Something to read about if ure interested...

Im in the library now..doing some research online for my lecture on Monday...the module is called The Sociology of Risk...and this monday we will be discussing about Food scares around the globe and our main discussion will be regarding the Mad Cow Disease.

Anyway, I found some interesting facts on the net...and since we Bruneians love food and cant resist some of them...thought we should know some findings made on certain food in random countries around the world...enjoy the reading ;)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Can prawns give you cancer? Is Scottish salmon deadly? Will chicken from the Far East kill you? OFM uncovers the truth about food scares

Sunday February 15, 2004
The Observer


When 40,000 people died of ergotism (caused by a toxic mould on wheat) in southern France in AD944, nobody would have described it as a 'food scare' (or even une panique alimentaire). The word 'scare', with all its histrionics, is part of a vocabulary of fear developed in the late twentieth century by the healthy, wealthy, comfortable middle classes. It belongs to a world where war, plague and impromptu death have largely been forgotten, where the food we eat - not the absence of food - is perceived as a mass killer.

Everyday there is a new danger to worry about (dioxins in salmon, caffeine in pregnancy, beef DNA in chicken). Why are there so many more scares today than there were 20 years ago? Reasons are many..such as the steady march towards cut-price food and intensive factory farming....more fastidious public health initiatives (microbiological testing of food on shelves, routine screening of imported produce) alert us to small theoretical risks based on studies of, say, a 'known' carcinogen in rats. Though there may have been no deaths and the outcome in humans is unproven, a new food scare is born.

Food scares are rarely left to chance; a plethora of organisations, the news media included, have a vested interest in making the story run and run. A vegan pressure group might commission a study proving all meat is unsafe; an academic institute might receive funding from a charitable trust with an anti-pollution agenda - and the institute may hire a powerful PR company to publicise the convenient 'findings' that intensive farming causes pollution.

Mutton report: Are we really at risk?

1. Death by chicken

When? January 2004
The headlines: 'Bird flu could be worse than Sars' (Times); 'EU bans chicken imports from Thailand' (FT).

The story: The H5N1 strain of the virus spread rapidly from Vietnam to Japan, Thailand to China. Experts said that, by latching onto the human flu virus, H5N1 could cause a pandemic of influenza. Within a fortnight, nine people had died from contact with infected birds and millions of chickens had been culled.

The spin: EU banned imports of chicken from Thailand, creating the impression that the meat was unsafe. About 50,000 tonnes of Thai chicken are eaten in UK every year, in the form of frozen or chilled breast meat in ready meals. Curries, nuggets and breaded portions in supermarkets today may contain chicken from Thailand. It's cheap, so popular with school, pub, and hospital caterers.

The facts: As the Food Standards Agency was quick to point out, avian flu has never been known to pass to humans who have eaten infected chicken. It is picked up from live birds, by contact with their saliva, faeces or feathers.

The twist: Bird flu virus can survive freezing and chilling, though infected meat is rendered safe by cooking. However, during an outbreak in the Netherlands last year, farmers put forward a scenario: a piece of thawed, previously frozen raw chicken, infected with the virus, is dumped at a landfill site and carried off by seagulls, infecting a UK poultry flock.

2. Salmon gives you cancer

When? January 2004
The headlines: 'Scottish farmed salmon is full of cancer toxins' (Daily Telegraph); 'What's in your dinner? PCBs, dioxins, pesticides, chemicals, radioactive waste and malachite green' (Daily Mail).

The story: A study in an American journal found farmed salmon to contain 'significantly higher' levels of cancer-causing pollutants than wild salmon.

The spin: Scottish Quality Salmon (SQS) said the findings were 'misleading'; contamination fell well within levels set by the WHO and EU. SQS said the research was 'a deliberately engineered food scare orchestrated to attack the Scottish salmon farming industry'. Stories emerged that it was funded by the Pew Charitable Trust, a research body with an anti-pollution agenda.

The facts: Nobody disputes the figures. What has been contested is the level of risk, since the study uses guidelines on 'safe' chemical intake set by the Environmental Protection Agency. These are hundreds of times more cautious than those of other agencies. By EPA standards, even breast milk would contain 'dangerous' levels of dioxins.

The twist: Farmed salmon sales were up that weekend, probably because the shops drastically reduced the price!

3. Coffee increases miscarriage risk!

When? October 2003
The headlines: 'Coffee drinking linked to higher miscarriage risk'(Daily Telegraph).

The story: Two studies found that women who drank four cups of coffee a day (300mg of caffeine) were twice as likely to miscarry as those whose intake was low. Mothers who gave birth to small babies were almost twice as likely to have drunk 205mg of caffeine a day as those who had larger babies.

The spin: In 2000, when identical findings were published by a Swedish team, the industry was swift to react. The coffee industry released a statement saying that 240-300mg was a safe intake for pregnant and breast-feeding women; this was based on guidelines drawn up by the independent Centre for Pregnancy Nutrition at the University of Sheffield. 'A cup of instant coffee contains 60mg,' it pointed out, 'which means that five cups a day are within recommended limits.'

The facts: The FSA disagrees. It says an average cup of instant contains 75mg of caffeine, so four cups (or three mugs) is the daily limit. The average cup of brewed coffee contains 100mg, so intake should be no more than three cups - less if you buy the largest size coffee from Starbucks. What's more, tea, cola, and energy drinks contain caffeine.

The twist: For potential fathers, coffee is a good thing. A Brazilian study found that the strength and endurance of sperm is far higher in moderate to heavy coffee drinkers than in those who abstain.

4. Are your child's chicken nuggets dangerous?

When? May 2003
The headlines: 'Scandal of beef waste in chicken' (Guardian).

The story: A BBC Panorama team, working with the Guardian, filmed Dutch and German food workers boasting about ways of injecting chicken with beef protein without being detected. The protein absorbs water, adding bulk cheaply. Chicken nuggets from Sainsbury's were shown to contain pork and bovine DNA.

The spin: Pre-publicity for the BBC film predicted 'a major food scandal'.

The facts: Despite the BBC's findings (including 'several' samples out of 12 testing positive for beef DNA), the FSA has found only one. Sainsbury's said the beef DNA in its nuggets came from milk protein, shown as an ingredient on the label; in its own tests it found no pork DNA in any sample, and concluded that the Panorama chicken must have been contaminated in the lab.

The twist: If the Dutch producers can now conceal beef adulteration from the authorities, it wouldn't show up on the DNA tests, would it?

5. Swordfish can give you mercury poisoning!

When? May 2002
The headlines: 'Predatory fish health warning' (BBC).

The story: The FSA advised that pregnant women, those wishing to become pregnant and children under 16 should avoid these fish due to high levels of methylmercury found in their flesh.

The spin: British shoppers rushed to health websites to find out about mercury poisoning. 'Mercury is known to be neurotoxic to humans,' reads one entry. 'It can harm the nervous system of an unborn child. Children may be at greater risk because they eat more food relative to body size.'

The facts: Being high in the food chain (and consuming other fish), the large deep sea species do absorb more mercury - a byproduct of industry - than others. They also live longer, absorbing more pollutants.

The twist: Exactly one year after the ban, a study appeared in The Lancet, saying that pregnant women had little to worry about. Research conducted on mothers and children in the Seychelles, who eat 12 fish meals per week, found no evidence of abnormalities.

A further twist: The FSA still advises pregnant women, breast-feeding mothers and children not to eat swordfish, marlin and shark. Indeed, its advice has been extended to include tuna (no more than two cans or one fresh tuna steak per week).

6. Prawns could give you cancer

When? March 2002
The headlines: 'Natural prawn killers' (Sun).

The story: Warm-water prawns from Asia were withdrawn from supermarkets amid fears about the illegal drug nitrofurans - used to kill micro-organisms in overcrowded shrimp farms and believed to cause cancer in humans. Nine UK retailers, including Sainsbury's, Tesco, Safeway, Iceland and the Co-op were asked to remove suspect batches from their shelves. Sales of tiger prawns fell.

The spin: The news was yet more ammunition for the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), opposed to the intensive farming of prawns. In June 2003, it launched a campaign based on its report 'Smash and Grab', a damning exposé of the industry. It made headline news.

The facts: In tests conducted by the FSA in March 2002, 16 out of 77 samples tested contained nitrofurans.

The twist: No one died and the scare was quickly forgotten. However, the EJF campaign stuck in people's minds. Most people know there is problem with prawns but few can remember what it is!

8. Coca-cola is banned!

When? June 1999
The headlines: 'Coke is banned after safety scare' (Guardian).

The story: Coca-cola withdrew 30m cans and bottles from sale in Belgium after nearly 100 people suffered attacks of nausea and stomach cramps. Bans followed in France, Luxembourg and Holland. The company reassured consumers that UK consignments were untainted, but fears remained that small retailers may have bought cases of Coke on the Continent where it was cheaper.

The spin: A statement was issued, saying the gas used to carbonate drinks in Antwerp had been 'of bad quality'. In Dunkirk, lacquered cans had absorbed some spilled pesticide which the victims may have inhaled.

The facts: Chemical analysis had found nothing wrong with the drinks and executives were struggling to find an explanation.

The twist: In early July, a letter appeared in The Lancet signed by four Belgian academics. They believed the Coke episode had been an outbreak of mass hysteria, triggered by another, more serious food scare involving dioxins in meat and poultry, a scandal that brought down the Belgian government. In the highly-charged atmosphere and media frenzy, people had fallen ill because they believed they would. There may have been hydrogen sulphide in bottles, imparting an odd smell, but the illness 'was in their minds'.

10. Perrier - it's lethal!

When? February 1990
The headlines: 'Perrier expands North American recall to rest of globe' (Wall Street Journal).

The story: In North Carolina, bottles of Perrier were found to be contaminated with benzene, a poisonous liquid shown to cause cancer in lab animals. The company withdrew 70 million bottles from sale in the US and Canada, the start of a well-charted PR disaster.

The spin: Initially, Perrier claimed the problem was unique to the US, caused by an employee cleaning machinery with a fluid containing benzene. When contaminated bottles showed up in Denmark and the Netherlands (bringing the total to 13), the story changed: benzene, the spin doctors now said, was naturally present in carbon dioxide (the gas that makes Perrier bubbly) but filtered out. The real problem had been a blocked filter. Amid growing consumer mistrust, a further 90 million bottles were withdrawn globally at an estimated loss of $263million.

The facts: The contamination level of 22 parts per billion did not pose 'a significant short-term health risk', according to the US Food and Drug Administration, but the company acted to protect its brand, which was marketed on purity.

The twist: The plan backfired. Investigators found that Perrier was not 'Naturally Sparkling', but carbonated above ground. By 1995, sales had dropped to half their 1989 peak.

11. Salmonella with eggs!

When? December 1985
The headlines: 'Egg industry fury over salmonella claim' (BBC).

The story: Health minister Edwina Currie provoked outrage by claiming: 'Most of the egg production in this country, is now affected with salmonella.' Everybody stopped eating eggs, the industry faced bankruptcy and farmers demanded compensation. Two weeks later Currie was forced to resign.

The spin: The Ministry of Agriculture said eggs were fine, as long as they were cooked until solid.

The facts: In Britain, there are 4,000 cases every year of infection from salmonella DT104, the most dangerous strain of the food bug, of whom about three per cent die. Though eggs destroyed Currie, the most common source of infection is meat. In 2000, the Government reported that 23 per cent of pigs taken for slaughter are infected.

The twist: A study conducted months after Currie's 'gaffe' proved she was nearly right on all her findings.

Something is wrong with my blog...now i cant choose my font or make it colourful, make the font larger or smaller or anything like that..so u guys just have to read my blog with the same boring font ;)

Anyway, i thought i might as well post some pictures from last week Gong Xi Fa Cai's Celebration at Wai Chun and Syahmie's place...plus a bit of Dora's birthday...although I have not receive a pic of her with her bday cake ;)

Do enjoy...

Syahmie melating...

Look..how cute is he? I saw it while I was checking my uni folder...I wanted to make more space for my research and was transferring things to my pendrive when I saw this pic.

I dont remember where I got this from...but Im thinking...I must have grabbed this picture of one of his sisters friendster..probably Lala. Lawa ah...

Something that I thought worth sharing

This is taken from one of Anak BRunei's posts...I think most of us already know about this...but I think its worth it to just keep it close to our heart and mind..;)

By the time God made woman, He was into his sixth day of working overtime...

An angel appeared and said, "Why are you spending so much time on this one?"

God answered, "Have you seen my spec sheet on her?

She has to be completely washable, but not plastic, have over 200 movable parts, all replaceable and able to run on diet coke and leftovers, have a lap that can hold four children at one time, have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart and she will do everything- with only two hands.

Angel was astounded by the requirements. "Only two hands!? No way! And that's just on the standard model? That's too much work for one day. Wait until tomorrow to finish.

""But I won't," God protested. "I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart."

"She already heals herself when she is sick AND can work 18 hour days."

The angel moved closer and touched the woman. "But you have made her so soft."

"She is soft," God agreed. "But I have also made her tough. You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish."

"Will she be able to think?", asked the angel.

God replied, "not only will she be able to think, she will be able to reason and negotiate."

The angel then noticed something, and reaching out, touched the woman's cheek. "Oops, it looks like you have a leak in this model. I told you that you were trying to put too much into this one."

"That's not a leak," God corrected, "that's a tear!"

"What's the tear for?" the angel asked.

God said, "the tear is her way of expressing her joy, her sorrow, her pain, her disappointment, her love, her loneliness, her grief and her pride."

The angel was impressed. "You are a genius, God. You thought of everything! Woman is truly amazing." And she is!

Women have strengths that amaze men.

1) They bear hardships and they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy.
2) They smile when they want to scream.
3) They sing when they want to cry.
4) They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous.
5) They fight for what they believe in.
6) They stand up to injustice.
7) They don't take "no" for an answer when they believe there is a better solution.
8) They go without so their family can have.
9) They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.
10) They love unconditionally.
11)They cry when their children excel and cheer when their friends get awards.
12)They are happy when they hear about a birth or a wedding.
13)Their hearts break when a friend dies.
14)They grieve at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left.
15)They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart.

Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors. They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you.

The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning. They bring joy, hope and love. They have compassion and ideals. They give moral support to their family and friends.

Women have vital things to say and everything to give. However, if there is a flaw in women, it is that they forget their worth.

Takecare :)

Anyway..while I was browsing my laptop last night...there are a few pictures that kinda bring back old memories. But ive only save one picture on my pendrive at the moment...and this is the picture that Ive always thought lawa and sweet as well...sent by Bee along time ago...;)

Dont u think this pic is sweet? Well, i think it is ;) Anyway, thats all for now. Got to catch the next bus home :)

Happy Birthday YA

As you can see, I havent been in my most rajin mood to update my blog..although i do have loads to tell. But im just being lazy as usual..hehe..

But today Brunei time..8th February....is the birthday of one of my dearest cousin, called Elia (or i call Ya..)...whom I enjoy to kacau...and who is definitely sleeping at the moment...unless she kana kacau endlessly by friends or families wishing her ' a year older'...;)

Anyway, just want to shout out a 'HAPPY 28th BIRTHDAY' to you....and wishing you luck all year round and for the many many years to come ;) If shopping, ingat ingat kami here and of course, dont miss us too much. Have fun and do update about your day..:)

And this is the only decent picture I have of you...hehe...yang lain not that appropriate..and I dont think this is recent..this might be 2 years old kali..more or less :)...

And to my friends, after reading this post...do read bee's blog under the title Mardi...hehe...where there are more details about the birthday girl. hehehe.

Luv u Ya. Take care ;p

Ive been tagged by BEE

1) Are your parents married or divorced?
Divorced

2) Are you a vegetarian?
Im not..but i do lovee veggies.

3) Do you believe in Heaven?
Yup, i do.

4) Have you ever come close to dying?
hmm..truly come close to death...twice i guess.

5) What jewellery do you wear 24/7?
my ring and rantai...:)

6) Favourite time of day?
After my lectures..;)

7) Do you eat the stems of broccoli?
Yes.

8) Do you wear makeup?
Ive started to experiment with eyeliner last year...liked it so far. hehe.

9) Ever have plastic surgery?
nope, not so far and hopefully wont need it in the future...lol.

10) Do you colour your hair?
I did...once or twice :)

11) What do you wear to bed?
anything that i feel like wearing...top n seluar...single n pants..

12) Have you ever done anything illegal?
Maybe lil bits of pieces here n there...esp the occasional tendency to 'compete' against the red light when its clear there are no cars around. But its something that Im trying not to indulge in ;)

13) Can you roll your tongue?
Yes, i can :)

14)Do you tweeze your eyebrows?
Sometimes

15) What kind of sneakers?
At the moment..its adidas.

16) Do you believe in Abortions?
Im aware of ppl who do it...but I guess its better avoided if

17) What is your Hair color?
Dark brown??

18) Future child’s name?
Have a few..but dont wana name it ;)

19) Do you snore?
I dont know..but ive been told that i sigh masa tidur... hmm..i find that interesting :)

20) If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be?
Oh my god...i dont know..so many places that i wana see.

21) Do you sleep with stuffed animals?
Nope.

22) If you won the lottery, what would you do first?
hmm...buy myself my dream car...and a house somewhere for my holiday escape..;)

23) Gold or silver?
I love silver...although some gold can be lawa as well.

24) Hamburger or hot dog?
hmm..lama sudah inda mkn proper sausages...

25) If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
At the moment...right now...this second...i want to eat Chicken Rice Thien Thien for the rest of my life..lol

26) City, beach or country?
Near the beach and the country.

27) What was the last thing you touched?
The mouse to the computer??

28) Where did you eat last?
Ate banana during lecture tadi...kelaparan. Eh, come to think abt it...i just eaten walkers cheese n onion in front of the computer di library. haha. So the answer is in the library ;)

29) When’s the last time you cried?
I cant remember...but it was not so long ago.

30) Do you read blogs?
Yes

31) Would you ever go out dressed like the opposite sex?
I do everyday...top and jeans..or top and proper trousers...

32) Ever been involved with the police?
I dont remember

33) What’s your favourite shampoo conditioner and soap??
I have quite a few...at the moment, i love the smell of the pink herbal essence altho its not that good on the scalp.

34) Do you talk in your sleep?
I dont know....maybe I do

35) Ocean or pool?
Ocean

38) Window seat or aisle?
Window if its a two seater...and the aisle if its a three seater...

39) Ever met anyone famous?
Ive meet one of the malaysian group ages ago..dont think they exist now.

40) Do you feel that you’ve had a truly successful life?
No, not yet.

41) Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it?
Twirl.

42) Ricki Lake or Oprah Winfrey?
Oprah Winfrey all the way...:)

43) Basketball or Football?
can my answer be something else?

44) How long do your showers last?
15mins i guess...unless i have all the time in the world ;)

45) Automatic or do you drive a stick?
Definitely stick.

46) Cake or ice cream?
ice cream

47) Are you self-conscious?
Yes

48) Have you ever drank so much you threw up?
Nope. But i use to throw up masa damit when i combine watermelon juice and kuey teow grg(sia sia pun)

49) Have you ever given money to a beggar?
Yes

50) Have you been in love?
Yes

51) Where do you wish you were?
Lepak di coffee bean with the cousins..gossiping and playing scrabble or the card games

52) Are you wearing socks?
Yes

53) Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?
Thank god No

54) Can you tango?
haha...i doubt it.

55) Last gift you received?
Bvlgari perfume set :)

56) Last sport you played?
Entah...does cycling di gym counts??

57) Things you spend a lot of money on?
Food i guess...

58) Where do you live?
Right now....Lavender Mews, Canterbury

59) Where were you born?
Royal Bolton Hospital

60) Last wedding attended?
Rina GS's wedding :)...a wedding long awaited :)

63) Most hated food(s)?
prawns

64) What’s your least fav.?
I assume we are still talking abt food here....peria??

65) Can u sing?
Haha..yes, who doesnt. Maybe not up to the standard of Simon Cowell ;)

66) Last person you instant messaged?
between Bee or Var...

67) Last place you went on holiday?
Milan

68) Favourite regular drink?
Teh Tarik, Lemon Ping and Ice Blended Mocha

69) Tag 3 friends:
Jirin, Long Long and Syamim's geng...

70) Current song:
Im in the library now....so theres no music....but in my head, ive been *singing* YMCA dari tadi pagi....god knows why. lol.

Out of boredom

Check this quiz out...but theres no direct link though. Go to quizilla.com for a whole range of quiz ;)

What type of fantasy creature are you?

You are a fairy! You can sometimes get into a lot of trouble, but always find a way out of it. You are very vain and think highly of yourself, but always find a big space in your heart for others. You like quiet places and nature. You let the wind take you where you want to go and you believe in fate.

Long over due pics

Lunch at Wagamama before the 2nd term starts :)

Good food....big portion...relaxed environment...what more can u ask for? :)

Pictures from Rabz's Birthday Celebration

17th January (Tia's Restaurant)

Buffday girl with her dazzling smile and big official bday badge ;)

Waiting for food to come

Kanyang after food...yummy!! And after non-stop bising and laughing with all the 'mental' people! Lol!

Time to take pics before going home :)

And us being VAIN before saying goodbye :)

The weather here has not been particularly sajuk...but then its like an on and off thingy. But today i believe strong winds will be all over UK. In Canterbury itself, it is said that there a 70% risk of gales...with around 70-80mph.

So just imagine how we had to walk our way to the bus station and all. I wasn't pretty bad walking to the bus station tho...maybe because there were buildings all around. But getting off the bus stop di uni and walk all the way up to the library and all....atu terasa like ure pushed uphill. And i cant imagine how things are going to be up north.

So now, i dont feel like going home yet. Dont like the wind, and especially the rain and waiting for the bus to come. Maybe i should stay in the library..hmm...thats always a better option :)

Bangun awal for uni

I read my books before I went to sleep last night and woke up at 7am this morning to continue with my reading because I find the lecture today difficult...plus the lecturer looks very strict and precise. hehe. Go that made me dug myself into my books. hehe.

And when i arrive to uni, it was 5mins before my lecture starts due to the traffic on road...but then i have to go to the library first to return my short loan book. I was rushing off to the library and again to the Elliot building (which is thankfully not so far from the library)..but i kinda panic coz i couldnt find the room...i followed the direction given...and u guys know how bad i am with my direction.. but this time i was positive that i am on the right track. unfortunately the only room called 'Seminar 2' was meant for another course. So i tried to find if there are other 'seminar room 2' on the other floors.

Then I sensed someone was looking at me...that made me reversed and look into the open computer room...there she was, my lecturer on the computer. SO i approached her...rupanya ia pun sasat. haha. That made me cool down sedikit..atleast im not the only one yang late. hehe.

But we couldnt find the room despite getting help from the cleaners there who told us that they worked there for more than 20 years...thus, they know the way by hard. And my lecturer was complaining about the design of the building. Stress ya. She said whoever the architect was must be a very weird confused person. haha. but i have to say, the layout of the building is weird...its going round and round...divided into 4 wings...etc.

After 30mins of trying to find it, she give up. SO she'll have to reschedule our lecture...maybe tomorrow. hmm. more time to read for the day. yay!!

Extremists

Watched a programme on TV earlier on with Nadz, ' Dispatches: Undercover Mosques'. Its about this Islamic extremists who preaches about Islam here there and everywhere...especially in Birmingham.

I find some of the things the men talked about are a little disturbing. For example:

1) Muslims MUST HATE all the disbelievers.

I dont think we should hate them...but we should be able to live peacefully next to them and make them understand that Islam is not a violent religion.

2) Jihad is the way of the true Islamic way of life.

My knowledge not Jihad is not much, i have to admit that. But if im not mistaken, it is said that everything we do in the name of Allah is in a way considered Jihad. When we obey the regulations and teachings, we are doing Jihad. Isnt it not like that? I feel that the programme just now is giving ppl wrong impression abt Islam. Our religion is a peaceful religion...so I dont see why people have to put themselves in the middle of everyone and blow themselves and kill all the innocent ones as well in order to get to their 'main target'.

3) They believe that Islam will overtake UK and US and be the 'rulers' of these countries

The extremists believe that we shouldnt live according to the UK or US laws...and shouldnt believe / listen to the Whitehouse, House of Commons etc etc...Then it is such a wonder why do they chose to migrate and stay here if they are not happy with the system here. Thus it is said that Muslim should be more progressive and do better than all the ppl here.

4) All Jews should be killed

I dont think that is up to us to do that. its not in our power to do that.

5) Women will always be in 'deficient' (the exact word they used)

They said women will never be equal in Islam. Women, no matter how high their position or education is, will always be in 'deficient' compared to men. I thought women should be treated equal to men...although each will specialized in different things. hmm.

6) Girls should be hit if they refuse to wear hijab by the age of 9. And children should be hit if they refuse to pray.

I am aware that children should be hit if they refuse to pray even after being told to do so a number of times. The thing is, how much or hard are we allowed to hit?? All these is a lil disturbing...i dont know.

7) We should HATE girls who are not wearing hijab.

And the list of things that they talked about goes on and on.

Imagine if this extremists manage to gain power over UK and US...what will happen to all of

them? Mass killing? Beheading?

Can you imagine what will happen to the innocent children who dont really understand whats happening around them?? what will happen to the men and women...will they be force to believe in Islam...will they be killed...tortured...???? I cant imagine how dreadful the world will be.

They talked about the teaching of Islam full of emotion...talked about the enemies with hatred and anger written on their face and heard from their voice. Jews will turn to pigs and slaughtered like pigs during judgement days....all these are v.v. scary!!

I thought Muslims are supposed to spread the teachings of Islams gracefully. Not with hate...but with love and in a peaceful manner.

Islam = suppose to be able to forgive others...give chances for the disbelievers to learn about Islam if they want to and allow room for changes.

I may be wrong in some of the things that Ive typed here. DO CORRECT ME wherever im wrong...but then, why do some of them interpret the teachings of Islam in such an extreme manner? Why must the extremists make it sound as if Islam is a religion of vengeance of what happened in the past???

Its something to think about...and with of all 'them' out there...it is no surprise that the world is constantly in a state of conflict...especially against Islam. So, who do we blame????

....Big Brother Celebrities....

This programme is painfully annoying!! Some of them can be extremely shallow!! Making stupid statements and asking stupid questions.

I dont know why people like this programme. It spoils all the 'GOOD' TV programmes that I enjoy. Usually every morning from 7.30am...we have everybody loves raymond, friends, will & grace, Frasier....but now all these are substitute by ONE clumsy programme called BIG BROTHER CELEBRITIES. So its goodbye to all the GOOD series... unfortunately!!! So the result = malas bangun awal!! haha.

The thing is....Why do people even enjoy this programme?? Its such a disgrace that some of the celebrities level of 'intelligence' are exposed here. Their clumsiness and 'drama queen' attitude semakin terselah here. Its an embarassment to the world of celebrities and sometimes it proves that celebrities, regardless of their gender, are just people with good looks or body...such bimbos!!!

All the fame and money and beauty (if they do have one)...Such a waste!!

Just Wondering...

If there is such thing as a REINCARNATION...what would you want to be reborn as?

I feel like I want to write more..about 2006 and this year..but i guess i should leave it till next time. Theres just too many things that i want to say that im afraid i'll be lost in words..;)

So in summary..I want to list down things that I intend to work on this year... just the important ones lah...:)

1) Improve my faith

2)pass my MA brilliantly (will give it the best shot)

3) be more self discipline like not leaving work to the last minute as always ;p

4) try to be more confident and outspoken..which i think is the hardest thing to do

5) to be more optimistic about things - to be able to see the optimistic side of all the things that are happening

6) eat healthy

BACK TO UNI

It was the first day of the 2nd term yesterday. Was rushing to final touch my essay and add more points here and there. I didnt meet up the final number of words...but im hoping I'll do fine although when i read the essay..it wasnt up to my standard..but it was too late to make amendments. So fingers cross and insyallah i will pass it :)

So far..i only know that i have 2 hrs lectures + seminars every Mondays from 4 - 6 and Thursdays from 9 - 11...i have yet to ask the postgrad officer when will my other module will be. I personally think that my faculty is crap.

Simply because i am not aware of anything thats happening in my faculty and i have no idea of what my module will be covering unless i go on the website (which doesnt really help) or attend the lecture itself..where the outline will be given out. Its such a wonder..and altho i only have one compulsory module per term but i still have no option to choose my own optional module.

But thank god this term i get to choose atleast one of my optional module..while the other one will be about ENVIRONMENT again!! Anyway, the optional module that i decide to take this term is called 'The Sociology of Risk'..it sounded interesting from the brief outline given on the internet...but yesterday when i went to the first lecture..it scares me abit..simply because it sounded difficult and very philosophical and at the same time pyschological (the latter one was according to the lecturer) and on top of that, theres only TWO of us who is taking this module. Meaning i have to be extra prepared before each lectures!! And altho the module sounded scary...but its interesting as well at the same time...so Im aiming to do well and score well in this one ;)

Wish me luck.

Luv,

Me

I LOVE YELLOW

This morning when i woke up, i got this urge to shop for yellow things. I wanted to buy yellow flowers for my room and the living room, a bold colour table lamp to add more interesting colour to my room...etc etc etc.

But because i dont feel like mandi..so i stayed home and do some cleaning up instead.. cleared out food from the fridge, things from my bathroom and room...bla bla bla.

Around 3 ish...decided to skip the mandi part (haha) and go to town. who would know anyways...;p

Anyway..saw yellow flowers that i plan to buy soon...it was lawa dari jauh..but sudah dakat, macam bida sikit..so see how it looks tomorrow. Bought this daisy lemon coloured bedsheets..its so lawa...will put in on tomorrow probably.

Things to buy tomorrow or lusa..
- this red table lamp
-a pink fitted bedsheet
- and atleast 3 types of flowers for my room...the plan is...yellow, pink and maybe purple or red...something that can tahan lama in my room...will browse ;)

luv,
me

Last day of 2006..had loads of fun for the past three weeks of term holiday. Spend few days at Milan with Bee and her friends...Kiki, Masnur, Syaz & Syafiq... :) Although the trip to Milan was not as great as expected...but the lake outside Milan was gorgeous, Italian guys are not doubt very very lawa, and on top of that, we had great company on the trip...each with their own humour...;) And to all the shopaholic, it is a definite heaven for shopping...all the designer goods are there...u name it!! :)

After the Milan trip, spent two days in London. Met up with a friend whom I haven't met for ages...was a brief but great catch up... got a good view of the London Bridge...quite breathtaking. Will take pics there next time when i got the chance. :)

Had dinner with Ben at a Lebanese restaurant around Edgware Road. Was delicious. And had breakfast the next day at a French restaurant somewhere around Hammersmith..and that was really nyaman!!

Continued my journey with Bee all the way to Bolton for Christmas. First time on the megabus...it was very unsystematic. Everyone was pushing around to get on the bus.. lucky for us, we get to sit next to each other :)

And now im gona spend New year with my family in Bolton and goin back to Canterbury in a few days time where there will be more updates :)

And there are no pictures at the moment for the Milan trip...will post it once I receive the pics from the rest.

Have a happy new year and may 2007 be a more prosperous year for all of us :)

Luv,
me

Happy Advance Merry Christmas to everyone!!

Hope it will be a good one :)

Why do we do that?

Days passed into weeks, weeks passed into months, then its time to submit your work or whatever... U had all the time in the world...to do whatever u have to do...but then you all did was let time passed by and struggle towards the end to catch time. Why do we do that?

Be it us students....or working men and women...some of them will left things to the end before doing it..but why do we do that?

It is because we will do better under pressure...we're just doing it for adrenaline rush...plain lazy...or taking time for granted...etc etc etc.

The thing is...Ive been doing that...reading dari awal..then when its time to do work..i realized that ive read too much that i dont know where to focus...then once i start typing...its takes too long to siap altho i know time is running out...

Its so annoying...but its happening. So im thinking...why do i and others do that?

Anywy, im just saying this out loud...just for the sake of it.

First day holiday....

Whats a better way to start ur first day holiday bangun akhir....wrapped under the duvet...then makan without mandi and without brushing ur gigi (*i know*i know*..haha)

Then we mandi and belawa.... outcomes below:...




Hehe...So, wat do u guys fikir about the new tudung styles..:) Have lots of pashmina to do that next term :)

Anyway, looking at this pics... i just realize that my mata is macam cina...and ive been in denial the whole morning...haha... and to family family saya di brunei..and friends as well... MY MATA MACAM CINA KAH??

Last day of term

So..to end our first term here di UKC...we had a Girls only night in at our place. It was a night we've been looking since last week...since uni work has been keeping us down and under our own duvet to remain sane and siapkan all the due assignments.

Anyway, back to my cerita...girls were looking beautiful in their make up and gorgeous dress...some in black...green...red...blink blink...its a night for the girls to put their hair down, no tudung and be as sexy as u want to be :) And for that reason, no pics will be put in this blog...*censored*..hehehe.

Met new faces...Wani & Jira..Jirin's sisters...and someone ive just met last mth...Bell...and the gurls from Kent..my luvly housemate Nadz, d hyper weekender...Rabz, d blink blink gurl..Afif.. d bday gurl...Melo...and pink flower gurl...Anisah..:)...2 gurls...Syamim and Ani unfortunately had to go back early.

Menu: Tiramisu, Chips, meatballs, Pizza, cherries in our sparkling carbonated drinks..and a few more things that i cant relly remember now..hehe.

Birthday surprise for Melo...hehe...and a surprise cake which left her speechless ...;p

Had a long session of Taboo.....the Vogues vs Cosmopolitans...it was a good night. It was a perfect night to go crazy and be brain dead..haha...thus, occasionally some find it difficult to descibe something simple...or even more difficult to describe the difficult ones. haha. blur!!

And followed by a movie of Moulin Rouge which managed to make all the hyper gurls quiet last night....touched by Christian's luvly voice and Satine's deep eyes...with their heart piercing and tearful lyrics...a very touching movie as the show must go on despite whatever..

Anyway...it was a tiring one as we kep on eating and drinking in between games...
and i ended up chatting to a dear friend of mine till early hours..while watching disney world cartoon as all of us (5 of us) slept infront of the TV.

Thats the update about how spent our last day of term :)

Holiday...here we come :)

Finally..first term is over. I guess I have been waiting for this although its only going to be 3 weeks, which if u think about it is not that long...especially when I have one essay to do over the hols.

And I am looking forward to spend my holiday with baby and her friends di Milan..it should be fun!! I'm going to pack tomorrow night..hehe..first have to buy coach ticket to London first :)

Anyway, tomorrow is exactly 3mths since I've reach London. Although its been only 3 mths...I personally feels like its been for ages..simply because I didnt start off well here in Canterbury. And since then, there are always something happening beyond my control.

My days in Canterbury started with three weeks of me being homeless due to the lousy service given by one of the local house agent. Then Natwest kept on sending my new card to Leeds although Ive been telling them that I am now in Kent. And then my purse got stolen, my assignments macam inda mau siap siap and then the worse is now...my laptop rosak.

How funny is that? I've never experienced sooo many mishaps in such a short period. I was like thinking...bad feng shui kah...haha..

But despite all that, I am still positive of how things will unfold itself next term :) And I am wishing *hopefully* next year will be a better turn for me..with less events like this term. .:) mentally exhausted saya. hehe.

So let time unfold itself next year for the better...:)

Forwarded Email : Something to be aware about...just incase its true

Ladies Period Caution

It has been a traditional theory that ladies are not suppose to wash their hair during their period.

But there are no solutions to the question why? The victim will only realise at their later stage of their life,facing the symptoms of breast and ovary cancer.

Today ladies still wash their hair during their period with the thinking that they will be safe if they blow dry their hair. But this will not prevent them from getting the cancer. Please read the article below:

A well known Taiwanese medical professor specialise in cancer research based in a Japanese university did a survey on 30,000 pre cancer patients.

She found these patients are very choosy in their food, wash their hair during their period and carry heavy object and drink cold drinks. This will course the incomplete of ovulation and the remaining menses will turn into toxic and the imbalance of hormone will lead to ovary and breast cancer.

During the research she found the method of prevention to these cancer. The secrets are;

One must change their lifestyle and eating habits.

Do not wash our hair while having period, do not wash your hair just for the cooling effect and contraction of ovary.

Excessive bleeding must be investigated by a gynae.

No cold drinks.

If you feel drowsy, breast expansion and constipation, these are the early symptom of ovary or breast cancer.

To prevent use:

Black sugar

Chinese lotus (leng ngau)

Carrot and Barley

Boil to soup and drink. This is the best prevention.

Bits and pieces of eveything... long overdue pics

Part 1 - What i saw during the first house hunt couple of months ago... nice scenery and all :)...on the way to Alford Grange..

The long road to the house

The nice view

Horses

Friendly ones

Me

Another long road walking towards the house

And finally, the house I was 'hunting' for.

On the toppest floor, there are 4 small english styled bedrooms for students or whoever who wants to stay there. Mine would have been the window on the very right on the third floor. hehe. But there were a couple of 'jangan stay there' vibes wafi n i got from the house and its occupants. So, thats it. But it was a lovely house.

End of part 1

WE HAVE INTERNET!!!

Yay!! Finally we have internet at home.

No more early mornings in uni just to check my emails before my lectures and the 'slow' webmessenger di uni and juggling between that and doing research online for my essays etc.

No more queueing at the bus stop pagi pagi for the uni bus. (well, its not that bad) but now i can enjoy sleeping-in more often...something i obviously enjoy...and looking forward to :)

Anyway, im typing this while nadz n i watch season 3 of grey's anatomy. hehe. this should be fun!!

Anyway, got to go. Just wana update u guys and focus on grey's anatomy after this. hehehe.

Takecare.

Luv,
Selina ;p

Random flashback...conversation with a friend

Last month, I had a very interesting conversation with a dear friend of mine, lets call him Mr. O…online about random topics…but one of the topics left me thinking… trying to make sense out of it. I was trying to reflect on it and see the logical side of it. It was about long distance relationship.

Many people would go ‘OH NO, NOT AGAIN!!’…but we have to admit that no matter how frequent we talk about relationships; long distance or not, or how we always say that we have made up our mind about a person...whether to love, like or dislike…some who decides to be friends will find themselves back in love again and for some it will be back as friends again…how amusing is that? Our life is like a drama whether we like it or not.

And although we have endless discussions about this topic… it is STILL an interesting topic to talk about again and again...although it might be about the same person, again and again. I don’t know whether to pity ourselves or its just some random memory we CHOOSE to keep alive.

And although we have endless discussions about this or how we keep on telling ourselves, ‘Oh, we are just friends…or I am over him / I am over her or I will never be with him / her again etc... But when we are face with the situation, we often find ourselves re-thinking about it despite US telling ourselves that we have made up our minds earlier on.

Some may ask…what is Cells talking about? I ask myself the same question.

But the conservation with Mr. O sparked all sorts of questions in my head. He was talking about a girl he likes, who he keeps in touch whenever both parties are not busy and remain friends… not more than that. And due to distance, he said that he will not put enormous hope on himself and the girl to be together walaupun they do like each other.

I asked why… he said it is so hard to expect someone to wait for another person when RELATIONSHIP REQUIRES ONESELF TO BE PRESENT. Plus u can’t expect any commitment of those sorts from a long distance thingy.

So it made me think…is being present in the physical self REALLY important? Padahal people always say that distance makes the heart grows fonder. Mr. O said it does makes the heart grows fonder…however, u cant put high expectations on it coz you are at different part of the world…experiencing different things...knowing different people…etc.

So being present in the heart and mind is NOT ENOUGH to keep the relationship going. Mr. O said Presence is important…being there…at the same place... doing things together etc is important. It’s something about the bonding factor etc. He said its like a padi field; How can padi grow well if the farmer is not there to plant the seeds, water and look after it bisai bisai till the harvest season. Surprisingly, his analogy makes sense. Well, atleast I think so.

But I personally think if you are really into the other person, then distance doesn’t really matter especially now that everything is so high-tech. As long as you keep in touch…don’t be SELFISH and DO MAKE TIME for the other party…and of course the feeling mesti jua ada masih..then all should be fine. Although I know its not as easy as Ive wrote it down here...but if u really like / love the guy / girl... then u will TRY & MAKE it happen. But of course, some will say that u cant throw ur time for this person forever...so i guess TIME LIMIT is also important. And 2 or 3 chances is enough to be given away to one person.

Anyway, I think I’ve said enough for now. Will probably write more next time.

This is just me rambling nonsense…just trying to write out my thoughts…but then, I think its worth thinking about. Any personal thoughts?? :)

Weekend update!!

- hectic

-went to London to meet up with Leng and slept at the Thistle Hotel di MarbleArch. not bad..big room!!

- purse got stolen together with my I/C, atm cards, brunei simcard and pics between Victoria and Paddington Tube Station. Cant believe it happened to me...as I was consciously telling myself before that, that i better keep my purse in my beg and i consciously place my purse into my beg and zip it up!

- first time breakfast di Malaysian Hall - ate nasi lemak and drank teh tarik. It was good. And kana belanja..hehehe..

-had a brilliant time with Idot walking around London sampai our kaki ngalih. Had lunch di Mawar restaurant, drank acai with bananas and all that sorts... worked well for idot's bowel sys..hehe.. but too bad my camera inda berapa work if sudah gelap..so no pics. but the xmas lights was gorgeous.

-Will save up to buy a new camera by next term :)

- arrived back to Kent feeling ngalih and exhausted. Slept well and didnt even wana wake up for lecture the next day. hehe.

- Thats all for now. Bye.