Jim Paull

For 10 years, my kitchen sink faced a sad, beige wall. It's no wonder I'd leave dirty dishes to pile up — a sight that boring couldn't exactly distract me from the job at hand. When I'd eventually get to scrubbing the plates, forks, glasses, and who knows what else, all I could ever think about was how I'd rather be doing, well, anything but that.

Then I moved into a house with a corner kitchen. I traded up to a kitchen with two walls of windows — and I finally have a window over the sink! The dishes haven't disappeared, but the task now seems much more enjoyable. I never realized what I was missing until I won the window jackpot, but now I know: Kitchen windows are the most important windows of any house.

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KUALA LUMPUR: Throwing garbage all over the place and meeting in large groups is the norm for foreigners staying at the Cheras Ria Apartment here.

What’s more alarming is that some foreigners even throw trash directly from the upper floors of the building, much to the chagrin of the locals.

In addition to strewing rubbish on the stairs, the foreigners, believed to be mostly Rohingyas, also discard spoiled electrical devices, used betel leaves and liquor bottles along the pedestrian walkways, and make a lot of noise at night.

According to the residents, besides the hygiene problem, the influx of migrants, who often gather in droves during the evening, is also frightening, especially as cases involving vehicle theft and burglary have been on the rise.

Housewife Fatimah Mohd Mahidin, 54, said almost 50% of the residents at the Cheras Ria Apartment comprised foreigners from Myanmar, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Vietnam.

She said the foreigners often gathered at the children’s playground in the evenings and littered the area, especially the drains, which caused blockages.

“Due to their unhygienic ways, our area has been blacklisted as ‘high risk’ for dengue fever, and more than 10 cases have been reported from January till now,” she told reporters here today.

Meanwhile, Kok Koei Lan, 65, expressed concern over her safety as well as that of other locals as the foreigners often threw garbage from the top floor of their apartment.

“There have been several occasions where glass bottles have fallen from the top floor when I was heading down to go to the market. And once, a plastic bottle fell on my head,” said the senior citizen.

S Karthikesu, a 56-year-old private sector worker said theft and burglary had also increased since the foreigners began settling there five years ago. He said that almost every week residents complained that their homes had been broken into.

Federal Territory MCA Women deputy chief Heng Sinn Yee said the party would get in touch with the Immigration Department, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), Alam Flora and the police to take further action on the matter.

“The authorities need to patrol the area more often because we understand that it is rarely being done now due to its location, which is on the outskirts of the city.

“In addition, we also will help residents apply for additional street lights in the vicinity of the Cheras Ria Apartment and notify the Immigration Department to perform operations to curb illegal foreign residents living in the area,” she said.

More than a year after a Missouri jury ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $72 million to the family of a woman who died from ovarian cancer linked to the company’s talcum-based products, another jury in the state awarded a Virginia woman a record-setting $110.5 million in a similar lawsuit. 

Thursday’s jury ruling is the fourth in a string of cases involving allegations that Johnson & Johnson ignored a possible link between cancer and its talcum-based products.

The most recent case, the Associated Press reports, involves 62-year-old Lois Slemp, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012.

According to the lawsuit, the woman claims her illness was caused by more than 40 years of using Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder products, including baby powder. She alleges that Johnson & Johnson concealed the possibility that its baby powder and other talcum-based products could cause cancer.

The woman’s lawyers cited much of the same research used in previous cases. The studies showed that woman who used the products had a greater risk of being diagnosed with cancer.

Studies going back to 1971 have suggested this link exists. In fact, at least one lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson cites a 1982 study on the issue that found a 92% increased risk in ovarian cancer with women who used talc-based products around their genitals, the researcher behind that study directly advised a J&J doctor to place a warning label on their products.

Johnson & Johnson and other companies have continued to defend the use of talcum powder in feminine hygiene products; however, the condom industry halted the mineral’s use in the mid-1990s amid the growing concerns about its link to ovarian cancer risk.

Johnson & Johnson tells the AP that it will appeal the $110.5 million verdict, noting that it disputed the scientific evidence behind the case.

The company has previously appealed three cases, including the $72 million verdict handed down last year. Those cases remain under appeal.

Thursday’s case is just one of around 1,200 cases currently being pursued against J&J in courts in Missouri and New Jersey.

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BEDDI combines all the best parts of alarm clocks, phone chargers, Bluetooth speakers, and wake-up lights into the ultimate bedside companion, and you can pick one up for an all-time low $87 today.

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Banana pudding — that classic Southern trifle of vanilla wafers, pudding, and whipped cream — is my ideal no-bake dessert. It's sweet, but not cloyingly so, with just the right crunchy-to-creamy ratio. But I also consider a full batch of banana pudding to only be brought out for a crowd.

Enter: the creamy banana pudding bar. A humble ode to its namesake, these bars are the kind of everyday treat you can whip up on a whim. This recipe harnesses banana flavor from banana chips rather than fresh bananas so that you can make this recipe ahead without the vanilla pudding discoloring.

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When Cinco de Mayo and National Enchilada Day join forces, delicious things happen. Even if you're not celebrating either holiday, this enchilada dip — packed with green chiles, chicken, and cheese — will be the most popular dish on the table at your next party.

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KUALA LUMPUR: Shares of UMW Oil and Gas (UMW-OG) and Icon Offshore fell in early Friday trade when they resumed trading after a one-day suspension on corporate news about the move to cancel the consolidation.

Swearing appears to make you stronger, scientists have discovered. In two experiments, researchers found that uttering profanities increased physical performance by up to eight percent, apparently by making them more tolerant of the pain. Why we swear is something of a mystery. Psychologists say it...

When I want to impress people with a meatless dinner, I almost always include lots of mushrooms in the equation. Their umami-rich flavor and meaty texture have a way of winning over even the most staunch meat eater at the table. This vegetarian pasta proves this point: A slew of mushrooms are sautéed with a mix of olive oil, butter, and lots of garlic to become a rich sauce for simple spaghetti. Extra nutty, salty Pecorino Romano cheese replaces the usual Parmesan to up the savory factor of the pasta even further and make it one anyone with a fork in their hand will want to twirl. Oh, plus there's the added bonus that this dish comes together in just about 15 minutes.

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KUALA LUMPUR: Ekuiti Nasional Bhd (Ekuinas) has cancelled the proposed consolidation of involving UMW Oil & Gas Corporation Berhad (UMW-OG), Icon Offshore Bhd and Orkim Sdn Bhd.

KUALA LUMPUR: Trading in the securities of UMW Oil and Gas Corporation Bhd and Icon Offshore Bhd was voluntarily suspended since 9am on Thursday after the proposed corporate exercise was put on hold.

ALOR SETAR: The bomb threat at the Sultan Abdul Halim Airport (LTSAH) yesterday was made by two disgruntled Turkish citizens after they were told their baggage had exceeded the weight limit.

Kota Setar district police chief ACP Mohd Rozi Jidin said the incident took place at 7.50pm at the Malindo Air counter.

The Turkish men wanted to board the 9pm flight to Subang.

“The duo, aged 23 and 28, were unhappy when told their baggage had exceeded the weight limit.”

They asked a passenger at the next counter to help carry some of their bags but the passenger declined as he was on a different flight and heading to a different destination.

“They (Turkish men) then told the passenger there was a bomb in one of their bags.

“The passenger alerted the personnel at the counter about the threat, who contacted the LTSAH security,” Rozi said in a statement.

He said police arrested the duo but released them at 1am today. Both had valid visit passes and had come to Kedah on a cultural programme.

I know 4K is the new hotness, but 2560x1440 QHD monitors still give you a ton of screen real estate, and work with a wider variety of computers. So if you’re looking to upgrade your workspace, $170 is a terrific price for a QHD IPS panel, let alone one from a top-tier manufactuer like Acer.

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Americans drink a lot of coffee. Like, a lot. Roughly 80 to 85 percent of Americans drink coffee on a regular basis, according to the American Psychological Association, and the average daily intake is somewhere around 300 milligrams. That's about three (eight-ounce) cups of plain coffee, if you're wondering.

But when it comes to how much coffee is recommended per day, the jury has been back and forth for a while. The 2012 recommendation from the Food and Drug Administration warns adults from exceeding 300 milligrams of coffee a day. As does the recommendation from the International Food Information Council.

Now, a new study published in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology reviewed 15 years of data to find that consumers can actually safely exceed 300 milligrams a day. Specifically, the average healthy adult can go up to 400 milligrams of caffeine without doing any damage, while pregnant women should stay within 300 milligrams.

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We know we probably shouldn’t eat foods once they’re a certain point past the suggested expiration date, but what about makeup? Using expired products may not be the best habit, but whether it’s that bad for you really depends on the individual product.

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PETALING JAYA: A 29-year-old woman who filmed women nude or semi-nude changing in a gym was jailed for 30 months in Singapore today.

She had sold the videos on Sammyboy, an online forum in which users can upload and exchange explicit material, Channel NewsAsia reported.

Marketing executive Heng Li Ying offered to sell the videos for 10 or 20 cents per second of footage, sweetening the offer by throwing in “free obscene videos” with each purchase, deputy public prosecutor Winston Man said.

Heng made S$1,540 (RM4,780) in about five months by selling the videos to at least 22 people.

She pleaded guilty today to three counts of insulting the modesty of three women by filming them in the nude or in lingerie and with another three taken into consideration during sentencing, the news portal said.

Man said it was unclear where Heng got most of the explicit videos from but she had taken at least three herself.

Heng, a member of a well-known gym, had filmed three victims in the changing room at the chain’s Suntec City outlet in April 2014.

Heng’s offences came to light when the management of the gym found out that compromising videos of members in changing rooms had been advertised for sale online.

Following a police report, Heng was exposed.

Heng’s lawyer Rajan Supramaniam said his client had been unable to secure a permanent job for seven years and had shown genuine remorse.

For insulting the modesty of a woman, Heng could have been jailed up to one year per charge and fined.

Look, I have zero restraint when it comes to chocolate and peanut butter and showed none in creating this over-the-top chocolate peanut butter icebox cake. Not even trying to humble-brag here — this is the best chocolate peanut butter no-bake dessert that ever existed.

Built on the back of the classic buckeye candy, this icebox cake is a decadent Reese's-lover's dream. Layers of rich chocolate and peanut butter mousses are supported by a thick peanut butter cream, and chocolate ganache acts as the delicious glue holding it all together.

Your fork will slowly sink into each layer, gathering morsels of chocolate and peanut butter, studded with peanuts, more chocolate, and tender chocolate graham crackers. Sounds decadent and complicated, but by transforming the chocolate ganache and peanut butter cream into both the mousse-like filling and the chocolate topping, I'm saving you both time and mixing bowls in the process. Let's do this.

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It’s hard to know where to start when looking for the right mascara. Just a quick run through the drugstore and you’ll see more types of mascara than you could wear in an entire year, so how can one possibly know which one is right for you? I’m here to help, but first, let’s start with the basics.

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Everybody wants to have a different set of tools nearby when they fly, but reader Carl Maldonado shares what he takes with him when he’s flying for different architecture projects. As you’d expect, there’s a nice pencil case in here.

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Qatar Airways launched a new stopover package for travelers, called +Qatar, which includes a complimentary overnight stay at a luxury hotel in Doha. Qatar Airways launched the new stopover option in partnership with the Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) in an effort to make Qatar a more appealing destination for travelers rather than opting to travel through the country without stepping foot outside the airport.

The stopover program is available now and will last through the summer. Qatar Airways and the QTA are teaming up to offer those traveling on Qatar Airways through Doha the option to stay at four- or five-star hotels on their stopover — free of charge. While only the first night is complimentary from the program, travelers can choose to extend their stay to include a second night for $50. Hotel options include The Four Seasons, Marriott Marquis, Radisson Blu and Oryx Rotana. And, according to the press release, it seems passengers will get to choose their hotel (presumably, pending availability).

To take advantage of this new, extended stopover option from Qatar, book your flight through qatarairways.com and select a multi-city itinerary. Once you receive your flight confirmation, you’ll be able to select which hotel you want to stay at for the one (or two) night(s). The offer is available to all Qatar passengers, regardless of class of service.

Last year, Qatar (the country) announced that it was set to begin offering free transit visas for travelers from eligible countries who are transiting through Doha for at least five and no more than 96 hours. So, this new stopover package goes hand-in-hand with the free transit visa to give you the option of a complimentary stay and the option of an additional tour through Discover Qatar.

If you’re not planning on staying in Doha long enough for an overnight stay, keep in mind that the airport also offers free three-hour tours if your layover is long enough. The tour takes you to highlights of the city, including the Museum of Islamic Art, Katara Cultural Village, the Pearl-Qatar and the Souq Waqif. To reserve a spot on a layover airport, go to the Doha City Tour desk, located at the beginning of Concourse B between the Mont Blanc and WH Smith shops, upon arrival.

Featured image courtesy of Matteo Colombo via Getty Images.

KUALA LUMPUR: Muhibbah Engineering, Weida, UMW Oil & Gas and Dagang Nexchange (DNex) could see trading interest today after their corporate announcements, says JF Apex Research.

Magnesium deficiency, which is particularly frequent in people who do lots of exercise, can cause performances to suffer and make recuperation less effective. Magnesium oil, massaged directly into skin can help relieve muscle fatigue and boost detoxification, and could be more effective than taking the mineral in capsule form.

Magnesium is a stress-busting and anti-inflammatory mineral that is essential to cell regeneration, emotional balance, eliminating toxins and optimal muscle function. It is sold as a dietary supplement but is less well-known for transcutaneous application.

However, the benefits of magnesium for relieving cramps, muscle fatigue and stress could be greatly increased by application directly to skin by means of massage — up to 10 to 12 times according to Cardiff University.

Magnesium oil, better absorbed than the oral supplement, is a form of magnesium chloride extracted from sea water. It can be bought in organic or health food stores. Look for 100% natural oils of verified origin that are undiluted and unprocessed.

Magnesium oil was tested in a study conducted by Dr Marie Perez Siscar at the Thalacap Catalogne center in Banyuls sur Mer, France, in 2016, on 85 spa clients (55 women and 30 men) aged 37 to 83 years old.

The participants were administered with marine magnesium oil by cutaneous application via general massage or applied under a layer of sea mud in the affected areas. After the treatment, 97.7% of participants noticed a pain-relieving effect, and 29.4% reported an immediate result (in the hour following application). Also, 66.6% noticed that cramps during the night disappeared from the first application.

Medical advice should be sought in the event of reactions such as red patches on skin or itching. Generally, a spot test is recommended, by spraying the product on a small test patch of skin before further use.

Magnesium oil is not recommended for people taking medications for heart conditions. Children from 5-6 years old and pregnant women can use magnesium oil on the lower legs diluted with 50% water.

You probably own about 100 clothes hangers, and yet the only time you give them a second thought is when you can’t find enough. But not all of them are created equal, and some are downright terrible (I’m looking at you, wire hangers), so we want to know which ones you trust to hold your wardrobe.

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Hold onto your guacamole-loving butts, people: Avocado prices are on the way up, mostly because we just can’t get enough of them.

Whether it’s on toast, in tacos, or tossed in a salad, Americans have pushed avocado demand to record heights recently, reports Bloomberg: Our per-capita consumption in 2015 was 6.9 pounds, compared to 3.5 pounds in 2006.

But at the same time, crops are smaller in both Mexico and California, meaning supply isn’t keeping up with the demand.

As a result, you’ll have to dig deeper into your pockets if you want guacamole on the table this Cinco de Mayo: A 22-pound box of Hass avocados from Mexico is at its highest price in 19 years, costing more than double what it did a year ago.

It’s not just the U.S. riding the current avocado wave; consumption is also up in China and Europe, one analyst tells Bloomberg.

“They’re pulling a lot more of the Mexican crop, so there’s less available for the U.S.,” he explains.

It might take a while for prices to settle down as well — perhaps all the way through the summer, the analyst notes.

If you have a small kitchen, then you know that organizing is key to making the most of your space. For example, while toaster ovens may be nice, it can be hard to justify the amount of space they require on the kitchen countertops. I feel the exact same way about knife blocks. They're cute and keep your knives all nice and organized, but they take up way too much space.

The best thing for knife storage for small kitchens is a magnetic knife rack. I remember when I first got one a few years ago; it transformed my kitchen space. I keep mine right next to the stove for easy access. If you're in the market for one right now, then you're in luck. You can currently buy a great knife rack for just $9 on Amazon. It normally costs $30, so that means it's over 70 percent off right now.

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I've got a thing for nuggets of crispy chicken. Not necessarily chicken nuggets — although good ones can fall in this category — but chicken that's been cut into chunks, is cooked until crispy, and takes well to eating in one or two bites. What can I say? I'm just looking for joy in the form of a salty, meaty, crunchy revelation.

When I came across this recipe in Jacques Pépin's book, Poulets & Legumes: My Favorite Chicken and Vegetables Recipes, I was a little surprised. I remember scanning through the ingredients and method, getting more excited as I went on. Did I just find my ideal chicken nugget? All signs were pointing to a golden, crispy yes. There was no breading step, no deep-frying, and no mess required. Instead, this recipe promised everything my crispy-chicken-loving heart desired, with the help of a bit of Wondra flour and a nonstick skillet. Garlic and parsley are added at the end for one final flourish of flavor, but it was the method behind preparing the chicken that really got me.

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PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) has voiced frustration over the continued shortage of qualified English-speaking workers, saying it is costing the country dearly.

Its executive director Shamsuddin Bardan said despite there being about 200,000 jobless graduates in Malaysia who could fill vacancies in the sales and services sectors, many companies were hiring foreigners who spoke English for these positions.

He said the services industry which accounted for 60% of the economy required workers who could converse well in English.

“Even for simple sales jobs, we depend on people from Myanmar and the Philippines to fill the void,” he told FMT.

“We are constantly facing problems to fill positions requiring locals to speak and write in English. This is not good for us.”

He said years of “flip-flopping” in regard to education policies had contributed to the problem.

The education system has had to bear with inconsistent policies with no priority given to learning English, he added.

Shamsuddin said one way to overcome the shortcoming was for youths to work towards improving their communication skills, especially in mastering the language.

“They can learn from YouTube or register themselves in language schools. It is not very expensive,” he said, adding that there was not enough effort put into such initiatives.

He added that employers also needed people talented in big data – a skill to analyse large data sets to reveal patterns, trends, and associations – to help identify economic conditions.

Shamsuddin said Malaysian employers were currently hiring experts from Bangalore, India, to perform this specialised work.

“About 20% of our economy is based on the digital economy. But shockingly we are not prioritising on developing big data analysts,” he said.

He added that there did not seem to be any plan to develop local talents to meet this demand in the future.

He urged the education ministry, private sector and universities to nurture skills in big data as these were relevant in all sectors.

“We need to look into this immediately. We cannot be looking at outside sources all the time,” he said.

Educational system must be reformed, says Abang Johari

Why English and general knowledge are important

Najib: Malay youths should master data science

ALOR SETAR: The oldest woman in Malaysia, Puan Ahmad, aged 121, died at her granddaughter’s house in Kampung Bendahara, Kodiang, today.

The granddaughter, Zaini Noh, 44, said Puan died at 1.30pm from old age with her children and grandchildren by her side after feeling unwell for a week.

More commonly known as Tok Puan, she has four children aged between 65 and 90, 19 grandchildren, 70 great-grandchildren as well as one great-great grandchild.

She was buried at the Masjid Batu 4 Muslim cemetery in Kampung Bendahara.

Meanwhile, her youngest daughter, Tom Khamis, 67, said her mother was still talking and eating as usual until dawn today.

“She still had an appetite although she was not well due to old age. There was no illness, but she was tired for the past two weeks,” she said.

“I have been here to look after her since last week after hearing she was becoming more tired. Before this, she was staying in my house in Kuala Nerang,” she said.

Tok Puan had just celebrated her 121st birthday on April 12.

Here are six of the best photos that readers added to the Consumerist Flickr Pool in the last week, picked for usability in a Consumerist post or for just plain neatness.

Want to see your pictures on our site? Our Flickr pool is the place where Consumerist readers upload photos for possible use in future Consumerist posts. Just be a registered Flickr user, go here, and click “Join Group?” up on the top right. Choose your best photos, then click “send to group” on the individual images you want to add to the pool.