Monday, March 31, 2008

Are you a metal fan?

Metal Fan - Threadless, Best T-shirts Ever

I am not a metal fan but I hear one every day. It's a hot country I am living in.

I am a VIP at Threadless

You've Got Some Splaining To Do - Threadless, Best T-shirts Ever

Yes, I am a VIP (Visually Inspired Participant) at Threadless.

Each time I received their newsletter, I will be logging in to create slogans of my own.

I have not won that USD200.00 that I am been aiming for but as long as I am a VIP there, I will keep trying. You can help me win some by voting for my creativity.

The Smell of Rain

Truth Or Fiction reported that this is a true story. Very touching.

===================================================================================

A cold March wind danced around the dead of night in Dallas as the Doctor walked into the small hospital room of Diana Blessing. Still groggy from surgery, her husband David held her hand as they braced themselves for the latest news. That afternoon of March 10,1991, complications had forced Diana, only 24 weeks pregnant, to Danae Lu Blessing.

At 12 inches long and weighing only one pound and nine ounces, they already knew she was perilously premature. Still, the doctor's soft words dropped like bombs. I don't think she's going to make it, he said, as kindly as he could. "There's only a 10 percent chance she will live through the night, and even then, if by some slim chance she does make it, her future could be a very cruel one." Numb with disbelief, David and Diana listened as the doctor described the devastating problems Danae would likely face if she survived. She would never walk, she would never talk, she would probably be blind, and she would certainly be prone to other catastrophic conditions from cerebral palsy to complete mental retardation, and on and on. "No! No!" was all Diana could say. She and David, with their 5-year-old son Dustin, had long dreamed of the day they would have a daughter to become a family of four. Now, within a matter of hours, that dream was slipping away.

Through the dark hours of morning as Danae held onto life by the thinnest thread, Diana slipped in and out of sleep, growing more and more determined that their tiny daughter would live, and live to be a healthy, happy young girl. But David, fully awake and listening to additional dire details of their daughter's chances of ever leaving the hospital alive, much less healthy, knew he must confront his wife with the inevitable. David walked in and said that we needed to talk about making funeral arrangements. Diana remembers, 'I felt so bad for him because he was doing everything, trying to include me in what was going on, but I just wouldn't listen, I couldn't listen. I said, "No, that is not going to happen, no way! I don't care what the doctors say; Danae is not going to die! One day she will be just fine, and she will be coming home with us!"

As if willed to live by Diana's determination, Danae clung to life hour after hour, with the help of every medical machine and marvel her miniature body could endure. But as those first days passed, a new agony set in for David and Diana. Because Danae's under-developed nervous system was essentially raw, the lightest kiss or caress only intensified her discomfort, so they couldn't even cradle their tiny baby girl against their chests to offer the strength of their love. All they could do, as Danae struggled alone beneath the ultraviolet light in the tangle of tubes and wires, was to pray that God would stay close to their precious little girl. There was never a moment when Danae suddenly grew stronger.

But as the weeks went by, she did slowly gain an ounce of weight here and an ounce of strength there. At last, when Danae turned two months old, her parents were able to hold her in their arms for the very first time. And two months later-though doctors continued to gently but grimly warn that her chances of surviving, much less living any kind of normal life, were next to zero. Danae went home from the hospital, just as her mother had predicted.

Today, five years later, Danae is a petite but feisty young girl with glittering gray eyes and an unquenchable zest for life. She shows no signs, what so ever, of any mental or physical impairment. Simply, she is everything a little girl can be and more-but that happy ending is far from the end of her story.

One blistering afternoon in the summer of 1996 near her home in Irving, Texas, Danae was sitting in her mother's lap in the bleachers of a local ballpark where her brother Dustin's baseball team was practicing. As always, Danae was chattering non-stop with her mother and several other adults sitting nearby when she suddenly fell silent. Hugging her arms across her chest, Danae asked, "Do you smell that?" Smelling the air and detecting the approach of a thunderstorm, Diana replied, "Yes, it smells like rain." Danae closed her eyes and again asked, "Do you smell that?" Once again, her mother replied, "Yes, I think we're about to get wet, it smells like rain. Still caught in the moment, Danae shook her head, patted her thin shoulders with her small hands and loudly announced, "No, it smells like Him. It smells like God when you lay your head on His chest." Tears blurred Diana's eyes as Danae then happily hopped down to play with the other children.

Before the rains came, her daughter's words confirmed what Diana and all the members of the extended Blessing family had known, at least in their hearts, all along. During those long days and nights of her first two months of her life, when her nerves were too sensitive for them to touch her, God was holding Danae on His chest and it is His loving scent that she remembers so well. You now have 1 of 2 choices...you can either pass this on and let other people catch the chills like you did, or you can delete this and act like it didn't touch your heart like it did mine.

IT'S YOUR CALL!
=========================================================================

If you read this, you may also want to know
What causes the smell after rain?

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Raising funds? Look for fund-raising consultant.

I just discovered from "The Fund Raising Knowledge Network" that there are fund-raising consultants who do not charge consulting fees. This is because they are paid by the companies that they are under contract with.

I checked that out by googling "free fund-raising consultants" and found Fund Raising. If you would like to do a defined search for one, try Fund Raiser Finder. It's a pity they cover only companies in USA and Canada.

If you take your time to look through the sitemap of "The Fund Raising Knowledge Network", you will find many interesting links to other useful fundraising websites like Fund$Raiser Cyberzine, a free online magazine. From there, you can download free fundraising booklets with "how-to-do-it" fundraising guides toucing on:

* Fundraising Online
* Fundraising with Chocolate
* Fundraising with Scratch Cards
* Fundraising with Magazines
* Fundraising with Cookie Dough
* Fundraising with Candles
* Fundraising with Lollipops
* Safe Fundraising

fantastic 5 year-old blind pianist

Get your hanky ready before you view this video from YouTube.
================================================================

In the image of God we are created, with feelings, beauty and love.
This little girl is a 5-yr-old, blind from birth, and never learned to play the piano in her life. Watch this touching video...especially at the end when she sings along...... please be patient and watch till the end.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Mother-in-law tales

I, like a lot of other people see my mother-in-Law as little as possible. I find that she's always moaning. An example would be the time I gave her a lift to the shops and all I could hear was moan moan, moan. And she was still moaning when I let her out of the boot.

when mine makes soup, pygmies come from miles around to dip their arrows in it.

I am not saying mine talks a lot but when we all go on holiday she has to put sun block on her tongue.

I was telling a mate in the pub that my mother-in-law was an angel. He told me I was lucky, his was still alive.

Took the dog to the vet to get his tail cut off. He asked me why a lurcher needed his tail cut off. Told him the mother-in-law was visiting and I didn't want anything to make her feel welcome.

They buried my mates mother-in-law last week so I went along as support. I asked the gravedigger why the hole was 18ft instead of 6ft. He told me that deep down mothers-in-law were very nice people.

I have the perfect MIL. She's dead. Took a while to happen but it was worth the wait.

Gave my mother in law a chair for christmas, she still won't plug it in....

I was out shopping the other day when I saw six women beating my MIL up. As I stood there and watched, her neighbor, who knew me, said, "Well, aren't you going to help?" I replied, "No. Six of them is enough".

My MIL asked me, "If you hate me so much, why is my photo on the mantelpiece?" I told her, "So as to keep the kids away from the fire."

I wouldn't say my MIL is fat, but no matter where you sit in a room, she's sitting next to you.

One's MIL is coming down next week for Easter. Lucyfer doesn't yet realise just how far I can actually walk in one weekend.

My MIL asked "Why don't you grow a moustache?" I replied "why would I want to look like you...".

"That MIL was so fat, she had to be got off the beach to let the tide in.".

MIL was on phone to wife and she asked me "how would you like to talk to Mum?" She hit me when I said "preferably through a medium".

I just came back from a pleasure trip.i brought my mil to the airport.

Free Jukebox Oldies Top Hit Songs

If you enjoy oldies, let it play as background music while you work on your PC.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Playa Cofi Jukebox" featuring the best of the top 100 hits from the golden years of popular music from 1950 to 1984.

Just select and click on a year, the play list will appear. You can then close the url and go back to work 0r sleep. It will play in the background. Fantastic!

I have bookmarked it under my favourites and will be hence forth be
listening to these songs whilst I do whatever I do at my PC.

What If I Have Failed

What If I Have Failed
When it looks like I have
Failure doesn't mean I'm a failure.
It does mean I haven't yet succeeded.

Failure doesn't mean I have accomplished nothing.
It does mean I have learned something.

Failure doesn't mean I have been a fool.
It does mean I had enough faith to experiment.

Failure doesn't mean I have been disgraced.
It does mean I dared to try.

Failure doesn't mean I don't have it.
It does mean I have to do something a different way.

Failure doesn't mean I am inferior.
It does mean I am not perfect.

Failure doesn't mean I should give up.
It does mean I should tray harder.

Monday, March 24, 2008

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Children

To those of us who have children in our lives, whether they are our
own, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or students...
here is something to make you chuckle.

Whenever your children are out of control, you can take comfort from
the thought that even God's omnipotence did not extend to His own
children.

After creating heaven and earth, God created Adam and Eve.

And the first thing he said was "DON'T ! "

"Don't what?" Adam replied.

"Don't eat the forbidden fruit." God said.

"Forbidden fruit?
We have forbidden fruit?
Hey Eve...we have forbidden fruit!"

" No Way !"

"Yes way!"

"Do NOT eat the fruit! " said God.
"Why?"

"Because I am your Father and I said so!"

God replied, wondering why He hadn't stopped creation after making
the elephants.

A few minutes later, God saw His children having an apple break and
He was ticked!

"Didn't I tell you not to eat the fruit?" God asked.

"Uh huh," Adam replied.

"Then why did you?" said the Father.

"I don't know," said Eve.

"She started it!" Adam said.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"DID NOT!"

Having had it with the two of them, God's punishment was that Adam
and Eve should have children of their own. Thus the pattern was set
and it has never changed.


BUT THERE IS REASSURANCE IN THE STORY !
If you have persistently and lovingly tried to give children wisdom
and they haven't taken it, don't be hard on yourself. If God had
trouble raising children, what makes you think it would be a piece of
cake for you ?

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT !

1. You spend the first two years of their life
teaching them to walk and talk. Then you spend
the next sixteen telling them to sit down and shut up.


2. Grandchildren are God's reward for not killing your own children.


3. Mothers of teens now know why some animals eat their young.


4. Children seldom misquote you. In fact, they usually repeat word
for word what you shouldn't have said.


5. The main purpose of holding children's parties is to remind
yourself that there are children more awful than your own.


6. We childproofed our homes, but they are still getting in.


ADVICE FOR THE DAY:

Be nice to your kids.
They will choose your nursing home one day.

AND FINALLY:

IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF TENSION AND YOU GET A HEADACHE, DO WHAT IT SAYS
ON THE ASPIRIN BOTTLE:

"TAKE TWO ASPIRIN" AND "KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN"!!!!!

Bob Hope



Bob Hope!

For those of you too young to remember Bob, ask your
Grandparents!!!



ON TURNING 70 "You still chase women, but
only downhill".

ON TURNING 80 "That's the time of your life
when even your birthday
suit needs pressing.."

ON TURNING 90 "You know you're getting old
when the candles cost more
than the cake."

ON TURNING 100 " I don't feel old. In fact I
don't feel anything until
noon. Then it's time for my nap."

ON GIVING UP HIS EARLY CAREER, BOXING "I
ruined my hands in the ring
... the referee kept stepping on them."

ON NEVER WINNING AN OSCAR "Welcome to the
Academy Awards or, as it's
called at my home, 'Passover'."

ON GOLF "Golf is my profession. Show business
is just to pay the green
fees."

ON PRESIDENTS " I have performed for 12
presidents and entertained only
six."

ON WHY HE CHOSE SHOWBIZ FOR HIS
CAREER " When I was born, the doctor
said to my mother, 'Congratulations You have
an eight-pound ham'."

ON RECEIVING THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL "I
feel very humble, but I
think I have the strength of character to
fight it."

ON HIS FAMILY'S EARLY POVERTY "Four of us
slept in the one bed. When it
got cold, mother threw on another
brother."

ON HIS SIX BROTHERS "That's how I learned to
dance. Waiting for the
bathroom."

ON HIS EARLY FAILURES "I would not have had
anything to eat if it
wasn't for the stuff the audience threw at
me."

ON GOING TO HEAVEN "I've done benefits for
ALL religions. I'd hate to
blow the hereafter on a technicality."

Give me a sense of humor. Lord, Give me the
grace to see a joke, to get some
humor out of life, and pass it on to other folks.

A seagull in Scotland

> > A seagull in Scotland has developed the habit of stealing crisps from a
> > neighbourhood shop.
> >
> > The seagull waits until the shopkeeper isn't looking, and then walks into
> > the store and grabs a snack-size bag of cheese Doritos.
> >
> > Once outside, the bag gets ripped open and shared by other birds.
> >
> > The seagull's shoplifting started early this month when he first swooped
> > into the store in Aberdeen, Scotland, and helped himself to a bag of
> > crisps.
> >
> > Since then, he's become a regular. He always takes the same type of
> > crisps.
> >
> > Customers have begun paying for the seagull's stolen bags of chips because
> > they think it's so funny.
> >
> > I love how he walks in casually, and then speeds up on his getaway

Don't think this is a true story? Take a look at the picture posted on Snopes.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Mas Selamat escape route

When Mas Selamat escaped from Whitley Detention Centre, he activated a sleeper I cell to provide a getaway car....

It was the first time the young driver met the famous leader and he was eager to help. He asked Mas where he wanted to go so that he could further The JI Cause.
"Why don't you go overseas? We'll sneak you onto a flight to Indonesia. They won't extradite you there.... I can propose our 2 regional carriers - SIA is still number 1 because Security Is Absent. But MAS is giving it a good run for its money because MAS is also Mana Ada Security!""

No, I'm afraid of flying. I want to stay in the car. I also wanna go to Malaysia because they are all expecting me.""How so?"

"Every town has erected a sign announcing Selamat DATANG."

"Indeed! I had not noticed. You are truly a Leader... Which route shall we take?"

"That's easy. First we head west on the Balek Kampong Expressway (BKE), then we switch over to the SLE."

"Understood. But, remind me, what does SLE stand for?"

"Singapore 's Latest Embarrassment"

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Have you heard of YingLing?

Can't sleep? Are these the problems you are facing right now?

1) Your children are always arguing, disobedient and disrespectful.
2) You and your spouse argue over the slightest issue.
3) Yours or your spouse's business is not doing well.
4) You are indecisiveness and always contradicting yourself.
5) You are indifferent to the wellbeing of your children.
6) Your family members are plagued with ailments and problems one after another.

Try to recall when your problem started. If it is not too long after your first or second child and you have lost a baby or aborted one in your life, it may well be the presence of yingling (嬰靈). This is what I have discovered from The New Straits Times article, Restless Souls, by Chai Mei Ling.

Yingling or ghost of the foetus can cause disharmony in your family because they are envious of siblings who live on and enjoy life while they cannot move on and be reincarnated. Can anything be done to appease these young souls if you have one lingering on in your life?

According to Taoist master and feng shui practitioner, Yu Even, the YingLing is not being vicious but is actually sending an SOS signal to it's parents that it needs help to move on to the next realm.

She said that YingLing do not have as much wisdom as a full grown human to be qualified for reincarnation. She is able to appease and arm them with more wisdom by performing a ritual of sending them off in a boat.

Some temples offer ceremonies to placate YingLing and there is one in Taipei that also offers the service online. Read more about it and the experiences of people who used this service on Taipei Times.

Car insurance claim voided

This message was posted by a resident in my neighbourhood and is a true story.

================================================================
CAR INSURANCE CLAIM VOID...
PLEASE READ STORY. BEWARE !!!
This is a real story, my nephew told me, & I would like to share with all
of you. Be careful, if u hv the habit of sending yr car for car wash or
similar matter (car jockey etc) while in shopping complex...

Two weeks ago my nephew sent his Toyota Harrier for car wash in the car
park of Bangsar Shopping Complex while he had an appointment there. He
handed the car keys to the car wash people n left the car park for his
appointment.

After the appointment he went to collect his car, & the car wash people
told him that his car had been collected. How CAN??? After a prolonged
argument without any results, he had no choice, but to make a police
report... n follow up by insurance claim...

Insurance company rejected his claim 'cos the reason is the car was not
stolen, the point of contention was why did he hand over the car keys to
someone unknown, n why did he not wait there till the car washing was
finished...???

So, be careful next time. If u really need to send yr car for car wash,
better stay there and wait for yr car, if not, this may happen to you...


ALWAYS GET AN OFFICIAL RECIEPT LIKE YOU DO WHEN YOU SENT YOUR CAR FOR
SERVICING AT HONDA, PROTON, TOYOTA... DON'T PLAY THE FOOL.

Pls forward this msg to your all your friends to warn all of them...

 

Monday, March 17, 2008

Meat is Murder. Tasty, Tasty Murder

Would members of "People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals" (PETA) love this T-shirt design?

Meat is Murder. Tasty, Tasty Murder - Threadless, Best T-shirts Ever

Maybe, Mike Doughney, the Editor of "People Eating Tasty Animals", would.

Can't decide where you stand? Take a look at how meat are processed and then learn how eating it can affect your health.



Like to share such videos with your friends? You can find many more on PETA Video Archive. And, if any of your friends do not have internet access, try checking out the Buddhist Centre near you to see if they have free distribution of the book "Meat the Chief Assailant of Human's Body", complied by Soon Guo-Sen. I got my copy from Sungai Long Buddhist Society.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Why, Why, Why,

Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are getting dead?

Why do banks charge a fee on "insufficient funds" when they know there is not enough money?

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

Why do they use sterilized needles for death by lethal injection?

Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?

Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

Whose idea was it to put an "S" in the word "lisp"?

If people evolved from apes,
why are there still apes?

Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white?

Is there ever a day that mattresses
are not on sale?

Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized?

Why do people keep running over a string a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the vacuum one more chance?

Why is it that no plastic bag will open from the end on your first try?

How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light fixtures?

When we are in the supermarket and someone rams our ankle with a shopping cart then apologizes for doing so, why do we say, "It's all right?" Well, it isn't all right, so why don't we say, "That really hurt, why don't you watch where you're going?"

Why is it that whenever you attempt to catch something that's falling off the table you always manage to knock something else over?

In winter why do we try to keep the house as warm as it was in summer when we complained about the heat?

How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?

And my FAVORITE......
The statistics on sanity is that one out of every four persons are suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best friends -- if they're okay, then it's you.

~~~Now send this on to your friends and make them smile too!~~~

**** A day without a smile is like a day without sunshine!****

Lost your bag? What's next?

My bag has been snatched before so I know the anxiety my friend must be going through when she called to inform me that she has lost her bag. So, what should one do when you lost your bag? These are the things I did:

1) Try to recall what you have kept in your bag. Are the keys to your house in it? If they are consider changing your locks since the thief will have the address to your house just by looking at your identification card in your wallet.

2) Call relevant banks to inform them that your ATM and credit cards have been stolen.

3) Make a police report as you will need it to have MyKad re-issued. Some police stations (eg, Bandar Sungai Long) require you to go to another station (Kajang) to have your report stamped and recorded in their system. To save time, go to that station directly so that you do not have to go through the process twice. You can find the addresses of Police Stations in all states in Malaysia by doing a search on myGov Directory. I prefer to use Malaysia Central to find useful information on MyKad, such as:

How to apply
Where to apply to find a location most convenient for you. For those living withing Kajang, this is the place to go to:

Jabatan Perdaftaran Malaysia (Kajang)
Tingkat 3
Complex Hentian Kajang
Jalan Reko
43000 Kajang
Selangor
Tel : 03-87338936 / 4520

Here is a map to this location.

If you do not want to be charged by banks for replacement cards follow up by calling them to enquire where you can fax a copy of the police report with your request not to charge.

Warren Buffet - The Joys of a Simple Life

Have read this a few times and it's always good to read this again to remind us that to be happy, life doesn't have to be so complicated.

There was a one hour interview on CNBC with Warren Buffet, the second richest man who has donated $31 billion to charity. In the following are some very interesting aspects of his life.

# He bought his first share at age 11 and he now regrets that he started too late!
o Things were very cheap that time.
o Encourage your child to invest.

# He bought a small farm at age 14 with savings from delivering newspapers.

* One could have bought many things with little savings.
* Encourage your children to start some kind of business.

# He still lives in the same small 3-bedroom house in mid-town Omaha that he bought after he got married 50 years ago. He says that he has everything he needs in that house. His house does not have a fence/wall.

* Don't buy more than what you "really need" and encourage your children to do and think the same.

# He drives his own car everywhere and does not have a driver or security people around him.

* You are what you are.

# He never travels by private jet although he owns the world's largest private jet company.

* Always think of how you can accomplish things economically.

# His company, Berkshire Hathaway owns 63 companies. He writes only one letter each yearto the CEOs of this companies giving them goals for the year. He never holds meetings or calls them on a regular basis.

* Assign the right people to do the right jobs.

# He has given his CEOs only two rules:

1. Do not lose any of your shareholder's money.
2. Do not forget Rule #1.

* Set goals and make sure people focus on them.

# He does not socialize with the high society crowd, His past time after he gets home is to make himself some popcorn and watch TV.

* Don't try to show off. Just be yourself and do what you enjoy doing.

# Warren Buffet does not carry a cellphone nor does he have a computer on his desk.
# Bill Gates, the word's richest man met him for the first time only 5 years ago. Bill Gates did not think he had anything in common with Warren Buffet so he scheduled the meeting for only half an hour. But when Gates met him, the meeting lasted for ten hours and Bill Gates became a devotee of Warren Buffet.

His advice to young people:

* Stay away from credit cards (bank loans) and invest in yourself. Remember:
o Money doesn't create man but it is the man who creates money.
o Live your life as simply as you are.
o Don't do what others say. Just listen to them but do what you feel is good.

# Don't go for brand names. Just wear those things in which you feel comfortable.
# Don't waste your money on uneccesary things. Spend it on who is really in need rather.
# After all, it's your life. Why give other's the chance to rule our life.

The HAPPIEST people DO NOT neccesarily have the BEST of all.
They simply APPRECIATE what they find on their way.

Let us choose the way to live.

Failure make success!

To succeed in business or life we must continually take remedial actions. Putting yourself on the line day after day can be extremely draining, especially when things do not work out as desired. Hence, each time a disappointing event happens, I like to get reminded of these famous failures:

Bill Gates founder and chairman of Microsoft, has literally changed the work culture of the world in the 21st century, by simplifying the way computer is being used. He was the world's richest man for more than one decade. However, in the 1970's before starting out, he was a Harvard University dropout. The most ironic part is that, he started a software company (that was soon to become Microsoft) by purchasing the software technology from "someone" for only $US50 back then.

Abraham Lincoln received no more than 5 years of formal education throughout his lifetime. When he grew up, he joined politics and had 12 major failures before he was elected the 16th President of the United States of America.

Isaac Newton was the greatest English mathematician of his generation. His work on optics and gravitation made him one of the greatest scientists the world has even known. Many thought that Isaac was born a genius, but he wasn't! When he was young, he did very poorly in grade school, so poor that his teachers became clueless in improving his grades.

Ludwig van Beethoven, a German composer of classical music, is widely regarded as one of history's supreme composers. His reputation has inspired – and in many cases intimidated – composers, musicians and audiences who were to come after him. Before the start of his career, Beethoven's music teacher once said of him "as a composer, he is hopeless". And during his career, he lost his hearing yet he managed to produce great music – a deaf man composing music, ironic isn't!

Thomas Edison who developed many devices that greatly influenced life in the 20th century. Edison is considered one of the most prolific inventors in history, holding 1,093 U.S patents to his name. When he was a boy his teacher told him he was too stupid to learn anything. When he set out on his own, he tried more than 9,000 experiments before he created the first successful light bulb.

The Woolworth Company was a retail company that was one of the original five-and-ten- cent stores. The first Woolworth's store was founded in 1878 by Frank Winfield Woolworth and soon grew to become one of the largest retail chains in the world in the 20th century. Before starting his own business, Woolworth got a job in a dry goods store when he was 21. But his employer would not let him serve any customer because he concluded that Frank "didn't have enough common sense to serve the customers".

By acclamation, Michael Jordon is the greatest basketball player of all time. A phenomenal athlete with a unique combination of grace, speed, power, artistry, improvisational ability and an unquenchable competitive desire. Jordan single-handedly redefined the NBA superstar. Before joining NBA, Jordan was just an ordinary person, so ordinary that was he was removed from the high school basketball team because of his "lack of skill".

Walter Disney was American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor and animator. One of the most well-known motion picture producers in the world, Disney founded a production company. The corporation, now known as The Walt Disney Company, makes average revenue of US $30 billion annually. Disney started his own business from his home garage and his very first cartoon production went bankrupt. During his first press conference, a newspaper editor ridiculed Walt Disney because he had no good ideas in film production.

Winston Churchill failed the 6th grade. However, that never stopped him to work harder! He strived and eventually became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. Churchill is generally regarded as one of the most important leaders in Britain and world history. In a poll conducted by the BBC in 2002 to identify the "100 Greatest Britons", participants voted Churchill as the most important of all.

Steven Spielberg is an American film director. He has won 3 Academy Awards and ranks among the most successful filmmakers in history. Most of all, Steven was recognized as the financially most successful motion picture director of all time. During his childhood, Spielberg dropped out of junior high school. He was persuaded to come back and was placed in a learning-disabled class. He only lasted a month and then dropped out of school forever.

Albert Einstein was a theoretical physicist widely regarded as the most important scientist of the 20th century. He was awarded the 1921 Nobel Prize for Physics for his explanation of the photoelectric effect in 1905 and "for his services to Theoretical Physics". However, when Einstein was young, his parents thought he was mentally retarded. His grades in school were so poor that a teacher asked him to quit, saying, "Einstein, you will never amount to anything!"

In 1947, one year into her contract, Marilyn Monroe was dropped by 20th Century-Fox because her producer thought she was unattractive and could not act. That didn't deter her at all! She kept on going and eventually she was recognized by the public as the 20th century's most famous movie star, sex symbol and pop icon.

John Grisham's first novel was rejected by sixteen agents and twelve publishing houses. He went on writing and writing until he became best known as a novelist and author for his works of modern legal drama. The media has coined him as one of the best novel authors even alive in the 21st century.

Henry Ford's first two automobile companies failed. That did not stop him from incorporating Ford Motor Company and being the first to apply assembly line manufacturing to the production of affordable automobiles in the world. He not only revolutionized industrial production in the United States and Europe, but also had such influence over the 20th century economy and society. His combination of mass production, high wages and low prices to consumers has initiated a management school known as "Fordism". He became one of the three most famous and richest men in the world during his time.

Soichiro Honda was turned down by Toyota Motor Corporation during a job interview as "engineer" after World War Two. He continued to be jobless until his neighbours starting buying his "home-made scooters". Subsequently, he set out on his own to start his own company. Honda. Today, the Company has grown to become the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer and one of the most profitable automakers - beating giant automaker such as GM and Chrysler. With a global network of 437 subsidiaries, Honda develops, manufactures and markets a wide variety of products ranging from small general-purpose engines and scooters to specialty sports cars.

Akio Morita, founder of giant electric household products, Sony Corporation, first product was an electric rice cooker, only sold 100 cookers (because it burned rice rather than cooking). Today, Sony generates US$66 billion in revenue and ranked as the world's 6th largest electronic and electrical company.

Three things in life to remember

Three things in life that, once gone, never come back

1. Time

2. Words

3. Opportunity

Three things in life that can destroy a person

1. Anger

2. Pride

3. Unforgiveness

Three things in life that you should never lose

1. Hope

2. Peace

3 Honesty

Three things in life that are most valuable

1. Love

2. Family & Friends

3. Kindness

Three things in life that are never certain

1. Fortune

2. Success

3. Dreams

Three things that make a person

1. Commitment

2. Sincerity

3. Hard work

Character or reputation? Which is important?

Be more concerned with your character
than your reputation,
because your character is what you really are,
while your reputation
is merely what others think you are.

HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY !

Friday, March 14, 2008

20-20-20

I do not know if the exercises here will help improve your vision but you can always check your visual acuity after a period of time with this Snellen Chart most opticians use.

I discovered this chart from Macular Degeneration Support. If you have elderly at home with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) of the retina, you will find the audio/visual library there very useful.
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These exercises are suggested by an eye doctor.

It is apt for all of us, who spend long hours at our desks, looking at the
computer screen. I Thought I'd share it with you. 20-20-20


Step I :-


After every 20 minutes of looking into the computer screen, turn your head
and try to look at any object placed at least 20 feet away. This changes
the focal length of your eyes, a must-do for the tired eyes.


Step II :-


Try and blink your eyes for 20 times in succession, to moisten them.


Step III :-


Time permitting of course, one should walk 20 paces after every 20 minutes
of sitting in one particular posture. Helps blood circulation for the
entire body.


Circulate among your friends if you care for them and their eyes. They say
that your eyes are the mirror of your soul, so do take care of them, They
are priceless................

PANADOL

Before you reach out for painkillers, such as, Panadol, consider drinking 1 cup of isotonic drink mixed with 1 cup of water. This writer shared with us her reasons.
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My husband was working in a hospital as an IT engineer, as the hospital is planning to set up a database of its patient. And he knows some of the doctor quite well. The doctors used to tell him that whenever they have aheadache, they are not willing to take PANADOL PARACETAMOL.

In fact, they will turn Herbal Medicine or find other alternatives.This is because Panadol is toxic to the body, and it harms the liver.According to the doctor, Panadol will reside in the body for at least 5 years. And

according to the doctor, there used to be an incident where an air stewardess consumes a lot of Panadol during her menstrual as she needs to stand all the time. She's now in her early 30's, and she needs to wash her kidney (DIALYSIS) every month.

As said by the doctor that whenever we have a headache, that's because it is due to the electron / Ion imbalance in the brain.As an alternative solution to cope with this matter, they suggested that we buy 1 or 2 cans of isotonic drink ( eg.100PLUS ), and mix it with drinking water according to a ratio of 1:1 or 1:2 (simply, it means one cup 100plus, one cup water or 2 cups water).My husband and I have tried this on several occasions, and it seems to work well.

Another method will be to submerge your feet in a basin of warm water so that it brings the blood pressure down from your throbbing head.

As Panadol is a pain killer, the more Panadol you take, the lesser would be your threshold for pain (your endurance level for pain). We all will fall ill as we age, for woman, we would need to go through childbirth.

Imagine that we had spent our entire life popping quite a substantial amount of Panadol (Pain Killer) when you need to have a surgery or operation, you will need a much more amount of general.If you have a very high intake of Panadol throughout your life (Migraine,Menstrual cramps ) it is very likely that normal general anesthetic will have no effects on you as your body is Pumped full with Panadol and your body is so used to pain killer that you would need a much stronger pain killer, Morphine????

The thought is scary enough to turn me to Herbal Medicine or other healthier alternative. Value your health, value your life, THINK TWICE before you easily pop that familiar pill into your mouth again.

Please don't always take PANADOL.

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It is not just Panadol that can be harmful to the liver. There are other painkillers like NSAID (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) which is found in Aspirin, Ibuprofen and many cold and allergy preparations. As long as we put any chemicals in our body, the liver will work to clean them out.

Friday, March 7, 2008

Are you a landmine and reckless driver?

If you cannot trust your children to follow your rules and instructions, then have them read "Lying Is Like Reckless Driving" posted on Character Counts.

The writer, Micheal Josephson, wrote that when you are not caught for reckless driving you are lucky and no one will be hurt. However, it is an irresponsible action as it endangers human life. Lies are just as bad as it can endanger human relationships. The more you lie, the easier it becomes. It can turn habitual.

He also added that like land mines, lies can stay dormant but, sooner or later, they will explode, damaging both your credibility and reputation. You generate suspicion and distrust and deprive the victim truthful information needed to make sensible decisions. So, lying is being disrespectful and is not a healthy basis for any relationship.

Love this? There are many more thought provoking, character building articles by Micheal Josephson that you can read about. I also love this article, "A Child's Compulsive Lying" by Dr. Timothy Quek. For ease of reading and follow up, I have created a table with his points.

You can also try playing the Tumble Down Game with your children to remind them to be mindful of their actions.

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Search. Find. Watch TV on the Internet

I posted my grouse about Astro increasing their subscription fees and discovered that there are many websites I can go to for free programmes. Here is a movie or video search engine that I came across by chance.

At Find Internet TV, if you want to watch a particular TV programme, all you have to do is type in the name of the show and click search and it will display a number of sites where the same has been posted. Just click on the link to the websites that you are comfortable with.

I am not done with Astro yet. Do you think it is fair that as a subscriber, you have to fill in AstroView Magazine Subscription Form to receive a COMPLIMENTARY copy of Astro's new TV entertainment magazine until February 2009?

As I fill in this form, I wonder what has my financial status and the number and type of electronic appliances in my home got to do with this subscription. They even expect you to note how many people are in the house and rate the programmes each and everyone at home like to watch. I feel that it is like buying an electrical item and being told that I have to fill in a personal data and privacy invasive form for its manual to work it correctly.

What do you think?

Tale of Two Brains

A humorous explanation of how male and female brains are different by Mark Gungor. The entire DVD can be ordered from www.laughyourway.com.
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Wednesday, March 5, 2008

McAfee SiteAdvisor Plug-in for Firefox

If you are worried that your children will browse websites they are not supposed to and find it difficult to monitor them, then it is time you install McAfee SiteAdvisor Plug-in for Firefox. So, what can this free download do for you?

When your kids conduct searches on Google, Yahoo! or MSN, SiteAdvisor's safety ratings will appear next to their search results. So, all you have to do is tell them to click on links of websites that have a big green tick (√) beside its link and avoid sites with a yellow exclamation mark (!). There is a question mark (?) for sites they have not checked and if you want these looked up, SiteAdvisor will help you too.

And don't worry about remembering what each mark means. When you point at it with your cursor, a McAfee Site Advisor box will appear to tell you what it is about.

To be able to use this service, you have to use Firefox as your web browser. If you are not already using it, you can download it free from Mozilla.

Can't trust your kids to follow your instruction? I am sure I can find an answer to that somewhere and you bet, I will write about it.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Astro subscription fees up again!

When we subscribed to the full package offered by Astro, the children used to fight over which cartoon channel to watch over. To redeem peace at home and get the children to watch educational programme, we dropped the Fun Programme, where all the cartoon characters reside.

Finally the adults in the house have a chance to lay their hands on the remote control and save some on subscription fee until Astro increased their fees again. If they keep doing that we will have to find other ways to watch programme we enjoy.

See what I have discovered over the internet.

Free Movies Cinema where you can watch movies, fanfilms, clips, videos & flicks, series, cartoons and documentaries online for free.

Most of the (porn free) videos on Mo2 Mesh are hosted by Free Video Hosting sites like Veoh / Youtube / Stage6, etc, and if they suffer from huge traffic, your loading time can be slow. You can also be a free member to make request for movies you want to watch or submit your own.

You can watch free movies and documentaries online for free, including free public domain movies fallen out of copyright at Movies Found On Line.

For original classic, full-length, motion pictures produced over the last century, go to Free Movies Entertainment Magazine. You can also watch and download video clips TV shows and others.

Open Flix is a resource for public domain movies and licensed material including a directory of freely distributable films.

Public Domain Movie Torrents hosts a wide variety of movies now in the public domain that you can download for free using BitTorrent technology.

Internet Archive described itself as a digital library of internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form.

Are these websites safe? Yes, I have checked them out on Site Advisor.

Useful Directories

I received a mini size Yellow Pages from my sister recently. It is published by Telekom Malaysia in glove box size so that you can keep it in your car. I love the maps, general emergency and statutory board numbers they have printed in the first few pages of the directory.

If you like to shop when you are traveling, check out World Yellow Pages to locate shops you would be interested in ahead of the trip.

Where can you store your list of shops and places you can go to? Start a blog about it. Here is what I did to my list of things to do in Singapore. Very handy for my ex colleagues overseas who travel over for the Singapore Airshow bi-yearly.

Monday, March 3, 2008

Bank ATM's Converted to Steal IDs of Bank Customers (True)

Snopes confirmed that this incident happened to a Brazilian bank. There are reported cases of frauds using similar hi-tech techniques from Canada, United States and Malaysia.
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A team of organized criminals are installing equipment on legitimate bank ATM's in at least 2 regions to steal both the ATM card number and the PIN. The team sits nearby in a car receiving the information transmitted wirelessly over weekends and evenings from equipment they install on the front of the ATM (see photos). If you see an attachment like this, do not use the ATM and report it immediately to the bank using the phone on the front of the ATM.

The equipment used to capture your ATM card number and PIN are cleverly disguised to look like normal ATM equipment. A 'skimmer' is mounted to the front of the normal ATM card slot that reads the ATM card number and transm its it to the criminals sitting in a nearby car.

At the same time, a wireless camera is disguised to look like a leaflet holder and is mounted in a position to view ATM PIN entries.

The thieves copy the cards and use the PIN numbers to withdraw thousands from many accounts in a very short time directly from the bank ATM.
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To view pictures of this write up, go to Snopes

Put the needle on the record.

My children have not used a vinyl record player before. I wonder what they will think of if I said "Put the needle on the record"....

Put The Needle On The Record - Threadless, Best T-shirts Ever

Gong bananas? Read this.

Do not know if this is a true report. My friend who emailed this is not in the banana business.
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A professor at CCNY for a physiological psych class told his class about bananas. He said the expression 'going bananas' is from the effects of bananas on the brain. Read on:

Never, put your banana in the refrigerator!!!
This is interesting. After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again.

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking & Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels.. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, 'A banana a day keeps the doctor away!'

PASS IT ON TO YOUR FRIENDS
PS: Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time!

I will add one here: want a quick shine on your shoes? Take the INSIDE of the banana skin, and rub directly on the shoe....polish with dry cloth. Amazing fruit !!!

Talk about morality? Use your middle finger.

I have discovered a new way to promote environmental awareness with the help of my fingers. While talking to my children about the cause and effects of their actions and how it can affect others and the environment, I realised that I can also use my fingers to teach about morality.

A cheating spouse, represented by the index finger, can be reminded that his or her actions can affect the partner, which is represented by the middle finger. Move the middle finger and you will see that the ring finger and little finger will move along with it. Can you see the consequences of adultery through your fingers?



The marriage (ring finger) and the children (little finger) will be affected.

Look at your thumb. It looks like someone of authority; a good support system to lead one on the right path. If you are in an extramarital relationship, let the thumb reminds you to seek a marriage counselor.



For the religiously-inclined, let your thumb reminds you of a higher self who will be ever present watching over you and your actions. Say your prayers and be blessed and guided towards the right directions.

Hmmm...., what other body parts can I use as my teaching aid?

Lingam's Devil Curry

Made in Malaysia and funny lah.
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Who is Lingam? Read what Malaysiakini reported about him in SPECIAL REPORT: The Lingam tape. For more of such local flavours, go to Comedy Court.