Lens and Legends

I love urban legends. Who doesn't right? Well, I don't know why but it have always been an interest of mine to check and do a little research everytime I got messages or emails that smells rather urban legend-ish and needless to say, most of the time it turn out to be one.

Just now I got this message via Friendster, verbatim:

We are not geek.Pls pass this to all your friends To those who wear contact lenses, pls Remove them when you have or attend a BBQ party or whatsoever that got to do with flames...I heard a horrible true story about contact lenses...

It happened to a 21 year old guy at Malacca, he wore a pair of contact lenses during a barbecue party. While, he was barbecuing, he stared at the fire charcoals. After a few seconds, he started to scream for help and moved rapidly,jumping up and down.

No one in the party knew why. When he arrived at the Hospital, the doctor said he'll be blind permanently courtesy of the contact lenses that he worn. Contact lenses are made by plastics, and the heat from the charcoal melted his contact lenses.

Now, that sounds spooky innit? I'm not immediately jumping into conclusions here that it's a fake. I know that to someone who wears contact lens this is quite a news. Anyway, if there's anything I learn from media class, it's got to be this: don't believe everything in the media.

So then I went googling around the web and I stumble upon a few sites that talks about the very same thing as what was written in the message above. Here's one from Acuvue, a contact lens company I'm sure you're familiar with. Look at myth number 2:

Well, there you go. Straight from the horse's mouth as they say. I'm not blaming anyone here, it's nice to know that there's still people who cares about each other left in this world. It's just that I'm kindof bored getting this sort of message to pile up my inbox. The same goes to the Friendster is shutting down thing and of course, the chain emails that would curse you if you don't send it back to 20 other poor souls. Enough.

The thing I'm trying to stress here is sources.. In journalism, the source of your news is perhaps one of the most important things to remember. It's the thing that'll judge whether your news is credible or not. I'm a Muslim and Islam look highly upon the need of strong sources. Take Hadith for example. All Hadith Sahih are accompanied by the names of its source right? That itself tells me how important sources are because if just anyone can come up with a Hadith, it'll definitely be chaos.

Well, I know none of us is perfect. I know I'm not. It's just that thing about the media.. we cannot accept everything it feeds us. We need to see, think, digest and dissect it and see how true it is before we can take it as a fact. So next time something like this find its way to our mailbox again, let's go do some googling okay? Are you guys with me? Thanks!

Another site about the urban legend

Wierd wierd stuffs about me (Updated)

Originally tagged by Pcha. Updated and reposted for Nazla. Sorry for the delay ya?

Rules & Regulations:
Each player of this game starts out by giving 6 weird things about themselves. People who get tagged need to write in a blog of their own 6 weird things as well as state the rules clearly. In the end, you need to choose 6 people to be tagged and list their names. After you do that, leave them each a comment letting them know you tagged them and to read your blog!

6 weird things about Amir Hadi Azmi

1. I love teddy bears. I really do and I don't see any problem for a man to do so. Faggish? Who are you to say what's fag or not? Guys who think that way really need to dig more into their sensitive side.. but most of them are afraid to.

2. I sleep with the lights on. It's not that I'm afraid of the dark.. but I find it easier to wake up to a bright shining room instead of a cool, dark room.

3. I write in Malay on my blog when I'm angry or pissed off at something. It feels more natural to do so in that language rather than in English.

4. I feel awkward when I'm with girls. Maybe it's because I think I have a low self-esteem.. maybe it's because I spent 5 years with boys. Maybe it's just me.

5. I'm destined for greatness. I really really believe so.. and you should to.

6. I feel old though I'm just 18. I look back at my college life and it felt as if it was 10 years ago.. I look back at my childhood and it felt like it was 50 years ago. I think I need help.

7. I know how to doublethink.. well, I guess I know. Haha.. See what I mean?

8. I love to be alone sometimes. Being with other people for too long makes me feel uncomfortable, even with those people I love most.

9. I love to walk. I feel restless whenever I sit for too long so sorry if you see me look uncomfortable whenever we go out borak-borak over a cup of teh tarik.

10. Once I hate someone, I usually hate them to the death. But don't worry, it's very hard for me to really really hate people.

I think I could write a lot more if the topic was what irritates me since there are a lot of things that could make me lose my nerves. For example, all these people in the library.. I wish I could make them shut up.

Now, who should I tag.. hurm..

Cars, Crimes and Crashes

(14 August 2007)

Haha.. What can I say, I've been busy lately. In fact, I still am busy now! Anyway, have you heard of the saying, when it rains, it pours? Well, that's what I've benn going through lately. Wanna hear a story?

You see, I've just gotten myself a car, thanks to Mak and Abah that is. Thanks! Anyway, since I have a car, I did what any other boys with a new car would do: drive around like there's no tomorrow. It so happens that last weekend was Kandaq's last weekend here in Malaysia so after a few phone calls, we set to have a farewell dinner at Murni SS2.

It was fun actualy, considering the number of people who showed up at such a short notice: Erare, Haziq, Pecot, Amar, Zameer, Teeno and Ara, Bebeh, Ajim, Chye, Moki, Syarel, Hrr, Botak, Amin, Me myself and of course Kandaq (remind me if I miss anyone). We had great laughs over glasses of Pink Panther, the kind we used to do back then under the Big Tree.. Yup, gelak tak beragak. Haha.. A great farewell for Kandaq, that's for sure.

Anyway, at around 1 in the morning everyone was kind of exhausted so we bid adieu to each other. Hrr and Syarel are going back with me so we walked to the car, still laughing only to realize that some son of a bitch smacked my side window.. and I've only been driving the car for just 2 days! Was it bad luck or karma? I couldn't tell. Anyway, it so happen that Hrr left his bag inside my car containing his Apple MacBook Pro and an iPod

...

(19 August 2007)

Guess what? Before I could finish the sentence above, Lina got a call from Syafiq; he and Ernest met an accident. Dude! What is it with cars and bad lucks? Lina and I immediately went to the crash site and well, it turn out to be quite a crash indeed. The Honda Civic's front left was very much dented as with the back. Thank God my friends are okay.. Shaken, but at least not stirred. Needless to say, the four of us had a long day settling the whole thing, from going all the way to IPD Sepang to lodge a report then all the way back to Sri Kembangan to the workshop.

Needless to say though, I missed 2 classes and a quiz but hey, I guess it is God's way of showing me how to be a friend. When my Satria's windshield was busted, all my friends waited patiently outside the Seapark police station for me to settle the report and showered me with endless flows of sympathy so I guess it was only fair for them if I go all the way for Ernest and Syafiq. What are friends for right?

Thanks guys. You people are friends in the purest form of the word.

Negaraku and Namewee

Well.. Namewee Namewee Namewee. I first watch his video when it was first featured on thecicak sometime last month I think. Anyway, I've been offline the whole week and I haven't been reading newspaper either so I don't really know that this fella is now famous.Or is it infamous.. Hurm..

Look, I do support freedom of speech and all that stuff and I do think what he sang about is somewhat true. What I'm pissed off about you Namewee is that you make fun of my Negaraku.. and you have the guts to say that you love the country and proud to be Malaysian. Yeah right.

Look, the thing that's fucked up with this country is the government, not the country itself. A car is a car, the one who drives it determines whether the car is driven nicely or not. The same goes for this country. This country is Malaysia, what determines its course is the government and if you still haven't notice, Negaraku belongs to Malaysia the country, not the government. You don't express how you loathe the country by making fun of its anthem. But hey, since you have did that, why not wipe your ass with the Bendera Malaysia too?

Namewee, if I'm not mistaken you live in Taiwan don't you? I wonder.. would you still do that great song of yours if you are still in Malaysia. Well, if you trully believe in what you preach, that wouldn't be an issue would it? Or are you just brave to do that song because you are not within the Malaysian borders. I haven't been keeping up with the news on you because I honestly have more important things to do that waste my time on you but I think I heard that you are going to apologize. I hope I've heard wrong because again, if you really believe in what you preach, an apology wouldn't be anywhere on your list.

I don't know about other people but I do have a thing for anthems. Anthems are apart of me. I sang the Malay College anthem because I'm apart of the College. Heck, I've even cried singing that song. I sang my batch anthem, the Motherussia because I am apart of my batch. It's apart of me, it's my identity.. and so does Negaraku. It doesn't matter if that song is based on the tune of Mamula Moon, the Hawaiian folk song. Most national anthems are based on folk songs. The American anthem was based on a beer drinking song, but does that stop people feeling the love for their country when they sing that song. But I guess you don't know all this stuff Namewee.. you just wanna have fun right?

Okay, I know that there are some people who might be reading this who support Namewee. Let me clarify it again: I agree with the thing he sang about, I disagree how he does it. Matlamat tidak menghalalkan cara..

You are a talented person Namewee. Use it well. Let us all hate the government for the bad things you say they do, but don't hate our country in the process okay bro? I hope you went through all this ordeal the best you could. Insyaallah..

Labels: Malaysia

Help us find Salhi

This story was featured in The Star newspaper last Friday, 27 July.

A mentally disabled man, who was recently discharged from a psychiatric ward, has been missing from his home for the past two weeks. Salhi Ahmad, 27, left home during Friday prayers on July 13, wearing a yellow shirt, blue jeans and black shoes. He has not been seen since.

Click on the photo for more information. Budak Koleq, do help your fellow Old Boy. Your help is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Thanks Cepe

Labels: social

One Tin Soldier

Go ahead and hate your neighbor,
Go ahead and cheat a friend.
Do it in the name of Heaven,
You can justify it in the end.
There won't be any trumpets blowing
Come the judgement day,
On the bloody morning after....
One tin soldier rides away.

A song worth pondering.

Karut Si Budak Demam

Di penjuru kamar usang
Tilam nipis, dinding bersawang
Sudah malam?
Masih siang?
Di bilik ini tiada bayang

Mana bayu yang aku rindui?
Bahang mentari turut menyepi
Aku tidak tidur tapi aku bermimpi
Baru ku sedar ku duduk seorang diri

Terima kasih kunci-kunci hitam
Walau dendam ku terus mendalam

Labels: sastera