Message From Najib......

Najib's message to Malaysians for this Merdeka:  "Just in case you forgot what I look like."  :D

@ Bukit Bintang Plaza

HAPPY MERDEKA, EVERYBODY!!  :)

Sayang In His New Home

After having recuperated nicely from his castration, Sayang was welcomed into his new home yesterday. He took to it like a duck to water. He has been busy rubbing his scent on everything to mark them as his. And his new family was not excluded in this little branding act! This is one territorial little boy who knows what he wants.....he didn't wait for a week or two to get used to his surroundings, but claimed the home and the humans in it as belonging to him right on the first day!  :D  


In short, he's adjusting very well. He's very manja and friendly with his new family, loves to sit on their laps and even trusts them to let them touch his tummy.


Mrs Chong made him a really comfy cat bed and scratch post (see photos below).......from scratch! As my hubby said when I showed him the photos, Sayang is "hoe miah" now (he has a good life now). 

Sayang loves the new bed Mrs Chong made for him. He looks really happy here. ♥

I am so happy for Sayang, and am very thankful to the Chong family for opening their heart and home to him. He used to look so sad, but now, he has a happier expression. He knows it's a different world for him now. 

Thank you so much, Mrs Chong and family. May God bless you for your kindness and generosity. 

P/s: Thanks for letting me have the photos.  :)

-------------------------------

related post: http://blackie007.blogspot.com/2010/09/sayangs-second-week-his-home.html

Yeah...Leave My Food Alone!!

Yeah.....we don't like to share our food..... :D


This video is specially dedicated to my cousin, who was born in the year of the dog, and who is a cat-allergic dog person..... :D

Warning: Malicious software hidden in celebrity pages

Friends, this is important. Please read:


Creators of malicious software use celebrities as lures, baiting fans and followers to click on and download seemingly innocuous content containing programs designed to steal passwords and other private information for profit, said Dave Marcus, director of security research at McAfee Labs.


Read more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/showbiz/article/study-ranks-cameron-diaz-most-dangerous-web-celeb/

Inspiring Armless Pianist

The motto of my secondary school is "Aut Viam Inveniam Aut Faciam" which means  "If there's a will, there's a way" and this tag line on our school badge has never been more on the forefront of my mind than today.


I was moved by the video below..........Liu Wei is a talented, and inspiring young man, who didn't let his disabilities drag him down (he lost his arms when he was 10).

Updated: WE ARE MALAYSIANS!!!!!

A school principal's responsibility is to instil  good values and she sets that by example. This school principal has chosen to instil hatred of other races in her school.
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/8/17/nation/6869117&sec=nation


Updated: Her actual words were: "Chinese students are not needed here and can return to China or Foon Yew schools. For the Indian students, the prayer string tied around their neck and wrist makes them look like dogs because only dogs are tied like that."  


~ source: http://malaysia-today.net/mtcolumns/special-reports/33842-school-head-under-probe-over-racist-remarks
Her photo is down in the comments section.


Those who are racists should consider this:


1) We are Malaysian citizens.


2) We are NOT Chinese citizens to be asked to return to China.


3) China is NOT our country, and is NOT a place we love or born in.


4) Our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents were born in Malaysia.


WE ARE MALAYSIANS!!!! It's Malaysia we will protect if there's a war!!!

The Obama Diaries - Fact or Fiction?

According to the author, Laura Ingraham, she saw a thick manila envelope lying on the bonnet of her car at the basement parking of Watergate Complex. As she picked it up, a mysterious stranger "hidden in the shadows of a stairwell called out in a deep baritone voice, "Just read it. You'll know what to do." She shouted back, "Who are you? What is this?!" The mystery man stood silent for a few seconds before vanishing......"(page 9)

When she opened the envelope at the W hotel about a hundred yards from the White House (she claimed she didn't drive home as she was afraid to), she discovered that the enveloped contained the handwritten diaries of President Barrack Obama, Michelle Obama, her mother Marian Robinson, Vice President Joe Biden, Rahm Emanuel, David Axelrod, and others who are involved in the Obama's Presidency campaign.


And so she decided that the rest of America deserves to know what their President, the First Lady, The First Grandmother, the Vice-President and the entire campaign team had written in their diaries. 


My first thought was, isn't that rather convenient? The busiest people in the world actually has the time to write a diary and they ended up in her hands? I also thought that the part about the mystery man in the shadows booming out to her to read it and that she'll know what to do with it sounds a little bit like a bad script out of a B-grade movie.


Anyway, I decided to continue reading. And I think those "diaries" are not authentic. Why? Well, besides the suspicions I expressed in the paragraph before this, Barrack Obama has worked very hard in the campaign. It just didn't make any sense that he would trivialize his own inauguration. But most of all, it is the language used in the "diaries". The language use is that of a gossip monger passing on a juicy, slanderous gossip to another. To me, the style of writing is not the type one would use when writing a personal diary. 


Based on the above, I think the diaries are either planted, or Laura Ingraham cooked up the whole thing on her own as a publicity stunt at best, or worst, as a hatred campaign against Obama. 


She certainly comes across as very anti non-Americans, and considers being American as an exceptional and special race, and that America has a right to dictate to the rest of the world. But this is just my personal opinion. I'm curious to know what others think. 


So, if you have read the book, please share your opinion with me. I'd love to discuss it, even if you disagree with me. In fact, especially if you disagree with me. I'd like to know why you disagree and see it from a different perspective. And if you haven't read the book, but would like to, please let me know, and I'll email you a copy.  :)

A Wrestle Between A Sheepdog and A Maine Coon Cat

This is a must watch if you like cats and dogs.............

A New Home For My Beloved Sayang

As I sit here staring at the screen and photos of Sayang, I do not know whether to smile or cry. The family that wanted to adopt Sayang last month is still very interested in him. Mrs Chong, the mother, even left her house and mobile number with Angela so that I could talk to her. Yes, they are that serious. There are any number of gorgeous and adorable cats, not to mention cute and playful kittens available for adoption and yet, they wanted Sayang and wanted to speak to me about adopting him. They said they would only consider another cat if I turn them down after speaking to them.


I had to make a decision. Should I consider rehoming Sayang? I'd never see him again if I do. 


On the other hand, Sayang is obviously a people-cat. He wants to be around people, and would rather curl up on a person's lap than eat his food if it means being by himself. When I tried to put him back into his 'nest' so that he could eat, he stubbornly clung to my shoulder. And that was almost 4pm and he hadn't had his lunch yet. One could see he was very hungry, standing up on my lap and trying to reach for the human food on the table, and yet, he'd rather stay hungry than be put down in his 'nest' to eat.


After getting some info on the family from Angela, I asked her to call Mrs Chong to come and see me at the shop. Mrs Chong arrived with her daughter shortly after the call.


To cut a long story short, I agreed to give Sayang to Mrs Chong and her family. Sayang will be neutered next week, and then handed over to them. Mrs Chong said I could visit Sayang anytime I like, but I doubt I will impose myself on them.


My only wish is that they will take very good care of Sayang, love him unconditionally, and update me with photos once in a while. My consolation is that Sayang will have a loving home that he can run around happily in instead of being in a confined space. I hope I did the right thing for Sayang.

Under The Dome by Stephen King

I just finished reading this book last night. It was released in the US in November last year, and I only managed to lay my hands on a copy of the ebook last week. 


Under The Dome is definitely one of the better stories written by Stephen King. Don't get me wrong, he has written quite a few can't-put-it-down books, and I am a die-hard fan of his. But this book is really something else. It's not King's usual scare-you-shitless book, although I love to be scared silly (must be something seriously wrong with me). Rather, it is more like Carrie or Misery, a book on human characters and what they're capable of. If you have read Carrie/Misery or seen the movies, you would know what I mean. 


The story opens on a beautiful fall day in Chester's Mill, a small town in Maine, with a population of 1152 when inexplicably, the town is cut off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crashed into it, animals are cut into half, cars imploded upon impact, people with electronic devices like pacemaker exploded when they got too near it, while families who went on errands in neighbouring towns are unable to return home.


That said, 90% of the story is not about blood and gore. Instead, it focuses on the townfolks, on how they react and change in the face of 'catastrophe'. 


I couldn't stop talking about the book to my hubby. I was sure it would be made into a TV movie, and this morning, the minute I woke up, I troll the net to see if there is any plans to make a movie out of it. And....I wasn't surprised to find that Steven Spielberg has already bought rights to Under The Dome to make it into a mini-series. Below is the trailer. 


P/s: Those who know me personally and would like to 'borrow' this ebook, please let me know. You know how to reach me.  :)

In A Dilemma

First, before I begin, my cats and I would like to say a very, very BIG thank you to Maneki Neko for a most intriguing toy --- the pipe cleaners. They simply love it the minute I gave it to them. The 'fur' was nearly torn to shreds, as they bit into it. It is currently 'missing' as Yin has removed it to the place where she hides her treasure trove. I have yet to discover where it is. But when I do, I am sure that is also where I would find the missing socks and ribbons.


Now, I am in a little dilemma. I can't decide which hat I should get for Yin, the one with the flowers or the cowboy hat. Or, should I just buy both, so that each will have their own hats, too?

Yin with the flower hat

Yin with the cowboy hat

And now, I asked Blackie to help me pick which is a better hat for Yin................

Looks like Blackie approves of the hat with flowers......

But..........wait...........

He also likes the cowboy hat

Since he's not of much help, I decided to put the hats on him to see how the Chief Eunuch looks in hats.

Blackie with the cowboy hat

Blackie with the flower hat

And....I still cannot decide......

Second Day of 'Tweety' Bird In Our Home

Today, the cats are less fearful of the toy bird I bought them yesterday, although Blackie still keeps a safe distance from it. Yin has become very bold, to the extent that she wanted to pick up the cage and carry the bird to only-she-knows-where. She has grown into this mischievous little "critter", picking up items like socks, ribbons, hair bands and small soft toys between her teeth and relocating them to another place to play with.


The first minute in the first video showed Blackie removing himself to a safer distance when Yin touched the cage and activated the bird. Yin stayed behind to check it out. 


The second video showed Blackie returning to the room (you could just make out his legs) but still keeping a safe distance while Yin tried to pick up the cage between her teeth.

Bought A Bird For My Cats To Play With

Buying a bird for my cats to play with has been on my mind for some time now. After much weighing and due consideration given to the torture and stress the poor bird is likely to suffer at the hands, or in this case, paws of my cats, I have finally decided to go ahead and purchased a.........toy bird for my cats.


Since they had shown an inclination to play with birds (one of their favourite toys is a wave  made of feathers that flies like a bird and makes a flapping sound), I anticipated lots of fun and enjoyment for both Chief Eunuch Blackie Bond (promotion to Chief bestowed by Maneki Neko) and his Empress Dowager Lady Faye Yin. However......that was not so.


I was not prepared that my cats, in particular the Chief Eunuch, would be fearful of a toy bird. When triggered by sensors of sound and motion, the bird shakes its head, flaps its wings and chirps. Blackie couldn't find enough land to flee away from the chirping, wing-flapping and head-shaking toy, while Yin just froze and turned away from the offending bird. She always does that to anything that she doesn't like.....it's the sign of the Imperial Disapproval......by turning away from the bird it is supposed to humbly and quietly remove itself from her imperial presence, but unfortunately for her, the bird did not understand the imperial protocol.


So, until they learn that the bird is at their command, that they could get the bird to shake its head or chirp by just touching the cage or meowing, there won't be any funny videos to post. Only some photos.

Blackie fleeing the second the bird started to shake its head and chirped

Staying far away from the offending bird

The head-shaking and chirping bird

Updates on Blackie and Yin

And now, some updates on Blackie and Yin. They insisted that they should be featured here before I post anything else, especially Mr. 007. He is most insistent that this little corner belongs to him, not Sayang and certainly not my life, not that I deserve to have one. 


So, without further ado, may I present.......

Blackie Bond, photo taken on July 10, 2010.

And his Empress Dowager, the Lady Faye Yin, photo taken on 20 July 2010.

Updates on Sayang The One-Eyed Cat

As the title suggests, this post is just that.....updates on Sayang. I've been really busy with this-and-that  that there is really no time for me to update my blog or follow-up on any of my friends' blogs. Life has been one crazy spin after another.


Anyway, for 'fans' of Sayang a.k.a. Selayang, he's doing pretty well. He's vaccinated, but came under the attack of flu. Perhaps his immune system was not strong enough, considering that he was only recently taken off the streets. He's slowly recovering from it, though.


And he's a real good boy. A real adorable, affectionate, neat little cat. He doesn't mess up his place like some naughty cats do. He didn't even complain when I clipped his claws. He did not struggle or squirm. All claws on four paws were trimmed in record time.  Kerusi who was there was amazed at how quick the chore was performed.  :)

Photo taken last Wednesday, 14 July 2010

Photo taken two days ago, on 20 July 2010

A Most Atrocious and Barbaric Act Towards Dogs In Bali

Poisoned dogs will writhe in pain, convulsing as the strychnine paralyses their muscles, finally suffocating to death as the muscles that control their breathing fail. No dog should be allowed to suffer like this and the Indonesian Government in Bali is responsible for this cruel massacre as they organized it. 


Please help those dogs by signing the petition at the link below, and spread the word to let everyone know we need help signing the petition.


Thank you on behalf of the dogs.

Sign petition >>>http://www.thepetitionsite
.com/1/save-bali-dogs-help-eliminate-the-cruel-treatment-of-animals-in-indonesia

Letter From Selayang a.k.a. Sayang, The One Eye Cat

Photo taken on Saturday after removal of stitches

Photo taken on Sunday before C left

Hi, my humans call me Sayang (meaning "love") although I was given to understand that the spelling came from Selayang, where I was found.


C said she has written about me before, that my stories are published under the label "Sayang The One Eye Cat" and that any time I wish, I can publish my stories there. She said it is like a diary, although it is more like a memory bank for her. She said it will come in useful when she gets old and could no longer remember the memories that made her happy or sad.


Humans are such strange creatures. Why would they want to remember things that made them sad? And this is without mentioning their weird habit of removing their skin to wash every day. Why would they want to keep changing their skin? Don't they know it's hard to recognise them when their coat pattern changes every day? Lucky we cats have a good sense of scent and sound. We had to learn to recognise them from their smell and voice. 


Anyway, enough about them. This is about me, about my weekend. 


On Saturday, May 22, 2010
C came to see me on Saturday. I was sitting quietly, minding my own business when the light in the room was turned on. I couldn't see very well with my remaining eye and with the E-collar partially obstructing my view, but when I heard her called my name, I got up immediately and ran towards her, chattering excitedly. She chattered back, although I didn't really understand much of what she said other than "how are you, have you been a good boy, did you have lots to eat". 


She then placed me inside a carrier whilst stroking me and saying she's taking me to a vet to remove the stitches. At the vet's.....by the way, how could he be the vet when it's a different place and a different human? This human looked different from the other human who performed the surgery and kept me in their place for 4 days. They share the same name? Or they are a species by themselves?


Anyway, the vet pulled the stitches, cut off the knot, and as he dragged the stitches out of my skin, I yowled in pain and tried to push him away. He then had another human wrapped me up in a towel. C asked the vet if it hurts to remove the stitches, and the vet said yes, it will hurt a bit. The vet then pulled another stitch, and unable to use my paws to push him off, I tried to bite him. He then told C that he's going to use some anaesthetic as I am not co-operating with him. I felt a sharp biting pain, and the last thing I heard before I dropped unconscious onto the table was C stroking me saying that she's sorry she has to put me through so much pain, but that it is meant to help me. I would later find out after I woke up that there was some bleeding during the removing of the stitches, due to, according to the vet, my not co-operating with him. 


When I woke up, I was terrified as my legs were wobbly and I was unable to stand up straight, nor walk properly. But C was there, and she told me, it's ok, I'm home. I looked around, and yes, I'm home. A home where I have been living for the past one week. A home where I know I am secure and loved, and no more fears of unknown horrors on the street.


I tried to tell C to join me in my unit, that there is plenty of space for both of us. But she did not understand me. Each time I moved deeper inside my unit, she stopped stroking me. I turned around and looked at her with my good eye, but instead of coming inside to join me, she said, "ok, Sayang, have a good rest" and started to close the door. Each time, I quickly got up and rushed back to her on my unsteady, wobbly legs, and she re-opened the door and continued stroking me. Eventually I gave up trying to make her understand, and just clung to her, purring loudly to encourage her to continue stroking me. Angela was the only one who seemed to understand why I was clinging onto C.


On Sunday, May 23, 2010
In the morning, Angela came to feed us. She turned on the lights and panicked when she saw a line of blood on my eye. She tried to contact C, but could not reach her. I later found out that C had slept half the day away as her own two cats had kept her awake throughout the night, turning her bed and bedroom into a happening playground. She mentioned something about finally putting 007 out of her room at 4-ish in the morning, but Yin continued playing with an imaginary friend.


Unable to reach C and desperate, Angela called a friend who lives at Bukit Jalil to come and take me back to the vet. The vet said the pus and blood is called 'juice', and it is normal to have them leak out after stitches are removed. The vet prescribed a cream and another round of antibiotics for me. Thank you, V, for taking me to the clinic. 


At 2-ish, C arrived. I was delighted to see her again so soon, and rushed to her, meowing my welcome. We spent some lovely time together. She hand-fed me those strange, dry pieces of food, kibble by kibble, and said she was proud that I had learned to eat dry food. She asked Angela if I have learned to use the litter box. Angela told her that I am a very good cat, that I don't mess up the place, always doing my nature calls in the litter box, although sometimes there are little accidents by the side of the box, due to my not being able to see well with one eye, and the E-collar partially obstructing my view. Angela also said that I was very co-operative when they fed me my antibiotics, that her maid could also do it if Jimmy is busy.


At 5-ish, V, the human from Bukit Jalil who took me to the vet, came to visit her cat, and the three of them, Angela, C and V concurred that I am a very friendly and affectionate cat, that I must have belonged to a household before as my attitude towards humans is more like a domestic pet, not a total stray.


And I had a wonderful gift today......Angela gave me my own cat bed. She told C that she noticed I like to climb inside a box to sleep, and this bed is the last one in her shop. Thank you, Angela, for the nice and comfy bed. Meow.


Love,
Sayang The One Eye Cat


P/s: If any of you humans are reading all the way to here, thank you for reading my long-winded story.  


P.P.S: Sayang is NOT for adoption....sorry.

Shame On This Pet Shop Owner

This pet shop, on the ground floor of Tesco, Selayang started off selling only rabbits and hamsters. Two Sundays ago,  they brought in two domestic long hair kittens. They cleared a space occupied by hamsters for the kittens. 


Since it was designed for smaller animals like hamsters, the two kittens could not stand up straight. They could only stand up with their legs bent, backs hunched, and their heads and backs scraped against the top of the space. 


It's not like they don't have any cages for cats. They have several stacked up for sale. But no, they want to sell each and every cage they have, and are not willing to incur some costs to make the kittens comfortable.


And last Sunday, they added another kitten to the small space!! 


Lower Ground Floor
Tesco Selayang
1081 Jalan Ipoh
Kuala Lumpur

View Larger Map

Updates:
On the night of May 24, 2010 I was at Tesco Selayang once more, and I passed by the pet shop to see if any changes had taken place. The kittens are placed in two cages now. 

Goodness....I'm Certified FAT!!!

As hard as I tried, I really do not understand how I could be considered fat when my weight is within the ideal weight, and my Body Mass Index (BMI) is within the ideal BMI range.


I took one of those auto calculate your height, weight, BMI, blood pressure, pulse thingy yesterday, and was flummoxed at the results.


According to the results, I have too much body fat......but I don't want to go on a diet, I love to eat and I live to eat. It will remove my purpose for being alive if I have to go on a diet......*sweat*.

Selayang In His New Home

Picked up Selayang at 11:00am this morning. He had become afraid and gave me a small hiss when I opened the door of the cage to put him into his carrier. However, after I took him to Jimmy's and we fed him with Snappy Tom's whitemeat tuna with salmon flakes, he allowed me to pat his head and stroke him again. 


He has been prescribed antibiotics for a week, and has to have his eye checked and stitches removed next Saturday.

Yum-yum....enjoying his whitemeat tuna with salmon flakes

Still gobbling away......

Pausing to pose for a photo.......

P/S: Selayang is NOT for adoption.....sorry.