Harmful Tampons

If you are a woman and use pads, but especially if you use tampons, read this and pass it to your friends. Men, you could also help and pass it around to your significant others, sisters, aunts, mothers or daughters and etc.

Check the labels of the sanitary pads or tampons that you are going to buy the next time and see whether you spot any of these familiar signs stated in this blog. No wonder so many women in the world suffer from cervical cancer and womb tumors.

Have you heard that tampon makers include asbestos in tampons? And why would they do this you ask? Read on…
Because asbestos makes you bleed more, if you bleed more, you're going to need to use it more. Why isn't this against the law since asbestos is so dangerous? Because the powers that be, in all their wisdom (not), did not consider tampons as being ingested, and, therefore, didn't consider them illegal or dangerous. This month's Essence magazine has small article about this and they mention two manufacturers of a cotton tampon alternative. The companies are: Organic Essentials and Terra Femme. A woman getting her Ph.D. at University of Colorado at Boulder sent the following:
“I am writing this because women are not being informed about the dangers of something most of us use- tampons. I am taking a class this month and I have been learning a lot about biology and women, including much about feminine hygiene. Recently we have learned that tampons are actually dangerous (for other reasons than TSS). I'll tell you this after learning about this in our class, most of the females wound up feeling angry and upset with the tampon industry, and I for one, am going to do something about it. To start, I want to inform everyone I can, and let them know the truth”

HERE IS THE SCOOP:
Tampons contain two things that are potentially harmful: Rayon (for absorbency), and dioxin (a chemical used in bleaching the products). The tampon industry is convinced that we, as women, need bleached white products in order to view the product as pure and clean. The problem here is that the dioxin, which is produced in this bleaching process, can lead to very harmful problems for a woman. Dioxin is potentially carcinogenic cancer-associated) and is toxic to the immune and reproductive systems. It has also been linked to endometriosis and lower sperm counts for men. For both sexes, it breaks down the immune system. Last September, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that there really is no set 'acceptable' level of exposure to dioxin given that it is cumulative and slow to disintegrate. The real danger comes from repeated contact.

Karen Couppert ‘Pulling the Plug on the Tampon Industry’ : I'd say using about 4-5 tampons a day, five days a month, for 38 menstruating years is 'repeated contact', wouldn't you? Rayon contributes to the danger of tampons and dioxin because it is a highly absorbent substance. Therefore, when fibers from the tampons are left behind in the vagina (as usually occurs), it creates a breeding ground for the dioxin. It also stays in a lot longer than it would with just cotton tampons. This is also the reason why TSS (toxic shock syndrome) occurs.

WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES?
Using feminine hygiene products that aren't bleached and that are all cotton. Other feminine hygiene products (pads/napkins) contain dioxin as well, but they are not nearly as dangerous since they are not in direct contact with the vagina. The pads/napkins need to stop being bleached, but, obviously, tampons are the most dangerous. So, what can you do if you can't give up using tampons? Use tampons that are made from 100% cotton, and that are UNBLEACHED. Unfortunately, there are very few companies that make these safe tampons. They are usually only found in health food stores. Countries all over the world (Sweden , Germany , British Columbia , etc.) have demanded a switch to this safer tampon, while the U.S. has decided to keep us in the dark about it. In 1989, activists in England mounted a campaign against chlorine bleaching. Six weeks and 50,000 letters later, the makers of sanitary products switched to oxygen bleaching (one of the green methods available) - MS magazine, May/June 1995
Signing out. TheWonderWoman

Optimistic

"I love the way Robert Schuller differentiates between the optimist and the pessimist. An optimist calls a half glass of water "half full", a pessimist "half empty". The reason is simple. The optimist is putting water in the glass. The pessimist is taking water out of the glass. It's almost a universal truth. Anyone taking from society with no real effort to contribute to society is pessimistic because he fears there won't be enough for him. The person who is doing his best and making a contribution is optimistic and confident because he is personally working on the solution."

"Optimists are people who, when they wear out their shoes, just figure they are back on their feet"

Zig Ziglar

Zecon Toll-Incompetent?

I would like to take this opportunity to express my disappointment on Sarawak’s very own toll company, Zecon Toll Concessionaire Sdn Bhd. I am aware that the company has come up with a new initiative to provide beloved Sarawakian with a better facility that will alleviate them. And by this, they (Zecon) had introduced reloadable toll card which takes up reload amount from as little as RM10 up to RM500. This definitely attracts the public as it shows unfussiness and simplicity since you wouldn’t need to buy the card for the minimum price of RM30 like before.

So then there I was on my way to work one particular morning, and I had purposely use the route passing the toll so that I can reload my toll card which has RM0 in balance. So there were about 3 or 4 lanes opened in front of me. I am familiar of the last lane was only being use for card holder (something like touch and go). So without any doubt, I went straight to the 2nd lane where there was an attendant standing by. When I reached the lane I told the attendant that I wanted to reload my card. And at my disappointment, I’ve been told that I need to go to the last lane (which is for card holder only and so there was nobody attending to the lane) to reload my card. If you were in my shoes, im sure you would also choose to go to the lane that has an attendant instead of the one with just a screen and a machine right? And how am I supposed to reverse my car when there were already more than 5 other cars queuing up behind my me??? And for god’s sake, couldn’t they put up a signboard or anything like that to inform the drivers which lane to go to if they want to reload their card? And let me tell you this, that was the 3rd time I went there to get my card reloaded. The first time they told me to come back when it is not at peak hours since it was right after the office hours ended at that time. So I came back at night the second time. And now they told me that the counter has closed and it is only open during daytime. Ok fine…and so I came back that very early morning and again I wasn’t able to get my card reloaded because I was at the wrong lane?! So could anybody please tell me whose fault this is? And is this how ZECON wants their promotional work on the so-called convenience to toll users being carried out? Let me say one thing straight here~to the management: if you can’t provide a good customer service, then don’t bother to come up with the idea to provide convenience for your customers!!! Period! Signing out. TheWonderWoman.

New System in Recruiting Public Sectors Workforce

My…my…reading the paper this morning has definitely made me realized that I should be glad to be in my current job as an employee in the public sector, and at the same time I swear that I would stop complaining on how my job sucks for most of the time! The government has announced that a new system in recruiting public sectors workforce will be implement starting end of this year. The chairman of SPA (Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam), Tan Sri Jamaluddin Ahmad Damanhuri said that the new system (which is known as the Profiling Recruitment Model) will comprise of three stages. The first stage will be in the form of examination, then followed by self evaluation and finally is the interview. All these three stages will focus on the candidate’s academic background and the overall values and attitude that he/she has. This is said to ensure that all the successful candidates under SPA will be the best among the best! So guys, this would mean a tougher challenge for you to get a place in the public sectors. I guess stability and security doesn’t come easy these days huh? But if you look at the bright side, by implementing tough recruiting policy like this, the public will no longer look down at the government employees like they normally do. A person who works in the public sectors will finally be able to give the impression of a highly educated, skillful and unique personnel in the public eyes. So I would like to wish the best of luck to all you out there in searching for a secure job. Life is journey, not a destination…GAMBATTE!!! Signing out. TheWonderWoman

Suicide Attempt

Late yesterday evening around 4.55pm, a male of his 30’s stunned onlookers in the Wisma Seberkas building when he tried to attempt suicide from the ledge of its sixth floor. The police, the Fire and Rescue Department and the Emergency squad from Sarawak General Hospital had rushed to the scene as soon as they received the SOS from the guards on duty. The drama caused a long traffic jammed along the immediate road to Wisma Saberkas and even worse it was right on time when the office hours has ended and people were all leaving at the same time. After almost two hours of negotiation, the man was finally convinced by the authority to give up his intention and was later brought to Simpang Tiga police station to be investigated. It was said that the man had decided to commit suicide due to marital problems.

Incident like this is definitely a NO laughing matter. All this while, we often heard cases like these happened only in the big and busy/hectic cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, New York or New Delhi. But what about now? This is a proved of even Sarawakians can be exposed to this problem nowadays. And yet, Sarawak is known for its serene and peaceful ambiance which is NOT likely to lead in suicide attempt among its society. Even tourists from all over the world would spend thousands of dollars and fly hundreds miles away from their homeland just to be in Sarawak to enjoy its tranquility setting.

Thus, this gets me thinking…have we thought of the solutions for this matter? The right ways to handle it? Or even just to get ourselves prepared to face this situation when dealing with it in the future? Sound scary? Believe me it is scary! Especially when your mind is a total clueless in this matter. You wouldn’t even know how to start the negotiation right? Just imagine if this thing happens to your family members or your friends. Wouldn’t it be frustrating to not being able to help them get out from this deadly mess? For that reason, I’ve managed to do some research on this issue and would like to share it with the world, with the hope that it will be useful to all of you.

Myths and Facts on Suicide

Myth: That talking to someone about their suicidal feelings will cause them to commit suicide.
Fact: Asking someone about their suicidal feelings may make the person feel relieved that someone finally recognized their emotional pain.

Myth: That all suicidal people want to die and there is nothing that can be done about it.
Fact: Most suicidal people are ambivalent; that is, part of them is saying, "I want to die" but part of them is saying, "I want to live."

Myth: That people. who talk about committing suicide never actually do it.
Fact: When someone talks about committing suicide, he/she may be giving a warning that should not be ignored by others who hear such comments.

Myth: That there is a "typical" type of person who commits suicide.
Fact: The potential for suicide exists in all of us. There is no "typical" type of suicidal person.

Myth: That suicide occurs without warning.
Fact: Many people, including adolescents, give warnings of their suicidal intent.

When you suspect that a friend or a family member may be suicidal, you may become nervous and anxious. This is a normal feeling. It may help if you remember the following:

+ Do not allow yourself to be sworn to secrecy by the suicidal person. You may lose a friendship, but you may save a life.
+ Believe or trust your suspicions that the person may be self-destructive.
+ Do not leave the person alone if you believe the risk for suicide is immediate.
+ Communicate your concern for the well-being of the person. Be an active listener and show your support.
+ Do not act shocked at what the person tells you.
+ Be direct. Talk openly and freely and ask direct questions about the person’s intentions. Try to determine if the person has a plan for suicide (how, where, when). The more detailed the plan, the greater the risk.
+ Do not counsel the person yourself.
+ Get professional help. Encourage the person to seek help from a school counselor, minister, or someone who can help solve the problems. If the person resists, You may have to get the necessary help for them.
+ Do not debate whether suicides is right or wrong. This may make the person feel more guilty.
+ Do not give false assurance.

(Articles from Dare To Live)

Signing out. TheWonderWoman

What's for lunch?

Apollo + Chicken = Apollo Chicken

Today my boyfriend and I went to Apollo Chicken for lunch, which situated somewhere in Samarahan. We were a bit shocked to discover that it was actually a restaurant all this while. For weeks we have passed the outlet and thought it was only a cold storage because it doesn’t look like a place to dine. The windows were only covered with a sticker of a chicken. And there weren’t many sets of tables too. Only today when we passed by we saw a banner displaying combo sets that they are offering which made us to stop and check out the place.
So we went in and ask the cashier at the counter whether the food they serve were halal. Although all the workers were Muslims, we couldn’t just take things for granted. Well you can say that we are just trying to be clear out about it because it didn't show any halal sign anywhere. So, when the cashier said its halal we started to choose which sets that we would like to order. I ordered a chicken burger set and my boyfriend ordered the 2 pieces chickens with rice set.

We sat at the table and it wasn't a long wait when the 2 sets of chicken with rice were sent to our table instead of the chicken burger set that I have ordered. It seemed that they have misheard our order. We ordered 1 set of chicken and rice and another set of chicken burger but what we got was 2 sets of the chicken and rice. I was a bit furious (due to the empty stomach I must say) when it happened but luckily the waiter showed us a really good attitude and went back directly into the kitchen to change the order and gave us back our money. I’m really glad with the way they handle the situation but it would be much better if the cashier had repeated our order before they start punching it in the cash register. Last week I had the same bad experience at McDonald's too. The cashier did not repeat my order and guess what happened then. A wrong order was given to me!!! It is really frustrating and not forgetting time wasting when these kind of things happen to you when you’re out to grab your meal. If I were to open a restaurant someday, this would be the most important thing I would remind my workers over and over again - REPEAT YOUR ORDERS.Anyways, did I mentioned that it (Apollo chicken outlet) has a free wifi broadband connection. And for that I would recommend it to students mainly, to go there and have it a try. Well the chicken and rice was quite nice (and it comes in a big portions too). This is my rating summary for Apollo Chicken where 10 stars is the best rate.

APOLLO CHICKEN

FOOD : ***

DRINKS : ***

SERVICES : ****

ENVIRONMENT : *****

Signing out.TheWonderWomen

Marina Mahathir-The Secret Weapon to the Ladies Dresscode

I was totally relieved, glad, pleased, delighted and overjoyed (okayla…I was simply happy tahap dewa! Enough said!!!) when I read up on our former prime minister ‘s daughter- Marina Mahathir’s blog at http://rantingsbymm.blogspot.com/ this morning. Finally, the rights to dress up for the women in Malaysia especially the muslims women has been seek to justice. In her blog she had brilliantly questioned why on earth would such absurd matter concerning ladies dress code being an issue at the parliament. And yesss…, I mean the actual Parliament where all the politicians were suppose to gather and discuss about more important things that evolve around our country’s growth and development. Well, she is damn right I must say!!! It is about time that we should be treated fairly and reasonably. The article written by Ng Cheng Yee with the headline “Skirt length become an issue in Parliament” really raise few eyebrows. It was mentioned that some visitors and female reporters were denied by security from entering the media entrance for being indecently dressed.

Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abd Aziz said that a person’s attire/ dress code shouldn’t be used to determine his or her values. Also few quotes from him~

"MPs can write in their complaint to me in black and white if they see someone they think is indecently dressed and we will take action"

However, sometimes even MPs wear skirts which were not knee length.

"But if they (security guards) cannot control (MPs), then don't practice double standards. I don't allow double standards in the House"

I was once being accused of indecently dressed to work which I believe, was soooo…NOT true!!! A senior A Class officer (which I am too; the different just that she’s a SENIOR staff-which to me is more like an old grumpy lady that couldn’t accept the fact that her glory times has passed and it is the time for us the younger generation to lead the department) boldly told me to my face that I need to consider changing my attire to work as to her, I am wearing a shirt that is too short and too tight! Who the hell did she think she is to set out the do’s and don’ts on work dress code when it is clearly stated in our office policy that shirts, pants and skirts are allowed (and no lengths whatsoever is mentioned in it) Well maybe now I should start thinking of a way to bring this case to the parliament and make her realize how the time has passes her all this while and for god's sake...no one wears baggy clothes that go down right to your knee anymore lady!!! Signing out. TheWonderWoman