Sex Education

Is it time to introduce sex education in school? If so, what age is the most proper to introduce this taboo subject?

Some groups go for it and others against the idea.

China Press reported that a 15 year old girl in Singapore openly asked a counsellor to teach her about having sex so that she could sleep with her boyfriend.

The 'innocent' request shocked the youth centre director as the girl mentioned that all her friends in school had the experience except her!

Singapore Parents Programme Society chief Wang Jing Yuan said a number of boys who had sex told him that it was their young girlfriends who initiated and asked for it.

A parent told that he and his two wives gave their seven children sex education when they reached 4 years old.

Sigh!...as far as I remembered I was too naive to understand the 3 letter words during my teenagers time...even the other day, my 11 years old daughter popped up the question of condom, I felt reluctant to elaborate...

But now, it seems that it is abnormal to be left out on the subject!

Anyway, I like the proposal from Datuk Harussani, that the subject should be touched based on religion approach and not to explain how but rather focus on the effects of unprotected sex to oneself, family and community.

Also remind them why it is prohibited by Islam and the consequences...

Oral Sex

Head, neck, knees and toes...the kids use to sing this song but I changed shoulders to neck and move their bodies to show the different parts...

Anyway, we should give attention to serious head and neck cancers linked to virus spread by oral sex!!!

Head and neck cancer is the sixth most common cancer among men and women, with about 640 000 new cases each year worldwide.

A recent study found the risk of developing OSCC (oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma) was linked to a history of six or more lifetime oral sex partners, and for men, and earlier age of sexual intercourse.

So, currently scientist are looking for the vaccine and planning to protect both genders with vaccinations. However, still believe the key or remedy to this problem lies in ourselves...

Genie 2010

Zam zam Alakazam...here we go...Bon appetit mademoiselle...

Wow...feel relaxing after hard day at week and the genie serves you your favourite meals...

No joke...it is real evolution of Genie 2010. I read the new invention of deliBot by Corvan after successfully floor cleaning robot, picaBot, in 2008.

DeliBot able to prepare a nutritious home-cooked food with the press of a button.

It is easy to use and maintain. Simply load in the ingredients and set the desired cooking style. Just in a few minutes, the meal is ready.

Dare to try?

Little caliph

I quoted the StarMetro, "Being labelled a disabled person has never stopped Katijah Abu Samah,34, from pursuing her dreams and living to the fullest".

I really admire this lady teacher who only stands at 115cm with deformed legs as she has a big heart as she said "Every teacher wants to see his students become successful. That, I believe, is my life's purpose - to help others achieve their full potential. Really, that is the true measure of success."

She chose to teach the disables as to reconnect with the kids and the results were superb as she gained all the respects from students and teachers.

Her hardworks and perseverance against all the odds were rewarded as she was awarded as a role model in the disabled community by Datuk Zainab Nasir, the secretary of Seremban state affairs and family development committee.

To me, her achievement should be announced at the national level and not only limited to the disabled community...so as to inspire the youngsters to follow her foot steps...have a clear vision and mission of being a little caliph...

Blood Preservation

At least this good news bring new hope to us rather than daily mundane news which insult my intelligence be it politics or crimes...

It was reported that The Health Ministry via the National Blood Bank has begun implemented a technology to preserve blood reserves up to 10 years.

The new technique called 'Red Cell Freezing Technology' freeze the mixture of collected blood in glycerol at -80 deg C.

Blood stored using normal techniques could only last between 35 to 42 days.

Sex Cemetery

Sex Cemetery? Yupp, Stephen King's pet cemetery was outdated in the millenniums and cyber space, I guess...

"Astagfirullah"...once, the most scary place has turned into pleasure hub for two youths in Kuching as reported.

The 19 years old unemployed youth and his under aged 13 years old partner had been meeting at the cemetery in Semariang for sex for quite sometimes until the activities was discovered by the girl's mother.

Desaru

The one week school break was really a relief...the breeze of cool air, wind and the rhythms of waves really energised me.

The splashing of cooling water in the swimming pool really acted as a very efficient mind and body therapy.

The little break was really meaningful although we had to sit still for five hours journey and had to mind the kids monotonous questions 'lambat lagi ke nak sampai?'

We spent 3 days and 2 nights at the Lotus Beach Resort in Desaru and chose the suite as it was under promotional package.

Very good deal, only at RM184(nett) per night (from Monday to Friday), we got a kitchen, bathroom and big TV lounge area downstairs and big bedroom and bigger bathroom on the upstairs.

The TV lounge with two panels sliding door was facing the "water theme park" which made the kids screamed of excitement.

We made a tour around the resort, the theme park comprised of pool, water playground for kids, coconut splash and water slide.

Further down, next to the club house, was a big swimming pool complete with wading pool for kids.

We walked further down to the beach and there was another food outlet facing the beach.

We had our lunch at a medan selera at a nearby township "Bandar Penawar". The mee rebus was tasty but the 'nasi goreng pattaya' was quite expensive compared to Klang Valley.

We had a rest and the kids could not wait any longer to hang around the water theme park.

We tried the water slide first and it was compulsory to slide with a float. We had to go down the hilly to the pool to collect the floats.

We picked the floats and went back to the starting point. My kids were so excited and off they go.

I was not confidence as I had to take my youngest son on the float. I made a few attempt before finally slide down with him on my lapse...'Gadabush"...the float overturned as we lost balance and my son was crying.

Luckily, the float hanged around his neck so he was still floating while I had to struggle to come out from the water and grabbed him.

I could not see my other kids and worried on their safety as well especially my third one who could not even float on his own. My youngest one was crying and did not want to proceed.

So, I had to lift him out of the pool and one good samaritan helped me to climb out as well.

I took him to the pool and reunited with the other kids. My other kids also shared the terrified experience except for the eldest who had great fun.

By the time we reunited, she was already on her second round!!!

Then, we proceeded to the swimming pool next to the club house. I had great time here....

The routine for the next day was similar to the first day except that we had longer hours to enjoy ourselves.

The buffet dinner at the 'club house' was really great...we only spent RM105 for varieties of choices from dessert to main course and from east to west menu...

The Recipe

I am on the Faisal Tehrani book that I bought yesterday. I feel very hard to put the book down even a minute, yes, this book I mean the author really good.

I love the main character, Salsabila, and the hardships that she had to go through to realize her dream to build up the papaya farm and later turned into entrepreneur. The most sweetest moment was that her love to the Creator over powered of her love to His creatures.

Very nice story line with a lot of research on papaya supported with his Islamic knowledge make the story plot interesting and unique...

I think I have found the malay author with right ingredients to spice up the recipe.

Faisal Tehrani

I was browsing through the books at the MPH Bookstore outlet in Subang Parade while waiting for the kids taking part in the colouring activity organised by the bookstore to bookmark the school break.

I went through the 70%, 50%, 30% and 20% price marked down. Got a book for my 7 years old son with 70% price slashed which I would say a very good bargain.

At the 20% discount corner, mostly were malay novels and honestly, I had stopped reading malay novels ever since I left secondary school.

The first malay novel I read was the famous Khadijah Hashim "Badai Semalam" and the last one was "Saga" by Abdul Talib Mohd Hassan.

To me, those two novels were really good and had their own class. I also read Shahnon Ahmad "Ranjau Sepanjang Jalan"...

I stopped because of few reasons but one of the reasons was that I could not find really good malay novel with good text and strong/relevant story line...

I turned to english novels as my husband is a great fans of those novelist like Sidney Sheldon, Marry Higgins Clark and John Grisham to name a few.

However, the storylines were almost similar from one novel to another as I already could anticipate what was going to happen so on and no climax.

Then, I read Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code". It didn't let me down at all. Every inch of the story was filled with suspense.

While running through the tittles, I spotted "Tunggu Teduh Dulu" by Faisal Tehrani. Actually, the writer's name caught my attention first as it was unique. I read the synopsis and a comment by S. Othman Kelantan "Great dramatic impressions to the readers".

I hope that the author will not let me down...

Memory

My family and I attended a wedding reception in Ampang, to be precised 'Kampung Desa Pahlawan'.

It was a very important event to us as the wedding invitation came in about two weeks ago. My husband and I were touched with the notes written at one corner of the card "(Penjaga Sajidah)"...

It has been over 10 years that we did not keep in touch, not even a single news was heard since we moved to our new house.

Out of nowhere, we received this invitation and from the simple card, we gather a lot of information. Both the guardians, 'pakcik & makcik' as we used to call them had performed 'haj' and now they are going to celebrate their youngest son's wedding.

Immediately, I dialed the number printed on the card and the line got connected. Unbelievable, the lady on the other end recognised my voice, MasyaAllah...

Congratulated her and promised to present on the wedding day after catching up on the current status, in between felt happy tears rolling on my cheeks, we ended the conversation with salam.

We reached the house by noon, the surroundings were not much different from the time we left. The orchids still look lovely ...

I picked up the memories of sending my first daughter to this wonderful couple, whom I treated so much like my very own auntie and uncle, and gave makcik the most warming hugs...

Makcik even looked pretty much the same and infact 'younger' with her pearly white 'gigi palsu' except for pakcik who seemed to lost his barrel belly over the years.

Unfortunately, my daughter, Sajidah, could not relate anything from her toddlerhood to these "opah and atuk"...

Hammer Man

It was havoc that 3 kindies kids in Muar had been attacked by 'hammer man'.

I remembered the true story related to 'hammer man' once revealed by no other than my beloved father.

The man was known as 'Mat Mertun' as mertun was a malay word for hammer. My father bumped into him while we were hanging out around shoplots at Alor Setar sometimes back in the early '80s.

"Mat Mertun' was not mentally sound and his head looked very fragile almost wobbling like jelly (not that bad but noticed that it was not normal though).

When we reached home, my father told us the untold story...my father just started his career as a teacher and was sent to 'Pokok Asam' , a very remote area in Kedah.

He rented a room at a shop house with another friend and most of the times they were confined in their two bedded room as not much activities or places to hang around as they were outsiders.

Their presence were not that welcomed by the villagers and even there was an incident during school whereby they had been attacked by 'kampung people' who were not satisfied with their teaching styles.

So, on that fated night, around 11 p.m., they heard gruesome arguments between two men who they believed were drunk.

After a while they heard screams and peeped through the window. It was too dark but they spotted that one of the men was hitting the other men's head with a hammer several times.

They really scared and tucked themselves in their bed until the next morning, when almost every one in the village was talking of the incident.

Since then, the 'mat mertun' had been mentally unsound. The other man fled and never been brought to justice.

Luckily, the kids in Muar are recovering and hopefully whoever behind the attack would be brought to justice...

I was smiling to myself when I saw another suggestion that kindergarten should employ a security guard to ensure safety.

I feel funny on how Malaysian thinks on solving problems...

Voice

It was reported that a Form 5 girl in Kangar jumped from the third floor of her school building after a 'voice' told her to do so despite as having clear state of mind and act normal as claimed by families and friends.

Interestingly, there was a report that a woman in New Zealand sold two vials contained ghosts of an old man and a young girl for RM4794 in an online auction.

Avie Woodbury from Christchurch claimed that she captured the spirits after an exorcism session of her house. She submerged the ghosts in holy water and stored them in separate vials before deciding to auction them.

She would donate the money to animal charity and felt that she felt better after the exorcism and no more scary voices...

Papaya Leaf

Several months back, my neighbour informed me that papaya leaf was very effective in preventing dengue fever.

He said it was proven as his friend let his kid who was hospitalised after being suspected of having dengue and the platelet reading shot up immediately.

I even told a few friends with suspected dengue cases to try out the remedy but I think none had tried.

Anyway, the report on researches found that papaya leaf extract and its tea have dramatic cancer fighting properties against a broad range of tumours backing up this belief.

Papaya leaf extract boosts the production of key signalling molecules called Th1-type cytokines, which help regulate the immune system.

Eyes

Simple tips for Better Vision

The tiny precious and delicate gift to us which we take for granted. Nowadays, even kids as young as five have to put on thick glasses...

So, hopefully the extract of these tips from Reader's Digest, March 2010 will help benefit us...

1. Always wear eye protection when swimming or doing carpentry.

2. Aim your car vents down at your feet and not your eyes. Divert the air flow from air conditioning from your face as the dry air will suck moisture out of the eyes.
Serious blindness can lead to cornea abrasions and even blindness.

3. Eat fish twice a week. Omega-3 fatty acids from fish reduce the risk of dry eye syndrome.

4. Cook with red onions, not yellow. Rich in antioxidant, quercetin, which can protect against cataracts.

5. Wear a large hat or cap along with sunglasses. Reduce 50% of UV rays to your eyes.

6. Put on sunglasses when you leave the house. Help to protect harsh glare from the sun and drying effects of the wind.

7. Have sweet potatoes for dinner. Rich in vitamin A and good at improving night vision.

8. Remove eye make up every night.

9. Take a bilberry supplement every morning. Contains 'anthocyanosides' helps protect the retina against macular degeneration.

Wish to top up the list with tips from my late 'ustaz'

Always spend 10 minutes in the morning to look at green grass to help to sooth the eyes and avoid doing activities like reading or sewing during dawn.

Alhamdulillah and thank you to him that at this age, I am still bless with good eyesight.

Bank

Japanese banks have been hit almost as hard as American banks: The Origami Bank has folded, and we hear the Sumo Bank has gone belly up too.

Bonsai Bank plans to cut some of its branches. Karaoke Bank is for sale and is going for a song.

Meanwhile, staff at Karate Bank got the chop, and analyst report there is something fishy going on at Sushi Bank, where workers fear they may get a raw deal.

-Barbara Padwell

True Power

Knowing others is intelligence;
Knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength,
Mastering yourself is true power.

-Lao-Tsu

Hero

I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles, but today it means getting along with people.
Mohandes K. Gandhi

I wonder whether this statement is still relevant to our politics...as a lot of turmoils happen in between the people but never reach to the people...

There's always somebody got to be the 'hero'...

Money

My bargain-happy brother took his eight-year-old son to the pizzaria to pick up their order. Corey wanted to get the pizza himself. so my brother handed him a $20 bill and a two dollar coupon and waited in the car.

A few minutes later, Corey appeared with the pizza, change and the coupon.

"Wouldn't they take the coupon?" my brother asked.

"Oh sure, but we didn't need it," said Corey.

"We had enough money."

-Alan Zoldan

Quite a similar incident happened to my 7 years old son at KFC one day. We were so tired waiting for my husband and the shopping complex was packed with people.

There was no place for us to sit and relax as no such facilities were provided. So, I spotted a vacant place in the KFC outlet.

I gave my son $5 to buy soft drink as I did not have small change. After queuing for quite sometimes, my son brought back the drink with a broad smile.

Suddenly, a young man chased my son and handed him the balanced...

Isn't it cute...but sadly to say that nowadays a lot of 'sick people' don't realize it...

Attitude

Reading the story of Pang Soo Sin made me feel eerie and regret with the respond from the school authorities.

Yes, it was true that her kid was safe from being kidnapped while waiting for her school bus but the 'tidak apa' attitude of the school was much regretted.

Even though the incident happened not within school hours or compound and we don't want to hold school to be responsible but at least be more sensitive to the issue as it involves school going kids.

I am sure there are other ways to respond to parent(s) who was just had shocked over the incident rather than "Don't worry as the child was safe now".

Anyway, Datuk Michael Chong, the MCA Public Service and Complaints Department, complemented the school for following the correct procedure by making a police report and informing the education department.

Thus, wish to share Soo Sin brave and smart move that saved her from the abductor as precautions and alert our kids to be street smarts.

While waiting for school bus, she was blocked by a woman wearing dark glasses and smoking a cigarette at the foot of stairs leading out of the compound.

The woman in brown T-shirt and blue jeans told Soo Sin that she was requested to pick her up.

Immediately, Soo Sin shot back by asking her mother's name. Not receiving an adequate reply, she asked the woman for 50 sen to call her mother.

She then ran off after taking the money. She confirmed with her mother later that the lady was an impostor.

It also reported that the incident brought back the memories of the case of Tin Siong Shen,7, in 1996 was reported accosted by a woman wearing dark sunglasses. Song Sheng has never been found.

At one time, there was a suggestion by our ministries that the school should be carried out in a single session as to safe keeping the kids.

Is it so? I think as long as 'tidak apa' attitude exists, the problem will still persist...

Preschool

'Do not train children to learning by force and harshness, but lead them by what amuses them' - PLATO

This quotation is dedicated to teachers especially preschool teachers as I am so frustrated seeing them handling little kids with force, harshness and impatience...

I know that some of the teachers really take up the jobs because of labour of love and really angels in the eyes of the kids, but mostly have to take the jobs to supplement their incomes...

The huge different of outcomes can be seen between the two reasons...please make their early school lives wonderful as they have more hurdles in future...