Jim Paull

As we’ve been saying all week, Prime Day deals are coming a little early this year. Amazon is having a sale on a crazy amount of luggage and luggage accessories for Prime members, including two of the Internet’s top five favorite brands: Travelpro and Briggs & Riley. So, if you’ve been using that duffel bag since college and you have a flight to catch soon, you should get on this one.

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I feel like Oprah right now. You get luggage , and you get luggage, everybody gets luggaaaaaage! Timbuk2's giant, and I mean GIANT, sale is not something you want to miss. Grab one of your top five favorite rolling carry-ons or a new laptop messenger bag. Be sure to let us know what you pick up in the comments.

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I grew up with a standard, cheap rice cooker my mom bought at a grocery store. Shopping for my own cooker as an adult, I was surprised at how many options there are to choose from and how expensive those options can be. Cooking rice is a pretty straightforward task, so what’s with the super expensive cookers? Here’s what I found.

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TAIPEI: Taiwan cancelled dozens of flights and shut schools and offices Thursday as the island braced for a direct hit from Super Typhoon Nepartak, the first major tropical storm of the season.

The typhoon was packing gusts of up to 245 kph (152 mph) as it rumbled towards the eastern county of Hualien, where it is due to make landfall early Friday, according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Bureau.

The storm is expected to dump torrential rain on the whole island with mountainous areas forecast to be deluged with up to 500 millimetres (20 inches), potentially triggering landslides that have in the past claimed hundreds of lives.

More than 35,000 soldiers are on standby to help with evacuations and disaster relief, while 90 shelters have been set up.

Most domestic flights were grounded while 59 international flights would be affected, Taipei’s two main airports said.

The popular tourist spots of Green Island and Orchid Island, which have already evacuated thousands of visitors since Tuesday, announced the closure of all schools and offices on Thursday.

Conditions are expected to deteriorate significantly before the storm hits, the weather bureau said.

“Its storm circle is gradually approaching the waters off southeastern Taiwan, posing a threat to all regions and Penghu,” it added.

The storm had a radius of 200 kilometres and was moving west-northwest at a speed of 14 kilometres an hour.

The storm is forecast to hit southern China as a typhoon after battering Taiwan.

Super typhoon Dujuan killed three people and left more than 300 injured in Taiwan last year, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

In 2009, Typhoon Morakot devastated the island, killing more than 600 people, most of them buried in huge landslides in the south.

PETALING JAYA: DAP lawmaker Nga Kor Ming has sparked outrage among Malaysian netizens with an oddly American-themed message posted on his Facebook for Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

The image, which bears the Taiping MP’s official header, has the words “In God We Trust”, an emoticon of praying hands, a picture of a lighthouse with the American flag flying in the background, and the words “Lord, Guide Our Nation Back To You”.

The picture is captioned: “We serve to bless others, we are from the people, by the people & for the people. Selamat Hari Raya!”

The picture of the lighthouse seems to be taken from the website DrJamesDobson.org, which bears the name of the founder of the American Christian conservative organisation, Focus On The Family.

Malaysian netizens have lambasted him for using a picture featuring the American flag in a Raya message, labelling him “insensitive” and “stupid”.

“Go and learn how the Malaysian flag looks like. You wish to wish the Muslims Happy Aid (sic) Mubarak, but your stupidity is way over the roof. Don’t know whether you’re blind or plain dumb,” said Facebook user Rocky Tan.

“Nga Kor Ming dan Donald Trump berpisah tiada!” (“There is no difference between Nga Kor Ming and Donald Trump”), said Facebook user Wen Huey Kelly Fong,

“Aiyo yb, graphic designer punya la ramai (“There are many graphic designers out there”), at least edit and change the american flag to our own flag,” wrote Facebook user Faidhi Fahmi.

Muslim Facebook users have been particularly caustic.

“I pray for you so that u can live in the hell forever,” said Facebook user Mohd Nazri Ismail.

“What we have now in this world it’s just 1/70 portion of the hot from the hell fire. It is not because u are a Chinese, but due to your IGNORANCE.”

“Plain lazy. This is the biggest public holiday in Malaysia… And this what we get? This is just a plain lazy cut and paste job. No respect at all,” wrote user Man Syah.

Facebook user Yaqazah Umirta Al-Kisasi, however, was forgiving, praying for God to “guide Nga Kor Ming to Islam and clear up his corrupted mind”.

When you first get a new graphics card, your games run buttery smooth. Over time, you might start to notice that it doesn’t run as well, even on the same games. What gives? This video explains what causes performance degradation over time.

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We tend to spend a whole lot of time thinking about what to make for dinner — far more than we do for breakfast or lunch — but it’s a meal just like the rest. Sometimes, that overthinking isn’t really worth it. When you find yourself in that position, reach for this upgraded egg and avocado salad. Pile it high on hearty toast for a wholesome meal that takes nearly no time to put together, but feels incredibly satisfying. (Eating things with your hands has a way of doing that.)

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From Apartment Therapy → Clever Ways to Squeeze More Cookbooks into Your Collection

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Redditor silenc3x has a rather unique workspace. It takes up one corner of this beautiful sunroom, and it’s covered in plants and greenery that look especially beautiful at night, but are no slouch in the day. He calls it his “jungle battlestation,” and we love it.

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Trail mix is meant for far more than long hikes. It's meant for car rides, 3 p.m. hanger, long flights, and late-night snacking — just to name a few. It's the ultimate snack for nearly any situation, which means it shouldn't simply be a sad mix of raisins and peanuts. Toss in just one of these 15 additions to jazz up this well-loved snack.

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KUALA LUMPUR: An electric bus will start operation in the capital city by the middle of 2017.

What makes the electric bus special is that it is the first of its kind in Malaysia and an ingenious product of 30 young engineers from local universities.

The idea to create this green technology came as a result of its high demand in the market and low maintenance as compared to conventional buses.

Sync R&D Sdn Bhd Chief Operating Officer Nurulhanom Laham said the success was impressive as they were still new to technological development and engineering technology owned by China.

“There has actually been a high demand from bus operators, but its supply and electric vehicle facilities, such as charging stations, are limited, she told Bernama recently.

This project that began in 2011, had been patented as EBIM (Elektrik Bas Inovasi Malaysia).

Nurulhanom said the electrical bus was capable of saving the bus operator’s cost operation up to 60 per cent, saving more than RM300 million a year compared to the use of diesel energy.

The electric bus was made in accordance with the specifications and standards set by the Road Transport Department and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe that enabled its safe operation on roads.

“Currently, it is in its final stage of testing and certification to ensure that the vehicle components are at its best state, safe and fulfils the required standard before it is marketed,” she said.

The technology of its battery is capable of moving a bus for a distance of 200 kilometres, making it on par with the average trips made by buses in a daily operation..

The design process, at an estimated cost of RM30 million, will be fully completed this August and expected to be in full operation by the middle of 2017.

Meanwhile, one of engineers involved, Mohd Elyas Ariff Shaibudin, 28, a Universiti Malaya mechanical engineering graduate, said although they had no experience in the design of electrical buses, it did not prevent them from using the best of skills acquired from their universities.

However, without proper guidance from experts, it would have been harder for them to produce the innovation, but the opportunity had also motivated young engineers like him to think critically and creatively.

Meanwhile, Nizamuddin Daud, 28, said among the challenges faced included the lack of references since electrical bus engineering is still new.

“Although we conducted many trial runs that failed, but as a team, we successfully overcame the obstacles,” he said.

– BERNAMA

While I’m sure none of you have ever experienced this thing called “leftover steak,” I’ve heard that it happens to some people, and that those people are greatly concerned with how they should be reheating it. Spoiler alert: You shouldn’t; you should make a salad instead.

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If you’re packing more variety in your lunch than a sandwich and chips, or want a little of lots of flavors in your bag or lunch container , cupcake liners are the perfect way to separate each item and keep the whole thing clean and neat.

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KUALA TERENGGANU: A retiree incurred losses amounting to almost RM180,000 after falling victim to a ‘parcel scam’ syndicate he got acquainted with, via social media.

Initial police investigations revealed that although the 59-year-old victim was befriended by who he believed was a British woman, the syndicate was masterminded by a group of Africans.

The police suspect that the group had worked closely with locals to obtain the victim’s personal details to fleece him of the amount.

Terengganu Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Superintendent Koh Ah Tiam said early last month, the victim had befriended a woman who claimed to be British, via Facebook.

He said the woman had sought assistance from the victim on the pretext of buying a house, adding that the victim agreed to help.

“The victim, who acted as a ‘middle-man’, managed to find a house in Damansara, Kuala Lumpur and the woman had agreed to buy it.

“As a token of appreciation, the woman said she wanted to give a present and cash to the victim for helping her to buy the house,” he told reporters here today.

A few days later, however, the victim received a call from a courier company and the Customs Department, demanding that he settle a payment, including customs tax, to the tune of almost RM180,000.

Koh said the victim then wired seven transactions between June 17 and 23, during which he had also received several threatening calls for the money.

“During that period, the victim had paid almost RM180,000 but he received neither the gift nor the cash as promised, until today,” he said, adding that the victim lodged a police report yesterday after realising he had been cheated.

– BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR: About 30,000 illegal security guards with shady backgrounds are believed to be working freely nationwide.

Describing the situation as a security threat, Security Services Association of Malaysia (PPKKM) President Mustapa Ali said it was difficult to monitor the presence of illegal security guards because their background particulars were not recorded.

He also said the figure was just a estimate based on intelligence conducted by the association.

“We do not rule out that there may be those with criminal records or who are ex-convicts,” he told Bernama, here, today.

Such a development was confirmed by Kuala Lumpur Police Chief Amar Singh Ishar Singh. He, however, declined to comment further.

Crime cases involving security guards have often made headlines. Last Oct 25, a security guard was picked up by police in connection with the rape-cum-murder of a Form Five student in Teluk Kumbar, Penang.

Police confirmed that the 20-year-old suspect had a drug-related criminal record.

Mustapa said apart from locals, most of the illegal security guards comprised of Indonesians and Bangladeshis.

“In Malaysia, other than locals, only Nepalese nationals are allowed to work in this sector.”

Without full registration being done, he said such a situation would complicate matters pertaining to the welfare of the security guards themselves, besides posing a risk of their involvement in crime.

“Some of them are even exploited such as not being paid, but this is not reported to the authorities because they are not registered. The companies and PPKKM do not have their records.

“Therefore, we (PPKKM) are looking at this illegal and unregistered security guard issue seriously,” he said.

Mustapa believed that some security companies were willing to compromise national security by not adhering to the correct procedures when hiring workers, for the sake of making more profits.

“This is because they (companies) can pay lower salaries to reduce their expenditure,” he said.

The total number of registered local security guards stood at 163,000 while Nepalese made up 28,000, he said.

In tackling the issue, Mustapa said the association had collaborated with the Royal Malaysian Police and Immigration Department, and formed a special task force early this year.

 

PETALING JAYA: Social activist lawyer Syed Azmi Alhabshi has explained that a buka puasa event planned by the Assumption Church here stemmed from an attempt by the Catholic community to understand and enjoy the feeling of breaking fast during Ramadan.

He said he believed the Catholics (who fast for 40 days before Easter) wanted to know the difference between how the fast was performed and to share the satisfaction of breaking the fast.

“Why would they invite Muslims to buka puasa there? Because they want to understand the satisfaction we get from buka puasa and the joy of Hari Raya.” Syed Azmi told FMT.

“They want to understand because they also fast. (They want to know) the difference between how they and us enjoy breaking fast. That’s not something we can teach through ceramahs. If we want to share, we have to show an example.”

The buka puasa event on Friday evening was called off on police advice to avert any possible trouble.

Syed Azmi said he was not one of organisers, as stated in some media reports, and had only been invited by the organisers to advise them about sensitivities and Muslim culture.

“I was just sharing (news of the event) like everybody else. I couldn’t attend myself because I was in Kuching,” he said. “If I was the organiser, I would have been there.”

SEE ALSO:

PJ church cancels buka puasa event

Nazir praises church for giving buka puasa meals

I moved a few weeks ago, so I had to break down and re-set up my workspace. When I did, I replaced my dual-display setup with a new 34" ultrawide LG curved display. It’s had its quirks, but now I’m not sure I could ever go back. Here’s why, and why it’s worked so well for me.

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Archaeologists in China believe that they have found a portion of the skull of Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, contained in a stone chest  beneath a Buddhist temple in Nanjing, reports LiveScience. In an article published in the Chinese Cultural Relics journal, researchers say they discovered a...

Gunmen attacked a restaurant popular with expatriates in the diplomatic quarter of the Bangladeshi capital on Friday and took hostages, including several foreigners, police said.

Eight to nine gunmen attacked the Holey Artisan restaurant in the upscale Gulshan area of Dhaka, and police were preparing to start an operation to rescue the hostages, said Benjir Ahmed, the chief of Bangladesh’s special police force.

CNN said 20 people were being held in the restaurant.

Ahmed said the assailants had hurled bombs at police. One policeman was dead and two others wounded by gunfire that erupted as they surrounded the restaurant, police said.

A resident near the scene of the attack said he could hear sporadic gunfire nearly three hours after the attack began. “It is chaos out there. The streets are blocked. There are dozens of police commandos,” said Tarique Mir.

Bangladesh has seen an increase in militant Islamist violence over the last year. Deadly attacks have been mounted against atheists and members of religious minorities in the mostly Muslim country of 160 million people, with attackers often using machetes.

Militants killed two foreigners last year, leading several Western firms involved in the country’s $25 billion garment sector to temporarily halt visits to Dhaka.

Both Islamic State and al Qaeda have claimed responsibility for militant attacks in the country. But the government denies foreign militant organizations are involved and blames two local groups, Ansar-al-Islam and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen.

The US State Department said all Americans working at the U.S. mission there had been accounted for. A spokesman said in Washington the situation was “very fluid, very live”.

If there’s been an earthquake in your area, you probably want to know as much about it as fast as possible. Google’s making that easier by showing information about your area when you search for “earthquakes.”

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LAGOS: Authorities in Nigeria’s commercial hub of Lagos have shut down dozens of churches, mosques and hotels in a bid cut noise pollution, officials said Thursday.

The sprawling city of some 20 million people is notorious for heavy traffic jams and the deafening noise of churches and mosques that use horns and loudspeakers to spread their message.

“It’s true that 70 churches, 20 mosques and 11 hotels, club houses and beer parlours have been shut down across the state,” an official of Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), who did not want to be named, told AFP.

She said LASEPA boss Rasheed Adebola Shabi ordered the closure after the churches and mosques refused to comply with a government order to reduce noise pollution.

“The affected churches and mosques were directed to remove the horns and loudspeakers placed outside so as not to disturb the public with their activities but they refused,” she said.

The official said the government was aiming at a zero-noise level in the next four years.

She added: “We want to ensure that Lagos is noise-free by the year 2020. With our status as a megacity, by year 2020 we will be free of noise”.

She said the agency would no longer allow makeshift buildings to be used as places of worship in the state.

The government has restricted blaring of horns and sirens by motorists to reduce noise and pollution in the highly crowded city.

RIYADH: Muslim pilgrims joining this year’s hajj in Saudi Arabia will have to wear an electronic safety bracelet, newspapers reported Friday, after more than 2,000 died in a stampede last year.

The high-tech safety measure will help authorities provide care “and identify people”, the Arab News and Saudi Gazette reported.

At least 2,297 pilgrims died during the stampede on September 24 during last year’s hajj, according to data from foreign officials, some of whom expressed concerns about difficulty in identifying the victims.

Saudi Arabia issued a death toll of 769.

It was the worst disaster in hajj history.

The bracelets are water resistant, connected to a GPS location system, and store each pilgrim’s personal information including address and medical records, the newspapers said.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, the interior minister who also chairs the hajj committee, ordered a probe immediately after the stampede disaster last year but there has been no word on its findings.

The tragedy happened as pilgrims made their way in searing temperatures to the Jamarat, the place where they ritually stone the devil in the city of Mina in western Saudi Arabia.

The hajj and lesser umrah pilgrimages bring millions of Muslims to Saudi Arabia every year.

In another safety measure, more than 800 surveillance cameras have been installed at Mecca’s Grand Mosque, Islam’s holiest site, the Saudi Gazette reported this month.

 

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.

PETALING JAYA: The chairman of a mosque in Selayang is set to face the music for allowing the constituency’s non-Muslim MP into the prayer hall recently.

Malay Mail Online quoted Selangor Islamic Religious Department Director (Jais) Haris Kasim as saying that the chairman, who was not identified in the report, will face the sack.

This comes after Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah’s decree yesterday that mosque guardians (nazir) who allowed non-Muslim politicians to carry out political programmes in their premises should be sacked.

In this case, the guardian had allowed Selayang MP William Leong into the prayer hall during a buka puasa event last Saturday. Leong has since denied he was there to deliver a political speech and said it was merely to hand out donations and wish the congregation “Selamat berbuka”.

Haris told the news portal he would relay the dismissal to the mosque guardian today.

The “nazir”, who is tasked to oversee the daily running of a mosque, is appointed by the state Islamic council.

Under the Selangor Mosque and Surau Guideline 2010, non-Muslims are not allowed to step into the prayer area of a mosque or surau in the state, for any activity, said the report.

Those who break the rule can be charged under Section 12 of the state Shariah Criminal Enactment 1995 and can be fined not more than RM3,000, or jailed a maximum of two years, or both.

Besides digging your toes into the sand and splashing around in the pool, the snap as you bite into a sausage or hot dog is one of summer’s most satisfying feelings. I eat my share of hot dogs in the summer, and I can tell you one thing: They’re a blank canvas waiting for you to create.

Sure you could leave their garlicky, salty goodness alone, but why would you? The truth is, sausages and hot dogs are perfect for decorating as you see fit. Not into spicy foods? Sweeter sauces will do the trick. Want to dial up the intensity? What kind of hot sauce can you stand? Summer is a time of creativity, and these condiments are sure to make your wursts and wieners works of art.

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You might not want to spend too much time with your poop, but it can tell you a lot about your overall health . StoolAnalyzer can help you narrow down what health issues you might be having based on the size, color, and frequency of your bowel movements.

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JOHOR BARU: During the day, they are Immigration officers manning a check-point between Johor and Singapore.

A bad case of garlic breath can ruin a date, even if you both have it. These foods, if eaten after a garlic-y dish, might be able to save the day.

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This $170 Chromebook has a super-thin design, 13 hours of battery life, and 4GB of RAM, all solid specs. But most importantly, it will support Android apps via Google Play in the coming months, which should dramatically expand its capabilities. If you’re in the market for a travel-friendly portable, you could do a whole lot worse for the price.

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