DREAM

 

Dreams are one of the most fascinating and mystifying aspects of sleep. Despite this advancing scientific knowledge, there is much that remains unknown about both sleep and dreams. Even the most fundamental question – why do we dream at all? – is still subject to significant debate. While everyone dreams, the content of those dreams and their effect on sleep can vary dramatically from person to person. Even though there is no simple explanation for the meaning and purpose of dreams, it is helpful to understand the basics of dreams, the potential impact of nightmares and steps that you can take to sleep better with sweet dreams.

Dreams are images, thoughts or feelings that occur during sleep. Visual imagery is the most common but dreams can involve all the senses. Some people dream in colour while others dream in black and white and people who are blind tend to have dream components related to sound, taste and smell.

 Debate continues among sleep experts about why we dream. Different theories about the purpose of dreaming include:-

 Building memory: Dreaming has been associated with consolidation of memory, which suggests that dreaming may serve an important cognitive function of strengthening memory and informational recall.

 Processing emotion: The ability to engage with and rehearse feelings in different imagined contexts may be part of the brain’s method for managing emotions.

 Mental housekeeping: Periods of dreaming could be the brain’s way of “straightening up,” clearing away partial, erroneous or unnecessary information.

 Instant replay: Dream content may be a form of distorted instant replay in which recent events are reviewed and analyzed.

 Incidental brain activity: This view holds that dreaming is just a by-product of sleep that has no essential purpose or meaning.

 How to interpret dreams and whether they have meaning at all, are matters of considerable controversy. While some psychologists have argued that dreams provide insight into a person’s psyche or everyday life, others find their content to be too inconsistent or bewildering to reliably deliver meaning.

Virtually all experts acknowledge that dreams can involve content that ties back to waking experiences although the content may be changed or misrepresented. For example, in describing dreams, people often reference people who they recognize clearly even if their appearance is distorted in the dream.

The meaning of real-life details appearing in dreams, though, is far from settled. The “continuity hypothesis” in dream research holds that dreams and waking life are intertwined with one another and thus involve overlapping themes and content. The “discontinuity hypothesis,” on the other hand, sees thinking during dreams and wakefulness as structurally distinct.

While analysis of dreams may be a component of personal or psychological self-reflection, it is hard to state, based on the existing evidence that there is a definitive method for interpreting and understanding the meaning of dreams in our life.

In most cases, dreams do not affect sleep. Dreaming is part of healthy sleep and is generally considered to be completely normal and without any negative effects on sleep. Nightmares are the exception. Because nightmares involve awakenings, they can become problematic if they occur frequently. Distressing dreams may cause a person to avoid sleep, leading to insufficient sleep.

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Touching voice text of Chinese kid’s halal concern so sole Muslim classmate can join Children Day’s party

 

AS more Malay parents are enrolling their kids in National-Type Chinese School a.k.a. SJKC these days, it is heart warming to know that sensitive Chinese parents are gradually raising awareness in their children on the ‘special’ dietary needs of their Muslim classmates.

As some schools are celebrating Children’s Day today (Oct 30) ahead of traditional Malaysian Children’s Day on the last Saturday of October (Oct 31), a Malay mother has shared a 35-second voice text of her son’s Chinese classmate enquiring from her if “Daniyal can eat a no pork, no lard pandan jelly”.

If jelly is deemed unsuitable (presumably as it may contain gelatine), the un-named Chinese classmate who spoke decent English has even offered to buy “Oreo” biscuits as a more suitable alternative.

Editor’s Note: Standard Oreo biscuits sold in Malaysia by Mondelez Malaysia are halal-certified and safe for Muslim consumption.

Naturally awe struck with the voice text, the Malay child’s mother who goes by the handle Emylia.(@emyliaeem) promptly expressed gratitude to her son’s Chinese classmate while penning her encounter on Threads as follows:

“Tomorrow is Children’s Day. My kid is in SJKC and he’s the only Malay in his class. Look at my kid’s classmate, he’s only 10 years old! Kudos to his parents for raising such a kind-hearted boy!”

Caring for the minority

The sharing by the poster elicited applause especially from fellow Muslim mothers as evidenced by the 13K likes 299 comments, 1K re-posts and 240 shares after nine hours of posting.

The most popular comments praised the Chinese child’s mother for being physically “beautiful” – a subtle hint that not only has she allowed her kid to use her smart phone to make the WhatsApp voice text but that she is an ‘urban parent’ who is very much exposed to multi-racial interaction.

This aside, more Muslim mothers came forward to share how SJKCs and non-Muslim parents have made great strides to address the halal concern by inculcating awareness in their children from a young age.

“My daughter is in SJKC, too. Children’s Day also. In the parents’ (chat) group, they said their kids keep reminding them to buy halal food so everyone can eat,” revealed mother Syaz Budd (@syazzybudd).

“There’re only four Muslim kids in the class but the Chinese kids are so thoughtful. Even during recess time (when they always share snacks) they’ll tell what brand it is and got halal logo [sic] so my daughter can eat ”

Another mother seconded, alluding to a parent chat group which, too, was also listing down menu for the Children’s Day party.

“One of his friends’ fathers sent something like this so that everyone is aware … In his class, there are (only) three Muslims. ”

Editor’s Note: The bilingual WhatsApp text (in English and Mandarin) read: “Hi parents! Kindly try to get food from Muslim or halal shops, and please ensure no pork is included as we have Muslim kids in class. Thank you for your understanding.”

As one Muslim mother observed, the 1Malaysia spirit is still alive and kicking after all.

“His momma (Chinese boy’s parent) must be so proud! And Daniyal must be such a wonderful friend to have inspired others to be so thoughtful and considerate towards him,” reckoned one Misya Deanna Asyraf (@misya_deanna).

“Good job, mommas!! Raising kind, compassionate children is how we build a better Malaysia for the next generation. Satu Hati, Satu Jiwa, Satu Malaysia. ”

One mother Fatin Zhm (@fatin.zohaimi) summed up best: “As a mother, I feel very grateful if my children are surrounded by friends like this (the Chinese boy)” with another recalling when Chinese kids gave her candy during the fasting month, “they even warned me, ‘when it’s time to eat, open the candy, not now” ”. 

- Focus Malaysia

PGA rampas lebih 5kg syabu, wanita antara 3 ditahan

 Sebuah Toyota Vios dan Honda Civic FD yang dipercayai digunakan dalam kegiatan itu turut dirampas, dengan nilai keseluruhan rampasan dianggarkan berjumlah RM434,400.

Bungkusan plastik mengandungi bahan disyaki syabu seberat 5,224.4g yang dirampas dalam operasi Selasa lalu. (Gambar Batalion 6 PGA)

PETALING JAYA:

Pasukan Gerakan Am (PGA) menahan dua lelaki dan seorang wanita bersama lebih 5kg syabu dalam dua operasi di Batu Pahat serta Muar Selasa lalu.

Pegawai Pemerintah Batalion 6 PGA, Shohaiami Ismail, berkata lima bungkusan plastik mengandungi bahan disyaki syabu seberat 5,224.4g dirampas dalam operasi kira-kira 8.35 malam Selasa lalu.

Menurutnya, sebuah Toyota Vios dan Honda Civic FD yang dipercayai digunakan dalam kegiatan itu turut dirampas.

“Nilai keseluruhan rampasan dianggarkan berjumlah RM434,400,” katanya dalam kenyataan sambil menambah operasi itu dijalankan Cawangan Risik Batalion 6 PGA, Muar di kawasan parkir tidak berbumbung bersebelahan sebuah pasar raya di Batu Pahat dan Kampung Sarang Buaya Laut, Muar.

Jelasnya, semua suspek dan barang rampasan diserahkan kepada Bahagian Siasatan Jenayah Narkotik IPD Batu Pahat untuk tindakan serta siasatan lanjut di bawah Akta Dadah Berbahaya 1952 serta Akta Dadah Berbahaya (Pelucuthakan Harta) 1988.

Beliau meminta orang ramai menyalurkan maklumat berkaitan kegiatan pengedaran dadah atau aktiviti menyalahi undang-undang kepada polis bagi membantu usaha penguatkuasaan serta pencegahan jenayah. - FMT

Senator gesa JPA teliti kelonggaran cuti tanpa rekod Deepavali

 Gesaan Dr RA Lingeshwaran susulan pertindihan tarikh perayaan dengan cuti hujung minggu.

Senator Dr RA Lingeshwaran berkata sambutan Deepavali tahun ini jatuh pada Ahad manakala Isnin adalah cuti umum gantian di negeri berkenaan. (Gambar Facebook)

PETALING JAYA:

Seorang senator menggesa kerajaan meneliti pemberian kelonggaran khas cuti tanpa rekod (CTR) kelompok kepada penjawat awam beragama Hindu susulan pertindihan tarikh sambutan Deepavali pada 8 Nov ini dengan cuti hujung minggu.

Dr RA Lingeshwaran berkata, sambutan Deepavali tahun ini jatuh pada Ahad manakala Isnin adalah cuti umum gantian di negeri berkenaan.

Justeru, beliau merayu perdana menteri mengarahkan Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) mengkaji dan memberikan pertimbangan positif berhubung isu itu.

“Keadaan ini menimbulkan persoalan sama ada penjawat awam beragama Hindu dapat menikmati kemudahan CTR kelompok sepenuhnya.

“Saya berharap permohonan ini mendapat pertimbangan positif demi kebajikan penjawat awam beragama Hindu.

“Dengan ini, mereka dapat membuat persiapan dan menyambut Deepavali bersama keluarga dengan lebih bermakna,” katanya dalam kenyataan. - FMT