Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Season In The Sun

Goodbye to you my trusted friend
we've known each other since we were nine or ten
together we climbed hills and trees
learned of love and abc's
skinned our heart and skinned our knees

goodbye my friend it's hard to die
when all the birds are singing in the sky
now the the spring is in the air
pretty girls are everywhere
think of me and I'll be there

we had joy we had fun we had season in the sun
but the hills that we climbed were just season out of time

goodbye papa please pray for me
I was the black sheep of the family
you tried to teach me right from wrong
too much wine and too much song
wonder how I got along

goodbye papa it's hard to die
when all the birds are singing in the sky
now that the spring is in the air
little children everywhere
when you see then I'll be there

we had joy we had fun we had season in the sun
but the wine and the song like the seasons have all gone
we had joy we had fun we had season in the sun
but the wine and the song like the seasons have all gone

goodbye Michelle my little one
you gave me love and helped me find the sun
and every time that I was down
you would always come around
and get my feet back on the ground

goodbye Michelle it's hard to die
when all the birds are singing in the sky
now that the spring is in the air
with the flowers everywhere
I wish that we could both be there

we had joy we had fun
we had season in the sun
but the hills that we climbed were just seasons out of time

we had joy we had fun
we had season in the sun
but the wine and the song like the seasons have all gone

we had joy we had fun
we had season in the sun
but the wine and the song like the seasons have all gone

In my opinion, this song is describe about someone's past living experience, the way he growth, and those people who did play a role in his or her life.

The author might have been betrayed by his trusted friend, that's why he is saying goodbye to him. The author felt guilty towards his father too because he always go to the wrong way. His father then play a role to teach him right from wrong. The author did appreciated his friendship between Michelle and him. He was glad because Michelle always stand by him to listen to his problem and every time when he feeling down, Michelle will always come around.

However, all these wonderful things had all gone now. The author was lost. But he can't bear to leave this beautiful world when he looking at the birds in the sky. In other words, the author does not brave enough to commit suicide although he is feeling bad.




Monday, November 12, 2007

LHP 459

Before I take LSP 459, I thought this is a normal English course. That means I thought we only need to have some group discussion in class as the LSP 300 and LSP 401. But after I taking this course, I found that I totally had a wrong idea about LSP 459 in past.

This is a very interesting course, English of interpretation. We as students are not only required to have group discussion in class, but we also required to have individual presentation, composed a song lyric, held a 'live concert', and done a survey for final report. Besides of this, we also 'celebrated' Independence Day in class through the individual presentation. We presented every aspect which is related to history of Malaysia.

Honestly, I've learned many things after I taking this course which I can't learn in the text book. In addition, I've tried many things that I never try before such as smile at strangers. So, I really like this course.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Japanese Occupation

By February 1942, the whole Malaysia and Singapore was in Japanese hands. The Japanese regime brutalized the Chinese, largely because of Japan's history of conflict with China: up to fifty thousand people were tortured and killed in the two weeks immediately after the British surrender. The Allied were rounded up into prison camps, and many were sent to build the infamous "Death Railway" in Burma and Thailand.

The Japanese occupation is generally regarded as the darkest period of Malaysian history. Life was tough during the Japanese occupation. The Japanese military used rape and comfort women (women forced into sexual slavery). In addition, food quality and availability decreased greatly. Besides a scarcity of necessities of life, there emerged the black markets to supply the necessities in limited quantities at unlimited prices. The currency notes issued by Japanese became worthless due to escalating rate of inflation.

On August 1945, US B-29 bombers dropped two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It had been about 3 years and 8 months since the Japanese first bombed United States naval base, Pearl Harbor. By this time, Japan announced its surrender.

It has been over half a century since the Japanese occupation. And while I do agree that dwelling on the past scars is never a good thing, I often wonder whether there would be any beneficial effect if Japan were to put together a commission to investigate war crimes and lay old wounds to rest. Is that indeed more important to understand and remember, no matter how painful, than it is to forget?

It can't be denied that the Japanese did some of the most dirty and underhanded things during the war, and what they did seriously affected a lot of people. I am not saying that the allies were angels, but they have apologised time and again for their mistakes. They have taken them apart and examined them. The problem here is that the Japanese government will not admit the wrongs that they did during the war, or that they did anything wrong to begin with. Take the whole row about the comfort women, would it be so difficult for the Japanese government to issue an apology to them and give them some form of reimbursement?

The school discipline

School discipline has two main goals: (1) ensure the safety of staff and students, and (2) create an environment conductive to learning. Serious students misconduct involving violent or criminal behavior defeats these goals and often makes headlines in the process. However, the commonest discipline problems involve noncriminal student behavior. (Moles 1989)

These less dramatic problems may not threaten personal safety, but they still negatively affect the learning environment. Disruptions interrupt lessons for all students, and disruptive students lose even more learning time.

It is important to keep the ultimate goal in mind while working to improve school discipline. As education researcher points out, "the goal of good behavior is necessary, but not sufficient to ensure academic growth." Effective school discipline strategies seek to encourage responsible behavior and to provide all students with a satisfying school experience as well as to discourage misconduct.

In my opinion, the principal plays an important leadership role in establishing school discipline, both by effective administration and by personal example. Principal of well-disciplined students are usually high visible models. Effective principals are liked and respected, rather than feared, and communicate caring for students as well as willingness to impose punishment if necessary. For example, they greeting teachers and students and informally monitoring possible problem areas.

In other words, making school enjoyable and interesting for as many students as possible may dramatically decrease discipline problems. For example, by changing instructional practices to accommodate a variety of learning styles.

Saturday, November 3, 2007

Final Project -- SMILE

Before I doing this final project, I thought that's not a big deal for me to smile at a stranger. I thought it's just a smile, nothing more nothing less than that. But after I'm doing this survey, I realised that it's really hard for me to smile at someone who I don't know them totally. I wonder why and how I should smile at a stranger. At the end, i found that is really meaningful for us to smile at strangers after this final project have done.

As far as I concerned, I found that when someone says "he or she doesn't mind to smile at strangers" normally the strangers they refer to the cute girl in the corner, or a handsome guy in front of them. The point is they are willing to smile at the people who they have good first impression. Rarely do people smile at those who actually need it or someone they have bad first impression.

So, here's the challenge for anyone who seriously want to do this, smile at the people that they have bad first impression of and smile at them who are really need. Actually try to smile at the people who we would normally stray away, is not easy.

As we know, an honest look into someone's eyes and an encouraging smile will raise spirits in both of them. It is quite possible that the receiver of a smile will feel wholly better about themselves and perhaps cast off a worry for a while.

And yes, your smile might be the only sunshine they see all day. To you, maybe your smile is just a smile, nothing special. But to them, your smile is very valuable because your smile maybe light up their life. Besides of this, your smile also showing no discrimination to them.

According to a research I found from internet, a person commit suicide every 14 minutes. If everyone smiled at 3 strangers a day and meant it, maybe that number would be one suicide every hour. So, a smile from a stranger might just have saved one's life and saved the life of one's family.

No one is asking you to send 2000 pounds to Bangladesh to saved their life. All you need to do is just smiling at strangers. However, it's possible that this simple action of smiling at strangers will spark conversation. This is because smile, is the shortest distance between 2 people. There's no telling, unless you try it.

A smile never cost anything, you don't have to pay for a smile, even 1 cent. It's cost nothing, but gives much. A smile takes only a moment, but its memory may last a lifetime. Smile brings happiness to the home, cheers to the discouraged, sunshine to the sad and smile is nature's best antidote for trouble. Smile is so valuable, and yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen.

For smile, it is worthless unless until it is given away. If you see someone without one of their own, then send them one of yours; for no one needs a smile so much as he who has none to give. We should always bear in mind that smile to the world and the whole world will smile back to you!

Friday, November 2, 2007

Islam Hadhari

Actually we can said that the government in Malaysia is Islamic based, but it is governs fairly and justly on behalf of all multi-ethnic and multi-religious citizens of Malaysia. The government uses the 10 principle of Islam Hadhari as the guiding principles for establishing good governance in the Malaysian society.

For Muslims, the Islam Hadhari approach considers faith in and piety to Allah as its core basis, and the al-Quran and Sunnah as its source of guidance and reference. The combination of strong aqeedah, shariah, morals and noble values is the basis of planning and implementing human development and system management in order to create an excellent nation and country.

As for those outside the circle of Islam, there are two principles which concern them, namely the principle that there is no compulsion in religion (Islam), and freedom of religion as stated by Allah.

Justice is blind to race, colour, social status, wealth and religion. Islam Hadhari seeks to provide good, just and trustworthy management of the country will create a righteous and advanced country blessed by Allah.

In my point of view, achieving a good quality of life in all aspects is the main goal of the religion. A good quality of life can be achieved if the country succeeds in fulfilling the basic needs of life such as preserving the religion, improving the status of education, providing a peaceful life, the right to own property and giving assurance to the generation of the future. Based on the Islam Hadhari approach, all aspects of the society's quality of life will be developed in an integrated manner.

Besides of that, the educational approach of Islam Hadhari preserves the dignity of human beings without any discrimination and without differentiating between majority and minority groups. The rights of these are protected by country law. As a result, minority groups and women are able to enjoy whatever is enjoyed by majority groups and men. They have the right to participate in the development of the country and enjoy everything that is enjoyed by other races. They can participate in administrating the country, and in economic, social, religious, and political activities.

On the other hand, Islam Hadhari's view of defence is not confined to military strength as it encompasses individual physical and spiritual strength. Military strength will ensure the stability, peace and security of the country, hence ensuring the continuity of the process of development.

The change in the world political scenario and the pressure and humiliation faced by some people today require us to possess military strength and the ability to defend ourselves. The country must have long-term plans and programmes to install the sense of responsibility to defend the dignity of individuals, nation and country. So, it shows that the Islam Hadhari approach will work towards empowering the ummah in order to face the current global challenges.

In conclusion, we should be aware that Islam Hadhari is not just a religion but a way of life for the Muslims. Islam Hadhari is not a new religion. It is not a new mazhab or religious order. Neither is it an effort to seek approval for a more friendly and gentle image of Islam.