Je me souviens

super outraged

2009-10-13T13:40:00.001-04:00

Naked scanners in airports!!!!

We cannot allow this to become a routine! As a biomedical engineer... I am absolutely against more radiation through our bodies. This is especially more so for women!!!

sleeeeeeeppppppppppp

2009-07-16T22:41:00.000-04:00

pretty cute cat

east carolina uni

2009-06-16T20:55:00.002-04:00

ITs my first time driving alone in US. stepped out from Raleigh-Durham International Airport, followed the rental car signs. The airport is huge enough that there are shuttle buses to shuttle me from the airport to the rental car site.

My first rental car. its white. its a chevrolet.. that all i know. OHOH.. it has a GPS that works not bad actually! =) Only had a small hiccup on the road. Thanks to my iphone + my gps, i was able to get back on track to East Carolina University at Greensville, NC.

On the way, i was just against the rain. =( it was chasing me alllll the way to greenville.

Anyhow, looking forward to going back tomorrow. need to sleep.

hope my meowmeow is fine...

Boston trip

2009-06-02T19:50:00.003-04:00

WOrk is just busy these days.. posting some boston pics that i went awhile ago... road trip =)

I love cats

2009-05-16T00:06:00.001-04:00

Cat lux!

2009-05-04T16:33:00.002-04:00

If this takes off.. hopefully i can send my dear pet back to sg more easily, instead of her suffering in a carry-on box and not being able to pee, stretch for long hours...=(

http://petairways.com/

Humbles me

2009-04-18T10:31:00.001-04:00

You know, i have to admit her voice caught me off guard. One example why we should NOT judge by appearance...

Susan Boyle on Britains Got Talent 2009!! Incredible Voice!! @ Yahoo! Video

cosmetic chemicals to avoid

2009-04-13T09:29:00.001-04:00

The Dirty Dozen Chemicals in Cosmetics

by Catherine Zandonella

September 18, 2007

Photo courtesy Shutterstock Images

Beauty is only skin deep, but the products we use to attain it contain chemicals that may penetrate far deeper. The average adult uses nine personal care products a day, with roughly 120 chemicals spread among them, many of which are incompletely tested for toxicity.

Below we've listed 12 chemicals that are best avoided. A single exposure to any of them is unlikely to cause harm, but daily exposure over a lifetime may add up. When shopping, be prepared to spend some time reading labels; even brands that advertise themselves as "natural" or "botanical" have been known to include some of these.

1. Antibacterials
Overuse of antibacterials can prevent them from effectively fighting disease-causing germs like E. coli and Salmonella enterica. Triclosan, widely used in soaps, toothpastes and deodorants, has been detected in breast milk, and one recent study found that it interferes with testosterone activity in cells. Numerous studies have found that washing with regular soap and warm water is just as effective at killing germs.

2. Coal Tar
Coal tar is a known human carcinogen used as an active ingredient in dandruff shampoos and anti-itch creams. Coal-tar-based dyes such as FD&C Blue 1, used in toothpastes, and FD&C Green 3, used in mouthwash, have been found to be carcinogenic in animal studies when injected under skin.

3. Diethanolamine (DEA)
DEA is a possible hormone disruptor, has shown limited evidence of carcinogenicity and depletes the body of choline needed for fetal brain development. DEA can also show up as a contaminant in products containing related chemicals, such as cocamide DEA.

4. 1,4-Dioxane
1,4-Dioxane is a known animal carcinogen and a possible human carcinogen that can appear as a contaminant in products containing sodium laureth sulfate and ingredients that include the terms "PEG," "-xynol," "ceteareth," "oleth" and most other ethoxylated "eth" ingredients. The FDA monitors products for the contaminant but has not yet recommended an exposure limit. Manufacturers can remove dioxane through a process called vacuum stripping, but a small amount usually remains. A 2007 survey by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found that most children's bath products contain 10 parts per million or less, but an earlier 2001 survey by the FDA found levels in excess of 85 parts per million.

5. Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde has a long list of adverse health effects, including immune-system toxicity, respiratory irritation and cancer in humans. Yet it still turns up in baby bath soap, nail polish, eyelash adhesive and hair dyes as a contaminant or break-down product of diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea and quaternium compounds.

6. Fragrance
The catchall term "fragrance" may mask phthalates, which act as endocrine disruptors and may cause obesity and reproductive and developmental harm. Avoid phthalates by selecting essential-oil fragrances instead

FYI: THIS IS A FAB site... - thegreenguide.com

Relax for the long weekend!

2009-04-09T19:08:00.004-04:00

A friend sent this to me... very catastrophic and funny!

周杰伦稻香

2009-04-02T22:45:00.000-04:00

对这个世界如果你有太多的抱怨
跌倒了就不敢继续往前走
为什么人要这么的脆弱堕落
请你打开电视看看
多少人为生命在努力勇敢的走下去
我们是不是该知足
珍惜一切就算没有拥有
还记得你说家是唯一的城堡
随着稻香河流继续奔跑
微微笑小时候的梦我知道
不要哭让萤火虫带着你逃跑
乡间的歌谣永远的依靠
童年的纸飞机现在终于飞回我手里
所谓的那快乐
赤脚在田里追蜻蜓追到累了
偷摘水果被蜜蜂给叮到怕了谁在偷笑呢
我靠着稻草人吹着风唱着歌睡着了
哦哦午后吉他在虫鸣中更清脆
哦哦阳光洒在路上就不怕心碎
珍惜一切就算没有拥有
还记得你说家是唯一的城堡
随着稻香河流继续奔跑
微微笑小时候的梦我知道
不要哭让萤火虫带着你逃跑
乡间的歌谣永远的依靠
回家吧回到最初的美好
不要这么容易就想放弃就像我说的
追不到的梦想换个梦不就得了
为自己的人生鲜艳上色
先把爱涂上喜欢的颜色
笑一个吧功成名就不是目的
让自己快乐快乐这才叫做意义
童年的纸飞机现在终于飞回我手里
所谓的那快乐
赤脚在田里追蜻蜓追到累了
偷摘水果被蜜蜂给叮到怕了谁在偷笑呢
我靠着稻草人吹着风唱着歌睡着了
哦哦午后吉它在虫鸣中更清脆
哦哦阳光洒在路上就不怕心碎
珍惜一切就算没有拥有
还记得你说家是唯一的城堡
随着稻香河流继续奔跑
微微笑小时候的梦我知道
不要哭让萤火虫带着你逃跑
乡间的歌谣永远的依靠
回家吧回到最初的美好
还记得你说家是唯一的城堡
随著稻香河流继续奔跑
微微笑小时候的梦我知道
不要哭让萤火虫带著你逃跑
乡间的歌谣永远的依靠
回家吧回到最初的美好
还记得你说家是唯一的城堡
随著稻香河流继续奔跑
微微笑小时候的梦我知道
不要哭让萤火虫带著你逃跑
乡间的歌谣永远的依靠
回家吧回到最初的美好
还记得你说家是唯一的城堡
随著稻香河流继续奔跑
微微笑小时候的梦我知道
不要哭让萤火虫带著你逃跑
乡间的歌谣永远的依靠
回家吧回到最初的美好

cutie animalxzxxx

2009-03-14T22:47:00.001-04:00

Gaza hope

2009-03-06T13:32:00.002-05:00

I stumbled onto this picture strip.. i feel moved.. and upset for these poor civilians.. =(

Home destruction

a HOT song when i was in korea - i finally found it!!

2009-03-05T13:05:00.001-05:00

my potential savior!!

2009-02-17T21:51:00.001-05:00

Glaucoma drug offers new way to grow eyelashes

Women who long for lush lashes have had to rely on messy mascara and fussy false lashes. Now, doctors have stumbled on a new treatment from an unexpected source: a glaucoma drug.

The drug is called Lumigan. For glaucoma patients, the medication reduces pressure inside the eye. But it also appears to make lashes thicker by increasing the growth cycle of hair follicles and slowing down how fast they fall out.

The drug seems to offer this unexpected side effect because it's made with prostaglandins, hormone-like substances that flourish during a woman's pregnancy and can make her hair thicker.

Now, Vancouver husband wife team Drs. Jean & Alastair Carruthers, an ophthalmologist and a dermatologist, are studying the medication. They say that in their tests, they found that people grew lashes that were about 50 per cent longer and twice as thick. The lashes were also 18 per cent darker - all of this without the need for mascara.

"We've never had anything that could grow eyelashes before," Dr. Alastair Carruthers told CTV.

Jean Carruthers even tried the medication herself.

"I was getting comments like 'Your lashes look great,' something I had not heard before," she says.

Sheryl Myers is one of the patients who has helped test the medication as a lash builder. She says she used it nightly for three months, applying it along the skin at the base of the upper eyelashes where the eyelashes meet the skin.

Within two months, she was ready to throw away her mascara for good.

"There were marked results... I would say significant,' she says. "If I applied mascara, they would hit my glasses. They were long -- really long."

"I'm like, 'Oh my god I hope they don't grow any more!'" she laughs. "It was strange... in a good way."

This is, of course, not the first serendipitous discovery of a new use for an old drug. The baldness-fighter Rogaine started out as a blood pressure drug, for example. And the superstar wrinkle-fighter Botox was first a drug to treat eyelid spasms and other neuromuscular problems.

The Lumigan treatment is not without potential side effects. Studies have found that it can make eyes red and itchy in four per cent of people. And because prostaglandins affect skin pigment, they can darken the skin around the eye. In rare cases, it's darkened a patient's natural eye colour, especially in people with light-colored eyes, though the Canadian researchers have yet to see that in their tests.

The drug works only for as long as it's used. One it's discontinued, eyelashes will gradually return to the length they were prior to treatment.

Lumigan's manufacturer even warns on its website that "darkening of eye color is likely to be permanent" and "The effects of increased darkening beyond five years are not known."

Ophthalmologists say that people with certain eye conditions shouldn't use prostaglandins. They include individuals with previous eye inflammation, or uveitis. People who have recently had cataract surgery and developed inflammation in their retina afterwards should also avoid these drops.

The drug has just been approved by the FDA in the United States as a lash builder, and will be sold by prescription only under the name Latisse.

It hasn't been approved for cosmetic used yet in Canada, as studies are ongoing. *ARGH*****

LINK

Random picts from Caroline F's visit

2009-02-16T23:14:00.002-05:00

This is priceless

2009-02-11T22:48:00.001-05:00

Guess WHO?

ottawa skating n free concert

2009-02-09T23:24:00.003-05:00

I am too lazy to write...

Dempsey hill

2009-01-14T12:22:00.001-05:00

A wonderful night, with a wonderful friend. - btw, green beer, suitable for saint patrick's day!

Asia 08

2009-01-13T21:43:00.003-05:00

Singapore times passed soooo fast - howz my new haircut?

Korea is great!

Korea weather forcast

2008-12-23T14:32:00.002-05:00

not that a bad weather...

lots of updates - no time

2008-12-22T15:02:00.002-05:00

Crap, cant resist this one. WHAT THE HECK is this weather - BLOWING SNOW!

Our gingerbread house, on the way!

2008-12-11T16:49:00.005-05:00

So.. to soak up som Xmas spirit, Vino and I decided to embark on a gingerbread house making session - it cant be more fun than this... HILARIOUS.

I cant believe i am such a klutz.. in the end...

almost there.. we ran out of cany strips...

Anothe ruse of St Mark's Square in Venice

2008-12-05T13:37:00.003-05:00

It is so cool.. as the famous romantic city Vience, Italy sinks under water... people do sports there...

Duncan Zuur of the Netherlands rides on a wakeboard through a flooded St Mark's Square in Venice.

News Link

Why are planets bright

2008-12-03T10:34:00.003-05:00

Thanks to our almighty sun, the planets actually reflect the sun off their atmospheres.

Pretty moon, + Venus, + Jupiter *copied off bbc... =)
***
kisses

New York Times - shopper death

2008-11-28T13:32:00.002-05:00

Wal-Mart Employee Trampled to Death by Customers

By JACK HEALY
Published: November 28, 2008

A Wal-Mart employee in suburban New York died after being trampled by a crush of shoppers who tore down the front doors and thronged into the store early Friday morning, turning the annual rite of post-Thanksgiving bargain hunting into a frenzy.

The 34-year-old employee, who was not identified, was knocked down by a crowd that broke down the doors of the Wal-Mart at the Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream, N.Y., and surged into the store. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital at 6 a.m.

The police said that three other shoppers were injured and a 28-year-old pregnant woman was taken to the hospital for observation.

One shopper, Kimberly Cribbs, said she was standing near the back of the crowd at around 5 a.m. on Friday when people started pulling the doors from their hinges and rushing into the store. She said several people were knocked to the ground, and parents had to grab their children by the hands to keep them from being caught in the crush.“They were falling all over each other,” she said. “It was terrible.”

The Nassau County Police said the man’s exact cause of death had not been determined. Wal-Mart did not immediately respond to phone messages seeking comment.

CONCLUSION: USA is also susceptible to stampedes during sales.. *just like any shopaholic situation there is around the world...

Not sure...

2008-11-25T19:48:00.003-05:00

heh.. i wish i travelled alittle more deligently.. cant remember lots of cities that i went.. hrm...

anyhow.

Create your own travel map or travel blog

Travel Info at TripAdvisor

Spine Brace

2008-11-24T19:27:00.005-05:00

I have scoliosis. What is scoliosis? Scoliosis is defined as a a progressive 3D deformation of the spine. In general, i think it is on the mild side, I have frequent mild pain and mobility limitation, aesthetically, i have a SHORT trunk - sniff. Thankfully, no one really notices as the fashion dictates long T-shirts these days... =)

After studying my biomedical engineering at McGill university, completing my thesis on a spine related topic, i very well know the consequences of a degenerated spine. Naturally, I am also well aware of the treatments available. In a way, i kind of stumbled onto this brace which i believe it is the first brace that has been introduced to adults. For kids, it has been shown to be useful and for adults, to date, great for pain management.

It has been a week since i started wearing this back brace. I am glad that now is winter, so i dont have to think too much about asthetics.. but i cant imagine wearing this all the time in summer...I am to theoraticcaly wear them for 20 hours per day. My next evaluation is on 18th Dec... Meanwhile, my tummy fats are constantly squeezed around.. maybe these fats will get tired of being squeezed and migrate to someone else.. *HEE* Secretly, i wish this brace will "cure" me of this back problem, realistically, it probably will just manage this problem and prevent further deterioration.

Anyhow.. for those people who have friends trying to find a way to relieve their scoliotic symptoms.. i do recommend them to check this brace out..

SpineCor Brace

The Mandarin Language

2008-11-19T09:52:00.000-05:00

An old song a friend introduced to me...

fishy road

2008-10-29T14:51:00.001-04:00

*meow meow -- FOOD

周杰伦 - 稻香

2008-10-28T14:03:00.001-04:00

The first time when i watched this MV, it touched me. A very simple, honest, encouraging message.

思念是一种病

2008-10-25T18:06:00.001-04:00

Summer frisbee

2008-10-21T01:01:00.003-04:00

i love this picture... **super me in the air.. *WHACK!

meow Meow MEOW

2008-10-16T20:14:00.000-04:00

fat looking cat

something caught his eye..

wham!

china car restrictions..

2008-10-15T15:56:00.001-04:00

It is ironic eh? The rich never gets touched...

Getting round it

Car restrictions have been re-introduced in Beijing, in an effort to cut pollution. The BBC asks Beijingers their views.

Ouyang Shaonan, 23, a businessman

This is a good policy that means there will be fewer cars on the road. It will not affect me because I have two cars. If I cannot drive on one day, I will use my other car.

haaaaaaaaaaa.......................

Thanksgiving at Mont Tremblant

2008-10-13T22:01:00.005-04:00

It is a holiday on Monday, today. Thanksgiving is traditionally dedicated to Canadian farmers who have toiled hard throughout the year and it is the time to celebrate their harvest. For us,... its another reason to just enjoy alittle rest. So, a friend of mine rented a car.. n.. we went to Mont Tremblant, to look at the pretty leaves.. relax, breathe some mountain air. =)

Wanabe monkey!

Froggie...

Dont you think the architecture is pretty!

I ROCK!

hrm.. where is the ball...

Guess where am i...

a pretty baby falcon

Anyhow.. work starts tomorrow..

Useful up-todate terminologies

2008-10-01T15:11:00.000-04:00

A-C

Administration

A rescue mechanism for UK companies in severe trouble. It allows them to continue as a going concern, under supervision, effectively to try to trade out of difficulty.

A firm in administration cannot be wound up without permission from a court.

Bear market In a bear market, prices are falling and investors, anticipating losses, tend to sell. This can create a self-sustaining downward spiral.

Bond

A debt security - or more simply an IOU. The bond states when a loan must be repaid and what interest the borrower (issuer) must pay to the holder. Banks and investors buy and trade bonds.

Bull market

A bull market is one in which prices are generally rising and investor confidence is high.

Chapter 11

The term for bankruptcy protection in the US. It postpones a company's obligations to its creditors, giving it time to reorganise its debts or sell parts of the business, for example.

Commodities

Commodities are products that, in their basic form, are all the same so it makes little difference from whom you buy them.

That means that they have a market price. You would be unlikely to pay more for iron ore from a particular mine, for example.

Credit crunch

The situation created when banks hugely reduced their lending to each other because they were uncertain about how much money they had.

This in turn resulted in more expensive loans and mortgages for ordinary people.

Credit default swap

A swap designed to transfer credit risk. The buyer of the swap makes periodic payments to the seller in return for protection in the event of a default.

A bank which owns a lot of mortgage debt could swap it, but would have to make a pay-out if those mortgages were not repaid.

Return to list

D-F

Derivatives

Derivatives are a way of investing in a particular product or security without having to own it. The value can depend on anything from the price of coffee to interest rates or what the weather is like.

Derivatives can be used as insurance to limit the risk of a particular investment.

Credit derivatives are based on the risk of borrowers defaulting on their loans, such as mortgages.

Equity

In a business, equity is how much all of the shares put together are worth.

In a house, your equity is the amount your house is worth minus the amount of mortgage debt that is outstanding on it.

Fakeaway

A home-made, belt-tightening version of a takeaway - think, a curry made with a jar of sauce, bag of rice and a packet of poppadoms from the supermarket.

Futures

A futures contract is an agreement to buy or sell a commodity at a predetermined date and price. It could be used to hedge or to speculate on the price of the commodity.

Return to list

H-K

Hedge fund

A private investment fund with a large, unregulated pool of capital and very experienced investors.

Hedge funds use a range of sophisticated strategies to maximise returns - including hedging, leveraging and derivatives trading.

Hedging

Making an investment to reduce the risk of price fluctuations to the value of an asset.

For example, if you owned a stock and then sold a futures contract agreeing to sell your stock on a particular date at a set price. A fall in price would not harm you - but nor would you benefit from any rise.

Hypermiling

Techniques used by drivers to get more miles to the gallon, such as coasting in neutral and keeping tyre pressure high.

Investment bank

Investment banks provide financial services for governments, companies or extremely rich individuals. They differ from commercial banks where you have your savings or your mortgage.

Return to list

L-P

Leveraging

Leveraging, or gearing, means using debt to supplement investment.

The more you borrow on top of the funds (or equity) you already have, the more highly leveraged you are. Leveraging can maximise both gains and losses.

Deleveraging means reducing the amount you are borrowing.

Libor

London Inter Bank Offered Rate. The rate at which banks lend money to each other.

Liquidity

The liquidity of something is how easy it is to convert it into cash. Your current account, for example, is more liquid than your house.

If you needed to sell your house quickly to pay bills you would have drop the price substantially to get a sale.

Loans to deposit ratio

For financial institutions, the sum of their loans divided by the sum of their deposits.

Currently important because using other sources to fund lending is getting more expensive.

Mark-to-market

Recording the value of an asset on a daily basis according to current market prices.

So for a futures contract, what it would be worth if realised today rather than at the specified future date. Also marked-to-market.

Negative equity

Refers to a situation in which the value of your house is below the amount of the mortgage that still has to be paid off.

Profit warning

When a company issues a statement indicating that its profits will not be as high as it had expected. Also profits warning.

Return to list

R-T

Rating

Bonds are rated according to their safety from an investment standpoint - based on the ability of the company or government that has issued it to repay.

Ratings range from AAA, the safest, down to D, a company that has already defaulted.

Recessionista

A person who manages to look fashionable on a tight budget.

Securitisation

Turning something into a security. For example, taking the debt from a number of mortgages and combining them to make a financial product which can then be traded.

Banks who buy these securities receive income when the original home-buyers make their mortgage payments.

Security

Essentially, a contract that can be assigned a value and traded. It could be a stock, bond or mortgage debt, for example.

Short selling

A technique used by investors who think the price of an asset, such as shares, currencies or oil contracts, will fall. They borrow the asset from another investor and then sell it in the relevant market.

The aim is to buy back the asset at a lower price and return it to its owner, pocketing the difference. Also shorting.

Spiv

A term popularised in World War II for flashily-dressed chancers involved in black market dealings. A fictional spiv is ladies' man Private Joe Walker in Dad's Army.

Newspaper headline writers use "spiv" as shorthand for traders who play for high stakes.

Stagflation

The dreaded combination of inflation and stagnation - an economy that is not growing while prices continue to rise.

Staycation

Staying at home for your holiday in a bid to save money.

Sub-prime mortgages

These carry a higher risk to the lender (and therefore tend to be at higher interest rates) because they are offered to people who have had financial problems or who have low or unpredictable incomes.

Swap

An exchange of securities between two parties. For example, if a firm in one country has a lower fixed interest rate and one in another country has a lower floating interest rate, an interest rate swap could be mutually beneficial.

Return to list

U-Z

Unwind

To unwind a deal is to reverse it - to sell something that you have previously bought, or vice versa.

When administrators are called in to a bank, they must do the unwinding before creditors can get any money back.

Write-down

Reducing the book value of an asset to reflect a fall in its market value. For example, the write-down of a company's value after a big fall in share prices.

FYI: this is copied from BBC.co.uk...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7642138.stm

Quote of the day..

2008-09-30T11:23:00.001-04:00

**All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him. - Buddha**

bowling weekend ( Ter is 27)

2008-09-29T20:50:00.003-04:00

The guys

The girls

Pretty girls

Eyeing to steal the cake..

Hogging the desserts

presents

yoh!

pretty dress!!

Did i ever mention i am really bad at bowling....

For those who can understand french..

2008-09-22T12:24:00.001-04:00

haaa...

this is soo.... oh well. lets see if it EVER EVER becomes so idiotic.

My resident cat

2008-09-13T11:35:00.004-04:00

Majestic eh?

so proper

yawn!

Of course, it continues that I have a pretty cat, ok ok, i know this cat looks more... handsome and fierce. He has his own temper alright, but so far, we are coexisting.

Christian the lion..

2008-09-09T23:27:00.000-04:00

TOUCHING... i want a lion tooo!

Cat diets

2008-09-09T19:34:00.001-04:00

The controlled feeding experiment took place over ten years, between 1932 and 1942, and over 900 cats were eventually included. The optimum diet consisted of 1/3 raw milk, cod liver oil, and 2/3 raw meat, with one group receiving cooked food instead of raw. The findings were astounding. Within a few generations, the cats receiving cooked food exhibited:

facial deformities: narrowed faces, crowded jaws, frail bones and weakened ligaments
an excess of parasites
all manners of disease
female cats became more aggressive while males became docile
difficulty with pregnancy and after three generations, pregnancy failed
kittens born of these pregnancies often did not survive to adulthood
kittens showed skeletal deformities and organ malfunctions

Clearly, there was a direct link between the cooking of meat and the resultant evidence of malnutrition in Pottenger's cats.

DO i still look 18??

2008-09-05T22:29:00.004-04:00

Muahhhaa..

so, yesterday, like always, I went for my weekly tennis. While waiting, some guy tried to start conversation with me. As the conversation went...

he asked so... "are you also in first year mcgill?"

*muahahaaa..

I said "i just graduated..."

*he blinked*

he continued "oh.. so what did you study?"

I said " engineering"

*He blinked again*

He volunteered "I am first year science..."

I still look as youthful as ever...

Tadoussac

2008-09-01T22:31:00.005-04:00

It was a wonderful weekend, getting away from the city. We went to Tadoussac, a small village up north of Quebec. The weather was still abit too cold for comfort. We rented a toyota SUV, drove about 6 hours.. ate LOTS of chips to stay awake *god* *stuffed*

my pretty rented SUV.. ( it was suppose to be a compact, but they had a shortage so i got upgraded to a SUV.. oh yah, so did the fuel cost..)

The bear sanctuary

Tons of wild blueberries in the black bear park. (No wonder the bears are there..)

To get to tadoussac, we had to cross a huge river channel. This HUMONGOUS ship carried us + cars across the channel.

Julia, pierre, terence and me. (Behind is the humongous ship that carries the cars and us back and forth across the channel)

Super wrapped it (it is freaking cold waters!) FYI, so this river has a cold-salt water current running beneath the seemingly fresh water surface. Therefore, there is lots of food (plankton) for whales, and other fishes = thriving ecology.
MY guess is the whales must be abit to swim between the 2 currents. Was told that sharks lurk only in the salty region of water, hence never on the surface.. *whew*

The whale bay

WHALE!!! it was HUGEEE

After the trip (low tide)

All in all, it was great, and i definitely recommend it. Thank god these clothes were provided. Else, I would have froze and died...
***
Back to work tomorrow....

flowers that go pop?!

2008-08-27T19:36:00.000-04:00

Karvy Flower that takes years to bloom

Weekend Rendevous

2008-08-24T20:40:00.002-04:00

u know,

this weekend has been liberating, and sooo much fun. The weather in Montreal was great, beautiful sun, wonderful parks.. went frisbee, dinners, and clubbing.

GEEZ, havnt clubbed for quite awhile. The anticipation paid off. Vino and I had such a blast, YES, just 2 of us. 10000000 guys tried picking us up. *muahahaa... We obviously got it - duh! we are at the prime of our lives - evil winks*. U know, the club opera is actually not bad! I really liked the Decor. We should have taken pictures. next time.

*GOSH! it is thunderstorming now.. *GRRR*

Anyway, weekend is gone. Gota settle down and start my week.

Let see,
I need to book a korean hotel, cancel an osteopath appointment, book a rental car, send documents - TERENCE!!! U FORGOT TO GIVE IT TO ME! I KNEW IT! *.....

mooooooooooooo*patter patter x10000

moo moo MOO

2008-08-21T21:43:00.002-04:00

lets see...

My tennis forehand has deteriorated but my backhand has improved. Still working on it. Summer is so short here that every day is precious. I love sweating it out, exerting my energy and just have something to focus on other than work.

So, today there is a slight break through, I have long-term projects to work on and I will be eased into tech support. Once I become comfortable in tech support than I will take on the role of training and installing in labs etc. FYI, I will get my business card by November!! yeah...

Terence will be going for camping (god knows where...). I refuse to go. HEE. So.. this weekend is FREEDOM.. *BOO TERENCE*

trallala... sneaky... planning..

Pretty pretty pandas!!!

2008-08-06T22:28:00.002-04:00

meow meow

2008-08-04T00:05:00.002-04:00

It is summer in Montreal, and the weather still suck. For some reason, it is the season of rain (It wasn't like this last few years). Anyway, I have been surviving without touching my jeans for the past 2 months. You know, i had enough of jeans for the whole of winter.

Anyway, work is great. Sometimes little slow, other times, swamped. Bf n I still the same, nothing has changed. We get into little quarrels occasionally, nothing big. But i think it is imperative that he
HAS to move back to Montreal soon. else.... =(

It is late, n i have to sleep. Just a quick update. Btw.. i have to hunt for plane tickets tomorrow...

sooo cutee... how can anyone abondon the bebe...

2008-07-09T23:32:00.001-04:00

baby panda abandoned

I am tired of paying tailors...

2008-07-07T00:04:00.001-04:00

work

2008-06-16T00:01:00.002-04:00

i finally started working... 2 weeks has already passed. so far, it has been really fun (like most people when they start something), i hope it will only get better. My title is Biomedical engineer/Customer Relations. I do sales, go tradeshows, conferences, go to client office, install software, train people, do presentations and potentially tech support. Since my company isnt big, i guess i get to cross departments.

There is SOOO much to learn!!

anyway, i just wanted to say thank u to those who supported me through the not so easy time.. ^_^

hugz
www.scireq.com << my company, specializing in lab equipment for pulmonary pre-clinical research.

Treetop treking

2008-05-26T15:56:00.005-04:00

NOT the best picture.. but will do. *yeah*!

The harnesses..

Tight ropping,,,

hanging...

DONT SHAKE MORE!! *GRR*

IF u look carefully, my head is sticking out from the platform...

Well, on sat, i went treetop trekking. it was actually fun. kinda like me having a birds' eye view. There are challenges along the way, such as jumping through swinging logs, walking on tight ropes.. my torso feels already tighter after a day of gruelling fun. ^_^ Do u know that when the wind blows, the tree moves too.. how fascinating to feel the rhythm of the tree, swaying...

PS: my friend abandoned me 1/2 way on the trip cause she couldn't bring herself to walk on logs midair....

Knitting

2008-05-22T18:27:00.003-04:00

I am officially sick of looking for jobs. heck *kinda

Just bought a knitting kit (On sale). However, the instruction book suck. I guess that is why it is on sale. HOWEVER.. thanx to the advances in technology, i can get ANYTHING online.

Eg. step I: Learn how to knit Cast-on

Will take pictures of my progress in due time.. *cross fingers.

HOT

2008-05-21T02:31:00.000-04:00

Lee Hyo Ri and Eric

My lab

2008-05-18T17:10:00.001-04:00

So, the one in yellow is my professor

The baby... is MINE... ^_^ Dont we look good together...

Très drôle !

2008-05-13T21:44:00.000-04:00

Haaa.. word confusion...

Toronto trip

2008-05-11T12:08:00.005-04:00

my kind hostess, pauline

Train scene

A big Ben alike in Toronto

car crash?? Art piece in Toronto

Sky line from the hotel room

Spring is coming. *mosquitoes...

Anyway, it was a wonderful stay. I wish that i bought my swimsuit. the facilities were wonderful...

Solo Driving experience

2008-05-07T18:54:00.002-04:00

So,

Finally I completed the relatively nervous and money consuming process to earn my Montreal/Canada driving license. YEAH! I am legal to drive in Canada now! Whatz more, today, i rented a small car, 4 seater compact white Chrysler and drove from Toronto downtown to Etobicoke and back (SOLO!).

I was too nervous to remember to take a picture of my first rented car. *complain. I had nightmares the night previously panicking if I will lose my way, miss the highway exit.. ^_^. Next try, probably cross canada or something.

I look forward hijacking a car....

beautiful

2008-05-02T14:10:00.002-04:00

it is very pretty... watch

The only thing i am wondering about is so.. how much phosphate was added to the environment ^_^

Growing limbs to become reality soon

2008-04-30T17:33:00.000-04:00

The pixie dust that helped a man re-grow his chopped off finger

IMAGINE THAT! instead of a stump for a finger!!!

Japanese smart chimpanzees

2008-04-26T00:53:00.000-04:00

***

Japanese smart chimpanzees

***

OMG! baby gender influence!!

2008-04-23T16:07:00.002-04:00

High-calorie diet linked to boys -- bbc

The study suggests a high-calorie diet at this time - and regular breakfasts - might increase the odds of a boy.

The researchers say the modern trend to opt for low calorie diets might explain why the proportion of boys is falling in developed countries. (I always have been suspecting....)

The study, by the Universities of Exeter and Oxford, appears in the Royal Society journal Biological Sciences.

Chanced upon

2008-04-20T23:53:00.001-04:00

MTV A shot at Love with Tila Tequila

It must have been a hell of a show... n emotionally charged too...

vampire knight

2008-04-15T22:54:00.000-04:00

oh dear.. its such a female audience tagetted animation/manga. My favourite. Vampire crap.. ^_^

Slightly more cheerful

2008-03-26T18:37:00.001-04:00

I guess things are better. I am gaining abit more confident, still whining, but at least feeling like i may be finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Just that last stretch.

its just ...

2008-03-02T22:07:00.003-05:00

Its hard to pick up the phone can call sometimes
Just wish I had more news about my life instead of being in transient.
Its hard to hear the same questions
again and again
I am trying.

I hope I do learn something and grow from this experience.
If you ask me now, I have no idea why and what I studied.
I am as lost as a snowflake is.

My interests are too broad.
I definitely wished i studied commerce.
Professionalism = good life?
A joke if one is trying to break free.

Trip continued

2008-02-16T05:59:00.004-05:00

Red Fort, New Dehli

Parliament (i think)

The Taj

The problem in india is that the names are sooo hard to remember... Someone tell me which mosque is this again.. (ophs)

updates in motion

2008-01-30T05:20:00.000-05:00

Havn't written for quite awhile. It has been a hectic month, flying till my ass hurts. After arriving in Singapore on 28th midnight, i flew to India on the very same morning at 7am with my family. At india, we attended a family friend's wedding...

We proceeded on with the rest of india's tour..

More Xmas surprises..

2007-12-25T00:50:00.000-05:00

Terence popped the champagne...

A little almond figurine (too cute to eat...)

More cute pastries..

Whatz inside the pastry?? *surprise! a little snowman sleeping in a nice creamy raspberry bed

I will share with the pretty thing with u...

A Pre-Bday diiner

2007-12-24T12:05:00.000-05:00

A quiet birthday..

trying to look grown-up..
(btw, the pretty pretty boots are my only bday present from Terence)
*awwww sooo nice...

dont steal my wine..

pretty french food (Touted the best french cuisine in Montreal.. L'Express)
I had quail (bird) .. yum! tasted much more chewy than a chicken...)

Too full... (and over exposed light...)

Pre-Xmas

2007-12-22T00:48:00.001-05:00

almost..

ALMOST...

FINALLY

yeah!! *FISH*

medical myths busted

2007-12-21T13:29:00.000-05:00

Some Medical common beliefs are utterly untrue, while others have no evidential proof....

Researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis found no evidence supporting the need to drink eight glasses of water a day. Studies suggest that adequate fluid intake is often met by drinking juice, milk, and even caffeine-rich tea and coffee. Data also suggests drinking excessive amounts of water can be dangerous.

The belief that we only use 10% of our brains appears to be completely untrue. Studies of patients with brain damage suggest that damage to almost any area of the brain has specific and lasting effects on mental, vegetative and behavioural capabilities. Brain imaging studies also show that no area of the brain is completely silent or inactive.

And the belief that hair and fingernails continue to grow after death may be an optical illusion caused by retraction of the skin after death. The actual growth of hair and nails requires a complex interplay of hormonal regulation not present after death.

Again, illusion may be to blame for the belief that shaving hair causes it to grow back faster, darker, and coarser, report author Rachel Vreeman told the BMJ. The stubble resulting from shaving grows out without the finer taper seen at the ends of unshaven hair, giving the impression of thickness and coarseness.

Again, expert opinion is that reading in dim light does not damage your eyes.

And there is little evidence to support the banning mobile phones from hospitals on the basis of electromagnetic interference.

Conclusion

Dr David Tovey, editor of Clinical Evidence journal, said: "The difficulty is it is often hard to disprove a theory.

"On the flip-side, absence of evidence does not necessarily mean absence of effect.

"Where reliable evidence becomes really important is in helping people make serious decisions about harms and risks.

"Many of these 'myths' are innocuous. However, we are still finding evidence that runs contrary to current practice and what we expect."

He gave the example of the relatively recent U-turn in advice over sleeping positions for babies to cut cot deaths.

Experts now recommend babies are positioned on their backs when sleeping to reduce the risk of sudden infant death.

Adapted from bbc.

A giant rat

2007-12-18T13:09:00.000-05:00

Angie's giant rat...

*gota say, i STILL prefer cats ^_^

thoughts

2007-12-17T01:26:00.000-05:00

wondering.. why.
i am just feeling...
messy.

Those nights where sleep eludes me.

GLOWING CATS

2007-12-14T16:12:00.000-05:00

Something to do with cloning cats,

inserting glowing florescent red protein into the gene using virus to add the information in...

reported in BBC n CNN...

GLOWING RED CAT under florescent light... OMG

If i ever lose my cat in the dark.. she has NO WHERE to hide... ^_^

My head is smashed

2007-12-07T15:58:00.000-05:00

NEVER NEVER let someone suck you out from your mum's CANAL using vacuum or forceps etc. THIS IS scientifically proven (live demostration) of what happened in the 1980s... "new technology" to assist births. My poor head became deformed and STAYED deformed.. *GRRR*

POOR ME!

Oh well. Always suspected my odd shaped head...
Instead of a nice round back of my head, an MRI cross section shows..
*or maybe.. someone dropped me..*
^_^

cat cat cat

2007-12-04T21:22:00.001-05:00

Resolution: I WANT A CAT

Worthwhile quote:

2007-11-30T15:38:00.002-05:00

A man convinced against his will
Is of the same opinion still
*****

So cute!

2007-11-29T10:26:00.001-05:00

bebebebebebebe Panda..!!

U are right David, i am a sucker for these stuff...

Designer cat

2007-11-21T01:28:00.000-05:00

Ashera

COSTS 22,000 USD

Faints...

cockroach robots...

2007-11-17T13:43:00.002-05:00

muahhaha

Robot 'pied piper' leads roaches

cockroach robots...

2007-11-17T13:43:00.001-05:00

muahahah

2007-11-13T17:38:00.000-05:00

Man marries DOG to beat curse

^_^

2007-11-08T10:29:00.000-05:00

*_*_*_*
Quand tu ris
Et fais la moue,
Je n'ai qu'une envie:
T'embrasser sur la joue

Pour toute la vie.
*_*_*_*

Potential Car fatalities

2007-11-06T14:10:00.000-05:00

My cousin sent these videos to me... i particularly liked the lorry one. ^_^

Enjoy.

SIGH

2007-11-05T20:25:00.001-05:00

I just feel.. depressed. think its a cyclic effect. =(.

feeling not exactly smart
not exactly needed
totally useless

Adobe wonders + holloween

2007-10-31T22:19:00.000-04:00

CAN YOU SEE THE DIFFERENCE... photoshop wonders

Terence in action

My first carved pumpkin.. (wasnt that hard..^_^)

rumbles from a sleepy town

2007-10-29T16:09:00.000-04:00

So, here i am, in a teahouse, with free wireless, searching and updating CVs. I havnt found much chemical engineering based jobs so far. Only applied to 2 positions that are really that of my field. I really hope to hear from them soon.

Asides that, i am still looking around. WHERE ARE ALL THE PROCESS ENGINEERING firm?? I guess i am also looking to fill research positions, if they fit my skills. But now the days, research means micro-biological scales (not reallly my speciality) Maybe i will become desperate enough to apply for them soon.

Plan C will be to just continue to a phD in UToronto and pray. *gosh. i hope not.*

silly day dreams

2007-10-22T21:49:00.000-04:00

so it boils down to asking searching n networking.
at least, thomas offered me a position till june. if i dont find a job in ottawa, feb, i will stay in montreal working for thomas till june 2008.

seems i am on the way there...

ps: thesis is finally almost here

SOO CUTE PIGSSSS

2007-10-15T14:36:00.000-04:00

Mini-pigs for pets + pics

GOSH! sooo cuteeeeeee

This is the farm that has successfully crossbreed them to create this new sub-species...

Pennywell Farm - UK

ARGH!!

2007-10-12T13:06:00.001-04:00

Horror of horrors!!!

ANIMAL ABUSE!

Each paint job costs about $15,000 and has to be repeated every 3 months as the cat's hair grows out. This translates to about $60,000 upkeep.! why not just GIVE ME THE MONEY!

Sanity

2007-10-10T02:32:00.000-04:00

Hanging by a thread
Time is now a dread
Enlighten my path
Dissipate the wrath
I humbly surrender.
To you.

Joke of the day

2007-10-05T11:52:00.000-04:00

Baby talk - by Katherine I bandujo

A new mother, I am delighted by each stage of mu son's development. The day he stretched his little arms up to me and said "Mommy" for the first time, I almost burst with pride.

Minutes later, however, our Labrador retriever, Mac, sauntered into the room. My son toddled towards him and called out, "Mommy!"

HAaaaaa

time runs away

2007-10-01T01:39:00.001-04:00

you know, time is just running so FAST away.
Its so bloody scary.
Here i am, still trying my best to balance the search for jobs, writing CVs, coverletters, go for inteviews, WRITE MY THESIS... study the case interview concepts (this is killer).. missing terence..

so many aptitude tests... argh. i really dont think it helps.

wishing thatthis rocky period of my life would end soon

your birthday!

2007-09-24T13:18:00.000-04:00

It was kinda sweet, small birthday celebration. Me, ter, amy + ter's bro (bernard). Went to a nice italian restaurant, had wine. had a craving for the wonderful black sesame ice-cream so i coerced everyone to go there for dessert. ^_^ *YUM*

YUUUMMMMM.. sesame ice-cream imported from Vancouver... *HEAVEN

A nice cake by his parents, his bro + gf + us
PS: that wonderful looking strawberry pie is made by HIS DAD

I love the lighting..

America's Got Talent (Chicago) - Boy Shakira

2007-09-21T15:55:00.000-04:00

OMG. i don't know what to say...

Just watch. he actually can shake. BUT....ermp

this is the reason why i should get a cat

2007-09-17T16:47:00.000-04:00

A moment of weakness

2007-09-16T23:30:00.000-04:00

Uninvited tears rolled
watching you leave
Continuing your road
Till we again meet
our memories kept
***

OTTAWA vs MONTREAL

2007-09-10T14:39:00.000-04:00

When you are facing a huge load of thesis potential material to be written, coupled with awful music, too-cool weather for september, a sun that iznt doing its job, a boring window scene, 1000 of thoughts invade you unwillingly.

1) JOBS - never thought this day is gona come so soon. facing a potential phD vs work, i am actually choosing to work. guess i am tired of being institutionalized. Maybe in a few yrs. MBA sounds nicer thou...

2) BÉBÉ - Gona miss him when i return to montreal tomoro. I have tons of job infor sessions, CV letters to send, cover letters to vet.. Itz ok, he coming on friday.

3) THESIS WOES - how am i gona put all these results together. At least, it has started taking shape.

4) HOME SICKNESS - never thought i would feel this way. Well, temptation to return to comfort zone. Muz be patient... in a few yrs... ^_^ we will be riding high, taking Singapore by storm right, bébé?

kisses

Je me souviens

super outraged

sleeeeeeeppppppppppp

east carolina uni

Boston trip

I love cats

Cat lux!

Humbles me

cosmetic chemicals to avoid

The Dirty Dozen Chemicals in Cosmetics

Relax for the long weekend!

周杰伦 稻香

cutie animalxzxxx

Gaza hope

a HOT song when i was in korea - i finally found it!!

my potential savior!!

Glaucoma drug offers new way to grow eyelashes

Random picts from Caroline F's visit

This is priceless

ottawa skating n free concert

Dempsey hill

Asia 08

Korea weather forcast

lots of updates - no time

Our gingerbread house, on the way!

Anothe ruse of St Mark's Square in Venice

Why are planets bright

New York Times - shopper death

Not sure...

Spine Brace

The Mandarin Language

fishy road

周杰伦 - 稻香

思念是一种病

Summer frisbee

meow Meow MEOW

china car restrictions..

Thanksgiving at Mont Tremblant

Useful up-todate terminologies

Quote of the day..

bowling weekend ( Ter is 27)

For those who can understand french..

My resident cat

Christian the lion..

Cat diets

DO i still look 18??

Tadoussac

flowers that go pop?!

Karvy Flower that takes years to bloom

Weekend Rendevous

moo moo MOO

Pretty pretty pandas!!!

meow meow

sooo cutee... how can anyone abondon the bebe...

I am tired of paying tailors...

work

Treetop treking

Knitting

HOT

My lab

Très drôle !

Toronto trip

Solo Driving experience

beautiful

Growing limbs to become reality soon

Japanese smart chimpanzees

OMG! baby gender influence!!

Chanced upon

vampire knight

Slightly more cheerful

its just ...

Trip continued

updates in motion

More Xmas surprises..

A Pre-Bday diiner

Pre-Xmas

medical myths busted

A giant rat

thoughts

GLOWING CATS

周杰伦稻香