Rubik's Cube turns 40 today

I never did own a Rubik's Cube, you know, one of those colourful cubes where you twist and turn to get the colours to align. Just the other day, it occurred to me that I should own one of those just for nostalgia sake.

Today, Google commemorates the 40th anniversary of the Rubik's Cube with an interactive Google doodle. Yep, it's been 40 years!

Rubik's Cube is a 3-D combination puzzle invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernő Rubik. Originally called the Magic Cube, it won the German Game of the Year special award for Best Puzzle that year. As of January 2009, 350 million cubes had been sold worldwide making it the world's top-selling puzzle game. It is widely considered to be the world's best-selling toy.

Although the Rubik's Cube reached its height of mainstream popularity in the 1980s, it is still widely known and used. - Wikipedia

Do you or did you used to own a Rubik's Cube? Any good with it?

How to prolong lifespan of camera batteries

My good old trusty Canon IXUS camera has been giving me some hiccups lately. The battery is the problem. It quits on me more often than it used to. My fault really as I haven't paid any attention to the battery which needs to be changed.

While checking online for batteries I came across this, kodak camera batteries batteryheads.com. If you own a Kodak camera (or other, I don't know), this might be a site you'd want to bookmark.

Incidentally, I found on the Canon website some useful information about:

How to ensure that your batteries will not run out on you at the crucial moment..

It says to use special longer-life lithium batteries. They may cost twice as much, but last three times longer. Then it says to use rechargeable Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) or, even better, Nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries. NiMH batteries charge up to 500 times and take just three hours for a full charge. Now you know.

Next, it suggests to buy multiple backup batteries, so you'll always have spares. This one is just right for me.

And this tip is easy to do which most of us, me included, are guilty of, Get used to turning off the camera between shots. Don't leave the camera on unless you're ready to shoot again immediately.


The image: Yoda of Star Wars taken at the Toy Museum in Penang

Hello Kitty plush toys on Sale at McDonald's Singapore

When McDonald's Malaysia launched their Hello Kitty plush toys several years ago, I've heard of people from Singapore coming over to Johor Bahru for them. Perhaps a reversal role is in the works at the moment?

McDonalds Singapore is now having their sale of Hello Kitty plush toys at the moment and people queue for hours to get a hold on them.

The craze is on..

Straits Times..
The McDonald's Hello Kitty plush toy craze has translated into a opportunities for online sellers to capitalise on the fad.

Several advertisements selling the toy were seen just hours after they went on sale early Thursday morning. In one posting on eBay. there were 125 bids for the "Singing Bone" model.
More: McDonald's urges public to stop profiteering from Hello Kitty plush toys

Happy Birthday My Friend

It's a colleague's birthday today, so we had a little tea party in her honour this morning. While guys talked shop, as usual, gals talked about shopping (what else!) and children for those who are moms. One mom shared that she likes to take her son to her neighbourhood park in the evenings where there is a variety of playground equipment. She said her son is an active boy so all those climbing and crawling activities are just what he needs.

Happy Birthday and best wishes my friend!


Image source: 123greetings

Metal puzzles make great gifts too

Gift-shopping is not an easy task, I tell you. Two birthdays just around the corner, so I had to go looking for two presents - one for a little boy and the other for a little girl.

Spent some time at the shopping mall checking out toys, books, clothes, girly knick-knacks, stationery and so forth. Even thought about gift certificates but little juniors don't appreciate that so on to more tangible stuff. Puzzles could also make great gifts, especially those that last, such as metal puzzles but these would be more for older children, I guess. Still, a good gift idea to keep in view.

How to lose weight the natural way

If you have a problem with your weight going like a yo yo, a toy that goes up and down, you may want to work on your fiber intake according to the experts.

Fiber has been found to help you feel fuller longer which acts as a natural appetite suppressant. Fiber also helps to regulate blood sugar levels so you avoid the spike and crash. It also helps lower cholesterol as well as reduce the risk of cancer.

How much fiber do you really need?

25-35g per day is the recommended daily amount of fiber anyone needs. If you eat plenty of fruits, veggies and whole grains daily, you can easily meet this minimum quota.

Some Interesting Videos

Good morning and a happy Monday! I would like to share a few short videos this morning. The first two, which in real life, almost all of us would never get to experience in person. Enjoy all of them!

Flying At 35000ft., Passing Between Three Airliners
COCKPIT VIEW...


View from inside Jenson Button's racing car. Jenson Excited – Ever wondered what goes through Jenson’s mind when he’s driving?


If you are a Trekkie or a Star Wars fan, you will like this one..LEGO StarWars


Here's one for the techies..Samsung GALAXY Note – Samsung GALAXY Note is a new type of smartphone, borne of consumer insights and innovation.


If you have been to a video arcade, you would identify with this. How do you choose? – A mother and her son in a supermarket buying/choosing their fish with a device that is normally used at fun fairs to catch prizes.


Last one - about quitting smoking and running a marathon

Kid Kraft kitchens - Playtime will never be the same again

Looking at the image above and other kids kitchens on the KidsCraftPlayKitchen site brings back sweet childhood memories of playing house back then. Of course, our play kitchen wasn't as sophisticated nor as well-stocked as the ones found on the site.

Play is an important part of a child's life. It not only helps the child interact with other children, play also helps prepare the child for growing up and the activities that make up life in general. Many children, especially girls, naturally enjoy playing house emulating what their mother does. KidsCraftPlayKitchens has a wide selection of playthings including kid kraft kitchens, tables and chairs and bakeware, cookware and accesories including individual food items from pizza to drumsticks to vegetables and sauces in bottles to fried eggs and more. If your Christmas shopping list includes gifts for children, kid kraft items would make great gifts. Plus, there's a storewide sale right now.

Last-minute Shopping for the Chinese New Year

Malls are bustling with shoppers this time of the year, doing their last-minute shopping for clothes and other items for the Spring festival or the Chinese New Year. The streets around Chinatown are a challenge to navigate this time of the year. Still a visit to that part of Kuala Lumpur makes for a good experience.

Each year, a girlfriend of mine would do lots of shopping including buying clothes for her nieces before she goes home for the celebration. Having been in the US for a number of years, she often compares the brands available overseas and what we have here. She said somehow the clothes overseas are of better quality and there are more choices. Not only clothes, there are more quality toys over there.

Just the other day, I was going through some toys and children's clothes site and came across some interesting finds. There is this online store that has a good range of jellycat plush soft toys and activity books that will surely broaden a child's horizons.

There is also a wide selection of children's clothes, some even organic, including brands like barefoot dreams, room seven, appaman, tea collection and more. They are clearing winter stock currently which could mean substantial savings for shoppers who buy now.

Lou Lou's Corner of Quality Clothes, Toys & More..

Christmas may be over but if you are looking for stuffed toys with a difference for birthday gifts, Lou Lou's Corner would be the store to check out. Their Jellycat line of stuffed toys and soft books provides affordable and beautifully designed creations meant to instantly soothe children and bring a smile to their face.

Jellycat toys are incredibly soft and uniquely designed for cuddling and are some of the best-selling products at Lou Lou’s Corner. All of the plush toys are softly stuffed to make them much more resistant to any possible tearing or splitting thus they last longer.


Jellycat, a British company which began operations in 1999, makes toys that meet or exceed all American Testing Standards ASTM as well as the European Union’s EN71 stringent standards for toy safety.

If it's clothes for children and infants you are looking for, their Barefoot Dreams CozyChic collection will not disappoint. Apart from clothes, Barefoot Dreams features a line of luxurious blankets and throws for infants, toddlers, and adults. The sumptuous robes, hoodies and v-necks quickly make Barefoot Dreams everyone's favorite loungewear!


Appaman is another popular brand at Lou Lou's Corner. Appaman, a Scandinavian company, is a children’s clothing line that carries comfortable clothes with a touch of fun flair. Adorned with their signature monkey, Appaman provides clothing for both boys and girls that are designed with playtime in mind. Vibrant colors and simple designs keep Appaman’s clothes fresh and modern, making them a must-have for contemporary parents and a favorite for kids. Appaman comes out with a fresh new collection each season that never fails to surprise and delight.

Where to Buy Kids Educational Toys

School holidays are just around the corner. Some parents would be at wits' end thinking of ways to keep their school-going children productively occupied and out of mischief.

Some children would be sent to holiday camps or seminars, others to their out-of-town grandparents while most will be spending their time at home. A good way to keep the kids occupied would be to provide them with educational toys and games.

Unfortunately here in Malaysia, we have a shortage of stores that have a good stock of kids educational products. Shopping online would be the best alternative. One online store that won't disappoint is ShopWiki.

With 30,000 stores available, you will be able to find anything educational you need for any child, from back-to-school gadgets and supplies to educational software for kids to kid's computers, children's books, educational toys and games, and lots more.

That's not all, at ShopWiki you will find an Educational Toys Buying Guide, providing pointers shoppers will find useful.

Xbox from Microsoft

Technology has really stepped us up in a big way. Take something as frivolous as recreation. I got you there, didn't it? These days, recreation is certainly not a frivolous pastime. Recreation is big time when it comes to games, particularly in the technological sense. Kids, even adults, are talking games and XBox from Microsoft and such.

More and more consumers are shopping online for electronics gadgets and paraphernalia. Firstly, you can get better discounts online and secondly, normally there is a more comprehensive range to select from. Are you a gamer? Maybe a serious gamer? Do you buy your sets online?

LEGO

When I was in lower primary, (down memory lane a little here), my favorite period used to be Arts & Crafts. We would alternate between actual art activity (water-color painting) and crafts activity (making crafts - puppets and stuff). One of the latter is playing with plasticine and building blocks and bricks, and we would always wish the period was longer than its 40 or 45 minutes.

When we think building blocks, what comes to mind? Why, LEGO, of course!

Children can spend hours on the simple activity of assembling and breaking up LEGO bricks. That accounts for why parents have a tough time tearing kids away from Lego brick stations at malls.

Playing with these bricks is actually educational. Among others, it improves a child's dexterity and inculcates imagination and creativity. LEGO is not only for kids. Oh, yeah! Adults too can get equally fascinated by and get caught up with these small, versatile and colorful bricks and miniature figurines, etc.

See what I mean?

















This picture is from The Brickish Association, a UK-based community of Adult Fans of LEGO (AFOLs). Theirs is a very active community both on and off the Internet and their members are interested in all aspects of LEGO, from its history and collecting to building and displaying.

A few other inspiring and creative works of LEGO art..















Check out more and the source of these LEGO creations..

So when was the last time you played with LEGO bricks? Been a while, eh?

Dollhouses.... I like

This is a pretty house, don't you think? Named the Beacon Hill, it has seven rooms and two hallways that are large enough to furnish as rooms, plus three fireplaces, three bay windows, and a winding staircase adding to its elegance.

Here is the twist. Beacon Hill is not a real house. It is a dollhouse.

These days, dolls and dollhouses can easily be ordered online. Look, even Garfield has such a pretty house.



And I sure would love to own this Tudor dollhouse with its movable partitions to create up to nine large rooms and six beautiful bay windows to make it look spacious and bright inside.



What was that? Big girls don't play with dollhouses? hmm..

Two Weddings and A Birthday

I guess it's that time of the year again for weddings. I've received two invites so far for this month. Good thing there's no need to go shopping for gifts as these two are Chinese weddings and for Chinese weddings, it's perfectly alright to give gifts of cash. However, I still need to get a gift for a good friend's birthday boy. Maybe I'll go check out the toys section of Toys R Us this weekend. Shall I get him an Ironman action figure or a Star Wars learning laptop? Decisions! Decisions!

Educational Toys

Recently, toy manufacturers in China have been hit bad by toy recalls by big toy-stores for reasons ranging from presence of lead to non-children-friendly parts.

Toy-buying these days can be a challenging process. One has to put some thought into the type of toys to buy. Gone are the days where any toy goes. A gift of a small ball or a water-pistol would have the child on cloud nine. Parents had not heard of educational toys. We have come a long way indeed, which is a positive sign, however.