真心英雄

This song is one of the hottest songs when I was in high school. I could still remember vividly I sang this song with my roomates in our dorm at school hostel. Time really flies, it's about 10 years ago. Quite a meaningful song especially to teens during that time.

Youngsters nowadays don't really know who's Emil Chau and 李宗盛, one of the most famous chinese pop singers and composers during 95s'. Surprisingly, they only know Jay Chow. I seriously have hard time understanding why teens like hip-hop which doesn't mean anything.

Sometimes song like this can bring back wonderful memories.

Getting Cooler

I've got another updated email from my Korean friend, whom I mentioned on my previous blog about an interesting mission that he's carrying out this summer.

He's now in Quetta (Pakistan) and will be entering to mainland China via Islamabad. Reading his email is indeed exciting, and also worrying. He told me that some of the civilians in Quetta have guns when they are walking on the road. Gosh, I'm suprised that he never got robbed !!! Perhaps only people with this kind of character will go through the barrier.

One of his "exciting" highlights in the email was he got slipped for some reasons and the scooter was broken in Pakistan. "God bless me, I'm still ok !! " he quoted. I hope he will find the little bible that I gave to him useful.

Will continue to remember him my prayer. Take care brother !!

p/s: You can view some of the photos he's taken during the entire trip here. Apparently he's also a pretty good photographer.

A Picture Paints A Thousad Words

加拿大华裔画家刘溢的《搓麻将的女人》（原名）在发表后，曾在中国和国外引起了强烈的响。
中国内外各网络媒体和传统媒体对刘溢与《搓麻将的女人》争相报道。
刘溢的太太把他这幅作品称为《达芬奇密码》中国版，并改名为「2008-北京」。在今年3月的纽约艺术博览会展出，引起轰动。

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作家简介
刘溢1957年生于天津，1982毕业于中央美院油画系。他是文革后第一批考入中央美术学院的学生。现在旅居加拿大，是活跃在世界各地画廊和博物馆的中国优秀画家。评论为超现实主义与波普主义——两极之间的探索者。

解读一：
背景：阴云密布 2008年的台海局势扑朔迷离, 阴云密布。
主画面：4个成年人在开赌局, 是麻将, 1个小女孩在场外东亚地区的赌盘上, 实际上是4个大国在玩, 台湾不是参与者. 而这次的游戏方式是东方式的麻将。
赌局的布局：两个金发女子与两个黑发女子。中美是对家, 日俄是配角,4个人身份很明显。
衣服：4个人身上的衣服代表实力, 美国上身齐全, 下身裸体,在台面上实力最强, 而台下一丝不挂, 中国在台面上一丝不挂,在台面下实力却最强, 日本整个一丝不挂, 没任何实力, 而俄罗斯只有一个遮羞布。
神 态和动作：中国背对, 看不出神态. 但是是最关专注于赌局的, 而背地里藏着2张牌,其中一张是俄罗斯串通得到的. 日本在自我陶醉, 整个赌桌上最白痴的一个, 关心赌局, 并自我感觉自信满满. 俄罗斯躺倒, 把腿搭在美国身上, 而且牌是相公, 代表俄罗斯因为无关输赢, 表面上是自己不想玩了, 但俄罗斯明里和美国有瓜葛, 暗里却给中国递牌. 美国的神态在看着台湾, 不太关注牌局, 而且双手放头后申懒腰, 表明美国已经比较疲惫, 美国考虑的是值不值得玩下去的问题, 而不是怎么玩的问题。
台湾：台湾严重关注赌局, 果盘代表利益, 手拿小刀想保护自己的利益. 台湾的衣服是中国式的, 代表暗示台湾才是中华正统. 而大陆只是在身上有凤凰的文身, 下面却穿西方衣服, 代表大陆外在西化，内在满清化的趋势；穿衣服的是美国。

解读二:
左：日本，
　　背对画面的是中国，
　　躺著的是俄罗斯，
　　站著拿刀的小孩是台湾。

　　除了美国之外三方都光著上身，暗示实力弱于美国（不是废话吗）；
　　美国表面上不看牌桌，其实在看她的另一张牌：台湾；
　　日本自鸣得意，就等著摊牌；
　　中国除了明摆著一副东风（“东风”啊），背後还有牌；
　　俄罗斯表面装作不想玩，其实一脚踩美国，一手拉中国；
　　台湾一手握刀，已经快脱光了（仅用水果挡著）。

纽约艺术博览会上一幅题为“2008-北京”的油画。 北京将举办奥运会，即OlympicGames。这幅画中也是Game，却是中国的传统Game--麻将。这些女子，代表着全球化竞技场上的博弈者。
　　画的左上角，是一幅标准像，乍看上去，熟悉又不熟悉，那是孙中山的胡子，蒋介石的光头，毛泽东的五官新组合的标准像。它象征着中国上一百年的历史，或者说是旧民主主义和新民主主义的全部。
　　画的左面，是一个最天真和最聚精会神打麻将的女孩，她为抓了一手好牌而暗中庆幸中间背影的女子，开了一个东风明杠，这象征着当前不可无视的事实--中国在崛起。虽然那女子有些不规矩的小动作。
　　中间正面女子，似乎有些外来血统。他在打牌之余，另有闲心眺望光源，也即将来。他穿着光鲜，脸上有一些忧虑。
　　再就是那个外国女郎了，她也来掺合中国的游戏，信心全无，躺在那里，因为她少抓了一张牌，相公，陪打。
　　右面显然是一个进城打工的农村姑娘，她是使中国掘起的生力军。然而他的脸上有一些不明白，有一些不满意。他手中握着一把亮晃晃的水果刀，这暗示着一种仇富心理，暗画的右边，在破旧的建筑的前方，有一条大河，有一些石头，这象征着前景莫测，是摸着石头过河的现状。
　　这个解读来自加拿大的一张报纸，作者自己也引用来发到网上，但并未承认这个解读。

解读三:
中间女子是美国，背後纹著凤凰的女子是中国，侧面正在认真考虑出什麽牌的亚洲女为日本，另一个躺著的是俄国．中国女子碰了东风并不意味崛起，只是表达”做 东”的意思．而俄国女郎也并不是信心全无的”相公”．仔细观察一下她的姿态就会发现，很显然，她是在趁日美不注意，和中国女郎偷换牌．这正是换牌的瞬间， 所以她桌上的牌少了一张．
　　而旁边那个拿刀的小女孩，明显发现了这一切．她的视线停留在正准备把牌偷偷塞给俄国女的中国女脸上．美国女人，似乎已从小女孩的表情中发现了什麽……
　　事实上画面裏中、美、俄都在参与作弊，只有日本女孩不知情在暗爽，就是说拍桌上博弈的四方日本才是陪打，牌搭子而已。盆裏的水果意味很明显，当然是代表台湾的地区利益。
台湾之所以一身纯正中国式的装扮，是因为最後的中国传统在台湾。台湾手裏是一把餐刀，这大概是个双关，一是表示不管谁攫取了台湾的利益，台湾都只能乖乖的为之切水果；第二联系到小姑娘的表情，那把餐刀（代表她的防卫能力），就是对她利益最後的一点防御了。
另外，喜欢美国的表情，看著台湾，一副又关心又不知道该怎麽办的样子；而台湾站在一旁冷眼观看，对几个家夥弄鬼看得一清二楚，可自己不在局中，却又什麽都不能说。配合日本妞傻乎乎的认真样子，和中国小妹妹狡黠的背影。加上背景十分阴暗诡异。

解读四:
注意看了下, 中间只露出背影的女孩身上纹的是传统的中国凤凰.但身上所穿的却是西洋蕾丝衣物. 是不是在说明现在的中国是"中学为体,西学为用"？外面的场景应该是暗示台湾海峡，阴云密布暗示紧张形势。
　　台湾女孩不是在盯作弊，她盯的是中国女孩的脸，美国女孩盯著台湾女孩的脸，俄罗斯女孩也在盯著中国；三个人的表情都很有深意。日本女孩只看自己的牌，很投入也很满意。
　　中、美、日、俄之间利益复杂，日本虽然卷了进去但只关心自己的利益。西方一般认为**民国政府是中国民族主义政府。这个解释了台湾的传统肚兜，似乎也在说08年大势还是在民国立场而不是台湾国立场。
美国也没强多少，君不见，她虽然穿了衣服但没穿裤子？！但是她穿得最多!而且她的这种神情似乎也在考虑这局是不是要脱衣服了,因为中国女子在作弊,而俄罗斯已经是陪太子读书,只求不放炮了,打的时间越久,危险越大! 中国却希望通过不正当竞争,争取必胜!
　　日本看样子,是根本不知道裏面的凶险,尽管她好象已经输光了!而且大家应该注意,中国的上下家是日本和俄罗斯,美国只是对家而已!中国只能和日本、俄罗斯发生直接的利益冲突，美国却是隔岸观火，但是也有放炮的可能！
不过,赢家是美国,因为她们的规矩是,谁输了谁就要脱一件衣服!日本可是衣服裤子都没穿 输到底了这样，日本已经没有筹码了，如果输了，就彻底退出比赛！赢了，还可以继续留下来！
　　俄罗斯只能自保，输了还能打一场，也就是说还有机会！
　　美国和中国有优势，但是如果是一个输了话，而无论剩下的是哪一位都是最强的了，而输的一方和俄罗斯相比，是同样的档次了！
　　这局可以是最後一局，也可以是新的一局的前奏！

Future

I really have no idea how many countries in this world apply this kind of foreign investment policy in Malaysia, i.e. 30% local shareholder ruling (click on the news here) . To be honest, it's not attractive to me at all if I were a foreign investor. The government's policy doesn't seem to be competitive or transparent enough when compare to our neighbouring countries like Thailand and Singapore, even worse, the politicians are not even bothered on this issue.

2 of my brothers are now working in Singapore, the other 2 are in Malaysia, while I'm in Europe. I really hope Malaysia will turn out to be a better place to accommodate 5 of us one day. Please convince me this is not a dream.

I Will Offer Up My Life

This is a very lovely song, with meaningful lyrics which I can relate myself to everytime I sing it. It is so true what is sung in the chorus.
I will try to look for the mp3 of this song and put it here.

God Bless.

~totoro~

I Will Offer Up My Life

Pouring out the oil of love as my worship to You
In surrender I must give my every part
Lord receive the sacrifice of a broken heart

Chorus:
Jesus, what can I give
What can I bring
To so faithful a friend
To so loving a king
Savior, what can be said
What can be sung
As a praise of Your name
For the things You have done
Oh my words could not tell
Not even in part
Of the debt of love that is owed
By this thankful heart

You deserve my every breath for You've paid the great cost
Giving up Your life to death, even death on a cross
You took all my shame away, there defeated my sin
Opened up the gates of Heaven, and have beckoned me in

Jesus, what can I give
What can I bring
To so faithful a friend
To so loving a king
Savior, what can be said
What can be sung
As a praise of Your name
For the things You have done

Jesus, what can I give
What can I bring
To so faithful a friend
To so loving a king
Savior, what can be said
What can be sung
As a praise of Your name
For the things You have done
Oh my words could not tell
Not even in part
Of the debt of love that is owed
Of the debt of love that is owed
Of the debt of love that is owed
By this thankful heart

(this thankful heart)
(this thankful heart)

What can I give
What can I bring
What can I sing as an offering, Lord
(What can I give
What can I give to You, to You)

What can I give
What can I bring
What can I sing as an offering, Lord

What can I give
What can I bring
What can I sing as an offering, Lord

Jigsaw Puzzle

My PhD is all about finding one piece of missing information in crystal engineering. With this little piece of information, hopefully it will help the scientists in future to predict the habit (shape) of the crystal, to understand the dissolution of the material in wider context and to distinguish each facet of a crystal could exhibit very different thermal stability. In my study, most of them are related to pharmaceutical solids. In my thesis, I'm justifying my work is important and will provide different insight to the world of crystal.

I'm almost coming to the end of this entire research. I have to ask myself some questions. Are all these worth doing for 3 years? Will the money invested in my project (say £40k) be better used in the charity? I bet this could help thousands of people in Africa. Will this missing piece of information revolutionise the field of crystal engineering or pharmaceutical? Is this study really helpful when it came to real process?

May someone use this piece of information one day to fit in the jigsaw puzzle.

Malaysian Designer

Recently came across with a famous designer called Jimmy Choo. Apparently this guy is a Malaysian Chinese, born in Penang and studied in London College of Fashion. I meant he's a really well known designer who design shoes for numerous Hollywood stars. Previously, I didn't even know he's so famous and even own many shops, one of them located in Knightsbridge. Check his website out here.

It's not easy to become an international class shoe designer, let alone he's a Malaysian Chinese. He must be talented, I mean real talent. Malaysia's newspaper should report this kind of news more often. Perhaps it's only me who's not informative or knowledgable enough.

Cool Guy

This is the cool guy, my Korean flatmate, whom I mentioned in previous blog before. By the way, his name is Teddy. I hope he doesn't mind I upload one of his exciting photos here.

Having an ambition without any practical action is just a dream. I'm impressed that he has taken up the challenge to travel all the way from France to Korea on this little scooter. He left the house about 4 weeks ago and now he's in Angkara, Turkey. The toughest route I presume is about to begin while he's travelling via Iran, Pakistan and China. I'm hoping to hear from him again when he reaches BeiJing. Finger crossed !!

He hasn't got any sponsors from the companies that we planned before, but this doesn't stop him from achieving his dream. We both agree that financial is not the biggest obstacles. I supposed he's got enough cash with him during the travel. At the end I only manage to sponsor him 50 quid before he left the house. I don't think £50 is a big amount but he did appreciate my thoughts and support. : )

Best of luck, my mate !!!

Updates

There are many things happening around me/us these days, as I'm not sure whether or not to reveal them in this blog. It's not that I don't trust my reader, I'm just the type of person who like to share things with people once the particular event or matter is confirmed and settled, especially when it's closely related to myself. I'm not saying I will simply reveal other people's secret, afterall I think I'm quite good in keeping secret, or at least a good listener. : )

Perhaps a few of my close friends at church and workplace know about this recent "movements". I've decided to remain secretive on this issue to lure more readers into my blog, since I've not reveal any hint or intention at the beginning of it. Sooner I will provide more information about this issue, I hope, if everything goes well.

In short, I pray that both my girlfriend and I have made the right decision. We seriously hope God will interfere if there's anything happens beyond our control. I have to admit I didn't expect this thing to happen so quickly. Everything seems to be running smoothly at the moment. I take it as "YES, go ahead" from God. Amen

What's Wrong?

I received an email from my friend in Newcastle this afternoon and she requested me to pray for her safety and peace. Her house was burgled on Wednesday's evening. Apparently both she and her friend's laptop got stolen. Luckily there was no injury involved.

2 levels above my working place got broken in last night around 9pm. I'm not sure whether there were any valuables missing. Apparently the thief avoid the card swiping system by smashing the door glass.

From my friend's blog, I learnt that his brother got robbed recently and was pushed into a ditch. He was then sent to the clinic to get the stiches treating. Well, this case happened in Malaysia.

You know what, I found there's absolutely no interesting local news in the SinChew's website (Chinese Newspaper in Malaysia), apart from those crime reports and a few minor political issues. It's either there were too much crime cases to report back in Malaysia, or this newspaper hasn't being informative at all regarding news of technology, government's policy, construction programme etc etc. I'm really sick of those reports about murdered, raped, suicide, robbery, gang fight in school, fraud etc etc. Come on, give me a break, what's wrong with the security and safety in Malaysia?

Perhaps is just not Malaysia, even England or the rest of the world aint very safe. Damn, the world is dooming...

Charles Darwin -- A Creationist ?

Thanks to the internet and technology, now you don't need to travel all the way to British Library to read one of the world greatest piece of theses from Charles Darwin --- "The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection". You can easily find this writing on the web here.

There are 2 paragraphs that he wrote in the last chapter(Chapter 14) of his thesis. I'm quoting directly from the original text, I hope:

488 CONCLUSION. CHAP. XIV.
Authors of the highest eminence seem to be fully satisfied with the view that each species has been independently created. To my mind it accords better with what we know of the laws impressed on matter by the Creator, that the production and extinction of the past and present inhabitants of the world should have been due to secondary causes, like those determining the birth and death of the individual. When I view all beings not as special creations, but as the lineal descendants of some few beings which lived long before the first bed of the Silurian system was deposited, they seem to me to become ennobled.

490 CONCLUSION. CHAP. XIV.
Thus, from the war of nature, from famine and death, the most exalted object which we are capable of conceiving, namely, the production of the higher animals, directly follows. There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.

If Darwin were to write "have been originally breathed by the Creator into a few forms or into one", we can definitely conclude that Darwin remained a Creationist, despite all his hardwork and development of his theory. Isn't that idea similiar to Genesis 2:7, when Adam was breathed into his nostrils the breath of life? Hey, had Darwin forgotten to put his reference, or he deliberately pharsed that sentence?

Are we convinced that in the last passage Darwin clearly stated that God created one or a few basic forms of life, and from those we observe what have been evolved today?

I have to agree with the scholar's opinion, "Darwin found this view more beautiful than that which he and most other people previously held (that God created everything and that it still is as he created it, without change). The idea that life has no limits and that life will continue to evolve into wonderful creations is indeed an amazing and awe-inspiring thought."

Have we misunderstood Darwin's thoughts and killed God without further reasoning?

Fellowship Poster

Attached is the Fellowship's poster that we are going to send to Chinese Churches Overseas for publicity purpose. I believe there are loads of Chinese students from Malaysia, China, Hong Kong and Singapore coming to study abroad in London around September.

I hope this poster will draw this group of youth's attention. May they treat King's Cross Fellowship as their spiritual home during their stay in London.