Friday Frolics - What's Your Karaoke Theme Song?

I'm not a fan of karaoke. In fact, I used to think karaoke is a waste of time. I'd rather be on the dance-floor though sometimes, I think people look silly swinging and shaking their body parts. Still, if nothing else, it's great cardio-vascular exercise.

I still do karaoke though but on very rare and special occasions. What do I normally sing? I pick a few I normally like to sing and the rest are mostly what everyone can sing together and a few very out-of-the-ordinary numbers, just for kicks. I think the best part of karaoke is to be able to sing those that you've been wanting to sing but don't have the lyrics to them.

And what's my Karaoke Theme Song? "I'm Too Sexy"....wohhhhhhhhh!! LOL

Your Karaoke Theme Song is "I'm Too Sexy"

You're a total goof ball and a bit of a nut job. You don't take yourself seriously at all. And while you may not be the greatest singer, you're the first to volunteer for karaoke. You have a wild and unpredictable sense of humor that always gets people cracking up. Irreverent and rebellious, your humor knows no bounds or limits. You enjoy shocking people. You might also sing: "Like a Virgin," "Ice Ice Baby," and "Hey Ya!" Stay away from people who sing: "Sweet Home Alabama"

What's" Your Karaoke Theme Song?

Other Friday Frolics

Strike Gold in Mersing

I've only heard of licensed gold-panning or the diamond park in the U.S. that's open to the public but public gold-panning here in Malaysia must be a first!

Yes, gold has been found here along the shores of Mersing. If you haven't heard of Mersing, it's a coastal town in Johore along the South China Sea. Head on over there if you want to strike gold!

Clams, Anyone?

If you love lala (clams, to our foreign readers), you may find they are plentiful and probably cheaper currently as there is a bountiful supply of them found on the northern shore as reported by the Star.

Curious about what kind of recipes there are for clams, was surprised to find none after much searching but found recipes for other stir-fry dishes instead. There's stir-fried okra, stir-fried beef, stir-fried potatoes, even fried rice which can only be done stir-fried, of course.

New Japan Entry Security Procedure

Last Friday, November 23, Japan put into effect its new Japan entry security rules. Travellers are required to go through the following procedure upon entering Japan:

o Submit passport to the immigration control officer.

o Listen to the immigration control officer explain the procedures and then place index fingers of both hands on a digital fingerprint reader. The fingerprint information will be read and stored electro-magnetically.

o Have a facial photograph taken, by way of a camera at the top of the digital fingerprint reader.

o Participate in a short interview by the immigration control officer.

On completion of the above procedures, the person wishing to enter Japan will receive his or her passport from the immigration control officer.

Except the finger-printing and facial photographing, the above security measures are already standard Japan entry requirements.

Here's a video summary and demonstration of the new security procedures.

Here's to view the Immigration Bureau of Japan Website for more about the changes.

Forbidden City of China - Inside and Out

The other night, I saw a very interesting documentary about China's Forbidden City. I've seen a number of documentaries on the Forbidden City but none as interesting or as factful as this one.

For example, when Beijing was under seige on a few occasions, the palace relics were carted out of the palace to Nanjing and then split up into three consignments and were safely transported to Sichuan, the south-western province of China. Eventually, they were returned to Beijing after the dust had settled.

Amazingly, every piece was accounted for. However, some of them were brought over to Taiwan by Chang Kai Shek but the bulk remains in China. These exquisite pieces of Chinese history are on display at the Palace Museum.

Restoratiion work took 19 years and was carried out with the help of foreign experts. It was interesting to note that the Forbidden City being in such a dilapidated state, was slated to be destroyed but thanks to a warlord who spoke out that if it were to be destroyed, China would lose its history and that other countries will think badly of China. Thus, it was retained and restoration work began.

While restoring the Toaist temple in the palace grounds, Buddhist scriptures were found. These are in Tibetan and not Chinese and to this day, it is still a mystery as to why these Buddhist scriptures were in a Taoist temple. After the restoration work has been completed, the scriptures were put back in the original place where they were found.

Pu Yi, the last emperor of China, was the last of China's 24 emperors. His autobiography would make for interesting reading about his life and the state of affairs in China during his time.

While China is gearing up for the Olympics and the amount of Yuan being spent on readying the nation for the big event next year, for some, life goes on in its little ways. If you think your life is bad, you will think differently after you see the following story. It's from an email whose writer is unknown though she's in the photos. Her story is in Mandarin and was translated into English by a friend, Patrick Tam.

At the end, it reminds us too of things we take lightly or for granted - recycling, delicious ready-cooked food, a cozy bed, money to spend, to name a few.

I'm only showing some of the photographs from the email. The first picture you see is of an old lady waiting for the writer to finish her drink so that she can collect the cup to make some money from recycling it. Some pictures are about the area where recyclers live. Notice the simple stove and stacks of "garbage" both in the homes and the area.



The writer was kind enough to help the old lady home with her bountiful "harvest" for the day. I want to share the sentiment and feelings of the writer by posting excerpts from the writer's text.

From the writer:
"At the entrance to the alley, this lady warmly invited me into her home. Standing beside all this rubbish, she was very proud of them. The lady introduced her as the richest person in the area. Facing these plain folks, I kept my smile on my face; but inside, I wanted to cry."



Writer's caption in reference to last row left photo above:
"In a darkened door way, I met the oldest resident of the area. From what I saw, it was hard to describe the scene with words.

Like all the hospitable residents, the old lady, shakily held on the door frame to welcome us. But her rickets made it impossible for her to look up.

The old lady is in her 80s. One of her sons was handicapped, the other son got married and left her. The handicapped son rode a tricycle to make a living. She herself gathered plastic bags and the like from garbage to make a living. She could make less than 20 yuan a month. She also had pulmonary emphysema but did not have the money to looked after it. All she could do was live day-to-day."

"All I saw and heard made my heart ache, couldn’t stay any longer. Before I escape, I gave the allowance my mother gave me to the old lady. Even now, her heart-breaking eyes still haunts my mind."

"When I got to the city centre, all I could see was prosperity. All the colourful lights and the decorations were like a wealthy lady bedecked with gold and silver jewellery. Before, I was deeply immersed in the scene, bewitched by her expensive and classy looks, often lingering in the expensive brand-name stores. But today, I don’t have the heart any more. I’ll ask, when you are enchanted by the beauty of this high-class lady, how many of you still care for the old lady who raised you?"



"Once I returned to my little world to find that everything is still warm and comfortable but there is unrest in my heart. I record everything I saw today as my growing experience."



~ English translation by Patrick TAM 談伯楷, Vancouver, BC, CANADA.

Engagement Rings

A colleague who often goes uphill to the casino in Genting Highlands with her husband, tried her hand at an online casino the other day, and what do you know! She made a small fortune and to have something to show for it, she has been scouting around for a girl's best friend, diamonds, of course.












Checking online, she found a site with an exquisite range of diamonds and diamond jewelry including diamond engagement rings and wedding rings.

The site is easy to navigate and the items are well grouped into categories including Diamonds, Engagement, Wedding, Designer, Studs, Gifts and Education. Everything you need on diamond jewelry is easily accessible. Each catergory in turn is further sub-categorized providing more detailed information on the piece you are looking for. You will know what you are buying because there is a gallery of 3D pictures of each item. I have no doubt James Allen is truly a professional jeweler my colleague would feel secure buying from.

Funny T-shirts Rock!

T-shirts are the in-thing these days. You see them everywhere, in so many colors and patterns and best of all, they fit everyone. T-shirts have evolved into a force of their own especially if they also carry a message, literally.

These t-shirts are funny yet they carry a strong message. The messages are loud and clear. You want to show solidarity or convey a message, you don a t-shirt. You want to make a fashion statement, you don a t-shirt. Care for Mother Earth? Tell the world with your t-shirt. A message on a tee must be one of the simplest and effective ways of communicating. These t-shirts rock. Get one of them today!

Hindraf Rally

This is the foothill of Batu Caves, a scene I've always tried to capture with my camera each time I passed by it. But this same place was the scene of unrest yesterday morning ahead of the planned Hindraf Rally.

According to Malaysiakini, quoting Hindraf leader P Uthayakumar, police fired tear gas at those sleeping in Batu Caves temple at 4am yesterday. Unconfirmed reports said about 700 people were arrested there, said the online news portal.

The collection of on-site pictures seem to support the story. The crowd were rounded up on all corners, herded into the Batu Caves Temple -- house arrest style.

Then, teargas and water cannons were fired into the crowd locked in the temple compound.

For more information, visit malaysiakini.com and jeffooi.com

A Hooters Video, maybe?

Thought I'd perk you up a little with a Hooters video (wouldn't you guys like that, huh?) but tough luck, just couldn't get it to load. Let me put in a little more tweaking, maybe you'll get to see it. In the meantime, a little geography lesson, instead?

An email on the Five Smallest Countries in the World got me interested enough to check up on these nations in Wikipedia. Who says Geography is not interesting!

Nauru and Tuvalu brought back memories of English Literature back in school which also reminds me of Fiji and Pandabonium somehow. Sister Dorothy, our Irish English Lit teacher, knew everything by heart, and more. She also taught us English and History. I'm grateful we had foreign teachers back then; which reminde me of you, Moody Minstrel. Someday, your students will look back with fondness and appreciation of what you've done for them.

San Marino is near you, LB, isn't it? A hop, skip, and a jump away. No?

Here are the Five Smallest Countries in the World in case you didn't already know.

1. Vatican City

Size: 0.17 sq. mi. (0.44 km²)
Population: 783 (2005 census)
Location: Rome, Italy

Vatican City, the size of a golf course, is the smallest country in the world. It's basically a walled enclave inside of Rome, Italy. It's so small that the entire country does not have a single street address.

Vatican City is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.



2. Monaco

Size: 0.8 sq. mi. (1.96 km²)
Population: 35,657 (2006 estimate)
Location: French Riviera on the Mediterranean
Monaco is the second smallest independent nation in the world, (roughly the size of New York's Central Park), yet it's the most densely populated (just 32,410). Actually, Monaco used to be much smaller than it is now - about 100 acres were reclaimed from the sea and added to its land size. At the narrowest, Monaco is only 382 yards wide!



3. Nauru

Size: 8 sq. mi (21 km²)
Population: 13,005 (2005 estimate)
Location: Western Pacific Ocean

From Wikipedia, Nauru is a phosphate rock island, and its primary economic activity since 1907 has been the export of phosphate mined from the island.[2] With the exhaustion of phosphate reserves, its environment severely degraded by mining, and the trust established to manage the island's wealth significantly reduced in value, the government of Nauru has resorted to unusual measures to obtain income. In the 1990s, Nauru briefly became a tax haven and money laundering center. Since 2001, it has accepted aid from the Australian government; in exchange for this aid, Nauru houses an offshore detention centre that holds and processes asylum seekers trying to enter Australia. It just takes 20 minutes to drive around the island.



4. Tuvalu

Size: 9 sq. mi. (26 km²)
Population: 10,441 (2005 estimate)
Location: South Pacific

Tuvalu is basically a chain of low-lying coral islands. As low-lying islands lacking a surrounding shallow shelf, the island communities of Tuvalu are especially susceptible to changes in sea level and storm patterns that hit the island undissipated. It is estimated that a sea level rise of 20-40 centimetres (8-16 inches) in the next 100 years could make Tuvalu uninhabitable

Tuvalu has almost no natural resources, and its main form of income consists of foreign aid. Virtually the only jobs in the islands that pay a steady wage or salary are with the government.

Today, Tuvalu also derives income from renting out its Internet country code top-level domain .tv, as it is the abbreviation of the word 'television'. This scheme got off to a rocky start (the original company who tried to do it failed to raise the necessary funds), but finally proved to be the largest source of income for the country.



5. San Marino

Size: 24 sq. mi. (61 km²)
Population: 28,117 (2005 estimate)
Location: North-central Italy near the Adriatic coast.

With the formal name of The Most Serene Republic of San Marino, it's not surprising that San Marino has got lots of charms. Founded in AD 301 by a Christian stonecutter named (what else) Marino (or Marinus, depending on who you ask), who along with a small group of Christians, was seeking escape from religious persecution, San Marino claims to be the world's oldest republic.



Source: Wikipedia and an unknown source

A Headline and Some Local Travel News

Pakistan thrown out of Commonwealth

Cheap flights to Singapore from February

Code-share agreement broadens travel choices

Firefly, Malaysia’s first community airline adds a third plane

Jalan Ampang will be closed Sunday

The Star reported late this evening that Jalan Ampang will be closed Sunday to facilitate police operations during the illegal gathering organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) at the British High Commission here.

Due to the road closure, other major roads leading to Jalan Ampang will also be affected and motorists are advised not to enter the city centre. The road will be closed from 8am. Massive traffic jams are expected due to road closure and traffic diversions. In another story, teachers and students are warned not to attend the gathering.

Don't Leave Home Without Travel Insurance

Many people like to travel and see places in Autumn. The weather is cooler and in the Northern Hemisphere, autumn is a colourful season of leaves turning flaming red, yellow and orange. While on a holiday, anything can happen. Cover yourself and your family against any untoward incidents by taking out a travel insurance. This will ensure that any high expenses incurred from accidents will be taken care of.

While you are away overseas, what would give you more peace of mind than a home insurance. Having your home insured would be a wise move. Taking out a home insurance policy is not compulsory here, unlike a car insurance, but when one is travelling, insuring your home and its contents is the right thing to do. Simply put, a home insurance protects your home, ultimately, protecting you.

Assembly at British High Commission

Yesterday, my company issued a circular urging employees to avoid a certain part of town this Sunday. There is news of an assembly of an estimated crowd of some 50,000 gathering at the British High Comm in Jalan Ampang to deliver a petition to the Queen.

Roadblocks have been set up in the Klang Valley as part of crime-prevention activities in the lead-up to the illegal assembly.

If you are interested, more information can be found on "Three charged" which is The Star's frontpage news today, while The New Straits Times carries "Shouting match in court".

Personally, I hope nothing untoward happens tomorrow. For those of you in Kuala Lumpur, it would be wise to stay away from the city center. Also, if you are living around the area, it's best to stay home.

Friday Frolics: Senses Challenge

This week's Friday Frolics is to challenge your Senses. Put your senses to the test in this fun quiz of 20 timed questions. Enjoy yourself and at the same time, learn some facts along the way. Ready, go Senses Challenge .

More Friday Frolics

Thanksgiving Cheer - Because I Am The Mom Song

Okay, this is Thanksgiving weekend so we need to keep the good spirits up, don't we? Here's one to add to the cheer. Enjoy..

Can We Do Without Lists?

Lists play a major role in our life. We even allow them to rule our life. Don't believe me? How many of you have shopping lists, to-do lists, list of birthdays, friends lists, children's activities list or schedule and so forth. See what I mean? The other day my friend showed me her shopping list - most interesting list, I must say. Some mentionables include red lipstick, hair mousse, knee-high stockings (black), hoodia, a red top and a guy gift.

The Convenience of Plasma TV Lifts

Searching for plasma tvs online the other day, I came across a site that sells plasma tv lifts. Just the equipment for anyone who owns a plasma tv. With the touch of a remote button, your plasma tv can be raised from behind closed doors with quiet, elegant ease and can be lowered into the beautiful console with the same ease. Talk about sophistication and convenience.

How Would You Know Which Credit Card Is Right For You?

Anyone who plans to apply for a credit card these days is spoilt for choice. There are so many available that at times, one can be at a loss. It is advisable to shop around for the credit card that meets your needs.

Creditcardsearchengine.com is a site that provides information on the types of credit cards available for you to make comparisons among credit cards issued by various establishments. No matter what category of Credit Card you are looking for, this site is able to provide the information you need. Whether it's a low interest credit card, a student or business credit card, gas, mileage or rewards credit card, the information here will enable you to choose the credit card that is right for you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Yes, let's talk turkey.. but I won't, as you can read all about turkey and the what and the how-to's on this Recipe Zaar site and the 30 (yes, 30) different ways of cooking turkey if you do a search for Thanksgiving turkey on the site.

All I want to say is Happy Thanksgiving and May You Have A Wonderful, Wonderful Time! And, travel safe.

A Christmas Carol

I understand in the West, Christmas decorations in the stores will be set up the Friday after Thanksgiving, which is this Friday. However, over here, Christmas decorations are already up and stores are already playing Christmas carols. A girlfriend has started carol practice at her church.

TV networks will soon be bringing out their Christmas shows and programs. We'll get to see A Christmas Carol yet again but that's a good story, so I don't mind seeing it yearly.

In case you haven't read the book nor seen the movie and would like to know the story, you can read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens online. This tale is also good to suppress the Scrooge in all of us.

How to Lose Weight

A girlfriend recently attended a talk on diabetes and she shared what she learned from that talk. Did you know that being overweight can cause diabetes? Also, there is no real cure for the sickness but controlling it is the way to go and losing weight is one of the steps recommended.

Did you know there is a new way to lose weight? Tampa lapband surgery is the least invasive procedure for losing weight. The LAP-BAND procedure requires no cutting, stapling or rerouting of the stomach or intestines and as such provides lower risks with the surgery and less serious long term complications. The procedure, performed by highly skilled and experienced surgeons, can be performed in an outpatient (day surgery) setting and offers a shortened recovery period.

The procedure is adjustable and is completely reversible if the need arises.

Job vacancies

Unemployment has always been a concern everywhere. I know that some local graduates are still jobless probably still waiting for that dream job, if ever there is one. I wonder if the job below would do in the interim.

Knowing the Right Care Options is Helpful

Recently a colleague's father was hospitalised for stomach ulcers. His sickness was a shock to my colleague and her family because the old gentleman had never before complained of any abdominal pain.

As it was all of a sudden, my colleague and her family had to start thinking about care options and care homes. Surfing the net for information, she found bettercaring.com. It's a site that provides answers to crucial questions about care for self and loved ones.

The site has information on care options that are available so that you can arrange the right kind of care. The site also has care news, views and tips from care experts. You can also join a community forum that allows discussions and sharing of experiences.

How Time Flies!

Most of us have a favourite time of the year or a favourite month. Even different ethnic groups favour different months of the year. Take for instance in the Chinese community, certain months are favourable for functions or activities such as getting married or moving house while it is taboo for such activities in certain months.

My favourite month has got to be December. It signals the end of the year and the beginning of yet another brand new year come January then followed by the month of Valentine and then March Madness, the season for sports and early ticket-booking, and before we know it, it's Christmas again. And we echo, "How time flies!"

Transforming Your Home into a Fairyland

Not sure if you're aware, but Malaysia is a country with the most number of public holidays with Selangor being the state with the most - 17 days! This is attributable to the multi-ethnic people with their different cultures and festivals. We just celebrated Hari Raya and recently, Deepavali and soon, it will be Christmas to end the year. Thanks to lighting stores, the homes can be transformed into fairylands during festivals and holidays.

Friday Frolics: What Does Your Handwriting Say About You?

We quizzed about whether we are left- or right-brained last week. This week, let's see what our handwriting say about us. Have you ever wondered? Did you know that by improving or changing our style of writing, we can impact our life? For example, making an effort to dot your i's as close as possible to the stroke will improve your memory or crossing your t's can make you less scatter-brained.

What Your Handwriting Says About You

You are a fairly energetic person. You know how do pace yourself, and you deal well with stress. You are very extroverted and outgoing. You are loving, friendly, and supportive. However, you are also manipulative and controlling at times. You are balanced and grounded. You know how to get along well with others. You need a bit of space in your life, but you're not a recluse. You expect people to give you a small amount of privacy, and you respect their privacy as well. You are conservative, old fashioned, and a little stubborn. You are resistant to change. You are a decent communicator. You eventually get your point across, but sometimes you leave things a bit ambiguous.

What Does Your Handwriting Say About You?

More Quizzes here

Are You a Coin Collector?

I used to own some rare coins from the Straits Settlement era but they were all lost to thieves. That was some years back. I used to wonder if I were to sell them, how would I go about it.

Recently, I came to know about Monaco Rare Coin. They are the people who would be able to help buy or sell any rare or gold coin that you might have. They are a trusted leader in precious metals investments for nearly 40 years dealing in gold, silver and platinum bullion and bullion coins . . . as well as other precious metals investments..

Being a trusted leader in precious metals investments for nearly 40 years, Monaco Rare Coin offers a unique, vast and impressive array of resources for investors and collectors alike. Their experts are well-suited to help anyone with buying or selling whether for investment or collecting. Collectors and investors would no doubt be assured to be offered the best prices and best service.

One-sen coins to be demonetised

Come April 1 of next year, the one sen coin will no longer be legal tender. This applies to over-the-counter payments, payments by cheque, credit card, charge card and debit card. It does not apply to online transactions. This move would save the government RM18million which is what it costs yearly to mint these coins. Consumers will be happy not having to dig into their coin-purses for that one sen to pay for a burger or for whatever.

This is..

How Much Do You Know about Insurance Plans?

No one wants to think about his or her own death but nonetheless all of us have to pass on sooner or later. Wouldn't you feel better knowing that after you're gone, your family is being taken care of? We are talking about an insurance policy.

We all know that insurance policies can be rather costly but it is still possible to save money on insurance. There are many insurance companies out there. The key is to know which companies offer the best rates. If you are a smoker, did you know that there are Cheap Smoker Insurance Rates too? For a better understanding, you may want to check out Insurance Plans Pros and Cons.

My Sony TV needs a Sony TV Wall Bracket

Here in Malaysia, almost every household has a TV, some have more than one. With the introduction of cable TV, the more-than-one-TV trend is fast catching on. There is much to see on TV that families feel the need to satisfy everyone's preferences which explains why my colleague has four sets at home.

I was surfing the net the other day and came across this site that sells TV wall brackets. Great idea, these wall brackets. Dekomount carries sony tv wall brackets among other wall brackets. They have wall brackets for LCD TV and Plasma wall brackets. No matter what size TV you have, their high quality wall brackets can take the weight. The max weight their wall brackets can take is 75kg. That's how sturdy their wall brackets are.

Treasure Each Day

Last week, we (my family) lost a very good family friend. He was having dinner with his family at the time. I won't go into the details but he was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. I miss him.

Death itself is not scary (at least not to me) but the thought of losing someone unexpectedly is. How often have we heard of people passing on suddenly leaving no parting words nor any indication of his impending demise. There's no denying that life is indeed unpredictable and fragile - it could be here today, gone tomorrow. I don't mean to sound so morbid but that's basically true.

Meaning of Today
I may never see tomorrow
There's no written guarantee
And things that happened yesterday
Belong to history.

I cannot predict the future
I cannot change the past
I have just the present moment
I must treat it as my last.

I must use the moment wisely
For it soon will pass away
And be lost to me forever
As part of yesterday.

I must exercise compassion
Help the fallen to their feet
Be a friend to the friendless
Make an empty life complete.

The unkind things I do today
May never be undone
Any friendships that I fail to win
May nevermore be won.

I may not have another chance
On bended knee to pray
And I thank God with humble heart
For giving me the day.

Source unknown

Krillion can help you find an item near you

Consumers who live near stores and retail outlets would much prefer to go there to buy big-ticket items than to buy them online. However, with the Internet so readily available, people would normally check out the items online to know the specifics of the item so that they know what to expect and what to look out for when they do see the item eventually.

Search engines though useful in locating what we want won't be able to tell us whether the stores near us have stock of the item we are looking for. However, there is now a search engine that is able to do that.

For example if you are searching for Whirlpool Washing Machines on Krillion.com, you'd also be able to indicate the city you're at. Don't you think this is cool? Once you've found the store that has your item, you can just head on there, pay for it, pick it up and head home. Doesn't that save time and no hassle?

Payday Loans Now Come Without Any Paperwork

A colleague knows I blog so he asked if I've heard or read about Faxless Payday Loans. What a coincidence. I just came across this payday loans site so I was able to fill him in a little.

Short-term cash loans or payday loans are handy to meet unexpected financial emergencies. Application is easy and loan is normally approved within 24 hours. Once approved, money is wired into your bank account. There is no paperwork involved and it's completely confidential and secure. Quotes can easily be obtained too if you'd like to make comparisons prior to the loan.

Dog Treats

I know you love your dog, and you want them to have the best available dog treats on the market. That's why Best Bully Sticks is a great place to all of your shopping for your dog's treat and chew needs. With a great selection of 100% all natural bully sticks and all natural chews for dogs, Best Bully Sticks is the only place you'll ever have to go to get everything your dog will want to munch on. And since you're getting it from Best Bully Sticks, you know that it's completely safe for your dog to enjoy. I can't imagine giving my dog anything other than a treat from Best Bully Sticks, and once you see how much your dog enjoys their treats and chews, you won't either.

Create Your Online Store

A friend recently set up shop selling electronics gadgets. I wish I knew about Ashop's ecommerce software earlier because he asked me about it. As I was of no help, he checked out several himself and finally decided on one. I wonder how he's doing. Maybe I'll just clue him in on Ashop's ecommerce software anyway.

Ashop's ecommerce software offers a complete solution for merchants to sell online. It's easy to install, affordable and you can customise your own design without any restrictions. Their shopping cart software is an award-winning software and is 100% Search Engine Optimised which means your site will be ranked highly in search engines.

Asop offers a demo so you can take a test drive or you could sign up for a 10-day free trial. It's not just an ecommerce software, it's full service with technical support and customer service.

Another Friend Off to London

After two friends have just got back from London, yet another is preparing to visit England with her family end of this month. They'd be taking in London, Manchester and then over to Birmingham to see an aunt.

They have checked out hotels in London online and are surprised they are able to get one for such a good rate in London. There is actually no shortage of cheap hotels in London. The same can be said of hotels in Manchester. While in London, they hope to see the usual popular attractions such as the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Madame Tussaud's, go shopping in Harrods, go up the London Eye to get a panoramic view of the city.

Their timing couldn't be more perfect because they'd have the chance to see a very special exhibition on King Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs which runs from 15 November 2007 - 30 August 2008 at London's O2 Centre. That would be such a treat.

Their trip to Manchester is for the purpose of visiting Old Trafford to buy some Manchester United jerseys and souvenirs. Not sure if they'd be visiting any museum or art gallery though Manchester has got some great museums and art centers there.

Birmingham would be their final leg visiting with an aunt. Hotels in Birmingham can be as low as GBP30.00 but they will be putting up with their aunt. Some online sites like Cheaperthanhotels offers last minute and year round accommodation with free inclusions at prices often less than directly at the hotel , hostels or serviced apartments.

A fireplace warms the heart too

Sure, you've found the fireplace that you want, but you want to match the marble in your kitchen to the fireplace in your living room. Thanks to Agee Woodworks you can get marble, granite, and slate fireplace facing kits that will let you upgrade the look of your wood or ventless gas fireplaces with the stone facings that you want to match the rest of your house. They're experts at helping you to find the fireplace mantels, surrounds, facings, and cabinets that will give your fireplace the personal touch. I can't think of anybody else I'd rather go to for my fireplace needs, and I'm sure you'll feel the same way after you visit them. Check them out today and see if I'm not right.

HDMI Cable Stress

According to research, stress can be caused by many factors, some of which are change of job, death of someone close, divorce, being laid off and moving house or office. My colleague would agree with the last stress factor. His family recently moved into their new home and his young son has been adding stress to his life because he's not able to play video games because he has not been able to locate his video game console HDMI cable.

Friday Frolics: Are You Left- or Right-brained?

Are you left- or right-handed? The Wikipedia says that according to different studies, 85% to 90% of the population is right-handed, while most of the remaining are left-handed and a small percentage of the population can use both hands equally well. A person with the ability to use both hands equally well is deemed to be ambidextrous.

Because of the high percentage of right-handers, a good number of technological devices are made primarily for right-handers such as fridges, scissors, microwaves, can-openers, and computer mice. Button-down shirts are included in this list, though the traditional Chinese would beg to differ. Chinese tradition dictates that if the shirt is made for a man, the buttons would be on the right side of the shirt while a ladies' shirt would have buttons on the left side.

More from Wikipedia, "Left-handed golf clubs are more difficult to find than right-handed ones. Many classical-era Japanese swords were (and even modern cooking knives are) favored to cut more efficiently for the right-hander. Musical instruments such as guitars are also set up for right-handers. Military rifles designed to be shot only from the right shoulder have resulted in injuries from spent cartridge casings hitting left-handers in the eye and head."

So, are you left- or right-handed and what does it tell about you? Take the quiz to find out and know a little bit more about your personality.

I'm a Right-Right person. Go on, your turn.


First, identify yourself as right or left brain person:

1. Hold your hands together, as if you were praying. Look at your hands. If you see

- Left thumb is below the right thumb ---> left brain
- Right thumb is below the left thumb ---> right brain

2. Fold your arms in front of you (as if you are angry)

- Right arm above left arm ---> left brain
- Left arm above right arm ---> right brain

Based on 1 + 2 (order important), below is the interpretation of your personality:

Right-Left
Considerate, traditional, indirect type can instantly read other's emotion, and respond friendly by natures. Although not very into taking initiatives in moving forward, but this person will always take a step back in supporting others. Stable personality and considerate, give others a being protected feeling. But the weakness is they cannot say no; regardless how unwilling they are, they will take care of others.

Right-Right
Loves challenges type. Straight forward. Once they decided on one thing, will take action right away. Very curious, and love challenges. Dare to face dangers without thinking through (sometimes foolishly). Their weakness is they don't listen to others, will filter in only what whey want to hear in a conversation, and very subjective. However, because of their straightforward attitude, they tend to be fairly popular.

Left-Left
Dedicated, cold, perfectionist Very logical in all aspects. The only way to defeat (or win over) him/her is through reasons. Has a lot of prides, and feeling strongly about doing the right thing. If they are your friends, they are very trustworthy. However, if they are your opponents, they will be very tough to deal with. Because they can be very "anal" as a perfectionist, they usually leave a bad impression of being hard to deal with when first met.

Left-Right
Likes to take care of others, leader type Has a cool and keen observation ability to see through situations, yet still can be considerate in others needs. Because of their cool and calm nature, and strong sense of responsibility, they tend to become head of a group. Popular among people. However, they may not be able to help themselves in meddling because they want to take care of others too much. Very concerned about how others view them, and always on alert.

Source unknown

More quizzes here.

Getting a Cash Advance Online is Easy

The Internet has made it a lot easier to accomplish a lot of chores and business transactions. Banking and paying of bills are two common transactions. Even taking out a loan can now be done over the Internet. Take applying for Payday Loans or cash loans for instance. You just need to find a suitable quote online and send in an application. Paydayloanquotes provides free quotes with no obligation.

What is a payday loan? A payday loan or cash advance is a quick and easy way to bridge your cash needs between pay days without a credit check. An online application does not involve paperwork can be done in seconds, is completely confidential and secure. Once application is approved, the amount is wired into your bank account.

Happy Deepavali

Tomorrow is a major festival celebrated by the Hindus as they celebrate the "Festival of Lights" where the lights or lamps signify the uplighting of darkness and victory of good over the evil within, according to Wikipedia.

The day also commemorated the homecoming of King Rama of Ayodhya, after a 14-year exile in the forest[1], and thus the people of Ayodhya (the capital of his kingdom) welcomed him back by lighting up rows of lamps (deepa-wali), thus its name, Deepawali, or simply shortened as Diwali.

Though colloquially called Diwali in North India, in South India it is called Deepavali which is also commonly known here in Malaysia. Being a multi-cultural nation, Deepavali is a gazetted public holiday so we do get a day off even though we we do not celebrate this festival. Malaysia is probably the only country in the world with the most number of holidays. In certain states, there are as many as seventeen public holidays a year.

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish all Hindus near and far, Happy Deepavali.

Airy Clothes

Not sure where this was taken nor the source, but got it thru the email from a girlfriend who says, "The world is indeed going mad.....". I don't know about that but you can be sure it won't be me dressing up (or is it down) like that. Well, at least some places in the world allow for some excitement like this.

Escaping from the heat and humidity

After many years abroad, a colleague is going nuts in this hot and humid weather in KL, so she had to escape to somewhere cool for a while and ended up in Edinburgh, Scotland. As it was a spur-of-the-moment decision, she and her girlfriend were a bit worried that they might not be able to find any Edinburgh accommodation. Of course, that was the least of their worries as they found that there are lots of Edinburgh hotels from as low as GBP32.

She said Edinburgh is beautiful. She loves the charm of the medieval architecture and the alleyways that reveal ancient courtyards and awesome panaroma along the Royal Mile and the Castle looked spectacular - much better than in pictures, she said.

She made friends with some Scottish highlanders and got their contact info for future visits, just in case. One of the highlights of their trip is a visit to a brewery to see how whisky is made. No, she didn't buy home a set of bagpipes but she did get herself a pretty tartan kilt though.

They then made their way to Manchester. Unlike my other friend, this girlfriend is not into football so visiting Old Trafford was not on her itinerary. Instead they visited museums and gardens.

With its mix of historic and futuristic museums, classic art galleries and famous theatres, Manchester has a lot to offer those seeking a taste of Great British culture.

I read that Manchester has the world’s finest collections of art at the Manchester Art Gallery. It has recently reopened after a four-year, £35 million transformation.

Did you know that Manchester city has a history of firsts so it’s no surprise that the world’s first and only museum dedicated to exploring urban culture, the Urbis, is situated in the heart of the historic Millennium Quarter.

For somewhere a little more peaceful, Heaton Park is the place to visit. It is the largest municipal park in Europe complete with boating lake, horticultural centre and beautiful gardens and and has a wide range of activities for young and old to enjoy.

Just like in Edinburgh, they had no difficulty finding Manchester accommodation. They stayed at a medium-range hotel close enough to all the touristy places.


Of course, Manchester is not only museums. There is the contemporary side of Manchester. There are quite a number of multiplex cinemas in Manchester, all showing variety of Hollywood blockbusters and classic movies. There is an overwhelming choice of clubs and nightspots - live music, comedy shows, theatre and dance performances. Or if you are looking for some adult entertainment, they have some sexy venues you might want to check out.

Spock - A New & Different Search Engine

Search engines have made looking up information such an easy task and anything you need to know can be found with a simple search, a click away.

Spock is entirely a different search engine from all the rest. Spock is touted as the leading people search application combining next generation search technology and community contributions to create relevant results.

You can search for people by name or a tag. The tag could be any personal information like hair or eye colour, interest, location, enjoys vegetables, or anything you know pertaining to the person you are searching for.

When I first signed up for a Gmail account last year, I wanted to use my name as the username but found that it's already been taken. How naive of me to think that my name would be unique. A search on Spock yielded thirty people with the same name! Oops! And that's only on Spock. I'm sure there are lots more people sharing the same name. No wonder, I couldn't get it for my Gmail account.

A random search for Nobel Peace Prize yielded all recipients of this prestigious prize. What I like about Spock is that when you do a search on a certain person or tag, you will get a result of all persons and things relating to that person or tag. Take for instance, a search for Dalai Lama will yield all the Dalai Lamas. This is neat. It's awesome for anyone doing research.

Spock is a free people and information search engine. You can sign up and create your own record or if it already exists, you can make changes and shape what people find about you on the Internet. You and others can also voice out about another's tag by voting for or against a tag, including pictures too.

Although it is not a social network, it does have some capabilities such as messaging and within a search result, you can find links to a person's other locations on the web such as his homepage, MySpace, Wikipedia, etc.

California Wildfires

Just like floods and other natural disasters, fires too bring much destruction and hardship to those unfortunate enough to be victims, just like the people in the recent fire in Southern California. Thousands of evacuees are returning to their neighbourhoods where assistance centers have been set up to help displaced residents with insurance and rebuilding. Below is a video-clip.

Meet Sharks In Person

I have not been to Adelaide, Australia, but I have heard that it's a pretty city of churches, arts festival, botanical gardens, wildlife parks, harbour markets, wineries, car races, cruises and lots more. There is a broad range of affordable hotels in Adelaide near a variety of attractive locations. Some start from as low as AUD62.

Brisbane is yet another must-visit Australian city, more so if you love the outdoors of sunshine and beaches. Many people dream of a vacation of sunshine and white, sandy beaches and Brisbane is surely the place to realise your dream holiday.

There is never short of things to do in Brisbane. You could go for nature walks, visit vineyards and wineries, go snorkelling, diving or even fishing. For the thrill-seekers, there are theme and water parks to visit or you could go to the Underwater World oceanarium and come face-to-face with real life sharks or take a Greyhound pass to the Great Barrier Reef. For somewhere nearer, Moreton Island is a great place to explore. It's a 2-hour ferry ride away and frome the upper bridge deck, the views of Moreton Bay is spectacular.

As a famous tourist destination, you would expect that Brisbane accommodation is aplenty. You can find breakfast eco resorts to boutique hotels to luxury apartments and hotels. Whether it's Adelaide hotels or Brisbane hotels, you will be sure to find them readily available online.


Image sources:
- cheaperthanhotels.com
- thingstodo.com

Know What You Are Buying

Most of the time, we buy products that we are familiar with or know that they work either from our own experience or from recommendations. But sometimes, we have no way of knowing whether the product works. We buy it because we need it and we have only the contents on the label to guide us.

A site I found is exactly what we need. Trustsource.org is a site with product reviews as provided by both health care professionals as well as product-users.

Take for instance, if you are looking for products for hemorrhoids, you would able to check out the various products available in the market for hemorrhoids and their rankings. It's a great resource to help us make informed decisions. What is more important than our health?

Cerebral Palsy

I went to visit a relative in hospital the other day. My route took me past the maternity ward and the babies section. I stopped and watched awhile. The stork brought many babies, all so little and fragile yet so cute. A few were in incubators and two were with some form of disability. Strangely, cerebral palsy came to mind. Many babies are born daily around the world. Sadly, not everyone is born normal. Makes you appreciate your life and what and who you have, doesn't it?

Friday Frolics: What Musical Instrument Should You Play?

I don't play any musical instrument but if ever I pick up music, I would like to learn how to play the piano. However, this here says I should be playing the Accordion. It also says I'm eccentric (yikes!), funky and wacky and a whole lot of other weirdness. lol

You Should Play the Accordion

You are eccentric, funky, wacky... definitely one of a kind. People have trouble putting you in any one particular category. You definitely have your own thing going on. You are a born entertainer. No wonder you'd be perfect as a one man (or one woman) band. Your musical influences likely cross all genres - and blend together in a very unusual way. While you are definitely offbeat, you also enjoy tradition and influences from the past. It's just your style to take an old fashioned instrument like the accordion and make it uniquely yours. Your dominant personality characteristic: your total inhibition Your secondary personality characteristic: your interest in obscure activities and subjects

AMACO takes toy safety seriously

A girlfriend makes lovely ceramic pieces to give away to friends and family. She usually gets her ceramic clays from a craft-shop downtown. She'd be happy to know that Ceramic Clays can be obtained online too.

Amaco® is the place to source for arts and crafts materials. It offers twelve different ceramic clays: six low fire and six high fire as well as clay accessories. Modeling clays are also available - from Marblex, a moist, self-hardening clay to Stonex, a self-hardening white clay to Craft Porcelain Modeling Material to Industrial modeling clay and many others.

Besides clays, other arts and crafts materials are also available including materials for scrapbooking, book and bead projects and fabric painting.



With the emphasis on safety, Amaco products are safe to use as their glazes are lead-free and their clays are talc-free. Amaco is recognised as the industry leader in safe engineering for ceramic products and equipment.

Getting back to good credit standing

Excessive consumer spending has resulted in consumers landing themselves with bad credit. This is aggravated by escalating prices of goods and services. People with a record of bad credit may find it difficult to borrow loans.

However, all is not lost as there are bad credit loans available online to get them back to their feet financially. And by making timely payments, consumers can rebuild their credit and be able to borrow home loans , car loans and such.

Visit Berlin and Vienna

Germany is a place to discover fairytale castles, picturesque villages, crystal-clear lakes and snow-capped mountains, the mystical Black Forest, stunning Rhine River cruises, traditional Christmas markets and naturally, the world-famous Oktoberfest.


Berlin is a vibrant city. The fall of the Berlin wall (which once divided the city) has increased visitor numbers to the city. There is always something happening in this German city of art, culture and history. You can experience the majestic beauty of castles and palaces, explore fascinating museums or delve into the modern fantasy worlds of musicals and variety shows or enjoy the outstanding German cuisine of the many excellent restaurants. There are over 7,000 bars and restaurants in Berlin. Hotels in Berlin are never in short supply. Cheap rates are even available all-year round.

Museums are a great place to learn about a city. Permanent exhibitions in Berlin offer fascinating insights into Berlin's history, as far back as the Middle Ages. And the city is still changing today.

Now is probably one of the best times of the year to visit Berlin. The magic of the festive season is nowhere more evident than at the Christmas Markets held in the cities, towns and villages throughout Germany. Visiting the Christmas Markets would be an enchanting experience.

From one cultural city to another, a visit to Vienna is a must on a European tour. Hotels in Vienna are easily available and booking online could yield cheaper rates, even for last-minute bookings.



Vienna is Austria's capital and a province at the same time. It offers a unique blend of imperial traditions and stunning modern architecture and famous for its cultural events, imperial sights, coffee houses, cozy wine taverns, and the very special Viennese charm. Vienna is home to many international organizations.

Art lovers will love Vienna for her many museums and galleries of international reputation. Great works of art are being housed in these museums.

Vienna owes much of its international fame to the many celebrated composers who lived and worked here including Mozart, StrauB, Beethoven and Haydn. Vienna boasts the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, one the world’s best, the Staatsoper one of the world’s leading opera houses, and the Vienna Boys’ Choir one of the world’s most famous choirs.



There is much to see in Vienna, from the Gothic St. Stephen’s Cathedral to the Imperial Palace to the Art Nouveau splendor of the Secession, to the magnificent baroque palace of Schönbrunn to the Museum of Fine Arts.

Whether you are visiting Berlin or Vienna, booking hotels in Berlin or hotels in Vienna is never easier. Online booking offers cheaper rates, cheaper in most cases and with lots of extras included.