Friday 31 July 2009

At a loss...




We are supposed to go n visit our nephew in KK @ "kuale" tomorrow. So today, immediately upon reaching home after work, I took out the chicken from the fridge to prepare cooking one of his favourite chicken dish, "Ayam Masak Merah".



Few minutes later, my sister @ his mum called to say that we would not be able to see him, he'd be away to Ipoh the whole day, cheering for his school's team for the I.T quiz competition.

There goes the trip away from K.L, the chicken dish, etc, etc....and I have been looking forward to the trip for the whole week!..hehehe.



The alternative weekend "activity"?

Finishing some office work that I'd promised my boss would be on his desk by Monday morning!...

oh wellllll...


Wednesday 29 July 2009

Ghostbusters - Video game/movie

The other day during our journey home, I read in the newspaper about PS3 game that has been released in June 2009 - "Ghostbusters The Video Game", that when I reached 'kampung', I asked my sister if she or her husband had bought it.. :-)

mmm...the thing is, I don't even know how to play PS, I usually watched with envy whenever my nephew or nieces play the games..hehehee

but watching the trailer, I wish I could!...hahahaa..




(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyVGSGynYpg)



A bit of the review :

Ghostbusters The Video Game is funny. The script was penned by original film scribes Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd, and while it doesn't quite reach the heights of the 1984 comedy classic, it rides the film's coattails quite comfortably. It's 1991, and you play an unnamed rookie joining the ghostbusting team, the members of which are voiced amiably by the stars of the movies: Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson.

Not every joke soars, but you'll find it difficult to stop grinning, and you'll probably let out a few guffaws from time to time. Venkman's laconic womanizing, Egon's deadpan pseudoscientific explanations--there's wit here for fans and newcomers alike.

(http://www.gamespot.com/ps3/action/ghostbusters08/index.html)


***************************

I also read that they have the intention to do the sequel to the movies...mmm...





(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4uxIo4t7xM)



Monday 27 July 2009

Disappearing street signs mystery solved

By Eid Al-Harithi

(Saudi Gazette : 27th. July 2009)



JEDDAH – Police in Jeddah put an end Saturday to the mysterious disappearance of numerous road signs, advertising hoardings, street name signs and “cat’s eyes” from the streets of the city with the arrest of 15 Sudanese and a Pakistani national. The group reportedly made a habit of stealing the items, along with copper cables, and selling them for scrap.
– Okaz/SG



(http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=2009072744930)

From NST : I Remember When... It was Malaysia Boleh






With the university that bears his moniker now well established in far flung Botswana and Lesotho, Tan Sri Lim Kok Wing's name is associated with creativity and excellence for students and citizens in the two African states. The creative director, entrepreneur and educationist tells KOH LAY CHIN about the time when as he was just a student he who had to hide his artistic inclinations from his mother, his climb to becoming one of Malaysia’s well known creative thinkers, and the time he helped the legendary Nelson Mandela
MOTHER was never happy that I was good at art.

In fact she wanted me to work in a bank, and was frustrated that I kept my hair long because that's not what future bank employees did.

And so I kept all my artistic endeavours secret from her for quite a while. I was winning trophies and even stood in for my art teacher in secondary school several times.

After school, I worked as an illustrator and writer for a newspaper called the Eastern Sun, and drew my first cartoon strip called Guli-Guli.
I left school at 18 years old. My parents had difficulty paying for me then and because I also had four sisters, I didn't want to burden them and chose not to continue with Form 6.

I left without mum knowing, but I did well in freelance writing, illustrating, giving art tuition and selling paintings.

I had a lot of encouragement from my teachers and my editors at the paper.

But because I used to get frustrated when editors cut my stories and said I could not describe things creatively, I felt it was not the right thing for me.

So I got into advertising, where one is expected to create. At this time, the early 70s, the industry was completely run by foreigners, although they were to start departing around 1975. I joined McCann Erickson.

I would get into disagreements with the British because I felt they didn't know how to communicate effectively with the locals.

They wanted direct translations from Malay into English, or vice versa, for example, and that just plainly didn't work.

So I decided to start my own advertising agency in 1975, and it became one of the largest agencies in the country.

While before that we were relegated to mostly doing support services such as designing work, after that we were doing big campaigns for companies like Esso.

The year before that, however, I was entrusted to do a special project. I was to work with the then Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak for Pesta Pembangunan, the first major exhibition to promote the New Economic Policy (NEP).

This was in June 1974, and I didn't sleep for nights planning and designing the exhibition which was held in Stadium Negara.

At the time, the workers and carpenters did not have much experience, so I was sleeping at the stadium with them for 10 nights to set it up. I was in my 20s, but I knew this was an important project.

I designed a "vibrating" flag, it looked like it was going up and around the area.

It was a bold step and they told me "No you can't do that", but I explained that it was to show we were a vibrant, growing country.

When you walked in, you would see that it was huge.

Later on, I was to also coin the phrase Yakin Boleh under the Rakan Muda project which we handled, and(Tun) Dr Mahathir Mohamad changed it to Malaysia Boleh.

A generation has grown up knowing these two words. I know some people make fun of it now, but you can't change the fact that it did change the mindset of the people at the time.

You will always have sarcastic people who say "why bother" with making the largest flag, the largest cake and all that. I would say in defence of that, well, why bother to do anything at all?

Why bother building a world class airport or an F1 track? You will always have cynics, but it did give us confidence, and it went along with our plans for 2020.

We would bid for the Commonwealth Games and the World Congress for Information Technology after that, and we decided also to Look East.

Years after that I was also privileged to have known Nelson Mandela, and worked with him during his untiring efforts to build a bridge of reconciliation in a nation torn by racial divisions.

Mandela had asked assistance from Dr Mahathir when it came to South Africa's first democratic elections in 1993. Dr Mahathir, in turn, asked me if I wanted the job.

And so I went to help the man himself, and his group of campaigners to work on the African National Congress's (ANC) campaign as a consultant.

I had the opportunity to work with future ANC leaders Thabo Mbeki, who was the campaign planner at the time, as well as Jacob Zuma.

I remember having difficulty selling my ideas to them at first as they wanted a rather militant campaign, with fists in the air and all.

I argued against it, saying since they had freedom now, it had to be about winning hearts and votes. I wanted to create an iconic picture of integration and reconciliation, with 10 children of diverse races.

I wanted four white children in the picture, but they refused. You see I remember Zimbabwe didn't do too well when the whites, who controlled 75 per cent of the economy, took up and left.

I finally spoke to Mandela himself and remember telling him that it had to be reconciliation and not confrontation.

I told him if I could not be useful to his campaign I would go home. Mandela agreed, and in the end there was a compromise -- we used two white children. That was the Malaysian in me, I guess, knowing how to compromise.

The campaign was such a success, and the poster was so popular that every time we put them up they'd go missing.

People were taking them away and putting them in their homes. It was this exposure to Mandela's leadership that inspired a change in my priorities.

I would also be inspired here, during my post-election break in Botswana and Lesotho, to set up universities there and help build human capital in Africa.

I have had quite a good run, and I was lucky to have people who had supported me. I think the country needs to go back to the sense of contribution and pioneering spirit we had in the past.

I would also say we were very eager and committed to doing good work, with a strong sense of humility then.

Some people say it is because of this humility and eagerness that the work we did in those years had better quality than what we are doing today.

Perhaps, I think, there is a grain of truth in that. Those days we were more disciplined and opportunities were few.

When I look at the students from some of the other countries like Botswana, they take things very seriously. They have come here to learn, and they don't cop out, they don't give excuses.



The New Straits Times Online: bI Remember When... /bIt was Malaysia Boleh

Sunday 26 July 2009

Music : Mohram - Galang Maya

One of my favourite music, "Galang Maya" by Mohram :

***************************


(Mohram, winner in the category of instrumental duo and trio in
"World Champions of Performing Arts (WCOPA) 2005" held in Hollywood California, performed in "Istana Budaya", K.L.)






Mohram is Malaysia’s first neo-ethnic duo comprising of flutist Muhardiman Ismail (Mohar) who plays the Malay traditional bamboo, “seruling”, and percussionist Ramli Hamid (Ramli Rebana) who plays the “rebana”.

Their music is brilliantly composed with contemporary musical instruments, and this has created a new realm of music for the soul.

Their music and first album entitled “Mohram - Journey of the Soul” touched the hearts of the people.



Saturday 25 July 2009

Jakarta/Bandung

Mid-June trip ~ for a bit of relaxing...

The flight was at 9.50am but we left home about 6.15am to catch the bus to LCCT, by 9am everything settled ~ bags checked in and we have had our breakfast.


... ..(waiting at the departure hall)..



during the flight :


...........


on arrival :







lunch on arrival :



Visit to Taman Mini:






Guests here for a few days :



One day trip to Bandung :






and a "bit" of shopping :



when i mms(ed) the photo to my sister,
she replied "that there's a shoplot available"
..hahahaaa..


Friday 24 July 2009

The Trouble with Green Tea

(http://health.yahoo.com/featured/27/the-trouble-with-green-tea/)


By RealAge

Did you know that most of the free-radical fighters in green tea never make it to your bloodstream? But there's a solution.

To get a better grasp on the healthy catechins in your green tea, flavor your cup with a squeeze of citrus juice.





Green Tea Booster

Catechins -- the antioxidants in green tea famous for lowering your risk of chronic disease -- quickly lose their power in your intestine. In fact, as much as 80% of the catechins in green tea are never absorbed. The solution to boosting absorption, researchers recently found, is as simple as flavoring your tea with freshly squeezed and strained lemon, orange, lime, or grapefruit juice.


Taking Tea with C

The vitamin C in citrus may help with absorption by increasing the acidity in your small intestine. Other unidentified substances in the juice probably lend a hand, too. Researchers found a 50-50 mix had the greatest catechin-preserving effect, and lemon did it best, closely followed by orange, lime, and, in last place, grapefruit.


It's Not All Bad News

If you do take steps to boost the power of your green tea, you may even get a few added benefits.

* It may help you lose weight. At least one study shows green tea can stimulate moderate weight loss.

* It may help keep your knees young and strong -- catechins fight inflammation and arthritis.

* It can help your skin look great if used in conjunction with an antioxidant cream. Dab it on.

* It can help you stay sharp -- try 2 cups a day to see benefits.

Saturday 18 July 2009

Cheese story....

One friend once wrote that when she was 10, was thinking of running from home and prepared cheese sandwich for that purpose. (Alhamdulillah she didnt proceed with the running away ~ if not we might not have met..hehe..)

What caught my eyes was that "Cheese" ..even then she loved cheese...no wonder now she bakes yummy cheese cakes! really!

I dont know how to make one (n dont think I'd be good in making it!..hehe) but with my friend around, can always "order" from her.. :-)

anyway, I found this free recipe from http://food.yahoo.com/recipes/kraft/55270/oreo-r-cheesecake , may be one of these days I'll try it.


OREO(R) Cheesecake

1. 1 (18 ounce) package OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
2. 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
3. 3 (8 ounce) packages PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
4. 3/4 cup sugar
5. 1 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
6. 1 teaspoon vanilla
7. 4 eggs



1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F if using a 9-inch silver springform pan (or to 325 degrees F if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan). Finely crush 30 of the cookies. Coarsely chop remaining 15 cookies; set aside. Mix crushed cookies with butter. Press firmly onto bottom and 2 inches up side of pan; set aside.

2. Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Gently stir in chopped cookies. Spread into prepared crust.

3. Bake 55 minutes to 1 hour or until set. (If necessary to prevent top from overbrowning, tent with foil during last 15 to 20 minutes of baking time.) Cool completely on wire rack.

4. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Run knife or metal spatula around side of pan to loosen cake; remove side of pan before serving.

(Yield: 16 servings)





mmm...may be my fren down under have a better recipe...I know she loves cooking..hehe..

Wednesday 15 July 2009

Forever friends


(To all the good friends that I have been blessed with the pleasure of knowing all these years n especially to my "sspians forever" @ "Rolling Thunder" frens)


(by anonymous)

Friends in high school are forever young.
Unchanged, they're where you always will belong.



The crowd is never gone, the pleasure stays,
The music of the moment always plays,
The time remains a field of wistful grace
To which you may return from anyplace.



Of course, you may still know them later on
When you are someone else and years have run;
And you may love them dearly, and they you,
But time must make their friendship something new.


Meanwhile, flourishing within your heart
There is a whole, of which you were a part:

A group of friends, one in love and pain,
In whom your longing comes alive again.


Sunday 12 July 2009

Funny signs




In an office:

After tea break staff should empty the teapot and stand upside down on the draining board.


In the window of an Oregon general store:

Why go elsewhere to be cheated, when you can come here?


In a New York restaurant:

Customers who find our waitresses rude ought to see the manager.


In a hotel in Athens:

Visitors are expected to complain at the office between the hours of 9 and 11 A.M. daily.



Spotted in a safari park:

Elephants, please stay in your car


Wednesday 8 July 2009

Simply known as...






mmmm....what if its triplets? photostat? hehehe...


p/s ~ the twins so cute...
I'm sure they have beautiful names
:-)

Monday 6 July 2009

Friendship poem

To all my wonderful friends :




(by anonymous poet)

May our friendship last forever;
May I sail upon your sea.
May we go through life together;
May there always be a "we."

May I be your endless sky;
May you breathe my gentle air.
May you never wonder why
Each time you look for me, I'm there.

May we be for each a smile
Like the warm, life-giving sun;
Yet when we're in pain awhile,
May our suffering be one.

May we share our special days,
The happiness of one for two;
And if we must go separate ways,
Let my love remain with you.






~ esp. to my best friend, Chom on her birthday, today - all my best wishes
n May you always be blessed by Allah SWT :-) ~

Saturday 4 July 2009

"Bidan Terjun"



a simple Malay saying meaning someone who is asked/dragged/plunged to do a job/task that needs to be done immediately...(direct translation ~ "mid-wife jump"...hehehehe..)

I became one during the school holidays last month - during the wedding reception of my eldest sister's youngest son...just a small ceremony ~ welcoming the bride to the family.





As the food was prepared by the caterer, nothing much to do at her house, just some small tasks.


(thank you "gifts" ~ the children enjoying themselves putting sweets and boiled eggs in the small boxes...but I guess they enjoyed the free flows of sweets and eggs more! :-) )


The reception was on Saturday, and on Friday my sister asked me to help "tidy up" the groom's bedroom... using whatever my sister had, here's the result of a "bidan terjun" job!





and one nephew asked me how long I'd taken the time to plan of the theme...hehehe...


8am on Saturday morning, we went to finish up the small details, my sister asked if I could adjust some space to put two chairs in the room...and by 10am, this was what I ended up with.





Imagine me climbing the chair to nail and hang the "old curtains" on the wall!..hahaa...


mmm...may be if I resign from current job, I could be a wedding planner?...hehehee...

Been a while since I joined "Virtual Run" (VR), and with long MCO - Movement Control Order (and no interest from family members..h...