WOMAN BURNED ALIVE AFTER KIOSK WORKERS REFUSE TO LEND FIRE EXTINGUISHER

A man’s desperate attempts to save a student from her burning car were in vain, when petrol kiosk attendants refused to lend him their fire extinguishers despite his pleading.

The incident on the flyover along Jalan Cheras, near Jalan Loke Yew, happened at 3.30 a.m. yesterday (03.06.2010) and involved the Myvi driven by the deceased, a Toyota Vios and a lorry.


According to Malaysian newspaper, The Star, witness Teo Chai Yong, 31, who was the first to arrive on the scene, called emergency services when he noticed the Myvi was on fire and saw a girl trapped inside, screaming for help.

Teo then drove to the nearest 24-hour petrol station, less than 500m away, hoping to find a fire extinguisher.

"As I ran up to the counter, I saw four fire extinguishers behind the glass door. An attendant was inside by the counter."

"I pleaded with him to let me have the fire extinguisher and screamed that someone was pinned inside a burning car."

"But he just stared at me and kept saying he was not allowed to open the door after hours," Teo said.

Desperate, Teo even offered to buy the extinguishers and showed the attendant his identity card.

A second assistant showed up and told Teo to call the fire department if there was a fire.


Frustrated, Teo then rushed back to the accident scene, only to see the car with the woman still inside, engulfed in flames.

"She was still screaming but I could do nothing. I just stood there, her screams grew more frantic before fading away," Teo said.

When contacted, BH Petrol's managing director, Tan Kim Thiam expressed great regret over the incident. He explained that the attendants' reluctance may stem from a fear of being robbed, as this was a frequent problem in the past.

City traffic police investigations Chief Deputy Supt Abdullah Roning told The Star that the woman was burnt beyond recognition, and her personal identification documents were also lost in the fire.

The police believed she was a 27-year-old college student from Sarawak.

Update: The deceased's identity was confirmed by police this morning - Florina ak Joseph, 27, a Sarawakian native and a student.

(taken from : http://news.malaysia.msn.com/commented/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4128379)

THE GOOD AND THE BAD OF THE SUN

Benefit #1

Tryptamines are natural chemicals which the body produces that alter and improve our moods. Sunlight helps to stimulate the pineal gland to produce such beneficial substances. Endorphins are also produced under the influence of the Sun, which are hormones that induce one’s wellbeing.

Benefit #2

The Sun can act as a treatment to certain skin conditions such as psoriasis. Such disease has to do with too much skin growing at the same spots resulting in areas of inflammation and red scaly patches to do with excessive skin production. The sun helps to slow the skin growth and aid in relieving the symptoms.

Benefit #3

In order for our bodies to naturally produce vitamin D, UV from the sun is essential. Vitamin D has been known to produce much goodness for our bodies as it can help to strengthen bones, muscles and one’s immune system. This vitamin is also known to fight certain cancers such as colon and breast.


Benefit #4

Forget hand sanitizers. The sun does wonders in the fields of disinfection and sterilization. The Sun helps to destroy microorganisms such as viruses and bacteria by penetrating the cell’s membrane and destroying the DNA thus helping to put a stop to reproduction.

Benefit #5

Good news! The sun increases the rate at which you sweat which then relaxes the kidneys. The sunlight helps to activate the thyroid which helps in losing weight as it acts as a catalyst on the metabolic rate.


Disadvantage #1

Skin Cancer; we should all know about this obvious killer. UV rays emitted from the Sun are an environmental human carcinogen. The sun exposure is indeed the most prominent reason for skin cancer patients.

Disadvantage #2

Overexposure to UV rays can cause harmful damages to the eye tissues, causing a burn to the eye’s surface. This is known as ‘snow blindness’ or photokeratitis. The effects of this will be eliminated after a number of days but may worsen if it is a long term event of exposure. Cataracts can also be caused and if left untreated, it may lead to blindness.

Disadvantage #3

The Sun causes accelerated aging of the skin as it destroys the collagen and connective tissue beneath the epidermis. Wrinkles, brown spots and loss of skin elasticity are a result of this. Remember, photo-aging of the skin is a cumulative process. It is never too late to slip, slop, slap on the sun screen and kick-start the sun-protection program.


Disadvantage #4

UV sunlight may cause a harmful suppressing effect on the immune system. When you are sun burnt, the distribution and function of the natural disease fighting white blood cells are altered.

Disadvantage #5

Sunburn. One’s worst enemy. The absorption of sun rays causes our skin cells to be damaged. The most horrible part to having sunburn is redness and fragility of what our skin becomes when the blood rushes up to these affected areas to repair it. Not forgetting the peeling part after the redness calms down.

(taken from :http://lifestyle.malaysia.msn.com/Beauty/News/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4126864&page=0)

RENUNGAN

Allah Azza wa Jalla membentangkan tanganNya malam hari untuk menerima taubat orang-orang yang bersalah siang hari, dan membentangkan tanganNya siang hari untuk menerima taubat orang-orang yang bersalah malam hari, sehingga matahari terbit di Barat.
(Riwayat Muslim)

LARANGAN MEMPERSENDA AGAMA

Jauhilah diri daripada orang yang menjadikan agama sebagai permainan dan hiburan. Mereka pula telah terpedaya dengan kehidupan dunia dan peringatkanlah mereka dengan al-Quran supaya mereka tidak terjerumus ke neraka di akhirat disebabkan perbuatan mereka yang buruk dan keji. Tidak ada pelindung dan pemberi syafaat kecuali Allah. Sekiranya mereka hendak membebaskan dirinya dengan segala jenis penebusan semuanya tidak diterima lagi. Mereka ini adalah golongan yang dijerumuskan ke dalam neraka dengan sebab usaha mereka. Mereka diberi minuman daripada air panas yang menggelegak dan ditimpakan azab disebabkan mereka kufur.

(Surah al- An'am : ayat 70)

LACK OF SLEEP LINKED TO EARLY DEATH: STUDY

LONDON (AFP) – People who get less than six hours sleep per night have an increased risk of dying prematurely, researchers said on Wednesday.
Those who slumbered for less than that amount of time were 12 percent more likely to die early, though researchers also found a link between sleeping more than nine hours and premature death.
"If you sleep little, you can develop diabetes, obesity, hypertension and high cholesterol," Francesco Cappuccio, who led research on the subject at Britain's University of Warwick, told AFP.
The study, conducted with the Federico II University in Naples, Italy, aggregated decade-long studies from around the world involving more than 1.3 million people and found "unequivocal evidence of the direct link" between lack of sleep and premature death.
"We think that the relation between little sleep and illness is due to a series of hormonal and metabolical mechanisms," Cappuccio said.
The findings of the study were published in the Sleep journal.
Cappuccio believes the duration of sleep is a public health issue and should be considered as a behavioural risk factor by doctors.
"Society pushes us to sleep less and less," Cappuccio said, adding that about 20 percent of the population in the United States and Britain sleeps less than five hours.
Sleeping less than six hours is "more common amongst full-time workers, suggesting that it may be due to societal pressures for longer working hours and more shift work"
The study also found a link between sleeping more than nine hours per night and premature death, but Cappuccio said oversleeping is more likely to be an effect of illness, rather than a cause.
"Doctors never ask how much one sleeps, but that could be an indicator that something is wrong," said Cappuccio, who heads the Sleep, Health and Society Programme at the University of Warwick.
Research showed no adverse effects for those sleeping between six and eight hours per day.

GET ON YOUR BIKE...

Enjoy and make use of the seven benefits of cycling:

You might ride to save the planet but you’re also saving your brain cells, improving family relations while expanding lung capacity, and increasing your ‘happy hormones’ as you pile on the miles. It is also a great way to get in shape. We look at some of the benefits of cycling and why it is a good exercise that will make you fit and feel great.


It strengthens the heart

Cycling requires sustained energy and lower-body muscular power so is great for strengthening the heart. Your blood will flow more freely and oxygen will be delivered to your muscles more quickly, improving both stamina and fitness.


Increases your brain power

Cycling helps build new brain cells in the hippocampus, the region responsible for memory, which deteriorates from the age of 30. It boosts blood flow and oxygen to the brain, which fires and regenerates receptors, explaining how exercise helps ward off Alzheimer’s.

So if you want your grey matter to sparkle, then get peddling!


Cycle away from the big C

There’s plenty of evidence that any exercise is useful in warding off cancer, but some studies have shown that cycling is especially good for keeping your cells in working order.

One long-term study carried out by Finnish researchers found that men who exercised at a moderate level (of which they cited cycling) for at least 30 minutes a day were half as likely to develop cancer as those who didn’t. Other studies have found that women who cycle frequently reduce their risk of breast cancer by 34 percent.


Helps you live longer

On average, cyclists live two years longer than people who don't ride a bike. In fact, it is believed by health professionals that regular cyclists in their 30's and over are as fit as people 10 years younger.


Burns calories

It kills calories. Cycling is renowned for its calorie-burning qualities. Just take a look at Tour de France finishers who are estimated to burn 118,000 a day!

Sports physiologists have found that the body’s metabolic rate (the efficiency with which it burns calories and fat) is not only raised during a ride, but for several hours afterwards.


It improves breathing

It improves breathing. Strong lungs are vital for pumping oxygen around the blood and energising leg muscles. With constant bike exercise over time, your body’s breathing apparatus will improve.


Its safe

Riding a bike is a low impact activity, meaning it is one of the safest ways to exercise without putting too much strain on your muscles and joints. For people new to exercise, riding a bike will let them get fit without undue physical strain. Cycling is a non-pharmacological method of lowering blood pressure.

(TAKEN FROM:http://lifestyle.malaysia.msn.com/Wellbeing/Fitness/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4054918&page=0)

WHAT DOES YOUR SLEEP POSITION REVEAL ABOUT YOUR PERSONALITY?

[graphic via BBC.com]

These days, the way that I sleep simply says, "I am happy to be single and spending five to seven hours sprawled out in the center of my bed alone."

At other points, my tightly squeezed eyes and curled-up body would have screamed, "I know the baby will wake up/someone will start snoring/the alarm will begin blaring as soon as I finally, finally, finally get to sleep."

Years and years ago, the corpse-looking college student still in her clothes would have mumbled something like, "Finals. Boys. Beer."

Our lives, the amount of sleep we get, and how well we actually rest during those nighttime hours may change drastically over time. However, one sleep researcher says that our body position in bed could say something about who we are, not just what else is happening in our lives.

Professor Chris Idzikowski, director of the Sleep Assessment and Advisory Service, says that a study of 1,000 Brits revealed that the six most common sleeping positions are indicative of personality types.

If this sounds ridiculous (and honestly, I'd love to see information on this study and the analysis fleshed out further than any of the reports I could find), consider that Idzikowski says it comes down to body language.
"We are all aware of our body language when we are awake but this is the first time we have been able to see what our subconscious posture says about us," Idzikowski said. "What's interesting is that the profile behind the posture is often very different from what we would expect."

The research also links certain sleeping positions with health risks. Some aid digestion while others spur on snoring and restlessness.

Here are the six common sleeping positions and correlated personality traits and health implications, according to this study.




Fetus position - A whopping 41% of participants sleep in this curled-up manner. Women are twice as likely to rest like this and it is listed as the most common position. These sleepers are said to have a tough exterior but are still sensitive and may appear to be shy but warm up quickly.
Log position - If you sleep on your side with both arms down, you are a social, easy-going person who is trusting, sometimes to the point of being gullible. The study showed 15% of people sleep like a log.
Yearner position - A close third is the side-lying position with both arms out in front of the body, with 13% of partipants sleeping like this. Yearners are noted to be open-minded and still cynical, suspicious, and stubborn about sticking to decisions once they are made.
Soldier position - These sleepers lie on their backs with arms down and kept close to the body. This 8% study is said to be reserved, quiet, without fuss, and hold themselves and others to a high standard. Soldier sleepers have a higher likelihood for snoring due to the flat-back position, which may not cause them to wake up often but may result in a less restful night's sleep.
Freefall position - Those people who lie on their bellies with arms under or wrapped around a pillow with head turned to the side, make up 7% of the population studied. Freefallers are brash, outgoing, and are very uncomfortable with criticism.
Starfish position - Sleepers who lie on their backs with arms up near their head or the pillow account for 5% of participants. These people are good listeners, helpful, and are uncomfortable being the center of attention. People who sleep in starfish position are more likely to snore and to suffer from a poor night's sleep more often.
If you think you are one of those people who move through all of these positions, that's not likely to really be the case. Idzikowski said the research reveals most people stay in the same position all night and only 5% lay differently night by night. Also interesting is that the study showed only one in ten people cover their bodies entirely with a blanket, with most people exposing an arm, leg, or both feet.


Let's see how the Shine readers are resting these days. No need to get yourself to a sleep lab or set up the video cam to run all night. We'll take your word for it on our own not-so-scientific but still fascinating research.

What position do you sleep in? Use the poll to tell us and the comments to reveal whether the personality traits linked to the way you sleep are right on or really off.

(TAKEN FROM: http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/what-does-your-sleep-position-reveal-about-your-personality-1338293/)