Ibuprofen and Naproxen

I don't know whether they are available locally but if you take pain relievers like ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen (Aleve), you may want to consider the findings of two new studies. They have been found to be linked to increased risks to hearts and kidneys.

Please read.

The Winning Movie

The Winning Movie is created by Bill Losey who, like many of us, is not satisfied with allowing life to just happen.

This movie is for those that want to get more out of life than just the status quo.

For those ... what would you attempt to do if you knew you couldn't lose?

Authentic Happiness

You can develop insights into yourself and the world around you through scientifically tested questionnaires, surveys, and scales at Authentic Happiness.

To find out what your strengths are, take the featured "VIA Signature Strengths Questionnaire."

Enjoy.

Megamal Pinang is a hazard

Try accidents, YBs

At the Parliament, yesterday.

Datuk Mohamed Aziz (BN – Sri Gading) who disagreed with the decision not to slash traffic fines said, “Traffic fines are compound fines. The police can give a reduction at their discretion. It’s not wrong.”

Datuk Mohd Said Yusoff (BN – Jasin) agreed with the reduction in fines, saying it would help poor motorists.

One-eye Jasin and Sri Gading obviously suffer from poor eyesight for failing to see the forest from the trees. They should instead tell the "poor motorists" this;

If you think the fines are expensive, try having accidents!

Rising rates of obesity and diabetes a 'disaster' for Asian countries

SYDNEY, Australia - Skyrocketing rates of childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes in Asian countries are an economic and social disaster that could effect regional stability, leading health experts warned Wednesday.

Asia currently has around two-thirds of the world's type 2 diabetics or around 90 million people, according to Paul Zimmet, the chairman of the International Obesity Task Force.

Four out of five of the world's most diabetic populations are also in Asia, including India, China, Pakistan and Japan - and the number of diabetics in Asia is set to increase to 120 million by 2010, said Zimmet, citing recent data from the World Heath Organization.

By 2025, the number of Asians with the disease could increase to 198 million, he said.

The rate of childhood obesity among Asian children is increasing by about 1 percent each year, roughly the same rate as seen in Australia, the United States and Britain, according to the task force's regional director, Tim Gill.

"It's a social and economic disaster," said Zimmet.

While many Asian countries are busy gearing up to deal with the possible threat of bird flu, Zimmet said, they are ignoring a looming health crisis caused by diabetes.

Most Asian countries "don't have the health care systems" to meet the cost of treating diabetes and its related illnesses, such as strokes, kidney failure, heart disease and blindness, he said.

And beyond the rise of health care, Zimmet warned, the diabetes epidemic could have dire consequences for the social and economic stability of many Asian countries.

"We're seeing type 2 diabetes in children and they're being inadequately treated," he said. "So they're going to have heart troubles, kidney failure in the early 20s and 30s, and that will affect work force productivity."

Diabetes can also affect fertility rates, Zimmet said, possibly leading to changes in birth patterns and population levels.

"The actual productivity of countries will fall," he said.

Source: Yahoo News

Pests controlled?

It has to take a public outcry for the Selangor government to overrule the decision by two local authorities to award a multi-million ringgit pest control concession to a consortium of companies and to force businesses to use their services.

Sheesh ... there goes someone's retirement plan!

There is no doubt that pests that threaten "public health and safety" need to be controlled and exterminated. This, I am in concurrence with the local councils. One hundred and ten percent.

In this instance, however, it isn't just the rats. Nor is it just the cockcroaches. But the twolegged rodents, commonly known as parasitic politikus that we should start with. Shoot them on sight!

I look at the 33,000 business premises in Subang Jaya and did a quick translation into my my network marketing business. Makes me drool and drool only. You see, with 33,000 customers in my organisation and if each spends just RM80 per month on my products for 20 years, my turnover would be RM633.6M!

If my commission is 10%, my earnings over 20 years would be in excess of RM63M. Or RM3M per year. Or RM264K per month.

Chia beh liao loh!

Perhaps I should invite the person(s) who just lost their retirement plans to sign up with me.

Reduction of traffic fines postponed

The Cabinet has decided to postpone the reduction of traffic fines by the police.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said that the Cabinet agreed that compounds imposed on traffic offenders, especially for serious faults, should be a deterrent.

If it is only postponed, are we to expect some face saving discounts?

Read The Star for the news.

Power and responsibilty

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy, who expressed surprise over the move by the police, said the reduction of fines could send a wrong message to road users, especially habitual offenders.

“It came as a surprise to me. I was never consulted by the police on the matter. I only knew about it through the media,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby here yesterday.

Chan said he would ask for an explanation and a briefing from the police to find out more about the matter.

In response, Internal Security and Public Order Director Commissioner Datuk Mustafa Abdullah said,

"We can reduce them when or how we want to. We do not have to consult the Transport Ministry. We have the power to do so."

Sure, you do have the power, Tuan. In my favourite superhero's famous words,

"With great power comes great responsibility."

I wonder whether you understand what that means to you?

Teh Tarik Space-ial

If in the United States they are called astronauts, in Russia they are cosmonauts, and in China, taikonauts, what do you call a Malaysian in space?

The answer which is CanOrNot is also the question. CanOrNot?

At zero gravity, how the heck is our Mr. CanOrNot going to tarik his tea or flip his roti canai in space?

Malaysia Boleh?

Coming up next Merdeka - No need to pay traffic fines!

Last Merdeka, they offered a 50% discount on all traffic fines. This Merdeka, they slashed traffic fines by as much as RM200 or 70%. The justification? This will encourage offenders to pay their summonses.

On the contrary, won't this be sending the wrong signals and encourage more offences?

I have only this to say, ini kerja orang gila! OTC - otak tak center!

So what can we expect come the next Merdeka? Another offer? Maybe no need to pay traffic fines at all. Semua bantai and get away free!

Lest it be forgotten, Malaysia has the dubious distinction of having one of the worst per capita road accident death rates in the world at almost 27 per 100,000 population. This is according to latest figures from New York-based Drive and Stay Alive, Inc.

In 2004 alone, the Government lost about RM9.3 billion in terms of damage to property, manhours lost, manpower, medical bills and insurance claims due to road accidents, according to Transport Ministry figures.

There were 326,817 road accidents, with 6,623 fatalities. That means 17 lives were lost on the average every day.

Tell us, whose stupid idea was this?

Who keeps the law ... (4)

Who keeps the law when the breakers are the enforcers themselves?

Somewhere in PJ near Lorong 8/1E this morning, this Pajero which belongs to the police was parked on the road, reducing the two lanes to one.

I have no issue with the policeman having their tea break across the road but this blatant disregard for other road users ... tak boleh lah.

SoaP nets RM66K

The Charity Screening of "Snakes on a Plane (SoaP)" can only be described as a runaway success. Residents of both Subang Jaya and USJ checked in and boarded in full force.

On the night when two couples battled it out over the local networks for TV viewership, Flight 121 took off successfully from the Summit GSC with a cinema load of passengers for the “Wheels for Cops” campaign. The passengers included Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Fu Ah KIow, ADUN Subang Jaya and campaign patron Datuk Lee Hwa Beng and representatives from the police.

“Wheels for Cops” is a community campaign to raise funds to procure 2 Kembaras and 4 motorbikes for the police stations of SS17 and USJ8 via a charity screening of Samuel Jackson’s "Snakes on a Plane."

Sponsored by Golden Screen Cinemas and supported by the Summit Group, all the 263 tickets which were available for sales to the public were snapped up, with the remaining 59 allocated to corporate sponsors and guests.

More than RM66,000 were raised from this campaign:

Community of SJ/USJ – RM26,700.00
INTI College (Dr. Lee Fah Oon) – RM20,000.00
Million Horizon Development Sdn. Bhd. – RM10,000.00
S. Kian Seng Sdn. Bhd. – RM10,000.00
Hiap Teik Hardware Sdn. Bhd. – 4 motorbikes

The “Wheels for Cops” Organising Committee records our thanks and appreciation to all sponsors and donors for their generous support.

Read also Wheel boost for cops and Wheels for Cops.