Summaries
I’d like to ask this question to whoever that’s interested to read.
Giving to charities, would you….
1. Donate via the people who comes up to you at the shopping center/restaurants asking you to donate for a charity organization/orphanage?
or
2. Go to the Charity/Orphanage to donate/volunteer?
The reason I asked is, more and more people seems to be coming up to me whether I’m alone or with a bunch of friends asking to donate some money to a charity organization, and the best thing is, they have a photo album to show, just to trigger that guilt that we would get looking at how all these people is suffering.
What would you do in such a situation?
Personally, I’d just ask them which organization they are attached with and jot down the name and address/number if available. Purpose? If I’d want to donate money or items, I’d do it myself rather than rely on them.
Yes, I’m skeptical about these people. How many of them are actually doing what they say they do? Out of all the cash they collected, how much actually reach the charity’s home (if it does reach the charity home)? For all we know, out of $10 that was donated, only $2 reach the home, claiming the $8 as administrative fees and processing fees and all that stuff.
One of the reason why I’m skeptical was also what a charity home operator told me once when I went and deliver some donations. I informed him that I got to know about their home through this guy going around Taman Mayang asking for donation for them and he look at me with eyes almost popping out of the socket and say that they never send any one out to collect or ask for donations before. In fact, they are so short handed that they could barely have time to do any administrative work outside of caring for the children in the home!
I’m sure there are some that’s genuinely out to help these charity organization. But how do we truly identify who is the genuine deal and who isn’t? These days, we can easily create an ID card starting that we represent this or that organization and then flash it at anyone we came across easily.
How do we know which are the one that really does give all the money and goods donated 100% to the charity homes? Do we ask them to hang on while we call up the charity home first to check on their ID before donating or just take their words for it and donate?
Could anyone tell me?
With the recession hitting an all time high, people getting retrenched, companies closing down, expenditure of families being slashed, I do feel and worry for these charity homes. They operate based on people’s charity, with the recession, less people want to give as they’d want to save as much as they could. The children at these charity homes would eventually be the one who suffer. Especially the ones that’s not cared for by big organization. I’m not asking for donations for any charity homes here. But am just pointing out the sad fact that, with people tightening their belts, who would then channel in funds to these homes to feed these children? who would be able to fund their education needs with no money being channeled in?
Recession, it really does affect everyone but my heart goes out to these children for most of them do not know what’s happening around them yet they are the one that would have to suffer the most.
What can we do on our part?
Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a huge, huge, hugeeeeeeeeeee Ferrari fan. I can’t say that I own any thing Ferrari though except for the Ferrari F1 Uniform which I wear whenever there’s an F1 race happening on the weekend and quite a number of car models.
But I must say the guy in the video was just awesome! Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear fame interviewed him way back in 1998 but I only saw the video yesterday and just have to share it here. His name is Pierre Scerri, this Ferrari enthusiast built a perfect scale model of a Ferrari 312 PB. Painstakingly create all the parts all by himself. Truly stunning to see, what single minded devotion has accomplished over 15 years.
And the car can actually be driven, if we could find someone small enough to fit in. Yes, every single parts works, from the gearbox to the engine to the indicator lights. In his own words “I could not buy one, I had to make one.” He began his project for the model in 1978, out of desire for having a Ferrari that could function in his dining room. Pierre Bardinon, owner of the Mas du Clos race track, allowed Scerri to take detailed photographs of the actual car on display at the adjacent Ferrari museum. Based on those photographs, he drafted the schematics and made the molds for all parts of the model, a process which took 15 years.
In 1989, he finally completed assembly of the engine, a perfect scaled replica of the Flat-12 cylinder engine found on the 312PB. He reportedly took extra time tuning the engine so that it would sound like the full-scale model. The project was finally completed in December of 1992.
Scerri is now working on 3 new models, a Ferrari 330 P4, another Ferrari 312PB and an engine for a Ferrari 250 GTO, all 1:3 scale.
This just basically shows you how bored I am. Anyway Life is full of coincidences; some very minor, but occasionally - extraordinary. This is a list of 15 of the most incredible, unbelievable coincidences that was shared across the net.
15. Childhood Book
While American novelist Anne Parrish was browsing bookstores in Paris in the 1920s, she came upon a book that was one of her childhood favorites - Jack Frost and Other Stories. She picked up the old book and showed it to her husband, telling him of the book she fondly remembered as a child. Her husband took the book, opened it, and on the flyleaf found the inscription: “Anne Parrish, 209 N. Weber Street, Colorado Springs.” It was Anne’s very own book.
14. Poker Luck
In 1858, Robert Fallon was shot dead, an act of vengeance by those with whom he was playing poker. Fallon, they claimed, had won the $600 pot through cheating. With Fallon’s seat empty and none of the other players willing to take the now unlucky $600, they found a new player to take Fallon’s place and staked him with the dead man’s $600. By the time the police had arrived to investigate the killing, the new player had turned the $600 into $2,200 in winnings. The police demanded the original $600 to pass on to Fallon’s next of kin - only to discover that the new player turned out to be Fallon’s son, who had not seen his father in seven years!
13. Twin Deaths
In 2002, Seventy-year-old twin brothers died within hours of one another after separate accidents on the same road in northern Finland. The first of the twins died when he was hit by a lorry while riding his bike in Raahe, 600 kilometres north of the capital, Helsinki. He died just 1.5km from the spot where his brother was killed. “This is simply a historic coincidence. Although the road is a busy one, accidents don’t occur every day,” police officer Marja-Leena Huhtala told Reuters. “It made my hair stand on end when I heard the two were brothers, and identical twins at that. It came to mind that perhaps someone from upstairs had a say in this,” she said.
12. Poe Coincidence
In the 19th century, the famous horror writer, Egdar Allan Poe, wrote a book called ‘The narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym’. It was about four survivors of a shipwreck who were in an open boat for many days before they decided to kill and eat the cabin boy whose name was Richard Parker. Some years later, in 1884, the yawl, Mignonette, foundered, with only four survivors, who were in an open boat for many days. Eventually the three senior members of the crew killed and ate the cabin boy. The name of the cabin boy was Richard Parker.
11. Royal Coincidence
In Monza, Italy, King Umberto I, went to a small restaurant for dinner, accompanied by his aide-de-camp, General Emilio Ponzia- Vaglia. When the owner took King Umberto’s order, the King noticed that he and the restaurant owner were virtual doubles, in face and in build. Both men began discussing the striking resemblance between each other and found many more similarities.
1. Both men were born on the same day, of the same year, (March 14th, 1844).
2. Both men had been born in the same town.
3. Both men married a woman with same name, Margherita.
4. The restaurateur opened his restaurant on the same day that King Umberto was crowned King of Italy.
5. On the 29th July 1900, King Umberto was informed that the restaurateur had died that day in a mysterious shooting accident, and as he expressed his regret, an anarchist in the crowd then assassinated him.
10. Falling Baby
In 1930s Detroit, a man named Joseph Figlock was to become an amazing figure in a young (and, apparently, incredibly careless) mother’s life. As Figlock was walking down the street, the mother’s baby fell from a high window onto Figlock. The baby’s fall was broken and Figlock and the baby were unharmed. A year later, the selfsame baby fell from the selfsame window, again falling onto Mr. Figlock as he was passing beneath. Once again, both of them survived the event.
9. Mystery Monk
In 19th century Austria, a near-famous painter named Joseph Aigner attempted suicide on several occasions. During his first attempt to hang himself at the age of 18, a mysterious Capuchin monk interrupted Aigner. And again at age 22, the very same monk prevented him from hanging himself. Eight years later, he was sentenced to the gallows for his political activities. But again, his life was saved by the intervention of the same monk. At age 68, Joseph Aigner finally succeeded in suicide, using a pistol to shoot himself. Not surprisingly, the very same Capuchin monk - a man whose name Aigner never even knew, conducted his funeral ceremony.
8. Photographic Coincidence
A German mother who photographed her infant son in 1914 left the film to be developed at a store in Strasbourg. In those days some film plates were sold individually. World War I broke out and unable to return to Strasbourg, the woman gave up the picture for lost. Two years later she bought a film plate in Frankfurt, over 100 miles away, to take a picture of her newborn daughter. When developed the film turned out to be a double exposure, with the picture of her daughter superimposed on the earlier picture of her son. Through some incredible twist of fate, her original film, never developed, had been mislabeled as unused, and had eventually been resold to her.
7. Book Find
In 1973, actor Anthony Hopkins agreed to appear in “The Girl From Petrovka”, based on a novel by George Feifer. Unable to find a copy of the book anywhere in London, Hopkins was surprised to discover one lying on a bench in a train station. It turned out to be George Feifer’s own annotated (personal) copy, which Feifer had lent to a friend, and which had been stolen from his friend’s car.
6. Twins
The twin brothers, Jim Lewis and Jim Springer, were separated at birth, adopted by different families. Unknown to each other, both families named the boys James. Both James grew up not knowing of the other, yet both sought law-enforcement training both had abilities in mechanical drawing and carpentry, and each had married women named Linda. Both had sons, one of who was named James Alan and the other named James Allan. The twin brothers also divorced their wives and married other women - both named Betty. And they both owned dogs which they named Toy.
5. Revenge Killing
In 1883, Henry Ziegland broke off a relationship with his girlfriend who, out of distress, committed suicide. The girl’s enraged brother hunted down Ziegland and shot him. Believing he had killed Ziegland, the brother then took his own life. In fact, however, Ziegland had not been killed. The bullet had only grazed his face, lodging into a tree. It was a narrow escape. Years later, Ziegland decided to cut down the same tree, which still had the bullet in it. The huge tree seemed so formidable that he decided to blow it up with dynamite. The explosion propelled the bullet into Ziegland’s head, killing him.
4. Golden Scarab
From The Structure and Dynamics of the Psyche: “A young woman I was treating had, at a critical moment, a dream in which she was given a golden scarab. While she was telling me this dream I sat with my back to the closed window. Suddenly I heard a noise behind me, like a gentle tapping. I turned round and saw a flying insect knocking against the windowpane from outside. I opened the window and caught the creature in the air as it flew in. It was the nearest analogy to the golden scarab that one finds in our latitudes, a scarabaeid beetle, the common rose-chafer (Cetonia aurata) which contrary to its usual habits had evidently felt an urge to get into a dark room at this particular moment. I must admit that nothing like it ever happened to me before or since, and that the dream of the patient has remained unique in my experience.” - Carl Jung
3. Taxi
In 1975, while riding a moped in Bermuda, a man was accidentally struck and killed by a taxi. One year later, this man’s brother was killed in the very same way. In fact, he was riding the very same moped. And to stretch the odds even further, the very same taxi driven by the same driver - and even carrying the very same passenger struck him!
2. Hotel Discovery
In 1953, television reporter Irv Kupcinet was in London to cover the coronation of Ellizabeth II. In one of the drawers in his room at the Savoy he found some items that, by their identification, belonged to a man named Harry Hannin. Coincidentally, Harry Hannin - a basketball star with the famed Harlem Globetrotters - was a good friend of Kupcinet’s. But the story has yet another twist. Just two days later, and before he could tell Hannin of his lucky discovery, Kupcinet received a letter from Hannin. In the letter, Hannin told Kucinet that while staying at the Hotel Meurice in Paris, he found in a drawer a tie - with Kupcinet’s name on it.
1. Historical Coincidence
The lives of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, two of America’s founders. Jefferson crafted the Declaration of Independence, showing drafts of it to Adams, who (with Benjamin Franklin) helped to edit and hone it. The Continental Congress approved the document on July 4, 1776. Surprisingly, both Jefferson and Adams died on the same day, July 4, 1826 - exactly 50 years from the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Do you have any Coincidences happening to your life? Maybe you could share it here.
Tun Dr. Mahathir aka Chedet ask for Malaysia as all other nations around the globe to boycott the US Dollar and US made products, essentially, everything USA in protest over Washington’s backing of Israel.
Dr Mahathir, who during his two decades in power was a leading voice in the Muslim world, said people had to take action against the United States over its support for Israel, which is conducting a military offensive in Gaza.
‘If you stop accepting US currency, the US can’t trade and can’t make any money, it will become very poor and it will have to stop the production of more and more weapons in order to kill people,‘ he told a press conference. ‘We should not be buying all these weapons from the US, we can buy from the Russians if we must have aeroplanes and things like that,‘ he added, ‘People must act… they won’t die if they don’t drink Coca-Cola.‘
Dr Mahathir criticised the US for blocking a UN resolution calling for an end to the action by Israel, which has launched an air and ground offensive that has left at least 510 Palestinians dead, many of them civilians.
Well, all sounds fantastic from the look of things but then, can we really pull it off? Just stop using all things American made. Right? Products, Services, Stocks. But the big question is, will it work? Stop drinking Coca-Cola, but you still see people buying Coca Cola off the shelf at the local convenient stores. Stop using American made services, but everyone’s still on Ebay and Paypal and is making money out of it. Even Americans themselves are putting up a fight to get the American government to stop supporting the war but all seems to fall of deaf ears. Especially Bushy’s knowing that he’ll want to go for a last push on getting things done his way before he no longer hold any power. But, is there truly a way to send the message across? I think so, at the end of the day, I believe that Politicians should fear the citizens and not the other way around. It is the citizens of the countries that put the politicians to where they are now.
Let’s look at some 10 steps that hopefully would work in sending the message across.
1. Don’t shop American made brands!
- We can boycott all those big chains and franchises - from Starbucks to GAP, from Sears to McDonalds, etc. There are local businesses we can support.
2. Stay away!
- We should not visit any part of the USA. There are so many other countries that are more beautiful, rich in culture and cheaper to visit than in USA.
3. Don’t look, listen or read!
- Part of our USA addiction is due to the domination of its media. So we stop watching USA made programs, videos and movies. Support your local media and production (even though there’s still a bloody long way to go for Malaysian production to even compete among Asians except for that special few). That is more vital than seeking out “good” USA stuff.
4. Don’t buy USA vehicles!
- If we must buy cars, we can look to the producers of the most economic vehicles - Japan. Shun the big USA three companies and most of all, shun SUVs. They are gas guzzling polluters. If SUVs’ gas efficiency increased by three miles to a gallon, the USA would not need to import oil from the Middle East at all.
5. What about OIL?
When we fill up at the local pump, we are getting oil from USA brands, as well, Petronas still buys Petrol from other oil producers when they are running low on their own supplies even though Petronas have it’s own oil refinery (don’t ask me why, ask Petronas). I think one of the reason why USA attacked Iraq isn’t because of Saddam but because of the oil rich location of Iraq, bomb the place, give some sort of good reason to stay there and plant American companies there to suck the oil dry.
6. We need to shop carefully!
- Stop buying “Made in USA” goods. Not always easy, but ask fair trade products from around the world. We should boycott franchised products like Coors and Budweiser. There’s always the TIGER BEER if you want.
7. We don’t buy USA brands!
- from running shoes to coffee- no matter where the product is made, it profits USA corporations. Coffee is a major example. The coffee solution is easy as more and more retailers carry fair trade, organic coffee from many small producers. For other products, we can do without if we can’t get goods made in other countries that really need our support.
8. Sell our stocks and shares!
- If we have mutual funds or pension plans that was purchased from an American company sell them off!
9. We can end our biggest addiction - USA produced FOOD!
- We are used to buying USA brands of food from around the world from Kraft to General Foods. You can always get other brands that are non American! Like Chedet say, it won’t kill you if you don’t drink Coca Cola.
10. Boycott and talk about it!
- Share information about products and sources. Tell politicians and businesses. They are really scared of boycotts! Because they work in consumer societies! Boycotts helped overthrow apartheid South Africa and end French nuclear tests. We need to talk to our USA friends in the country that uses 40% of the world’s resources (they are less than 6% of its population). Encourage USA activists to also boycott big corporation and agri-business. We can all consume LESS. We can all support local producers, recycle and re-use. The time and money we save we can dedicate to strengthening social movements and being more active. Walk more, use the bus, and drive less.
We are our own best media - talk to people everywhere about this boycott and the reasons for it. We will send a clear message to the USA government and corporations and our government that we do not support wars and oppression for military, economic and political domination!
Do you have more than the 10 that I’ve stated above? do share!
This is something that’s been going around like a wild fire.
Netizens around the world basically are going wild over these photos so why shouldn’t I share them here as well right? Don’t normally post nudity on this page but what the heck right? It’s all for entertainment sake.
These are some photos of Zhang Ziyi (章子怡) and her boyfriend Aviv Nevo at an undisclosed beach on a nice holiday.
Was in an Air Asia flight arriving to KLIA recently.
The flight came to a complete stop and a good 10 seconds later, over the PA System of the plane.
Air Stewardess: “Dear Passengers, thank you for flying with Air Asia, please remain seated until the plane has come to a complete stop.”
My reaction? Bursting out laughing at the statement.
I could also hear some sniggers from some passengers in front and at the back of me.
Alexander Graham Bell (1847 - 1922) was the inventor of the telephone. Along the way, he also did many other things which was notably successful as well. Truly an inspiration for success.
Success is following your heart.
Throughout his life, Bell had been interested in the education of deaf people. Pursuing this interest ultimately led him to the invention of the telephone.
Success is having vision.
Shortly after the telephone’s invention, Bell had written to his father, “The day is coming when telegraph wires will be laid on to houses just like water or gas – and friends will converse with each other without leaving home.”
Success is being a keen observer.
Bell was a gifted pianist, who as a teenager, noticed that a chord struck on one piano would be echoed by a piano in another room. He realized that whole chords could be transmitted through the air, vibrating at the other end at exactly the same pitch. In the years to come, this simple observation would eventually lead him to the creation of the telephone.
Success is asking the right questions.
Bell hoped to convey several messages simultaneously, each at a different pitch. However, he could not see a way to make-and-break the current at the precise pitch required. He would eventually find the answer to his question, “How could pitch be conveyed along a wire?”
Success is overcoming adversity.
Alexander Graham Bell had his share of personal tragedies. In the late 19th century when Tuberculosis was at its peak, the disease claimed the lives of both of his brothers within the span of four months. Bell himself was battling the disease when, at age 23, he moved with his parents to Canada.
Success is generosity. In testimony to the effectiveness of his work and generosity of his spirit, Helen Keller would dedicate her autobiography to Alexander Graham Bell.
Success is promotion.
Alexander Graham Bell introduced the telephone to the world at the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia in 1876.
Success is continuing to do what you are passionate about.
After Bell became rich and famous for his invention of the telephone, he continued to make contributions to the world of science and technology though his inventions.
Success is sharing.
Eager to infuse a love of science and the natural world in others, Bell lent considerable financial and editorial support to both Science Magazine and National Geographic.
Here’s something interesting I read in an email recently.
The 60 uses of salt aside from just using it to season your food.
The following list will give you sixty uses of salt, many of which you
probably didn’t realize :-
1. If you drop a whole egg on the floor, pour salt all over the egg, let it sit for awhile, then use dustpan, the egg will come right up, without all that mess.
2. Soak stained hankies in salt water before washing.
3. Sprinkle salt on your shelves to keep ants away.
4. Soak fish in salt water before decaling; the scales will come off easier.
5. Put a few grains of rice in your saltshaker for easier pouring.
6. Add salt to green salads to prevent wilting.
7. Test the freshness of eggs in a cup of salt water; fresh eggs sink;bad ones float.
8. Add a little salt to your boiling water when cooking eggs; a cracked egg will stay in its shell this way.
9. A tiny pinch of salt with egg whites makes them beat up fluffier.
10. Soak wrinkled apples in a mildly salted water solution to perk them up.
11. Rub salt on your pancake griddle and your flapjacks won’t stick.
12. Soak toothbrushes in salt water before you first use them; they will last longer.
13. Use salt to clean your discolored coffee pot.
14. Mix salt with turpentine to whiten you bathtub and toilet bowl.
15. Soak your nuts in salt brine overnight and they will crack out of their shells whole. Just tap the end of the shell with a hammer to break it open easily.
16. Boil clothes pins in salt water before using them and they will last longer.
17. Clean brass, copper and pewter with paste made of salt and vinegar, thickened with flour
18. Add a little salt to the water your cut flowers will stand in for a longer life.
19. Pour a mound of salt on an ink spot on your carpet; let the salt soak up the stain.
20. Clean your iron by rubbing some salt on the damp cloth on the ironing surface.
21. Adding a little salt to the water when cooking foods in a double boiler will make the food cook faster
.
22. Use a mixture of salt and lemon juice to clean piano keys.
23. To fill plaster holes in your walls, use equal parts of salt and starch, with just enough water to make stiff putty.
24. Rinse a sore eye with a little salt water.
25. Mildly salted water makes an effective mouthwash. Use it hot for a sore throat gargle.
26. Dry salt sprinkled on your toothbrush makes a good tooth polisher.
27. Use salt for killing weeds in your lawn.
28. Eliminate excess suds with a sprinkle of salt.
29. A dash of salt in warm milk makes a more relaxing beverage.
30. Before using new glasses, soak them in warm salty water for a while.
31. A dash of salt enhances the taste of tea.
32. Salt improves the taste of cooking apples.
33. Soak your clothesline in salt water to prevent your clothes from freezing to the line; likewise, use salt in your final rinse to prevent the clothes from freezing.
34. Rub any wicker furniture you may have with salt water to prevent yellowing.
35. Freshen sponges by soaking them in salt water.
36. Add raw potatoes to stews and soups that are too salty.
37. Soak enamel pans in salt water overnight and boil salt water in them next day to remove burned-on stains.
38. Clean your greens in salt water for easier removal of dirt.
39. Gelatin sets more quickly when a dash of salt is added.
40. Fruits put in mildly salted water after peeling will not discolor.
41. Fabric colors hold fast in salty water wash.
42. Milk stays fresh longer when a little salt is added.
43. Use equal parts of salt and soda for brushing your teeth.
44. Sprinkle salt in your oven before scrubbing clean.
45. Soaked discolored glass in a salt and vinegar solution to remove stains.
46. Clean greasy pans with a paper towel and salt.
47. Salty water boils faster when cooking eggs.
48. Add a pinch of salt to whipping cream to make it whip more quickly.
49. Sprinkle salt in milk-scorched pans to remove odour.
50. A dash of salt improves the taste of coffee.
51. Boil mismatched hose in salty water and they will come out matched.
52. Salt and soda will sweeten the odor of your refrigerator.
53. Cover wine-stained fabric with salt; rinse in cool water later..
54. Remove offensive odours from stove with salt and cinnamon.
55. A pinch of salt improves the flavor of cocoa.
56. To remove grease stains in clothing, mix one part salt to four parts alcohol.
57. Salt and lemon juice removes mildew.
58. Sprinkle salt between sidewalk bricks where you don’t want grass growing.
59. Polish your old kerosene lamp with salt for a brighter look. Remove odors from sink drainpipes with a strong, hot solution of salt water.
60. If a pie bubbles over in your oven, put a handful of salt on top of the spilled juice. The mess won’t smell and will bake into a dry, light crust which will wipe off easily when the oven has cooled.
You going to give any of these a try?
