Monday, December 7, 2009

Having a bad day?

It has been quite a while since I last posted something on this blog. It was either very busy days (most of the time) or some bad days but things are a bit better lately. Alvin and the chipmunks' "Bad Day" is dedicated to my friend Kristin who is have bad days lately and also to all who are feeling down...



Or you prefer the original song by Daniel Powter and his music video:

Hope all of us will feel better soon...God bless us everyone
Joshua


Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Balloons with sunset as backdrop

A shot a three balloons with the sunset as the back drop while waiting for the 4th July Fireworks Display at Constituition Park, New Hampshire, US in 2007.
Everything that happened before and after the picture was taken is part of beautiful chapter in life.
Just as the balloons that rise up to the sky, the prayer of a humble person rises up to the heaven.
Joshua

Friday, September 25, 2009

FW: Three "stupid" stages in life

Three apparent "stupid" stages in life

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TEEN AGE = HAVE Energy + HAVE Time - NO Money ="Stupid" Life 1
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WORKING AGE = HAVE Energy + HAVE Money - NO Time = "Stupid" Life 2
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OLD AGE = HAVE Money + Have Time - NO Energy = "Stupid" Life 3

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But I say life is so beautiful if we know what trully matters in life. Teenage = there is so much beautiful and worthy things could be done without the need of money (Eg. lending a helping hand to a senior citizen...etc). Working age= there is also much beautiful things could be done without the need of much time (Eg. buying a gift and writing a short note to an orphan during Christmas). Old age= the most graceful stage of life (No energy but full of wisdom unless you think energy is more beautiful than wisdom)

God bless, hope you all enjoyed and all of us learn something today...:)
Joshua.

Monday, September 7, 2009

5 Dont Series (Part 5)- Final.

DONT SLEEP WITH OTHERS' WIFE/HUSBAND

You may never wake up again.
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I dont claim ownership on the post above and I have neither verify the facts above, it was from an e-mail forwarded to me from a friend which I find it interesting.

Joshua

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

5 Dont Series (Part 4)

DONT SLEEP WITH MAKE-UP STILL ON

People who sleep with make-up might have skin problem in long run. It is suggested that it will cause skin irrition and inability for the skin to perspire due to clogged skin pores.

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I dont claim ownership on the post above and I have neither verify the facts above, it was from an e-mail forwarded to me from a friend which I find it interesting.

Joshua

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

5 Dont Series (Part 3)


DONT SLEEP WITH A MOBILE PHONE NEAR YOU

Putting the phone beside your bed or anywhere near you while you are sleeping is not encouraged. Though some of us will use phones as alarm clocks but please put the phone as far as possible. Scientists have proved that electrical items including mobile phones and television sets emit magnectic waves when used. These waves caused disruption in our nervous system. therefore if you need to put a mobile phone near you when you're sleeping, switch it off first.
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I dont claim ownership on the post above and I have neither verify the facts above, it was taken from an e-mail a friend forwarded to me which I find it to be interesting.
Joshua

Saturday, August 8, 2009

5 Dont Series (Part 2)

DON'T SLEEP WITH A BRA ON

Scientists in America have discovered those that wear bras for more than 12 hours have a higher risk of getting breast cancer. So go to bed without it.
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I dont claim ownership of the post above and I have neither verify the facts above, it was taken from an e-mail forwarded to me from a friend which I find it interesting.
Joshua

Sunday, July 26, 2009

5 Dont Series (Part 1)



DON'T SLEEP WITH A (DIGITAL) WATCH
Watches can emit a certain level radioactivity. Though small, but if you wear your watch to bed for a long time, it might have adverse effect on your health.
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I dont claim ownership of the post above and I have not verify the facts above, it was taken from an e-mail forwarded to me from a friend which I find it interesting and funny.
Joshua

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Narita International Airport- Tokyo

I took this picture (with passenger aircrafts queing up for take off) when I was transiting at Tokyo-Narita International Airport (Narita Airport) enrouting to Washington D.C. The flight from Singapore took an hour and half circling above the coast of South-eastern Japan due to heavy air traffic before the flight received a green light for landing at Narita Airport. Believe it or not, it was on a one fine day.
Narita Airport is the second busiest passenger airport and the busiest air-freight airport in Japan and it is the 8th busiest air-freight airport in the world! The airport serves Tokyo and it is about 50-60 km away from Tokyo City Centre.
Looking at the planes touching down or taking off at almost every 5 minutes or probably even shorter, one could only wonder the magnitude of effort and coordination that all around has to played to ensure smooth running of an airport, especially one of the busiest airport in the world!
Every flight involves engineers to pilots, air traffic controllers to airport officers, ground traffic controllers to weather station, air marshalls/security to air traffic pattern...and at least another several dozens of skills and professionals are involved.
Two-thumbs up for all who works in the aviation industries ensuring safe and smooth air-travelling for hundreds of millions of people every year and of course at any time, millions of people are up in the air (off ground). Amazing!
Joshua

Friday, July 3, 2009

A minor dissection on Pakatan Rakyat's 2nd crisis of confidence.

Pakatan Rakyat, an alliance formed by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Democratic Action Party (DAP) and Pan-Malaysia Islamic Party (PAS) on April 2008, after Malaysian voters handed the opposition parties a landslide one-third of the parliamentary seats in the national level and mandated Pakatan Rakyat to govern 5 states as the State Governments through the 12th General Election.

DAP Parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang has described the latest Kedah state DAP pull out from Pakatan Rakyat state coalition governing the state led-by PAS as Pakatan Rakyat second's crisis of confidence after a much-reported and heated crisis of confidence involving PAS's "Unity Talk" idea with UMNO, the governing party since Malaysia got its independence 52 years ago.


While DAP leaders at national level play down the displeasure displayed by Kedah State DAP's media announcement of quitting the state government coalition led-by PAS, Pakatan Rakyat as a viable and capable political force to govern Malaysia at the national level is under another round of "Bush-fire".

DAP is one of the longest and most consistent political party in the country that has almost no experience as a public governing body unlike PAS who have experiences governing states like Kelantan, Terengganu and PKR which has a considerable amount of governing experiences and leaders in previous administration whether at federal or state-level.

While DAP Kedah-state has remained steadfast and principled in defending what it right according to their intepretation, their media annoucement of pulling out from Kedah-state Pakatan Rakyat coalition even before consulting with DAP leaders at national level is unacceptable to many ordinary right thinking Malaysians who hope for a new Federal Government in the next general election under Pakatan Rakyat.

This sudden and uninformed act does not contribute to the adminstrative stability as a indispensable foundation of being a democratically-elected government. It is time for all members/ supporters/ leaders of DAP, including that from PAS and PKR to send a strong-signal to the Malaysian public that the Pakatan Rakyat alliance is a capable and viable alternative to govern Malaysia . Any complaints must be addressed through proper channels rather directly to the media/press. DAP at all level must start distinguishing between being on the opposition bench or goverment bench.

Being on the government bench, one must not play typical opposition tantrum OR it will lose all credibility. Being on the opposition bench, one must act as viable alternative to the sitting government OR remain on the opposition bench forever!

If Pakatan Rakyat wants to come into power at national level in the next general election. Speeches and public forums are not enough, Pakatan must prove to the people through stable and progressive state administrations / governments in Selangor, Kelantan, Penang, Kedah and "Perak".

Change we can believe in... Just change...do we really have the option to change? Let's see until the next General Election on 2012 0r 2013...

Joshua

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

CN Tower - Toronto


The sun rises behind the CN Tower in Toronto, Canada. (Was practising my photography skills)

Monday, June 8, 2009

Days of our lives





Does the first diagram better describes you or the second diagram?
A general comment, employees below the age of 30 are generally single at large which places social and entertainment activities as higher priorities in addition to the lesser responsibilities whether in family or work. The thought of schools on Mondays still remains in many youths with the thought of work on Mondays even after college.
When greater responsibilities kick in, normally for those who are 30 and above, responsibilities in work and/or in family grow tremendously. The sense of responsibilities and partially maturity boost energy and enthusiasm on Mondays and the workload gradually wear them out over the weekdays.
Joshua

Sunday, May 17, 2009

My visit Malaysia campaign

Dear friends from over all the world...

I want to take this opportunity to launch my very own campaign to invite my friends from all over to visit Malaysia, for many of you, its been about two years since I last saw you and still many of you I have not met...

I am delighted to inform you all that I am already expecting just a few numbers shorter than a dozen who will be coming to visit Malaysia on July/ August 2010 from the United States, and hopefully a few more will be joining from Britain...

Malaysia by far to many of you is very new and you have not probably even heard of, it is one of the jewel nation of Asia with a combination of variety Asian cultures from China to India, from Indonesia to the Middle East, Malaysia is a neigbour to Singapore on its south and Thailand on its north. The capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia a population of 27 Million people with a predominantly ethnic malay muslim majority (60%) and ethnic chinese (26%), ethnic indian (9%). Malaysia is a former British colonial territory which got its independence from Britain on 1957, as a former British colonial, English language is widely spoken and the western culture is blended nicely in this very asiatic setting as seen particularly in the architectural buildings in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Malacca which the latter two cities have recently listed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites.


The capital Kuala Lumpur's skyline is marked by its famous Petronas Twin Towers (Currently the second tallest building in the world after Taipei 101 in Taiwan and soon to be the third tallest building after the completion of another tower in Dubai, later this year). However, Petronas Twin Towers will remain as the tallest twin towers in the world for the time being.




Malaysia's currency is known as the Ringgit and its average value as per US Dollar is about 3.60 Ringgit. Therefore, it is often an economically holiday destination especially during the global economy slumps compared to European countries, including Australia and New Zealand. An average Malaysian meal only cost you anywhere from 2 US Dollars to 5 US Dollars while international class 4-star rating hotels for two inclusive of buffet style breakfast for two is about USD 70 to 100 per night. Therefore, consider Malaysia as your next family holiday destination by just saving USD 100 per month/ person for the next 14 months and you'll have a return flight ticket from Los Angeles and save another USD 50 per month/ person for the next 14 months , you'll earn yourself a COMPLETE relaxing and enjoyable 14 days of fun and rejuvenation in Malaysia.

While Kuala Lumpur has very much to offer, why not take a short two minutes advertisement break to see what other parts of Malaysia has to offer...


and the cultural, natural...part of Malaysia...

More tips on Malaysia? please drop an e-mail to me.

More tips on how to save 5 dollars a day? please also drop an e-mail to me.

Joshua


Tuesday, May 5, 2009

A concerned mother...

Something light and cute for the week...

Joshua



Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Malaysia By-Elections Summary/ Results

(Official results of the three by-elections in Malaysia on 7th April 2009 are released)

12th General Election of Malaysia on March 2008 saw a shocking result to the Ruling coalition party (Barisan Nasional) losing 2/3 majority of the Parliamentary seats in the House of Commons and handed 5 out of 13 State Governments to the opposition party (Pakatan Rakyat) People’s Alliance where the it received 47% (3,796,464) of the total votes against (Barisan Nasional) National Front that received 50% (4,082,411) of the total votes cast in the 12th General Election.

Five by elections has been called since the 12th General Election.

1
Permatang Pauh (Aug. 08)-Parliament
47,410 Votes
PR- 31,195 (65.7%)
BN- 15,524 (32.7%)
15,671 Majority Pakatan Rakyat

2
Kuala Terengganu (Jan. 09)-Parliament
63,993 Votes
PR-32,883 (51.3%)
BN-30,252 (47.2%)
2,631 Majority Pakatan Rakyat

3
Bukit Gantang (Apr. 09)-Parliament
41,626 Votes
PR- 21,860 (52.5%)
BN- 19,071 (45.8%)
2,789 Majority for Pakatan Rakyat

4
Batang Ai (Apr. 09)-State Assembly
6,019 Votes
BN-3,907 (64.9%)
PR-2,053 (34.1%)
1,854 Majority for Barisan Nasional

5
Bukit Selambau (Apr. 09)-State Assembly
24,602 Votes
PR- 12,632 (51.3%)
BN- 10,229 (41.6%)
2,403 Majority for Pakatan Rakyat

(PAKATAN RAKYAT) 4 Vs (BARISAN NASIONAL) 1

Excluding spoilt votes and votes for independents here’s the summary by popular trend:

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Post- Perak constitutional crisis (Three By-Election in April 2009)

A total of 72,247 votes cast.
36,545 or 50.6% for Pakatan Rakyat (Opposition)
33,207or 45.9% for Barisan Nasional (Ruling Coalition)
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Post-12th General Election (All five by-elections since March 2008)

A total of 183,650 votes cast.
100,623 or 54.8% for Pakatan Rakyat (Opposition)
78,983 or 43.0% for Barisan Nasional (Ruling Coalition)
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Statistically, the popular trend indicates a rising atmosphere of political change in Malaysia since March 2008 up till April 2009.
Joshua

Monday, April 6, 2009

Malaysians to deliver a verdict...

As the polling process is underway for three by-elections in Malaysia, 7th April 2009 will be remembered as the day that Malaysians (voters) deliver a verdict on the Perak State Government constituitional crisis, the popularity of the new 6th Prime Minister and also approval rate for the ruling party of Barisan Nasional (National Front) of 52 years.

The ground atmospheres on three by-elections constituency appeared to be in favour of the opposition party, Pakataan Rakyat (People's Alliance). However, the results of the by-elections might be questionable if the results are in deep contrast with the on-ground atmosphere.

Will Malaysians (The voters of the three constituencies)vote

1. Vote for righteousness & justice?
2. Vote for democracy & human rights?
3. Vote for our future & economy?
4. Vote against oppressive dictartorship?
5. Vote against corrupt practices?
6. Vote against arrogant leaders?
7. Vote to defend the Federal Constituition?

Hopefully the independent and international election observers are able to ensure the verdict reflects the heart and the minds of people.

Joshua

Tree of Democracy (Part IV)

Hello everyone,

Today is the eve of the three by-elections in Malaysia. First series of election of the country after the ascension of the 6th Prime Minister of Malaysia.

04.07.09 will a be a day to vote “4″ “7″ principles:

1. Vote for righteousness & justice.
2. Vote for democracy & human rights.
3. Vote for our future & economy.
4. Vote against oppressive dictartorship.
5. Vote against corrupt practices.
6. Vote against arrogant leaders.
7. Vote to defend the Federal Constituition!

Choose wisely!

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Tree of Democracy (Part III)

As Malaysia dawns for a new Prime Minister (6th Prime Minister of Malaysia), the unsettling political situation continue to witness the battle between democracy and autocracy.


Oppresive measures have been mounting against opposition rallies, against peaceful gatherings, against indepedent media , against democratic measures, against opposition elected representives who were voted by 49.5% of the voters on 8th March 2008 (12th Malaysian general election) as local crime rates continue to soar and economical crisis deepens.
As the greed for power grows stronger than ever, democracy can only ensure the power to govern is the power to serve unlike autocracy that defines the power to govern is the power to rule over.
On 7th April 2009, three by-elections in the Malaysian States of Kedah, Perak and Sarawak were called by the Federal Constituition after two elected representatives passed away and one opposition representive vacated his constituency seat after receiving imminent threats/ pressure to switch political allegiance against the opposition. Now, democracy has its chance to flex its political "muscle".
How much more repressive measures are to be taken by the desperados to restrain the flourishing democratic process enshrined in the Federal Constituition and universal human rights?
Every vote in the coming three by-elections in Malaysia are more crucial than ever. I urge to voters of the respective constituency of Bukit Gantang in Perak, Bukit Selambau in Kedah and Batang Ai in Sawarak to choose their representative with utmost wisdom and justice.
04.07.09 will a be a day to vote "4" "7" principles:
1. Vote for righteousness & justice.
2. Vote for democracy & human rights.
3. Vote for our future & economy.
4. Vote against oppressive dictartorship.
5. Vote against corrupt practices.
6. Vote against arrogant leaders.
7. Vote to defend the Federal Constituition!
Choose wisely!
Joshua


Saturday, March 21, 2009

Tree of Democracy (Part II)

So, what happened to the tree after the historic State Assembly emergency meeting on 3rd March 2009?...here are the following events...
About five days after the historic event of the Perak State Assembly under the shed of a tree after the elected-state assemblymen / representatives and State Assembly speaker were denied access to the State Assembly building (The act of denying access to the rightful people itself is a contempt to the State Assembly, State Consituition and the Federal Constituition of Malaysia), a democracy plaque was installed in commeration of the historic event on 8th March 2009.

Less than 72 days after the Democracy plaque were installed, vandalism has done damage on the plaque, reducing it to a Democracy relic.


Less than 48 hours after the Democracy plaque was reduced to a Democracy relic, further physical damage was done on the plaque and black paint were poured on the words recording the historic event that took place under the tree. Now, the democracy relic has been further reduced into a black tainted democracy relics.


Less than 24 hours after the black paint incident, the local council issued a warning that the plaque ia to be removed by the next morning. Indeed, the Democracy plaque was barely one week old, it was vandalised, painted and literally vanished from the site. The Democracy tree now is in a real threat to be cut down.
Finally, I would like to end my blog by a statement made by a prominent Malaysian Opposition leader...

Joshua

A quote from Opposition DAP Parliamentary Leader, Lim Kit Siang:

~In the small hours of this morning, like thieves in the night, the vandals went to work again, pouring black paint to erase the wordings of the Democracy Relic immortalizing the historic “Tree Perak State Assembly” on March 3, 2009, which has entered the folklore of the human struggle for democracy, attracting national and international interest and attention.

The enemies of democracy are in mortal fear of the Democracy Tree, Democracy Plaque and the Democratic Relic.

They should be more afraid of the Democratic Spirit and learn the lessons of history that no force on earth can suppress the quest for freedom and justice when the time has come for human beings to stand up for their fundamental birthrights to freedom and dignity.
Shame to the masterminds who sent out the vandals to desecrate the Democracy Plaque and Democracy Relic. Freedom and truth will prevail in the end.~ Lim Kit Siang.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Tree of Democracy

Photo by DelCapo (http://delcapo.wordpress.com/)
Since the March 8th 2008, the 12th Malaysian General Election since independence from the British empire on August 31st 1957. The ruling party (National Front Party) since independence suffered an upsetting setback when 49.5% of the voters voted against the ruling coalition for 50 years. (My previous blogs contain some related videos from Al Jazeera English.

The Tree of Democracy: When the separation of powers between the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary as enshrined in the Federal Constitution of Malaysia is clearly violated with the gross abuse of the power of the Executive. The Legislative branch as guarded by the democratic parliamentary system has been attacked. The symbolic Perak* (A Northern state in Malaysia with about 2.5 million population) State Assembly, a struggling democracy took refuge under the shed of a rain tree on 3rd March 2009.
*Perak- one the five states' goverment that fell into Malaysian opposition party, the People's Alliance party (Elected to the state government office).
The speaker of the State Assembly has convened an emergency meeting for the State Assembly to decide on the solution for the State Constituitional Crisis since early February 2009, when four defectors (missing in action for a week, believed to be courted with bribery, kidnapping, threats and harrasments) from the state's ruling coalition (People's Alliance/ Pakatan Rakyat) switched allegiance to National Front/Barisan Nasional coalition (Who is also the ruling party of the Federal Government of Malaysia).
With four party defectors (Political frogs as term by Malaysians), Barisan Nasional claimed and formed the Perak State Government. The Pakatan Rakyat leaders have then cried foul and insist on the power grab as illegal, unethical and unconstituition which have triggered a series of "tremors" into the very fundamentals of the Malaysian Constituition.
The emergency meeting of State Assembly (or State Parliament) took place under a tree in a car park lot, just a stone throw away from the actual State Assembly Building was announced by the Speaker of the State Assembly under the Standing Order of State Constituition after the Executive (Mainly the Federal Government) has ordered the police to deny the elected State Assemblymen and Speaker of the State Assembly from entering the building housing the State Assembly. Three major motions were passed under the abnormal circumstances which all in favour of the ousted state government of the Pakatan Rakyat and in consensus in favour of the dissolution of State Assembly paving way for a fresh state-wide election, returning the power of democracy back to the will of the people through ballot boxes. (Where the voters of the State decides who should form the State Government).
The outcome...(A chaotic constituitional crisis which involves almost every level of the society which include the police, judges, ministers, lawyers...and etc.)
However, in this series of reports. I would touch on the outcome of the tree of democracy in particular...where threats of "cutting down the tree" have been heard on the press...
Reports to follow...
Joshua

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Malaysian democracy (October '07 to March '08)

Here is a video from Al Jazeera about the Malaysian political situation since October 2007.




Here is another video from Al Jazeera about the result of 12th Malaysian General Election on 8th March 2008. Sending the Opposition into a stronger voice in the Parliament.



Joshua

(Will be taking a break off from this blog from 9th March to 19th March 2009)

Monday, March 2, 2009

Christmas Tree

My room and Christmas tree for Christmas 2008. The Christmas tree has its history back to the pagan tree worship, usually the Oak tree in Europe (German) centuries ago. Now, the Christmas tree is one of the most popular traditions that is related to Christmas.

An angel or a star is usually placed on top of the tree to symbolizes the angel of heavenly hosts or the Star of Bethelehem.

The tradition of setting up a Christmas tree can be traced back into 16th Century Germany. It's most widely accepted origin begins with Boniface, a patron saint and missionary to Germany. The missionary halted a pagan tree worship when a child was to be sacrificed to an Oak tree. Boniface, destroyed the tree and days later a small fir (evergreen) tree sprang up from the debris where the destroyed oak tree was. Boniface declared: "This humble tree's wood is used to build your homes: let Christ be at the centre of your households. Its leaves remain evergreen in the darkest days: let Christ be your constant light. Its boughs reach out to embrace and its top points to heaven: let Christ be your Comfort and Guide."

S0, the fir and the pine trees (evergreens) are most often used as Christmas trees. To some, Christmas tree also symbolizes the beauty of thre Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden or the beauty of the cross after the resurrection of Christ.

While there are numerous theories on the origin of this tradition, and some even dismissed the tradition as unecessary and heretic. However, I am not going to debate whether or not a person should or should not set up a Christmas tree.

That's all for this blog.

Joshua

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Itchy Bottom

When one's butt is itchy...you either scratch it with your fore limb or rub it on the floor or on the tree or even a post. I'm scratching myself now...not my butt but my head...haha.

Joshua

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

A Poignant Stray Pup

I would love to publish my first blog on "Photo Journalism" with the discussion (not report) on the picture of the puppy above. What happened before the picture was taken is a beautiful event of life itself, a healthy good looking puppy but what happened after the picture was taken, we do not know.

The picture tells of a poignant story, especially for plight of stray animals which most have lived only to be "killed" later. Anyone with a glimpse of love will show compassion to the puppy (Picture above) if found on the street when we're passing by. Most will not show compassion beyond their own expense of time, comfort and money. Many would stop by as a sign of pitiness while only a handful will do something to improve the quality of lives of those stray animals.

I have very no idea on what has happened to the puppy now as I wasn't there when the photo was taken. I could only hope that this photo will appeal to many of the compassion and responsibilty we should have, even for creatures of God.

Joshua

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Blog Overview & Introduction

Hello friends and guests,

Welcome to my blog. "Photo Journalism" is created based on the principle and inspiration of photography and journalism combined. The blog will consists a variety topics, it could be sombre, somewhat controversial or even down to earth. However, deeply offensive and explicit issues will be left out.

For subjects that I feel more strongly about, you may visit my other blog "Speak Up".

Or even to find out why I am bald and want to know the condition better, please visit "Alopecia Areata Support Community" or "AASC-i".

Thank you and God bless us all.

(Blog should be updated with new post every week or at least once fortnightly due my personal busy schedule, my apology)