How Ironic! Japanese man saved stranded dolphin washed aground by tsunami!

So when the news about a Japanese man waddled into high water to save a stranded dolphin in a paddy field went out.. I burst into.."Hell yeah...that was sooo right!"

Why did I say that?

In case you don't know, a Japanese town called TAIJI is famous for their inhumane ways of herding and then killing the dolphins! Two photos below are enough to explain the word 'Photojournalist".

Maybe the tsunami was God's answer to the dolphins?

Think man...think!

Message to All Landlords

If you have a house to rent, maybe this story will make you think twice about renting it away.

A landlord in Perak, a state in Malaysia, was in a state of utter disbelief when she found out that her 60 years old's two storey wooden house in Kangar, about 200km away from where she lives, was stolen.

What is left apparently was only the pillars that support the flooring of the house.

She revealed that her tenant had been a defaulter for five months before he completely vanished...erm ..together with the house of course..plus cupboards, refrigerator, cutleries, dining table etc.

She estimated the loss at about RM60,000 or about GBP 10,000.

It is understood that the police is in a hot pursuit to catch the culprit.

What is left.....

2010 Most Dangerous Cities in The World

We have seen the Best and Worst Cities in the world for 2010.

How about the Most Dangerous Cities in the world?

The following list is based on surveys done with international travel insurance companies.

They are :

1. Caracas, Venezuela.
2. Cuidad Juarez, Mexico.
3. Mogadishu, Somalia.
4. Capetown, South Africa.
5. Bogota, Colombia.
6. Rio de Jeneiro, Brazil.
7. Grozny, Chechnya.
8. Baghdad, Iraq.
9. Guatemala City, Guatemala.
10. Bangkok, Thailand (really?).

The elements that decide the danger levels in those cities include drugs cases, murders, kidnapping and all the crimes you can possibly think I guess.

Again, I salute the people in those cities for you will never know whether you will be alive or not after you read this blog ...

2010 Worst Cities in The World

I pity those people living in 'the worst cities' in the world...sooo sad..anyway I do hope they live happily amid the disadvantages..

How do we know the living condition in those cities?

Well, for a start, it is the exact opposite in your cities I guess.

I salute you people!

2010 Best Cities in The World

Economic Intelligent Survey (EIU) conducts annual survey on cities of the world and rank them accordingly from best to worst to live in.

The fields of survey include the public transport systems, cultures, recreational activities available and crime rates.

Not surprisingly, most 'quiet' cities ranked in the upper group with Australia have 4 cities in the top 10, Canada has 3 where the rests are filled by Austria, Finland and NZ cities.

Though the survey is quite subjective, somehow I tend to agree since I had the experience of visiting Melbourne and Sydney.

Maybe there is one way to prove it - visit those cities.

Bon voyage!

How to tie a tie

Yesterday we learn about to tie a bowtie.

Today, I googled for 'how to tie a tie' and I rightly found an interesting site..complete with graphical instructions.

Here we go.......

How to tie a Bowtie

I find it very difficult to tie a bowtie..but thanks to Internet, we can always goggle for solutions.

See the photo below to learn how to tie your bowtie.

Good luck!


Voila!

The 520 days Mission to Mars Simulation

Yes, in case you missed it, the simulation was actually started on June 3rd, 2010. A volunteer team consists of 3 Russians, a Frenchman, an Italian Colombian and a Chinese researchers were locked down in a capsule which represent a real spacecraft somewhere in Moscow.

The daily activities are conducted as real as possible with the exception of weightlessness. Even their comms with the outside world has that delays effect.

Oh, in case you missed it again, they have touched down on Mars on February 14th, 2011. Their life on Mars has begun!

Mars500

Don't Fart In Malawi!

If you have to do it in Malawi, do it silently! Otherwise you can be charge with misdemeanour.

Yes, by next week, you could see stressed faces in Malawi as people can't release the pressure in their asxxs!

Hmmm.... wait a minute..

Does this mean that you can't blow your asxxs down even if you are in the process of having a go in a Public toilet?

Respect Thy Neighbours!

There is nothing compared to living in a serene neighbourhood.

But that is not the case in Wolvercote, a small neighbourhood in Oxford, UK when one of them bought and parked an Ex-Cold War tank in front of his house!

The neighbours said that they are being harassed but the tank man said his right is being compromised and the town hall said that they could'nt do anything for the tank is registered and taxed!

So, how?

Respect each other is the only way.

Longest-serving rogue leaders

From MSN UK news (http://news.uk.msn.com/photos/special-photo-galleries/photos.aspx?cp-documentid=156216245&page=1)

These leaders are reportedly rogue!

They have been killing, robbing their countries for decades...yet they still have their own loyal supporters!..

As true as the quotation goes ...

"There is enough in this world for every man's need but never enough for one man's greed!

They are...(I believe the list is endless!)

1. Muammar Gaddafi - Libya - since 1969.

2. Ali Abdullah Saleh - Yemen - since 1988.

3. Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo - President of Equatorial Guinea - since 1979

4. Robert Mugabe - Zimbabwe - 1980.

5. Omar al-Bashir - Sudan - since 1989.

6. Islam Karimov - Uzbekistan - since 1991.

7. Isaias Afewerki - Eritrea - since 1993.

8. Than Shwe - Myanmar - since 1988.

9. Kim Jong-Il - North korea - since 1994.

10. Alexander Lukashenko - Belarus - since 1994

11. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - Iran - since 2005.

12. Raul Castro - Cuba - 49 years (with his brother, Fidel, of course).

Keep Your Username and Password Organised!

It's been a while since the last time I blogged in new post.

Reason? Simple! I forgot my username and password to log in.

This is something that I am bad at.

Now that I have learnt a good lesson, I am now keeping all my usernames and passwords organised in my special file.

Voila!...

Pont de Normandie

The Pont de Normandie (or Bridge of Normandy) is a cable-stayed road bridge that spans the river Seine linking Le Havre to Honfleur in Normandy, northern France.

Its total length is 2143.21 m (856 m between the 2 piers). The bridge allows the Autoroute A29 to cross the Seine river.

The bridge was designed by Michel Virlogeux. The architects were François Doyelle and Charles Lavigne. Construction by Spie Batignolles began in 1988 and lasted 7 years. The bridge opened on January 20, 1995. At the end of construction, the bridge had cost $465 million.

The span, 23.60 m wide, is divided into 4 lanes for traffic and 2 lanes for pedestrians. The pylons, made of concrete, are shaped as upside-down Ys. They weigh more than 20,000 tons and are 214.77 m tall. More than 19,000 tons of steel were used and 184 cables were used.

Truly Amazing!

Le Mont St Michel

Mont Saint-Michel (Mount Saint Michael) is a rocky tidal island in Normandy, roughly one kilometre from the north coast of France at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches.

Mont Saint-Michel was used in the 6th and 7th centuries as an Armorican stronghold of Romano-Breton culture and power, until it was ransacked by the Franks, thus ending the trans-channel culture that had stood since the departure of the Romans in AD 459.

Before the construction of the first monastic establishment in the 8th century, the island was called Mont Tombe. According to legend, the archangel Michael appeared to St. Aubert, bishop of Avranches, in 808 and instructed him to build a church on the rocky islet. Aubert repeatedly ignored the angel's instruction, until Michael burned a hole in the bishop's skull with his finger.

The mount gained strategic significance in 933 when William "Long Sword", Duke of Normandy, annexed the Cotentin Peninsula, definitively placing the mount in Normandy. It is depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry, which commemorates the 1066 Norman conquest of England. Ducal patronage financed the spectacular Norman architecture of the abbey in subsequent centuries.

During the Hundred Years' War the English made repeated assaults on the island but were unable to seize it partly due to the abbey's improved fortifications. Les Michelettes, two wrought-iron bombards left by the English in their failed 1423-24 siege of Mont Saint-Michel, are still displayed near the outer defense wall.

It is about 170 km away or 2 hours drive from Cherbourg or if you are from Paris, it is about 340 km or 3 and half hours drive.

It's like the castle Minas Tirith in "The return of the King (Lord of the Rings)"

My First Day In France

We departed KL on 10 Nov 05 for my stint in France.
Both families were there. Though I used to live in the UK for 3 years, this time is a bit difference for we have 3 kids to look after. We were wondering how the kids will react to the new surrounding, especially the weather. Bear in mind that our departure date is at the beginning of winter!

We set foot at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport at around 5:30 am on Armistice Day. Seen here in the airport McDonald's and Arief asked for a Happy Meal nugget! He did cry though when we told him that in France, we wont be able to eat their nuggets. Poor kid.

From Charles de Gaulle airport, we continued our journey to Cherbourg, about 270 km North West of Paris. A port town across the English Channel. The journey took us about 4 hours in a freezing condition.

Visit to our Ex Landlady in Woking, UK

Our Dearest Landlady, Aeronia.

We left her in Aug 98 when she was 78.We never dreamt of paying her a visit. But somehow, we did! In Aug 2006. Yes, you can guest her age now but still, she's up & running!

And not to forget my lovely Ginger the Cat! Still remember me after all these years!

hfcghcgchcghfhhh

University of Surrey

My wife & I studied in the University of Surrey from Sep 95 until Aug 98. She studied Food Science whereas I studied Electronics. When we knew that I was about to go to France, our first thought was to visit the uni, which we managed to do during our summer break in Aug 2006. Nothing compared to the feeling when we entered the university compound where unforgettable memories were reappeared! We spent the whole day just walking around the university compound to refresh everything. We will definitely go there again.

It's more hi tech now!...but we really missed the good old classic U!

Bourne Court.

I used to stay there during my first year


Faridah in front of her Battersea Court