pictures courtesy of Emporio Armani

One day at a time. Do not look back and grieve over the past, for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has not yet come. Live in the present, and make it so beautiful that it will be worth remembering. — Ida Scott Taylor

like what the title says, well i’m back.. yeah, but i wonder, for how long.. i wish i could have the determination to stay, to linger around longer..

With the recent hike in fuel price, to a national average of RM2.70 a gallon for regular unleaded, here are some ways to help you get the most miles per gallon from your vehicle this winter and save money, too.

Get checkups. Regular servicing, oil changes, and tuneups cost money and can take a big chunk out of your Saturday. But repairing a car that has failed an emissions test will improve its gas mileage by an average of 4 percent. And fixing a serious maintenance problem, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can improve mileage by as much as 40 percent. Even a simple change like replacing a clogged air filter can improve gas mileage by up to 10 percent.

Inflate tires. Properly inflate your tires according to instructions in your vehicle owner’s manual. Underinflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.4 percent for every pound’s drop in pressure of all four tires.

Discover oil. "Get oil changes every three to four months," recommends Ronnie Kweller, spokesperson for the nonprofit Alliance to Save Energy. You can improve your gas mileage by 1 to 2 percent by using your manufacturer’s recommended grade of motor oil. But using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30, or 5W-30 in an engine made for 5W-20, can decrease gas mileage by 1 to 2 percent. Also, motor oil that says "energy conserving" on the API performance symbol contains friction-reducing additives.

Avoid idling. Sitting in your car with the engine running wastes gas without getting you anywhere. Telecommute, stagger work hours, carpool, or otherwise try to avoid sitting in rush-hour traffic.

Drive smoothly. Speeding up and then braking can lower gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and 5 percent around town. Using cruise control on the highway can help your vehicle consume gas more efficiently.

Don’t race. It’s safer and less expensive to obey the speed limit. Gas mileage decreases rapidly above 60 mph, typically costing you an extra 20 cents per gallon of gas for each 5 mph over 60 mph.

Lose weight. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your miles per gallon by up to 2 percent, with smaller vehicles being affected more than larger ones. Also, avoid carrying items on the car’s roof, which can increase drag and further reduce fuel efficiency by 5 percent.

Choose carefully. Try to purchase the most fuel-efficient vehicle in your price range. If you clock 15,000 miles a year, driving a car that gets 30 mpg rather than 20 mpg will save you $695 per year at $2.70 per gallon. Check out fueleconomy.gov and consumerreports.org for information about fuel efficiency.

extracted from US News

The Food and Hotel Asia (FHA) 2008 Culinary Challenge

Patrick Siau

Something happy and proud to be shared. My girlfriend’s significant half `featured in the local newspaper for his diligence, hard-work, and passion towards culinary. He participated in the Food and Hotel Asia (FHA) 2008 Culinary Challenge together with his students from Taylor’s College.

*extracted from the The Star, June 1st 2008*

“It took me about 10 hours to come up with this and I was happy with the outcome.

“It’s great to be recognised as one of the best pastry artists in the region,” said Siau.

Final-year Bachelor of Hospitality and Tourism Management students Soon Pao Voon, Lim Wee Wee and Chong Yi Shawn won the bronze medal in the Dream Team Challenge.

Pao Voon, Wee Wee and Yi Shawn had to pit their skills against 15 other teams from top hospitality establishments in Asia, including the luxurious Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai.

But the students kept their cool in their first-ever international competition.

“We weren’t as experienced as the other teams, nor did we have as many topnotch products and equipment.

“However, we were creative in our setup and menu, provided exceptional service to our guests and motivated each other throughout the challenge,” said Wee Wee.

The FHA Culinary Challenge is held every two years and is recognised as the top culinary and F&B competition in Asia.

GOODBYE, LYDIA SUM

Lydia Shum passed away this morning

Entertainer Lydia Shum passed away this morning in Queen Mary Hospital at 60-years-old. For many years Lydia has been suffering diabetes, high blood pressure, liver cancer, etc. Earlier on she received a bile duct operation.

The veteran actress, known affectionately to her fans as "Fei Fei", had been criticised by the Hong Kong media for worsening her medical condition by consuming certain foods against doctors’ orders.

She was rushed to the hospital again last August, having suffered from pleural effusion - a complication of liver failure. But the beloved comedian braved her failing health to attend the 40th TVB Anniversary Awards ceremony in November.

Time flies….

i still remember when i first saw her, so adorable and very very cute. She has tiny feet, soft and delicate skin, and chubby cheeks. That was sixteen years ago.

Tomorrow, my eldest niece, Niki will be celebrating her sweet 16th birthday. ahem…although she’s 16, i’m still in my 20s (mind you). Maybe that’s why we’re quite close to each other. When i was still staying my "darling girl" (that’s what i call her, yes! even til today :D), she used to follow me wherever i go, and just kept me company while i do my chores. She’d laugh at everything and anything that amuses her, she even laughed at me while i was cleaning my room’s window pane (i’m still wondering why, but she say i looked funny at that moment). And there was one day when she sees one guy with bombed-hair style, she giggle non-stop. Silly girl, and yet so adorable and loving.

"Niki, Just wanna say Happy Sweet 16th Bithday to you. May God Bless You"

Love ya, SiauKuChe

Kaka, the brazil playmaker has beaten Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to the Ballon d’Or Award 2007 (aka European Player of the Year Award). This year, the 3-young talented players are no doubt the most interesting ones to watch for. Kaka has received 444 points while Ronaldo collected only 277 points and Messi, on the third spot with 255 points.

Although i’m a huge fan of Manchester United (and Ronaldo), i feel Kaka rightfully deserved the award after his inspirational role in AC Milan’s triumphant in last season’s Champions League. He was the top scorer in the competition and he was also the one who shattered Manchester United’s dream when he scored 2 goals at Old Trafford and 1-goal at San Siro during the semi-finals. AC Milan went on to win the Champions League beating Liverpool.

The skillful and elegant Kaka is already the winner of the FIFPro world Player of the Year and UEFA European Club Player of the Year awards and is the big favourite for FIFA’s World Player of the Year award to be announced on Dec 17, 2007.

Dejected McClaren

England was dumped from Euro 2008, although there were clearly given a lifeline by Israel just a couple of days back. England needed just a draw to qualify for the final, and yet they threw it away just like that. SAD & PATHETIC!!!

Having the experienced Campbell and Bridge English players guarding the back, the world-classed Gerrard, Lampard and Beckham master-minding the midfield and with Cole and Crouch as the attacking option, England should be able to get the point they needed badly, to save their own butt as well as McClarens’s. But against the aggressive Crotians, they lack ideas, had no answer and they lost the plot totally. England has failed once again, and this time is at the expense of Euro 2008, a prestigious competition in the European nation.

Sigh…. perhaps this failure would be a wake-up call to all English-capped players, where most of them play in one of the world’s most exciting league, the EPL. They players have great skills individually, but when it comes to playing for the country, they aren’t playing as a team. There were no mutual understanding between the players at all, no great team-performance. In another word, they aren’t good enough. So, if you wanna watch beautiful football, i reckon Portugal matches.

"Every cloud has a silver lining" - ahhh… yes, how true, the silver lining in this case would be the sacking of McClaren. I’ve never been a great fan of him, i always thought that he lack the quality to lead the Three Lions. He always seems to blindly chose players for the wrong reasons. But now that he’s gone, we have a reason to celebrate. With big names like Jose Mourinho, Luiz Felipe Scolari, and Guus Hiddink (alright, not forgetting Martin O’Neil and Alan Shearer) being mentioned as the possible replacement, all England fans should be glad. Personally, i’d vote for The Special One, to bring glory back to the English football.

THE SEARCH IS ON FOR THE HOTTEST HUNK IN MALAYSIA 2007 Tomorrow, November 16 2007 is the day where 30 muscular men will battle with one another for the title of Hottest Hunk In Malaysia 2007. They are not just merely showing off their well-built body or their strong arms, they are also showing that they lead a very healthy lifestyle, with interesting personalities. My favourite hunk would be No. 06, Jazz Cheah. I’ve known him for 10 years now. He is no doubt one great guy on this universe. He’s ever-willing to offer an helping hand to whoever who needs them, and he’s very discipline when come to his fitness regime. Jazz religiously goes to the gym on a daily basis, be it rain or shine. if you have the time, tcheck them out at tomorrow’s party @ Ruums Bar & Club, Bangunan Life Centre, Jalan Sultan Ismail at 7.30pm. Be sure to vote for your favourite hunk too.