How do Muslim Astronauts Pray?

I am very free today (actually this whole week!!), so I was browsing Jeff Ooi's blog. Something caught my attention and I read through the whole 33 comments on "MOSTI conference to probe how Muslim astronauts pray"

Facts that caught my attention from this blog:

"For instance, Muslims wash before they pray but not only is water a precious commodity in space, but it is also impractical in weightlessness.

Likewise, the faithful face Mecca. However, that will mean pin-pointing a moving location while in zero gravity.

And Muslim prayer times are linked to those of the sunrise and sunset, but in orbit the sun appears to rise and set more than a dozen times a day. "

Comment that caught my laughters and attention:

1-"While there is still 25% chance that we will not have a muslim astronaut going to space next October, why do they want to discuss about this issue now which might turn out to be a non-issue ? Why not do it only after the final selection is made ? That is provided one of the three muslim men got selected."

2-"This is very interesting. God, the creator of the universe and everything in it, must be perfect in every way.If he gives and edict, it must be universally applicable.If it cannot be unversally applied, then it cannot be god's edict."

3-"So if the astronaut was Chinese would there be an conference to establish the viability of burning joss sticks and other offerings in space?

JEFF OOI says: Another stereotyping that lacks cultural anchorage. Chinese don't burn joss sticks and offerings. Taoists do. Some taoists are Chinese. Chinese are not all Taoists."

4-"Do we realy should send astronaut? i think we should send one whole space ship instead, what kind of thing that they will do in outer space. I think this is just another malaysia boleh project. About the muslim religious activity in space, just bear in mind muslim is a flexible religion in manyways. so i dont think praying, fasting could be an issue for the astronaut. And even if he is muslim first is do he pray or not? "

Sorry... no offence to any Muslim here. But Oh My Oh My.... they are so true and yet so funny to realize it is true~~~

同里--- 一趣点

上星期六到同里水乡玩，回来看照片，没有想到印象最深刻的是这一张。哈！
这是在中国性文化博物馆的门前拍的。据说这是中国唯一的一间性文化博物馆（？）
我们没有进去看，因为时间不够用...现在回想起来，还真有一点后悔。里面肯定很有趣。哈哈~~

按摩师傅要结婚了

我和jay每个礼拜都会到我们家附近的一家按摩中心按一按脚，促进血液循环嘛，哈哈。

昨天，jay 的按摩师傅告诉我们他已决定7月尾或8月头结婚。他平时也时常跟我们提起他和女友的一些小事，去哪里哪里完，等等的趣事。他人也很爽快的那种，所以听到他说他要结婚了，我们也替他高兴。

这又让我们回忆起我们5个月前的婚礼，看似简单，过程却不简单啊。忙忙碌碌的，时间一眨眼就过去了，还记得我最后一个下午还不放过去midvalley做指甲，一定要确保美美的做一个新粮，然后晚上的mini buffet也不亦乐乎的招待朋友，同事，真的很高兴见到他们，因为这一别，还真的要等个一年半载才见面，所以很珍惜。隔天晚上的酒席也很匆忙，忙忙碌碌的化妆，然后吃没几样菜，又忙碌的招待客人，还没来得及一桌一桌的敬酒，最后一道菜已上了，客人也陆续的要离开了。真的像做梦一样快的过程，就这样结束了。回到家其实还蛮饿的，不过因为实在太累了，就吃也没吃饱，睡觉去了。

告诉你们啊，那天太匆忙了，很多人的红包啊，我们都还没来得及看，就交给他妈妈拿来做酒席结账，所以，有一些我根本不知道你们封了多少，哈哈，下一次如果回少了请不要见怪哦！嘻嘻。

结婚，实在是很劳人的事。下次我的女儿/儿子结婚，我会建议他们旅行结婚，简单利落。家人和当事人也不会累死。哈！不过，那个过程现在回味起来，其实还是真的很享受的，尤其是接受家人及朋友的祝福时，我真的很珍惜的。

谢谢你们啊！：）

孤陋寡闻的我今天才从同事的口中知道--中国(基于政治原因）是没有直飞的飞机飞台湾的！ "O

Morning News

This morning, as usual, I switched on TV watching the 看东方 news just like any other days.

I was so stunned to hear such a news. Was thinking weather to put this into blog or not. Scared will stir some uneasiness in some people again, but I guess this one is not "written" by me on my thoughts, I just simply reiterate what I have heard this morning into my blog.

Lately, China government thinks that his people are getting more and more serious in ignoring all the rules on road - crossing roads without following rules and lights. So they placed some policemen at some popular spots to fine people who wrongly crossing roads. However, reporters from 看东方 recorded a few shocking scenes:

1) a lady simply crossing the road, policeman wants to fine her. She kept running/walking away from the policeman. Policeman have to follow her to many many lorong within those small 小弄堂, she kept saying "not only I simply cross the road, why you want to catch me and fine me? 我不服！”the policeman replied, "because 你带头乱过马路！”she still not give up, walk away from policemen across many many lorong. But finally still get the fine of RMB 50.

2) a man simply crossing the road. 2 policemen wanted to fine him, he immediately shouted "我闹肚子！！！”and run to the nearest building. THe 2 policemen looked at each other, stunned.

3) 2 women simply crossing the road, got caught. the lady said "don't touch me!! you have no rights!" hyterically she screamed "why you touched me? WHY?!" the policemen have to tell her to calm down and she has 犯法. She still want to run away, and when policemen tried to calm her down she shoved him away, pushed him rudely 3 times! At the end, the policemen have to use other people force to calm her down and sent her into the police car to bring back to police station.

4) Policeman caught a man crossing road when the pedestrian light is red. He kept arguing that when he was crossing, the pedestrian light is orange, ignoring the fact that there is only 2 colors on the pedestrian light, one is red, the next is green. THere is no orange light. Such argument lasted for half an hour.


Actually, because of knowing people might get fine for simply crossing road from the news since 2 days ago plus the fact I saw from 看东方 that the policeman really will fine people for 犯法, this morning I waited for the green pedestrian light to cross the road. Because of this, I missed the bus (@#$%!). But hey, I really don't have the guts to play hide & seek with policeman, to push the policeman or shout bad words at them or created a lie "stomache" just to avoid getting fine.

Some cool pictures

Never realized one of my fren can paint that well!
Hey Kai Xin, you owe me online advertising fees ;)


Black ones are shadows, white ones are the real camels...
The snap was taken from the top.......
(Thye sent this to Yee Ling alone, luckily Yee Ling share this nice picture with all of us. hahaha... Thye, very pian xin ah~)


好困，不要烦我好吗？

Criticism

This morning Old Law's blog caught my attention, he mentioned one of his friend was feeling uncomfortable after reading most of my blogs are criticizing about shanghainese.

I replied my apologise, and sat back & give few minutes of thoughts about this.

I was imagining myself reading a blog, criticizing Malaysian's Malay laziness, MAS that has bad service and bad service attitude, TNB that says want to raise price but never raise the quality of their service, Maxis that monopoly most of the coverage in one of the IOI owened property but cannot give people broadband connection over there and forced them to take up a 3G that don't know will work or not, Malaysian police that molested suspected-chinese (still puzzled about the real nationality of that smooth skin lady) lady and thus came the popular phrase "lokap girl", etc etc... I was pretending I am a Malaysian, reading all these abroad (actually not pretending, I did read about them), and what's my reactions? I actually don't feel bad or angry about all these criticism, because they are all real. They did happen, and with rational sense, it is not difficult to recognize which side has 道理。I do not feel a single sense of anger towards people who mentioned about all these Malaysian 丑闻，becuase they are not 无中生有，it really did happen.

When I was first residing here, I need to get a so-called "yellow paper" from the local police here to prove that I really live in the shanghai address that I have given, until the real working visa is out. The shanghainese policemen were very nice to me. However, they mentioned something:" your country, the policemen, do not like us?" I asked him if he was referring to the "lokap girl" event, he said yes. I replied, "I feel very bad about it too, and I must apologized on behalf of our mistakes. But perhaps there are misunderstanding too, because some reports mentioned that the girl is not chinese chinese." The policeman then chit chat with me a while, leaving this topic totally behind. We had a great chat, and he said I can speak chinese very well (ok ok.. this is beside the point, hehe). I also praised his country is very "powerful", retail industry is booming, car industry is booming, everything is booming and people's life are getting better and better.

My point is, no country is perfect. sure got 丑闻。But, as a citizen, we should be proud of what the country achieved of course, but at the same time cannot 否认 there are still many things to improve on the ugly side.

Sigh... I guess my this blog perhaps will create some uneasiness on some china chinese again. OK, must 重申，I always criticise that people here are rude, don't line up, spit on the road whenever they like, push people around when walking, talk loudly, etc etc. All these are true for only 80-90% of the population here only ok. My colleagues are nice people, my shanghainese grandparents do not own any of the bad traits here too. So, perhaps is my luck, always let me see the 80-90% of the people with these bad traits - don't que up, push people, bad service, talk loudly, smoke in public, etc etc.

If you are the good 10-20% china chinese who feel uneasy about all my comment before about shanghai, then I am truly sorry. But hey, the incidents all did really happen, I never made up any of the criticizm over here.

4个女人

在上海市的一个办公室里，有着这样的4个女人。

王蔚，老公在北京工作。一个月可能只见着他不到5天。已经35岁了，还没有小孩，这也不出奇。平时她的举止就好像没老公似的，晚上在外跟朋友吃饭，自己找活动。出奇的是，就算老公回来上海的时间，她也不回家吃饭，宁愿跟同事吃饭、按摩、唱K. 玩到很晚才回家。她说她老公回来上海也有他的朋友要见，要玩。

张云，拜金主义者，很现实的一个女人，换男友有如换鞋子，自私自利，就是要自己快乐，7年前被甩的其中一个男人还因为放不下到现在都还没有结婚，每一个月定期看心理医生。张云，一个长的不怎么样的30岁女人，竟然可以搞得男人要生不生，要死不死。最近，她觉得应该找一个男人定下来，可是她喜欢的那个，竟然跟她说他们不可能在一起了，他受不了她的自私，受不了她的脾气。她突然觉得很无奈，第一次被人家甩的感觉原来是这样难受的。

蕾蕾，上两个星期被一个大男人主义的男人，在3天的黄山之旅结束后，4个月的恋情也终告结束。在家哭了2天，然后告诉别人她已康复了。但还是每天带着深深的黑眼圈上班。同事都纷纷在背后说，怎么一个黄山之旅会搞砸一段感情呢？

嘉丽，是个执著的女人。感情一块已空了近3年了，有时看到自己心仪的男人，也因为矜持的缘故，原地不动，结果到现在还是一个人。算命佬说，如果今年她再不结婚，就很难在40岁前可以结婚。她今年已32岁了，为了有婚缘，她不惜老土的戴上了粉色水晶，希望真的可以带来桃花运。

4个感情空虚的女人都在公司掌握不低的职位，这更令她们的选择对象范围大大的缩小。很无奈。

她们决定跟老板反应，叫人来看一看公司的风水，因为他们都坐在同一个方位，背向着窗口，她们深信这样的风水是她们的感情运克星。

老板没答应风水师这一回事，但他带了她们去一年只有2个星期的桃花节走走，希望她们可以占上桃花运。

这4个女人，乍看像是美国的"Sex & the City", 可是唯一不同的是，“Sex & the City" 的4个女人都很快乐的有着自己的生活。这4个上海女人却一点也不快乐。

Haagen Dazs

It was a nice sunny day yesterday afternoon, we had Haagen Dazs at a place called Mei Luo Cheng (美罗城）.

We ordered double scoop, Rum Raisin, and Chocolate Chip flavored ice-cream.

Happily waiting for our ice-cream, it came in very watery condition, like gonna melt in 1 minute kinda situation.

We asked the waitress to look into it. She brought back the 2 scoops later, the only thing different is the sequence of the 2 scoops was reversed. Just now was rum raisin at the bottom, now the rum raisin is at the top. Still very watery. The waitress apologized saying because now is summer time, and the fridge kept opening and closing so the ice cream was not "solid". But she kept stressing that summer time the ice cream is like that.

I almost want to tell her - from where I come from, where 365 days also summer day, the Haagen Dazs there still serve solid Haagen Dazs ice-cream you idiot!!!

But I refrained myself. As my hubby always tell me when I am about to burst everytime, not worth angry at the people who does not even know they are idiot.

Look at this picture, this was just after few scoops taken after the ice-cream was served at our table. Not even 1 minute and the condition is like that, the chinese blame it on summer day. By the way, the Haagen Dazs was in air-conditioning room.

清平调

今天无意的看到〈清平调〉，想起中学美好的时段。还记得那时候，都要死到临头了（SPM) 我们还是尽情的玩乐。呵呵~~

清平调词三首
李白
云想衣裳花想容，春风拂槛露华浓。
若非群玉山头见，会向瑶台月下逢。

一枝秾艳露凝香，云雨巫山枉断肠。
借问汉宫谁得似，可怜飞燕倚新妆。

名花倾国两相欢，长得君王带笑看。
解释春风无限恨，沉香亭北倚阑干。


从来不清楚这诗词的全译。今天才知道，原来是这么的美丽：

云霞是她的衣裳，花儿是她的颜容；
春风吹拂栏杆，露珠润泽花色更浓。
如此天姿国色，若不见于群玉山头，
那一定只有在瑶台月下，才能相逢！

**音乐如没有记错，好像是老罗作的。

做可爱的上海人，从让座开始

最近，上海市政府在提倡一个运动-“做可爱的上海人，从让座开始”。事情是这样的：

有一个中文报的新闻记者目睹了一幕冷漠心寒的情景。有一个年近80的老人在搭公交车时，竟然没有人要让座！

上海人的素质真的需要提高一下。让座，排队，不随地吐痰，等等，要修改的地方实在是太多了。

上海人大概也明白他们的文化素质不能和经济快速的发展享用同一个平台，也老早在提倡“七不”：
1．“不随地吐痰”
2．“不乱扔垃圾”
3．“不损坏公物”
4．“不破坏绿化”
5．“不乱穿马路”
6．“不在公共场所吸烟”
7．“不说粗话脏话”

第6项，“不在公共场所吸烟”，这个根本起不了作用，那些cipet uncle, 还是在任何一个公共场所尽情的抽烟。连我们的中国公司总裁也令我大跌眼镜 -- 有一次出差，酒店里的吸烟房已住满了，服务员给了他一间非吸烟房，他竟然不理会房间的“非吸烟”条规，尽情的在里面吸烟，还事后告诉我们，说“谁叫他们不给我吸烟房”我听了应酬的笑一笑。内心却是大起大落...太可恶了！！！

另外我也觉得应该把：“不随便乱插队伍”“不脸黑黑服务客人”以及“不随便在走过的时候碰差别人的身体”为另外的3不，筹足“10不”才对。

有一次，在一个高架上的一个休息站，看到一条这样的告示“在离开时，请不要忘了您贵重的东西，以及您的同伴”我很是惊讶！难道竟然有人离开休息站的时候离弃或忘了带上他的同伴？哇噻！突然在我脑海里有很多的画面。 妈的，什么地方的人会干出这样的事？！上海，上海人。我的心情久久不能平复。

好男人难找

最近有一个同事时常邀我们一起下了班吃饭，也问我们双休日做些什么事情，言下之一是问她可以不可以一起参与。我们也觉得好奇怪，怎么好端端的一个星期五也要找我们一起吃晚饭呢？她不是有男朋友相陪吗？为了这样，我也舍弃老公2个星期五了，陪着她和其他同事吃饭聊天。我们还说你真奇怪，星期五是拍拖日，你为什么老是和我们混在一起。她淡淡地说，“我SMS他，他没有回，我也不知道他现在在干什么。。。”我们听后都觉得有问题，但都各自使了眼色，不要再问了。。。

今天，在我们无心插柳的聊天中，她终于承认她与他分手了。听着她坚强的口吻说道：“没事的，我也只是哭了2天而已。”后来在我们的追问下，她告诉了我们他多么的大男人主义、多么的自私、追她的时候又有多么的痴情及用手段，等等。我们听了都傻了眼，这世上竟然还有这么自私的男人，高兴时就找你吃饭，吃完晚饭8点钟就坚持把你送回家去，他再另外跟朋友出去玩。大家一起吃饭时，女的不可以多说话，不可以发言。。。 种种不可理喻的要求。然后突然上个礼拜，一起出外去玩了3天，就再也找不到他了，神奇的消失了。好不容易再找到他，他却说什么也不想谈，给他个三两天想清楚。我们同事一个听了，实在忍不住，说了句：“这种男人不得好死，幸好你抽身得早。”我的受害同事只是苦笑了一下。她说她只是担心嫁不出去。其实她还好，只是27岁而已啦！人也长得漂亮。应该很快会找到一个。

只是感慨好男人在这世上，上海也好，美国也好，香港也好（她是香港人），马来西亚也好，是真的很少很少了。希望我认识的好朋友/好女人都可以找到一个适合自己的“稀有动物”。。。

汉武大帝

最近和老公在追看“汉武大帝”这套长片。其实在马来西亚的时候已经看过了。这一回，是陪老公看的。虽然是重新看的一次，但以前令我很感动的几幕，还是令我流眼泪...很替那一些英雄被冤枉而招杀害感动痛心，更为皇上的无奈感到可怜，为皇上的皇太后的冷血与权利的斗争感到愤怒。

张骞在西域漂流了13年，几经辛苦地回到了汉朝的帝国，他拖着蹒跚的脚步，一步一步的经过2000文官与酒席走向皇上，然后跪下哭着说：“皇上...我回来了!" 这一幕，配上壮愁的音乐，令我深深的掉泪...然后皇上心疼地一句：“这13年来，你去了哪里？我想你想了整整13年！”这更令我感动万分。张骞的忠心与恒心，皇上的识英雄的气概，让我深深地感慨万分。

张骞的意志力以及他的忠心，在这世上是难得的了。没有一家公司会在音讯全无的大题下等你13年然后大摆宴席欢迎你的归来，纵然你是在为这家公司出差效劳的时候被掳走或被绑架。也没有一个员工会浪费他的13年为你去一个远不可及的地方、随时会招来杀生之祸的地方帮你去考察文化背景与经商的机会。真是难得！难得！

倒数

开始倒数回家的日子。

还有3个星期，我就可以尽情的脱离上海这粗暴的城市，吃尽我怀念的nasi lemak, roti canai, bakuteh, ban mee, cha kuey teow, 还有妈妈的拿手好菜！！！ 出街也不用担心踩到亮晶晶的痰。Hurray~~~~~

这个假期过后，不知道可以再用什么东西来鼓励自己在这儿活得更快乐一些呢？

南汇桃花节

这是在上海南汇的桃花村拍的。上星期我们公司一起去的，据说是老板忧虑我们公司里的几位经理年龄也差不多了但还没有男友，而特别举办的活动，希望她们可一沾一沾桃花气，走一走桃花运。哈！

这星期在长风公园有一个国际花卉展，我打算和Jay一起去，肯定很多人。但为了目睹世界各地的奇花异草，挤以挤也要的啦！呵呵——

我的脸长圆了。。。唉。。。

爱在菜里

飞机又延误了。不是我说，这中国，真的是人多到坐飞机都会因为飞机排队离开跑道而延误时间。中国的飞机不延误的几率好像中彩票那样难。这倒好，给我一点时间写一写我的blog，呵呵—

离开家的那一天，我深怕我的老公接下来的几天吃不到我煮的饭会没营养（他一定乘机吃快熟面的），所以就匆忙的在赶飞机之前煮好汤（给他补一补）和一个菜及肉，也把水果切好放进冰箱。匆忙地切着、煮着的时候，觉得这感觉好熟悉。愕然想起我婆婆在世的时候，从麻坡来我们家住几天的时候也是这样的，预先煮好几道菜放在冰箱给我的阿公吃，深怕他饿着了。当时我还心里嘀咕着，怪我的阿公怎么这么霸道，不一起跟来我们的家也就算了（他很少出远门的，也不记得他有哪一次是不住在自己的家），干麻还要婆婆辛苦的先煮好菜呢？

现在我明白了，没有人逼婆婆这样做的。这是爱的表现。原来爱情可以是这么的伟大，这么的顽固的：）想着想着，差一点为了煮菜煲汤而赶不到机场。不过迟到也不要紧，那班机到后来也是延误的。