Tahajjud Cinta

Kau datang ketika duka
Dan bintang bercahya
Tunjukku ke jalan syurga

Kau datang ketika duka
Dan bintang bercahya
Tunjukku ke jalan syurga

Ku haus di tengah laut
Lemas mencari tempat berpaut
Kirimkan aku kekuatan
Serta pedoman di kesesatan

Ku sunyi dalam gembira
Perih pedih tanggung derita
Sungguh aku bukan wali
Yang suci dari hina dan benci

Kau datang ketika duka
Dan bintang bercahya
Tunjukku ke jalan syurga

Terlalu lama aku mencuba
Terlalu banyak
Cinta yang ku damba
Tiada yang sempurna
Hanyalah fana
Tuhan, ampuni hamba-Mu

Kau datang ketika duka
Dan bintang bercahya
Tunjukku ke jalan syurga

Ku rebah di dada malam
Memecah dendam yang lama diam
Ku tanggalkan baju dunia
Dakapku dengan selimut syurga
Ya Tuhanku hanya padamu
Tempat mengadu segala rindu
Limpahi ku rahmat kasihmu
Dalam tahajjud cinta bersujud....

Indonesia Former President Dies At 69

JAKARTA (AFP) : Indonesia prepared Thursday to bury enigmatic former president Abdurrahman Wahid, a devout Muslim scholar who courted ties with Israel and staunchly defended the country's pluralist traditions, died in hospital on Wednesday evening aged 69 due to complications arising from diabetes and stroke.

Popularly known as Gus Dur, he was practically blind and Indonesia's fourth president, coming to power in 1999 after the country's first general elections following the fall of military strongman Suharto in 1998.

Wahid is expected to be buried around midday in a family graveyard at his birthplace in Jombang, East Java, in a ceremony to be presided over by Yudhoyono.

"He was humorous, happy, clever, brave and really cared about the community. He was full of life and his fighting spirit was strong. Even when he was sick, he would fight on," he said.

Wahid rose to political prominence through his role as a leader of one of the country's biggest mass Islamic movements, the moderate Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), having been a critic of Suharto during the general's three-decade rule.

He defeated Megawati Sukarnoputri to scoop the presidency in a parliamentary vote, even though her Democratic Party of Struggle put in the strongest showing in a general election earlier in 1999.

His time in government was an exciting period of democratic change under the country's post-Suharto "Reformasi" drive, and Wahid was an enthusiastic advocate of ethnic and religious tolerance.

But there were also fears the unwieldy, Muslim-majority archipelago of 234 million people would crumble under the weight of separatist and sectarian conflicts in places such as Aceh, Papua and the Malukus.

Violent Islamic extremism reared its head with the coordinated Christmas-eve bombings of churches in Jakarta and other cities in 2000, which killed 18 people and were blamed on regional terror network Jemaah Islamiyah.

Wahid's response was to crack down on Islamist extremists while seeking dialogue and conciliation with ethnic separatists, the latter strategy putting him at odds both with the military and the Jakarta elite.

He also broke a taboo in Indonesian politics by calling for diplomatic relations with Israel, and backed the lifting of a Cold War-era ban on communism.

"His death is a big loss not just to Nahdlatul Ulama, but also to Indonesians from all races and faiths," he told

China Discovers Tomb Of Ancient Legendary Ruler

BEIJING (AFP) : Chinese archaeologists believe they have found a nearly 1,800-year-old tomb belonging to the legendary ruler Cao Cao, who was known as a cruel tyrant but also a cunning military strategist and poet.

The tomb is located in central Henan province, not far from the Yellow River and near the city of Anyang, where Cao Cao ruled the Kingdom of Wei from 208 to 220, when he died at age 65, the state China Daily reported Monday.

"Excavation has been going on for nearly one year, and we'll come up with further evidence," the paper quoted Guan Qiang of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage as saying.

"But even based on what we've got, we can tell for sure that the mausoleum belongs to Cao Cao."
Numerous articles found in the tomb are inscribed as "personal belongings frequently used by the King Wu of Wei," Cao Cao's posthumous title, it said.

Archaeologists have found the remains of three people in the tomb -- a male around 60 years of age, believed to be Cao Cao, a female of about 50 and a second woman between 20 and 25, thought to be the king's wife and escort.

The tomb was discovered about a year ago, but only became known to authorities after stone tablets carrying inscriptions of "King Wu of Wei" were seized from alleged tomb raiders, the report said.

So far archaeologists have recovered over 250 relics from the tomb which covers an area of 740 square metres (8,000 square feet), an area befitting a burial plot for someone of Cao Cao's stature, it said.

During his rise to power during the waning years of the Han Dynasty, Cao Cao became known as a clever yet cruel tyrant who was also a military genius.

His exploits form an important aspect of the 14th century historical novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," known as one of China's greatest literary works and a publication that remains widely read today.

Cao Cao remains a mainstay in Chinese culture and is a frequent character in Peking opera and historical theatre. He was most recently portrayed in director John Woo's blockbusters "Red Cliff" and "Red Cliff 2".

His poems continue to be taught in schools throughout China.

Households Electricity Tariffs Increase

SINGAPORE: Electricity tariffs for households are going up by 5.4 per cent or 1.18 cents per kWh for the first quarter of next year.

SP Services said on Tuesday this is due to higher fuel oil prices. The average fuel oil price over the past three months has increased by around S$7.35 to S$99.38 per barrel.

The latest hike means average increase in tariffs across all customer categories between January and March will be 5.5 per cent.

Electricity tariffs are reviewed every quarter.

Azan & Solat

Kelahirkan Manusia Disambut Dengan AZAN
& Matinya diiringi Dgn SOLAT.
Antara AZAN & SOLAT Tidak Jauh Jaraknya....

Conversation On HIJAB

Good read on Hijab (tudung)
A conversation between 2 Muslim sisters:

"I'm so tired."

"Tired of what?"

"Of all these people judging me."

"Who judged you?"

"Like that woman, every time I sit with her, she tells me to wear hijab."

"Oh, hijab and music! The mother of all topics!"

"Yeah! I listen to music without hijab…haha!"

"Maybe she was just giving you advice."

"I don't need her advice. I know my religion. Can`t she mind her own business?"

"Maybe you misunderstood. She was just being nice."

"Keeping out of my business, that would be nice..."

"But it's her duty to encourage you do to good."

"Trust me. That was no encouragement. And what do you mean `good` ?"

"Well, wearing hijab, that would be a good thing to do."

"Says who?"

"It's in the Qur'an, isn't it?"

"Yes. She did quote me something."

"She said Surah Nur, and other places of the Qur'an."

"Yes, but it's not a big sin anyway. Helping people and praying is moreimportant."

"True. But big things start with small things."

"That's a good point, but what you wear is not important. What's importantis to have a good healthy heart."

"What you wear is not important?"

"That's what I said."

"Then why do you spend an hour every morning fixing up?"

"What do you mean?"

"You spend money on cosmetics, not to mention all the time you spend onfixing your hair and low-carb dieting."

"So?"

"So, your appearance IS important."

"No. I said wearing hijab is not an important thing in religion."

"If it's not an important thing in religion, why is it mentioned in the Holy Qur'an?"

"You know I can't follow all that's in Qur'an."

"You mean God tells you something to do, you disobey and then it's OK?"

"Yes. God is forgiving."

"God is forgiving to those who repent and do not repeat their mistakes."

"Says who?"

"Says the same book that tells you to cover."

"But I don't like hijab, it limits my freedom."

"But the lotions, lipsticks, mascara and other cosmetics set you free?! What`s your definition of freedom anyway?"

"Freedom is in doing whatever you like to do."

"No. Freedom is in doing the right thing, not in doing whatever we wish to do."

"Look! I've seen so many people who don't wear hijab and are nice people, and so many who wear hijab and are bad people."

"So what? There are people who are nice to you but are alcoholic. Should we all be alcoholics? You made a stupid point."

"I don't want to be an extremist or a fanatic. I'm OK the way I am without hijab."

"Then you are a secular fanatic. An extremist in disobeying God."

"You don't get it, if I wear hijab, who would marry me?!"

"So all these people with hijab never get married?!"

"Okay! What if I get married and my husband doesn't like it? And wants me to remove it?"

"What if your husband wants you to go out with him on a bank robbery?!"

"That's irrelevant, bank robbery is a crime."

"Disobeying your Creator is not a crime?"

"But then who would hire me?"

"A company that respects people for who they are."

"Not after 9-11"

"Yes. After 9-11. Don't you know about Hanan who just got into med school?And the other one, what was her name, the girl who always wore a white hijab…ummm…"

"Yasmeen?"

"Yes. Yasmeen. She just finished her MBA and is now interning for GE."

"Why do you reduce religion to a piece of cloth anyway?"

"Why do you reduce womanhood to high heals and lipstick colors?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"In fact, I did. Hijab is not just a piece of cloth. It is obeying God in a difficult environment. It is courage, faith in action, and true womanhood.But your short sleeves, tight pants…"

"That's called `fashion`, you live in a cave orsomething? First of all, hijab was founded by men who wanted to control women."

"Really? I did not know men could control women by hijab."

"Yes. That's what it is."

"What about the women who fight their husbands to wear hijab? And women in France who are forced to remove their hijab by men? What do you say about that?"

"Well, that's different."

"What difference? The woman who asked you to wear hijab…she was a woman, right?"

"Right, but…"

"But fashions that are designed and promoted by male-dominated corporations, set you free? Men have no control on exposing women and using them as a commodity?! Give me a break!"

"Wait, let me finish, I was saying…"

"Saying what? You think that men control women by hijab?"

"Yes."

"Specifically how?"

"By telling women how and what to wear, dummy!"

"Doesn't TV, magazines and movies tell you what to wear, and how to be `attractive'?"

"Of course, it's fashion."

"Isn't that control? Pressuring you to wear what they want you to wear?"

[Silence]

"Not just controlling you, but also controlling the market."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you are told to look skinny and anorexic like that woman on the cover of the magazine, by men who design those magazines and sell those products."

"I don't get it. What does hijab have to do with products."

"It has everything to do with that. Don't you see? Hijab is a threat to consumerism, women who spend billions of dollars to look skinny and live by standards of fashion designed by men…and then here is Islam, saying trash all that nonsense and focus on your soul, not on your looks, and do not worry what men think of your looks."

"Like I don't have to buy hijab? Isn't hijab a product?"

"Yes, it is. It is a product that sets you free from male-dominated consumerism."

"Stop lecturing me! I WILL NOT WEAR HIJAB! It is awkward, outdated, and totally not suitable for this society ... Moreover, I am only 20 and too young to wear hijab!"

"Fine. Say that to your Lord, when you face Him on Judgment Day."

"Fine."

"Fine."

[Silence]

"Shut up and I don't want to hear more about hijab niqab schmijab Punjab!"

[Silence]

She stared at the mirror, tired of arguing with herself all this time.

Successful enough, she managed to shut the voices in her head, with her own opinions triumphant in victory on the matter, and a final modern decision accepted by the society - but rejected by the Faith:

"Yes!" - to curls on the hair - "No!" - to hijab!

"And he (/she) is indeed a failure who corrupts it [the soul]!"
[Holy Quran 91:10]

Subhana'Allah!!!

"Nay! You prefer the life of this world; While the hereafter is better and more lasting."
[Holy Quran: 87:16-17]

"You are the best community (Ummah) raised up for (the benefit of) humanity; enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong and believing in Allah."
[Holy Quran: 3:110]

Taken from http://www.masjidjamek.com/index.php/articles/6-why-she-wont-wear-hijab

Hari ASYURA (9 & 10 Muharram)

Dalil - dalil berikut ini adalah jawaban-jawaban dari para jamaah yang dijawab langsung oleh Habib Munzir Al Musawwa

1. Sabda Rasul saw : “sebaik baik puasa setelah ramadhan adalah puasa di bulan Muharram” (shahih Ibn Hibban hadits no.3636)

2. Sabda Rasulullah saw : “puasa hari asyura menghapus dosa setahun yg sebelumnya” Shahih Muslim hadits no.1162)

3. Sunnah membelanjakan hadiah untuk isteri dan keluarga di hari asyura, dan para sahabat menjadikan puasa untuk anak2 mereka yg masih bocah pula, diriwayatkan dalam beberapa hadits pada shahih muslim bahwa shabata mengumpulkan anak anak bocah mereka di masjid dan membuatkan mainan mainan untuk mereka, bila mereka menangis karena lapar maka mainan itu diberikan pada mereka untuk melupakan lapar dan hausnya. (shahih Muslim).

4. Mengenai puasa di bulan muharram yg terbaik adalah pada tanggal 9-10.

5. Riwayat shahih menyatakan bahwa puasa paling afdhal setelah ramadhan adalah di bulan muharram.

6. Niat Puasa Aasyura (10 Muharram) : ” NAWAYTU SHAUM ASYURA SUNNAH LILLAHI TA’ALA”

7. Puasa 10 muharram adalah sunnah Rasul saw, demikian belasan hadits riwayat shahih Bukhari dan shahih Muslim dan lainnya, riwayat shahih Muslim bahwa Rasul saw bersabda puasa 10 muharram menghapus dosa setahun, riwayat shahih Ibn Hibban sebaik baik puasa setelah ramadhan adalah puasa asyura (10 muharram).Dalam madzhab syafii (madzhab kita), berpuasa adalah pada 9-10, karena Imam Syafii berfatwa terdapat hadits Rasul saw bahwa jika aku menjumpai tahun yg akan datang aku akan berpuasa 9 dan 10 muharram, namun beliau wafat dan tidak sempat melaksanakan puasa 9 - 10, namun Imam syafii berfatwa bahwa puasa 9-10 jauh lebih berhak dilakukan, demi tidak menyamai yahudi yg berpuasa hanya pada 10 Muharram saja, karena Rasul saw selalu mengajarkan untuk tidak menyamakan diri dg yahudi dan nasrani.

Joy To The World...

May Your Days Be Happy

Hearts Be Light....

And Your Christmas

Be Joyful & Bright....

50 Needle Found In A 2 Years Old Boy Body

In this frame taken from a TV Globo video, a person points at a X-ray of a 2-year-old boy showing needles inside his body in a hospital in Ibotirama, northern Brazil, Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009. A 2-year-old Brazilian boy has as many as 50 metal sewing needles inside his body and a doctor treating the boy said they were apparently stuck there one by one.

BRASILIA, Brazil: A 2-year-old Brazilian boy has as many as 50 metal sewing needles inside his body and a doctor treating the boy said Wednesday they were apparently stuck there one by one.

Dr. Luiz Cesar Soltoski told The Associated Press that surgeons hope to remove most of the needles -- some as long as 2 inches (5 centimeters)-- but because some are stuck in his lungs, they have to wait until the child's breathing improves.

Some cannot be removed; they are too close to vital organs or actually inside them, Soltoski said.

The boy's mother, a maid, brought him to a hospital in the small northeastern city of Ibotirama on Thursday, saying he was complaining of pain. Three days later, after X-rays revealed some of the needles, doctors had him shifted to a larger hospital in Barreiras.

The mother told police she doesn't know how the needles got inside her son, but police have opened an investigation. The boy's name was withheld because of his age.

Soltoski said he believes the needles were stuck into his body one by one because it would have been impossible for him to swallow them.

"We think it could have only been by penetration because we found needles in the lung, the left leg and in different parts of the thorax. It couldn't have been by ingestion," Soltoski said.

Doctors found no signs of outside wounds on the boy, but X-ray images carried by Brazilian Web sites clearly showed some of the needles inside his body.

The boy is in intensive care, but Soltoski said his condition has improved since he was admitted.

The village of Barreiras lies in Brazil’s tropical northeast, a region heavily populated by the descendants of African slaves. It is known throughout Brazil as a center of religions and rites similar to voodoo practiced in Haiti and West Africa.

http://www.canada.com/health/Abused+Brazilian+ends+first+needle+surgery+hospital/2360464/story.html

Siapakah??

Siapakah orang yang sibuk?

Orang yang sibuk adalah orang yang tidak mengambil berat akan waktu solatnya seolah-olah ia mempunyai kerajaan seperti kerajaan Nabi Sulaiman a.s

Siapakah orang yang manis senyumanya? Orang yang mempunyai senyuman yang manis adalah orang yang ditimpa musibah lalu dia kata "Inna lillahi wainna illaihi rajiuun." Lalu sambil berkata,"Ya Rabbi Aku redha dengan ketentuanMu ini", sambil mengukir senyuman.

Siapakah orang yang kaya?

Orang yang kaya adalah orang yang bersyukur dengan apa yang ada dan tidak lupa akan kenikmatan dunia yang sementara ini.

Siapakah orang yang miskin?

Orang yang miskin adalah orang tidak puas dengan nikmat yang ada sentiasa menumpuk-numpukkan harta.

Siapakah orang yang rugi?

Orang yang rugi adalah orang yang sudah sampai usia pertengahan namun masih berat untuk melakukan ibadat dan amal-amal kebaikan...

Siapakah orang yang paling cantik?

Orang yang paling cantik adalah orang yang mempunyai akhlak yang baik.

Siapakah orang yang mempunyai rumah yang paling luas?

Orang yang mempunyai rumah yang paling luas adalah orang yang mati membawa amal-amal kebaikan di mana kuburnya akan di perluaskan saujana mata memandang.

Siapakah orang yang mempunyai rumah yang sempit lagi dihimpit?

Orang yang mempunyai rumah yang sempit adalah orang yang mati tidak membawa amal-amal kebaikkan lalu kuburnya menghimpitnya...

Siapakah orang yang mempunyai akal?

Orang yang mempunyai akal adalah orang-orang yang menghuni syurga kelak kerana telah mengunakan akal sewaktu di dunia untuk menghindari siksa neraka..

Siapakah org yg KEDEKUT ?

Orang yg kedekut ialah org yg membiar atau membuang ilmu begitu sahaja, malah dia tidak menyampaikan pula pada org lain.

SELAMAT MAAL HIJRAH 1431

Satu Muharram Detik Permulaan
Perkiraan Tahun Islam Hijrah
Perpindahan Nabi dan Umat Islam
Dari Kota Makkah ke Kota Madinah

Atas Keyakinan dan Iman Yang Teguh
Kaum Muhajirin dan Ansar Bersatu
Rela Berkorban Harta dan Nyawa
Demi Menegakkan Islam Tercinta

Hijrah Itu Pengorbanan
Hijrah Itu Perjuangan
Hijrah Itu Persaudaraan
Hijrah Membentuk Perpaduan

Oleh Itu Mari Semua
Kita Sambut Maal Hijrah
Tingkatkan Semangat Tegakkan Syiar Islam
Untuk Sepanjang Zaman....



Jangan lupa doa Akhir Tahun [ download ] Dan Awal Tahun [ download ]. Semoga di tahun yang baru ini lebih kemakmuran dan kesejahteraan buat semua umat Islam seluruh dunia. Amin Ya Rabbal Alamin.

'Bagaikan Sakti'

Konsert Bagaikan Sakti, M. Nasir & Datuk Siti Nurhaliza akan berlangsung pada Tahun Baru (1 Januari 2010) di Dewan Konsert Esplanade mulai 8 malam selama 1 jam setengah.

Hari pertama penjualan tiket dilancarkan 20 November 2009.

Tiket konsert itu berharga $150, $120, $90, $60, $40 dan VIP Box - $180, tidak termasuk yuran tempahan Sistic sebanyak $3.

Buat pertama kali dalam industri muzik Melayu, satu gabungan yang dinanti ramai. Nikmati lagu-lagu popular mereka dan juga lagu terbaru yang akan dinyanyikan bersama buat julungkalinya di Esplanade.

Konsert khas ini membawa anda lebih dekat pada dua gergasi muzik pujaan ramai. Dengan pesona unik masing-masing, gabungan ini menjanjikan persembahan penuh kesegaran yang pasti menyentuh emosi anda.

Saksikan kehebatan duet antara Siti dan Nasir mendendangkan lagu-lagu klasik P. Ramlee, Saloma, Sudirman dan lain-lain. Untuk peminat Singapura, mereka akan menghidupkan semula kisah cinta agung Puteri Gunung Ledang dalam lagu Bagaikan Sakti.

Mari raikan dan alamilah satu malam yang pasti meninggalkan kenangan manis.

Coconut-Carrying Octopus Found

SYDNEY : Australian scientists have discovered an octopus in Indonesia that collects coconut shells for shelter _ unusually sophisticated behavior that the researchers believe is the first evidence of tool use in an invertebrate animal.

The scientists filmed the veined octopus, Amphioctopus marginatus, selecting halved coconut shells from the sea floor, emptying them out, carrying them under their bodies up to 65 feet (20 meters), and assembling two shells together to make a spherical hiding spot.

Julian Finn and Mark Norman of Museum Victoria in Melbourne observed the odd activity in four of the creatures during a series of dive trips to North Sulawesi and Bali in Indonesia between 1998 and 2008. Their findings were published Tuesday in the journal Current Biology.

"I was gobsmacked," said Finn, a research biologist at the museum who specializes in cephalopods. "I mean, I've seen a lot of octopuses hiding in shells, but I've never seen one that grabs it up and jogs across the sea floor. I was trying hard not to laugh."

Octopuses often use foreign objects as shelter. But the scientists found the veined octopus going a step further by preparing the shells, carrying them long distances and reassembling them as shelter elsewhere.

That's an example of tool use, which has never been recorded in invertebrates before, Finn said.

"What makes it different from a hermit crab is this octopus collects shells for later use, so when it's transporting it, it's not getting any protection from it," Finn said. "It's that collecting it to use it later that is unusual."

The findings are significant, in that they reveal just how capable the creatures are of complex behavior, said Simon Robson, associate professor of tropical biology at James Cook University in Townsville.

"Octopuses have always stood out as appearing to be particularly intelligent invertebrates," Robson said. "They have a fairly well-developed sense of vision and they have a fairly intelligent brain. So I think it shows the behavioral capabilities that these organisms have."

Keajaiban Shalawat

Didalam kitab Irsyadul I'bad diriwayatkan bahwa As-Syibli pernah bermimpi bertemu dengan tetangganya yang sudah lama meninggal dunia, ia bercerita pada AS Syibly:

Aku pernah mengalami beberapa persoalan besar yang menakutkan,yaitu buni disekitar terasa tergonjang saat dua malaikat datang untuk mengajukan pertanyaan kepadaku . Aku berkata, "Menegapa kekacauan ini datang padaku? Aapakah aku tidak mati dalam keadaan memegang agama Islam? Akhirnya aku dipanggil oleh dua malaikat tadi, seraya berkata,"Semua ini terjadi padamu, lantaran kamu mengabaikan kepada kemungkaran yang dilakukan oleh orang-orang yang sibuk dengan keduniaan.

Ketika dua malaikat itu mau mendekati, tiba-tba ada seorang laki-laki yang berwajah ganteng,tubuhnya menebarkan aroma yang sangat harum, ia lalu menunjukkan beberapa jawaban dari berbagai pertanyaan malaikat itu, akhirnya akupun bisa menjawab pertanyaan yang diajukan oleh kedua malaikat tadi.

Kemudian aku bertanya,"Siapakah Kamu?"

Dia menjawab," AKu adalah orang yang diciptakan, lantaran kamu sering membaca shalawat, dan aku diperintahkan agar membelamu di waktu ada kesulitan.

Dari kisah keajaiban di atas, adapat ditarik kesimpulan bahwa shalawat yang dibaca itu dapat melindungi si pembacanya dimana pun ia berada, sampai di akhirat pun shalawat tetap memberikan perlindungan dan pembelaan kepada orang yang gemar membacanya.

MySpace Buys Imeem Music Site

LOS ANGELES : MySpace's online music venture with recording labels completed its purchase of song streaming site imeem on Tuesday, scooping up its 16 million users and mobile phone applications for less than $1 million.

In a blog post, MySpace Chief Executive Owen Van Natta said the deal would allow the MySpace Music venture to integrate imeem's offerings over time.

One of imeem's functions that MySpace lacks is a mobile phone application that streams songs on Apple Inc.'s iPhones and devices using Google Inc.'s Android operating system, such as the new Droid phone.

"In the coming weeks, our team will be working to take the aspects of imeem that users love and migrate them to MySpace Music," he wrote.

The music industry continues to experience falling sales of CDs, while digital revenues have not yet made up the difference, in part because consumers tend to buy singles rather than full albums when they do pay for music.

Efforts such as MySpace Music and imeem are meant to allow people to listen and share music freely online, with revenue generated from advertising.

San Francisco-based imeem launched its free music business in 2007, but advertising revenues were unable to support debt and music royalty payments, and the company was running out of money.

The price tag of less than $1 million represents a bargain for MySpace and is an indication of how difficult the free music business remains.

In May, Warner Music Group Corp. wrote off its entire $16 million investment in imeem and also forgave $4 million it was owed by imeem in song royalties in exchange for a small, minority equity stake. Warner, EMI Group PLC, Vivendi SA's Universal Music and Sony Corp.'s Sony Music Entertainment are all part of the joint venture with MySpace, a unit of News Corp.

Imeem visitors are now being directed to MySpace Music, and imeem users who have set up profiles and song playlists will have them migrated over to the MySpace Music platform soon.
Imeem Chief Executive Dalton Caldwell, Chief Technology Officer Brian Berg, Chief Operating Officer Ali Aydar and Vice President of Sales David Wade are staying on as consultants during the transition. It is not clear whether they will become permanent employees.

Imeem was majority owned by private equity firm Morgenthaler Ventures, but none of the equity investors got their money back.

MySpace is revamping its music service under Van Natta, who took over in April as CEO from co-founder Chris DeWolfe.

Facebook Accounts Hacked

SINGAPORE: Right before her eyes, Julie Chiang watched the computer screen as someone used her Facebook account — pretending to be her, asking her friend for money and claiming she had been mugged in London.

"It was surreal to watch the conversation happen right in front of me," said Ms Chiang, who had been woken up in Singapore by her friend’s phone call on Friday morning.

"He told me he was on Facebook now, talking to ’me’, and I was saying I needed money to go home."

The hacker even used Ms Chiang’s husband’s name, which could be found on her Facebook profile, in the conversation.

Even as the unfolding scam began to dawn on her, a second friend living in New Zealand messaged her to say she was having the same conversation.

Reports of such incidents — known as a 419 scam — though few, are on the rise among Facebook users.

Fraudulent individuals collect log—in information through phishing sites and access Facebook accounts to send inbox or chat messages or to update the person’s profile. And they claim to be stranded in a foreign country and ask friends to send money, usually through a money transfer service.

"While the total number of people who have been impacted is small, we take any threat to security seriously and are redoubling our efforts to combat the scam," said Facebook in a blog post in September.

The scam had previously been perpetrated through emails.

But more cyber criminals are leveraging on social engineering as a means of deceiving users, said systems engineering manager Ronnie Ng from Symantec Singapore.

"Social engineering takes advantage of our natural tendency to trust one another, rather than relying solely on technological means to steal information," he said.

Indeed, Ms Leong Su—Lin, who was chatting with "Julie" yesterday morning, said the scam seemed believable because it was a "live" conversation.

"Someone was actually responding to the questions I was asking; it wasn’t an automated thing, which is why I went along with it," Ms Leong, 32, told MediaCorp from New Zealand.

"They were also hitting on a ’soft spot’ by saying she was hurt. I was very concerned, so although she sounded a bit strange, I thought maybe it’s because she was still traumatised."

But something felt amiss. "I thought it was strange she was on Facebook and not at the police station or at an embassy," she said.

Mr Ng said people need to be more aware of where they post personal information and who they allow on their social networks. In addition, online users should be careful of clicking on links from unknown senders and use up—to—date security software, he advised.

"They should also be on their guard if they receive suspicious messages from friends, such as requests for money," he said. "Users should always double—check with their friend. When in doubt, do a search on the Internet to see if it’s a known scam."

Thankfully for Ms Chiang’s friends, they did just that, and she has since reported the incident to Facebook. "I’ve not heard of this happening, so it’ll be good for more people to know about it," she said.

The online conversation

(5:17:46 PM) Julie Chiang: Terence and I are stuck in London at the moment

(5:17:55 PM) Derrick Lim: are u there for a holiday?

(5:18:16 PM) Julie Chiang: Vacation

(5:18:27 PM) Julie Chiang: Got mugged at gun point last night ...

(5:19:00 PM) Julie Chiang: All cash,credit card and cell were stolen off me

(5:19:11 PM) Julie Chiang: I also got injured

(5:19:19 PM) Derrick Lim: oh no ....

(5:19:45 PM) Derrick Lim: what injury?

(5:20:01 PM) Julie Chiang: Little bruises all over my neck

(5:21:45 PM) Julie Chiang: I need your help to get back home?

(5:21:57 PM) Derrick Lim: my help? ....

(5:22:38 PM) Julie Chiang: Our flight leaves in less than 3hrs from now and we’re having problem settling hotel bills

(5:23:02 PM) Julie Chiang: I need you to loan me few bucks to settle the bills and get a cab to he Airport

(5:23:59 PM) Derrick Lim: ok

(5:24:42 PM) Julie Chiang: You can have it wired to my name and Location through western union ....

(5:27:27 PM) Derrick Lim: can u email me the details?

(5:27:45 PM) Julie Chiang: sure

(5:27:52 PM) Julie Chiang: Name Julie Chiang

(5:28:19 PM) Julie Chiang: Location — London, United Kingdom

(5:28:28 PM) Julie Chiang: You can try it online right now

(5:30:18 PM) Julie Chiang: Visit www.westernunion.com

(5:30:58 PM) Derrick Lim: ok

(5:31:18 PM) Julie Chiang: You will have to do it with your credit card

(5:31:22 PM) Derrick Lim: yes

Source : Channel NewsAsia - Saturday, December 12

The Princess & The Frog

A New Twist on an Old Tale
We’ve all heard about the kiss that turned the frog into a Prince, but this time the story is a bit different. The kiss is only the beginning of a mysterious transformation and sweet love story. Set in the city of New Orleans comes a modern twist on a classic tale, featuring a beautiful girl named Tiana , a frog prince who desperatelywants to be human again, and a fateful kiss that leads them both on an adventure through the mystical bayous of Louisiana.

Inspired by the fairy tale “The Frog Prince” from the Brothers Grimm. But the filmmakers have put their own spin on the story. Tiana, an attractive and independent woman, comes across Prince Naveen, who was transformed into a frog by evil Dr.Facilier. The Prince tries to use the old fairytale tactic and convinces Tiana to kiss him, but this is not like the curse you saw in “The Frog Prince.” Princess Tiana is transformed into a frog and the twosome has to find a way back into their normal life without being pursued by frog hunters and other obstacles.

Genres: Kids/Family, Musical/Performing Arts, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy and Animation

Running Time: 1 hr. 35 min.

Release Date: November 25th, 2009 (limited); December 11 (wide)

MPAA Rating: G

Distributors: Walt Disney Studios Distribution

U.S. Box Office: $2,410,810

Actors Voice
Anika Noni Rose - Princess Tiana
Bruno Campos - Prince Naveen
Keith David - Dr. Facilier
Michael-Leon Wooley - Louis
Jimmy Cummings - Ray
Peter Bartlett - Lawrence
Jenifer Lewis - Mama Odie
Oprah Winfrey - Eudora
Ritchie Montgomery - Reggie
Terrence Howard - James
John Goodman - "Big Daddy" La Bouff
Paul Briggs - Two Fingers
Jerry Kernion - Mr Henry Fenner
Corey Burton - Mr Harvey Fenner
Michael Colyar (II) - Buford
Emeril Lagasse - Marlon the Gator
Kevin Michael Richardson - Ian the Gator
Randy Newman - Cousin Randy

Directors
Ron Clements
John Musker

Writers
Screenplay
Ron Clements
John Musker
Rob Edwards

Story By
Ron Clements
John Musker
Greg Erb
Jason Oremland

Additional Story Material
Christopher J. Ure
Jared Stern
Dean Wellins
Will Csaklos
Ralph Eggleston

Source Material
from novel: "The Frog Princess"
E.D. Baker

Music

Original Songs
Score Producer/Conductor
Orchestration
Randy Newman

Executive Music Producer
Chris Montan

Songs
Ne-Yo Song
“Never Knew I Needed”

John Creaux
“Down In New Orleans”

Song Performer
Anika Noni Rose
“Almost There”
“Almost There Reprise”
“When We’re Human”
“Down In New Orleans (Prologue And Finale)”

Keith David
“Friends On The Other Side”

Michael-Leon Wooley & Bruno Campos
“When We’re Human”

Jimmy Cummings
“Gonna Take You There”
“Ma Belle Evangeline”

Jenifer Lewis
“Dig A Little Deeper”

Joseph King Oliver

“Dippermouth Blues”

Leon Russell (II) Song
“Cajun Love Song”

Music Contractor
Sandy DeCrescent

Needle In Girl's Brain

BEIJING (AFP) : Doctors in southwestern China have removed a needle from the brain of an 11-year-old girl, believed inserted after birth in an attempted murder by relatives who had wanted a boy, a report said Thursday.

Rusted needle shards were detected by doctors in August after fruitless attempts by the girl's mother over the years to find the cause of an apparent mental disability, the Sichuan Online news website reported.

The girl, identified as "Ping Ping", did not begin walking or talking until she was six, currently has the intelligence level of a three-year-old, and has suffered for years from unexplained fevers, it said.

She was said to be recovering from the operation at a hospital in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province.

The child's mother, Yang Xiaohui, said she suspected that relatives had tried to kill the child shortly after birth.

Under China's "one child" family planning policy, the traditional cultural and economic preference for boys remains strong, especially in the vast and poor countryside.

Reports of aborted female foetuses and infanticide remain common.

In 2007, doctors in southwestern Yunnan province discovered 26 needles embedded in the body of a 29-year-old woman, state media said at the time.

They were believed to have been inserted not long after she was born by grandparents upset she was not a boy, the reports said. Doctors operated on the woman to remove the needles.

Surprise Discovery

SINGAPORE: The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers thwarted an attempt to bring in 60 live birds without a permit at the Woodlands Checkpoint on Thursday night.

The birds were packed in plastic containers and paper boxes, and hidden under the floor mats and seats of a Singapore—registered car.

The officers sensed something amiss when they heard flapping sounds from under the floor mats.

A total of 40 live red—whiskered bulbul birds, also known as Jambul birds and 20 live Magpies were discovered.

The 40—year—old Singaporean driver, claimed ownership of the birds. He said he had bought the birds for himself from a pet shop in Johor.

The case was referred to the Agri—Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) for further investigations.

The import of live birds without an AVA permit is a violation of the Animals and Birds Act. It carries a maximum penalty of S$10,000 and imprisonment of up to one year.

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal is a monument located in Agra, India. It was commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, the son of Jahangir, as a mausoleum for his Persian wife, Arjumand Banu Begum, also known as Mumtaz-ul-Zamani or Mumtaz Mahal. It took 23 years to complete (1630 - 1653) and is a masterpiece of Mughal architecture.

The architectural complex of the Taj Mahal covers an area of approximately 580 m × 300 m, comprised of five main components: the darwaza (gateway), the bageecha (garden) which is in the form of the typical Mughal charbagh (garden divided into four parts), the masjid (mosque), the mehmaan khana (guest house), and finally the mausoleum of Taj Mahal, at the northern end of the complex.

Success is not the key to happiness.

Happiness is the key to success.

If you love what you are doing,

you will be successful.

~Albert Schweitzer~

Auction for Micheal Jackson Memorabilias

An auctioneer takes bids during the 'Music Icons' auction, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009 at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York's Times Square.

A collection of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including the now iconic rhinestone-studded glove.

Crystal Shoe he wore when he performed his first moonwalk dance in 1983, is being sold at auction.

"Michael Jackson" by Andy Warhol is on display at Christie's during a preview of Christie's Impressionist and Modern Art Sale in New York, in October 2009.

A 1984 Michael Jackson portrait by pop-art icon Andy Warhol surpassed estimates to fetch 812,500 dollars at auction on Tuesday, but two headline pieces at the Christie's sale in New York flopped.

Michael Jackson's glove from his 1983 performance of Billie Jean at the Motown 25 television special where he performed the Moonwalk for the first time.

Police Probe 2nd Facebook "Suicide Group"

HONG KONG (AFP) - Hong Kong police said Friday they are hunting the creator of a second Facebook group encouraging teenagers to commit suicide.

A force spokeswoman said experts from its Commercial Crime Bureau were investigating a social networking group named "I have to (practise) suicide" after a page with an almost identical name was exposed earlier this week.

"We are now investigating the two cases. No one has been arrested so far," she told AFP.

The new group emerged on Wednesday and nearly 100 people signed up, according to media reports.

"What is the meaning of life...my beloved is in love with another...while everything adults do is right, what we do is all wrong...no one knows we exist, why don't we all commit suicide?" the group wrote on its site.

It was created after the media reported this week that another Facebook group -- "I have to practise suicide", with no brackets in the title -- had called on its 190 members to kill themselves on December 21, and was linked to an attempted suicide.

The South China Morning Post said Friday that the police had already traced the creator of "I have to practise suicide".

It cited police sources saying the culprit was a local teenager who set up the site for fun.

The group came to light after police launched an investigation into the case of a 15-year-old boy who tried to throw himself off the roof of his school two weeks ago. The boy was a member of the group.

My Birthday Color

Birthday Color - Brown

Brown symbolizes dependability, endurance, sensitivity and stability. You are a responsible person with lots of mental strength. You are an outdoors person and a nature-lover as well. You love to talk and spend time with your friends.

My Birth Stone