Modern vs Ancient

Bye bye Yemen...aku tak kepingin kembali lagi ke sini....

2010-04-21T16:54:00.004+05:30

Guys/girls...wanna take a rest for sometimes...

Wish you all the best!!!

no QAD no FUN...."elixir of life"..."flower of paradise"

2010-03-09T13:31:00.004+05:30

"Qad".....apakah itu "qad"? Cuba lihat pipi sebelah kiri seorang askar di dalam gambar di bawah ini, pipinya baru separuh penuh. Masih diawal "stimulation state" lagi. Apabila sudah berjam-jam lamanya, maka kedua-dua pipinya akan penuh dengan daun "qad" ini.

Biasanya mereka akan mengunyah sehigga 500grams dalam sesuatu masa tiap-tiap petang yang mana nilai "qad" ini bergantung pada kualitinya iaitu Yemeni Riyal (YR)800.00/500grams sehinggalah YR5125.00/500grams bersamaan dengan (USD3.90/500grams-USD25/500grams). Bagi mereka(Yemeni) biar lah tidak makan nasi asalkan boleh makan daun "Qad" begitulah lebih kurang yang berlaku di sini.

"QAD"....kalau kat Malaysia(Pantai Timur) mungkin daun tumbuhan inilah yang digelar daun "ketum" kot. Saya pun kurang pasti. Mereka(Yemeni) akan mengunyah dan menyimpan daun "qad" ni sehinggalah mulut mereka tidak tertampung lagi kuantitinya. Daun ini akan dilumatkan dalam mulut dan hanya airnya akan ditelan dan sisanya akan dibuang kemudian selepas berjam-jam lamanya. Mereka akan kemam daun "qad" ini sehingga berjam-jam lamanya (sebagai contoh dari lepas solat tengah hari sehinggalah lewat pagi keesokkan harinya) kononnya untuk memberi khayalan, boleh berjaga sepanjang malam, boleh menguatkan tenaga batin dan sebagainya. Pelik tapi benar ya.

some people says...it makes you feel a devil of a dog as long as the feeling lasts!

The leaves of this trees are chewed as a stimulant, producing a feeling of euphoria followed by depression...more details..( www.jstor.org/pss/162857 ).........."elixir of life"..........

.........."flower of paradise"..........

Bahui kelit peklet dahin usan aya' ha' daleh Yemen

2010-03-06T16:17:00.006+05:30

Jah dara nah akui em blogging tinih...usik te' havah akui dara anih dih pa....

Selap lan daleh anih jarun inih...lale' lale' usan ha'ut putung levi...usi iha' awi daleh arab aleng ha' beh dih(Saudi/Qatar/Bahrain/Kuwait/Oman/UAE etc). Dua dau aleng uh arai dih nyeman tua bekilat dahin bahui alem akui main bun ujung padang hit tinih...aleng peksing akui iha' nah...akui melek dep tua alem padang hit anan...dalo' arab anih uh lap tepurung jaka' anan(avin dalo' uh familiar dahin fenomenon anih)...ek seprem mata' kui pa pelui bahui hit areh...ek ju basung akui mekap mata' akui te' bahui hit areh...sayu akui jeleng "goal post"...ek navit tiang gol anan pakai nahen batung akui ja sik akui em madang...ji hangun akui buka' mata/basung akui ke' beka' akui dep kah aleng te' padang anan la'an...thank to God I survived. Te' ji lake bakeh akui berung kudek na' drum madang te' iha'. Kahum lan uma madang..."container" madang...nun nun pah em madang.

Ji bulan la'an "to go"...la'ei lelan nyadui hinih. Ha'ut ha'ut migu kelunan nimak line "transmission"...ngebom tiang "transmission"...aleng "dasyhat" iha' nah ngebom "plant" kamek dahin petimak dahin "security forces" kamek te' hawang "gate" loji anih.

Liveng ita' seng nei uli ha' daleh itam kelunan "normal". Usi kelunan hinih "normal...ha'ut ha'ut laung hipun selapang. "Fact" kuma' 60 juta "weapons" hinih...23 juta kah semua rakyat na'. "Free" tua kelunan panau dahin selapang(bilang panau alem pasen dahin senapang) hinih. Tusah lisin usi' te' undang undang.

Malaysia kah aleng sayu...PEACEFUL...TRULY ASIA(ha'ut ha'ut dau nyineng iklan na' ha' daleh arab hinih!!!)

Yemen

2009-12-28T17:18:00.008+05:30

The Land Time Forgot.

From castles to humble homes, they are all made of mud and more here. Yemen has been described as the world's most beautiful country. Many who visit it resolve to return. From the Old City of Sana'a to the Shibam skyscrapers in Hadhramout Yemen may be the richest nation in the Middle East in terms of UNISCO World Heritage Sites. It has not ceased to astonish me that centuries-old cities, built from the scarcest resources, are still teeming with life Shielded from the rest of the world by mountains, deserts and Seas Yemen has been dubbed "The land that time forgot. Yet in some ways, it is ahead of time. Beneath its phenomenal architecture lies ingenious technology - for water supply recycling, cooling and sewerage - that would still amaze present-day engineers. Long before the term "sustainable development" was coined, Yemen had been a living example of how man and nature can co-exist in perfect harmony. I dread that the dark side of modernity will inevitably creep in with time.

The flight across the Arabian Peninsula from Dubai to Sana'a, the Yemeni capital, featured clear bright skies and deserts dotted with rocks. But as we approached Sana'a the clouds became so thick that our the clouds became so thick that our flight had to be diverted to the port city of Aden. I finally arrived at Sana'a via a connecting flight. The city is located on a plateau 2,500m above sea level, with spring-like weather throughout the year. At such altitudes, cloud cover causes visibility problems at the airport. I passed by the palatial residence of Prince Naseem, the famous boxer, before finally arriving at Moven Pick Hotel. After 24-hours on the move, I wanted to do was sleep. The people of Sana'a are very proud of their culture. Tribal men usually wear weapons for personal defense. Over a long garment, a curved dagger called jambiya is tucked into a belt at the waist. A less curved version of the dagger called the khanjer is worn by the side of the waist by imams at the mosque. The stainless steel daggers, with a handle made from horn or wood, are covered in sheaths made from hide and decorated with silver. Since arriving in Yemen, I had noticed the military everywhere. A troop at our hotel was game to pose for a picture with us, and the soldiers did not mind us touching their weapons. Men in ordinary clothes were also seen with Kalashnikovs and machine guns, as it is a tribal custom for them to carry a weapon for personal defense. I was told that they would not hesitate to use their guns if threatened.

Yet the Yemeni Arabs are said to be very polite and gentle - one hardly ever hears them raise their voices when they speak. Something to do with the mild climate it seems.Dar Al-Hajar (House on Rock) 15km from Sana'a is the former palace of Imam Yahya. It has become a symbol of Yemen. The roads in Sana'a were wide and clean, and the buildings all had decorative tiles with plain tones matching the rocky landscape. Occasionally, ornate wrought iron balconies could be seen. The windows were arched with colorful stained glass mounted on white gypsum plaster frames these kaleidoscopic patterns are known as qamariya. While admiring the distinctive architectural facades, I could not help noticing many constructions deliberately left incomplete to accommodate future extension. Every other building had a portion of bare brick wall with protruding reinforcement bars. Although I had seen much of Sana'a , nothing prepared me for the spectacle of the Old City. Nestled within a mud wall complete with watchtowers, thousands of smallish red-limestone buildings of different heights and widths were clustered in an Area of 1833ha. the golden brown bricks were all generously trimmed with intricate white "lacework". It looked unreal, like sugar icing on cakes or doll houses. Reported to have been established by the son of Prophet Noah after the Great Flood of Antiquity, the Old City is arguably the oldest inhabited city on earth. It used to have seven gates. The only one remaining is Bab Al-Yemen, which is adorned with twinkling light bulbs. I got off here to shop in its warren of alleys, or suq.

As I entered the gate, children came running offering to guide us to shops selling, among other things, silver and agate jeweler , daggers, frankincense, pashmina and dried fruits and nuts. They spoke excellent English and competed with each other to get the best bargains. A friend and I had 15-year-old Muhammad as my guide. He told me that he learnt English from tourists - it was amazing how well he could speak considering that he did not go to school. Muhammad advised me on the quality of the goods and ran everywhere to bring interesting items and even their owners to visitors. The break time in Yemen is from 1pm to 4pm, as is typical of Arab countries. The afternoon is also qat-chewing time for the Yemenis. Practically every adult is addicted to these mildly narcotic leaves that have become an important part of local culture. The leaves are stuffed into the mouth and kept for hours in a big bulge under the cheek. They don't feel the need to eat or sleep when under the influence of qat.

After another busy promotion session, we moved on to the next city Taizz. The 256km journey took seven hours and Salleh, the driver was ever so cautious driving through mountain terrain with hairpin bends. Salleh, however, was an exception, for driving in Yemen usually includes incessant honking and very "liberal" overtaking.

Traveling at night, there were at least half a dozen military checkpoints along the way. Salleh explained who am I and we could hear the word "Malazi" repeated several times. Some of the men had their faces covered. I was usually allowed to proceed after they shone their flashlights on my sleepy faces. But for two or three times, the driver was pulled over and asked to show documents. Permits are needed to move from one place to another in Yemen, but Malaysians are exempted. The people of Taizz are said to be among the most highly educated in Yemen. I spent the afternoon break climbing the hill to Al-Kaherah castle, a 200-year-old palace of a former ruler that had a pool that was almost Olympic size. Coming down from the castle we saw a goat gorging on cardboard. I laughed because when I had mutton during lunch earlier, someone had praised how tender and sweet the meat was and wondered what the Yemenis fed their goats. Before getting back to the hotel, I lingered at the market-place to buy pomegranates, fresh dates and green apricots. There was a camel pulling a cart laden with goods, and herds of goats crossing the streets - it was a pity the idyllic medieval setting was intruded upon by the noise and fumes of motorized vehicles. At twilight, I had dinner on the balcony. As the crimson faded into the night sky, the hills flickered as buildings were lit up. Calls for prayer emanated from the many minarets around the area, and then echoed back from the mountains. It was hard not to be moved. The afternoon is qat-chewing time .The drive to Aden took only 3½ hours but with no air conditioning some of us felt suffocated. The first thing I noticed as I arrived was homeless people sleeping on the turf of a roundabout and road divider. Aden, formerly the capital of South Yemen, is sprawled out at the foot of bald, sand-covered mountains. At the coast, there are many interesting islands nearby and unique rock formations. Lunch that day was a feast of rice, chicken, fish, salad and flatbread served on a huge oval plate, from which half a dozen people ate. The eight-hour drive back to Sana'a was like a National Geographic magazine opening up before us. Just when I thought I had got the best snapshots, even more stunning vistas opened up at the next turn. The outskirts of Aden are barren and unforgiving - yet there were people walking or taking shade under shrubs, and even a shepherd attending to his herd. By the roadside, little triangular shelters made of small branches and covered with plastic sheets or dried fronds, sometimes had a mother and child living inside. Then there were Bedouin dwellings of stone with blue plastic sheet roofing. In the past, the roofs were woven from goat hair or camel skin. This allowed ventilation when it was hot and dry, and when it rained, the weave tightened naturally so that water could not leak in. It was sad to see the area strewn with litter. The all too familiar pink plastic bags were everywhere, some tangled up in shrubs and trees, looking deceptively like blooms. At an oasis, there was a whole spread of lush greenery with palms and other trees. Yet just beyond the verdant area was an endless stretch of undulating sand dunes, without any sign of life. Driving on, areas irrigated by shallow rivers (I even saw one banana orchard ), alternated with completely barren, gritty land or gigantic outcrops displaying their rocky strata. It is this contrasting mix in geography that makes Yemen unique compared to the other countries in the Arabian peninsular. The highway took us deeper into the highest mountain range between the Rockies and the Himalayas. It was incredible to be surrounded by peaks and more peaks emerging and disappearing in turn from view. Cultivated terraces are found at higher ground. I passed through several "cowboy towns" that pulsated with qat trading activities. I stopped at Damt, a town famed for its hot spring resort and water-filled volcanic crater. If there is one product Yemen is known for, it has to be honey. The quality depends on the region and the flowers from which the bees get their nectar. Apart from bee farms, there were also mobile beekeepers traveling around with earthenware hives stacked behind trucks, looking for the best flowers. As I drove up to higher altitudes, intersecting gorges and valleys of astounding beauty greeted us. Bare grey mountains towered over fertile green plains or wadi.Gentler slopes cradled neatly contoured cultivated terraces, while less fertile slopes had political parties' symbols drawn out on them. Grand hilltop castles there are many of them in Yemen overlooked qat plantations and modest villages. Buildings, from stately castles to humble homes, were all made of stone, mud, straw bricks and mud plaster, and looked like they'd been sculpted from the cliffs they were hugging. I felt grateful for the chance to have witnessed such splendor. Though I saw only glimpses of the country, my week in Yemen was certainly memorable, the experience and insight gained far outweighed the tests of patience.

Selamat Hari Krismas 2009 & Tahun Baru 2010

2009-12-22T19:06:00.005+05:30

Restore The Rights Of The Indigenous People Of Sarawak Petition

2009-07-01T20:35:00.000+05:30

Restore The Rights Of The Indigenous People Of Sarawak Petition

Bravo...good job!

2009-06-20T03:41:00.005+05:30

It has been almost 1 year and still struggling with the current project, realization of the 1147.5MW Sugen Combined Cycle Power Plant(Torrent Power Limited), the project that has been long waiting by the sate government of Gujarat in Surat City, India after been delaying for few years.

1 block has been handed over a couple of weeks ago and 2 more blocks to go. 1 block consisting of a unit of Gas Turbine Siemens V94.3A capacity of 268MW(at 15C ambient temperature), a unit of Steam Turbine capacity of 130MW, a unit of Hydrogen Cooled Generator capacity of 384Mvar of appearance power driven by a common shaft(single shaft with triple S clucth), the one and only of it kind(single shaft combined cycle) in Indian Continent so far.

It's been a great honour to my group(operation and technical team) that the first block was able to be delivered on time(even couple of weeks earlier than expected). Bravo! A great effort, a great teamwork, what a great management team we have. Parties after parties we had gone through(turning gear, first fire, fire syncronization, Steam Turbine in combine cycle operation, completion of Reliablity Test Run, Final Acceptance Test). Finally efforts getting paid!
Life has go on, nobody knows where is their next project, you want the place you go or you dislike the place you also have to go with no choices or you got fired! This is a part commissioning life, time is no limited, must be fully focused, fully fitted, no family affair, no enjoyment, no shopping, less sleep most of the time and working life always pushing up to the limit...BIG SCRIFACTION are required most of the times in order to succeed.

See you all later...adiosssssssssss

Liverpool FC Wallpaper - Liverpool FC Wallpapers Free to Download

2009-06-13T13:00:00.000+05:30

Liverpool FC Wallpaper - Liverpool FC Wallpapers Free to Download

Borneo's double celebrations "gayu-guru, gerai-nyamai" (long life, health and prosperity)

2009-06-03T15:33:00.006+05:30

Aramaiti.....

Selamat menyambut Hari Tadzau Keamatan dan Gawai Dayak kepada rakan rakan Pribumi Sabah dan Sarawak, pada 31 Mei dan 1 Jun , esok lusa tulat...

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I wish all you guys out there a very happy Tadzau Kaamatan and Gawai Dayak day. So where ever you are, what ever you are doing remember the joy of the celebration and always remember to drive carefully and of course don’t drink and drive.

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What is Tadzau Kaamatan?

...is an annual event in the cultural life of the Kadazandusuns of Sabah since time immemorial. In its deepest sense, Kaamatan festival is a manifestation of Creator and Creation relationship, as well as Inter-Creations relationship. It embodies the principal acts of invocation of divinities, appeasing, purification and restoration, re-union of benevolent spirits, and thanksgiving to the Source of All. It is part of a complex wholesome Momolian religious system centered on the paddy rites of passage and the life cycle of Bambarayon- the in-dwelling spirit of paddy.

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What is Gawai Dayak?

...is a festival celebrated in Sarawak on 1 June every year. It is both a religious and social occasion. The word Gawai means a ritual or festival whereas Dayak is a collective name for the native ethnic groups of Sarawak: Iban, Bidayuh, Kayan, Kenyah, Kelabit, and Lun Bawang among others. Thus, Gawai Dayak literally means "Dayak Festival". Dayak would visit their friends and relatives on this day. Such visit is more commonly known as "ngabang" in the Iban language. Those too far away to visit would receive greeting cards.

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Most importantly....." Dont drink and drive...say no to alcohol"

Cricket part 3

2009-05-05T16:03:00.004+05:30

This phrases is valid only in India "Cricket Is My Religion", "XXXXXX Is My God". Religion that never heard by other nations. God keeps changing every tournament.
Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Sigh Dhoni(right) congratulates his teamate Jakati after defeating Deccan Chargers at the DLFIPL09 match.

Priety Zinta gives prasad to her teamates as a gesture of good luck before the start of DLFIPL09 tournament.

Cheer girls entertain the fans during IPL math.

Latest standing table of the first round DLFIPL09

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Teams Mat Won Lost N/R Pts Net RR Against For

__________________________________________________________

1 Chennai Super Kings 8 4 3 1 9 +1.361 981/139.3 1175/140.0
2 Kings XI Punjab 7 4 3 0 8 +0.094 831/114.1 843/114.2
3 Delhi Daredevils 6 4 2 0 8 +0.082 840/104.3 835/102.5
4 Deccan Chargers
5 Bangalore Royal Challengers
5 Mumbai Indians
6 Rajastan Royals
7 Kolkata Knight Riders

A part of amazing world!!!

2009-04-13T21:01:00.041+05:30

This is really amazing

Dubai in 1990 prior to the craziness

The same street in 2003

Year 2007

The madness. Dubai is said to currently have 15-25% of all the world's cranes

The Dubai Waterfront. When completed it will become the largest waterfront development in the world

All of this was built in the last 5 years, including that island that looks like a palm tree

The Palm Islands in Dubai . New Dutch dredging technology was used to create these massive man made islands. They are the largest artificial islands in the world and can be seen from space

Three of these Palms will be made with the last one being the largest of them all. Upon completion, the resort will have 2,000 villas, 40 luxury hotels, shopping centers, movie theaters, and many other facilities. It is expected to support a population of approximately 500,000 people. It is advertised as being visible from the moon

The World Islands . 300 artificially created islands in the shape of the world. Each island will have an estimated cost of $25-30 million

The Burj al-Arab hotel in Dubai . The worlds tallest hotel. Considered the only '7 star' hotel and the most luxurious hotel in the world. It stands on an artificial island in the sea

Hydropolis, the world's first underwater hotel. Entirely built in Germany and then assembled in Dubai , it is scheduled to be completed by 2009 after many delays

The Burj Dubai. Construction began in 2005 and is expected to be complete by 2008. At an estimated height of over 800 meters, it will easily be world's tallest building when finished. It will be almost 40% taller than the current tallest building, the Yaipei 101

This is what downtown Dubai will look like around 2008-2009. More than 140 stories of the Burj Dubai have already been completed. It is already the worlds tallest man made structure and it is still not scheduled to be completed for at least another year

The Al Burj. This will be the centerpiece of the Dubai Waterfront. Once completed it will take over the title of the tallest structure in the world from the Burj Dubai. Recently it was announced that the final height of this tower will be 1200 meters. That would make it more than 30% taller than the Burj Dubai and three times as tall as the Empire State Building

The Burj al Alam, or The World Tower . Upon completion it will rank as the world's highest hotel. It is expected to be finished by 2009. At 480 meters it will only be 28 meters shorter than the Taipei 101

The Trump International Hotel & Tower, which will be the centerpiece of one of the palm islands, The Palm Jumeirah

Dubailand. Currently, the largest amusement park collection in the world is Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando , which is also the largest single-site employer in the United states with 58,000 employees. Dubailand will be twice the size. Dubailand will be built on 3 billion square feet (107 miles^2) at an estimated $20 billion price tag. The site will include a purported 45 mega projects and 200 hundred other smaller projects
Dubai Sports City. A huge collection of sports arenas located in Dubailand

Currently, the Walt Disney World Resort is the #1 tourist destination in the world. Once fully completed, Dubailand will easily take over that title since it is expected to attract 200,000 visitors daily

The Dubai Marina is an entirely man made development that will contain over 200 high rise buildings when finished. It will be home to some of the tallest residential structures in the world. The completed first phase of the project is shown. Most of the other high rise buildings will be finished by 2009-2010

The Dubai Mall will be the largest shopping mall in the world with over 9 million square feet of shopping and around 1000 stores. It will be completed in 2008

Ski Dubai , which is already open, is the largest indoor skiing facility in the world. This is a rendered image of another future indoor skiing facility that is being planned

Some of the tallest buildings in the world, such as Ocean Heights and The Princess Tower , which will be the largest residential building in the world at over a 100 stories, will line the Dubai Marina.
The UAE Spaceport would be the first spaceport in the world if construction ever gets under way. I'm not joking.

Some other crazy .. The Dubai Metro system, once completed, will become the largest fully automated rail system in the world. The Dubai World Central International Airport will become the largest airport in size when it is completed. It will also eventually become the busiest airport in the world, based on passenger volume.

There are more construction workers in Dubai than there are actual citizens.

This is taken from world's tallest building "Burj Dubai" @ 2,620 ft / 801m

Really amazing Look at the edge (uppermost right corner) of the picture, you can almost see the turn of the earth

Persons who are working on the upper most Girders can see the "ROTATION OF EARTH"

The world's tallest tower - a giant lightning conductor - watch the wondrous sight of lightning striking Burj Dubai Tower

It's all happening in Dubai ...spectacular photos of last March's storm

When lightning hit the world's tallest tower! For as long as half hour lightning hit the tower and the thunder sounded all over the neighouring areas! An unforgettable night!

Cricket part 2

2009-03-22T04:51:00.003+05:30

Shah Rukh Khan, Shilpa Shetty, Preity Zinta the owners of the club?

Indian Premier League or IPL, as it is fondly referred to, is a new kid on the cricket block. A somewhat different version of Twenty20, Indian Premier League became an instant eye catcher with its launch in April 2008. Created by the Board of Cricket Control of India, the league is managed by the Vice President, BCCI, Lalit Modi. Involving players from all across the globe, India Premier League presented the cricket in its latest avatar. Starting its first season in April 2008, IPL is all set for its second term, schedule to get started on April 10, 2009.

There were 8 teams ; Royal Bangalore Challenger, Knight Riders, King XI Punjab, Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Daredevils, Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians and Deccan Chargers - in the first season of the Indian Premier League, which competed against each other. The four winning teams progressed to the semi finals and the winners from both the semi finals made it to the finals of the IPL. Rajasthan Royals won the finals and took the Indian Premier League 2008 trophy home. The upcoming season of the Indian Premier League, commencing on April 10, 2009 is expected to be more interesting with some of the leading players of the various teams, taking part in it. The first match will be hosted by the winners of the last year - Rajasthan Royals - in Jaipur.

IPL Teams - IPL Teams Owner - IPL Teams Captain
Rajasthan Royals - Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra - Shane Warne
Kings XI Punjab - Preity Zinta - Yuvaraj Singh
Chennai SuperKings - India Cement - M.S. Dhoni
Delhi Daredevils - Yogesh Shetty(GMR Group) - Virendra Sehwag
Mumbai Indians - Mukesh Ambani - Sachin Tendulkar
Kolkata Knight Riders - Shah Rukh Khan - Saurav Ganguly
Bangalore Royal Challengers - Vijay Mallya - Kevin Pieterson
Deccan Chargers - J Krishan (Deccan Chronicle) - Laxman

Cricket - is a religion not heard by many but followed by plenty in India

2009-03-20T15:17:00.014+05:30

After admiring so long for the any Indian cricket's team original jersey, finally I got one and at the back clearly stamped name of "Dhoni" one of the best ever cricketer in the world of cricket(some Indians even called him a god).

Chennai Superking Jersey

Cricket is a Religion in India

The Indian sub-continent has wide variety of people following different religions. Several books regarding India might suggest that Hinduism is the leading religion in this region. But the real India has a religion not heard by many, but followed by plenty in India. Cricket is the biggest religion in India.

God?

This religion has several gods who keep changing every few years, although there is no holy book for this religion; people can recite names and figures with ease.

One of the famous temple seen here

What is Cricket?

Some introduction to cricket. It is a sport just like any other sport played by very few countries around the world. It resembles baseball in the way it is played. Each team has 11 players and the team that scores most points(runs) in a day wins. To find out more about Cricket, check out Wikipedia.

Way Heading to State Cricket Tournament-horribly congested!

History

India picked up cricket from the British who once ruled over India for over 200 years. India has a big history with cricket with the Maharajas(Kings) playing the game. Indians are very fanatical about the game. Each game is not watched on sportive grounds but as a rite. When India wins a game, the whole nation erupts with joy and when they lose, there are usually some heads rolling and some players prematurely ending their career.

Myself on the way to Cricket Tournament

Cricket is crazy!

To befriend an Indian, the best thing one needs to do is follow Cricket. The fastest way to an Indian's heart is through Cricket. Likewise Malaysian, we all are football fanatic but most of us "kaki bangku". Should you know any other countries following sports so religiously just tell me where and what kind of sport?

Watching some Indian friends enjoying cricket in the heat of the sun in the summer

Indian Cricket- The Beginning

Cricket, the gentleman’s game, is the unofficial national game of India. Though seems to be embedded in the life of country, it did not originate in India. The origin of this game can be traced back to a place named Weald, near London. Initially played by the children of the farmers of the region, today it is the most popular sport after Soccer. There are many beliefs regarding the etymology of the word. Some people believe it to be originated from a French word ‘Crequet’, meaning a Club while others think it to be derived from an English word ‘Crycc’. The game took around 4 centuries to reach India. British brought this game to India in the 17th century. The records show that the first ever cricket match in India was played in 1721 AD. Initially accepted by the Parsi community, this game of foreigners began to appear in organized form with the establishment of the ‘Oriental Cricket Club’ in 1848. This cricket club of Mumbai marked the beginning of interest of Indian people in cricket. The first official cricket match was played between Parsis and Europeans in 1877 AD. Till late 19th century people of this country did not open their hearts to the game. The popularity of the game started building up among the Indian people when some of the Indians such as Sir Ranjitisinhji and Sir Duleepsinhji started playing cricket for English cricket team in 1900s. Their cricket score helped to raise the interest and prestige of the game among Indians.

Dhoni oh Dhoni - Autobiography

courstesy http://www.iloveindia.com/sports/cricket/cricketers/dhoni.html

Full Name: Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Born: July 7, 1981, Ranchi, Bihar

Major teams: India, Jharkhand

Batting style: Right-hand bat

Fielding Position: Wicketkeeper

Achievements: Highest score by a wicketkeeper in ODIs (183 not out); highest number of sixes (10) in an ODI innings by a wicketkeeper (most by an Indian); highest batting average for a wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the new poster boy of Indian cricket. With his long mane and swashbuckling batting style, Dhoni has the whole country drooling over him at this moment.Dhoni got his big break in the Indian team courtesy his exploits against Pakistan A, in the triangular tournament in Kenya, where he destroyed bowling attacks with disdain. After making his one-day international debut against Bangladesh in Chittagong in December 2004 Dhoni remained subdued in the first four matches he played.It was his fifth one-dayer, against Pakistan at Vishakapatnam, which heralded MS Dhoni's arrival at the big stage when the dashing wicket keeper cracked a dazzling 148 from just 123 balls. Dhoni followed it with another cracker of an innings against Sri Lanka on 31 October 2005, when he clobbered his way to a mammoth 183 off just 145 balls, thus breaking Adam Gilchrist's record for the highest score by a wicketkeeper in ODIsDuring this blitzkrieg, Dhoni also broke Saeed Anwar's record of most runs scored off boundaries by scoring a total of 120 runs off 4s and 6s eclipsing the previous record of 118. Riding on the good showing in the One-Dayers, Dhoni made his Test debut against Sri Lanka and in only his fifth Test, scored his maiden century to help India avoid follow-on against Pakistan. Ever since, Dhoni has been a crucial member of the Indian side.

Spring festival - Take all the sorrow away and make life even more colourful

2009-03-12T01:09:00.015+05:30

Spring Festival - Holi

http://www.holifestival.org/

Holi, also called the Festival of Colours, is a popular Hindu spring festival observed in India, Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad, the UK, Fiji and Nepal. In West Bengal of India and Bangladesh, it is known as Dolyatra (Doljatra) or Boshonto Utsav ("spring festival").

The main day, Holi, also known as Dhulheti, Dhulandi or Dhulendi, is celebrated by people throwing coloured powder and coloured water at each other. Bonfires are lit the day before, also known as Holika Dahan (death of Holik) or Chhoti Holi (little Holi). The bonfires are lit in memory of the miraculous escape that young Prahlad had when Demoness Holika, sister of Hiranyakashipu, carried him into the fire. Holika was burnt but Prahlad, a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu, escaped without any injuries due to his unshakable devotion.

Holi is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Phalugna or Falguna (Phalgun Purnima), which usually falls in the later part of February or March. In 2009, Holi (Dhulandi) is on 11th March and Holika Dahan is on 10th March. Rangapanchami occurs a few days later on a Panchami (fifth day of the full moon), marking the end of festivities involving colours.

Rituals of Holi
The main emphasis of the festival is on the burning of the holy fire or Holika. The origin of the traditional lighting of Holi is attributed by some to the burning of demonesses like Holika, Holaka and Putana who represent evil, or to the burning of Madan according to others.

Dol Purnima (Rang Panchami), the festival of colour is celebrated with great festivity and joy. On this day, people come out wearing pure white clothes and gather together in a common place where they play it with gay abandon.

In India, Holi is regarded as one of the greatest festivals. Most of the Hindu festival is celebrated as the national festival and almost everyone celebrates it regardless of the religion i.e. even Muslims celebrate it. Christians may also join in although Holi mostly falls during their Lent season and many would not join in the festivities. The day of Holi is also one of the national holiday in India. People walk down their neighbourhoods to celebrate Holi by exchanging colours and throwing and splashing water to each other.

One of the most famous activities is throwing water balloon to each other also called Lola(meaning water balloon). Also a lot of people mix 'bhang' in their drinks and food as done in Shivaratri. It is believed that the combination of different colours played at this festival take all the sorrow away and make life even more colourful .

Festival of colours, Holi is celebrated with great fanfare in the Gujarat state of India. Falling on the full moon day in the month of Phalguna, Holi is a major Hindu festival and marks the agricultural season of the Rabi crop. Bonfire is also lit in the main squares of the villages, localities and colonies. People collect at the time of bonfire and celebrate the event, which is symbolic of the victory of good over evil by singing and dancing. Tribals of Gujarat celebrate Holi in great enthusiasm and dance around the fire.

Natural colours
The spring season, during which the weather changes, is believed to cause viral fever and cold. Thus, the playful throwing of natural coloured powders has a medicinal significance: the colours are traditionally made of Neem, Kumkum, Haldi, Bilva, and other medicinal herbs prescribed by Āyurvedic doctors. A special drink called thandai is prepared, sometimes containing bhang (Cannabis sativa). Unfortunately the commercial aspect of celebration has led to an increase in the use of synthetic colours which, in some cases, may be toxic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khscBlibcsE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rm17BPGvZSc

Rp39.00(Rm3.00)

2009-02-26T17:57:00.005+05:30

Aduh letihnya. Baru sahaja balik dari "shopping" sayur-sayuran, sakitnya belakang bersempit dengan minah keling itu tadi. Bau pun harum semacam, harum semerbak kari, bukan main kaw lagi bau dia mengalahkan bau tengek! Oops sory...saje buat citer supaya kelakar dan menarik sikit.

Inilah kenderaan(gambar diatas) yang saya gunakan untuk ke pasar sebentar tadi. Orang tempatan panggil dia"auto" ataupun "richa". Dia mirip "scooter" tetapi beroda 3. Dia datang siap dengan reverse gear, beratap dan tempat duduk belakangnya boleh muat untuk 3 orang dengan seorang driver didepan. Walaupun dari luarannya kecil namun kekadang kelihatan 3 orang termasuk driver duduk di hadapan dan 5 orang dibelakang. "Auto" ini buatan tempatan sahaja iaitu "Bajaj".

Inilah dia sayur dan buah-buahan yang saya telah beli dari pasar Surat tadi. Saya belikan seikat pisang, 2 biji terung, 4 biji tomato, 8 biji telur ayam, 2 biji cili "apple", 2 biji potato, sebiji kobis, seikat daun ketumbar dan seikat daun sup. Percaya atau tidak harganya hanya Rp39.00(RM2.95). Murah kan? Cuba anda nyatakan pada saya di mana anda boleh mencari tempat membeli sayur-sayuran atau pun buah-buahan semurah ini lagi di muka bumi ini?

Tapi ada satu perkara yang memungkin anda kurang senang kalau duduk di sini ialah hidup tanpa memakan daging seperti ayam, lembu, ikan etc kerana adalah satu perkara yang pelik malah menyiksakan anda jikalau tidak memakan "non vege" itu biar pun sehari(betul tak?) Apa tidaknya bayangkanlah sehingga setengah tahun anda tidak menjamah makanan yang anda idamkan. Tidak ke maut jadinya? Memang sukar untuk percaya tetapi inilah hakikatnya, mana tidaknya hampir semua orang di sini adalah "vegetarian". Malah anda tidak akan percaya sebab anda boleh melihat lembu, babi, ayam, kambing dan lain-lain binatang berkeliaran dengan sewenang-wenangnya sehingga di tengah-tengah bandaraya pun ada, tetapi itu bukanlah satu jaminan untuk anda untuk menjadikan mereka sebagai santapan anda "lunch" atau pun "dinner" nanti. Lebih dashyat lagi dari bungkusan makanan ringan sekecil "snack" sehinggalah sebesar papan tanda/iklan "warung makan" atau pun "restauran" itu semuanya diletakkan logo "Pure Vege". Nak tahu apa logonya? Senang sahaja...ingat logo parti PAS di Malaysia tu begitulah sebiji logo dia! Segiempat putih dan di dalamnya bulatan hijau warna parti PAS. Cuma bezanya di Malaysia penyokong parti PAS semuanya "non vege" ya tak?!

Klah wa cau dulu...

Mari belajar Bahasa Hindi

2009-02-17T19:51:00.010+05:30

Jauh perjalanan banyaklah pengalaman...begitulah perumpamaannya. Hampir setengah bulan menyepi dari blog ini kerana sedikit sibuk dengan tugasan harian, apa kata kali ini saya cuba membawa anda semua sama-sama belajar sedikit bahasa Hindi yang menjadi bahasa nombor satu di sini. Tidaklah kekok nanti kalau anda seorang peminat fanatik filem Hindustan kat Malaysia sana. Petang tadi saya telah berkesempatan mempelajari bagaimana mengira nombor satu sehingga 14 daripada seorang teman "tauke sayur" kaki lima di Pasar Surat.

Terima kasih kepada Asif Bai(gambar diatas), seorang Gujarati pewaris kepada peniagaan runcit keluarganya kerana meluangkan sedikit masa. Pemuda ini baru berusia 19 tahun dan petah berbahasa Inggeris. Sambil-sambil mengajar saya tu, dia asyik meludah-ludahkan tembakau dia, katanya dia sudah pun terlalu"addicted", tambahannya dia telah pun mempelajari memakan tembakau ini sejak dari kecil lagi kerana bagi mereka memakan tembakau boleh menceriakan hidup mereka. Lucukan...hehehehhhh. Ayoh kita mulakan mengira.......

Satu = Aak

Dua = Duo

Tiga = Teen

Empat = Chaar

Lima = Paach

Cuba anda semua teka apa binatang(gambar diatas) ini? Mungkin di Malaysia anda mungkin jarang-jarang menjumpai binatang ini. Inilah dia "dacing penimbang" yang masih digunakan disini walaupun di Supermarket mahupun kedai runcit. Anehkan dunia sudah moden tapi mereka lebih suka menggunakan penimbang keramat mereka ini(mungkin senang menipu customers kot...hehehehhhh). Ayoh kita sambung lagi.....

Enam = Chaa

Tujuh = Sattah

Lapan = Aath

Sembilan = Nov

Sepuluh = Dus

Sedikit infor berkenaan dengan penimbang keramat ini, yang disebelah kiri itu adalah tempat meletakkan barang yang dibeli dan yang disebelah kanan itu adalah batu pemberat yang bermula dari 10 grams yang paling ringan, 25 grams, 50 grams, 100grams, 250grams, 1/5kg dan paling berat 1kg. Anda tahu menggunakannya? Kalau anda peminat parti BN tentu anda mahir menggunakannya. Mari kita teruskan lagi mempelajari bahasa dia.

Sebelas = Aigerah

Dubelas = Barah

Tigabelas = Terah
Empatbelas = Chouda

15, 16, 17, 18.....to be continued next episod...

So lain episod saya akan cuba membawa anda semua untuk mempelajari apa mereka kata dalam bahasa Hindi untuk sayur-sayuran dan buah-buahan pulak. Kalau pasal "jalan-jalan cari makan" kat sini itu mungkin jauh sama sekali. Maksud saya tidak ada yang special pasal semua mahluk yang digelarkan manusia disini adalah "vegetarian". Boleh kah anda bayangkan bagaimana anda hidup dengan memakan sayur-sayuran sahaja untuk 3 bulan? So bagi saya tak ada yang special melainkan yang ada sini hanyalah "capati", "roti", "balaji", "poha", "samosa", etc....hmmmmmmmm

So saya tinggalkan anda disini dengan satu persoalanan(sila jawa dalam hati anda ye)

1. APAKAH PEKERJAAN MAMAT DI DALAM GAMBAR DIATAS?

2. APAKAH BENDA YANG SEDANG DITARIK DAN DITOLAK OLEH MAMAT INI?

Clue nya...takleh le bagi!

See you all, have a wonderful day!

Good time for having your life partner.

2009-02-14T21:04:00.008+05:30

Happy Valentine Day!

"This is the time". "This is my day". "I am the King/Queen on this day". "Its a winter time again"(hmmmmm... this is the right time to have the husband/wife).

Believe it or not, only Hindusm believers knows the thruth that marrying on the specific times/periods are so much promissing to them or even may influencing to their future.

And how is your believing in selecting your important day? Whether it is true or not, or what ever is your oppinions on this occasion, this was happening here since the past 3 months.

If you have a planned to visit India for the coming year, do come from November to February as I was adviced by my Indian colleugues and for sure you will enjoy the colourful and variety of Indian spices!.

For this occasion you will be noticed that a lot of people are marching on the road shoulder with their beautiful dresses, colourful saris, accompanying by a group of choir with their traditional instruments and the King and Queen are sitting on the decorated booth and being towed by two white horses.

Visa for visiting India? For Malaysian, you may stay here up to 6 months continously as your visit visa will be valid for that such duration once it got approved. No such visa "visa on arrival" for Malaysian visiting India!

The real 'Risk Taker"...buy it and read it.

2009-02-08T05:29:00.010+05:30

Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong is one of Malaysia's most interesting entrepreneurs. His development of Genting Highlands into a world-class resort has been well-publicised; this text, however, offers readers a first-time insight into his life. Starting with nothing, turning challenges into opportunities, taking risks, and emerging perseverent, Lim Goh Tong transformed the Genting Highlands into the impressive resort conglomerate it is today. Typically modest, Tan Sri Lim gives an account that is refreshingly original, wryly humorous and moving in its poignancy.

Lim Goh Tong, who built a hilltop casino in Malaysia and turned it into Asia's biggest publicly traded gaming company, died on 23rd October 2007. He was 90. He was a prominent wealthy Malaysian Chinese businessman. The founder of Kuala Lumpur-based Genting Bhd. and Malaysia's third-richest person with a net worth estimated to be 4.2 billion USD making him the 204th richest person in the billionaire list compiled by Forbes, died peacefully after a short illness.

Early Life
Born in 1918 in Anxi, a mountainous county in South Eastern Fujian province, China, Lim Goh Tong was the fifth child in his family. His father was Lim Shi Quan and his mother Goh Ban. He has an elder brother, three elder sisters, a younger sister and a younger brother. Lim was born into a rustic environment in a village, during that time, China was in a period of turmoil and unrest after the Xinhai Revolution, but life was relatively sheltered for Lim in the village. He grew up peacefully and had the opportunity of studying in school. However, disaster struck and his father passed away when he was 16. Lim was forced to leave school and being the eldest son, he had to take over the heavy burden of feeding his family.

As China's situation was becoming worse, Lim Goh Tong decided to take the plunge in venturing out to Malaysia (known as Malaya at that time) following his cousin's footstep. He left China through Xiamen in early February 1937 at the age of 19. He worked for his uncle as a carpenter in the first two years, learning the Malay language in the meantime. After gaining experience he went on to become a building sub-contractor and completed his first job of building a two-storey school. He returned to Anxi in 1940, but went back to Malaya the next year amidst a deteriorating war environment.

Career and Business
The Japanese invaded Malaya in 1942 and caused Lim to have a few near-death experiences. During the early Japanese Occupation, he earned a living as a vegetable farmer, but decided to switch to petty trading for a better living. Later on Lim ventured into scrap-metal and hardware trading. When the Japanese Occupation ended, there was an urgent demand for heavy machinery for resumed operations in mines and rubber plantations, Lim seized the opportunity and engaged in second-hand machinery trading, making his first fortune. From used machinery trading, Lim strayed into iron mining fortuitously. Lim joined as a partner in an iron mining company which couldn't settle the outstanding payment of two bulldozers with him, and this proved to be a successful venture as he earned a substantial amount of profit from the mining industry, including forming a joint-venture tin mining company which was one of the first Chinese tin companies to utilize dredges in mining tin.

While dealing in heavy machinery, Lim accumulated a wide range of reconditioned machines as well as a substantial amount of cash to move into construction and related industries. In the name of his family construction company, Kien Huat Private Limited, Lim began taking on several contracting jobs with help and guidance from his uncles. Kien Huat won accolades and became recognized as one of the leading construction companies after successfully completing many major projects. Among the biggest projects completed was the Ayer Itam Dam, the first time a local contractor had been given a construction job of such magnitude. Lim faced the brink of bankruptcy when construction work was facing problems in the Kemubu Irrigation Scheme, but managed to overcome the obstacles and completed the project.

Developing Genting Resort
The idea of building a hilltop resort was first conceived when Lim Goh Tong was having a dinner in the Cameron Highlands. As he was enjoying the soothing cool breeze of the Cameron Highlands, an idea struck him that as the standard of living rose steadily in Malaysia, more and more people would visit mountain resorts for relaxation and recreation, but Cameron Highlands was too far away from the capital city Kuala Lumpur, therefore building a mountain resort nearer to Kuala Lumpur would have great business potential.

After doing some research, Lim found Gunung (mountain in Malay) Ulu Kali at a place called Genting Sempah to be an ideal location for his plan. He formed an expedition and explored the place, collecting a wealth of data on the topography, drainage, soil conditions and other relevant aspects of the region, this proved to be very useful in drawing up plans for developing the resort.
Upon conceiving this idea, many naysayers were skeptical of Lim turning a wilderness into a tourist resort. Most thought it was really risky and reckoned Lim who was financially comfortable to be foolish to invest heavily in money and time to develop Genting, but Lim brushed off all these negativities and went ahead firmly with his plan.

After getting approvals from the Federal and State governments, Lim began the project in the face of a colossal task. Among the problems were building the access road towards the hilltop, water and electricity supplies, sewerage system and fire safety. Lim managed to build the access road towards the summit in three years when it was estimated to take fifteen years. Several sources of water in the mountain were identified, water supply was secured by building water-collection stations and water filtration plants with treated water stored in reservoirs. Electricity is supplied through a central electricity generation system with 12 big generators.
During the construction, Lim survived six close brushes with death. Meanwhile, Lim had to administer another major project in Kelantan, the Kemubu Irrigation Scheme at the same time. This stretched his physical endurance to the limits as he had to shuttle between Kuala Lumpur and Kelantan and he worked seven days a week.

During the Genting project, Lim spent all he had without earning any income. He sold an 810-hectare rubber estate to raise RM2.5 million. In addition, he invested all the money he had made from iron mining, sub-contracting and hardware businesses. The project was a heavy drain on Lim's finances. When asked to invest in this project, Lim's friends turned him down and counselled him to drop the entire scheme instead.

Genting was granted the only casino licence after Tunku Abdul Rahman, the prime minister of Malaysia then, visited Genting Highlands and commended Lim's effort to develop a resort contributing to Malaysia's tourism industry without government help. Lim managed to obtain a pioneer status for Genting Highlands and tax incentives despite its resort development not qualifying for it. He did so by convincing the government that tax incentives in the early stage of development of Genting Highlands were not only vital for them but also profitable to the government later on.

The whole Genting project was completed in January 1971, but prior to officially commencing business, Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding areas were hit by the worst rainstorms in a century, the road to Genting was closed by landslides at 180 locations, the damaged sections took four months to repair. Genting opened its door for business on 8 May 1971.
In the next 30 years, Lim continued to develop and expand Genting Highlands beyond its original idea of a hotel with basic tourist facilities. Among the projects were the construction of more hotels, indoor and outdoor theme parks, and a convention centre. A new road was built to shorten the journey to Genting from the northern states, and RM120 million was invested to widen a 10 km stretch of the access road to reduce congestion. Another RM128 million was spent on constructing a cable car system to provide visitors with an alternative mode of transportation.

In 1993, at the suggestion of Tun Mahathir, the prime minister of Malaysia then, a township was developed on an 81-hectare piece of land around the site of the Genting Skyway cable car station. It was named Gohtong Jaya after Lim as a token of remembrance for his efforts in the development of Genting Highlands.

As of now, Genting Highlands is one of the most successful Casino resorts in the world and is one of the primary tourist attractions in Malaysia. Lim's company, Genting Group operates Genting Highlands and has diversified into many other industries such as plantations, property, paper, power generation, oil and gas exploration and cruise boat industries. In the process new company brands were created that have become distinctive names in their respective fields, namely Asiatic, Genting Sanyen (paper manufacturing) and Star Cruises.

On 31 December 2003, Lim handed his chairmanship of Genting Group over to his son, Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay.

Personal Life
Lim Goh Tong was married to Lee Kim Hua, together they had six children and nineteen grandchildren.The six children are Lim Siew Lay, Siew Lian, Siew Kim, Tee Keong, Kok Thay and Chee Wah.

Throughout his life Lim has had a few medical crises, among them were a malignant tumour and cardiovascular problems, which he pulled through after several surgeries. Lim wrote his autobiography "My Story - Lim Goh Tong" and it was published in 2004. In the book he wrote about his early life, how he started off with nothing to building a world-class casino resort through hard work and perseverance confounding skeptics, and the people he acknowledges.

Achievement and Awards
Lim Goh Tong had won many awards together with his company Genting Group for his entrepreneurship and his contribution, among them were:
Malaysian Entrepreneurs Award 1985
Manager of the Year Award 1986
Business Achiever of the Year Award 1994
Number 1 ranking of 10 Malaysian Leading Companies 1996
The Best Employer Award 1996

He was conferred the title "Tan Sri" by the government of Malaysia on 6 June 1979 in recognition to the contribution he has made to the country.

In 1978, Lim Goh Tong set up Yayasan Lim, a family foundation that donates regularly to educational and medical institutions, old folk's homes, various organisations for the physically handicapped and other charitable causes.

Courtesy Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong(1918 - 23 October 2007)

Renaming ORANG ULU

2009-02-03T09:54:00.004+05:30

Sayu kenap/Tiga tawai,

In correlation with recent "hot issue" within ORANG ULUs local community, I would like to extend the links for your convenient(applicable to ORANG ULU friends/visitors only) to give your support into this renaming process.

Follow the link below for more detail on the "hot issue".
http://www.kayankenyah.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=73&Itemid=1

Follow the links below for your valuable vote/oppinion/survey on the said issue.
http://www.kayankenyah.org/index.php?option=com_fireboard&Itemid=42&func=view&catid=38&id=2966#2966
or,
http://freeonlinesurveys.com/rendersurvey.asp?sid=hvua14palznzbu9541805

Together building up the moral into the most respected and wellknown nation by maintaining its originality, uniquely cultures and qualities.

Regards,
One of thousands of it kind like no others on the earth.

Happy Chinese New Year 09 - The Year Of Ox

2009-01-23T11:48:00.006+05:30

Happy Chinese New Year 2009 and Happy Holidays! In conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebrations, I want to take this opportunity to wish you (Chinese friends around the globe) Happy Chinese New Year and Happy Holidays. I wish you a bountiful year of prosperity, good health and happiness!

The Chinese believe that people born in a particular year take on the characteristics of the animal associated with that year.

This year 2009 - Ox
Born leaders who will work hard to achieve their aims. Dependable, good organisers and not easily influenced by others. Patient, loyal to their friends and expect loyalty in return. Tend to have lasting relationships.

Garba Festival

2008-11-20T13:21:00.010+05:30

Sept 2008
Navratri is a Hindu Festival of worship and dance. The word Navaratri literally means nine nights in Sanskrit; Nava meaning Nine and Ratri meaning nights. During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Shakt/Devi i.e. female divinity are worshipped.

Navratri 2008 has just over from 30th September till 8th Oct, a 9 nights and 10 days celeberation. An energetic crazy 4 hours non stop dancing followed by a team of live singers from 10pm till 2am morning for the period.

Garba Festival In Gujarat India, is the State of Gujarat most popular public dance festival. To succeed this 9 days celeberation, Gujarat’s Garba dancers are busy with teaching the latest and even ethnic Navratri skills. Indian Public die hard fans of Navrati Festival is called "Garba. Most of the people learn Garba for one to two months before Navratri.

Navratri Greeting Cards, Navratri Greeting SMS;
May the festival of lights be the harbinger of joy and prosperity.
As the holy occasion of Navratri is here and the atmosphere is filled with the spirit of mirth and love, here's hoping this festival of beauty brings your way, bright sparkles of contentment, that stay with you through the days ahead.

Best wishes on Navratri.
Fortunate is the one who has learned to admire, but not to envy.

Good Wishes for a joyous Navratri.
May This Navratri be as bright as ever.
May this Navratri bring joy, health and wealth to you.
May the festival of lights brighten up you and your near and dear ones lives.
May this Navratri bring in you the most brightest and choicest happiness and love you have ever wished for.
May this Navratri bring you the utmost in peace and prosperity.
May lights triumph over darkness.
May peace transcend the earth.
May the spirit of light illuminate the world.
May the light that we celebrate at Navratri show the way and lead all together on the path of peace and social harmony.

Rituals
During Navratri, some devotees of Durga observe a fast and prayers are offered for the protection of health and prosperity. A period of introspection and purification, Navratri is traditionally an auspicious and religious time for starting new ventures. During this vowed religious observance, a pot is installed (ghatasthapana) at a sanctified place at home. A lamp is kept lit in the pot for nine days. The pot symbolizes the universe. The uninterrupted lit lamp is the medium through which we worship the effulgent Adishakti, i.e. Sree Durgadevi. During Navratri, the principle of Sree Durgadevi is more active in the atmosphere. Navratri is celebrated in a large number of Indian communities. The mother goddess is said to appear in 9 forms, and each one is worshipped for a day. These nine forms signify various traits that the goddess influences us with. The Devi Mahatmya and other texts invoking the Goddess who vanquished demons are cited..

MASAM-MASAM BARIK KELUNAN

2008-11-10T01:23:00.008+05:30

August 2008

Camp resort

Murip alem daleh Surat Gujarat India usi kah iha' jiek lale' awi aleng ek ngiok dih men em payan nei ateng hinih 3 bulan aleng uh areh dih! Dena' udu ta' hinih murip alem uro' with 3 star hotel built and provided by the company dahin dahun pelirik 24 jam, 25km kah su men pasen Surat usi' kah iha' ji'ek lale' kurik...lo?... Kerai nih winter just around the corner. Last August when I was on site here the temperature was varying between 28-46C dahin kerai nih 15-33C. So nice!

Way to Surat

Pasen Surat lan pah iha' em su kurin tak tih bi ala masa 1.5 ateng 2 jam kah ja' avin daleh anih penu dahin kelita' 2 dahin 3 kudek(ilin) anih!. Te' kahum tulan ujung alan aya' lahuh uting lembu hiap aso' nih, kelunan kahum lelan lahuh panau tung-tung hireh hitih(>5 million kelunan alem Surat City tua kurik...ayau-ayau! 1 of 5 Malaysian), alan pah em sayu ngeluvang hireh-hitih, usi te' pakai traffic light(te' kah traffic lights tih bi iha' nah awi em te' tua te' kelunan bangsa anih, piah bunga' alan aya' tua nah). Pah-pah nyian anau tak pa 30-40km/h pakei kelita'.

Routine life of people of Surat

Te' ji selap kelunan hinih suka' na sepa dahin lemura hireh hitih(bela tua liding dahin pa'un kayo' dih!), te' pah aleng suka' tudu tung-tung tua (tino' tua iha' kenap tinan nah iha' mete'), te' pah aleng(lim-lim kurik) suka' ngeti'an hinok-hinok tua iha' ngenap ngetivat te' liding kah yung kayo' kah nunan deng loh kah...nunan kah lake' nunan kah daha' aleng doh hahuh?(dekaya dahin nyam piah tua kurin kelo'!) tusah seng tei-tei nyihuk, te' pah ji na'an kelunan aleng livoh ita' dahin nyepit basung ita' kahi sin ligit, te' pah balai belutuk ineng neng kelunan aleng selap(adang nunih kah kurik bangsa anih...nunan kah bangsa anih aleng murip ha' daleh Arab tih lahuh dih sukak lelan daha' belutuk nyineng keluanan selap ni-ni!, awi "sakai/jakun" kurin tam dih sawih!!!).

Te' kah asi ita' te' daha' te' k, dahin te' kah heleh ita' pedung te' daha'. Seng nun seng em...en ita' uk daha' ji dua liap sin tih pa...bah en na' uvui nah lim-lim kelunan ji kampung pahu na' na'a nei kahi te' ika' la'an pelalau, usi iha' nutih tua kurin ta' tih...nei dalo' tih pa nup-nup en dalo' nyepit basung ita' tih petunat ika'! So what the advise from local friends is don't ever charity your money to them! Just ignore this stuff walaupun ika' te' kenap seng masi dalo' mejai ligit.

Uma dalo'

Pasi kah kenap ita' ineng kelunan aleng hume' tih, aleng hume' tih atek-atek hume' lelan men uh itam aleng kelunan orang ulu hudik nan. Te' kah aleng kaya' tih kaya' lelan pah anan te' hang daha', bi iha' nah ji dua tua kelunan aleng kitan ta'. Kahum loh kah aleng em pakai selipar panau alem pasen tih lahuh kerai nih! Te' pah aleng em pakai basung lahuh! Nuno' ita' seng ngatah lo? So orang ulu more advance!!!

Teknologi maring?

Ji la'an ...tegu ita' tei panau musang malam ha' pasen tih, penu tua nah kelunan lake', doh, dekaya', nyam, bujang, panak dahin anak uk aleng em te' amin tih tei perap tudu ha' kaki lima', te' kah aleng mete' tua ujung divider alan aya' tih, te' kah aleng tudu ujung tana tua hida jabatan tih, te' pah aleng mete' tua ujung alan aya' alan kelita' ita' panau...ayau-ayau kek ta' tua kah...nyeletak tua tak(seng kelita' ngaja pedung kelunan di, awi ita' ngatah dih, kelunan mavuk kurin ta' tua atih pa...piah tulan!). Titih ngavan daha' lemura sepa dau ngedau dih tinan kah ngavan dalo' tei perap tudu ngelube' malam.

La'ei dalo' nyam doh anih!

Layau-layau lake' nyineng tua oooo dalo' doh nyadui! Reality na' adang em te' lelan uma kah dalo' anan, kuman dalo' pah em payan tatuk ba seng te' ha'ut-ha'ut dau lebih pah kurin ita' marung uma/lepau anan tih. Iha' pah te' lepau tih syarat tua atih nup metuk canvas tua di du liding tua anan dahin hapau, nup-nup tudu/ngelube' tua nah anan ujung tana. Kurin ita' tih sayu pulang lepau parei itam orang ulu daleh hudik nan! Hume'-hume' urip itam kelunan daleh hudik orang ulu nan lagi hume' kelunan anih kurik tih.

Masak tar alan aya'

Anih ji la'an barik kelunan hinih, usi daha' kaseh pakai teknologi aleng uh te'. Metang tana dahin cement pah pakai bisin, masak tar na alan aya' anan pah pakai kayo' apui mahun na' awi na "dodol"/"gulai kawah" kurin halo' tua dalo',nyiun paip pah pakai kelunan kahum(ramai-ramai gotong-royong), ngale' tana pah pakai sakun usi' dalo kaseh pakai sadak/JCB anan, melak-melak kamek. Te' lekoh dalo' nyadui lahuh! Lake' belutuk tua nyineng daha' aleng doh nyadui! Seng hiran project seng hu'uh reh?

DUBAI

2008-11-02T16:54:00.005+05:30

2006 - 2008

Dubai is one of the seven emirates that comprise the country known as the United Arab Emirates. It is also the capital city of that emirate; to avoid confusion, the city is oftentimes referred to as Dubai City in order to distinguish it from the emirate itself.

Dubai, the emirate, was created when the United Arab Emirates was officially formed in the year 1971. The city itself, however, has a history that extends back at least a century and a half prior to that.

In the United Arab Emirates, each emirate has a certain amount of power over such facets of government as civic law enforcement, as well as the maintenance of facilities in the area. Dubai is no different, but it also contributes to the larger country’s economic, federal, political, military, and legal functions.

Dubai is the most populous emirate in the country. It is also the second largest geographically, following behind Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi and Dubai are the only two emirates that have veto power when it comes to national political issues. The Al Maktoum family has ruled over Dubai since the nineteenth century. The city is currently run by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates. Dubai is known for having a booming economy. The vast majority of money is made from the city’s oil industry, although oil reserves are predicted to be exhausted in about twenty years’ time.

Tourism is also a big industry in Dubai. There are also a lot of international businesses opening up shop in Dubai. This has brought the emirate some negative attention, in that human rights issues have arisen in recent years concerning the city’s mostly foreign work force. About 250,000 foreign workers call Dubai home.

The city of Dubai is a major center for international education. The American University of Dubai, the American College of Dubai, and Harvard Medical School Dubai Center all have prestigious campuses. Dubai is also regarded as being a major media hub. In the year 2009, the city of Dubai will complete construction on its new metro.

www.dubaitourism.ae

UM AL QUWAIN "Mother of 2 Powers"

2008-11-02T16:33:00.008+05:30

Jan 11, 2008

Umm Al Quwain is one of the seven United Arab Emirates. It covers a total area of around eight hundred square kilometers. Umm al Quwain has much to offer visitors. It is a geographically lush area, stretching from the mangrove lined shores of the Persian Gulf to the Falaj Al Moalla oasis. In addition to the city of Umm al Quwain, the town of Falaj Al Moalla is also well worth a visit. It is a major agricultural center of the United Arab Emirates.

The name of the emirate translates from the Arabic in to “Mother of Two Powers,” which refers to the emirate’s seafaring tradition, which goes back hundreds of years. The history of the emirate dates back to some two hundred years ago, when members of the Al Ali tribe decided to move their capital here after the sweet waters on the Al Sinniyah Island dried up.

Traditional activities of the region include fishing, camel racing, falconry, and dhow building.

Umm al Quwain also boasts the world’s largest water park, Dreamland, which draws thousands of visitors each year. It takes up well over two hundred fifty thousand square meters along the coast and contains a number of games and rides, as well as a shopping area and numerous fast food restaurants.

Umm Al Quwain city features, among other attractions, the Umm Al Quwain Museum, which is housed in a former fort that used to guard the Old Town. It overlooks the sea on one side, and the town’s creek on the other. Umm Al Quwain also boasts many major islands. Al Dur Island is an important historical site, boasting the remains of a two thousand year old town. Excavations have unearthed such priceless gems as ancient tombs, glassware, and stone houses. Al Siniyyah Island, housed directly across the creek from the city of Umm Al Quwain, is a haven for birds, making it a bird watcher’s paradise. It also houses famous mangrove swamps. Water sports fans can enjoy the offerings of the Umm Al Quwain Marine Club, situated on the shores of the city’s creek.

RAS AL KHAIMAH

2008-11-02T15:53:00.007+05:30

Jan 11, 2008

Heritage

The Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah has an impressive archaeological heritage and a very rich history. This area had always enticed settlers with its unique combination of all the four types of landscapes found in different parts of the United Arab Emirates: the fertile plains, the mountainous region, coastal areas and the desert environment.

The interaction of these geographical factors and the living style of people have shaped up the very special heritage of the Emirate. Archaeological excavations and finds have proved that the history of Ras Al Khaimah dates back to the very immemorial past. It reveals that an advanced civilization that carried on trade existed in this region since 5'000 BC.

Ubaid Period (5'500 - 3'800 BC)

This is the oldest era known so far in the history of Ras Al Khaimah. Not far from Al Jazeerah Al Hamra, huge ruins of structures and external roofs have been discovered. These ruins are indicative of the early human activities in this area. Moreover some pottery remains, beads, nets and stone implements were also found from the same area. They are a good evidence of the early existence of the Bedouin desert inhabitants who used to live on the coast in the winter. The pottery remains resembled pottery and earthenware pots found in Mesopotamia in the same period. This is living proof of direct trade relations between both areas. In the area of Khatt, excavators have also discovered historical sites that contained granite implements which belonged to the same era.

Haffet Period (3'200 - 2'600 BC)

This era was known for its ruins of graves and burial grounds which were built on high mountains. They were made of local stone and shaped like beehives. Each grave consisted of one or two small rooms. These were discovered in the areas of Khatt, Wadi al-Bih as well as in Wadi al-Qarw.

Umm al-Nar Civilization (2'600 - 2'000 BC)

The Umm al- Nar Civilization existed in the middle of the third millennium BC. It was arguably the most important period in the development of a civilization in the UAE. Evidence suggests that trade between Mesopotamia and the Valley of Inds (south-east of Iran) flourished during the period. These areas together provided a vast and extended network for distant trade especially in high quality pottery which they were famous for.

The period is well known for its round graves whose external walls were built of smooth engraved and polished stones. A grave was divided into rooms to be used for massive burial, in other words they were used for burying generations of dead people. Archaeologists were able to discover the remains of more than one hundred bodies in these graves. The largest grave was found in the Shamal area. One of these graves had a 14.5 meter diameter. A stone on its front had the drawing of a human foot engraved on it. In 1988, another grave was discovered in the Menaie Valley in the northern area of Ras Al Khaimah. Another grave was discovered in Aasama, where significant collections of bronze implements were also found. Among them were arrowheads and daggers.

Late Bronze Age (1'600 - 1'250 BC)

The second half of the second millennium BC, the late Bronze Age, is known from a settlement in the Shamal area, which has been partly excavated by a German Mission of the University of Goettingen. Built at the foot of the rising mountains, it showed traces of 'arish' style housing, typical of the United Arab Emirates until as recently as 50 years ago. Large amount of shells and fish bones discovered from the area indicate that the people relied on the Creek, which was probably not far away. Dates and animal bones discovered from the area suggest that farming was also common during the period.

Iron Age (1'200 - 300 BC)

The Iron Age here is best known from finds from the southern part of Ras Al Khaimah where a number of graves were discovered. Some of them were oblong with four rooms, others were shaped like a horseshoe and some others were circular in shape. Archaeologists have discovered painted pans and large number of stone engraved decorated pots made of chlorite from them. One of the most significant discoveries was a stone with the drawing of a phoenix engraved on it. The drawing of this imaginary bird resembled those painted in Assyrian palaces in Northern Iraq. In Northern Ras Al Khaimah there are two settlements shaped like hillocks. The settlement in Khatt was discovered in 1968. The other is in Shamal. Both settlements represent life in the northern region in the Iron Age.

The Hellenic and Parthian Era (300 BC -300 AD)

The later pre-Islamic time, the Hellenic and Parthian Period, is also evident in the northern parts. Survey projects launched by the Antiquities and Museums Department have led to the discovery of some historical sites in the northern and southern districts of Ras Al Khaimah. These sites include individual tombs and reused old graves found in Shamal, Asimah and in Wa'ab / Wadi Muna'i.

The Sasanian Occupation Era (300 AD - 632 AD)

The Sasanian occupation of Ras Al Khaimah is now becoming increasingly evident. A team of archaeologists have founded a small site on the island of Hulaylah that was occupied during the Sasanian Period. Recently two other sites were found in Khatt. The most significant discovery of this era during the three-phase exploration campaign was a Sasanian citadel. It was built mainly to have full control over the fertile plains in the north of Ras Al Khaimah. This monument was evacuated when Islam was adopted in the UAE area. For the early as well as for the later Islamic Periods, Ras Al Khaimah is the most important Emirate regarding the archeological heritage. The early centuries of Islam are well presented in Kush and at the island of Hulaylah.

The Abbasids Era (750 - 1'250 AD)

This period of history featured the great unified Islamic Empire and the huge expansion of trade with East Asia. This era was embodied in small areas in the Arabian Gulf. The presence of two of these areas in Ras Al Khaimah helped it to play a great role as a bustling trade route in the early Islamic Era. One of these places was Al Khoush which was a castle abandoned by the Sassans during the Islamic expansion in this area. It was reoccupied by people who lived in it for the next seven centuries. The second place is situated in the Island of Hulaylah. It was a structure made of palm leaves. Its ruins are few and vague, however they are considered to be of great historical importance.

Both the sites were known as a part of Julfar, which was an old town well known to Muslim travellers and geographers. Some Abbasid pottery and Chinese porcelain pots imported from Iraq and elsewhere were found in these two areas. The antiquities show us how far people of Julfar were deeply interested and involved in trade at that time.

The Later Islamic Era (14th - 19th century)

In the middle of the fourteenth century, Kush and the Island of Hulaylah were deserted. People began to settle on sandy beaches near the coast. This area was called Julfar. It was discovered by the famous archaeologist Piatris in 1968. Many archaeological expeditions were delegated to the area by France, Britain, Japan and Germany. They all showed that Julfar was a vast populated area from the fourteenth up to the seventeenth century.

The town was built of baked mud bricks and protected by a mud wall, 2.5 meters thick and 4 meters high. It was a main center of trade in the lower part of the Arabian Gulf. Julfar was famous for its vast and flourishing trade with distant areas. The finds of porcelain and pottery from here were imported from Arab and European countries. It was the hometown of the famous Arab navigator, Ahmad Ibn Majid who was called "The Lion of Seas". Julfar was famous for its quality pottery made in Shamal and the Valley of Haqeel which were among the main centers for making and distributing pottery pots throughout the Gulf countries. The pottery industry prevailed for more than 500 years. The last abandoned pottery oven was in the Valley of Haqeel, 30 years ago.

The recent History (19th - 20th century)

Even the more recent history (19th & 20th Century) is well presented in the National Museum of Ras Al Khaimah. In the recent years the Department of Antiquities and Museums has conducted several surveys to collect the data about traditional buildings. 75 standing towers built of mud-brick or stone and mortar were registered during a survey.

Recently, a survey concerning the existence of old mosques located more than 20 sites, which were older than 30 years. They have been recorded, planned and photographed by a Belgian team and reflect the unique and important architectural tradition of religious buildings in the United Arab Emirates in general and the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah in particular.
Customs and traditions are passed on from parents to children and in the long run they are inherited by generations. The people of UAE are known for their generosity, bravery and friendliness. They have a great legacy which they are still proud of, despite the speedy and tremendous transformation and development that took place in the society.

The people of UAE have also adopted some of the various customs and traditions brought into their country by expatriates from all over the world. Although the UAE has become a cosmopolitan society, people still boast of the great heritage of their forefathers.
It is the custom of the UAE people to entertain their guests warmly. They usually serve Arabic coffee to their guests as a gesture of respect and warm welcome. It is a symbol of generosity and hospitality. The Arabic coffee is made and served in very special way.

Folk dances and other traditional sports are still highly appreciated by many people. Falconry, horseback riding, camel racing, boat racing and rowing are a few examples. Songs praising God are sung on special occasions to promote spiritual feelings and reinforce people's belief. The Prophet's Birthday, the Hijrah New Year and Isra & Meraj are some examples.

www.raktourism.com

FUJAIRAH

2008-11-02T02:14:00.011+05:30

Jan 18, 2008
Deep History...

For the historian, Fujairah is a hidden treasure waiting to be discovered The old fort in Fujairah's historic town which is approximately 300 years old and the many small wind towers still standing in neighbouring villages as proud reminders of the town's recent past. However, archaeological ations have shown that man's presence in the region actually dates back to the Iron Age. In fact, some of -the most important archaeological finds in the Arabian Gulf have been made in the area.

Fujairah Fort

Situated just two km away from the main town. It is a strategically located mud brick structure. A huge castle built in 1670 A.D. which consists of 3 major parts and several halls and towers surrounded by the old Fujairah.The fort was fully renovated in year 2000.

Al Bidya Mosque

Dates back 400 years and displays a unique feat of engineering for the time. All four domes are supported by one central pillar and internal decoration combines stone carvings with special shelves to house the Holy Quran. Al Bidya Mosque is located close to Al Bidya village about 30 km North of Fujairah.

Al Heil Castle

At Al Heil village, 8km south-west of Fujairah city.One of the most famous castles in the Emirate of Fujairah, it used to be headquarters for the ruler and had been used for patrolling, surveillanc and to defend neibouring area.

AL Bithnah Forte
Built in 1735 near Al Bithnah Village 13 km west of Fujairah city, it has guarded the strategic route across the Hajar mountains throught Wadi Ham since the 18th Century, and was considered among the most important forts and castles in eastern part of UAE.

Archeological Sites

Some of the most important archeological finds in the Arabian Gulf have made in the area, and archeological excavations have shown that man's presence in the region actually dates back to the Iron Age.

www.fujairah-tourism.ae

INCREDIBLE SURAT INDIA

2008-11-01T00:29:00.009+05:30

Intro

Located in western part of India in the state of Gujarat, Surat is referred as The Silk City & The diamond City. It has the most vibrant present & an equally varied heritage of the past. Surat Municipal Corporation is a local self government which came into being under the provisions of the Bombay Provincial Municipal Act, 1949 carries out all the obligatory & discretionary functions prescribed thereunder.

Little mention about Surat, India

Surat is a city located on the western part of India in the state of Gujarat. It is one of the most dynamic city of India with one of the fastest growth rate due to immigration from various part of Gujarat and other states of India.

Surat is one of the cleanest city of India and is also known by several other names like "THE SILK CITY", "THE DIAMOND CITY", "THE GREEN CITY", etc. It has the most vibrant present and an equally varied heritage of the past. It is the city where the British first land in India. The Dutch and the Portuguese also established there business centers in Surat, the remnants of which are still preserved in the modern day Surat. In past this was a glorious port with ships of more than 84 countries anchored in its harbour at any time.

Still today, Surat continues the same tradition as people from all around the country flock in for business and jobs. Surat has practically zero percent unemployment rate and jobs are easier to get here due to very fast development of various industries in and around Surat City.

History

The city of Surat has glorious history that dates back to 300 BC. The origin of the city can be traced to the old Hindu town of Suryapur during 1500 – 1520 A.D., which was later colonised by the Brigus or the King from Sauvira on the banks of River Tapi. In 1759, The British rulers took its control from the Mughals till the beginning of the 20th century. The city is located on the River Tapi and has about 6 km long coastal belt along the Arabian Sea. Due to these reasons, the city emerged as an important trade centre and enjoyed prosperity through sea trade in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.

Surat became the most important trade link between India and many other countries and was at the height of prosperity till the rise of Bombay port in the 17th and 18th centuries. Surat was also a flourishing centre for ship building activities. The whole coast of Tapi from Athwalines to Dumas was specially meant for ship builders who were usually Rassis. After the rise of the port at Bombay, Surat faced a severe blow and its ship building industry also declined. During the post-independence period, Surat has experienced considerable growth in industrial activities (especially textiles) along with trading activities. Concentration of these activities combined with residential developments has resulted in considerable expansion of the city limits.

Heritage : Surat Castle

The Surat castle is one of the ancient monuments of 16th century existing in the city and bears a significant relevance to its history. However, such a great fortification built to provide the citizens of Surat with an adequate defence against the attacks of the invaders seems to have been forgotten from the minds of the present generation. The Ahmedabad king Sultan Mahmood-III (1538-1554), who was very much annoyed by these frequent destructions of Surat, ordered for building a very strong castle and entrusted the work to Safi Agha, a Turkish soldier who had been ennobled with the title of Khudawand Khan. The work of building the castle was completed in 1546.

After the capture of Surat by the emperor Akbar (1573) the fortress remained in the charge of commandants appointed from Delhi till it was seized by the Sidhi admiral of the Mugal fleet in 1751. The Sidhi did not hold the castle for long period, as it was captured by the English in 1759 with rest of the city. Though from the first practically independent, the English held the castle nominally under the Mugal. In token of this divided command, two flags waved from the castle walls, the English ensign on the south-west, and the Moorish standard on the south-east bastion. This practice was continued till, in 1842, on the death of the last of the nawabs of Surat, the English fleet was removed from the Tapi, and the Moorish standard taken down from the castle walls.

Though, as a defence against any well-equipped enemy, they have long been useless, the castle buildings initially were being kept in repair, and until the year 1862, were garrisoned by a small body of European and native troops. In that year, as no longer required, the force was withdrawn, and the vacated rooms were made over for the accommodation of the various offices connected with the revenue and police departments, in whose occupation the castle has since remained.

LOVE YOUR CAR

2008-10-28T20:15:00.003+05:30

INSURANCE CLAIM VOID....................why? Malaysia version..............................................

Be careful, if you have the habit of sending your car for car wash or similar matter (car jockey etc) while in shopping complex.

Follow the story....

Two weeks ago my nephew sent his Toyota Harrier for car wash in the car park of Bangsar Shopping Complex (Kuala Lumpur) while he had an appointment there. He handed the car keys to the car wash people and left the car park for his appointment. After the appointment he went to collect his car & the car wash people told him that his car had been collected.

How CAN?

After a prolonged argument without any results, he had no choice, but to make a police report and follow up by insurance claim. Insurance company rejected his claim cos the reason is the car was not stolen, the point of contention was why did he hand over the car keys to someone unknown and why did he not wait there till the car washing was finished as some of us did always?

So be careful next time. If u really need to send yr car for car wash, better stay there and wait for your car, if not, this may happen to you...ALWAYS GET AN OFFICIAL RECEIPT LIKE YOU DO WHEN YOU SENT YOUR CAR FOR SERVICING AT HONDA, PROTON, TOYOTA ... DON'T PLAY THE FOOL.

Futhermore explanation from Senior Manager of MCIS ZURICH stated that "if you hand over the keys of your car for someone to take care example :- Car Wash, Car Park and on your return if the Car is 'taken' away, Insurer will not pay for the Loss".

MELAMINE

2008-10-28T15:13:00.001+05:30

WHY MELAMINE IS BAD FOR OUR BODY WHEN MIXED WITH FOOD ?

1.What really is poisoned milk？It is the milk powder mixed with "MELAMINE" What is Melamine use for？It is an industrial chemical use in the production of melawares. It is also used in home decoration."US resistant board "Do you understand？Melamine is use in industrial production, it cannot be eaten！

2.Why is Melamine added in milk powder？The most important nutrient in milk is protein. And Melamine has the same protein that contains "NITROGEN"

Adding Melamine in milk reduces milk content and it is cheaper then milk so it lowers capitalization. It can give the business man more profit! Melamine powder, doesn' t it look like milk？it doesn't have any smell, so cannot be detected。

3.When was it discovered？Year 2007 US cats and dogs died suddenly, they found that pet food from China contains Melamine. Starting 2008, in China, an abnormal increase in infant cases of kidney stones. August 2008 China Sanlu Milk Powder tested with Melamine. Sept. 2008 new Zealand gov't ask China to check this problem. Sept. 21, 2008 lots of food products in Taiwan tested with Melamine.

4.What happens when Melamine is digested？Melamine remains inside the kidney. It forms into stonesblocking the tubes. Pain will be eminent and person cannot urinate. Kidney will then swell. Although surgery can remove the stones, but it will cause irreversible kidney damage. It can lead to loss of kidney function and will requirekidney dialysis or lead to death because of uremia. What is dialysis？In fact, it should be called "blood washing"it is filtering all of the body's blood into the machine and then go back to the body. The whole process takes 4 hours and it is necessary to dialysis once for every 3 days for the rest of your life. A small hole is required in the arm to insert the sub-dialysis catheter. Why is it more serious in babies？Because the kidney is very small and they drink a lot of milk powder. A baby has also undergoing dialysis. China currenty has 13,000 infants hospitalizedIt does not matter how much a human being took Melamine. The important point is "It cannot be EATEN!"

5.What are the foods to be avoided? Foods that contain dairy products should be avoided. Remember: Foods with creamer or milk should be avoided.

6.Which companies are affected？ Here attached are the companies affected with Melamine.

7.What do we do next？Avoid the above foods(attached) for at least six months. If you have snack bar, restaurant or coffee shop. Stop selling dairy products for the meantime. If you have infants at home, change to mother's milk or find other substitutes. Finally, share this information with friends so they will understand the risk of milk poisoning.

How to know if the milk products made in China or Taiwan With more and more milk products from China and Taiwan having problem. We really got to check where the things are produced. Here is a way to differentiate Taiwan made products and China made products :

by looking at first three digits of its Bar Code.

If the 1st 3 digits are 690, 691 or 692 - China made

If the 1st 3 digits are 471 – Taiwan made

FASTEST GROWING CITY

2008-10-27T02:54:00.002+05:30

Downtown Dubai from 25km away(at the middle is Burj Dubai, currently >900mtrs/Oct08)

Burj Al Arab 7 Star offering you the luxurious ever on the earth

A lot of made made islands being constructed along Dubai shore

Burj Al Arab view from Madinat Al Jumeirah hotel

Burj Al Arab view from Wild Wadi, Jumeirah beach

Information guide by expart about Dubai

2008-10-27T02:44:00.002+05:30

The Truth About Living in Dubai
The transformation of Dubai from dusty desert town to sparkling, affluent metropolis has been underway for the past 40 years and it is really in the last 10 years that the pace of development and change has really begun to show. Dubai has gone from being a location where only people desperate enough for hardship allowances moved to work, to a stunning city where a hedonistic lifestyle can be enjoyed by almost everyone.

However, not everything about Dubai and its transformation has been wonderful and in this warts and all account we reveal the truth about living in Dubai, the good, the bad and the little mentioned!

The Good
Climate – between October and June the weather in Dubai is ideal; bright sunny days can be enjoyed as the temperatures are comfortable rather than stiflingly hot. From July to September inclusive it does get over-hot and in the winter it can occasionally rain, but most of the time the climate in Dubai is attractive.

Beaches – Dubai is blessed with stunning beaches, many of which have been augmented with the addition of fantastic beach clubs where all the family can enjoy a great day out.

Lack of Crime – because crimes are punishable so severely, crime levels are incredibly low in Dubai – by the way, you might want to bear in mind that if you get a point on your driving license when in Dubai you’re looking at jail time!

Shopping – yum, yum, yum – all the most wonderful shops in one fantastic location! You have everything from the likes of Ikea and H&M on the affordable side to every conceivable designer outlet on the other side!

Tax Free – tax free salaries….need I say more?

The Lifestyle – pubs, beach clubs, amazing restaurants, sports clubs, parties and much, much more besides – living in Dubai the lifestyle is everything!

Price of Petrol – currently everyone in Dubai jokes about the fact that it’s cheaper to buy petrol than mineral water.

The Bad
Property Prices – if you bought property in Dubai a couple of years ago you won’t care about this point, but for anyone else knowing that the price of property in Dubai has been spiralling upwards for the past few years means that it is depressingly expensive to get on the property ladder.

Rental Rates – rental rates are even worse! They shot up as there was a lack of property stock and an abundance of demand, those landlords who had properties to rent took what they could before the government capped annual rental rate increases but this means that today prices are sky high. Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim are popular but seriously expensive areas to rent a home, those with a bit less cash in their pockets to chuck away on rent could look at either Barsha or Mirdif – but for the most of us even these locations are too dear.

The Driving – driving in Dubai is stressful – on Sheikh Zayed Road drivers will do anything to get ahead including using the hard shoulder as an additional lane. If you can keep a calm head you’ll be alright but if you get easily riled expect to have high blood pressure.

Infrastructure – roads are clogged, rush hour traffic is atrocious, drains are overflowing and Dubai has grown faster than its infrastructure has developed meaning that it is beginning to really creak!

Summer Temperatures – while the climate is usually fantastic between October and May, it’s a killer in July and August and it can be dangerous for young children and older people because temperatures average above 40 degrees centigrade every single day. Those expatriates living in Dubai usually try and get away from the emirate during these months or else spend their entire time in an air conditioned environment.

School Fees – schools fees in Dubai are extortionate and not likely to reduce because the international schools that are there know they have a captive audience. School fees really must not be underestimated or overlooked by anyone with a family considering relocating to the emirate.

The Little Mentioned
The Humidity – while summertime temperatures are a bad thing, the humidity which can reach up to 80% coupled with temperatures in excess of 40 degrees centigrade makes living in Dubai in the summer unpleasant – to say the least!

No More Medical Cover – most companies no longer provide their expatriate staff with an allowance for medical care – this means expatriate health insurance is a must and an additional expense to face.

No More Education Allowances – in the good old days companies used to lure staff to Dubai with allowances for all sorts of things including the education of their children, sadly Dubai is now too nice a place with too many people all competing for jobs and so employers no longer have to bother with offering such attractive incentives.

Get Recruited First – if you want to work in Dubai get a job before you come! You are far more likely to get a better financial deal and a more attractive employment package than if you find work locally.

You Need a Degree – if you haven’t got a degree your employer may find it hard to get a visa for you, you will be paid less and you may not get into managerial positions at all.

Living in Sin – it’s not acceptable for an unmarried couple to cohabit – so the best way round this is to avoid situations where you will have to admit to being unmarried!

Rain – contrary to popular belief it can and does sometimes rain in Dubai – and when it does rain even the most expensive houses have been known to leak dramatically, drains block, roads flood and there is mud everywhere.

Jobs in Dubai
With the amount of information in the media about the rate of population growth in Dubai anyone would think it was an emirate where the streets are paved with gold. Well, while it’s true that a lot of people are moving to Dubai for work, what is not true is that all jobs in Dubai pay fantastic salaries!

Those who work in Dubai work long hours for up to six days a week, and in certain industries salaries are impressive – but in other job sectors wages are on a par with or worse than the income that can be earned elsewhere. Therefore those looking for jobs in Dubai should take care to do proper research and due diligence before committing themselves to a career move.
All the major recruitment companies have a base in Dubai as there is a large and expanding jobs market in the UAE, it’s possible to use these recruitment companies’ websites to get a feel for the jobs being offered and rates of pay available in your particular industry sector. Another way to get a feel for the level of income you could earn from a job in Dubai is by researching which employers from your industry are based in the UAE and then writing to their personnel department with your CV or resume and asking about suitable vacancies.
Of course salary is not necessarily the be all and end all of job hunting – especially in Dubai where it’s usual for an employer to present a remuneration package offer to a potential candidate. Such a package may include a housing allowance, health care benefits and even money towards children’s education.

Therefore assessing rates of pay is less simple than at first glance. Both housing and schooling in Dubai are expensive and any offer of assistance from an employer should be seen as being very valuable and should be taken into account with income offered and then compared with the hours that will need to be worked each week to determine whether the offer is attractive or not.
As stated the working week in Dubai is long for the majority of people – working hard and socialising hard is a way of life in the emirate. Those seeking jobs in Dubai should try and get a feel for what life will be like in the emirate for them and any accompanying family members and should be willing to accept that twelve hour shifts are the norm.

If you’re looking for a job in Dubai and are committed to your career, happy to put in the hours, free to socialise whenever you want and available to network whenever you need then Dubai could well represent a great opportunity. If on the other hand you’re travelling with family and considering jobs in Dubai where you will have to work long hours then you need to accept and be comfortable with the fact that you will probably have less free time to spend with your family.
Forums are a good place to get feedback from people already living and working in Dubai and recruitment companies are a good place to get practical advice about finding a job, securing a visa and relocating to the UAE.

Cost of Living
As Dubai becomes a more and more popular place to live for expatriate professionals, so questions about the cost of living in Dubai are asked more frequently of us.
The bottom line is that the cost of living in Dubai is quite high, but the standard of living is also very high and because personal taxes are non-existent in the emirate this reduces the overall financial burden for those living and working in the UAE.

Those who are headhunted, relocated or offered a good job in Dubai should consider negotiating a housing package as part of their overall remuneration deal because renting property in Dubai is the single highest outlay that the majority of people face. It’s a fact that there is limited completed housing stock available in Dubai at the present time and this has meant that landlords have been able to push up rental rates which in turn has inflated the cost of living in Dubai.
The government has placed a cap on annual rental rate hikes but this does not remove the fact that affording accommodation in the emirate is expensive!

For those who choose to buy property in Dubai the choice of off-plan properties is huge, but until those properties are completed purchasers will still have to rent. The amount of completed real estate on the market available for sale is limited.

In terms of current rental rates chargeable in Dubai they vary from district to district and property type to property type. A quick hunt around letting agents today reveals furnished 2 bedroom apartments in Dubai Marina available for RM8,000 a month and a one bedroom unfurnished apartment available in Dubai Marina for RM80,000 annually for which the tenant would have to pay the total in a maximum of two instalments. Villas and serviced apartments are also available throughout the emirate with villas starting from RM7,000 a week.
After accommodation one of the most expensive aspects of living in Dubai is socialising, and because the emirate is such a sociable place with everyone meeting to network, make friends and relax, expats living in Dubai will often find they eat and drink out a few times a week.
Additional expenses that some tend to overlook initially include health care and education services for those who travel with their families to live in the emirate.

Private schools in the UAE are expensive although the standards of education are generally very high. Private expatriate health care is also expensive and anyone should consider shopping round for the best health insurance policies. Other regular expenses incurred will include taxi travel and/or petrol as well as maid or cleaning services which are all relatively inexpensive – although a lot will depend on the budget you’re going to have to live on in Dubai!
There are definitely ways to cut down on the cost of living by flat sharing, cutting down on nights out and shopping locally in markets and smaller shops rather than in large malls and supermarkets – but most people who are moving to Dubai are moving to experience the Dubai lifestyle as much as anything!

Schools
Generally speaking the quality of international schools available in Dubai and throughout the UAE is high, and the best and most popular primary and secondary schools and tertiary colleges all have long waiting lists.

If you’re going to live in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Sharjah or Al Ain for example, you should consider researching your options on the internet and applying online to get your children into your preferred school before you actually relocate to the UAE.

Some international employers who offer their employees relocation packages to the UAE will include school fees as part of the overall remuneration deal; otherwise if you’re seeking employment in the UAE and believe you’re in a good negotiating position try and have school fees included in your contract. As you can imagine the best schools charge the highest fees and these can seriously eat away an otherwise attractive tax free salary.

In Dubai specifically, the number of international schools is increasing all the time as the population of the emirate expands rapidly and demand for quality education establishments grows. The Dubai English Speaking School for example has expanded to its limits and is now opening a brand new secondary school in 2006 to cater for ever increasing student numbers.
International expatriates have a range of schools to choose from and choice is likely to be dictated by both location and curriculum. The majority of schools have a website where the curriculum, method of teaching and annual fees are discussed and where parents and pupils can get a feel for the school environment. If securing accommodation in UAE is also on the expatriate’s list of things to do it might be best to secure school places for children before finding an apartment or villa to rent as schools are spaced out across the UAE and traffic can be quite chaotic at times making it difficult to travel far at peak times.

Ideally find and secure school places in a school as close to your work base as possible and then find accommodation in between the two to avoid grid lock and traffic jams in the morning. Most international schools have bus services which can ease the strain on working parents, but it is still sensible to be as accessible as possible to both your children’s school and your place of work
Malaysians like those who herald from the UK or USA have the greatest choice of schools in UAE because the majority of establishments follow either the British or American curriculum, some are Islamic. For those seeking alternatives there are French schools in Dubai and Al Nasr and there’s an Australian school and a German school in Sharjah. For a detailed listing of international, British and American Schools try http://english-schools.org/ and for a list of schools specifically in the UAE try http://www.theemiratesnetwork.com/dir/Education/Schools/ where the schools are divided by emirate and where you can find internet links to the majority of institutions listed.

Moving To Dubai
Annually around 200,000 new people take up residence in Dubai; the majority of these people move to the emirate for work and are often aided and abetted by their employer when it comes to getting residency and housing.If you’re moving to Dubai and need advice about what to expect, how to get a visa and what the whole relocation process will involve, this article covers the fundamental facts for you.

To get entry to Dubai it’s highly likely that you will need a visa unless you herald from another GCC country. The majority of nationalities are granted visitor’s visas easily which are valid for a maximum of 60 days and which can be renewed for up to 30 days for a small fee. Certain restrictions apply depending on the nationality of the applicant and it is essential that anyone thinking of travelling to Dubai gets personal advice on their visa requirements before travelling from their nearest embassy.

For those moving to Dubai on a more permanent basis it will be necessary to obtain a residency visa. For those in receipt of a firm offer of employment their employer will sponsor their visa; another alternative is to be sponsored by a family member therefore trailing spouses and children can be sponsored by their employed spouse or parent for example. The other option available is to purchase real estate in Dubai as buying property enables a purchaser to apply for residency. Again, more personalised advice on this particular issue can be obtained from your nearest embassy.

In terms of getting housing in Dubai a prospective tenant will need their residency visa to rent a property. Most rental agreements are signed for at least a year and occasionally it is still possible that the tenant will have to pay for their annual rent up front which can be prohibitively expensive.

A growing number of individuals and agencies are now offering more flexible terms and those looking for rental accommodation will have to really shop around for the best deals as completed housing stock in Dubai is limited at the moment which has forced rental rates higher in recent months. Those who rent a property through an agency will have to pay around 5% commission to the agent and it’s usual to have to pay a refundable security deposit when renting in Dubai as well.

Since March the 12th 2006 a new property law has come into force in Dubai that allows foreigners the right to own freehold title to real estate in the emirate. The law was announced back in 2002 and it sparked a property boom in Dubai but the law only came into force this year. Those who buy property in Dubai will be granted a residence visa which is an added advantage of purchasing a home.

There are many international shipping companies who will forward goods to Dubai from anywhere in the world. Someone moving to Dubai has a choice of a door to door service or just having goods delivered to the airport or Jebel Ali Port (depending on the goods shipped and method of transportation) and then having to get clearance and delivery organised when in Dubai.

It’s a good idea to have a few quotes for moving goods to Dubai as there can be a great variation in cost from company to company. It’s possible for people to import used personal effects into Dubai without incurring any fees or taxes and it is also possible to import pets as well assuming they are healthy and their inoculations are all up to date. There is no quarantine in the UAE but cats and dogs have to have an up to date rabies injection and wear a municipality ID tag because if they wander off and are found they will be destroyed or re-homed if they are not identified by a tag.

In terms of what to take and what to leave behind that’s a very personal choice! But furniture, clothing and even white goods can be bought relatively cheaply with many notice boards offering second hand appliances and furniture for sale for example; and of course Dubai is a shopper’s paradise as the annual Dubai Shopping Festival highlights! If in doubt about a particular household effect leave it behind because the cost of shipping something to and from Dubai is likely to be more expensive than putting the item in storage or selling it on and buying new in Dubai.

Once you arrive in Dubai the best advice anyone can give you is to get out and about and start meeting people through www.malaysian-uae.com and malaysian-uae yahoogroup!
The more people you meet the more help and practical advice you will receive from expats who have moved to Dubai and experienced the same concerns, problems and issues that you are likely dealing with. By networking you will quickly build up a set of new friends and acquaintances who will generally be happy to point you in the right direction when you have questions about settling into your new life.

Expatriates the world over are usually only too happy to welcome a new expat into the fold and Dubai is certainly no exception to this rule!

Dubai in Figures
Dubai population makes big surge
By Ashfaq Ahmed, Staff Reporter
Dubai: Some 292,000 more people have become Dubai residents in just one year as the emirate's population increased to 1.422 million in 2006 from 1.130 million in 2005.
This means that 24,333 people were added to Dubai's population every month, 800 daily and around 33 every hour during 2006.

The figure does not include tourists.
Statistics for 2006 released by the Dubai Statistics Department yesterday not only revealed a sharp increase in the population, but also showed vibrant development in every sector.
Vehicles However, one alarming figure is the huge number of vehicles registered last year.
A total of 212,867 vehicles were registered,
including 170,951 light vehicles,
5,256 buses,
16,304 light trucks,
8,287 heavy trucks,
312 heavy mechanical vehicles and
3,498 motorcycles.

Out of the total 1.422 million in population, 75.5 per cent are male and 24.5 per cent are female.
The statistics book called Dubai in Figures also reveals the continuation of massive construction activities in the emirate.

A total of 2,222 buildings were completed at a cost of Dh11.16 billion.
Some 2,252 buildings were completed at the cost of Dh7.87 billion in 2005.
Land deals Some 5,640 land deals worth Dh65.114 billion were carried out during the year, up from 4,880 land deals worth Dh32.62 billion were recorded in 2005.
The number of mobile phones increased 20.6 per cent. There were more than 2.21 million mobile telephone lines by the end of the year compared to 1.83 million lines in 2005.
The landlines and fax lines reached 547,375 compared to 520,249 in 2005.
The number of public transport buses in Dubai reached 419 and they carried around 87.840 million passengers compared to 84.26 million in 2005.
Some 12,385 babies were born in government hospitals in 2006, of which 6,292 were male and 6,039 were female.
A total of 1,665 deaths including 1248 male and 417 female were reported. Around 2,663 marriages were registered in addition to 908 divorces. Dubai International Airport recorded a nine per cent increase in passengers. A total of 28.789 million passengers used the airport compared with 24.782 million in 2005.
Around 5.44 million guests stayed in 31,580 rooms in 306 hotels an increase of three per cent. Hotel apartments In 2005, 5.29 million guests stayed in 29,808 rooms in 300 hotels. The overall occupancy rate last year was 84.8 per cent.
The number of hotel apartments increased from 106 in 2005 to 115 last year.
The number of visitors also increased from 865,518 in 2005 to 953,292.
A total of 35,380 vessels called at Dubai ports, an increase of two per cent over the previous year.
Around 77,838 passengers used marine transport to arrive and depart Dubai.
13m tonnes of garbage Dubai Municipality collected over 13.574 million tonnes of waste last year.
Dubai has 220 schools during the academic year 2006-07. Out of them 88 are government schools and 132 are in the private sector.
During 2006, 11,536 new licences were issued. Of these, 8,585 were trade licences, 1,998 were professional licences, 194 industrial licences and 368 tourist licences.
There are five government hospitals and 30 Health Centres in Dubai with a total of 1,457 physicians and 3,866 nurses (excluding private hospitals). Around 1.656 patients attended the government sector hospitals and clinics last year.
At a glance Billions worth of shares traded The total number of stocks traded on the Dubai Financial Market in 2006 was 39.644 billion, worth Dh347.98 billion compared to 25.54 billion shares worth Dh405.16 billion in 2005.
Dubai International Financial Exchange registered transactions of some 3.682 million shares in 2006 worth Dh96.777 million.
Dubai imported goods worth Dh219.871 billion during 2006, while the export figures stood at Dh18.258 billion and the re-export figures were Dh78.309 billion.
The free zones imported goods worth Dh122.763 billion and exported goods worth Dh84.323 billion in 2006.
Other interesting figures for 2006 included 88 exhibitions and conferences attracting a total of 984,638 visitors and delegates. Dubai also hosted 23 conferences which were attended by 52,660 delegates.
The electricity produced last year rose to 20,314 gigawatt hours and the number of consumer connections reached 339,900.
Quantity of water production stands at 68,312 million gallons while the number of consumer connections reached .

Under construction!

2008-10-27T02:35:00.001+05:30

This is just a test version, get an idea from a friend. For so long reading people blogs, this is my initial step to publish my thought & opinion. Hmm, i guess it maybe will create havoc as i like to tell the truth about people, human nature & behavior, it's not "kutuk orang". Whatever it is, this my own blog, if wanna give a comment, do email me but give your reason why & suggestion for improvement....