சேகர் கிட்ட டெல் புண் பேராட தளம் புஅச ய் கே செப்பு. அல்தம்டுளிள்ள் ச்யுகுர் கேபட அல்லா ய் மகா எச. டென்கன் லிம்ப் டேன் குர்நியான்யா கிட்ட டெல் புண் பெர்ஜைய மேநேம்பு கபரன் டேன் துகான்-நய. செமோக கிட்ட அகன் டேருஸ் பெர்ஜைய துனியா டேன் அக்திரட். இன்ச்யாள்ள்.
முட்-முத்தன் கிட்ட டேருஸ் டிபெர்கடி.
செமோக எப்ர்டேமு கேம்பலி பட பெர்டேமுஅன் ய் அகன் டாட்....
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Doctors confused by many ministry guidelines
By LESTER KONG
PETALING JAYA: Some private medical practitioners are confused by the Health Ministry’s guidelines on how to treat patients with influenza-like illnesses (ILI).
Federation of Private Medical Practitioners Associations Malaysia president Dr Steven Chow said the many guidelines that were issued were often conflicting.
For example, Dr Chow said general physicians (GPs) had been asked at one point to send all cases to the nearest hospital for testing; and when the hospitals could not cope, they were asked to send only selected cases.
Taking precautions: Several people including children wearing face masks at KL Sentral Saturday. He added when deaths were first reported, private doctors were blamed for late diagnosis and referrals to government hospitals.
“When dengue was not controlled, they were blamed and then the A(H1N1) came.
“This does not help the doctors on the ground. It is a nightmare for our GPs,” he said in an e-mail interview.
He added that private sector GPs also faced a shortage of anti-viral drugs to treat the virus.
“The main stockpile is with the Government and we are not aware of the type prescribed by the Minis-try.”
However, Dr Chow reminded that the A(H1N1) strain was resistant to existing antiviral drugs.
“Antiviral drugs are not the magic bullet for stopping or controlling this pandemic. There has been too much hype on the usefulness of these medications,” he said.
Dr Chow also pointed that rapid test kits, which increased the cost of care were not specific or sensitive enough for diagnostic use.
On Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai’s directive to private healthcare providers to raise the level of suspicion on the virus, Dr Chow said the Federation had advised members to treat all ILI as A(H1N1).
He said the federation was ready to work with the Ministry to fight the virus and take pre-emptive measures to decrease future fatalities.
Meanwhile, in Bukit Mertajam, IAN MCINTYRE reported patients refused treatment for flu symptoms at hospitals or clinics should inform the Penang state government.
The public can e-mail their complaints and views to state health, environment and caring society committee chairman Phee Boon Poh at pheeboonpoh@penang.gov.my.
On face masks, there should be amply supply in the market following the Federal Government’s move to make it a controlled item, said Phee before accompanying Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng on a house-to-house campaign at the Permatang Pasir by-election here yesterday.
He said a large consignment of masks were expected to arrive in Penang soon from Taiwan.
Many still complacent about anti-H1N1 measures
By R.K. SHYAMALA, JOSHUA FOONG and CHEW WAN YING
KUALA LUMPUR: Although the influenza A(H1N1) is sending chills down many spines, a large number of Malaysians do not seem to care much for precautionary measures.
In KL Sentral, where large numbers of people gather, more than half of them were not wearing masks.
Salesgirl Nik Nur Ain Hamid, 20, said she did not wear the mask because it made breathing difficult.
“Customers also find it hard to understand what I am saying with the mask on,” said Nik Nur Ain who sells costume jewellery at a kiosk in KL Sentral.
Lackadaisical: The public visiting a Ramadan bazaar at Taman Cempaka in Malacca yesterday. Many did not don face masks despite the high number of H1N1 cases. Asked if she was aware that the flu could kill, she nodded.
Nik Nur Ain said, however, she did wash her hands frequently and always sneezed into tissue paper.
Secretary Ong Chia Chia, 26, said she did not use a mask because there were no reported A(H1N1) cases near her residential area in Shah Alam. Ong claimed the situation was not that serious in Malaysia.
“I usually travel by car and that is why I do not wear a mask,” she said, adding she was at the terminal to meet a friend.
However, she carries a hand sanitiser and uses it frequently.
A paramedic, Ahmad Zainy Razali, 40, said he was not taking any chances and had insisted that his wife and three children wear masks when they go out.
“Many are not wearing masks although the level of awareness is high,” he added.
S. Shamala, a Masters student from Universiti Putra Malaysia, said she had been using the mask daily for a month. She did not think spending RM1 a day was too much as it protected her life.
At the Taman Tun Dr Ismail ramadan bazaar, a survey found very few customers donning face masks.
None of the stall operators and assistants were seen with masks.
Stall owner Dafrun Rasyan, 40, said wearing a mask was not practical for business as customers could not hear him clearly in the noisy environment.
Housewife Salmah Md Dubi, 55, had started to wear the mask in public places after recovering from a fever a few days ago – just to be on the safe side.
In contrast, at the Kampung Baru ramadan bazaar in Kuala Lumpur, many of the stall owners and their assistants wore masks, and some were seen wearing gloves as well.
At the entrance of the bazaar, Azizul Mu’min and his friend made brisk business selling two-ply masks at 80 sen per piece.
They managed to sell 200 pieces within an hour.
Mu’min, whose day job is as a marketing executive, even wore a “Prevent Influenza A (H1N1)” black T-shirt to attract customers.
A trader, who only wanted to be known as AP, said he wore a mask and gloves because it’s “better to be safe than sick, or worse, die.”
Consumer Mohd Norazrin Ariffin, 24, a designer, said he would wear masks at crowded places such as the commuter trains.
“I also wash my hands more frequently. When I sneeze, I also cover my mouth and turn my head away,” he said.
Yuslina Mohd Yusof, 24, meanwhile, said she had self-quarantined herself for three days when she caught a fever.
“We must all play a part to prevent the virus from spreading. What we do can affect the whole nation,” said the supervisor.
Friday, August 21, 2009
569 new A(H1N1) infections
KUALA LUMPUR: The highest number of Influenza A(H1N1) cases in a day has been recorded with 569 infections.
One more death was also reported yesterday bringing the total number of fatalities to 68.
The latest victim was a 33-year-old woman who was 34 weeks pregnant. Her unborn baby also did not survive.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the woman was admitted to a private hospital in Johor Baru on Aug 8 after developing fever and cough for a day.
Five days later she was referred to the Sultanah Aminah Hospital when she experienced breathing difficulties and was given Tamiflu, he said, adding that she died on Aug 13 from severe pneumonia and respiratory failure.
After opening the Influenza Care Clinic Campaign on prevention and treating the A(H1N1), Liow said 1,533 patients with influenza-like illness (ILI) were admitted to 104 hospitals from which 195 tested positive for the virus and 35 patients are in the intensive care units.
He said 20 of those in intensive care had risk factors such as diabetes, chronic diseases, asthma, pregnancy and obesity. A total of 188 people have been discharged from hospitals, he said, adding that up to yesterday, there were 5,496 confirmed cases in the country.
Liow said that the number of cases did not reflect the true situation as it only showed cases that were confirmed by laboratory tests and those that were admitted to hospitals.
The World Health Organisation has stated that for every confirmed case, there are 20 other undetected cases in the community.
Liow added that 80% of deaths due to the virus were among the high-risk groups.
During the Care Campaign, 85 private clinics in the country will sell a box of 10 FluHalt (Oseltamivir Phosphate) capsules manufactured by Ranbaxy Malaysia at RM80, instead of the usual price of RM180.
Participating clinics can be identified with the sign ‘Klinik Cegah dan Rawat Influenza A(H1N1)’ on the door.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
From LOL to lulz to lolxxx
FROM my desk – at which sits someone who has been on the Internet since 1992 and was a patron of dial-up computer bulletin board systems for years before that – language change on the Internet is a beautiful thing.
You probably know LOL (“laugh or laughing out loud”), which is now included in several mainstream dictionaries. It is used as a bit of interjected paralinguistic restitution, a way of saying “this strikes me as humorous” in text where, if you were speaking, you might chuckle, giggle, or laugh.
Not included in any mainstream dictionary, however, is the five-year-old word (a word that is five years old, not a word used by five-year-olds) lulz, which derives from LOL (also written in lowercase: lol).
LOL, when spoken aloud – and it is spoken aloud outside of cellular (mobile) telephone commercials, usually sarcastically or ironically – is usually rendered something like “lall” or “loll” or “lull”.
As a result, the online variant lulz (invariably plural) has appeared, undergoing not only an orthographic shift (the spelling has changed) but a semantic shift (the meaning has changed). It means, more or less, “cheap laughs” or, better, laffs.
Laffs (also usually plural) itself is a shift away from “laughs” in spelling and meaning. It is almost the same as yuks.
Both words, despite the dictionary definition of yuks as “loud, hearty laughs”, in show business usually mean “false or forced laughter” or “cheap laughter”. These are the kind of laughs you get when everyone has heard a joke before, when the humour is broad and obvious, and when the audience can see the punchlines coming from a mile a way (when they knew what the funny part of the joke would be).
“Laffs” also seems to be unaccounted for in mainstream dictionaries, even though it is at least 50 years old. Neither laffs nor yuks are from the online lexicon, but I thought the tangent worth making. Back to online language.
LOL has gone another way, too: lollerskates. It’s used in place of LOL, usually satirically or ironically. That is, the person will write something, and then where others might earnestly and unthinkingly put LOL to indicate that the preceding text is supposed to be funny, the writer will put lollerskates instead. It’s a mix of LOL plus the word rollerskates and it means, more or less, “laughing out loud a lot”.
In Singapore and other nearby English-speaking parts of Asia, one might write lolx to indicate lots of laughs. The ‘x’ serves as a multiplier: lolxxxx means more laughs than lolx.
Another part of the older Internet lexicon, OMG, too, has undergone a transformation. It originally meant “Oh, my God!” and was used as an exclamation of surprise or delight.
Now its ironic and sarcastic uses far outweigh the earnest and unironic ones. It’s also given rise to ZOMG.
ZOMG is probably spelled that way because users reaching for the shift key on the left side of the keyboard miss and type Z, though one wonders if it wouldn’t be more appropriately rendered as zomg – if you miss the shift key, then nothing would be capitalised, right?
In any case, ZOMG is now a word in its own right. It expresses emphasis and excitement, in a knowing, intentionally overboard fashion.
Another word that has been transformed is “the”. It’s been mistyped so often as “teh” that teh has taken on a life of its own. It’s used for emphasis and it’s used in an intentionally different way than “the”.
For example, if something is very cool (meaning great, good), you might write, “It’s teh cool!” Teh suck, as another example, is a way of saying, “That’s really bad.”
“Teh” serves as an emphatic, a word which, like very, increases the strength of whatever other words it modifies. Teh can be pronounced as “tay”, but among the few people I know who pronounce it, it’s always said as “tuh”.
Note my comments about “knowing”, “irony,” and “sarcasm” above. Those who use such language are aware of how it might look to others. Of course they are.
They know that their writing might seem childish, or that they might seem to be clueless (out of touch with common rules of good conduct or with what is really happening), or that they may appear pretentious or as if they are trying too hard to be cool.
As a result, they tend to be very careful with such language, and a lot of times, they’ll use it in such a way as to indicate to the reader that they know very well that such language is loaded (meaning, it has the potential to cause problems). They want to be understood. They also don’t want to be seen as trying to artificially force a new word to become popular, which is, contradictorily, almost surely a perfect way to make it unpopular.
At the same time, they know that these words have uses. Paralinguistic restitution is one part of it. They restore to the written language a flavour that is easier to indicate in the spoken language. They also allow for meta-commentary, in which you can not only literally mean “that is funny” but you can also kind of poke fun at yourself for it, all in a single word: lulz.
When you see such slang online, just assume that the writer knows everything you know about the word and assume they intended the funniest, kindest meanings possible. You’ll find it all the more enjoyable.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
A (H1N1): 2 more deaths taking total to 67
KUALA LUMPUR: There have been three more deaths due to the influenza A (H1N1) virus taking the toll to 67 deaths, said Health Director-General Tan Sri Dr Mohd Ismail Merican.
He said all the three deaths involved those in the high-risk group including a 33-years-old woman who died due to severe bronchopneumonia and who was tested positive for influenza A (H1N1) on Aug 12 after being admitted to the intensive care unit on Aug 7.
The second victim a girl aged 10 years admitted on July 17 was confirmed dead due to "Systematic Lupus Erythematous with severe pneumonia with renal impairement" on Aug 13, Dr Mohd Ismail said in a statement.
He said the third victim was an elderly person aged 71 who was admitted to hospital after having fever, cough and breathing difficulties for two days and who died on Aug 14 due to "Ischaemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy precipitated by pnuemonia."
"The Health Ministry finds there are many patients who have the influenza A(H1N1) infection who are not cooperating in controlling the epidemic," he said, adding that they needed to cooperate.
On the situation in the country, Dr Mohd Ismail said till this morning the number of H1N1 patients treated in wards was 276 while 36 confirmed for H1N1 were being treated in the ICU throughout the country.
Of the 36 cases in the ICU, 21 had risk factors, he said.
He also reminded people that antiviral treatment was only given to three high risk groups and those having influenza without undergoing confirmation tests for influenza A(H1N1).
People were asked to follow latest developments and take preventive steps by referring to the special HiN1 website http://h1n1.moh.gov.my or calling the hotlines 0388810200 and 0388810300.
Meanwhile, 85 National Service (Ns) camps in the country will not be closed as the spread of the influenza A(H1N1) virus is still under control, said NS Training Council chairman Datuk Dr Tiki Lafe.
"Closing of camps is the last resort as we can still quarantine those positive in camps," he said.
Tiki said closing camps and sending trainees home who were positive could cause the spread of the virus as they would be exposed to open society.
"For those free of the virus, if we send them home they may be exposed to the virus outside," he told reporters after chairing the council meeting here Tuesday.
He said the NS council would however close camps if directed to do so by the Health Ministry.
He said 42 camps had been closed temporarily for a week earlier and of those 35 had been reopened.
He said 25 trainees and a trainer were confirmed positive for the virus and that their situation was stable and controlled.
"For now the camps are open, none closed again. Additionally we have and will have additional buildings for quarantine purpose," he said.
Tiki called on parents not to panic as the department had taken proper steps to handle the epidemic.
"For the NS group in Jan 2 next year, we want parents and trainees to be aware of the situation.
"If you have the symptoms, undergo an examination in clinics or hospitals and let us know. We hope parents will not be afraid to send their children to the NS," he said. - Bernama
Four keys to better learning
KUALA LUMPUR: The English language is one of four key aspects of the education system needing special attention to meet the demands of a knowledge and innovation-based economy, said Raja Muda of Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah.
The other three are the curriculum; assessment system and the teaching methods.
English, said Raja Nazrin, was of paramount importance in the 21st century workplace.
It was also the lingua franca of the knowledge and innovation economy, and those proficient in the language would enjoy many advantages in the global workplace, he added.
On the assessment system, Raja Nazrin said perhaps Malaysia could do with less national examinations and reduce the anxiety of teachers, school administrators and parents.
Teaching tool: Raja Nazrin asking questions about one of the gadgets on display during the International Conference on Education For All in Kuala Lumpur Monday. — Bernama He said the examination-oriented system had also led to schools focusing on high achievers to the exclusion of underachievers, who unfortunately were usually from poorer backgrounds.
As for the curriculum, Raja Nazrin said it was too bogged down with teachers and university instructors dispensing chunks of information to passive students.
“Perhaps it is time to reduce the amount of content disseminated and spend the extra time on developing skills and competencies needed in the 21st century,” he said at the opening of the ‘International Conference on Education For All’ here yesterday.
Raja Nazrin said school teachers and lecturers often lamented they did not have enough time to complete the syllabus and feared reducing the content would deprive learners – without realising that, in fact, less might be more.
“The ‘more’ comes from students learning to inquire and discover the facts and concepts of a discipline by themselves.
“With the billions of web pages available at the click of a mouse, the earlier notions of the ‘sage on the stage’ may have to give way to the ‘guide on the side’,” he said.
On teaching learning methods and strategies, he said the focus should be on students engaging in projects, analysing case studies, solving real-world problems, making decisions in different situations, making presentations and arguing their case and constructing their own knowledge. — Bernama
A (H1N1) and the pregnant woman
Pregnant women are at high risk of getting Influenza A(H1N1) complications. Find out what precautions can be taken, and how it could affect a pregnancy.
Fever is one symptom that can be potentially disastrous for pregnant women. AS of Aug 12, 2009, there have been 44 deaths in the country related to Influenza A(H1N1). Among the recent deaths are a 10-month-old girl, a one-year-old boy and an 18-year-old pregnant woman.
According to the Health Ministry, those in the high-risk group are:
·Children younger than five years old;
·People aged 65 years and older;
·Children and adolescents (below 18 years) on long-term aspirin therapy;
·Pregnant women;
·Adults and children with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, organ failure, cardiovascular disease, hepatic, heamatological, neurologic, neuromuscular or metabolic disorders such as diabetes mellitus;
·Adults and children who have immunosuppression; and
·Residents of nursing homes and other chronic care facilities.
Obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Gunasegaran PT Rajan, answers some questions on Influenza A(H1N1) and the pregnant woman.
Why are pregnant women in the high risk group?
Pregnant women are in the high risk group because of altered immunity, so they are more prone to succumbing to viruses, not just A(H1N1), but any virus. A lot about the virus itself is unknown, so we are not sure why it seems to be attacking some people more than others. Then there is the foetus – that’s another reason why the pregnant woman is at higher risk.
What sort of symptoms should the pregnant woman be concerned about?
Among the many symptoms, fever is one of those that can be potentially disastrous for pregnant women. High fevers can pose problems to mothers – they could have a miscarriage, they can go into premature labour, or have a poor outcome at birth; to babies, it can result in deformities,or cause cerebral palsy.
The first priority is to control the fever when they are pregnant because babies can go into distress.
As for the mother, the complications are very similar to somebody who is not pregnant, which is chest congestion, pneumonia, and acute respiratory distress syndrome.
What sort of precautions should a pregnant woman take?
Precautions that pregnant women can take are the same as those taken by everyone else:
·Avoid crowded places
·Avoid contact with anybody who is potentially at risk and those who have been exposed
·Avoid going to high-risk places
·Wash your hands
·Have proper nutrition and ensure they’re taking vitamins and plenty of fluids
·Work from home if possible
Even with regular clinic visits, we are now advising them to have it done every three weeks instead of two weeks if they are low risk pregnancies. Some of the consultations can even be done via phone or email for those with low-risk pregnancies.
What happens to a pregnant woman who has the Influenza A(H1N1)?
We have to be very careful, especially in the first trimester, when organogenesis occurs (the baby’s organs are being formed).
The trend now is that the minute a pregnant woman is diagnosed, she gets treated. If she’s admitted, the doctors at hospital will treat her. If she’s at home and having sore throat and other flu symptoms plus fever for two days, she should get treated at any hospital.
The test that they’re doing now is the first line of screening. If it’s flu A, you need to send another sample to IMR (Institute of Medical Research) for confirmation, and while waiting for that, you will get treated.
If she is in the third trimester and she gets the A(H1N1) flu, doctors are more likely to deliver the baby. We want to act fast and not risk anything.
What if the pregnant woman is fine but her husband or children have Influenza A(H1N1)?
We sometimes give prophylaxis for prevention. This is for those who don’t have symptoms but they have been exposed (they’re living with somebody who has H1N1). They too should come forward to be tested.
Are all these anti-viral drugs safe for the unborn baby?
When we give drugs to the mother, we have to think twice what it will do to the child. These drugs – oseltamivir and zanamivir – have largely unknown long-term side-effects. However, current evidence does not say that there are any serious defects. There is greater benefit than harm to the baby.
Is the pregnant woman still at risk after delivery?
If a woman is post-delivery, she is still potentially at risk.
If a woman gets A(H1N1) in the post-delivery period, she should continue breastfeeding. There is the question of whether she will pass on the flu to her baby. During breastfeeding the mother’s antibodies are passed on to the baby, so breastfeeding should be continued, but she should observe the same hygiene practices – wear a mask, wash her hands frequently, minimise contact, don’t share toys among the children in the family, and isolate herself and the baby from other family members.
A(H1N1) is serious. It’s not just a lot of hype. The good news is it’s not as deadly as SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), but the rate of spread is much faster.
Only You
you are the one to ask for and you are the one giving me a happiness. please forgive me ya Allah. i am the one who always forgetting you. give me a strength to continue my journey to be with you.
this is really touching video. we should watch and pray for him always to be with the right path. amin
this is really touching video. we should watch and pray for him always to be with the right path. amin
What is Love
|
Love can occur between two or more individuals. It bonds them and connects them in a unified link of trust, intimacy and interdependence. It enhances the relationship and comforts the soul. Love should be experienced and not just felt. The depth of love can not be measured. Look at the relationship between a mother and a child. The mother loves the child unconditionally and it can not be measured at all. A different dimension can be attained between any relationships with the magic of love. Love can be created. You just need to focus on the goodness of the other person. If this can be done easily, then you can also love easily. And remember we all have some positive aspect in us, no matter how bad our deeds maybe. And as God said �Love all� National Day celebration- August, 31st
Students singing the 1Malaysia song as they raise the ‘Jalur Gemilang’ at the National Library in Kuala Lumpur during a National Day celebration themed ‘Bacalah Anak Merdeka 1Malaysia’.
be a good Malaysian. do the best for our country. think what is our contribution to our country......
Reckless bloggers can be prosecuted
Bloggers who incite hatred or harp on sensitive issues like race and religion in their postings can be prosecuted for sedition, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.
He said the Government would put in place a mechanism to monitor and prevent seditious content from being displayed on blogs.
“The proposed mechanism will not only protect Islam or the Malays but all Malaysians,” he said after attending a state Umno gathering at Batu Burok here yesterday.
Hishammuddin said issues relating to the monarchy, race or religion were sensitive in a plural society like Malaysia and there must be some laws to prevent seditious postings on the Internet.
“In the past we didn’t have such problems but with the advent of cyberspace, such seditious postings could probably hurt the feelings of certain communities,” he said.
Hishammuddin said the proposed move was not meant to clamp down or censor the Internet but to maintain the peace and harmony among the people in the country.
“There are a few irresponsible bloggers; I’m not saying all have the tendency to post sensitive issues.
“There should be some boundaries when posting in blogs. Irresponsible bloggers can cause disunity and derail the 1Malaysia concept,” he said.
Hishammuddin said the Information, Communication and Culture Ministry, the Prime Minister’s Department, the Attorney-General’s Chambers, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and police will discuss the issue and come out with proposals for the monitoring mechanism.
Monday, August 17, 2009
IHS midsized sedan bumper test–None rated Good
By Eric Evarts
Fixing bumpers can be expensive. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) tested six midsized sedans and found none of their bumpers held up well in the kinds of low-speed impacts bumpers are supposed to sustain.
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The Institute tested the Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Mazda 6, and Nissan Maxima. None were rated Good. Bumpers on the Mazda 6, the best performer in the test, rated Acceptable. IIHS rates cars on a scale of Good, Acceptable, Marginal, and Poor. The Honda Accord and Hyundai Sonata rated Marginal. The other three cars received Poor ratings.
In the tests, the cars’ bumpers are rammed straight into a solid barrier at 6 mph in the front and rear. One front and one rear corner are also subjected to 3 mph impacts. Current federal standards call for 2.5 mph for the front and rear barrier portion of their tests, and 1.5 mph for the corner impacts. Repair estimates for the four impacts are totaled and averaged according to how prevalent each type of accident is in the real world. The evaluation includes a weighting that reflects real-world accident patterns. Weighted average repairs of less than $500 merit a Good rating, under $1,000 is Acceptable, and less than $1,500 is marginal. Any estimate over $1,500 is considered Poor.
The bumper tests have no bearing on crash safety. But they do impact insurance rates, since many accidents submitted to insurance companies are minor and involve repairing body damage that could have been avoided with better bumpers.
The best bumpers prevent damage to other body parts such as headlights, radiator supports, fenders, and trunk lids, which are usually more expensive to repair or replace than bumper materials. The Institute noted significant changes with the Accord helped it to lower repair costs, while the design changes for the Fusion and Malibu have increased potential repair costs. However, there is more to a vehicle redesign than bumper performance and buyers need to weigh all the factors, including crash test performance.
Four of the six new vehicles tested improved relative to their predecessors. IIHS rated 9 other midsized sedans on the market in 2007 that have not been redesigned since the test. None of those vehicles earned better than a Marginal score. Only the Mitsubishi Galant and the Toyota Camry received Marginal ratings, the rest scored Poor, indicating average repair costs of more than $1,500 in low-speed accidents.
In June, IIHS released bumper tests of small cars, and in that category the tested cars performed poorly.
Afgan - Kepada Mu ku Bersujud
Dear readers...
be a good listener. Hope Allah grant us a rewards for what we have done. amin
What is Ramadhan ?
Being the fourth pillar of Islam known as Saum, or fasting, the month of Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar.
Muslims are required to observe a strict fast from dawn until dusk. Since a lunar month has about 30 days in it, the benefits achieved during this time is truly life-changing.
Reform programs such as diet fads, cold turkey denial, counseling, and alcohol and drug treatment programs are often unsuccessful, leading people to relapse into their self-destructive overindulgence.
Merely giving these vices up for a short period won't solve the problem.
Is there no way out of personal gluttony? The answer lies not in watching our weight with new pills or eating plans or in wearing a nicotine patch, but in the education of our soul and in curbing its desires from within.
Islam's cure starts with defining the problem as a spiritual identity crisis.
When we forget that God exists and is watching us, when we ignore our fitrah, or inner nature to seek God, when we fail to live according to God's good laws and forget the advice of the prophets, then we can fall prey to any self-destructive impulse.
The solution, then, must begin with strengthening the soul and then bringing the body along in step.
Islam carries with it a fasting component for this reason.
We can become better enlightened only when we rise above the flesh and recognize the force of our spirit, our very human will.
The Qur'an explains the purpose of fasting in this way:
"You who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed
for those before you, so you can gain more spiritual awareness."
(Holy Quran 2:183)
Because the Quran has given fasting in Ramadan the status of a religious duty, whose neglect is sinful, the conscientious person resolves to complete the fasting period and this is where the real
transformation takes place.
make sense
When you throw hundreds to thousands of children and teenagers together for about five to six hours, chances are some of them are going to come home in a less-than-immaculate state. Put them in an environment where they outnumber the adults by 30-50 to one, and the odds are there will be a mess somewhere in that place.
Staying clean and healthy
WHEN you throw hundreds to thousands of children and teenagers together for about five to six hours, chances are some of them are going to come home in a less-than-immaculate state.
Put them in an environment where they outnumber the adults by 30-50 to one, and the odds are there will be a mess somewhere in that place.
The mess may be accidental or deliberate, but at the end of the day, someone still needs to clean it up.
So, who are the ones we rely on to push up their sleeves and break out the brooms when it comes to the cleanliness of our schools?
Washing hands with soap before eating and after going to the toilet is an important step in disease control, especially when students use common facilities in school. For national schools, the job is done by privatised workers.
The number of workers allocated to each school is dependent on the size of the school.
For example, a school like SMK Seafield in Subang Jaya, which has an enrolment of about 2,500 students, has six workers.
Three are assigned to outdoor duties, including the gardening and general cleanliness of the school compound; while the other three maintain the cleanliness of the school toilets and corridors, as part of their indoor duties.
Some schools have procured equipment to monitor the temperature of their students as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the influenza A(H1N1) virus. As outdoor jobs are generally heavy tasks, these duties are usually assigned to the male workers.
Cutting the grass, touching up paint jobs, clearing clogged drains and moving furniture are all part of the day’s work for these hands.
However, those in charge of the toilets might argue that they have the tougher assignment.
School toilets, like most public toilets in the country, unfortunately do not generally have a good reputation for cleanliness.
Some students in fact, would rather just “hold it in” until they get home, rather than visit the school toilet due to their dirty and smelly reputation.
From the dirt tracked in with dirty shoes to leftover “deposits” in the toilet bowl, it is oftentimes a tough battle keeping the toilet as clean as it should be. Even when the toilets are cleaned four to five times daily, as is the case in SMK Seafield.
Meanwhile, the cleanliness of the classrooms becomes the responsibility of the students themselves.
This usually involves the class representative in charge of cleanliness drawing up a roster where each student takes turns to do different duties during the week.
These duties usually include sweeping the floor, cleaning the blackboard after each lesson and wiping the window panes among other chores.
Toilets are often the most challenging part of the school to keep clean Precautionary measures
Because school involves putting so many people together in close proximity, it is a good place for diseases to spread.
The use of common facilities like the canteen, classes and toilets, makes it easier for diseases that spread by air or water to infect a larger number of people.
While the usual suspects in school illnesses are the seasonal influenza cases, food poisoning and dengue fever, the current influenza A(H1N1) has raised the awareness of contagious diseases to a new level.
With three students having come down with the virus last month, SMK Seafield is certainly taking no chances with a recurrence of the illness.
Aside from monitoring the cleanliness of the school and ensuring that the toilets are always supplied with soap, principal Teh Seok Im has taken a few other precautionary measures.
“Even before the cases in July, I obtained two Thermofocus devices to take the temperatures of the students.
“And I went onto the Net to find out more information about the virus when the first cases (in the country) were announced,” she shares.
Students who feel unwell can get their temperature scanned at the office, and are told to go home if they have a fever.
These students, as well as the staff members who interact with them, are provided with face masks and hand sanitisers at the school’s expense to help contain the spread of the disease.
The same goes for teachers who are unwell. “I also ask teachers to keep away if they are sick,” says Teh.
As trial exams for the PMR and SPM are going on around this time, the school has decided to practise a closed exam system. This means that students are not allowed to take the exam papers home with them.
This is to ensure that those who are sick or quarantined at home during the exam period can take the same papers at a later time.
“It’s a lot of trouble, having to collect all the papers back and storing them safely, but we have to do it for the students on MC (medical leave) or who are quarantined,” says Teh.
Other precautionary measures include encouraging students and staff to practise social distancing.
“I told my students, ‘No hugging and shaking hands. We can practise the arigato (thank you in Japanese) culture — just bow a little and greet each other, and try to keep about three feet apart.’”
Assemblies have also been cancelled during this period, and Teh advises her students during her daily briefings to stay at home and interact online through social networking sites, rather than hanging out in crowded shopping malls.
However, she is concerned about the tuition centres her students attend.
“No one is monitoring the tuition centres. At least in school, most of the time we know what to do.
“In the tuition centres, you have students from all the different schools in the area. If the virus spreads from there, the exposure rate to all the schools is so high.”
With all the measures that have been taken, Teh is quite proud to say that there have been no more cases of A(H1N1) flu in her school since last month.
The three Form Four students confirmed to have the influenza A(H1N1) virus from the school, were home quarantined for a week last month and have fully recovered since then.
Latest batch of A (H1N1) cases brings death toll to 62
SERDANG: Three more deaths have been reported from the Influenza A (H1N1) virus, bringing the overall death toll to 62.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said there were delays in administering patients with anti-viral treatment in two of the three deaths.
“The ministry will check on why there was a delay,” he said yesterday.
The delay involved a three-year-old boy who was admitted on Aug 1 for fever, cough and dyspnea for five days where he received anti-viral treatment beginning Aug 3 but died last Friday due to severe pneumonia, he said.
The other case was a 50-year-old man warded on Aug 3 with cough, fever, dyspnea, vomitting and diarrohea, he said.
He had influenza-like symptoms since July 28 and anti-viral drugs were given on Aug 4 but he died last Friday due to septicemia and pneumonia, Liow said.
In the third case, a six-year-old Down Syndrome boy suffered from congenital heart problem despite being given anti-viral treatment on the same day he was admitted to hospital on Aug 9 for cough, fever and dyspnea.
He died on Aug 13 due to severe pneumonia with underlying problems and complications.
Speaking after launching a healthy lifestyle campaign here, Liow said there were 283 new cases of infection, bringing the tally up to 3,857 cases.
Thirty-three patients remained in the intensive care unit and out of the number, 16 had co-morbid conditions and chronic diseases while 213 were hospitalised in normal wards, he said.
He urged the public to practise social distancing when they have influenza-like symptoms.
The ministry could apply the Disease Control Act to fine those who knowingly infect others up to RM10,000 or jail up to two years, he said.
On private doctors recently saying that they were reluctant to stock up much anti-virals because the ministry’s guidelines were inconsistent, and that they would prescribe the drug on a case-to-case basis, Liow said the guidelines were clear.
On private doctors complaining about the high prices and the lack of stock of the drugs, he said the Government would talk to the supplier with the hope that they could reduce the price and make it available to everyone.
Face masks and hand sanitisers still available
By LIM CHIA YING and JADE CHAN
SEVERAL private pharmacies have been doing brisk sales of face masks and hand sanitisers in light of the A(H1N1) influenza, a random check found.
Several pharmacists in Kuala Lumpur said their stock of face masks and sanitisers have been snapped up rather quickly, particularly over the last two weeks.
However, most of these retailers still have enough supply for customers compared to the bigger chain of pharmacy stores which had run out of masks and sanitisers on Saturday.
In demand: Peh with the Dettol hand sanitisers sold at her store. Some attribute this to recent media reports about the deaths as well as heightened awareness aong the public to protect themselves.
At the Alchemist Pharmacy in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur, pharmacist cum manager Peh Mui Lee said she noted an increase in the number of people buying face masks and hand sanitisers over the last two weeks.
“We are not out of stock yet and are sourcing for supply.”
A check at the pharmacy found just a few bottles of the 50ml Dettol instant, rinse-free hand sanitisers left.
Peh said she had already placed orders for more supply.
A staff also said the N95 loop masks were still available but that they had run out of the ones with strings to tie (for those wearing scarfs).
At the Zenith Pharmacy in the same neighbourhood, pharmacist S.P.Lau said there were suppliers who still had stock while some did not.
Lau, 45, said more customersbought the normal surgical masks for daily use as it was cheaper.
Over at Sri Hartamas in Kuala Lumpur, Vitamedic Pharmacy Sdn Bhd owner and pharmacist Noraliza Ayub, 45, said her supplier had been replenishing stocks quickly and as such there was no shortage to date.
At the Vital & Living Pharmacy, pharmacist Jeannie Lee, 25, said they had no more face masks and hand sanitisers and that orders for both have been made.
Asked if the store would put up notices informing customers about running out of stock, Lee said this was not necessary as supply would arrive soon.
“As most face masks in the market are currently manufactured in China, we are trying to bring in masks manufactured in Hong Kong.”
Meanwhile, in Petaling Jaya, there is now a high demand for face masks and hand sanitisers as consumers scramble to take the necessary precautions against the disease.
A check at several pharmacies and personal care stores in Petaling Jaya found that the larger outlets like Guardian and Watsons were running low on supply or were out of stock, while the private pharmacies in areas like Dataran Sunway (Kota Damansara), Damansara Uptown (Damansara Utama) and SS2 still had stock available.
The sales assistants at the Guardian and Watsons outlets said most of the face masks and hand sanitisers were snapped up by customers the very same day the items arrived.
While all had ordered additional supplies, they also said that they had no idea when the new stock would arrive.
The price range for the three-ply face mask is from 50 sen to RM1 per piece, while the price range for the N95 face mask is from RM5 to RM10 per piece.
Most pharmacies and personal care stores had sold out their in-house brand hand sanitisers or those produced by reputable companies but the Hovid QuicKlean type was still available.
Bright Care Pharmacy at Damansara Uptown had a variety of face masks on display at their counter, including a four-ply type with active carbon pre-filter that retailed at RM1.50 per piece.
The face masks are sold as individual units, in packs of 10, or in boxes of 20 to 50 pieces.
EC: Keep number of supporters small to avoid spread of H1N1
BUKIT MERTAJAM: Political parties have been urged to restrict the number of supporters at the nomination centre today in view of the influenza A (H1N1).
Election Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Yusof said this was in line with Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai’s advice to the people against assembling in large numbers.
In good working condition: Abdul Aziz inspecting an equipment at the Bukit Mertajam Youth Skills Institute with help from EC officer Nurul Asmat Ismail yesterday. — Bernama “Restricting the number of supporters would also help ensure the situation does not become tense and the nomination process can be carried out smoothly,” he told reporters after visiting the Bukit Mertajam Youth Skills Institute which is the nomination centre for the Permatang Pasir by-election to check on the final preparations there.
Abdul Aziz, who expressed satisfaction with the preparations for nomination day, advised supporters to avoid using abusive words.
They were advised against bringing any musical instruments such as drums, whistle or loud hailers.
He also reminded candidates that in view of the fasting month, the election results would be announced at 8pm sharp, irrespective of whether the candidates were present at the vote-tallying centre.
In Putrajaya, EC secretary Datuk Ngah Senik urged the parties not to “flood” the centre with supporters to avoid congestion that could hamper the smooth flow of the nomination process.
Ngah said this was also to prevent traffic congestion and curb the possibility of a disruption in public order around and at the nomination centre.
“During the campaign period, only parties that are contesting can put up their logos. They must also remember that campaigns must stop completely at midnight on the eve of polling day.”
Ngah said the EC had also set up counters for voters to check their status apart from the commission’s website at www.spr.gov.my or via SMS (Type: SPR_SEMAK_IC number and send it to 15888). They can also call 04-261 0675 or 04-261 0653.
They can check their status at Kedai Kopi Che Amat (next to the Kubang Semang mosque), Kedai Kopi Ariffin (next to the Tuan Haji Saad mosque in Tanah Liat), Gerai Kopi Hashim Shariff at Simpang Tiga in Permatang Tengah and Kedai Kopi Isa Mahmud in Kampung Petani.
The checking counters are also open at Kedai Kopi Abdul Rahim Ahmad Kutty in Permatang Ara and Kedai Kopi Lazim in Permatang Pasir.
morning...H1N1....why?
wonderful day. woke up late today. what happen malaysian? Seems H1N1 getting worse and making our life unhappy. probably the specialist will get the anti virus soon. i was read in one of the specialist column a couple of day before. and WHO also predict that around 5 million malaysian will infected of H1N1 and predicted 22, 700 will die. this predicting will happen if Malaysia doesn't take any drastic action to stop this killing virus.
this is what will be happen to us. actually the cases of H1N1 in Malaysia was worse. it's because 63 people died out of 26 million people compare with other countries. Hope government will take the action and not only close their eyes. Is this maybe the way how to reduce the population. only God knew.
this is what will be happen to us. actually the cases of H1N1 in Malaysia was worse. it's because 63 people died out of 26 million people compare with other countries. Hope government will take the action and not only close their eyes. Is this maybe the way how to reduce the population. only God knew.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
beautiful liar
Beautiful Liar...... most of the time this type of people try to show how good they are. cover them self with such of beautiful things like personality, education, the way of their talk, wealth and so on. actually they are not easy to catch. they are recruited them self for every situation. no nervous but always curious to achieve their target.
they are seems to know everything for do this criminal feeling. dangerous but reality in the real life. they are very expert and talented in their field.
be careful people....do not go to their trap. thinks many time to accept any invitation. specially the people new in our diary.
they are seems to know everything for do this criminal feeling. dangerous but reality in the real life. they are very expert and talented in their field.
be careful people....do not go to their trap. thinks many time to accept any invitation. specially the people new in our diary.
fair or unfair
in this information technology and communication suppose be making our life more easier than before. but this era giving us more complicated situation in some way. today...have someone to know more about me but the same situation they aren't give me any of their pics. should i accept their friendship just like that. i really disappointed with the thing like this.
please to the chatters out there, be truly in friendship and do not afraid of the fact about our self. be more confident and do not afraid of other view about us. be more strong with our stand. whenever or whatever you do. but depend on what we are stand for.
thanks dear readers....
please to the chatters out there, be truly in friendship and do not afraid of the fact about our self. be more confident and do not afraid of other view about us. be more strong with our stand. whenever or whatever you do. but depend on what we are stand for.
thanks dear readers....
Human mistake
let try to make a prediction about our life. there are too many things that will bring us to the true life. sometime we refuse to understand that simple things. but the true side never lie the fact. in fact our life confused to choose the right path.
don't simply accept everything without through the right way. .......will continue tomorrow...
don't simply accept everything without through the right way. .......will continue tomorrow...
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