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

If you are in the market for a tube preamp, for starters you may want to check out the Art Tube MP Studio Mic Preamp .

Like everything else in the market, there are good reviews and not-so-good reviews. From what I've read about this tube preamp, I can't help but believe that the pros outweigh the cons where this Tube MP Studio Mic Preamp is concerned.

Here's one example:

The beauty of this preamp is it's simplicity. It does ONLY what it claims. It takes what goes in and brings it up to a higher level for the following device to do its job easier. It can push an amp into distortion or increase its dynamic range. It will not safe the world, but it will amplify it without coloring it. if your signal is dirty, noisy, i.e. not pristine, it will not correct it. It will how ever make you aware that you need to clean up whatever you are using to cause the issue. It WILL make a bad signal sound worse and a good signal sound louder.

Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend



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

The Mbox Mini You Are Looking For

Reward yourself this Chinese New Year perhaps...

Avid Pro Tools 9 + Mbox Mini

The professional-grade mbox mini ultra-portable audio interface created for solo musicians and audio creators allows you to record, edit and mix performance, and all that with stunning sound quality.

The third generation Mbox Mini is a 24-bit/48kHz, USB bus-powered 2 x 2 interface. It has an XLR mic/line combo input with 48V phantom power, 2 - 1/4” instrument inputs, balanced output, headphone out, a mix control for zero-latency monitoring, and monitor volume knob. Rock-solid drivers ensure hardware compatibility with most major audio software like the Pro Tools 9.

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

Behringer Mixers

Behringer X32

Looking to buy a digital mixing console? Consider a behringer mixer. Behringer, established since 1989 in Germany, makes some of the finest musical products and they go on the market for the best prices.

Mixers make up the heart of a recording studio and the models Behringer offers today are of the highest quality including the X32 Rack Digital Mixer and the X32 Core. Other models include the NOX303 and the DDM4000 which are much favored by Club and DJ mixers.

Whatever your purpose for using a mixer, Behringer will certainly have one that suits your requirement and your budget.



s one that's ready to take on the challenge. The diversity of their equipment is one of Behringer's strong suits, so by taking your time to make sure you choose the best option for you, there's no doubt that you'll find exactly what you need.