Safety.... please be aware

Alert 1: Do not leave chargeable device plugged in unattended.

My colleague in Canada nearly burnt his car and he was lucky to have checked his car before he went to bed. Otherwise, it was unthinkable what would happen. He left his iPhone plugged in for charging and apparently this device overheated and caught fire.

Lesson learnt: Never leave charging unattended. Even at home! Remember to switch off all devices before leaving the room. Never take chances with electricity. Handphone and driving does not mix!

The Honda crotch rocket rider was traveling at approximately 85 mph. The VW driver was talking on a cell phone when she pulled out from a side street, apparently not seeing the motorcycle. The riders reaction time was not sufficient enough to avoid this accident. The car had two passengers and the bike rider was found INSIDE the car with them. The Volkswagen actually flipped over from the force of impact and landed 20 feet from where the collision took place. All three involved (two in the car and the bike rider) were killed instantly. This graphic demonstration was placed at the Motorcycle Fair by the Police and Road Safety Department. Pass this on to car drivers or soon to be new drivers, or new motorcycle owners. A picture is worth a thousand words. Wake up people, Stop talking on Cell phones and Texting while trying to drive. Put your Cell phone in the back seat !!!

The battle of the Lizard

We went to Limbang in September and visited my brother's farm. While standing around the potted plant, Joshua suddenly noticed a tail of something and with lightning speed, he grabbed the tail and pull the creature up. He just got hold of a green tree lizard.
The tail is very long...
This fella stayed in this position long enough for me to snap a few pictures before it battled with Joshua for freedom. As the tail is thin and strong, it slipped out of Joshua's fingers before it was imprison as pet!
In the good old days, we had plenty of these lizards in our pepper garden. My brother called this "seven steps lizard", ie, if you are bitten by one of these, you will die before walking seven steps! But we knew that this is probably untrue.
Joshua is really brave! When I was young like him, I remember pulling the tail of a little snake with head and most of the body still in a hole. Somehow, I couldn't pull the snake out of the hole. Thanks God for that.

It's war time!!

We have been very tolerance, even to pest! They have reduced our fruits in the garden ...
... from this mango to ...
... this. Many of them must be feasting on it. And they ate it clean!
And rambutan has been reduced to this ... I know they are around. But because they are also food for the cat, we decided not to catch them. But the last straw came when we have to compete for fruit with them! If we don't get to the fruit first, they will reduce them to what you see above. So, we went out to buy a trap and ....... hahahaha... got you!
... and it can try for days to break out of this jail! So, don't waste the energy... might as well enjoy the last bit of food in there before I feed to the cat!

Update: Looks like killing a pest like this is not in my blood anymore. I will probably set him free at a far away place. Maybe in the nearby jungle.

Integrity - How honest do we rate ourselves

I read this article and realise that this is so true. Perhaps, reading this article will help us to evaluate why we failed in the various aspects of life without realising it. Or why certain areas of our life that is consistently hit the brick wall. It could be work performance, personal life, relationship, etc... Please do read it on and make an honest evaluation of self.

Note: This article is from Thevine.co.nz. I encourage you to subscribe.

The integrity of the upright will guide them...
Proverbs 11:3 NKJV
Psychologists speak of an integrity blind spot in each of us which is called 'the self-serving bias.' Here are some examples of it: 800,000 high school students were asked whether they were above or below average. Now if they were accurate they'd have split 50-50. Guess what percentage rated themselves below average? Zero! 20% rated themselves in the top 1%! This self-serving bias extends to every area. The majority of people in the hospital suffering from crashes that they themselves caused, rated themselves as above-average drivers.
You might think that education would make us more honest and self-aware, but no. 88% of college professors rated themselves above average; 25% rated themselves as truly exceptional. Another survey of 200 sociologists found that half of them believed they would become one of the top ten sociologists in the world. No wonder there are such conflicts around tenure and promotion.
And the church is not exempt. George Barna did a survey of pastors - people who are paid to teach on texts such as: "Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment… (Romans 12:3 NIV). "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time" (1 Peter 5:6 NIV). Guess what? Ninety percent of all the pastors in the survey considered themselves 'above average' preachers. Perhaps most ironic of all: when people have the concept of the self-serving bias carefully explained to them, the majority rate themselves as 'well above average' in their ability to handle the self-serving bias. Wow! Our problem is not just our lack of integrity, but that we can't see how badly we lack it.

Don't Compare Yourself

I read this article and found that it is so true to so many of us. We compare ourselves and we waited for too long ... read on and be encouraged!

The surest way to get discouraged is to compare yourself with others. The Bible says, "Don't compare yourself" (Galatians 6:4 CEV), because some people will look like they're doing a better job and you'll get disheartened, while others won't be as effective and you'll become proud. "Concentrate on doing your best… (2 Timothy 2:15 TM). That way, "You will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and… won't need to compare yourself… (Galatians 6:4 NLT). All the apples on a tree don't ripen at the same time. Paul says, 'knowledge and understanding' take time (Philippians 1:9-10).
One successful author says, "When I began writing, I found myself fumbling with that part of myself. 'I want to be a writer,' I'd think, 'but I have to get this number of books published and this number of good reviews first.' It can take years and many successes in any new area… before we can confidently say to ourselves and others, 'I am'… what has God called you to do? Don't wait until you're successful… Start now by saying you are what you want to become… Yes, you've much to learn… and you may not be an expert… but you don't have to be, to say those two little words I am."
John writes: "Now we are children of God, and we have not yet been shown what we will be in the future" (1 John 3:2 NCV). God uses crooked sticks to draw straight lines and imperfect people to do His perfect will. So, push ahead, cut yourself some slack, and remember you're a W.I.P. - a work-in-progress!

Some flowers to cheer u up ...

After reading all the bad news and the needs to apply job again, I thought I have to cheer myself up by looking at nature...the creation which is perfect, never need to pay service tax or looking for job!
#1 Mushroom
#2 Maize
#3 Jathropha.
#4 Not too sure whether this is wild flowers.
#5 Oh, someone said this allamanda is poisonous! Any truth? (Thanks to STP for the name).
#6
#7 This is definitely wild flower.
#8 Lonely tiny flower.
#9 Cluster of star fruit flower.
#10 Nice Rangoon Creeper. It smells lovely and the flowers are abundant on the stems, changing colors as they get older, from whitish, light pink and then to red). Easily grown, as you can use stem cuttings. Like its name, its best when you allow it to creep along borders and walls. (contributed by anonymous).
#11 Ixora (Contibuted by "housewife9988")
#11 Ri2 You
Cat whisker! Can be used as herb.

PM thinks we should not complain...

Hear what our PM said:

PM: RM50 for credit card not a big deal

HUA HIN: Describing Budget 2010 as “painless”, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the people should not complain about the Government’s decision to impose a RM50 annual service tax on principal credit and charge cards.

Instead, the Prime Minister said they should look at the overall benefits offered by the Govern-ment in the Budget.

“They are getting the RM1,000 tax relief and those paying tax at 27% will now pay 26%.

“So, they get two (relief measures) and only have to pay RM50 (per credit card). Don’t tell me they cannot pay RM50?” he said after a meeting at the 15th Asean Summit here yesterday.
Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/10/25/budget2010/4974446&sec=budget2010

I don't normally blog about political stuff. But for this issue, I think I have to highlight this so that we, as a citizen knows what is happening and what needs to be done.

My comment is that it is not RM50 that matter. It is the string of implications following it. I wish the govenment think through rather than trying to solve problem in a simplistic manner.

Bad news for credit card users!

Budget 2010 brought along a bad news for credit card users. Now, the government will charge RM50 for every principal card and RM25 for every supplementary card! So, we have to return all our cards now...

It claimed that this is to promote prudent spending! What sort of crab is that! I hope the credit card company would absorb that RM50. Otherwise, my wallet will now be much thinner with less card. Perhaps this is a good thing.

Quote:
RM50 service tax for card holders
A SERVICE tax of RM50 will be imposed on each principal credit card every year beginning Jan 1.

For every supplementary card, a RM25 service tax will be charged yearly.

The move to impose this tax is to promote prudent spending as the use of credit cards is extensive. The number of cards increased from two million in 1997 to 11 million as of August this year. They exclude the 285,000 charge cards already issued.

Unquote
Source: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/10/24/budget2010/4969248&sec=budget2010

Finally ... CVs submitted

Our company is currently undergoing the so called Managed Open Resourcing.

In simple term, it is a reorganisation and restructuring exercise. The last one was some 10 years ago. The result of this exercise is that the company should be leaner, more effective and more profitable. The bad news is that some jobs will be lost. No one knows how many will have to go.

So, all of us need to apply for job! There will only be a certain number of "vacancies" and we must all write our own CV and apply for the jobs being advertised.

The good news is that after spending many hours writing our CVs and browsing the jobs available, we have finally submitted our applications. Lets pray that we can all have jobs.

101 WAYS TO COPE WITH STRESS

◊ Get up 15 minutes earlier ◊ Prepare for the morning the night before ◊ Avoid tight-fitting cloths ◊ Avoid relying on chemical aids ◊ Set appointments ahead ◊ Don’t rely on your memory … write it down ◊ Practice preventive maintenance ◊ Make duplicate keys ◊ Say “no” more often ◊ Set priorities in your life ◊ Avoid negative people ◊ Use time wisely ◊ Simplify meal times ◊ Always make copies of important papers ◊ Anticipate your needs ◊ Repair anything that doesn’t work properly ◊ Ask for help with the jobs you dislike ◊ Break large tasks into bite-size portions ◊ Look at problems as challenges ◊ Look at challenges differently ◊ Unclutter your life ◊ Smile ◊ Be prepared for rain ◊ Tickle a baby ◊ Pet a friendly dog/cat ◊ Don’t know all the answers ◊ Look for the silver lining ◊ Say something nice to someone ◊ Teach a kid to fly a kite ◊ Walk in the rain ◊ Schedule play time into every day ◊ Take a bubble bath ◊ Be aware of the decisions you make ◊ Believe in yourself ◊ Stop saying negative things to yourself ◊ Visualize yourself winning ◊ Develop your sense of humor ◊ Stop thinking tomorrow will be a better today ◊ Have goals for yourself ◊ Dance a jig ◊ Say hello to a stranger ◊ Ask a friend for a hug ◊ Look up at the stars ◊ Practice breathing slowly ◊ Learn to whistle a tune ◊ Read a poem ◊ Listen to a symphony ◊ Watch a ballet ◊ Read a story curled up in bed ◊ Do a brand new thing ◊ Stop a bad habit ◊ Buy yourself a flower ◊ Take time to smell the flower ◊ Find support from others ◊ Ask someone to be your “vent-partner” ◊ Do it today ◊ Work at being cheerful and optimistic ◊ Put safety first ◊ Do everything in moderation ◊ Pay attention to your appearance ◊ Strive for excellence NOT perfection ◊ Stretch your limits a little each day ◊ Look at a work of art ◊ Hum a jingle ◊ Maintain your weight ◊ Plant a tree ◊ Feed the birds ◊ Practice grace under pressure ◊ Stand up and stretch ◊ Always have a plan “B” ◊ Protect the environment ◊ Memorize a joke ◊ Be responsible for your feelings ◊ Learn to meet your own needs ◊ Become a better listener ◊ Know your limitations and let others know them too ◊ Tell someone to have a good day in pig latin ◊ Throw a paper airplane ◊ Exercise every day ◊ Learn the words to a new song ◊ Get to work early ◊ Clean out one closet ◊ Play patty cake with a toddler ◊ Go on a picnic ◊ Take a different route to work ◊ Leave work early (with permission) ◊ Put air freshener in your car ◊ Watch a movie and eat popcorn ◊ Write a note to a far away friend ◊ Go to a ball game and scream ◊ Cook a meal and eat it by candlelight ◊ Regognize the importance of unconditional love ◊ Remember that stress is an attitude ◊ Keep a journal ◊ Practice a monster smile ◊ Remember you always have options ◊ Have a support network of people, places and things ◊ Quit trying to “fix” other people ◊ Get enough sleep ◊ Talk less and listen more ◊ Freely praise other people ◊ P.S. Relax, take each day at a time … you have the rest of your life to live.

Ah Jon in 3-piece suit

Ah Jon has been preparing for group presentation for days and has been bugging me to dress him up "formally". So, here he goes...
He took a shower...combed his hair!
... and here he is after putting on this 3-piece suit. He likes it and is very excited about it. Last week, he had another presentation but he put on a tie, long sleeve shirt and jean. His friends commented that he actually combed his hair but wearing a tie with jean. So, today, he is determined to "put it right"! Doesn't he looks handsome?
Do you notice that his complexion is very fair? That is one of the side effects of his medication.

Lonely boy ...

Originally, Yee bought a pair of rabbits. A girl and a boy. However, Yee realised that the girl growth was stagnant and after a weekend away, he found that the girl was sick! A few days later, she dropped dead. Now, the boy is all alone and have everything to himself.
He has the whole cage...too small for one rabbit, needless to say for two. He also has the whole bathroom. He is still a big eater. If I fed him with 1kg of veggie, he will finish it. His digestive system needs some investigation!
In the morning, when I open the bathroom door, he will immediately jump out and search for his pellet! I normally wanted him to take veggie. Look at his cheek! So round and fat! The thought of BBQ rabbit is now very remote!

It is suspected that the death of the girl is linked to him! Does he look like a murderer? He seem to say "Stop staring at me or I will scratch you!". Ok ok, whatever, I will feed you with veggie and pellet! Sometimes, carrot if I am in a good mood.
Update: I found out by accident that he loves fruit! I gave him mango today and when I took it away from him, he sort of 'run after me"!
I also notice that there is only a certain type of pellet which he likes - the colourful ones.
By the way, Joshua was scratched by him last night!

Now it is the cat!

After the dog has quiet down, I am now hearing cats meowing at each other on the fence wall.
They were very alert. The moment I approach with my camera, they quickly pretended that there was nothing going on!
They quickly moved 6 feet apart as if they are now stranger. It is ok with me as long as they keep it to themselves in the wee hours of the night so that the peace of the night is not disturbed! Ok, let's click on the movie below to hear what transpire between their quarrel or love talk.

Big Apple Donuts & Coffee big offer

Yesterday, there was a day of special offer from Big Apple Donuts.
They slashed the price by 52% and this means that each donuts cost just over RM1. This opportunity can't be missed. So, my soldiers dragged me to Bintang Megamall during lunch time to ensure that they got something!
Upon reaching there, we saw this giant queue! And we met Ah Jon's friend ...
Lawrence from Lutong.
I was browsing through the food eaten by Angels... all 37 types. While waiting, I went to see how they make the donuts.
... they pop a hole and "pump" in the cream...
This is how the line was made.
See how easy it is to make those wavy lines... they "draw lines" and then use a tooth pick to "drag" along the soft choc and "lines".
To coat the donuts with choc, they actually dip the donuts in the pool of molten "cream".
After 35 minutes of waiting, we got our goodies... 12 of them. This means that we can all eat 2 each with two to spare!
Jos can't wait. He had to eat or he will nag be until I gave up. Why? Because after they got the goodies, I dragged them along to see the performances I blogged earlier on. They actually also enjoy the show but their objective was to eat the donuts!

Bintang Megamall 13 years Anniversary

These are some of the photos taken during the above celebration and event...
Belly dancers ... seems to be getting very popular in Miri.
Lion Dance ... some dangerous stunt!
Young singer - good potential
Another young singer
This young man is actually the classmate of Timothy. Full of potential!
Another youth singer ...
More dancing ...
This little girl can sing with lots of expression ... lots of potential.
I enjoy this magic show. He is good!

She has so many boyfriends!

Ok, I am talking about our bitch who is now "on heat" again!
This is snowy! She attracted dogs from the whole neighbourhood! Two nights ago, my neighbours must be cursing because the ... ... prominent boyfriend would fight anyone to protect his gf. Fortunately, he is friendly to us.
This is the only big dog who is of any match for the black one. He is obviously going to ...
... take the challenge if required... see, who is taller? Looks like it is the height and not the size that count!
They kept at arm's length from each other, yelling and spitting into each other. Fortunately, they didn't leave behind holes in the body and no blood had been shed! Seeing the way they fight, we let them quarrel and if opportunity arose, I would snap pictures for record.
There are loser like this one. He didn't manage to come close enough to Snowy even though he had been waiting for the opportunity for two days! Then, early this morning, my neighbour from behind our house came over and asked me for permission to take him back! It was as if he was imprisoned in my compound... haha. My neighbour told me that he had not been eating (home) for two days!Then this one was an even bigger loser! He followed my neighbour over this morning and was chased out instantly, running for his life, trailing behind was a whole bunch of otherwise uncooperative/uncompromising big and small dogs!
The black dog really bullied this one. Early yesterday morning, I saw him being pinned down on the floor and the black dog was choking him! I had to pour some cold water down from my balcony before they both gave up.
This fellow played safe! He was under the car all the time waiting....