CRIZ'S SANCTUARY

WHY MORE ENGLISH TEACHERS ARE TAKING OPTIONAL RETIREMENT?

2009-02-21T00:04:00.002+08:00

I wondered what had happened to the mentality and maturity of kids nowadays. Were they exposed to the world of technology and internet way too early for their age or was the influence of television programs gave them such an imaginative state of mind? I too would have opted for an early retirement if I were to constantly face with the challenge of correcting their English essays.

Why would I say so? Just look at how a student in Hong Kong would have written based on a given topic such as “At a department store”. This essay got me banging my head against the wall as it was way too hilarious! This is just one of the many sample essays one would expect from a student. Could you imagine seeing three languages such as English, Japanese and Chinese written as an English assignment? No wonder it’s getting harder to get people to be trained in the teaching profession, especially in the language category.

Please read the below two attachments and tell me if you think that the children of today fantasize more compared to us when we were still schooling. Click on the individual attachment to view a larger version.

I just hope the English teachers here would not have to go through this type of stress level… Pray hard! Haha!

SHARING ANYTHING WITHIN THE SOCIAL NETWORK

2009-02-13T13:11:00.001+08:00

There are a few things that I would love to share with my friends and those would be having a great family of cats, restaurants that I had visited and recipes. When I have these wonderful things to share with the whole world, where would I go to? Other than a limited friend list in my blogrolls, I would share them in Acobay. You might have heard about MySpace, Friendster and Facebook but Acobay is totally different from them. They are a unique social network site where members would be well connected to share their interests and get personal.

There would be news of the hot five and top ten searches within the network. You could also click on the many categories available based on your interests such as Auto Accessories & Tools, Automobiles, Cameras, Cell Phones, Computers, Home Appliances,Home Audio, Media Players, PC Accessories & Peripherals, Software, Sports & Outdoors, Tools & Equipment, TV & Home Theater, Watches, Books, Games, Magazines, Movies & TV, Music, Musical Instruments, Pets, Toys, Websites, Destinations, Hotels, Restaurants or just anything that you would like to share under the sky or out of this universe.

This is definitely a great site to explore, show and network. Not only did I get better blog traffics, I got to know many other wonderful members and new products through their social and consumer network. If I were you I would just go right into the Acobay website and join them today.

BAD HEAT WAVE IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

2009-02-07T13:44:00.000+08:00

There weather in SA has been so humid and dry over one week with more than 40 degrees Celsius daily. This has stirred a major concern for the southerners as any activities in the hot environment would cause body fluid loss and elevation of body temperature, leading to dehydrations, heat exhaustions and heat strokes. It was recommended that before exposing yourself to the outdoor heat, consume at least 500mls (2-3 glasses) and 200mls (1-2 glasses) every 15 minutes while outdoor.

It seemed not only human were affected by the heat wave, some animals too were affected, thus seeking salvation in cooler places. A friend of mine had just emailed me some cute photos. It was stated that a guy living at Maude received some amazing photos from his wife. A cute furry koala walked right up to his back porch for a bit heat relief. She had a bucket filled up and the koala did something amazing. I would too if I were to be under such heat… :)

HANDLING THE HANDLES

2009-01-23T02:23:00.002+08:00

When you are living in a house for a long period of time, your kitchen cabinets would have gone through the test of age. The knobs on the doors or the handles on the old drawers would have lost their shines and beauties. You could always get those cabinets replaced but then it would cost you a bomb. That would be such a bad idea during this period of time. Why not spruce up the beauty of those cabinets by giving them some fresh coats? You could always get some nice knobs and handles at affordable price at your nearest hardware store.

New knobs and handles can lend a fresh look and style to your kitchen cabinets, whether you have them repainted or cleaned up. If you have one of those contemporary Asian end cabinets with iron handles, you could always varnish it to bring it back to life. I’m sure you could find some great choice of handles to replace those iron handles which had gone dull with use and age.

There’s one important thing to take note when shopping for new knobs and handles, that is to remove one and carry with your when shopping. That would save you time and effort to find one that could fit perfectly to your existing screwed holes. Just in case you fell in love with some knobs and handles of different styles and sizes, do not get panic. You can compensate by filling the old holes with wood filler. When the filler dries, sand smoothes the surface and repaint that area to make the patch less conspicuous. It’s an easy job and you could save a lot by being a handy person.

INTERNET DISRUPTIONS ACROSS ASIA

2008-12-27T17:10:00.003+08:00

The internet and telecommunications between Asia and Europe was reportedly cut down (by most probably trawler nets) between Italy and Egypt in the Mediterranean Sea causing a major outcry for many internet users especially those who rely heavily on the website traffics. Businesses, especially those online ones, call centers, BPOs and others are likely to be badly hit by this outage, which were already undergoing severe economic downfall these days.

At this moment, most of the Asian countries are still experiencing slow browsing, poor throughput and high latency problems as the submarine cables known as SE-ME-WE3, SE-ME-WE4 and FLAG got damaged as early as 19 December 2008 and there were no time frame set for the restoration of all the three damaged cables. It was unclear how long the repairs would be back to normal as the cables might have been trawled many kilometers away from their normal positions and relocating them could be hard tasks. Once located, the cables would be brought to the surface and repair fiber by fiber and it could take days due to their huge sizes.

Bloomberg reported that priority will be to recover the SEA-ME-WE 4 cable, then the SEA-ME-WE 3 cable. There was information from France Telecom that SMW4 could be operating by Dec. 25 and that the situation for SMW3 should be back to normal by Dec. 31. The SMW4 cable, also known as SEA-ME-WE 4 or South East Asia- Middle East-Western Europe 4 cable network, connects 12 countries: Pakistan, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Italy and France. A third line, operated by FLAG Telecom, was also cut and will be repaired by another ship. No date was stated for its restoration.

BOLT – THE SUPER DOG

2008-12-22T00:24:00.002+08:00

Bolt is a all-white German Shepherd who had lived all his life on the set of a TV show in which he portrayed a superhero dog. As a result he thought that his superpowers were for real. Accidentally, he got separated from the studio and was left stranded in the Nevada desert. He then met Mittens, a female alley cat who bullies pigeons out of their food and a hamster named Rhino, a huge Bolt fan. Along the way, he learns that he doesn't have superpowers and that the show was not realistic.

What will happen next? Is life outside the stage easy for Bolt, knowing that he’s not a superhero dog after all? Does Penny, Bolt’s owner really love him? How did Mittens and Rhino help Bolt in getting back to the studio? Don’t forget to bring your family over to the cinema to watch another rated-PG Walt Disney Animation Studios' computer-animated film this coming season.

THE MIRACLES OF MY KITCHEN PRODUCTS

2008-12-10T20:51:00.002+08:00

Whipping up something delicious and presentable will not be easy if you do not have the necessary kitchen utensils to assist you. Just look at the example of the Ms Orange Tomato Head I did for the 3rd Penang Floggers Potluck Gathering last weekend. I would not have carved out such a creative composition without my favorite carving knives set. Moreover those tiny little cherry tomatoes needed a small slit to stuff in some nutmeg strips.

If you study carefully at one of the dishes served which is the Spicy Chicken & Abalone Salad, you would see that there has been a lot of fine slicing of ingredients such as kaffir lime leaves, shallots, wood ear fungus, ginger flower and more. Thanks to my Japan made Kyocera Slicing knife that made my life easier. Without its sleek and ultra sharp blade, it would take me hours just to get those ingredients sliced to my preferred size.

Many people would think that by getting a daily use knife can make wonders in all type of situations. You are wrong. Each knife has its own usage when it comes to cutting, slicing, chopping or even carving. I bought mine through one of the online shops and those knives have been serving me for years without any disappointment at all. I guessed it pays to get the best amongst the rest.

SIMPLE YET ELEGANT HOME IMPROVEMENTS – PART 1

2008-11-29T00:50:00.001+08:00

Are you planning to move to a new house? With the increasing of world population, sooner or later there would be limited spaces left for a household of few members. What could you do if you were to have only a 700 sq. ft. built-up area for your house? How about the budget? I’m sure most people by then would love simplicity and yet getting the elegant state-of-the-art feeling of a home. After all, most people would hate cleaning up a messy house with lots of items scattered around right?

What would you do if you were a high tech person and admire all the latest gadgets and features in the technological world? Would you die to have this feature as your window? Not only are the posters printed beautifully, it has thousands of mini holes to let the sunlight in. I wonder if Bill Gates is having this in his house too. Haha!

The most important part of a house is the bedroom, where you would spend the most hours after a hard day of work. Sometimes you might even want to work on some schedules in preparation for the next day, but space might be a problem. With limited spaces, you can either work on your projects or sleep but you can’t do both at the same time. What would you do then? Would features like this help? I’m sure it would.

Dining room is another place where most of us would spend time together as a family. We have our breakfast, lunch, dinner and whatever other meals there. Would you want to have a square or round table which is so boring? Why not own something that’s creative and would brighten up the day prior or coming back from a hectic day of work? Would you go for this?

There are so many things we can do to make our house feel more homely. Limited space is not an issue if we put on our thinking hat to make it possible. I will talk more on other areas of the house soon. Do look out for Home Improvements Part 2.

FREE REGISTRATION FOR MYBROADBAND WIFI

2008-11-10T02:40:00.003+08:00

MyBroadband WiFi is an initiative by the Ministry of Energy, Water, and Communication to increase the accessibility of Internet through the usage of broadband in Malaysia. This initiative will also enable the public to access key government's web presences, and e-government services at any of the WiFi locations. MyBroadband WiFi is implemented through a smart collaboration between the government, the community, and the Internet Service Providers (ISPs), whereby each party would contribute different resources to the initiative.

Incorporated as part of the Penang i-Land 2010 Masterplan, the project is designed to provide the necessary infrastructure to realize Penang as a fully connected state by 2010 with reliable, fast broadband and affordable network infrastructure. A few strategic districts such as Batu Ferringhi, Batu Maung, Bayan Baru, Bayan Lepas, Bukit Jambul, Bukit Mertajam, Gelugor, Gurney, Seberang Jaya, Sungai Ara, Sungai Dua, Sungai Nibong, Tanjung Bunga, Tanjung Tokong and Teluk Bahang have already had the service booted up. More districts in Penang as well as Kedah would be up soon.

If you would like to try out the FREE WIFI SERVICE, do register yourself an account at http://www.mybroadband.gov.my to be eligible to surf for free. If you would like to be a provider to make Penang’s dream to be fully connected by 2010, just log in the service provider form to sign yourself up.

THE DANGER IN PLASTICS

2008-10-27T22:54:00.002+08:00

It has been such a common practice in our daily life to use plastic ware to serve, to store and to put our drinks into it. Did you ever notice that there’s a triangular symbol with a number in it? Most people would just take that as an advice to recycle the used containers but what actually does the symbols meant? If you have the perception of the symbol being a recycle symbol, you better read in detail what I would be sharing below. The NUMBERS meant the CHEMICAL MAKE of the plastic products.

Study carefully each and every of the numbers. Here are the actual chemical terms for the numbers.

You should be watching out for No. 3, 6 and 7 as they are the worst. You should be aware that the chemicals used to produce these plastics can easily creep their ways into your food and drink. How many times have you heard your friends complaining about a drink in a plastic bottle that has the taste of plastic? Well, if you encounter such taste, do not take the drink, just throw it away. They are many cases that people would recycle those plastic bottles to refill their drinks for a long time. Have you ever thought that lower quality plastic bottles under different temperature would emit certain percentage of chemical compound into the drink? AVOID reusing plastic bottles by all means to protect your health.

There are also many cases where serving dishes are left in microwave ovens for reheating food or drinks. AVOID doing that! Although some of those plastics have labels stating that they are microwave safe. How safe are they then? I won’t know unless I check with the hospital on the statistics on cancer patients. If you want to heat up your food, do use ceramic or porcelain that has no metal linings. If you can, do try to use your wok to steam up your food. What about taking you meals on plastic plates or bowl? Due to wear and tear and through the test of time, throw them away. Can you imagine taking in your food with the extra “loose particles” from the badly scratched plastic plates and bowls? No wonder there is a wide concern about the increasing cases of cancer and kidney related sicknesses on the rise.

Who would not be aware about the recent cases of melamine contaminated products? It has caused consumers to be on alert on what type of food they can consume. Worst of all, innocent infants and animals get affected and thus causing them to die. What has happen to the mentality of those manufacturers? Isn’t life worth anything now? How could they bet on the lives of users by only thinking on making profit? So, be careful of what you eat, what you use and aware of what’s the best for you and your future generations. Here is what you should know about melamine poisoning:

ROAD MADNESS

2008-10-25T03:11:00.001+08:00

One look at these photos and it scared the hell out of me after having the haunted experience of ramming my car against the divider and railings of a new highway during one of my trips up to Cameron Highlands, Malaysia.

When I received these photos from my friend, I was wondering why would the government of such a country approve on such a wiggling road? Firstly, not everyone would be an expert in testing out roads of this kind, unless they are grand prix racers.

Secondly, with such a slope and if the weather was rather wet, won’t it add to the increasing statistic of having more accidents?

Thirdly, either the country must be real rich in resources or they have free flow of usage with the taxpayers’ money. Won’t it be easier to build a straight road rather than wasting more money on unnecessary building of roads.

Does that sound familiar? Haha… the world is getting weirder each day!

SECOND PENANG FLOGGER MEET

2008-09-25T22:53:00.001+08:00

MY DREAM VACATION TO THAILAND

2008-09-19T01:21:00.002+08:00

Mid way between Hua Hin town centre and the distinctive Takieb Mountain about 230KM south west of Bangkok, there is this resort that I have been dreaming of paying a visit. Let' s Sea Hua Hin AL Fresco Resort, a 4-star resort in Thailand has what it takes to make a vacation worthwhile. In fact it is one of the best in creating a memorable yet accessible escape for relaxation and some romance while barefooted along the wide fine sandy beach nearby.

There are all together 40 spacious retreats which consist of the Moon Deck Suite and the Studio Piers. There would be a mini garden upstairs where you can sit on the deck chair and enjoy the cool breezes while looking at the panoramic view to the beach.

I would definitely go for the Studio Piers suites as I would have easy access to the personal pier which has a canal like swimming pool.

Won’t you want to wake up first thing in the morning and walk out to the patio and there it is your own swimming pool right at your doorstep? I would surely like to visit this place during my next vacation. Won’t you? It is only as little as US$260 per day. :P

For further enquiries, please contact info.huahin@letussea.com

WHAT CAN 2 SEN DO NOWADAYS?

2008-09-03T02:11:00.001+08:00

With the implementation of Bank Negara Malaysia’s (BNM) Rounding Mechanism effective 1 April 2008, the total amount of a bill which ends in 1, 2, 6 and 7sen will be rounded down while the total bill which ends in 3, 4, 8 and 9sen will be rounded up to the nearest multiple of 5sen. Foe example RM70.01 and RM70.02 would be rounded down to RM70.00 whereas RM70.03 and RM70.04 would be rounded up to RM70.05. What surprised me was that I had received an unexpected letter last afternoon. I had received many types of bill before and this was the first time I saw this type of envelope.

I opened up the envelope curiously to find out there was a cheque for 2sen issued by Standard Chartered Bank on behalf of Maxis Mobile Services Sdn. Bhd. This is crazy! Having endless of problems with no solutions when I was subscribing to Maxis Wireless Broadband services for more than a year was already a dilemma, and now they have decided to pay me 2sen just because I had paid more? What has happened to the BNM’s Rounding Mechanism? I know this is the act of being professional and fair but this is just plain absurd!

I do not think I would be crazy enough to bank in that cheque attached as I would be the laughing stock of the bank tellers. Just study the envelope and the payment advice above. Postage is 30sen, window envelope is around RM1, two colored letterhead would be around 80sen, laser printing would be another 20sen or so. What about the processing charges by the bank (RM1) and the time of the staff to generate this report? Let just put it as a total of RM3.30 just to process a payment cheque of 2sen. I do not think I am the only one receiving this as there could be hundreds or maybe thousands from the millions of Maxis subscribers all over Malaysia receiving this as well. Can you imagine that each 100 persons receiving this and RM330 would be wasted for unnecessary payments? Each one thousand would lead to RM3300 of wastages.

I think the company will need to look into their accounting system seriously and abide to BNM’s rounding mechanism. This is an unnecessary wastage of the company’s funds although it might be a small figure to the company. I rather have them spending the amount in R&D to find ways to improve their services better. I might be a discontented user earlier but it does not mean that I would not want to see the company improve itself better for the benefit of other users.

MAMA MIA! THE MOVIE - ANOTHER PREMIERE SCREENING BY NUFFNANG

2008-08-21T13:58:00.003+08:00

Wow! Finally I will get to watch Mamma Mia! The Movie which will be screened this coming September 2008 in Malaysia. I have been waiting patiently for its release ever since I caught a glimpse of the trailer during one of my movie outings. The good news is that I can win a pair of tickets to the movie, courtesy of Nuffnang on the 22nd September 2008. Thanks again Nuffnang! For more information, check out Nuffnang's website.

This is the movie version of the blockbuster stage musical shown in Stockholm since 2005 and was seen by more than 30 million people in 170 cities and in eight different languages. Finally the movie version was released this July 2008. The storyline was about a bride, her mum and three possible dads on the enchanting Greek island of Kalokairi. Here’s the trailer of the movie.

Although ABBA’s music was between 1972 and 1982, it never got out of style and remained as one of the all time favorites in major radio playlists. I was even hooked further with their music after being in the liaison committee to get their tribute band, Voulez Vouz in for one of the charity projects based in USM, Penang, Malaysia in the early 90’s. You know what’s so great about their music? The beat and rhythm of all their songs were catchy and their romantic songs will make any hearts melt.

Another great actress in Mamma Mia! The Movie would be Meryl Streep. She started her acting career as early as 1975 on stage and eventually moved into televisions and films. She holds the record for the most Academy Award nominations of any actor (11 for Best Actress and 3 for Best Supporting Actress). Moreover, she also holds the record for actress with the most Golden Globe Awards, with six wins. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her next movie would be based on Julie Powell's memoir Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen, scheduled to be released in mid 2009.

Who won’t remember the charismatic face of former James Bond, Pierce Brosnan? He’s the lead actor in Mama Mia! The Movie. His cool but serious look and comical humor always brought out the best in his performance in any of his acting careers. From a stage acting career, he rose to popularity in the TV series, Remington Steele. Pierce is currently working on a new movie, The Ghost, a contemporary political thriller scheduled to be released some time in 2009.

DREAMZ ACHIEVED

2008-08-12T13:12:00.001+08:00

I was there in Genting last Sunday to watch the Dreamz. Thanks to AMBP for giving me the opportunity to make my dreams come true. The best part was that Genting management made my visit even better. Instead of sitting at the PS1 seats as allocated by them, my tickets were upgraded to VIP. Can you imagine the thrill and experience I had sitting at the first few rows just in front of the stage? The show was truly wonderful with their music being played by their live band.

As the opening, it started with two great illusionists (Italian, Loris Togni Alessandro and Spaniard, Enrique Polo) competing against each other for the love of one princess in a fantasy world. Featuring for the first time in Southeast Asia is a magnificent beast - the elusive white lion. Once thought to be a myth, the white lion first existed as whispered rumours in the wilderness of South Africa before finally being discovered in 1975. This highly elusive animal performs alongside the white tiger - possibly the most prized animal in modern times for its beautiful coat and stunning ice-blue eyes.

On top of that, there was also the colorful Belarus and Ukraine dancers, motorcycles stunts in The Globe of Death and some trapeze stunts by China’s Hua Chen Acrobatic Troupe.

Overall, Dreamz would great for those who had never watch any magic show live before and would like the experience of seeing the magnificent white lion and tiger up so close. You can call up the Genting Pavilion Box Office at 603-2718 1118 or book your ticket online through www.genting.com.my

WINNING SOME FOOD HAS NOT BEEN EASIER

2008-08-08T00:01:00.002+08:00

With the prices of things going up practically everyday, what is your solution to the problem? Do you just sit in front of the computer daily and play with games without worrying about the effect it will have on you or do you try to find ways to subsidize your next meal?

Well, with a little bit of time sacrificed to write a review on a restaurant, you might just be the lucky ones to win RM100 worth of food vouchers in a simple contest. Three prizes are up for grabs. Why not try out your luck in winning something? Don’t worry if you are not good in English as the contest would allow you to write in Mandarin as well. Just drop by the contest site and check out how you could join in the fun. Hurry up! The contest ends at midnight on 21 August 2008.

WOULD YOU BE CAUGHT LIVING IN IT?

2008-08-07T18:12:00.003+08:00

My friend sent me these photos on how our houses would look like in the future and I thought I might as well share them with you since those houses looked rather interesting. I must admit that some of the photos were photoshopped real professionally. It kept me wondering whether this will become a reality when the human population gets bigger. What would you think? Could you go to sleep at night and not to wonder if these houses would still be there the next morning?

DON'T WANT VISITORS? JUST UNHOOK THE CABLE. JUST MIGHT CATCH ON....

MOST PEOPLE USE TREES FOR A WINDBREAK…

CONSIDER THE PANIC IF YOU HEAR A BRANCH CRACK...

HOW DID THEY GET THAT CAR IN THERE?

LONG CLIMB AFTER A DAY'S WORK!

TREE BELOW... FLOWERS ABOVE....

NOT DURING HURRICANE SEASON, THANK YOU...

GOT A LITTLE PROBLEM WITH DAMPNESS AT YOUR HOUSE? START THINKING ABOUT THIS THEN...

I'VE HEARD OF PEOPLE'S BRIDGEWORK BUT THIS IS RIDICULOUS!

LET'S WORRY ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING LATER ON?

THE TOP ONE IS FOR THE PARENTS. THE LITTLE ONE IS FOR THE KIDS. THAT MIGHT GET POPULAR!

What a unique world we are living in! Who knows, it might just happen at the rate we are constructing building on practically all the lands we have now. I am wondering whether have anyone thought of moving to the moon yet? LOL!

NUFFNANG GIFT IDEAS CONTEST– ENSURING THE BEST FOR THEIR CHILDREN

2008-07-29T20:43:00.002+08:00

Building up a family filled with harmony, happiness and togetherness has not been easy for many married couple, especially when their children are growing up real fast. Through sheer luck or fate as I would always put it, I managed to know a wonderful couple, PapaJoneh and JPPMom who had struggled through the ups and downs of their ever hectic life to ensure that each and every single one of their children will get the best in their growing up years.

In line with Nuffnang Gift Ideas Contest, I do hope PapaJoneh and JPPMom will win a 12.1 megapixel, 3.7x optical zoom and beautifully crafted in pure space age titanium Canon Digital Ixus 960 IS to record some of the happiest growing up years of their children Josh, Presley and Preston. Moreover, it would be a great gift for his twins’ first birthday which will fall on the 10th August 2008. Happy 1st Birthday Presley and Preston!

The contest will end on 12th August 2008 and if you are a Nuffnanger, post up what you would like to give your fellow Nuffnanger. Who knows, your fellow Nuffnanger may stand a chance to win RealMart e-vouchers to experience online shopping. Entry form can be obtained from Realmart site.

REACHING OUT TO THE AUTISTIC CHILDREN

2008-07-28T13:58:00.001+08:00

Behind every beautiful angelic face of a child, some are born autistic for causes unknown. Autism is a profound life-long mental disability in which children are so withdrawn that they have difficulty in developing normal social and emotional relationships with the people around them and in understanding the world which they live in. The signs or symptoms of autism generally appear during early childhood. Autistic children, if unattended, can become so withdrawn that they have difficulty in developing normal social and emotional relationships with the people around them, and in comprehending and being fully aware of their environment as a result of their mental deficiencies. Normal development of communication is inhibited and speech is delayed or developed abnormally. As a result of this failure to cope with people and situations, the child is slow in play and social interaction. When the development of social skills is retarded, the autistic child appears to be odd in the areas of self-growth, family orientation and interaction in society.

An autistic child tends to resist change and is often upset when something new is introduced to him or her. Therefore, ritualistic use of objects, odd and repetitive behaviour, and obsession with objects are usual. More often than not, the child is hyperactive and does not know when to stop. Prolonged temper tantrums and screaming fits are very common.

Differences Between An Autistic Child And A Normal Child:

Thanks to the Lions Community service project, dedicated volunteers, public support and Lions family throughout Malaysia that The Association of Resource and Education for Autistic Children (REACh) was able to provide FREE SERVICES to the autistic children and their families since 1987 in Penang. From a small group of four children, the Centre is now offering FREE SERVICES to more than 55 children, ranging from 5 years old to 23 years old. Another Centre in Butterworth was opened in 1998 to meet the increasing needs of the northern region in Malaysia. This has enabled the Centre to help more children to achieve their developmental milestones.

With the commitment and dream to expand their services to more autistic children in the country, the Centre is requesting for donations in cash or kinds. You can sponsor a teacher program, or towards their building funds to relocate to a bigger premise to cater to their growing numbers and needs; or you could even donate educational materials and toys, musical instruments, stationeries, computers, and audio-visual materials for their daily usage. You can also contribute a sum of RM2000 (US$530) and above to support the work at the Centre annually, either by making a specific commitment to give contribution for a teacher’s salary or support the cost of maintaining and providing the services at the Centre.

For more information on how you can offer your services or donation in cash or kinds, please contact the following centre:

Association of Resource and Education for Autistic Children (REACh)
184 Jalan Bunga Cempaka,
Off Jalan Yeap Chor Ee,
11700 Bukit Gelugor, Penang,
West Malaysia.
Tel: 604-657 4357
Fax: 604-657 8315
Email: lrcac@pd.jaring.my
Website: www.lionsreach.net

I HAVE RECEIVED MY FREE DREAMZ TICKETS

2008-06-28T13:15:00.003+08:00

My TWO FREE TICKETS for the AMBP Dreamz Contest finally came today. I was jumping up and down with happiness as I thought that I will have to wait until the closing date on 1 August 2008 to get them. Now I have more time to plan carefully for my Genting Highlands trip.

It’s still not too late for you to submit your entry post. You can always refer to my “The Dreamz of My Life” post to get all the necessary answers and steps to join in this contest. You have up to 1 August 2008 to do so or until the TWO FREE TICKETS worth RM260 runs out.

Hurry to join now as there are still tens of double tickets to be won. This is a lifetime’s opportunity for you to watch white lions and tigers with your partner.

ARE FORUM DISCUSSIONS GETTING WAY OUT FROM REALITY?

2008-06-27T12:25:00.002+08:00

Forums can be great only if they are properly used for discussing problems, providing solutions and getting latest news but has the local forums especially those Chinese related ones maintained their dignity by ensuring truths in the news itself? Just an example from the recent case when the whole Penang state was put under alert when one of the forum users advised those people using the Penang Bridge to be careful as a ship had collided with the bridge. The news spread like a virus and the Penang state Government has a hard time in assuring the public that the Penang Bridge was safe to be used. The rumor also came out on the front page in many of the local dailies and the user has been banned from the forum.

What else is cooking in the forum now? Twister in Penang? In Bukit Jambul area? In fact, that is what another user has posted up now, even with a photo. Should I believe that the photo is not photoshopped? In my opinion, I do not and will not fall for the same old trick again. I was asking myself, if the news was real, why was there only a photo and not a series of photos?

I have checked through all the online local news and nothing was mentioned about the twister although it supposedly happened at around 2pm on 26 June 2008. By now, the news would have appeared in our local daily today, right? The second doubt was that how could a twister which promised a gloomy dark sky can still shine through some sunlight against the background buildings? I think the person who did that “touch up”, ought to consider all these aspects before even trying to fool people with false news.

Here are the two versions of the photos obtained from the forum. Do guessed out if these are the photos that can really convince the public.

SCARF LOGO COMPETITION

2008-06-03T21:27:00.002+08:00

For those who would like to try out their creativity, there is an ongoing logo competition on for the Society for Childcare Assistance/Relief (SCARF), Inc. SCARF is seeking a logo for their Not For Profit Organization. The Director, Janet Miller Ph.D, is hoping for a logo that reflects the core meaning of SCARF with a symbolic and visually appealing logo.

Mission Statement:
The mission of the Society for Childcare Assistance/Relief (SCARF), Inc is to assist workers and students with dependent children aged infant to 12 years of age with their financial ability to obtain quality childcare. SCARF, Inc, will achieve its mission by providing childcare tuition grants on a sliding scale basis, assisting clients in being informed of other vehicles for obtaining childcare assistance, helping them understand their own potential, and encouraging clients to pursue their own career excellence.

The Winner will be chosen by the Director and will receive $100 and sign a TRANSFER OF COPYRIGHT AGREEMENT. The name of the artist will be credited on the website and brochures.

For more information on the copyright agreement, please check Jafabrit’s blog.

Please send entries to jafagirlart@yahoo.com

THE DREAMZ OF MY LIFE

2008-05-31T03:49:00.002+08:00

Who is the professional image consultant dishing out juicy tips on how to look your best at CloveTWO.com's Lookin' Good section?
Answer: Wendy Lee

Name the bloggers at the Guy and Parent blogs.
Answers:
Guy: Andrew William
Parent: Sharmila Rajah

At which section do you find stories on women's fashion and beauty?
Answers: Style Sheet

Attending Dreamz would be a dream come true for me because it has been a childhood dream that I had yet to fulfill.

Never had I dreamt that the AMBP (All Malaysian Bloggers Project) would tie in with Genting – City of Entertainment and CloveTWO.com to give away 80 double passes (worth RM260 each and valid until 31 August 2008) for FREE to the latest extravaganza Dreamz Magic Show.

By just posting the Dreamz logo, the answers to the above questionnaires and sent your post link to Dream a little Dreamz, you will be entitled to TWO PASSES to the show itself in Genting. I am not going to delay further as the free tickets are going off fast. The sooner I get this done, the sooner I can confirm my places. It is a childhood dream that I would like to fulfill, what more with a white lion and tiger which I have never seen before.

You have up to 1 August 2008 to submit your post or until all tickets are taken up, whichever comes first. Check out AMBP’s site for more information as there are certain Rules and Regulations that you will need to abide.

MY CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION SCRIPT WAS PICKED

2008-05-10T00:08:00.001+08:00

Finally, the CCSI Little Production Studio had decided to use my script for their newest production scheduled to be released on 10 & 11 May 2008. Many of you may not know what CCSI stands for. CCSI means Cat/Canine Crime Scene Investigation. You did not read wrongly. It is all about furry animals dressed up in human forms and solving crime scenes cases. This is going to be yet another great production ever produced since the studio’s last two successful productions from last year onwards.

When would be the most appropriate time than to release it prior to Mothers’ Day which will fall on 11 May 2008. The latest production would be called CCSI III – The Missing Mummy Caper, written by yours truly from Malaysia, directed by Opus & Roscoe from Italy, produced by Sassy & her Little Productions Team from USA, and marketed by Momo from Australia. This production will feature many talented furry animals such as cats, dogs and bunny throughout the blogosphere.

Do not miss the opportunity to spend some value time with your mother this weekend while enjoying the story line of the case. Please make a mark on your calendar now. It is going to be aired for two consecutive days starting from 10 May 2008 at Sassy’s site.