The Black Hole

A black hole is a "place in space where gravity pulls so much that even light cannot get out." Black holes are often created by the death of a star, when an immense amount of matter is squeezed into an impossibly smaller space, drastically strengthening gravity's pull. Some black holes are as tiny as a single atom — others have a mass equivalent to millions of stars.

Since no light can get out, black holes are invisible. Scientists can only hope to catch a glimpse of a black hole's "shadow." "As dust and gas swirls around the black hole before it is drawn inside, a kind of cosmic traffic jam ensues," — like water draining in a bathtub. That "shadow" is known as a black hole's "event horizon" — and it can be photographed.

Read more here.

The Rover to Probe the Mars

Read more here.

The 'Impossibly Beautiful' Earth

What must we do for Earth to be forever look stunning?

Read more here.

A Friendly Way To Get Rid Of Mossies

This might be worth trying out the next time you're having a BBQ when you got uninvited mossies! It's not a joke!

I was at a deck party awhile back, and the bugs were having a ball biting everyone. A man at the party sprayed the lawn and deck floor with Listerine, and the little demons disappeared.

The next year I filled a 4-ounce spray bottle and used it around my seat whenever I saw mosquitoes. And voila! That worked as well..

It worked at a picnic where we sprayed the area around the food table, the children's swing area, and the standing water nearby.

OUR FRIEND'S COMMENTS:
I tried this on my deck and around all of my doors. It works - in fact, it killed them instantly. I bought my bottle from Target and it cost me $1.89. It really doesn't take much, and it is a big bottle, too; so it is not as expensive to use as the can of Bug-spray you buy that doesn't last 30 minutes

So, try this. It will last a couple of days. Don't spray directly on a wood door (like your front door), but spray around the frame.. Spray around the window frames, and even inside the dog house.

EARTH FRIENDLY TOO???

This will also kill bugs that eat the leaves on your plants, I have tried this before and it works.

Does not have to be Listerine as I used the cheap Kmart mouth wash and it revived my hibiscus plant.

Source: An email from Mr. Simon Ng

Enter the Dragon - Wishes Everyone A Very Happy CNY

恭禧大家新年好 - Congrates Everyone For The New Year

Ketam Mengajar Anak Berjalan Betul

Semalam di dalam satu majlis taklimat persediaan untuk pencen di Shah Alam, bertemu dan berbual dengan seorang kawan rapat yang sama-sama mengajar di sebuah sekolah menengah yang kami amat sayangi dalam daerah Sepang yang juga merupakan sekolah pertama kami dalam sejarah profesion keguruan kami yang bermula kira-kira 32 tahun dahulu. Teringat dengan penuh nolstagia pengalaman suka duka kami sepanjang tempoh yang singkat kami berkhidmat di sekolah tersebut dan berlaku pada satu ketika kami telah bermusuh kerana keakraban kami telah diperlembukan oleh mereka yang tidak senang dengan kehadiran dan sumbangan tugas kami kepada sekolah dan hubungan rapat kami dengan pengetua sekolah, yang terkenal dengan ungkapan God will only help those who help themselves yang diucapkan pada hampir setiap kali perhimpunan rasmi sekolah. Yang aibnya dan amat mengecewakan kami apabila diketahui kemudian pengetua sekolah itu adalah jenis yang kikikukiki dan tidak boleh diharapkan, walaupun warna kulit kami serupa. Sepanjang perbualan kami, tidak sekali pun kami menyentuh atau menyebut perkara-perkara berkaitan dengan pengetua ini. Inilah bukti secara mutlak kebencian dan kekecewaan kami terhadap manusia ini. Sekiranya tidak, tidak mungkin peranannya dalam kenangan kami di sekolah pertama kami memulakan karier keguruan kami disepikan begitu sahaja. Bermula dari situasi itu kami secara tidak sedar membawa haluan kami masing-masing.

Perbualan kami berkisar kepada keadaan kami di sekolah kami masing-masing pada masa kini, dikait dan dicubit dengan nolstagia di sekolah pertama kesayangan kami itu. Perkara yang paling menyentuh perasaan dari cerita kawan rapat ini ialah beliau telah ditukarkan sekolah dari sekolah yang beliau telah lama berkhidmat dan bercadang untuk pencen di situ di Petaling Jaya ke sebuah sekolah di Selayang kerana disyaki sebagai dalang yang mendedahkan penyelewengan berhubung dengan elaun 5% PPSMI yang dilakukan oleh ketua sekolah lamanya.

Diceritakan bahawa ketua sekolah lamanya, seorang yang kononya aktif dan sering tiada dalam sekolah kerana dijemput dalam berbagai majlis ilmu atau tak ilmu, telah diperuntukan jadual waktu hantu (phantom time-table) yang mengandungi mata pelajaran PPSMI yang melayakkan beliau menerima elaun 5% PPSMI. Tetapi pada hakikatnya ketua sekolah ini tidak mengajar mata pelajaran tersebut sebaliknya telah di cover dalam jadual mengajar seorang guru lain. Bermakna dalam jadual waktu terdapat dua orang guru bagi satu mata pelajaran PPSMI tersebut. Tujuannya nyata dapat dispekulasikan adalah untuk melayakkan penerimaan elaun 5% PPSMI. Kawan rapat ini mengatakan tidak mengapalah ketua sekolahnya itu melakukan perkara haram itu. Terpulang kepada kata hatinya menerima gaji haram sedemikian.

Bagaimanapun perkara yang menyebabkan kawan rapat ini menjadi bengang ialah apabila di dalam mesyuarat-mesyuarat guru, ketua sekolah ini sering mengingatkan guru-gurunya supaya sentiasa beramanah dan ikhlas semasa mengajar anak didik di dalam kelas-kelas masing-masing supaya gaji yang mereka terima setiap bulan adalah yang halal dan bukannya gaji haram.

Entah bagaimana pihak berkuasa atasan telah datang ke sekolah kawan rapat ini pada satu hari bagi menyiasat perkara ini. Pihak-pihak tertentu di sekolah telah disoal untuk mengesahkan kebenaran penyelewengan. Seperti kebiasaannya dalam budaya kikikukiki, ramai yang berani dan cakap berdegar-degar di belakang tetapi takut dan bersubahat bila dikedepankan, maka tiada eviden kukuh untuk disabitkan penyelewengan bagi aduan yang entah dari siapa dan kawan rapat ini mengatakan bukan dia yang buat aduan kepada pihak atasan.

Hasil dari siasatan itu, kawan rapat ini bersama beberapa orang geng rapatnya telah ditukarkan sekolah, elaun 5% PPSMI ketua sekolah ini telah ditarik balik tetapi yang menakjubkan ketua sekolah ini dinaikkan pangkat lagi dan bertukar ke sebuah sekolah yang lebih glamour sebagai ketua sekolah juga. Begitulah cara penyelesaian yang sering dilakukan.

Nampak gayanya untuk cepat naik pangkat bagi seseorang yang sudah berpangkat ialah dengan menimbulkan masalah. Apabila masalah ini menjadi benar masalah, penyelesaiannya ialah dipindahkan tuan punya badan berkenaan dan dinaikkan pangkat lagi.

Kasihan kepada yang mereka yang mempedomani 'saya yang menurut perintah', sampai ke tualah masih tak dinaikkan pangkat, sebaliknya sentiasa diperlembukan...

Irony nya, perkara yang paling menjijikkan seperti kata kawan rapat ini, betapa hipokritnya ketua sekolahnya yang mana sering mengingatkan guru-guru dibawahnya supaya tidak menipu dalam tugas supaya gaji yang diterima setiap bulan bukannya haram tetapi dia sendiri melakukan penyelewengan yang membolehkannya menerima elaun haram. Dengan kata lain, gaji dari penyelewengan orang bawahan adalah haram, gaji dari penyelewengan dan salah guna kuasa sendiri adalah halal.

Teringat kepada dua situasi di sebuah sekolah berdekatan: Pertama; seorang ketua sekolah telah sering diadu menyalahguna kuasa oleh guru-gurunya, ibubapa dan masyarakat setempat. Ketua sekolah ini dikhabarkan telah menggunakan connection godfathernya di atas untuk bertahan dan berlindung. Apabila connectionnya di atas itu bersara wajib dan kini tiada siapa yang boleh melindunginya maka sebagai jalan penyelesaian ketua sekolah ini telah ditukarkan secara mendadak dengan kenaikan pangkat ke sebuah institisusi pendidikan dengan gelaran kuasa yang lebih glamour, walaupun bukan menjadi ketua institusi tersebut.

Situasi kedua; seorang ketua sekolah, kebetulan menggantikan ketua sekolah yang ditukarkan secara mendadak itu, semasa beliau sebagai seorang guru biasa, setiap hari keluar dari sekolah dengan motosikalnya semasa waktu bertugas untuk minum/makan pagi, kemudian ke syarikat broker sahamnya untuk berdagang saham atau lain-lain urusan tidak rasmi. Perkara ini diketahui dan menjadi perbualan ramai. Apa pun akhirnya dia juga dinaikkan pangkat sebagai ketua sekolah. Kini anak-anak buahnya secara berkumpulan telah diperhatikan oleh orang ramai sering berada diluar sekolah pada waktu bertugas untuk makan/minum atau melakukan perkara-perkara lain yang tidak rasmi. Apakah ketua sekolah ini nak buat... Kalau diambil tindakan, pastinya anak-anak buahnya itu akan menyoal balik kepada ketua sekolah ini; bukankah awak melakukan perkara yang sama malah lebih berat semasa awak sebagai seorang guru biasa... atau ...tak payahlah nak berhipokrit menegur kami kerana keluar dari kawasan sekolah semasa bekerja pada hal awak dulu pun macam itu atau lebih teruk dari kami.

Salah guna kuasa berkaitan phantom time-table dan situasi diceritakan diatas sudah lama diketahui ramai. Tetapi yang menyebabkan kita muntah ialah apabila sipenyeleweng yang berkuasa itu mengingatkan anak-anak buahnya menjadi malaikat semasa bertugas supaya ganjaran yang diterima halal, seolah-olah ganjaran haram yang dia terima itu halal juga. Ini seperti kata perumpamaan, ketam mengajar anaknya berjalan betul.... kah..kah..kah....

Aduhai.... agama dan nama Tuhan selalu dijadikan perisai bagi melindungi penyelewengan. Elok juga diterima cadangan Tun Dr. Mahathir iaitu menggunakan kaedah bersumpah dengan nama Tuhan bagi membuktikan kebenaran... kah..kah..kah...

Realistic or Not, This is What We are Looking For

This can be achieved if we do not have a colour-centric and kiasu regime!

Wao..! Best Laksa in Penang... Surely Will Go to Try

by Helen Ong

Eh Gao’s assam laksa at the Air Itam Hawker Centre... you’ll want more than just one bowl. — Pictures by Helen Ong

Penang laksa …!. Our very own favourite was last year given an international accolade by CNNGo as one of the world’s 50 most delicious foods. And not just slipping in at the tail end of the list either, but coming in at a very respectable 7th, putting quite a few noses out of joint along the way too.

The tart, piquant gravy, made with chillies, tamarind and flaked fish, ladled over thick white noodles, is contrasted beautifully, both aesthetically and taste-wise, with a large handful of fresh mint, julienned cucumber, pineapple and bungah kantan (pink ginger bud), which give it a refreshing lift. For aficionados, a must-have spoonful of black “hey ko” (prawn paste) is dribbled over it.

Because of the acidity, laksa is typically something that is found in the afternoon, and there are many well-known places that serve it, each with its own followers. A purist myself, I’ve always preferred the original version i.e. without an overwhelming amount of fish; after all, it was traditionally the food of the less wealthy, so there wasn’t much protein to be had.

Slurp some of Mizi’s “Tanjung Bungah Laksa” by the roadside in Shamrock Beach, where he has been selling for nearly 15 years. The light, sour gravy is popular with day trippers who visit the seaside to “makan angin” (holiday).

A bit further away in Hillside, Ah Hooi sells a darker, more intense version, and patrons like to eat this “cham” (mixed) with his Curry Mee gravy, resulting in a soup that is both sour yet “lemak” (creamy).

Rajah’s nyonya laksa is served from the back of his bike; it’s often eaten with crispy spring rolls.

I’m a particular fan of Rajah’s traditional Nyonya Laksa, which he sells every afternoon at the entrance to Prima Tanjung from the back of his vehicle, which comes complete with charcoal burner to keep the gravy boiling hot. People stop by to eat, congregating around his motorbike, occasionally reaching out for a crispy golden spring roll to dip into the remaining soup; this softens the skin slightly yet maintains the crunch, creating an aromatic melange of flavours and textures. The rest of the soup is then polished off, literally drunk from the bowl, every last drop savoured, followed perhaps by a piece or two of yummy green-white Kueh Talam.

Another popular stall is Lee Ee Quen’s at the Taman Emas Kopitiam opposite the Peng Hwa Chinese School on Gottlieb Road, which serves a lighter, sweeter version with plenty of fish. This stall won the recent “Battle of Hawker Masters” in December, voted top out of the 20 or so who took part: no mean feat.

Sin Hwa Kopitiam’s colourful version.

In Pulau Tikus, the Café Sin Hwa is well known, and if you happen to be in Prangin Mall and fancy a break, look out for the small outlet on the ground floor, which is a branch of the famous chendol stall in Lebuh Keng Kwee, Penang Road, next to the Joo Hooi Café. If you can’t find it, just follow your nose: they also do Assam Laksa there.

Over on the other side of the island, Air Itam Laksa is also well known, and Eh Kao dispenses it every afternoon at the hawker centre near the market. There’s also one opposite, where eager patrons slurp it up sitting by the hot, dusty roadside.

Equally famous is the laksa in Balik Pulau; unsurprising as the key ingredients that go into making the delicious gravy is abundant here — belacan and mackerel — and if you drive around on weekends you might see some signs for home-cooked laksa.

Some of the stalls in town have been going for generations. Try the Nan Guang Kopitiam on the main road, where they also do a lemak Siamese Laksa.

Read the original version here.

Another Powerful Earthquake Hits Indonesia!

Powerful earthquake hits off western Indonesia

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (AP) — A powerful earthquake hit waters off western Indonesia early Wednesday, prompting officials to briefly issue a tsunami warning. Panicked residents poured into the streets, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or serious damage.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude-7.3 quake struck 260 miles (420 kilometers) off the coast of Aceh province just after midnight. It was centered 18 miles (30 kilometers) beneath the ocean floor.

People in the provincial capital, Banda Aceh — still deeply traumatized by the 2004 monster quake and tsunami — were rattled from their sleep. They fled their homes and waited outside as sirens blared from local mosques, some hopping in cars and motorcycles and heading for high ground.

Nearly two hours after the quake struck, the local geological agency lifted its tsunami warning.

Indonesia is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanos and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.

A giant quake off the country on Dec. 26, 2004, triggered a tsunami in the Indian Ocean that killed 230,000 people, half of them in Aceh.

Read more here.

Read more here about warning of a bigger scale of earthquake to hit the west coast of Indonesia.

Tan Sri this, Tan Sri that, Dato' this, Dato' that

Edited from steadyaku47

.... All those wives of Tan Sri's ... how do they refer to their husband? Tan Sri this and Tan Sri that!

Even their children refer to their father as Tan Sri when they are talking about their father to other people!

The same with Dato'... every chance their wife gets they will refer to their husband as Dato'. Even with many of us when get the chance to chat with a Dato'. Dato' this, Dato' that...

But for Nurul Izzah ...she refers to Anwar as or her Father...who is what he is! Doesn't she deserve our admiration?

Perhaps This is a Good Reminder to Dictators or Power Abusers

Let there be no more dictators in the new year
by Kim Seo-Kon

Being a dictator is not an easy thing to do in the Internet era

IN 2011, we witnessed the fall or death of dictators in various countries.

In Egypt, Hosni Mubarak had to dishonourably resign from his post after 30 years of ruthless rule, forced out by mass protests by the Egyptian people.

In October, Gaddafi of Libya was killed by angry rebels after 42 years of iron-fisted rule.

Then in December, Kim Jong-il of North Korea, who ruled the country for 17 years, died of a heart attack.

Some dictators were lucky enough to enjoy a long life but most of them have committed suicide, or have been ousted or killed by protesters in the end.

For example, the infamous Roman dictator, Nero, committed suicide after being condemned by the Senate as a “public enemy” of the Roman Empire.

Another notorious Roman dictator, Caligula, was assassinated by his Praetorian Guard officers.

In modern times, Hitler committed suicide after the Third Reich collapsed.

More recently, Saddam Hussein of Iraq was executed after being sentenced to death in court.

In South Korea, too, its two dictators met tragic ends. Syngman Rhee, the first president of the Republic, had to step down and was exiled till his death due to the 4/19 Student Revolution, and Park Chung-hee, who ruled the country for 18 years under a military dictatorship, was assassinated by his intelligence chief.

In ancient Chinese history as well, nearly all dictators have been assassinated or forced to commit suicide in the end. Initially, they savoured the sweetness of absolute power. Gradually, however, they lost power and became too cruel, repressive and corrupt to sustain their rule and were killed by their political foes, dissidents or angry crowds.

Yet, dictators still persist in many Third World countries, relishing political power, persecuting dissidents and repressing people. Naively, they assume their power will be everlasting.

But someday, there may be uprisings and they may be hunted down by mad crowds that chant “Down with Tyranny!” or “Freedom!”

Dictators are easily intoxicated by absolute power and often miss opportunities to give up before it is too late. They are often reluctant to resign from their posts because they are afraid that once removed from power, they may be arrested and imprisoned by their successors.

The result is often a two- or three-generation dictatorship, with dictators bequeathing their throne to their own sons. Or there is another way to be safe and sound after you step down from power; select a simpleton or a weakling as your successor, who then will be either blindly loyal to you, or never indict you out of concern for his own political survival.

However, the age of dictatorships seems to be over now. In this postmodern era in which people communicate via smart phones and iPads instantly, and surf the Internet constantly, being a dictator is not an easy thing to do; you can no longer control information and repress people.

People know what is going on in the world and any piece of news can spread around the globe instantly.

In 2012, we should put an end to dictatorships and bid farewell to all remaining dictators in the world.

It seems all the tyrannical regimes on earth are beginning to collapse here and there and dictators are vanishing from the earth.

In 2012, let there be no more dictatorships on earth! In the New Year, all dictators should be vanished from the world.

Read more here.

Watch People Celeberate 2012 New Year Around the World

Click here.

After 50 Years in School

Source: An email from Simon Ng

Happy New Year

A brighter light is seen as the 2012 is approaching to the fore from the dark surrounding.
For us to see the brighter light continuing to move forward we need to do the dy/dx.

Sincerely from
nklpunya.blogspot.com

If you care to read the wish-list of Malaysians here.