Great weekend!

This weekend was wonderful cos there was no classes due to Chinese New Year. However, failed in my attempt to prepare my assignments after completion of Module 1. Anyway, 3 more modules to go before my diploma can be realised.

Saturday: Sent my daughter to KL for her dental appointment. While waiting saw the streets were generally quiet and empty at times, so, with nothing better to do decided to take some shots.. (even the sky is not spared..)

Sunday: After Mass went off to Subang Parade for breakfast and window shopping. Discovered the doughnuts at the Big Apple Doughnuts & Coffee outlet were fantastic. Each beverage even comes with a free complimentary doughnut. Not enough, well, bought a dozen variety on top of that.

Doughnuts are really soft and *tempting*

What's left after 2 minutes..

More to spare..

After a tiresome 3 hours stroll we dropped by at Swensons for lunch. The salad and chicken baked rice were fantastico! But I remembered the amount of baked rice last year were more..

Relax and listen

There is absolutely nothing more I would enjoy than to sit back late nights and listen to the swirling saxophone playing against the melodic percussions and jazz piano alternated by flute and electric guitar to the rythmic beat of the drums and bass guitar. Every piece of me would just float in the vast expanse of the universe with not a single care of the world and its complex problems.

Yup, an AV room is just what I need to soothe every neuron in my brain after a hard day's work.

You'd be interested to know that I've spent RM47 for a CD - 'Best Audiophile - Saxophone' comprising 12 tracks by various artistes. The recording has been remastered and sounds fantastic. Audiophile tracks are best listened using the headphones specially built for the audio purists. Gotta start looking for one..

This Cd is worth every cent!

"SiCKO"

This morning I was watching Oprah Winfrey's talk show with Michael Moore on the American Medical Healthcare system and how it's 250 million insured are worried whether these healthcare companies will pay for their medical bills.

Michael Moore, an American filmmaker who directed the Academy Award nominated documentary film 'SiCKO', regarded as controversial and provocative, probably earned the wrath of the US government for taking on the trillion dollar healthcare industry but considered a hero by most Americans who are at the receiving end of this life and death issue.

The film, released in June last year, served as an eye opener to most Americans who were unaware that their healthcare plan were not as good as those found in the Western world. The issue is not so much about those who do not have healthcare plan, but those who have, and having different levels of healthcare plan, where their claims have been denied after being subjected to rigorous investigation. Many of those who became ill, or suffering from critical illnesses, have been accused of hiding the fact during pre-signing of the plan.

During the talk show a video clip was shown to the audience where a medical practitioner for a healthcare testified that advancement in the healthcare company is based on how many claims are denied, which would save the companies millions in dollars; more claims means failure. Driven by this pressure and motivation it's not hard to imagine how far these healthcare companies would go.

Moore was quoted as saying, "We need the healthcare guaranteed for every American, remove the profit from the system and regulate the pharmaceutical companies."

This makes me wonder if healthcare companies in our country is even anything like that. While it is true that profit is essential for companies to survive and remain competitive but how much weight is placed on the insured?

Uneventful Chinese New Year

Today is the 1st day of Chinese New Year and today marks an uneventful day for me except for a visit from a friend from the City Council.

I think for most of us the Chinese NY celebration is no longer an exciting event after the Govnt banned the display of firecrackers and similar stuff deemed 'dangerous'. Oh wonderful! we have our big fat papas and mamas running our lives, dictating what and how we should celebrate our festivals. Meanwhile some top guns who rake in ringgit in thousands, or even millions, without 'earning' them are having a great ball of time somewhere and living their lives to the max!

The irony is that the firecrackers are banned during the Chinese NY season while it is very rampant during other festivities!

When I woke up this morning I told myself that I'll take this one day and spoil myself with movies, DVDs, naps, lazing on the couch, and whatever, cos tomorrow I have to start working on my assignments if I wish to have a better future. So that's what I did the whole day. :-P