Pictures to share...:)

Dundee..Broughty Ferry..visiting baby

Kelty....visiting Chea chea and her family

Few hours tour round Edinburgh

Spending time in bolton :)
...went to Chester Zoo..

BBQ di belakang rumah...

Ok then, thats a few update on the easter...;)

Easter holiday has started...

I've been spending my time alone at home since last week..since Nadz sudah start cuti..(hope ure enjoying ur time there..:p)...and its been a hectic week last week as I had to finalize one of my essay... thank god its done although im not that satisfied with my conclusion..fingers cross it will turn out just fine ;)

Besides uni work, few updates since last week:
-Repaired my laptop as soon as Ive finish off my essay...baru jua ambil from the kadai tadi..so far its working well..though I couldnt install the wireless thingy..hmm...but now im online...yay!! rindu brabis saya just sitting ard at home browsing and wasting time online..haha
- Had dinner at Jirin's few nights ago sempena Maulud..was all impromptu..i arrived a lil late as I went to the library to research on a few stuffs...good food...c melo masak ayam..was delicious!!..followed by oranges, doughnuts, cakes,..had a good laugh as well...looking at durang jirin's iklan and pics during their secondary years...hehe..
- ada Next sales...but didnt buy any of it. It looks good..but not that good when I wear it..haha...depressing!! But in the end, bought a new jacket di Fernick...finally found one in red of the right size...hehe.
- had a luvly lunch di Olive Grove's with Wafi & Idot...it was to celebrate my bday and wafi's in advance...thanxs Dot...and got an advance bday present as well from both of them..hehe..its a nice green shoe ;p..thanxs again.
- apa lagi ah...cant remember..hmm...oh, had a catch lunch last week with Kak Martina and her friend before durang balik Brunei...was a good catch up.
- besides all that...it just more and more library time...ganya masa ani..since its cuti..inda boleh balik akhir...its super duperly quiet and sikit jelama...eeee...esp masa walking to the bus stop and waiting for the bus...and walking home as well...its way way sunyi-er than before...so no more late nights di uni...paling akhir mesti jua catch the 10.48pm bus...

Things to look forward to:
Im going off to Dundee tomorrow night...yay!! im taking a midnight bus and will be spending my time there till Sunday morning..,then im off to Bolton for the rest of the month..:)...it should be fun fun fun..:)

And besides having fun, more time to laze around dapan TV (which i do all the time..haha)...and online.....still have two essays to do over easter. the plan is to siapkan one over easter and another one once im back here... after that, its thesis time...then i can say goodbye to uni life...and Im gona miss it alot...esp the library and the journal and the books...hmm...wana have my own collection...;)

ok then, thats all...im just bibiran nonsense here with nothing specific to talk about... HAPPY EASTER every
one...and to those yang ada exam immediately after the cuti...good luck and do take a week off before u guys start ur revision.

Takecare

Till then...;)

i only have 5mins to blog now before i have to run to catch the bus...so it will be short and the rest will be continue next time if its necessary...so read on..what do u guys think?

I had a conversation with a friend recently. We were talking about how some people tend to be gila glamour at all times...they want to have the nicest and mahal-est car, the kewlest and biggest accesories, have the kewlest job, have a kewl title which people usually attach with being...'wah,dat position must demand alot out of u...or wah...basar gaji nya tu...or that is such an important position'...etc etc etc.

And some people might appear to be nice and sweet upfront..always ok with everything, tapi sebenarnya ia inda suka. So although he/she tends to agree with whatever you say and do dapan dapan...tapi actually he/she will mengumpat of how they dont actually agree with what u r doing.

And some people wont settle with anything less than what they expect although they know they cant afford it..so, some will indirectly put pressure on their partner's or parents just because they want to have that thing...whatever it is...

What do u guys think about this? DO you guys agree that people are becoming more like this?

k,got to go now.

Till then...muahz

Top 10 Stress Warning Signs

Was browsing through the news on MSN when I saw this...was surprised that I am experiencing 6 out of the 10 signs here. But, EASTER is coming soon...yay!! so its ok!! ;p Anyway, give yourself a check against this list....is your body telling you to stop and rest? ;p

BLINKING

Increased blinking = we are feeling the pressure, either emotionally or physically. When in a relaxed state, the average blink rate is around 15-30 times a minute but under stress this can increase to up to 70 times a minute. The response is known as the Nixon Effect after American president Richard Nixon, whose blinking escalated to suspicious levels when under pressure during the Watergate scandal.

TEETH GRINDING

Clenching or grinding teeth is a recognised response to anxiety, however, most ‘grinders’ are unaware they have this symptom as the condition usually flares-up when they are fast asleep. But it’s important to wake-up to signs such as chipped teeth, tooth sensitivity, sore jaw muscles and earache because prolonged exposure to grinding can result in headaches and jaw disorders.

DANDRUFF

Stress sets off a chain reaction in our physiology and as a result plays havoc with the immune system. On the outside, our hair and skin is one of the first places to show the strain - so it’s no wonder dandruff is the most common condition affecting the scalp. Research suggests weakened immunity triggers the bacteria which cause dandruff to grow out of control, swell and irritate the top of the head. As the cells die they break down to produce the pesky white flakes which cause a snow storm on our shoulders.

DRY MOUTH

When the going gets tough, our instinctive ‘fight or flight’ response kicks in. For basic survival purposes, blood flow is diverted away from less important areas and re-routed to essential muscles in case we need to scarper sharpish. This lack of fluid causes dryness of the mouth. Stress also interferes with our breathing - we take shorter, shallow breaths which leads to stinky breath. It can even make it harder to swallow because our throat muscles go into spasm as a side-effect of the strain on our system.

POOR SEX DRIVE

Stress can sabotage your libido in more ways than one. When you’re stressed to the max, the body’s reaction is to put survival ahead of pleasure. This affects the hypothalamus gland and the body’s production of estrogens and testosterone which give us sexual desire. Women may find it hard to achieve orgasm and men can experience temporary impotence as the chemicals released when stressed reduce blood flow to the penis.

IRRITATED SKIN

Emotional stress can cause chaos with our skin as pressure prompts the release of histamines into the bloodstream. Our skin then reacts against this enzyme which results in itchiness and hives. Skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema are also thought to worsen when tense. Studies of psychological stress show anxiety can decrease the wound-healing capacity of the immune system by up to 40%, which doubles the effect of stress on acne.

SWEATS

Perspiration doesn’t only increase but is also smellier when we’re under emotional pressure. The sympathetic nervous system kicks into action when the body is stressed which forces our heart rate, blood pressure and breathing to rocket. Our apocrine glands (responsible for smelly sweat as opposed to odourless eccrine gland sweat) also work overtime and secrete more fatty fluid into the tubule of the gland. When we’re wound up, the tubule wall contracts and pushes sweat to the surface of the skin. It’s the bacteria waiting to break down the apocrine sweat which causes body odour.

TUMMY TROUBLE

One of the first places we run to when we come under increased pressure is the toilet. Stress tampers with our biochemistry and sends a surge of hormones including adrenaline racing through our body. Our digestive and immune system temporarily shut down because these stress hormones hinder the release of the stomach acid we need to break down food. However, get ready to say hello to diarrhoea as, simultaneously, the same hormones stimulate the colon so its contents are fast-tracked through the gut.

HUMMING

Did you know humming and whistling could be your body’s natural way of soothing a stressful situation? It might seem like an innocuous habit to subconsciously slip in to when you are stressed, but humming stimulates the right side of the brain (the part used for abstract and creative thoughts) and may help you to calm down. Humming is even one of the preferred stress-busters for babies who want to calm themselves.

BAD HABITS

Nail biting, nose picking, hair twisting are common habits if you’re nervous. It’s suggested that having something in our mouths reminds us of the calming, safe feeling of sucking milk as a baby. On the face of it, such anxious habits might look unpleasant to onlookers, but these manners may trigger calming sensors in the nervous system to give an immediate rush of relief.

:/

Its nearly the end of the term...everyone is looking forward to enjoy their easter break. However, this is also the time when people are pressured to siapkan their essays and presentations and reading lists etc etc etc.

I am currently doing an essay on risk assessment and disaster management. I could have finished it last week sudah because I have all the books needed for this essay and I have done my typing...i just need to re-arrange and re-organize the facts properly. I was in the mood to get it done like two weeks ago...and nearly did it all.

then i found out that my lecturer have different expectations in this particular topic (damn!! why did i choose this topic among all the other topics)..so last week was the last week for that particular module...and ive printed my work for me to revise bla bla bla...unfortunately or *fortunately*..i was the only one who came to the lecture (theres only 2 of us btw)...so we decided to discuss about my essay...then since ive printed my work, he wanted to read my introduction...and just browse through...he gave some flattering comments and less flattering ones as well...and since then, attempt to revise my work has failed.

Its a lil depressing that I dont have that 'drive' to finish it off and start with my other two essays (which due after easter altho i had plan earlier to finish atleast two before easter and leave one during easter). Ive been sitting on my ass kemarin trying to finish it off...but i think that is the hardest part....to properly reorganize the structure and conclude it. and i am way beyond my words limits.

I wonder cemana some people manage to stay on the 'high' all the time...ive lost my momentum, thats it!! ive pushed myself doing it but i ended up falling asleep...or i cant even focus to usai one paragraph. hmm. plus last wednesday, ive been told to cover this week's presentation...democracy and environment...ive done a bit of research and reading earlier on..and i will continue the rest tomorrow. i intend to usai my essay and add more relevant facts to it after this.

anyway, dont mind me...i think its just the fact that i still have a lot to do and i just dont know where to start with such limited time..and this is the place to let the steam out.

Just nonsense blabbing...

I spoke too soon abt spring, the sun and the heat....and now..snow is on its way...AGAIN!! Who needs snow in the middle of March...its making me lazy and it feels like xmas is around the corner..lol!! The world system is pretty messed up...is it global warming...climate change...or whatever the theories are out there....we dont really know for sure...as there are opposing debates about it. Anyway, it was sunny this morning, so thats good.

My week has been good as well...it started off slow...late nights..disrupted sleeping routine...skipping lectures. Then it progress slowly...trying to finish off essays...more readings...though it didnt stop me from watching TV as well :)...had a good catch up with Mr. Charlie Chaplin di starbucks for a couple of hours...was craving for ice blended mocha...wanted to buy this red jacket...its so gorgeous...but i guess now that 'winter' is coming back...its not worth it yet.

What else? Its a sunday and im in uni...realized that i have books due few days ago...and at the same time, i need more relevant books... coz baru tah sadar that i have not inserted any theories at all in the essay that im aiming to finish off the latest by tomorrow. hmm.

Anyway, i dont really have anything to say...so i better go off now. Takecare all and will update soon.

p/s: HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL :)

Last weekend, we had our International Nights at the University. It was fun as we get to dress up and look beautiful in our baju kurung or cara melayu or dresses. When I was told abt the upcoming international night, i was told that selalunya orang belawa lawa..tapi amazingly (or not!!) ramai came in with tops and jeans..very casual-ish...even the judges were casual. I love casual...but just thought if International Night, people would want to come in their traditional dresses etc etc...apparently not all feels that way. Lol!!

And rupanya International Night ani = competition night. Initially, I wasnt aware of that...but anyway, the performances by the BruneianMalaysian Society was lawa. It was properly coordinated and they all look beautiful...the zapin girls...so ayu dancing...and the Aduk Aduk boys and girls...so ganas ;p It was the most 'cultured' performance compared to others i think...but too bad we didnt win the competition. But they all did great...dats the most important thing...plus everyone enjoyed it . Congratz guys!! :)

Anyway, incase you guys are interested to watch the performances by the BruneianMalaysian society....click on the link..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzQFTE35W6w

Anyway, will post more pics once i get the pics from Idot & Wafi, Nadz, Jirin and the rest. Takecare ;p

Weather

Yay!! Finally Spring is here...hopefully the weather will be consistent from now onwards.

Although I kinda doubt it..coz the weather forecast were incorrect couple of times as their

predictions are not always right.

But lets enjoy the 5 days forecast in Canterbury where it is said that it will be as high as 13C throughout this week..and the lowest will be 3C. Lets hope it will not be that low.

Just to kill time...

Was browsing things online..and came across few interesting info on astrology...:) According to the internet astrology...

My karma sign is Virgo

Your obsession with perfectionism and order can leave you feeling frustrated and in a rut. You have an almost compulsive attention to detail which may have been learnt from a parent or authority figure. Often times you discourage yourself and others from trying new things simply because they won't be done the way you think they should be. Your karmic path is to always feel trapped within the lines and yet afraid to color outside of them. Fear is the basic motivation behind this desire for order -- it is the only way you know of controlling your environment. If you are capable of overcoming this fear -- letting go of control -- you have a chance of developing an imaginative side where your practicality could become a valuable asset.

There are many more things that you can calculate..like what is your sun sign, moon sign, love sign, passion sign, rebellious sign, etc etc etc. Its interesting.

Ok then, got to go now. Bye

I read this last week on Brunei Times...thought it would be interesting to share this with everyone...just incase you havent read it.

BlogSpeak

The pros and cons of public humiliation-->Rano Iskander 23-Feb-07

WITH the numbers of local bloggers rising, there's a wide variety of great reads out there. However, in some cases, bloggers may use this medium just to display their angst, accusations or simply embarrass targeted individuals. I'm sure some bloggers have their fair share of disgruntled moments which are poured out online. Some gossips, disses and undesired comments are posted without a sense of guilt. If one does, there is still some degree of discretion and anonymity on the related invidual or parties. But what if one does disclose identities? With reputations on the line, where should we draw the line? We are aware that the Internet laws are still a grey area and it's pretty hard to draw the line of what is acceptable. Ironically the care-free bloggers are protected by lack of authoritative intervention.

Let's give this particular website a shout since it's related. youparkingidiot.blogspot.com, once talk of the town, maintain their vision on sharing with other bloggers/readers on inconsiderate drivers who park their cars haphazardly. Everyone's entitled to contribute and all you need is a camera (phone or digicam) and the Internet. Who knows, your effort may even win you the accolade of picture of the month _ as an incentive measure. Despite its blunt approach considering how small Brunei is, that was an intriguing issue with regard to the displaying of plate licence numbers.

This brings me to my next question. Does it actually make it any less trivial should the plate numbers be blurred before the pictures are published on the Internet? When the website was at its introductory phase, plate numbers were visible to all and sundry. Soon after, it became a debatable issue and even polls were used to determine the outcome. The said website is just one of the websites accessible for Internet readers. There are other websites such as the infamous stereotyping memoirsofapoklen.blogspot.com which defines and provides hilarious observations of a true poklen (a Bruneian slang for a groupie).

Though it falls under public shame, it does draw a fine line and most readers agree with the details given. You might disagree with my views on this. Come to think of it, public humiliation does have its pros and cons.

Let's start with the bright side.

Certain individuals may experience some level of embarassment or shame which will in turn deter them from repeating their wrongdoings. Some bloggers use websites as their tool to express dissatisfaction or in yourparkingidiot's case, the chance to humiliate parking offenders.

I'm no exception to the rule as I have indulged in it at some time or other. The recent Brunei Marathon, for instance, rings a bell for the wrong reasons. There were a dozen of bloggers, including yours truly, who posted negative feedbacks on the chaotic event that put our country to shame in the eyes of many. At some point, even the media joined the bandwagon. Though the complaints were aimed at the organisers, it also indirectly affects the country's credibility.

As for the cons, it basically goes right down to the core _ reputation.

Being a small nation, with gossips spreading like there's no tomorrow, the respective individuals may not take the criticisms lightly. Instead, they become victims of public humiliation regardless of whether it's true or not. One popular web-based forum "Have Your Say" doesn't practice censorship on personal attacks. Does this tell us that we readers enjoy bad publicity of one another?

In conclusion, whether you like it or not, bloggers and forum owners have the upper hand due to the lack of Internet laws. Hence, public shame issue will continue as it is. Unless you are willing to take the risk, remaining anonymous as a blogger may just save you from trouble or being questioned or even being sued.

Have you ever been in a situation where everything was going well...and then things started to be not so well..

In my case, my life is alhamdulillah doing well so far...Ive let go of things that I should let go...my uni life is not bad...my readings are going well as well although its a lil slow to my liking...and im starting my essays due end of this month...I only have another 5 days of hutang puasa to pay...etc etc etc.

Anyway, the reason why Im posting this post is because it is true when people say ur life cant go smooth all way through....you are bound to have few minor hiccups or major ones. And how when I was younger, my late grandpa used to remind me everytime I visited him during school holidays that life will not always be the way we wanted it to be...we have to constantly work towards a better life etc etc etc.

Last night, when I was just thinking that I am happy with myself because this term Ive been reading things that I should be reading for lectures and understanding it... and while I was typing my work, my laptop was making funny noises...tapi baru jua 2 jam I was reading and typing away in an attempt to finish atleast 3/4 of it so that I can start with another one by end of this week. So I thought maybe the sound will go away in a bit...and I thought to myself...maybe I should switch it off and let it rest...and decided I will do that if the noise persist in another 10mins...

Sekalinya without giving me a chance to save my work or without prior warning, it just switched off in just few mins to 10 mins. hmm. How frustrating can that be? My laptop has failed me quite a few times within the past 6 mths...and it struck me..this is only another test...cubaan (Lol)..when i think about it, its funny how in our minds...we are constantly talking to ourselves...just like how JD talks to himself in SCRUBS...haha..

Anyway, it struck me that I am being tested.I see this as one of my minor test...last term I was being tested at a time when I really need my laptop to meet my deadlines. It failed me by refusing to switched on...and bcoz I dont have a proper CD recovery for my laptop...it was 'disable' before xmas holidays....throughout xmas and till end of january.

It was only functioning late january and Ive only properly used it to listen to music, type my work, review stuffs ive saved from the internet di uni for the entire of february...and now when im doing my essays, it failed me again. SO i decided to sleep and wait for tomorrow.

Luckily this morning, when I checked it...it was fine...it switched on instantly when i press the start button bla bla...but then, how much of this can I take especially when Im gona start typing my dissertation after easter...hmm...should I invest in a new laptop? Im tempted...dad told me to buy apple saja coz ada the agent back in Brunei...but how about dell? do we have the agent in Brunei?

Anyway, im trying to get dad or a friend to send me the proper CD recovery for my laptop...and i will try to properly reformat it and etc etc...and see how it goes..

SO, right now, it calls for laptop hunting...:)...I will be viewing potential laptops online lah dulu...which will be difficult coz kak meng is the one who knows and help us understand all these 'computer-ish' functions in the IT language..im pretty useless trying to understand all these IT language...hehe..

Anyway, to kak meng if ure reading this....recommendations are welcome...and kak mel, do u find apple easy to function?

Ok then, thats it for today :)

I got this from a forwarded email from Yuli and I thought this would be interesting to share this with the rest. And it proves that although we should trust our instinct, but it does not always reflect the reality....so instinct + logic is always the best option in decision making ;)

Idiotic 'Millionaire' Contestant Makes Worst Use Of Lifelines Ever

Kathy Evans, the single dumbest contestant to ever get on "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?"

NEW YORK - Idaho resident Kathy Evans brought humiliation to her friends and family Tuesday when she set a new standard for stupidity with her appearance on the popular TV show, "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire."

It seems that Evans, a 32-year-old wife and mother of two, got stuck on the first question, and proceeded to make what fans of the show are dubbing "the absolute worst use of lifelines ever."

After being introduced to the show's host Meredith Vieira, Evans assured her that she was ready to play, whereupon she was posed with an extremely easy $100 question. The question was:

"Which of the following is the largest?"
A) A Peanut
B) An Elephant
C) The Moon
D) Hey, who you calling large?

I hope you guys do know the answer to this...;)..

Immediately Mrs. Evans was struck with an all consuming panic as she realized that this was a question to which she did not readily know the answer.

"Hmm, oh boy, that's a toughie," said Evans, as Vieira did her level best to hide her disbelief and disgust. "I mean, I'm sure I've heard of some of these things before, but I have no idea how large they would be."

Evans made the decision to use the first of her three lifelines, the 50/50. Answers A and D were removed, leaving her to decide which was bigger, an elephant or the moon. However, faced with an incredibly easy question, Evans still remained unsure.

"Oh! It removed the two I was leaning towards!" exclaimed Evans. "Darn. I think I better phone a friend." Using the second of her two lifelines on the first question, Mrs. Evans asked to be connected with her friend Betsy, who is an office assistant.

"Hi Betsy! How are you? This is Kathy! I'm on TV!" said Evans, wasting the first seven seconds of her call. "Ok, I got an important question. Which of the following is the largest? B, an elephant, or C, the moon. 15 seconds hun."

Betsy quickly replied that the answer was C, the moon. Evans proceeded to argue with her friend for the remaining ten seconds.

"Come on Betsy, are you sure?" said Evans. "How sure are you? Puh, that can't be it."

To everyone's astonishment, the moronic Evans declined to take her friend's advice and pick 'The Moon.'

"I just don't know if I can trust Betsy. She's not all that bright. So I think I'd like to ask the audience," said Evans.

Asked to vote on the correct answer, the audience returned 98% in favor of answer C, 'The Moon.' Having used up all her lifelines, Evans then made the dumbest choice of her life.

"Wow, seems like everybody is against what I'm thinking," said the too-stupid-to-live Evans.

"But you know, sometimes you just got to go with your gut. So, let's see. For which is larger, an elephant or the moon, I'm going to have to go with B, an elephant. Final answer."

Evans sat before the dumbfounded audience, the only one waiting with bated breath, and was told that she was wrong, and that the answer was in fact, C, 'The Moon.'

Happy Birthday DAD...not sure if ure reading this...but if you are..then enjoy ur birthday and mudahan murah rezeki :)

And...Selamat ber-pencen....it starts today and lasts forever...;)

luv,
cells

I think I've been tagged twice about this...although the first time I was a lil malas to do it..hehe..anyway, i thought might as well...:)..

Here it goes...6 weird things about me :)

1)Ive been forever in love with tomatoes..dalam masakan, or juice, or just eat it as it is..or tomato ketchup. Friends find it peculiar that I enjoy eating bread with ketchup..;)...wait till they see me eat rice with ketchup and kicap...yummy!!

2)I dont really make daily plans, especially with others..as it doesnt really happen the way its planned. People cancel last minute..because it clash with sth else or because they dont feel like it, they change their minds or they totally lupa. Unless its emergency cases, then I dont like people cancelling their plans last minute, especially when I look forward to that day. So I dont make plans anymore...unless its important and needs thorough planning.

3) I have a 'mental block system' or i prefer calling it a 'shutdown' system. When im irritated/annoyed/not pleased/unhappy/ not agreeing with what they say or when i do not want to hear someones voice..whatever they say will just go through me. Their voice will be on 'mute' although they may be sitting next to me talking to me. Its like im in my own world n i can select what i want to hear etc. And that is how i can stand being patient all this time with whoever Im not so fond off. And this system is also good for 'suppressing' unhappy thoughts and memories..as I dont really like people knowing what exactly goes inside my 'brain'..or when im unhappy ;)

4)I'm slow...if im out with family or friends, i will probably be the last to finish my food(although im always the first to finish my drink ;p), be the last person to make a decision(unless im so into it). If people rush me into decisions etc, then i will most probably ended up with no decisions at all..;p

5)I let people get away with minor things. Example, if a friend of mine becerita abt something...and the story line is a lil bit different from the actual story or the story that he/she told me, I will usually let it be. Not because Im ignorant or cant be bothered, but bcoz its more or less the same story. tapi liat occasion lah, sometimes i will correct them when i feel its necessary.

But often, I let it be when people contradict themselves, I let it be when i found out a friend stole my money dulu..although i dropped hints about it, I let it be when i learned/heard that some friends had bad talked about me..unless its a big issue. I let it be when my feelings are hurt by something that someone might have said etc etc...I dont know why I do this..but I do.

6) Apa lagi ah?? hehe..let me think...i dont think its weird...but im out of points to say...but I still enjoy watching cartoons!!

Ok then, thats it...my post for the day..or week ;)

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 ;)

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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 :)