enchanting

I believe in God as I believe the sun has risen, not because I see it, but because by it I see everything else...

-C.S. Lewis-

blup blup

Follow more smart ways to save our planet on IBM.

to celebrate 12.34:56, 07/08/09

Cool tshirt!
Click on the image to go to their site.

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Haha! That actually happened. In something else related...

download your Ecofont for free!
Yeap... that cheese-holed "ECO" in the picture is the font. Pretty cool huh? Modern-edgy. Loving it.

By using Ecofont, we can all play a major role in reducing carbon footprints, and at the same time save up to 20% of ink otherwise normally used.

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I was on Yahoo just reading through the news when I stumbled upon this ad. I think I might try this out. I have many d*wnl*aded music and movies. Why not try audiobooks? I think audiobooks are great gifts, especially for people who are always on the road. Instead of listening to the loopings on radio, they could try listening to stories or even motivational audios. I think it's even possible to finish one whole course of your studies in our KL traffic.

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Have you seen the Alice in Wonderland trailer??



Awesome right??

Well, if you can't wait for March 5th, 2010 any longer, have fun with this "pop-up book" version of Alice in Wonderland by clicking on the picture above.

of steamboat, zoo, and dejavus

I have been away for quite awhile. My pc got "spoiled". So the last one week have been spent on things I wouldn't have normally done had my pc was still up and running. Oh. Did I mention my Astro decoder was also spoiled?

Anyway, on Friday, I joined my friends at Bukit Jalil (dejavu) for dinner. We had steamboat at a friend's place in one of the Vista apartments (IMU) and at the same time bid farewell to Weilun who would be flying back to Indon (future doctor okay!). We makan-ed until nearly 11pm... and yet there were still food left. Anyway we downed everything we cups and cups of soft drinks... not alcohol, I swear! I left a bit later and was home by 12.30am. It was about that time that I realised my pc was "fixed". All I could muttered was... OH.

I quickly got myself cleaned up, read a few chapters of my book (darn.. so close to the end), and had the lights turned off by 1.30am. I knew I had to get up early, try 6am. I will be going to the Zoo!! On other days, it (my conscience) will be like...

Zoo??!! Are you for real?? Not Zouk ar??

Soon it was 2.30pm... and then 3.30pm... and I was like...

What turf man.. Why am I still awake??

So after much tossing and turning, I on my night lamp and began reading a few more chapters. After awhile, I began yawning. Ah HA! That's my cue to sleep... I thought...

*Tick tock* *Tick tock* WHAT??? 4.30am??!

It was about then, after telling myself that if I do not get enough sleep, I was gonna be so exhausted at the zoo, that I decided to just on the light and finish my book. You see... I had volunteered my Saturday to help out the zookeepers at Zoo Negara. Last time I was there was about 10 years back. The irony is that the zoo is only about 5 minutes journey from my house! Anyway, by the time I finished my book, it was already 5.30am. So I just closed my eyes and tried to relax... I think I managed to doze off.. only a little, before my alarm blared at about 6am. *Stretches and jumps off bed*

So we started gathering at 7am (Evonne and Vee Mae (birthday girl) were there so early!) and then got our t-shirt. Quite nice colour I would say.

Gathering...

Then, we were briefed and divided into groups... Felt like kids the way we were seated...

I was switched groups 3 times before I was put under the supervision of the zookeeper in charged of...

Seladangs

I could have totally laughed at the irony and coincidence of this had I not have been running on adrenaline since morning. For the benefit of you whom have no idea what I mean... well... Seladangs happened to be on a certain school badge. And the students can also be called the Seladangs, because of their rarity and strengths like of these creatures.

For this particular Seladang, have a look at its horn. Weird huh? The pairs are completely 90 degrees to each other. I asked the zookeeper why was it like that. He said when this Seladang was a calf, it knocked its nuggen on this rock (also in the enclosure) real hard. So it became deformed like that.

Anyway, let me show you in sequence what we did in the Seladang enclosure (I was still running on adrenaline... so not scared at all).

Scooping the Seladangs bullshit and dumping it in the bin.
Huh... that sounds funny... yet it could be quite metaphorical to the Seladangs... (if you know what I mean ;))



The dung is quite a huge sucker. Soft... I think I got some on my hands... eww...
We also did clean up the rest of the enclosure. Took lots of hosing and raking.
Anyway, they would send the dung to this place where they will be turned into fertiliser for the plants around the zoo. Not for sale... I have asked.


More pictures of the mighty Seladangs.

We also fed the Seladangs (Twice! But I don't think enough. Once in the morning, another in the afternoon.). Along with them, we fed some deers and pademelons (These are cute!! Google them.)

Oh... and true story... I was nearly killed by one of the deers in the enclosure! I was preparing its food when one of the male deers got spooked. All I remember seeing was it running towards me with its antlers "aiming" for me. Again, I think it was because of the adrenaline, I nonchalantly dodged it. It ran passed me, narrowly missing me, instead colliding with the metal fence so hard, its nose started bleeding!! Poor Bambi...

We also had some time to go around by ourselves. And I realised that the animals there have learned to rely on the us, humans, too much for food. They seemed to have lost their instincts to hunt or scour for food by themselves. Okay they are trapped... maybe that's why. Anyway, I could fool them easily by just standing by their enclosure and they immediately thought that I was going to feed them, like these hippos and otters.

Some of us also had a chance to pose with a python. Mind you, this isn't the one at the patting zoo section, this one was from its cage. Luckily it wasn't that stressed, so we were allowed to take some pictures with it. However, I was pushing my luck, when I grabbed it by its neck (that would be the area near the head) and tried to outmuscle it. Luckily it didn't feel threatened.

So, at about 4.45am, I left, feeling dirty, sticky, smelly, unhygienic, yucky, itchy, but rather happy to have experienced this with Raleigh. I would say I enjoyed this experience. It really feels like being as a guest star (wtf) in one of the episodes of "Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe".

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Oh.. and at night, I went to Mandarin Hotel for dinner... (dejavu again). Then, went back home, by which I have completely exhausted myself out of adrenaline that I was essentially staying up because of will power. Hmm... that was why I was sooooo tired the whole of Sunday...

new pledges

Thank you for your answers!

Your answers give an annual Carbon Footprint of (This figure is based on the answers provided in this questionnaire only):

1.59 Tonnes of CO₂

The average total carbon footprint of a person in the UK is 9.4 tonnes per year.

We recommend that in order to reduce your carbon footprint you take action on your five worst habits:

1. Try to avoid long haul flights - they really max your carbon footprint! Assumptions: Assumes travelling a distance of 6482 kms with radiative forcing of 2 times.
2. Switch your CRT TV off at the plug if you're not watching it. Leaving it on standby still uses electricity. Assumptions: Assumes leaving the TV on for 2 hours a day connected to an external set top box when it is not being watched. The television is a 28 inch CRT TV with no digital processing.
3. Try to switch your digital radio off at the plug. If you just switch it off on the set itself it will continue to use electricity. Assumptions: Assumes 4 hours use a day, the rest of the time it could be switched off. Average digital radio consuming 5W in standby mode.
4. Switch off your DVD player at the plug, as it will use nearly as much electricity even when it's in standby mode. Assumptions: Assumes leaving the DVD player on for 2 hours a day. The DVD player is of medium efficiency.
5. If you're going to be out of the room for 5 minutes or more, flick the switch on your way out! Assumptions: 60W bulb. Assumes that there are 2 hours per day when the bedroom light could be left on with nobody in the room.

Following these recommendations reduces your Carbon Footprint by:

98%!

This will be one of my new year resolutions. Did the test on MTV.

Happy 2009!

ninja cat

Lol! Cute! But quite scary lor when the cat suddenly got so near!

so sad...

Lost whale calf bonding with yacht off the Sydney coast

Kesian (pitiful)! ='( Feed the poor whale!

According to BBC, Hopes are fading fast that the calf will survive as attempts to find it a surrogate mother by luring it out to sea have so far failed. Experts say the calf, nicknamed "Colin" by the Australian media, is growing weaker and has just days to live. They say that unless it feeds soon, it may have to be put down. Two previous attempts to lure Colin out to sea, where it is hoped that he would stand a chance of being paired with passing whale pod and adopted by a lactating female, have been unsuccessful.

A certain cheerleader won't like this...

#Latest - 23rd Aug 2008! Colin will be euthanised ='(

Battle at Kruger

With a thought on one of my recent post, while watching Ellen, this was by far the best 'Nat-Geo' I have ever seen! So unbelievable! An eyewitness account on a very unorthodox circle of life...

Losing our forests?

Took this picture at Everlast, KLCC. Guess they are environment friendly?

I wonder how it got in though. Let's hope it can find it's way out!

Green Pledge

Mother Nature is suffering. Because of that, we are suffering. Our home is in danger of being destroyed by our very own hands. As a citizen of our planet, ask yourself what have you taken from her? Everything! Now ask yourself, what have you given her? Nothing but suffering. Tomorrow is World Environment Day. What can we do? It's time to stand up to make a name for ourselves. Let us be the ones, the ones whom our children can proudly call us as heroes! Let us make this period as our finest hour. We have the time, the resource, the capabilities to make a change. Question is; can you summon your will to do it? I challenge all of you to make the Green Pledge and practise what you preached!




For my transportation, I pledge to...
take public transportation to work or school instead of driving at least 1 day a week
carpool to work or school at least 1 day a week
replace at least 5 miles of driving with biking or walking per week
inflate car tires properly, use recommended motor oil and keep car well tuned
buy fuel efficient vehicle (30 mpg)


At home, I pledge to...
turn off lights and appliances when not in use
use computer sleep mode at home and office, turn off computer at night
open the dishwasher and air dry dishes instead of using the hot air dry cycle, run only full loads
dry laundry on a clothesline
wash clothes on warm cycle, wash only full loads
turn down your hot water heater to 120F
shorten showers by a few minutes to conserve hot water
lower your thermostat by 1F during the winter season
adjust thermostat when you leave the house (10F down in winter, 10F up in summer)
keep up with basic furnace maintenance- have it professionally tuned and cleaned, replace air filters regularly
cook more efficiently- cover pots, use a pressure cooker when appropriate, keep burners clean, cook several dishes at a time in the oven, use microwave to heat food
keep drapes or blinds closed at night in winter and during the day in the summer to reduce heating and cooling needs
clean refrigerator coil every 4-6 months
replace at least 3 incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs
install faucet aerators in sinks to reduce hot water use
install low-flow shower heads to conserve hot water
insulate 4 ft of hot water pipes closest to hot water heater
insulate all hot water pipes
caulk and weatherstrip all your doors and windows
have a professional seal your heating ducts to reduce loss of heated air
install programmable thermostat
replace old inefficient dishwasher (over 10 years old) with an Energy Star model
replace old inefficient refrigerator (over 10 years old) with an Energy Star model
replace old inefficient clothes washing machine (over 10 years old) with an Energy Star model
improve your home's insulation
replace old furnace with efficient Energy Star model
install a solar hot water heater
eat one less beef meal per week

If everyone of us commit to at least 5 of the above suggestions everyday from today, we can make a whole lot of difference. Mark down what you plan to do, and post it here. Or print this article out and post it on your fridge. Tell your family and friends what you plan to do. Forget about rankling what mistakes we have done, let us all focus on what we can do. Make that action! Spread the word and unite the world! We can all do this.

• Want to save the The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, prevent future wars over oil, shut down risky nuclear power plants and stop global warming?
  Take the Green Ribbon Pledge:
  http://www.greenribbonpledge.org
  
  
• Be part of a united movement towards a safe, secure and sustainable future.
  
  Take the Green Ribbon Pledge:
  http://www.greenribbonpledge.org
  
  
• Ensure energy security, clean air and a stable climate tomorrow by pledging clean and efficient energy use today.
  Take the Green Ribbon Pledge:
  http://www.greenribbonpledge.org