I look forward to this every Saturday, I share the clips i enjoy with you.
Welcome to the Shirk Report where you will find 20 funny images, 10 interesting articles and 5 entertaining videos from the last 7 days of sifting. Most images found on Reddit; articles from Digg, Kottke, Facebook, Twitter, and email; videos come from everywhere. Any suggestions? Send a note to submit@twistedsifter.com
The Industrial Court says Norzaifizy Khalid Nordin’s employer did not follow the last-in, first-out principle in carrying out the retrenchment exercise.
PETALING JAYA: The former employee of a petroleum company was awarded compensation of close to RM1.2 million after the Industrial Court ruled that he had been unfairly dismissed by the Sarawak-based firm.
Norzaifizy Khalid Nordin, a lead facilities specialist at Murphy Sarawak Oil Co Ltd, was issued a retrenchment notice on Aug 15, 2015.
The company said it had been suffering a severe decline in profits and a reduction in business due to a significant drop in global oil prices.
Murphy vice-president Harry Howard said the company had taken several cost-cutting measures which had proven ineffective. He added that the company had no choice but to release Norzaifizy from employment with two months’ salary in lieu of notice.
Murphy paid Norzaifizy RM266,766.03 in retrenchment benefits. However, Norzaifizy filed a claim in court seeking reinstatement.
Norzaifizy, represented by S Muhendaran and Chong Wan Loo, also wrote to the company seeking clarification but it maintained its stand.
Norzaifizy argued that his retrenchment was a breach of the principles of natural justice and an act of victimisation.
Industrial Court chairman Yong Soon Ching said in a 32-page award that the dismissal was without just cause or excuse.
He said it was for the company to discharge the onus of justifying the departure from the last-in, first-out principle in retrenching employees by citing substantive and reliable evidence.
“The company abandoned the principle and instead adopted its own criteria,” he added.
Yong also said Norzaifizy had committed no misconduct, neither had he performed below expectations to warrant the dismissal.
He said he was satisfied that there had been a decline in the company’s profits but that this was not enough to render it unable to continue its operations.
He also said employers must take all measures under the Code of Conduct for Industrial Harmony before conducting a retrenchment exercise.
“This court is of the opinion that the company has adequately complied with the code, although not entirely,” he added.
He said it was not a suitable case for reinstatement but that the rightful remedy would be to award the claimant with compensation.
Norzaifizy joined the company on May 1, 2008. His last drawn salary was RM33,537 plus RM1,700 in cost of living allowance.
His back wages amounted to RM810,451, while compensation in lieu of reinstatement came to RM387,607, totalling RM1,198,058.
However, Yong ordered that only RM931,291.97 be paid to Norzaifizy since the company had already paid RM266,766.03 in retrenchment benefits.
Helpful. Just yesterday I needed to know the earliest way to put the glass sliding door back on its tracks and I had to rewinding.
There are a ton of informative YouTube videos out there. When you’re watching one where you’re hoping to learn something; however, you have to take your own notes on the topic for later. Gnotes is an extension that can help with that.
A bull elephant that was murdered by ivory poachers in central Sabah. (Sabah Wildlife Department pic)
KOTA KINABALU: A tropical biodiversity research outfit here says there has been an alarming increase in poaching and wildlife trafficking for the past few years in Sabah.
Danau Girang Field Centre director Dr Benoit Goossens said elephants, bantengs, sun bears, pangolins and sea turtles were those specially affected by the rise in poaching.
“In 2019 alone, Sabah lost more than 15 elephants to firearms and poisoning in forest reserve areas and plantations while close to RM8 million worth of pangolin scales, elephant ivory and wildlife meat in Sepanggar and Tamparuli was also seized.
“And last year, three Bornean bantengs were shot in the Paitan Forest Reserve on the same day,” Goossens said in a statement today.
He said the Sime Darby Foundation had allocated RM4 million to the state Forestry Department to increase the capacity of its “Protect Team”, targeting the eradication of poaching and wildlife trafficking in Sabah.
A poacher sitting on a banteng bull he just shot in the Tabin Wildlife Reserve. (Danau Girang Field Centre pic)
Chief Conservator of Forests Mashor Mohd Jaini said Sime Darby’s support would “put more boots on the ground” and provide for equipment purchases and the cost of training the rangers.
He added that the Protect Team was formed in 2016 with the support of WWF-Malaysia to monitor two million hectares of totally protected and conservation areas, mainly focusing on illegal forestry activities and forest reserves’ encroachment.
“It also carries out anti-poaching patrols in forest reserves and roadblocks at strategic locations. But 24 rangers to cover such an area are not enough. Therefore, the support from the foundation is crucial to allow us to increase our presence in the field and combat wildlife poaching and trafficking,” Mashor said.
Sime Darby Foundation council member Caroline Russell said SDF was also working with the Perak State Park Corporation for the protection of the Royal Belum State Park in Perak by supporting two teams of rangers and Orang Asal as boots on the ground to patrol the state park,” she said.
She added they wanted to avoid a situation like the Sumatran rhino, which is now on the brink of extinction.
“We hope that the communities surrounding our forests will also be our eyes and ears in combatting such criminal acts (poaching and trafficking),” Russell said.
A relative being consoled by firemen after the body of a drowning victim was brought ashore. South Korean tourist Kyeong Young-an, 18, was reported missing on Friday.
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Christina Liew today reminded resort owners along the Dalit Beach near here to put up more signs to warn their guests of rip currents.
This follows a drowning incident involving an 18-year old South Korean tourist last Friday.
The Dalit Beach, from Sepanggar to Tuaran near here, houses two five-star establishments as well as other resorts.
There have been several drowning cases at the stretch in previous years, believed to also have been caused by rip currents.
Liew, who is also state tourism, culture and environment minister, said although many resorts have warning notices in place, it would be good to ensure visitors using the beaches are aware of the danger.
“I believe resort and hotel owners along this stretch are knowledgeable and aware of the possible rip current risks at their beachfront and would also have standard operating procedures in place.”
She suggested that warnings in other languages be also displayed.
A rip current forms because wind and breaking waves push surface water towards the land, causing a slight rise in the water level along the shore. This excess water then flows back to the open water.
The remains of Kyeong Young-an were found about 6.30am today after the Korean was first reported missing from Borneo Beach Villa in Karambunai, Sepanggar, here at about 3.30pm on Friday.
A Fire and Rescue spokesman said his body was found by a fisherman in waters off Kampung Gayang, about 4km from the location where he was last seen, after a two-day search and rescue operation.
Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu at the opening of the Armed Forces Cooperative’s annual general meeting at the Sungai Buloh army camp. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: The Armed Forces Cooperative today announced a 10% dividend, amounting RM145 million, for its 154,620 contributors.
Defence Minister Mohamad Sabu said the dividend payout is based on the cooperative’s pre-tax profit and zakat of RM184.33 million from a net income of RM313.5 million recorded in the 2018 financial year.
He said the cooperative had an excellent and consistent record of paying dividends, including last year’s positive financial performance, while also noting the RM13.6 million in profits from members’ deposits.
“Despite the country’s economic health not at its very best, the cooperative still managed strong returns,” he told reporters after officiating the opening of the cooperative’s annual general meeting at the Sungai Buloh army camp here today.
Present were cooperative chairman Zulkiflee Mazlan, Royal Malaysian Navy chief Mohd Reza Mohd Sany and Royal Malaysian Air Force chief Affendi Buang.
At the same event, the cooperative announced an online service to serve its members better.
Known as “KT Online”, the service is part of the cooperative’s plans to incorporate digital services and products for its members and clients.
Zulkiflee later also handed over RM450,000 in business tithes from the cooperative to the Armed Forces Veterans Foundation zakat fund.
by Jolie Kerr on The Inventory, shared by Tercius to Lifehacker
Ask a Clean Person and Style Girlfriend are teaming up to bring you the latest on what to wear for spring and summer... this week, they’re talking gym bags.
Intermittent fasting is a method of dieting that restricts the amount of time you are allowed to eat. The appeal of these diets is that you don’t need to count calories or eat certain foods. But there are so many versions, it’s hard to know which one is best. Here’s what the research says. The...
If you have access to HBO and haven't yet watched Chernobyl, start now. The five-part miniseries, written and conceived by Craig Mazin (yes, that's the same guy who was roommates with Ted Cruz), deals with the fallout of a nuclear catastrophe. And by "fallout," I mean more than radiation.
Mazin's aim was to take a story about a real thing that happened and tell not only the story of the explosion of Reactor #4 at Chernobyl itself, but tell it in the context of the coverup, denial and lies about what actually happened. The series doesn't just put the viewer in the center of one of the worst radioactive explosions ever, it centers them in the middle of a dreadful coverup of the cause. With all that, it is also about the heroes -- the firemen, the coal miners who shoveled radioactive debris, the people forced to abandon their homes and everything they had at a drop of a hat, the medical personnel and the scientists too.
As Vice writer Drew Schwartz observes, "[Mazin's] dramatization is about the failings of the Soviet system, and the unique set of unsolvable problems that system created. It is about “the cost of lies,” a phrase we encounter in its first scene, and the danger of a world without truth."
I won’t waste your time with overwrought exposition: Do you like roasting marshmallows over fire and making s’mores? Graham crackers are classic, but how about consider using Ritz crackers? This tip comes from my colleague Kate Bernot’s friend and hairdresser Lisa (hi, Lisa!). Upon hearing about this, we had to try…
A rare cat born with two extra ears (they are more like flaps) has recently resurfaced online after first garnering online attention over a decade ago.
Owners, Valerie and Ted Rock, adopted the frisky feline back in 2006 and decided to name him Yoda, a nod to the famous Star Wars character and legendary Jedi.
Yoda’s extra ears – which are not thought to help him hear – are not attached to the base of his skull, with one placed slightly behind the other. They are believed to be the result of a genetic mutation.
Aside from his genetic mutation, Yoda is a happy indoor cat with an ‘interesting obsession with bread’ according to Valerie. To learn more about Yoda, you can check out this Daily Mail article.
The three female elephants are believed to have been deliberately poisoned. (Bernama pic)
KUALA LUMPUR: Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar confirmed today that three elephants found dead in Kampung Sri Timur 3, Kluang, Johor, yesterday were believed to be poisoned.
He said the results of an initial post-mortem conducted on the animals to identify the cause of death indicated there may be criminal elements involved.
“Nonetheless, the type of poison imbibed is still unknown as the samples of the liver and kidney of three elephants have to be sent to the Chemistry Department for analysis.
“The results of the toxicology analysis to identify the poison which caused the death of the three female elephants would be out in three months,” he said in a statement today.
Yesterday, Kluang police chief Mohd Abduh Ismail was reported as saying the elephants were found dead at 9.30am by villagers who stumbled upon the three elephants lying motionless in the village.
In this regard, Xavier said the investigations of the Wildlife and National Parks Department in the surrounding area also found the private electric fencing put up by villagers there was not functioning. This caused the elephants to intrude into the area.
“Based on the size of the soles of the dead elephants, they were estimated to be aged 18, 20 and 22 years. It is believed the elephants were from a breakaway group from the Lenggor Forest Reserve in Johor,” he said.
Xavier said the department would be cooperating with the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) to make it a condition to install electric fencing in oil palm plantations near the forest reserve to prevent wild elephants from damaging plantations and the village areas.
“The ministry urges parties with information on the death of the three elephants to call the Wildlife and National Parks Department by contacting 1-800-88-5151,” he said.
To strengthen your knees for running, you need to work on the muscles all around your knees, including your thighs, calves, and buttocks. Once those muscles are stronger, they give your knees a break! Try doing strength training for your knees 2-3 times a week. You can even do the exercises before or after a run to make it more convenient.[1]
Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Stand up straight with your arms at your sides. Position your toes so they point slightly to the outside instead of straight ahead.[2]
If you need to, you can put your arms in front of you for balance.
This exercise works your thigh and buttocks muscles.
Bend your knees to lower yourself toward the ground. As you lower yourself, keep your chest up. Bring your hips back and put your weight on your heels as you bend down.[3]
Keep your knees behind your toes. Try not to go past a right angle with your knees.[4]
Keep your squat shallow if you have any knee problems, such as patella femoral syndrome.
Push from your heels to return to the starting position. Lift yourself up with your knees and thighs to go back to standing. When you come up, contract your glute muscles.[5]
Try 10 reps and 3 sets.
To make this exercise harder, try jumping squats where you jump as you come up. You can also try a wider stance to make this more difficult. Don’t try this if you have problems with your knees.
Turn your back to a wall. Stand about out from the wall with your back to it. Place your feet hip-width apart. Point your toes slightly out to the side instead of directly in front of you.[6]
Some people turn these into wall sits by stepping out from the wall instead. That will make the exercise more difficult but will increase it's strengthening power. Don’t try wall sits if you have knee pain or pre-existing problems.
This exercise works your calf, thigh, and buttocks muscles.
Press your back against the wall and slowly bend your knees. Slide your back down the wall so that your knees are bent. Make sure your knees line up vertically above your ankle so your shins are straight.[7]
For a wall sit, aim for a 90-degree angle with your knees. If you have knee pain, then try to bend your knees at a slightly smaller angle. You may need to move your feet in or out slightly to achieve this. Hold it for 30-60 seconds.[8]
Contract your knee and buttocks muscles as you lift back up. Push yourself back up to the starting position. As you do, make sure you tighten the muscles just above your knees and the ones in your back end.[9]
Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor. Keep your knees bent so they’re directly over your ankles, and place your feet shoulder-width apart so they’re flat on the floor. Place your hands on the ground next to you so your palms face down.[10]
Use a yoga mat or another comfortable pad so you don’t hurt your back while you lay on the floor.
Press down on your heels to raise your hips off the ground. Push down against the floor with your heels so your lower body lifts off the floor. Tighten your hamstrings and buttocks so your torso forms a straight line toward your knees.[11]
If you want to make your bridge more difficult, try only using 1 leg to lift your body instead.
Hold the bridge for 20-40 seconds. Maintain the bridge position for at least 20 seconds to work your hamstrings. Keep your body straight and then slowly lower your hips back down to the floor.[12]
Take a large step forward. Start with your legs hip-width apart. Step forward with one leg, going 2-3 times as far as you normally would when taking a step. You're going to need room to bring your back knee down to the ground as you step.[13]
This exercise works the muscles all through your legs and buttocks.
Take a shorter stride if you already have pain in your knees. Make sure you don’t feel pain throughout your range of motion.
Bring your back knee almost to the ground. As you step, aim for a 90-degree angle with your front knee. Take your back knee as close to the floor as you can. It should almost touch the floor.[14]
If you can't go very low right now, just do what you can.
Return to the starting position and do the same with the other leg. Bring your back leg up to meet your front leg. Switch legs, and repeat the lunge. You can do this standing in place, or you can move forward as you do your lunges.[15]
Place yourself about away from a wall. You can also stand in front of a piece of exercise equipment or anything else sturdy. Put your feet about shoulder-width apart.[16]
This stretch helps loosen your calf muscles and take pressure off your knee.[17]
Step back with one leg. Hold on to the wall or the furniture in front of you. Put one leg behind you about or so. Keep the knee straight in this leg with your heel against the floor.[18]
Bend the other knee as you lean forward. Move your hips forward and slowly bend your knee. This will start to stretch the calf muscles on your back leg. Make sure to keep that knee straight.[19]
Hold the position to stretch your calf muscle. When you start to feel the calf muscle stretch in the back leg, stay in that position for 30 seconds or so. As you're holding this position, press down into the heel in back.[20]
Move to the other leg. Once you've stretched one leg, switch the positions of your legs. Bring your hips forward enough to stretch the calf muscle in the other leg and hold this position.[21]
Begin with your feet hip-width apart. While standing up, spread your feet apart so they're directly under your hips. Shift the weight to your left foot so you can lunge out with your right foot.[22]
Laterals are a type of lunge. Doing lunges this way will help work the muscles on the side of your knee.
You can also lift your right foot off the ground and balance on one leg before lunging. That will increase the difficulty of the exercise.[23]
Step out to the right as far as you can. You'll need to step and turn slightly to complete this move. As you do, dip your left knee to the ground and reach out to your right toes with your left hand. Keep your chest high. Put your weight on your heels.[24]
Don't push your right knee out in front of your right toes.
Return to the standing position. Press down into your right leg to go back to the original position. Complete the same exercise to the left by stepping out that direction.[25]
Sit in a chair or on a bench. Straighten up your back and place your feet flat on the floor in front of you. Put your knees at a 90-degree angle and place your hands on your hips.[26]
This exercise works the muscles above your knee.
To make this exercise more difficult, use an ankle weight.
Lift one leg out in front of you. Bring it up so it's straight out in front of you. As you do, make sure to tighten the muscles above your knee so you work those muscles. Point your toes up and a little bit to the outside.[27]
Lower and lift your leg while tensing the muscle. Bring your leg back down but don't let it touch the floor. Keep lifting it up and down, making sure to contract the muscles above your knee while you do.[28]
Try 10 reps before moving to the other leg. Do 3 sets this way.
For a different variation, lift your leg and hold it for 15 seconds. Do 3 reps of 15 seconds, making sure to keep your leg tense the whole time.
If you are having pain from runner's knee, over-the-counter anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen or naproxen can help alleviate the pain or swelling.
Apply the RICE method if you feel knee pain, which includes resting it, icing it for 20 minutes at a time, using compression bandages, and elevating it.[29]
Try applying heat with gentle movements to help heal minor injuries.
After using my Instant Pot for nearly four years, I decided to write a follow-up review. Here's what I think about the Instant Pot all these years later.
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Check out this shocking photo of a ‘traffic jam’ on Everest where approximately 320 people were making their way to/from the summit on May 22nd, 2019.
The photo was shared by Nirmal Purja of Project Possible 14/7, who is attempting to “climb all 14 of the 8,000m Himalayan peaks in a single 7 month season, breaking the previous record of 7 years, 11 months and 14 days.”
The viral photo has been used in recent days to raise awareness about the overcrowding concerns on Everest as earlier this week another mountaineer died after summiting Mount Everest, bringing the death toll for the 2019 climbing season to 11 people. You can read more about the overcrowding issues in this CNN article.
If you value your brain/head/life, wear a hard hat on any active work site. It protects your noggin from: fixed objects and equipment, falls, and it also stands out.
Hard hats also protect you from falling objects, which as this video eloquently demonstrates, can be disastrous if you’re not protected.
Just look at the difference a mere 10 ft makes on the force of impact from just a 1 pound object.
Hundreds of tons of imported plastic waste will be shipped back to where it came from, Malaysia said Tuesday, insisting the country did not want to be a global dumping ground. Around 300 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year, according to the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF), with much...
Taking care of a senior is a real challenge, especially if they refuse help. Understanding the cause of their resistance may help us develop strategies to encourage cooperation.
Why do elder people resist care?
If the senior needs care, they probably suffer from a loss mentally, physically or both. Accepting help means giving up privacy. They might be afraid of being vulnerable, or see themselves as useless, which makes them angry.
Guilt is also a factor as they have now become a burden to their family. In some cases, the senior may have memory loss, which confuses them as to why they need help.
How to talk with a resistant senior?
The doctor will probably discuss care needs with the senior. However, if a family member must be the one to talk with the senior about this, here are some pointers:
Assess the senior’s condition to see what assistance they will need and choose the best service for that requirement.Talk to them when both the speaker and senior are relaxed. It will be easier for them to accept.
Ask their opinion. Ask them if they prefer certain kinds of service or if they want to be taken care of by a family member.
Needless to say, it’s hard to meet all of their demands, but it is important to listen to them and assess what to do.
Use simple language. An elder person may have trouble understanding. Try to explain everything as simple as possible to avoid confusing them.
Get help from other family members to persuade and reason with them. Keep trying as some seniors may not be willing to talk about it. Don’t give up. Try bringing up the topic next time.
Strategies to manage resistance
Encourage the senior to give it a try. Don’t force them to decide right away. Instead, suggest a trial run to give them the chance to experience the advantages of having someone caring for them.
Ask the senior to accept it for the family. Explain how their acceptance of care and assistance can help make the rest of the family’s life easier. Help them understand that sometimes compromising is necessary.
Talk with them about cost. In some cases, a senior will refuse care because they are worried about the cost their children have to bear for the help. If there is insurance or other funding to help cover the cost, make sure the senior knows about it.
If the senior’s resistance to care puts them in danger, it might be necessary to seek professional help. The senior may be more willing to listen to a health care provider.
This article first appeared in hellodoktor.com and was reviewed by Panel Perubatan Hello Doktor. The Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
An American yoga instructor who spent two weeks lost in the wilds of Hawaii and survived on plants and water has been found alive. Amanda Eller, 35, was rescued Friday beside a creek bed at the bottom of a ravine in a national forest on Maui after she was spotted by a helicopter. She had been out...
Sarawak Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Mustafa Kamal Gani Abdullah says 63 cases of the Macau scam, involving RM3.9 million, have been reported so far this year. (Bernama pic)
MIRI: A civil servant here lost RM1,096,800 after falling victim to the Macau scam early this month.
Sarawak Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Mustafa Kamal Gani Abdullah said the woman aged 52 was contacted on May 7 by another woman named Syaifa Omar who claimed to be from a Terengganu court.
He said the victim was allegedly told by the woman that her bank account had been compromised for drug smuggling and money laundering totalling RM90,000.
The victim was then contacted by a man named Sufian Sulaiman who warned her that her account would be frozen and advised her to open a new savings account and transfer her money to it.
The man also advised the victim to change her registered online banking contact number to the number given by him.
On the instructions of the man, the victim claimed she credited her whole savings of RM1,096,800 into the other account in stages from May 7 until May 20 through 18 transactions.
“The victim only realised that she had been cheated after checking her account through the automated teller machine (ATM) and found only RM21 in her balance,” Mustafa said in a statement today.
He cautioned the public against responding to calls from unidentified individuals and to contact 013-2111222 should they have any information on the Macau scam.
“The police or government agencies would never ask the public to bank in money or make payments, to settle summonses and so on, through the ATM to personal accounts,” he said.
He said 63 cases of the Macau scam, involving RM3.9 million, were reported between Jan 1 and May 20 this year alone, with 15 arrests.
My search for the perfect muffin is finally over.
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pic.twitter.com/ee0HkLrqpi
If you haven’t been marinating your watermelon, you're seriously missing out.
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From ultra-creamy smoothies to fudgy vegan brownies.
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Everyone who tries one immediately falls in love.
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Get excited.
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After using my Instant Pot for nearly four years, I decided to write a follow-up review. Here's what I think about the Instant Pot all these years later.
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A week's worth of light-yet-satisfying dinners on the grill, plus easy breakfasts and lunches.
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