Interloper View

Recently, I visited Sungei Wang in Kuala Lumpur. I came across this store near the entrance adjacent to Low Yat. This was a tiny store specializing in knitting supplies. I saw some people sitting near the back of the store - looks like they were teaching people to knit. What I was most impressed with was the quality of the knitting done, here see for yourself:

Banks used to give very nice piggy banks. Here is a little collection I have:

The following chicken cost approximately USD 900/- each (between RM 2800 - RM 3000) each. The following chicken was put on sale during the Malaysia Agricultre, Horticulture & Agrotourism ( MAHA ) expo current held in K.L. (August 11 - 23, 2008).

At certain times of the year, Buddhist will put offering for either the Gods or their ancestors. Typically, the will place food and burn incense. Here is a photo of such an offering table at a market in Penang: In the picture above, you have a roasted pig. The roasted pig is a delicacy that which is very delicious and normally sold in pieces as you would for any type of meat. If prepared right, it is crispy and succulent. Sometimes to celebrate birthday, piglets are used instead but preparation is the same. Here you see Rambutan - a local fruit (Rambut is Malay word for hair) - you will notice the skin is very hairy: Here another fruit favorite is Durian. This is the type of fruit that you either love or hate. There are many variations which is best illustrated here .

First I heard of 1 R, Recycle now I suddenly realize that there are 7 R that will help Earth recover. 1. Rethink It is time to rethink our lifestyle. We need to change our mindset. Everything has a limit, resources on earth are not inexhaustible. Think of about what you need to be happy and how much of it do you really need. Is that trip to the supermarket really necessary? Do we need the extra bottle of soda? Is it necessary to switch on the air conditioner? 2. Reuse What are the things we throw away that can be reused. Often times if you go the garbage dump, you may find a lot of thinks that are still in good order that can be reused. Take this to the charity home. Clothes we no longer wear can be given to the orphanage or old folks home. Often times we throw them away not because they are worn out but because they are out dated or we have outgrown them. Remember the cartoon Robots a couple of years back where he literally recycle parts from his cousins. ...

August is the month of the Hungry Ghost. The Buddhist believes this is the month where the gates of hell opens and their ancestors are allowed back to earth to visit the living relatives. During this month, many Buddhist will burn offerings and candles on the roadside and stages and temporary tents will be set up for people to burn offering to their ancestors who have passed on. There are two type of stages that are set up to entertain the living as well as the dead. The traditional ones (Chinese Opera) as shown in the picture below and the more modern ones (where you may see scantily dressed singers).

Received this from my friend on how to protect your back: Back Safety Your back is at work 24 hours a day. It takes part in almost every move you make. Because of its workload, your back is prone to injury. Back Injuries Are extremely painful. Are difficult to heal. Are frequently recurring. Affect everything you do. Preventing back injuries is a major safety challenge. For those who suffer from back injury: Only 3% receive training in preventing back injuries. 97% receive medical treatment. In Saudi Aramco In 2005, back injuries caused: 19% of all industrial disabling injuries (IDIs) resulting in 157 lost work days. 9% of all off-job disabling injuries (ODIs) resulting in 212 lost work days. From January 1 to September 30, 2006, back injuries caused: 12% of IDIs resulting in 72 lost work days. 5% of ODIs resulting in 151 lost work days. Learn the Right Moves The best way to prevent back injuries is to learn the right moves: Practice good posture—maintain your back’s natural curve...

Kek Lok Si temple is one of the more popular tourist spots in Penang. It is a located in Ayer Itam (translated Black Water). Due to the popularity of the temple, it receives a lot of donation and has been constantly renovated. Here are some photos taken from there: Kek Lok Si is now divided into two areas, one for Pagoda and another for the Goddess of Mercy. The Goddess of Mercy is located at the higher platform. There is a cable car (elevator) which transports you between the two areas. The following is the Upper area: The following is the Goddess of mercy on the building that houses the gift shop and also where you can board the elevator to the lower level - Pagoda. Here you can see the construction of the Goddess of mercy statue - they are building a towers to support a roof over the statue. There is a garden next to it with statues of the 12 animals of the lunar calendar: This is the view from the cablecar/elevator: This is the view from the lower level: There is a t...