Studies have found that being one with nature helps us take our minds off the daily hassles. Here are some of the best destinations in Malaysia to rewind and recharge yourself, as you keep in touch with nature.

Research after research, scientists have found that taking a break from our rigorous tech-lifestyle and looking to the greens have had therapeutic effects on people. If you’re thinking of catching a breath of fresh air, here are some of the best places to catch the sight of some of Mother Nature’s lovelies during spring.

World’s Most Expensive Sporting Event, Per Minute of Action: The 100-Metre Dash Olympic Final
Based on the highest ticket price in comparison to each minute of action, the most expensive sporting event would be the 100-Metre Dash during the Olympic finals. For a sport that lasts approximately 9.58 seconds, which is really only one-third the average length of a TV commercial, people from around the world are willing to pay approximately RM2,350 to witness it. That costs a whopping RM245 per second of the sport. But of course, all that money is worthwhile as spectators witness their own country reign on the tracks live – unleashing patriotisms at its best.


World’s Most Expensive Yacht: Eclipse
Owned by Russian businessman Roman Abramovich, the Eclipse is worth approximately RM2.5 billion. With the huge steel displacement at around 170 meters, this mega yacht is also the largest yacht in the world. Come on board and you will find 11 staterooms and suites with 6,000sf of living space, two helicopter pads, two swimming pools, several hot tubs, a disco hall, internal lifts, three launch boats, and a mini submarine. Not to mention, it is also equipped with intruder alarm systems, bullet proof glass and advanced missile defense system, so the 112 people she can accommodate will feel both comfortable and safe.

But just wait! Another yacht called the Streets of Monaco is in its designing stages, and is expected to be worth about RM3.5 billion. Boy, do people know how spend their billions!


World’s Most Expensive Whisky: Dalmore 62
Whisky-lovers out there, would you pay around RM795,000 for a bottle of limited-edition scotch? Apparently, a Chinese businessman was when he came across the last remaining Dalmore single malt 62 that was sitting in a duty-free shop at the Singapore Changi Airport recently. The 62-year old scotch is one of the 12 bottles available, of which not all were released at the same time from the personal collection of master distiller Richard Paterson.

The last record holder was the Dalmore 64, which was bought at approximately RM580,000 just earlier this year. With the increasing value of whisky, they make a great investment… or even just a great drink for those with an expensive taste.


World’s First Scientific Zoo: London Zoo
Opened in 1828, the London Zoo is the first scientific zoo. Unlike prior zoos that had only collected animals, the London Zoo was a centre of scientific studies. One of its notable members was Charles Darwin, whom helped us understand the relationship between animals and humans. The London Zoo was also the first for a number of things, like the reptile house, public aquarium, insect house, and children’s zoo. Of present, London Zoo houses 755 species of animals and insects. Prioritizing the welfare of its animals, larger animals have been moved to the ZSL Whipsnade Zoo so that they may enjoy a more spacious enclosure.

Not funded by the state, the 183-year old zoo supports itself on donations, membership fees, sponsorships, and entrance fees, while focusing on the conservation and long-term breeding programs so that we will not be the last to have seen or heard of any of the animals.


World’s Deepest Swimming Pool: Nemo 33
Want to practice your scuba diving skills before hitting the ocean? Unlike normal swimming pools that only allow you to submerge to an average depth of 1.5 meter, the Nemo 33, which is located in Brussels, Belgium, allows you to dive shallow or deeper beyond that mark. This pool consists of two flat platforms, at 5 meter and 10 meter each, before divers find their way to the large circular pit that descends to a depth of 33 meters.

Now, unlike normal swimming pools, the creator behind Nemo 33, diving expert John Beernaerts, aimed for the pool to mimic deep-sea diving in the Caribbean. As a result, the pool 2,500,000 liters of non-chlorinated, highly filtered spring water that is maintained at 30°C, and has several simulated underwater caves as well. Safe to say, no sharks, octopuses or jellyfish have been spotted in Nemo.


World’s Highest Restaurant: At.mosphere
Situated on the 122nd level of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, At.mosphere serves dinner with a view from 1,350 feet overseeing the city of Dubai. For epicureans, you will be pleased to find yourself comfortably dining on thoughtfully-prepared dishes as you immerse yourself in the wonderful lounge-fine dining concept and spectacular view.

Inevitably, the location of the restaurant is not all that is sky high – a standard meal of starters, main course and drinks can rocket to about RM500 per head. Then again, nothing beats this when it comes to dining amidst the heavens.

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Published in eye glamour (vol.20) under the World News section September 2011.

Once upon a time, life was very simple. Distractions were hard to come by, making routines like sleep easy to follow through. But as time saw the existence of technology, so did distractions increase. Whether it is in the form of entertainment or work, many people have made technology a bigger priority in life than that of sleep. As a result, some of us choose to neglect sleep, unknowingly making it detrimental to our eyes. Why not eye-ducate yourself as we share with you several reasons of having good sleep?

It’s the time of the year where we look forward to celebrations, holidays... and of course, fireworks! Whether young or old, people from all walk of life come together to watch the spectacular displays that light up the dark skies with colours. Some people choose to view the public firework displays, while others opt for home versions, either bought from vendors or homemade. Unfortunately, these beautiful explosive devices can also shut the curtains of our eyes when we least expect it.

Fact: Sparklers can burn at 2,000°F, which is hot enough to cause a third degree burn!

Eye-opening statistics
According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission*:

• More than 9,000 fireworks-related injuries happen each year on average 
• Nearly half are head-related injuries with nearly 30 percent of these injuries to the eyes
• One-fourth of fireworks eye injuries result in permanent vision loss or blindness 
• Half the accident victims (approximately 3,300 of them) with fireworks eye injuries are children of age 19 and below
• One-third of all firework injuries for children under the age of 5 are caused by innocent sparklers 
• 29% of accidents were due to misuse, such as improper handling, mischief, combined fireworks types, and lighting near explosives; meanwhile 62% were due to malfunctions 

* Statistics are compiled during the 4th of July celebration period in 2010 (which accounts for 73% of annual fireworks-related injuries annually in the US)

While all sorts of explosive devices can cause harm to any part of the body, firework devices that fly or emit sparks, like fountains, novelties, public display fireworks, bottle rockets, and sparklers were associated with eye, head, and face injuries. In fact, Marguerite McDonald, MD, who is clinical respondent of American Academy of Ophthalmology shares that “Among the most serious injuries are abrupt trauma to the eye from bottle rockets,” as they can fly erratically, often injuring bystanders. Injuries sustained can vary or include eye lid lacerations, corneal abrasions, traumatic cataract, retinal detachment, optic nerve damage, rupture of the eyeball, eye muscle damage, and complete blindness. Even with the most careful person, the statistics have indicated that it is still likely for a firework accident to occur as a majority of the mishaps were due to malfunctions, a variable that no one could actually predict.


But what do you do if someone’s eyes get injured by firework?
Do not touch or rub the injury, nor do you flush it with water or apply any ointment onto it. Instead, you can protect the eye by taping a paper cup over it while the person seeks for immediate medical treatment – the person’s eyesight may depend on it!


Don’t let your celebration become a tragedy. Think of the safety of your own and your loved ones the next time you choose to pick up light one of these explosives.

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Published in eye glamour (vol.20) under the Eye Care section in September 2011.

Swimming is known to be a therapeutic form of sports to treat asthma, as well as a great way to improve endurance, cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, and muscle strength. It is also a recreational form of water play. Unfortunately, the chlorinated pool water can become a problem to the eyes if they are not protected. Here are some things you should know about swimming in swimming pools, and ways to protect your eyes while swimming.

 

The phrase “blind as a bat” takes a whole new meaning as studies have found that blind humans can be trained to echolocate like bats and dolphins do. It might be strange to imagine humans doing so, but there are cases where blind people have learned to echolocate by making a sharp click using their mouths. This sound, in turn, bounces back off nearby objects, where their ears subsequently detect the echo.