studio LDA blog

sense of value - LDA

2008-07-19T18:06:00.000-07:00

Sense of value

One of the biggest problems with people is that we are not able to value a thing on its own merit. We always compare, and we need comparison to establish value. Things only become valuable when it is scarce, when it’s no longer available. It happened to Vincent Van Goh. It happens in our emotional life, it happens to our environment.

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studio :LDA - starting of a good deed

2008-06-16T07:48:00.000-07:00

The starting of a good deed is a bit like the chicken and egg relation.

Human bt nature often find excuses to do a good deed on this ground.

Therefore, a government or an institution, must take on the initiative to start and catalyse a good deed.

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studio LDA - Listen

2008-06-16T07:36:00.000-07:00

Listen, even when the piece of advice given to you is wrong.
Ihe process of listening carefully is always right.
You would be amazed how much you can benefit even from a piece of wrong advice.

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studio LDA - Are you the white flower ?

2008-05-29T21:50:00.000-07:00

God is always fair.

Do you notice that most white flowers are scented while the colour ones are less so. So if you think some others are rich and you are not, then, think a little more. There must be something you have that the rich don’t.

Maybe you have just overlooked it.

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studio lda - Would i be sold ? ( chinese )

2008-04-12T18:18:00.000-07:00

Please click on the doc to view original script by author. Enjoy

a little competition is always good

2008-04-12T16:54:00.000-07:00

Woke at 6:30am, feeling bored, I switched a CD player on for a little soft music and rest on a chair by the living room's window. Soon after the music played, I heard birds chirping on the tree next to the window. The chirping was so beautiful my listening was switched to focus on the birds rather than the player. My wife said everytime she on the player, the birds would chirp along as if they are competing with the cd player. Yes, a little competition always makes life better.

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architecture aesthetics and architecture

2008-04-12T16:42:00.000-07:00

The problem with a lot of architecture (presentation?) is that people focus mostly on aesthetics. And architecture aesthetics is a bit like fashion dressing- no matter how a person looked in his or her dress, the real content is not known until you come to term with the person. Better still, live with the person, and you will come to know the content in real.

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studio LDA - Arts and life are not equal, Yes ? No?

2008-02-03T19:17:00.001-08:00

Most artists claim life is itself art, but little or almost none agree the formula works the other way round.

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studio LDA - a marathon and 100m run

2008-02-03T19:14:00.000-08:00

Nobody would do a marathon with the speed of 100m.

Maybe the developing countries should concern on the sustainability of development rather than worrying about the effect of having 6% to 7% growth instead of above 9 % as forecast.

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studio LDA - wisdom

2008-01-22T07:09:00.000-08:00

Wisdom

Material wealth can be inherited almost without fail.
Knowledge can be transferred quite easily.
Wisdom, that is the thing you need to get for yourself.

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studio LDA - delayed corruption

2008-01-22T07:01:00.000-08:00

it was originally good, but for some reasons let to rod..

studio LDA - broken unity

2008-01-22T06:56:00.000-08:00

A piece of concrete slab..

broken and covered in over grown grass..

The easiest way to unite sand to one piece. ( of ....)

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studio LDA - What is design? What is art ?

2008-01-17T02:36:00.000-08:00

What is design? What is art?

The topic is intentionally paired so we can compare and contrast the two; design and art. By so doing, I hope to induce a better understanding of the two subjects.

I start with my limited understanding;

Design is cool, calculated, goal driven.
Art is emotional, expressive.
But they can work vice versa, or in any combination.

What do you think?

little things in life

2007-12-18T12:27:00.000-08:00

We always go big thinking that it will make us happy. But in fact, it is the little thing in life that make us happy. Say a paper and a cup of coffee in the morning. It never fail on me.

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Living for an idea.

2007-12-18T12:24:00.000-08:00

Some people die for an idea. I am not going to ask for this much, but at the least, we should live for an idea. Shouldn't we ?

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studio LDA- introducing a book " words & images"

2007-11-24T07:12:00.000-08:00

Introducing the book “ words & images “ by Ng Buan Cher.

She , the author, was the head of fine art department at MIA.

I haven’t met the artist. All that I know of her work is only through a book titled “words and images” that I came across in a friend’s studio. If you have a chance please read it up. Its easy reading and I find in inspiring. Just to quote the artist..” ..in the way we see the world, we see ourself.”

I share with you some of the images scaned from the book.

Today's song - Of sky - 75x55cm

Today's song - Of bridge, 1986 - 75x55cm

Today's song - Of rain, 1986 - 75x55cm

Today's song - Of reality, 1986 - 104x76cm

Sky, bridge, rain, reality.....to me...the sky today ever less blue, bridge today ever more broken, rain ? even bloodier, and reality, evn more defaced. I don't know whetherb if Ng is an artist or a forune teller of the world anymore.-- look fr studio LDA

studio LDA - Taller

2007-11-24T07:10:00.000-08:00

Taller
Nobody ever remember
We are part of the stars
So we try to be taller
Yet
Nobody is taller than anybody
Nobody is ever taller than cow grass

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You are part of me and I am part of you

2007-11-24T07:08:00.000-08:00

“You are part of me and I am part of you”.

You might think it is a romantic line from a love story script. The fact is, it is a scientific truth. And it is a line true to almost anything, “dead” or “living“, around you.

When I last watch a movie titled “The fountain”, about three characters’ common search for eternal life. I was shocked and at the same time disappointed by the ending of Tomas, one of the characters; having drunk the sap of tree of life, turned into plants. It’s no different from a scene that I long ago seen in Manga, and it is contradictory to the medics saying about somebody turning vegt. But one thing I did enjoyed though was the movie tinged my mind on a subject long buried; meaning of eternal life.

I do in certain sense believe that everybody will physically live forever in chemical term. Just like the universal concept about energy will not perish into nothingness. The death of one thing marks only the beginning of some other energy forms. A dead body will perished into soil; feed the plants and small living organisms, which in turn feed the larger living forms. As the process goes in cycles, and the chemical presences can be transferred in solid, liquid or gaseous state, you, and me can therefore be part of running water, cloud, any thing you imagine to be.

Thinking beyond a poem from an ancient Chinese poet Chow Tze Jien’s poem, that he composed while his brother Chow Je, the Wei kingdom emperor, was trying to find an excuse to kill him; “.. it was originally from the same root, why such a hush and rush. (for the branches to burn itself to cook the beans, of which the beans and branches used to grow on a same tree) “.

Think what human are now doing to the earth and to each other. I believe we are the silliest living things on earth. No wonder Adam was banished from Garden of Eden. Now I know, it was we who had banished ourselves. For one simple reason, when we cannot recognise the materiality, how can we ever recognise our own soul.

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material dissolves into sense

2007-11-04T23:44:00.000-08:00

In a micro world, material dissolves into sense.
Because of the immaterial presence, it is sometimes known as god.

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design is always bigger than the designer

2007-11-04T23:42:00.000-08:00

For a really great designer, the design is always bigger than the designer.

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studio LDA - about Japan prime minister visit to war shrine.

2007-10-09T05:33:00.000-07:00

An opinion about Japan prime minister visit to war shrine.
"Mushi-mushi and bits of historical snapshots" You just have to respect mistakes, however ridiculous they are. So you can learn from it and don’t let it happen again. “Alright, alright .” is just not alright.

“Mushi-mushi” in Cantonese (You could hear the words sound again and again in the song.) which literally means “nothing has happened”, when read in the syntax of Japanese, means “Hello, hello”. Cynical?

check this video clip

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studio LDA - ( architecture ?) movement within a market

2007-10-02T08:01:00.000-07:00

The video clip is a short sketchy (rather raw) exercise by studio LDA years ago to study/design movement within a then abandoned market/a factory building.(Existed in grid columns form with industry roof).We have in this case assumed the architecture without any form.(As such we said that the architecture is dead). All that we concerned then was the designed flow sequences, and the "quantum leap travel" that broke the designed flow sequences.

Click to see the video clip.Enjoy.

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studio LDA - 中秋节趣事记-Mid autumn festival night

2007-10-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

中秋节趣事记
今天中秋夜晚，爸妈都外出了与弟弟子杰，妹妹素菁他们吃晚餐。我和太太、女儿晚餐后闲着没事，太太在客厅里看电视，我与晓宜在户外把一小技一小技的蜡烛点起排好在大门铁栏杆上，甚是美丽。四岁女儿看到邻居在吃月饼，便自个儿走回屋内找妈妈。 “妈咪，我们俄了，可以给我们一个碟子放饼干和两杯水吗？一杯给爸爸，一杯给晓宜。”我听了很感动。
虽然只有我和晓宜坐在门前赏月观灯。我们也多放了几张椅子。感觉没那麽空荡荡，人也比较舒服。而且我们可以把食物放在空的椅子上。吸了一口水，我伸了伸懒腰，头往上仰，靠在椅背有感而问：“晓宜sayang(沙洋)爸爸吗？”
“沙洋。”她回道并从高椅子爬下，走到我身旁，摸摸我的头并说：“沙洋爸爸的头。”我觉得好笑。

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Mid autumn festival night

Mid autumn festival night, mum and dad had gone out to dine in KL with Kiet and Soo Ching. Only my wife and my two daughters were at home. Having had dinner, Sook Yin was watching tv in the house with Xiao Lin, our one year old daughter sleeping on the living room sofa. While Xiao Yi and me were out at the front gate, lighting candles display on the main gate. The gate with all these little colorful lit up candles was beautiful.

Xiao Yi saw our neighbours were doing the same, except that they had also food and drinks. So she went into the house and asked, “ Mummy, we are hungry. Can you get us a plate with some biscuits, and two cups of water. One for daddy and one for Xiao Yi.”. I was very touched by her concern of me.

Although there were only two of us enjoying the moon lit night, we placed a few more chairs around so the place wasn’t so empty, and we felt more comfortable that way. We use the empty chairs as table for our food and drinks too. Taking a sip of drinks, I laid down, stretched, and let my head rest on the backing piece of the arm chair. And I asked,” Do you ‘sayang’ papa ?”, Xiao Yi climbed down the chair that was taller than her, and came to my back. She brushed my head with her hands and said innocently, “ Xiao Yi ‘sayang’ your head.”. I thought that was funny as it’s how the Cantonese phrase a scolding word; attaching a verb with “your head”.

studio LDA - 中秋是甚麽?(月亮忘记了)

2007-10-02T07:58:00.000-07:00

中秋是甚麽?(月亮忘记了)
有人讲嫦娥的故事,有人说朱炎章起义的故事.你都该听过吧?我也来一则自己的：－
打从哪里开始呢？就说月亮吧！正确的该说是圆月,更简单的也许说圆的故事吧。
圆在中华文化有很特别的意义，与西方文化大不相同。圆月在西方文化虽有很浪漫之意，却多半被人狼，劫匪与凶徒之类的东西相连。就连建筑如采用圆形平面设计多数都是与军事用途有关。
而中华文化的圆却正好相反。圆是属于天与和谐。北京的天台是圆形的。古时的客家村也是如此。人们更把祖词设于圆形平面的中心。就在中华文字的运用也常说“破镜重圆”、“幸福圆满”。中秋的庆祝也意味着一个民族对圆满幸福生活的向往。在我的童年记忆，每当中秋时，家人总会从老远的地方回乡过节，月下围坐品茶谈天，四周弥漫着孩子们提灯笼点蜡烛所闪烁出的温馨气氛。
现在的人们都工作繁忙，就算送了月饼，恐怕也未必知其意呢。
看过几米的“月亮忘记了”吗？我们所剩的已是那无数表面挂着，永远却又僵硬笑脸的月亮。谁还会在意那个躲在心方角落的月亮呢？然而它却静静地等着你的拥抱。

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Honesty is such a big problem

2007-09-20T16:23:00.000-07:00

Honesty is such a big problem.

Look at the news papers and check the problems in Chinese made product in world market, and judge yourself. It is a shame that honesty is such a big problem in the land of Confucianism. I don’t mean to be sarcastic. And when I criticize, I too feel the pain for the land where my grandfather and my father came from.

China is going through the period similar to the post world war 2 “Japanese Clock Era” – a time when produce of Japan was known to be of inferior quality. When everything that doesn’t work in life was liken to this phrase “Japanese Clock”. However, it was a transitional period necessary to lead to what you see as Japan today. The only difference between the Chinese and the Japanese development is that the Chinese is doing it a lot faster; so fast it worries the super powers of her rising effects in the world economy, politics, trade balance, etc. China is changing fast for one simple reason; her technical capability is far more advanced than what she is generally now producing. As long as you pay, she can do anything, including sending you to the moon. Then during the Japanese Clock Era, Japan’s general development was moving simultaneously with the development of technology.

Corporations are training people on management skill, quality control, planning strategy…but all these work within the simplest principle known to be the core value of Chinese culture, honesty, now little emphasized in the country. People are just too feverishly chasing after material gain that they long lost, but opened now suddenly to them. This was not found in the Japanese development. The Japanese goods were inferior though, but the produce was honest. It was not meant to cheat.

This situation must be dealt with not through just management and quality control. The problem is rooted in the social attitude. Should the problem not be solved, the Chinese prosperity you see now is still going to live, but not for long.

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studio LDA - Child Talk 1

2007-09-17T02:17:00.000-07:00

My daughter said "I love birds, but they are scared of me."

I find it interesting. What think you ?

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Hierachical pretext - a true word can lie

2007-09-11T23:22:00.000-07:00

Somebody described it as mismanagement - a mismanagement of fund. It can be described to be as petty as you can. i.e A piece of 30 cents karipap purchased at the price of 3 ringgit of course can be explained. Maybe it came from Hilton Hotel’s kitchen, maybe it is organic, maybe it is … The explanation would get to different levels (hierarchy) of details that justify the misdeed. Even a thief and a robber have reasons on why they must do it.

Hierachy is a universal truth. It is as real as the relationship between cells and a body which is made up of cells. Word such as “mismanagement” for example, is a big word. It consists of various aspects of wrong doings. It could means seriousness such as corruption, collusion, or it could means triviality such as the stuffs are not using recycle papers. But somehow, when one use the word “mismanagement”, the perception of issues are a little relieved. The hierarchy pretext becomes a lie of word/s to the root truth.

Liken to the body and cells. When one says he is not feeling well, you may think it is a matter of a few tablets of penadol. But who knows, it might be due to the cancer cells in the body which is fatal.

Of course to say the body is not feeling well is true. I could only hope the root problem is not ignored with the coating of “mismanagement”. To me, the phrase sounds like " the piece of cake is a little too creamy" .

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studio LDA -- About partnership

2007-09-10T22:58:00.000-07:00

When A and B work together , it is not about the sum of the two. It is about something else. There should be a C, different in quantity and quality.

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studio LDA - About beauty and meaning

2007-09-10T22:56:00.000-07:00

The longing for beauty is essentially like greed, there is no end to it. So I decided it is more important for me to search for the meaning of design, and let others decide if it is beautiful.

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studio LDA - things on lips

2007-08-16T23:44:00.000-07:00

things hang often on lips, have little space at heart.

studio LDA - balance

2007-08-16T23:39:00.000-07:00

balance is not just a matter of how much

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studio LDA - enough

2007-08-16T23:37:00.000-07:00

good design works on adequacy
so, do you know how much is enough

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studio LDA - chase

2007-08-16T23:35:00.000-07:00

chase
that all is worldly
but
none know of your heart
including
yourself

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studio LDA - V can stand for victory

2007-08-16T23:27:00.000-07:00

V can stand for victory

v
dress up the symptons
cover the truth
when it becomes a DNA
when it becomes incurable
when rectification means death
when corruption could only continue
are v

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studio LDA - group in a penisular

2007-08-13T02:51:00.000-07:00

Group in a peninsular

Far at the other end of the umbilical cord
There is no 7% house buying discount
Educational
Economic
Privileges
Are always green or brown
Life is a mere function of existence
Decorated by karaoke, delicacies, travels, in a seemingly ok fashion
Dignity is locked in a safe box
But the content and the box has long been sold
Despite scorching heat all year round
Everybody sweeps snow at the front of their own door steps
More diligent then they normally do
During annual Ching Ming ancestor tomes cleaning session
Perhaps one day
They will realize
There is no difference
Between the two

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vertical can be horizontal

2007-08-13T02:50:00.000-07:00

Vertical can be horizontal ( right can be wrong and vice versa) as there is no rules

Politics-------------a gentle raping
House--------------is making money
Educate(ion)------tool(s)
People-------------toy(s)
Go------------------if you only dare
Even to hell-------miss not a chance to cash in

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studio LDA - untitled

2007-08-13T02:47:00.000-07:00

Untitled

June 30th morning
The Dato (grandpa) coaxed us all
I am amazed all are as innocent as his grand children
That afternoon nap
I dreamt of a black striped red worm
Wriggling on a thick fat book
It fell on the floor and turned a centipede
And then morphed into a scorpion
Shocked awaked from the nap
I then realized it wasn’t a dream

for skin and black widow

2007-07-05T18:35:00.000-07:00

for skin and black widow

for a rosier skin
the soul is sucked dry
but the urge to have a black widow ride on you
never stop
“give- me- more”

皮肤红润的社会
为了更红润的皮肤
灵魂被吸乾涸
但那被黑寡妇骑的欲望
却未曾停过
我要我要

studio LDA - dream

2007-07-05T18:34:00.000-07:00

Dream

Fortunately
While we are numbed by dollar signs
To a universal definition of practicality
Dogs
Cats
Pigs
Still have dreams

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studio LDA - untitles

2007-07-05T18:33:00.000-07:00

Untitled

Thousands of words from bible
Millions of acts from the court of laws
Do not match
A straight conscience from a heart

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ship of 25 million

2007-07-05T18:32:00.000-07:00

ship of 25 million

ship of 25 million
goanna hit rock
the captain ?
already sunk
in the sweet beautiful bubbles
promises ?
can you not see ?
there they are in the sweet bubbles too

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两千五百万人的火轮
要触礁了
船长？
早沉了，
沉于那甜美的泡泡
诺言？
没看到吗？
不就在那泡泡里头吗？

studio LDA - straight or curve of profession

2007-07-05T18:30:00.000-07:00

straight or curve of profession

straight…. curve……..
nope, nope, nope.
all wrong
it’s the tall one
with a little curve in the middle
ok, ok, ok,
it’s the bank book account
at the end
it was supposed to be straight
its now a big blob of massive dirty black

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直的弯的专业

直……弯……
不！不！不！
全错了。
就是高矗
而中间又有弯的啦
Ok!Ok!Ok!
就银行户口的数码吧
画得乱七八糟，一团肮脏的黑。

studio LDA - simple solution to most problems in life

2007-07-05T18:27:00.000-07:00

Simple solution to most problems in life.

This morning while I was driving to work, the radio station reported the forthcoming completion of “Smart” drain by end august, which claimed to be a solution that will solve the KL’s flood problem.

During lunch, just two shop lots away from my office, I saw through a metal grill drain cover, a drain deposited with so much rubbish it choked and blocked the water flow. I am sure there are many more of the same blockages in KL.

Sometime, you don’t need grand solution to a simple problem. I am sure as long as these smaller network blockages are not cleared and maintained, build another “Smart” drain, KL will still flood.

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studio LDA - seeing life beyond a Milo can

2007-07-05T18:25:00.000-07:00

Seeing life beyond the content of our own Milo can

An ordinary rubber taper cum housewife, hard working, thrifty just like many other Malaysian Chinese, got back one day from her morning work, discovered all her years of saving in the Milo can was stolen! She was so sad and upset that she had a stroke immediately, and has since for 20 years been lying on bed.

This is sadly, a true story. This sad auntie is staying in my town looked after by her husband.

I know it’s not worth it. It might be just the few thousands. Even for a million or billions, would you ever do it in exchange for 20 years in bed?

If only the auntie was a little less concerned on her belongings, it would have been a different story. But this is life; it takes a lot more wisdom than you think.

It’s not easy to see life beyond the content of our own Milo cans.

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studio LDA - catching the sun

2007-06-18T11:07:00.000-07:00

today, based on chinese calender, is a day we commemorate a patriotic chinese poet.

catching the sun - education

closing the thumb and index finger
lightly held within
a glorious little fire ball
that almost made him sneeze

“hey, what the heck are you doing?”
knocked off by a scream
and among the scorn sinister laughter
mocking
life and a poet
died together

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捕捉太阳的教育

拇指与食指并拢
轻轻的夹与其中
那几乎令他打喷嚏的小火球
“A，搞甚麽的？”
惊呼醒了
与同学的讥笑声中
生活和一个诗人
同时
死了。

studio LDA - Toilet Judgement

2007-06-01T19:21:00.000-07:00

Judge a society by the quality of general public toilets ?
Have you noticed? You probably have if you have traveled a fair bit.

You may not be able to judge a book by its cover, but you can certainly judge a society by the general quality of public toilets. Somehow, these toilets reflect the success/failure of a government on almost every aspect of life. Economy, policy, education…..etc. and of course, the general quality of people.

Judgement Day

2007-06-01T19:17:00.000-07:00

Judgement Day

On 31stMay 2007, the New Straits Times head line in contrasting black white “judgment day”. The report content: A Malaysian Lina Joy lost her battle to have her religious status adjudicated by the country’s civil law. So Lina has failed. So in the eye of Malaysian Law as it is now, Lina is still a Muslim.

The majority judgment : “The determination of whether a person has renounced Islam is within the realm of Islamic Law and the right authority is thus the syariah court. Hence NRD’s reluctance to react until it received certification from an Islamic authority was logical..”

While the judgment was made on 30/5/07, today, judgment is made by the people of Malaysia and the world, on how Malaysia Law fairs. Today, is the judgment day of Malaysia Law.

A bit about the power of perspective

2007-06-01T19:16:00.000-07:00

A bit about the power of perspective

When we draw, we always set things at an angle, often without knowing the power of this angle setting.

On a very same object, you look it up, you look it down, you have two very different perspectives. In this case you may be the painter, you may be the passive viewer, and you can also be a viewer that picks the clues from what you see and try to understand the object from other different angles.

Such is art, such is life.

studio LDA - A little thought about corruption, evolution and art.

2007-06-01T19:13:00.000-07:00

A little thought about corruption, evolution and art.

I know neither biology nor politics. But I think the Darwin’s idea of natural selection applies here:

1. In a dominantly corruptive system (say a society), a clean entity is naturally discriminated, and it dies a slow death, while the corrupted ones would prosper.
2. The corrupted system will go on prosper in its own way until it can take corruption no longer. It then destroys itself.
3. Then come the opportunity for the clean entities to emerge.
4. These clean entities would then subject themselves to the lure of power, money until it gets to point 1 above. And the process recycles.

Somehow, I feel arts offer the only solution to this vicious cycle. Because..

Art is for truth, kindness and beauty.

Drawings by Xiao Yi ( going 4 by August 07)

2007-05-05T07:37:00.000-07:00

From a child's imagination...

A multi ears monster

House on red land

Flight under the sun

Cap on sleeping cat

Big carrot

A house

studio LDA - I own the world

2007-04-01T04:58:00.000-07:00

When I hold the little hand in mine, I feel like I own the whole world.

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studio LDA - hand, authority and sky

2007-04-01T04:56:00.000-07:00

authority provides the scope for cover. (of sky)

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studio LDA - shake hand

2007-04-01T04:53:00.000-07:00

Shake hands. How many colour combination would you suggest ?

black and white, yellow and brown, balck and brown,....

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studio LDA - about sharing

2007-04-01T04:47:00.000-07:00

Last week when I saw the ripen papaya being eaten by a bird, I said I would trap these birds, but then my daughter said “Can we not share, we have so many! “.

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studio LDA - daddy would take care of the big bad wolf

2007-04-01T04:40:00.000-07:00

My daughter would lay all pillows at her head and feet before going to sleep(the bed is set by the wall),then she would say " daddy guard me from the big bad wolf coming from the front.

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studio LDA - check out the Yogyakarta slide show

2007-03-11T04:42:00.000-07:00

Goto studio LDA homepage to see the slide show.

Have glimpse of the Barabudur; a UNESCO heritage preservation site.

Check the Grand Mecure Hotel at Yogya. Its like a little museum; a conserevation scheme.

The downloading may take a while if you are not using broadband.

studio LDA - To enjoy can be different from to experience

2007-03-11T04:40:00.000-07:00

To enjoy can be different from to experience – A short trip to Yogyakarta
Is there a difference between the two? This trip to Yogyakarta made me think of the differences.
My mum had been nagging me about the trip; that it would be a waste as there is nothing to enjoy. There is nothing to see, to eat, to enjoy. In a way my 3 years old daughter proved her right. As when I asked about what are the memorable things about the trip. She said hotel swimming pool, ice-cream and TV in the bed room, which she had long requested to be installed in our house, but she got a big nope from me.

You might disagree with them just like my self. But I do think both of them are entitled to their opinions. Why? My mum had gone through all these years of hardship since the Japanese occupation years in Malaya to economic crisis in recent years in Malaysia? Theses experiences of her life are by far more real then any trip to any where in the form of a few days travel. As for my 3 years old daughter, she knows only graphically how scary it was for snow white to be lost in the dark forest. What should we expect from her?

As for me and my wife, carrying the 3 years old up the Barabudur was but a little catalyst of the life experience. Its no where near the “becak- tricycle” driver who carried us in the front seats for a whole day, under the scorching sun and steaming rain, for a meager RM24. I think this Java tour is about enriching experience and perspective of life. That is different from sipping a glass of cold rich ice cold Javanese coffee, and reading about Java from a coffee table book.

Check out the power point slides of our tour. Hope you would be there too to experience the Javanese coffee yourself.

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studio LDA - I am the shadow

2007-03-11T04:36:00.000-07:00

Under glorious lime light, its easy to mistaken the big shadow to be your real size.

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studio LDA To enjoy can be different from to experience

2007-03-11T04:27:00.000-07:00

studio LDA - Yogya trip-Jalan Maliaboro 的市场

2007-03-07T05:29:00.000-08:00

位于Jalan Maliboro中一个不知什么名的市场，我们经历了以下几段有趣的事：

1--
最初时，我们走入市场和店屋之间的小巷，这里都是摆卖铜铁的古董摊位。女儿在其中的一个摊位发现了一只铜铸的俊俏小马，令她爱不释手。问了价钱后，没买下就进入市场。
我们在离开时，再次经过这摊位时，摆摊的小姑娘认得我们并轻叫道：“Di mana kuda adik tertinggal?”(小妹妹，你的马留在哪啦？)上了三轮车后，我有点后愧没给女儿买下那只小铜马。

2--
进到市场后，大部分的摊位都已关门了，四周光线微暗。女儿走累了，要我抱抱。当我们来到一卖竹藤编器的摊位，妻子正选购竹篮时，有一身躯矮小的婆婆走到我身旁，对我讲了一些听不懂的话。后来经卖竹器的小姐解释一番，才明白这婆婆是要求帮我们提东西以赚点钱。但我们除了需要人帮忙抱女儿外，并不需要别人帮忙提东西。就算是在酒店，如果不是行李多的自己无法搬，我一向都不假手于人的。我就从口袋里掏出一个500盾打发婆婆走。怎知道她把我递给她的手推开，一脸委曲，眼眶泛红。顿时，我和妻子心愧于如此不当作法而侮辱婆婆崇高的人格。因此我们就同意让婆婆帮我们提东西。
在逛的期间，我们只要停下来看看，婆婆也会默默地跟着，并赶紧从小贩手中提过我们买的东西。我只是随口地向摊位老板问可有咖啡豆卖？婆婆听到，就开始边走边帮我打听哪有咖啡豆卖？她的主动和热心真的感动了我。在离开时，我们和她合照以作纪念。与她短暂相遇，让我们感受到她虽然生活贫困，但并不因此而贱卖人格和尊严，这是我们应向她致敬的。

3--
在离开市场前，我们到卖香料的档口看一看，虽只剩一档口正开着。但小小的香料档，摆卖的香料可说是琳琅满目。我想买几根桂皮（kayu manis）作花盆的点缀。于是就选了4、5根，给姑娘称称付钱。她看了看，愣一楞，然后笑一笑着说：“sekilo sepuluh ribu.”(RM4) 于是她从窄窄的档位走出来亲自帮我选了一公斤，包好给我。我心想若在大城市，我们早就成大水鱼。落后的日惹，我们所见到的人民大都衣衫简朴，居住空间简陋窄小，他们待人诚实是我们在目前的城市中是难能可贵的。

fr look and sook yin of studio LDA

studio LDA - lesser and lesser trust on the experts

2007-02-14T14:05:00.000-08:00

I am very tired. There have been so many project rushes before Chinese New Year holidays. I feel my sense of responsibility is being exploited.( Maybe it's me who torture myself, maybe..) .

But that's not the worst. I have just found out somebody uses my webpage name on Alexa search engine, but put his web address in it. So when you search studio LDA, there is this web address that has got nothing to do with studio LDA appaering on the search result. I think it explained the sudden drop of visit to my site last month.

I am dissapointed...I am tired. I am begining to trust the professionals, the experts, lesser and lesser.

Not quite a good start to approach Chinese New Year. Anyway, Happy Chinese New Year to you all.

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PS.On label for this post: This is definately not art. But I am sure this is part of life.

studio LDA - 蟲結 (insect work)

2007-02-05T15:59:00.000-08:00

蟲結
蟲是我心中的 “ 恨”。昨日刚打扫干净的窗沿、走廊、橱架等地，今日又见其踪迹或尸首。最为可恶是正当打理草圃时，“煞惊无神”的扑到自己的身上，被吓得跌坐下来。
某年在清理置书柜时，发现了一本购于伦敦的首版英译线装版的《金瓶梅》，拿起时，丝细粉从书缝中洒落下来，翻开一看，书内每一页已彻底被啃噬，穿透书皮，甚至橱柜隔板上。其啃噬的经过路线就成了一个不规交错的线图深深刻在书上和柜板上。见此状，头皮发麻，心中再怎麽咬牙切齿与呐喊，也只能叹无奈。
事隔多年后，虫并没在我生活中彻底扫除，然而它让我学着要这么去与之共处，同时学着欣赏它们。不知什么时候开始，还将它们的自然生态记录在我的手机里。
这年清理橱柜时，仔细重看柜隔板上被啃噬所形成的图案，打从心里惊讶，这真不愧是一件艺术的杰作体现.

Sook Yin fr studio LDA

studio LDA - A few words from Cezanne’s letter to his mum

2007-02-04T14:40:00.000-08:00

A few words from Cezanne’s letter to his mum

To share with all those who chase for the rainbow.
“ ..I must not try to finish anything except for the pleasure to make it truer and wiser… “

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studio LDA - After all, life is so short.

2007-02-04T14:39:00.001-08:00

After all, life is so short.
I have been so busy with office works.
Yesterday, a junior colleague came and told me “You made me think that I should quit architecture .After all, life is so short.”

He probably meant a joke.

But my god! What have I done to myself! What have I done to him!

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studio LDA - Need a little coaxing

2007-02-04T14:37:00.000-08:00

Need a little coaxing

Need a little coaxing. It’s always the case.

My little young girl though knows subconsciously what is better for her, takes a bit of coaxing and discipline from me and my wife to get on with things in life. It’s easy to hook on to bad habits and bad taste as they don’t require much from a person other then submission and indulgence.

We as parents should do our parts instead of giving just the sweets to quiet the kids (We often give the sweets so that we can do our own things, aren’t we?)

And so must the government.

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studio LDA - Priority on life, then design, then art.

2007-02-04T14:30:00.000-08:00

Priority on life, then design, then art.

Priority of my life is always life itself, then design and then art. That's my sequence. Maybe because I am a designer and I believe that we have to think first before we feel for life. I must admit I am the”I think therefore I am” type. You might argue otherwise, maybe you are the “I think therefore I am not “ type. Why not?

But surely you agree life itself is priority.

look fr studio LDA for life, design and art.

studio LDA - Can you not go to war? I don’t want to be without daddy and mummy.

2007-02-04T14:18:00.000-08:00

See more original images from ppoopp.host.sk/war/index.htm

Can you not go to war? I don’t want to be without daddy and mummy.

I was listening to light music last evening, my four years old daughter asked what music was that when the recorder played “kid without home”. I was in the mood and make up a simple story about a kid having lost her parents in a war. She kept asking why through out the story telling session, then remained unusually quiet over the evening. Till time for bed, she asked “Can you not go to war? I don’t want to be without daddy and mummy.”
I was caught a little surprised and very touched. Such is the simple and pure heart of a kid.

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studio LDA - looking through life -she reminded me of Chilida

2007-02-04T14:13:00.000-08:00

She reminded me of Chilida.

I observed my little baby girl playing with my fingers. She was trying to learn about her own fingers while she was learning mine!

She reminded me of Chilida.

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studio LDA - love and jelousy

2007-01-20T16:14:00.000-08:00

A grandpa and two grand daughters snap with a handphone camera.

Sook Yin fr LDA

studio LDA - a story by the road side

2007-01-20T06:38:00.000-08:00

I took these photos by the road side with my handphone. Hope you like the story.

Sook Yin fr LDA

studio LDA - looking through life - centre of the universe

2007-01-20T00:54:00.000-08:00

Pitiful human always assume he is the centre of universe and all things revolve around him.

studio LDA - looking through life - life is like eating apple

2007-01-20T00:47:00.000-08:00

Life is like eating apple:
Some love to be fed with chewed apple,
Some buy for themselves,
Some have to grow their own,
Sometimes you have no choice,
its not a matter of you love it or not.

studio LDA - looking through life - love yourself

2007-01-06T18:50:00.000-08:00

We spend so much time on things we love, yet so little time on ourselves.

studio LDA - looking through life - mad rush

2007-01-06T18:48:00.000-08:00

It is a mad rush, even to enjoy life.

studio LDA - Nature and design

2007-01-06T18:43:00.000-08:00

While architect tries to defy gravity, building is still very much part of earth. When the earth fails, the foundation fails, and the building follows.

While architect tries to defy nature, we are still very much part of nature. When environment around us fails, we will soon fail; for our senses and even our breathing, are connected to it.

studio LDA - looking through life - touch and be touched

2007-01-06T18:40:00.000-08:00

I have since the beginning of this web site www.studiolda.com ( lda blog is part of the homepage extended work.) , put up quite a few postings on “ what is art ?” It never strikes me then I should also relate the question with “what is life?” Simply, art is about life.

Life is …
Touch others and be touch.
For that, I need to be still, focus and feel.

studio LDA - looking through life - I have done my job

2007-01-06T18:34:00.000-08:00

I have done my job.

studio LDA - SRJK (Chinese) education fund

2006-12-18T01:09:00.000-08:00

Can’t remember the date, but it was a few days ago when I read on a news paper reported that the ministry of education would be funding 96 SRJK (Chinese) schools a total sum of RM2 mil.

That means each of these schools would be getting an average of RM20,000 (twenty thousands ringgit).

I was disappointed and angry, because I read a few months ago; DBKL was building public toilets that cost a million ringgit each.

It made no sense to me on how government expenditure is planed.

It made no sense to me that I heard nothing from any Chinese community representative.

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studio LDA - looking through life - giving

2006-12-15T16:11:00.000-08:00

Not able to give is a lot more painful than not able to get.
So is christmas ... such as life.

studio LDA - looking through life - gap to bloom

2006-12-09T17:03:00.000-08:00

Despite just a gap, would still bloom life to the fullest.
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studioLDA - I think I am an idiot !

2006-12-09T06:21:00.000-08:00

That’s a common table conversation; who and who are so smart that they got away with the law and make so much out of it. Such praises would upset the social order, as a normal citizen would think he is an idiot to be an honest citizen.Unfortunately, such table conversation is quite common here in this part of the world.(Wonder if it happen else where?)

Maybe not the worst yet as people still make a point to make things seems right, while doing them illegally.

There will come a time when the urge to benefit from illegal deeds is so strong, even the gesture (seemingly right) would no longer be a concern. Who care, after all it’s now only a gesture.

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studio LDA - Finally got it :/

2006-12-06T06:12:00.000-08:00

Yes! I finally got it!

This is a bit of a joke. Though I hated it, I sincerely hope you like it(this joke). Have a laugh!

Just a few days ago, I noticed this piece of scrap on my desk. It’s a record of phone numbers of people that I was directed to call to get some kind of “standard” for design. So I was tossed around from the 1st number to the last on the list, and the last person on the list said he would call me later to clarify. So 2 days later I had to call back and there was no answer to my question/ request.

So I searched the web (badly designed pages, as the key words keep giving you pages posted by the authority but give no answer to you). Finally, found something, made payment for the purchase, card payment done. Now I can download the info I needed ! Guessed what? Missing link !

What’s next ? I e-mailed the authority. Quite a few days later, I got a pdf file of the info e-mailed to me. But it’s was a corrupted file that cannot be opened. I replied to ask for resend. 3 days later, got it. Now,I finally, truly, surely, got it.

studio LDA - what does art concerns?

2006-12-06T05:58:00.000-08:00

What does art concerns?
As far as artists concern; red dots on the galleries’ exhibits.*
As far as the public concerns; is it entertaining?
As far as the government concerns; how grand is the opening ceremony.
So art is living in malnutrition.
Unlike starvation, it won’t die immediately.
It dies a slow death.

*the red dot stickers normally use to mark on reserved or sold items.

studio LDA - looking through life - a cup of heart warming ice cubes

2006-12-02T16:32:00.000-08:00

My wife was still carrying the 3 months old while I was trying to sit Xiao Yi for her breakfast. You know, it’s always a little hectic with the kids in a busy morning coffee shop. Then, a waiter came smiling and left a cup of ice cubes on the table, and quickly went to other customers.
“Did you order this?” I asked my wife.
“No!”
“But I did say the chocolate is very hot!”
It’s strange. The heart warming thing is not the steamy hot chocolate. Instead, it’s a cup of cold, tasteless ice cubes.

studio LDA - no more UMNO meeting broadcast?

2006-11-25T16:01:00.000-08:00

A personal opinion: it is a backward development for the country.

If there were things so wrong that that they should not be broadcast, they should be checked and rectified. Not covered up.

Stop broadcasting will eliminate the checking process, and allow the wrongs to be nurtured quietly. This is harmful to the country.

fr look

studio LDA - what's art? add on..

2006-11-24T13:40:00.000-08:00

Art is about living sensitive, inquisitive, explorative, and most important of all, have a good heart.

fr look

studio LDA - looking through life - morning smile

2006-11-21T12:47:00.000-08:00

At the very least, I can give myself a morning smile.

studio LDA - looking through life - modern marriage

2006-11-11T16:27:00.000-08:00

It was supposed to be a union. Then there is this "inter-dependence", and eventually it leads to "freedom".

�F �� - ԭ �� һ �w, Ȼ �� ׃ �� "�� ", �� " �� ".

studio LDA - looking through life - take off

2006-11-11T16:23:00.000-08:00

Hopefully, it takes me somewhere.

studio LDA - looking through life - birthday everyday

2006-11-11T16:12:00.000-08:00

"Birthday" in Chinese actually reads life-day too. Thus, I give myself a little celebration every day.

studio LDA - looking through life - untitled

2006-11-02T22:22:00.000-08:00

Look carefully and you will feel. When you try too hard to explain, you would see no more; one day I saw my three years old daughter caressing her one month old sister.

studio LDA - looking through life - no snow white

2006-11-02T22:20:00.000-08:00

A bird got into our house one day. My sister told me “Don’t be silly! You are no Snow White.”

studio LDA - looking through life - dancing in the storm

2006-11-02T22:19:00.000-08:00

Let’s dance. Even in the storm.
Life is not going to get better because you are sorrowful.

studio LDA - looking through life - past search

2006-11-02T22:14:00.000-08:00

Search for the search of the past, not the past.

studio LDA – Architecture means business

2006-10-05T10:11:00.000-07:00

Yes, of course architecture is a business. But when there is no more architecture but business, would you still do it. What does it mean?

1. A friend said he is a high class draftsman. ( The client is the architect)
2. …………………………….. (You may fill in this blank. )

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studio LDA – Learning from my daughter

2006-10-05T10:07:00.000-07:00

-Picture of my 3 years old daughter and our baby girl-

While my wife and I tried to teach the 3 yrs old daughter everything we know, we can, we often get some ridiculous non compliance. She tested our patience and our principles of parenting and education. That’s only one.
Look at the non compliances carefully; I realize it may be just a different way of looking at the world that we can learn from.

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studio LDA – The making of mass model

2006-10-05T10:05:00.000-07:00

Malaysia’s buildings are often lacking intensity in detail. No money? No time? No concerns?
The end results? Looked pretty much like mass models.
Truly massive, I mean in real scale.

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studio LDA – The beginning of night mare

2006-10-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

Do you notice?

It is not necessary right to do things right. And it is not necessary wrong to do things wrong. When these scenarios happen so frequent, and taken for granted by some “willful” and powerful people, the social order changes.
This marks only the beginning of a night mare….. It worries me.

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studio LDA - Write and share

2006-09-02T08:59:00.000-07:00

Write and share.
I have a confession.
I have always been fearful of writing and I have succumbed to this fear for a long time. I write only very slowly and my writing is bad. But the urge to share my opinions and learning has grown much larger than my fear these days. And I decided if I could write sincerely, it’s still worth it if everybody else thinks my writing is rubbish. That’s how hard it is writing for me.

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studio LDA - Flying the national flag

2006-09-02T08:57:00.000-07:00

Flying the national flag
Come 31st August 06, “Merdeka”, the Malaysia independent day. A minister reported to have accused the public of not raising the flag for the month of celebration.

Well, I think if the deed is not out of appreciation from the heart, it really make no sense flying the flag.

However, as the minister is so sensitive, he might have already begun to ask himself why. This might be a good gauge for the current pool of votes going to the ruling party. Maybe it got to do with the oil price, the inflation, unemployment… I don’t know.

I think most people kind of mixed up between the concept of country and government. Most, I believe would not have any problem loving this land, the people, the culture, even though they may not agree with the government. As a matter of fact, the more you love this country, probably the more demanding you would be out of the government.

Just to let the whole world know, I love you, Malaysia.

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