Deep freeze the next few days

If you think it's cold here in Kuala Lumpur having no sunshine today, you'll have to check out what's happening in the United States.

Deep freeze grips the US during New Year celebrations
Source: The Star.

The cold will last the next few days, I heard over the news yesterday.

Is it cold where you are?

Baby Panda to return to China

If you have yet to visit the pandas in Zoo Negara, the National Zoo in Kuala Lumpur, you may want to do so soon if you want to see them or especially baby panda Nuan Nuan who is the offspring of the couple, Xing Xing and Liang Liang.

The zoo has started making preparations for Nuan Nuan's return to China to the Giant Panda Santuaries in Wolong National Nature Reserve in Sichuan, soon. Nuan Nuan, which means warmth, is the first Malaysian-born panda cub.

Nuan Nuan is the offspring of Xing Xing and Liang Liang. The pair came to Malaysia in 2014 on a 10-year loan from China.

Preparation includes keeping the cub in a small cage once a week for 30 minutes so that she can get used to the enclosed condition during the air and road travel. This training began in mid-August. She is also separated from her mother, Liang Liang periodically so that she can get used to not seeing her mother.

Nuan Nuan is also able to understand the Sichuan dialect, thanks to one of her keepers from China, which makes the cub ready when she goes back to China.

For more information on the pandas and entry rates to the zoo, check out National Zoo.


Source: The Star - Prepping baby panda for trip back to China

American Woman - Guess Who

All of a sudden, out of the blue, I wanted to hear 'American Woman'. Give it a listen if you haven't heard it before. But who hasn't, eh? Best version everrrr!


One of the things I enjoy about You Tube is the comments, like this one that says:

- 537 thumbs down? Those are 537 people that deserve to have their thumbs cut off with a dull rusty knife. (As we speak the number has gone up to 826).

And then in response someone said:

- wow you must be a psychopath.

Yet another says:

I can't believe all those thumbs down, this really is a very special song.


For more on what people have to say go to You Tube.

Enjoy, if classic rock is your cup of tea, that is.

.

Sennheiser Microphones

If you are in the music business, you'd be familiar with the Sennheiser brand.

If you are not never mind, here's some info from Wikipedia.. Sennheiser is a private German audio company specializing in the design and production of a wide range of high fidelity products, including microphones, headphones, telephony accessories and avionics headsets for personal, professional and business applications.

Sennheiser deals in headphones and headsets, microphones and wireless systems, meeting and conference room solutions, loudspeakers just to name the basics.

The company has won many awards for their high quality products including an Emmy Award in 1996 for its advancements in RF wireless technology.

Sennheiser products are marketed worldwide. Check out sennheiser microphones at guitarcenter.com or call them for a specific item you are looking for.

Malaysia Airlines - 3-day flash deals

Planning a holiday between July 27 to Sept 30, 2017? MAS' 3-day flash deals offer discounts for travel within this period.

The national carrier is offering customers a chance to enjoy up to 35% savings on economy class to selected routes.

Air fares are from as low as RM359 to Phuket, RM369 to Jakarta, RM899 to Manila while for flights to Beijing, the fares start from RM1,009 to Beijing and RM1,299 to Mumbai. These fares are for departures from KL International Airport (KLIA).

Fares from Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) start from RM839 to Taipei, RM999 to Perth and from as low as RM 1,269 to Tokyo.

MAS is also offering all-in, one-way promotion from RM99 to all domestic destinations, during selected periods throughout the year.

Promotion comes with no hidden charges or credit card fees and include a baggage allowance of 30kg and complimentary meals.

Book your tickets here: https://www.malaysiaairlines.com/my/en.html or at participating travel agents, through its mobile app, MHmobile or call centre at 1 300 88 3000.


Image source: The Star

Amazing range of Guitars

Are you in the market for a guitar? You've come to the right place.

Musician's Friend is just the place to shop. All kinds of guitars are available to meet every discerning guitarist's needs from electric guitars to acoustic guitars to classical & folk instruments.

See what I mean? Check out musiciansfriend.com guitars for sale You'd be amazed at the range and even more so at the prices! Happy guitar-shopping!

Malaysia's Very First Gold Medal at a World Championship

National diver Cheong Jun Hoong claimed a truly stunning win in the women's 10m platform individual final at the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Jun Hoong became the nation's first ever diving world champion after chalking 397.50 points to come out tops in a starry final field of 12 participants on Wednesday evening.

Not only did she win Malaysia's first-ever diving gold medal at the world championships but Jun Hoong beat two top Chinese divers — Si Yajie and Ren Qian - the 2016 Rio Olympics silver and gold medalists.

The champion is in disbelief that she is now the diving world champion.

"My god, I'm a world champion! Of course it is a dream come true," Jun Hoong told The Star.

Gretsch Guitars G6128TCG Duo Jet Cadillac Green

If one were to collect guitars, I imagine this one would be one for the collection.

This beautiful Gretsch Guitar features twin DynaSonic single-coil pickups, Bigsby B3G vibrato tailpiece, gold-plated Gretsch Synchro-Sonic bridge, and vintage hump-block fretboard markers. Certainly alien text to me but it sure spells a splendid piece of musical equipment as the reviews show. The guitar is finished in mahogany stain with Cadillac Green top.

Unfortunately, this item doesn't ship to Malaysia but if you are in the United States or elsewhere looking for great workmanship and a great sound to match, do check it out here --> http://www.guitarcenter.com/Gretsch-Guitars/G6128TCG-Duo-Jet-Cadillac-Green-1273888004477.gc

Air Asia wins again - World's Best Low Cost Airline

The next time you fly with Air Asia give it a thought that you would be taking to the air with the World’s Best Low-Cost Airline, and for the ninth consecutive year this year.

Just yesterday, this was revealed at the 2017 Skytrax World Airline Awards held at the Le Bourget Airport in Paris.

MSN.com - Provided by MToday News Sdn Bhd airasia-skyrex

The airline, which has always placed importance on the strength of its frontline staff, also demonstrated its commitment by having its cabin crew head, Suhaila Hassan, receive the award on its behalf.

The long-haul arm of the airline, AirAsia X, also added another feather to its cap, after it was named World’s Best Low-Cost Airline Premium Cabin and World’s Best Low-Cost Airline Premium Seat awards for the fifth year in a row.

The long-haul arm of the airline, AirAsia X, also added another feather to its cap, after it was named World’s Best Low-Cost Airline Premium Cabin and World’s Best Low-Cost Airline Premium Seat awards for the fifth year in a row.

You can continue reading here on MSN: AirAsia is world’s best low-cost airline for 9th year in a row

ROD STEWART First Cut Is The Deepest LIVE

Don't you just love Rod Stewart..

Enjoy!


Sing along..

"The First Cut Is The Deepest"

I would have given you all of my heart
But there's someone who's torn it apart
And she's taken just all that I had
But if you want I'll try to love again
Baby I'll try to love again but I know

The first cut is the deepest
Baby I know the first cut is the deepest
But when it come to being lucky she's cursed
When it come to loving me she's the worst
I still want you by my side
Just to help me dry the tears that I've cried
And I'm sure going to give you a try
And if you want I'll try to love again
Baby I'll try to love again but I know

The first cut is the deepest
Baby I know the first cut is the deepest
But when it come to being lucky she's cursed
When it come to loving me she's the worst

I still want you by my side
Just to help me dry the tears that I've cried
But I'm sure gonna give you a try
and if you want I'll try to love again
Baby I'll try to love again but I know

The first cut is the deepest
Baby I know the first cut is the deepest
When it come to being lucky she's cursed
When it come to loving me she's the worst

======================

One video isn't enough. I know. So here's another one.

Novation Bass Station

Musician's Friend is not called Musician's Friend for nothing.

If you are looking for anything relating to music, be it musical instruments (of course), amplifiers & effects, accessories, recording, lighting & stage effects, DJ Gear, microphones, software & downloads, sheet music, to name just a few, Musician's Fried is THE PLACE to start.

Looking for a great set of novation bass station? Look no further. They have that too. Check out Musician's Friend for your musical need.

Being gay - the last 24 hours

Two sides to a coin?

In Taipei, Taiwan, supporters hug each other during a rally after Taiwan's constitutional court ruled that same-sex couples have the right to legally marry, the first such ruling in Asia.

And over in Jakarta, an Indonesian man is publicly caned for having gay sex, in Banda Aceh, Aceh province, Indonesia.

Source: MSN

24 hours ago

The world of Internet has given us the chance to have a glimpse of what's going on around the world. I just stumbled upon images that Reuters captured in the last 24 hours. Let me share a few of them.

We start with Indonesia. This one shows Punk community members dance during a punk music festival in Bandung, Indonesia West Java province.

And in the Philippines, a girl takes part in a local Lenten ritual called "Moriones" in Mogpog, Marinduque, Philippines.

A stuntman rides a motorcycle inside the "Well of Death" attraction during a fair in Bhaktapur, Nepal.

Further afield in Europe, the Borussia Dortmund team bus is seen after an explosion near their hotel before their Champions League quarter-final first leg game against AS Monaco in Dortmund, Germany.

A crow flies towards a tree in a blooming rapeseed field on a spring morning in Vufflens-la-Ville near Lausanne, Switzerland.

And back to this part of the world, Reuters has this shot of the sun set in Pyongyang, North Korea.

Well, hope you've had a pleasant enough 24-hours-ago. Would you like to share it? Use the Comments below.

Gibson Hummingbird Pro Acoustic Electric Guitar

If you are in the market for a guitar, an acoustic-electric guitar I mean, here's one to check out, gibson hummingbird pro at guitarcenter.com.

First introduced in 1960 as Gibson's earliest square-shoulder dreadnought guitar it has evolved into the Gibson Hummingbird Pro acoustic-electric guitar, touted as a true legend of acoustic instruments, a favorite among legends like Gram Parsons and Keith Richards.

Let's take a look at the features of this legend of a guitar:

Features
•Body style: Square shoulder dreadnought
•Solid Sitka spruce top
•Solid mahogany back and sides
•1930s Gibson X-bracing pattern
•Rosewood fingerboard with mother-of-pearl parallelogram inlays
•Rosewood bridge
•Dovetail neck-to-body joint bonded with hide glue
•25-1/2" scale
•Vintage Gibson 1960s thin line neck profile
•No. of frets: 21/14 open
•Fingerboard inlays: Split parallelogram
•Nut width: 1.68"
•Binding: White
•Rosette: Parallel rings
•Bridge: Rosewood
•Pickguard: Tortoise
•Finish: Vintage sunburst (nitrocellulose)
•Tuners: Grovers Rotomatics
•Electronics: L.R. Baggs Element ES
•Case: Hardshell

Unfortunately this piece of musical beauty only ships to the United States. So if you are in the US and looking to acquire a Gibson Hummingbird Pro Acoustic Electric Guitar, you are in a sweet spot. Do check it out!

Ed Sheeran guitar available at Musician's Friend

Regular readers of this blog would have noticed that I blog occasionally about musical instruments and stuff relating to music.

Are you a fan of Ed Sheeran? Want to own a guitar that's related to this talented artiste? Here's your chance to own an ed sheeran guitar available at Musicians Friend.

Musicians Friend has a really extensive range of musical instruments and parts. But don't just take my word for it. Check out the website.

1Malaysia Development Bhd Saga continues..

A pretty picture..

Recognise the gentleman in the picture? Never mind the lady though she's the newly-crowned Model of the Year. This post is about him.

If 1MDB comes to mind, I'm not surpried. I read just now that The U.S. Is Preparing to Charge a Leading Figure in Malaysian Scandal.

The article says..

U.S. authorities intend to file criminal charges against a financier in connection with an international scandal rooted in Malaysia that they believe could be one of the largest financial frauds ever, according to people familiar with the matter.

The scandal involves a state fund called 1Malaysia Development Bhd., or 1MDB, and the focus of the criminal investigation is Jho Low, a flamboyant financier the U.S. Justice Department portrayed in civil asset-seizure lawsuits last July as central to an alleged plot to siphon billions of dollars from the fund.

Click the link above to continue reading..

P Ramlee would have been 88 today

Opening Google today brought up a surprise Google doodle.

If P Ramlee is still alive today, March 22, he'd be 88 years old.

The Google doodle depicts a caricature of P. Ramlee sitting in the director's chair holding a megaphone and a music sheet. Beside him is a guitar.

It symbolises his achievements in the Malaysian entertainment industry as an actor, director, singer, songwriter, composer and producer with more than 60 films and 250 songs to his credit.

P Ramlee on Wikipedia..

Tan Sri Datuk Amar Teuku Zakaria Teuku Nyak Putih (Jawi: تاوكو زكريا تاوكو ڽق ڤوتيه), commonly known as P. Ramlee (22 March 1929 – 29 May 1973) was a Malaysian film actor, director, singer, songwriter, composer, and producer. Due to his contributions to the movie and music industry and his literary work, which began with his acting debut in Singapore in 1948 to the height of his career then later moving to Malaysia in 1964 onwards to his death, he is regarded as a prominent icon of Malay entertainment; with his fame even reaching as far as Brunei and Sumatra, Indonesia as well as in Hong Kong and Japan.

Source: Bing.com

What is hapening in Langkawi

What's happening in Langkawi?

LIMA '17, that's what it is.

Aeroplanes and fighter jets worldwide are landing at the airport here and warships and vessels of all sizes are coming in to berth at Resorts World Langkawi (RWL).

The 14th Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (Lima) 2017 is set to be bigger and better.

This island is bustling with activities for the five-day biennial event which starts today, March 21 and will end on March 25.

Read more about it here... entrance, what to expect including aircrafts, performances, performance dates, exhibitions to the public, etc. LIMA 2017 - Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition

Russian knight: The Russian Air Force’s aerobatic demonstration team’s Sukhoi Su-30SM fighter jet landing in Langkawi for Lima 2017 - The Star

Professor Robert Kelly's Oops moment

This video has gone viral. Nothing exciting about it for most of us but for those who work from home, you probably could relate to it.

Professor Robert Kelly, during a BBC interview being broadcast live was interrupted by his two kids rushing into his room. His wife, yes, she's the Mrs, South Korean Jung-a Kim, hastily grabs the kids, dragging them out of the room and closing the door.


Professor Robert Kelly teaches political science at Pusan National University in Busan, Korea, where he now lives with his wife, Jung-a Kim, a yoga teacher, and their two children, Marion, 4, and 9-month-old James. – China Daily/Asia News Network

Want a second watch? CNN's take on it.


However, the episode was simply "hilarious" in the eyes of Prof Kelly's mother, Ellen Kelly, as she thought the young children probably thought their dad was Skyping their grandparents from their home in South Korea.

"Life happens. The lesson is to lock the door," added the grandma.
- The Star


Yes, lock the door. But that's one cool Prof there.

AirAsia.com - 3 million promo seats

Source:AirAsia.com

Air Asia in its first major promotion of the year is giving away up to three million promotional seats starting from March 13 to 19 for travel period from Sept 1, 2017 to June 5, 2018.

Zero fares? You bet as fares will be as low as RM0 to destinations such as Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh, Miri, Bangkok, Phuket, Jakarta and many more. The airline is constantly adding new places to connect travellers to new and exciting destinations, their latest being Luang Prabang, Laos; Bhubaneswar, India; and Honolulu, USA.

However, if you wish to travel immediately, AirAsia has a special promotion for bookings during the same period for travel period from March 14 to Aug 31.

AirAsia was named World's Best Low-Cost Airline eight years running while AirAsia X won the World's Best Low-Cost Premium Cabin and Premium Seat for the fourth straight year at the 2016 Skytrax World Airline Awards.

AirAsia is Asia's leading and largest low-cost carrier by passengers carried, with a network of more than 120 destinations to Asean countries and other parts of Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East.


Source: The Star

Malaysians cannot leave North Korea now

More tit for tat..

Seems like it's hard to get out of this North Korea/Malaysia thingy. Unpredictable turn of events that keeps grabbing your attention especially when it happens here at home, in Kuala Lumpur, that is, and a video that went viral on how it was done in KLIA 2 to boot.


The chain of events has led to now
Malaysia banning N. Korean diplomatic staff from leaving country

The Star reported that:

The Malaysian Government has banned North Korean embassy staff and officers from leaving the country, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, Home Minister and Deputy PM.

He also confirmed that the travel ban only applies to the diplomatic staff, and that regular North Korean citizens in Malaysia will be allowed to leave the country.

The North Korean embassy in Kuala Lumpur - police surrounded and cordoned it off

At the same time, Pyongyang bans Malaysians from leaving N. Korea


Theirs is more drastic.. in that the ban covers ALL MALAYSIANS.

SEOUL: Pyongyang is banning all Malaysian citizens from leaving North Korea, state media said Tuesday, potentially holding them hostage amid an increasingly heated diplomatic row over the killing of Kim Jong-Nam in Kuala Lumpur.

"All Malaysian nationals in the DPRK will be temporarily prohibited from leaving the country until the incident that happened in Malaysia is properly solved," the official Korea Central News Agency said, citing the foreign ministry. - AFP


And before this, North Korean retaliates by expelling Malaysian envoy after Malaysia expelled theirs.


The Prime Minister has called for North Korea to release all Malaysian citizens immediately to avoid any further escalation of the diplomatic row between the two countries.


UPDATE:
Japan provided fingerprint data on Kim Jong-nam to Malaysia

Jong-nam's body was embalmed, says Zahid

N. Koreans in Malaysia will not be under surveillance

The authorities are not monitoring the movement of North Korean citizens currently in the country, but action will be taken against them if they are involved in negative activities, said Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The Deputy Prime Minister said the latest records showed there were only 315 North Koreans still in the country, including those who were living here under the Malaysia MySecond Home programme. The rest, he said, were students or here for work.

He said based on Immigration Department records, 2,453 North Koreans came to Malaysia between 2014 and this year with 801 issued temporary work permits.

However, he said, many of them had returned home.

Jong-nam saga – one month on

UPDATE:
March 20, 2017
How Siti Aisyah got caught up in Jong Nam killing

KLIA2 free of VX nerve agent

Good to know if you are a frequent flyer taking flights out of KLIA2..

FMT reported that:

'Malaysia Airports has taken the necessary precautions to ensure the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (klia2) low-cost terminal is free of any traces of VX nerve agent, the poison used to kill North Korean Kim Jong Nam on Feb 13.'
Continue..Malaysia Airports: klia2 free of VX nerve agent

Let's playback a little..

When it was confirmed that it was the VX nerve agent that killed Kim Jong-nam, cops working with the atomic energy department (Malaysian Nuclear Agency) carried out a scan and clean-up operation in KLIA2.

VC nerve agent is a deadly chemical substance and is on the United Nations' list of weapon of mass destruction. In liquid form it can be absorbed into the body through skin or eye contact. It works by acting on an enzyme involved in muscle movement and exposure to the substance will lead to muscle contraction, convulsion and respiratory failure. It can be manufactured as a liquid, cream or aerosol.

During the attack at the busy airport, two women alleged smeared the substance on Kim's face that killed him a short while late enroute to the hospital.


A USM toxicologist said that Kim would have died a "horribly painful" death. North Korean Kim Jong-nam, was assassinated at the KL International Airport 2 on Feb 13.

Following that, police were led to a condominium located at Jalan Klang Lama where various chemicals were seized. Besides various chemicals, it is believed that several gloves and shoes were also seized from the unit.


It was also reported that one of two women suspected of killing the half-brother of North Korea's leader with the highly toxic VX nerve agent also suffered its effects, Malaysia's police chief said on Friday.

"She was vomiting," Khalid Abu Bakar, the IGP, said in response to a question about whether the women felt the effects of VX, classified as a weapon of mass destruction by the United Nations.


With Pyongyang playing the blame game, blaming Malaysia for the death of “one of its citizens there” and accuses it of “having an unfriendly attitude”, and North Korea envoy walking a fine line, Culture and Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz has advised Malaysians not to make travel plans to North Korea.


Meanwhile, it was reported that Family member or relative of Kim Jong-nam to arrive on Saturday to identify body, which is today.


UPDATE:
Siti Aisyah partied night before assassination
Jong-nam died within 20 minutes
KLIA2 declared safe from toxin

March 1
Duo charged with Kim Jong-nam's murder
Women charged with North Korean's murder wear bullet-proof vests to court

Zahid says no to Pyongyang’s latest effort to claim Jong Nam’s body
Deported – with ride to tarmac

March 5
Malaysia expels North Korean ambassador
Expelled Kang Choi fires final salvo from airport

Kim Jong-nam Assassination scene on You Tube

More and more information has emerged on the assassination of Kim Jong-nam.

The latest, a video clip has been posted a few hours ago, Feb 19, on You Tube, supposedly of security camera footage leading to Kim Jong-nam's death.

The Star reported that:

The clip, which is over five minutes long, showed a man walking into the airport lobby, looking at flight schedules before approaching a self check-in kiosk.

Two women then approached him from opposing directions behind him.

A woman with a shoulder-length hair resembling the woman holding the Vietnamese passport was seen placing her arms over his head before reaching over for his face.

She was seen leaving a split second later, as did the other woman.

The women walked away hurriedly and were seemingly calm.

The man was seen walking swiftly to an information counter where he spoke to two personnel there.

They took him to the arrival hall where two policemen in uniform, and was seen gesturing with his hands, as if miming what had just happened to him.

The two policemen then took him to a clinic there.

From then on the clip repeats the earlier snippets of the same video.

Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/02/19/video-clip-allegedly-of-jong-nam-murder-appears-on-youtube/#zYpMbdF6JRDtxKt8.99


UPDATE: 24 February
IGP: Nerve agent used in Kim Jong-nam murder

Family member or relative of Kim Jong-nam to arrive on Saturday to identify body

How the Hit Team Came Together to Kill Kim Jong Nam

South Korea blasts news of Kim Jong-nam's murder to North
.. The Star:

South Korea is using giant loudspeakers to blast news of the dramatic assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un's half-brother across the border with its reclusive northern neighbour, it was reported Thursday.

All North-South Expressway toll plazas go cashless in Malaysia

All 94 PLUS-operated toll plazas along the North-South Expressway will go cashless starting noon on April 26. They include toll plazas on the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE) and the North-South Expressway Central Link (ELITE).

You can pay using PLUSMiles card, Touch ‘n Go and SmartTAG. Touch ‘n Go and PLUSMiles cards are sold at PLUS Customer Service centres. I got my Touch n Go card from Watson which is actually a Watson store membership card, i.e., you collect points on purchases like any other store card.

The go-cashless move here should lessen traffic congestion, cut down on transaction time and is in line with the Government’s call to move towards a cashless society.

Worried about where to top up? Fret not as there will be at least one top-up lane to reload the Touch ‘n Go and PLUSMiles cards at each plaza that would run 24 hours daily following the implementation.

Happy motoring!

Woodwind and Brasswind musical instruments

If you are looking to buy a woodwind or a brasswind musical instrument, here is the site to check out: http://www.wwbw.com/Concert-Vibraphones.wwbw.

The Woodwind & Brasswind has been serving musicians at all levels for more than 30 years and they have grown into the premiere catalog and Internet retailer serving musicians from flutists to tuba players, and violinists to percussion artists.

Their website is easy to navigate. You can shop by brand or by category, all neatly listed on the left side-bar. To make things easier for you and saving you time, they have even broken down the categories to give you a more indepth view of what is available at the store - all on one page.

Also, there are other ways to shop at the store. Visit their Clearance Center, Rebates, On Sale or Open Box. Who knows... there might be something there that could also interest you.

Assassination of Kim Jong-Nam, half-brother of North Korean Leader

Fast and Clean. No, we are not talking about food service here. We are talking about the killing of the North Korean leader's half-brother right smack at the KL International Airport 2.


The Star reported that:

Fast and clean
TWO fair-skinned women, both with shoulder-length hair, walked up to an unsuspecting Kim Jong-nam, grabbed his face and splashed it with a lethal liquid that left him dead within hours.

One of the women was wearing a white top, a denim skirt and a blue backpack. The second woman was in a blue top and a pair of jeans. Both are believed to have features similar to Korean women.

After pulling off their daring act, they quickly walked out of the KLIA2 terminal and took a cab.

It all happened so quickly that MAHB and airport staff were oblivious to what had happened. It was only when Jong-nam approached a customer service officer to tell her of his pain that the horror of the assassination came to light.

Mystery woman: A CCTV screen grab showing a woman outside what looked like the airport, was circulated briefly after news broke last night that the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had been killed in Malaysia. The picture fits the description of one of the two women believed to be North Korean spies, who had poisoned Kim Jong-nam during a brazen attack at KLIA2.
Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/02/15/women-trained-to-seduce-and-kill/#5ikg4H3e5JLe5m2f.99

Related articles:
KUALA LUMPUR: The half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been assassinated in Malaysia, believed to be by two women operatives who attacked him with liquid poison just before he was to take a flight to Macau.

The 45-year-old was killed by the two female agents who splashed his face with a chemical at the airport’s departure hall at about 9am on Monday. The women later got into a cab and fled.

It is believed that Jong-nam arrived in Malaysia from Macau on Feb 6 and was about to leave when he was attacked by the female spies.
Read..
North Korean leader’s half-brother poisoned to death before flight

Police confirm North Korean died at KLIA2

World abuzz with why, how and what killed him

UPDATE:

North Korean Ri Jong Chol is fourth suspect arrested


Assassins wipe, wash and flee the scene

Killer women recruited by a man three months ago

‘Siti told me she was in a North Korean movie’

IGP dismisses North Korea's allegation of delay in releasing Jong-nam's remains

N. Korea accuses Malaysia of working with its enemies

Singapore a safe haven for Kim Jong Nam

3 suspects in Jong Nam killing may have left country

N. Koreans in Malaysia keep low profile after Kim Jong-nam killing

Kim Jong-nam's son 'caught between two worlds'

World Class Music Education at GuitarCenter

If you are a music lover or more precisely own or play a musical instrument you are lucky if you have a music store that is near where you live.

Take for example the GuitarCenter Knoxville. They offer comprehensive repair services. Their techs are as passionate about your instruments as you are, with the experience needed to keep them performing at their best.

Not only do they have musical instruments that meet every budget, choice and style, GuitarCenter also has a wide array of new, used and vintage gear in stock that are plugged in and ready for you to play.

And not only do they carry lots of guitars, they also offer an incredible assortment of keyboards, drums, recording equipment, DJ gear and PA systems.

Here's something that might be up your alley if learning how to do recording is on your bucket list.

From Feb 18, 10:15AM to 11:00AM, Guitar Center is proud to offer this beginner recording group lesson for all of their newest GarageBand users. Every customer will get the chance to learn best practices for recording, in a fun and family-friendly environment. The “Press Record: GarageBand” is a 45-minute group lesson which starts at 10:15AM, is free, and for all ages. This is a Local Store Event.

Happy Chap Goh Meh - the last day of Chinese New Year

Like they say, all good things must come to an end.

Today is the final day of the 15-day Chinese New Year celebration which started on January 28. How time flies when you are having a good time, doesn't it? Yep, I hope you all had a wonderful time this year.

There's a name given to this day, the last of the 15th. It is known here as Chap Goh Meh, literally means the 15th day in the Hokkien and Teochew dialects. Duh!

Chinese merry-making and activities relating to all things Chinese New Year ends midnight tonight, ie, as of tomorrow, we move on into the Rooster year like normal days - no more Yee Sang (the speciality raw fish salad dish), no more hong pao (red envelopes), no more lavish dinners (at exorbitant prices, I might add), done with hosting and visiting relatives, New Year decorations can be taken down, the human exodus back to the city would have been completed (perhaps a week ago), life is back to normal, you know what I mean.

So here's wishing..

To round up the Chinese New Year celebration, families will gather once again for a final round of Chinese New Year dinner feast - of Yee Sang and all food synonymous with the CNY.

Oh yes, there's one activity that's related to this Chap Goh Meh and that is tossing oranges into a lake or a body of water. This is only meant for single ladies and is a tradition from the old days in China.

This tossing of oranges is done with the belief of hitching up with a good partner ending in wedded bliss. In these modern times, contact information is also spelled out on the orange. This activity begins as night falls. It's done on a large scale in the Klang Valley, Penang and Malacca. But of course it can be performed anywhere where there's a sizeable body of water. It's fun to watch. (The cleaning up the day after is something else though.)

Let me update this post with a short video of an orange-tossing event that took place last night at a lake at Taman Jaya.


Here's the article that goes with the video from The Star: Tossing fruits in hope of finding love

ART Tube MP Studio Mic Preamp

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There you have it. Happy shopping!

Thaipusam in Kuala Lumpur

Source: Tourism Malaysia

Were you caught up in a traffic crawl yesterday or even this morning/today? The reason could be road closure and/or traffic diversion to facilitate the procession of the Silver Chariot from the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Jalan Tun H.S Lee to Batu Caves. This is in conjunction with Thaipusam, which is tomorrow, February 9.

Kuala Lumpur roads were closed from 10pm yesterday, February 7. The chariot began it's procession from the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Jalan Tun H.S Lee, Kuala Lumpur and is expected to arrive in Batu Caves at 2pm on Wednesday, i.e. this afternoon.

The 13 affected roads are Jalan Tun H.S Lee, Jalan Sultan, Jalan Pudu, Jalan Tun Perak, Lebuh Ampang, Jalan Munshi Abdullah, Jalan Dang Wangi, Jalan Raja Laut, Jalan Ipoh, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Jalan Ipoh Batu 15 and Jalan Batu Caves.

If you happen to be around the route, stop to take in the sights. The chariot does stop along the route for devotees to worship as well as for breaking of coconuts. It's quite a site to watch and the Silver Chariot is really a beautiful thing to see, certainly an extraordinary subject for photo-snaps.

The breaking of the coconut, in Hinduism, symbolises the breaking of the ego, and that anyone who wants to be spiritual or divine needs to first get rid of the ego. Devotees break coconuts from one to as many as thousands. In Penang, devotees have been advised to break just one. one will suffice. They have been encouraged to donate the money to charitable causes instead.

The roads will be closed again from 4pm on Feb 10 to 2am on February 11 as the procession returns from Batu Caves to the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple.

This time, 14 roads will be closed and they are Jalan Batu Caves, Jalan Ipoh Batu 15, Jalan Pekeliling, Jalan Ipoh, Jalan Raja Laut, Jalan Dang Wangi, Jalan Munshi Abdullah, Jalan Ampang, Lebuh Ampang, Jalan Tun Perak, Jalan Pudu, Lorong Pudu (roundabout), Jalan Cheng Lock and Jalan Tun H.S. Lee.

Here's the map of the route courtesy of The Star..

If you have read about a fourth staircase being constructed, it was built to ease congestion in Batu Caves.

Devotees carrying paal kudam will use the first staircase and kavadi bearers will use the second staircase.

The third and the fourth staircases are for devotees coming down from the temple,” he said.

Devotees have been advised to make way for kavadi bearers during the festival, and only traditional kavadi would be permitted.

272-step Batu Caves - Wikipedia
Old picture, no 4th staircase yet.

Happy Thaipusam!


More about Thaipusam:
- Thaipusam – A divine Hindu celebration - Tourism Malaysia
- Thaipusam - Wikipedia

7th Day - Happy Birthday to Everyone!

Source: Wikipedia

Today, Feb 3, is the 7th day of the new year of the Rooster. And today is officially the beginning of Spring.

The 7th Day of the first month of the lunar year is known as the common man's birthday. In Mandarin it is termed “renri” (人日), while in Cantonese it is 'Yan Yat'. The belief is that everyone becomes one year older on this day. Yes, that's an egg on the Chinese calendar.

Chinese restaurants will be fully booked for dinner tonight. That's a norm. We are only at midway of the 15-day Chinese New Year celebration and dinner gatherings are still ongoing until the 15rh day.

Many people are back at work but many will only return to work on Monday taking extra days off stretching it to the weekend for an extended holiday.

Shopping malls are enjoying a good crowd with their Chinese New Year decorations of phoenixes and lanterns. Here are some nice Chinese New Year decorations in Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya (i.e. the Klang Valley), and Penang courtesy of Says.com.

A majestic phoenix at Pavilion KL
Image via Instagram @ndrewsnowdon

The Curve's imperial setup features the gorgeous carvings of Chinese and dragons, embellished in brilliant gold and deep red
Image via The Curve, Mutiara Damansara Facebook

Sunway Pyramid turned their concourse into a multi-level shoplot of yesteryears, complete with Chinese signage and a gigantic rooster statue
Image via Instagram @andrew_movez

It's red lanterns galore at 1 Utama Shopping Centre with a grand centrepiece for special performances throughout the festive season
Image via 1 Utama Shopping Centre Facebook

A scenic sight greets shoppers at The Mines Shopping Mall as they step into a traditional Chinese garden, complete with classic Chinese huts and a garden pond
Image via The Mines Shopping Mall Facebook

In line with the spring festival, intricate lanterns and floral motifs line the pathways of Mid Valley Megamall's CNY attraction
Image via Instagram @nic_kn9ck

In Penang, Queensbay Mall sets Chinese New Year in a winter setting to simply glorious results.
Image via Queensbay Mall Facebook

Lush greenery and blooming flowers surround a 20-ft tall phoenix at Gurney Plaza
Image via Gurney Plaza Facebook

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5th Day of Chinese New Year 2017 -Year of the Rooster

The night is still young, so they say, as today is just the 5th Day of the Chinese Lunar Year. We still have 10 more days of merry-making - of lo sang at dinners, of wining, of collecting/giving ang pows, of meeting up with friends and family, of card games and mahjong sessions, of visiting relatives near and far, and of just about everything else synonymous with this celebration of welcoming the new year.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful time, those of you who are celebrating this most important festival in the Chinese calendar.

Today is February 1. It is a public holiday for the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan which means offices and government departments in these three FTs are closed which allows for an additional day for festivities of the new lunar year.

Streets of Kuala Lumpur are still not as congested as usual but at the malls it's a different story. People come from near and far (even as far away as from Penang) to KL to check out the malls to take in the elaborate decorations put up. A great place for selfies and wefies, no doubt.


Today, let's take a look at how Chinese New Year is celebrated in some other cities around the world. By the way, did you know that there are an estimated 50 million Overseas Chinese?. This is the number indicated by Wikipedia for the year 2012. Thailand has the highest number at close to 9.4 million. Malaysia comes in second at more than 6.6 million and next is United States at about 5 million.

In Yokohama, Japan: A Chinese lion dance troupe performs at a park in Chinatown to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

The dragon dance performance in a street parade to mark the Lunar New Year celebrations of the Year of the Rooster in Hong Kong on January 28, 2017. - AFP

The Chinese dragon performance during the first Lunar New Year celebrations in Lumpini Park in Bangkok on January 28, 2017. The Lunar New Year marks the start of the Year of the Rooster. - AFP

Participants dressed up as roosters hold Spanish flags as they perform during celebrations for the Chinese Lunar New Year, marking the year of the Rooster, in Madrid's district of Usera on January 28, 2017. - AFP

Members of the Chinese community perform on stage during the celebrations of the Chinese Lunar New Year on January 28, 2017 in Rome. This Lunar New Year marks the start of the Year of the Rooster. - AFP

Children perform a lion dance using cardboard boxes on a street in Manila's Chinatown on January 28, 2017. - AFP

Yangon, Myanmar: A fire breather blows flames as a troupe performs a traditional dragon dance during the first day of Chinese Lunar New Year

In Kuala Lumpur - A Lion dance troupe performing at the MCA Chinese New Year Open House at Wisma MCA in Jalan Ampang.

Children gathered around the lion dance troupe at the MCA Chinese New Year Open House at Wisma MCA in Kuala Lumpur, on Thursday.  - AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star

Again..

Image source: The Star