Ramadan Month

To my fellow Malaysians and those who are observing the Ramadan month (where the muslims fast from dawn to the evening daily for the next 29 days), Selamat Berpuasa!
Tags: Ramadan, Puasa, Selamat Berpuasa

Morning Earthquake Again!!!!!

When will it stop? I'm off from work today and thought I could have a good rest. Just as I was reading the newspaper at around 7.45am, I felt the paper moving. I quickly took a look at my wind chime hanging nearby and trueeeeeeeeeeeeeee enough again..... it was swaying.

As I walked towards my mom's room, I also noticed a mirror hanging along the corridor was swaying as well. Got my mom to wake up and we ran downstairs, with all the neighbours too...hehehe.

What a way to start your morning. Stayed downstairs for a while, chit chat with neighbours (not on the earthquake) and went back up after 20 minutes.

I did tell my family to get themselves prepared for those aftershocks since it was a strong earthquake in Indonesia yesterday evening. So, I did place my wallet, watch, car key, mobile and house keys in one spot. It was a fast grab just now. Immediate evacuation.

Now, some friends did ask us before. Why do we need to run down knowing it was usually caused by Indonesian earthquakes and not due to earth movement on our piece of land. Well, to me it's safer and I won't take it for granted. It's only inconvenience but at least I'm sure that we are safe. One thing I can say - I have 'earthquake' experiences many times now.

Came online to confirm whether it was an Indonesian earthquake again and bingo! another one hit Sumatera this morning at a Richter Scale of 7.7. Not long after that, I received a SMS message from my colleague that they have evacuated the office building too.

Well, at least I'm better off than my Indonesian counterparts who had been experiencing frequest earthquakes. Pity them. Can feel for them.
Tags: Earthquake, Sumatera, Indonesia, Richter Scale

Quake in Sumatera Affected Kuala Lumpur

Thinking back in year 2004, on the morning of 26 December, the quake at Sumatera's west side ocean deep caused a shocking tsunami that almost no one has heard or seen before. That morning, my family and with all neighbours on my 3rd floor condominium (other floors too) ran down the emergency staircase. Why?

The condo shook vehemently that time and it was quite chaotic (will describe more of this in another blog posting).

Today, as I drove into my condo area and was approaching my car park spot, I noticed many people were standing at the car park areas. The thought of earthquake came to my mind. True enough.

Not long after that, a close friend called me (knowing my area is earthquake prone too) asked whether I felt anything. I told him I came home late. He has checked the internet and confirmed an earthquake with a richter scale of 8.2 has strucked at southwest of Sumatera. A tsunami alert has been issued to a number of countries but a 9 feet tsunami has hit Padang city on the west coast of Sumatera. Hopefully the Indonesians over there are safe.

Feeling everything was ok, I went to the gym for my workout and read about the earthquake.
Tags: Earthquake, Tsumani, Richter Scale, Sumatera, Padang, Indonesia

Iraqi Bloggers

The country of Iraq has gone through a lot of trials of late especially their citizens. I'm sure most of them wanted a peaceful time with their own family members or friends or having the time to read what's going on around the world online.

There are a few Iraqis who were able to access internet and took the opportunity to blog as well. When you have the time, you could view their blogs and give them some moral support.

Neurotic Iraqi Wife is an Iraqi-British woman living and working in the Green Zone.

Nabil is 19. He left Baghdad and arrived in Jordan last month.

Sunshine is a 15-year-old girl in Mosul, northern Iraq.

Aunt Najma is also in Mosul. She is 19 and has sailed through her first year university exams. She describes the family holiday to Syria.

Mohammed is a 25-year-old dentist in Baghdad. His attempt at a summer holiday was less successful; he and his wife were denied entry to Jordan. He describes their 24 hours in Amman's Queen Alia International Airport.

Twentyfourstepstoliberty is a young Iraqi man studying journalism in Berkeley, California.

Riverbend is one of Iraq's best known bloggers writing in English. She is Sunni and lives in Baghdad. She explains her opposition to the wall being built around the Sunni district of Adhamiya - and her family's decision finally to leave Iraq.

Iraq the Model is written by brothers in Baghdad, who support the American military presence in Iraq. Here, they despair of the political manoeuvring by Democrats in Congress to pull the troops out.

Where the Date Palms Grow is an Iraqi man in his 30s who moved to Britain in February 2007.

Healing Iraq, is a 27 year old Iraqi dentist from Baghdad, who is now studying journalism in New York.

Marshmallow26 is an Iraqi woman living "in one of the Iraqi cities".

Sooni is an IT programmer blogging from Baghdad.

Chikitita is a 27 year old woman living in Baghdad.

Iraqi Rocker, or "Meemo" is a 19 year old man living in Baghdad.
Tags: Iraq, Iraqi, Iraqi Bloggers, Baghdad, Mosul, Green Zone, Sunni

Tiger Woods Nike Driver

At dawn the telephone rings:
"Hello, Senor Rod? This is Ernesto the caretaker at your country house."
"Ah yes, Ernesto. What can I do for you? Is there a problem?"
"Um, I am just calling to advise you, Senor Rod, that your dog died.
"My dog? Dead? The one that won the International competition?"
"Si, Senor, that's the one."
"Damn! That's a pity! I spent a small fortune on that dog. What did he die from?"
"From eating rotten meat, Senor Rod"
"Rotten meat? Who the hell fed him rotten meat?"
"Nobody, Senor. He ate the meat of the dead horse."
"Dead horse? What dead horse?"
"The thoroughbred, Senor Rod."
"My prize thoroughbred is dead?"
"Yes Senor Rod, he died from all that work pulling the water cart."
"Are you insane? What water cart?"
"The one we used to put out the fire, Senor"
"Good Lord! What fire are you talking about, man?"
"The one at your house, Senor! A candle fell and the curtains caught on fire"
"What the hell??.... Are you saying that my mansion is destroyed because of a candle??!!!
"Yes Senor Rod."
"But there's electricity at the house!!!
"What was the candle for?"
"For the funeral, Senor Rod."
"WHAT BLOODY FUNERAL?!"
"Your wife's, Senor Rod... She showed up one night out of the blue and I thought she was a thief, so I hit her with your new Tiger Woods Nike Driver."
SILENCE........ LONG SILENCE...............
"Ernesto, if you broke that driver, you're in deep shit!
Tags: Tragedy, Tiger Woods Nike Driver, Thoroughbred, Rotten Meat

Ethiopia Celebrates the New Millenium

I thought it was bad enough in Sudan but somehow, Ethiopia beat them to it. Really backwards. Why? So, how do you expect them to think forward when their timing is out all the way. One of my colleague even quoted this "do they actually have a calender?".

Ethiopia is only celebrating the new millenium, Year 2000, today in their country. Main reason stated - owing to the use of the Coptic Orthodox Church calender. As they didn't celebrate the millenium 7 years ago, they are going to do it in great style today. The calculation in that calender is very confusing. Try reading it yourself here.

Out of respect, African leaders are attending the function. I wonder how will they greet/wish the Ethiopian leaders. Will you say "Happy Millenium" knowingly it's absurd?

As always the case, there will be some opposition to the government's plans. Some claimed that the money being used for the celebration should have been used wisely in developing better facilities or eradicate poverty. Can they beat Malaysia's estimated expenses of RM100.0 million (US$28.6 million) for the recent 50th Independence Day's celebration?
Tags: Ethiopia, Africa, New Millenium, Coptic Orthodox Church

Ninjas Caused Chaos in Congo

Just when the issue of a Ninja causing chaos at a Shaolin Temple has calmed down, another group of Ninjas has caused chaos in Brazzaville, capital city of Congo.

This group of Ninjas has even formed a political party in Congo.

But the leader, Pasteur Ntumi, was not a former Ninja martial arts exponent but a Congo rebel instead. They somehow chose the word "Ninja" to represent their group.

Pasteur Ntumi was supposed to take up the position of a Junior Minister responsible for Peace and Disarmament in the Congo government but unforeseen circumstances caused a detour for his trip. Pasteur Ntumi wanted to ride into the city with 300 of his bodyguards where initially only 30 of them were allowed. The citizens are now worried that Pasteur Ntumi may force himself into he city.
Tags: Congo, Brazzaville, Africa, Ninjas, Pasteur Ntumi, Rebel