nuffnang

Thursday, December 31, 2009

A Good Morning

What a lovely morning today is...




the daily morning scene at our house..


that's Ibu our cat..


the other 2 are Ibu's boyfriends... hihi...




I just don't know why.... but it's really therapeutic to start your day with this...




today is the final day of 2009


I'm welcoming 2010 with arms wide open...

2010 I SEE you... :)

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

MUET 2010 Calendar - MUET Registration Date For 2010


click photo to enlarge


for more information on MUET please visit http://www.mpm.edu.my/

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

New Year Resolutions


get the joke?
hehe

It's the time of the year again....
the time to set our new year resolutions...
but what about the last year's resolutions? hahaha...

before we think of any resolutions, let's ask mr wiki what is New Year's Resolution

A New Year's resolution is a commitment that an individual makes to a project or the reforming of a habit, often a lifestyle change that is generally interpreted as advantageous. The name comes from the fact that these commitments normally go into effect on New Year's Day and remain until fulfilled or abandoned. More socio-centric examples include resolutions to donate to the poor more often, to become more assertive, or to become more economically or environmentally responsible. People may act similarly during the Christian fasting period of Lent, though the motive behind this holiday is more of sacrifice than of responsibility. The new year resolution is one example of the rolling forecast-method of planning. According to this method, plans are established at regular short or medium-term time intervals, when only a rough long-term plan exists.

As for me, one of my new year resolutions would be...

.

I will try my best to be wiser with my money.. and refrain myself from buying this kind of stuff


Monday, December 28, 2009

You Are Always IN/ON My Mind..??

I know we normally say “on my mind” but is it wrong to say “in my mind?” – LP

It depends on what you mean. When you say “There’s something on my mind.” you mean you are thinking a lot about that something or worrying about it. But when you say “I can still hear the music in my mind, even though the concert took place many days ago.”, you are talking about something you can still remember. “On someone’s mind” is an idiomatic expression: you can change “someone’s” to “my” or “your”, etc, but you can’t change “on” to “in” without altering the meaning of the expression


By FADZILAH AMIN - THE STAR

Friday, December 25, 2009

Lalalaa Happy Day...

To all christians out there..

Merry Christmas

and to to the rest...

Happy New Year!!! -

Wishing everybody a fantastic new year!


New Year's sunrise... a bright new year ahead.. God-willing..

Thursday, December 24, 2009

What Subject?

Question: What subject you take in university?

(Is this the correct way to ask a friend who is still studying in university?)

Answer:

It is better to say:“What subject are you taking at university?”

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Meet or Met?

Is this correct?

1. A: Have you ever met him?

B: No, I have not met him.


The Answer.

1. “Met”here is used as a past participle and is part of the present perfect negative verb “have not met”. The answer is in the present perfect tense because the question is in that tense, using the verb “have met”. It would be better to use the adverb “never” in the answer instead of “not”, because the question uses the adverb “ever”. Thus the dialogue would go:

A : Have you ever met him?

B : No, I have never met him.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

On Weekend Or At The Weekend?

We are still on the topic of American English vs British English, now let's look at the differences in the usage of prepositions.


Prepositions

There are also a few differences in preposition use including the following:

American English – on the weekend

British English – at the weekend

American English – on a team

British English –in a team

American English – please write me soon

British English – please write to me soon



source: Mind Our English - The Star

Monday, December 21, 2009

I've Just Had Lunch vs I Just Had Lunch

In British English, the present perfect is used to express an action that has occurred in the recent past that has an effect on the present moment. For example: I’ve lost my key. Can you help me look for it?

In American English, the following is also possible: I lost my key. Can you help me look for it?

In British English, the above would be considered incorrect. However, both forms are generally accepted in standard American English.

Other differences involving the use of the present perfect in British English and simple past in American English include already, just and yet.


British English:

I’ve just had lunch.

I’ve already seen that film.

Have you finished your homework yet?

American English:

I just had lunch.

I already saw that film.

Did you finish your homework yet?

So... which one to use? Both are correct. It is up to you which one to use.


POSSESSION

There are two forms to express possession in English - have or have got.

Do you have a car? Have you got a car? He hasn’t got any friends. He doesn’t have any friends. She has a beautiful new home. She’s got a beautiful new home.

While both forms are correct (and accepted in both British and American English), have got (have you got, he hasn’t got, etc.) is generally the preferred form in British English while most speakers of American English employ the have (do you have, he doesn’t have etc.)



an excerpt from - Mind Our English - The Star

Latest Book By Marianna Pascal To Improve Your English Language

I went to Popular Bookstore few days ago and I came across this book..






It's RM29.90 before discount.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Redmummy.com



I've been reading redmummy.com religiously for the past 2 years...

Look at her blog hits! Wow! That is really amazing. How I wish this blog of mine will someday, somehow received that kind of hits! Wishing and hoping! :)

Friday, December 18, 2009

What Is Maal Hijrah?

Maal Hijrah, which is also called Awal Muharram, is an important day for muslim. It falls on the first day of Muharram on every Muslim calender year, which is the first day on muslim calender.

The meaning of Maal Hijrah in English is migration. On this day, Muslim remember Nabi Muhammad S.A.W migrate from Mekkah to Madinah on the year 622 A.D. Besides, Maal Hijrah also mean changes from bad to good side and can be said as starting point and evaluate inner-self on self achievement.

Awal means begining in English and Muharram is the first month of muslim calender. In another words, this is the first day in Muslim calendar. Therefore, this is also the new year for all Muslim.

This day has became an important religious day for all muslim. All the mosque will have solat sunat.


Happy New Year To All Muslims

Thursday, December 17, 2009

It's Thursday!



nice.... ahakss..

Monday, December 14, 2009

How Soon?





Nomenclature??

I've received a memo with a word 'nomenclature' in it...

I was like... huhh? what's that?




with the help of wikipedia I found the meaning for 'nomenclature'

Nomenclature refers to either a list of names and/or terms, or to the system of principles, procedures and terms related to naming - which is the assigning of a word or phrase to a particular object or property.[1] The principles of naming vary from the relatively informal conventions of everyday speech to the internationally-agreed principles, rules and recommendations that govern the formation and use of the specialist terms used in scientific and other disciplines.

Naming "things" is a part of our general communication using words and language: it is an aspect of everyday taxonomy as we distinguish the objects of our experience, together with their similarities and differences, which we identify, name and classify. The use of names, as the many different kinds of nouns embedded in different languages, connects nomenclature to theoretical linguistics, while the way we mentally structure the world in relation to word meanings and experience relates to the philosophy of language.

Onomastics, the study of proper names and their origins, includes: anthroponymy, concerned with human names, including personal names, surnames and nicknames; toponymy the study of place names; and etymology, the derivation, history and use of names as revealed through comparative and descriptive linguistics.

The scientific need for simple, stable and internationally-accepted systems for naming objects of the natural world has generated many formal nomenclatural systems. Probably the best known of these nomenclatural systems are the five codes of biological nomenclature that govern the Latinized scientific names of organisms.

KPTM Staff Day 2009

more photos - http://kptmkuantan.blogspot.com







Sunday, December 13, 2009

Thursday, December 10, 2009

The 7 foods experts won't eat

by Liz Vaccariello, Editor-in-Chief, PREVENTION,


How healthy (or not) certain foods are—for us, for the environment—is a hotly debated topic among experts and consumers alike, and there are no easy answers. But when Prevention talked to the people at the forefront of food safety and asked them one simple question—“What foods do you avoid?”—we got some pretty interesting answers. Although these foods don’t necessarily make up a "banned” list, as you head into the holidays—and all the grocery shopping that comes with it—their answers are, well, food for thought:

20 ways to feed your family for $100 a week.

1. Canned Tomatoes

The expert: Fredrick vom Saal, PhD, an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A

The problem: The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Unfortunately, acidity (a prominent characteristic of tomatoes) causes BPA to leach into your food. Studies show that the BPA in most people's body exceeds the amount that suppresses sperm production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals. "You can get 50 mcg of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that's a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young," says vom Saal. "I won't go near canned tomatoes."

The solution: Choose tomatoes in glass bottles (which do not need resin linings), such as the brands Bionaturae and Coluccio. You can also get several types in Tetra Pak boxes, like Trader Joe's and Pomi.

14 worst health mistakes even smart women make.

2. Corn-Fed Beef

The expert: Joel Salatin, co-owner of Polyface Farms and author of half a dozen books on sustainable farming

The problem: Cattle evolved to eat grass, not grains. But farmers today feed their animals corn and soybeans, which fatten up the animals faster for slaughter. More money for cattle farmers (and lower prices at the grocery store) means a lot less nutrition for us. A recent comprehensive study conducted by the USDA and researchers from Clemson University found that compared with corn-fed beef, grass-fed beef is higher in beta-carotene, vitamin E, omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, magnesium, and potassium; lower in inflammatory omega-6s; and lower in saturated fats that have been linked to heart disease. "We need to respect the fact that cows are herbivores, and that does not mean feeding them corn and chicken manure," says Salatin.

The solution: Buy grass-fed beef, which can be found at specialty grocers, farmers' markets, and nationally at Whole Foods. It's usually labeled because it demands a premium, but if you don't see it, ask your butcher.

25 ridiculously healthy foods you should be eating now.

3. Microwave Popcorn

The expert: Olga Naidenko, PhD, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group,

The problem: Chemicals, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in the lining of the bag, are part of a class of compounds that may be linked to infertility in humans, according to a recent study from UCLA. In animal testing, the chemicals cause liver, testicular, and pancreatic cancer. Studies show that microwaving causes the chemicals to vaporize—and migrate into your popcorn. "They stay in your body for years and accumulate there," says Naidenko, which is why researchers worry that levels in humans could approach the amounts causing cancers in laboratory animals. DuPont and other manufacturers have promised to phase out PFOA by 2015 under a voluntary EPA plan, but millions of bags of popcorn will be sold between now and then.

The solution: Pop natural kernels the old-fashioned way: in a skillet. For flavorings, you can add real butter or dried seasonings, such as dillweed, vegetable flakes, or soup mix.

Your nutritional guide to grocery shopping.

4. Nonorganic Potatoes

The expert: Jeffrey Moyer, chair of the National Organic Standards Board

The problem: Root vegetables absorb herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides that wind up in soil. In the case of potatoes—the nation's most popular vegetable—they're treated with fungicides during the growing season, then sprayed with herbicides to kill off the fibrous vines before harvesting. After they're dug up, the potatoes are treated yet again to prevent them from sprouting. "Try this experiment: Buy a conventional potato in a store, and try to get it to sprout. It won't," says Moyer, who is also farm director of the Rodale Institute (also owned by Rodale Inc., the publisher of Prevention). "I've talked with potato growers who say point-blank they would never eat the potatoes they sell. They have separate plots where they grow potatoes for themselves without all the chemicals."

The solution: Buy organic potatoes. Washing isn't good enough if you're trying to remove chemicals that have been absorbed into the flesh.

14 ways to make veggies less boring.

5. Farmed Salmon

The expert: David Carpenter, MD, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany and publisher of a major study in the journal Science on contamination in fish.

The problem: Nature didn't intend for salmon to be crammed into pens and fed soy, poultry litter, and hydrolyzed chicken feathers. As a result, farmed salmon is lower in vitamin D and higher in contaminants, including carcinogens, PCBs, brominated flame retardants, and pesticides such as dioxin and DDT. According to Carpenter, the most contaminated fish come from Northern Europe, which can be found on American menus. "You can only safely eat one of these salmon dinners every 5 months without increasing your risk of cancer," says Carpenter, whose 2004 fish contamination study got broad media attention. "It's that bad." Preliminary science has also linked DDT to diabetes and obesity, but some nutritionists believe the benefits of omega-3s outweigh the risks. There is also concern about the high level of antibiotics and pesticides used to treat these fish. When you eat farmed salmon, you get dosed with the same drugs and chemicals.

The solution: Switch to wild-caught Alaska salmon. If the package says fresh Atlantic, it's farmed. There are no commercial fisheries left for wild Atlantic salmon.

Delicious and easy fish recipes

6. Milk Produced with Artificial Hormones

The expert: Rick North, project director of the Campaign for Safe Food at the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility and former CEO of the Oregon division of the American Cancer Society

The problem: Milk producers treat their dairy cattle with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST, as it is also known) to boost milk production. But rBGH also increases udder infections and even pus in the milk. It also leads to higher levels of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor in milk. In people, high levels of IGF-1 may contribute to breast, prostate, and colon cancers. "When the government approved rBGH, it was thought that IGF-1 from milk would be broken down in the human digestive tract," says North. As it turns out, the casein in milk protects most of it, according to several independent studies. "There's not 100% proof that this is increasing cancer in humans," admits North. "However, it's banned in most industrialized countries."

The solution: Check labels for rBGH-free, rBST-free, produced without artificial hormones, or organic milk. These phrases indicate rBGH-free products.

Don’t be fooled by these 11 health food imposters.

7. Conventional Apples

The expert: Mark Kastel, former executive for agribusiness and codirector of the Cornucopia Institute, a farm-policy research group that supports organic foods

The problem: If fall fruits held a "most doused in pesticides contest," apples would win. Why? They are individually grafted (descended from a single tree) so that each variety maintains its distinctive flavor. As such, apples don't develop resistance to pests and are sprayed frequently. The industry maintains that these residues are not harmful. But Kastel counters that it's just common sense to minimize exposure by avoiding the most doused produce, like apples. "Farm workers have higher rates of many cancers," he says. And increasing numbers of studies are starting to link a higher body burden of pesticides (from all sources) with Parkinson's disease.

The solution: Buy organic apples. If you can't afford organic, be sure to wash and peel them first.

Resume

HOW TO WRITE A BETTER RESUME by Brian Konradt

Which word is more scarier to you? If someone yelled out “fire!” or if someone whispered in your ear, “Did you write your resume yet?” To most people, hearing the word “resume” induces panic attacks and beads of sweat across the forehead.

Writing a resume is hard work. You must write your resume correctly; it must be perfect! Any blunders in your resume could cost you the job. The entire resume-writing process can be confusing. We’ve all asked ourselves these questions: “Which information goes in?” “Which stays out?” “How exactly should I format my resume?”

If you jumped into a pile of books and articles on how to write the perfect resume, you’d drown in words, sentences and advice that all sound the same. So what in the world will make your resume leap out of the pile and scream out, “Grab me! I am the person you want to hire!”

Writing a resume is an art and a science. We need to know a successful formula of words, sentences, format and finesse to convey effectively our selling points. The following tips are shortcuts to write a stellar resume for whatever sort of job you desire.

FORMAT WITH CAUTION

Your professional history will strongly dictate your resume format. We must choose one of three basic resume types: chronological, functional or combination.

The Chronological Resume - This is the most common type of resume, the one that comes to mind when we speak about a resume. A chronological resume is appropriate if you’ve had steady work experience with little to no breaks, have kept each of your jobs for long periods of time, or have industry-related experience that shows your working toward a specific goal. The Chronological Resume is comprised of:

• Objective (which we’ll discuss in a few paragraphs)
• Employment history (starting from your most recent job)
• Education
• Optional section (for things such as military experience or any special skills/interests that may pertain to the job at hand)
• References

The Functional Resume - A variation of the chronological resume, a functional resume intends to highlight skills found outside of work experience; it’s useful if you’re in the process of changing careers, have little to no work experience or have held several, seemingly unrelated jobs. This sort of resume is comprised of:

• Qualifications summary (a bulleted list of achievements or interests that qualify you for the job for which you’re applying).
• Employment history
• Education
• Optional section
• References

The Combination Resume - A combination resume is what it sounds like: a combination of the chronological and functional formats. It tends to be slightly more useful than the functional resume, as that format sometimes makes an employer suspicious that you’re hiding something (such as a lack of experience). The combination resume is comprised of:

• Qualifications summary
• Education (especially if it’s a particularly strong area for you)
• Employment history (in reverse order as the chronological resume)
• Optional section
• References

RETHINK YOUR OBJECTIVE

Many books and articles extol the virtues of an objective; it is, after all, a great way to position yourself within a job and show an employer what you want and how willing you are to get it. A lot of job-seekers have been ditching the objective in favor of a qualifications summary, and employers seem to be responding well. The reason for this is simple: objectives are, by nature, focused heavily on youemployer. Your potential employer, while certainly interested in what you want, is far more concerned with your qualifications and what you can do for the company.

The idea isn’t all bad, though. It just needs a little tweaking. Instead of an objective, try creating a positioning statement.; it functions on the same way as an objective but puts the focus on you. Take a look at these examples:

Objective: To become an associate editor of children’s books at a major publishing house.

Positioning Statement: Children’s book editor with 10 years of experience in publishing.

These are loose examples, of course, but you get the idea; put the focus on you and the employer will take notice.

THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS

Be specific about what exactly you’ve done. Your former job responsibilities and achievements are excellent selling points in your resume. Avoid being vague, unless you want your resume to read like everyone else’s. Think about your previous jobs: what exactly did you do and how does that qualify you for a new position? For instance, don’t write that you “assisted the senior editor with a number of editorial duties.” Instead, write “contributed to editorial copy and content editing, cover design and overall concept of several major projects.” Detailing your specific job duties and accomplishments show the employer what you’re capable of and what he or she can expect from you as an employee.

SHOW THEM WHAT YOU CAN DO

It’s tempting to outline your responsibilities to save some space and not appear overly conceited, but remember -- you’re here to sell yourself. You have one shot to make an impression. Chances are good that the employer will already know a bit about the duties of your last job (especially if it’s linked to this job), so they need to read about what you’ve accomplished as opposed to what you did. Anyone could go through the motions of a nine-to-five day, but what did you actually achieve? What were the results of your work? Don’t be modest with this; if a book you edited hit the best-seller list, then by all means, let the employer know. Never withhold important information about your achievements.

WORD IT WELL

The words you use in your resume are just as important as the results you’ve achieved or the jobs you’ve held. Make sure you use lively, engaging words and always avoid the passive voice; it reads in a boring, trite manner. Always write in active voice so you sound more formal and direct. Stay concise -- are you using more words that necessary? Would a great action verb effectively replace a whole sentence? Are there any obvious clichés, like “great customer service skills”? Strive to say things in the most interesting manner possible, and make sure you spell all words correctly. There’s nothing worse than a typo on a resume, as it leaves the impression that “if this person doesn’t care enough to spellcheck their resume,” the employer thinks, “then how in the world will they care enough to do this job well?

PERFECT THE PRESENTATION

Resume presentation is another crucial aspect to the resume-writing process. How your resume looks will serve as the employer’s first impression of you; if it looks bad, or amateurish, your resume may not get a second glance. Make sure the visual formatting is correct (consult a resume guide book for samples of formatting) and always leave lots of white space; this makes it easier for an employer to skim through your resume and find the information they need. Use an easily readable font, such as Arial or Times New Roman; print it on high-quality white stock (no photocopies!); and send it in a white or manila envelope with a printed mailing label. And always, always, always remember to include your contact information, even your email address; it’ll be hard to land that new position if the employer can’t even get in touch with you.

© B. Konradt

Brian Konradt is a freelance writer and founder of FreelanceWriting.Com (http://www.freelancewriting.com),

Sunday, December 06, 2009

Buka Langsir

“Buka langsir dan tutup langsir,” in English can we say: Draw up the curtain and draw close the curtains? – Please help


Strangely enough, we can say
“draw the curtains” to mean both “buka langsir” and “tutup langsir”. But there are other expressions that distinguish between the two actions and can therefore make our meaning clearer. These are “draw back the curtains” or “pull back the curtains” to mean “buka langsir” in contrast to “pull the curtains” or “close the curtains” to mean “tutup langsir”.We don’t say “open the curtains”, though!


by FADZILAH AMIN - thestar

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Silver Surfer

I was browsing through this site just now and this caught my attention...
Silver surfer - A silver surfer is an elderly person who uses the internet.
owhhh... really.. I didn't know about thatt.... ehehe

Friday, November 27, 2009

Sacrifice



Happy Eid Adha

Giant - Stickers

Here is a little update on my quest for more Giant - stickers




weeehuuuuuu...

but it is still a long way to go... to reach 200th... huhu...

I need more of theseeeee... pleaseeee...

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

How To Use Less and Fewer Correctly


Using "Less" and "Fewer" Correctly


We use "less" to describe quantities that cannot be counted individually (less water, less sugar, less flour, less rice, less food, less fuel, less paper, less homework, less hair, etc.):

This bottle contains less water than that one. (correct)
This bottle contains fewer water than that one. (incorrect!)

"Less" is also used with words such as time, money, patience, work, stress, effort, honesty, fun, love and other usually abstract nouns:

I have less time to spend with my friends recently. (correct)
I have fewer time to spend with my friends recently. (incorrect!)

Tom has less money now and therefore he will drive a little less. (correct)
Tom has fewer money now and therefore he will drive a little less. (incorrect)

I have less patience than my sister. (correct)
I have fewer patience than my sister. (incorrect)









"Less" is used before a plural noun that denotes a measure of distance, time, amount, etc. :

The town where I live is less than twenty miles from the capital. (correct)
The town where I live is fewer than twenty miles from the capital. (incorrect)

She has been working there for less than three years. (correct)
She has been working there for fewer than three years. (incorrect!)
(we use "less" because the sentence refers to a single period of time, not individual years)

Your English essay should be five hundred words or less. (correct)
Your English essay should be five hundred words or fewer. (incorrect)

I have less than five dollars in my pocket. (correct)
I have fewer than five dollars in my pocket. (incorrect)

Note: When we talk about specific dollar bills or coins we might say:
I have fewer than twenty silver dollars in my collection. (correct)

"Fewer" refers to separate (countable) items (fewer apples, fewer potatoes, fewer cubes of sugar, fewer students, fewer people, fewer drinks, fewer attempts, fewer errors, fewer rules, etc.):

There were fewer apples on the table in the afternoon than in the morning. (correct)
There were less apples on the table in the afternoon than in the morning. (incorrect)

I hope that the next time I will find fewer grammatical errors in your writing. (correct!)
I hope that the next time I will find less grammatical errors in your writing. (incorrect!)

There were fewer people than expected at the party but everyone there had a good time. (correct)
Fewer and fewer people nowadays choose to take marriage vows, most preferring to live together as partners. (correct)
(in informal English "less people" is often used)


(source)

Twilight New Moon Journals




I am aching to have this...

Twilight Journals - four keepsake journals in a collectible tin



but it's too expensive. (about RM89)

Monday, November 23, 2009

Biblioholic Me



I just cannot help myself, I got greedy looking at good books.

Last week I went to the college library and managed to borrow those books in the above photo.
I am now reading 5 books simultaneously.. huhu.. I wish I had more time to read...

When To Use Shall?

Shall

We don't use 'Shall' very frequently in modern English, particularly in American English.

It is used to make offers and suggestions and to ask for advice.

*
What time shall we meet?
*
Shall we vote on it now?
*
What dress shall I wear?
*
Shall I open the window?

You only really need to know that about 'shall' in modern English. Read the rest of this only if you want to know more about how some older speakers still use 'shall'.

Formerly, in older grammar, 'shall' was used as an alternative to 'will' with 'I' and 'we'. Today, 'will' is normally used. When we do use 'shall', it has an idea of a more personal, subjective future.

*
I shall go to see the boss and I shall ask him to explain this decision.

Notice that the negative of 'shall' can be 'shall not' or 'shan't' – though the second one is now very rare in American English.

*
I don't like these people and I shall not go to their party.
*
I shan't object if you go without me.




source: http://www.englishgrammarsecrets.com/shall/menu.php

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Finally....THE 100th Follower...



Last month, just for fun... I made a pledge to give a mystery gift to the 100th follower for this blog. Today, I am happy to announce that the mystery gift goes to...... drum roll... huhu..

http://nickirfan.blogspot.com/

to the owner of that blog, please drop your email address in my comment box, or you can email me at miszsensei@yahoo.com

Congratulations to Nick Irfan, I love reading your blog!

Great Weekend



This is how I spent my day today.... nice huh... huhu...

Friday, November 20, 2009

MUET End Year - 2009 Question Papers














to my students, you can get a copy of this at the college library.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

You Might Laugh At First, but ....



the first thought - it's funny, but seconds later we would feel... how could he!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Something To Ponder

Every man dies, but not every man really lives...

What do you think?

Gobbledegook

Gobbledegook??? hahaha... yess.. it's English!

My students sat for their Business Communication paper 2 days ago, and the term GOBBLEDEGOOK came up, they were asked to define the term.

So, I just want to share with you the meaning of that term.

Gobbledegook is writing that is bombastic, pretentious, stuffy and long winded. It is writing that attempts to sound official or formal.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Too Pretty Too Be Eaten



oh my... Nasi Kerabu anyone? haha...









Monday, November 16, 2009

Sunday, November 15, 2009

So Sweet



no mountains too high....

a little flood is not a barrier

Saturday, November 14, 2009

How To Improve Your Writing

Seven Easy Ways to Improve Your Writing--and Gain a Competitive Edge at Work
Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:11:00 +0000
Posted by LousyWriter.com

Today's competitive job market means applicants are working overtime writing their résumés and cover letters; once they get an interview, some candidates are required to take writing tests. And workers who survived downsizing? Many face increased writing tasks--without the confidence or skills to do a good job.

Today, the lack of good writing skills affects businesses of all sizes. Delta Air Lines Chief Executive Richard Anderson stated in an April 26th New York Times interview that he'd like to see more people using cogent, complete sentences--beyond PowerPoint and a bunch of bulleted words.

"More and more, the ability to speak well and write is important?writing is not something that is taught as strongly as it should be in the educational curriculum," Anderson said. "?People really have to be able to handle the written and spoken word."

According to Lynda McDaniel, director of the Association for Creative Business Writing, writers in the workplace can take some easy steps to improve their writing immediately.

"In today's economy, people need to set themselves apart from the pack. Good writing is one of the best and easiest ways to achieve that," she says. "They may not have the time or resources to go back to school, but everyone can start writing better today."

Better than school
McDaniel's latest book, "Words @ Work: Powerful business writing delivers increased sales, improved results, and even a promotion or two," helps fill the gaps between what we learned in school--or didn't learn--and what we need on the job. She often hears her students say, "They sure don't teach this in school!" when they learn tools and techniques, such as:

Seven Easy Ways to Start Writing Better Today!

1. Let it rip.
Brainstorm with yourself. Jot down everything you can think of about the topic: your audience, what they need, what you can offer them, what's in it for them, etc. Then organize those thoughts into a rough outline, most important information first, and so on.

2. Write first drafts fast.
Now start writing--fast. This is a great way to overcome the fear of writing. Just do it. Don't worry about typos and verb tenses--yet. Besides, if you edit as you go, you slow yourself down and even block some creative thinking.

3. Cut, catch, and correct.
Now spend the time you saved in Step #2 to edit several times. With each run-through, you'll spot more writing mistakes. Good writing is really good editing.

4. To be or not to be?
Change 50 percent of your to-be verbs (is, are, were) to vivid verbs. It wakes up your writing--and your readers. "The deadline looms" grabs more attention than "The deadline is today."

5. Break it up.
Use headlines, subheads, white spaces, bullets, and numbers to break up your writing. This works especially well in e-mail. If it looks too dense or boring, people just delete it.

6. Write to your readers.
Speaking of readers, be sure to write to them, not at them. Instead of dumping information on them, craft your message so it solves a problem, offers advantages, or explains how they'll be better off.

7. Sleep on it.
Rest and let your writing rest. Then edit and proof again with fresh insights. If you can't wait that long, at least take a break--grab lunch, sip coffee, or walk around the block. Then print it out and proof again. (For some reason we catch more goofs and gaffs in hard copy.)

Website: http://www.lyndamcdaniel.com/afcbw.asp

English Teachers' Blogs

They say, sharing is caring... a few of interesting teachers' blogs I've found recently

http://engoasis.blogspot.com/

http://www.busyteacherscafe.com

http://learnteachlove.blogspot.com/

http://www.eslcafe.com/

Friday, November 13, 2009

Hate Letter

Read this "HATE letter". It is so funny and creative. This is a love letter from a boy to a girl... .

However, the girl's father does not like him and want them stop their relationship... ...
and so.. the boy wrote this letter to the girl..
he knows that the girl's father will definitely read this letter..

1----"The great love that I have for you
2---- is gone, and I find my dislike for you
3---- grows every day. When I see you,
4---- I do not even like your face;
5---- the one thing that I want to do is to
6---- look at other girls. I never wanted to
7---- marry you. Our last conversation
8---- was very boring and has not
9---- made me look forward to seeing you again.
10--- You think only of yourself.
11--- If we were married, I know that I would find
12--- life very difficult, and I would have no
13--- pleasure in living with you. I have a heart
14--- to give, but it is not something that
15--- I want to give to you. No one is more
16--- foolish and selfish than you, and you are not
17--- able to care for me and help me.
18--- I sincerely want you to understand that
19--- I speak the truth. You will do me a favor
20---if you think this is the end. Do not try
21--- to answer this. Your letters are full of
22--- things that do not interest me. You have no
23--- true love for me. Good-bye! Believe me,
24--- I do not care for you. Please do not think that
25--- I am still your boyfriend."

So bad!! However, before handing over the letter to the girl, the boy told the girl to "READ BETWEEN THE LINES", meaning-only to read 1.3.5.7.9.11.13.15.17.19.21.23.25. (Odd Numbers)

So.. Please try reading it again! It's so smart & sweet...



http://today-joke.blogspot.com

Faces in the Rock

This is truly incredible...


Image: Pavaan Solanki

This astonishingly real looking mountain face is located in Junagadh in Gujarat, India. The mountain is also known as Girnar Hill and is here seen from Bhavnath Temple. The photographer cheated a bit by turning the picture by 90 degrees, but the result is stunning. The five peaks of themountain range are each adorned by intricately carved stone temples. As a pilgrimage, Hindus and Jains climb from peak to peak (around 8,000 steps). Legend has it that climbing Girnar barefoot will earn the pilgrim a place in heaven.




to see more faces in the rock, please click here
http://stranges-world.blogspot.com/2009/11/incredible-faces-in-rock.html

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Naked Fire?

RM 6,000 per hour!!

Only 10 and genius Adi is a CEO and a lecturer

Compiled by SIM LEOI LEOI, ANN TAN and A. RAMAN


CHILD genius Adi Putra Abdul Ghani, 10, is now the chief executive officer of two companies and a lecturer who charges RM6,000 per hour, Sin Chew Daily and Nanyang Siang Pau reported.

The dailies said his mother Serihana Alias operates the two companies, which sell vitamins under the brand Adi.

Brainy: File picture showing Adi Putra, who is now a lecturer and chief executive officer of two companies.

Adi Putra, who is supposed to be attending Year Four classes at his age, has stopped schooling.

He has been invited to certain local universities to give lectures.

The Perak-born child genius, who moved to Selangor with his family a few years ago, was quoted as saying that he wanted to be a lecturer in Islamic studies.

Serihana said he keeps track of foreign stock markets via the Internet and studies at home.

“He’s interested in mathematics, physics, chemistry, geography and biology, but not so much in history and politics. He dislikes reading books but loves spending his time browsing the Net for study materials.

“Adi also hopes to study in Canada, Singapore or the United States, but we have yet to come to a final decision,” she said.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

What Is Sandwich Course

SANDWICHES are a lunchtime favourite in the United Kingdom. However, the term "sandwich" also features on a university degree menu, where you have the option of choosing a sandwich course.

This programme basically includes an additional year of work experience that is sandwiched between two and three years of concentrated study.During the extra year, you can work with an employer, organisation or department that is related to your field of study.This kind of course allows you to put theoretical knowledge to the test before you graduate.Generally, the time taken away from university, if spent working hard and learning the ropes well, will make you attractive to employers.You can find out from the University and Colleges Admission Service (UCAS -- www.ucas.ac.uk) of the UK about universities with sandwich degree courses.

Don't Text and Drive

A reminder to all of my readers and of course to me too

Don’t text and drive

By RASHVINJEET SINGH BEDI - thestar.com.my


Studies show that the collision risk for drivers who text messages while driving goes up 23 times over those who do not do so as text messaging takes the eyes off the road for too many seconds.

Alice Chong was driving home from work and approaching a toll plaza when her phone rang. Without thinking twice, she reached for her phone which was in her handbag on the seat next to her.

In the blink of an eye, her brand new car had plowed into the back of a van.

The price of that phone call? She was without a car for two months and her vehicle suffered extensive damage to the radiator, body work and engine.

“I only took my eye off the road for a few seconds but that proved to be a very expensive lesson for me,” says Alice (not her real name), who swears never to touch the mobile phone again while driving.

As the experts say, it only takes a second for an accident to happen. There is more concern now that more people seem to be texting while driving, a task labelled as “very distracting” for drivers.

Out of the 73 billion messages Malay­sians sent last year, one can only wonder how many were sent out while behind the wheel of a vehicle.

This subject has come under close scrutiny of late in the United States, where many states have been introducing laws to ban texting while driving. This follows several major accidents linked to texting in the past few months.

Data from the American Transportation Department revealed that 11% of drivers in fatal crashes had been distracted at the time of the accident in 2008, compared with 8% in 2004.

The spike in text messaging and use of mobile phones in recent years is believed to have aggravated the problem although it was unclear how many accidents were due to texting specifically.

Driving hazard: Texting while driving can cause you to lose your concentration and may result in an accident.

There are no statistics available in Malay­sia on the phenomenon but Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) director-general Prof Dr Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah says that distracted driving contributes to out-of-control driving.

This, in turn, is one of the biggest contributors to accidents.

For collisions in 2007, out-of-control driving contributed to 23% (1,318 out of 5,672 cases) of fatal accidents and 14% of overall accidents (3,674 out of 27,035 cases).

Dr Ahmad believes that mobile phones are one of the biggest distractions.

“Phones are a major culprit even though we have laws prohibiting their use (while driving),” he says.

He believes that road safety has a lot to do with prevailing culture and while the mobile phone has given us a sense of urgency, it has become a distraction.

“When the phone rings, there is a compulsion that we have to pick it up. The mobile phone provides promptness but this is dangerous (when driving),” says Dr Ahmad.

Road Safety Department director-general Datuk Suret Singh believes texting causes a significant number of accidents.

“I don’t think we are any different from other countries.

“It is probably higher here compared to Western countries as more Malaysians use their phones and text when driving,” he says.

Federal traffic police chief Senior Asst Comm (II) Datuk Abdul Aziz Yusof says the police don’t tolerate the use of mobile phones.

“There are people who do that but we don’t compromise on this. Texting is worse than talking. There are cases where even motorcyclists are texting. This is very dangerous because their concentration level is minimal.”

He adds that there is no compilation of statistics on accidents due to mobile phone usage.

“It will be very difficult to prove but we are sure there are cases,” says Abdul Aziz.

Road Transport Department (JPJ) enforcement officer Syed Abdullah Syed Hussein says that it will be difficult to prove that a driver was texting.

It is easier to spot a driver who is holding his mobile phone to his ear and slap him with a summons of RM300 than one who is texting.

Hands-free also distract

Dr Ahmad says studies have shown that using a hands-free device causes as much a distraction as talking on the phone.

“When talking (without hands-free kit), we don’t have full control of the steering wheel and our concentration is divided between the conversation and the road.



Suret:
‘All it takes are two seconds’ loss of concentration to cause life-long suffering.’

“When using the hands-free device, only our concentration is divided.

“But studies overseas have shown that both scenarios impair our judgement similarly,” he says.

So logically, this would mean texting presents more danger than talking, as our eyes are off the road for more seconds, says Dr Ahmad.

Last month, a study by the Virginia Tech Trans­portation Institute (VTTI) in the US found that drivers sending or receiving text messages take their eyes off the road much longer than they do when talking or listening on their mobile phones.

The study found that the collision risk for drivers who sent text messages went up 23 times over those drivers who did not use texting devices.

It also showed that text messaging had the longest duration of eyes off road time (4.6 seconds over a 6-second interval).

The study compared this to a driver travelling the length of a football field (about 110m) at 88kph without looking at the road.

“Talking/listening to a cell phone allowed drivers to maintain eyes on the road and were not associated with an increased safety risk to nearly the same degree,” states the report.

Accidents happen in a snap

It must be reminded that accidents happen in a split second – a vital second in which one needs to make a decision and react, says Dr Ahmad.

“When we are driving, we make a lot of decisions and this includes split-second decisions. We have to factor in the risk behaviour of others.

“If you are distracted, you might not be able to react in time or you might make a wrong decision,” says Dr Ahmad.

He gives an example of a motorcycle weaving in and out of traffic.

“If the motorcycle comes in front of you suddenly and if you are distracted, you might not be able to stop your car in time,” says Dr Ahmad.

He gives another example where one’s judgment might be compromised because of distractions.

“If you come to a T-junction and are turning right, you have two decisions to make – judging traffic on the near side and the far side. This is called the acceptance gap.

“If you are distracted, you might underestimate the gap, especially if it’s dark or if you are being obstructed,” he says.

There are even those who claim that driving and texting is more dangerous than driving under influence (DUI), but Dr Ahmad does not want to commit to this theory.



When we are driving, we make a lot of decisions and this includes split-second decisions« Prof Dr Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah

”I can’t say it’s true, but a lot people claim that is the case. When you are drunk, you are totally out of control.

“But that split second whether you are affected by drunkenness or distracted by texting is the same; you will meet with an accident,” says Dr Ahmad.

He believes that driving under influence of alcohol or drugs is the most dangerous distraction because the driver may not be in the right frame of mind.

He also lists lethargy as another major distraction.

Other forms of distractions include smoking, eating and fiddling around with electronic devices such as the radio or GPS.

Distractions outside the vehicle would include billboards, improper road signs and even accidents.

He says that even fellow passengers could be a form of distraction.

“You could have children making noise behind. This could increase the stress and anxiety levels. Drivers could react by speeding and driving recklessly,” says Dr Ahmad.

As for the distraction caused by mobile phones, what can be done to stop drivers from using these devices other than the issuance of summons?

Suret reckons most people drive under a false sense of security that nothing will happen to them.

The invincible feeling

“People have probably used their mobile phones before but nothing bad happened. But using the phone is a strict no-no. You should put it on silent while driving. We have survived thousands of years without mobile phones,” he says.

Dr Ahmad agrees, saying many questions were asked on why there were many accidents in the recently ended Ops Sikap.

(There were 17,338 accidents and 265 fatalities in the operation from Sept 13 to Sept 27.)

“A lot of people blame the enforcement. True, it’s not enough, but we cannot be relying on external enforcement all the time. There are limits to the numbers we can supply. Enforcement from family (or passengers) can help,” he says.

“All it takes are two seconds’ loss of concentration to cause life-long suffering. No amount of money can reverse that. Is it worth the risk?” asks Suret.


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