A day of blessing of luckiness

In no sense by the title is to be construed as having to do with any gamble or any games of chance. However, it was by chance that we were blessed greatly by, as we would like to believe, Him, the Almighty Lord. It was yesterday that this paragraph refers to.

I was in the Canadian High Commission,London, with the purpose of applying for a Temporary Resident Visa, TRV, as I will be heading off to Canada in the second week of May. I had every necessary documents with me to proceed with the application without any difficulities. There was a long queue outside the entrance and some of us have waited in the rain. Soon, we (other applicants) entered the building and had to go through airport-type security check. When in the queue again I realised that I was without the letter of invitation my aunt had personally signed for. All hopes of getting the TRV on this day almost diminished, as the letter is a necessary part of the application. The other thing is that the visa officers behind the window do not provide change for applicants. We have to provide "EXACT" change of £35. There is a notice pinned up saying "... we are not a bank that will break change for you. If you did not bring the exact amount, please do not waste your time in the queue..." I managed to quickly ask around to break my £10 bank notes.

I waited for almost 80 minutes in the waiting hall as I hear the numbers of early-bird applicant being called up for interview. The interview process on average takes 15-40 minutes each. I was my turn then. I sat down and the Visa Officer asked me two question:
"...So, you have been a student in Canada... you have an aunty in Montreal... what's your purpose of visiting this time?"
To which I replied "..to participate my brother's graduation"

The other question was, "... where is your brother studying?"
Without even a second of hessitation or doubt, I replied "University of Saskatchewan, that's where I attended university too"

Then, he responded "Thank you. please take a seat back there and in 5 minutes time you'll be called to collect your passport and your visa".

I was really surprised and listened in disbelief. The interview process couldn't have lasted only minutes for me when others have been much longer... probably thoroughtly interogated.

And it was true, 5 minutes later my number was called and my passport was handed back to me. As I opened to the page where i should expect a TRV sticker, the visa is adhered to a page in my passport. Whew! I sighed a breath of relief and disbelief!

Met up with cousin for lunch later that afternoon, and then rushed to Victoria Coach Station to just made it in time to catch the 2:30pm bus back to Leeds. I was 1 minute late.

HF picked me up at the bus station in Leeds. After our dinner, we headed back. I found an unwanted refridgerator discarded just behind the main library on campus. I have been 'clamoring' about wanting to get a new fridge to HF for 2 months but did not get one as it was too expensive. One's expected to pay about £40-£90 for a used one for a 3 feet in height. We didn't think it was really worth the money.

Imagine the excitement and happiness at that moment. We were confronted with stark reality of elations as we examine inside out of the refridgerator ensuring it was worth carrying it back and that it was in working condition. Well, apparently, we wouldn't know if it was in working condition until we plug it into a power source. I pulled out the freezer's tray that was inside and noticed there was still a thin piece of ice. That was enough to indicate to me the refridgerator was and is, in fact and by common sense, in good working condition. We were laughing and cheering and teasing each other silly and praising Him as we lifted the treasure up and carried it back.

I plugged it into a power source and heard the fridge's motor roared into life! That's a piece of treasure there! Nothing was broken. We stared at each other then burst out laughing still wondering why was the fridge discarded and that how silly it was for the person(s) to discard a still working refridgerator.

There may be, however, a problem which lead the previous owner of the fridge to discard it. But until we find out what might that problem be, the fridge now has its new owner and it shall now be kept in our hands.

Lucky, no? That's a day of blessing.

Who Controls Europe?

It has been 48 years since the founding members of The European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) grew and expanded, attracted and formed other European nations to what we today know as The European Communitiesn (EC) as intended by the Maastrict Treaty in 1957.

Presently the EC consists of 25 members, each is called a Member State, with 2-3 other pending to join the European Union on 2007.

Attempting to be a the little ambitious devil, this will be the topic of my little essay I will try to work on to publish within these pages. Given by fact and by law that The Community is primarily instituted by four (4) institutions:
1. The European Parliament (by Article 189 EC)
2. The Council (Article 201 EC)
3. The Commission (Article 211 EC)
4. The Court of Justice (Article 220 EC)

details will soon be published. i will need time to work this out.

More reasons to have Firefox

Everybody knows their brand new PC's or laptop (computer systems) come with pre-installed IE as their web browser provided that Windows is the primary Operating System, which is the case for all 96% of brand new PCs in the world. But does anybody knows that IE is also the most exploited source among hackers for their malicious plundering of security issues? Does anybody knows that IE is among the worst in managing system's resources (e.g. in Task Manager, under Memory Usage) especially when you have at least 3 IE windows opened simultaneously?

If you have answered a 'yes' to any one of the questions above, then you should seriously reconsider the safety of your computer system, if not already yourself. These security threats, you may think, do not involve/concern you in any ways; but lo, allow me to say you are so wrong. Taking into consideration that we are especially involve with how information is conveyed from one place to another and that we are constantly fishing out these information from our computers. When you fish, you just want to fish the fish out of their life then BBQ or grill them delicious! You dont want to fish out an old stinky boot, used rubber tyre, or an advertisement poster of some local club. The very same way, large firms and hackers alike have breached and exploited security holes found in IE and have 'tamed' IE to work for them. It affects you in a way that cause you to see unwanted and involuntary behaviors in your computer, forcing you addition clicks of the mouse to shut that goddam-windows displaying offensive adverts, making you pay for transportation or other additional costs to send your computer for repairs because your computer has recently broke down and you have no idea what causes it (maybe viruses, or just needs a reformatting of the HDD).

The reasons of how security threats affects you is a never-ending list. You had better start thinking before you click to execute IE in your computer. It's not safe! Internet Explorer is not safe!

Then I mentioned about System Resources. When you hit the three (3) magic keys in Windows, click on the 'Task Manager" button and you'll see a window pops up showing you a list of processes running in the background of Windows. IE does the worst such that it uses the most system's resource (which is the primary reason for system lag OR simply Your computer slowed dowm suddenly), Netscape 8 Beta Version does better, and Firefox is 65-70% more efficient than IE.
Verify this fact by Google search "netscape firefox internet explorer comparison" (without quotes)

In Firefox, you don't need to download additional software or tools to block those irritating pop-ups like you have to when using IE.
Tab-browsing, a wonderful feature of Firefox (and soon Netscape 8), has made life for websurfers so much easier. There are other 'Extensions' where Firefoxers can use to make life so much more easier than it is, and that includes, mouse-gestures (a feature first introduced by Opera Browsers), auto-copy, live dictionary or references, XML feeds or RSS for Real Simple Syndication, and many more.

I really want to convince you to have Firefox as the only web browser to use. Click on the Firefox image above or below to GET FIREFOX NOW.



Don't you wait!
Always Protect yourself!
Use Firefox! (current version 1.0.3)

A new Question in Profile

You moved the pot before the coffee stopped brewing. Do you smell the mountains or the burro?

My senses at this time would be caught by the escalating rush of boiling blood craving for the rich hot black java bean juices that when I bring them near my lips, my nose knows how to give me ropes of mountaineous ecstacy-cal orgasm with very strong multiple climaxes preceeding it.

If you're a bloody [English] tea drinker (no offense; just a matter of opinion), then I assure you will smell the dung of burros and climax there and then within seconds!

The ultimatum

This browser is what I'd recommend as Res ipsa loquitur, which simply means the thing speaks for itself. Although the three foreign terms has nothing to do with legal letters, the 'thing' here refers to the Firefox browser, and you just have to use it to know what is true sense of security in web surfing today.

NB.

You should already have a basic knowledge of managing web cookies in which a lot of websites take advantage of to exploit web users like you and me.

Who needs Internet Explorer anyway? It's weak at handling security issues not just limiting to adwares and spywares. All IE engines including that of Safari in Mac OS machines are equally vulnerable to security threats.

Click on the banner above to get Firefox now. Don't wait!

Street Map here

Ariel view of Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds, United Kingdom. This is where I am doing my law at the moment. The large field in which they call it 'The Acreage' with obvious trees on it resembles 'The Bowl' of the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.

The little area that is marked by the red circle is where the halls of residences are on campus. 

Recommending Firefox

It's been seven months now since I have been using Firefox, an open source software for an alternative web browser, and I have no regrets. There are a lot more things you can do and expect from this new generation web browser. It's fast, secure, innovative, creative, and most of all user-friendly! To add further, it is also one of the few web browsers that supports RSS (Real Simple Syndication) websites, which essentially makes your life ten folds easier by not having you to scrutinize through hundreds of paragraphs of articles or stories (if you're an avid online news or blog reader).

Simply, I would definitely recommend you to download Firefox, if you don't already have one. The rest of the details are better left for you to discover.

Time has folded

Unbelievably a year has passed by so quickly as though an eye never blinked when the fact is it has. My fellow mates are writing their final exams during this period. This time last year, I remember struggling for Econometrics, Portfolio Investment, Managerial Accounting, and Environmental Economics. I almost had a nervous breakdown after making my way out of the exam hall for Econometrics. This fear still is vivid as I can feel even if I have to watch myself as a third person. It's now April, a year later. What did I do that time has folded into half like folding a piece of paper to meet two points.

In May to July of last year, I think I have spent the most time doing nothing really constructive. I convocated in May. We went camping in Waskesiu twice when we had hail storms as big as golf balls in the latter trip. I shop for a lot of electronic stuffs on EBay with an ambition to build a desktop PC from scratch, which I have successfully assembled in the UK (although dad gave his [better] laptop to me in exchange for mine).

I was in Malaysia for a good five weeks from August. There was nothing much to do back there except meeting up and being with family and relatives. It was good to see everyone back there in good health and ever so busy with work/job. I assumed myself to be a temporary site supervisor who, oddly, often have a SLR camera wielded in my hands when visiting construction sites on which my dad's company has a building project.

From September till December, I was still "lost" not only in the college of law at the Leeds Metropolitan University, but also in the city where customs, tradition, and cultures were the issues. The road systems over there are terrible, well, relatively terrible especially considering that I have been accustomed to 'grid' or 'block' systems that US & Canada utilizes. If I had somebody blind-folded me and dropped me off somewhere in the city here, I would not have been able to find my way home without less difficulties.
There were assignments to be completed over the Christmas break and I have struggled to complete my first law assignments. It was also during this time I met a girl whom I have always wanted to know and today, I'm happy to have realize my hopes and dreams that I'm with her.

Before time folds into another half, I had better set my hopes and dreams straight--get a law degree! Whether or not I decided to become a lawyer in which a CLP examination precedes, that will depends on how well I manage time before one end point meets the other, which will only mean another new folding will soon commence.

It was April 2nd that Pope John Paul II (85) has passed away, and today, three weeks later, we have Pope Benedict XVI (Ratzinger, 79) heading 1.1 billion Catholics of the world. Have we been doped by a time catalyse?

Did a "Personality Test" in which I deem rather private. Now that I decided to post it up here, what is private again?? *grins*

Your Seduction Style: The Charmer

You're a master at intimate conversation and verbal enticement. You seduce with words, by getting people to open up to you. By establishing this deep connection quickly, people feel under your power. And then you've got them exactly where you want them!

What Is Your Seduction Style?

Time for a break

Among other things, being able to travel in and about Europe is undoubtly one of the best thing anyone can ask for when living in within the European Community. That is just part of the fun because the other half, which I am about to reveal to you, is the prices of air fare. When you conduct a proper and more thorough search for the places that interests you, you will not be disappointed. This I guarantee.

Once I thought flying with Tango Air, Zip, and other discount flights (mostly subsidiaries of Air Canada) were the cheapest flight I've ever got. I purchased a return ticket to Rome for only £0.99. Now, I don't think AC can ever hammer their fares any lower than CAD90.00 (1 CAD = 2.37033 GBP).

Rome... ah, I'm coming to see thee! The wishing well beautifully decorated with brass, bronze, and gold furnished with sapien figure statues young and mature, angels and cupids, food and cultures, et cetera. It's the home of lagsagna (mmm-mmmmh!!), pizza, rotisserie, pasta,... the list goes on.

I will make sure I will be well fed, not just by the variety of food they offer but also by its rich culture and history. There's much to learn or I'd prefer to use the word 'appreciate' in Rome than in Paris, where the Eiffel Tower is probably the only place they boast about. Have you heard of where French wines are made? ... where there's a vast fields of lavender meeting the horizon even when you're hundreds of meters away you'll be hypnotized and charmed by a sense of fragrance that will pull you to it and you will totally lose yourself and surrender to the fragrance and just follow till you lie on its soil and dream away under a sunny day with clear blue sky and cotton candy clouds? I heard, I heard of this place. I heard this place is called Florence.

It will be the third week of June when I will realize the amazing Rome. It's summer break and it sure is time for a break for me. I will be visiting Saskatoon, Canada, next month May 18 for about 2-3 weeks. Initially, I almost lost my breath to actually remember that I'll be spending my summer vacation in at least 3 different places (more like countries) in the world.

Actually, and finally, thank to Jason S for refering and recommending my site.

[...] I miss my dog, Whisky. If this cutie was brown, it would have looked almost identicle to Whisky. 

Photos collage from last weekend in London attending a [mundane] Libya party. 

With a Japanese mate sporting what looks like a farmer's hat but because of its size and weight, we got curious and asked and only to learn that they are bowls with a cover. It was really funny! 

Posing with the ambassador of Libya to the UK along with his two body guards in Libya's Jamarihiya School, London. They are there for a little party in conjunction with the 7th April [political] ceremony. We were the only East Asians in the midst of the crowd. 

Weekend

Had thought of going to London for a long time but cost of transportation and time always does seem to be a hinder. However, we had our chance to do that for free when our of our flatmates got fundings from his country's embassy that has apparently invited him to London to attend a what-seemed-to-be-a-political party. He rented 2 Vauxhall cars, tiny ones, and drove about 4 hours to and another 4.5 back. We were in town for only 4 hours and did not do anything else. it was a real bore and tiresome especially the journey being all cramped up in the back seat with tiny leg room space and uncomfortable seating position. Was suppose to meet up with cousin in London but they had to go back... all our hopes of touring and visiting the metropolitan were put off completely. sigh!

We have, however, met the ambassador of Libya in that party. I don't really know how to appreciate this moment.

I'll have to go back to London again for a more proper visit.

that's what i have in my mind right now.

Frolicking about during an Intercession or recess 

"So, that's not really what it is because..." 

The Big Appetite 

The Observer 

The sofa we found and picked up then pushed it back home for more than 300m.

Shot using Sony Ericsson's S700i cellphone. 

The sofa we found and picked up then pushed it back home for more than 300m. 

Both of us, HF and I, getting RC's autograph. I think he's in his fiftys already but still very agile and talented. 

Shot by: HF -- RC advancing to audiences receiving gifts from them as well as giving them gifts like his music scores. JSH got his "Un verre terre" score and autographed. Lucky him. 

Shot by: JSH -- In the auditorium during a 15-min intercession.

On the stage, 2 violin players, a drummer, 2 keyboardists, 1 bassist, 1 guitarist, and a percussionist. And of course, Richard Clayderman the pianist on his grand piano. 

Shot by: XBW -- We definitely don't look like students here. A young millionaire with the city high-street honey perhaps? What's under the clothes is more important when comes to telling a person's character, not what s/he dresses. 

Shot by: XBW -- At the grand entrance of the Leeds Grand Theater. One of our favorite photo. Click on picture for a larger print. 

JSH, meeh, and XBW all suited up waiting for our cab to take us to the grand theater for Richard Clayderman's concert. 

Problems with me

Just last afternoon I visited a chiropractic regarding a discomfort in and around my neck that has been going on for at least 4 years now. I was thoroughly checked and nothing seems to be wrong else where except for the top portion of my spine (neck area) and the lower back. Segments #2-4 seems to be rotated more towards the right side resulting in reduced angle when turning my head from side to side (a normal person can should turn up to 90 degrees; mine is around 70 deg to left and 80 to right)

Next Friday's session, I believe, will be the treatment session and the aim of this treatment is to correct whatever displacement from normality.

I have a very flat back (spine) as oppose to a normal curve in the spine where the general majority of people should have. Perhaps I was born like this? I have flat feet too, which causes tireness on my legs. But it's not a major problem because it's not hindering me doing things normally.

My eyes. I have floaters in my eyes since I was either 15 or 16. And up to today, I have noticed a slight gain in floaters in my eyes. I have normal visions and most of my days go by without any annoyances or irritations from these floaters that's floating in and around my eyes. Was I born with these?

Neck pain and floaters are, as I have read, usually minor problems old people get. I was told that my neck pain could possibly and unusually be called the degeneration of the neck, which people of my age do not or at least not commonly get. Even floaters.

The worst I've read about floaters is that if left untreated and if there's an indication of floaters gaining in amount, it will lead to blindness. omg! I remember i've seen a doctor once and he advised me not to worry about it. Should I or should I not?