How to kill your child, smoothly

[Sci Medical & Health]

From Healthy Day

Parents' Smoking Can Kill Children Years Later

By Ed Edelson

FRIDAY, Jan. 28 (HealthDayNews) -- Here's one more study that shows smoking is bad not only for the health of people who light up but also for those around them -- specifically, for children who breathe in their parents' secondhand smoke.

This research comes from Europe, and it finds that children exposed to secondhand smoke on a daily basis have more than triple the risk of lung cancer and an increased risk of other respiratory problems later in life than those who grew up in a smoke-free environment.

The report appears in the Jan. 28 online issue of the British Medical Journal.

While a number of previous studies have shown the same sort of risk, this one is different because "it is one of the few prospective studies in which information about exposure has been collected before information about the outcome," said study author Dr. Paolo Vineis, a professor of environmental epidemiology at Imperial College London.

It also included a large number of people, more than 123,000 in 10 European countries, who provided information on exposure to secondhand smoke and were followed for an average of seven years.

During that time, 97 people in the study had newly diagnosed lung cancer, 20 had cancers of the upper respiratory tract and 14 died of chronic obstructive lung disease or emphysema.

The increased lung cancer risk was the most striking -- 3.6 times greater for those whose parents smoked. That might seem a large number but, Vineis said, "most of these people are nonsmokers, and you have to put together a lot of people to detect a relatively small number of lung cancers."

Overall, the risk of all lung diseases was 30 percent higher for those exposed to secondhand smoke in childhood, the study found. Predictably, the risk was "consistently higher in former smokers than in those who never smoked," the report said.

The finding adds to the damage that secondhand smoke is known to inflict on children. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [Yahoo news][Yahoo search] estimates that secondhand smoke is responsible for 15,000 to 300,000 lower respiratory tract infections in children each year, causing 7,500 to 15,000 hospitalizations. The EPA also blames secondhand smoke for as many as 1 million asthma attacks in children annually.

And secondhand smoke can be more immediately fatal to children. It is blamed for an estimated 1,900 to 2,700 cases of sudden infant death syndrome in the United States each year.

"Most countries are introducing laws about secondhand smoke exposure," Vineis said. Most recently, Italy has banned smoking in all public places, including bars and restaurants. New York and other cities in the United States have similar bans.

Smoking at home cannot be banned. But "parents should avoid smoking at all times in the presence of their children," Vineis advised.

Dr. Norman Edelman, a consultant on scientific affairs for the American Lung Association, goes further. "If you must smoke, don't smoke in an indoor area that is shared by anyone else," he said.

One important finding of the new study is that the harmful effect of secondhand smoke is much greater in former smokers than nonsmokers, Edelman said.

"It gives credence to the idea that total exposure to smoke is a major determinant of damage," he said. "Basically, cigarette smoke is bad no matter how you take it in."

More Info:

The dangers of secondhand smoke are described by the U.S.[Environmental Protection Agency].

9T9: Thanks God, Im still alive, healthily even thought my late father and all my inlaws was a heavy smoker. Maybe my nose have such an air filter [Sorry yea, not bulu hidung OK]. Dear smoking parents, while you've smoke pls think abt someone else around you... dont KILL them smoothly before you've provide them with one of this:

What wrong with my account department

[My Malaysiana]

Till now, still no pay maaa... No pay, no idea to blog today. How to settle all my bill this month, when January just in the corner [remember that Astro ads, electric bill also don't pay]. Nevermind this just nice broke man, will spend his holiday t'mrw just inside his [box] Continuing do his programming marathon. Huwaaa... what a life lah.

Anyway I'm in the halfway to transfer www.ninetnine.net to my own hosting. Moving from Blogspot.com to my own hosting plan. Appreciate any technical advisor from someone out there. Any ideas for it? And also, just waiting for the payment to come in. No money, no hosting maa. No hosting, no moving'lah... hehehe. Any millionaire out there, wanna help me. Then i'll advertise for FREE for ur kindness. [Serius, No kidding].

BTW, happy holidays for t'mrw. Selamat Hari Wilayah e'bdy*. Happy b'day to WP KL, Labuan and Putrajaya... hopefully you'll grown up soon. Hehehe Selangor's... see we're still hav holidays mate.

*To whom may it celebrate ;-)

Why they still snatching

[Crimes]

From The Star

Snatch thief nabbed after high-speed chase

IPOH: A snatch thief ran through a red light and crashed into two cars and a road sign in his haste to flee from three policemen during a high-speed chase in Jalan Kampar here on Friday.

The policemen, on motorcycles, nabbed the 20-year-old thief, who had tried to escape in his car after grabbing a handbag from a 60-year-old woman at a nearby shopping mall.

Ipoh Deputy OCPD Supt Che Sab Hanafiah said the incident occurred five minutes after the man snatched the bag from the woman as she was walking to her car at 4.45pm.

As he ran to his car, the thief also knocked down a man, in his 40s, who suffered minor injuries.

Supt Che Sab said the suspect then drove towards Jalan Leong Boon Swee, where he was spotted by the patrolmen who gave chase.

"The suspect ran through the traffic lights and collided with two cars. This caused him to lose control of his vehicle, which hit the road sign. The car landed on its side a few metres from a restaurant," he said.

Supt Che Sab said the suspect, who was from Manong, was detained and the bag containing the victim's personal documents and RM34 were recovered from his car

From Berita Harian

Peragut kecundang selepas lima minit
Oleh Mohd Hamizar Hamid

IPOH: Seorang peragut berusia 20 tahun hanya sempat melarikan diri selama lima minit sebelum diberkas polis selepas kereta Perodua Kancil yang dipandunya terbalik di hadapan sebuah restoran di Jalan Leong Boon Soi di sini, kelmarin.

Timbalan Ketua Polis Daerah Ipoh, Superintendan Che Sab Hanafiah berkata, dalam kejadian kira-kira jam 4.45 petang itu, peragut berkenaan dikatakan meragut beg tangan seorang wanita berusia 60 tahun di tempat letak kereta sebuah pusat beli-belah di Jalan Kampar di sini.

Beliau berkata, peragut itu kemudian menaiki sebuah Kancil milik ibunya sebelum melarikan diri dan kemudian melanggar papan tanda di kawasan berkenaan.

Polis yang menerima laporan mengenai kes ragut itu kemudian mengarahkan tiga anggotanya menjejaki kereta yang dipandu peragut sebelum mengesannya di Jalan Tapah.

"Kereta yang dipandu peragut itu dikejar tiga anggota polis yang menunggang motosikal masing-masing dari Jalan Kampar sehingga Jalan Tapah.

"Peragut terbabit turut tidak menghiraukan lampu isyarat merah dan kemudian melanggar papan tanda sebelum terbalik di hadapan sebuah restoran," katanya ketika ditemui di pejabatnya di sini, semalam.

Che Sab berkata, lelaki yang berasal dari Manong, Kuala Kangsar itu cedera ringan kemudian ditahan untuk siasatan.

Polis turut menemui beg tangan yang mengandungi wang tunai RM34 dipercayai milik wanita berusia 60 tahun itu yang diragut lelaki itu.

What a lucky Mr Karpal

[My Malaysiana]

Thanks God, you still alive.
From The Star

Karpal Singh injured in crash

By K. KASTURI DEWI

PENANG: DAP national chairman Karpal Singh usually sits in the front passenger seat of taxis to chat with cabbies whenever he moves around.

On Friday, he made a switch and sat in the backseat. That probably saved his life, said his wife Gurmit Kaur.

Karpal Singh, 65, had taken the taxi from the Penang International Airport to his house in Jalan Utama when a car rammed into it at midnight.

Gurmit Kaur said she was surprised to find that he was seated behind.

“It must have been God’s way of saving his life because had he been seated in front, he would have been thrown towards the windscreen,” she said outside the Gleneagles Medical Centre’s intensive care unit where her husband was warded.

The car rammed into the taxi which was waiting to turn right into Karpal Singh’s house.

Gurmit Kaur said the 42-year-old car driver looked hysterical after the accident.

“He kept saying ‘What have I done? What have I done? This is the Tiger of Jelutong,’” she said.

She also said the taxi’s rear left door was jammed and Karpal Singh could only be brought out from the other side.

Gurmit Kaur said that her husband, received an endless stream of visitors, was advised by the doctors to have complete rest.

Doctors said Karpal Singh suffered neck injuries.

“He is much better today and was able to speak to me.

“Doctors said there is no need for surgery and neither is there any injury to the head,” Gurmit Kaur said.

Among those who visited Karpal Singh at the hospital yesterday were state MCA chairman Datuk Wong Kam Hoong, Opposition Leader Lim Kit Siang, state DAP chairman Chow Kon Yeow, Sungai Puyu assemblyman Phee Boon Poh and Bukit Mertajam MP Chong Eng.

Taxi driver Soid Abdul Ghani, 48, said he picked up Karpal Singh at the airport at 11.30pm.

“He would usually be chatting away. Yesterday, however, he was rather quiet and wanted to sit behind. I thought he was tired after his flight,” he said.

Soid said he had put on the indicator to turn right into the house when suddenly, a car rammed into the taxi.

“Karpal Singh moaned in pain and I immediately got out of the car to check on his condition. He just told me to get his wife before he passed out,” he said.

“I called her and then walked towards the car which had rammed into the taxi and the driver was still seated inside. He seemed to be crying,” he said.

Soid lodged a police report at the George Town police district headquarters at 2.07am yesterday.

He said passers-by had stopped to help and the ambulance arrived about 15 minutes later.

Karpal Singh’s eldest son, Jagdeep Singh Deo, said the car driver handed his identity card to him after the accident.

“He made a few phone calls on his handphone and a few minutes later, he was driven off by his friends,” he said.

What you can call it - ANIMAL

[Crimes]

Beware of this beast...
From The Star

Sweet-talker admits to rape and cheating

TAIPING: A sweet-talking con man has cheated 23 people and raped at least two women here since 2003.

The 29-year-old, from Bukit Mertajam, was arrested in Jalan Simpang here on Jan 20 and has admitted to the crimes.

Larut Matang and Selama OCPD Asst Comm Mohd Amin Abdullah was not amused with the man’s tactic of using a fictitious name similar to his.

"When he befriends a Muslim female victim, he would introduce himself as a Chinese Muslim convert, identifying himself as Mohd Amin Tan Abdullah," he said.

To his non-Muslim victims, he would talk them into believing that he had the ability to forecast four-digit lottery, said ACP Mohd Amin.

"Other than hypnotising his victims, he appeared quite convincing, speaking words which were apparently sweet to the ears of his victims," he added.

Those with information on the case can contact DSP G. Indraraja at tel: 05-808-0222.

What was happened actually

[My Australasia]

From The Star

Police seek leads in Aussie's death

PETALING JAYA: Police are appealing to the public for any information on the hit-and-run incident where an Australian was killed at the 34.2th kilometre of the Federal Highway on Thursday morning.

Petaling Jaya police district traffic investigating officer Inspector Edmund John said no new leads were received on the Toyota Unser that is said to have knocked down 39-year-old Todd Anthony White near the Selangor-Kuala Lumpur border arch.

"The workers could not note down the plate number of the vehicle as it sped off from the scene," said Insp John, and appealed to witnesses to contact the district traffic headquarters at 03-7956 2222 or the nearest police station.

In the 2.30am incident, White died on the spot after he was mowed down by the vehicle.

The project manager and four workers were working on the second lane of the highway at the time.

Insp John said two workers were manning the traffic flow when the vehicle was spotted travelling in the second lane

What have you done, snatcher

[Crimes]

From UTUSAN ONLINE

Mangsa ragut koma

MELAKA 29 Jan. - Seorang wanita Indonesia yang menjadi mangsa ragut kini bertarung dengan maut setelah cedera parah apabila beg tangannya diragut dua lelaki bermotosikal di tempat letak kereta Hospital Mahkota, Bandar Hilir, di sini malam Khamis lalu.

Mangsa yang hanya dikenali sebagai Lenny, 37, seorang akauntan di Jakarta, Indonesia, dirawat di Unit Rawatan Rapi (ICU) Hospital Mahkota di sini, kini dalam keadaan koma akibat cedera di kepala.

Sehingga tengah hari ini, keadaannya masih dilaporkan kritikal.

Mangsa dikatakan berada di Melaka kerana melancong bersama keluarganya.

Jurucakap polis memberitahu, kejadian berlaku kira-kira 8 malam, ketika mangsa bersama ibunya berusia 61 tahun sedang berjalan di tempat kejadian dipercayai untuk pergi ke pusat membeli-belah Mahkota Parade.

Dua lelaki menunggang sebuah motosikal menghampiri mangsa dan salah seorang daripadanya tiba-tiba meragut beg tangan mangsa.

``Bagaimanapun, wanita itu tidak melepaskan beg tangannya dan telah diseret kira-kira dua meter dari tempat kejadian.

``Akibat ditarik dengan kuat, mangsa telah terjatuh di atas jalan raya dan kepalanya telah terhantuk di atas tanah lalu pengsan,'' kata jurucakap itu ketika dihubungi di sini hari ini.

Kata jurucakap berkenaan, peragut terbabit kemudiannya melepaskan beg tangan mangsa dan melarikan diri sebaik sahaja menyedari kehadiran orang awam yang melihat kejadian itu.

Katanya, mangsa telah dibawa oleh orang ramai ke hospital berkenaan untuk rawatan selanjutnya.

Ibu mangsa kemudiannya membuat laporan polis berhubung kejadian itu di Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah Melaka Tengah, semalam.

Sementara itu, Timbalan Ketua Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah negeri, Supritendan Ariffin Sutan ketika dihubungi mengesahkan kejadian itu dan siasatan kes itu dijalankan mengikut Seksyen 394 Kanun Keseksaan.

From Berita Harian 27 January, 2005

Juruwang diragut, RM6,400 lesap

KUANTAN: Seorang juruwang sebuah kolej di sini, terjatuh selepas rambutnya ditarik peragut sebelum melarikan sampul surat mengandungi wang tunai RM6,400 di sini, kelmarin.

Kejadian kira-kira jam 3 petang itu berlaku ketika wanita berkenaan berjalan berseorangan untuk menyimpan wang di sebuah bank di sini.

Ketua Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Negeri, Asisten Komisioner Ahmad Noordin Ahmad Mustafa, berkata mangsa yang berusia 21 tahun tidak cedera.

Dalam kejadian itu, katanya, dua peragut yang menunggang motosikal dikatakan menghampiri mangsa dari hadapan sebelum seorang daripadanya menarik rambut wanita itu.

"Berikutan itu, mangsa terjatuh dan seorang daripada peragut merampas sampul surat yang dibawa sebelum melarikan diri ke arah Jalan Gambut," katanya.

Beliau berkata, mangsa terpaksa melepaskan sampul surat mengandungi wang tunai RM6,400 yang digenggamnya kerana tidak dapat menahan kesakitan apabila rambutnya ditarik.

"Mangsa dikatakan cuba mengejar dua peragut itu, tetapi gagal," katanya di sini, semalam.

How much its cost... to be a snatch thief

[Crimes]

Finally courts have snatched his freedom for NINE years. Yess! You've got it, may God bless you, and try to behave inside there...

From The Star

Snatch thief gets nine years
By LOONG MENG YEE

SHAH ALAM: The allegedly rich and infamous snatch thief who pursued an extravagant lifestyle has been jailed nine years.

On the first charge, Abdul Khalid Hamid, 45, pleaded guilty to stealing a handbag belonging to one Choong Kim Yin containing, among others, RM40 and a mobile phone.

He admitted committing the offence at Jalan USJ6/2G in Subang Jaya at 9am on Aug 4, 2004.

Abdul Khalid also admitted to the second charge of keeping 26 stolen items, including identity cards, driving licences, ATM cards and wallets, which were kept in a Mercedes-Benz at his house at Jalan Sungai Congkak 32/46 in Taman Bukit Rimau here on Aug 5.

Sessions Court judge Suraya Othman jailed Abdul Khalid four years for the handbag theft and another five years for having the stolen items.

The punishments were to run consecutively from the date of his arrest on Aug 4 last year.

Abdul Khalid had initially pleaded guilty to the two charges but had a change of heart later and claimed trial.

He changed his plea to guilty again when the two charges were read out to him yesterday.

He, however, maintained his "not guilty" pleas to three other charges, which are: snatching a handbag belonging to one Zuraidah Mohd Dahari, keeping stolen items belonging to four persons at his house in Bukit Rimau, and being in possession of a stolen motorcycle.

The judge said she decided that the jail terms were to be served consecutively based on the criminal act and the large number of stolen items.

"I have to take into account the public interest related to this case".

"I hope this sentence serves as a warning that one has to pay heavily for committing crimes," she said.

Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Sallehuddin Saidin urged the court to mete out a sentence befitting the crimes committed by Abdul Khalid.

Abdul Khalid's counsel Tabian Tahir told the court to take into consideration his client's poor health, saying the accused was suffering from shingles and had stones in his kidney.

"He was out of a job and was forced into committing the criminal acts as he had to support his wife and two children," said Tabian.

A visit to the renovated double-storey house of the accused at Bukit Rimau showed a tightly-shut premises with a signboard hung on the gate declaring that the property had been confiscated.

The plants in the garden had begun to brown from neglect as folks in Bukit Rimau told The Star how the wife and their two children had left the house days after Abdul Khalid's arrest on Aug 4.

"They were a low-profile family, kept mostly to themselves," said a neighbour who declined to be named.

Fellow Bukit Rimau resident, Sharil Suhaimi, 25, said it was difficult to believe that the seemingly successful Abdul Khalid had been caught and even charged in court for numerous cases of snatch theft.

From Berita Harian

Peragut mewah mengaku salah kena 9 tahun
Oleh Rafidah Mat Ruzki

SHAH ALAM: Peragut mewah, Abdul Khalid Hamid, dijatuhkan hukuman penjara sembilan tahun oleh Mahkamah Sesyen di sini semalam selepas mengaku bersalah terhadap dua daripada lima tuduhan dihadapinya iaitu meragut dan menyimpan barang curi.

Abdul Khalid, 45, seorang penganggur, dijatuhkan hukuman penjara empat tahun bagi kesalahan meragut seorang wanita, Choong Kin Yin, 22, di Jalan USJ6/2G, Subang Jaya, kira-kira jam 9 pagi, 4 Ogos tahun lalu.

Dia turut mengaku bersalah menyimpan 26 harta curi dalam Mercedes Benz yang diletakkan di sebuah rumah di Bukit Rimau, Shah Alam, dijatuhkan hukuman penjara lima tahun.

Hakim Suraya Othman, menjatuhkan hukuman itu memerintahkan kedua-dua hukuman dijalankan berturut-turut bermula tarikh dia ditangkap, 4 Ogos tahun lalu.

Abdul Khalid kemudian meminta mahkamah mempertimbangkan hukuman terhadap tiga tuduhan lain iaitu menyimpan harta curi mengikut Seksyen 411 Kanun Keseksaan; mencuri, mengikut Seksyen 379 Kanun Keseksaan dan menyimpan harta curi mengikut Seksyen 411 Kanun Keseksaan, pindaan kedua.

Suraya dalam penghakimannya berkata, jumlah barang curi yang dijumpai dalam Mercedes milik Abdul Khalid, menunjukkan kesalahan ragut dan samun itu sudah dijalankan beberapa kali oleh seseorang atau beberapa orang serta tertuduh menyimpan barang berkenaan di rumahnya.

Katanya, jumlah harta curi yang banyak itu menunjukkan samun bersiri dijalankan oleh seseorang atau beberapa orang dan Abdul Khalid turut bersubahat.

“Mahkamah berpendapat, hukuman yang diberikan untuk memberi pengajaran dan amaran kepada kamu dan bakal pesalah bahawa melakukan ragut dan samun sebagai sumber rezeki atas penderitaan orang lain adalah perbuatan tidak berfaedah.

“Sebaliknya, peragut itu akan tersingkir daripada masyarakat. Mahkamah mengambil kira tiga lagi pertuduhan yang kamu mahu mahkamah ambil kira,” katanya.

Suraya berkata, hukuman dijatuhkan berasingan berdasarkan fakta pendakwa iaitu barang kes yang dikemukakan terlalu banyak dan ia diperoleh daripada ragut dan samun.

Terdahulu, Timbalan Pendakwa Raya Salehuddin Saidin, memberitahu mahkamah, tertuduh merompak seorang wanita, Choong Kin Yin, ketika mangsa sedang berjalan kaki di Jalan USJ 6/2G, Subang Jaya, dengan meragut beg tangan yang mengandungi satu telefon bimbit jenama Nokia, kad pengenalan, lesen memandu dan wang tunai sejumlah RM40.

“Keterangan (tuduhan memiliki barang curi) menunjukkan bahawa pada 5 Ogos 2004, lebih kurang jam 2.30 petang di dalam Mercedes Benz yang diletakkan di pekarangan rumah di Bukit Rimau, polis menjumpai harta curi seperti yang terdapat dalam pertuduhan pindaan kepada pertuduhan pertama.

“Keterangan menunjukkan harta ini adalah harta curi yang diperoleh tertuduh sama ada melalui hasil perbuatan curi atau rompak,” katanya.

Peguam bela tertuduh, Tabian Tahir, dalam rayuan untuk hukuman ringan berkata, tertuduh berumur 45 tahun dan sudah berhenti kerja sebagai seorang eksekutif di Malaysia Airport Berhad (MAB).

Katanya, tertuduh juga mempunyai seorang isteri yang tidak bekerja dan dua anak berumur satu dan lima tahun.

“Dia juga sudah mengaku salah dan itu menjimatkan masa mahkamah. Selain itu, dia juga memberi kerjasama baik kepada polis selepas ditangkap.

“Sejak ditangkap, dia sedar dan insaf dengan kesalahan lalu dan pengalaman di penjara memberi pengajaran kepadanya,” katanya.

Salehuddin pula dalam hujahnya berkata, walaupun tertuduh tidak menyebabkan kecederaan tetapi kesalahan itu amat serius kerana tindakan tertuduh meragut beg tangan mangsa boleh mengakibatkan kecederaan serius kepada mangsa.

“Kes ragut sering berlaku dan masyarakat tidak boleh menerima kesalahan seperti ini. Masyarakat mahukan hukuman yang boleh memberi contoh kepada sesiapa yang melakukan kesalahan dan berniat melakukan kesalahan serupa," katanya.

Beliau berkata, keputusan mahkamah perlu mengambil kira kepentingan orang ramai dan masyarakat perlu dilindungi daripada golongan seperti tertuduh.

From UTUSAN ONLINE

`Peragut mewah' dihukum penjara sembilan tahun

By NORAZLITA MOHD. SIES

SHAH ALAM 28 Jan. - Seorang penganggur yang digelar `peragut mewah' dihukum penjara sembilan tahun oleh Mahkamah Sesyen di sini hari ini setelah mengaku salah atas dua daripada lima tuduhan iaitu merompak secara meragut dan menyimpan `khazanah' curi dalam kereta Mercedes Benz di rumahnya di Bukit Rimau, di sini.

Hakim Suraya Othman menjatuhkan hukuman itu ke atas Abdul Khalid Hamid, 45, setelah bapa kepada dua orang anak itu mengambil keputusan untuk menukar pengakuannya.

Abdul Khalid diwakili oleh dua peguam bela, Tabian Tahir dan Hashim Ibrahim.

Ketika menjatuhkan hukuman, Suraya berkata, Abdul Khalid perlu dihukum dengan hukuman yang berat dan setimpal dengan kesalahan yang dilakukannya.

``Hukuman ini diharap dapat menjadi satu amaran kepada bakal-bakal penjenayah yang mencari rezeki atas penderitaan orang lain,'' kata hakim itu.

Terdahulu selepas pertuduhan dibacakan semula, Abdul Khalid yang memakai kemeja bercorak kotak-kotak mengaku bersalah atas tuduhan merompak dengan cara meragut beg tangan seorang wanita, Choong Kim Yin, 21, yang sedang berjalan kaki pada pukul 9 pagi, 30 Ogos tahun lalu di USJ 62G, Subang Jaya dekat sini.

Dia yang didakwa mengikut Seksyen 390 Kanun Keseksaan boleh dihukum mengikut Seksyen 392 kanun yang sama. Hukuman yang diperuntukkan ialah penjara maksimum 10 tahun dan boleh dikenakan denda jika sabit kesalahan.

Bagi kesalahan itu, Suraya memerintahkan supaya Abdul Khalid dipenjarakan selama empat tahun mulai tarikh ditangkap pada 4 Ogos tahun lalu.

Abdul Khalid juga mengaku menyimpan pelbagai jenis harta curi di dalam sebuah kereta Mercedes Benz bernombor pendaftaran WJT 5433 pada pukul 2.30 petang, 5 Ogos tahun lalu di rumahnya di No.4, Jalan Sungai Congkak 32/46, Bukit Rimau, di sini.

Suraya memerintahkan Abdul Khalid dihukum penjara lima tahun bagi kesalahan itu.

Sungguhpun begitu, beliau mengarahkan supaya hukuman tersebut berkuat kuasa selepas dia selesai menjalani hukuman yang pertama.

Sebelum hukuman dijatuhkan, Tabian merayu supaya mahkamah meringankan hukuman anak guamnya memandangkan dia kini telah insaf dan bertaubat sejak menjalani kehidupan di penjara.

Menurut peguam bela itu, beliau diberitahu bahawa Abdul Khalid pernah bekerja sebagai eksekutif di Malaysia Airport Berhad (MAB).

``Oleh kerana desakan hidup ditambah pula terpaksa menanggung dua anak yang masih kecil dan isteri yang tidak bekerja, dia terjebak dalam jenayah ini,'' kata Tabian.

Tambah beliau lagi, sungguhpun seramai 26 orang mangsa yang terlibat, namun tiada sebarang kekerasan mahupun kecederaan dialami oleh mangsa.

Selain menghidap kayap, ujar peguam itu, Abdul Khalid turut menderita penyakit batu karang.

Timbalan Pendakwa Raya, Salehuddin Saidin bagaimanapun mengesahkan, pihaknya bersetuju supaya tiga lagi kesalahan (pertuduhan) iaitu meragut dan menyimpan barang curi di rumahnya serta menyimpan motosikal curi yang dihadapi oleh Abdul Khalid dipertimbangkan bersama dua kesalahan tersebut ketika mahkamah menjatuhkan hukuman.

Salehuddin bagaimanapun menggesa mahkamah menjatuhkan hukuman yang berat sebagai mesej kepada masyarakat dalam usaha menangani dan mengekang jenayah ragut.

Tambahan pula, kata pendakwa raya itu, sejak kebelakangan ini kejadian ragut semakin berleluasa hingga ada mangsa yang mati dan tidak kurang pula yang mendapat kecederaan serius.

Sementara itu, pelbagai barangan hasil rompakan dipamerkan di atas meja di dalam mahkamah untuk dikenal pasti dan disahkan oleh Abdul Khalid sebagai barangan yang pernah dirampas daripada mangsa.

Antara barangan yang didakwa sebagai harta curi ialah enam keping kad pengenalan, lesen memandu, kad-kad bank, lima buah beg duit dan pelbagai jenis kad termasuk kad akuan nikah dan kad Universiti Malaya serta Prima College dan juga pelbagai jenis kad lain.

Abdul Khalid menjadi bualan dan tajuk utama akhbar sebagai `peragut mewah' kerana mampu memperoleh pendapatan RM10,000 sebulan dan memiliki kereta mewah Mercedes Benz setelah bergiat aktif dalam jenayah sejak dua tahun lepas.

Dia diberkas polis 4 Ogos tahun lalu selepas motosikal Honda EX5 curi yang ditungganginya terlibat dalam satu kemalangan di Subang Jaya selepas dikatakan meragut beg tangan seorang wanita di kawasan berhampiran.

How lucky I'am

[Crimes]

I'm so lucky today, receiving email from most known person as Mrs Suha Arafat [pic] was out of my imagination. She so generously wanna share something with me... alone - sure regarding her husband money [somewhere in the secret bank]. But you're lucky too, coz I wanna share its content too with all of you. [maybe this is the big Ang Pow ever] Happy reading. [FYI Mrs. Arafat now stayed in South Africa lorr.]

Subject: YASSER ARAFAT WILL

Dear Friend,

I am Mrs. SUHA ARAFAT, the wife of YASSER ARAFAT, the Palestinian leader who died recently in Paris. Since his death and even prior to the announcement, I have been thrown into a state of antagonism, confusion, humiliation,frustration and hopelessness by the present leadership of the Palestinian Liberation Organization and the new Prime Minister. I have even been subjected to physical and psychological torture.

As a widow that is so traumatized, I have lost confidence with everybody in the country at the moment. You view this website:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3965541.stm

You must have heard over the media reports and the Internet on the discovery of some fund in my husband secret bank account and companies and the allegations of some huge sums of money deposited by my husband in my name of which I have refuses to disclose or give up to the corrupt Palestine Government.

In fact the total sum allegedly discovered by the Government so far is in the tune of about $6.5 Billion Dollars. And they are not relenting on their effort to make me poor for life. As you know, the Moslem community has no regards for woman, more importantly when the woman is from a christian background, hence my desire for a
foreign assistance.

I have deposited the sum of 21 million dollars with a Financial firm in Europe whose name is withheld for now until we open communication. I shall be grateful if you could receive this fund into your bank account for safe keeping and any Investment opportunity. This arrangement will be known to you and I alone and all our correspondence should be strictly on email alone because our government has tapped all my lines and are monitoring all my moves. In view of the above, if you are willing to assist for our mutual benefits, we will have to negotiate on your
Percentage share of the $21,000,000 that will be kept in your position for a while and invested in your name for my trust pending when my Daughter, Zahwa, will come off age and take full responsibility of her Family Estate/inheritance.

Please note that this is a golden opportunity that comes once in life time and more so, if you are honest, I am going to entrust more funds in your care as this is one of the legacy we keep for our children.

In case you don't accept please do not let me out to the security and international media as I am giving you this information in total trust and confidence I will greatly appreciate if you accept my proposal in good faith. Please expedite action.

Yours sincerely,
Suha Arafat

9T9: In the name of real Mrs Arafat, WE feel sorry with this kind of SPAM, have moved around. But the TRUTH must be put here to remind the rest for gather the correct info.

How many thy hav left

[My Australasia]

Still remember with Battle of Galipoli? Fimiliar with wht thy call it ANZAC. Why thy call their vet "digger". All my deepest condolenses to family of NSW's last surviving digger Mr Gilbert Bennion, who died yesterday.

NSW's last WWI digger dies
By Jonathan King

Gilbert Bennion, the state's last link to World War I, died in Tweed Heads on the North Coast yesterday aged 106. He was the last survivor in NSW of all those who enlisted in the AIF to fight in the 1914-18 war.

Fortunately for Mr Bennion, who enlisted aged 19 in the Queensland 8th Reinforcements in 1918, the war ended before he was able to leave Australia to take part in the conflict. His parents had stopped him from enlisting earlier because his only brother had been serving in France, but on his brother's return he enlisted.

Had he reached the front in time he would have been an asset because he won the prize as the best shot with a .303 rifle while training in the Non-Commissioned Officers school. At the same time he may not have lived to a ripe old age, because 48,000 Australians died on the Western Front, far more than the 8709 killed at Gallipoli in 1915.

Disappointed about missing out on World War I, Mr Bennion made sure he helped in World War II by training men for this conflict, even though he was too old to leave Australia himself.

Between and after the wars, Mr Bennion, who was born in Croydon, North Queensland in 1898, served the Queensland Railways for 50 years. He retired in 1961 as the last stationmaster at Tweed Heads before the line was closed.

Always bright and cheerful, at his 106th birthday last October he told the Herald he felt like he "was walking on air", as he was so happy to be celebrating with his large family.

A Tweed Heads personality in his own right, Mr Bennion subsequently appeared on a range of radio programs including the ABC's Australia All Over where he was often interviewed by Ian "Macca" MacNamara.

Mr Bennion always attributed his healthy life to abstinence.

"I never drank because beer made me sick and I gave up the filthy habit of smoking in the 1920s," he said recently.

The Premier, Bob Carr, said yesterday: "This brings to an end a chapter of NSW history."

His death leaves only three veterans from World War I, Peter Casserly, 106 of Perth, (William) Evan Allan, 105, and John Ross, 104, of Bendigo.

Mr Bennion leaves a daughter, Shirley, three grandsons - Grant, John and Geoff - and five great-grandchildren.

Last three

There are now three surviving Australian WWI veterans.

Victoria:

* John Ross, 105, wireless operator who enlisted at the age of 18 near the war's end.
* William Allan, 105, seaman who served in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Also served in WWII.

Western Australia:

* Peter Casserly, 106, railway engineer who served as sapper on the Western Front.

Why with December 26th

[My Malaysiana]

Why its so significant to me. [sorry this post 1 month late]

Not because of 1996 tropical storm Greg hit Keningau in Sabah. Over 100 were killed.

Not because of 1999 France & countries to east hit by severe storms & rain. Over 100 people were killed.

Not because of 2003 Earthquake in Bam, Iran. Over 45,000 were killed.

Not only because of the 2004 deadliest earthquake and tsunami or because many major earthquake a.k.a disaster happen around this date.

Not because of 1791 Charles Babbage, English mathematician and inventor of computing machines birthday.

Not because of 1893 Mao Zedong, China great leader birthday.

Not because JACK JOHNSON WINS HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE in 1908.

Not because of 1982 TIME magazine's Man of the Year was for the first time given to a non-human; a computer.

Not because of 1991 Supreme Soviet meets and formally dissolves the USSR

Not because Kwanzaa start on this day.

Not also thats a Boxing day that Im not celebrate.

but because of on that day, Friday December 26, 2003 - my beloved father passed away peacefully in front of me at Melaka Hospital ICU. He just 61 years old. After all, now Im not alone feels [that...] on December 26 every year. May Allah be pleased with him and all who's perished on that sad day Insya Allah. al-Fatihah for them. Ayah we'll always miss you.

External Links:

December 26 is the 360th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, 361st in leap years. There are 5 days remaining.

Tsunami impact felt one month on

How Davenport ends Molik's Open run

[My Australasia]

Whoaa, as from what Im read just now...
From AAP

Davenport ends Molik's Open run

World No.1 Lindsay Davenport ended Alicia Molik's fairytale Australian Open run with an epic three-set quarter-final victory at Melbourne Park.

Davenport eliminated Australia's big hope 6-4 4-6 9-7 to reach the semi-finals for the fifth time.

Molik, who turns 24 on Thursday, was bidding to become the first Australian woman since Wendy Turnbull in 1984 to reach the last four of the Open.

External Links:

Open-Davenport holds off Molik in thriller

Davenport beats Molik in epic

What they found outside Nicole Kidman's home

[My Australasia]

No... not the CCTV camera (likes our fellow Malaysian did, Opss), not a bomb but just a 'listening device'. Maybe that mad, just wanna voice, not the pix. So beware mates [To whom tht always hv nasty conversation over the phone]... this kinda listening device sure can rocks ur relations even ur mariages like what was happen to poor Brad-Jen-Jolie [More...].

Australian police probe "bug" found outside Nicole Kidman's home

SYDNEY (AFP) - Hollywood star Nicole Kidman was interviewed by Australian police after finding a covert listening device installed outside the movie star's Sydney home.

Police said they wanted to speak to paparazzi who were staking out Kidman's mansion on Sunday in the hope of securing a picture of the actress, who is currently back in her hometown to film her latest movie "Eucalyptus" with fellow Australia-based Oscar winner Russell Crowe.

Detective inspector Grant Taylor said closed circuit television footage showed a man apparently planting the bug in the street near Kidman's residence in the exclusive harbourside enclave of Darling Point.

"Miss Kidman has been spoken to today at her house in relation to this matter, she is undoubtedly concerned in regards to why this device may have been placed there and if she is the potential target of this device," Taylor said. "At the time this device was found there were media paparazzi, if I may use that term, in the street."

Police are conducting tests on the device.

How you spend your Thaipusam holidays

[My Malaysiana]

I'm working at KL, it's a normal working days. All my neighbors mostly working in Selangor maybe have a fun today. Have a day out for shopping, sight seeing etc. But please don't come into KL or just uses our public transport. Not only at Batu Caves but here in front my office, there's another event to wacth out, when two consecutive states have not the same holidays - Traffic Jammed. That truely My Malaysiana. To all Ninetnine Network Hindu friends, Happy celebrating Thaipusam. so how you spend your Thaipusam holidays.

External Links:

Prayers chanted for tsunami victims

Thaipusam - a test of faith

What thy have for Australia Day

[My Australasia]

at Open thy have TWO when their Hewitt and Molik needs to play in quarter-finals of the Open on Australia Day. [More...]

Find more, what will happen tht day, time to ignite thy sense of national pride. [More..] To all my Aussie mate, Happy Australia Day!

External Links:

National Australia Day

Australia Day - Victoria

What a miracle - Sole Tsunami Survivor Found After 25 Days

[My Australasia]

Another miracle story of Tsunamis survivor, now in Nicobar Island, Andaman Sea. He was in his underwear and had used his clothes to make the flag, "Help me! Im a survivor"

India navy finds tsunami survivor
A man has been rescued by the Indian navy 25 days after being thrown by the Indian Ocean tsunami on a remote island in the Andaman and Nicobar islands.

Michael Mangal was first sucked into the sea and then thrown back onto the shore where he survived on coconuts.

The Nicobarese tribesman is said to be exhausted but only slightly injured.

At least 1,894 people were killed by the 26 December earthquake and tsunami in the Andaman and Nicobar islands and more than 5,500 are missing.

Michael Mangal was spotted on the tiny island of Pillow Panja on Friday, the navy said.

"He was in his underwear and had used his clothes to make the flag," navy spokesman Salil Mehta told French news agency AFP.

"He was exhausted and weak when the rescue team brought him back to Port Blair," Mr Mehta said.

Mr Mangal told the rescue team he had searched "high and low" for people from his devastated village.

He said he had sat on a tree for several days and nights as he was afraid of being "swallowed by the ocean".

More than 160,000 people are known to have been killed by the tsunami and officials have warned the exact figure may never be known.

On Friday, a United Nations conference adopted a plan to reduce casualties and damage caused by natural disaster.

Delegates from around the world in the Japanese city of Kobe agreed on the need to build tsunami early warning systems and make disaster preparation a priority.

But the five-day forum failed to set specific targets or deadlines from implementing the plan.
BBC News

Why she really wanna pregnant

[Sci Medical & Health]

From BBC News

Oldest mother 'regrets abortions'

A 66-year-old Romanian woman thought to have become the world's oldest mother has revealed that she had two abortions in her early 20s.

Adriana Iliescu told a UK newspaper she regretted the terminations, which she said were then seen as an accepted form of birth control in Romania.

"In those days I would never have thought of a termination as murder as I do now," she told the Sunday Telegraph.

Mrs Iliescu gave birth to a baby girl, named Eliza Maria, earlier this month.

Both she and her doctors have rejected criticism that she is too old and frail to bring up a child.

She told the Sunday Telegraph that she became pregnant twice in her early 20s during a four-year marriage.

"I got married when I was only 20 and still a student," she was quoted as saying from her bed at the Panait Sarbu Hospital in Bucharest.

"My husband was also still a student at the atomic physics university back then, and the marriage didn't last long. We divorced four years later.

"In that time I had two pregnancy terminations - it was the normal thing back then and the accepted form of contraception. If there is anything I regret then it is those terminations, not having a baby now.

"Religion was not a big part of many people's lives and I had never had any religious education, I believed the party line that a foetus is only considered a life when it is older than three months."

'Gift from God'

Mrs Iliescu said she "discovered religion" after her marriage and is now Romanian Orthodox. She believes that, after decades of hoping for a child, her daughter's arrival had divine sanction, the newspaper reported.

"During this time I never gave up my faith in God and in the power of trying to realise one's dreams," she said.

She spoke of her immense joy when her baby was born, five weeks early, after undergoing nine years of fertility treatment.

"It was the happiest [moment] in my life. She grabbed my finger with her tiny hand and held it - it was a gift from God," she told the newspaper.

Mrs Iliescu, a retired university professor and author of children's books, says she is optimistic about her future as a mother and claims her family has a history of longevity.

Dr Bogdan Marinescu, who carried out the fertility treatment, justified the procedure by saying she was in an appropriate condition to give birth.

Mrs Iliescu's case has led to calls by Romanian officials for a public debate on the medical and ethical consequences of fertility treatments.

Related post:

Oldest momma ever known to have given birth.

How to STOP smoking while you have Parkinson's

[Sci Medical & Health]

One Swedish study gives another excuse for you to not STOP smoking. Any comments mate, since Im not that tabbaco user. May the Parkinson's will not be with you.

Health warning: smoking may be good for Parkinson's

STOCKHOLM (AFP) - Tobacco may have at least one virtue -- that of providing some protection against the onset of Parkinson's disease, according to a new Swedish study.

Researchers at the Karolinska Institute, Sweden's leading medical research center, looked at the medical and death records of sets of Swedish twins, in which one smoked and the other did not.

"Many studies have shown a protective effect of cigarette smoking on Parkinson's disease," said the study published online this month by the Annals of Neurology -- but many have argued that this may have been due to genetic factors.

By studying twins with different life styles, the researchers said they sought to exclude the genetic factor.

They found no association between Parkinson's disease, a degenerative neurological condition, and alcohol, coffee or place of residence.

But smokers appeared to be less affected, which the researchers said, confirmed "the protective effect of smoking on Parkinson's disease" and established that the association "is only partially explained by genetic and familial environmental factors.

9T9: Maybe good for this, but still bad for others. Primary and secondary smokers are riskless for 101 health complication.

Eid ul Adha - Eid Mubarak - Salam Aidil Adha

[InterFaith]

A pigeon flies over the great mosque in Mecca as hundreds of thousands of pilgrims perform Friday prayers in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Friday. Many pilgrims streaming into Islam's holy city for the annual hajj prayed for the 157,000 people killed in last month's tsunami that devastated southern Asia. PHOTO: AP

9T9: To all muslim readers & friends of NINETNINE NETWORKS... Wished you all Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Adha, may whatever your sacrifices will blessed by Allah SWT InsyaAllah. May Allah guide you always!!! Mom, will your journey blessed, safe and mabrur. Call me if you can read this (kidding).

Thanks God, our arab brothers are still there.

[InterFaith]

Muslim pilgrims pray for tsunami victims

MECCA, Saudi Arabia - Pilgrims streaming into Islam's holy city for the annual hajj prayed for the 157,000 people killed in last month's tsunami that devastated southern Asia, and asked God to give survivors the courage to cope.

The tragedy weighed heavy as the spiritual journey geared up, with Indonesia - the world's most populous Muslim nation with 220 million people - hit hardest. But 200,000 Indonesians, the country's quota, still were expected.

One Indonesian man spoke Friday of his surprise over the dozens of strangers who noticed his nationality printed on the pouch around his neck, and approached to offer condolences for the more than 100,000 Indonesians who died Dec. 26. Another Indonesian found a quiet spot to pray for a lost friend.

Mohamed Saleh, a teacher from Jakarta stood outside the city's Grand Mosque and prayed, his hands raised and his eyes filled with tears.

"I have lost a friend in the tsunami, and I pray for him and the souls of all those that have perished," said Saleh, 50. "I pray that God will mend broken hearts and give them courage to overcome the grief."

Inside the mosque, pilgrims circled the kaaba, a cubic stone structure toward which Muslims turn for prayers five times a day. Pilgrims circle the kaaba to start and finish hajj rituals, which can be stretched over days but peak with prayers on Mount Arafat, where Islam's founding Prophet Muhammad delivered his final sermon.

Two million Muslims perform the pilgrimage each year, a once-in-a-lifetime duty of all able-bodied Muslims who can afford it. Many go repeatedly; it is believed to cleanse the soul and wipe away sin. By Friday, traffic into Mecca was bumper to bumper.

Security was high throughout Mecca, where Saudi officials try to prevent stampedes or other accidents as well as watch for possible terror attacks. At checkpoints several miles outside the holy city, officers stopped cars randomly, peering into trunks, shining mirrors to look for explosives in undercarriages and checking IDs.

The official Saudi Press Agency reported 5,849 reserve officers and police were helping keep order and manage traffic this hajj season. Saudi Health Minister Hamad al-Manie told reporters Thursday his ministry is watching for any signs of epidemics, particularly among pilgrims from tsunami-hit areas. Thus far, none have been spotted.

About 100 Indonesian women, walking together, many arm in arm, wore headscarves identifying them as from Aceh, the devastated northern region of Sumatra island.

None of them spoke English, but at the word "tsunami," several made wave-like gestures and gave looks of horror -- opening their eyes wide and covering their mouths with their hands. Others sighed deeply, before all melted into the crowd circling the kaaba.

Some of the pilgrims thanked Islamic countries for sending aid.

Abdullah Sharfuddin, 21, from Jakarta, praised Saudi generosity, noting the US$84 million raised for victims in a recent telethon, ``but we need to do more.''

AP

9T9: Some already sing that Paula Cole new song Where Have All The Arabs Gone in Aceh.

Five Email from the World - Untired SPAMMERS

[Crimes]

Since this email didn't traped into my Gmail spam killer... So maybe there's something special about it. Anyone interested, please contact me... 50-50 its OK lah.

Email 1:

Subject: BUSINESS

120, Nelson Mandela Mansion,

Paul Kruger Street,

Boksburg South,

Republic of South Africa
------------------------------------------------

(RE: TRANSFER OF ($ 26,000.000.00 USD}
{ TWENTY SIX MILLION DOLLARS)

Hello,

Warmest greetings to you.I want to solicit your attention
to transfer to overseas (26,000,000.00 USD)
twenty six million United States Dollars from a Bank
in Africa. I also want to ask you to quietly look for
a reliable and honest person who will be capable and
fit to provide either an existing bank account or to
set up a new Bank a/c immediately to receive this money,
even an empty a/c can serve to receive this money,
as long as you will remain honest to me till the end
of this important business trusting in you and believing
that you will never let me down either now or in future.

I am Dr.Michael Brown, the Auditor General of a bank in
Africa, during the course of our auditing I
discovered a floating fund in an account opened in
the bank in 1990 and since 1993 nobody has operated on
this account again. After going through some old files
in the records, I discovered that the owner of the
account died without a [heir] hence the money is
floating and if I do not remit this money out
urgently it will be forfeited for nothing. The owner
of this account is Mr. Howard Sweeney, a
foreigner and a miner.

He made millions of dollars before he died misteriously .Since
1993 no other person knows about this account or any
thing concerning it. My investigation proved to me that
the account has no other beneficiary and that
Mr. Howard Sweeney until his death was the manager
Sweeney Coy.(pty). SA.

We will start the first transfer with six million dollars
[$6,000,000.00] upon successful transaction
without any disappoint from your side, we shall
re-apply for the payment of the remaining amount
to your account.

The amount involved is (USD 26M) twenty six million
United States Dollars, I want to first transfer
$6,000,000.00 [Six million United States Dollars]
from this money into a safe foreigners account abroad
before the rest, but I don't know any foreigner.
I am only contacting you as a foreigner because this
money cannot be approved to a local person here without
a valid foreign international passport, but can only
be approved to any foreigner with valid international
passport or drivers license and foreign a/c because
the money is in US dollars and the former owner of the
a/c, Mr. Howard Sweeney was a foreigner too,
[and the money can only be approved into a foreign a/c].

I need your full co-operation to make this work fine
because the management is ready to approve this
payment to any foreigner who has correct information
of this account, which I will give to you, upon your
positive response and once I am convinced that you
are capable and will meet up with instruction of a
key bank official who is deeply involved with me in
this business.

I need your strong assurance that you will never,
never let me down.So, please reply urgently so that
I will inform you the next step to take . Send also
your private telephone and fax number including the
full details of the account to be used for the deposit.

With my influence and the position of the bank
official, we can transfer this money to any foreigner's
reliable account which you can provide with assurance
that this money will be intact pending my physical
arrival in your country for sharing.

I will apply for annual leave to get visa immediately
I hear from you that you are ready to act and receive
this fund in your account. I will use my position and
influence to obtain all legal approvals for onward
transfer of this money to your account with
appropriate clearance from the relevant ministries
and foreign exchange departments.

At the conclusion of this business, you will be given
35% of the total amount, 60% will be for me, while 5%
will be for expenses both parties might have incurred
during the process of transferring.

Sincerely,

Dr.Michael Brown.

Email 2:

Subject: THANKS uvq

Dear Friend

As you read this, I don't want you to feel sorry for me, because, I believe everyone will die someday.
My name is BEN FADIGA a merchant in PHILIPPINES, I have been diagnosed with Esophageal cancer
.It has defiled all forms of medical treatment, and right now I have only about a few months to live,
according to medical experts. I have not particularly lived my life so well, as I never really cared
for anyone (not even myself) but my business. Though I am very rich, I was never generous, I was
always hostile to people and only focused on my business as that was the only thing I cared for. But now
I regret all this as I now know that there is more to life than just wanting to have or make all the money in
the world.I believe when God gives me a second chance to come to this world I would live my life a
different way from how I have lived it. Now that God has called me, I have willed and given
most of my property and assets to my immediate and extended family
members as well as a few close friends.I want God to be merciful to me
and accept my soul so, I have decided to give alms to charity
organizations, as I want this to be one of the last good deeds I do on
earth. So far,

I have distributed money to some charity organizations in the U.A.E,
Algeria and Malaysia, Indian and Pakistan. Now that my health has
deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this myself anymore.

I once asked members of my family to close one of my
accounts in Switzerland and distribute the money which I have there to
charity organization in Bulgaria and Pakistan, they refused and kept
the money to themselves. Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they
seem not to be contended with what I have left for them.

The last of my money which no one knows of is the huge
cash deposit of $36,000.000.00 million united states dollars that I
have with a finance/Security Company abroad. I will want you to help me
collect this deposit and dispatched it to charity organizations.

I have set aside twenty percent for you and for your time.

My email address is: [ Undisclose ]

God be with you.

regards

BEN FADIGA

Email 3:

Subject: PLEASE REPLY

17th January 2005.

Dear Friend,

I am Mr Simon Wong, credit officer of the Dah Sing Bank Ltd.I have a
concealed business suggestion for you.

Before the U.S and Iraqi war, our client General. Hassan Fazi who was
with the Iraqi forces and also business man made a numbered fixed
deposit for 18 calendar months, with a value of Fourty Three Million,Six Hundred
Thousand United State Dollars only in my branch.

Upon maturity several notice was sent to him, even during the war
early this year. Again after the war another notification was sent and
still no response came from him. We later find out that the General and
hisfamily had been killed during the war in bomb blast that hit their home.

After further investigation it was also discovered that Gen. Hassan
Fazi did not declare any next of kin in his official papers including
the
paper work of his bank deposit. And he also confided in me the last
time he was at my office that no one except me knew of his deposit in my bank.
So, Fourty Three Million,Six Hundred Thousand United State Dollars is
still lying in my bank and no one will ever come forward to claim it.

What bothers me most is that according to the laws of my country at the expiration of three years the funds will revert to the ownership of the Hong Kong Government if nobody applies to claim the funds.

Against this backdrop, my suggestion to you is that I will like you
as a foreigner to stand as the next of kin to Gen.Hassan Fazi so that
you will be able to receive his funds.

WHAT IS TO BE DONE:

I want you to know that I have had everything planned out so that we
shall come out successful.

I have contacted an attorney that will prepare the necessary document
that will back you up as the next of kin to Gen.Hassan Fazi ,all that is
required from you at this stage is for you to provide me with your
Full Names and Address so that the attorney can commence his job.

After you have been made the next of kin,the attorney will also fill
in for claims on your behalf and secure the necessary approval and
letter of probate in your favor for the move of the funds to an account
that will be provided by you.

There is no risk involved at all in the matter as we are going adopt
a legalized method and the attorney will prepare all the necessary
documents.

Please endeavor to observe utmost discretion in all matters
concerning this issue.

Once the funds have been transferred to your nominated bank account
we shall share in the ratio of 70% for me, 25% for you and 5%for any
expenses
incurred during the course of this operation.

Should you be interested please send me your private phone and fax
numbers for easy communication,you can write me via my private box thus:
( Undisclosed )
and i will provide you with more details of this operation.

Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.

Kind Regards

Mr.Simon Wong

Email 4:

Subject: PLEASE REPLY

FROM: THEMBA MULATO
TEL: 27826947612
FAX: 27726330432
JOHANNESBURG,

SOUTH AFRICA.

email: themba2008@hotmail.com

Good Day

Permit me to inform you of my desire of going into business relationship with you. I am THEMBA MULATO, The first son of late Mr. and Mrs.DANTATA MULATO. My father was a very wealthy GOLD and COCOA merchant who based in ACCRA GHANA and ZAIRE respectively, He was poisoned to death by his business associates on one of their business outings. When my mother died on 1st October 1994,My father took me and my brother so special because we were motherless. Before the death of my father on the 29th November 2000 in a private hospital in ZAIRE, he sincerely called me on his bedside and told me that he had a sum of U.S$35,000,000.00 US DOLLARS (THIRTY FIVE MILLION US DOLLARS) kept in a security company in Johannesburg, South Africa. He also said that the security company does not know the content of the safe box. He also used my name to Deposit the money as his first son for next of kin. He explained to me that it was because of his wealth that he was poisoned by his business associates, That I should seek for a foreign partner in a country of my choice were l will transfer this money and use it for investment purposes, I want you to assist me in clearing this fund into your account overseas as a beneficiary of the fund, and also use it for investment purpose, such as real estate management. My interested areas of investment are, REAL ESTATE, HOTELS,PETROLEUM INDUSTRY, and MANUFACTURING. Am honorably seeking for your assistance in the following ways.

(1)To assist me to clear this fund from the security company and transfer to your account successfully.

(2) To provide a bank account into which this money would be transferred to.

(3)To serve as the guardian of this fund since l am a boy of (28) yrs.
Moreover, I am willing to offer you 19% of the total sum as compensation for your effort and input after the successful transfer of this fund to
your nominated account.

Furthermore, you can indicate your opinion towards assisting me as l
believe that this transaction would be concluded within 14 days from
the day you signify interest to assist me. I await to hear from you as soon as
possible. Thanks and God bless you for your anticipated cooperation.
Call me at TEL.: 27826947612 for more information.

Best Regards,

THEMBA MULATO

Email 5:

Subject: Hello Dear,

Hello Dear,

I am Engr. Dan Mustaf, of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation. I
was the formal chairman of project Award Committee. In the year 1999-2001
my corporation Awarded contract to German firm to supply & construction
of pipeline in my ministry in the (TNPC), the contract was executed and
the contractors were Duly paid. We now have an over-inflated bill to the
tune of U.S. $32.5m Lodges with one of the Offshore Payment Center here
in Nigeria .

But for the fact that we are civil servant we are not allow to operate a
foreign account. I hereby decided to present you as my friend and business
partner to claim my share of the money ($8.200 000) from the Offshore Payment
Center

However, to places you in a better position of having a claim to the said
fund, I need the following from you to enable us prepare the necessary documents
that will give you a legal backing to the fund. {1} YOUR PERSONAL NAME AND
ADDRESS OR YOUR COMPANY NAME AND ADRESS. {2} YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE AND
FAX NUMBERS. Finally I have already made a proper arrangement on how you
will receive the money and all the documentation will be prepared in your
name . Be assured that, this transaction is 100% risk free and I will give
you with %20. Also this transaction needs maximum confidentiality and trust.
If you are interested in doing this business with me, kindly send me email
immediately for more details. Your response will be highly appreciated.

You can write me via my new e-mail dan_mustaf@ureach.com

Thank you so much for your understanding

Dan Mustaf.

9T9: Hello kindly and generaously SPAMMERS, better refer to Aid, donation, relief info for that kindness effort. Thats just nice right?

Any Kelantanese here?

[My Malaysiana]

Need to be sopan santun nowadays. Hopefully my words will not so rude, vulgar, abusive and so so today and tomorrow (hopefully). As a Malaccan, we're always to be misundertood as "mulut lancang", insulter, curser, vulgarism etc. Whatever it is... but I'm always proudly to be Malaccan. Now Kelantanese le pulak... sabau ajerlah.

From UTUSAN MALAYSIA (free Edition)

Hentikan binate mu - Nik Aziz

KOTA BHARU 19 Jan. - Selepas Melaka menasihatkan rakyatnya supaya jangan berseloroh menggunakan bahasa kasar celaka dan lahabau kau, Kelantan pula meminta penduduknya jangan bergurau menggunakan perkataan bewok mu (biawak kau) atau binate mu (binatang kau.

Menteri Besar, Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat ketika memberi nasihat itu berkata: ``Saya minta masyarakat di negeri mana sekali pun supaya kikiskan budaya sedemikian kerana ia tidak baik. Ini budaya Melayu lama.''

Katanya, budaya suka berseloroh menggunakan bahasa kasar dan buruk melambangkan peribadi yang tidak baik.

Beliau berkata, budaya suka berseloroh menggunakan bahasa kasar dan buruk itu ada dilakukan di mana-mana negeri di negara ini.

``Contoh penggunaan perkataan `biawak' (bewok) di Kelantan. Gurauan ini akhirnya boleh membawa mudarat,'' katanya kepada pemberita selepas Mesyuarat Exco Kerajaan Negeri di Kota Darulnaim hari ini.

Beliau diminta mengulas Kempen Budi Bahasa dan Nilai-Nilai Murni yang dilancarkan oleh Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi baru-baru ini.

Kempen itu antara lain bertujuan memupuk sifat-sifat terpuji dalam masyarakat.

Nik Abdul Aziz berkata, bagi mencapai matlamat kempen itu, masyarakat mesti diterapkan dengan ajaran agama kerana melalui cara itu sahaja dapat melahirkan masyarakat berakhlak iaitu berbudi bahasa.

Katanya, budi bahasa mustahil boleh dilakukan kalau tidak melalui ajaran agama yang dijanjikan ganjaran syurga di akhirat nanti.

``Mana ada manusia sanggup berbudi bahasa tanpa ada apa-apa ganjaran. Allah cipta manusia dan Allah tahu manusia hendak kepada benda, maka dijanjikan syurga dan neraka,'' katanya.

Justeru beliau berkata, masyarakat berbudi bahasa apabila mereka mengingati syurga dan neraka.

Related post:

Ermmm, Bahasa Menunjukkan Bangsa?

Ermmm, Bahasa Menunjukkan Bangsa?

[My Malaysiana]

Betulkah kata orang Bahasa Menunjukkan Bangsa ni? Selama menjadi citizen republic of Malacca ni, setahu aku... dah terkenal seluruh tanahair orang Melaka antara Malaysian yang peramah (top three)*. All races. In my hometown, we've Malays (plus minority Jawa, Banjar, Bugis etc), Chinese, Baba & Nyonya, Indian, India Muslim, Chetty, Eurasian, Portugis, almond London etc. Different races and religious, multi culture and language and all this mix together becomes cheerful original pure abusive word-proof Malaccan.

Not everytimes we use what outsiders says abusive in our conversation. And for sure we didn't easily curse (maki) outsiders (i.e lahabau, hawauu, mak kau, kepala #*$! kau etc.) especially to our guest. Come on mate, if you think that the reality, how come Malacca can be another tourist attraction for Malaysia especially for the southern region.

So what your point of view to rojak language like I did... So how with my race? *%#@!!!

From UTUSAN MALAYSIA (Free Editon)

Orang Melaka diminta tinggalkan ungkapan lahabau
By AZMAN IBRAHIM

MELAKA 18 Jan. - Budaya sebahagian masyarakat di negeri ini yang gemar berseloroh menggunakan bahasa kasar seperti celaka dan lahabau kau wajar ditinggalkan kerana ia sudah lapuk dan tidak melambangkan ketinggian ketamadunan Melayu.

Walaupun penggunaan perkataan sedemikian termasuk juga hawau dan sial kau sebagai tanda `mesra', Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Hal Ehwal Wanita dan Kebajikan Negeri, Datuk Ramlah Abbas berpendapat, ia tidak elok ditujukan kepada orang lain kerana membawa maksud tidak baik.

Meskipun mesej yang hendak disampaikan baik, penggunaan perkataan itu tidak sesuai dan bertentangan dengan budaya masyarakat Melayu, tegas beliau.

``Perkataan-perkataan itu memang tidak elok. Memang tidak dapat dinafikan dan tidak boleh dibahaskan lagi.

``Kebanyakan orang Melayu yang berumur 35 tahun ke bawah tidak pandai menilai budaya dan adat mana yang baik dan buruk untuk dijadikan amalan mereka.

``Golongan tua pula sebenarnya mempunyai asas budaya yang kukuh, tetapi mereka perlu disedarkan supaya menjadi contoh yang baik kepada golongan yang lebih muda untuk lebih bersopan santun,'' katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia hari ini.

Beliau mengulas mengenai Kempen Budi Bahasa dan Nilai-Nilai Murni yang dilancarkan oleh Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi baru-baru ini.

Kempen itu antara lain bertujuan memupuk sifat-sifat terpuji dalam masyarakat.

Bagi mencapai matlamat itu, Ramlah berkata, generasi masa kini perlu diberi suntikan nilai-nilai murni dan tatasusila bagi memelihara adat Melayu yang semakin dilupakan itu.

Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kebudayaan dan Pelancongan Negeri, Datuk Wira Amid Nordin pula berkata, remaja sasaran terbaik bagi kempen itu.

Pada masa ini, katanya, kebanyakan remaja negeri ini telah hilang identiti, budaya dan nilai-nilai murni sehingga mereka tidak tahu untuk berbahasa dengan golongan muda, sebaya atau lebih tua.

``Kalau di negara ini, sebut saja orang Melaka, ramai yang beranggapan rakyatnya gemar menggunakan perkataan kesat dan kasar.

``Saya tidak setuju jika perkataan maki-hamun dan mencarut itu dijadikan amalan oleh sesiapa sahaja kerana ia tidak baik dan memang wajar ditolak,'' jelasnya.

Amid mencadangkan setiap aktiviti sempena kempen itu perlu dijalankan di kompleks beli-belah dan pusat tumpuan remaja bagi menarik perhatian golongan terbabit.

Top Three - Alor Gajah, Melaka Tengah, Jasin*

An apology... BlackOut updates!!!

[My Malaysiana]

To all Malaysian (Esp. Southerners)
Sorry mate, my friends Jojo and gang from Kapar have eaten that wire. I don't know what it is actually. But they called it switchgear... It taste bad... and all my friends died immediately. Sorry for them. Now we're still waiting for the post mortem report and what will TNB say on it. Thousand apologies.

On behalf of Jojo and gang.

Related Post:

Apology accepted but never again

Online Finally... BlackOut updates!!!

BlackOut Updates!!!

Oldest momma ever known to have given birth.

[Sci Medical & Health]

Who said after menopause, they can't deliver anymore. Thanks god to this medical miracle. Before any granny here to try it (for whatever reason), better watch out any health issue and all complication or consequences to given birth at that age. LOL another excuse for late marriages out there.

From AFP

At 67, Romanian becomes oldest woman ever to give birth

BUCHAREST (AFP) - A 67-year-old Romanian became the oldest woman ever known to have given birth, although one of her twin girls died shortly afterwards, Bucharest's Giulesti Hospital told a TV station.

Adriana Iliescu, a retired university professor, had undergone fertility treatment for nine years before succeeding in becoming pregnant.

Realitatea TV said she had given birth to twin girls, one of whom had died almost immediately. The surviving infant, which weighed 1.4 kilogram (three pounds), was in good health, the TV channel said.

The previous record was held by an Italian woman who gave birth to a baby boy at the age of 62. Doctors had implanted the egg of a young Italian woman which had been fertlized by her husband's sperm.

Doctors who handled the Iliescu pregnancy maintained total secrecy about the case, which became known to the Romanian public only from one exclusive interview Iliescu gave on the Realitatea television channel last month.

In the appearance, filmed in a hospital whose identity and location were not divulged, the retired professor said she had "not been able to resign myself to not having a child."

"I always dreamt of being a mother, and now I'm experiencing the happiest time of my life, waiting to bring my twin daughters into the world," the graying academic said with visible emotion.

Iliescu said she did not feel the effect of her relatively advanced years.

The case has sparked widespread controversy.

"She will be too old to see her children grow up," lamented the newspaper Cotidianul ahead of the birth, questioning the ethics of doctors who consented to her being artificially inseminated.

But the Church has adopted a conciliatory position.

"The Bible preaches love and procreation at whatever age," said the press office of Patriarch Bogdan Teleanu, head of the Romanian Orthodox Church.

Lucia Cornea, a staff member of Romania's centre for assisted reproduction, does not agree: "It's a scandal," she said.

Gheorghe Borcean, head of the Romanian medical profession's ethics committee, meanwhile criticised the mystery that shrouded the case.

"A case of such prominence should require academic debates and not just one single television report," he complained.

He said the Iliescu experiment had been "very risky both for the mother and for the children."

"Furthermore the quality of the sperm used for conception is doubtful," he warned.

A new Romanian law on assisted reproduction will come into effect in the country on January 1, 2007, the date on which Romania hopes to join the European Union, Cornea says.

"This law, in line with European norms, is expected to include an age limit of around 50 years of age for Romanian women seeking artificial insemination," she notes.

Online Finally... BlackOut updates!!!

[My Malaysiana]

Now... only I can Online... Have been disconected from my last post. In here, my network-man have try their best again and again. Even we call our provider - but Steamyx says their line was OK. But till now (5:23PM) still can't retrive my email. How your place???

Last Updates:
KLCC - Still blackout or...?
Some place in KL and Ulu Klang - Now OK
RTM - Now on air
Other place - ?

Related link:

Power supply to parts of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Malacca restored

Tripping in Kapar power switchyard cause of major blackout

Parts of Malaysia hit by major blackout

BlackOut Updates!!!

[My Malaysiana]

RTM - Temporarily out of signal in ASTRO, TV3 OK
J.B(Hospital Sultanah Aminah Johor Bahru) - Blackout
Seremban - Blackout
Port Dickson - Blackout
Melaka - Blackout
KLCC, Angkasaraya and some building around it - Blackout
My Office (Jalan Ampang) - OK

Last Updates: 1:09PM

Wish if we've this one...

[Sci Medical & Health]

USNS Mercy

USNS Comfort

So we can sail it around the world to save and serve people. Like to disaster-affected country or in area of crisis. Maybe people in Aceh, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indian Cost may beneficial with this now, if we have it around here. So hopefully ICRC or other aid agencies will consider having this floating hospital in the future.

Related articles:

U.S. sends Navy hospital ship to Asia

USNS Mercy

USNS Comfort

What You Can Do Right Now to Support Wellbeing

[Sci Medical & Health]

From Tsunami Help for Sri Lanka: Psychosocial Issues

Psychosocial Aspects of the Tsunami Disaster: What You Can Do Right Now to Support Wellbeing

People in areas affected by tsunamis may be experiencing many different emotional and physical responses at this time. Some of these responses include confusion, fear, hopelessness, sleeplessness, crying, difficulty in eating, headaches, body aches, anxiety, and anger. They may be feeling helpless; some may be in a state of shock; others may be aggressive, mistrustful, feeling betrayed, despairing, feeling relieved or guilty that they are alive, sad that many others have died, and ashamed of how they might have reacted or behaved during the critical incidents. There may be some experiencing a sense of outrage, shaken religious faith, loss of confidence in themselves or others, or sense of having betrayed or been betrayed by others they trusted.

These are all normal reactions to extremely dangerous or stressful situations, or where people have felt helpless or overwhelmed. They do not mean that these people are traumatised, mentally disturbed or mentally ill. The majority of people will experience these reactions only for a short period of time; others may experience them for longer.

You may be able to support people get through these normal reactions and reduce further distress while meeting their basic and other practical needs by following the suggestions below.

DOs

* Do listen to people who share their stories, if necessary again and again.
* Do be friendly, compassionate and caring, even if people are angry or demanding.
* Do give practical help or assistance to people as and when required.
* Do help people to contact others either through post or making telephone calls on their behalf.
* Do engage people in meeting their own needs.
* Do find out where the government and non-government services are located and direct people to the appropriate services available in the area.
* Do understand the emotions of people who have suffered losses, and take them seriously. There is no right or wrong way for people to feel, given the horrific situation.
* Do give reliable information about what tsunamis are and how they occur. This will help people understand the situation.
* Do protect people from further harm, as they may be vulnerable to assault and abuse by those who are taking advantage of the chaotic situation.

DON’Ts

* Don’t force people to share their stories with you, especially very personal details. If they don’t want to talk much, do not disturb them.
* Don’t tell people what you think they should be feeling, thinking or doing.
* Don’t make promises about what you will do for them, if you are not sure about this.
* Don’t give simple reassurances to people, saying ‘everything will be ok’, or ‘at least you have survived’ or ‘others have suffered more than you’.
* Don’t tell people why you think they have suffered, especially giving reasons about their personal behaviours or beliefs.
* Don’t tell people what you think they should have or could have done, whilst in the critical situation, especially to save loved ones.
* Don’t criticise existing services and activities being carried out in these areas, especially in front of people who are in need of these services. Support the service providers to make the services better.
* Don’t separate surviving family members and relatives from one another, if possible, especially children.
* Don’t label people as traumatised.

Prepared by Psychosocial Support Programme and National Council for Mental Health, Sahanaya in collaboration with Dr. Jagath Bandara and Dr. Mahesh Rajasuriya from the College of Psychiatrists, Colombo. Please send in your comments and feedback to pspcp@eol.lk or sahanaya@panlanka.net. 01st January 2005

A new missing person forum at Aceh Media Center

Please visit this new alternatif site for missing people in Aceh:

http://www.acehmediacenter.or.id/id/missing/

Beware of this

[Crimes]

Scam artists hitch a ride on tsunami relief effort

NEW YORK (AFP) - The unprecedented relief effort for victims of the Asian tsunami disaster has proved a magnet for scam artists across the globe looking to translate the tragedy into personal gain.

The devastation in South Asia "is bringing fraudsters out in droves," said Annie McGuire, director of the California-based online victim advocacy site, Fraud-aid.com.

"I simply cannot list all the scams that will arise in the next several months," McGuire said.

Most of the fraud is being perpetrated online, in the form of fake charity websites and spam e-mails, some purportedly from individual victims, soliciting donations.

While the aftermath of natural disasters has long provided an opportunity for fraudsters, the scale of the tsunami catastrophe -- and the ensuing humanitarian effort -- is such that law enforcement agencies worldwide have issued special warnings for the public to beware of scam artists.

An FBI alert last week identified a variety of frauds, including offers to locate, for a fee, loved ones who may have been victims of the disaster.

"These are all old scams or stuff that we have seen before. There's nothing new to it," FBI spokesman Paul Bresson said, adding that similar cons had surfaced after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

"It's just a different scale this time around," Bresson said. "It's fair to say there are millions of e-mails circulating that are seeking some type of donation or contribution."

According to Bresson, the majority of scams originate overseas and target developed, English-speaking countries like Australia, Britain, Canada and the United States.

Some employ a technique known as "phishing" whereby people are tricked into revealing banking and other confidential information to bogus disaster aid websites.

The US-based credit card firm Mastercard International said Monday it had teamed up with a digital fraud detection company, NameProtect, Inc., to protect customers.

"Sadly, we have identified numerous phishing websites that are trying to take advantage of people's compassion, but we are working with federal law enforcement to shut them down," said Mastercard's senior vice president of Security and Risk Services, Sergio Pinon.

Some of the scams are decidedly low-tech.

Across Europe, crooks have been caught red-handed with fake collection jars, trying to rip off people door-to-door or in the street. Some of those caught pretended to represent legitimate aid organisations, others made up fake ones.

Oxfam recently warned of a batch of solicitous e-mails, claiming to be from the relief agency, that were doing the rounds in Hong Kong.

"It was a very badly put together email, I don't think many people would have been fooled," said Oxfam Hong Kong spokeswoman Christy Ko.

Some scams are operated by well-organised groups, but Bresson said any individual with access to a computer could get in the on act, making it extremely difficult to track down the perpetrators.

"That's why we felt it was important to get the word out, to get out in front of this and be very pro-active," he said. "We would rather prevent these things from happening in the the first place than have to go in afterwards and investigate."

If most of the scams appeal to people's charity, some play on their greed.

In a variation of a well known fraud that originated in Nigeria, various spam mails claim the writer's family and business have been wiped out by the tsunami and he is seeking help to access an account in the Netherlands involving some sort of inheritance.

The con artist promises to share some of the account money if the recipient provides his bank account number so that the funds can be transferred.

Non-profit watchdogs like the Wise Giving Alliance have all issued public advice circulars, identifying the different scams and urging people to stick with large, recognised charities.

"It's always difficult to gauge the scope of scams, as the vast majority of people simply don't know they've been conned," said the Alliance's chief operating officer Bennett Weiner.

"While people are certainly aware of scams involving businesses and sales, sometimes their guard goes down when its charity, because they're emotional and want to do something," Weiner said.

People of the Year: Bloggers

[WWW & Technology]

According to ABC News, we guys are recognised as a People of the Year. Good work mate. "This week, their influence has become readily apparent. Dozens of bloggers have been filing firsthand reports from the areas devastated by southern Asia's deadly tsunamis." (Note to ABC: It's time for a new screenshot.)

From ABC News

People of the Year: Bloggers
Internet Phenomenon Provides Unique Insight Into People's Thoughts

Dec. 30, 2004 — A blog — short for "web log" — is an online personal journal that covers topics ranging from daily life to technology to culture to the arts. Blogs have made such an impact this year that Merriam-Webster named it the word of the year.

"There's a blog for every niche. There's a blog for every interest," said technology writer Xeni Jardin, who co-edits the blog boingboing.net.

Dylan Verdi, an 11-year-old known as the world's youngest videoblogger, says she covers "things that I've seen that I like or that I've heard of, or just anything that happened to me that day that I'm thinking."

There are millions of blogs on the Internet — a new one is created every seven-and-a-half seconds. More than 10,000 new additions are added to the "blogosphere" each day.

Firsthand Reporting on Asian Tsunami Catastrophes

This week, their influence has become readily apparent. Dozens of bloggers have been filing firsthand reports from the areas devastated by southern Asia's deadly tsunamis.

"There is kind of an immediacy that people can relate to — can't help but relate to that in a very intimate way," said Jardin.

"Day three," one blogger writes from the scene, "this may be an unexpected challenge and responsibility, and it hurts to see people in pain. But it's also a remarkable experience to be on hand to do something modest, but useful, in the aftermath of a disaster."

Bloggers around the world have made themselves useful, encouraging donations to relief groups, posting the names of the missing and expressing sympathy for the victims.

Expanding Political Coverage

As a driving force in politics this year, bloggers covered the 2004 presidential campaigns and election. Political candidates also used them as valuable campaign tools.

"The Internet taught us, rather than the other way around," said former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean.

This year, for the first time, bloggers were permitted to cover the national political conventions firsthand.

Bloggers have taken the lead over traditional media on a number of stories, including racist remarks made by then-Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., at former Sen. Strom Thurmond's birthday party.

"Suddenly the mainstream media, the nightly news, on all three networks and on cable, picked up the story and the papers picked up the story and the next thing you know, Trent Lott's resigning and gone," said Democratic strategist Joe Trippi, who masterminded Dean's groundbreaking online campaign efforts.

Some of the most compelling images of 2004 found their way to blogs first, from the Florida hurricanes to the war in Iraq. It was a blogger who got the first photographs of coffins carrying U.S. soldiers arriving in the United States from Iraq.

But for Verdi, it is the simple pleasure of knowing that someone is listening that makes blogging worthwhile.

"On my blog it allows people to post comments, and I have gotten comment upon comment upon comment," she said. "It makes me feel really good that somebody else cares about what I have to say."

ABC News' Elizabeth Vargas filed this report for "World News Tonight."

9T9: Imagine TIME to portray bloggers front cover this year instead of Bush innocent face.