As a Proud Malaysian

今天的馬來西亞氣氛很奇怪 奇怪大概是自己的心理作祟吧
因為明天會是馬來西亞的投票日 也就是大選
早個幾年我大概不可能知道自己有一天會這麼政治"熱感"
甚至過去除了安華我歷任副首相有誰都不知道
可是現在我可以對許多選區的候選人名字面孔政黨瞭如指掌
還參加了三場政治講座 看過我其中敬佩的雪州議長鄧章欽 (決定忍著不再說他躺著都會贏) 曾經的副首相如今的反對黨領袖安華 還有公正黨署理主席 Azziz Ali (個人相當喜歡這人的風格管他甚麼種族) 等等不下十人...
每天用心看星洲 (你或許想問我這報紙怎麼還讀得下去 每翻兩頁就一大版BN/MCA/Najib 的新聞 這就是我厲害的地方 我都跳過與它們有關的新聞資訊廣告...) 還有追蹤facebook, tweeter 的消息
公平的說句 其實網絡上的極端人士很多 很不理智 很不humane (用華語我會說"不像人" 所以還是寫英語好) 也很野蠻... 事實的真相也不容易知道 就靠我們自己去判斷 而不是一味的吸收與憤怒批判... 不簡單 很不簡單...
但是許許多多的事實擺在我們的演前 卻不難讓我們發現 就算手中握有一票 也唯一在這個時候我們才像真正的"老闆" 可是面對黑暗的政治手段與 manipulations 我們能做的事情卻這麼的少...
感覺是多麼的無力
原本我並不想在這個時候寫有關大選的Blog 一方面我是個有話直說的人令一方面我不想被抓 -_- 可是今天我真的不想再看報紙了 看那毫無新聞自由的報紙 完全被管制的報紙電台電視...
很難接受這麼多的捏造恐嚇卻依然可以平和看待不生氣罵粗口...

寫了這麼多 只想說要是明天是一場公平的選舉 我支持的清廉公正公義的一方是會贏的 這是我堅信的 只可惜 它公平嗎? 透明嗎? 值得相信嗎? 沒動手腳嗎?
不管結局如何 至少我參與 也會去盡我身為公民的責任早些出門投上一票 並盡量確保自己投的不是廢票...
不是這樣嗎 參與了 出了一份力了 要是結果不如所願 也只能說這世界或許本來就沒有那麼不公平的事
因為馬來西亞已經是這麼一個沒天災又富有天然資源的國家 要是還出現了公正廉明的領導人 不就太幸運了...
(也順便補充說明其實我真的挺生氣符合資格卻又沒登記成為選民的人或者不去投票的人 可是其實我自己也是 只是我沒登記卻已經成為選民 比起那些登記了卻被除名的我還是要幸運得多吧?! 又是黑暗唉)

話說回來 我也不是真的那麼支持某政黨某聯盟的人
只是我學會兩線制的好 我想完全不貪的官員 做久也會貪 也會懶 也會攬權濫權...
完全不貪的一定很少 只是現在這群勇士 很大部份都是受了高深教育的專業人士醫生牙醫律師大學講師成功企業家 etc etc 那麼賺的行業還犧牲自己和家人出來參政 可以想像他們迫切想改變的心 所以自然比某些人抵抗誘惑的能力強多了吧...

願明天的馬來西亞是 光明 和平的

The content in the links below may not represent the blog owner's view.
People trying to reach it to CNN
Pledging governments of some other countries to stop their people from intervening the Malaysian's election (which should really be a election that is completed by only Malaysians!)

P.S. 沒想到英國回來後寫的第一篇竟然是政治有關 還用了久違的中文...
#五月五 #PRU13 #GE13 #inikalilah

The "Social Media Censorship" Debates

I travel a lot on underground and have recently noticed that The Economists has launched a debate on censoring social media. I do not personally think it should be, but I can see why certain people argue that we should - it's understandable. (for more details about the debate, click here)

I just have to say recently I'm quite addicted to a social networking website (Facebook it is. What else?). Although I don't play any facebook games but I can still spend quite a lot of time every day, reading friends' updates, articles, watching videos etc.

And thanks to FB, I came to know LYNAS and this rare earth materials. I do read news on sinchew.com.my, but the thing is I normally skip this type of "political" (I'd think it was if I didn't read on) news. In fact I come to realize a lot of political stuff that I'd never thought I'd be interested in. At times I think they've been exaggerated to reach the purpose/motives of the writers but more importantly, this becomes a very important and accessible media for people of all age no matter where they are, as long as they can access to internet..

From my view it's a good thing. Even when it's violated sometimes (also when it creates some racial issues), as long as we can judge rationally. But I'm not so sure for younger people.

Should social media be censored? Where do you stand?

P.S. I'm not writing about LYNAS.. I think there is no need to say that I'm against it. It doesn't make much sense to go for it. So there's no point to argue here.. (I just don't understand our government..) I'd rather Malaysia to be a developing country for another century or even bankrupt, than earning the money now and having later generations suffer badly.

Chinese New Year 2012

It's now the 4th day of Chinese New Year. And it's finally that I feel it's going to over. Lol. Yes, because I don't get to celebrate it, I want it to be over as soon as possible. It was kind of depressing when it was approaching it, and the first couple of days. To be honest I don't remember feeling so down in the past few CNYs. But perhaps one of the things is that I had to complete two essays due this week (later today). The only thing made me better is to Skype with my family, and I think we did it 3 times on the first day, so I got to watch the fireworks through my sister's Iphone, the kind of thing we always do passing midnight since I have memory. I missed home that I felt I was going to cry on the eve. :(

It's time to go home!

Anyway, I completed my essays today! Just now! So I'm giving myself a brief holiday. Then I realized I have been so tensed, that I do not know how to relax, what I should do to relax. The thing is those ethical form, other assignments etc are still crossing my mind. I somehow lost the ability to relax, sadly. :( Even my entertainment now - watching drama, I'm watching "In Treatment", recommended by a Clinical Psychologist in his visitor lecture. Now I have visitor lecturers every week, twice a week. I quite like this, we get to see different professionals, who come in and tell us what they do, how they do it etc.

I was going to end my post by saying 新年快乐. Then I suddenly recalled the news that I saw, a man passed away playing fireworks on CNY eve. He's just got married last Dec, a father-to-be, he was also the only son at home.. I can't imagine how it's like for his family to lost him in a day like that, that way.. Guess we should just be grateful and treasure what and who we have with us!

People are sick.

Riots started from Tottenham and London and now all across the UK. I can still hear ambulance and police siren out there while I'm writing this. I wonder what's wrong with these people, with this mindless and disgraceful acts, what have they achieved?

Now people lost their home, some with little babies. Some people lost everything in their shops. Today when I was on the way back home from work, I saw a shop which glasses was broken, put a note out saying "This shop is close, there is nothing inside". The looters have got what they wanted, by breaking the glasses and went in to pick what they want. It even came out on the news that some chaps even went into JD sports to try on trainers during the riots! Pure madness.

Initially I didn't think it was this bad. Because apparently a mum from Tottenham said on the evening the building was set on fire, there were youth running on the corridors shouting "Fire" and even helped her to run with her kids. Alright so I assumed they weren't going to hurt people, at least they don't want anyone killed. But now, after three nights in a row and now the fourth, I think they are nowhere thoughtful even if they've done that. They're young teenagers, who don't even know what they're doing, what have happened and are going to happen, they're doing it because others are doing it - all credits to our social medias, to spread the news to call for gathering.

Now some are blaming the migrants, the whites blaming the blacks, the blacks blaming the government. But it turns out really obvious (from the CCTV) that it wasnt just a particular group of people. There are black, white, brown, oriental, purple and green (well they're all covered, who knows some are purple/green?!! Cowards, if you're so brave to have done this, why not show your face?!). Also, a video on youtube shows a Malaysian student was actually robbed by those rioters after injured during the riots.

Anyway, I'm just grumbling. I still managed to go to work today. Enfield town seems to be under controlled now. It's 'good' that it was attacked on the 2nd night, so police were ready to defend it (after 1st night), and there's now police officers everywhere (so hopefully nothing major is going to happen again). Oh by the way, all these were claimed to start because of Mark Duggan was [fatally] shot by the police. I don't know what's true or not, apparently people, including the officers can say whatever they want, but it's quite sure that he is not an innocent man. But then I also believe he was just used as an excuse.

One of the colleagues was saying they should really bring the army in, which I do not agree with. I think if the whole thing isn't dealt very sensitively, things are going to get real bad. Though I agree, their government is rather soft (I've not even seen tear gas yet so far! they only brought some big dogs when it happened in Enfield), and you know what, they talk TOO much about human right. Put it this way, to be considerate to those rioters and rooters and arson-ers and whatevers, and consider so much about their human rights, then who is going to stand up for the human right of we the innocences and victims?

But then after watching the news, I'm thinking what's wrong with the young generation? is it them to be blamed? or the society, the parents, the adults?! What makes this people being brought up in this society yet turn around and become rioters and creating mayhem? The news said some (of the rioters) are uni graduates, college students, graphic designers, army-to-be etc. If they're happy and healthy mentally, why would they have done this?

Japan, the world shares your grief

I don't want to see the pictures and the videos, but when I was in the ward, I can't help stopping by the TV watching the news seeing how it's like now. I want to know how they are now, but at the same time I can't bear the pain T__T

It just reminded me years ago the Si Chuan earthquake, that was a final exam period in May, every morning I woke up, read those news with my breakfast, hoping things were getting better, at the same time being very thankful I could be sitting there and studying for my exam (there were kids who were in class and buried under the school buildings when it happened)

Japan, stay strong.

and people, we should all learn to be more grateful...

P.S. sometimes it's terrifying to think what the nature can do to us little humans..

菲前警官騎劫旅巴新聞

菲律賓 血腥悲劇感人情節 夫擋子彈捨命護妻

今早起身 看完這篇 T__T

雖然昨天就從新聞和一些 facebook link 知道了

可是看完報道 還是很難過

沒辦法想象原本開開心心去旅遊最後丟命的

臨死要經歷那麽多小時的折磨

還有殉職的導遊

那些保護家人的 還有那個帶“別人的小孩”下車的婦女 好偉大 好厲害 能急中生智

哎 人性太複雜 社會太多不平衡的人和事

這種受到不公平待遇而心生怨恨最後導致流血事件的 也不少了

要怎樣使人們得到宣洩的管道 怎樣減少不平衡的社會 ==?

或許 社會裏多一點愛 每個人心裏多一點愛

就能改變一個人的想法 就能改變一場悲劇的結局

Imbalanced Human Sex Ratio & Gendercide

重男輕女性別大屠殺‧全球1億女嬰消失

（英國‧倫敦）週一（3月8日）是“三八”國際婦女節，但在宣揚女權的這一天，全球已陷入一場殺女胎保男胎的“性別滅絕”（Gendercide）浩劫，其中以中國和印度最為嚴重。

儘管人類社會已邁入21世紀，但重男輕女的觀念仍在全球作祟。根據英國最新一期《經濟學人》雜誌報導，全球因此慘遭墮胎、殺害或疏於照顧因而夭折的女嬰，正以數百萬計的數字消失，稱之為“性別滅絕”，毫不為過！

重男輕女亞洲最嚴重

報導稱，重男輕女的現象在亞洲最為嚴重，因為當地傳統上認為繼承家業、奉養父母、傳宗接代、養家活口，都是男性的責任。

在亞洲部份偏遠地區，刻意殺害女嬰的現象仍然非常普遍，而現代的超音波掃瞄技術，更助長這類歪風，使一心只想添丁的準父母以墮胎手術打掉女胎。

近年小家庭當道，頭一胎是女嬰勉強可以留下來，第二胎還是女的就會打掉。

中國印度男女失衡

據統計，在中國和北印度，1980年代男女嬰出生比率100比108，但現在的男女嬰比例卻是120比100，中國部份農村地區更達到驚人的130比100，失衡情況十分嚴重，反映生男生女受人為影響。

除了中印兩國，包括台灣與新加坡在內的東亞國家、歐洲巴爾幹半島、高加索地區，甚至美國的華裔與日裔，同樣有男女嬰比例嚴重失衡的現象。

早在1990年，印度經濟學家塞恩便認為，因重男輕女觀念而消失的女嬰數量，高達1億人，而現在這一數字只會更高。

《經濟學人》警告，“性別滅絕”的現象遍及全球，且不分貧富與宗教，形同大規模屠殺，對社會的衝擊極為嚴重。

報導指出，性別失衡令許多男性成年後找不到配偶，衍生社會問題，並導致犯罪率飆升，包括販賣女性、性暴力、女性自殺等。

各國性別屠殺情況

中國恐成世界最大光棍國

《經濟學人》報導，目前中國男女嬰的出生比例為120比100，可能是現代人類歷史中最不平衡的例子，在15年內，中國兩性人口數將出現3000萬至4000萬的落差，估計全國有五分之一年輕男性，將因男女性別失衡而無法找到結婚對象。

這是個嚴重的問題，對中國發展的威脅比財務失衡、環境災難更危險，可能使中國成為世界最大的光棍國。

報導指出，中國男性過剩也可能形成永久的下層社會，遭到危險利用。

中國多達1億5000萬的民工，多為失業的未婚男性，而且其中大部份沒有受教育，找不到穩定工作，他們聚集在車站，開始形成幫派。

印度成“缺少女人的國家”

印度寶萊塢影片“Matrubhoomi”（缺少女人的國家），描述印度偏遠村落因為女性寥寥無幾，出現5個兄弟“共用”一個妻子的故事，驚悚情節，反映出印度“殺嬰”和“殺胎”的嚴重後果。

印度“倡議研究中心”稱，這部電影是一個“警訊”，印度重男輕女，殺女嬰也許只出現在少數地區，但婦女被迫“選擇性墮掉女胎”卻很泛濫。

預定週三在《刺胳針》網站上刊出一項研究指出，由於產前的超音波檢驗可驗出胎兒的性別，在過去20年間，印度可能墮掉了1000萬個女胎。

而且不只貧窮鄉下才有這種現象，一項為期10年的研究顯示，首都德里的墮胎問題也很嚴重，尤其是已有女孩的家庭“墮得更兇”。

台灣性別失衡第3胎更明顯

台灣還是重男輕女嗎？數據顯示，是的。國民健康局調查發現，民眾生第一二胎，男女比例還算正常；但生第3胎，男嬰比率立即比女嬰多了20%，第4胎甚至多達近40%，顯然有“人為操作”。

台灣少子化嚴重，政府擬鼓勵生第3胎，防止台灣社會過度高齡化。但調查發現，鼓勵生第三四胎反而可能另外衍生男女失衡的問題。

值得注意的是，大城市跟非都會區全榜上有名。前者不排除是因為醫療資源跟資訊較多，民眾較懂得利用醫療科技做性別篩選，後者則很可能是受傳宗接代觀念影響。

美國科技篩選性別引道德爭議

大部份國家禁止以基因篩選決定胎兒的做法，但美國有少數診所不理會道德爭議或造成兩性失衡的可能，以約1萬9000美元（約馬幣6萬3500令吉）的高價位提供這樣的服務。

3年前，斯坦伯格醫生率先在市場上推出篩選胎兒性別的服務，稱為“胚胎植入前基因診斷”（PGD），準確度高達99%。

科學家從試管受精卵發育成的多枚胚胎各取出一個細胞，從DNA判斷男女，然後再把所要的性別植入母體內。

有生物倫理學家批評，這種做法可能促使性別失衡的速度加快，甚至走向“專屬設計寶寶”或“複製人”，但斯坦伯格堅稱，這個技術遠比印度和中國丟棄女嬰的做法人道得多。

整體而言，他的顧客中，美國人和加拿大人喜歡女孩，印度人和華人喜歡男孩，拉丁美洲國家的喜好約是各有一半。

World's Friendliest Countries

The Expat Explorer Survery revealed that Malaysia is in the top 5 list of World's friendliest Countries.. What do you think??

The top ten

1. Bahrain

2. Canada

3. Australia

4. Thailand

5. Malaysia

6. South Africa

7. Hong Kong

8. Singapore

9. Spain

10. United States

Also, Malaysia has got

#1 in "Organizing school for my children" (it's probably due to the very different standards of school in Malaysia?)

#3 in "Organizing my finances"

#3 in "Organizing my health care"

#4 in "Making friends" (I like this =D)

#4 in "Finding somewhere to live" (not so sure about what it means.. = =)

#14 in "Making local friends" (oh.. prefer making international friends than the locals huh?)

#19 in "Joining community group" (thought we could be better?)

Further story from yahoo news

World's friendliest Countries

Comments about the news (worth reading if you've got some times, I was a bit shocked with what some people have said..)

Comments

p.s. My thought is at the comment section.. or my post will get too long =/

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Some Psychology students might ask this?

Methodology

More than 3,100 expatriates were surveyed between February and April 2009.The respondents were asked to rate 23 factors related to their quality of life, including food, entertainment, transportation, health care, finances, education and their ability to make friends. Each criterion is equally weighted to arrive at a score. The overall ranking is based on the average score for a country across the criteria. Eight measures were also selected to comprise the integration score: organizing school for my children; organizing my finances; organizing my health care; finding somewhere to live; making friends; making local friends; setting up utilities; and joining local community groups. The integration score was used to determine the friendliest countries.

Thalassemia

星洲日报: 地中海贫血症患者增43%

(吉隆坡）首相夫人拿汀斯里羅斯瑪指出，大馬的地中海貧血症患者從2004年的2500人，增至目前的4385人，增長率近43%。

她說，若再不提高民眾對地中海貧血症方面的醒覺，尤其雙方都是地中海貧血症帶因者的夫婦，相信這疾病的新病患將不斷增加。

每个人都有責任控制這病

她今日（週日，8月9日）為一項地中海貧血症醒覺運動主持推介禮致詞時指出，地中海貧血症是一種遺傳性疾病，每個人都有責任控制此疾病，確保它不會“代代相傳”。

“目前大馬每100萬人口當中，就有近60萬人是帶有地中海貧血症基因者，為了避免這疾病一代傳一代，最有效的預防方式是鼓勵大眾進行檢驗。”

她欣慰衛生部撥出295萬令吉，免费為地中海貧血症患者提供醫藥治療及展開醒覺運動。

她吁請雇主勿對地中海貧血症患者持有偏見而拒絕雇用他們，甚至把他們邊緣化。

朱基菲里：300診所免費檢驗

馬來西亞地中海貧血症協會主席拿督朱基菲里則披露，估計目前每20名大馬人當中，就有1人是地中海貧血症帶因者。

“如果1名帶地中海貧血症基因者和1名非帶基因者結合，生下的孩子可能完全健康，也可能是輕型患者。不過，倘若雙方都是帶因者，生下孩子則極大可能是重型患者。”

他表示，衛生部在全國300家診所提供免費檢驗，公眾可瀏覽衛生部網站查詢診所的地點。

他强調，倘若患者接受醫生安排的治療及定時吃藥，患者和普通人一樣可過正常生活。

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地中海貧血症是一種遺傳性貧血病，由於患者製造血紅蛋白的功能出現問題，以致無法生產紅血球，形成貧血。由於常見於地中海國家、中東、亞洲地區，因此又稱為海洋性貧血（Thalassemia）。

人體紅血球的主要功能，是把養份運送到全身的組織，血紅蛋白則是紅血球內的重要元素。骨髓是製 造紅血球的器官，在長期貧血的刺激下，地中海貧血症病人的骨髓特別活躍，但卻不能有效生產及放出紅血球，於是含有不正常血紅蛋白的紅血球在人體內加速分 解，由於沒有足夠的紅血球和血紅蛋白，全身的組織就因沒有足夠的養份而不能正常操作，構成貧血現象。

Found!!

Saw this when I was on my way to work yesterday morning..


Really really glad to see this..
May god bless Kian and his family
Hmmm.. a single case may seem a bit insignificant to most people, but if whoever able to help do so, it will definitely make a significant difference

More details:

BBC:
Donor found for rare disease boy

Previous posts:
Bone Marrow Donating Session
Donating Bone Marrow

Facebook & Lower Grades

College students who use Facebook spend less time studying and have lower grade point averages than students who have not signed up for the social networking website, according to a pilot study at one university.

However, more than three-quarters of Facebook users claimed that their use of the social networking site didn’t interfere with their studies.

“We can’t say that use of Facebook leads to lower grades and less studying – but we did find a relationship there,” said Aryn Karpinski, co-author of the study and a doctoral student in education at Ohio State University.

“There’s a disconnect between students’ claim that Facebook use doesn’t impact their studies, and our finding showing they had lower grades and spent less time studying.”

While this was a relatively small, exploratory study, it is one of the first to find a relationship between college students’ use of Facebook and their academic achievement.

Typically, Facebook users in the study had GPAs between 3.0 and 3.5, while non-users had GPAs between 3.5 and 4.0.

In addition, users said they averaged one to five hours a week studying, while non-users studied 11 to 15 hours per week.

"There may be other factors involved, such as personality traits, that link Facebook use and lower grades,” she said. “It may be that if it wasn’t for Facebook, some students would still find other ways to avoid studying, and would still get lower grades. But perhaps the lower GPAs could actually be because students are spending too much time socializing online."

To read more

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What do you think?

I found myself spend relatively less time on Facebook nowadays due to its new layout (especially not happy with the fixed selections of published news, get annoyed that people keep doing tests and publishing them). But I used to spend lots time playing some games (some applications like "Who has the biggest brain?" "GeoChallenge" or "Friendsforsale" that sort of thing) or commenting on photos. Hmmm.. I do agree that it could be a distraction, but would it be affecting people's grades in college?

Anyway, it's important to note that they merely found a relationship, especially there could be many confounding factors underlie the relationship, such as personality traits as mentioned. There are also people who found facebook improved their grade as it helped them to make course related contacts. So perhaps it just depends.. And if we were to compare, I guess the advantages may outrange the disadvantages..

Students ma, even if there is no such thing as facebook on earth, there will always be something else to distract US from study.. LOL (such as blogging? why dont they investigate the relationship between regular blogging and college grade? ahahah..)

Bone Marrow Donor Session

Young mother, Gemma Isaacs, is urgently calling for people to come forward and potentially help save her two year old son’s life. Little Kian suffers from an extremely rare genetic disorder — PNP Deficiency — and desperately needs to find a bone marrow donor in order to survive.

Gemma, from Wyman’s Brook in Cheltenham, is urging everyone aged 18-40 years old to join the Anthony Nolan Trust’s bone marrow register on Wednesday 29th April from 4 — 7pm at the Park Student Union, University of Gloucestershire.

There are currently 16,000 people worldwide in need of a bone marrow transplant, but because individual genetic makeup is so varied, the chance of finding a suitable donor can be slim. Many searches for patients are unsuccessful — a bone marrow donor whose tissue type matches theirs could mean the difference between life and death.

Kian’s condition - PNP Deficiency - is a genetic disorder caused by a lack of Purine Nuceloside Phosphorylase enzyme, which leaves the patient vulnerable to a variety of potentially fatal infections. People with the condition can also suffer brain damage.

His mother Gemma said: “Without a bone marrow transplant, Kian’s prognosis is bleak. It’s very rare for a child with this condition to live beyond 10. But with a bone marrow transplant, Kian will have a normal life span, although he will still have developmental problems. Please please come forward and join the register. I ask you to put yourself in our situation — imagine if it was your child, or a member of your family, what would you do? I really hope we find someone who will be able to help save Kian’s life. We’re desperate.”

The blood sample taken at the registration clinic is tested to establish the tissue type and the results stored on the charity’s confidential database. As a new member of the register the donor receives a registration card and written confirmation of being a potential life saver. A donor may be found to be a match for a patient almost immediately or may wait many years before being asked to donate — and in some cases may never donate at all if there is no match. Please come to the Park Student Union at the University of Gloucestershire from 4-7pm on 29th April to find out more.

Donors need to be aged 18-40. For further information regarding the clinic and joining the register, please contact The Anthony Nolan Trust on +44 20 7284 1234 or log on to www.anthonynolan.org.uk

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Just saw this on our Uni website.. I feel like going to try ley.. especially the kid (named Kian!!) looks damn cute.. but that will be during exam period plus I'm a bit scared ley.. -_-" and.. and.. and my thalassemia genes.. haihh. Have been saying I want to donate blood for a very long time, but never get a chance to actually do it, of course donating bone marrow is a far bigger matter, but still, if stand on their point of view.. perhaps one day we will need other's help.. why not giving a hand when we're able to? It's like.. saving a life, A LIFE!! And it won't be just a life, it will also be a great boon to the family of the patient. And it's quite surprising.. they actually let people register, and when they find patient who match the donor then only would you need to donate.. Hmm.. dont know, it seems a bit scary.. -_-"

Anyway, hope they can find a suitable donor. God bless him.

P.S. Happy Earth Day!

Is Britain going bankrupt?

As most of my friends know, I normally read SinChew news and BBC (not daily but nearly). Yet never did I come across any news regarding whether or not the Britain is going bankrupt. And guess when I first got this news? It was from my parents -_-" Yea la my dad is like "digesting" the newspaper every day, but I thought this is "nearer" and more related to me, why never I came across it? Just saw the news regarding the we-think-wonderful-yet-destructive snow has cost the government more than 1 thousand million pounds.. and if it (the wonderful snow) gets "further", more than 3000 companies may close down. Haih.. I feel a bit sorry I've been expecting snow (yes, have been, it's still going on..), will share the photos I take these days next time, in a delightful post. Those are some articles I googled and think some may interest you..

"Obama is talented but he is not a magician. Instead, Gordon Brown's nightmare, in which we are all trapped, is going to get much worse."

Iain Martin: Gordon Brown brings Britain to the edge of bankruptcy

“We’ve been in a much worse position than we are today.
“People are getting unbelievably gloomy, but I have been around long enough to remember the 70s when we had to have the IMF [International Monetary Fund bail-out], we had a three-day working week, we had candles in rooms and we couldn’t get home by train.
“We are not going to have that.”

Andrew Dodge: UK going bankrupt?

Obamamania

He's now everywhere...
Obama in Kenya
Obama Russian Dolls
Obama Masks
Barber shop named "Barack Obama Haircut"

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There was a time when a US president could travel from his inauguration in an open-top car.

John F Kennedy was the last president to do that.

BBC: High Security for Obama's inauguration

It's tomorrow, the inauguration of Barack Obama, the first African-American President..
Let's pray that everything will be alright, for the one who may change the world, even if he doesn't, at least, he brings people hopes.. : D

"Interesting"

BBC: Millions to get weather pay-outs

Millions of pensioners and vulnerable people around the UK have become eligible for cold weather payments.

The £25-a-week assistance is triggered when an area's average temperature falls or is forecast to fall to 0C or below for seven consecutive days.

Forecasts for the London area mean 600,000 people are eligible for fuel help for the first time in a decade.

As the Arctic snap continues to bite, the freeze has restricted water supplies in Rhondda Fach, South Wales.

Welsh Water apologised, saying the freezing conditions had "severely restricted" supplies feeding a local treatment works. There would be occasional loss of supply or discoloured water, but it was safe to drink, they said.

Tankers were bringing water in to the area, bowsers would be put in "key locations" and bottled water distributed to customers with special needs and mothers with young babies, added the firm.

Pensioner warning

Forecasters say temperatures will stay below zero in many parts of the UK.

Lows of -8C (17.6F) have been forecast for much of southern England and Wales, with temperatures dropping to -10C in rural Hampshire and Surrey overnight.

The mercury dropped to -11C in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, and in Shap, Cumbria, on Monday night.

The £15m for Londoners means weather payments have topped £100m this winter.

Charities have warned that the elderly and sick urgently need financial help with heating bills to prevent avoidable deaths.

Britain's biggest pensioner group - the National Pensioners Convention - said 12 pensioners could die every hour during the cold snap.

'Extra help'

On Tuesday, the Department for Work and Pensions said cold weather payments had now been triggered at 52 weather stations around the UK since the start of this winter.

With freezing conditions sweeping across the UK, payments are being made from Aviemore in Scotland to Bedford in southern England.

The payment, which goes to people in receipt of certain benefits - mainly pensioners, severely disabled people and families with a young or severely disabled child - rose this year from £8.50 to £25-a-week for each spell of cold weather.

It is paid automatically to those who qualify, including the estimated 2.7m households in receipt of pension credit.

Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell said: "We don't want people to worry about turning up their heating when it's cold.

"That is why we've trebled the cold weather payment to £25, to put money in the pockets of the people who need it most.

"Millions of vulnerable people and pensioners are now in line for this extra help after the recent cold snap."

Winter deaths

The increased cold weather payments are one part of a package of measures announced by the government this winter.

This year's Christmas bonus for pensioners and disabled people, which will be paid between January and March, has increased from £10 to £70.

And an extra £575m has been spent on winter fuel payments, with £250 for those in households with someone aged 60 or over, and £400 for those with someone aged 80 plus.

Meanwhile, Help the Aged has warned that the death rate rises by 1% to 2% for every temperature drop of 1C.

Older people and those weakened by illness are particularly susceptible to cold-related illness and death.

The Office for National Statistics said that from December 2007 to March 2008 there were an extra 25,300 deaths in England and Wales compared with the average for non-winter months - a 7% increase on the previous year's figure.

However, the figure was still some way short of the increase in deaths seen in the winters of the late 1990s when totals hit nearly 50,000 as flu swept Britain.

'Suffer needlessly'

The National Pensioners Convention has called on the government to double the winter fuel allowance.

NPC general secretary Joe Harris said: "Up to three million pensioner households are currently spending more than 10% of their income on fuel bills and are living in fuel poverty.

"Energy efficiency schemes won't help them pay their bills this month and neither will they prevent tens of thousands of pensioners dying from the cold this winter."

Macmillan Cancer Support is also calling on the government to extend the payments to those with cancer.

Chief executive Ciaran Devane said: "Cancer patients of all ages continue to suffer needlessly because of this dreadfully cold weather.

"They tell us they feel the cold more because of treatment and have to spend more time at home. And throughout this, their fuel bills soar whilst their household income has dropped."

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OK. I know it is inappropriate to use the word "interesting" but I grew in equatorial climate.. And, you know, these days, everyone, yes everyone around me, is being sooo damn excited with the snow, I could see loads of pictures uploaded on facebook, either foreigners like us or locals, and many blogged about it..

Masterpiece of Peiman & Felicia.. A bit ugly though : P

Although I was aware how inconvenient it can be to live in a country which snows a lot (during my Austria trip), but I never thought about how much troubles it has brought to those vulnerables.. and, wow, it's really 'sweet' that the government is actually trying to pay for their fuel bills.. (it seems a bit strange to say your government sweet, perhaps, caring? ok, maybe they just have to..)

Apart from that, people rely very much on weather forecast (which isn't very accurate sometimes apparently- the snow this time wasn't on BBC weather forecast); and the road could be very slippery after it snows; they may need to "dig" their vehicle out in the morning from the deep snow for those who drive; and I even heard from myfm that there are "specialistic" tyres for snow (which means they need to change the tyres according to the season?)..etc etc

Anyway, I still love snow.. I'm just.. not feeling very good as we're so excited with it while some people are actually suffering.. hehe.. and, I found it quite interesting, to learn about all these, which apparently are general knowledge for them, but absolutely new for me.. : )

Resolutions 'bad for your health'

Deciding to turn over a new leaf in the new year could do more harm than good, a mental health charity has warned.

Mind has urged people not to feel they must start 2009 armed with resolutions for self-improvement.

The charity said resolutions which focus on issues such as the need to lose weight or job worries create a negative self-image.

And if the plans fail to materialise, that could trigger feelings of failure and inadequacy, the charity said.

Mind chief executive Paul Farmer said focussing on problems or insecurities can lead to feelings of hopelessness, low self-esteem and even mild depression.

"We chastise ourselves for our perceived shortcomings and set unrealistic goals to change our behaviour, so it's not surprising that when we fail to keep resolutions, we end up feeling worse than when we started," he said.

"In 2009, instead of making a New Year's resolution, think positively about the year to come and what you can achieve."

Source : BBC News

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Ridiculous, isn't it?
They are asking people not to have new year resolution as people will probably not achieving it and end up feeling failure, hopeless and depressed!
OK. I know they mean some unrealistic resolutions la,
but this is still unreasonable ma!
People should know to judge what they could and couldn't reach
and by saying resolutions, of course it means something accomplishable, although most of the time hard work and perseverance needed.. right?

AirAsia now flies London

For further infomation, please see here.

so who's coming to visit me? : D

Malaysia debates possibility of Obama-like leader

Interesting topic!!
i dont think its impossible anyway
just a matter of time
while looking at malaysia and malaysians today
i dont think our generations would have the chance to see that!

to read more
the Malaysian Insider

it was initially raised by Uncle Lim in his blog
Lim Kit Siang for Malaysia

Analyst Ong Kian Ming, writing in malaysiakini, offered this profile:

“The Malaysian equivalent of Obama would be a Chinese Muslim who is fluent in Bahasa Malaysia, grew up with adopted Malay parents in Kelantan, got his undergraduate degree from a Malaysian public university and then went on to get his Masters from Oxford or Cambridge.”

hahahahah.. sarcastic, i know..
but Obama's historic win does bring hopes to SOME malaysians, right?

Obama wins historic US election

Ohh! Change has come.

It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get to where we are today, but we have just begun. Today we begin in earnest the work of making sure that the world we leave our children is just a little bit better than the one we inhabit today.
- Barack Obama

星洲日报 | BBC

p/s: i'll write more about this if i have the time..

Vietnam To Ban Small Chested Riders From Motorcycle Riding

Strange but true. The Government from Vietnam are planning to ban small chested people from riding motorcycles! If your chest measures less than 28 inches (72 centimeters) you will not be allowed to ride a motorcycle.

The idea comes their Ministry of Health. They want only people who are in good health to ride motorcycles, and, according to the politicians, if you have a small chest, you are not healthy.

The same proposed law also forbids people from riding a motorcycle if they suffer from enlarged livers or sinusitis. Mind you, this applies only to riding motorcycles! If you are a small chested woman, suffering from an enlarged liver and have a sinusitis problem, you are allowed to drive an enormous truck. No problem....

I see an enormous market for breast implants, male and female, or is this just a ploy for the cops to start measuring the chest of every female riding a bike? /Mike Werner

sinchew news | washington times

you might not realize how much they rely on motorcycles..
















something interesting in Vietnam