Baobab Tree

Saw a photo in the newspaper yesterday which prompted me to do a search on the Baobab tree, usually found in the African Savannah. Here's a photo of it, which I found on the web




It's also known as the upside down tree, the Tree of Life and the Monkey Bread Tree. This tree is leafless for 9 months of the year. Other than providing shelter, this is a tree where nothing is wasted. The bark is used to make baskets, mats, cloth and paper. The flowers last for only 24 hours, and when dropped provide food for animals. The fruits and leaves are also eaten, and the seeds can be made into a coffee like drink.

Apart from wikipedia, this site has a few interesting things about it.

This African legend is one of the few about the Baobab (extracted from The Times):
'When the baobab tree saw the palm tree, it wanted to be taller. When it saw the flame tree, it was envious for blossoms. When it saw the fig tree, it prayed for fruit. So the gods became angry, pulled it up by its roots, then replanted it upside down to keep it quiet.'

Now those of you who live in or near or are going to Penang, might be interested to know that there is or was a baobab tree which has/had been there for over a century at the Macalister Road - Residency Road roundabout. More information about this Penang oldie can be found here. Does anyone know whether this tree is still there?

Too Busy!

This is for those of you who are "too busy" .... *sigh*

Too busy to even share something with us - even once in a blue moon?
Evening skies 24 July 2007, Kuching

One day a teacher asked her students to list the names of the other
students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between
each name.

Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about
each of their classmates and write it down.

It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment,
and as the students left the room, each one handed in the papers.

That Saturday, the teacher wrote down the name of each student on a
separate sheet of paper, and listed what everyone else had said about
that individual ...

On Monday she gave each student his or her list.

Before long, the entire class was smiling.. "Really?"
she heard whispered. "I never knew that I meant anything to anyone!"
and, "I didn't know others liked me so much," were most of the
comments ...

No one ever mentioned those papers in class again. She never knew if
they discussed them after class or with their parents, but it didn't
matter. The exercise had accomplished its purpose. The students were
happy with themselves and one another. That group of students moved
on.

Several years later, one of the students was killed in Viet Nam and
his teacher attended the funeral of that special student. She had
never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before. He looked so
handsome, so mature.

The church was packed with his friends. One by one those who loved
him took a last walk by the coffin.
The teacher was the last one to bless the coffin.

As she stood there, one of the soldiers who acted as pallbearer came
up to her. "Were you Mark's math teacher?" he asked. She nodded:
"yes." Then he said:
"Mark talked about you a lot."

After the funeral, most of Mark's former classmates went together to
a luncheon. Mark's mother and father were there, obviously waiting to
speak with his teacher.

"We want to show you something," his father said, taking a wallet out
of his pocket.. "They found this on Mark when he was killed. We
thought you might recognize it."

Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of
notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded
many times.. The teacher knew without looking that the papers were
the ones on which she had listed all the good things each of Mark's
classmates had said about him.

"Thank you so much for doing that," Mark's mother said. "As you can
see, Mark treasured it."

All of Mark's former classmates started to gather around. Charlie
smiled rather sheepishly and said, "I still have my list. It's in the
top drawer of my desk at home."

Chuck's wife said, "Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album."

"I have mine too," Marilyn said. "It's in my diary."

Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out
her wallet and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group. "I
carry this with me at all times," Vicki said and without batting an
eyelash, she continued: "I think we all saved our lists."

That's when the teacher finally sat down and cried.
She cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see him
again..

The density of people in society is so thick that we forget that life
will end one day. And we don't know when that one day will be.

So please, tell the people you love and care for, that they are
special and important. Tell them, before it is too late. Start with
your family.

And One Way To Accomplish This Is: Forward this message on. If you do
not send it, you will have, once again passed up the wonderful
opportunity to do something nice and beautiful.

If you've received this, it is because someone cares for you and it
means there is probably at least someone for whom you care.

If you're "too busy" to take those few minutes right now to forward
this message on, would this be the VERY first time you didn't do that
little thing that would make a difference in your relationships?

The more people that you send this to, the better you'll be at
reaching out to those you care about.

May Your Day Be Blessed As Special As You Are.

Tequila and Salt

Since it is SO QUIET here, I think I'd better post something here - I got this in the email from Pang Kia Siew and sharing it with you folks here (the above photo is from me) ... Cheers!

Tequila and Salt

This should probably be taped
to your bathroom mirror
where one could read it every day.

You may not realize it,
but it's 100% true.

1. There are at least two people in this world
that you would die for.
2. At least 15 people in this world
love you in some way.
3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you
is because they want to
be just like you.
4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone,
even if they don't
like you.
5. Every night,
SOMEONE thinks about you
before they go to sleep.
6. You mean the world to someone.
7. You are special and unique.
8. Some one that you don't even know exists loves you.
9. When you make the biggest mistake ever,
something good comes from it.
10 When you think the world
has turned its back on you
take another look.

11 Always remember the compliments you received.
Forget about the rude remarks.

So.........
If you are a loving friend,
send this to everyone,
including the one that sent it to you.
If you get it back, then they really do love you.

And always remember....
when life hands you Lemons,
ask for Tequila and Salt and call me over!

Good friends are like stars........
You don't always see them,
But you know they are always there.

"Whenever God Closes One Door He Always Opens Another, Even Though Sometimes It's Hell in the Hallway"

I would rather have one rose and a kind word
from a friend while I'm here than a whole truck load when I'm gone.

Forward to all your friends.
and don't tell me you're too busy for this..
Don't you know the phrase
"stop and smell the flowers"?
See how many "bouquets" you end up with!

Happiness keeps You Sweet,
Trials keep You Strong,
Sorrows keep You Human,
Failures keeps You Humble,
Success keeps You Glowing,
But Only
God keeps You Going

Congratulations to Edmund & Caroline

Congratulations are in order to Edmund and Caroline who tied the knot today celebrated in a private and simple manner. As you all know Edmund and I go back a long way since primary school days in St Thomas's and when we both left for Sydney to do our matriculation and subsequently to the University of New South Wales where he did Surveying and me Architecture. We went separate ways after we graduated and we caught up again years later when I went to work in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam. A true friend and one of the most generous and caring person I have ever met; I couldn't be happier for Edmund as I know he deserves all the happiness and love in this world. Our very best wishes and blessings to Edmund and Caroline!

For Edmund!

What A Great shock SURPRISE!

Congratulations and Our Very Best Wishes and Wishing You Happiness Always and Endless Love!

Lateral Thinking

Just a quick one. Someone sent this to me and I thought you might all like to have a go...



Think like a wizard . .



man
1.. ------------
board






! Ans. = man overboard



Okay, let's see if you've got the hang of it.




stand
2. ------------
i



Ans. = I understand


OK. Got the drift ?

Let's try a few now and see how you fare ?




3. /r/e/a/d/i/n/g/








Ans. = reading between the lines



4. r
road
a
d








Ans. = cross road

Not having a good day now, are you ?


Redeem yourself.

5. cycle
cycle
cycle








Ans. = tricycle

Easy to figure out, ha!


0
6. ------------
M.D.
Ph.D.








Ans. = two degrees below zero



C'mon give it a little thought ! !


knee
7. ------------
light








Ans. = neon light

( knee - on - light )



I'm sure you'll have not problem getting this one.

ground
8. ---------------
feet feet feet feet feet feet








Ans. = six feet underground


Good One, try this!!


9. he's X himself








Ans. = he's by himself


! Here's an easy one!!


10. ecnalg








Ans. = backward glance


Not even close ?!!?


11. death ..... life








Ans. = life after death


Okay last chance ................

12. THINK








Ans. = think big ! !



And the last one is very fun- - -


13. ababaaabbbbaaaabbbbababaabbaaabbbb...








Ans. = long time no 'C'

Are You Stupid?

I did the test and found out that I am kinda stupid - what about you?
Stupid enough to spend time posting here while most don't even bother! *sigh*

You're Kind of Stupid

You got 8/10 questions right! There's some things most people know... except for you.

Are You Stupid?

Important To Have Friends ...

It's important to have friends; especially in Malaysia. Just ask Dato Eric Chia ...

So where are all my friends here? *sigh*

San Francisco-last "leg" of our US trip

San Francisco is much colder than I expect but I love it. From the Coit Tower, you can have a splendid view of SF, its long straight street, the famous Golden Gate Bridge & of course its breezy bay & the infamous Alcatraz.

Lombard Street looks a very long straight street on the map until we reach junction of the most crooked street. This steep winding street with beautiful flowers by its side winds down in a series of sharp bends, from Hyde Street to Leavenworth. We took the plunge & it is an experience we are glad that we tried.

The famous cable car along Powell street.

We had great time driving along the hilly streets with rows of buildings on both sides. Gives you the feel of a roller coaster ride. My children said that you need strong legs to live in this area.

Golden Gate bridge -

The view from the Vista point across San Francisco is even more spectacular night at night. Pity I didn't get good pictures.

Fisherman Wharf - The clam chowder soup in sourdough bread is a must try & a favourite dish served along the fisherman’s wharf.

View of the Wharf from Pier 39.

Alcartraz – surprisingly prison island is so well visited. Luckily we went early on our last day and only managed to get tickets for the afternoon trip. View of SF from the island.

We visited a few winnery at Nappa Valley. According to one winnery we visted, this is one of the best location for wine making. The cool weather & the water there is conducive for growth of grapes for quality wine.

Overall, we had a very wonderful & memorable trip in California. Full of surprises too. Well, maybe there will be another trip - depends.$$$...

FATHER'S DAY

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL FATHERS, GRANDFATHERS, UNCLES....

A brief history of this occassion, celebrated on 17 June this year..



Sonoro Louis Dodd of Washington thought of the idea for Father’s Day while listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909. She wanted to honour her dad, William Smart who raised his 6 children by himself when his wife died at childbirth.

Reaching adulthood, Sonoro Dodd realised how courageous and selfless her father had been when bringing them up, and of all the sacrifices made. She decided that she wanted a special day to honour him and campaigned for a ‘father’s day’ in 1909. The first Father’s Day was celebrated on 19 June 1910, in Spokane, Washington as William Smart, her father, was born in June.

In 1972 Father’s Day was fixed as being the 3rd Sunday in June by President Richard Nixon, and the rest is history

What Makes A Dad
God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it ... Dad
Author is unknown



Fathers are Wonderful People
Fathers are wonderful people
Too little understood,
And we do not sing their praises
As often as we should...

For, somehow, Father seems to be
The man who pays the bills,
While Mother binds up little hurts
And nurses all our ills...

And Father struggles daily
To live up to "HIS IMAGE"
As protector and provider
And "hero or the scrimmage"...

And perhaps that is the reason
We sometimes get the notion,
That Fathers are not subject
To the thing we call emotion,

But if you look inside Dad's heart,
Where no one else can see
You'll find he's sentimental
And as "soft" as he can be...

But he's so busy every day
In the grueling race of life,
He leaves the sentimental stuff
To his partner and his wife...

But Fathers are just WONDERFUL
In a million different ways,
And they merit loving compliments
And accolade of praise,

For the only reason Dad aspires
To fortune and success
Is to make the family proud of him
And to bring them happiness...
And like our Heavenly Father,
He's a guardian and a guide,
Someone that we can count on
To be alays on our side.
By Helen Steiner Rice

So cheers to all of you
and just a reminder of being a father

The little arrow on your monitor

How does the small arrow on your computer monitor work when we move the mouse?

Have you ever wondered how it works?

Now, through the miracle of high technology, we can see how it is done.

With the aid of a screen magnifying lens, the mechanism becomes apparent.

Click here to find out the truth.

The image may take a minute or two to download and when it appears, slowly move your mouse over the light gray circle and you will see how the magic works.

Yosemite Park

The stop at Yosemite Park on our way from Vegas to San Francisco, is the best decision we made. The view is so scenic & weather there is much pleasant than Vegas. You can still see the snow left over on some parts of the park. We arrived there in the late afternoon & took a stroll at the giant sequoia wood. The stroll became a hike through to sunset.

The beautiful sunset in the midst of the giant trees is a fascinating scene and refreshing smell of wood.

The cone from these giant sequoia is as long as your forearm. Really giantic in comparison to those fist sized cones that I used to see.

Snow plant, is a small red plant, which grows between April to Nov. It has no chlorophyll & survived on dead plant material.

On our way back to the hotel, we made a left turn & had the traffic police right behind us. Oophs, that was an illegal turn and we did not see the sign which was high up on the post. Thankfully, the police let us off.

The next day, we made our way to the glacier point & had a fantastic view of the Yosemite valley.

Along the way to the big Yosemite falls (left photo), is the bridalveil fall – exactly like a bridal veil (extreme right photo).

That’s the El Captain, which is the largest granite monolith in the world.

On our way from Yosemite to San Francisco, we chance upon this beautiful view. I later found out it is Lake Don Pedro.

Truely a memorable trip.

Water Into Fuel?

Reported by Michael O'Mara Created: 5/22/2007 7:28:52 PM Updated:6/1/2007 7:16:22 PM

Retired TV station owner and broadcast engineer, John Kanzius, wasn't looking for an answer to the energy crisis.

He was looking for a cure for cancer.

Four years ago, inspiration struck in the middle of the night. Kanzius decided to try using radio waves to kill the cancer cells.

His wife Marianne heard the noise and found her husband inventing a radio frequency generator with her pie pans.

"I got up immediately, and thought he had lost it."

Here are the basics of John's idea:

Radio-waves will heat certain metals. Tiny bits of certain metal are injected into a cancer patient.

Those nano-particals are attracted to the abnormalities of the cancer cells and ignore the healthy cells.

The patient is then exposed to radio waves and only the bad cells heat up and die.

But John also came across yet another extrordinary breakthrough.

His machine could actually make saltwater burn.

John Kanzius discovered that his radio frequency generator could release the oxygen and hydrogen from saltwater and create an incredibly intense flame.

"Just like that. If that was in a car cylinder you could see the amount of fire that would be in the cylinder."

The APV Company Laboratory in Akron has checked out John's amazing invention. They were amazed.

"That could be a steam engine, a steam turbine. That could be a car engine if you wanted it to be."

Imagine the possibilities. Saltwater as the ultimate clean fuel.

A happy byproduct of one man searching for the cure for cancer.

PLAY VIDEO

The Man Who Travelled Forward In Time?

Some of us may want to go back in time to a simpler (and happier?) time or perhaps to relive part of our (imperfect) lives.

But here's a man who claimed to have travelled forward in time - and met himself? Well, watch this ...

Vegas & Grand Canyon

Vegas is 270 miles from LA. US is still using the imperial system of miles, yards, gallons, quart, lbs & oz. Brings me back to school days. The metric system is a breeze when compared to the imperial system.

The drive to Vegas is almost 5 hours, similar to distance between KL & Singapore. The drive seems never ending & the desert scene reminds one of the cowboy movies.

See one road sign which can definitely send you "zzz" .

Making a stop-over at a factory outlet is refreshing especially for me. Of course we made quite a few purchases – some items are value for money when compared to prices in Singapore.

My boys just reached their 21st birthday & were eager to try their gambling luck. Maybe it will provide them the "scholarship" for a US university.

No more coins in the Jackpot machines. Just notes, prepaid card & paper for your winnings. I have not heard of Taxas Holden until then. As usual, they had beginner’s luck & were very happy with their first day gains. But soon after that, it was downhill & they kept to their limit. It is good that they learn to control their losses & realised that gambling is not a way to make money. But their dream to a US university is "vanished" into thin Vegas air.

Besides gambling, a stroll along the strip at night is very entertaining for the family. Vegas is very hot & it is unthinkable to stroll around during the day.

You must plan a trip to Grand Canyon when at Vegas. Of course a must stop-over is the Hoover Dam. The white stretch above the lake shows the drop in the water level.
The same scene in the evening on our way back to Vegas.

If you have time, plan a nite's stay near the park. We did not make it to the new skywalk. But I understand that the road is not constructed yet.

Enjoy some shots of the grand canyon.

Does this look like a dynasaur head?

A snap shot of some vegetation at the Grand Canyon.