Umbrella Versus Siti Payung :)

I believe all of you readers know the song "Umbrella" was originally sang by Rihanna. To the older generations perhaps they are more into Siti Payung - a classic Ghazal (if I am not mistaken). According to some articles in the internet; the song was actually intended for Britney Spears - no offense to all Spears fans out there but I do thank GOD that she rejected the song. I mean look at how sexy Rihanna was in the video clip but at least she CAN sing. Maybe Britney can beat the sexy thingy but definitely she can't beat the singing huhu.

Well anyway, I heard of a 'softer' version of the song twice - on the radio on my way home & then last Sunday while I was in Jusco Equinne Park on the way meeting my friends from high school. I asked Jai who was singing and he only mentioned about a mixed Japanese-Irish-English singer who made herself famous by singing through the YouTube (I guess its the trend nowadays right). So I search through the Internet - armed with the keyword "Umbrella Cover Version" up till the name Marié Christina Digby appeared on the wikipedia page. Well I'm sure that for those internet savvy out there it will be a piece of cake in finding this new singer, but it took me quite some time but when I eventually "found" her I was so happy. She's quite pretty to begin with and she's so talented if I might add. http://www.myspace.com/mariedigby

I just enjoyed listening to this softer version of hers as it sounded sweeter and more sincere. I mean when you want to tell someone that you love them or you will be their friend forever or you are seriously in a serious feeling with them (does it even make sense?) you would want to make it slow and focus and serious right? Don't get me wrong, Rihanna's version has nothing wrong with it but maybe it is a bot too funky or hippy for some old chap like myself hehehe. that is why I took Marie Digby's version to put it on my blog but then I noticed it stop working after a few weeks. I shall find way to either put it back. I am new to this blogging thingy and so I am still learning on how to have things added to my blogs. So please be patience ok :)

Did anyone notice that Salih Yaakob started singing the Siti Payung in an English version? Its known as Siti Umbrella, duh Umbrella = payung, get it? I know its just for fun but I think it does not give a good impression of c orrect English usage. As I look at media as a medium for learning and entertainment, the stations should aim as a mean to educate Malaysians, youngsters to be exact as the content are catered towards these people. I mean, one can see that my English is not perfect either, but I can assure you that I searched for words which I am uncertain of, just so that I don't send the wrong message across.

My "Ayah", grandfather was a headmaster who taught English during the British Era in Tanah Melayu or Malaya. And he was taught by a British teacher, therefore he can really speak like one even at the age of 8o ++ years now. And my father insisted that we speak English at home as I have growing nephews :). My Bonda and two sisters can speak English very well so basically there are no reason for me not to speak English at home and that is how learn to improve myself.

At times I feel sad when confronted with younger generations who can't even speak basic English for failing to realize how important it is. I mean there are a lot of ways to learn this simple language, we listen to English songs more than we do with Malay songs. At least for me that is, because it seemed that at times I can't even name a few Malay songs or Singers, or is that because I rarely listen to the radio hehehehe

Magazines are fun to read, even if its CLEO or Seventeen. I am taking these magazines as an example because those are the best sellers during my weekend job at BTC. My English 'teacher' The Star on Saturdays!!! Its cheap and very thick and I really enjoyed reading everything and anything, even the business section, though I easily get lost within the words and jargon huhuhu. My favorite column? The Katz Tales of course! I like reading about those adorable cats. Kinda remind me of my two ex-cats Jebab and Mac. I miss having cats around, but rest assured. Once I have my own house I shall have cats cats and more cats wakakakakaka.

Well, anyway back to the topic. I think it would be good to have one extra language other than your mother tongue. Even now the government are encouraging people to take up third language, Mandarin as it is the widely used language around the globe.

...Which kinda remind me that I haven't listen to those Mandarin subject cassettes for a long time now. Where could have I misplaced those cassettes? I think I oughta stop blogging and start searching now. Don't worry I will be back once I found those cassettes :)

Selamatkan Sufiah?!

Dalam kehangatan topik perbualan rakyat Malaysia yang berkisarkan gosip perkhabaran "Pak Lah Meletak Jawatan";

Math Prodigy at 13 is now a £130-an-hour - Begitulah tajuk suratkhabar utama di Britain yang mememaparkan gambar Sufiah dulu dan kini.

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/3003_hooker.shtml SHE was a child maths genius who won a place at Oxford University aged just 13—but now the only sums Sufiah Yusof is interested in are the ones she earns as a HOOKER.
For sad Sufiah the daily equation she has to solve is simply sex equals £130 as she sells her body to punters over the internet.
The gifted girl with the winning smile had the world at her feet ten years ago and should be a rich woman by now—but last week she was busy subtracting her underwear for our undercover reporter in her dingy back street flat.
"Would you like to start your half hour now?" said Sufiah, 23, as she danced on the bed, displaying her body for examination.
Then she listed all the sleazy plus points she would throw in for our man if he took up her offer.
Calling herself Shilpa Lee, the former child prodigy still juggles with figures on a hookers' website, describing herself as a "very pretty size 8, 32D bust and 5'5" tall—available for booking every day from 11am to 8pm."
She says she is a "sexy, smart student" who prefers "older gentlemen"— but a former pal who has witnessed her downfall told us: "It is all desperately heartbreaking.
"With her amazing brain she should be able to make money any way she wants. But instead her life has spiralled completely out of control."
Life has never quite added up for Sufiah. Her descent into prostitution in Salford, Manchester, is the latest in a long line of tragedies to have engulfed her since the sunny day when she posed with her university mortar board for the world's press outside prestigious St Hilda's College

Our shock revelations today come in the week her domineering dad Farooq was jailed for sexually assaulting two 15-year-old girls as he home-tutored them in maths.
And he was always at the root of all her troubles— even as she passed the further maths A-Level she needed for entry to Oxford at the age of 12. In those days Sufia was a strict Muslim child who prayed five times a day and was subjected to her father's famous Accelerated Learning Technique.
Her days involved stretching and breathing exercises in freezing rooms to keep her brain attentive.
Sufiah would then study hard and be forced to play tennis with just as much intensity as fanatical Farooq drove her on. The routine was so effective Sufiah was seeded number eight in the country for under 21s.
But three years into Oxford, the 15-year-old sparked a massive police hunt after running away.
Abuse
At the time her father bizarrely claimed Sufiah had been kidnapped and brainwashed by an organisation seeking the key to her intelligence.
But Sufiah sent an email to her family describing her life under her father as a "living hell".

One message to her sister read: "I've finally had enough of 15 years of physical and emotional abuse. You know what I am talking about."
Sufiah was missing for two weeks before being found in an internet café in Bournemouth where she had been working as a hotel waitress.
She refused to go back to her parents and instead was taken into the care of social services.
It was then revealed that Farooq had been jailed for three years in 1992 for his part in a £1.5m mortgage swindle. Before that—at the age of 19—he had been sent to borstal for his role in a conspiracy involving £100,000.
Free from the spell of her father, Sufiah returned to Oxford to complete the final year of her Masters in Maths.
But she was now more concerned with enjoying herself—and failed to finish the course after meeting trainee lawyer Jonathan Marshall.
They were married in 2004 when Sufiah was just 19 and Jonathan 24. But the strains with her family were still there.
Despite being invited, Sufiah's parents and four brothers and sisters failed to turn up to the wedding.
Her dreams of a happy life with Jonathan were shattered when the couple divorced just a year later

Now, in her sad little flat, she uses her body to pay the rent. Sufiah met our man, posing as a punter, at the entrance to her building wearing a tiny skirt, leather boots and a tight t-shirt. She was carrying three mobile phones.
She laughed and joked as she led him to her small apartment where a bed was already set out in the lounge.
She told him it was £130 an hour and offered him a glass of water before putting some music on to a cheap portable stereo and nervously stripping down to her red lace bra and knickers.
Sufiah then peeled off her underwear and danced on the bed. She told him she did full sex with a condom and oral sex without protection.
After our man had made his excuses, Sufiah kept him talking by telling him how she was studying for a Masters degree in Economics on a part-time two year course in London.
The former prodigy added: "I've got exams coming up and I'm thinking ‘Oh my God!'"
Once described by her parents as "naïve and unstreetwise", she works alone from her flat without any obvious physical security or protection.
She even admitted to our reporter: "It's always a surprise who you are going to meet."
Cheerful Sufiah gave no indication of any sadness at the jailing of her father the previous day. On Wednesday Farooq, 50, was sentenced to 18 months at Coventry Crown Court for touching two 15-year-old girls when he was home tutoring them at maths.

At times I do envy these child prodigy because they are smart and everything seemed all planned out for their future, a certain future I mean. As compared to us who at times are struggling to even think about our future, an uncertainty. But then the pressure mounted up as a lot more is expected from them and this is a case that went bad. Somehow I get the feeling that she was being pressured to live up the idea of child prodigy which both her elder brother and sister refused to accept (I read that those two rather play tennis than being pressured). She got married and got divorce - the marriage might be due to having someone who can protect her from what ever it is that is pressuring her. I pity her, but then again with gift comes responsibility right? And God shall not impose things which you can not handle. But the key word is turn to HIM for support and guidance :)

I wish you well Sufiah :) and may God bless you always my dear.