The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog

"The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" is a pangram (a phrase that uses all the letters of the alphabet) that has been used to test typewriters and computer keyboards because it is nicely coherent and short.

Source: Wikipedia

White February@Alexandria

View from my hotel room

Nowcast as of 6:11 am EST on February 14, 2007

32 °F / 0 °C Light Freezing Drizzle Mist
Snow Depth: 2.0 inch / 5.08 cm

Moderate sleet mixed with freezing rain to continue this morning across the DC and Baltimore Metro areas. The precipitation will taper off over the DC region between 7 and 8 and...and between 9 and 10 am over the Baltimore Metro area. Additional sleet accumulations of one quarter of an inch is possible before the precipitation ends. Additional glaze ice accumulation will be minimal around one tenth of an inch. Driving conditions are hazardous. Expect north winds of 10 to 15 mph with gusts of 20 to 30 mph this morning.

Minus 3@Alexandria

Weather was cold today. By 2pm, winter storm warning has been announced. Citizens were advised to go home early and avoid driving. Unfortunately life goes on, as meeting continue all the way til 6 plus (and I dozed off half way due to jet lag :P) .

By the time we got out of office, the showers throughout the day has caused thin ice forming on the road and cars that were parked in open space are coated with ice.

Our rented car covered with ice.

Back at the hotel, we tried to get the hotel shuttle bus for dinner but was told that due to safety precautions, the service is suspended for the time being. Not wanting to risk driving in such conditions, we took a short stroll to a nearby restaurant in the chilly weather.

Cars in front of the hotel.

After dinner, I found out from the news that snow storm is sweeping northeast of US. Flights from Washington D.C. has been cancelled for tonight and tomorrow morning. Hopefully my thursday flight don't get cancel. Don't want to spend my chinese new year here or in mid-air.

Cross my fingers and pray hard....

District of Columbia

Took a walk in downtown Washington D.C. before heading for dinner. Took some photos in the chilly wind.

Washington Memorial - he the one who cuts the tree.

White House - Bush wasn't at home.

Flags around the memorial

Capitol Hill - where the senators are.

X degree below zero

Going to Washington D.C. on Sunday. Checked the weather forecast, and already got the shiver even before I go there....


Hopefully I don't freeze my butt off...

History of Valentine's Day

February has long been a month of romance. Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones. Here is a summary of the history of Valentine's Day and why it is considered a day for lovers:

In 207AD, the Roman Emperor Claudius decreed that all men could not get married, for fear that after marriage, they would be less committed to the country's war effort. There was, however, a Catholic priest, name Valentine who secretly went against the Emperor's wishes and married couples in love.

When he was found out, the Emperor commanded his execution and had him jailed.

While in jail, Valentine was asked by his jailor to help his blind daughter. Through his faith and a miracle, the daughter regained her sight and the night before his execution, Valentine wrote a farewell message to his jailor's daughter and signed it off 'From your Valentine'. This is why we continue using this expression today when we sign off cards to loved ones.

Valentine thus become a Patron Saint, and spiritual overseer of an annual festival which had young Romans offering women they admired handwritten greetings of affection on February 14.

The Valentine's Day card custom spread with Christianity, and is now celebrated all over the world. One of the earliest card was sent in 1415 by Charles, duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was a prisoner in the Tower of London. The card is now preserved in the British Museum.

人生都在學做人

星雲大師有一位徒弟，台大畢業後，到夏威夷讀碩士，
又到耶魯讀博士，花了好多年的時間，終於得到博士，
非常歡喜。

有一天他回來，對星雲說：
「師父，我現在得到博士學位了，以後要再學習什麼呢？」
星雲說：「學習人。」
學習做人是一輩子的事，沒有辦法畢業的。

星雲覺得人生，不管是士農工商、各種人等，
只要學習就有進步，今天要跟大家分享需要學習的事。

第一、「學習認錯」。
人常常不肯認錯，凡事都說是別人的錯，
認為自己才是對的，其實不認錯就是一個錯。
認錯的對象可以是父母、朋友、社會大眾、佛祖，
甚至向兒女或是對我不好的人認錯，
自己不但不會少了什麼，反而顯得你有度量。
學習認錯是美好的，是一個大修行。

第二、「學習柔和」。
人的牙齒是硬的，舌頭是軟的，到了人生的最後，
牙齒都掉光了，舌頭卻不會掉，所以要柔軟，
人生才能長久，硬反而吃虧。
心地柔軟了，是修行最大的進步。
一般形容執著的人說，你的心、你的性格很冷、很硬，
像鋼鐵一樣。
如果我們像禪門說的調息、調身、調心，
慢慢調伏像野馬、像猴子的這顆心，令它柔軟，
人生才能活得更快樂、更長久。

第三、「學習生忍」。
這世間就是忍一口氣，風平浪靜，退一步海闊天空；
忍，萬事都能消除。忍就是會處理、會化解，
用智慧、能力讓大事化小、小事化無。
各位要生活、要生存、要生命，有了忍，
可以認清世間的好壞、善惡、是非，甚至接受它。

第四、「學習溝通」。
缺乏溝通，就會產生是非、爭執與誤會。
現在中國大陸、香港和台灣，
兩岸三地最重要的就是溝通，
相互了解、相互體諒、相互幫助，
大家都是龍兄虎弟，互相爭執、不溝通怎麼能和平呢？

第五、「學習放下」。
人生像一只皮箱，需要用的時候提起，
不用的時就把它放下，應放下的時候，卻不放下，
就像拖著沉重的行李，無法自在。
人生的歲月有限，認錯、尊重、包容才能讓人接受。

能解決的事，不必去擔心；不能解決的事，擔心也沒用

Got this story from an email. Something worth sharing here:

銅鑼聲

有二位年輕人從鄉下來到城市，歷經奮鬥，終於賺了很多錢， 後來年紀大了，就決定回鄉下安享晚年， 在他們回鄉的小徑上，碰到了一位白衣老者， 這位老者手上拿著一面銅鑼，在那裡等他們。

他們問老先生：「你在這做什麼?」

老先生說： 「我是專門幫人敲最後一聲銅鑼的人， 你們兩個都只剩下三天的生命，到第三天黃昏的時候， 我會拿著銅鑼到你家的門外敲， 你們一聽到鑼聲，生命就結束了。」

講完後，這個老人就消失不見了。

這兩人聽完後就楞住了， 好不容易在城市輕辛苦了那麼多年，賺了這麼多錢， 要回來享福， 結果卻只剩下三天好活。

兩人各自回家後，第一個有錢人從此不吃不喝， 每天都愁眉不展，細數他的財產。 心想：「怎麼辦？只剩三天可活!」

他就這樣垂頭喪氣，面如死灰，什麼事也不做， 只記得那個老人要來敲銅鑼。

他一直等，一直等到第三天的黃昏，整個人已如洩了 氣的皮球。

終於那個老人來了，拿著銅鑼站在他的門外，〔鏘〕的敲了一聲。

他一聽到鑼聲，就立刻倒了下去，死了。

為什麼呢? 因為，他一直在等這一聲，等到了，也就死了!

另外一個有錢人心想：「太可惜了，賺那麼多錢， 只剩下三天可活，我從小就離家，從沒為家鄉做過什麼， 我應該把這些錢拿出來，分給家鄉所有苦難和需要幫助的人。」

於是，他把所有的錢分給窮苦的人，又鋪路又造橋， 光是處理這些就讓他忙得不得了， 根本忘記三天以後的銅鑼聲。

好不容易到了第三天，才把所有的財產都散光了， 村民們非常感謝他，於是就請了鑼鼓陣， 歌仔戲，布袋戲到他家門口來慶祝， 場面非常熱鬧，舞龍舞獅，又放鞭炮，又放煙火．

到了第三天黃昏，老人依約出現，在他家門外敲銅鑼．

老人〔鏘!鏘!鏘〕地敲了好幾聲銅鑼，

可是大夥全都沒聽到，老人再怎麼敲也沒用，只好走了。

這個有錢人過了好多天才想起老人要來敲鑼的事，還正納悶： 「怎麼老人失約了?」

當一個人處於絕望的時候，若能展現積極樂觀的一面， 承擔眼前的一刻，不必擔心以後的事情，就不必怕哪一天銅鑼會響， 也不必特別去聽那一聲銅鑼的聲音。

絕望將不再是絕望，卻反而可能是另一個轉機呢!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

當手中只一顆酸檸檬時，你也要設法將它做成一杯可口的檸檬汁。

達賴喇嘛說的西藏諺語；
「能解決的事，不必去擔心；
不能解決的事，擔心也沒用。」

這句話真的值得我們細細的咀嚼
所謂天下本無事,庸人自擾之。
把握當下才是最重要的

The last roar@Kallang

The day was 31 Jan 2007. The place was the Singapore National Stadium where the Singapore team meet the Thailand team, deem soccer king of South East Asia, for the 2006 ASEAN Cup final.

It was my first time there for a live soccer match and the moment I step into the Stadium, I was overwhelmed by a sight I had never seen before - a sea of red spectators. A state of euphoria caught me and by the time I sat down at the seat where Alex had 'chopped' earlier, I came to a conclusion that we should never drop soccer as a national sports. Where in Singapore can you find 50 thousands people sitting together supporting a common goal?

It was also a first for me to be in the midst of the Kallang Wave (spectators standing up to make wave like motion around the Stadium). Each time the Kallang Wave flows through the stadium, you could feel the trembling of stamping feets as a precursor to the wave which makes you feel like joining in the fun as well.

As for the game, without a doubt the Thais were faster and shown much better class in ball skills. Singapore, on the other hand, created and squandered more chances, though nothing compared to what England's Frank Lampard experienced in his last World Cup outing.

It was a hilarious sight as I watched the paramedic keep coming on the pitch with the stretcher whenever there is a Thai player down, whether the tackle was genuine or not. The crowd kept chanting "Butoh..." to express their unhappiness.

The moment Singapore scored the first game, the whole stadium rocked and I was deafened by the Kallang roar. It was sensational as I felt the adrenalin pumping through my body at the sight of the goal. But this didn't last long and the stadium was silenced quickly when the Thai scored the equalizer in the early hours of the second half.

It was a good goal by the Thai and the goalkeeper would not be able to stop the 2-on-1. After the equalizer, the Singapore tried hard but just couldn't find the goal post, so I told my friend that Singapore would need a penalty to win the game. Then suddenly, Singapore was awarded a penalty kick and it got everyone excited.

What happen next was something no one expected - the thailand team walked off in protest. I was at the far end and couldn't make out what actually happened. But I thought the Thai team were unsporting to walk off and the referee was far too lenient. He should have flashed some cards to make his stand....He should just red carded the whole team ;-)

Thai team at their own tent.

The whole stadium was stunned. No one could believe that the soccer king of South East Asia would do such an unsporting feat. The standoff persisted for some 15 minutes as everyone was rooted to their feet in disbelief.

55,000 people on their feet.

When the Thai team finally reluctantly return to the pitch, the Singapore team took the penalty shot and converted, the whole stadium rocks again.

The game finally ended 2-1 after 100 over minutes of play with Singapore winning Thailand for the first time on home ground since 1977. The soccer may not be world class, but the event would definitely remain in my memories for a long long time....