The test results came back from the lab. Still not good. I tried three types of drugs to lower the cholesterol level but to no avail. Instead they all gave me other problems that never existed before.
The HDL is 0.94 (should be >1.0). The LDL is 3.77(should be <2.58). The triglyceride is 2.16(should be <1.68). The Total Cholesterol / HDL ratio is 6.1(should be <5.0).
The reading for the platelets is lower than 150(should be between 150-450).
"So, what next doc?" I asked my doctor. He said I am one of the very few who do not respond to the standard drugs(mostly statin group) prescribed for lowering cholesterol levels. I am also affected by the side effects. For the moment, no more drugs for me. He advised me to try green tea. They are reputed to contain a high concentration of polyphenols that act as powerful antioxidants. Polyphenols will then help in neutralizing the free radicals that are freely causing damage inside my body.
As of today, I am now a tea drinker(three cups a day). I used to drink a lot of iced coffee, milo and nescafe. Now for health reasons, green tea it is. The occasional beer at the karaoke is still on though. He didn't say anything about that. heh heh ...
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Friday, September 15, 2006
Medical Lingo
When you are over 50, you tend to pay more visits to your doctor, test your blood more often and learn more medical terms than you care to know about. You may have heard of these medical terms somewhere along the line but they didn't mean anything at that time. When you move to the other half of the century, things are different now. You get real personal with these terms and you try your best to understand them so that you can come to terms to what is happening and take remedial measures for your own well being. Some of the medical terms that have cropped up lately in my life are as below:
1. Prostate Specific Antigen - A protein produced by the cells of the prostate that can be elevated in patients suffering from prostate cancer, abbreviated PSA. To check if one has prostate cancer, a PSA test needs to be carried out. (A test on blood sample).
2. Testosterone - Testosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group. Testosterone is primarily secreted in the testes of males and the ovaries of females although small amounts are secreted by the adrenal glands. In both males and females, it plays key roles in health and well-being.
3. Thrombocytopenia - Thrombocytopenia is the term for a reduced platelet (thrombocyte) count. It occurs when platelets are lost from the circulation faster than they can be replaced from the bone marrow where they are made. Can be caused by statin drugs taken to lower cholesterol levels.
4. Cholesterol - High-density lipoproteins (HDL) are small, dense molecules responsible for transporting cholesterol to the liver. This type of cholesterol is actually good for your body because it helps remove cholesterol from the arteries and protects against dangerous blockages (plaques) in the arteries.
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) carries the majority of cholesterol through the bloodstream and delivers it to the cells of the body. These LDL-cholesterol molecules are larger, less dense, and less stable than HDL, and readily oxidize and deposit plaques on arterial walls. Therefore, LDL cholesterol is known as the "bad" cholesterol because it is more likely to clog arteries and lead to heart disease.
5. Cervical Spondylosis - Degenerative disease of the neck vertebrae. Compression of the spinal cord and cervical nerves by narrowing of spaces between vertebrae causes radiating neck or arm pain and stiffness, restricted head movement, headaches, spastic paralysis, and arm and leg weakness. Cervical spondylosis can resemble neurological disease with unrelated arthritis. It is treated with rest, traction, and possibly a cervical collar. Removal of herniated disks or fusion of vertebrae may be necessary.
6. Haematology - the branch of medicine that deals with diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs.
7. Endocrinology - The study of the glands and hormones of the body and their related disorders.
8. Hypothyrodism - Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the body lacks sufficient thyroid hormone. Since the main purpose of thyroid hormone is to "run the body's metabolism", it is understandable that people with this condition will have symptoms associated with a slow metabolism.
9. Osteophytosis - Outgrowth of immature bony processes from the vertebrae, reflecting the presence of degenerative disease and calcification. It includes cervical and lumbar spondylosis.
Hope there are no more medical terms coming my way. Good health and old age is acceptable.
1. Prostate Specific Antigen - A protein produced by the cells of the prostate that can be elevated in patients suffering from prostate cancer, abbreviated PSA. To check if one has prostate cancer, a PSA test needs to be carried out. (A test on blood sample).
2. Testosterone - Testosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group. Testosterone is primarily secreted in the testes of males and the ovaries of females although small amounts are secreted by the adrenal glands. In both males and females, it plays key roles in health and well-being.
3. Thrombocytopenia - Thrombocytopenia is the term for a reduced platelet (thrombocyte) count. It occurs when platelets are lost from the circulation faster than they can be replaced from the bone marrow where they are made. Can be caused by statin drugs taken to lower cholesterol levels.
4. Cholesterol - High-density lipoproteins (HDL) are small, dense molecules responsible for transporting cholesterol to the liver. This type of cholesterol is actually good for your body because it helps remove cholesterol from the arteries and protects against dangerous blockages (plaques) in the arteries.
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) carries the majority of cholesterol through the bloodstream and delivers it to the cells of the body. These LDL-cholesterol molecules are larger, less dense, and less stable than HDL, and readily oxidize and deposit plaques on arterial walls. Therefore, LDL cholesterol is known as the "bad" cholesterol because it is more likely to clog arteries and lead to heart disease.
5. Cervical Spondylosis - Degenerative disease of the neck vertebrae. Compression of the spinal cord and cervical nerves by narrowing of spaces between vertebrae causes radiating neck or arm pain and stiffness, restricted head movement, headaches, spastic paralysis, and arm and leg weakness. Cervical spondylosis can resemble neurological disease with unrelated arthritis. It is treated with rest, traction, and possibly a cervical collar. Removal of herniated disks or fusion of vertebrae may be necessary.
6. Haematology - the branch of medicine that deals with diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs.
7. Endocrinology - The study of the glands and hormones of the body and their related disorders.
8. Hypothyrodism - Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the body lacks sufficient thyroid hormone. Since the main purpose of thyroid hormone is to "run the body's metabolism", it is understandable that people with this condition will have symptoms associated with a slow metabolism.
9. Osteophytosis - Outgrowth of immature bony processes from the vertebrae, reflecting the presence of degenerative disease and calcification. It includes cervical and lumbar spondylosis.
Hope there are no more medical terms coming my way. Good health and old age is acceptable.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Tennis, Tennis, Tennis
While the US Open was going on in Flushing Meadows, we were having our own tennis tournament here in my home state, Kedah, Malaysia. The Kedah Closed Tennis Tournament was held from the 7th till the 9th of September at the Northern University of Malaysia tennis courts. The university is situated in Sintok, a town near the Malaysian/Thailand border. The participants ranged from the Under 12 group to the over 50 group.
It was a trying time for the parents who drove their children to this remote part of Kedah so that their children could take part in the tournament. Many of the participants had to wait until nightfall to show their talents on the court. Below are some photos taken at this event.
Driving to the university early in the morning.
Players in action.
At the end of the day there will be one! My son the Under18 champ.
It was a trying time for the parents who drove their children to this remote part of Kedah so that their children could take part in the tournament. Many of the participants had to wait until nightfall to show their talents on the court. Below are some photos taken at this event.
Driving to the university early in the morning.
Players in action.
At the end of the day there will be one! My son the Under18 champ.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Travelling Bees
Had a small fright at the tennis courts today. Here we were enjoying our game of tennis, almost like these two in the pic below.
I was taking a rest while my wife played on with her friend. It was a cloudy day and I was wary of the rain clouds looming above us. Suddenly I saw little drops on the ground and immediately I grabbed the tennis bag and wanted to head for cover in the pavilion. My friend from the next court shouted to me saying, "Bees! Bees!". I looked around but never thought of looking up. My wife suddenly screemed and said look up.
There were so many of them, it was a sea of blackness. We all started running to the next court but it looked like they were following us. We ran again to the 3rd court and still it looked like we were being followed. By this time we decided to run to the right - to the adjacent court. Suddenly they were not following us anymore. Actually, they were migrating and we were running along their path. Fortunately nobody got stung. Those little droplets were actually drops of honey. There was a strong smell of honey in the air after the bees had left.
The court attendant told us these type of honey bees won't attack if you don't disturb them. Yeah right! So we said goodbye to the bees and continued the wonderful game of tennis. There were one or two bees that got lost, so we gave them the plan to their home.
I was taking a rest while my wife played on with her friend. It was a cloudy day and I was wary of the rain clouds looming above us. Suddenly I saw little drops on the ground and immediately I grabbed the tennis bag and wanted to head for cover in the pavilion. My friend from the next court shouted to me saying, "Bees! Bees!". I looked around but never thought of looking up. My wife suddenly screemed and said look up.
There were so many of them, it was a sea of blackness. We all started running to the next court but it looked like they were following us. We ran again to the 3rd court and still it looked like we were being followed. By this time we decided to run to the right - to the adjacent court. Suddenly they were not following us anymore. Actually, they were migrating and we were running along their path. Fortunately nobody got stung. Those little droplets were actually drops of honey. There was a strong smell of honey in the air after the bees had left.
The court attendant told us these type of honey bees won't attack if you don't disturb them. Yeah right! So we said goodbye to the bees and continued the wonderful game of tennis. There were one or two bees that got lost, so we gave them the plan to their home.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Time Travel
Remember that guy who wrote the science fiction novel, The Time Machine - Herbert George Wells? Well his sci-fi came to my mind the other day when I was caught in a traffic jam. I thought, how wonderful if somehow I just tripped over that machine on one of my forays into the suburban 'jungle'. Then, whenever I got caught in a traffic jam, I could just adjust the dials to an earlier time when there would be no one on that road, cross the problem area with ease right up to the target destination and then turn the dials and come back to the present time!
As I pondered further, I began to worry if there might be somebody at that exact spot in time which I had targeted. Would I be able to miss that person or would my action cause an accident which could cause an irriversible tragedy and upset the course of history forever! I might accidentally eliminate a future Olympic gold medalist for this country and everyone would hate me. That was such a frightening thought.
So I decided that should I get hold of such a contraption, I would go to a deserted place to try it. I would go backwards in time as this would be to my advantage as I would be the smarter person if I came across someone from 'ulu' days. But then I thought, if I went back too far and to a time when there was not much development, there might not be anybody to show off my 21st century knowledge to. What then? And this H G Wells fellow did not think about safety features for his machine. It is open to marauding creatures of the jungle. What if it was still a jungle and the wild animals would be looking for their next meal! I would be a sitting duck inside that machine. It would not have been built like a Humvee or a sherman tank. This isn't working for me.
Another nagging thought was if I went back in time, will I be growing younger and younger until I reach the point of my conception and then 'poof'- I am gone! This is too much for me. H G Wells can have his time machine back. If I ever trip over it, I will cart it to the 'botoi shop' and sell it for scrap. At least I will get some money from that encounter. heh heh ..
As I pondered further, I began to worry if there might be somebody at that exact spot in time which I had targeted. Would I be able to miss that person or would my action cause an accident which could cause an irriversible tragedy and upset the course of history forever! I might accidentally eliminate a future Olympic gold medalist for this country and everyone would hate me. That was such a frightening thought.
So I decided that should I get hold of such a contraption, I would go to a deserted place to try it. I would go backwards in time as this would be to my advantage as I would be the smarter person if I came across someone from 'ulu' days. But then I thought, if I went back too far and to a time when there was not much development, there might not be anybody to show off my 21st century knowledge to. What then? And this H G Wells fellow did not think about safety features for his machine. It is open to marauding creatures of the jungle. What if it was still a jungle and the wild animals would be looking for their next meal! I would be a sitting duck inside that machine. It would not have been built like a Humvee or a sherman tank. This isn't working for me.
Another nagging thought was if I went back in time, will I be growing younger and younger until I reach the point of my conception and then 'poof'- I am gone! This is too much for me. H G Wells can have his time machine back. If I ever trip over it, I will cart it to the 'botoi shop' and sell it for scrap. At least I will get some money from that encounter. heh heh ..
Monday, August 14, 2006
Indian Delicacies
When I say Indian, I don't mean the whole of India but only to the southern part specifically, Tamil Nadu. I was not born there but my father was. I have vivid memories of that place as it was such a long time ago when he took me there.
Being married to a Chinese I have lost touch with the Indian food. I remember my mother used to cook a type of curry from a leafy vegetable. It is called 'keerae kari' and with just that curry I could finish two plates of rice. Of course the 'achar' will be there to boost the taste buds and a glass of 'moeru'.
Then there was the 'mochukotai and karuvadoo'(a type of beans with anchovies) curry. Where to find all these!!! I liked her 'nandu'(crab) curry with 'rasum'(a type of soup) the best. This dish I still get to eat once a year at my friend's place during Deepavali celebration. This is a finger licking good Indian dish.
My mother also cooked 'sambar', which we ate with rice and fried fish. Sometimes she fried the fish with a little vinegar. Fantastic stuff! The combination of the meat and vegetables plays an important part in the alluring taste of the recipe.
My brothers and sisters are into vegetarian stuff. Not my cup of tea. But they are an understanding lot and when we meet during Deepavali, there will be chicken or mutton curry for us.
Being married to a Chinese I have lost touch with the Indian food. I remember my mother used to cook a type of curry from a leafy vegetable. It is called 'keerae kari' and with just that curry I could finish two plates of rice. Of course the 'achar' will be there to boost the taste buds and a glass of 'moeru'.
Then there was the 'mochukotai and karuvadoo'(a type of beans with anchovies) curry. Where to find all these!!! I liked her 'nandu'(crab) curry with 'rasum'(a type of soup) the best. This dish I still get to eat once a year at my friend's place during Deepavali celebration. This is a finger licking good Indian dish.
My mother also cooked 'sambar', which we ate with rice and fried fish. Sometimes she fried the fish with a little vinegar. Fantastic stuff! The combination of the meat and vegetables plays an important part in the alluring taste of the recipe.
My brothers and sisters are into vegetarian stuff. Not my cup of tea. But they are an understanding lot and when we meet during Deepavali, there will be chicken or mutton curry for us.
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Have No Fear
How does one actually reach the stage of having no fear? Is it possible in this lifetime to attain that level? I have always wondered about this as so many people are afraid of their own shadows when they are alone.
"Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?" asked Jesus. I have come to believe that herein lies our problem with fear. We have little faith. We need to be reminded of that great verse in Psalms 23 as shown below :
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Illegal Racing Menace
It was our usual weekend activity to go 'karaokeing' at our club. Almost all of us were present and counted for except for one lady. She promised to come by 9.30pm but it was already 10.30pm and no sign of her. Little did we know that she was lying inside her car with an injury at the neck about 700m from where we were.
When the lights turned green, she made a right turn at the t-junction and as she was turning, this motorbike with a pillion rider smashed into her car at the driver's side. The motorbike rider didn't stop for the red light. By the time she was taken to the hospital, she started feeling numb from the shoulders down. An MRI was taken which showed one of the discs at the neck area (c4-c6) had moved forward, probably due to the whip-lash effect on impact, and was touching the spinal chord. The surgeon advised an operation to remove the offending disc and replace it with an artificial one.
All of us visited her to give her support during this time of pain and uncertainty. I told her I was removing her form the karaoke list for awhile and when she was well agian she will be reinstated. She tried to laugh but the collar support 'thingy' was obstructing her. I thought it best not to crack any jokes and moved to the end of the bed. The operation was successful and we went to check on her again. The colour on her face was coming back and she was looking better. We estimated she would take about 1 month to be able to stand up on her own.
Last week she suddenly became listless and looked depressed. After some blood tests were carried out, it was found that she was lacking in potassium and sodium. The hospital staff took the necessary remedial measures to correct this problem. Three days ago during the night she had a mild stroke. Yesterday, she was still not responding to anyone. She has lost a lot of weight. When I visited her during lunch time, the hospital technician took an x-ray of the chest area. They still don't know what's wrong with her. A lot of tests are being carried out.
All this because of some youngsters crazy about speeding, taking part in illegal racing along the main road! The two guys had some fractures on their legs and would most probably be racing again in a month's time. The lack of enforcement has caused a lot of pain and disrupted the normal healthy living of many a law abiding citizen. When will we get an efficient and responsible police force? When are they going to do something concrete about the illegal racing along our main roads?
For now we can only pray for her to get well.
When the lights turned green, she made a right turn at the t-junction and as she was turning, this motorbike with a pillion rider smashed into her car at the driver's side. The motorbike rider didn't stop for the red light. By the time she was taken to the hospital, she started feeling numb from the shoulders down. An MRI was taken which showed one of the discs at the neck area (c4-c6) had moved forward, probably due to the whip-lash effect on impact, and was touching the spinal chord. The surgeon advised an operation to remove the offending disc and replace it with an artificial one.
All of us visited her to give her support during this time of pain and uncertainty. I told her I was removing her form the karaoke list for awhile and when she was well agian she will be reinstated. She tried to laugh but the collar support 'thingy' was obstructing her. I thought it best not to crack any jokes and moved to the end of the bed. The operation was successful and we went to check on her again. The colour on her face was coming back and she was looking better. We estimated she would take about 1 month to be able to stand up on her own.
Last week she suddenly became listless and looked depressed. After some blood tests were carried out, it was found that she was lacking in potassium and sodium. The hospital staff took the necessary remedial measures to correct this problem. Three days ago during the night she had a mild stroke. Yesterday, she was still not responding to anyone. She has lost a lot of weight. When I visited her during lunch time, the hospital technician took an x-ray of the chest area. They still don't know what's wrong with her. A lot of tests are being carried out.
All this because of some youngsters crazy about speeding, taking part in illegal racing along the main road! The two guys had some fractures on their legs and would most probably be racing again in a month's time. The lack of enforcement has caused a lot of pain and disrupted the normal healthy living of many a law abiding citizen. When will we get an efficient and responsible police force? When are they going to do something concrete about the illegal racing along our main roads?
For now we can only pray for her to get well.
Saturday, July 15, 2006
What Space Travel?
As I was waiting for my son at his school, I was parked under one of the many trees that line the road in his school. I reclined the drivers seat to relax while waiting. Outside the sky was clear with a few puffs of clouds floating by. Just staring at the big expanse of blue sky makes you feel really, really very small. The night before the same sky was filled with blinking stars and now it seems like that they have taken the day off after a night of heavy blinking.
How can one even think of traveling to those distant stars. With the technology of today we can hardly set foot on the moon and be back for lunch. Yet we dream of deep space travel. Lets look at some speed facts. The speed of light is approximately 300,000Km/sec. or 187,500miles/sec. As light years are used as units of measurements in space, multiply the speed of light (187,500miles/sec) x 60 x 60 x 24 x 365 to get how far light has traveled in 1 year.
What is the diameter of the Milky Way? It is 100,000 light years! What does that mean? Multiply the distance light travels in 1 year by 100,000 to get the approximate diameter of the Milky Way and then begin to wonder at the greatness of God’s creation.
How can one even think of traveling to those distant stars. With the technology of today we can hardly set foot on the moon and be back for lunch. Yet we dream of deep space travel. Lets look at some speed facts. The speed of light is approximately 300,000Km/sec. or 187,500miles/sec. As light years are used as units of measurements in space, multiply the speed of light (187,500miles/sec) x 60 x 60 x 24 x 365 to get how far light has traveled in 1 year.
What is the diameter of the Milky Way? It is 100,000 light years! What does that mean? Multiply the distance light travels in 1 year by 100,000 to get the approximate diameter of the Milky Way and then begin to wonder at the greatness of God’s creation.
We are not going anywhere in the form we are in and with the mode of transport that we have today. Your car could have a speed potential of up to 150 mph. The speed of the space shuttle is approximately 17,500mph.
The Voyager spacecraft left the solar system at 37,000 mph. At that speed, it would take Voyager 80,000 years to reach our nearest star - Proxima Centauri.
You are now trying to cross the Sahara desert. What are your chances? zilch!
We have only thought about the speed and the vastness of space. We are our worst liabilities. Most of us have an average life span of 70 -75 years. So, how far can we go with that time frame? 70 -75 is from birth to death. The actual useful time is much less. We also need oxygen and food. The vehicle also needs fuel. How big can the storage of this vehicle be to travel for such a long period of time. This is assuming we can develop a spacecraft that can travel at the speed of light which is still not sufficient. It has to be able to travel many times the speed of light. The only way we are getting out of this solar system is in a different form, probably in a spirit form. Back to the Star Wars movies or Star Trek to travel to space at warp speed! Whatever that means! Below are some photos of interest for future space travellers.
Supernova
Space Shuttle
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
RM490 million Sports Training Center!
Who says Malaysia has no money. The Malays were reported to be 'spending' RM4 billion a year on liquor and gambling and now the government wants to build a sports training center in London estimated to cost RM490 million! Who makes these decisions? The Government under our Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has allowed prices of goods to spiral. The advice given to the people is to be thrifty. The government has no money for development projects in the country it seems.
Now we hear of this project to build a sports training center in London! If we are so concerned about raising the standard of our athletes, why not bring the coaches over here. That will definately be cheaper and more athletes will benefit. We know that if the training is to be held in London, not everyone going there will be a genuine article. Some so called 'athletes' and a big number of officials and their relatives will manage to squeeze in just to go to London.
Why build in London? The sprint kings are in the U.S. What do you hope to get from London? The English didn't even make it to the semi-finals of the World Cup. I can't understand the reasoning behind this decision. We don't have world class athletes (track events). The only world class players are Nicole(squash) and some badminton players. In the 70's our hockey team was a force to be reckoned with. Now we are a spent force.
We might as well start building sports facilities in every state for the people and employ competent coaches (not your in-laws or cousins who are jobless) to raise the standard right here in our backyard. When we can produce top level athletes then we send them overseas to fine-tune their skills. Look at how China is producing world class ping-pong players, badminton players, tennis players and divers. We've got to believe in ourselves, play fair and choose our athletes on merit. That's how it's done elsewhere.
And please stop increasing the price of goods, the toll charges, the electricity rates, the parking rates (Star Parade in Alor Star has raised its parking fees) and fuel prices.
Now we hear of this project to build a sports training center in London! If we are so concerned about raising the standard of our athletes, why not bring the coaches over here. That will definately be cheaper and more athletes will benefit. We know that if the training is to be held in London, not everyone going there will be a genuine article. Some so called 'athletes' and a big number of officials and their relatives will manage to squeeze in just to go to London.
Why build in London? The sprint kings are in the U.S. What do you hope to get from London? The English didn't even make it to the semi-finals of the World Cup. I can't understand the reasoning behind this decision. We don't have world class athletes (track events). The only world class players are Nicole(squash) and some badminton players. In the 70's our hockey team was a force to be reckoned with. Now we are a spent force.
We might as well start building sports facilities in every state for the people and employ competent coaches (not your in-laws or cousins who are jobless) to raise the standard right here in our backyard. When we can produce top level athletes then we send them overseas to fine-tune their skills. Look at how China is producing world class ping-pong players, badminton players, tennis players and divers. We've got to believe in ourselves, play fair and choose our athletes on merit. That's how it's done elsewhere.
And please stop increasing the price of goods, the toll charges, the electricity rates, the parking rates (Star Parade in Alor Star has raised its parking fees) and fuel prices.
Monday, July 10, 2006
It's That Time Of The Year
It's that time of the year when we travel to a neighbouring state(Penang) to take part in the annual Tennis Invitation organized by the Penang Sports Club. Penang is one of the northern states in Malaysia sharing the border with the state where we live. It's about 1hr 15 mins drive (96Km).
This year there were no foreign teams participating. The participating teams were from Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Federal Teritory and Penang. Altogether there were 12 teams. Three groups having 4 teams in each group playing 'Round Robin' to semi-final in their respective age groups - 35 above, 45 above and 55 above. 1 ladies doubles and 1 mixed doubles.
It was fun taking part in such a tournament. Playing at odd hours and on different turfs. In the past we had teams from Australia, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore taking part. Times must be bad as they were all missing this year. Some pics taken at this event.
This year there were no foreign teams participating. The participating teams were from Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Federal Teritory and Penang. Altogether there were 12 teams. Three groups having 4 teams in each group playing 'Round Robin' to semi-final in their respective age groups - 35 above, 45 above and 55 above. 1 ladies doubles and 1 mixed doubles.
It was fun taking part in such a tournament. Playing at odd hours and on different turfs. In the past we had teams from Australia, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore taking part. Times must be bad as they were all missing this year. Some pics taken at this event.
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
A Trip To The Market
Wife wanted to eat 'jagung' today. She suggested I take a walk in the market instead of in the park. So off I drove to the local wet market. Had my breakfast of 'wan tan mee' first to build up the energy for the walk in the market.
ooooooopppppssss...wrong room..
Typical market scene with the stalls by the roadside. The wet stuff is displayed behind the front row stalls.
Looked around the stalls by the roadside and didn't find any 'jagung'. So, had to go in, jostling with the usual market crowd. Went one round and still didn't see anyone selling 'jagung'. Met an old colleague who was waiting faithfully for his wife who was busy with the buying somewhere inside the market area. Chatted with him for awhile about old times, our health and the current economic situation and then proceeded to look for my 'jagungs'. Went out to the road again and met up with my primary school teacher. He wanted to know if I worked for the police. I said no and asked him why. Someone had knocked into his car and rudely told him to contact the insurance company if he wanted compensation. He was pissed off with this man's behaviour. Another old friend who happened to be his classmate was there and he wondered if this could be one of the reasons people think Malaysians are rude as reported in the papers recently. I told him the survey was done in K.L. and that it was not a very accurate one. Anyway, I advised my ex-teacher to report the matter to the police.
After we parted, I remembered that my good friend who intoduced the 'Taiwan jagung' to my wife worked nearby the market. Decided to call her but the phone was off. So I walked to her clinic and peeped into her room to see if she was there.
ooooooopppppssss...wrong room..
No one was in the room. Only the empty dentist chair. Just not my day. Asked the nurse outside if the good doctor was on leave she said no. She said I was too early as work starts at 8.00am. The doctor will be coming soon. I couldn't wait for her so I went home without the 'jagungs'. Much later the good doctor phoned to enquire why I was looking for her and after listening to my story she told me she will buy the 'jagungs' for me tomorrow. Hurray for the good doctor!Problem solved.
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Dogs, Dogs And More Dogs
Man's best friend got him into trouble. Not one but twenty five of them. The man claimed they were his best friends and kept all 25 dogs in his terraced house. 13 of the dogs were shot by the dog shooters from the Municipal Council of Seremban. They said they had a court order to cull the 25 dogs after receiving numerous complaints from residents in the same taman regarding the foul stench and the noise from the canines in his house. It caused an uproar among the dog lovers in Malaysia. The owner was actually given a 6 months grace period to move the animals to another area but he refused.
Lets look at the situation rationally. A terrace house is most probably 22ft by 45ft with a hall, a master bedroom, two smaller rooms, a dining area and a kitchen with the bathroom and toilet beside it. How are you going to live with 25 dogs in such a small place? You share both the side walls with other house owners. The only outside area is the 22ft x 15ft in front of the house for parking your car and a small 'garden'. Where are the dogs going to exercise? Taking care of one dog is already a problem for some people what more 25! Are they getting proper food and care? How does he clean up after 25 dogs? Judging from the numerous complaints, he obviously does not do much cleaning. I am glad he was not my neighbour.
Anyway, the right thing for the Municipal Council to do would have been to give away most of the dogs to the many dog lovers around Seremban or to the RSPCA if there was one there. It wasn't really necessary to shoot the dogs just because of a stupid man's stubborness. The humane nature of the Municipal Council is missing. Below is a picture of the man trying to save some of the dogs by putting them into his car and driving off but he didn't make it.
The last I heard of this story was that two of the dogs were kept by the owner and the rest that were not killed have been moved to a new location. All the neighbours heaved a big sigh of relief as they can now 'breathe' easy.
Lets look at the situation rationally. A terrace house is most probably 22ft by 45ft with a hall, a master bedroom, two smaller rooms, a dining area and a kitchen with the bathroom and toilet beside it. How are you going to live with 25 dogs in such a small place? You share both the side walls with other house owners. The only outside area is the 22ft x 15ft in front of the house for parking your car and a small 'garden'. Where are the dogs going to exercise? Taking care of one dog is already a problem for some people what more 25! Are they getting proper food and care? How does he clean up after 25 dogs? Judging from the numerous complaints, he obviously does not do much cleaning. I am glad he was not my neighbour.
Anyway, the right thing for the Municipal Council to do would have been to give away most of the dogs to the many dog lovers around Seremban or to the RSPCA if there was one there. It wasn't really necessary to shoot the dogs just because of a stupid man's stubborness. The humane nature of the Municipal Council is missing. Below is a picture of the man trying to save some of the dogs by putting them into his car and driving off but he didn't make it.
The last I heard of this story was that two of the dogs were kept by the owner and the rest that were not killed have been moved to a new location. All the neighbours heaved a big sigh of relief as they can now 'breathe' easy.
World Cup
The World Cup is coming to a close. Many teams gave their best but just did not make it. Of the many that got booted out were Brazil and England.
I always liked to watch the Brazilian team play. It was like they were doing their samba on the field. They were passionate about their game. Even when the teams stood for their respective national anthems to play, you could see the Brazilian players actually singing their anthem. Some African teams just stood there, rigid and looking 'woody' almost as if they were afraid of being shot if they moved. But anyway, the French played better with Zidane and his teamates which saw the Brazilians being 'kicked' out.
The English on the other hand seemed to not do well on penalty shootouts. England was the favourite with many from our country. This is probably because we are so familiar with their players after watching so many English League games. But they seemed to have too many injured star players on their team. Some one had to win and so Portugal gets to go into the semi-final to meet France while Germany will take on Italy. I think the French have a good chance of winning this World Cup. Anybody has other opinions?
I always liked to watch the Brazilian team play. It was like they were doing their samba on the field. They were passionate about their game. Even when the teams stood for their respective national anthems to play, you could see the Brazilian players actually singing their anthem. Some African teams just stood there, rigid and looking 'woody' almost as if they were afraid of being shot if they moved. But anyway, the French played better with Zidane and his teamates which saw the Brazilians being 'kicked' out.
The English on the other hand seemed to not do well on penalty shootouts. England was the favourite with many from our country. This is probably because we are so familiar with their players after watching so many English League games. But they seemed to have too many injured star players on their team. Some one had to win and so Portugal gets to go into the semi-final to meet France while Germany will take on Italy. I think the French have a good chance of winning this World Cup. Anybody has other opinions?
Commentator
I read an article in the paper about Huang Jianxiang, the Chinese commentator for China Central Television(CCTV). He was on the job for the live broadcast of the play-off between Italy and Australia. It was reported that he was very one-sided throughout the match. He was rootin for the Italians while putting down the Aussie team. This TV commentator had taken sides! How unprofessional!
When he was questioned by his colleagues he said that he was human and not a machine. He had feelings and as such he cannot be completely impartial! He went on to say that he really didn't like Australia and he didn't want them to win. If that was the case he should have resigned from his post and started his own broadcasting company and support any team he fancied. As long as he is working for someone else he has to follow the rules. As a TV commentator he must know that there are viewers who also support Australia.
He acted very irresponsibly. But what I am interested in is what did the station do about his unprofessional outburst? Was any action taken immediately. The match would have lasted more than one hour forty five minutes. He was heard shouting hysterically for the Italians during that time. Weren't the people in management aware of his antics?
In contrast, look at what happened to Andreas Wenzel, a stadium announcer in Berlin. He used the announcement of a substitution to tell the 72,000-strong crowd in Berlin's Olympiastadion that the German team needed their support. Although he was a veteran announcer for the German national team, he was promptly substituted at the microphone by the local organising committee. What was the comment by FIFA's director of communications, Markus Siegler? "This had no place in the balanced neutrality of an announcer. It's not acceptable".
I guess the CCTV management team don't have the same views regarding such incidences. In Asia anything goes as long as can make money!
When he was questioned by his colleagues he said that he was human and not a machine. He had feelings and as such he cannot be completely impartial! He went on to say that he really didn't like Australia and he didn't want them to win. If that was the case he should have resigned from his post and started his own broadcasting company and support any team he fancied. As long as he is working for someone else he has to follow the rules. As a TV commentator he must know that there are viewers who also support Australia.
He acted very irresponsibly. But what I am interested in is what did the station do about his unprofessional outburst? Was any action taken immediately. The match would have lasted more than one hour forty five minutes. He was heard shouting hysterically for the Italians during that time. Weren't the people in management aware of his antics?
In contrast, look at what happened to Andreas Wenzel, a stadium announcer in Berlin. He used the announcement of a substitution to tell the 72,000-strong crowd in Berlin's Olympiastadion that the German team needed their support. Although he was a veteran announcer for the German national team, he was promptly substituted at the microphone by the local organising committee. What was the comment by FIFA's director of communications, Markus Siegler? "This had no place in the balanced neutrality of an announcer. It's not acceptable".
I guess the CCTV management team don't have the same views regarding such incidences. In Asia anything goes as long as can make money!
Monday, June 26, 2006
Wimbledon
It's Wimbledon time again! The magic of grass court tennis where the players serve and volley. What a beautiful game to watch (and play if your knees permit). Unfortunately, the weather in England has other plans of its own. It seems bent on raining over the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club this week. The opening match between Paradorn and Calleri was stopped midway in the first set due to rain. What a bummer!
But the good thing about the live telecast for the Wimbledon is that you get to see all the great games of the past while waiting for the rain to stop. Looking at the attire and the hair styles of the players in the 60s and the 70s is nostalgic. Even the small racquets we all used during that time. How could the the pros hit the ball at the sweet spot most of the time? Fantastic players.
'Moi" in the 70s!
Nowadays the racquets are large and the frames very light. The shorts are not shorts anymore. Look at Nadal. I don't know what he is wearing but he is a top class player. Sharapova dresses like she is in the bedroom getting ready to go to sleep! I guess we have to move with the times and that includes the way we dress. But anyway, my favourite male player to win this year's Wimbledon is Roger Federer. He stands a good chance. The female section does not have a clear leader. We just have to wait for the early rounds to be over to see who is in form.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Househusband?
As I was driving my son to school, I was listening to the car radio and the DJ threw a question to those wives who were listening. He asked them to call and tell if their husbands helped with the chores around the house.
There were many wives phoning in to tell their story. One told how her husband did the cooking. He would always make a mess of the kitchen but it was worth it as his cooking was very good. Then there was this lady who said that her husband was very understanding and would help her mop the floor. One guy even phoned in to tell that most husbands would help at home but the degree of 'help' would be different.
There was this fiery lady who called in and asked what do you mean by help? Isn't it supposed to be a partnership? Isn't the house ours and aren't we both living in it? Why is it that when he does something it is called help and when I do it, it is my job? I think the chores around the house should be the responsibility of both the husband and wife.
She sounded like my wife! I agree with her though. It not only involves both parties but includes anyone living in the same house which means the kids as well. We don't have a policy of paying our children to put out the trash or wash the car or wipe the furniture. That is part and parcel of staying in the house and enjoying all the benefits that goes with it. We have come to an understanding in which I do the things that she cannot do and she does the things that I am not 'good at'. So far it has worked fine with us. The boys have learned to do their chores without grumbling and I hope it helps with their family life in the future.
Monday, June 19, 2006
The Power of Prayer
This article appeared in Frank Kaiser's Suddenly Senior column. Should be an eye opener for many in the medical field.
THE POWER OF PRAYER IN MEDICINE
People Who Are Prayed for Fare Better By Jeanie Davis
Nov. 6, 2001 -- Here's more evidence that -- in medicine, as in all of life -- prayer seems to work in mysterious ways. In one recent study, women at an in vitro fertilization clinic had higher pregnancy rates when total strangers were praying for them. Another study finds that people undergoing risky cardiovascular surgery have fewer complications when they are the focus of prayer groups. The fertilization study -- conducted at a hospital in Seoul, Korea -- found a doubling of the pregnancy rate among women who were prayed for, says Rogerio A. Lobo, MD, chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Columbia University School of Medicine in New York City. His study appears in the September issue of the Journal of Reproductive Medicine." It's a highly-significant finding," Lobo tells WebMD. "I'm first to say we don't know what this means." The randomized study involved 199 women who were undergoing in vitro fertility treatments at a hospital in Seoul, Korea, during 1998 and 1999. All women were selected for the study based on their similar age and fertility factors, Lobo tells WebMD. Half the women were randomly assigned to have one of several Christian prayer groups in the U.S., Canada, and Australia pray for them. A photograph of each patient was given to "her" prayer group. While one set of prayer groups prayed directly for the women, a second set of prayer groups prayed for the first set, and a third group prayed for both groups. Neither the women nor their medical caregivers knew about the study -- or that anyone was praying for them. "We were very careful to control this as rigorously as we could," Lobo tells WebMD. "We deliberately set it up in an unbiased way. "That meant not informing patients they were being prayed for, so it would not influence the women's outcome. Whether the patients were praying for themselves -- or if others were praying for them -- "we don't know," he says. The women in the "prayed for" group became pregnant twice as often as the other women, he says. "We were not expecting to find a positive result," says Lobo. Researchers have re-analyzed the data several times, to detect any discrepancies -- but have been unable to find any, he says. Lobo admits there may be some "biological variable" that they have not discovered, which could account for the high success rate among the prayed-for women. He and his colleagues are already planning a follow-up study also involving in vitro fertilization.
The second study involves 150 patients -- all having serious heart problems, all scheduled for a procedure called angioplasty, in which doctors thread a catheter up into a clogged heart artery, open it up, and insert a little device called a stent to prop it open. Patients who were prayed for during their procedure had far fewer complications, reports lead author Mitchell W. Krucoff, MD, director of the Ischemia Monitoring Laboratory at Duke University Medical Center and the Durham Veterans Administration Medical Center in Durham, NC. His study appears in the current issue of the American Heart Journal. Krucoff enrolled 150 patients who were going to have the stent procedure, and then randomly assigned them to receive one of five complementary therapies: guided imagery, stress relaxation, healing touch, or intercessory 'off site' prayer -- which meant they were prayed for by others, or to no complementary therapy. All the complementary therapies -- except off-site prayer -- were performed at the patient's bedside at least one hour before the cardiac procedures.Seven prayer groups of varying denominations around the world -- Buddhists, Catholics, Moravians, Jews, fundamentalist Christians, Baptists, and the Unity School of Christianity -- prayed for specific patients during their procedures. Each prayer group was assigned names, ages, and illnesses of specific patients they were to pray for. None of the patients, family members, or staff knew who was being prayed for. None of the patient-prayer group matchings were based on denomination. "This was a very rigorously controlled study, just as we would look at any therapeutic -- a new cardiovascular drug, a new stent -- and see the results in terms of patients' outcomes," Krucoff tells WebMD. The goal was to determine which therapies warranted further study in a bigger trial. Those in the "prayed for" group had fewer complications than any of the patients, including those receiving other complementary therapies, he says. "Although it's not statistical proof, it's not certainty, it is suggestive -- to the point that we've already begun a phase II trial. "He has already enrolled more than 300 people in a phase II study.Why did prayer produce the best outcome? "There are no satisfactory mechanistic explanations," he says. That's why studies that measure patients' outcomes are best for this kind of study, he says. Even if you don't understand why it's happening, at least you have something to measure -- how the patient did. "Both studies are "well-controlled," preliminary trials "providing more evidence that there's something to it all," says Blair Justice, PhD, professor of psychology and psychobiologist (mind-body medicine) at the University of Texas School of Public Health in Houston.Justice, who has followed prayer research for several decades, reviewed the reports for WebMD. "Research into prayer has been going on a lot longer than is reflected in mainstream journals," Justice tells WebMD. "Since the 1980s, there have been several well-controlled prospective studies, good evidence that this wasn't some product of a good imagination. "Some of the studies conducted in Europe involved nonhuman organisms -- enzyme cells, bacteria, plants, animals -- which could not be affected by other complicating factors, including faith. Groups were assigned to pray for their growth; then the prayers were reversed, and people were praying against growth. Each time, the plants responded according to the focus of the prayers. "There seems to be something to it," he says. While current technology does not allow researchers to understand the mechanism behind prayer -- what makes it work -- it's much like gravity and other natural phenomena that were considered mysterious forces by earlier cultures, Justice tells WebMD. "Keppler was accused of being insane when he said tides were due to the tug of lunar gravity, even Galileo considered it to be ravings of a lunatic -- until Marconi proved the theory," he says. "It's just like anything else, you don't have to believe in it for prayer to have an effect," says Justice.
© 2001 WebMD Corporation. All rights reserved.
THE POWER OF PRAYER IN MEDICINE
People Who Are Prayed for Fare Better By Jeanie Davis
Nov. 6, 2001 -- Here's more evidence that -- in medicine, as in all of life -- prayer seems to work in mysterious ways. In one recent study, women at an in vitro fertilization clinic had higher pregnancy rates when total strangers were praying for them. Another study finds that people undergoing risky cardiovascular surgery have fewer complications when they are the focus of prayer groups. The fertilization study -- conducted at a hospital in Seoul, Korea -- found a doubling of the pregnancy rate among women who were prayed for, says Rogerio A. Lobo, MD, chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Columbia University School of Medicine in New York City. His study appears in the September issue of the Journal of Reproductive Medicine." It's a highly-significant finding," Lobo tells WebMD. "I'm first to say we don't know what this means." The randomized study involved 199 women who were undergoing in vitro fertility treatments at a hospital in Seoul, Korea, during 1998 and 1999. All women were selected for the study based on their similar age and fertility factors, Lobo tells WebMD. Half the women were randomly assigned to have one of several Christian prayer groups in the U.S., Canada, and Australia pray for them. A photograph of each patient was given to "her" prayer group. While one set of prayer groups prayed directly for the women, a second set of prayer groups prayed for the first set, and a third group prayed for both groups. Neither the women nor their medical caregivers knew about the study -- or that anyone was praying for them. "We were very careful to control this as rigorously as we could," Lobo tells WebMD. "We deliberately set it up in an unbiased way. "That meant not informing patients they were being prayed for, so it would not influence the women's outcome. Whether the patients were praying for themselves -- or if others were praying for them -- "we don't know," he says. The women in the "prayed for" group became pregnant twice as often as the other women, he says. "We were not expecting to find a positive result," says Lobo. Researchers have re-analyzed the data several times, to detect any discrepancies -- but have been unable to find any, he says. Lobo admits there may be some "biological variable" that they have not discovered, which could account for the high success rate among the prayed-for women. He and his colleagues are already planning a follow-up study also involving in vitro fertilization.
The second study involves 150 patients -- all having serious heart problems, all scheduled for a procedure called angioplasty, in which doctors thread a catheter up into a clogged heart artery, open it up, and insert a little device called a stent to prop it open. Patients who were prayed for during their procedure had far fewer complications, reports lead author Mitchell W. Krucoff, MD, director of the Ischemia Monitoring Laboratory at Duke University Medical Center and the Durham Veterans Administration Medical Center in Durham, NC. His study appears in the current issue of the American Heart Journal. Krucoff enrolled 150 patients who were going to have the stent procedure, and then randomly assigned them to receive one of five complementary therapies: guided imagery, stress relaxation, healing touch, or intercessory 'off site' prayer -- which meant they were prayed for by others, or to no complementary therapy. All the complementary therapies -- except off-site prayer -- were performed at the patient's bedside at least one hour before the cardiac procedures.Seven prayer groups of varying denominations around the world -- Buddhists, Catholics, Moravians, Jews, fundamentalist Christians, Baptists, and the Unity School of Christianity -- prayed for specific patients during their procedures. Each prayer group was assigned names, ages, and illnesses of specific patients they were to pray for. None of the patients, family members, or staff knew who was being prayed for. None of the patient-prayer group matchings were based on denomination. "This was a very rigorously controlled study, just as we would look at any therapeutic -- a new cardiovascular drug, a new stent -- and see the results in terms of patients' outcomes," Krucoff tells WebMD. The goal was to determine which therapies warranted further study in a bigger trial. Those in the "prayed for" group had fewer complications than any of the patients, including those receiving other complementary therapies, he says. "Although it's not statistical proof, it's not certainty, it is suggestive -- to the point that we've already begun a phase II trial. "He has already enrolled more than 300 people in a phase II study.Why did prayer produce the best outcome? "There are no satisfactory mechanistic explanations," he says. That's why studies that measure patients' outcomes are best for this kind of study, he says. Even if you don't understand why it's happening, at least you have something to measure -- how the patient did. "Both studies are "well-controlled," preliminary trials "providing more evidence that there's something to it all," says Blair Justice, PhD, professor of psychology and psychobiologist (mind-body medicine) at the University of Texas School of Public Health in Houston.Justice, who has followed prayer research for several decades, reviewed the reports for WebMD. "Research into prayer has been going on a lot longer than is reflected in mainstream journals," Justice tells WebMD. "Since the 1980s, there have been several well-controlled prospective studies, good evidence that this wasn't some product of a good imagination. "Some of the studies conducted in Europe involved nonhuman organisms -- enzyme cells, bacteria, plants, animals -- which could not be affected by other complicating factors, including faith. Groups were assigned to pray for their growth; then the prayers were reversed, and people were praying against growth. Each time, the plants responded according to the focus of the prayers. "There seems to be something to it," he says. While current technology does not allow researchers to understand the mechanism behind prayer -- what makes it work -- it's much like gravity and other natural phenomena that were considered mysterious forces by earlier cultures, Justice tells WebMD. "Keppler was accused of being insane when he said tides were due to the tug of lunar gravity, even Galileo considered it to be ravings of a lunatic -- until Marconi proved the theory," he says. "It's just like anything else, you don't have to believe in it for prayer to have an effect," says Justice.
© 2001 WebMD Corporation. All rights reserved.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Family Camp
Attended our annual church family camp at the Cinta Sayang Golf Resort in Sungai Petani. The resort is located approximately 36 miles south of our city. The camp was from the 15th till the 17th of June. Most of the church members and their families attended the camp.
The speaker talked about the mindset of many Christians today. The message revolved around Romans 12:2 "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
It was a refreshing time for all of us as we also had the opportunity to fellowship and get to know one another better. You can be a member of a church for many years and still be a stranger to many! It is during such occasions that you 'discover' new friends. Below are some pics from the camp.
Me
My Family
The Room
The speaker talked about the mindset of many Christians today. The message revolved around Romans 12:2 "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."
It was a refreshing time for all of us as we also had the opportunity to fellowship and get to know one another better. You can be a member of a church for many years and still be a stranger to many! It is during such occasions that you 'discover' new friends. Below are some pics from the camp.
Me
My Family
The Room
The Driving Range
Session I
The Younger Generation
Sunday, June 11, 2006
What a day!
June the 10th, 2006. We were invited to a memorial service in a friends home. Their son died of cancer at the age of 16. There was some singing after which the Pastor led in a prayer for the family and friends and also remembering Raj (the son who passed away). It wasn't a sad atmosphere as some might have thought at a memorial service. The family knows that he is in a better place and that we will all be together one day.
This was also a chance for friends to get together and talk of old times and see the changing faces and shapes of our children. Some were taller vertically and others had grown sideways. There is always the one who plays outdoors so much that the aunties would comment, 'Haiyah! Why so dark one?'. The 'dark one' would reply 'I just came back from tennis competition la, aunty.'
The food was good. Chicken curry, mutton curry, 'vadai' chapati, tosai, etc... There was so much food the host insisted we take back some for dinner(they know we don't cook, heh heh).
That evening my wife and I had arranged a foursome for tennis. This was where we had a chance to burn away the extra calories. After three sets I was really tired. On the way home we stopped at the local 'mini market' and bought some durians and one big water melon. Together with the food from my friends place, this was our dinner while we watched the French Open Ladies Finals. And as I had predicted, Justine won. What a day!
For those who don't know what a durian looks like :
Durian
This was also a chance for friends to get together and talk of old times and see the changing faces and shapes of our children. Some were taller vertically and others had grown sideways. There is always the one who plays outdoors so much that the aunties would comment, 'Haiyah! Why so dark one?'. The 'dark one' would reply 'I just came back from tennis competition la, aunty.'
The food was good. Chicken curry, mutton curry, 'vadai' chapati, tosai, etc... There was so much food the host insisted we take back some for dinner(they know we don't cook, heh heh).
That evening my wife and I had arranged a foursome for tennis. This was where we had a chance to burn away the extra calories. After three sets I was really tired. On the way home we stopped at the local 'mini market' and bought some durians and one big water melon. Together with the food from my friends place, this was our dinner while we watched the French Open Ladies Finals. And as I had predicted, Justine won. What a day!
For those who don't know what a durian looks like :
Durian 
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