 days ago. he said doing PhD in USM, there's no course you need to attend, only spend 3 years writing the research... mmm... that got me thinking... don't PhD researchers need to present papers in seminars, publish books, have public lectures, write articles/researches to journals?? is it only writing that 1 research??

maybe every university has own structure and requirement... maybe even every supervisor has own expectation on their students too... i don't know...

but hey, i've been planning to do my PhD, i mean seriously i can go register in USM like now... but there's a lot of considerations in my mind:

1. do i have enough time to focus on research?
2. do i have enough money?
3. do i plan to put my family and frens aside (for let's say 3 years)?
4. what topic should i do?
5. what do i need to do before graduated?

but i think generally it's no.3 and no.4 hold me back... if only i can and may do it long-distanced (part time), then i can forget about no.3... and that also will take away a lot of my free time that i can spend with my family and fren.

and no.4 REALLY hold me down... i don't know what subjects interest me, and will motivate me to work hard... i would like to continue doing my "national film" topic... or i can switch to research on "blogging" or "podcast/videocast"... but both topics has it's pros and cons, and nothing really excites me at this point of time...

hai...... life's so difficult...

Please give bloggers a break!!

This news came in as a shock to me!!!

Read the news here!

finally this moment has arrived, when the control of the authority has reached blogs... they no longer feel secure with the extramural freedom of speech enjoyed or abused by the bloggers nationwide.

on one hand, i agree that blogs could be abused, and people do spread slanders and arouse dissatisfactions that might hurt the nation's development and harmony. but on the other hand, with this warning of controling bloggers, i'm very worried that the power in our government's hand will also be abused to merely control information that potentially hurt the ruling parties and dominant groups. if now, bloggers feel "safe" to expose cases like violence in UPM, schools and comment freely about their frustrations of the inabilities of the police towards snatch cases etc... they will be afraid of being sued or accused of defamation and slander, and worse -- ISA. in return, a lot of cases will again be covered... or worse, manipulated for their own advantages!!

look, it is only with blogs and podcast and videos online that the majority of the publics got to see the "real" event that day, and finally realized that the mere saga of the "handshaking" drama organized by the UPM themselves without involving the victims (Student Progressive Front )... this would have been easily get passed and forgotten by the general public last time... but now with blogs and videos, ordinary people like you and me are no longer information-handicapped, and hence will be able to understand the truth, and therefore will not be fooled by respective party...

and now, with the control, or warning... bloggers will not be so daring to expose the truth because they are afraid of the lawsuit... how sad it is!!! that for so long, we finally enjoy a bit of freedom of speech and is quickly taken away.

My question is: are the people so naive and easily manipulated by the information they receive? if that is the case, all these years of education really just washed down the drains... and we should start looking into the quality of our schools, and our teaching methods of spoon-feeding. if not, let's start feeding them with a lot of informations, so that our people become knowledgable and intelligent enough to know how to make sense for themselves. BLOCKING OF INFORMATION is not a solution. if it is, we should just banned the tobacco business straightaway if we want to educate the public about the health threats of smoking.

please give bloggers a break!!

Japan Foundation's Film Screening

The film screening is on again. the timetable as below:

1. Pekin no Suika (Beijing Watermelon, 北京的西瓜) 5th August 2006 4.30pm
2. Mainichi ga natsuyasumi (Summer Holiday Everyday, 毎日が夏休み) 19th August 2006 4.30pm

Venue: mini auditorium, MTC, 109, Jalan Ampang, 50450 KL
Contact: Japan Foundation 03-21612104
Transportation:
LRT - Dang Wangi or KLCC LRT Station
Bus - Intrakota No 23,24C,34C Metro No 28
Cityliner No 174,175,176,182,183,185
KL Monorail - Bukit Nanas Station

The screening is free, with the comfortable seats and hall, it's worth going.
For those who want to know how to get there, you may take the LRT to KLCC, once you find your way up to the main road, Jalan Ampang, you should start asking people where to go to ZOUK, or Sekolah Lai Meng. MTC (Malaysia Tourism Centre) is just beside ZOUK, and opposite Lai Meng. Easy bitsy.

This saturday, the film is "Pekin no Suika" directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi, 1989 color. The film is based on true story to follow a greengrocer, Shunzo's experience in helping poor Chinese students. with his generous (obsessive) helps, he got his own business and family into trouble, and in turn helped by the poor chinese students.



don't ask me whether the film is good or not, i will write review only after saturday (if i go). but from the look of the photo, and the storyline, it could be just ordinary. haha. but since the screening is free, if you have time, or want to experience some movies that's out of the mainstream Hollywood, why not?