Plant and Animal Talk

We are not in the drain yet!

2012-02-06T20:23:00.001-08:00

We are not in the drain yet!

The drain, a damp, dark place, seems like a very nice place for the animals, but to be in the drain connotes a negative idea, just like brain drain, the latter, meaning a large-scale emigration of a large group of individuals with technical skills or knowledge from a country due to various reasons such as lack of opportunities or political instability in the country of origin.

Plant Talk: Star Fruit Poisoning

2012-01-21T20:14:00.000-08:00

You'd probably heard of food poisoning or carbon monoxide poisoning but this is star fruit poisoning. Symptoms include hiccups, numbness, weakness, feeling confused and agitation. Someone, in fact, had said that more than 10 people in Shenzhen, China had died after consuming star fruits and a 66-year-old Malaysian with a kidney ailment was said to have fallen into a coma after eating them. A Universiti Malaya Medical Centre consultant nephrologist purportedly said that star fruits contain a neurotoxin that affects the brain and nerves. In healthy persons, the kidneys filter the neurotoxin out but for people with kidney problems, the toxin cannot be removed and could worsen the person's condition and could even bring about death. You'd probably find stories on such delicious fruits like star fruits a bit too hard to swallow!

I am not Pinnochio!

2012-01-07T21:15:00.000-08:00

I tell no lies!

If you remember, Pinocchio is the wooden puppet carved by Geppetto in the 1883 children's novel, The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. Pinnocchio dreams of becoming a real boy and his wooden nose would grow each time he lies. You'd probably enjoy the 1940 Walt Disney animated version of this delightful tale!

There is something in my ear!

2011-12-14T19:08:00.000-08:00

There is something in my ear!

I remember Judy in Daktari. 'Daktari', by the way' is 'doctor' in 'Swahili' and is the name of an American children programme aired by CBS in the 60s. Judy is the chimpanzee in the show. Like a real chimp, it is very smart. The Congo River in Africa is said to form the boundary between the native habitat of two species of chimpanzees.. Even there, the chimpanzees could make tools and use them to acquire foods and for social displays. Talk about smart monkeys!

This's interesting!

2011-11-14T06:20:00.000-08:00

This's interesting!

Dogs are clever creatures. We may not understand their language but they definitely do understand ours. If you do not believe, just ask one to run or sit or shake your hand using your own language. Most probably, the dog will do your bidding because it understand you!

Plant Talk: Anti-Cancer Fruits

2011-11-07T06:50:00.001-08:00

Eat fruits if it is cancer you are fighting! Researchers reportedly have discovered that enzymes that digest protein play a key role in halting the growth of cancer cells. Papaya has papain or papaya proteinase, an enzyme said to be similar to protein digesting enzymes produced by our pancreas. If however papaya is not your type of fruit, you can always try the pineapple which also has a protein digesting enzyme, bromelain. You may be pleased to know that bromelain is said to be effective in reducing sinuses and swelling too especially that of the nose.

Here's your chance to do some 'Dana' !

2011-10-25T08:24:00.000-07:00

Do some 'Dana'!

One would probably associate dāna to almsgiving. 'Dana' actually means 'generosity'. In Buddhism, the act of doing'dana' is supposed to cultivate generosity which is unattached and unconditional. Now, have how often is it that you give without expecting anything in return?

For more of Buddhism, visit Dhamma Delights!

I am not an artist!

2011-09-13T00:58:00.000-07:00

I am just a watermelon!

Maybe, it would take Don Maclean's song, 'Vincent' to remind you of Vincent Willem van Gogh, the Dutch post-Impressionist painter who gave the world, 'Sunflowers' and 'Irises' and many other artwork which had a far-reaching influence on 20th-century art. The painter died when he was 37 years old, reportedly from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. In his lifetime, he sold just one painting, 'The Red Vineyard'. You'd think a watermelon'd sell better!

Can you spot Van Gogh among the sunflowers, irises in the red vineyard on a starry night?

I am all ears!

2011-08-21T23:52:00.000-07:00

I am all ears!

You'd probably have heard of William Shakespeare's: Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.The evil that men do lives after them;The good is oft interred with their bones; So let it be with Caesar... That's an excerpt from William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. 'I am all ears' by the way, means, 'I am listening carefully'.

Trapped!

2011-08-15T00:19:00.000-07:00

Trapped!

Do you know that there is a number of films with the title 'Trapped'? The first is a 1931 crime drama starring Lina Basquette. The second is a 1949 semi-documentary. There are different television television versions in 1973, 1989, 2001 and 2006 respectively. The one in 1973 stars James Brolin and Susan Clark.

Do not step on the grass!

2011-08-08T00:04:00.001-07:00

Do not step on the grass!

It is so easily said: To maintain a beautiful lawn, you just need three steps - feed it, control the weeds and the insect and would you add, too - don't step on it!

There must be some greenery somewhere!

2011-08-07T06:23:00.000-07:00

There must be some greenery somewhere!

Greenery, green foliage - is what our world need. Keep our world green!

Animal Talk: Cats with Nine Lives

2011-08-04T00:05:00.000-07:00

The local paper reported that pet shop boys,Shahrul Azuwan Adanan and Yushairi Khairuddin, who own the Petknode Online Store had gone missing. Their parents believed that the boys or rather men, were frightened. Just a few days ago, I remember there was a report that the two were planning to sue some pet owners who had broken into their premises. The thing is cats left under their care had been neglected and even abandoned for over a period of 9 days. Pet owners went teary eyes (inset) as not only were the cats been found starved, dehydrated and covered with their own waste but as many as 16 had been found dead. No wonder the chairman of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), Christine Chin had called for the men to be put behind bars and no wonder the men were frightened. A cat may have 9 lives but it need not have to suffer!

I am playing dead!

2011-08-03T05:03:00.000-07:00

I am playing dead!

Which animal will play dead when in danger? Opossums reportedly could curl and lay on their sides with their eyes glazed over and their teeth bared and tongues hung out when there are predators around. They could also make themselves smell dead by secreting a green liquid from the glands under the base of their tail. Cats, of course, can't do that!

I am going to pee on this!

2011-08-03T05:01:00.000-07:00

I am going to pee on this!

I remember while traveling by bus in Northern India. It was winter and cold and many times the bus would have to stop to allow the travellers to pee. Unfortunately, there was no toilet around, which is a norm, and travellers would have to do their business beside the roads behind trees and bushes. There are always proper places to pee!

If you are going to pee now, which of these places would suit you

We remind you of cotton candy, don't we?

2011-08-03T04:59:00.000-07:00

We remind you of cotton candy, don't we?

Cotton candy or candy floss are usually found in funfairs and circuses but definitely not on trees. The trees you see in the pictures are actually a side-effect of floods in Pakistan. Millions of spiders reportedly climbed up the trees to build their homes there to avoid the rising flood waters.

Science Post: To cook or not to cook>

2011-07-30T22:12:00.000-07:00

Richard Wrangham of Harvard University said that cooking plant food allows complex carbohydrates in starchy foods to become more digestible. This in turns allows humans to absorb more calories and triggers brain expansion. Cooking food should therefore be good. Some food like the papaya and pineapple contain enzymes like papain and bromelain which are similar to the protein digesting enzymes made by the pancreas. These enzymes can dissolve the protein that forms a coat around all cancer cells. The immune system can then see the cancer cells and target them for destruction. On the question: To cook or not to cook? - While it is good to cook food, I suppose it depends on what type of food we are talking about. Fruits probably should be eaten raw. Heat could denature enzymes and cooking fruits would render the enzymes in them useless.

Puss in cup!

2011-07-21T23:10:00.001-07:00

Puss in cup!

'Puss in cup' surely is cuter than 'Puss in boots'!

Size does matter!

2011-07-21T23:05:00.000-07:00

Size does matter!

You'd probably think only Godzilla (ゴジラ, Gojira) is big. Avid movie goers may know, Godzilla is a daikaijū, that is a Japanese movie monster. Godzilla first appeared in Ishirō Honda's 1954 film Gojira and later in 28 other Japanese movies produced by Toho Co. Ltd. An American version starring Matthew Broderick appeared in 1998 and there has been report that a new one is slated for a 2012 release.

My hair's standing on end!

2011-06-27T23:51:00.001-07:00

My hair's standing on end!

A tree is not exactly frightening and it would not make your hair stand on end, would it?

Look what's inside me!

2011-05-29T00:00:00.000-07:00

Look what's inside me!

Would this perhaps remind you of the very successful 2000 American romantic comedy film starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt, 'What Women Want? If you remember, Mel Gibson played a man who have the capability of reading womens' thoughts. There was even a Chinese remake of this film with Andy Lau Tak Wah and Gong Li as the leads. Cool!

Press me if you dare!

2011-05-28T23:30:00.000-07:00

Press me if you dare!

The durian has been known as king of fruits. It is said that in South East Asia, the fruits has been consumed since prehistoric times bt to the western world, it has only been known for about 600 years. Niccolò Da Conti, an Italian merchant and explorer, first referred to it in the 15th century.

I am 'One Tree Hill' !

2011-05-28T23:23:00.000-07:00

I am 'One Tree Hill' !

And you'd have thought that 'One Tree Hill' is an American television drama about two half brothers, Lucas Scott and Nathan Scott, played by Chad Michael Murray and James Lafferty!

Hope we bowl you over!

2011-05-28T23:21:00.000-07:00

Hope we bowl you over!

Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes. With or without pots, these plants will definitely bowl you over with either their flowers, foliage, fruit or even scent!

Moo! I am lost!

2011-05-28T23:18:00.000-07:00

Moo! I am lost!

No, this is not the 'Lost' series that is aired in American television by ABC or American Broadcasting Company. You probably remember the drama series that follows the lives of some survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet on a tropical island somewhere in the South Pacific Ocean, don't you? In the island, there were no traffic lights!