Balance is the Key to Life

One Day,

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students, if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again, if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full, The students responded with a unanimous 'yes'.

The professor then picked two can of beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand.

The student laughed ... ... ...

"Now" , said the professor as the laughter subsided, ' I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things, - your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favourite passions. If everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be FULL.

The pebbles are the other things that matter, for instance, your job, your house and your car.

The sand is everything else, those small stuff.

'If you put the sand into the jar first, there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. If you put the pebbles into the jar first, there is no room for the golf balls.' The same goes for LIFE.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

Spend time with your parents, visit your grandparents. Take your partner out to dinner, play sports. Do not worry, there will always be time to clean the house and mow the lawn.

Take care of the golf ball first, the things that really matter. Set your PRIORITIES. The rest is just sand.

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Beer represented.

The professor smiled and said, 'I am glad that you asked'. The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for couple of Beers with friends.


True ? Well, depends on you  ... ...  I would say, 'YES' :)

Innate Beauty of Human Beings that may have LOST

An anthropologist proposed a game to the kids in a African tribe. He put a basket full of fruit near a tree and told the kids that who ever got there first won the sweet fruits.

When he told them to run, they all took each others hands and ran together, then sat together enjoying their threats. When he asked them why they had run like that as one could have had all the fruits for himself.

The kids replied: "UBUNTU, how can one of us be happy if all the other ones are sad ?"

' UBUNTU ' in the Xhosa culture means : " I am because , we are ".





Adopted from Gregg Braden

《人性的 ， 太人性的 》生活

十六岁那年开始，我踏上了一个人奋斗的旅程，告别了家乡，离乡背井的到都市去求学。高中毕业了以后，又一个人漂洋过海，到英国伦敦去深造。大学毕业以后，又一个人的回到马来西亚工作，同时也展开了不一样的挑战。那就是在工作之余，还得继续报考《英国女皇御用会计师》的执照。

渐渐的工作了两年多的时间，发现很多时候我都会不开心，不快乐。在我还没离开家乡的那段时间，虽然，生活平淡，朴实，没有太多物质上的享受，但是终觉得过得还不错，很充实，很开心。

记得在那一段时间，有做不完的课业，补不完的学习，很多校内校外活动，不时还会当活动司仪，主办一些活动或生活营，等等。我问问自己，我那时忙吗？真的还挺忙的。

话说回来，现在的我忙吗？忙！一直都在忙于工作和念书。但是，生活上的确少了很多不一样的精彩。

《人性的， 太人性的》书里的一段话：

[ 不快乐的原因之一，就是感受不到自己的存在价值，自己所做的事没能帮助到别人。所以很多老人成天忧愁寡欢，也有很多正直青春的年轻人活得不快乐，因为他们觉得自己很没用，无法对社会有所贡献。因此，想要获得快乐就是帮助别人，乐于付出，才能感受到自己存在的意义，享受最纯粹的喜悦]

一年之计在于春，2014 年刚刚开始，在新的一年里，希望可以学会付出，更能够享受那最纯粹的喜悦。哪怕，我的工作给不到我那一份快乐，我还是有很多选择，很多方式去找那份喜悦。既然，我在两年前选择了这一道具有挑战性的生活经验，那我就得把她克服，从中获得最大的收益，活得精彩。“路 是自己选择的，跪 着也得走完它”。坎坷的路，一定不比平淡的路好走。Our body might get hurt due to the choice we opt. But, shouldn't there be something that worth we are fighting for? In deed, it is very sad to have nothing worth fighting for ! 

希望在新的一年，每个人都可以精彩，过得比往年好。

一起奋斗，一起努力，一起开心，一起伤心，一起欢笑，一起落泪。一起 《生活》。

508 人民之声 - 驱走黑夜 - 迎接黎明

马来西亚人民心灵里的那团火又在一次被点燃。马来西亚人，我为你感到骄傲，我以你为荣。505 烂权剥夺了我们每一个人的希望，光明正大的打枪人民的权力。506 我们一起经过了马来西亚最黑暗的一天。每个爱国的子民都带着一股哀伤，忧愁去上班。这种感觉就像我们失去了自亲的感觉。但是，更值得我们欣慰的是，我们不怕痛，不怕伤，我们一起跌倒了，现在，我们又一起站起来， 继续往前冲，继续为马来西亚的前程而奋斗。

感恩前线的朋友，谢谢前线的领袖们，在一起带领马来西亚人民站起来，拨开乌云，创造彩虹。《暮色里也会有七彩的彩虹》。508 集会，让我们看见了人民追求改变而不死的决心。就算，天不做美，交通拥挤，来自全马的人民都集在一堂，呐喊出心中的不满，和平地抗议不公平，不公正，不公开的选举。

 一图胜万言。看见马来西亚人民有多团结吗？这才是一个马来西亚人的马来西亚。种族区分，肤色争论，一切都是有心人自造出来恐吓马来西亚人民的天大谎言。看见了，马来西亚人民的团结是值得全世界敬佩和感到骄傲的。我们是一个文明的国家，我们不支持暴力，战争，我们以和平的方式抗议，争取应有的权力。我们不是恐怖分子，我们是一个进步，有思维的国家，但是“Beh tahaN" 缺把马来西亚好的一面给偷了，反而不停的制造丑闻扬威全世界。谢谢你 “Beh tahaN"为我们创办了一个舞台，好让我们有今天的机会，轻易的抓住全世界的关注，把马来西亚好的一面献给世界各地的人民，让他们和我们一起看齐马来西亚人民的精神和勇气。

继续奋斗，勇往直前

我爱我的国家 - 马来西亚

1758 - 马来西亚人的选择

2013 年最令人关注的莫非与马来西亚第十三届大选。

这次的大选可以被列为自从马来西亚独立以来，最激烈的一次战斗。

人民开始醒觉了
人民不要再被欺压
人民已经厌倦金钱政治
人民再也看不过那些野蛮，愚蠢，五知，卑鄙，下流的领导
人民不想再有一个浪费的政府

人民要一个更美好的马来西亚
人民要自己决定自己的未来
人民要一个和谐及安全的国家
人民要一个清洁，没稀土的避风港
人民要一个经济稳定，有社会文化的国土

在历史学里，没有一个执政团可以胜过于平民百姓。人民是一个国家的栋梁，是一个国家的脊椎。人民的力量是无限的，只要人民团结，国家就会变则通，通则行。

（一）国家领导层滥用权力，剥夺新闻自由，言论自由。主流媒体更是被国家领导层利用，扭转事实。所以我们选择了58

（二）国家领导层目无王法，为所欲为，欺压平民百姓。在一个原是和平的428集会，一个马来西亚人最骄傲的合法集会，人民无辜的受罪了。男女老少，都被那些霸权及残忍的领袖折磨了。所以我们选择了58

（三）一班只会吃喝玩乐唱跳赌嫖骗诈的领袖，哪来的本事治理好一个国家。所以我们选择了58

（四）国家的领袖不但要有远见，还要有一颗慈悲爱民如子的心。可悲的是，我们已经很久被感受的您的诚意了。领导只是会照顾自己秘密户口的存额，再也看不见那些日日夜夜在劳动的平民。所以我们选择了58

（五）马来西亚应有的发展蓝图就因为严重的贪污给迟迟的延误了。马来西亚应有的进步却被泡汤了。一旦如此，受苦的是平民。想想过去的十年，我们的国家有进步过吗？你的家乡有改变吗？十年 ！近年来，物价飘升，生活费大增，国债不停的上升，但国家还是没有凸现的进步。这些借来的钱，投资不当，贪污，导致没有回报。 所以我们选择了58

（六）这么多年来，我们渴望着一个公平，公正，人人平等的国家。但，我们就是等不到。所以我们选择了58

等等

改朝换代，告别腐败 ！谈何容易？

改了就会变好吗？改变是好还是坏？- 但是不该就一定是不好。所以我们别无选择，我们选择了58

无论5月5，是否能够换政府？希望，接下来领导国家的领袖们，能够遵守承诺，实现一个马来西亚人的马来西亚。让我们渴望已久的愿望能够实现。

政府，希望您能够加强你党派的政治，不要被一些害群之马把您给摧毁了。若有害群之马，就因立即赶出门户，拒绝从政。绝不能，再走和以往一样错的路！

P/S：Leave the stage, when the curtain falls

Great Thoughts

Great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.


True Story >>>
A sweet lesson on patience.

A NYC Taxi driver wrote:

I arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a few minutes I honked again. Since this was going to be my last ride of my shift I thought about just driving away, but instead I put the car in park and walked up to the door and knocked.. 'Just a minute', answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor.

After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940's movie.

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets.

There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard
box filled with photos and glassware.

'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman.

She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb.

She kept thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I told her.. 'I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be treated.'

'Oh, you're such a good boy, she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address and then asked, 'Could you drive
through downtown?'

'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly..

'Oh, I don't mind,' she said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice.

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't have any family left,' she continued in a soft voice..'The doctor says I don't have very long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.

'What route would you like me to take?' I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator.

We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.

Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm tired.Let's go now'.
We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico.

Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move.
They must have been expecting her.

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

'How much do I owe you?' She asked, reaching into her purse.

'Nothing,' I said

'You have to make a living,' she answered.

'There are other passengers,' I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug.She held onto me tightly.

'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said. 'Thank you.'

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light.. Behind me, a door shut.It was the sound of the closing of a life..

I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day,I could hardly talk.What if that woman had gotten an angry driver,or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?

On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life.

We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.

But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

Brazil Overtakes UK's Economy - 2012

Brazil, the largest Latin American economy and one of the so-called Bric nations together with Russia, India and China, has seen its economy soar in recent years, with growth far outpacing the US and western Europe, but sending inflation higher.

The currency, the real, fell 11% against the US dollar last year.

That is after two years of huge gains - up 5% in 2010 and 34% in 2009. The currency is worth more than double what it was 10 years ago.

With substantial oil and gas reserves continuing to be discovered off Brazil's coast in recent years, the country is now the world's ninth largest oil producer, and the government wishes to ultimately enter the top five.

Brazil has about 190 million people, in contrast to the UK's 60 million people.

And the country has struggled with inequality. The country's Gini coefficient, a measure of income inequality, peaked at 0.61 in 1990 - but 2010's figure was a historic low of 0.53.

Absolute and relative poverty have declined in recent years, especially in the past decade, during which the poorest 50% saw their incomes go up by 68%, according to the Getulio Vargas Foundation.

The country will host the 2014 World Cup, and Rio de Janeiro will be home to the 2016 summer Olympics.

As an overview, the rule of thumb in order to avoid a nation's economy falling into the boundary of crisis is to continue producing goods and services (i.e physical output). Easy route should be re-assessed before embarking on it. A country should not merely rely on the financial instruments, and gain from "paper works" while paying less attention to the importance of physical production.

母亲节， 你了解多少？

刚刚通过 MyFM 听到了很多关于母爱，奉献的歌曲。有些非常经典，有些旋律老陈，但每一首歌都可以深深的打动我的心。虽然，没有办法和家人一起庆祝伟大的母亲节，但是对母亲的爱，尊敬，敬佩，感恩还是一样的不会少。希望，我妈妈及我干妈都开开心心，工作顺利。当然，最重要的是身体健康。

对我而言，母亲节是一个提醒我们要感恩的日子。很多时候，我们都因为工作或种种的原因无法陪伴母亲，有些甚至连母亲的养育之恩都给忘了。当然，我们不应该只在母亲节才孝顺母亲，每一天，做每一件事前，想想如果我做错了，我的母亲会如何，会怎样？常常提醒自己要自爱，因为自爱就等给与父母亲的爱。天下的父母不企求从儿女身上赚取任何的利益，他们只希望他们的儿女们能够好好的生活。我觉得，最好孝顺父母的办法就是“好好的生活”，懂得照顾自己，不做违法的事情，不让父母担心，及关心父母。简单的一句我爱你就行了。很多年了，我都没有勇气对我妈妈说我爱你，这次，我开始了第一步，我发了个简讯，告诉我妈妈，I Love You 。 虽然不是亲口告诉你，妈妈，但我是打从内心告诉你，我真的爱你，很谢谢你给我生命，给我教育，抚养我长大。“打骂我最多的人，就是成就我最大的人”。谢谢你妈妈。

愿全天下的妈妈母亲节快乐

起源

母亲节起源于希腊，古希腊人在这一天向希腊神话中的众神之母赫拉致敬。古希腊人每年春天都要为传说中的众神之母、人类母亲的象征--赛比亚举行盛大的庆祝活动。但这时还未形成母亲节。在17世纪中叶，母亲节流传到英国，英国人把封斋期的第四个星期天作为母亲节。在这一天里，出门在外的年青人将回到家中， 给他们的母亲带上一些小礼物。

现代意义上的母亲节起源于美国，由安娜·贾维斯(Amanm Jarvis,1864－1948）发起，她终身未婚，一直陪伴在她母亲身边，母亲死于1905年，贾维斯悲痛欲绝，两年后（1907年），贾维斯和她的朋友开始写信给有影响的部长、商人、议员来寻求支持，以便让母亲节成为一个法定的节 日。贾维斯为子女经常忽视了对母亲的感情，她希望母亲节能够让人多想一想母亲为家庭所付出的一切。

第一个母亲节于1908年5月10日在西弗吉尼亚和宾夕法尼亚州举行，在这次节日里，康乃馨被选中为献给母亲的花，并以此流传下来。

现代母亲节

1913年，美国国会通过了一份议案，将每年5月的第二个星期天作为法定的母亲节。母亲节从此流传开来。

母亲节是由一位名叫贾维斯的妇女倡导，并由她的女儿安娜·贾维斯发起创立的。

贾维斯夫人是一个有着10个子女的母亲，是当时美国格拉夫顿城教会主日学校的总监。在美国以解放黑奴为目的的南北战争结束后，她在学校里负责讲述美国国殇纪念日的课程。贾维斯是一位心地善良，极富同情心的女人。她讲述着战争中那一个个为正义捐躯的英雄的故事，望着台下那一张张充满稚气的孩子们的脸，一个想法猛然涌上心头：为祖国贡献了这么多英勇战士，保证了战争胜利的，不就是那一个个含辛茹苦地抚育着子女的母亲们吗？她们的儿子血染疆场，承受了最大的痛苦和牺牲的，不也是这些默默无闻的母亲吗？因此，她提出应该设立一个纪念日或母亲节，给这些平凡的女人一些慰藉，表达儿女们对母亲的孝思。可惜的是，这个良好的愿望还没有实现，贾维斯夫人便与世长辞了。她的女儿安娜·贾维斯目睹母亲抚养自己和兄弟姐妹成人的辛劳，深感母亲的提议是适合天理人心的。因此，她写出了几十封信，发给美国国会。地方州长和妇女组织等，提议创立母亲节。在她的一再呼吁下，这一提议得到了社会上的广泛响应和支持。

1914年，美国总统威尔逊郑重宣布，把每年5月的第二个星期天，也就是贾维斯夫人的忌日，定为母亲节。美国政府还规定，母亲节这天，家家户户都要悬挂国旗，以表示对母亲的尊敬。由于贾维斯夫人生前喜爱康乃馨花，这种花也就成了母亲节的象征。

母亲节是个充满人间温情的节日，这一天，家里的男成员要把全部家务活都包下来，儿女们每人都要做一件让母亲高兴的事，以尽孝道。即使远在异地的孩子，也要打电话向母亲表示祝贺。这一天，美国人民都要在胸前佩上一朵花。母亲健在的，佩戴一朵红色的康乃馨，表示欢愉；母亲逝世的，戴一朵白色的康乃馨，表达哀思。

母亲节创立后，也得到了全世界各国人民的支持。安娜·贾维斯在世时，设立母亲节的国家已达43个。时至今日，欢庆这个节日的国家就更多了。母亲节，已经成了一个名副其实的国际性节日。按惯例，“国际母亲节”被定在每年的5月11日举行。

Can Malaysians behave like Japanese during calamity

Let's take a look at what happened in Japan when the earthquake and tsunami struck.The tragedy is still unfolding. The pain and the suffering and the great loss to human lives and property are well observed. Humanitarian efforts in full swing. But, the most amazing thing that unfolded before our very eyes is the discipline among the Japanese people.

One email making its rounds accurately summed up the 10 best traits observed in this tragedy.

Among them:

There was dignity: The people queued up for water and groceries and not a rough word or a crude gesture was observed.

There was grace: The people bought only what they needed for the present, so everybody could get something.

There was order: There was no looting in shops, no honking and no overtaking on the roads. Just understanding.

There was tenderness: Restaurants cut prices. An unguarded ATM is left alone. The strong cared for the weak.

There was conscious: When the power went off in a store, people put things back on the shelves and left quietly.

In similar situations elsewhere, tragedies like this have often brought out the best and the worst in us.

Our humanitarian outreach, our concern and our prayers remind us we are decent human beings. The downside is that looters run riot, business people spike up their prices, and people grab more than what they need.

Here we are thankful that we are not put to the test but if you look at things objectively, you may not have much hope that our people can be as disciplined as the Japanese.

It is a perennial problem for us (Malaysians), come festive seasons, for some essential items to be suddenly scarce or to even disappear from the shelves. We have to regularly enforce laws against profiteering.

When we "balik kampung", we break all the traffic rules to get to where we want to go.

Cutting queues seems to be a national pastime and the fact that we can even subscribe to a service that tells us if we have a traffic summons must surely imply that we do consistently break the law and just hope we don't get caught.

Isn't it scary to think what might happen if we are faced with tough situations where our personal behaviour can have tremendous ramifications on overall civil order?

The secret, I believe, is to behave right in good times so that it will be natural to do likewise in tough times.

We need to understand the concept of sacrifice for the greater good. Then our nation will be a greater society, and we can be a great people.

adopted from The Star On-line

创作 ： “ 一首情歌”

原曲：黄明志（麻坡的情歌）

修词：李顺伟 /勋惟

我不会胡言乱语 也不会特意的玩弄你

我没有做错决定 我要和你在一起

我没有Mercedez 但我可以和你去看风景

我们可以去云顶 去看夜景

到 1U 一起去看电影

我真的要用甜言和密语 来告诉你我非常喜欢你

我要手牵着你的小手 看那浪漫流星雨

让你知道我的心意

我真的要用甜言和密语 来告诉你我真的很爱你

只要跟你一起 我下定决心我只爱你

你是我的唯一

我不会假装爱你 也不会特意的告诉你

可惜我就是开不了口 让你知道我爱你

只要能在一起 你会发现我什么都愿意

你不爱我 我不会去勉强你

我只会默默的守候着你

我真的要用甜言和密语 来告诉你我非常喜欢你

我要手牵着你的小手 看那浪漫流星雨

让你知道我的心意

我真的要用甜言和密语 来告诉你我真的很爱你

只要跟你一起 我下定决心我只爱你

你是我的唯一

我会对你专一 不会三心两意的去伤害你

只要在一起 我一定死心塌地

我真的要用甜言和密语 来告诉你我非常喜欢你

我要手牵着你的小手 看那浪漫流星雨

让你知道我的心意

我真的要用甜言和密语 来告诉你我真的很爱你

只要跟你一起 我下定决心我只爱你

你是我的唯一

PASSPORT and VISA to the UNIVERSITY of REALWORLD

Reminder: This is the final chance to strike what you have been desired for since when you can recall it. You might loose your sources of motivation in chasing after your dreams, but here is your station to restart,

Motivation:

(1) If you do not want to be regret, JUST DO IT

(2) If you want to be triumphed again, JUST DO IT

(3) If you want your dreams come true, JUST DO IT

(4) If you want to make your family proud, JUST DO IT

P/s: You have no other choices, remember who you are, You need to DO IT or else...

Messages to myself: "What are you doing, NOW ???"

Learning & Sharing - To be a better "Me"

1st. Principal : Whomsoever we encounter are the right one

No one comes into our life by chance. Everyone who is around us, anyone with whom we interact, represents something. Whether to teach us something or to help us to improve our current situation. Is the person you met helping you or jeopardising you? You choose.

2nd. Principal : Whatever happened is the only thing that could have happened

What had happened is the only that could have taken place and must have exist for us to learn our lesson in order to move forward. Every single situation in life which we encounter is absolutely perfect, even when it defies our understanding and our ego. To accept or reject a happening that must or had happened? You choose.

3rd. Principal : Each moment in which something begins is the right moment

Everything begins at exactly the right moment, neither earlier nor later. When we are ready for it, for that something new and good in our life, it is there, ready to begin? You want to be ready sooner or later? You choose.

4th. Principal : What is over is over

When something in our life ends, it helps our evolution. That is why enriched by the recent experience, it is better to let go and move on. To stuck in the dark or ready to accept another light? You choose.

What Is The Best Religion In The World ???

"The best religion is the one that gets you closest to the God.

It is the one that makes you a better person"

Whatever makes you

more compassionate

more sensible

more detached

more loving

more humanitarian

more responsible

more ethical

"The religion that will do that for you is the best religion"

Take care of our thoughts because they will become words

Take care of our words because they will become actions

Take care of our actions because they will become habits

Take care of our habits because they will become character

Take care of our character because they will form our destiny

And our destiny will be our life

"There is no religion better than the mere truth"

祝福您2011年「巧智慧心」

星雲大師題寫2011年春聯墨寶，明年歲次屬「兔」（辛卯年），師父上人說明春聯法語「巧智慧心」的意義：

智慧，每個人多少都有一點，但那只是聰明，巧智就更為重要了。

有巧智，才能有靈性；

有巧智，才能有活動；

有巧智，才能有美感；

有巧智，才能有思想。

巧智有了，還要有慧心；智慧，人都有一點，但智慧不是從頭腦生出來的，是從心靈啟發出來的。

有慧心，才能明白自己；

有慧心，才能認識世界；

有慧心，才能洞察一切，

有慧心，才能預知未來。

今年是「兔年」，祝福大家像巧兔一樣，擁有「巧智慧心」。

愿各界巧智与慧心双修

合十

兔年2011 恭喜发财

祝各位

新年快乐 万事如意 身体健康 福星高照

生意兴隆 招财进宝 事事顺心 心想事成

兔年行大运

一年一度的农历新年，乃是华人最澎湃最喜洋洋的节日。正所谓“人逢喜事精神爽，每逢佳节陪思亲”。华人新年最讲究的就是团圆和吉利。也因如此，在这新年期间对家人的思念也特别的深，已经三年没和在马来西亚的家人一起度过温馨的喜日。我非常的怀念以前热热闹闹的巴眼色海。大街或小巷都是一样的热闹，很多在外地公干的亲戚，邻居，友人都回乡了，人聚满堂。

当然，在英国深造的我也一定要好好的小庆新年。除夕夜，我和一般朋友们聚在“荷李仙”享吃丰富的年夜饭。不赖，还蛮开心的。虽不能和家人一起吃晚饭，但是和好友聚一聚也是种天轮之乐。农历新年一共是十五天，若只吃了年夜饭就算是过年的话，那可就很悲哀了呗。就在年初四，哈哈。。。吃火锅，捞鱼生。。。当然，还有好戏在后头，上演“新时代少年赌神”。

今天已经是大年十五，元宵节，相信在家乡一定会有很多热闹的元宵晚会，很可惜，此时无法体验当地的气氛及人潮。我也在此祝所有的情人,有情人终成眷属，抛甘去吧！记得在甘上写下你的电联，及面子书名号。这个时代没面子书，追究女生可就问题大了。

今年的新年，不但只给了我和朋友聚会的机会，也让我感触到团圆的可贵。在此，希望借这个机会和大家分享小青蛙的体会。各位还在念书的中学生，你们可要记得，你们还可以天天陪伴着家人的时间剩下不多了，中一的你还剩下5 年的时间，中五的你只剩下12个月。之后，就读学院或大专的你要见到家人，父母亲的机会就只有公众假期和学校假期了。若在国外念书的你，就只能够在暑假才见面了。在工作的你，就只剩下公众假期才能回家见爹娘。有了自己家庭的你，事业正在腾达的你，忙着赚钱过生活的你，见到父母的时候只有剩下大节日，过节的时候罢了。所以，无论在何方的你，切记一定要珍惜每一个可以和家人团聚的机会。一但错过就可能要等到一年后了，有些人却永远的无法再等到了。所以，无论身在何处，记得要回家，因为家是一个温室，是一个避风的港湾，家人是我们精神的支柱。

再一次，祝各位，新年快乐，事事顺利。

恭喜发财

（我的红包可别忘了，噢！！！）

小青蛙

Teachings of Buddha

Buddhism is not a ‘woo woo kinda thing’, in the words of this engaging American author!
GARY Gach is an author, translator and poet – and most unusually, he’s Jewish anda Buddhist.



“I was born a Jew and being a Buddhist is how I fulfil my Jewish mitzvot (obligation to life and God).When I remark that there is no God in Buddhism, he assures me, “it’s okay if you believe in God or if you don’t,” and goes on to emphasise an important point that non-Buddhists (and even many Buddhists) might not be aware of: “Buddhism is not a religion.”“I can be a Jew who practises Buddhism or a Buddhist who practises Judaism. You don’t have to be a Buddhist to enjoy the Buddha’s teachings,” he says.



In fact, according to Gach, 63, a recent survey in the United States found that one in every eight people have heard some teachings of the Buddha that have influenced their lives. Buddhism is growing all over the world, insists Gach.Perhaps that is because, according to the author, Buddhism is easy to grasp: “All the teachings about Buddha is about suffering and liberation. When we understand how our mind, attitude and lack of awareness can create seeds of suffering, we can also learn how to liberate ourselves and generate peace and joy.“It’s not an ideology to kill, fight or die for. It is about our own lives. The truth is found in our own life– it’s that simple!”Gach believes in this so much that he wrote the best-selling The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Buddhism, published in many languages including Chinese, French and Russian and now in its third edition.

Gary Gach ringing Tibetan tingsha (cymbals), calling everyone at his interview to ‘be in the present’. – Photo courtesy of Lim Kooi Fong/The Buddhist Channel



He is also editor of an anthology of poetry, What Book!? Buddha Poems From Beat to Hip-Hop with 125 contributors; the book was published in 1950, won the American Book Award in 1999, and is currently in its third print. Gach has also co-translated three books by Zen master Ko Un, South Korea’s prolific “unofficial poet lawyer”.



The American doesn’t just write about Buddhism, he also shares it in person with as many people as he can by, among other things, teaching Practical Buddhism as part of the continuing studies programme at California’s prestigious Stanford University and holding a regular study group in San Francisco on the subject. Since 2006, he has also been a teacher of “mindfulness meditation” at San Francisco’s Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples.How did an American become so interested in this Eastern way of life?Gach says that at six, he had a “mystic vision” and at 11, he read The Way of Zen by Alan Watts, a British philosopher, writer and speaker who popularised Eastern philosophy for a Western audience from the 1950s to the 1970s.
“One of the most interesting things of the 20th century is the coming of Asian culture and spirituality to the West,” he says, explaining how his Zen master, the late Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, established the first Zen monastery in America because in Japan at that time, Zen Buddhism had become hardly more than ceremonial rituals in many respects.“He (Suzuki) saw Americans making a pilgrimage to Japan and devoting themselves to 10 years in a monastery because they had read about Zen and wanted to practise it. He wanted to nourish that enthusiasm.”



Gach provokes thought with a question: “Do you think there’s a Western influence that’s deepening Eastern Buddhism, and that Eastern Buddhism has gotten shallow?”
He explains: “What’s interesting in Western Buddhism is its practice. It’s not intellectual, abstract or theoretical. Buddhism is not pie in the sky, it’s an enlightened way of living, of being conscious.”When life gets difficult and emotions threaten negativity, he advises: “We should hold onto the trunk of mindfulness while the storm of emotions blow our leaves, knowing that we have firm roots.”Practices like mindful breathing are simple yet have valuable insight into the nature of concentration, wisdom and compassion, he says.Gach feels there is a great need in the world for “compassion with separatism and discrimination” in people’s minds and in organisations, governments and religions – and especially among people who are narrow-minded.“All religions say, ‘love God as your only God’, live life fully and, do unto others as you would do unto yourself. What the Buddha offers is a way to access that and practise that all the time. You don’t have to go to church, you don’t have a reverend to tell you how to do it.”
He reiterates, Buddhism is simple: “Just be kind to yourself and other people and you’d be realising the teachings of the Buddha.”And despite being a prolific author (who is also published on the Internet) on the subject, Gach points out that Buddhism is not found only in a book: “The Buddha is in our heart. If he’s not living in your heart and you just read books about Buddhism, you’re a spoon that never taste the soup.”

这是男人的心声吗？

好想有个太太，为我做饭烧菜。 　　

现实却很无奈，让我仍需等待。 　　
也因寂寞难耐，谈过几次恋爱。 　　

谁知屡战屡败，轻轻松松被踹。 　　

其实我也奇怪，为啥总被淘汰。 　　

历尽打击伤害，总算知道大概。 　　

嫌我不讲穿戴，嫌我长得不帅。 　　

嫌我个头太矮，嫌我没有气派。 　　

熊猫长得不帅，却受世人关爱。 　　

丑是自然灾害，矮是因为缺钙。 　　

做人只求正派，讲啥穿戴气派！ 　　

我们这个年代，注定缺少真爱。 　　

女人不是太坏，就是心胸狭隘。 　　

或许除此之外，还有部分可爱。 　　

只怕时至现在，早已有了后代。 　　

面对这种事态，不要气急败坏。 　　

我们除了忍耐，至少还能等待。 　　

只要相信真爱，她就一定存在。 　　

要么咱就不爱，爱就爱个痛快。 　　

没有爱的灌溉，生活百无聊赖。 　　

只有好的心态，才能保持愉快。 　　

爱情也有好赖，绝对不可草率。 　　

我是愿意等待，哪怕青春不在。

Groceries Reveal Easing of Crisis

In official statistics and influential surveys, there have been signs that the worst of the recession may be over, and that is reflected in the all-important baked bean sales figures.

In the three months from April to June, baked bean sales were up 15% compared with the same quarter of 2008, according to figures prepared for the BBC by the market researchers Nielsen.
That sounds impressive, but it shows a slowing in the rate of growth. Every month from November 2008 to May 2009, sales of baked beans grew by about 20%. Then the brakes were suddenly put on, with growth of only 9.9% in June and 8.7% in July

In the three months from April to June, baked bean sales were up 15% compared with the same quarter of 2008, according to figures prepared for the BBC by the market researchers Nielsen.
That sounds impressive, but it shows a slowing in the rate of growth. Every month from November 2008 to May 2009, sales of baked beans grew by about 20%. Then the brakes were suddenly put on, with growth of only 9.9% in June and 8.7% in July

Sales of supermarket budget lines showed the same slowing of growth, with 18.5% growth between April and June. Sales of budget lines had grown by more than 24% each month from September 2008 compared with the same month the previous year, but then tailed off from April, and only grew 10.5% in July.

Both baked beans and budget lines are what economists describe as inferior goods, because people tend to buy more of them when they have less money.So a slowing in the growth of their sales may be seen as a sign that people think the recession is easing. The opposite appears to be true of organic food, sales of which have been in a fairly steady decline since the start of the recession. They fell again, by 12.9% between April and June compared with the same period last year. Olive oil sales have been jumping about throughout the recession, being seen, on the one hand, as a luxury product for which there are cheaper alternatives. But on the other hand, it has benefited from people cooking at home more - and so being prepared to spend a little extra on ingredients.

There is another sign of potential recovery in sales of emulsion paint, which are seen as a good indicator of the state of the DIY market as well as the state of the housing market.
People tend to buy emulsion paint both to do up their houses before selling them and to personalize a new house if they buy one. Emulsion sales have been consistently falling for months. Between the start of 2008 and the end of March 2009, there were only two months in which more paint was sold than had been in the same month of the previous year. Then in April, sales suddenly improved, with sales in the three months from April to June rising 16.2% compared with the same quarter of 2008. "The fact that paint is growing is a very good sign because it shows that people are putting money into their houses," says Stephan Lamouroux, an expert on the DIY market at GfK (Nürnberg Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung, Germany's largest market research institute). But he warns that it does not necessarily mean that the housing market is about to take off. "There are still segments in the DIY market that are declining, such as power tools, which tend to be linked to bigger DIY projects," he says.
So it may be that people are buying paint because it is a relatively cheap way of improving your home, but are still not feeling good enough to spend money on bigger renovations.
There is some support from our unusual indicators such as baked beans; budget lines and paint, for the more conventional indicators that suggest the economy may have bottomed out.

Undeniable power of LOVE ( Father and Son )

How much can love be ?
This is the most touching and inspiring video ever...

One day, a son asks his dad "Daddy, would you like to run a marathon with me?"
The father says "yes". And they run their first marathon together.

Another time, the son asks his dad again "Daddy, would you like to run a marathon with me? The father says "yes son".

One day, the son asks his father "Daddy, would you run the Ironman with me?" The Ironman is the most difficult triathlon ever (4 kms swimming, 180 kms bikin, 42 km running?) And the dad says "yes".

The story looks simple until you watch the following clip. Just amazing, how much can love be.... ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJMbk9dtpdY

时事分析 ：经济与教学

经过六年执行运用英文教导数理，如今“英文数理此事又成为了我国的焦点新闻”。 今天得知从2012年，大约两年后，全国国小与国中将采用母语来教导数学与科学。如此可说，我国政府即将采用大约一年的黄金时间来改造此项政政策。由此可见，我想各位读者都有自己的看法，那也请各位读者想一想，会否一年的时间“太长”还是“太短”。其实，我们可以运用时间的长短来横量一个政策的重要性，及有关当局对此项计划的关心程度。

自2012年起，各源流小学将会恢复使用母语教授数理，而国民中学则会以国语教数理。在新政策下，国小将会恢复以马来文教数理，华小与淡小则分别以华语及淡米尔语教授数理科。新政策将会分阶段推行，即从2012年开始，进入小学1及4年级的学生，将使用母语学习数理科；进入国中1及4年级的学生，则会以国语学习数理。不过，中六及大学预科班却不受新政策的影响，将会继续以英语学习数学及科学科。 由此，我相信一部分的人名将会担心我们下一代的英文水平，若废除以英文教数理，那么我们小孩学英文的时间不就是钱少了吗。慢着，让我们先看看我国政府为我们孩子所造设的相关政策。 为了达到加强学生英语水平的目标，政府将会增加英语课的节数，让学生更有效地学习英语。这些宣布包括：

（1）增加英语教师1万3933人，包括1000名外国籍教师。

（2）增加国小1及2年级英语科的每周上课时间90分钟。

（3）增加华小与淡小1年级英语科的每周上课时间60分钟；2年级则增加30分钟。

（4）增加国中1至6年级英语科的每周上课时间80分钟。

（5）增加国中6年级的大马大学英语考试（MUET）的每周上课时间80分钟。

（6）增加大学预科班英语科的每周上课时间100%，即从原有的3小时增加至6小时。

（7）在小学2年级推行“孩童文学计划”，鼓励学生阅读文学经典。

（8）在各校建立“英语教科室”，以让学生更有效地学习英语。

当然，从这一观点而言，废除与英文教数理之政策，并不忽略提高我国的英文水准之宏远。虽然，此政策听来真的不错，有全面性的设想，但是无论是任何改革，换朝，新政策都得需要时间来筹备，都得需要时间来进行一个完整的改变。很可惜，每一次都会有一些有关人士，会在此事，大胆放言，说要立即执行次政策。当然，我觉得这是一个笑话。当然能够说出此言的有关人士，是有地位，有资格标明的人物，可惜如果想借此机会来提高自己的名誉，增加社会人士对自己的信任，我倒觉得此人不可靠，是不含成熟思想的领袖。若要执行此任务，有关当局必须于老师们，从新编制教育内容，印刷新课本，培训教师等工作。这一切一切都需要时间与金钱的支柱，才能够成功的实行。 但是，事情当然不能只看表面，每一件事情，我们都得从各方面的角度来观察。因此，我想利用一个比较不同的观念来看待此事。每当一个新的政策需要进行时，此活动的消费当然不小，数目可会庞大，如果有关当局每两年，三年就换一次政策，那么一座金山也会变成平地。虽然，金钱不是来自自己的口袋，这数目是你和我的血汗，所以每一个决定都牵涉了每一个人。一旦一个政策已决定，那么就得排除万难，坚持到底，要有恒心把那决定的效果一一的实现来报答百姓的支持及信任，而不是随意变动。执行一个好的决定就是对平民的效劳。其实很多读者可能不晓得，每一个重要的决定都会牵涉到一个国家的经济状况。不管是巨大的还是微小影响，始终还是有影响。要建设一个稳定的经济背景，领袖就得把每一个细节都算在计划书里边。因为，如果这个政策需要改革，那个政策需要改革，所有的决定都不能长久，那么要达到一个稳定经济平台就会有更多的挑战了。

最终，希望我们的师弟师妹们，能够拥有美好的教育，塑造一个经济稳定的安宁国家。 “国泰民安” 是靠你和我一起努力和付出换回来的事实。