Japan Satellite Broadcasting Station

(TimeToTalk.org)
In exactly 3 more years, right on this date July 24, 2011, all analog tv will go out of Japan. One day after that date, anybody still using analog tv will not get any image.
JUST BLANK!
Most countries are still using analog tv, if you dont know what analog tv is, its the tv with the bulky colour tube in the back.

Our family just threw out one analog tv two months ago, we still have one more to throw. Mind you, there is a payment for throwing out tv in Japan. The standard disposable fees for getting rid of your tv is yen 3000 to yen 4000! (thats a whooping rm100 or more).
(fromdtvanswers.com)

Now most households in Japan are slowly converting to digital tv, so the electronic shops are having lots of smiling time. I remember there is this grand electronic-goods chain that collect disposable fees instead of defragmenting the parts, they just dumped all the tvs in some store houses. This chain-shop received a biting fine and nasty warning from the information ministry. I dont buy from that shop again, cheaters!

The electronic giants of Japan has fixed digital tuners in all the digital tv to prepare the people for this transition.
Japan Satellite Broadcasting Station, will be the main broadcast station in future. If you look at the picture on top, you will understand how all this works.
We have to replace old analog antenna with UHF antenna.

(from getdigitaltelevision.com)

Anyway, there is a need for people in Japan to change their tv sets and we have 3 more years to do it. The government are announcing this everyday on tv.
So, its not like the Japanese people have any choice to buy or not to buy.
We have to get it. Tv is like the main bloodline of infomation in Japan, afterall most announcement for the people of Japan comes on the main government channels.

What about countries that are not involved in digital broadcasting yet?
They still can use analog tv and not worry about getting in line for plasma or blue-ray!

So, my friends in Malaysia and Singapore, dont rush! Keep your analog, who knows one day it might sell millions on the antique homepage.

Interrogation

As I write this note, the police inspector is speaking with otto in my living room again. The first time he came I wrote an entry about it http://halela.blogspot.com/2008/09/hadiah-hari-nuzul-al-quran.html. That was two months ago, I thought it was a once-and-for-all event but since that first home visit, he came and "interrogate" otto four times now.
Truth is, I feel the home visit has somewhat become an "interrogation". He sees me writing this entry now. Hopefully, he will not go all out and asked for this blog address. I AM TALKING ABOUT HIM HERE!

Why is he making my otto the target for his inquiry? My otto doesn't mind but I felt like we are "suspected". He inquired about the present fund and donations the muslims here made for the mosque foundation, the identity of muslims who make the Jumaat prayer, whether there are new faces among the muslims on this island and the muslims people from USA on the military bases.

Before he left, standing at the entrance, his last question was whether our daughters are at home presently. He said there was a young woman's voice who answered his call before he visited here.
Otto just said his two daughters are still away working but stop short there.

Went he left, I smiled at Otto and said that young woman's voice is MINE.
Being a very possessive person, Otto said the inspector was just making another open invitation for his next home visit!

I'm yours-Jason Mraz

I have some writing target to accomplish but the person overlooking my work has gone for some ibadah obligations. I was told to complete some writings but its raining today and its a holiday in Japan, so I just don't feel like doing anything at all.

Actually I just came back from a concert. But I'll blog about that later.
In the meantime, I'm listening to this song here.

Kata doktor

Kita ketepikan ibadah agama dan lain-lain perbuatan yang berkaitan agama, takut nanti menjadi riak dan hilang pula pahala amalan kita begitu saja.
Jadi kita tumpu hal perbuatan rutin harian.

Doktor-doktor pakar kata senaman dan tidur boleh menjauhkan sel kanser merebak. Doktor kata dalam badan semua manusia ada sel-sel kanser tapi masih dalam keadaan terpelihara.
Jadi doktor kata kalau ingin mengawal sel-sel kanser, kita harus buat senaman dan tidur.
Juga doktor kata kita kena minum kopi, kalau boleh bergelas-gelas sebab kopi pun boleh menahan kemerebakan sel-sel kanser.

Jadi saya yang cukup perihatin terhadap kata-kata doktor, membuatlah rutin yang berlatarbelakangkan kata-kata doktor ini.
(*tak salah berusaha menyempurnakan kesihatan, lepas usaha kita serahkah pada Dia*)

Pagi sambung TIDUR, minum KOPI, SENAMAN (basuh pinggan), rehat (makan).
Tengah hari TIDUR, minum KOPI, SENAMAN (lipat baju), rehat (makan).
Malam minum KOPI, SENAMAN (masak), rehat (makan) dan TIDUR lagi.

Anda sanggup ikut cara yang sama?

Victoria's secret Fashion Show 2008

Who are these shows for?
For the men?
or
for women?

Men do not need all these tiny itsy bitsy bits to make love.
Then, these underwears or is it "underwears" are for women.
Yes, to some women, it brings the spirit up just to put them on.
The feel is like having a very tall glass of Haagan Das Ice cream, sweet just for a moment.

Yes, the sweetness is there but I still opt for nothing.

(note from a lady who is married for more than 26 years).

Anthology of Contemporary Haiku (Japanese)

Below is the essay I wrote for the hardcover book of

Anthology of Contemporary Haiku.

This book is a compilation of about 230 haiku writers all over Japan. Each writer submit 20 haiku in the Japanese language.

This book goes into printing for 1000 copies only and cost JY2500 each.

As far as I know, there is no foreigner or non-Japanese person who have ever stepped into the Japanese haiku world, writing haiku in Japanese.

The photo of me wearing tudung, this will make me quite famous but hey, famous or not, I'm still a housewife ironing my husband's shirt everyday!!!

************************************************************

The Essay:

Eventhough I have known haiku in the english version during the early introductory years, it did not impressed me much. Most of foreign written haiku are either too wordy or too brief. Most of the time, the season word are missing or the magical abstract touch and the inner core of the haiku itself is not there.

I was not satisfied with the knowledge of haiku that is written in the english textbook. The turning point came when I was faced with the challenge of getting to the basic of haiku. I want to know the original version. I want to know when haiku was started and who wrote the first haiku. That was the very basic of haiku. The main body which every haiku enthusiast should know before embarking on a journey of the haiku spirit.

With a heart full of bare knowledge and with a spirit of wings high in the sky, my feet carried me to the first haiku class in session. I did not know anyone in the class and coming from a foreign land, my knowledge of the Japanese kanji and writing was almost minimum. But this fear did not stop my thirst for that sweetness of haiku knowledge.

I challenged myself in a class of original haiku writers. Writers who are so knowleageable in haiku writing. At times I felt so helpless. This is the beginning of a hard climb for me and I am still climbing. Still struggling.
Imagine me, a person without any background of Japanese language since young, going all out to study a new language at this advance age, I have to admit that a few times I almost gave up in my frustrated attempt.

With much help from kind friends around me and understanding members in the haiku circle, I ploughed on. I fertilized the soil and build the knowledge ever so slowly. I planted the seeds of learning bit by bit.
I do not know the result yet but I hope the seed will grow into beautiful plant. This plant will one day, spread more seeds and build an empire of haiku writers in the Malay literary world.

End of Essay.

All this is written in Japanese.

Tsunami

artist: Southern All Stars
Song: Tsunami

kaze ni tomadou yowakina boku　(my timid self is confused in the winds)
toorisugaru ano hi no kage (that day's shadow passed me by)
hontou wa mita me ijou namida moroi kako ga aru (actually, more that it seems, its easy for me to cry)

tomedo nagareru sayaka mizu yo (endlessly flowing clear water)
kesedo moyuru mashou no hi yo (the devilish fire burning endlessly)
anna ni sukina hito ni (such a person that I love)
deau natsu wa nido to nai (such meeting that summer will not happened again)

hito wa dare mo ai motomete (everyone is serching for love)
yami ni samayou sadame (wandering in the dark to find destiny)
soshite kaze makase Oh, My destiny (so, I let the winds decide Oh, my destiny)
namida kareru made (till my tears is dried)

mitsumeau to sunao ni oshaberi dekinai (I can't say anything when I looked in your eyes)
tsunami no youna wabishisa ni (desolated like the tidal waves)
I know.. obieteru, Hoo.. (I know I'm scared, hoo..)
meguriaeta toki kara mahou ga tokenai （the magic didn't break since we met)
kagami no youna yume no naka de (like a mirrow in my dreams)

omoide wa itsu no hi mo ame (the memories and its always raining)

yume ga owari mezameru toki fukai yami ni yoake ga kuru (in the darkness of the night when the dawn is breaking, I woke up from my dream)
hontou wa mitame ijou utarezuyoi boku ga iru (the truth is I'm stronger than I appear)

nakidashisouna sora nagamete nami ni tadayou kamome (gazing at the almost tearful sky with seagulls drifting on the wave)
kitto yo wa nakase Oh, sweet memory (makes the world so tearful, Oh sweet memory)
tabidachi wo mune ni (the journey of my heart)

hito wa namida misezu ni otona ni narenai (a person cannot mature without showing tears)
Glass no youna koi da to wa (my love like glass)
I know.. kizuiteru, Hoo.. (I know, I feel it, hoo..)
mi mo kokoro mo itoshii hito shika mienai (my body and soul can only see my love)
harisakesouna mune no oku de (deep in my heart, I almost burst)
kanashimi ni taeru no wa naze? (why do I endure such sadness?)

mitsumeau to sunao ni oshaberi dekinai (I can't say anything when I gaze at you)
tsunami no youna wabishisa ni (such emptiness like tsunami)
I know.. obieteru, Hoo.. (I know, I'm scared, hoo...)
meguriaeta toki kara shinu made suki to itte (from the time we met till the day we die, say that you love me)
kagami no youna yume no naka de (like the mirrow in my dreams)

hohoemi wo kureta no wa dare? (the smile who is it for?)
suki nanoni naita no wa naze? (I love you but why am I crying?)
omoide wa itsu no hi mo... ame (the memories and its always...raining)

ps: Please be kind, when you take this translation, put my name. Its mine!

Jahrera@Okinawa.

Jendela Timur Nov. 2008

Sword Bean/Kacang Parang

I stare and stare at these beans. What do I call it? Since I have the beans and since nobody else know what to make of it, then I shall name it as

Kacang Parang (along the line of Ikan Parang).

or

the english version

Sword Beans.

Maybe I should let Kamus DBP or Wikipedia know about this.

Still thinking and staring...

Kacang apa gerangan ini?
Suruhku rebus, suruhku masak.
Mana asal benih ini?
Taburan dari bimasakti,
membaling kejora ke laman ini.
Mintaku rebus, mintaku masak,
diresap lembut,
dalam senyap menjalar akar
menusuk saraf ini.

ps: kacang bukan buatan photoshop.