Thursday, November 27, 2008

Christmas Present For Your Poochie??

Christmas is about 3 over weeks away and what have you got on your shopping list for your darling poochies? Jakey, Axel, Chester, Snoopy and Rusty... who else... Eddie, Sam, Nick ... I hope your human pets let you have a look at what I am about to show you.. haha.. sorry, Nellie and Yuri, Dino and Muffin ... mummy is on a very very tight budget this year.. so, we'll just roast a chicken and share that for Christmas .. k??

I saw this at Gizmodo The Gadget Blog and I asked myself.. wow, if I could afford to buy this, I will probably want to live in it myself. Check it out.


Apparently this is a purchase made by a Great Dane's owner in UK which costs $380,000. This doggie house has a spa, a 52inch plasma TV, temperature controlled beds, amongst other luxury items. Click here for the original post.

Some dogs have it better than humans.... sigh....

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Ip Man - The Wing Chun Master to Bruce Lee


When I was at the cinema recently watching that terrible "Quarantine" movie, I saw this poster at the foyer which read "Ip Man".. and being the banana person that I am, I pronounced it as I read it.."Ip Man" and I could not have been more wrong. The trailer of the movie was shown and only then I said to myself "Hey, I know this person. He is the Wing Chun Master of Bruce Lee and his name is actually pronounced as Yip Mun.. and not Ip Man.. bah!".

The trailer that was show in the cinema



Went to surf around the net to find out more information and there are a lot of things written about Ip Man and Wing Chun on the internet. Apart from checking Wikipedia, I also found these few interesting websites.

This is the official ipman movie website. The loading of the site after you have selected the language preference is great.. especially if you have a slower line. You might be able to learn some moves from that little cartoon man whilst the page is loading up :D. Cool page when it eventually got loaded up on my PC.

Then there is the WingChunNews. com site which is apparently the site to be at if you are looking of news, happenings, announcements in the Wing Chun World. This is extracted from WingChunNews page.

Founded by Yim Wing-chun; took root in the hands of Leung Chun; blossomed under Ip Man…’ Ip Man is adapted from the life story of Ip Man, the grand master of the Wing Chun style of kung fu and sifu (master) of legendary kung fu superstar Bruce Lee.


Wing Chun has a history of more than 200 years. It was founded by Yim Wing Chun, took root in the hands of Leung Chun, and prospered with Ip Man. The art of Wing Chun has now become very popular with martial arts enthusiasts, especially overseas. It is a traditional Chinese martial art with a formidable reputation internationally.



Wing Chun Kuen is characterised by close body combat, requiring practitioners to show speed and power. Its Chi Sao or “sticking hands” is more similar to modern day combat skills and has a rich feel of genuine strikes. This is also why Ip Man differs from the dazzingly romantic and purely fictional style of previous martial art movies. Its explosive punches and aggressive close-range combat offer a new thrill never experienced by modern day audiences.



The story of Wing Chun began in the 1920s and 30s, in wartorn China. Ip Man was martial art’s unyielding follower, devoted whole-heartedly to the free learning of wushu. The fight to be top between the Wushu schools in the southern and northern regions of China had not stopped him having goodwill matches with other practitioners. Nationalistic bad feelings and racial hatred had not lessened his respect for Japanese kung fu warriors. In this great era of hatreds and tragedies, Ip focused only on wushu. His enthusiasm for martial arts saw him having devastating street fights with various elite practitioners.



To date, there have neither been movies nor publications about Ip Man. This movie will be the first important record of the master’s life. Ip’s persistent devotion to Wing Chun is a classic example of the love and respect shown to wushu and the freedom and spirit it represents. This movie will see the making of a modern wushu master representative of Chinese people worldwide. Ip Man is a concept, a spirit, a way of thinking – and it represents a new peak in Hong Kong’s wushu movies.



The website can be found at
http://www.ipman-movie.com

This is the Promo Video which is slightly longer than the Trailer.



I also found this short little video with some stills of the real man Ip Mun.. not Donnie Yen.



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Wednesday, November 26, 2008

News Break on Daiso at The Curve


Hi peeps. I know that some of you are like me.. have been making visits to The Curve every other week to see if the Daiso there has finally opened its doors. The last time when I caught wind that there is a Daiso opening in Petaling Jaya, that was in October last month. Since then, I have been back a few times to The Curve checking up on it... and also my friend Mumsey has also been keeping me updated.

Last Sunday, I called up my friend JW and together we made it to The Curve, took the few escalators up and from a far, I did not noticed anything different on the outside of the boarded up area except for this little notice.

WAAAAAAHHHHH.. it is going to be soon. Have a good look at this picture and if you cannot read it clearly, just click on it to enlarge it.


The best part is there is a 2nd Daiso Branch too at IOI Shopping Mall... I am so excited.

Daiso at The Curve is opening this 13th December, which is a Saturday.. awwww.. I will be at the EAP Business Opportunity Fair (more about this very exciting event later) but first thing on Sunday morning, I am there before they open the shutters.

Daiso at IOI Shopping Mall in Puchong will be opened on the 15th January next year.

And oh.. they are interviewing Housewives and Students tomorrow at 3pm to 6pm at The Curve. If only I am financially free, I would love to work at Daiso.. haha.. and end up being their number staff and number one customer :D

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Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Cataracts


The reason why I am blogging this is because of late, many of my friends' family members are having cataract surgeries done..and at the same time, I also noticed that some of them are not as old as I expected them to be. I used to think that only people over the age of 60 or so will be requiring cataract surgeries but these days, people as young as those in their 40s are also requiring them. So I decided to do a bit of research on it.

Oh, by the way, the costs of doing a laser surgery in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is between RM3,000 to RM4,500 per eye, depending on the hospital selected and the cost does not include pre and post surgery visitations and medications.

I have found out that there is an eye formula which contains potent antioxidants to protect the tissues of the eyes, promotes blood flow to the eyes which then offers optimal nutrition support for healthy, normal eye function. No doubt this does not guarantee one against the possibility of ever developing cataracts, but if you could slow down the process or for those of us with family members who are diabetic, this option is clearly the best option to possibly prevent deteriorating vision or even blindness. Click here for more details.

Sources for the photos and information are from Wikipedia and eMedicineHealth's website

What is a Cataract


What are cataracts? Cataracts is the clouding that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye and it varies in degree from slight to complete opacity, thus obstructing the passage of light into our eyes. Normally, early in the development of age-related cataract may cause the increase in the power of the lens, it may cause near-sightedness (myopia) and eventually the gradual yellowing and opacification of the lens. Cataracts typically progress slowly to cause vision loss and potentially blinding, if untreated.


Causes of Cataracts

The lens is made mostly of water and protein. Specific proteins within the lens are responsible for maintaining its clarity. Over many years, the structures of these lens proteins are altered, ultimately leading to a gradual clouding of the lens. Rarely, cataracts can present at birth or in early childhood as a result of hereditary enzyme defects, and severe trauma to the eye, eye surgery, or intraocular inflammation can also cause cataracts to occur earlier in life. Other factors that may lead to development of cataracts at an earlier age include excessive ultraviolet-light exposure,diabetes and smoking, or the use of certain medications, such as oral, topical, or inhaled steroids

Cataracts develop from a variety of other reasons as well, including long-term exposure to ultraviolet light, exposure to radiation, secondary effects of diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and advanced age, or trauma (possibly much earlier); they are usually a result of denaturation of lens protein. Genetic factors are often a cause of congenital cataracts and positive family history may also play a role in predisposing someone to cataracts at an earlier age, a phenomenon of "anticipation" in pre-senile cataracts. Cataracts may also be produced by eye injury or physical trauma.

Cataracts are also unusually common in persons exposed to infrared radiation. Exposure to microwave radiation can cause cataracts. Atopic or allergic conditions are also known to quicken the progression of cataracts, especially in children.

Cataracts may be partial or complete, stationary or progressive, hard or soft.


Cataracts symptoms

Having cataracts is often compared to looking through a foggy windshield of a car or through the dirty lens of a camera. Cataracts may cause a variety of complaints and visual changes, including blurred vision, difficulty with glare (often with bright sun or automobile headlights while driving at night), dulled color vision, increased nearsightedness accompanied by frequent changes in eyeglass prescription, and occasionally double vision in one eye. Some people notice a phenomenon called "second sight" in which one's reading vision improves as a result of their increased nearsightedness from swelling of the cataract. A change in glasses may help initially once vision begins to change from cataracts; however, as cataracts continue to progress and opacify, vision becomes cloudy and stronger glasses or contact lenses will no longer improve sight.

Cataracts are usually gradual and usually not painful or associated with any eye redness or other symptoms unless they become extremely advanced. Rapid and/or painful changes in vision are suspicious for other eye diseases and should be evaluated by an eye-care professional.


Prevention

At present, there is no real effective way to prevent the formation of cataracts, so secondary prevention involves controlling other eye diseases that can cause cataracts and minimizing exposure to factors that promote cataracts.

  • Wearing sunglasses outside during the day might reduce your chances of developing cataracts or having problems with the retina. Some sunglasses can filter out UV light, reducing exposure to harmful UV radiation and might slow the progression of cataracts.

  • Some people take vitamins, minerals, and herbal extracts to decrease cataract formation. No scientific data prove that these remedies are effective. No topical or oral medications or supplements are proven to decrease the chance of developing cataracts.

  • A healthy lifestyle might help, just as a healthy lifestyle helps prevent other diseases in the body. Eat a proper diet, get regular exercise and rest, and do not smoke.

  • If you have diabetes, tight blood-sugar control can delay the otherwise accelerated development of cataracts.

Conclusion

  • Early symptoms of cataracts include blurred vision, glare, and difficulty reading.

  • Cataracts will affect most people and become more prominent as we age.

  • Cataracts can be diagnosed when the doctor examines the eyes with specialized viewing instruments.

  • The decision to proceed with surgery is primarily based on the amount of difficulty you have performing your daily activities.

  • Treatment for cataracts is surgical removal of the cataract with implantation of an artificial lens.

  • There are a variety of intraocular lens types that can restore vision in different ways.

  • Cataract surgery is a safe and effective way to restore vision with serious complications occurring in less than one in 1,000 cases.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Understanding Osteoarthritis



I heard of this word last night at the hospital. Apparently osteoarthritis is a condition that affects mostly elderly people. It occurs when the cartilage that surrounds the joint area becomes frayed and in some instances, becomes completely worn away from age, years of use or injury. Without the cartilage, which acts as cushion for the joint, the bones will rub together, causing pain, swelling and possible loss of mobility.

And that was probably what happened to my mum yesterday morning in the hospital. She was checked in the hospital the 3rd time since she was first admitted in August. On Monday, she was admitted for the 3 round of endoscopy to ensure that the bandings have worked and there were no more new lesions. She was scheduled to do it on Tuesday morning but when she woke up in the morning, there was no water at the toilet at her end of the ward. So, she was asked to walk over to the other end of floor. Apparently she could not sleep the night before and having "sea-legs" and coupled with the fact that she has terribly weak knees (have been complaining about knee joints pain since a while back), she fell in the toilet. When my brother arrived at the hospital, he found her bed empty. As he walked out of her ward, found her hobbling back with blood streaming out of her face. Man, that really gave him a fright. SMSed me and the other brother. My 2nd brother went to see mum at the hospital during lunch. I was stuck at work :(

Apparently osteoarthritis is common among older people, it does not discriminate of age groups, sex and geographic areas. Regular symptoms of osteoarthritis includes the following:-

  • joint soreness after periods of inactivity or even overuse
  • morning stiffness that usually does not last more than 30 minutes
  • swollen joints and accummulation of join fluid
  • pain from weakend muscles surrounding the joing
  • decline in coordination, posture and movement due to pain and stiffness

The usual treatment for osteoarthritis normally involves therapy to strengthen the muscles through exercise, application of hot and cold compresses on the painful join, oral medications, use of supportive devices such as crutches and weight controls.

Surgery, such as joint replacement surgery or arthroplasty, can be an option to consider for those experiencing severe pain, joint damange and very limited mobility.

However, I am likely to start mum on an alternative therapy, which includes chiropractic therapy and vitamins such as C and E and also glucosamine. According to a friend of mine, glucosamine is a nutritional building block required in the formation and repair of cartilage. Although naturally occurring, the level of glucosamine production in the body decreases with age. The higher the level of glucosamine, the faster the rate of cartilage formation. Studies have shown that glucosamine was able to provide pain relief similar to that of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen and aspirin for people with mild to moderate oeteoarthritis.

Glucosamine is extracted from crustacean shells like crab, lobster and shrimp. Read more at wiki. But there is also glucosamine to avoid. Read more here. Meanwhile, I will check with the nutritionist at the hospital for more information. If you need more information on this, let me know.

Mum before her fall and yesterday after her fall at the hospital.

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Tuesday, November 11, 2008

A Furniture Hunting I Will Go

I guess it is that time of the year again, Christmas time.... which means holidays and shopping. Shopping for gifts for loved ones is most enjoyable but let us not forget who loves us best…. us of course :D So, what do we normally buy for ourselves? In my case, it is not clothes or shoes but always something for the house. Why? Because it is the place I love best and I want it make it as pretty and cozy as I can.


Sure, there are some stores which I have frequented in the past but sometimes it is great to go online and surf around to get new ideas and that was exactly what I did. I found several great sites where they have the most beautiful items you can imagine. I was thinking to myself, if only I could afford to buy every item I saw and liked, wouldn’t that be great. Ha Ha.. Then I would have to get myself a bigger house to put all those new stuff.


I spent my entire lunch hour checking through the internet and I came across some very nice looking bookcases. I am sorely lacking these in the house. Currently my books and magazines in the house are stacked up on tables, on chairs and on the floor. A few times, in my haste, I have nearly managed to killed myself when I tripped over them…sigh.. I think it is high time I got a bookcase, for my sake. It is not that easy to look for bookcases as a lot of them will not able to stand the load of the books and in my experience, teak is the sturdiest. And I do love all wood that the pesky little termites hate. However, I saw the bookcase that I am looking on the internet.


I have seen how an old chair can be given a new life with just a cushion and a couple of soft throws. I think that is exactly what I will do. I don’t think it is worthwhile for me to lug the old chair to the furniture repair shop to get it upholstered and lug it back again? Nah.. I think getting a few throws is a much better alternative. A piece like this is quite lovely. Ah, can you imagine it… with the rain falling outside and you are tucked in your old-new chair with a good book….mmm.. Now that is what I call life.


That reminds me, my reading room is also my Tara Room. Tara is my special idham but more about this another time. I will need some new candle holders for the altar. They have to be special as they will be my offerings to Tara and I found a pair of Lotus candle holders which I really like. There are many very lovely candle holders here but as I like all things unique, these are very appealing to me.



Now, all I need to do is to send an nice little email to my dear friend in UK to bring them back to me when he comes home this Christmas and that will be my Christmas present to ME :D.


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Sunday, November 9, 2008

Beware! If You Like Ramen

These pictures were from a email which I received from a friend, and just as I have finished a bowl of home cooked Japanese Ramen at home. When I first read the title of the email, I was a little bit skeptical about the truth in that email. But after looking at the photos, it reminded me of an incident long time ago when a local "low shui fun" noodles factory in my country made the noodles yummy by adding boric acid. Anything to make the noodles yummier and tastier.

Anyway, have a look at the pictures which were sent to me and the text and decide for yourself as to whether this could be fact or not.

There is a restaurant located in Fushan, China serving very popular Lanzhou Ra-Mien (noodle) with daily sales of 700-1200 bowls.

According to the boss, to make such "nice" noodles, some chemical tenderizer have been added during the mixing process. All Lanzhoa Ra-mien contains this chemical.



This chemical is packed in two different packaging. RM3 for the white and RM5 for the blue.


If you could read Chinese, you may be able to tell what is in the contents of the packets.


The function of the chemical is to tenderize and improve the elasticity/softness of the noodles

Experiments were conducted with this chemical in a paper cup and you will see the damages it caused.



On the 2nd day, the chemical has seeped out through the paper cup and caused damage to the floor.

After washing the floor, this was left


The damaging effect was still visible after a long time.

I reckon that if one were to ingest this chemical continuously, problems will arise. But before you throw out all your bags of noodles, perhaps you ought to do a little bit more research first.

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All Things Obama


It is almost 1 am local time. Not able to sleep just yet as I still on MSN chat with an ex-Golfing partner. Ex on my part only as I have temporarily hung up my clubs. He is still actively playing and improving his handicapp by the day :D.

So, whilst chatting with him, I was also surfing around the net when I saw a post entitled "Obama Waffles". I first stumbled upon it at Gosublogger. I was telling myself "Is this for real or not?".

After searching a bit more, I found this little video (http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1463341016/bctid1790977147) where the creators of the Obama Waffles were interviewed. They are Bob DeMoss and Mark Whitlock of Franklin, Tenn. If you have nothing better to do, just go have a look here ... or here whilst the waffles are still hot.


But of course there are many who are not amused by this at all. Caught this off YouTube - Obama Waffles Causes Outrage



I wonder what Mr Obama has to say about this? My bet is that he is big enough a man to see the humor in this.

Latest edit - thanks to munytang for pointing out to me about the McCain Cereals, I found these at Super Punch's website... cool...


















Good nite folks.. I mean.. good morning :D

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Friday, November 7, 2008

How My Boys Celebrated Obama's Win

I loved these boys ever since I first mistakenly bought one of their VCD homes, thinking that it is just a little cartoon for kids.... until 10 minutes or less into the show, they started to sing their first song.... "Unca Fu*ker". Yikes.. what sort of a cartoon show is this.. haha.. but soon my like turned to love for these little boys. Immediately after Mr Obama's win at the latest US Presidential election, I knew that they will be celebrating it too. And guess what, I am right. Picked this up from YouTube. It is entitled....

South Park inhabitants celebrate the win of President Obama




Yeah!.. Still haven't gotten over the euphoria yet :D

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Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Mr Barack Obama is the new US President


Local Time : 12 noon. CCN has announced at their website that Mr Barack Obama is the new US President.....the 44th US President hhuuuuuuu... another political Tsumani has occurred. Catch the latest updates here. Black has always been one of my favorite colors... yeah....

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Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Have Another Poochie Melting Moment or Two

It is my lunch time now. Quickly went into YouTube to see what the movie Quill was all about. I am sure it must be another one of those tear jerkers. The first video which I clicked was this one. Aaawwwww... a melting moment... a puppy that will melt the hardest heart..Have a look...since it lunch time now.. so, it should be ok :D

Quill ~ Guide Dog from YouTube.



"All About My Dogs" another poochie film which Angie mentioned. Most of the sites that I visited did not have the synopsis for this film except for HK Flix. This was copied from HK Flix " Yamada (Shidou Nakamura, "Be With You") is an ad man who had a bad setback on a dog food advertisement, thus he recalls having a dog buddy Pochi when he was a child. They met in an open ground and developed true friendship with each other, but an unpredictable accident made them apart. Then Pochi started his journey to find Yamada... "



All About My Dog - YouTube





I will go to Speedy Shop this weekend and try to look for these videos. The only problem with people at the Speedy Shop (also depending on which outlet) are not too well versed with film titles or CD titles or even artiste names. JW and I still laugh about the time we went into the Speedy outlet at the Weld and asked for "Andrew Lloyd Webber's" CD collections. The guy at Speedy went " Andrew ?? Paper". "No. No..Andrew Lloyd Webber". After repeating about 4 times, the guy asked "You want Andrew Boyyed Paper ah?". We said "Never mind" and left the shot.

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Saturday, November 1, 2008

10 Promises To My Dog


There is a Japanese movie in town, entitled "10 Promises To My Dog". I went to see it yeseterday and even before I watched it, I already expected it to be one of those "Kleenex required" movies. But I didn't realize that it would be a "whole box of Kleenex required" type of movie. I have this love-hate relationship with movies of this genre. I love them because they talk about real life and the characters (especially the non-human ones) are normally so cute that you just want to hug them to bits type. But I hate it when they make my eyes and nose leak.

This is the synopsis of the movie taken from MovieExclusive.com.

Akari is a 14-year-old schoolgirl living in Japan's northern island of Hokkaido. One day, a puppy wanders into her yard, looking lost and frightened. She is a Golden Retriever with white paw markings. Akari names her Socks. Akari's mother consents to her keeping the dog but only after she agrees to keep 10 Promises to Socks . Akari enthusiastically assents and the two begin their journey of growing up together. Akari finds herself having to overcome many changes and challenges: the tragedy of her mother's death, father's sudden resignation, coming-of-age, first romantic feelings, career ambitions and her independence. But at every step, Socks is there to provide unquestioning love and support.


This film was inspired by the poem "Ten Commandments to Dog Ownership" by an anonymous author. The poem reads like this.

    I

My life is likely to last ten to fifteen years.
Any separation from you will be painful for me.
Remember that before you aquire me.

    II

Give me time to understand what you want from me.

    III

Place your trust in me.
Remember that before you aquire me.

    IV

Don't be angry at me for long and don't lock me up as punishment.
You have your work, your friends, and your entertainment.
I ONLY HAVE YOU!

    V

Talk to me sometimes.
Even if I don't understand your words.
I understand your voice when it is speaking to me.
Be aware that however you treat me, I will never forget.

    VI

Remember before you hit me that I have teeth than can easily crush the bones in your hand,
but I choose NOT TO BITE YOU.

    VII

Before you scold me for being uncooperative,
obstinate, or lazy,
ask yourself if something might be bothering me.
Perhaps I don't understand what you ask of me or perhaps I am not feeling well,
not getting the right food,
been out in the sun too long,
or my heart is getting old and weak.

    VIII

Take care of me when I get old,
you too will grow old.

    IX

Go with me on difficult journeys.
Never say "I can't bear to watch" or "let it happen in my absence".
EVERYTHING IS EASIER IF YOU ARE THERE.

    X

REMEMBER I LOVE YOU!

In the story "10 promises", they reworded some of the commandments above but basically the meaning is all there. Gosh, even as I read the poem again, my eyes are misting up again.

I truly recommend this movie to all pet owners (especially doggie owners like JW of My Random Thoughts, Jean (boss to Jake), Mumsey (my Daiso friend), Fishman of Fishdiary Resurrection, che-cheh, Angie of Chasing Tails) and all the rest of you. If you already love your doggies, after watching this movie, your doggies will become your world and you will want to throw out the spouse and the kids.



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