3rd issue...

Hello...3rd issue of Golf Plus Leisure Magazine is out. This one was seen at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country club.

MPH and Borders also have them.

And now back to the grind for 4th issue. For those that have not bought them, please give them a try....it is available all over Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.

Also in the midst of putting them on Apple Apps store.

Dare to be a Champion

This book is written by Dato' Lee Chong Wei. It is his story on how he get to where he is today.

Young badminton players should read it and learn from his mistakes.

To him there is no short cut in badminton training/and life. Each time he took short cuts...results were not good.

Great read on a Sunday afternoon.

All the best to him for the Olympic 2012...may he take it easy and don;t stress himself out like 2008.

Man of honour

“old soldiers never die; they just fade away”
MacArthur, America’s General by Mitchell Yockelson, it tells about his life and what makes him who he is. The book also tells about his ups and downs.

In this book the author wrote about his career path and does not only focus on the army life. He came from a strong military family and Christian back ground. The battle ground is well written and easy to comprehend. He was at the right place and time during World War 2.
Wonder what America would have been had he became US president?

I would recommend this book to young cadets that is entering military service and history buff who enjoys reading.

I received this E- book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Booksneeze bloggers program. I was not asked to write a positive review and thus, the book review is 100% my own opinion.

What i have been up to.....

Hello,

Sorry for being slow in the book review or updating my blog. Have been busy with work. My friend in May decided to publish a golf magazine. Received permission from KDN ...and our first magazine came out in October 2011. Magazine is called Golf + Leisure Magazine.

Its a quarterly magazine...potentially it will be bi-monthly. It is sold in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.

Future plans: Reading material on board MASwings.
Reading material in major hotel rooms.
Apple apps store.


1st Edition:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=239263826129343&set=a.239263822796010.68096.197597580295968&type=1&theater

2nd Edition:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=265336283522097&set=a.232038140185245.66507.197597580295968&type=1&theater


This magazine is on golfing holidays and tour packages, Plus articles on leisure, so that non golfers can also read the magazine (maybe can attract them to become golfers....:)

We are also in too golfing tours and golf tournament organizer in East Malaysia.

J.R.R Tolkien

Am sure many people have heard of Lord of the Rings (LOTR) trilogy, movie made famous by Peter Jackson. But before the movie came the book, by J.R.R Tolkien. Who is this author? How did he come out with ‘middle earth and its inhabitants’?

Autobiography of J.R.R Tokien by Mark Horne tries to summaries his life and where the influence for middle earth came about.

It is also Tokien’s Christian faith that made him one of the greatest writers of his generation. Tokien’s life was not easy and he came out from the school of hard knocks. His writings only became famous when he was already/almost retired. Probably due to his young life, he was more private then the likes of C.S.Lewis.

I would recommend this book to budding writers and fans of LOTR. Perseverance and never give up attitude will get us some where.

In my opinion I give this book a rating 5 out of 5.
I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Booksneeze bloggers program. I was not asked to write a positive review and thus, the book review is 100% my own opinion.

Loss of an Icon

The world lost an icon, a visionary and a creative genius. Condolences to Mr Steve Jobs family and Apple. Although his time on earth was limited but Thank God for giving him creative visions to do what he did with technology. Almost half of the world's population uses his creations. May he rest in peace.

From MSNBC.

Visionary Apple co-founder Steve Jobs dies at 56
Successor Tim Cook: 'The world has lost an amazing human being'

CUPERTINO, Calif. — Steve Jobs, the Apple founder and former CEO who invented and masterfully marketed ever-sleeker gadgets that transformed everyday technology, from the personal computer to the iPod and iPhone, has died. He was 56.
Apple announced his death without giving a specific cause. He had been battling pancreatic cancer.

"We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today," the company said in a brief statement. "Steve's brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve."
Jobs had battled cancer in 2004 and underwent a liver transplant in 2009 after taking a leave of absence for unspecified health problems. He took another leave of absence in January — his third since his health problems began — before resigning as CEO six weeks ago. Jobs became Apple's chairman and handed the CEO job over to his hand-picked successor, Tim Cook.
By the time he turned the reins of the company over to Cook, Jobs had become one of the business world’s greatest comeback kids.
The company he founded, was fired from and then returned to had gone from also-ran to technology industry leader. Under Jobs’ intensely detail-oriented leadership, Apple created several iconic products, including the iPod, iPhone and iPad, that have changed the face of consumer technology forever.

In the process, he transformed Apple into one of the nation's most valuable companies and himself into one of the world's richest men. Just Wednesday the company released a new version of the iPhone, the first such major product announcement in years that didn't involve Jobs.
Jobs' family issued a statement: "Steve died peacefully today surrounded by his family. ... We are grateful for the support and kindness of those who share our feelings for Steve. We know many of you will mourn with us, and we ask that you respect our privacy during our time of grief."

Cook sent a statement to employees that in part read: "Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple."

Microsoft co-founder and sometimes Jobs rival Bill Gates tweeted: "Melinda and I extend our sincere condolences to Steve Jobs’ family & friends. The world rarely sees someone who made such a profound impact."

Medical experts expressed sadness but not surprise at Jobs’ death, which followed treatment for a neuroendocrine pancreatic tumor, first diagnosed in 2004, a liver transplant in 2009, and then, likely, the recurrence of disease earlier this year.
“He not only had the cancer, he was battling the immune suppression after the liver transplant,” noted Dr. Timothy Donahue of the UCLA Center for Pancreatic Disease in Los Angeles.
In patients who have liver transplants after such tumors, the median survival rate is typically about two years.

“It’s even more remarkable he was able to do what he did,” Donahue said.
Job's ability to continue working as long as he did likely was a result of his personal constitution, his dedication to his work and the care of doctors who could help him receive specialized therapies, said Dr. Jeffrey I. Mechanick, an endocrinologist with Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York.
In the end, however, even the most dedicated patients have to bend to the disease, he added.
“Sometimes, they just have to say, ‘I’m going to spend time with my family,’” Mechanick said.

Steven Paul Jobs was born Feb. 24, 1955, in San Francisco to Joanne Simpson, then an unmarried graduate student, and Abdulfattah Jandali, a student from Syria. Simpson gave Jobs up for adoption, though she married Jandali and a few years later had a second child with him, Mona Simpson, who became a novelist.

Steven was adopted by Clara and Paul Jobs of Los Altos, California, a working-class couple who nurtured his early interest in electronics. He saw his first computer terminal at NASA's Ames Research Center when he was around 11 and landed a summer job at Hewlett-Packard before he had finished high school.

Jobs is survived by his biological mother; sister Mona Simpson; Lisa Brennan-Jobs, his daughter by onetime girlfriend Chrisann Brennan; wife Laurene; and their three children, Erin, Reed and Eve.
Jobs enrolled in Reed College in Portland, Ore., in 1972 but dropped out after six months.

"All of my working-class parents' savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn't see the value in it," he said at a Stanford University commencement address in 2005. "I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out."

When he returned to California in 1974, Jobs worked for video game maker Atari and attended meetings of the Homebrew Computer Club — a group of computer hobbyists — with Steve Wozniak, a high school friend who was a few years older.
Wozniak's homemade computer drew attention from other enthusiasts, but Jobs saw its potential far beyond the geeky hobbyists of the time. The pair started Apple Computer Inc. in Jobs' parents' garage in 1976.

According to Wozniak, Jobs suggested the name after visiting an "apple orchard" that Wozniak said was actually a commune.Their first creation was the Apple I — essentially, the guts of a computer without a case, keyboard or monitor.

The Apple II, which hit the market in 1977, was their first machine for the masses. It became so popular that Jobs was worth $100 million by age 25.
During a 1979 visit to the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, Jobs again spotted mass potential in a niche invention: a computer that allowed people to control computers with the click of a mouse, not typed commands. He returned to Apple and ordered the team to copy what he had seen.

It foreshadowed a propensity to take other people's concepts, improve on them and spin them into wildly successful products. Under Jobs, Apple didn't invent computers, digital music players or smartphones — it reinvented them for people who didn't want to learn computer programming or negotiate the technical hassles of keeping their gadgets working.

The engineers responded with two computers. The pricier Lisa — the same name as his daughter — launched to a cool reception in 1983. The less-expensive Macintosh, named for an employee's favorite apple, exploded onto the scene in 1984.
The Mac was heralded by an epic Super Bowl commercial that referenced George Orwell's "1984" and captured Apple's iconoclastic style. In the ad, expressionless drones marched through dark halls to an auditorium where a Big Brother-like figure lectures on a big screen. A woman in a bright track uniform burst into the hall and launched a hammer into the screen, which exploded, stunning the drones, as a narrator announced the arrival of the Mac.

There were early stumbles at Apple. Jobs clashed with colleagues and even the CEO he had hired away from Pepsi, John Sculley. And after an initial spike, Mac sales slowed, in part because few programs had been written for it.
With Apple's stock price sinking, conflicts between Jobs and Sculley mounted. Sculley won over the board in 1985 and pushed Jobs out of his day-to-day role leading the Macintosh team. Jobs resigned his post as chairman of the board and left Apple within months.
"What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating," Jobs said in his Stanford speech. "I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life."

He got into two other companies: Next, a computer maker, and Pixar, a computer-animation studio that he bought from George Lucas for $10 million.
Pixar, ultimately the more successful venture, seemed at first a bottomless money pit.

Then in 1995 came "Toy Story," the first computer-animated full-length feature. Jobs used its success to negotiate a sweeter deal with Disney for Pixar's next two films, "A Bug's Life" and "Toy Story 2." In 2006, Jobs sold Pixar to The Walt Disney Co. for $7.4 billion in stock, making him Disney's largest individual shareholder and securing a seat on the board.

With Next, Jobs came up with a cube-shaped computer. He was said to be obsessive about the tiniest details, insisting on design perfection even for the machine's guts. The machine cost a pricey $6,500 to $10,000, and he never managed to spark much demand for it.

Ultimately, he shifted the focus to software — a move that paid off later when Apple bought Next for its operating system technology, the basis for the software still used in Mac computers.

By 1996, when Apple bought Next, Apple was in dire financial straits. It had lost more than $800 million in a year, dragged its heels in licensing Mac software for other computers and surrendered most of its market share to PCs that ran Windows. Jobs' personal ethos — a natural food lover who embraced Buddhism and New Age philosophy — was closely linked to the public persona he shaped for Apple. Apple itself became a statement against the commoditization of technology — a cynical view, to be sure, from a company whose computers can cost three or more times as much as those of its rivals.

For technology lovers, buying Apple products has meant gaining entrance to an exclusive club. At the top was a complicated and contradictory figure who was endlessly fascinating — even to his detractors, of which Jobs had many. Jobs was a hero to techno-geeks and a villain to partners he bullied and to workers whose projects he unceremoniously killed or claimed as his own.

Unauthorized biographer Alan Deutschman described him as "deeply moody and maddeningly erratic." In his personal life, Jobs denied for two years that he was the father of Lisa, the baby born to his longtime girlfriend Chrisann Brennan in 1978.

Few seemed immune to Jobs' charisma and will. He could adeptly convince those in his presence of just about anything — even if they disagreed again when he left the room and his magic wore off.

"He always has an aura around his persona," said Bajarin, who met Jobs several times while covering the company for more than 20 years as a Creative Strategies analyst. "When you talk to him, you know you're really talking to a brilliant mind."
But Bajarin also remembers Jobs lashing out with profanity at an employee who interrupted their meeting. Jobs, the perfectionist, demanded greatness from everyone at Apple.

Jobs valued his privacy, but some details of his romantic and family life have been uncovered. In the early 1980s, Jobs dated the folk singer Joan Baez, according to Deutschman.

In 1989, Jobs spoke at Stanford's graduate business school and met his wife, Laurene Powell, who was then a student. When she became pregnant, Jobs at first refused to marry her. It was a near-repeat of what had happened more than a decade earlier with then-girlfriend Brennan, Deutschman said, but eventually Jobs relented.
Jobs started looking for his biological family in his teens, according to an interview he gave to The New York Times in 1997. He found his biological sister when he was 27. They became friends, and through her Jobs met his biological mother. Few details of those relationships have been made public.

But the extent of Apple secrecy didn't become clear until Jobs revealed in 2004 that he had been diagonosed with — and "cured" of — a rare form of operable pancreatic cancer called an islet cell neuroendocrine tumor. The company had sat on the news of his diagnosis for nine months while Jobs tried trumping the disease with a special diet, Fortune magazine reported in 2008.

In the years after his cancer was revealed, rumors about Jobs' health would spark runs on Apple stock as investors worried the company, with no clear succession plan, would fall apart without him. Apple did little to ease those concerns. It kept the state of Jobs' health a secret for as long as it could, then disclosed vague details when, in early 2009, it became clear he was again ill.
Jobs took a half-year medical leave of absence starting in January 2009, during which he had a liver transplant. Apple did not disclose the procedure at the time; two months later, The Wall Street Journal reported the fact and a doctor at the transplant hospital confirmed it.

In January 2011, Jobs announced another medical leave, his third, with no set duration. He returned to the spotlight briefly in March to personally unveil a second-generation iPad and again in June, when he showed off Apple's iCloud music synching service. At both events, he looked frail in his signature jeans and mock turtleneck.

Less than three months later, Jobs resigned as CEO. In a letter addressed to Apple's board and the "Apple community" Jobs said he "always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come."
"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life," he said in the 2005 Stanford speech. "Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important."

Never Give Up

Not sure if any one can remember what they did when they were 16 years old. But Abby Sunderland can sure remember what she did when she was that age. Tried to sailed solo around the world, and she nearly did it. But maybe God has his own plans for her.

The book is by her and point of views from those involved. From her dad to the technical guys who guided her when she had mechanical problem. Doing some thing solo is never easy but to be at sea all alone can be very difficult if the mental strength was not strong enough. Certain sections of the book brought tears to my eyes cause of what she had to go through.

She overcame adversity by knowing what she can or cannot do and her faith in God. I would recommend this book to every teenager/even adults out there who is facing adversity.

In my opinion I give this book a rating 5 out of 5.
I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Booksneeze bloggers program. I was not asked to write a positive review and thus, the book review is 100% my own opinion.

The Four Sided Tower, Tales from Penang's underworld by Mr Khoo Kheng Hor.

Last Friday, i went to a book shop and saw this book. Am a great fan of Mr Khoo Kheng Hor. By Saturday, finished the whole book (not that thick, about 200 pages). Love the short stories about the under world. From pimps to big bosses, Mr Khoo covered it well.

Those who have been to Penang would have seen the iconic building..a place full of its own stories.

Pick up this book and let Mr Khoo's story telling takes you into the 'dark side' where normal people seldom venture into.

The prayer

The Jesus Inquest..

The author of this book Charles Foster really went out his way in coming up with the argument on for and against the resurrection of Jesus. It is an interesting style of writing. Top marks for that.

Chapters focus on where the info came from, whether or not Jesus actually died, where or how he was buried, the hardship of answering about the empty tomb, then His resurrection appearances. One by one, the “atheist” (known as “X”) presents every possible explanation for the story besides the Christian view, and the “Christian” voice (known as “Y”) attempts to refute X’s arguments and give force to the Christian story.

At the end of the day, I kind of felt that it is up to the individuals on whether the resurrection did happened or not.
In my opinion I give this book a rating 4 out of 5.
I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Booksneeze bloggers program. I was not asked to write a positive review and thus, the book review is 100% my own opinion.

Japan...

What a start to the year 2011. CNN

First the quake, then the tsunami and now nuclear reactor.

What's next? or which country is going to be next?

Prayers and thoughts to everyone involved.

Christchurch

From CNN.

What a start to 2011. Floods and forest fire in Australia. And now Christchurch was hit by another quake (which still recovering from the September 2010 quake).

I was in Christchurch for 3 years during the late 90's. Best place one can go study or site seeing. People there are friendly. Have not forgotten that place and now this kind of thing happended.

Pray that the people there will rise up again and be strong during this tiring times. Pray that the rescue workers can get to the survivors in time.

Not fit to be call human...

I am not perfect but i can safely say i do not abuse anyone or pets.

Am sure by now, most of you have heard of 'Sushi' the abused toy poodle. A couple filmed their 'training' of a toy poodle. Some one found a pendrive at a shopping mall and she uploaded the 15 minutes clip online.

Many people who saw the clip were outraged....some even set up FB page to try and rescue the poodle. Some people saw the dog is already dead...even if he is dead...justice must prevailed.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Andrew-Michelles-Save-the-Poodle-Mission/160126524037293

The video is on the left hand bottom corner of the page....must warn you...very cruel video.

May karma strike the couple that did this.

Happy New Year...

Just got in from Japan. Family holiday...first time my whole family went together. Will post up photos soon.

"As 2010 comes to a close, forget about the bad and focus on the good. Would like to wish you and your love ones a very Happy New Year. May the good Lord bless all of you with good health and happiness. Take care and God Bless you all always."

On this day in Christian History..

I found this book, On This Day in Christian History by Robert J Morgan interesting, 365 inspiring stories by Christian’s leaders of the day. One for each day of the year. A lot of names I have not heard of. Stories of not giving in to despair and can do spirit that will captivate the readers. A good reminder for the modern Christians on what the Christians in the past have gone through.

I recommend this book to those that is in the leadership of the local churches or young youth leaders. Whatever a leader is going through, there is some stories in the book that will help answer their questions or ability. In my opinion I give this book a rating 5 out of 5, very inspiring book.
I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Booksneeze bloggers program. I was not asked to write a positive review and thus, the book review is 100% my own opinion.

Tan Sri P Ramlee....

Watched History channel, story of the late Tan Sri P Ramlee. For those who do not know his story, can get it from youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItUE5jr73ok&feature=related

So sad his story...towards the end of his life. He died at age 44. So full of potential...no one has replace him since.

Borned in Penang, like to sing, someone saw a potential in him and ask him to go to Singapore, Shaw Brothers. He went with his friend...went for audition. Did not get it...but he stayed backed to work as a production crew member. He worked his way up.

When given a chance, he went for it...because famous not only in Singapore and Malaysia, but through out Asia. He came back to Malaysia...caused he wanted to help the production here...and he was promised the moon.

So he left Shaw Brothers and returned to Malaysia. Went reached KL...the studio was bad, cameras old, production crew...amature. Unlike the ones in Singapore. He was crushed. But he persevered. He make do with what he had. But Movies made and starred by him in Malaysia...went down hill. From rags to riches and back to rags.

When ever he met up old friends, he put up a brave front...as if everything was ok. He got a close friend who wanted to help him out...but no banks was willing to finance his movies...he is what you call a 'has been'. From the golden boy in Singapore....to a has been in Malaysia.

One of his actress friend (she became famous while doing his film in Singapore), wanted him to direct her movie...he agree...things were looking up when suddenly he had a heart attack at age 44. But that time, he was so poor that his old faithful PA was worried about the funeral expenses and whether anyone would attend his funeral. His friend came through and gave P Ramlee's wife RM3000 for the expenses.

When word spread out...everyone was shocked...and many turned out at his funeral. Only then did the love for him came out...but before that...was only bad words in the press and so forth. Not many people went to his Malaysia made movies.

Tan Sri P Ramlee was Malaysia's version of Michael Jackson. Only in death did people realise what they loss.

As i watched the documentary, i was sad and angry....Had Malaysia press at that time treated him well...he could have made Malaysia cinema famous. He could have groom film directors and Malaysian actors and actress.

Now..as i thought about it...he became famous outside Malaya/Malaysia...he decided to come back (beside the promises of the moon) to help Malaysia in film industry. I think i can safely say he was the first to return to Malaysia wanting to help the country out.

January 2011, government is doing something to get Malaysians outside the country to come back to help grow the country. Now...does Malaysia have the facilities?

I really hope those who come back will not get the treatment like Tan Sri P Ramlee experienced. Nowadays news spread very fast. Especially negative ones.

May Tan Sri P Ramlee rest in peace....he will never be forgotten.

Thank you to History channel for doing the documentary.

Illegals......

The author of this book Darrell Ankarlo really went all out in getting facts and figures, even experience firsthand on how illegal immigrants enter his country, USA from the south (Mexico). As I read the book, also think of my own country’s immigrant problem. A lot that succeeded in entering America are involved in criminal acts, bringing negative social woes into America and giving legal migrants a bad name.

This book is also about the human stories on why people leave their country in harsh manner to seek greener pasture. A lot never made it. The US government knows about this problem but are not ‘doing much’ because of votes. If nothing is done, future of US is not looking good.

I recommend this book to those that is in the public service. Control illegal immigrants before it gets out of hand. In my opinion I give this book a rating 5 out of 5. Once you start reading it, no putting down.
I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Booksneeze bloggers program. I was not asked to write a positive review and thus, the book review is 100% my own opinion.

Great Stuff Chile...

Thank God for a successful rescue. Great team effort from everyone involved. May people learn from this for future reference. As for people's safety...may the government and private sector make sure it will not happend again.

From CNN.

After miners' successful rescue, focus shifts to safety, newfound fameBy the CNN Wire StaffOctober 14, 2010 -- Updated 0816 GMT (1616 HKT)

(CNN) -- After 69 days and a cost as high as $20 million, 33 miners are finally freed from a mine in northern Chile. To loud applause, Chilean President Sebastian Pinera placed a metal cap on top of the rescue hole early Thursday and marked the end of a rescue operation that captivated the globe.

But in a way, the story is just beginning -- both for the miners, who now must live with their new status as folk heroes and the spotlight that comes with it, and the government, whose attention turns to protecting workers' safety.

"I hope this will never happen again," said shift foreman Luis Urzua, the last man out of the gold and copper mine, as Pinera embraced him.

Rescue worker Manuel Gonzalez, the first human being to descend more than 2,000 feet in a custom-made capsule to reach the miners, was the last of six rescuers to ascend. He waved and bowed before an underground camera before climbing into the capsule for the last time.

Colleagues and onlookers cheered as Gonzalez surfaced, with one person quipping, "Did you leave everything in order down there? Are the beds made? You didn't turn off the light."

But the situation wasn't entirely light-hearted. He too urged the president to push for worker safety.

"I hope we have learned from it and that Chilean mining will be different," he told Pinera. "I hope that things will be done correctly .. especially dealing with small mining concerns - that things be done right.," Gonzalez told the president. "This is what I want."

As worldwide exultation over the rescue begins to settle, more daunting tasks loom -- understanding why the mine collapsed on August 5, and making sure such an incident doesn't happen again.

Pinera said the mine "never should have functioned as it was functioning; it had a long history of violations."

"I want to announce to the Chilean workers and the employers that we are going to make a new pact in which the life, dignity and protection of workers will be the focus of government concern," he said.

Representatives of the mine owner, the San Esteban Mining Co., have previously said they will cooperate fully with Chilean authorities and the Chilean Congress in their inquiries about what went wrong at the mine.

Pinera put the price of the rescue mission at $10 million to $20 million.

"Every peso was well spent," he said.

Most of the miners "really are in good condition," said Chilean Health Minister Jaime Manalich. Some, he said, may be able to leave the hospital Thursday afternoon.
When they do, their lives will not be the same.

Mario Sepulveda, the second miner extracted, said he hoped to maintain a low-key profile.

"The only thing I ask, personally, is that you please not treat us like celebrities or journalists," he said. "I want to continue being treated like Mario Antonio Sepulveda Espinace, the worker, the miner. I love that, and I think that in some shape, way or form I want to continue working."

However, that's unlikely. The men, ranging in age from 19 to 63, will feel the crush of media requests and offers from book publishers, movie and television producers.

They may also have to speak to lawyers about a lawsuit filed against their employer.

They will be inundated with the warm wishes of spectators and peppered with questions from strangers. The Chilean Mining Ministry has set up a website to collect greetings, and there are already many from Italy, China, the United States and a dozen other nations.
Carlos Mamani, the only non-Chilean trapped, has personally been promised help from his country's head of state: Bolivian President Evo Morales. He had only been working in the mine for five days before the collapse, and his father-in-law has told reporters that Mamani has decided to never work in a mine again.

A special invitation to visit Elvis Presley's Tennessee home awaited Edison Pena, a die-hard Elvis fan who led his fellow trapped miners in sing-alongs to pass time while waiting for their rescue.

How the miners handle the attention could progress or hinder their recovery, experts said.

"It's a great problem for regular people, who are subjected to intense publicity and focus," said Leo Braudy, author of the book, "The Frenzy of Renown: Fame and Its History."

"They're lionized; and for some of them, it destroyed them," he said, referring to an incident in which a paramedic who rescued baby Jessica McClure from a Texas well took his life years later.

For now, experts say, the men should relish the joyful homecoming after their harrowing ordeal.

The rescue began Tuesday night. One by one, the miners ascended to freedom in a red, white and blue metal capsule.

The first to arrive was a beaming Florencio Avalos, who stepped out of the "Fenix-2" capsule, named for the mythical bird that rose from ashes and then the others followed.

Each time the capsule approached the earth's surface, its cargo was heralded by the wail of a siren and applause from relatives and rescuers assembled nearby. Family members, who bit their lips as each man began his ascent, broke into smiles as they emerged.

The rejoicing was loud throughout Chile and the world.

In the capital, Santiago, hundreds wept and embraced as they watched the rescue on a flickering big screen TV set up in a square. Chants of "Chi! Chi! Chi! Le! Le! Le!" rang from the windows of the hospital where the men were eventually taken.

Around the world, strangers sat glued to television sets.

As they arrived, some of the miners signaled a thumbs-up. Others waved Chilean flags. One led the crowd in a chant for Chile. Some dropped to their knees and prayed. Mostly, though, they embraced their families.

During the course of the day Wednesday, the pace of the rescues increased from one per hour to three, progress that was measured by the spinning of the metal wheel that let out and then shortened the cable attached to the capsule -- a makeshift elevator with only two stops.

The last to surface was Urzua, the 54-year-old shift boss, who insisted on going after all the others -- 22-and-a-half hours after the rescue began.

Urzua first established contact with the outside world on August 22, 17 days after the mine collapsed.

Urzua also divided the cans of tuna that helped keep the men alive until they were discovered, and it was he who organized the 32 others into three work shifts and pored over diagrams that helped rescuers plan the men's escape.

"He was a shift boss who made us proud," Pinera told Chileans in a televised address. "I want to thank the families of the miners who maintained faith -- this faith that ended up moving mountains."

some one posted this in FB....thought of sharing it.

Thursday, 14 October 2010
What if the Chile incident happened here in Malaysia...in passing tot...

Once in a while, as though to give us a break from bombardments of sad news vis a vis humanity, we will be reminded of it. As you are reading this now, 33 trapped miners in chile are being rescued.

Indeed, watching the rescued workers being portalled through a man made hole in a special vessel designed for the rescue, I cannot help but wonder, what would have been the fate of our miners should they be trapped after such devastating catastrophe hit them.

We all know, that it is the norm here in Malaysia, that unless you are a "somebody" or related to that somebody, then most likely only simple rescue would be possible. At this point in time, I fail to see Malaysians being able to conduct such rescue efforts. I suspect, we, the Malaysian have lost the sense of value of life. Of course, this is a different scenario, when it comes to rescuing "somebody"s.... Although I do value even the lives of some worthless politicians, but it gives me the goosebumps how much it would cost to save VIPs like saaaaaay, Rosie ( yes, yes, Rosie from Phua Chu Kang, if you insist )..for instance...imagine how much tax payers money wasted to come up with the rescue vessel you see in that video, not to mention the extra diameter of the hole they need to create....the only suspense moment felt for most Malaysians should we rescue such characters would be, "Oh dear, do you think her buttocks will get through that small bore hole?". And of course being Malaysians, bookies would have a field day taking bets.

I also cannot help but imagine some of the possible statements some may avow, should this kind of mishap happen in Malaysia (God forbid..really,.... God forbid):

BN : Don't worry, those minors, oh sorry, we mean miners will be rescued as soon as we can. We always take care of the minors....we mean, the miners....
Under their breaths : Aisey maaan, tak cukup bajet la...GE dah dekat...macamana ni?

Nik Aziz : Saving the infidels by taking them out of the hole is like making the hole and puting the Muslims in it. Umpama melepas anjing tersepit. Lepas tu kena samak 7 baldi air, satu baldi lumpur. Eh, tak kiraaaaa....walaupun pegang anjing sekarang lagi bersih dari pegang lumpur....hukum tetap hukum tu...

Samy Vellu : I think we should build a toll somewhere in between the tunnel to sponsor the cost of rescuing.


Karpal Singh and probably Kit siang : We must investigate as to why there was such dreadful incident happening at the mines. The earthquake was just a minute richter on scale, the vibration is just enough to cause orgasm for the frustated widows and divorces. Who is the people behind the company that owns the mine. And we will not hesitate to take action.

Hishamudin : We should use our Keris to dig the hole...after all, it did a good job digging holes in between the ears of some Malays.

Karam Singh Walia : Harapkan pagar, pagar lagi tak boleh harap.

Anwar Ibrahim : Tight hole? Where??!!!

Ibrahim Ali : A united rescue team in Malaysia? We'll unite the Malays first, so that Malaysians will be united as a result of this, and then, we rescue them. Otherwise don't tokshit tree taims.

Rosmah : We have brought the matter up in our first First Lady Summit, and they have voted to use my video that I dueted with Mawi, as a tool to create a hole in the earth for the rescue efforts.

Well guys and gals, got to rush to work...if anyone can come up with more possible statements, please feel free to jot it down.. ;->

Warning...

Not sure if it is true or not..

DON'T TAKE PANADOL AND PANADOL
> ACTI FAST AND PANADOL SOLUBLE
> especially if you have gastric problems
> FYI... One real story from a friend....
>
> My husband was working in a hospital as an IT engineer, as the
> hospital is planning to set up a database of its patient.
> And he knows some of the doctors quite well.
>
> The doctors used to tell him that whenever they have a headache, they
> are not willing to take PANADOL (PARACETMOL). In fact,they will turn
> to Chinese Herbal Medicine or find other alternatives.
>
> This is because Panadol is toxic to the body, and it harms the liver.
> According to the doctor, Panadol will reside in the body for at least
> 5 years. And according to the doctor, there used to be an incident
> where an air stewardess consumes a lot of panadol during her menstrual
> as she needs to stand all the time. She's now in her early 30's, and
> she needs to wash her kidney (DIALYSIS) every month.
>
> As said by the doctor that whenever we have a headache, that's because
> it is due to the electron/Ion imbalance in the brain. As an
> alternative solution to cope with this matter, they suggested that we
> buy 1 or 2 cans of isotonic drink ( eg.100PLUS), and mix it with
> drinking water according to a ratio of 1:1 or 1:2 (simply, it means
> one cup 100plus, one cup water.or 2 cups water).
>
> Me and my husband have tried this on several occasions, and it seems
> to work well.
>
> Another method will be to submerge your feet in a basin of warm water
> so that it bring the blood pressure down from your throbbing head.
>
> As Panadol is a pain killer, the more Panadol you take, the lesser
> would be your threshold for pain (your endurance level for pain).
>
> We all will fall ill as we aged, for woman, we would need to go
> through childbirth. Imagine that we had spent our entire life popping
> quite a substantial amount of Panadol (Pain Killer) when you need to
> have a surgery or operation, you will need a much more amount of
> general anesthetic to numb your surgical pain than the average person
> who seldom or rarely takes Panadol .. If you have a very high intake
> of Panadol throughout your life (Migraine, Menstrual cramps) it is
> very likely that normal general anesthetic will have no effects on you
> as your body is pumped full with panadol and your body is so used to pain killer >that you would need a much stronger pain killer, Morphine??

> Value your life, THINK b4 you easily pop that familiar pill into your
> mouth again. Please send this to people you care about.

Outlive your life by Max Lucado...

When I saw the cover of this book a picture of a young child by the sea side, it seems to represent the potential of what a ‘child’ can do to make a difference in this world. A child’s view of the world is simple and innocent.

This book is about not giving up and helping others to grow. Pray for wisdom and guidance, God will make it happened. Nothing is impossible through God. When we pray, pray like a child’s, innocent and no thoughts of ‘what will benefit me if I...’

The world now needs prayer more than ever. This book will guide us on the right path for hope. Hope not on human strength but on God’s grace and mercy. We do the 99% work by praying and let God do the 1%.

I recommend this book to those that is feeling down and for those that wants to do charity project or God’s work. In my opinion I give this book a rating 5 out of 5. Once you start reading it, no putting down.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Booksneeze bloggers program. I was not asked to write a positive review and thus, the book review is 100% my own opinion.