EURO 2012 is nigh

It's cliche' and maybe loads have been written on the subject.
But justice must be given to the event. EURO 2012.
So, are you guys watching?


I definitely am. As long as...


A.  England plays.

B.  Rooney plays.

I cannot possibly more simple minded than this, but here I am, proving once more, really am a simple minded dude.

What team are you guys supporting and why?
As for me, why England?
Because I'm so used to watching English Premier League. 

Teachers, you're awesome!

Now, Do you guys know who she is? Well, I just find her very inspiring. Her name is Rebecca Mieliwocki and she was just recently named the National Teacher of the Year in America. 

via

Her down to earth nature, that I find is very impressive can be highlighted through her words here,

“I am not the best teacher in America — there isn’t one,” she said. “All across this nation there are millions of teachers who do the work that I do and many do it better.”

Mieliwocki said that across the country, teachers are working wonders despite the mounting barriers they face.

“Our children are our future and that I have a hand in guiding and shaping that future compels me to make every minute, every lesson, every moment with them count,” she said.

via

Some of the things she did,

1. She wants to make sure every student that she teaches understand what they are learning by going for awesome, cool school projects. 
2. She created a Facebook page so that parents could be updated 24/7 on what's happening. 
3. She sends weekly memos to parents to let them know what's happening at school. 

Well, as this Month is special for our teachers, I like to extend my gratitude and thanks for what you are doing for our children. I do know too, that some of the readers that come here so religiously are teachers themselves. And for that, thank you for your awesome dedication!

Inspiring and Awesome Friday

This picture was taken in 1927, during the Solvay Congress. Try and look at the picture closely, and see whether you recognize a face or two.

Front row, left to right: I. Langmuir, M. Planck, M. Curie, H. A. Lorentz, A. Einstein, P. Langevin, C. E. Guye, C. T. R. Wilson, O. W. Richardson. Second row, left to right: P. Debye, M. Knudsen, W. L. Bragg, H. A. Kramers, P. A. M. Dirac, A. H. Compton, L. V. de Broglie, M. Born, N. Bohr. Standing, left to right: A. Piccard, E. Henriot, P. Ehrenfest, E. Herzen, T. De Donder, E. Schroedinger, E. Verschaffelt, W. Pauli, W. Heisenberg, R. H. Fowler, L. Brillouin. . (Via)

I was reading something on the internet when I found this image. And the author's comment on the picture really moved me. It did!
Here, let me show it to you,

" It is a remarkable collection of talent and I believe you now know a good bit about at least nine of these people. It is important to remember that they were normal, ordinary people. Smart, but no smarter than most of you in the class.

Many, if not most of them showed no particular sign of brilliance as children or young adults. Some did miserably in school. Many were excentric.

If anything set them apart from other people it was their ability to focus on a problem and work at it in the face of frustration and failure. I have every reason to believe that some of you will appear in such a photograph (or hologram) in the future."

The key points are focus and persevere.  What an awesome thing to share on this awesome Friday!
Have a good weekend!

The man with the Peace mask.

I've studied  Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi's life last week. One of the most respected characters that I look up to and respect, for he has achieved India's independence without violence and promoting peace and love as he rallied the Indian people in early 1900.

via

One of the best lines from him would be,
an eye for an eye would make the world go blind. 

We spoke of peace and an end to violence, but if we counter violence with the same equal or greater violence, it would be a never-ending bloodbath.

We can learn a lot from others around the world, don't limit our learning only among our circles. And this man's actions while he was alive was and still is a great testimony to what can be achieved through non-violence movements. 


Malaysia is still young. Don't let our future generation ruin her by flawed upbringing. 

We are both Einstein!

We share the same name! 

When I meet someone for the first time and introduces my name, they would think I'm bluffing.

But to support my claim, I would show them my IC and viola, not lying. Told you that, didn't I?

Carrying this man's name is an interesting journey for me.
Firstly, people would jump to the conclusion that I'm very good in physics. wrong.
Secondly, people would jump to the conclusion that I'm very good in mathematics. wrong.


But we do share some similarities though!
Firstly, we are both pacifist. Pacifist is an objection to war and violence. 
Secondly, we both love philosophy. I am all over the subject! 
Thirdly, we both have problems in classrooms and our teachers! 

I still have many years ahead of me. So hopefully I can emulate his success. Although not a Nobel Prize in Physics, but in Peace maybe? haha

Anyway, what are the similarities do you share with the people your name with? Care to share?

What makes you a great person!

So yesterday, the SPM results were announced for our little brothers and sisters who took the papers last year. How was it? Were your faces pale and white, my dear?

via

But regardless of what you managed to get for the exam, fret not! Worry not! Don't kill yourself just because your result wasn't as good as you had hoped for. That's life. Which makes it fun, really. And might I add, exciting?

I have many friends who failed miserably in their studies, but a few years later are already thriving in their careers, earning way much higher than those who scored perfectly in their exams.

The only thing that you need would be:
Discipline + Focused + Determination + Faith

And you can be like the man in the picture above. :)
All the best!

My favourite quote, by Tom Peter.

"Not to worry Paul. In the long run, the A students work for the B students. The C students run the businesses and the D students have the buildings named after them."

The Red Devil Forever

I have been a Manchester United fan for many years.
And one thing is very clear: whenever we win, I would feel inspired and very happy for the next few days.

But whenever we lose, don't get close to me. Cranky, No Mood and easily irritated. 

via

The days when I have my own kids, is the day they are branded with the logo 
"Manchester United" on their foreheads. 


If it's Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal or Barcelona (Boo!), disown them! Haha!


What's your club?

Tuesday Reflection: Hang Tuah

So, there's the debate of whether, Hang Tuah really existed before or simply a pigment of man's imagination?

Well, whether he really existed or not, I don't think they should omit him out of our national history.
Why? Let me tell you why.


Sherlock Holmes did not exist either. But the British did a good job turning the myth of Holmes into a marketing tool. Why can't Malacca?

As a teenager who grew up listening to the stories of the brave Hang Tuah and his friends, I cannot deny the significance of Hang Tuah in my life in teaching me about loyalty and bravery, something that our politicians lack these days.

So what if he's fictional? I am rather be lied upon for a good motivating story rather than stories pack of lies thrown by our politicians the "warriors" today.

Yes, I am naive. 

Sunday Reflection: P Ramlee in memory

I can watch P Ramlee's movies over and over again.and never got tired.
But today's local acts, watch it more than a couple of times and I don't feel like watching it anymore after that.
What did P Ramlee do to make such awesome movies anyway? The answer for that question still eludes me. 

Epic Parenting is Epic

Image via

Still remember Kate Middleton? The wife to Prince William, yeah, the whole world was crazy over their wedding last year. It was as if it was a global celebration, but it was quite nice having something that everyone in the world looking forward to something as beautiful as this.

So, she's going to be a Princess someday. Something that every girl in the world has dreamed of every now and then.

I bet her mom must be pretty proud to have seen one of her daughters married to the royal family. Now that's what we call a successful investment.

But wait - !

Remember Middleton's bridesmaid?

Image via

It was her sister. Pippa Middleton.

What about her then? Well, Pippa must be jealous that her sister is married to the royal family and "if she can do it, so can I!"

Image via

Recent update on Pippa:
She's currently dating someone who's an heir to the Hogwarts Castle. Errr...what Hogwarts Castle?


Remember this?

Image via

This was where Harry Potter's movies were filmed! How freaking cool is that!?
George Percy is the name who Pippa dates currently. He is the heir to one of Britain's richest and grandest dukedoms!

Image via

Well, their parents have made it big in their lives huh, through the two awesome daughters. Now that's what we call epic parenting is epic!

original image via

If you are being mugged, what would you do?

A few weeks ago, I got the news of my friend's place got robbed while they were sleeping. He told me they(the robbers) had knives and then,later tied all of them so that they could do their business. Well, naturally, we asked, did you think of fighting back at the time?

He then told me he was somewhat petrified at the time. 

which of course, makes sense. 

We can all have these images of us fighting back like Jet-Li or Jackie Chan. But what will happen though - most of the time, we are so stunned at what's happening that we would up doing nothing.

Furthermore, if a guy is pointing a gun at you, why would you ever risk your dear life for the sake of your i-phone? or whatever belongings you have with you at the time. 

It is always best, when we are asked of our money, belongings - forcefully - or in other word, mugged, just give them. Don't fight. It will only invite unnecessary problems. 

So, back to my earlier story. What made it even worse, if my friend had decided to fight back, his family could get hurt IF he didn't make it. Well, it sure is going to invite more violence after that, isn't it?

Mark Wahlberg - the actor was being rather disrespectful when he said he could single-handedly prevented one of the doomed planes during 9/11. You read, I'll add further comment after that. 

HOLLYWOOD star Mark Wahlberg has been blasted by the wife of a 9/11 hero for claiming he could have single-handedly prevented one of the doomed planes crashing. 

The Boogie Nights star, 40, was booked on the United Airlines Flight 93 plane which was hijacked by terrorists — but didn't get the flight. 

The passengers overpowered the al-Qaeda terrorists and forced the jet to crash in Pennsylvania – but Mark claimed the outcome would have been better if he was on board.

The action hero said: "If I was on that plane with my kids, it wouldn't have went down like it did. 

"There would have been a lot of blood in that first-class cabin and then me saying: 'OK, we're going to land somewhere safely, don't worry.'

"We certainly would have tried to do something to fight. I've had probably over 50 dreams about it." via TheSun.co.uk

My only say for what he said, Mr Wahlberg, THIS - IS - NOT - HOLLYWOOD.

Then again, what would you do if you are facing a situation like my friend there who got robbed?Would you fight?

Miss America 2012

I have always loved watching Miss-shows, miss World, miss Malaysia, Miss America and every other show that has a Miss in front. Why? Well, for the hot chicks that are contesting of course!

So, recently Miss America competition has just announced their Miss America for 2012 and the winner comes all the way from Wisconsin. She won the pageant at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas.

What's the name of the beautiful who beat her other competitors? It's Laura Kaepperler! Now that's a name we don't hear every day. And she was announced as winner on Saturday night, where she was also asked a question whether beauty queens should declare their politics and she replied, 

" Miss America represents everyone, so I think the message to political candidates is that they represent everyone as well.  And so in these economic times, we need to be looking forward to what America needs and I think Miss America needs to represent all. 

She even impressed the audience with her opera singing skills that night! Talking about a super awesome woman! 

Well then, what will Miss America be doing this year? Take a look, 

"Kaeppeler wins a $ 50,000 scholarship and gets the title for one year. Her platform during the competition was supporting and mentoring children of incarcerated parents. Kaeppeler was chosen as the winner by a panel of seven judges during a live telecast on ABC. The event was the culmination of a week of preliminary competitions and months of preparations for the titleholders from all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The new Miss America will spend the next year touring the country to speak to different groups and raising money for the Children’s Miracle Network, the Miss America Organization’s official charity." 

Source via: SFLuxe 

So, you guys think Miss America's winner is all about looks? Check out a little bit about her here.

Laura Kaeppeler was named Miss America 2012 on the night of January 14, 2012. Laura Kaeppeler is a Wisconsin native who attended St. Joseph High School and then graduated in 2010 from Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, with a degree in Music and an emphasis in Vocal Performance.  She began working as Director of Music Ministries for Northside Bible Church in Kenosha while teaching music privately, and in June of 2011 she entered and won the Miss Wisconsin pageant. In January 2012 she went to the national pageant in Las Vegas, where she performed an operatic aria to “Il Bacio” as her talent and did the usual wearing of bathing suits and evening gowns. It worked: she was named Miss America 2012.  She succeeded Miss America 2011, Teresa Scanlan.  

Extra credit:

Laura Kaeppeler has plans to "pursue a master’s degree in Speech and Language Pathology," according to the Miss Wisconsin website.  The same site says that Kaeppeler "is a life-long suffering Cubs fan" and is a "coffee junkie" whose favorite movie is White Christmas.

        Source via WHO2 Biography 

The Miss America Organization touts itself as the world’s largest giver of scholarships to women, with about $ 350,000 to be given this year at the national level. -SFLuxe

Pretty cool huh? Exciting.

News and Images source via:
WHO2 Biography
SFLuxe
Washington Post

RP: Bill Gates Has Given Away $28 Billion Since 2007, Saving 6 Million Lives

Well, who says Capitalists are evil?And who says the super rich are merely in the game for the money? Some of these super mega rich are donating and contributing their wealth to social cause - in billions $$! There's the saying, the more you give, the more you shall receive. I guess that's the biggest secret to Gates's secret of success. I am very impressed at these hugely successful people and the way they have helped. And even more interesting is the type of causes they are helping out and if you click on the image below, you'll see that these problems are some of the very serious issues that our modern world faces today. I hope more and more rich and mega rich people out there pursuing these types of approach to life, the way that Gates and his wife have been taking for many years. But I also know a lot of rich people in other parts of the world - not least, my own country, Malaysia are doing their parts to help support social causes. +1 for them and may God bless their souls!

Source: frugaldad.com

Image source via Frugal Dad  &  Business Insider
RP: Repost

Cry, Koreans! Cry!

Red Hawk's Commentary: 

A while ago, I wrote about North Korea. The post was regarding the funeral of Kim Jong II and how the North Koreans cried, and I mean seriously crying. It got me thinking, wow, they seriously loved Kim. One who is not living in the country bound to wonder, why? Why - because of so many stories told of how the country is being run and the people are living in poverty, you can't blame me for being a skeptic, can you? And then, I came across another post that covered the story on the funeral and it became much more interesting after that! 


The news:

Image source: Huffingtonpost

You'd better watch out, you'd better cry. You'd better pout, I'm telling you why: North Korea's punishing insincere mourners, according to the Daily NK.

An anonymous source tells the Daily NK, a South Korea-based publication in opposition of the North Korean regime, that "authorities are handing down at least six months in a labor-training camp to anybody who didn't participate in the organized gatherings" to mourn the death of Supreme Leader Kim Jong Il, and to those "who did participate but didn't cry and didn't seem genuine."

Newser reports that mourners who came off as insincere have already been sent to join the 200,000 other North Koreans already in labor camps. An Amnesty International report published in May 2011 paints a dark picture of what's in store at those camps -- estimates suggest that 40 percent of inmates die of malnutrition.

The exact number of those to be sent to camps is unclear, reports the Daily Mail, but the paper estimates it could be in the thousands.

Image source: Mirror.co.uk

Continue with the commentary: 

Come to think of it, who wouldn't cry and I mean seriously cry if otherwise you would be sent to labor camps as punishment?Now that's taking the drama to a whole different level! Can it be that they were crying not because of Kim Jong but for the sake of their lives? It's not impossible, right? 

Let's take a look at the picture above. Who didn't cry sincerely?? Report them!

News Source: via HuffingtonPost 

RP: The gorgeous girlfriend of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich

Red Hawk's Commentary: 

Well, money seem to have it all. The Russian billionaire and also, I'm sure you guys know about it - the Chelsea FC owner has a rich girlfriend. But it's not some old rich women - it's the daughter of a Russian oligarch. In case you guys forgot, oligarch is a form of a government. And what's more - the girlfriend is also an entrepreneur! Wow - now, that's a life normal people cannot imagine. By normal I mean, those who do not have millions or billions written on their bank statement. 

The news:

Dasha Zhukova appears to have it all.

The gorgeous girlfriend of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich and the daughter of another prominent Russian oligarch, it would be easy for her sit back and enjoy all the riches life has handed her.

But Zhukova, 30, is not just another extraordinarily rich girl. She's an entrepreneur with an eye for fashion and art.

Her latest project, a fashion rag called Garage, is slated to hit newsstands next month (in time for Fashion Week) and has the art and editorial worlds abuzz.

One of three covers of the inaugural issue features a NSFW photo of a woman's privates tattooed with a Damien Hirst-designed butterfly, and the content is also provocative and strange. Readers of issue #1 will be treated to a veggie-themed fashion spread, for example.

The New York Times explains:

In a newsstand environment dominated by digital perfection, Garage stands out because it looks almost handmade. The type is an amalgam of fonts, set to appear randomly. Some pages are pure mystery, like a spread that shows a dress called “Lettuce by Alexander McQueen.” It appears to be made of romaine, a creation by Ms. Battaglia and the photographer Fulvio Bonavia. Also included is a Prada dress made of citrus and a Moncler coat of anchovies.

Of course, it's not all work and no play for Zhukova. She leads one of the most fabulous lives imaginable.

Source: Via Business Insider
RP: Repost

RP: 23 Successful People Who Wake Up Really Early

Red Hawk's Commentary: 

Now anyone of you wishes to be a CEO of a multinational company? Can I see anyone raising there hands please? For those of you who did raise your hands, well done. You are ambitious indeed! But before that, why don't we take a look at the 23 successful people who wake up really early to start their days. 

But is successful a term suitable for these workaholics? It depends on how one defines success, isn't it? However one look at it, every one is different and these corporate figures know what they are pursuing in their lives. 

Let's take a look, shall we?

Apple CEO Tim Cook

Note:


Cook is known for getting up and sending out company emails at 4:30 in the morning, according to Gawker's Ryan Tate. By 5 AM he can be found in the gym. And he works late too, priding himself on being the first in the office and the last out.

Avon Products CEO Andrea Jung

Note:

Jung wakes up at 5 in the morning and goes to the gym before getting to her desk at 8, says Forbes.

Disney CEO Robert Iger

Note:

 Iger told the New York Times he gets up at "4:30 every morning." He takes the quiet time to do a number of things, claiming to read the papers, exercise, listen to music, look at email and watch TV all at once. Even though it's quiet time, he's "already multitasking."

Former Presidents - George HW Bush & George W. Bush

Note:

The first Bush would get up at 4 a.m., go running, be in the office by 6 a.m. and stay up until 2 a.m. "He was a horror," said a former White House nurse who had to try to keep up with him.

The second Bush kept a similar schedule, going to the office by 6:45 a.m. and often holding meetings at this ripe hour, according to The NYT.

So did W. Bush's cabinet. Colin Powell put in "perfectly appalling" hours, arriving to the office at 6 a.m., and not leaving until after 7 p.m., according to his former students. Condoleeza Rice woke up every day at 4:30 in the morning in order to get to the gym before work.

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz

Note: 

Schultz starts his day with a workout, which is usually a bike ride with his wife, but still gets to the office by 6 a.m., according to Portfolio.com.

There must be something about Starbucks that makes people want to do this, as president Michelle Gass wakes up at 4:30 every morning to go running, and has done so for 15 years.

Must be all the coffee.

RP:  Repost

Source: via Business Insider

To read more on who are the other 18 successful people, click here!

Who to vote in the upcoming General Election 2012?

Different when compared to the United States - the people get to pick their Presidents. Thus why, it is called as the Presidential Election. Whereas in Malaysia, it's known as the General Election, we are choosing which party would be in power and the party members in return would pick the Prime Minister who would lead the government.

Back in 2008, March - the Malaysian opposition led by Anwar Ibrahim gave a real hard slap on the government when they won so many seats that was never witnessed before. For once, the opposition is presenting a credible threat to dethrone them. 

The government, led by D.S. Najib Razak has tried very hard to counter the opposition with new projects, improving performance and take the people's voices into consideration much more seriously.

The opposition, on the other hand, has been pictured very badly on mainstream media. They seem to be performing badly and every little mistake that had been committed seemed to be magnified a 100 times over. But it's no surprise - it's not news. There's internet and thank God there's internet we can now gain more insight into what these politicians have been performing. 

Roughly, if I were to join forums or read online newspapers, the audiences are pro-opposition, but looking at the non-virtual world, the current government has much of their support coming from rural folks and of course, Sabah and Sarawak. 

But judging from the last state election that took place in Sarawak, it was evident once more that the urban folks seemed to incline towards the opposition while in the rural, they stood no chance competing against the state government.

So, the question is, who to vote in the upcoming general election?

The best we could do is to judge and make our decision based on facts, figures and performance. 

In the run-in towards the election, I will be presenting what the government has done since 2008 as well as the opposition's achievement. Both sides deserve to be judged fairly. 

So, stay tuned for more updates!

[R-P] Women are a mystery to Stephen Hawking

Washington: Stephen Hawking, who has decoded some of the most puzzling secrets of the universe, has revealed that for him women are the only enduring mystery of the universe he has found impossible to crack.

This is what the cosmologist said during an interview with New Scientist magazine for his upcoming 70th birthday, when asked what he thinks about the most during the day.

“They are a complete mystery to me,” CBS News quoted him as saying.

As for the world, the 69-year-old has left one mystery to be solved –how he managed to survive so long with such a crippling disease.

The physicist was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease when he was a 21-year-old student at Cambridge University. Most people die within a few years of the diagnosis, called motor neurone disease in the U.K. On Sunday, Hawking will turn 70.

Lou Gehrig's disease, also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, attacks motor neurons, cells that control the muscles. Patients typically suffer muscle weakness and wasting, become paralyzed and have problems talking, swallowing and breathing. Only about 10 percent of patients live longer than a decade.

People who are stricken at a young age, as Hawking was, generally have a better chance of surviving longer. Most people are diagnosed between 50 and 70. Life expectancy generally ranges from two to five years after symptoms like slurred speech, difficulty swallowing and muscle weakness set in.

For some reason, the disease has progressed more slowly in Hawking than in most.

“I don’t know of anyone who’s survived this long,” Ammar Al-Chalabi, director of the Motor Neurone Disease Care and Research Centre at King’s College London, said.

To mark his birthday on Sunday, Cambridge University is holding a public symposium on “The State of the Universe”, featuring talks from 27 leading scientists, including Hawking himself.

 [R-P] : Repost

Article Source:   

http://zeenews.india.com/news/space/women-are-a-mystery-to-stephen-hawking_750782.html

The Global President

Global President. This may not be the first time the term is used, but I just feel this is worthy of mentioning to keep us informed that there is indeed whenever an election took place in a country, a global president is hence, elected. But which country am I referring to? 

Isn't it obvious?

Which country has the most significant impact on the world?

The United States of America.

Perhaps still too vague, isn't it? Okay, let me explain just briefly. 

I'm now walking along the street in Kuala Lumpur and from my rough observation, the people are holding I-phone, the laptops that are used by the young professionals sitting in Starbucks are Dell and Apple, the OS they are using is Windows (mostly) or Linux, the lines lining up at the exchange rate counters are people with US Dollars, the sandwiches they are chewing are Subway's. Should I explain a little bit further?

Whether we like it or not, American way of living have spread too deeply to the other side of world has shown that through the invention of internet and therefore, access to Youtube, Google, Facebook and Twitter have enabled us to a wealth of information we think very hard to acquire, aside from being very expensive in the first place! 

Thus why, the Global President. That's why, whenever the Americans are rallying to show support towards the candidates whom they wish to vote for, the whole world is watching. 

Why?

Well, one thing we have to remember, the United States is still today's biggest economy in the world. Their decisions affect the political scenarios that are currently taking place in Middle East, Europe and the Korean peninsular. 

So, way back in 2009 when Obama was elected president, Chuck Raasch of Gannett Washington Bureau said in an article, 

It is too early to judge the trip as a policy success or failure. Tough economic challenges still loom, and the ambitious goals Obama set out while on the trip, from nuclear arms reduction to a closer relationship with Russia, could wilt in the fires of competing geopolitical interests.

So, it is no wonder when President Obama won the presidency who showed lots of promise during his election campaign and eventually won the election, the world cheered and welcomed him. They saw in him a beacon of hope that they did not see in former President, George W. Bush. 

When an elected candidate won the election in the United States, the world expect the President to manage the country well financially because financial breakdown in the US would cause significant economic ripples throughout the world. 

When an elected candidate won the election in the United States, the world wants to see how the President would go about with his foreign policy. Would the president work hard to improve the image of America abroad or bringing it down further?

Therefore, the Global President is not just a president to the people in the United States but also representing the lives of the 7 billions on this planet. 

That is why, who ever holds the Global Presidency is someone who not only must be able to withstand the pressure from the Americans but the whole world at large.

That is why, when the presidential election 2012 that will take place this year in November, the whole world will be watching...

Clive

(Image source: www.essence.com)