Morning training
I was supposed to wake up 5AM this morning to train together with 《千里走单骑》for the coming tournament in December. I will compete in the kata event but I think I will need to boost up my stamina and train more kata before the tournament. Actually I heard my alarm but I was thinking to lay down for just a short moment but I fell asleep again. This time she will give me a morning call. I really like her spirit.
I will be training two very rare kata for the tournament. These are very ancient traditional kata in Okinawa. I will talk about these kata after the tournament.
Going to school
D is going to school tomorrow! The kindergarten has organized an orientation activities for two weeks before the real kindergarten class begins next year. “D, if anyone bully or beat you, please tell daddy.”, I said, “and you don’t bully your friends either.” D replied, “um…”. I asked D if he was excited and he replied “Nope”.
I wonder if he will break into tears tomorrow after I leave him there. I guess I will stay there for an hour to soothe his fear and separation anxiety. Hmmm… that can be sticky.
Longer journey
Just got back from KL. After the workshop at Apple, I met up with Benji for a drink. It was nice to meet Benji again and we had a good chat about computers, karate and samurai swords. It was raining heavily so we had dinner together. We chatted until 2100 hours then we said good bye when the rain stopped. It was really a nice chat. Benji, thanks for everything. It was a pleasure chatting with you. Please let me know your next trip to Melaka.
I drove with extra careful on the highway until I missed the Ayer Keroh exit. This was the second time I missed the exit this year. The first time was sometime around middle of the year. I had to exit at Jasin that made my journey longer. I took the Jasin exit then the country road home. I could have arrived an hour earlier if I did not miss the exit. Most importantly is that I arrived home safely.
What a day! I really enjoyed the workshop and the chat with Benji.
Cocoa Bindings and Core Data Workshop
The workshop was conducted by Leon at Apple Malaysia office at Bukit Damansara today. It was a really nice and productive workshop. I had experience in C/C++ long time ago then I moved to Ada sometime in 1995. I was first exposed to Objective-C during this workshop. Although I am not really interested in C and other C-derived languages, I do find Objective-C better than C++. Objective-C is a message passing object-oriented language. I develop applications on Carbon with Ada bindings. Cocoa is a object oriented native framework of Mac OS X build on Carbon which is procedural native framework in comparison.
The workshop at Apple Malaysia.
Leon (light blue) helping Peter to solve problems.
That’s me working on Cocoa and Objective-C.
K.K. Chan (with eye glass) gets his hands on Cocoa.
Chris (front) from DevSIG.
Brian from SuavéWare.
Leon, thanks for the productive workshop. I look forward to more Cocoa workshop particularly MySQL framework in Cocoa. More photos here.
First hand on Objective-C and Cocoa
I am attending the Cocoa Bindings and Core Data Workshop at Apple Malaysia. This is the first time I look at Objective-C which is a superset of C. Objective-C is object-oriented. I personally find that Objective-C is safer than C++ at the first look but it is essentially still C which inherits all the unsafe features and properties of C.
On the other hand, Cocoa is really powerful and flexible to develop GUI application on Mac OS X. The only drawback is that there is no Ada binding for Cocoa. And I still very much prefer Ada than C and any C-derived languages.
Right at this moment, I am still keeping my option open as Cocoa is quite nice to use in developing GUI applications for Mac OS X.
A quick search on Google and I find a project on Google Code. The project seems not taking to any height. The project can be found here.
太极空手道
太极空手道？是否本人自创的？非也。不过也不无可能。就称它为《太极流空手道》(Taikyoku-ryu) 吧！哈哈！这文章只是本人把太极拳的理论用到空手道里头。其实我是在网上看到《九阴真经》原文。它其实是金庸小说里边的武學巨著，不得当真。可是有些部份不无道理。刚才和两位妹妹聊天时，聊到了九阴真经。
九阴真经曰：第二重：意大波圈，自内向外旋为散，自外向内旋为聚，散聚合适为阴阳平 衡，阴阳平衡，万物之本。渐如虚空，与宇共振，法同上。
太极里的阴阳相济和以上的理论有共同之外。在空手道里，一手出拳，一手收拳，既为《阴阳》。以上的所谓《意大波圈》是指《阴阳以内的阴阳》。何谓《阴阳以内的阴阳》？出拳的那只手既已阴阳平衡。何解？出拳的那只手，为阳也，而拳头自外向内旋为聚，为阴也，聚也就是发力。收拳的那只手，为阴也，而拳头自内向外旋为散，为阳也。所以每只手就已经是阴阳相济，再加上两只手，一发一收，也谓阴阳相济，此乃《意大波圈》也。无论出拳和收拳，一定要做到阴阳平衡。
万物之本，指能源 (energy source)。也说明了万物达到了《平衡》，也就是物理学的 equilibrium, 在这个 equilibrium system 也就是《平衡系统》里头的能源得以凝聚成为一小点。这个也是天文物理学 (astro-physics) 里的所谓《黑洞》。《黑洞》自外向内旋为聚。《黑洞》把它周围所有的物质自外向内旋而把这些相当庞大的物质得以凝聚成为一个小点，而发自它那一小点的能源既《万有引力》是多么的强大，就连《光》也逃不掉，被《黑洞》给吸去了。而《黑洞》的另一端，则自内向外旋为散。如果《黑洞》不散，可就糟糕了，那就到了《物极必反》的地步，而今天你我都从来没有存在过。
出拳时，两手，两个拳头，务必要做到一散一聚，全身部位的肌肉一伸一缩一散一聚为阴阳，阴阳平衡，全体归一，万物归宗，而且要锐利 (sharp)地凝聚全体阴阳至一小点。这时出拳就会有很大的威力。
太极拳里头的两极，既《阴阳》，可化为《无极》。《无极》既是阴阳平衡。当阴阳的动作也已达到了平衡之时，既为不动，所谓《无极》也。太极拳里绵延相续的大圈与小圈，从大至小为自外向内旋为聚，把太极阴阳五行内旋凝聚成一点，然后再从小至大为自内向外旋为散，而把凝聚成一点的能量散发出去，从而达到四两拨千斤，以静制动。
神州古人在远古时代已经通晓天文物理内的阴阳变化，可见古人的大智慧也。
先正其心
唐·韩愈《原道》里有句话，欲修其身者，先正其心；欲正其心者，先诚其意。凡是来向我学习空手道的，我都会先诚其意，再正其心，后修其身。我觉得一个练武的人，最重要的是拥有高尚的《武德》。要拥有高尚的武德，就要先拥有《太极思想》，能分辨是非和逻辑性的思维。诚意在此最为重要，也扮演了极重要的角色。不管是学习空手道或是其他武术，一定要有真诚的心。有了真诚的心，对于练习有所帮助，也会诚心诚意对待周围的事物和人。
很可惜的是有些教练把错误的思想和观念给灌输入他们的学生脑里，荼毒他们的思想，误人子弟。这是千错万错的行径。千万要不得。这也是之所以空手道和其他武术界被搞得乌烟章气，真假难分的境地。
所以无论是学员或教练，必需紧记这句话，欲修其身者，先正其心；欲正其心者，先诚其意。
卧渊龙韵
《卧渊龙韵》就是我。妹妹的《潜龙在天》，我为一位女同学取了个笔名，《千里走单骑》。我一时心血来潮给我自己也取了个笔名。我在19日成了《潜龙》，所以就以《卧渊》为主意。《卧渊龙韵》就是来自深处的龙之声音。
Thank you Mr. Police
I was having my karate training at Petaling Jaya dojo on Friday night. At about 9PM, I received a SMS from LA that my parents house was broken into by burglar. I was shocked as this was the second time their house was broken into. The first time was about 2 years ago. Because I was in PJ and I could not rush back to Melaka, I could not do much about it. I called LA to understand the situation and look like the entire house had been ransacked. Thinking of the safety of my parents, I quickly called the Melaka Police Operation Center at 06.285.4222. I informed them my parents house had been broken into and only two old folks at the house. I also told them I was in PJ and could not rush back for assistance and my parents needed assistance. A few minutes later, two policemen on motorcycle arrived at my parents home. Later, LA arrived then filed a police report at nearby police station. After that, an IO (Investigating Officer) and a few policemen were sent to my parents home for investigation. The IO was Inspector Muzaffar, whom we knew him since this Deepavali.
We are grateful for the police efficiency in this case. We, especially I, thank the Melaka police for providing their assistance. They managed to get some fingerprints and I hope that they can nail this burglar down. Thank you!
Air bubble in my eye
The air bubble in my eye has disappeared. I last saw it last evening. It was the size of a small sago. My doctor said the bubble would be completely dissolved in 2 months. Yesterday was just exactly 2 months after my surgery!
Yipe, I can fly now. But I will wait for another week or 2, if I want to fly, to make sure the bubble is completely dissolved. That’s the good news but I have another bad news. I am gradually developing cataract. My vision is blur like looking out the car windshield in the rain.
Anyway, I kind of miss the air bubble in my eye. I have used to see the air bubble wobbling in my eye whenever I make a move. One positive improvement is that my vision is clearer now even driving at night and I will not have dizziness when I walk and turn around shopping for groceries. The diffracted light and the moving air bubble would make the image wobble when I made a move or turn suddenly. Without the air bubble, I feel like normal again.
Good bye air bubble!
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今生无悔
我送给《潜龙在天》和《千里走单骑》的一首歌，王杰的《今生无悔》。
这常冷一面我非伪装
因时光一再无情尽绘
你曾于笑面跌出泪水
哀浓于痴百倍
无论那些际遇 回忆都会太倦
恐发现和前言违背 情愿赔上一切都不说后悔 应不应已经相会
我和你不需再讲什么 因曾彼此敬佩
这常冷一面我非伪装
因时光一再无情尽绘
你曾于笑面跌出泪水
哀浓于痴百倍
来吧 你干了吧 难得找到我吧
请莫问曾如何落泊 还在尘世挣扎
酒可再共醉 添一杯庆祝相会
我和你不需再讲什么 因曾彼此敬佩
天无端很暗晦
空手道的真与正义
空手道起源于中国武术，由于融合了中国古代文化和武道，最初以“唐手”为盛行于硫球群岛，在经历了五百多年的发展和演化过程中，吸纳了日本民间风格，后立名为“空手道”。空手道是巧妙应用拳，脚，膝，肘等，探求胜负的原理，进而达到超越胜败的境地，是磨练精神，体魄，技术，探求真，善，美的动态禅道。使人通过不懈的锻炼，严格艰辛的竞技，掌握高级的护身之技，养成强健的身体和健全的精神，以信心和勇气努力实践，从而为人类社会的正义，和平，发展作出积极的贡献。
空手道是精神之道与礼仪之道的结合。在习练中讲究以培养人的精神和礼仪为主，以增强人的体质为辅，以掌握精湛的格斗技艺为次。在技术上，它简便易学，具有极强的实用性。
有多少练空手道的人真正了解空手道的意义？又有多少人有智慧、信心、勇气努力实践空手道里的禅道， 由其是《真》和《正义》？在这个以假乱真、乌烟章气的空手道里面，不付责任、颠倒是非的教练多的是。在现代社会，很容易可以买到一张文凭，不用钱也可买到一张。据我所知，有一些黑带一段参加比赛得了个冠军，就被封了二段。不久前，马六甲就有两位被封二段，一位三段被封四段，可是全部在今年八月的国家锦标赛一一败北！被封了之后就输了！素不知在日本，要三连冠才说得上是冠军。如果拿一次冠军就封一个段，那么拿20个冠军不就拿二十段？最高才十段呢！乱封一场，乱七八糟，那有质素？输了还说受伤了表现不来。《真》没了！其中一位二段败北的老兄，还敢指责和批评我的人格，真是乱放狗屁！
没人懂《真》的意义，被封的更不会拒绝，也不敢抗拒，《正义》没了！在旁的人看了以为了不起，也把封段视为一种荣誉，《真》和《正义》完了！
我知道一位元老资格的师范，为了维护他们的《真》，要求把《假》变《真》，把他们的套路(kata)胡乱改一通，还以为了不起，反而弄巧反拙。这一改《善》与《美》完了！弄虚作假，《假》的《真》不了。《真》亡了！
我一惯在我的训练强调《真》和《正义》。希望此生能看到多少成绩也希望来个『三国』演义，把我的抱负续延下去。
破釜沉舟
经过和妹妹的深入探讨，我决心来个《破釜沉舟》，置之于死地而后生，不惜打破再建设。要求作得更好。除了更好，也要更准，更狠，更奸。
我将会好好休息反省，然后在近期重组，改变策略。
奸人的离间计
有所谓，“道高一尺，魔高一丈”，奸人的暗箭难防。在处理奸人时，我还是棋差一着。妹妹说的是，君子也要懂得耍奸计，兵不厌诈。内外都是君子，肯定吃亏。我还要在《孙子兵法》多下点工夫。
吸取了这次教训以后，我现已成为《易经》中的乾卦第一之初九：潜龙勿用。象曰：“潜龙勿用，阳在下也”。
我也深深领悟到妹妹的《潜龙在天》里的《潜龙》的意义。妹妹的文武双全，哥哥甘拜下风。
下一会，我肯定亦君子亦奸人，亦正亦邪。肯定要做到势如破竹，力不可挡！
猪农 － 华人狯子手
最近闹出了猪农使用长肉剂的风波。我觉得林卧豹是民族英雄，他揭露了猪农使用长肉剂。马来西亚养猪业经常受到重重打击，包括关闭的危机。这些身为「华人」的猪农，为了要赚钱，不惜同胞的健康，使用长肉剂，「谋害」华人，还叫华人要多多支持猪农买猪肉。放屁！
我最喜爱吃猪肉，特别是叉烧，棒极了。现在少吃了。
这一小撮猪农真是「谋杀」了华人民族的狯子手。
First shower with Nik
I gave Nik a shower for the first time today. I bathed both D and Rich when they were a baby too. Now, I’ve bathed all three of them when they were still baby.
I sat on the bathroom floor having Nik laying on my lap. I gave him a warm shower. He like the shower very much. Nik is the “fattest” among three of them. Both Nik and I enjoyed the shower very much.
Sorry, no picture because both big man and little man were completely naked. 
:D
太极思想
今天发生的事件，很明显地证明了好多练武的人，由其是马来西亚的练武的人士，缺乏「太极思想」。
太极是一门学问，它要求人们客观、辩证、一分为二地对待事物、看待问题、分析问题、解决问题。它是以万事、万物的本身皆有既互相对立又互相统一的哲理为基础的一种思想认识。我们把这种对待事物的思想认识称为太极思想。
这些人往往颠倒是非，实是而非。拿今天发生的事件 (英文版，中文版) 做个参考，他们把我的分析解作是对他们的谴责（condemn)。
这些人练武练到是非不分，头脑简单，四肢发达。明明真相摆在眼前，就是不敢接受。真相是这么难接受吗？
我看他们都是盲目的效忠于他们的协会。他们分不清效忠和真相， 这是相当危险的盲目效忠。练武练到这地步，可哀！
Protected: A nice bib for Nik
My first podcast - Episode #1
Here’s my first podcast. This first episode is a test for podcasting. I find podcasting interesting and can open up new opportunity in web business and I take on this project to complement my blogging. I hope this new exciting experience can take on new heights.
Beer reminiscent
When I was drinking the stout last night, I had a reminiscent of having beer with my best pal, Michal, in Poznań, Poland. I think that was the last beer since September 2003. Here is a picture we took together having really chilled beer in the chilly autumn night. The beer was really good. Perhaps it was the chilling sensation that I had having a chilled beer in the bone chilling autumn wind. We were at a harmonica festival in the heart of Poznań. The festival was to make the largest harmonica symphony to be recorded in the Guiness Book of World Record. That was our last night in Poznań. We flew to Wien the next morning.
Toss! Michal, if you are reading this.
LA had 3 sips of the stout. I finished the whole bottle and it did not take long for the alcohol to act on me. I was dropped dead sleeping with alcohol in my system.
Rules of thumb when burning CD or DVD
From my experience of burning CD (and DVD now) as well as the research I’ve done over burning CD and DVD, the rules of thumb for important data:
- Never ever burn a disc faster than it is rated for.
- Never ever use a high speed media. Use lowest speed media possible. 2-4x speed medias are excellent. You may save burning time but you compromise on data longevity.
- Never buy cheap media. There is reason that it is cheap.
- Scan at 10-24x when you’re making C1/C2 scans.
- Scan at 2x if you make PIE/PIF scans.
- Nothing last forever! Reburn after every 2-3 years.
- Never expose burned CD or DVD to any light source, particularly, UV. Keep them in dark place.
Yummy crab
LA likes to eat crab. I like to eat crab too but I am lazy to peel its shell and I dislike the messiness. LA ate quite a lot of crabs before she delivered Nik. The Chinese believes if the pregnant woman thinks of eating something, her husband must get the food she likes. Otherwise, the baby will become greedy when she grows up! It’s Chines folklore.
After LA’s massage at my parent’s, we passed by a restaurant beside a temple. I went down to buy her a crab in sweet and sour sauce. I bought a small bottle of Guiness Stout. It has been a long time since my last Stout in the mid 1990s! While I was waiting for the crab at the restaurant, I saw an old man ordering Stout. I did not know why I had the urge to drink Stout after so many years.
We came home and set in the dining room to eat the crab with toast breads. Umph… yummy! 
D and R like the crab and the sauce with toast breads too!
Michal, if you are reading this, can you remember we took you to this restaurant for seafood? You were so enjoying the crabs! We wish you will come visit us again and we can have crabs party. I can’t remember if I made you a picture eating crabs. I am going to go through my CD archives to find out.
Damned cockroaches
Every time when it rains or before the heavy rain, the cockroaches will surface out from the bathroom sewage. Although there is a cover at the sewage, the small roaches can squeeze out from the holes on the cover. They are dirty and smelly.
Today, an army of roaches came again while I was having my shower. I used water to wash them down but after a while, they will come again. After my shower, I quickly sprayed aerosol into the sewage hole. The tiny roaches emerged out. A big army of them. They suck!
I left the insecticide to work on them. They were all killed but some might escape. The carcasses of the smelly roaches laid on the floor of the bathroom.
I had to brush the bathroom after they were all dead. Sh!t. I hate cockroaches. And I remember when I was still a young boy, a cockroach flew on to the back of my neck. I still can recall the irritating sting on their legs.
Damn roaches!
Samsung cell phone service
My mom’s Samsung cell phone, SGH-X640C, was sent in for warranty repair for the 3rd time. It was initially thought that was keyboard problem until last month after I collected it from FMG service center in Mahkota Parade, I discovered the phone was hot to touch before I left the complex. I sent it for the third time. It was October 26.
I went to collect the phone today and everything seemed working fine. I was told that they changed some electronics parts and cables in the phone and they had tested it thoroughly. I hope it will not stop working anymore. I will test it for a few days before returning it to my mom.
I was quite disappointed with Samsung cell phone because of the malfunction. On service side, I think they are doing quite a good job.
Web presence for Shorin-ryu Seibukan Melaka
Just 10 minutes ago, I’ve started the web presence for Shorin-ryu Seibukan Melaka dojo. Please visit http://melaka.seibukan.org.my for more information about the authentic Shorin-ryu Seibukan Karate-do in Melaka and training classes.
North Eastern Monsoon
Now starts the North Eastern Monsoon season. Expect heavy down pour with thunder in afternoon or evening. Hopefully the monsoon rain and wind will help to clear off the smog from Borneo and Sumatra. With the rain, the climate will be cooler, particularly at night. Air will be cleaner without smog and smell. Hooray! Let’s rain please!
Looking for sponsorship to start a karate dojo
I am seeking passionate people who is passionate and keen in karate and is interested to sponsor a nice place to setup a karate dojo in Malaysia, preferably in Melaka.
If anyone has got a place or a shop lot and is keen in karate-do and most of all would like to sponsor a place for the purpose of promoting karate-do, please contact me
My blog stats
Until I look at my blog stats today, I did not realize that I have 200 posts (including this one) and 100 comments till to date. The comments are 50% out of total posts in 45 categories. It is growing!
I am particularly interested in the stats because I am studying the benefits of blog in business or business blogging. I have seen many businesses have been blogging about their company, products and services and many other things else.
The next thing I like to explore is podcasting. It is like radio broadcast but without having to make big investment. Podcasting is another interesting and exciting experience waiting for me. It is also one powerful tool for business.
Bow to me
I wanted to comment on this bow thing in karate long time ago. There is a habit for karate sensei (instructors) to teach their students to bow when entering the dojo, to their seniors, to their sensei, before, during and after every training lessons. In fact, many of them teach their students to bow to sensei and seniors when they meet one on the street, in the shopping complex and virtually anywhere, anytime.
IMO, respect is not given by bowing. Respect comes from the bottom of one’s heart. And respect must be earned, not commanded. I see many karate students from other dojo are commanded to pay respect.
In my practice, we bow only when we are at the dojo and when we are in our gi (uniform). Outside than that, a “hello” and a handshake is sufficient. A heartiest wish is a heartiest respect. Not a respect from a student to sensei. But a respect between two human beings, friends, and beyond all other boundaries. It is not necessary to show your bow to other people surrounding you.
In a different society which practice different culture, for example, Japan, the situation is different. Bowing is Japanese culture passed down from one generation to another. There, a bow bear different significant meaning. When meet with a Japanese, a bow is like a handshake.
But in Malaysia, especially, a bow takes on different meaning. It means submission to the supremacy.
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