What Others Say

I thought nobody except for a handful of people visits my blog but I was proven wrong.

I received the following comment on my most recent post. So just to be fair here's some positive information on styrene from the people with interest in the product for your consideration and decision.

No authoritative or regulatory body anywhere in the world classifies styrene to be a known cause of human cancer. Moreover, a study conducted by a "blue ribbon" panel of epidemiologists and published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (November 2009) reports: "The evidence of human carcinogenicity of styrene is inconsistent and weak. On the basis of the available evidence, one cannot conclude that there is a causal relationship between styrene and any type of human cancer."

Priscilla Briones for the Styrene Information and Research Center (SIRC), Arlington, Virginia. SIRC (www.styrene.org) is a trade association representing interests of the North American styrene industry with its mission being the collection, development, analysis and communication of pertinent information on styrene.

Do You Know... (8)

...the difference between safe and toxic plastics?

FYI this post is for my own information which you might also find useful.

Last week I read an article on the dangers of PBA in plastics and started a scare in the office. Now every plastic bottle is suspect and shall be dumped if the recycling numbers fall under those considered dangerous.

Styrofoam is #6 and my pretty Bros bottles are labeled #7! : ( So I have to start collecting wine bottles since it is best to store water in glass, ceramic or brass and out of sunlight.

The recycling numbers can be pretty confusing but I found a site that helps to clear up the confusion. If you don't want information overload just remember that only 2, 4 and 5 are safe for food storage. Dump the rest!

PET, Labeled 1, Polyethylene Terephthalate
Common in drink containers (soda, water, etc.) food jars and cosmetic holders. This material is not designed for repeated use due to leaching and bacteria growth.

HDPE, Labeled 2, High density Polyethylene
This is common in milk and juice containers as well as grocery and shopping bags. From what we know, it appears to be safe.

PVC, Labeled 3, Polyvinyl Chloride
This is found in vinyl shower curtains, baby mattresses, window frames, meat wrap just to name a few. PVC is known as the Poison Plastic because of the dangerous toxins it contains.

LDPE, Labeled 4, Low density polyethylene
Found in sturdy trash bags, bread bags, squeezable bottles and food wrap.
This one also appears to be safe.

PP, Labeled 5, Polypropylene
Common in medicine bottle, cereal bags, straws, chip and snack bags, and food storage containers. Also in children's sippy cups and bottles. This one also appears to be safe.

PS, Labeled 6, Polystyrene
Used in CD/tape cassettes, plastic cutlery, egg cartons, and take out containers. Avoid this one as it is a possible carcinogen and hormone disrupter. It may leach styrene.

Labeled 7, Other or O
The most confusing is the one labeled 7, which is "other" OR "PC" which is toxic Polycarbonate. This is sadly found in baby bottles, baby food containers, formula containers, pacifiers, and car parts. It is better to be safe than sorry and avoid this one. The concern is from leaching of Bisphenol A which appears to cause chromosomal damage.

Step 2

HDPE, Labeled 2, High density Polyethylene
This is common in milk and juice containers as well as grocery and shopping bags. From what we know, it appears to be safe.

Step 3

PVC, Labeled 3, Polyvinyl Chloride
This is found in vinyl shower curtains, baby mattresses, window frames, meat wrap just to name a few. PVC is known as the Poison Plastic because of the dangerous toxins it contains.

Step 4

LDPE, Labeled 4, Low density polyethylene
Found in sturdy trash bags, bread bags, squeezable bottles and food wrap.
This one also appears to be safe.

Step 5

PP, Labeled 5, Polypropylene
Common in medicine bottle, cereal bags, straws, chip and snack bags, and food storage containers. Also in children's sippy cups and bottles. This one also appears to be safe.

Step 6

PS, Labeled 6, Polystyrene
Used in CD/tape cassettes, plastic cutlery, egg cartons, and take out containers. Avoid this one as it is a possible carcinogen and hormone disrupter. It may leach styrene.

Step 7

The most confusing is the one labeled 7, which is "other" OR "PC" which is toxic Polycarbonate. This is sadly found in baby bottles, baby food containers, formula containers, pacifiers, and car parts. It is better to be safe than sorry and avoid this one. The concern is from leaching of Bisphenol A which appears to cause chromosomal damage.

Read more: How to Identify Safe or Toxic Plastics | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4478972_identify-safe-toxic-plastics.html#ixzz0uHk58wSK

Step 2

HDPE, Labeled 2, High density Polyethylene
This is common in milk and juice containers as well as grocery and shopping bags. From what we know, it appears to be safe.

Step 3

PVC, Labeled 3, Polyvinyl Chloride
This is found in vinyl shower curtains, baby mattresses, window frames, meat wrap just to name a few. PVC is known as the Poison Plastic because of the dangerous toxins it contains.

Step 4

LDPE, Labeled 4, Low density polyethylene
Found in sturdy trash bags, bread bags, squeezable bottles and food wrap.
This one also appears to be safe.

Step 5

PP, Labeled 5, Polypropylene
Common in medicine bottle, cereal bags, straws, chip and snack bags, and food storage containers. Also in children's sippy cups and bottles. This one also appears to be safe.

Step 6

PS, Labeled 6, Polystyrene
Used in CD/tape cassettes, plastic cutlery, egg cartons, and take out containers. Avoid this one as it is a possible carcinogen and hormone disrupter. It may leach styrene.

Step 7

The most confusing is the one labeled 7, which is "other" OR "PC" which is toxic Polycarbonate. This is sadly found in baby bottles, baby food containers, formula containers, pacifiers, and car parts. It is better to be safe than sorry and avoid this one. The concern is from leaching of Bisphenol A which appears to cause chromosomal damage.

Read more: How to Identify Safe or Toxic Plastics | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4478972_identify-safe-toxic-plastics.html#ixzz0uHk58wSK

Glad to Sad

I saw this message in the email I received this morning:

Pls remember how much I love you ya?

I was beaming and sooooo happy. It made my day a zippity-doo-da day. Then I went back to the email again, took another look and realised that the message was actually...

Pls remember how much I owe you ya?

Just one word and it turned my glad to sad :(

Speaking the Truth in Love

It is good to speak the truth but do use some wisdom and mix in a lot of love. As Thumper's mom told him in the cartoon Bambi, "If you can't say something nice... don't say nothing at all."


Need I say more?

Viva Espana

The World Cup is finally over and Spain has won as predicted by hubby RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING! So, move over Paul the Octopus oracle.

BTW, I couldn't stand the buzz of the vuvuzelas. So annoying. Makes me think I'm surrounded by a swarm of bees.

Running Here and There

This blog has been dead for quite some time due to my running here and there.

29 April - 4 May
Attended the Haggai Institute Alumni Association Malaysia's National Leadership Seminar and came back revived and recharged. When I went I had no intention of applying to go to Maui but I left determined to make it there.

All 28 of us at the seminar with the Resident Coordinator,
committee members and some facilitators

Receiving my certificate from
Dr Benjamin George, President of HIAAM

Ok there is a long break here
but I was kept busy preparing my Mother's Day sermon
and attending meetings here and there,
doing all the busy body business.

22 May - 24 May
Went down for a disappointing West Side story production at Istana Budaya on Saturday. But all was not lost, 'cos the next day 'bee and I had a fantastic evening with Lea Salonga. We should have pooled the money from West Side Story and gotten better seats nearer the stage.

The lady can really sing and she is so versatile. She sang a Lady Gaga number (don't know title) which we enjoyed and she enjoyed as well. She was jumping on stage in her evening gown!

Then Lillian and I spent the next two days packing up for my 'bee. She is moving but she's so busy that we ended up being her movers. Let me tell you this...only mothers or fairy god-mothers would do things like that.

27 May
Sent my babee off to Australia. Won't be seeing her for the next 88 days. Many missings her.

With bee at the airport

30 May - 1 June
Drove down to KL, Putrajaya and Malacca. This time I'm the one playing fairy god-mother.

Putrajaya is the worst planned city I've ever been to. There is no parking available at the Ministry of Higher Education so we parked by the road side. We did not want to run the risk being hemmed in by other cars at the vacant lot because people were double-parked all over the place. There was a parking ticket waiting for us when we came out and so we had to pay the summons before leaving for Malacca.

We stayed at the Baba House and we fell in love with Malacca. We went for a river cruise and couldn't help comparing the clean river with our smelly and polluted Sungai Pinang or the well-maintained houses by the river side with the dilapidated houses and ugly factories that line our Penang rivers.

At the balcony overlooking the air-well at the Baba House

The starting point for the river cruise

A kind French tourist took this photo of the 3 of us at the riverside cafe

We also went kebaya shopping and I even bought myself a pair of manik shoes. We'll definitely come back to Malacca.

8 - 9 June
Attended my first General Council at Metro Tabernacle Church's new sanctuary at Batu Caves.

Metro Tabernacle, Batu Caves

After that the month of June simply slipped away and now it's July.
Second half of 2010.

A Very Sad Day

Last week I went to two wake services. One was the 85-year old mom of a pastor friend. The other was for the 11-year old daughter of a friend who succumbed to the injuries sustained from a four-storey fall from the roof of their townhouse.

The grief and pain for her parents must have been unbearable. I remember an auntie telling me that losing a child is the most painful of all bereavements. She was speaking out of her experience of having lost parents, siblings and even a spouse.

Children should be attending the funeral of their parents, not the other way round. And the loss of a child at such a tender age is simply incomprehensible.