From flickr: Mmm Sprinkles

Mmm Sprinkles
Originally uploaded by NoNo Joe.

Getting up close on a donut now...

From flickr: randy's donuts with boeing 747. inglewood, ca. 2006.

randy's donuts with boeing 747. inglewood, ca. 2006.
Originally uploaded by eyetwist.

Getting all randy thinking of donuts? :O

From flickr: LICIOUS-LOOPS

LICIOUS-LOOPS
Originally uploaded by Pink Sushi.

Well done! My craving for donuts at 10pm is fueled by these bunch!

From flickr: D'oh!

D'oh!
Originally uploaded by El Buen Matador.

Homer and Bart and a donut! YUM!

From flickr: Yod & Donuts

Yod & Donuts
Originally uploaded by MadVinyl.

Oh wow! Donuts! I am craving for donuts! But I am too lazy to go hunting for some... I will just search 'em out in flickr. :P

Thousands of Bananas

Thousands of bananas washed up on two Dutch North Sea islands on Wednesday after at least six containers fell off a cargo ship in a storm and at least one burst open, a local official said.

A half-mile stretch of beach on Terschelling island, 70 miles north of Amsterdam, was littered with bunches of unripe fruit from Cuba, Buren said. Bananas also washed up on neighboring Ameland island.

And some other items washed ashore in the past:

Terschelling residents are no strangers to stuff turning up on their beach; a year ago thousands of tennis shoes, aluminum briefcases and children's toys washed ashore, drawing crowds of treasure-hunting residents. Some 20 years ago it was a load of sweaters.

Source: Yahoo! News/Associated Press via Digg

INSANE: "Only A Matter of Time Before Oil Hit Triple Digits"

Crude oil peaked at US98.62 earlier before settling at US$98.12 a barrel. Analysts say it will breach the US$100 mark soon...

The previous tame oil price increases posted on this blog here:

1. INSANE: Breaking the US$93 Barrier
   
2. INSANE: Crude Oil Prices Higher Than All Time
   
3. INSANE: Oil Prices Break US$90
4. INSANE: Oil Prices Set Another Record High
5. INSANE: Oil Prices At All Time High

A New Era!

Based on NSTOnline's article "Leading the nation into new era of confidence", and our Prime Minister's speech during the UMNO assembly, our country is set for more and better of the past 50 years because of "Umno's role in leading the government that built Malaysia into one of the most successful countries in the world, with an average growth rate of 6.3 per cent per annum over 50 years" and "we give assurance that Umno will not endorse a narrow interpretation of Islam. Islam must not be downsized to fit the needs of a political organisation. Islam cannot become the exclusive domain of any single group."

Also, "God did not create the Malays to be weaker or less intelligent than other peoples. The name of the first Malaysian to go into space is Sheikh Muszaphar - a Muslim and a Malay, chosen by the selection panel in Russia from a large, multiracial pool of candidates. Today, Malays have mastered many professions, lead many organisations and head many institutions. The success of this nation is a testament to the wisdom and greatness of Malay leadership."

Peace and success on the way!

The Keris Protects

From Star Online Nation "Hishammuddin: Keris protects all, not just Malays", comments by keris wielding UMNO Youth Chief Hishammuddin:

"They said the keris is a symbol of fighting. It looks like 50 years after independence, there are still some of our people who do not understand the culture of our people and country," he said in his speech at the Umno Youth assembly on Tuesday.

Saying that the keris is a symbol of strength and for centuries a part of Malay heritage, he said it signifies sovereignty, power, dignity, and responsibility.

He added that the keris is unique in the way it is made, sheathed, worn and used, and it carried with it specific dos and don’ts.

Unlike the axe which is used to chop or the parang (machete) which is used to slaughter, the keris is not an everyday weapon and is carried to official functions and to the palace.

He noted that the ceremonial keris used by the King has its origin from iron derived from 11 keris from the different states in Malaysia.

Thus, he said, the keris was not just a symbol of strength but also of unity, wisdom and knowledge.

Previous keris post here.

Missed Opportunities

Just came back from Johor Bahru (southern state of Malaysia) from work. Very sad in terms of missing many opportunities to photograph some interesting scenes:

1. A rather brilliant sunset at a R&R stop
2. Fantastic night view from level 14 of the hotel overlooking Johor Bahru and across to Singapore
3. Fantastic sunrise of the same view with rays of sunlight shining down upon the land
4. Nice night life at Danga Bay, Johor Bahru (place for unwinding along the waterfront overlooking the Straits of Johor)

If only I had:

1. My huge Panasonic camera with me but I did not bring it along since I have a huge laptop bag and luggage to carry
2. A handphone capable of snapping photos but mine is way too ancient to do that
3. A compact carry around digital camera which I am pondering...

If you were in my shoes, which of the 3 options above would you choose? Or is there a 4th choice? :O

Chinese Population Declines

The Chinese population in Malaysia are declining at an alarming rate! Below excerpts from Star Online Nation article "Chinese urged to have more babies":

State Urban Development and Tourism Minister Datuk Wong Soon Koh said the lower birth rate had resulted in the country's Chinese population plunging from 37% in 1957 to 25% in 2005.

''This will slip further to 24% by 2010 and to 19% by 2030 or a drop of 1% in every five years,'' he said at the United Chinese Association's 30th anniversary dinner here.

He also voiced concern on the high migration rate of the Chinese to other countries.

INSANE: 2 Months Jail For Oral Sex Request From 9-Year Old

ONLY 2 MONTHS' JAIL TERM? S. Siva from Kampung Chik in Tanjung Rambutan, who denied this perverted act, had asked a 9-year old girl to perform oral sex on him for RM20. He had also shown her his private parts. Fortunately, nothing happened, but being sentenced to only 2 months' jail? Will he even change after he is released after 2 months? A sex predator preying on little children! And an offender currently serving a 1-year jail term for stealing!

And his explanation: "I may have been drunk at the time and unaware of what I was doing."

What should be the appropriate punishment be? At least a longer jail term AND strokes of the rotan! What is your opinion?

Source: Star Online Nation "RM20 for oral sex... from a 9yr-old"

INSANE: Extreme Bread Price Increase

Bread and other enriched wheat flour related food stuff prices have increased up to 30%... this is due to an increase in price of the flour worldwide from RM1.80 to RM2.70 per kg. Some increases are:

1. Noodles up by 30%
2. Gardenia white sandwich bread from RM1.90 to RM2.10
3. Other breads, buns and biscuits up from 10% to 25%

Source: Star Online Nation "Bread prices rise by 20 to 30 sen per loaf"

Nostalgic Cartoons

Remember Smurfs? Voltron? He-Man? Gummi Bears? Duck Tales? Take a stroll down memory lane here.

Long Live The Clam

A group of climate researchers from Bangor University, UK, were studying growth lines in clam shells as part of a project to understand how the climate has changed over the past one thousand years. While at it, they accidentally found this 405-year old (approx.) quahog clam (below). Once officially confirmed its age, it will take its predecessor's (220 years old) place in the Guinness Book of Records. Very sad to say that while the researchers were counting the growth rings (similar to the rings in a tree's trunk) to calculate its age, the clam died.

Photo and info from National Geographic News "Longest-Lived Animal Found - Clam, 405"