Monday, August 31, 2009

Sign language - a distance language

It was a Wednesday evening. Work have been busy, non-stop until the plans I had at the end of the day was affected. Right after work I needed to rush to PJ to attend a class which starts at 8pm.

I looked at the clock - it's already 7.20pm. There was still a client in the office. I rushed to get Goo and Mer into my car - today their mom n dad's gonna come home from overseas. So I needed to send them home before rushing off to my class. Then I heard my stomach grumbling.

DINNER! I quickly picked up the phone, dialled the number of the restaurant few doors away and ordered a take away. "I'll bring it to your office," I heard Sal said. I heaved a sigh of relief - that should save my three minutes rushing to the restaurant and back.
Ten minutes later as I packed my bag to leave, I realized that my dinner was not delivered yet. I ran to the restaurant, and surprisingly, Sal said she delivered. "To whom?" "To that lady... so and so... "
I stepped out of the restaurant, heading toward my office fast. There I saw my colleague waving and gesturing from my office, "Your food is here."

Using some simple sign language, I argued with her from metres afar, "Who took it? I asked and nobody informed me. What la dey.." I managed to insert the Malaysian language into my sign language.

Now ten metres away from me, she giggled "Koji, it's Koji."

I narrowed my eyes and smiled. We appreciate sign language. We do. =)

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Learning sign language.

Some time ago my company recruited a new member of the family, to help out with the routines. Moon was an exceptionally enthusiastic person, who unfortunately could not speak or hear well due to an episode of high fever during his childhood. He wears a hearing aid on the right and lives like a normal person - just like us.

Many a times, he could understand things better and faster than the rest of us. Often I think that because he could not hear well, he compensated it with his sight - he catches and fathoms body languages better than many of us. As a result of that, often we find it easier to communicate to him, rather than to certain people who could actually hear and speak normal.


While he tried his best to understand our unsynchronized body languages and gestures, we tried to learn and understand sign language. I remembered many years ago when I graduated from high school, I tried to pick up sign language - but it was not successful. Now however, I can do the A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H.. all the way until Y. I often forget how to make "Z" and some other alphabets, but I know that in time, I will master it.

That's because learning is a process fully mastered when you live with it.

You want to learn to be patient? Live it. Every time you feel the blood boiling in you, give yourself another five seconds. Perhaps another ten, or twenty, or a minute, or ten, or twenty minutes.

If you do this everyday, you'll eventually be a patient person. =)

A H1N1 statistic chart

A H1N1 chart/statistic. I got this from a forwarded email, thus can't give much info on the sources. But I'm sure you can find the sources easily if you just google search "A H1N1 statistics".
Pay attention at the Mortality Rate.
Pay close attention to Malaysia's.
Then compare the measurements taken by Hong Kong and Malaysia to curb this issue.

Your eyes will be opened.

Friday, August 28, 2009

Teoh Beng Hock's inquest on video! (youtube got or not?)

Teoh Beng Hock's inquest court proceedings on video!

I'm sure many of us do not realize that we could actually watch the video on Teoh Beng Hock's death inquest court session online, on the internet, on video! (i wonder if youtube has it too)

The inquest into the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock heard of alleged torture of witnesses by MACC officers at the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam here.
Gobind Singh Deo, who is holding a watching brief for Teoh Beng Hock’s family, told coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas on Friday that he had before him a police report which detailed how witnesses and suspects were allegedly tortured during interrogation.
Anyway, I've visited the Malaysia Attorney General website at http://www.agc.gov.my/, and there are a few videos in it. The buffering is good.

Those who wants to know and watch it, catch it fast!

Court proceedings are recorded and available for viewing on the Attorney-General's website.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Exciting revealing website - justice n truth investigation

I couldn't believe it! I just found this website when so many thousands have found it so many weeks ago! Gee... I am just SO-OUTDATED!

I just had a short conversation with a friend of mine and we discussed on Teoh Beng Hock's issue. Weeks have passed, and the fact of his tragic death still saddens us. Again it reminds us xxx. Just like my friend, we know that the truth will be revealed in a matter of time. We pray that justice will be served accordingly. Though chance is slim, I choose believe so.

"When Gobind raised the matter for the first time during the inquest that he had received a letter “purportedly” written by MACC officers, I had a gut feeling that some good and decent MACC officers, despite living in fear could no longer tolerate the abuse the public has given to MACC as whole. These are honest people and have the best interest of MACC at heart but they have to be careful in their actions as there are bigger forces at play."

http://rights2write.wordpress.com/

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

The entire family died (except mr daddy)

[continued from previous post]

It's already been four days, and Yumi has not called me. In fact, the person whom wanted to adopt mommy shih tzu has called me twice.

What happened? Did she manage to give birth? How many puppies? Was it a natural birth or caesarean? What's the uncle's decision? Why didn't she call?

I waited patiently for Yumi's call. Day after day.

This morning as I was busy with my morning errands, suddenly the corner of my eyes caught glimpse of a vey familiar silhouette outside the clinic - it's Yumi Quah! I rushed to the door, and invited her in (as if I'm an usher there). "How's the dog? How's the mommy shih tzu?"

She looked away. Her husband chipped in, "She died."

"Haaaah?" I deliberately exagerrated the aghast tone. "What happened? Where are the babies?"
"Everyone died. She was having difficulty to give birth, so my uncle sent her to a clinic, and they cut her open, tried to rescue the eight puppies, but all died eventually. HAM-Ka-CHAN (cantonese, literally translated means whole family die)."

"HAAAHHH?!' I pretended a slight faint. "How could that happen?" The uncle's finally got what he wanted - the mommy shih tzu's death.

"We don't know.. it just happened."

I closed my eyes. Sad, frustrated, sad. Gloom.
I could hear the thunders crackling within, the rain was evident in my eyes.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Does she want to get mommy shih tzu adopted?

[continued from previous post]

GOOD NEWS!!


I've got someone who's willing to adopt the pregnant shih tzu, now it's just a call away from the real owner's nod.



I quickly looked through the files, and there! Yumi Quah (not her real name). I quickly called her... I was so excited and anxious that I felt the dial tones for once was absolutely a nuisance.



"Hello, who's this?" I heard a voice at the end of the line.


"Hey, you remember me? I've got someone to adopt your uncle's pregnant shih tzu! Where's your dog now?" I exclaimed.


"Err... i've got to ask my uncle first... can she come over to Seremban?"




I was dumbfounded. Seremban is an hour plus' drive away from here. "Can you ask your uncle to send her here instead, since it's really difficult for you to get an adopter.. and now you've got the chance of a lifetime...."


"I've got to discuss it with him first."


My excitement faded. My eyes turned to the prospective adopter's. She raised her eyebrows. I closed my eyes and hung up the phone. "She'll call me again."

Friday, August 21, 2009

A real dog lover?

[continued from the previous post]

After passing her the information of the shelters, she left. A few hours later, a couple with a "pregnant" shih tzu walked in to confirm the pregnancy.

I tried to feel the "babies" within her, but all I felt was a big bladder. "She didn't pass urine this afternoon, huh?"

"Oh yah, she urinated loads... how many? She's delivering tomorrow!" She smiled anxiously.

"Babies? I guess she's got none..." I smiled, fingers gently but firmly trying to feel for any possible hidden babies.

"Zero, haha..." I finally confirmed.

"What a girl you, how could you have failed?! Oh, it must have been the male - impotent." We laughed. Then the thought of the pregnant shih tzu came into my mind.

"I've an abandoned pregnant shih tzu, delivering soon, would you like to adopt her?" My eyes couldn't meet hers.
"Who's dog is it? How can people abandon their dog just like that? Pregnant, to make things worse!"

"An undeserving person. He's throwing her away, without even bother whether or not she'll be alive the next day." I tried my best to reveal as much info as possible. "The good reason he's got is that he's no longer into shih tzu, he'd prefer large breed dogs..."

After some discussion and persuassion, she finally agreed to adopt the dog, so long as the dog is a healthy one. Good news for me. I'll try my best to get the two clients in touch, who knows, the unfortunate dog may find herself a good home! =)

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

What should my client do?

[continued from the previous post]

"What will you do?" I opened my eyes.
"I don't know, that's why I'm here!" She shook my hands.

"My friend, you have a few options.
1. Adopt the dog. NO WAY! I've already got two dogs of my own!
2. Find someone to adopt the dog. Who wants a heavily pregnant dog? In case of caesarean, the person will blindly spend hundreds.
3. Call up shelters like furry friends farm, SPCa, paws etc... I'm not sure whether the dog will be euthanised or not. You've got to call up and ask."

"Can I put the dog here until the babies are independent?" Her eyes glistened.
"We're not shelters, unfortunately." I brushed her off.

Thus I gave her the contacts of the shelters, well, hopefully the dog ends up well. Sad...

A dog without a good owner is just like a child without a good parent. A parent who disdains the child, Regretted ever having the child.

But I thank God, that we have a loving heavenly father always, watching us, guiding us, smiling at us, leading us... and we need to only listen to his voice, and obey. Emmanuel. God with us.

Monday, August 17, 2009

What do you do when your dog is pregnant?

What will your reaction be when you realize that your dog is pregnant?
But you don't know who the mr daddy is.
As The-Day approaches, how would you feel? What will run through your mind?
---
"2 more days, she'll be due.... My uncle has decided to throw her away, or give her away..."
"WHAT?!!!" I exclaimed, in exaggerated disgust.
"My uncle doesn't like the fuss, he's into large breed dogs now, like dobermann, german shepherds... shih tzu is no longer his cup of tea..."
I slowly shook my head in obvious disgust. Eyes narrowed. "People like him do not deserve dogs."
"He just called me this morning asking me to take over the dog otherwise he'll deal with it himself..."

I continued turning my head left and right in small angles. Eyes shut. Speechless.

"What do I do now??!!" My client was frustrated.
"What will you do?" I opened my eyes.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Dog holding a knife - Good dog!

Dogs are really wonderful creature. Many a times, they simply amaze me.
And I love them, very much. This is a picture taken from thestar.com.my (27 July 2009) - a dog assisting his owner, apparently the owner was preparing his shopping list.
Mr Owner, "Good dog. Now here’s a shopping list for the supermarket."
Picture taken by Chong Quek Choon.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

How to be a good/effective bible salesman?

To salesmen out there - this is a tip on how to improve your sales, seriously. Thus increase your income and commissions too. =)
---

A pastor concluded that his church was getting into very seriousfinancial troubles.

While checking the church storeroom, he discovered several cartons of new Bibles that had never been opened and distributed. So at his Sunday sermon, he asked for three volunteers from thecongregation who would be willing to sell the Bibles door-to-door for$10 each to raise the desperately needed money for the church.

Jack, Paul and Louie all raised their hands to volunteer for the task. The minister knew that Jack and Paul earned their living as salesmenAnd were likely capable of selling some Bibles. But he had seriousdoubts about Louie who was a local farmer, who had always kept tohimself because he was embarrassed by his speech impediment. PoorLouis stuttered badly.

But, NOT WANTING TO discourage Louis, theminister decided to let him try anyway. He sent the three of them away with the back seat of their cars stacked with Bibles. He asked them to meet with him and report the results of their door-to-door selling efforts the following Sunday.

Anxious to find out how successful they were, the minister immediately asked Jack, "Well, Jack, how did you make out selling our Bibles last week?" Proudly handing the reverend an envelope, Jack replied, "Using my sales prowess, I was able to sell 20 Bibles, and here's the $200 I collected on behalf of the church." "Fine job, Jack!" The minister said, vigorously shaking his hand. "Youare indeed a fine salesman and the Church is indebted to you.

" Turning to Paul, "And Paul, how many Bibles did you sell for the Church last week?" Paul, smiling and sticking out his chest, confidently replied, "I am aprofessional salesman. I sold 28 Bibles on behalf of the church, andhere's $280 I collected." The minister responded, "That's absolutely splendid, Paul. You aretruly a professional salesman and the church is indebted to you."

Apprehensively, the minister turned to Louie and said, "And Louie, didyou manage to sell any Bibles last week?" Louie silently offered theminister a large envelope. The minister opened it and counted the contents. "What is this?"the minister exclaimed. "Louie, there's $3200 in here! Are yousuggesting that you sold 320 Bibles for the church, door to door, injust one week?"

Louie just nodded. That's impossible!" both Jack and Paul said inunison. "We are professional salesmen, yet you claim to have sold 10times as many Bibles as we could." "Yes, this does seem unlikely," said the minister who didn't want toappear to be agreed. "I think you'd better explain how you managed to accomplish this, Louie."

Louie shrugged. "I-I-I re-re-really do-do-don't kn-kn-know f-f-f -forsh-sh-sh-sure," he stammered.. Impatiently, Peter interrupted. "For crying out loud, Louie, just tellus what you said to them when they answered the door!"

"A-a-a-all I-I-I s-s-said wa-wa-was," Louis replied, "W-w-w-w-wouldy-y-y-you l-l-l-l-l-like t-t-to b-b-b-buy th-th-th-this B-B-B-B-BibleF-f-for t-t-ten b-b-b-bucks ---o-o-o-or--- wo-wo-would yo-youj-j-j-just l-like m-m-me t-t-to st-st-stand h-h-here andr-r-r-r-r-read it t-to y-y-you??"

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Computer in Spanish - feminine or masculine?

A SPANISH Teacher was explaining to her class that in Spanish, unlike English, nouns are designated as either masculine or feminine.

'House' for instance, is feminine: 'la casa.' 'Pencil,' however, is masculine: 'el lapiz.'

A student asked, 'What gender is 'computer'?'

Instead of giving the answer, the teacher split the class into two groups, male and female, and asked them to decide for themselves whether computer' should be a masculine or a feminine noun. Each group was asked to give four reasons for its recommendation.

The men's group decided that 'computer' should definitely be of the feminine gender ('la computadora'), because:
1 No one but their creator understands their internal logic;
2. The native language they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else;
3. Even the smallest mistakes are stored in long term memory for possible later retrieval; and
4. As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half your paycheck on accessories for it.


(THIS GETS BETTER!)
The women's group, however, concluded that computers should be Masculine ('el computador'), because:
1. In order to do anything with them, you have to turn them on;
2. They have a lot of data but still can't think for themselves;
3. They are supposed to help you solve problems, but half the time they ARE the problem; and
4. As soon as you commit to one, you realize that if you had waited a little longer, you could have gotten a better model.


The women won.

Sunday, August 09, 2009

I'm still learning

Today I read a blog belonged to a friend of mine. The way she writes really compels me. I must learn. I must keep learning from people.

I find her amazing, really. She thinks of people and others more than herself. This is something that everyone of us lacks these days, but admittedly, everyone of us need to learn this from her.

She speaks from her heart, of the happenings around her. No matter how bad she feels, she does not speak bad of other's reputation.

Im learning, from her. =)

Friday, August 07, 2009

Toffee's new dog tattoo: Love Tower

I got Toffee into this tattoo few weeks ago. The weather was really hot, but shaving him bald was not entirely my cup of tea.
Thus, here's the handsome dog - in his Love Tower apparel!
Aint he proud of it! =)

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Mouse or cat?

“Help!!! Mouse!!!” I heard my mom scream.

I rolled my eyes toward my mom, but hands and body all remained stiff and still. “Where?”

“Somewhere here…” my mom was in the kitchen.
“I don’t catch mouse… ask dad…”
“Go ask the vet to catch the mouse!” I heard my dad from his bedroom.

Duh, I sweated. I have no special adoration toward mouse, especially when they’re the culprit for ransacking my kitchen daily. But catching them and killing them… just not my cup of tea. But then again… the mouse population is on the rise. Everytime I walked out my house down the street, I’d see mice squirming from this corner to the other.

“I don’t catch mouse…” I was adamant.
“Can I borrow a cat from your clinic, just one night, put in our house?!” My mom was frustrated. I smiled – wider by the seconds.

“Oh yeah? You sure?” I remembered pestering them to get a cat in the house and the answer had always been, Don’t be crazy…

Silence. No response. Well… good for the mouse, at least.

Monday, August 03, 2009

20 Cancer Symptoms Women Are Most Likely to Ignore


20 Cancer Symptoms Women Are Most Likely to Ignore
By Melanie Haiken, Caring.com senior editor


Routine tests like pap smears and mammograms are important, but don't rely on tests alone to protect you from cancer. It's just as important to listen to your body and notice anything that's different, odd, or unexplainable. You don't want to join the ranks of cancer patients who realize too late that symptoms they'd noticed for a long time could have sounded the alarm earlier, when cancer was easier to cure.

Here, some signs that are commonly overlooked:

1. Wheezing or shortness of breath One of the first signs lung cancer patients remember noticing when they look back is the inability to catch their breath. "I couldn't even walk across the yard without wheezing; I thought I had asthma, but how come I didn't have it before?" is how one woman described it.

2. Chronic cough or chest pain Several types of cancer, including leukemia and lung tumors, can cause symptoms that mimic a bad cough or bronchitis. One way to tell the difference: The problems persist, or go away and come back again in a repeating cycle. Some lung cancer patients report chest pain that extends up into the shoulder or down the arm.

3. Frequent fevers or infections These can be signs of leukemia, a cancer of the blood cells that starts in the bone marrow. Leukemia causes the marrow to produce abnormal white blood cells, which crowd out healthy white cells, sapping the body's infection-fighting capabilities. Often, doctors finally catch leukemia in older adults after the patient has been in a number of times complaining of fever, achiness, and flu-like symptoms over an extended period of time.

4. Difficulty swallowing Most commonly associated with esophageal or throat cancer, having trouble swallowing is sometimes one of the first signs of lung cancer, too.

5. Swollen lymph nodes or lumps on the neck, underarm, or groin Enlarged lymph nodes indicate changes in the lymphatic system, which can be a sign of cancer. For example, a lump or an enlarged lymph node under the arm is sometimes a sign of breast cancer. A painless lump on the neck, underarm, or groin can be an early sign of leukemia.

6. Excessive bruising or bleeding that doesn't stop This symptom usually suggests something abnormal happening with the platelets and red blood cells, which can be a sign of leukemia. One woman with leukemia described bruising in strange places, such as on her fingers and hands, as well as red spots on her face, neck, and chest. Another noticed bleeding gums. The explanation: Over time, leukemia cells crowd out red blood cells and platelets, impairing the blood's ability to carry oxygen and clot.

7. Weakness and fatigue "I kept having to sit down at work, and one night I was too tired to drive home," said one woman in describing the fatigue that led her to discover she had leukemia. Generalized fatigue and weakness is a symptom of so many different kinds of cancer that you'll need to look at it in combination with other symptoms. But any time you feel exhausted without explanation and it doesn't respond to getting more sleep, talk to your doctor.

8. Bloating or abdominal weight gain—the "my jeans don't fit" syndrome While this might sound too common a phenomenon to be considered a cancer symptom, consider this: Women diagnosed with ovarian cancer overwhelmingly report that unexplained abdominal bloating that came on fairly suddenly and continued on and off over a long period of time (as opposed to for a few days each month with PMS) is one of the main ways they knew something was wrong.

9. Feeling full and unable to eat This is another tip-off to ovarian cancer; women say they have no appetite and can't eat, even when they haven't eaten for some time. Any woman who experiences noticeable bloating or weight gain numerous times (the diagnostic criteria is more than 13 times over the period of a month)—especially if it's accompanied by pelvic pain or feeling overly full—should call her doctor and ask for a pelvic ultrasound.

10. Pelvic or abdominal pain Taken by itself, pelvic pain can mean a lot of things. In fact, because it's a common symptom of fibroids, ovarian cysts, and other reproductive tract disorders, doctors don't always think of cancer when you describe pelvic pain. Make sure your doctor looks at all possible explanations and does a full exam, since pain and cramping in the pelvis and abdomen can go hand in hand with the bloating that often signals ovarian cancer. Leukemia can also cause abdominal pain resulting from an enlarged spleen.

11. Rectal bleeding or blood in stool "I thought it was hemorrhoids" is one of the most common things doctors hear when diagnosing colorectal cancer. Blood in the toilet alone is reason to call your doctor and schedule a colonoscopy.

12. Unexplained weight loss If you notice the pounds coming off and you haven't made changes to your diet or exercise regime, you need to ask why. Weight loss is an early sign of colon and other digestive cancers; it's also a sign of cancer that's spread to the liver, affecting your appetite and the ability of your body to rid itself of wastes.

13. Upset stomach or stomachache As simple as it sounds, a good old-fashioned bellyache is what tipped off a number of lucky folks, whose doctors ordered ultrasounds and discovered early that they had tumors on their livers. Stomach cramps or frequent upset stomachs may indicate colorectal cancer; many cancer patients say their doctors thought they had ulcers.

14. A red, sore, or swollen breast Everyone knows to check for lumps in the breasts, but too often overlooked are symptoms closer to the surface, which can indicate inflammatory breast cancer. Some women described noticing cellulite-like dimpled skin on an area of the breast. Others noticed that a breast felt swollen, hot, or irritated. Red or purplish discoloration is also cause for concern. Call your doctor about any unexplained changes to your breasts.

15. Nipple changes One of the most common changes women remember noticing before being diagnosed with breast cancer is a nipple that began to appear flattened, inverted, or turned sideways. "My nipple started looking like it was turned inside out," said one woman. In addition, inflammatory breast cancer also causes nipple problems, such as itchy, scaly, or crusty skin on the nipple— so take any nipple changes seriously.

16. Unusually heavy or painful periods or bleeding between periods Many women reported this as the tip-off to endometrial or uterine cancer. Unfortunately, many women also said their doctors weren't responsive, overlooking or misdiagnosing their complaints as normal perimenopause. Ask for a transvaginal ultrasound if you suspect something more than routine heavy periods.

17. Swelling of facial features Some patients with lung cancer report noticing puffiness, swelling, or redness in the face. The explanation for this is that small cell lung tumors commonly block blood vessels in the chest, preventing blood from flowing freely from the head and face.

18. A sore or skin lump that doesn't heal, becomes crusty, or bleeds easily Most of us know to watch moles for changes that might indicate skin cancer. But other signs, such as small waxy lumps or dry scaly patches, are easier to miss. Familiarize yourself with the different types of skin cancer—melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma—and be vigilant about checking skin all over the body for odd-looking growths or spots.

19. Changes in nails Unexplained changes to the fingernails can be a sign of several types of cancer. A brown or black streak or dot under the nail can indicate skin cancer, while newly discovered "clubbing"— enlargement of the ends of the fingers, with nails that curve down over the tips—can be a sign of lung cancer. Pale or white nails can be an indication that your liver is not functioning properly, sometimes a sign of liver cancer.

20. Pain in the back or lower right side As vague as this sounds, many cancer patients say this was the first sign of liver cancer, known as one of the "silent killers" (another is ovarian cancer). Breast cancer is also often diagnosed via back pain, which can occur when a breast tumor presses backward into the chest, or when the cancer spreads to the spine or ribs.

Saturday, August 01, 2009

Animal, Human and Earth.

I saw this poster in one of the veterinary clinic.

While I don't truly agree with it, but I really find it interesting and funny! =)

Animals are citizens of God's kingdom - that's right.

Humans are apprentices of the devil - well, maybe not 100%... 70% would be more accurate.

Haha. What say you?