An Accident

It was a dark night slightly drizzling. The tiny row boat finally reached the mile 8, Tuaran Road bridge. The man called desperately for help. Only his father and a younger brother came out but they recoiled in horror. Slumped across the rafters of the boat was second brother, body soaked blood red as the torchlight flickered across.

What happened was this. At 7pm just after dinner two brothers went out into the bakau marshes for a hunt. Hoping to bag a deer or two they each carried a shotgun. One hour later the tragic consequence of mistaking the other for a wild animal resulted in a shotgun blast.

Years later the confession of eldest brother revealed he has been startled by sounds of rustling leaves. In an instant he looked up and saw a silhoute of what came across as a wild boar. He took aim and fired. There was a blood curling scream and then moanings. His heart beating from excitement he went after the prey. But alas he found instead the still-warm body of his younger brother. He begun to curse and swear. No sooner his brother begged him to sent him back to the house and he calmed down and complied.

He must have rowed for what seems like an eternity (about one hour) when he reached the homestead. After quickly cleaning the wounds they carried their brother to Yinfook's house. Yinfook was the church elder and the only one for miles around to own a car. Gingerly they loaded second brother into the car and off they sped - to town, and the hospital.

With today's modernised trauma unit, an accident such as the one narrated above should have not been any problem. Fifty years ago however it was different. The bullet had penetrate a vital organ and infection set in. Two days later the wound turned septic and second brother succumbed. The family was dumbfounded and grieved. Eldest brother who fired the fatal shot carried the anguish and guilt right until his dying day. In the last stage of his life he was actually mad.

Rain Tree (samanea saman)

Samanea saman is a species of flowering legume or of the pea family. It is native to Central and South America originating from Southern Mexico to Brazil, but it has been widely introduced to South and Southeast Asia, as well as the Pacific Islands, including Hawaii. Common names include Rain Tree and Monkey Pod. Saman is a wide-canopied tree with a huge crown and can reach a height of 100 feet and a diameter of 20 feet. The leaves fold in rainy weather and in the evening, hence the name Rain Tree and 5 o'clock Tree (Pukul Lima) in Malay. Several subspecies of this tree are available e.g. with reddish pink and creamish golden colored flowers. Because of its widespread occurrence, several synonyms are available eg. Albizzia saman, mimosa pubifera, and inga salutaris amongst others. Its taxonomy is straightforward enough though. In the past its uses mainly as a shade tree along trunk roads but later on it was not practical as its humongous roots nearly always disrupt free flowing traffic.

Rivers and Us

Rivers provide our drinking water. In most cities water supply is either from a river or lake, and, a pumping-filtration station then sends the water to residents individually. It is important to take care of our rivers and this post includes mention of few rivers in our area. The Brunei River (bottom), Lawas (middle) and Kuala Abai (top) shown here are some of the estuarine systems that are increasingly under attack of pollution. I hope this helps bring awareness of the need to clean up our rivers.

Blogger Buzz: Blogger integrates with Amazon Associates

Blogger Buzz: Blogger integrates with Amazon Associates

The Study of Insects

Entomology is the study of insects. These critters - some call them bugs or crawlies - can be a blessing or a curse. As blessings, insects are vitally important in pollination of plants, eats up and digest pollutants, as food for certain aboroginal/tribal people, countercheck pest attacks by other insects or animals against human and other uses in the balance of the local eco-system. Insects such as locusts devour food meant for human consumption, spread diseases such as malaria and encephalitis, and sometimes overrun local insect populations and therefore result in ecological imbalance. Therefore they too can be a curse. Entomology then is a tool which helps us to better manage our eco-system. In agriculture entomologists are employed to help the farmer reduce loses from insect pests and boost productivity. Perhaps you'd like to enroll in such a study program?

Bountiful Harvest

I was in Sarawak last week and witnessed the bountiful rice harvest of farmers who are in the area which stretches from Serian town to Bentong. Its good to see the smiles on the face of the local people and I was pretty impresssed too with the numerous gunny sacks of rice being brought into the long-house for storage. The above pics depict mood of the people ...

Protecting the Patch

It irks some people to see empty patches of landscape. They bemoan the barren-ness of the garden when in fact it is by neglect a certain piece of the terrace has been left uncultivated. Perhaps the owner of the house has forgotten to water the lawn, or the house is empty at the moment, or that by overuse of weedicide chemicals that patch is bared, or any of a myriad of reasons. To rectify the owner can choose to re-seed the lawn, or plant some plants inside. Let me introduce a lovely looking landscape plant, which is fast growing, hardy, mops up empty spaces inside your heath, and is only about a few inches in height. The false heather (cuphea lythraceae) pictured above should be able to satisfy those who have been irked by the moonscape-like condition of their favourite patch.

Water melon to enhance your sex life?

The citruline in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is responsible for its Viagra-like effects, because the citruline is converted in the body to is changed into arginine, an amino acid that benefits the heart and the circulatory and immune systems. Your blood vessels will subsequently be relaxed by as the arginine boosts your nitric oxide levels. Increased nitric oxide levels will also help with angina, high blood pressure and cardiovascular problems. The highest concentrations of citruline are found in the rind

"The more we study watermelons, the more we realize just how amazing a fruit it is in providing natural enhancers to the human body", said Dr. Bhimu Patil, director of Texas A&M’s Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center in College Station(Feb 2009) “We’ve always known that watermelon is good for you, but the list of its very important healthful benefits grows longer with each study."

Source:agnews.tamu.edu Publication date: 7/1/2008

King of Bitter (andrographis paniculata)

King of Bitter (andrographis paniculata) is a common plant (or weed?) found throughout South East Asia, and India. Its Malay name is hempedu bumi. A decoction of its leaves is used for treatment of high blood pressure and for treatment of diabetes. The bitterness of the decoction also leads herbalists to believe the plant is useful for liver ailments also. A neighbor gave a cutting for me and eversince I have been keen on breeding the plant. As a weed its quite hardy, able to withstand tropical dry and hot weather. Sometimes I forget to water it and although it looks wimpy then, yet the plant soldiers on. After I water it - very quickly it seems to regain its rigors.

Prickly Pear (opuntia littoralis)

Prickly pear is native to the Western Hemisphere. My uncle David Ho brought this up at his Facebook page. Anyway the prickly pear, which he also grows, is found in many countries also, including Australia. Its fruits, also known as cactus figs, can be eaten provided its spiny needles are removed. The tiny spikes if not properly removed can cause irritation to the throat and stomach. Its used to make candies, jelly, and alcoholic drinks. Some people have reported its helpful to remedy a hangover. Its medicinal properties included treatment of type II diabetes. Other uses included hair conditioner (from its sap), and as red dye (from an insect which it hosts).

Cats whiskers (orthosiphon staminus Benth)

Cats Whiskers or misai kucing (Malay) is common herbal plant throughout the South East Asian region. It belongs to the lamiaceae family. Its leaves are decocted as tea for the treatment of bladder and kidney diseases, stone formation, removal of toxins, including uric acid, sodium chloride etc. Research shows the tea increases the rate of perspiration and control one's body weight. Latest research shows the plant may be potentially helpful against cancer.

Green Tea - Does it Have Caffiene?

Technically speaking green tea is defined as having undergone minimal oxidation during processing. Green tea originates from China and has become associated with many cultures in Asia. Unlike black tea, which is grown in India and Ceylon mainly, green tea is made from the leaves of the bush, Camellia sinensis and is associated with the Far East. One of the most intriguing question is whether it contains caffiene or not.

Green teas contain two caffeine metabolites (caffeine-like substances): theophylline, which is a stronger stimulant than caffeine, and theobromine, which is slightly weaker than caffeine. While coffee and tea are both sources of caffeine, the amounts of caffeine in any single serving of these beverages varies significantly. An average serving of coffee contains the most caffeine, the same serving size of tea provides 1/2 to 1/3 as much. One of the more confusing aspects of caffeine content is that coffee contains less caffeine than tea when measured in its dry form. The caffeine content of a prepared cup of coffee is significantly higher than the caffeine content of a prepared cup of tea.

Moreover the length of infusion with hot water and the number of times the leaves are reused can greatly alter caffeine intake. Using a given amount of green tea leaves steeped in 100 mL of water, experiments have shown that after the first 5 minutes of brewing, the tea contains 32 mg caffeine. But if the same leaves are then used for a second and then a third five minute brew, the caffeine drops to 12 mg and then 4 mg, respectively.

Well I hope that cleared up some of our confusions!

Saga of a Runaway Kid

Yesterday we were informed a runaway year-6 schoolboy surfaced at our apartment building. Apparently the little fellow had befriend the wrong people and was tricked into travelling from his hometown, Johor Baru. When money ran out, he walked all the way from Terminal 2 to the city center, a distance of 6km. There a widow took pity on him and fed him at her foodstall. After that she arranged for him to call his family over the phone and they despatched an airline ticket. This morning at 5am he was sent to airport and its the last we heard of him. I hope he gets home safely. This is a reminder the perils of befriending strangers. I wondered what the bad guys were up too. On the other hand - for some of the older women in our housing estate - I think it was sheer joy for them the privilege of looking after the lost kid. Its been years since they had a chance to mother someone that age. I say this to their credit, befriending strangers, in this case the lost boy, who had no one else to turn to.

Practical 4-Wheeling

Getting to the exotics require the right equipment. The pitcher plant shown above is accessible only in certain areas in the rain forest. Getting there is itself an adventure. I remembered one time my 4WD truck was stuck and in spite of engaging low ratio and all wheel drive, I was not able to nudge the vehicle much further. Getting down I realized the rear left side wheel was lodged inside a rain induced rut. The steep incline of the rut had trap the vehicle by its chassis and in spite of the wheel spinning, the truck would not come out. It was back to the old fashioned method of extraction - by using a spade to clear out the extra height of the rut. After 10 minutes of digging the land rover came out quite easily. The moral of the lesson is this. Never under estimate the power of going down to the field and taking a first hand observation of what the problem is!

Smell the Flowers

This week is in fact a very busy one. Accounts have to be closed up and company and society's annual general meetings have to be conducted. The Registrar of Companies and Societies decree that in fact no entity is to hold its AGM later than March 31, if its operating cycle is from 1st January to 31st of December. That is to say, accountants and secretaries will burn the midnight candle to some extent to ready the audits and meetings' minutes. Not long after the loathesome taxmen will come knocking. In many countries the tax season will run from February to April. Hence the title of today's Post - Smell the Flowers. In spite of the topsy turvy and tumble of corporate rat races, the stress and the grind, its good to be able to come home at the end of the day and be in an entirely different environ. How good it feels to take a hot shower, be massaged, smell the flowers, and be pampered!!

Neem Tree - Azadirachta indica

Multitude of Uses and Remedies Include:
• AIDS - The National Institutes of Health reports encouraging results as an AIDS preventative and possible cure using neem extracts.


• Allergies - Neem inhibits allergic reactions when applied externally or eaten.


• Birth control (men) - In India and the United States, trials show neem extracts reduced fertility in male monkeys without inhibiting libido or sperm production, making it potentially the first male birth control pill.


• Birth control (women) - Used as a vaginal lubricant, neem oil was up to 100 percent effective in preventing pregnancy.


• Cancer/immune - Polysaccharides and limonoids found in neem bark, leaves, and seed oil increased immune responses, reduced tumors and cancers without side effects.


• Diabetes - Oral doses of neem leaf extracts reduced insulin requirements by between 30% and 50% for nonkeytonic, insulin fast and insulin-sensitive diabetes.


• External parasites - Neem quickly kills external parasites and a neem decoction is safer and just as effective as standard treatments for head lice and scabies.


• Heart disease - Neem delays the coagulation of blood, calms erratic heartbeats and helps reduce elevated heart rates and high blood pressure.


• Herpes - Recent tests in Germany show that neem extracts are toxic to the herpes virus and can quickly heal cold sores.


• Hepatitis - Tests in the U.S. show neem hampers the virus that causes hepatitis B.


• Fungal toxin - Neem is toxic to several fungi which attack humans, including those that cause athlete's foot and ringworm, and Candida, an organism that causes yeast infections and thrush.


• Insect repellent - Studies have shown that one neem compound is a more effective insect repellent than the widely used synthetic chemical known as DEET (N,N,-diethyl-m-toluamide), a suspected carcinogen with long periods of use.


• Insecticide - Neem extracts have been approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for use on food crops. It is non-toxic to birds, animals, beneficial insects or man and protects crops from over 200 of the most costly pests.


• Malaria - An active ingredient in neem leaves, called irodin A, is toxic to resistant strains of malaria.


• Psoriasis - Neem seed oil and leaf extracts is suggested to be a cure for psoriasis. It relieves the itching and pain while reducing the scale and redness of the patchy lesions.


• Periodontal disease control - German researchers have proven neem extracts prevent tooth decay and periodontal disease.


• Soap/Shampoo - Neem oil soaps can be used to treat a variety of illnesses and ailments.


• Ulcer relief - Neem extracts give significant protection from discomfort and speed the healing of gastric problems.

Sunsets

I am posting the photos above to let you know there are some pleasures of life that can be obtained for free, courtesy of nature. A friend once pointed out to me how beautiful sunsets or sunrise can look. Since then I've always enjoyed gazing the horizon to see the sun gets up or go down. These stunning photos of sunset at Tanjung Aru (trans. Casuarina Beach), Kota Kinabalu, were taken by telecommunications contractor Vincent Garinang. Enjoy.

Good Medicine

Its a well known medical fact - our health is linked to our emotions. In Proverbs its written - a merry heart is good medicine. I am posting the above pictures to remind ourselves to not take life too seriously. As a writer once so aptly puts it, don't take yourself too seriously, afterall you'll never get out of it alive!!

Boats and Fishermen

Of course there's little to connect between fishing boats and plants. However certain herbals and agro-produce can only be found by pushing out into the seas or waterways. Posting the pictures above on the blog is my way of honoring sea-faring folks who brave gale winds and raging waves to provide for food, and, other maritime products, some of which can be turned into pharmaceuticals.

New Year Resolutions

This time of the year when snow still blankets the field in many places in the Northern hemisphere, it is a good time to remind ourselves to set targets. New Year resolutions singly is a good tradition. For me I will resolve to eat more greens for the rest of the year. I have the above pictures to remind me.

Treasure Trove in the BackYard

A treasure bounty sits in the wooded area near our apartment building. Rather than gold and precious stones, the treasure lies in the rustic, a trove of priceless heritage from mother nature. The arachnid or scorpion, the scaly ant eater, and the tongkat ali plant are all found inside the wooded area near our housing estate. In other words it is as if mother nature had set up a forested island in a sea of urban development.

Interesting Sights - Mission Trip

Travelling through Sri Aman, Sarawak, I captured the following pictures in the Bakong and Sunga villages. The bottom-most picture is that of a coconut eating mud crab. It actually climbs up the tree to snip at its favourite cuisine! The middle picture depicts the granguatan size of jackfruits in the area. Its a testimony of the land's fertility. The top picture is that of wild lotus in a pond.