Last post of 2011! 2011年最後一個發佈！

Last post of the year!

今年最後一個發佈！

Last Day of 2011 / 2011最後一日

Today's the last day of 2011 and in less than six hours the new year 2012 shall begin. There goes another solar cycle to be replaced by another. Yet I'm not in a very celebratory mood, for the past two years 2010 and 2011 have not given me great reason to celebrate. Still can't achieve that happy optimistic feeling at Port Dickson on the last day of 2009.

Certain circles and activities don't appeal to me as much as they did before. Perhaps the time is overdue to move on to other more productive, rewarding, fulfilling tasks. Indeed it's a Sisyphean task to get that thing called achievement.

Those who care might have noticed I hardly talk these days. True, but a lot of things are better left unsaid, for saying it brings no benefit to anyone, and might even complicate matters.

Anyway, wishing whoever comes across this posting a Happy New Year 2012 and Happy Holidays wherever you are! See you next year.

今日係2011年最後一日，仲有少過六個鐘頭就係公曆嘅新年2012。 咁就過咗一個太陽活動週期。只不過我唔係好想出去慶祝呢個大日子，點解呢？前兩年2010＆2011冇俾到我一個好理由點解要慶祝。到而家仲未能夠得到2009最後一日嘅興奮，真係冇嗰個樂觀嘅感覺。

有些組人同埋活動不再吸引我嘅興趣。也許時間到咗，係要轉去做其它比較多滿意以及有獎勵回報嘅嘢。真係好緊要難得到一啲些少嘅成就。

邊個有理我嘅，可能注意到我近來好少講話。真嘅，有好多嘢最好唔可以講出嚟，因為講咗都冇用，幫唔到邊個，然後整埋嗰件事更加複雜。

無論如何，我要祝福大家公曆2012新年快樂！仲有，要玩得開心啲呀！明年再見。

Quit 退出

Found the following while browsing through some old notes. When, where, and who shall not be stated.

我摷緊啲舊紙嗰陣時就搵都呢啲嘢。幾時，邊度，同埋邊個， 我唔會講。

-----
On this day, I did what I should have done long ago. I quit as per stated procedure in an orderly manner. In my heart I already knew there's no way I can survive here. No point forcing myself to be somewhere where I'm already disliked, cursed at and thought of in a negative light. I sense the daggers in the air pointing at me like invisible weapons ready to drop at any time.

I should feel some relief. Yet I don't feel it.

今日我做咗我好耐以前應該做嘅嘢。我跟規矩好好地地離開呢個地方。喺我心目中我已經知道冇辦法可以喺呢度再行落去。係好唔值得監自己繼續喺個地方嚟俾人睇衰，俾人屌，仲係俾人講衰添。我感受到空中有好多好多尖刀等著時間嚟插穿我全身。

而家應該放心。但係唔會覺得噉樣喎。
-----

Exams 考試

Now it seems like every day is exam day. Everything's subject to pop quiz. The only way to face it is to prepare well.

而家我覺得日日都係好似考試噉樣。每一個嘢會重突擊測驗。唯一個方法面對呢件事就係預備好好。

Going Overseas (Over The Sea) 出國 (過海)

Back in February I predicted that I'd go "overseas" (as in over the sea) three (3) times this year. It's now November and I went "overseas" five (5) times. Three times within the same country, twice to foreign countries. For the foreign countries, one's considered ancestral country and the other a neighbouring country.

Actually going to Sabah/Sarawak can be considered "overseas" because to get there one must cross the sea. Back in college I used to joke with friends about why can't we take the bus to Sarawak. The bus can only go as far as Kuantan, it can't cross the South China Sea. Unless it turns into a waterbus?

二月嗰陣時我預咗我今年會過海三次。而家十一月，已經過海五次。三次國內，兩次國際。關於去外國，一個係祖國，一個係鄰國。

其實去沙巴/砂勞越可以算係 "overseas" 因為要過海先到。我喺學院讀書時候有同朋友講笑點解唔可以搭巴士去砂勞越。巴士最遠去到關丹，唔能夠過南海。唔通變成水巴士？

Unifi Speed on 20111026

Ran a simple upload/download test at testmy.net for my Unifi connection. Definitely faster than Streamyx, you can see the difference when opening YouTube videos.

Somehow the download speed of the wired connection runs approximately three (3) times faster at 1.6 Mbps than the wireless connection at 0.5 Mbps. 

downstairs.unifi.02

:::.. Combined Test Results ..:::
Download Connection:: 1678 Kbps or 1.6 Mbps
Download Test Size:: 1.8 MB or 1843 kB or 1887437 bytes
Download Speed:: 210 kB/s
Upload Connection:: 944 Kbps or 0.9 Mbps
Upload Test Size:: 386 kB or 386 kB or 395280 bytes
Upload Speed:: 118 kB/s
Tested At:: http://TestMy.net version:12
Test Time:: 2011-10-26 22:06:46 Local Time
Validation:: http://testmy.net/db/ND2UiJE.tkZsuFp
User Agent:: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 5.1; rv:7.0.1) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/7.0.1 [!]
=====

upstairs.unifi.01

:::.. Combined Test Results ..:::
Download Connection:: 515 Kbps or 0.5 Mbps
Download Test Size:: 0.6 MB or 614 kB or 629146 bytes
Download Speed:: 64 kB/s
Upload Connection:: 532 Kbps or 0.5 Mbps
Upload Test Size:: 193 kB or 193 kB or 197640 bytes
Upload Speed:: 67 kB/s
Tested At:: http://TestMy.net version:12
Test Time:: 2011-10-26 22:02:44 Local Time
Validation:: http://testmy.net/db/ps38bSj.EFsHP5r
User Agent:: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 5.1; rv:7.0.1) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/7.0.1 [!]
=====

Random Thoughts on Visiting Singapore

If there's something I like about visiting Singapore, it's the mall experience. When daytime temperatures shoot up into the 30s (Celsius) and the sun's rays beat down harshly, just do what the locals do - escape indoors or underground.

Personally I'm a fan of bookstores and can spend hours browsing through their collections. Ever since young reading has been a pleasurable activity. It's just me.

Get an EZ-Link stored value card for use on their MRT and buses. You'll get a discount for each trip, very worth it when you add up all your journeys. Beats me why some people prefer to pay for per trip tickets every time when it costs more.

It's very hard to get lost in Singapore. All buses eventually end up at one of the numerous interchanges located near MRT stations and from there you can continue your journey to other parts of the island. You can even take the MRT to the airport.

The only downside for me is of course the currency exchange rate. If you earn a living in Malaysia, no matter what Singapore is expensive. If you earn a living from somewhere where the rates are better, Singapore is about the same as any developed nation with strong buying power.

Chinese To English Translation: Literally Screwed Up

[I first wrote this on Saturday, 4 April 2009, after discovering this literally screwed up Chinese to English translation on the Internet.]

Chinese-English and English-Chinese translations are often required in the region of the world where I stay. If you're fluent in both English and Mandarin you can earn quite a fair bit by being a translator or interpreter for this particular language pair. I heard that in Malaysia, to be a court interpreter for Chinese, you have to speak fluent Mandarin plus two dialects and also be proficient in written Chinese.

Anyway, here's something I got from the Internet, which illustrates the pitfalls of translating directly word by word without knowing the context and cultural background. The Mandarin Chinese original text is perfectly okay. But the accompanying English translation is, how to say, literally screwed up. There's also another translation in proper English [enclosed within square brackets] for reference.

Dear Wang litte sister:
親愛的王小姐
[Dear Ms. Wang:]

From see you one eye, I shit love you.
自從看到你的第一眼, 我便愛上你。
[It was love at first sight.]

Your eyes close, I die; your eyes open, I come back to live.
Your eyes close and open again and again, I die again and again.
妳的眼睛閉上，我就死了，你的眼睛打開，我又活過來，妳的眼睛貶啊貶, 我就死去活來 ?
[My life begins and ends with every blink of your eyes.]

Maybe you do not remember me, no matter.
When you carefully look at me, you will one see clock.
也許你不記得我 ,沒有關係 ,當你仔細看著我，你就會一見鍾情
[You probably don't know me, but it's okay.
Once you have a chance to get to know me you will fall in love with me.]

I think l should introduce myself to you.
我想應該介紹一下自己。
[I should introduce myself.]

I call Li big great. Toyear 25
我叫李大偉 ,今年 25
[My name is Li Da Wei (David Lee) and I'm 25 years old.] (Note: Li Da Wei could be David Lee as Da Wei is a close approximation of David)

(今天是 today,那麼今年就是 toyear.至於偉就翻成 great吧！ )
["Jin Tian" is "today", so "Jin Nian" should be "toyear". "Wei" should be translated as "great"!]

My home have four mouth people-papa, mama, I and DD.
我家有四口人 ..爸爸、媽媽、我和弟弟。
[I come from a lovely family of four.] (Note: He could have added "Dad, Mom, me and a younger brother" after "... family of four".)

I am a good man, in a big company work.
我是一個好男人，在一家大公司上班。
[I am a good man and am currently employed in a large corporation.]

I do early fuck every day, so that I can have strong body to protect you.
我每天都做早操，這樣我會有強壯的身體來保護你。
[I can protect you with my strong body as I exercise vigorously every morning.]

Please come to eat and sleep with me, or I will cut my hair to be a monk, and find a place where many monks live in to over my life;
請嫁給我吧 ,否則我將削髮為僧 ,找個廟來了此一生。
[Please marry me or I will be forced to become a monk and live a life of solitude.]

(實在想不起「嫁」字怎麼翻譯，好在頭腦靈光 , 嫁過來不就是和我吃住在一起。至於「廟」字 ,也不會翻譯，不過很多和尚住在一起的地方，就是廟。 )
[Actually (I) can't figure out how to translate "jia 嫁" (marry), fortunately in a fit of inspiration, (I reckoned that) after "jia" wouldn't (you be) staying together with me? As regards "miao" (temple), (I) also can't translate (it), but it's a place where many monks stay together, that's a "miao".]

Like Your people
喜歡妳的人
[The man who loves you]

Some comments from people who read this horrible translation:

(1)…… 原來[做早操]的英文是 make early fuck…… ( 汗...)
[(Just realized that) "zuo zao cao 做早操" means "make early fuck" in English... (sweat...)]

(2) The guy wrote an English valentine letter to his love. Problem is he used a Chinese to English dictionary and translated word by word. What he meant to write was :

Source:
http://www.ainur-guild.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=54948&sid=4c7d92ea530469ff7d9779a4920af3b2

Past Conditioning

Today I want to touch on the topic of "past conditioning". I define it as the influence of experiences that cause people to react in a specific way.

Past conditioning is often linked to negative experiences that have minor to major repercussions. Sometimes traumatic experiences can cause us to react in a certain matter. Therefore I shall write about how negative experiences affect us and the difficulties experienced in getting over them.

Some examples from real life:

1. Old Uncle saw with his own eyes the atrocities committed by the Japanese army during the Japanese Occupation in Malaya, World War 2. To this day he still refuses to visit Japan for holiday. He tries not to use Japanese products if he can even though it may not always be possible. His good friend tried to reason with him, saying that today's new generation Japanese are not the ones who did the bad things, and the atrocities are the sins of the previous generation. Uncle still refuses to budge, his good friend may not agree but still respects Uncle's principle.

2. Guy has had bad experiences with girls in relationships who treated him badly. More than one have been mean to him, insulted him and said all sorts of negative shit on him. Some even abandoned him by saying nasty things and insults just to get rid of him, leaving him in the lurch. As a result he has become sensitive to certain phrases and behaviour, and at times still haunted by underlying worry that he may be abandoned for no reason or for no good reason or whim and fancy of the girl. He worries he may suddenly be confronted with unreasonable demands or ultimatums for things he cannot offer.

3. Girl has had negative experience with guys who didn't treat her as top priority, who put other things before her. Some couldn't spare her some time, some couldn't bother to treat her like a queen. Others considered her a trophy for "show" or as bragging material. Now she worries that the next guy might treat her like how those guys treated her.

4. Old Grandma (Ah Mar or Ah Por depending on your dialect group) and her siblings lost faith in religion since their younger days. The reason being their father, Ah Pa was dying of cancer and put all his faith in a religious group to get cured. Yes, to the extent of leaving all his money and material belongings to that group. So after he died, his family was left with nothing. And since then the siblings swore never to believe in religion anymore, because they say it's a bunch of opportunists waiting to prey on the vulnerable.

5. Late middle age Uncle does not like Mah Chans, because he personally witnessed the racially motivated killings done by Mah Chans during the May 13 incident back in 1969. He tells all his family members to beware of Mah Chans. His children tell him that not all Mah Chans are bad, there are good and bad people in every ethnic group, that crooked politicians are the ones responsible for racial riots, but understandably it's hard to overcome the negative firsthand experience.

6. English-speaking Chinese young man was looked down upon by other Chinese for his inability to speak either Mandarin or Cantonese. People insulted him by calling him "banana" plus a host of other epithets such as "stupid" and so on. He did try to learn to speak both those languages, but unfortunately his attempts were ridiculed, because those Chinese-speaking Chinese made fun of his accent, lack of vocabulary, and gave him the attitude "If you can't speak it fluently, don't speak it at all!" As a result he does not have a high regard for those Chinese who are non-English speakers, and has completely lost the motivation to learn either Mandarin or Cantonese.

Hmm... From personal experience, I can say I faced the same thing as the guy in No. 6, perhaps even worse. Yet I persevered and learned the Chinese written language through Cantonese pronunciation, picking up some Mandarin and Hakka along the way. I must emphasize I'm far from fluency in those three languages, but I still can function on a reasonable survival level when I'm in an environment that is Cantonese or Mandarin dominated, though I still prefer Cantonese anytime to Mandarin. That's a personal bias due to familiarity reasons. Where do I stand in this aspect? I guess this quote summarizes it aptly: "For a non-Chinese educated Chinese your level is pretty good." Okay, "good" is open to interpretation. To go further on this topic I'd need a dedicated post.

Coming back to the topic, it's evident that past conditioning has a strong effect on people's reaction, and if that conditioning was negative, it takes a lot of willpower and effort to correct. Now I remember from somewhere that "Fear is one of the easiest emotions to impose on human beings". It's very negative, has long lasting repercussions, and takes a lot of energy to undo the damage.

So ideally there should not be negative experiences that cause negative past conditioning, but in this world there is no perfect life experience, well almost none because there's always an exceptional case or two of a totally smooth life story. Just bear in mind that it takes time, patience, effort, and understanding to undo the damage caused by negative experiences.

One More Week 仲有一个礼拜

仲有一个礼拜我哋去游览。好似好急噉样。有好多地方要去，不过唔知去唔去得嗮。会唔会同意？会唔会有问题？会唔会搅出好烦嘅事？ Only time can tell. Plan well, prepare well, and the rest shall unfold. Good luck to all.