Its Official. A Baby.

It is confirmed, Kate Middleton is pregnant.

She is now currently admitted to the King Edward VII Hospital in Central London on Monday as she is said to be suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum - and acute morning sickness which requires additional hydration and nutrition, hence the reason for the announcement.

An interesting fact:

The child will be both Prince Charles' and the Middletons' first grandchild. If the baby is born while Queen Elizabeth still sits on the throne, it will be the first time in 120 years that a reigning monarch will meet a great-grandchild in the direct line to succession

Congratulations Will and Kate.


xoxo

Of a Scarf and a Necklace

Stumbled upon this. Thought it might be useful. For me too.

Necklace buyers: This might be useful for those who wish to buy it online and no chance to try it on.

 

Have a fabulous day ahead!

XXX

Friday : 23 Nov 2012

Thanksgiving is over! Well, thanksgiving has no significant value on me, but what excites me is the first Friday after Thanksgiving!


BlackFridayyyyy!!!!!

Which means its time to shop shop shop till you drop drop drop be it in store or online.
Things can go really cheap and you can get stuffs you want (or rather you need) at a very very low price.
Ahhh yes, I had chosen carefully and made comparisons between the many many stores offering the same item. Yes I can be really diligent at this.

Looking forward to receiving my eReader! I was contemplating between a Kindle or a Nook. Initially I wanted a Kindle, but after I discovered about Nook, it might be more worth it. Functions are similar with a cheaper price! Its just that obviously you need to download your books from Barnes & Noble. But hey, it ain't a problem at all!
With that kind of storage, it is as if you are carrying an amount of up to 1000 books in your handbag! How easy!

The list goes on.

Well people, happy shopping!!!!!

A War Crime

The attacks on Gaza is indeed a war crime.
Israel - a stolen land from the Palestinians. With this we all pray so it will come to an end.


What role should we play?
This is the least we could do.

God willing.


Noam Chomsky on Israeli strikes on Gaza:

The incursion and bombardment of Gaza is not about destroying Hamas. It is not about stopping rocket fire into Israel, it is not about achieving peace.

The Israeli decision to rain death and destruction on Gaza, to use lethal weapons of the modern battlefield on a largely defenseless civilian population, is the final phase in a decades-long campaign to ethnically-cleanse Palestinians.

Israel uses sophisticated attack jets and naval vessels to bomb densely-crowded refugee camps, schools, apartment blocks, mosques, and slums to attack a population that has no air force, no air defense, no navy, no heavy weapons, no artillery units, no mechanized armor, no command in control, no army… and calls it a war. It is not a war, it is murder.

Avoiding Arrogance and Self-Righteousness - By: Yasmin Mogahed

Yasmin Mogaheed: "We will never enter Jannah because of our good deeds, even Rasulullah saw said that about himself, but we enter Jannah because of Allah's mercy. Thank Allah swt for allowing us to be able to worship Him and pray that He would not turn our hearts, for the heart can turn overnight. If we are in the path to becoming a better Muslim - starting to wear hijab, starting to go to mosques, starting to Qiyam at night, never look down upon other people who are not - because the good deeds doesn't come from us, it's from Allah swt's mercy. The self-righteous and arrogance feeling comes from Syaitan". I thank Allah for guiding me to find and listen to this lecture.
Please listen on...

The Closing of 2012

One of the most impulsive decision I have ever made.

My first time ever in an RV. God willing.
InshaAllah.

 Much anticipated. Much awaited. And much nervousness too!
Haaaaa!!!!

7 Great Reasons to see Europe during Winter

Hello November!!

It is anticipated there will be extreme weather this year during winter, what not we have already seen extreme weather in Australia - snow during spring?????
2012 has indeed been a memorable year for us.

With the now happening hurricane Sandy in New York, billions of property damage, the closure of Wall Street, lives lost. Who know such disaster might happen to the least expected city in the world.
We just need to pray and hope for the best.

Anyways, stumbled across this on Lonely Planet..Well, some of you might agree and some of you might not. Personally, I hate the cold. That was what I told myself when I was in Australia for two years. Yes, the cold in a way limits your movement. Laziness will eventually prevail as you will tend to cuddle up in the warmth of your home. Now, telling myself, why not spend some time somewhere during winter?
Here is a read that some of you might want to consider on planning a trip this coming winter. However, there are some points need to be considered right at the bottom of the article.
And oh its a good time to catch the Aurora Borealis too!!!!!

The 7 Reasons to experience winter in Europe:

1. Off-season bargains

The rush for Christmas and New Year flights is over and there are deals galore as typically ‘summery’ destinations hit their off-peak season. Take advantage of the January slump: some tour operators suspend their deals over the holidays but rev them up again in mid-January. It’s also a great time to make an offer on a holiday bidding site like Priceline.com or to scour the usual favourites like TravelZoo, Expedia and Opodo. A number of sites, like OffSeason.com and CheapTickets.com, scoop up all the off-season travel deals in one place, so snagging a deal is like shooting fish in a barrel.

2. Jump in, the weather’s fine

Southern Europe laughs in the face of Jack Frost. Plenty of European destinations are still balmy before spring, like southern Spain, the south of France, Sicily, Cyprus and Crete. Contact the relevant tourist office and ask for the stats if you have weather worries. And if you need your dose of vitamin D, get the info on daylight hours in your destination from EuroMeteo.com. Warm destinations won’t swelter as they do during their summer peak, so you can see the ruins of ancient Greece without risking sunstroke and you won’t have to avoid beaches during the midday sun. Time for another ouzo, then.

3. Don’t fear the frost

But there’s no need to chase the sun, as lashings of rain and snow give added charisma to Europe’s classic city destinations. Who could fail to be moved by an icy glaze on the turrets of Europe’s castles? And what could elicit more envy than snapshots of romantic Budapest under a smattering of snow? Wrap up in layers and embrace the cooler weather.

4. Get some elbow room

If your travel photos are usually invaded by hordes of other tourists, spare yourself the time Photoshopping them out and travel in winter for a crowd-free view. Big-hitting destinations are open for business, but in winter more of the streets will be yours: that means fewer pairs of sandaled feet pacing La Rambla and less jostling for a view of La Sagrada Família. Over in France, the major sights in Provence favourite, Avignon, are still open for business so you can pose on the famous pont St-Bénézet and gawp at the immense Palais des Papes. But winter travellers might be tempted by some of the more curious events too, like January’s horse festival or the theatrical Fest-Hiver.

5. Live like a local

Without so many tourists flocking into their prettiest piazzas, life returns to normal in many tourist hotspots. And as locals’ guard comes down, all the better to people-watch. Try stomping into a warm Parisian brasserie to see chic locals shake their umbrellas (and wring out their soggy pet poodles). Or maybe you’d prefer to eavesdrop on Londoners as they endlessly discuss weather reports with that quintessentially British air of gloom.

6. Winter madness

Why not unleash your daring side by timing your trip to coincide with one of Europe’s hedonistic winter events?  Something about being cooped up indoors unleashes the wild side in Europeans and it’d be rude not to join in the chaos. Scandinavians leap into ice-cold lakes as part of their sauna regime, Sicilians explode in a riot of colour for the Feast of San Sebastiano, and Croatia’s February festivals are a spectacle of giddy mayhem (particularly raucous in Rijeka).

7. Cuddle up

Unless you’re hunting the Northern Lights or riding husky dogs across a frozen plain, Scandinavia might seem like a crazy choice for cold weather. A Stockholm city break with shortening hours of daylight? Traipsing up to Tromsø for dark skies and gloomy museums? But in Scandinavia, the colder it is, the most tempting the cosy comforts. March your rain-battled self to a Finnish sauna, snuggle into one of Gothenburg’s beautiful cafes with a sinful hot chocolate, or head to Denmark to experience hygge, an untranslatable phenomenon akin to cosiness and goodwill.
But don’t forget to plan. Make your European travels a breeze by heeding these winter winter warnings:

• Road to nowhere. Ferries, buses and train routes can slow down or come to a complete stop over winter. Don’t pin your hopes on island-hopping Croatia or railroading across Russia before you check whether the routes will operate.
• Hammering in your head. Hotels sometimes use the low season to renovate their properties. If you want to be sure you’ll avoid a noisy night, check online reviews for mentions of building works, or be bold and ask the hotel outright.
• Closed for business. Hotels, museums and galleries sometimes give themselves a hard-earned rest after the hubbub of high season, so call ahead or check the website before you rock up.

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/europe/travel-tips-and-articles/76931##ixzz2Avs5p5n1

Enjoy winter people!!!!!!!!!

xoxo

Freedom of Expressions

Got this from a post on Facebook.
Worth a read.
Written by the former Prime Minister or Malaysia, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed

My verdict: A very brave statement by Tun. Well said.

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSIONS

1. We are often lectured by the West, their leaders and journalists on freedom of speech, of expression, freedom of the press and media. These are part of human rights which Governments, and certainly Governments which accept democracy and the accompanying rights must respect and uphold.

2. Yet this is an area which the West displays the greatest degree of hypocrisy, of double-standards. We know of many instances when Western Governments regulate and control their media. We know that the press often self-regulates in their wish to uphold Government policies or practices.

3. But the most blatant example of control over public expression is with regard to the protection of the Jews. Not only will any criticism of the Jews be condemned, but laws have been enacted in many European countries which makes it illegal for anyone to dispute any aspect of the Holocaust. No one may question the claim that 6 million Jews were killed in the Holocaust.

4. Thus when David Irving a British historian doubted the 6 million figure, he was arrested and jailed in Austria even though his opinion was not expressed in that country. Since then no one has dared to openly question the veracity of the claim on the number of Jews killed by the Nazis. And David Irving himself has not been heard to question the legality of his arrest and incarceration for all the beliefs in freedom of expression. This extra-territorial enforcement of a country’s law is most unusual although we are seeing now such extension of the laws of powerful countries to other countries in the world.

5. The action of the Austrian Government and the existence of such a law forbidding free expression not only in Austria but elsewhere is a blatant example of total negation of free speech. And there are many other examples.

6. The American press is extremely good at investigative reporting. They will go to great length to expose the truth about any scandal or event.

7. One of the most newsworthy event of the last century is the 9/11 destruction of the World Trade Towers in New York. Such an event would have been thoroughly and repeatedly investigated, analysed and reported in the media even after years have passed. But very little has been reported about this event except for the first few weeks.

8. The results of investigations by private individuals and organisations have never been published in the media. The peculiar manner of the building collapsing on itself, the similar collapse of a third building which was not hit by the aircrafts; the total absence of debris where planes were said to have crashed into the Pentagon building and in the open field where the fourth plane was said to have crashed into the ground, the total absences of reports and recovery of the black boxes which all these planes must have carried; all these seem not to be in keeping with America’s talent for investigative reporting. There seems to be a conspiracy of silence. And this silence negates the loud claim of press freedom by the West.

9. And yet when an American spent large sums of money to produce a film to insult the Muslims and denigrate their Prophet in the most insulting manner; when the producer of the film knows full well that there would be violent reactions to the screening of this film; their deliberate provocation of the Muslims is defended by the American Government as a manifestation of the freedom of expression.

10. The reaction to this film by Muslims, including the killing of United States diplomats is condemned as extreme and indefensible. Muslims should understand that the film producer was only exercising his rights.

11. If that is so then why are there laws in many Western cities banning any adverse comments against the Jews. Why was David Irving arrested and jailed for doubting whether 6 million Jews were killed in the holocaust? Was he not also exercising his freedom of expression!

12. The West condemns the lack of restraints among Muslims to such puerile provocation. They are asked to be rational and not be violent.

13. Should not they also advise their own people to exercise restrain regarding provoking the Muslims. If they expect the Muslims to be rational, shouldn’t they request their own people to be rational as well? Better still if they can pass laws regarding the sensitivities of the Jews, surely they can legislate similar laws regarding insulting the sensitivities of the Muslims.

14. But instead of restraining their people, at the very time when Muslims reacted violently over the insult to their Prophet, the Europeans published cartoons to insult and provoke the Muslims further.

15. Truly the hypocrisy of the great advocates of freedoms of all kinds is beyond compare. Such people should not take the high ground to lecture the world on anything.

Addicted to Exercise??

Adapted... However a really good read.

TWO FIT 
By FIONA HO
starhealth@thestar.com.my

We are all familiar with the benefits of exercise, but overdoing it can yield some pretty debilitating results, especially on one’s social life. This writer shares how her addiction to exercise nearly ruined her vacation.

IT was freezing in peaceful Jeju island – a popular vacation spot in South Korea known for its natural sights and beaches – when this writer set foot there a few months ago.

Drenched from the evening rain, I had been shaking like a leaf despite being wrapped up in a long black coat and shawl. It was so cold that my fingers were numb. Inside, however, I was seething with raging unease. It had been nearly a week since I hit the gym, and my body was threatening to explode from pent-up frustration.

“I would rather not eat or sleep than to not exercise” – a recalcitrant, if silly stand I have reiterated on my Facebook timeline every now and again. Yet, eating and sleeping was all I did in between stopovers at commercial touristy destinations during my 11-day bus tour across the south of Korea.

It was springtime when the boyfriend and I set out for our Korean retreat. We began our journey in Seoul, and had stayed in different hotels across the country for every night throughout our trip. That meant having to wake up at 6am every morning to pack and prepare for the day’s trip.

I had planned on going jogging at night, but was often too exhausted from the tour’s activities, which typically ended at 10pm. Plus, the frigid cold in places like Mount Sorak and Jeju island left the prospect of running outdoors entirely out of the question.

Most of the hotels we stayed in didn’t have a gym either. I did bring a jump rope with me, but the cramped hotel facilities diminished whatever possibility of me having a good workout.

It was around day five when I started to notice that my triceps were losing their definition. I was frantic. It was only a matter of time before the rest of me swelled into a big, blubbery balloon. I was getting fat, fat, fat, fat, fat, and I was losing it.

I tried to make up for the lack of physical activity by eating as little as I possibly could throughout my trip, but for most of it, I was also moody, grumpy, and constantly lashing out at my boyfriend for no good reason.

It wasn’t until my usually mild-mannered other (and better) half threatened to buy me a ticket on the next flight home, halfway into our trip, that it hit me: maybe I was taking my preoccupation with exercise a little too far.

I have been an avid gym-goer for years, but never have I imagined that exercise would start to take over my life.

According to the American Running Association, when the commitment to exercise crosses the line to dependency and compulsion, it can create a physical, social and psychological quagmire for the avid exerciser. The phenomenon typically plagues runners.

My fitness regime has taught me patience, perseverance, discipline and determination, and has since transformed me from a bumbling fat kid into a self-assured, confident woman – so how could something so good be bad for me?

It turns out that even the sacred domain of exercise is not exempt from the “too much of a good thing” rationale.

We are all familiar with the benefits of exercise – weight loss, better health, better sleep, and so on – but overdoing it can yield some pretty debilitating results.

According to the American Running Association, when the commitment to exercise crosses the line to dependency and compulsion, it can create a physical, social and psychological quagmire for the avid exerciser. The phenomenon typically plagues runners.

As Richard Benyo, an American journalist and veteran distance runner writes on the subject in the Road Runners Club of America: “The exercise addict has lost his balance: Exercise has become overvalued compared to elements widely recognised as giving meaning in a full life – work, friends, family, community involvement – in short, the fruits of our humanity.”

To the addict, more is always more – more training, more hours, more mileage, more intensity. Anything that comes in between them and exercise is immediately resented.

Signs of addiction include withdrawal symptoms like anxiety, irritability and depression when one’s circumstances prevents one from working out.

Uh-oh. Sounds like we have a problem. Personally, I don’t run and I am not one for outdoor adventures (I work out on the elliptical trainer and I cycle), but I have been known to miss out on dinner dates and movie nights with my boyfriend and friends just so I could have a good workout at the gym.

But exercise addiction, like any other addiction, can cost you more than just a night out with popcorn. To quote Benyo again: “The obsession bites back in the form of chronic injuries, impaired relationships and other problems.”

Frankly, I am getting a little paranoid. Have I been overdoing it? I had after all, been a wet blanket for most of my trip in South Korea because I just couldn’t stand NOT exercising (I usually exercise up to five times in a week).

I am still in my 20s, and already, I have been experiencing knee problems due to my bad form while cycling and from attempting barbell squats.

Osteoarthritis, the lesser-known but equally malignant cousin of osteoporosis, is another probable consequence of exercise addiction.

Osteoarthritis is a common joint disorder, which is usually due to aging, and wear and tear on a joint. There are no conclusive findings on the correlation between osteoarthritis and exercising to date; what is clear, however, is that osteoarthritis can be caused by trauma to, or overuse of the joints.

According to the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, “People who engaged in sports or other physically demanding activities are known to be at an increased risk of osteoarthritis in the joints they use most (eg knees and hips in soccer players, and hands in boxers).

“Part of this apparent correlation can be explained by increased risk of joint injury. It would also seem logical that these groups would be predisposed to osteoarthritis from overuse injuries, and not necessarily from trauma.”

My colleague and self-professed outdoor enthusiast Leong Siok Hui, relates how constant and strenous physical activities has resulted in the wearing-and-tearing of her knee cartilage.

Leong is only 41, but she already requires knee surgery. Years of mountain climbing, running and cycling constantly have resulted in the deterioration of her knee joints, she shares.

She also has patella maltracking, a condition in which the patella does not remain within the central groove of the femur (thigh bone), and that has exacerbated the wearing down of her knees.

She is currently undergoing stem cell regeneration treatment for her knees. She misses the “runner’s high”, and still tries to fit in low-impact exercises, such as working out on the elliptical trainer, into her routine.

“This,” she says, pointing to her knees, “should not be a reason to stop exercising.”

So why push so hard? It is a question that exercise addicts get asked a lot. I am not an athlete. I have no performance goals. I don’t even run marathons. So why try?

I wish I knew. During a more recent trip to Shanghai, I woke up at 4am just to hit the hotel gym to burn off the chocolate cake I had for dessert. That session did leave me quite dizzy, and I am grateful that I didn’t pass out.

I recently took up CrossFit and the workouts-of-the-day (WODs) have not been kind to my body either. Movements like the “clean”, the “snatch”, and kettlebell swings have given me a sore back, a sore neck and bruises across the length of my legs, and I’ve only been at it for about a month.

What’s in it for me? I really don’t know. I just want to be good at it, and I am far from giving up.

For what it’s worth, at least my pursuit for fitness has served as a rather effective anger management mechanism, and has kept me sane through many a bad day at work. Also, the world just seems a little less crappy when I’m working out, and I plan to continue doing this for as long as I breathe.

The remedy for this addiction is pretty obvious – just cut back on exercise, d’oh. But try telling Homer Simpson to cut down on his doughnuts, and you’ll see that it’s easier said than done.

The American Running Association suggests that exercise addicts should try to change the emphasis of their exercise from quantity (meaning that more isn’t always better) to quality. For instance, you can try engaging in 30-minutes of interval training, rather than an hour of low-intensity training.

Try talking to an experienced personal trainer, and get him or her to plan out your workouts on a weekly basis. Draw a seven-day schedule, planning frequency, intensity, time and type of exercise with specific, reasonable goals relative to your abilities.

Very importantly, stick to your programme, and make sure that rest and recovery are given equal emphasis as they are essential in any well-balanced training programme.

Again, the above is easier said than done. I often feel like biting the heads off imaginary puppies on days when I’m not working out, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. If I have to force myself to take a day off exercise, so be it.

I am currently working on cutting down exercising from five to four days a week. There is no point in pushing myself to exhaustion all the time, only to end up with a series of injuries. I want to be 60, and still rocking my six-pack abs.

Being addicted to exercise is hard, especially when you’re living in a population where 20% are reportedly obese.

As if being addicted to exercise doesn’t do enough to alienate me from family and friends, I have recently taken on the Paleo Diet, which is based on this simple premise – if the cavemen didn’t eat it, then you shouldn’t either.

Essentially, the Paleo Diet cuts out processed foods like grain products, legumes and dairy, and comprises mostly of meat, poultry, fish and veggies.

Understandably, I have been preparing most of my own meals since.

My colleagues make faces at my steamed chicken breast and vegetables, and my McDonalds-loving boyfriend thinks I’m crazy, but I think it’s worth it. I have gained nearly 3kg of muscle mass in just a few months and my skin feels less oily than before.

I turn 21 (again!) this weekend and I have told my mum not to get me a cake. But perhaps I really ought to give this health and fitness thing a break. After all, it is my birthday, and surely a tiny slice (or five) of moist chocolate cake wouldn’t hurt...

And when it hits my thighs, I can always burn it off at the gym.

n Fiona Ho is a fitness enthusiast and a newly certified personal trainer by the American Council on Exercise (ACE). Her current interests include CrossFit and RPM classes.

Eid Mubarak 2012

The moon has been sighted! Fireworks of all sorts of sound-like machine guns, bombs and missiles fills the entire neighborhood adds more to the celebration spirit. Families and friends gather and ultimately good food is served. 
We celebrate our success after a whole month of fasting.

EID MUBARAK and SELAMAT HARI RAYA Maaf Zahir & Batin. May we all experience a blessed and joyous Eid then, now and for the years to come.

How was yours so far?

Mine was great. Great time spent with the family.
Great food.
Great company.

Alhamdulillah.

London 2012 has Officially Ended

The closing ceremony tonight marks that the London 2012 Olympic Games is officially over.
I was browsing tru the many many best shots of the 2012 Olympics and some caught my eye.

We have been giving praises and credit remarks to the achievement of the athletes during the recent games. However, the task and role of the most challenging and important job one could ever take is being the photographers! It is their piece of work that we would appreciate after.

I must say, what a great job the photographers have done. Without them, these still photos of the best moments ever will never ever be caught.

The photos are just so perfect!!

The full moon rises through the Olympic Rings hanging beneath Tower Bridge during the London 2012 Olympic Games August 3, 2012. (REUTERS/Luke MacGregor)

This one is my fav!

Britain's Andy Murray celebrates after defeating Switzerland's Roger Federer in the men's singles tennis gold medal match at the All England Lawn Tennis Club during the London 2012 Olympic Games August 5, 2012. (REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth)

PS: Their first gold since 1906

 (L-R) Juliana Gaviria of Colombia, Natasha Hansen of New Zealand and Ekaterina Gnidenko of Russia compete in the Women's Sprint Track Cycling 1/16 Final Repechages 

Fireworks explode over the stadium during the Closing Ceremony on Day 16 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 12, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Ning Ding of China competes during her Women's Singles Table Tennis Gold Medal match against Xiaoxia Li of China on Day 5 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at ExCeL on August 1, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images)

Usain Bolt of Jamaica runs on his way to winning his 100m heat round 1 during the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium August 4, 2012. (REUTERS/Phil Noble)

Olympics Day 6

I just love this photo.

Middleton. She's just too pretty.

Another conclusion to be made: Harry uses an iPhone! :)

Photo taken during the London Olympics 2012 cycling tournament when Team GB bagged the gold medal and they cheered!

Something for the Day

Hope this motivates and inspires you, and myself as well.

Have a great day ahead.
Yours truly,
xoxo

ParamKL

I was on my way to work this morning and as usual I'd tune on to Red FM.
The Red FM Breakfast announcers have always been Lil Kev and Sarimah, unfortunately this morning I guess Lil Kev wasn't around and Sarimah was alone.

However, she wasn't alone, literally. There were two invited guests who are volunteers from a Malaysian bazaar food portal website catered specially for the fasting month for residents in the Klang Valley.

It was quite interesting you know. (So obviously that explains why I'd prefer listening to Red FM).

And so, back to the interview session in the studio. These two volunteers (I can't recall their names, but one was a female and the other was a male). They are speaking on behalf of this local website which basically tells you what are the best "Pasar Ramadhan" spots for you to visit to get your favourite local Malaysian delicacies.

Its called ParamKL.

PARAM is the abbreviation for PAsar + RAMadhan.
*Pasar = market/bazaar


PARAM is an annual event which takes place through out Malaysia, during the fasting month of Ramadhan. Muslims and non-Muslims will tend to swarm or mob these PARAMs and they could actually get just about ANYTHING. Yes, I mean ANYTHING and EVERYTHING (food, especially) for breaking fast.
The main reason of them flocking these PARAMs is because the food sold are considerably cheap and the wide varieties they have will always tempt you to buy at least something.
(even if you do not have any intention or whatsoever to get anything, trust me, YOU WILL!)

Who do ParamKL cater? (got this from their website)

There are two situations:

• Happening Hock Lei is going to a PARAM and doesn’t know which are the stalls that sells the good stuff,
• Pretty Patimah is craving for ayam percik and wants to know which PARAM in town sells the best of that.

So, yeah. This website basically tells you what is the best food to get at a particular PARAM or which PARAM to get the food you are craving for.

On the other hand, I think, this website also helps foreigners to get to know more on the favourite local Malaysian delicacies.

So, why not give it a try?!

Horror Hotels?

Bed bugs and bad plumbing are nothing compared to finding an uninvited guest hovering over your bed at night.  We ask a few seasoned travellers to share their tale of encounters with things that go bump in the night.

Melissa Wong sank into her bed at a five-star hotel in Kensington, London. It was winter and darkness fell early. The 28-year-old air stewardess with a Middle Eastern airline was exhausted from a 12-hour flight. Sleep overcame her with ease.

Some time in the night, a gentle triing triing of the phone being dialled woke her up. It was the 1990s and the phones were still old-fashioned ones with round dials. Wong groggily picked up the handset. There was only a dial tone. She went back to sleep.

But there came the sound again. Wong opened her eyes sleepily. Panic seized her. For a dark figure was standing silently by the window. A crack of light through the curtains revealed that he was clutching a knife.

Wong leapt out of bed. She banged frantically at a colleague’s door and fell into the room hysterically. Both women made their way to the leading stewardess’ room, where the terrified pair stayed till dawn before heading downstairs.

“The duty manager just dismissed the incident,” recalls Wong.

“Later, a young receptionist told us that a man had committed suicide in the hotel years ago. I wasn’t harmed but that was the last thing you’d want to see in your room in the middle of the night!”

Uninvited guests

While hotels commonly deny the presence of paranormal patrons, spooky sightings and unexplainable encounters are rife among frequent travellers.

An entire airline crew at one of Tokyo Narita Airport’s hotels last year was kept awake by what they described as a banshee wailing over the air-conditioner ducts.

“It didn’t surprise us because our rooms were located in the vicinity of a room that had been left with its door opened and a red tape strung across it,” recalls one of the crew members.

Insurance agent Mary-Jo Thomas, 38, felt an eerie sensation upon stepping inside her room at a popular Taipei hotel.

“I can’t explain it, but I just felt a chill,” Mary recalls.

“We’d just come in from a long-haul flight and we were beat. The room was oddly angled. The small window partially faced a courtyard wall so little sunlight penetrated the room. It felt cold and musty. I was tired so I ignored my instincts. Plus my luggage had been sent up.”

Mary slept till 5pm and went out for dinner. She returned at 9pm and watched television. As she leaned back on her pillow against the headrest of the bed, she felt a presence doing likewise by her side. The pillow next to her was conspicuously sunken in.

Mary started breathing fast. But she refused to budge.

“I’d heard that restless spirits visit when we’re drained physically, emotionally or spiritually. Whatever it was, I refused to give in or they’d probably visit me more often! Plus, it didn’t feel sinister. I started swearing as I heard that spirits are turned off by bad language. After 20 minutes, I saw the pillow puffing up again as if the weight that was on it had been lifted.”

Paranormal activities sometimes manifest physically.

Fashion buyer Syarina Yusof, 25, took a nap before dinner after checking in at the same Taipei hotel. She woke up to find her cosmetics scattered all over the dressing table and floor. Perplexed, Syarina recalled a colleague who’d spoken of Taipei’s constant earthquake tremors, and assumed it must have happened while she was asleep.

After dinner, Syarina returned to her room and called it a day. But the stillness of the night was punctuated by a distinctive click of a lipstick tube opening in the dark.

She quickly flicked on the lights. Again, her make-up and skincare were scattered all over the dressing table when she’d earlier lined them up neatly for her morning routine. And she had not felt any tremor. The next morning, a fellow guest said he’d seen a little girl sitting alone in the lobby at midnight, which he’d found odd, as nobody else had seen her.

Syarina’s encounter wasn’t an isolated incident as frequent travellers have related numerous experiences in the same hotel, leading to rumours of the site being a former burial ground. With stories of haunted hotels so rife, it can be difficult to sift fact from fiction, reality from imagination, or urban legends from truth.

Okay now I might freak out whenever I check into a hotel. Nonetheless, these things are unavoidable.

I might be imagining things already.

Just for a read.

Got it from here!

London 2012

Four more days.... and it's now the time for the 2012 Olympics.

Will be held in London, from 27 July till 4 August. 

Reminiscing back into time during the 1976 Olympics in Montreal.

Nadia Comaneci from Romania - winner of three Olympic gold medals and the first ever gymnast to score a perfect 10. Her routine was the uneven bars.

She was 14 then.

And so I browsed, decided to look up for a video of her performing her routine on the uneven bars. It was just so perfect.

Now 50, married. Her husband, an American ex-gymnast, Bart Conner.

She recently held the torch for the 2012 London Olympics.

Click!

The Blessed Month

Taking this opportunity to wish all Muslims a Ramadhan Kareem.

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 31 :: Hadith# 120


Narrated Sahl: The Prophet said, “There is a gate in Paradise called Ar-Raiyan, and those who observe fasts will enter through it on the Day of Resurrection and none except them will enter through it. It will be said, ‘Where are those who used to observe fasts?’ They will get up, and none except them will enter through it. After their entry the gate will be closed and nobody will enter through it.”

Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 31 :: Hadith# 123
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah’s Apostle said, “When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.”


 Sahih Bukhari :: Book# 31 :: Hadith# 125
               Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “Whoever established prayers on the night of Qadr out of     sincere faith and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven; and whoever fasts in the month of Ramadan out of sincere faith, and hoping for a reward from Allah, then all his previous sins will be forgiven.”


God willing.

xoxo

There It Goes...

The couple I thought their marriage would last is now going to pieces.

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are in the midst of filing their divorce.

Katie wanted the divorce.

I guess now Tom needs someone who is 33 years or older because al his ex wives are 33 when they divorced him.

So anyone?

True That?

Hello! It's June already.

One month it has been. Don't think I have never thought of not wanting to write. Don't get me wrong.
As how much as how i wanted to vent, that's how much I have also always been procrastinating and I guess I have been too much occupied with life.

Talk about girl talks.
Talk about work.
Talk about technology.
Talk about family.
Talk about travel.
Talk about the social media.
Its a wrap............. talk about life.

So I was browsing tru. And got this link from someone who tagged me. I have to admit, I have been a little ignorant about the happenings in nature. Need to say more, I could've done a little more research and after viewing this video only i realised how ignorant I was as this occurrence was amazingly spectacular.




And oh...congratulations to MAS on their new pride and joy.
Presenting the new A380. I am so excited! Wish I'd have the chance to board it one day.

Till next time.
xoxo

Only in MY Malaysia

Yeh. This is cute.

A special thank you to Greyson Chance.

Yours truly.

6 Principles of Life

6 PRINCIPLES OF LIFE

1. No point using limited life to chase unlimited money.

2. No point earning so much money you cannot live to spend it.

3. Money is not yours until you spend it.

4. When you are young, you use your health to chase your wealth; when you are old, you use your wealth to buy back your health. Difference is that, it is too late.

5. How happy a man is, is not how much he has but how little he needs.

6. No point working so hard to provide for the people you have no time to spend with.

Can you See it?!

Enough said.

Its HIS Plan

HIS plan for us is not always what we might wish it to be.

It might be better.

You'll get through whatever you're going through successfully.

God willing.

Believe in that.

Occupied

PGCE you occupy me. You confused me.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!

6 reasons to love — or hate — our coming cashless future

A good read. To cash or not to cash.

A new book gleefully predicts that paper money is heading for history's dustbin. But not everyone is excited about abandoning their soiled green bills.

Cash is suffering from "death by a thousand cuts," says Wired editor David Wolman, whose newly released book, The End of Money, predicts the demise of cash. The world's financial transactions are increasingly being conducted electronically, and it's only a matter of time before we will no longer have to pay for stuff with "dirty green paper," he tells Salon. Wolman's book has people thinking about — and in some cases fearing — the prospect of a cashless society. Here, a look at why you should love or hate the cashless revolution:

WHY WE SHOULD WELCOME A CASHLESS FUTURE

1. Cash is inefficient
Imagine a poor worker in an Indian slum who takes the bus to the countryside so he can hand his relatives money, Wolman tells MIT'sTechnology Review. Why not just give him a cell phone that can move money electronically? It's much, much easier. And the developed world sees benefits, too, Wolman tells Salon. Just look at PayPal, a "gazillion dollar company." It's part of a "great flowering of payment options" that consumers are taking advantage of because it's so much easier than paying with cash.

2. Cash crushes the poor
"Electronic money is faster, it's cheaper, and it's safer," Wolman tellsTechnology Review. But the poor are still "stuck with cash," which prevents them from climbing out of poverty. Cash is vulnerable to theft, accidents, and any number of mishaps — all of which prevents the poor from building "security against financial shocks, which, when you are teetering on the edge of poverty, can be anything from a broken-down moped to a sprained ankle."

3. Cash facilitates crime
Wolman argues that robberies would dramatically decrease if people didn't have cash on them. Organized crime would be squeezed as well, since cash allows gangsters to do business without being tracked by the police. And the "key crimes associated with cash is tax evasion," says Katy Waldman atSlate. About 80 percent of the U.S.'s $500 billion in missing tax revenue is "attributable to unreported cash."

WHY WE SHOULD FIGHT A CASHLESS FUTURE

1. Corporate power will increase
If we allow all our commercial exchanges to digitally run through banks and other financial entities, we will "put big corporations even more in the center of our lives," says David Sirota at Salon. Cash allows people to avoid "having our financial transactions skimmed off the top by credit card companies." There are privacy issues, too, since electronic transactions will enable companies to scrutinize all our transactions.

2. People will spend money they don't have
Cash is the best way to keep your spending in check, says Michelle Singletary at The Washington Post. "Studies show that using plastic influences people to overspend." If you go to a store with $100 in cash, "you can only spend up to that amount. Cash is a stopgap."

3. Cash is more than just money
"I like cash," says Jennifer Vega at PopMatters, and not just for practical reasons. Cash is "sweet" and "simple." It's nostalgic. It gives us that "wry smile you twist out when you find a crumpled ten dollar bill in a Christmas card from your uncle, who has clearly not kept up with inflation rates, or indeed, your current age." You won't get that jolt of good feeling from electronic money.

Taken from here!