Exploring an old building in Santubong

Gambar ini diambil di sebuah bangunan tinggal lama di Santubong, Sarawak pada 19 July 2007. Anda perlu lebih berhati-hati apabila memasuki bangunan sebegini kerana strukturnya sukar dijangka. Apapun ini tidak melemahkan semangat Indiana Jones, konon.

Tab air

Pemandangan Gunung Santubong yang indah dari bangunan ini

Menariknya tingkap-tingkap ini!

Lantai bilik airnya cantik berwarna merah

Tangga kayu yang masih tegap kukuh

Dibawahnya batu

Tempat seperti ini biasanya dihuni bermacam spesis ular

Selepas menggoggle rasanya ini ular spesis 'Chrysopelea paradisi' atau Paradise Tree Snake/Paradise Flying Snake. Betul ke ular ni boleh terbang?

Apa agaknya nasib bangunan ini sekarang?

Jonker Street in 2006

Gambar-gambar ini diambil Jonker Street, Melaka pada 2006.

Topi bomba.

1967 Zippo from Saigon

Dari pengalaman, kebanyakan Zippo yang saya nampak di Saigon (Bandar Ho Chi Minh) boleh dikatakan semuanya fake walaupun seakan original! Saya membeli Zippo era Perang Vietnam ini kurang dari US$90. Ianya datang dengan kotak dan discription asal.

Discription ini menunjukkan lambang atau 'military insignia' yang boleh diletakkan pada Zippo ini. Insignia tertentu menunjukkan seseorang itu Army (Army Emblem), Air Force (Pilot Wings, Air Force), Navy (Navy Anchor, Pilot Wings, Officers Insignia) atau Other Military (Coast Guard, Marine Corps).

Zippo model No. 200 Brush Finish

Zippo meletakkan kod-kod tertentu untuk menentukan tahun keluarannya. Model saya ini mempunyai kod 'IIII III' iaitu tahun 1967.  

Société Céramique Maestricht

Piring kopi serba putih jenama Société Céramique Maestricht yang payah disebut ini berasal dari Belanda. Pada tahun 1851 usahawan Winand Nicolaas Clermont dan Charles Chainaye telah menghasilkan tembikar di kawasan Wijck Maastricht. Syarikat mereka telah diambil alih jurutera Belgium Guillaume Lambert pada tahun 1859 dan 4 tahun kemudian syarikat ini dikenali sebagai 'Société Céramique'.

Rasanya 100% saya setuju dengan anda, posting kali ini sangat bosan dan cawannya pula hilang entah kemana!??? :)

HuuUAAarghhh! Boringnyaa...

The stabbed governor of Sarawak

12 March 2012
By Mike Thomson BBC
Radio 4

Previously secret documents show British officials covered up evidence about the assassination of a colonial governor in East Asia after World War II, fearing the truth might spark a war. But this, it seems, left an unjust stain on the reputation of a British man from a family of so-called White Rajahs.

Duncan Stewart was killed several weeks into his governorship

In December 1949 the new governor of the recently acquired British colony of Sarawak was on his first official tour. Among Scotsman Duncan Stewart's previous postings was Palestine - one of the most dangerous in the world at that time. After that, it was thought he would have little to fear in the comparatively sleepy backwater of Sarawak, on the island of Borneo.

After a couple of weeks in the job, he went to the town of Sibu on his first official visit. He was welcomed warmly by a large crowd, who all seemed to be enjoying themselves, according to press reports of the day.

After inspecting a guard of honour, he walked on flanked by a gaggle of excited school children. Then a youth walked towards Governor Stewart holding a camera and asked to take his photo. As his Majesty's representative prepared to pose, another youth stabbed him.

Officials quickly grabbed the two youths and arrested them.

Despite suffering a deep stab wound, Governor Stewart is reported to have carried on for a while, as if the murderous assault hadn't happened. But when blood began to seep through his starched white uniform he was rushed away for treatment. He died a few days later, after being flown to a hospital in Singapore.

Two local Malay youths, Rosli bin Dobi and Moshidi bin Sedek, were tried for murder and later hanged. Both were thought to be members of a group dedicated to restoring Anthony Brooke, heir-elect of a British family of so-called White Rajahs, to the throne of Sarawak. The "anti-cession" movement objected to the decision to cede Sarawak to the British.

The Brookes had ruled this northern slice of the island of Borneo since the mid-19th Century. It had been given to Anthony's Great Great Uncle James by the then Sultan of Brunei, after the Victorian adventurer had quelled a revolt for him.

Anthony Brooke died in 2011, never officially told the assassination had nothing to do with him

It was then run as a virtually independent and apparently benevolent kingdom by the Brooke family. The interests of the varied local tribal groups were, it seems, well protected by the Brookes as commercial pressures grew following an influx of investors and businessmen.

But, finally, in July 1946, Sarawak became Britain's last colonial acquisition. It was handed over to the British crown by Anthony Brooke's uncle, Charles Vyner Brooke, in exchange for a £200,000 pay-off.

Charles Vyner Brooke in Sarawak in 1946

But Anthony Brooke, who had been expected to take over as White Rajah of Sarawak, was not happy about this.

Neither were many locals. Even though his family were as British as the new colonial masters, they had become part of the local fabric, unlike the pith-helmeted rulers from far away.

Numerous anti-cession protests were held. Placards called for a return to White Rajah rule led by Anthony Brooke.

Protests spread from village to village

So when the British governor was killed, suspicions naturally fell on him as the leader and focus of the anti-cession movement. Was he involved in the assassination plot as part of his bid to win back power? British officials left that looking a distinct possibility - but they knew more than they let on.

"That's not what the British government believes at all," says historian Simon Ball, of Glasgow University, who has extensively researched the case.

Indeed, evidence shows the ringleaders of the assassination plot were not acting for Anthony Brooke, nor did they have any intention of returning him to power. Instead, in a letter discovered by Professor Ball, written by one co-conspirator to the other, they make clear their intentions of helping neighbouring Indonesia to take over British Sarawak.

"What they want is freedom as part of Indonesia. So this is the underlying political motive for the killing. It's not to support [Anthony] Brooke."

The British it seems, feared that to confront Indonesia with its involvement in such a plot might spark an unwelcome conflict. The newly independent nation had just driven out Dutch colonial troops by force, and the UK already had its hands full dealing with insurrection in British-run Malaya to the north-west.

So they decided to keep quiet about the fact that this had little to do with Brooke's supporters and a lot to do with an anti-colonial independence movement. In a letter marked "confidential", John Higham of the Colonial Office wrote to a colleague in the Foreign Office. "We have now come to the very definite conclusion that the publication of the correspondence would be dangerous and that it would be undesirable to show it to Anthony Brooke."

The Superintendent of the local Special Branch wrote two weeks later: "There is no evidence or suspicion that AB [Anthony Brooke] knew of the intention to assassinate H.E. [His Excellency] The Governor."

But despite all this, the finger of blame for the death of Governor Duncan Stewart was left pointing at Anthony Brooke, who was never officially told that his anti-cession campaign had little to do with the assassination.

A year later he formally gave up his claim to the Sarawak throne and travelled the world as a self-appointed peace ambassador, before settling in rural New Zealand where he died, aged 98, last year. His grandson, Jason Brooke, says it is distressing that his grandfather went to his grave not knowing the truth.

"I think it was very, very difficult for Anthony, the way he was landed with these… more than implications, almost accusations, of having at least a moral responsibility for what had happened to Duncan Stewart. It's sad, but that's history."

Please take my card!

"Halo, don't just hOi!... me! My name is Hoi, Tan Eng Hoi, please take my card!" :)

Liverpool Football Club Asia Tour 2011 Malaysia

Signed during their Liverpool Football Club Asia Tour 2011 Malaysia (Malaysia XI vs Liverpool FC). "Whenever we go to Asia, the fans are always amazing," said Liverpool FC captain Steven Gerrard. "The supporters over there are fanatical about Liverpool and it's great that we can give so many of them a chance to come and watch the team play."

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Saturday, July 16, 2011: Liverpool's players line-up for a team-group photograph at the National Stadium Bukit Jalil in Kuala Lumpur on day six of the club's Asia Tour. Back row L-R: Jack Robinson, Raul Meireles, Conor Coady, goalkeeper Brad Jones, Daniel Agger, Andy Carroll. Front row L-R: Jay Spearing, Joe Cole, Jamie Carragher, Charlie Adam, John Flanagan. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Liverpool players line-up before playing a Malaysia XI at the National Stadium Bukit Jalil in Kuala Lumpur on day six of the club's Asia Tour. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Charlie Adam scored his first Liverpool goal as the Reds recorded a 6-3 victory over a Malaysia XI in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday.

The summer signing from Blackpool marked his full debut for the club with the opener in Malaysia after netting from the penalty spot midway through the first half.

The hosts drew level with a stunning Mohd Safiq Rahim free-kick on the stroke of half-time, however David Ngog's quick-fire second-half double regained the lead for Liverpool before Maxi Rodriguez added a fourth with 15 minutes remaining.

Safee Sali had Kopite hearts in mouths with a late double, but Maxi's late header and a Dirk Kuyt strike ensured the Reds clinched their second pre-season win of the summer.

Adam was handed his first Liverpool start having made his bow for the club in Wednesday's 4-3 victory over Guangdong Sunray Cave in China on Wednesday.

Academy graduate Conor Coady was another debutant in Guangzhou and, having managed to find the back of the net, was handed a starting berth at the sold-out Bukit Jalil Stadium, which was packed with more than 80,000 locals eager to catch a glimpse of their Anfield heroes in the flesh.

With the atmosphere at fever pitch, the action on the field was contested at a more relaxed pace.

Liverpool carved open the first chance of the evening on 10 minutes when Adam's pinpoint pass over the Malaysia defence picked out Andy Carroll in the box. The striker's effort was repelled by the onrushing goalkeeper, Allawee Ramli and Raul Meireles couldn't turn the lose ball goalwards.

Moments later, Adam clipped a free-kick high over the crossbar as the Reds began to threaten the host's goal.

With Liverpool now in the ascendancy, they were awarded a penalty when Carroll was tugged back inside the box by Puttra when attempting to reach another Adam pass.

The Malaysians were aggrieved, but their protests did little to unnerve Liverpool's new No.26, who calmly converted before being asked to re-take by the referee.

No matter, though. Adam retained his cool to dispatch the ball into the back of the net once more.

Meireles then brought a smart stop out of Ramli with a close-range header, but Malaysia drew level three minutes before half-time.

Adam's handball on the edge of the box presented Mohd Safiq Rahim with a shooting opportunity on the edge of the box - and the captain made no mistake with a stunning free-kick that left Brad Jones with no chance.

Buoyed by their leveller, Baddrol Bakhtiar headed wide from a dangerous free-kick before Rahim was inches away from netting his second with another set piece.

Liverpool changed their entire XI during the interval and should have regained the lead when David Ngog was sent clear into the right-hand channel of the box, but the striker could only drag an effort wide of the far post.

Then, Jonjo Shelvey's low free-kick had substitute 'keeper Khairul Fahmi Che Mat scrambling across his line, but the ball bounced wide of the upright.

On 64 minutes, Dirk Kuyt jinked his way into the box and slipped the ball dangerously across the face of goal, although Alberto Aquilani was unable to get a touch to steer it into the back of the net.

It had been all Liverpool since the break, and their pressure finally told four minutes later - although there was a touch of good fortune about the manner in which Ngog netted.

Emiliano Insua's cross on the run looped up off a defender and Ahmad's attempted clearance ricocheted into the path of the Frenchman, who was left with the simple task of tapping home.

However, Ngog required no luck when he fired in a second moments later. Collecting Aquilani's pass, the No.24 strode into the area before firing into the top corner.

The Malaysians were beginning to tire and the Reds took full advantage, with Maxi Rodriguez getting his name on the scoresheet.

Aquilani's threaded pass picked out Insua's surge into the area, and the full-back's low cross allowed his compatriot to steer the ball into the goal on the slide.

But when Sali scored following an error by Martin Hansen with 10 minutes left, the spirits of the home side were lifted and the substitute striker incredibly found the target again to set up a tense finale, but Maxi's late second via a header from Kuyt's centre ended hopes of a stunning comeback for the hosts.

Kuyt himself then got in on the act, blasting home deep into added time to seal a 6-3 win.

Industrial Street Lamp

Saya ternampak lampu jalan ini di sebuah bandar lama dan tergeraklah hati untuk menghantar tweet kepada Drew Pritchard, personaliti siri kegemaran saya 'Salvage Hunters' (Discovery Channel). Seperti yang disangka beliau juga suka dengan lampu buruk berciri 'industrial' ini :)

Drew Pritchard