I am an ass and I want to kick myself … I needed my passport to travel for the long Gawai Holidays Weekend and realise that I’d forgotten to collected it after having it renewed it last year. So on the way to work, I went to collect my passport. Well, guess what? There’s a 3 months period after which our efficient gahmen would cancel and destroy it. They can be efficient when you don’t want them to be. Which means that I do not have a passport to travel (which my other half would skin me alive) and it would cost me another RM300/- to renew it which I had already paid for when I renewed the passport. Damn!

So how am I feeling right now? Just take a look at the photo. It would be advisable to keep a safe distance from me. I do not make very good company this morning.

Stumble It!

“So what is scambaiting? Well, put simply, you enter into a dialogue with scammers, simply to waste their precious time and resources. Whilst you are doing this, you will be helping to keep the scammers away from real potential victims and screwing around with the minds of deserving thieves.”

This is really hilarious and getting back at the African Fund Scam, that we all had been spammed with on a daily basis, is simply delicious.

The Tale of the Painted Breast is but one of the many scambaiting stories there that you can check out. What’s with the 419? Oh, that refers to the section of the Nigerian penal code which addresses fraud schemes. As with the number of scams going on, there are a lot of letters in the archives to read - so happy reading over the weekend!

I’m so glad that there are people who are getting back at these unscrupulous and very nasty scammers. More people should be made aware of these scams as we still continue to read of people being taken for an expensive and painful ride by these scum scammers. *sigh*

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These photos of an overcast day would probably evoke different feelings from each one of us depending on our moods and situations in life. As such some may find the images peaceful and relaxing while it may be foreboding to others.

Irregardless of the weather, I feel invigorated whenever I see a new body of water as my eyes dart for possible put-ins and my imagination takes flight on what I may discover around the bend. Too many rivers and so few weekends in a year! Life may be short but it can be sweet.

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I like unusual design not just for the sake of it but designs that are not only unique but work well. So I was particularly enamored by this sea kayak called by the intriguing name of “Little Wing” (referring to the flares in the hull design fore and aft) from Warren Light Craft.

Constructed out of Carbon Fiber, Epoxy Resin, Marine Foam Core, the kayak at 32lbs is ultra light. “The closed cell foam core allows Little Wing to be light weight and still withstand collision impacts. The foam will crush under extreme pressure but will not break; an important property for any kayak. The foam provides enough buoyancy to float the kayak even if filled with water.”

What is even more intriguing is the unique shape which is quite unlike any traditional or conventional sea kayaks! And the wings – “The wings, or flares, in the fore and aft allow Little Wing to be both stable and fast. Not only is Little Wing’s stability superior to other high performance kayaks, but with aerodynamic sides and wings that cut through the waves, it is better equipped to handle rough conditions. The wings aid in balancing the kayak in confused and choppy seas in a similar manner to a paddle brace. The wings also make assisted and self rescues easier, especially aft deck rescues.”

Here are some pics from Warren Light Craft’s website.

And how much is the pleasure of owning such a fine craft? It’s USD4,385/- for the base model and there are options for various add-ons and finishes.

Why are toys things we like always so expensive? *sigh*

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I took these sunset clouds when I got home after a tiring and not terribly productive day at the office. It's always a task to keep the staleness away and to maintain a positive outlook in the face of drudgery and problems. The beautiful skies lifted my spirits somewhat but the blues dug deep. I was still teetering just at the edge when dinner calls and the magic of hot and delicious home cooked meals jolted me that I’m blessed to have a family with love ones and comforts of home to assuage my body and soul. And I am thankful.

Hopefully the productivity tomorrow would be in as equal abundance as these beautiful sunset clouds!

Stumble It!

Here we don’t need trained dogs to sniff out pirated DVDs as they are openly on display if you know where to look for them which strangely enough only the general public seemed to know but not the enforcement authorities! Not that I'm really complaining of course!

Perhaps we should get these 2 dogs to train the people here instead! Woof, woof!

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Anyway this was also a wonderful opportunity to take and show Robin who (again) was around for the weekend! The weather was overcast making it a pleasantly cool day for those of us who do not appreciate too much sunlight or who use skin whitener!

Unfortunately the new access road to the beach mentioned by my friend was blocked with wooden barricades. But I knew of another access road to the beach which we took. We paddled from the beach to where we would previously head for and back. The gentle swells were a nice introduction to the conditions of sea kayaking for Robin and "I've-got-visa" Joe who came along with us.

After that we drove around the area to take in the sights and I bought some watermelons which were displayed along the roadside. On the way back and while waiting for the ferry, it started to rain heavily.

All in all it was a pleasant, easy Sunday afternoon and here are some photographs of the gray but beautiful day. A downcast gray for the incumbent trampled at the polls but a pleasant pastel gray for us! Gray can be great!

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My other half had been busy over the weekend re-potting one of the yucca we had previously planted in the old house for about 5 years.

For the initiated, the yuccas are dramatic plants with their cluster of sharp looking leaves and thick stem. They have a ‘minimalist look’ that goes well with modern designs. A yucca is the state flower of New Mexico.

However they are not merely ornamental as the fruits and sometimes the flowers of several species of yucca were used as food by Native Americans. Certain species, particularly Y. baccata and Y. glauca, are called soap plant because of the use of their roots for soap. The fibers of some kinds have been utilized.

Originating from Mexico, Central and North America, they belong to the Liliaceae (lily) family and are very expensive here due to their slow growth. They are sometimes planted indoors and the best known as house plants are Yucca aloifolia (dense head of sharp leaves) and yucca elephantipes (loose head of leaves with a swollen base, like an elephant's foot). The latter is also called spineless yucca or pine lily. White bell-shaped flowers may appear after a number of years but ours had yet to flower.

So here’s the pic of the yucca that is the pride and joy of my other half. And if you’re visiting our place watch out for the spiky leaves as you walked past the gate!

Stumble It!