April 16, 2011

What Weird Name? I'm Special

I HAD a good chuckle as I read an article on Parenting on Yahoo Lifestyle. The writer commented on weird names parents give their newborn. Celebrities are top on the guilty list, aren’t they? But then, that’s because they are famous. Does anyone care if someone like you or me has weird names?

Some people made comments about  naming her daughter Hero but I think Chef Jamie Oliver must have named his son after having had too much of something. Which sane parent would call his kid Buddy Bear? The poor kid will just have to do what David Bowie’s son, Zowie did – change his name the minute he has the chance to.

David Bowie gave his son the name Zowie but the kid changed his name when he became a man.
Image: HEARTONASTICK (Heartonastick )

But what’s written in the article is really true. Parents aren’t the best person to name their kids. First they get overly emotional about their newborn, than they start thinking too much about making that baby special. And what’s the one way to do that? Through the name. And poor us, the unborn who is oblivious to the outside world can’t tell them what we’d like our names to be, right?

Jamie Oliver named his kid Buddy Bear. Cute but really...
Image: SUZIE KATZ (Suzie Katz's Photostream)

Talking about weird names, they run in my family, all nine of us.

One of us has a name that sounds like a plant cell, the other has a name taken from a television brand, yet another has a name that sounded like a type of sauce and the list goes on. But guess how bad mine is? I have a first, second and third name on top of the strangely simple, short and practical surname. And my names when translated mean Miss Slice Disturb. Now how much more weird can a name be?

SHHHHSHHH!!! Please, please don't let anyone know my full name.
Image: It's A Secret - BIGDODADDY

I live all my schooling years hiding my first and last names because they are so embarrassing. The only reason I use my middle name is because I don’t want to walk the earth as “person with no name”.

I grew up, became wiser and thicker skinned and can now accept my name. In fact, it’s quite cool when I use the name as it was given to me, minus the translations of course.

Talk about weird names. I’ve live with them all my life and I’m not even an attention seeker. 

Quote for Day 99

Image: Love - DREAMERWOR
"I've learned that you should always leave loved ones with loving words.
It may be the last time you see them."

- Anonymous -

April 15, 2011

Quote for Day 98

Image: Bridge - MALILIN
"Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn." - Harriet Beecher Stowe

Be Mindful of Our Children

I WAS having late lunch today on my lanai when I saw my neighbour’s son, a very young boy, perched himself precariously on the beam of their 6th floor balcony’s wall.

Obviously unattended, the boy had climbed on the edge of the wall to reach out at some blooming flowers in a pot his parents had placed by the ledge.

When I saw this, my heart felt like it had crashed six floors down to the poolside for that was how high my neighbour’s unit is. I couldn’t shout at the kid as he wouldn’t be able to hear me. We live across to each other and “balcony to balcony” chit chats are impossible unless you use a loudspeaker.

Clipart: Humpty Dumpty 1 - LESLIE L. BROOKE
http://www.openclipart.org/user-detail/FunDraw_dot_com
 
If an accident were to happen I wouldn’t even have time to call the security guards to warn the parents. So I stopped lunch and leaned against the railing of my French window and clapped my hands loudly so he could hear me. He was oblivious and kept stretching his body forward to reach for the flowers. When he knew he couldn’t reach the blooms I saw him lifted one leg up so he could stretch even further. I was just counting the seconds when I saw that.

My neighbour’s balcony has no extra railings or high wall to prevent a kid from falling down to the ground. The potted plants were placed on custom-made steel flower planter securely fitted against the beam of the 3 1/2ft wall.

Unlike my unit, my neighbour’s isn’t safe for young children. While my French window has a further 2 1/2ft extension at the front, thus preventing any kid from falling over should they try to attempt a Superman stunt, my neighbour’s has an immediate drop after the wall. The flower planter will not prevent a fall.

I was looking about to see if they were any adults around or the maid who I normally see watering the plants. But no one was in sight. Then I saw the kid’s mother and another woman busy talking away in a room just next to the balcony. Within minutes I saw the boy got down from the ledge and disappeared into their unit.

The boy is still alive. Yes, for now.

But it set me thinking – what is wrong with some parents?

April 14, 2011

Quote for Day 97

Clipart: Dancing Penguins - MOINI
http://www.openclipart.org/user-detail/Moini
"When you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance."
- Lee Ann Womack -

NKVE Chaos – Is Anyone hurt?

I WENT online immediately after I finished two meetings this morning and afternoon and checked the latest development about my report on the truck that exploded on NKVE this morning.

So far I only found one brief report on thestar online. It reported that the truck was carrying flammable gum material, caught fire and exploded. There was no say if anyone died.
Cliparts: Architetto Tasto 9 (Question Mark) - ANONYMOUS & Ambulance - POINTAL

NFM had two readers who commented about our post, while one said he/she got stuck on NKVE for an hour the other actually heard what I heard as well – the initial explosion and then the “fireworks”. The second reader did mention that no one was hurt. So if you’re reading this, can you just let me know if the truck’s driver and attendant escaped?

During my morning meeting, one of the persons I met mentioned about being caught in the traffic madness as well. He was heading to KL from the airport. I of course needn’t ask how come. It’s just one of Malaysians’ bad habits – drop our speed to watch or take numbers. The cheek of it!

Truck Exploded on NKVE

JUST IN!!!

A GIANT truck had exploded on the NKVE stretch leading towards Subang/Shah Alam area about an hour ago.

Notice the flames on the right of this picture. That's the truck razed to the ground.

I was watching the whole incident from the garden of my 4th floor condo unit, which faces the highway.

It was seriously eerie, just watching explosion after explosion coming from the truck. Huge balls of fire kept flaring upwards as everyone caught in the standstill watched in horror, fear and worry on the fate of whoever is trapped in the truck. Even I was dumbstruck and I was within safe distance as compared to the drivers making their way to work early in the morning.

Massive fire and smoke - a terrifying sight even from where I was watching.
By the time I rushed out to witness the accident from my garden the traffic police and people from Plus were already there to help control traffic flow.

It was obvious from where I was that the personnel were very concerned with everyone’s safety as the explosion and fire were massive and everyone was just too close for comfort.

See how close the rest of the motorists are from the accident spot.

As the fire razed from the truck and the explosions continued I could see thick clouds of smoke filled the sky. In one instance I imagined what would it be like had it been a tragedy of a greater volume.

My view was partly blocked by a huge tree outside the fence of the condo block where I live but even from that distance I could see a fire brigade nearby the burning truck.


Thank God the morning traffic was only starting to build up when the accident happened.
These shots were taken from a neighbour’s unit who said they saw water being hose down on the truck. But judging from the size of the flame I wouldn’t think it helped much as the fire was intense.

After about an hour the flames died down but if my vision wasn’t playing tricks on me the top half of the truck, or even more, would have vanished and razed to the ground.

The traffic is already moving after about an hour but slow and I guess motorists will just have to take it easy and breathe. Initially when all the commotion was taking place I could actually hear some impatient motorists honking away, oblivious as to what was happening ahead of them.

I was still in bed at about 6:45am when I heard a loud explosion, that of a truck with exploding tyres. It is such a common sound along the highway that I didn’t take any notice of it and decided to just go back to sleep.


Thick smoke fills the morning sky.

But my eyes won’t shut so I decided to shower only to hear sounds of massive fireworks going off continuously. Despite my closed windows and doors I could hear the sound so clearly. I thought who the heck is playing fireworks at this hour so I went out to the lanai and what I saw on the highway was just too shocking to digest.

A huge truck was up in flames and traffic had come to a standstill. The rest is just as I had narrated above. I pray the truckers survived.

April 13, 2011

Egg Hunting on Easter Day

Looking for a reason to binge? How about on this coming Easter? Let’s go for an Easter High Tea at One World Hotel’s Cinnamon Coffee House for its Easter-Licious-Hi-Tea.

This is happening on April 24 from noon to 4.30pm and it’s meant for children as well as adults. All you need to do to join the kids is to pay RM65++ while children are charged RM33++.

If you are at the hi-tea and noticed the children aren’t getting all excited with the clown maybe you can jump in to the rescue. The more the merrier.  There will be lots of games for the children, especially egg-hunting and painting. Well, it’s Easter isn’t it?

 
 CINNAMON COFFEE HOUSE
One World Hotel
First Avenue
Bandar Utama City Centre
47800 PETALING JAYA
Selangor
Malaysia
Res:  +6 03 7681 1157

Quote for Day 96

Image: Pencil Pusher_NKZS
"Happiness depends upon ourselves." - Aristotle

April 12, 2011

Tumi Partners With Urban Artist Crash

WANT a work of art on a travel case? Check out the latest limited edition collection from Tumi, the premium lifestyle, accessories and travel brand.

Available in selected department stores worldwide, the Tumi Tag Limited Edition features the high-impact, graffiti-inspired work of urban artist John Crash Matos.

Art on travel cases.
The partnership between Tumi and Crash sees four new pieces for the brand’s ultra-modern Vapor line of travel cases. The interior of each bag will feature one of four working drawings created by the artist. Each piece will also include the unique edition number that authenticates the case as a distinct piece in the exclusive collection. There will be only 1,000 pieces of each style plus one-of-a-kind iPhone case. 

Crash grew up in the South Bronx and started his career in at when he was 13 years old, spray-painting subway trains and dilapidated buildings. In 1978 he took his art to canvas and had his first one-man show in 1981. His work ranges from canvasses to installation murals. His works can be seen at The Museum of Modern Art in New York, The Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam and those maintained by private collectors worldwide.

Quote for Day 95

Image: Gota - tiano69
Courage doesn't always roar.
Sometimes courage is the quiet voice
at the end of the day saying,
"I will try again tomorrow."
 - Mary Anne Radmacher

April 11, 2011

Quote for Day 94

Image: It Is Finished - VINNY PRIME
"As we value our happiness, let us not forget it, for one of the greatest lessons in life is learning to be happy without the things we cannot or should not have."

Got Appetite for Burgers?

DO you have the appetite for anything and everything burger? If you can finish two whole burgers at one seating then you should take part in Tony Roma’s Burger Eating Competition during the duration of its Wagyu Beef Burger Promotion from April 11 to June 5. You could be the winner of the RM2,000 cash prize.

To participate you need to buy at least one Tony Roma’s Wagyu Beef Burger and attach the receipt to the application form as proof.

There will be four qualifying rounds – April 23, April 30, May 7 and May 14 to be held at Tony Roma’s Yap Kwan Seng. Each round is limited to only 20 participants on a first-come-first-serve basis.



The top five winners from each qualifying round will proceed to the final round to be held at Tony Roma’s 1 Mont’ Kiara Shopping Mall on May 20 to compete for the Grand Prize.

There are six Tony Roma’s outlets in the Klang Valley – Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall, e@Curve, The Gardens Mid Valley, Pavilion KL, Jalan Yap Kwan Seng and 1 Mont’ Kiara Shopping Mall.

April 10, 2011

Quote for Day 93

Image: Miracle - PEPO
"An apology might help, but you can change your life without one." - Robin Quivers

Back to School for Ibrahim Ali

I NEED to apologise to all my intelligent readers for having to run this post first thing on a beautiful Sunday. But I need to ask a question that actually needs no answer: Do we really need another dumb ass politician who equates “wife-ly duties” to satisfying “husbands’ sexual needs”, “husbands’ arousal at seeing something sexually tempting”, “wives dropping everything to satisfy a husband’s demands” and then uses religion to back his daft statements?

Ibrahim Ali's brainless comment as reported in The Daily Chilli. Bravo old man. You can't get any more daft than this.

If all husbands are like him it is no wonder women prefer being left alone.

But the saddest part of it all is how oblivious Ibrahim Ali is on the impact of his empty-can statement to his wife who has over the years bore him children, how he openly humiliates and belittles her by saying what he said. Can his children and his grandchildren walk in the open without wishing no one knows them or their surname?

Excerpts of what the independent lawmaker said as quoted in The Daily Chilli. Are you sure you are a lawmaker Ibrahim?
The report in MalaysiaKini. Aren't you proud Ibrahim to be in the MCP Club?

We may be living in the 21st Century but many of Malaysia’s Malay politicians are still living in Stone-age.

The next time any of you demented Malay politicians want to justify your sexual urges please stand tall by just admitting your weaknesses without using the Quran as your shield.

This is specially dedicated to Ibrahim Ali. The next time you open your mouth, please check your brain compartment first!
Men like Ibrahim Ali only tarnish the purity of religion, any religion.