SIPADAN SCUBA Semporna, Borneo, Malaysia

Daily trips to Sipadan Island: Join our daily dive & snorkeling trips to Sipadan Island and more than 20 islands within the Semporna marine park such as Mabul, Kapalai, Mataking, etc. Whether you want to dive with sharks & turtles, or look for some of the most unusal macro dives, at Sipadan Scuba we've got the local knowledge and can find it for you. Caution: to be guaranteed to dive there Book Sipadan well in advance!

PADI Diving Courses: The islands off Semporna
offer perfect, year-round diving conditions in crystal

clear water teeming with marine life. Our team of international, multilingual instructors can conduct the full range of PADI courses from Open Water Diver to Master Scuba Diver and more than 20

specialty diver courses. E-mail us for more info

PADI GO PRO Instructor Development Programmes: “Hmmm, tough question: Telemarketing, or teaching diving?" Sometimes life may seem a little dull. Perhaps it is time to consider a career change? Why not do something you love and have the entire ocean as your office? - become a diving professional! At Sipadan Scuba we will guide your way to a new lifestyle and adventure.

Sea, Sun & Fun: After a long day at the islands join us at Sipadan Scuba's own bar, the "Turtle Tomb Cafe". Located right next to the dive centre at the ground floor of Hotel Sipadan Inn you can expect a mouthwatering seafood dinner, ice cold beer, life sports on a giant screen, pool and excellent music!

Can your pants size predict your cancer risk?

By Michelle Rizzo Michelle Rizzo – Tue Oct 6, 2:45 pm ET
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Your pants size might help gauge your risk of developing certain cancers, regardless of how much you actually weigh, Dutch researchers report.
A large waist and wide hips signal accumulation of so-called "intra-abdominal fat" -- the particularly harmful deep "hidden" fat that surrounds the abdominal organs and is linked to type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.
"It has been hypothesized that clothing size is related to physique, and it was recently reported that clothing size appears to be a strong surrogate for obesity and intra-abdominal fat," Dr. Laura A. E. Hughes, of Maastricht University, the Netherlands, and colleagues note in the journal Epidemiology.
Using information on nearly 2500 men and women enrolled in a large study of diet and cancer, the researchers validated ties between a person's clothing size and waist and hip size and their body mass index - a standard measure used to tell how fat or thin a person is.
Trouser and skirt size correlated well with waist and hip circumference measurements in men and women, the investigators report.
Hughes and colleagues next looked at whether clothing size could predict cancer risk.
With an average follow up period of roughly 13 years, they found that, in women, bigger skirt size predicted greater risk of endometrial cancer, while in men, bigger trouser size predicted greater risk of kidney cancer in men.
These findings suggest that "clothing size reflects a fat distribution different from that indicated by weight and height," Hughes said in an interview with Reuters Health.
"Our results suggest that clothing size is a useful measure to predict cancer risk in studies where waist circumference is not available," she said.
"Furthermore, it may be useful for future epidemiologic studies to collect clothing sizes in addition to weight and height, especially in populations where obtaining waist circumference is culturally problematic or challenging because of extreme obesity," she added.
"For researchers interested in using clothing size prospectively as a proxy for change in waist circumference," Dr. Hughes added, "it is important to realize that phenomena such as 'vanity sizing' in the modern clothing industry may bias results if not adequately addressed."
SOURCE: Epidemiology, September 2009.

Borneo Safari 2009
25 October 2009

A thrilling event that takes you deep into the heart of Sabah with powerful 4WD vehicles modified to challenge the tracks in one of the world's most beautiful jungle terrain. The Borneo safari 2009 is fit for those who love adventure and challenges that are out of the ordinary.

Organizer:
Thomas Chin (Kinabalu Four Wheel Drive)
For More info:
Fax: 088 236395, 388601
Mobile: 019 8211355 / 019 8615893
thomas@glob.com.my

PESTA GONG
24 - 25 October 2009

This event celebrates the gong (one of Sabah's indispensable traditional music instruments) at the picturesque town of Matunggong in Kudat, where most gongs are produced.

Organizer:
Zachary Mobijohn (Sri Pelancongan Sabah)

23rd Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon 2009
24 - 25 October 2009

Known as the "World's Toughest Mountain Race", this event is a true challenge to the spirit of human endurance. The average climber takes two days to traverse across 21km of craggy terrains, but participants can race up and down Mount Kinabalu (4095.2m) in less than three hours. The Climbathon is the final circuit of the Federation of Sport Altitude 7-series Skyrunning World Championship.

Organizer:
Zachary Mobijohn (Organizing Secretary)
Fuerther Info: 088 232121 Fax: 088 265540
email: zachary@sabahtourism.com

PESTA KUBIS
24 - 26 October 2009

The Pesta Kubis celebrates the humble cabbage in Kundasang, Ranau with a myriad of activities such as cultural dance performances, cabbage cooking demonstration and exhibitions.

Organizer:
Suanti Mayor (Organizing Chairman of the Committe)
For further info:
Mobile: 019 8211435

SABAH ANNUAL ART SELECTION
20 October 2009

The Sabah Annual Art Selection is a prestigious event held to encourage the local interest and artistic talents, as well as increase the standard of visual arts in Sabah.

Organizer:
Sabah Art Gallery.
For further info:
Tel: 088 268806 / 535 / 748 / 825

DEEPAVALI DAY
17 October 2009

Deepavali is also known as the Festival of Lights, a fstivel where Hindus light earthern diyas, to symbolise the victory of good over evil. Friends and family gather together to celebrate the Festival in splendour of lights and colours - Deepavali is a public holiday in Sabah.

Sabah Tourism Board
email: info@sabahtourism.com

BORNEO INTERNATIONAL MARATHON 2009
11 October

Held for the second consecutive time, this is one of the largest sporting events in the East Malaysia. Runners from all over the country and across Asia will journey along the scenic coastal roads of Kota Kinabalu.

Organizer:
Champiionship Sports Events Sdn. Bhd.
Andrew Voon (Director)
For further info:
Tel: 088 218833 Fax: 988 218833
email: info@borneomarathon.com / andrew@borneomarathon.com

CALENDER OF EVENTS

BORNEO BIRD FESTIVAL
10-15 October
Sabah is home to 568 bird species, four of which are endemics found on the hill slopes and in the montane forest in the State. Join bird enthusiasts from all over the world as they discover the birdwatching paradise of Sabah.

Organizer:
Sabah Tourism Board & Malaysian Nature Society
Contact Person : Noredah Othman.
Tel: 088 212121 Fax: 219311
email: noredah@sabahtourism.com

Mayat 30 tahun ditemui tak reput

Mayat 30 tahun ditemui tak reput

KANGAR: Tiga penggali kubur tergamam menemui mayat dipercayai berusia lebih 30 tahun dalam keadaan elok dan sempurna, ketika menggali liang lahad untuk tujuan pengebumian di Tanah Perkuburan Islam Tok Paduka, di sini, semalam.
Mayat lelaki tidak dikenali itu ditemui jam 11.30 pagi sebaik ketiga-tiga penggali kubur berkenaan menggali liang lahad terbabit pada kedalaman 1.5 meter.
Berdasarkan maklumat, mayat lelaki itu bukan saja masih elok dari segi fizikal, malah kain kafan jenazah juga masih sempurna, kecuali sedikit kotor akibat diselaputi lumpur.
Bagaimanapun, kayu keranda yang digunakan untuk melindungi mayat sudah reput dimamah usia.
Penggali kubur, Desa Sulaiman, 74, berkata penemuan jenazah itu mengejutkan kerana sepanjang pengetahuannya liang lahad yang digali itu memang kosong.
Katanya, keadaan jenazah itu tidak berbau dan masih sempurna dengan kulit serta isi yang terlekat pada tubuh jarang dilihat, apatah lagi dengan usia jenazah yang dipercayai mencecah puluhan tahun.
“Saya 30 tahun menggali kubur di sini, tetapi tidak pernah menemui kejadian sedemikian, walaupun pernah mendengar cerita mengenainya sebelum ini.
SLOT D
“Sepanjang pengetahuan saya, mayat yang masih elok dan sempurna walaupun berusia ratusan tahun kebiasaannya milik orang alim kerana jenazah mereka dilindungi Tuhan berikutan amalan baik yang dilakukan sepanjang hayat,” katanya.
Difahamkan, penemuan mayat itu menyebabkan urusan pengebumian jenazah seorang wanita berusia 53 tahun yang dijadualkan sebelum Zuhur, ditangguhkan beberapa jam untuk memberi laluan kepada urusan pengebumian semula jenazah yang ditemui itu.
Desa dan dua lagi rakannya terpaksa menguruskan pengebumian semula jenazah terbabit di sebelah liang lahad yang digali, sebelum meneruskan urusan penggalian liang lahad baru untuk pengebumian jenazah wanita yang baru meninggal itu.
Rakannya, Mohd Hafiz Abdan, 20, berkata beliau tergamam melihat wajah serta tubuh mayat yang masih elok seperti baru meninggal dunia ketika mengangkat mayat terbabit untuk dialihkan ke liang lahad baru.
“Saya sempat melihat keadaan susuk tubuh mayat berkenaan yang berkulit sawo matang, namun tidak berani menatapnya terlalu lama.
“Apa pun, penemuan mayat berkenaan bagi saya suatu misteri kerana jarang dilihat walaupun oleh penggali kubur,” katanya.
kredit ~ bharian.com.my

BLACKICE ON EARTH: Sabah Restaurants - Guide to Restaurants and Where to Eat in Sabah - New York Times Travel

BLACKICE ON EARTH: Sabah Restaurants - Guide to Restaurants and Where to Eat in Sabah - New York Times Travel

Sabah Restaurants - Guide to Restaurants and Where to Eat in Sabah - New York Times Travel

Sabah Restaurants - Guide to Restaurants and Where to Eat in Sabah :
"Checkout Atmosphere Revolving Restaurant. It's sits on the 18th floor of the tallest building in Sabah! Awesome views! see website: www.atmosphererestaurant.com"

CONFETTI YOGURT POPS

Ingredients
2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt
1 cup assorted berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, chopped strawberries)
5 pretzel rods, halved, or 10 baked snack stick crackers

Directions
1. In a large bowl gently stir together the yogurt and fruit. Spoon into 4-ounce ice-pop molds or 3-ounce paper cups. Cover molds or cups with foil; use a sharp knife to cut a small hole in the foil and insert cut side of pretzel rod or snack stick. Freeze until firm. Remove foil and mold or cup before serving.
2. Store for up to a month. Makes 6 pops.

NEVER OFFLINE

MORE AND MORE MOBILE GADGETS MEAN YOU CAN GET A HIT ON THE GO.....

As gadgets play an increasingly large role in our lives, many people are finding the lure of technology dificult to resist - and some have found gadgets taking over their lives completely. The fact that we're always connected is contributing to addictive behaviour, and it's aided enormously by the mobile hardware that we carry with us everywhere nowadays. BlackBerry's, pagers, handheld games consoles, iPods, media players - any trip on public transport reveals the extent to which we rely on gadgets to get by on a day-to day basis. A survey conducted in 2008 by AOL and opinion Research found that an astonishing one in five Americans use mobile email device. Of these owners, 60 per cent us ethe gadgets in bed, while 40 per cent keep it within earshot during the night so they can wake and replay instantly. Nomophobia is the name given to the fear of being out of mobilephone contact. In 2008 the Post commissioned a survey into the problem. It found that more than half of us experience anxiety of separated from our mobile phones, with most respondents citing contact with friends and family as the reason for their fears. The stress levels were judged to be on par with a day or a trip to the dentist.

THE SECRET OF EINSTEIN'S GENIUS

Most brains are the same, but there are small differences. Einstein's brain was found to be wider than normal, and part of a groove that runs through the area involved in maths abd spatial reasoning was missing. It's possible this meant his brain cells could communicate more easily (they didn't have to connect over a gap), giving him his talent for describing the universe mathematically.

ARE WOMEN MORE IN TOUCH WITH EMOTIONS?

There a number of structural and functional differences between male and female brains. The human brain is divided into two hemispheres that do differrent things. They are connected by the corpuscallosum, a thick band of nerve tissue that carries information between the two. This band of nerves is slightly larger, on average, in women than in men - which means the emotional right side of the brain is better connected to the analytical left side. This may be why women are more eamotionally aware. It may also allow emotion to be incorporated more readily into thought and speech. When doing complex tasks, women use both sides of their brain, while men use the side more obviously suited to the task. to test your corpus callosum, try the following :
Close your eyes and spread out your hands, palms facing upwards. Get someone to touch one of your fingertips (say, on the right hand) and with your opposite hand try to touch the correponding finger with the thumb of the same hand. If the information is flowing properly between the hemispheres, you should be able to do this without opening your eyes.

LEARN A LANGUAGE TO STAY YOUNG

Being fluent in two languages, particularly from childhood, enhances cognitives skills and might also protect agains the onset of dementia and other age-related cognitive decline.
One reason for this could be that speaking a second language builds more connections between neurons. Studies show bilingual adults have denser grey matter, especiallyin the part of the brain where language and communication skill are controlled. The increased density was not pronounced in people who learned a second language before the age of five.

Indonesia's Padang, scene of devastation

Indonesia's Padang, scene of devastation

Shared via AddThis

Black-and-white

All photography was originally monochrome, most of these photographs were black-and-white. Even after color film was readily available, black-and-white photography continued to dominate for decades, due to its lower cost and its "classic" photographic look. It is important to note that some monochromatic pictures are not always pure blacks and whites, but also contain other hues depending on the process. The cyanotype process produces an image of blue and white for example. The albumen process, first used more than 150 years ago, produces brown tones.
Many photographers continue to produce some monochrome images. Some full color digital images are processed using a variety of techniques to create black and whites, and some manufacturers produce digital cameras that exclusively shoot monochrome.

Why did it take me so long to try my hand at black white photography?
I guess one reason or excuse is that I never took formal photography lessons, because a lot of photography courses include black and white photography as an essential subject.
Yet another excuse could have been that I didn't take pictures often enough, since I did not have that much time and money to pursue this hobby more fully.
But probably the real reason is this: I was afraid.
What if the pictures turn out badly? I was afraid of trying something new, afraid of failure.
Thinking back now, I can understand those who keep posting on photography forums about wanting to take slides, but never got round to doing it. Why can't they "just do it"? I used to think.
I could have said the same thing to myself about black white photography. Why didn't -- and couldn't -- I just do it? In fact, years ago I had bought a roll of black and white film but, for some reason, never shot it!
If you, like me, had never tried black white photography or monochrome photography, I strongly encourage you - Just do it! Don't worry about the pictures not turning out nice. Most of my first roll didn't. Yet I still experienced the magic; I still felt encouraged to want to do more black white photography.
For a start, you can try digital manipulation, using Adobe Photoshop or similar software, to convert your existing color pictures into black and white photographs.
This was what gave me the urge, and the confidence, to shoot my first roll of black and white film.
The photograph of hands was originally in colour but, because of poor lighting (because the picture was taken at late evening and it had a strong blue cast), it never looked it best -- until I decided to turn it into a "black and white hands".