Who's Your Eco Celebrity Match?

Written by Chelvi Krishnan

Well my partner in our quest to save the Eco.( according to a test I did) His name is Brad Pitt…you all know him?
Ok…ok I could hear loud and clear. You all know him…fine.
Apart from the yada yada ehemm that we ( I mean me and Brad) are well, curios and we know much about the planet.( Are they serious, for my part anyway) It was also mentioned that Brad would probably be pretty darn proud of the contributions I make on a daily basis!

Howdy my eco partner, would you ever know what I’m doing on the other site of the world?? Ahh you would “probably” be proud of me….
Here’s the deal…I do care about the lovely planet earth we live in, but I would say my knowledge it not yet enough. So to commemorate Earth Day on 22nd April 2008 I’m going to make some noise.
SAVEEEEEEEEEEE THEEEEEEEEEEE EARTHHHHHHHHHH PEOPLEEEEEEEEEEE!
Done.
:)

Remember those days when we want save the planet there’s a bulb that will go on your head with the word ‘recycling’ on it? Yes it’s still important to recycle but we humans have evolve more by ehemm in strategically destroying the earth and the same time coming up with solutions.

So let’s all get a big ol’ band-aid and wrap mother Earth around it and help. Well it’s ain’t that easy. So we put a solar panel on our roof or get a hybrid car? Don’t think my pocket can stretch to that far far away land. So lets do all those little things that really add up J and at the same time pucker up the knowledge

1. I eat fast… it’s not gobbling!

Change: Take time to enjoy the whole process of preparing and eating food in ways that have developed over centuries. Look at the international Slow Food movement, which aims to "promote gastronomic culture, develop a taste education, conserve agricultural biodiversity, and protect traditional foods at risk of extinction."

2. Using nail polish without awareness

Change: If you want to keep your fingers and toes well dressed, use a water-based nail polish. Unlike solvent-based slicks, these don't contain formaldehyde or phthalates, which can damage both your health and the environment. Water-based versions come in beautiful colors and dry to the touch in just three minutes.

3. I’ll just chuck the trash

Change: Minimize the impact of the trash you can't avoid producing by squashing it before you chuck it. This way it will take up less space in landfill sites or recycling depots--and pummeling it is a great stress-buster as well!

4. Eating out for lunch

Change: Get yourself a sturdy container, an unbreakable bottle and/or flask, buy some bulk supplies at the beginning of each week, and let your imagination run wild. With the cash you'll save by not buying heavily packaged convenience foods or eating out, you can afford a different treat every day.

5. Shutdown…

Change: Many modern TVs and computer monitors need to be unplugged in order fully to disable their standby setting. Incorporate this into your daily shutdown routine, and try to keep cables as untangled as possible so that you can easily identify which outlet to aim for.
Join the team. Everyone can play a part.

Tips on Relieving Stress

Written by Andrew


Nowadays, most of people from urban areas unable to relieve their stress effectively. They often relieve their stress by visiting pub, disco and other place similar to it. Although these places seem fun and only at here we can consume a lot of alcoholic drinks, however, it’s not a healthy living style. Moreover, we can expose to drugs if we are not cautious.

Actually there still have many ways for us to get rid of our headache stress. We can choose a better entertainment that involved our closest family, friends and even a stranger. It’s very simple. What I will mention now probably already becomes your routine activity, but I still wrote this because I want to share with everybody.
Personally I like to playing computer games. I think play games were really fun because we can get the satisfaction from the games we’ve played. I would like to suggest online games to everyone. Firstly, the online game I intro to you all is Maple Story. This game really fun although the game was built in 2-D. Maple Story suit to all ages. If you really feel boring and stressed, why don’t give a try on it? Secondly, I will like to intro this website to you all. That’s neopets.com! This really is a cool site. You can raise your pets by creating or adopting. Of course, you can abandon it if you don’t like the one you’ve created. You can earn “money” or called neopoints by playing their flash games. There are many features and I unable to state all of that. Thus, you’ve to figure it out by giving it a try on this cool site!




Instead of playing games, we also can choose other type of entertainment or activity to relieve our stress. Such as establish a gathering with old friends and having some barbeque party or going out for a cup of coffee with colleagues and etc…My personal suggestion is to Starbucks Coffee and have a cup of cappuccino or mocha with your friends. It is better if you go at night because the atmosphere is romantic and tranquility at night time. I bet you’ll like it so much!

Other than that, Sports also one of the choice too. And I would like to suggest bowling! Not necessary to possess high skill to play bowling because it is quite funny when you watch the ball you’ve thrown fall into the side drain…You should call a gang of friends to play with. Because you can laugh at each other lousy skill on playing bowling. I bet you will become more relax than before after few set of bowling game…If your living areas do not have bowling centre you also can try out volleyball. It is also similar with the bowling game because you can call many friends to involve in!

Finally, I would like to say thanks to you all who has read my article. Hope my little guide can contribute! And remember, do not consume fast foods or oily foods such as chicken chop, French fries frequently and try to eat vegetables and fruits everyday! Because this will help you to reduce your emotional action. Proof has been certified by scientists that some essential nutrients from veggies can help us remain calm than usual. Hope you all stay healthy and free from stress and problems every single day!

Money from the Sky

Written by Ellyda

Money talks can get people listening to you. Money is the root of all evil. One of that root of evil is coming up with some kind of scam, involving money kind of scam, Get-Rich-Fast Scam, Get-A-Lot-Of-Money-In-No-Time Scam, Hey-Look-I’m-Rich-You-Can-Be-Too Scam, and Invest-With-Me-Get Rich-Together Scam just to name a few. Just post an ad for free on the Internet on ways to make money can attract a lot of people’s attention including mine. But may I assure you that money does not falls from the sky.

Well maybe some are not scams. We have to give credits for them to willingly to share their road to success and to wealth by providing us their successful stories. But how will we ever know whether scam or no scam unless we have tried it ourselves right? Some of the ads either we have to join their club or buying their e-books on the Internet, we will be on our way on earning more money.

Here I’m not going to tell you how to make a lot of money is a very short time or tell you which money earning program you should join, but to tell you how to avoid getting scam on the Internet.

1. You can joined any forums or blogs to share ideas and talk to a few people which can give you insight knowledge on these kind of things. It also helps if you read newspapers or watch news on TV to know what is going on in the world around you. If you think you want to participate is any programs making money, make sure that you investigate thoroughly by finding out from the people who joined and talk to them successful and unsuccessful people if there are any. It also helps to consult in friends and family before making any decisions.

2. If you want to join in the world of making money through the net, find a trusted source that you can start with, for example, Google Adsense and Nuffnang.com where you can use your blog as a base for advertising. You can earn money when people click on the ads on your blog.

3. Other than that, you can also do your own investigating. If you want to do an internet investment, please check whether the scheme is authorized or not. If not you can check with your authorities to confirmed. Do not invest with schemes that are illegal. It may be the easy way but may I warn you, you may lose your money.

4. To join a multi-level marketing company or MLM, please do verify the product that they are selling. Try calling their suppliers and customers to make sure the products they are selling is the product they told us. Trusted MLM companies that are well known and already successful are Amway, Forever Living and USANA Health Sciences. Put your money where its worth it.

5. “Subject: WINNING NOTIFICATION-You’ve won USD100, 000.00”. Some of us may get this in our email. But for email like this make sure that you had entered any valid contest to win any amount of money. Do not trust email that came from nowhere and you have never registered on their websites.

In your search of the best program for earning money, I hope some of my guidelines are useful to you in anyway and if you do find a good money earning programs that are not scams and trustworthy, please don’t hesitate to tell me. :)

Childhood counts!

Written by hlpe


Ever wondered why some people are a natural talent at almost everything? Whether its playing the piano or striking a business deal? And as many management/leadership conferences you attend you can't seem to attain their level of efficacy, leaving you in a downright frustrated state.

The answer or at least part of the answer lies in the fact that they started learning these stuff from young! Yes! Just in case you haven't realize, who and what you are today is a sum of your wealth of experiences. Rest assured i am not talking about parents who freakily teach their 3 year old child how to mind map or negotiate business deals, but allow me to dazzle you with how trivial experiences of childhood can give you a cutting edge today!

1. Time management & Teamwork
How? Dividing household chores between siblings. Though this might sound rather insignificant then. You learned how to
prioritize (gaging what task need to be accomplish first, lest the curse of the cane), manage time (make sure you allocate your time for study, play, leisure and chores), teamwork (cooperate with your siblings so that the end goal (i.e. a clean house) is achieved; this might mean covering for each other when the other is sick/busy)

2. Creativity & Innovation
How? Coming from a middle/lower socioeconomic strata, you wouldn't have Fisher Price toys (which are supposed to be educational in nature) or Fancy colouring books to colour in. But this is where imagination runs wild! You used cushions from sofas (double them up) and ride them as someone born with a silver spoon in the mouth would ride a wooden rocking horse, you draw in the sand on your back yard and to add colour you scatter flower petals of different flowers you pinch from the garden. Enough said (You definitely will have tons of ideas when asked to carry out a project with limited resources!)

3. Awareness of individual rights and the Confidence to express it
How? In my house at least, we use to have "meetings" to discuss the our parents' level of satisfaction with our household chore performance (if you really think about it, its like KPIs-Key Performance Indicators of the corporate world today), it was also an opportunity for us to voice our dislike on certain task we were assigned to and allowed to swapped with siblings (skill of negotation at play) if you are able to support your point with valid reasoning. You will learn to fight for you individual rights (if you are experiencing task overload) and certainly developed the confidence to voice it (because you don't want to do the task!

Unfortunate for your HR department, they will certainly have a run for it if they try to rip you of your employee rights in any way.

4. Organization & the power of "Black & White"
How? Continuing from above, these "meetings" are minuted...so yes! I learnt how to take minutes of meeting from the tender age of 8 or was it 9? And you learned a dose of abidance to rules and regulations as well, and how important listing things in 'Black & White' is! (Which you will learnt later in life, be it in tenancy agreements, employee contract, or god forbids you get involve in a lawsuit)

5. Value of money and the power of savings
How? Pocket money. I used to have a friend whose parent had a stack of RM50 notes in a particular drawer in the house for refill. In other words, pocket money wasn't capped. Needless to say, such a system teaches you almost nothing about money. But if you have a fixed pocket money and the total amount is derived from the amount you would need to have a single meal during recess (e.g. RM 2 per day x 5 = You get RM10 a week). You definitely learned to save! Whether you used the money to buy candy or toycars (you need to mentally if not on paper work out how much you need to save per day in order to afford your gift!)

Even the richer kids in society learn some important lessons of money (if they get sent off to boarding schools). Alot of boarding schools for the elite, implement pocket money system as well. One would need to fill up a form to request for allowances. NOTE: and if anything was written wrongly in the request form = NO ALLOWANCE (I'm sure this definitely helped them learnt to be meticulous when writing out cheques 10-15 years down the road)

I could go on forever, but i think you get my point. So if you are a parent, never underestimate the value of trivial stuff; and if you are already all grown up (don't blame your parents for not teaching you stuff), start learning now! Experience is wealth, unfortunately time = money too, and money can't buy time!

The Gem Of My Life

Written by fleur de lis

Gone? I barely whisper. My heart stood frozen at her words. I barely registered what my mom has just said and it all sinks slowly a few moments later. I knew it will happen one day, but I never thought the day would come that soon. I walked to my room and sink on my bed. My eyes started to water. My mind flashes back.

“Hey Jill, come and have a look. There’s a black pup roaming in our street.” My little sister comes bustling and both of us look out from the door. “Aww…. He’s so cute. Lets go outside and have a better look.” My mind concludes fast. Mom is not at home, neither is Dad. It would not hurt to have a peep and maybe a few pats on the pup if he is harmless enough. I rushed to the kitchen and scoop a few handfuls or rice and also a generous amount of Mom’s specialty dish – salted vegetable with pork and placed them on a plastic bag. Both of us went out and whistled to the pup. Sure enough, he came trotting at us with that lost pup look. He is a few month old pup so he is not exactly that little anymore. We fed him and he gobbles everything down. Either he is a fan of mom’s cooking or perhaps he is just plain hungry. “Shall we name him Spike?” My elder sis came into view a short while later. Both of us nod.

From that moment on, Spike never leaves us. Mom does not allow us to rear him because she said our house garden is not big enough and also pets are troublesome. Still, we fed him all the time. Ohh, by the way, he is actually a her. But since Spike has already taken to the name, so we just let it be. Spike usually roams the neighborhood and our neighbors help fed him too whenever they have some leftover bones or meats. Spike has taken over us so much that she always come back even though some neighbors treat her particularly well. That is dog for you, their loyalties stands firm. She greets us whenever we reached home. She’ll be eying the corner of our street and when she saw our car turns in, she’ll bark joyfully and madly and came trotting after our car. When mom and I went to the market, she’ll happily trot along following us but she always stops at the main road. There are too many cars there and we will shoo her back for we are afraid that she might get knock over. Mom always scolded me whenever I pat her. She said Spike is filthy but I just could not resist it each time I saw her. She always loves it when I patted her. She will close her eyes like she thoroughly enjoyed it. I even bought dog shampoo and tried to bath her. She does not like it but I grabbed on her to make her stay still. She is a mischievous dog, always chasing and barking at our neighborhood’s postman and people on bikes and bicycles. Most probably she is against people on two wheels. She looks fierce on the outside but she is one scaredy cat inside. All in all, she is one lovable dog. Dad has took a liking to her too and he bought her Pedigree (canned dog food) most of the time. She just loves them.

However, due to Spike’s playful nature she does annoyed some of the other neighbors. She did sneaked in into people’s garden and digs the dirt up and barks all the time in the middle of the night. Those that despise wild dog frequently lodge a report to get a few dogcatchers to capture Spike. Spike is pretty smart; many times she escapes when she saw the truck turning in. And she always outruns those dogcatchers. She has got a few good hiding places. My sis and me always pleaded to mom to take her in but mom always refuses.

One gloomy day however when I was in school, they managed to catch Spike. According to my mom, the neighbors said they surrounded her at both corners after a few runs and Spike knowing that she would never have a chance, succumb at our doorsteps and being drag away.

Spike came into our life for a short period of a year plus, but the vast memories she has given us is priceless. I have always dot on Spike a lot thus that is why I am her favorite and it hurts so deep to find out she ended up like this.

All that is left now is only memory. It had happened more than eight years ago but I can still feel the affection of Spike towards us. Her mischievousness and antics lingers in my mind all the time. Someday, I know I will have another dog, but the memory of my very first dog will never be forgotten. It might be painful but this is just part of life. And learning to accept it means that you have grown up. Friends or even the special someone come and go in your life. Nothing stays forever. Just be grateful that both of you once crossed path. For the memory will remain eternally.

She is more than a friend and a companion to me. She is a part of the family and that should never change. Wherever you are, Spike, you will always have a place in my heart.

10 things you know that HE/SHE is NOT the one..

Nowadays, we usually hear “How do you know if he/she is the one for you?” or “10 top things he/she is your true love?”

I decided to write in something different.

These are all from my own point of view based on my own relationship experiences.

There is ten things you know that he or she is NOT the one for you….

#10:-
He/she does not really communicate with you much and does not apologize about it even if he/she knows it so. You can really see the difference in him/her.

#09:-
He/she usually starts getting abusive towards you physically or mentally. That shows that he/she does not give a care in the world if you get hurt tremendously.

#08:-
He/she usually distant themselves away from you once they get to know that you have that special feelings for them. That shows they really don’t want to deepen the relationship.

#07:-
They would be talking to another guy/girl in a very intimate way in front of your face… “Ouch! That hurts” That is quite an extreme… You get the message yeah..

#06:-
They always and I really mean always reject your offer when you want to get to know them better by hanging out no matter where like the movies or even just having a snack together. That means they really don’t want to be close to you. Well understandable, everyone has a personal space so only “special people” can get into that personal space of another. Get the picture? Hopefully la.. ^^

#05:-
They always laugh at you even when you know that what happened was not funny and you wish he/she could just show a little consideration. That means they don’t care about your feelings.

#04:-
They might say they love you but actions speaks louder than words. It might just be words after all but in the end, they don’t do anything about it. This shows that they really don’t care about you.

#03:-
If you are sick, they never bother of calling you up or just asking you of how are you feeling.. Okay, this is already a big sign if you know what I mean. That person is a jerk for sure.

#02:-
No matter how much you try, you are never gonna be good enough for them. Worse still, they might compare you with other girls/guys which makes it more than just a sign. It needs action taken!

#01:-
The main sign of knowing that he or she is not the one and definitely in reality, he or she does not cherish you by not accepting you for what you are and wants you to be what they want instead. They don’t appreciate you and really they are just making use of you.

However I can say from my point of view, every girl and guy are different in their own ways. So, all I can say is that for those who found their loved ones happens to have one of this ten signs, don’t fret!

There are still better ones who would accept you and love you for what you are. You are all special and deserve so much better!

God bless all!

HOKKIEN MEE

Written by Yap

OK..
This was the first time i wrote this,i mean...about food,not particularly a food critic but more to a food lover.Especially comes to hokkien mee.

Now...it might not be a five star restaurant that i am talking about.It's more to a local hawker stall which situated in cheras.And most important..it's NON HALAL..so for muslim friends out there...my apology..

This was a friend of mine who stays there and took me to have a try since both of us were hokkien mee lovers.The stall is actually situated around the flat area there.(SRI JOHOR FLAT),they call it.What i came to know is that the business usually conduct in the evening.And ended quite late after 12am maybe,depends on the crowd.

I wonder how good was it as my friend told me before.So i gave it a try.And the result is...great!!..i know..it might sound exaggerating but that is the best i had tasted.There's a a lot of gravy in there,i don't like dry ones because it won't be hokkien mee..the ingredients were fresh...and the sambal belacan...wow...a perfect match with the mi.

As for pricing,what can you expect from a hawker stall?The price range is affordable,don't worry...

Hey!!Did i tell you that it not just only serve mee?but others too?you can have many choices to pick from the menu.Mee,Meehoon,Rice,La-la

,Soup..But don't expect too much on the beverage though..

Overall..it's good that you can bring your family to dine there,any choices but you need to get there fast because the parking space is limited ..first come first serve you see..other than that would be alright..i guess..haha

Thanks for reading this and i hope would be a lot coming...Still cracking my head what to write..but it will soon come to me...adios amigos!!

Why Breastfeeding?

Written by Jeannie

Life after birth : Breastfeeding

Hmm..breastfeeding? Why should I? Many new mothers may have such thoughts. Given the choice over milk powder, some may even think “ Eww, it’s so inconvenient!” or “I’m just too busy! I have no time for it!” Considering the myth and stories spun around this topic, how many of the new mother actually know the advantages of breastfeeding? Let me tell you here why you should breastfeed.

Firstly, Breastfeeding will give your baby a head start in life because human milk is specially designed to meet all the baby’s nutritional needs. Do you know that breast milk adapts over time to match the infants changing need, the composition of breast milk varies even during a single feed? Milk is the only food the baby needs from birth till about four to six months of age, but also possible up to two years of age! Breast milk has over 100 constituent parts including important anti-infective properties. Not only is breastfeeding good for the baby but it is also good for the mother!

Breastfeeding

All new mothers want their best for their babies, and by breastfeeding, you could give a headstart in life for your precious! Infants who are breastfed have complete nutrition that has an effect on infants’ cognitive and social development. Children who had consumed mother’s milk in early weeks of life had a significantly higher IQ at 7.5 to 8 years. Breastfeeding also counters risk of infections for the baby. Why so? Colostrum, the early milk produced 2-3 days after birth by the breast is especially high in antibodies to help the baby to fight against common infections such as diarrhea and respiratory infections. Breastfed babies are also less prone to allergies, malnutrition, malocclusion (crooked teeth), asthma, eczema, constipation and sudden infant death. By breastfeeding, it also offers the baby comfort and security.

Breastfeeding = inconvenient? Think again! It is so much convenient for the mother as there are no need for bottles, sterilization or temperature check. The best thing about it - breast milk is also cleaner as free of germs! Breastfeeding is also a cost saving way for the mother as breast milk does not cost money while formula feed do and there is also no wastage of unconsumed milk. Want to be a pretty mom back in no time? Breastfeeding is also your ticket to gaining back your pre-pregnancy size; as not only does it lessen the chance of severe bleeding for the mother but also speeds up her return to pre-pregnancy size as the contraction of the womb occurs when the baby suckles. Mothers are also able to lose the fat stored around their hips and thighs during pregnancy as calories are used up when they breastfeed. Risk of breast cancer is less in women who breastfed. Breastfeeding delays the return of menstruation and can also help the mother plan her family naturally.

The Birth Boutique

By breastfeeding, mothers are also confident that they are fulfilling all their child’s emotional and physical needs and in doing so they find it an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

Some of the new mommies may have second thoughts and doubts about breastfeeding and questions like “What if my breast size are too small, am I still able to breastfeed?” Breast size is actually not a factor in determining how much milk is produced. Small breasted women are able to nurse without any problems while recent study did show that large breasted women had a more difficult time getting the baby to latch on the nipple, but this situation can be easily corrected, particularly with a bit of professional guidance. Breastfed babies also have signs that they are growing and getting enough milk. These include counting diapers to ensure that they are wetting between 6-8 diapers a day and counting stools, which will vary depending on the child’s age and whether or not they are eating solid food. There are also signs for mothers on when to breastfeed the baby as the baby may have fast eye movements under the eyelids as he/she begins to wake up to feed. The baby will also have sucking and licking movements or the baby will put his/her hand into the mouth. Stretching and increased body movements can also be seen when the baby is hungry therefore the time to breastfeed. The World Health Organization recommends giving only breast milk for the first 6 months however they support breastfeeding to continue with the introduction of other foods up to 2 years or more. Many mothers will breastfeed for longer period of time while others do not, however there is no “right time” to stop.

As we can see, breastfeeding does indeed provide many benefits not only to the mothers but also to the babies. So new mommies and mommies-to-be, what are you waiting for? Provide your child the best by breastfeeding! As the saying goes, “Natural way is always the best way.”

Four Trimesters: nurturing

The Hamburger Menu

Written by Cheng Sim

I can’t imagine what my childhood days would be like without burgers. Every sugar-high kid deemed burgers as the staple children’s food that comes along with great reminiscence of their childhood life. Give them a burger and they would do anything in the world for you- with a huge sloppy smile on their adorable faces.

So, it is only appropriate for me to list down a Hamburger Menu for you to drool over and perhaps, ponder on the luxuries these kids have today.

MOS Burger, , from the initial letters of “Mountain Ocean Sea”, is the second largest fast food franchise in Japan after McDonald’s. Although MOS Burgers are not available in Malaysia (yet!), their burgers are adorably delicious to look at

Clockwise from top left: Yakiniku Rice Burger, Cheeseburger, Natsumi Beef and Unagi Rice Burger from MOS Burger.

If you’re a Japanese food lover, I bet you’ll love these burgers. I mean, who wouldn’t want to savour an unagi burger or the yakiniku rice burger? In addition, check out Natsumi Beef! It is perfect for boyfriends who wish to take their skinny girlfriend out on a fast food date. Craving for burgers such as these are guilt-free because they are smaller than an ordinary burger. I love MOS Burger so, please open your next franchise in Malaysia!

Okay, there’s no deny on how huge a Carl’s Jr. Burger is. Before they open their franchise here in Malaysia, every Malaysian thought that nothing could get any bigger than Burger King’s Whopper. I guess they prove us wrong.

Clockwise from top left: Bacon Cheeseburger, Double Western Bacon Cheeseburger, Guacamole Bacon Cheeseburger, Charbroiled Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich from Carl’s Jr.

I mean, look at the size of the Guacamole Bacon Burger! It is gigantic. Try placing both of your open palms together and that is how huge the burger is. As much as you want to lose weight this month, Carl’s Jr. will ruined your diet plan at first bite. They actually have bacon strips sandwiched together with charbroiled patties. Please tell you don’t like that? Carl’s Jr. are spoiling us, I tell you. Although the prices are a little expensive, you can always split it in half with a friend. It is as if you can finish them in one seating.

Oh, are you hungry already?

Kids..Kids..Kids..

I remember the olden days where kids in my era are consider fortunate but kids in the Year 2000 onwards are too lucky and fortunate. Why? Because their parents will get ready everything for them even before they were born into this world. "Everything" means branded stuff from TOP to TOE with super formula milk powder (DHA and other nutrients) to make them smarter. Every time when I saw the ads on different types of milk powder, I will start to think kids nowadays needs to feed their little "brain" with lots of nutrients and vitamins to ensure they grow up bigger and smarter. There's an advertisement where 2 little boys were having a conversation and one of the kid is telling his friend on what they have learnt yesterday. He imitates the sounds of different animals and at the end he asked "what does a crocodile sounds like? It doesn't make any sound because it doesn't know how to talk!!" That was cute and because he drank the special formula in the milk powder, that's why he's so clever!!

When my friend was pregnant and she was getting all the clothes and other necessary items for the baby, she was so engrossed with those little cute clothes where her newborn will be able to wear it. When I look at the price, those little cute clothes cost the same as the adults' clothes. It was expensive but mom-to-be won't care much about it. She just wants her little kid to be in the best way as long as they afford it. On the other hand, wouldn't it be a waste in a few months time when the kid is growing up big and fast? Now the kid is growing up real fast and the clothes that were bought have only be worn a few times. And what happens next? The clothes have already been stacked aside and a new set of clothes is ready for the little ones. Even when they are a baby, they have started to wear different types of branded clothes.

My friends will dolled up their kids with endless and endless of branded goods from such as NIKE, ESPRIT, RALPH LAUREN and etc. Then the parents will start to vie with each other on whose kids are wearing the latest and branded model. One such example happens to my friend's' kid and he's only in kindergarten!! They are expected to buy a branded POLO brand just for the sake of a show and to use it for their sports class too. And it's not cheap; everything is way out of the budget. But for the sake of her son and also the pressure from the Principal, my dear friend ended up buying the shirt and she has to tighten the expenses of the household for the month. My goodness!! But what will happen if the parents can't afford to buy such an expensive clothing for their kids? Will their kids be kick out of the school? Or the kids will be looked down upon by other kids too?"

Besides that, they talk and act just like an adult. With their little thinking, they have their own opinion and is always voicing out their dismay to you. Lot of questions will pop-up in their brains and parents will have a real headache explaining their questions. Sometimes, I do feel kids are hard to communicate now.

Well, as the elders said "Considered yourself fortunate enough to have FOODS on the tables, CLOTHES to keep warm and SHOES for the bare feet." Aren't kids fortunate these days???

Not another one, please.

I like good blogs. Everyone does. But not everyone creates good blogs. And so I would like to share what I think is important to create a good blog, and hopefully things will get better.

i) Blog URL and Blog Name- Make it personalized, if not interesting!

You do realize that your blog URL is just like the home address of yours, and it shows where you are when people need to find you, don’t you? Since you wouldn’t want to have a complicated home address, why bother creating a complicated blog URL? Keep it interesting by making it your own. A definite no-no is to have a very long blog URL such as this: www.myworldofdreamswherefantasycomestrue.blogspot.com. Oh, don’t be surprised. It existed once until I commented about the length and the owner decided to change it. So, keep it short and easy to remember. Put your trademark as your Blog Name, so that people can remember it. I bet there are a lot of “Secret Gardens” or “Wonderful Lands” on the internet. But I’m sure you don’t get a lot of “Cynical Me” or “Esther’s Crap”. It’s your blog anyway, so make it truly yours!

ii) Posts Contents - Update them frequently, please!

Oh My! In my blog, I have got a whole list of zombies who last updated their blogs few months ago. People lose their interest in reading your blogs if you don’t update them frequently. It doesn’t have to be updated every hour, of course. But once a week, is the minimum requirement. Write something interesting (and personal views are very much welcomed). If you want to make your blog popular, make sure the language is simple and the contents are more general. If you have just broken up with your boyfriend, which is worth mentioning but to write a whole post mentioning the details of the event (where you broke up, what he said…) is a bit absurd. As I said, add in personal views. On top of the breaking up, you can mention about what you think about human relationship. If your blog gets TOO personal, it’ll become a personal diary- something not meant for public reading. So a blog or a diary? You decide.

iii) Keep it original- No Copy and Paste!

“I have read an article recently and I find it interesting, so I would like to share it with everyone. Here’s the article…”
…and the article is copied and pasted as the post. We don’t want that! If you get the article from a website, please just provide a link to the article. We don’t want your blog to be a duplicate of say, The Economist.Com or Star Online. You can quote part of the articles and comment about that. But please, at least tell us what makes you think that the article is worth reading when you recommend it. People might not get your point if your intention is not stated clearly.

iv) Length does matter- K.I.S.S

Lengthy posts put people off, trust me. If one has to scroll down on and on before one reaches the end of a post, one will just leave and decide not to read the blog. So, Keep It Short and Simple (K.I.S.S). If it has to be long, split it into parts. You don’t want people to read your post and after a blink of eye, they have lost track of where they have read up to, because the post is too long. K.I.S.S, yes, that’s the way.

v) Can’t say it? Show it then!

A picture says a thousand words. If I can show you a picture of a good blog, I would have. But I can’t. And so I decided to put it all in words. But if you are trying to tell us how beautiful the Eye on Malaysia is, why not just put a picture and some captions instead of writing an English essay about it? Upload photos and pictures if they are available. Don’t just use words.

If you think your blog is not good, upgrade it. If people like your blog, share the secrets! And while I continue surfing the net, reading blogs and posts, I shall hope not to see a typical not-so-good blog anymore, because that’s when I’ll shout loudly, “Not another One, PLEASE!”

What’s So “Beautiful” About Being Thin?

Mary-Kate Olsen, who played Michelle Tanner on the sitcom Full House, went to rehab because she suffered from the eating disorder, anorexia nervosa. She was 18 years old. She was also a walking skeleton, literally. Unfortunately, she did not see that; instead, she saw a horizontally-challenged person who was too fat!

Mary-Kate Olsen, however, is not an isolated strange case: there are many out there that do not appreciate who they are. They are the victims of a society that classifies people according to appearance: these days, being thin is beautiful and if you are not, then you are UG-GEH-LY.

The models of today’s fashion shows are appallingly stick-thin. Why can’t normal-sized models – or even plus-size models, for that matter – strut their stuff on the runways? Is there anything wrong with models that actually look and are healthy? Fashion icons like Kate Moss and Victoria Beckham are so skinny that, to read, they need both hands to hold a book. I wonder why they are so popular: what do people see in them besides their over-rated reality shows of the rich and I-don't-know-what-to-do-but-starve-myself lives? And too many shops cater to the skinny crowd. Where are the un-thin people – namely, ME – supposed to find nice clothes that actually fit?

I think the problem is that people haven’t learned to think for themselves. The media influences us tremendously, especially our conception of what is beautiful and what is not. In every kind of media – television, magazines, newspapers, and billboards – thin, flawlessly attractive waifs advertise a variety of products, so it’s no wonder that girls as young as 12 are not eating properly. I had a friend who was already as thin as anyone could get, yet she was still not satisfied. Every time she had a meal, she made herself vomit. Once, she told me that she weighed 46 kilograms; she was hysterical because she wanted to weigh less than 45 kilograms. I had to reassure her – about a million times – that she was far from overweight. I got her to eat a chocolate bar – and even then she made me share it with her. We were 13 years old at the time! Does it not scare you that more and more young girls these days are suffering because they want to be like their stick-thin “role models”?

Many people have the wrong perception on fat. It is actually very beneficial to us, a vital dietary requirement but not TOO much though. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble, so without fat they cannot be absorbed by the body to give you that healthy, perfect skin and silky soft hair that we all desire. Please do not be fooled by the magic of the technology used by advertisers: stick-thin models who look like they’re “all that” aren’t exactly “all that” at all. It is all thanks to make-up artists and air-brushing. And did you know that fat serves as a buffer against a host of diseases? According to a study conducted by Samuel Henderson, and colleagues from Belgium, people who do not consume any kind of fat are more prone to brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Imagine forgetting the names of those you love and care about just because you wanted to fit into a size 0! Honestly...

There is a lot more to life than being thin. Pink’s song, “Stupid Girls”, deals with how girls all over the world compete to be the biggest bimbo. Even girls who are thin and beautiful think of themselves as fat and ugly. No one really sees inner beauty anymore: we are all judged – and judge – by how we look, and if you do not cut it you are stereotyped as a wannabe or a loser. My advice for every girl is to ignore the hype and to believe in your beautiful self. Be happy with who you are. Eating a burger is smarter than not eating at all. That being said, anyone up for a Big Mac?

A Lesson For All: Really.. Never Give Up!

Written by Shelby Yoong

Last week or maybe a fortnight ago, I wrote about loving your enemies as how you treat others.. That is a lesson we should always cherish in our hearts and ask God to help us to accomplish that mission! :)

Today, I would like to share another lesson which most of us hear most of the times.. NEVER GIVE UP! Giving up is like the easiest thing to do right? When things goes really wrong, what is the first shortcut that comes in your mind? Well most youths would say "I give up!" Familiar with the phrase.. This is us teenagers today.. We should not actually give up just because we fail once or two..

Life is like a game.. If you give up, it is game over and no more surprises.. No more dreams.. No more suspense on what is gonna happen.. Isn't life that dull? I don't think so... Life is full of challenges.. We should all face it no matter what.. When we give up or on the edge of doing so, ask the Lord to provide you the strength of not giving up! You are much worth than that! Imagine what would you do if you never give up.. You will be a servant in God's eyes.. You will serve the Lord in whatever you do and be the best! :)

No one is perfect but we do have hidden talents... We should try to shine for the Lord in whatever we want to do.. So since exams are like really around the corner, you can start praying and read the word of the Lord everyday.. Don't forget to focus on what you are suppose to focus.. It is also your part to do too.. :)

Never ever say cannot.. Remember you are SPECIAL and God loves each and every one of you.. You are unique and talented! You are the best! And you are all the followers of God.. The most remarkable thing to ever be..

So thinking of giving up or changing yourself for eternity?

Start from now and you will soon know the beauty of not giving up together with the footsteps of the Lord beside you everyday and for eternity!

5 SIMPLE STEPS TO LOOK SMART AND BE POPULAR!!

Written by craxgrl

Ever wonder why YOU were NEVER the center of attraction? Always beingaround the spotlight but never IN IT?? Here are my top 5 personal tipsthat are simple and easy for YOU to try them out!! It works for allwalks of life and any gender!

5 STEPS TO A MORE NOTICABLE YOU!!

1) SMILE~~!!- It's free!! No one knows what is in your head but when you smile, itgives people a impression that you are not going to eat them up andthat you are easy to get along with.Take note not to grin or be TOO enthusiastic (or people will thinkthat you are a pervert or there's something wrong with 'up there') anddon't give that plastic smile.

2) LOOK CONFIDENT- Again, never will anyone know that you are feeling like a mouseinside. LOOK BOLD (but with brains, don't go banging around makingsounds without facts) and act CONFIDENT. Shake hands confidently,believe me, one hand shake reflects who you are instantly! Whenthere's a topic that you do not understand or knows more than yourfriends/colleague do, just simply shrugged them off and act like youdon't even care. You will not be seen as the id**t that boast aroundstupidly.

3) BE PREPARED- LOL…I'm not asking you to read books as thick as a dictionary! Norsitting in front of the TV 24/7 just to get hold on to the latestevent/news. Don't push yourself. Instead, do some thing FUN that youenjoy! For instance, flipping through the latest magazine or simplyhang out with friends. This way, you get the latest news on everythingthat's happening around and you get to exchange loads of informationto use it on other group of friends! (Don't go too far fetched,nobody's interested, do they?) You'll never know when a hot gossiptopic will appear!

4) LOOK INTERESTED/ LISTEN- Always be brave to make eye-contact with people around. LISTEN andnot just hear. By doing this, you can easily make conversations byasking questions about them. Everyone favorite topic is themselves so,let them talk. Then, you can chirp in your own topic and dominate thewhole conversation. You'll also be seen as pleasant and out-goingperson, not to mention you just dropped your habit of making spiderwebs on yourself by sitting at a corner. People around you willdefinitely be SURPRISED!!

5) TAKE CARE OR YOURSELF- No, I'm not telling you to be addicted to yourself by looking at themirror whenever you got a chance. Just do a little bit extra likewashing your face and hands and applying some perfume/cologne (Yousmelled nice!). As most popular individual knows, people care aboutpeople who cares about themselves. In my language, first impression isthe utmost crucial. People judge someone instantly (whether they knewit or not) based on their appearance. So, make sure you give them thatand you'll definitely stand out among dozens of others!!

p/s: Hope this information will help you! And don't forget to 'DIGG'this post!! Love all of u lots!!

Acceptance?

Written by UGN

The Oxford Dictionary (Tenth Edition) defines ‘acceptance’ as “consent to receive” or “regard favorably or with approval”. Now, what about it? A majority of today’s youth pursue money, fame, power, and recognition. Many feel out of place in society because their peers have more money, more ‘followers’, more invites to parties and clubs, more backstage passes to concerts and are more popular with the ‘in’ crowd. And because they want to be with that crowd as well, they try as hard as they can to be accepted by these people.

Firstly, we have to understand that people don’t like pretenders and wannabes. The more you try to be like the ‘cool people’, the more they’ll keep away from you. It’s all about being who you are. If you’re not the type who likes loud music and a noisy atmosphere, why force yourself to buy expensive tickets to a rock concert by a rock band which you don’t even listen to just to be like those other people? Everyone is special and different in their own ways. There’s no reason for you to change yourself to be like Mr. Cool. Of course, positive aspects and behaviors like good manners are things that you can learn from people, but what is the point of trying to dress like them, listening to their type of music, and compromising your standards (like smoking or excessive drinking) just so that you can be more like them? If you have to change who you are just to fit in with them, you can be sure that they will never truly accept you for who you are. True acceptance cannot be obtained by modifying your outward appearance or changing your habits. True acceptance is when you live your life with dignity, honor and respect for others which will then cause them to appreciate you as who you really are. If you truly understand what acceptance is, you wouldn’t even be pondering over the question of whether people accept you or not because one of the most crucial points of being accepted by others is to first accept them for who they really are: unique individuals just like you and me. It’s all the same for respect. You have to first respect others to be respected by them.

Therefore, be mindful of others in your everyday life. Learn to accept them regardless of whether you have the same interests and habits or not. Interact with them with respect and dignity at all times. Treat others how you want them to treat you.

Welcome

Hello Everyone,

Just want to wish you a warm welcome.