Karut-Marut (Harut & Marut)

Dinie,

I should have laughed in the first place. But anyway, lets forget about the joke ok? And back to business. 'Karut-marut' is often used in Malay world. Its kind of 'irrelevant & unscientific' accusations or suggestions. Its baseless.

OK. Harut (the Malays refer Harut as 'karut', simply means 'ridiculous') was one of two angels (the other one is Marut) sent to the city of Babylon. They were supposed to teach sorcery to the wicked, as a temptation and trial from Allah SWT, who commanded the two to warn people not to learn it from them.

One of the positions that need to be understood is that the two angels were sent down to teach men sorcery so that the difference between sorcery and inimitable prophetic miracles (like, mu'jizat) might be recognised, and people not be misled by sorcerers, of whom many existed long time ago and some claimed to be prophets. Allahu a'lam.

Tasks

Prior to our short discussion yesterday, Marhaini suggested that I take over premiership studies lecture (Off Campus Program)series starting from next semester. Earlier, Hajjah Guy has also suggested that I take care of the same course for the E-DEP, also starting from next semester.

I have never considered handling any courses in the programs, partly because the program requires lectures to be held at night. But now i guess its time to re-consider. Over the years methods and technology have changed, and it became important to perhaps think about the possibility of changing ones attitude or stand.

The Long & Lonely Moments

I didn't sleep much that night. All I wanted to do was to be online and I didn't devote any attention to SMSes or any unfamiliar numbers. Thoughts kept creeping in - will everything be ok? What would happen if it is not? By morning,I had made my decision - it will be all right. Im pretty sure it will be ok.

My pleasure!

Renie,
to my great pleasure we (accompanied by Amar, Ain & Muzlifah) were to be joined in the final stages of the selection by the board.

The next major project - yet to be endorsed by the Board - will be announced no later than July this year.

Till then, feel free to contact me. Cheers.

Note: Make room for everyone, plz!

Good morning!

Masitah, Im not so sure about that issue. Sorry. Perhaps you can furnish me more..

Rozy,perhaps the biggest task during the break (last sem) was preparing our materials for the event. Well we did a great deal of work on the processes & the whole system. Suzy, Rahimi & Sally completely overhauled the whole system! Thanks also to Zera for her great job in dealing with unanticipated circumstances!

And I am still waiting for Zul to come up with the proposed plan...

Thank you!

Class Schedule II

The schedule is as follows:

June 30th; July 14th & 15th; August 4th, 5th, 25th & 26th; September 15th, 22nd & 23rd.

EMA716 Class Schedule

Dear EMAS 02.

Let me first welcome you to the course (EMA716).The class schedule for June-October 2007 is now ready. Please refer to the bulletine provided by the faculty.

Away

I will be away on vacation. Will be online whenever possible, and will attend to your messages soonest possible. Have a nice weekend.

Regrets?

Minie & Faizol. Thank you for the constructive remarks. I would not be human if I did not have regrets in my life. I sometimes wonder what lies ahead for me. Well, I can look back may be on the 20 odd years of challenge and adventure (during my journey in this institution). I must admit that I have experienced much joy and at the same time share sadness, too, and there have been many times when I have been close to cruelty and yet survived. I am glad that I am still fit and energetic enough to venture into the jungle of this misunderstood institution.

Once again, thank you.

Cosiderations

A very good morning! (Fang; Ray; Maya; Renie; Azie; Mad, et.al.).

The most important considerations in the present situation, I think, are that:

(1) Rahimah has carried out her primary obligations with notable success (she is currently struggling with her exam, leave her alone, please!);
(2) If Fisol were to wait for Renie at the spot he might have to wait many days doing nothing, pity him!;
(3) Azie is confident - and no one in this university can question her judgement - that she can reach the top spot with her present performance.

It appears, therefore, that there are no good nor there are magical grounds for instructing the small group to return to their basic - nor would such an instruction be easily explained to the whole band or group.

Consider this as my simplified conclusion. Thanks.

Gullick

Akhbar New Straits Times hari ini memaparkan artikel tulisan Gullick mengenai kepemimpinan awal negara ini pada era kemerdekaan. Gullick telah menghasilkan catatan dan rekod yang sangat bermanfaat kepada para pembaca dan penggemar bahan-bahan sejarah negara ini. Satu daripada buku beliau yang dianggap terbaik berjudul British Malaya..., maaf, saya lupa judul lengkapnya!

selamat membaca artikel berkenaan.

I will keep that for future reference

Dear Ba'in,

Im so sorry for not being able to comment further on the issue. To be honest, it is perhaps unbecoming of me to suggest anything that I am not 100% certain with. However, I will keep it for my future reference.

Thank you so much.

Modernization Theory?

Modernization means the appearance of ‘modes of social life or organization which emerged in Europe from about the seventeenth century onwards and which subsequently became more or less worldwide in their influence’(Giddens, 1991). It explains the changing ways of communication and media use in traditional and (post)modern societies.

Modernization theory has evolved in three waves. The first wave appeared in the 1950s and 1960s. One made the attempt to explain the diffusion of Western styles of living, technological innovations and individualist types of communication (highly selective, addressing only particular persons) as the superiority of secular, materialist, Western, individualist culture and of individual motivation and achievement (Lerner, 1958; Schramm, 1964).

Economic development:
Mass media promote the global diffusion of many technical and social innovations that are essential to modernization (Rogers, 1962). See Diffusion of Innovations theory.(The Malaysia Development Plan, or the Rancangan Malaysia Kedua in particular is a classic example of this theory).

Literacy and cultural development:
Mass media can teach literacy and other essential skills and techniques. They encourage a ‘state of mind’ favorable to modernity, e.g. the imagination of an alternative way of life beyond the traditional way.

National identity development:
Mass media could support national identities in new nations (colonies) and support attention to democratic policies (elections).

(Most of these theories have been discredited because of their pro-Western bias.)

The second wave of modernization theory is a part of the critical theory that was popular in the 1970s and 1980s. It does not support but criticize the influence of Western modernization. This is held to be a case of Western cultural and economic imperialism or dominance (Schiller, 1976).

One of the theories concerned is media dependency theory. Peripheral (developing) countries are assumed to be dependant on mass media in the core (the Western world). It also stresses on the historical ties between developed countries (First World) and the underdeveloped countries (Third world). Andre Gunder Frank's dependency theory is very much in perspective at this juncture.

The third wave of modernization theory rising in the 1990s is the theory of late-, high- or post modernity. It tries to be more neutral, being not in favor or against Western modernization. Rather it attempts to unearth the contradictions in the modernization process and to explain the consequences of modernity for individuals in contemporary society (Giddens, 1991a, 1991b). Giddens showed that modern society is characterized by time-space distantiation and disembedding mechanisms. Traditional society is based on direct interaction between people living close to each other. Modern societies stretch further and further across space and time using mass media and interactive media. Disembedding mechanisms such as money, symbolic means, English as the lingua franca and the Internet help to lift out and activities in an abstract or online form that were once embedded in particular material goods and in places.

This theme of the combination of unification and fragmentation in society and in media use also is present in the work of Meyrowitz (1993) – See Medium Theory- and van Dijk (1993, 1991/1999). Van Dijk tries to explain the rise of the new media such as computer networks and mobile telephony as important tools for modern life. They enable scale reduction and scale extension, a unitary and a fragmented world and, finally, a world that is both social and individualized (network individualism).

Source, with modification & additional comments: www.tcw.utwente.nl/theorieenoverzicht/Theory%20clusters/Media,%20Culture%20and%20Society/Modernization%20Theory.doc/

No magical formulas

Bee, Masitah & Joanna.

There is no magical formula to flourish in any endeavour! There are, of course, a number of factors or elements need to come together - planning (short & long term); acting on our dreams; persistence; faith; smart & hard work; managing success & failure in life; intensity; will; visioning etc - are but a few factors that must be administered.

One thing is sure: that there is an element of subjectivity about what amounts to successful life. So what is yours? I dont have the answer.

Have a nice holiday.