The Footstep of Paul the Apostle

It always marveled me to read the missionary journeys of Paul as written in the Book of Acts. Paul and Barnabas journeyed from Antioch through various cities at that time, preaching and sharing the Good News, first to the Jews then to the Gentiles. The hardship that both of them had to go through during the first missionary journey. Paul later went for a few more missionary journey with Silas, Timothy and Luke.

There are many Holy Land tours being offered. Now there is Christian Cruises offered, in particular the Footsteps of Paul the Apostle tour being offered by livingpassages.org. In this Christian Cruise, you will be sailing away in a luxury yachts from USA on the 19th July to Athens. You will be taken to Mars Hill, Parthenon, Pergamum and also the beautiful beaches at Ephesus. You will have the chance to enter the amphitheater where Paul spoke to the Ephesians. Well, it would not only be about visiting places but you will also be able to hear the Word preached during the tour. Of course I am sure many women would love to go shopping and you will be able to do that during the tour. It would indeed be a memorable experience. So, if you want to know more about Christian Cruises, check out Living Passages.

Good doctors & technology

There are many doctors all around town. Some are well known for their expertise but mostly are just mediocre. Thinking about those doctors that are good in their field, I would recommend Dr Subra from Klinik Kulit Subra in Jalan Ong Kim Wee, Melaka. He is a skin specialist and I am glad that my mother brought me to see him to treat the fungal infection on my toes. Within week the fungal infection was gone. That was about 20 years ago.

Even at that time, Dr Subra has already use the computer to record and search for the latest advances in medicine for skin matters. I think he might have use the drug reference guide when prescribing the medicine and ointment for various skin diseases. I think it is good for every doctors to use drug reference guide. The reason being that most doctors would not be able to remember various names and descriptions of the medicine available in the market. Some may only remember the outdated type of medicines which are not suitable to the current type of diseases.

So how do you know whether a doctor is good or not? Firstly, by words of mouth and recommendations from others. Then, check whether he has the facilities that enables him to be updated regularly about the current advances in medicine.

p/s: “This announcement was paid for by Epocrates.”

How and If?

Most of the time we tend to follow what other people accepts as true. Even simple phrases that we hear and see everyday seems alright at first glance. What is we think about it slightly deeper? Maybe we will laugh at it... enjoy.

How do they get a deer to cross at that yellow road sign?
How do you get the "Keep off the Grass" sign on the grass?
How do you get off a non-stop flight? How do you know when you've run out of invisible ink?
How do you throw away a garbage can?
How does the guy who drives the snowplow get to work in the mornings?
How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
If a jogger runs at the speed of sound, can he still hear his Walkman?
If a pig is sold to the pawn shop,is it considered a ham-hock?
If a turtle lost his shell, is he homeless or naked? If athletes get athlete's foot, do astronauts get mistletoe?
If blind people wear dark glasses, why don't deaf people wear earmuffs?
If corn oil is made from corn, where do we get baby oil from?
If I save time, when do I get it back? If rabbits' feet are so lucky, then what happened to the rabbit?
If Superman is so smart why does he wear his underpants over his trousers?
If swimming is good for your shape, then why do the whales look like the way they do?

Mia and the Bugaboo Bugs

Young children are more computer literate compared to their parents' generation. In my children years, we only know about playing in the orchard or paddy field. We climbed trees and pluck fruits when we are hungry. We got dirty playing on the ground everyday. We got hurt and wounds but that are normal and our parents do not even raise an eyebrow about it. The wounds got healed and we are still fine.

But gone are those days. Even if I want to let my children to experience outdoor activities, I will make sure that they are being monitored by a trusted adults. The neighbourhood is just not safe nowadays. With the increase of children abduction being reported in the media, the fear has sipped in.

There is a limit as to what my children can do in the house. But the good thing is that with the computer, the children can play various games in the security of the home. No, I am not talking about online game like Warcraft or Cabal or Final Fantasy XI. These games are for adults although most children as young as 9 years old are already into these games. What I have in mind is interactive learning games like Mia Reading: The Bugaboo Bugs.

This game is about Mia the mouse and her adventure in solving the problems at hand the Bugaboo Bugs. The Bugaboos has invaded Mia's charming Victorian house and made noisy and uncivilized activities. Should the humans take notice of them, the exterminators will be called and this will be dangerous because all the pests will be in trouble. The player are required to help Mia to get rid of the Bugaboos. With the game, the player will also learn to associate images to words, punctuation, phonics, rhymes, spelling, sentence structure, vocabulary, reading comprehension, word recognition, verb tense, adverbs, following instructions and much more. Yes, your children will be able to learn all these by playing and enjoying the game.

How can you get the educational game like Mia. Well, it is available on a hybrid DVD-ROM for Windows and Macintosh and is available at TOYS 'R US, The Apple Stores, and other fine toys and computer stores with a suggested retail price of $24.99 and is aimed at five to nine year olds.
There are many more games available from http://www.kutoka.com for you to choose from. So what are you waiting for? Get one for your children and enjoy the game TOGETHER with them.

Wining Lottery Number

No, I did not win any lottery number. What I did is to preach about Psalm 1:1-3 today in church. It is about how we Christians can receive God's blessings. I'm sure when I mentioned the word "blessings" many people especially the people of this world would think about winning lottery numbers. It is not a surprise that many would buy lottery numbers because they want to get rich fast. However winning lottery number is not God's way of blessings His people. God's way to receive His blessings is stated in Psalm 1:1-3: -
- Do not walk in the counsel of the wicked
- Do not stand in the way of sinners
- Do not sit in the seat of mockers

- But we must delight in God's Word
- We must meditate on God's Word day and night

The blessed man is liken as a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruits in season and whose leaf does not wither. Everything he does prospers.

So God's way to His blessing is not by way of wining lottery or 4 digits.

Respect Cannot Be Demanded; it must be earned

Paradigm Shift must happen in the minds of the people before changes can happen in society. I must say that I clearly respect Raja Petra for his unbias thinking. If only the majority of people can see and evaluate various issues in his manner, this world would be a better place to stay.

Raja Petra: Respect Cannot Be Demanded; it must be earned
Submitted by Raja Petra Kamarudin on Tue, 2005-05-24 06:24.

Respect cannot be demanded; it must be earned Raja Petra KamarudinAli Al-Ahmed, the director of the Saudi Institute in Washington, wrote the following in his piece, Hypocrisy Most Holy, which appeared in The Wall Street Journal on 20 May 2005:

"With the revelation that a copy of the Quran may have been desecrated by U.S. military personnel at Guantanamo Bay, Muslims and their governments -- including that of Saudi Arabia -- reacted angrily. This anger would have been understandable if the U.S.government's adopted policy was to desecrate our Quran. But even before the Newsweek report was discredited, that was never part of the allegations.

"As a Muslim, I am able to purchase copies of the Quran in any bookstore in any American city, and study its contents in countless American universities. American museums spend millions to exhibit and celebrate Muslim arts and heritage. On the other hand, my Christian and other non-Muslim brothers and sisters in Saudi Arabia -- where I come from we are not even allowed to own a copy of their holy books.Indeed, the Saudi government desecrates and burns Bibles that its security forces confiscate at immigration points into the kingdom or during raids on Christian expatriates worshiping privately.

"Soon after Newsweek published an account, later retracted, of an American soldier flushing a copy of the Quran down the toilet, the Saudi government voiced its strenuous disapproval. More specifically, the Saudi Embassy in Washington expressed "great concern" and urged the U.S. to "conduct a quick investigation.""Although considered as holy in Islam and mentioned in the Quran dozens of times, the Bible is banned in Saudi Arabia. This would seem curious to most people because of the fact that to most Muslims, the Bible is a holy book. But when it comes to Saudi Arabia we are not talking about most Muslims, but a tiny minority of hard-liners who constitute the Wahhabi Sect."The Bible in Saudi Arabia may get a person killed, arrested, or deported. In September 1993, Sadeq Mallallah, 23, was beheaded in Qateef on a charge of apostasy for owning a Bible. The State Department's annual human rights reports detail the arrest and deportation of many Christian worshipers every year. Just days before Crown Prince Abdullah met President Bush last month, two Christian gatherings were stormed in Riyadh. Bibles and crosses were confiscated, and will be incinerated. (The Saudi government does not even spare the Quran from desecration. On Oct. 14, 2004, dozens of Saudi men and women carried copies of the Quran as they protested in support of reformers in the capital, Riyadh. Although they carried the Qurans in part to protect themselves from assault by police, they were charged by hundreds of riot police, who stepped on the books with their shoes, according to one of the protesters.)

"As Muslims, we have not been as generous as our Christian and Jewish counterparts in respecting others' holy books and religious symbols.Saudi Arabia bans the importation or the display of crosses, Stars of David or any other religious symbols not approved by the Wahhabi establishment. TV programs that show Christian clergymen, crosses or Stars of David are censored."The desecration of religious texts and symbols and intolerance of varying religious viewpoints and beliefs have been issues of some controversy inside Saudi Arabia. Ruled by a Wahhabi theocracy, the ruling elite of Saudi Arabia have made it difficult for Christians, Jews, Hindus and others, as well as dissenting sects of Islam, to visibly coexist inside the kingdom."

Another way in which religious and cultural issues are becoming more divisive is the Saudi treatment of Americans who are living in that country: Around 30,000 live and work in various parts of Saudi Arabia. These people are not allowed to celebrate their religious or even secular holidays. These include Christmas and Easter, but also Thanksgiving. All other Gulf states allow non-Islamic holidays to be celebrated."The Saudi Embassy and other Saudi organizations in Washington have distributed hundreds of thousands of Qurans and many more Muslim books, some that have libeled Christians, Jews and others as pigs and monkeys. In Saudi school curricula, Jews and Christians are considered deviants and eternal enemies. By contrast, Muslim communities in the West are the first to admit that Western countries-- especially the U.S. -- provide Muslims the strongest freedoms and protections that allow Islam to thrive in the West. Meanwhile Christianity and Judaism, both indigenous to the Middle East, are maligned through systematic hostility by Middle Eastern governments and their religious apparatuses."The lesson here is simple: If Muslims wish other religions to respect their beliefs and their Holy book, they should lead by example."

Malaysia, of course, is not as bad as Saudi Arabia, if what Ali Al- Ahmed wrote above is correct and not an exaggeration. However, though Malaysia is not as drastic as Saudi Arabia, the attitudes here and in Saudi Arabia are similar. For example, we Muslims condemn non-Muslims as ‘members of hell’ (ahli neraka). We justify this, no doubt, by saying that this is what Islam says, so to dispute this would be unIslamic and tantamount to blasphemy. If I were to say I do not agree to this, I would be condemned by fellow Muslims who would advice me to go find a guru (teacher) so that I can improve my religious knowledge. Some will even say that I am now no longer a Muslim for daring to argue against the concept that all non-Muslims are automatically destined for hell. Sure, the Hindus too feel their religion is the correct religion and all other religions are wrong or false. The Christians, Jews, Buddhists and all others too feel the same way. But do you hear Malaysian Christians, Hindus or Buddhists label Muslims as Members of Hell?

We allow the Quran to be published in all languages and we encourage those of other religions to read the Quran in the hope they may convert to Islam once they have read it. But the Bible cannot be published in Jawi (Arabic alphabet) and, until quite recently, the Bible was forbidden in Bahasa Malaysia. Today, due to political pressure and to ensure the non-Muslims will not desert the ruling party, the Bible may be published in Bahasa Malaysia but it has to be stamped as ‘non-halal’ (forbidden for Muslims). We want the non-Muslims to understand Islam. We want the non-Muslims to understand Islam by reading the Quran in the language they understand best; whether it is English, Chinese or any language of the world; but we refuse to allow the Muslims to understand the other religions -- and they would certainly not understand the other religions if they do not read the holy books of that religion. In fact, we do not even regard the holy books of the other religions as holy books. But we want the others to treat and respect the Quran as a holy book. Our excuse for not allowing Muslims to read the Bible is to prevent them from being influenced by Christianity whereby they may leave Islam and become Christians. Are we admitting that Islam is so bad, and Christianity better, that if Muslims were to read the bible they may discover how better Christianity is and leave Islam? Is our confidence level in Islam so low that we are scared of allowing Muslims to understand Christianity because we feel once they understand Christianity they may convert? We demand that non-Muslims respect Islam. But we do not want to show other religions this same respect. Respect cannot be demanded. It has to be earned. And have we earned this respect of those from the other religions?

Until Muslims can learn how to respect other religions; never mind if you think those religions are wrong; Islam will never be respected by the non-Muslims. And the more Muslims demand that non- Muslims respect Islam, the more you will gain their disrespect. Copyright © 2004 Malaysia Today | www.malaysia-today.net

Building networks

Gone are the days where one builds his network connection by words of mouth. Now, people do it by using the technology of the internet. One way to expand the network connection is to join 3gb community www.3gb.biz. It is not just about social networking but it is also a way to have fun while doing the networking. You can listen to the latest mp3 hits or just chatting away with your friends. The good part is that you don't need to get out from your office to be able to chat or talk to your friends. Start making new acquaintances with people of the same interests and needs. The day will come when you will benefit from your new community.

Thank you Lord

Sometimes in the busyness of managing the business, my mind got lost in other things. Many things requires my attention and very often I failed to rest my mind in you, in your words. Help me O Lord to delight in your word. Let it be the place where my mind wants to rest. Let it be the place the mind wants to return whenever it goes away. For in the busyness, you still wants to commune with me. You are still there waiting. Thank you Lord for waiting and being there always.

"One Hard Question"

There was a student who wanted to be admitted to the University.

He was smart enough to get through the written test, a GED, and was to appear for the personal interview. Later, as the interview progressed, the interviewer found this boy to be bright since he could answer all the questions correctly. The interviewer got impatient and decided to corner the boy.

"Tell me your choice," said he to the boy, "What's your choice: I shall either ask you ten easy questions or ONE real difficult. Think well before you make up your mind."

The boy thought for a while and said, "My choice is ONE real difficult question."

"Well, good luck to you, you have made your own choice!" said the man on the opposite side. Tell me: What comes first, Day or Night?"

The boy was jolted first but he waited for a while and said: "It's the DAY, sir."

"How???????" the interviewer shot back, smiling. ("At last, I got you!" he said to himself.)

"Sorry sir, you promised me that you will not ask me a SECOND difficult question!"

The student was admitted to the University.

Persona, Rent A Car or Change Engine?

We still have not decided to buy the Persona because my car still can move. Another reason is, I am not ready to commit to paying almost RM600 a month for 9 years.

Unfortunately for long journey or to drive up high places, I don't think my car perform. This almost means that we still need to rent a car when I want to bring my family for holiday.

Another option is, I could get a used engine from midwest auto recycling to change with my existing one. That would only be one time spending. But how long can the engine last, that is unknown.

Malay Malaysians May End Up Sleeping in the Street

Posted by Raja Petra Kamaruddin
Sunday, 16, March 2008

Indonesia is one of the world's most richest countries in terms of natural resources. God has blessed Indonesia with gold, uranium, copper, oil, timber, beaches, seas and other wealth. The land is fertile with abundant rain. Stick a twig into the ground and it grows into a tree. Yet Indonesians sleep in the streets. Food is expensive. The average Indonesian eats some rice, tempe,tauhu and may be some vegetables for breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday. An average Nasi Padang meal for four persons in a single star Indonesian restaurant can cost RM60.00 (160,000 Rupiah). This is way beyond the income of the average Joko or Ketut in Indonesia.

Why is this so? The answer is because the ruling elites in Indonesia do not care about the people. They have pillaged the country. They craft policies that only serve to keep the elites in power and the wealthly.The same thing is happening in Malaysia. There are also millions of Indonesians who go to school and university but do not learn skills that can help them survive in the real world. They are very poor in European languages like English or Dutch. All their education is in Indonesian. So they cannot keep up with the latest developments and technologies. They cannot compete. They remain poor.

The children of the elite are sent overseas for their education. An average Indonesian university graduate cannot bring world class skills to his employers. He or she therefore earns a pittance. This is happening in Malaysia. Bumiputra university graduates only strike it rich if they get Government jobs where they do not do much work but earn a good salary with a pension. In the private sector they may not get a job or earn only a pittance. That is why 100,000 graduates remain unemployed in Malaysia.

Bumiputra university graduates are turning up for interviews as taxi drivers and shop assistants. What about those who flunk out after SPM? They become Mat Rempits (Motorcycle Racers ). Last Saturday I saw another Mat Rempit get killed at the road races in Shah Alam (near Section 7).

In Malaysia, just like in Indonesia,food is getting very expensive. But the wages and salaries of the people, especially the Malays, is not keeping up with the increase in prices. Instead of developing the competitive ability of the people,the Government has been using the failed NEP to provide subsidies and dish out money on a plate. Everything is subsidised, even cooking oil,flour, rice, sugar, fuel, etc. The Government has been providing these subsidies so that the people will keep voting for the ruling party. So it has never been to the Government's advantage to make the Malays independent. A Malay who is independent of the Government may not vote for the BN. It is therefore better to keep feeding with subsidies. So, for the past 50 years, everything has been subsidised. But now with 27million people in the country of which more than half are Malays, subsidies are getting more expensive. There is also much much more thievery and wastage by the elites in Malaysia. But there is no bottomless well full of money. Everything has its limits. The money will soon run out. Without the subsidies for cooking oil, sugar,flour and petrol, how are the people, especially the Malays, going to survive? Already university graduates cannot find jobs or compete in the private sector. What happens when the oil money runs out? What happens when (not if, but when) the Government cannot simply spend billions of oil money to sustain its voting base any longer? That is when we may see people sleeping in the streets, just like in Indonesia. If that happens this country will go up in flames. We will all be consumed.

In Indonesia, the Government has not mobilised its hundreds of millions of people (over 250 million Indonesians) with the competitive skills to grow enough food for themselves. Hence food is expensive. They do not even have simple survival skills like coming to work on time, organising themselves to do simple tasks, maintaining good hygiene and cleanliness and so on. They are poorly read and not informed about many things that are going on around the world. Their Government has failed in all these aspects. Hence the average Indonesian remains poor.

The same thing has happened in Malaysia. Our young people, especially the Malays, do not possess basic survival skills. We are not talking about competitive skills but just basic survival skills. The Government is not serious about giving them useful competitive skills either. The Mat Rempits are being glorified by the politicians as saviours of the nation (Mat Cemerlang). Correction. they are drug users, gang rapists, snatch thieves and street fighters.

When an efficient Policewoman called Nooriyah Anvar was appointed Chief of Traffic Police she went after the Mat Rempits with a vengeance. Does anyone remember her? She confiscated their bikes on the spot. But soon the Mat Rempits called their political muscle and Nooriyah Anvar was kicked out. To date she holds the record of being the shortest serving Traffic Police Chief in Malaysia. She has been replaced by Senior Asst Comm (II) Datuk Hamza Taib.

So the Government is not serious about improving the position of the Malays. It serves the Barisan Nasional Government to keep the Malays down and out. Then the Malays can go to the Government for crumbs. This way the ruling elites get to keep the whole loaf to themselves. Go and visit Indonesia. This is what is happening over there. It is happening over here too.

Does Malaysia have a problem? yes the Malays are not happy, the Chinese are not happy and the Indians are not happy. They spoke out at the polls two weeks ago and hope things will change for the better, now they have some oppositions who promised change. The Malays are being duped by their corrupted leaders by using the religion, the Chinese and Indians are being marginalised by the ruling elites. Let us all Malaysians wake up and fight the corrupt system for the benefit of everyone. Let us all unite and stand together and change the system for once and for all. We are not Malays, Chinese or Indians, we are Malaysians.

Istana Zakaria

When the news about the Istana Zakaria was published, I was not sure of the reason why it created a big huhah. Only when I saw these pictures I was hit by the reality of the issue. The "castle" is really impressive and for the owner to build it without the local municipal permission is indeed a slap of unfairness to the public.

A tinge of envy swept over my heart as I look at the pictures. This guy Zakaria (deceased) is very rich indeed. Of course some questioned as to how he can be so wealthy.
Could it be the people's money that he easily received via government tenders and contracts because of his political connections. Hahaha...no wonder the people voted for the Opposition during the last election. Even after the scandal was published in the media, the various government agencies failed to take actions against this Zakaria. What lah!

That all being said, I have to agree that this Zakaria had high class mentality. Maybe he thinks he can be like the Sultan of Brunei.

Having fun the kids way

No, I am not talking about going to Disneyland although my wife could get some Discount Walt Disney World Tickets. Yes, I know it would be nice to go to Disneyland. I am sure my children especially the two girls would jump for joy if they are in Disneyland. Hahaha...I think even my wife would jump for joy if she can go there.

I am talking about enjoying the warm water swimming pool in Genting Highland. We (my wife, my two girls and I) went there and had some fun trying out various games the Outdoor and Indoor Theme Parks have to offer. However, the best time for my two girls is playing the water and going down the slides. Hehehehe...even I too could not resist going into the water and trying out the slide.It was fun and refreshing. Many times we define fun in the adult's definition of fun. However, children are very much simple minded when it comes to having fun. And being in the water pool is much more fun that sitting on the thrill rides.

The castle of my dream

When I was a small boy, I used to read books about castles. My favorite books are "The Secret Seven", "The Hardy Boys", "Famous Five" etc where they solved mysteries. Often the stories took place in castles where there are secret doors to a secret basement where there are many secrets to be found.

Well, I have yet to own my own castle and I don't think I will ever own one in my lifetime. Found this beautiful picture of a castle with beautiful surrounding. Don't know where the castle is located but I wish I could go there one day.

Proposal to punish non-Muslims for khalwat

Proposal to punish non-Muslims for khalwat
By IZATUN SHARI (The Star - 2rd April 2008)

KUALA LUMPUR: Non-Muslims committing khalwat (close proximity) with Muslims should also be held liable for the crime, two Islamic bodies have proposed in a resolution to be sent to the Attorney-General's Chambers.

The Islamic Institute of Understanding Malaysia (Ikim) and Syariah Judiciary Department Malaysia said non-Muslims found committing khalwat with Muslims should also be sentenced, perhaps in the civil courts.

"Muslims are sentenced in Syariah courts ... but we don't have the jurisdiction to sentence non-Muslims," Syariah Court of Appeal Judge Datuk Mohd Asri Abdullah said at a seminar on reviewing Syariah laws organised by Ikim and the department.

"Their non-Muslim partners can probably be sentenced in the civil courts, to be fair to both parties," he told reporters after closing the two-day seminar on Wednesday.

He said the proposal, contained in a draft resolution from the seminar's findings, would be forwarded to the Attorney-General's Chambers (AG's Chambers).

"It is up to the AG's Chambers or the relevant authorities to decide how to create such law," he said, declining to say when the proposal would be made to the Government.

The two bodies have also proposed stiffer penalties for Muslims caught in such offences as khalwat, prostitution, alcohol consumption and gambling.

My response:
- From the moral aspect, it seems to be a good idea. Sin is crouching near the couple who loves to be in secluded places. Desires or lust to be exact finds more opportunities to rear its ugly head in dark quiet places. However, I am against the idea of the giving the responsibility of enforcing moral obligation into the hands of the government. Moral issues should not be govern by the government but it should rest with the parents, and religious institutions. There is a danger of giving the government agencies the power of enforcement as abuses of power will definitely become rampant.
- The suggestion itself indirectly indicate that the two islamic bodies wants to enforce its beliefs upon the non-muslim people. It is a subtle way of doing it. And the gist of it is that it is trying to encroach on the freedom of others. Why should there be punishment for something that is not wrong in a person's religious beliefs? It should not be.
- Punishment should be in the hands of God. Why should human enact laws that punishes people when first and foremost the wrongdoing is unto God, then to others, and to society.
- The two islamic bodies should not focus on this issue but should spend more time thinking about how to educate and instill good religious beliefs among the muslims themselves. Why think about the non-muslims when they can't even take care of the muslims?
- Stiffer penalties does not help much to reduce the wrongdoings. They must find ways to find the root of the problem and deal with it accordingly. Death by hanging for drug traffickers does not help much in eradicating drug problems in Malaysia. In fact the drug problems have become worse.

Left Behind

We were so excited to go up Genting Highland that I forgot to check my handphone. The day before, I left it near the television set at my brother's living hall. I did a mental reminder to look for my handphone but somehow forgot about it during the business of packing our things and putting stuffs inside the car. So we left to Genting without the handphone. I only realised about the missing handphone once we arrived at the Theme Park Hotel. That does not worry me as I too do not want to be disturbed during my holiday break.

There are ample public phones in Genting Highland. I wonder whether the phones line use VoIP Phone Systems as it is much cheaper than the fixed phone line. So, we were free from phone calls during our holiday. We only went back to get our handphone on the way back to Melaka.

Logo is important

Who says brand is not important. In certain countries, your status in society is determined by what kind of branded stuffs you have. Like this branded car.

Hahaha...I think the owner of the car wants to make sure that everybody knows that he is rich and able to afford a Mercedes Benz.

Smallest Countries - No 1

Vatican City -
0.2 square miles -
The world's smallest state, the Vatican has a population of 770, none of whom are permanent residents. The tiny country which surrounds St. Peter's Basilica is the spiritual center for the world's Roman Catholics (over 1 billion strong).

Also known as the Holy See, Vatican City is surrounded by Rome, Italy.

Holiday break

We finally made it to the top. Yes! Yes! We made it to the top of Genting Highland. After months of planning by my wife, we finally drove to Rawang on Sunday and stayed overnight at my brother's place. On Monday morning, we drove to Genting and finally made it to the top of Genting Highland. My wife has booked a room at Theme Park Hotel via online. She managed to get a good deal with cheap hotel rates for the night.

The room is quite spacious compared to the First World Hotel room that we stayed during our last trip there. Of course it would not be as spacious compared to some of the rooms in Las Vegas Hotels but it is sufficient for the four of us. We are thinking of going there again during our wedding anniversary. At least I had enough sleep during this holiday break.

Internet Cafe T-Shirt

At last I have done my Tshirt Printing for Starhawk Internet Cafe. After a long time thinking of doing Tshirt Printing for our business, we finally decided and went ahead with the printing. The main reason for us to have our own Tshirt with the business logo on it is to provide a better image to the business. All this while, both me and my staff have gone to work wearing our own Tshirts. I tried to wear suitable Tshirts to work but most of my Tshirt have various logos which is not really suitable for the business. New customers are not able to recognise the staffs as we look as though we are also the shop's customers. Now with the Tshirt Printing done and we have our own business Tshirt, the mistaken identity reduced greatly.

Now, after seeing the business Tshirt, even my wife wants to do the same for the family. Hehehe....maybe that one will have to wait.

Sarahella

After watching the movie Cinderella, five-year-old Sarah started using her pinwheel as a magic wand, pretending she was a fairy godmother. "Make three wishes," she told her mother, "and I'll grant them."

Her mom first asked for world peace. Sarah swung her wand and proclaimed the request fulfilled.

Next, her mother requested for a cure for all ill children. Again, with a sweep of the pinwheel, Sarah obliged.

The mother, with a glance down at her rather ample curves, made her third wish, "I wish to have a trim figure again."

The miniature fairy godmother started waving her wand madly.

"I'll need more power for this!" she exclaimed.

Make my day brighter

Most of my days are fixed by daily routines of going to work, come back and spend time with the family. At times it can be very monotonous especially if there is no tasks scheduled for the day. When I know that the day is "free" from any schedules, I would try to look at the sceneries around me. I will enjoy the beautiful paddy field and flowers along my way to the shop. This is one of the benefits of staying in a village. There are plenty of greeneries that I can still enjoy everyday.

Just looking at the flowers can help enlighten the spirit and bring me near to my Maker and the flowers creator. If my mind are full of tasks to be done, the beautiful sceneries will just passed by unnoticed. Sometimes emails with beautiful pictures of flowers and nature like below can make my day brighter. Thank you all who know the beauty of God's creation and willing to email the pictures to me.

Smallest Countries - No 2

Monaco -
It is only 0.7 square miles - The tiny state of Monaco lies along the French Riviera on the French Mediterranean coast near Nice. An impressive 32,000 people live in this state known for its Monte Carlo casinos and Princess Grace. It has been independent off-and-on since the 13th century.

Smallest Countries - No 3

Nauru -
This country is only 8.5 square miles - The 13,000 residents of the Pacific island Nauru rely on diminishing phosphate deposits. The state became independent in 1968 and was formerly known as Pleasant Island.

Wedding cameras

The room looks clean after my maid cleaned it up. There are no longer layers of dust seen on the numerous things placed on top of the cupboard. There at one corner of the room lay my wedding photo. I wonder why the photo is placed there. It is supposed to be hung at the wall in the living hall, together with the wedding photos of my parents. My parents have only a few photos of their wedding ceremony. Maybe there are only two or three photos at the most of their wedding. I guess there are not many wedding cameras available during their time. Even if there are, it would be very expensive to own one. Unlike now, I have lots of my wedding photos nicely framed and kept for my remembrance when I am old. It is nice to have the photos to jog down the memory lane. Hmm...must put back the wedding photo on the wall now.

Smallest Countries - No 4

Tuvalu -
It is only 9 square miles - Tuvalu is composed of 9 coral atolls along a 360 mile chain in Polynesia. They gained independence in 1978. The former Ellice Islands are home to 12,000.

Smallest Countries - No 5

San Marino -
This nation is only 24 square miles - Located on Mt. Titano in north central Italy, San Marino has 29,000 residents. The country claims to be the oldest state in Europe, having been founded in the fourth century.

Wedding invitation

My mother told me that one of my relative came and asked for my full name. His son is getting married and he is collecting all the village's people's name so that he call invite them to his son's wedding dinner. That is how it is being done here in this village. It is all part of the Wedding Planning that the older folks have to do when their children are getting married. Well, of course not each and every village folks will be invited but those that has relations with the parents of the bride or bridegroom. And in a village where I stay, that could number up to a few hundreds.

That number does not include the friends and neighbours of the parents and the bride or bridegroom. If and if one is generous enough and do have the energy and money to call everybody in the wedding list, it would indeed be a BIG wedding dinner. Lately, the new generations are not following this traditions. They prefer to have a very much smaller scale of the wedding ceremony cum dinner.

As for now, I have still to receive the wedding invitation card. I was told that the wedding dinner would be somewhere in May this year. Still a long time for me.

Smallest Countries - No 6

Liechtenstein -
This country is only 62 square miles - This microstate of 34,000 is located on the Rhine River between Switzerland and Austria in the Alps.

Smallest Countries - No 7

Marshall Islands -
The country is only 70 square miles - The atolls (including the world's largest, Kwajalein), reefs, and 34 islands (population 58,000) gained independence in 1986

They were formerly part of the Trust Territory of Pacific Islands (and administered by the United States).

Fed up lah

My white car is giving problems again. Yes, again....and again...and again. Really fed up lah with this whole car problems. It seems there would be problems one after another with the two cars. It is quite irritating to spend countless time and efforts and not forgetting lots of money to correct the car problems. The last problem with the red car is the changing of the water tank. We thought that it is the radiator problem and is willing to consider buying Integra Radiator. However, it is the water tank that is leaking and we had to change the whole tank.

Now the white car could not start. Called my mechanic (who is always busy)and he told me to check the connnection which I did but to no avail. He promised that he would come to check the car. Hoping that he would fulfill his promise or else there would not be any Genting trip next week. Really getting fed up with the two old junks.

Smallest Countries - No 8

The Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis (also known as the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis, located in the Leeward Islands, is a federal two-island nation in the West Indies. It is the smallest nation in the Americas in both area and population.

The country is only 104 square miles - This Caribbean country of 39,000 gained independence in 1983. Nevis is the smaller island of the two.

Smallest Countries - No 9

Seychelles -
The country is only 107 square miles - The 81,000 residents of this Indian Ocean island group have been independent of the United Kingdom since 1976.

Meeting an old friend

I got a surprise call from an old friend today. Audra Darshini called me while I was at work. I have not met her for more than 5 years already. She said that she is here in Melaka for a week, supervising the work of the ministry. She is staying with her cousin in Jonker Street. The work that she is doing requires her to travel all over the country and overseas too. I can imagine her traveling through Europe and staying in Vacaciones Hoteles or any of the nice beautiful hotels.

It would be interesting to catch up on what has happened in the last few years. At least she is still faithful in the ministry while I has gone over to the "dark side". Hehehehe...but still faithful in the Lord. Hope that the meeting at Pay Chian's house this Wednesday would be a wonderful time together.

Making Real Money with BreakTheVault

All this while I have been earning MoSiang money which has no value in real life. Now, you and I got the chance to win real money and prizes too by participating in online contests.

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We will have new contest every Monday at noon EST. How's that? Come let's sign up. :)

Cool website... give it a try lah

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Have a nice day folks... Thank you for your valuable time.

Smallest countries - No 10

Maldives takes the No 10 spot for the smallest countries. It is only 115 square miles. Only 200 of the 2000 Indian Ocean islands which make up this country are occupied by 340,000 residents. The islands gained independence from the U.K. in 1965.

Nicaragua

Putting history aside about Sandinista and The Iran-Contra Affair, nicaragua land is a beautiful place to visit. Those who loves to surf would surely find nicaragua surfing a memorable experience. The Pacific Ocean on the west of the country and the Caribbean Sea on the east provide Nicaragua with many beautiful beaches and big waves suitable for surfing.

It is not a surprise then that the nicaragua beach property are in great demand. As much as I would love to enjoy the big waves, I am no waves surfer. The only surfing I know is surfing the net. Who knows, I will be able to visit Nicaragua some day and learn to surf the waves. That would be a memorable experience.

Will she do it?

Made a call to wifey asking her to come to the shop after her work. Need her to look after the shop while I go and look for a printhead for my printer. As always, she will use any calls as an opportunity to update me on whatever that happened to her. Today, she said that her boss bought a gold bar. The gold bar was bought from wifey colleague's brother. Now the gold price has increased and it is predicted that the price will keep on increasing. Wifey's boss bought a kilogram of gold bar at a slightly lower than the market price.

Told my wife to consider doing the same. Well, not a kilogram as we would definitely cannot afford it but maybe in a smaller weight. Told her that it is much better to invest in gold rather than in bank saving accounts while yields so little interest. Hopefully wifey would agree to do so. Will she do it?

Fashion Schools

As parents, we always wants the best education for our children. If you are helping your children to look for fashion schools in california or fashion schools in los angeles, please check out www.fashion-school-finder.com.

It has a list of all the universities in California that offers fashion courses. Enrolling your child in fashion school in california is not a bad idea because you are living in Star City. They need new clothes and new design practically everyday!

Both are mistaken

Ok...will take a break from talking about politics. Not everybody is interested in politics. Maybe a humor picture would be best here. Enjoy.

Fight for your right

At the university graduation ceremony, the medical students received their scroll. As the names of the students are called to receive their scrolls, suddenly one voice from the back, a student from the law faculty shouted, "See you in court!". Hehehehe...... lawyers and doctors seems always at loggerhead.

As not all doctors are an expert in every medical cases, there tends to be miscalculated diagnosis of their patients. If you have been prescribed with Trasylol and have suffered the side effect of the drug, then you should engage Trasylol claim attorneys and claim for the damages. Never, never let negligence of others destroy your future. Let them pay for it or at least make sure that you are not the total victim. To all the doctors, please ensure that you know what you are prescribing to your patients. Their future are in your hand.

Do you want to join too?

Okay, for those who feels the same way like I do about the BN and want to find an alternative political party to support, do consider DAP. The DAP is doing membership drive campaign and are looking for future leaders of this country. If you are interested to join DAP, you can email me for further details. Come, join me.

Voice of tomorrow

Yeahhhhhhh.... I did it, I did it, I signed up as a DAP member. After considering the various facts that happened in this country, my choice of political party is now DAP. I have been a strong supporter of the BN in the past but what happened in the past few years have changed my mind. UMNO has been too arrogant (or at least, some of the leaders in UMNO) and think that they can bulldozed their way in everything that want to do. Their leaders think that they are invincible and that the Malays will blindly support them. Maybe they think the Malays are a stupid bunch who will just obey and follow the UMNO leaders.

My deepest condolences to MCA and also MIC, the component parties in BN who are mere puppets for UMNO arrogant leaders. Looks like MCA and MIC have failed to uphold the interest of their respective supporters. So now, I pledge my support to DAP. Show me how you leaders exercise the powers entrusted to you and if you do well, you will continue to gain my support.

Kratom

"What is kratom leaf?", I asked my wife who was beside me doing her blogging and chatting with her friends at the same time. It was to my surprise that she has an answer to my question and without delay she answered. "It is to enhance and prolong sexual intercourse."

Wah! I heard of "kesum leaf" which is found in my country and the name kratom sounds familiar which I immediately equate it as kesum. However, kesum leaf is used for cooking especially if you want to cook curry dishes. Upon further research, the local names for the kratom is "ketum". Usage of kratom leaf can be addictive and it is banned in many countries. Like any other drugs, if it is use positively for the right purpose, kratom do have medicinal benefits. Do your research thoroughly before you purchase products that consisted of kratom as its ingredients as it can get you on high.

Friends who drinks with you

I always received emails that encourages me to treasure my friends. Well, in most circumstances it is true that friends would be there when we need them but not in all cases. I don't think it is wise to have drinking buddies who treats you worse than your enemies.... like this guy.

The moral of the story is...don't drink and be careful of who your friends are.

At the right time

Ever wish that you are at the right place at the right time? Most of us are at the wrong place or at the wrong time most of the times. It takes patience, insight and wisdom and sometimes perseverance to be at the right time in the right place. This bear is one example of it.

Hospitality offer

When told that we will be going to Genting for a short holiday, my brother asked me to stay over in his house for a day before the actual Genting trip. Well, his house is nearer to Genting than any of my other brother's house. Furthermore, it is also an opportunity to bring my mother along to visit him. Told him that we have yet to decide on the itinerary and would confirm the details of the trip later. We have yet to ask mother whether she would like to follow along.

I am sure there would not be any hospitality offer if we want to go to other countries. We would have to make our own arrangement for hotels and places to visit. Should we want to visit the Big Apple, we can find New York Hotel Deal online. Accommodation is one of the most important arrangement for a holiday. A good place to stay would always make the trip memorable. As for now, I am very thankful for the hospitality offer from my brother.

I Want It Too - Internet For Life

Why isn't there any opportunity here like what Charter is doing. I want to win their Charter High-Speed® Internet for Life. Yes, for my lifetime and the bid starts at $10 only. Unfortunately, I am not staying in Charter's coverage area or else I would definitely bid. Haiyaa....

If you are living in Charter's serviceable area, by all means register and starts bidding. It is a chance of a lifetime.


OK, maybe you are not an internet savvy guy but loves to play games. Well, here is your chance too. Visit Charter's website and register. When you register with an e-mail address and other personal information you will have a chance to win a Nintendo® Wii™. The winner will receive a Nintendo Wii Console, Wii Stand, 5 Sports games ( Boxing, Baseball, Tennis, Golf and bowling), 1 Remote Controller, 1 Nunchuk Controller, 1 Sensor Bar, 1 Wii AC Adapter, 1 Wii AV Cable. Now, go and register fast.

If you are not the gamer type, why don't you register and if you win, give all the prices to me...hehehe....joking only.

Greener Pasture

One customer came to the shop and asked for help regarding his online game ID. He forgotten about this ID and asked me to check it out for him, which I did. Then to my surprise he started talking about his work. He told me that he is going to Bahrain to work as a chefs in one of the five stars hotel. That is also another surprise to me to know that he is the Sous-Chefs. It reminds me of the movie Ratatouille.

Anyway, as we talked he mentioned that it is better to work overseas compared to Malaysia. The pay is one factor to consider but another important factor is the way people treats you. Your success depends on how hard you work. Opportunities are given to everyone and there is not much favoritism based on colors. He told me that it is easier to get Unsecured Business Loans in other countries like UK and America. He said that it is not easy to apply for Unsecured Business Loans for the sum of $10000 - $250000, to which I can readily concur with him. Even for my own business, I cannot get any Unsecured Business Loans from the bank but had to depend on family members for the business capital. Looks like the pasture are greener in other countries. Hmm… should I work in other countries… maybe I should try.