September 16

September 16 is the 259th day of the year (260th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. There are 106 days remaining until the end of the year.

* 1400 - Owain Glyndŵr declared Prince of Wales by his followers.
* 1701 - James Francis Edward Stuart,sometimes called the "Old Pretender", becomes the Jacobite claimant to the thrones of England and Scotland.
* 1776 - American Revolutionary War: the Battle of Harlem Heights is fought.
* 1795 - United Kingdom conquers Cape Town, South Africa.
* 1810 - With the Grito de Dolores, Father Miguel Hidalgo begins Mexico's fight for independence from Spain
* 1812 - Russians set fire to Moscow shortly after midnight - the city is burned completely down days later.
* 1863 - Robert College of Istanbul-Turkey, the first American educational institution outside the United States is founded by Christopher Robert, an American philanthropist.
* 1887 - The first game of softball was played in Chicago, Illinois
* 1893 - Settlers race in Oklahoma for prime land in the Cherokee Strip.
* 1901 - Alturas, California, incorporated as the only city in Modoc County.
* 1908 - General Motors is founded.
* 1919 - The American Legion is incorporated.
* 1920 - The Wall Street bombing: a bomb in a horse wagon explodes in front of the J.P.Morgan building in New York City - 38 are killed with 400 injured.
* 1940 - Sam Rayburn elected Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, widely regarded as the most effective Speaker of the House in American history.
* 1941 - Concerned that Reza Pahlavi the Shah of Persia was about to align his petroleum-rich country with Germany during World War II, the United Kingdom and the USSR occupy Iran and forced him to resign in favor of his son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
* 1949 - First Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner episode- Fast and Furry-ous is aired.
* 1955 - Juan Perón is deposed in Argentina.
* 1963 - Malaysia is formed from Malaya, Singapore, British North Borneo (Sabah) and Sarawak.
* 1964 - First episode of Bewitched is aired.
* 1966 - The Metropolitan Opera House opens at Lincoln Center in New York City to the world premiere of Samuel Barber's opera, Antony and Cleopatra.
* 1970 - King Hussein of Jordan declares military rule due to the hijacking of four civilian airliners by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). This results in the formation of the Black September Palestinian paramilitary unit.
* 1975 - Papua New Guinea gains its independence from Australia.
* 1975 - The first prototype of the MiG-31 interceptor makes its maiden flight.
* 1976 - Shavarsh Karapetyan saves 20 people from the trolleybus that had fallen into Erevan reservoir
* 1977 - American-born Greek soprano Maria Callas died in Paris
* 1978 - An earthquake hits the city of Tabas, Iran measuring 7.5-7.9 on the Richter scale killing about 25,000 people.
* 1982 - Sabra and Shatila massacre in Lebanon.
* 1987 - The Montreal Protocol is signed to protect the ozone layer from depletion.
* 1991 - The trial of Panamanian "strongman" Manuel Noriega begins in the United States.
* 1992 - Black Wednesday: the Pound Sterling is forced out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism by currency speculators and is forced to devalue against the Deutschmark.
* 2004 - Hurricane Ivan touches land near Pensacola, Florida, becoming the third (now fourth) costliest hurricane to strike the United States.
* 2007 - One-Two-GO Airlines Flight 269 carrying 128 crew and passengers crashes in Thailand killing 89 people.

Births

* 16 - Drusilla, daughter of Germanicus and Agrippina the Elder (d. 38)
* 1098 - Hildegard of Bingen, German magistra and the first componist to be known by name (d. 1179)
* 1387 - King Henry V of England, (d. 1422)
* 1507 - Jiajing, Emperor of China (d. 1567)
* 1557 - Jacques Mauduit, French composer (d. 1627)
* 1651 - Engelbert Kaempfer, German physician and traveler (d. 1716)
* 1666 - Antoine Parent, French mathematician (d. 1716)
* 1678 - Henry St John, English statesman and philosopher (d. 1751)
* 1722 - Gabriel Christie, British general (d. 1799)
* 1725 - Nicolas Desmarest, French geologist (d. 1815)
* 1745 - Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov, Russian field marshal (d. 1813)
* 1782 - Daoguang, Emperor of China (d. 1850)
* 1823 - Francis Parkman, American historian (d. 1893)
* 1827 - Jean Albert Gaudry, French geologist (d. 1908)
* 1853 - Albrecht Kossel, German physician, Nobel laureate (d. 1927)
* 1858 - Andrew Bonar Law, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (d. 1923)
* 1859 - Yuan Shikai, Chinese politician (d. 1916)
* 1875 - James C. Penney, American department store founder (d. 1971)
* 1881 - Clive Bell, English art critic (d. 1964)
* 1883 - T. E. Hulme, English writer (d. 1917)
* 1886 - Jean Arp, Alsatian sculptor and painter (d. 1966)
* 1887 - Nadia Boulanger, French composer and teacher (d. 1979)
* 1888 - F. E. Sillanpää, Finnish writer, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1964)
* 1891 - Stephanie von Hohenlohe, Austrian-born German spy (d. 1972)
* 1891 - Karl Dönitz, German naval leader (d. 1980)
* 1893 - Alexander Korda, Hungarian film director (d. 1956)
* 1893 - Albert Szent-Györgyi, Hungarian physiologist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1986)
* 1905 - Vladimír Holan, Czech poet (d. 1980)
* 1906 - Jack Churchill, English soldier (d. 1996)
* 1906 - Project Mayhem, Auctioneer of José Theodore
* 1910 - Karl Kling, German race car driver (d. 2003)
* 1910 - Erich Kempka, Adolf Hitler's chauffeur (d. 1975)
* 1914 - Allen Funt, American radio and television personality (d. 1999)
* 1916 - M.S. Subbulakshmi, Indian singer (d. 2004)
* 1916 - Robert Bradshaw, Saint Kitts and Nevis politician (d. 1978)
* 1919 - Laurence J. Peter, Canadian born educator and writer (d. 1990)
* 1921 - Jon Hendricks, American jazz singer
* 1922 - Janis Paige, American actress
* 1922 - Marcel Mouloudji, French actor and singer (d. 1994)
* 1923 - Lee Kuan Yew, Minister Mentor of Singapore
* 1924 - Lauren Bacall, American actress
* 1925 - Charlie Byrd, American musician (d. 1999)
* 1925 - B. B. King, American musician
* 1925 - Charles Haughey, Prime Minister of Ireland (d. 2006)
* 1926 - Tommy Bond, American actor (d. 2005)
* 1927 - Peter Falk, American actor
* 1927 - Jack Kelly, American actor (d. 1992)
* 1928 - Lady Gwen Thompson, British occultist (d. 1986)
* 1930 - Anne Francis, American actress
* 1934 - Elgin Baylor, American basketball player
* 1934 - George Chakiris, American actor
* 1935 - Carl Andre, American artist
* 1935 - Bob Kiley, American public transit specialist
* 1937 - Alexander Medved, Russian wrestler
* 1939 - Breyten Breytenbach, South African writer and painter
* 1941 - Richard Perle, American political advisor
* 1942 - Bernie Calvert, British musician (The Hollies)
* 1943 - James Alan McPherson, American writer
* 1944 - Winston Grennan, Jamaican American drummer
* 1946 - Cathee Dahmen, American fashion model
* 1946 - Mike Reynolds, Australian politician
* 1946 - Camilo Sesto, Spanish singer
* 1947 - Russ Abbot, British comedian
* 1947 - Enrique Krauze, Mexican historian and writer
* 1948 - Ron Blair, American bassist
* 1948 - Kenny Jones, English musician (The Small Faces; Faces; The Who)
* 1949 - Ed Begley, Jr., American actor
* 1950 - Loyd Grossman, American television presenter
* 1953 - Eric Vail, Canadian ice hockey player
* 1953 - Nancy Huston, Canadian-born novelist and essayist
* 1954 - Earl Klugh, American jazz guitarist
* 1954 - Frank Reed, American singer (Chi-Lites)
* 1955 - Ron Brewer, American basketball player
* 1955 - Janet Ellis, British television presenter
* 1955 - Yolandita Monge, Puerto Rican singer
* 1955 - Robin Yount, American baseball player
* 1956 - David Copperfield, American magician
* 1956 - Mickey Rourke, American actor
* 1957 - David McCreery, Irish footballer
* 1958 - Orel Hershiser, American baseball player
* 1958 - Neville Southall, Welsh footballer
* 1958 - Jennifer Tilly, American actress
* 1959 - Tim Raines, American baseball player
* 1960 - Danny John-Jules, British actor
* 1960 - Kurt Busiek, American comic book writer
* 1961 - Bilinda Butcher, British singer (My Bloody Valentine)
* 1963 - Richard Marx, American singer
* 1964 - Molly Shannon, American actress
* 1964 - Mary Coustas, Austalian entertainer
* 1965 - Katy Kurtzman, American actress
* 1968 - Marc Anthony, American singer
* 1968 - Walt Becker, American director and writer
* 1970 - Mark Schultz, American musician
* 1971 - Amy Poehler, American comedian (Saturday Night Live)
* 1973 - Alexander Vinokourov, Kazakh cyclist
* 1973 - Justin Haythe, American writer
* 1975 - Shannon Noll, Australian singer and songwriter
* 1976 - Tina Barrett, Former S Club 7 Member
* 1976 - Greg Buckner, American basketball player
* 1976 - Heather Hopper, American actress
* 1978 - Dan Dickau, American basketball player
* 1978 - Matthew Rogers, American singer
* 1980 - Patrik Stefan, Czech hockey player
* 1981 - Alexis Bledel, American actress (Gilmore Girls)
* 1981 - Fan Bingbing, Chinese actress
* 1982 - Leon Knight, English footballer
* 1984 - Katie Melua, Georgian-British singer
* 1984 - Sabrina Bryan, American actress and singer
* 1985 - Madeline Zima, American actress
* 1986 - Kyla Pratt, American actress
* 1987 - Anthony Padilla, American comedian and co-founder of Smosh
* 1988 - Sarah Steele, American actress
* 1988 - Teddy Geiger, American singer
* 2005 - Princess Jalilah bint Ali, of Jordan

It is also a date targeted for the greatest Malaysian political change. Whether it will happen or not, whoever the leaders are or have become, however it turns out, we should all remain calm and work together towards the betterment of this country we call home, Malaysia. On a social and economic level, we have shall reach greater heights provided we are united.

Excuse me but where was the moon?

Was looking forward to reliving those wonderful memories of Mid Autumn Festivals long past. But the heavy downpour at night did not allow much merrymaking at all. In fact the "seniors" who used to create so much hype in the past did no such this time round. The staple fruits and incense was still there but where were the mooncakes?

Have we really progressed this far only to discard with tradition?

Even the moon that was a certainty every 1st and 15th day of the lunar month according to the Chinese calendar seemed to be playing a joke with us.

So, the special prayers were held under cover of the covered car park with all the adults and kids lining up one after the other to light the joss sticks and pray to the moon that was supposed to be there (by the way it only appeared at 11pm after the rain had pured to a drizzle).

I hope next year and pray hard that the Mid Autumn Festival will be better...

Sri Hijau Condominium a poor development by Narajaya

I'm prompted to write this article as a result that I experienced while on a high Floor of this medium-cost apartment "condo" developed by Narajaya Sdn Bhd in Bandar Mahkota Cheras.

Whenever it rains heavily, "flooding" can be seen recurring in these so called condominiums (I still prefer to call them apartments for their obvious lack of facilities). The rainwater gushes in over the window sills as the sliding window that is installed is not exactly weatherproof. I was amazed at the amount of water that was overflowing from the sills and "gushing" down over the wall below and onto the floor. Obviously the owner of this apartment (oops) that I was in did not bargain for such a thing happening when she bought it about over 3 years ago during its launch. Neither was it known that a Chinese temple would be built over part of the Playground along the main road that leads to this apartment (oops oops).

The accumulated damage included warped parquet flooring along the windows, peeling and bubbled paintwork, and furniture. It really does seem that nothing is scared in Malaysia. Even quality can be compromised in such level of delivery.

Other defects and eyesores that can be visually seen include, a swimming pool (the one and only condo "facility") that was poorly done and with some raised and crack tiles, absence of waterproofing between floors with waste water seeping from above into the unit below, road surface that badly needs to be re-tarred again, road markings that have either faded or washed away with the gravel due to the lack of the tar holding it in place, run-down boomgate at the Main Entrance, common areas that needs re-painting, and worse of all cracks that have reappeared after so-called rectification on part of Narajaya.

Next time when you are thinking of buying property, think twice and conduct a detail study into the developer's track records - importantly, evaluate the quality of the work done.

Don't just go rushing into buying the property just because you,

1. Liked its name (and its probably changed by the time you get your housing loan approved)
2. Are attracted to the location (it could be miles away and harder to get to than wahat's mentioned in the ad-hype)
3. Fascinated by the pricing (what you buy it now may be much less in the near future)
4. Swayed by the amenities and facilities (what are these? Not impressed at all)

So, THINK before you ACT or RISK being pumped the wrong way...

Easy on the traffic regulations Malaysia

It's nice to know that the good police officers on duty near the Sime Darby LRT station, Kuala Lumpur, that is also next to a primary school, are sympathetic towards the difficulty of some parents who send their children to that school.

Parents and even buses are sometimes parked along the road side. Traffic moving past have to slow down to avoid these vehicles. Sometimes, the vehicles are side-parked right up into the exit lane leading down to Jalan Kuching. Sympathetic police officers seem to allow these vehicles to stop and park at this road side.

Although nice, some sort of "management" is still required even if it is "allowed".

Sexual Addiction

Is there ever such a thing? If there is, do we blame uncontrollable raging hormones?

As far as I go, we human beings are human due to a host of characteristics and behavior, one of them being sane and wise enough to control how we approach situations.

This condition can cause physical and/or mental anguish, loss in productivity, lack of concentration, lack of time for family, friends, and work.

Symptoms include,
1. Constantly thinking of sex and fantasizing about sex.
2. Using visual aids like the porn magazines, videos, and the Internet for stimulation.
3. Has more sex partners than can be remembered.
4. Lose work due to obsession with sex.
5. Uses sex to feel better.
6. Lies so that sex is obtained.

According to experts, the only way is for the afflicted person to undergo therapy in the form of counseling and abstaining from sex. Sex is important, let it be Recreational and not an Obsession.

A career in Tourism

Tourism is undoubtedly one of the most exciting industries in the world with a forecast annual participation increase of 4%. It remains a steady income for the venue country and an important contributing factor to the country’s GDP growth.

The concept of people traveling from to a venue outside of their normal place of stay and association is forever changing. Long considered a leisure activity for only those that who is blessed with much disposable income, tourism today has branched out into many different categories like budget tours, business tours, food tours, specialty tours and so much more.

People travel for the experience and the benefit of the same; be it for any of the aforementioned purpose categories.

I desire strongly to be in this dynamic industry for the sole reason of the many challenges that it will pose and for the experience that it offers.

Although I am from a completely different industry; with the exception of Retail and F&B being somewhat related to tourism – I am confident that I should be able to adapt and work well in Tourism.

Rules for Dating

Rule #1: No dating at the workplace
Rule #2: Don't hit the sack immediately. Always wait for the third (or fourth... or fifth) date to have sex
Rule #3: Burn the bridges and always move forward and away. Relationships that soured in the past will never last when rekindled.
Rule #4: Never date a friend’s ex
Rule #5: Only date one person at a time
Rule #6: Wait for your date to say “I love you” first. Saying the L-word for the first time is a huge turning point in any relationship.
Rule #7: Have some "Me" time. Couples who are in love spend all and too much of their free time together

Our purpose in life

The lessons we learn are often presented in phases or cycles at various levels of experience, and depending upon our faith, they can sometimes represent a purpose for this incarnation.

About Me (again...)

I'm feeling philosophical today.

I'm a bit of a mystery, sensitive, introspective, and creative, with a tremendous capacity to understand or reflect the motives and dual nature of others. I'm good at keeping secrets (that why I think many people often confide in me). Although I prefer to leave something to the imagination, rather than putting all your cards on the table at once, this may be the result of being unsure or guarded about your own agenda or identity. As a Pieces, I definitely have my mood swings, and go through surreal phases or cycles, causing others to see you as inconsistent, romantic, gossiping, or irrational, but I trust my unconscious, and accept that the only constant thing about me is change...

Mid Autumn Festival

The full moon tomorrow, September 14 this year, will get significant appreciation as it is the 15th day of the eight lunar month in the Chinese calendar, and this date is celebrated and popularly known as the Mid Autumn Festival (aka Lantern Festival aka Mooncake Festival).

This festival is celebrated by tradition with many legends purportedly leading to its inception. Among the most popular and the one I like is about Chang-Er, the wife of Hou-Yi. To escape her husband, she stole the elixir of immortality and floated up to the moon becoming the Moon Goddess.

I still remember when young how much we as kids anticipated the arrival of this festival. Earlier, my mom would bring us out with dad and we would buy lots of candles and a lantern each. The 15th night would be spent lighting candles and taking a stroll through the neighborhood, lanterns lit with candles in hand (back then the crime level was virtually unnoticeable).

When I was much older, we spent the night with an open table under the gaze of the moon, laid out with praying paraphernalia, fruits (inclusive of the Pomelo), Nuts (shaped like 2 bull horns), Peanuts, Watermelon seeds, Chinese Tea, and of course the Mooncake.

Tomorrow night I'm looking forward to reenacting this pleasant experience of a festival we all know as the Mid Autumn Festival.

Always on my mind ~ an Ode to my true love

True love is meant to be forever. You are always on my mind. From my first waking moment to the time in bed and in the moments I dream. Each breath I draw, I do so with you in my mind. Heaven knows that my love is true. Heart beats a song telling I can never ever let you go. My love. My heart. My soul.

Make Promises but remain Flexible

It is fine to make promises but at the same time adopt a flexible attitude as nothing is permanent and everything is susceptible to change. Change is universal and inevitable. Being determined is not enough to prevent dramatic developments of change. Be like the water in the river flowing over and around the obstacle of rocks in the river.

Patience

When you feel that what seems like simple plans are simply not working out and neither as straightforward as you thought, take a breather. Do nothing until you are more confident about where things are headed and how well what you hope achieve can be achieved.

Ask questions rather than regret

During times of exciting change and transition, even the simplest of decisions will seem urgent. These decisions are not as pressing as others make them to be, ask questions and allow the matter to mature over time rather than regret making the wrong decision hastily.

Appear strong

Sometimes to appear strong in the eyes of the world you must conceal the vulnerable side of your nature from all (except those that are closest to you).

English Football

Football is the national sport of dear old England and as such is very much part of the English daily life as in as synonymous as Fish 'n Chips. Many Malaysians are as passionate and avid a English Football fan as most of their counterparts in the UK. England is also considered in the world as the home of the game football.

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Siti Nurhaliza Malaysian Artiste

Siti Nurhaliza the Malaysian singer, who is also a well known Malay Pop Culture icon, was born in 1979 on January 11th. Siti is the fifth child in the family of eight siblings. She comes from a musically inclined family. Her grandfather was a famous violinist, and her mother was a famous local traditional singer.

From the age of 5, she followed her uncle to invitational shows like wedding ceremonies and dinner parties to give her exposure performing live, where she was well received by the local community. During her childhood she was involved in various school activities, including sports and class speeches.

Later, as she continued to work on her singing, she participated in numerous local singing competitions. At 16, she competed in the 1995 RTM Juara Bintang competition. While there, she met Adnan Abu Hassan, a famous Malaysian music composer. He tutored her and helped her with her vocal performance, and ultimately she won the contest. She was granted a contract with Suria Records and in 1996 released her first self-titled album, Siti Nurhaliza. Completing her first album was a challenge because she had to balance working on the album with her preparations for the SPM examination. Despite this, her first album was a great success, and paved the way for successful subsequent albums.

Cartoon Network and Naruto

As a responsible and mature Malaysian, I am not shy to admit that I do still like to watch the Kids Channel and look forward eagerly each time for my favorite cartoons.

Cartoon Network is home to my favorite cartoons and I'm also into Naruto.