William Ting

Why I never buy insurance

2012-01-27T12:29:00.003+08:00

In my working career, many insurance agents approached me to buy all sort of insurance. As we are not familiar with the jargons they use, I just felt very insure to buy any insurance at all. Looking at the reports from the newspaper, I am grateful that I didn't buy anything. Just prudent saving to cover for the rainy days.

Making it hard for claimants
Consult a doc and read the fine print before signing up for a health policy
Hundreds of true-life trials of the insured

My policy of buying insurance, if at all necessary, is to buy "fit for purpose", eg, never buy life insurance to cover house loan. Just a housing loan insurance will do ... cheap and do the job!
Just to clarify, I am concerned about life insurance and critical illness insurance. Terms insurance is a form of saving and is normally straight forward.

Day 2 Chinese New Year

2012-01-25T15:54:00.002+08:00

During day one of Chinese new year, most people reserve it for visiting close relatives. During the second day, friends started to visit each other. And that is what we did. We went to a few VVIP houses, I mean they are politician or rich businessmen with close political connection.

For a collection of photos, please click here. New year also means ang pow (small money in red package) time. In the good old days, this ang pow is meant for parents to children. Now, they are freely given.

Chinese New Year 2012

2012-01-24T11:48:00.002+08:00

At midnight on the new year eve, the firecracker/firework went off like crazy! The authority may have banned the sales of these stuff but it seems that obtaining them is no issue! Jonathan, Timothy and myself went over to Krokop to witness some firework at ...

...this temple. Instead, we saw the lighting up of the huge joss sticks! More photos of fireworks can be viewed here. He was holding my other camera to snap those shot!

Gong Xi Bazaar 2012

2012-01-22T00:15:00.002+08:00

I have posted all the photos on my facebook. For reason unknown to me, this blogspot has problem letting me upload photos! So, please click here to see them.
Tonight, the bazaar was full of people. There was hardly any place to move!

Food to eat and not to eat during CNY

2012-01-20T10:29:00.001+08:00

I just realised that you should not eat ...

... bitter gourd, or anything known to be bitter!

It is believed that if you eat bitter foods (the Mandarin words for bitter has the same sound as the Mandarin word for suffering), your life in the coming year will be full of trials and tribulations.

The food you should serve on the table is fish as the Mandarin word for fish “yu” is a homophone for the Mandarin word “abundance”. Fish is best to be served whole, with head and tail, this signifies a whole year’s worth of prosperity, from beginning to the end.

ok, so much about "sound like" Chinese words. Definitely 88 is good plus a 99 is even better. This sound like prospering forever!

Haha... crab! Don't believe the above but just work hard and be healthy to be happy and prosperous. Ask God to bless you and family and pray always.

May God bless your Chinese New Year. If you drive, be safe and arrive safely.

I won 1,000,000 pounds!

2012-01-19T09:50:00.001+08:00

This scam job is out again, but this time, the English is slightly better written. However, he is telling you NOT to tell anyone so that it is easier for them to do their con job! So, if you receive e-mail like this, please ignore it! There is no free meal in this world. Respond to him if you want to lose all your hard earn money!
Read on for the content of the email I received! Click here if you want to read more. By the way, it seems that this Barrister keeps changing his last name!

This e-mail is to congratulate you as your email address has won you a cash prize of One million pounds in the ongoing UK-National Lottery Promo. To file your claims, contact your claims agent Barrister Mark William with his following below:
Claims Agent Barrister Mark William
Name: Barrister Mark William
E-mail: mark.william.uknl@email.ch
Tel: +447024058329

Fill In Your Claims Information.
Serial No: S/N-472-9768-79
Full Name:
Contact Address:
Tel:
Age:
Country:

NOTE: Do not reply to this e-mail, you are to contact your claims Agent Barrister Mark William with his information giving to you and keep your winnings Serial No: S/N-472-9768-79 confidential do not give anybody your winning detail OR tell anyone to avoid lost of winnings claims.

NIKON D4 Preview

2012-01-14T15:51:00.000+08:00

A 30 minutes preview about Nikon D4! It cost US$6000!

Clothes that poke eye

2012-01-10T10:57:00.000+08:00

It is so funny that our Ministry of Defence blamed Google Translate for all the "funny translation". To me, it just shows that our people in MINDEF are sloppy and don't do a first cut validation of the translation or is it that they no longer understand English any more?! It is simply so embarrassing!
By the way, I just wonder whether they understand the instruction manuals that came with all the weapons they bought.
Read main story here.

TRAFFIC SUMMON CHARGES

2012-01-01T15:09:00.001+08:00

Not sure whether the following is true as I just got this through the mail. Anyone can confirm?
Price quoted below are nett without further discount:
Speeding:
Exceeding 1 - 20km/h = $130 + 4 Demerit Points.
Exceeding 21 - 30km/h = $150 + 6 Demerit Points.
Exceeding 31 - 40km/h = $180 + 8 Demerit Points.
Exceeding 41 - 50km/h = $200 + 12 Demerit Points + Court.
Exceeding 51 - 60km/h = $200 + 18 Demerit Points + Court.
Exceeding 61km/h = $200 + 24 Demerit Points + Court.
Careless Driving = $150 + 6 Demerit Points.
Inconsiderate Driving = $170 + 9 Demerit Points + Court.
Dangerous Driving = $200 + 24 Demerit Points + Court + Vehicle Compounded.
Illegal Racing = $200 + Vehicle Confiscate + Court.
Fail to put on Seat Belt = $120 + 3 Demerit Points.
Double White Lines = $130 + 4 Demerit Points.
Phone and Drive = $200 + 12 Demerit Points + Phone Confiscate.
DO NOT hold your mobile in your hand when you drive even with loud speaker or ear piece.

Drink Driving (1st offence) = Up to $5,000 Fine and, or Jail Term + License Suspended + Court.
Drink Driving (2nd offence) = Jail Term + Fine + Court.

Making an illegal U Turn when there's no U-Turn sign = $70 .
Fail to Signal when changing lanes = $70 .
Driving at night without Headlights or Taillights Switch on after 7pm = $30 .
No Number Plate = $70.
Obstructed Number Plate = $70.
Obscured Number Plate = $70.
Number Plate Of Unapproved Type = $70

Demerit Point System :
Let's say you have 0 point on 1st January 2011, and you committed the offence of Failing to Put on Seat Belt. So now, you will have 3 demerit points and this will last for 1 Year.
If during this 1 year you have no demerit points offence at all, your 3 demerit points will be gone on 1/1/2012.
But, if during this one year, From 1/1/2011 - 1/1/2012, you committed another offence with demerit points, your very first offence will be extended for another year until 1/1/2013.

7 resolutions for 2012 to keep fit

2011-12-27T07:46:00.003+08:00

1. I will manage stress better
2. Every time I eat, half my plate will be veggies
3. I will do things to sleep better
4. I will watch less TV, and surf less internet
5. I will train 30 mins at least 3x per week
6. I will take care of my soft tissue
7. I will eat more home-cooked food

To read the full articles on the above, click here!

A Merry Christmas to you all

2011-12-24T02:21:00.001+08:00

We wish everyone a merry and blessed Christmas and a happy new year. May you be blessed throughout 2012!

Don't forget to drop in at the church to celebrate the birth of Christ on Christmas day.

Awesome things people do

2011-12-20T10:04:00.001+08:00

Just want to share this awesome stuff people do. Click here to see them! I am sure you will be entertained. But please don't do this at home as they are too dangerous for the untrained.

Free Wildlife Photography book

2011-12-18T20:50:00.001+08:00

Wildlife photographer and dpreview.com contributor Uwe Skrzypczak is again making his book

'Wildlife photography: On Safari with Your DSLR: Equipment, Techniques, Workflow' available as a free download. This is available for 24 hours only. So, if you are interested, please click here.
The free download period is:

GMT: 23:01 Saturday 17th to 22:59 Sunday 18th.

For Malaysia time, this will start now and finish at 6:59AM 19th Monday. (We are 8 hours ahead).

Condition for the download is that we are not allow to redistribute as it contravene copyright.

Is your photo blue?

2011-12-14T12:33:00.001+08:00

With many function halls switching to LED flood light, ...

... you will have nightmare if you don't know how to adjust your camera accordingly. The LED flood light is simply too cool and also too strong. Our normal eyes will see it as white or bluish white. Even if you switch on your flash light, the picture is still too blue! See this ...

Without correction, even the most expensive camera also cannot beat the strong LED light. The white balance will be completely out!

With correction, the colour can be restored. But how?
Here is how you set your camera:
Use manual white balance (WB) and set it to between 9,000-10,000. You need to experiment with it.
If you need to use flash, the WB can be reduced slightly to around 8000. But do try it out.
Do not use auto WB.
If possible, set your camera to manual mode.

Drug Free Hi Blood Pressure Control

2011-12-14T12:22:00.001+08:00

As usual, I walked at the Bulatan Park and met up with my walking buddy. He is concerned with his rounded tummy where he can't seem to get it flatten. So, I recommended my earlier remedy by walking and elevating the heartbeat up! Then he went back and went through the internet. He found something interesting. Like squatting to elevate the heartbeat. Then he also said that one Chinese doctor has been massaging three pressure points, cycling and breathing.
Talking about breathing, it was found that it can also control high blood pressure. It was reason that the body automatically response to poor oxygen level in the blood by pumping out more blood. Simple logic is to increase the pressure... so there goes high blood pressure. Now, don't believe me, go to google and enter the key words "High Blood Pressure Breathing" and you will get load of information.
Here is my evidence:

Before I started my breathing, it was 135/90. After breathing exercise for one minute, it drop to the above!

This seems to work even if you are currently on drug. So, if you have HiBP, try it. If you have no HiBP, try it anyway because slow breathing is good for you.

Season Greetings!

2011-12-12T23:55:00.000+08:00

I wish all my readers a happy and blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year. May 2012 brings you blessing from God! These two cards are for you...

You may download them and use them as long as they are not printed for commercial purposes. If you do copy them and redistribute, please do not remove the watermark.

Click the image for a bigger picture.
Picture taken at City Fan, Miri, Sarawak.

About Time

2011-12-11T07:26:00.001+08:00

Six truths about time:

First: Nobody can manage time. But you can manage those things that take up your time.

Second: Time is expensive. As a matter of fact, 80 percent of our day is spent on those things or those people that only bring us two percent of our results.

Third: Time is perishable. It cannot be saved for later use.

Fourth: Time is measurable. Everybody has the same amount of time...pauper or king. It is not how much time you have; it is how much you use.

Fifth: Time is irreplaceable. We never make back time once it is gone.

Sixth: Time is a priority. You have enough time for anything in the world, so long as it ranks high enough among your priorities.

Christmas Bazaar .. go quickly tonight

2011-12-10T16:23:00.001+08:00

Just realised that tonight is the last night of the bazaar. Go there to eat, be entertained and also to meet friends.

Performance ... beautiful and graceful dances

2nd hand merchandise

Randy the chef...make sure you eat his kolo mee

... more food to buy!
See more photos here.

Christmas at Dewan Suarah..Go go go!

2011-12-10T16:07:00.001+08:00

Have you been to the Christmas Bazaar and the City Fan? If you have not, please rush over before dinner. You will not regret it. They have food sales, etc. The prices are cheap! Kolo mee for RM2.00, home made pau for RM1.50, good quality second hand clothing for RM1.00 per piece. Don't eat before you go... they have plenty to offer. So, go go go...

Christmas tree by Samling. If you are a one third rule freak, this photo breaks all of them! But I don't care, it is meant to be broken.

Another angle of the Christmas deco... framed to make my 1/3 rule freak happy!

He baked his first cheese tart

2011-12-09T00:05:00.001+08:00

After observing and helping Janice making cheese tart, Timothy finally got his hand on baking the first successful cheese tart. They tasted good and unfortunately, I cannot eat many as they are simply too rich!

Well done, Timothy. I am happy that he enjoyed baking and now I can relax and enjoy whatever they bake.

How to remove visceral fat (Belly fat)

2011-12-08T12:26:00.001+08:00

Visceral fat is fat that surrounds the internal organs. Some people call it "hidden fat." It most commonly collects around the mid-section, as this is where a majority or our major
internal organs are located. Most of this type of fat builds around the stomach area.

Visceral fat is different from other types of fat that are closer to the skin. This type of fat is more dangerous, and can increase the risks of diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. It can also cause high cholesterol. Developing this type of fat creates a more serious health risk than other types of fat that are stored on other areas of the body.

I attended a talk by a doctor and he recommended walking.
To remove belly fat, you need to (obviously) exercise. AND you need to ensure that during exercise, your heartbeat reaches 60-70% of 220-your current age.For example, if you are now 50 years old. You need to ensure that your heartbeat is between (220-50)x0.6 to (220-50)x0.7. The heart beat works out to be 102 to 119.At this heartbeat, your body burn fat from your belly! So, when you exercise, measure your heartbeat! There is a heartbeat measuring gadget you could buy from the pharmacy or just count your pulse.To make life easy for you, below is a table showing the age and optimal heartbeat for a flat belly!

Age	HeartBeat
30	114 to 133
32	112.8 to 131.6
34	111.6 to 130.2
36	110.4 to 128.8
38	109.2 to 127.4
40	108 to 126
42	106.8 to 124.6
44	105.6 to 123.2
46	104.4 to 121.8
48	103.2 to 120.4
50	102 to 119
52	100.8 to 117.6
54	99.6 to 116.2
56	98.4 to 114.8
58	97.2 to 113.4
60	96 to 112
62	94.8 to 110.6
64	93.6 to 109.2
66	92.4 to 107.8
68	91.2 to 106.4
70	90 to 105

Confirmed 100% crocodile!

2011-12-05T15:30:00.001+08:00

Finally my friend Musa shot this picture today around lunch time... is there any more dispute that this fellow is indeed a crocodile and not just a giant monitor lizard! Our friend from Miri City Council should see this picture!

Thanks to Musa for allowing me to post this picture. The council has finally set up trap! Go to Musa's fb album to see all the photos.

Christmas Parade 2011

2011-12-05T10:38:00.001+08:00

Christmas Parade 2011 on 3rd Dec saw a record number in turnout. From the crowd compared to last year, there was a lot more people. But for this year, there was a little less colour.
If not for the heavy rain, it would have been a lot more fun. I could not join the band as the rain was a real nuisance!

Lighting up the huge Christmas tree by pressing the remote button. Datuk Chin Fah Kui had the honour to press the button.

The beautiful Christmas tree ... I think the top part failed to light up.

Congratulating each other...
The Christmas tree will be there for sometime. So, good opportunity for everyone to go over to take some pictures.

Have you been doing exercises?

2011-12-03T07:00:00.000+08:00

Morning and evening time at the Bulatan Park ...

Every alternate day morning, the team changes...

Someone is there to guide you. Actually there are two teams everyday but at different places at the park.
Another team is doing repetitive exercise, so very easy to follow. Just join in!

Or you can be like my buddy who is there every day, morning and evening... just walking and hoping to get rid of the extra weight.

You could develop friendship....

Or you could just do simple stretching and bending...

... or could be training your qi!

... or could be walking while on the way to work.

... or could be doing exercise for speedy recovery. I hope he gets well soon.
Have you been doing exercise regularly? Don't wait until it is too late because sweating out is important for you.

Fly Hope

2011-12-02T11:12:00.001+08:00

Sarawak Shipbuilder in Kuala Baram made Sarawak proud by being selected by Papua New Guinea to build a couple of ferries. The first of such ferry was launched yesterday at a simple ceremony in Kuala Baram.

The main reasons why Sarawak Shipbuilder were selected was their 100+ years of ship building experiences, a team of very committed family members who has been building ships for three generations in Sarawak, etc.
This ferry has a maximum seating capacity of 150.

Crocodile or monitor lizard?

2011-12-02T10:23:00.001+08:00

Deputy Mayor of Miri City Council make a statement in yesterday Miri See Hua Daily news that the ...

... reptile in Bulatan park may not be crocodile but a a giant ...

... monitor lizard!! I was wondering whether he knows how a monitor lizard look like.
I really wish that people at the top do some research and compared photos we publish on the net so that they don't make remark which make them sound so ignorant. So, for the benefit of my readers, the above is how a monitor lizard generally looks like. (photo from Wikipedia) Colour and shape will vary a bit but the features are more or less the same. And...

... this is how a crocodile looks like!
The major differences, when you can only see the head, are the nose and eyes.

Croc has distinctive eyes and nose well above the water. When they went underwater, it "drops" down like a ...

...submarine. I had not seen monitor lizard behaving in this manner.
He also suggested that more ...

... sign like this should be put up around the park! So if he thinks that it is not croc, why more sign?! Please don't waste tax payer money!

Real or fake?

2011-11-28T01:02:00.001+08:00

When coming to digital image manipulation, combined with powerful software and computer, the only limitation now is the imagination! I took the photo below ...

... during a late afternoon at a landscaping exhibition. The image above is no where near to being perfect: the trees are pale due to the strong sun and the image appears flat. To transform the same image, I need to enhance the colour and do something about the grass. Fortunately I have a few very nice looking grass ... and the end result is the following:

I would appreciate your opinion.
Click on any photo for a bigger image.

Tips: It is always better to overexpose a little than to underexpose your image. A little overexposed image has a lot more information than an underexposed image.

How long can your appliances last?

2011-11-26T11:51:00.001+08:00

How long can our household appliances last, eg, fridge, cooker, washing machine, fan, etc? One thing I notice is that new appliances don't last long and started to give problem. For example, fan used to be made from steel, especially the blade. Now, everything is made from plastic and they just break apart.
I bought my fridge more than 30 years ago and it is still going strong, with just some repair and services once in a while.
My washing machine bought some 14 years ago gave some problem not long ago. The cold water inlet water valves didn't close any more. Then I found that I never use the hot water valve and it is literally new! So, I swap the cold water valve with the hot water valve and the washing machine is back to proper function.
One of the on/off valves of my 30 years old cooker suddenly didn't work well. Sometimes, it jammed up....

Since there are two rings which I never (seldom) use, I decided to open up the knob this morning to see what I can do. So, after removing two screws, the plunger (valve) were removed and replaced with the one which I seldom use. Bingo... the knob/valve is now working perfectly. Maybe, it will last for another 20 years!
Do you go out and shop for a new one because the towkay told you that there is no spare? Next time, don't worry, the appliances usually came with "standby" which we just need to look for and use it!

Piasau Bridge going strong!

2011-11-25T07:00:00.000+08:00

In February, I posted about the new bridge across the Miri River linking Piasau peninsula and Miri mainland. This morning I went over to take a look as I heard that someone was complaining about the low bridge.

Actually, this new bridge has the same clearance as the old bridge. So, if you own a not-so-big boat, you still can't cross, as before.
The construction of the new bridge is going well and looks extremely solid. I hope that by year end, it will be open for public use.

How civic minded are we?

2011-11-24T12:30:00.001+08:00

Our council finally realised that there is a need for special parking lot allocated to the disabled. So, we now see them at the various market in Miri...

... but see how the people abuse the facilities for the disabled! I always see these special lots being used by fully able bodies! Why can't the police go and give summon to all these traffic offenders?! We must respect the needs of the disabled.
In UK, any car without the "disable" sticker or pass are not allowed to park in these lots or they will be fined immediately.

Some Awards

2011-11-24T12:21:00.001+08:00

Recently I won two consolation prizes on the Landscaping and Scenery category and Activities and Event category. I have to thanks our photography society chairman for insisting that I submit some photos.

A tribute to my friend and ex-classmate

2011-11-23T09:51:00.001+08:00

Chen Tai Huong was my primary school classmate in Sarikei. He passed away on Monday, 21-Nov-2011 at the age of 56. He was a successful lawyer in Sarikei and he used to commute between Sarikei and Sibu.

Ease Chen, a sister of my classmate has this to say:
Lawyer Chen Tai Huong, ex-Sarikei St. Anthony Secondary School teacher and Ex-Student Association's Chairman, had passed away on Mon (21st Nov 2011)He and his Alumni committee have tirelessly promoted School Alumni and at times, at their own expenses, organized various fund raising activities for Sarikei St. Anthony School's new hall. Anyone who wishes to pay last respect can attend his funeral on Wed (23th Nov) at Hospital Sarikei 730AM.
May his soul rest in peace. May the Lord give the living the strength and peace. Our deepest condolences to the family!

Your next step ...

2011-11-19T18:44:00.001+08:00

UPSR (sixth year) results were released only yesterday and I saw many parents anxious to register their children for their choice secondary school. I think they are driven by circumstances because the national education system is like a yoyo when deciding on the language to be used for the medium of education. I was told that it is now reverting back to English for science and maths subjects.

So what is your choice now? Riam Road Secondary School is now flooded with parents since Friday as their school is probably the only one who is firm on using English as the main medium.
Form 5 students just started their exam this week and I was approached by many students on what/where to study! I can safely say that if you intend to go overseas, and you know what you want to study, look for a university who is offering foundation. For example, Leeds University started their foundation in January and in September next year, you start university year one. In three years, you will be graduating at the age of 20/21! Amazing! Cost wise, I recommend UK as they are currently the cheapest. Don't believe me? Do your own arithmetic.

Crocodile of Bulatan Park - clearer picture

2011-11-17T13:06:00.001+08:00

My friend/ex-colleague finally got a clearer picture of the crocodile in Bulatan park. It appears at the same place. In fact, I saw the croc yesterday also but I manage to see only the nose and eyes only.

He saw it today from around 8-9AM. That was the time I saw the croc yesterday.
So, if you want to see the crocodile at Bulatan Park, it seems that it is no longer that difficult. Click here to see more pictures of the crocodile. He estimated the length of the croc to be about 3-4 feet, ie, about 1 metre. That was my estimate also.

Crocodile at Bulatan Finally Spotted!

2011-11-11T09:21:00.001+08:00

This morning I armed myself with my 200mm prime lens wanting to shoot the new signboard put up by the city council. The signboard actually face the lake, reminding the living thing in the water to beware of the crocodile spotted by many and yet not captured on a real camera!

I think the positioning of the signboard is a brilliant idea as the croc is of no harm to human at the moment.

I joined my usual "walking friends" for the morning walk and they finally all left at 8:30AM.

During my final round, I thought my 20/20 long vision spotted two distinctive eyes above the water!

As I walked closer, I confirmed what I saw was indeed our friendly, now famous friend, the crocodile of Bulatan Park! The inset is a larger view. No, this is real and not a photoshop of some other crocodile.

As I walked closer, it quickly went under ... see the ripples. The above was taken today, 11-Nov-2011 at 8:33AM.

Extra Busy this month...

2011-11-11T06:30:00.001+08:00

Many thought that after retirement, life will be easier and more relaxing. However, I experience the otherwise. So, what are the major differences?
1. More freedom to do what I want
2. Time is controlled by myself
3. As I am following my passion, I find that my time is now "sold" to my customers. So, in a way, this contradict the two above!

This month has been a very busy month for me. So busy that, I have no time to update my blog. There were 1000s of photos. Today, I have three functions to record. Although money return is small, I found a lot of satisfaction in doing things which I have always wanted to do.

Some pictures taken yesterday at Green Summit away day to lighten your day ...

Mummies wrapping ... need to be able to dance ... etc!

Bread eating competition ... anyone?

Somehow, men fancy to be dressed with huge busts! Lots of hilarious photos but no time to post.

Anything for sale...

2011-11-03T23:36:00.000+08:00

We caught a very cute looking rhino beetle that other day. This fellow is double horned and according to Ah Jon, he thought that the single horn type is more rare. But whatever...

... Joshua thinks that anything is saleable and it all depend on salesmanship! He told us that he will sell this beetle for RM5! I thought that he was joking as no one will be interested in a beetle, what more for RM5! So, on Monday morning he packed it in a box and brought it to school. He not only sold it for RM5 he also got a deal to be the keeper for RM1 a day!
So, is there a better salesman out there who can beat him? He is not even 13. I think his next target is to catch nice grasshopper, which he think should be able to sell for 50 cents!

My shopping experience

2011-10-26T08:00:00.000+08:00

The market is now flooded with products made in China. Some are of reasonable quality and some are simply badly made. Yet the prices can be very close, or in fact, expensive!
First, I changed the braking switch for my car. It cost RM28 for a switch. Every time I pressed the brake paddle, it made that "click" sound. We all thought that it was good. The thing looks solid. But it lasted for only 3 days! I was told that an original unit would have costed >RM200.
Last few days, I went to every known office supplies shop or stationary shop in Miri looking for a cutter...

The price ranges from RM62 to RM100+. Mostly, the base is made from a piece of thin plywood. The last stop was Popular and to my surprised, the sales person told us that the last unit has been sold! By chance, we saw one unit on the shelf... exactly what I was looking for, a 7 inch cutter with a steel base. The price was RM45 and with a borrowed discount card, the price went down by 10% to RM40.50!
So, it pays to shop around. Especially in Miri, don't just pay for any item with any price stuck on it.

Nikon J1 and V1 prices

2011-10-25T11:20:00.002+08:00

These are my Nikon J1 and V1 prices:

Nikon 1 V1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with:

10-30mm and 30-110mm Lenses (Black/white) RM3,498
10-30mm Lens (Black/white) RM2,898
10mm and 10-30mm Lenses (Black/white) RM3,298
10mm Lens (Black) RM3,098

Nikon 1 J1 Mirrorless Digital Camera with:

10-30 mm VR Zoom Lens (Black/white) RM2,150
10mm and 10-30mm Zoom Lens (Black/white) RM2,598
10-30 mm / 30-110 mm Lens (Black/White) RM2,698
10-30 mm / 30-110 mm Lens (Pink) RM2,798
10 mm lens (black/white) RM2,399

Inclusive of 8GB memory in each of the above package

For J1 series, only black/white/pink available. Pink is available in limited stock
Pink package is inclusive of wrapping cloth, hand strap, 10-30mm lens hood

Prices subjected to change. Please call me if you are interested. (012 878 2007 or 012 302 0178)
Order now for early delivery which will start next week in Malaysia.

My new toy

2011-10-24T08:00:00.000+08:00

ok, my new toy is not a new camera or photographic equipment but rather a trimmer set. I have been cutting my children hair for a long time and decided that I need to be able to do thing faster...

... So, this new set of Remington trimmer should do the job. It is super sharp and can cut down trimming time by half. However, being a first timer in using this tool, the cut is nowhere near to perfect. In another month time, I have two more guinea pigs to sharpen my skill.
I found that it is very good for cutting people with thick hair.

Thunderstorm

2011-10-24T00:42:00.000+08:00

Tonight thunderstorm lasted for almost one hour. Ah Jon could see all the lightning streaking across the sky from his room. So I gave him the challenge to capture the lightning! If he could get one good one, he will make RM5 from me. Looks like he managed to get this nice one after some 20 tries! See that the lightning actually went across the sky!

Camera setting:
ISO: 125 F (A):7.1 EV:+0.7 Shutter speed (S): B (This means that you need to press the shutter release and wait for lightning to strike!) Mode: Manual. EV is not strictly necessary. I forgot to mention that the focus must be on manual also. Focus it to a distance lightning and then mount it on a tripod.

Krokop Chung Hua is winner!

2011-10-23T12:46:00.000+08:00

Yesterday evening, we saw the closing of the under 13 basketball challenge trophy. It was Chung Hua Krokop vs Chung Hua Miri. I can see that the players were tired and they didn't perform as well as compared to their first game. Whatever, here are some of the dramatic photos.

Never underestimate the boys from primary four and five. They were small in size, but they run in the air! See number 13 from Krokop!

Their smaller frame doesn't mean that they can't jump high!

See how they leap into the air!

The winning teams from Krokop. They won so many medals.
For more photos, click here.

Dr George Chan Challenge Trophy

2011-10-21T17:00:00.003+08:00

This morning, we saw the Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr. George Chan Challenge Trophy under 13 Basketball competition kick off at Rain Road Secondary School indoor stadium.

Six Chinese medium primary schools participated. I managed to watch the first game, Chung Hua Miri and Chung Hua Pujut. Some players are so small in size and yet they played with so much skill. So, if you enjoy watching basketball, do go to the school tomorrow to watch the semi finals and final.
Saturday 22 Oct 2011
8:00AM Ladies Krokop A vs Krokop B
9:00AM Ladies Pujut vs Tudan
10:00AM -noon Men semi final
Noon Ladies Krokop B vsTudan
1:00PM Men semi final
2:00PM Ladies Krokp A vs Pujut
3:00PM Men final
4:00PM closing
More photos... click here.

Mutton ...

2011-10-19T00:15:00.001+08:00

Many years ago, I brought Janice and Esther to UK for a "preview" before they actually went there to study. I remembered that Stephanie was already in UK doing her first year.
When I was in Leeds, I brought them around town to do shopping. I bought a piece of mutton ...

... like what is shown in the above picture. Now, this piece cost about GBP6-8 per kg. It is true that this cut was expensive but the quality was good, tasty and tender.
Few days back, I bought some lamb shoulder from a big hypermarket in town. It was on offer at about RM17/kg, or GBP3+. When I brought back to have it cooked, the meat was so tough and we need to sharpen our teeth to eat! It is as if the lamb was a hundred years old!
I notice that the hypermarket also prepack a few slices together and to my horror, the bottom two slices, hidden from view were almost all fat! It was most discouraging for us.
The above was cooked by the girls! Thanks for remembering that we like mutton.

p/s: Meat from lamb is called mutton! Even I got it wrong at times!

Proof of Global Warming

2011-10-15T22:43:00.002+08:00

A picture tells a million words...

Many Firsts for Nikon Mirrorless

2011-10-14T22:39:00.002+08:00

I talked about the newly announced Nikon Mirrorless camera, the J1 and V1. These cameras have a few firsts:

Nikon 1 J1 is the world’s smallest camera among competing interchangeable lens digital cameras equipped with image sensors larger than 1 inch. As of August 5, 2011.
Nikon 1 V1 is the world’s smallest and lightest camera among competing interchangeable lens digital cameras with an integral EVF. As of August 5, 2011.
The world’s shortest shooting time lag (as determined by Nikon performance tests). Measured when using the single-point AF mode and the shortest focal length of a standard zoom lens (1 NIKKOR VR 10-30mm f 3.5-5.6). As of August 5, 2011.
World’s fastest continuous shooting: max. 10 fps in subject tracking AF mode (when the aperture value is f/5.6 or smaller with the shutter speed 1/60 or faster) and max. 60 fps in full high definition, fixed-focus mode. As of September 5, 2011. According to NIKON measuring system.

If you are keen to buy one, you may place order with me

Use Once Only Mouse Trap

2011-10-12T20:57:00.002+08:00

Have you ever wonder why your mouse trap can catch only one rat/mouse? After that, the mice seem to be smarter to know that the trap is a danger to them!
We were told by expert yesterday that we must wash the trap with hot followed by cold water after every successful catch. He told us that when a mouse was trapped, it will go into distress and will urinate around the trap to warn other potential victim. That is why other mice will keep away from the trap.

Good reasons to cook with cast-iron

2011-10-08T17:06:00.000+08:00

Cast-iron cookware is perhaps the oldest form of metal used for manufacturing cookware. The good old wok was originally made from cast iron. It is cheap and it is proven to be of health benefits.

1. You can cook with less oil when you use a cast-iron pan.
2. Cast iron is a chemical-free alternative to nonstick pans.
I just realise that the nonstick material used for making nonstick pan is actually poisonous!
3. Cooking with cast iron fortifies your food with iron.

Read the whole article from here.

Trees growing too big?

2011-10-08T14:35:00.002+08:00

Wonder why there is a massive traffic jam from Lutong to Miri at the moment? The local authority is currently busy chopping down massive trees between Pujut 8 and 7.

Safety concious in carrying out the job is simply not there.

They are also bringing in heavy equipment to do the job!

Huge trees were being chopped down. The local authority is spending lots of money to plant them, maintain them and finally spending money to have them removed.

Very soon, this segment of road will be bared of trees! A real pity!

Steve Job 1955-2011

2011-10-06T10:25:00.000+08:00

On Apple web site today:

Steve Jobs

1955-2011

Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.

I remembered Steve from the early year of personal computer, ie, around 1977. He then built and sold Apple 1, which lasted for a short while and then Apple II. It was Apple II computer which was cloned by so many people. Later Apple III and Lisa, etc. Click here to read an interesting commentary about the company.

"Floating" Permy-Senadin Road Design

2011-10-04T13:46:00.003+08:00

The dual carriageway expansion for the Permyjaya and Senadin road is now under construction. This segment of road is to be built over land, which I would call it ...

... swamp and peat (or soft soil). Even though there is no rain, the place is generally quite wet. I saw a similar kind of road currently being built just across the border in Brunei. They dug deep and literally remove all the top soil. Rock was then poured in to form the foundation. The traditional method of construction is therefore high cost and slow. In Miri, about 50cm-1 meter of the top soil were removed...

.. and then, bamboo (initially used) and now solid wood timbers are used to line the "foundation".

Piles of solid timber can be seen!

... then a layer of Tencate PE Polyfelt was laid over the timber.

More information about the lining material can be found at Tencate.
Back to this discussion about this method of road design, it seems that they are being used overseas to great success! Instead of using bamboo and timber, tyre bales were also used. Perhaps, used tyres can now be put to good used instead of being a nuisance.
The cost of such road construction is definitely low and I would call it clever. Therefore, we shall see how long the surface can remain smooth.
More information about this type of road construction can be found if you google "Floating Road Construction". Click here for an interesting article on floating road construction.

Permy Mall

2011-09-29T11:00:00.000+08:00

The brand new Permy Mall is fast taking shape these days.

It is scheduled to open on 11 Nov 2011. There is only two floors, ie, ground and 1st floor. Giants Supermarket will be opening their branch there. Behind this mall, there is a "small" township which is still quite "cold" but...

... I was told that rental has been moving upward these days and it cost >RM3000 for a ground floor shop lot. Let's hope that there is success in this new place!

Mr Crocodile, we sacrifice for your freedom

2011-09-29T10:05:00.002+08:00

The newspaper reported that the attempt yesterday was a failure in trying to catch the crocodile. The croc must be laughing at the human for being so naive. But the battle against the reptile is not without a price being paid. I counted five dead fishes... both big and small. There must be more under the platform which cannot be seen!

A big dead carp ...

Another big dead carp ... see the bruise inflicted on them.

A headless sultan fish ... I think the croc is the culprit here!

A dead sultan fish... see the bruise caused by the net.

There are now so few fishes that bread can be seen floating in the lake. Never before!

The worker fished out some of the dead fish. The red carp is about 15 inches long! So pity and such a waste. Mr Goh (canteen operator) complained that some of the workers miss-handled the fish when they were caught in the net.
Enough is enough! This way of catching the crocodile is causing more damage. All the beautiful fishes are almost all gone now! When there is no more food for the croc, the ecology is out of balance, and it will be a real danger to human. Perhaps, the council should built fence around the whole lake and turn this into a crocodile lake!

Mr Crocodile, can't you just surface?!

2011-09-28T22:18:00.001+08:00

In this serene and beautiful man made lake, ...

... also called the Bulatan Park, lives a small crocodile. The authority let the water out last week and on Saturday night, they came to "catch" the elusive croc using a big net. Of course, there was no success as the men had no night vision. However, most of the fishes were now gone! I think that was their biggest harvest! So, this morning the people from the forestry came again ...

... to try their luck. They were armed with sticks and net. Ok, the cracker should not be for baiting the croc. I have no idea whether there was any success today. Perhaps I will find out tomorrow.
But seriously, will the croc causes any harm to anyone? Someone was worried about the kids! I personally think that it is our fear that has overtaken common sense. I could be wrong here but what has the expert got to say? Remember that the croc has plenty of food in the lake and I don't think they will take on human.

World top 10 bloggers

2011-09-28T13:30:00.002+08:00

Read this article about world top bloggers. It may inspires you to start blogging and make some money. As for me, I am still earning peanut! I did not even bother to check it out. I just wanted to let the system surprises me one day.

No chicken in town!

2011-09-27T13:05:00.002+08:00

Believe it or not, there was hardly any "whole chicken" for sale for the last one week. I asked around and no one seems to know the reason. One of them think that it was due to the recent Hari Raya celebration. I don't think so. I believe it is the tactic used by the farmer to raise price. So now, there are just a few chicken around and the price is about RM1 higher than usual. Buyers will just buy them. Later, more will be released into the market and the price will still stay. Ok, ok, speculation by me only!
I walked around e-Mart this morning and confirmed that there is no whole "standard" chicken.

ok, chicken heads at RM4.50 (90 pence) per kg. In developed countries, this is for making animal feeds or pet food!

Bishop nose for RM8.50 per kg!! It is a delicacy here! This need to be BBQed! I like it also.

ok, got eggs! Plenty of them. But not very cheap also.

Fine... no standard chicken but there are "old" chicken for sales. These are premium chicken. Oppp... some old hens also. So be careful with "old chicken" as they are good for curry only.

Fine, no chicken, I will look for alternative cheap protein. I bought 4 of these "monk fish" or 和尚鱼 for RM10, ie, at RM5/kg. Many won't eat this fish also as the skin is thick. But more importantly, the body has a row of "dots" which make them looking like the spot on the head of monk! So, I called it "monk fish".
Update 28-Sept-2011: Reported in newspaper today that the local poultry farmer are giving up their chicken farm business!

Freak Accident at Pujut GK roundabout

2011-09-25T01:37:00.001+08:00

Just now around midnight, a Naza Sorento 4WD (Korean car) was involved in a freak accident. The car was seriously damaged. The firemen arrived quickly to wash off all the fuel...

The car on its side

After it was put upright. Note that the front windscreen was smashed ...

I was told that the car jumped the curb (kerb) and the back wheel was ripped off!

See the back wheel ... there was nothing left!

The front right wheel was damaged also.

Ready to be taken away!
I was told that the driver was unhurt but in a daze. Is he drunk? I don't want to speculate here without evidence.

Good bye, rabbit

2011-09-24T23:25:00.001+08:00

It was many months ago when I noticed that our rabbit did not gain weight even though he ate none stop! However, he had been eating normally until two weeks ago when he suddenly became very weak and could not even stand on his four feet.

I knew something serious was happening to him. Over the last four days, he lost his appetite and ate very little. Yesterday, he hardly ate anything. But he remain high in spirit. This morning, we found him dead...
We already started to miss him...
... every time I see his empty cage.
Sad... I don't think we are going to keep another rabbit. Good bye rabbit!

Mr Crocodile, where are you?

2011-09-24T23:13:00.001+08:00

In this normally peaceful Bulatan park and man-made lake, someone sighted a crocodile. In fact, my friend who has been walking this park for the past many years claimed that he saw the crocodile last year when it was still quite small.

But how does this crocodile ended up over here, no one really knows. One thing for sure, the crocodile was sighted again a few days ago...

... resting on this abandoned oil well. The authority has since set up bait and net hoping to trap this smart 4-feet long croc! But will the reptile actually take the bait? No one again know. One thing we also know for sure is that this lake is full of fish and the croc may prefer fresh food!
The authority is now releasing the water and hope to find the croc....

The water level has since drop by about a foot! Will the croc simply hide in this hole? Or in the bush? Or climb up a tree (if it can)?..

Or hide under this platform? Whatever, I wish the authority luck in catching this reptile.

Nikon announces Nikon 1 Mirrorless Camera

2011-09-21T14:30:00.001+08:00

Nikon makes the 1 V1 and J1 mirrorless compact system cameras officially official. Each will sport a CX-format 10.1 megapixel CMOS sensor, a new 1 lens mount and full HD video.
A quick look at some specifications:

Still frame burst rate with locked AF: 60 fps!!! No one else comes close at the moment
Both cameras will record full 1080 HD video at 60i. Slow motion movie mode is available at up to 1200 fps.
Hybrid phase and contrast detection auto focus, switching from a 73-point phase-detect mode into contrast detection with AF illuminator in low light conditions. Auto focus is now split second! As a high end DSLR camera user, I am now very envy of this!
Native ISO range of 100-3200 with a Hi setting available for a 6400 equivalent.
Optional mount adapter allows all F mount NIKKOR lenses to be used!
The CX format sensor provides a 2.7x crop factor.

Nikon 1 V1

No built-in flash but will accept external flash units.
Optical viewfinder (useful as it save battery)
Capture 12 bit NEF RAW files.
Available in white or black.
920k-dot, 3-inch LCD monitor with protection glass and a wide viewing angle.
Record full 1080 HD video at 60i. Slow motion movie mode is available at up to 1200 fps.
Estimated price: US$899 or RM2700

Nikon 1 J1
Very similar to the V1

No optical viewfinder
Built-in flash
460k-dot, 3-inch LCD monitor with protection glass and a wide viewing angle.
Record full 1080 HD video at 60i. Slow motion movie mode is available at up to 1200 fps.
Body and lens are both available in 5 different colours!
Price US$650 or about RM2000

1 NIKKOR 10mm f/2.8 pancake
1 NIKKOR VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 zoom
1 NIKKOR 10-100mm f/4.5-5.6 VR PD-ZOOM
1 NIKKOR VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6

For more information, click here.

Developing country

2011-09-19T10:54:00.000+08:00

We are supposed to be a developed country in another 9 years. The other day one of our ministers said that we have a huge natural resource of herbs. If we can harvest them and market them, this could turn us into a developed nation! I was just thinking to myself... China had been harvesting herbs for thousand of years and they have a remedy for all kind of diseases using just herbs. Yet they were still so poor until they open up their economy. So, to get rich, one must make money from others and not from one pocket to another. For a nation to get rich, the only way is to earn plenty of money from other nations like what China did. In this country, we have law makers who are blur... very blur!
Ok, for now, I just wanted to talk about local economy. When I was small, I paid 20 cents and I got a bundle of pau/buns. Inside, the filling was good and plenty. Now...
this gigantic supermarket in town is asking for RM3.99, ie, almost 80 pence, for 3 of these bun! When I open up one of them, I was shocked to find the bread to be very loose and the filling was a miserable amount!

I just came back from my overseas trip and found that what they serve in their country was good. Ok, it was "expensive" for prepared food but the quality was far more superior! Isn't our cost cheap? I think the businessmen are profiteering! We should stop buying if we don't get value for money. Even at the reduced price of RM1.19, I will not buy them anymore. It is still expensive because the quality is bad!

Click on the above picture so that you can see the prices clearly. You will notice that the price is actually cheaper than Malaysia. Our labour cost is cheap and they pay 6-8 pounds per hour! What is happening to our economy?

Pujut 7 Bridge

2011-09-19T09:56:00.001+08:00

At the moment, anyone going across Pujut 7 bridge will experience a huge delay during the peak hours. The other day, my ex-colleague told me that the delay was 90 minutes due to a minor accident. The queue was merely 1 KM but remember that the whole Pujut was at a standstill! All these will become a thing of the past ...

... when the extension from a 2-lane into a 4-lane bridge across this beautiful Miri river is completed.

The main contractor is Shin Yang and I know that they are a responsible contractor who will not abandon ...

... the construction half way through. In just a matter of a few months, their progress had been impressive.
The Pujut 7 roundabout is also being upgraded. I will update with photos when I got the time to go there to shoot.

Countdown tonight

2011-09-15T10:48:00.000+08:00

Tonight, there will be countdown to Malaysia Day at North Yu Seng Road (where Ming Cafe is), Miri. I was told that the place will be full of celebration. So arm yourself with camera and march to that place!

Namewee came to Miri

2011-09-12T01:10:00.003+08:00

11 Sept 2011
Namewee came to Miri today to promote his full length movie, Nasi Lemak 2.0. He was in Imperial Mall this morning.

He was there to "throw" posters, gave some talk, etc and I was lucky to grasp one poster thrown at my direction simply because my arm is longer than most of the youngsters. As expected, he was swamped by his fan! To see all the photos, click here.

Mini Accident Mega Jam

2011-09-07T23:59:00.001+08:00

This evening, I noticed that all the small roads near where I stayed...

... were jammed up with cars. I was trying to fetch Joshua to tuition school. After I was caught in the jam for half and hour, we finally decided that we should cycle to the tuition school! In 30 minutes, we didn't even cover 300 meters! How disgusting! I thought it was a major disaster! So, after "delivering" Joshua, I decided to do some investigation!

So this is the accident, which happened just across the Pujut 7 bridge and just after the petrol station!

Thanks to the tow truck which arrived at 7:20PM. In just five minutes, the car was towed away!

Literally every road in Pujut was jammed up. I noticed that our drivers are extremely busy body! They all slowed down to look at the unfortunate car! Some of them look for some 5 seconds before moving on! During peak hours, this behaviour is simply unacceptable. Worse, no one respect the yellow box at Pujut 7 traffic light. Do you know the use of the yellow boxes?

If You Use Methodist Hymnal

2011-09-04T08:20:00.002+08:00

If you use the United Methodist Hymnal, this resource on the net is most useful:
http://www.hymnary.org/

Hymnary.org is a comprehensive index of 5,064 hymnals and 1,076,480 published hymns, with scores, media, and information from sources such as Julian's Dictionary of Hymnology, hymnal handbooks, and experts in the field. Thanks to a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Hymnary.org now contains the entire Dictionary of North American Hymnology.

Gratitude

2011-09-01T10:49:00.000+08:00

Last month I was in UK attending the graduation ceremony of two of my daughters. After studying there for a good five years, they finally got their certificate to practice. Stephanie got hers last year and she has been helping out financially (in the areas of living expenses) for the other two sisters. Thank you Stephanie for supporting the two sisters and also their banker!
From August this year onward, all three are now working and they are all independent... and this also means paying back time! So on her pay day last month, Stephanie went to the teller machine and drawn two hundreds pounds twice and gave them to mum and dad separately! It was a nice feeling indeed to be on the receiving end first time!

Now, there is a need to open an account so that they can continue to habitually deposit into that account from August onward so that the brothers will have an opportunity to study also later.
Talking about gratitude, I was saddened by what I read in the paper. Some children can be so heartless to forget about the sacrifices the parents put in. Read these two stories here and here.
I also notice that people are also very stingy when it comes to saying "Thank you". I was sitting in a coffee shop yesterday and observed a family across another table. As the father finished his meal, he stood up and went to pick up tissue papers for his two daughters and wife. As he distributed the tissue paper, not one of them even say thank you and worse, they look so unhappy and grumpy! Have you shown your gratitude today? If not, quickly go and say thank you to your parents or whoever.

feng shui 風水 Geomancy

2011-09-01T10:12:00.000+08:00

I checked google translation and found that feng shui is translated to 風水 but not geomancy! So, are they the same thing? Anyway, that is not my concern.
Speaking very generally as they were sayings from my late parents:

Do not block the front of your house, especially your main entrance, it must be clear.
Road must not "point" straight into the main entrance of the house;
Pointed roof or whatever is not good;
Kitchen must not face the entrance of another house;
Main entrance must not point to a road leading to another house;
Don't give away your own cooking utensils; etc...

All this have to do with "wealth" and "fortune". Looking at ...

... this angle (from a house), it was envisaged that the good fortune might flow from one house to the other house (ie, if the saying is true)? So, to stop it, barrier must be built, eg, a tree could be planted (see picture above) or a wall could be built!
I know one thing for sure... talking across the fence is now not possible!
... Life is so interesting!

Parody election video

2011-08-29T22:17:00.001+08:00

Singaporeans have been coming up with parody videos about their election experience and have been sharing them online. You need to understand mandarin to understand this video...

Enjoy! The joke came about from the way he pronounces some of the words.

CPA Curtin Borneo Business Challenge Results

2011-08-28T13:38:00.000+08:00

The CPA Curtin Borneo Business Challenge came to a close yesterday evening. The top three prices winners...

Third place went to non Curtin students.

Second place... from Curtin

Champion... from Curtin

Group photo of everyone. To see all the photos, click here.

Blood donation today

2011-08-27T15:20:00.002+08:00

Are you fearful of blood donation? Actually, it is not that bad... the experience is almost painless! First...

They pricked your finger to get some blood sample to ensure that you have enough blood and...

check the blood group if it is your first time. Remember to ask them to prick the side of the finger instead of the tip as it is a lot less painful. Well, there is actually no pain!

If everything goes well, you will proceed to take the blood pressure and then the actual procedure... purposely blurred here just in case you fainted!

She is obviously frightened because she expected pain! Later she told her friends that there was no pain as an injection is given first!

The group from the NGOs - Red Crescent, Lion Club (organiser), etc

Melilea was there to give out goodies also.
The rest of my photos will be posted on my facebook later.

Instant Nescafe from the tape

2011-08-25T10:52:00.004+08:00

When I switched on the water tape this morning at 8:30AM, I was shocked to see how dirty is our water system! So, I quickly get a white bowl to collect the water...

See how brown is our water...

After running for two minutes...

As I pour out the water, I noticed this sediment in the bowl!

Update: I found out that someone is maintaining the water pipe leading to out house. That explain the dirty water!

Lotus and Lilies

2011-08-24T07:32:00.000+08:00

These were pictures of lily and lotus taken near the General Hospital in Miri.

Lily

Lotus... the major external difference is the center part. Lily is available in pink also. To see more of these photos, click here.

Fruit picking

2011-08-22T23:09:00.002+08:00

I was driving from Leeds to Harrogate and came across a fruit/vegetable farm. The season was on for all the berries. So, we stopped by and decided to see whether we can pick our own fruit... at 4+ pounds per kg. Of course we are not allowed to eat as we pick otherwise the farmer will lose money and eventually have to close down the farm!

This is my favorite .. savoy cabbage. We don't see this in Miri but I think it is possible to buy in Singapore. I like this to be stir fry with bacon.

Strawberry picking. Do you know that strawberry plant is very small?

Closeup view of strawberry....

We didn't pick a lot.

Raspberry ... another very small plant.

Pumpkin ... look, the plant is so small and bear so many fruits! Over here, the creeper crawls everywhere and bear few fruits. We should plant this here!

This is red currant (Thanks to Philip for the name) ... it is sour.

One English lady picked a whole basket of raspberry for making jam.

Gooseberry ... another sour fruit.

More strawberry, they are sweet.

Rhubarb ... the stalk is for making pie. My favorite also!

Monkey with AK-47

2011-08-22T00:05:00.000+08:00

Ok, something to amuse yourself...

CPA Curtin Borneo Business Challenge

2011-08-21T11:14:00.005+08:00

CPA Australia Student Charter (Curtin Sarawak) will be organising a CPA Australia - Curtin Borneo Business Challenge 2011 event on 27th August 2011 at Imperial Palace Hotel.

This Borneo Business Challenge is a competition that involves undergraduates from public and private universities over the East Malaysia (Sarawak and Sabah). The competition will be jointly organized with CPA Australia.
The objectives and Mission of this event are:

To Nurture the Keenness of Students about the Business World
To Encourage Networking among Undergraduates from different Universities
To Enable All Students to Show their Business Knowledge and Skills in A Healthy and Fair Competition
To Promote CPA Australia Program among Students

If you are keen to participate, you may download the document by clicking here. If you are not keen, the prizes awaiting may motivate you:

Prizes
Champion: Cash prize of RM 2,000, trophies, and certificates of appreciation
First runner-up: Cash prize of RM 1,500, trophies, and certificates of appreciation
Second runner-up: Cash prize of RM 1,000, trophies, and certificates of appreciation

The event:
Stage One: Multiple Choice Question

Multiple choice questions done individually by each team member

Stage Two: Situation Solving

Case study. Points will be awarded based on criteria
The 5 teams that get the highest points for Stage 1 and Stage 2 will proceed to the final stage.

Final Stage: Buzz and Answer

Two hours. The team with the highest points will be the champion of the challenge!

Facebook link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/CPA-Curtin-Borneo-Business-Challenge-BBC/209975039054917?sk=wall
Forums - iLoveMiri: http://www.ilovemiri.com/thread-18365-1-1.htm

Financial sponsors:

1. CPA Australia - RM5000 (The main sponsors and also the co-organiser for the event)

2. KPMG - RM2000

3. Ernst and Young - RM1000

To retire, you need at least RM1,000,000

2011-08-21T10:30:00.002+08:00

For young people, retirement seems to be so far away! I remember that when I first started to work.... and that was 30 years ago, retirement or reaching 55 seems to be such a long way. I remember drawing my first salary of S$1000 and they were mostly used up by the end of the month. First month, I bought myself a watch costing S$230. I am still using it today. On my second month, I decided that I need to paint the whitewash wall of my room. The rest was history. At the end of a year working, I saved a little. I came to Miri to work.
First, I decided that, I am not going to live on overdraft or bought anything on loan. So, I bought myself a small motorbike to travel to office. I saved enough and bought a Toyotal GL for RM19K. Then I went to learn how to drive!
I read an article on The Star today and it is quite disturbing! To summarise:

Average EPF saving at retirement for most people is RM146K and 70% of them used the whole lot in 3 years
Average life expectancy is 74 years - so 20 more years of living without income to "worry" about
If we spend about RM4000 a month, a million ringitt could last about 20 years
If you want to retire with a million ringgit, start saving and investing before 40. To play safe, start saving the day you start working.
Most Malaysia under-invest and under-save
If you want your money to grow faster, the return must be more than 4% inflation

The big question: Are you willing to sacrifice short-term thrills for long-term value which helps to build up your saving and investment to exceed RM1 million?
You can invest in properties, unit trust and others low risk investment.
By the way, I am also an unit trust agent. If you are interested, please let me know and we can discuss.

Flower and Landscape Photos from UK

2011-08-21T09:13:00.001+08:00

I have uploaded (to my facebook) some of my photos of landscape and flower taken during my trip to UK in July 2011. The photos were mostly taken in Wales. Click these links to view them: Landscape; Flower
Hope you enjoy them!

Our trees... going botak

2011-08-20T00:27:00.001+08:00

Now I understand why a few big trees were chopped down at my road and elsewhere! I read in the paper the other day that the contractor is paid RM250 per ton for cutting down trees!

A few days ago, they brought in heavy equipment and blocked the busy road so that they can "trim" the trees. After someone complained in the newspaper, the trimming suddenly stopped. However, a few trees look like botak!

Air Asia Largest airport in Sarawak

2011-08-14T09:31:00.002+08:00

I am now sipping Starbucks coffee at the Kuching International airport and trying to figure out whether to continue...

... eating this blueberry cake with fork and knife or use my fingers! I dropped big chunks everywhere with fork and knife! Ok, you may say that I don't know how to use this thing, but never mind... This is not my topic today!
As I arrived at the airport this morning, I thought I got to the wrong airport! The whole airport ...

... looks like an Air Asia airport with its signature red coloured logo, etc, everywhere! Not just on the outside, but ...

... also the inside!

Their counters are brightly lit up and with lots of travellers!

On the MAS side, it was dark and only partially lit up!

The MAS side seems to be so deserted with passengers just walking pass it!
This airport is also poorly lit up and strangely, they are using yellow light!
... ok, have to dash off to my turboprop airplane - will travel to Miri via Mulu! That is the extra tour I got for paying cheap rate.

What is the correct time?

2011-08-11T09:16:00.001+08:00

I always have the impression that digital stuff is accurate. So, when the authority replaced the 4-faced analogue clock at the seahorse roundabout in Miri, I was quite excited until two days ago!

I was checking the time when I was on the flyover and to my horror, the three visible faces all showed different time! I am now more confused!
I always thought that the 4-faces clock is synchronised. Such technology was available more than 30 years ago during the time of analague clock!
I hope that whoever put such a clock up, will come out with a permanent solution soon. It is such a shameful thing that we can't even get simple thing like this right!

Shopping experiences in UK

2011-08-08T23:12:00.002+08:00

When it comes to shopping, I think the only limiting factor is money! The more the better! Choices could be an issue. I found some shortbread on the shelf at Steph's place. I asked her why is it that such nice cookie is not eaten... "Not nice. You can help to eat!" came the answer. Ok, in Miri, this shortbread would have cost a bomb! When we went to Scotland, the girls bought some Scottish shortbread. They said, "This is good!"... yes, no doubt about it. We all love it... it melts in your mouth! So, the "issue" here is the choices they have...

... if you think the shop/supermarket is expensive, then go to the open market. They are cheap and the quality is similar to what we get in the local Miri supermarket. For foreigner, we may be used to certain food. Do not worry...

... bean sprout at GBP1.50 (RM7.50) per kg.

...Chinese Spinach at GBP5.50 (RM27.50). I paid RM1 per kg here the other day. They normally cost around RM3/kg. So, with money, no problem to buy anything if you are dying for it!

... Still feeling deprived of food at home? Just pop in to the Chinese Supermarket! They have most thing you ever need.

Pink Lady is reputed to be "the best" money can buy. They are fragrant and tasted ok. The colour is surely good. Available at Mark and Spencer at GBP3 for 8 pieces.

Feeling hungry in the early morning and the fridge is empty?... worry not! Some Tescos open 24 hours! They have ways to reduce operating cost and help you spend everyday 24 hours a day in UK...

... self checkout! This system is too clever. Just buy and go to this machine to checkout ourselves. So human can go home at 10:00 PM and machines can continue to work.

Our Wales Caravan Holiday

2011-08-05T00:58:00.001+08:00

We arrived safely at Winllan Farm Caravans Holiday (N52deg06'41.9" W004deg11'02.2") in Lampeter, Wales. The setup is simply two caravans at GBP60 each per night. Of course we rented only one of them. Janice is the one who arranged everything. Don't be misled by the size....

It may look small outside...

... but the space is well utilised. It is well equipped, in the kitchen... microwave, fridge, oven, cooker, plates, frying pans, knives, etc. We only need to bring our own food for cooking or eating!

...in the sitting/dining room, ... a TV, 2 sofa beds. Heater is in every room.

... while Esther and Janice were busy cooking the dinner...

... I was watching Top Gear on TV who was trying to convert caravan into rail coaches pulled by a converted car to run on rail!

The advantage of having two grown up girls travelling with us is that we never need to worry about food...

... They arranged everything, breakfast, lunch and dinner... Look at how cheap is goat milk in UK and compare with those in Miri.
Although the caravan site is in the midst of farmland, the surrounding is beautiful...

... there are beautiful flowers around the site...

... birds ...

... sheeps and cattle ...

... and more flowers of all kinds!

Meet the owners... Steve and Janette.
For those who are safety conscious, I noticed that all their electrical appliances are tested...

There are also smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
I would recommend the place but you must be driving and have a SAT NAV (unless you read map). The place is clean and tidy and can easily accommodate 6 people.

A FATHER'S RULES FOR FINDING FULFILLMENT

2011-08-03T11:26:00.001+08:00

Note: Paul, a teacher, who died of cancer at the age of 45 in November 2009, passionately believed his children, Thomas and Lucy, should have more than just fading photographs to remember him by. For the children were only five and one-and-half years old at the time of his passing. “There was nothing more important to Paul than being the best father he could be,” says Mandy, his wife.
A bit long but full of wisdom! Read it to the full... and may you be blessed also
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Be courteous, be punctual, always say please and thank you, and be sure to hold your knife and fork properly. Others take their cue on how to treat you from your manners.
Be kind, considerate and compassionate when others are in trouble, even if you have problems of your own. Others will admire your selflessness and will help you in due course.

Show moral courage. Do what is right, even if that makes you unpopular. I always thought it important to be able to look at myself in the shaving mirror every morning and not feel guilt or remorse. I depart this world with a pretty clear conscience.

Show humility. Stand your ground but pause to reflect on what the other side are saying, and back off when you know you are wrong. Never worry about losing face. That only happens when you are pig-headed.
Learn from your mistakes. You will make plenty so use them as a learning tool. If you keep making the same mistake or run into a problem, you’re doing something wrong.

Avoid disparaging someone to a third party; it is only you who will look bad. If you have a problem with someone, tell them face to face.

Hold fire! If someone crosses you, don’t react immediately. Once you say something it can never be taken back, and most people deserve a second chance.

Have fun. If this involves taking risks, so be it. If you get caught, hold your hands up.

Give to charity and help those who are less fortunate than yourselves: it’s easy and so rewarding.

Always look on the upside! The glass is half full, never half empty. Every adversity has a silver lining if you seek it out.

Make it your instinct always to say ‘yes’. Look for reasons to do something, not reasons to say no. Your friends will cherish you for that.

Be canny: you will get more of what you want if you can give someone more of what they desire. Compromise can be king.

Always accept a party invitation. You may not want to go, but they want you there. Show them courtesy and respect.

Never ever let a friend down. I would bury bodies for my friends, if they asked me to . . . which is why I have chosen them carefully.

Always tip for good service. It shows respect. But never reward poor service. Poor service is insulting.

Always treat those you meet as your social equal, whether they are above or below your station in life. For those above you, show due deference, but don’t be a sycophant.

Always respect age, as age equals wisdom.

Be prepared to put the interests of your sibling first.

Be proud of who you are and where you come from, but open your mind to other cultures and languages. When you begin to travel (as I hope you will), you’ll learn that your place in the world is both vital and insignificant. Don’t get too big for your breeches.

Be ambitious, but not nakedly so. Be prepared to back your assertions with craftsmanship and hard work.

Live every day to its full: do something that makes you smile or laugh, and avoid procrastination.

Give of your best at school. Some teachers forget that pupils need incentives. So if your teacher doesn’t give you one, devise your own.

Always pay the most you can afford. Never skimp on hotels, clothing, shoes, make-up or jewellery. But always look for a deal. You get what you pay for.

Never give up! My two little soldiers have no dad, but you are brave, big-hearted, fit and strong. You are also loved by an immensely kind and supportive team of family and friends. You make your own good fortune, my children, so battle on.

Never feel sorry for yourself, or at least don’t do it for long. Crying doesn’t make things better.

Look after your body and it will look after you.

Learn a language, or at least try. Never engage a person abroad in conversation without first greeting them in their own language; by all means ask if they speak English!

And finally, cherish your mother, and take very good care of her.

I love you both with all my heart.
Daddy x

Driving in UK using SAT NAV (GPS)

2011-08-02T17:46:00.002+08:00

We are familiar with GPS, but in UK, they called it SAT NAV (Satellite Navigation) or Tom Tom (another brand name). Without SAT NAV, I was wondering how I am going to survive some 12 days of driving covering some 2300 miles. I remembered that 5 years ago, I had only a map from Google/AA to guide me. And yet I also arrived at the destination. But whatever...

... driving with SAT NAV or map could be stressful. It could bring ...

... me through busy motorway where 24/30 wheeler were so intimidating. I could feel the suction as I pass them! Also, ...

... it could successfully guide me through "A road" or smaller road. The challenge came when ...

... it guided me through tiny farm road! Is this a two way road or single way. I drove in this road for 2 miles and I was worried. However, I didn't meet any oncoming car! The beauty is that I also...

... get to see the beauty of the wild. If I had been on motorway, I couldn't stop to take photos! And, ...

... it also successfully guide me to a "two caravans" holiday site which is surrounded by beautiful farmland. I will blog about this tomorrow. This place is "quite remote" but reaching there is easy for my Garmin (SAT NAV)!
British drivers are courteous. If not, you can always ring up the company and complain if he is driving a company car! If they flash their headlight, it means "you go" or "thank you". Over here, it means "me first"! Sometime, I can see that I am causing stress to other drivers as my navigator (Janice) tried to figure out a complicated junction. I am totally dependent on my SAT NAV to guide onto the correct lane.
British are very committed to handling complain. British Gas has just been fined GBP2.5 million for not responsive to customer's complain and did poorly on customer care! Will this ever happen in Malaysia?

Last night in London

2011-08-01T01:14:00.003+08:00

My trip to UK started on 9th July 2011 and completed on 31st July 2011. In the short span of three weeks, I took 4000+ photos and drove 2300 miles. Petrol along costed more than RM1000 (GBP254) as each litre of petrol cost an average of GBP1.35, ie, RM6.50! Fortunately, the car we hired are economical (mostly motorway driving). My calculation shows that each litre of fuel can cover 12.2 miles, ie, 20 KM to a litre! Anyway, I am suppose to talk about my last day in London here!
We set off from Leeds at 4:30PM, Friday, 29 July 2011, on time by Megabus and arrived at Victoria Station in London just after 9:00PM. We missed the 9:00PM National Express bus to Heathrow Central Bus station and the next one will depart at 10:30PM. After boarding, they found that a few people had no seat!! They had oversold the ticket! The bus company offered an alternative which will depart at 11:00PM arriving at 11:35PM.
I checked the connecting free bus (service 555) and the last one was at 10:00PM! However, a policeman told us that if we were "fast enough", we may catch the underground to Terminal 4 (T4). Not knowing the schedule is tough! We ran as fast as we could and arrived at the gate ....

... just to be told that we missed the last train by 5 minutes! By the way, the underground pathway is so long that it never seems to finish! What we didn't know is that the Central bus/coach station is actually at T3! An attendant told us that we could go to T3....

.... and so we did! To our surprises, there were a lot of travellers actually sleeping there and we were not alone! I slept on these chairs for three hours....

... and went back to the underground around 4:45AM. There were a few people waiting for the gate to be opened.

The train arrived spot on time at 5:05AM. We were off to T4 to catch Royal Brunei Airline which will depart at 8:35AM.

Internet at T4 is expensive! GBP1 for every 10 minutes!

When we arrived at T4, there were not many people. By 7:00AM, there were lots of people!

Drink is definitely expensive at GBP2 or 1.60 for a small bottle of Vitamin Water or coke.
I always thought that Heathrow operates non-stop. They actually shut down at midnight and reopen at 6:00AM. During the shut down period, there are a lot of activities going on.... cleaning, moving of things, etc. And the place is quite noisy!
By the way, the underground and bus transfer between terminals is free. Underground is a lot faster.
Ok, so much for this entry. I will post backward from now. Excess photos will be on my facebook.

I am now in UK

2011-07-21T06:06:00.001+08:00

My apologies for being so quiet for so long! I am now in UK attending my daughters, Esther's and Janice's graduation and also to tour UK. I am staying at Stephanie's apartment and there is no internet yet. So I can't go online. Occasionally, I visited Esther's flat where there is internet. So, I will upload photos on facebook. Please do visit my facebook for all the photos. I am far behind in updating the photos.
Anyway, click here for their graduation album.

Dr. Stephanie, Dr. Janice, Dr. Esther

My first albums for my UK trip, click here.

KFC Malaysia staff in scandalous videos

2011-07-11T23:45:00.001+08:00

This article appears in Yahoo.com.sg news. After watching the video, do you still dare to eat at KFC or for this matter, any fast food restaurant? I think I will still eat but less.

Please do not play the video if you are eating your meal!

Many moons ago, I went to the KFC near Public Bank in Miri town. The place smell disgusting, like a place infested by cockroaches. Ever since I don't eat at KFC! I don't know whether they have improved or not. Anyone knows?

My UK Trip

2011-07-11T19:52:00.001+08:00

I will place my photos on the facebook for my UK trip. Just click here.

RBA Boeing 777-200

I amuse myself in the long trip

Sunrise from the sky

View from Stephanie's Apartment

Germiest public places

2011-07-07T08:36:00.000+08:00

We all know that paper note or coin are very dirty. But what are the other places consider just as dirty or even dirtier? The following is the list:

1. Restaurant menus
2. Lemon wedges (Slice of lemon with your tea)
3. Condiment dispensers (Those ketchup dispenser you find at fast food restaurant)
4. Restroom soap dispensers
5. Grocery carts (The cart that you push around in supermarket)
6. Airplane bathrooms (Restroom in airplane)
7. Doctor's office

Surprised by the list? Read the detail here.

Reduced to clear

2011-07-07T07:39:00.000+08:00

I just realised that in Giant Miri, they also have their pastries "reduced to clear" after a day. So, if you are not too concerned about these things being a day old, they are really cheap!

In many hotels, they also offer their cake at half price, ie, buy one free one, after a certain time of the day.

Photo Exhibition at Bintang Megamall

2011-07-06T22:08:00.000+08:00

Miri photographic society organised a photo exhibition showing the work of its members.

If you are in Miri, make sure that you go and see. You will also be able to see some of my work there.
Venue: Bintang Megamall, 1st floor
Date: 4 Jul to 15 July, 2011
Time: 1-AM to 10-PM

World's longest bridge

2011-07-04T09:11:00.000+08:00

Amazing!

This photo taken Wednesday, June 29, 2011 released by China's Xinhua news agency shows the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province. China opened Thursday, June 30, 2011, the world's longest cross-sea bridge, which is 42 kilometers (26 miles) long and links China's eastern port city of Qingdao to an offshore island, Huangdao. (AP Photo/Xinhua, Yan Runbo)

Brilliant Sunset

2011-07-04T00:01:00.000+08:00

It has been a long time since I witnessed a really nice sunset. Perhaps I have taken it for granted as we often have very nice sunset. These pictures were taken last night at Eastwood Valley Golf and Country Club.

I took RAW and I realised that Nikon ViewNX is pretty good. It provides some basic adjustment. All I did here were some adjustment to Colour Booster, D-Lighting HS and Shadow Protection. Immediately the sky look prettier and the otherwise darker building became visible!

This one was taken from the toilet window at the first floor of the main building.

RRSS Annual Concert

2011-07-01T00:53:00.001+08:00

30 June 2011: Tonight, Riam Road Secondary School had their annual concert at the Dewan. Tomorrow night will be the final night. If you like to go, they may still have some tickets left.

To view all the photos, click here.

International Dance for Humanity

2011-06-26T10:54:00.002+08:00

The photos for the above event can now be viewed from my facebook. Note that I didn't cover the whole event.

Just click here.

John Paul Yiek and Lai Hui Ting Wedding

2011-06-24T17:51:00.001+08:00

John and Hui Ting have their marriage vow on 10 June 2011. It was a very happy occasion for them. They are a great couple. I posted just some of their photos here which were taken two weeks ago...

Makeup session

Affectionately, they called themselves "the sisters"

When "the brothers" arrived, the sisters decided to have some games with them...

The brothers played their games well!

The groom needed to make pledges before he can go to her!

At the church

I think I will call them "The team". They have a good time!

He carried her into "the room".

Pouring the champagne together...

... and "bottom up" at every table.

The groom, father and siblings.
For more photos, check out my facebook.

PKR GAWAI celebration today

2011-06-24T08:28:00.000+08:00

PKR Miri will be organising a Gawai dinner today at Eastwood Valley. Each seat is RM35.

Mr Sarawak 2011

2011-06-19T01:30:00.002+08:00

18 June 2011, Miri: This evening we saw the conclusion of Mr Sarawak held at Boulevard Shopping Centre.

It was quite an eye opener to see all the muscle men showing off their big muscles. I have posted all the photos on my facebook. Click here and here and here to see the photos.
If you are interested to see my other albums, here is the directory of my albums.

If you are interested to have a copy of all the photos on CD, please let me know. It only cost RM20 + postage. The resolution is good enough to print up to 5R. Anything bigger, you need to order print from me, eg, 8R laminated cost only RM20. You may also hire me to take photos for you for any occasion.

Our most charming visitor

2011-06-18T00:03:00.003+08:00

Since we move into this place, there are many unexpected visitors. In the early days, we have squirrel, slow loris, different types of snakes and today, we have a very colourful iguana. This fellow is definitely not a local species.

It seems to enjoy Ah Jon's company ...

See how big it is!
As I came back from town today, I found him outside our house. It was being chased by me and went hiding in the drain for more than an hour. After it emerge from the water, he turned dark brown. We brought him home and his colour quickly becomes bright green again.
More photos here.