Are you a good liar?

There are certain people that can tell when someone is lying. There are certain people that do not know how to lie. Some can be an accomplished liar who can flash a variety of personalities as well.

I used to be a pretty good liar, something I’m not particularly proud of. And while there are the occasional unpleasant moments with being honest, I have to admit I feel so much better about telling the truth than I do about keeping secrets and lies. After all, honesty is the best policy.

Take this quiz to learn the truth.

are you a good liar?

All Eyes on Olympics 2008

08.08.2008

The Olympics is approaching and excitement is in the air. All athletes from around the world will gather for this awesome event, the Beijing Olympics 2008. This year's theme slogan is: “One World, One Dream”, truly reflects the essence and universal values of the Olympic spirit - Unity, Friendship, Progress, Harmony, Participation and Dream. I just can’t believe another 4 years have passed by. As you grow older the years start to really go by quickly.

If you are among those that are lucky enough to be attending the Olympic Games in Beijing, you are most likely excited, but maybe a bit stressed out as well. After all, there are a lot of stuffs to arrange and prepare for the upcoming Olympic Games. It should be a spectacular event to watch though. I have always enjoyed watching the opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympics. I plan to watch quite a bit of the games - but at home in the evening with my family. Some of my personal favorites include the diving, tennis, swimming events, badminton, gymnastics, and the track and field races.

If you happen to be in Hong Kong next month or so, you can check out the amazing Lego Sports City at Grand Century Place between now and August 31, 2008. The whole lego sport city includes the famous Bird’s Nest, Swimming Cube and Olympic Village. Further information is available at the HKLUG blog (Hong Kong LEGO User Group).

Be sure to explore all the options available to you before choosing your preferred method of getting from place to place and enjoy your Olympic experience!

And for those wanting a wider view of Beijing, check out my related posts:

Day 2: Temple of heaven

Day 3: Great Wall Of China

Day 3: Summer Palace

Day 4: Forbidden City

I love weekends!!

How I love weekends! And Fridays. It's always been great to unwind after a long and tiring week.. Why can’t the whole life be like a long weekend.? A great weekend is a simple as doing nothing, or a great weekend is complicated as a couple days packed full of activities.

The weekends that I love most are those which are normally spontaneous, easy, and not heavy on planning. These are happy weekends. Hanging out with friends during Saturdays probably belongs to the past now that I've experienced the thrills of parenting. Thus, even if I decide to do nothing out of the ordinary and just hang out in my pajamas with the kids on a weekend morning can be a valuable relaxation and bonding time. Unplug the TV, have a nutritional breakfast, teach my kids to read the news and laugh can be just an enjoyable thing to do. Everyone needs quality time with loved ones, especially children. They need to know how important they are and how much they are loved.

Other than that, weekends are the time when we can go visiting, normally to my parent’s house and do our biweekly groceries shopping or just go to the market. All in all it was a pretty low key weekend but I had a wonderful time with the kids.

I hope everyone had a good week!

Shanghai REN Building

The REN building in Shanghai. Certainly spectacular - just like the Bird's Nest Stadium for the upcoming Olympics in Beijing .

The REN Building is a proposal for a hotel, sports and conference center for the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai . The building is conceived as two buildings merging into one.

The first building, emerging from the water, is devoted to the activities of the body, and houses the sports and water culture center. The building becomes the Chinese sign for 'The People', and a recognizable landmark for the World Expo in China.

The second building emerging from land, is devoted to the spirit and enlightment, and houses the conference center and meeting facilities. The two buildings meet in a 1000 room hotel, a building for living.

This building is going to be a real wonder, even more iconic than Shanghai's Pearl Tower or Grand Hyatt.

China was going through a string of bad luck recently. Being the host of the 2008 Olympics, it was thought this year was the year to shine but it proved otherwise. As Beijing Olympics is starting next month, already there are some stories of controversies, such as whether political leaders should boycott the opening ceremonies and athletes failing drug tests. Only time will tell whether China will pass this very delicate test.

Children died after forgetful fathers left them in cars

This piece of tragic news just makes me so sad. The wrongful death of these toddlers could have been avoided with better attention to the safety of the children. I bet these folks will never forget or forgive themselves. A car can heat up quickly even when it's relatively mild outside. Obviously, the simple act of leaving a child in a hot car can end an innocent life.

My children are the most important things in my life. I feel terrible for those people that forget, but I just can't imagine it. How can they not be aware of a life living and breathing in a car seat behind them? If that ever happened to me, I seriously would kill myself, because I wouldn't be able to live with that. I think this is the first time I've ever said that.

Adults should be considered capable of knowing and remembering basic and important things like these. They should be charged when their children die this way: it's negligence. There's no excuse for that kind of negligence. Any stranger can see a child in the car and find a way to get in that car and drive away with the child.

If you really love your kids and want what's best for them....Bring them in with you or don't bring them at all! I always make it a point to “look before I leave” routine whenever I get out of the car, every time. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR LEAVING A CHILD IN A CAR FOR ANY REASON!

Source: Times Online

Mind Your Language

An Arab was interviewed at the US Embassy for a U.S.A. Visa.

Consul : What is your name?

Arab: Abdul Aziz

Consul: Sex?

Arab : Six to ten times a week

Consul: I mean, male or female?

Arab : both male and female and sometimes even camels

Consul: Holy cow!

Arab : Yes, cows and dogs too!!!!

Consul: Man,........isn't it hostile?

Arab :Horse style, dog style, any style

Consul: Oh..........dear!

Arab : Deer? No deer, they run too fast!

An attempted snatch theft

It's not my usual practice to carry handbags these days as I live in a place with a high crime index rate of snatch thieves. Sadly, there have been a few serious injuries to the victims, fell into a coma, some of which led to death. All these happenings make us women feel so unsafe. No thanks to the increasing number of snatch thieves who have imprisoned our freedom. These thugs will strike when the opportunity arises. As fuel prices soar, the crime is even more tempting for thieves to rob.

I was on my way to work this morning when I witnessed an attempted snatch theft. The fast motorbike whizzed pass, coming out from nowhere, attempted to grab the handbag of a lady by the sidewalk. The lady screamed her lungs out and the suspects fled without obtaining anything as her handbag strap got twisted off its hinge and most of her belongings got thrown onto the ground. Thank goodness she wasn't hurt seriously in the process... just fell on the ground.....I couldn't dash out from my car as it was inconvenient to leave my kids behind at that moment. Hopefully that she will get over the trauma quickly.

As a word of advice to you guys and gals out there, be careful and always be alert of your surroundings. Always take notice of any motorcycles or people talking behind you. Don't keep important documents in your handbag and always walk against the traffic. Most guys and some girls will place their wallets in the back pocket of their jeans or shorts making them an easy target for pick pockets; so change your habit and place wallets in the front pockets or perhaps buy a bum bag.

The good old days are gone. I wish the police would patrol these crime prone areas often instead of issuing summons to motorists for parking offences or not wearing seatbelts. Fighting crime should be our country’s main priority and it still should.

Breast Feeding Protest

Breastfeeding seems to be the most natural, beautiful exchange between mother and child I could ever imagine. After all, God created the breasts just for this purpose.

I came across this news article on breast feeding protest that caught my attention. Now, here's my opinion: it depends on the place as well as the person involved. I have no objection to women breast-feeding their babies in a public place, more power to them, not weird at all, but how it's being done is also a factor. The mothers just need to be discreet and not expose their breasts. I breast fed all my three children, my last until she was six months old. There are moments when it can be inconvenient as it is a private intimate thing to do and I don't want it to be done in public unless a last resort.

Sometimes the baby will choke and you have to overcome with that first and not the spray of milk from your exposed breast, I definitely don't want to see that happen .........but don't get me wrong! I am not anti breast feeding! It's a truly beautiful thing symbolizing the perfect bond between mom and child. I'm just pretty shy about exposing myself and I'm not good at nursing in such a way that you couldn't tell what was going on. So it's either in the car or restroom for me and my kiddo. It's just that there is a time and place for everything.

I understand that many people are extremely uncomfortable with women breastfeeding in public as well. Seeing women breast feed their child in public “freaks” out some people.

Maddie Reynolds, with daughter Sophie, was asked to leave for breastfeeding

Mum power: The friends from ante-natal class converge on McDonald's for the feed-in. Maddie Reynolds is fourth from the left

DVD review: Lust, Caution

Last night, I finally saw a DVD of Lust, Caution, the Ang Lee thriller set in Japanese occupied Shanghai during World War II. It was one of those character-driven movies all about romance, betrayal, loneliness, loyalty and patriotism. Initially the film was rather slow-moving, but as it progressed I became more interested but ultimately not an amazing film.

The story, if you're unfamiliar with it, follows a university student who is convinced by her thespian classmates to play the role of an upper-class woman in order to seduce a Chinese official collaborating with the Japanese occupation and lure him into an assassination. The initial plot fails, but after several years, she encounters one of those students--this time officially working with the resistance--who recruits her for the same plot.

You probably should be warned about the sex scenes — they are intense and graphic. Most of them have been censored from most distributions. Ang Lee’s previous movie, Brokeback Mountain, gained attention due to the nature of its sex- the movie portrayed a tragic affair between two gay men (in case you’ve been living on a desert island and didn’t know). Lust, Caution gained publicity for the sheer intensity of its sexual acts. Anyway, it was quite shocking, and I didn't think I'd be shocked since I'm married and all.

Most men will ooh and ahh over Tang Wei (the lead actress). She is truly amazing here. The reaction of the woman who is raped and tortured, and cannot flee because of her commitments is breathtaking - she hates it and yet she is consumed by it.

Lust, Caution is not a film for everyone. The problem is that at 2 hours and 38 minutes, it’s way too long for the underlying story. I didn’t totally love this movie, and I would say it’s not the kind of thing a lot of people are going to like, but it is worth seeing if you like movies from this period. It received an NC-17 rating for the sexual content, so if that sort of thing bothers you, stay away.

Capturing the Precious moments

It’s not easy being a working mother. Some women are good at it, some don’t have an option, some choose a middle path and some don’t even try it. There is the pressure to be competent and efficient on the job as well as at home as a mother and a wife.

My husband often says, I always spoiled my kids. Perhaps, I often succumb to my kids' demands very easily because I feel bad for not having enough time to spend with my children due to my hectic schedule.

I really would like to budget my time and if possible be able to balance everything. I hope to get the best of both worlds, and have more money to play with (or maybe just pay bills LOL), which is one thing that would come in handy for me, I like to shop. I’m not a workaholic but I love having my own income and not having to depend on my husband’s money. Not only that, the cost of living is mounting high nowadays, and even though my husband has a great job, it doesn’t pay enough to cover all the bills and mortgage. Working, having kids, all of it.. keeps me preoccupied!! Still manageable though! Despite having to juggle my busy lifestyle as a wife and mother, I'm still having a great time.

Thank goodness! I don't work on weekends because that's the only period I get to spend time playing with my kids. Infact, it is easy to get infected with their happy smiles. While there are moments that kids get upset, you find that you can learn a thing or two from them about forgetting their anger just as quickly.

Finding My new banner

I’ve been trying to figure out what kind of banner I want to use as the header for this blog. Since I didn’t like the picture banner that was included in the theme, I opted to upload a new picture for the banner.

And in case you were wondering, I came across the tips for new Bloggers template in Sweet Jasmine 's blog. The templates embody many useful features. For many new bloggers who are unfamiliar with coding, I hope you'll find these cool features handy which will give you better control over the various elements for your blog. I'm totally paronoid when it comes to embedding the html codes. If you’re not the tech-savvy type, you may find this tutorial rather useful as the instructions are easy to understand. All you need to do is to follow exactly the instructions provided. Even for those who are tech-savvy, it serves as a handy reference especially with its well-organised layout.

Hopefully with a good measure of patience you can make a smooth transition to the new Blogger system.

My Spaghetti Bolognese

If you’re like me, it's either you don’t have the time to cook daily or you don’t want to take the time to cook at all. I've to confess that I prefer to eat rather than cook but cooking is one thing and cleaning up is another! :-) However you’ll have to take the time to do your cooking at some point, so when is the best time to do it?

Normally I do my cooking for the week on Saturday and Sunday. Since I learned how to cook 13 years ago, I’ve also learned how to polish my cooking techniques.

My kids simply love spaghetti. It also happens to be the most favorite pasta dish in my household. My hubby will eat whatever I cook though and it is such a great sense of accomplishment whenever my hubby compliments my cooking.

Spaghetti Bolognese

I didn't follow any book recipes for this spaghetti. I've been experimenting a couple of times cooking my own style of spaghetti with various sauces and so far my favourite is Bolognese sauce, my family's all time favorite. You know, sometimes, when you come across so many recipes that you don't even know which is which anymore. Anyway, I would not recommend it when preparing for a crowd, but for a small lunch for three or four, it seems no big deal.

This is my version of spaghetti bolognese (serves 3-5)

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• About 200g of mince meat/chicken/beef
• 1 small onion (diced)
• 2 small cloves of garlic
• Spaghetti- 3/4 portions, cooked according to instructions on the packet. Coat with a little bit of olive oil.
• handful of herbs- basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano, whatever goes
  chicken stock or water
• Parmesan cheese- to sprinkle on top
• 3 tablespoons of black pepper sauce
• 5 tablespoons of Pasta sauce (Prego brand)
  1 capsicum (diced)(optional)
• salt and sugar to taste

Methods (cooking the sauce):

heat the olive oil in a pan, saute garlic and onions until light brown.
add in the mince meat- cook for 5 minutes
add the mushrooms - cook for 1-2 minutes
mix in the pasta and black pepper sauce
add a little bit of chicken soup or water
add in the capcicums
let cook for another 5 minutes, medium heat fire
salt and sugar to taste

cooking the pasta:

boil water
add 2 tbs of salt and 2 tbs of oil
put in the pasta
cook for 5 minutes in medium heat fire
drain the pasta under the cool water
mix olive oil to avoid sticking up

serving suggestion: sprinkle with loads of parmesan cheese. garnish with handful of herbs.

Enjoy!

Beating Traffic Lights

With many years on the road of Malaysia, the worse ever are motorcycle riders. I hate inconsiderate motorcyclists. I’ve met such reckless bikers on the road , so I try my best to be careful and stay away from them…Yesterday on the way home from office, I stumbled upon this idiotic motorcyclist who beat the red lights. I know such news are neither new nor uncommon. Infact, I've seen this happened countless times.

At times, it's pretty frustrating to watch them squeeze through you at traffic lights, sometimes scraping your car, hitting your side mirrors without even bothering to stop. Those bunch of idiotic bikers beat those red lights as if they own the roads. I just couldn't care less if they kill themselves but they endanger the other innocents around them too, that's what I despise the most.

I thought to myself perhaps many of these frequent traffic offenders do not even have valid road taxes and number plates on their vehicles. For all you know, they could even be criminals. Having said that, they really have no regards for law and order and not to mention, without mercy.

I always require seatbelts for my passengers. And even if you are the most careful driver on the planet, there are really some idiot drivers who couldn't care less otherwise. They will ride their bikes at full speed and zig zagging in and out of traffic!

So is this a new trend or just the attitude of Malaysian bikers? Oh well, we shall see in a couple of years time. I believe everyone has their own encounter. A word of caution: Beware of those lunatics who do not give a damn about other people lives.

How men choose their wives?

Choosing a wife

A man wanted to get married. He was having trouble choosing among three likely candidates. He gives each woman a present of $5,000 and watches to see what they do with the money.
The first does a total makeover. She goes to a fancy beauty salon, gets her hair done, new makeup; buys several new outfits and dresses up very nicely for the man. She tells him that she has done this to be more attractive for him because she loves him so much.

The man was impressed.

The second goes shopping to buy the man gifts. She gets him a new set of golf clubs, some new gizmos for his computer, and some expensive clothes. As she presents these gifts, she tells him that she has spent all the money on him because she loves him so much.

Again, the man is impressed.

The third invests the money in the stock market. She earns several times the $5,000. She gives him back his $5,000 and reinvests the remainder in a joint account. She tells him that she wants to save for their future because she loves him so much.

Obviously, the man was impressed.

The man thought for a long time about what each woman had done with the money he'd given her.

Then........
he married the one with the biggest boobs.

Men are like that, you know.

You'll Never Walk Alone

MALAYSIA MEGA SALE CARNIVAL 2008

July 5th to Sept 1st 2008

This is the moment that everyone has been waiting for. The Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival commenced 5 days ago and there are tempting items on sale with big discounts. But it is still not too late to get your bargains. The local and foreign bargain hunters are flocking to shopping malls in thousands. This is a good opportunity for laying hands on some good bargains, whether it is house/home wares, furnishing, fashion or travel.!.

When it comes to grocery shopping, I prefer going to the stores alone. It's not that I'm not enjoying my children's company. Without my kids, I can get in and out of the stores faster, not having to answer a million and one questions about everything. I can focus on what I'm buying, look for better deals as well as enjoying the elevator music they play. I'm still trying to make it a point to make one big trip every weekend and get enough to get us through the week. The more times you go to the store, the more chances for impulse buys, more chances to waste money. Saves on petrol too. :)

On the other hand, I wonder whether this year's carnival will receive a good feedback since most people are now very prudent when it comes to spending as cash in hand is crucial now. The cost of living is skyrocketing almost daily. In the midst of such economy downturn, people are now taking advantage of low, ridiculously low prices. Sigh!!! If only petrol has similiar mega sales, mega discounts.....I think all motorists will be jamming every nook and corner of the petrol stations.

The best deal is spend wisely and keep your eyes peeled for value items. Happy Shopping!

George Town, Malacca has achieved the World Heritage Site Status

George Town and Bandar Melaka are now UNESCO's World Heritage Site. This is simply awesome! Something for Malaysians to be proud of...... Now that George Town and Malacca are listed as World Heritage Sites, the citizens can look forward to seeing more tourists. With the listing, the two cities join other World Heritage Sites in Malaysia that include the Mulu Caves and Kinabalu National Park.

As a Penangite, I’m proud of this new status of my city. Penang has plenty of good things to offer. It is also well known for being the "food paradise of Malaysia." Nevertheless, there are still plenty of work to be done. The inner city needs renewal badly to bring Penang to a greater shine for foreigners. I hope there are enough local experts to lend their expertise. George Town has been recognised for its largest concentration of pre-World War II buildings in South East Asia and multi-ethnic living heritage. There is a large potential market for heritage and cultural tourism.

It’s time for us, or particularly to the government, to have a comprehensive plan on how to fully utilize this competitive advantage to benefit the people. Otherwise, Unesco will strip George town off the heritage city status. Meanwhile, the state would hold a three day celebration from July 25th to celebrate George Town's success in getting the heritage site listing.

Source: The Star & UNESCO

* Top Tourist Sites In Malaysia *

Mariah Carey's marriage on the rocks?

Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon's marriage is reportedly on the rocks. Oh, I am so not surprised of the news, are you? Mariah Carey has been accused of controlling new husband Nick Cannon. The US pop diva’s marriage is under strain already because of her “diva-ish ways”, it has been claimed. Now that we know it’s real, we are just counting the days until it’s over.

Source: News of the World

Watermelon Is Nature's Viagra

Water melons may have the solution for those men who fail to rise to the occasion in the bedroom, with scientists discovering that a slice of watermelon has effects similar to the impotence drug Viagra. Very interesting indeed, who needs Viagra if you have a watermelon? Well guys, better stock up on your watermelon if you want to increase libido and continue to satisfy your woman well into your old age.

I expect to see a mad rush coming on watermelons and perhaps a world wide watermelon shortage. Besides, I have a feeling that watermelon sales would see a boost across globe after this revelation. I'm afraid this is NOT a piece of good news for the Viagra company. Their profits may sink and watermelons could soon force Viagra out of the market.

On a healthy note.....take more watermelons ya !! ...It’s a great way to relax blood vessels without any drug side effects, not just for the better sex, of course. :)

source

In the meantime, here's wishing Happy 4th July to U.S.A.

Red dragon fruit

The fruit is call red dragon fruit or red pitaya because the skin looks like the scales of a dragon.

Dragon fruit has distinctive red orange leaves that look like flames. It is a great healthy fruit to eat, not to mention its nutritional benefits are numerous. Dragon fruits are rich in fiber and minerals, notably phosphorus and calcium.

The dragon fruit, also known as a strawberry pear is actually the fruit of a cactus. It originated in South America, but is now cultivated widely across both Americas, Australia and is Vietnam's biggest export. Its presence in Malaysia is a rather recent event. However now this unique fruit is popularly grown throughout the country.

I was actually frightened to eat the maroon type when I first saw it. But I love it now. Really sweet and juicy. I remembered vividly the first time I saw this a couple years back, I was utterly confused at how I was supposed to attack this odd animal of a fruit. I have never tasted one before so didn't have a clue what to expect. Peeling it was impossible, as the skin was spongy and extremely thick. Biting straight into it definitely wasn't an option.

Ultimately, I took a knife and cut the fruit into half. The skin just peeled easily from the side.
You can scoop it with a spoon or cut the fruit into small bite pieces. The numerous small, black seeds are edible and crunchy, so don't bother spitting it out. It’s a lot sweeter than a kiwi though.

this is what it looks like when you cut it in half

It's a great way to combat constipation too. I eat dragon fruits very often here. They are quite costly though.

It is delicious, you should try one, its full of natural-goodness. I like the crunchiness when I bit on the sesame-like black coloured seeds.

the juicy pulp is maroon with countless small edible seeds

eBay $ued over faked goods

eBay, the world's online auctioneer has been ordered to pay a solid 40 million Euro / $63 million for not being able to stop auctions selling counterfeit goods. The lawsuit against eBay was brought on by the LVMH(Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessey) group, which includes big names like Louis Vuitton, Givenchy and Christian Dior, and it saw the website accused of not doing its best to keep people from selling fake designer bags and perfumes. Tiffany & Company in the United States has also sued eBay, but the case is pending.

THANK GOODNESS.. I never buy goods on ebay cause of the fact.. of people being able to sell fake goods. It's not fair.. how some people get screwed. eBay can be a nasty place for the unwary and I don't think it's going to get any better. If it is true that 90% of the Louis Vuitton bags and Dior perfumes on eBay are fakes, shutting down the trade in these items on eBay may be reasonable. Perhaps this is the price eBay has to pay for not taking any real precautions. Let’s hope that eBay learned a lesson from this and will take bigger steps to prevent fakes being sold on the site.

Critics and trademark holders are looking more for a way to guarantee authenticity and possibly including series and/or serial numbers of the items for sale.

Whoa!! Ladies check your bags and now that I’m thinking about it, men check your wallets too…

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