Ngau Kok

Those were the days.

Gone were the days we had to rely on mother nature to pass our time.

These days, the kids have 'canggih' mobiles to click SMSs, play angry birds, watch videos or getting themselves high on music in 3G.

In our time, if one remembers, we made for ourselves traditional 'toys' to keep ourselves thrilled. One of them 'oldies' was the spinning tops made out of a strange type of 'nut' known as Ngau Kok.

Also known as Bull's Horn or Goo Kuck (hokkien). A piece of string is tied to a 'joss stick' end between two Ngau Koks and is winded-up and pulled.

This spinning 'top' can spin for minutes on ends.

This is popular during the Mid-Autumn 'moon cake' festival. It is also eaten after boiling it and there are claims that it could help those who are suffering from the dreaded cancer.

Now, just where these 'tops' comes from? I was clueless until ten years ago, I discovered it still attached to a live plant in the famous Chachutak market in Bangkok, Thailand.

The actual name is Chinese water caltrop (Trapa bicornis).

More information can be obtained by Googling it.

Few years ago, we managed to buy some of these 'nuts' to try an experiment. Since it is from a type of water lily, we scattered it into our home pond. It sprouted!

These pictures were taken in 2006.

It sprouted from the top end.
Grew up with runners to reach to the surface. The stem of each leaf begins to bloat creating a 'ballast' similar to our common water hyacinth, thus floating up-right. The nut then rots away. When matured, the plant turn purplish-red in color and new 'nuts' soon occur. A healthy plant may produce up to 20 'nuts'.

In other parts of the world, this plants are treated as nuisance because it overgrows and clogged waterways and canals.
Try asking your friends if they know about the water caltrop. You would be surprised that some will tell you that it came from trees or beneath the ground!!

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!