Khamis, 30 Disember 2010

CUTTING THE COCONUT TREE

This was our first coconut tree.We planted it just after a few years my family moved to Kampung Bakau. It must be more than eleven years old since I was no where in this world when it started to germinate. I could say that.... between 12 to 14 years old.

It supposed to be very tall as all the other coconut trees along the beach. Since we planted it in a small box due to lack of space, this coconut trees officially became our first bonsai tree. As all other bonsai, the tree became smaller in size and shorter as if it was a three year coconut tree.

There are two types of coconut trees. Three year coconut trees, are trees that bear fruit in approximately three years.

Then there is the six years coconut tree, which produces fruit in about six years. You can easily distinguish between the two as the six years coconut tree is taller and bigger in size. So...my coconut tree was a six years coconut. It produce lots of fruits. Its sweet water and soft jelly like flesh was my favourite especially for breakfasting in Ramadhan.

Unfortunately...we had to cut down the tree since its massive leaves kept on disturbing our astro channel. Something to do with the waves around the astro receiver on top of our roof. Again another my favourite tree being sacrificed.

Sad to see all the wastage.

Anyhow, we did enjoy the coconut water and the white jelly
flesh for the last time from this coconut bonsai.

Isnin, 20 Disember 2010

SLAUGHTERING COW FOR A MALAY WEDDING FEAST

This was a cow for a wedding feast of our neighbor. We also had our share in it for a Aqiqah of my siblings. As one of the owner, we had to take care of the cow before the big day. I still remembered how the cow chased me and hit me with his horns. All my body smelled like a cow. Well....that was a beautiful experience. I never had a cow before. As a new owner, I tried to take him to the grass field. Mind you, I was not wearing any red material at that time. Maybe I pull the rope that tied at his nose too hard and make him angry.....

FCU guys helped making the tents for the wedding feast. This kind of community servis was good for us. Once a while break from our project really a fun.

At last.....

Early in the morning of the next day, the villagers got ready to slaughter the cow for the wedding festival. My big brother Dean was trying to make the cow lied down on the ground. I could see that it wasn't easy because the male cow was so strong in trying to save his own life. In one aspect, all of us would enjoy the meat and in the other aspect, I felt pity for the cow. I must be sensible enough to think in a right way!!

It was time for the villagers to get the meat to cook together. Lots of things to be learn from this big event.

Later on, another event took place at slaughter site. This time, they slaughtered a buffalo. Many villagers include the children were watching the process. I have been watching the process since I was small and in all those years, I learnt a lot. Hoping one day I can do the slaughtering process for the festival in my village.

I was one of the members of a team that rensponsible for cooking rice in this wedding festival. Being homeschool, I have lots of time to join any social events around the village. I mixed with the older people most of the time.

To make a fire for cooking rice, I need lots of dried coconut fibres. I really loved this task.

All the fire woods had to be arranged nicely in order for a better fire.

At last, I managed to light the fire to cook rice. Alhamdulillah.....

After the water was boiling, add in the rice plate by plate until all had been put in the big pot. The process must be done very quickly.

When all the rice has been put in the boiling pot, quickly took out the extra water until it's level was at the rice level. Covered the rice with the plastic bag and covered the pot with it's lid. It was very important to slow the fire to its minimum so that the rice was not burnt.

After 20 minutes, I tested the rice to check whether it cooked or not.

Thank God !! The rice was so perfect, not to hard and not too soft.

Keep the rice in a special container that can retained the heat for
the rest of the day

Some women were working in the house of the wedding family.

Beside the meat, they also cooked hot spicy chicken.

The villagers helped the wedding family with the cooking.

Coconuts were one of the main ingredients used in cooking for the wedding festival.

The meat was cooked in a big wok called "kawah".

Row of cooking pots with meat cuisine were on the stoves.

Soon, everybody would eat together under the tents.

Usually they prepare 2 big tents outside the compound of the
house for the guest to celebrate the festival. One for the men
and the other is for the women. They will be served with a special
food and dishes that being prepared earlier by the villagers.

The kompang (drum) was played by the villagers to

accompany the bride and groom especially when the

couple was on the "pelamin". The kompang is one of

the most popular Malay traditional instrument.

Usually it was played in National Day Parades and

in official functions such as wedding ceremony.

This is "pelamin" or wedding dais that is specially created for
the "bersanding" ceremony. Usually the "pelamin" is grandly
designed and gaily decorated to celebrate
the " Royal Of The Day".

In Islam, the couple is only legally become husband and wife
just after "akad nikah" ( wedding contract) by the authorized
religious officer or male person that is closely related to the
bride such as her father and her brothers. The akad nikah is
a marriage contract by the groom agreeing to wed
the bride based on the Islamic requirement and rules.

The authorized religious officer also asked

the bride whether she agree to marry
the groom.

The groom walks to the bride's house accompanied by his

family members. If the bride's house is far away, his family will

rent a nearby house just for this event. Slowly he walks to

his bride's house while his bestman shading him with

a yellow or gold colored wedding umbrella

This is an unscheduled "roadblock" or stoppage event that
usually carried out by the bride's playful aunties and
female siblings. They will ask many questions to test
the groom's patience and the only way for the groom
to pass the road block is by pay a cash to these playful
group.It is just for fun!!!

During Bersanding the bridal couple will be seated on the "pelamin"
or dais with the male on the right of the female. This is
how the bride and groom are being treated on
their wedding day. Anyhow according to Islamic way,
all this ceremony is just for the family of the bride
and groom only. It is suppose to be a close ceremony
since the act of "show off" to public is not good.

If you interested to know further, please this website:

http://www.pahang-delights.com/delightful-traditional-Malay-wedding.html

(GUIDANCE CORNER)

SOURCE:

http://c-benlafquih.suite101.com/ritual-slaughter-in-islam-dhabihah-a73803

The United States Humane Slaughter Act recognizes ritual slaughter according to Islamic and Jewish dietary guidelines is acceptable and humane.

Islamic dietary laws and Jewish dietary laws mandate that domestic animals raised for meat be slaughtered under strict religious guidelines. Both the Jewish (shechita) and Islamic (zabihah or dhabihah) methods of slaughter involve making a single, swift incision to the throat of the animal – deep enough to sever the jugular vein, carotid arteries, trachea and esophagus, but not so deep as to cut the spinal cord.
Although the image of this may be disturbing, ritual slaughter when performed correctly is painless to the animal. This is because the immediate severance of both the blood and oxygen supply to the brain causes the animal to quickly lose consciousness and all sensation. Anemia of the brain occurs within seconds.

Scientific Research Proves Islamic Slaughter is Humane

Professor Wilhelm Schulze of the Hannover University's School of Veterinary Medicine in Germany, and his colleague Dr. Hazim, compared the response of the brain and heart during and immediately after ritual slaughter and slaughter with captive bolt stunning, a method widely used in many slaughterhouses.

The results of electroencephalograph (EEG) and electrocardiogram (ECG) readings showed that Islamic ritual slaughtering caused a loss of consciousness before pain could be felt, while the captive bolt stunning caused severe pain to the animal before it lost consciousness.
Dr. Temple Grandin, an expert on livestock handling facilities and a professor of animal science at Colorado State University, has witnessed ritual slaughter many times while inspecting and advising kosher slaughterhouses. She notes on her website: “When the cut is done correctly, the animal appears not to feel it. From an animal welfare standpoint, the major concern during ritual slaughter are the stressful and cruel methods of restraint (holding) that are used in some plants."

Conditions for Islamic Slaughter (Zabihah)

Inhumane restraint of an animal at the time of slaughter goes against Islam, which requires kind and merciful treatment before and during the slaughter. This includes raising the animal in a natural -- preferably organic -- free range manner.
Other conditions for Islamic slaughter to yield halal (permissible) meat are:

the animal must be healthy and permissible to eat
a sane and competent Muslim must perform the act
a very sharp knife must be used, to facilitate rapid and painless cutting
the slaughter should not take place within view of other animals
the animal being slaughtered should not see the knife
the Muslim performing the cut (zabih or dhabih) must invoke God (Allah) by saying, “In the name of God” and “God is the Greatest” at the time of the slaughter
the cut should not be so deep as to sever the spinal cord or head

Ritual Slaughter Produces Healthier Meat

Both Jews and Muslims are forbidden from consuming blood. Ritual slaughter causes a rapid draining of bacteria- and hormone-carrying blood from an animal’s body, which is critical to healthy, blood-free meat.
The German study found that the heart pumps longer after Islamic slaughter than it does after captive bolt stunning, resulting in a better drain of blood and more hygienic meat. Painless body convulsions and leg kicks brought on after ritual slaughter are natural reflexes and further help to flush and drain the meat of blood.
Only after the blood has stopped draining should an animal be hoisted for skinning, removing of innards and butchering.

Professor Wilhelm Schulze and his colleague Dr. Hazim at the School of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover University in Germany had made research.

The research :

"ATTEMPTS TO OBJECTIFY PAIN AND CONSCIOUSNESS IN CONVENTIONAL AND RITUAL METHOD OF SLAUGHTERING SHEEP AND CALVES"

Surprisingly, the study concludes that Islamic slaughtering is the most humane method of slaughter. Infact, the captive bolt stunning practiced in the West, cause severe pain to animals.

The results were as follows :

I – Islamic Method

1. The first three seconds from the time of Islamic slaughter as recorded on the EEG did not show any change from the graph before slaughter, thus indicating that the animal did not feel any pain during or immediately after the incision.

2. For the following 3 seconds, the EEG recorded a condition of deep sleep that is unconsciousness. This is due to the large quantity of blood gushing out from the body.

3. After the above-mentioned 6 seconds, the EEG recorded zero level, showing no feeling of pain at all.

4. As the brain message(EEG) dropped to zero level, the heart was still pounding and the body convulsing vigorously (a reflex action of the spinal cord) driving a maximum amount of blood from the body thus resulting in hygenic meat for the consumer.

II - Western method by C.B.P. Stunning

1. The animals were apparently unconscious soon after stunning.

2. EEG showed severe pain immediately after stunning.

3. The hearts of the animal stunned by C.B.P. stopped beating earlier as compared to those of the animals slaughtered according to the Islamic method resulting in the retention of more blood in the meat. This in turn is unhygienic for the consumer.

Electric stunning of cattle. EEG showed severe pain immediately after stunning.

This method resulting in the retention of more blood in the meat and offer unhygienic meat for the consumer.

HOW EEG WORKS :

EEG, or electroencephalogram, is a tool we use to image the brain while it is performing a cognitive task. This allows us to detect the location and magnitude of brain activity involved in the various types of cognitive functions we study. EEG allows us to view and record the changes in your brain activity during the time you are performing the task.

Images are acquired by using electrodes to monitor the amount of electrical activity at different points on your scalp.

Cattle stun gun may heighten "madcow'" risk

By: Leila Corcoran

Broadcasted on BICNews 25 July 1997

http://www.iol.ie/~afifi/BICNews/Health/health4.htm

DEAR READERS!!

YOUR POSITIVE COMMENTS ARE HIGHLY APPRECIATE.

♥♥♥ FCU MALAYSIAN HOMESCHOOLING ♥♥♥

Ahad, 5 Disember 2010

SWEET MEMORIES WITH DR. EWALD

I did mention about Dr. Ewald in my previous entry. He was our guest from Austria and had been in Langkawi 15 years ago.Did I meet him before? Of course not. Even my brother Tajrid was still in my mother's womb at that time around 6 months. We lost contact to each other for all those years. Just recently... we were accidentally found his website while searching for medic articles. He is going to publish a book about cancer soon after years of research.
The initial plan was that he was going to stay with us for a few weeks. So...of course we wanted to give the best for the guest and we had less than 2 month to ready his accommodation. Big Boss gave the idea of building a house.

Actually, we had been planning to replace our "pondok" with a new house for years but never serious since our present house was big enough for all. So and so......FCU guys took the challenge of BUILDING A HOUSE IN 30 DAYS.
The challenge went on as had planned until one day ...Big Boss said that we were not going to build a simple house but a CREATIVE DOUBLE STOREY HOUSE and our guest would stay in the hotel. That's it!!!

We managed to make 2 short movies with him. Thank You Dr. Ewald for being so cooperative and sporting enough despite of his age, 62 years old.

LETS VIEW THE VIDEOS..YOU WILL ENJOY IT !!

MAGICAL BOY:

This short film was done in last March, 2010. It was about a boy who had a magical power. Is it a real magical power? Watch this interesting short film yourself and give a comment . By the way....this boy is me. Hardly to believe that I was that small at that time and my face also was quite different. Whatever..........

LETS VIEW THIS SHORT FILM:

DEAR READERS!!

YOUR POSITIVE COMMENTS ARE HIGHLY APPRECIATE.

♥♥♥ FCU MALAYSIAN HOMESCHOOLING ♥♥♥

Jumaat, 3 Disember 2010

FCU BUILD A CREATIVE HOUSE

BUILD A HOUSE IN 30 DAYS
SESSION 2
EPISOD 1

THE CURRENT PROGRESS OF THE HOUSE

The main entrance of the house.

My brother put some cement on the pillar in order to reshape it
into a tree trunk. To get a good shape of
a real tree trunk, you must have a good imaginative mind. The
easiest way is to take the surrounding
trees as your art model.

After covered all the surface of the pillar with cement, i
t was time to reshape and touch up.

Two of the finished tree trunk inside the house. These tree trunks were still
in the process. After the final touch up, the surface of the tree trunks
would be smooth and shiny, just like the real one.

SAMLE OF LOG HOUSE

SAMPLE OF LOG HOUSE

We are going to make a home spa in our toilet. The ground floor will be the show
room for all FCUMIRACLE products.

My favourite place. This " Tok Janggut" produce a lots of roots that hanging
downward and really become "tirai" to the main entrance of FCU GARDEN.

It is also Afiqah's favourite place. Just be careful....or you will fall

down into the pond !!!

Rabu, 1 Disember 2010

FCU HOMESCHOOLING FIRST ANNIVERSARY

PENCAPAIAN FCU HOMESCHOOLING

30 hari telah berlalu dan pada keseluruhannya saya sebagai pemerhati tetap CHALLENGE BUILD A HOUSE IN 30 DAYS merasa sungguh bangga dengan pencapaian 6 orang anak muda dan juga jurugambar yang menghasilkan video selama challenge ini berlangsung.

Inilah pondok yang selama ini menjadi tempat simpanan barang dan juga makmal membuat pasu-pasu bonsai. Usianya memang sudah lama dan sudah wujud sebelum kami membina rumah kami 15 tahun yang lalu. Sebelum ini, pondok ini adalah kepunyaan seorang perempuan tua dan kini menjadi milik kami.

Khazanah antik ini akhirnya dirobohkan sebagai laluan kepada sebuah rumah baru. Cabaran membina rumah ini adalah dari Big Boss FCU , setelah mendapat panggilan dari Dr. Ewald, seorang kenalan bangsa Austria yang akan menziarah kami dan kemungkinan besar akan tinggal bersama kami untuk masa yang agak panjang.

Dengan penuh yakin dan berani, cabaran ini disambut oleh 6 orang anak muda yang tiada pengalaman langsung dalam pembinaan rumah. Mereka adalah fresh dari Universiti dan juga ada yang baru sahaja tamat persekolahan. Di Universiti, mana ada belajar buat rumah. Mereka major dalam Engine dan Quantity Surveyor. Bertambah lagilah dengan dua orang ahlinya masih bersekolah tingkatan tiga dan darjah lima.

Pada peringkat awal, saya sendiri merasa kurang yakin akan kemampuan mereka untuk membina sebuah rumah. Buat pasu memang mereka terror tapi....buat rumah bukan perkara main-main. Kena betul ukuran dan segala tindakan kena tepat. Bukan boleh pakai hentam dan cincai. Mereka banyak menimba ilmu melalui internet dan juga banyak bertanya kepada mereka yang sudah biasa membina rumah. Big Boss mengeluarkan segala modal dan banyak memberi tunjuk ajar sepanjang pembinaan rumah ini.Selainnya, tulang empat kerat 6 orang anak muda inilah yang bertungkus lumus dari pagi hinggalah senja. Kekadang, waktku malam juga mereka akan bersengkang mata untuk menyiapkan apa-apa yang perlu untuk hari tersebut.

Mereka sangat committed dengan apa yang mereka lakukan. Setelah meneliti hasil kerja mereka dalam dua minggu pertama, saya yakin mereka akan berjaya mendirikan sebuah rumah dalam tempoh 30 hari. Menurut beberapa orang penduduk yang juga pembina rumah, binaan yang mereka buat sungguh kukuh dan mencapai standard national.

Pada hari ke 15, Big Boss menukar plan rumah dari simple ke sebuah rumah yang lebih creative. Double storey house dan lengkap dengan mandian spa. Rumah ini juga berkonsep CORDWOOD HOUSE. Sudah tentulah memerlukan masa yang lebih panjang. Kalau hanya untuk membina sebuah rumah yang simple, kemungkinan dapat siapkan dalam masa 30 hari. Walau apa pun.....mereka tetap berusaha untuk cuba sebaik mungkin.

Lebih kurang beginilah rupa rumah yang kami cadangkan pada mulanya.

Kemudian kami tukar plan untuk membina rumah dua tingkat yang berkonsepkan CORDWOOD HOUSE seperti di atas.

Kami difahamkan bahawa rumah yang akan kami bina ini yang berkonsepkan CORDWOOD adalah yang pertama di Langkawi. Banyak kebaikan rumah jenis ini selain dari keindahan kreativitinya. Kita akan dapat menjimatkan belanja membeli semen yang memang mahal harganya. Batang kayu yang digunakan juga adalah dari jenis murah seperti batang getah yang selalu digunakan untuk membuat kayu api.

Dari segi pembelajaran homeschooling, cabaran ini telah menyediakan pembelajaran yang terbaik kepada kedua-dua pelajar kami iaitu Tajrid dan Hafidz. Kedua-dua mereka terlibat secara langsung dalam pembinaan rumah ini. Ilmu membina rumah adalah dikira sesuatu yang exclusive bagi seorang kanak-kanak dan remaja seperti mereka. Target utama pembelajaran FCU HOMESCHOOLING adalah untuk menerapkan segala ilmu asas untuk hidup seperti fardhu ain, fardhu kifayah, membuat rumah, perniagaan, pertanian dan juga perikanan. Selainnya adalah pembelajaran akedamik seperti sekolah kerajaan bagi menyediakan asas untuk mereka melanjutkan pelajaran ke peringkat yang lebih tinggi. Selain dari pelajaran asas, kami juga memberi peluang untuk mereka belajar apa-apa sahaja yang mereka minat seperti bidang pembuatan filem, photographi dan bidang pelancungan. Setakat ini, mereka adalah pelakun utama dalam beberapa video yang telah kami buat. Sasaran kami adalah memberi pengalaman kepada mereka dalam bidang pembuatan filem dokumentari yang pasti mempunyai daya saing di peringkat global.