Welcome To My World

Worst Day Ever....huhuhu (Not really actualy)

2013-02-25T21:19:00.001-08:00

WiShinG TiMe...25 DEC 2011

2011-12-24T22:10:00.000-08:00

To all of u, who know me...i would like to wish u all have a blessed CHRISTMAS and hope u all will have joy on this Holy day....God Bless U...and by the way HAPPY NEW YEAR...muaaackk

Mari Mari Cultural Village- where i find my love...

2011-09-20T00:29:00.000-07:00

Chaak..hehe..practical time...

2010-10-21T10:03:00.000-07:00

Hi...it's been a long time didn't write anything in my blog...hmm...What to write?? Oh ok actually i just want to share that i already finish my studying and proceed to practical and the best part is i already found a place for me to practical (hehe) which is RIVERBUG...Riverbug is actually is a travel agencies that specialist on adventures activities such as rafting, mount climbing and so on...i miss the moment i had with my friend and i will not forget it...well this is life, nothing is permanent, the thing that only permanent is God...so as human being, we need to have faith and always believe that God always with us at any time...Byeee....

THE SECRETS OF AREA 51

2010-09-11T08:40:00.000-07:00

One of the most intriguing mysteries in the field of UFO research can be found not in the sky or in outer space but in the Nevada desert about 190 kilometres, north-west of Las Vegas, North America, where the official map stops and Area 51 begins. If the rumours about this instillation are true, then this is one of thebiggest and best kept secrets of this or any other century...

Clearly there aresecrets of some sort in this area because the government will notadmit this place exists. Until the early 1980’s it was possible to drive up to the base of the Groom dry-lake basin in which the base is situated. You could park your car, and look across and actually see the base. It was a secret base, but an open secret.

During the mid 1980’s, however, the governmentseized an entire mountain range toprevent Soviet spies from looking down onto the site. It was at this point that the base became "non-existent". Now, on paper, none of the bunkers, buildings or the massive 9.5km runway exist. Public access to this zone isforbidden, and according to warning signs'Use of deadly force is authorised' within this area. Extremely high security is imposed within the base, with motion detectors and dozens of cameras in use.

A veil of mystery and intrigue surrounds what is known as Area 51. Ever since this site was established people have been reporting unusual looking objects in the sky above it. All of these claims have been disclaimed or ignored by the government. However they did suffer some embarrassment when Robert ‘Bob’ Lazar, one of their own men alleged that they were actively working with alien technology.

Mr. Lazar, a contract scientist who apparentlyworked on the basefor five months, starting in December of 1988, revealed all on television in May 1989. He said that the United States government was investigating nine flying saucers. He was filmed with his identity protected by the use of shadows, and used an alias ‘Dennis’. However, this secrecy did him little good, as he claimed the death threatshe and his wife were receiving increased and that his car was shot at. In November, he came out in the open.

He revealed the location of the top secret ‘S4’ site, apparently next to thePapoose Lake within Area 51, wherealien craft were stored. He told how he was employed in a team of twenty-two engineers to figure out how the craft’spropulsion systems operated. At first Lazar thought he was working on highly-advanced human technology, but when he entered one of the discs, he became convinced it was from another worldbecause its dimensions and form did not appear to be man-made.

While reading some briefing papers Lazarconfirmed his suspicions. He said they included an astonishing mass of UFO information, which stated that these ships and the aliens who flew them here were from the Zeta Reticuli Star System.
This illustration is based on Lazar's notes about the spacecraft that he worked on.

These are incredible claims. Was Lazar adapting UFO cliches about flying saucers? Or does his story prove that these rumours are true? The chicken-and-egg conundrum! What is fact and what is fiction?

Who is Monsopiad.

2010-08-06T08:32:00.000-07:00

Monsopiad is a Kadazandusun warrior who is well-known to be a headhunter. There is a memorial dedicated to him at Penampang, Sabah, Borneo.

The legend of Monsopiad

Legend told that many centuries ago, a lady named Kizabon was pregnant. She lived in a house with her husband, Dunggou. On the roof of their house, a sacred Bugang bird made its nest and stayed there throughout Kizabon's pregnancy.

When the child was due to be born, the Bugang birds hatched as well. The father of the child took the sign as a good omen and that this was a sign that his newborn son would have special powers. He named his son, Monsopiad. The father paid special care to the birds as well, and whenever his son took a bath, Dunggou would take the young birds down from their nest to have a bath with his son. When done, he later returned them to the safety of their nest. This was done diligently until the birds were strong enough to leave the nest.

The young boy grew up in the village Kuai (which is the grounds of the Village). His maternal grandfather was the headman of the village.

However, their village was often plundered and attacked by robbers and due to the lack of warriors in the village, the villagers had to retreat and hide while the robbers ransacked their homes.

But for Monsopiad, things were different. He was given special training and he turned out to be an excellent fighter and grew up to become a warrior. Well-equipped, he vowed to hunt down and fight off the warriors that had terrorized his village for so long. He will bring back their heads as trophies, he claimed, and hang them from the roof of his house!

All he wanted in return was a warrior's welcome, where his success will be heralded by the blowing of bamboo trumpet. In order to prove that he really did as promised, three boys went with him as witnesses.

Just as he had promised, Monsopiad's journey to rid his village of the robbers was a huge success and upon coming home, he was given a hero's welcome. He was so honored by the welcome that he proclaimed he will destroy all enemies to his village.

Over the years, Monsopiad soon attained a reputation and there were no robbers or evil warriors who dared to challenge him. However, the urge to kill had gotten into Monsopiad's head and he simply could not stop himself from beheading more people. Very soon, he started provoking other men into fighting him so that he would have an excuse to kill and behead them.

With his changed attitude, all the villagers and his friends became afraid of him. Left with no choice, the village got a group of brave warriors together and they plan to eliminate Monsopiad. Much as they respected Monospiad for his heroic deeds, yet they had no choice for he had slowly turned into a threat.

One night as planned, the warriors moved in for the kill as Monsopiad was resting in his house. As they attacked him, he fought back fiercely but realized that he had lost his special powers that were bestowed upon him by the Bugang bird. By abusing his gift, he was left powerless and it was that very night that Monsopiad's life ended.

Despite his downfall, the villagers still loved Monsopiad for all that he had done for them. All in all, he collected 42 heads and a great feat that was! In honor and memory of a once great warrior, a monument was erected and the village was renamed after him.

10 Most beautiful places in the world

2010-08-06T04:08:00.001-07:00

We live in a world blessed with sights that are beautiful beyond words. Every human being probably dreams of visiting at least one of those places in their lifetime. Living in modern cities with high-rise buildings, we tend to miss out on what Mother Nature has to offer as well as some of the most incredible man-made structures built throughout the course of history.

Look at the places below, and you will see beauty that fills the eye and warms the heart. It wouldn’t be appropriate or humanly possible to just pick a few places from the huge collection of amazing sights around the world and call them the “best.”

They say that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” and there are perhaps other places that have touched your heart. For this reason, we do not claim the places included in our list are thebest, but rather among the vast collection of the most beautiful places of the world.

The Grand Canyon, United States

A steep gorge by the Colorado River, Arizona in the United States, the Grand Canyon has some truly enjoyable scenery. It is 277 miles in length, 4 to 18 miles in width, and about a mile deep. Scientists believe that the canyon was created by the Colorado River over a six million year period.

Native Americans built settlements in the caves within the canyon before the emigration of Europeans. It was also considered to be a site of pilgrimage by the Pueblo people. The first recorded visit to the Grand Canyon by the Europeans was in 1869. Although it is not the deepest canyon in the world, it is known for its extremely large size and beautifully intricate landscape. The Grand Canyon National Park is said to be one of the first national parks in the United States and it attracts more than five million visitors a year. Weather conditions in the Grand Canyon vary greatly between seasons as well as varying at different elevations. While winter snow is experienced by the higher forested rims, the inner gorge has a desert temperature because of the low elevation.

The Great Barrier Reef, Australia

One of the natural wonders of the world, the Great Barrier Reef off the east coast of Australia is the world’s largest coral reef. It has the distinction of being placed in the World Heritage as well as the National Heritage lists.

With more than 600 islands and coral cays, the reef covers more than 300,000 sq. km. Corals make up the reefs and cays and are responsible for a huge variety of sea life in the reef — green turtles, several varieties of whales and dolphins, the dugong, about 4000 types of mollusks, 1500 different species of fish, as well as beautifully colored bird life encompassing at least 200 species. The Great Reef Marine Park is a huge tourist attraction with millions of tourists visiting the area each year. Sporting activities include reef sailing, scuba diving, and snorkeling, amongst others.

Cape Town, South Africa

Aptly called “Heaven on earth,” this beautiful town at the tip of the African continent, with small roads surrounded by huge mountains, makes a person feel small; showing how marvelous and dominating nature can actually be.

The Cape Dutch style buildings depict the architectural heritage of the place. Beauty abounds in the black clouds that seem to pay homage to Table Mountain at all times. Cape Point, Signal Hill, Chapman’s Peak Drive, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, Robben Island, Rhodes Memorial, and the beaches are some of the famous tourist attractions. Located on the shore of Table Bay, Cape Town is famous for its natural floral kingdom as well as its harbor. This town is one of the most popular tourist attractions of South Africa with its wine tasting day trips, whale watching, and dolphin watching.

Taj Mahal, India

The Taj Mahal in India is one of the wonders of the world and is one of the most beautiful mausoleums constructed by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, in memory of his favorite queen, Mumtaz Mahal. Located in Agra, white marble was used in the construction of this symbol of love, and the Taj Mahal is considered to be the pinnacle of Mughal architecture.

As the story goes, the emperor was grief-stricken when he lost his beloved third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It took thousands of craftsmen and artisans, and about twenty years to construct it. The masons, stone cutters, carvers, inlayers, calligraphers, painters, and others were brought from throughout the entire empire as well as from Iran and Central Asia. Semi-precious stones were used for inlay ornamentation. It later became the mausoleum of Shah Jahan too. This is a huge tourist attraction with one to two million tourists visiting it every year.

Canadian Rockies, Canada

The majestic Canadian Rockies are the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains. They are a visitor’s wonderland and the playground for western Canada. They are older than the American Rockies and are formed from over thrusting.

The Canadian Rockies house five national parks, and four of those national parks (along with other provincial parks) combine to form a single UNESCO World Heritage Site that consists of beautiful mountain landscapes, lakes, canyons, waterfalls, glaciers, peaks, limestone caves, and fossils. Mount Robson is the highest peak of the Canadian Rockies and climbing it is considered a challenge. These beautiful mountains are a haven for hikers and walkers alike.

Machu Picchu, Peru

Machu Picchu in Peru, which means ‘Old Peak,” is one of the most enigmatic ancient sites in the world. According to legend, Machu Picchu was long ago considered to be a sacred place. The credit for the creation of the extraordinary city goes to the Inca people who have erected many stone structures and turned the place into a work of art.

Two thousand feet above the Urubamba river, these ruins consist of baths, temples, palaces, and about 150 houses, all very well preserved. These gray granite structures, some of which weigh more than 50 tons, are so perfectly sculpted that they are nothing less than works of architectural genius. They were rediscovered by a Yale archaeologist in 1911. The ethereal beauty, workmanship, and history of the place attracts millions of tourists each year.

The Pyramids, Egypt

The Egyptian pyramids are massive monuments with a square base and four triangular sides rising up to a point. There is still a lot of curiosity (and many theories) as to how the pyramids were actually constructed.

It is generally believed that the Egyptians began constructing them after 2700 B.C. and that they were built as tombs for the pharaohs. The most well-known (and the largest) pyramids of Egypt are the Pyramids at Giza which are said to be the largest ever built. It’s said that the Great Pyramid at Giza took 23 years to complete, using a work force of around 30,000 people. About 118 pyramids have been identified, and they are popular and intriguing to tourists and home researchers alike.

Petra, Jordan

Described by the UNESCO as “one of the most precious cultural properties of man’s cultural heritage”, Petra is an archeological site on the slope of Mount Hor. It is one of the new wonders of the world and is famous for its rock-cut architecture.

This site was kept hidden until 1812 when it was discovered by a Swiss explorer. It was said to have been prepared by God for the Jewish people. Petra once flourished under the Roman empire but a rapid decline began with the Arabian trade being taken elsewhere. Then an earthquake caused a great deal of destruction. Tourists frequent the place to get a glimpse of the ruins of this beautiful city.

Great Wall of China, China

One of the seven wonders of the world, the Great Wall of China is a man-made structure that was constructed over two thousand years ago and took about 100 years to complete. The vastness of this project brings to light the immense capabilities of man.

The constructions started in the 5th Century B.C. It is actually not a single wall, but rather many walls put together, and it stretches over 4,000 miles. It was constructed to protect the Chinese Empire from the Xiongnu people in the north. The wall was initially built of stone, grass, earth, and wood, but bricks were used once the production started. It is believed that about 2-3 million Chinese died during the construction project.

The Iguazu Waterfalls, Argentina-Brazil Border

Heralded as the most beautiful waterfalls in the world, the Iguazu Waterfalls are a true wonder of nature. They are located at the border of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. While the Argentinean side allows visitors to walk right around the water or explore the National Park, the Brazilian side is known for its panoramic views and splendor.

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt is believed to have exclaimed upon seeing these falls, “poor Niagara.” The area surrounding the falls provides ample opportunities for rock climbing as well as water sports. Iguazu has the distinction of having a greater annual flow than any other waterfall in the world.

With all of these, and many more beautiful places that exist in our world, we surrounded by choices. The only way to decide on the places to visit is to follow your heart. While some may love the tranquility of water, others may bury themselves deep in architectural miracles, ancient sites, or the serenity of a small town.

What is Love...Based on Bible

2010-08-05T07:34:00.000-07:00

What does the Bible say about love?

Old Testament

The English word "love" has many different meanings. It can have affectionate, benevolent, strong liking, romantic, or sexual implications. The Hebrew word aheb, most commonly used in the Old Testament, had a similar range of meanings.
God chose the Israelites as His special people because He loved them (Deuteronomy 4:37, 10:15, Isaiah 43:1-4). The people were commanded to love God in return:

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (NIV, Deuteronomy 6:4-5)

That love was to be shown by serving God and obeying His commands (Deuteronomy 10:12-13, Joshua 22:5).
The Israelites were also commanded to have sincere good will for each other:

Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD. (NIV, Leviticus 19:18)

Related Verses: Genesis 24:67, 29:18-20, Deuteronomy 7:9, 1 Samuel 18:20, 2 Samuel 13:1, Psalms 31:23, Daniel 9:4

New Testament

Two different Greek words are translated as "love" in the New Testament, and they have more specific meanings than our English word "love."
Agapao (verb) and agape (noun). This is the "Christian love" of the Bible. It means affection, benevolence, good-will, high esteem and concern for the welfare of the one loved. It is deliberate, purposeful love rather than emotional or impulsive love. Almost all of the New Testament references to love are agapao or agape in the original Greek. The King James Version of the Bible sometimes translates agape as "charity," but charity has now taken on the meaning of assistance to the poor rather than benevolent love.
Phileo (verb). This means to love in an impulsive and emotional way. It is seldom used in the Bible, but there is a play on words (lost in English) in John 21:15-17. Jesus says to Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love (agapao) me?" Peter answers, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love (phileo) you." Philadelphia is a related word meaning the love of brothers or sisters (e.g., Romans 12:10). It is often translated "brotherly love."
All the references below are translations of agapao or agape except as noted.
God's love for mankind
Love is one of the attributes of God and an essential part of His nature:

God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. (NLT, 1 John 4:16)

Our relationship to God is like the loving relationship between a child and parent. Like a loving parent, God knows and cares deeply for each of us:

Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? And yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows. (NAS, Luke 12:6-7)

Like children, some of us return God's love, and some do not. Nevertheless, He loves all of us. God's gifts of love and salvation are freely offered to all, even to those who choose the path of wickedness instead:

He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (NIV, Matthew 5:45)

Related verses : Matthew 6:25-30, 7:8-11, Luke 15:4-7, John 3:16-17, 16:27 (phileo), Romans 8:38-39
Love the Lord your God
Jesus said our most important responsibility in life is to love God:

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' (NIV, Mark 12:28-30)

We demonstrate our love for God by obeying His commandments and Jesus' commandments (Luke 11:28, John 14:21-24, 2 John 1:6), putting our trust in Him (John 14:1), maintaining a humble attitude (Matthew 18:1-4, Luke 18:9-14), and by prayer (Matthew 6:9-13, Luke 18:1-8).
Related verses: Matthew 6:24, Matthew 7:2, 10:37 (phileo), Luke 6:46-49, Luke 11:27-28, Luke 18:15-17, John 6:28-29, John 6:66-69, John 12:44, John 14:15
Love your neighbor
Our second most important responsibility in life is to love other people. Jesus went on to say,

The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these. (NRSV, Mark 12:31)

In His Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus explained that we should consider all the people of the world to be our "neighbors." Just as God loves all His people, so should we. Jesus calls us to extend our love even to our enemies!

You have heard that the law of Moses says, "Love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and on the unjust, too. If you love only those who love you, what good is that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. (NLT, Matthew 5:43-48)

The apostle Paul said that Christian love is the greatest and most essential of all the spiritual gifts. Even faith is worthless without love!

If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. (NRSV, 1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

Paul went on to describe the nature of true Christian love in this beautiful passage:

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end... And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love. (NRSV, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 13)

In another of his letters, Paul said loving our fellowman is the way to live by all the commandments:

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (NIV, Romans 13:8-10)

God is the source of all our love. Loving God and loving other people are so interrelated that we cannot have one without the other:

We love because he first loved us. Those who say, "I love God," and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also. (NRSV, 1 John 4:19-21)

Related verses: Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 5:21-24, 5:38-39, 6:14-15, 18:21-35, 22:34-40, 25:31-46, Luke 6:27-31, 6:38, 10:25-37, John 13:34-35, 15:9-13, Romans 12:10 (philadelphia), Galatians 5:13-15, 5:22-23,James 2:8-9, 1 Peter 4:8-10, 1 John 4:7-21
Jesus greatly expanded the scope and importance of love, saying love of God and love of fellowman are the most important of all the commandments. The apostle Paul said Christian love was the greatest and most essential of all the spiritual gifts. Throughout the New Testament, we are encouraged and commanded to live in peace with all God's people (e.g.,Romans 12:17-18) and commit ourselves to genuine love and caring for others (e.g., 1 John 3:17-18). Those are the ways we can put our faith into practice in everyday life.

Kadazandusun Sabah...Proud to be Kadazan

2010-08-05T04:39:00.000-07:00

Kadazandusuns of Sabah

The Bobohizan

The bobohizan or bobolian used to represent the village doctor. When someone had taken ill, the bobohizan is called on. The bobohizan then summons the help of the 'susukuon' or the good spirits on how best to heal the sick. With the results of the consultation, she would then know if a chicken, pig, or buffalo was required for a sacrifice or just a simple prayer or 'rinait' sufficed.

Much of the cause for illnesses were believed to be caused by beings of the spiritual context ie searching for a stray 'Kunduduwo' or spirit of the sick person, disturbances from evil spirits, black magic, or to pry the sick person from the grip of dead spirits and lost souls.

The Cultural Village

Just across the road from the House of Skulls is the entrance to the cultural village. Visitors will have to pay a fee upon entry, which will provide access to a guided tour, a welcome drink, a cultural performance, any current exhibition that is normally housed at the traditional kadazan house known as the "Hamin Tinandai".

If you as a visitor to Borneo have not yet savoured the deliciously wicked welcome drink, this is the place to get in touch with native hospitality. All adults are served with a pack of the village wine served in a bamboo cup and more appropriately - chilled. Great in keeping the afternoon Borneon heat checked. It's generally made from pulut or glutinous rice. Visitors will get to taste the 'lihing' (Kadazan-Penampang word for rice wine) which has 10% alcohol content. For higher alcoholic content, visitors can also choose to try a clear spirit with a pretty sound kick! Then everyone can try clambering across the narrow suspension pedestrian bridge to the other side of the river and back without falling over and into the croc infested, murky river below. (well, maybe not the crocs, they're pretty difficult to find out in the wild nowadays). Those wishing to buy a few bottles for the flight home, they're up for sale at the visitors' lounge. For more on the wine processing, click tohttp://www.flyingdusun.com/ . But you know, somehow Lihing never seems to taste as good as when celebrating and drinking with the natives. It's a bit like smoking a local cheroot. It's never better tasting then when you're having a few puffs of a self rolled cheroot or a cigarette, squatting by a dirt road with a group of cackling, gossipy lovely elderly ladies waiting for the country road bus to arrive..the only bus of the day.

If you want a momento for yourself or a souvenir for those back at home, the guides at the village also make beaded bangles with your name imprinted on it etc. you can make an order before the show and the personalised momentoes will be available for collection after the 40min show. (for RM5 a piece)

If you have never seen a monolith, there is a large one standing in the open grounds called the 'Gintutun' and as usual, there will be a story behind this structure and we'll leave the story telling to the guides. What's the fun in it if we were to divulge everything in this article? The guides are all young and eager to show you their cultures and traditions although not all of them are from around the Penampang district. A few ladies come from as far away as Kudat in the north, from the Rungus tribe.

The Cultural performance is held at a small theatre towards the back of the village. This is interesting show of various dances from different tribes in Sabah for example, the Sumazau dance from Penampang, Mongiogol Sumandai from Kudat in the North and the Anggalang Magunatip from Tenom in the South.

Apart from the usual, visitors who are very interested in the Kadazandusun culture can also book a guided tour to the Monsopiad Burial Ground which is about 1/2hr trek through rice fields and bits of jungle to Monsopiad's family burial ground. In the old days, the dead were placed in a crouched position and into a large earthern jar. There are reported to be a few of such ancient burial sites dotted around the Penampang district but the locals are keeping mum about the whereabouts as there have been some degree of vandalism in the past.

Kadazandusun?

Sabah was known to have more than 30 sub ethnic or dialectal groups, at one time making up about 30% of Sabah 's population. Amongst them the Kadazans, Dusuns, Muruts, Rungus, Bajau and Suluks. How the various tribes were grouped under the Kadazans or Dusuns were originally believed to be due to their geographical preferences. The Kadazans mainly inhabit the flat valley deltas suitable for paddy field farming, while Dusuns are traditionally inhabitants of the hilly and mountainous regions common to the interior of Sabah .

There are many theories on the origins of the word 'kadazan' but the most sensible (personal opinion) is the believe to mean 'people'. As in a paper written by Richard F. Tunggolou titled, ' The Origins and Meanings of The Terms "Kadazan' and "Dusun", he states -

'The Bobolian or Bobohizan (priestesses) say that the meaning of 'Kadazan' is 'tulun' or 'tuhun'-'people. This is not surprising as native peoples of the world seem to refer to themselves as 'the people' when calling themselves by name. For instance, the people living in Greenland and northern Canada are often referred to by outsiders as Eskimos. But these indigenous peoples, according to Priit J. Vesilind in his article, "Hunters Of The Lost Spirit" published in the National Geographic, vol. 163, No. 2, February 1983, pp.151-196--depending on where they lived and what ethnic group they belong to--call themselves 'the people'.'

The word 'Dusun" on the other hand was believed to have been coined by the 'Mohemmedan Invaders' as Owen Rutter, author of, "The Pagans of North Borneo" explained in his book published in 1929. Owen Rutter worked as a District Officer for 5 years and left at the beginning of WW1 and being in his position, he had much interaction with the various tribes in North Borneo. He wrote that the pagans or tribes were normally divided into 2 main tribes. The names were never used by the tribes themselves but were given by the newcomers. The word 'Murut' is derived from Bajau people - meaning belud (hill) and 'Dusun' were given to tribes who worked their land, their orchards or gardens. In Malay 'Dusun' means orchard. Hence there were the Orchard people and the Hill people.

So apparently, when the Europeans arrived, they were given the impression by the coastal villagers, namely the Bajaus that natives in the Penampang and Papar area was called 'Dusun'. Hence, the name has stuck since.

Then came politics. In the early 1960's there was conflict amongst the Kadazans and Dusuns which was resulting in an identity crisis that had impeded their development in various aspects from social cultural, economical and even political issues. So came the time when politicians stepped in and fused the 2 etchinc groups under one .. The Kadazandusuns.

My Dream Destination: VENICE, ITALY...City of LOVE

2010-08-05T04:33:00.000-07:00

Venice city of Love

Sculpture in the archways of Procuraties Nuove

Venice, city of love, who would doubt it! Love affairs and famous lovers, the entire history of Venice is intimately linked to Cupid.

Romanticism and eroticism, sacred love or secular love, Cupid reigns supreme here, always ready to shoot his arrows of intoxicating perfumes.

By speaking about eroticism and debauchery, it is natural to think of Giacomo Casanova or perhaps Giorgio Baffo and of course the very Venetian tradition of the courtesans, often well-read enlightened women.

They cannot either forget the other local tradition, that of sigisbée beau for the wife with the consent of the husband, often older than her and whom, rather than not to know where his wife would be satisfied, prefers knowing she is in familiar and more controllable arms.

Molmenti, in the study of Venetian morals, introduces to us the Grand Canal, at sunset the spring:

Venice, city of love, who would doubt it! Love affairs and famous lovers, the entire history of Venice is intimately linked to Cupid.

Romanticism and eroticism, sacred love or secular love, Cupid reigns supreme here, always ready to shoot his arrows of intoxicating perfumes.

By speaking about eroticism and debauchery, it is natural to think of Giacomo Casanova or perhaps Giorgio Baffo and of course the very Venetian tradition of the courtesans, often well-read enlightened women.

They cannot either forget the other local tradition, that of sigisbée beau for the wife with the consent of the husband, often older than her and whom, rather than not to know where his wife would be satisfied, prefers knowing she is in familiar and more controllable arms.

Molmenti, in Private Life in Venice, introduces to us the Grand Canal, at sunset the spring:

“The patricians were often accompanied by their housemaids, and they exchanged with the gentlemen, who followed them on another gondola, with winks and of smiles, tying intrigues of love on this unique "street" of the world, between palaces of brown marble, water and the sky in smiling colors. At night, serenades went through the Grand Canal, and they saw smart feminine faces taking shape on the luminous balconies.”

Molmenti – translated from Vie Privée à Venise 1882

If Venice was a city of lust it is also the city of sublime love, love that is nice, pure and romantic love. The famous love affairs of George Sand with Alfred de Musset, Lord Byron, Gabrielle d' Annunzio and many others else, gave their loving letters of nobility to Venice.

Here is what she said of love, George Sand while staying in Venice, in one letter from June 25th, 1834 to her friend Émile Paultre:

“Life is the most beautiful thing of the world when one loves, and most hateful when one ceases loving. In my opinion, love is everything [...] the true love, it is when the heart, the spirit and the body understand each others and embrace together.”

What is Eco-Tourism???

2010-08-05T04:21:00.000-07:00

Ecotourism, ecotravel, ecolodges and just generally being "eco" have become popular tourism sales pitches. What is true ecotourism? What defines an ecolodge or an ecological company? How is the surrounding community involved? And finally, is ecotourism such a great thing anyways?

In order to truly understand ecotourism and all of it's attendant pros and cons it is necessary to do some background research. This page offers an introduction to the topic along with several links to more detailed information. The basic definitions below have been adapted and clarified from commonly used travel industry lingo. Some of the links are to articles that help further define ecotourism some promote it and some attack it but all are provocative and informative.
The goal of this page is neither to sell nor devalue ecotourism but rather to explore it as a concept and to help create informed travelers who ask lots of questions before, during and after their trip. Well informed travelers choose their guides, travel companies and lodges from a position of knowledge. This purchasing power can be the driving force behind positive or negative impacts on the places you visit.

Defining The Experience:

There are almost as many terms to describe types of travel as there are travel companies. A couple of buzzwords that you often hear these days are "Eco-Tourism" and "Adventure Travel" . To further confuse the issue there is also "Sustainable Tourism", "Responsible Tourism", "Nature Based Travel", "Green Travel", "Multi-Sport Adventures" and "Cultural Tourism". The following are Untamed Path's definitions based on common usage.

Eco-tourism: Perhaps the most over-used and mis-used word in the travel industry. But what does it mean? The Ecotourism Society defines it as "responsible travel to natural areas which conserves the environment and improves the welfare of the local people". A walk through the rainforest is not eco-tourism unless that particular walk somehow benefits that environment and the people who live there. A rafting trip is only eco-tourism if it raises awareness and funds to help protect the watershed. A loose interpretation of this definition allows many companies to promote themselves as something that they are not. If true eco-tourism is important to you, ask plenty of questions to determine if your trip will help "conserve and improve" the places you visit.

Adventure Travel: Another term which is heavily used by marketing departments. While travel to another country is often adventurous it is not necessarily "Adventure Travel". Most dictionaries define adventure similarly: "an unusual experience including some level of risk and uncertainty". "Adventure Travel" includes this idea of risk and oftentimes some unconventional means of transport. A dugout canoe journey deep into the Amazon basin with it's attendant difficulties meets this definition. While a city tour of Paris might have some level of uncertainty it is not by definition "Adventure Travel". If you love true adventure you probably already know this and can see through the hype to find the real thing for yourself.

There is sometimes a distinction made between "Soft" and "Hard" adventures. Soft adventures have a lower level of risk, greater comfort in accommodations and are less physically rigorous. Hard adventures often have very basic facilities, higher risk factor and greater physical challenge (ie: mountain climbing, backpacking or river expeditions).

Sustainable Tourism: Any form of tourism that does not reduce the availability of resources and does not inhibit future travelers from enjoying the same experience. If the presence of large numbers of tourists disturbs an animal's mating patterns so that there are fewer of that species in the future then that visit was not sustainable. Kayaking school on a free flowing river is an example of sustainable tourism. Big game hunting in Alaska is not.

Responsible Tourism: Tourism which operates in such a way as to minimize negative impacts on the environment. A wilderness camping trip using "Leave No Trace" ethics would be considered responsible tourism while dune buggy tours would not.

Nature-Based Tourism: A more generic term for any activity or travel experience with a focus on nature. Large jungle lodges fall into this category as do cruise ships to view penguins in Antarctica. These types of trips may or may not be environmentally sustainable or responsible. -

Green Tourism: Often used inter-changeably with eco-tourism and sustainable tourism but more accurately described as "any activity or facility operating in an environmentally friendly fashion". A lodge with composting toilets, gray water system, and solar powered lighting is probably "green". There are varying degrees of "greenness"; an awareness of where resources are coming from andwhere wastes are going is at the heart of the idea.

Multi-Sport Adventures: These trips have a focus on physical outdoor activities. Rafting, mountain biking, climbing, surfing, diving, etc. all offered in the same package. Not necessarily sustainable or eco but might be since many companies want to protect the areas where these activities take place.

Cultural Tourism: Interacting with and observing unique cultures is the focus of this style of trip. The concept of learning from other cultures to broaden ones perspective is usually a core value. An artisan showing you how to weave a tapestry and learning from them about their traditional dress would be a form of cultural tourism. Buying crafts in the market with no more interaction than the exchange of money does not provide the insight into another culture that is the central theme of cultural tourism.

Clearly all of these definitions are debatable. What one person or company calls "eco" another calls "sustainable" and so on. The main distinction between these terms is the motives and ethics behind them. Is the environment being cared for? Is there genuine effort to help the local economies? Are resources being left intact for future generations? Is the local culture being honored and valued and not just photographed? These questions will cut through the semantics and allow you to see what is really being offered.

At Untamed Path we've blended many of these ideas together to create our own unique form of travel. We place a high priority on preserving the places we visit, both environmentally and culturally. We enjoy active outdoor pursuits so many of our trips incorporate these sports but never at the expense of the natural world or the people who already live there. However, we don't make claims to be something that we can't live up to and are constantly reassessing our trips for ways to improve their ecological and cultural soundness. All of our trips contain elements of adventure travel, eco-tourism, multi-sport and cultural travel. We operate in a focused responsible and sustainable fashion and always, always have fun.

Tourism Industry in Sabah

2010-08-03T21:48:00.000-07:00

Tourism Industry in Sabah

The tourism industry, especially in Sabah, has been booming despite the natural disaster tsunami and bird flu. Tourists have been flocking to Sabah due to its unique eco-related places that had generated a lot of interests among foreign visitors. Kota klias is one of the many interesting sites in Sabah and in recent years the area has been gaining popularity among foreign tourists due to the presence of the unique and proboscis monkey.

THE TOURISM INDUSTRY
The world tourism industry reached an all-time record of 760 million international tourist arrivals

in 2004. The figure represented an increase of 10 percent in comparison with the previous year, the best results in two decades, according to a report released by World Tourism Organisation. The Organisation said year 2005 was even better, with Asia benefiting not seen before.

Malaysia
Tourist Arrivals and Receipts to Malaysia:
Year Arrivals Tourism Receipts (RM)
2000 10.22 million 17,335.4 million
2001 12.78 million 24,221.5 million
2002 13.29 million 25,781.1 million
2003 10.58 million 21,291.1 million
2004 15.70 million 29.651.4 million
2005 (10 months) 13.58 million Not Available

Malaysia recorded a total of 13,581,502 tourist arrivals from January to October 2005 compared to 13,071,098 for the same period in 2004, indicating an increase of 3.9%. For the month of October 2005, there were 1,367,735 tourist arrivals compared to 1,359,658 for the same month in 2004, showing a slight growth of 0.6%.
Malaysia has been recording a steady average of some 1.3 million foreign visitors per month for the first ten months
The top ten tourist generating markets until October 2005 were Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei, Japan, China, Australia, United Kingdom, India and Taiwan.
The country is expected to receive even higher tourist arrivals in 2007, which coincide with the Visit Malaysia Year.

Sabah
Tourists Arrivals to Sabah:
Year Malaysian Internationals Total
2000 365,537 408,938 774,475
2001 512,514 406,009 918,523
2002 579,092 528,264 1,107,356
2003 681,742 569,712 1,251,454
2004 792,308 980,963 1,773,271
2005(preliminary) 1,067,677 761,094 1,828,771

As for Sabah, 2005 was unquestionably a better year than 2004. Sabah welcomed a record high of more than 1.8 million arrivals in 2005, posting a 3 percent increase over 2004 and 46 percent increase over 2003. This translates into a tourism receipt of over RM 2 billion for Sabah.
Although the country has faced extraordinary challenges due to circumstances beyond control such as the tsunami natural disaster and spread of bird flu, the number of tourist arrivals to the State had however increased.
According to the State’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment recently, the number of tourist arrivals had increased by 2.7 percent, from 1.773 million in 2004 to 1.821 million in 2005. In this respect, the Ministry said the target of 2.7 million arrivals in 2007 is not impossible due to further support from the Visit Malaysia Year 2007 campaign.
The state may see tourist arrivals to further increase with a possible target of 4 million arrivals by 2010. This will greatly benefit tourism industry, where the number of visitors will continue to increase.
The State of Sabah has been receiving increasing number of tourist arrivals due primarily to its wide varieties of tourism attractions which broadly included as exciting site for adventures, diverse cultures, diving haven, white sandy island beaches, tasty local delicacies, heritage sites and most importantly, availability of unique wildlife and nature.
These diverse tourist attractions have made Sabah an increasingly popular destination for tourists to visit Sabah. There are indications that the existing hotel rooms are grossly inadequate to meet the strong demand as a result from tourists’ arrivals.

KOTA KLIAS
Kota Klias is located about 150 km from Kota Kinabalu, a Mangrove Forest Reserve rich with the elusive Proboscis monkey, Silver Leaf monkey and myriad species of birds that inhabit this unique riverine environment.

- Fireflies
On a moonless night, the area will be swarm by the flickering lights of fireflies against the night sky. Congregation of fireflies can be seen almost all along the bank of the Klias River. Some trees may have more than a thousand individuals of adult fireflies. Apart from Kota Klias, the Selangor river (Peninsular Malaysia) is one of the more renown areas for observing the magical display of fireflies.

-Proboscis Monkey:
It is the Proboscis monkey that has single-handedly turns the Kota Klias into an important tourist’s attraction along the river. Little is known about this primate unlike its more famous cousin‚ the Orang Utan‚ which has been studied‚ both in the wild and captivity. The Proboscis will usually die soon after capture -- literally starving themselves to death even in large enclosures‚ no matter how lush or lavish their living area is.
This is why these monkeys cannot be seen in zoos and receives much less attention‚ even among scientists and researchers‚ compared to other primates. They are best left to themselves in the mangrove and peat swamp forests of Sabah‚ Sarawak‚ Kalimantan and several smaller surrounding islands where they constitutes a valuable part of Borneo’s natural heritage together with its more famous cousin‚ the Orang Utan. As the uniqueness of this Proboscis monkey gains popularity and it is only available in Borneo, especially in the Kota Klias, the number of visitors is expected to increase.

-CURRENT ACTIVITIES AT KLIAS
Presently, there are two jetties established by tour operators near the Kota Klias from where they provide boat services to tourists to see these animals. The Lodge is established about a crow fly away from the bridge, it also provides accommodation and boat services to their guests.
In a brief survey to the area, there were about 100 tourists loaded in eight different boats in one particular day from the same operators. There were other boats with about 100 tourists from another operator. Between the two operators, they have about 30 boats; each boat can take maximum 30 passengers.
It was known at peak season, all the boats were fully used. Quite often, the operators have to outsource additional boats from the villagers staying along the Klias river to ferry tourists for a boat cruise.
It was observed that during peak tourist season, the existing operators could not cope with surge in demand for river cruise along Kota Klias and I foresee with the continued increase in tourist arrivals to Sabah, such facilities are glaringly inadequate to accommodate future demand.
Most tourists enjoyed the boat cruise and the riverine scenery and the main objective; watching the Proboscis monkey is a justification to conduct such cruise. The river cruise will be more interesting if the tourists are given prior information or pre-tour briefing on what to expect and what type of wildlife other than the monkey, to watch during the cruise. Besides in Bahasa Malaysia and English, the information shall be provided in other foreign languages such as Japanese, Korean and Mandarin, depending on the nationality of the tourists.
A professional naturalist will provide a briefing about the natural history of the Kota Klias and the wildlife in the area, before leaving the jetty. Narrative explanation will also be provided on site if the tourists’ requests further information.

-Eco-Education Tourism Services
In order to provide a more professional tour services to tourists, Nature Interpreter (naturalists) may be engaged to provide briefing and narrative explanation to the tourists about the natural history of the Kota Klias habitat and the wildlife seen from the boat. This will be more meaningful to the tourists and value for their money.

Full of Stress and Work..

2010-07-30T02:53:00.000-07:00

Recently i feel really stress coz there are too many work to do...every night i can't sleep thinking how am i going to finish all my work@assignment....i am soo tired and feel like want to rest. Hmmm what to do...this is life...we just need to face it...Now also i feel so tired but i can't sleep or rest because many thing i need to think about...maybe if all my assignment is finish then maybe i can calm down myself and of course enjoy..hehe( still can smile)huhuhuhuuhhu helllppp!!!!!

My Best Friend Ever..hehe

2010-07-29T10:41:00.000-07:00

Everybody have a best friend but me have special best friend. Why i'm saying like that...only me know the reason why...hehe this is some of the pictures of my best friend...Chakss..>.<

hehe...Thank u for the friendship...hope our friendship will be last forever...hohoho Chaaks...

Stressfull

2010-07-29T10:11:00.000-07:00

HUhuhuh...at last i finish preparing my presentation for tomorrow...huhu...this is so stressfull...
In my presentation, i been asked to present about leadership...so the leader that i choose is former Malaysian Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad...This is his pic...

Beside that me also need to finish my assignment before next week....
Oh my GOD, this is so stressfull...Arghhhh...=(

HeHeHe look at my magazine cover...

2010-07-28T06:28:00.000-07:00

This is my magazine cover that link with conserving the nature...today i already make a presentation about my magazine but i was so nervous until all my hand were shaking...hehe >.<

BORNEO NATURE

is it nice...hahaha well this my work okey...huhu my lecturer will give a good mark on this hehe...

2010-07-28T05:30:00.000-07:00

Hello again...haha i just want to share some of song lyric for the japanese subject...which is....

" Ko No Me Kaze "

Namae yonde bokuni todoku youni

Hibiku koe wa kaze wo okosu kara

Sono te nobashite tsunagou

Egao minaru kara

Saa ikou bokura wa

Ima wo mitsumete aruki hajimeru

Isogi ashite katta hitori

Sora no ido sae kizu kazuni

Hitasu aru iteta

Aisaretai fureraretetai

Motomeru bakari no kimochi wa

Hibi wo kumoraseteta

Kimi ni deau sono hi made wa

Namae yonde sora ni hibiku youni

Mayoimichi mo kitto futari nara

Arukidasu toki sekai ga

Mitada ni kawaru

Asaga kuru bokura wa

Kaze wo kanjite

Kimi no ta te ni

Kimi no todari iru kara

Hana no kisetsu mo tsu koto

Sono saki no tsuku to

Ishou ni itai to me tanda

Namae yonde bokuni todoku youni

Hibiku koe wa kaze wo okosu kara

Daijoubu namae yonde

Sora no hibiku youni

Mayoimichi mo kitto futari nara

Arukidasu toki sekai ga

Mitada ni kawaru

Asaga kuru bokura wa

Kaze wo kanjite

Tsunaida te to te hanasanai

Mamoritainda

Saa ikou bokura wa

Ima wo mitsumete aruki hajimeru

2010-07-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

Well, this is the last semester, so many sweet memory that happen and also the opposite...huhuhu....i didn't realize that the time was going so fast...well i have include some picture that since i was semester 1 in ATI college with my friend ..enjoy it..CHAKKK!!!

me,adel,mars,terry and allen

trip to sandakan

hahaha

CHAKK!!

DINNER & DANCE

terry baka desu

kiulu rafting

sem 1

kiulu rafting

sepilok, sandakan

rainforest

allen fighting with crocodille

me and miss Akiko and other girls
hehe

FREE AT LAST!!!!!

2010-03-25T21:21:00.000-07:00

YEAHHH...free at last...hehehe....at last i resign from the Korean Restaurant.....hehehe...not that i don't like to work there but the salary is not enough...huhuhu...serve your right Boss...hahahahahahaaaa SIAPA SURU KAU LOKEK....hahahaa

Don't know what to do....

2010-03-16T20:25:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking all this time....should I make a move or just ignore it...I don't what to do and it was really confusing...Part of my mind said that i need to do it but part of it said don't....what should i do....???...Arrrggghhh....Maybe i need to make a final decision to decide what the conclusion for my problem.....huh....

Hope that this year(2010) is a good year....

2010-01-04T06:21:00.000-08:00

Well...here come 2010 and i feel that this is my good year..hehehee...i hope so...coz i have my brand new car(Malaysian made) and my family now is in good condition...i hope that this 2010 will be the happiest year for my family...i love my family so much and with all that we already been through in 2009 will be in memory...2009 is the bad year for us...many crisis happen in my family in year of 2009...and i hope this year 2010 will be our good year...i just can feel it..hehehee...GOD BLESS MY FAMILY.....especially my mother....may she always be happy and healthy...MOM I LOVE YOU SO MUCH......

What the hell...!!!!

2009-08-31T21:03:00.000-07:00

Hmm...okey this week is really stressful...I'm still not finish my assignment and have a lot of thing to do...HUH!!!...I think I just need to calm and doing my assignment slowly....hahaha....it is really suck coz my internet bill still not being paid yet because of money problem...huhuhu....how am i going to do my assignment...Arrrrggghhhh......!!!!