Chinese New Year in 2 days

This is the third day of Chinese New Year. While checking the stats of this blog as I got ready to work, I had a shock of a lifetime when I saw my blog being listed under Blogger of the Week on MyInternet, DiGi website.

My first reaction was ... "Yikes! What have I done?! Am I being blacklisted?!" Oh well, no wonder my blog suddenly receives so much traffic these few days. But I do wonder HOW I got listed there. Honestly speaking, I really like that little simple nice banner with a green globe and plants, may I "steal" it? *chuckle* Sincere thanks to DiGi or whosoever who got my simple blog listed!

Anyway, to the fellow Chinese friends, how have your Chinese New Year celebration been? I had a bad start.

First day, I was down with severe headache and I slept the WHOLE day. Woke up around 8 pm, took a bit of food, and took medicine too as the headache got worse. At about 10 pm, headache was finally gone so I watched The Superb Matchmakers (媒人帮) on NTV7.

Photo courtesy of http://sinsonsen.blogspot.com

It wasn't bad. I would have to say that it was quite impressive. Credit should be given where credit is due. The Malaysian actors/actresses/producers have improved a lot since the last time I watched a Malaysian-made movie/drama (like about 10 years ago?). Thumbs up and well done!

Second day, I stayed at home working on my report (well, being a workaholic...) until a group of youths stormed my house. Everything was fine except two things that made me feel frustrated.

They were all minding their own businesses. Talking among themselves, playing with iphones/ipods, and they couldn't even remember who the host is. So 'tis what visiting is all about?

Okay then, that is still forgivable compared to this one.

The rubbish bin was RIGHT THERE and see where the tissue paper ended up? On the floor. I'm very sure that it wasn't the fan that blew it off the table. 

Here's another piece. Someone must have just left it there right after use. Couldn't even bother to throw it into the bin that is less than 5 steps away.

So the question is, if you can't even bother about keeping clean at someone else's house, then it is definitely impossible that you would even remember not to litter at public places. Agree with me?

At night, I went out with friends to watch I Love Hong Kong (我爱HK 开心万岁).

Wow, this feel good movie really makes people feel good! We laughed from the beginning to the end. And people even clapped! It wasn't like 花田喜事2010 (not sure what the English name is) aired last year, which was funny but illogical, and a bit lame too. I Love Hong Kong is different as the story was more realistic, added with humour. I particularly enjoyed the scenes by Sandra Ng. But you would need to understand at least 50% of Cantonese to watch this movie, or else you'd be at a lost. The subtitles do help, but it's still an advantage to know Cantonese. Definitely a MUST watch!

Let me share with you two miracles that happened. I was still suffering from slight headache before watching this movie but after watching, my headache was gone! One of my friends lost her voice before the movie, but she laughed so much that after the movie, she regained her voice. *chuckle* See, miracles do happen!

Okay, better get back to work now. Well, I may have a lousy start to another year, but I hope my days get better and there would be a happy ending towards the end of the year!

A Happy New Year to all Chinese celebrating Chinese New Year and Happy Holidays to non-Chinese! Salam 1Malaysia! *wink*

Unity in action

Just my two cents. Couldn't help but am touched by it recently.

When this happened...

And netizens, most of whom are Malaysians, regardless of race and religion...


Together voiced out their concern and disgust towards the issue...

Which finally caught the attention of the authorities, made the headlines in newspapers, and actions are being taken...























United for the common good; differences among individuals are put aside.

A good example of 1Malaysia.

If for such a matter so small and insignificant, Malaysians could unite to face it together, then there would not be any issues too big to be overcome in the future.

This incident makes me proud to be a Malaysian.

Well done, fellow Malaysians! *Thumbs up*

Say no to polystyrene !

I would get pretty upset if I see my food served with polystyrene eateries.

I've noticed quite a number of times that, 3 out of 5 stalls at the makan places I always "haunt" are using polystyrene eateries.

Anyone who has even the most basic knowledge in environmental sciences would know that polystyrene is not environmental friendly and takes only-God-knows-how-many-years to biodegrade (that is, IF it's even degradable!).

Let's do some mathematics. Say, in Area S there are 50 stalls selling a variety of food. Out of these 50, 30 stalls are utilising polystyrene utensils. If one stall is able to sell a minimum of 30 servings per night (assuming that 1 polystyrene plate/bowl is used per serving), then 30 stalls would be selling 900 servings per night. Which means, at least 900 plates/bowls are being disposed of per night; 4,300 plates/bowls in a week; 27,000 in a month and 324,000 in a year (take-away polystyrene containers, plastic spoons, forks and bamboo chopsticks are excluded). Assuming that there are 10 eating outlets in Kuching City alone, then at least 3,240,000 plates/bowls will end up in the Mambung dumpsite per night.

Can you imagine the amount of polystyrene rubbish we Kuching people produce? I cannot find an exact photo of polystyrene utensils piling up, but I guess the photo below would suffice. Simply replace those big polystyrene boxes with polystyrene plates and bowls, and imagine yourself standing there looking at that pile of rubbish.

Still not convincing enough?

We cannot deny that polystyrene products in the food industry are considered sanitary, sturdy, efficient, economical and most importantly, convenient (source). However, at the same time, polystyrene is found to be not environmental friendly, and worse still, it could be a health hazard:

1. Toxic chemicals leach out of these products into the food that they contain. These chemicals threaten human health and reproductive systems.
2. These products are made with petroleum, a non-sustainable, heavily polluting and disappearing commodity.
3. The product does not biodegrade. It crumbles into fragments that have no expiration date.
4. A certain percentage of product will be dumped in the environment, persisting on land indefinitely as litter and breaking up into pieces that choke and clog animal digestive systems in waterways.
5. The product takes up more space in landfills than does paper and eventually will re-enter the environment when landfills are breached by water or mechanical forces.
   
   (source)

We as Earth's residents are responsible for all kinds of environmental pollution, which in the end affect us in return. For the food stall operators who still prefer to use the polystyrene -- please stop being so selfish. For customers who prefer to take away their food in polystyrene containers -- perhaps you would consider bringing your own container; it's more hygienic and you have less rubbish to be thrown out. For those who enjoy sitting down and enjoying the food right there and then, we can avoid ordering food from those using polystyrene utensils, or better still, bring our own utensils.

For more information on plastics and polystyrene: Polystyrene Fact Sheet, Dangers of packaging chemicals getting into food.