A Public Holiday Today?

Confusion! Confusion!

So typical of the Authorities that even declaring a holiday and announcing it causes it so much confusion. Some say it it a Public Holiday and to some, it was a holiday only for the Civil Servants.
Can Business go on? What kind of business? By the time we sort this out, the holiday would be over! It was announced that employers need to pay their staff 'extra' if they work today. A small foreign setup located here have now to pay the 'extra' but the boss is out of the country not realising eleven men chasing a small ball did our country good.

Shucks, sudden public holidays do confuse. It must be renamed PUBIC Holidays.

Are These Safe (Again) ?

Seven Food That Should
Not Have Crossed Your Lips!
(as reported today in CNN)

Again, another advice about food safety. It is begining to look like food produced for the mass market is giving us and our children something to worry about. Just what is our future going to be?

The (new) seven food listed (via CNN) is by Prevention Magazine USA. For clearer details go to this site to read more.

[Ed note: this link was re-inserted after it was taken off 2 hrs after print.We found a snap shot (time-frame record via a Swedish archive) and place it back here for direct link.]

These are:-
1) Canned Tomatoes including tomato paste for preparing sauces
2) Corn Beef
3) Micro Waved Pop Corn
4) Potatoes
5) Salmon

Almost 99% of Salmon sold here in Malaysia are farmed. Wild Salmon is not available via the Hypermarket. I also suspect that most Shushi joints uses farmed Salmon because it is cheap. Wild Salmon was never encountered by us on the menu at Japanese Restaurants here.

6) Milk
7) Apples
The above alert is a wake up call and for us, citizens of Malaysia, how are we ever to know just what is safe to eat anymore? Building more hospitals to treat Cancer is not a solution. Building more hospitals fitted with the latest 'thingamagik' would make medical fees higher.
We the citizens, not only suffer physical pains when such dreadful disease hit us but the financial shock would lead us to think that dying from the disease would be a better alternative. When one survives after the costly episode, do we have any money left to live the rest of our lifes?

It is dawning on us that our Health Ministry is not in control about what we eat or what is there to eat safely. We in Malaysia do not have a separate Government Authority about food and drug safety like in the leading developed countries. Mixing the functions within the Health Department is NOT effective and may be contradictory because we as the citizens would be in a lose/lose situation.

Folks, it is high time that we lobby for a Food and Drug Safety Ministry. Do it for the sake of our children. The terms "..the right hand do not know what the left hand is doing...." and " can't tell the difference between an elbow and an arse..." is getting real!!

A Beautiful Christmas

Did She Know?

Dear All,

Wishing everyone a blessed Christmas and may we have a peaceful year ahead.
May everyone have a happy and a joyous life forever.
"Did She Know"is a lovely duet sung by Kenny Rogers and Wynonna Judd.

Click here to listen. Do connect it to your stereo headphones or better still,
plug on your external speakers.

Enjoy

(ps...Ed: thanks George Doss for sharing such good things. God Bless)

Blind as a Bat!

Can't an Enforcement Officer
spots Sixteen Elephants on the road?

The recent tragedy in Cameron Highlands is sure going to start an all time favourite game...i.e New reality game in town called the ''GFPE' ....."the Greatest Finger Pointing Exercise"!!!!!!

The unfortunate accident which took 27 lives was reported in the National Newsprints here.

First, any school going kid can tell you about the "Center of Gravity" subject in the science lessons. Playing playdoh to Lego proved the same. Tall objects when moving will tilt on the top.
Then how come our beloved Minister (transport), his advisors, his engineers, his Scientists ....blah.blah do not know such problem? Did they go to school in the first place?
Second, if one expert says that it was designed for level road use, then why was it used for highland travels? Shortcut to the road of monetary profits? Close one eye? No Buhjet?
Thirdly, there are already 13 Governmental Agencies involved in the regulations of express buses yet this happened. Just how many more agencies do we still need? Another 100?

Fourthly, it must have caused so much headache to the tour operators that mistakes like this is bound to happen. It was also quoted that "......left hand must know what the right hand is doing"
By the looks of things, the poor victims may have also lost their right hands, left hands, right legs, left legs, some toes, fingers., eye, teeth, dentures..........all because of this?
Deepest Condolences to all that have lost their dear ones.

In the next few days, let us see what goes. See who gets away, who gets nailed and afterwards....all back to normal.......................until another accident strikes.

Just wondering....it we were to put four elephants in 2 rows and place the same above them, would not it be like a sight of the double decker bus? Then how come our law enforcers from all 13 Government agencies did not see this happening during this 2 month holiday peak season?
I believe at lease hundreds of trips have already been made.

Sometimes, I remembered an old saying, directed to those so called informed seniors at these authorities...."they can't even tell the difference between an elbow and an arse!"
Damn Bloody incompetent Agencies is one of the main reason why I would not allow my kids, relatives and overseas friends using these busses as a travel mode.

It is getting riskier by the day.

Co-Director

Guess Who's
Checking My Work?

Was at the garden when a call attracted me.
Our newly planted 'wild banana' tree flowered and was fruiting.
The call sounded like the elusive Flowerpecker and I immediately went into the house to set up my camcorder.
After waiting patiently for half an hour, nope, the Flowerpecker did not show up. All these happened under the watchful eyes of our resident Olive-backed Sunbird whom we called "Sunny".

He zoomed in and sat on my rig! As if examining my camcorder to check for exposure settings!
Ha!Ha!

Yup. It is OK here.
And here.
Hey got sound or not?
OK... I'll go to the banana flower play acting yah? You get ready.
Lights, Camera........ACTION!

Happy Birding this Christmas yah?

Costly Nuts!

Coconuts to cost more.
It was reported in the newspapers that the simple coconut's price has increased.
It used to be only 90 sens for a fresh nut at the road side stalls just few years ago. Today it is RM2 each! That would be 100% in 3 years.
In a few months, the 'old' nuts which is commonly used in curries, deserts, cakes etc. would be more expensive. Just why is this so?
Is it just because the tree grows too high to pluck? .....................Issit?
Whadda .......................pook?

So, what do you want to plant today?

Righteous Vs.
Unrighteous Planting


If you plant
.....honesty, you will reap trust
.....goodness, you will reap friends
.....humility, you will reap greatness
.....perseverance, you will reap victory
.....consideration, you will reap harmony
.....hard work, you will reap success
.....forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation
.....openness, you will reap intimacy
.....patience, you will reap improvements
.....faith, you will reap miracles

BUT
If you plant
.....dishonesty, you will reap distrust
.....selfishness, you will reap loneliness
.....pride, you will reap distruction
.....envy, you will reap trouble
.....laziness, you will reap stagnation
.....bitterness, you will reap isolation
.....greed, you will reap loss
.....gossip, you will reap enemies
.....worries, you will reap wrinkles
.....sin, you will reap guilt

So be careful what you plant today, it will determine what you will reap tomorrow. The seeds you now scatter, will make life worse or better, for your life or the ones who will come after. Yes, someday, you will enjoy the fruits or you will pay for the choices you plant today.

This I Gotta See!

Coffee Tea or Me?

Richard loses to Tony in the eagerly awaited challenge yesterday!

Everhopefully, Tony chooses an 'extra' long Air Asia flight and Richard do not have to snooze like this poor girl did!
It is not always easy to see a "Sir" dressed as an airline girl but he is gonna to look 'cute' here and there. It would also be nice to see Tony dressed as one! Ha!Ha!Macha!
You are a good sport 'Sir'!

(all pix from Google Images)

Call Of Duty

Black Ops

After playing it for the last three days, no wonder it is the Best Selling Franchise of All Time on PS3!
After Call of Duty and Call of Duty:Modern Warfare 2 this Black Ops is part 3 and is one of the most realistic computer game ever.
The best part is the optional (just select it) Pure HD 1080p video and Dolby Digital 7.1 Audio!
The official Worldwide launch was only days ago and in some parts, it is still being launch with parties. See the report here.

If this is your cup of tea, go for it. I like its reality. Great graphics and sound. On top of it, great computing animation comparable to that of big Hollywood blockbusters.

Cock-a-doodle-doo!

Cockamamie
in the State Assembly!



"It's been a year since we were told about the Cock project but what is the progress?"
"Huh?"
"The Cock project!"
"What Cock project?"
"Cock"
"What is Cock?"

This was reported on the Malaysian 'The Star' newspaper in Nation page N20 of today.

At the Penang State Assembly, Zabariah Abdul Wahab (BN-Bertam) asked for the updates on the 1Km monorail test track in Batu Kawan, Penang. Then why 'Cock?'

Oh I see.
It was meant to be Coach as in c.o.a.c.h.
She said Koch, Coch,........blah, blah...Kochi!
Just what kind of England is this?

In the respectable State Assembly some more! Ha!Ha!

Talking Birds again?

Happy Deepavali !

To all my Hindu Friends

Wishing you a joyful and a Happy Diwali 2010

Here is a special bird to grace this occasion.

Regards.

How Far Can We Go?

Un-necessary Fireworks.

With the increase of price (again) in petrol days ago, just how are we taking it?

The backlash is yet to come i.e. the increase of almost all commodities such as food, transport, travel, sundries....etc. doesn't the public care and worry about this?

The festive season is near. Yes we need to celebrate but then do we have to 'burn' up our hard earned cash to buy these kind of fireworks just to enjoy the 'bang'? While talking to some of our neighbours, we noted that those who plays are usually the ignorant poor and the arrogant rich!

Don't they need to save some cash for the 'rainy' days? How about saving the cash for the old folks? I am sure most have them at home and my bet would be they may need some sort of medical care or medicines.
Then why not they save the money for them instead of burning it up at the slightest excuse due to festivals?

Prices of medication have never dropped and not only they are getting more costlier it is getting limited at hospitals.
As for the un-necessary fireworks, it also causes disturbances within your neighbours. Many a times, I would have preferred to go out of our home to confront these inconsiderate people and perhaps wring their necks! The cops? Nah. been there, done that! It is useless!

I used to accept the excuse of 'because we have to celebrate', 'because it is part of our culture', 'because of our religon','...............bull............' so maybe only at certain times they can play but then, who is to control? Last nite, the so called celebration lasted till 2 am in the morning!
By the way, what celebration? There is one coming tomorrow?

Therefore we need to educate ourselves and be considerate to all our neighbours. Moreover, it
is indirectly giving our Gormen a message. "Come on, increase the price of everything. We can still afford to burn our money up. We still got plenty left!"

Please people, for once, just think of those in need.
Shucks!

Truly a great Bin

Swarovski EL 10x42 Swarovision


It is already three months old and we are really enjoying this pair of binoculars who have lived up to its claim "See the unseen"!
We have already covered more than half of our lists of birds. We even have more time to look at individual birds to study the its colors right up to the finest details.
Have never seen a Silver Eared Messia that clear. Also spotted the truly beautiful Red Headed Trogon who gave us three minutes of examination!

As for the Black Throated Sunbird, wow, truly exhilarating! Of course, we cannot leave out our ever popular "Phua Chu Kang" bird. Ha!Ha! This Streaked Spiderhunter's bright yellow feet looks just like his boots!

(Note: The following are not my pictures. They are from Google Images.)

Streaked Spiderhunter (above)

Silver Eared Mesia (above)

Red Headed Trogon (above)

Black Headed Sunbird (above)

Truly no regrets of owning this great pair of binoculars!

Resting In Peace?

The Olde Gap Rest House

Such a majestic architecture, left to rot.

Was at the hills on Thursday, 28th. October, 2010 and while waiting for our turn to go up the hills (again?) we still see the sad state of affairs almost every week.
This picture was taken in 2008, 2 years ago.
The nostalgic Gap Rest House is still dead!
Dead for the last six years!
You may see the date stated on the project board but the actual date of death (close for renovations) was already three years before! This is on the state of Selangor (state boundary) whereas most of Fraser's sits on the state of Pahang.
Just look at the conflicting date stated on the board!
By the look of the picture, is there any one working?
Even the concrete mixer (the only one) have weeds growing on it!
Even the little so called town is Dead. I am talking of Gap.

This is a picture I took in 1971 and that would be 39 years ago. Taken with a Kodak Brownie camera when I was a kid.

Just look at it now, five days ago!
As good as dead!

This is the million Ringgit suspension bridge.

Thank God, I walked across it safely. Even weeds are growing on it!
Just why would anyone for that matter spend so much and to abandon it half way?
It is an eye sore for every tourists who have to pass this town every time they go up and down Fraser's Hill.
The classic signage put up during the opening of the rest house is left to rot. It look like a tombstone instead. This is sad.